Bismillahir
Rahmaanir Raheem
By
Hadhrat Moulana Abdul Hamid Is’haq Saheb (Daamat Barakaatuhum)
Were we to reflect over
various incidents in the annals of our history, we find that without fail,
shaytaan whispers negative thoughts in the hearts and minds of people, whereby
many incline towards objecting and fault-finding.
In the time of Nabi
(Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam), the people said that they want a Nabi like Musa
(Alaihis Salaam) who received his Kitaab in one tablet form. They also
presented other objections and baseless reasons in not accepting Nabi
(Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam): The Quraish questioned why Nubuwwah was not
given to one of their leaders; why an angel was not sent down; and the Jews
turned away because the final Nabi descended from Hadhrat Isma`eel (Alaihis Salaam) and not
Hadhrat Is`haq (Alaihis Salaam).
They also say: 'Why was this Qur'an not
revealed to some mighty man
from the two towns'?
[Surah
al-Zukhruf,43:31]
"They also say: 'How is it that this
Messenger eats and walks about the markets? Why has no angel been sent down
with him to warn us? Or, why has no treasure been thrown to him, or a garden
for him to eat from?' And the harm doers say: 'The man you follow is surely
bewitched.'"
[Surah Al-Furqaan 25:7−8]
With the choosing of the
Khulafa in the history of Islam, we find objections. …This is what happens all
the time. This fitnah has always prevailed…
We find the same trend and
pattern being followed in every generation, at different levels. The Sheikh
passes away and shaitaan
places objections in the people, regarding those who are Khulafah. The Mureed
thinks or even says: “There is no one to
guide me! …I don’t find anyone fit for me. There is no one worthy for me to
take Bay`ah, to continue with, on this path…”
Is there any humility in this kind of
thinking? …There is no humility in this. This kind of thinking smacks of pride!
The
person’s thinking discloses that he considers himself such a person, such an
important and great person that presently in the entire world, there is no one
good enough to be a means of guidance and assistance on this path to Allah
Ta’ala.
When Hadhrat Moulana
Muhammad Ilyas (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) passed away, people said that the work of
Tabligh was dead – there is no one to continue. Allah Ta’ala disproved their
conclusions by bringing Hadhrat Moulana Yusuf (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) into the
work, and Masha-Allah, he made the work flourish in the world. When he passed
away, the people said there is nobody to continue. Hadhrat Moulana Inaamul
Hasan (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) then continued the work. He too passed away and
still the work continues – everywhere.
This is the effort of
shaytaan, where people think: ‘Now there is nobody!’
Sheikhul Hadith, Hadhrat
Moulana Muhammad Zakariyyah (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) would say: “Make a connection with a Sheikh who is
here today, because tomorrow he too will not be here. Appreciate (make qadr)
before even the present day Mashaa`ik are gone.”
There are many who compare
the present day Mashaa’ik with the Mashaa’ik and Auliya Allah of the past, and
in their comparison, they consider and even describe the present day Ahlullah
as ‘3rd class’, as ‘low grade’ or as inferior. …How easily we forget
what our own condition is and to what class we belong to...
Hadhrat Moulana Maseehullah
(Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) had given an apt analogy: A person wants to travel from
Bombay to Delhi, but he arrives late and the train has already started moving.
He has a first class ticket but the first class coach has already moved ahead.
If he says: ‘I only travel first class. I will never consider traveling third
class.’ – Then he must not expect to reach his destination.
…The train is slowly moving
out and picking up speed. There is still the opportunity to get onto the third
class coach. If he does not, he will not
reach Delhi. The person will just stay where he is.
He should rather board the
third class coach, despite the inferior and inadequate facilities. It may be
that the windows do not close, or the fans do not work or the seats are loose,
or the hinges are broken. However, despite all of these conditions and the
discomfort, if he boards, he will reach
his destination.
It is a known fact that the destination of
the first class coach is the destination of the third class – even though not
so comfortably.
Hadhrat Moulana Maseehullah (Rahmatullahi
‘alayh) then said that the truth is, that there is never a case where the
Auliya Allah are third class.
…Your thinking is third class. They are not
third class. They are all first class.
It is the Mureed’s bad thinking:
‘They are not fit for me; not good enough
for me!’ This train of thoughts reveals pride.
Allah Ta’ala not only
informs us that there will always be His Truthful and Sincere Friends, He
commands us to keep their company, to be with them. This proves the need for a
Sheikh and to relate to him.
يٰٓأَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللهَ
وَكُوْنُوْا مَعَ الصّٰدِقِيْنَ ◌
“O You who Believe,
Fear Allah and join the company of the Truthful ones
(the pious, the Auliya
Allah).”
[Surah Taubah 9 : 119]
It is essential to have a
sheikh and a living sheikh. Hadhrat
Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) had said that he
considered it necessary upon every
individual to connect himself to a reliable, experienced spiritual guide (and undergo the process of Islaah and Tazkiyyah).
Here too, we should keep in
mind the following: Not only is there a
need to have a Sheikh who is living, but a Sheikh who we can make Mashwarah
with.
It is to the benefit of the individual if he links up with some
Sheikh-e-Kaamil. Without a Sheikh, the Mureed/Saalik will not draw the full blessings of
this path.
Also: It should not be that Bay`ah is taken and
nothing follows thereafter.
Of course, great caution needs to be exercised in choosing a
Sheikh and a person should seek a Sheikh, making sincere Dua to Allah Ta’ala to
guide to the one who will benefit the most. One should not be hasty in regard
to taking Bay`ah. It would also only be to one’s benefit if Mashwarah is made
and Istikharah is read, when there is an inclination towards any Sheikh of
Tariqah.
Furthermore: It is sadly a reality that some
Khulafa also, become negligent or lax after the demise of their Sheikh –
sometimes, even during the lifetime of the Sheikh. They then do not also make
suitable guides for others. May Allah Ta’ala save us all.
It was for this reason that Hadhrat Moulana
Ashraf Ali Thanwi (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) would present a yearly list of his
Khulafa, so that people are aware who could be taken as a worthy spiritual
guide. Anyone whose Khilafat was withdrawn – due to laxity or some other valid
reason, would not be included in the list.
May Allah Ta’ala guide us all and grant us the appreciation of our Mashaa'ik.
