Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
Alhamdulillah, there are
many who associate with the Mashaa’ikh and many become Bay`at at the hands of
some Sheikh. However, very sadly, the relationship is confined to association
and not Islaah. Or the person wants credibility, so he establishes ties with
some Sheikh.
Many make no effort to
correspond with the Sheikh for the purpose of Islaah nor do they visit the
Sheikh and spend time with him to improve their spiritual condition; whereas
in the company of the Sheikh, the Mureed’s Muhabbat and Ma’rifat of Allah
Ta’ala, as well as his Islaah, will progress by leaps and bounds, if he is
sincere – Insha-Allah.
…How will there be improvement and progress,
when the Mureed – even if he is an Aalim – is not fulfilling his part? Or he is
not sincere in keeping the company of the Sheikh?
Hadhrat Moulana Maseehullah
(Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) had said that when a Mureed delays in Mukatabaat
(correspondence) with his Sheikh and he neglects his Ta’alluq (contact) with
his Sheikh, then his Munasabat (compatibility / affinity) decreases and he
loses out the blessings of his Bay’at. And Hadhrat Moulana (Rahmatullahi
‘alayh) also said that where a Mureed informs his Sheikh of his spiritual
weaknesses and conditions and he maintains his Ta’alluq, then there will be
progress and success.
…There are those who become
Bay`at and they are granted Ijaazat and Khilafat, and some have many Mureeds – even
running in the hundreds or thousands, but they too become comfortable with
their spiritual condition, or they feel that now that Ijaazat and Khilafat have
been given, they are independent; whereas in the company of the Sheikh, the Khalifa
will also draw the teaching, training and expertise of the Sheikh.
The fact that many Mureeds do
not see any need to maintain that connection, that there is no Islaahi contact,
no humility in seeking guidance and advice - shows great weakness. Years pass –
and if they do visit, it is to save face or to have their presence
acknowledged. If they do make contact, it is because of some problem that they
find themselves in and cannot come out of. Where is the Ikhlaas?
Others will only discuss
their beautiful dreams, or discuss the Ibaadaat and Khidmaat that they are
occupied with. They highlight their “kamaal” – their achievements – their
Tahajjud, Tilawat, Zikrullah, the Kaifiyyaat (spiritual conditions) they
experience, etc. But there is no mention
whatsoever of any spiritual sickness or any fears or concerns they have,
traveling this path of Sulook.
It is a common and a very
appropriate saying: “Whoever does not reveal his condition to his physician is not
intelligent.”
If a person goes to a doctor and says to the
doctor: “My pressure is good, my sugar is
normal; everything is fine. I am in excellent health!” – The doctor will
ask: “Why
did you come to me?”
Why do we go to the doctor? …To tell him our
ailments. To tell him what is wrong with us, so that he may prescribe something
for us and we may get cured.
In a similar vein, the Sheikh is a spiritual
doctor and the Mureed is a patient – who may be suffering from the deadly
ailments of pride, vanity, show, jealousy, love of Dunya, and so forth.
Others are ‘shy’ to disclose
their Roohani or spiritual diseases to the Sheikh. Our Hadhrat (Rahmatullahi ‘Alayh)
had said in respect to Mureeds: “Many are not shy. They are frightened -
because if they say they are caught up in some sin – like casting lustful gazes
or they are jealous of others or they are temperamental or they mistreat their
wives – they won’t get Khilafat. Yet, if they acknowledge their weaknesses,
seek a remedy and sincerely follow through with whatever is prescribed, they
are the ones who will be considered for Khilafat.”
There are those who keep
company with the Sheikh to give a show of their piety and humbleness.
Sometimes, even in that humbleness, there is Riyaa and Takabbur. ...Sometimes, even in the
person’s crying and Dua, there is the involvement of nafs! Sometimes, in the Khidmat
of the creation, in serving the people, there is the nafs. The person displays
his humility to people, but his nafs has a share, wanting to be seen as humble
and pious. ...This is a sickness.
At times, the person does not
realise or recognise his spiritual illnesses, and therefore does not ask for
its treatment. He does not recognise the Ujub (vanity), Kibr (pride), Riyaa
(ostentation), Hubbe Jah (love for fame) and other major sins in him. He sees
himself as pious and righteous, yet he is the one most in need of “ICU”
treatment!
Who will identify and diagnose?
…The Sheikh who is Kaamil. He is blessed with Baseerat (insight) and he is
guided by Allah Ta’ala.
How many great Ulama,
Fuqaha, Muhadditheen and Mufassireen, despite their great, great learning and
achievements, still found a distance between their ‘Ilm and ‘Aml, or found some
deficiency in regards to their Love of Allah Ta’ala, until they connected
themselves with a Sheikh-e-Kaamil; until they humbled themselves?
Hajee Imdadullah
(Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) was not an ‘Aalim; yet Hadhrat Moulana Rashid Ahmad
Gangohi (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh), on taking Bay’at to Hajee Imdadullah (Rahmatullahi 'alayh), said: “We
knew the names of the mithais (sweetmeats), but it was only in the company of
our Sheikh, that we tasted the sweetness of the mithais.”
…Meaning, they had the
knowledge of Dien and they were highly qualified in the sciences of Dien, but
it was only in the company of a Wali of Allah Ta’ala, that the reality of Dien
and the spirit of Dien and the Sweetness of Dien, were experienced.
It is related that when the son
of Sheikh ‘Abdul Qader Jeelani (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) qualified in the various
branches of Dien, after many years of travel, he returned home. The father
requested the son to address the congregation, which he did, presenting an
impressive talk on Qur`aan and Sunnah. The audience listened but there was no
influence on their hearts. Sheikh ‘Abdul Qader Jeelani (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) then
addressed the same congregation and said: ‘I made the intention to fast today and set
aside some milk for Suhoor. A cat came into my home and drank the milk. So the
fast was kept without Suhoor.”
The entire audience began to
tear on just that statement. Amazed at the response, the son asked his father
as to why such a simple incident would move the audience to tears whereas his own discussion on Qur`aan and Sunnah did not stir their hearts.
The father replied: “My
dear son, you have travelled and traversed the lands of the physical world, in
your quest for knowledge. You have not as yet traversed the spiritual world, in
your quest for Allah Ta’ala. This is the outcome of traversing the inner path
to Allah Ta’ala. You have
acquired the external dimension of Ilm, but you are yet to acquire its
reality!”
Some students and ‘Ulama sit before the Mashaa`ikh, and they sit with
their own knowledge in front of them – and then they pass their opinions, viewpoints
and even their critique, not considering that they may not have that degree of
Ma`rifat that the Mashaa’ikh have, nor the experience and the skill and the
depth in understanding which Allah Ta’ala blesses the Mashaa’ikh with. Many
entertain pride and vanity of their knowledge and of their opinions – whereas,
we should ask ourselves: From where did
we learn and acquire this knowledge? ...Was it not taught to us? Was there not
a time when this knowledge was totally unknown to us?
Imam Ahmad Ibn Hambal (Rahmatullahi ‘Alayh)
was a great Muhaddith and ‘Aalim. When he would see Hadhrat Bishr Haafi (Rahmatullahi
‘Alayh), he would respectfully stand up, to greet him.
His students asked: ‘Why is there so much of respect for Bishr Haafi? He is not even an ‘Aalim.’
Imam Ahmad replied: “I am
an ‘Aalim of the Kitaab. He is an ‘Aalim of Allah Ta’ala.”
There is a reality that needs to be sought.
Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) mentioned that the hearts of the
close friends of Allah Ta’ala are mines of Taqwa.
Hadhrat ‘Abdullah ibn
‘Umar (Radiyallahu’anhu) related that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu
‘alayhi wasallam) said: “Everything
has a mine. The mine of Taqwa is the hearts of the Aarifeen (those who have the recognition of Allah
Ta’ala).[1]
Our Sheikh (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) had beautifully
explained that just as we obtain gold from a gold mine, silver from a silver
mine, and diamonds from a diamond mine, so the treasure of Taqwa and the
treasure of Allah Ta’ala’s Muhabbat and Ma’rifat is drawn from the
companionship of His close friends, the Auliya Allah.
Hadhrat Moulana Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar Saheb (Rahmatullahi Alayh) mentioned as an example: “If a donkey falls and dies in a salt mine,
it too will become salt in due time. …If
the Mureed annihilates his opinion in the presence of his Sheikh and he leaves
aside his rank, his status and his knowledge, and sincerely spends some time with
the Sheikh, Insha-Allah, such a Mureed will make great progress and become the
friend of Allah Ta'ala.”
However, the nafs is a huge barrier. By nature, the nafs
does not like to lower itself. …So the Mureed will have to strive against his nafs to enjoy the fruits of this journey to Allah Ta'ala.
Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “Whoever
humbles himself for the sake of Allah, Allah elevates him.”
In this path, there is a demand for humility. One needs to humble himself in this process of
Islaah and Tazkiyah – and if it is done seeking Allah Ta’ala, then it is for
Allah Ta’ala. Allah Ta’ala then elevates.
May Allah Ta’ala grant us the understanding, the humility, the
sincerity and the Taufeeq of making our Islaah under the guidance of a
Sheikh-e-Kaamil.
By Hadhrat Moulana Abdul Hamid Is’haq Saheb (Daamat Barakaatuhum)
[1]
Tabarani
