Pearls of Spirituality |
P E A R L S O F S P I R I T U
A L I T Y
Gleaned from the writings of Sayyiduna AlaHadrat Imām Aḥmad Riḍā Khān al Qādirī Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu The noble friends of Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala state – “an ignorant ṣūfī is shayṭān’s joke.” Similarly, a ḥadīth of the noble Messenger of Allāh SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam informs us – فقيه واحد اشد على الشيطان من الف عابدينThose who remain ignorant yet strive hard in their worship are merely made to dance by shayṭān upon his fingers. He places bridles in their mouths and tangs in their noses, and thus drags them wherever he wishes, whilst they convince themselves that they are accumulating good deeds. Sayyidunā Junayd al Baghdādī Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu states – “my spiritual guide, Sayyidunā Sirrī Saqtī Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu supplicated for me thus – ‘may Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala grant you the knowledge of ḥadīth and then make you a ṣūfī, and may He not make you a ṣūfī before granting you the knowledge of ḥadīth.” [Iḥyā 'Ulūm ud-Dīn; Vol. 1; Page 13]Sayyidunā Imām al Ghazālī Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu states – whilst explaining this statement – “here, Sayyidunā Sirrī Saqtī Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu meant that the one who steps into the field of taṣawwuf armed with the knowledge of ḥadīth is victorious, whereas the one who ventures forth without knowledge is merely (– Allāh forbid! –) placing himself into destruction.”Sayyidunā Abu-l Qāsim Junayd al Baghdādī Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu states – “the one who has neither memorised the Qurān, nor written ḥadīth (meaning the one who lacks the knowledge of the jurisprudence) shouldn’t be followed by seekers of the path (of taṣawwuf,) nor should he be taken as a murshid [spiritual guide,] as all our knowledge of ṭarīqah is in obedience to the Book and sunnah.” Sayyidunā Sirrī Saqtī Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu states – “taṣawwuf is the name of the coming together of three qualities: firstly, the light of his (meaning the spiritual traveller’s) gnosis should not extinguish his light of asceticism. Secondly, he should not utter anything esoterically which exoterically contradicts the Qurān or noble ḥadīth. Finally, none of his miracles should be a means of him revealing that which Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala has forbidden to be revealed.” [Risālat ul Qushayriyah; Page 13] Sayyidunā Shaykh Shihāb ud-Dīn as-Suharwardī Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu states – “that ‘ḥaqīqah’ which contradicts the sharī'ah is not in reality ḥaqīqah, but rather plain heresy.” [Awārif ul Ma'ārif; Vol. 1; Page 43]II | The Definition of 'Ilm The definition of an 'ālim is that he –
III | The meanings of Bay'ah and ṭalab In becoming ṭālib, one’s intent is merely the acquisition of spiritual bounties, whilst the meaning of bay'ah is “to sell oneself entirely.” [Malfūżāt; Page 228] IV | Conditions of Bay'ah The bay'ah should be upon the hand of such an individual who embodies the following four qualities – in the case of him lacking even one of these qualities, bay'ah will not be valid upon his hand –
Nowadays, people take bay'ah only as a trend, remaining ignorant of its true meaning. Bay'ah can be understood by means of the following account – A murīd of Sayyidunā Yaḥya al Munīrī Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu was once drowning in the ocean. Sayyidunā Khiḍr appeared to him and said – “give me your hand, I will rescue you.”VI | Renewing one’s Bay'ah The practice of renewing one’s bay'ah dates from the blessed era of the noble Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam, with the Messenger SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam himself taking bay'ah from Sayyidunā Salāmah bin Akwa Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu three times during a single gathering. They when headed for jihād when bay'ah was taken the first time, and Sayyidunā Salāmah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu pledged his allegiance then. After a short while, our Master SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam said – “Salāmah, will you not take bay'ah?” When Sayyidunā Salāmah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu replied – “my master, I have already done so,” the Messenger SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam said – “once more.” Thus Sayyidunā Salāmah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu took bay'ah again. When all others present had finished pledging their allegiance, the Messenger of Allāh SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam said once more – Salāmah, will you not take bay'ah?” He Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu replied – “my Master, I have already done so twice.” The Messenger SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam said – “once more,” and thus he took bay'ah for the third time in that gathering. [Kashūl Faqīr Qādirī; Pages 48/9] VII | Bay'ah from more than one Shaykh (It is possible to leave a shaykh and take bay'ah upon the hand of another) in the case of there being some discrepancy (with regards the pristine sharī'ah) in the first shaykh. Otherwise it is not permissible, though one can always renew bay'ah. 'Adī bin Musāfir Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu says – “whoever comes to me, I accept his bay'ah regardless of his silsilah [spiritual lineage,] with the exception of those pledged in the Qādirī way, for no one leaves the ocean for the river.” VIII | Acquiring the rank of fanā fis-Shaykh (The rank of fanā fis-shaykh is attained by the following spiritual practice –) Envisage that your shaykh is present in front of you, and that your heart is situated below his. Visualise that the spiritual bounty and luminosity of the Messenger of Allāh SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam is descending upon the heart of your shaykh and from there, cascading upon your heart. After a period, one will reach such a state where he will clearly see his shaykh upon every surface he sets his eyes upon, to such an extent that he will not be separated even during ṣalāh. Thus, your shaykh will remain with you in every state. [Malfūżāt; Page 234] IX | Benefits of reciting one’s Shajrah Amongst the benefits that will be attained by reciting one’s shajrah are –
To achieve the effect of ważā’if and a'māl , (the fulfilment of) three conditions is essential – 1. Confident Expectancy For the heart to be free from such anxiety where one is constantly deliberating whether it has had an effect or not. Rather, one must trust wholly in Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala that He will definitely accept (this action). It is mentioned in ḥadīth that the Messenger of Allāh SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam stated – ادعوا الله وانتم موقنون با لاجابة 2. Patience and Forbearance For one not to become fearful with the passage of time, where one thinks – “even after so many days, no effect has become apparent!” This itself will come to be the cause of (the action) not being accepted! Rather, embrace the mindset that without doubt, Allāh and His Messenger SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam are about to generously favour you! Allāh SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala states – ولو انهم رضوا ما اتاهم الله ورسوله وقالوا حسبنا الله سيوتينا الله من فضله ورسوله انا الى الله راغبون یستجاب لاحدکم ما لم يعجل فیقول قد دعوت فلم یستجب لي 3. With regards permission (to act upon) the entirety of my (meaning 'Ālā Ḥaḍrat’s Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu) ważā’if , A'māl and Ta'wīżāt [amulets,] I have stipulated the condition that one must remain regular in offering the five daily ṣalāh with the congregation in the Masjid. And with Allāh is Tawfīq. [Fatāwā Raḍawiyyah; Vol. 23; Page 558] |
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Pearls of Spirituality
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