11.24.07
If I Only Knew…
In the majlis at night, on Monday, November 12, 2007, in the Khanqah Imdadia Ashrafia, of Gulshan Iqbal, Karachi Pakistan, our beloved Shaikh, Hazrat Maulana Shah Hakim Muhammad Akhtar Saheb (damat barakatuhum) mentioned a true story of a young man who fell in love with a girl. It so happened that this girl suddenly died and due to the fact that the young man was so infatuated in the love of this girl that he eventually lost his sanity in thought of her. He became completely insane and would aimlessly wander around reading this couplet:
If I only knew, then I would not have fallen in love with you….
At that time, many years ago, Hazratwala (damat barakatuhum) would give time at his dawa-khana (herbal medicine clinic) and noticed this young man roaming the streets mumbling these couplets to himself. So Hazrat sent someone to inquire what the story behind this was. When they inquired, they were informed of the above occurrence.
Hazratwala then explained that so many young people have destroyed their lives and wasted their precious youth over these perishing “idols”.
Anyone who surrendered their heart to the perishing “beloveds” of this temporary world eventually ended up utterly disappointed with their so-called “beloved”. This is because the love of those that pass away will also perish one day.
As for those intelligent people who surrendered their hearts to the True Beloved (Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala), because of the fact that their Beloved is eternal, their love is also eternal and that love eventually grants them eternal union with their Beloved.
Maulana Jalalud-Deen Rumi (rahimahullah) writes in his Mathnawi:
Love of the dead is not enduring, because the dead one is never coming back to us;
But love of the Ever-Living (Allah Ta`ala) is every moment fresher than a blossom in the heart and soul.
Choose the love of the Living One who is everlasting, who gives you to drink of the wine that increases life.
Choose the love of Him from whose love all the prophets gained power and glory.
Do not say, “We have no admission to that King.” For dealings with the generous are not difficult.
11.22.07
The Admirable
Who would ever think
That there would exist such a person
Who has equal or more love
Than the love of one’s parents?
Who would ever think
That there would exist such a person
Who is concerned to the extent
That he would sacrifice his entire night’s sleep in order to help you?
Is it possible
That there is a human on this Earth
Who possesses such tolerance
That even when one commits a major sin
He shows no sign of disappointment,
Instead he explains a solution so that on can get rid of the disease
So that one does not commit the same mistake again.
Can one’s imagination even grasp the fact
That there is a servant of Allah
Who has so much patience
That even with the slowest person
He never gives up.
And is always there no matter what time it is,
Or how small or severe a problem may be.
Who has ever seen a person
That cares so much
That he goes as far as he can
To see his students progress in life.
I can say with certainty
That such a person does exist,
But there may not be another
Anywhere in the world
Who can match up to the likes of this man.
He sacrifices anything and everything
Just to see his students progress.
He is concerned ever so deeply
That because of his concern and worry
At times all sleep at night is lost.
He cares so much
That the pain the students feel…
He feels it too.
He has so much patience
That we go on doing one wrong thing after the other
But he will show no sign of disappointment.
Instead he just laughs it off
And says that this stuff will take time.
On the other hand,
Us ungrateful mureeds,
Show little or no appreciation,
For the amazing Shaykh that we have been blessed with…
The greatest blessing anyone could ever receive…
The most precious gift anyone would be stupid not to cherish.
Our Shaykh is The Admirable Shaykh.
No one could ever measure up to him…
No one could ever even come close…
- A Student
11.21.07
Guidance Granted
To think one can manage on one’s own
Is the easiest trap to fall in.
A concept that took a long time to learn,
That took a long time to fully sink in.
When my Shaykh entered my aimless world,
I was taught the purpose of my living and breathing,
The purpose for which I was created.
I then became one to begin to strive to achieve the goal.
Heinstructs me for what I need to do,
In order to attain the pleasure of Allah.
He guides me throughout my journey
Is there to support me every step of the way.
I have discovered a world
In which light shines upon me from all sides.
A world where I am granted a peace of mind,
Where tranquility descends upon me.
Through His continuous effort, tolerance, and patience,
He has brought me to the point where I am today.
Over the course of the past several months,
I have been continuously taught many valuable teachings.
We often hear the saying
“One can’t have it all.”
Throughout this journey sacrifices need to be made,
Changes need to be inculcated,
Struggling with one’s nafs is a given…
But who ever said this journey was easy?
The words of Allah, The Most Exalted
“Verily, with every hardship comes ease!”
Putting in some extra effort now
Will surely pay off in the long run…
Along with the du’as of a caring and devoted Shaykh
What more can one ask for?
- A Student
11.13.07
Two Gems From the Fountain of Wisdom
Hazrat Hakimul-Ummah Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (rahimahullah) said:
“Two things are very beneficial. If a person adopts them, he will not go astray.
One: He should annihilate his personal opinion.
Two: He should not hanker after results in his spritual activities; zikr, shaghl, ibaadat, etc.
He should act according to the instructions of his Shaikh (Spiritual Guide). Hazrat Haji Imdadullah (rahmatullah alaihi) usually commented: “The Taufeeq (Divinely granted ability) to do good, in itself is a great wealth.”
[The above advice pertains to spiritual and moral reformation where one is following the guidance of a qualified Shaikh who is an expert in the field of spiritual reformation. The mureed (disciple) should submit to his Shaikh's instructions and abandon his personal ideas and opinions.]
(Extracted from the Malfoozat of Hakimul-Ummah)
Zikr: The Right Reason
Hazrat Thanwi (rahimahullah) commenting on the need for absolute purity of niyyat, i.e. Ikhlas, said:
“A mureed living with his shaikh for a very long while was always engaged in zikr and shaghl. However, despite the abundance of zikr and shaghl, the shaikh did not notice any improvement in the mureed’s spiritual condition.
Once the inquired: “What is the motive for this zikr and shaghl?”
The mureed said: “So that I could be of benefit to others.”
The shaikh said: “Indeed, this intention is shirk. You must immediately repent.”
The mureed repented and shortly thereafter special fazl of Allah Ta`ala began to imbue the heart of the mureed.
Indeed the tricks of the nafs are extremely subtle. Man sees deception of his nafs only after great difficulty. (But with the assistance of the shaikh all this becomes easy and the tricks of the nafs quickly become apparent to oneself.)
(Extracted from the Malfoozat of Hazrat Hakimul-Ummah)
