Munaasabat Explained!

Experience has proven that for gaining spiritual benefit (fuyudh-e-batini), mutual munaasabat (compatibility/congeniality) between the Shaikh and Mureed is a natural condition.

Normally benefit is dependant on affection which is the reality of natural connection (munasabat-e-fitri). Sometimes a Shaikh will refer a mureed to another Shaikh because of the lack of such munaasabat between them.

In doing so the Shaikh establishes either by deduction or inspiration from Allah Ta’ala that the mureed has munaasabat with a certain Shaikh. In this Path it is essential that munaasabat exists between the Shaikh and Mureed otherwise the mureed will not benefit.

Such munaasabat is the basis for getting benefit and passing on faidh (spiritual grace) to the mureed. Munaasabat envisages that there exists between the Shaikh and Mureed compatibility and harmony to such a degree that the mureed discerns no rejection in his heart for any word or act of the Shaikh although the mureed may be afflicted by mental disagreement with any word or act of the Shaikh.

Nevertheless such mental disagreement will not be a source of rejection for the Shaikh in the heart of the mureed.

In short, harmony and compatibility are conditional. It is therefore essential to first inculcate munaasabat. This need is imperative. In the absence of this essential condition, mujahadat (strivings), riyadhat (certain forms of exercises designed to subdue the nafs), muraaqabah (meditations) and mukashafat (intuitive revelations) are all futile.

In the absence of natural munaasabat (tab’i munaasabat), the mureed should endeavor to inculcate intellectual (aqli) munaasabat, because benefit is dependant on it. For this reason, one should refrain from entering into a connection with the Shaikh until total munaasabat has been inculcated.

From the Malfuzaat of Hazrat Hakimul-Ummah Thanwi (rahimahullah)

 -Submitted by: Maulana Tameem Ahmad Sahib, Khalifah of Hazrat Hakeem Akhtar Sahib (DB)

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