Hazrat Ameer Mohammad Akram Awan (Shaikh Silsila Naqshbandia Owaisiah)
Hazrat Ameer Mohammad Akram Awan was born on 31 december 1934. He started learning Tassawuf at the age of 24 years from his great Shaikh Hazrat Molana Allah Yaar Khan 'R.A' and learned Tassawuf and Zikar-E-Ilahi for alsmot 25 years in the company of his Shaikh. He was the brightest student amongest thousands of his Shaikh's student and was not willing even a bit to lead the Silsila after the death (visaal) of his great Shaikh. Hazrat Moalana Allah Yaar Khan 'R.A' learned and taught Tassawuf and Zikar-e-Ilahi for almost 55 years adn He 'R.A' written many of books about Islam and Tassawuf. "Dalaael-u-Salook" and "Hayyat-u-NABI 'SAW' are two of the amazing books written by Him 'R.A'. Which are being used today as refference books by Sufi Saints and Islamic Educators. He is a Mufassir, his Tafseer is “Israr-ul-Tanzeel” and in peresent time He is writing "Akram-u-Tafaaseer" which is a detailed and a very simple Tafseer of ALQUR'AAN. He has an amazing effect in his words in his voice in his hands movments while speaking and in his Eyes, whenever he watches someone, one look gives an unbelievable comfort and peace to the heart of that person, i know it personaly because i have gotten it many times! If you listen only one of his speech fully concentratedly you will feel an unbelievable change and peace in your heart during and at the end of the speech!
He has written many books on Islam, Sufi'issm, and also poetry! The books are also given to download. books are packed in .zip format so you will need winrar or winzip to extract book and then you need adobe reader to read the book.
Chain Of Trasmission of Silsila Naqshbandia Owaisiah
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sall Allah-o ‘Alaihi wa Sallam)
Hadhrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radhi Allah-o ‘Unho, d. 13H)
Hadhrat Imam Hassan al Basri (Rahmat Allah ‘Alaihi, d. 110H)
Hadhrat Dawood Tai (Rahmat Allah ‘Alaihi)
Hadhrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmat Allah ‘Alaihi, d. 297 H)
Hadhrat Obaid Ullah Ahrar (Rahmat Allah ‘Alaihi, d. 895 H)
Hadhrat Maulana Abdur Rahman Jami (Rahmat Allah ‘Alaihi, d. 898 H)
Hadhrat Abul Ayub Muhammad Saleh (Rahmat Allah ‘Alaihi, d. late 10 cent H)
Hadhrat Allah Din Madni (Sultan ul-Arifeen) (Rahmat Allah ‘Alaihi)
Hadhrat Abdul Rahim (Rahmat Allah ‘Alaihi, d. 1372 H)
Hadhrat Maulana Allah Yar Khan (Rahmat Allah ‘Alaihi, d. 1404 H)
Hadhrat Maulana Ameer Muhammad Akram Awan Present Shaikh of the Order.
Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad P.B.U.H
“We have sent you as a mercy to Mankind” (Al Quran)
Hadhrat Abu Bakar Siddique (R.A)
Spiritually, following Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H, Hadhrat Abu Bakar Siddique is the source of ALL Prophetic blessings in Islam. His soul is like a spiritual treasure, blessed with Allah’s mercy and prophetic blessings. His unique spiritual status in Islam is no surprise for indeed during his lifetime he was the closest and the dearest companion of Holy Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H. Therefore Owaisee spiritual connection begins from Hadhrat Abu Bakar Siddique (R.A). On the Sufi path it is impossible to bypass him for receiving any spiritual blessings from the Holy Prophet P.B.U.H. Hadhrat Abu Bakar had the unique status of having “Maiayat” of Allah. A relationship with Allah which lends itself to Allah’s support and presence not only through of His attributes but because of Him (Allah) Himself. Only two people are blessed with this unique relationship. Amongst the Prophets, it is Holy Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H and amongst the rest, only Hadhrat Abu Bakar Siddique (R.A). This is proven from Holy Quran. When Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H and Hadhrat Abu Bakar (R.A) together migrated from Mecca and had to hide in a cave. Holy Quran quotes the words of Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H consoling Hadhrat Abu Bakar by telling him that,” Allah is with both of us”. Kindly note that Holy Prophet made a reference directly to Allah (Him) and not any of His attributes. In all other cases, “Maiayat” of Allah was through His attributes. Take the case of Prophet Musa (A.S) when he led his people away from pharos. Before parting of the sea, when Israelites saw Pharos army, Prophet Musa (A.S) said:
“My Rab is with me. He will make way for us”. Rab is an attributive name of Allah.
Similarly Aulia Allah (Saints) have His “Maiayat” only as long as they have the spiritual purity of being Allah’s friend. This is a personal attribute. If they loose this attribute, they loose the unique relationship with Allah as well, which is characterized as “Maiayat”. Hadhrat Abu Bakar (R.A) passed away on 1st Jamadi Awal in 13th Hijra at the age of 63. Two years after his beloved Prophet P.B.U.H left the world.
Hadhrat Imam Hassan Basri (R.A)
He is the third in chain of transmission following Hadhrat Abu Bakar Siddique (R.A) in Owaisee Silsila. There is a gap of one hundred years between his demise and that of Hadhrat Abu Bakar (R.A). Actually he received Prophetic blessings from Hadhrat Abu Bakar (R.A) through Owaisee method.
Hadhrat Daud Tai (R.A)
He received spiritual blessings from Hadhrat Imam Hassan Basri (R.A) and died in 174 hijra. Although there is record of his one meeting with Hadhrat Hassan Basri yet the mode of spiritual training remained Awaisee.
Hadhrat Junaid Baghdadi (R.A)
He lived in present day Iraq and passed away in 297 (Hijra)
Hadhrat Obaid Ullah Ahrar (R.A)
During the times of Hadhrat Obaid Ullah Ahrar, some people had mistakenly focused too much on outward form of Islamic Tassawwuf. They believed that spiritual purification could only be achieved by reclusive methods of keeping a distance from all material pleasures like good food, good clothes, good homes and a good quality of life. It was commonly believed that Saints of Allah are some supernatural beings and they were not expected to live normal human lives. On the contrary, Hadhrat Obaid Ullah Ahrar was a wealthy person. He managed a huge land estate. Hundreds of Ox used to plough his lands at one time. As a great spiritual master of his time, he reformed the Sufi tradition by reducing the focus on outward superficial forms and emphasizing that following Quran & Sunnah in daily life is the most important aspect. What is important is a spiritually illuminated soul that is the foundation for all spiritual progress. It is said for him that he was a sage who lived like a king. He died in 895 hijra.
Hadhrat Abd-Ur-Rehman Jami (R.A)
Hadhrat Abd-Ur-Rehman Jami (R.A) was born in 817 (Hijra) and lived in Khurasan (areas of Afghanistan). He was eleven years younger than his Shaikh Hadhrat Obaid Ullah Ahrar. Although both lived in the same age but history records only four meetings of Hadhrat Jami (R.A) with his Shaikh. However the two continued to keep in touch through correspondence. Hadhrat Jami (R.A) received spiritual blessings through Awaisee mechanism without staying in the company of his Shaikh. He wrote a book “Tuhfah Al Ahrar” in praise of his Shaikh and in illustration his spiritual relation with Naqshbandia Silsila. In another book “Nafhat ul Uns” he pays tribute to his Shaikh Hadhrat Obaid Ullah Ahrar in these words, “By the virtue of his blessed soul (his Shaikh) this Silsilah will continue to be a source of spiritual blessings for Muslim Ummah till the Day of Judgment”.
Hadhrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Saleh (R.A)
He belonged to Yemen and lived for most part of 10th Century hijra. During the last years of 9th century hijra he traveled to Hirat (Afghanistan) and visited his Shaikh Hadhrat Abd ur Rahman Jami (R.A). Thereafter he left for Hajj and met his disciple Hadhrat Allah Din Madni (R.A) during his visit to Medina. After departure of Hadhrat Madni (R.A) to India, he returned to Yemen. His tomb is in Yemen.
Hadhrat Allah Din Madni "Sultan-Ul-Aarafeen" (R.A)
Hadhrat Sultan ul Arifeen Allah Din Madni belonged to Madina. He was ethnically Hashmite (from the tribe of Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H) and his family looked after the Raudha Ather (tomb of Holy Prophet P.B.U.H). He received spiritual blessings from his Shaikh Hadhrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Saleh (R.A) in early 10th Century (hijra) when Hadhrat Saleh (R.A) visited Madina Munnawarah from Yemen. He left Madina soon after and arrived in Present day Pakistan after a long journey that had taken him to many places. His arrival in South Asia is estimated to be in the 10th Century (Hijra) 。He visited Delhi and on his return stopped at Langar Makhdoom near Sargodha in Pakistan and spent the rest of his life here. After his arrival at Langar Makhdoom entire area appears to have been blessed by Allah’s mercy and blessings. Floods and disease used to cause havoc in these areas in routine; however, after the arrival of Hadhrat Allah Din Madni (R.A), Allah removed the difficulties faced by local People. He died in Langar Makhdoom at the age of 63. He was buried in his mud dwelling hut according to his last will.
Hadhrat Abd Ur Rahim (R.A)
He was born in 1855 and was spiritually initiated in starting first Latifa by his father Molvi Ghulam Nabi. It took him 14 years to complete all seven lataif under the spiritual guidance of another saint in Multan, Pakistan. Two years for every latifa. Meanwhile he continued to pursue his studies in other academic faculties of Islam. For fourteen years he spent his days in learning and his nights in Zikrullah (Remembrance of Allah). Finally when his spiritual ability had matured, he attainted Maraqbat-e-Salasa (three meditations) under spiritual guidance of his father. After finishing his studies he took up a Job in Land Affairs Department. In 1880 he was posted to Langar Makhdoom. During the land management of 1884 he happened to see the land around Langar Makhdoom and visited the tomb of Hadhrat Allah Din Madni (R.A). He was spiritually so inspired on that visit that for the next three years he regularly visited the tomb for Zikrullah (remembrance of Allah), meditations and recitation of Holy Quran. In due course he developed spiritual contact with Hadhrat Allah Din Madni (R.A). He oversaw land management at Langar Makhdoom in 1935 as well and continued to reside there after his retirement. Two of his handwritten literary works are available. One of these is “Jaamai Qawaneen” in Persian language with 310 pages. He finished writing this book on 6th October 1891. Second book is Persian poetry “Laila Majnoon” composed by Shaikh Abd ur Rahman Jami (R.A) which Hadhrat Abd ur Rahim (R.A) finished writing in 1312 (hijra). His litrary collection includes very precious and rare copies of books on Tafsir, Fiqah and Hadith. He was of fair complexion, long beard, lean body and moderate height. He used a walking stick for moving around. He was quite old when Hadhrat Allah Yar Khan (R.A) arrived in Langar Makhdoom however, they remained together for 14 years before Hadhrat Abd ur Rahim (R.A) passed away on Wednesday January 30th 1957. He was buried in the mosque near the tomb of his Shaikh, Hadhrat Allah Din Madni (R.A).
The Prophet hood of the holy Prophet Muhammad-saw remains as effective until the last day of this universe as it was on the first day of his appointment. The beneficence emanating from him consists of his teachings which form the basis of religious knowledge. This knowledge generates faith and is subsequently translated into conduct. Along with these teachings, he also radiated invisible blessings which cannot be described in words. These blessings charged the hearts of the believers with firm belief and enlightened them forever. Those who partook, both from these teachings and blessings were indeed perfect Muslims. They received this beneficence directly from the holy Prophet-saw and therefore occupy a unique status within the whole Ummah. His teachings and his blessings will be preserved in their pristine purity until the end of this world. Nobody has any right to change the code of permission or prohibition defined by him. Similarly, in the realm of Faith, his is the final word....
...Nowadays people demand every reference from the Quran, without appreciating the source through which it has reached us. After all who told us that it was the Divine Word and who read it to us? In fact, the Quran is the perception of Divine Revelation by the holy Prophet-saw alone. Nobody else can claim that he ever heard Revelation or saw and recognised the angel Gabriel. The holy Prophet-saw is the only one to certify that the Quran is the Word of Allah and not his own. His explanation and interpretation of the Quran is known as Hadith. The Quran states:
Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. 53:3.
It asserts that the holy Prophet-saw did not speak a single word through the whisper of his soul. His conversation was always based on Divine Revelation. In the case of the Quran, both the words and meanings were revealed by Allah, while the meanings of Hadith were inspired by Allah and verbalised by the holy Prophet-saw. This explanation has the approval of the holy Prophet-saw himself. Therefore, it is not correct to demand the reference of everything from the Quran. On the other hand, it is equally improper to interpret the Quran without reference to the Hadith. Only that meaning of the Book would be considered authentic which was given by the holy Prophet-saw and adopted by his Companions. On this subject, he-saws is the final authority....
....Just as the teachings of the holy Prophet-saw still continue to benefit mankind, so do his blessings. In the past, when the blessings of earlier Prophets waned with the passage of time, the faith of their followers weakened and they renounced their religion. This necessitated the raising of a new Prophet to illuminate the hearts of people with his blessings once again. The blessings of the holy Prophet-saw would neither wane nor fade but will stay forever like his Prophethood, because no new Prophet will be raised after him. Therefore, when Prophet Jesus-as (who is a born Prophet), returns to this world, he will not preach his own Prophethood but will follow the holy Prophet Muhammad-saw and would also invite others to do the same. Till the return of Prophet Jesus-as, the responsibility of preaching and preservation of Islam in its pristine purity has been entrusted to the Aulia of this Ummah. Therefore, like his teachings, the blessings of the holy Prophet-saw must also be and, in fact, have been preserved, from bosom to bosom, under a Divine arrangement. Just as one has to go to an institution or a scholar to learn his teachings, one has to similarly seek an audience with a person carrying Prophetic blessings. But there ought to be a yardstick or a criterion to determine the authenticity of a particular institution or person. The answer lies in the simple method of comparison of one's condition with those who received these blessings from the holy Prophet-saw directly. His company completely reformed their lives, illuminated their hearts and infused in them the love of virtue and hatred for vice.....
TA'LEEMAT-E-NABUWAT AUR BARKAAT-E-NABUWAT 'SAW'
....These were the Companions, the most pious group in the entire Ummah; piety and companionship are synonymous. They stand at that acme of human excellence where all virtues of a non-Companion pale into insignificance. They transmitted his-saws blessings down the line and a chain of transmission is established in the Ummah until today, and will so continue until Doomsday. The company of any saint in that chain should produce a positive change within us. Not only should our outward practical life be reformed but our inner self (heart) should also experience hatred for vice and love for virtue. We should feel pleasure in doing good acts, and if due to any human weakness, we commit a sin, it should divest us of inner peace and tranquillity. Only that person, whose company initiates such transformation by Allah's grace, would be a true saint. This indeed is the difference between a true and a pseudo saint. If one discovers an accomplished Wali, one should stick to him like his shoe lace. Therefore, the criterion is neither the increase of wealth and status nor the acquisition of material benefits....
AQAID-O-KIRDAR MEIN NABI KAREEM 'SAW' KA ITTEBA
....The universe and all of its systems have been designed by Allah since antiquity. The total providence of every human being, encompassing all of his worldly requirements, has also been divinely proportioned. No one can consume anyone else's portion, nor can he leave this world before completely consuming his own. Allah may increase someone's provisions to see if his wealth attenuates the clarity and strength of his relationship with his Provisioner. Similarly, He may straiten the provision of someone to see whether he returns to his Creator in adversity or seeks recourse to others. While He may alternate someone's condition between prosperity and adversity, His system is so perfect, smooth and flawless that it simply does not have any room for our suggestions. Human visitation to this world is ephemeral, whereas His system has been operating since time immemorial and only He knows how long it will continue to function. It is the permanent, perfect system which affects the temporary visitor, not vice versa...
NABI KAREEM 'SAW' KI HAYAAT-E-TAYYABA K DO PEHLU
....Therefore, it is incorrect to presume that we acquired wealth or health or worldly comforts in the company of Hadhrat (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi). These mundane benefits are of no consequence because Allah has given these to even those who do not believe in Him, His Prophet-saw and the Aulia. They also enjoy the fruits of this life. So, it is not justified to identify truth with material gains. A retired captain from a nearby village renounced Islam and converted to Shiaism. Once, a friend of ours asked him the reason for this absurdity at the fag end of his life. He replied: “I won the local election and became its chairman due to the blessings of my new religion.” An elderly lady, passing by, heard the dialogue and remarked: “Rather, you should have become a Hindu, to succeed Indira Gandhi. If the flower of this world is a fruit of religion, you should become Hindu to get greater benefits.” Wealth or comforts of this world are not the criteria of truth. The holy Prophet-saw is reported to have said: “If this world had weighed equal to the wing of a gnat, Allah wouldn't give a non-believer a drop of water to drink. It carries no value with Him.” All of its comforts and miseries are temporary and momentary. But the states that descend from Allah on the hearts and the blessings which are acquired through the holy Prophet-saw are everlasting and guarantee success both here and in the Hereafter. This should be viewed from two angles. First, we should identify the process of the reformation of the heart initiated as a result of our association with any person, institution or school of thought. Second, if someone belongs to a category of people who do not get easily influenced, he should see others associated with that institution or person and look for any positive changes resulting from that association. If he finds that they have been reformed but he himself remains unaffected, then he should critically analyse himself. Probably some of his failings preclude him from receiving those blessings. But if he finds no change in anyone, it is better to quit immediately. It will be a sheer waste of time to continue an association where sincerity of purpose, love of virtue and hatred for vice are missing. One has very little time, death is chasing everyone born in this world. To die in search of truth entitles one to Allah's mercy, because according to a Divine declaration, anyone who migrates towards Allah will receive his reward whether he reaches the destination or dies enroute.... MA'IYYAT-E-RISAALAT 'SAW'
....So first of all, one should purify one's intention and purpose. He must then set out in the cause of Allah and in search of truth and piety. If received, worldly comforts are insignificant by-products of this journey and should not be taken note of. The real valuable achievement is a firm belief in the Divine Unity, the Prophethood, and life of the Hereafter. A practical life increasingly influenced by these beliefs will be an indication of the acquisition of blessings and beneficence from the holy Prophet-saw. One should not waste one's time with an association which does not lead to this achievement.
May Allah accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and to do good! Ameen!
"ALLAH" KI PEHCHAAN
Tuesday, 19 April 2011
TASAWWUF
Translated Speech of
His Eminence Ameer Muhammad Akram Awan Shaikh Silsilah Naqshbandiah Owaisiah.
"The Message of Incessant Endeavour in Practical Life" (Langar Makhdoom)
14.October.1987
We belong to a Sufi Order; therefore, most of our speeches and writings deal with the subject of Allah's Zikr. It is but natural that a person likes to converse about his most favourite pursuit. It should not be misconceived that we elude the challenges of practical life or persuade others to do so. On the other hand, by Allah's Grace, this exalted Order has presented pure Tasawwuf during the present time. The masses had already confused the meanings of Tasawwuf and it was believed that Sufis are those miserable failures in the world, who escape reality and pass their time as recluses in dark corners of oratories or mosques and that, they are incapable of self-sustenance and cannot courageously face the rigors of practical life. But this concept is not correct. The real Tasawwuf was taught by the Holy Prophet-saw himself to his students, the Companions.
According to the Quran, Companions were the exemplary Muslims. Their faith is quoted as the standard:
And if they believe in the like of that which you believe, then are they rightly guided. But if they turn away, then are they in schism. (2: 137).
It implies that everyone else is in the wrong and ill fated. It is of course, difficult to assess the level of one's honesty, because the inner feelings of a person are not necessarily displayed on his countenance. But Allah bears witness to the piety and honesty of the Companions:
Those are they whose hearts Allah has proven unto righteousness, (49: 3)
and:
Those are they who are in truth believers. (8: 4).
Taking them as the standard of virtue and the criteria of right and wrong, the Gracious Lord has divided the Ummah in three groups. The first two are the Emigrants and the Helpers amongst the Companions, and third is the group of those who follow them in earnest:
Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Him. (9: 100).
There is no concept of Islam outside these three groups.
As stated earlier, Companions are the exemplary Muslims with Allah and the Holy Prophet-saw, they are the foundation of religion as a whole. If you study their lives, the common factor (that is strikingly manifest in all of them) is their super human capacity to work. In today's nuclear age, it is possible for a single person to destroy millions by just pushing a button, yet during their time, in hand to hand fighting; the major battle-winning factor was numerical superiority. It is indeed incredible that the nomads of the Arabian Desert acquired the strength, ability, capacity, courage, discipline and everything else to subdue mighty empires of the world in a quarter century, as well as, exalt the Name of Allah and replace a system of tyranny and oppression with a system ensuring peace, justice and equality for all.
On the other hand, we live in a Muslim country; people living around us are Muslims since generations. Our claim is same as that of the Companions; we also claim a relationship with the Holy Prophet-saw. We are proud of our knowledge, wisdom, eloquence and literature. But what is our achievement? We are so weak that we cannot reform even those who have already taken Shahadah. But if we look at the illustrious lives of the Companions, we see that, without any material resources, they challenged and defeated the Roman and the Persian empires. The latter was the first to be set up after Prophet Noah's-as Flood. From its inception to the time of Companions, its rule changed hands within the same dynasty either by vertical or by horizontal inheritance, yet they were fire worshippers. Allah be Glorified! If fire is kept burning continuously for one thousand years, day and night, an insect known as 'Salmandar' is born in that fire. Nowhere else, except in the Persian fire oratory, was that insect ever found. Not even a volcano has ever remained continuously active for that long a period.
It is indeed very difficult to conquer countries. Those who are associated with this profession know what it really means to annex an inch of enemy territory or to capture an enemy post. A more arduous task is to convince people to abandon their customs and traditions which, coming through the centuries, acquire the status of inviolable religious rituals; this is the most difficult proposition. History bears witness that people preferred to be put to sword but did not renounce their religion. The Hindus and Sikhs lived here along with us before partition. They had to part with their wealth and property and even abandon their motherland. They endured all this but did not renounce their religion, though their mythology is obviously baseless.
The Companions had a strange influence; even after fourteen centuries, Islam has not been expelled from the land to which they introduced it. Practically, that country may have been divided into many smaller states, it may have witnessed numerous revolutions, it may have been even ruled by the infidels -but the voice of Islam could never be subdued in it. In today's world, the all-out effort by the Russians to eliminate the religion in general and Islam in particular is unprecedented in history. One cannot imagine the atrocities committed by this red devil against humanity and particularly the Muslims. When Russia annexed Samarqand and Bukhara, the educated families were separated. The young daughters of the religious scholars were driven to the labour camps. The scholars were forced to dig trenches, seated therein and then shot in their body joints. Un-slaked lime was sprinkled over their wounds to decompose their flesh and they were left to die in those ditches, a slow and torturous death. Their young daughters were put to hard labour during the day including the construction of roads and were raped by the red soldiers in their camps at nights. Those people who await a red revolution should better learn a lesson from the history of Samarqand and Bukhara. Due to flagrant oppression and persecution, the mosques were vacated and converted into clubs. Despite all this, Russia has not been able to efface the footprints of the Companions and even today the people pray, prostrate and recite the Quran in that land.....
....History is a witness that without any material resources, when the horse was the fastest means of travel, the Arabs carried the revolutionary Islamic message from one corner of the globe to the other. What was the force behind them? Were there any new dwellers of the Arabian Desert? No, they had lived there for centuries. That land had previously seen many powerful and courageous Arabs; the earth ultimately swallowed them along with their achievements, nobody remembers them today. But the Companions derived their strength from the message brought by Muhammad-saws the Messenger of Allah. He infused such courage, power, spirit and blessings in them that they changed the course of history. The call of Azan resounding in a vast portion of the world is an echo of their sincere efforts, while the Muslims of today are incapable of even retaining this heritage. The Companions were the first Sufis; their faith, conduct, sincerity and sacrifices are exemplary. The ever-living examples of perfect Tasawwuf are they who received the beneficence directly from the Holy Prophet-s.a.w...
So, what should be the effect or result of our Zikr congregations, spiritual attention (Tawajjuh) and beneficence? It should accord extra zeal and increased work capacity; it must correct the priorities and direction of one's life. Tasawwuf never means that one should escape the challenges of practical life and retreat to seclusion, not at all - this concept is alien to Islam!! This had been the practice of old Indian tribes, especially those inhabiting Himalayan valleys and the Eastern countries. Some of their men went into seclusion, achieved paranormal strength through occult practices and thus acquired a holy status. Islam outrightly rejects this way of life. The exemplary person in the Muslim Ummah was Abu Bakr Siddiq-rau, a man of unparalleled excellence. The evidence of his superiority is contained in the Quran and the Hadith; the Holy Prophet-saw said that the sun has never seen a man of his calibre after the Prophets. He was the first politician to administer the Islamic state after the Prophet-saw, the first general who courageously braved all forces of falsity, the first compiler of the Islamic constitution, the first ruler who dared to face the mighty empires of Rome and Persia and the first Sufi whose heart was so warm that all human hearts put together cannot equal it; it is recorded that his breath smelt of roasted flesh. Every moment of his life reflected Allah's Zikr, but in his practical life he was incredibly strong. The passing away of the holy Prophet-saw was an enormous tragedy that rocked even a person with ‘nerves of steel’ like ‘Umar Faruq-rau. Yet this was the singular courage of Abu Bakr-rau, in that he was able to pull together and console the entire Ummah at that heartbreaking moment. The nascent Muslim state was faced with multifarious problems. Some tribes had refused to pay Zakat, some impostors claimed Prophethood, all the while, the army of Caesar was knocking at the doors. Considering the gravity of the situation, many renowned Companions recommended to him to attend to these problems one by one. His historic reply was: "By Allah who controls Abu Bakr's life, I shall recover even that rope from the deniers of Zakat which they used to give with the animals during the Prophet's time. If someone refuses, I will fight him. I will also fight against the false claimants of Prophethood and shall simultaneously dispatch forces to fight Caesar's army". While I live, no one dare add or subtract an iota from what the Holy Prophet-saw left with us." - h e was a person who had tasted real love. His beloved was also the beloved of Allah and his love was exemplary. He laid his beloved to eternal rest in the grave and still retained enough self-control to be able to manage the turbulent affairs of the whole state - this is Tasawwuf! Tasawwuf is that energy which infuses new life in the ailing souls. It activates the inactive and bestows positive capacity to the incapable; it quickens the dead hearts and illuminates them. Tasawwuf never advocates any escape from the practical life, it neither preaches seclusion nor reclusion. On the contrary, it is a complete negation of such attitudes. If you study the life of any renowned Sufi or Wali, you would find that they spent every moment of their lives purposefully for the reformation of mankind. They travelled far and wide under trying circumstances to convey the Divine Message to mankind. This was no seclusion but an active and positive effort for human reformation and eternal salvation. It was always the Sufis who directly or indirectly influenced the course of Islamic history. That, which was beyond the swords of the emperors was accomplished by the blessings of speech and company of the Aulia.
This is concordant to the concept of life expressed by the Quran:
By the declining day, Lo! Man is in state of loss. (103:1-2).
Allah does not need to swear by anything to establish His credibility. It is a principle that when you swear by something, you are making it a witness to the truth of your statement. That is why it is not permitted to swear by anything other than Allah, because He is the Witness over everything. When the Gracious Lord uses such expression and swears by something, He makes it a witness to corroborate a fact for the understanding of even a common man. Here, the vicissitude of time has been made a witness to the fact that all of mankind is in a sheer loss. People accumulated wealth, ruled countries, built castles but ultimately left everything for their descendants, who enjoyed their wealth and property but instantly forgot them. In our society, the celebration of birthdays is a common feature. Some diehards have gone even farther; they cut birthday cakes on tombs and chant ‘Happy Birthday to you’ - to the dead. But everyone forgets that every living person, whom they are congratulating on his birthday, has actually reduced his life by yet another year and has drawn closer to his grave. Now, where is everybody going? Nobody has the slightest idea, nor is anyone concerned about it anymore. In this verse, Allah asserts that all human beings, save a few, are ultimately the losers. Who are these lucky ones? Allah identifies them:
Those who believed, did good works, exhorted one another to truth and exhorted one another to endurance (103: 3).
The Quran emphasises the performance of good works immediately after belief. Actually, good works are the manifestation and confirmation of one's faith. Now, what is the criterion of a ‘good work’? Anything done by the Holy Prophet-saw or proved through his conduct is a ‘good work’. Any action, not in accordance with the way of the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him), cannot be called a good deed, howsoever noble it may seem. At best, it may be called a custom but not a good deed. Although that is not the end, yet we fail to reach even this far. First of all, our belief leaves much to be desired; although we are Muslims, yet we are ignorant of the basic requirements of the faith. Everybody feels free to possess his individual and personal belief, yet - there is no imitation in beliefs. Each one of us is individually responsible to know the basic religious beliefs about the Supreme Being, His Attributes, Prophethood, Angels, Hereafter and the Reward and Retribution. Such knowledge is mandatory for all and sundry. If someone fails to acquire this knowledge, his faith is imperfect....
...Acquisition of this knowledge is compulsory, according to the degree of its importance. It is an individual and personal responsibility of every Muslim, male or female to possess the knowledge of day-to-day affairs, including the knowledge of the permitted and the prohibited - no one is absolved of this responsibility. Advanced religious knowledge is not obligatory, a few scholars in a town would suffice. But a majority of the Muslims today cannot even recite the Kalimah correctly, do not understand the meanings of this basic proclamation of the Faith and are totally unaware of the fundamental beliefs. Still they remain satisfied that they are Muslims - such Islam is not acceptable.
The first question asked after interment is, “Who is your Creator?” This inquiry relates to the Essence of the Supreme Being and His Attributes. How can anyone reply to this question unless he has learnt and believed during his worldly existence? People do not know the fundamental beliefs, yet it is tragic that instead of teaching them, the religious scholars brand them as non-believers, whereas they deserve to be properly and completely educated about Islam. Good deeds follow sound beliefs, no deed is counted as good unless the belief is correct. According to a Hadith, every non-believer receives the full reward of his apparently good works during his worldly life. He has no share in the Hereafter because he does not believe in it. Now, there is no visible identification mark of a non-believer; anyone who does not believe in the Supreme Being, His Attributes, His Messengers, the Revealed Books and their fundamental teachings becomes a non-believer. The question of the deeds being good or bad comes later. If the belief is not sound, no deed is good, and the only criterion of good deeds is the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet-s.a.w.
The Quran, however, does not demand only sound belief and good personal conduct, but also expects a degree of firmness and strength of Faith and character where one starts influencing others. This would only be possible if one's own heart is brim with truth. The next requirement of the Quran is that one should not only possess endurance himself but should be able to teach it to others. To hold fast to truth and endure adversity patiently is a commendable attribute but the Quran does not consider such a person as an ideal Muslim. Once a saint asked someone, "How do you pass your time?" He replied, “If we get something we give thanks, else we endure patiently.” “That's the conduct of our street dogs”, remarked the saint. There is nothing special about this type of behaviour. This is the nature of all creatures. The greatness of a Muslim is that during adversity and trial he should alleviate the misery of others and they should derive strength from him - that was the attribute of the Companions. Wherever they went, they imbued faith to the disbelievers, changed vice into virtue, propagated the truth and taught endurance to everyone. Khamsa was a famous poetess of Arabia. She was specially gifted in the use of marvellous phrases and is still considered an authority in Arabic literature. Her brother Sakhar died young, she was herself young at that time and was tremendously grief-stricken. To lament his death, she composed an ode, which is a masterpiece of Arabian poetry. One of the verses was:
The rising sun reminds me of Sakhar,
And it sets down weary with his memory.
Then Allah blessed her with Faith. When the battle of Qadsiah took place, she was old. She participated in it along with her four young sons. She was sitting in a tent when the news of martyrdom of all the four was conveyed to her. She came out, her face beaming with delight and exclaimed, “My utmost gratitude to Allah, Who has blessed me to join the ranks of the mothers of the martyrs on the Day of Judgement!” Where did that old lady, whom the natural death of her brother had given prolonged lamenting, derive that strength and courage to willingly offer her four sons in the battle and joyfully celebrate their death? This is Tasawwuf! This is the result of Allah's Zikr and the blessings of the Holy Prophet-saws. This is His beneficence that completely transforms hearts. The faith gets so deeply entrenched in the hearts that it becomes impossible to accept anything wrong. It produces an urge for good deeds and one's thirst for virtue is never satiated. One looks for the opportunity to worship Allah. Sleep does not preclude from prayers; because a laudable attribute of His slaves mentioned in the Quran is that, their beds remain vacant in small hours of night, while engaged in Zikr. It paves the way for practising the truth and preaching patience, not with words but with conduct. Only such a person would be called a Sufi by us, irrespective of the fact whether we ourselves qualify for that title or not. It is easier to have our names deleted from the list of Sufis than to defame Tasawwuf, it is better to be called delinquent than to libel the virtuous.
Our Tasawwuf is not traditional. The person who is unable to sustain even himself cannot claim to be a Sufi; Allah's Zikr would never suit a person who eludes the challenges of practical life. Nobody should think that Allah's Zikr would herald worldly comfort, peace and progress for him - this would never happen, time would not change for him. A Sufi is the one who braves through the problems of practical life. - Allah does not support cowards. It does not befit Him to run back with those who flee from the rigors of life. He stands with those who stand fast in His cause; He forbids calling those (, slain in His way), as dead; they have, in fact, defeated death and attained to eternal life.
I have taken so much of your time because the other day I received a letter that read, “You preach Allah's Zikr with so much force and persuasion that after a while people are probably going to leave all other worship and start performing Allah's Zikr only.” What a naive conclusion! Remember that, without Allah's thought sustained only through His Zikr, one neither cares about himself nor for others. There is no clearly defined purpose of life in front of him, except the mundane pursuits like the animals. And the total effort of an animal, bird or insect revolves around the satisfaction of its carnal desires. The human being of today, by and large, follows the same course. But, to fall to the level of an animal cannot be the cherished aim of human life.
The real purpose of life is to acquire Divine Lights and redirect the human thought process in a manner so as to change the course of events and convey the revolutionary Message of Allah to everyone on the globe; one should thus imprint an enduring effect on human history. This sublime purpose of life was granted to humanity by the Holy Prophet Muhammad-saws. The minimum responsibility of a Sufi is that, if he cannot influence an entire world, he should at least realign the direction of his kith and kin to achieve this goal. He should make an earnest effort to rescue himself and his near ones from the Hell Fire - that is a real cause to live. If you think that the purpose of Zikr is the acquisition of spiritual observation or the manifestation of paranormal phenomenon - you are totally mistaken. On the contrary, Allah’s Zikr should prepare you for practical life, endow confidence in you to face life and grant you the strength to make your way through it. You should become an ideal worker of your field; your honesty, ability, courage and capacity to work should be exemplary. People should be amazed at your work potential, a common man should not be able to emulate you in any way. When that happens, you have become a Sufi. But if your output is less than even a normal man, you are not a Sufi in any sense of the word. This is the lesson that we get from the lives of the Companions, their achievements are incredible and amazing.
If you study the renowned Sufis of the Indo-Pak subcontinent, you would discover that they came to this land traversing great distances. But what did they do? They enlightened the estranged hearts with Allah's Lights and made people live active and practical lives dominated by Allah’s thought. The effects of the revolution brought by them lasted for centuries, they died but haven’t perished. The world has forgotten mighty emperors and rulers but it still cherishes the memories of these people. It is so, because they infused new life in them for the sake of Allah. While others are governed by the tide of time, they rode its crest and remained unaffected by it. Tasawwuf means sound beliefs, good deeds and the ability to communicate a positive attitude of life to others. Our entire effort is oriented towards this goal. To the critic I would advise you him not to form a hasty opinion. In fact, I would invite him to come over and stay with me for sometime, witness my practical life and then make his observation public, because it is not fair to pass judgements in absentia - this is an open invitation to all. By Allah's Grace, my life is not two sided, it is like an open book; I am not a recluse but spend my life with people. I say so because the impostors have really marked this field with ignominy. They are unaware of the reality, they cannot meet the requirements of practical life and they cannot even earn their own bread and butter - still they claim to be Sufis.
By Allah's Grace, in my practical life, I can compete with the young people of today. If someone does not believe, he can try his luck in any field of his choice. By His Grace I can ride a bicycle and fly an aircraft with equal ease. I have shot birds with a revolver and can still do it. Sophisticated weapons are like toys in my hands. I seek my sustenance from Allah and earn it with my own hands. I till and feed thousands. By Allah's Grace, I am not dependent upon anybody either for subsistence or for any other aspect of practical life. I have driven extensively throughout the country right up to Khunjrab. People drive from Skardu to Gilgit in six and a half hours but I drove in four and a half. Where others must slow down, I pass in speed. It is so because of my deep devotions to my Shaikh, with whom I had the honour to be for a while.
May Allah grant us the understanding of His chosen religion and the capacity to practise it! Amin!
