Category Archives: Teachers (Other)

June 10, 2011   Article, Belief, English, English, Islam, Kalaam, Rajab, Sacramento, Sacramento, Sharaaz Qadri, Translation   No comments

Alastu Bi-Rabbikum–Am I Not Your Lord?

The following is taken from Session 1 (Faith) of the Anees ul-Arwah–The Malfuzat of Khwaja Uthman Haruni (rehmatullahi alyhe)–as recorded by Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (rehmatullahi alayhe)
Then the khwaja (master), may God have mercy on him, said “I saw written in the Umdat us-Suluk of Junaid Baghdadi, may God have mercy on him, as related by khwaja Yusuf Chishti, may God have mercy on him, that when Allah, Exalted is He, said “Alastu Bi Rabbikum (Am I Not Your Lord)”, all the spirits, believer and non-believer, were immediately divided into four categories:
  1. Those spirits that on hearing their Lord’s call fell into sajdah (prostration) replying with heart and limb, “Balaa (Indeed)!”
  2. Those that made sajdah but didn’t do so with any sincerity.
  3. Those that believed sincerely with their hearts only.
  4. Those that didn’t care to reply–neither with heart nor limb.

The khwaja, may God have mercy on him, then clarified each category.

The spirits that replied Balaa (Indeed You are our Lord and Sustainer!) with heart and limb (in prostration),  became Prophets (upon them all be peace), Saints, and sincere believers. The second category that said balaa but without any sincerity are those Muslims who forsake their religion on their death-beds. The third category that said nothing but sincerely meant it are those who were disbelievers but later turned to Islam. The last category who didn’t say anything nor have any sincerity to accept the call are those who live and die as disbelievers.
After articulating all of this, the master became engrossed in his dhikr (remembrance of God) and the one in need of his prayers returned to where he came from–all praises to God for that (lesson).

Translated by Sharaaz Khan

9 Rajab 1432 Hijri

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June 9, 2011   Article, English, English, Islam, Kalaam, Practice, Rajab, Sacramento, Sacramento, Sharaaz Qadri, Spirituality, Translation   No comments

The Prayer of the Aspirant

The following is taken from the Anees ul-Arwah–The Malfuzat of Khwaja Uthman Haruni (rehmatullahi alyhe)–as recorded by of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (rehmatullahi alayhe)

 

He (Khwaja Uthman Haruni rehmatullahi akyhe) once said, “O Seeker!  Call out the takbeer (Allahu Akbar) in the same manner as I have, as its place is between the two eyebrows and the chest and have certainty that God is watching you and that both my feet are on the Siraat (the bridge over which each human being must successfully cross to enter Heaven). On my right side is Heaven and on my left the fire of Hell. Then call out Allahu Akbar and with complete concentration and presence of mind, recite the the Quran al-Hakeem. Enter into the position of bowing (ruku’) with absolute submission and presence of heart. In prostration (sajud) lose yourself in (Allah)–the state of Istighraaq–then sit (in juloos) and recite the greetings (atahiyyaat).  As long as you remain in this state until you complete (with salaam), the angels will seek forgiveness for you from Allah–Most High.”
He then said, “Then eat from lawful food and lawful earnings and wear of lawful clothing. Make tauba (pleading to God for the forgiveness of past wrong and evil deeds) your second nature . And when you do so, the seven doors of Heaven will be opened for you. Your prayer will be accepted.”
Then he said, “Reciting the Qur’an oft and repeatedly is what washes sins (kaffara or expiation) and there is a veil between the Fire and the one who recites. For such a reciter, the door of Heaven is opened  and from every letter (of every word) he recites, an angel is born. When this angel recites the Quran this person will receive its reward. The closeness to God is achieved through recitation and teaching of the Holy Qur’an.
It is incumbent upon you to recite the Qur’an, so learn. The Messenger of God (upon him be peace and blessings) said, “The one who recites one verse of the Qur’an, in his book of deeds is written the reward of all deeds. The one who dies loving the recitation and teaching of the Qur’an is presented by an angel  the gift of a pear from his Lord. The fire of the grave nor the fire on the Day of Standing will touch the one who recites the Qur’an from its beginning to end. He will be the neighbor of the Prophets (upon them all be peace) in Heaven.
At this he ended his words and all the people left and all praise belongs to Allah.
Translated by Sharaaz Khan.
8 Rajab 1432 Hijri
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May 15, 2010   Ahl us-Sunnah, Ayyaz Yousaf Qadri, Dhul Hijjah, Eid ul-Adha, English, Hajj, Islam, Makkah and Madina, Personalities, Practice, Prophets, Shaban, Uncategorized   No comments

Visiting the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him)

February 1, 2004 / Dhul Hijjah 1424

Volume 1, Issue 4

Visiting the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) is the best of all devotions and recommended acts.  As a matter of fact it is from those necessary acts of worship which are obligatory for us to perform because the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) emphatically urged us to desire it.

He (Peace Be Upon Him) said:

“For whom it is possible to visit Me and he  or she still does not do so, has committed a great injustice against Me.”

He (Peace Be Upon Him) also said:

“Whoever visited My honorable grave, My intercession becomes incumbent upon him or her.”

He (Peace Be Upon Him) also said:

“Whoever visited Me after My passing onto the next realm, it is like he or she visited Me in my life.”

And there are Ahaadeeth (sayings of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him)) besides these.

According to the scholars, it is proven that the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him)  is alive and is given sustenance and is enjoying worship; however people who are unable to reach these high stations, the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) is hidden from their eyes.

And when we saw many people unaware of the right a visitation requires and its details (in its entirety and small portions, obligations and recommendations) which are sunan (the Way of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him)) for visitors, we wanted to write the “Etiquette of Visitation” after completing the topic of Hajj to complete the usefulness of this book.

So we say that one who is intending to visit the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), this person should send Darood Shareef (noble prayers on the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him)) in abundance as a gift to the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) because He (Peace Be Upon Him) listens and this is conveyed to Him (Peace Be Upon Him) and the virtues of Darood Shareef are so famous that they don’t need to be mentioned here.

When we see the walls of Madinah, the Pure, start reciting Darood Shareef and say: “O Allah! This is the Blessed Sanctuary of Your Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him) and Keeper of Your Revelation. So send me Your favors so I can enter into it, make it the cause of safety for me from Hell and punishment and make me among the people who will be awarded intercession of the Noble Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) on the Day of Reckoning!”

Before entering Madinah, the Pure, or after entering it, but before visiting the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), if possible, take a shower, wear perfume and nice clothes. He should do this out of respect for presenting himself in the Presence of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). After this when his companions are settled in one place and he is at peace regarding his family and luggage etc., then, keeping in mind the awesomeness of the place, with calm and dignity, enter the city reciting these words if possible:

“I enter with the Name of Allah, Most Exalted, Most High and upon the community of the Noble Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him). O my Lord! Enter me with a good entrance, and bring out good, and bless me with energy and help from You. O Allah! Send blessings on our leader Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (Peace Be Upon Him) and His followers. (Read Darood Shareef till the end.) Forgive my sins and open the doors of Your Mercy and Blessings for me.”

After entering the Noble Mosque of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) pray two cycles near His Noble Pulpit and stand there in such a way that the handle of the Pulpit is next to your right shoulder. The Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) used to stand here.

And there are gardens of paradise between the Holy Prophet’s (Peace Be Upon Him) Illumniated Grave and Noble Pulpit. As the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) has informed us about it:

“My Pulpit is on My Basin”

In addition to the Tahiyyatul–Masjid (2 cycles offered upon entering a mosque out of respect for it), read two cycles of prayer of Shukr (gratitude) because Allah Almighty endowed you with the tawfeeq (success) to come here and granted you the favor of bringing you here.

The above piece was translated from the famous Hanafi Fiqh Text “Noor-ul-Idah” by Ayyaz Yousaf Qadri, Managing Director of IECRC.

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