يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ اللّهَ وَكُونُواْ مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ

May Allah Ta’ala grant us the reality of this verse which states, ‘O people of Imaan, adopt Taqwa and be with the truthful.” By bringing Imaan a person is a Wali of Allah Ta’ala as Allah Ta’ala states in the Quraan Sharif, “Allah is a friend of the believers.” However, Allah Ta’ala wants a close friendship of such a nature that a person is prepared to go to his friend in the midst of the night. For this type of friendship, one is required to have Taqwa. Where will one acquire this Taqwa? This will be acquired in the company of the Saadiqeen, those that are truthful in their Taqwa. Just the name of Taqwa or a discourse of Taqwa is not sufficient but the reality of Taqwa is actually required.

The very same Taqwa has been mentioned in these Ashaar so we make Dua that Allah Ta’ala blesses us with this Taqwa. The quality of Taqwa is actually a gift from the side of Allah Ta’ala, and He blesses it to whomsoever He wishes. If a person doesn’t have a guide, then it is very difficult. It is therefore necessary that we have a guide to teach and lead us in this path. However, this is dependent of the contact that we maintain with the guide. Not keeping contact with the guide is like having a GPS but it is turned off, such a instrument will not be able to show any directions. If our relationship with the Sheikh is switched off, how will we get to our destination?

When blessed with the companionship of the Sheikh then listen to his talks and teachings. In the absence of the Sheikh, be punctual with our Ma’mulaat and we will be guided Insha’Allah.

درد  دل کا امام ہوتا ہے

There is an Imaam for the love that is in the heart

One needs an Imaam to guide the love that is within one’s heart. If there isn’t an Imaam, in our terminology there isn’t a GPS or it is switched off, how will a person be guided to his destination? This means that a person has the desire to reach Allah Ta’ala but he doesn’t have a guide, so how will he reach his final destination?     

جذب جس کا امام ہوتا ہے         راہ میں تیز گام ہوتا ہے

Whoever’s Imaam is a pull from the side of Allah Ta’ala, he will be quick in the path of reaching Allah Ta’ala.

Jazb can be understood from a magnet that pulls an iron, just as the magnet pulls an iron, similarly Allah Ta’ala pulls a person towards him. This pull from the side of Allah Ta’ala is termed as Jazb and in reality is a bounty of Allah Ta’ala. May Allah Ta’ala grant us this bounty! We should cry for this bounty of Jazb. This pull towards Allah Ta’ala is like a person that wants to go for Umrah or in Jamaat and how he makes every effort to go in spite of all obstacles, and the visa reaches him at the last minute and he is gone. He leaves all his meetings and appointments aside for a later stage. This is Jazb.  

‘Tez Ghaam’ is the name of a train in Pakistan, so in the poem it means that a person will reach Allah Ta’ala, his objective very quickly.    

دل سے ان کا غلام ہوتا ہے        عشق جس کا امام ہوتا ہے

With the heart one becomes a slave of a person whose Imaam is the love of Allah Ta’ala

How didn’t people become slaves of many of the Buzurgs and followed them! A person that has acquired the love of Allah Ta’ala and his life whether public, private, during the day, night, is in conformity with Shariah then people become the slaves of such a person.   

جس کا رہبر نہ ہو تو پھر اس کا      نفس بھی بے لگام ہوتا ہے

The one that doesn’t have a guide, then his Nafs is left without reigns

Such a person is controlled by the Nafs. He fulfils his desires in the incorrect way, he doesn’t follow the teachings of the Sheikh, he doesn’t carry out the Zikr prescribed by the Sheikh, etc. The Nafs will take a person to such places that he will feel ashamed of the places that Nafs had driven him to.   

دوستوں درد  دل کی مجلس میں     درد ،  دل کا امام ہوتا ہے

Friends, in the gatherings of the love of Allah, love is the Imaam of the heart

The mind will dictate to the heart what to do or what not to do, but the heart will actually make the final decision. If the heart is filled with the love of Allah Ta’ala, then the decisions of the heart will certainly be good decisions. On the contrary, if the Nafs is the Imaam, then the heart will make decisions according to the dictates of the Nafs.  

یہ کرامت ہے شیخ کامل کی       فیض طالب کا عام ہوتا ہے

This is the miracle of a Sheikh-e-Kaamil, the blessings of the seeker is widespread.

In recent times, we had seen the widespread blessings of our Sheikh R.A. and his Khulafa, Hadrat Sheikh r and his Khulafa, Hadrat Mufti Mahmood Saheb R.A. and his Khulafa. When the blessings of the Sheikh become widespread through the Khulafa and Mureedeen, this indicates towards the perfection of the Sheikh. 

رائیگاں آہ تو نہیں ہوتی           فضل اس پر بھی تام ہوتا ہے

The Aah (that emits from one that wants to reach Allah Ta’ala) is not useless, the grace of Allah Ta’ala on such a person is also complete.

A person that hasn’t reached Allah Ta’ala, but cries out before Allah Ta’ala to allow him to reach his creator, he also enjoys the complete and perfect grace of Allah Ta’ala on condition that he is on the right path. If a car has a puncture but it is on the right path, then he will reach his destination. Similarly, if a person is treading the correct path in acquiring the love of Allah Ta’ala, then even though one hasn’t acquired the love of Allah Ta’ala, he will be granted the love of Allah Ta’ala before his death. This is similar to that person that has commenced memorising the Quraan but passes away then he will be raised amongst the Huffaz Insha’Allah, or a person undertakes a journey to Makkah Sharif for Haj and passes away on the way, Allah Ta’ala will raise him as a Haaji on the day of Qiyaamah, and not only that but an angel is appointed to perform Haj on his behalf every year. This is because he was on the right path. So, a person should say, “O Allah, I also want to be your true lover, I haven’t reached there but you make me amongst your lovers.” The grace of Allah will be on such a person as well.           

کار فرما تو  لطف ہے ان کا           ہم   غلاموں کا نام ہوتا ہے

If the job is done, it is the kindness of Allah Ta’ala, but the name of us slaves is put forth

Our names are presented, he did this, he gave a Bayaan, etc. whereas it is actually the kindness of Allah Ta’ala. Maulana Thanvi  R.A said,

ان بعض المغترين من الصوفية ينسبون كمالاتهم الى مجاهداتهم وذلك عين الكفران

Verily some of the deceived Sufis attribute their perfection to their sacrifices, that is the reality of ingratitude.

Where can one attribute his perfection to his efforts? It is only from Allah Ta’ala! Maulana Muhammad Umar Saheb Paalan Puri R.A. went to study after marriage. They were so poor that his mother had borrowed 50 Rupees when he left for Deoband. When he reached Deoband, he got the news that his mother is extremely ill, actually she is on her deathbed. Later, his sister told him that when his mother was leaving the world she said, “Two angels are making Salaam to me and Muhammad Umar is between the two angels.” When a person experiences such difficulty and sacrifices, Allah Ta’ala showers His grace and takes work from such people in such a manner that his name won’t die in history. How many have heard his lectures personally, others on audio, other through Kitaabs, etc. Once, during our visit to Madagascar, one person took us into the jungle where we found one person listening to a Bayaan of Hadrat Maulana on cassette. Any person that sacrifices for Allah Ta’ala, his sacrifice is never wasted, and actually it is through Allah’s Taufeeq.

Bishr Haafi R.A. had changed his life and became the beloved of Allah Ta’ala due to showing respect to the name of Allah Ta’ala. He wouldn’t walk on the ground with shoes, he said, “The earth is a carpet which Allah Ta’ala had spread out.” In honour of him, Allah Ta’ala had appointed birds to remove harmful stones so he is not hurt.” When Maulana Nanotwi R.A. went to Madinah Sharif, he removed his shoes at a distance out of Madinah and walked in the city of Madinatul Munawwarah. His Khaadim removed his shoes as well, but after walking for a short distance he put on his shoes again as the pebbles and stones were painful. This is what is termed as true love which is from Allah Ta’ala. The best way of acquiring this is by making this Dua for another person. The angels in return say, “May the same be for you.” The angels are such a creation that are sinless and their Duas are readily accepted. If you feel dislike towards a particular person, you should make more Dua for such a person by saying, “O Allah, bless him in Deen, Dunya and Aakhirah, grant him Your Ishq and Jazb.”

When Bishr Haafi passed away, one of his Mureeds saw him in a dream and asked, “How did it fare?” He said, “Allah Ta’ala forgave me, showered His mercies on me, but you Mureeds had given me a lot of show.” When this reaches the head, it is extremely dangerous. In the Hadith we have been discouraged from praising a person over the limit. The angels hit the praised one on his face and ask, “Were you like that?” When Nabie Yusuf A.S. was in prison, the prisoners naturally had love for Yusuf n due to his character, his beauty, etc. He said, “For Allah’s sake, don’t show me your love.” He said, “As a child I was accused of stealing when my paternal aunt expressed love for me, when my father expressed love, I landed in the bottom of the well. When the wife of the minister showed her affection, I ended up in prison.”

There were 2 brothers; one was an orator, an excellent lecturer in Lahore. He was to speak and his brother praised him in the introduction. The consequence of this was that he became paralysed and was unable to even stand and speak. When his brother sincerely repented, he was once again blessed with his strength. Therefore, it is important that everything is kept within its limits.                        

عالم غیب کے ہیں جام وسبو       جام ان کا ہی جام ہوتا ہے

(For the lovers of Allah) is a jug and glass (wine) from the unseen, that is actually a jug.

What is the wine of Dunya? The wine of the world is no wine in reality, the wine of the love of Allah Ta’ala is the actual wine. A person that tasted that wine will derive great enjoyment in his Salaah. We look forward to when will we complete our Salaah. We don’t look forward towards recitation of the Quraan Sharif. If we perform Tahajjud then it is void of feeling and enjoyment. With what enjoyment and feeling doesn’t a person take his newlywed wife home? He doesn’t behave as though he is taking his sister home. Our Sheikh R.A. was an Imaam and embodiment of the love of Allah Ta’ala. Once, we were in Malawi and I asked Hadrat about a poem of Khwaja Azizul Hassan Saheb Majzoob R.A.. Hadrat went into a trans due to his love for Allah Ta’ala. May Allah Ta’ala bless us with it! For such people, sins are out of the question. A person will never think of another woman or look another woman if he loves his wife even though she may be absent, whilst others are thinking of other women even whilst sleeping with their own wives. This is our condition. Similarly, a person blessed with the love of Allah Ta’ala will hate sins even though Allah Ta’ala is not before him physically. May Allah Ta’ala grant us all, human beings, Jinn, with this love of Allah. 

گر نہ ہو دوستوں کرم ان کا        عمر بھر عشق خام ہوتا ہے

Had it not been for the kindness of Allah Ta’ala, the love of Allah Ta’ala will be incomplete lifelong

One can only acquire the love of Allah Ta’ala, if Allah Ta’ala grants it to a person. We will therefore have to cry and sigh and beg of Allah Ta’ala to pull him towards His love.

اشکباری پہ فضل باری ہو          تب کہیں جاکے کام ہوتا ہے

On crying the kindness of Allah Ta’ala descends, then our work is done

How many of us actually cry and tear? Our hearts have become so hard that we cannot even shed a tear. Dirty clothing is washed with water in a washing machine, but unfortunately our taps are so tightly closed that we unable to let out any water. How will our sins then be forgiven? It is mentioned in Bukhari Sharif that a person from the Bani Israeel had made a Wasiyyat to his children that his body should be burnt when he passes away. Half the ashes should be flown away on a windy day and the other half should be dumped into the ocean. When he passed away his children acted upon his Wasiyyat. By the command of Allah Ta’ala, his ashes were brought together and he was given life. He was asked, “Why did you do this?” He replied, “Your fear, O Allah!” Allah Ta’ala said, “Go! You have been forgiven.” Allah Ta’ala has blessed Jannat with such ability that Jannat can hear any person that makes Dua for Jannat irrespective of his location, and Jannat responds by saying, “O Allah! He wants me, I also want him.” Similarly, Jahannam has the ability of hearing the Dua of any person that seeks refuge from Jahannam irrespective of his location, and Jahannam responds by saying, O Allah! I also do not want such a person in me.” The third is the angels that are at Rowdah-e-Mubaraak, they hear Durood being recited irrespective of the location of a person and convey it to Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam. There is another narration which state that there are angels roaming the earth and convey Salawaat to Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam. We should recite excessive Durood Sharif and convey our Salaams to Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam  with those that are undertaking a journey to Madinah Munawwarah.

Anyway, we should learn to cry before Allah Ta’ala. Hadrat mentions in one poem, “If you say that your heart is hard and dry, then why does waterfalls emerge from mountains and from the midst of the rocks?”           

گر مربّی نہ ہو کوئی اس کا          عشق بھی بے نظام ہوتا ہے

If a person doesn’t have a Sheikh, his love of Allah Ta’ala doesn’t have any order.

His love will be out of control. Once, we visited the Cape Town prison where the Muslim male prisoners had gathered and they had a Meelad. There is a Musallah at the prison as well. These people were reciting with great love and sincerity. The love is there but without guidance and knowledge they would exceed the bounds of Shariat and elevate the position of Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam  to that of Aalimul Ghaib (i.e. the knower of the unseen), which is actually the position of Allah Ta’ala. This is one of the reasons that every person needs a guide. There are also such people that are genuine in their desire to spread Deen yet the means adopted in spreading Deen is incorrect such as appearing on television. The desire and love for Deen is there but it is not the correct way of showing love. May Allah Ta’ala guide us.

In one country, there was a Jalsa on Jumuah. My programme was also scheduled at 11.00am on Jumuah. Prior to the programme an Alim contacted me and said that the programme is played on two television channels, so I excused myself from the programme. He then said, “Dont worry, we will turn off the cameras.” Then on Sunday was the Jalsa again and it was going to be watched on two television channels and together with that there is a screen in the ladies hall where you can be seen. They further said, “There is another senior Alim present and he says that he doesn’t have a problem with it.” I told the person to phone me in an hour. I phoned Hadrat R.A. who said, “There is no permission granted whatsoever.” When they phoned after an hour, again I excused myself but they said, “We will switch the cameras off in that case.” When a person is without a guide, he will choose the incorrect means in propagating Deen. Things have to be done in the correct way.

For example, A person notices that people are not discharging their Zakaat. He is a sincere person, but he robs them of their money and thereby gets them to discharge their Zakaat. He is so sincere that he distributes all the Zakaat to the poor without taking a cent for himself. However, it won’t be acceptable as he has chosen the incorrect means. Some have extreme love for Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam  and spend the entire night listening to Qawwali yet they sleeping at Fajr time. This proves that it is important that our love is correctly guided.  

ذکر وتقوٰی کے نور سے اختر       نور نسبت تمام ہوتا ہے   

O Akhtar, by the Noor of Zikr and Taqwa, the noor of one’s connection with Allah Ta’ala is completed.

In the absence of the Sheikh, one should be particular and punctual with one’s Zikr. Together with Zikr is Taqwa, then a person will be guided. May Allah Ta’ala through His kindness guide and assist us. Ameen!