Blog :: Khanqah Imdadia Ashrafia

Maulana Jalaluddeen Rumi () says that the light of the ‘lamp of life’ is very weak and dim. Along with this, the “winds of death” are constantly blowing and could extinguish the ‘lamp of life’ at any time.

In the violent storm of death,
The lamp of life burns away.

Therefore, make an effort to attain the lamp of the love of Allah in your heart so that when the lamp of this temporary life is extinguished, the everlasting, emergency lights of Allah Ta’ala ignite from within. The example of this is like the electricity that went off a minute ago and the generator caused the lights to turn on.

The winds are strong and the lamp is weak,
Quickly we must find another lamp.

The lamp is weak and the winds are blowing furiously. O people of the world! Quickly make an effort in lighting another lamp. Jalaludeen is not a fool! Through the blessing of Shaikh Shamsudeen Tabrezi (), I have lit the lamp of Allah’s Nisbah¹ by adopting the Sunnah and by abstaining from sins. Maulana Rumi () says that when death approaches and the eyes close, the divine lamp of Allah’s love is immediately set alight in the hearts of the Auliya² just as the generator turned on, and the lights immediately came back. When the eyes close from this temporary life then all the buildings, bungalows, luxurious cars, business dealings and beautiful women will come to an end. We will all have to leave this world one day.

While in Hardoi, India, I had composed a couplet regarding the instability of this temporary world. Hazrat Mufti Mahmood Hasan Gangohi and I were traveling on a riksha at that time. I told him, “Hazrat, I have composed a couplet…” When Mufti Sahebheard the couplet he said, “Do present this couplet of yours to your Shaikh, Maulana Shah Abrarul Haq Saheb ( ).” This couplet, which the Grand Mufti of India approved of, is as follows:

This garden will one day become a desert, tell this to the nightingale,
So that it may think before sacrificing its life.

To serve the Auliya and to adopt their company does not mean that you continue to have your eyes fixed on their wealthy mureeds. Therefore, I urge you to attain the love of Allah from the Auliya. I take an oath by Allah Ta’ala that the people of the world will rush to serve you. Do not become like the grape worm, which went to eat the grapes but was deceived by the green leaves of the grape. Thinking a leaf to be the grape, it spent its whole life on the leaf and died on that very leaf and was deprived of the actual enjoyment of the grape. Similarly, many mureeds come to attain the love of Allah Ta’ala but become lost in the glamour and glitter of the world. In this way they leave the world deprived of Allah’s love. May Allah Ta’ala save us all. Ameen.

¹ The strong connection with Allah Ta’ala which is attained through adopting the company of a friend of Allah Ta’ala and abstaining from all sins and punctuality in zikr.
² Those pious, Allah-fearing individuals who have attained a special connection with Allah Ta’ala.

Source: What is the Reality of Tasawwuf

A book titled ‘What is the Reality of Tasawwuf‘ has recently been added in book section of khanqah website.

In this book, Hazratwala clarifies the misunderstandings and misconceptions surrounding TASAWWUF, commonly known in the Indo/Pak subcontinent as Peeri-Mureedi. He vividly exposes the innovations of fake “Peers” or Shaikhs and guides his readers to follow the pure and prestine path of Shariah and Sunnah. Many people due to incorrect motives and ignorance have taken TASAWWUF/PEERI-MUREEDI to be a combination of weird rituals and made-up innovations. Whereas the whole purpose of TASAWWUF is to gain the love of Allah Ta’ala through complete adherence to the teachings of Shariah and Sunnah. This love, however, must be attained from one who has tread this path and learned it from someone before him. Similarly that person must have attain knowledge from one who has qualified in that particular field under the supervision of qualified teachers. Take the example of medicine. Just as a self-taught doctor is not reliable in the medical field, similarly, the one who has not attained spirituality from a qualified and reliable Shaikh or Peer is not a genuine Peer, rather he is a fake Peer. The sign and distinguishing quality of a TRUE Shaikh or Peer is his complete adherence to the Shariah and Sunnah.

May Allah Ta’ala make this booklet a means of guidance for the entire Ummah and may He make it a means of eternal reward for our Shaikh, Hazratwala (db) and all those who made an effort in its publication. May He accept it out of His sheer mercy. Aameen

To access this book, please visit the following link:
http://www.khanqah.org/books/show/reality-of-tasawwuf

Hazrat Hakeem ul Ummah Mujaddid ul Millah, Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi Saheb (Rahmatullah alaihi) has said, “The only reliable and accepted path for attaining the love of Allah Ta’ala and the love of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihe Wasallam) is the path of Sunnat. If, for example, this love is acquired through a way that opposes the Sunnah of the Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wasallam) such as expressing one’s love through drums, guitar, Qawale, music, etc., then this expression of love is unacceptable. (Because it is not in accordance to the Sunnah of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihe wasallam). Allah Ta’ala has commanded His Messenger to announce:

قل ان كنتم تحبون الله فاتبعوني

“If you love Allah, then follow (obey) me.. then Allah will love you”

يحببكم الله

“Then Allah will love you.”

Hazrat Maulana Fadhle Rahman Ganj Muradabadi (rahmatullah alaihe) would translate it in the following manner, “Allah has announced through His Beloved Messenger that if you want to become the beloved of Allah, then walk my walk. My Messenger is so beloved and dear to Me, that whoever even walks his walk will also become beloved and dear to Me.” Understand this through a worldly love. A person only has one son. If he sees anyone resemble his son or even walk like his son, then his father will also have love for that person. Therefore, Rasulullah (salallahu alaihe wasallam) is so beloved in the sight of Allah Ta’ala that anyone who adopts his lifestyle will also become the beloved of Allah Ta’ala.

Unfortunately, what is our condition today? We have forsaken the Sunnah and yet claim to have love for the Messenger!

The companions of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihe wasallam) lead their entire life in following the footsteps of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihe wasallam). How reliable was their path that they were bestowed with the crown of

“Allah Ta’ala is pleased with them and they are pleased with Allah Ta’ala”

From this we can understand that the claim of love contrary to the method of the Sahabah is unreliable and unauthentic. A poet says so beautifully,

مستند رستے وہی مانے گئے

جن سے ہو کر تیرے دیوانے گئے

Only those paths have been accepted as authentic
Upon which Your extreme lovers have gone
All have returned who were those possessed by intellect
Only extreme lovers have reached their destination

Source: Urdu book Ishq-e-risalat-ka-sahi-mafhum (by hazrat wala)