ISLAM & SPIRITUALISM: 12/27/09

HUQOOQ (RGHTS) OF THE SHAIKH

The mureed should believe that he will attain his goal through the agency of his Shaikh. If the mureed turns his attention elsewhere (i.e. towards another Shaikh while he remains the mureed of one Shaikh) he will be deprived of the spiritual grace and benefit of his Shaikh.
The mureed should in all ways be obedient to his Shaikh and render sincere and total service to him. In the absence of the love of the Shaikh there is no real benefit. The sign of love for the Shaikh is immediate fulfillment of his orders. Never follow any act without his permission because sometimes the Shaikh resorts to an act which is appropriate for him in view of his rank and spiritual state, but the same act may be a fatal poison for the mureed.
Recite the zikr and the wazifaas which the Shaikh instructs and refrain from all other forms of wazifaas.
In the presence of the Murshid, the mureed should direct all his attention towards him. This attention has to be to such a degree that the mureed should not not perform even Salaat (in his presence) without his permission.
Do not speak with anyone in his presence, in fact, do not pay attention to anyone.
Do not stretch the legs in the direction where the Murshid is seated even if he is not directly infront.
Never lodge any objection against the Murshid. If the mureed is unable to understand any act of the Murshid, he should not entertain any misgiving, but should recall the episode of Hadhrat Musa (Alayhis Salaam) and Hadhrat Khidr (Alayhis Salaam) and consider that some wisdom must be underlying the act.
Never desire the Murshid to display karaamat (miracles).
If in any doubt, immediately discuss it with the Murshid. Should the doubt after having discussed it still remains, consider it to be the result of your defective understanding. If the Murshid does not respond when the mureed puts forward his doubt, he (mureed) should consider that he is yet not capable of comprehending the explanation, hence the Murshid's silence. He should await another opportunity for clarification.
Inform the Murshid of dreams as well as any interpretation of such dreams which come to your mind.
The mureed should not without need and without permission remain aloof from the Murshid.
The mureed should not raise his voice above that of the Murshid nor should he speak in loud tones to the Murshid.
When necessary, the mureed should speak to the Murshid clearly and be brief and wait with much attention for the reply.
Narrate to others only that extent of the Murshid's talks which is understandable to them. Do not narrate to others such words of the Murshid which they will not be able to comprehend.
The mureed should not refute the words of the Murshid even if it seems that the mureed is correct. The mureed should hold the belief that the error of the Shaikh (Murshid) is superior to his (mureed's) rectitude.
The mureed should inform the Murshid constantly of his condition, whether good or bad. The Murshid is the Spiritual Practitioner and prescribes remedies after being informed of the mureed's condition. The mureed should not maintain silence about his condition depending upon the kashf (spiritual inspiration) of the Murshid for realization of the mureed's condition. The mureed has to systematically notify the Murshid of his condition.
The mureed should not engage in any wazeefah (zikr or form of recitation) while sitting in the company of the Murshid. Such recitation should be in the absence of the Murshid.
Whatever Baatini Faiz (spiritual blessing) accrues, the mureed should consider it to be the consequence of the agency of the Murshid even if in a dream or state of muraaqabah (meditation) it appears that such blessing is from a different direction (other than the Shaikh). If in a spiritual state it appears that such Baatini Faiz accrued to the mureed via the agency of another Saint, the mureed should consider that it is some manifestation of his Mureed which has assumed the form of another Saint.

Deadliest Poisons in sulook(Tariqat)

Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Moulana Shah Ashraf Ali Thanvi ra said:

"Listen and remember, I tell this for your benefit.

In this path (tareeq) two things are the worst rogue and the deadliest poison.

Firstly, making explanations for one’s mistakes and secondly, criticizing one’s instructor (the Sheikh)."

Ba'yit/Ahed (An agreement between a Sheikh and his mureed)

What it is:
Ba’yit or Ahed is a solemn pledge. It hallmarks an agreement between the Sheikh and a spiritual aspirant. That is, in order to gain Allah ’s pleasure the aspirant agrees to receive and obey the guidance and instruction from the Sheikh. And the Sheikh kindly accepts to direct him accordingly. This is the reality of ba’yit.

How it is taken:
Outwardly it takes the form of holding the hand of the Sheikh, who recites some Quranic verses, hadith and ask the mureed to repent for all previous sins and make a solemn affirmation of not committing them ever again. Also he announces that the aspirant is now a member of xyz Sufi order. Then he instructs him accordingly.

Why it is taken:
Indeed, this outwardly form of ba'yit is filled with barakah. Being a Sunnah (ghair muakkidah) and the practice of saintly elders it has its own benefits. It is not an ordinary thing. However, without the above mentioned reality it is a form devoid of soul. History of religions is evident of the fact that with passage of time and spiritual decline means become goals by themselves and realities are ignored. Rituals and ceremonies eclipse the real meaning intended. Same has happened with Tasawwuf. Ba'yit has become a ceremony. It is considered to be a goal by itself. This is not the correct teaching of Tasawwuf. Essential thing is continuously receiving instructions and acting on them as guided. For this reason, in our tariq, ba’yit is deferred initially. The instruction and guidance starts immediately. However, the ba’yit is as a principle is delayed till the Sheikh is satisfied that the individual is sincere to follow the path and is doing so to the best of his ability. And, moreover, the potential mureed understands and agrees with the methodology of the Sheikh and himself acknowledges increasing benefit from these instructions. This time period may be days or years. The best deal is: Try before you buy. Once the potential mureed sees himself grow spiritually, the real importance of ba’yit will become evident to him.

Qualities of a Successful Mureed (follower)

In order for a mureed to be successful he/she should adopt 20 key characteristics and qualities. These are as follows:

1. Repentance
Repent sincerely for all those things, which are out of bounds of Shariat. Whichever stage the mureed reaches he must bring repentance along with him because at each stage one commits comparative amount of sins. Repentance is a very strong root.

2. Contentment
Be content and happy upon living on bare necessity. All extra wealth in your possession should be distributed to those in need or put in the khidmat of one?s sheikh to utilise the wealth on his mureeds.

3. Isolation
Often remain in isolation and keep your heart distant from those immediately surrounding you. I.e. do not let your heart incline towards family and friends.

4. Firm & Correct Belief
Believe firmly in your Sheikh as being the best for you. Believe all that which is required from you in Islam. Stay away from bid?at and all those things which are outside shariat.

5. Abstinence
Abstain from all things which are not lawful. Be very careful about what you eat and what you wear. Do this enthusiastically and do not discontinue this once you?ve started.

6. Patient
Be patient upon all orders given to you by your sheikh and be patient upon all difficulties that approach you on this path.

7. Resilient
Do not be soft with your Nafs. Constantly battle with it and never fulfil its wish. Nafs is like a hungry lion. If you feed it, on having gained strength it will eat you too.

8. Brave
Be brave in fulfilling all orders in Islam and all orders given to you by your Sheikh. Do not be afraid of shaitan(Satin) or nafs in their tricks to frighten you away from this path or away from fulfilling any order given to you.

9. Generous
To be successful in this path one must be generous. Miserliness forms a very thick Veil between yourself and your goal. One must be ready to give away your life and wealth in this path.

10. Just
Fulfill everyone's rights according to their prominence. Be fair with everyone and let no one have to take justice from you.

11. Truthful
Be steadfast in telling the truth. Be truthful to Allah and to Allah's creation and stay well away from lies and deception. Do not do anything secretively and whatever you do, do it solely for Allah.

12. Knowledgeable
Learn enough to spend your daily life in the way shown to you by Islam. Abstain from all that knowledge which does not benefit you in all walks of life.

13. Humble
Be humble in each and every stage that you attain, as this is the key to success.

14. Sharp-witted
Be sharp witted and alert in doing Khidmat when following your sheikh. Be ready to carry out all orders that your sheikh utters. And do not be afraid, even if you have to give your life.

15. Reprehensive
Be constantly reprehensive upon one's own nafs. Think one-self as being the lowest of all mureeds. Whatever deed one performs one must always think it as being negligible. Even if one does not commit many sins, one must think oneself as a sinner.

16. Intelligent
One must be wise in performing all duties for his sheikh with the necessary aadabs. Do not use your own intelligence to object to or criticise any of your sheikh's actions, speech or commands.

17. Respectful
Read and act upon all the etiquettes outlined and respect one's sheikh to the best of your knowledge.

18. Mannerly
Be cheerful and pleasant and approach all with good manners. Be polite and courteous to your fellow mureeds. Do not put your workload upon anyone else. Keep away from pride & jealousy and always be happy & ready to do your sheikhs khidmat.

19. Submissive
Place yourself in front of your sheikh like a dead body is placed in front his washer before burial. i.e. let your sheikh do your islah as he pleases. Do not wish to have your islah done in the way you want.

20. Entrusting to one's sheikh
Never leave the company of your sheikh even if your sheikh has asked you to leave a thousand times. Accept all trials and tribulations that come to you and do not become disheartened.

THE NECESSITY FOR A MURSHID

If a person wants to learn any art form or gain knowledge/science he will seek help from an expert in that field. Knowledge of Allah Ta`ala`s Zaat (Being) is the most difficult secret in the universe. It can only be achieved with the help of its experts, the Awliya Allah. Only these people can be accepted as Murshids (guides). The following quotation define the need and guidance of a Murshid.

Ghausul A`zam, Hadrat Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jailani (radi Allahu anhu) brings home the necessity of a Murshid in a beautiful metaphor. He says: "The heart is the plantation for the Aakhirah (Hereafter). Sow the seeds of Imaan in your heart. Irrigate, fertilise and mature it with regular good deeds. If there is kindness and energy in the heart it will be fertile and an abundant harvest will result. Should the heart be harsh and contemptuous, the soul becomes infertile and barren and no crop will be able to grow. Learn this art of farming by its farmers/experts, the Awliya Allah. Do not think your opinion to be sufficient. Our Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) says, `Seek help in every field from an expert in that field`". (Al-Fath-ur-Rabbani, pg. 202)

Ghausul A`zam (radi Allahu anhu) said: "Arrogance, hypocrisy, egoism, are all arrows of Shaitaan aimed at your hearts. One should formulate a strategy to defend oneself from this attack. The correct strategies are explained and demonstrated by the Mashaa`ikh (Guides). You should heed to their commands and act on them. They will guide you on the path of Allah since they have already travelled on this path. Ask their advise on matters relating to the Nafs (carnal desires), cravings and other weaknesses because they have also suffered their consequences and are well aware of the dangers and harms of evil desires. They have battled these over a long period of time and can confront, control and defeat them". (Al-Fath-ur-Rabbani, pg. 150)

THE ONE WITHOUT A MURSHID HAS SHAITAAN AS ONE`S MURSHID

Murshids are two types:

A. Murshid Aam (General Guide,) and
B. Murshid Khaas (Specific Guide)

The Murshid Khaas comprises of the Sheikhul Ittisaal and the Sheikhul Isaal.

The Murshid Aam comprises of the Quran, Hadith, the writings of the Jurists, the Murshids, authorities of Tasawwuf, the writings of the scholars, and the writings of the people of guidance and righteousness. The guide of the general public is the Kalaam (Speech and Writings) of the Scholars. The guide of the Ulema or Scholars is the writings of the Imaams of Fiqh. The guide of Imams of Fiqh is the Sunnah and Hadith of Nabi (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). The guide of the Noble Prophet (Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) is the Quran/Speech/Revelation of Allah.

From this it can be seen that the Murshid Aam is an absolute necessity. A person without guidance of both the Murshids, i.e. Khaas and Aam is under the reign of Shaitaan. It is in this sense that A`la Hadrat, Moulana Ahmed Raza Khan Barelwi (radi Allahu anhu) writes that Sayyiduna Baayazid Bustaami`s (radi Allahu anhu) declaration in "Awaariful Ma`arif" that those without a Murshid (Khaas and Aam) have Shaitaan as their guide. (Fatawa Afriqa, pg.124)

[Taken from: The spiritual guide and the seeker, Abdun Nabi Hameedi Attari]

Ibn ‘Ajiba says:

In the path of Sufism, keeping the company of others (suhba) is of tremendous consequence in the journey to Allah, in accordance with the wont of Allah Most High and His wisdom. Some have even said, “Whoever has no sheikh [but travels the path alone] has the Devil as his sheikh.” Another has said, “A person is like a [fruit] tree growing up in the wild: if not trimmed and pruned, it becomes a scrub.” And Abul ‘Abbas al-Mursi has said, “Whoever has no sheikh in this matter is not to be rejoiced over”
[Iqadh al-himam, 95–96]

In the Quran Shareef:

Siparah 15, Surah Bani Israel (17), Verse number 71

Yauma Nad'oo kola onasim bi imamihim

Ala Hazrat Azeemul Barkat Rahmatullahi 'alayh translate this part of the Ayat-e-karima:
The day when we shall call every people with their leaders
[Kanzul Iman]

Tafseer by Mufti Ahmad Yaar Khan Rahmatullahi 'alayh:
From this we learn that we should make a pious person our leader in the world, through taqleed in Shariah and bai’at (taking mureedi) in the path of Tareeqat (mystic way of life) so our end will be with the pious. If he does not find a pious leader or guide then his guide would be Shaitaan. In this verse there is ample proof for Taqleed, Bai’at, Mureedi.

Signs of fake Peers(The people who are having no relation with sufism).

Some signs of fake peers which are common in todays society
He picks and chooses which to follow from shariah.

He asks for money under the pretext of using it for good purposes which in reality is for his own purposes.

He makes people whom he has trapped to swear on the Qur'an Shareef that they will continue to support him financially, whatever be the condition.

He goes further in lying about dreaming of Sayyidinah Rasoolullah Sallal Laahu Ta'ala Alayhi Wa Sallam telling him to tell so and so to swear on the Qur'an Shareef that they will continue to give money to him to help the poor.

Despite knowing that a person is already Mureed to a Shaykh, he compells that person to take

bai'at from him and further says to the person that his peer is fake and his bai'at is null.

He shamelessly says that apart from his lineage all other Pirs are weak without sparing the Kaamil One.

He proudly boast about his blood lineage and qualifies other Shuyukh as inferior.

He lies and says that one can safely lie without condition for the sake of Islam,He also believes in reincarnation.

He enjoys the company of women.

Poetry of Iqbal(R.A): Read online

Definition of a Sufi..

Once i asked my beloved brother Sarkar Shoaib sb about sufi. What is meant by this word and what are the practical aspects of this word. He replied in the following way.

" Sufi woh insan hota hy jis ka zahir or batin ik or pak ho"

This statement means that a sufi is a person who is what he looks. He is same in his looks, intensions and in his practical life..... The word "sufi" means "saff".... Urdu word meaning clean and tidy......
This is something which is very easy to say but very very diffucult to act upon it, very difficult to stand with ur words.....If we look inside ourself and around us, it is impossible to find such prsonalities who keep their words. Who are same in their practical life as they look. Even we are different in community as we are from inside....

Existence of Religion in a Modern Multi-Cultural Society:

In Iqbal,s view:

Let us trace the existence of religion in a society consisting of people belonging to various thought, having different cultural background and belonging to different religions. The question arises: ‘what is the role of religion in a person?’ According to Iqbal religion is essentially a mode of actual living and it is the only serious way of handling Reality. ‘Handling Reality’ is searching the Real - in other words ‘to understand God’. Ali, the great companion of the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), said once that ‘one who understands himself can understand God’. Towards approaching the Real a Sufi adopts the way of religion. The way of a scientist is spacial i.e. relating to the world of matter. Iqbal says that a scientist is also a Sufi because he is too searching the Real. Paul Davies says that “the scientific quest is a journey into unknown”.
As for the existence of religion in an individual, everybody believes in God in one way or the other. All the great scientists of the world without any exception believe in some sort of existence of a great power which cannot be described. There are a number of scientists who believe in religion and some of them even also practice religion. There is a common view about scientist that they are materialistic persons totally devoid of religion, which is incorrect and misleading. I quote just one example of a scientist known as a non-believer person. His name is Einstein; he is the scientist who brought revolution in certain branches of science. He is usually considered as a non believer person. There is no doubt that he did not practice religion and he was not a religious person. But he had his own view about the existence of God religion. At times he looked quite aggressive toward religion which was practised by his community at that time. In that mood he once told that he should not be buried after his death but his body should be burnt and the ashes be flown in the air. He also had to quit his native country Germany due to his so called unwanted attitude. With all this he left his undying words for the time to come as he said, “Religion without science is lame and science without religion is blind”.
If religion is ‘essentially a mode of actual living’ for an individual, as earlier quoted of Iqbal, then in its broader sense the religion becomes a mode of actual living for a society. The essence of religion is ‘belief in God and in the world hereafter’. Consequently one who believes in God will abide by the commandment of God. The commandment conveyed to mankind through the medium of all religions is like this: “Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with thy entire mind, and with all thy strength”. Religion also teach us how to love God. Bible as well as the Qur’an, teach us that ‘to love God is to love fellow human beings’. God loves human beings much more than a mother loves her children, according to Qur’an. And believing in the world hereafter keeps a person on the right path. Such an individual will never commit an act harmful to the other.
The existence of religion in a society is demonstrated when its human beings are humane, and to be humane is to be compassionate towards others, it is to be kind hearted, loving and soft in dealing with others. The absence of this quality in a person amounts to lack of spirit. Søren Kierkegaard says that “Spiritlessness is the misfortune of human being”. With that he does not mean a person without spirit but he clarifies that spiritlessness is ‘stagnation of spirit’. Iqbal also believes same way when he says that “God is fed up with spiritless body; He is living God and is God of the livings.”
I quote hereunder two beautiful extracts of Iqbal from his book The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam. He writes:

“Religion in its more advanced form moves from individual to society…..We have to trace the uncritical assumption of human thought to their hiding places…..The essence of religion is faith, and faith, like the bird, sees its ‘trackless way’ unattended by intellect which only waylays the living heart of man and robs it of the invisible wealth of life that lies within.” (Extracts from p.1)

“The modern world stands in need of biological renewal. And religion, which in its higher manifestations is neither dogma, nor priesthood, nor ritual, can alone ethically prepare the modern man for the burden of the great responsibility which the advancement of modern science necessarily involves, and restore to him that attitude of faith which makes him capable of winning a personality here and retaining it hereafter.” (Extracts from p.149)

G. Sabir
26 November, 2007

source:www.allamaiqbal.com

Hasheeshen in Pakistan After 900 yrs...

Is Islam Intolerant Of Other Religions?

Myth: Islam is intolerant of other religions because:

the Qur'an condemns the other religions as false
The Creator has taught us in the Qur'an and Sunnah that all other `religions' and ways of life are unacceptable to Him if a person is aware of Islam. The Qur'an states (translation),

[3:85] And whoever desires a religion other than Islam, it shall not be accepted from him, and in the hereafter he shall be one of the losers.

However, even though the Creator has clearly specified that no other way of life is acceptable to Him except Islam (i.e. submission to Him as embodied in the Qur'an and Sunnah), He has also commanded the Muslims to be tolerant of people who espouse other creeds. From the Sunnah, specifically in the study of the Sunnah called Al-Awsat by Al-Tabarani, we find regarding those non-Muslims living in the Islamic state,

The Messenger of Allah (saas) said, "One who kills a non-Muslim person under protection (Arabic: dhimmi) will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise."

Also from the Sunnah, specifically in a report from Al-Khatib, we find that the Messenger of Allah (saas) also said:

Whoever hurts a non-Muslim person under protection, I am his adversary, and I shall be an adversary to him on the Day of Resurrection.

In short, Islam is intolerant of false ideas, however it is tolerant of the people who hold to those ideas. One historical example of Muslims living up to the standard of Islam can be found from the time of the Spanish Inquisition. During that disaster sprung by misguided Catholics, some Spanish Jews fled to Muslim Turkey and to this day, there is a community of Spanish-speaking Jews in Turkey. Another example may be found during one of the Crusader invasions from Western Europe. Some of the the Catholic Western European knights were so likely to rape, murder, and pillage the Jews and Orthodox Christians, that when the Muslims won, they were treated as a liberating force by those non-Muslims.

A. Judaism and Christianity:

Islam accords to these two religions special status. First, each of them is the religion of God. Their founders on earth, Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus, are the prophets of God. What they have conveyed -- the Torah, the Psalms, the Evangel (gospels) -- are revelations from God. To believe in these prophets, in the revelations they have brought, is integral to the very faith of Islam. To disbelieve in them, nay to discriminate among them, is apostasy. "Our Lord and your Lord is indeed God, the One and Only God." God described His Prophet Muhammad and his followers as "believing all that has been revealed from God"; as "believing in God, in His angels, in His revelations and Prophets"; as not-distinguishing among the Prophets of God."
Arguing with Jews and Christians who object to this self-identification and claim an exclusivist monopoly on the former prophets, the Qur'an says: "You claim that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and their tribes were Jews or Christians [and God claims otherwise]. Would you claim knowledge in these matters superior to God's?" "Say, [Muhammad], We believe in God, in what has been revealed by Him to us, what has been revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the tribes; in what has been conveyed to Moses, to Jesus, and all the prophets from their Lord." "We have revealed [Our revelation) to you [Muhammad] as We did to Noah and the Prophets after him, to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the tribes, to Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, Solomon, and David." "It is God indeed, the living and eternal One, that revealed to you [Muhammad] the Book [i.e., the Qur'an] confirming the previous revelations. For it is He Who revealed the Torah and the Gospels as His guidance to mankind. ... Who revealed the Psalms to David." "Those who have attained to faith [in this divine writ], those who follow the Jewish [scriptures], and the Sabians and the Christians -- all those who believe in God and in the Day of Judgment, and have done good work -- will receive their due reward from God. They have no cause to fear, nor shall they grieve."

The honor with which Islam regards Judaism and Christianity, their founders and scriptures, is not courtesy but acknowledgment of religious truth. Islam sees them in the world not as "other views" which it has to tolerate, but as standing de jure, as truly revealed religions from God. Moreover, their legitimate status is neither sociopolitical, nor cultural or civilizational, but religious. In this, Islam is unique. For no religion in the world has yet made belief in the truth of other religions a necessary condition of its own faith and witness.

Consistently, Islam pursues this acknowledgment of religious truth in Judaism and Christianity to its logical conclusion, namely, self-identification with them. Identity of God, the source of revelation in the three religions, necessarily leads to identity of the revelations and of the religions. Islam does not see itself as coming to the religious scene ex nihilo but as reaffirmation of the same truth presented by all the preceding prophets of Judaism and Christianity. It regards them all as Muslims, and their revelations as one and the same as its own. Together with Hanifism, the monotheistic and ethical religion of pre-Islamic Arabia, Judaism, Christianity and Islam constitute crystallizations of one and the same religious consciousness whose essence and core is one and the same. The unity of this religious consciousness can easily be seen by the historian of civilization concerned with the ancient Near East. It is traceable in the literatures of these ancient peoples and is supported by the unity of their physical theater or geography, in their languages (for which they are called "Semitic"), and in the unity of artistic expression.

This unity of the religious consciousness of the Near East consists of five dominant principles that characterize the known literatures of the peoples of this region. They are: 1) the ontic disparateness of God, the Creator, from His creatures, unlike the attitudes of ancient Egyptians, Indians, or Chinese, according to which God or the Absolute is immanently His own creatures; 2) the purpose of man's creation is neither God's self-contemplation nor man's enjoyment, but unconditional service to God on earth, His own "manor"; 3) the relevance of Creator to creature, or the will of God, is the content of revelation and is expressed in terms of law, of oughts and moral imperatives; 4) man, the servant, is master of the manor under God, capable of transforming it through his own efficacious action into what God desires it to be; and 5) man's obedience to and fulfillment of the divine command results in happiness and felicity, and its opposite in suffering and damnation, thus coalescing worldly and cosmic justice together.

The unity of "Semitic" religious and cultural consciousness was not affected by intrusion of the Egyptians in the days of their empire (1465-1165 B.C.), nor by the Philistines from Caphtor (Crete?), nor by the Hittites, Kassites, or "People of the Mountains" (the Aryan tribes?), who were all semiticized and assimilated, despite their military conquests. Islam has taken all this for granted. It has called the central religious tradition of til Semitic peoples "Hanifism" and identified itself with it. Unfortunately for the early Muslim scholars who benefited from this insight as they labored, the language, histories, and literature furnished by archeology and the disciplines of the ancient Near East were not yet available. Hence they scrambled after the smallest bits of oral tradition, which they systematized for us undt the tide of "History of the Prophets." In reading their materials, we must remember, however, that the accurate-knowledge (Abraham, of Julius Caesar, of Amr ibn al As, and of Napoleot about the Sphinx or the pyramids of Egypt, for instance, was equa i.e., nil.

The Islamic concept of "Hanif" should not be compared to Ka Rahner's "anonymous Christians." "Hanif" is a Qur'anic category not the invention of a modern theologian embarrassed by his church's exclusivist claim to divine grace. It has been operating within the Islamic ideational system for fourteen centuries. Those to whom it is attributed are the paradigms of faith and greatness the most honored representatives of religious life, not the despised though tolerated approximators of the religious ideal. Islam's honoring of the ancient prophets and their followers is to be maintained even if the Jews and Christians stop or diminish their loyalty to them. "Worthier of Abraham are those who really follow him, this Prophet and those who believe in him." In the Qur'an, the Christians are exalted for their self-discipline and humility, and they are declared the closest of all believers to the Muslims. "[0 Muhammad], you and the believers will find closest in love and friendship those who say 'We are Christians,' for many of them are ministers and priests who are truly humble?" If despite all this commendation of them, of their prophets, and of their scriptures, Jews and Christians would persist in opposing and rejecting the Prophet and his followers, God commanded all Muslims to call the Jews and Christians in these words: "0 People of the Book, come now with us to rally around a fair and noble principle common to both of us, that all of us shall worship and serve none but God, that we shall associate naught with Him, and that we shall not take one another as lords beside God. But if they still persist in their opposition, then warn them that We shall persist in our affirmation."

Evidently, Islam has given the maximum that can ever be given to another religion. It has acknowledged as true the other religion's prophets and founders, their scriptures and teaching. Islam has declared its God and the God of the religions of Jews and Christians as One and the same. It has declared the Muslims the assistants, friends, and supporters of the adherents of the other religions, under God. If, after all this, differences persist, Islam holds them to be of no consequence. Such differences must not be substantial. They can be surmounted and resolved through more knowledge, good will, and wisdom. Islam treats them as domestic disputes within one and the same religious family. And as long as we both recognize that God alone is Lord to each and every one of us, no difference and no disagreement is beyond solution. Our religious, cultural, social, economic, and political differences may all be composed under the principle that God alone -- not any one of us, not our passions, our egos, or our prejudices -- is God.

Miracle: The word Mohammad written in clouds and moon.

This is the picture taken of the moon on the night of 9th Moharram 1431 i.e sunday night 26th december 2009 . The word Mohammad can be seen clearly in this picture. This is the name of the last prophet of God sent to all mankind. Muslims have belief in that. The sighns of this last prophet were also revealed in Holy Bible as well.

Why Iqbal regarded Rumi as his Guide....

Rumi was the Persian mystic poet of Thirteenth Century. He is called Rumi because of his native place, Konya (Inconium) in Asia Minor which was then known as Rum. He was born in C.E. 1207 and died in 1273. Iqbal acknowledges Rumi as his guide without reservation. No thinker except Rumi has acquired the title of the Pir (guide) from Iqbal. He has whole heartedly paid him tribute and respect nearly in all his books. This tribute arouses much curiosity when it is paid by Iqbal, an eminent poet-philosopher with numinous vision and outstanding scholarship.

The most important factor which impressed Iqbal to acknowledge Rumi as his guide was Rumi’s interpretation of the Quran and his profound love for the Holy Book and the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).

Iqbal believes that Rumi deeply understands the spirit of the Quran. He says:

“The light of the Quran is hidden in his (Rumi’s) breast, the cup of Jam fades in the presence of his mirror”

Iqbal openly acknowledges Rumi’s Mathnavi as the Quran in Pahlvi. He says:

“There appeared the Master, formed in the mould of Truth, who wrote the Koran in Persian.”

Khawaja Hamid Irfani rightly says:

“In understanding and interpreting the Quran, Rumi is in consonance with Iqbal”.

Iqbal is very right in accepting Rumi as the great interpreter of the Quran. Even before Iqbal, Rumi commanded this status. Jami called his Mathnavi “The Quran in Persian” (Hast Quran Dar Zaban-i-Pehlvi).

Rumi’s love and regard for the Quran and the Prophet are worthy of note here. About the Quran, Rumi says:

“Though the Quran is (dictated) from the lips of the Prophet – if anyone says God did not speak it, he is an infidel”.

Again:

“To thee the Quran is even as the rod (of Moses), it swallows up (all) infidelities, like a dragon”.

About the Prophet, Rumi says:

“If Ahmad should display that glorious pinion (his spiritual nature), Gabriel would remain dumbfounded unto everlasting”.

Rumi’s love for the Prophet and this homage paid to the Prophet are expressed in several ways. In Mathnavi alone there are numerous sayings of the Prophet which Rumi has quoted and made caption of his verses. “Still is Na’t of Maulana Rumi well known in Turkey and the countries where Rumi’s mystical poetry is read.” Above all, on the meaning of “But for thee, I would not have created heavens”, Rumi asserts that God “bestowed an existence on the heavens” because of His love for the Prophet.

It is however, not incidental that Iqbal acknowledged Rumi as guide. It is worthy of note that all Iqbal’s books were published after 1908, when he had come back from Europe after deeply studying European philosophy and Western way of life. All these books are replete with Iqbal’s love and regards for the Quran and the Prophet (Peace be upon Him) and his respect for Rumi and a guide. In fact, he now appreciated Islam in a much more intensive way than before. In this respect he found a kindred spirit and an illustrious guide in Rumi, whom he has openly acknowledged as such on different places.

Besides, there are other potential reasons for Iqbal’s acceptance of Rumi as his guide. To my mind, Rumi’s own towering position as religious leader, incontestable mystic poet and distinguished thinker are other highly important reasons which impressed Iqbal.

Rumi is regarded as an eminent religious scholar. “The Muslim World has honoured him with the title of Maulwi-i-Ma’navi (the Doctor of Meaning), a religious scholar who is capable of philosophizing, of penetrating into the meaning of physical and spiritual phenomena, and lifting the veil of appearance to peep into the reality behind them.” Undoubtedly, “Rumi as a philosopher of religion stand shoulders above all those Muslim thinkers who are called Hukama in the history of Muslim thought.”

Rumi possesses an incontestable position as a mystic poet. Khalifa Abdul Hakim’s findings are self explanatory. He says that “in the entire range of mystical literature of the whole world, there is none to equal him either in depth or in comprehensiveness and extent. There have been mystics both in the East and the West whose experience in the realm of the spirit may have equalled the spiritual perceptions of Rumi, but their emotional or intuitional side was not matched by an equally clear and powerful intellect.” Again, Rumi is one of those rare saints and mystics whose intellectual fiber and creative moral and social effort is not weakened by subjective emotional experiences unrelated to the realities of everyday life. In him spirituality, nationality, and universal morality have found a healthy synthesis. God, universe, and humanity are embraced in a single all encompassing vision, the vision of creative love.” Dr. R.A. Nicholson expresses his views regarding Rumi’s uniqueness as a mystic poet thus: “In Rumi the Persian mystical genius found its supreme expression. Viewing the vast landscape of the Sufi poetry, we see him standing out as a sublime mountain-peak; the many other poets before and after him are but foot-hills in comparison. The influence of his example, his thought and his language is powerfully felt through all the succeeding centuries; every Sufi after him capable of reading Persian has acknowledged his unchallenged leadership.”

It is probably due to this uniqueness that in Sufi mysticism Rumi “is justly regarded as a supreme master.” Professor E.G. Brown terms him “the most eminent sufi poet whom Persia has produced…”

To Professor A. J. Arberry, “Jalaluddin Rumi has long been recognized as the greatest mystical poet of Islam, and it can well be argued that he is the supreme mystical poet of all mankind.”

Rumi is the highly esteemed as a thinker, not only for his wide scope of thought and profound insight, but also because he is fore-runner of many modern streams of thought. His thought incorporates Voluntarism and Spiritual Pluralism, the two modern trends which remind us of Nietzsche, Schopenhaur, Bergson, Lloyd Morgan, William James and James Ward in the post-Kantian period. Again, in his thought activism, individualism, theory of Emergent Evolution and religious experience are blended into one – a fact which makes him an encyclopaedic thinker. His view of evolution is a greater contribution in the history of philosophical and scientific thought. It has rightly been said of him in this respect, “Neither modern philosophy nor modern science has left him behind. For about a century now the entire philosophical and scientific thought has been dominated by the concept of evolution and it is the evolutionary concept that has been mainly responsible for sabotaging ancient theologies and views of creation, resulting in almost universal skepticism. Theology everywhere has been making an attempt to save the abiding realities and values of religion by accepting universal evolution as an indubitable fact and recasting old beliefs and dogmas. Rumi performed this task six centuries ago in a manner that can offer guidance to all who want to reconcile religion with philosophy and science.

Again, in the field of psychology his thought is equally valuable. Erich From rightly believes that Rumi was: “A man of profound insight into the nature of man. He discussed the nature of the instincts, the power of reason over the instincts, the nature of the self, of consciousness, the unconscious and cosmic consciousness; he discussed the problems of freedom, of certainty, of authority. In all these areas, Rumi has a great deal to say which is important to those concerned with the nature of man.

It is probably why Iqbal says that nobody has taken birth after Rumi as equal to him from the soil of Persia. He beautifully puts it thus:

“No Rumi has taken birth from the orchards of Persia: although the same are the clay and water of Persia and Tabriz, O’Saqi”.

Rather in the whole history of Muslim thought we do not come across any one except Rumi, who combines in him mystic poet, religious leader and thinker of high order. Only Al-Ghazali can be brought into comparison with him. But he does not have that rich combination which we find in Rumi. Besides, Ghazali “reconciled Sufism, with its many unorthodox practices with Islam and grafted mysticism upon its intellectualism.” But Rumi “scorons book-learning and traditional knowledge, and he must have condemned the scientific and philosophical method of Ghazali as alien to the true spirit of Sufism.” Again, “Ghazali can seldom compete with him in ardour and exaltation of feeling, in originality and profundity of thought, or in power and freedom of expression.”

Iqbal’s own criticism on Ghazali may be read with great interest. Iqbal remarks: “Ghazali, finding no hope in analytic thought, moved to mystic experience, and there found an independent content for religion. In this way he succeeded in securing for religion the right to exist independently of science and metaphysics. But the revelation of the total infinite in mystic experience convinced him of the finitude and inconclusiveness of thought and drove him to a line of cleavage between thought and intuition. He failed to see that thought and intuition are organically related and that thought must necessarily stimulate finitude and inconclusiveness because of its alliance with serial time.

In the end, it is important to note that Iqbal’s acceptance of Rumi as a guide does not mean that Iqbal has blindly followed Rumi. Rather, like Aristotle, he excels his guide in some very important respects. His original reflections, his philosophical thinking, and lucid style earn him a distinctive place. Iqbal is regarded with a great respect by scholars, philosophers, and religious leaders for his highly inspiring and dynamic philosophy and prophetic vision. Dr. Schimmel pointedly remarks: “No body will assert that he was a prophet-that would be both wrong from the point of view of history of religions and incompatible with the Islamic dogma of the finality of prophethood—but we may admit that he has been touched by Gabriel’s Wing.

A famous poet Girami, said about Iqbal:

“He did the work of a prophet, though one may not call him a prophet,”

Actually Iqbal “is a disciple who by virtue of his faith, is dyed deep in the spirit of his master.” His return to Rumi is really a return to the heritage of Islam. And to take inspiration and guidance from the heritage is natural. “Much of the material with which a genius builds a master-piece is supplied by the accumulated heritage of the past, embodied in the life and literature of his time and no one can see the full stature of his genius without the study of this heritage.”

Thus, it is the source that Iqbal is returning. If the Mathnavi of Rumi was an interpretation of the Quran for the people of 1300 A.D., the works of Iqbal are interpretation of the Quran to reconstruct religious thought in Islam in the light of modern knowledge of philosophy and science for a people of 20th century. Iqbal himself say:

“Like Rumi in the Harem I called the people to piety. From him I learnt the secrets of life. In olden days when trouble arose he was there. To meet trouble in present times I am here.”
By:Dr. Nazir Qaiser

The Idea of Mard-e-Momin: Vision of Iqbal(R.A)

The Idea of Perfect Man, Mard-e-Momin, Mard-e-Khuda, Sheikh, Kamil, Faqir, Banda-e-Haq, Qalander and Banda-e-Hur are not unfamiliar. Rumi is probably the first Muslim thinker who has presented a complete picture of Perfect Man. There are other Muslims who also put forward theories of Perfect Man. Ibn-i-Muskwaih had undoubtedly initiated the idea which found its culmination in Rumi.

M. M. Sharif writes, "the idea of the Perfect Man is an old one in Muslim Philosophy. It had its roots in Plato’s conception of the philosopher king and Islamic idea of a prophet, but it found its highest development in the speculations of Ibn-e-Arabi, Al-Jilili and Rumi.

R. A Nicholson in the secret of self notes, ‘to the Iqbal the Perfect Man is highly developed ego the Naib (vicegerent) of God on earth is the complete ego, the goal of humanity, the acme of life both in mind and body, in him the discord of one mental life becomes a harmony, is the last trust of the tree of humanity, and all the trails of painful evolution are justified because he is to come at the end”.

The Perfect Man is developed personality and has earned complete and true freedom and immortality, true freedom belongs to him. In Gabriel’s Wing the free man is synonymous with the Perfect Man and earns immortality too. Iqbal says in Gulshan-e-Raz-e-Jadid:

The eternity is superior,
which a borrowed soul,
Wins for herself by love
frenzy,
The being of mountains
and deserts and cities is nothing,
The universe is mortal, the
ego immortal and nothing else matters

Dr. Nazir Qaiser Writes, ‘to Iqbal the Perfect Man has not ceased to exist, and is very much needed in the present age. In Zarb-i-Kalim says:

Today the world needs that true Mahdi,
Whose vision produces a commotion in the world of thought

To find such a man is difficult. Iqbal says in Bang-e-Dara:

Narcissus weeps for many years over its sightless;
(only then) with great difficulty a person with vision is produced.

Perfect Man is blend of Ishq and Intellect. He has not fear and no difficulty can upset him. Also death cannot frighten him because of the developed state of ego. Physical death looks pleasant to him. Iqbal says:

What is the sign of the faithful man,
When death come, he has a smile on his lips.

To Iqbal the other name of the Perfect Man is Faqir. Both hold that all the qualities of Faqr are found in him. He is not an idle mystic, he is full of action. He earns lawful livelihood. He may be poor in appearance but he is owner of countless treasure, there is no greed in him. He has a great social relevance. He is not segregated from community. He contributes in bringing about a healthy social order. He combines in his behaviour Jamal (Divine beauty) and Jalal (Divine Majesty) like a true Faqir. Iqbal sys in Bal-e-Jibril:

He who saw is the leader of the world,
You and we are imperfect, he alone is perfect.

In Zarb-e-Kalim, Iqbal says:

He is the dew drop which cools the lives of the poppy flowers,
And he is that storm which makes the hearts of river shiver.

Again says:

Vengeance and forgiveness, Piety and power,
These are four things which make up a Muslim.

The Perfect Man believes in higher religion. His message is universal and his love is for all the human beings. In Tasbihat-e-Rumi he says:

The slave of Ishq takes lesson from God,
He becomes kind equally, both with infidel and believer.

Perfect Man’s love for God is sincere. He loves God neither for the sake of gardens and Houris of Heaven not for fear of Hell. He does not love God for the traditional pictures of Heaven. Rather, the Houris complain against the indifferent behaviour. In Zarb-e-Kalim, Iqbal beautifully says:

The angels had said: the faithful is gracious,
But the Houris complain; the faithful does not mix with us.

Love for humanity was their hallmark. ‘Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jillani, Sayed Ali Hujwiri and Mujjaddid Alaf Sani are those who were well known for their love for humanity.

He attains such power that his wishes and hands become wishes and hands of God: Iqbal beautifully says in Bal-e-Jibril that:

A Perfect Man’s arm is really God’s Arm,
Dominant, creative, resourceful, efficient

"As a result of this spiritual power he gets control over the material world also. It is the world that in the universe is absorbed in him, lost in him" Dr. R. A. Nicholson writes the Perfect Man can never be lost to the world, since he has assimilated and, as it were absorbed into himself the Divine attributes which constitute the reality of the world. He further says, ‘the true person not only absorbs the world of matter, by mastering it he absorbs God himself into his ego.’

Iqbal sums up beautifully in a verse, in Zarb-e-Kalim:

The sign of an infidel is that he is lost in the world,
The sign of the believer is that the world is lost in him.

‘He is God fearing, liable to answer to God for his deeds. Pity and love are his nature. He aims at changing the destiny of the human beings at large. He has no prejudice and is above class-distinction. He gives code of morality; bring about social and economic justice; and shows the way of life spiritual and material." To Iqbal, ‘the pragmatic value of the perfect Man is immense, both for the development of the individual and the society.’ Dr. R. A. Nicholson notes, ‘For Iqbal the Perfect Man is the real ruler of mankind; his kingdom of God on earth. Out of the richness of his nature he lavishes the wealth of life on others, and brings them nearer and nearer to himself’. He says:

Appear O rider of Distinct,
Appear O light of the dark,
Realm of change!
Illumine the scene of existence.
Dwell in the blackness of our eyes!
Silence the noise of the nations;
Imparadise our ears with thy music,
Bring once more days of peace to the world,
Give a message of peace to them that seek battle.

Perfect Man ‘feels that the loftier stages of life he reaches the more he is the slave of God.’ He doesn’t look down upon other human beings. Because of this deed he is superior not because of his birth. He is partly mystical and partly philosophical. He is a saint prophet.

Prayer in Islam

Prayer in Islam, is worship of Allah the Almighty, Praising and Thanking Him, acknowledging His Sovereignty and committing oneself to obey and remember Him at all times. It is the central part of a way of life, which is based on submission to the Owner of all.

The Muslim must seek to remember Allah at all times. He must be mindful that everything he is, everything he does, everything he knows and understands, is due to the Mercy of Allah. In acknowledging this, he remembers the fact that death lies in wait and he does not know when he will depart from this worldly life.

Five times a day, he stands in prayer. Focusing all his thoughts on the Creator. He praises, thanks and acknowledges the Greatness of Allah and seeks His forgiveness. His sins pass before his consciousness and render him humble before the Majesty of the One who owns all things, including the Day of Judgement. He stands, conscious that Allah Sees Him at all times and that in prostration he is the closest to His Maker.

The Muslim realizes that the Angel of death could be behind him at any time, that Jannah (Paradise) lies on his right and the fire of hell is on his left. The truth of his actions and their consequences are unknown to him and as he prayers, his heart is moved by sincere intent to strive harder, work more, study more, forgive more and share more.

He comes out of the state of prayer, feeling renewed; more determined to use what remains of his time in the most beneficial way. An angry shout or unkind word, stops on the same lips that recite the Qu'ran and remembers Allah. Hands reaching forth in greed and hate, retreat to find better solutions. Hasty careless words, dismal thoughts and attitudes disappear beneath the light that shrouds the mind of the one who prays because of their love and fear of Allah.

Hazrat Syed Waris Ali Shah(R.A)

Waris Ali name, Makhdoom-Ul-Asfia and Sartaj-Ul-Fuqura titles, was a renowned holy man with a large number of followers, known as Warisi spread all over the country.

Parentage

Born on 1, Ramazan-Ul-Mubarak 1238 Hijri to Qurban Ali Shah, of Syed Hussein family, reaches his ancestor Imam Husain through Imam Mousa Kazim with twenty-six links in the lineage in between. His forefathers migrated from Neshapur five generations ago came to Devah Sheriff in India and settled there.

ROZA SHARIF HAZRAT WARIS ALI SHAH (U.P.)

Early Education

He did not feed on his mother's milk during daytime as an infant; neither did he take it on 10th of Moharram, the Yaum-e-Aashurah (the day Imam Husain, his relatives and friends were killed in Karbala, now in Iraq). His father died when he was three years old and his mother passed away soon after. The grandmother brought him up and sent him to the maktab (school) at the age of five, where he learnt the holy Qu'Oran by heart till he reached seven. He always carried the holy book on his head out of respect.

He studied exterior subjects the Tradition and Jurisprudence from Abdul Aziz Mohaddis Dehlavi.

Pledge of Obedience

He pledged obedience to Hazrat Khadim Ali Shah at the age of eleven that awarded him the robe of his spiritual heir at this young age. His followers and devotees objected to this but Khadim Ali Shah did not heed them. He was confident of the intrinsic knowledge of Waris Ali Shah.

Travels

He traveled extensively in India. Besides, he went to Arabia, Turkey, Syria, Hijaz, Iraq, Rome, France, Belgium, Germany, and Russia, and performed the Haj at the age of fifteen.

Prayers and Meditation

During his studies, he used to go on travails in the wilds and remained engrossed in thoughts for a few days. His obedience, allegiance, meditation, and prayers earned him a distinguished place.

Music

He was fond of music. Once he started on pilgrimage to the Haj. On the way he stopped at Ajmer. Where the annual celebration (Urs) was being held in the shrine of Hazrat Khawaja Moin-Uddin Chisti. The recital was in the offing. He too attended. It moved him to tear. Soon after he fell unconscious.

Followers and devotees

When he regained consciousness, people surrounded him and requested him to admit them as disciples. He reached Constantinople and saw the Caliph, Abdul Hamid, who was greatly impressed by him.

Propagation of the Deen

Not only did he show the path of the Righteousness to the people deeply immersed in the darkness of faithlessness in the Sub-Continent but also traveled to far off places, even foreign countries, to propagate the teachings of Islam. His efforts brought in countless people into the fold of Islam. He preached the message to the non-Muslims residing around. Devah Sheriff and changed the course of their life.

Revelation and Mysteries

One day he went to meditate out of the town, met a wolf, and held him by its ears. The farmers were, frightened He said, "Whoever depends on God, none can harm him."

Quotes

* Falling in love is a curse. Man leaves everything and dies of separation.
* Faith is the essence of trust. Whoever lacks in faith, lacks in trust.
* Death is every where and comes from God.
* Denial of the beloved, and to hide anger, are benedictions.

Mehboob-e-Ilahi Hazrat Khawaja Nizam Uddin Aulia(R.A)

Hazrat Nizam Uddin Aulia was one such saint as illuminated the nooks and corners of India with the divine light of the deen and all people, the elders as well as the commoners, were equally benefited form it.

Parentage

Muhammad is the name but called by various titles. Mahboob-e-Ilahi, Sultan-Ul-Aulia, Sultan-Ul-Mashaikh and Sultan-Ul-Salatin etc. His grand father, Syed Ali, a resident of Bukhara, and father, Syed Ahmad, were well known Syeds and traced their lineage to Hazrat Ali with 15 of his ancestors falling in the chain. His maternal grandfather, Khawaja Arab Husain was Syed and resided in Bukhara. Both families migrated to India. Syed Ahmad was married to, Bibi Zulekha. Badaun, in those days, was a great center of learning so his father settled down there on migration from Bukhara.

ROZA SHARIF HAZRAT NIZAM UUDIN AULIA (NEW DELHI)

Birth

Born on 27 Safar 636 Hijri in the city of Badaun.

Early Education

After learning the Qu'Oran he read books on various subjects, Qadoori from Maulana Ala-Uddin Usooli, Maqamaat-e-Hariri from Maulana Shamsuddin Malik, and obtained distinction in outer subjects like Jurisprudence, Tradition Commentary, Speech, Logic, Mechanics, Arithmetic, Vocabulary, Literature, and Recitation. He also obtained the degree of 'Mashariq-ul-Anwar' from Maulana Kamal-uddin at Delhi.

Divine Education and Stay in Delhi.

He completed his exterior education at Badaun and reached Delhi with his mother for further education and finally settled here. He took lessons from the renowned Scholars Maulana Shamsuddin and Maulana Kamal-Uddin Zahid and came to be recognized as a distinguished scholar.

Search of the Teacher

He later set out in search of a teacher and guide who could lead to spiritual and intrinsic learning. During his stay at Badaun, he was apparently introduced to Baba Farid through Abu-Bakar Qawwal and came to have faith in him and longed to see him. Baba Farid's younger brother, Sheikh Najib-uddin Mutawakkil, was his neighbor in Delhi. His intimacy with Sheikh Mutawakkil added fuel to the fire.

Change in Life

He spent nights in prayer in a mosque. One morning the muazzin recited the Qu'Oranic verse from the minaret meaning:

Hasn't time come for the Faithful that their hearts bow down in praise to God.

The verse left a strange effect on him, his heart began to shake, and tears rolled down the cheeks; worldly love left him, and his heart was flooded with divine light. No longing remained, and under the condition he set out for Ajodhan.

Baba Farid

Baba was extremely pleased to see him and recited the Persian couplet,

Ai A'tish-e-furqat dil ha kabab karda

Sailab-e-Ishtiaqat janha kharab karda

Meaning: The fire of separation has roasted the hearts and the flood of fondness has wasted the soul

Removing his kulah-e-char Turki (a kind of Turkish cap) from his head he placed it on his head. Mahboob-e-Ilahi recounts the meeting. "When I presented myself to him, he found symptoms of fear in me then said, "Welcome! God willing, you will find bounties of the world as well as of the Deen."

Servitude and inheritance

Baba Farid said to him, "I wanted to accord this rank to some other person but it was revealed to me that you are to come from Delhi. The rank was fated for you and so I continued delaying it."

Baba Farid also gave him other things: his robe, sandals, and prayer mat, staff etc.

Hazrat Nizam Uddin pledged obedience to Baba Farid on 15, Rajab 655 Hijri and stayed in his service till 3, Rabi-Ul-Awwal 656 Hijri and engaged in prayer and meditation under his guidance and soon attained high degrees and proficiency in conduct and divinity. Baba Farid sent him to Delhi laden with divine and spiritual conduct.

Hazarat Nizam-Uddin Aulia in Delhi

Before his departure to Delhi, Baba Farid gave him special robe he inherited from peers of the chistia Order, and a document confirming his appointment as his spiritual heir and instructed him to repay the loan the earliest. To keep the enemies happy by all means, to strive hard in prayers, and said, "Under the orders of God, I grant Maulana Nizam Uddin the territory of India. And leave the country under his charge, and appointed him my regent" He asked him to show the document to Maulana Jamal Uddin at Hansi and Qazi Muntakhib in Delhi. When Maulana Nizam Uddin met Maulana Jamal Uddin at Hansi, he was pleased to see him and expressed happiness on the appointment.

In Delhi

Delhi was a populous city and he found it difficult to find a suitable place. He selected Ghayaspur for his stay in Delhi.

Prayer and Meditation

He busied himself in prayer and meditation in Delhi, renounced material things, and kept fast regularly. He did intense penance for 30 years. He led a life of renunciation and resignation, had no interest in things of the world. He said his prayers regularly. After the Chast and Ishraq prayers he sat in the congregation of sophists and mendicants and discussed problems of mysticism. After midday prayer he talked to the students and seekers of knowledge, and spent his nights in prayers.

Self-sufficiency and fasting

He passed his early days of his stay in Delhi in extreme poverty. Often observed fast three days continuously. When had nothing to eat his mother would say, "We are Allah's guests today." "I drew much taste from my mother's statement." Penury and povery were so acute, when he shook the suspended bag at the Afar time out dropped dry pieces of bread with which he broke his fast.

Victories

Sheikh Burhan Uddin Gharib and Sheikh Kamal Uddin Yaqub, who later became his heirs, lived with him. One day Kamal Uddin boiled some flour in an earthen pot then came a mendicant and demanded food. Mahboob-e-Ilahi placed the pot before him, the mendicant ate some from it and then dashed it to the ground, and said, "Sheikh Nizam Uddin Aulia Baba Farid blessed you with divine bounties and I have broken the pot of your apparent self-sufficiency." After which he saw no shortage.

Generosity

Baba Farid said, "May you consume seventy mounds of flour daily in your kitchen!"

His kitchen always remained hot. Thousands of beggars and the poor ate from it. Whatever received in the monastery was promptly given away to the needy. Nothing was saved. Many people drew sustenance. Numerous students and Hafiz were given help. The kings were surprised at this.

Death and Distribution of sacred relies.

When he antiapated Death, he gave a special robe, a turban, and a prayer mat to Maulana Burhan Uddin Gharib and ordered him to go to the Deccan. The same things to Maulana Yaqub and repaired him to Gujrat. He also gave the same articles to Maulana Shams Uddin but denied anything to Maulana Nasir Uddin Chiragh-e-Dehlavi. People were surprised at the outcome. On Wednesday Mehboob-Ilahi called Hazrat Nasir Uddin and entrusted to him staff, prayers mat, rosary, sandals, robe, and other sacred relics of Baba Farid and said, "you shall have to bear the tribulations of the people and stay in Delhi. "All of your heirs are well known but Amir Khusro loved him profoundly.

He laid his life on 18 Rabi-ul-Sa'ani. His tomb stands in Nizam Uddin Basti and attracts thousands of Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim pilgrim's daily.

Books

His articles, regular publications in nature, are

* Fawaed-Ul-Fawaed
* Afzal-Ul-Fawaed
* Rahat-Ul-Mohibbin

Besides he noted the interesting incidents of the meetings of his teacher, Baba Farid, in a book entitled 'Rahat-Ul-Qulub.'

Revelations and Miracles

Sultan Ghayas Uddin Tughlaq was envious of him. He bore great ill will for him. Once when he was returning from Bengal to Delhi, he sent word to Mahbooh-e-Ilahi to leave Delhi. This grieved him and said, "Delhi is still Far." and it so happened that Ghayasuddin did not reach Delhi. Tughlaqabad palace collapsed on him and killed him.

His Wondrous Deeds

His attention and care revolutionized the society. Morals and conduct of the people improved. They became truthful and true to their word. He welcomed every body; treated the sinners kindly, and robbed them. To all, elite's or the sundry, rich or the poor, King or the beggar. Learned man or a layman, he taught to be penitent and pure. His mission not only reached the Four Corners of India but China also. Khawaja Salar Han ban was his spiritual heir in the country.

Quotes

* True wisdom is to renounce the world.
* Knowledge is achieved. Intellect is natural.
* Salik achieves greatness from four things: Less eating, Less talking, Less sleep, and less socializing.
* Benediction drops at three times: in the state of hearing music, eating for purpose of obedience, speaking about the mendicants.
* In making a deal one should not talk as to make veins stand on his neck viz. symptoms of prejudice and anger.
* Patience is: "When a man experiences a thing not to his liking, he does not complain"
* But willingness is the thing that suffering does not make him feel bad as if it has not befallen on him.
* Love of saint's rules over their intellect.
* The joys neither make a mendicant happy nor sufferings grieve him.
* About complete faith he said: "One must trust in God and should not expect of anyone besides Him."

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