Mujaddid Alf-e-Thaani's Stance Against Bid'ah Hasanah

[SeekerOfGuidance]

The Indispensability of Tasawwuf

The level of Ikhlaas in deeds determines its acceptability and barakah (blessings). A great deed can become futile, and an insignificant deed can become a means of salvation, due to the level of ikhlaas in the heart. The Sahabahs attained a rank and a level of ikhlaas, which will remain unsurpassable, purely by virtue of spending a few moments in the Suhba (company) of the Best of Mankind. This is why, according to the Hadith, the charity of a handful donated by a Sahabah, will always supersede the charity of even a mountain's worth of gold donated by anyone else. The fact that the deeds of the Sahabahs produced immeasurable barakah is undeniable when considering only the fact that an illiterate, inexperienced and ill-equipped desert tribe, triggered a tidal wave of Tawheed that engulfed half the known world, including the so-called 'civilized' superpowers of Rome and Persia, within thirty years - a feat unmatched in the recorded history of mankind.

Shaykh Rashid Ahmad Gangohi states the reason for the superiority of the first few generations:

“The spiritual strength of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was such that the most unruly disbeliever would reach the state of ihsan by just saying La Ilaha Illa Allah Muhammad Rasul Allah (There is no deity except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah)...they were not in need of the different types of struggles (mujahadah) and spiritual exercises (riyadah). This strength existed in the Companions on account of the Prophet’s fayd (spiritual blessings), but this was less than what the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) had. It was also in the Followers (Tabi’in), but this was less than what was in the Companions. It was also present in the Followers of the Followers (Atba’ al-Tabi’in) albeit it had become very weak."

The fact that the quantity of deeds performed by the Tabi'in and the Atba' al-Tabi'in far exceeded that of the Sahabahs, compensated partially for the lack of Suhba of the Messenger . Anecdotes of the people of these generations praying continuously throughout every night and fasting every single day, for many decades, are not unusual.

In a similar sense, the science of tasawwuf, and the exercises involved in it, compensate to a certain extent for the Suhba required for spiritual progress which only the early generations were blessed with, and enables one to attain a level of sincerity more acceptable to Allah. Mawlana Gangohi continues to state:

"...To compensate for the shortcomings, the mashayikh developed forms of mujahadah and riyadah which remained for some time as a means (wasa’il) that were not the purpose themselves..."

Just as the perfection of sciences such as Tajweed or Arabic grammar, is virtually unattainable nowadays without the exercises of Tajweed, Nahw or Sarf, supervised by a master, the perfection of sincerity (ikhlas) is virtually unattainable without pursuing the path of tasawwuf.

The indispensability of tasawwuf is borne out by the fact that the vast majority of those who have brought about significant Tajdeed (revival) and preservation of the religion in whole regions, attained their perfections through this science. They include the likes of Abdul Qadir Jilani, Shihabuddin Suharwardi, Moinud Deen Chishti, Ali Muttaqi, Tahir al-Patni, Mujaddid Alf-e-Thani and Shah Waliullah. A recent example worth mentioning is the impact of the Deobandi Akabir on Islamic scholarship, in every field including Tafseer, Hadith, Fiqh, Tableegh, Jihad, and in the reformation and education of hundreds of millions of people throughout the world.

Mujaddid Alf-e-Thani re-iterates in many of his letters, the fact that the Sufi path is taken only to enhance the quality of ikhlaas:

"Tariqah and Haqiqah, qualities with which the Sufis are distinguished, are both the third part of Shari’ah, i.e. they serve to complete the quality of sincerity. Hence, the purpose of acquiring them both is perfecting Shari’ah, not something other than Shari’ah."

Just as the various sciences developed after the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) to aid in the preservation of the Deen, such as Ilmul Rijaal, Fiqh, Tajweed, Nahw and Sarf, are not bid'ah, the science of tasawwuf is not a bid'ah, and its true purpose and importance has been re-iterated throughout the ages by the Muhaqqiq Sufis, many of whom were Mujaddids whose signs were clearly evident in the barakah placed in their legacy by Allah. Shaykh Zakariyyah Khandhlawi states:

"The writings of the Akabir are explicit that the original purpose [of Tasawwuf] is acquiring the state of ihsan, and that the struggles and spiritual exercises that have been prescribed by the Sufis have been devised for the ailments of the hearts in the same way doctors prescribe new types of medicine for new forms of physical illnesses. In the same way there is no doubt regarding physical medicines that they may be bid’ah, to consider spiritual medicines bid’ah is ignorance. They are not the original purpose. They are special methods of remedy for particular illnesses."

As with the perfection of any other aspect of life, there will naturally exist a difference in the level of ikhlaas possessed by the one who has perfected his heart through a rigorously developed system under the mentorship of a perfected master, and the one who attempts to perfect it by himself. This difference is explicated well here by Mujaddid Alf-e-Thani:

Volume 1, Letter 59

"On the whole, beliefs and practices are known from the Shar', and sincerity (ikhlaas) which is the essence of belief and practice, is to be attained only through the suluk of the Sufis. Unless you perform the meditation leading to Allah and enter into the meditation in Allah, you are away from the reality of sincerity and unaware of the excellences of the sincere. Certainly, an ordinary Muslim acquires by his effort and struggle a kind of sincerity in some actions. But the sincerity we are talking of is sincerity in everything you say or do, and in all your movements and rests, without making any effort and struggle. This sincerity depends upon the negation of all kinds of gods, within and without, and follows upon fana' and baqa'. By this only you attain real Wilayat (sainthood).

The sincerity which is the result of effort and struggle is not a permanent thing. In order to be permanent, it has to be spontaneous and effortless. This occurs at the stage of absolute certainty. Hence whatever the Auliyah (saints) do, they do for the sake of Allah, not for themselves, because their selves have been sacrificed to Allah. They do not have to purify their motives in order to attain that sincerity; their motives have already been purified through fana' and baqa' in Allah. He who is still in love with his self, does whatever he does for his own sake whether he is aware of it or not. But when the love for the self disappears and is replaced by the love of Allah, whatever he does, he does for the sake of Allah, whether he deliberately attends to his intention (niyyat) or not.

You need to specify your intention when you have alternatives; but when you have no alternative you do not need to specify.

"This is the favour with which Allah blesses whom He likes, and Allah is most gracious."

The man whose sincerity is permanent is the mukhlas (that is, the one who has been chosen by Allah and reserved for Himself), and the one whose sincerity is not permanent and who has to strive for it, he is mukhlis (that is, the sincere). What a difference between the two!

The benefit you get in matters of belief and practice by following the Sufi tariqah is that you see in vision the same truths of theology which you know by arguments, you find that the performance of the duties of the Shari'ah is extremely easy, and you feel that the sloth which Satan causes in you has completely disappeared. This is a great thing. Let us see who attains it."

[islam4best]

Can you please list some great Mujadadi scholars and scholars of Tasawwuf.

[SeekerOfGuidance]

Can you please list some great Mujadadi scholars and scholars of Tasawwuf.

You will find some information about this tariqah and its scholars since Mujaddid Alf-e-Thani in the following sites:

www.tasawwuf.org

www.sacredlearning.org

www.sanctifiedtrust.org

www.islamicspirituality.org

For a list present day shuyookh, from all tariqahs, browse through the following:

Shuyukh of Tasawwuf in the West

[SeekerOfGuidance]

The Suhba of the Pious

The Mujaddid gives one of the reasons why the Suhba (company) of the pious is the most effective means towards spiritual progress. He also mentions that the experiences of the Sufis are worth nothing unless they are tested on the criterion of the Qur'an and Sunnah, and that the purpose of Sufism is only to strengthen one's belief and practice of the Shari'ah itself.

Volume 1, Letter 207

"Yes the proximity of the bodies determines to a great extent the proximity of the hearts. This is the reason why no Wali (saint) can reach the status of the Sahabah (radhiyallahu anhum). Uways al-Qarni, notwithstanding his high rank, could not reach the status of the lowest ranking Sahabah due to not having the honour of the Suhba (company) of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace). A person asked Abdullah bin Mubarak (rahmatullahi alayhi), "Who is superior, Muawiyah or Umar bin Abdul Aziz?" In answer he replied, "The dust that entered the nostrils of the horse of Muawiyah while in the company of the Prophet of Allah is so many times better than Umar bin Abdul Aziz."

...To Allah be praise and thanks for this and for all bounties and blessings, especially for the blessing of Islam and the following of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace), for that is the fundamental thing and the means towards salvation, and a guarantee for prosperity - a promise of success both in this world and in the hereafter. May Allah make us and you steadfast in these by the sanctity of the Lord of the Prophets (alayhimus salaam).

(Poetry) This is the task and all else is naught

What should I say of the frivolous ideas of the Sufis, and what should I speak of their experiences. In the Hereafter, their experiences and findings shall not be worth half a penny unless they are weighed in the balance of the Shar', and their revelations and inspirations will not be worth half a grain unless they are tested on the criterion of the Qur'an and the Sunnah. The purpose of pursuing the path of Sufism is to strengthen conviction in the objects of faith as stated by the Shar', which is what faith really means, as well as to acquire the ability to perform with ease the duties of the Shar' as described in fiqh. There is no purpose beyond them.

For the vision of Allah is promised in the next life and cannot be had in this life; the revelations and visions in which the Sufis revel give them nothing but the pleasure of a shadow and the joy of a semblance. Allah transcends them absolutely. I am in an impasse here: If I tell the truth about visions and revelations as it is, I fear that it may discourage the travellers of this path and affect their pursuit; but if, on the other hand, I do not tell the truth, I fear that I shall be guilty of selling the untruth as truth in spite of knowing the truth."

[SeekerOfGuidance]

The True Meaning of Fana' and Baqa'

The Mujaddid gives the real meaning of fana' and baqa. He explains that they are states which the Sufis undergo while reaching the goal, that they have no existential significance but are merely experiential, and that any meaning that results from them other than the belief of the unity of Allah and life as a true servant, is sheer error and Kufr.

Volume 2, Letter 99

"The Sufi experience of fana' and baqa' is only a matter of experience and has no existential significance.

Fana', passing away from self, and baqa', abiding in Allah, are experiential not existential... Real fana' is to forget everything other than the Divine, to free oneself from the love of the world, and to purify the heart from all desires and wishes, as it is required of a servant. And real baqa' is to fulfil the wishes of the Lord, to make His will one's own will without losing one's self-identity."

Volume 1, Letter 97

"The experience of fana' and baqa' is the essence of walayat; its purpose is to produce conviction. The object of man's creation is to worship and obey Allah as He has ordained; and the object of worship and obedience is to achieve conviction (yaqeen) which is the essence of Imaan. This may be the meaning of the verse: 'Worship and obey Allah until (hatta) you attain conviction (yaqeen)'

For, hatta introduces a purpose as it introduces an end. The verse may, therefore, be taken to mean: 'Worship and obey Allah in order to attain conviction.' In other words, the faith that one has before worship and obedience is a formal one, rather than a real faith that means conviction. Allah says: 'O you who believe! Believe!' That is to say: 'O you who have a formal belief try to have the real belief by worshipping Allah and obeying Him as He orders.'

The object of fana' and baqa' which are the essence of walayat, is to acquire this conviction, and nothing else. If one understands fana' in Allah and baqa' in Allah in any other sense which suggests the fusion (of man) into Allah, it is a blasphemous distortion of Imaan. Many things (may) come from the mouth of a Sufi in the state of intoxication, which is his duty to eventually overcome, turn to Allah and ask for His forgiveness.

Ibrahim ibn Shayban, one of the great Sufis mentioned in the Tabaqat says: 'The real fana' and baqa' entail sincerely believing in the unity of Allah and honestly living as His bondservant. Anything over and above it, is sheer error and Kufr.' By Allah, what he says is true; his words are a testimony to his rectitude. Fana' in Allah means effacing oneself in carrying out the will of Allah. You may understand sayr ila Allah or 'meditation leading to Allah' and sayr fi Allah or 'meditation on Allah' along the same lines."

[SeekerOfGuidance]

The Errors of the Auliyah and Fuqaha

Any view which conflicts with the official and authoritative position of the Shariah as confirmed by the Aimmah Mujtahideen and the early fuqaha, has to be rejected regardless of the status of the personality propagating such a view. Other than the Prophets, there is no person who is free from error. If the one who advocates permissibility happens to be a reliable Aalim of the Deen, his view will be regarded as an error in ijtihad, or a misattribution, or some other suitable interpretation will be proffered. However, the laymen has no right to adopt such a position.

Although we do not deny the knowledge, zuhd, and rank, of the likes of Shaykh Ibn Arabi and Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah, we condemn and avoid their positions that are in conflict with the clear ruling of the Shar’iah as confirmed by the Aimmah Mujtahideen and the early fuqaha. Regardless of their rank and knowledge, their erroneous positions do not affect Ijma'. Any person who adopts their errors is clearly blameworthy, and is liable to be taken to task.

There are numerous warnings from the fuqaha that emphasize the fact that a person is on the border of Kufr if he adopts the anomalous positions that exist in our tradition:

Imam Al-Awza’i said:

“Whoever holds on to the rare and unusual positions of the Scholars has left Islam.”

Imam Sufyan al-Thawri said:

“Whoever pursues the rare and the unusual has gathered up all evil.”

Shaykh Abdul Rahman ibn Mahdi said:

“He is not an Imam in `ilm who follows anomalous positions (al-shadhdh).”

Shaykh Sulayman al-Taymi said:

“If you take the dispensation (rukhsa) or error (zalla) of every `alim, you will become the gathering point of every evil.”

Allamah Sha’raani said:

“He who follows the obscurities of the ulama, has made his exit from Islam”

Mujaddid Alf-e-Thani emphasizes throughout his letters the fact that the errors of the Sufiyah must be set aside. Furthermore, if their wilayat is established and a suitable interpretation can be proffered, then they should be exonerated:

Volume 1, Letter 272

"These people may be excused; hopefully, they will be treated as an erring jurist (mujtahid), and exempted from punishment. But we do not know how Allah will treat their followers; I wish they were treated as the followers of an erring mujtahid. But if they do not get that treatment they will have a hard time. Analogy (qiyas) or ijitihad is a basic principle of the Shari'ah, and we have been ordered to comply with it. But this is not the case with kashf and inspiration (ilham); for we have not been ordered to comply with them. Inspiration (of a Sufi) is not binding on others; but ijtihad (of a madhab) is binding on the common man. Hence we are to follow the mujtahid scholars and have to believe in the fundamental principles of religion as they define. The words and practices of the Sufis which are opposed to the views of the mujtahid scholars should not be followed. But one should refrain from vilifying them; one should rather give them sympathetic consideration. Their (objectionable) words should be treated as ecstatic utterances (shathat) and should be interpreted non-literally..."

Volume 1, Letter 266

“No practice of any Sufi is an argument to decide which is lawful or unlawful. Will it not be sufficient that instead of reproaching them we pass over their actions and leave them to the judgement of Allah? This is a matter in which the opinion of Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Abu Yousuf or Imam Muhammad should be considered authoritative rather than the practice of Abu Bakr Shibli or Abul Hasan Nuri. The half-baked Sufis of our day have taken to Raqs and whirling as an accepted religious rite and raised it to the level of divine service. These are persons who have taken their religion for sport and pastime “

Vol 2, Letter 95

"Here one treads on slippery ground: many Muslims who followed the words of intoxicated people have lost the right path, and fallen into evil ways, and have ruined their religion. They do not know that ecstatic utterances are to be tolerated subject to some conditions present in the ecstatics but not in others. Of these the most important condition is that the one who speaks them must have forgotten everything other than Allah; this is the suprem condition for acceptance. And the criterion to know the true from the false (Sufi) is to see who is steadfast in observing the Shari'ah, and who is not. One who is true will not violate any rule of the Shari'ah, even though he is under intoxication, and is not able to make distinctions...


Al-Hafiz Abu al-Faraj Ibn al-Jawzi (d. 597 H), mentions the fact that a person can be from the Auliyah, and the people of Jannah, yet still err:

وما زال العلماء يبين كل واحد منهم غلط صاحبه قصدا لبيان الحق لا لإظهار عيب الغالط ولا اعتبار بقول جاهل ، يَقُول : كيف يرد عَلَى فلان الزاهد المتبرك به ، لأن الانقياد إنما يكون إِلَى مَا جاءت به الشريعة لا إِلَى الأشخاص ، وَقَدْ يكون الرَّجُل من الأولياء وأهل الْجَنَّة وله غلطات فلا تمنع منزلته بيان زلله

"And the 'ulama continue, each of them to explain the error of his companion, with the intention to clarify the truth not to expose the defect of the one who made the error. There is no consideration of the statement of the ignorant person who says: 'How can so-and-so ascetic from whom blessing is received be refuted?!' Because loyalty and submission is only to what the Shari'ah has come with, not to personalities. Often a person is from the Awliya' and from the people of Jannah, but he has errors. Thus, his status does not prevent elucidating his slips."

The Ahlul Bid'ah tend to leech on to the anomalous positions of the fuqaha and Awliyah, whilst also anathematising others whom they do not agree with. Maulana al-Hakim al-Sayyid Murtad Hasan Chandpuri (1868 – 1951 CE) describes the balanced path of ensuring that the laws of the Shar'iah are not altered based on dubious actions or statements attributed to some fuqaha and Auliya, whilst also exonerating them if their status and wilayat is established:

"To label the noble Awliya and great Sufiyyah as mushriks and kafirs is (Allah Almighty forbid!) the work of the irreligious people and deviants. Whatever number of noble Awliya have passed away, all are our leaders and predecessors. Love for them is a means to salvation. The person whose wilayah is established, his speech, action and belief cannot be against the Shari‘ah. If any action or speech as a consequence of being human happens to oppose [the Shari‘ah], immediately thereupon, those esteemed personalities repent after knowledge. And a belief against Islam is impossible for the Awliya of Allah Almighty. One who is not a Muslim, how can he be a Wali?!

Thus, now, two matters must be established: one is whether a certain person is really a Wali or not, and second, if that speech or action really occurred from that Wali or not. If such speech is attributed to an accepted Wali which is against the Shari‘ah, it is necessary for us to deny that speech, and if that action or speech is established by an authoritative means, it should be interpreted in a way that is fitting to his position and is not against the blessed Shari‘ah. The reason is that those ecstatic words (kalimat shathiyyah) that emerged from some esteemed personalities, the ‘ulama even gave favourable interpretations of them, and explained them with a correct meaning in accordance with the Shari‘ah; and said that a statement being a word of disbelief is one matter and applying the ruling of disbelief on a speaker is another matter...

Some Statements of the Akabir which are Outwardly Opposing [the Shari‘ah] must be Interpreted

However, it is never permissible that if any action or speech against the Shari‘ah is attributed to a Buzurg or Wali, neither is his Wilayah verified, nor is the authenticity of the narration investigated, nor is any correct meaning devised for it that agrees with the Shari‘ah, rather an effort is made to make that matter opposing the Shari‘ah in agreement with the Shari‘ah, and make it permissible for the general Muslims.

After the establishment of the wilayah of a Wali and the authenticity of the narration, it is necessary to preserve the sanctity of the Awliya against anti-Shari‘ah [views], which can be acquired by a favourable interpretation in a goodly way. Why then will the thought of changing the established ruling of Shari‘ah occur?

If a person did not die after taking ten grams of arsenic, it should be said that he has an antidote with him or he will shortly travel to the world of lifelessness, not that arsenic can no longer be called poison, and everyone is given permission to take ten grams of arsenic. Arsenic is poison, and is certainly a poison. Taking it puts an end to life. That particular person not dying has a specific reason for it which cannot be made into a general rule. This principle should always be kept in mind." (Sabil al-Sadad fi Mas'alat al-Istimdad pp. 7-8)

[SeekerOfGuidance]

The Ulama-e-Soo (The Corrupt Scholars)

The Mujaddid mentions that the Ulama-e-soo are one of the main reasons behind the destruction of the Ummah.

Volume 1, Letter 53

"May Allahu ta'ala not separate you from the way of your blessed ancestor! We have heard that, having a pure heart suitable for Islam, you have selected four Ulama who love their faith and have invited them to the palace to teach them commandments of the Shariat, so that nothing should be done in contradiction with the Shariah. Thanks be to Allah for this news. What good news could be greater than this for Muslims? What news could be sweeter than this for those with afflicted hearts? This faqir wanted to visit you in order that this useful deed could be done, and I wrote to you several times that I would come over. I therefore cannot help writing a few things now. Please forgive me! As the saying goes, "A person with determination is like a lunatic."

The most important thing that I would like to write to you about is that among today's men of deen there is next to no one who does not desire rank and money and who strives only for the spreading of the Shariah and for the strengthening of Islam. When the desire of obtaining a post or seizing a chair is mixed with the matter, each man of deen will take a different way and try to show his own superiority. They will contradict one another and (exploit this situation to) ingratiate themselves with you. Sad to say, religious matters have become of secondary importance. In the time of the previous government, every catastrophe that befell the Muslims was caused by these so-called men of din. We, Muslims, fear such a disaster now, too. We are afraid that the din, let alone being improved, may be demolished again. May Allahu ta'ala protect Muslims against the evils of these false men of religion!

It will be difficult enough for you to find or choose an Alim who loves his faith, which is a great blessing. For the words and writings of the Alim who thinks of the next world will bring everyone with wisdom and conscience round to the right course. They will affect the hearts. Where on earth is such an Alim now? If you cannot find him, try to find the least harmful one from among others. There is a famous saying: "If something cannot be obtained altogether, it should not be given up altogether." I am at a loss as to what to write. As the happiness of people is in the hands of Ulama, so it is that the enemies of deen disguised as religious men lead people towards perdition, towards Hell. A good man of deen is the best of people. And a man of deen who makes the deen a means for his worldly desires and who deranges others' iman is the worst of the world. Men's happiness and destruction, their coming round to the right way and their leaving of the right way are in the hands of men of din. One of our superiors saw the devil sitting idly and asked him why. The devil said: "The religious men of today do our job. They do not leave us any work to misguide people."

Translation of a Persian couplet:

The person disguised as a religious man who hoards worldlies
Has lost his own way; how can he ever guide others?

For this reason, be very careful with your actions. Once the chance has been missed it will not come back again. I should have felt ashamed to advise you. But I wrote this letter of mine deeming it a document for my salvation in the Hereafter."


Volume 1, Letter 33

"The Ulama loving the world and being fond of it is like a black stain on their beautiful faces. Though such men of knowledge are useful to people, they are not useful to themselves. The honor of strengthening the din and spreading the Shariat belongs to them, yet sometimes a disbeliever or a fasiq also does this job. As a matter of fact, the Master of Prophets "alaihi wa 'ala alihissalawatu wa ttaslimat' indicated that evil people also will strengthen the din, saying, "Allahu ta'ala certainly strengthens this din through fajir persons, too." They are like flintstones. There is energy in a flint. Men start fires with the power in this flint, thus making use of it. But the flint itself does not gain an advantage. Likewise, these people do not benefit from their own knowledge. In fact, their knowledge harms them. For, on the Day of Judgement they will not be able to say, "We did not know. If we had known that it was a sin we would not have done it."

It is declared in a hadith: "On the day of Judgement, the person who will be tormented most is the Alim whom Allahu ta'ala did not enable to benefit from his own knowledge." Certainly, knowledge, which Allahu ta'ala esteems and which is honored above all, will be harmful to those who make it a means for seizing property and rank, for coming to the fore. In fact, being fond of the world is something which Allahu ta'ala does not like at all. Therefore, it is a very loathsome deed to spend knowledge, which Allahu ta'ala esteems, in a way which He resents. It means to abhor what He esteems and to esteem, exalt what He resents. To be clearer, it means to stand against Allahu ta'ala. Giving lectures, preaching, issuing religious articles, books etc. are useful only when they are for Allah's sake, not for gaining a rank, property and fame. And the symptom of such pious and pure thought is not to be fond of the world. Those men of din who have incurred this bane, who are fond of the world, are in fact worldly men. These are the evil Ulama; these are the basest of people; these are the thieves of faith and iman. However, they think of themselves and represent themselves as men of din, as men of the next world, and as the best of people. Surah Mujadala purports about them, "They think of themselves as Muslims. They are liars. The devil has seized them. They do not remember Allahu ta'ala, nor do they mention His name. They have adapted themselves to the devil and have become devils. Be it known that those who followed the devil suffered loss. Abandoning the endless bliss, they threw themselves down into endless torment."

One of our superiors saw the devil sitting idly, not trying to deceive people, and asked him why. The devil answered. "The evil Ulama of today who pass for men of the din help me so much that there is no need for me to do this important job." As a matter of fact, the recent slackness in doing the commands of the Shariat and men's turning away from the din are all because of the words said and articles written by false religious men and because of these men's ill will.

Those Ulama of din who have not allowed their hearts to be seized by the world and who are not ambitious about gaining property, rank, fame or coming to the fore, are men of the Hereafter. They are the inheritors, the representatives of Prophets "alaihimussalam". They are the best of people. On the day of Last Judgement, their ink will be weighed with the blood of martyrs, who gave their lives for the sake of Allahu ta'ala, and the ink will weigh heavier. These are the people who are praised in the hadith, "The Alim’s sleep is worship." These are the people who understand the beauty of infinite blessings in the next world, who see the ugliness, the evil of the world, and who know that the next world is eternal but this world is transient and exhaustible. For this reason, not looking at the things that are not staying but changing and perishing, they hold fast to what is permanent, to the beauties which do not deteriorate or perish.

Understanding the greatness of the next world is possible by seeing the infinite greatness of Allahu ta'ala. And he who understands the greatness of the next world does not care for the world. For, this world and the next world are polar opposites. If you please one of them, the other will become hurt. He who esteems the world offends the next world. And he who dislikes the world has esteemed the next world. It is impossible to esteem or abhor both of them. Two opposite things cannot be put at the same place together.

Some great men of tasawwuf, after forgetting about themselves and the world altogether, pretend to be worldly men for many reasons and benefits. They are thought of as loving and demanding the world. However, there is no worldly love or desire in them. As it is purported in Surah Nur, "Their trading, buying and selling do not ever prevent them from remembering Allahu ta'ala." They seem to be attached to the world, but they have no such attachment. Khwaja Bahauddin-i Naqshband Bukhari "quddisa sirruh" says, "At the bazzar of Mina in Mecca, a young merchant was purchasing some goods which were worth about fifty thousand gold coins. At the same time, his heart did not forget about Allahu ta'ala even for a moment."


Volume 1, Letter 47

"May Allahu ta'ala keep you on the way of your ancestors, who are the best of the good, and make our prayers and salams reach first the highest of them and then all the others!

An Alim, when compared with the people, is like the heart in a body. When the heart is pure, good, the body does good deeds. When the heart is ill all the limbs always do evil deeds. Likewise, if the Alim is good, the people will be good, too. They will improve. If he is corrupt, the people will be corrupt, too. They will head towards disasters. In the time of Akbar Shah's government many troubles and disasters came upon the people. We all know of them. As thousand years ago, when Muslims were very few and weak, the greatest discomfort they suffered was that Muslims would be in their own din and disbelievers would keep to their own ways. As a matter of fact, Kafiroon reveals this fact. But a few years before now, the enemies of din did their irreligiousness openly in front of Muslims, and in this blessed Muslim country, that is, India, Muslims could not practice the rules of the Shariat. What a dismal and terrible villainy it was to persecute those who believed and followed the lightsome way of Hadrat Muhammad "alaihissalam", who is the Beloved of Allahu ta'ala, the owner of the earth and heavens, and every kind of energy, and to esteem and sympathize with those who disbelieved him, those who were his enemies. With injured hearts, Muslims endured them patiently. Mocking, assailing furiously, ferociously, the enemies of Islam put salt on the wounds.

Hidayat, the sun of happiness, was covered with the clouds of heresy and apostasy, and the lights of right and virtue were pushed behind the curtains of injustice and immorality.

When the Muslims heard about the deaths of Islam's enemies and their successors' goodwill to recognize Muslims' rights and freedom, they took it on themselves as a debt to offer the newcomers all sorts of help and service. Taking advantage of the newly gained freedom, they deemed it the most sacred duty to struggle for this worthy, noble-blooded nation's holding fast to the Shariat and for the strengthening of the din. It is wajib for all Muslims to help this new president through words, writings, hands and work. The most valuable and the most important of these is to revivify the belief of Ahlus-sunnat and the rules of the Shariat, and extinguish the fire of corruption and fitna.

Those who will assist Islam, the government and the people, are only those Ulama who walk on the right way. Such Ulama do not deal with politics. They do not make the din a means for gaining property, rank or fame. Lovers of property and post who name themselves religious men and write translations of the Qur'an and other Islamic books are not Ulama of the next world, but they are hoarders of worldlies. Their books, magazines and words are poisonous. They derange the faith and iman, and instigate corruption and faction among the people.

Translation of a Persian couplet:

The person who in the guise of a religious man worships the world
Have lost his own way, how can he guide others to the next world?

All the catastrophes that befell Muslims in the time of Akbar Shah were incurred by such irreligious people disguised as religious men. It was always their books and newspapers that provoked the people. And it was always these wicked men of religion who misguided others under the name of Muslims. If a person who is not known as a religious scholar deviates from the right way, this deviation will not spread among others, or it may spread to a very small extent. Also, today's men of tariqat mislead Muslims off the right way. Like the writings of false men of din, these people undermine the faith and belief of younger generations. So, if each Muslim does not do his best today and if Islam falls under oppression and into disesteem again, everyone who withholds his help while he could help will be responsible in the next world. For this reason, this faqir desires to run to help, though I do not have enough power. I seek a way to overcome the difficulties and to do some service to Islam, small as it may be. "He who wants good people to increase in number will be counted as one of them," is a saying. I have the expectation that this poor person will be touched by the drops of the great thawabs which will fall to the lot of the just state authorities who give Muslims freedom and who protect their rights. I liken myself to the old woman who went out to the market place in order to buy Hadrat Yusuf (Prophet Joseph) with a few pieces of thread.

Nowadays I have been hoping to be honored with your presence. Allahu ta'ala has bestowed upon you the opportunity to talk to the Sultan frequently. We earnestly request that whenever you meet with him you encourage him to allow the Muslims to learn their din easily and comfortably and do their worships I pray to Allahu ta'ala for your attaining transient fortunes as well as eternal ones."

[SeekerOfGuidance]

Hadhrat Muhammad Mathum al-Faruqi Sirhindi

Hadhrat Muhammad Mathum al-Faruqi was the successor and third son of Mujaddid Alf-e-Thani, and according to some sources the spiritual guide (Murshid) of Hadhrat Aurangzeb. His letters carry similar themes against bid'ah to those of his father:

"Keep off a bid'atee. Don't sit with a bid'atee; rather, don't let him sit in your majlis, for the bid'atees are the dogs of Hell...That path only which the Holy Prophet treaded is the approved path, which has come out from his personal belovedness. To walk on this path is to conform to the Shari'ah. The man who wants to walk on the Holy Prophet's path, should fully adopt the path of the Shari' ah and should be firm in following the Sunnah and in abstaining from bid'ah. He should walk between the candles of the Book and the Sunnah so that he may not be involved in the darkness of bid'ahs and Satan's paths". (Hikayaat, p.231).


"Accordingly, the more a man tries in his conforming to the Sunnah and refraining from bid'ah, the more he will receive internal light, and the path towards the Holiest Presence will open up for him. The conformance to the Sunnah is indubitably the cause of salvation; it is beneficial in every way and a promoter of ranks; there is no probability of contradiction in it.

But in all other things besides this there is danger upon danger; there is rather a satanic path in them. So abstain much from them and be fully cautious: because, after truth, what remains there but deviation? The firm religion, which has been proven through categorical revelation, cannot be forsaken merely because of absurd things and superstitions. The messenger's responsibility is to convey - and that is all."


"The execution of the tasks of worship and the performance of duties (Fara'iz), sunnahs (sunan) and the indispensable acts (wajibaat) is bound with refraining from bid'ah, prohibited acts and abominable works. The more one tries to conform to the Shari'ah and abstain from innovation the more one's internal light will increase, and the way towards the Divine Court will open.

Conformance to the Sunnah is certainly rewarding, redeeming and an elevator of ranks, there is no probability of contradiction in it. But in all other things besides this there is danger upon danger, rather a satanic path in them. So abstain much from them and be fully cautious, because, after truth, what remains there but deviation?

The firm religion (Islam) which has been proven through categorical revelation (wahy) cannot be forsaken merely because of absurd things and superstitions."


"The essence of our way is to hold fast to the Sunnah and to refrain from bidah. A hadith ash-Sharif declares, 'A person who revives a forgotten sunnah of mine will get the thawab of a hundred martyrs.' To revive it to others, thus causing them to do it, too. This second way of reviving Islam is the sublime way. It is more valuable than the first way, which is common.

Attaining Allahu ta'ala's love and making progress in the stages of qurb is possible only by holding fast to the Sunnah [that is, Rasulullah]. The command, 'Say unto them: if you love Allah, follow me! So Allah will love you,' which is the 31st ayat of Surat Al-'Imran, proves our statement.

We should strictly avoid bidah. We should not make friends with those who practise bidah; we should not even talk to them. A hadith ash-Sharif declares, 'The practitioners of bidah are the dogs of those who are in Hell.' " (Volume 3, Letter 17)

[SeekerOfGuidance]

The Reality of Tasawwuf

An excerpt from Shaykh Zakariyyah's excellent book, Shari’ah wa Tariqah ka Talazum, in which he quotes Mujaddid Alf-e-Thani and Khawaja Masum al-Faruqi several times:

http://www.deoband.org/2009/08/tasaw...wwuf-part-one/

"I have already written that according to my seniors, Tasawwuf and ihsan are one and part of the pure Shari’ah. The writings of my seniors are filled with this. Mujaddid Alf al-Thani has stressed this greatly in his Maktubat. I have also published three of his letters — the first of them was written to the Sahibzadghan, the sons of Mujaddid Alf al-Thani’s shaykh and murshid, Khawaja Baqi billah. This is a very long and important letter that is worth reading. Mujaddid Alf al-Thani writes:

“The acquisition of tasfiyah and tazkiyah (spiritual purification) are connected to completing righteous actions which are for the pleasure of Allah Most High. This is also dependent on the sending of the prophets. Hence, without their sending, the acquisition of the reality of tasfiyah and tazkiyah is not possible. As to that purification (safa) which is acquired by the unrighteous (ahl al-fisq) and disbelievers, then this is in reality purification of the soul and not the purification of the heart; the purification of the soul only leads to deviancy and loss. The unveilings (kashf) of some unseen matters that are experienced by the disbelievers and unrighteous in the state of purifying the soul is istidraj (Istidraj is opposite to karamat and can be best described as miraculous powers gained by a sinner on account of mujahada and purification of the soul (not the heart). The extraordinary physical or supernatural feats carried out by sadhus and practitioners of yoga fall into this category. Muslims should not be overawed by such occurrences, as they do not serve as a yardstick in measuring ma’rifah (translator)…)"

After stressing the need to correct beliefs (‘aqa’id), he writes,

“Then, after correcting the beliefs, there is no escape from learning fiqh rules. It is necessary to learn the fard, the wajib, the halal, the haram, the sunnah, the mandub (preferable), the mushtabah (doubtful) and the makruh (disliked). It is likewise necessary to act according to the demands of fiqh. After having acquired the two wings of correct beliefs and actions, then — if a person has divine accordance (tawfiq) — the next step is traversing (suluk) the Path of the Sufis. This traversing is not to acquire something that is extra or new in beliefs and actions. Its purpose, rather, is to gain such firm conviction and assurance in those beliefs that the firm conviction and assurance do not disappear if a person was to place a doubt in it, and nor become obsolete by the coming of a doubt. In addition, the other benefit of Suluk is that it makes the performance of actions easy, and removes the laziness and rebelliousness which results from a soul that enjoins evils (al-nafs al-ammarah bi ‘l-suw). The purpose of treading the Path of the Sufis is not to view unseen images and forms, and lights (anwar) and colours; these are all useless play and entertainment (lahw and la’ib). What are the shortcomings of tangible forms and colours that one leaves them and undertakes mujahadah and riyadah with the hope of seeing unseen forms and lights? This is because these tangible forms and those unseen forms, and these lights and those lights are all created; they are signs bearing witness to Allah Most High’s existence.”

This lowly one has written at the beginning that the first lesson that Sayyiduna Jibril (may Allah bless him) taught was iman i.e. beliefs, the second lesson was Islam i.e. actions of Shari‘ah, and the third was ihsan i.e. Suluk. Mujaddid Alf al-Thani has mentioned this sequence with much detail in his letter. In another letter he writes:

“Shari’ah guarantees all worldly and heavenly happiness, and Tariqah and Haqiqah are the servants of the Shari’ah.” He writes further: “Shari’ah is composed of three parts: knowledge, actions and sincerity. As long as these three parts do not materialise, Shari’ah will not materialise. When Shari’ah materialises, the pleasure of Allah Most High will be earned, and this is the pleasure of the Creator, it is loftier and above all worldly and heavenly happiness — “And the pleasure of Allah is the greatest” (Qur’an 9:72). The Shari’ah is therefore the guarantor of all of the happiness of both worlds. There now remains no purpose that one would be in need of something other than the Shari’ah [in order to acquire it]. Tariqah and Haqiqah, qualities with which the Sufis are distinguished, are both the third part of Shari’ah, i.e. they serve to complete the quality of sincerity. Hence, the purpose of acquiring them both is perfecting Shari’ah, not something other than Shari’ah. The hals (spiritual states), wajd (ecstasy), knowledge and gnosis (ma’arif) that the Sufis experience during their journey are not the purpose, their status is, rather, that of those thoughts with which the beginners of Tariqah are developed. One should move beyond all these things and reach the station (maqam) of rida (Allah’s pleasure). This is because this is the station in which the stations of ecstasy and suluk end, as the purpose of crossing the stations of Tariqah and Haqiqah is nothing except the acquisition of sincerity, and sincerity is a requirement for the happiness of the Creator Most High.

From among thousands, there are few who pass the divine revelations (tajalliyah) and gnostic (‘arifi) visions (mushahid) to reach the wealth of sincerity and the station of pleasure (rida). The short-sighted consider hal and wajd to be among the goals [of Tasawwuf], and visions and divine revelations among those things that are to be acquired [in Tasawwuf]. It is on account of this that they remain captive in the prison of delusion and fantasy, and deprived of the perfections of Shari’ah. Yes, it is correct that the acquisition of the station of sincerity and the status of rida is connected to the materialisation of those states, wajd, and knowledge and gnosis. Hence, those states and wajd are preludes to [acquiring] the purpose and not the [actual] purpose. This reality became clear to me on account of his (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) blessings (barakah) after traversing this Path a complete ten years; and [it was then that] the Shari’ah appeared to me in a form befitting it. This in spite of me, all praise to Allah, not being — from the beginning — a prisoner to hals and wajd; there was no goal before my eyes except realising the reality of Shari’ah. However, after ten complete years, the reality became completely clear — Al-hamdu li Allah ‘ala dhalik hamdan kathiran tayyiban mubarakan fihi, mubarakan ‘alayhi.” (Tajalliyat-e-Rabbani, volume 1, page 53)

It is thanks to Allah that when Mawlana Habib al-Rahman Ludhyanwi, head of the Al-Ahrar group, asked this lowly one regarding the reality of Tasawwuf, I answered, “Tasawwuf is the name given to correcting intentions,” as has been mentioned in detail at the beginning of my autobiography, Aap Biti (volume 2). Many other stories relating to this subject have been mentioned in Aap Biti. Khawaja Muhammad Ma’sum Naqshbandi (may Allah mercy him) has also greatly stressed this in his letters. He writes in an epistle (60),

“Perfect saintliness (wilayah)[8] is the outcome of [adhering to] the surah of Shari’ah and perfect prophethood (nubuwwah) is the outcome of adhering to the haqiqah of Shari’ah. Hence, there is no perfect trait from the perfect traits of both wilayah and nubuwwah that is outside the perimeters of Shari’ah and independent of it.”

In another letter he writes,

“After correcting one’s beliefs, it is extremely necessary to agree with the correct opinion of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa ‘l-Jama’ah (which is derived from the Qur’an and sunnah). There is no escape from not performing the fard and wajib acts, and abstaining from what is haram. The foundation of Islam is on five (which have been mentioned in the hadith of Sayyiduna Jibril); if there is an absence of even one of these five, then the faith would be empty and incomplete. After correcting beliefs and [performing] actions, treading the Sufi Path is also necessary so that the realisation (ma’rifah) of the Truth (Allah) can be acquired, and one can be saved from the dangers of the carnal desires. I cannot understand how the slave who is void of the m’arifah of his Master (i.e. Allah Most High) and does not recognise him is able to live his life and be pleased with other things.”

He writes in another correspondence,

“My brother Mulla Hasan ‘Ali has written an objection regarding one of my letters to ‘Ubayd Allah Bayg and asked for a reply. The objection is that the distinction of what is good and what is bad is mentioned in Shari’ah, and that he has read in some book that ‘in Tariqah there is reconciliation with all and friendship with everyone, whereas in Shari’ah there is [discourse relating to] warring with enemies and reconciling with friends…’ It is a strange and absurd objection. What is the comparison between Shari’ah and Tariqah? Where has the equal footing come between the two [that they can be compared]? Shari’ah has been established through such absolute divine revelation (wahy) that leaves absolutely no possibility for doubt and uncertainty. Its rulings cannot be abrogated or changed. These rulings will continue till the Day of Reckoning. Acting on the requirements of Shari’ah is compulsory and mandatory on all of the lay-masses and the elite. Tariqah does not have the ability to remove the rulings of Shari’ah and free the Sufis from the requirements of Shari’ah. From among the absolute beliefs (‘aqaid) of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa ‘l-Jama’ah is also this belief that an aware and conscious slave will never reach a state in which he is annulled from [adhering to] the requirements of Shari’ah. Whoever entertains a belief apart from this is outside the pale of Islam. Friendship and fidelity with that group which Allah Most High declares as his enemies and orders [to treat] severely and harshly is outside the base of Islam. This and the claim of loving Allah Most High and the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) cannot amalgamate in one place. This is because obedience of the Beloved, showing friendship to the friends of the Beloved and showing displeasure to His enemies are the requirements of love. Yes, it is true that some of the saliks sometimes perform such actions that outwardly seem to be in opposition to the Quran and sunnah. At such times, the salik should not let the rope of Shari’ah slip from his hand, he should cling on to it firmly, and — contrary to his kashf and ecstasy — while adhering to the Ahl al-Sunnah wa ‘l-Jama’ah opt to follow its beliefs and actions. At times, the rubbish on the Path of Suluk tries to move the poor salik away from the lofty objective and invite to his worship by crying out, ‘Indeed, I am Allah.’ At such times, the upright salik should say as Sayyiduna Ibrahim al-Khalil (peace be upon him) said, ‘I do not like those who disappear,’ (Qur’an 6:76) and, according to the demands of ‘I have turned my face…’ (Qur’an 6:79), run in the field of the unseen and completely follow the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) so he does not become a prisoner to looking at that apart from Allah.” (Maktub Khawaja Muhammad Ma’sum, letter 73, page 121).

The story to which Khawaja Muhammad Ma’sum has indicated toward in this letter has been mentioned in Aap Biti (volume 5, page 197) from Qasim al-’Ulum Mawlana Qasim Nanawtwi from Arwah-e-Thalatha: “A woman brought her blind son to one of the saints, Khawaja Ahmad Jam, regarding whom it was popular that he was someone whose supplications would be accepted (mustajab al-d’awah), and asked he wipes his hand over her son’s face so he may be cured. At that time the situation of servitude (‘ubudiyyah) had overcome him and so, with much humbleness, he said, ‘I do not have the ability.’ The woman insisted and Khawaja Ahmad Jam answered the same. The exchange continued three to four times and when he saw that the woman was not accepting what he was saying, he stood up saying, ‘This work is that of Sayyiduna ‘Isa (peace be upon him), he would cure the blind and the lepers. As to me, I don’t have the ability.’ The shaykh had only walked a little when it was revealed (ilham) to him, ‘Who are you? Who is ‘Isa and who is Musa? Turn around and wipe your hand over his face. You are not able to cure and nor is ‘Isa. We do it (mami kunyam).’ On hearing this, Khawaja Ahmad Jam turned around and saying mami kunyam, mami kunyam wiped his hands over the boy’s face and he was cured. After narrating this story, Mawlana Qasim Nanawtwi (may Allah sanctify his secret) said, “Foolish people think that he is saying mami kunyam from himself. This is not, however, his speech, but the speech of the Almighty. When one hears a beautiful poem, then one repeats it and takes pleasure from it. Likewise, he was repeating the Almighty’s word mami kunyam on account of the pleasure of that ilham.” Hakim al-Ummah Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi writes in the footnotes: “Regarding his saying, ‘But the speech of the Almighty…’ I say that this is the best interpretation of Mansur al-Hallaj’s saying, ‘I am the truth.’” (Aap Biti, page 197, volume 5) I have mentioned in volume five of Aap Biti similar utterances of many mashayikh and written afterwards: “The purpose of all these writings is that a person should always preoccupy himself in examining his conscience and rectifying himself. He should not indulge in criticising and finding the faults of others, especially the seniors who are reliable and leading ‘ulama; one should not criticise their speech and actions. There is no following of anyone in matters that are contrary to Shari’ah. Their speech and actions, however, are not your responsibility.” Khawaja Muhammad Ma’sum writes in another letter:

“Make firm pledge to fulfil the rulings of Shari’ah. Make enjoining good and forbidding evil one’s practice and conduct. Consider reviving those sunnahs that are no longer practiced a mighty work. Strive to conceal each oncoming (warid) that comes to the heart. Do not rely on dreams and visions. If a person was to see in a dream that he has become a king or the qutb of his era, then what is the benefit? A king or qutb is he who reaches the status of being a monarch or a qutb in reality. And if it was assumed that the person has became a king and the world had come under his control, then what piety has he attained? Will it save him from the punishment of the grave and the Day of Reckoning? Those with lofty aims do not pay attention to such issues, and always strive to attain the pleasure of Allah Most High. They endeavour to annihilate their carnal desires (nufus) and veil unseen oncomings (warid). I hope friends such as you do not forget this sinner and seek mercy and forgiveness for this lowly one from Allah Most High.” (Maktubat-e-Khawaja Muhammad Ma’sum, letter 174).

In another epistle he writes:

“At this juncture in time bid’ah is becoming prevalent and its darkness is encompassing the world on account of the distance from the time of Prophethood (Nubuwwah) and proximity to the Day of Reckoning. The sunnah has become strange and scarce, and its radiances (anwar) have become veiled. Strive hard to revive the abandoned sunnahs and propagate knowledge of Shari’ah. Take this issue as the greatest means of acquiring the pleasure of the Almighty. Also seek proximity to the Muhammadi Court through this work. It has been mentioned in a hadith, ‘Whoever adheres to my Sunnah when corruption prevails in my Ummah, then he will be awarded the reward of a hundred martyrs.’ The first stage of reviving a Sunnah is for one to act upon it oneself, and the loftiest stage lies in its promotion and advocation, and encouragement of others to act upon it.” (Maktubat-e-Khawaja Muhammad Ma’sum, letter 290)."

[SeekerOfGuidance]

The Beliefs of the Perfected Sufi is in Complete Conformance with the Shari'ah

The Mujaddid states that any idea of Sufis that contradicts the Shari'ah is blasphemy and heresy, or the result of intoxication and ecstasy, that the Kashf of the Sufis is subject to the authority of the Wahy of the Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace), and that the beliefs of the perfected Sufi is in complete conformance with the Shari'ah:

Volume 1, Letter 30

"The criterion for the correctness of mystical ideas is that they agree with the clear truths of the Shar'iah; if they diverge a hair's breadth, they are, to be sure, a product of intoxication. The truth is what has been established by the ulama of the Ahlus Sunnah Wa'l Jama'ah; all else is blasphemy and heresy, and the result of intoxication and ecstasy. Perfect agreement with the Shari'ah is possible only at the stage of servanthood; in all stages before that, there is always an element of intoxication.

Somebody put a question to Shaykh Baha Uddin Naqshband: 'What is the purpose of Suluk?' He replied: 'The purpose is to know in detail what you know in brief, and to perceive in vision what you know through arguments.' The Shaykh did not say that the purpose is to acquire truths beyond the truths of the Shar'.

It is, however, a fact that the Sufi receives different ideas during his Suluk. But when he reaches the end, those superfluous ideas disappear in the air. He then perceives the same truths of the Shar' in detail, and comes out from the narrow enclosure of reason to the open space of Kashf. The Prophet (Allah bless hima and grant him peace) receives truths through revelations (wahy), the Sufi receives the same truths through inspiration (ilham) directly from the same source, and the ulama of the Shar' get them through deduction from revelation and state them in principle. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) receives truths in detail, and so does the Sufi. But there is a difference: the former truth depends on itself, whereas the latter depends upon the former, and is subject to its authority."


Volume 1, Letter 286

"One must know that the final beliefs of a Sufi which he comes to have after completing all the stages of suluk and reaching the highest degree of saintship (walayat) are the same as the beliefs of the theologians among the People of Truth (Ahlul Haqq). The theologians arrive at them through scriptural text or through reason, and the Sufis arrive at them through Kashf or inspiration. Some Sufis, under ecstatic experiences, and strong emotional states during the course of their suluk, have ideas that do not agree with these beliefs; but if they pass over those states and reach the final stage, their (false) ideas will vanish in the air. In case this does not happen, they will continue to have conflicting ideas. We hope that they will not be punished for them, and will be treated like a jurist who errs in his judgement...

It is incumbent on a Sufi that before he reaches the ultimate truth, he should follow the doctrines of the theologian among the People of Truth, even if they conflict with his kashf and inspiration. He should believe that the theologians are right and that he is wrong. For the doctrine of the theologians is based on the infallible words of the prophets who are guided by true revelation (wahy), which is above doubt. Hence his kashf and inspiration which conflict with the doctrines that are derived from wahy, are wrong. To consider one's kashf superior to the views of the theologians, is in fact to consider it superior to the absolute truths of revelation. This erroneous and disastrous."


Volume 1, Letter 84

"The Shari'ah and the haqiqah are one; neither is different from the other. Their difference is a difference between a principle and its elucidation, between reason and intuition, between faith and vision, between effortful obedience and spontaneous submission. The rules of conduct and the articles of faith that have been defined and elaborated in the light of the Shari'ah, the same are revealed to the Sufi when he reaches the stage of absolute certainty (haqqul yaqeen); his faith is no longer a mystery, it becomes a vision, and his obedience ceases to be a struggle.

The sign that a Sufi has attained absolute certainty is that the truths which are revealed to him are in complete agreement with the truths of the Shari'ah. If they differ even a hair's breadth it is a proof that the Sufi has not reached the ultimate truth. The words and practices of a Sufi which are at variance with the Shari'ah are produced by intoxicative experiences. So long as he is in the way, he is under intoxication; but when he reaches the end of the road, he becomes sober, he is the master of his time, and is in full control of his states and stations.

The (amateur) Sufi is the child of his time;
The perfect one (Safi) is not subject to time or states.

Disparity with the Shari'ah is therefore a clear proof that the Sufi has not reached the ultimate truth. Some Sufis have said that the Shari'ah is the outer shell of the haqiqah and the haqiqah is the inner essence of the Shari'ah. Such words indicate that their speaker does not have the right experiences. One may, however, interpret them to mean that the relation between the Shari'ah and the haqiqah is that of a principle and its details, or of the chaff and the grain, because reason stands to intuition as skin to the kernel.

The Sufis who have the right experiences never make such statements and never refer to the difference except in terms of a principle and its elucidation or in terms of reason and intuition. Someone asked Khwajah Naqshband: "What is the purpose of sayr and suluk?" He replied: 'The purpose is that you realise in detail what you have known in essence, and see in kashf what you have known by reason.'"