ummtaalib

HOSTILE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FATHER & DAUGHTER Question: I was just watching some YouTube Islamic talk type of videos about respecting your parents and i want to ask if the situation I'm in has made me stop speaking to my dad, is that wrong islamically? I have also stopped speaking to his family unless i see them outside at the shops or something and they say salam, i will reply to that cos its my duty but apart from that i won't speak to them. My dads mum is also "ill'' i don't mean to sound selfish but i don't care about her, if someone didn't care about my mum, i can't care about their mother who made my mums life very hard. I'll try to keep it short with the relevant information, the back story is he's not a very nice person, i grew up seeing him physically abuse my mother and even physically hurt me and my siblings during their rows. My parents eventually split up around years ago after my dad had found someone else, he seems to have changed, he's a great husband to her but he has always lacked in being a good father, he seems to put on an act when other people are around so everyone outside thinks everything is going well within our family. He's never been a good father, however the only thing i can say he did do for me is pay for an overseas ticket years ago but this was whilst i was talking to him, he often brings this up as it is the only thing he can actually say he's done for me, but as a father isn't that his duty anyway? He's never paid child maintenance, would give us mere few pounds a month if i was lucky, he is tight with money and only likes to give it to his wife which he has also bought a shop for her to open her own business. Two years ago i stopped speaking to him as a couple months before he had came to my house that i live in with my mum and argued with my mother demanding her to leave our home as its under her name. During this argument he had said some very hurtful things to us all such as i hope you die, i wouldn't bother turning up to your janaza, you're not my kids etc. This ended in a huge argument. Then a couple months later, my brother was at my house, my dad had come over and i woke up to hear my brother and dad arguing about my dad being a bad father but a good husband to my 'step-mum'. He asked me if he was a bad dad, i said yes because thats how i feel he is, he will keep up with social appearances in public and when he needs us but apart from that nothing. He then asked if i picked him or my mother, i replied my mother and told him he'd be better off dead to me and i asked him to leave my house as i was fasting and couldn't be bothered to deal with him. I admit i swore during this as i lost my patience and i got angry and upset, but he said things back such as we are haram kids and we are not his which is of course, rubbish. And since that day i haven't spoken to him as we told him to get out of our lives, he hasn't returned to my home but my other siblings still talk to him despite all the abuse he put my mother through which i cannot forgive witnessing whilst i was such a young girl. He often mentions the fact that i don't speak to him to my other siblings in a sad voice as if I'm meant to feel sorry for him, but i don't as i feel like the only reason he'd want to speak for his own gains to look like he has a good relationship with his kids to his family and other outsiders. Personally, I do feel like i have good reason to not speak to my dad and his family but i would like someone with religious knowledge to tell me because i don't know. Sorry for the long message but i feel like it wouldn't be understood without a little back round story. Hope it made sense and hope you can help. Answer: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu 'alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. We take note of the contents of your email, your age and mind-set. You believe your attitude towards your father is correct yet you decided to seek our opinion. We commend you for that. When good people like you commit a wrong, they feel uneasy. Such a feeling is a sign of Imaan and good nature. Rasulullah (Salallahu alayhi wasallam) said, وَالْإِثْمُ مَا حَاكَ فِي صَدْرِكَ Translation: Sin is that which creates doubt. (Muslim) You have referred to some negative aspects of your father which cannot be denied or defended. As a human being, your father is bound to err. It is also natural for you to be upset for what you have experienced and witnessed. However, our advise is to rise above emotions and let rationale prevail. Life is full of challenges. If one rises above emotions and be guided by rationale, life will be a peaceful experience. If one is dictated by emotions, that attitude increases pain and life will be painful experience. If you use your fathers experience as an example to train yourself, that will strengthen you internally. You would be able to deal with other emotions of life more easily. As Muslims, we suppress our pains and emotions for the pleasure of Allah. Such painful situations will now offer one the sweetness of Imaan. Tolerate and overlook your father. Rise above emotions and be good to your father for the pleasure of Allah. You will count that as your personal triumph in life. And Allah Ta'āla Knows Best Huzaifah Deedat Student Darul Iftaa Lusaka, Zambia Checked and Approved by, Mufti Ebrahim Desai. _____________ صحيح مسلم-دار إحياء التراث العربي (4/ 1980) حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمِ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ صَالِحٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ جُبَيْرِ بْنِ نُفَيْرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ النَّوَّاسِ بْنِ سِمْعَانَ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، عَنِ الْبِرِّ وَالْإِثْمِ فَقَالَ: «الْبِرُّ حُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ، وَالْإِثْمُ مَا حَاكَ فِي صَدْرِكَ، وَكَرِهْتَ أَنْ يَطَّلِعَ عَلَيْهِ النَّاسُ

Shaykh Binnory; in the eyes of the Senior ‘Ulama Among the signs of divine acceptance, is that Allah Ta’ala places love for an individual in the hearts [and tongues] of his fellow pious contemporaries and the generations that follow. ‘Allamah Muhammad Yusuf Al-Binnory (rahimahullah) was a world renowned Scholar. His high academic rank was approved by one and all. For our own inspiration, hereunder are a few quotations from the ‘Ulama of his era – outside the Indo Pak subcontinent- who had acknowledged his excellence. Each one of these Scholars were luminaries par excellence. 1. ‘Allamah Kawthari (rahimahullah): Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) had a close and lengthy relationship with the Grand Hanafi Scholar, ‘Allamah Muhammad Zahid Al-Kawthari (rahimahullah). They had exchanged several letters over many years. ‘Allamah Binnory (rahimahullah) was actually the student of Shaykh Kawthari (rahimahullah). Despite this, ‘Allamah Kawthari (rahimahullah) held Shaykh Binnory in high regard addressing him with words such as: Mujahid in the path of Allah Ta’ala, Muhaqqiq (researcher), ‘Allamah (Great Scholar), unique Muhaddith (Hadith Master), Genius of the time, the coolness of the Scholar’s eyes, may Allah keep you alive for the service of knowledge and the benefit of the ummah etc. A few months before passing away, ‘Allamah Kawthari (rahimahullah) ended his last letter to Moulana Binnory with the following words: ‘Every beginning has its end [referring to his own life coming to an end, thus the end of their long relationship in this temporary abode]. May my soul be with you, I make du’a that all good accompany you, Wa’alaykumus Salam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.’ This collection of letters have recently been published. The many words of praise, in addition to the heaps of du’as that ‘Allamah Kawthari (rahimahullah) had for Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) are too many to be quoted in this brief article. May Allah Ta’ala bless their souls. 2. Shaykh ‘Abdul Halim Mahmud (rahimahullah) -The rector of Al Azhar University at that time: ‘I was fortunate to meet my honourable brother, Shaykh Muhammad Yusuf Al-Binnory. In Egypt we view him as a high ranking senior ‘Alim of the Muslim world, and as a Muhaddith (Hadith Master) in an era when there are so few Hadith Masters.’ (Introduction to Al-Qasaidul Binnoriyyah, pg.18) 3. Shaykh Tantawi (rahimahullah): When ‘Allamah Binnory (rahimahullah) expressed his critical, yet constructive views on the tafsir (commentary of Quran) that Shaykh Tantawi (rahimahullah) had authored, Shaykh Tantawi responded: ‘O Shaykh! you are not just any Indian Scholar. Rather You are an Angel from the sky that Allah has sent to correct me.’ (Khususi Number, pg.498) 4. Shaykh Muhammad Abu Zuhrah (rahimahullah) – a leading Scholar of Al-Azhar in his time: Shaykh Abu Zuhrah (rahimahullah) was a great admirer of ‘Allamah Binnory’s in-depth knowledge and exemplary character. He would give special attention to ‘Allamah Binnory’s students who studied at Al-Azhar university. (Khususi Number, pg.499) 5. Shaykh Hasan Mashat (rahimahullah) – Hadith teacher in Makkah Mukarramah in his lifetime: ‘[shaykh Binnory is] our very learned Shaykh, the Muhaddith (Hadith Master) of India and a serious researcher in all branches of knowledge, especially Hadith and poetry.’ (Muqaddimah: Rasailul Kawthari, pg.28) 6. Shaykh ‘Abdul Fattah Abu Ghuddah (rahimahullah): ‘[shaykh Binnory] was a treasure of knowledge and a virtue for every beneficiary and questioner. His opinion was incisive and his pondering was vast, illuminating the path for the one seeking knowledge and guidance. As for his wealth of knowledge and his strong memory, it was a sweet, pure ocean and a clear pond…The Yusuf of this era…’ (Muqaddimah: Rasailul Kawthari, pg.29) When Shaykh ‘Abdul Fattah (rahimahullah) annotated and prepared his work on: ‘Mabadi ‘ilmil Hadith‘ (which is the book of ‘Allamah Shabbir Ahmad ‘Uthmani -rahimahullah), He dedicated it to Moulana Muhammad Yusuf Al-Binnory (rahimahullah) with the following words: ‘To the soul of my teacher [i dedicate the rewards of this work]; the great scholar (‘Allamah), Hadith Master, meticulous intelligent researcher, the genius well grounded faqih (Jurist), one who invited to Allah Ta’ala by his words and actions, Shaykh Muhammad Yusuf Al-Binnory, the founder of [the madrasah] Jami’atul ‘Ulumil Islamiyyah in Karachi. May Allah Ta’ala raise his stages and repay him most generously in the Hereafter.’ (Introduction to Mabadi ‘ilmil Hadith, pg.7) 7. Shaykh ‘Awwamah (hafizahullah) : ‘I have immense love for Shaykh Binnory, despite not seeing him even.’ Shaykh ‘Awwamah (hafizahullah) always listens to anecdotes about ‘Allamah Binnory’s life with immense enthusiasm, often asking for them to be repeated to him. This demonstrates further, the love that he had for Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah). As stated at the beginning of this article; among the signs of divine acceptance, is that Allah Ta’ala places love for an individual in the hearts [and tongues] of his fellow pious contemporaries and the generations that follow. May Allah Ta’ala bless the soul of Shaykh Muhammad Yusuf Al-Binnory (rahimahullah), and may Allah allow us to appreciate his efforts (and the efforts of all our senior ‘Ulama). May Allah Ta’ala also allow us to follow in their footsteps and to uphold their legacy, which is -sadly- being ignored in our era. Amin. almiftah

Can a woman change her surname after marriage Q. A message has been circulated on social media that it is Haraam for a woman to change her surname to her husband’s surname after marriage. Is this correct? (Question published as received telephonically) A. The above confusion stems from the prohibition of denying ones biological association as Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Waallam mentioned in a Hadith: “Verily, one of the worst lies is to claim (falsely) to be the son of someone other than one's biological father” (Bukhari) For e.g. if a person’s name is Musa and his father’s name is Haniff, he will be referred to as Musa the son of Haniff (Musa Bin Haniff). It will be prohibited to refer to him as Musa the son of Ahmed (Musa Bin Ahmed) as this will be denying his biological association. In the case of the wife adopting the husband’s surname after marriage, the wife is not denying any biological association at all. She is merely indicating in which family she is married. Hnece, it will be permissible for a woman to change her surname to her husband’s surname after marriage as there is no prohibition in this regard. And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa Confirmation: Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh) Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

Dealing with Teenage Crushes Q. Being a girl, is it Haram to have crushes on boys or to like them? (Question received from a teenage girl) A. You have posed a very important question which affects the lives of every one of us when we are young. At this age you sometimes feel that you are in control of your feelings and desires and at times it feels like your hormones are running amok and you need to do something fast to deal with them. Sometimes you start feeling attracted to boys and think it’s the greatest thing that could happen to you. You may even think that its ok to talk to them, that it’s not like you are doing anything wrong or being bad. You think its ok, you are only friends. You may even tweet or Facebook or WhatsApp them. At other times, you treasure yourself as you remember that since you are a Muslim girl, you should be lowering your gaze and obeying Allah’s commands. That you should be saving yourself up for the man who will treasure, care, honour, respect and love you as Allah Ta’ala has commanded. That you don’t want to be treated like “just another woman in a skirt”. You want to be special. You remember that Allah Ta’ala loves you very much and that you are destined for Jannah if you remain His obedient servant who submits willingly and fully to His commandments. So my dear sister, I respond to you by suggesting that you love Allah Ta’ala the most. That no matter what challenges and temptations you are faced with, first and foremost, you ask yourself, “Will Allah Ta’ala be pleased with me if I do this?” Ponder over every action and deed of yours before you step forward and act upon your thoughts. Be clear in your mind that whatever decision you make, it will be one that will please your Creator and that if you had to take your last breath at that moment, you can rest assured that Allah Ta’ala was pleased with you and that you will enter Jannah. Treat this world as your prison, knowing full well that whatever displeases Allah Ta’ala will be harmful to you and whatever pleases Allah Ta’ala will be good for you. Allow me to suggest that you learn all about your duties, responsibilities and rights as a Muslimah. What contribution you can make to your family, your community and to yourself also. Learn about how you have been blessed as a creation of Allah Ta’ala. Ask and plead to Allah Ta’ala that He should grant you only that what is good for you in this world and the hereafter and to protect you from what is harmful for you in this world and the hereafter. So, the need of the moment is to avoid the opposite sex until you are truly ready for marriage, to improve your knowledge and practice of Islam and to save yourself for that man who will honour, treasure and shield you from preying eyes and indecency. Lower your gaze my sister, cover yourself as Allah Ta’ala has commanded you to and keep yourself occupied with the Quran, salaah, zikr and give charity for it wipes out sins. Love comes after marriage. Before marriage, it is infatuation which results in pain, disappointment, disaster, and regret. The person who knows that you could be tempted to fall for him before marriage, will not trust you to be faithful to him. If you could disobey Allah Ta’ala, he will figure that you are likely to disobey him also. However, if he knows that you are loyal and faithful to your Creator, he will undoubtedly have full conviction that you will be loyal to him and won’t ever betray him. Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) - Social Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

A Powerful Dua for Protection We are living in a country where hijacking, burglaries and crime are the order of the day. We hear of incidents occurring daily and because of this, we are in a constant state of fear and worry. Every person dreads being held up or harmed. Just the mere thought of a burglary is enough to send shivers down our spines. Our beautiful Deen is perfect and complete. It has taken care of every aspect of our lives and has also taken into consideration our safety and comfort. Our Deen has also taught us methods of gaining the Divine protection of Allah (the Being Whom, there is no Might and Power besides His). If our Loving Allah protects us, what else do we need? Rasulullah Sallallahu alayhi wasallam has taught us a beautiful Dua to recite when leaving the home. It will take a few seconds to recite, but the benefits are tremendous. Learn the Dua, understand its meaning and recite it when leaving the home with full conviction in the words of Rasulullah Sallallahu alayhi wasallam. By doing this, our hearts will be at ease and Allah Ta’ala will protect us from all evils and calamities, Insha’Allah. Teach it to our children as well and ensure that they recite it when leaving home. There can be no doubt in the prescription of Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam). Rasulullah Sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, “Whoever recites this Dua when leaving home, the Angels say to him, ‘That (Dua) suffices you; you shall be guided, your needs shall be taken care of and you will be protected.’” (Nasaai) In the narration of Abu Dawood an additional benefit is mentioned that shaytaan goes far away from him. بِسْمِ اللهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللهِ لَاحَوْلَ وَلَاقُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللهِ (I leave) with the name of Allah, I rely on Allah, there is no power to do any good, nor any power to abstain from evil, except with the help of Allah. Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

Listening Attentively A Requisite for ‘Ilm and Hidāyah By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh The great muhaddith and faqīh, Sufyān Ibn ‘Uyaynah rahimahullāh states: The first step towards acquiring ‘ilm is istimā‘ i.e. listening attentively, then to understand, then to memorise/remember, then to act upon it and propagate. The importance of listening with full attention is the first step and an essential requisite for success in acquiring ‘ilm, which is the prerequisite to acting according to the Wishes of the Creator. It is for this reason Allāh ta‘ālā used the word istimā‘ (listening with intent) instead of sam‘ (merely to listen with or without intention), followed by the word insāt (to become silent), when stating the adab of listening to the Qur’ān in the following verse: When the Qur’ān is recited, listen to it attentively and be silent, so that you may be showered with mercy. (7:204) Allāh ta‘ālā has promised to bestow His Mercy upon those who listen attentively, which will manifest in the form of the ability to abstain from wrong and engage in good deeds. Allāh ta‘ālā states: ..those who listen to the word attentively (of Allāh ta‘ālā and His Rasūl sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, and follow (it, knowing that it is) the best of it (of all speech). These are the ones whom Allāh has guided, and these are the ones who possess (true) intelligence (wisdom). (39:18) The importance of istimā‘ can be further understood by how Allāh ta‘ālā addressed Mūsā ‘alayhis salām when sending revelation to him. Allāh ta‘ālā states: I have chosen you (for prophethood), so listen attentively to what is revealed. (20:13) The commentators of the Qur’ān have mentioned that when Mūsā ‘alayhis salām was commanded that he should listen attentively to what is revealed to him, he stood on a rock, leaning against another, placed his right hand over his left, dropped his chin on his chest and stood listening attentively. From the above it is clear how important it is to listen attentively when seeking knowledge or listening to a discourse: only those people will genuinely benefit who listen attentively with sound understanding. How to Listen Attentively The pious predecessors have defined the term istimā‘ in detail. Wahb Ibn Munabbih rahimahullāh further explains the essence of istimā‘ by stating that it comprises of the following: a. Keeping the body motionless. A person should not engage any part of his body in anything whilst listening. He should become motionless. Fidgeting, playing around with clothes and other such actions dilute the concentration one needs when listening to religious discourses and lessons. The Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum, when in the company of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, would sit so still that they were described with the phrase, “as if birds were sitting on their heads.” If a bird was to sit on a person and he desired that it does not fly away, he will need to be extremely still. This was the condition of the Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum whilst sitting in the company of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam and listening to him. b. Lowering the gaze. In essence, lowering the gaze means that one should not be distracted by anything and be totally focused towards the lesson being imparted. Hence, a person needs to abstain from looking here and there. Focussing in a manner which will prevent one from being distracted is essential to listening attentively. This can be achieved by either looking down or at the speaker. Furthermore, it portrays interest to the speaker which will further enhance the quality of delivery. c. Attention of the ears. During the discourse or lesson, a person should lend his ears only to the speaker. d. Attention of the mind. Whilst listening, the mind should also be alert and attentive. Being preoccupied or thinking about other things will be a hindrance in giving the required attention. It is for this reason students are advised to disengage from all such activities and devices which occupy the mind. e. Firm intention to act. If a person does not intend to act upon the knowledge being imparted, his attention will not always be completely focused. Having a firm intention to practice will motivate a person to focus on everything being said. When a person adopts such a manner of listening then he will fulfil the requisites of istimā‘ and gain the Pleasure of Allāh ta‘ālā. Allāh ta‘ālā will in return, grant him the correct understanding of knowledge and enlighten his heart with a special Nūr. Consequently, he will become from those who have been guided and granted a deep level of understanding, i.e. wisdom, as stated in the verse of the Glorious Qur’ān: ..those who listen to the word attentively (of Allāh ta‘ālā and His Rasūl sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, and follow (it, knowing that it is) the best of it (of all speech). These are the ones whom Allāh has guided, and these are the ones who possess (true) intelligence (wisdom). [39:18] May Allāh ta‘ālā grant us the tawfīq to implement the act of listening attentively so that we may acquire true benefit from religious discourses and lessons. Āmīn. © Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 25 No. 9, September 2016)

Paying Zakat on previously lost jewellery Q. A woman lost her jewellery 20 years ago. Whilst moving houses, she found that very same jewellery which she had lost. Does she now have to pay Zakaat on the lost jewelry for the past 20 years? (Question published as received telephonically) A. In the enquired case, if the woman lost her jewellery 20 years ago and had no hope of finding it, Zakaat on the jewellery was not compulsory upon her for the past 20 years. (Shaami 2/226) However, since she has now found her lost jewellery, Zakaat will be compulsory upon her only for the current year if she is paying zakat. And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa Confirmation: Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh) Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)

Laughing in Salaah Q: I understand that if one laughs aloud in Salaah, his wudhu breaks, and if he laughs silently, only his Salaah breaks. However, I wish to know what constitutes a loud laugh and what constitutes laughing silently. Also, is a smile considered laughter? A: If one laughs in such a manner that only he is able to hear his laughter (i.e. if there was a person standing beside him, the person would not be able to hear his laughter) then this is considered as silent laughter. The Shar'ee ruling in regard to this laughter is that his Salaah will break, but his wudhu will not break. If a person standing next to him would be able to hear the laugh, then his wudhu as well as his Salaah will break. Smiling in Salaah will not break one's wudhu nor one's Salaah. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. قال الشامي : ( وقهقهة ) قيل إنها من الأحداث وقيل لا وإنما وجب الوضوء بها عقوبة وزجرا وفائدة الخلاف في مس المصحف يجوز على الثاني لا الأول كما في المعراج قال في النهر وينبغي أن يظهر أيضا في كتابة القرآن وأما حل الطواف فهذا الوضوء ففيه تردد وإلحاق الطواف بالصلاة يؤذن بأنه لا يجوز فتدبره ورجح في البحر القول الثاني بموافقته للقياس لأنها ليست خارجا نجسا بل هي صوت كالكلام والبكاء وبموافقته للأحاديث المروية فيها إذ ليس فيها إلا الأمر بإعادة الوضوء والصلاة ولا يلزم منه كونها حدثا ا هـ وأيده في النهر بقول المصنف وغيره بالغ ولو كانت حدثا لاستوى فيها البالغ وغيره وبترجيحهم عدم النقض بقهقهة النائم أي لعدم الجناية منه كالصبي أقول ثم لا يخفى أن معنى القول الثاني بطلان الوضوء بالقهقهة في حق الصلاة زجرا كبطلان الإرث بالقتل وإن لم يبطل في حق غيرها لعدم الحدث وليس معناه أن الوضوء لم يبطل وإنما أمر بإعادته زجرا حتى يرد أنه يلزمه أنه لو صلى به صحت الصلاة مع الحرمة ووجوب الإعادة فيكون مخالفا لأصل المذهب فافهم قوله ( هي ما يسمع جيرانه ) قال في البحر هي في اللغة معروفة وهي أن يقول قه قه واصطلاحا ما يكون مسموعا له ولجيرانه بدت أسنانه أو لا ا هـ في المنية وحد القهقهة قال بعضهم ما يظهر القاف والهاء ويكون مسموعا له ولجيرانه وقال بعضهم إذا بدت نواجذه ومنعه من القراءة ا هـ لكن قال في الحلية لم أقف على التصريح باشتراط إظهار القاف والهاء لأحد بل الذي توارد عليه كثير من المشايخ كصاحب المحيط والهداية والكافي وغيرهم ما يكون مسموعا له ولجيرانه وظاهره التوسع في إطلاق القهقهة على ما له صوت وإن عري عن ظهور القاف والهاء أو أحدهما ا هـ واحترز به عن الضحك وهو لغة أعم من القهقهة واصطلاحا ما كان مسموعا له فقط فلا ينقض الوضوء بل يبطل الصلاة وعن التبسم وهو ما لا صوت فيه أصلا بل تبدو أسنانه فقط فلا يبطلهما وتمامه في البحر ولم أرد من قدر الجواز بشيء ومقتضى تعريف الضحك بما كان مسموعا له فقط أن القهقهة ما يسمعها غيره من أهل مجلسه فهم جيرانه لا خصوص من عن يمينه أو عن يساره لأن كل ما كان مسموعا له يسمعه من عن يمينه أو يساره تأمل (رد المحتار 1/ 144-145) والقهقهة في كل صلاة ذات ركوع وسجود والقياس أنها لا تنقض وهو قول الشافعي رحمه الله تعالى لأنه ليس بخارج نجس ولهذا لم يكن حدثا في صلاة الجنازة وسجدة التلاوة وخارج الصلاة ولنا قوله عليه الصلاة والسلام ألا من ضحك منكم قهقهة فليعد الوضوء والصلاة جميعا وبمثله يترك القياس والأثر ورد في صلاة مطلقة فيقتصر عليها والقهقهة ما يكون مسموعا له ولجيرانه والضحك ما يكون مسموعا له دون جيرانه وهو على ما قيل يفسد الصلاة دون الوضوء (الهداية 1/ 26) فتاوى محمودية 11/ 60 Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Muhammad ibn Adam ‏@Mufti_Muhammad A righteous wife/mother is one who is organised in everything, from household chores and upbringing her children to worshipping Allah!

How many “likes”? By Sister Sumaiyah Seedat How many times have we posted a picture that we thought to be something great and to our surprise the picture receives a meager 10 “likes”?...Instant removal ! In our quest to boost our self-confidence, we have become egotistical and as fake as the filters we apply to our pictures on social media. Sadly, our lives have come down to us needing constant validation from others, some of whom are complete strangers to us! This is unhealthy because we build unrealistic views on life and suddenly what Allah Ta’ala has given to us is not enough. We find fault with our complexion, our weight, height even the colour of our hair requires some sort of modification. We are indeed so vulnerable. The filters applied to pictures are deceptive and brainwashing and yet so many of us strive to look that way. "You will never look like the girl on the front page of the magazine, as even that girl doesn’t look like her original self” The harms of abusing social media are not only the inferiority-complex it gives its users, it also commonly leads to a narcissistic approach to life. One has reduced their self-worth to the amount of 'likes' they accumulate on their 'selfies' and thus feeding their ego's when they have indeed overlooked that "Allah does not like the arrogant, the boastful" (Qur’an An-Nisa, 4:36). Really, our beauty is sacred; we are beautiful because we are the work of Allah! You do not need validation from any human being. The next time you are about to post a 'selfie' that you are convinced is going to get you many likes, ask yourself 3 things: 1. Would I be comfortable showing this picture to my children? 2. Would I be pleased if they grew up to do the same? 3. If I were to take my last breath tomorrow, would my pictures work for or against me in my grave? Islam is not about doom and gloom, but in fact it’s about being in peace and harmony with our Creator 'Ar-Rahmaan'. "Never despair of the mercy of your Lord" (Qur’an Az-Zumar 39:53) No matter how far you may have strayed, do not let Shaitaan (Satan) misguide you into thinking that there is no way back, the doors of forgiveness are always open. Always remember, a pretty face is temporary and inner beauty more important than outer beauty. Rather aspire to "be so beautiful that others can't take their HEARTS off you" www.eislam.co.za

Qadha Salaah Qadha Salaah is the performance of obligatory Salaah that were not performed at their appointed times. It is compulsory to compensate missed Salaah by making Qadha of them unless the Salaah was missed due to insanity or an extended loss of consciousness like a person in a coma. This ruling only applies to obligatory Salaah and not to Sunnah and Nafl Salaah. Hence for Fajr Salaah the Qadha will be 2 Rakaats Fardh; for Zuhr it will be 4 Rakaats Fardh; for Asr it will be 4 Rakaats Fardh; for Maghrib it will be 3 Rakaats Fardh and for Esha it will be 4 Rakaats Fardh with the additional 3 Rakaats Witr Waajib. In completing Qadha Salaah, preference will be given to performing Qadha Salaah over Nafl Salaah. Hence during the times allocated for Nafl Salaah, Qadha Salaah should be performed. This is because there is no accountability for the non-performance of Nafl, unlike Qadha for which a person is accountable. It is important to draw up a schedule for completing missed Salaah so that its performance may be completed systematically. If a person was genuinely unable to perform the Qadha Salaah during their lifetime, they may bequeath up to 1/3rd of their estate towards paying Fidyah (monetary compensation) for the missed Salaah. This is not a substitute for Qadha Salaah but it is hoped that the Fidyah will serve as an atonement for the same. Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

Q.Mufti Saheb, I am currently employed as a doctor at a private hospital. My working hours are from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM. If I finish my work early, can I leave before 4:00 PM? (Question published as received) A. In an Ijaarah (employment) contract, an employee is employed in accordance to the terms and conditions of the contract. Hence, if the terms and conditions of the contract as a doctor was to work from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM, and one arrives later than 9:30 AM or leaves earlier than 4:00 PM, it will be considered as a breach of contract. However, if the terms and conditions of the contract is to complete an allotted amount of duties of the day after which one can leave or the person has an agreement with his employer which allows early leave, it will be permissible to leave before time. It is best for one to clarify this matter with one’s employer. And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa Confirmation: Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh) Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)

Pearls of Wisdom: No.51 “Food for the Soul” SUBJECT: VIRTUE AFTER VICE Allah, The Most Exalted, says: “Indeed good actions eradicate bad actions. This is a reminder for people who pay heed.” (Qur’an Surah 11, Verse 114) The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is reported to have said: ”Be conscious of Allah wherever you are. Follow the bad deed with a good one to erase it, and engage others with beautiful character.” (Hadith - Tirmidhi) Note: Virtue is a cleanser and can remove the stains of sins. We often respond to a sin by putting ourselves in a figurative corner and abusing ourselves psychologically until we get over that sin. This is not what Allah Ta’ala wants from us. Yes, we should feel guilty, have a level of regret and MOST IMPORTANTLY repent, but it should not stop us from moving forwa rd in good deeds. People use their sins as an excuse to stay behind. Do not allow sin to stop yourself from all the other good that you could be involved in. The response to a sin should not be to wait, but rather to race to do something good so the sin can be erased. Our attitude should be proactive and positive. We should always have hope that Allah Ta’ala can, and will, have mercy on us as long as we keep struggling and pushing forward. www.eislam.co.za

I pray that the comfort of our graves exceeds the comfort of our beds

“Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?” (Al Qur’an 55: 13)

Status of Knowledge in Islam The teachings of the religion of Islam came to us well over 1400 years ago. From the very beginning of revelation, there was an emphasis on seeking and acquiring knowledge. The first words of revelation which the Angel Jibril ‘alayhi’l-salaam came with to our Beloved Rasulullah sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was ‘Read’! and the ayah is as follows: اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ “Recite in the name of your Lord who created-.” [Surah Al – Alaq :1] And provided him with the tools for acquiring knowledge, namely hearing, sight and wisdom. Allah says: وَاللَّهُ أَخْرَجَكُمْ مِنْ بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَالْأَفْئِدَةَ ۙ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ “And Allah has brought you out from the wombs of your mothers while you know nothing. And He gave you hearing, sight, and hearts that you might give thanks (to Allah)" [Surah Al-Nahl :78] Allah ta'ala shows us a Du'a رَّبِّ زِدْنِى عِلْمًا "Rabbi zidnee 'ilmaa O my Lord! Advance me in Knowledge" [Surah Ta-Ha; 20:114]

The Reality of Tasawwuf (Part Two) by Mawlana Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhalawi Translated by Ismaeel Nakhuda Shaykh al-Islam Mawlana Husayn Ahmad Madani (may Allah enlighten his resting place) has also stressed in his letters that the original purpose of Suluk is ihsan. In one epistle he writes, “My respected one. The original purpose of Suluk is ihsan — ‘that you worship Allah as if you are seeing him’ (Al-Hadith). In other words an ingrained ability [of ihsan] should develop in the salik and this should be [the condition] at the beginning. As to [the condition at] the end, then that is acquiring the pleasure of He Whose Name is Powerful. (Shaykh al-Islam then writes a poem, the translation of which is as follows. Translator). ‘Why do you seek firaq and wasl? Seek the pleasure of the beloved, as wishing from the beloved something apart from Him is regretful.’ “Hence, it is necessary to strive until real love of Allah develops and it increases to a level that the heart disconnects from everything apart from He. This, its aids and means, all of them, are just mediums. The spiritual exercises (riyadah) and correcting manners (islah al-akhlaq) are also from this type. The earlier Sufis considered correcting manners more important and at times spent years on this, the outcome of which would be that at times death would come before they reached Allah and a person would have to leave the world deprived of this blessing. The latter Sufis pondered over this, they consider reaching Allah (wusul) and turning to the Pure Being more important, and encourage [the saliks] to engross themselves in joining [with Allah], which then results in [His] continuous presence (hudur), and by this the connection becomes strong and ingrained. On account of this, the reprehensible traits (al-akhlaq al-dhamimah) and spiritual illnesses (al-radha’il) disappear one after another. Anyway, strive to always remain attentive to the Pure Being — this can be solely to His Being or to a quality of His from His many Perfect Qualities — and establish the situation of ‘those who are regular in their salah‘ (Qur’an 70:23). It is natural for there to be shortcomings in man’s actions. However, it is incumbent upon man to strive to remove those defects and to sincerely recite ‘from You alone do we seek help’ (Qur’an 1:5) in each prayer. The Noble Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would supplicate: ‘We have not recognised you as you deserve to be recognised and we have not worshipped you as you deserve to be worshipped.’ The purpose is that it is necessary that one always strives to complete actions and achieve perfect sincerity. Always sincerely seek forgiveness in the court of Allah while admitting shortcomings that are a reality. It is also necessary that, while hoping for acceptance, one always remains fearful of the anger of His Most High. ‘Faith is between fear and hope.’ “Adhere to the Sunnah at all times in all matters. Apart from the known meditations (muraqabah) and although there is no need for other dhikr, perform whichever dhikr you feel appropriate for strength and support. Study the book Sirat al-Mustaqim and Imdad al-Suluk.” (Maktubat-e-Shaykh al-Islam, volume 3, letter 66) In another lengthy letter, he writes: “Always keep your eyes and heart focused on following the Shari’ah and the Sunnah of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) as much as possible. Do not be negligent in dhikr. Always remain repentant and remorseful over one’s negligence (ghaflah) and sins. Do not waste this precious life.” (Shaykh al-Islam then writes a poem in Persian the translation of which is as follows. Translator). “All that you do, save the dhikr of the Beloved, is worthless, And all that you read, save the secrets of love, are worthless, Sa’di, wash everything save from the Truth from the slate of your heart, All knowledge that does not take you to Allah is ignorance.” (Maktubate-e-Shaykh al-Islam, volume 3, letter 69) In a letter before he writes: “Is it not true that you have abandoned the prescribed dhikr? Feeling energetic at times you do it for one or two months and then abandon it. Is it not true that you do not offer the five prayers with congregation? Is it not true that you allow compulsory prayers to lapse beyond their prescribed times? You sleep so much that the sun comes out. Do these types of occurrences not pain your well wishers and friends? Anyway, it is necessary for you to rectify yourself. Strive to follow the Shari’ah and revive the Sunnah. You become attentive when difficulties befall you and when Allah removes the hardships, you become free of worry. Make dhikr your habit as much as possible. (Maktubat-e-Shaykh al-Islam, volume 2, letter 70) In another letter he writes: “The condition that your respected self has written is satisfying and one of hope. Al-istiqamah fawq al-karamah (Steadfastness is above miracles). Dreams, lights and revelations (ilham) etc. only come to the saliks to strengthen the heart in the same way children are given toys to keep them happy. The saying of the Akabir, tilka ‘l-khayalat turabba biha atfal al-tariqah (these are all thoughts through which the children of tariqah are reared) is well known. Persevering in worship and dhikr, and following the Sunnah and Shari’ah are those actions that we are required to do; acting upon them with determination and acquiring the status of ihsan is perfection of faith. Fear of Allah and hope are both signs of perfect faith. The prevailing [feeling] of crying and weeping is the appearance of the Chishti nisbah. Oh Allah, increase it more.” (Maktubat-e-Shaykh al-Islam, volume 2, letter 70) In an epistle before, he writes: “Respected one. Worldly difficulties are also His mercy by which the slave is drawn towards Him or else the slave would, like Fir’awn, shout out without any basis that ‘I am your supreme cherisher’. The verse ‘Should Allah expand the provision for His servants (to its full extent), they would spread mischief on earth’ (Qur’an 42:27) is proof of this. In addition, tribulations and tests are existent in both situations — in the situation of worldly fortune and abundance, and in the condition of difficulty and hardship. ‘And We test you through bad and good (situations) with a trial’ (Qur’an 21:35). Allah Most High says at another place, ‘We tested them with good and bad times’ (Qur’an 7:168). “The purpose of the above is that this world is a place of testing and a place where all sorts of tribulations come. There should be concern about passing them. There is none, apart from the real Master Who is eternal, to whom one should attach his heart. Whatever action you do, then do it with the proper intention and make it an act of worship. ‘Actions are according to intentions’ (Al-Hadith). Sleeping, eating, drinking and fulfilling one’s human needs can all become acts of worship. The means and channels for worship are all definitely acts of worship. The original purpose of dhikr and fikr is the pleasure of the original Beloved. As to acquiring some pleasure, the heart being purified, receiving some kashf or karamat (miracle), sensing lights and blessings, fana (annihilation) and baqa, and being a qutb or ghawth, then all of this is not the purpose. In fact, paying attention and aspiring to acquire them is very dangerous. (Shaykh al-Islam then writes a poem in Persian the translation of which is as follows. Translator). ‘Why do you seek firaq and wasl? Seek the pleasure of the beloved, as wishing from the beloved something apart from Him is regretful.’ “The above-mentioned issues are means and mediums. The original purpose is only the pleasure of Allah. It is incumbent on a slave to bring about the etiquettes of being a true slave of Allah (‘ubudiyyah). Continue to strive in this and make sincerity your purpose at all times.” (Maktubat-e-Shaykh al-Islam, volume 3, letter 59, page 129) In another letter he writes, “This dear life and its moments are precious gems. We are wasting them in our unmindfulness — what will the result of this be apart from the wringing of hands in regret? What will happen when we will be told, ‘Did We not give you an age in your life in which a lesson could have been learnt by the one who wished to take lesson? And (furthermore) the warner had (also) come to you. So, taste, because the wrongdoers will have no supporter’ (Qur’an 37:35). “My respected one! How foolish is it to waste these precious moments on account of friends and dear ones. Understand this having thought and pondered over it. These gatherings of play and merry seem nice today. However, when close to death and after death, one will curse them a thousand times over. Lessen them to a degree that is however possible. Contemplate [this verse] ‘O you who believe, your riches and your children must not divert you from the remembrance of Allah. And those who do that are the losers’ (Qur’an 63:9). Do not throw behind you [the verse] ‘Wealth and children are the embellishment of the worldly life, and the everlasting virtues are better with your Lord, both in rewards and in creating good hopes’ (Qur’an 18:46). This youth and the present health is an immense blessing. Do not let them go to waste. (Shaykh al-Islam then writes a poem the translation of which is as follows. Translator). ‘Every moment of this life is for your service and wishes to serve you. If you cannot understand this then this is your ignorance. Do not waste these excellent moments and do not spread heedlessness in the city of the soul.’ “The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: ‘There are two blessings in which many people are at loss: health and free time.’ Value this and increase [the exercise of] Pas Anfas[1] to such a degree that it happens at all times without any intention or choice and after that the dhikr of the heart begins to flow and the way to advancing in Suluk clears. Do not delay. Keep in view the following of the Sunnah in each action.” (Maktubat-e-Shaykh al-Islam, volume 2, letter 48, page 188) 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. ‘Allamah Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah mercy him) has carried out a detailed discussion on the actions of the heart in his book Al-Tuhfah al-‘Iraqiyyah fi ‘l-‘Amal al-Qalbiyyah. He writes, “These are a few words explaining the actions (a’mal) of the hearts, which are defined as stations (maqamat) and spiritual states (ahwal). They are from among the fundamentals and foundations of faith and religion [and include] for example the love of Allah and His Prophet, trust in Allah (tawakkul), sincerity (ikhlas), thankfulness (shukr), patience (sabr), fear (khawf) and hope (raja). The imams are agreed that all of these actions are incumbent on the entire creation. People are in relation to them of three types in the same way that they are of three types in relation to the actions of the body: [1] zalim, [2] muqtasid and [3] sabiq bi ‘l-khayrat. “Zalim is the one who abandons that which he has been ordered and does that which he has been forbidden from doing; muqtasid is he who performs incumbent actions and avoids those actions that are haram; and sabiq bi ‘l-khayrat is he who gains proximity to his utmost by means of performing the fard, sunnah and mustahab actions, and avoids that which is haram and makruh. Even though the muqtasid and sabiq bi ‘l-khayrat can commit sins — which can be forgiven by way of tawbah (repentance), the performance of good deeds, or by the infliction of some difficulty — both of these [categories of people] are from the friends of Allah (awliya) who have been mentioned in the book of Allah in the verse, ‘Listen, the friends of Allah shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve, those who have believed and have been fearful of Allah’ [Qur’an 10:62/63]. Because of this, the friends of Allah are god-fearing believers. They are of two types: ‘Am (general) and khas (specific). The ‘am are the muqtasidin and the khas are the sabiqin bi ‘l-khayrat …” After this ‘Allamah ibn Taymiyyah continues until the end of the book with a concise but detailed discussion on the esoteric actions. He writes that honesty (sidq) and dishonesty (kidb), love of Allah, being sincere to Him, trust (tawakkul) in Him and other esoteric actions are all, in terms of Shari’ah, imperative. Trust in Allah and seeking His aid takes a person to his goal. Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah then carries out a detailed discussion on tawakkul and outlines that the most supreme, greatest and sublime of things from among the duties of iman is the love of Allah and the love of His Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). He then mentions the characteristics of he who loves Allah and those who are His beloved, and that the love of Allah is the original action of faith and that hope (raja) and fear (khawf) etc. are the inevitable consequences of the love of Allah Most High. He also mentions the speech of the early Sufis regarding the love of Allah Most High, and that the definitive result of the love of Allah Most High is following His Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and that following the Prophet exoterically and esoterically creates the love of Allah Most High. He has written at length on other issues. The entire book is worthy of being read. He has also mentioned in his fatwas (page 225, part 11): “And likewise he who says, ‘Certainly, Muhammad was sent with the exoteric knowledge (‘ilm al-zahir) and not the esoteric knowledge (‘ilm al-batin),’ then such a person has brought faith on a portion of what the Prophet has brought and disbelieved a portion, hence he is a kafir. This is a worse form of disbelief than those others. For the esoteric knowledge — which is the knowledge of the iman of the hearts and their gnosis (ma’rifah) and states (hal) — is the knowledge of the esoteric realities of iman; this is greater than knowledge of only the exoteric actions of Islam.” Hafiz Ibn Qayyim (may Allah mercy him) has mentioned the prerequisites of the shaykh in Al-Wabil al-Sayyib min al-Kalim al-Tayyib, a treatise on the condition of the Sufis and their dhikr, litanies and merits(page 69): “When a person intends to follow a man then let him see: Is he from among the people of remembrance (dhikr) or the people of heedlessness (ghaflah)? Are [his] desires (hawa) in control of him or revelation (wahi) [in control of him]? If [his] desires are in control of him and he is from the people of heedlessness then his behaviour has exceeded the limits … It is hence advised for a man to look at his shaykh, his exemplar (qudwah) and followers. If he finds him as such then he should remain far from him. If he finds him from those upon whom the dhikr of Allah Most High and the following of the Sunnah is supreme, and not extreme in his matters but prudent, then let him hold tight to him. The only difference between the alive and the dead is by way of dhikr. The example of he who remembers his Cherisher and he who does not is the example of the alive and the dead.” Hafiz Ibn Qayyim has also mentioned that Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said, “Dhikr for the heart is like water for the fish. What would the condition of the fish be when it leaves water?” He also mentioned: “I was once in the presence of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah. He performed the Fajr prayer and then sat in the dhikr of Allah Most High until close to midday. Then he turned to me and said, ‘This is my breakfast; if I wasn’t to take my breakfast then I would lose strength’, or some words similar to this. He once said to me, ‘I do not leave dhikr except for the intention of giving my nafs strength and rest so that I may prepare for the next dhikr,’ or some words similar to this.” Hafiz Ibn Qayyim wrote Madarij al-Salikin on Tasawwuf which is a commentary of Shaykh Abu Isma’il ‘Abd Allah al-Hirawi al-Hanbali al-Sufi’s (d.481) famous book on Tasawwuf, Manazil al-Sa’irin. This book in its entirety is regarding Tasawwuf and the condition of various Sufis. He writes: “The servitude of the man is divided over the heart, the tongue and the remaining limbs of the body. From among those issues that are incumbent on the heart there are: sincerity (ikhlas), trust (tawakkul), love (muhabbah), patience (sabr), penitence (inabah), fear (khawf), hope (raja), firm belief (tasdiq al-jazim) and true intention (al-niyyah al-sadiqah). The Ummah has agreed that these actions of the heart are incumbent (wajibat).” He then mentions some disputed incumbent actions such as being content with destiny (rada bi ‘l-qada), serenity in prayer (khushu’ fi ‘l-salah), and whether it is incumbent to repeat a prayer if there is no serenity. After this he mentions those actions that one should abstain from. He writes: “They are of two types: disbelief (kufr) and disobedience (ma’siyah). Examples of kufr include having doubts, hypocrisy and polytheism etc. And disobedience is also of two types: major and minor. Major disobedience is such as making a show (riya), vanity (‘ujub), pride (kibr), boasting (fakhr), haughtiness (khuyala), feeling hopeless [of the mercy of Allah] (qunut), to not fear the punishment of Allah, pleasure when a Muslim is harmed, expression of joy when they are afflicted with trouble, to spread indecency among Muslims, to be jealous of Muslims, and other such sins that are worse than adultery and drinking wine etc. If the heart is not cleansed then it will become foul and when the heart becomes foul then the entire body will also become foul. The rectification of the heart comes before the rectification of the limbs. If the heart’s purification is ignored then the heart will become filled with illnesses.” He has carried out a detailed discussion until the very end. It is for the rectification of these very issues that the shaykhs of Tasawwuf instruct their murids to carry out spiritual exercises and struggles. Mawlana ‘Ashiq Ilahi Mirathi writes in Qutb al-Irshad Mawlana Gangohi’s (may Allah enlighten his grave) biography, Tadhkirah al-Rashid (page 11, volume 2): “I came across a paper that Qutb al-Irshad Mawlana Gangohi (may Allah sanctify his secret) wrote with his own hand when he was young. It is unknown why he had written it. It is as follows, ‘The knowledge of the Sufis is the name given to the exoteric and esoteric knowledge of the faith and strength of belief; and this is the loftiest knowledge. The condition of the Sufis is rectifying manners and always being absorbed in Allah Most High. The reality of Tasawwuf is qualifying [one’s self] with Allah Most High’s qualities (al-takhalluq bi akhlaq Allah), negating [one’s] desire and remaining in the pleasure of Allah Most High. The manners (akhlaq) of the Sufis are those that were of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) according to the Qur’anic verse, “And you are surely on an excellent standard of character” (Qur’an 68:4), and what has come in the hadiths. The details of their manners are as follows: (1) Humility (tawad’u) in opposition to pride (kibr); (2) to be gentle with the creation and tolerate the creation’s harm against one’s self; (3) dealing gently and with good character and abandoning anger and rage; (4) being beneficent and giving preference to others while showing extreme compassion to the creation, and this involves giving preference to the rights of the creation over his own lot; (5) generosity; (6) forgiving and excusing mistakes; (7) being cheerful and buoyant; (8) being gentle and good-natured; (9) abandoning ostentation; (10) spending without stinginess and not to such a degree that one becomes needy; (11) relying on Allah (tawakkul); (12) to suffice on a little dunya; (13) abstinence; (14) abandoning fighting, disputing and rebuking except in truthful matters; (15) abandoning malice, rancour and jealousy; (16) not desiring wealth and glory; (17) fulfilment of promises; (18) forbearance; (19) farsightedness; (20) to love and have good relations with one’s brothers and to remain aloof of others; (21) to be thankful to a benefactor; (22) and to spend one’s wealth on Muslims. “‘The Sufi refines his manner exoterically and esoterically, and Tasawwuf in its entirety is manners. The manner of the godly presence is turning away from all except He in bashfulness, veneration and awe. The worse sin is speaking to one’s nafs (tahdith al-nafs) which is a means of darkness.'” _____________________________ Pas Anfas (Guarding the Breath) is a Sufi shughl (exercise) designed to enable the Sufi to perform the dhikr of Allah with each breath (translator). [] Deoband.org

The Reality of Tasawwuf (Part 1) Translated by Ismaeel Nakhuda An Excerpt from Shari’ah wa Tariqah ka Talazum[1] TRANSLATOR’S FOREWORD Questions surrounding the reality of Tasawwuf are plentiful. In this excellent treatise, one of the greatest Sufi shaykhs and hadith masters of the last century, Shaykh al-Hadith Mawlana Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhalwi, writes at length how authentic Tasawwuf is firmly rooted in the fundamentals of Islam, sitting between two extremes — the way of those who reject it on the one hand and the way of those who practise it independent of Shari’ah on the other. It has been mentioned above that Sayyiduna Jibril (may Allah grant him peace) asked the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), “What is ihsan?” The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) replied, “Ihsan is that you worship Allah as if you are seeing him…”[2] Tariqah in reality is another name for ihsan, or the way to acquire the quality of ihsan. It is this that is called Tasawwuf and Suluk, or name it what you wish — these are all terms. My grandfather, Mawlana Muhammad Isma’il Kandhalwi sought a private meeting with Qutb al-Irshad Mawlana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (may Allah sanctify his secret). Once alone he said, “I gave bay’ah to Mawlana Muhammad Ya’qub Dehlawi and received instructions from Mawlana Muzaffar Husayn Kandhalwi. Their teachings were of the Naqshbandi tariqah and having acted according to their instructions, within eight days, my Lata’if al-Sittah (Six Spiritual Faculties) began to spin in the same way that a coil spins. However, I have since the beginning been fond of following the sunnah, and I diligently recite those supplications that have been mentioned in the hadith — such as the ones recited when going to the lavatory and when coming out, and when going to the market etc. It is because of this that I have very little interest in the exercises of the mashayikh. I used to sometimes meditate etc for ten or fifteen days. This is my situation. Now I am old and weak, and I would like your respected self to instruct me.” Mawlana Gangohi asked, “Have you reached the level of ihsan in your actions?” He replied, “Yes, I have.” Mawlana Gangohi said, “Fine, you are not in need of any instruction, for preoccupying one’s self with the exercises of the Sufis after reaching the level of ihsan is like one studying the book Karima[3] after he has finished studying Ghulistan and Bustan.[4] It is clear that doing so is only a waste of time. Because of this, for you to preoccupy yourself with the exercises of the Sufis is wasting time and sinful.” (Arwah-e-Thalathah, 299) I have also heard this story from my seniors and heard that Mawlana Gangohi said, “Its example is that of a hafiz of the Qur’an who says, ‘I haven’t studied Al-Qa’idah al-Baghdadiyyah, teach it me.'” Qutb al-Irshad Mawlana Gangohi (may Allah sanctify his secret) said in another place, “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). An example of this is that of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who would say to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), ‘How can we relieve and undress ourselves in front of Allah.’ This is the final stage; 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. 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. As time, however, passed from the first three generations (khayr al-qurun), the means started to become the purpose and at times, according to necessity, other things were included in them on account of which numerable innovations (bid’ahs) relating to knowledge, actions and beliefs entered the faith. The research (muhaqqiq) Sufis have striven in rectifying this corruption. However, the only outcome of their efforts has been the lessening of bid’ah and not their complete end.” Mawlana Gangohi specifically mentioned the names of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, Shaykh Shihab al-Din al-Suhrawardi, Mujaddid al-Alf al-Thani Shaykh Ahmad Sarhindi and Sayyid Ahmad bin ‘Irfan Shahid Barelwi (may Allah sanctify their secrets) among the reformers, and said that “these respected individuals carried out much reformation. The corruption was, however, not totally uprooted.” He also said, “The Most High revealed to these respected individuals the way of the pure sunnah.” He then said, “From among the blessings of the noble Sunnah is that Satan has very little opportunity to cut off the salik’s path. It is clear that if a person was to diligently perform those actions that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) did, such as offering salah with congregation etc., and if a person was to stringently offer the fard, wajib and the al-sunnah al-mu’akkadah (emphasized sunnah) prayers then he would not experience waswasah (devilish insinuations) that he has become a wali and nor will people believe that he is from among the perfect (kamil) walis. However, if a person was to stringently perform those actions that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) did not stringently perform, such as the prayers of Duha,[5] Ishraq and the nafl prayers[6] after Maghrib prayers etc., then he would consider himself to be a wali and others would look to him as such.” Also among those things that he said was: “The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) made ihsan the purpose. The Sufis, however, made istighraq (immersion or absorption in ecstatic contemplation) the purpose instead.” Hakim al-Ummah Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi writes in the footnotes to this: “Regarding his speech about the Companions — Imam Al-Bukhari has narrated in Kitab al-Tafsir (The Chapter of Exegesis) from Sayyiduna ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) who said: ‘There was a group of people who were ashamed of relieving themselves and thus be exposed to the sky and [were ashamed of] going to their women due to fear of being exposed towards the sky. So this verse was revealed.’ In other words the verse: ‘Beware, they bend their chests to hide from Him. Beware, when they cover up themselves with their clothes, He knows what they hide and what they expose. Surely, He is All Aware of what lies in the hearts. [11:5]’ [Hakim al-Ummah continues:] “Regarding his saying, ‘However, the Sufis made…’ it is the non-research (ghayr-muhaqqiq) Sufis who are being referred to.” (Arwah-e-Thalathah, page 297) 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[7]…” 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). Hakim al-Ummah Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah enlighten his grave) writes in Ta’lim al-Din (page 182): “With regards to rectifying the mistake that there is no need to adhere to the Shari’ah in Tasawwuf, it is mentioned in Al-Futuhat: ‘The Haqiqah (Tasawwuf) that is against the Shari’ah is irreligious and rejected.’ It is also mentioned in there: ‘Whoever says that here is a path to Allah different to what the Shari’ah has outlined, then he has lied. Hence, a shaykh should not be made of that person who has no adab (manners).’ It is also in there: ‘We have no path to Allah except that which has come by way of His Shari’ah, and we have no path to Allah except that which the Shari’ah has shown. Sayyiduna Bayazid al-Bustami (may Allah mercy him) said, “If you see a man who has been given the ability to perform miracles (karamat), so much so that he flies in the air, then do not be deceived by him until you see his state with regards to [his observance of Shari’ah] injunctions (amr) and prohibitions (nahi), safeguarding of limits and adherence of Shari’ah.” Sayyiduna Junayd (may Allah mercy him) said, “All paths are closed on the entire creation, except that path which follows the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) step by step.”‘ It is also mentioned in Al-Futuhat: ‘The one who does not know the injunctions of Allah has no standing in the eye’s of Allah, for Allah does not take an ignorant as a friend.’ It is also in Al-Futuhat that: ‘Acting wrong in spite of knowledge is better than acting with ignorance.'” Hakim al-Ummah explains this saying: “This is because if an ‘alim was to do something wrong then it would not be so wrong or bad that it reaches the level of disbelief (kufr) and shirk, and because he understands its sinfulness there is hope of repentance. This is different from an ignorant person whose necessary actions, such as prayer and fasting, are at times performed incorrectly; because of a lack of knowledge, he commits disbelief and shirk, and due to not being aware of its sinfulness there is no chance of repentance.” Hakim al-Ummah has written a very lengthy piece in Ta’lim al-Din. My father (may Allah mercy him) was once performing ghusl in the summer months and he had two or three strong and ready students filling buckets and bringing to him. There was a man sitting there who said, “Oh respected one, is this not waste?” My father replied, “For you it is waste and for me it isn’t.” He then asked him, “And why is that?” He replied, “Because I am an ‘alim and you are ignorant (jahil).” The man said, “This is just like what is said that the mawlawi makes permissible for himself whatever he wishes.” My father replied, “Yes, this is completely true. These types of utterances perturb the mawlawis. One action, if an ignorant was to do it then, on account of ignorance, he would do it in an impermissible way. If an ‘alim was to carry out the same action then he would do it in a permissible way.” Sayyiduna Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: “Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) brought Burny dates to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), so the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘Where are these from?’ He replied, ‘I had some cheap dates, and I sold two sa’ (a measure) for one sa’.’ The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘O, this is precisely usury. Don’t do this. When you want to buy, then sell the dates for something then buy with that something.” (Muttafaqun ‘Alayh) It is clear that the ignorant would not be able to differentiate between the two scenarios. He will simply think that one sa’ of Burny dates has been acquired in exchange of two sa’ of cheap dates. The ‘alim, however, will buy it in the correct Shari’ah way in that he will first sell his dates for two rupees and then purchase the one sa’ of Burny with those two rupees. TO BE CONTINUED… _____________________________ This is a translation of the chapter titled “Tariqah” in Shaykh al-Hadith’s Shari’ah wa Tariqah ka Talazum. This translation was done using the original Urdu version of the book and an Arabic translation of the Urdu, Talazum al-Shariah wa ‘l-Tariqah, by Shaykh ‘Abd al-Hafiz Makki, one of the senior khalifahs of the author. The Arabic version also includes references of hadiths, which have been produced in the translation above. The Arabic version of the book has seen two publications; the first publication can be accessed here (translator). [] A translation of the complete hadith is as follows (translator): Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: “While we were one day sitting with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) there appeared before us a man dressed in extremely white clothes and with very black hair. No traces of journeying were visible on him, and none of us knew him. He sat down close to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), rested his knee against his thighs, and said, ‘O Muhammad! Inform me about Islam.’ The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘Islam is that you should testify that there is no deity save Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, that you should perform salah, pay Zakah, fast during Ramadan, and perform Hajj to the House if you have the means for making the journey. The man said, ‘You have spoken truly.’ We were astonished at his thus questioning him and telling him that he was right, but he went on to say, ‘Inform me about iman (faith).’ He (the Messenger of Allah) answered, ‘It is that you believe in Allah and His angels and His Books and His Messengers and in the Last Day and in fate (qadar), both in its good and in its evil aspects.’ He said, ‘You have spoken truly.’ Then he (the man) said, ‘Inform me about ihsan.’ He (the Messenger of Allah) answered, ‘It is that you should serve Allah as though you could see Him, and if you cannot see Him then He sees you.’ He said, ‘Inform me about the Hour.’ He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘The one being questioned knows no more than the questioner.’ So he said, ‘Well, inform me about its signs.’ He said, ‘They are that the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress, that you will see the barefooted ones, the naked, the destitute, the herdsmen of the sheep (competing with each other) in raising lofty buildings.’ Thereupon the man went off. I waited a while, and then he (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘O ‘Umar, do you know who the questioner was?’ I replied, ‘Allah and His Messenger know better.’ He said, ‘That was Jibril. He came to teach you your religion.'” (Muslim) [] Karima is an elementary book in the study of Persian (Shaykh ‘Abd al-Hafiz Makki). ] Ghulistan and Bustan is an advanced book of Persian literature (Shaykh ‘Abd al-Hafiz Makki). ] Also known as the chasht prayers (translator). [] Also known as the awwabin prayers (translator). [] This 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). [] Explaining these two terms (wilayah and nubuwwah), Shaykh Mufti Kamaluddin Ahmed, a khalifah of Peer Zulfiqar Ahmad, wrote the following in an email to the translator: “Basically, Mujaddid Alf al-Thani Imam Rabbani Shaykh Ahmad Sarhindi (may Allah mercy him) coined these two terms in his Maktubat. I am not aware of prior usage of them, but certainly Imam Rabbani (may Allah mercy him) elaborates on these concepts in his Maktubaat. The path of wilayah is the path of abundant mujahadah and also leads one to first experience fana-e-wujudi and then fana-e-shuhudi. This is the path that Imam Rabbani (may Allah mercy him) states that he himself follows. He later writes that Allah Most High inspired him with another path, the path of nubuwwah, that bypasses fana-e-wujudi and tawhid-e-wujudi, and he feels this is the preferred path.” [] Deoband.org

Back to School By Umme Ammarah Schools are about to open and you're probably feeling excited and maybe a little sad that holidays are just about over. Back to School comes with a barrage of projects, homework, sports practice and of course a day filled with pickups and drop offs. “The roots of education may be bitter, but the fruit is sweet” Back to school time also means adjustments for children and families; the first day of grade one, new schools, new classrooms, new teachers and for adults sometimes new jobs. Change is sometimes exciting and sometimes frightening, but this can also be an opportunity to set new goals. It's is a new year, 1438 of the Hijri Calendar and each year goes so fast like a quick turn of a page. This is why planning and setting goals is so important. As Muslims all our plans should be aimed at achieving our final goal which is to please our Creator Allah Ta'ala. “He who fails to plan, plans to fail!” Here are a few points to keep in mind when planning for this year. · Niyyah: Our intention before doing anything is very important. The Messenger of Allah(peace be upon Him) has said "Every deed is judged by its intention."(Hadith-Bukhari) Plan and do lots…but it must be ONLY to please our Allah. · Dua: Everyone of us needs to ask and pray to Allah Ta’ala daily for all our needs. A very beautiful dua that The Beloved Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon Him) made whenever he left his home " In the name of Allah,I trust in Allah, oh Allah I seek refuge in You from straying or being led astray or against slipping or being caused to slip or doing injustice or injustice being done on me or doing wrong or having wrong done to me." (Hadith-Abu Dawud) · Make mashwera/shura (mutual consultation): To consult with your family is import ant as it unites the heart on a common purpose. All activities whether big or small should be discussed. Sit with the family daily at a mutually convenient time and plan our activities. See where we are and where we want to go this year. Check our level of Deen and plan to improve upon it. Discuss our day to day affairs. We may even discuss and allocate turns for household chores, or even who sits where in car, etc…this can save a lot of time and arguments early in the morning. To make Mashwera is a sunnah and will bring great barakah(blessings) in our home. It will also grant us an opportunity to plan our lives Islamically. · Make attainable goals: Sets goals realistically and intelligently. Set goals that are attainable. Most important Make Deen the priority in our lives. Monitor your progress and place reminders and back your resolutions with planning. · Family time: Set aside quality time for them. Be interactive. Listen to them and pay attention to them when they call on you. Engage them in Taleem (Educational programs), for the smaller ones also read Islamic stories and even make it a practice to discuss the day's events with them. There is NO SUBSTITUTE for pa rental guidance and supervision. “Your children need your presence more than your presents” · Homework: Turn off the T.V, WhatsApp, Facebook and other social networks… put away your concerns and concentrate on being a parent. Look through your child's homework diary as your child's teacher uses this as a main connection between you and the school. “Don't do homework for them, Do it with them!” · Daily routines: Let your child be involved in the small things like packing lunc h, laying out clothes(uniforms) etc this teaches them responsibility. Start bed time routines a week before school starts. Ensure punctuality in Salaah(prayers). Read your duas together in the morning and evening. Make going to and from school educational by reciting duas collectively in the car. In a short time they will memorize the duas for protection and of travelling. · Educational goals: Plan big! Enrol your kids for the best available Islamic Educ ation…enrol your kids for Hifdh (memorisation of the Qur'an). You may have also realised how weak your Islamic knowledge is. Make time to attend some Islamic classes, or sit for Taleem Halqa at the Masjid. Ladies can join the weekly taleem (educational) programs in their area. Consult with your local Islamic Scholars regarding suitable Islamic educational programs. · Identify your career goals: Choose your curriculum carefully and wisely. Maybe you always talked about making the career switch to a more Halaal (pure) source of income or adjusting your work times for salaat with jamaat (congregation). You may need to adjust your times so as to spend some quality time with your family. Whatever your reasons maybe, identify a career that will benefit your family both in this world and the aakhirah(hereafter). · Wake up every day with a purpose: We wake up often knowing we should be doing something important today, but have failed to plan! Prepare for our higher purpose otherwise our day will become less productive. · Uniforms, books and stationery: Make sure uniforms are purchased timeously and that it conforms to Sharia (Islamic requirements). If your kids encounter any resistance from the educational institution regarding their Islamic attire or other Islamic practices, then be diplomatic, discuss and resolve the matter with management respectfully. Also ensure that you obtained a list of stationery and text books required early so that it could be budgeted for and purchased well before hand. · Lunch boxes, breakfasts and diets: Research shows that breakfast eaters have better concentration and muscle co-ordination. Kids need healthy lunch box snacks that maintain blood glucose levels which help concentration, so keep away from fuzzy drinks, chips and chocolates for lunch. A good idea is to plan a lunch box menu for the week. · Take account of yourself daily: We need to be alert of our development so that we progress. Therefore, we need to daily reflect on our progress or a lack of it. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) has said" the feet of the son of Adam will not move on the Day of Judgement until he is asked about five things: how he spent his life, how he spent his youth, from where he acquired his wealth and how he spent it, and what he did with his knowledge." So we need to be conscious on how we profitably use every second of our lives. Remember that a Muslim sets goals that are in harmony with our accountability in the Aakhirah (Hereafter)... so take pen to paper and plan for a better life, seeking Allah Ta’ala's Guidance, Help and Forgiveness. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) has encouraged us to make the following du’a "Oh our Lord, give us goo d in this world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the torment of the fire.” Back to School may be demanding and at times stressful but keep in mind that an investment in knowledge always pays the best returns! www.eislam.co.za

SHUKR Allah Ta’ala says: “Be grateful unto Me.” Rasulullah said: “If happiness reaches him (the believer), he is grateful.” THE NATURE OF SHUKR Accepting that all benefit is from the True Benefactor (Mun’im Haqeeqi), the effect of which is to be happy with the Benefactor and be ever ready to render obedience to Him, is the meaning of Shukr. The meaning of Shukr envisages: Acceptance of the fact that all benefit is from Allah, the True Benefactor (Mun’im Haqeeqi). This acceptance induces: 1. Happiness with the Benefactor. 2. Eagerness to execute the commands of the Benefactor and to abstain from his prohibitions. Oneshould consider all benefit, goodness and pleasant conditions as the bounties of Allah and regard these to be in greater measure than what one really deserves. Praise is to be offered to Allah and His bounties should not be employed in evil and sin. His favours should be used in obtaining His Pleasure. This is the true meaning of Shukr. This conception of Shukr will be comprehended only when one has realized the purpose underlying creation and the functions of the various aspects of creation. For instance, the eye is a ni’mat of Allah Ta’ala. Its shukr is to employ it correctly – to employ it in only lawful avenues, e.g. making tilaawat of the Qur’aan Majeed, acquiring knowledge, studying the wonderful creation of Allah so as to gain lesson and realize the greatness and splendour of Allah Ta’ala, etc. The shukr of the eye further demands that it be restrained from glancing at and viewing objects which Allah Ta’ala has prohibited. Similarly, the ear is a ni’mat. Its shukr is to employ It correctly, e.g. in listening to the thikr of Allah, to such talks which remind one of the Aakhirat, and to prevent it from listening to evil, nonsensical and futile talk. The tongue is a ni’mat. Its shukr is to employ it in thikr, in expressing hamd, thanaa and shukr of Allah, and to restrain it from complaining in adversity and from all evil generally. It is highly inappropriate and sinful for such a worthless slave as man to complain about any condition which Allah Ta’ala, the True King, has imposed on him. A word of shukr emanating from the tongue is recorded as an act of obedience.Mere expression of shukr with the tongue unaccompanied by the true state of shukr of the heart is only lip-service. It is essential that along with verbal expression of shukr, the heart should value and honour the ni’mat of The Benefactor. Mere verbal shukr will be like the outer-casing, like the outer-covering which is its external form. The rooh (soul and essence) of shukr is that the honour and appreciation of the Mun’im (Benefactor) and the ni’mat (the bounty) are ingrained in the heart. The initial stage of shukr is at the intellectual level. In other words, it is the correct understanding of the true meaning of shukr and the realization of the honour of the Benefactor. The final stage of shukr is the manifestation of its effect on one’s body, movements and all states. In short, all the beliefs, acts of worship, mundane acts, moral and social life of the shaakir (the one who is truly grateful to Allah) will be in conformity with the Shariat. ACQUIRING SHUKR Shukr is acquired by contemplating the bounties of Allah Ta’ala. Every ni’mat is to be related to Him. By degrees such meditation will imbue the Love of Allah in the heart, the result of which will be the attainment of the perfect stage of Shukr

Allah, The Most Exalted, says: ‘If you are thankful, I will surely increase you (in favor); but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe’.” (Qur’an 14:7) The Noble Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is reported to have said: “He who does not thank people, does not thank Allah”. (Hadith-Tirmidhi) “If the recipient of a kindness says to his benefactor Jazakallahu Khair (May Allah reward you with goodness), indeed he has fully praised and been thankful.” (Hadith-Tirmidhi) Note: Indeed one who does not thank those who were kind to him, is not thankful to Allah Ta’ala. We should endeavour to show favour and kindness to those who have benefitted us in whatever way. To pray in these words “Jazakallahu Khair” expresses that I am unable to recompense, so I invoke Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala that He may give you a better reward for this. Thus, these words carry praise and benefit for the benefactor. EISLAM

All that Glitters You refresh your timeline on Facebook and there it is a stunning selfie of your friend and her husband on their anniversary holiday in Paris.Beautiful smiles plastered across the the screen as they pose happily infront of the Eiffel tower.You feel a tinge of jealousy as your husband is working late again and you are at home looking after your 2 energetic toddlers. Your heart burns. You see your cousin gracefully approaching your table at your relatives wedding her hands often reach her dainty neck as she adjusts her gorgeous diamond necklace. You greet her warmly yet you feel so inferior. Your heart secretly wishes your husband could oneday afford to surprise you with such a stunning gift. You stop at the robot and the luxury car next to you hoots and you notice your friend driving the latest BMW.You greet each other and she speeds off. Your heart is disappointed as your car just broke down this morning and you had to call your brother to help you kick start it again. You enter a beautiful sea facing villa,the kind of houses top billing feature. Your sister in law is the perfect host at their house warming.Your heart secretly wishes this was your house and your mind betrays your husband for a minute as you feel you should have married a more affluent and wealthy man. Remember all that glitters is not gold, silver,diamonds or platinum… The trip to Paris was an escape from her depression as she and her husband try to save their marriage.They have been failing to conceive for many years unfortunately this may just be their last holiday together. The necklace your cousin flaunted on her neck was never a gift it was an apology from her husbamd for the date he went on with his secretary and for the suggestive messages to other woman that his wife found on his phone. Her forgiveness was very expensive. The car your friend cheerfully sped away in is a gift from her beloved father as he has been diagnosed with cancer and although he did not tell her as yet,he just wanted to see her happy for a few weeks before she breaks down on hearing about his illness. The villa your brother in law bought was a thank you to his wife for always being his rock of support when he needed to build his business she used to make savouries and rotis to sell in order for him to save a capital.Now that his business is thriving he wants her to rest in luxury. Never lose your sukoon(peace) and burn your heart with jealousy and greed over the blessings that Allah has bestowed on others as Allah has also given them battles you may not know of to fight daily. Your happiness lies in what you have and your reward lies in being grateful for what you have.. All that glitters may just be a shiny tin clip amongst the rubble… Be genuinely happy for others and it will come back to you a million times more.. jamiat.org

Sunnah method of congratulating the bride and bridegroom after nikaah Q: What is the Sunnah method of congratulating the bride and bridegroom on the occasion of nikaah? Is there any mention of this in the Mubaarak Ahaadith? A: It is reported in the Hadith that whenever Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) congratulated a Sahaabi on the occasion of nikaah, he congratulated him with the following dua: بَارَك اللهُ لَك وبَارَك عَلَيْكَ وَجَمَعَ بَيْنَكُمَا فِيْ الْخَيْر "May Allah Ta'ala bless you and grant you abundant barkat in your nikaah and may t​his union be a means of all good" And Allah Ta'ala knows best. عن أبي هريرة : أن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم كان إذا رفأ الإنسان إذا تزوج قال بارك الله لك وبارك عليك وجمع بينكما في الخير (جامع الترمذي رقم 1091) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Why should I bow? All acts of devotion have been prescribed by our Creator Allah Ta’ala for our benefit; sometimes the benefits are quite apparent while occasionally it is not so obvious. A Musallee (Mosque go-er) wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to Mosque. "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 lectures. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the Imams are wasting theirs by giving lectures at all." This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher. "I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu and ingredients for a single one of those meals. But I do know this: They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to Mosque for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!" … Thereafter no further comments were received by the editor. The medication prescribed by a doctor has its benefits even though we don’t know its ingredients! Having precise knowledge on how an act of devotion benefits us is not always so important. What is important is that we carry out our duties and obligations to our Creator who no doubt has in His Infinite Wisdom created such acts of devotion for our benefit in this temporary life as well as for our eternal journey to the hereafter! Allah Ta’ala says: “I did not create jinn and men except that they may worship Me.” (Qur'an: Adh-Dhariyat 51:56). www.eislam.co.za

Shaykh Mufti Ebrahim Desai Saheb on Tasawwuf 1. What is Tasawwuf? The purpose of Tasawwuf is to reform oneself to the extent of being compliant to Shari’ah in every aspect of life and gaining closeness to Allah. This injunction is replete in the Qur’aan and Ahaadith. If one is able to reform him/herself, then the purpose is achieved. If one is not able to reform him/herself, then it is advisable to seek the assistance from a pious and upright person. It is preferable that such a person be an Aalim as well as it is possible that a non-Aalim may offer advices not consistent with the Shari’ah. 2. What is the purpose of Bayat? The concept of Bai’at is expressly mentioned in the Quran and Hadith. There are different categories of Bai’at. One is to express submission to the leader of the Muslims, Ameerul Mo’mineen. This category of Bai’at is compulsory. The other category of Bai’at is for Islaah (reformation). This category of Bai’at is not compulsory. If a person is able to reform himself independently without the assistance of a spiritual guide, then he may do so. In such an instance, there is no need for Bai’at. However, generally, a person experiences difficulties in reforming himself and he requires the assistance of an expert to assist him in the reformation process. In order to achieve that, he takes Bai’at as an expression of determination and submission to obey. His spiritual guide then takes it upon himself to guide his Mureed and the Mureed undertakes to obey. Therefore the purpose of Bai’ at is at most an administrative matter to achieve maximum benefit and results. It is not Shirk. However, we advise, you should exercise caution in choosing your Peer. Apart from him excelling in Taqwa, piety and having the expertise to reform, you too must be comfortable with him and his procedure. You must be able to relate to him and be able to benefit. For that we propose you first keep Islaahi relationship and qualify that with Bai’at later only after you are satisfied. 3. Is it necessary to give Bayat (allegiance) to a Shaykh/Murshid in Tasawwuf? If it is possible for any individual to reform himself, he should do so. However, it is generally noticed that individuals experience difficulties in reforming themselves and seek assistance of a spiritual guide who is pious and adhere to Shari’ah in reforming themselves. The practise of taking allegiance (Bay’at) and following the guidance of one’s spiritual mentor is called Tasawwuf. 4. How does one give Bayat to a person who is far away? If one wishes to take Bay’at to someone overseas, he may write up to the person and request Bay’at. The person may accept the written request. 5. How many Tariqahs are there in Tasawwuf? There are four famous schools in Sufism – Chistiyya, Naqshabandi, Saharwardiyya, Qaadriyya. Each school has prescribed its own way of reformation. However, the ultimate purpose is Ma’ rifat (recognition) of Allah Ta’ala and Ittiba-e-Sunnah (following the Sunnah). 6. How did Sufism get a start? Tasawwuf is based on the Quran and hadith. The essence of Tasawwuf is consciousness of the presence of Allah and accountability in the court of Allah. The title “tasawwuf” only began to gain popularity after the year 200 A.H. Those who excelled in abstinence, Ibadah and Ittiba’ of sunnah named their way ” tasawwwuf” and those who followed this way were called sufi’s. (Al Risalah Al- Qushairiyyah) 7. How does one select a Shaykh/Murshid (spiritual mentor)? Once you come across a Shaykh who is steadfast on the Sunnah and you have some inclination towards him, you may choose him as your spiritual mentor. 8. How does one obtain a pure heart? To obtain a pure heart, adhere to the following advise of Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallaahu Anhu): At first to the rememberance of Allah Ta’ala, because it is a cure; and abstain from speaking about people (backbiting, slandering, etc.) because it is a sickness. It has been narrated from Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) that the heart get rusted as iron gets rust. The Sahaaba (Radhiallaahu Anhum) asked, ‘What could cleanse the heart, then?’ Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) replied, ‘Frequent recitation of the Qur’aan and Dhikr (rememberance) of Allah. 9. Is it permissible to recite Dhikr aloud & in congregation? With regards to saying Dhikr aloud and in congregation, there are many verses of the Qur’aan and Ahaadith to establish its permissibility. Suffice to mention just a few, Allah Ta’ala says, ‘O you who believe! Remember Allah Ta’ala abundantly.’ (Surah Ahzaab). ‘Remember me and I will remember you.’ (Baqarah). ‘Certainly, the rememberance of Allah Ta’ala is the greatest.’ (Ankaboot) As far as Ahaadith are concerned, Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said, ‘Allah Ta’ala says, O my servant, you remember alone, I will remember you alone. And if you remember me in a gathering, I remember you in a gathering more better.’ (Tirmidhi). Another narration mentions that ‘an angel announces after the gathering which was busy in the rememberance of Allah Ta’ala that your sins have been pardoned.’ (Musnad Ahmad). Ibn Abbaas (Radhiallaahu Anhu) narrates that loud Dhikr after Fardh Salaat was the practice during the time of Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam). (Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Azaan, Chapter of Dhikr after Salaah). 10. If someone is involved in Tasawwuf, is it ok if he does not do the effort of Dawah & Tabligh? All these efforts are needed and have to be done simultaneously in order to create a better individual and a more religious society. One who is concentrating on Tasawwuf should not neglect the effort of Da’awah and Tabligh but should try and create a balance in his life. For example, weekly, if a person attends the halaqah of a certain Buzurg on a Thursday, then he should participate in the Ghusht and Jawla programmes on Monday and Wednesday. In other words, we need to make some type of adjustments to our daily lives and routines in order to facilitate all these efforts of Deen which are Haqq. We should refrain from becoming totally one sided, biased and neglecting some of these efforts and dotingly only some. 11. Nowadays people have stopped going to khanqahs and also many don’t have knowledge of Tasawwuf, please prescribe some methods so that this interest can be brought in to the ummah? The fundamental cause of this decline is that the Ummah has become weakened in their faith and conviction on Allah. We have to again remind ourselves who we are and where we belong to. It is unfair that we who know about Tasawwuf and the other tenets of Deen, sit complacent and just debate or share views on why the Ummah is like this or like that. It is our responsibility to take this blessed Deen to others as well. 12. What are the positive and negative feelings that a Saalik experiences? In Sulook (walking the path of Sufism), a Saalik (person walking the path of Sufism) experiences two feelings: a) Bast, b) Qabz Bast is an Arabic word literally meaning ‘expansion’. In the terminology of Sufism, it refers to the positive feeling in the heart to perform abundant Ibaadat, Tilaawaat, Dhikr, etc. Qabz is also an Arabic word literally meaning ‘contraction’. In the terminology of Sufism, it refers to the negative feeling in the heart to perform any or abundant Ibaadat, Tilaawat, Dhikr, etc. Bast is desired as it assists in attaining the purpose of Ibaadat. However, it is not purposeful itself as the positive feeling is not the object of worship. Regarding the desired feeling as purposeful can be detrimental especially when one loses or decreases the condition of Bast. Regarding the Bast as only a means of abundant worship, upon the feeling being decreased or even suppressed, one will place the purpose ahead of his/herself and continue with the Ibaadat, Tilaawat, etc. albeit without positive feelings. Qabz is not desired as one feels negative and empty within the heart. However, it is not Mazmoom (bad) either. Since we do not worship feelings, we should concentrate on accomplishing what is purposeful, Ibaadat, Tilaawaat, etc. According to the Mutasawwifeen (Sufis), since the condition of Qabz requires one to make more sacrifice in accomplishing his/her responsibility, the rewards are greater. Furthermore, in Bast there is a possibility of Iejaab (ostentatiousness) which is condemned. In Qabz, due to the humility and humbleness one attains close proximity to Allah which is the ultimate aim and objective. The above is a very brief explanation of an extremely extensive subject which can be understood easily by undertaking the journey of Sulook. 13. Are there any ahadith which mention the various classes of saints such Abdaals, Qutub, etc? There are various Ahaadith with regards to the existence of such saints. However, the number of these differ according to various narrations. Some of these narrations are as follows: Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said, ‘Abdaals will be found in Shaam. They will be forty in number. Whenever one of them passes away, he will be replaced by another. It is through them that Allah Ta’ala will cause it to rain and also grant the Muslims victory over their enemy and remove a possible punishment.’ (Musnad Ahmad) Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said, ‘The Abdaals of my Ummah shall be forty, of which twenty will be in Shaam and eighteen in Iraq. Every time one passes away, another replaces him. When Qiyaamat, occurs, all will pass away.’ (Ibid) Other narrations say that they are thirty in number. Some narrations say that there are five hundred such saints of which forty are Abdaals. The Ahaadith only speak about Abdaals. Some Ahaadith make mention of Qutub, some are correct and some are fabricated. 14. Is it permissible to condemn innovations such as dancing which devious people have tried to introduce into Tasawwuf? It is not permissible to condemn every action and group that goes contrary to the Shari’ah. A great Sufi, Imaam Abu Abdillah ibn al-Toobi al-Saqaly (rah) has said, ‘Sufism is not wearing patched clothing and not by crying when singers sing and not by screaming and not by dancing. In fact, Sufism is that you follow the Haqq and Qur’aan. You must have fear for Allah, full of remorse for you sins at all times.’ (Article taken from Darul Iftaa affiliate website at: http://tasawwuf.daralmahmood.org/mufti-ebrahim-desai-on-tasawwuf)