Tasarruf And Tasawwuf

[ummtaalib]

Question:

 

As salaamu alaykum,

 

What is the practice where the shaykh does stare in the eyes of a candidate murid ? Is this a kind of rope-in process ?

 

Is it ment that the candidate murid than falls in a state of some kind of trance and also getting the feeling to cry and a feelings like his body is in extase ?

 

Answer:

 

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

 

As-salāmu `alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh

 

Almighty Allah (Ta’ala) has blessed the Ahlullah with a high level of spirituality (Roohaniyyat) in their hearts. They all have the ability to focus that spiritual light on their Mureed’s to initiate their spirituality. This is similar to a battery booster that is connected to a flat battery.

 

The electrons from the charged battery are transferred to the flat battery and once the car starts, the flat battery is in motion and the life span of the battery is extended.

 

The staring of the Shaikh in reference may be like the battery boosters to boost spiritual light in you.

 

The following article will enlighten you further.

 

Definition

 

Tasarruf is defined as “The effulgence of specific and praiseworthy modalities/states (Kayfiyyat) which is placed in the heart of a person and produces special effects according to the objective of the sheikh/Murshid.” This is known as “Tasarruf/Tawajjuh, Himmah and Jam’ul Khawatir” according to the terminology of the Masters of Tasawwuf.

 

Background and basis of Tasarruf

 

Tasarruf has been proven in the Qur’an and Ahadeeth.

Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) says:

 

اذ يوحي ربك الي الملائكة

 

“When your Rabb(lord) inspires/reveals to the angels”

 

Allamah Zujaaj (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) says under the Tafseer of this verse that “This verse confirms and establishes the fact that the angels insert certain states/modalities (Kayfiyyat) into the hearts of the Believers through which their determination and courage increases and is strengthened. The angels have been given the power to insert goodness into a person’s heart. This is called “Ilhaam” like how the angels have the ability to insert evil (sharr) into the heart of Shaytaan. This is called “Waswasah”.

 

The Above verse clearly proves “Tasarruf”.

 

Tasarruf has also been established in numerous Ahadeeth.

 

Rasullullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) received Wahy from Jibra’eel (Alayhis Salaam). While expounding on the incident, He said “Jibra’eel took me and he held me tightly once, twice and thrice”.

 

Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abi Jamrah al-Sufi (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) has mentioned in “Bahjatul Nufoos” under the commentary of this Hadeeth that “It is apparent that this squeezing/holding tightly was to strengthen the heart so that Rasullullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) could receive the Wahi. In this verse there is proof that the meeting of the squeezer and the squeezed person’s and their joining together initiates and creates a spiritual light in the Batin of a person. This light then assisted Him in receiving whatever was revealed to Him because when the body of Jibra’eel (Alayhis Salaam) and that of Rasullullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) met together, a special effect took place. The experts of Tasawwuf have found the same effect”

 

Hadhrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) has mentioned that “The Qur’an and Sunnah prove that Tasarruf has been proven in the Shari’ah if it done for a permissible reason.

 

Many of the Masha’ikh of Tasawwuf are known to practice on “Tasarruf” especially the “Naqshabandi Masha’ikh”. This is done for the purposes of making the Mureedeen more determined to make Tawba, open up the heart towards the love of Allah (Ta’ala), to create desire to do good deeds and all other praiseworthy qualities”.

 

Obtaining the ability to do Tasarruf

 

The power to practice Tasarruf is obtained through rigorous training and carnal restraint like how a wrestler obtains power through rigorous physical exercises and routines. Sometimes, the ability to do Tasarruf is natural and innate. However, this is very rare.

 

The Shar’ee Ruling of Tasarruf

 

The juridical (Fiqhi) ruling of Tasarruf is that “It is permissible provided that it is done with the correct motive and objective. If Tasarruf is done to obtain a praiseworthy objective like the Tasarrufat of the Masha’ikh of Tasawwuf who have this practice, then it would be praiseworthy and commendable to practice Tasarruf. In other words, the ruling of Tasarruf would be based on the aims and ends of such a practice. If Tasarruf is done for attain some evil and sinful objective, then that Tasarruf would be blameworthy and Makrooh (disliked).  Such an act would never be considered as any Deeni perfection (Kamaal) and nor would it be considered among the signs of acceptance in anything.

 

Is Tasarruf Sunnah?

 

There are many Ahadeeth which some Masha’ikh use to prove the Sunniyyah of Tasarruf. For example, on certain occasion’s, Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) touched the chest of a Sahabi, passed His Mubarak hand over some Sahabi, etc and the Sahabi’s Waswasah was removed in the first case and sickness was removed in the second case. It might be understood from the external meaning, that this is exactly Tasarruf. However, if one examines these Ahadeeth carefully, one will understand that this is not Tasarruf since Tasarruf only occurs when the Sheikh/Murshid exerts his spiritual mind to practice Tasarruf. It is evident that Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) did not practice Tasarruf.

 

The most evident proof in this regard is that Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) never practiced Tasarruf for Abu Talib despite the fact that Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) was overly desirous of Abu Talib accepting Islam and bringing Eemaan.

 

Is Tasarruf a sign of Wilaayah?

 

Tasarruf is not a distinguishing sign of Wilayah.

 

(Imdadul Fatawa, Vol.5, Pg.236- 241, Karachi)

 

And Allah knows best.

 

Mufti Ebrahim Desai

Dar al- Mahmood