Advices for the Saalik

n the light of the Sayings of Qutbul Arshaad Maulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi

(rahmatullahi alayh)

Selflessness and humility decorate the personality of every true believer. While describing His bondsmen, Allah says:

"And the servants of (Allah) Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, "Peace!" (Al-Furqan: 63)

A true believer does not wish for any position or lofty status of this world, because he trains his inner self to suppress the worldly wishes awaiting for the prize he is about to receive as soon as he departs from this transitory abode. Maulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi used to say: “Our purpose is not worldly pomp through Madrassahs, but our sole aim is to please Allah” (Tazkiratur Rasheed). Allah gives tremendous grace and respect to His friends in this world. The hearts of the true followers of Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) are full of gratitude to Allah for His countless bounties, however they save themselves from boasting about these bounties and do not attribute these favors to their own selves. Instead, they attribute all precious offerings of this life to Allah. These luxuries and comforts, yes they are bounties of Allah, but their love does not take the truthful away from the love of their Lord, the Most Affectionate.

The glamour of the world fails to deceive those hearts which are attached with Allah. The love of this world does not find way into hearts that linger to meet their Supreme Deity. Appreciating pious men and virtuous saints, yes, but the heart of the Arif holds no human dearer than Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Imbedded with high feelings of faith and love, the Arif always negates his own self, that he is nothing. While negating himself, he does not become proud of negating himself. This is the true seeker of Allah! Maulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi used to say: “If a person admits that I have acquired nothing (in terms of excellent characteristics) after long sacrifices and hardships (in the path of sulook), indeed he has acquired everything.”

One who is blessed with true yearning for the pleasure of Allah wants to please Allah through every way and means possible. For him, days have been created for fasting, nights for worship, tongues for glorification of Allah, hands to raise in front of Allah, time to remember Allah and places to worship Allah. The entire universe of the saalik orbits around accesses to the nearness of Allah. In the beginning, this seeker plans to exhaust himself in channels of piety, thus he becomes somewhat overconfident of himself. At crucial junctions like these in the path of sulook, the shaykh gives the newcomer a warning advice, in the words of Maulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi: “Do not take upon yourself more hardships than what you can tolerate” (Ma’arife Gangohi, p. 24). These golden words of the shaykh pave the path for the apprentice, giving him an appropriate pace to tread on this heavenly road leading to the pleasure and love of Allah.

The seeker of Al-Haq is taught to solely rely upon Allah and not to gaze at the possessions of the creation. Maulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi, who was called “the Imam Abu Hanifa of our times” advises his fellow travelers: “Do not expect anything from anyone, including me, this is the secret to Deen and dunia”. (Ma’arife Gangohi, p. 21). The Quran mentions sole reliance upon Allah as a quality of every true believer:

"(The true believers) put (all) their trust in their Lord" (Al-Anfaal: 2)

The true adherent of Quran and Hadith, follows also the scholars of Quran and Hadith. The seeker of Allah has to approach people and remove this misunderstanding of the people that scholars take one away from the Quran and Hadith. No, the Quran commands the Muslims to consult and ask their religious matters from the Ulama:

"If you know not, ask of those who possess knowledge" (An-Nahl: 43)

When one goes to the true Ulama, they bring him back to the Quran and Hadith but this time, his understanding of these two fundamental sources of Sharia will not be from the influence of his desires but now, because of his consulting the Ulama, his understanding will reflect the prophetic interpretation of the Quran, because the Ulama are the inheritors of the Prophets. Therefore, the saalik respects and reveres the Ulama and all his actions reflect the authentic prophetic methodology whose knowledge he acquired form the Ulama. Criticizing and belittling the Ulama deprives the Muslims from all goodness and leads to a dreadful fate. Hence, Maulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi says: “The people who disrespect the Ulama of Deen, their faces are turned away in the graves from the direction of the Qibla. Whoever wants (to see a proof) go and see it for yourself.” (Ma’arife Gangohi, p. 20)

The saalik can not afford to waste any of his precious time, because he considers time a great bounty and a trust of Allah. The true seeker of Allah knows not to talk ill of others and his critical eyes are always looking towards his own shortcomings. In this respect, Maulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi says: “The time one spends talking ill of others, if the same amount of time is spent in doing Zikr of Allah, imagine the benefit he will reap”.

The traveler on the path of sulook is consistent and diligent. He realizes that istiqama (consistency) is better than karamah (miracles). Hence, Maulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi says: “Be consistent in whatever Allah gives you the ability to do and do not lose hope, even if your (zikr) does not penetrate the heart, the fact that your tongue is engaged in saying the name of Allah is a great benefit. When the tongue is saved from the Hellfire because of remembering Allah, then the heart will also be saved from it as well.”

Arrogance and false pride can not exist in the heart of the Arif. He knows that all greatness and power belongs to Allah alone and humans have no right of feeling great and boastful. Hence, Maulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi says: “The one who has arrogance in his heart, even if he is considered pious and respected by people and shows karamaat and kashf, realize that he knows nothing”.

If a person wants to measure his nearness to Allah, he should apply the following formula given by Maulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi: “A person’s nearness to Allah is proportional to his distance from his own nafs” (Taleefat-e-Rasheedia, p.11). The more a person goes away from his desires, the nearer he gets to Allah. Before his death, Maulana Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi, gifted the entire Ummah with the following advices, which are called "Kalimat-e-Was’ee-at", thus he says:

*These advices are common, hence one and all should read, practice and convey them to others.

*I strongly advise my children, wife and all my friends that they should act according to Sharia while knowing and realizing the importance of itiba-e-sunnat (following Rasulullah [صلى الله عليه وسلم]); and engagement in worldly customs while knowing their evils is destruction.

*The lust of always eating good and wearing expensive clothes is extremely detrimental to both, Deen and Dunia, hence, it should be strictly avoided.

*To labor more than what is expected from one makes one involuntarily disgraceful and its deprivation will have to be faced in the Deen and dunia.

*Ill manners and ruthlessness causes great displeasure of Allah. The ill-mannered will be disgraced in the dunia and faces severe dishonor in the Akhirah. Softness is compulsory with all.

*Evil actions, even little, are evil. Obedience, even a trivial amount, is a great friend.

*All customs and rituals (against Deen) should be avoided, because Bid’ah (innovation) has slithered

into them.

*To engage in an anti-Islamic action, Bid’ah or labor more than your ability due to the pressuring and criticizing of family and friends is against aql (intellect). Its result is bad in Deen and dunia.

*Severe disapproval of extravagance comes in Sharia. The extravagant has been called the brother of the Shaitan.

*When I die, send reward to me (by doing good deeds and asking Allah to give Maulana Rasheed Ahmad the reward) according to your ability. Do not do anything that is against your capacity or anything against the Sunnah of

Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم).

*All should live mutually amongst each other with unity. (Taleefat-e-Rasheedia, p. 13)

May Allah give us all the ability to please him and follow Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم Ameen.