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Juma Mebruk
May your Friday be Blessed!
*As-Saaffat*
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
By those (angels) ranged in ranks (or rows). (1) By those (angels) who drive
the clouds in a good way. (2) By those (angels) who bring the Book and the
Qur'ân from Allâh to mankind [Tafsir Ibn Kathîr]. (3) Verily your Ilâh (God)
is indeed One (i.e. Allâh); (4) Lord of the heavens and of the earth, and
all that is between them, and Lord of every point of the sun's risings. (5)
*YANG BERSHAF-SHAF*
Dengan menyebut nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah lagi Maha Penyayang
Demi [rombongan] yang bershaf-shaf dengan sebenar-benarnya [1], (1) dan demi
[rombongan] yang melarang dengan sebenar-benarnya [dari perbuatan-perbuatan
ma’siat], (2) dan demi [rombongan] yang membacakan pelajaran, (3) Sesungguhnya
Tuhanmu benar-benar Esa. (4) Tuhan langit dan bumi dan apa yang berada di
antara keduanya dan Tuhan tempat-tempat terbit matahari. (5)
*As-Saaffat*
Rahman ve rahîm olan Allah'ın adıyla
Saf bağlayıp duranlara, haykırarak sevk edenlere ve zikri (Allah'ın kelâmını) okuyanlara andolsun ki, sizin ilahınız gerçekten bir tek ilahtır.
O, göklerin, yerin ve ikisi arasındakilerin Rabbidir. Doğuların da (Batıların da) Rabbidir.
*LES RANG'S*
Au nom d’Allah, le Tout Miséricordieux, le Très Miséricordieux
Par ceux qui sont rangés en rangs. (1) Par ceux qui poussent (les
nuages)avec force. (2) Par ceux qui récitent, en rappel: (3) «Votre Dieu est
en vérité unique, (4) le Seigneur des cieux et de la terre et de ce qui
existe entre eux et Seigneur des Levants» (5)
*SURA DE LOS QUE SE PONEN EN FILAS*
En el nombre de Allah, el Misericordioso, el Compasivo
¡Por los que se ponen en filas, (1) e impulsan en una dirección (2) y leen
un Recuerdo! (3) Que realmente vuestro Señor es Uno. (4) El Señor de los
cielos y de la tierra y de lo que hay entre ambos; y el Señor de los
orientes. (5)
*سُوۡرَةُ الصَّافات*
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
وَٱلصَّـٰٓفَّـٰتِ صَفًّ۬ا (١) فَٱلزَّٲجِرَٲتِ زَجۡرً۬ا (٢) فَٱلتَّـٰلِيَـٰتِ
ذِكۡرًا (٣) إِنَّ إِلَـٰهَكُمۡ لَوَٲحِدٌ۬ (٤) رَّبُّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ
وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَہُمَا وَرَبُّ ٱلۡمَشَـٰرِقِ (٥)
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| فلسفة الصورة |
ما للعبادِ عليه حقٌ واجبُ ... كلاَّ ولاسعيٌ لديه ضائعُ
إن عُذّبوا فبِعَدْله أو نُعِّموا ... فبفضلِه وهو الكريمُ الواسعُ
:
:
فالله تبارك وتعالى أعطاكـ وأكثر .. وأسبغ عليكـ نعمه ظاهرةً وباطنة ..
فما بالكـ لا تشكر العظيم المنّان .. على كريمِ رزقه
قال تعالى : ( وأمّا بِنعمَةِ ربِّكَ فَحََدِّث )
فالعبد يتقّلب في نعم الله ، لكن لعلّه لايلتفت إليها إلا إذا فقدها أو شارف على فقدها ..! عجباً لذلك
أعلم يا راعاكـ الله مهما أعطاك الله من قوة .. ونعيم
فهو أقدر بك .. وأقوى منك .. لكن لتقل :
يـامَنْ له الحَوْلُ والطَّوْلُ العظيمُ ومَنْ ... هو القوُّي ومَنْ رَجواهـ تُرْتَقَبُ
إذا رضيتَ فكلُّ العالمينَ رِضًا ... عَوذاً بوجهكـ أن يغتالـَنا الغضبُ
"
Please if you like working press FAV .
لكـل من أعجبته .. لاتنسى الفاف
| إعدادات وأدوات |
| آخـيــراً |
أسأل الله العلي العظيم .. أن يبّلغنا رمضان ويرزقنا صيامه وقيامه على أكمل وجه
فهاهي الأيام تدنو لرحيلها .. ونبدأ العدّ العكسي لبداية شهر الخير ..
وكل عام وأنتم بخير .
للـفــائـــدة
كنت قد بحثت على الشبكة .. عن حكم زيارة المدائن .. وما اخُتلف فيها
ولعلي وجدت أن الموضوع فيه إختلاف كبير . بين علمائنا .. وللعلم فإن الاختلاف على مكان قوم ثمود ..
وهل هو مايدعى مدائن صالح الان أم لا ..!!
ولمن أراد أن يستفيد وضعت لكم رابط لبعض الأقوال والإختلافات
تـفــضــّــــل مـِـن هــنـــــا
:
:
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شكراً أعزّائي على تواجدكم .. مقدّماً
وتعليقاتكم .. ويارب أكون قدمّت ما تطمع به أعينكم
الصغير وليد
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Various trees of life are recounted in folklore, culture and fiction, often relating to immortality or fertility. They had their origin in religious symbolism.
Ancient Iran
In pre-Islamic Persian mythology, the Gaokerena world tree is a large, sacred Haoma tree which bears all seeds. Ahriman (Ahreman, Angremainyu) created a frog to invade the tree and destroy it, aiming to prevent all trees from growing on the earth. As a reaction, God (Ahura Mazda) created two kar fish staring at the frog to guard the tree. The two fishes are always staring at the frog and stay ready to react to it. Because Ahriman is responsible for all evil including death, while Ahura Mazda is responsible for all good (including life) the concept of world tree in Persian Mythology is very closely related to the concept of Tree of Life.The sacred plant haoma and the drink made from it. The preparation of the drink from the plant by pounding and the drinking of it are central features of Zoroastrian ritual. Haoma is also personified as a divinity. It bestows essential vital qualities—health, fertility, husbands for maidens, even immortality. The source of the earthly haoma plant is a shining white tree that grows on a paradisiacal mountain. Sprigs of this white haoma were brought to earth by divine birds.Haoma is the Avestan form of the Sanskrit soma. The near identity of the two in ritual significance is considered by scholars to point to a salient feature of an Indo-Iranian religion antedating Zoroastrianism.
Another related issue in ancient mythology of Iran is the myth of Mashyа and Mashyane, two trees who were the ancestors of all living beings. This myth can be considered as a prototype for the creation myth where living beings are created by Gods (who have a human form).
Ancient Egypt
Worshipping Osiris, Isis, and Horus
To the Ancient Egyptians, the Tree of Life represented the hierarchical chain of events that brought every thing into existence. The spheres of the Tree of Life demonstrate the order, process, and method of creation.In Egyptian mythology, in the Ennead system of Heliopolis, the first couple, apart from Shu and Tefnut (moisture and dryness) are Geb and Nuit (earth and sky), are Isis and Osiris. They were said to have emerged from the acacia tree of Iusaaset, which the Egyptians considered the tree of life, referring to it as the "tree in which life and death are enclosed." Some acacia trees contain DMT, a psychedelic drug associated with spiritual experiences. The drug is not orally bio-available, however and there is no evidence the Egyptians had techniques for extracting or otherwise harnessing the drug. A much later myth relates how Set and 72 conspirators killed Osiris, putting him in a coffin, and throwing it into the Nile, the coffin becoming embedded in the base of a tamarisk tree.The Egyptians' Holy Sycamore also stood on the threshold of life and death, connecting the two worlds.
Assyria
Assyrian tree of life, from Nimrud panels.The Assyrian Tree of Life was represented by a series of nodes and criss-crossing lines. It was apparently an important religious symbol, often attended to in Assyrian palace reliefs by human or eagle-headed winged genies, or the King, and blessed or fertilized with bucket and cone. Assyriologists have not reached consensus as to the meaning of this symbol. The name "Tree of Life" has been attributed to it by modern scholarship; it is not used in the Assyrian sources. In fact, no textual evidence pertaining to the symbol is known to exist.
Baha'i Faith
The concept of the tree of life appears in the writings of the Baha'i Faith, where it can refer to the Manifestation of God, a great teacher who appears to humanity from age to age. An example of this can be found in the Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh:["Have ye forgotten that true and radiant morn, when in those hallowed and blessed surroundings ye were all gathered in My presence beneath the shade of the tree of life, which is planted in the all-glorious paradise? Awestruck ye listened as I gave utterance to these three most holy words: O friends! Prefer not your will to Mine, never desire that which I have not desired for you, and approach Me not with lifeless hearts, defiled with worldly desires and cravings. Would ye but sanctify your souls, ye would at this present hour recall that place and those surroundings, and the truth of My utterance should be made evident unto all of you."Also, in the Tablet of Ahmad [1], of Bahá'u'lláh:"Verily He is the Tree of Life, that bringeth forth the fruits of God, the Exalted, the Powerful, the Great".Bahá'u'lláh refers to his male descendents as branches (Aghsán) and calls women leaves.
A distinction has been made between the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The latter represents the physical world with its opposites, such as good and evil and light and dark. In a different context from the one above, the tree of life represents the spiritual realm, where this duality does not exist.
Buddhism
The Bo tree, also called Bodhi tree, according to Buddhist tradition, is the pipal (Ficus religiosa) under which the Buddha sat when he attained Enlightenment (Bodhi) at Bodh Gaya (near Gaya, west-central Bihar state, India). A living pipal at Anuradhapura, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), is said to have grown from a cutting from the Bo tree sent to that city by King Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE.According to Tibetan tradition when Buddha went to the holy Lake Manasorovar along with 500 monks, he took with him the energy of Prayaga Raj. Upon his arrival, he installed the energy of Prayaga Raj near Lake Manasorovar, at a place now known as Prayang. Then he planted the seed of this eternal banyan tree next to Mt. Kailash on a mountain known as the "Palace of Medicine Buddha".
China
In Chinese mythology, a carving of a Tree of Life depicts a phoenix and a dragon; the dragon often represents immortality. A Taoist story tells of a tree that produces a peach every three thousand years. The one who eats the fruit receives immortality.An archaeological discovery in the 1990s was of a sacrificial pit at Sanxingdui in Sichuan, China. Dating from about 1200 BCE, it contained three bronze trees, one of them 4 meters high. At the base was a dragon, and fruit hanging from the lower branches. At the top is a strange bird-like (phoenix) creature with claws. Also found in Sichuan, from the late Han dynasty (c 25 – 220 CE), is another tree of life. The ceramic base is guarded by a horned beast with wings. The leaves of the tree are coins and people. At the apex is a bird with coins and the Sun.
Christianity
In Catholic Christianity, the Tree of Life represents the immaculate state of humanity free from corruption and Original Sin before the Fall. Pope Benedict XVI has said that "the Cross is the true tree of life." Saint Bonaventure taught that the medicinal fruit of the Tree of Life is Christ himself. Saint Albert the Great taught that the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ, is the Fruit of the Tree of Life.[18] Augustine of Hippo said that the tree of life is Christ: "All these things stood for something other than what they were, but all the same they were themselves bodily realities. And when the narrator mentioned them he was not employing figurative language, but giving an explicit account of things which had a forward reference that was figurative. So then the tree of life also was Christ... and indeed God did not wish the man to live in Paradise without the mysteries of spiritual things being presented to him in bodily form. So then in the other trees he was provided with nourishment, in this one with a sacrament... He is rightly called whatever came before him in order to signify him."[19]
The tree first appeared in Genesis 2:9 and 3:22-24 as the source of eternal life in the Garden of Eden, from which access is revoked when man is driven from the garden. It then reappears in the last book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation, and most predominantly in the last chapter of that book (Chapter 22) as a part of the new garden of paradise. Access is then no longer forbidden, for those who "wash their robes" (or as the textual variant in the King James Version has it, "they that do his commandments") "have right to the tree of life" (v.14). A similar statement appears in Rev 2:7, where the tree of life is promised as a reward to those who overcome. Revelation 22 begins with a reference to the "pure river of water of life" which proceeds "out of the throne of God". The river seems to feed two trees of life, one "on either side of the river" which "bear twelve manner of fruits" "and the leaves of the tree were for healing of the nations" (v.1-2).[20] Or this may indicate that the tree of life is a vine that grows on both sides of the river, as John 15:1 would hint at.
In Eastern Christianity the tree of life is the love of God.The tree of life appears in the Book of Mormon in a revelation to Lehi (see 1 Nephi 8:10). It is symbolic of the love of God (see 1 Nephi 11:21-23). Its fruit is described as "most precious and most desirable above all other fruits," which "is the greatest of all the gifts of God" (see 1 Nephi 15:36). In another scriptural book, salvation is called "the greatest of all the gifts of God" (see Doctrine and Covenants 6:13). In the same book eternal life is also called the "greatest of all the gifts of God" (see Doctrine and Covenants 14:7). Because of these references, the tree of life and its fruit is sometimes understood to be symbolic of salvation and post-mortal existence in the presence of God and his love.
Europe
11th century Tree of Life sculpture at an ancient Swedish church
In Dictionnaire Mytho-Hermetique (Paris, 1737), Antoine-Joseph Pernety, a famous alchemist, identified the Tree of Life with the Elixir of Life and the Philosopher's Stone.
In Eden in the East (1998), Stephen Oppenheimer suggests that a tree-worshipping culture arose in Indonesia and was diffused by the so-called "Younger Dryas" event of c. 8000 BCE, when the sea level rose. This culture reached China (Szechuan), then India and the Middle East. Finally the Finno-Ugaritic strand of this diffusion spread through Russia to Finland where the Norse myth of Yggdrasil took root.
Georgia
The Borjgali (Georgian: ბორჯღალი) is an ancient Georgian Tree of Life symbol.
Germanic paganism and Norse mythology[
In Germanic paganism, trees played (and, in the form of reconstructive Heathenry and Germanic Neopaganism, continue to play) a prominent role, appearing in various aspects of surviving texts and possibly in the name of gods.
The tree of life appears in Norse religion as Yggdrasil, the world tree, a massive tree (sometimes considered a yew or ash tree) with extensive lore surrounding it. Perhaps related to Yggdrasil, accounts have survived of Germanic Tribes' honouring sacred trees within their societies. Examples include Thor's Oak, sacred groves, the Sacred tree at Uppsala, and the wooden Irminsul pillar. In Norse Mythology, the apples from Iðunn's ash box provide immortality for the gods.
Hinduism
The Eternal Banyan Tree (Akshaya Vata) is located on the bank of the Yamuna inside the courtyard of Allahabad Fort near the confluence of the Yamuna and Ganga Rivers in Allahabad. The eternal and divine nature of this tree has been documented at length in the scriptures.[citation needed]
During the cyclic destruction of creation when the whole earth was enveloped by waters, akshaya vata remained unaffected. It is on the leaves of this tree that Lord Krishna rested in the form of a baby when land was no longer visible. And it is here that the immortal sage, Markandeya, received the cosmic vision of the Lord. It is under this tree that Buddha meditates eternally. Legend also has it that the Bodi tree at Gaya is a manifestation of this tree.
Islam
Carpet Tree of Life
Main article: Quranic tree of life
See also: Sidrat al-Muntaha
The "Tree of Immortality" (Arabic: شجرة الخلود) is the tree of life motif as it appears in the Quran. It is also alluded to in hadiths and tafsir. Unlike the biblical account, the Quran mentions only one tree in Eden, also called the tree of immortality, which Allah specifically forbade to Adam and Eve. Satan, disguised as a serpent, repeatedly told Adam to eat from the tree, and eventually both Adam and Eve did so, thus disobeying Allah.] The hadiths also speak about other trees in heaven.
According to the Ahmadiyya movement, Quranic reference to the tree is symbolic; eating of the forbidden tree signifies that Adam disobeyed God.[
Jewish sources
Main articles: Etz Chaim and Biblical tree of life
Etz Chaim, Hebrew for "tree of life," is a common term used in Judaism. The expression, found in the Book of Proverbs, is figuratively applied to the Torah itself. Etz Chaim is also a common name for yeshivas and synagogues as well as for works of Rabbinic literature. It is also used to describe each of the wooden poles to which the parchment of a Sefer Torah is attached.The tree of life is mentioned in the Book of Genesis; it is distinct from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. After Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they were driven out of the Garden of Eden. Remaining in the garden, however, was the tree of life. To prevent their access to this tree in the future, Cherubim with a flaming sword were placed at the east of the garden. (Genesis 3:22-24)
In the Book of Proverbs, the tree of life is associated with wisdom: "[Wisdom] is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy [is every one] that retaineth her." (Proverbs 3:13-18) In 15:4 the tree of life is associated with calmness: "A soothing tongue is a tree of life; but perverseness therein is a wound to the spirit."
The Book of Enoch, generally considered non-canonical, states that in the time of the great judgment God will give all those whose names are in the Book of Life fruit to eat from the Tree of Life.
Kathara grid
The esoteric bio-spiritual healing system of kathara which is presented on Earth by the official Speaker of the Guardian Alliance – E’Asha Ashayana,explains in detail the function of the code of the kathara grid] as the natural tree of life. Kathara reveals the anatomy of Creation, core structure, the blueprints & interconnectedness of all matter forms and in the center is the replication of the kathara grid everywhere.The kathara grid consists of 12 kathara centers and the relationships between them represent the true meaning of the phrase "As above, so below" and the correspondence between microcosmos and macrocosmos.
Kabbalah. Judaic Kabbalah Tree of Life 10 Sephirot, through which the Ein Sof unknowable Divine manifests Creation. The configuration relates to manJewish mysticism depicts the Tree of Life in the form of ten interconnected nodes, as the central symbol of the Kabbalah. It comprises the ten Sephirot powers in the Divine realm. The panentheistic and anthropomorphic emphasis of this emanationist theology interpreted the Torah, Jewish observance, and the purpose of Creation as the symbolic esoteric drama of unification in the Sephirot, restoring harmony to Creation. From the time of the Renaissance onwards, Jewish Kabbalah became incorporated as an important tradition in non-Jewish Western culture, first through its adoption by Christian Cabala, and continuing in Western esotericism occult Hermetic Qabalah. These adapted the Judaic Kabbalah Tree of Life syncretically by associating it with other religious traditions, esoteric theologies, and magical practices.
Mesoamerican
The concept of world trees is a prevalent motif in pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cosmologies and iconography. World trees embodied the four cardinal directions, which represented also the fourfold nature of a central world tree, a symbolic axis mundi connecting the planes of the Underworld and the sky with that of the terrestrial world.Depictions of world trees, both in their directional and central aspects, are found in the art and mythological traditions of cultures such as the Maya, Aztec, Izapan, Mixtec, Olmec, and others, dating to at least the Mid/Late Formative periods of Mesoamerican chronology. Among the Maya, the central world tree was conceived as or represented by a ceiba tree, and is known variously as a wacah chan or yax imix che, depending on the Mayan language.[32] The trunk of the tree could also be represented by an upright caiman, whose skin evokes the tree's spiny trunk.Directional world trees are also associated with the four Yearbearers in Mesoamerican calendars, and the directional colors and deities. Mesoamerican codices which have this association outlined include the Dresden, Borgia and Fejérváry-Mayer codices.[31] It is supposed that Mesoamerican sites and ceremonial centers frequently had actual trees planted at each of the four cardinal directions, representing the quadripartite concept.World trees are frequently depicted with birds in their branches, and their roots extending into earth or water (sometimes atop a "water-monster," symbolic of the underworld). The central world tree has also been interpreted as a representation of the band of the Milky Way.
Middle East
The Epic of Gilgamesh is a similar quest for immortality. In Mesopotamian mythology, Etana searches for a 'plant of birth' to provide him with a son. This has a solid provenance of antiquity, being found in cylinder seals from Akkad (2390–2249 BCE).The Book of One Thousand and One Nights has a story, 'The Tale of Buluqiya', in which the hero searches for immortality and finds a paradise with jewel-encrusted trees. Nearby is a Fountain of Youth guarded by Al-Khidr. Unable to defeat the guard, Buluqiya has to return empty-handed.
North American
In a myth passed down among the Iroquois, The World on the Turtle's Back, explains the origin of the land in which a tree of life is described. According to the myth, it is found in the heavens, where the first humans lived, until a pregnant woman fell and landed in an endless sea. Saved by a giant turtle from drowning, she formed the world on its back by planting bark taken from the tree.The tree of life motif is present in the traditional Ojibway cosmology and traditions. It is sometimes described as Grandmother Cedar, or Nookomis Giizhig in Anishinaabemowin.In the book Black Elk Speaks, Black Elk, an Oglala Lakota (Sioux) wičháša wakȟáŋ (medicine man and holy man), describes his vision in which after dancing around a dying tree that has never bloomed he is transported to the other world (spirit world) where he meets wise elders, 12 men and 12 women. The elders tell Black Elk that they will bring him to meet "Our Father, the two-legged chief" and bring him to the center of a hoop where he sees the tree in full leaf and bloom and the "chief" standing against the tree. Coming out of his trance he hopes to see that the earthly tree has bloomed, but it is dead
Serer religion
In Serer religion, the tree of life as a religious concept forms the basis of Serer cosmogony. Trees were the first things created on Earth by the supreme being Roog (or Koox among the Cangin). In the competing versions of the Serer creation myth, the Somb (Prosopis africana) and the Saas tree (acacia albida) are both viewed as trees of life. However, the prevailing view is that, the Somb was the first tree on Earth and the progenitor of plant life. The Somb was also used in the Serer tumuli and burial chambers, many of which had survived for more than a thousand years.Thus, Somb is not only the Tree of Life in Serer society, but the symbol of immortality
Urartian Tree of Life
In ancient Urartu, the Tree of Life was a religious symbol and was drawn on walls of fortresses and carved on the armor of warriors. The branches of the tree were equally divided on the right and left sides of the stem, with each branch having one leaf, and one leaf on the apex of the tree. Servants stood on each side of the tree with one of their hands up as if they are taking care of the tree.
Turkic .The Tree of Life, as seen as in flag of Chuvashia, a Turkic state in the Russian FederationThe Tree of Life design on 0,05 Turkish lira (5 kuruş).
The World Tree or Tree of Life is a central symbol in Turkic mythology.[citation needed] It is a common motif in carpets.
It is also used as the main design of a common Turkish lira sub-unit 5 kuruş since 2009.
آزاد دائرۃ المعارف، ویکیپیڈیا سے
’’ جنت‘‘ لفظی معنی ہر اس باغ کے ہیں جس کے درخت زمین کو چھپا لیں۔ کل بستان ذی شجر یستر باشجارہ الارض (راغب اصفہانی) ’’ الجنۃ‘‘ سے اصطلاح شرعی میں مراد وہ عظیم الشان باغ ہے جو بے شمار نعمتیں لیے ہوئے عالم آخرت میں نیک کاروں کے لیے مخصوص ہے اور آج نظروں سے مستور ہے، اس کا نام جنت یا تو اس لیے پڑا کہ وہ دنیا کے باغوں سے مشابہ ہے۔ گومشابہت بہت دور کی سہی۔ اور یا اس لیے کہ اس کی نعمتیں ابھی مستور ہیں۔ سمیت الجنۃ اما تشبیھا بالجنۃ فی الارض وان کان بینھما بون واما السترہ نعمھا عنا (راغب)[1] وہ باغ جس کے متعلق انبیا کی تعلیمات پرایمان لا کر نیک اور اچھے کام کرنے والوں کو خوشخبری دی گئی ہے۔ یہ ایسا حسین اور خوبصورت باغ ہے جس کی مثال کوئي نہیں یہ مقام مرنے کے بعد قیامت کے دن ان لوگوں کو ملے گا جنہوں نے دنیا میں ایمان لا کر نیک اور اچھے کام کیے ہیں۔ قرآن مجید نے جنت کی یہ تعریف کی ہے کہ اس میں نہریں بہتی ہوں گی۔ عالیشان عمارتیں ہوں گی،۔ خدمت کے لیے حور و غلمان ملیں گے۔ انسان کی تمام جائز خواہشیں پوری ہوں گی۔ اور لوگ امن اور چین سے ابدی زندگی بسر کریں گے۔
جنت کی نہروں میں زیادہ مشہور کوثر و سلسبیل ہیں۔ کہا جاتا ہے کہ ان میں جو پانی بہے گا وہ شہد اور دودھ ایسا ہوگا۔ اس کو شراب طہور ’’پینے کی پاکیزہ شے‘‘ کہا گیا ہے۔ قرآن میں نہروں کی تعداد کا کوئی ذکر نہیں۔ کوثر کے متعلق بعض علما کا خیال ہے کہ وہ نہر نہیں، حوض ہے۔ قیامت کے دن نیک لوگ رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ و آلہ وسلم کے ہاتھوں کوثر کا پانی پئیں گے۔ اسی لیے حضور کو ساقی کوثر بھی کہتے ہیں۔ قرآن پاک میں ایک سورۃ کوثر بھی ہے۔ جنت کی اعلی ترین نعمت خدا کا دیدار بھی ہوگا۔ یہی وہ مقام ہے جہاں سے آدم و حوا کو آزمائش کے لیے نکالا گیا تھا۔
بہشت کے آٹھ درجے
1. دارلخلد، یہ عام لوگوں کے واسطے ہے،
2. دارالسلام، جو فقیروں اور صابروں کا مقام ہے،
3. دارالمقام، جو مالدار شکر گزاروں کا مقام ہے،
4. عدن، یہ عابدوں، زاہدوں، غازیوں، سخیوں اور اماموں کے واسطے ہے،
5. دار القرار، اس میں حافظ و عالم رہیں گے،
6. جنت النعیم، یہ شہدوں اور مؤذنوں کے لیے ہے،
7. جنت الماویٰ، جو شہدائے اکبر محسنین اور اولیاءکرام کا مقام ہے،
8. جنت الفردوس، جو نبیوں اور رسولوں اور علما عاملین کی جگہ ہے
التأويل من المصطلحات المختلف عليها في علوم الدين والقرآن عند المسلمين فمنهم من قال:يطلق في القرآن والسنة ويراد به التفسير، كما يراد به الحقيقة التي يؤول إليها الأمر أو الخبر.[1] تأويل الكلام هو الرجوع به إلى مراد المتكلم، وهو على قسمين: الأول: بيان مراد المتكلم، وهذا هو التفسير. الثاني: الموجود الذي يؤول إليه الكلام، أي ظهور المتكلم به إلى الواقع المحسوس.[2] وهناك من قال بأن التفسير غير التأويل مثل قول (الثعلبي):التفسير بيان وضع اللفظ إما حقيقة أو مجازاً، والتأويل تفسير باطن اللفظ
التأويل في اللغة هو الارجاع. أوّلَ الشئ أي أرجعه، وآل إليه الشئ أي رجع إليه [4]. إذن فكلمة (آل) (إيالاً) و(أيلولةً) و(مآلاً) تعني رجع وصار و(آل) عنه تعني ارتد. و(آل) على القوم تعني ولي عليهم فهم رعاياه ويرجعون اليه وهو مسئول عنهم. و(أوّل) الشئ إليه أرجعه، و(أوّل) الكلام يعني فسره... فكأن التأويل هو إرجاع للكلمة المرادة إلى أصل أبعد من المعنى الحرفي لها. أي أن التأويل إرجاع أبعد من إرجاع المفردة العادية، أو، قل، هو إرجاع ثنائي، أولا يتم إرجاع الكلمة إلى الذهن لمعرفة معناها، ثم يتم إرجاع المعنى إلى ما وراء المعنى المصطلح عليه للتوصل إلى (معنى المعنى)[5].
ولعله لا توجد كلمة في العربية أثارت جدلا بين الباحثين مثل كلمة تأويل. فهي الكلمة التي امتازت بفتح الأفق واكتشاف المثير والجديد، كما أنها هي نفسها التي أظهرت الطوائف الإسلامية باختلافها الموضوعي وغير الموضوعي الذي وصل حد الاقتتال، كما هي بذاتها التي أخرجت المدارس النقدية والفكرية والفنية المتميزة ودارت حولها أفكارها ومفاهيمها، وهي (هي) التي تثير جدلا واسعا الآن بين مفكري العصر الحديث، وهي (هي) التي عن طريقها يبلغ الأديب والفقيه ذروة غاياته.
ولمعرفة التأويل أكثر لا بد من التطرق لعدد من المصطلحات اللغوية التي تتبع لكلمة تأويل مثل (الدلالة) و(التفسير) و(اللغة).
يقول الإمام أبو جعفر محمد بن جرير الطبري في مقدمة تفسيره جامع البيان في تأويل آي القرآن:
تأويلقد قلنا فيما مضى من كتابنا هذا في وجوه تأويل القرآن، وأن تأويل جميع القرآن على أوجه ثلاثة:
أحدها لا سبيل إلى الوصول إليه، وهو الذي استأثر الله بعلمه، وحجب علمه عن جميع خلقه، وهو أوقات ما كان من آجال الأمور الحادثة، التي أخبر الله في كتابه أنها كائنة، مثل: وقت قيام الساعة، ووقت نزول عيسى ابن مريم، ووقت طلوع الشمس من مغربها، والنفخ في الصور، وما أشبه ذلك.
والوجه الثاني: ما خص الله بعلم تأويله نبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم دون سائر أمته، وهو ما فيه مما بعباده إلى علم تأويله الحاجة، فلا سبيل لهم إلى علم ذلك إلا ببيان الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم لهم تأويله.
والثالث منها: ما كان علمه عند أهل اللسان الذي نزل به القرآن، وذلك علم تأويل عربيته وإعرابه، لا يوصل إلى علم ذلك إلا من قبلهم.
فإذ كان ذلك كذلك، فأحق المفسرين بإصابة الحق - في تأويل القرآن الذي إلى علم تأويله للعباد السبيل - أوضحهم حجة فيما تأول وفسر، مما كان تأويله إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم دون سائر أمته من أخبار رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم الثابتة عنه: إما من جهة النقل المستفيض، فيما وجد فيه من ذلك عنه النقل المستفيض، وإما من جهة نقل العدول الأثبات، فيما لم يكن فيه عنه النقل المستفيض، أو من جهة الدلالة المنصوبة على صحته; وأصحهم برهانا - فيما ترجم وبين من ذلك - مما كان مدركا علمه من جهة اللسان: إما بالشواهد من أشعارهم السائرة، وإما من منطقهم ولغاتهم المستفيضة المعروفة، كائنا من كان ذلك المتأول والمفسر، بعد أن لا يكون خارجا تأويله وتفسيره ما تأول وفسر من ذلك، عن أقوال السلف من الصحابة والأئمة، والخلف من التابعين وعلماء الأمة
وتفسير الطبري من أكبر كتب التفسير، يقع في ثلاثين جزءاً، وهو مطبوع عدة طبعات. وهو تفسير شامل فسّر فيه الطبري القرآن الكريم آية آية، وكلمة كلمة. وهو يقسِّم السورة إلى مجموعات، تضم كل مجموعة آية أو أكثر، ويبدأ تفسير كل مجموعة بقوله: (القول في تأويل قوله تعالى...)، ثم يُبَيِّن المعنى في إيجاز بأسلوبه وعبارته، ثم يقول: (وبمثل الذي قلنا في تأويل الآية قال جماعة من أهل التأويل)، ويعقب ذلك مباشرة بقوله: (ذِكْر مَنْ قال ذلك) فيذكر الروايات المنقولة في الآية أو الكلمة التي يفسرها عن النبي Mohamed peace be upon him.svg أو مفسري الصحابة والتابعين وتابعيهم. وإذا كان هناك اختلاف في تفسير شيء من القرآن بين أهل التفسير فإنه يقول: (وقد اختلف أهل التأويل في تأويل قوله... فقال بعضهم... وقال آخرون)
إن التأويل (حركة) متصاعدة لا تتوقف فإذا توقفت تحتم وجود تجاوز زمكاني للنص لهذا فإن النص لا يعيش الا في ظل التأويل.. ومن هنا ظهرت في العصر الحديث حركات إسلامية (فردية)عديدة تبنت مفهوما جديدا للنص القرآني كما ظهر مفكرون أصحاب وجهات نظر مغايرة لمألوف التراث الإسلامي ولعل تاريخ هذه الحركة الفكرية الجديدة قد استهلت بالإمام محمد عبده الذي قاد هجمة شرسة على مؤسسة الدين الرسمية في البلاد (الأزهر) ومما قاله عن الأزهر (مكثت عشرة أعوام أنظف رأسي عن قاذوراته ولم أستطع).. ولعل هذه القطيعة العجيبة بين شيخ أزهري وبجدته[9] كان سببها الرئيس هي تأويلاته الحداثوية التي لاقت اعتراضا شرسا من اصحاب العمامات. يقاسم الشيخ محمد عبده ريادته الدكتور طه حسين الذي أحدث ثورة في عالم الفكر الديني ومن أشهر مظاهر ثورته كتابه (في الشعر الجاهلي) الذي رفض فيه ما نحل للشعراء الجاهليين من أشعار من قبل المفسرين وكتاب السيرة. وهناك أيضا محمد عمارة الذي تأثر بأفكار المعتزلة وحقق لهم الكثير من الكتب المهمة ومن أهم كتبه (التراث في ضوء العقل). وهناك الكاتب (علي حرب) الذي تناول أزمة الحداثة والفكر الإسلامي، وهناك أيضا الكاتبة فاطمة المرنيسي. وهناك أيضا الدكتور نصر حامد أبو زيد الذي كاد أن يكلفه تأويله حياته الزوجية ففر وزوجته إلى المهجر..
ولكن يمكننا أن نقول بأن أشهر دعاة التأويل في العصر الحديث وأهمهم هو الأستاذ محمود محمد طه وتأتي أهمية طه من أنه الوحيد من كل دعاة التجديد والتنوير الذي أصبغ على أفكاره صفة التنظيمية فانشأ جماعة الاخوان الجمهوريين التي انتشرت في السودان منذ منتصف القرن الماضي. كما أن طه قد امتاز بتأويله المترابط للنص الديني وربطه لذلك التأويل بالحياة العامة فهو رجل دين ينظر للحياة الحديثة من داخل الدين. ويتحدث عن رؤيته الحديثة في شأن الدولة وسياستها واقتصادها وحكمها من منظور تأويلي تجديدي لاقى استحسان العديدين في الاوساط التنويرية ولكنه أيضا قوبل باستهجان وغضب الكثيرين في الدوائر الدينية الرسمية مثل الأزهر ورابطة العالم الإسلامي
ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AA%D8%A3%D9%88%D9%8A%D9%84
The term jannāt ʿadni ("Gardens of Eden" or "Gardens of Perpetual Residence" is used in the Qur'an for the destination of the righteous. There are several mentions of "the Garden" in the Qur'an (2:35, 7:19, 20:117), while the Garden of Eden, without the word ʿadn, is commonly the fourth layer of the Islamic heaven and not necessarily thought as the dwelling place of Adam. The Quran refers frequently over various Surah about the first abode of Adam and his wife, including surat Sad, which features 18 verses on the subject (38:71–88), surat al-Baqara, surat al-A'raf, and surat al-Hijr although sometimes without mentioning the location. The narrative mainly surrounds the resulting expulsion of Adam and Eve after they were tempted by Shaitan. Despite the Biblical account, the Quran mentions only one tree in Eden, the tree of immortality, which God specifically claimed it was forbidden to Adam and Eve. Some exegesis added an account, about Satan, disguised as a serpent to enter the Garden, repeatedly told Adam to eat from the tree, and eventually both Adam and Eve did so, resulting in disobeying God. These stories are also featured in the hadith collections, including al-Tabari.
An artists representation of "Muhammed's Paradise". A Persian miniature from The History of Mohammed, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.
The Paradise is described as surrounded by eight principal gates, each level generally being divided into a hundred degrees guarded by angels (in some traditions Ridwan). The highest level is known as firdaws (sometimes called Eden) or Illiyin. Entrants will be greeted by angels with salutations of peace or As-Salamu Alaykum. Furthermore, paradise is considered to be "as vast as the heavens and the earth".
In the Quran, "the Garden" is described with material delights, such as beautiful maidens, precious stones, delicious foods, and constantly flowing water—the latter especially appealing to the desert dwelling Arabs, who spend most of their life in arid lands. The Islamic texts describes life for its immortal inhabitants as: one that is happy—without hurt, sorrow, fear or shame—where every wish is fulfilled. Traditions relate that inhabitants will be of the same age (33 years), and of the same standing. Their life is one of bliss including wearing sumptuous robes, bracelets and perfumes as they partake in exquisite banquets served in priceless vessels by immortal youths (Houri), as they recline on couches inlaid with gold or precious stones.
According to Muslim belief, everything one longs for in this world will be there in Paradise.
They will eat delicious food and drink, and every bowl will have a new taste. They will take eructation which will digest the food and there will be perfumed sweating for the digestion of water. Inhabitants will rejoice in the company of their parents, spouses, and children (provided they were admitted to paradise)—conversing and recalling the past.
The food in Jannah never rotting and so delicious it will make any person on earth live without feeling hunger forever. The dwellings for inhabitants will be pleasant, with lofty gardens, shady valleys, fountains scented with camphor or ginger; rivers of water, milk, honey and Sharab-un-Tahoora (pure drink); delicious fruits of all seasons without thorns;
One day in paradise is considered equal to a thousand years on earth. Palaces are made from bricks of gold, silver, pearls, among other things. Traditions also note the presence of horses and camels of "dazzling whiteness", along with other creatures. Large trees whose shades are ever deepening, mountains made of musk, between which rivers flow in valleys of pearl and ruby.
The names of four rivers are Saihan (Syr Darya), Jaihan (Amu Darya), Furat (Euphrates) and Nil (Nile). Salsabil is the name of a spring that is the source of the rivers of Rahma (mercy) and Al-Kawthar (abundance). Sidrat al-Muntaha is a Lote tree that marks the end of the seventh heaven, the boundary where no creation can pass.[citation needed]
In spite of the goodly dwellings given to the inhabitants of paradise, the approval of God and nearness to him is considered greater. According to the Quran, God will bring the elect near to his throne (‘arsh), a day on which "some faces shall be shining in contemplating their Lord." The vision of God is regarded as the greatest of all rewards, surpassing all other joys. The true beauty of paradise is also understood as the joy of beholding God, the creator.
Besides the material notion of the paradise, those descriptions are also interpreted as allegories, explaining the state of joy people will get. For some theologicans, seeing God is not a question of sight, but of awareness of Gods presence. The Persian theologian Al-Ghazali said:
This life belongs to the world of earth and the world of visibility; the hereafter belongs to the world of transcendental and the world of beings. By this life I understand your state before death, by hereafter I understand your state after death ... However, it is impossible to explain the world of beings in this life by any other means than allegories.
Inhabitants of Jannah
According to the Quran, the basic criterion for salvation in the afterlife is the belief in the oneness of God (tawḥīd), Angels of God, revealed books of God, all messengers of God, as well as repentance to God, and doing good deeds. Though one must do good deeds and believe in God, salvation can only be attained through God's judgment.
Regarding salvation from hell, according to hadith literature, Muhammad said, “Surely a time will come over hell when its gates shall be blown by wind, there shall be none in it, and this shall be after they have remained therein for many years.” Still in the Hadith literature, Muhammad is reported to have said, "Allah will bring out people from the Fire and admit them into Paradise."Otherwise some hadiths indicate, that the majority of mankind will not access heaven.[21] According to Sunni Islam, a Muslim, even if condemned to hell, will eventually enter Heaven.
As in life there are many trials which one must face. This is also a condition individuals must encounter in order to enter Jannah.
Or do ye think that ye shall enter the Garden (of bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They encountered suffering and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried: "When (will come) the help of Allah?" Ah! Verily, the help of Allah is (always) near!
— Qur'an, sura 2 (al-Baqarah), ayah 214
Did ye think that ye would enter Heaven without Allah testing those of you who fought hard (In His Cause) and remained steadfast?
— Qur'an, sura 3 (Al-i-Imran), ayah 142
Non-Muslims in Jannah
There are different opinions among scholars in regard whether Non-Muslims could enter Jannah. Some Muslims and Islamic scholars argued Surah 2:62 indicates Jannah is not exclusively for Muslims.
Indeed, those who believed and those who were Jews or Christians or Sabeans—those who believed in Allah and the Last Day and did righteousness—will have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve.2:62
On the other hand, other scholars hold this verse is abrogated by Surah 3:85 and just applied until the arrival of Muhammad. For example, before Jesus was born, Jewish will enter Jannah alike Christians, who lived before Muhammad enter Jannah, but every religious group needs to accept the newest prophet.
And whoever desires other than Islam as religion—never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.3:85
Scholars like Ibn Arabi did not hold the first to be abrogated by the latter, since "Islam" in this context, does not apply to Islam as a religious tradition, but to "submission".Ghazali distinguished between the "saved" and "those who will attain success". Therefore, righteous Non-Muslims will neither enter hell nor Jannah, but will stay in Araf.
Further those, who regard Jannah as exclusively for Muslims argue, that Islam is the "completed" and "perfected" religion and it is necessary to believe in the whole teaching of God, the prophets and the angels that just can be done by a Muslim.
According to the Islamic theologican Süleyman Ateş, argues Muslims had made a mistake Jewish and Christians made before by claiming paradise being exclusive for Muslims. Further he states, that those who believes in God without associating any partners with Him, believes in the hereafter without any doubt and do good and useful deeds can enter paradise, conditions several religions offer. He also refers to the Quran 5:66 that there are good and bad people among any religion, and even not all Muslims may enter paradise.
Finally, most scholars agree that Non-Muslims who did not hear the message of Islam and Non-Muslims who died in childhood are eligible for Jannah as well:
… And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning).17:15
Number of people who will enter Jannah
Several precise numbers are mentioned in the hadith literature regarding the extremely high standards required to qualify for Jannah. Initially, a select elite group of 70,000 people from the followers of Muhammad will enter Jannah without any accountability of their sins.
After the above group, only 1 out of 100 people from the rest of humanity (Muslim and Non-Muslim) would qualify for Jannah. It is understood that despite this small percentage, the actual number of people who would make it to Jannah would be higher, as Allah would forgive the sins of many people, allowing them to enter Jannah as well.
Esoteric interpretation of the Quran, taʾwīl (تأويل), is the allegorical interpretation of the Quran or the quest for its hidden, inner meanings. It was a synonym of conventional interpretation in its earliest use, but it came to mean a process of discerning its most fundamental understandings. Esoteric interpretations do not usually contradict the conventional (in this context called exoteric) interpretations; instead, they discuss the inner levels of meaning of the Quran.The words Ta'wil and Tafsir have been translated to mean explanation, elucidation, interpretation, and commentary; but from the end of the 8th century onwards, 'ta'wil' was commonly regarded as the esoteric or mystical interpretation of the Quran, while the conventional exegesis of the Quran was called "tafsir". The term batin refers to the inner or esoteric meaning of a sacred text, and zahir to the apparent or exoteric meaning.[3] Esoteric interpretations are found in Shia and Sunni interpretations of the Quran. A hadith which states that the Quran has an inner meaning, and that this inner meaning conceals a yet deeper inner meaning, and so on (up to seven successive levels of deeper meaning), has sometimes been used in support of this view.Scholars agree that some passages of the Quran leave certain ideas implied rather than stated and that, from the outset, the Quran cautions that some verses are literal in meaning, while others, named "mutashabihat", are metaphorical in meaning:"It is God who has sent down to you the book: In it are verses clear (muhkamat), they are the foundation of the book, others are unspecific (mutashabihat)."[6] (Quran 3:7)
Esoteric exegesis attempts to unveil the inner meaning of the Quran by moving beyond the apparent point of the verses and relating Quranic verses to the inner and the metaphysical dimensions of consciousness and existence. The exoteric aspect is the literal word, the law, and the material text of the Quran, and the esoteric aspect is the hidden meaning. Esoteric interpretations are more suggestive than declarative and are 'allusions' rather than 'explanations' and indicate possibilities as much as they demonstrate the insights of each writer. However the Qur'an says this about doing so (Sahih Int. Translation): "As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation [suitable to them]. And no one knows its [true] interpretation except Allah. But those firm in knowledge say, "We believe in it. All [of it] is from our Lord." And no one will be reminded except those of understanding." (from verse 3:7) Only a few examples are given here. In 7:172, the Quran states:"And when Your Lord summoned the descendants of Adam, and made them testify about themselves. "Am I not your Lord?" They said, "Yes, we testify." Thus you cannot say on the Day of Resurrection we were unaware of this." According to the above verse, before the Creation, God called the future humanity out of the loins of the not-yet-created Adam and addressed them with the words: "Am I not your Lord?", and they answered: "Yes, we witness it". In Islam, this "primordial covenant" is the metahistorical foundation between God and humankind. The Quran first mentions an 'inner meaning' (ta'wil) in 18:65–82 in the story of Moses and Khidr, a mystical figure of the ancient Middle East who reluctantly accepts Moses as his traveling student. When Khidr performs strange acts, Moses questions him about them. Khidr gives him the 'inner explanation' (ta'wil) of his actions. Along the way, the esoteric being damages a boat belonging to poor people. Moses is so disturbed that he keeps protesting despite his agreement to keep silent. At the end of the journey, Khidr tells Moses the reasons for his inexplicable actions: "As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working at sea, so I intended to cause defect in it as there was after them a king who seized every ship by force."In 56:79, the Quran describes itself: "This is an honorable Quran, in a book hidden, which none can touch except the purified." In the exoteric sense, the Quran requires Muslims to perform ritual cleansing of their hands before touching it. Esoteric interpreters were of the opinion that the Quran implies that individuals with spiritual purity are able to grasp its meaning. Attar of Nishapur, a 12th-century mystical poet, gives a mystical interpretation of the Quranic story of the descent of Adam and Eve from Paradise to Earth. According to Attar, "the man whose mind and vision are ensnared by heaven's grace must forfeit that same grace, for only then can he direct his face To his true Lord." Occasionally, a verse may be interpreted in a sense very different from its conventional meaning. For example, Hamadani, in his book Tamheedat ('Preludes'), interprets 104:6–7 ("It is a fierce fire created by God, to penetrate into the hearts."), which conventionally refers to the punishment in hell, to be the passion of divine love. Hamadani interprets 14:48 ("On the Day when the earth is changed into another earth, and the heavens, and they will emerge before God"), which conventionally describes the Day of Judgment as a description of the moment of spiritual awakening or enlightenment. Sufis believe that Quran's initial letters (Muqatta'at) conceal mysteries that can not be fully expressed in words and should be understood as mystic experiences. In Sufi commentaries of the Quran, Sufism concepts are commonly related such as the hierarchical levels of realities in human experience (human, supra-sensible, and divine levels), the various states of consciousness such as passing away in God (fana) and subsisting through God (baqa), and the ideas concerning the six subtleties (lataif-e-sitta). A hadith attributed to Muhammad is essential in understanding the inward aspects of the Quran, and it is fundamental to Quranic exegesis:"The Quran possesses an external appearance and a hidden depth, an exoteric meaning and an esoteric meaning. This esoteric meaning in turn conceals an esoteric meaning so it goes on for seven esoteric meanings (seven depths of hidden depth)."There is a statement made by the Imam, Jafar Sadiq (d. 765 CE): "The book of God comprises four things: the statement set down, the allusions, the hidden meanings relating to the supra-sensible world, and the exalted spiritual doctrines. The literal statement is for the ordinary believers. The allusions are the concern of the elite. The hidden meanings pertain to the friends of God. The exalted spiritual doctrines are the province of the prophets."
Esoteric interpretations
The most important author of esoteric interpretation prior to the 11th century was Sulami (d. 1021 CE); without his work, most of the very early Sufi commentaries would not have been preserved. Sulami's major commentary was a book named haqaiq al-tafsir ("Truths of Exegesis"), a compilation of commentaries of earlier Sufis.
Sahl Tustari (d. 896) was among the most important mystics in the early formative period of Islamic mysticism. His commentary (tafsir al-Quran al-azim) was compiled later by his disciples and preserved, as a commentary on the Quran. Tustari's commentary does not comprise interpretations of every single verse, but there are comments on a selection of verses.
A spiritual commentary of the Quran is attributed to Jafar al-Sadiq (Tafsir Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq), but its authenticity remains suspect. It conveys a spurious textual tradition and has little reliable material, but the items cited on Jafar Sadiq's authority in Sulami's book appear to be based on identifiable chains of transmitters.
From the 11th century, several other works appear such as commentaries by Qushayri (d. 1074), Daylami (d. 1193), Shirazi (d. 1209), and Suhrawardi (d. 1234). These works include material from Sulami's books as well as the author's own contributions. Many works are written in Persian, such as the works of Maybudi (d. 1135) kashaf al-asrar ("the unveiling of the secrets").
Rumi (d. 1273) wrote a vast amount of mystical poetry in his book Mathnawi. Rumi makes heavy use of the Quran in his poetry, a feature that is sometimes omitted in translations of his work. Rumi's manner of incorporating Quranic verses into his poetry is notable in that he does not use them as prooftexts but intertwines Quranic verses with his poetry.
Simnani (d. 1336) wrote two influential works of esoteric exegesis on the Quran. He reconciled notions of God's manifestation through and in the physical world with the sentiments of Sunni Islam. Simnani was a prolific author, 154 titles are ascribed to him, of which at least 79 exist today.
Comprehensive Sufi commentaries appear in the 18th century such as the work of Ismail Hakki Bursevi (d. 1725). His work ruh al-Bayan ("The Spirit of Elucidation") is a voluminous exegesis. Written in Arabic, it combines the author's own ideas with those of his predecessors (notably, Ibn Arabi and Ghazali).
Shia Islam is a branch of Islam in which one finds some of the most esoteric interpretations on the nature of the Quran. Shia interpretations of the Quran concern mainly issues of authority where the concept of Imamat is paramount. In Twelver Shia Islam, there are mainly two theological schools: the Akhbari and the Ususli. The former school interprets the Quran mainly through reliance upon traditions (hadith) ascribed to the Imams. The latter school gives more power to independent reasoning and judgment (ijtihad). Ismaili interpretation shares common ground with Sufism. The method is called kashf, an "unveiling" to the heart of the interpreter, and it is dependent upon the master, the grace of God, and the spiritual capacity of the interpreter.
Validity of esoteric interpretations
There is almost no dispute among Muslims that the Quran has concealed meanings. However, not every esoteric interpretation of the Quran is necessarily valid. Some interpreters are known to have overplayed the allegorical aspects of the Quran by claiming privileged understanding of its contents and distorting its meaning.The authority of the person who extracts such meanings is also a matter of debate. Mainstream theologians were willing to accept the interpretations if certain conditions were met.
One of the most important criteria is that the interpretation should not conflict with the literal meaning of the Quran. Suyuti (d. 1505CE) believed that exegesis should be rigorous to avoid misunderstanding. Taftazani (d. 1390) believed that pure gnosis and perfection of faith can be achieved when the subtle allusions of the Quran are harmonized with the literal sense.
Kristin Zahra Sands, in the beginning of her introduction, asks questions:
How can one begin to say what God "meant" by His revelation?
How does one balance the desire to understand the meaning of the Quran with the realistic fear of reducing it to the merely human and individualistic?
How, most basically, is one best to approach the Quran to discover its richness and transforming possibilities?
According to Sands, Quranic interpretation is an endless task and is different for each individual. Also, the language and the type of discourse that are chosen in interpretation varies in each commentator.
No word yet on whether Hughes believes his experiment proves or disproves flat-Earth theory, but he's always maintained that wasn't the goal. He believes the Earth is frisbee shaped.
Hughes is happy regardless. "Am I glad I did it? Yeah. I guess," he said. "I'll feel it in the morning. I won't be able to get out of bed. At least I can go home and have dinner and see my cats tonight."
The launch had its issues, which is why, according to Hughes, the rocket only managed to hit 1,875 feet. They had planned to hit 350 psi for thrust but could only hit 340 as a result of less-than-ideal conditions. The next step for Hughes is a "Rockoon", essentially a rocket that transforms into a balloon after launch, which will allow Hughes to fly higher. Sixty-eight miles up, Hughes believes. A film crew is following Hughes for a documentary set for release in August.
Hughes’s homemade rocket launches near Amboy, Calif., on Saturday. The self-taught rocket scientist, who believes Earth is flat, propelled himself about 1,875 feet into the air before a hard landing in the Mojave Desert. (Matt Hartman/AP)
Mike Hughes, a California man who is most known for his belief that the Earth is shaped like a Frisbee, finally blasted off into the sky in a steam-powered rocket he had built himself.
The 61-year-old limo driver and daredevil-turned-rocket-maker soared about 1,875 feet above the Mojave Desert on Saturday afternoon, the Associated Press reported. Hughes’s white-and-green rocket, bearing the words “FLAT EARTH,” propelled vertically about 3 p.m. Pacific time and reached a speed of about 350 mph, Waldo Stakes, who has been helping Hughes, told the AP. Hughes deployed two parachutes while landing, the second one just moments before he plopped down not far from his launching point. A video shows that the whole endeavor, from the moment his rocket went up to the moment he landed, lasted about a minute. The vertical launch, which happened without a countdown more than 200 miles east of Los Angeles, came amid growing skepticism that Hughes would ever lift himself off. The launch had been postponed multiple times, partly because Hughes said he couldn’t get permission from a federal agency to conduct it on public land.
After he landed Saturday, Hughes told the AP that he was “relieved” but that he expected to feel the physical toll of it all the next day.
“Am I glad I did it? Yeah. I guess. I’ll feel it in the morning. I won’t be able to get out of bed,” he said. “At least I can go home and have dinner and see my cats tonight.”
He also said he’d been frustrated with assumptions that he “chickened out,” so he “manned up and did it.”
Hughes had been on a mission to prove that the Earth is flat and that NASA astronauts such as John Glenn and Neil Armstrong were merely paid actors performing in front of a computer-generated image of a round globe. His previous failed attempts, as well as the successful one on Saturday, are all part of his ultimate goal to propel himself at least 52 miles above Earth by the end of the year — and to prove once and for all that the planet is flat.
On March 6, self-taught rocket scientist Mike Hughes began repairing a steam leak after scrubbing a launch attempt near Amboy, Calif. (James Quigg/Daily Press/AP)
Hughes had initially planned to launch his rocket in November, but he postponed it, claiming the Bureau of Land Management told him he couldn’t do so on federal land. A spokeswoman for the agency, however, said its field office has no record of speaking with Hughes.
The launch was postponed again later that month, as Hughes moved his launching point to a private property near Amboy, Calif., an unincorporated community in the Mojave Desert.
“It’s still happening. We’re just moving it three miles down the road,” Hughes told The Washington Post in late November, as he hauled the rocket to the new spot. “I don’t see [the launch] happening until about Tuesday, honestly. It takes three days to set up. . . . You know, it’s not easy because it’s not supposed to be easy.”
In February, Hughes finally attempted his flight, but his rocket didn’t ignite. He blamed technical difficulties.
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Flat-Earther fails to launch homemade rocket
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Mike Hughes planned to launch his homemade rocket on Feb. 3, after he canceled a launch in November. The second version failed, too. (Video: Patrick Martin/Photo: Courtesy of Mike Hughes/The Washington Post)
To Hughes’s credit, he has shown some skills in building rockets. He set a Guinness World Record in 2002 for a limousine jump, according to Ars Technica, and has been building rockets for years, albeit with mixed results. He built his first manned rocket in 2014, the AP reported, and managed to fly a quarter-mile over Winkelman, Ariz.
According to the AP, Hughes’s hard landing on Saturday left him injured, though it is unclear what type of injuries he suffered. Photos show paramedics carrying Hughes on a stretcher and into an ambulance.
Also among Hughes’s plans — aside from trying to get to space — is to run for governor.
“This is no joke,” he told the AP. “I want to do it.”
Mike Hughes is carried on a stretcher after his rocket landed in the Mojave Desert on Saturday. (Matt Hartman/AP)
A flat-earther finally tried to fly away. His rocket didn’t even ignite. This man is about to launch himself in his homemade rocket to prove the Earth is flat A flat-Earther’s plan to launch himself in a homemade rocket just hit a speed bump
Origins. The idea that the Earth was flat was typical of ancient European cosmologies until about the 4th century BCE, when the Ancient Greek philosophers proposed the idea that the Earth was a sphere, or at least rounded in shape. Aristotle was one of the first Greek thinkers to propose a spherical Earth in 330 BCE. By the early Middle Ages, it was widespread knowledge throughout Europe that the Earth was a sphere.
The Flat Earth model is an archaic belief that the Earth's shape is a plane or disk. Many ancient cultures have had conceptions of a flat Earth, including Greece until the classical period, the Bronze Age and Iron Age civilizations of the Near East until the Hellenistic period, India until the Gupta period (early centuries AD) and China until the 17th century. It was also typically held in the aboriginal cultures of the Americas, and a flat Earth domed by the firmament in the shape of an inverted bowl is common in pre-scientific societies.
The paradigm of a spherical Earth appeared in Greek philosophy with Pythagoras (6th century BC), although most Pre-Socratics retained the flat Earth model. Aristotle accepted the spherical shape of the Earth on empirical grounds around 330 BC, and knowledge of the spherical Earth gradually began to spread beyond the Hellenistic world from then on.
The modern misconception that educated Europeans at the time of Columbus believed in a flat Earth, and that his voyages refuted that belief, has been referred to as the myth of the flat Earth.
A flat Earth model depicting Antarctica as an ice wall surrounding a disk-shaped Earth.
Modern hypotheses supporting a flat Earth originated with English inventor Samuel Rowbotham (1816–1884). Based on his incorrect interpretation of experiments on the Bedford Level, Rowbotham published a 16-page pamphlet, called Zetetic Astronomy, which he later expanded into a 430-page book, Earth Not a Globe, expounding his views. According to Rowbotham's system, the earth is a flat disc centred at the North Pole and bounded along its southern edge by a wall of ice (Antarctica), with the sun and moon 3,000 miles (4,800 km) and the "cosmos" 3,100 miles (5,000 km) above earth.He also published a leaflet entitled "The inconsistency of Modern Astronomy and its Opposition to the Scriptures!!" which argued that the "Bible, alongside our senses, supported the idea that the earth was flat and immovable and this essential truth should not be set aside for a system based solely on human conjecture".
Rowbotham and his followers, like William Carpenter who continued his work, gained attention by engaging in public debates[when?] with leading scientists of the day. One such debate, involving the prominent naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, concerned the Bedford Level experiment (and later led to several lawsuits for fraud and libel). Rowbotham created a Zetetic Society in England and New York, shipping over a thousand copies of Zetetic Astronomy. Council members in New York included the US Consul to China and the superintendent of Baltimore public schools. He also edited The Zetetic and Anti-Theorist: a monthly journal of practical cosmography.
After Rowbotham's death, Lady Elizabeth Blount, wife of the explorer Sir Walter de Sodington Blount, established a Universal Zetetic Society, whose objective was "the propagation of knowledge related to Natural Cosmogony in confirmation of the Holy Scriptures, based on practical scientific investigation". The society published a magazine entitled The Earth Not a Globe Review, and remained active well into the early part of the 20th century.[A flat Earth journal, Earth: a Monthly Magazine of Sense and Science, was published between 1901–1904, edited by Lady Blount. In 1901, she repeated Rowbotham's Bedford Level Experiment and photographed the effect, sparking a correspondence in the magazine English Mechanic with several counter-claims. Later it achieved some notoriety by being involved in a scam involving dental practices. After World War I, the movement underwent a slow decline.
Philosophers
Several pre-Socratic philosophers believed that the world was flat: Thales (c. 550 BC) according to several sources,[26] and Leucippus (c. 440 BC) and Democritus (c. 460 – 370 BC) according to Aristotle.
Thales thought the earth floated in water like a log.It has been argued, however, that Thales actually believed in a round Earth. Anaximander (c. 550 BC) believed the Earth was a short cylinder with a flat, circular top that remained stable because it was the same distance from all things. Anaximenes of Miletus believed that "the earth is flat and rides on air; in the same way the sun and the moon and the other heavenly bodies, which are all fiery, ride the air because of their flatness."Xenophanes of Colophon (c. 500 BC) thought that the Earth was flat, with its upper side touching the air, and the lower side extending without limit.
Belief in a flat Earth continued into the 5th century BC. Anaxagoras (c. 450 BC) agreed that the Earth was flat,and his pupil Archelaus believed that the flat Earth was depressed in the middle like a saucer, to allow for the fact that the Sun does not rise and set at the same time for everyone.
Historians
Hecataeus of Miletus believed the earth was flat and surrounded by water.Herodotus in his Histories ridiculed the belief that water encircled the world,yet most classicists agree he still believed the earth was flat because of his descriptions of literal "ends" or "edges" of the earth.
Ancient India
Ancient Jain and Buddhist cosmology held that the Earth is a disc consisting of four continents grouped around a central mountain (Mount Meru) like the petals of a flower. An outer ocean surrounds these continents. This view of traditional Buddhist and Jain cosmology depicts the cosmos as a vast, oceanic disk (of the magnitude of a small planetary system), bounded by mountains, in which the continents are set as small islands.[
Norse and Germanic
The ancient Norse and Germanic peoples believed in a flat earth cosmography of the earth surrounded by an ocean, with the axis mundi (a world-tree: Yggdrasil, or pillar: Irminsul) in the centre.The Norse believed that in the world-encircling ocean sat a snake called Jormungandr. In the Norse creation account preserved in Gylfaginning (VIII) it is stated that during the creation of the earth, an impassable sea was placed around the earth like a ring:
...And Jafnhárr said: "Of the blood, which ran and welled forth freely out of his wounds, they made the sea, when they had formed and made firm the earth together, and laid the sea in a ring round. about her; and it may well seem a hard thing to most men to cross over it."
The late Norse Konungs skuggsjá, on the other hand, states that:
...If you take a lighted candle and set it in a room, you may expect it to light up the entire interior, unless something should hinder, though the room be quite large. But if you take an apple and hang it close to the flame, so near that it is heated, the apple will darken nearly half the room or even more. However, if you hang the apple near the wall, it will not get hot; the candle will light up the whole house; and the shadow on the wall where the apple hangs will be scarcely half as large as the apple itself. From this you may infer that the earth-circle is round like a ball and not equally near the sun at every point. But where the curved surface lies nearest the sun's path, there will the greatest heat be; and some of the lands that lie continuously under the unbroken rays cannot be inhabited."
Ancient China
Further information: Chinese astronomy
In ancient China, the prevailing belief was that the Earth was flat and square, while the heavens were round,[48] an assumption virtually unquestioned until the introduction of European astronomy in the 17th century. The English sinologist Cullen emphasizes the point that there was no concept of a round Earth in ancient Chinese astronomy:
Chinese thought on the form of the earth remained almost unchanged from early times until the first contacts with modern science through the medium of Jesuit missionaries in the seventeenth century. While the heavens were variously described as being like an umbrella covering the earth (the Kai Tian theory), or like a sphere surrounding it (the Hun Tian theory), or as being without substance while the heavenly bodies float freely (the Hsüan yeh theory), the earth was at all times flat, although perhaps bulging up slightly.
The model of an egg was often used by Chinese astronomers like Zhang Heng (78-139 AD) to describe the heavens as spherical:
The heavens are like a hen's egg and as round as a crossbow bullet; the earth is like the yolk of the egg, and lies in the centre.
This analogy with a curved egg led some modern historians, notably Joseph Needham, to conjecture that Chinese astronomers were, after all, aware of the Earth's sphericity. The egg reference, however, was rather meant to clarify the relative position of the flat earth to the heavens:
In a passage of Zhang Heng's cosmogony not translated by Needham, Zhang himself says: "Heaven takes its body from the Yang, so it is round and in motion. Earth takes its body from the Yin, so it is flat and quiescent". The point of the egg analogy is simply to stress that the earth is completely enclosed by heaven, rather than merely covered from above as the Kai Tian describes. Chinese astronomers, many of them brilliant men by any standards, continued to think in flat-earth terms until the seventeenth century; this surprising fact might be the starting-point for a re-examination of the apparent facility with which the idea of a spherical earth found acceptance in fifth-century BC Greece.[54]
Further examples cited by Needham supposed to demonstrate dissenting voices from the ancient Chinese consensus actually refer without exception to the Earth's being square, not to its being flat.[55] Accordingly, the 13th-century scholar Li Ye, who argued that the movements of the round heaven would be hindered by a square Earth,[48] did not advocate a spherical Earth, but rather that its edge should be rounded off so as to be circular.[56]
As noted in the book Huai Nan Zu,[57] in the 2nd century BC Chinese astronomers effectively inverted Eratosthenes' calculation of the curvature of the Earth to calculate the height of the sun above the earth. By assuming the earth was flat, they arrived at a distance of 100,000 li, a value short by three orders of magnitude.
Declining support for the flat earth
Ancient Mediterranean
When a ship is at the horizon, its lower part is obscured due to the curvature of the Earth.
Semi-circular shadow of Earth on the Moon during the phases of a lunar eclipse
In The Histories, written 431–425 BC, Herodotus cast doubt on a report of the sun observed shining from the north. He stated that the phenomenon was observed during a circumnavigation of Africa undertaken by Phoenician explorers employed by Egyptian pharaoh Necho II c. 610–595 BC (The Histories, 4.42) who claimed to have had the sun on their right when circumnavigating in a clockwise direction. To modern historians aware of a spherical Earth, these details confirm the truth of the Phoenicians’ report.
After the Greek philosophers Pythagoras, in the 6th century BC, and Parmenides, in the 5th, recognized that the Earth is spherical,[58] the spherical view spread rapidly in the Greek world. Around 330 BC, Aristotle maintained on the basis of physical theory and observational evidence that the Earth was spherical.The Earth's circumference was first determined around 240 BC by Eratosthenes. By the second century CE. Ptolemy had derived his maps from a curved globe and developed the system of latitude, longitude, and climes. His Almagest was written in Greek and only translated into Latin in the 11th century from Arabic translations.
The Terrestrial Sphere of Crates of Mallus (c. 150 BC).
In the 2nd century BC, Crates of Mallus devised a terrestrial sphere that divided the Earth into four continents, separated by great rivers or oceans, with people presumed living in each of the four regions. Opposite the oikumene, the inhabited world, were the antipodes, considered unreachable both because of an intervening torrid zone (equator) and the ocean. This took a strong hold on the medieval mind.
Lucretius (1st. c. BC) opposed the concept of a spherical Earth, because he considered that an infinite universe had no center towards which heavy bodies would tend. Thus, he thought the idea of animals walking around topsy-turvy under the Earth was absurd. By the 1st century AD, Pliny the Elder was in a position to claim that everyone agrees on the spherical shape of Earth, though disputes continued regarding the nature of the antipodes, and how it is possible to keep the ocean in a curved shape. Pliny also considered the possibility of an imperfect sphere, "...shaped like a pinecone."
In late antiquity such widely read encyclopedists as Macrobius (5th century) and Martianus Capella (5th century) discussed the circumference of the sphere of the Earth, its central position in the universe, the difference of the seasons in northern and southern hemispheres, and many other geographical details. In his commentary on Cicero's Dream of Scipio, Macrobius described the Earth as a globe of insignificant size in comparison to the remainder of the cosmos.
Early Christian Church
During the early Church period, with some exceptions, most held a spherical view, for instance, Augustine, Jerome, and Ambrose to name a few.
In Book III of The Divine Institutes Lactantius ridicules the notion that there could be inhabitants of the antipodes "whose footsteps are higher than their heads." After presenting some arguments he attributes to advocates for a spherical heaven and Earth, he writes:
But if you inquire from those who defend these marvellous fictions, why all things do not fall into that lower part of the heaven, they reply that such is the nature of things, that heavy bodies are borne to the middle, and that they are all joined together towards the middle, as we see spokes in a wheel; but that the bodies that are light, as mist, smoke, and fire, are borne away from the middle, so as to seek the heaven. I am at a loss what to say respecting those who, when they have once erred, consistently persevere in their folly, and defend one vain thing by another.
Saint Augustine (354–430) took a more cautious approach in arguing against assuming that people inhabited the antipodes:
But as to the fable that there are Antipodes, that is to say, men on the opposite side of the earth, where the sun rises when it sets to us, men who walk with their feet opposite ours that is on no ground credible. And, indeed, it is not affirmed that this has been learned by historical knowledge, but by scientific conjecture, on the ground that the earth is suspended within the concavity of the sky, and that it has as much room on the one side of it as on the other: hence they say that the part that is beneath must also be inhabited. But they do not remark that, although it be supposed or scientifically demonstrated that the world is of a round and spherical form, yet it does not follow that the other side of the earth is bare of water; nor even, though it be bare, does it immediately follow that it is peopled.
Since these people would have to be descended from Adam, they would have had to travel to the other side of the Earth at some point; Augustine continues:
It is too absurd to say, that some men might have taken ship and traversed the whole wide ocean, and crossed from this side of the world to the other, and that thus even the inhabitants of that distant region are descended from that one first man.
Scholars of Augustine's work have traditionally understood him to have shared the common view of his educated contemporaries that the Earth is spherical, in line with the quotation above, and with Augustine's famous endorsement of science in De Genesi ad litteram. That tradition has, however, recently been challenged by Leo Ferrari, who concluded that many of Augustine's passing references to the physical universe imply a belief in an essentially flat Earth "at the bottom of the universe".
Cosmas Indicopleustes' world picture - flat earth in a Tabernacle.
Diodorus of Tarsus (d. 394) may have argued for a flat Earth based on scriptures; however, Diodorus' opinion on the matter is known to us only by a criticism of it by Photius.Severian, Bishop of Gabala (d. 408), wrote that the Earth is flat and the sun does not pass under it in the night, but "travels through the northern parts as if hidden by a wall". The Egyptian monk Cosmas Indicopleustes (547) in his Topographia Christiana, where the Covenant Ark was meant to represent the whole universe, argued on theological grounds that the Earth was flat, a parallelogram enclosed by four oceans.
In his Homilies Concerning the Statutes St. John Chrysostom (344–408) explicitly espoused the idea, based on his reading of Scripture, that the Earth floated on the waters gathered below the firmament, and St. Athanasius (c. 293 – 373) expressed similar views in Against the Heathen.
A very recent essay by Leone Montagnini, discussing the question of the shape of the Earth from the origins to the late Antiquity, has shown that the Fathers of the Church shared different approaches that paralleled their overall philosophical and theological visions. Those of them who were more close to Platonic visions, like Origen, shared peacefully the geosphericism. A second tradition, including Basil, Ambrose and Augustine, but also Philoponus, accepted the idea of the round Earth and the radial gravity, but in a critical way. In particular they pointed out a number of doubts about the physical reasons of the radial gravity, and hesitated in accepting the physical reasons proposed by Aristotle or Stoicism. However, a "flattist" approach was more or less shared by all the Fathers coming from the Syriac area, who were more inclined to follow the letter of the Old Testament. Diodorus, Severian, and Cosmas Indicopleustes, but also Chrysostom, belonged just to this latter tradition.
At least one early Christian writer, Basil of Caesarea (329–379), believed that the matter was theologically irrelevant.
Early Middle Ages
Early medieval Christian writers in the early Middle Ages felt little urge to assume flatness of the earth, though they had fuzzy impressions of the writings of Ptolemy, Aristotle, and relied more on Pliny.
9th-century Macrobian cosmic diagram showing the sphere of the Earth at the center, (globus terrae)
With the end of Roman civilization, Western Europe entered the Middle Ages with great difficulties that affected the continent's intellectual production. Most scientific treatises of classical antiquity (in Greek) were unavailable, leaving only simplified summaries and compilations. Still, many textbooks of the Early Middle Ages supported the sphericity of the Earth. For example: some early medieval manuscripts of Macrobius include maps of the Earth, including the antipodes, zonal maps showing the Ptolemaic climates derived from the concept of a spherical Earth and a diagram showing the Earth (labeled as globus terrae, the sphere of the Earth) at the center of the hierarchically ordered planetary spheres.Further examples of such medieval diagrams can be found in medieval manuscripts of the Dream of Scipio. In the Carolingian era, scholars discussed Macrobius's view of the antipodes. One of them, the Irish monk Dungal, asserted that the tropical gap between our habitable region and the other habitable region to the south was smaller than Macrobius had believed.
12th-century T and O map representing the inhabited world as described by Isidore of Seville in his Etymologiae. (chapter 14, de terra et partibus).
Europe's view of the shape of the Earth in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages may be best expressed by the writings of early Christian scholars:
Boethius (c. 480 – 524), who also wrote a theological treatise On the Trinity, repeated the Macrobian model of the Earth in the center of a spherical cosmos in his influential, and widely translated, Consolation of Philosophy.
Bishop Isidore of Seville (560 – 636) taught in his widely read encyclopedia, the Etymologies diverse views such as that the Earth "resembles a wheel"resembling Anaximander in language and the map that he provided. This was widely interpreted as referring to a flat disc-shaped Earth.An illustration from Isidore's De Natura Rerum shows the five zones of the earth as adjacent circles. Some have concluded that he thought the Arctic and Antarctic zones were adjacent to each other. He did not admit the possibility of antipodes, which he took to mean people dwelling on the opposite side of the Earth, considering them legendary and noting that there was no evidence for their existence.[87] Isidore's T and O map, which was seen as representing a small part of a spherical Earth, continued to be used by authors through the Middle Ages, e.g. the 9th-century bishop Rabanus Maurus who compared the habitable part of the northern hemisphere (Aristotle's northern temperate clime) with a wheel. At the same time, Isidore's works also gave the views of sphericity, for example, in chapter 28 of De Natura Rerum, Isidore claims that the sun orbits the earth and illuminates the other side when it is night on this side. See French translation of De Natura Rerum.[88] In his other work Etymologies, there are also affirmations that the sphere of the sky has earth in its center and the sky being equally distant on all sides. Other researchers have argued these points as well. "The work remained unsurpassed until the thirteenth century and was regarded as the summit of all knowledge. It became an essential part of European medieval culture. Soon after the invention of typography it appeared many times in print." However, "The Scholastics - later medieval philosophers, theologians, and scientists - were helped by the Arabic translators and commentaries, but they hardly needed to struggle against a flat-earth legacy from the early middle ages (500-1050). Early medieval writers often had fuzzy and imprecise impressions of both Ptolemy and Aristotle and relied more on Pliny, but they felt (with one exception), little urge to assume flatness."
Isidore's portrayal of the five zones of the earth
The monk Bede (c. 672 – 735) wrote in his influential treatise on computus, The Reckoning of Time, that the Earth was round ('not merely circular like a shield [or] spread out like a wheel, but resembl[ing] more a ball'), explaining the unequal length of daylight from "the roundness of the Earth, for not without reason is it called 'the orb of the world' on the pages of Holy Scripture and of ordinary literature. It is, in fact, set like a sphere in the middle of the whole universe." (De temporum ratione, 32). The large number of surviving manuscripts of The Reckoning of Time, copied to meet the Carolingian requirement that all priests should study the computus, indicates that many, if not most, priests were exposed to the idea of the sphericity of the Earth.[94] Ælfric of Eynsham paraphrased Bede into Old English, saying "Now the Earth's roundness and the Sun's orbit constitute the obstacle to the day's being equally long in every land."
St Vergilius of Salzburg (c. 700 – 784), in the middle of the 8th century, discussed or taught some geographical or cosmographical ideas that St Boniface found sufficiently objectionable that he complained about them to Pope Zachary. The only surviving record of the incident is contained in Zachary's reply, dated 748, where he wrote:
"As for the perverse and sinful doctrine which he (Virgil) against God and his own soul has uttered—if it shall be clearly established that he professes belief in another world and other men existing beneath the earth, or in (another) sun and moon there, thou art to hold a council, deprive him of his sacerdotal rank, and expel him from the Church."
Some authorities have suggested that the sphericity of the Earth was among the aspects of Vergilius's teachings that Boniface and Zachary considered objectionable. Others have considered this unlikely, and take the wording of Zachary's response to indicate at most an objection to belief in the existence of humans living in the antipodes. In any case, there is no record of any further action having been taken against Vergilius. He was later appointed bishop of Salzburg, and was canonised in the 13th century.
12th-century depiction of a spherical Earth with the four seasons (book "Liber Divinorum Operum" by Hildegard of Bingen)
A possible non-literary but graphic indication that people in the Middle Ages believed that the Earth (or perhaps the world) was a sphere, is the use of the orb (globus cruciger) in the regalia of many kingdoms and of the Holy Roman Empire. It is attested from the time of the Christian late-Roman emperor Theodosius II (423) throughout the Middle Ages; the Reichsapfel was used in 1191 at the coronation of emperor Henry VI. However the word 'orbis' means 'circle' and there is no record of a globe as a representation of the Earth since ancient times in the west till that of Martin Behaim in 1492. Additionally it could well be a representation of the entire 'world' or cosmos.
A recent study of medieval concepts of the sphericity of the Earth noted that "since the eighth century, no cosmographer worthy of note has called into question the sphericity of the Earth." However, the work of these intellectuals may not have had significant influence on public opinion, and it is difficult to tell what the wider population may have thought of the shape of the Earth, if they considered the question at all.
High and Late Middle Ages
Picture from a 1550 edition of On the Sphere of the World, the most influential astronomy textbook of 13th-century Europe.
By the 11th century Europe had learned of Islamic astronomy. The Renaissance of the 12th century from about 1070 started an intellectual revitalization of Europe with strong philosophical and scientific roots, and increased interest in natural philosophy.
Illustration of the spherical Earth in a 14th-century copy of L'Image du monde (c. 1246).
Hermannus Contractus (1013–1054) was among the earliest Christian scholars to estimate the circumference of Earth with Eratosthenes' method. Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274), the most important and widely taught theologian of the Middle Ages, believed in a spherical Earth; and he even took for granted his readers also knew the Earth is round.Lectures in the medieval universities commonly advanced evidence in favor of the idea that the Earth was a sphere. Also, "On the Sphere of the World", the most influential astronomy textbook of the 13th century and required reading by students in all Western European universities, described the world as a sphere. Thomas Aquinas, in his Summa Theologica, wrote, "The physicist proves the earth to be round by one means, the astronomer by another: for the latter proves this by means of mathematics, e.g. by the shapes of eclipses, or something of the sort; while the former proves it by means of physics, e.g. by the movement of heavy bodies towards the center, and so forth."
The shape of the Earth was not only discussed in scholarly works written in Latin; it was also treated in works written in vernacular languages or dialects and intended for wider audiences. The Norwegian book Konungs Skuggsjá, from around 1250, states clearly that the Earth is round—and that there is night on the opposite side of the Earth when there is daytime in Norway. The author also discusses the existence of antipodes—and he notes that (if they exist) they see the Sun in the north of the middle of the day, and that they experience seasons opposite those of people in the Northern Hemisphere.
However Tattersall shows that in many vernacular works in 12th- and 13th-century French texts the Earth was considered "round like a table" rather than "round like an apple". "In virtually all the examples quoted...from epics and from non-'historical' romances (that is, works of a less learned character) the actual form of words used suggests strongly a circle rather than a sphere.
Portuguese exploration of Africa and Asia, Columbus's voyage to the Americas (1492) and finally Ferdinand Magellan's circumnavigation of the Earth (1519–21) provided the final, practical proofs for the global shape of the Earth.
Islamic world
Further information: Spherical Earth § Medieval Islamic scholars
The Abbasid Caliphate saw a great flowering of astronomy and mathematics in the 9th century CE. in which Muslim scholars translated Ptolemy's work, which become the Almagest, and extended and updated his work based on spherical ideas, and these have generally been respected since. However after the decline of the Golden Age in the 13th century more traditional views were increasingly heard.
The Quran mentions that the world was "laid out" or "made flat". To this a classic Sunni commentary, the Tafsir al-Kabir (al-Razi) written in the late 12th century says "If it is said: Do the words “And the earth We spread out” indicate that it is flat? We would respond: Yes, because the earth, even though it is round, is an enormous sphere, and each little part of this enormous sphere, when it is looked at, appears to be flat. As that is the case, this will dispel what they mentioned of confusion. The evidence for that is the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “And the mountains as pegs” [an-Naba’ 78:7]. He called them awtaad (pegs) even though these mountains may have large flat surfaces. And the same is true in this case."
A later classic Sunni commentary, the Tafsir al-Jalalayn written in the early 16th century says "As for His words sutihat, ‘laid out flat’, this on a literal reading suggests that the earth is flat, which is the opinion of most of the scholars of the [revealed] Law, and not a sphere as astronomers (ahl al-hay’a) have it, even if this [latter] does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law." Other translations render "made flat" as "spread out".
Ming China
As late as 1595, an early Jesuit missionary to China, Matteo Ricci, recorded that the Chinese say: "The earth is flat and square, and the sky is a round canopy; they did not succeed in conceiving the possibility of the antipodes."] The universal belief in a flat Earth is confirmed by a contemporary Chinese encyclopedia from 1609 illustrating a flat Earth extending over the horizontal diametral plane of a spherical heaven.
In the 17th century, the idea of a spherical Earth spread in China due to the influence of the Jesuits, who held high positions as astronomers at the imperial court.
Modern incarnation
In 1956, Samuel Shenton, a signwriter by trade, created the International Flat Earth Society as a successor to the Universal Zetetic Society and ran it as "organizing secretary" from his home in Dover, in Britain. Because of Shenton's interest in alternative science and technology, the emphasis on religious arguments was less than in the predecessor society.
This was just before the launch of the first artificial satellite, and when satellite images taken from outer space showed the Earth as a sphere rather than flat, the society was undaunted; Shenton remarked: "It's easy to see how a photograph like that could fool the untrained eye."
However it was not until the advent of manned spaceflight that Shenton managed to attract wide publicity, being featured in The New York Times in January and June 1964, when the epithet "flat-earther" was also slung across the floor of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in both directions.[citation needed]
The society also took the position that the Apollo Moon landings were a hoax staged by Hollywood, a position also held by others not connected to the Flat Earth Society.
In 1969, Shenton persuaded Ellis Hillman, a Polytechnic lecturer, to become president of the Flat Earth Society, but there is little evidence of any activity on his part until after Shenton's death, when he added most of Shenton's library to the archives of the Science Fiction Foundation which he helped to establish.
Historical accounts and spoken history tell us the Land part may have been square, all in one mass at one time, then as now, the magnetic north being the Center. Vast cataclysmic events and shaking no doubt broke the land apart, divided the Land to be our present continents or islands as they exist today. One thing we know for sure about this world...the known inhabited world is Flat, Level, a Plain World.
-Flyer written by Charles K. Johnson, 1984.
Shenton died in 1971 and Charles K. Johnson, inheriting part of Shenton's library from Shenton's wife, established and became the president of the International Flat Earth Research Society of America and Covenant People's Church in California. Under his leadership, over the next three decades, the Flat Earth Society grew in size from a few members to a reported 3,500.Johnson distributed newsletters, flyers, maps, and other promotional materials to anyone who asked for them, and managed all membership applications together with his wife, Marjory. The most famous of these newsletters was Flat Earth News. Johnson paid for these publications through annual dues of members costing US$6 to US$10 over the course of his leadership. Johnson's beliefs were based on the Bible; he viewed scientists as pulling off a hoax which would replace religion with science.
United Nations flag
The most recent world model propagated by the Flat Earth Society holds that humanity lives on a disc, with the North Pole at its center and a 150-foot (45 m) high wall of ice at the outer edge. The resulting map resembles the symbol of the United Nations, which Johnson used as evidence for his position. In this model, the sun and moon are each 32 miles (52 km) in diameter.
The Flat Earth Society recruited members by attacking the United States government and all of its agencies, particularly NASA. Much of the society’s literature in its early days focused on interpreting the Bible literally to mean that the Earth is flat, although they did attempt to offer scientific explanations and evidence.
"The Fall of Man" Lilith may be linked in part to a historically earlier class of female demons (lilītu) in ancient Mesopotamian religion, found in cuneiform texts of Sumer, the Akkadian Empire, Assyria, and Babylonia. The confessional in its modern form dates no farther back than the 16th century, and Du Cange cites the year 1563 for an early use of the word confessionale for the sacrum poenitentiae tribunal. Originally the term was applied to the place where a martyr or "confessor" (in the sense of one who confesses Christ) had been buried. There are, however, instances (e.g. the confessional of Church of St. Trophime at Arles) where the name was attached to the spot, whether cell or seat, where noted saints had a habit of hearing confessions. In the popular Protestant view confessional boxes are associated with the scandals, real or supposed, of the practice of auricular confession. They were, however, devised to guard against such scandals by securing at once essential publicity and a reasonable privacy, and by separating priest and penitent. In the Middle Ages stringent rules were laid down, in this latter respect, by the canon law in the case of confessions by women and especially nuns. In England, before the Protestant Reformation, publicity was reckoned the best safeguard. Thus Archbishop Walter Reynolds, in 1322, says in his Constitutions: "Let the priest choose for himself a common place for hearing confessions, where he may be seen generally by all in the church; and do not let him hear any one, and especially any woman, in a private place, except in great necessity." It would seem that the priest usually heard confessions at the chancel opening or at a bench end in the nave near the chancel. There is, however, in some churchwardens' accounts mention of a special seat: "the shryving stool", "shriving pew" or "shriving place". At Lenham in Kent there is an ancient armchair in stone, with a stone bench and steps on one side, which appears to be a confessional. With the revival of the practice of auricular confession in the Church of England, confessionals were introduced into some parishes with an Anglo-Catholic bent. Since, however, they formed no part of "the furniture of the church" in the "second year of King Edward VI", some have argued that they are not covered by the "Ornaments Rubric" in the Prayer-Book. The question of their legality was raised in 1900 in the case of Davey v. Hinde (vicar of the Church of the Annunciation at Brighton) tried before Dr Tristram in the consistory court of Chichester. They were condemned "on the ground that they are not articles of church furniture requisite for or conducive to conformity with the doctrine or practice of the Church of England in relation to the reception of confession.."Confessional", in the sense of a due payable for the right to hear confession, is now obsolete.
Adam and Eve, according to the creation myth of the Abrahamic religions, were the first man and woman. They are central to the belief that humanity is in essence a single family, with everyone descended from a single pair of original ancestors. It also provides the basis for the doctrines of the fall of man and original sin that are important beliefs in Christianity, although not held in Judaism or Islam.
In the Book of Genesis of the Hebrew Bible, chapters one through five, there are two creation narratives with two distinct perspectives. In the first, Adam and Eve are not mentioned (at least not mentioned by name). Instead, God created humankind in God's image and instructed them to multiply and to be stewards over everything else that God had made. In the second narrative, God fashions Adam from dust and places him in the Garden of Eden. Adam is told that he can eat freely of all the trees in the garden, except for a tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Subsequently, Eve is created from one of Adam's ribs to be Adam's companion. They are innocent and unembarrassed about their nakedness. However, a serpent deceives Eve into eating fruit from the forbidden tree, and she gives some of the fruit to Adam. These acts give them additional knowledge, but it gives them the ability to conjure negative and destructive concepts such as shame and evil. God later curses the serpent and the ground. God prophetically tells the woman and the man what will be the consequences of their sin of disobeying God. Then he banishes them from the Garden of Eden.
The story underwent extensive elaboration in later Abrahamic traditions, and it has been extensively analyzed by modern biblical scholars. Interpretations and beliefs regarding Adam and Eve and the story revolving around them vary across religions and sects; for example, the Islamic version of the story holds that Adam and Eve were equally responsible for their sins of hubris, instead of Eve being the first one to be unfaithful. The story of Adam and Eve is often depicted in art, and it has had an important influence in literature and poetry. The story of the fall of Adam is often understood to be an allegory.
There is no physical evidence that Adam and Eve ever existed, and their literal existence is incompatible with human evolutionary genetics. However, there is in some countries a large discrepancy between the scientific consensus and popular opinion; a 2014 poll reports that 56% of Americans believe that "Adam and Eve were real people", and 44% believe so with strong or absolute certainty.
Adam and Eve are figures from the Primeval History (Genesis 1 to 11), the Bible's mythic history of the first years of the world's existence. The History tells how God creates the world and all its beings and places the first man and woman (Adam and Eve) in his Garden of Eden, how the first couple are expelled from God's presence, of the first murder which follows, and God's decision to destroy the world and save only the righteous Noah and his sons; a new humanity then descends from these sons and spreads throughout the world. Although the new world is as sinful as the old, God has resolved never again to destroy the world by flood, and the History ends with Terah, the father of Abraham, from whom will descend God's chosen people, the Israelites.*
Adam and Eve are the Bible's first man and first woman. Adam's name appears first in Genesis 1 with a collective sense, as "mankind"; subsequently in Genesis 2-3 it carries the definite article ha, equivalent to English "the", indicating that this is "the man". In these chapters God fashions "the man" (ha adam) from earth (adamah), breathes life into his nostrils, and makes him a caretaker over creation. God next creates for the man an ezer kenegdo, a "helper corresponding to him", from his side or rib. She is called ishsha, "woman", because, the text says, she is formed from ish, "man". The man receives her with joy, and the reader is told that from this moment a man will leave his parents to "cling" to a woman, the two becoming one flesh.
The first man and woman are in God's Garden of Eden, where all creation is vegetarian and there is no violence. They are permitted to eat of all the trees except one, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the woman is tempted by a talking serpent to eat the forbidden fruit, and gives some to the man, who eats also. (Contrary to popular myth she does not beguile the man, who appears to have been present at the encounter with the serpent). God curses all three, the man to a lifetime of hard labour followed by death, the woman to the pain of childbirth and to subordination to her husband, and the serpent to go on his belly and suffer the enmity of both man and woman. God then clothes the nakedness of the man and woman, who have become god-like in knowing good and evil, then banishes them from the garden lest they eat the fruit of a second tree, the tree of life, unmentioned up to this point, and live forever.
Genesis 4 introduces the humans in their life outside God's garden. The chapter deals with the birth of Adam's sons Cain and Abel and the story of the first murder, followed by the birth of a third son, Seth. Genesis 5, the Book of the Generations of Adam, lists the descendants of Adam from Seth to Noah with their ages at the birth of their first sons (except Adam himself, for whom his age at the birth of Seth, his third son, is given) and their ages at death (Adam lives 930 years). The chapter notes that Adam had other sons and daughters after Seth, but does not name them. Adam has already named the woman Eve at the end of the Eden narrative, and in Genesis 4:25 and for the first time, he is called Adam as a personal name.
The Adam and Eve story continues in Genesis 3 with the "expulsion from Eden" narrative. A form analysis of Genesis 3 reveals that this portion of the story can be characterized as a parable or "wisdom tale" in the wisdom tradition. The poetic addresses of the chapter belong to a speculative type of wisdom that questions the paradoxes and harsh realities of life. This characterization is determined by the narrative's format, settings, and the plot. The form of Genesis 3 is also shaped by its vocabulary, making use of various puns and double entendres.
The expulsion from Eden narrative begins with a dialogue between the woman and a serpent, identified in Genesis 3:1 as an animal that was more crafty than any other animal made by God, although Genesis does not identify the serpent with Satan.:16 The woman is willing to talk to the serpent and respond to the creature's cynicism by repeating God's prohibition against eating fruit from the tree of knowledge (Genesis 2:17). The woman is lured into dialogue on the serpent's terms which directly disputes God's command.[15] The serpent assures the woman that God will not let her die if she ate the fruit, and, furthermore, that if she ate the fruit, her "eyes would be opened" and she would "be like God, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:5). The woman sees that the fruit of the tree of knowledge is a delight to the eye and that it would be desirable to acquire wisdom by eating the fruit. The woman eats the fruit and gives some to the man (Genesis 3:6). With this the man and woman recognize their own nakedness, and they make loincloths of fig leaves (Genesis 3:7).
In the next narrative dialogue, God questions the man and the woman (Genesis 3:8–13), and God initiates a dialogue by calling out to the man with a rhetorical question designed to consider his wrongdoing. The man explains that he hid in the garden out of fear because he realized his own nakedness (Genesis 3:10). This is followed by two more rhetorical questions designed to show awareness of a defiance of God's command. The man then points to the woman as the real offender, and he implies that God is responsible for the tragedy because the woman was given to him by God (Genesis 3:12). God challenges the woman to explain herself, whereby she shifts the blame to the serpent (Genesis 3:13).
Divine pronouncement of three judgments are then laid against all the culprits, Genesis 3:14–19.[12] A judgement oracle and the nature of the crime is first laid upon the serpent, then the woman, and, finally, the man. On the serpent, God places a divine curse.[20] The woman receives penalties that impact her in two primary roles: she shall experience pangs during childbearing, pain during childbirth, and while she shall desire her husband, he will rule over her. The man's penalty results in God cursing the ground from which he came, and the man then receives a death oracle, although the man has not been described, in the text, as immortal.:18;Abruptly, in the flow of text, in Genesis 3:20, the man names the woman "Eve" (Heb. hawwah), "because she was the mother of all living". God makes skin garments for Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:20).
The chiasmus structure of the death oracle given to Adam in Genesis 3:19, is a link between man's creation from "dust" (Genesis 2:7) to the "return" of his beginnings:" you return, to the ground, since from it you were taken, for dust you are, and to dust, you will return."
The garden account ends with an intradivine monologue, determining the couple's expulsion, and the execution of that deliberation (Genesis 3:22–24}.The reason given for the expulsion was to prevent the man from eating from the tree of life and becoming immortal: "Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever" (Genesis 3:22).God exiles Adam and Eve from the Garden and installs cherubs (supernatural beings that provide protection) and the "ever-turning sword" to guard the entrance (Genesis 3:24).
Genesis 4 tells of the birth of Cain and Abel, Adam and Eve's first children, while Genesis 5 gives Adam's genealogy past that. Adam and Eve are listed as having three children, Cain, Abel and Seth, then "other sons and daughters", Genesis 5:4. According to the Book of Jubilees (which is usually not considered canonical), Cain married his sister Awan, a daughter of Adam and Eve.
The Primeval History forms the opening chapters of the Torah, the five books making up the history of the origins of Israel. This achieved something like its current form in the 5th century BCE, but Genesis 1-11 shows little relationship to the rest of the Bible:for example, the names of its characters and its geography - Adam (man) and Eve (life), the Land of Nod ("Wandering"), and so on - are symbolic rather than real, and almost none of the persons, places and stories mentioned in it are ever met anywhere else. This has led scholars to suppose that the History forms a late composition attached to Genesis and the Pentateuch to serve as an introduction.Just how late is a subject for debate: at one extreme are those who see it as a product of the Hellenistic period, in which case it cannot be earlier than the first decades of the 4th century BCE; on the other hand the Yahwist source has been dated by some scholars, notably John Van Seters, to the exilic pre-Persian period (the 6th century BCE) precisely because the Primeval History contains so much Babylonian influence in the form of myth. The Primeval History draws on two distinct "sources", the Priestly source and what is sometimes called the Yahwist source and sometimes simply the "non-Priestly"; for the purpose of discussing Adam and Eve in the Book of Genesis the terms "non-Priestly" and "Yahwist" can be regarded as interchangeable.
Certain concepts, such as the serpent being identified as Satan, Eve being a sexual temptation, or Adam's first wife being Lilith, come from literary works found in various Jewish apocrypha, but they are not found anywhere in the Book of Genesis or the Torah itself.[citation needed] Writings dealing with these subjects are extant literature in Greek, Latin, Slavonic, Syriac, Armenian, and Arabic, extending back to ancient Jewish thought. The concepts are not part of Rabbinic Judaism,[citation needed] but they did influence Christian theology, and this marks a radical split between the two religions. Some of the oldest Jewish portions of apocrypha are called Primary Adam Literature where some works became Christianized. Examples of Christianized works are Life of Adam and Eve, Conflict of Adam and Eve with Satan and an original Syriac work entitled Cave of Treasures which has close affinities to the Conflict as noted by August Dillmann.
Some modern scholars, such as James Barr, Moshe Greenberg, and Michael Fishbane, see the story of Adam and Eve as a representation of a rise to moral agency, at least as much as, if not more than the story of a fall from grace. Carol Meyers and Bruce Naidoff view the tale as an explanation of agricultural conditions in the highlands of Canaan.
For the Jewish Weekly Torah portion, see Bereshit (parsha) § Third reading, and Bereshit (parsha) § Fourth reading.
It was also recognized in ancient Judaism, that there are two distinct accounts for the creation of man. The first account says "male and female [God] created them", implying simultaneous creation, whereas the second account states that God created Eve subsequent to the creation of Adam. The Midrash Rabbah – Genesis VIII:1 reconciled the two by stating that Genesis one, "male and female He created them", indicates that God originally created Adam as a hermaphrodite,[37] bodily and spiritually both male and female, before creating the separate beings of Adam and Eve. Other rabbis suggested that Eve and the woman of the first account were two separate individuals, the first being identified as Lilith, a figure elsewhere described as a night demon.
According to traditional Jewish belief, Adam and Eve are buried in the Cave of Machpelah, in Hebron.
In Reform Judaism, Harry Orlinsky analyzes the Hebrew word nefesh in Genesis 2:7 where "God breathes into the man's nostrils and he becomes nefesh hayya." Orlinsky argues that the earlier translation of the phrase "living soul" is incorrect. He points out that "nefesh" signifies something like the English word "being", in the sense of a corporeal body capable of life; the concept of a "soul" in the modern sense, did not exist in Hebrew thought until around the 2nd century B.C., when the idea of a bodily resurrection gained popularity.
Adam, Eve, and the (female) serpent (often identified as Lilith) at the entrance to Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris
Main articles: Fall of man and Original sin
Some early fathers of the Christian church held Eve responsible for the Fall of man and all subsequent women to be the first sinners because Eve tempted Adam to commit the taboo. "You are the devil's gateway" Tertullian told his female listeners, and went on to explain that they were responsible for the death of Christ: "On account of your desert [i.e., punishment for sin, that is, death], even the Son of God had to die."In 1486, the Dominicans Kramer and Sprengler used similar tracts in Malleus Maleficarum ("Hammer of Witches") to justify the persecution of "witches".
Medieval Christian art often depicted the Edenic Serpent as a woman (often identified as Lilith), thus both emphasizing the serpent's seductiveness as well as its relationship to Eve. Several early Church Fathers, including Clement of Alexandria and Eusebius of Caesarea, interpreted the Hebrew "Heva" as not only the name of Eve, but in its aspirated form as "female serpent."
Based on the Christian doctrine of the Fall of man, came the doctrine of original sin. St Augustine of Hippo (354–430), working with a Latin translation of the Epistle to the Romans, interpreted the Apostle Paul as having said that Adam's sin was hereditary: "Death passed upon [i.e., spread to] all men because of Adam, [in whom] all sinned", Romans 5:12[40] Original sin became a concept that man is born into a condition of sinfulness and must await redemption. This doctrine became a cornerstone of Western Christian theological tradition, however, not shared by Judaism or the Orthodox churches.
Over the centuries, a system of unique Christian beliefs had developed from these doctrines. Baptism became understood as a washing away of the stain of hereditary sin in many churches, although its original symbolism was apparently rebirth. Additionally, the serpent that tempted Eve was interpreted to have been Satan, or that Satan was using a serpent as a mouthpiece, although there is no mention of this identification in the Torah and it is not held in Judaism.
Conservative Protestants typically interpret Genesis 3 as defining humanity's original parents as Adam and Eve who disobeyed God's prime directive that they were not to eat "the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" (NIV). When they disobeyed, they committed a major transgression against God and were immediately punished, which led to "the fall" of humanity. Thus, sin and death entered the universe for the first time. Adam and Eve were ejected from the Garden of Eden, never to return.
Gnostic Christianity discussed Adam and Eve in two known surviving texts, namely the "Apocalypse of Adam" found in the Nag Hammadi documents and the "Testament of Adam". The creation of Adam as Protoanthropos, the original man, is the focal concept of these writings.
Another Gnostic tradition held that Adam and Eve were created to help defeat Satan. The serpent, instead of being identified with Satan, is seen as a hero by the Ophites. Still other Gnostics believed that Satan's fall, however, came after the creation of humanity. As in Islamic tradition, this story says that Satan refused to bow to Adam due to pride. Satan said that Adam was inferior to him as he was made of fire, whereas Adam was made of clay. This refusal led to the fall of Satan recorded in works such as the Book of Enoch.
In Islam, Adam (Ādam; Arabic: آدم), whose role is being the father of humanity, is looked upon by Muslims with reverence. Eve (Ḥawwāʼ; Arabic: حواء ) is the "mother of humanity". The creation of Adam and Eve is referred to in the Qurʼān, although different Qurʼanic interpreters give different views on the actual creation story (Qurʼan, Surat al-Nisaʼ, verse 1).
In al-Qummi's tafsir on the Garden of Eden, such place was not entirely earthly. According to the Qurʼān, both Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in a Heavenly Eden (see also Jannah). As a result, they were both sent down to Earth as God's representatives. Each person was sent to a mountain peak: Adam on al-Safa, and Eve on al-Marwah. In this Islamic tradition, Adam wept 40 days until he repented, after which God sent down the Black Stone, teaching him the Hajj. According to a prophetic hadith, Adam and Eve reunited in the plain of ʻArafat, near Mecca. They had two sons together, Qabil and Habil. There is also a legend of a younger son, named Rocail, who created a palace and sepulcher containing autonomous statues that lived out the lives of men so realistically they were mistaken for having souls.
The concept of "original sin" does not exist in Islam, because according to Islam Adam and Eve were forgiven by God. When God orders the angels to bow to Adam, Iblīs questioned, "Why should I bow to man? I am made of pure fire and he is made of soil." The liberal movements within Islam have viewed God's commanding the angels to bow before Adam as an exaltation of humanity, and as a means of supporting human rights; others view it as an act of showing Adam that the biggest enemy of humans on earth will be their ego.
In the Bahá'í Faith, the Adam and Eve narrative is seen as symbolic. In Some Answered Questions, 'Abdu'l-Bahá rejects a literal reading and states that the story contains "divine mysteries and universal meanings". Adam symbolizes the "heavenly spirit", Eve symbolizes the "human soul", the Tree of Knowledge symbolizes "the human world", and the serpent symbolizes "attachment to the human world". The fall of Adam thus represents the way humanity became conscious of good and evil. In another sense, Adam and Eve represent God's Will and Determination, the first two of the seven stages of Divine Creative Action.
While a traditional view was that the Book of Genesis was authored by Moses and has been considered historical and metaphorical, modern scholars consider the Genesis creation narrative as one of various ancient origin myths.
Analysis like the documentary hypothesis also suggests that the text is a result of the compilation of multiple previous traditions, explaining apparent contradictions.[56][57] Other stories of the same canonical book, like the Genesis flood narrative, are also understood as having been influenced by older literature, with parallels in the older Epic of Gilgamesh.
With scientific developments in paleontology, geology, biology and other disciplines, it was discovered that humans, and all other living things, share a common ancestor and evolved through natural processes, with earlier life forms going back to billions of years.
In biology the most recent common ancestors, when traced back using the Y-chromosome for the male lineage and mitochondrial DNA for the female lineage, are commonly called the Y-chromosomal Adam and Mitochondrial Eve, respectively. These do not fork from a single couple at the same epoch even if the names were borrowed from the Tanakh.
The Rabbis taught: Four [Sages] entered the Pardes [literally "the orchard."]. Rashi explains that they ascended to heaven by utilizing the [Divine] Name [i.e., they achieved a spiritual elevation through intense meditation on G‑d's Name] (Tosafot, ad loc). They were Ben Azzai, Ben Zoma, Acher [Elisha ben Avuya, called Acher— the other one — because of what happened to him after he entered the Pardes] and Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Akiva said to them [prior to their ascension]: "When you come to the place of pure marble stones, do not say, 'Water! Water!' for it is said, 'He who speaks untruths shall not stand before My eyes' (Psalms 101:7)." Ben Azzai gazed [at the Divine Presence - Rashi] and died. Regarding him the verse states, "Precious in the eyes of G‑d is the death of His pious ones" (Psalms 116:15). Ben Zoma gazed and was harmed [he lost his sanity — Rashi]. Regarding him the verse states, "Did you find honey? Eat only as much as you need, lest you be overfilled and vomit it up" (Proverbs 25:16). Acher cut down the plantings [he became a heretic]. Rabbi Akiva entered in peace and left in peace. Ramak now cites the Tikunei Zohar which adds some details not mentioned in the Talmud. The ancient Saba [an old man] stood up and said [to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai], "Rabbi, Rabbi! What is the meaning of what Rabbi Akiva said to his students, "When you come to the place of pure marble stones, do not say, 'Water! Water!' lest you place yourselves in danger, for it is said, 'He who speaks untruths shall not stand before My eyes.' But it is written, "There shall be a firmament between the waters and it shall separate between water [above the firmament] and water [below the firmament]" (Genesis 1:6). Since the Torah describes the division of the waters in to upper and lower, why should it be problematic to mention this division? Furthermore, since there are [in fact] upper and lower waters, why did Rabbi Akiva warn them, "do not say, 'Water! Water!'"
The Holy Lamp [a title accorded to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai] replied, "Saba, it is proper that you reveal this secret that the chevraya [Rabbi Shimon's circle of disciples] have not grasped clearly." The ancient Saba answered, "Rabbi, Rabbi, Holy Lamp. Surely the pure marble stones are the letter yud — one the upper yud of the letter aleph, and one the lower yud of the letter aleph [an aleph in script is formed by an upright yud at the top to the right, and an upside-down yud at the bottom to the left, joined by a vav, the diagonal line between them]. Here there is no spiritual impurity; only pure marble stones, and so there is no separation between one water and the other; they form a single unity from the aspect of the Tree of Life, which is the vav in the midst of the letter aleph. In this regard it states, "[lest he put forth his hand] and if he take of the Tree of Life [and eat and live forever]…(Gen. 3:22) Ramak now begins to analyze these passages. The meaning of Rabbi Akiva's exhortation is that the Sages should not declare that there are two types of water. Since there are not [two types of water] one would be causing a separation. This is the meaning of "do not say, 'water, water'" — do not say that there are two types of water, lest you endanger yourself because of the sin of separation. For this reason the old man asked two questions, both of which are real questions: "There shall be a firmament between the waters and it shall separate…" (Genesis 1:6). Thus there are two types of water and a separation between them. In this case, does it not appear to be permissible to refer to two types of water? Even more problematic is that the Torah itself states, "It shall separate between water and water" — the water above the firmament and the water below the firmament. This is a complete separation. The marble stones represent the letter yud. The old man asked a second question — the waters are in fact of two types: water of the firmament and water below the firmament [in rivers, lakes and seas]. Why then did Rabbi Akiva exhort them not to say "water, water, lest they endanger themselves?" On the contrary; it should be permitted to mention two types of water, for this is no worse than the language used by the Torah, and this is also the situation in fact! Now Rabbi Shimon did not wish to explain this matter himself; he wanted his disciples to hear it from the old man. The old man explained that each of the marble stones represents the letter yud. As we have explained elsewhere this means a yud at the beginning, and a yud at the end, according to the mystical explanation of "I am first and I am last" (Isaiah 44:6). The first yud represents chochma, and the second yud represents malchut, which is also chochma according to the mystical explanation of the light that returns from below to above (called or chozer). The upper yud is the yud of the Tetragrammaton (Yud-Hei-Vav-Hei) while the lower yud is the yud of the Name Alef-Dalet-Nun-Yud. The latter is the concept of "female waters" (Mayin Nukvin), and the former the concept of "male waters" (Mayin Dechurin). They are called "female waters" because they receive from below, from the performance of the commandments, and through them a person has the ability to affect the higher worlds so that the light will shine forth and become clothed in them, as in a palace. Thus the light that is elicited [by the performance of the commandments is like] a king in his palace. These are also the keys to the inner and outer aspects. The inner aspect is the light of the Tetragrammaton, which undoubtedly descends as or yashar from above to below. The outer aspect is that which returns according to the mystical explanation of or chozer. This is the meaning of the statement in regard to the sefirot "from below to above, and from above to below," as explained elsewhere. This is signified by the top and the bottom yuds of the aleph. This is also the secret of the intertwining (shiluv) of the two Names --Yud-Alef-Hei-Dalet-Vov-Nun-Hei-Yud — with the upper yud at the beginning and the lower yud at the end. These two yuds are referred to in the passage "pure marble stones." Each of the yuds is a stone because its shape is round like a stone. It is called "marble" because marble is generally white, which is indicative of the attribute of Mercy (in Hebrew rachamim). In this sense it is also similar to water [which represents kindness]. Now since these two yuds are the aspect of compassion, just like water, which is called "waters of kindness," they are therefore referred to as "marble," as we just explained. We can also explain this by way of [the science of] tzeiruf (letter combinations and permutations): The sefira of chochma is called yesh — "being" [since it is the first immanent sefira], spelled Yud-Shin in Hebrew. The lower chochma [i.e., malchut] is called shai [Shin-Yud — the identical letters, but in reverse order]. When both words are combined they form the word shayish — Shin-Yud-Shin ("marble"). The yud is chochma, the source, and the shin is the emanation of its branches [i.e., the branching out into sefirot according to the mystical explanation of or yashar]…Malchut is called shai according to the mystical explanation of the light that reverses (or chozer). When these two words, signifying these two types of light, are combined to form the word shayish (the two yuds combine into one). They are the letter yud...the upper and lower yuds of the aleph are joined by a diagonal vav
They are called "pure," for there are a number of different types of water [mentioned in the Torah]; one of these is mei nida — literally waters of impurity [because they are used to purify a person after he became contaminated by contact with the dead. Water from a living spring is mixed with the ashes of the red heifer and is then sprinkled upon the impure person]. Separation and division is mentioned in regard to this type of water, as will be explained. These waters [of the pure] marble stones are completely pure and pertain to Atzilut.
"They are the letter yud — one the upper yud of the letter aleph…" We already explained above that the Name Yud-Alef-Hei-Dalet-Vav-Nun-Hei-Yud has the upper and lower aspects of chochma [represented by the two yuds] and six letters in between, alluding to the letter vav [which has a numerical value of 6. Note that the upper and lower yuds of the aleph are joined by a diagonal vav. This is the way a scribe traditionally writes the letter א]. This symbolizes tiferet, which branches out into six extremities [tiferet is the central sefira of the six sefirot of Zeir Anpin]. The vav is situated between the yuds in order to join them. That is to say, through tiferet the daughter [malchut] is able to ascend "to her father's house as in her youth."
It is for this reason that Rabbi Akiva warned them not to say that those two marble stones were separated from one another, G‑d forbid, for this is not true. On the contrary, the firmament between them, which is tiferet, actually unites them and through it they are joined together. There is no separation other than in a place of spiritual impurity, as it is written, "to separate between the impure and the pure" (Leviticus 11:47). But in a place of purity — pure marble stones — "do not say, 'water, water." This is what the old man was explaining, "Here there is no spiritual impurity… they are from the aspect of the Tree of Life…" These waters are in Atzilut and therefore there is no separation between them… on the contrary, the firmament unites them….
The tree of life. It is arguably one of the most popular symbols in the Bible. It’s too bad that so many people read Genesis, discover the tree of life, and think it’s literal. To do so robs the mind of this ancient symbol’s true beauty and essence! Sometimes called the cosmic or world tree, the tree of life did not originate with the authors of Genesis. For thousands of years it has been used in sacred literature to describe man’s connection with the divine. Although different cultures have known this tree by different names, the essence of this tree’s significance is essentially the same; it represents both divine and natural man, the spiritual and natural world. And just as the tree of life symbolically spans all the worlds of existence, so does man. I know the above sounds super spiritual, so what does it really mean for all of us down here on earth? Simply put, the tree of life is about the evolution of subjective consciousness from the lower planes to the higher planes—the world of physical matter to the world of energetic spirit. And consciousness is the center of it all! Consider the Buddha. He was enlightened under the great Bodhi tree. Is it really just a coincidence that Odin gained supernatural abilities (enlightenment) under the branches of Yggdrasil, the mythological tree of the ancient Scandinavians? How about the fact that ancient Mayan kings, including Pakal Votan, were portrayed on stone monuments with the world tree emerging from their headdress (more enlightenment imagery)? I apologize in advance to the fundamentalist that believes the concept behind the tree of life is unique to Biblical literature, but I don’t think all this imagery is coincidental. In fact, we can easily connect enlightenment with the Biblical tree of life. Consider the scripture from Revelations: “…To him that overcometh [achieves enlightenment] will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God” (Rev. 2:7). The seven seals being opened throughout the course of the Book of Revelations corresponds to the opening of the seven chakras, the cause of enlightenment, and eating from the tree of life is symbolic of the fruit one gains after traversing the many planes of consciousness. They key to understanding the above statement must include a knowledge of both the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. ,Let’s review the scripture from genesis that references both trees. Unveiling it will reveal some heavy esoteric knowledge . “And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9). Why do you think the Genesis author implies that both trees are in the midst of the garden? It is because together they represent different aspects of ONE tree! The world tree is comprised of both the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. In the realm of duality you cannot have one tree without the other. The experience of man includes both trees, from limited individual consciousness to the liberation gained through cosmic consciousness. When consciousness (spirit) incarnated on the physical plane, man began living out his existence among hardship and pain. This is part of the growing process, and there is going to be some wounds to lick. But to he who overcomes by continuing to grow consciously will be given to eat of the tree of life.
The key is in the fruit! Within the experience of duality lies consciousness evolution and moving up the tree of life to partake of its fruit. Again, we can prove all this with scripture. Review Genesis 2:9 again. God said the trees in the garden were for food. This has nothing to do with physical food. It’s a about spiritual food. Let’s compare the fruit of each tree from Gaskell’s Dictionary of Scripture and myth. Fruit of the tree of life: “Symbolic of the higher emotions and faculties of the buddhic [Christ] nature laid up for the soul when perfected.” In Revelations Jesus states that the tree of life on either side of the river bears twelve fruits that provide healing. What causes us to express the higher emotions and mental faculties of the Christ? It is through the acquisition of wisdom, which brings healing. “She [wisdom] is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her…” (Proverbs 3:18). How does anyone gain wisdom? It starts with obedience to God on the physical plane. It ends when one truly learns the lessons (on the soul level) that experience in duality provides. Now consider the other side of this coin: Fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil: “A symbol of the experience acquired through the activities of the lower nature and the development of the moral nature.” How does the Bible explain how man acquired experience and learned to develop the moral nature? By being kicked out of the garden (spiritual existence) to live life among “thorns” and “thistles” (duality). This is the fruit of the knowledge of the tree of good and evil! Sometimes the tree of life is inverted in Kabbalah. The inverted tree of life has its roots firmly established in heaven (spiritual planes) and the rest of the tree emanates into the physical world. Likewise, man originated in the Eden, a spiritual plane, and ended up in the physical world, earth. The inverted tree depicts this process. Now it is up to us to climb back up the spiritual worlds. I like to picture the inverted tree as the tree of life and the right-side up tree as the tree of knowledge of good and evil. It makes sense for me to picture the two in this way because remember that the true world tree contains both the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Picturing one tree as inverted and the other right-side up helps me to get a clear picture for the functions of both trees. Tree of LifeThe tree of life then is the ultimate motif of the evolution of consciousness. Its branches reach into heaven, the spiritual planes. The trunk resides on the material plane, and the roots grow into the earth, or underworld, which represents many subconscious aspects of our soul.
The consciousness of man then can be likened unto a tree itself. The ultimate goal is to become complete and whole, which is the true meaning of Biblical perfection. This is accomplished through following and understanding the deeper esoteric meanings of God’s commands.
“And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf [true ideals] shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper” (Psalm 1:3).
Returning to the tree of life is to gain enlightenment. It is guarded by Cherubim because we must go through the planes of existence and experience duality in order to raise consciousness before we can gain access. It’s that simple.
Every day that you wake up, consider it your day to experience something that brings you one step closer to again gaining access to the tree of life, or enlightenment! And it’s all Biblical! I especially want Christians who are questioning orthodox interpretation to know this, so I’ll say it again. It’s all Biblical! Don’t fret the fact that the Bible is truly a book with eastern concepts woven throughout. Doing so only limits the truths provided through this great book. It certainly isn’t of isolation.
Did the Tree of Life mentioned in the book of Genesis, have power to impart immortality to mortal man, as might be deduced from Genesis 3:22?’
The Tree of Life stood in the centre of the Garden of Eden which elsewhere is called ‘The Garden of the LORD’.1 It was a real tree, to be sure, but let me suggest that it was also symbolic of the fact that God was, and is, the source of eternal life and blessing. Adam and Eve were to have their life centred in Him, even as the Tree was in the centre of His Garden. Other parts of the Bible also mention The Tree of Life. In Ezekiel 47:12 (NASB) we read of trees whose ‘fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing’. This image is taken up also in Revelation 22:2. It is clear particularly in Proverbs where a number of things are referred to as ‘a tree of life’ (wisdom (3:15), the fruit of the righteous (11:30), desire fulfilled (13:12), and a soothing tongue (15:4)) that the Tree of Life in these references symbolises that which brings joy and healing to people. This, I suspect, was what the original, the real Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden symbolised. It was material, yet it stood for the blessing of eternal life which God would give to Adam and Eve, and their descendants, if they were to pass the test of obedience. They were permitted to eat of any tree in the Garden except the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil on pain of death.2 Now, use a little lateral thinking. What else in the Bible is real and material, yet at the same time symbolises the life which is in Christ and points us repeatedly to Him? Something in which Christians share, and which reminds them that Jesus’ death brings us life? It is the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.
IF ADAM PASSED THE TEST OF OBEDIENCE, IT WOULD BE THE MEANS OF GOD’S IMPARTING ETERNAL LIFE TO HIM. Now, let us return to the Garden of Eden. I want to suggest that the Tree of Life was there to perform such a sacramental function. If Adam passed the test of obedience, it would be the means of God’s imparting eternal life to him, not by magic, but by the working of his Spirit ‘by, with and under’ the fruit of the Tree. But Adam sinned. He failed the test and lost his right to eat from the Tree. As one commentator puts it, ‘that he might understand himself to be deprived of his former life, a solemn excommunication is added; not that the Lord would cut him off from all hope of salvation, but, by taking away what he had given, would cause man to seek new assistance elsewhere.’3 Just as Christians who profane the Lord’s Supper are subject to judgment, so Adam would have been further condemned if he had presumed to eat the fruit to which he was not now entitled. In doing so, he would have been trying to rob life from God, a grave blasphemy. The implication of Genesis 3:22 (NIV) ‘And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live for ever,”’ is that he, and us with him,4 would have been plunged into a condition of absolute lostness. He would have lived eternally cut off from God without hope of escape from the terrible consequences of sin. This would have been God’s just punishment for such a presumptuous sin, not merely a ‘magical’ effect of the Tree of Life. Mercifully, God did not permit this to happen.5 Adam was cast out of the Garden of Eden. No longer could he even contemplate eating from the Tree of Life. It was beyond his reach. Physical death now began to enter the human race. Adam began to die! The last Adam (Christ) later came to Earth to die so that through faith in Jesus, we may now inherit the eternal life Adam forfeited. Indeed, Jesus says to those who persevere in faith, ‘To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the Paradise of God.’6 The Genesis account of the Tree of Life reminds us there is only one way to attain to an eternal life of blessedness—the way God has appointed. That is through His Son, the Creator of heaven and Earth—the Lord Jesus Christ. It is He alone who can say, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life.’
The Muslim man explained that probably the most fundamental difference is that the Koran2 speaks of Jesus as a prophet—definitely not the Son of God. That evening, the Australian-born student told her father of the encounter, and asked, ‘Dad, I’ve been thinking … our bodies are unclean! Why would God, who is pure, sully himself by coming down to Earth in human form?’ After her father failed to give a reasoned answer, she turned her back on the church, converted to Islam and later married a Muslim.3. Such a question requires only a basic understanding of the Atonement to answer. Salvation required a sacrificial ‘last Adam’ (1 Cor. 15:45) to shed His blood in death, one who was a physical descendant of the first, yet sinless. This could be fulfilled only through God incarnate, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:12, 22). Notice, though, how all this is built upon the foundational Genesis truths of the first Adam bringing in sin and death, and the first shedding of blood as a covering for sin (Genesis 3:21). The increasing confusion caused in the church by long-age compromises (which, by putting suffering, death and bloodshed before Adam, undermine these truths) is a major reason why so many today cannot give reasoned answers to basic Gospel-related questions (contravening 1 Peter 3:15). This leaves young people in the church vulnerable to being tossed by winds of false doctrine (Ephesians 4:14).
Following September 11, 2001, the increased prominence of Islam in the media, and public declarations by government (and many church) leaders that Islam is a ‘great’ religion, will likely raise further questions in the minds of many young people in the churches. E.g. ‘Do Jews, Christians and Muslims worship the same God?’ and ‘What does the Koran say about the Bible?’ Many Christian commentators have sought to raise awareness of fundamental doctrinal differences between the Koran and the Bible (see below), but few people are aware of how the Muslim’s holy book starkly contradicts the Biblical account of our origins. Genesis provides a unified description of Creation; the Koran does not. Creation, The Fall, Flood and Babel . Genesis provides a unified description of Creation; the Koran does not. Instead, fragmented passages are scattered across many of its 114 chapters (‘Sura’). The tables (below) attempt to assimilate these fragments for a clearer picture of what the Koran says, compared to the Bible. The many contradictions highlighted in these tables surely demolish any claims that the ‘revelation’ given to Muhammad is not a corruption of, but reliably builds upon, Judeo-Christian history. Eve’s distorted view, obviously wrong, is portrayed as truth in the Koran. For instance, the Koranic account prohibits Adam from going anywhere near the Forbidden Tree, while Genesis says that God only commanded Adam not to eat its fruit (see Table 2). (Man had been placed in the garden to tend it (Genesis 2:15), which seems to require physical access to each tree for e.g. pruning.) Interestingly, the Bible relates that Eve, who was deceived (1 Timothy 2:14), had misconstrued God’s instruction to not eat of the fruit from the tree to instead also mean not to touch it (Genesis 3:3). Yet Eve’s distorted view, obviously wrong, is portrayed as truth in the Koran [update: see Did Eve lie before the Fall?—Ed.]. The Biblical account of origins also makes more sense of today’s world than does the Koran—e.g. the presence of sin, violence, death and the origin of languages (and concomitant minor ‘racial’ differences). The Bible explains why the whole creation is so obviously groaning, in bondage to decay (Romans 8:19–22). In contrast, the Koran makes God responsible for death and suffering (see Tables 1 and 2), in common with long-age and evolutionary Christian views, and Eastern religions.
The Koran and evolution
With the increased adoption of evolution-based curricula, some Muslim leaders and scholars began to recognize the threat to Islam from a rising tide of evolutionary thinking. Their response has been either to attack evolution, or, more commonly, to blend it with Islam.
New Scientist reported that Islamic creationist books cite and copy Christian creationists, but with Biblical references deleted.
1. The Islamic creationists
The creationist Muslims claim that ‘The theory [of evolution] and the holy Qur’an are in direct conflict with each other and no compatibility is possible anywhere.’4 New Scientist reported that Islamic creationist books cite and copy Christian creationists, but with Biblical references deleted.5
2. The Islamic evolutionists
Evolution-believing Muslims seem to be far more numerous, and vocal, than creationist Muslims.
They have a substantial strategic advantage precisely because the Koran is so vague, nebulous and seemingly open to various interpretations.6 They delight in pointing out that, in contrast, ‘There is absolutely no ambiguity whatsoever in the Biblical description of the Creation in six days followed by a day of rest, the sabbath, analogous with the days of the week.’7 These evolution-accommodating Muslims are adamant that the ‘days’ of Creation in the Koran ‘mean in reality “very long Periods, or Ages, or Aeons”?’.7 Muslim apologists gleefully point out that the Koran is compatible with evolution where the Bible is not. Muslim apologists gleefully point out that the Koran is compatible with evolution where the Bible is not, e.g.: ‘Neither here nor anywhere else in the Holy Qur-án is it affirmed that Adam was the first man, or that there was no creation by God before Adam, nor that Adam lived or man was created, or the earth made, only six thousand years ago.’8,9 Long-age Muslims exploit the Bible’s explicit detail of the Flood, too. They say that because the Bible clearly says there was a recent global Flood, while ‘science’ says there was not, the Bible is wrong and the Koran is thus confirmed to be right!10 Some of the Muslim literature even claims that the Koran shows that Allah revealed to Muhammad details about the ‘big bang’, ancient universe and evolution long before scientists began to ‘discover’ such ‘facts’.11
Christian awareness: In the same way that being aware of evolutionary challenges to our faith helps us to be ready with answers,12 so, too, we need to be aware of what religions, including Islam, actually say, in order to be better prepared to answer our children’s questions.13 When men teach things that are contrary to the Bible, we are commanded to actively oppose such ideas (2 Corinthians 10:5). Christians need to be ready to help guide young people through the kinds of ‘intellectual crisis of faith’ that many confront in their teenage years—whether because of exposure to evolutionary teaching, or to other religions.
Knowing that the Word of God accurately explains our world ahead of all opposing ideas not only strengthens our own faith, but gives us the confidence to reach out in love to challengers—including Muslims. In Koran 6:91, the Book given to Moses is described as ‘a light and guidance to man …’
Using Genesis to reach Muslims?
Just as the Apostle Paul used Athenian beliefs to draw his Greek listeners to the truth of the Gospel (Acts 17:22–23, 28), Christians could use a similar approach when talking with Muslims. One could start by reminding the Muslim that the Koran says that the Scriptures of Jews and Christians were given by God, e.g. Koran 2:87—‘We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of Apostles; We gave Jesus the son of Mary Clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit.’ Similarly, in Koran 6:91, the Book given to Moses is described as ‘a light and guidance to man …’ . So why so many irreconcilable differences between Genesis 1–11 and the Koran? A Muslim might say that today’s copies of the Bible have been corrupted. But the earliest Biblical manuscripts (e.g. in the British Museum14) date from before Muhammad, demonstrating the reliability of our current copies. The Bible explains that death, violence, pain and decay entered a once-perfect Creation as a result of Adam’s sin in the garden of Eden. A further challenge for the Muslim would concern the presence of death, suffering, grief, etc., in the world. Consider the following exchange between American TV host Larry King and Georgetown University’s Islamic professor of theology, Maysam Al-Faruqi:
KING: Maysam, if you believe in heaven and paradise, then dying is good?
AL-FARUQI: Absolutely. And dying is perfectly natural, it’s the end of things.
KING: Why do we treat it tragically? … …
AL-FARUQI: Well, there is the pain …15
So in this Muslim (also theistic evolutionary) view of death as ‘perfectly natural’, why grieve and wail at the death of a loved one? The Islamic professor’s answer, ‘Well, there is the pain …’ begs the question: ‘So pain and suffering are a “natural”? part of God’s good (Koran 32:7) creation, too?’ Clearly, Muslims have no satisfactory answer.But the Bible explains that death, violence, pain and decay entered a once-perfect Creation as a result of Adam’s sin in the garden of Eden (Genesis 2:17, 3:19; Romans 5:12–17; 8:19–22; 1 Corinthians 15:21–22). Thankfully, this situation is only temporary, as God gave his Son, Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity, that those who believe in Him can look forward to the coming restoration, to a world with ‘no more death, mourning, crying or pain’, i.e. no more Genesis Curse (John 1:18, 3:16; Acts 3:21; Revelation 21:4, 22:3).
In Islam, Adam (Ādam; Arabic: آدم), whose role is being the father of humanity, is looked upon by Muslims with reverence. Eve (Ḥawwāʼ;Arabic: حواء ) is the “mother of humanity.” The creation of Adam and Eve is referred to in the Qurʼān, although different Qurʼanic interpreters give different views on the actual creation story (Qurʼan, Surat al-Nisaʼ, verse 1).
In al-Qummi’s tafsir on the Garden of Eden, such place was not entirely earthly. According to the Qurʼān, both Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in a Heavenly Eden (See alsoJannah). As a result, they were both sent down to Earth as God’s representatives. Each person was sent to a mountain peak: Adam on al-Safa, and Eve on al-Marwah. In this Islamic tradition, Adam wept 40 days until he repented, after which God sent down the Black Stone, teaching him the Hajj. According to a prophetic hadith, Adam and Eve reunited in the plain of ʻArafat, near Mecca. They had two sons together, Qabil (Cain) and Habil (Abel). There is also a legend of a younger son, named Rocail, who created a palace and sepulcher containing autonomous statues that lived out the lives of men so realistically they were mistaken for having souls. The concept of original sin does not exist in Islam, because Adam and Eve were forgiven by God. When God orders the angels to bow to Adam, Iblis questioned, “Why should I bow to man? I am made of pure fire and he is made of soil.” The liberal movements within Islam have viewed God’s commanding the angels to bow before Adam as an exaltation of humanity, and as a means of supporting human rights; others view it as an act of showing Adam that the biggest enemy of humans on earth will be their ego. The Garden of Eden is spoken about prominently in the Quran and the tafsir (interpretation). This includes surat Sad, which features 21 verses on the subject, surat al-Baqarah, surat al-A’raf, and surat al-Hijr. The narrative mainly surrounds the expulsion of Iblis from the garden and his subsequent tempting of Adam and Eve. After Iblis refuses to follow God’s command to bow down to Adam for being his greatest creation, Allah transforms him into Satan as a punishment. Unlike the Biblical account, the Quran mentions only one tree in Eden, the tree of immortality, which Allah specifically forbade to Adam and Eve. Satan, disguised as a serpent, repeatedly told Adam to eat from the tree, and eventually both Adam and Eve did so, thus disobeying Allah.These stories are also featured in the Islamic hadith collections, including al- Tabari. The Tree of Immortality (Arabic: شجرة الخلود) is the tree of life motif as it appears in the Quran. It is also alluded to in hadiths and tafsir. Unlike the biblical account, the Quran mentions only one tree in Eden, also called the tree of immortality, which Allah specifically forbade to Adam and Eve. Satan, disguised as a serpent, repeatedly told Adam to eat from the tree, and eventually both Adam and Eve did so, thus disobeying Allah. The hadiths however speak about other trees in heaven.
In Spiritism, "Perispirit" is the subtle body that is used by the spirit to connect with the perceptions created by the brain. The term is found among the extensive terminology originally devised by Allan Kardec in his books about Spiritism. Its first use was in a commentary (by Kardec) to the answer given by the spirits to the 93rd question of the Spirits Book: Is the spirit, properly so called, without a covering, or is it, as some declare, surrounded by a substance of some kind?
"The spirit is enveloped in a substance which would appear to you as mere vapor, but which, nevertheless, appears very gross to us, thought it is sufficiently vaporous to allow the spirit to float in the atmosphere, and to transport himself through space at pleasure." As the germ of a fruit is surrounded by the perisperm so the spirit, properly so called, is surrounded by an envelope which, by analogy, may be designated as the perispirit. This was a breakthrough concept, as the spirit had not been thought of as usually from its form (the ghost one saw was considered "the ghost itself", not the appearance of a ghost).[citation needed] Kardec, then, was compelled to develop further the notion, especially by given "scientific" fundamentation to his theory. He studied the properties of what was then called "fluids" (electricity, magnetism, heat) and broadened the research towards those he termed "psychic" or "spiritual fluids". Both terms, especially the previous have stuck and are still used (or abused) up to now. The perispirit plays a key role in the phenomenon of mediumship, which actually involves the interaction of the perispirit of the medium and that of a disembodied spirit. When invited to our plane of existence by a medium, "spirits who inhabit worlds of higher degree than ours ... are obliged to clothe themselves with" a garment composed of perispirit. ‘The most elevated spirits, when they come to visit us, assume a terrestrial perispirit, which they retain during their stay among us".According to Kardec, it is through the perispirit that disincarnate spirits ... can move objects. [Thus, the perispirit is responsible for poltergeist manifestations. Astral body is a subtle body posited by many philosophers, intermediate between the intelligent soul and the mental body, composed of a subtle material. The concept ultimately derives from the philosophy of Plato: it is related to an astral plane, which consists of the planetary heavens of astrology. The term was adopted by nineteenth-century Theosophists and neo-Rosicrucians. The idea is rooted in common worldwide religious accounts of the afterlife in which the soul's journey or "ascent" is described in such terms as "an ecstatic.., mystical or out-of body experience, wherein the spiritual traveller leaves the physical body and travels in his/her subtle body (or dreambody or astral body) into ‘higher’ realms".Hence "the "many kinds of 'heavens', 'hells', and purgatorial existences believed in by followers of innumerable religions" may also be understood as astral phenomena, as may the various "phenomena of the séance room". The phenomenon of apparitional experience is therefore related, as is made explicit in Cicero's Dream of Scipio. The astral body is sometimes said to be visible as an aura of swirling colours.[5] It is widely linked today with out-of-body experiences or astral projection. Where this refers to a supposed movement around the real world, as in Muldoon and Carrington's book The Projection of the Astral Body, it conforms to Madame Blavatsky's usage of the term. Elsewhere this latter is termed "etheric", while "astral" denotes an experience of dream-symbols, archetypes, memories, spiritual beings and visionary landscapes.
With the spread of Islam through Persia, the pari (or peri in Turkish) was integrated into Islamic folklore. They are often regarded as a kind of good jinn, while the evil ones are often identified by Persians with the divs.[1] The belief in Peri still persist among Muslims in India as a type of spiritual creature besides the jinni, shayatin and the ghosts of the wicked.[2] According to the Persian exegesis of the Qurʼan Tafsir al-Tabari, the peris are beautiful female spirits created by God after the vicious divs. They mostly believe in God and are benevolent to mankind. They are still part of some folklore and accordingly they appear to humans, sometimes punishing hunters in the mountains who are disrespectful or waste resources, or even abducting young humans for their social events. Encounters with peris are held to be physical as well as psychological.As many have asked, “Is astral travel real? And can anyone do that with Taoist meditation?” What is astral travel in your definition? Are you talking about soul travel? Maybe there got to be a solid and precise definition for this in order to explain all these things about soul-travel in Taoist magic. Let us dig into this subject in this article and explain the difference between a sleeping “astral travel” as most are referring to versus the Taoist magic type of soul traveling.
Most people get it as the theory of yin and yang, or what the western people call it as the theory of opposite. Anything in nature must have to have two extremes in order to exist. Dark versus light, high versus low, hot versus cold, there is always two extremes and that is why things in the middle can exist. Only a male or female won’t give birth to a new being, there got to be a male and a female, yin and yang, very simple, but what’s the ”secret” that people don’t understand yet?n Taoist magic, we do not get into a soul travel or astral travel that will turn you into a movie-watching state. In another word, you must have full control over things while you can soul travel or astral travel to the dimension 6 or dimension 1 depending on where you are going and seeing. The reason for why we are going “backward” to touch the soul and pre-heaven bodies (the Yuen Sun) is because we are staying “still” and relaxing our mind. Just like as if you and the other side is bonded by a spring. When you relax, the two sides will pull toward each other. That is why you can see the soul or the planet world when you start to sleep or meditate or relax to a certain state. However, you also lost control power and you are on the danger-zone because you are not alone in this world and that is exactly why many people went crazy doing those practices.
In order to reach your dimension 1, you do not have to go backward from 8 to 6 to 1. What we do in Sun Gung magic, is to use our dimension 9 energies to go back to 1.
In Chineese, this is said as 練精化氣，練氣化神，練神還虛 - meaning we cultivate our essence to form energy, and cultivate energy to focus into power, and the power then projects back to the pre-heaven zones, which is exaclty what we are doing in Taoist magic mentioned above. If you go the reverse order, the relax and let go route, then you are having no "energy build up" and hence there is no power, then whar you get is just a depeleting force that draws you backward.
Dimension 9 is the reverse of what you do in sleep. In sleep you let go of your focus, in dimension 9, we concentrate our focus and beam the energies through this dimension and there goes back to dimension 1 again. There are 9 dimensions in nature, and its all a cycle from 1 to 9 and 9 will flip back to 1 and restart. In Taoist magic, or what we call Sun Gung magic, we utilize the dimension 9 energy and building up more of it by using our magic altar, then there goes our mega-powerhouse that allows us to have more of this dimension 9 energy than what a normal person can hold. Just like we said in the article of “what is Taoism”, you can’t hold much water with your hands, and that is why we have buckets and a storage area. The altar is our storage for this type of dimension 9 energy, and we accumulate it, condense it, cultivate it, then use it to control our dimension 1 elements backward. We control the pre-heaven instead of being controlled by pre-heaven, and that is what magic is about.
Taking a step further, soul-travel in Taoist magic is pushing through the dimension 1 and go from the dimension 1 to your dimension 6 and beam upward to witness other things high above, such as the “Yuen Sun”, the “celestial realm” or even other higher dimensions. Advanced cultivation in Taoist magic can allow the disciples to reach these dimensions high above and witness the other places themselves, but it is not easy to do and the foundation must be solid, or else everything you see can be just a bunch of illusions. However, you will never get into a dream or sleeping state, then see something, and call that a soul travel magic. That is not magic, that is dreaming, and it’s nothing magical. This uncontrolled state of astral travel or soul travel is pretty dangerous too. You let yourself go and be served with whatever is out there, what if you got some space-punks waiting to punch you in the face? You just let it happen and enjoy the beatings? You don’t even know you got punched, because you cannot understand what is happening, then how to protect yourself from all the dangerous pollutions and threats out there? Our magic version of soul travel is not dangerous and is definitely 100% in a controlled state. What makes it magic? The magic is when you can reverse the controlling authority in nature, meaning that you can be the player instead of the viewer. In a dream or “meditation” where most people get their “visuals”, they are only a viewer and cannot control anything. In magic, we are doing about the same, but we are the player, and we have full control, full consciousness, and can interact by using the physical body as a remote and interact with things in the pre-heaven world too. It might feel crazy awesome and wild to you at the moment, but at least we have explained the difference between soul travel magic and what most people are looking at. The principle of reincarnation having now been acquired, we will see how the renaissance of an Astral Entity to terrestrial life takes place. Here, the documentation is abundant enough to enable us to study the process of the phenomenon and to establish, by positive data, the mechanism of birth, as, previously, I studied how one dies. My sources of information will be the same: words of magnetic subjects subject to the regression of memory, common and concordant memories reported by other subjects, adaptation of the human constitution to facts and finally astral communications in accordance with the affirmations of the magnetic subjects that they corroborate. I will briefly recall that the human being is composed of 1. a physical body 2 ° of a double aitheric or vital soul, holder of the material life -3 "of an astral body or sensitive soul, holder of energy neu -4 of a mental body or intelligent soul, possessor of the intelligence 5 of a causal body or causal soul, above which plan the higher elements of being (1) It results from this grouping of elements that the ghosts because we can not use the word body which evokes a too material idea of the entities of the astral plane are based on the astral body, since, as I indicated previously, the double aitheric, upper part and almost immaterial the of the physical body, dies very shortly after this body The astral entity is thus composed only of the body astral which itself seems to lose in the afterlife, after the previous death, the least immaterial part of oneself for more detalls, chapter I, Constitutio Man, that is, part of oneself maintaining constant relations with the physical organism. to be after the semi-material inputs, and no longer disappearing from reason.
該法繼承和發展了傳統丹道功
傳統氣功一般不是打命門內竅，而是打會陰。如道家正宗丹道功從下丹田練起，打開陰蹺庫，然後走任督二脈循環。而且小周天那個督脈走的不是外面，而是走的脊柱裏面，這樣就把先天氣的信息量直接通過督脈上升到頭部。頭裏面藏神，生殖系統陰蹺庫這兒藏陰精。精氣是物質性的先天混元氣，全息性比較強，意識裏面神的全息性比較強，神和精氣結合到一起，能強化人的全息性。所以一般道家丹道功要打開陰蹺庫這個內竅。但是那樣打有很多困難，道家練丹派那樣練成功的也很少。為什麼呢？如果練己築基的功夫不純，意識的穩定性不夠，精氣一充足就可以化成後天濁精，這樣全息的氣就凝固成有形物質而散掉了。說後天的精是濁精，但過去練功為什麼又那麼看重精？因為精是無形的先天混元氣眾多的資訊變成的有形物質，精丟了，先天混元氣也就流失了。
傳統丹道功講了很多功法，但不直接講功訣。明朝之後出的《伍柳仙宗》已經寫得很詳細，而民國初年的趙避塵寫的《性命法訣明指》則更系統、更詳細，但是成功者非常少。趙避塵說要度八百弟子，可他的弟子們哪個修成了？採小藥結小丹，採大藥結大丹，然後出陽神，然後再怎麼怎麼……他都講得很清楚啊。還不要說他的弟子們，他自己也沒修成嘛！東北有個趙大法師，不知道是不是他哥哥，看來已經修到一定程度，但還沒修到最後一步。什麼道理呢？並不是懂得了方法就解決了問題，關鍵在於意識修煉，也叫練己築基。過去講，未練還丹先練己。練己築基不純，得了丹訣也解決不了問題。說句不客氣話，並不是每個人都能往高層次練。這句話不是說哪個人不能練，是說不是每個人都能做到意志非常堅定，不為各種影響和刺激所動。若做不到這一點，知道了方法也沒用。所以過去老師經常出各種難題為難徒弟，一年二年甚至十年八年不教口訣，磨徒弟的性子。磨性子就是練己築基，練意志力。沒有意志力，練功就不能堅持到底。有的人下定了決心，可一碰上事馬上就變了樣。所以練意志得從事上練，心不動，我定下了要幹什麼，我必須幹。
تحكم عقلي، الظهور الوهمي، إلقاء السحر، من يعلم؟
پَری از موجودات خیالی و افسانهای فرهنگ عامه و خرافات مردم است. نام سرزمین پریان در آثار اسطورهای، پریستان در کوه قاف (آسیای مقدم) است. در آغاز هزارهٔ یکم پ. م. بخشی از اینجا موطن اسکیتهای اشکودا بود.
پری در اوستا موجودی اهریمنی است (همانند فری) که مردم را میفریبد، اما در فرهنگ ایرانیان پس از اسلام، پریان موجوات خوب و دوست داشتنی هستند که مردم نیکوکار و خوش نیت را دوست دارند و آنها را به خوشبختی و کامروایی میرسانند.
زرقا ؤنا التي كانت، تلك املدينة الدافئة بعالقاتها الإنسانية احلميمة املتجاوزة العتبارات الدم والقربى،
القائمة على عالقات اجلوار ، تلك املدينة الأثرية التي احتسنت أيام طفولتنا الذاهبة تدريجيا يف الغياب
بحكم مسرية السنني ، احلاسرة دوما يف البال كعنوان محدد للحنني الأزيل إلى أزقة وحارات وسوارع
ُ ومنتزهات، ودور سينما تبث أفالما هندية حافلة بالألوان الصاخبة والرقص الكثري ، ومعسكرات رابسة
على حواف املدينة، يغيب الآباء يف جوفها منذ الصباح ويعودون يف املساءات محملني بالبسكويت والهريسة
)وكنافة القاسي( التي كانت متاحة يف آخر كل سهر )يوم القبسة( حتديدا ، ومدارس ومعلمات يكتنب
اخلواطر الأدبية ومسرحيات مدرسية بدائية الإخراج، وسكة حديد فتحت بوابة التوق يف أرواحنا إلى أماكن
نائية أتاحت لنا الدنيا فيما بعد الوصول ّ إليها، مرتدين بأسواقنا إلى ذلك املكان الزرقاوي الأول، ودكاكني
وكراسي قص يجلس عليها رجال احلارة يلعبون طاولة الزهر ويرثثرون يف الشأن السياسي قبل أن تنسب
خناقة بني ولدين من أبناء احلارة ينتج عنها) طبسة( يف الرأس ّ وحفنة بن لوقف النزيف ثم يتابعون لعبهم
وحديثهم محتسني أكواب الساي بالنعناع سديدة احلالوة، وعتبات بيوت ترتاح عليها الأمهات يف املساءات بعد
نهارات من الكدح، ورائحة طبخة اجلارة السهية : جمدرة بالربغل سرتسل يل مع صغريها صحنا أجهز عليه
سريعا لتعيد أمي إرساله بدورها طافحا بأقراص السبانخ اخلارجة للتو من فرن منصوب يف حوص البيت
لأن إرساله فارغا يدخل يف نطاق العيب والعار .
وقد أتيح لنا فرد صفحات من عددنا هذا كإطاللة ال بد من استكمالها على مدينة سديدة اخلصوصية
احتسنت العدد الأكرب من مثقفي ومبدعي ومفكري هذا الوطن ، من اعالمني وقصاصني وروائيني وسعراء
وتسكيليني وسياسيني ، وكانت املرأة املبدعة حاسرة بقوة يف املسهد الثقايف الزرقاوي دوما، مل يتأتى ذلك
الإسراق الإنساين و احلساري بالصدفة بل كان نتيجة حتمية لرتكيبة مدينة قائمة على التنوع والتسامح
ً نتمنى تكراره يف زماننا املدقع هذا إال من
واالنفتاح جتاه ثقافة الآخر، وقد س ّكلت يف وقت مبكر منوذجا
احلنني !!
الإسقاط النجمي أو الإسقاط الأثيري (بالإنجليزية: Astral Projection) هو تفسيرٌ افتراضيّ لحالَةِ الخروجِ من الجسد وذلك بافتراضِ أنّ هُناكَ هيئةٌ نجميّة تنفصل عن الجسد الفيزيائي قادِرة على السفر خارجه.[1] ويُشير المصطلح إلى قدرة الشخص على ترك جسمِه والسفر عبر الجسم الأثيري لأي مكانٍ يريده. وفكرة الإسقاط النجمي موجودَة منذُ القِدم في العديد من الديانات حولَ العالم، وتُعتبر كذلك أحد أشكال الأحلام الجلية والتأمل.[2][3][4]
وقد شعرَ بعض المَرضى الذين يهلوسون والذين عرّضوا أنفُسهم للتنويم الإيحائي والمغناطيسي الذاتي شعروا بشعورٍ مشابهٍ لحالَة الإسقاط النجمي. وعلى الرُغم من وجودِ بعضِ الأشخاص الذين يدّعونَ أنهم قادرون على القيام بالإسقاط النجمي إلّا أنّه لا يوجَد دليلٌ علميّ على هذا، لذلك فهو يُصنّف ضمن العلوم الزائِفة. وقد بائت العديدُ من محاولات التحقّق من الظاهرة بالفشل.[5][6][7]
في اختبار أجري سنة 1978 على شخص يُدعى إنجو سوان (اقرأ كتاب: طفرات علمية زائفة)، و كان يزعم أن لديه قدرات نفسية خارقة للطبيعة، حيث ادعى أنه سافر إلى كوكب المشتري و قام بتقديم تفاصيل دقيقة عن الكوكب لايعرفها العلماء. قدم إنجو 65 ملاحظة، بعضها علمي. و بعد أن حصلت مركبتي مارينر 10 و بيونير 10 على معلومات عن الكوكب، كانت مقارنة النتائج كالتالي:
11 معلومة صحيحة لكنها مذكورة في كتب علمية من قبل.
1 معلومة صحيحة لم تكن موجودة من قبل.
7 معلومات صحيحة لكنها معلومات بديهية.
5 معلومات كانت عبارة عن حقائق محتملة أو تخمينات علمية.
9 معلومات غامضة و غير قابلة للتحقق.
30 معلومة كانت كلها خاطئة تماما.
2 معلومة كانتا صحيحتين على الأرجح.
على أفضل تقدير، كانت نسبة المعلومات الصحيحة التي قدمها الرجل هي 37%، وهي نسبة غير مُقنعة بالتأكيد. و على نحو بسيط و تام، يُمكنك التحقق بنفسك من صحة هذا الإدعاء: ضع شيئا ما في مكان لايمكن للشخص الذي يدعي بالسفر عبر مايسميه جسده النجمي أن يصل إليه. ثم أخبره أن يسافر نجميا لهذا المكان ليتعرف على الشيء الذي قمت بوضعه هناك. [8]
“THE HEART OF A FOOL IS IN HIS MOUTH AND THE TONGUE OF A WISE MAN IS IN HIS HEART.”
HAZRAT ALI.
Name - Ali
Title - Al-Murtaza, Al-Amir-ul-Mo’mineen, Abu-Turab, Asadullah
Kunyat - Abul Hasan
Born - Friday 13th of Rajab, in the Holy Ka’ba
Father’s Name - Abu Talib-ibne-Abdul Muttalib
Mother’s Name - Fatima bint-e-Asad
Died - at the age of 63 years, at Kufa, on Monday, the 21st Ramadan 40 AH, murdered by an assassin who mortally wounded him with a poisoned sword in the Mosque at Kufa during morning prayers on the 19th of Ramadan.
Buried - Najaf, near Kufa.
1. A wise man first thinks and then speaks and a fool speaks first and then thinks. - Hazrat Ali Ibn-e-Abi Talib
3. Be generous but not extravagant,
What is Nahjul Balagha ?
The Nahjul Balagha is a collection of sermons, precepts, prayers, epistles and aphorisms of 'Ali ('a) compiled by al-Sayyid al-Sharif al-Radi about one thousand years ago. However, neither the recorded words of Mawla 'Ali are confined to those collected by al-Sayyid al-Radi, nor was he the only man to compile the sayings of Amir al-Muminin. Al-Masudi, who lived a hundred years before al-Sayyid al-Radi, in the second volume of his work Muruj al-dhahab , writes: "At present there are over 480 sermons of 'Ali in the hands of the people," whereas the total number of sermons included by al-Sayyid al-Radi in his collection is 239 only.
The alienation from the Nahjul Balagha was not confined to me or others like me, but pervaded through the Islamic society. Those who understood this book, their knowledge did not go beyond the translation of its words and explanatory notes on its sentences. The spirit and the content of the book were hidden from the eyes of all. Only lately, it may be said, the Islamic world has begun to explore the Nahjul Balagha , or in other words, the Nahjul Balagha has started its conquest of the Muslim world.
What is surprising is that a part of the contents of the Nahjul Balagha , both in Shi'ite Iran and Arab countries, was first discovered either by atheists or non-Muslim theists, who revealed the greatness of the book to the Muslims. Of course, the purpose of most or all of them was to utilize the Nahjul Balagha of 'Ali ('a) for justifying and confirming their own social views; but the outcome was exactly opposite of what they desired. Because, for the first time the Muslims realized that the views expressed grandiloquently by others had nothing new to offer and that they cannot surpass what is said in the NNahjul Balagha of 'Ali ('a), or translated into action through the character ( sirah ) of 'Ali and his disciples like Salman al-Farsi, Abu Dharr, and 'Ammar. The result of it was that instead of supporting the pretentious views of those who wished to exploit the Nahjul Balagha , 'Ali and his book defeated their purpose. Nevertheless, it must be accepted that before this occurred, most of us had little knowledge of the Nahjul Balagha and it hardly went beyond appreciation of few sermons about virtues of piety and abstinence. Nobody had yet recognized the significance of the valuable epistle of Mawla 'Ali to Malik al-'Ashtar al-Nakh'i; nobody had paid attention to it.
Addressee's of Nahjul Balagha
Imam Ali(a.s) in his sermons addressed several categories and groups of people both in positive and negative sense, we have summarized the groups over here:
1. His Ahlulbayt (a.s) - Preachings , Guidance and Will
2. His sincere followers (a.s) - Guidance Advices (like Hamam, Meesam, Malik-e-Ashtar)
3. First Group of Opponents, the Mushrikeen (infidels, Jews)
4. Second Group of Opponents, those companion of Prophet(s.w) who opposed him.
5. Third Group of Opponents , those companion of Prophet(s.w) who did not oppose directly but remained silent when injustice was done to him and Islam.
6. Fourth Group, the opponents of Battle of Jamal
7. Fifth Group, the opponents of Siffeen (the companions of Muwiyah)
8. Sixth Group, the opponents of Naharwan (the Khwarij who deviated from him)
9. Seventh Group, his own followers who lacked the sense of responsibilty and were condemned by him on several occassions in very harsh language (the Kufis)
The Contents of Nahjul Balagha
Nahjul Balagha comprises various issues that cover major problems of metaphysics, theology, fiqh, tafsir, hadith, prophetology, imamate, ethics,social philosophy, history, politics, administration, civics, science, rhetoric, poetry, literature, etc. Most of the discussions about various theological issues and philosophical notions in Islam have their origin in this very book. Similarly, all the controversies regarding socio-political problems in the Muslim society and state left their echo in Nahjul Balagha ,or rather those were inspired from the utterances of al-lmam 'Ali (as). The book not only reflects the spirit of early Islam and the teachings of the Quran and the Prophet (saw) in the proper perspective, but also serves as a guide to traverse the future in the light of these teachings. It is a matter of regret that Nahjul Balagha was not properly utilized by the Muslims as a source book of Islamic philosophy, kalam, fiqh, and ethics due to misconceptions about its attribution to al-Imam'Ali (as) In the presence of strong and sufficient evidence in support of the contents of the book being authentic, it was sheer prejudice and lack of the spirit of inquiry that was responsible for neglecting such a reliable source of Islamic ideas. In recent times, the Orientalists have spread the unfounded doubts of Ibn Khallikan and al-Dhahabi among Muslim and non-Muslim scholars in the name of objectivity in research, thus giving a respectable appearance to their ignorance, which was, of course, combined and prompted by their motive to ali enate the Muslims from their intellectual heritage. I know many a scholar in India and Pakistan questioning the authenticity of Nahjul Balagha's ascription to Amir al-Mu'minin using lofty words of research-objectivity with a hefty-pose of a dispassionate seeker of truth. None of them, I am sure, ever studied any book about early sources of the sermons and letters of al-'Imam 'Ali (as), nor did any one of them ever try to gain really objective information about the book. Unfortunately none of them bothered to go through even the valuable research done by Imtiyaz 'Ali Khan 'Arshi, a widely read and respected writer in the literary circles of Urdu in the Subcontinent. It was because of my first-hand knowledge of this pitiable situation that I have intentionally devoted the major part of the present article to the issue of the authenticity of the attribution of the contents of Nahjul Balagha , in the light of earlier sources, to 'Ali (as). Those who insist upon denying the veracity of Nahjul Balagha are either suffering from a malady of deep-rooted prejudice spread through the propaganda of the supporters of Banu Umayyah, or their minds and spirits have been blinded by the propagation of falsehood by the Orientalists under the garb of high-sounding academic jargon. If our minds are cured of this jaundiced perception of our own past, Nahjul Balagha can be paid the attention it deserves and its contents will be studied and its meanings will be fully explored and exploited for a better understanding of Islamic ideas and realities. A look at the subjects discussed in Nahjul Balagha will be helpful in ascertaining the wide scope of this invaluable treasure of wisdom. So far a few attempts to classify the subject matter of the book have been made none of which has been comprehensive. A subject-wise index of the contents of Nahjul Balagha has been prepared by 'Ali Ansariyan and published in Arabic under the title al-Dallil 'ala mawdu'at Nahjul Balagha in 1395/1975. It was translated and published three years ago in Persian with the sub-title Nahjul Balagha mawdu'i. The compiler has divided the contents into eight categories, each dealing with a specific subject further divided into various issues pertaining to the main theme.
The main divisions are as follows:
1. Ma'rifat Allah,
2. Ma'rifat al-kawn,
3. Ma'rifat al-hujjah,
4. Ma'rifat nizam al-huqumah wa al-mujtama',
5. Ma'rifat al-'ahkam,
6. Ma'rifat al-'akhlaq,
7. Ma'rifat al-ta'rikh, and
8. Ma'rifat al-ma'dd
Misconceptions about Nahjul Balagha
No scholar of Sunni or Shi'a profession has questioned the genuineness and authenticity of Nahjul Balagha for more than two centuries. The first person to raise doubts about its attribution to Amir al-Mu'minin was Ibn Khallikan (d. 681/1282), who, without referring to any author or source,made the following remarks about the authorship of Nahjul Balagha : People have different opinions about the compiler of Nahjul Balagha , a collection of the utterances of al-'Imam 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) There is difference as to whether it was compiled by al-Sharif al-Murtada or his brother al-Radi. It is also said that it is not at all the composition of 'Ali (as) and that the one who compiled it and attributed it to him made it himself; but Allah knows the truth. These remarks were made in Wafayat al-aya'n in connection with the account of the life and work of al-Sharif al-Murtada, al-Radi's elder brother. Ibn al-'Athir al Jazari (555-630/1160-1232) in Mukhtasar al-Wafayat, Salah al-Din al-Safadi (d. 764/1362) in al-Wafi bi al-wafayat, al-'Allamah al-Yafi'i(d. 768/1366) in Mir'at al Jinan, and Ibn al-'Imad in Shadharat al-dhahab were content just to repeat Ibn Khallikan's conjecture without bothering to substantiate it. Al-'Allamah al-Dhahabi (d. 748/1347) in Mizan ul-'i'tidal was the first person to pick up the audacity to raise the unfounded doubt to a degree of certainty a century after Ibn Khallikan. He wrote in his account of al-Murtada: Al Sharif al-Murtada, who is accused of fabricating Nahjul Balagha , was a scholar of considerable knowledge. Whosoever sees his book Nahjul Balagha would come to believe that it was falsely attributed to Amir al-Mu'minin (as), because it contains open abuse rather than downgrading of the two caliphs Abu Bakr and 'Umar. Contradictions and mean matters have also crept into it, which do not conform with the spirit of the Companions of the Quraysh and our knowledge of the later Companions. One is convinced that the major part of this book is forged and unauthentic. Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani (d. 748/1347) repeated al-Dhahabi's objections without bothering to probe deeper into the matter. The most interesting and at the same time the weakest part of the objections concerns ascription of the authorship of Nahjul Balagha to al-Murtada. The objectors belonged to the Umayyad West and had deep prejudices against Shiii scholars, and perhaps under the impact of Umayyad propaganda their prejudice was so deep-rooted that even their scholarship could not rise above it. Among the four contemporaries of al-Radi and al-Murtada, three, that is, al-Tha'alibi, al-Najashi (d. 450/1058), and al-Khatib al-Baghdadi (d. 463/1071) have given accounts of both the brothers. Al Shaykh al-Tusi did not give any account of al-Radi in al-Fihrist or al-Rijal, but he did not count Nahjul Balagha among the works of al-Murtada, which dispel any conjecture attributing its authorship to him, because al-Tusi was very close to him as his student. Al-Tha'alibi and al-Khatib al-Baghdadi did not mention Nahjul Balagha either in the account of al-Murtada or that of al-Radi.Al-Najashi in unambiguous terms attributed Nahjul Balagha to al-Radi. Al-Tusi's exclusion of Nahjul Balagha from the works of al-Murtada,and al-Najashi's mention of it among the works of al-Radi are sufficient to prove that it was without any doubt a work of al-Radi. The objectors, who could not even determine authorship of the book exactly, depended on nothing but their whim to raise doubts about its authenticity. A more convincing proof of al-Radi's authorship of Nahjul Balagha can be found in his own other works in which he has mentioned it. Those books are the following: 1. Khasa'is al- 'A'immah: A manuscript of this work of al-Radi is in Rida Library Rampur (India) which reveals that Fadl Allah ibn 'Ali al- Husayn al-Rawandi (d. 555/1160) accepted Khasa'is as al-Radi's work. In this book, as quoted above, al-Radi has mentioned his intention of compiling Nahj al-balaghah. 2. Haqa'iq al-tanzil: Only the fifth part of this book is accessible to us. Its authorship is unanimously attributed to al-Radi. On page 167 of this book al-Radi makes this remark: Anybody who needs a proof of our claim should refer to our book Nahj al-balaghah and think upon its contents. We have compiled all forms and genres of the utteranees of Amir al-Mu'minin (as) in this book, which comprises sermons, letters, aphorisms, and admonitions, and is divided into three independent parts, each containing a specific genre. 3. Majazat al-'athar al-Nabawiyyah: Al-Najashi and others have included this book among al-Radi's works. At two places in this book al-Radi has referred to Nah; al-balagha as a work of his own compilation. It is important to note that even Ibn Khallikan, al-Dhahabi and Ibn Hajar did not question the authenticity of the attribution of Nahj al-balaghah in its entirety to'Ali (as). They were mainly skeptical of those parts which were critical of the Caliphs Abu Bakr and 'Umar. But if we find such utterances and writings of Amir al-Mu'minin (as) in both Shi'i and non-Shi'i sources earlier than Nahjal-balaghah,baseless-ness of al-Dhahabi's and Ibn Hajar's objections can be conclusively proved. Let us again refer to Istinad-e Nahj al-balagha by 'Arshi, a contemporary Sunni scholar of India. With respect to the harshest of the sermons concerning the issue of the caliphate, known as al-Khutbat aldhiqshiqiyyah, 'Arshi refers to the following early sources in which the sermon had occurred: 1. Abu Ja'far Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid al-Barqi (d.274/887) has quoted it in full in al-Mahasin wa al-'adab. 2. Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Thaqafi al-Kufi (d. 283/896) quoted it in al-Gharat. In his notes on al-Gharat, Sayyid Jalal al-Din Muhaddith,quoting Imtiyaz 'Ali Khan 'Arshi, says that this khutbah is not found in it; even Ibn Abi al-Hadid and al-'Allamah Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi (1037-1110 or 1111/1627-1698 or 99) did not refer to al-Gharat as an early source of this sermon. 3. Abu 'Ali Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab al Jubba'i al-Basri al-Mu'tazili(d. 303/915 -16) narrated it. 4. Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Qubbah al-Razi (a teacherof al- Mufid and a pupil of Abu al-Qasim al-Balkhi, a Mu'tazili in his youth) quoted it in al-Insaf. 5. Abu al Qasim 'Abd Allah ibn Ahmad ibn Mahmud al-Ka'bi al-Balkhi al-Mu'tazili (d. 319/931) in al-'Insaf. 6. Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn 'Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn Musa ibn Babawayh al-Qummi, known as alShaykh al-Saduq (d. 318/930), has quoted it in two of his books: Ilal al Sharayi' and Ma'ani al-'akhbar. 7. Abu 'Abd Allah Muhammad ibn al-Nu'man, known as al-Shaykh al-Mufid(d. 413/ 1022) inKitdb al-'irshad. 8. Shaykh al-Ta'ifah Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Tusi (d. 460/1068) in al-'Amali. 'Arshi adds that al Shaykh al Saduq has narrated this Khutbah on the authority of two different chains of narrators: Narrated to us Muhammad ibn 'Ali Majalawayh from his uncle Muhammad Ibn al-Qasim, he from Ahmad ibn 'Abd Allah al-Barqi he from his father, he from Ibn Abi 'Umayr, he from Aban ibn 'Uthman he from 'Aban ibn Taghlib, he from 'Ikrimah, he from 'Abd Allah ibn al-'Abbas. ('Ilal al-sharayi' and Ma'anial-' akhbar) Narrated to us Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Taliqani, from 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn Yahya al Jalludi, from Abu 'Abd Allah Ahmad ibn 'Ammar ibn Khalid, from Yahya ibn 'Abd al-Hamid al- Hammani, from 'Isa ibn Rashid, from 'Ali ibn Khuzaymah, from 'Ikrimah, from Ibn al-'Abbas. (Ma'ani al 'akhbar) Al-Sayyid al-Radi has not quoted the entire chain of narrators, and was content to remark that the sermon was popularly known as 'al-Shiqshiqiyyah ', while his teacher al-Mufid narrates both the chain of narrators and the story behind its narration. This is indicative of the fact that this sermon was so famous in those days that al-Radi did not find it necessary to prove its veracity by quoting the chain of its narrators. Surprisingly, the same famous sermon was used by his and 'Ali's opponents to question his veracity and to malign him by accusing him and/or his brother of forging it. The kind of criticism Ibn Khallikan and his followers dabbled in not only discredits them as researchers but also makes their other works suspicious in the eyes of impartial and objective students of history. Those who could not find any of the above-mentioned books to cross-check the veracity of Nahj al-balaghah had failed miserably even in determining correctly its authorship. Al-Shaykh al-Mufid has collected a number of 'Ali's speeches in al-'Irshad concerning the issue of the succession to the Prophet (saw) and 'Ali's criticism of the ways and means adopted by his opponents to deprive him of the caliphate. The famous Khutbah known as al-Shiq-shiqiyyah begins with the following preface: (A group of traditionists report by a variety of chains of authority (turuq) on the authority of Ibn al-'Abbas, who said:) I [i.e. Ibn al-'Abbas, was with the Commander of the Faithful at al-Rahabah I mentioned the [matter of] Caliphate and those who had preeeded him. He breathed heavily and said: "By God, Ibn Abi Quhatah took on...." This khutbah ends with the following words: Then you would have found that your world is more insignificant in my eyes than a goat's snot. At this point 'Ali's speech was interrupted by a man from Kufah. Ibn al-'Abbas, after narrating the text of the speech, adds: I have never regretted anything nor felt such distress like the distress l felt at losing the rest of the speeeh of the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him. When he finished reading the letter, I said: "Commander of the Faithful would you continue your speech from the point which you reached?" He answered: "In no way, in no way. It was like foam on the camel's mouth (shiqshiqah) as it opens its mouth to bellow and then falls silent." Apart from al-'Irshad this khutbah, as claimed by 'Arshi, is found in other sources also. In no way can it be dubbed as al-Radi's or al-Murtada's fabrication. Sayyid Hibat al-Din al-Shahristani, in Mahuwa Nahj al-balaghah, has quoted different versions of al-Khutbat al-Shiqshiqiyyah from: Nathral-durar wa nuzhat al-'adab by the vizier Abu Sa'id al-'Abi; al-'Irshad by al- Shaykh ai-Mufid; al-Mahasin wa al-'adab by al-Barqi; al-Saduq in Ila'l al-sharayi';and a book of al-Jalludi. All the versions have minor differences, which indicate that the source from which al-Radi quoted this sermon was other than these four. After enumerating the earlier works containing this khutbah,Hibat al-Din al- Shahristani points out that Ibn 'Abd Rabbih, one of tbe compilers of al-Khutbat al-Shiqshiqiyyah, was a follower of the Banu Umayyah and a staunch admirer of the third caliph 'Uthman ibn writes: 'Affan. Much earlier than Ibn Khallikan made his remark questioning the authenticity of the attribution of Nahj al- balaghah, certain doubts had come to circulate as indicated by Ibn Abi al-Hadid al-Mu'tazili (d. 555/1257), who referred to a discussion concerning the attribution of al-Khutbat al- Shiqshiqiyyah with his teacher Abu al-Khayr Musaddiq ibn Shabib [sic. Shayb] al-Wasiti (d. 605/1208), who said: I read this khutbah in the presenee of Abu Muhammad 'Abd Allah ibn Ahmad, known as Ibn al-Khashshab (493 -567/1099-1172)... and asked him if he considered this khutbah to be a forged one and not of 'Ali (as). Ibn al-Khashshab said: By God, I am convinced that it is from 'Ali and I am as sure of it as I am convineed of your truthfulness. Al-Wasiti said to Ibn al-Khashshab: "A group is of the view that this khutbah was fabricated by al-Radi, may God be pleased with him." Ibn al-Khashshab said: Is it not beyond the eloquence of al-Radi or any other? How could he speak from such a high level of spirituality in such a (forceful) style? We are well acquainted with al-Radi's writings, his style and his technique. I have assessed both his poetry and prose, these words as compared to those of al- Radi are so different that there is no question of confusing them with his writings." He further said: By God, I have read this sermon in books written two hundred years before the birth of al-Radi. Yes, of course, I have seen it written in many books. I can identify this khutbah very well and know that which of the 'ulama' and men of letters quoted it (in his work) mueh before al-Radi's father was born." (Sharh Nahj al-balaghah, vol. I) On another occasion, in his Sharh Nahj al-balaghah, Ibn Abi al-Hadid A group of blind followers of their own whims and wishes is of the opinion that the best part of Nahj al-balagha is fabricated and forged by a group of Shi'i writers and is something new. Most of them consider a part of it to be the product of al-Radi's pen or of others. But this group consists of prejudiced people, whose heart's vision is blocked by partiality and who have deviated from the right and straight path of truth; they have strayed from truth due to perversion, lack of knowledge, and unfamiliarity with literature and poetry. (vol. 1, p. 543) At another place he writes about the words of Amir al-Mu'minin (as): His eloquence is such that he is the leader of the eloquent and the guide and master of orators. It is said about his ulterances that his words are below the Word of the Creator only, but over and above the words of all creatures; and from him the world has learnt the art of speech and rhetoric. There were people in the age of al-Radi himself whose hearts and eyes were sealed in such a manner that they attributed some of 'Ali's utterances to Mu'fiwiyah. Al-Radi's commentary on the following khutbah,is important: His comment, are as follows: People with no ability to understand literature aseribe it to Mu'awiyah whereas these are undoubtedly the words of Amir al- Mu'minin. How can dirt compare with pure gold?... 'Amr ibn Bahr al Jahiz, a critic gifted with insight and a distinct sensibility, has probed the matter minutely. He has included this khutbah in al-Bayan wa al-tabyin, and has mentioned those who attributed it to Mu'awiyah. Subsequently he says: "This speech is very much like the speeches of 'Ali (as) and is in conformity with the great man's classification of people, and it also corresponds with his manner of depicting the people's modes of behaving in anger, under oppression and waywardness, and in the state of dissimulation and fear. Similarly, al-Radi refers to his sources on a number of occasions,and also gives an account of the circumstances that were responsible for the mood and theme of a certain sermon. He has referred to: al Jahiz; al-Waqidi; Abu Ja'far al-'Iskafi; Hisham ibn al-Kalbi; Sa'id ibn Yahya ai-'Umawi, the author of al-Maghazi; Abu 'Ubayd al- Qasim ibn Salam; al-Tabari; Tha'lab; Ibn al-'A'rabi; al-Mubarrad, and many others. How could an author who allegedly forged the utterances and writings of Amir al- Mu'minin (as) be so honest in acknowledging his indebtedness to his predecessors? Those who raised doubts about the contents of Nahj al-balagha were unaware of the high status and prestige of its compiler, both in the society and in the academic circles. A man of his eminence could not even think of fabricating sermons and letters in the name of al-'Imam 'Ali (as). Had any such attempt been made by anybody, Shi'i scholars themselves would have been the first to reject it, as an anthology of poetry attributed to al-'Imam 'Ali (as) (Diwan-e 'Ali) was never accepted by the majority of Shi'i scholars as authentic. Some other such works, for example, the commentary on the Quran attributed to al- Imam al-Hasan al-'Askari (as) or Fiqh al-Rida attributed to al Imam al-Rida (as),are at issue among Shi'i scholars. But no one among al-Radi's contemporaries or from the successive generations of Sunni or Shi'i 'ulama' ever questioned Nahj al-balaghah's authenticity for more than two centuries. Regarding the contents of Nahj al-balaghah the Muslim scholars of all shades of opinion never doubted al-Radi's veracity. They were aware of the presence of earlier sources of al-'Imam 'Ali's utterances. There is abundant reliable evidence in support of the existence of such collections in the first and second centuries of Hijrah, from which 'Abd al-Hamid ibn Yahyfi, Ibn al- Muqaffa', and Zayd ibn 'Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn 'Ali ibn Abi Talib had quoted al-'Imam 'Ali's sermons and letters. In the third and fourth centuries, too, several collections of 'Ali's khutab and rasa'il were compiled, some of which have been already referred to above. Ibn Abi al-Hadid (d. 655 or 656/1257 or 58); Taqi al-Din Ahmad, known as Ibn Taymiyyah (661-728/1263-1328); and his pupil Salah al-Din al-Safadi (d.764/1362 -63) accepted Nahj al-balaghah as a genuine collection of al Imam 'Ali's words. The former not only wrote one of the most famous commentaries on it, but also repudiated all doubts about its authenticity. Ibn Taymiyyah and al-Safadi were among staunch opponents and critics of the Shi'ah, but both of them verified the authenticity of Nahj al-balagha and the veracity of al-Sharif al-Radi. Al-Safadi, in the account of al-Radi, writes: People are of the view that Nahj al-balaghah is his own writing. But I heard my teacher, al-'Imam al-'Allamah Taqi al-Din Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah say: "Nahj al-balaghah is not al-Sayyid al-Radi's product. What in this book is the utterance of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) is known, and whatever is from al-Radi that is also known. (al-Wafi bi al-wafayat, vol. 2, p. 375) Instead of going into further details of the controversy about the authenticity of Nahj al- balaghah's ascription and forwarding more evidence against those who created doubts about it, I would recommend the keen reader to consult al-Mu'jam al-mufahras li alfaz Nahj al-balaghah, edited by al-Sayyid Kazim al-Muhammadi and al-Shaykh Muhammad al-Dashti, who have done a commendable job in preparing a very comprehensive bibliography of the sources of the book along with a detailed item- by-item list of the sources of each and every sermon, letter, and saying contained in Nahj al-balaghah. Moreover, since the death of al-Radi scholars of eminence have been always interested in writing commentaries on Nahj al-balagha, which is another very strong proof of its authenticity. So many Sunni, Mu'tazili, and Shi'i scholars would not have taken pains to comment upon al Radi's own fabrications. 'Ali Naqi Munzawi, in the catalogue of the library of Mishkat, donated to Tehran University, has enumerated 33 narrators of al-'Imam 'Ali's utterances before al-Radi and fourteen after him till the tenth Hijrah century. Danish Pizhoh, in his preface to Farman-e Malik Ashtar, edited by Husayn 'Alawi Awi, has given a list of its early commentators. Sayyid 'Abd al-Zahra' al-Khatib, in Masadir Nahj al balagha wa asaniduh, has counted thirty-three books written concerning the sources of Nahj al- balaghah. Hundreds of manuscripts of Nahj al-balaghah in various libraries of the world and even a greater number of the manuscripts of other earlier works containing al-'Imam 'Ali's utterances invite all seekers of truth to trace the sources and ascertain the authenticity of Nahj al-balaghah. There are also numerous documents available which contain certificates and testimonials issued by eminent scholars to their pupils authorizing them to narrate the contents of Nahj al-balaghah along with the permission to narrate ahadith of the Prophet (saw) and the Imams (as). This is enough to show that Nahj al-balaghah has been considered to be of equal value in reliability with the most authentic compendiums of hadith. The narration of Nahj al-balagha's traditions had started during the lifetime of al-Radi. Qutb al-Din al-Rawandi (d. 573/1177) in the preface of his commentary on Nahj al- balaghoh, refers to a daughter of al-Sharif al Murtada, who had studied the book under al-Radi himself and was authorized to narrate its traditions to others, and she used to narrate Nahj al-balaghah on her uncle's authority. Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahim al-Baghdadi has narrated from this learned lady of the family of the Imams (as).
Nahjul Balagha is also known as Peak of Eloquence
The Quran (English pronunciation: /kɔrˈɑːn/ kor-AHN , Arabic: القرآن al-qur'ān, IPA: [qurˈʔaːn], literally meaning "the recitation", also romanised Qur'an or Koran) is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims believe to be a revelation from God (Arabic: الله, Allah). Its scriptural status among a world-spanning religious community, and its major place within world literature generally, has led to a great deal of secondary literature on the Quran. Quranic chapters are called suras and verses are called ayahs.
Muslims believe that the Quran was verbally revealed by God to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel (Jibril), gradually over a period of approximately 23 years, beginning on 22 December 609 CE, when Muhammad was 40, and concluding in 632 CE, the year of his death. Muslims regard the Quran as the most important miracle of Muhammad, a proof of his prophethood, and the culmination of a series of divine messages that started with the messages revealed to Adam and ended with Muhammad. They consider the Quran to be the only revealed book that has been protected by God from distortion or corruption.
According to the traditional narrative, several companions of Muhammad served as scribes and were responsible for writing down the revelations. Shortly after Muhammad's death, the Quran was compiled by his companions who wrote down and memorized parts of it. These codices had differences that motivated the Caliph Uthman to establish a standard version now known as Uthman's codex, which is generally considered the archetype of the Quran we have today. However, the existence of variant readings, with mostly minor and some significant variations, and the early unvocalized Arabic script mean the relationship between Uthman's codex to both the text of today's Quran and to the revelations of Muhammad's time is still unclear.
The Quran assumes familiarity with major narratives recounted in the Jewish and Christian scriptures. It summarizes some, dwells at length on others and, in some cases, presents alternative accounts and interpretations of events. The Quran describes itself as a book of guidance. It sometimes offers detailed accounts of specific historical events, and it often emphasizes the moral significance of an event over its narrative sequence. The Quran is used along with the hadith to interpret sharia law. During prayers, the Quran is recited only in Arabic.
Someone who has memorized the entire Quran is called a hafiz. Some Muslims read Quranic ayahs (verses) with elocution, which is often called tajwīd. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims typically complete the recitation of the whole Quran during tarawih prayers. In order to extrapolate the meaning of a particular Quranic verse, most Muslims rely on the tafsir.
ETYMOLOGY & MEANING
The word qurʼān appears about 70 times in the Quran itself, assuming various meanings. It is a verbal noun (maṣdar) of the Arabic verb qaraʼa (قرأ), meaning "he read" or "he recited". The Syriac equivalent is (ܩܪܝܢܐ) qeryānā, which refers to "scripture reading" or "lesson". While some Western scholars consider the word to be derived from the Syriac, the majority of Muslim authorities hold the origin of the word is qaraʼa itself. Regardless, it had become an Arabic term by Muhammad's lifetime. An important meaning of the word is the "act of reciting", as reflected in an early Quranic passage: "It is for Us to collect it and to recite it (qurʼānahu)."
In other verses, the word refers to "an individual passage recited [by Muhammad]". Its liturgical context is seen in a number of passages, for example: "So when al-qurʼān is recited, listen to it and keep silent." The word may also assume the meaning of a codified scripture when mentioned with other scriptures such as the Torah and Gospel.
The term also has closely related synonyms that are employed throughout the Quran. Each synonym possesses its own distinct meaning, but its use may converge with that of qurʼān in certain contexts. Such terms include kitāb (book); āyah (sign); and sūrah (scripture). The latter two terms also denote units of revelation. In the large majority of contexts, usually with a definite article (al-), the word is referred to as the "revelation" (waḥy), that which has been "sent down" (tanzīl) at intervals. Other related words are: dhikr (remembrance), used to refer to the Quran in the sense of a reminder and warning, and ḥikmah (wisdom), sometimes referring to the revelation or part of it.
The Quran describes itself as "the discernment or the criterion between truth and falsehood" (al-furqān), "the mother book" (umm al-kitāb), "the guide" (huda), "the wisdom" (hikmah), "the remembrance" (dhikr) and "the revelation" (tanzīl; something sent down, signifying the descent of an object from a higher place to lower place). Another term is al-kitāb (the book), though it is also used in the Arabic language for other scriptures, such as the Torah and the Gospels. The adjective of "Quran" has multiple transliterations including "quranic," "koranic" and "qur'anic," or capitalised as "Qur'anic," "Koranic" and "Quranic." The term muṣḥaf ('written work') is often used to refer to particular Quranic manuscripts but is also used in the Quran to identify earlier revealed books. Other transliterations of "Quran" include "al-Coran", "Coran", "Kuran" and "al-Qurʼan".
HISTORY
PROPHETIC ERA
Islamic tradition relates that Muhammad received his first revelation in the Cave of Hira during one of his isolated retreats to the mountains. Thereafter, he received revelations over a period of 23 years. According to hadith and Muslim history, after Muhammad emigrated to Medina and formed an independent Muslim community, he ordered many of his companions to recite the Quran and to learn and teach the laws, which were revealed daily. It is related that some of the Quraish who were taken prisoners at the battle of Badr regained their freedom after they had taught some of the Muslims the simple writing of the time. Thus a group of Muslims gradually became literate. As it was initially spoken, the Quran was recorded on tablets, bones, and the wide, flat ends of date palm fronds. Most suras were in use amongst early Muslims since they are mentioned in numerous sayings by both Sunni and Shia sources, relating Muhammad's use of the Quran as a call to Islam, the making of prayer and the manner of recitation. However, the Quran did not exist in book form at the time of Muhammad's death in 632 CE. There is agreement among scholars that Muhammad himself did not write down the revelation.
Sahih al-Bukhari narrates Muhammad describing the revelations as, "Sometimes it is (revealed) like the ringing of a bell" and Aisha reported, "I saw the Prophet being inspired Divinely on a very cold day and noticed the sweat dropping from his forehead (as the Inspiration was over)." Muhammad's first revelation, according to the Quran, was accompanied with a vision. The agent of revelation is mentioned as the "one mighty in power", the one who "grew clear to view when he was on the uppermost horizon. Then he drew nigh and came down till he was (distant) two bows' length or even nearer." The Islamic studies scholar Welch states in the Encyclopaedia of Islam that he believes the graphic descriptions of Muhammad's condition at these moments may be regarded as genuine, because he was severely disturbed after these revelations. According to Welch, these seizures would have been seen by those around him as convincing evidence for the superhuman origin of Muhammad's inspirations. However, Muhammad's critics accused him of being a possessed man, a soothsayer or a magician since his experiences were similar to those claimed by such figures well known in ancient Arabia. Welch additionally states that it remains uncertain whether these experiences occurred before or after Muhammad's initial claim of prophethood. The Quran describes Muhammad as "ummi", which is traditionally interpreted as "illiterate," but the meaning is rather more complex. The medieval commentators such as Al-Tabari maintained that the term induced two meanings: first, the inability to read or write in general; second, the inexperience or ignorance of the previous books or scriptures (but they gave priority to the first meaning). Besides, Muhammad's illiteracy was taken as a sign of the genuineness of his prophethood. For example, according to Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, if Muhammad had mastered writing and reading he possibly would have been suspected of having studied the books of the ancestors. Some scholars such as Watt prefer the second meaning.
COMPILATION
Based on earlier transmitted reports, in the year 632 CE, after Muhammad died and a number of his companions who knew the Quran by heart were killed in a battle by Musaylimah, the first caliph Abu Bakr (d. 634CE) decided to collect the book in one volume so that it could be preserved. Zayd ibn Thabit (d. 655CE) was the person to collect the Quran since "he used to write the Divine Inspiration for Allah's Apostle". Thus, a group of scribes, most importantly Zayd, collected the verses and produced a hand-written manuscript of the complete book. The manuscript according to Zayd remained with Abu Bakr until he died. Zayd's reaction to the task and the difficulties in collecting the Quranic material from parchments, palm-leaf stalks, thin stones and from men who knew it by heart is recorded in earlier narratives. After Abu Bakr, Hafsa bint Umar, Muhammad's widow, was entrusted with the manuscript. In about 650 CE, the third Caliph Uthman ibn Affan (d. 656CE) began noticing slight differences in pronunciation of the Quran as Islam expanded beyond the Arabian peninsula into Persia, the Levant, and North Africa. In order to preserve the sanctity of the text, he ordered a committee headed by Zayd to use Abu Bakr's copy and prepare a standard copy of the Quran. Thus, within 20 years of Muhammad's death, the Quran was committed to written form. That text became the model from which copies were made and promulgated throughout the urban centers of the Muslim world, and other versions are believed to have been destroyed. The present form of the Quran text is accepted by Muslim scholars to be the original version compiled by Abu Bakr.
According to Shia and some Sunni scholars, Ali ibn Abi Talib (d. 661CE) compiled a complete version of the Quran shortly after Muhammad's death. The order of this text differed from that gathered later during Uthman's era in that this version had been collected in chronological order. Despite this, he made no objection against the standardized Quran and accepted the Quran in circulation. Other personal copies of the Quran might have existed including Ibn Mas'ud's and Ubayy ibn Kab's codex, none of which exist today.
The Quran most likely existed in scattered written form during Muhammad's lifetime. Several sources indicate that during Muhammad's lifetime a large number of his companions had memorized the revelations. Early commentaries and Islamic historical sources support the above-mentioned understanding of the Quran's early development. The Quran in its present form is generally considered by academic scholars to record the words spoken by Muhammad because the search for variants has not yielded any differences of great significance. Although most variant readings of the text of the Quran have ceased to be transmitted, some still are. There has been no critical text produced on which a scholarly reconstruction of the Quranic text could be based. Historically, controversy over the Quran's content has rarely become an issue, although debates continue on the subject.
In 1972, in a mosque in the city of Sana'a, Yemen, manuscripts were discovered that were later proved to be the most ancient Quranic text known to exist. The Sana'a manuscripts contain palimpsests, a manuscript page from which the text has been washed off to make the parchment reusable again - a practice which was common in ancient times due to scarcity of writing material. However, the faint washed-off underlying text (scriptio inferior) is still barely visible and believed to be "pre-Uthmanic" Quranic content, while the text written on top (scriptio superior) is believed to belong to Uthmanic time. Studies using radiocarbon dating indicate that the parchments are dated to the period before 671 AD with a 99 percent probability.
SIGNIFICANCE IN ISLAM
WORSHIP
Muslims believe the Quran to be the book of divine guidance revealed from God to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel over a period of 23 years and view the Quran as God's final revelation to humanity. They also believe that the Quran has solutions to all the problems of humanity irrespective of how complex they may be and in what age they occur.
Revelation in Islamic and Quranic concept means the act of God addressing an individual, conveying a message for a greater number of recipients. The process by which the divine message comes to the heart of a messenger of God is tanzil (to send down) or nuzūl (to come down). As the Quran says, "With the truth we (God) have sent it down and with the truth it has come down."
The Quran frequently asserts in its text that it is divinely ordained. Some verses in the Quran seem to imply that even those who do not speak Arabic would understand the Quran if it were recited to them. The Quran refers to a written pre-text, "the preserved tablet", that records God's speech even before it was sent down.
The issue of whether the Quran is eternal or created became a theological debate (Quran's createdness) in the ninth century. Mu'tazilas, an Islamic school of theology based on reason and rational thought, held that the Quran was created while the most widespread varieties of Muslim theologians considered the Quran to be co-eternal with God and therefore uncreated. Sufi philosophers view the question as artificial or wrongly framed.
Muslims believe that the present wording of the Quran corresponds to that revealed to Muhammad, and according to their interpretation of Quran 15:9, it is protected from corruption ("Indeed, it is We who sent down the Quran and indeed, We will be its guardian."). Muslims consider the Quran to be a guide, a sign of the prophethood of Muhammad and the truth of the religion. They argue it is not possible for a human to produce a book like the Quran, as the Quran itself maintains.
Muslims commemorate annually the beginning of Quran's revelation on the Night of Destiny (Laylat al-Qadr), during the last 10 days of Ramadan, the month during which they fast from sunrise until sunset.
The first sura of the Quran is repeated in daily prayers and in other occasions. This sura, which consists of seven verses, is the most often recited sura of the Quran:
"All praise belongs to God, Lord of the Universe, the Beneficent, the Merciful and Master of the Day of Judgment, You alone We do worship and from You alone we do seek assistance, guide us to the right path, the path of those to whom You have granted blessings, those who are neither subject to Your anger nor have gone astray."
Respect for the written text of the Quran is an important element of religious faith by many Muslims, and the Quran is treated with reverence. Based on tradition and a literal interpretation of Quran 56:79 ("none shall touch but those who are clean"), some Muslims believe that they must perform a ritual cleansing with water before touching a copy of the Quran, although this view is not universal. Worn-out copies of the Quran are wrapped in a cloth and stored indefinitely in a safe place, buried in a mosque or a Muslim cemetery, or burned and the ashes buried or scattered over water.
In Islam, most intellectual disciplines, including Islamic theology, philosophy, mysticism and Jurisprudence, have been concerned with the Quran or have their foundation in its teachings. Muslims believe that the preaching or reading of the Quran is rewarded with divine rewards variously called ajr, thawab or hasanat.
IN ISLAMIC ART
The Quran also inspired Islamic arts and specifically the so-called Quranic arts of calligraphy and illumination.[1] The Quran is never decorated with figurative images, but many Qurans have been highly decorated with decorative patterns in the margins of the page, or between the lines or at the start of suras. Islamic verses appear in many other media, on buildings and on objects of all sizes, such as mosque lamps, metal work, pottery and single pages of calligraphy for muraqqas or albums.
INIMITABILITY
Inimitability of the Quran (or "I'jaz") is the belief that no human speech can match the Quran in its content and form. The Quran is considered an inimitable miracle by Muslims, effective until the Day of Resurrection - and, thereby, the central proof granted to Muhammad in authentication of his prophetic status. The concept of inimitability originates in the Quran where in five different verses opponents are challenged to produce something like the Quran: "If men and sprites banded together to produce the like of this Quran they would never produce its like not though they backed one another."[61] So the suggestion is that if there are doubts concerning the divine authorship of the Quran, come forward and create something like it. From the ninth century, numerous works appeared which studied the Quran and examined its style and content. Medieval Muslim scholars including al-Jurjani (d. 1078CE) and al-Baqillani (d. 1013CE) have written treatises on the subject, discussed its various aspects, and used linguistic approaches to study the Quran. Others argue that the Quran contains noble ideas, has inner meanings, maintained its freshness through the ages and has caused great transformations in individual level and in the history. Some scholars state that the Quran contains scientific information that agrees with modern science. The doctrine of miraculousness of the Quran is further emphasized by Muhammad's illiteracy since the unlettered prophet could not have been suspected of composing the Quran.
TEXT & ARRANGEMENT
The Quran consists of 114 chapters of varying lengths, each known as a sura. Suras are classified as Meccan or Medinan, depending on whether the verses were revealed before or after the migration of Muhammad to the city of Medina. However, a sura classified as Medinan may contain Meccan verses in it and vice versa. Sura titles are derived from a name or quality discussed in the text, or from the first letters or words of the surah. Suras are arranged roughly in order of decreasing size. The sura arrangement is thus not connected to the sequence of revelation. Each sura except the ninth starts with the Bismillah (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم) an Arabic phrase meaning 'In the name of God.' There are, however, still 114 occurrences of the Bismillah in the Quran, due to its presence in Quran 27:30 as the opening of Solomon's letter to the Queen of Sheba.
Each sura consists of several verses, known as ayat, which originally means a 'sign' or 'evidence' sent by God. The number of verses differs from sura to sura. An individual verse may be just a few letters or several lines. The total number of verses in the Quran is 6236, however, the number varies if the bismillahs are counted separately.
In addition to and independent of the division into suras, there are various ways of dividing the Quran into parts of approximately equal length for convenience in reading. The 30 juz' (plural ajzāʼ) can be used to read through the entire Quran in a month. Some of these parts are known by names - which are the first few words by which the juzʼ starts. A juz' is sometimes further divided into two ḥizb (plural aḥzāb), and each hizb subdivided into four rubʻ al-ahzab. The Quran is also divided into seven approximately equal parts, manzil (plural manāzil), for it to be recited in a week.
Muqatta'at, or the Quranic initials, are 14 different letter combinations of 14 Arabic letters that appear in the beginning of 29 suras of the Quran. The meanings of these initials remain unclear.
According to one estimate the Quran consists of 77,430 words, 18,994 unique words, 12,183 stems, 3,382 lemmas and 1,685 roots.
CONTENTS
The Quranic content is concerned with the basic beliefs of Islam which include the existence of God and the resurrection. Narratives of the early prophets, ethical and legal subjects, historical events of Muhammad's time, charity and prayer also appear in the Quran. The Quranic verses contain general exhortations regarding right and wrong and the historical events are related to outline general moral lessons. Verses pertaining to natural phenomena have been interpreted by Muslims as an indication of the authenticity of the Quranic message.
MONOTHEISM
The central theme of the Quran is monotheism. God is depicted as living, eternal, omniscient and omnipotent (see, e.g., Quran 2:20, 2:29, 2:255). God's omnipotence appears above all in his power to create. He is the creator of everything, of the heavens and the earth and what is between them (see, e.g., Quran 13:16, 50:38, etc.). All human beings are equal in their utter dependence upon God, and their well-being depends upon their acknowledging that fact and living accordingly.
The Quran uses cosmological and contingency arguments in various verses without referring to the terms to prove the existence of God. Therefore, the universe is originated and needs an originator, and whatever exists must have a sufficient cause for its existence. Besides, the design of the universe, is frequently referred to as a point of contemplation: "It is He who has created seven heavens in harmony. You cannot see any fault in God's creation; then look again: Can you see any flaw?"
ESCHATOLOGY
The doctrine of the last day and eschatology (the final fate of the universe) may be reckoned as the second great doctrine of the Quran. It is estimated that around a full one-third of the Quran is eschatological, dealing with the afterlife in the next world and with the day of judgment at the end of time. There is a reference of the afterlife on most pages of the Quran and the belief in the afterlife is often referred to in conjunction with belief in God as in the common expression: "Believe in God and the last day". A number of suras such as 44, 56, 75, 78, 81 and 101 are directly related to the afterlife and its preparations. Some of the suras indicate the closeness of the event and warn people to be prepared for the imminent day. For instance, the first verses of Sura 22, which deal with the mighty earthquake and the situations of people on that day, represent this style of divine address: "O People! Be respectful to your Lord. The earthquake of the Hour is a mighty thing."
The Quran is often vivid in its depiction of what will happen at the end time. Watt describes the Quranic view of End Time:
"The climax of history, when the present world comes to an end, is referred to in various ways. It is 'the Day of Judgment,' 'the Last Day,' 'the Day of Resurrection,' or simply 'the Hour.' Less frequently it is 'the Day of Distinction' (when the good are separated from the evil), 'the Day of the Gathering' (of men to the presence of God) or 'the Day of the Meeting' (of men with God). The Hour comes suddenly. It is heralded by a shout, by a thunderclap, or by the blast of a trumpet. A cosmic upheaval then takes place. The mountains dissolve into dust, the seas boil up, the sun is darkened, the stars fall and the sky is rolled up. God appears as Judge, but his presence is hinted at rather than described. [...] The central interest, of course, is in the gathering of all mankind before the Judge. Human beings of all ages, restored to life, join the throng. To the scoffing objection of the unbelievers that former generations had been dead a long time and were now dust and mouldering bones, the reply is that God is nevertheless able to restore them to life."
The Quran does not assert a natural immortality of the human soul, since man's existence is dependent on the will of God: when he wills, he causes man to die; and when he wills, he raises him to life again in a bodily resurrection.[68]
PROPHETS
According to the Quran, God communicated with man and made his will known through signs and revelations. Prophets, or 'Messengers of God', received revelations and delivered them to humanity. The message has been identical and for all humankind. "Nothing is said to you that was not said to the messengers before you, that your lord has at his Command forgiveness as well as a most Grievous Penalty." The revelation does not come directly from God to the prophets. Angels acting as God's messengers deliver the divine revelation to them. This comes out in Quran 42:51, in which it is stated: "It is not for any mortal that God should speak to them, except by revelation, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger to reveal by his permission whatsoever He will."
ETHICO-RELIGIOUS CONCEPTS
Belief is the center of the sphere of positive moral properties in the Quran. A number of scholars have tried to determine the semantic contents of the words meaning 'belief' and 'believer' in the Quran [70] The Ethico-legal concepts and exhortations dealing with righteous conduct are linked to a profound awareness of God, thereby emphasizing the importance of faith, accountability and the belief in each human's ultimate encounter with God. People are invited to perform acts of charity, especially for the needy. Believers who "spend of their wealth by night and by day, in secret and in public" are promised that they "shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve" It also affirms family life by legislating on matters of marriage, divorce and inheritance. A number of practices such as usury and gambling are prohibited. The Quran is one of the fundamental sources of the Islamic law, or sharia. Some formal religious practices receive significant attention in the Quran including the formal prayers and fasting in the month of Ramadan. As for the manner in which the prayer is to be conducted, the Quran refers to prostration. The term used for charity, Zakat, actually means purification. Charity, according to the Quran, is a means of self-purification.
LITERARY STYLE
The Quran's message is conveyed with various literary structures and devices. In the original Arabic, the suras and verses employ phonetic and thematic structures that assist the audience's efforts to recall the message of the text. Muslims[who?] assert (according to the Quran itself) that the Quranic content and style is inimitable.
The language of the Quran has been described as "rhymed prose" as it partakes of both poetry and prose, however, this description runs the risk of compromising the rhythmic quality of Quranic language, which is certainly more poetic in some parts and more prose-like in others. Rhyme, while found throughout the Quran, is conspicuous in many of the earlier Meccan suras, in which relatively short verses throw the rhyming words into prominence. The effectiveness of such a form is evident for instance in Sura 81, and there can be no doubt that these passages impressed the conscience of the hearers. Frequently a change of rhyme from one set of verses to another signals a change in the subject of discussion. Later sections also preserve this form but the style is more expository.
The Quranic text seems to have no beginning, middle, or end, its nonlinear structure being akin to a web or net. The textual arrangement is sometimes considered to have lack of continuity, absence of any chronological or thematic order and presence of repetition. Michael Sells, citing the work of the critic Norman O. Brown, acknowledges Brown's observation that the seeming disorganization of Quranic literary expression – its scattered or fragmented mode of composition in Sells's phrase – is in fact a literary device capable of delivering profound effects as if the intensity of the prophetic message were shattering the vehicle of human language in which it was being communicated. Sells also addresses the much-discussed repetitiveness of the Quran, seeing this, too, as a literary device.
A text is self-referential when it speaks about itself and makes reference to itself. According to Stefan Wild the Quran demonstrates this meta-textuality by explaining, classifying, interpreting and justifying the words to be transmitted. Self-referentiality is evident in those passages when the Quran refers to itself as revelation (tanzil), remembrance (dhikr), news (naba'), criterion (furqan) in a self-designating manner (explicitly asserting its Divinity, "And this is a blessed Remembrance that We have sent down; so are you now denying it?"), or in the frequent appearance of the 'Say' tags, when Muhammad is commanded to speak (e.g. "Say: 'God's guidance is the true guidance' ", "Say: 'Would you then dispute with us concerning God?' "). According to Wild the Quran is highly self-referential. The feature is more evident in early Meccan suras.
INTERPRETATION
The Quran has sparked a huge body of commentary and explication (tafsīr), aimed at explaining the "meanings of the Quranic verses, clarifying their import and finding out their significance".
Tafsir is one of the earliest academic activities of Muslims. According to the Quran, Muhammad was the first person who described the meanings of verses for early Muslims. Other early exegetes included a few Companions of Muhammad, like ʻAli ibn Abi Talib, ʻAbdullah ibn Abbas, ʻAbdullah ibn Umar and Ubayy ibn Kaʻb. Exegesis in those days was confined to the explanation of literary aspects of the verse, the background of its revelation and, occasionally, interpretation of one verse with the help of the other. If the verse was about a historical event, then sometimes a few traditions (hadith) of Muhammad were narrated to make its meaning clear.
Because the Quran is spoken in classical Arabic, many of the later converts to Islam (mostly non-Arabs) did not always understand the Quranic Arabic, they did not catch allusions that were clear to early Muslims fluent in Arabic and they were concerned with reconciling apparent conflict of themes in the Quran. Commentators erudite in Arabic explained the allusions, and perhaps most importantly, explained which Quranic verses had been revealed early in Muhammad's prophetic career, as being appropriate to the very earliest Muslim community, and which had been revealed later, canceling out or "abrogating" (nāsikh) the earlier text (mansūkh). Other scholars, however, maintain that no abrogation has taken place in the Quran. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has published a 10-volume Urdu commentary on the Quran, with the name Tafseer e Kabir.
ESOTERIC INTERPRETATION
Esoteric or Sufi interpretation attempts to unveil the inner meanings of the Quran. Sufism moves beyond the apparent (zahir) point of the verses and instead relates Quranic verses to the inner or esoteric (batin) and metaphysical dimensions of consciousness and existence. According to Sands, esoteric interpretations are more suggestive than declarative, they are 'allusions' (isharat) rather than explanations (tafsir). They indicate possibilities as much as they demonstrate the insights of each writer.
Sufi interpretation, according to Annabel Keeler, also exemplifies the use of the theme of love, as for instance can seen in Qushayri's interpretation of the Quran. Quran 7:143 says:
"when Moses came at the time we appointed, and his Lord spoke to him, he said, 'My Lord, show yourself to me! Let me see you!' He said, 'you shall not see me but look at that mountain, if it remains standing firm you will see me.' When his Lord revealed Himself to the mountain, He made it crumble. Moses fell down unconscious. When he recovered, he said, 'Glory be to you! I repent to you! I am the first to believe!'"
Moses, in 7:143, comes the way of those who are in love, he asks for a vision but his desire is denied, he is made to suffer by being commanded to look at other than the Beloved while the mountain is able to see God. The mountain crumbles and Moses faints at the sight of God's manifestation upon the mountain. In Qushayri's words, Moses came like thousands of men who traveled great distances, and there was nothing left to Moses of Moses. In that state of annihilation from himself, Moses was granted the unveiling of the realities. From the Sufi point of view, God is the always the beloved and the wayfarer's longing and suffering lead to realization of the truths.[90]
Muhammad Husayn Tabatabaei says that according to the popular explanation among the later exegetes, ta'wil indicates the particular meaning a verse is directed towards. The meaning of revelation (tanzil), as opposed to ta'wil, is clear in its accordance to the obvious meaning of the words as they were revealed. But this explanation has become so widespread that, at present, it has become the primary meaning of ta'wil, which originally meant "to return" or "the returning place". In Tabatabaei's view, what has been rightly called ta'wil, or hermeneutic interpretation of the Quran, is not concerned simply with the denotation of words. Rather, it is concerned with certain truths and realities that transcend the comprehension of the common run of men; yet it is from these truths and realities that the principles of doctrine and the practical injunctions of the Quran issue forth. Interpretation is not the meaning of the verse - rather it transpires through that meaning, in a special sort of transpiration. There is a spiritual reality - which is the main objective of ordaining a law, or the basic aim in describing a divine attribute - and then there is an actual significance that a Quranic story refers to.
According to Shia beliefs, those who are firmly rooted in knowledge like Muhammad and the imams know the secrets of the Quran. According to Tabatabaei, the statement "none knows its interpretation except God" remains valid, without any opposing or qualifying clause. Therefore, so far as this verse is concerned, the knowledge of the Quran's interpretation is reserved for God. But Tabatabaei uses other verses and concludes that those who are purified by God know the interpretation of the Quran to a certain extent.
According to Tabatabaei, there are acceptable and unacceptable esoteric interpretations. Acceptable ta'wil refers to the meaning of a verse beyond its literal meaning; rather the implicit meaning, which ultimately is known only to God and can't be comprehended directly through human thought alone. The verses in question here refer to the human qualities of coming, going, sitting, satisfaction, anger and sorrow, which are apparently attributed to God. Unacceptable ta'wil is where one "transfers" the apparent meaning of a verse to a different meaning by means of a proof; this method is not without obvious inconsistencies. Although this unacceptable ta'wil has gained considerable acceptance, it is incorrect and cannot be applied to the Quranic verses. The correct interpretation is that reality a verse refers to. It is found in all verses, the decisive and the ambiguous alike; it is not a sort of a meaning of the word; it is a fact that is too sublime for words. God has dressed them with words to bring them a bit nearer to our minds; in this respect they are like proverbs that are used to create a picture in the mind, and thus help the hearer to clearly grasp the intended idea.
HISTORY OF SUFI COMMENTARIES
One of the notable authors of esoteric interpretation prior to the 12th century is Sulami (d. 1021 CE) without whose work the majority of very early Sufi commentaries would not have been preserved. Sulami's major commentary is a book named haqaiq al-tafsir ("Truths of Exegesis") which is a compilation of commentaries of earlier Sufis. From the 11th century onwards several other works appear, including commentaries by Qushayri (d. 1074), Daylami (d. 1193), Shirazi (d. 1209) and Suhrawardi (d. 1234). These works include material from Sulami's books plus the author's contributions. Many works are written in Persian such as the works of Maybudi (d. 1135) kash al-asrar ("the unveiling of the secrets"). Rumi (d. 1273) wrote a vast amount of mystical poetry in his book Mathnawi. Rumi makes heavy use of the Quran in his poetry, a feature that is sometimes omitted in translations of Rumi's work. A large number of Quranic passages can be found in Mathnawi, which some consider a kind of Sufi interpretation of the Quran. Rumi's book is not exceptional for containing citations from and elaboration on the Quran, however, Rumi does mention Quran more frequently. Simnani (d. 1336) wrote two influential works of esoteric exegesis on the Quran. He reconciled notions of God's manifestation through and in the physical world with the sentiments of Sunni Islam. Comprehensive Sufi commentaries appears in the 18th century such as the work of Ismail Hakki Bursevi (d. 1725). His work ruh al-Bayan (the Spirit of Elucidation) is a voluminous exegesis. Written in Arabic, it combines the author's own ideas with those of his predecessors (notably Ibn Arabi and Ghazali), all woven together in Hafiz, a Persian poetry form.
LEVELS OF MEANING
Unlike the Salafis and Zahiri, Shias and Sufis as well as some other Muslim philosophers believe the meaning of the Quran is not restricted to the literal aspect. For them, it is an essential idea that the Quran also has inward aspects. Henry Corbin narrates a hadith that goes back to Muhammad:
"The Quran possesses an external appearance and a hidden depth, an exoteric meaning and an esoteric meaning. This esoteric meaning in turn conceals an esoteric meaning (this depth possesses a depth, after the image of the celestial Spheres, which are enclosed within each other). So it goes on for seven esoteric meanings (seven depths of hidden depth)."
According to this view, it has also become evident that the inner meaning of the Quran does not eradicate or invalidate its outward meaning. Rather, it is like the soul, which gives life to the body. Corbin considers the Quran to play a part in Islamic philosophy, because gnosiology itself goes hand in hand with prophetology.
Commentaries dealing with the zahir (outward aspects) of the text are called tafsir, and hermeneutic and esoteric commentaries dealing with the batin are called ta'wil ("interpretation" or "explanation"), which involves taking the text back to its beginning. Commentators with an esoteric slant believe that the ultimate meaning of the Quran is known only to God. In contrast, Quranic literalism, followed by Salafis and Zahiris, is the belief that the Quran should only be taken at its apparent meaning.
TRANSLATIONS
Translation of the Quran has always been a problematic and difficult issue. Many argue that the Quranic text cannot be reproduced in another language or form. Furthermore, an Arabic word may have a range of meanings depending on the context, making an accurate translation even more difficult.
Nevertheless, the Quran has been translated into most African, Asian and European languages. The first translator of the Quran was Salman the Persian, who translated surat al-Fatiha into Persian during the seventh century. Another translation of the Quran was completed in 884 CE in Alwar (Sindh, India now Pakistan) by the orders of Abdullah bin Umar bin Abdul Aziz on the request of the Hindu Raja Mehruk.
The first fully attested complete translations of the Quran were done between the 10th and 12th centuries in Persian language. The Samanid king, Mansur I (961-976), ordered a group of scholars from Khorasan to translate the Tafsir al-Tabari, originally in Arabic, into Persian. Later in the 11th century, one of the students of Abu Mansur Abdullah al-Ansari wrote a complete tafsir of the Quran in Persian. In the 12th century, Najm al-Din Abu Hafs al-Nasafi translated the Quran into Persian. The manuscripts of all three books have survived and have been published several times.
Islamic tradition also holds that translations were made for Emperor Negus of Abyssinia and Byzantine Emperor Heraclius, as both received letters by Muhammad containing verses from the Quran. In early centuries, the permissibility of translations was not an issue, but whether one could use translations in prayer.
In 1936, translations in 102 languages were known. In 2010, the Hürriyet Daily News and Economic Review reported that the Quran was presented in 112 languages at the 18th International Quran Exhibition in Tehran.
In Assyrian religion, the palm is one of the trees identified as the Sacred Tree connecting heaven, represented by the crown of the tree, and earth, the base of the trunk. Reliefs from the 9th century BC show winged genii holding palm fronds in the presence of the Sacred Tree.[3] It is associated with the goddess Ishtar and is found on the Ishtar Gate. In ancient Mesopotamia, the date palm may have represented fertility in humans. The Mesopotamian goddess Inanna, who had a part in the sacred marriage ritual, was believed to make the dates abundant. Palm stems represented long life to the Ancient Egyptians, and the god Huh was often shown holding a palm stem in one or both hands. The palm was carried in Egyptian funeral processions to represent eternal life.The Kingdom of Nri (Igbo) used the omu, a tender palm frond, to sacralize and restrain. The palm was a symbol of Phoenicia and appeared on Punic coins. In ancient Greek, the word for palm, phoinix, was thought to be related to the ethnonym. In Archaic Greece, the palm tree was a sacred sign of Apollo, who had been born under a palm on the island of Delos. The palm thus became an icon of the Delian League. In recognition of the alliance, Cimon of Athens erected a bronze statue of a palm tree at Delphi as part of a victory monument commemorating the Battle of the Eurymedon (469/466 BC). In addition to representing the victorious League, the bronze palm (phoinix) was a visual pun on the defeated Phoenician fleet.[9] From 400 BC onward, a palm branch was awarded to the victor in athletic contests, and the practice was brought to Rome around 293 BC. Solidus (335-336 AD) of Constantine I, the first Christian emperor, with Victory holding a palm and a military trophy next to a christogram The palm became so closely associated with victory in ancient Roman culture that the Latin word palma could be used as a metonym for "victory", and was a sign of any kind of victory. A lawyer who won his case in the forum would decorate his front door with palm leaves. The palm branch or tree became a regular attribute of the goddess Victory, and when Julius Caesar secured his rise to sole power with a victory at Pharsalus, a palm tree was supposed to have sprung up miraculously at the Temple of Nike, the Greek counterpart of Victory, in Tralles, later known as Caesarea, in Asia Minor. The toga palmata was a toga ornamented with a palm motif; it was worn to celebrate a military triumph only by those who had a previous triumph. The toga itself was the garment of the civilian at peace, and was worn by the triumphator to mark his laying down of arms and the cessation of war. The use of the palm in this setting indicates how the original meaning of "victory" shaded into "peace" as the aftermath of victory. Coins issued under Constantine I, the first Christian emperor, and his successors continue to display the traditional iconography of Victory, but often combined with Christian symbolism such as christograms. The Roman senator Symmachus, who tried to preserve Rome's religious traditions under Christian domination, is pictured on an ivory diptych bearing a palm branch in an allegorical triumph over death.In Judaism, the date palm (Lulav) is one of the Four Species used in the daily prayers on the feast of Sukkot. It is bound together with the hadass (myrtle), and aravah (willow). The Midrash notes that the binding of the Four Species symbolizes the desire to unite the four "types" of Jews in service of God. During the Roman Empire, the date palm represented Judaea and its fecundity to both Romans and Jews. Roman sources praise the date as the produce of the province. The date palm was a frequent image for Judaea on Imperial coinage, most notably on the Iudaea Capta series, when the typical military trophy is replaced by the palm. The palm appears also on at least one Hasmonean coin and on coinage issued in 38–39 AD by Herod Antipas. Palm ornaments are found also on Jewish ossuaries. In 1965, Judean date palm seeds dated at around 2000 years old were recovered during excavations at Herod the Great's palace on Masada in Israel. In 2005, some of the seeds were planted. One grew and has been nicknamed "Methuselah".In contemporary Christianity, the palm branches carried on Palm Sunday originate in the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem. Early Christians used the palm branch to symbolize the victory of the faithful over enemies of the soul, as in the Palm Sunday festival celebrating the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. In western Christian art, martyrs were often shown holding a palm frond as an attribute, representing the victory of spirit over flesh, and it was widely believed that a picture of a palm on a tomb meant that a martyr was buried there. Origen calls the palm (In Joan, XXXI) the symbol of victory in that war waged by the spirit against the flesh. In this sense it was especially applicable to martyrs, the victors par excellence over the spiritual foes of mankind; hence the frequent occurrence in the Acts of the martyrs of such expressions as "he received the palm of martyrdom." On 10 April 1688 it was decided by the Congregation of Rites that the palm when found depicted on catacomb tombs was to be regarded as a proof that a martyr had been interred there. Subsequently this opinion was acknowledged by Mabillon, Muratori, Benedict XIV and others to be untenable; further investigation showed that the palm was represented not only on tombs of the post-persecution era, but even on tombs of those who did not practice Christianity. Palms carried on Palm Sunday, 2011, at Sanok, Poland The general significance of the palm on early Christian monuments is slightly modified according to its association with other symbols (e.g., with the monogram of Christ, the Ichthus (Fish), or the Good Shepherd). On some later monuments the palm was represented merely as an ornament separating two scenes. Palms also represented heaven, evidenced by ancient art often depicting Jesus in heaven among palms.The palm is richly significant in Islamic culture, and the palm symbolizes rest and hospitality in many cultures of the Middle East. The presence of palm trees around an oasis showed that water was the gift of Allah. In the Quran, the palm appears in the paradisical imagery of the Garden (Jannah). In one prophetic tradition, the Dome of the Rock will stand on a palm tree issuing from one of the rivers of Paradise. Muhammad is said to have built his home out of palm,[citation needed] to have leaned against a palm while speaking,and to have raised the first mosque as a roof placed on palm trees. The first muezzin climbed palm trees to call the faithful to prayer, from which the minaret developed.[citation needed] In the Quran , Mary is said to have given birth to Jesus under a date palm.'Tis true, sun symbols are predominantly masculine in their energetic tone. However, the palm shares its symbolic gender with succulent female qualities found in the fruit it bears. And so, we see this scenario with symbolic eyes: The erect, towering trunk representing the phallus - male power rising into action - followed by a flowering, expansive fireworks display of long supple leaves nestling an offspring of rich, nutritious fruits. Beautiful symbolism, isn't it? This is a snapshot of how our forbears viewed the palm, and why it is an icon for fertility and unification. In alchemical traditions, the palm tree is a symbol of androgyny as it possesses the perfect integration of both male and female attributes. This is an alchemical achievement - to be wholly, pristinely balanced - equally united with polarity. This androgynous concept plays out in the esoteric archetype of the High Priestess found in the Tarot. Indeed, the palm tree is depicted in this card and here demonstrates the intent of the Priestess to amalgamate the realms of seen and unseen - mixing them into a whole vision with a goal to dispense for the betterment of humanity. To Assyrians and Egyptians the palm is considered a tree of life. It was sacred to Ishtar and Ashtarte as well as to Nut and Hathor. These deities utilized the palm tree nectars to keep the dead in a semi-animated state while they awaited their fate in the Underworld. Sometimes the fruit of the palm would keep these souls in this state of undead forever. The date palm is also associated with the sun god Ra, as a resurrection figurehead. These aspects bring to mind themes of victory related to palm tree symbolism. Not only victory over the conflict between dualities, but victory over death as well. Indeed, Christians adapted the palms as a symbol of resurrection (victory over death through the union with Christ). Palm fronds were lain on the path walked by Christ as he entered Jerusalem. Palms were also strewn out as a red carpet welcoming returning Roman warriors from battle. They are also laid out to welcome returning pilgrims to the Holy Land. In these examples, the palm tree symbolism conjures elements of attainment, welcoming, and all the wonderful qualities we associate with the soul's return to its Source. As dream symbols, palm trees symbolize our ability to rise above conflict and spread our light brilliantly - letting it shine over the din of petty concerns - rising above disillusionment like the sun itself. Palms in dreams may also be a message for us to resurrect aspects of ourselves. In resurrecting these parts, we become a more whole entity. In northern Sudan, the doum palm is the symbol of endurance (doum), and particularly of the Muslim saint who gave his name to Wad Hamid.]The Garden of Eden Imagine living in a place where everything's perfect. There are fruit trees , cool breezes , and rivers . People walk around naked without shame , and God just hangs out, speaks directly to mortals, and enjoys evening strolls through the garden . Just imagine…YOU CAN'T GO THERE. Sorry to be so forceful, but that's kind of the point. After Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil , mortals were forever banished from Eden. And you know what? Eden is used as a symbol in literature and art not only to represent paradise but also—and maybe more often—a symbol of paradise lost, of the all-elusive nature of happiness and peace, and of the end of innocence. Writing Eden Upon their exit from Eden mortals have to deal. Their lives are like ours. They die , endlessly toil , feel shame , are aware of their nudity , and endure the pain of childbirth . Soon Cain will introduce violence into the world when he slays his brother Abel, and with this comes an overdose of jealousy and sibling rivalry (4:1-15). And eventually Cain will settle "away from the presence of the Lord" .Poets just love this kind of stuff, and Eden ranks high in their toolbox of images. Everyone from Robert Frost to Emily Dickinson to Ina Rousseau has taken their turn to remind us that we can never go back. Speaking of depressing, how about John Steinbeck's East of Eden? Its title is taken from Genesis 4:16, and it's chock full of Genesis-esque themes, especially sibling rivalry. Genesis Owns Eden Eden is such a powerful symbol that the authors of Genesis capitalize on it right after they've presented the image. Remember Lot? When Abraham tells him to take first pick at the land he wants, Lot does some recon:
Lot looked about him, and saw that the plain of the Jordan was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar […]. So Lot chose for himself all the plain of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastwards; thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the Plain and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the people of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord. "The plain of the Jordan" is "like the garden of the Lord," eh? In the Talmud and the Jewish Kabbalah, the scholars agree that there are two types of spiritual places called "Garden in Eden". The first is rather terrestrial, of abundant fertility and luxuriant vegetation, known as the "lower Gan Eden". The second is envisioned as being celestial, the habitation of righteous, Jewish and non-Jewish, immortal souls, known as the "higher Gan Eden". The Rabbanim differentiate between Gan and Eden. Adam is said to have dwelt only in the Gan, whereas Eden is said never to be witnessed by any mortal eye. According to Jewish eschatology, the higher Gan Eden is called the "Garden of Righteousness". It has been created since the beginning of the world, and will appear gloriously at the end of time. The righteous dwelling there will enjoy the sight of the heavenly chayot carrying the throne of God. Each of the righteous will walk with God, who will lead them in a dance. Its Jewish and non-Jewish inhabitants are "clothed with garments of light and eternal life, and eat of the tree of life" (Enoch 58,3) near to God and His anointed ones. This Jewish rabbinical concept of a higher Gan Eden is opposed by the Hebrew terms gehinnom and sheol, figurative names for the place of spiritual purification for the wicked dead in Judaism, a place envisioned as being at the greatest possible distance from heaven. In modern Jewish eschatology, it is believed that history will complete itself and the ultimate destination will be when all mankind returns to the Garden of Eden.
Islamic view Spanish-Arabic world map from 1109 AD with Eden in east (at top)
The Garden of Eden is spoken about prominently in the Quran and the tafsir (interpretation). This includes surat Sad, which features 21 verses on the subject, surat al-Baqarah, surat al-A'raf, and surat al-Hijr. The narrative mainly surrounds the expulsion of Iblis from the garden and his subsequent tempting of Adam and Eve. After Iblis refuses to follow God's command to bow down to Adam for being his greatest creation, Allah transforms him into Satan as a punishment. Unlike the Biblical account, the Quran mentions only one tree in Eden, the tree of immortality, which Allah specifically forbade to Adam and Eve. Satan, disguised as a serpent, repeatedly told Adam to eat from the tree, and eventually both Adam and Eve did so, thus disobeying Allah. These stories are also featured in the Islamic hadith collections, including al-Tabari. We've already been told that it's impossible to go back to Eden, so it's no surprise that Lot ends up in Sodom. And as we know, Sodom ain't no Eden. Return to Eden; The Christian Bible begins with the image Eden in Genesis, but get this—it also ends with a vision of a future Eden. The Apocalypse of John (a.k.a. Revelation) foresees a God-induced utopia that clearly echoes the paradise of Genesis 2-3.
For the author of the Apocalypse, Eden will return complete with a river and the tree of life bearing fruit and leaves that will heal the nations. And sure enough, mortals will again dwell with God, whose throne will be right there in the middle (Revelation 22:1-5). So in the vision of the Christian Bible, the story of mortals will end where it began, in Eden.The Garden of Eden (Hebrew גַּן עֵדֶן, Gan ʿEdhen) is the biblical "garden of God", described most notably in the Book of Genesis chapters 2 and 3, and also in the book of Ezekiel.[2] The "garden of God", not called Eden, is mentioned in Genesis 14, and the "trees of the garden" are mentioned in Ezekiel 31. The Book of Zechariah and the Book of Psalms also refer to trees and water in relation to the temple without explicitly mentioning Eden. Traditionally, the favoured derivation of the name "Eden" was from the Akkadian edinnu, derived from a Sumerian word meaning "plain" or "steppe". Eden is now believed to be more closely related to an Aramaic root word meaning "fruitful, well-watered." The Hebrew term is translated "pleasure" in Sarah's secret saying in Genesis 18:12. The story of Eden echoes the Mesopotamian myth of a king, as a primordial man, who is placed in a divine garden to guard the tree of life. In the Hebrew Bible, Adam and Eve are depicted as walking around the Garden of Eden naked due to their innocence. Eden and its rivers may signify the real Jerusalem, the Temple of Solomon, or the Promised Land. It may also represent the divine garden on Zion, and the mountain of God, which was also Jerusalem. The imagery of the Garden, with its serpent and cherubs, has been compared to the images of the Solomonic Temple with its copper serpent, the nehushtan, and guardian cherubs.
Pro-kontra Pemimpin Kafir menghebat sejak Ahok yang kafir mencalonkan diri kembali sebagai calon Gubernur DKI pada Pilkada serentak tahun depan (15/02/2017). Pro-kontra ini makin tajam setelah akhir September 2016 lalu di Kepulauan Seribu Ahok melakukan penistaan al-Quran dengan kalimatnya yang terkenal, “Jangan mau dibohongi pakai al-Maidah 51.” Namun sebenarnya, pro-kontra tersebut hanya ada pada ranah realitas empirik, yaitu pro-kontra yang muncul di media, khususnya di media sosial. Adapun pada ranah normatif, yaitu dalam kajian fikih Islam, sebenarnya tidak ada pro-kontra. Para ulama telah bersepakat bahwa orang kafir haram menjadi pemimpin bagi umat Islam. Ibnu Hazm menegaskan, “Para ulama sepakat bahwa kepemimpinan umat Islam (al-Imâmah) tidak boleh bagi perempuan, orang kafir dan anak kecil.” (Ibnu Hazm, Marâtib al-Ijmâ’, hlm. 208).
Ada Gubernur Kafir Pada Masa Khilafah?
Ada yang berargumen bahwa pemimpin kafir boleh karena pada masa Khilafah ‘Abbasiyah konon Khalifah al-Mutadhid Billah (berkuasa 279-290 H/892-902 M) pernah mengangkat seorang wali (kepala daerah) bernama Umar bin Yusuf yang beragama Kristen di daerah Anbar di Irak.
Argumen ini tertolak dengan dua alasan.
Pertama: Pengangkatan pemimpin kafir yang dilakukan Khalifah al-Mutadhid Billah itu jelas penyimpangan syariah (mukhâlafat syar’iyyah). Pasalnya, sebagaimana telah dikutip sebelumnya, ulama telah sepakat orang kafir haram menjadi pemimpin bagi umat Islam (Ibnu Hazm, Marâtibul Ijmâ’, hlm. 208). Maka dari itu, penyimpangan syariah tersebut harus dianggap sebagai kesalahan yang tak boleh diulangi lagi pada masa datang, bukan malah dianggap standar ideal yang dapat dijadikan teladan atau model untuk kondisi sekarang.
Kedua: Fakta sejarah tersebut tidak dapat menjadi dalil syariah atas kebolehan pemimpin kafir menurut ajaran Islam. Pasalnya, fakta sejarah bukan dalil syariah dalam Islam. Fakta sejarah justru merupakan objek yang perlu dinilai menurut dalil syariah (al-Quran dan as-Sunnah). Faktanya, fakta sejarah kadang sesuai dengan Islam dan kadang menyimpang dari Islam. Tidak setiap peristiwa sejarah itu pasti sesuai dengan Islam.
Fathi Osman dalam “The History of Islam: New Directions” menegaskan jika seorang Muslim mengkaji sejarah Islam (islamic history), dia harus berkomitmen dengan Islam dan melakukan penilaian (assesment) terhadap fakta sejarah berdasarkan standar ajaran Islam. Mengapa? Menurut Fathi Osman, “since not everything which happened in the past or happens at present day on the Islamic scene can really be considered Islamic (karena tidak setiap peristiwa yang telah terjadi pada masa lalu atau yang sedang terjadi saat ini yang terkait dengan Islam dapat benar-benar dianggap Islami)”. (Nur A. Fadhil Lubis [Ed], Introductory Reading on Islamic Studies, Medan: IAIN Press, 1998, hlm 99).
Imam al-Mawardi Membolehkan Pemimpin Kafir?
Ada yang berargumen bahwa Imam al-Mawardi membolehkan seorang wazîr tanfîdz dijabat oleh seorang kafir dzimmi (warga negara kafir).
Argumen ini tidak dapat diterima berdasarkan tiga alas an. Pertama: Memang benar Imam Mawardi membolehkan kafir dzimmi menjabat wazîr tanfîdz (Al-Mawardi, Al-Ahkâm as-Sulthâniyyah, hlm. 27). Namun, ini tidak berarti mengangkat pemimpin kafir hukumnya boleh. Alasannya, karena wazîr tanfîdz tidak mempunyai kewenangan dalam urusan pemerintahan (al-hukm). Wazîr tanfîdz hanyalah pembantu Imam (Khalifah) dalam urusan administrasi (idâri) saja, misalnya korespondensi antara Imam (Khalifah) dan para gubernur (wâli). Yang mempunyai kewenangan dalam urusan pemerintahan adalah wazîr tafwîdh, bukan wazîr tanfîdz (Al-Mawardi, Al-Ahkâm as-Sulthâniyyah, hlm. 30-39).
Kedua: Pendapat Imam al-Mawardi yang membolehkan kafir dzimmi menjadi wazîr tanfîdz telah mendapat bantahan dari ulama lain, seperti Imam Abu Ya’laal-Farra‘ (dalam kitabnya Al-Ahkâm as-Sulthâniyyah hlm. 32) dan Imam al-Haramain al-Juwaini asy-Syafii (dalam kitabnya Ghiyâts al-Umam hlm. 114). Ulama kontemporer yang juga membantah pendapat Imam Mawardi adalah Imam Taqiyuddin an-Nabhani (w. 1977) dalam kitabnya Muqaddimah ad-Dustur(I/187). Ketiga mujtahid tersebut sama-sama berpendapat bahwa wazîr tanfîdz tidak boleh dijabat oleh orang kafir. Alasannya, wazîr tanfîdz adalah bithânah (orang dekat/kepercayaan) bagi Imam/Khalifah. Karena itu wazîr tanfîdz harus dijabat seorang Muslim, haram dijabat orang kafir. Dalilnya adalah QS Ali ‘Imran ayat 118, yang melarang mengambil bithânah (orang dekat/kepercayaan) dari kalangan orang kafir. Inilah pendapat yang lebih râjih (kuat).
Ketiga: Tidak pada tempatnya memboleh-kan pemimpin kafir sebagai kepala daerah dengan menggunakan pendapat Imam al-Mawardi yang membolehkan kafir dzimmi menjadi wazîr tanfîdz. Mengapa? Sebab, persoalan kepala daerah telah dibahas oleh Imam al-Mawardi dalam bab khusus (Bab III) tentang pengangkatan kepala daerah (fî taqlîd al-imârah ‘ala al-bilâd). Jadi kalau berbicara tentang kepala daerah, seharusnya yang dirujuk adalah bab tentang pengangkatan kepala daerah ini, bukan bab tentang pengangkatan para wazîr (Bab II). Ini namanya argumentasi salah bab (Lihat:al-Mawardi, Al-Ahkâm as-Sulthâniyyah, hlm. 30-39 [Bab II] dan 40-46 [Bab III]).
Ibnu Taimiyah Membolehkan Pemimpin Kafir Asal Adil?
Ada pula yang berargumen bahwa Ibnu Taimiyah membolehkan pemimpin kafir boleh asalkan adil.
Argumen ini tidak benar. Yang benar, Ibnu Taimiyah sekadar mengutip ungkapan orang lain, bukan menegaskan pendapatnya sendiri. Artinya, beliau sekadar menekankan betapa pentingnya keadilan dengan ungkapan hiperbolik (mubâlaghah), dan bukan sedang menyatakan pendapat fikihnya.
Memang Ibnu Taimiyah pernah berkata dalam kitabnya, Majmû’ al-Fatâwâ, “Sungguh manusia tidak berselisih bahwa akibat kezaliman adalah kehinaan dan akibat keadilan adalah kemuliaan. Oleh karena itu, diriwayatkan bahwa Allah akan menolong negara yang adil meski itu negara kafir, dan tak akan menolong negara yang zalim meski itu negara Mukmin. ”(Ibnu Taimiyah, Majmû’ al-Fatâwâ, XXVIII/63).
Dari ungkapan otentik itu, secara jelas Ibnu Taimiyah telah mengutip ungkapan pihak lain, bukan menegaskan pendapatnya sendiri. Ini tampak dari perkataannya yang menggunakan kalimat pasif (majhûl), yaitu wa li-hâdza yurwa (oleh karena itu diriwayatkan). Jadi bohong jika ada klaim Ibnu Taimiyah berpendapat pemimpin kafir (atau negara kafir) boleh asalkan adil.
Ungkapan Ibnu Taimiyah tersebut dalam bahasa Arab dapat dianggap mubâlaghah, yaitu ungkapan hiperbolik(melebih-lebihkan) untuk menekankan betapa pentingnya keadilan. Ungkapanini makna harfiahnya boleh jadi tidak ada faktanya atau bertentangan dengan syariah. Ini sama dengan perintah Rasulullah saw. agar kita mendengar dan menaati pemimpin meskipun dia adalah “budak Habasyah yang rambutnya seperti kismis. ” (HR al-Bukhari no. 6273). Kata Imam Ibnu Hajar Al Asqalani, yang dimaksud “budak Habasyah” adalah “bekas budak Habasyah” sebagai ungkapan mubâlaghah karena ulama telah sepakat budak haram menjadi pemimpin. (Ibnu Hajar Al Asqalani, Fath al-Bâri, XIII/hlm. 132).
Apalagi Ibnu Taimiyah dengan tegas menyatakan bahwa tujuan kekuasaan adalah untuk menerapkan syariah Islam dan mengatur kehidupan dunia dengan syariah Islam (Ibnu Taimiyah, As-Siyâsah asy-Syar’iyyah, hlm. 13). Bagaimana mungkin tujuan kekuasaan tersebut dapat terwujud jika pemimpin umat adalah orang kafir?
Ini Bukan Negara Khilafah, Tapi Negara Pancasila (NKRI)?
Ada pula yang berargumen bahwa pemimpin kafir bolehkarena kita sekarang berada dalam negara Pancasila alias NKRI, bukan Khilafah. Dikatakan, dalam NKRI baik Muslim maupun kafir sama-sama berhak menjadi pemimpin.
Argumen ini menyesatkan karena tidak menggunakan Islam sebagai landasan untuk menyikapi boleh-tidaknya kafir menjadi pemimpin. Seharusnya seorang Muslim menggunakan landasan Islam berdasarkan al-Quran dan as-Sunnah, bukan yang lain. Jika menggunakan landasan Islam, sebenarnya sangat jelas bahwa keharaman pemimpin kafir berlaku umum di mana saja, baik di negara Khilafah maupun bukan Khilafah. Apa yang halal dalam negara Khilafah adalah tetap halal di luar negara Khilafah. Sebaliknya, apa yang haram di negara Khilafah adalah tetap haram di luar negara Khilafah. Imam Syafii dalam Al-Umm menulis:
أَنَّ الْحَلاَلَ فِي دَارِ اْلإِسْلاِمِ حَلاَلٌ فِي بِلاَدِ الْكُفْرِ وَالْحَرَامَ فِيْ بِلاَدِ اْلإِسْلاَمِ حَرَامٌ فِي بِلاَدِ الْكُفْرِ
Sungguhapa saja yang halal di Dâr al-Islâm (Khilafah) tetap halal di negeri-negeri kufur. Apa saja yang haram di negeri-negeri Islam tetap haram di negeri-negeri kufur. (Imam Syafii, Al-Umm. Al-Mansurah: Darul Wafa‘, 2001, XIX/hlm. 237).
Imam asy-Syaukani juga mengatakan:
فَإِنَّ أَحْكَامَ الشَّرْعِ لاَزِمَةٌ لِلْمُسْلِمِيْنَ فِي أَيِّ مَكَانٍ وَجَدُوْا، وَ دَارُ الْحَرْبِ لَيْسَتْ بِنَاسِخَةٍ لِلأَحْكَامِ الشَّرْعِيَّةِ أَوْ لِبَعْضِهَا
Sungguh hukum-hukum syariah adalah suatu keharusan bagi kaum Muslim di manapun mereka berada Dâr al-Harb (negara kafir)bukanlah penghapus (nâsikh) hukum-hukum syariah atau sebagiannya (Asy-Syaukani, As-Sayl al-Jarrâr. Beirut: Dar Ibn Hazm, 2004). Makna Awliyâ Bukan Pemimpin, Tapi Teman Dekat? Ada yang berpendapat bahwa kata awliyâ‘ dalam QS al-Maidah ayat 51 artinya adalah teman dekat, bukan pemimpin. Jadi, katanya, mengangkat pemimpin kafir tidak haram; yang dilarang adalah mengangkat orang kafir sebagai teman dekat.
Jawaban untuk argumen ini ada dua: Pertama: Memang benar secara umum kata awliyâ’ di dalam al-Quran dapat ditafsirkan sebagai khashah (orang khusus) atau bithânah (teman dekat). (Lihat: tafsir kata awliya‘ pada QS an-Nisa’ [4]: 144 dalamTafsir Ibnu Katsir, I/867; Tafsir al-Qurthubi, V/425). Namun, membatasi makna awliyâ hanya pada makna khashah (orang khusus) atau bithânah (teman dekat) adalah pembatasan atau pengkhususan tanpa didasarkan pada dalil (takhshîsh bilâ mukhashshis). Sebab, berdasarkan mafhûm muwâfaqah (penarikan makna implisit yang lebih besar cakupannya daripada makna eksplisit), kata awliya‘ dapat juga diartikan sebagai pemimpin (penguasa). Artinya, jika mengangkat orang kafir sebagai teman dekat saja sudah haram, apalagi mengangkat dia sebagai penguasa atas kaum Muslim. Syeikh Ihab Kamal Ahmad mengomentari tafsir kata awliyâ‘ dalam QS an-Nisaayat 144, “Jika berkawan dengan mereka (kafir), membuka rahasia-rahasia kaum Mukmin kepada mereka, juga menjadikan mereka sebagai teman khusus sudah termasuk dalam bentuk memberikan loyalitas (berwali) yang dilarang oleh ayat ini, maka tidak diragukan lagi bahwa menyerahkan urusan kaum Muslim kepada mereka dan menjadikan mereka sebagai penguasa atas kaum Muslim adalah juga termasuk bentuk berwali yang paling jelas kepada mereka dan lebih berat keharamannya. ” (Ihab Kamal Ahmad, Ar-Radd al-Mubîn ‘ala Man Ajaza Wilâyah al-Kafir ‘alâal-Muslimîn, hlm. 3).
Kedua: QS al-Maidah ayat 51 bukanlah dalil satu-satunya yang mengharamkan pemimpin kafir. Jadi, andaikata tafsir awliyâ‘ dalam QS al-Maidah ayat 51 dipastikan hanya satu makna (padahal tidak), yaitu teman dekat, bukan berarti mengangkat pemimpin kafir lantas hukumnya boleh. Pasalnya, keharaman pemimpin kafir juga ditunjukkan oleh banyak ayat lainnya Misalnya QS an-Nisa‘ [4] ayat 59 saat Allah SWT memerintahkan kita menaati penguasa dari kalangan kaum Muslim (ulil amri minkum). Kata “minkum” dalam ayat ini menjadi dalil bahwa penguasa kaum Muslim wajib dari kalangan kaum Muslim, tidak boleh dari kalangan kafir. Ayat lain misalnya QS an-Nisa‘[4]ayat 141 saat Allah SWT menegaskan tidak akan memberikan jalan bagi kaum kafir untuk menguasai kaum Muslim. Ayat ini juga dapat menjadi dalil yang mengharamkan mengangkat pemimpin kafir. Alasannya, karena pengangkatan orang kafir sebagai pemimpin akan menjadi jalan bagi kaum kafir untuk menguasai urusan kaum Muslim.
Awliyâ‘Bentuk Jamak (Kepemimpinan Kolektif), Jika Tunggal Tidak Mengapa?
Ada yang berargumen bahwa yang dilarang dalam QS al-Maidah ayat 51 adalah mengangkat kepemimpinan kolektif yang terdiri dari orang-orang kafir semuanya. Alasannya karena kata awliyâ‘ adalah bentuk jamak, dari kata tunggal waliy. Implikasinya kalau pemimpin yang diangkat satu orang kafir saja, tidak apa-apa.
Argumen di atas jelas keliru. Kata awliyâ‘ dalam ayat itu memang harus berbentuk jamak agar sesuai dengan lafal kaum Yahudi dan Nashrani (al-Yahud wa an-Nashara) yang juga berbentuk jamak. (Rawwas Qal’ah Jie, Mu’jam Lughah al-Fuqahâ‘, hlm. 370 dan 397). Namun, ini tak berarti mengangkat satu orang pemimpin kafir boleh. Pasalnya, mengangkat pemimpin kafir baik satu orang (individu) maupun banyak orang (kepemimpinan kolektif) sama-sama haram, tanpa ada perbedaan, berdasarkan kemutlakan dan keumuman nas.
Ini seperti larangan umum/mutlak kepada kaum Mukmin untuk shalat dalam keadaan mabuk sebagaimana dalam QS an-Nisa‘ ayat 43 (yang artinya), ”Hai orang-orang yang beriman janganlah kalian (antum, bentuk jamak) shalat sedangkan kalian dalam keadaan mabuk (wa antum sukara). ”Apakah dari ayat ini lalu bisa disimpulkan, yang dilarang shalat hanyalah sekumpulan orang mabuk secara kolektif, sedang kalau yang mabuk seorang saja berarti dia boleh shalat? Tetap tidak boleh bukan? Demikian pula larangan mengangkat orang kafir, baik yang diangkat sekumpulan orang kafir maupun hanya satu individu kafir, hukumnya sama-sama haram.
Ayat Larangan Pemimpin Kafir Hanya dalam Kondisi Perang?
Ada yang berargumen bahwa larangan mengangkat pemimpin kafir dalam QS al-Maidah 51 hanya terjadi dalam kondisi perang. Pasalnya, konteks turunnya ayat tersebut adalah ketika terjadinya perang antara kaum Muslim melawan Yahudi Bani Qainuqa’. Jadi, katanya ayat itu tidak dapat diterapkan dalam kondisi damai seperti saat ini.
Argumen ini membatasi makna tanpa dalil (takhshîsh bilâ mukhashshis). Yang benar, ayat QS di atas, meski sabab an-nuzûldalam kondisi perang, keumuman ayatnya membolehkan penerapannya dalam kondisi apa saja, baik kondisi perang maupun kondisi damai. Kaidah ushul menyebutkan, ”Al-‘Ibrah bi ‘umûm al-lafzhi lâ bi khushush as-sabab (Yang menjadi patokan adalah keumuman lafal, bukan kekhususan sebabnya). (An-Nabhani, Asy-Syakhshiyyah al-Islâmiyyah, III/240). WalLâhu a’lam. (KH. M. Shiddiq Al-Jawi/abadkhilafah.com)
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Al-Muminun
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Al-Muminun
سورة المؤمنون
ClassificationMakkan
Meaning of the nameThe Believers
Statistics
Sura number23 106
Number of verses
118
Previous SuraAl-Hajj
Next SuraAn-Nur
Surat Al-Muminun (Arabic: سورة المؤمنون) (The Believers) is the 23rd sura of the Qur'an with 118 ayat.
The Surah begins with an assertion, "Most certainly the Believers have attained true success", intending to put across a point that the criterion of success and failure which people who disbelieve in Islam, hold in mind is in fact erred. This is owing to the fact that it is based on misconceptions and is transitory and limited in nature, in turn leading to eventual failure and not true success.
On the contrary, those who follow the teachings of Islam as taught of Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him), whom they regard as failures, are truly successful because by their acceptance of the invitation to Islam, they are guaranteed of true success and everlasting bliss in this world as well as in the Hereafter. By rejecting the Message of Islam, the opponents have incurred a profound loss and would meet with the evil consequences both in this world and the next.
This is the main theme of the Surah and the whole discourse, from the beginning to the end, is meant to impress the same.[1]
The First Eleven Verses
A brief translation of the first 11 verses is as follows:Qur'an 23:1–11 (Translated by Pickthall)
•23:001 Successful indeed are the believers
•23:002 Who are humble (Khashi'oon) in their prayers,
•23:003 And who shun vain conversation (al-Lagw),
•23:004 And who are payers of the poor-due(Zakaat);
•23:005 And who guard their modesty ~
•23:006 Save from their wives or the (slaves) that their right hands possess, for then they are not blameworthy,
•23:007 But whoso craveth beyond that, such are transgressors (Zina)
•23:008 And who are shepherds of their pledge and their covenant,
•23:009 And who pay heed to their prayers (Salaat).
•23:010 These are the heirs
•23:011 Who will inherit paradise. There they will abide.
Qualities of the Believers
The first eleven verses of this Surah hence mention the desired qualities of the believers, they are blessed and will attain victory.
Possess Al-Khushoo
The first quality as described in verse 2 of this Surah is, "Those who are humble in their prayers"Qur'an 23:2; the Arabic word used to describe the people is 'Khashi'oon' meaning those who possess 'Al-Khushoo'.
According to Tafsir ibn Kathir, a classical Tafsir (i.e. a commentary of the Quran written by Islamic scholar Ibn Kathir, the Arabic word 'Khushoo' encompasses the meanings of calmness, serenity, tranquility, dignity, and humility."[2], while Ibn Abbas explains 'Khashi'oon' to mean, with fear and tranquility.[3] Al-Khushoo is a necessary component of Salaah, however can be very easily lost. In a Hadith, Prophet Muhammed said "The first thing to be lifted up (taken away) from this Ummah will be al-Khushoo; until you will see no one who has al-Khushoo."[4]
To attain al-Khushoo one must forget everything about the world and concentrate in the prayer acts, reciting the Qur'aan and thinking of the verses one reads and bearing death, grave and the torment in mind so that he never looses concentration. In his Tafseer, Imam Ibn Katheer writes, "Khushoo is gained by the fear of Allah and the sense that He is always watching."[2] In another section he says, "The site of al-Khushoo is in the heart and heart is the king of the limbs, so if one intends to pray wholeheartedly the limbs will follow the heart as Allah says (in the Qur'an): 'And seek help in patience and Salaat and truly it is extremely heavy and hard, except for Khashi'oon.'Qur'an 2:45–45 The meaning is that the burden of prayer is heavy indeed; except for those who have Khushoo." [2]
Regarding the same verse, i.e. 'And seek help in patience and Salaat and truly it is extremely heavy and hard, except for Khashi'oon.'Qur'an 2:45–45, Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) is of the opinion that "This (verse) implies condemnation of those who are not Khashi'oon... Condemnation only applies when something obligatory is not done, or when something forbidden is done. If those who do not have Khushoo are to be condemned, this indicates that Khushoo is obligatory."[5]
In his famous book titled Towards Understanding the Qur'an, Islamic thinker and philosopher Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi cites a notion that "Al-Khushoo of the heart is to fear and stand in awe of a powerful person, and al-Khushoo of the body is to bow one's head and lower one's gaze and voice in his presence. In Salaah one is required to show al-Khushoo, both of the heart and of the body, and this is the essence of this Islamic Prayer. It has been reported that when the Prophet Muhammed once saw a person offering Salaah, as well as playing with his beard, he remarked: "Had he khushu in his heart, his body would have manifested it."
Maududi then continues, "Though al-Khushoo is actually a condition of the heart, as stated by the above tradition, it is manifested by the body as a matter of course. The Shariah has enjoined certain etiquette which, on the one hand, helps produce al-Khushoo in the heart, and on the other, helps sustain the physical act of the Prayer in spite of the fluctuating condition of the heart. According to this etiquette, one should neither turn to the right or left, nor raise one's head to look up: one may, however, look around from the corner of the eye, but as far as possible, one must fix the gaze on the place where the forehead would rest in prostration; one is also forbidden to shift about, incline side ways, fold the garments or shake off dust from them. It is also forbidden that while going down for prostration, one should clean the place where one would sit or perform prostration. Similarly it is disrespectful that one should stand stuffy erect, recite the verses of the Qur'an in a loud resounding voice, or sing them, or belch or yawn repeatedly and noisily. It has also not been approved that one should offer the Prayer in a hurry. The injunction is that each article of the Prayer should be performed in perfect peace and tranquillity, and unless one article has been completely performed, the next should not be begun. If one feels hurt by something during the Prayer, one may cast it aside by one hand, but moving the hand repeatedly or using both the hands for the purpose is prohibited. with this etiquette of the body, it is also important that one should irrelevant things during the Prayer. If thoughts come to the mind intention, it is a natural human weakness, but one should try one's best and try to ensure with one's utmost that the mind and heart are wholly turned towards Allah, and the mind is in full harmony and tune with the tongue, and as soon as one becomes conscious of irrelevant thoughts one should immediately turn the attention to the Prayer".[6]
Turn away from Al-Lagw
The next quality gathered from verse 3 is that the believers turn away from 'Al-Lagw'. The Arabic word 'Al-Lagw', as explained by Ibn Katheer.[7] in his 'Tafseer', refers to falsehood, which encompasses all acts of sin, including the greatest[8] of them i.e. Shirk in Islam, and any words or deeds that are of no benefit. In a Sahih Hadith from the Tirmidhi collection of Hadiths, Prophet Muhammed is reported to have said: "Out of a person being a good Muslim is his leaving alone, what does not benefit him"; while in Sahih Bukhari he is also reported to have said "Let he who truly believes in Allah and the Last Day speak good or be silent.".
In his 'Musnan Ahmed', Imam Ahmed has reported[9], "The faith of a man cannot be straight unless his heart is straight, and his heart cannot be straight, unless his tongue becomes straight." It was from the manners of the Sahabah to speak very little, while Abu Tharr said: "Adopt silence, this is the way of causing Shaytan to run away; it is a supporter to you in the matter of your religion." Abdullah Ibn Mas'oud is reported to have said: "By the One other than whom there is no God on this earth there is no one more deserving of long imprisonment that the tongue."[10]
Pay the Zakaat
Verse 4 says that the believers pay Zakaat, i.e. poor-due that is paid on one's wealth. Commentators on the Qur'an, like Ibn Katheer[11] are of the opinion that this verse could also be referring to the poor-due mentioned in Qur'an 6:141–141 which states "pay the due thereof on the day of their harvest.", as well as that it could be that what is meant here by Zakaat is purification of the soul from Shirk and filth, as in Qur'an 91:9–10 which say "Indeed he succeeds who purifies himself (Zakkaha). And indeed he fails who corrupts himself." The commentators are hence of the opinion that probably both meanings are intended, purification of the soul as well as purification of one's wealth, because that is also part of the purification of the soul, and the true believer is one who pays attention to both matters.
Avoid Zina, i.e. Guard their Chastity
Verses 5 through to 7 of this Surah say "And who guard their modesty; Save from their wives or the (slaves) that their right hands possess, for then they are not blameworthy, But whoso craveth beyond that, such are transgressors. Zina (fornication/adultery) is one of the major sins in Islam concerning which stern warnings have been issued in the Qur'an as well as authentic Hadiths attributed to Prophet Muhammed. In Qur'an 17:32–32, Allah says "…come not near to Zina. Verily, it is Fahishah (immoral sin) and an evil way." Similarly, Islam says that Homosexuality too is Haraam (prohibited in Islam) and it is against the natural inclination which Allah has placed in man, whereby the male is inclined towards female and vice versa. Going against this has caused man diseases like AIDS, which attack the immune system in humans and cause death. Moreover, it has also caused breakups in families. In an authentic Hadith from the Tirmidhi collection, Prophet Muhammed is reported to have said: "There is nothing I fear for my Ummah more than the the deed of the people of Lot." [12].
Qur'an 27:54–58 refers to the punishment that befell the people of the Prophet Lut: "And (remember) Lut when he said to his people, 'Do you commit al-Fahishah (evil, great sin, every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse, sodomy) while you see (one another doing evil without any screen) Do you practice your lusts on men instead of women? Nay, but you are a people who behave senselessly.' There was no other answer given by his people except that they said: 'Drive out the family of Loot from your city. Verily, these are men who want to be clean and pure!' So We saved him and his family, except his wife. We destined her to be of those who remained behind. And We rained down on them a rain (of stones). So evil was the rain of those who were warned." Prophet Muhammed has also thus said: "Whoever of you finds (someone) doing the deed of the people of Loot, kill the one who does it and the one to whom it is done."[13]
Ibn al-Qayyim is of the opinion[14] that: "Both of them - fornication and homosexuality - involve immorality that goes against the wisdom of Allah's creation and commandment. For homosexuality involves innumerable evil and harms, and the one to whom it is done would be better off being killed than having this done to him, because after that he will become so evil and so corrupt that there can be no hope of his being reformed, and all good is lost for him, and he will no longer feel any shame before Allah or before His creation…The scholars differed as to whether the one to whom it is done will ever enter Paradise. There are two opinions which I heard Shaikh al-Islam (rahimahullah) narrate."
Are Faithful to their Covenants
This section requires expansion.
Qur'an 4:58–58 commands, "Verily, Allah commands that you should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due…" Prophet Muhammed, in Sahih Muslim is reported to have said[15] "The rights will be rendered back to those to whom they are due, and even the sheep that does not have horns will take revenge from the horned sheep."
Strictly Guard their Salaat
This section requires expansion.
Allah, the Exalted, again mentions preserving of Salaat as one of the characteristics of the successful believer which shows the importance and virtue of Salaat. Ibn Mas'oud (narrated, 'I asked Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam): 'O Messenger of Allah, which deed is most beloved to Allah?' He said: 'Prayer at the appointed time.' I said: 'Then what?' He said: 'Kindness to parents.' I said: 'Then what?' He said: 'Jihad in the way of Allah.'[16] He also compared the five daily prayer by five daily baths, which leave no filth on the body. Similarly, one who prays five times a day will become free of the filth of sins. "If a person had a stream outside his door and he bathed in it five times a day, do you think he would have any filth left on him?" The people said, "No filth would remain on him whatsoever." The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) then said, "That is like the five daily prayers. Allah wipes away the sins by them." [17]
Qur'an 29:45–45 says "Verily, the prayer keeps one from the great sins and evil deeds."
Good News of Paradise for the Believers
This section requires expansion.
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (May 2009)
After mentioning the characteristics of the successful believer, Allah gives them the good news of Firdaus. Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "If you ask Allah for Paradise, then ask him for Firdaus, for it is the highest part of Paradise, in the middle of Paradise, and from it spring the rivers of Paradise, and above it is the (Mighty) Throne of the Most Merciful." [Fath al-Baree (13: 415)]
Abu Hurayrah (radhiyallahu anhu) said: "The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "There is not one among you who does not have two homes; a home in Paradise and a home in Hell. If he dies and enters Hell, the people of Paradise will inherit his home, and this is what Allah said: 'These are indeed the heirs.'" [Ibn Majah (2): 1453]
References
1.^ Towards Understanding the Quran, Surah 28
2.^ a b c Tafseer Ibn Katheer, Dar al-Sha'ab Edition,(6/414)
3.^ At-Tabaree (19:9)
4.^ Saheeh at-Targheeb, Hadith No: 543
5.^ Majmoo al-Fatawa, 22/553-558
6.^ Towards Understanding the Quran, Surah 28
7.^ The Success is for the Believers, Surah 23, Tafseer Ibn Katheer
8.^ About Islam - The Muslim's Creed, Fatwa-Online.com
9.^ Musnad Ahmed
10.^ at-Tabaranee
11.^ The Success is for the Believers, Surah 23, Tafseer Ibn Katheer
12.^ [At-Tirmidhee: Hadith no. 1457] Authenticated by Shaikh al-Albanee in Saheeh al-Jamee (1552)
13.^ [At-Tirmidhee, Hadith: 1456], Authenticated by Shaikh al-Albanee in Saheeh al-Jamee :6589
14.^ al-Jawaab al-Kafi, p.115
15.^ Saheeh Muslim, 4:1097
16.^ Saheeh Muslim, (vol.1, no.89)
17.^ Saheeh al-Bukharee
سورة المؤمنون
من ويكيبيديا، الموسوعة الحرة
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الترتيب في القرآن
23
عدد الآيات118
عدد الكلمات1051
عدد الحروف4354
الجزء18
النزول مكية
نص سورة المؤمنون في ويكي مصدر
السورة بالرسم العثماني
سورة المُؤْمِنُونَ 23/114
سبب التسمية :
سُميت بهذا الاسم الجليل تخليداً لهم و إشادة بمآثرهم وفضائلهم الكريمة التي استحقوا بها ميراث الفردوس الأعلى في جنات النعيم.
التعريف بالسورة :
1) مكية .
2) من المئين .
3) عدد آياتها ." 118 .
4) ترتيبها الثالثة والعشرون .
5) نزلت بعد سورة " الأنبياء " .
6) بدأت باسلوب توكيد " قد أفلح المؤمنون " .
7) الجزء " 18 " ، الحزب " 35 " ، الربع " 1،2،3" .
محور مواضيع السورة :
سورة " المؤمنون " من السور المكية التي تعالج أصول الدين من التوحيد والرسالة والبعث .
سبب نزول السورة :
أخبرنا القاضي أبو بكر أحمد بن الحسن الحيري إملاء قال: أخبرنا حاجب بن أحمد الطوسي قال: أخبرنا محمد بن حماد الأبيوَرْدِي قال: أخبرنا عبد الرزاق قال: أخبرنا يونس بن سليمان قال: أملى عليّ يونس الإيلي عن ابن شهاب، عن عروة بن الزبير، عن عبد الرحمن بن عبد القاري قال: سمعت عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه يقول: كان إذا أنـزل الوحي على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يسمع عند وجهه دويّ كدوي النحل، فمكثنا ساعة، فاستقبل القبلة ورفـع يديه فقال: "اللهم زدنا ولا تنقصنا، وأكرمنا ولا تهنا، وأعطنا ولا تحرمنا، وآثرنا ولا تؤثر علينا، وارضنا وارض عنا"، ثم قال: "لقد أنـزلت علينا عشر آيات من أقامهنَّ دخل الجنة" ثم قرأ: قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إلى عشر آيات، رواه الحاكم أبو عبد الله في صحيحه عن أبي بكر القطيعي، عن عبد الله بن أحمد بن حنبل، عن أبيه، عن عبد الرزاق.
2) عن ابي هريرةأن رسول الله كان إذا صلى رفع بصره إلى السماء فنزل (الذين هم في صلاتهم خاشعون ) .
3) عن أنس بن مالك قال قال عمر بن الخطاب وافقت ربي في أربع قلت يا رسول الله لو صلينا خلف المقام فأنزل الله تعالى (واتخذوا من مقام إبراهيم مصلى )وقلت يا رسول الله لو اتخذت على نسائك حجابا فانه يدخل عليك البر والفاجر فأنزل الله تعالى (وإذا سألتموهن فاسألوهن من وراء حجاب) وقلت لازواج النبيلتنتهن أو ليبدلنه الله سبحانه أزواجا خيرا منكن فانزل الله (عسى ربه إن طلقكن أن يبدله أزواجا خير منكن ) الآية ونزلت (ولقد خلقنا الإنسان من سلالة من طين إلى قول القرآن ثم أنشأناه خلقا أخر فقلت فتبارك الله أحسن الخالقين )
قد أفلح المؤمنون
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
{قد أفلحَ المؤمنونَ * الذينَ هُم في صلاتِهِم خاشعونَ * والذينَ هُم عن اللغوِ مُعرضونَ * والذينَ هُم للزكاة فاعلونَ * والذينَ هُم لِفُروجهم حافظونَ * إلاّ على أزواجهم أو ما ملكت أيمانُهُم فإنّهم غيرُ ملومين * فمن ابتغى وراءَ ذلك فأولئكَ هُمُ العادون * والذينَ هُم لأماناتِهم وعَهدِهِم راعونَ * والذينَ هُم على صلواتِهم يُحافظون * أولئكَ هُمُ الوارثونَ * الذينَ يرثونَ الفِردَوسَ هُم فيها خالدون}. (المؤمنون/1ـ11)
قراءة واعية، وتأمل دقيق في عطاء الوحي، وامتداد يقظ مع آفاق القرآن يجعلنا نكتشف محتوى هذه الرسالة الإلهية الخالدة، وندرك أهدافها ومنهجها اللاحب في الحياة.
وندرك أن القرآن مدرسة هداية، ومنهج دعوة، ودستور حياة، وفي ظلاله يجد الإنسان معنى الحياة، ويحيا فسحة الأمل، ويتنسم شذى الأمن والسعادة.
لنقرأ القرآن، ولنقرأ معانيه، ولنكتشف خزائن القيم والفكر ومنهج الحياة في كلمة الله الداعية إلى هدى الإنسان وانتشاله من وهدة السقوط، وصحارى التيه، وحيرة الضلال. لنقرأ القرآن ولنتجاوز قراءة أولئك الذين يقرأون الحروف وصيغ الألفاظ، ويغفلون عن المحتوى وخزين الفكر والمعرفة، إن الذي يقف على ساحل البحر لا يدرك عمق الماء، ومن يسبح على سطح الماء لا يجني لآلئ البحر.
آفاق القرآن مديدة، ومدرسته غنية وعطاؤه ثر، وفي كل أفق من آفاقه يكتشف الإنسان معنىً جديداً للحياة، وقيمة معبرة عن معنى الوجود.
وفي تصوير القرآن للمجتمع ولجماعة المؤمنين، وللإنسان النموذج، والشخصية السعيدة في الحياة، يرسم بأسلوبه الأدبي الرائع، وتصويره اللغوي الأخّاذ صورة ذلك الإنسان، ويشكل صيغة تلك الجماعة، ويعبّر عن طبيعة الحياة والعلاقة والخصائص التي ينبغي أن تكون في الإنسان الحضاري المتسامي، إنه يتحدث في آيات عديدة، ويصوّر في موارد شتّى صفة ذلك الكائن الذي استطاع أن يكون إنساناً (المؤمن)، إن الإنسانية في منطق القرآن، لا تتحقق بالشكل والهيأة، إنما تتحقق بتكامل الذات البشرية، وبتجسيد القيم والمثل العليا في وعي الإنسان وسلوكه ونوازعه، فالإنسان إن فقد هذه القيم، سيكون شراً من الحيوان، وأسوأ حالاً من الوحوش الكواسر:
{إن هُم إلا كالأنعام بل هُم أضلُّ سَبيلاَ}. (الفرقان/44)
إن الحياة ستفقد قيمتها، وإن الإنسان سيفقد إنسانيته، إذا ما غابت خصائص الإنسان وصفاته الحقّة من مسرح الحياة.
إذن لنصغ جميعاً إلى كلمة الله، ولنقرأ بوعي ما خطه قلم الوحي، ورسمته ريشة القرآن ولنحي في ظل تلك الأجواء الروحية العميقة، ولنستنر بهدى ذلك السراج الدليل.
لنقرأ صفة الإنسان المؤمن، وصفة الجماعة المؤمنة، ولنجعل هذه الصورة، هي صيغة الحياة وهدف الإنسان، وغاية الدعوة في منهج القرآن.
فها هو القرآن يتحدث ويصوّر، ويعرض لنا الإنسان النموذج في الحياة ويفاجئنا بمطلع سورة (المؤمنون) بالبشرى، فيثير الأمل وانفعال الرجاء في النفوس، ويبدد سحب البؤس وضباب اليأس والقنوط بمطلع بيانه:
Mengenal Bendera dan Panji Kaum Muslimin
Ar-Raayah secara harfiah bermakna al-‘alam (panji). Bentuk jamaknya adalah raayaat. Kata ar-raayah, sebagaimana dalam hadits ‘Ali bin Abi Thalib saat Perang Khaibar, bermakna al-‘alam (panji). Ar-Raayah juga bermakna sejenis bendera yang diikatkan di leher. Bendera kecil disebut dengan ruyaih. Bentuk kata kerjanya adalah: rayaitu rayaan, wa rayyiitu, taryatah.
Sedangkan al-Liwaa’, secara harfiah, juga berkonotasi al-‘alam. Bentuk jamaknya alwiyah dan alwiyaat. Liwa’ adalah panji yang diberikan kepada Amir (panglima tentara, bisa juga komandan detasemen). Sedangkan ‘Alam adalah Liwaa’ (panji) yang digunakan sebagai tanda untuk berkumpulnya pasukan. Ahli bahasa menyatakan, al-‘alam adalah panji yang diikatkan di ujung tombak. Az-Zubaidiy berkata, al-‘alam adalah rasm at-tsaub (baju resmi) yang di pinggir-pinggirnya diberi garis-garis.
Al-‘Allamah al-Qalqasyandi telah mendefinisikan al-a’laam (bendera) sebagai berikut, “Ia adalah ar-raayaat (panji) yang dibawa oleh wakil (pengganti) Sultan yang diletakkan di atas kendaraannya.”. Kadang-kadang al-a’laam digambarkan dengan al- ‘ashaaib (serban), bentuk jamak dari ‘ashabah, yang maknanya adalah al-alwiyah. Lafadz ini diambil dari kata ‘ashabah ar-ra’s (serban kepala), sebab ar-raayah biasanya dikenakan di ujung tombak bagian atas. Kadang-kadang dilukiskan dengan as-sanaajiq (panji-panji), bentuk jamak dari as-sinjaq. Ini adalah bahasa orang Turki, yang bermakna ath-tha’n (tikaman).
Raayah dinamakan seperti itu, sebab dipasang di bagian atas tombak. Sedangkan tombak adalah alat untuk menikam. Ini merupakan penamaan yang bersifat majaziy (kiasan). Al-Abadi berkata, “Ath-Thurisiy berkata, Raayah adalah panji yang diserahkan kepada pemimpin perang, di mana seluruh pasukan berperang di bawah kepemimpinannya dan akan mempertahankannya hidup atau mati.”
Sedangkan liwaa’ adalah panji yang menunjukkan posisi pemimpin pasukan, dan ia akan dibawa mengikuti posisi pemimpin pasukan’. Ar-Raazi berkata, “Liwaa’ adalah panjinya pemimpin perang (Amir), sedangkan Alwiyah adalah al-mathaarid (tombak pendek) tanpa panji dan bendera.” Al-Mathraziy berkata, “Raayah adalah bendera pasukan yang diibaratkan dengan induk peperangan. Ar-Raayah lebih kecil daripada al-liwaa’.” Al-Abadiy juga berkata, “Raayah adalah (al-’alam) bendera kecil, sedangkan Liwaa’ adalah bendera besar. Pada masa kita sekarang ini, Raayaat dan Alwiyaat disebut dengan al-a’laam, al-bunuud, dan al-bayaariq.”
Abu Bakar ibn al-‘Arabiy berkata, “Liwaa’ berbeda dengan ar-raayah. Liwaa’ adalah bendera yang diikatkan di ujung tombak, kemudian dililitkan di gagang tombak. Sedangkan ar-raayah adalah bendera yang dipasang di ujung tombak dan dibiarkan hingga berkibar ditiup angin.” Ada juga yang menyatakan bahwa Liwaa’ berbeda dengan Raayah. Liwaa’ adalah bendera yang berukuran besar, sedangkan ‘Alam adalah tanda yang menunjukkan di mana posisi Amir (pemimpin pasukan). Adapun Raayah adalah bendera yang diserahkan kepada pemimpin pasukan’ (Fath al-Baariy: VI/126-127; ‘Umdatul Qaari lil-‘Aina: XII/47; ‘Uynul Ma’bud li al-Abadiy: VII/254).
Berdasarkan penjelasan ini, nyata perbedaan antara Liwaa’ dengan Raayah. Rasulullah SAW sendiri telah memiliki dua buah bendera. Salah satunya dinamakan dengan Liwaa’, sedangkan yang lain dinamakan dengan Raayah. Perbedaan antara Liwaa’ dengan Raayah telah dikenal dalam istilah-istilah ahli politik dan perang serta ahli sejarah. Bahkan perbedaan antara keduanya juga telah dikenal oleh ahli-ahli lain, baik ahli tafsir, ahli hadits, dan lain-lain.
Penghulu para ‘ulama tafsir yang terkenal sangat faqih, yakni Imam Ibn al-‘Arabiy telah menyatakan, “Liwaa’ berbeda dengan Raayah.” Jumhur ‘ulama hadits juga telah membedakan antara Liwaa’ dengan Raayah. Imam Tirmidziy telah menjelaskan perbedaan keduanya dalam bab tersendiri yang diberi nama, al-Alwiyah, dan pada bab lain dengan sub judul, ar-Raayaat. Ini menunjukkan Liwaa’ dan Raayah adalah dua hal yang berbeda (Jaami’ at-Tirmidzi: IV/197).
Ini didukung dengan riwayat al-Waqidiy yang menjelaskan tentang al-liwaa’ al- a’dzam (bendera terbesar) dalam Perang Uhud, “Al-Liwaa’ al-A’dzam diserahkan kepada Mush’ab bin ‘Umair ra, sedangkan Liwaa’ al-Aus (bendera suku Aus) diserahkan kepada Usaid bin al-Hudlair, sedangkan Liwaa’ al-Khazraj (bendera suku Khazraj) diserahkan kepada Sa’ad atau Hubab.” (Al-Maghazi li al-Waqidi: I/225)
Tatkala menjelaskan hadits yang menuturkan Perang Badar, Imam Ibnu ‘Abdil Baar menyatakan, “Al-Liwaa’ diserahkan kepada Mush’ab bin ‘Umair, sedangkan ar-raayah al-waahidah (panji pertama) diserahkan kepada ‘Ali, panji kedua diserahkan kepada seorang laki-laki dari suku Anshar –keduanya berwarna hitam dan berukuran kecil–, sedangkan bendera suku Anshar diserahkan kepada Sa’ad bin Mu’adz.” (Ad-Durur li Ibn ‘Abdil Barr: hal. 102)
Membawa bendera merupakan salah satu tugas yang sangat mulia. Oleh karena itu, bendera tersebut harus dijaga sampai mati. Imam ‘Ainiy dalam kitab ‘Umdat al-Qaariy berkata, “Raayah (panji) tidak akan diserahkan kecuali atas izin dari Imam. Sebab, penyerahan bendera merupakan kewenangan dan tugas dari Imam. Ia tidak boleh dialihkan kepada pihak lain, kecuali atas perintah dari Imam.” Bukti yang menunjukkan bahwa membawa bendera termasuk sebuah tugas kenegaraan adalah sabda Rasulullah SAW, “Bawalah bendera itu.” Ini adalah nash yang menunjukkan bahwa membawa bendera termasuk bagian dari tugas kenegaraan (‘Umdatul Qaariy: XII/47).
Ciri, Warna dan Ukuran Rayah dan Liwa’
Tatkala menerangkan hadits yang menuturkan tentang Liwaa’ (bendera besar) yang dibawa pada saat Perang Khaibar, Ibnu Hajar berkata, “Rasulullah SAW telah menyerahkan bendera besar itu kepada Abu Bakar, sekaligus mengangkatnya sebagai Amir. Beliau juga menyerahkan bendera kepada ‘Umar, kemudian kepada ‘Ali ra. Penyerahan bendera oleh Rasulullah SAW kepada Ali ra tidaklah menghapus penyerahan bendera yang telah diberikan kepada keduanya (Abu Bakar dan Umar). Sebab, masing-masing telah diberi kewenangan secara khusus untuk memegang bendera pada hari itu. Kewenangan untuk membawa bendera itu akan berakhir dengan wafatnya beliau SAW. Tidak ada satupun Amir yang sempurna perintahnya, kecuali beliau SAW. Namun demikian, beliau SAW telah menyerahkan segala urusan kepada siapa saja yang beliau kehendaki.” (Fath al-Bariy: VI/127).
Imam Sarakhsiy berkata, “Bendera kaum Muslim (Liwaa’) harusnya berwarna putih. Sedangkan panji-panjinya (Raayaat) berwarna hitam”. Dari Ibnu ‘Abbas ra berkata, “Raayah (panji) Rasul SAW berwarna hitam, sedangkan Liwa’ (bendera)-nya berwarna putih.” (Syarh as-Sayir al-Kabir: I/72; Jami’ at-Tirmidzi: IV/197, no. 1681; Sunan Ibn Majjah: II/941, no. 2818; Mu’jamul Ausath at-Thabrani: I/77, no. 219; Mu’jam al-Kabir: XII/207, no. 12909; al-Mustadrak al-Hakim: II/115, no.2506/131).
Dari Abu Hurairah, ia berkata, “Panji Rasulullah SAW (raayat) berwarna hitam, sedangkan liwa’ (bendera)-nya berwarna putih.” Jabir ra menuturkan, “Bendera Nabi SAW (liwaa’) pada saat masuk kota Makkah berwarna putih.” Dari ‘Aisyah ra, berkata, “Liwaa’ Nabi SAW berwarna putih.” Dari Ibnu ‘Umar ra berkata, “Tatkala Rasulullah SAW memasangkan benderanya, beliau memasangkan bendera (liwaa’) yang berwarna putih.” Rasyid bin Sa’ad telah menceritakan sebuah riwayat dari Rasulullah SAW, “Panji (raayah) Nabi SAW berwarna hitam, sedangkan liwa’nya berwarna putih.” Ibnu ‘Asakir juga meriwayatkan dengan sanad dari Hisyam bin ‘Urwah dari bapaknya dari ‘Aisyah, bahwa Nabi SAW memiliki sebuah panji hitam yang bernama al-‘Uqab.
Dari Yunus bin ‘Ubaidah, maula Muhammad al-Qasim, berkata, Muhammad bin al-Qasim telah mengutusku untuk menanyakan tentang panji Rasulullah SAW kepada Bara’ bin ‘Azib. Beliau menjawab, “Panji Rasulullah berwarna hitam, berbentuk persegi empat, terbuat dari kain wool.” (Fath ar-Rabbaniy -Ahmad: XIV/51, IV/297; Sunan Abu Daud: III/71, no. 2591; Jami’ at-Tirmidzi: IV/196, no. 1680).
Raayah disebut al-‘Uqab. Awalnya al-‘Uqab adalah nama panji Rasulullah SAW, kemudian akhirnya semua bendera disebut al-‘Uqab. Imam al-Manawiy telah mengutip riwayat dari Imam Ibnu al-Qayyim, di sana disebutkan, “Panji Rasulullah SAW dinamakan dengan al-‘Uqab. Panji itu berwarna hitam, dengan kata lain, warnanya didominasi warna hitam polos. Al-Qadliy dan al-Thayibiy juga menyebut nama ini.” (Faidlul Qadir: V/170)
Imam Manawiy berkata, “Panji beliau SAW berbentuk persegi empat, terbuat dari kain wool. Ia berujud bendera besar. Panji itu dinamakan al-‘Uqab.” Ibnu ‘Asakir meriwayatkan dari ‘Aisyah, “Liwaa’ Rasulullah SAW pada saat penaklukan warnanya putih. Sedangkan panji beliau SAW berwarna hitam. Panji itu terbuat dari secarik kain wool. Panji itu disebut dengan al-‘Uqab”. Panji itu pernah dibawa oleh Khalid bin Walid untuk menaklukkan Damaskus dua kali. Panji itu pun kadang-kadang dinamakan dengan Tsaniyat al-‘Uqab.
Ia juga berkata, “Panji beliau juga diberi nama dengan an-namr. Dinamakan an-namr, sebab warnanya seperti warna an-namr antara hitam dan putih. Beliau SAW juga memiliki bendera berwarna kuning. Namun bendera ini tidak memiliki nama. Beliau juga memiliki panji berwarna hitam. Maksudnya, warnanya didominasi warna hitam. Sehingga, bila dilihat dari jauh tampak berwarna hitam. Sebab, warna panji tersebut adalah hitam polos. Di tengah panji tersebut ditulis “La ilaha Illa al- Allah Muhammad Rasul al-Allah”.
Sebagian besar nash hanya menyatakan bahwa panji Rasulullah SAW berbentuk persegi empat. Disebutkan dalam riwayat Bara’ bin al-‘Azib, “(Panji Rasulullah SAW) berbentuk persegi empat dan terbuat dari wool.” Dalam riwayat Ibnu ‘Abbas disebutkan, “(Panji Rasulullah SAW) berwarna hitam, berbentuk persegi empat, dan terbuat dari kain wool.” Al-Kattaaniy mengeluarkan riwayat dari Abu Zar’ah al-Qaza’iy, yang menyatakan, “Rasulullah SAW telah menyerahkan kepada ‘Ali sebuah panji berwarna putih yang ukurannya sehasta kali sehasta.” Ini menunjukkan, ukuran panji di masa Rasulullah SAW, yakni sehasta kali sehasta. Ini juga berarti, bahwa ukuran bendera Rasulullah SAW lebih besar lagi. (Taratib al-Idariyyah: I/320-322).
At-Thabrani dan Abu Syaikh menuturkan dari Abu Hurairah dan Ibnu ‘Abbas, bahwa bendera Rasulullah SAW bertuliskan “La ilaha Illa Al-Allah Mohammad Rasul al-Allah”. (Akhlaq an-Nabi wa Adabuhu-Abu Syaikh: hal. 155, no. 426). Riwayat senada juga dituturkan at-Thabarani dari Buraidah al-Aslami, dan Ibnu ‘Adiy dari Abu Hurairah. Sedangkan khath (tulisan)-nya adalah khath yang masyhur di masa Rasulullah SAW, yakni khath Makkiy (khath Makkah) dan Madaniy (khath Madinah). Ini didasarkan pada keterangan yang disampaikan oleh Ibnu an-Nadim (al-Fahrist: hal. 8).
Dari sini bisa disimpulkan, sebagai berikut :
Bendera Rasulullah SAW yang paling besar (Liwa’) berwarna putih dan bertuliskan “La ilaha Illa Allah Muhammad Rasulullah”.
Panji (Rayah) Rasulullah SAW berwarna hitam, dan di dalamnya bertuliskan “La ilaha Illa Allah Muhammad Rasulullah” warna putih.
Al-‘Alam adalah al-liwaa’ al-a’dham (bendera besar). Sedangkan ar-raayaat adalah panji yang secara khusus dimiliki oleh setiap kabilah atau tiap divisi pasukan, dan lain-lain. Panji semacam ini jumlahnya sangat banyak. Sedangkan liwaa’ (bendera) jumlahnya hanya satu, tidak banyak.
Liwaa’ (bendera) adalah bendera resmi Daulah Islam di masa Rasulullah SAW dan para Khalifah setelah beliau SAW. Ini adalah kesimpulan Imam al-Sarakhsiy, dan dikuatkan dalam kitab Syarh As-Sair al-Kabir, karya Imam Muhammad bin al-Hasan as-Syaibaniy, murid Imam Abu Hanifah. Disimpulkan, “Liwaa adalah bendera yang berada di tangan penguasa. Ar-Raayah, adalah panji yang dimiliki oleh setiap pemimpin divisi pasukan, di mana semua pasukan yang ada dalam divisinya disatukan di bawah panji tersebut. Liwaa hanya berjumlah satu buah untuk keseluruhan pasukan. Liwaa digunakan sebagai patokan pasukan ketika mereka merasa perlu untuk menyampaikan keperluan mereka ke hadapan penguasa (Imam). Liwaa dipilih berwarna putih. Ini ditujukan agar ia bisa dibedakan dengan panji-panji berwarna hitam yang ada di tangan para pemimpin divisi pasukan.”
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Makanan dan Minuman Yang Perlu Dikonsumsi Penghafal Hadits*
Makanan dan Minuman Yang Perlu Dikonsumsi Penghafal Hadits*
Makanan yang Perlu Dikonsumsi
Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala menyukai orang-orang yang tidak berpangku tangan dalam menyambut takdir baik. Memang semuanya terjadi atas takdir Allah tetapi Allah memerintahkan manusia untuk berusaha dan menempuh jalan-jalannya. Di antara jalan untuk menguatkan hafalan adalah mengkonsumi beberapa jenis makanan: madu, kismis (anggur kering), habbatus sauda` (jinten hitam), kurma, dan susu.
a) Madu
Imam az-Zuhri (w. 124 H) berkata:
عَلَيْكَ بِالْعَسَلِ فَإِنَّهُ جَيِّدٌ لِلْحِفْظِ
“Minumlah madu karena ia baik untuk menghafal.”
Dikatakan bahwa terapi penyembuhan penyakit itu ada dua, yaitu al-Qur`an dan madu. Seolah-olah penyakit rohani diterapi dengan al-Qur`an sementara penyakit jasmani diterapi dengan madu. Makanan yang secara tegas disebutkan di al-Qur`an untuk penyembuhan adalah madu. Ini menunjukkan kedudukan agung madu sebagai obat karena datang dari pemberitaan wahyu. Allah berfirman:
“Di dalamnya (madu) ada kesembuhan bagi manusia.”
Al-Hafizh Ibnu Katsir (w. 774 H) berkata, “Maksudnya, di dalam madu ada penyembuh bagi manusia dari segala penyakit yang menjangkiti mereka.”
Al-Hafizh Ibnul Jauzi (w. 597 H) berkata, “Dhamir “nya” di sini kembali kepada madu. Ini diriwayatkan oleh al-Aufi dari Ibnu Abbas, dan ini juga pendapat Ibnu Mas’ud. Para ulama berselisih apakah penyembuh di sini untuk penyakit tertentu atau tidak? Ada dua pendapat: pertama bahwa dia umum untuk berbagai penyakit. Ibnu Mas’ud berkata, ‘Madu adalah penyembuh dari segala penyakit.’ Qatadah berkata, ‘Di dalam madu ada penyembuh bagi manusia dari berbagai penyakit.’ (Hal ini berdasarkan hadits) Abu Sa’id al-Khudri radhiyallahu ‘anhu meriwayatkan bahwa dia berkata, ‘Seseorang datang kepada Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam dan berkata, ‘Saudaraku sakit perut.’ Lalu beliau bersabda, ‘Beri dia minum madu.’ Lalu dia memberinya minum madu lalu kembali dan berkata, ‘Aku telah memberinya minum madu tetapi justru bertambah sakitnya.’ Beliau bersabda, ‘Beri dia minum madu.’ Disebutkan dalam hadits sampai ucapan, ‘Lalu dia sembuh pada kali yang ketiga atau yang keempat.’ Lalu Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam bersabda, ‘Allah mahabenar dan perut saudaramu telah berdusta.’ Dikeluarkan oleh al-Bukhari dan Muslim. Yang dimaksud “Allah mahabenar” adalah kebenaran ayat ini.
Yang kedua: bahwa ia untuk menyembuhkan penyakit-penyakit yang memang bisa disembuhkan oleh madu, ini pendapat as-Suddi. Tafsir yang benar adalah ia mencakup keumuman. Ibnul Anbari berkata, ‘Pada umumnya madu bisa bereaksi pada segala jenis penyakit dan mencakup sebagai obat-obatan. Jika ada seseorang yang tidak cocok dengannya, sungguh ia telah cocok bagi kebanyakan orang. Ini seperti pepatah Arab:
الْمَاءُ حَيَاةُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، وَقَدْ نَرَى مَنْ يَقْتُلُهُ الْمَاءُ
‘Air adalah kehidupan segala sesuatu tetapi kita terkadang melihat ada yang dibunuh oleh air.’
Konteks kalimat untuk menunjukkan keumuman.’”
Madu mengandung vitamin, mineral, protein, antiseptik, dan enzim yang bisa meningkatkan daya ingat juga kecerdasan mental seseorang. Dengan kandungan zat galian yang dimilikinya, ia mampu meningkatkan kesehatan fisik dan mental. Zat galian adalah manganese (belerang), klorin, silica, kuprum, potassium (kalium), magnesium, sulfur, karbon, kalsium, fosforus, dan zat besi. Dua sendok teh tiap pagi dan malam adalah cara minum madu yang baik.
Madu mengandung glukosa (gula anggur), fruktosa (gula buah), sukrosa (gula tebu), dan maltosa (gula gandum). Glukosa dan fruktosa menghasilkan suplai glikogen dalam hati. Memakan satu sendok madu asli sebelum tidur akan meningkatkan fungsi otak, karena fruktosa yang terkandung dalam madu menjadi energi cadangan di dalam hati dan bekerja di otak semalaman. Tak heran, madu menjadi rahasia penambah energi bagi atlet zaman Yunani kuno yang menghadapi olimpiade.
Di dalam madu juga terkandung berbagai vitamin yang hampir memenuhi seluruh vitamin yang dibutuhkan oleh manusia, yaitu : A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, D, K, E, Uric Acid, dan asam nikotinat. Bahkan berdasarkan hasil penelitian ahli gizi dan pangan, madu mengandung karbohidrat yang paling tinggi di antara produk ternak lainnya: susu, telur, daging, keju, dan mentega sekitar (82,3% lebih tinggi). Setiap 100 gram madu murni bernilai 294 kalori atau perbandingan 1.000 gram madu murni setara dengan 50 butir telur ayam atau 5,675 liter susu atau 1.680 gram daging. Dari hasil penelitian terbaru ternyata zat-zat atau senyawa yang ada di dalam madu sangat komplek yaitu mencapai 181 jenis.
Di dalam madu juga terdapat kandungan mineral dan garam seperti: besi, sulfur, magnesium, kalsium, kalium, sodium, klorin, tembaga, krom, nikel, lead, silica, mangan, alumunium, aurum, lithium, thin, zink, dan titanium. Sungguh menakjubkan, karena semua mineral tersebut merupakan komposisi tanah yang darinya manusia diciptakan.
Di dalam madu juga terkandung bermacam-macam enzim dan asam yang sangat penting untuk kehidupan dan aktivitas tubuh manusia, misalnya: enzim amilase, enzim katalase, enzim fosfolirase, dan beberapa enzim lainnya.
Adapun macam-macam asam yang terkandung dalam madu adalah: formic acid, lactic acid, atric acid, tartaric acid, oxalid acid asam fosfat, dan asam glukomat.
Di dalam madu juga terkandung hormon-hormon kuat yang berfungsi menggiatkan dan memacu kerja organ-organ tubuh. Karena itu di dalam madu juga terkandung antibiotik yang melindungi manusia dari seluruh penyakit dan membunuh berbagai bakteri dan mikroba.
Telah diketahui pula bahwa di dalam madu terdapat dotorium (hydrogen berat) yang berfungsi sebagai anti kanker.
Nabi shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam bersabda:
إِنْ كَانَ فِى شَىْءٍ مِنْ أَدْوِيَتِكُمْ -أَوْ يَكُونُ فِى شَىْءٍ مِنْ أَدْوِيَتِكُمْ- خَيْرٌ فَفِى شَرْطَةِ مِحْجَمٍ، أَوْ شَرْبَةِ عَسَلٍ، أَوْ لَذْعَةٍ بِنَارٍ تُوَافِقُ الدَّاءَ، وَمَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ أَكْتَوِيَ
“Jika ada sesuatu dari obat kalian –atau jika ada sesuatu dari obat kalian– yang bisa menyembuhkan, maka ia ada pada bekam, minum madu, atau mengecos dengan besi panas pada luka tetapi saya tidak suka kay (pengobatan dengan besi panas ini).”
Adapun untuk kemampuan otak yang mengagumkan, madu adalah pilihan yang tepat. Madu dapat meningkatkan perkembangan mental anak-anak dalam semua bidang. Laju perjalanan glukosa ke otak yang cepat berguna untuk mempertahankan fungsi normal dari nutrisi penting otak. Asetilkolin merupakan bahan penting untuk meningkatkan memori, dan vitamin untuk meningkatkan kegiatan berpikir dalam otak dengan normal. Mineral penting untuk menjaga fungsi otak yang dapat meningkatkan kemampuan berpikir, kalsium dapat memastikan otak bekerja ulet dan intens, dan germanium dapat meningkatkan kecerdasan.
Madu mendukung keseimbangan asam-basa dalam tubuh yang kaya garam anorganik. Garam anorganik dalam tubuh manusia dapat dikombinasikan dengan bahan-bahan asam, sehingga memberikan kontribusi untuk keseimbangan asam-basa, tubuh dapat menghilangkan kelelahan.
Pakar obat tradisional Prof. Hembing Widjayakusumah berkata, “Aneka zat yang terdapat dalam madu berkhasiat bagi perkembangan otak anak, terutama zat gulanya yang sangat dibutuhkan otak untuk melaksanakan fungsinya secara optimal.”
Fakta ilmiah lain tentang madu telah dibicarakan oleh para ilmuwan yang bertemu pada Konferensi Apikultur Sedunia (World Apiculture Conference) yang diselenggarakan pada tanggal 20-26 September 1993 di Cina. Konferensi tersebut membahas pengobatan dengan menggunakan ramuan yang berasal dari madu. Para ilmuwan Amerika mengatakan bahwa madu, royal jelly, serbuk sari, dan propolis dapat mengobati berbagai penyakit. Seorang dokter Rumania mengatakan bahwa ia mengujikan madu untuk pengobatan pasien katarak, dan 2.002 dari 2.094 pasiennya sembuh total. Para dokter Polandia juga menyatakan dalam konferensi tersebut bahwa resin lebah dapat membantu penyembuhan banyak penyakit seperti wasir, masalah kulit, penyakit ginekologis, dan berbagai penyakit lainnya.
Dari al-Laits bin Sa’ad, dari Ibnu Syihab bahwa dia bercakap-cakap dengan bersulang madu, sebagaimana yang biasa dilakukan oleh kebanyakan orang-orang pada malam hari. Mereka berkata, “Berilah kami minum dan bertuturlah kepada kami.” Dia banyak minum madu dan tidak makan buah-buahan sedikitpun.
Menjauhi buah-buahan secara mutlak perlu ditinjau ulang. Para penduduk surga sebelum dihidangkan daging, terlebih dahulu dihidangkan buah-buahan. Di antara dalil yang digunakan oleh yang berpendapat ini adalah firman Allah:
“Dan Kami berikan mereka buah-buahan dan daging melimpah menurut selera mereka.”
Begitu pula Allah memerintahkan Nabi Yahya untuk memakan buah-buahan pasca sakit berat beberapa lama di perut ikan. Allah berfirman:
“Dan Kami tumbuhkan untuknya sebatang pohon dari jenis labu.”
Dijelaskan oleh sebagian pakar kesehatan bahwa mendahulukan buah-buahan sebelum makan daging membantu memudahkan pencernaan, menjaga kesehatan, dan beberapa manfaat lainnya.
Menurut kaum Yahudi memakan hidangan berkarbohidrat (roti dan nasi) kemudian ditutup dengan buah-buahan menyebabkan ngantuk. Mereka mengetahui kaidah penemuan ini, sehingga sebelum makan menu utama, mereka mendahuluinya dengan buah-buahan.
Penulis berpendapat tidak masalah mengkonsumsi buah-buahan bagi para penghafal hanya saja tidak berlebihan, tetapi yang terbaik adalah menghindarinya ala kadarnya karena terdapat riwayat bahwa Abu Bakar al-Anbari tidak menyentuh buah-buahan sedikitpun saat dijamu oleh Khalifah ar-Radhi Billah, lalu saat beliau sakit keras meminta keluarganya untuk mendatangkan buah-buahan yang lezat lalu memakannya dengan lahap. Ketika ditanya beliau menjawab, “Aku merasa sakit ini akan mengantarkanku kepada kematian, sehingga aku tidak begitu khawatir dengan hafalanku.” Setelah itu beliau wafat. Orang-orang pada zamannya mengatakan, “Abu Bakar al-Anbari adalah satu dari tanda-tanda kebesaran Allah dalam menghafal,” karena saking banyak dan kuat hafalannya. Allahu a’lam.
b) Kismis
Kismis adalah anggur yang telah dikeringkan dan rasanya manis karena kandungan zat gula yang melimpah di dalamnya. Nama lain kismis adalah zabib (Arab), grape seed/raisin (Inggris), dan vitis vinifera (Latin/Saintifik).
Imam az-Zuhri (w. 124 H) berkata:
مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يَحْفَظَ الْحَدِيثَ فَلْيَأْكُلِ الزَّبِيبَ
“Barangsiapa yang suka menghafal hadits, hendaklah makan kismis.”
Imam al-Hakim menjelaskan, “Karena kismis Hijaz itu panas, manis, lembut, agak kering, dan menghilangkan lendir.”
Dalam riwayat Abu Ja’far ath-Thusi disebutkan bahwa kismis dapat menghilangkan lendir dan menyehatkan jiwa.
Sebanyak 60% berat kismis terdiri dari gula, di mana separuh darinya adalah fruktosa dan separuh lagi adalah glukosa. Kismis sangat tinggi kandungan antioksidannya sebanding dengan buah prune dan aprikot. Terdapat sekitar 54% zat gula dengan berat 90 gram dari sekitar 165 gram berat kismis. Fruktosa dan glukosa berguna untuk meningkatkan, menajamkan, dan menguatkan daya ingatan. Penjelasannya, otak manusia memerlukan zat gula secara cepat dengan kadar yang banyak agar bisa bekerja dengan baik dan kismis dapat menyediakan keperluan itu dalam jumlah yang banyak dan cepat.
Juga, hal ini disebabkan otak yang kekurangan oksigen akan menyebabkan rasa kantuk, lemah ingatan, dan mudah lupa. Kismis mengandung zat besi yang diperlukan untuk mengatur peredaran darah dan menyediakan pasokan oksigen yang akhirnya akan dikirim ke otak.
Prof. Hembing Widjayakusumah berkata, “Jika suplai darah dan oksigen ke otak lancar, maka daya ingat bisa menjadi lebih baik.”
Seorang ibu kebangsaan Malaysia menulis di internet –dengan pengeditan ke bahasa Indonesia–, “Saya telah mempraktekkan kepada anak-anak saya untuk mengkonsumsi kismis setiap hari dan al-hamdulillah walaupun tanpa tuisyen, hasil pemeriksaan amat membanggakan. Di antaranya Nurul Amerah (16 tahun) mencapai UPSR 4A1B dan PMR 8A, Nurul Ezzati (14 tahun) mencapai UPSR 5A, Muhammad Naim (9 tahun) juara satu di kelasnya, dan Nurul Izzyan (6 tahun) sudah bisa membaca, menulis, dan menghitung dengan lancar.”
Selain itu, kismis sendiri mampu menurunkan kadar radikal bebas. Radikal bebas merupakan senyawa yang dapat merusak sel dan membuat tubuh sulit untuk kembali bugar setelah berolahraga. Fakta ini terungkap dalam pertemuan tahunan American College of Nutrition. Para peneliti mempelajari delapan atlet triathlon yang berkompetisi dalam dua minggu yang terpisah. Pada satu perlombaan, mereka diberi makan kismis dan pada perlombaan lainnya tidak. Akhirnya Gene Spiller, Ph.D –pimpinan utama penelitian ini– menyimpulkan, “Kismis secara signifikan mengurangi jumlah kerusakan sel pada tubuh atlet akibat radikal bebas.” Dia menyarankan mengkonsumsi segenggam kismis sebelum berolahraga berat.
c) Habbatus Sauda`
Nama lain habbastus sauda` adalah jinten hitam (Indonesia), fennel flower (Inggris), habat et baraka (Mesir), nigella (Italia), nigelle (Prancis), nidella (Jerman), black cumin/black seed (Amerika), dan black caraway (Eropa).
Habbatus sauda` mampu meningkatkan daya ingat, konsentrasi, dan kewaspadaan. Dengan kandungan asam linoleat (omega 6) dan asam linolenat (omega 3), habbatus sauda` merupakan nutrisi bagi sel otak untuk meningkatkan daya ingat dan kecerdasan. Habbatus sauda juga memperbaiki peredaran darah mikro ke otak dan cocok diberikan kepada anak usia masa pertumbuhan maupun lansia.
Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam bersabda:
«فِى الْحَبَّةِ السَّوْدَاءِ شِفَاءٌ مِنْ كُلِّ دَاءٍ إِلاَّ السَّامَ»
“Dalam habbatus sauda` ada penyembuh untuk segala penyakit kecuali kematian.”
d) Kurma
Orang Yahudi dikenal sebagai orang-orang cerdas, dan al-Qur`an memberitahukan bahwa Allah telah melebihkan mereka dengan kecerdasan ini atas makhluk di bumi, terlepas dari kesesatan mereka dan kelicikan mereka bahkan mereka adalah manusia yang paling bertanggung jawab atas kekacauan umat manusia di bumi. Apa di antara langkah mereka dalam mewujudkan kecerdasan ini? Dr. Stephen Carr Leon melakukan penelitian selama 8 tahun untuk meneliti prilaku kecerdasan kaum Yahudi. Hasil penelitian menyebutkan bahwa kaum wanita mereka banyak mengkonsumsi kurma dan susu terutama di masa hamil dan masa menyusui. Namun, liciknya mereka menutup-nutupi hal ini dan merekomendasikan manusia dengan makanan-makanan lain sebagaimana yang dimuat di buku-buku yang beredar.
Sebenarnya Islam telah memberitahukannya kepada kaum muslimin, yaitu saat Allah menjelaskan tentang Maryam si perawan suci yang disuruh Allah untuk menggoyangkan pohon kurma agar berguguran ruthabnya (kurma basah) pasca melahirkan Isa ‘alaihissalam. Allah mengisahkan:
“Dan goyangkanlah pangkal pohon kurma itu ke arahmu agar ia menggugurkan kepadamu ruthab yang masak.”
Jika kita menilik sejarah kaum salaf dahulu, makanan keseharian mereka adalah kurma. Diriwayatkan bahwa di antara makanan keseharian Imam an-Nawawi adalah kurma. As-Sakhawi berkata, “Dia ridha meluruskan tulang sulbinya dan menutupi kebutuhan hidupnya dengan apa yang dikirimkan oleh ayahnya berupa kue Ka’ak kering dan Tin Haurani atau cukup dengan roti. Dia tidak makan kecuali satu jenis lauk berupa madu, kurma, cuka, atau minyak.” Begitu pula telah diriwayatkan bahwa di antara makanan keseharian Imam asy-Syafi’i adalah kurma dan roti kering.
Sungguh telah shahih bahwa Rasulullah makan kurma begitu pula para shahabatnya. Urwah bin Zubair bin Awwam menceritakan bahwa Aisyah radhiyallahu ‘anha berkata kepadanya:
ابْنَ أُخْتِي، إِنْ كُنَّا لَنَنْظُرُ إِلَى الْهِلاَلِ، ثُمَّ الْهِلاَلِ، ثَلاَثَةَ أَهِلَّةٍ فِي شَهْرَيْنِ، وَمَا أُوقِدَتْ فِي أَبْيَاتِ رَسُولِ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَارٌ. فَقُلْتُ: يَا خَالَةُ، مَا كَانَ يُعِيشُكُمْ؟ قَالَتْ: الأَسْوَدَانِ: التَّمْرُ وَالمَاءُ، إِلَّا أَنَّهُ قَدْ كَانَ لِرَسُولِ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ جِيرَانٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ، كَانَتْ لَهُمْ مَنَائِحُ، وَكَانُوا يَمْنَحُونَ رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ أَلْبَانِهِمْ، فَيَسْقِيْنَا
“Wahai putra saudariku, kami dulu benar-benar melihat bulan sabit, lalu bulan sabit, tiga bulan sabit dalam dua bulan, sementara api tidak mengepul di rumah-rumah Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam.” Aku bertanya, “Wahai bibi, lantas dengan apa kalian makan?” Dia menjawab, “Dengan aswadan yaitu kurma dan air. Hanya saja Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam memiliki tetangga Anshar yang memiliki manihah (kambing/unta betina). Mereka memberi Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam susu perahannya lalu kami meminumnya.”
Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam bersabda:
«مَنْ تَصَبَّحَ سَبْعَ تَمَرَاتٍ عَجْوَةً، لَمْ يَضُرَّهُ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ سَمٌّ وَلاَ سِحْرٌ»
“Barangsiapa yang memasuki pagi memakan tujuh kurma ajwah, maka pada hari itu racun dan sihir tidak akan membahayakannya.”
Cukuplah menjadi kemuliaan kurma saat Allah menjadikan-Nya sebagai tanda kebesaran-Nya. Allah berfirman:
“Dengan air itu Allah menumbuhkan untuk kalian tanaman, zaitun, kurma, anggur, dan berbagai buah-buahan. Sesungguhnya pada demikian itu terdapat tanda bagi kaum yang berpikir.”
e) Susu
Enam kelas makanan yang diperlukan terdapat dalam susu yaitu air, mineral, lemak, karbohidrat, protein, dan semua jenis vitamin. Susu yang terbaik untuk mempertajam otak dan pikiran adalah susu kambing di samping susu lembu yang segar. Susu yang pekat/cair lebih baik khasiatnya dibandingkan susu tepung. Susu segar juga bisa menguatkan tulang belakang, meningkatkan kecerdasan, memperbaiki penglihatan, dan mencegah/menghindari kelupaan. Aturan minum susu yang baik adalah lebih kurang segelas pada waktu pagi dan malam. Sungguh Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam minum susu kambing sebagaimana yang terdapat pada hadits-hadits yang shahih.
Cukuplah menjadi kemuliaan susu saat Allah menjadikannya sebagai salah satu dari empat minuman utama penduduk surga. Allah berfirman:
“Dan sungai-sungai susu yang tidak berubah rasanya.”
Imam Ibnu Syihab az-Zuhri telah mempraktekkannya dengan mengkonsumsi makanan-makanan tersebut dan hasilnya beliau menjadi imam dalam menghafal, setelah taufiq dari Allah. Disebutkan bahwa beliau menghafal al-Qur`an hanya dalam 2 bulan 20 hari.
Imam adz-Dzahabi berkata, “Bukti (kekuatan) hafalan az-Zuhri adalah bahwa dia hafal al-Qur`an dalam 80 malam, sebagaimana yang diriwayatkan oleh keponakannya, Muhammad bin Abdullah.”
Imam az-Zuhri berkata:
مَا اسْتَعَدْتُ حَدِيثًا قَطُّ، وَلا شَكَكْتُ فِي حَدِيثٍ إِلا حَدِيثًا وَاحِدًا فَسَأَلْتُ صَاحِبِي فَإِذَا هُوَ كَمَا حَفِظْتُ
“Aku tidak pernah mempersiapkan hadits sama sekali. Aku tidak pernah ragu dalam suatu hadits kecuali satu hadits saja lalu aku tanyakan kepada temanku, ternyata hadits tersebut persis seperti yang aku hafal.”
Abu Bakar al-Hudzali berkata, “Aku duduk di majlis al-Hasan dan Ibnu Sirin, dan aku tidak melihat seorang pun yang lebih mulia darinya,” yakni az-Zuhri.
Al-Hasan al-Bashri dan Muhammad bin Sirin masyhur dikenal sebagai ulama besar Bashrah dan mereka lebih tua dan lebih tinggi tingkatan thabaqahnya daripada az-Zuhri. Hanya saja ilmu adalah anugerah dan anugerah Allah diberikan-Nya kepada siapa saja yang Dia kehendaki dan Allah pemilik karunia yang besar.
Dari Ja’far bin Rabi’ah bahwa dia berkata, “Aku berkata kepada Irak bin Malik, ‘Orang yang paling faqih dari penduduk Madinah dan yang paling tahu tentang sesuatu yang telah berlalu dari urusan manusia adalah Sa’id bin al-Musayyib. Adapun yang paling melimpah haditsnya di antara mereka adalah Urwah bin az-Zubair. Tidaklah engkau berkehendak untuk memancarkan lautan dari Ubaidullah bin Abdullah melainkan engkau pasti bisa memancarkannya.” Irak berkata, “Namun yang paling berilmu di antara mereka semua menurutku adalah Ibnu Syihab, karena dia mengumpulkan ilmu mereka semua pada ilmunya.”
b. Makanan yang Perlu Dihindari
a) Apel
Adapun makanan yang perlu dihindari adalah buah apel. Imam az-Zuhri berkata:
التُّفَّاحُ يُورِثُ النِّسْيَانَ
“Buah apel mewarisi sifat lupa.”
b) Rokok
Rokok memang bukan makanan tetapi di masa sekarang rokok seperti makanan pokok bagi sebagian orang. Bahkan sebagian mereka tidak ridha hanya makan 3 batang sehari tetapi 3 bungkus!!! Sehingga bibir mereka hitam legam berbau menyengat seperti aspal yang diinjak-injak kendaraan di jalan raya!!!
Hasil penelitian Universitas Israel menyebutkan bahwa nikotin dapat merusak sel utama otak dan akan melekat pada gen. Artinya keturunan perokok akan mewarisi generasi yang cacak otak (bodoh). Allahu a’lam.[]
* Dinukil dari Mungkinkah Aku Hafal Satu Juta Hadits Seperti Imam Ahmad? hal. 88-103 cet Pustaka Syabab karya Abu Zur’ah Ath-Thaybi. Untuk takhrij dan referensi silahkan merujuk ke buku aslinya. Marketing Pustaka Syabab 085730 219 208.
Nor Kandir
Artikel norkandirblog.wordpress.com
ALLAH MAHA PENGAMPUN, NAMUN JANGAN TERPERDAYA Ampunan Allah sangat Luas, Allah adalah Yang Maha Pengampun, namun jangan Terperdaya oleh Syaitan dan Hawa Nafsu sehingga Bermudah-mudahan untuk Berbuat Dosa. Sikap Seorang Mukmin adalah Memadukan antara Amal Sholih dengan Perasaan khawatir Amalnya tidak Diterima. Dan Orang-orang yang Memberikan apa yang telah mereka berikan, dengan Hati yang Takut, (karena mereka tahu bahwa) Sesungguhnya mereka akan kembali kepada Tuhan mereka (Q.S alMukminuun:60) Ibunda Kaum Beriman, Aisyah Radhiyallaahu Anha pernah bertanya kepada Nabi tentang Ayat tersebut: (Apakah yang dimaksud dalam ayat ini) adalah Seseorang yang Mencuri, Berzina, dan Minum Khamr, kemudian Dia Takut kepada Allah? Rasul menyatakan: Bukan Wahai Putri Abu Bakr, wahai Putri as-Shiddiq, akan tetapi (yang dimaksud dalam Ayat tersebut) adalah Seorang yang Sholat, Shaum, dan Bershodaqoh, kemudian Dia Takut kepada Allah (H.R atTirmidzi, Ibnu Majah, dan Ahmad, dishahihkan alHakim dan disepakati adz-Dzahaby) Al-Hasan al-Bashri Rahimahullah menyatakan: Seorang Mukmin menggabungkan antara Perbuatan Baik dengan Perasaan Takut, sedangkan Orang Munafik menggabungkan antara Perbuatan Buruk dengan Perasaan Aman (Santai; Tenang-tenang saja)(Tafsir Ibn Katsir). Salah satu Sifat Penduduk Surga adalah Mereka Merasa Khawatir akan Adzab Allah dan Terus Berupaya Mempersembahkan Ibadah yang Terbaik kepada Allah قَالُوا إِنَّا كُنَّا قَبْلُ فِي أَهْلِنَا مُشْفِقِينَ (26) فَمَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا وَوَقَانَا عَذَابَ السَّمُومِ (27) إِنَّا كُنَّا مِنْ قَبْلُ نَدْعُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْبَرُّ الرَّحِيمُ (28) (Penduduk Surga) berkata: Sesungguhnya Kami dahulu Sewaktu Berada di tengah-tengah Keluarga kami merasa Takut (akan diadzab). Maka Allah Memberikan Karunia kepada kami dan Memelihara kami dari Adzab Neraka. Sesungguhnya Kami dahulu MenyembahNya. Sesungguhnya Dialah yang Melimpahkan Kebaikan lagi Maha Penyayang (Q.S atThuur:26-28). Dikutip dari Buku "Sukses Dunia Akhirat dengan Istighfar dan Taubat." Al Ustadz Abu Utsman Kharisman Hafidzahullah. #akhirat #surga #neraka #ayat #tafsir #taubat #istighfar #muslim #muslimah #islam #quran #sunnah #hadits #salaf #kisah #renungan via Instagram ift.tt/1n1o1WU
Alhamdulillah too phat, dian sastro, dan yassin
Dian Sastro:
disaat waktu berhenti...kosong
dimensi membutakan mata,memekakkan telinga
lalu diri menjadi hampa
saat paradigma dunia tak lagi digunakan untuk menerka*
sadarku akan hadirmu,mematahkan sendi2 yang biasanya tegak berdiri
Yassin:
ult li albi bissaraha (I'm opening up my heart with honesty)
hayya nab'idil karaha (Let's avoid the hated and hatred)
syakkireena a' kulli ni'ma (Let's remain thankful with what we have)
ba' ideena anil fattana (Let's avoid all lies and sins)
Malique:
merenungi luar jendela,mengagumi kebesaran yang Maha Esa
ku menilai kehidupan dari sudut berbeza
tak memadai hanya kecapi rasa selesa
maukan harta yang mampu beli 1 semesta
berpesta ke pagi botol bergelimpangan
kekasih muda bukan takat berpegang tangan
harta dan jamuan nafsu tidak berkekalan
bila menjelang tua bukan itu jadi bekalan
dan jangan puisi ini disalah tafsir pula
bukan berkhutbah cuma betuli diri jua
ingin hidup sempurna aset nilai berjuta,
saling tukar wanita,senyum dan mati tua
bakat dikurnia jangan disalah guna
jangan kufur nikmat yang diberi percuma
guna kelebihan untuk hikmah bersama
jagalah nama hidup penuh pementasan dan drama
ada berisi ada yang kurus,ada melencong ada yang lurus bukan semuanya tulus
ada sempuna ada kurang upaya ada yang jadi buta hanya bila sudah kaya
sebesar rumah bermula dengan sekecil bata,boleh hilang dalam sekelip mata
ucaplah alhamdulillah bukannya sukar, kerna semua nak kaya atau besar
tetap Allahuakbar!!!
Joe Flizzow:
jadikanlah ku tentera Fisabilillah yang tertera di kalimah harap memanduilah
entah apabila persimpangan tiba,hidup penuh rintangan harus kuhadapinya
harapku tidak terlupa diri bila gembira,dan cuma mula mencari kau disaat hiba
ku cuma manusia penuh dengan kesilapan tapi bisa membezakan cahaya dan kegelapan
tabah bila dihalangan duri onak dan cobaan
teguh bila dicobakan keruh kuasa dan perempuan
sentiasa legar diminda,dikejar dan dipinta dari zaman bermula hingga ke akhirnya
ku mengerti siapa ku tanpamu disisi dan apa guna posesi juga posisi
sementara ini cuma hanya puisi,nukilan tulisan dan bisikan isi hati
mencari keterangan,menjiwai peranan menepati pesanan janji juga saranan
alhamdulillah atas kurniaan rezeki,moga tidak terleka dalam perjalanan ini
Humar-E-Ghous-E-Pak (R.A)
Biography Of Hazrat Al-Syed Muhiyudin Abu Muhammad Abdal Qadir al-Gilani (R.A.)
Lineage and Biography
Abdul-Qadir ibn Abi Salih Musa ibn Abdullah ibn Yahya ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Muhammad AbuBakr Dawud ibn Musa ibn Abdullah ibn Musa Jawni ibn Abdullah ibn Hassan al-Muthanna ibn Hassan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib , and this on his father side so you can see why they call him al-Hassani due to his tracing up to Muhammad's grandson Hassan ibn Ali. On his mother side, she is the daughter of a saintly person Abdullah Sawmai who was a direct descendant of Imam Husain ibn Ali making the Shaykh also al-Husayni due to this.
Al-Gilani was born in 1078 AD (471 AH) in a small town of Iranian Gilan Province. His ancestors were Syeds who settled in Gilan (arabacized to Jilan) hence the epiphet of al-Jilani.
“
Sayyid Abu Muhammad Abdul Qadir R.A was born in Naif in the District of Gilan in Persia (Iran) in the month of Ramadan....His father's name was Abu Salih, a God-fearing man and a direct descendant of Hazrat Imam Hasan R.A., the eldest son of Ali R.A, the Holy Prophet's (SAW) first cousin, and of Fatima R.A his beloved daughter. His mother was the daughter of a saintly person- Abdullah Sawmai who was a direct descendant of Imam Husain A.S, the younger son of Ali R.A and Fatima R.A. Thus Sayyid Abdul Qadir was both a Hasani and Hussaini
His complete name Al-Syed Muhiyudin Abu Muhammad Abdal Qadir al-Gaylani al-Hasani wal-Hussaini, Syed denoting his honorific title of descendancy from the Islamic prophet Muhammad, Muhiyudin his title for being known popularly as "the reviver of religion", Abu Muhammad his Kunya or nick name (meaning 'father of Muhammad'), al-Gaylani denoting the region he hailed from although however he also had the epiphet al-Baghdadi. (denoting also the city of Baghdad where he was now residing in and therefore also geographically recognised through, eventually being buried there), and al-Hasani wal-Hussaini affirming his lineal descent from both Syed Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain, the grandsons of Muhammad.
His father, Syed Abu Saleh Musa al-Hasani was a direct descendant of the Syed Imam Hasan. He was an acknowledged saint of his day "..and was popularly known as Jangi Dost, because of his love for Jihad" Jangi dost thereby being his sobriquet.
His mother Ummal Khair Fatima, daughter of Syed Abdullah Sawmai az-Zaid a descendant of Syed Imam Hussain through Imam Zain ul Abideen, he was known himself as a "great saint of his time and a direct descendant of Hazrat Imam Husain, the Great Martyr of Karbala"
Education
He spent his early life in the town of his birth. At the age of eighteen he went to Baghdad (1095), where he pursued the study of Hanbali law under several teachers. The Shaikh received lessons on Fiqh from Abu Ali al-Mukharrimi, Hadith from Abu-Bakar-bin-Muzaffar, and tafsir from the renowned commentator, Abu Muhammad Jafar. When he was on the way going to "Baghdad" with a large convoy (Qafila), a group of thieves attacked the convoy and took all of their precious belongings, one of the thieves came to him (Sheikh Abdul-Qadir Gilani) and asked him "Boy, tell me what you have in your luggage". He replied "I have forty dinars." The thief searched all of his luggage and could not find the dinars. He then took the boy to his sardar (master) and told him that this boy (Sheikh Abdul-Qadir Gilani) claims he has forty dinars, but after searching his belongings I could not find the dinars. The sardar (master) then asked, "Boy, do you lie?" He replied "No, I am not lying, the dinars were sewn by my mother into my shalwar." Then one of the thieves checked and found the money. The sardar then asked him. "Boy, you could have lied to us and could have saved your money, why you didn't you lie?" Sheikh Abdul-Qadir Gilani replied "Before I started my journey, my mother advised me to tell the truth even if someone tries to kill me as Allah frowns upon those who do not speak the truth." After listening to this the sardar began to cry, as this little boy had so much fear of Allah that he did not lie in such a situation. He felt guilt for all his wrongdoings and felt the fear of Allah so the sardar then gave back all of the looted things to their owners.
In Tasawwuf (the sciences of the heart), his spiritual instructor was Shaikh Abu'l-Khair Hammad bin Muslim al-Dabbas. From him, he received his basic training, and with his help he set out on a spiritual journey.
After completion of education, Abdul-Qadir Gilani abandoned the city of Baghdad, and spent twenty-five years as a wanderer in the desert regions of Iraq as a recluse.
Later life
He was over fifty years old by the time he returned to Baghdad in 1127, and began to preach in public. He moved into the school belonging to his old teacher al-Mukharrimii; there he engaged himself in teaching. Soon he became popular with his pupils. In the morning he taught hadith and tafsir, and in the afternoon held discourse on science of the hearts and the virtues of the Qur'an.
He busied himself for forty years in the service of Islam from 521 to 561 AH. During this period hundreds of thousands of people converted to Islam because of him and organized several teams to go abroad for dawah purposes.
He was also the teacher of Ibn Qudamah whom he also designated as a Caliph of his Qadri order (amongst others). Ibn Qudamah also later fought as a general in Sultan Saladin Ayyubi's army and conquered Jerusalem from the Christian dominance. His work and jurisprudent works influenced Ibn Taymiyyah who referred to both Ibn Qudamah and Shaikh Al-Gilani as his Shaikhs with full honorifics.
Death
The sheikh died on Saturday night 1166 (8th Rabi' al-Awwal 561AH) at the age of ninety one years (by the Islamic calendar), and was entombed in a shrine within his Madrassa in Baghdad. His Shrine and Mosque are in what used to be the school he preached in, located in Babul-Sheikh, Resafa (East bank of the Tigris) in Baghdad, Iraq. Worldwide the Qadiriyyah celebrate Ghouse-al-azham day on Wednesday closest to his birthday not his death-date for respect and elevation of their Shaykh which is 10th of Rabi at-Thani in the islamic calendar
Al-Gilani succeeded the spiritual chain of Junayd Baghdadi. His contribution to thought in the Muslim world earned him the title Muhiyuddin (lit. "The reviver of the faith"), as he along with his students and associates laid the groundwork for the society which later produced stalwarts like Nur ad-Din and Saladin. His Sufi order named after him is generally thought to be one of the most popular Sufi orders of the Islamic world.
Family
The Shaikh had four virtuous wives and forty-nine children, twenty-seven sons and twenty-two daughters. The most famous of his sons are Shaikh Abdul-Wahab, Sheikh Abdul-Razzaq, Shaikh Abdul-Aziz, Shaikh Isa, Shaikh Musa, Sheikh Yahya, Sheikh Abdullah, Sheikh Muhammed and Sheikh Ibrahim. His sons and grandsons reached the Indian sub-continent throughout the years preaching Islam in his method (Arabic=Tareqa,طريقة). As they have reached the Western part of the Arab world of North Africa and Morocco, and parts of the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia (a country that predominantly professes to the Qadiriyyah order only in the Sufi sect though small patches of Ahmed ibn Idris' order is found) ). In Somalia the order is subdivided to Zaylaiyyah order and Uwaisiyyah order.
Among the Sufis, who came to India from Baghdad, and who belonged to the family of Shaykh Abd-ul-Qadir Jilani Hz. Shah Badr Dewan whose real name was Hasan, and whose honorific title was Badr-ud-Din, is one of the top most Sufis. He stayed near Batala, and laid the foundation of Masania, a kind of inn in his times, but later populated by his children, grand children and great grand children, became a village of its own culture. The progeny of Baba Shah Badr Dewan is one of the biggest Syed Families, whose origin goes straight to Shaykh Syed Abd-ul-Qadir Jilani.
Kisah Misteri Hantu Wanita yang Mengungkap Kasus Pembunuhan Dirinya
Kisah Misteri Hantu Wanita yang Mengungkap Kasus Pembunuhan Dirinya.
Kejadian ini sudah terjadi cukup lama, tepatnya pada tahun 1897. Saat itu,
Elva Zona Heaster Shue ditemukan tewas oleh seorang anak laki-laki
tetangganya dalam keadaan yang tidak wajar.
Kepalanya miring, kedua kakinya lurus, satu tangannya tergeletak di samping
tubuhnya, sementara tangan yang lain berada di dada. ak berapa lama
kemudian, seorang dokter, George W. Knapp datang untuk memeriksa keadaan
Elva.
Namun saat dia datang, suami Elva sudah datang, memandikan, dan
mendandaninya dengan baju berkerah tinggi. Saat Knapp akan mengautopsi
mayat Elva, suaminya memeluk kepala perempuan itu dan terus menangis.
Hingga akhirnya Knapp tak bisa melakukan autopsi dan memutuskan bahwa
kematian Elva Shue dikarenakan oleh komplikasi kehamilan.
Mayat Elva dibawa untuk dikebumikan di rumah masa kecilnya. Selama proses
pemakaman suami Elva bertingkah aneh. Dia terus saja mengutak-atik mayat
Elva. Mengenakan pakaian tak wajar sebagai gaun pemakamannya. Dia
mendandani Elva dengan baju berkerah tinggi dan syal. Kemudian menutup
kepala Elva dengan kain dan menutupi wajahnya. Dia juga menaruh bantal
serta gulungan kain di bawah kepala Elva. Semua orang heran, namun hanya
menganggapnya sebagai keanehan yang wajar karena suami Elva sedang dalam
masa berkabung.
Semua orang tak menaruh curiga, kecuali ibu Elva, Mary Jane Heaster. Sejak
lama dia sudah tidak menyukai suami Elva. Dia yakin bahwa pria itu membunuh
putrinya. Setiap hari dia selalu berdoa agar Elva kembali dari kematian dan
menunjukkan kebenaran tentang kematiannya.
Doanya terkabul. Hantu Elva mendatanginya selama empat malam berturut-turut
untuk menceritakan kejadian yang menyebabkan kematiannya. Dia mengatakan
bahwa suaminya, Shue, dengan kejam menganiayanya karena dia tidak membuat
masakan daging untuk makan malam. Shue telah mematahkan lehernya, hingga
kepalanya terbalik. Setelah itu, hantu Elva pun menghilang sambil terus
melihat ibunya.
Mary Jane pun segera mendatangi jaksa penuntut di kota, John Preston, dan
meminta kasus kematian anaknya kembali diselidiki. Tak jelas apakah Preston
mempercayai cerita hantu yang dikatakan oleh Mary Jane, namun Preston
segera menemukan kejanggalan-kejanggalan dalam kematian Elva ketika dia
mulai mencari fakta-fakta yang ada.
Akhirnya Preston membuka kasus kematian Elva kembali dan mengautopsi tubuh
mayat itu. Di lehernya ditemukan bekas tangan yang menunjukkan bahwa Elva
telah dicekik. Lehernya patah dan hancur hingga terbalik, sama seperti yang
diceritakan oleh Mary Jane.
Namun tak ada bukti bahwa pembunuhnya adalah suami Elva sendiri. Untuk itu
Preston terus menyelidiki kasus ini dan mulai menggali masa lalu Shue. Pria
ini pernah dua kali menikah sebelum akhirnya menikahi Elva. Istri
pertamanya meminta cerai, sementara istri keduanya mengalami kematian yang
misterius. Shue pernah dipenjara karena mencuri kuda. Sementara selama
dalam tahanan dia pernah berencana untuk menikahi tujuh wanita. Masa lalu
Shue yang tidak bagus ini sudah memberikan cukup bukti bagi Preston.
Setelah itu, kasus kembali dibuka. Shue dibawa ke pengadilan dengan tuduhan
telah membunuh istrinya. Preston berusaha menghindari isu mengenai hantu
Elva yang mendatangi ibunya karena ini akan dianggap tidak sah oleh
pengadilan. Namun pada akhirnya masyarakat mempercayai cerita ibu Elva, dan
Shue dijatuhi hukuman penjara seumur hidup.
Bisa saja cerita hantu ini hanya karangan Mary Jane, ibu Elva, namun bisa
juga hantu Elva benar-benar datang dan menceritakan semuanya. Apapun itu,
faktanya adalah semua bukti yang didapatkan oleh ibu Elva melalui mimpinya
terbukti benar, dan suami Elva telah dijatuhi hukuman sesuai kejahatannya.
///////////////////////////////////////////
Inilah 9 Sejarah Penemuan Hebat yang Terjadi secara Tidak Sengaja
Posted: 06 Jun 2013 01:15 AM PDT
feedproxy.google.com/~r/duniabaca/~3/bhkpWfIzGQ4/inilah-9...
9 Sejarah Penemuan Hebat yang Terjadi secara Tidak Sengaja. Ternyata tidak
semua penemuan diciptakan dari hasil penelitian bertahun-tahun dan
dilakukan dengan serius. Ada beberapa penemuan yang tercipta dengan tidak
sengaja.
Tak sedikit ilmuwan, peneliti bahkan rakyat jelata yang bisa menemukan
barang hebat karena ketidaksengajaan?
Mereka bisa menciptakan penemuan yang berguna sampai sekarang karena faktor
kecelakaan. Misalnya karena kehabisan bahan, bahkan lupa cuci tangan. Simak
sembilan penemuan yang tak terduga dilansir Reader Digest Asia.
Sejarah Penemuan Korek Api
Pada tahun 1826, seorang apoteker bernama John Walker secara tak sengaja
menemukan korek api yang dibuat dari logam putih antimony sulfida dan
dicampur dengan zat kimia potassium chlorate, getah pohon, serta kanji.
Walker menggunakan kayu untuk mencampur zat-zat kimia itu, sehingga
timbullah api yang membakar kayunya.
Sejarah Asal Usul Penemuan Penisilin
Pada tahun 1928, ilmuwan Skotlandia bernama Alexander Fleming menutup
laboratorium dan meninggalkan peralatan kerja berupa cawan yang dibiarkan
selama dua minggu liburan.
Saat kembali, ia menemukan sejumlah jamur (fungus) yang aneh telah ada dan
berkembang biak di dalam salah satu cawan kaca.
Jamur inilah yang dikemudian hari setelah melalui penelitian lebih lanjut
disebut penisilin, suatu obat antibiotik yang paling banyak digunakan
manusia hingga saat ini.
Sejarah Penemuan Velcro
Pada awal tahun 1950, Insinyur Swiss bernama George de Mestral berjalan
melewati pedesaan. Dalam perjalanannya itu dia mengalami kesulitan saat
harus melepas rontokan bunga thistle pada bajunya.
Kemudian dia melakukan penelitian dengan menggunakan mikroskop dan
mempelajari rontokan thistle. Di sana dia menemukan apa yang membuat
tumbuhan itu lengket dan muncullah produk velcro.
Asal Usul Sejarah Viagra
Pada tahun 1992, laki-laki di desa Welsh dari Merthyr Tydfil sedang menguji
sildenafil, obat aktif yang kini ada dalam Viagra. Awalnya, obat itu
dimaksudkan untuk membantu menurunkan tekanan darah dan nyeri dada akibat
penyakit jantung.
Tapi pasien tersebut malah tidak ingin menggunakan obat ini lagi, karena
membuat ereksi lebih kencang.
Asal Usul Penemuan Pemanis Buatan
Peneliti yang bekerja di John Hopkins University, Constantine Fahlberg
menemukan pemanis buatan pada 1879 karena dia lupa untuk mencuci tangan
sebelum makan malam. Ketika dia mengambil sepotong roti, dia menemukan
rasanya sangat manis. Ternyata hal itu disebabkan tangannya ditumpahi
sejenis bahan kimia di laboratoriumnya yang kemudian diberi nama sakarin.
Sejarah Asal Usul Vaseline
Robert A. Cheesebrough, pria 22 tahun asal Brooklyn bekerja di ladang
minyak Pennsylvania. Suatu hari dia menemukan suatu cairan minyak yang
biasanya disebut sebagai salah satu bahan batang lilin.
Dia melihat bahwa bahan tersebut dapat menyembuhkan luka pada kulit
manusia. Setelah melakukan penelitian, Robert berhasil mengekstrak
petroleum jelly yang akhirnya menjadi bentuk awal dari vaseline. Robert pun
menjadi kaya dengan hasil penemuannya itu.
Sejarah Penemuan Teh
Ribuan tahun sebelum Inggris Bisa mengklaim sebagai minuman favorit panas
mereka, seorang kaisar Cina bernama Shen Nung merebus air. tanpa sengaja
daun teh yang ada di kebun Kaisar jatuh dalam air panas yang sedang
dimasak. Ketika daun tersebut terseduh dengan air panas, aroma sedap teh
yang muncul membuat dia tergoda untuk meminumnya.
Menurut Kaisar, minuman tersebut dapat menyembuhkan berbagai macam
penyakit. Sejak saat itu, teh menjadi populer di seluruh China.
Asal Usul Sejarah Keripik Kentang
u mengeluh karena kentang goreng terlalu tebal dan basah. Lalu kepala koki,
George Crum memutuskan untuk menggoreng kentang dengan irisan yang sangat
tipis dan digoreng dalam minyak goreng yang banyak.
Awalnya kentang goreng tersebut terlalu tipis untuk ditusuk dengan garpu.
Namun setelah melakukan berbagai percobaan, hasilnya menjadi keripik
kentang seperti yang kita makan saat ini dan disukai banyak orang.
Sejarah Asal Usul Chocolate chip cookies
Pada awal 1930-an, Ruth Wakefield, pemilik penginapan, Massachusetts,
kehabisan cokelat leleh untuk membuat makanan.
Akhirnya ia mengambil cokelat batangan cokelat yang dihancurkan kecil-kecil
dan dilempar ke dalam oven. Ia berharap cokelat itu akan mencair. Ternyata
yang dihasilkan justru cokelat itu menggumpal kecil-kecil. Resep tersebut
akhirnya dibeli Nestle.
///////////////////////////////////////////
Contoh Khutbah Jumat tentang Maulid Nabi Muhammad SAW
Posted: 05 Jun 2013 09:53 PM PDT
feedproxy.google.com/~r/duniabaca/~3/91xkXZtVUog/contoh-k...
Khutbah Jumat tentang Maulid Nabi Muhammad SAW. Hari ini, semua umat muslim
di berbagai penjuru dunia telah memperingati Maulid Nabi Besar Muhammad
SAW. Nah. Sehubungan dengan hal tersebut, pada kesempatan ini Dunia Baca
dot Com akan berbagi Contoh Khutbah Jumat atau Ceramah tentang Peringatan
Maulid Nabi Muhammad SAW.
Langsung saja Anda simak ulasannya berikut ini. Contoh Khutbah Jumat Maulid
Nabi, Oleh KH Abdurrahman Navis Lc, seperti dilansir dari sumber yang
tercantum di akhir khutbah ini.
الْحَمْدُ للهِ شَرَّفَ الأَنَاَمَ بِصَاحِبِ الْمَقَامِ الأعْلَى. وَكَمَّلَ
السُّعُوْدَ بِأَكْرَمِ مَوْلُوْدٍ. أَشْهَدُ أنْ لاإلهَ إلاّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ
لاَ شَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأشْهَدُ أنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ
الْمَبْعُوْثُ بِالْحُجَّةٍ الَبَالِغَةِ وَحُسْنِ الْبَيَانِ. أللّهُمَّ
صَلِّي وَسَلِّمْ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأصْحَابِهِ
أجْمَعِيْنَ. أمَّا بَعْدُ. فَيَا عِبَادَ اللهِ أًوْصِيْكُمْ وَنَفْسِي
بِتَقْوَى اللهِ وَقَدْ فَازَ الْمُتَّقُوْنَ. اتَّقُوْا اللهَ حَقَّ
تُقَاتِهِ وَلا تَمُوْتُنَّ اِلاَّ وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُوْنَ
Ma’asyiral muslimin sidang Jum’at rahimakumullah
Dalam kesempatan yang mulia ini marilah kita tadzakkur dan tafakkur,
mengingat segala apa yang kita amalkan selama ini dan berusaha meningkatkan
keimanan dan ketaqwaan kita kepada Allah SWT. Dalam arti kita berusaha
melaksanakan segala usaha yang diperintahkan Allah dan menjauhi segala yang
dilarang-Nya.
Marilah kita tinggalkan sejenak tugas-tugas duniawiyah, pekerjaan di
kantor, bisnis dan perdagangan, untuk masuk masjid melaksanakan sholat
Jumat,untuk dzikrullah, ingat kepada Allah SWT.Semoga dengan demikian kita
termasuk golongan orang-orang yang tidak lalai ingat kepada Allah, walaupun
kita disibukkan dengan aktivitas jual beli dan perdagangan. Semoga kita
semua dijadikan oleh Allah SWT sebagai hamba Allah yang muttaqin dan husnul
khatimah. Amin.
Ma’asyiral muslimin sidang Jum’at rahimakumullah
Di bulan Rabi’ul Awwal yang lebih dikenal dengan bulan maulid atau bulan
kelahiran Nabi Muhammad SAW, tepatnya tanggal 12 rabi’ul awwal, biasanya
kaum muslimin merayakan peringatan mauld Nabi Muhammad SAW, baik dirumah
dengan mengundang tetangga dan handai taulan. Atau diadakan oleh lembaga,
organisasi, masyarakat kampung dengan bentuk pengajian umum dan ceramah,
ada juga dengan bakti sosial, khitanan masal, dan bentuk amal-amal sholeh
yang lain.Yang menjadi pertanyaan, pernakah nabi Muhammad merayakan
peringatan maulidnya? Dan sejak kapankah diadakan dan untuk apa? Lalu
bagaimana hukumnya mengadakan peringatan mauled Nabi Muhammad SAW?
Ma’asyiral muslimin sidang Jum’at rahimakumullah
Jika menelusuri sejarah, ternyata Nabi Muhammad SAW belum pernah merayakan
hari ulang tahunnya dengan upacara dan acara. Rasulullah memperingati
kelahirannya dengan berpusa. Suatu ketika Nabi Muhammad ditanya: ”Wahai
rasul, mengapa engkau berpuasa hari Senin?” Rasul menjawab: “Pada hari
Senin itu aku dilahirkan.” Dengan demikian Nabi Muhammad merayakannya denga
puasa yang kemudian di masyarakat kita dikenal dengan puasa weton (puasa
kelahiran).
Namun sejarah tidak pernah mencatat Rasulullah merayakan maulid dengan
mengundang orang lain untuk bacaan shalawat, untu bacaan berberzanjian,
dibaan dan pengajian umum.Nah, apakah kalau Nabi Muhammad SAW sahabat tidak
pernah mengadakan peringatan maulid ini berarti mengada-ngada, dan apakah
termasuk bid’ah?Ma’asyiral muslimin sidang Jum’at rahimakumullahMari kita
mengkaji hukum peringatan mauled Nabi Muhammad SAW.
Dalam sebuah kitab yang ditulis oleh Imam Jalaluddin as-Suyuthi yang
berjudul Husnul Maqasid fil Amal al-Mawalid. Beliau menjelaskan bahwa di
zaman Rasulullah dan Khulafaur Rasyidin memang belum diadakan peringatan
dalam bentuk upacara, shalawatan dan pengajian tentang maulid Nabi,
sehingga ada sebagian kaum muslimin yang tidak mau memperingati kelahiran
dengan bentuk upacara itu.Jadi, kapan peringatan kelahiran Nabi ini mulai
dilaksanakan?
Ma’asyiral muslimin sidang Jum’at rahimakumullah
Sejarah menyebutkan bahwa sejak Islam berjaya dengan menaklukan romawi,
Persia bahkan Eropa, banyaklah orang non muslim masuk Islam, termasuk
orang-orang salib dari Eropa. Baik karena sukarela ataupun karena terpaksa.
Hal ini menimbulkan dendam kaum Nasrani, akhirnya mereka membalas dendam
dengan menjajah Timur Tengah. Maka berkobarlah perang salib. Kaum kafir
membunuh orang islam, merampas kekayaan, dijauhkan dari Islamnya, dijauhkan
dari Nabinya, dijauhkan dari sejarah kejayaan Islam. Yang ditampilkan oleh
penjajah di hadapan kaum muslimin adalah tokoh-tokoh kafir, tokoh-tokoh
fiktif sehingga rusaklah moral anak-anak muda, hancurlah kejayaan kaum
muslimin, hilang keteladanan, hingga tidak kenla kehebatan Islam.
Melihat kondisi umat yang terpuruk dan semakin jauh dari Islam, serta tidak
punya semangat memperjuangkan agamanya, para ulama’ dan tokoh Islam mencari
solusi bagaimana membangkitkan keislaman kaum muslimin dan melepaskan diri
dari cengkraman tentara salib.Di antaranya seorang raja yaitu Al-Malik
Mudhaffaruddin (Raja Himsiyyah), mengundang para ulama’ dan masayikh ke
istana untuk bermusyawarah, bagaimana membangkitkan semangat umat Islam,
membebaskan diri dari penjajah, serta menanamkan kecintaan anak muda dan
muslimin kepada Rasulullah, sehingga mau menteladani beliau.
Dari musyawarah ulama tersebut akhirnya ada yang mengusulkan agar diadakan
peringatan peristiwa bersejarah dalam Islam, diantaranya dengan peringatan
maulid Nabi Muhammad SAW, yang kemudian dikampanyekan dengan besar-besaran,
mengundang para penyair agar menulis syair pujian kepada Nabi, serta para
ulama dan mubaligh yang bertugas menceritakan sejarah Nabi.Al-Malik
Mudhaffaruddin menanggapi usulan ini dengan antusias. Tetapi ada yang tidak
setuju, dengan alasan kerena peringatan seperti itu tidak pernah dikerjakan
oleh Nabi, dan itu berarti itu bid’ah.
Menanangapi ketidak setujuan mereka, akhirnya dijawab oleh ulama’ yang
hadir, bahwa dalam penjelasan tentang bid’ah itu tidak semua sesat. Menurut
Imam al-Iz Abdussalam, Ibnu Atsar menjelaskan bahwa ada bid’ah dholalah dan
bid’ah hasanah. Bid’ah dholalah (sesat) adalah bid’ah yang tidak ada dasar
hukummnya dan tidak ada perintah sama sekali dari syariat, sedangkan bid’ah
hasanah adala suatu amalan yang dasar perintahnya sudah ada dari
Rasulullah, namun teknisnya tidak diatur langsung dan itu bukan temasuk
ibadah mahdah muqayyadah (ibadah murni yang telah ditentukan tata caranya).
Ma’asyiral muslimin sidang Jum’at rahimakumullah
Seperti sering dijelaskan bahwa ibadah itu ada dua macam. Pertama, ibadah
mahdah muqayyadah yaitu ibadah murni yang tata caranya terikat dan tidak
boleh diubah, karena perintah dan teknis pelaksanaannya contohkan langsung
oleh Rasulullah, seperti shalat dan haji yang harus sesuai dengan apa yang
dicontohkan oleh Rasul.Kedua, ibadah muthalaqah ghoiru muqayyadah, yaitu
ibadah mutlaq yang tata caranya tidak terikat, perintahnya ada sedangkan
teknis pelaksanaannya terserah masing-masing orang. Seperti berdzikir,
perintahnya sudah ada namun teknisnya tidak ditentukan sebagaiman firman
Allah:
فَاذْكُرُواْ اللّهَ قِيَاماً وَقُعُوداً وَعَلَى جُنُوبِكُمْ
Yang artinya: ”Berdzikirlah kalian dalam keadaan berdiri duduk, dan
berbaring. (QS an-Nisa)
Dzikir merupakan perintahnya, sedangakan teknisnya terserah kita, duduk,
berdiri, berbaring dirumah, dimasjid sendirian, bersama-sama, suara pelan
ataupun dengan suara keras tidak ada batasan-batasan, tergantung kepada
situasi dan kondisi asal tidak melanggar ketentuan syariat.Membaca shalawat
juga diperintahkan sebagaimana firman Allah SWT dalam Al-Qur’an:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيماً
Yang Artinya: ”Sesungguhnya Allah dan malaikat bershalawat kepada Nabi. Hai
orang-orang yang beriman, bershalawatlah kamu kepada Nabi dan ucapkanlah
salan penghormatan kepadanya.” (QS al-Ahzab56).
Perintah membaca shalawat ada sedangkan teknisnya terserah kita. Boleh
sholawat yang panjang, pendek, prosa, maupun syair, yang penting
bershalawat kepada rasullullah. Hal ini termasuk juga berdakwah, Allah
berfirman dalam Al-Qur’an:
ادْعُ إِلِى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ
Yang artinya: ”Serulah (manausia) kepada jalan Tuhanmu dengan hikmah dan
pelajaran yang baik.” (QS an-Nahl 125)
Berdakwahlah kamu ke jalan Allah dengan cara hikmah dan mauidzah hasanah
atau wejangan yang baik. Perintahnya ada sedangkan teknis pelaksanaannnya
terserah kita, boleh dalam bentuk pengajian umum, pengajian rutin di
masjid, ataupun media TV, radio, koran, majalah,diskusi, maupun seminar.
Semuanya dipersilakan, yang penting momentum dan misinya adalah dakwah.
Ma’asyiral muslimin sidang Jum’at rahimakumullah
Peringatan Maulid Nabi yang diisi dengan pembacaan shalawat kepada Rasul,
pengajian umum, ceramah tentang kesadaran terhadap islam, membaca sejarah
Nabi, amal saleh, bakti sosial, khitanan massal dan lain-lain itu merupakan
ibadah mutlaqah ghairu muqayadah atau ibadah yang mutlaq dan tidak terikat
tata caranya dimana perintahnya ada sedangakan pelaksanaannya terserah kita.
Maka dengan demikian mengadakan peringatan Maulid Nabi yang diisi dengan
pembacaan shlawat, pengajian umum dan perbuatan yang baik bukan termasuk
bid’ah dlalalah, tapi tapi merupakan amrum muhtasan, yaitu “sesuatu yang
dianggap baik” dan kalau kalau dilakukan secara ikhlas karena Allah maka
akan mendapatka pahala dari Allah SWT.
Demikian juga Sayyid Alwi Al-Maliki al-Hasani menjelaskan dalam kitab
Mukhtashar Sirah Nabawiayah: “Bahwa memperingati Maulid Nabi bukan bid’ah
dlalalah, tapi sesuatu yang baik”. Ma’asyiral muslimin sidang Jum’at
rahimakumullahAkhirnya para ulama yang hadir bersama Al-Malik
Mudhaffaruddin dalam pertemuan itu memutuskan bahwa peringatan Maulid Nabi
Muhammad itu boleh.
Kemudian Al-Malik Mudhafar sendiri langsung menyumbang 100 ekor unta dan
sekian ton gandum untuk mengadakan peringatan maulid Nabi muhammad SAW.
Setiap daerah diundang penyair untuk membuat syair pujian dan shalawat
kepada Nabi muhammad. Kitab-kitab yang tersisa hingga sekarang di antaranya
yang dikarang oleh Syeikh al-Barzanji dan Syeikh Addiba’i.Ternyata dengan
diadakannya peringatan Maulid Nabi Muhammad SAW ini sangat efektif untuk
menyadarkan kaum Muslimin cinta kepada Rasul, sehingga seorang pemuda
bernama Shalahudin Al-ayyubi menggalang anak-anak muda, dilatih fisiknya,
disadarkan cinta Rasul, diajak membebaskan diri dari penjajahan tentara
salib. Akhirnya, laskar Islam bersama panglima Shalahudin al-Ayyubi, bisa
memenangkan perang salib pada tahun 580 H.
Sejak tahun itulah peringatan Maulid Nabi SAW diadakan oleh negara muslim
lainnya.Mudah-mudahan dengan peringatan Maulid Nabi hati kita semakin cinta
kepada Rasulullah SAW. Dengan cinta kepada Rasulullah kita akan
melaksanakan perintahnya dan menjauhi larangannya dan kita termasuk orang
yang menghidupkan sunnah Rasulullah SAW. Sebagaimana sabda beliau yang
artinya: “Orang-orang yang telah menghidupkan sunnahku maka dia berarti
cinta kepadaku, dan orang-orang yang cinta padaku nanti akan bersamaku
disurga.” Semoga kita dikumpulkan bersama Rasulullah SAW kelak disurga
nanti. Amiin, ya rabbal alamin.
أَعُوْذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَنِ الرَّجِيْمِ. بِِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ
الرَّحِيمِ. إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَر فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ
إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الْأَبْتَر
أقُوْلُ قَوْلِي هَذا وَأسْتَغْفِرُوا اللهَ الْعَظِيْمَ لَِيْ وَلَكُمْ
وَلِسَائِرِ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ
Pembaca, itulah sedikit contoh khutbah jumat tentang peringatan maulid Nabi
Muhammad SAW. Semoga bermanfaat.
///////////////////////////////////////////
Inilah Cara Mengobati Gigitan Nyamuk pada Balita
Posted: 05 Jun 2013 06:45 PM PDT
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Tips Cara Alami Mengobati Gigitan Nyamuk pada Balita. Gigitan nyamuk adalah
masalah kulit yang umum pada balita. Anak Anda mungkin tidak menyadarinya
bahwa gigitan serangga yang gatal akan menjadi parah.
Gigitan nyamuk bisa menyebabkan peradangan pada kulit sehingga menjadi
merah, bengkak dan gatal. Memasang kelambu adalah salah satu cara untuk
mencegah balita dari gigitan nyamuk. Tetapi, Anda tentu tidak bisa
membawanya sepanjang waktu, ketika anak berada di luar rumah.
Berikut adalah pengobatan alami untuk mengobati gigitan nyamuk pada balita,
seperti yang dilansir di Boldsky.
Oleskan lotion atau krim kalamin yang memiliki efek anti-gatal untuk
mencegah rasa gatal setelah digigit serangga.
Jika anak mulai merasa gatal, oleskan lagi krim atau lotion kalamin untuk
mencegah anak menggaruk bentol bekas gigitan nyamuk.
Setelah digigit nyamuk, gatal bisa menjadi sangat menjengkelkan. Kompres
bekas gigitan dengan air untuk menyingkirkan rasa gatal dan mengobati bekas
gigitan nyamuk secara alami. Gosokkan es batu pada bekas gigitan nyamuk
untuk meredakan rasa gatalnya.
Cuci bekas gigitan nyamuk dengan sabun dan biarkan kering. Jangan gunakan
handuk! Hal itu membuat anak tidak tahan menggaruk. Jadi, biarkan udara
yang mengeringkannya.
Campur soda kue dan air dingin. Kemudian cuci bekas gigitan nyamuk dengan
ramuan tersebut. Ini adalah obat yang paling umum untuk mengobati gigitan
nyamuk pada balita.
.
Jika balita demam atau dingin 23 hari setelah gigitan nyamuk,
berkonsultasilah dengan dokter. Kadang-kadang, nyamuk juga bisa berbahaya.
Pembaca, itulah beberapa tips dan cara mengobati gigitan nyamuk khususnya
untuk balita. Dan jangan lupa, berikan balita Anda pakaian yang tertutup
agar terbebas dari gigitan nyamuk. Tutup jendela dan pintu dengan kelambu
untuk mencegah nyamuk masuk. Semoga bermanfaat.
///////////////////////////////////////////
Selain Vitamin D, Inilah Manfaat Lain Sinar Matahari untuk Kesehatan
Posted: 05 Jun 2013 03:36 PM PDT
feedproxy.google.com/~r/duniabaca/~3/NEADUDaBQCs/selain-v...
Manfaat Sinar Matahari bagi Kesehatan. Vitamin D adalah salah satu nutrisi
penting yang dibutuhkan tubuh. Anda pun bisa mendapatkannya secara mudah
dan murah dari sinar matahari.
Namun tahukah Anda, selain vitamin D, ada banyak manfaat kesehatan lain
dari sinar matahari. Apa saja? Simak selengkapnya seperti yang dilansir
dari Medical Daily berikut ini.
Tidur nyenyak
Seberapa banyak tubuh terkena sinar matahari ternyata memengaruhi ritme
kardiak tubuh. Ritme tersebut termasuk fisik, mental, dan perilaku. Demi
menjaga ritme kardiak agar tetap seimbang, jangan ragu menghabiskan waktu
di luar rumah.
Selain itu, jangan berdiam diri di tempat gelap di siang hari. Sebab
kekurangan cahaya di siang hari bisa mengganggu jadwal tidur di malam hari.
Suasana hati
Paparan sinar matahari yang diterima tubuh secara rutin mampu meningkatkan
kadar hormon serotonin. Peningkatan hormon tersebut membuat Anda terhindar
dari depresi, cemas, sedih, dan masalah suasana hati buruk lainnya.
Tekanan darah
Kulit yang terkena paparan sinar UV matahari mengandung oksida nitrit yang
mampu menurunkan tekanan darah rendah. Bahkan hal tersebut telah dibuktikan
melalui penelitian yang dilakukan para pakar dari Edinburgh University.
Kanker kulit jenis melanoma
Semakin sering terkena sinar UVB, semakin rendah risiko serangan kanker
kulit melanoma. Sementara orang-orang yang kebanyakan menghabiskan waktunya
di dalam ruangan seringnya hanya mengalami paparan sinar UVA yang justru
meningkatkan risiko kanker karena kadar vitamin D mereka juga relatif
rendah.
Itulah berbagai manfaat kesehatan dari sinar matahari, selain sebagai
sumber vitamin D. Namun ingat, sinar matahari terbaik hanya berlangsung
sebelum pukul sepuluh pagi dan setelah jam empat sore.
///////////////////////////////////////////
Asal Usul Sejarah Peringatan Maulid Nabi Muhammad SAW
Posted: 05 Jun 2013 10:46 AM PDT
feedproxy.google.com/~r/duniabaca/~3/D0QeY2jErIs/asal-usu...
Sejarah Peringatan Maulid Nabi Muhammad SAW. Maulid Nabi atau Maulud adalah
peringatan hari lahir Nabi Muhammad SAW, dimana di Negara Indonesia
perayaannya jatuh pada setiap tanggal 12 Rabiul Awal dalam penanggalan
Hijriyah. Kata maulid atau milad di ambil dari bahasa bahasa Arab yang
artinya hari lahir.
Perayaan Maulid Nabi merupakan tradisi yang berkembang di masyarakat Islam
jauh setelah Nabi Muhammad wafat. Secara subtansi, peringatan ini adalah
ekspresi kegembiraan dan penghormatan kepada Nabi Muhammad.
Seperti yang tercatat wikipedia; sejarah awal mula perayaan maulud nabi
Muhammad SAW diperkirakan pertama kali diperkenalkan oleh Abu Said
al-Qakburi, seorang gubernur Irbil, di Irak pada masa pemerintahan Sultan
Salahuddin Al-Ayyubi (1138-1193). Adapula yang berpendapat bahwa idenya
justru berasal dari Sultan Salahuddin sendiri.
Tujuan Maulud Nabi adalah untuk membangkitkan kecintaan kepada Nabi
Muhammad SAW, serta meningkatkan semangat juang kaum muslimin saat itu,
yang sedang terlibat dalam Perang Salib melawan pasukan Kristen Eropa dalam
upaya memperebutkan kota Yerusalem dan sekitarnya.
Untuk lebih lanjut mempelajari sejarah awal mula maulid nabi, seperti biasa
Dunia Baca dot Com berbagi informasi yang dirangkum dari berbagai sumber
untuk menambah ilmu pengetahuan kita tentang sejarah lahirnya nabi Muhammad
SAW.
Sejarah Peringatan Maulid Nabi Muhammad SAW
Pertama kali yang mengada-adakan hari-hari raya dan perayaan-perayaan
secara umumnya Maulid-maulid secara khususnya adalah Ubaidiyyun,
sebagaimana disebutkan oleh Al Maqrizi dalam kitabnya “ Al-Mawa’idz Wal
I’tibar Bidzikril Khuthath Wal Aatsar “ secara nasnya:
(dahulu para khalifah Bani Fathimiyyun sepanjang tahunnya memiliki
hari-hari raya dan musim-musim yaitu: musim permulaan tahun, hari Asyura,
dan Maulid Nabi shallallahu alaihi wasallam, dan mauled Ali bin Abi Thalib
radhiallahu anhu, dan mauled Hasan dan Husin radhiallahu anhuma, dan mauled
Fathimah Az-Zahra radhiallahu anha, dan maulid khalifah Al hadhir, malam
pertama Rajab, malam pertengahan Rajab, malam pertama Sya’ban, malam
pertengahan Sya’ban, musim malam Ramadhan, awal Ramadhan, Pertengahan
Ramadhan, akhir Ramadhan …)
Dan Al-Maqrizi menyebutkan sebagian yang dilakukan pada perayaan-perayaan
dan hari-hari raya khususnya enam maulid. Syaikh Muhammad Bakhit
Al-Muthi’ie Mantan Mufti Mesir menyebutkan dalam kitabnya: (Ahsanul Kalam
Fiima Yata’allaqu bissunnah wal bid’ah minal Ahkam ): bahwa pertama kali
yang mengada-adakan enam perayaan maulid tersebut yakni: Maulid Nabi
shallallahu alaihi wasallam, maulid Ali, Fathimah, Hasan, Husain
radhiallahu anhum, dan maulid Khalifah Al-Hadzir yaitu Al-Mu’izzu
Lidinillah dan itu pada tahun 362 H. dan bahwa perayaan-perayaan ini
berlangsung hingga dibatalkan oleh Al-Afdzal bin Amirul Jaisy setelah itu.
Siapakah Bani Ubaidiyyun ?
Imam Ibnu Katsir rahimahullah berkata dalam kitabnya “ Al-Bidayah
Wannihayah”:
Raja Bani Fathimiyyun telah berkuasa selama 280 tahun. Yang pertama
berkuasa adalah Al-Mahdi yang merupakan orang yahudi, lalu masuk kenegeri
Maroko dan menggunakan nama Ubaidillah, dan mengaku sebagai keturunan
‘Alawi Fathimiy, dan mengatakan tentang dirinya: bahwa dia Al-Mahdi, yang
mana dakwaan pendusta ini didukung oleh orang-orang yang jahil, sehingga
mereka memiliki Negara dan kekuatan, dan mendirikan sebuah kota yang diberi
nama Al-Mahdiyah dinisbatkan kepadanya, dan dia menjadi raja yang ditaati.
Kemudian diteruskan oleh anaknya Al-Qoim Muhammad, kemudian anaknya
Al-Manshur Ismail, kemudian anaknya Al-Mu’izzu Ma’din, dialah pertama dari
mereka yang memasuki negeri Mesir, dan dibangun untuknya Kairo
Al-Mu’izziyah dan istana-istana kemudian anaknya Al-Aziz Nazzar, kemudian
anaknya Al-hakim Manshur, kemudian anaknya Ath-Thahir Ali, kemudian anaknya
Al-Mushtansir Ma’din, kemudian anaknya Al-Musta’li Ahmad, kemudian anaknya
Al-Amir Manshur, kemudian anak pamannya Al-Hafidz Abdul Majid, kemudian
anaknya Adh-Dhafir Ismail, kemudian Al-Faiz Isa, kemudian anak pamannya
Al-‘Adzid Abdullah, yang terakhir dari mereka, yang seluruhnya 14 raja
selama 280 tahunan.
Dahulu Bani Fathimiyyun merupakan khalifah yang terkaya, terkejam dan
paling dholim, yang paling bejat sejarahnya, muncul dimasa mereka
kebid’ahan dan kemungkaran, dan banyak pelaku kerusakan sedikit disisi
mereka orang-orang shalih dari para ulama dan ahli ibadah, dan banyak
tersebar dinegeri syam agama Kristen, Durruziyah, dan Hasyisyiyah..).
Inilah sekilas dari sejarah mereka supaya mereka yang menghidupkan perayaan
Maulid dan lainnya siapakah tauladan mereka dalam perkara ini sehingga
mereka mengikuti petunjuk dan menyerupai mereka. Sehingga tidak masuk akal
apabila para salafush sholih tidak mengenal hal ini lalu mereka mengikuti
para Ubaidiyyun yang sesat !!
Sultan Irbil dan perayaan Maulid:
Dahulu di Mosul ada ahli zuhud yaitu Syaikh Umar bin Muhammad Al-Mulla
(dahulu dia memiliki satu ruangan yang selalu didatanginya, dan setiap
tahunnya dibulan Maulid ada undangan yang didatangi oleh para raja,
pemerintah, para ulama, menteri dan mereka merayakan hal itu)
Abu Syamah berkata dalam kitabnya: “ Al-Ba’its ‘alaa inkaril Bida’I wal
hawadits” ketika membahas tentang maulid nabi: (pertama kali yang
melakukannya di Mosul Syaikh Umar bin Muhammad Al-Mulla seorang yang shalih
yang masyhur yang diikuti kemudian oleh Sultan Irbil dan yang lain semoga
Allah merahmati mereka).
Dan Sultan Irbil disini adalah Al-Mudzaffar Abu Sa’id Kukburi bin Zaidud
diin Ali bin Tabaktakin Sultan Irbil yang wafat tahun (630 H) yang paling
terkenal dalam merayakan Maulid Nabi secara berlebihan setelah Ubaidiyyun,
dimana dia merayakannya dengan mewah sebagaimana disebutkan oleh Ibnu
Katsir dalam sejarahnya, beliau berkata: (berkata As Sabth: telah
dihikayatkan oleh sebagian yang menghadiri perayaan Mudzaffar dalam maulid
dimana dia menyajikan 5000 kepala bakar, 10000 ayam, dan 100000 susu
kering, dan 30000 piring kue manis… dia berkata: diantara yang
menghadirinya dalam pesta maulid para ulama, ahli sufi, dan memperdengarkan
nyanyian sufi dari dhuhur hingga subuh dan dia ikut menari bersama mereka…).
Dari sini menjadi jelas bahwa perayaan maulid dan semacamnya termasuk
kebid’ahan Ubaidiyyun, kemudian diikuti oleh para ahli zuhud dan raja, dan
ikuti oleh orang awwam, sebagaimana kita tahu bahwa ini bertentangan dengan
nas-nas syarie dan amalan para salafush shalih yang mulia.
Walaupun sebagaimana dikatakan bahwa peringatan ini diperbolehkan oleh
sebagian ulama seperti Imam Subki, Suyuthi, atau Ibnu Hajar dan pernah
dilakukan oleh Shalahuddin Al-Ayyubi, meskipun kita menghargai jasa para
ulama besar tersebut bagi kejayaan islam dan kaum muslimin, namun ketika
hal itu bertentangan dengan syariat, maka kita lebih mendahulukan kecintaan
kepada Allah dan RasulNya shallallahu alaihi wasallam, apalagi diantara
ulama yang sekaliber merekapun ada yang menolaknya, jadi kita menolak
perayaan ini bukan dengan pendapat kita sendiri.
Seandainya hal tersebut adalah baik, maka pastilah para salafus sholih
sudah melaksanakannya, karena mereka ada suri tauladan terbaik dalam
kesungguhan melaksanakan ajaran yang baik karena Allah Ta’alaa berfirman
yang artinya:
“Dan orang-orang kafir berkata kepada orang-orang yang beriman: “Kalau
Sekiranya di (Al Quran) adalah suatu yang baik, tentulah mereka tiada
mendahului Kami (beriman) kepadanya”. [ Al-Ahqaf: 11].
Ibnu Katsir dalam menafisrkan ayat ini berkata: adapun Ahli Sunah Wal
Jamaah mereka mengatakan tentang setiap perbuatan atau perkataan yang tidak
penah dipastikan dari para sahabat: adalah bid’ah karena seandainya hal itu
baik tentulah mereka telah mendahului kita dalam hal itu mereka tidak
pernah meninggalkan satu perbuatan baik pun kecuali mereka segera
mengamalkannya. Tafsir Ibnu Katsir juz 7 hal 278.
///////////////////////////////////////////
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@bbworldwid, mengunggah sebuah foto dengan sedikit informasi di bawahnya.
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Ahmed ar-Rifa'i (1118–1182) was the founder of the Rifa'i Sufi order.
Shaikh Ahmed er-Rifai was born in Hasen Region of Wasit, Iraq on a Thursday. This day was in the first half of Recep of lunar months. When he was seven years old, his father Seyyid Sultan Ali died in Baghdad. After that his uncle Seyyid Mansur er-Rabbani el-Betaihi took under his protection and educated him.
Silsila[edit]
Ahmed er-Rifai's family comes from Husayn ibn Ali, the son of Ali, at the side of his mother. On the other hand, at the side of his father, his lineage which goes to prophet Muhammad is as follows:
master of the community, husband of Fatimah who is the base of all Imams, a relative of the prophet, Ali;
Imam of Muslims, the chief of the mumins (believers in Islam) who tried and liked with several troubles and calamities, the martyr of the Battle of Karbala, Hussein;
Imam Zayn al-Abidin;
Imam Muhammad al-Baqir;
Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq; Imam Musa al-Kadhim; Imam Ibrahim el-Mürteza; es-Seyyid ikinci Musa;
es-Seyyid Ahmed;
es-Seyyid Hüseyin;
es-Seyyid el-Hasen;
es-Seyyid Muhammed eb-ul-Kaasim;
es-Seyyid el-Mehdi;
es-Seyyid eb-ul Mekarim el-Hasen;
es-Seyyid Ali;
es-Seyyid Ahmed;
es-Seyyid Hazim;
es-Seyyid Sabit;
es-Seyyid Yahya;
es-Seyyid Ebul-Hasen Aliyy-ür-Rifai;
es-Seyyid Ahmed er-Rifai.
Education[edit]
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He learnt Quran from Shaikh Abd üs-Semi el-Hurbuni in Hasen, his birthplace. He committed to memory the whole of the Quran when he was seven. During the same year after the death of his father, his uncle Mansur el-Betaihi transferred him and his family to Dikla region. His uncle send him to Ebul Fadl Ali el-Vasiti who was an expert in the canon law of Islam, a commentator on the Quran and a preacher.
On the other hand, when he was attending dhikr meetings of his uncle Shaikh Mansur er-Rabbani, he was also attending the courses of his other uncle Shaikh Ebubekir who was a major scientiic figure at the time. He memorized the book "Tenbih" concerning Fikh (Muslim canonical jurisprudence) of Imam Shafi which belongs to Imam Ebu Ishak Sirazi. He also wrote an explanation about such book (this explanation was lost during the Mongul invasions however).
He dedicated his entire time to learning such religious knowledge to such an extent that eventually even his teachers respected him.
When he was twenty, Ebu Fadl Ali who was the Sheikh of Wasit province and his teacher awarded him a "Sehadetname" (which represented writings of evidences including canonical law and order of dervish sciences), and a nickname that was the father of external and interior sciences, and also dressed him a his own dervish's cloak. His teachers and his Sheikhs agreed about the greatness of his rank and the superiority of his worth.
He stayed in Nehr-i Dikla for a short time and after that he came back to his father's public guest-house for travelers at Hasen during which time he became very famous. When he was twenty-eight, his uncle Shaikh Mansur bequeathed him to manage the dervish lodge and Caliphs after his death. He also commanded him to live in dervish lodge of Shaikh Yahya en-Neccari who was his grandfather from his mother side. It was during this time he began to preach in this dervish lodge. His uncle died in the year of the bequeathing. When he was thirty-five, the number of his murids was over seven hundred thousand.
He did not neglect teaching the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad and the details of the Quran to the public as he always believed that the trade of a wise man was to show the way towards God and to direct hearts towards Him.
He give courses in hadith, canonical jurisprudence, religious precepts and commentary on the Quran (Tafsir) everyday except for Monday and Thursday. He sat in his pulpit afternoons on Monday and Thursday and preached to intellectuals and the public.
There is an information in the book which is called “Sevad ul-Ayneyn” of Imam Rafii. The writer says that:
"Shaikh Salih Yusuf Ebu Zekeriya el-Askalani, who was a great expert in the canon law of Islam, had told me that: I had gone to Ummi Abide to visit Shaikh Ahmed er-Rifai. More than one hundred thousand people crowded around the guesthouse, some people were managers, scientists, sheikhs and the other members of the public. He provided dinner to all of them and was very friendly to everyone. He started to preach in the afternoon of a Thursday. Preachers of Wasit province, a religious community from doctors of Muslim theology of Iraq and the important people of the province attended the preach meeting. One group of them asked for science of commentary on the Koran, the other group asked for subjects interested with record of sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, the other group asked for Muslim canonical jurisprudence, another group asked for the disagreement between the different religious opinion, and the other groups asked too many questions about different sections of science. He answered more than two hundred questions, and he experienced no anger during his answering of questions. I became embarrassed because of the insensitiveness of people asking questions, and I stood up and said them that; “Is this not enough for you? He will answer all questions about the written sciences, not facing any difficulty, with the permission of Allah.” Because of my words he smiled and said to me that; “Ebu Zekeriya allow them to ask before they lose me. Certainly the world is a house which will become absent. Allah changes whole situations every time.” The people cried because of his answer. The meeting was confused, worried sounds were heard. Forty thousands people became students of him with the spiritual effect of his talk."
Ahmad Rifai's talks, his moves, his behaviors and his every breath were for Allah. He had got always a smiling face and he was modest, good-tempered, enduring suffering, very patient. He didn’t become cross with anyone and didn’t want any help for his own personality. On the contrary, he loves for Allah, and anger for Allah. He doesn’t rebuke somebody who behave that he doesn’t like. He doesn’t see his family and himself superior to other people. Even he said about this subject that; “According to our opinion for Allah, everybody is equal to each other, it doesn’t matter they are close relative or unknown people for us.”
He used to want from people protect themselves overusing the things that neither recommended nor forbidden by religious law like that overeating and oversleeping. He used to recommend doing worship during the nights. He also used to recommend being far away from people who doesn’t know their limit, behave in excessive manner, see themselves superior to others and dispute each other.
He used to do his service by himself, repair his shoes, carry the firewood prepared for him to the house of people who are sick, orphan, fallen and without relations or friends.
He used to turn shoes of blinds, and also take away them to the place that they want to go. He respect to old people and recommend respecting them. He always used to say the words of our Prophet Muhammad; “Whoever respect to an old Muslim person, Allah assign people who respect to them when they are old.”
He used to go to the house of leprous and bedridden people, wash their clothes, bring their meal, sit and eat with them, and wanted them to pray for him. When he heard a patient in his city in a far city, he used to visit them. He also cure the wounded animals, and he said that; “To compass the creatures of Allah is one of the reasons that human being are close to Allah.”
He used to behave very mercifully to orphans, cry for poor people, grow merry with their joy, behave with them with modesty, see himself like one of them and say in meetings that; “If a whole craft owner is a count and every craft owner passes in groups, I prefer to become a poor in the groups of poor.”
Great people of his era said that; “The most important reasons of reaching his great place is his great mercy to all creatures and his looking self down to himself.”
He used to respect the wise and experts in the canon law of Islam and wanted everybody to respect them by teaching that; “The wise are the leaders and fundamentals of the community.”
He had withdrawn from world. He didn’t store any commodity at anytime. Although he possessed big wealth, he didn’t wear two sets of clothes at the same time, neither in the summer nor in the winter. His movable and immovable property was much more than property of governors and famous rich men. He used to distribute the revenue of his real estate to dervishes and people who come to dervish convent. He didn’t leave any commodities to his children."
Hazrat Ali slays Marhab
photo courtesy
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Hazrat_Ali_sl...
BALLIGH KI SADA HUKM-E-KHUDAAI DEGI
RUSWAI BHI CHEHRON PA DIKHAI DEGI
AANE DO MUHAMMAD(sawaw) KO GHADEER-E-KHUM MEIN
MAN KUNTO KI AWAAZ SUNAI DEGI
DIL SE HAR GHAM NIKAAL DO APNE
AAJ EID-E-GHADEER KA DIN HAI
BHAR LO JHOLI MEIN DAULAT-E-IMAN
YE JANAB-E-AMEER(a.s.) KA DIN HAI
ABU TURAB, AIN ULLAH, WAJH ULLAH, NAFS ULLAH, YAD ULLAH, LESAN ULLAH, ABUL HASSAN, FATEH-E-KHYBER, AMEER-UL-MOMINEEN,
MUSHKIL KUSHA, HAJAT RAWA, WASI-E-RASOOL, SHAUHAR-E- BATOOL, JANAB-E-AMEER,
MAULA-E-GHADEER, IMAM-E-AWWAL, GHALIB-E-KULLE GHALIB
HAZRAT ALI IBN ABI TALIB a.s.
KA ROZE EILAN-E- WILAYAT
BA UNWANE
EID
-E-
GHADEER
TAMAAM SHIYAN-E-HAIDAR-E-KARRAR KO
MUBARAK
Message sent to me by my dear friend Jalaj Kazim Lucknowi Chinaman.. I share with you all
Article from ezsoftech.com
. Ghadir is on the way from Mecca to Madina. While returning from Mecca to Madina, after the last hajj, alongwith his companions, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) broke the journey at a lake, 3 miles away from Al-Johfa. He (S.A.W) halted at midday in a wayside tract of barren land with no shade other than that provided by a few acacia trees. A small lake is called as Ghadir in Arabic, so this place is known as Ghadir-e-Khumm. The name Ghadir is no longer in use.
02. WHAT HAPPENED AT GHADIR-E-KHUMM?
Tabarani and others have recorded the following tradition as related by Zayd ibn 'Arqam and transmitted through sources unanimously acknowledged to be reliable. Zayd says that the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessings and peace be upon him and his posterity, delivered a sermon at Ghadir-e-Khumm under a cloth spread as a canopy on two large trees. He said:
Hadith
"O my people! I am going to be recalled shortly and I must comply. I shall be interrogated and you also shall be interrogated. What will you say then?" The entire audience answered: "We shall bear witness that you did convey to us the message of Allah, and tried your best to guide us on the right path and always gave us good console. May Allah bless you with a good reward." The Prophet proceeded: "Why do you not bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, and that Paradise is true, Hell is true, Death is true, Resurrection after death is true, that the Day of Judgment will doubtlessly come and that Allah will raise to life the dead from their graves?." They said: "O Yes! We bear witness to all this." Then he said: "O Allah! You also may witness." Then he said: 'O my people! Allah is my Mawla and I am mawla of the faithful and I have superior right on and control over their lives. And this Ali is the mawla of all those of whom I am mawla. O Allah! Love him who loves him and hate him who hates him." He further said: "O my people! I will precede you and you also shall arrive at the pool of Kawthar, the pool wider than the distance between Basrah and San'a', and there are on the pool as many goblets of silver as stars. When you shall reach me I shall interrogate you about your behavior towards the two in-valuable assets after my death. The major asset is the Book of Allah, the Mighty and Glorious, one end of which is in the hand of Allah, the Exalted, and the other end of which in your hands. Grasp it tightly and do not go astray and do not change or amend it. The other asset is my Progeny, who are my Ahl al-Bayt. Allah the Gracious and Omniscient has informed me that the two will not part from each other before they reach me at the pool.
03. WHEN & IN FRONT OF HOW MANY MUSLIMS?
This Ghadir-e-Khumm event happened on the 18th of Dhil-Hijjah (1410 AH), in 10 Hijra in front of nearly one hundred thousand (100,000) Muslims. While returning from the last hajj (Hajjatul-wida / farewell pilgrimage) of our Holy Prophet (S.A.W.).
04. CONTEXTS
A). QURANIC EXEGESIS (Tafsir):
O Messenger! Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord; and if you do it not, then you have not delivered His message, and Allah will protect you from the people; (AL-MAEDA/5:67)
This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion; (AL-MAEDA/5:3)
One demanding, demanded the chastisement which must befall, The unbelievers there is none to avert it, From Allah, the Lord of the ways of Ascent.(AL-MAARIJ/70:1-3)
B). PROPHETIC TRADITION (Hadith):
Imam Ahmad has recorded the tradition related by Bara' ibn 'Azib in his Musnad, vol.4, p. 281, transmitted through two different sources. Bara' says: "We were with the Messenger of Allah. We alighted at Ghadir-e-Khumm. Congregational prayer was in order. An area under two trees was swept and cleaned for the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessings and peace be upon him and his posterity. He offered midday prayers and he grasped the hand of 'Ali and said: 'Do you not know that I have superior authority over the lives of the faithful than the faithful themselves?' 'Yes you have,' they replied. He again inquired: 'Do you not know that I have superior right to the life of every believer than the believer himself?' 'Surely, you have,' they answered. Then he grasped the hand of 'Ali and said: 'Ali is the mawla of all those of whom I am mawla. O Allah! Love him who loves him and hate him who hates him.'" Bara' ibn 'Azib says: "Then 'Umar came to 'Ali and said: 'Congratulations to you the son of Abu Talib. You have become the mawla (master) of all the faithful men and women.'"
C). HISTORICAL REPORTS (Tarikh):
Here we will just mention one instance which took place in Kufa during the khilafah of Imam Ali (A.S.), 25 years after the Prophet's death.
When at Ali's insistence a large number of people gathered in the plain of Rahbah in Kufah, he addressed them saying: "I administer an oath in the name of Allah to all such Muslims as heard the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) making a proclamation on the day of Ghadir-e-Khumm, to stand up and testify what they heard him say. Only those who saw the Holy Prophet that day with their own eyes and heard the proclamation with their own ears should stand up." Thereupon, thirty companions of the Holy Prophet(S.A.W), including twelve of those who had participated in the battle of Badr, stood up and witnessed that the Holy Prophet(S.A.W) grasped his (Ali's) hand and said to the audience: "Do you know that I have a prior right to and superior authority over the souls (i.e., lives) of the faithful than the faithful themselves?" "O yes!" they said. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) then said: "He (Ali) is the mawla (i.e., has prior right to and superior authority over the lives) of all those of whom I am mawla. O Allah, love him who loves him (Ali) and hate him who hates him." It is logically impossible that thirty companions might have secretly agreed to speak a unanimous lie. In addition to the thirty witnesses there were other male companions whom enmity with Ali prevented from standing up and giving their evidence as eye-witnesses, like Anas ibn Malik.
When Ali (A.S.) said to Anas: "Why do you not stand up and testify what you heard from the messenger of Allah on the day of Ghadir?" he answered, "O Amir al-Momineen! I have grown old and do not remember." Thereupon Ali said: "May Allah mark you with a white spot (of leprosy) unconcealable with your turban, if you are intentionally withholding the truth." And before Anas got up from his place he bore a large white spot on his face. Thereafter, Anas used to say: "I am under the curse of a righteous slave of Allah.
Also bear in mind that this incident took place 25 years after the event of Ghadir Khum, and during this period hundreds of eyewitnesses had died naturally or in the battles fought during the first two khulafah's rule. Add to this the fact that this incident took place in Kufa which was far from the centre of the sahabas, Medina. This incident which took place in Kufa in the year 35 A.H. has itself been narrated by four sahaba and 14 tabi'un and has been recorded in most books of history and tradition.
05. AUTHENTICITY
A). Consecutively naratted (Mutawatir)
B). Numerous Sahih versions
C). Dedicated treatisis by 26 authors (Most of them are sunnies)
06. NARRATORS
A). 110 companions of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)
B). 84 Successors (Tabiun)
C). Over 360 scholars to the present day (Most of them are sunnies)
1: Abaqat al-Anwar a book written in Persian by Allama Mir Hamid Husayn al-Musawi (d. 1304 AH) of India. Allama Mir Hamid Husayn has devoted two bulky volumes (consisting of about 1,080 pages) on the isnad, tawatur and meaning of the hadith of Ghadir.
2: Al-Ghadir in 11 volumes in Arabic by Allama Abdul Husayn al-Amini where he gives with full references the names of 110 sahaba of the Prophet and also 84 tabi'un (disciples of the sahaba) who have narrated the hadith of Ghadir. He has also chronologically given the names of the historians, traditionists, exegesis's and poets who have mentioned the hadith of Ghadir from the first until the fourteenth Islamic century.
07. A'MAALS FOR GHADIR-E-KHUMM
Eid-E-GhadeerAccording to ahadiths received from Imams (A.S.), some of the a'maal (rituals) recommended for the day of Ghadeer are:
* Remember the Ahlul Bayt by saying of Salawat as many times as it is possible.
ALLAHUMMA SWALLI 'ALAA MUHAMMADIWN WA-AALI MUHAMMAD
(O Allah, send blessings on Muhammad and his household).
* Istighfaar (seeking forgiveness from the Almighty). Sins are forgiven and believers get salvation on this day the way it has been promised for the days of Holy Ramadhan and the night of Qadr.
* Visiting (ziyarah) the tomb of Imam 'Ali (A.S.) in Najaf, Iraq.
* Assist the needy amongst the believers. The reward for assisting today is 1000 times the reward for other days.
* Ihsaan for fellow believers (doing good, including favouring by assisting physically, financially and morally) and making them happy (for example by forgiving their past mistakes, overlooking their slips, visiting them, giving gifts etc).
* Doing of Ghusl a few minutes before noon (midday) and then reading two rakaat Namaz. In every rak'ah after suratul Hamd read 10 times suratul Tawheed (#112) and 10 times Ayatul Kursee (verses 255 to 257 of suratul Baqarah)and 10 times suratul Qadr (#97
Article courtesy
Hazrat Khwaja Abdul Khaliq Ghujdawani (rahmatullah alaih) was the first one in this Naqshbandi Sufi Order to use the Silent Zikr and he was considered the master of that form of Zikr. He was direct descendant of Hazrat Syeddna Imam Malik (rahmatullah alaih) and mureed and khalifa of Hazrat Khwaja Abu Yaqub Yusuf Hamadani (rahmatullah alaih) and was also spiritually benefited from Hazrat Khizr (alaih salaam). His mazar is located in Ghujdawan, Uzbekistan.
Abdul Khaliq Ghijduvani was one of a group of Central Asian Sufi teachers known simply as Khwajagan (the Masters) of the Naqshbandi order.
Abdul Khaliq was born in the small town of Ghijduvan, near Bukhara. His father had migrated to Central Asia from Malatya, in eastern Anatolia where he had been a prominent faqih. While Abdul Khaliq was studying tafsir in Bukhara he first had an awakening of interest in the path. He received further training at the hands of Yusuf Hamdani, and was the next link in the Naqshbandi silsila following him.
Abdul Khaliq bequeathed to subsequent generations of the Naqshbandi silsila a series of principles governing their Sufi practice, concisely formulated in Persian and known collectively as "the Sacred Words" (kalimat-i qudsiya), or the "Rules" or "Secrets" of the Naqshbandi Order.
He passed away on 12 Rabi’ al-Awwal 575 AH in his hometown Ghujdawan, near Bukhara (Uzbekistan), where his tomb is a place which attracts many from around the world.
norkandirblog.wordpress.com/2016/09/01/koreksi-program-ki...
KOREKSI PROGRAM KIRIM DOA VIA SMS UNTUK AHLI KUBUR RINTISAN NU JEPARA
Oleh: Nor Kandir*
KOREKSI PROGRAM KIRIM DOA VIA SMS UNTUK AHLI KUBUR RINTISAN NU JEPARA
MUQODDIMAH
Pada Jum’at, 22 April 2016 situs resmi Nahdhatul Ulama www.nu.or.id memposting artikel berjudul “NU Jepara Luncurkan Program Kirim Doa via SMS untuk Ahli Kubur, Seperti Apa?” yang berisi berita tentang tawaran doa via sms dengan membayar sebesar Rp5.500 /sms. Di antara nukilan berita tersebut adalah:
“PCNU Jepara 11 April 2016 lalu resmi meluncurkan program kirim doa untuk ahli kubur via sms. Program ini berawal dari tradisi NU yakni haul massal yang kerap digelar bertatap muka langsung dengan panitia lewat menyetorkan nama.
Di era teknologi seperti sekarang ini, PCNU Jepara yang dinahkodai KH Hayatun Abdullah Hadziq mencari cara agar mengirim doa untuk ahli kubur tidak harus face to face. Alhasil terbentuklah program yang baru berjalan dua pekan ini.” (www.nu.or.id/post/read/67515/nu-jepara-luncurkan-program-...)
Melihat banyaknya kontroversi mengenai hal ini, maka saya sebagai santri dan warga asli Jepara yang diberi Allah kesempatan menulis, ingin turut berkontribusi menjelaskan hukum permasalahan ini dengan penjelasan yang mudah dan berdasar kepada dalil, in syaa Allah.
PERMASALAHAN
Bagaimana cara Nabi Muhammad Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam mendoakan mayat? Apakah boleh cara beliau diganti dengan cara buatan (kreasi) manusia?
Apakah benar bacaan Al-Fatihah sampai pahalanya ke mayat?
Apakah dilarang meminta orang lain mendoakan ampunan untuk mayat dengan imbalan?
Di dalam artikel ini, 3 pertanyaan ini akan terjawab, in syaa Allah.
CARA NABI MUHAMMAD MENDOAKAN AHLI KUBUR
Kita sebagai umat Islam, kita wajib percaya bahwa semua perkara agama dan setiap permasalahan umat telah dijelaskan oleh Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam. Tidak ada satu pun perkara yang mengantarkan menuju Surga melainkan telah beliau jelaskan kepada kita, termasuk cara mendoakan orang yang telah mati.
Orang yang telah mati dari kaum Muslimin sangat membutuhkan doa orang yang masih hidup. Di antara yang beliau lakukan adalah mendoakan mereka saat melewati kuburan. Di antara lafazh yang shahih dari beliau adalah:
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الدِّيَارِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَيَرْحَمُ اللهُ الْمُسْتَقْدِمِينَ مِنَّا وَالْمُسْتَأْخِرِينَ، وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ بِكُمْ لَلَاحِقُونَ أَسْأَلُ اللهَ لَنَا وَلَكُمُ الْعَافِيَةَ
“Semoga keselamatan tercurah kepada kalian, wahai penghuni kubur, dari (golongan) orang-orang beriman dan orang-orang Islam, semoga Allah merahmati orang-orang yang mendahului kami dan orang-orang yang datang belakangan. Kami insya Allah akan menyusul kalian, saya meminta keselamatan untuk kami dan kalian.”(HR. Muslim no. 974-975, Ahmad no. 25855, dan Ibnu Hibban no. 7110)
Bagaimana jika tidak sedang melewati kuburan? Jawabannya, doa bisa dilakukan di mana saja dan kapan saja. Bahkan jika dilakukan di waktu mustajabah maka sangat dianjurkan, seperti di sepertiga malam terakhir, antara azan dan iqomat, saat turun hujan, setelah bacaan shalawat di tasyahud akhir, dan saat dizholimi. Semua ini shahih dari Nabi Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam.
Bagaimana lafazh doanya? Lafazhnya bebas, yang penting mengandung permohonan ampun dan rahmat. Akan tetapi meniru lafazh nash (Al-Qur’an dan As-Sunnah) maka lebih afdhal karena keduanya mengandung jawamiul kalim (ungkapan yang ringkas tapi sarat makna). Contohnya:
وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ
Dan orang-orang yang datang sesudah mereka (Muhajirin dan Anshor), mereka berdoa: “Ya Rabb Kami, beri ampunlah Kami dan saudara-saudara Kami yang telah beriman lebih dulu dari Kami, dan janganlah Engkau membiarkan kedengkian dalam hati Kami terhadap orang-orang yang beriman; Ya Rabb Kami, Sesungguhnya Engkau Maha Penyantun lagi Maha Penyayang.”(QS. Al-Hasyr: 10)
اللهُمَّ، اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ وَعَافِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنْهُ، وَأَكْرِمْ نُزُلَهُ، وَوَسِّعْ مُدْخَلَهُ، وَاغْسِلْهُ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ، وَنَقِّهِ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا نَقَّيْتَ الثَّوْبَ الْأَبْيَضَ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ، وَأَبْدِلْهُ دَارًا خَيْرًا مِنْ دَارِهِ، وَأَهْلًا خَيْرًا مِنْ أَهْلِهِ وَزَوْجًا خَيْرًا مِنْ زَوْجِهِ، وَأَدْخِلْهُ الْجَنَّةَ وَأَعِذْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ – أَوْ مِنْ عَذَابِ النَّارِ –
“Ya Allah! Ampunilah dia (mayat) berilah rahmat kepadanya, selamatkanlah dia (dari beberapa hal yang tidak disukai), maafkanlah dia dan tempatkanlah di tempat yang mulia (Surga), luaskan kuburannya, mandikan dia dengan air salju dan air es. Bersihkan dia dari segala kesalahan, sebagaimana Engkau membersihkan baju yang putih dari kotoran, berilah rumah yang lebih baik dari rumahnya (di dunia), berilah keluarga (atau istri di Surga) yang lebih baik daripada keluarganya (di dunia), istri (atau suami) yang lebih baik daripada istrinya (atau suaminya), dan masukkan dia ke Surga, jagalah dia dari siksa kubur dan Neraka.” (HR. Muslim no. 963)
Dari sini jelas bagi kita bagaimana cara Nabi Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam mendoakan orang mati. Orang yang mengikuti cara Nabi Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam sementara dia mampu melakukannya lalu berpindah kepada pilihan lain, maka hal ini tercela. Allah menjelaskan hal ini dalam firmanNya:
وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلا مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْرًا أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ وَمَنْ يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلالا مُبِينًا
“Dan tidaklah patut bagi laki-laki yang mukmin dan tidak (pula) bagi perempuan yang mukmin, apabila Allah dan Rasul-Nya telah menetapkan suatu ketetapan, akan ada bagi mereka pilihan (yang lain) tentang urusan mereka. Dan barang siapa mendurhakai Allah dan Rasul-Nya maka sungguhlah dia telah sesat, sesat yang nyata.” (QS. Al-Ahzab [33]: 36)
APAKAH BACAAN AL-FATIHAH PAHALANYA SAMPAI KE MAYAT?
Dalam sms SimPATI di atas tidak disebutkan apakah doanya dalam bentuk Al-Fatihah atau doa memakai lafazh buatan sendiri? Misalkan saja memakai doa Al-Fatihah,apakah pahalanya sampai kepada mayat? Jawabannya, menurut jumhur ulama tidak sampai. Yang terdepan dalam hal ini adalah Imam Asy-Syafi’i dan Imam Nawawi Rahimahumallah.
Imam an-Nawawi (w. 676 H) —pembela madzhab Syafi’iyah setelah Al-Baihaqi— menjelaskan hadits Muslim di atas dengan mengatakan:
وَفِيهِ أَنَّ الدُّعَاء يَصِل ثَوَابه إِلَى الْمَيِّت , وَكَذَلِكَ الصَّدَقَة ….وَأَمَّا قِرَاءَة الْقُرْآن وَجَعْل ثَوَابهَا لِلْمَيِّتِ وَالصَّلاة عَنْهُ وَنَحْوهمَا فَمَذْهَب الشَّافِعِيّ وَالْجُمْهُور أَنَّهَا لا تَلْحَق الْمَيِّت
Dalam hadis ini terdapat dalil bahwa doa akan sampai pahalanya kepada mayit, demikian pula sedekah… sedangkan bacaan Al-Quran, kemudian pahalanya dihadiahkan untuk mayit, atau shalat atas nama mayit, atau amal ibadah lainnya, menurut madzhab Imam as-Syafii dan mayoritas ulama, amalan ini tidak akan sampai kepada mayit. (Syarh Shahih Muslim, 11/85)
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’alaberfirman:
«وَأَنْ لَيْسَ لِلْإِنْسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَى»
“Dan tidak ada seorang pun yang mendapatkan (pahala atau dosa) melainkan apa yang pernah dia usahakan sendiri.”(QS. An-Najm [53]: 39)
Imam Ibnu Katsir (w. 774 H) menjelaskan ayat ini:
كَمَا لَا يُحْمَلُ عَلَيْهِ وِزْرُ غَيْرِهِ، كَذَلِكَ لَا يُحَصِّلُ مِنَ الْأَجْرِ إلاَّ مَا كَسَبَ هُوَ لِنَفْسِه. وَمِنْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةِ الْكَرِيمَةِ اسْتَنْبَطَ الشَّافِعِيُّ، رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ، وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَهُ أَنَّ الْقِرَاءَةَ لَا يَصِلُ إِهْدَاءُ ثَوَابِهَا إِلَى الْمَوْتَى؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ عَمَلِهِمْ وَلَا كَسْبِهِمْ
“Sebagaimana seseorang tidak bisa memikul dosa orang lain, begitu juga seseorang tidak akan memperoleh pahala keculai pahala yang dia usahakan untuk dirinya sendiri. Dari ayat yang mulai ini, Imam asy-Syafi’i dan orang-orang yang mengikuti beliau beristimbat (menyimpulkan hukum) bahwa pahala bacaan al-Qur’an tidak sampai kepada mayat karena itu bukan dari amal dan usahanya sendiri.
وَلِهَذَا لَمْ يَنْدُبْ إِلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أُمَّتَهُ وَلَا حَثَّهُمْ عَلَيْهِ، وَلَا أَرْشَدَهُمْ إِلَيْهِ بِنَصٍّ وَلَا إِيمَاءٍ، وَلَمْ يُنْقَلْ ذَلِكَ عَنْ أَحَدٍ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ، رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ، وَلَوْ كَانَ خَيْرًا لَسَبَقُونَا إِلَيْهِ
Oleh sebab itu, Rasulullah tidak pernah menganjurkan kepada shahabatnya untuk melakukannya, tidak pula membimbing mereka dengan dalil tidak pula isyarat untuk mengamalkannya. Dan lagi, hal ini tidak pernah dinukil dari seorang pun dari para shahabat. Jika sekiranya perbuatan itui baik, niscaya mereka telah mendahului kita dalam mengamalkannya.
وَبَابُ الْقُرُبَاتِ يُقْتَصَرُ فِيهِ عَلَى النُّصُوصِ، وَلَا يُتَصَرَّفُ فِيهِ بِأَنْوَاعِ الْأَقْيِسَةِ وَالْآرَاءِ، فَأَمَّا الدُّعَاءُ وَالصَّدَقَةُ فَذَاكَ مُجْمَعٌ عَلَى وُصُولِهِمَا، وَمَنْصُوصٌ مِنَ الشَّارِعِ عَلَيْهِمَا
Masalah pendekatan diri kepada Allah terbatas hanya dengan nash-nash dan masalah ini tidak bisa dikreasikan atau dipalingkan dengan berbagai qiyas dan pendapat. Adapun do’a dan sedekah, maka telah menjadi ijma’ (kesepakatan ‘ulama) akan sampainya (pahala) keduanya dan telah ada nash syar’inya dari Pembuat Syariat (Allah) Ta’ala.” (Tafsîr Ibni KatsîrVII/465)
Penjelasan ini menunjukkan bahwa ayat ini berhukum umum dan mutlak tanpa ada pengecualian bahwa manusia tidak akan memperoleh/menanggung dari orang lain.
Memang di sana ada hadits shahih bahwa Nabi Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam mengabarkan ada 3 amal yang zhahirnya dikerjakan orang lain tetapi dia mendapat jatah pahalanya sepeninggalnya, yakni hadits berbunyi:
«إِذَا مَاتَ الْإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ ثَلَاثَةٍ: إِلَّا مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ، أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ، أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ»
“Apabila manusia meninggal maka terputuslah semua amalnya kecuali 3 perkara: [1] sedekah jariyah (mengalir), [2] ilmu yang diambil manfaatnya, dan [3] anak shalih yang mendoakannya.’”(HR. Muslim no. 1631)
Jawabannya, ketiga hal ini pada hakikatnya adalah hasil usaha dan amalnya sendiri. Perinciannya sebagai berikut.
Sedekah jariyah adalah hasil usahanya sendiri, karena hal itu merupakan atsar (bekas/jejak/peninggalan) orang tersebut sebelum meninggal. Dalilnya adalah firman Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala:
«إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى وَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوا وَآثَارَهُم»
“Sesungguhnya Kami akan menghidupkan orang mati dan menulis apa yang dahulu mereka perbuat dan atsar-atsar mereka.” (QS. Yasin [36]: 12)
Ilmu yang diambil manfaatnya oleh orang lain sepeninggalnya adalah hasil amalnya sendiri. Dalilnya adalah sabda Nabi Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam:
«مَنْ دَعَا إِلَى هُدًى، كَانَ لَهُ مِنَ الْأَجْرِ مِثْلُ أُجُورِ مَنْ تَبِعَهُ، لَا يَنْقُصُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَيْئًا»
“Barangsiapa menunjukkan kepada petunjuk, maka baginya pahala orang yang mengikutinya tanpa mengurangi pahalanya sedikitpun.”(HR. Muslim no. 2674)
Anak shalih beserta doanya adalah hasil usahanya sendiri. Dalilnya adalah sabda Nabi Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam:
«إِنَّ مِنْ أَطْيَبِ مَا أَكَلَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْ كَسْبِهِ وَوَلَدُهُ مِنْ كَسْبِهِ»
“Sesungguhnya makanan yang paling baik bagi seseorang adalah dari hasil usahanya sendiri dan sesungguhnya anak adalah hasil dari usahanya sendiri.”(Shahih: HR. Abu Dawud no. 3528 dan At-Tirmidzi no. 1358)
Untuk itu, semua amal ketaatan anak shalih, orang tua dapat jatah pahalanya meskipun tidak diniatkan oleh si anak. Namun, anak tidak boleh mengerjakan ibadah-ibadah yang dibebankan kepada orang tua, karena masuk ke dalam keumuman ayat An-Najm 39 di atas, kecuali tiga saja: sedekah, puasa nazhar, dan haji karena ada hadits shahih yang mengecualikannya.
Hadits Muslim di atas juga digunakan untuk menjelaskan hadits-hadits lain tentang amal-amal lain yang setema dengan ini. Imam As-Suyuthi (w. 911 H) mengumpulkan semua hadits tentang masalah ini beserta hadits Muslim di atas dan menyimpulkan ada 13 amal yang mengalir setelah kematiannya karena pada hakekatnya merupakan atsar (jejak) peninggalannya, yaitu:
Sedekah jariyah
Ilmu yang dimanfaatkan orang lain
Doa anak shalih untuknya
Ribath (berjaga di perbatasan saat jihad)
Menghidupkan sunnah.
Pelestarian tradisi yang baik oleh generasi berikutnya
Waqaf mushaf Al-Qur`an
Membangun masjid
Membangun rumah singgah untuk ibnu sabil
Mengalirkan sungai
Membuat sumur
Menanam pohon kurma (atau pohon lain yang hasilnya dapat dinikmati manusia/binatang)
Doa ampunan dari peziarah kubur kepada ahli kubur.
APA HIKMAHNYA?
Seandainya seseorang boleh menghadiahkan pahala kepada orang lain, tentu orang yang kaya akan membayar manusia untuk menghadiahkan pahala mereka kepadanya. Jadilah mereka pemalas dan semakin rakus mencari dunia. Akhirnya jadilah agama ini agama jual-beli. Yang kaya menang dan yang miskin bangkrut sekaligus miskin amal. Allah melarang manusia yang tahu hukum dari Al-Qur’an atau As-Sunnah lalu dia sembunyikan agar memperoleh harta dan dunia:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَيَشْتَرُونَ بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلا أُولَئِكَ مَا يَأْكُلُونَ فِي بُطُونِهِمْ إِلا النَّارَ وَلا يُكَلِّمُهُمُ اللَّهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَلا يُزَكِّيهِمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang menyembunyikan apa yang telah diturunkan Allah, yaitu Al Kitab dan menjualnya dengan harga yang sedikit (murah), mereka itu sebenarnya tidak memakan (tidak menelan) ke dalam perutnya melainkan api, dan Allah tidak akan berbicara kepada mereka pada hari kiamat dan tidak akan menyucikan mereka dan bagi mereka siksa yang amat pedih. (QS. Al-Baqarah [2]: 174)
Allah juga melarang menjadikan agama sebagai objek permainan dan senda gurau yang biasanya dilakukan untuk tujuan duniawi:
الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا دِينَهُمْ لَهْوًا وَلَعِبًا وَغَرَّتْهُمُ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا فَالْيَوْمَ نَنْسَاهُمْ كَمَا نَسُوا لِقَاءَ يَوْمِهِمْ هَذَا وَمَا كَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يَجْحَدُونَ
(yaitu) orang-orang yang menjadikan agama mereka sebagai main-main dan senda gurau, dan kehidupan dunia telah menipu mereka”. Maka pada hari (kiamat) ini, Kami melupakan mereka sebagaimana mereka melupakan pertemuan mereka dengan hari ini, dan (sebagaimana) mereka selalu mengingkari ayat-ayat Kami. (QS. Al-A’raf [7]: 51)
NIAT BAIK HARUS DIBARENGI CARA YANG BAIK
“Doa kirimannya bukan berupa Al-Fatihah, tetapi lafazh seperti: Ya Allah ampunilah fulan bin fulan dan rahmatillah ia, apakah tetap tidak boleh?”
Doa di atas baik dan benar, dan itulah doa yang dianjurkan. Hanya saja, perbuatan dan niat yang baik harus dibarengi dengan cara yang baik. Contoh mudahnya, kita semua tahu bahwa wortel sangat baik bagi kesehatan mata, tetapi jika cara memasukkannya ke tubuh salah maka akibatnya jadi tidak baik, yaitu dimasukkan lewat mata langsung, bukan lewat mulut.
Untuk lebih memahami bahwa perbuatan dan niat yang baik harus dengan cara yang baik —dan tidak ada cara terbaik kecuali apa yang dicontohkan Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam—, maka perhatikanlah 2 kisah berikut ini:
Kisah Pertama:
Dikisahkan bahwa ada seorang shahabat yang bernama Abu Bardah Radhiyallahu ‘Anhumenyembelih hewan kurbannya sebelum shalat ‘Id. Beliau beranggapan bahwa dengan menyembelih kambingnya lebih dini, dagingnya bisa langsung dimasak oleh keluarganya dan saat usai shalat ‘Id bisa langsung dibagikan agar bisa dinikmati. Sebab, daging kurban kaum muslimin disembelih setelah shalat ‘Id dan baru bisa dinikmati dagingnya menjelang Dhuhur, dan ini adalah masa yang lama.
Dari sini, kita mengetahui bahwa Abu Bardah Radhiyallahu ‘Anhumelakukan semua ini tentu dengan niat yang baik dan semangat berislam yang tinggi.
Ketika kabar ini sampai ke Nabi Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam beliau bersabda:
«شَاتُكَ شَاةُ لَحْمٍ»
“Kambingmu adalah kambing daging biasa.” (HR. Al-Bukhari no. 5556 dan Muslim no. 1961)
Maksudnya, kambingmu bukan kambing kurban karena tata caranya tidak sesuai dengan Sunnah, karena Sunnahnya adalah sembelihan kurban dilaksanakan setelah shalat ‘Id. Adapun menyembelih sebelum shalat ‘Id yang bukan pada waktunya, maka tidak dianggap sebagai kurban.
Nabi Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam bersabda:
«مَنْ ذَبَحَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُصَلِّىَ فَلْيَذْبَحْ أُخْرَى مَكَانَهَا، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَذْبَحْ فَلْيَذْبَحْ بِاسْمِ اللَّهِ»
“Barangsiapa yang menyembelih sebelum shalat (‘Id), hendaklah menyembelih lagi di tempatnya. Barangsiapa yang belum menyembelih, maka menyembelihlah dengan menyebut nama Allah.”(HR. Al-Bukhari no. 985 dan Muslim no. 1960)
Kisah Kedua:
Anas bin Malik Radhiyallahu ‘Anhu berkisah:
جَاءَ ثَلاَثَةُ رَهْطٍ إِلَى بُيُوْتِ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِىِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَسْأَلُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَةِ النَّبِىِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَلَمَّا أُخْبِرُوا كَأَنَّهُمْ تَقَالُّوهَا، فَقَالُوا: وَأَيْنَ نَحْنُ مِنَ النَّبِىِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَدْ غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ. قَالَ أَحَدُهُمْ: أَمَّا أَنَا فَإِنِّى أُصَلِّى اللَّيْلَ أَبَدًا، وَقَالَ آخَرُ: أَنَا أَصُومُ الدَّهْرَ وَلاَ أُفْطِرُ، وَقَالَ آخَرُ: أَنَا أَعْتَزِلُ النِّسَاءَ فَلاَ أَتَزَوَّجُ أَبَدًا. فَجَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: «أَنْتُمُ الَّذِينَ قُلْتُمْ كَذَا وَكَذَا، أَمَا وَاللَّهِ إِنِّى لأَخْشَاكُمْ لِلَّهِ وَأَتْقَاكُمْ لَهُ، لَكِنِّى أَصُومُ وَأُفْطِرُ، وَأُصَلِّى وَأَرْقُدُ، وَأَتَزَوَّجُ النِّسَاءَ، فَمَنْ رَغِبَ عَنْ سُنَّتِى فَلَيْسَ مِنِّى»
“Tiga orang datang ke kediaman istri-istri Nabi Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam untuk menanyakan ibadah Nabi shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. Saat diberitahu, seolah-olah mereka mengganggap ibadah beliau sedikit. Lalu mereka berkata, ‘Di mana kita dibanding Nabi shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam? Sungguh dosa-dosanya yang telah lalu dan yang akan datang telah diampuni.’ Maka orang pertama berkata, ‘Adapun aku akan shalat malam terus.’ Yang lain berkata, ‘Aku akan puasa terus dan tidak pernah absen.’ Yang lain berkata, ‘Aku menjauhi wanita dan tidak akan menikah.’ Kemudian, Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam mendatangi mereka seraya berkata, ‘Kaliankah yang mengatakan demikian dan demikian. Demi Allah, aku adalah orang yang paling takut kepada Allah dan paling bertakwa kepada-Nya di antara kalian. Namun, aku puasa dan juga berbuka (tidak berpuasa), shalat malam dan juga tidur, dan menikahi wanita-wanita. Barangsiapa yang tidak menyukai sunnah-Ku, maka dia bukan termasuk golonganku.’”(HR. Al-Bukhari no. 5063 dan Muslim no. 1401)
Tiga orang ini memiliki semangat yang tinggi dalam berislam. Di antara buktinya, di antara mereka ada yang selalu berpuasa sunnah dan tidak pernah absen. Yang lain selalu shalat malam dan tidak tidur. Yang lain tidak menikah agar bisa fokus ibadah.
Mereka melakukan ibadah-ibadah itu atas persangkaan dan niat yang baik berdasarkan ucapan mereka, ‘Di mana kita dibanding Nabi Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam? Sungguh dosa-dosanya yang telah lalu dan yang akan datang telah diampuni.’ Mereka beranggapan, meskipun ibadah Nabi biasa-biasa saja, hal itu sesuatu yang wajar karena beliau manusia terbaik sekaligus seorang Rasul serta dosa-dosanya yang lalu maupun yang akan datang telah diampuni. Sementara kita, tidak ada jaminan diampuni dan kita tidak tahu apakah kita akan masuk surga atau neraka. Maka, kita harus giat dalam beribadah.
Namun, ketika kabar ini sampai ke Nabi Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam, beliau tidak menyukainya.
Dari dua kisah ini kita mengetahui bahwa beramal dan beribadah dengan niat yang baik dan semangat yang tinggi saja dalam Islam, tidaklah cukup. Namun, ia harus ditambah dengan petunjuk Nabi Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam.
Al-Hafizh Ibnu Hajar Rahimahullah berkata:
قَالَ الشَّيْخُ أَبُوْ مُحَمَّدٍ بِنْ أَبِي جَمْرَةَ: وَفِيْهِ أَنَّ الْعَمَلَ وَإِنْ وَافَقَ نِيَّةً حَسَنَةً لَمْ يَصِحَّ إِلاَّ إِذاَ وَقَعَ عَلَى وَفْقِ الشَّرْعِ
“Syaikh Abu Muhammad bin Abu Jamrah berkata, ‘Dalam hadits ini terpahami bahwa amal tidak sah meskipun dengan niat yang baik kecuali jika dikerjakan sesuai syari’at.” (Fathul Baari (X/17) oleh Ibnu Hajar)
APAKAH PATOKAN KEBENARAN BANYAKNYA PELAKU TRADISI?
“Akan tetapi, tradisi ‘kirim doa’ sudah turun-temurun dan dilakukan oleh banyak orang, bagaimana tanggapan Anda?”
‘sudah menjadi tradisi’ dan ‘dilakukan banyak orang’ bukanlah cara mengukur kebenaran. Sebab, ukuran kebenaran adalah Al-Qur’an, hadits, dan ucapan ulama salaf dalam menjelaskannya. Orang-orang Quraiys menolak dakwah Nabi Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam adalah dengan alasan dakwah beliau bertentangan dengan tradisi terdahulu dan tradisi banyak orang. Andai hal ini dibenarkan, tentu Nabi Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam akan berhenti berdakwah. Allah berfirman:
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّبِعُوا مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ قَالُوا بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا أَلْفَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا أَوَلَوْ كَانَ آبَاؤُهُمْ لا يَعْقِلُونَ شَيْئًا وَلا يَهْتَدُونَ
Dan apabila dikatakan kepada mereka: “Ikutilah apa yang telah diturunkan Allah,” mereka menjawab: “(Tidak), tetapi kami hanya mengikuti apa yang telah kami dapati dari (perbuatan) nenek moyang kami”. “(Apakah mereka akan mengikuti juga), walaupun nenek moyang mereka itu tidak mengetahui suatu apa pun, dan tidak mendapat petunjuk?” (QS. Al-Baqarah [2]: 170)
Begitu pula, mengukur kebenaran dengan ‘banyaknya pelaku tradisi’ tidak dibenarkan Allah. Allah berfirman:
وَإِنْ تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَنْ فِي الأرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ إِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلا الظَّنَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلا يَخْرُصُونَ
Dan jika kamu menuruti kebanyakan orang-orang yang di muka bumi ini, niscaya mereka akan menyesatkanmu dari jalan Allah. Mereka tidak lain hanyalah mengikuti persangkaan belaka, dan mereka tidak lain hanyalah berdusta (terhadap Allah). (QS. Al-An’am [6]: 116)
Mohon tidak salah paham, bukan maksud saya mengklaim ‘kebanyakan orang sesat’, tetapi saya hanya menjelaskan bahwa mengukur kebenaran itu bukan dengan hal ini tetapi dengan nash/dalil.
“Pokoknya saya tetap mengikuti ustadz saya. Berapapun dalil yang Anda berikan, tidak akan berefek bagi saya?”
Anda cinta Allah? Jika Anda jujur cinta Allah, maka ikutilah Nabi Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam. Saat kita mengikuti seorang ustadz, hakikatnya kita mengikuti ajaran Nabi Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam yang disampaikan ustadz tersebut, bukan mengikuti individunya. Jika ternyata menyelisihi dalil, maka wajib diitinggal.
قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
Katakanlah: “Jika kamu (benar-benar) mencintai Allah, ikutilah aku, niscaya Allah mengasihi dan mengampuni dosa-dosamu.” Allah Maha Pengampun lagi Maha Penyayang. (QS. Ali Imran [3]: 31)
Saya ingatkan Anda tentang suatu hari dimana Anda akan sendirian mempertanggungjawabkan agama sendiri-sendiri. Saat itu, jangankan ustadz, orang-orang yang kita cintai pun akan lari dari kira. Bahkan kita sendiri akan tega menggunakan mereka sebagai tebusan agar bisa selamat dari huru-hara di sana (QS. Al-Ma’arij [70]: 11-14). Renungkan ayat ini:
إِذْ تَبَرَّأَ الَّذِينَ اتُّبِعُوا مِنَ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوا وَرَأَوُا الْعَذَابَ وَتَقَطَّعَتْ بِهِمُ الأسْبَابُ * وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوا لَوْ أَنَّ لَنَا كَرَّةً فَنَتَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُمْ كَمَا تَبَرَّءُوا مِنَّا كَذَلِكَ يُرِيهِمُ اللَّهُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ حَسَرَاتٍ عَلَيْهِمْ وَمَا هُمْ بِخَارِجِينَ مِنَ النَّارِ
(Yaitu) ketika orang-orang yang diikuti itu berlepas diri dari orang-orang yang mengikutinya, dan mereka melihat siksa; dan (ketika) segala hubungan antara mereka terputus sama sekali. Dan berkatalah orang-orang yang mengikuti: “Seandainya kami dapat kembali (ke dunia), pasti kami akan berlepas diri dari mereka, sebagaimana mereka berlepas diri dari kami.” Demikianlah Allah memperlihatkan kepada mereka amal perbuatannya menjadi sesalan bagi mereka; dan sekali-kali mereka tidak akan ke luar dari api neraka. (QS. Al-Baqarah [2]: 166-167)
يَوْمَ تُقَلَّبُ وُجُوهُهُمْ فِي النَّارِ يَقُولُونَ يَا لَيْتَنَا أَطَعْنَا اللَّهَ وَأَطَعْنَا الرَّسُولا * وَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّا أَطَعْنَا سَادَتَنَا وَكُبَرَاءَنَا فَأَضَلُّونَا السَّبِيلا * رَبَّنَا آتِهِمْ ضِعْفَيْنِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ وَالْعَنْهُمْ لَعْنًا كَبِيرًا
Pada hari ketika muka mereka dibolak-balikkan dalam neraka, mereka berkata: “Alangkah baiknya, andai kata kami taat kepada Allah dan taat (pula) kepada Rasul”. Dan mereka berkata: “Ya Tuhan kami, sesungguhnya kami telah menaati pemimpin-pemimpin dan pembesar-pembesar kami, lalu mereka menyesatkan kami dari jalan (yang benar). Ya Tuhan kami, timpakanlah kepada mereka azab dua kali lipat dan kutuklah mereka dengan kutukan yang besar”. (QS. Al-Ahzab [33]: 66-68)
Mohon jangan salah paham, maksud saya di sini tidak lain hanya ingin menjelaskan bahwa nanti akan ada (dan PASTI ada) orang-orang yang menyesal karena dulu lebih mendahulukan “kefanatikannya” kepada seorang tokoh, padahal dia tahu pendapat tokoh itu menyelisihi dalil.
EFEK SAMPING
Efek samping Doa SMS adalah:
Menjadikan manusia meremehkan belajar agama dan condong belajar ilmu dunia. Mereka beranggapan, yang penting kaya maka bisa boking doa tiap hari bahkan tiap jam selama setahun, misalnya.
Akan banyak orang tua yang tidak memperhatikan agama anaknya. Mereka beranggapan, yang penting anak sukses, agama nomor dua.
Agama dijadikan ajang meraup dunia. Andai tiap hari yang kirim doa sms sebanyak 10.000 orang, maka omset Telkomsel Rp 1,65 milyar/bulan. Bukankah ini fitnah bagi penggagasnya?
KESIMPULAN
Mendoakan orang mati adalah disyariatkan agamanya. Nabi Muhammad Shallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam biasa mendoakan orang yang telah mati dan telah mencontohkannya. Siapa yang mencukupkan diri dengan ajaran beliau, maka itulah yang aslam (lebih selamat), ahkam (lebih bijak), dan ahda (lebih berpetunjuk).Allahu a’lam.
Saya tidak meyakini terbebas dari kesalahan. Saya sangat senang jika Pembaca mau mengkoreksi dan menunjukkan kesalahan saya. Silahkan komentar di norkandirblog.wordpress.com
*Penulis adalah santri dan warga asli Jepara.
Artikel norkandirblog.wordpress.com
norkandirblog.wordpress.com/2016/09/01/cita-citaku-hafal-...
Cita-Citaku Hafal Al-Qur’an Sebelum Wisuda Teknik
Cita-Citaku Hafal Al-Qur’an Sebelum Wisuda Teknik
Target Halafan Al-Qur’an
SURAT KE
NAMA SURAT
HAFAL
TINGKATAN DHOBIT
SELURUH
SEBAGIAN
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Al-Fatihah
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Al-Baqoroh
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3
Ali Imron
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4
An-Nisa
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5
Al-Maidah
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Al-An’am
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Al-A`rof
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Al-Anfal
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At-Taubah
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Yunus
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Huud
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Yusuf
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Ar-Ro’d
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Ibrohim
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Al-Hijr
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An-Nahl
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Al-Isro’
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Al-Kahfi
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Maryam
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Thoha
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Al-Anbiya
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Al-Hajj
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Al-Mukminun
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An-Nur
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Al-Furqon
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Asy-Syuaro’
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An-Naml
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Al-Qosos
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Al-Ankabut
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Ar-Rum
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Luqman
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As-Sajdah
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33
Al-Ahzab
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Saba’
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Fatir
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Yasin
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Ash-Shoffat
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Shood
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Az-Zumar
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Al-Ghofir
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Al-Fussilat
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Asy-Syuuro
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Az-Zukhruf
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Ad-Dukhon
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Al-Jatsiyah
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Al-Ahqof
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Muhammad
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Al-Fath
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Al-Hujurot
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Qoof
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Adz-Dzariat
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Ath-Thur
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An-Najm
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Al-Qomar
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Ar-Rohman
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Al-Waqi’ah
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Al-Hadid
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Al-Mujadilah
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Al-Hasyr
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Al-Mumtahanah
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Ash-Shof
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Al-Jumuah
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Al-Munafiqun
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At-Taghobun
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Ath-Tholaq
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At-Tahrim
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Al-Mulk
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Al-Qolam
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Al-Haqqoh
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Al-Ma’arij
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Nuh
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Al-Jin
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Al-Muzammil
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Al-Muddatstsir
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Al-Qiyamah
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Al-Insan
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Al-Mursalat
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An-Naba’
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An-Naziat
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Abasa
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At-Takwir
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Al-Infithor
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Al-Muthoffifin
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Al-Insyiqoq
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Al-Buruj
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Ath-Thoriq
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Al-‘Ala
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Al-Ghosyiyah
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Al-Fajr
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Al-Balad
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Asy-Syam
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Al-Lail
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Adh-Dhuha
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Al-Insyiroh
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At-Tin
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Al-Alaq
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Al-Qodar
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Al-Bayyinah
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Az-Zalzalah
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Al-Adiyat
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Al-Qoriah
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At-Takastur
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Al-‘Asr
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Al-Humazah
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Al-Fil
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Al-Quroisy
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Al-Maun
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Al-Kautsar
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Al-Ikhlas
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Inilah program cita-citanya yang harus dia selesaikan sebelum wisuda. Dia bertekad sebelum wisuda, hafalan Al-Qur’annya selesai dan Hadits Arbain karya An-Nawawi. Sebagai buktinya, dia membuat tabel Target Hafalan Al-Qur’an. Terkesima kita melihatnya. Namun, masih ada di dalam hatinya rasa pesimishingga ia berbisik, “Namun, hal ini sepertinya mustahil. Aku tidak mungkin bisa menyelesaikannya. Mata kuliyah teknik amat sulit dan sukar, belum lagi tugas yang melimpah-ruah, asistensi, dan target IP cumloude untuk lanjut studi S2 di Saudi. Ditambah lagi, aku telah terserang MERIANG* dan PILEK** sehingga ingin segera merajut tali pernikahan.”
[*MERINDUKAN KASIH SAYANG]
[**PENYAKIT INGIN LEKAS KAWIN]
Si dia di sini barangkali adalah kenalan kita, teman kita, atau bahkan kita sendiri. Di tahun-tahun terakhir ini tidak dipungkiri lagi semarak kajian Sunnah di mana-mana sehingga nuansa semangat mempelajari agama semerbak di kampus-kampus, terutama kampus teknik. Nah, melalui tulisan ini, saya hendak memberi sedikit motivasi kepada si dia agar tetap optimis menatap masa depan yang masih rahasia Ilahi.
Pembaca Budiman, mari kita mendengarkan perkataan seorang Imam ahli tafsir, ahli hadits, ahli qiro’ah, ahli fiqih, ahli zuhud, dan ahli ibadah, serta ahli arudh pada zamannya, Abu Ja’far Ibnu Jarir ath-Thobari tatkala berkata kepada murid-muridnya.
Beliau berkata, “Apakah kalian bersemangat untuk menulis tafsir Al-Qur’an?”
Muri-murid beliau menjawab, “Berapa jumlah halamannya?”
Beliau menjawab, “30.000 halaman.”
“Wah, umur akan habis sebelum menyelesaikannya,” ujar mereka.
Akhirnya, beliau meringkasnya hanya sekitar 3.000 halaman. Beliau mendiktekan kitab tafsir tersebut selama 7 tahun, dimulai sejak tahun 283 H hingga tahun 290 H. Kemudian, beliau bertanya lagi kepada mereka,
“Apakah kalian bersemangat menulis sejarah dunia sejak Adam hingga zaman kita hari ini?”
“Berapa jumlah halamannya?” tanya mereka. Beliau pun menjawab seperti jawaban pertama dan mereka pun menjawab dengan jawaban yang sama. Maka, beliau bekata,
“Inna lillahi. Sungguh, cita-cita besar itu telah mati!”
Maka, beliau pun meringkasnya seperti yang beliau lakukan terhadap kitab tafsir. Beliau selesai menyusun dan menelitinya kembali dan selesai membacakannya pada hari Rabu, tiga hari menjelang akhir bulan Rabi’ul Akhir tahun 303 H.
Sesungguhnya menghafal Al-Qur’an adalah pekerjaan yang mulia. Adakah perkataan yang lebih mulia daripada Kalam Allah? Sungguh, perumpamaan perkataan Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala dibanding seluruh perkataan yang ada bagaikan Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala dibanding seluruh makhlukNya. Tidaklah seseorang menyibukkan diri dengan Al-Qur’an melainkan Dia akan memberi dengan pemberian yang lebih utama melebihi apa yang Dia berikan kepada orang-orang yang berdzikir dan meminta kepadaNya.
Sesungguhnya Neraka itu darokat (bertingkat ke bawah) dan Surga itu darojat (bertingkat ke atas). Setiap penduduk Surga akan diseru, “Bacalah Al-Qur’an dengan mentartilkan bacaanmu lalu naiklah. Sesungguhnya tempatmu di Surga adalah di akhir ayat yang kamu baca sewaktu di dunia!” Atau yang semakna dengan itu. Lantas, Adakah jenis manusia yang bacaannya lebih banyak selain Ahlul Qur’an? Para penghafal Al-Qur’an menghabiskan waktunya untuk menghafalnya, mentadabburi makna ayat-ayatnya, mengamalkannya, lalu memurojaah hafalannya agar tidak hilang. Setiap huruf Al-Qur’an yang mereka baca diganjar dengan satu hasanah dan satu hasanah itu dilipatgandakan menjadi 10 hasanah. Sebab, alif laam miim bukanlah satu huruf. Namun, alif adalah satu huruf, laam adalah satu huruf, dan miim adalah satu haruf. Maka, seseorang yang telah membaca alim laam miim akan mendapatkan 30 hasanah. Barangsiapa datang dengan satu hasanah, maka baginya sepuluh yang semisalnya. Oleh karena itu, Syaikhul Islam Ibnu Taimiyyah menyesal tidak memperbanyak waktu untuk menyelami makna-makna Al-Qur’an, yaitu tatkala beliau berkata, “Sungguh, selama di penjara ini, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala telah membukakan bagiku banyak sekali makna-makna Al-Qur’an dan prinsip-prinsip ilmu yang banyak diinginkan oleh mayoritas ulama. Aku menyesal telah telah menyia-nyiakan kebanyakan waktuku bukan untuk membahas makna-makna Al-Qur’an.”
Barangkai si dia memiliki keyakinan bahwa dia merasa cukup dengan menghadiri kajian-kajian ilmu dengan duduk manis mendengarkan ceramah ustadz ditambah lagi dengan adanya kajian-kajian agama di radio yang bisa didengarkan dengan mudah sehingga lebih memperkuat keyakinannya akan kecukupan mendapatkan ilmu dari keduanya. Memang benar, ini adalah perkara yang tidak bisa dipungkiri kebenarannya tetapi bila mencukupkan diri hanya dengan itu saja, maka jelas ini keliru. Memang, dia paham dan mengerti bahkan miah-miah apa yang disampaikan ustadz. Namun, untuk berdakwah tidaklah cukup dengan pemahaman saja. Sebab, dakwah butuh hujjah-hujjah, atsar-atsar para shohabat dan tabi’in, serta pendapat para imam yang harus dia hafalkan dan yang paling penting di antara itu adalah hafalan Al-Qur’an. Dengan itulah, hati mad’u bisa tertawan dan apa yang dia sampaikan dengan hafalannya semakin membuat mad`u yakin, meskipun ini tidaklah mutlak.
Terakhir, saya akhiri risalah ini dengan doa penduduk Surga. Semoga saya, antum, dan Si Fulan itu dikumpulkan di dalam Surga Firdaus yang merupakan pertengahan Surga dan Surga yang paling tinggi. Dari sanalah sumber sungai-sungai Surga, baik sungai air tawar, sungai susu yang tidak pernah berubah rasanya, sungai khomr yang lezat bagi peminumnya, atau sungai madu yang tersaring dan di atas Surga Firdauslah terdapat `Arsy ar-Rohman yang Maha Agung. Serta, semoga kita dinikahkan dengan bidadari bermata jeli yang belum tersentuh sebelumnya oleh jin dan manusia yang kerudungnya lebih indah daripada dunia dan seisinya dan aroma wanginya akan memenuhi dunia bila menoleh kepadanya.
“Doa mereka di dalamnya ialah:subhaanakallahummadan salam penghormatan mereka ialah:salaamDan penutup doa mereka ialah:alhamdulillahirabbil aalamiin.”[1]
Surabaya, Mei 2011
Nor Kandir
Artikel norkandirblog.wordpress.com
[1]QS. Yuunus [10]: 10.
Een madrassa of medresse is het Arabische woord voor school, zowel seculier als religieus. In de westerse wereld wordt madrassa gebruikt voor een Koranschool. Dit is een religieuze school waar de islam wordt onderwezen. De eerste madrassa werd in 1067 gesticht in Bagdad. Wereldwijd zorgen deze religieuze madrassa's voor volledig gratis onderwijs, voedsel en kleding voor 1,3 miljoen kinderen.
Het was de grootvizier Nizam al-Moelk van het Seltsjoekenrijk die het onderwijssysteem revolutionair veranderde. Met de stichting van de madrassa hoopte Nizam op een uniformere beleving van de islam, omdat toentertijd nogal wat opstandige sektes (zoals de Assassijnen en de Fatimiden) andere leren propageerden. De eerste madrassa's waren bedoeld voor hoger onderwijs. Ter onderscheiding van de latere madrassa's, die ook voor jonge kinderen zijn, worden deze instituten wel nizamiyyahs genoemd.
In veel madrassa's neemt de recitatie van de Koran een belangrijke plaats in. Dit houdt vaak in dat de studenten de Koran letterlijk uit het hoofd kunnen opzeggen in het klassiek Arabisch, maar deze niet begrijpen, omdat ze vaak deze taal niet machtig zijn, zelfs niet als zij Arabisch spreken. Pupillen die leren reciteren op de madrassa's mogen daarom de Koran niet interpreteren; hiervoor is speciale tafsir. Dit zijn twee verschillende soorten expertises. (wikipedia)
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DOWNLOAD KITAB KLASIK (INDUK) BERBAHASA ARAB ASLI
DOWNLOAD KITAB KLASIK (INDUK) BERBAHASA ARAB ASLI
—((( TAFSIR )))—
Tafsir Ibnu Katsir
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Tafsir As-Sa’di
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Tafsir Ath-Thabari
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Tafsir Ibnu Abi Hatim
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Tafsir Al-Qurthubi
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Tafsir Zadul Masir >> Ibnul Jauzi
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Tafsir Ad-Durrul Mantsur >> As-Suyuthi
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Tafsir Jalalain
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Tafsir Adwaul Bayan >> Asy-Syinqithi
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Tafsir Ash-Shahih Al-Masbur >> Dr. Hikmat
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—((( HADITS )))—
KUTUBUS SITTAH (6 Kitab Hadits Induk: Al-Bukhari, Muslim, At-Tirmidzi, Abu Dawud, An-Nasai, dan Ibnu Majah)
1 – Shahih Al-Bukhari
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2 – Shahih Muslim
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3 – Al-Jami At-Tirmidzi
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4 – Sunan Abu Dawud
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5 – Sunan An-Nasai
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6 – Sunan Ibnu Majah
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KITAB HADITS INDUK LAINNYA
Musnad Ahmad
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Shahih Ibnu Khuzaimah
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Shahih Ibnu Hibban
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Al-Mustadrak Ala Ash-Shahihain >> Al-Hakim
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Syu’abul Iman >> Al-Baihaqi
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Al-Adab Al-Mufrad >> Al-Bukhari
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Al-Mu’jam Ash-Shaghir >> Ath-Thabrani
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Al-Mu’jam Al-Ausath >> Ath-Thabrani
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Al-Mu’jam Al-Kabir >> Ath-Thabrani
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Sunan Ad-Darimi
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Sunan Ad-Daruquthi
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Makhdoom Ali Mahimi (1372–1431) was a Muslim Scholar originating from the Konkan in India, widely[vague] acknowledged for his scholarly treatises, liberal views and humanist ideals. Mahimi was born into a family of Arab travelers from Iraq who had settled down on the island of Mahim, one of the seven islands that later formed the city of Bombay (now Mumbai).
Not much is known of his early childhood. He later became the disciple of Mohiuddin Ibne Arabi, a Spanish Muslim saint. Mahimi's reputation grew after the Sultan of Gujarat, Ahmed Shah of the Muzaffarid dynasty, chose him to be the town's Qazi (the Head Muslim Judge/cleric of a town).
Mahimi was the first Indian scholar to write an exegesis on the Qur'an, which gained critical acclimation from numerous Islamic scholars including Shah Waliullah. Authoring a total of nineteen books, he was given the moniker Qutb-e -Kokan (Kokan's Pole Star). His commentary (tafseer) of the Nobel Quran in Arabic "Tayseer Al-Quran" is available in Al Azhar University, Cairo and Ummul-Qura University, Makkah.
Mahimi is revered by both the Muslims and Hindus, all Muslim sects hold him in high esteem. After his death in 1431, he was buried in Mahim. The site later became a dargah (shrine) for devotees.
During the annual ten day Urs festival celebrated on the 13th day of Shawwal as per the Muslim calendar, millions of devotees visit his dargah.
The highlight of this is a procession of around eight thousand begins at the Mahim Police Station, believed to be the site of his residence. Two police officers from each of the eighty four city police stations represent the police whose association with the saint dates back to the saint's era. A representative of the Mumbai police who is the first to offer the "chaddar" (shawl) at the tomb on the first day of the festival. Legend has it that it was a police constable who gave water to the dying saint from his cap. Another story points to some miraculous assistance police officers once received from an old man, whom they believed was the saint, in fighting smugglers.
A room adjacent to the office of the senior inspector of police station contains a steel cupboard that houses the saint's preserved belongings such as his chair, a pair of sandals and his hand-written Qur'an which is considered to be a calligraphic work of art. The room is opened once every year to the public. In 1920 the cupboard was purchased by a senior British police inspector, Raymond Esquire as a tribute to the saint he revered.
On 2005-05-21, the government of Maharashtra named the JJ Flyover after the saint as a tribute to the saint. The 2.1 kilometre flyover is the longest viaduct in the country.
[edit]Name And Lineage
Dargah Sharif on 11/23/2011
His name is Ali as well as Alauddin. His surname is Abul Hasan and the title is Zainuddin. The tribes of Nawait families were connected to the ‘Paro’ and the same that is ‘Paro’ was his family title. Being well versed in theology he was called Faquih and being a place of refuge to all and a competent authority he was called Makhdum.He was considered to be one of the saints. So, he was called, Shaikh’.
His respectable father’s name is Maulana Shaikh Ahmad who was a learned man of high grade and he was a genuine saint. He was considered to be one of the wealthy traders of Kokan.
His honourable mother’s name is Hazrat Fatima Bint (Daughter of) Nakhuda Husain Ankolia. It is said of his maternal grandfather that he was king of the traders. His venerable mother was a pious devout, an abstinent and she was very religious-minded and god-fearing. She was a saintly woman.
1) He is Makhdum Ali Bin Ahmad and known as Ibn (son) of Bint (daughter of) Husain Nakuda Ankolia. This statement (opinion) has been adapted from a book namely Khatib Kalyani in an Arabic magazine Zamirul Insaan.
2) He is Ali Bin Hasan Bin Ibrahim Bin Ismail, the writer of ilhamur Rehman and Compiler of Tafsirur Rehman Bin Muhammad Bin Ahmad entitled Kodar. This opinion was found written at the end of ‘Shumailul Atqiya by the writer of this magazine. This book Shumail’, as per the writer of the magazine was written in his own handwriting by Hazrat Makhdum Ali Faquih Mahaimi. He writes, also that, the scholars of our times were fully sure that the second statement had been written by Hazrat Makhdum Ali Faquih Mahaimi himself at the end of the’ Shumail’.
Maulawi Late Muhammad Yusuf Khatkhate. referring to a passage of the handwritten book Tabsirur Rehman, has written that in this book as described, of Hazrat Makhdurn Ali, is Alauddin and as a matter of fact our forefathers and parents are related to Ali Paro Bin Ahmad Paro Bin Ali Paro Bin Ahmad Paro and as well as, ibn bint (D/O) Husain Nakhuda Ankolia . And probably it is the right one.
This hand-written copy of the book was copied down 133 years after the death of Hazrat Makhdum Ali Faquih Mahaimi any way, Hazrat Makhdum Ali was a son and descendant of a gentle and respectable family. And his predecessors were originally Arabs that is Naiti. In an ancient book. It is written that (Hazrat Makhdum Ali Maulana Shaikh Ahmad Mahaimi comes of a Nawait Clan. This word is on the metre (weight) of Thawabit. A certain community lived in the cities and towns of Southern India (The Deccan). Their description is available in the Persian books. An ancient written, Tabri has written in his historical book that Naita is a tribe of ‘Quraish who had fled from Madina Munawwara due to the fear of Hajjaj Bin Yusuf (who had killed five thousand scholars and saintly people without any pretext). And these people got down near about the mouth of the Indus River. and they made that territory their living place.[1]
[edit]The Originality Of Nawayat
The word of Nawayat can be written with its last letters as ‘to’e’ or ‘te’ The ancient historians and the writers of biographies used to write it with both the letters.
Nawayat is a community of the tribe, Quraish, who is related to Muhammad through Nazr Bin Kanana. These were the residents of Madina Munawwara. They migrated to India during the period of Hajjaj bin Yusuf and they got down on the coast of the Indian Ocean.
[edit]Arrival Of Nawayat In India
Having got fed up with the cruelties and tyrannies of Hajjaj Bin Yusuf. the first caravan of Muslim Arab Migrators took shelter in India on 8th Hijri that is in the year 699 A.D. There were, in this caravan, some Arab migrators of the village of Basra., which was called Nayat. Their family tree is connected to the tribe of Quraish through the family of Banu Nazar.
Against the courageous steps of Abdulla Bin Zubair Radi Allahu anhu, Abdul Malik Bin Marwan encouraged and incited Hajjaj Bin Yususf to killings, plunder and blood-shed. He made many a people of Banu Hashim prisoners and made them to suffer great hardships. Some of these people went to North Africa and Spain and one of the caravans of the migrators got down around the islands of Bombay. They got down at Sopara, Thana, Semore (Chambur). a seaport at that time.
In the Bombay Gazette, it has been written about Hazrat Makhdum Ali Faquih Mahaimi that: “This sufi (saint) was of Arab origin. His fore-fathers came to Mahim in the year 860 A.D. i.e. 252 H. as they were not able to stand against the tyrannies and cruelties of Hajjaj Bin Yusuf And after about five hundred years later Hazrat Makhdum Ali Faquih Mahaimi was born.
[edit]Education And Training
His honourable father Maulana Hazrat Shaikh Ahmad Sahib was learned, great scholar and saintly man. He lived in Kokan from the very beginning. He was of Arab origin *and comes of the descendants of Hazrat Jafar Tayyar Radi allahu anhu Bin Hazrat Abi Talib Radi Allahu anhu . His mausoleum is situated in Amman (the capital of .Jordan) in the city of Moutha. The city of Mautah is situated at the distance of 112 Km. from Amman.
His honourable father, having observed his smart son’s cleverness and liking for knowledge and learning, paid his attention to his higher education. And, as he, too, was a great scholar of Arabic language.
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He, therefore. helped his son Hazrat Makhdum Ali Mahaimi to become. a scholar. In his childhood. under the training of his father, Maulana Shaikh Ahmed rehmatullahi Bin Ali, Hazrat Makhdum Ali Mahaimi acquired full fledged knowledge of recitation of’ the Qura’n with correct phonetics. theology, logic, philosophy, Hadith and all other extra-religious fields of knowledge and traditionlally reported sciences etcetera.
The gracious mother of Hazrat Makhdum, Hazrat Bibi Fatima, too, was a perfect saintly woman. The gracious parents of Hazrat Makhdum through their training. polished and illuminated the God-gifted talents of their son. And by the favour and bounty of Allah, He became a writer of Quranic exegesis of high quality, a scholar of Muhammad's traditions, a theologian and a saint (Sufi), excellent and well versed in revelation and miracles. It is widely known that Hazrat Khizr Alaih salaam, also, took a greater part in his training.
When Hazrat Makhdum was barely of nine years age. completed all the branches of knowledge. external as well as celestial and the Islamic Jurisprudence. Thereafter, only a few days had passed when, on the 25th of Jamadil Akhir 785 Hijri, his father Maulana Shaikh died.
In some other book, the year of the expiry of Maulana Shaikh Ahmad Bin Ali is given as 788 Hijri.)
Hazrat Makhdum’s revered father Maulana Shaikh Ahmad Bin Ali; who rose from the land of Kalyan, was buried in the very place of land. The grave of Hazrat Makhdum Ali’s father is situated in the locality of Kalyan, namely Bombal Bazar*. Near Namak Bander (salt port) of Kalyan, there is an old graveyard and in it is situated a pucca Mausoleum, a shrine. of Maulana Shaikh Ahmad Ali which was built on 5th Rabiul Awwal, 1313 Hijri.
His mausoleum is situated adjacent to the Bahir Kot (fort) Masjid (Mosque) and to the other side, there is the mausoleum of Hazrat Nizamuddin Khamosh.
Bombal Bazar, - Ghas Bazar :. On this very same date, the fair (Urs) is celebrated every year regularly.
Some local poet has said two stanzas of poetry in Urdu depicting the date of his expiry. These are in Urdu and the poet is Rashid. They are inscribed on two marble plaques. One of them is inside the mausoleum while the other one is outside it.
The inside plaque bears these lines:
Janab-e- Shaikh Ahmad Wasil-e-Haq
Jahan se jab huye jannat ko rukhsat
Lisan-e-gaib-e- Rashid ne bataya
Makeenul Khuld un ka sal-e- rukhsat
(788 H.)
When Hazrat Makhdum Ali became orphan due to the expiry of his father, his thirst for knowledge and learning went on increasing. There was no source to quench this thirst. hence he came to his respected mother and said, Dear Mother My longing for knowledge is going on increasing. Here, I don’t find any source to satisfy my desire and longing for it. If you give me permission then. I would set out in search of the knowledge. The respected mother looked at the son for some time and then said.’ My son! your separation is unbearable to me. Allah, The Highest, is The Causer of the Causes. He, being the real doer of things, will make such a provision from unknown that it will be the source of satisfaction to your longing. The knowledge that is obtained through the divine favour is better than that acquired by any method of teaching and learning.
So. the very night. his respectable mother prayed to Allah and her prayers were answered positively by Allah. As usual, after the early morning prayer was over, Hazrat Makhdum Ali, went for a walk to the sea-side. While he was strolling on the coast of the sea, he saw a radiant faced elderly person sitting on a rock which was lying on the coast of the sea. He conveyed his salam (the best wishes) to him. The elderly man returned his salams to Hazrat Makhdum Ali and showed his pleasure smilingly. Then, he said, ‘ You are longing for acquiring divine knowledge, then you come here to me daily every morning and I will teach you. The things you wish to obtain through journeys to distant places, Insha Allah (If Allah so wishes), you will get the same here and here. I am the Khizr Alaih salaam. Allah, The highest, has sent me to teach you. Don’t divulge this secret to anybody.
So, he would go to that place where Khizr Alaih salam used to be sitting. It was his routine to do so every morning after the early morning (fajr) prayers were over. He was regular in this . And, thus, he started to acquire godly knowledge from Hazrat Khizr Alaih Salaam In a few days, he was perfect in both the types of knowledge, intellectual as well as additional. One day, by chance, his respectable mother made an enquiry with him. saying. “My son! To whom do you go to obtain knowledge daily? I have heard that you go to the sea-shore every day” . At first, he hesitated to give reply to his mother’s enquiry. But, feeling that it would be against the manner, he said, I go to Hazrat Khizr Alaih Salaam to learn from him.”
The next day, when, as usual, he went to the sea-shore, he found that Hazrat Khizr Alaih Salaam was not there. He regretted much and become very sorrowful and came to his mother. Hazrat Makhdum, with tears in his eyes said to his mother, ‘Dear Mother ! I had, against the instruction and warning of Hazrat Khizr Alaih Salaam, mentioned you the secret of his teaching. And, I think, most probably, being angry with me, he did not turn up today.” The glorious mother, again, consoled him and said, “Don’t be disapponted. Allah, The Highest, is The Most Powerful. He will send, again, Hazrat Khizr Alaih Salaam for the sake of you. “ The glorious mother prayed to Allah, that very night. Consequently, the next day, at the time of the prayers of Asr, Hazrat Khizr Alaih Salaam met him on the way and said, “ You have got the inspired- knowledge by the order of Allah.” Then he took him to the sea-shore and having taken out a morsel of godly bounty from his own mouth, fed it to him and said “Your glorious mother’s prayers are always answered positively and you have achieved mastery over all the branches of knowledge by the favour of Allah.” When he was free from the evening prayers, he found his pure and clean bosom overloaded with all the branches of the knowledge.
[edit]Habits And Good Qualities
The real essence of life is the beauty of character. It is only the good character that has made the memory of the noble men perpetual and has strengthened their description Sayyid Ibrahim Madni, in his hook, Magazine Zamirul Insan says, “ Hazrat Makhdum Sahib was very modest, good mannered, obedient and fond of service to his parents from his childhood. By chance, one night his mother, after her night prayers, was lying on the bed. She felt thirsty. So, she asked Makhdum Ali to fetch her water. He return with the water but he saw that his mother was fast asleep. He thought that to awake her from the sleep would be against the good manners. So, he stood beside her with the glass of water in his hand for the whole night.
At last, it was early morning when his mother woke up from sleep. She asked him,’My son, how long are you standing here with the water? ‘.He said, “ Since the time you went to sleep and you had asked for the water. And I am, since then standing here waiting for you to wake up”
The mother liked this good mannerly behaviour of her son to such an extent that her happiness knew no bounds. She got up from the bed immediately, performed ablution and prayed to Allah for the betterment of her son. It was the effect of these prayers of his mother that due to it Makhdum Sahib very soon attained the perfection in both the types of sciences of knowledge, apparent as well as latent.
While describing the noble character of Hazrat Makhdum Ali Faquih Mahaimi some of the people have written that he was very much generous and libral. He used to help the needy open-heartedly. Even though he was the son of a wealthy father, he never gave importance to the worldly ‘wealth and riches.There was a crowd of guests at his house all the time. On his table cloth various kinds of tasty foods were served and he felt happy to feed the guests to their satisfaction. It is said that he liked fish very much. All the Muslims and the Hindus, both were attracted by his pleasing character and good behaviour.
[edit]Devotion And Mystic Exercise
Hazrat Makhdum Ali was a genuine abstinent, devotee, master of the knowledge of all the branches of sciences in respect of Islamic Jurisprudence and intimate knowledge of God and measure” and regulations, both apparent and the latent. He had reached to the zenith in the intellectual sciences and conventional as well. He had the best qualities and pleasing habits and excellent characteristics. He performed extra-ordinay feats.
Sufi (Saintly person) Shaikh Abdul Wahab Muttaqui Shazli Qadiri, describes, in his book, a strange event concerning Hazrat Makhdum Ali
“ The author of ‘ Tafsir-e-Rehmani Hazrat Shaikh Ali Mahaimi was overwhelmed with the effect of meditation and absorption. The ruling king’s sister was in matrimonial relation with him. One day, the king’s wives and their lady companions came to see the king’s sister at the Shaikh’s house. Shaikh, at that time, was sitting at the door of the house. The ladies hesitated to come in. Shaikh’s mother was present there. She said to them, ‘Why are you hesitant? Come on. What is the hesitation and reluctance for at all?’ They said that they were reluctant to come in because Shaikh was sitting on the door sill and he would see them. Shaikh’s mother said that it was not possible because he was in the unconscious state. He had no sense of any thing, neither theirs nor of this world and the hereafter as well. No sooner they heard this, all of them came in . Then they insisted on its proof. Thereupon, Shaikh’s mother came to him and said to him,’ My son take this wrapper and wear this on and give your dress for washing. At that shaikh was putting on clean clothes. He, immediately, put off his clothes and put on the wrapper. And, again he sat down. After an hour, his mother brought him other dirty clothes and asked him to take off his clothes. Shaikh took the same dirty clothes and put them on. He had no sense as to which clothes he should put on and which to put off.”
In one of the magazine, he has said;
“In Yeman, there lived a learned man by name Imam Jamal Muhammad One of the servants brought to me a letter from him. and he stated: It is a fact that Sharfuddin the Yemani the teacher of Quran has not the understanding and discerning power to such extent than he may be able to comprehend the works of Shaikh Mohiuddin Ibn Arabi Even then he belittles Shaikh only because he, himself is incapable and inefficient and he is bent on infidelity to the Shaikh and the followers of him.
Having heard this awkward and malicious statement, a thought occurred to my mind that I must bring out what the truth is. And this thought didn’t allow me to sit at my house idle. Helplessly, I decided to make a journey and set out to Yeman. Having reached there, I forwarded the necessary arguments and gave perfect proofs and evidences. And, at last I succeeded in wiping out the dust of doubts and suspicion and cleansed the pollution of criticism and abuse from the beliefs of the teacher, Muallim.
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[edit]Revelations And Miracles
Those elderly and saintly people who adopted the life style of their dear most Prophet Salla Allahu ta’ala’alayhi wa sallam , in a very few days. they too start the experience of their being beloved and to this the promise is made by Allah in His Glorious book. The Qura’n that whosoever adopts the manners, the ways of life. the habits, the characteristics and the traditions of Muhammad, he will be under the care of Allah.
In the words of the Muhammad, it is as:
“Tell them, if you love Allah, do follow me. Then Allah will be mindful of you.”
Hazrat Makhdum Ali Mahairni was one of the chief Awilyas (The saints). Many a miracle are attributed to him. Hence, many a people have written books on his miracles with title of Karamat-e-Makhdum (The Miracles of Makhdum). Many of them are hearsays only and to establish their authenticity is difficult due to lack of documentary evidences Therefore. we. mention here only’ those of his miracles that are brought to light by the writer of the Magazine. ‘Zamirul insan’, Maulana Sayyid Ibrahim Madani and that too, with particular stress.
(1) It is natrated that Hazrat Makhdum Baba had reared a she-goat whom he loved immensely. Once when he had gone away on some business, the goat fell ill and ultimately died, His mother got the deid goat buried on the sea-shore. When he heard about the death of the goat, he became extremely sad and went to the sea-shore to see it. His maid-servant had followed him and he ordered her to go away. She got frightened and went away from that place, but hid herself at a little distance. After the departure of the servant he recited some prayer and he stood there for some time praying to Allah. The maid servant who was watching all this saw the legs of the animal moving. Afterwards, he held the ear of the goat and brought her back home. This was the first miraculous feat that he exhibited at the age of 10 and its report spread far and wide.
(2) This maid servant, since that day, made it a regular practice- to serve Hazrat Makhdum Baba Whenever she washed his clothes she would preserve the first wash of water and drank it This entitled her also to gain knowledge and miraculous powers by the Grace of Allah. One day a traveller came to the mosque in Mahim. Hazrat Makhdum Baba noticed him and sent food to him through this maid-servant. When the maid reached the mosque with the tray of food she found the traveller missing. Through her powers she traced the person to be praying in the Khana-e-Ka’aba. She reached Makka and served him and later returned to the mosque. Thus, his dependents and followers also performed miraculous feats.
(3) Once, as usual, the men of INSIGHT had assembled from far off place and a general meeting was organised. During the session, one of the pious men informed that there is a Lote tree in the land of Madina Munawwara whose fruit is very delicious and nice. On this Hazrat Makhdum Baba said, “This was the season of this fruit and requested him to get some of it from there. He replied in the affirmative and promised to present Hazrat Makhdum Baba that fruit, He himself was a perfect scholar and had mastered the special prayer (benediction) called “Tayyal Farasakh” which at once took him to Madina. When he reached the tree he saw that there was someone already up the tree. He decided not to climb up and requested the person upon the tree to shake one of the branches of the tree so that he may also pick up some fruits. The man on the tree plucked some fruits and dropped them on the ground and shook a branch as well. The sage picked up the fruit and returned to Mahim.
He presented the said fruit to Hazrat Makhdum Baba who ate some of it and appreciated its taste and then remarked that. the fruit was undoubtedly tasty but he had brought it without exerting any effort. On hearing this the said sage felt very much astonished and he thought that perhaps he was watched by Hazrat Makhdum Baba by his miraculous powers but the situation was completely different. Hazrat Makhdum Baba had personally reached there prior to him and had climbed the tree. The holy man also realised the same and begged pardon. He accepted the difference between them. Hazrat Makhdum Baba is the Qutb of Konkan (The Polar Star of Konkan). Afterwards, Hazrat Shaikh Makhdum Baba removed some fruits from his pocket and distributed them among the people assembled there. All of them ate and relished them.
(4) During the days of Hazrat Makhdum Baba, the marine traffic had commenced and the ship started navigating to and fro. In those days a Hindu trader despatched his merchandise aboard a ship but the ship did not return. Seven years passed by and he virtually forgot about that ship. But whenever any accident of such nature occurred, he mourned about his loss regretfully. He met many learned people, religious activists, astrologers and sorcerers to inquire about the fate of his ship. All of them told him that, that ship had sunk along with his merchandise and general cargo. A disciple of Hazrat Makhdum Baba was also sitting there and he inquired of this fellow whether he had ever approached his Shaikh and told him if he had not, he should accompany him there and then and he assured him that he would certainly get satisfactory information about his ship. The man agreed and they reached Hazrat Makhdum Baba and narrated the entire incident. Hazrat Makhdum Baba told him to sit down and close his eyes. He did as directed and then Hazrat Makhdum Baba told him to open his eyes and then prophesied that his ship laden with his cargo and merchandise. would arrive back on the sea-shore on that very day in the evening.
The trader returned home and he was puzzled as to how the said ship that was lost seven years ago would suddenly appear from no where and that too on that very day. He reached the sea-shore before the onset of evening. He was restless. He saw a ship approaching the coast before the sunset. After half an hour the ship arrived and (he trader was amazed as it was his own ship.
He was beyond himself with joy. He developed utter faith in the miraculous power of Hazrat Makhdum Baba. The next day. he, along with his family members. came to Hazrat Makhdum Baba and cheerfully and willingly embraced Islam.
(5) Hazrat Makhdum Baba was famous as a trustworthy person. A man came to him and said that he was going alone on a journey and did not want to take some of his gems and diamonds along with him lest they be robbed. He requested Hazrat Makhdum Baba to keep them in his trust and that he would take them back on his return. At that time, Hazrat Makhdum Baba was standing close to a well and he agreed to help that man. As soon as that man placed those diamonds on his blessed hand, he dropped them into the well. The man, puzzled and perplexed, enquired how he would retrieve them? Hazrat Makhdum Baba told him that he would get them back whenever he wanted. But he was a hasty man and demanded his diamonds. Hazrat Makhdum Baba put his hand in the well and brought out a fistful of gems and told him to pick up his diamonds from amongst them. The man was astonished, ashamed and repented upon his mistake. Ultimately. Hazrat Makhdum Baba himself picked up his particular gems and handed them over to him and threw the remaining diamonds back in the well.
(6) Hazrat Makhdum Baba was a very rich and well-to-do person. His dining table served a variety of delicious food. His guest house was always full with his guests who were treated very kindly and generously and served with excellent food.
Hazrat Makhdum Baba’s supernatural powers and piety gained much publicity and acclaim. Once in the assembly of pious men his position came under discussion. It was said that he was a very generous person and liked nice and sumptuous food. It was said that he was a turn of Insight and piety and held a high position in awliya (bloved of Allah). One of the attendants said that such combination cannot be found and that religious accomplishments and worldly preferences never went together because to him the (derwish) mendicants always cherished simple food. A heated discussion followed this statement but that man was not satisfied and he perferred to observe the situation himself. So he set out to meet Hazrat Makhdum personally. He came to Mahim and Hazrat Makhdum Baba lovingly lodged him in his guest house. At the meal-time, the dining-table was set and that day fish was served specially. The man found him the way he had heard about him. Hazrat Makhdum Baba was performing the duties of the host very graciously and requested the guest to do full justice to the food served. He had personally joined him in partaking food. He insisted that his guest should taste every item of the menu. Hazrat Makhdum Baba finished his food earlier than the guest. He dropped the bones of the fish in the wash-basin whilst washing his hands. When the guest completed his meal and washed his hands in the wash-basin, he found to his amazement that, instead of the bones, the fishes were swimming in the basin. He was astonished, his question received a very fitting answer. So he very earnestly and humbly asked for his forgiveness. Hazrat Makhdum showed his wisdom and affection. He excused him and said that he never intended to show any trace of pride or superiority but just wanted to prove that Allah is Al-mighty and shows His kindness to the one whom He likes.
(7) Since Mahim is situated on the sea-shore, the ships have been arriving there from different countries. Certain foreigners stayed there in rented houses for some period of time. Incidentally, a young, handsome and rich Arab trader reached there and he settled there for a couple of days. Perchance, he passed by the house of a girl and happened to see her. That very moment he fell in love with her and he expressed his feelings that he would like to marry the girl if she was unmarried. The people told him though the girl was unmarried she could not marry him because she had been engaged to the poor boy of Mahim.
The Arab trader said that the engagement could be broken and that he was prepared to bear the expenses.
Some people, that very day, approached the father of the girl who was already engaged with a (poor) boy. They misled the father and made him agreeable to break the engagement of his daughter and to get her married to the Arab trader.
In order to break the engagement, a meeting of the community was called. When this news reached the Arab trader, he felt extremely delighted. But that very news aggrieved and saddened that poor boy. There was none who could console him. Nonetheless, Allah had destined something else. When the boy reached the mosque the next morning for prayers, he was spotted by the Great Faqih, Hazrat Makhdum Ali and every thing had become clear to him. He called the boy aside and told him to be patient and thankful to Allah. He added that a truthful person always attained tranquility and peace of mind. He further said that he would personally attend the meeting of the community and would see as to what could be done for him and by what means.This kind and favourable attitude of Hazrat Makhdum Baba gladdened the boy and He busied himself with his daily routine. The meeting was held on the fixed time. Hazrat also reached there and was received very warmly by the people and was made the President of that meeting. The deliberations started and the problem of.the Arab trader was raised and the agenda of the break-up of the engagement with that boy on the basis of his poverty was discussed. At this point Hazrat explained that riches and poverty were not specially assigned to certain people and that, that distinction was meaningless. Someone, prone to tell lies, said that the boy had the habit of drinking. Then Hazrat inquired whether anybody had seen him drinking or in the state of inebriation. If not that would not be considered as evidence in which case that matter could be condoned. This situation silenced everybody arid then he delivered his judgement and that was that both the poor boy and the rich Arab trader should go on the pilgrimage of Hajj. And anyone of them who returned earlier than the other should be allowed to marry the girl. All the people unanimously agreed with this suggestion. The Arab trader was particularly happy since he owned a personal sailing ship which he could handle the way he wanted. He felt that his poor rival will go by some ship after paying the fare and would not be able to return early as per his desire.
Within next couple of days the Arab set sails for the pilgrimage. When the poor boy heard about his departure, he felt very depressed and conveycd the news to Hazrat who comforted him and told him not to worry as Allah would make all the arrangements.
In the meantime, the months of Shawal and Zilqad passed by and the moon of the month of Zilhajj made its appearance. The 8th of the said month came and none could see any arrangement being made for the departure of the boy and he was always being seen in Mahim. On the morning of the 9th when the Hajj was to be performed, the boy reached the mosque and Hazrat told him not to go anywhere after the prayers and should wait for him there only. He did as he was told and waited for Hazrat who ultimately came and proceeded with the boy towards the hoz of the masjid. Then they stood at the edge of the hoz and Hazrat told the boy close his eyes and not to open them till asked to do so. Then Hazrat held the hand of the boy and dived him into the hoz and after a few moments told the boy to open his eyes. When the boy opened his eyes, he found himself standing on the gate of the Khana-e-Ka’aba. Then Hazrat took out some money from his pocket and while giving it to the boy he said that he should purchase necessary provisions of the Hajj. He told him to meet the Arab trader who had lodged in a particular tent, that day. it-self. He was further told to meet Hazrat at that very spot after performing the Hajj and that he should keep the entire episode as well-guarded secret, The boy proceeded to do whatever he was asked to while thanking Allah. He was very happy as Allah had honoured him with the kindness of such an accomplished leader and monitor.
After wearing, Ihram he reached the plains of Arafat and searched the tent of the rich Arab trader and met him. Afterwards he performed the rites and rituals and other important duties pertaining to Hajj which he completed in two or three days and he reached Hateem on the 12th to meet Hazrat Makhdoom Baba. Hazrat Makhdum Baba again told him to close his eyes and after a short time they reached the masjid. Six months elapsed when the Arab trader returned to Mahim. The meeting of the community, as per the programme, was called again. Hazrat Makhdum Baba attended this meeting too. The Arab also came there. Hazrat Makhdum Baba asked him whether he had performed the Hajj on which he replied in the affirmative. He further asked him whether that boy had gone for Hajj and whether he had met the trader or whether he had seen him there. The trader replied that the boy had gone for Hajj and had met him in the plains of Arafat and that he had seen him performing the Hajj and all the relevant rites and rituals. Then Hazrat Makhdum Baba asked the traders whether that boy had returned to Mahirn earlier. They confirmed that he had certainly returned earlier. By the Grace of Allah this state of affairs consolidated the faith of the people that all that had happened was due to him and that it was his glance of favour that allowed the boy to win that contest. The Arab trader kept quiet and accepted his defeat. Finally that girl was married to that poor boy.
Apart from this, many other supernatural feats were exhibited by Hazrat Makhdum Baba.
Zauqui Shah Sahib writes as:
“He preferred a life of loneliness and obscurity for a considerable period of his life. But his knowledge and excellence, his extra ordinary feats, obvious as well as latent, his miracles and the supernatural events that were revealed by and through him, made the whole world attracted to him….”
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah’s peace be upon Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), the glorious Prophet of Islam, and on his Companions and his followers.
TASAWWUF
"There is no doubt that Tasawwuf is an important branch of Islam. The word itself may have been derived form the Arabic word "Soof" (Wool) or from "Safa" (cleanliness), but its foundation lies in one’s personal sincerity in seeking Allah’s nearness and trying to live a life pleasing to Him. Study of the Quran, the Hadith, and the practical life of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and his faithful Companions provide unmistakable support to this reality." (Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A)
SUFISM, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ISLAM
Doubts exist not only in the minds of the Muslim faithful but also among the Ulema, notably the exoteric about Tasawwuf and its votaries. Often they lead to misunderstanding, as if Shariah and Tariqah were two separate entries, or that Tasawwuf was some obscure discipline foreign to Islam, or that it was altogether above the established laws and injunctions of our Religion. To help remove these misgivings and to reassure seekers, as well as scholars, our Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), Sheikh Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia, wrote Al-Jamal Wal Kamal, Aqaid-O-Kamalaat Ulmai-e-Deoband, Binat-e-Rasool (S.A.W), Daamad-e-Ali (R.A), Dalael-us-Salook, Ejaad-e-Mazhab Shia, Hayat-un-Nabi (S.A.W), Hayat Barzakhia, Ilm-o-Irfan, Niffaz-e-Shariat Aur Fiqah-e-Jaferia, Saif-e-Owaisi, Shikast-e-Ahdai Hussain and Tahkeek Halal Haram books.
BIOGRAPHY
Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chakrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The very year, he met Shaykh Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Shaykh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was right away established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years. In 1962 he was directed to carry out the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular enthusiasm and devotion for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss as per his/her sincerity and capacity. Shaykh Allah Yar Khan's mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and distinction.
Although Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A) have lived a major portion of his life as a scholar, with the avowed mission of illuminating the truth of Islam and the negation of fallacious sects, and this would appear quite removed from Tasawwuf, yet the only practical difference between the two, namely the use of the former as a media to expound the truth, and the latter to imbue people with positive faith. Nevertheless, people are amazed that a man, who until the other day, was known as a dialectician and a preacher of Islam, is not only talking of Mystic Path, but is also claiming spiritual bonds with the veteran Sufi Masters of the Past. This amazement is obviously out of place in the view of Quranic injunction: This is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills. (62:4)
THE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL
The purification of the soul always formed part of the main mission of the Prophets; that is, the dissemination and propagation of the Devine Message. This responsibility later fell directly on the shoulders of the true Ulema in the Ummah of the last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who, as his genuine successors, have continued to shed brave light in every Dark Age of materialism and sacrilege. In the present age of ruinous confusion, the importance of this responsibility has increased manifold; of the utter neglect of Islam by Muslims has not only driven them to misery, but also grievously weakened their bonds of faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). The decay in their belief and consequent perversion in their conduct has reached a stage that any attempt to pull them out of the depth of ignominy and the heedless chaos of faithlessness, attracts grave uncertainties and apprehensions rather than a encouraging will to follow the Shariah, to purify the soul and to reform within. The Quranic Verse: Layers upon layers of darkness… (24:40) provides the nearest expression of their present state.
SHARIAH & SUFISM
Any action against the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) cannot be called Sufism. Singing and dancing, and the prostration on tombs are not part of Sufism. Nor is predicting the future and predicting the outcome of cases in the courts of law, a part of Sufism. Sufis are not required to abandon their worldly possessions or live in the wilderness far from the practical world. In fact these absurdities are just its opposites. It is an established fact that Tazkiyah (soul purification) stands for that inner purity which inspires a person’s spirit to obey the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If a false claimant of Sufism teaches tricks and jugglery, ignoring religious obligations, he is an impostor. A true Sheikh will lead a believer to the august spiritual audience of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the company of an accomplished spiritual guide and Sheikh of Sufism, and if you follow his instructions, you will observe a positive change in yourself, transferring you from vice to virtue.
ISLAM, AS A COMPLETE CODE OF LIFE
Islam, as a complete code of life or Deen, was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). He was the sole teacher and his mosque was the core institution for the community. Although Islam in its entirety was practiced during that blessed era, the classification and compilation of its knowledge into distinct branches like ‘Tafsir’ (interpretation of the Quran), Hadith (traditions or sayings of the holy Prophet- SAWS), Fiqh (Islamic law), and Sufism (the soul purification) were undertaken subsequently. This Deen of Allah passed from the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to his illustrious Companions in two ways: the outward and the inward. The former comprised the knowledge defined by speech and conduct, i.e., the Quran and Sunnah. The latter comprised the invisible blessings or the Prophetic lights transmitted by his blessed self. These blessings purified the hearts and instilled in them a passionate desire to follow Islam with utmost love, honesty and loyalty.
WHAT’S SUFISM
Sufism is the attempt to attain these Barakah (Blessings). The Companions handed down Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) teachings as well as blessings to the Taba’een. Their strong hearts were capable of infusing these blessings into the hearts of their followers. Both aspects of Islam were similarly passed on by the Taba’een to the Taba Taba’een. The compilation of knowledge and its interpretation led to the establishment of many schools of religious thought; famous four being the Hanafi, the Hanbali, the Maliki, and the Shafa'i, all named after their founders. Similarly, in order to acquire, safeguard and distribute his blessings, an organized effort was initiated by four schools of Sufism: The Naqshbandia, the Qadria, the Chishtia, and the Suharwardia. These schools were also named after their organizers and came to be known as Sufi Orders. All these Orders intend to purify the hearts of sincere Muslims with Prophetic lights. These Sufi Orders also grew into many branches with the passage of time and are known by other names as well. The holy Quran has linked success in this life and the Hereafter with Tazkiyah (soul purification). He, who purified, is successful. (87: 14) Sufi Orders of Islam are the institutions where the basics of Tazkiyah (soul purification) and its practical application are taught. They have graded programs in which every new seeker is instructed in Zikr-e Lisani (oral Zikr) and is finally taught the Zikr-e Qalbi (Remembrance in heart).
ZIKR-E QALBI
However, in the Naqshbandia Order, Zikr-e Qalbi is practiced from the very beginning. Adherence to the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) is greatly emphasized in this Order, because the seeker achieves greater and quicker progress through its blessings. The essence of Zikr is that the Qalb should sincerely accept Islamic beliefs and gain the strength to follow the Sunnah with even greater devotion. ‘If the heart is acquainted with Allah and is engaged in His Zikr; then it is filled with Barakaat-e Nabuwwat (Prophetic blessings) which infuse their purity in the mind and body. This not only helps in controlling sensual drives but also removes traces of abhorrence, voracity, envy and insecurity from human soul. The person therefore becomes an embodiment of love, both for the Divine and the corporeal. This is the meaning of a Hadith, “There is a lump of flesh in the human body; if it goes astray the entire body is misguided, and if it is reformed the entire body is reformed. Know that this lump is the Qalb”.’
PAS ANFAS
Recent History Khawajah Naqshband (d. 1389 CE) organized the Naqshbandia Order at Bukhara (Central Asia). This Order has two main branches – the Mujaddidia and the Owaisiah. The former is identified with Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, known as Mujaddid Alif Sani (literally: reviver of the second Muslim millennium), a successor to Khawajah Baqi Billah, who introduced the Order to the Indo- Pakistan sub-continent. The Owaisiah Order employs a similar method of Zikr but acquires the Prophetic blessings in the manner of Khawajah Owais Qarni, who received this beneficence from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) without a formal physical meeting. The Zikr employed by the Naqshbandia is ‘Zikr-e Khafi Qalbi’ (remembrance of Allah’s Name within the heart) and the method is termed ‘Pas Anfas’, which (in Persian) means guarding every breath. The Chain of Transmission of these Barakah, of course, emanates from the holy Prophet- SAWS.
SPIRITUAL BAI’AT (OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
It is necessary in all Sufi Orders that the Sheikh and the seekers must be contemporaries and must physically meet each other for the transfer of these blessings. However, the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order goes beyond this requirement and Sufis of this Order receive these Barakah regardless of physical meeting with their Sheikh or even when the Sheikh is not their contemporary. Yet, it must be underscored that physical meeting with the Sheikh of this Order still holds great importance in dissemination of these Barakah. Sheikh Sirhindi writes about the Owaisiah Order in his book ‘Tazkirah’: ‘It is the most sublime, the most exalted, and the most effective…and the highest station of all others is only its stepping stone.’ By far the greatest singular distinction of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order is the honor of Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance) directly at the blessed hands of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
SHEIKH HAZRAT MOULANA ALLAH YAR KHAN (R.A)
The Reviver Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chikrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The same year, he met Sheikh ‘Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Sheikh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was immediately established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century CE) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years, after which he was directed to undertake the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular zeal and dedication for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss commensurate with his/her sincerity and capacity. Sheikh Allah Yar Khan’s mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and eminence. He authored eighteen books, the most distinguished being Dalael us-Sulook (Sufism - An Objective Appraisal), Hayat-e Barzakhiah (Life Beyond Life) and Israr ul- Haramain (Secrets of the two holy Mosques). He was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished Sufi saints of the Muslim Ummah and a reviver of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order. He passed away on 18 February 1984 in Islamabad at the age of eighty.
THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION OF NAQSHBANDIA OWAISIAH
1. Hazrat Muhammad ur-Rasool Allah (Sall Allah-o Alaihi wa Sallam), 2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radhi Allah-o Unho), 3. Hazrat Imam Hassan Basri (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 4. Hazrat Daud Tai (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 5. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 6. Hazrat Ubaid Ullah Ahrar (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 7. Hazrat Abdur Rahman Jami (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 8. Hazrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Salih (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 9. Hazrat Allah Deen Madni (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 10. Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi).
THE SPIRIT OR RUH
The spirit or Ruh of every person is a created reflection of the Divine Attributes and it originates in Alam-e Amar (Realm of Command). Its food is the Light of Allah or the Divine Refulgence, which it acquires from the Realm of Command through the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him), whose status in the spiritual world is like that of the sun in the solar system. The Quran refers to him as the ‘bright lamp’. Indeed, he is the divinely selected channel of all Barakah. All Exalted Messengers themselves receive these Barakah from him.
LATAIF
The human Ruh also possesses vital organs like the physical body; through which it acquires its knowledge, food and energy. These are called Lataif (singular Latifah: subtlety). Scholars of various Sufi Orders have associated them with specific areas of the human body. The Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order identifies these Lataif as follows. First - Qalb: This spiritual faculty is located within the physical heart. Its function is Zikr. Its strength increases one’s capacity for Allah’s Zikr. Second – Ruh: The site of this Latifah, which is a distinct faculty of the human Ruh, is on the right side of the chest at the level of Qalb. Its primary function is concentration towards Allah. Third – Sirri: This is located above the Qalb and functions to make possible Kashf. Forth – Khaffi: This is located above the Ruh and functions to perceive the omnipresence of Allah. Fifth – Akhfa: This is located in the middle of chest, at the centre of the first four Lataif and makes it possible for the Ruh to perceive the closeness of Allah, Who is closer to us than our own selves. Sixth – Nafs: This Latifah is located at the forehead and functions to purify the human soul. Seventh – Sultan al-Azkar: This Latifah is located at the top centre of the head and serves to absorb the Barakah of Allah into the entire body, so that every cell resonates with Zikr.
FIVE EXALTED MESSENGERS OF GOD
There are Five Exalted Messengers among the many known and unknown Messengers of Allah. They are Hazrat Muhammad, Hazrat Nuh (Noah), Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), Hazrat Musa (Moses), and Hazrat Esa (Jesus), peace be upon them all. Hazrat Adam is the first Prophet of Allah and the father of mankind. Each Latifah is associated with a particular Prophet. The Barakah and lights from Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him), descend on the first Latifah Qalb; its lights are reflected from the first heaven and are yellowish. The second Latifah is associated with Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon them). Its lights descend from the second heaven and appear as golden red. The lights descending upon the third Latifah are from Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and are white. One the fourth Latifah, the lights of Hazrat Esa (peace be upon him) descend from the fourth heaven and are deep blue. The fifth Latifah receives its Barakah directly from the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him). The lights associated with this Latifah are green, descend from the fifth heaven, and overwhelm all the first four Lataif. The Lights descending upon the sixth and seventh Lataif are the Divine Lights, whose color and condition cannot be determined. These are like flashes of lightening that defy comprehension. If Allah blesses a seeker with Kashf, he can observe all of this. The vision is slightly diffused in the beginning, but gradually the clarity improves.
SULOOK
Stages of the Path After all seven Lataif of a seeker have been illuminated with Divine Lights through Tawajjuh of the Sheikh and his Ruh has acquired the ability to fly, the Sheikh initiates its journey on the sublime Path of Divine nearness. The Path is known as Sulook, and its stages are not hypothetical imaginations but real and actually existing stations on the spiritual Path. These are also referred to as Meditations, because a seeker mentally meditates about a station while his/her Ruh actually ascends towards it. The first three stations that form the base of whole Sulook are described as; Ahadiyyat, a station of Absolute Unity of Divinity. It is above and beyond the seven heavens. It is so vast a station that the seven heavens and all that they encompass are lost within Ahadiyyat as a ring is lost in a vast desert. Its lights are white in color. Maiyyat station denotes Divine Company, ‘He is with you, wherever you might be.’ This station is so vast that Ahadiyyat along with the seven heavens beneath are lost within it as a ring is lost in a desert. Its lights are green in color. Aqrabiyyat station denotes Divine Nearness, ‘He is nearer to you than your life- vein.’ Again, Aqrabiyyat is vast as compared to Maiyyat in the same proportion. Its lights are golden red and are reflected from the Divine Throne. It is indeed the greatest favor of Almighty Allah that He blesses a seeker with an accomplished Sheikh, who takes him to these sublime stations. The final station that a seeker attains to during his/her lifetime becomes his/her Iliyyeen (blessed abode) in Barzakh and his/her Ruh stays at this station after death.
ZIKR
Why is Zikr Necessary for Everyone? Allah ordains every soul in the Quran to Perform Zikr. This not only means reciting the Quran and Tasbeeh but also Zikr-e Qalb. It is only through Zikr-e Qalbi that Prophetic Lights reach the depths of human soul and purify it from all vice and evil. Zikr infuses a realization of constant Divine Presence and a seeker feels great improvement in the level of sincerity and love towards Allah and the holy Prophet- SAWS. Such levels of sincerity, love and feelings of Divine Presence can never be obtained without Zikr. It would be a mistake to believe that Zikr may be a requirement only for the very pious and virtuous people. Zikr provides the Prophetic blessings which are in effect the life line of every human soul. It transforms even the most corrupted humans into virtuous souls by bringing out the best in them. The fact is that Zikr is the only way to achieve true contentment and satisfaction in life. The holy Quran has pointed to this eternal fact that it is only through Zikr Allah that hearts can find satisfaction. Such satisfaction and peace are the ultimate requirements of every person, regardless of religion, race and ethnicity. Practicing Zikr regularly removes all traces of anxiety and restlessness, and guides the human soul to eternal bliss and peace.
KHALIFA MAJAZEEN
Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), during his life time in 1974, presented a nomination list to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), during Maraqba, of expected Khalifa Majazeen for Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) approved some names, deleted some of the names, and added down the name of Major Ghulam Muhammad as also Khalifa Majaaz of Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia (which was not previously included in the list)
The approved names at that time included:
1. Mr. Muhammad Akram Awan Sahib,
2. Mr. Sayed Bunyad Hussain Shah Sahib,
3. Mr. Major Ahsan Baig Sahib,
4. Mr. Col. Matloob Hussain Sahib,
5. Mr. Major Ghulam Muhammad Sahib of Wan Bhachran Mianwali,
6. Mr. Molvi Abdul Haq Sahib,
7. Mr. Hafiz Abdul Razzaq Sahib,
8. Mr. Hafiz Ghulam Qadri Sahib,
9. Mr. Khan Muhammad Irani Sahib,
10. Mr. Maolana Abdul Ghafoor Sahib,
11. Mr. Syed Muhammad Hassan Sahib of Zohb.
These Majazeen were authorized to; held Majalis of Zikar (Pas Anfas) in their respective areas, arrange Majalis of Zikar in neighboring areas, train them on the way of Sulook, prepare them for Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance), and present them to Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan for Spiritual Bai’at at the Hand of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), in the life of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), and were all equal in status as Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Presently we are following Hazrat Major ® Ghulam Muhammad Sahib, Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Kitab Tauhid (3 Jilid)
Judul asal: At-Tauhid Li as-Sof al-Awwal al-A'li
Penulis: Syeikh Dr. Soleh bin Fauzan bin Abdullah al-Fauzan
Penerbit: Darul Haq, Jakarta
Buku ini membicarakan secara komprehensif dan menyeluruh aqidah dan tauhid Islam mengikut metodologi dan kaedah Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah, dan menyentuh segenap isu-isu yang terkait dengan masalah aqidah yang menjadi batu asas dan teras kepada agama Islam itu sendiri. Buku ini juga menjawab penyimpangan-penyimpangan golongan yang menyalahtafsir dan menyalahgunakan Al Quran dan Hadith dalam memahami aqidah Islam yang akhirnya melahirkan kelompok-kelompok dan firqah-firqah yang terkeluar dari Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah seperti Syiah, Muktazilah, Khawarij, Jahmiyah, Qadariyah dan banyak lagi. Antara perkara-perkara yang dibicarakan di dalam buku aqidah ini ialah persoalan di mana Allah, sifat-sifat Allah, alam semesta hanya dicipta hanya oleh Allah, ibadah hanya kepada Allah, kecintaan sesama Muslim, ketaatan kepada pemimpin, kesetiaan untuk kekal di dalam jemaah Islam di bawah pemimpin, sumber agama dan cara pendalilannya dan banyak lagi.
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah’s peace be upon Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), the glorious Prophet of Islam, and on his Companions and his followers.
TASAWWUF
"There is no doubt that Tasawwuf is an important branch of Islam. The word itself may have been derived form the Arabic word "Soof" (Wool) or from "Safa" (cleanliness), but its foundation lies in one’s personal sincerity in seeking Allah’s nearness and trying to live a life pleasing to Him. Study of the Quran, the Hadith, and the practical life of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and his faithful Companions provide unmistakable support to this reality." (Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A)
SUFISM, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ISLAM
Doubts exist not only in the minds of the Muslim faithful but also among the Ulema, notably the exoteric about Tasawwuf and its votaries. Often they lead to misunderstanding, as if Shariah and Tariqah were two separate entries, or that Tasawwuf was some obscure discipline foreign to Islam, or that it was altogether above the established laws and injunctions of our Religion. To help remove these misgivings and to reassure seekers, as well as scholars, our Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), Sheikh Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia, wrote Al-Jamal Wal Kamal, Aqaid-O-Kamalaat Ulmai-e-Deoband, Binat-e-Rasool (S.A.W), Daamad-e-Ali (R.A), Dalael-us-Salook, Ejaad-e-Mazhab Shia, Hayat-un-Nabi (S.A.W), Hayat Barzakhia, Ilm-o-Irfan, Niffaz-e-Shariat Aur Fiqah-e-Jaferia, Saif-e-Owaisi, Shikast-e-Ahdai Hussain and Tahkeek Halal Haram books.
BIOGRAPHY
Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chakrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The very year, he met Shaykh Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Shaykh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was right away established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years. In 1962 he was directed to carry out the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular enthusiasm and devotion for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss as per his/her sincerity and capacity. Shaykh Allah Yar Khan's mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and distinction.
Although Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A) have lived a major portion of his life as a scholar, with the avowed mission of illuminating the truth of Islam and the negation of fallacious sects, and this would appear quite removed from Tasawwuf, yet the only practical difference between the two, namely the use of the former as a media to expound the truth, and the latter to imbue people with positive faith. Nevertheless, people are amazed that a man, who until the other day, was known as a dialectician and a preacher of Islam, is not only talking of Mystic Path, but is also claiming spiritual bonds with the veteran Sufi Masters of the Past. This amazement is obviously out of place in the view of Quranic injunction: This is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills. (62:4)
THE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL
The purification of the soul always formed part of the main mission of the Prophets; that is, the dissemination and propagation of the Devine Message. This responsibility later fell directly on the shoulders of the true Ulema in the Ummah of the last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who, as his genuine successors, have continued to shed brave light in every Dark Age of materialism and sacrilege. In the present age of ruinous confusion, the importance of this responsibility has increased manifold; of the utter neglect of Islam by Muslims has not only driven them to misery, but also grievously weakened their bonds of faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). The decay in their belief and consequent perversion in their conduct has reached a stage that any attempt to pull them out of the depth of ignominy and the heedless chaos of faithlessness, attracts grave uncertainties and apprehensions rather than a encouraging will to follow the Shariah, to purify the soul and to reform within. The Quranic Verse: Layers upon layers of darkness… (24:40) provides the nearest expression of their present state.
SHARIAH & SUFISM
Any action against the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) cannot be called Sufism. Singing and dancing, and the prostration on tombs are not part of Sufism. Nor is predicting the future and predicting the outcome of cases in the courts of law, a part of Sufism. Sufis are not required to abandon their worldly possessions or live in the wilderness far from the practical world. In fact these absurdities are just its opposites. It is an established fact that Tazkiyah (soul purification) stands for that inner purity which inspires a person’s spirit to obey the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If a false claimant of Sufism teaches tricks and jugglery, ignoring religious obligations, he is an impostor. A true Sheikh will lead a believer to the august spiritual audience of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the company of an accomplished spiritual guide and Sheikh of Sufism, and if you follow his instructions, you will observe a positive change in yourself, transferring you from vice to virtue.
ISLAM, AS A COMPLETE CODE OF LIFE
Islam, as a complete code of life or Deen, was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). He was the sole teacher and his mosque was the core institution for the community. Although Islam in its entirety was practiced during that blessed era, the classification and compilation of its knowledge into distinct branches like ‘Tafsir’ (interpretation of the Quran), Hadith (traditions or sayings of the holy Prophet- SAWS), Fiqh (Islamic law), and Sufism (the soul purification) were undertaken subsequently. This Deen of Allah passed from the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to his illustrious Companions in two ways: the outward and the inward. The former comprised the knowledge defined by speech and conduct, i.e., the Quran and Sunnah. The latter comprised the invisible blessings or the Prophetic lights transmitted by his blessed self. These blessings purified the hearts and instilled in them a passionate desire to follow Islam with utmost love, honesty and loyalty.
WHAT’S SUFISM
Sufism is the attempt to attain these Barakah (Blessings). The Companions handed down Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) teachings as well as blessings to the Taba’een. Their strong hearts were capable of infusing these blessings into the hearts of their followers. Both aspects of Islam were similarly passed on by the Taba’een to the Taba Taba’een. The compilation of knowledge and its interpretation led to the establishment of many schools of religious thought; famous four being the Hanafi, the Hanbali, the Maliki, and the Shafa'i, all named after their founders. Similarly, in order to acquire, safeguard and distribute his blessings, an organized effort was initiated by four schools of Sufism: The Naqshbandia, the Qadria, the Chishtia, and the Suharwardia. These schools were also named after their organizers and came to be known as Sufi Orders. All these Orders intend to purify the hearts of sincere Muslims with Prophetic lights. These Sufi Orders also grew into many branches with the passage of time and are known by other names as well. The holy Quran has linked success in this life and the Hereafter with Tazkiyah (soul purification). He, who purified, is successful. (87: 14) Sufi Orders of Islam are the institutions where the basics of Tazkiyah (soul purification) and its practical application are taught. They have graded programs in which every new seeker is instructed in Zikr-e Lisani (oral Zikr) and is finally taught the Zikr-e Qalbi (Remembrance in heart).
ZIKR-E QALBI
However, in the Naqshbandia Order, Zikr-e Qalbi is practiced from the very beginning. Adherence to the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) is greatly emphasized in this Order, because the seeker achieves greater and quicker progress through its blessings. The essence of Zikr is that the Qalb should sincerely accept Islamic beliefs and gain the strength to follow the Sunnah with even greater devotion. ‘If the heart is acquainted with Allah and is engaged in His Zikr; then it is filled with Barakaat-e Nabuwwat (Prophetic blessings) which infuse their purity in the mind and body. This not only helps in controlling sensual drives but also removes traces of abhorrence, voracity, envy and insecurity from human soul. The person therefore becomes an embodiment of love, both for the Divine and the corporeal. This is the meaning of a Hadith, “There is a lump of flesh in the human body; if it goes astray the entire body is misguided, and if it is reformed the entire body is reformed. Know that this lump is the Qalb”.’
PAS ANFAS
Recent History Khawajah Naqshband (d. 1389 CE) organized the Naqshbandia Order at Bukhara (Central Asia). This Order has two main branches – the Mujaddidia and the Owaisiah. The former is identified with Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, known as Mujaddid Alif Sani (literally: reviver of the second Muslim millennium), a successor to Khawajah Baqi Billah, who introduced the Order to the Indo- Pakistan sub-continent. The Owaisiah Order employs a similar method of Zikr but acquires the Prophetic blessings in the manner of Khawajah Owais Qarni, who received this beneficence from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) without a formal physical meeting. The Zikr employed by the Naqshbandia is ‘Zikr-e Khafi Qalbi’ (remembrance of Allah’s Name within the heart) and the method is termed ‘Pas Anfas’, which (in Persian) means guarding every breath. The Chain of Transmission of these Barakah, of course, emanates from the holy Prophet- SAWS.
SPIRITUAL BAI’AT (OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
It is necessary in all Sufi Orders that the Sheikh and the seekers must be contemporaries and must physically meet each other for the transfer of these blessings. However, the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order goes beyond this requirement and Sufis of this Order receive these Barakah regardless of physical meeting with their Sheikh or even when the Sheikh is not their contemporary. Yet, it must be underscored that physical meeting with the Sheikh of this Order still holds great importance in dissemination of these Barakah. Sheikh Sirhindi writes about the Owaisiah Order in his book ‘Tazkirah’: ‘It is the most sublime, the most exalted, and the most effective…and the highest station of all others is only its stepping stone.’ By far the greatest singular distinction of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order is the honor of Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance) directly at the blessed hands of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
SHEIKH HAZRAT MOULANA ALLAH YAR KHAN (R.A)
The Reviver Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chikrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The same year, he met Sheikh ‘Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Sheikh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was immediately established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century CE) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years, after which he was directed to undertake the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular zeal and dedication for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss commensurate with his/her sincerity and capacity. Sheikh Allah Yar Khan’s mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and eminence. He authored eighteen books, the most distinguished being Dalael us-Sulook (Sufism - An Objective Appraisal), Hayat-e Barzakhiah (Life Beyond Life) and Israr ul- Haramain (Secrets of the two holy Mosques). He was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished Sufi saints of the Muslim Ummah and a reviver of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order. He passed away on 18 February 1984 in Islamabad at the age of eighty.
THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION OF NAQSHBANDIA OWAISIAH
1. Hazrat Muhammad ur-Rasool Allah (Sall Allah-o Alaihi wa Sallam), 2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radhi Allah-o Unho), 3. Hazrat Imam Hassan Basri (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 4. Hazrat Daud Tai (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 5. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 6. Hazrat Ubaid Ullah Ahrar (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 7. Hazrat Abdur Rahman Jami (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 8. Hazrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Salih (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 9. Hazrat Allah Deen Madni (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 10. Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi).
THE SPIRIT OR RUH
The spirit or Ruh of every person is a created reflection of the Divine Attributes and it originates in Alam-e Amar (Realm of Command). Its food is the Light of Allah or the Divine Refulgence, which it acquires from the Realm of Command through the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him), whose status in the spiritual world is like that of the sun in the solar system. The Quran refers to him as the ‘bright lamp’. Indeed, he is the divinely selected channel of all Barakah. All Exalted Messengers themselves receive these Barakah from him.
LATAIF
The human Ruh also possesses vital organs like the physical body; through which it acquires its knowledge, food and energy. These are called Lataif (singular Latifah: subtlety). Scholars of various Sufi Orders have associated them with specific areas of the human body. The Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order identifies these Lataif as follows. First - Qalb: This spiritual faculty is located within the physical heart. Its function is Zikr. Its strength increases one’s capacity for Allah’s Zikr. Second – Ruh: The site of this Latifah, which is a distinct faculty of the human Ruh, is on the right side of the chest at the level of Qalb. Its primary function is concentration towards Allah. Third – Sirri: This is located above the Qalb and functions to make possible Kashf. Forth – Khaffi: This is located above the Ruh and functions to perceive the omnipresence of Allah. Fifth – Akhfa: This is located in the middle of chest, at the centre of the first four Lataif and makes it possible for the Ruh to perceive the closeness of Allah, Who is closer to us than our own selves. Sixth – Nafs: This Latifah is located at the forehead and functions to purify the human soul. Seventh – Sultan al-Azkar: This Latifah is located at the top centre of the head and serves to absorb the Barakah of Allah into the entire body, so that every cell resonates with Zikr.
FIVE EXALTED MESSENGERS OF GOD
There are Five Exalted Messengers among the many known and unknown Messengers of Allah. They are Hazrat Muhammad, Hazrat Nuh (Noah), Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), Hazrat Musa (Moses), and Hazrat Esa (Jesus), peace be upon them all. Hazrat Adam is the first Prophet of Allah and the father of mankind. Each Latifah is associated with a particular Prophet. The Barakah and lights from Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him), descend on the first Latifah Qalb; its lights are reflected from the first heaven and are yellowish. The second Latifah is associated with Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon them). Its lights descend from the second heaven and appear as golden red. The lights descending upon the third Latifah are from Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and are white. One the fourth Latifah, the lights of Hazrat Esa (peace be upon him) descend from the fourth heaven and are deep blue. The fifth Latifah receives its Barakah directly from the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him). The lights associated with this Latifah are green, descend from the fifth heaven, and overwhelm all the first four Lataif. The Lights descending upon the sixth and seventh Lataif are the Divine Lights, whose color and condition cannot be determined. These are like flashes of lightening that defy comprehension. If Allah blesses a seeker with Kashf, he can observe all of this. The vision is slightly diffused in the beginning, but gradually the clarity improves.
SULOOK
Stages of the Path After all seven Lataif of a seeker have been illuminated with Divine Lights through Tawajjuh of the Sheikh and his Ruh has acquired the ability to fly, the Sheikh initiates its journey on the sublime Path of Divine nearness. The Path is known as Sulook, and its stages are not hypothetical imaginations but real and actually existing stations on the spiritual Path. These are also referred to as Meditations, because a seeker mentally meditates about a station while his/her Ruh actually ascends towards it. The first three stations that form the base of whole Sulook are described as; Ahadiyyat, a station of Absolute Unity of Divinity. It is above and beyond the seven heavens. It is so vast a station that the seven heavens and all that they encompass are lost within Ahadiyyat as a ring is lost in a vast desert. Its lights are white in color. Maiyyat station denotes Divine Company, ‘He is with you, wherever you might be.’ This station is so vast that Ahadiyyat along with the seven heavens beneath are lost within it as a ring is lost in a desert. Its lights are green in color. Aqrabiyyat station denotes Divine Nearness, ‘He is nearer to you than your life- vein.’ Again, Aqrabiyyat is vast as compared to Maiyyat in the same proportion. Its lights are golden red and are reflected from the Divine Throne. It is indeed the greatest favor of Almighty Allah that He blesses a seeker with an accomplished Sheikh, who takes him to these sublime stations. The final station that a seeker attains to during his/her lifetime becomes his/her Iliyyeen (blessed abode) in Barzakh and his/her Ruh stays at this station after death.
ZIKR
Why is Zikr Necessary for Everyone? Allah ordains every soul in the Quran to Perform Zikr. This not only means reciting the Quran and Tasbeeh but also Zikr-e Qalb. It is only through Zikr-e Qalbi that Prophetic Lights reach the depths of human soul and purify it from all vice and evil. Zikr infuses a realization of constant Divine Presence and a seeker feels great improvement in the level of sincerity and love towards Allah and the holy Prophet- SAWS. Such levels of sincerity, love and feelings of Divine Presence can never be obtained without Zikr. It would be a mistake to believe that Zikr may be a requirement only for the very pious and virtuous people. Zikr provides the Prophetic blessings which are in effect the life line of every human soul. It transforms even the most corrupted humans into virtuous souls by bringing out the best in them. The fact is that Zikr is the only way to achieve true contentment and satisfaction in life. The holy Quran has pointed to this eternal fact that it is only through Zikr Allah that hearts can find satisfaction. Such satisfaction and peace are the ultimate requirements of every person, regardless of religion, race and ethnicity. Practicing Zikr regularly removes all traces of anxiety and restlessness, and guides the human soul to eternal bliss and peace.
KHALIFA MAJAZEEN
Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), during his life time in 1974, presented a nomination list to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), during Maraqba, of expected Khalifa Majazeen for Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) approved some names, deleted some of the names, and added down the name of Major Ghulam Muhammad as also Khalifa Majaaz of Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia (which was not previously included in the list)
The approved names at that time included:
1. Mr. Muhammad Akram Awan Sahib,
2. Mr. Sayed Bunyad Hussain Shah Sahib,
3. Mr. Major Ahsan Baig Sahib,
4. Mr. Col. Matloob Hussain Sahib,
5. Mr. Major Ghulam Muhammad Sahib of Wan Bhachran Mianwali,
6. Mr. Molvi Abdul Haq Sahib,
7. Mr. Hafiz Abdul Razzaq Sahib,
8. Mr. Hafiz Ghulam Qadri Sahib,
9. Mr. Khan Muhammad Irani Sahib,
10. Mr. Maolana Abdul Ghafoor Sahib,
11. Mr. Syed Muhammad Hassan Sahib of Zohb.
These Majazeen were authorized to; held Majalis of Zikar (Pas Anfas) in their respective areas, arrange Majalis of Zikar in neighboring areas, train them on the way of Sulook, prepare them for Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance), and present them to Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan for Spiritual Bai’at at the Hand of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), in the life of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), and were all equal in status as Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Presently we are following Hazrat Major ® Ghulam Muhammad Sahib, Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
At the back of the complex, southwest of the mosque, stands an L-shaped construction, consisting of Alauddin Khilji's tomb dating ca 1316 AD, and a madrasa, an Islamic seminary built by him. Khilji was the second Sultan of Delhi from Khilji dynasty, who ruled from 1296 to 1316 AD.
The central room of the building, which has his tomb, has now lost its dome, though many rooms of the seminary or college are intact, and since been restored. There were two small chambers connected to the tomb by passages on either side. Fergusson in his book suggested the existence, to the west of the tomb, of seven rooms, two of which had domes and windows. The remains of the tomb building suggest that there was an open courtyard on the south and west sides of the tomb building, and that one room in the north served as an entrance.
It was the first example in India, of a tomb standing alongside a madarsa. Nearby stands the Alai Minar, an ambitious tower, he started constructing to rival the Qutub Minar, though he died when only its first storey was built and its construction abandoned thereafter. It now stands, north of the mosque.
The tomb is in a very dilapidated condition. It is believed that Ala-ud-din's body was brought to the complex from Siri and buried in front of the mosque, which formed part of the madrasa adjoining the tomb. Firoz Shah Tughluq, who undertook repairs of the tomb complex, mentioned a mosque within the madrasa.
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MADRASA
Madrasa (Persian: مدرسة, madrasah, pl. مدارس, madāris, Turkish: Medrese) is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, whether secular or religious (of any religion). The word is variously transliterated madrasah, madarasaa, medresa, madrassa, madraza, medrese, etc. In the West, the word usually refers to a specific type of religious school or college for the study of the Islamic religion, though this may not be the only subject studied. Not all students in madrasas are Muslims; there is also a modern curriculum.
DEFINITION
The word madrasah derives from the triconsonantal Semitic root د-ر-س D-R-S 'to learn, study', through the wazn (form/stem) مفعل(ة); mafʻal(ah), meaning "a place where something is done". Therefore, madrasah literally means "a place where learning and studying take place". The word is also present as a loanword with the same innocuous meaning in many Arabic-influenced languages, such as: Urdu, Bengali, Hindi, Persian, Turkish, Azeri, Kurdish, Indonesian, Malay and Bosnian / Croatian. In the Arabic language, the word مدرسة madrasah simply means the same as school does in the English language, whether that is private, public or parochial school, as well as for any primary or secondary school whether Muslim, non-Muslim, or secular. Unlike the use of the word school in British English, the word madrasah more closely resembles the term school in American English, in that it can refer to a university-level or post-graduate school as well as to a primary or secondary school. For example, in the Ottoman Empire during the Early Modern Period, madrasas had lower schools and specialised schools where the students became known as danişmends. The usual Arabic word for a university, however, is جامعة (jāmiʻah). The Hebrew cognate midrasha also connotes the meaning of a place of learning; the related term midrash literally refers to study or learning, but has acquired mystical and religious connotations.
However, in English, the term madrasah usually refers to the specifically Islamic institutions. A typical Islamic school usually offers two courses of study: a ḥifẓ course teaching memorization of the Qur'an (the person who commits the entire Qurʼan to memory is called a ḥāfiẓ); and an ʻālim course leading the candidate to become an accepted scholar in the community. A regular curriculum includes courses in Arabic, tafsir (Qur'anic interpretation), sharīʻah (Islamic law), hadiths (recorded sayings and deeds of Muhammad), mantiq (logic), and Muslim history. In the Ottoman Empire, during the Early Modern Period, the study of hadiths was introduced by Süleyman I. Depending on the educational demands, some madrasas also offer additional advanced courses in Arabic literature, English and other foreign languages, as well as science and world history. Ottoman madrasas along with religious teachings also taught "styles of writing, grammary, syntax, poetry, composition, natural sciences, political sciences, and etiquette."
People of all ages attend, and many often move on to becoming imams. The certificate of an ʻālim, for example, requires approximately twelve years of study. A good number of the ḥuffāẓ (plural of ḥāfiẓ) are the product of the madrasas. The madrasas also resemble colleges, where people take evening classes and reside in dormitories. An important function of the madrasas is to admit orphans and poor children in order to provide them with education and training. Madrasas may enroll female students; however, they study separately from the men.
EARLY HISTORY
The first institute of madrasa education was at the estate of Hazrat Zaid bin Arkam near a hill called Safa, where Hazrat Muhammad was the teacher and the students were some of his followers. After Hijrah (migration) the madrasa of "Suffa" was established in Madina on the east side of the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi mosque. Hazrat 'Ubada bin Samit was appointed there by Hazrat Muhammad as teacher and among the students. In the curriculum of the madrasa, there were teachings of The Qur'an, The Hadith, fara'iz, tajweed, genealogy, treatises of first aid, etc. There were also trainings of horse-riding, art of war, handwriting and calligraphy, athletics and martial arts. The first part of madrasa based education is estimated from the first day of "nabuwwat" to the first portion of the "Umaiya" caliphate.
Established in 859, Jāmiʻat al-Qarawīyīn (located in al-Qarawīyīn Mosque) in the city of Fas, Morocco, is considered the oldest university in the world by some scholars, though the existence of universities in the medieval Muslim world is debated. It was founded by Fāṭimah al-Fihrī, the daughter of a wealthy merchant named Muḥammad al-Fihrī. This was later followed by the establishment of al-Azhar in 959 in Cairo, Egypt.
During the late ʻAbbāsid period, the Seljuk vizier Niẓām al-Mulk created one of the first major official academic institutions known in history as the Madrasah Niẓāmīyah, based on the informal majālis (sessions of the shaykhs). Niẓām al-Mulk, who would later be murdered by the Assassins (Ḥashshāshīn), created a system of state madrasas (in his time they were called the Niẓāmiyyahs, named after him) in various ʻAbbāsid cities at the end of the 11th century.
During the rule of the Fatimid and Mamluk dynasties and their successor states in the medieval Middle East, many of the ruling elite founded madrasas through a religious endowment known as the waqf. Not only was the madrasa a potent symbol of status but it was an effective means of transmitting wealth and status to their descendants. Especially during the Mamlūk period, when only former slaves could assume power, the sons of the ruling Mamlūk elite were unable to inherit. Guaranteed positions within the new madrasas thus allowed them to maintain status. Madrasas built in this period include the Mosque-Madrasah of Sultan Ḥasan in Cairo.
Dimitri Gutas and the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy consider the period between the 11th and 14th centuries to be the "Golden Age" of Arabic and Islamic philosophy, initiated by al-Ghazali's successful integration of logic into the madrasah curriculum and the subsequent rise of Avicennism.
At the beginning of the Caliphate or Islamic Empire, the reliance on courts initially confined sponsorship and scholarly activities to major centres. Within several centuries, the development of Muslim educational institutions such as the madrasah and masjid eventually introduced such activities to provincial towns and dispersed them across the Islamic legal schools and Sufi orders. In addition to religious subjects, they also taught the "rational sciences," as varied as mathematics, astronomy, astrology, geography, alchemy, philosophy, magic, and occultism, depending on the curriculum of the specific institution in question. The madrasas, however, were not centres of advanced scientific study; scientific advances in Islam were usually carried out by scholars working under the patronage of royal courts. During this time,[when?] the Caliphate experienced a growth in literacy, having the highest literacy rate of the Middle Ages, comparable to classical Athens' literacy in antiquity but on a much larger scale. The emergence of the maktab and madrasa institutions played a fundamental role in the relatively high literacy rates of the medieval Islamic world.
The following excerpt provides a brief synopsis of the historical origins and starting points for the teachings that took place in the Ottoman madrasas in the Early Modern Period:
Taşköprülüzâde's concept of knowledge and his division of the sciences provides a starting point for a study of learning and medrese education in the Ottoman Empire. Taşköprülüzâde recognises four stages of knowledge - spiritual, intellectual, oral and written. Thus all the sciences fall into one of these seven categories: calligraphic sciences, oral sciences, intellectual sciences, spiritual sciences, theoretical rational sciences, and practical rational sciences. The first Ottoman medrese was created in İznik in 1331, when a converted Church building was assigned as a medrese to a famous scholar, Dâvûd of Kayseri. Suleyman made an important change in the hierarchy of Ottoman medreses. He established four general medreses and two more for specialised studies, one devoted to the ḥadīth and the other to medicine. He gave the highest ranking to these and thus established the hierarchy of the medreses which was to continue until the end of the empire.
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
In the medieval Islamic world, an elementary school was known as a maktab, which dates back to at least the 10th century. Like madrasas (which referred to higher education), a maktab was often attached to an endowed mosque. In the 11th century, the famous Persian Islamic philosopher and teacher Ibn Sīnā (known as Avicenna in the West), in one of his books, wrote a chapter about the maktab entitled "The Role of the Teacher in the Training and Upbringing of Children," as a guide to teachers working at maktab schools. He wrote that children can learn better if taught in classes instead of individual tuition from private tutors, and he gave a number of reasons for why this is the case, citing the value of competition and emulation among pupils, as well as the usefulness of group discussions and debates. Ibn Sīnā described the curriculum of a maktab school in some detail, describing the curricula for two stages of education in a maktab school.
PRIMARY EDUCATION
Ibn Sīnā wrote that children should be sent to a maktab school from the age of 6 and be taught primary education until they reach the age of 14. During which time, he wrote, they should be taught the Qur'an, Islamic metaphysics, language, literature, Islamic ethics, and manual skills (which could refer to a variety of practical skills).
SECONDARY EDUCATION
Ibn Sīnā refers to the secondary education stage of maktab schooling as a period of specialisation when pupils should begin to acquire manual skills, regardless of their social status. He writes that children after the age of 14 should be allowed to choose and specialise in subjects they have an interest in, whether it was reading, manual skills, literature, preaching, medicine, geometry, trade and commerce, craftsmanship, or any other subject or profession they would be interested in pursuing for a future career. He wrote that this was a transitional stage and that there needs to be flexibility regarding the age in which pupils graduate, as the student's emotional development and chosen subjects need to be taken into account.
HIGHER EDUCATION
During its formative period, the term madrasah referred to a higher education institution, whose curriculum initially included only the "religious sciences", whilst philosophy and the secular sciences were often excluded. The curriculum slowly began to diversify, with many later madrasas teaching both the religious and the "secular sciences", such as logic, mathematics and philosophy. Some madrasas further extended their curriculum to history, politics, ethics, music, metaphysics, medicine, astronomy and chemistry. The curriculum of a madrasah was usually set by its founder, but most generally taught both the religious sciences and the physical sciences. Madrasas were established throughout the Islamic world, examples being the 9th century University of al-Qarawiyyin, the 10th century al-Azhar University (the most famous), the 11th century Niẓāmīyah, as well as 75 madrasas in Cairo, 51 in Damascus and up to 44 in Aleppo between 1155 and 1260. Many more were also established in the Andalusian cities of Córdoba, Seville, Toledo, Granada (Madrasah of Granada), Murcia, Almería, Valencia and Cádiz during the Caliphate of Córdoba.
In the Ottoman Empire during the early modern period, "Madrasas were divided into lower and specialised levels, which reveals that there was a sense of elevation in school. Students who studied in the specialised schools after completing courses in the lower levels became known as danişmends."
While "madrasah" can now refer to any type of school, the term madrasah was originally used to refer more specifically to a medieval Islamic centre of learning, mainly teaching Islamic law and theology, usually affiliated with a mosque, and funded by an early charitable trust known as waqf.
LAW SCHOOL
Madrasas were largely centred on the study of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). The ijāzat al-tadrīs wa-al-iftāʼ ("licence to teach and issue legal opinions") in the medieval Islamic legal education system had its origins in the 9th century after the formation of the madhāhib (schools of jurisprudence). George Makdisi considers the ijāzah to be the origin of the European doctorate. However, in an earlier article, he considered the ijāzah to be of "fundamental difference" to the medieval doctorate, since the former was awarded by an individual teacher-scholar not obliged to follow any formal criteria, whereas the latter was conferred on the student by the collective authority of the faculty. To obtain an ijāzah, a student "had to study in a guild school of law, usually four years for the basic undergraduate course" and ten or more years for a post-graduate course. The "doctorate was obtained after an oral examination to determine the originality of the candidate's theses", and to test the student's "ability to defend them against all objections, in disputations set up for the purpose." These were scholarly exercises practised throughout the student's "career as a graduate student of law." After students completed their post-graduate education, they were awarded ijazas giving them the status of faqīh 'scholar of jurisprudence', muftī 'scholar competent in issuing fatwās', and mudarris 'teacher'.
The Arabic term ijāzat al-tadrīs was awarded to Islamic scholars who were qualified to teach. According to Makdisi, the Latin title licentia docendi 'licence to teach' in the European university may have been a translation of the Arabic, but the underlying concept was very different. A significant difference between the ijāzat al-tadrīs and the licentia docendi was that the former was awarded by the individual scholar-teacher, while the latter was awarded by the chief official of the university, who represented the collective faculty, rather than the individual scholar-teacher.
Much of the study in the madrasah college centred on examining whether certain opinions of law were orthodox. This scholarly process of "determining orthodoxy began with a question which the Muslim layman, called in that capacity mustaftī, presented to a jurisconsult, called mufti, soliciting from him a response, called fatwa, a legal opinion (the religious law of Islam covers civil as well as religious matters). The mufti (professor of legal opinions) took this question, studied it, researched it intensively in the sacred scriptures, in order to find a solution to it. This process of scholarly research was called ijtihād, literally, the exertion of one's efforts to the utmost limit."
MEDICAL SCHOOL
Though Islamic medicine was most often taught at the bimaristan teaching hospitals, there were also several medical madrasas dedicated to the teaching of medicine. For example, of the 155 madrasa colleges in 15th century Damascus, three of them were medical schools. No medical degrees were granted to students, as there was no faculty that could issue them. Therefore, no system of examination and certification ever developed in the Islamic tradition, in contrast with medieval Europe.
In the Early Modern Period in the Ottoman Empire, "Suleyman I added new curriculums ['sic'] to the Ottoman medreses of which one was medicine, which alongside studying of the ḥadīth was given highest rank."
MADRASA AND UNIVERSITY
Note: The word jāmiʻah (Arabic: جامعة) simply means 'university'. For more information, see Islamic university (disambiguation).
There is disagreement whether madrasas ever became universities. Scholars like Arnold H. Green and Seyyed Hossein Nasr have argued that starting in the 10th century, some medieval Islamic madrasas indeed became universities. George Makdisi and others, however, argue that the European university has no parallel in the medieval Islamic world. Darleen Pryds questions this view, pointing out that madrasas and European universities in the Mediterranean region shared similar foundations by princely patrons and were intended to provide loyal administrators to further the rulers' agenda. Other scholars regard the university as uniquely European in origin and characteristics.
al-Qarawīyīn University in Fez, Morocco is recognised by many historians as the oldest degree-granting university in the world, having been founded in 859 by Fatima al-Fihri. While the madrasa college could also issue degrees at all levels, the jāmiʻahs (such as al-Qarawīyīn and al-Azhar University) differed in the sense that they were larger institutions, more universal in terms of their complete source of studies, had individual faculties for different subjects, and could house a number of mosques, madrasas, and other institutions within them. Such an institution has thus been described as an "Islamic university".
Al-Azhar University, founded in Cairo, Egypt in 975 by the Ismaʻīlī Shīʻī Fatimid dynasty as a jāmiʻah, had individual faculties for a theological seminary, Islamic law and jurisprudence, Arabic grammar, Islamic astronomy, early Islamic philosophy and logic in Islamic philosophy. The postgraduate doctorate in law was only obtained after "an oral examination to determine the originality of the candidate's theses", and to test the student's "ability to defend them against all objections, in disputations set up for the purpose." ‘Abd al-Laṭīf al-Baghdādī also delivered lectures on Islamic medicine at al-Azhar, while Maimonides delivered lectures on medicine and astronomy there during the time of Saladin. Another early jāmiʻah was the Niẓāmīyah of Baghdād (founded 1091), which has been called the "largest university of the Medieval world." Mustansiriya University, established by the ʻAbbāsid caliph al-Mustanṣir in 1233, in addition to teaching the religious subjects, offered courses dealing with philosophy, mathematics and the natural sciences.
However, the classification of madrasas as "universities" is disputed on the question of understanding of each institution on its own terms. In madrasas, the ijāzahs were only issued in one field, the Islamic religious law of sharīʻah, and in no other field of learning. Other academic subjects, including the natural sciences, philosophy and literary studies, were only treated "ancillary" to the study of the Sharia. For example, a natural science like astronomy was only studied (if at all) to supply religious needs, like the time for prayer. This is why Ptolemaic astronomy was considered adequate, and is still taught in some modern day madrasas. The Islamic law undergraduate degree from al-Azhar, the most prestigious madrasa, was traditionally granted without final examinations, but on the basis of the students' attentive attendance to courses. In contrast to the medieval doctorate which was granted by the collective authority of the faculty, the Islamic degree was not granted by the teacher to the pupil based on any formal criteria, but remained a "personal matter, the sole prerogative of the person bestowing it; no one could force him to give one".
Medievalist specialists who define the university as a legally autonomous corporation disagree with the term "university" for the Islamic madrasas and jāmi‘ahs because the medieval university (from Latin universitas) was structurally different, being a legally autonomous corporation rather than a waqf institution like the madrasa and jāmiʻah. Despite the many similarities, medieval specialists have coined the term "Islamic college" for madrasa and jāmiʻah to differentiate them from the legally autonomous corporations that the medieval European universities were. In a sense, the madrasa resembles a university college in that it has most of the features of a university, but lacks the corporate element. Toby Huff summarises the difference as follows:
From a structural and legal point of view, the madrasa and the university were contrasting types. Whereas the madrasa was a pious endowment under the law of religious and charitable foundations (waqf), the universities of Europe were legally autonomous corporate entities that had many legal rights and privileges. These included the capacity to make their own internal rules and regulations, the right to buy and sell property, to have legal representation in various forums, to make contracts, to sue and be sued."
As Muslim institutions of higher learning, the madrasa had the legal designation of waqf. In central and eastern Islamic lands, the view that the madrasa, as a charitable endowment, will remain under the control of the donor (and their descendent), resulted in a "spurt" of establishment of madrasas in the 11th and 12th centuries. However, in Western Islamic lands, where the Maliki views prohibited donors from controlling their endowment, madrasas were not as popular. Unlike the corporate designation of Western institutions of higher learning, the waqf designation seemed to have led to the exclusion of non-orthodox religious subjects such a philosophy and natural science from the curricula. The madrasa of al-Qarawīyīn, one of the two surviving madrasas that predate the founding of the earliest medieval universities and are thus claimed to be the "first universities" by some authors, has acquired official university status as late as 1947. The other, al-Azhar, did acquire this status in name and essence only in the course of numerous reforms during the 19th and 20th century, notably the one of 1961 which introduced non-religious subjects to its curriculum, such as economics, engineering, medicine, and agriculture. It should also be noted that many medieval universities were run for centuries as Christian cathedral schools or monastic schools prior to their formal establishment as universitas
scholarium; evidence of these immediate forerunners of the university dates back to the 6th century AD, thus well preceding the earliest madrasas. George Makdisi, who has published most extensively on the topic concludes in his comparison between the two institutions:
Thus the university, as a form of social organization, was peculiar to medieval Europe. Later, it was exported to all parts of the world, including the Muslim East; and it has remained with us down to the present day. But back in the middle ages, outside of Europe, there was nothing anything quite like it anywhere.
Nevertheless, Makdisi has asserted that the European university borrowed many of its features from the Islamic madrasa, including the concepts of a degree and doctorate. Makdisi and Hugh Goddard have also highlighted other terms and concepts now used in modern universities which most likely have Islamic origins, including "the fact that we still talk of professors holding the 'Chair' of their subject" being based on the "traditional Islamic pattern of teaching where the professor sits on a chair and the students sit around him", the term 'academic circles' being derived from the way in which Islamic students "sat in a circle around their professor", and terms such as "having 'fellows', 'reading' a subject, and obtaining 'degrees', can all be traced back" to the Islamic concepts of aṣḥāb ('companions, as of Muhammad'), qirāʼah ('reading aloud the Qur'an') and ijāzah ('licence [to teach]') respectively. Makdisi has listed eighteen such parallels in terminology which can be traced back to their roots in Islamic education. Some of the practices now common in modern universities which Makdisi and Goddard trace back to an Islamic root include "practices such as delivering inaugural lectures, wearing academic robes, obtaining doctorates by defending a thesis, and even the idea of academic freedom are also modelled on Islamic custom." The Islamic scholarly system of fatwá and ijmāʻ, meaning opinion and consensus respectively, formed the basis of the "scholarly system the West has practised in university scholarship from the Middle Ages down to the present day." According to Makdisi and Goddard, "the idea of academic freedom" in universities was also "modelled on Islamic custom" as practised in the medieval Madrasa system from the 9th century. Islamic influence was "certainly discernible in the foundation of the first deliberately planned university" in Europe, the University of Naples Federico II founded by Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor in 1224.
However, all of these facets of medieval university life are considered by standard scholarship to be independent medieval European developments with no tracable Islamic influence. Generally, some reviewers have pointed out the strong inclination of Makdisi of overstating his case by simply resting on "the accumulation of close parallels", but all the while failing to point to convincing channels of transmission between the Muslim and Christian world. Norman Daniel points out that the Arab equivalent of the Latin disputation, the taliqa, was reserved for the ruler's court, not the madrasa, and that the actual differences between Islamic fiqh and medieval European civil law were profound. The taliqa only reached Islamic Spain, the only likely point of transmission, after the establishment of the first medieval universities. In fact, there is no Latin translation of the taliqa and, most importantly, no evidence of Latin scholars ever showing awareness of Arab influence on the Latin method of disputation, something they would have certainly found noteworthy. Rather, it was the medieval reception of the Greek Organon which set the scholastic sic et non in motion. Daniel concludes that resemblances in method had more to with the two religions having "common problems: to reconcile the conflicting statements of their own authorities, and to safeguard the data of revelation from the impact of Greek philosophy"; thus Christian scholasticism and similar Arab concepts should be viewed in terms of a parallel occurrence, not of the transmission of ideas from one to the other, a view shared by Hugh Kennedy.
Tony Huff, in a discussion of Makdisi's hypothesis, concludes:
It remains the case that no equivalent of the bachelor's degree, the licentia docendi, or higher degrees ever emerged in the medieval or early modern Islamic madrasas.
FEMALE EDUCATION
Prior to the 12th century, women accounted for less than one percent of the world’s Islamic scholars. However, al-Sakhawi and Mohammad Akram Nadwi have since found evidence of over 8,000 female scholars since the 15th century.[64] al-Sakhawi devotes an entire volume of his 12-volume biographical dictionary al-Ḍawʾ al-lāmiʻ to female scholars, giving information on 1,075 of them. More recently, the scholar Mohammad Akram Nadwi, currently a researcher from the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, has written 40 volumes on the muḥaddithāt (the women scholars of ḥadīth), and found at least 8,000 of them.
From around 750, during the Abbasid Caliphate, women “became renowned for their brains as well as their beauty”. In particular, many well known women of the time were trained from childhood in music, dancing and poetry. Mahbuba was one of these. Another feminine figure to be remembered for her achievements was Tawaddud, "a slave girl who was said to have been bought at great cost by Hārūn al-Rashīd because she had passed her examinations by the most eminent scholars in astronomy, medicine, law, philosophy, music, history, Arabic grammar, literature, theology and chess".[68] Moreover, among the most prominent feminine figures was Shuhda who was known as "the Scholar" or "the Pride of Women" during the 12th century in Baghdad. Despite the recognition of women's aptitudes during the Abbasid dynasty, all these came to an end in Iraq with the sack of Baghdad in 1258.
Women played an important role in the foundations of many Islamic educational institutions, such as Fatima al-Fihri's founding of the University of Al Karaouine in 859. This continued through to the Ayyubid dynasty in the 12th and 13th centuries, when 160 mosques and madrasas were established in Damascus, 26 of which were funded by women through the Waqf (charitable trust) system. Half of all the royal patrons for these institutions were also women.
According to the Sunni scholar Ibn ʻAsākir in the 12th century, there were opportunities for female education in the medieval Islamic world, writing that women could study, earn ijazahs (academic degrees), and qualify as scholars and teachers. This was especially the case for learned and scholarly families, who wanted to ensure the highest possible education for both their sons and daughters. Ibn ʻAsakir had himself studied under 80 different female teachers in his time. Female education in the Islamic world was inspired by Muhammad's wives, such as Khadijah, a successful businesswoman. According to a hadith attributed to Muhammad, he praised the women of Medina because of their desire for religious knowledge:
How splendid were the women of the ansar; shame did not prevent them from becoming learned in the faith.
While it was not common for women to enroll as students in formal classes, it was common for women to attend informal lectures and study sessions at mosques, madrasas and other public places. While there were no legal restrictions on female education, some men did not approve of this practice, such as Muhammad ibn al-Hajj (d. 1336) who was appalled at the behaviour of some women who informally audited lectures in his time:
[Consider] what some women do when people gather with a shaykh to hear [the recitation of] books. At that point women come, too, to hear the readings; the men sit in one place, the women facing them. It even happens at such times that some of the women are carried away by the situation; one will stand up, and sit down, and shout in a loud voice. [Moreover,] her 'awra will appear; in her house, their exposure would be forbidden — how can it be allowed in a mosque, in the presence of men?
The term ʻawrah is often translated as 'that which is indecent', which usually meant the exposure of anything other than a woman's face and hands, although scholarly interpretations of the ʻawrah and ḥijāb have always tended to vary, with some more or less strict than others.
WIKIPEDIA
Tafsir Ibnu Katsir is recognized until today as the most authentic Kitab Tafsir ( book of Quran Interpretation / commentary ) among Muslim scholars and highly recommended for people to read, as it assembles authentic commentaries from earlier generations ( Prophet's companions), and also from earlier Muslim scholars who came after them, according to the understanding of salafussoleh
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah’s peace be upon Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), the glorious Prophet of Islam, and on his Companions and his followers.
TASAWWUF
"There is no doubt that Tasawwuf is an important branch of Islam. The word itself may have been derived form the Arabic word "Soof" (Wool) or from "Safa" (cleanliness), but its foundation lies in one’s personal sincerity in seeking Allah’s nearness and trying to live a life pleasing to Him. Study of the Quran, the Hadith, and the practical life of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and his faithful Companions provide unmistakable support to this reality." (Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A)
SUFISM, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ISLAM
Doubts exist not only in the minds of the Muslim faithful but also among the Ulema, notably the exoteric about Tasawwuf and its votaries. Often they lead to misunderstanding, as if Shariah and Tariqah were two separate entries, or that Tasawwuf was some obscure discipline foreign to Islam, or that it was altogether above the established laws and injunctions of our Religion. To help remove these misgivings and to reassure seekers, as well as scholars, our Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), Sheikh Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia, wrote Al-Jamal Wal Kamal, Aqaid-O-Kamalaat Ulmai-e-Deoband, Binat-e-Rasool (S.A.W), Daamad-e-Ali (R.A), Dalael-us-Salook, Ejaad-e-Mazhab Shia, Hayat-un-Nabi (S.A.W), Hayat Barzakhia, Ilm-o-Irfan, Niffaz-e-Shariat Aur Fiqah-e-Jaferia, Saif-e-Owaisi, Shikast-e-Ahdai Hussain and Tahkeek Halal Haram books.
BIOGRAPHY
Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chakrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The very year, he met Shaykh Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Shaykh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was right away established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years. In 1962 he was directed to carry out the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular enthusiasm and devotion for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss as per his/her sincerity and capacity. Shaykh Allah Yar Khan's mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and distinction.
Although Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A) have lived a major portion of his life as a scholar, with the avowed mission of illuminating the truth of Islam and the negation of fallacious sects, and this would appear quite removed from Tasawwuf, yet the only practical difference between the two, namely the use of the former as a media to expound the truth, and the latter to imbue people with positive faith. Nevertheless, people are amazed that a man, who until the other day, was known as a dialectician and a preacher of Islam, is not only talking of Mystic Path, but is also claiming spiritual bonds with the veteran Sufi Masters of the Past. This amazement is obviously out of place in the view of Quranic injunction: This is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills. (62:4)
THE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL
The purification of the soul always formed part of the main mission of the Prophets; that is, the dissemination and propagation of the Devine Message. This responsibility later fell directly on the shoulders of the true Ulema in the Ummah of the last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who, as his genuine successors, have continued to shed brave light in every Dark Age of materialism and sacrilege. In the present age of ruinous confusion, the importance of this responsibility has increased manifold; of the utter neglect of Islam by Muslims has not only driven them to misery, but also grievously weakened their bonds of faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). The decay in their belief and consequent perversion in their conduct has reached a stage that any attempt to pull them out of the depth of ignominy and the heedless chaos of faithlessness, attracts grave uncertainties and apprehensions rather than a encouraging will to follow the Shariah, to purify the soul and to reform within. The Quranic Verse: Layers upon layers of darkness… (24:40) provides the nearest expression of their present state.
SHARIAH & SUFISM
Any action against the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) cannot be called Sufism. Singing and dancing, and the prostration on tombs are not part of Sufism. Nor is predicting the future and predicting the outcome of cases in the courts of law, a part of Sufism. Sufis are not required to abandon their worldly possessions or live in the wilderness far from the practical world. In fact these absurdities are just its opposites. It is an established fact that Tazkiyah (soul purification) stands for that inner purity which inspires a person’s spirit to obey the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If a false claimant of Sufism teaches tricks and jugglery, ignoring religious obligations, he is an impostor. A true Sheikh will lead a believer to the august spiritual audience of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the company of an accomplished spiritual guide and Sheikh of Sufism, and if you follow his instructions, you will observe a positive change in yourself, transferring you from vice to virtue.
ISLAM, AS A COMPLETE CODE OF LIFE
Islam, as a complete code of life or Deen, was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). He was the sole teacher and his mosque was the core institution for the community. Although Islam in its entirety was practiced during that blessed era, the classification and compilation of its knowledge into distinct branches like ‘Tafsir’ (interpretation of the Quran), Hadith (traditions or sayings of the holy Prophet- SAWS), Fiqh (Islamic law), and Sufism (the soul purification) were undertaken subsequently. This Deen of Allah passed from the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to his illustrious Companions in two ways: the outward and the inward. The former comprised the knowledge defined by speech and conduct, i.e., the Quran and Sunnah. The latter comprised the invisible blessings or the Prophetic lights transmitted by his blessed self. These blessings purified the hearts and instilled in them a passionate desire to follow Islam with utmost love, honesty and loyalty.
WHAT’S SUFISM
Sufism is the attempt to attain these Barakah (Blessings). The Companions handed down Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) teachings as well as blessings to the Taba’een. Their strong hearts were capable of infusing these blessings into the hearts of their followers. Both aspects of Islam were similarly passed on by the Taba’een to the Taba Taba’een. The compilation of knowledge and its interpretation led to the establishment of many schools of religious thought; famous four being the Hanafi, the Hanbali, the Maliki, and the Shafa'i, all named after their founders. Similarly, in order to acquire, safeguard and distribute his blessings, an organized effort was initiated by four schools of Sufism: The Naqshbandia, the Qadria, the Chishtia, and the Suharwardia. These schools were also named after their organizers and came to be known as Sufi Orders. All these Orders intend to purify the hearts of sincere Muslims with Prophetic lights. These Sufi Orders also grew into many branches with the passage of time and are known by other names as well. The holy Quran has linked success in this life and the Hereafter with Tazkiyah (soul purification). He, who purified, is successful. (87: 14) Sufi Orders of Islam are the institutions where the basics of Tazkiyah (soul purification) and its practical application are taught. They have graded programs in which every new seeker is instructed in Zikr-e Lisani (oral Zikr) and is finally taught the Zikr-e Qalbi (Remembrance in heart).
ZIKR-E QALBI
However, in the Naqshbandia Order, Zikr-e Qalbi is practiced from the very beginning. Adherence to the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) is greatly emphasized in this Order, because the seeker achieves greater and quicker progress through its blessings. The essence of Zikr is that the Qalb should sincerely accept Islamic beliefs and gain the strength to follow the Sunnah with even greater devotion. ‘If the heart is acquainted with Allah and is engaged in His Zikr; then it is filled with Barakaat-e Nabuwwat (Prophetic blessings) which infuse their purity in the mind and body. This not only helps in controlling sensual drives but also removes traces of abhorrence, voracity, envy and insecurity from human soul. The person therefore becomes an embodiment of love, both for the Divine and the corporeal. This is the meaning of a Hadith, “There is a lump of flesh in the human body; if it goes astray the entire body is misguided, and if it is reformed the entire body is reformed. Know that this lump is the Qalb”.’
PAS ANFAS
Recent History Khawajah Naqshband (d. 1389 CE) organized the Naqshbandia Order at Bukhara (Central Asia). This Order has two main branches – the Mujaddidia and the Owaisiah. The former is identified with Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, known as Mujaddid Alif Sani (literally: reviver of the second Muslim millennium), a successor to Khawajah Baqi Billah, who introduced the Order to the Indo- Pakistan sub-continent. The Owaisiah Order employs a similar method of Zikr but acquires the Prophetic blessings in the manner of Khawajah Owais Qarni, who received this beneficence from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) without a formal physical meeting. The Zikr employed by the Naqshbandia is ‘Zikr-e Khafi Qalbi’ (remembrance of Allah’s Name within the heart) and the method is termed ‘Pas Anfas’, which (in Persian) means guarding every breath. The Chain of Transmission of these Barakah, of course, emanates from the holy Prophet- SAWS.
SPIRITUAL BAI’AT (OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
It is necessary in all Sufi Orders that the Sheikh and the seekers must be contemporaries and must physically meet each other for the transfer of these blessings. However, the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order goes beyond this requirement and Sufis of this Order receive these Barakah regardless of physical meeting with their Sheikh or even when the Sheikh is not their contemporary. Yet, it must be underscored that physical meeting with the Sheikh of this Order still holds great importance in dissemination of these Barakah. Sheikh Sirhindi writes about the Owaisiah Order in his book ‘Tazkirah’: ‘It is the most sublime, the most exalted, and the most effective…and the highest station of all others is only its stepping stone.’ By far the greatest singular distinction of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order is the honor of Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance) directly at the blessed hands of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
SHEIKH HAZRAT MOULANA ALLAH YAR KHAN (R.A)
The Reviver Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chikrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The same year, he met Sheikh ‘Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Sheikh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was immediately established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century CE) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years, after which he was directed to undertake the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular zeal and dedication for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss commensurate with his/her sincerity and capacity. Sheikh Allah Yar Khan’s mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and eminence. He authored eighteen books, the most distinguished being Dalael us-Sulook (Sufism - An Objective Appraisal), Hayat-e Barzakhiah (Life Beyond Life) and Israr ul- Haramain (Secrets of the two holy Mosques). He was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished Sufi saints of the Muslim Ummah and a reviver of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order. He passed away on 18 February 1984 in Islamabad at the age of eighty.
THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION OF NAQSHBANDIA OWAISIAH
1. Hazrat Muhammad ur-Rasool Allah (Sall Allah-o Alaihi wa Sallam), 2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radhi Allah-o Unho), 3. Hazrat Imam Hassan Basri (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 4. Hazrat Daud Tai (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 5. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 6. Hazrat Ubaid Ullah Ahrar (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 7. Hazrat Abdur Rahman Jami (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 8. Hazrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Salih (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 9. Hazrat Allah Deen Madni (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 10. Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi).
THE SPIRIT OR RUH
The spirit or Ruh of every person is a created reflection of the Divine Attributes and it originates in Alam-e Amar (Realm of Command). Its food is the Light of Allah or the Divine Refulgence, which it acquires from the Realm of Command through the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him), whose status in the spiritual world is like that of the sun in the solar system. The Quran refers to him as the ‘bright lamp’. Indeed, he is the divinely selected channel of all Barakah. All Exalted Messengers themselves receive these Barakah from him.
LATAIF
The human Ruh also possesses vital organs like the physical body; through which it acquires its knowledge, food and energy. These are called Lataif (singular Latifah: subtlety). Scholars of various Sufi Orders have associated them with specific areas of the human body. The Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order identifies these Lataif as follows. First - Qalb: This spiritual faculty is located within the physical heart. Its function is Zikr. Its strength increases one’s capacity for Allah’s Zikr. Second – Ruh: The site of this Latifah, which is a distinct faculty of the human Ruh, is on the right side of the chest at the level of Qalb. Its primary function is concentration towards Allah. Third – Sirri: This is located above the Qalb and functions to make possible Kashf. Forth – Khaffi: This is located above the Ruh and functions to perceive the omnipresence of Allah. Fifth – Akhfa: This is located in the middle of chest, at the centre of the first four Lataif and makes it possible for the Ruh to perceive the closeness of Allah, Who is closer to us than our own selves. Sixth – Nafs: This Latifah is located at the forehead and functions to purify the human soul. Seventh – Sultan al-Azkar: This Latifah is located at the top centre of the head and serves to absorb the Barakah of Allah into the entire body, so that every cell resonates with Zikr.
FIVE EXALTED MESSENGERS OF GOD
There are Five Exalted Messengers among the many known and unknown Messengers of Allah. They are Hazrat Muhammad, Hazrat Nuh (Noah), Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), Hazrat Musa (Moses), and Hazrat Esa (Jesus), peace be upon them all. Hazrat Adam is the first Prophet of Allah and the father of mankind. Each Latifah is associated with a particular Prophet. The Barakah and lights from Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him), descend on the first Latifah Qalb; its lights are reflected from the first heaven and are yellowish. The second Latifah is associated with Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon them). Its lights descend from the second heaven and appear as golden red. The lights descending upon the third Latifah are from Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and are white. One the fourth Latifah, the lights of Hazrat Esa (peace be upon him) descend from the fourth heaven and are deep blue. The fifth Latifah receives its Barakah directly from the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him). The lights associated with this Latifah are green, descend from the fifth heaven, and overwhelm all the first four Lataif. The Lights descending upon the sixth and seventh Lataif are the Divine Lights, whose color and condition cannot be determined. These are like flashes of lightening that defy comprehension. If Allah blesses a seeker with Kashf, he can observe all of this. The vision is slightly diffused in the beginning, but gradually the clarity improves.
SULOOK
Stages of the Path After all seven Lataif of a seeker have been illuminated with Divine Lights through Tawajjuh of the Sheikh and his Ruh has acquired the ability to fly, the Sheikh initiates its journey on the sublime Path of Divine nearness. The Path is known as Sulook, and its stages are not hypothetical imaginations but real and actually existing stations on the spiritual Path. These are also referred to as Meditations, because a seeker mentally meditates about a station while his/her Ruh actually ascends towards it. The first three stations that form the base of whole Sulook are described as; Ahadiyyat, a station of Absolute Unity of Divinity. It is above and beyond the seven heavens. It is so vast a station that the seven heavens and all that they encompass are lost within Ahadiyyat as a ring is lost in a vast desert. Its lights are white in color. Maiyyat station denotes Divine Company, ‘He is with you, wherever you might be.’ This station is so vast that Ahadiyyat along with the seven heavens beneath are lost within it as a ring is lost in a desert. Its lights are green in color. Aqrabiyyat station denotes Divine Nearness, ‘He is nearer to you than your life- vein.’ Again, Aqrabiyyat is vast as compared to Maiyyat in the same proportion. Its lights are golden red and are reflected from the Divine Throne. It is indeed the greatest favor of Almighty Allah that He blesses a seeker with an accomplished Sheikh, who takes him to these sublime stations. The final station that a seeker attains to during his/her lifetime becomes his/her Iliyyeen (blessed abode) in Barzakh and his/her Ruh stays at this station after death.
ZIKR
Why is Zikr Necessary for Everyone? Allah ordains every soul in the Quran to Perform Zikr. This not only means reciting the Quran and Tasbeeh but also Zikr-e Qalb. It is only through Zikr-e Qalbi that Prophetic Lights reach the depths of human soul and purify it from all vice and evil. Zikr infuses a realization of constant Divine Presence and a seeker feels great improvement in the level of sincerity and love towards Allah and the holy Prophet- SAWS. Such levels of sincerity, love and feelings of Divine Presence can never be obtained without Zikr. It would be a mistake to believe that Zikr may be a requirement only for the very pious and virtuous people. Zikr provides the Prophetic blessings which are in effect the life line of every human soul. It transforms even the most corrupted humans into virtuous souls by bringing out the best in them. The fact is that Zikr is the only way to achieve true contentment and satisfaction in life. The holy Quran has pointed to this eternal fact that it is only through Zikr Allah that hearts can find satisfaction. Such satisfaction and peace are the ultimate requirements of every person, regardless of religion, race and ethnicity. Practicing Zikr regularly removes all traces of anxiety and restlessness, and guides the human soul to eternal bliss and peace.
KHALIFA MAJAZEEN
Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), during his life time in 1974, presented a nomination list to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), during Maraqba, of expected Khalifa Majazeen for Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) approved some names, deleted some of the names, and added down the name of Major Ghulam Muhammad as also Khalifa Majaaz of Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia (which was not previously included in the list)
The approved names at that time included:
1. Mr. Muhammad Akram Awan Sahib,
2. Mr. Sayed Bunyad Hussain Shah Sahib,
3. Mr. Major Ahsan Baig Sahib,
4. Mr. Col. Matloob Hussain Sahib,
5. Mr. Major Ghulam Muhammad Sahib of Wan Bhachran Mianwali,
6. Mr. Molvi Abdul Haq Sahib,
7. Mr. Hafiz Abdul Razzaq Sahib,
8. Mr. Hafiz Ghulam Qadri Sahib,
9. Mr. Khan Muhammad Irani Sahib,
10. Mr. Maolana Abdul Ghafoor Sahib,
11. Mr. Syed Muhammad Hassan Sahib of Zohb.
These Majazeen were authorized to; held Majalis of Zikar (Pas Anfas) in their respective areas, arrange Majalis of Zikar in neighboring areas, train them on the way of Sulook, prepare them for Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance), and present them to Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan for Spiritual Bai’at at the Hand of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), in the life of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), and were all equal in status as Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Presently we are following Hazrat Major ® Ghulam Muhammad Sahib, Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah’s peace be upon Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), the glorious Prophet of Islam, and on his Companions and his followers.
TASAWWUF
"There is no doubt that Tasawwuf is an important branch of Islam. The word itself may have been derived form the Arabic word "Soof" (Wool) or from "Safa" (cleanliness), but its foundation lies in one’s personal sincerity in seeking Allah’s nearness and trying to live a life pleasing to Him. Study of the Quran, the Hadith, and the practical life of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and his faithful Companions provide unmistakable support to this reality." (Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A)
SUFISM, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ISLAM
Doubts exist not only in the minds of the Muslim faithful but also among the Ulema, notably the exoteric about Tasawwuf and its votaries. Often they lead to misunderstanding, as if Shariah and Tariqah were two separate entries, or that Tasawwuf was some obscure discipline foreign to Islam, or that it was altogether above the established laws and injunctions of our Religion. To help remove these misgivings and to reassure seekers, as well as scholars, our Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), Sheikh Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia, wrote Al-Jamal Wal Kamal, Aqaid-O-Kamalaat Ulmai-e-Deoband, Binat-e-Rasool (S.A.W), Daamad-e-Ali (R.A), Dalael-us-Salook, Ejaad-e-Mazhab Shia, Hayat-un-Nabi (S.A.W), Hayat Barzakhia, Ilm-o-Irfan, Niffaz-e-Shariat Aur Fiqah-e-Jaferia, Saif-e-Owaisi, Shikast-e-Ahdai Hussain and Tahkeek Halal Haram books.
BIOGRAPHY
Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chakrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The very year, he met Shaykh Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Shaykh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was right away established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years. In 1962 he was directed to carry out the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular enthusiasm and devotion for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss as per his/her sincerity and capacity. Shaykh Allah Yar Khan's mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and distinction.
Although Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A) have lived a major portion of his life as a scholar, with the avowed mission of illuminating the truth of Islam and the negation of fallacious sects, and this would appear quite removed from Tasawwuf, yet the only practical difference between the two, namely the use of the former as a media to expound the truth, and the latter to imbue people with positive faith. Nevertheless, people are amazed that a man, who until the other day, was known as a dialectician and a preacher of Islam, is not only talking of Mystic Path, but is also claiming spiritual bonds with the veteran Sufi Masters of the Past. This amazement is obviously out of place in the view of Quranic injunction: This is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills. (62:4)
THE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL
The purification of the soul always formed part of the main mission of the Prophets; that is, the dissemination and propagation of the Devine Message. This responsibility later fell directly on the shoulders of the true Ulema in the Ummah of the last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who, as his genuine successors, have continued to shed brave light in every Dark Age of materialism and sacrilege. In the present age of ruinous confusion, the importance of this responsibility has increased manifold; of the utter neglect of Islam by Muslims has not only driven them to misery, but also grievously weakened their bonds of faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). The decay in their belief and consequent perversion in their conduct has reached a stage that any attempt to pull them out of the depth of ignominy and the heedless chaos of faithlessness, attracts grave uncertainties and apprehensions rather than a encouraging will to follow the Shariah, to purify the soul and to reform within. The Quranic Verse: Layers upon layers of darkness… (24:40) provides the nearest expression of their present state.
SHARIAH & SUFISM
Any action against the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) cannot be called Sufism. Singing and dancing, and the prostration on tombs are not part of Sufism. Nor is predicting the future and predicting the outcome of cases in the courts of law, a part of Sufism. Sufis are not required to abandon their worldly possessions or live in the wilderness far from the practical world. In fact these absurdities are just its opposites. It is an established fact that Tazkiyah (soul purification) stands for that inner purity which inspires a person’s spirit to obey the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If a false claimant of Sufism teaches tricks and jugglery, ignoring religious obligations, he is an impostor. A true Sheikh will lead a believer to the august spiritual audience of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the company of an accomplished spiritual guide and Sheikh of Sufism, and if you follow his instructions, you will observe a positive change in yourself, transferring you from vice to virtue.
ISLAM, AS A COMPLETE CODE OF LIFE
Islam, as a complete code of life or Deen, was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). He was the sole teacher and his mosque was the core institution for the community. Although Islam in its entirety was practiced during that blessed era, the classification and compilation of its knowledge into distinct branches like ‘Tafsir’ (interpretation of the Quran), Hadith (traditions or sayings of the holy Prophet- SAWS), Fiqh (Islamic law), and Sufism (the soul purification) were undertaken subsequently. This Deen of Allah passed from the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to his illustrious Companions in two ways: the outward and the inward. The former comprised the knowledge defined by speech and conduct, i.e., the Quran and Sunnah. The latter comprised the invisible blessings or the Prophetic lights transmitted by his blessed self. These blessings purified the hearts and instilled in them a passionate desire to follow Islam with utmost love, honesty and loyalty.
WHAT’S SUFISM
Sufism is the attempt to attain these Barakah (Blessings). The Companions handed down Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) teachings as well as blessings to the Taba’een. Their strong hearts were capable of infusing these blessings into the hearts of their followers. Both aspects of Islam were similarly passed on by the Taba’een to the Taba Taba’een. The compilation of knowledge and its interpretation led to the establishment of many schools of religious thought; famous four being the Hanafi, the Hanbali, the Maliki, and the Shafa'i, all named after their founders. Similarly, in order to acquire, safeguard and distribute his blessings, an organized effort was initiated by four schools of Sufism: The Naqshbandia, the Qadria, the Chishtia, and the Suharwardia. These schools were also named after their organizers and came to be known as Sufi Orders. All these Orders intend to purify the hearts of sincere Muslims with Prophetic lights. These Sufi Orders also grew into many branches with the passage of time and are known by other names as well. The holy Quran has linked success in this life and the Hereafter with Tazkiyah (soul purification). He, who purified, is successful. (87: 14) Sufi Orders of Islam are the institutions where the basics of Tazkiyah (soul purification) and its practical application are taught. They have graded programs in which every new seeker is instructed in Zikr-e Lisani (oral Zikr) and is finally taught the Zikr-e Qalbi (Remembrance in heart).
ZIKR-E QALBI
However, in the Naqshbandia Order, Zikr-e Qalbi is practiced from the very beginning. Adherence to the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) is greatly emphasized in this Order, because the seeker achieves greater and quicker progress through its blessings. The essence of Zikr is that the Qalb should sincerely accept Islamic beliefs and gain the strength to follow the Sunnah with even greater devotion. ‘If the heart is acquainted with Allah and is engaged in His Zikr; then it is filled with Barakaat-e Nabuwwat (Prophetic blessings) which infuse their purity in the mind and body. This not only helps in controlling sensual drives but also removes traces of abhorrence, voracity, envy and insecurity from human soul. The person therefore becomes an embodiment of love, both for the Divine and the corporeal. This is the meaning of a Hadith, “There is a lump of flesh in the human body; if it goes astray the entire body is misguided, and if it is reformed the entire body is reformed. Know that this lump is the Qalb”.’
PAS ANFAS
Recent History Khawajah Naqshband (d. 1389 CE) organized the Naqshbandia Order at Bukhara (Central Asia). This Order has two main branches – the Mujaddidia and the Owaisiah. The former is identified with Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, known as Mujaddid Alif Sani (literally: reviver of the second Muslim millennium), a successor to Khawajah Baqi Billah, who introduced the Order to the Indo- Pakistan sub-continent. The Owaisiah Order employs a similar method of Zikr but acquires the Prophetic blessings in the manner of Khawajah Owais Qarni, who received this beneficence from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) without a formal physical meeting. The Zikr employed by the Naqshbandia is ‘Zikr-e Khafi Qalbi’ (remembrance of Allah’s Name within the heart) and the method is termed ‘Pas Anfas’, which (in Persian) means guarding every breath. The Chain of Transmission of these Barakah, of course, emanates from the holy Prophet- SAWS.
SPIRITUAL BAI’AT (OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
It is necessary in all Sufi Orders that the Sheikh and the seekers must be contemporaries and must physically meet each other for the transfer of these blessings. However, the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order goes beyond this requirement and Sufis of this Order receive these Barakah regardless of physical meeting with their Sheikh or even when the Sheikh is not their contemporary. Yet, it must be underscored that physical meeting with the Sheikh of this Order still holds great importance in dissemination of these Barakah. Sheikh Sirhindi writes about the Owaisiah Order in his book ‘Tazkirah’: ‘It is the most sublime, the most exalted, and the most effective…and the highest station of all others is only its stepping stone.’ By far the greatest singular distinction of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order is the honor of Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance) directly at the blessed hands of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
SHEIKH HAZRAT MOULANA ALLAH YAR KHAN (R.A)
The Reviver Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chikrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The same year, he met Sheikh ‘Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Sheikh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was immediately established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century CE) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years, after which he was directed to undertake the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular zeal and dedication for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss commensurate with his/her sincerity and capacity. Sheikh Allah Yar Khan’s mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and eminence. He authored eighteen books, the most distinguished being Dalael us-Sulook (Sufism - An Objective Appraisal), Hayat-e Barzakhiah (Life Beyond Life) and Israr ul- Haramain (Secrets of the two holy Mosques). He was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished Sufi saints of the Muslim Ummah and a reviver of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order. He passed away on 18 February 1984 in Islamabad at the age of eighty.
THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION OF NAQSHBANDIA OWAISIAH
1. Hazrat Muhammad ur-Rasool Allah (Sall Allah-o Alaihi wa Sallam), 2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radhi Allah-o Unho), 3. Hazrat Imam Hassan Basri (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 4. Hazrat Daud Tai (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 5. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 6. Hazrat Ubaid Ullah Ahrar (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 7. Hazrat Abdur Rahman Jami (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 8. Hazrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Salih (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 9. Hazrat Allah Deen Madni (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 10. Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi).
THE SPIRIT OR RUH
The spirit or Ruh of every person is a created reflection of the Divine Attributes and it originates in Alam-e Amar (Realm of Command). Its food is the Light of Allah or the Divine Refulgence, which it acquires from the Realm of Command through the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him), whose status in the spiritual world is like that of the sun in the solar system. The Quran refers to him as the ‘bright lamp’. Indeed, he is the divinely selected channel of all Barakah. All Exalted Messengers themselves receive these Barakah from him.
LATAIF
The human Ruh also possesses vital organs like the physical body; through which it acquires its knowledge, food and energy. These are called Lataif (singular Latifah: subtlety). Scholars of various Sufi Orders have associated them with specific areas of the human body. The Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order identifies these Lataif as follows. First - Qalb: This spiritual faculty is located within the physical heart. Its function is Zikr. Its strength increases one’s capacity for Allah’s Zikr. Second – Ruh: The site of this Latifah, which is a distinct faculty of the human Ruh, is on the right side of the chest at the level of Qalb. Its primary function is concentration towards Allah. Third – Sirri: This is located above the Qalb and functions to make possible Kashf. Forth – Khaffi: This is located above the Ruh and functions to perceive the omnipresence of Allah. Fifth – Akhfa: This is located in the middle of chest, at the centre of the first four Lataif and makes it possible for the Ruh to perceive the closeness of Allah, Who is closer to us than our own selves. Sixth – Nafs: This Latifah is located at the forehead and functions to purify the human soul. Seventh – Sultan al-Azkar: This Latifah is located at the top centre of the head and serves to absorb the Barakah of Allah into the entire body, so that every cell resonates with Zikr.
FIVE EXALTED MESSENGERS OF GOD
There are Five Exalted Messengers among the many known and unknown Messengers of Allah. They are Hazrat Muhammad, Hazrat Nuh (Noah), Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), Hazrat Musa (Moses), and Hazrat Esa (Jesus), peace be upon them all. Hazrat Adam is the first Prophet of Allah and the father of mankind. Each Latifah is associated with a particular Prophet. The Barakah and lights from Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him), descend on the first Latifah Qalb; its lights are reflected from the first heaven and are yellowish. The second Latifah is associated with Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon them). Its lights descend from the second heaven and appear as golden red. The lights descending upon the third Latifah are from Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and are white. One the fourth Latifah, the lights of Hazrat Esa (peace be upon him) descend from the fourth heaven and are deep blue. The fifth Latifah receives its Barakah directly from the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him). The lights associated with this Latifah are green, descend from the fifth heaven, and overwhelm all the first four Lataif. The Lights descending upon the sixth and seventh Lataif are the Divine Lights, whose color and condition cannot be determined. These are like flashes of lightening that defy comprehension. If Allah blesses a seeker with Kashf, he can observe all of this. The vision is slightly diffused in the beginning, but gradually the clarity improves.
SULOOK
Stages of the Path After all seven Lataif of a seeker have been illuminated with Divine Lights through Tawajjuh of the Sheikh and his Ruh has acquired the ability to fly, the Sheikh initiates its journey on the sublime Path of Divine nearness. The Path is known as Sulook, and its stages are not hypothetical imaginations but real and actually existing stations on the spiritual Path. These are also referred to as Meditations, because a seeker mentally meditates about a station while his/her Ruh actually ascends towards it. The first three stations that form the base of whole Sulook are described as; Ahadiyyat, a station of Absolute Unity of Divinity. It is above and beyond the seven heavens. It is so vast a station that the seven heavens and all that they encompass are lost within Ahadiyyat as a ring is lost in a vast desert. Its lights are white in color. Maiyyat station denotes Divine Company, ‘He is with you, wherever you might be.’ This station is so vast that Ahadiyyat along with the seven heavens beneath are lost within it as a ring is lost in a desert. Its lights are green in color. Aqrabiyyat station denotes Divine Nearness, ‘He is nearer to you than your life- vein.’ Again, Aqrabiyyat is vast as compared to Maiyyat in the same proportion. Its lights are golden red and are reflected from the Divine Throne. It is indeed the greatest favor of Almighty Allah that He blesses a seeker with an accomplished Sheikh, who takes him to these sublime stations. The final station that a seeker attains to during his/her lifetime becomes his/her Iliyyeen (blessed abode) in Barzakh and his/her Ruh stays at this station after death.
ZIKR
Why is Zikr Necessary for Everyone? Allah ordains every soul in the Quran to Perform Zikr. This not only means reciting the Quran and Tasbeeh but also Zikr-e Qalb. It is only through Zikr-e Qalbi that Prophetic Lights reach the depths of human soul and purify it from all vice and evil. Zikr infuses a realization of constant Divine Presence and a seeker feels great improvement in the level of sincerity and love towards Allah and the holy Prophet- SAWS. Such levels of sincerity, love and feelings of Divine Presence can never be obtained without Zikr. It would be a mistake to believe that Zikr may be a requirement only for the very pious and virtuous people. Zikr provides the Prophetic blessings which are in effect the life line of every human soul. It transforms even the most corrupted humans into virtuous souls by bringing out the best in them. The fact is that Zikr is the only way to achieve true contentment and satisfaction in life. The holy Quran has pointed to this eternal fact that it is only through Zikr Allah that hearts can find satisfaction. Such satisfaction and peace are the ultimate requirements of every person, regardless of religion, race and ethnicity. Practicing Zikr regularly removes all traces of anxiety and restlessness, and guides the human soul to eternal bliss and peace.
KHALIFA MAJAZEEN
Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), during his life time in 1974, presented a nomination list to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), during Maraqba, of expected Khalifa Majazeen for Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) approved some names, deleted some of the names, and added down the name of Major Ghulam Muhammad as also Khalifa Majaaz of Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia (which was not previously included in the list)
The approved names at that time included:
1. Mr. Muhammad Akram Awan Sahib,
2. Mr. Sayed Bunyad Hussain Shah Sahib,
3. Mr. Major Ahsan Baig Sahib,
4. Mr. Col. Matloob Hussain Sahib,
5. Mr. Major Ghulam Muhammad Sahib of Wan Bhachran Mianwali,
6. Mr. Molvi Abdul Haq Sahib,
7. Mr. Hafiz Abdul Razzaq Sahib,
8. Mr. Hafiz Ghulam Qadri Sahib,
9. Mr. Khan Muhammad Irani Sahib,
10. Mr. Maolana Abdul Ghafoor Sahib,
11. Mr. Syed Muhammad Hassan Sahib of Zohb.
These Majazeen were authorized to; held Majalis of Zikar (Pas Anfas) in their respective areas, arrange Majalis of Zikar in neighboring areas, train them on the way of Sulook, prepare them for Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance), and present them to Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan for Spiritual Bai’at at the Hand of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), in the life of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), and were all equal in status as Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Presently we are following Hazrat Major ® Ghulam Muhammad Sahib, Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah’s peace be upon Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), the glorious Prophet of Islam, and on his Companions and his followers.
TASAWWUF
"There is no doubt that Tasawwuf is an important branch of Islam. The word itself may have been derived form the Arabic word "Soof" (Wool) or from "Safa" (cleanliness), but its foundation lies in one’s personal sincerity in seeking Allah’s nearness and trying to live a life pleasing to Him. Study of the Quran, the Hadith, and the practical life of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and his faithful Companions provide unmistakable support to this reality." (Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A)
SUFISM, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ISLAM
Doubts exist not only in the minds of the Muslim faithful but also among the Ulema, notably the exoteric about Tasawwuf and its votaries. Often they lead to misunderstanding, as if Shariah and Tariqah were two separate entries, or that Tasawwuf was some obscure discipline foreign to Islam, or that it was altogether above the established laws and injunctions of our Religion. To help remove these misgivings and to reassure seekers, as well as scholars, our Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), Sheikh Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia, wrote Al-Jamal Wal Kamal, Aqaid-O-Kamalaat Ulmai-e-Deoband, Binat-e-Rasool (S.A.W), Daamad-e-Ali (R.A), Dalael-us-Salook, Ejaad-e-Mazhab Shia, Hayat-un-Nabi (S.A.W), Hayat Barzakhia, Ilm-o-Irfan, Niffaz-e-Shariat Aur Fiqah-e-Jaferia, Saif-e-Owaisi, Shikast-e-Ahdai Hussain and Tahkeek Halal Haram books.
BIOGRAPHY
Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chakrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The very year, he met Shaykh Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Shaykh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was right away established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years. In 1962 he was directed to carry out the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular enthusiasm and devotion for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss as per his/her sincerity and capacity. Shaykh Allah Yar Khan's mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and distinction.
Although Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A) have lived a major portion of his life as a scholar, with the avowed mission of illuminating the truth of Islam and the negation of fallacious sects, and this would appear quite removed from Tasawwuf, yet the only practical difference between the two, namely the use of the former as a media to expound the truth, and the latter to imbue people with positive faith. Nevertheless, people are amazed that a man, who until the other day, was known as a dialectician and a preacher of Islam, is not only talking of Mystic Path, but is also claiming spiritual bonds with the veteran Sufi Masters of the Past. This amazement is obviously out of place in the view of Quranic injunction: This is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills. (62:4)
THE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL
The purification of the soul always formed part of the main mission of the Prophets; that is, the dissemination and propagation of the Devine Message. This responsibility later fell directly on the shoulders of the true Ulema in the Ummah of the last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who, as his genuine successors, have continued to shed brave light in every Dark Age of materialism and sacrilege. In the present age of ruinous confusion, the importance of this responsibility has increased manifold; of the utter neglect of Islam by Muslims has not only driven them to misery, but also grievously weakened their bonds of faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). The decay in their belief and consequent perversion in their conduct has reached a stage that any attempt to pull them out of the depth of ignominy and the heedless chaos of faithlessness, attracts grave uncertainties and apprehensions rather than a encouraging will to follow the Shariah, to purify the soul and to reform within. The Quranic Verse: Layers upon layers of darkness… (24:40) provides the nearest expression of their present state.
SHARIAH & SUFISM
Any action against the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) cannot be called Sufism. Singing and dancing, and the prostration on tombs are not part of Sufism. Nor is predicting the future and predicting the outcome of cases in the courts of law, a part of Sufism. Sufis are not required to abandon their worldly possessions or live in the wilderness far from the practical world. In fact these absurdities are just its opposites. It is an established fact that Tazkiyah (soul purification) stands for that inner purity which inspires a person’s spirit to obey the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If a false claimant of Sufism teaches tricks and jugglery, ignoring religious obligations, he is an impostor. A true Sheikh will lead a believer to the august spiritual audience of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the company of an accomplished spiritual guide and Sheikh of Sufism, and if you follow his instructions, you will observe a positive change in yourself, transferring you from vice to virtue.
ISLAM, AS A COMPLETE CODE OF LIFE
Islam, as a complete code of life or Deen, was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). He was the sole teacher and his mosque was the core institution for the community. Although Islam in its entirety was practiced during that blessed era, the classification and compilation of its knowledge into distinct branches like ‘Tafsir’ (interpretation of the Quran), Hadith (traditions or sayings of the holy Prophet- SAWS), Fiqh (Islamic law), and Sufism (the soul purification) were undertaken subsequently. This Deen of Allah passed from the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to his illustrious Companions in two ways: the outward and the inward. The former comprised the knowledge defined by speech and conduct, i.e., the Quran and Sunnah. The latter comprised the invisible blessings or the Prophetic lights transmitted by his blessed self. These blessings purified the hearts and instilled in them a passionate desire to follow Islam with utmost love, honesty and loyalty.
WHAT’S SUFISM
Sufism is the attempt to attain these Barakah (Blessings). The Companions handed down Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) teachings as well as blessings to the Taba’een. Their strong hearts were capable of infusing these blessings into the hearts of their followers. Both aspects of Islam were similarly passed on by the Taba’een to the Taba Taba’een. The compilation of knowledge and its interpretation led to the establishment of many schools of religious thought; famous four being the Hanafi, the Hanbali, the Maliki, and the Shafa'i, all named after their founders. Similarly, in order to acquire, safeguard and distribute his blessings, an organized effort was initiated by four schools of Sufism: The Naqshbandia, the Qadria, the Chishtia, and the Suharwardia. These schools were also named after their organizers and came to be known as Sufi Orders. All these Orders intend to purify the hearts of sincere Muslims with Prophetic lights. These Sufi Orders also grew into many branches with the passage of time and are known by other names as well. The holy Quran has linked success in this life and the Hereafter with Tazkiyah (soul purification). He, who purified, is successful. (87: 14) Sufi Orders of Islam are the institutions where the basics of Tazkiyah (soul purification) and its practical application are taught. They have graded programs in which every new seeker is instructed in Zikr-e Lisani (oral Zikr) and is finally taught the Zikr-e Qalbi (Remembrance in heart).
ZIKR-E QALBI
However, in the Naqshbandia Order, Zikr-e Qalbi is practiced from the very beginning. Adherence to the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) is greatly emphasized in this Order, because the seeker achieves greater and quicker progress through its blessings. The essence of Zikr is that the Qalb should sincerely accept Islamic beliefs and gain the strength to follow the Sunnah with even greater devotion. ‘If the heart is acquainted with Allah and is engaged in His Zikr; then it is filled with Barakaat-e Nabuwwat (Prophetic blessings) which infuse their purity in the mind and body. This not only helps in controlling sensual drives but also removes traces of abhorrence, voracity, envy and insecurity from human soul. The person therefore becomes an embodiment of love, both for the Divine and the corporeal. This is the meaning of a Hadith, “There is a lump of flesh in the human body; if it goes astray the entire body is misguided, and if it is reformed the entire body is reformed. Know that this lump is the Qalb”.’
PAS ANFAS
Recent History Khawajah Naqshband (d. 1389 CE) organized the Naqshbandia Order at Bukhara (Central Asia). This Order has two main branches – the Mujaddidia and the Owaisiah. The former is identified with Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, known as Mujaddid Alif Sani (literally: reviver of the second Muslim millennium), a successor to Khawajah Baqi Billah, who introduced the Order to the Indo- Pakistan sub-continent. The Owaisiah Order employs a similar method of Zikr but acquires the Prophetic blessings in the manner of Khawajah Owais Qarni, who received this beneficence from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) without a formal physical meeting. The Zikr employed by the Naqshbandia is ‘Zikr-e Khafi Qalbi’ (remembrance of Allah’s Name within the heart) and the method is termed ‘Pas Anfas’, which (in Persian) means guarding every breath. The Chain of Transmission of these Barakah, of course, emanates from the holy Prophet- SAWS.
SPIRITUAL BAI’AT (OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
It is necessary in all Sufi Orders that the Sheikh and the seekers must be contemporaries and must physically meet each other for the transfer of these blessings. However, the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order goes beyond this requirement and Sufis of this Order receive these Barakah regardless of physical meeting with their Sheikh or even when the Sheikh is not their contemporary. Yet, it must be underscored that physical meeting with the Sheikh of this Order still holds great importance in dissemination of these Barakah. Sheikh Sirhindi writes about the Owaisiah Order in his book ‘Tazkirah’: ‘It is the most sublime, the most exalted, and the most effective…and the highest station of all others is only its stepping stone.’ By far the greatest singular distinction of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order is the honor of Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance) directly at the blessed hands of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
SHEIKH HAZRAT MOULANA ALLAH YAR KHAN (R.A)
The Reviver Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chikrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The same year, he met Sheikh ‘Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Sheikh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was immediately established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century CE) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years, after which he was directed to undertake the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular zeal and dedication for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss commensurate with his/her sincerity and capacity. Sheikh Allah Yar Khan’s mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and eminence. He authored eighteen books, the most distinguished being Dalael us-Sulook (Sufism - An Objective Appraisal), Hayat-e Barzakhiah (Life Beyond Life) and Israr ul- Haramain (Secrets of the two holy Mosques). He was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished Sufi saints of the Muslim Ummah and a reviver of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order. He passed away on 18 February 1984 in Islamabad at the age of eighty.
THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION OF NAQSHBANDIA OWAISIAH
1. Hazrat Muhammad ur-Rasool Allah (Sall Allah-o Alaihi wa Sallam), 2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radhi Allah-o Unho), 3. Hazrat Imam Hassan Basri (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 4. Hazrat Daud Tai (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 5. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 6. Hazrat Ubaid Ullah Ahrar (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 7. Hazrat Abdur Rahman Jami (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 8. Hazrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Salih (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 9. Hazrat Allah Deen Madni (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 10. Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi).
THE SPIRIT OR RUH
The spirit or Ruh of every person is a created reflection of the Divine Attributes and it originates in Alam-e Amar (Realm of Command). Its food is the Light of Allah or the Divine Refulgence, which it acquires from the Realm of Command through the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him), whose status in the spiritual world is like that of the sun in the solar system. The Quran refers to him as the ‘bright lamp’. Indeed, he is the divinely selected channel of all Barakah. All Exalted Messengers themselves receive these Barakah from him.
LATAIF
The human Ruh also possesses vital organs like the physical body; through which it acquires its knowledge, food and energy. These are called Lataif (singular Latifah: subtlety). Scholars of various Sufi Orders have associated them with specific areas of the human body. The Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order identifies these Lataif as follows. First - Qalb: This spiritual faculty is located within the physical heart. Its function is Zikr. Its strength increases one’s capacity for Allah’s Zikr. Second – Ruh: The site of this Latifah, which is a distinct faculty of the human Ruh, is on the right side of the chest at the level of Qalb. Its primary function is concentration towards Allah. Third – Sirri: This is located above the Qalb and functions to make possible Kashf. Forth – Khaffi: This is located above the Ruh and functions to perceive the omnipresence of Allah. Fifth – Akhfa: This is located in the middle of chest, at the centre of the first four Lataif and makes it possible for the Ruh to perceive the closeness of Allah, Who is closer to us than our own selves. Sixth – Nafs: This Latifah is located at the forehead and functions to purify the human soul. Seventh – Sultan al-Azkar: This Latifah is located at the top centre of the head and serves to absorb the Barakah of Allah into the entire body, so that every cell resonates with Zikr.
FIVE EXALTED MESSENGERS OF GOD
There are Five Exalted Messengers among the many known and unknown Messengers of Allah. They are Hazrat Muhammad, Hazrat Nuh (Noah), Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), Hazrat Musa (Moses), and Hazrat Esa (Jesus), peace be upon them all. Hazrat Adam is the first Prophet of Allah and the father of mankind. Each Latifah is associated with a particular Prophet. The Barakah and lights from Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him), descend on the first Latifah Qalb; its lights are reflected from the first heaven and are yellowish. The second Latifah is associated with Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon them). Its lights descend from the second heaven and appear as golden red. The lights descending upon the third Latifah are from Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and are white. One the fourth Latifah, the lights of Hazrat Esa (peace be upon him) descend from the fourth heaven and are deep blue. The fifth Latifah receives its Barakah directly from the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him). The lights associated with this Latifah are green, descend from the fifth heaven, and overwhelm all the first four Lataif. The Lights descending upon the sixth and seventh Lataif are the Divine Lights, whose color and condition cannot be determined. These are like flashes of lightening that defy comprehension. If Allah blesses a seeker with Kashf, he can observe all of this. The vision is slightly diffused in the beginning, but gradually the clarity improves.
SULOOK
Stages of the Path After all seven Lataif of a seeker have been illuminated with Divine Lights through Tawajjuh of the Sheikh and his Ruh has acquired the ability to fly, the Sheikh initiates its journey on the sublime Path of Divine nearness. The Path is known as Sulook, and its stages are not hypothetical imaginations but real and actually existing stations on the spiritual Path. These are also referred to as Meditations, because a seeker mentally meditates about a station while his/her Ruh actually ascends towards it. The first three stations that form the base of whole Sulook are described as; Ahadiyyat, a station of Absolute Unity of Divinity. It is above and beyond the seven heavens. It is so vast a station that the seven heavens and all that they encompass are lost within Ahadiyyat as a ring is lost in a vast desert. Its lights are white in color. Maiyyat station denotes Divine Company, ‘He is with you, wherever you might be.’ This station is so vast that Ahadiyyat along with the seven heavens beneath are lost within it as a ring is lost in a desert. Its lights are green in color. Aqrabiyyat station denotes Divine Nearness, ‘He is nearer to you than your life- vein.’ Again, Aqrabiyyat is vast as compared to Maiyyat in the same proportion. Its lights are golden red and are reflected from the Divine Throne. It is indeed the greatest favor of Almighty Allah that He blesses a seeker with an accomplished Sheikh, who takes him to these sublime stations. The final station that a seeker attains to during his/her lifetime becomes his/her Iliyyeen (blessed abode) in Barzakh and his/her Ruh stays at this station after death.
ZIKR
Why is Zikr Necessary for Everyone? Allah ordains every soul in the Quran to Perform Zikr. This not only means reciting the Quran and Tasbeeh but also Zikr-e Qalb. It is only through Zikr-e Qalbi that Prophetic Lights reach the depths of human soul and purify it from all vice and evil. Zikr infuses a realization of constant Divine Presence and a seeker feels great improvement in the level of sincerity and love towards Allah and the holy Prophet- SAWS. Such levels of sincerity, love and feelings of Divine Presence can never be obtained without Zikr. It would be a mistake to believe that Zikr may be a requirement only for the very pious and virtuous people. Zikr provides the Prophetic blessings which are in effect the life line of every human soul. It transforms even the most corrupted humans into virtuous souls by bringing out the best in them. The fact is that Zikr is the only way to achieve true contentment and satisfaction in life. The holy Quran has pointed to this eternal fact that it is only through Zikr Allah that hearts can find satisfaction. Such satisfaction and peace are the ultimate requirements of every person, regardless of religion, race and ethnicity. Practicing Zikr regularly removes all traces of anxiety and restlessness, and guides the human soul to eternal bliss and peace.
KHALIFA MAJAZEEN
Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), during his life time in 1974, presented a nomination list to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), during Maraqba, of expected Khalifa Majazeen for Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) approved some names, deleted some of the names, and added down the name of Major Ghulam Muhammad as also Khalifa Majaaz of Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia (which was not previously included in the list)
The approved names at that time included:
1. Mr. Muhammad Akram Awan Sahib,
2. Mr. Sayed Bunyad Hussain Shah Sahib,
3. Mr. Major Ahsan Baig Sahib,
4. Mr. Col. Matloob Hussain Sahib,
5. Mr. Major Ghulam Muhammad Sahib of Wan Bhachran Mianwali,
6. Mr. Molvi Abdul Haq Sahib,
7. Mr. Hafiz Abdul Razzaq Sahib,
8. Mr. Hafiz Ghulam Qadri Sahib,
9. Mr. Khan Muhammad Irani Sahib,
10. Mr. Maolana Abdul Ghafoor Sahib,
11. Mr. Syed Muhammad Hassan Sahib of Zohb.
These Majazeen were authorized to; held Majalis of Zikar (Pas Anfas) in their respective areas, arrange Majalis of Zikar in neighboring areas, train them on the way of Sulook, prepare them for Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance), and present them to Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan for Spiritual Bai’at at the Hand of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), in the life of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), and were all equal in status as Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Presently we are following Hazrat Major ® Ghulam Muhammad Sahib, Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah’s peace be upon Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), the glorious Prophet of Islam, and on his Companions and his followers.
TASAWWUF
"There is no doubt that Tasawwuf is an important branch of Islam. The word itself may have been derived form the Arabic word "Soof" (Wool) or from "Safa" (cleanliness), but its foundation lies in one’s personal sincerity in seeking Allah’s nearness and trying to live a life pleasing to Him. Study of the Quran, the Hadith, and the practical life of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and his faithful Companions provide unmistakable support to this reality." (Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A)
SUFISM, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ISLAM
Doubts exist not only in the minds of the Muslim faithful but also among the Ulema, notably the exoteric about Tasawwuf and its votaries. Often they lead to misunderstanding, as if Shariah and Tariqah were two separate entries, or that Tasawwuf was some obscure discipline foreign to Islam, or that it was altogether above the established laws and injunctions of our Religion. To help remove these misgivings and to reassure seekers, as well as scholars, our Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), Sheikh Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia, wrote Al-Jamal Wal Kamal, Aqaid-O-Kamalaat Ulmai-e-Deoband, Binat-e-Rasool (S.A.W), Daamad-e-Ali (R.A), Dalael-us-Salook, Ejaad-e-Mazhab Shia, Hayat-un-Nabi (S.A.W), Hayat Barzakhia, Ilm-o-Irfan, Niffaz-e-Shariat Aur Fiqah-e-Jaferia, Saif-e-Owaisi, Shikast-e-Ahdai Hussain and Tahkeek Halal Haram books.
BIOGRAPHY
Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chakrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The very year, he met Shaykh Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Shaykh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was right away established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years. In 1962 he was directed to carry out the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular enthusiasm and devotion for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss as per his/her sincerity and capacity. Shaykh Allah Yar Khan's mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and distinction.
Although Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A) have lived a major portion of his life as a scholar, with the avowed mission of illuminating the truth of Islam and the negation of fallacious sects, and this would appear quite removed from Tasawwuf, yet the only practical difference between the two, namely the use of the former as a media to expound the truth, and the latter to imbue people with positive faith. Nevertheless, people are amazed that a man, who until the other day, was known as a dialectician and a preacher of Islam, is not only talking of Mystic Path, but is also claiming spiritual bonds with the veteran Sufi Masters of the Past. This amazement is obviously out of place in the view of Quranic injunction: This is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills. (62:4)
THE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL
The purification of the soul always formed part of the main mission of the Prophets; that is, the dissemination and propagation of the Devine Message. This responsibility later fell directly on the shoulders of the true Ulema in the Ummah of the last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who, as his genuine successors, have continued to shed brave light in every Dark Age of materialism and sacrilege. In the present age of ruinous confusion, the importance of this responsibility has increased manifold; of the utter neglect of Islam by Muslims has not only driven them to misery, but also grievously weakened their bonds of faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). The decay in their belief and consequent perversion in their conduct has reached a stage that any attempt to pull them out of the depth of ignominy and the heedless chaos of faithlessness, attracts grave uncertainties and apprehensions rather than a encouraging will to follow the Shariah, to purify the soul and to reform within. The Quranic Verse: Layers upon layers of darkness… (24:40) provides the nearest expression of their present state.
SHARIAH & SUFISM
Any action against the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) cannot be called Sufism. Singing and dancing, and the prostration on tombs are not part of Sufism. Nor is predicting the future and predicting the outcome of cases in the courts of law, a part of Sufism. Sufis are not required to abandon their worldly possessions or live in the wilderness far from the practical world. In fact these absurdities are just its opposites. It is an established fact that Tazkiyah (soul purification) stands for that inner purity which inspires a person’s spirit to obey the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If a false claimant of Sufism teaches tricks and jugglery, ignoring religious obligations, he is an impostor. A true Sheikh will lead a believer to the august spiritual audience of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the company of an accomplished spiritual guide and Sheikh of Sufism, and if you follow his instructions, you will observe a positive change in yourself, transferring you from vice to virtue.
ISLAM, AS A COMPLETE CODE OF LIFE
Islam, as a complete code of life or Deen, was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). He was the sole teacher and his mosque was the core institution for the community. Although Islam in its entirety was practiced during that blessed era, the classification and compilation of its knowledge into distinct branches like ‘Tafsir’ (interpretation of the Quran), Hadith (traditions or sayings of the holy Prophet- SAWS), Fiqh (Islamic law), and Sufism (the soul purification) were undertaken subsequently. This Deen of Allah passed from the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to his illustrious Companions in two ways: the outward and the inward. The former comprised the knowledge defined by speech and conduct, i.e., the Quran and Sunnah. The latter comprised the invisible blessings or the Prophetic lights transmitted by his blessed self. These blessings purified the hearts and instilled in them a passionate desire to follow Islam with utmost love, honesty and loyalty.
WHAT’S SUFISM
Sufism is the attempt to attain these Barakah (Blessings). The Companions handed down Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) teachings as well as blessings to the Taba’een. Their strong hearts were capable of infusing these blessings into the hearts of their followers. Both aspects of Islam were similarly passed on by the Taba’een to the Taba Taba’een. The compilation of knowledge and its interpretation led to the establishment of many schools of religious thought; famous four being the Hanafi, the Hanbali, the Maliki, and the Shafa'i, all named after their founders. Similarly, in order to acquire, safeguard and distribute his blessings, an organized effort was initiated by four schools of Sufism: The Naqshbandia, the Qadria, the Chishtia, and the Suharwardia. These schools were also named after their organizers and came to be known as Sufi Orders. All these Orders intend to purify the hearts of sincere Muslims with Prophetic lights. These Sufi Orders also grew into many branches with the passage of time and are known by other names as well. The holy Quran has linked success in this life and the Hereafter with Tazkiyah (soul purification). He, who purified, is successful. (87: 14) Sufi Orders of Islam are the institutions where the basics of Tazkiyah (soul purification) and its practical application are taught. They have graded programs in which every new seeker is instructed in Zikr-e Lisani (oral Zikr) and is finally taught the Zikr-e Qalbi (Remembrance in heart).
ZIKR-E QALBI
However, in the Naqshbandia Order, Zikr-e Qalbi is practiced from the very beginning. Adherence to the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) is greatly emphasized in this Order, because the seeker achieves greater and quicker progress through its blessings. The essence of Zikr is that the Qalb should sincerely accept Islamic beliefs and gain the strength to follow the Sunnah with even greater devotion. ‘If the heart is acquainted with Allah and is engaged in His Zikr; then it is filled with Barakaat-e Nabuwwat (Prophetic blessings) which infuse their purity in the mind and body. This not only helps in controlling sensual drives but also removes traces of abhorrence, voracity, envy and insecurity from human soul. The person therefore becomes an embodiment of love, both for the Divine and the corporeal. This is the meaning of a Hadith, “There is a lump of flesh in the human body; if it goes astray the entire body is misguided, and if it is reformed the entire body is reformed. Know that this lump is the Qalb”.’
PAS ANFAS
Recent History Khawajah Naqshband (d. 1389 CE) organized the Naqshbandia Order at Bukhara (Central Asia). This Order has two main branches – the Mujaddidia and the Owaisiah. The former is identified with Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, known as Mujaddid Alif Sani (literally: reviver of the second Muslim millennium), a successor to Khawajah Baqi Billah, who introduced the Order to the Indo- Pakistan sub-continent. The Owaisiah Order employs a similar method of Zikr but acquires the Prophetic blessings in the manner of Khawajah Owais Qarni, who received this beneficence from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) without a formal physical meeting. The Zikr employed by the Naqshbandia is ‘Zikr-e Khafi Qalbi’ (remembrance of Allah’s Name within the heart) and the method is termed ‘Pas Anfas’, which (in Persian) means guarding every breath. The Chain of Transmission of these Barakah, of course, emanates from the holy Prophet- SAWS.
SPIRITUAL BAI’AT (OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
It is necessary in all Sufi Orders that the Sheikh and the seekers must be contemporaries and must physically meet each other for the transfer of these blessings. However, the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order goes beyond this requirement and Sufis of this Order receive these Barakah regardless of physical meeting with their Sheikh or even when the Sheikh is not their contemporary. Yet, it must be underscored that physical meeting with the Sheikh of this Order still holds great importance in dissemination of these Barakah. Sheikh Sirhindi writes about the Owaisiah Order in his book ‘Tazkirah’: ‘It is the most sublime, the most exalted, and the most effective…and the highest station of all others is only its stepping stone.’ By far the greatest singular distinction of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order is the honor of Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance) directly at the blessed hands of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
SHEIKH HAZRAT MOULANA ALLAH YAR KHAN (R.A)
The Reviver Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chikrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The same year, he met Sheikh ‘Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Sheikh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was immediately established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century CE) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years, after which he was directed to undertake the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular zeal and dedication for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss commensurate with his/her sincerity and capacity. Sheikh Allah Yar Khan’s mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and eminence. He authored eighteen books, the most distinguished being Dalael us-Sulook (Sufism - An Objective Appraisal), Hayat-e Barzakhiah (Life Beyond Life) and Israr ul- Haramain (Secrets of the two holy Mosques). He was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished Sufi saints of the Muslim Ummah and a reviver of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order. He passed away on 18 February 1984 in Islamabad at the age of eighty.
THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION OF NAQSHBANDIA OWAISIAH
1. Hazrat Muhammad ur-Rasool Allah (Sall Allah-o Alaihi wa Sallam), 2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radhi Allah-o Unho), 3. Hazrat Imam Hassan Basri (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 4. Hazrat Daud Tai (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 5. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 6. Hazrat Ubaid Ullah Ahrar (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 7. Hazrat Abdur Rahman Jami (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 8. Hazrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Salih (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 9. Hazrat Allah Deen Madni (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 10. Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi).
THE SPIRIT OR RUH
The spirit or Ruh of every person is a created reflection of the Divine Attributes and it originates in Alam-e Amar (Realm of Command). Its food is the Light of Allah or the Divine Refulgence, which it acquires from the Realm of Command through the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him), whose status in the spiritual world is like that of the sun in the solar system. The Quran refers to him as the ‘bright lamp’. Indeed, he is the divinely selected channel of all Barakah. All Exalted Messengers themselves receive these Barakah from him.
LATAIF
The human Ruh also possesses vital organs like the physical body; through which it acquires its knowledge, food and energy. These are called Lataif (singular Latifah: subtlety). Scholars of various Sufi Orders have associated them with specific areas of the human body. The Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order identifies these Lataif as follows. First - Qalb: This spiritual faculty is located within the physical heart. Its function is Zikr. Its strength increases one’s capacity for Allah’s Zikr. Second – Ruh: The site of this Latifah, which is a distinct faculty of the human Ruh, is on the right side of the chest at the level of Qalb. Its primary function is concentration towards Allah. Third – Sirri: This is located above the Qalb and functions to make possible Kashf. Forth – Khaffi: This is located above the Ruh and functions to perceive the omnipresence of Allah. Fifth – Akhfa: This is located in the middle of chest, at the centre of the first four Lataif and makes it possible for the Ruh to perceive the closeness of Allah, Who is closer to us than our own selves. Sixth – Nafs: This Latifah is located at the forehead and functions to purify the human soul. Seventh – Sultan al-Azkar: This Latifah is located at the top centre of the head and serves to absorb the Barakah of Allah into the entire body, so that every cell resonates with Zikr.
FIVE EXALTED MESSENGERS OF GOD
There are Five Exalted Messengers among the many known and unknown Messengers of Allah. They are Hazrat Muhammad, Hazrat Nuh (Noah), Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), Hazrat Musa (Moses), and Hazrat Esa (Jesus), peace be upon them all. Hazrat Adam is the first Prophet of Allah and the father of mankind. Each Latifah is associated with a particular Prophet. The Barakah and lights from Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him), descend on the first Latifah Qalb; its lights are reflected from the first heaven and are yellowish. The second Latifah is associated with Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon them). Its lights descend from the second heaven and appear as golden red. The lights descending upon the third Latifah are from Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and are white. One the fourth Latifah, the lights of Hazrat Esa (peace be upon him) descend from the fourth heaven and are deep blue. The fifth Latifah receives its Barakah directly from the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him). The lights associated with this Latifah are green, descend from the fifth heaven, and overwhelm all the first four Lataif. The Lights descending upon the sixth and seventh Lataif are the Divine Lights, whose color and condition cannot be determined. These are like flashes of lightening that defy comprehension. If Allah blesses a seeker with Kashf, he can observe all of this. The vision is slightly diffused in the beginning, but gradually the clarity improves.
SULOOK
Stages of the Path After all seven Lataif of a seeker have been illuminated with Divine Lights through Tawajjuh of the Sheikh and his Ruh has acquired the ability to fly, the Sheikh initiates its journey on the sublime Path of Divine nearness. The Path is known as Sulook, and its stages are not hypothetical imaginations but real and actually existing stations on the spiritual Path. These are also referred to as Meditations, because a seeker mentally meditates about a station while his/her Ruh actually ascends towards it. The first three stations that form the base of whole Sulook are described as; Ahadiyyat, a station of Absolute Unity of Divinity. It is above and beyond the seven heavens. It is so vast a station that the seven heavens and all that they encompass are lost within Ahadiyyat as a ring is lost in a vast desert. Its lights are white in color. Maiyyat station denotes Divine Company, ‘He is with you, wherever you might be.’ This station is so vast that Ahadiyyat along with the seven heavens beneath are lost within it as a ring is lost in a desert. Its lights are green in color. Aqrabiyyat station denotes Divine Nearness, ‘He is nearer to you than your life- vein.’ Again, Aqrabiyyat is vast as compared to Maiyyat in the same proportion. Its lights are golden red and are reflected from the Divine Throne. It is indeed the greatest favor of Almighty Allah that He blesses a seeker with an accomplished Sheikh, who takes him to these sublime stations. The final station that a seeker attains to during his/her lifetime becomes his/her Iliyyeen (blessed abode) in Barzakh and his/her Ruh stays at this station after death.
ZIKR
Why is Zikr Necessary for Everyone? Allah ordains every soul in the Quran to Perform Zikr. This not only means reciting the Quran and Tasbeeh but also Zikr-e Qalb. It is only through Zikr-e Qalbi that Prophetic Lights reach the depths of human soul and purify it from all vice and evil. Zikr infuses a realization of constant Divine Presence and a seeker feels great improvement in the level of sincerity and love towards Allah and the holy Prophet- SAWS. Such levels of sincerity, love and feelings of Divine Presence can never be obtained without Zikr. It would be a mistake to believe that Zikr may be a requirement only for the very pious and virtuous people. Zikr provides the Prophetic blessings which are in effect the life line of every human soul. It transforms even the most corrupted humans into virtuous souls by bringing out the best in them. The fact is that Zikr is the only way to achieve true contentment and satisfaction in life. The holy Quran has pointed to this eternal fact that it is only through Zikr Allah that hearts can find satisfaction. Such satisfaction and peace are the ultimate requirements of every person, regardless of religion, race and ethnicity. Practicing Zikr regularly removes all traces of anxiety and restlessness, and guides the human soul to eternal bliss and peace.
KHALIFA MAJAZEEN
Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), during his life time in 1974, presented a nomination list to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), during Maraqba, of expected Khalifa Majazeen for Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) approved some names, deleted some of the names, and added down the name of Major Ghulam Muhammad as also Khalifa Majaaz of Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia (which was not previously included in the list)
The approved names at that time included:
1. Mr. Muhammad Akram Awan Sahib,
2. Mr. Sayed Bunyad Hussain Shah Sahib,
3. Mr. Major Ahsan Baig Sahib,
4. Mr. Col. Matloob Hussain Sahib,
5. Mr. Major Ghulam Muhammad Sahib of Wan Bhachran Mianwali,
6. Mr. Molvi Abdul Haq Sahib,
7. Mr. Hafiz Abdul Razzaq Sahib,
8. Mr. Hafiz Ghulam Qadri Sahib,
9. Mr. Khan Muhammad Irani Sahib,
10. Mr. Maolana Abdul Ghafoor Sahib,
11. Mr. Syed Muhammad Hassan Sahib of Zohb.
These Majazeen were authorized to; held Majalis of Zikar (Pas Anfas) in their respective areas, arrange Majalis of Zikar in neighboring areas, train them on the way of Sulook, prepare them for Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance), and present them to Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan for Spiritual Bai’at at the Hand of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), in the life of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), and were all equal in status as Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Presently we are following Hazrat Major ® Ghulam Muhammad Sahib, Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Makhdoom Ali Mahimi (1372–1431) was a Muslim Scholar originating from the Konkan in India, widely[vague] acknowledged for his scholarly treatises, liberal views and humanist ideals. Mahimi was born into a family of Arab travelers from Iraq who had settled down on the island of Mahim, one of the seven islands that later formed the city of Bombay (now Mumbai).
Not much is known of his early childhood. He later became the disciple of Mohiuddin Ibne Arabi, a Spanish Muslim saint. Mahimi's reputation grew after the Sultan of Gujarat, Ahmed Shah of the Muzaffarid dynasty, chose him to be the town's Qazi (the Head Muslim Judge/cleric of a town).
Mahimi was the first Indian scholar to write an exegesis on the Qur'an, which gained critical acclimation from numerous Islamic scholars including Shah Waliullah. Authoring a total of nineteen books, he was given the moniker Qutb-e -Kokan (Kokan's Pole Star). His commentary (tafseer) of the Nobel Quran in Arabic "Tayseer Al-Quran" is available in Al Azhar University, Cairo and Ummul-Qura University, Makkah.
Mahimi is revered by both the Muslims and Hindus, all Muslim sects hold him in high esteem. After his death in 1431, he was buried in Mahim. The site later became a dargah (shrine) for devotees.
During the annual ten day Urs festival celebrated on the 13th day of Shawwal as per the Muslim calendar, millions of devotees visit his dargah.
The highlight of this is a procession of around eight thousand begins at the Mahim Police Station, believed to be the site of his residence. Two police officers from each of the eighty four city police stations represent the police whose association with the saint dates back to the saint's era. A representative of the Mumbai police who is the first to offer the "chaddar" (shawl) at the tomb on the first day of the festival. Legend has it that it was a police constable who gave water to the dying saint from his cap. Another story points to some miraculous assistance police officers once received from an old man, whom they believed was the saint, in fighting smugglers.
A room adjacent to the office of the senior inspector of police station contains a steel cupboard that houses the saint's preserved belongings such as his chair, a pair of sandals and his hand-written Qur'an which is considered to be a calligraphic work of art. The room is opened once every year to the public. In 1920 the cupboard was purchased by a senior British police inspector, Raymond Esquire as a tribute to the saint he revered.
On 2005-05-21, the government of Maharashtra named the JJ Flyover after the saint as a tribute to the saint. The 2.1 kilometre flyover is the longest viaduct in the country.
[edit]Name And Lineage
Dargah Sharif on 11/23/2011
His name is Ali as well as Alauddin. His surname is Abul Hasan and the title is Zainuddin. The tribes of Nawait families were connected to the ‘Paro’ and the same that is ‘Paro’ was his family title. Being well versed in theology he was called Faquih and being a place of refuge to all and a competent authority he was called Makhdum.He was considered to be one of the saints. So, he was called, Shaikh’.
His respectable father’s name is Maulana Shaikh Ahmad who was a learned man of high grade and he was a genuine saint. He was considered to be one of the wealthy traders of Kokan.
His honourable mother’s name is Hazrat Fatima Bint (Daughter of) Nakhuda Husain Ankolia. It is said of his maternal grandfather that he was king of the traders. His venerable mother was a pious devout, an abstinent and she was very religious-minded and god-fearing. She was a saintly woman.
1) He is Makhdum Ali Bin Ahmad and known as Ibn (son) of Bint (daughter of) Husain Nakuda Ankolia. This statement (opinion) has been adapted from a book namely Khatib Kalyani in an Arabic magazine Zamirul Insaan.
2) He is Ali Bin Hasan Bin Ibrahim Bin Ismail, the writer of ilhamur Rehman and Compiler of Tafsirur Rehman Bin Muhammad Bin Ahmad entitled Kodar. This opinion was found written at the end of ‘Shumailul Atqiya by the writer of this magazine. This book Shumail’, as per the writer of the magazine was written in his own handwriting by Hazrat Makhdum Ali Faquih Mahaimi. He writes, also that, the scholars of our times were fully sure that the second statement had been written by Hazrat Makhdum Ali Faquih Mahaimi himself at the end of the’ Shumail’.
Maulawi Late Muhammad Yusuf Khatkhate. referring to a passage of the handwritten book Tabsirur Rehman, has written that in this book as described, of Hazrat Makhdurn Ali, is Alauddin and as a matter of fact our forefathers and parents are related to Ali Paro Bin Ahmad Paro Bin Ali Paro Bin Ahmad Paro and as well as, ibn bint (D/O) Husain Nakhuda Ankolia . And probably it is the right one.
This hand-written copy of the book was copied down 133 years after the death of Hazrat Makhdum Ali Faquih Mahaimi any way, Hazrat Makhdum Ali was a son and descendant of a gentle and respectable family. And his predecessors were originally Arabs that is Naiti. In an ancient book. It is written that (Hazrat Makhdum Ali Maulana Shaikh Ahmad Mahaimi comes of a Nawait Clan. This word is on the metre (weight) of Thawabit. A certain community lived in the cities and towns of Southern India (The Deccan). Their description is available in the Persian books. An ancient written, Tabri has written in his historical book that Naita is a tribe of ‘Quraish who had fled from Madina Munawwara due to the fear of Hajjaj Bin Yusuf (who had killed five thousand scholars and saintly people without any pretext). And these people got down near about the mouth of the Indus River. and they made that territory their living place.[1]
[edit]The Originality Of Nawayat
The word of Nawayat can be written with its last letters as ‘to’e’ or ‘te’ The ancient historians and the writers of biographies used to write it with both the letters.
Nawayat is a community of the tribe, Quraish, who is related to Muhammad through Nazr Bin Kanana. These were the residents of Madina Munawwara. They migrated to India during the period of Hajjaj bin Yusuf and they got down on the coast of the Indian Ocean.
[edit]Arrival Of Nawayat In India
Having got fed up with the cruelties and tyrannies of Hajjaj Bin Yusuf. the first caravan of Muslim Arab Migrators took shelter in India on 8th Hijri that is in the year 699 A.D. There were, in this caravan, some Arab migrators of the village of Basra., which was called Nayat. Their family tree is connected to the tribe of Quraish through the family of Banu Nazar.
Against the courageous steps of Abdulla Bin Zubair Radi Allahu anhu, Abdul Malik Bin Marwan encouraged and incited Hajjaj Bin Yususf to killings, plunder and blood-shed. He made many a people of Banu Hashim prisoners and made them to suffer great hardships. Some of these people went to North Africa and Spain and one of the caravans of the migrators got down around the islands of Bombay. They got down at Sopara, Thana, Semore (Chambur). a seaport at that time.
In the Bombay Gazette, it has been written about Hazrat Makhdum Ali Faquih Mahaimi that: “This sufi (saint) was of Arab origin. His fore-fathers came to Mahim in the year 860 A.D. i.e. 252 H. as they were not able to stand against the tyrannies and cruelties of Hajjaj Bin Yusuf And after about five hundred years later Hazrat Makhdum Ali Faquih Mahaimi was born.
[edit]Education And Training
His honourable father Maulana Hazrat Shaikh Ahmad Sahib was learned, great scholar and saintly man. He lived in Kokan from the very beginning. He was of Arab origin *and comes of the descendants of Hazrat Jafar Tayyar Radi allahu anhu Bin Hazrat Abi Talib Radi Allahu anhu . His mausoleum is situated in Amman (the capital of .Jordan) in the city of Moutha. The city of Mautah is situated at the distance of 112 Km. from Amman.
His honourable father, having observed his smart son’s cleverness and liking for knowledge and learning, paid his attention to his higher education. And, as he, too, was a great scholar of Arabic language.
[2]
He, therefore. helped his son Hazrat Makhdum Ali Mahaimi to become. a scholar. In his childhood. under the training of his father, Maulana Shaikh Ahmed rehmatullahi Bin Ali, Hazrat Makhdum Ali Mahaimi acquired full fledged knowledge of recitation of’ the Qura’n with correct phonetics. theology, logic, philosophy, Hadith and all other extra-religious fields of knowledge and traditionlally reported sciences etcetera.
The gracious mother of Hazrat Makhdum, Hazrat Bibi Fatima, too, was a perfect saintly woman. The gracious parents of Hazrat Makhdum through their training. polished and illuminated the God-gifted talents of their son. And by the favour and bounty of Allah, He became a writer of Quranic exegesis of high quality, a scholar of Muhammad's traditions, a theologian and a saint (Sufi), excellent and well versed in revelation and miracles. It is widely known that Hazrat Khizr Alaih salaam, also, took a greater part in his training.
When Hazrat Makhdum was barely of nine years age. completed all the branches of knowledge. external as well as celestial and the Islamic Jurisprudence. Thereafter, only a few days had passed when, on the 25th of Jamadil Akhir 785 Hijri, his father Maulana Shaikh died.
In some other book, the year of the expiry of Maulana Shaikh Ahmad Bin Ali is given as 788 Hijri.)
Hazrat Makhdum’s revered father Maulana Shaikh Ahmad Bin Ali; who rose from the land of Kalyan, was buried in the very place of land. The grave of Hazrat Makhdum Ali’s father is situated in the locality of Kalyan, namely Bombal Bazar*. Near Namak Bander (salt port) of Kalyan, there is an old graveyard and in it is situated a pucca Mausoleum, a shrine. of Maulana Shaikh Ahmad Ali which was built on 5th Rabiul Awwal, 1313 Hijri.
His mausoleum is situated adjacent to the Bahir Kot (fort) Masjid (Mosque) and to the other side, there is the mausoleum of Hazrat Nizamuddin Khamosh.
Bombal Bazar, - Ghas Bazar :. On this very same date, the fair (Urs) is celebrated every year regularly.
Some local poet has said two stanzas of poetry in Urdu depicting the date of his expiry. These are in Urdu and the poet is Rashid. They are inscribed on two marble plaques. One of them is inside the mausoleum while the other one is outside it.
The inside plaque bears these lines:
Janab-e- Shaikh Ahmad Wasil-e-Haq
Jahan se jab huye jannat ko rukhsat
Lisan-e-gaib-e- Rashid ne bataya
Makeenul Khuld un ka sal-e- rukhsat
(788 H.)
When Hazrat Makhdum Ali became orphan due to the expiry of his father, his thirst for knowledge and learning went on increasing. There was no source to quench this thirst. hence he came to his respected mother and said, Dear Mother My longing for knowledge is going on increasing. Here, I don’t find any source to satisfy my desire and longing for it. If you give me permission then. I would set out in search of the knowledge. The respected mother looked at the son for some time and then said.’ My son! your separation is unbearable to me. Allah, The Highest, is The Causer of the Causes. He, being the real doer of things, will make such a provision from unknown that it will be the source of satisfaction to your longing. The knowledge that is obtained through the divine favour is better than that acquired by any method of teaching and learning.
So. the very night. his respectable mother prayed to Allah and her prayers were answered positively by Allah. As usual, after the early morning prayer was over, Hazrat Makhdum Ali, went for a walk to the sea-side. While he was strolling on the coast of the sea, he saw a radiant faced elderly person sitting on a rock which was lying on the coast of the sea. He conveyed his salam (the best wishes) to him. The elderly man returned his salams to Hazrat Makhdum Ali and showed his pleasure smilingly. Then, he said, ‘ You are longing for acquiring divine knowledge, then you come here to me daily every morning and I will teach you. The things you wish to obtain through journeys to distant places, Insha Allah (If Allah so wishes), you will get the same here and here. I am the Khizr Alaih salaam. Allah, The highest, has sent me to teach you. Don’t divulge this secret to anybody.
So, he would go to that place where Khizr Alaih salam used to be sitting. It was his routine to do so every morning after the early morning (fajr) prayers were over. He was regular in this . And, thus, he started to acquire godly knowledge from Hazrat Khizr Alaih Salaam In a few days, he was perfect in both the types of knowledge, intellectual as well as additional. One day, by chance, his respectable mother made an enquiry with him. saying. “My son! To whom do you go to obtain knowledge daily? I have heard that you go to the sea-shore every day” . At first, he hesitated to give reply to his mother’s enquiry. But, feeling that it would be against the manner, he said, I go to Hazrat Khizr Alaih Salaam to learn from him.”
The next day, when, as usual, he went to the sea-shore, he found that Hazrat Khizr Alaih Salaam was not there. He regretted much and become very sorrowful and came to his mother. Hazrat Makhdum, with tears in his eyes said to his mother, ‘Dear Mother ! I had, against the instruction and warning of Hazrat Khizr Alaih Salaam, mentioned you the secret of his teaching. And, I think, most probably, being angry with me, he did not turn up today.” The glorious mother, again, consoled him and said, “Don’t be disapponted. Allah, The Highest, is The Most Powerful. He will send, again, Hazrat Khizr Alaih Salaam for the sake of you. “ The glorious mother prayed to Allah, that very night. Consequently, the next day, at the time of the prayers of Asr, Hazrat Khizr Alaih Salaam met him on the way and said, “ You have got the inspired- knowledge by the order of Allah.” Then he took him to the sea-shore and having taken out a morsel of godly bounty from his own mouth, fed it to him and said “Your glorious mother’s prayers are always answered positively and you have achieved mastery over all the branches of knowledge by the favour of Allah.” When he was free from the evening prayers, he found his pure and clean bosom overloaded with all the branches of the knowledge.
Habits And Good Qualities
The real essence of life is the beauty of character. It is only the good character that has made the memory of the noble men perpetual and has strengthened their description Sayyid Ibrahim Madni, in his hook, Magazine Zamirul Insan says, “ Hazrat Makhdum Sahib was very modest, good mannered, obedient and fond of service to his parents from his childhood. By chance, one night his mother, after her night prayers, was lying on the bed. She felt thirsty. So, she asked Makhdum Ali to fetch her water. He return with the water but he saw that his mother was fast asleep. He thought that to awake her from the sleep would be against the good manners. So, he stood beside her with the glass of water in his hand for the whole night.
At last, it was early morning when his mother woke up from sleep. She asked him,’My son, how long are you standing here with the water? ‘.He said, “ Since the time you went to sleep and you had asked for the water. And I am, since then standing here waiting for you to wake up”
The mother liked this good mannerly behaviour of her son to such an extent that her happiness knew no bounds. She got up from the bed immediately, performed ablution and prayed to Allah for the betterment of her son. It was the effect of these prayers of his mother that due to it Makhdum Sahib very soon attained the perfection in both the types of sciences of knowledge, apparent as well as latent.
While describing the noble character of Hazrat Makhdum Ali Faquih Mahaimi some of the people have written that he was very much generous and libral. He used to help the needy open-heartedly. Even though he was the son of a wealthy father, he never gave importance to the worldly ‘wealth and riches.There was a crowd of guests at his house all the time. On his table cloth various kinds of tasty foods were served and he felt happy to feed the guests to their satisfaction. It is said that he liked fish very much. All the Muslims and the Hindus, both were attracted by his pleasing character and good behaviour.
[edit]Devotion And Mystic Exercise
Hazrat Makhdum Ali was a genuine abstinent, devotee, master of the knowledge of all the branches of sciences in respect of Islamic Jurisprudence and intimate knowledge of God and measure” and regulations, both apparent and the latent. He had reached to the zenith in the intellectual sciences and conventional as well. He had the best qualities and pleasing habits and excellent characteristics. He performed extra-ordinay feats.
Sufi (Saintly person) Shaikh Abdul Wahab Muttaqui Shazli Qadiri, describes, in his book, a strange event concerning Hazrat Makhdum Ali
“ The author of ‘ Tafsir-e-Rehmani Hazrat Shaikh Ali Mahaimi was overwhelmed with the effect of meditation and absorption. The ruling king’s sister was in matrimonial relation with him. One day, the king’s wives and their lady companions came to see the king’s sister at the Shaikh’s house. Shaikh, at that time, was sitting at the door of the house. The ladies hesitated to come in. Shaikh’s mother was present there. She said to them, ‘Why are you hesitant? Come on. What is the hesitation and reluctance for at all?’ They said that they were reluctant to come in because Shaikh was sitting on the door sill and he would see them. Shaikh’s mother said that it was not possible because he was in the unconscious state. He had no sense of any thing, neither theirs nor of this world and the hereafter as well. No sooner they heard this, all of them came in . Then they insisted on its proof. Thereupon, Shaikh’s mother came to him and said to him,’ My son take this wrapper and wear this on and give your dress for washing. At that shaikh was putting on clean clothes. He, immediately, put off his clothes and put on the wrapper. And, again he sat down. After an hour, his mother brought him other dirty clothes and asked him to take off his clothes. Shaikh took the same dirty clothes and put them on. He had no sense as to which clothes he should put on and which to put off.”
In one of the magazine, he has said;
“In Yeman, there lived a learned man by name Imam Jamal Muhammad One of the servants brought to me a letter from him. and he stated: It is a fact that Sharfuddin the Yemani the teacher of Quran has not the understanding and discerning power to such extent than he may be able to comprehend the works of Shaikh Mohiuddin Ibn Arabi Even then he belittles Shaikh only because he, himself is incapable and inefficient and he is bent on infidelity to the Shaikh and the followers of him.
Having heard this awkward and malicious statement, a thought occurred to my mind that I must bring out what the truth is. And this thought didn’t allow me to sit at my house idle. Helplessly, I decided to make a journey and set out to Yeman. Having reached there, I forwarded the necessary arguments and gave perfect proofs and evidences. And, at last I succeeded in wiping out the dust of doubts and suspicion and cleansed the pollution of criticism and abuse from the beliefs of the teacher, Muallim.
[3]
[edit]Revelations And Miracles
Those elderly and saintly people who adopted the life style of their dear most Prophet Salla Allahu ta’ala’alayhi wa sallam , in a very few days. they too start the experience of their being beloved and to this the promise is made by Allah in His Glorious book. The Qura’n that whosoever adopts the manners, the ways of life. the habits, the characteristics and the traditions of Muhammad, he will be under the care of Allah.
In the words of the Muhammad, it is as:
“Tell them, if you love Allah, do follow me. Then Allah will be mindful of you.”
Hazrat Makhdum Ali Mahairni was one of the chief Awilyas (The saints). Many a miracle are attributed to him. Hence, many a people have written books on his miracles with title of Karamat-e-Makhdum (The Miracles of Makhdum). Many of them are hearsays only and to establish their authenticity is difficult due to lack of documentary evidences Therefore. we. mention here only’ those of his miracles that are brought to light by the writer of the Magazine. ‘Zamirul insan’, Maulana Sayyid Ibrahim Madani and that too, with particular stress.
(1) It is natrated that Hazrat Makhdum Baba had reared a she-goat whom he loved immensely. Once when he had gone away on some business, the goat fell ill and ultimately died, His mother got the deid goat buried on the sea-shore. When he heard about the death of the goat, he became extremely sad and went to the sea-shore to see it. His maid-servant had followed him and he ordered her to go away. She got frightened and went away from that place, but hid herself at a little distance. After the departure of the servant he recited some prayer and he stood there for some time praying to Allah. The maid servant who was watching all this saw the legs of the animal moving. Afterwards, he held the ear of the goat and brought her back home. This was the first miraculous feat that he exhibited at the age of 10 and its report spread far and wide.
(2) This maid servant, since that day, made it a regular practice- to serve Hazrat Makhdum Baba Whenever she washed his clothes she would preserve the first wash of water and drank it This entitled her also to gain knowledge and miraculous powers by the Grace of Allah. One day a traveller came to the mosque in Mahim. Hazrat Makhdum Baba noticed him and sent food to him through this maid-servant. When the maid reached the mosque with the tray of food she found the traveller missing. Through her powers she traced the person to be praying in the Khana-e-Ka’aba. She reached Makka and served him and later returned to the mosque. Thus, his dependents and followers also performed miraculous feats.
(3) Once, as usual, the men of INSIGHT had assembled from far off place and a general meeting was organised. During the session, one of the pious men informed that there is a Lote tree in the land of Madina Munawwara whose fruit is very delicious and nice. On this Hazrat Makhdum Baba said, “This was the season of this fruit and requested him to get some of it from there. He replied in the affirmative and promised to present Hazrat Makhdum Baba that fruit, He himself was a perfect scholar and had mastered the special prayer (benediction) called “Tayyal Farasakh” which at once took him to Madina. When he reached the tree he saw that there was someone already up the tree. He decided not to climb up and requested the person upon the tree to shake one of the branches of the tree so that he may also pick up some fruits. The man on the tree plucked some fruits and dropped them on the ground and shook a branch as well. The sage picked up the fruit and returned to Mahim.
He presented the said fruit to Hazrat Makhdum Baba who ate some of it and appreciated its taste and then remarked that. the fruit was undoubtedly tasty but he had brought it without exerting any effort. On hearing this the said sage felt very much astonished and he thought that perhaps he was watched by Hazrat Makhdum Baba by his miraculous powers but the situation was completely different. Hazrat Makhdum Baba had personally reached there prior to him and had climbed the tree. The holy man also realised the same and begged pardon. He accepted the difference between them. Hazrat Makhdum Baba is the Qutb of Konkan (The Polar Star of Konkan). Afterwards, Hazrat Shaikh Makhdum Baba removed some fruits from his pocket and distributed them among the people assembled there. All of them ate and relished them.
(4) During the days of Hazrat Makhdum Baba, the marine traffic had commenced and the ship started navigating to and fro. In those days a Hindu trader despatched his merchandise aboard a ship but the ship did not return. Seven years passed by and he virtually forgot about that ship. But whenever any accident of such nature occurred, he mourned about his loss regretfully. He met many learned people, religious activists, astrologers and sorcerers to inquire about the fate of his ship. All of them told him that, that ship had sunk along with his merchandise and general cargo. A disciple of Hazrat Makhdum Baba was also sitting there and he inquired of this fellow whether he had ever approached his Shaikh and told him if he had not, he should accompany him there and then and he assured him that he would certainly get satisfactory information about his ship. The man agreed and they reached Hazrat Makhdum Baba and narrated the entire incident. Hazrat Makhdum Baba told him to sit down and close his eyes. He did as directed and then Hazrat Makhdum Baba told him to open his eyes and then prophesied that his ship laden with his cargo and merchandise. would arrive back on the sea-shore on that very day in the evening.
The trader returned home and he was puzzled as to how the said ship that was lost seven years ago would suddenly appear from no where and that too on that very day. He reached the sea-shore before the onset of evening. He was restless. He saw a ship approaching the coast before the sunset. After half an hour the ship arrived and (he trader was amazed as it was his own ship.
He was beyond himself with joy. He developed utter faith in the miraculous power of Hazrat Makhdum Baba. The next day. he, along with his family members. came to Hazrat Makhdum Baba and cheerfully and willingly embraced Islam.
(5) Hazrat Makhdum Baba was famous as a trustworthy person. A man came to him and said that he was going alone on a journey and did not want to take some of his gems and diamonds along with him lest they be robbed. He requested Hazrat Makhdum Baba to keep them in his trust and that he would take them back on his return. At that time, Hazrat Makhdum Baba was standing close to a well and he agreed to help that man. As soon as that man placed those diamonds on his blessed hand, he dropped them into the well. The man, puzzled and perplexed, enquired how he would retrieve them? Hazrat Makhdum Baba told him that he would get them back whenever he wanted. But he was a hasty man and demanded his diamonds. Hazrat Makhdum Baba put his hand in the well and brought out a fistful of gems and told him to pick up his diamonds from amongst them. The man was astonished, ashamed and repented upon his mistake. Ultimately. Hazrat Makhdum Baba himself picked up his particular gems and handed them over to him and threw the remaining diamonds back in the well.
(6) Hazrat Makhdum Baba was a very rich and well-to-do person. His dining table served a variety of delicious food. His guest house was always full with his guests who were treated very kindly and generously and served with excellent food.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shia Muslims are a large minority among India's Muslims. However, there has been no particular census conducted in India with regards to sects, but Indian sources like Times of India and DNA reported Indian Shiite population in mid 2005-2006 between 25% to 31% of entire Muslim population of India which accounts them in numbers between 40,000,000[1][1] to 50,000,000[2] of 157,000,000 Indian Muslim population[3]. However, as per an estimation of one reputed Shiite NGO Alimaan Trust, India's Shia population in early 2000 was around 30 million with Sayyids comprising just over half of the entire Shia population[4]. According to some national and international sources Indian Shia population is the world's second-largest after Iran[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13], Shiite population was also acclaimed publicly as second largest by the 14th Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh quoted in the year 2005.[14][15] One of the lingering problems in estimating the Shia population is that unless the Shia form a significant minority in a Muslim country, the entire population is often listed as Sunni. For example, the 1926 rise of the House of Saud in Arabia brought official discrimination against Shias. The Shia-majority areas of Al-Hasa, Qatif and Hofuf on the Persian Gulf, Western Arabia provinces of Jizan, Asir, and Hejaz that had large Shia minorities have officially been completely stripped off their religious identities.[16] Shiites are estimated to be 21-35 percent of the Muslim population in South Asia, although the total number is difficult to estimate due to the intermingling between the Muslim Sects and practice of taqiyya by Shiites.[17]
However,some external sources like the Pew Research Center figure them between 10 to 14 percent giving the numbers between 16,000,000 to 24,000,000[18]. However, the Pew Research Center report is not considered authentic by many Shiites and also national and International reports after taking into consideration the report released by Britannica Book of the year in 1997 which put the estimates of Shiite population in India in 1996 over 26,000,000[19][20][21] out of entire Indian Muslim population of 103,000,000 at that time.[22][23]
There are many big and small towns and villages with majority Shiite Muslim population in India. Many Sayyids between 12th to 16th century migrated to the Indian subcontinent to escape the persecution of Shias in mostly Sunni ruled Middle East. Prominent places in India with majority or considerable Shiite Muslim population are Kargil, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Barabanki, Lucknow, Hallaur, Sadaat Amroha and Naugawan Sadat. Shias in Hallaur, Sadaat Amroha and Naugawan Sadat are majority Sayyids. Among the Shias of India an overwhelming majority belongs to the Ithna Ashari (Twelver) division, while the Shias among the Khoja and Bohra communities are Ismaili.[24] Dawoodi Bohras are primarily based in India, even though the Dawoodi theology originated in Yemen. India is home to the majority Dawoodi Bohra population most of them concentrated in Gujarat out of over 1 million followers worldwide.[25]
There is no certainty as to when the Shia community first established itself in India. As per historical evidences and the genealogy maintained by the Sayyids who migrated to India from Middle East the history of Shia Islam traces long back around 1000 years. The rulers of various dynasties of India and also in the 11th century the rulers of Multan and Sindh which are now part of Pakistan were adherents of Shia Islam.[26] The Nawabs of Awadh and Hyder Ali & Tipu Sultan of Mysore, who were rulers in India, were also Shia Muslims.[27]
Shia culture and belief has left its influence all over India with Imam al Husain ibn Ali becoming the revered personality in India not only for the Shias but also from non-Muslim communities, especially the Hindus of northern India who participate in ceremonies commemorating Husain ibn Ali's martyrdom on the day of Ashura.
Shaykh al-Mufid writes that before the Battle of Karbala, Husain ibn Ali and the commander of the enemy forces, Umar ibn Saad, met at night and talked together for a long time. After that meeting Umar ibn Saad sent a letter to the Governor of Kufa, Ubayd-Allah ibn Ziyad in which he wrote that Husain ibn Ali has suggested that he go to ‘one of the border outposts’ of the rapidly expanding Muslim empire as a way of resolving conflict.[28] Other traditions name that border outpost as Al Hind or India. Even though Husain ibn Ali himself was not able to go to India, some of the Shia did emigrate there for various reasons, including those who came as refugees from Umayyads and Abbasids persecution.[29] These refugees brought with them rituals which kept alive the remembrance of Karbala and their Shia Identity.[30]
Its narrated by Abd al Razzaq al Muqarram in his work of Maqtal al-Husayn that prior to his martyrdom, Al Abbas ibn Ali while asking water for Mohammad's family from the Yazid's army expressed his desire to go either Rome or to India. This made some people wept in the army of Yazid[31].
It has been believed that in 7th century few ladies from the household of Prophet Mohammad after Battle of Karbala came in Punjab province of India which after the partition of 1947 became a part of Pakistan. One of the prominent of them was Ruqayyah bint Ali, the daughter of Ali bin Abi Talib through his wife Ummul Banin, Ruqayyah bint Ali was the sister of Abbas ibn Ali and wife of Muslim ibn Aqeel. Still her shrine in Lahore, Punjab of Pakistan, is visited by people all around and she is referred as Bibi Pak Daman.
[edit] Persecution
Shiites in India faced persecution by some Sunni rulers and Mughal Emperors which resulted in the martyrdom of Indian Shia scholars like Qazi Nurullah Shustari (also known as Shaheed-e-Thaalis, the third Martyr) and Mirza Muhammad Kamil Dehlavi (also known as Shaheed-e- Rabay, the fourth Martyr) who are two of the five martyrs of Shia Islam.
Shias also faced persecution in India in Kashmir for centuries, by the Sunni invaders of the region which resulted in massacre of many Shias and as a result most of them had to flee the region.[32] Shias in Kashmir in subsequent years had to pass through the most atrocious period of their history. Plunder, loot and massacres which came to be known as ‘Taarajs’ virtually devastated the community. History records 10 such Taarajs also known as ‘Taraj-e-Shia’ between 15th to 19th century in 1548, 1585, 1635, 1686, 1719, 1741, 1762, 1801, 1830, 1872 during which the Shia habitations were plundered, people slaughtered, libraries burnt and their sacred sites desecrated.[32] Such was the reign of terror during this period that the community widely went into the practice of Taqya in order to preserve their lives and the honor of their womenfolk.[32] Village after village disappeared, with community members either migrating to safety further north or dissolving in the majority faith. The persecution suffered by Shias in Kashmir during the successive foreign rules was not new for the community. Many of the standard bearers of Shia’ism, like Sa’adaat or the descendants of the Prophet Mohammad and other missionaries who played a key role in spread of the faith in Kashmir, had left their home lands forced by similar situations.[32]
[edit] India's role in battle of Karbala
Nathanvilal Wahshi, a Hindu Writer narrated about the arrival of a helper for Husain’s cause on the eight day of Moharram. Husain ibn Ali welcomed him and immediately confirmed his Indian Identity. Husain ibn Ali then goes on to praise India and its people in the following words:
"The perfumed fragrance entered the realm of love from your country The cool breeze came to my grandfather Mohammad from that garden."[33]
Upon asking more about the guest’s background he finds out that he is an Indian merchant residing in neighboring city of Basra, his father had been entrusted with the treasury of the war booty by none other than Ali bin Abitalib. For this reason the merchant holds himself morally responsible for assisting Husain ibn Ali in any possible way when the later is in trouble. Husain ibn Ali appreciated gesture, but discouraged the merchant from taking up arms in following words:
"Brother, in my opinion you are the beloved of the world In this country you are the treasure of India."[33]
Munshi Premchand further narrates the perception of this merchant on the part of Imam as suspicion about Husain ibn Ali’s sincerity because of being a Hindu.
With tear filled eyes the traveler said: ”I am a Hindu, perhaps my fidelity is not convincing Master! Even though this heart is the land of Idol Temple In it is also lit the light of affection”.[33]
Husain ibn Ali said : What have you said in passion, Why should my eyes doubt your fidelity? My lord is aware of my conscience. What’s the difference between Hindu and Muslim is the quest for truth. This has the guiding principle for the People of the Cloak or Ahl al-Kisa. ”.[34]
[edit] Shia Muslim Dynasties in India
Shiite Islam has deep rooted influence in present and history of India from North to South with various Shia Muslim dynasties ruling Indian provinces from time to time.
Few prominent ones of the Indian Shia Muslim dynasties are as follows:
* Bahmani Sultanate (1347–1527 AD)
The Bahmani Sultanate also called the Bahmanid Empire or Bahmani Kingdom was a Muslim state of the Deccan in southern India and one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms.[35] Bahmanid Sultanate was the first independent Islamic and Shi'ite Kingdom in South India.[36]
* Sharqi Dynasty (1394 CE to 1479 CE)
The Sharqi sultanate was an independent medieval Shia Muslim dynasty of North India, one of the many kingdoms that came up following the disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate.[37] Between 1394 CE to 1479 CE, Sharqi dynasty ruled from Jaunpur in the present day state of Uttar Pradesh.
* Berar Sultanate (1490-1572 AD)
On the establishment of the Bahmani Sultanate in the Deccan (1348), Berar Sultanate was constituted one of the five provinces into which their kingdom was divided, being governed by great nobles, with a separate army. The perils of this system becoming apparent, the province was divided (1478 or 1479) into two separate provinces, named after their capitals Gawil and Mahur.
* Bidar Sultanate (1489-1619 AD)
Bidar Sultanate was one of the Deccan sultanates of late medieval India. Its founder, Qasim Barid was a Turk, domiciled in Georgia. He joined the service of the Bahmani sultan Muhammad Shah III. He started his career as a Sar-Naubat but later became the Mir-Jumla (prime minister) of the Bahmani sultanate.
* Qutb Shahi dynasty (1518–1687 AD)
The Qutb Shahi dynasty was a Turkic dynasty (whose members were also called the Qutub Shahis). They were the ruling family of the kingdom of Golconda in southern India. They were Shia Muslims and belonged to Kara Koyunlu.
* Adil Shahi dynasty (1527–1686 AD)
The Adil Shahi dynasty ruled the Sultanate of Bijapur in the Western area of the Deccan region of Southern India from 1490 to 1686. Bijapur had been a province of the Bahmani Sultanate (1347–1518), before its political decline in the last quarter of the 15th century and eventual break-up in 1518. The Bijapur Sultanate was absorbed into the Mughal Empire on 12 September 1686, after its conquest by the Emperor Aurangzeb.[38]
* Nawab of Awadh (1722-1858 AD)
Of all the Muslim states and dependencies of the Mughal empire, Awadh had the newest royal family, the Nawabs of Awadh. They were descended from a Persian adventurer called Sa'adat Khan, originally from Khurasan in Persia.
* Najafi Nawabs of Bengal (1757–1880)
The Najafi Dynasty of Nawabs of Bengal were Sayyids and were descendants of Prophet Muhammad through Al Imam Hasan ibn Ali, ruling from 1757 until 1880.
* Nawab of Rampur
Rampur, former princely state of British India. Previously ruled by Shiite Muslim Nawabs of Rampur, it was incorporated into the state of Uttar Pradesh in 1949.
* Nizams of Hyderabad State(1724–1948 AD)[39]
The ruling Nizams of Hyderabad State patronized Islamic art, culture and literature and developed railway network in Hyderabad. Islamic Sharia law was the guiding principle of the Nizams' official machinery.
[edit] Present circumstances
India, the only non Muslim nation in the world with Shiite population of 3-4 percent of its entire population, has recognized the day of Ashura listed as Moharram as the Public Holiday in India. India also has the Birthday of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib as public Holiday in states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, whose capital Lucknow is considered as the centre of India’s Shiite Muslim community. The Birthdate of Ali bin Abi Talib is not recognized by any country in any of its states other than India and Iran as public Holiday. It is also a known fact that when Saddam mercilessly quelled a Shia uprising in 1992. The world media remained silent and damage to the shrines of Husayn ibn Ali and his half-brother Al Abbas ibn Ali, in the course of Baathist attempts to flush out Shia rebels was a tightly kept secret of the Saddam regime but Indian media Doordarshan was the only network in the world to have shown that footage[40].
However, there has been reports about the Moharram procession being banned and Shiite people protesting against the ban were beaten up by the Indian Army.[41] Main procession is banned in Srinagar since the eruption of militancy in 1990s,[41] the ban is protested by Shiites every year during Moharram who condemn and blame Indian government for suppressing their right of religious freedom in Jammu and Kashmir, which is a Muslim majority state.[42]
Apart from the reign of few Mughal Emperors, there have been no reports of specific targeted persecution of Shias in India unlike the neighboring Pakistan and few Middle Eastern countries. India being a secular country, Shiite Muslims in India practice their religion freely without any restriction, except for few areas like Kashmir where their religious freedom is suppressed by Indian government[41]. However, in post Godhra riots a Shia Ex Member of the Parliament Ehsan Jafri was reported to be burnt to death by Hindu mob in his own residence in the state of Gujarat in 2002.
Shias also claim to be sidelined in India, hence the All India Shia Personal Law Board was formed after segregation from the All India Muslim Personal Law Board in 2005 to address the legal needs of the Shia population. AISPLB feels that there should be a national policy for the Shias to prevent their exploitation by vested interests. The attitude of the government towards Muslims especially in Maharashtra came in for criticism.[1] The newly formed All India Shia Personal Law Board had 69 members at the time of formation compared to 204 members in the All India Muslim Personal Law Board.[43] The Shia body had the support of the erstwhile royal family of Lucknow, some 2000 descendants of the family claim to have extended their support. Shias claim they have been sidelined by the Sunni-dominated law board, which was set up in 1972.[44] Maulana Mirza Mohammed Athar, president of the breakaway All India Shia Personal Law Board explained the reason for segregation saying that, Shias have formed a forum of themselves because the All India Muslim Personal Law Board never took interest in their well being." Shias and Sunnis do not interpret family laws in a similar way. Shiites also have different Mosques and Burial grounds in India.[44]
Azadari or the mourning practice of Imam Husain ibn Ali is very much prevalent across India.[45] One thing which is worth noting in Indian Azadari is the participation of non Muslims in Shia rituals on the day of Ashura.[45][46][47]
The Hindu rulers of Vijayanagar during the 16th and 17th centuries even donned blackened garments and helped to arrange the Kala Tazia (Black Tazia) processions. Even the Scindias of Gwalior and the Holkar Maharajas of Indore conducted Majlis or Muharram congregations[48]. In Lucknow Hindus regularly join Muslims in the Azadari and Alam processions. The Sufi saints of India along with the Shi'ite Scholars encouraged the mixing and merging of indigenous elements from the rich cultural heritage of the land to that of Muharram thus proclaiming the message of peaceful co-existence among communities and united resistance to tyrannical authority[48].
The carrying of Alams through fire by men is more common. There are several occasions when these are traditionally practiced particularly in the town of Vizianagaram 550 km outside of Hyderabad where 110 Alams are taken through the fire. A significant aspect of firewalking in the context of Moharram commemorations in Andhra Pradesh is the participation of Hindus in the ceremonies. In Vizinagaram 109 of the Alams are carried by Hindus.[49]
[edit] Notable Shia Muslim Personalities of India
[edit] Religion
* Grand Ayatollah Ghufran Ma'ab - One of the leading Ayatollah, India had ever produced.
* Sayyid Ahmad al Musawi al Hindi - Grandfather of revolutionary Iranian leader Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah al Musawi al Khomeini.He was born in Kintoor Barabanki UP
* Qazi Nurullah Shustari - Executed by Mughal Emperor Jehangir, is regarded as the third among the five martyrs of Shia Islam.
* Al-Allamah, Al-Faqeeh, Al-Adeeb Ayatullah Shaikh Ali Hazeen Lahiji ( Four Hundred Years ago)
* Mirza Muhammad Kamil Dehlavi - Executed by Sunni Ruler of Jhajhar, also known as the Shahid Rabay or the fourth martyr of the five martyrs of Shia Islam.
* Ayatollah Sayyid Mir Hamid Hussain al Musawi Kintoori Lakhnavi - Leading Indian Cleric of his time.
* Moulvi Khursheed Ali Khan, Famous Landlord, Founder Jamia-e-Imania, Banaras (1287/1866)
* Ayat-ul-Ilm-e-wat-Tuqa Ayatullah Syed Imdad Ali, First Ameed Jamia-e-Imania, Banaras.
* Jawad-ul-Ulama Ayatullah Syed Ali Jawad Al-Husaini (Banaras) Mu'aasir wa ham-jama'at Sahib-e-Abaqaat.
* Mir Anis - Legendary Urdu poet and renowned Marsia writer all over the world. He was born in Faizabad in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in 1803 and died in 1874.
* Mirza Dabeer - Leading Urdu poet of India who excelled and perfected the art of Marsiya writing and is considered the leading exponent of Marsiya writing along with Mir Anis.
* Munaitiq-e-Zaman Ayatullah Syed Mohammad Sajjad Al-Husaini, Founder Jamia Jawadia, Banaras (1928)
* Qudwat-ul-Fuqaha Ayatullah Syed Sibte Husain, Jaunpur.
* Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Mohsin Nawab Rizvi Mujtahid - Vice Principal of Sultanul Madaris, Lucknow, former Principal, Madarse Aliya (Oriental College), Rampur, and Madarse Nasirya, Jaunpur.
* Ayatollah Najmul Millat - Leading Ayatollah and father of Maulana Syed Mohammad the founder of Madrasatul Waizeen
* Alam-ul-Aalaam Ayatullah Syed Muzaffar Husain Al-Husaini, First Haadi (Supreme Authority) Jamia Jawadia,Banaras (Wafat 1944).
* Ayatullah Agha Hajji Mirza Mahdi Puya Yazdi - A Twelver Shia Muslim and an Islamic scholar, most notable for his famous tafsir of the Qur'an.
* Ayatollah Syed Mohammad Abul Hasan – Founder of Sultanul Madaris son of Ayatollah Syed Ali Shah.
* Aal-e-Jawad-ul-Ulama Maulana Mulla Syed Mohammad Tahir Al-Husaini (1920-1971) Ameed Jamia-e-Imania / Haadi Jamia-e-Jawadia
* Grand Ayatollah Ali Naqi Naqvi - Leading Mujtahid of modern India.
* Ayatollah Syed Ali Shah – Father of Grand Ayatollah Syed Mohammad Abul Hasan.
* Ayatollah Syed Aqeel-al-Gharavi - Leading Shia scholar and community activist of India.
* Syed Kalbe Hussain - One of the senior clerics of India.
* Maulana Muhammad Rizvi - Twelver Shia Cleric, son of Maulana Sa'id Akhtar Rizvi and author of the book Shī‘ism Imāmate & Wilāyat. Canada: Al-Ma‘ārif Books. 1999. ISBN 0-920675-11-5.
* Maulana Sa'id Akhtar Rizvi - Indian born, Twelver Shī‘ah scholar, who actively promoted Islam in East Africa.
* Syed Sibte Hasan Naqvi - Shia Cleric and father of Syed Mohammad Waris Hasan Naqvi
* Syed Mohammad Waris Hasan Naqvi - Shia Cleric form Lucknow, India.
* Maulana Kalbe Abid(late) - Mujtahid from Lucknow, India and father of Maulana Kalbe Jawad.
* Late Maulana Sayyid Aqa Hasan Naqvi - Mujtahid from Lucknow
* Maulana Kalbe Sadiq - Senior member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board and brother of Maulana Kalbe Abid(late).
* Maulana Kalbe Jawad - Leading cleric of India, leader of Friday prayers in Asafi Imambargah and son of Maulana Kalbe Abid(late).
* Ustaz-ul-Asatizah Maulana Syed Mohammad Husaini (Zaeem Hauza-e-Ilmiyyah Imania,Banaras)
* Maulana Mirza Mohammad Athar - Leading Orater of India, and the first president of All India Shia Personal Law Board (AISPLB).
* Syed Hamidul Hasan - Cleric from India and one of the students of Ayatullah al-Uzma Syed Muhsin al-Hakim and Ayatullah al-Uzma Syed Abul Qasim al-Khoei.
* Maulana Syed Ghulam Hussain Raza Agha Mujtahid ul Asr - Leading scholar and head of ulema of Hyderabad
* Raja Amir Mohd. Khan (Raja of Mehmoodabad)-Famous Marsiyakhan
* Maulana Sayyid Urujul Hasan Meesum - Cleric from India
[edit] Business and politics - present and past
Azim Premji, CEO of India's 3rd largest IT company Wipro Technologies and the 5th richest man in India with an estimated fortune of US$17.1 billion.[50]
* Dr. Hamid Ansari - Incumbent Vice President of India.
* Azim Premji - Indian business tycoon from Gujarat state and Owner of one of India's largest Software development Companies Wipro.
* Fakhruddin T. Khorakiwala - Dawoodi Bohra, Chancellor of Jamia Millia University, former Sheriff of Mumbai and owner of Akbarallys and Wockhardt.
* Zoher Khorakiwala and Komail Khorakiwala - Dawoodi Bohra, owner of Monginis Bakery Chain
* Sir Sultan Ahmed - Indian barrister and politician
* Zafar Ali Naqvi - Indian politician and Member of the Parliament of India
* Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi - Former Indian Federal Minister and Member of the Parliament of India
* Ehsan Jafri (1929 – February 28, 2002) - Indian politician and ex-Member of the Parliament of India, killed during Gulbarg Society massacre
* Syed Sibtey Razi - Governor of Assam state and former Governor of Jharkhand state.
* Ali Yawar Jung - Former Indian diplomat and former Governor of the state of Maharashtra from 1971 to 1976. He played a significant role in full scale establishment of Azadari in Mumbai.
* Nur Jehan - Mughal Empress, considered mastermind behind Jehangir's rule, family origin in Persia
* Mumtaz Mahal - Wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan I buried in Taj Mahal in Agra, India.
* Bahmani Sultanate rulers.
* Sharqi Dynasty rulers
* Berar Sultanate rulers.
* Bidar Sultanate rulers.
* Qutb Shahi dynasty rulers.
* Adil Shahi dynasty rulers.
* Nawab of Awadh rulers.
o Begum Hazrat Mahal - Wife of Wajid Ali Shah, last Nawab of the princely kingdom of Awadh
* Nawab of Rampur rulers.
* Najafi Dynasty Nawabs of Bengal.
* Hyderabad State Nizam rulers.
* Mahabat Khan - prominent Mughal general and statesman, perhaps best known for his coup against the Mughal Emperor Jahangir in 1626.
* Sayyed Mahmud Khan - Military general of Mughal Emperor Akbar's army.
* Siraj ud-Daulah - Last ruler of Bengal before British intrusion.
[edit] Bollywood
* Kamal Amrohi - Bollywood film director, screenwriter, and dialogue writer
* Meena Kumari - Bollywood Actress and Urdu-Hindi Poetess.
* Farida Jalal - Bollywood Actress.
* Jagdeep - Bollywood Actor and Comedian, father of Javed Jaffrey and Naved Jaffrey.
* Feroz Khan - Indian Actor, Film editor, Producer and Director in the Bollywood film Industry.
* Saeed Jaffrey - Indian Punjabi British actor.
* Sanjay Khan - Actor turned film producer and director
* Akbar Khan - Film actor, screenwriter, producer and director.
* Fardeen Khan - Indian established Bollywood actor and son of legendary Feroz Khan.
* Zayed Khan - Indian Bollywood actor and son of Sanjay Khan.
* Javed Jaffrey - Bollywood actor and comedian.
* Naved Jaffrey - Co-producer of Boogie Woogie series.
* Emraan Hashmi - Bollywood actor
* Farah Khan Ali - Gemologist and renowned jewellery designer of India
* DJ Aqeel - DJ, singer and composer
[edit] Sports
* Syed Kirmani - Former Indian cricket captain who was awarded Padma Sri in 1982
* Jalaluddin Rizvi - Former field hockey player who represented India in the 1984 Olympics and 1982 Asian Games
* Sania Mirza - Indian tennis player. She began her tennis career in 2003. In 2004 she was awarded the Arjuna award by the Indian Government.
[edit] Journalism
* Saeed Naqvi - Senior journalist and Distinguished Fellow at Observer Research Foundation, 20 Rouse Avenue, New Delhi. Visiting Professor at Academy of Third World Studies, Jamia Millia and Senior Advisor at Centre for Culture, Media and Governance, Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi.
* Nikhat Kazmi - Senior correspondent writing for The Times of India since 1987
[edit] Others
* Amir Rizvi - Indian designer
* Ali Hyder Tabatabai - Poet, translator and scholar of languages
* Safi Lakhnavi - Urdu poet
* Saghar Khayyami - Urdu poet leading humorist and satirist
[edit] Shia organizations in India
* All India Shia Personal Law Board
* Jamia Nazmia
* Sultan al Madaris
* All India Shia Yateem Khaana
* All India Shia Husaini Fund
* All India Shia Conference (1930s)
* Anjuman Haideri Hallaur
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah’s peace be upon Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), the glorious Prophet of Islam, and on his Companions and his followers.
TASAWWUF
"There is no doubt that Tasawwuf is an important branch of Islam. The word itself may have been derived form the Arabic word "Soof" (Wool) or from "Safa" (cleanliness), but its foundation lies in one’s personal sincerity in seeking Allah’s nearness and trying to live a life pleasing to Him. Study of the Quran, the Hadith, and the practical life of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and his faithful Companions provide unmistakable support to this reality." (Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A)
SUFISM, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ISLAM
Doubts exist not only in the minds of the Muslim faithful but also among the Ulema, notably the exoteric about Tasawwuf and its votaries. Often they lead to misunderstanding, as if Shariah and Tariqah were two separate entries, or that Tasawwuf was some obscure discipline foreign to Islam, or that it was altogether above the established laws and injunctions of our Religion. To help remove these misgivings and to reassure seekers, as well as scholars, our Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), Sheikh Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia, wrote Al-Jamal Wal Kamal, Aqaid-O-Kamalaat Ulmai-e-Deoband, Binat-e-Rasool (S.A.W), Daamad-e-Ali (R.A), Dalael-us-Salook, Ejaad-e-Mazhab Shia, Hayat-un-Nabi (S.A.W), Hayat Barzakhia, Ilm-o-Irfan, Niffaz-e-Shariat Aur Fiqah-e-Jaferia, Saif-e-Owaisi, Shikast-e-Ahdai Hussain and Tahkeek Halal Haram books.
BIOGRAPHY
Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chakrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The very year, he met Shaykh Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Shaykh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was right away established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years. In 1962 he was directed to carry out the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular enthusiasm and devotion for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss as per his/her sincerity and capacity. Shaykh Allah Yar Khan's mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and distinction.
Although Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A) have lived a major portion of his life as a scholar, with the avowed mission of illuminating the truth of Islam and the negation of fallacious sects, and this would appear quite removed from Tasawwuf, yet the only practical difference between the two, namely the use of the former as a media to expound the truth, and the latter to imbue people with positive faith. Nevertheless, people are amazed that a man, who until the other day, was known as a dialectician and a preacher of Islam, is not only talking of Mystic Path, but is also claiming spiritual bonds with the veteran Sufi Masters of the Past. This amazement is obviously out of place in the view of Quranic injunction: This is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills. (62:4)
THE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL
The purification of the soul always formed part of the main mission of the Prophets; that is, the dissemination and propagation of the Devine Message. This responsibility later fell directly on the shoulders of the true Ulema in the Ummah of the last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who, as his genuine successors, have continued to shed brave light in every Dark Age of materialism and sacrilege. In the present age of ruinous confusion, the importance of this responsibility has increased manifold; of the utter neglect of Islam by Muslims has not only driven them to misery, but also grievously weakened their bonds of faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). The decay in their belief and consequent perversion in their conduct has reached a stage that any attempt to pull them out of the depth of ignominy and the heedless chaos of faithlessness, attracts grave uncertainties and apprehensions rather than a encouraging will to follow the Shariah, to purify the soul and to reform within. The Quranic Verse: Layers upon layers of darkness… (24:40) provides the nearest expression of their present state.
SHARIAH & SUFISM
Any action against the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) cannot be called Sufism. Singing and dancing, and the prostration on tombs are not part of Sufism. Nor is predicting the future and predicting the outcome of cases in the courts of law, a part of Sufism. Sufis are not required to abandon their worldly possessions or live in the wilderness far from the practical world. In fact these absurdities are just its opposites. It is an established fact that Tazkiyah (soul purification) stands for that inner purity which inspires a person’s spirit to obey the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If a false claimant of Sufism teaches tricks and jugglery, ignoring religious obligations, he is an impostor. A true Sheikh will lead a believer to the august spiritual audience of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the company of an accomplished spiritual guide and Sheikh of Sufism, and if you follow his instructions, you will observe a positive change in yourself, transferring you from vice to virtue.
ISLAM, AS A COMPLETE CODE OF LIFE
Islam, as a complete code of life or Deen, was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). He was the sole teacher and his mosque was the core institution for the community. Although Islam in its entirety was practiced during that blessed era, the classification and compilation of its knowledge into distinct branches like ‘Tafsir’ (interpretation of the Quran), Hadith (traditions or sayings of the holy Prophet- SAWS), Fiqh (Islamic law), and Sufism (the soul purification) were undertaken subsequently. This Deen of Allah passed from the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to his illustrious Companions in two ways: the outward and the inward. The former comprised the knowledge defined by speech and conduct, i.e., the Quran and Sunnah. The latter comprised the invisible blessings or the Prophetic lights transmitted by his blessed self. These blessings purified the hearts and instilled in them a passionate desire to follow Islam with utmost love, honesty and loyalty.
WHAT’S SUFISM
Sufism is the attempt to attain these Barakah (Blessings). The Companions handed down Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) teachings as well as blessings to the Taba’een. Their strong hearts were capable of infusing these blessings into the hearts of their followers. Both aspects of Islam were similarly passed on by the Taba’een to the Taba Taba’een. The compilation of knowledge and its interpretation led to the establishment of many schools of religious thought; famous four being the Hanafi, the Hanbali, the Maliki, and the Shafa'i, all named after their founders. Similarly, in order to acquire, safeguard and distribute his blessings, an organized effort was initiated by four schools of Sufism: The Naqshbandia, the Qadria, the Chishtia, and the Suharwardia. These schools were also named after their organizers and came to be known as Sufi Orders. All these Orders intend to purify the hearts of sincere Muslims with Prophetic lights. These Sufi Orders also grew into many branches with the passage of time and are known by other names as well. The holy Quran has linked success in this life and the Hereafter with Tazkiyah (soul purification). He, who purified, is successful. (87: 14) Sufi Orders of Islam are the institutions where the basics of Tazkiyah (soul purification) and its practical application are taught. They have graded programs in which every new seeker is instructed in Zikr-e Lisani (oral Zikr) and is finally taught the Zikr-e Qalbi (Remembrance in heart).
ZIKR-E QALBI
However, in the Naqshbandia Order, Zikr-e Qalbi is practiced from the very beginning. Adherence to the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) is greatly emphasized in this Order, because the seeker achieves greater and quicker progress through its blessings. The essence of Zikr is that the Qalb should sincerely accept Islamic beliefs and gain the strength to follow the Sunnah with even greater devotion. ‘If the heart is acquainted with Allah and is engaged in His Zikr; then it is filled with Barakaat-e Nabuwwat (Prophetic blessings) which infuse their purity in the mind and body. This not only helps in controlling sensual drives but also removes traces of abhorrence, voracity, envy and insecurity from human soul. The person therefore becomes an embodiment of love, both for the Divine and the corporeal. This is the meaning of a Hadith, “There is a lump of flesh in the human body; if it goes astray the entire body is misguided, and if it is reformed the entire body is reformed. Know that this lump is the Qalb”.’
PAS ANFAS
Recent History Khawajah Naqshband (d. 1389 CE) organized the Naqshbandia Order at Bukhara (Central Asia). This Order has two main branches – the Mujaddidia and the Owaisiah. The former is identified with Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, known as Mujaddid Alif Sani (literally: reviver of the second Muslim millennium), a successor to Khawajah Baqi Billah, who introduced the Order to the Indo- Pakistan sub-continent. The Owaisiah Order employs a similar method of Zikr but acquires the Prophetic blessings in the manner of Khawajah Owais Qarni, who received this beneficence from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) without a formal physical meeting. The Zikr employed by the Naqshbandia is ‘Zikr-e Khafi Qalbi’ (remembrance of Allah’s Name within the heart) and the method is termed ‘Pas Anfas’, which (in Persian) means guarding every breath. The Chain of Transmission of these Barakah, of course, emanates from the holy Prophet- SAWS.
SPIRITUAL BAI’AT (OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
It is necessary in all Sufi Orders that the Sheikh and the seekers must be contemporaries and must physically meet each other for the transfer of these blessings. However, the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order goes beyond this requirement and Sufis of this Order receive these Barakah regardless of physical meeting with their Sheikh or even when the Sheikh is not their contemporary. Yet, it must be underscored that physical meeting with the Sheikh of this Order still holds great importance in dissemination of these Barakah. Sheikh Sirhindi writes about the Owaisiah Order in his book ‘Tazkirah’: ‘It is the most sublime, the most exalted, and the most effective…and the highest station of all others is only its stepping stone.’ By far the greatest singular distinction of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order is the honor of Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance) directly at the blessed hands of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
SHEIKH HAZRAT MOULANA ALLAH YAR KHAN (R.A)
The Reviver Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chikrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The same year, he met Sheikh ‘Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Sheikh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was immediately established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century CE) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years, after which he was directed to undertake the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular zeal and dedication for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss commensurate with his/her sincerity and capacity. Sheikh Allah Yar Khan’s mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and eminence. He authored eighteen books, the most distinguished being Dalael us-Sulook (Sufism - An Objective Appraisal), Hayat-e Barzakhiah (Life Beyond Life) and Israr ul- Haramain (Secrets of the two holy Mosques). He was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished Sufi saints of the Muslim Ummah and a reviver of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order. He passed away on 18 February 1984 in Islamabad at the age of eighty.
THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION OF NAQSHBANDIA OWAISIAH
1. Hazrat Muhammad ur-Rasool Allah (Sall Allah-o Alaihi wa Sallam), 2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radhi Allah-o Unho), 3. Hazrat Imam Hassan Basri (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 4. Hazrat Daud Tai (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 5. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 6. Hazrat Ubaid Ullah Ahrar (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 7. Hazrat Abdur Rahman Jami (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 8. Hazrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Salih (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 9. Hazrat Allah Deen Madni (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 10. Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi).
THE SPIRIT OR RUH
The spirit or Ruh of every person is a created reflection of the Divine Attributes and it originates in Alam-e Amar (Realm of Command). Its food is the Light of Allah or the Divine Refulgence, which it acquires from the Realm of Command through the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him), whose status in the spiritual world is like that of the sun in the solar system. The Quran refers to him as the ‘bright lamp’. Indeed, he is the divinely selected channel of all Barakah. All Exalted Messengers themselves receive these Barakah from him.
LATAIF
The human Ruh also possesses vital organs like the physical body; through which it acquires its knowledge, food and energy. These are called Lataif (singular Latifah: subtlety). Scholars of various Sufi Orders have associated them with specific areas of the human body. The Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order identifies these Lataif as follows. First - Qalb: This spiritual faculty is located within the physical heart. Its function is Zikr. Its strength increases one’s capacity for Allah’s Zikr. Second – Ruh: The site of this Latifah, which is a distinct faculty of the human Ruh, is on the right side of the chest at the level of Qalb. Its primary function is concentration towards Allah. Third – Sirri: This is located above the Qalb and functions to make possible Kashf. Forth – Khaffi: This is located above the Ruh and functions to perceive the omnipresence of Allah. Fifth – Akhfa: This is located in the middle of chest, at the centre of the first four Lataif and makes it possible for the Ruh to perceive the closeness of Allah, Who is closer to us than our own selves. Sixth – Nafs: This Latifah is located at the forehead and functions to purify the human soul. Seventh – Sultan al-Azkar: This Latifah is located at the top centre of the head and serves to absorb the Barakah of Allah into the entire body, so that every cell resonates with Zikr.
FIVE EXALTED MESSENGERS OF GOD
There are Five Exalted Messengers among the many known and unknown Messengers of Allah. They are Hazrat Muhammad, Hazrat Nuh (Noah), Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), Hazrat Musa (Moses), and Hazrat Esa (Jesus), peace be upon them all. Hazrat Adam is the first Prophet of Allah and the father of mankind. Each Latifah is associated with a particular Prophet. The Barakah and lights from Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him), descend on the first Latifah Qalb; its lights are reflected from the first heaven and are yellowish. The second Latifah is associated with Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon them). Its lights descend from the second heaven and appear as golden red. The lights descending upon the third Latifah are from Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and are white. One the fourth Latifah, the lights of Hazrat Esa (peace be upon him) descend from the fourth heaven and are deep blue. The fifth Latifah receives its Barakah directly from the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him). The lights associated with this Latifah are green, descend from the fifth heaven, and overwhelm all the first four Lataif. The Lights descending upon the sixth and seventh Lataif are the Divine Lights, whose color and condition cannot be determined. These are like flashes of lightening that defy comprehension. If Allah blesses a seeker with Kashf, he can observe all of this. The vision is slightly diffused in the beginning, but gradually the clarity improves.
SULOOK
Stages of the Path After all seven Lataif of a seeker have been illuminated with Divine Lights through Tawajjuh of the Sheikh and his Ruh has acquired the ability to fly, the Sheikh initiates its journey on the sublime Path of Divine nearness. The Path is known as Sulook, and its stages are not hypothetical imaginations but real and actually existing stations on the spiritual Path. These are also referred to as Meditations, because a seeker mentally meditates about a station while his/her Ruh actually ascends towards it. The first three stations that form the base of whole Sulook are described as; Ahadiyyat, a station of Absolute Unity of Divinity. It is above and beyond the seven heavens. It is so vast a station that the seven heavens and all that they encompass are lost within Ahadiyyat as a ring is lost in a vast desert. Its lights are white in color. Maiyyat station denotes Divine Company, ‘He is with you, wherever you might be.’ This station is so vast that Ahadiyyat along with the seven heavens beneath are lost within it as a ring is lost in a desert. Its lights are green in color. Aqrabiyyat station denotes Divine Nearness, ‘He is nearer to you than your life- vein.’ Again, Aqrabiyyat is vast as compared to Maiyyat in the same proportion. Its lights are golden red and are reflected from the Divine Throne. It is indeed the greatest favor of Almighty Allah that He blesses a seeker with an accomplished Sheikh, who takes him to these sublime stations. The final station that a seeker attains to during his/her lifetime becomes his/her Iliyyeen (blessed abode) in Barzakh and his/her Ruh stays at this station after death.
ZIKR
Why is Zikr Necessary for Everyone? Allah ordains every soul in the Quran to Perform Zikr. This not only means reciting the Quran and Tasbeeh but also Zikr-e Qalb. It is only through Zikr-e Qalbi that Prophetic Lights reach the depths of human soul and purify it from all vice and evil. Zikr infuses a realization of constant Divine Presence and a seeker feels great improvement in the level of sincerity and love towards Allah and the holy Prophet- SAWS. Such levels of sincerity, love and feelings of Divine Presence can never be obtained without Zikr. It would be a mistake to believe that Zikr may be a requirement only for the very pious and virtuous people. Zikr provides the Prophetic blessings which are in effect the life line of every human soul. It transforms even the most corrupted humans into virtuous souls by bringing out the best in them. The fact is that Zikr is the only way to achieve true contentment and satisfaction in life. The holy Quran has pointed to this eternal fact that it is only through Zikr Allah that hearts can find satisfaction. Such satisfaction and peace are the ultimate requirements of every person, regardless of religion, race and ethnicity. Practicing Zikr regularly removes all traces of anxiety and restlessness, and guides the human soul to eternal bliss and peace.
KHALIFA MAJAZEEN
Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), during his life time in 1974, presented a nomination list to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), during Maraqba, of expected Khalifa Majazeen for Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) approved some names, deleted some of the names, and added down the name of Major Ghulam Muhammad as also Khalifa Majaaz of Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia (which was not previously included in the list)
The approved names at that time included:
1. Mr. Muhammad Akram Awan Sahib,
2. Mr. Sayed Bunyad Hussain Shah Sahib,
3. Mr. Major Ahsan Baig Sahib,
4. Mr. Col. Matloob Hussain Sahib,
5. Mr. Major Ghulam Muhammad Sahib of Wan Bhachran Mianwali,
6. Mr. Molvi Abdul Haq Sahib,
7. Mr. Hafiz Abdul Razzaq Sahib,
8. Mr. Hafiz Ghulam Qadri Sahib,
9. Mr. Khan Muhammad Irani Sahib,
10. Mr. Maolana Abdul Ghafoor Sahib,
11. Mr. Syed Muhammad Hassan Sahib of Zohb.
These Majazeen were authorized to; held Majalis of Zikar (Pas Anfas) in their respective areas, arrange Majalis of Zikar in neighboring areas, train them on the way of Sulook, prepare them for Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance), and present them to Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan for Spiritual Bai’at at the Hand of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), in the life of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), and were all equal in status as Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Presently we are following Hazrat Major ® Ghulam Muhammad Sahib, Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah’s peace be upon Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), the glorious Prophet of Islam, and on his Companions and his followers.
TASAWWUF
"There is no doubt that Tasawwuf is an important branch of Islam. The word itself may have been derived form the Arabic word "Soof" (Wool) or from "Safa" (cleanliness), but its foundation lies in one’s personal sincerity in seeking Allah’s nearness and trying to live a life pleasing to Him. Study of the Quran, the Hadith, and the practical life of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and his faithful Companions provide unmistakable support to this reality." (Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A)
SUFISM, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ISLAM
Doubts exist not only in the minds of the Muslim faithful but also among the Ulema, notably the exoteric about Tasawwuf and its votaries. Often they lead to misunderstanding, as if Shariah and Tariqah were two separate entries, or that Tasawwuf was some obscure discipline foreign to Islam, or that it was altogether above the established laws and injunctions of our Religion. To help remove these misgivings and to reassure seekers, as well as scholars, our Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), Sheikh Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia, wrote Al-Jamal Wal Kamal, Aqaid-O-Kamalaat Ulmai-e-Deoband, Binat-e-Rasool (S.A.W), Daamad-e-Ali (R.A), Dalael-us-Salook, Ejaad-e-Mazhab Shia, Hayat-un-Nabi (S.A.W), Hayat Barzakhia, Ilm-o-Irfan, Niffaz-e-Shariat Aur Fiqah-e-Jaferia, Saif-e-Owaisi, Shikast-e-Ahdai Hussain and Tahkeek Halal Haram books.
BIOGRAPHY
Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chakrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The very year, he met Shaykh Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Shaykh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was right away established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years. In 1962 he was directed to carry out the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular enthusiasm and devotion for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss as per his/her sincerity and capacity. Shaykh Allah Yar Khan's mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and distinction.
Although Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A) have lived a major portion of his life as a scholar, with the avowed mission of illuminating the truth of Islam and the negation of fallacious sects, and this would appear quite removed from Tasawwuf, yet the only practical difference between the two, namely the use of the former as a media to expound the truth, and the latter to imbue people with positive faith. Nevertheless, people are amazed that a man, who until the other day, was known as a dialectician and a preacher of Islam, is not only talking of Mystic Path, but is also claiming spiritual bonds with the veteran Sufi Masters of the Past. This amazement is obviously out of place in the view of Quranic injunction: This is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills. (62:4)
THE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL
The purification of the soul always formed part of the main mission of the Prophets; that is, the dissemination and propagation of the Devine Message. This responsibility later fell directly on the shoulders of the true Ulema in the Ummah of the last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who, as his genuine successors, have continued to shed brave light in every Dark Age of materialism and sacrilege. In the present age of ruinous confusion, the importance of this responsibility has increased manifold; of the utter neglect of Islam by Muslims has not only driven them to misery, but also grievously weakened their bonds of faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). The decay in their belief and consequent perversion in their conduct has reached a stage that any attempt to pull them out of the depth of ignominy and the heedless chaos of faithlessness, attracts grave uncertainties and apprehensions rather than a encouraging will to follow the Shariah, to purify the soul and to reform within. The Quranic Verse: Layers upon layers of darkness… (24:40) provides the nearest expression of their present state.
SHARIAH & SUFISM
Any action against the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) cannot be called Sufism. Singing and dancing, and the prostration on tombs are not part of Sufism. Nor is predicting the future and predicting the outcome of cases in the courts of law, a part of Sufism. Sufis are not required to abandon their worldly possessions or live in the wilderness far from the practical world. In fact these absurdities are just its opposites. It is an established fact that Tazkiyah (soul purification) stands for that inner purity which inspires a person’s spirit to obey the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If a false claimant of Sufism teaches tricks and jugglery, ignoring religious obligations, he is an impostor. A true Sheikh will lead a believer to the august spiritual audience of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the company of an accomplished spiritual guide and Sheikh of Sufism, and if you follow his instructions, you will observe a positive change in yourself, transferring you from vice to virtue.
ISLAM, AS A COMPLETE CODE OF LIFE
Islam, as a complete code of life or Deen, was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). He was the sole teacher and his mosque was the core institution for the community. Although Islam in its entirety was practiced during that blessed era, the classification and compilation of its knowledge into distinct branches like ‘Tafsir’ (interpretation of the Quran), Hadith (traditions or sayings of the holy Prophet- SAWS), Fiqh (Islamic law), and Sufism (the soul purification) were undertaken subsequently. This Deen of Allah passed from the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to his illustrious Companions in two ways: the outward and the inward. The former comprised the knowledge defined by speech and conduct, i.e., the Quran and Sunnah. The latter comprised the invisible blessings or the Prophetic lights transmitted by his blessed self. These blessings purified the hearts and instilled in them a passionate desire to follow Islam with utmost love, honesty and loyalty.
WHAT’S SUFISM
Sufism is the attempt to attain these Barakah (Blessings). The Companions handed down Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) teachings as well as blessings to the Taba’een. Their strong hearts were capable of infusing these blessings into the hearts of their followers. Both aspects of Islam were similarly passed on by the Taba’een to the Taba Taba’een. The compilation of knowledge and its interpretation led to the establishment of many schools of religious thought; famous four being the Hanafi, the Hanbali, the Maliki, and the Shafa'i, all named after their founders. Similarly, in order to acquire, safeguard and distribute his blessings, an organized effort was initiated by four schools of Sufism: The Naqshbandia, the Qadria, the Chishtia, and the Suharwardia. These schools were also named after their organizers and came to be known as Sufi Orders. All these Orders intend to purify the hearts of sincere Muslims with Prophetic lights. These Sufi Orders also grew into many branches with the passage of time and are known by other names as well. The holy Quran has linked success in this life and the Hereafter with Tazkiyah (soul purification). He, who purified, is successful. (87: 14) Sufi Orders of Islam are the institutions where the basics of Tazkiyah (soul purification) and its practical application are taught. They have graded programs in which every new seeker is instructed in Zikr-e Lisani (oral Zikr) and is finally taught the Zikr-e Qalbi (Remembrance in heart).
ZIKR-E QALBI
However, in the Naqshbandia Order, Zikr-e Qalbi is practiced from the very beginning. Adherence to the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) is greatly emphasized in this Order, because the seeker achieves greater and quicker progress through its blessings. The essence of Zikr is that the Qalb should sincerely accept Islamic beliefs and gain the strength to follow the Sunnah with even greater devotion. ‘If the heart is acquainted with Allah and is engaged in His Zikr; then it is filled with Barakaat-e Nabuwwat (Prophetic blessings) which infuse their purity in the mind and body. This not only helps in controlling sensual drives but also removes traces of abhorrence, voracity, envy and insecurity from human soul. The person therefore becomes an embodiment of love, both for the Divine and the corporeal. This is the meaning of a Hadith, “There is a lump of flesh in the human body; if it goes astray the entire body is misguided, and if it is reformed the entire body is reformed. Know that this lump is the Qalb”.’
PAS ANFAS
Recent History Khawajah Naqshband (d. 1389 CE) organized the Naqshbandia Order at Bukhara (Central Asia). This Order has two main branches – the Mujaddidia and the Owaisiah. The former is identified with Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, known as Mujaddid Alif Sani (literally: reviver of the second Muslim millennium), a successor to Khawajah Baqi Billah, who introduced the Order to the Indo- Pakistan sub-continent. The Owaisiah Order employs a similar method of Zikr but acquires the Prophetic blessings in the manner of Khawajah Owais Qarni, who received this beneficence from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) without a formal physical meeting. The Zikr employed by the Naqshbandia is ‘Zikr-e Khafi Qalbi’ (remembrance of Allah’s Name within the heart) and the method is termed ‘Pas Anfas’, which (in Persian) means guarding every breath. The Chain of Transmission of these Barakah, of course, emanates from the holy Prophet- SAWS.
SPIRITUAL BAI’AT (OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
It is necessary in all Sufi Orders that the Sheikh and the seekers must be contemporaries and must physically meet each other for the transfer of these blessings. However, the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order goes beyond this requirement and Sufis of this Order receive these Barakah regardless of physical meeting with their Sheikh or even when the Sheikh is not their contemporary. Yet, it must be underscored that physical meeting with the Sheikh of this Order still holds great importance in dissemination of these Barakah. Sheikh Sirhindi writes about the Owaisiah Order in his book ‘Tazkirah’: ‘It is the most sublime, the most exalted, and the most effective…and the highest station of all others is only its stepping stone.’ By far the greatest singular distinction of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order is the honor of Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance) directly at the blessed hands of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
SHEIKH HAZRAT MOULANA ALLAH YAR KHAN (R.A)
The Reviver Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chikrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The same year, he met Sheikh ‘Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Sheikh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was immediately established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century CE) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years, after which he was directed to undertake the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular zeal and dedication for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss commensurate with his/her sincerity and capacity. Sheikh Allah Yar Khan’s mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and eminence. He authored eighteen books, the most distinguished being Dalael us-Sulook (Sufism - An Objective Appraisal), Hayat-e Barzakhiah (Life Beyond Life) and Israr ul- Haramain (Secrets of the two holy Mosques). He was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished Sufi saints of the Muslim Ummah and a reviver of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order. He passed away on 18 February 1984 in Islamabad at the age of eighty.
THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION OF NAQSHBANDIA OWAISIAH
1. Hazrat Muhammad ur-Rasool Allah (Sall Allah-o Alaihi wa Sallam), 2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radhi Allah-o Unho), 3. Hazrat Imam Hassan Basri (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 4. Hazrat Daud Tai (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 5. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 6. Hazrat Ubaid Ullah Ahrar (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 7. Hazrat Abdur Rahman Jami (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 8. Hazrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Salih (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 9. Hazrat Allah Deen Madni (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 10. Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi).
THE SPIRIT OR RUH
The spirit or Ruh of every person is a created reflection of the Divine Attributes and it originates in Alam-e Amar (Realm of Command). Its food is the Light of Allah or the Divine Refulgence, which it acquires from the Realm of Command through the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him), whose status in the spiritual world is like that of the sun in the solar system. The Quran refers to him as the ‘bright lamp’. Indeed, he is the divinely selected channel of all Barakah. All Exalted Messengers themselves receive these Barakah from him.
LATAIF
The human Ruh also possesses vital organs like the physical body; through which it acquires its knowledge, food and energy. These are called Lataif (singular Latifah: subtlety). Scholars of various Sufi Orders have associated them with specific areas of the human body. The Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order identifies these Lataif as follows. First - Qalb: This spiritual faculty is located within the physical heart. Its function is Zikr. Its strength increases one’s capacity for Allah’s Zikr. Second – Ruh: The site of this Latifah, which is a distinct faculty of the human Ruh, is on the right side of the chest at the level of Qalb. Its primary function is concentration towards Allah. Third – Sirri: This is located above the Qalb and functions to make possible Kashf. Forth – Khaffi: This is located above the Ruh and functions to perceive the omnipresence of Allah. Fifth – Akhfa: This is located in the middle of chest, at the centre of the first four Lataif and makes it possible for the Ruh to perceive the closeness of Allah, Who is closer to us than our own selves. Sixth – Nafs: This Latifah is located at the forehead and functions to purify the human soul. Seventh – Sultan al-Azkar: This Latifah is located at the top centre of the head and serves to absorb the Barakah of Allah into the entire body, so that every cell resonates with Zikr.
FIVE EXALTED MESSENGERS OF GOD
There are Five Exalted Messengers among the many known and unknown Messengers of Allah. They are Hazrat Muhammad, Hazrat Nuh (Noah), Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), Hazrat Musa (Moses), and Hazrat Esa (Jesus), peace be upon them all. Hazrat Adam is the first Prophet of Allah and the father of mankind. Each Latifah is associated with a particular Prophet. The Barakah and lights from Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him), descend on the first Latifah Qalb; its lights are reflected from the first heaven and are yellowish. The second Latifah is associated with Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon them). Its lights descend from the second heaven and appear as golden red. The lights descending upon the third Latifah are from Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and are white. One the fourth Latifah, the lights of Hazrat Esa (peace be upon him) descend from the fourth heaven and are deep blue. The fifth Latifah receives its Barakah directly from the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him). The lights associated with this Latifah are green, descend from the fifth heaven, and overwhelm all the first four Lataif. The Lights descending upon the sixth and seventh Lataif are the Divine Lights, whose color and condition cannot be determined. These are like flashes of lightening that defy comprehension. If Allah blesses a seeker with Kashf, he can observe all of this. The vision is slightly diffused in the beginning, but gradually the clarity improves.
SULOOK
Stages of the Path After all seven Lataif of a seeker have been illuminated with Divine Lights through Tawajjuh of the Sheikh and his Ruh has acquired the ability to fly, the Sheikh initiates its journey on the sublime Path of Divine nearness. The Path is known as Sulook, and its stages are not hypothetical imaginations but real and actually existing stations on the spiritual Path. These are also referred to as Meditations, because a seeker mentally meditates about a station while his/her Ruh actually ascends towards it. The first three stations that form the base of whole Sulook are described as; Ahadiyyat, a station of Absolute Unity of Divinity. It is above and beyond the seven heavens. It is so vast a station that the seven heavens and all that they encompass are lost within Ahadiyyat as a ring is lost in a vast desert. Its lights are white in color. Maiyyat station denotes Divine Company, ‘He is with you, wherever you might be.’ This station is so vast that Ahadiyyat along with the seven heavens beneath are lost within it as a ring is lost in a desert. Its lights are green in color. Aqrabiyyat station denotes Divine Nearness, ‘He is nearer to you than your life- vein.’ Again, Aqrabiyyat is vast as compared to Maiyyat in the same proportion. Its lights are golden red and are reflected from the Divine Throne. It is indeed the greatest favor of Almighty Allah that He blesses a seeker with an accomplished Sheikh, who takes him to these sublime stations. The final station that a seeker attains to during his/her lifetime becomes his/her Iliyyeen (blessed abode) in Barzakh and his/her Ruh stays at this station after death.
ZIKR
Why is Zikr Necessary for Everyone? Allah ordains every soul in the Quran to Perform Zikr. This not only means reciting the Quran and Tasbeeh but also Zikr-e Qalb. It is only through Zikr-e Qalbi that Prophetic Lights reach the depths of human soul and purify it from all vice and evil. Zikr infuses a realization of constant Divine Presence and a seeker feels great improvement in the level of sincerity and love towards Allah and the holy Prophet- SAWS. Such levels of sincerity, love and feelings of Divine Presence can never be obtained without Zikr. It would be a mistake to believe that Zikr may be a requirement only for the very pious and virtuous people. Zikr provides the Prophetic blessings which are in effect the life line of every human soul. It transforms even the most corrupted humans into virtuous souls by bringing out the best in them. The fact is that Zikr is the only way to achieve true contentment and satisfaction in life. The holy Quran has pointed to this eternal fact that it is only through Zikr Allah that hearts can find satisfaction. Such satisfaction and peace are the ultimate requirements of every person, regardless of religion, race and ethnicity. Practicing Zikr regularly removes all traces of anxiety and restlessness, and guides the human soul to eternal bliss and peace.
KHALIFA MAJAZEEN
Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), during his life time in 1974, presented a nomination list to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), during Maraqba, of expected Khalifa Majazeen for Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) approved some names, deleted some of the names, and added down the name of Major Ghulam Muhammad as also Khalifa Majaaz of Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia (which was not previously included in the list)
The approved names at that time included:
1. Mr. Muhammad Akram Awan Sahib,
2. Mr. Sayed Bunyad Hussain Shah Sahib,
3. Mr. Major Ahsan Baig Sahib,
4. Mr. Col. Matloob Hussain Sahib,
5. Mr. Major Ghulam Muhammad Sahib of Wan Bhachran Mianwali,
6. Mr. Molvi Abdul Haq Sahib,
7. Mr. Hafiz Abdul Razzaq Sahib,
8. Mr. Hafiz Ghulam Qadri Sahib,
9. Mr. Khan Muhammad Irani Sahib,
10. Mr. Maolana Abdul Ghafoor Sahib,
11. Mr. Syed Muhammad Hassan Sahib of Zohb.
These Majazeen were authorized to; held Majalis of Zikar (Pas Anfas) in their respective areas, arrange Majalis of Zikar in neighboring areas, train them on the way of Sulook, prepare them for Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance), and present them to Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan for Spiritual Bai’at at the Hand of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), in the life of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), and were all equal in status as Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Presently we are following Hazrat Major ® Ghulam Muhammad Sahib, Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah’s peace be upon Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), the glorious Prophet of Islam, and on his Companions and his followers.
TASAWWUF
"There is no doubt that Tasawwuf is an important branch of Islam. The word itself may have been derived form the Arabic word "Soof" (Wool) or from "Safa" (cleanliness), but its foundation lies in one’s personal sincerity in seeking Allah’s nearness and trying to live a life pleasing to Him. Study of the Quran, the Hadith, and the practical life of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and his faithful Companions provide unmistakable support to this reality." (Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A)
SUFISM, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ISLAM
Doubts exist not only in the minds of the Muslim faithful but also among the Ulema, notably the exoteric about Tasawwuf and its votaries. Often they lead to misunderstanding, as if Shariah and Tariqah were two separate entries, or that Tasawwuf was some obscure discipline foreign to Islam, or that it was altogether above the established laws and injunctions of our Religion. To help remove these misgivings and to reassure seekers, as well as scholars, our Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), Sheikh Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia, wrote Al-Jamal Wal Kamal, Aqaid-O-Kamalaat Ulmai-e-Deoband, Binat-e-Rasool (S.A.W), Daamad-e-Ali (R.A), Dalael-us-Salook, Ejaad-e-Mazhab Shia, Hayat-un-Nabi (S.A.W), Hayat Barzakhia, Ilm-o-Irfan, Niffaz-e-Shariat Aur Fiqah-e-Jaferia, Saif-e-Owaisi, Shikast-e-Ahdai Hussain and Tahkeek Halal Haram books.
BIOGRAPHY
Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chakrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The very year, he met Shaykh Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Shaykh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was right away established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years. In 1962 he was directed to carry out the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular enthusiasm and devotion for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss as per his/her sincerity and capacity. Shaykh Allah Yar Khan's mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and distinction.
Although Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A) have lived a major portion of his life as a scholar, with the avowed mission of illuminating the truth of Islam and the negation of fallacious sects, and this would appear quite removed from Tasawwuf, yet the only practical difference between the two, namely the use of the former as a media to expound the truth, and the latter to imbue people with positive faith. Nevertheless, people are amazed that a man, who until the other day, was known as a dialectician and a preacher of Islam, is not only talking of Mystic Path, but is also claiming spiritual bonds with the veteran Sufi Masters of the Past. This amazement is obviously out of place in the view of Quranic injunction: This is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills. (62:4)
THE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL
The purification of the soul always formed part of the main mission of the Prophets; that is, the dissemination and propagation of the Devine Message. This responsibility later fell directly on the shoulders of the true Ulema in the Ummah of the last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who, as his genuine successors, have continued to shed brave light in every Dark Age of materialism and sacrilege. In the present age of ruinous confusion, the importance of this responsibility has increased manifold; of the utter neglect of Islam by Muslims has not only driven them to misery, but also grievously weakened their bonds of faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). The decay in their belief and consequent perversion in their conduct has reached a stage that any attempt to pull them out of the depth of ignominy and the heedless chaos of faithlessness, attracts grave uncertainties and apprehensions rather than a encouraging will to follow the Shariah, to purify the soul and to reform within. The Quranic Verse: Layers upon layers of darkness… (24:40) provides the nearest expression of their present state.
SHARIAH & SUFISM
Any action against the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) cannot be called Sufism. Singing and dancing, and the prostration on tombs are not part of Sufism. Nor is predicting the future and predicting the outcome of cases in the courts of law, a part of Sufism. Sufis are not required to abandon their worldly possessions or live in the wilderness far from the practical world. In fact these absurdities are just its opposites. It is an established fact that Tazkiyah (soul purification) stands for that inner purity which inspires a person’s spirit to obey the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If a false claimant of Sufism teaches tricks and jugglery, ignoring religious obligations, he is an impostor. A true Sheikh will lead a believer to the august spiritual audience of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the company of an accomplished spiritual guide and Sheikh of Sufism, and if you follow his instructions, you will observe a positive change in yourself, transferring you from vice to virtue.
ISLAM, AS A COMPLETE CODE OF LIFE
Islam, as a complete code of life or Deen, was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). He was the sole teacher and his mosque was the core institution for the community. Although Islam in its entirety was practiced during that blessed era, the classification and compilation of its knowledge into distinct branches like ‘Tafsir’ (interpretation of the Quran), Hadith (traditions or sayings of the holy Prophet- SAWS), Fiqh (Islamic law), and Sufism (the soul purification) were undertaken subsequently. This Deen of Allah passed from the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to his illustrious Companions in two ways: the outward and the inward. The former comprised the knowledge defined by speech and conduct, i.e., the Quran and Sunnah. The latter comprised the invisible blessings or the Prophetic lights transmitted by his blessed self. These blessings purified the hearts and instilled in them a passionate desire to follow Islam with utmost love, honesty and loyalty.
WHAT’S SUFISM
Sufism is the attempt to attain these Barakah (Blessings). The Companions handed down Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) teachings as well as blessings to the Taba’een. Their strong hearts were capable of infusing these blessings into the hearts of their followers. Both aspects of Islam were similarly passed on by the Taba’een to the Taba Taba’een. The compilation of knowledge and its interpretation led to the establishment of many schools of religious thought; famous four being the Hanafi, the Hanbali, the Maliki, and the Shafa'i, all named after their founders. Similarly, in order to acquire, safeguard and distribute his blessings, an organized effort was initiated by four schools of Sufism: The Naqshbandia, the Qadria, the Chishtia, and the Suharwardia. These schools were also named after their organizers and came to be known as Sufi Orders. All these Orders intend to purify the hearts of sincere Muslims with Prophetic lights. These Sufi Orders also grew into many branches with the passage of time and are known by other names as well. The holy Quran has linked success in this life and the Hereafter with Tazkiyah (soul purification). He, who purified, is successful. (87: 14) Sufi Orders of Islam are the institutions where the basics of Tazkiyah (soul purification) and its practical application are taught. They have graded programs in which every new seeker is instructed in Zikr-e Lisani (oral Zikr) and is finally taught the Zikr-e Qalbi (Remembrance in heart).
ZIKR-E QALBI
However, in the Naqshbandia Order, Zikr-e Qalbi is practiced from the very beginning. Adherence to the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) is greatly emphasized in this Order, because the seeker achieves greater and quicker progress through its blessings. The essence of Zikr is that the Qalb should sincerely accept Islamic beliefs and gain the strength to follow the Sunnah with even greater devotion. ‘If the heart is acquainted with Allah and is engaged in His Zikr; then it is filled with Barakaat-e Nabuwwat (Prophetic blessings) which infuse their purity in the mind and body. This not only helps in controlling sensual drives but also removes traces of abhorrence, voracity, envy and insecurity from human soul. The person therefore becomes an embodiment of love, both for the Divine and the corporeal. This is the meaning of a Hadith, “There is a lump of flesh in the human body; if it goes astray the entire body is misguided, and if it is reformed the entire body is reformed. Know that this lump is the Qalb”.’
PAS ANFAS
Recent History Khawajah Naqshband (d. 1389 CE) organized the Naqshbandia Order at Bukhara (Central Asia). This Order has two main branches – the Mujaddidia and the Owaisiah. The former is identified with Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, known as Mujaddid Alif Sani (literally: reviver of the second Muslim millennium), a successor to Khawajah Baqi Billah, who introduced the Order to the Indo- Pakistan sub-continent. The Owaisiah Order employs a similar method of Zikr but acquires the Prophetic blessings in the manner of Khawajah Owais Qarni, who received this beneficence from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) without a formal physical meeting. The Zikr employed by the Naqshbandia is ‘Zikr-e Khafi Qalbi’ (remembrance of Allah’s Name within the heart) and the method is termed ‘Pas Anfas’, which (in Persian) means guarding every breath. The Chain of Transmission of these Barakah, of course, emanates from the holy Prophet- SAWS.
SPIRITUAL BAI’AT (OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
It is necessary in all Sufi Orders that the Sheikh and the seekers must be contemporaries and must physically meet each other for the transfer of these blessings. However, the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order goes beyond this requirement and Sufis of this Order receive these Barakah regardless of physical meeting with their Sheikh or even when the Sheikh is not their contemporary. Yet, it must be underscored that physical meeting with the Sheikh of this Order still holds great importance in dissemination of these Barakah. Sheikh Sirhindi writes about the Owaisiah Order in his book ‘Tazkirah’: ‘It is the most sublime, the most exalted, and the most effective…and the highest station of all others is only its stepping stone.’ By far the greatest singular distinction of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order is the honor of Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance) directly at the blessed hands of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
SHEIKH HAZRAT MOULANA ALLAH YAR KHAN (R.A)
The Reviver Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chikrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The same year, he met Sheikh ‘Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Sheikh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was immediately established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century CE) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years, after which he was directed to undertake the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular zeal and dedication for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss commensurate with his/her sincerity and capacity. Sheikh Allah Yar Khan’s mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and eminence. He authored eighteen books, the most distinguished being Dalael us-Sulook (Sufism - An Objective Appraisal), Hayat-e Barzakhiah (Life Beyond Life) and Israr ul- Haramain (Secrets of the two holy Mosques). He was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished Sufi saints of the Muslim Ummah and a reviver of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order. He passed away on 18 February 1984 in Islamabad at the age of eighty.
THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION OF NAQSHBANDIA OWAISIAH
1. Hazrat Muhammad ur-Rasool Allah (Sall Allah-o Alaihi wa Sallam), 2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radhi Allah-o Unho), 3. Hazrat Imam Hassan Basri (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 4. Hazrat Daud Tai (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 5. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 6. Hazrat Ubaid Ullah Ahrar (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 7. Hazrat Abdur Rahman Jami (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 8. Hazrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Salih (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 9. Hazrat Allah Deen Madni (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 10. Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi).
THE SPIRIT OR RUH
The spirit or Ruh of every person is a created reflection of the Divine Attributes and it originates in Alam-e Amar (Realm of Command). Its food is the Light of Allah or the Divine Refulgence, which it acquires from the Realm of Command through the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him), whose status in the spiritual world is like that of the sun in the solar system. The Quran refers to him as the ‘bright lamp’. Indeed, he is the divinely selected channel of all Barakah. All Exalted Messengers themselves receive these Barakah from him.
LATAIF
The human Ruh also possesses vital organs like the physical body; through which it acquires its knowledge, food and energy. These are called Lataif (singular Latifah: subtlety). Scholars of various Sufi Orders have associated them with specific areas of the human body. The Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order identifies these Lataif as follows. First - Qalb: This spiritual faculty is located within the physical heart. Its function is Zikr. Its strength increases one’s capacity for Allah’s Zikr. Second – Ruh: The site of this Latifah, which is a distinct faculty of the human Ruh, is on the right side of the chest at the level of Qalb. Its primary function is concentration towards Allah. Third – Sirri: This is located above the Qalb and functions to make possible Kashf. Forth – Khaffi: This is located above the Ruh and functions to perceive the omnipresence of Allah. Fifth – Akhfa: This is located in the middle of chest, at the centre of the first four Lataif and makes it possible for the Ruh to perceive the closeness of Allah, Who is closer to us than our own selves. Sixth – Nafs: This Latifah is located at the forehead and functions to purify the human soul. Seventh – Sultan al-Azkar: This Latifah is located at the top centre of the head and serves to absorb the Barakah of Allah into the entire body, so that every cell resonates with Zikr.
FIVE EXALTED MESSENGERS OF GOD
There are Five Exalted Messengers among the many known and unknown Messengers of Allah. They are Hazrat Muhammad, Hazrat Nuh (Noah), Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), Hazrat Musa (Moses), and Hazrat Esa (Jesus), peace be upon them all. Hazrat Adam is the first Prophet of Allah and the father of mankind. Each Latifah is associated with a particular Prophet. The Barakah and lights from Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him), descend on the first Latifah Qalb; its lights are reflected from the first heaven and are yellowish. The second Latifah is associated with Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon them). Its lights descend from the second heaven and appear as golden red. The lights descending upon the third Latifah are from Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and are white. One the fourth Latifah, the lights of Hazrat Esa (peace be upon him) descend from the fourth heaven and are deep blue. The fifth Latifah receives its Barakah directly from the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him). The lights associated with this Latifah are green, descend from the fifth heaven, and overwhelm all the first four Lataif. The Lights descending upon the sixth and seventh Lataif are the Divine Lights, whose color and condition cannot be determined. These are like flashes of lightening that defy comprehension. If Allah blesses a seeker with Kashf, he can observe all of this. The vision is slightly diffused in the beginning, but gradually the clarity improves.
SULOOK
Stages of the Path After all seven Lataif of a seeker have been illuminated with Divine Lights through Tawajjuh of the Sheikh and his Ruh has acquired the ability to fly, the Sheikh initiates its journey on the sublime Path of Divine nearness. The Path is known as Sulook, and its stages are not hypothetical imaginations but real and actually existing stations on the spiritual Path. These are also referred to as Meditations, because a seeker mentally meditates about a station while his/her Ruh actually ascends towards it. The first three stations that form the base of whole Sulook are described as; Ahadiyyat, a station of Absolute Unity of Divinity. It is above and beyond the seven heavens. It is so vast a station that the seven heavens and all that they encompass are lost within Ahadiyyat as a ring is lost in a vast desert. Its lights are white in color. Maiyyat station denotes Divine Company, ‘He is with you, wherever you might be.’ This station is so vast that Ahadiyyat along with the seven heavens beneath are lost within it as a ring is lost in a desert. Its lights are green in color. Aqrabiyyat station denotes Divine Nearness, ‘He is nearer to you than your life- vein.’ Again, Aqrabiyyat is vast as compared to Maiyyat in the same proportion. Its lights are golden red and are reflected from the Divine Throne. It is indeed the greatest favor of Almighty Allah that He blesses a seeker with an accomplished Sheikh, who takes him to these sublime stations. The final station that a seeker attains to during his/her lifetime becomes his/her Iliyyeen (blessed abode) in Barzakh and his/her Ruh stays at this station after death.
ZIKR
Why is Zikr Necessary for Everyone? Allah ordains every soul in the Quran to Perform Zikr. This not only means reciting the Quran and Tasbeeh but also Zikr-e Qalb. It is only through Zikr-e Qalbi that Prophetic Lights reach the depths of human soul and purify it from all vice and evil. Zikr infuses a realization of constant Divine Presence and a seeker feels great improvement in the level of sincerity and love towards Allah and the holy Prophet- SAWS. Such levels of sincerity, love and feelings of Divine Presence can never be obtained without Zikr. It would be a mistake to believe that Zikr may be a requirement only for the very pious and virtuous people. Zikr provides the Prophetic blessings which are in effect the life line of every human soul. It transforms even the most corrupted humans into virtuous souls by bringing out the best in them. The fact is that Zikr is the only way to achieve true contentment and satisfaction in life. The holy Quran has pointed to this eternal fact that it is only through Zikr Allah that hearts can find satisfaction. Such satisfaction and peace are the ultimate requirements of every person, regardless of religion, race and ethnicity. Practicing Zikr regularly removes all traces of anxiety and restlessness, and guides the human soul to eternal bliss and peace.
KHALIFA MAJAZEEN
Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), during his life time in 1974, presented a nomination list to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), during Maraqba, of expected Khalifa Majazeen for Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) approved some names, deleted some of the names, and added down the name of Major Ghulam Muhammad as also Khalifa Majaaz of Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia (which was not previously included in the list)
The approved names at that time included:
1. Mr. Muhammad Akram Awan Sahib,
2. Mr. Sayed Bunyad Hussain Shah Sahib,
3. Mr. Major Ahsan Baig Sahib,
4. Mr. Col. Matloob Hussain Sahib,
5. Mr. Major Ghulam Muhammad Sahib of Wan Bhachran Mianwali,
6. Mr. Molvi Abdul Haq Sahib,
7. Mr. Hafiz Abdul Razzaq Sahib,
8. Mr. Hafiz Ghulam Qadri Sahib,
9. Mr. Khan Muhammad Irani Sahib,
10. Mr. Maolana Abdul Ghafoor Sahib,
11. Mr. Syed Muhammad Hassan Sahib of Zohb.
These Majazeen were authorized to; held Majalis of Zikar (Pas Anfas) in their respective areas, arrange Majalis of Zikar in neighboring areas, train them on the way of Sulook, prepare them for Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance), and present them to Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan for Spiritual Bai’at at the Hand of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), in the life of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), and were all equal in status as Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Presently we are following Hazrat Major ® Ghulam Muhammad Sahib, Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Hazrat Khwaja Abdul Khaliq Ghujdawani (rahmatullah alaih) was the first one in this Naqshbandi Sufi Order to use the Silent Zikr and he was considered the master of that form of Zikr. He was direct descendant of Hazrat Syeddna Imam Malik (rahmatullah alaih) and mureed and khalifa of Hazrat Khwaja Abu Yaqub Yusuf Hamadani (rahmatullah alaih) and was also spiritually benefited from Hazrat Khizr (alaih salaam). His mazar is located in Ghujdawan, Uzbekistan.
Abdul Khaliq Ghijduvani was one of a group of Central Asian Sufi teachers known simply as Khwajagan (the Masters) of the Naqshbandi order.
Abdul Khaliq was born in the small town of Ghijduvan, near Bukhara. His father had migrated to Central Asia from Malatya, in eastern Anatolia where he had been a prominent faqih. While Abdul Khaliq was studying tafsir in Bukhara he first had an awakening of interest in the path. He received further training at the hands of Yusuf Hamdani, and was the next link in the Naqshbandi silsila following him.
Abdul Khaliq bequeathed to subsequent generations of the Naqshbandi silsila a series of principles governing their Sufi practice, concisely formulated in Persian and known collectively as "the Sacred Words" (kalimat-i qudsiya), or the "Rules" or "Secrets" of the Naqshbandi Order.
He passed away on 12 Rabi’ al-Awwal 575 AH in his hometown Ghujdawan, near Bukhara (Uzbekistan), where his tomb is a place which attracts many from around the world.
At the back of the complex, southwest of the mosque, stands an L-shaped construction, consisting of Alauddin Khilji's tomb dating ca 1316 AD, and a madrasa, an Islamic seminary built by him. Khilji was the second Sultan of Delhi from Khilji dynasty, who ruled from 1296 to 1316 AD.
The central room of the building, which has his tomb, has now lost its dome, though many rooms of the seminary or college are intact, and since been restored. There were two small chambers connected to the tomb by passages on either side. Fergusson in his book suggested the existence, to the west of the tomb, of seven rooms, two of which had domes and windows. The remains of the tomb building suggest that there was an open courtyard on the south and west sides of the tomb building, and that one room in the north served as an entrance.
It was the first example in India, of a tomb standing alongside a madarsa. Nearby stands the Alai Minar, an ambitious tower, he started constructing to rival the Qutub Minar, though he died when only its first storey was built and its construction abandoned thereafter. It now stands, north of the mosque.
The tomb is in a very dilapidated condition. It is believed that Ala-ud-din's body was brought to the complex from Siri and buried in front of the mosque, which formed part of the madrasa adjoining the tomb. Firoz Shah Tughluq, who undertook repairs of the tomb complex, mentioned a mosque within the madrasa.
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MADRASA
Madrasa (Persian: مدرسة, madrasah, pl. مدارس, madāris, Turkish: Medrese) is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, whether secular or religious (of any religion). The word is variously transliterated madrasah, madarasaa, medresa, madrassa, madraza, medrese, etc. In the West, the word usually refers to a specific type of religious school or college for the study of the Islamic religion, though this may not be the only subject studied. Not all students in madrasas are Muslims; there is also a modern curriculum.
DEFINITION
The word madrasah derives from the triconsonantal Semitic root د-ر-س D-R-S 'to learn, study', through the wazn (form/stem) مفعل(ة); mafʻal(ah), meaning "a place where something is done". Therefore, madrasah literally means "a place where learning and studying take place". The word is also present as a loanword with the same innocuous meaning in many Arabic-influenced languages, such as: Urdu, Bengali, Hindi, Persian, Turkish, Azeri, Kurdish, Indonesian, Malay and Bosnian / Croatian. In the Arabic language, the word مدرسة madrasah simply means the same as school does in the English language, whether that is private, public or parochial school, as well as for any primary or secondary school whether Muslim, non-Muslim, or secular. Unlike the use of the word school in British English, the word madrasah more closely resembles the term school in American English, in that it can refer to a university-level or post-graduate school as well as to a primary or secondary school. For example, in the Ottoman Empire during the Early Modern Period, madrasas had lower schools and specialised schools where the students became known as danişmends. The usual Arabic word for a university, however, is جامعة (jāmiʻah). The Hebrew cognate midrasha also connotes the meaning of a place of learning; the related term midrash literally refers to study or learning, but has acquired mystical and religious connotations.
However, in English, the term madrasah usually refers to the specifically Islamic institutions. A typical Islamic school usually offers two courses of study: a ḥifẓ course teaching memorization of the Qur'an (the person who commits the entire Qurʼan to memory is called a ḥāfiẓ); and an ʻālim course leading the candidate to become an accepted scholar in the community. A regular curriculum includes courses in Arabic, tafsir (Qur'anic interpretation), sharīʻah (Islamic law), hadiths (recorded sayings and deeds of Muhammad), mantiq (logic), and Muslim history. In the Ottoman Empire, during the Early Modern Period, the study of hadiths was introduced by Süleyman I. Depending on the educational demands, some madrasas also offer additional advanced courses in Arabic literature, English and other foreign languages, as well as science and world history. Ottoman madrasas along with religious teachings also taught "styles of writing, grammary, syntax, poetry, composition, natural sciences, political sciences, and etiquette."
People of all ages attend, and many often move on to becoming imams. The certificate of an ʻālim, for example, requires approximately twelve years of study. A good number of the ḥuffāẓ (plural of ḥāfiẓ) are the product of the madrasas. The madrasas also resemble colleges, where people take evening classes and reside in dormitories. An important function of the madrasas is to admit orphans and poor children in order to provide them with education and training. Madrasas may enroll female students; however, they study separately from the men.
EARLY HISTORY
The first institute of madrasa education was at the estate of Hazrat Zaid bin Arkam near a hill called Safa, where Hazrat Muhammad was the teacher and the students were some of his followers. After Hijrah (migration) the madrasa of "Suffa" was established in Madina on the east side of the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi mosque. Hazrat 'Ubada bin Samit was appointed there by Hazrat Muhammad as teacher and among the students. In the curriculum of the madrasa, there were teachings of The Qur'an, The Hadith, fara'iz, tajweed, genealogy, treatises of first aid, etc. There were also trainings of horse-riding, art of war, handwriting and calligraphy, athletics and martial arts. The first part of madrasa based education is estimated from the first day of "nabuwwat" to the first portion of the "Umaiya" caliphate.
Established in 859, Jāmiʻat al-Qarawīyīn (located in al-Qarawīyīn Mosque) in the city of Fas, Morocco, is considered the oldest university in the world by some scholars, though the existence of universities in the medieval Muslim world is debated. It was founded by Fāṭimah al-Fihrī, the daughter of a wealthy merchant named Muḥammad al-Fihrī. This was later followed by the establishment of al-Azhar in 959 in Cairo, Egypt.
During the late ʻAbbāsid period, the Seljuk vizier Niẓām al-Mulk created one of the first major official academic institutions known in history as the Madrasah Niẓāmīyah, based on the informal majālis (sessions of the shaykhs). Niẓām al-Mulk, who would later be murdered by the Assassins (Ḥashshāshīn), created a system of state madrasas (in his time they were called the Niẓāmiyyahs, named after him) in various ʻAbbāsid cities at the end of the 11th century.
During the rule of the Fatimid and Mamluk dynasties and their successor states in the medieval Middle East, many of the ruling elite founded madrasas through a religious endowment known as the waqf. Not only was the madrasa a potent symbol of status but it was an effective means of transmitting wealth and status to their descendants. Especially during the Mamlūk period, when only former slaves could assume power, the sons of the ruling Mamlūk elite were unable to inherit. Guaranteed positions within the new madrasas thus allowed them to maintain status. Madrasas built in this period include the Mosque-Madrasah of Sultan Ḥasan in Cairo.
Dimitri Gutas and the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy consider the period between the 11th and 14th centuries to be the "Golden Age" of Arabic and Islamic philosophy, initiated by al-Ghazali's successful integration of logic into the madrasah curriculum and the subsequent rise of Avicennism.
At the beginning of the Caliphate or Islamic Empire, the reliance on courts initially confined sponsorship and scholarly activities to major centres. Within several centuries, the development of Muslim educational institutions such as the madrasah and masjid eventually introduced such activities to provincial towns and dispersed them across the Islamic legal schools and Sufi orders. In addition to religious subjects, they also taught the "rational sciences," as varied as mathematics, astronomy, astrology, geography, alchemy, philosophy, magic, and occultism, depending on the curriculum of the specific institution in question. The madrasas, however, were not centres of advanced scientific study; scientific advances in Islam were usually carried out by scholars working under the patronage of royal courts. During this time,[when?] the Caliphate experienced a growth in literacy, having the highest literacy rate of the Middle Ages, comparable to classical Athens' literacy in antiquity but on a much larger scale. The emergence of the maktab and madrasa institutions played a fundamental role in the relatively high literacy rates of the medieval Islamic world.
The following excerpt provides a brief synopsis of the historical origins and starting points for the teachings that took place in the Ottoman madrasas in the Early Modern Period:
Taşköprülüzâde's concept of knowledge and his division of the sciences provides a starting point for a study of learning and medrese education in the Ottoman Empire. Taşköprülüzâde recognises four stages of knowledge - spiritual, intellectual, oral and written. Thus all the sciences fall into one of these seven categories: calligraphic sciences, oral sciences, intellectual sciences, spiritual sciences, theoretical rational sciences, and practical rational sciences. The first Ottoman medrese was created in İznik in 1331, when a converted Church building was assigned as a medrese to a famous scholar, Dâvûd of Kayseri. Suleyman made an important change in the hierarchy of Ottoman medreses. He established four general medreses and two more for specialised studies, one devoted to the ḥadīth and the other to medicine. He gave the highest ranking to these and thus established the hierarchy of the medreses which was to continue until the end of the empire.
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
In the medieval Islamic world, an elementary school was known as a maktab, which dates back to at least the 10th century. Like madrasas (which referred to higher education), a maktab was often attached to an endowed mosque. In the 11th century, the famous Persian Islamic philosopher and teacher Ibn Sīnā (known as Avicenna in the West), in one of his books, wrote a chapter about the maktab entitled "The Role of the Teacher in the Training and Upbringing of Children," as a guide to teachers working at maktab schools. He wrote that children can learn better if taught in classes instead of individual tuition from private tutors, and he gave a number of reasons for why this is the case, citing the value of competition and emulation among pupils, as well as the usefulness of group discussions and debates. Ibn Sīnā described the curriculum of a maktab school in some detail, describing the curricula for two stages of education in a maktab school.
PRIMARY EDUCATION
Ibn Sīnā wrote that children should be sent to a maktab school from the age of 6 and be taught primary education until they reach the age of 14. During which time, he wrote, they should be taught the Qur'an, Islamic metaphysics, language, literature, Islamic ethics, and manual skills (which could refer to a variety of practical skills).
SECONDARY EDUCATION
Ibn Sīnā refers to the secondary education stage of maktab schooling as a period of specialisation when pupils should begin to acquire manual skills, regardless of their social status. He writes that children after the age of 14 should be allowed to choose and specialise in subjects they have an interest in, whether it was reading, manual skills, literature, preaching, medicine, geometry, trade and commerce, craftsmanship, or any other subject or profession they would be interested in pursuing for a future career. He wrote that this was a transitional stage and that there needs to be flexibility regarding the age in which pupils graduate, as the student's emotional development and chosen subjects need to be taken into account.
HIGHER EDUCATION
During its formative period, the term madrasah referred to a higher education institution, whose curriculum initially included only the "religious sciences", whilst philosophy and the secular sciences were often excluded. The curriculum slowly began to diversify, with many later madrasas teaching both the religious and the "secular sciences", such as logic, mathematics and philosophy. Some madrasas further extended their curriculum to history, politics, ethics, music, metaphysics, medicine, astronomy and chemistry. The curriculum of a madrasah was usually set by its founder, but most generally taught both the religious sciences and the physical sciences. Madrasas were established throughout the Islamic world, examples being the 9th century University of al-Qarawiyyin, the 10th century al-Azhar University (the most famous), the 11th century Niẓāmīyah, as well as 75 madrasas in Cairo, 51 in Damascus and up to 44 in Aleppo between 1155 and 1260. Many more were also established in the Andalusian cities of Córdoba, Seville, Toledo, Granada (Madrasah of Granada), Murcia, Almería, Valencia and Cádiz during the Caliphate of Córdoba.
In the Ottoman Empire during the early modern period, "Madrasas were divided into lower and specialised levels, which reveals that there was a sense of elevation in school. Students who studied in the specialised schools after completing courses in the lower levels became known as danişmends."
While "madrasah" can now refer to any type of school, the term madrasah was originally used to refer more specifically to a medieval Islamic centre of learning, mainly teaching Islamic law and theology, usually affiliated with a mosque, and funded by an early charitable trust known as waqf.
LAW SCHOOL
Madrasas were largely centred on the study of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). The ijāzat al-tadrīs wa-al-iftāʼ ("licence to teach and issue legal opinions") in the medieval Islamic legal education system had its origins in the 9th century after the formation of the madhāhib (schools of jurisprudence). George Makdisi considers the ijāzah to be the origin of the European doctorate. However, in an earlier article, he considered the ijāzah to be of "fundamental difference" to the medieval doctorate, since the former was awarded by an individual teacher-scholar not obliged to follow any formal criteria, whereas the latter was conferred on the student by the collective authority of the faculty. To obtain an ijāzah, a student "had to study in a guild school of law, usually four years for the basic undergraduate course" and ten or more years for a post-graduate course. The "doctorate was obtained after an oral examination to determine the originality of the candidate's theses", and to test the student's "ability to defend them against all objections, in disputations set up for the purpose." These were scholarly exercises practised throughout the student's "career as a graduate student of law." After students completed their post-graduate education, they were awarded ijazas giving them the status of faqīh 'scholar of jurisprudence', muftī 'scholar competent in issuing fatwās', and mudarris 'teacher'.
The Arabic term ijāzat al-tadrīs was awarded to Islamic scholars who were qualified to teach. According to Makdisi, the Latin title licentia docendi 'licence to teach' in the European university may have been a translation of the Arabic, but the underlying concept was very different. A significant difference between the ijāzat al-tadrīs and the licentia docendi was that the former was awarded by the individual scholar-teacher, while the latter was awarded by the chief official of the university, who represented the collective faculty, rather than the individual scholar-teacher.
Much of the study in the madrasah college centred on examining whether certain opinions of law were orthodox. This scholarly process of "determining orthodoxy began with a question which the Muslim layman, called in that capacity mustaftī, presented to a jurisconsult, called mufti, soliciting from him a response, called fatwa, a legal opinion (the religious law of Islam covers civil as well as religious matters). The mufti (professor of legal opinions) took this question, studied it, researched it intensively in the sacred scriptures, in order to find a solution to it. This process of scholarly research was called ijtihād, literally, the exertion of one's efforts to the utmost limit."
MEDICAL SCHOOL
Though Islamic medicine was most often taught at the bimaristan teaching hospitals, there were also several medical madrasas dedicated to the teaching of medicine. For example, of the 155 madrasa colleges in 15th century Damascus, three of them were medical schools. No medical degrees were granted to students, as there was no faculty that could issue them. Therefore, no system of examination and certification ever developed in the Islamic tradition, in contrast with medieval Europe.
In the Early Modern Period in the Ottoman Empire, "Suleyman I added new curriculums ['sic'] to the Ottoman medreses of which one was medicine, which alongside studying of the ḥadīth was given highest rank."
MADRASA AND UNIVERSITY
Note: The word jāmiʻah (Arabic: جامعة) simply means 'university'. For more information, see Islamic university (disambiguation).
There is disagreement whether madrasas ever became universities. Scholars like Arnold H. Green and Seyyed Hossein Nasr have argued that starting in the 10th century, some medieval Islamic madrasas indeed became universities. George Makdisi and others, however, argue that the European university has no parallel in the medieval Islamic world. Darleen Pryds questions this view, pointing out that madrasas and European universities in the Mediterranean region shared similar foundations by princely patrons and were intended to provide loyal administrators to further the rulers' agenda. Other scholars regard the university as uniquely European in origin and characteristics.
al-Qarawīyīn University in Fez, Morocco is recognised by many historians as the oldest degree-granting university in the world, having been founded in 859 by Fatima al-Fihri. While the madrasa college could also issue degrees at all levels, the jāmiʻahs (such as al-Qarawīyīn and al-Azhar University) differed in the sense that they were larger institutions, more universal in terms of their complete source of studies, had individual faculties for different subjects, and could house a number of mosques, madrasas, and other institutions within them. Such an institution has thus been described as an "Islamic university".
Al-Azhar University, founded in Cairo, Egypt in 975 by the Ismaʻīlī Shīʻī Fatimid dynasty as a jāmiʻah, had individual faculties for a theological seminary, Islamic law and jurisprudence, Arabic grammar, Islamic astronomy, early Islamic philosophy and logic in Islamic philosophy. The postgraduate doctorate in law was only obtained after "an oral examination to determine the originality of the candidate's theses", and to test the student's "ability to defend them against all objections, in disputations set up for the purpose." ‘Abd al-Laṭīf al-Baghdādī also delivered lectures on Islamic medicine at al-Azhar, while Maimonides delivered lectures on medicine and astronomy there during the time of Saladin. Another early jāmiʻah was the Niẓāmīyah of Baghdād (founded 1091), which has been called the "largest university of the Medieval world." Mustansiriya University, established by the ʻAbbāsid caliph al-Mustanṣir in 1233, in addition to teaching the religious subjects, offered courses dealing with philosophy, mathematics and the natural sciences.
However, the classification of madrasas as "universities" is disputed on the question of understanding of each institution on its own terms. In madrasas, the ijāzahs were only issued in one field, the Islamic religious law of sharīʻah, and in no other field of learning. Other academic subjects, including the natural sciences, philosophy and literary studies, were only treated "ancillary" to the study of the Sharia. For example, a natural science like astronomy was only studied (if at all) to supply religious needs, like the time for prayer. This is why Ptolemaic astronomy was considered adequate, and is still taught in some modern day madrasas. The Islamic law undergraduate degree from al-Azhar, the most prestigious madrasa, was traditionally granted without final examinations, but on the basis of the students' attentive attendance to courses. In contrast to the medieval doctorate which was granted by the collective authority of the faculty, the Islamic degree was not granted by the teacher to the pupil based on any formal criteria, but remained a "personal matter, the sole prerogative of the person bestowing it; no one could force him to give one".
Medievalist specialists who define the university as a legally autonomous corporation disagree with the term "university" for the Islamic madrasas and jāmi‘ahs because the medieval university (from Latin universitas) was structurally different, being a legally autonomous corporation rather than a waqf institution like the madrasa and jāmiʻah. Despite the many similarities, medieval specialists have coined the term "Islamic college" for madrasa and jāmiʻah to differentiate them from the legally autonomous corporations that the medieval European universities were. In a sense, the madrasa resembles a university college in that it has most of the features of a university, but lacks the corporate element. Toby Huff summarises the difference as follows:
From a structural and legal point of view, the madrasa and the university were contrasting types. Whereas the madrasa was a pious endowment under the law of religious and charitable foundations (waqf), the universities of Europe were legally autonomous corporate entities that had many legal rights and privileges. These included the capacity to make their own internal rules and regulations, the right to buy and sell property, to have legal representation in various forums, to make contracts, to sue and be sued."
As Muslim institutions of higher learning, the madrasa had the legal designation of waqf. In central and eastern Islamic lands, the view that the madrasa, as a charitable endowment, will remain under the control of the donor (and their descendent), resulted in a "spurt" of establishment of madrasas in the 11th and 12th centuries. However, in Western Islamic lands, where the Maliki views prohibited donors from controlling their endowment, madrasas were not as popular. Unlike the corporate designation of Western institutions of higher learning, the waqf designation seemed to have led to the exclusion of non-orthodox religious subjects such a philosophy and natural science from the curricula. The madrasa of al-Qarawīyīn, one of the two surviving madrasas that predate the founding of the earliest medieval universities and are thus claimed to be the "first universities" by some authors, has acquired official university status as late as 1947. The other, al-Azhar, did acquire this status in name and essence only in the course of numerous reforms during the 19th and 20th century, notably the one of 1961 which introduced non-religious subjects to its curriculum, such as economics, engineering, medicine, and agriculture. It should also be noted that many medieval universities were run for centuries as Christian cathedral schools or monastic schools prior to their formal establishment as universitas
scholarium; evidence of these immediate forerunners of the university dates back to the 6th century AD, thus well preceding the earliest madrasas. George Makdisi, who has published most extensively on the topic concludes in his comparison between the two institutions:
Thus the university, as a form of social organization, was peculiar to medieval Europe. Later, it was exported to all parts of the world, including the Muslim East; and it has remained with us down to the present day. But back in the middle ages, outside of Europe, there was nothing anything quite like it anywhere.
Nevertheless, Makdisi has asserted that the European university borrowed many of its features from the Islamic madrasa, including the concepts of a degree and doctorate. Makdisi and Hugh Goddard have also highlighted other terms and concepts now used in modern universities which most likely have Islamic origins, including "the fact that we still talk of professors holding the 'Chair' of their subject" being based on the "traditional Islamic pattern of teaching where the professor sits on a chair and the students sit around him", the term 'academic circles' being derived from the way in which Islamic students "sat in a circle around their professor", and terms such as "having 'fellows', 'reading' a subject, and obtaining 'degrees', can all be traced back" to the Islamic concepts of aṣḥāb ('companions, as of Muhammad'), qirāʼah ('reading aloud the Qur'an') and ijāzah ('licence [to teach]') respectively. Makdisi has listed eighteen such parallels in terminology which can be traced back to their roots in Islamic education. Some of the practices now common in modern universities which Makdisi and Goddard trace back to an Islamic root include "practices such as delivering inaugural lectures, wearing academic robes, obtaining doctorates by defending a thesis, and even the idea of academic freedom are also modelled on Islamic custom." The Islamic scholarly system of fatwá and ijmāʻ, meaning opinion and consensus respectively, formed the basis of the "scholarly system the West has practised in university scholarship from the Middle Ages down to the present day." According to Makdisi and Goddard, "the idea of academic freedom" in universities was also "modelled on Islamic custom" as practised in the medieval Madrasa system from the 9th century. Islamic influence was "certainly discernible in the foundation of the first deliberately planned university" in Europe, the University of Naples Federico II founded by Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor in 1224.
However, all of these facets of medieval university life are considered by standard scholarship to be independent medieval European developments with no tracable Islamic influence. Generally, some reviewers have pointed out the strong inclination of Makdisi of overstating his case by simply resting on "the accumulation of close parallels", but all the while failing to point to convincing channels of transmission between the Muslim and Christian world. Norman Daniel points out that the Arab equivalent of the Latin disputation, the taliqa, was reserved for the ruler's court, not the madrasa, and that the actual differences between Islamic fiqh and medieval European civil law were profound. The taliqa only reached Islamic Spain, the only likely point of transmission, after the establishment of the first medieval universities. In fact, there is no Latin translation of the taliqa and, most importantly, no evidence of Latin scholars ever showing awareness of Arab influence on the Latin method of disputation, something they would have certainly found noteworthy. Rather, it was the medieval reception of the Greek Organon which set the scholastic sic et non in motion. Daniel concludes that resemblances in method had more to with the two religions having "common problems: to reconcile the conflicting statements of their own authorities, and to safeguard the data of revelation from the impact of Greek philosophy"; thus Christian scholasticism and similar Arab concepts should be viewed in terms of a parallel occurrence, not of the transmission of ideas from one to the other, a view shared by Hugh Kennedy.
Tony Huff, in a discussion of Makdisi's hypothesis, concludes:
It remains the case that no equivalent of the bachelor's degree, the licentia docendi, or higher degrees ever emerged in the medieval or early modern Islamic madrasas.
FEMALE EDUCATION
Prior to the 12th century, women accounted for less than one percent of the world’s Islamic scholars. However, al-Sakhawi and Mohammad Akram Nadwi have since found evidence of over 8,000 female scholars since the 15th century.[64] al-Sakhawi devotes an entire volume of his 12-volume biographical dictionary al-Ḍawʾ al-lāmiʻ to female scholars, giving information on 1,075 of them. More recently, the scholar Mohammad Akram Nadwi, currently a researcher from the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, has written 40 volumes on the muḥaddithāt (the women scholars of ḥadīth), and found at least 8,000 of them.
From around 750, during the Abbasid Caliphate, women “became renowned for their brains as well as their beauty”. In particular, many well known women of the time were trained from childhood in music, dancing and poetry. Mahbuba was one of these. Another feminine figure to be remembered for her achievements was Tawaddud, "a slave girl who was said to have been bought at great cost by Hārūn al-Rashīd because she had passed her examinations by the most eminent scholars in astronomy, medicine, law, philosophy, music, history, Arabic grammar, literature, theology and chess".[68] Moreover, among the most prominent feminine figures was Shuhda who was known as "the Scholar" or "the Pride of Women" during the 12th century in Baghdad. Despite the recognition of women's aptitudes during the Abbasid dynasty, all these came to an end in Iraq with the sack of Baghdad in 1258.
Women played an important role in the foundations of many Islamic educational institutions, such as Fatima al-Fihri's founding of the University of Al Karaouine in 859. This continued through to the Ayyubid dynasty in the 12th and 13th centuries, when 160 mosques and madrasas were established in Damascus, 26 of which were funded by women through the Waqf (charitable trust) system. Half of all the royal patrons for these institutions were also women.
According to the Sunni scholar Ibn ʻAsākir in the 12th century, there were opportunities for female education in the medieval Islamic world, writing that women could study, earn ijazahs (academic degrees), and qualify as scholars and teachers. This was especially the case for learned and scholarly families, who wanted to ensure the highest possible education for both their sons and daughters. Ibn ʻAsakir had himself studied under 80 different female teachers in his time. Female education in the Islamic world was inspired by Muhammad's wives, such as Khadijah, a successful businesswoman. According to a hadith attributed to Muhammad, he praised the women of Medina because of their desire for religious knowledge:
How splendid were the women of the ansar; shame did not prevent them from becoming learned in the faith.
While it was not common for women to enroll as students in formal classes, it was common for women to attend informal lectures and study sessions at mosques, madrasas and other public places. While there were no legal restrictions on female education, some men did not approve of this practice, such as Muhammad ibn al-Hajj (d. 1336) who was appalled at the behaviour of some women who informally audited lectures in his time:
[Consider] what some women do when people gather with a shaykh to hear [the recitation of] books. At that point women come, too, to hear the readings; the men sit in one place, the women facing them. It even happens at such times that some of the women are carried away by the situation; one will stand up, and sit down, and shout in a loud voice. [Moreover,] her 'awra will appear; in her house, their exposure would be forbidden — how can it be allowed in a mosque, in the presence of men?
The term ʻawrah is often translated as 'that which is indecent', which usually meant the exposure of anything other than a woman's face and hands, although scholarly interpretations of the ʻawrah and ḥijāb have always tended to vary, with some more or less strict than others.
WIKIPEDIA
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah’s peace be upon Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), the glorious Prophet of Islam, and on his Companions and his followers.
TASAWWUF
"There is no doubt that Tasawwuf is an important branch of Islam. The word itself may have been derived form the Arabic word "Soof" (Wool) or from "Safa" (cleanliness), but its foundation lies in one’s personal sincerity in seeking Allah’s nearness and trying to live a life pleasing to Him. Study of the Quran, the Hadith, and the practical life of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and his faithful Companions provide unmistakable support to this reality." (Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A)
SUFISM, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ISLAM
Doubts exist not only in the minds of the Muslim faithful but also among the Ulema, notably the exoteric about Tasawwuf and its votaries. Often they lead to misunderstanding, as if Shariah and Tariqah were two separate entries, or that Tasawwuf was some obscure discipline foreign to Islam, or that it was altogether above the established laws and injunctions of our Religion. To help remove these misgivings and to reassure seekers, as well as scholars, our Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), Sheikh Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia, wrote Al-Jamal Wal Kamal, Aqaid-O-Kamalaat Ulmai-e-Deoband, Binat-e-Rasool (S.A.W), Daamad-e-Ali (R.A), Dalael-us-Salook, Ejaad-e-Mazhab Shia, Hayat-un-Nabi (S.A.W), Hayat Barzakhia, Ilm-o-Irfan, Niffaz-e-Shariat Aur Fiqah-e-Jaferia, Saif-e-Owaisi, Shikast-e-Ahdai Hussain and Tahkeek Halal Haram books.
BIOGRAPHY
Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chakrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The very year, he met Shaykh Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Shaykh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was right away established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years. In 1962 he was directed to carry out the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular enthusiasm and devotion for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss as per his/her sincerity and capacity. Shaykh Allah Yar Khan's mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and distinction.
Although Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A) have lived a major portion of his life as a scholar, with the avowed mission of illuminating the truth of Islam and the negation of fallacious sects, and this would appear quite removed from Tasawwuf, yet the only practical difference between the two, namely the use of the former as a media to expound the truth, and the latter to imbue people with positive faith. Nevertheless, people are amazed that a man, who until the other day, was known as a dialectician and a preacher of Islam, is not only talking of Mystic Path, but is also claiming spiritual bonds with the veteran Sufi Masters of the Past. This amazement is obviously out of place in the view of Quranic injunction: This is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills. (62:4)
THE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL
The purification of the soul always formed part of the main mission of the Prophets; that is, the dissemination and propagation of the Devine Message. This responsibility later fell directly on the shoulders of the true Ulema in the Ummah of the last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who, as his genuine successors, have continued to shed brave light in every Dark Age of materialism and sacrilege. In the present age of ruinous confusion, the importance of this responsibility has increased manifold; of the utter neglect of Islam by Muslims has not only driven them to misery, but also grievously weakened their bonds of faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). The decay in their belief and consequent perversion in their conduct has reached a stage that any attempt to pull them out of the depth of ignominy and the heedless chaos of faithlessness, attracts grave uncertainties and apprehensions rather than a encouraging will to follow the Shariah, to purify the soul and to reform within. The Quranic Verse: Layers upon layers of darkness… (24:40) provides the nearest expression of their present state.
SHARIAH & SUFISM
Any action against the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) cannot be called Sufism. Singing and dancing, and the prostration on tombs are not part of Sufism. Nor is predicting the future and predicting the outcome of cases in the courts of law, a part of Sufism. Sufis are not required to abandon their worldly possessions or live in the wilderness far from the practical world. In fact these absurdities are just its opposites. It is an established fact that Tazkiyah (soul purification) stands for that inner purity which inspires a person’s spirit to obey the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If a false claimant of Sufism teaches tricks and jugglery, ignoring religious obligations, he is an impostor. A true Sheikh will lead a believer to the august spiritual audience of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the company of an accomplished spiritual guide and Sheikh of Sufism, and if you follow his instructions, you will observe a positive change in yourself, transferring you from vice to virtue.
ISLAM, AS A COMPLETE CODE OF LIFE
Islam, as a complete code of life or Deen, was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). He was the sole teacher and his mosque was the core institution for the community. Although Islam in its entirety was practiced during that blessed era, the classification and compilation of its knowledge into distinct branches like ‘Tafsir’ (interpretation of the Quran), Hadith (traditions or sayings of the holy Prophet- SAWS), Fiqh (Islamic law), and Sufism (the soul purification) were undertaken subsequently. This Deen of Allah passed from the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to his illustrious Companions in two ways: the outward and the inward. The former comprised the knowledge defined by speech and conduct, i.e., the Quran and Sunnah. The latter comprised the invisible blessings or the Prophetic lights transmitted by his blessed self. These blessings purified the hearts and instilled in them a passionate desire to follow Islam with utmost love, honesty and loyalty.
WHAT’S SUFISM
Sufism is the attempt to attain these Barakah (Blessings). The Companions handed down Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) teachings as well as blessings to the Taba’een. Their strong hearts were capable of infusing these blessings into the hearts of their followers. Both aspects of Islam were similarly passed on by the Taba’een to the Taba Taba’een. The compilation of knowledge and its interpretation led to the establishment of many schools of religious thought; famous four being the Hanafi, the Hanbali, the Maliki, and the Shafa'i, all named after their founders. Similarly, in order to acquire, safeguard and distribute his blessings, an organized effort was initiated by four schools of Sufism: The Naqshbandia, the Qadria, the Chishtia, and the Suharwardia. These schools were also named after their organizers and came to be known as Sufi Orders. All these Orders intend to purify the hearts of sincere Muslims with Prophetic lights. These Sufi Orders also grew into many branches with the passage of time and are known by other names as well. The holy Quran has linked success in this life and the Hereafter with Tazkiyah (soul purification). He, who purified, is successful. (87: 14) Sufi Orders of Islam are the institutions where the basics of Tazkiyah (soul purification) and its practical application are taught. They have graded programs in which every new seeker is instructed in Zikr-e Lisani (oral Zikr) and is finally taught the Zikr-e Qalbi (Remembrance in heart).
ZIKR-E QALBI
However, in the Naqshbandia Order, Zikr-e Qalbi is practiced from the very beginning. Adherence to the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) is greatly emphasized in this Order, because the seeker achieves greater and quicker progress through its blessings. The essence of Zikr is that the Qalb should sincerely accept Islamic beliefs and gain the strength to follow the Sunnah with even greater devotion. ‘If the heart is acquainted with Allah and is engaged in His Zikr; then it is filled with Barakaat-e Nabuwwat (Prophetic blessings) which infuse their purity in the mind and body. This not only helps in controlling sensual drives but also removes traces of abhorrence, voracity, envy and insecurity from human soul. The person therefore becomes an embodiment of love, both for the Divine and the corporeal. This is the meaning of a Hadith, “There is a lump of flesh in the human body; if it goes astray the entire body is misguided, and if it is reformed the entire body is reformed. Know that this lump is the Qalb”.’
PAS ANFAS
Recent History Khawajah Naqshband (d. 1389 CE) organized the Naqshbandia Order at Bukhara (Central Asia). This Order has two main branches – the Mujaddidia and the Owaisiah. The former is identified with Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, known as Mujaddid Alif Sani (literally: reviver of the second Muslim millennium), a successor to Khawajah Baqi Billah, who introduced the Order to the Indo- Pakistan sub-continent. The Owaisiah Order employs a similar method of Zikr but acquires the Prophetic blessings in the manner of Khawajah Owais Qarni, who received this beneficence from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) without a formal physical meeting. The Zikr employed by the Naqshbandia is ‘Zikr-e Khafi Qalbi’ (remembrance of Allah’s Name within the heart) and the method is termed ‘Pas Anfas’, which (in Persian) means guarding every breath. The Chain of Transmission of these Barakah, of course, emanates from the holy Prophet- SAWS.
SPIRITUAL BAI’AT (OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
It is necessary in all Sufi Orders that the Sheikh and the seekers must be contemporaries and must physically meet each other for the transfer of these blessings. However, the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order goes beyond this requirement and Sufis of this Order receive these Barakah regardless of physical meeting with their Sheikh or even when the Sheikh is not their contemporary. Yet, it must be underscored that physical meeting with the Sheikh of this Order still holds great importance in dissemination of these Barakah. Sheikh Sirhindi writes about the Owaisiah Order in his book ‘Tazkirah’: ‘It is the most sublime, the most exalted, and the most effective…and the highest station of all others is only its stepping stone.’ By far the greatest singular distinction of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order is the honor of Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance) directly at the blessed hands of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
SHEIKH HAZRAT MOULANA ALLAH YAR KHAN (R.A)
The Reviver Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chikrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The same year, he met Sheikh ‘Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Sheikh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was immediately established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century CE) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years, after which he was directed to undertake the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular zeal and dedication for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss commensurate with his/her sincerity and capacity. Sheikh Allah Yar Khan’s mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and eminence. He authored eighteen books, the most distinguished being Dalael us-Sulook (Sufism - An Objective Appraisal), Hayat-e Barzakhiah (Life Beyond Life) and Israr ul- Haramain (Secrets of the two holy Mosques). He was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished Sufi saints of the Muslim Ummah and a reviver of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order. He passed away on 18 February 1984 in Islamabad at the age of eighty.
THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION OF NAQSHBANDIA OWAISIAH
1. Hazrat Muhammad ur-Rasool Allah (Sall Allah-o Alaihi wa Sallam), 2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radhi Allah-o Unho), 3. Hazrat Imam Hassan Basri (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 4. Hazrat Daud Tai (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 5. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 6. Hazrat Ubaid Ullah Ahrar (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 7. Hazrat Abdur Rahman Jami (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 8. Hazrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Salih (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 9. Hazrat Allah Deen Madni (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 10. Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi).
THE SPIRIT OR RUH
The spirit or Ruh of every person is a created reflection of the Divine Attributes and it originates in Alam-e Amar (Realm of Command). Its food is the Light of Allah or the Divine Refulgence, which it acquires from the Realm of Command through the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him), whose status in the spiritual world is like that of the sun in the solar system. The Quran refers to him as the ‘bright lamp’. Indeed, he is the divinely selected channel of all Barakah. All Exalted Messengers themselves receive these Barakah from him.
LATAIF
The human Ruh also possesses vital organs like the physical body; through which it acquires its knowledge, food and energy. These are called Lataif (singular Latifah: subtlety). Scholars of various Sufi Orders have associated them with specific areas of the human body. The Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order identifies these Lataif as follows. First - Qalb: This spiritual faculty is located within the physical heart. Its function is Zikr. Its strength increases one’s capacity for Allah’s Zikr. Second – Ruh: The site of this Latifah, which is a distinct faculty of the human Ruh, is on the right side of the chest at the level of Qalb. Its primary function is concentration towards Allah. Third – Sirri: This is located above the Qalb and functions to make possible Kashf. Forth – Khaffi: This is located above the Ruh and functions to perceive the omnipresence of Allah. Fifth – Akhfa: This is located in the middle of chest, at the centre of the first four Lataif and makes it possible for the Ruh to perceive the closeness of Allah, Who is closer to us than our own selves. Sixth – Nafs: This Latifah is located at the forehead and functions to purify the human soul. Seventh – Sultan al-Azkar: This Latifah is located at the top centre of the head and serves to absorb the Barakah of Allah into the entire body, so that every cell resonates with Zikr.
FIVE EXALTED MESSENGERS OF GOD
There are Five Exalted Messengers among the many known and unknown Messengers of Allah. They are Hazrat Muhammad, Hazrat Nuh (Noah), Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), Hazrat Musa (Moses), and Hazrat Esa (Jesus), peace be upon them all. Hazrat Adam is the first Prophet of Allah and the father of mankind. Each Latifah is associated with a particular Prophet. The Barakah and lights from Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him), descend on the first Latifah Qalb; its lights are reflected from the first heaven and are yellowish. The second Latifah is associated with Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon them). Its lights descend from the second heaven and appear as golden red. The lights descending upon the third Latifah are from Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and are white. One the fourth Latifah, the lights of Hazrat Esa (peace be upon him) descend from the fourth heaven and are deep blue. The fifth Latifah receives its Barakah directly from the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him). The lights associated with this Latifah are green, descend from the fifth heaven, and overwhelm all the first four Lataif. The Lights descending upon the sixth and seventh Lataif are the Divine Lights, whose color and condition cannot be determined. These are like flashes of lightening that defy comprehension. If Allah blesses a seeker with Kashf, he can observe all of this. The vision is slightly diffused in the beginning, but gradually the clarity improves.
SULOOK
Stages of the Path After all seven Lataif of a seeker have been illuminated with Divine Lights through Tawajjuh of the Sheikh and his Ruh has acquired the ability to fly, the Sheikh initiates its journey on the sublime Path of Divine nearness. The Path is known as Sulook, and its stages are not hypothetical imaginations but real and actually existing stations on the spiritual Path. These are also referred to as Meditations, because a seeker mentally meditates about a station while his/her Ruh actually ascends towards it. The first three stations that form the base of whole Sulook are described as; Ahadiyyat, a station of Absolute Unity of Divinity. It is above and beyond the seven heavens. It is so vast a station that the seven heavens and all that they encompass are lost within Ahadiyyat as a ring is lost in a vast desert. Its lights are white in color. Maiyyat station denotes Divine Company, ‘He is with you, wherever you might be.’ This station is so vast that Ahadiyyat along with the seven heavens beneath are lost within it as a ring is lost in a desert. Its lights are green in color. Aqrabiyyat station denotes Divine Nearness, ‘He is nearer to you than your life- vein.’ Again, Aqrabiyyat is vast as compared to Maiyyat in the same proportion. Its lights are golden red and are reflected from the Divine Throne. It is indeed the greatest favor of Almighty Allah that He blesses a seeker with an accomplished Sheikh, who takes him to these sublime stations. The final station that a seeker attains to during his/her lifetime becomes his/her Iliyyeen (blessed abode) in Barzakh and his/her Ruh stays at this station after death.
ZIKR
Why is Zikr Necessary for Everyone? Allah ordains every soul in the Quran to Perform Zikr. This not only means reciting the Quran and Tasbeeh but also Zikr-e Qalb. It is only through Zikr-e Qalbi that Prophetic Lights reach the depths of human soul and purify it from all vice and evil. Zikr infuses a realization of constant Divine Presence and a seeker feels great improvement in the level of sincerity and love towards Allah and the holy Prophet- SAWS. Such levels of sincerity, love and feelings of Divine Presence can never be obtained without Zikr. It would be a mistake to believe that Zikr may be a requirement only for the very pious and virtuous people. Zikr provides the Prophetic blessings which are in effect the life line of every human soul. It transforms even the most corrupted humans into virtuous souls by bringing out the best in them. The fact is that Zikr is the only way to achieve true contentment and satisfaction in life. The holy Quran has pointed to this eternal fact that it is only through Zikr Allah that hearts can find satisfaction. Such satisfaction and peace are the ultimate requirements of every person, regardless of religion, race and ethnicity. Practicing Zikr regularly removes all traces of anxiety and restlessness, and guides the human soul to eternal bliss and peace.
KHALIFA MAJAZEEN
Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), during his life time in 1974, presented a nomination list to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), during Maraqba, of expected Khalifa Majazeen for Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) approved some names, deleted some of the names, and added down the name of Major Ghulam Muhammad as also Khalifa Majaaz of Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia (which was not previously included in the list)
The approved names at that time included:
1. Mr. Muhammad Akram Awan Sahib,
2. Mr. Sayed Bunyad Hussain Shah Sahib,
3. Mr. Major Ahsan Baig Sahib,
4. Mr. Col. Matloob Hussain Sahib,
5. Mr. Major Ghulam Muhammad Sahib of Wan Bhachran Mianwali,
6. Mr. Molvi Abdul Haq Sahib,
7. Mr. Hafiz Abdul Razzaq Sahib,
8. Mr. Hafiz Ghulam Qadri Sahib,
9. Mr. Khan Muhammad Irani Sahib,
10. Mr. Maolana Abdul Ghafoor Sahib,
11. Mr. Syed Muhammad Hassan Sahib of Zohb.
These Majazeen were authorized to; held Majalis of Zikar (Pas Anfas) in their respective areas, arrange Majalis of Zikar in neighboring areas, train them on the way of Sulook, prepare them for Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance), and present them to Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan for Spiritual Bai’at at the Hand of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), in the life of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), and were all equal in status as Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Presently we are following Hazrat Major ® Ghulam Muhammad Sahib, Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah’s peace be upon Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), the glorious Prophet of Islam, and on his Companions and his followers.
TASAWWUF
"There is no doubt that Tasawwuf is an important branch of Islam. The word itself may have been derived form the Arabic word "Soof" (Wool) or from "Safa" (cleanliness), but its foundation lies in one’s personal sincerity in seeking Allah’s nearness and trying to live a life pleasing to Him. Study of the Quran, the Hadith, and the practical life of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and his faithful Companions provide unmistakable support to this reality." (Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A)
SUFISM, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ISLAM
Doubts exist not only in the minds of the Muslim faithful but also among the Ulema, notably the exoteric about Tasawwuf and its votaries. Often they lead to misunderstanding, as if Shariah and Tariqah were two separate entries, or that Tasawwuf was some obscure discipline foreign to Islam, or that it was altogether above the established laws and injunctions of our Religion. To help remove these misgivings and to reassure seekers, as well as scholars, our Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), Sheikh Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia, wrote Al-Jamal Wal Kamal, Aqaid-O-Kamalaat Ulmai-e-Deoband, Binat-e-Rasool (S.A.W), Daamad-e-Ali (R.A), Dalael-us-Salook, Ejaad-e-Mazhab Shia, Hayat-un-Nabi (S.A.W), Hayat Barzakhia, Ilm-o-Irfan, Niffaz-e-Shariat Aur Fiqah-e-Jaferia, Saif-e-Owaisi, Shikast-e-Ahdai Hussain and Tahkeek Halal Haram books.
BIOGRAPHY
Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chakrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The very year, he met Shaykh Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Shaykh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was right away established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years. In 1962 he was directed to carry out the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular enthusiasm and devotion for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss as per his/her sincerity and capacity. Shaykh Allah Yar Khan's mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and distinction.
Although Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A) have lived a major portion of his life as a scholar, with the avowed mission of illuminating the truth of Islam and the negation of fallacious sects, and this would appear quite removed from Tasawwuf, yet the only practical difference between the two, namely the use of the former as a media to expound the truth, and the latter to imbue people with positive faith. Nevertheless, people are amazed that a man, who until the other day, was known as a dialectician and a preacher of Islam, is not only talking of Mystic Path, but is also claiming spiritual bonds with the veteran Sufi Masters of the Past. This amazement is obviously out of place in the view of Quranic injunction: This is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills. (62:4)
THE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL
The purification of the soul always formed part of the main mission of the Prophets; that is, the dissemination and propagation of the Devine Message. This responsibility later fell directly on the shoulders of the true Ulema in the Ummah of the last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who, as his genuine successors, have continued to shed brave light in every Dark Age of materialism and sacrilege. In the present age of ruinous confusion, the importance of this responsibility has increased manifold; of the utter neglect of Islam by Muslims has not only driven them to misery, but also grievously weakened their bonds of faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). The decay in their belief and consequent perversion in their conduct has reached a stage that any attempt to pull them out of the depth of ignominy and the heedless chaos of faithlessness, attracts grave uncertainties and apprehensions rather than a encouraging will to follow the Shariah, to purify the soul and to reform within. The Quranic Verse: Layers upon layers of darkness… (24:40) provides the nearest expression of their present state.
SHARIAH & SUFISM
Any action against the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) cannot be called Sufism. Singing and dancing, and the prostration on tombs are not part of Sufism. Nor is predicting the future and predicting the outcome of cases in the courts of law, a part of Sufism. Sufis are not required to abandon their worldly possessions or live in the wilderness far from the practical world. In fact these absurdities are just its opposites. It is an established fact that Tazkiyah (soul purification) stands for that inner purity which inspires a person’s spirit to obey the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If a false claimant of Sufism teaches tricks and jugglery, ignoring religious obligations, he is an impostor. A true Sheikh will lead a believer to the august spiritual audience of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the company of an accomplished spiritual guide and Sheikh of Sufism, and if you follow his instructions, you will observe a positive change in yourself, transferring you from vice to virtue.
ISLAM, AS A COMPLETE CODE OF LIFE
Islam, as a complete code of life or Deen, was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). He was the sole teacher and his mosque was the core institution for the community. Although Islam in its entirety was practiced during that blessed era, the classification and compilation of its knowledge into distinct branches like ‘Tafsir’ (interpretation of the Quran), Hadith (traditions or sayings of the holy Prophet- SAWS), Fiqh (Islamic law), and Sufism (the soul purification) were undertaken subsequently. This Deen of Allah passed from the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to his illustrious Companions in two ways: the outward and the inward. The former comprised the knowledge defined by speech and conduct, i.e., the Quran and Sunnah. The latter comprised the invisible blessings or the Prophetic lights transmitted by his blessed self. These blessings purified the hearts and instilled in them a passionate desire to follow Islam with utmost love, honesty and loyalty.
WHAT’S SUFISM
Sufism is the attempt to attain these Barakah (Blessings). The Companions handed down Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) teachings as well as blessings to the Taba’een. Their strong hearts were capable of infusing these blessings into the hearts of their followers. Both aspects of Islam were similarly passed on by the Taba’een to the Taba Taba’een. The compilation of knowledge and its interpretation led to the establishment of many schools of religious thought; famous four being the Hanafi, the Hanbali, the Maliki, and the Shafa'i, all named after their founders. Similarly, in order to acquire, safeguard and distribute his blessings, an organized effort was initiated by four schools of Sufism: The Naqshbandia, the Qadria, the Chishtia, and the Suharwardia. These schools were also named after their organizers and came to be known as Sufi Orders. All these Orders intend to purify the hearts of sincere Muslims with Prophetic lights. These Sufi Orders also grew into many branches with the passage of time and are known by other names as well. The holy Quran has linked success in this life and the Hereafter with Tazkiyah (soul purification). He, who purified, is successful. (87: 14) Sufi Orders of Islam are the institutions where the basics of Tazkiyah (soul purification) and its practical application are taught. They have graded programs in which every new seeker is instructed in Zikr-e Lisani (oral Zikr) and is finally taught the Zikr-e Qalbi (Remembrance in heart).
ZIKR-E QALBI
However, in the Naqshbandia Order, Zikr-e Qalbi is practiced from the very beginning. Adherence to the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) is greatly emphasized in this Order, because the seeker achieves greater and quicker progress through its blessings. The essence of Zikr is that the Qalb should sincerely accept Islamic beliefs and gain the strength to follow the Sunnah with even greater devotion. ‘If the heart is acquainted with Allah and is engaged in His Zikr; then it is filled with Barakaat-e Nabuwwat (Prophetic blessings) which infuse their purity in the mind and body. This not only helps in controlling sensual drives but also removes traces of abhorrence, voracity, envy and insecurity from human soul. The person therefore becomes an embodiment of love, both for the Divine and the corporeal. This is the meaning of a Hadith, “There is a lump of flesh in the human body; if it goes astray the entire body is misguided, and if it is reformed the entire body is reformed. Know that this lump is the Qalb”.’
PAS ANFAS
Recent History Khawajah Naqshband (d. 1389 CE) organized the Naqshbandia Order at Bukhara (Central Asia). This Order has two main branches – the Mujaddidia and the Owaisiah. The former is identified with Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, known as Mujaddid Alif Sani (literally: reviver of the second Muslim millennium), a successor to Khawajah Baqi Billah, who introduced the Order to the Indo- Pakistan sub-continent. The Owaisiah Order employs a similar method of Zikr but acquires the Prophetic blessings in the manner of Khawajah Owais Qarni, who received this beneficence from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) without a formal physical meeting. The Zikr employed by the Naqshbandia is ‘Zikr-e Khafi Qalbi’ (remembrance of Allah’s Name within the heart) and the method is termed ‘Pas Anfas’, which (in Persian) means guarding every breath. The Chain of Transmission of these Barakah, of course, emanates from the holy Prophet- SAWS.
SPIRITUAL BAI’AT (OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
It is necessary in all Sufi Orders that the Sheikh and the seekers must be contemporaries and must physically meet each other for the transfer of these blessings. However, the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order goes beyond this requirement and Sufis of this Order receive these Barakah regardless of physical meeting with their Sheikh or even when the Sheikh is not their contemporary. Yet, it must be underscored that physical meeting with the Sheikh of this Order still holds great importance in dissemination of these Barakah. Sheikh Sirhindi writes about the Owaisiah Order in his book ‘Tazkirah’: ‘It is the most sublime, the most exalted, and the most effective…and the highest station of all others is only its stepping stone.’ By far the greatest singular distinction of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order is the honor of Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance) directly at the blessed hands of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
SHEIKH HAZRAT MOULANA ALLAH YAR KHAN (R.A)
The Reviver Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chikrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The same year, he met Sheikh ‘Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Sheikh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was immediately established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century CE) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years, after which he was directed to undertake the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular zeal and dedication for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss commensurate with his/her sincerity and capacity. Sheikh Allah Yar Khan’s mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and eminence. He authored eighteen books, the most distinguished being Dalael us-Sulook (Sufism - An Objective Appraisal), Hayat-e Barzakhiah (Life Beyond Life) and Israr ul- Haramain (Secrets of the two holy Mosques). He was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished Sufi saints of the Muslim Ummah and a reviver of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order. He passed away on 18 February 1984 in Islamabad at the age of eighty.
THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION OF NAQSHBANDIA OWAISIAH
1. Hazrat Muhammad ur-Rasool Allah (Sall Allah-o Alaihi wa Sallam), 2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radhi Allah-o Unho), 3. Hazrat Imam Hassan Basri (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 4. Hazrat Daud Tai (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 5. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 6. Hazrat Ubaid Ullah Ahrar (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 7. Hazrat Abdur Rahman Jami (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 8. Hazrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Salih (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 9. Hazrat Allah Deen Madni (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 10. Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi).
THE SPIRIT OR RUH
The spirit or Ruh of every person is a created reflection of the Divine Attributes and it originates in Alam-e Amar (Realm of Command). Its food is the Light of Allah or the Divine Refulgence, which it acquires from the Realm of Command through the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him), whose status in the spiritual world is like that of the sun in the solar system. The Quran refers to him as the ‘bright lamp’. Indeed, he is the divinely selected channel of all Barakah. All Exalted Messengers themselves receive these Barakah from him.
LATAIF
The human Ruh also possesses vital organs like the physical body; through which it acquires its knowledge, food and energy. These are called Lataif (singular Latifah: subtlety). Scholars of various Sufi Orders have associated them with specific areas of the human body. The Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order identifies these Lataif as follows. First - Qalb: This spiritual faculty is located within the physical heart. Its function is Zikr. Its strength increases one’s capacity for Allah’s Zikr. Second – Ruh: The site of this Latifah, which is a distinct faculty of the human Ruh, is on the right side of the chest at the level of Qalb. Its primary function is concentration towards Allah. Third – Sirri: This is located above the Qalb and functions to make possible Kashf. Forth – Khaffi: This is located above the Ruh and functions to perceive the omnipresence of Allah. Fifth – Akhfa: This is located in the middle of chest, at the centre of the first four Lataif and makes it possible for the Ruh to perceive the closeness of Allah, Who is closer to us than our own selves. Sixth – Nafs: This Latifah is located at the forehead and functions to purify the human soul. Seventh – Sultan al-Azkar: This Latifah is located at the top centre of the head and serves to absorb the Barakah of Allah into the entire body, so that every cell resonates with Zikr.
FIVE EXALTED MESSENGERS OF GOD
There are Five Exalted Messengers among the many known and unknown Messengers of Allah. They are Hazrat Muhammad, Hazrat Nuh (Noah), Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), Hazrat Musa (Moses), and Hazrat Esa (Jesus), peace be upon them all. Hazrat Adam is the first Prophet of Allah and the father of mankind. Each Latifah is associated with a particular Prophet. The Barakah and lights from Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him), descend on the first Latifah Qalb; its lights are reflected from the first heaven and are yellowish. The second Latifah is associated with Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon them). Its lights descend from the second heaven and appear as golden red. The lights descending upon the third Latifah are from Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and are white. One the fourth Latifah, the lights of Hazrat Esa (peace be upon him) descend from the fourth heaven and are deep blue. The fifth Latifah receives its Barakah directly from the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him). The lights associated with this Latifah are green, descend from the fifth heaven, and overwhelm all the first four Lataif. The Lights descending upon the sixth and seventh Lataif are the Divine Lights, whose color and condition cannot be determined. These are like flashes of lightening that defy comprehension. If Allah blesses a seeker with Kashf, he can observe all of this. The vision is slightly diffused in the beginning, but gradually the clarity improves.
SULOOK
Stages of the Path After all seven Lataif of a seeker have been illuminated with Divine Lights through Tawajjuh of the Sheikh and his Ruh has acquired the ability to fly, the Sheikh initiates its journey on the sublime Path of Divine nearness. The Path is known as Sulook, and its stages are not hypothetical imaginations but real and actually existing stations on the spiritual Path. These are also referred to as Meditations, because a seeker mentally meditates about a station while his/her Ruh actually ascends towards it. The first three stations that form the base of whole Sulook are described as; Ahadiyyat, a station of Absolute Unity of Divinity. It is above and beyond the seven heavens. It is so vast a station that the seven heavens and all that they encompass are lost within Ahadiyyat as a ring is lost in a vast desert. Its lights are white in color. Maiyyat station denotes Divine Company, ‘He is with you, wherever you might be.’ This station is so vast that Ahadiyyat along with the seven heavens beneath are lost within it as a ring is lost in a desert. Its lights are green in color. Aqrabiyyat station denotes Divine Nearness, ‘He is nearer to you than your life- vein.’ Again, Aqrabiyyat is vast as compared to Maiyyat in the same proportion. Its lights are golden red and are reflected from the Divine Throne. It is indeed the greatest favor of Almighty Allah that He blesses a seeker with an accomplished Sheikh, who takes him to these sublime stations. The final station that a seeker attains to during his/her lifetime becomes his/her Iliyyeen (blessed abode) in Barzakh and his/her Ruh stays at this station after death.
ZIKR
Why is Zikr Necessary for Everyone? Allah ordains every soul in the Quran to Perform Zikr. This not only means reciting the Quran and Tasbeeh but also Zikr-e Qalb. It is only through Zikr-e Qalbi that Prophetic Lights reach the depths of human soul and purify it from all vice and evil. Zikr infuses a realization of constant Divine Presence and a seeker feels great improvement in the level of sincerity and love towards Allah and the holy Prophet- SAWS. Such levels of sincerity, love and feelings of Divine Presence can never be obtained without Zikr. It would be a mistake to believe that Zikr may be a requirement only for the very pious and virtuous people. Zikr provides the Prophetic blessings which are in effect the life line of every human soul. It transforms even the most corrupted humans into virtuous souls by bringing out the best in them. The fact is that Zikr is the only way to achieve true contentment and satisfaction in life. The holy Quran has pointed to this eternal fact that it is only through Zikr Allah that hearts can find satisfaction. Such satisfaction and peace are the ultimate requirements of every person, regardless of religion, race and ethnicity. Practicing Zikr regularly removes all traces of anxiety and restlessness, and guides the human soul to eternal bliss and peace.
KHALIFA MAJAZEEN
Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), during his life time in 1974, presented a nomination list to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), during Maraqba, of expected Khalifa Majazeen for Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) approved some names, deleted some of the names, and added down the name of Major Ghulam Muhammad as also Khalifa Majaaz of Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia (which was not previously included in the list)
The approved names at that time included:
1. Mr. Muhammad Akram Awan Sahib,
2. Mr. Sayed Bunyad Hussain Shah Sahib,
3. Mr. Major Ahsan Baig Sahib,
4. Mr. Col. Matloob Hussain Sahib,
5. Mr. Major Ghulam Muhammad Sahib of Wan Bhachran Mianwali,
6. Mr. Molvi Abdul Haq Sahib,
7. Mr. Hafiz Abdul Razzaq Sahib,
8. Mr. Hafiz Ghulam Qadri Sahib,
9. Mr. Khan Muhammad Irani Sahib,
10. Mr. Maolana Abdul Ghafoor Sahib,
11. Mr. Syed Muhammad Hassan Sahib of Zohb.
These Majazeen were authorized to; held Majalis of Zikar (Pas Anfas) in their respective areas, arrange Majalis of Zikar in neighboring areas, train them on the way of Sulook, prepare them for Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance), and present them to Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan for Spiritual Bai’at at the Hand of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), in the life of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), and were all equal in status as Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Presently we are following Hazrat Major ® Ghulam Muhammad Sahib, Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah’s peace be upon Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), the glorious Prophet of Islam, and on his Companions and his followers.
TASAWWUF
"There is no doubt that Tasawwuf is an important branch of Islam. The word itself may have been derived form the Arabic word "Soof" (Wool) or from "Safa" (cleanliness), but its foundation lies in one’s personal sincerity in seeking Allah’s nearness and trying to live a life pleasing to Him. Study of the Quran, the Hadith, and the practical life of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and his faithful Companions provide unmistakable support to this reality." (Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A)
SUFISM, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ISLAM
Doubts exist not only in the minds of the Muslim faithful but also among the Ulema, notably the exoteric about Tasawwuf and its votaries. Often they lead to misunderstanding, as if Shariah and Tariqah were two separate entries, or that Tasawwuf was some obscure discipline foreign to Islam, or that it was altogether above the established laws and injunctions of our Religion. To help remove these misgivings and to reassure seekers, as well as scholars, our Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), Sheikh Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia, wrote Al-Jamal Wal Kamal, Aqaid-O-Kamalaat Ulmai-e-Deoband, Binat-e-Rasool (S.A.W), Daamad-e-Ali (R.A), Dalael-us-Salook, Ejaad-e-Mazhab Shia, Hayat-un-Nabi (S.A.W), Hayat Barzakhia, Ilm-o-Irfan, Niffaz-e-Shariat Aur Fiqah-e-Jaferia, Saif-e-Owaisi, Shikast-e-Ahdai Hussain and Tahkeek Halal Haram books.
BIOGRAPHY
Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chakrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The very year, he met Shaykh Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Shaykh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was right away established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years. In 1962 he was directed to carry out the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular enthusiasm and devotion for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss as per his/her sincerity and capacity. Shaykh Allah Yar Khan's mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and distinction.
Although Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A) have lived a major portion of his life as a scholar, with the avowed mission of illuminating the truth of Islam and the negation of fallacious sects, and this would appear quite removed from Tasawwuf, yet the only practical difference between the two, namely the use of the former as a media to expound the truth, and the latter to imbue people with positive faith. Nevertheless, people are amazed that a man, who until the other day, was known as a dialectician and a preacher of Islam, is not only talking of Mystic Path, but is also claiming spiritual bonds with the veteran Sufi Masters of the Past. This amazement is obviously out of place in the view of Quranic injunction: This is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills. (62:4)
THE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL
The purification of the soul always formed part of the main mission of the Prophets; that is, the dissemination and propagation of the Devine Message. This responsibility later fell directly on the shoulders of the true Ulema in the Ummah of the last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who, as his genuine successors, have continued to shed brave light in every Dark Age of materialism and sacrilege. In the present age of ruinous confusion, the importance of this responsibility has increased manifold; of the utter neglect of Islam by Muslims has not only driven them to misery, but also grievously weakened their bonds of faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). The decay in their belief and consequent perversion in their conduct has reached a stage that any attempt to pull them out of the depth of ignominy and the heedless chaos of faithlessness, attracts grave uncertainties and apprehensions rather than a encouraging will to follow the Shariah, to purify the soul and to reform within. The Quranic Verse: Layers upon layers of darkness… (24:40) provides the nearest expression of their present state.
SHARIAH & SUFISM
Any action against the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) cannot be called Sufism. Singing and dancing, and the prostration on tombs are not part of Sufism. Nor is predicting the future and predicting the outcome of cases in the courts of law, a part of Sufism. Sufis are not required to abandon their worldly possessions or live in the wilderness far from the practical world. In fact these absurdities are just its opposites. It is an established fact that Tazkiyah (soul purification) stands for that inner purity which inspires a person’s spirit to obey the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If a false claimant of Sufism teaches tricks and jugglery, ignoring religious obligations, he is an impostor. A true Sheikh will lead a believer to the august spiritual audience of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the company of an accomplished spiritual guide and Sheikh of Sufism, and if you follow his instructions, you will observe a positive change in yourself, transferring you from vice to virtue.
ISLAM, AS A COMPLETE CODE OF LIFE
Islam, as a complete code of life or Deen, was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). He was the sole teacher and his mosque was the core institution for the community. Although Islam in its entirety was practiced during that blessed era, the classification and compilation of its knowledge into distinct branches like ‘Tafsir’ (interpretation of the Quran), Hadith (traditions or sayings of the holy Prophet- SAWS), Fiqh (Islamic law), and Sufism (the soul purification) were undertaken subsequently. This Deen of Allah passed from the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to his illustrious Companions in two ways: the outward and the inward. The former comprised the knowledge defined by speech and conduct, i.e., the Quran and Sunnah. The latter comprised the invisible blessings or the Prophetic lights transmitted by his blessed self. These blessings purified the hearts and instilled in them a passionate desire to follow Islam with utmost love, honesty and loyalty.
WHAT’S SUFISM
Sufism is the attempt to attain these Barakah (Blessings). The Companions handed down Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) teachings as well as blessings to the Taba’een. Their strong hearts were capable of infusing these blessings into the hearts of their followers. Both aspects of Islam were similarly passed on by the Taba’een to the Taba Taba’een. The compilation of knowledge and its interpretation led to the establishment of many schools of religious thought; famous four being the Hanafi, the Hanbali, the Maliki, and the Shafa'i, all named after their founders. Similarly, in order to acquire, safeguard and distribute his blessings, an organized effort was initiated by four schools of Sufism: The Naqshbandia, the Qadria, the Chishtia, and the Suharwardia. These schools were also named after their organizers and came to be known as Sufi Orders. All these Orders intend to purify the hearts of sincere Muslims with Prophetic lights. These Sufi Orders also grew into many branches with the passage of time and are known by other names as well. The holy Quran has linked success in this life and the Hereafter with Tazkiyah (soul purification). He, who purified, is successful. (87: 14) Sufi Orders of Islam are the institutions where the basics of Tazkiyah (soul purification) and its practical application are taught. They have graded programs in which every new seeker is instructed in Zikr-e Lisani (oral Zikr) and is finally taught the Zikr-e Qalbi (Remembrance in heart).
ZIKR-E QALBI
However, in the Naqshbandia Order, Zikr-e Qalbi is practiced from the very beginning. Adherence to the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) is greatly emphasized in this Order, because the seeker achieves greater and quicker progress through its blessings. The essence of Zikr is that the Qalb should sincerely accept Islamic beliefs and gain the strength to follow the Sunnah with even greater devotion. ‘If the heart is acquainted with Allah and is engaged in His Zikr; then it is filled with Barakaat-e Nabuwwat (Prophetic blessings) which infuse their purity in the mind and body. This not only helps in controlling sensual drives but also removes traces of abhorrence, voracity, envy and insecurity from human soul. The person therefore becomes an embodiment of love, both for the Divine and the corporeal. This is the meaning of a Hadith, “There is a lump of flesh in the human body; if it goes astray the entire body is misguided, and if it is reformed the entire body is reformed. Know that this lump is the Qalb”.’
PAS ANFAS
Recent History Khawajah Naqshband (d. 1389 CE) organized the Naqshbandia Order at Bukhara (Central Asia). This Order has two main branches – the Mujaddidia and the Owaisiah. The former is identified with Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, known as Mujaddid Alif Sani (literally: reviver of the second Muslim millennium), a successor to Khawajah Baqi Billah, who introduced the Order to the Indo- Pakistan sub-continent. The Owaisiah Order employs a similar method of Zikr but acquires the Prophetic blessings in the manner of Khawajah Owais Qarni, who received this beneficence from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) without a formal physical meeting. The Zikr employed by the Naqshbandia is ‘Zikr-e Khafi Qalbi’ (remembrance of Allah’s Name within the heart) and the method is termed ‘Pas Anfas’, which (in Persian) means guarding every breath. The Chain of Transmission of these Barakah, of course, emanates from the holy Prophet- SAWS.
SPIRITUAL BAI’AT (OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
It is necessary in all Sufi Orders that the Sheikh and the seekers must be contemporaries and must physically meet each other for the transfer of these blessings. However, the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order goes beyond this requirement and Sufis of this Order receive these Barakah regardless of physical meeting with their Sheikh or even when the Sheikh is not their contemporary. Yet, it must be underscored that physical meeting with the Sheikh of this Order still holds great importance in dissemination of these Barakah. Sheikh Sirhindi writes about the Owaisiah Order in his book ‘Tazkirah’: ‘It is the most sublime, the most exalted, and the most effective…and the highest station of all others is only its stepping stone.’ By far the greatest singular distinction of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order is the honor of Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance) directly at the blessed hands of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
SHEIKH HAZRAT MOULANA ALLAH YAR KHAN (R.A)
The Reviver Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chikrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The same year, he met Sheikh ‘Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Sheikh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was immediately established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century CE) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years, after which he was directed to undertake the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular zeal and dedication for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss commensurate with his/her sincerity and capacity. Sheikh Allah Yar Khan’s mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and eminence. He authored eighteen books, the most distinguished being Dalael us-Sulook (Sufism - An Objective Appraisal), Hayat-e Barzakhiah (Life Beyond Life) and Israr ul- Haramain (Secrets of the two holy Mosques). He was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished Sufi saints of the Muslim Ummah and a reviver of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order. He passed away on 18 February 1984 in Islamabad at the age of eighty.
THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION OF NAQSHBANDIA OWAISIAH
1. Hazrat Muhammad ur-Rasool Allah (Sall Allah-o Alaihi wa Sallam), 2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radhi Allah-o Unho), 3. Hazrat Imam Hassan Basri (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 4. Hazrat Daud Tai (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 5. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 6. Hazrat Ubaid Ullah Ahrar (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 7. Hazrat Abdur Rahman Jami (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 8. Hazrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Salih (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 9. Hazrat Allah Deen Madni (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 10. Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi).
THE SPIRIT OR RUH
The spirit or Ruh of every person is a created reflection of the Divine Attributes and it originates in Alam-e Amar (Realm of Command). Its food is the Light of Allah or the Divine Refulgence, which it acquires from the Realm of Command through the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him), whose status in the spiritual world is like that of the sun in the solar system. The Quran refers to him as the ‘bright lamp’. Indeed, he is the divinely selected channel of all Barakah. All Exalted Messengers themselves receive these Barakah from him.
LATAIF
The human Ruh also possesses vital organs like the physical body; through which it acquires its knowledge, food and energy. These are called Lataif (singular Latifah: subtlety). Scholars of various Sufi Orders have associated them with specific areas of the human body. The Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order identifies these Lataif as follows. First - Qalb: This spiritual faculty is located within the physical heart. Its function is Zikr. Its strength increases one’s capacity for Allah’s Zikr. Second – Ruh: The site of this Latifah, which is a distinct faculty of the human Ruh, is on the right side of the chest at the level of Qalb. Its primary function is concentration towards Allah. Third – Sirri: This is located above the Qalb and functions to make possible Kashf. Forth – Khaffi: This is located above the Ruh and functions to perceive the omnipresence of Allah. Fifth – Akhfa: This is located in the middle of chest, at the centre of the first four Lataif and makes it possible for the Ruh to perceive the closeness of Allah, Who is closer to us than our own selves. Sixth – Nafs: This Latifah is located at the forehead and functions to purify the human soul. Seventh – Sultan al-Azkar: This Latifah is located at the top centre of the head and serves to absorb the Barakah of Allah into the entire body, so that every cell resonates with Zikr.
FIVE EXALTED MESSENGERS OF GOD
There are Five Exalted Messengers among the many known and unknown Messengers of Allah. They are Hazrat Muhammad, Hazrat Nuh (Noah), Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), Hazrat Musa (Moses), and Hazrat Esa (Jesus), peace be upon them all. Hazrat Adam is the first Prophet of Allah and the father of mankind. Each Latifah is associated with a particular Prophet. The Barakah and lights from Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him), descend on the first Latifah Qalb; its lights are reflected from the first heaven and are yellowish. The second Latifah is associated with Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon them). Its lights descend from the second heaven and appear as golden red. The lights descending upon the third Latifah are from Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and are white. One the fourth Latifah, the lights of Hazrat Esa (peace be upon him) descend from the fourth heaven and are deep blue. The fifth Latifah receives its Barakah directly from the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him). The lights associated with this Latifah are green, descend from the fifth heaven, and overwhelm all the first four Lataif. The Lights descending upon the sixth and seventh Lataif are the Divine Lights, whose color and condition cannot be determined. These are like flashes of lightening that defy comprehension. If Allah blesses a seeker with Kashf, he can observe all of this. The vision is slightly diffused in the beginning, but gradually the clarity improves.
SULOOK
Stages of the Path After all seven Lataif of a seeker have been illuminated with Divine Lights through Tawajjuh of the Sheikh and his Ruh has acquired the ability to fly, the Sheikh initiates its journey on the sublime Path of Divine nearness. The Path is known as Sulook, and its stages are not hypothetical imaginations but real and actually existing stations on the spiritual Path. These are also referred to as Meditations, because a seeker mentally meditates about a station while his/her Ruh actually ascends towards it. The first three stations that form the base of whole Sulook are described as; Ahadiyyat, a station of Absolute Unity of Divinity. It is above and beyond the seven heavens. It is so vast a station that the seven heavens and all that they encompass are lost within Ahadiyyat as a ring is lost in a vast desert. Its lights are white in color. Maiyyat station denotes Divine Company, ‘He is with you, wherever you might be.’ This station is so vast that Ahadiyyat along with the seven heavens beneath are lost within it as a ring is lost in a desert. Its lights are green in color. Aqrabiyyat station denotes Divine Nearness, ‘He is nearer to you than your life- vein.’ Again, Aqrabiyyat is vast as compared to Maiyyat in the same proportion. Its lights are golden red and are reflected from the Divine Throne. It is indeed the greatest favor of Almighty Allah that He blesses a seeker with an accomplished Sheikh, who takes him to these sublime stations. The final station that a seeker attains to during his/her lifetime becomes his/her Iliyyeen (blessed abode) in Barzakh and his/her Ruh stays at this station after death.
ZIKR
Why is Zikr Necessary for Everyone? Allah ordains every soul in the Quran to Perform Zikr. This not only means reciting the Quran and Tasbeeh but also Zikr-e Qalb. It is only through Zikr-e Qalbi that Prophetic Lights reach the depths of human soul and purify it from all vice and evil. Zikr infuses a realization of constant Divine Presence and a seeker feels great improvement in the level of sincerity and love towards Allah and the holy Prophet- SAWS. Such levels of sincerity, love and feelings of Divine Presence can never be obtained without Zikr. It would be a mistake to believe that Zikr may be a requirement only for the very pious and virtuous people. Zikr provides the Prophetic blessings which are in effect the life line of every human soul. It transforms even the most corrupted humans into virtuous souls by bringing out the best in them. The fact is that Zikr is the only way to achieve true contentment and satisfaction in life. The holy Quran has pointed to this eternal fact that it is only through Zikr Allah that hearts can find satisfaction. Such satisfaction and peace are the ultimate requirements of every person, regardless of religion, race and ethnicity. Practicing Zikr regularly removes all traces of anxiety and restlessness, and guides the human soul to eternal bliss and peace.
KHALIFA MAJAZEEN
Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), during his life time in 1974, presented a nomination list to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), during Maraqba, of expected Khalifa Majazeen for Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) approved some names, deleted some of the names, and added down the name of Major Ghulam Muhammad as also Khalifa Majaaz of Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia (which was not previously included in the list)
The approved names at that time included:
1. Mr. Muhammad Akram Awan Sahib,
2. Mr. Sayed Bunyad Hussain Shah Sahib,
3. Mr. Major Ahsan Baig Sahib,
4. Mr. Col. Matloob Hussain Sahib,
5. Mr. Major Ghulam Muhammad Sahib of Wan Bhachran Mianwali,
6. Mr. Molvi Abdul Haq Sahib,
7. Mr. Hafiz Abdul Razzaq Sahib,
8. Mr. Hafiz Ghulam Qadri Sahib,
9. Mr. Khan Muhammad Irani Sahib,
10. Mr. Maolana Abdul Ghafoor Sahib,
11. Mr. Syed Muhammad Hassan Sahib of Zohb.
These Majazeen were authorized to; held Majalis of Zikar (Pas Anfas) in their respective areas, arrange Majalis of Zikar in neighboring areas, train them on the way of Sulook, prepare them for Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance), and present them to Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan for Spiritual Bai’at at the Hand of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), in the life of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), and were all equal in status as Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Presently we are following Hazrat Major ® Ghulam Muhammad Sahib, Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah’s peace be upon Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), the glorious Prophet of Islam, and on his Companions and his followers.
TASAWWUF
"There is no doubt that Tasawwuf is an important branch of Islam. The word itself may have been derived form the Arabic word "Soof" (Wool) or from "Safa" (cleanliness), but its foundation lies in one’s personal sincerity in seeking Allah’s nearness and trying to live a life pleasing to Him. Study of the Quran, the Hadith, and the practical life of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and his faithful Companions provide unmistakable support to this reality." (Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A)
SUFISM, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ISLAM
Doubts exist not only in the minds of the Muslim faithful but also among the Ulema, notably the exoteric about Tasawwuf and its votaries. Often they lead to misunderstanding, as if Shariah and Tariqah were two separate entries, or that Tasawwuf was some obscure discipline foreign to Islam, or that it was altogether above the established laws and injunctions of our Religion. To help remove these misgivings and to reassure seekers, as well as scholars, our Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), Sheikh Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia, wrote Al-Jamal Wal Kamal, Aqaid-O-Kamalaat Ulmai-e-Deoband, Binat-e-Rasool (S.A.W), Daamad-e-Ali (R.A), Dalael-us-Salook, Ejaad-e-Mazhab Shia, Hayat-un-Nabi (S.A.W), Hayat Barzakhia, Ilm-o-Irfan, Niffaz-e-Shariat Aur Fiqah-e-Jaferia, Saif-e-Owaisi, Shikast-e-Ahdai Hussain and Tahkeek Halal Haram books.
BIOGRAPHY
Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chakrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The very year, he met Shaykh Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Shaykh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was right away established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years. In 1962 he was directed to carry out the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular enthusiasm and devotion for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss as per his/her sincerity and capacity. Shaykh Allah Yar Khan's mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and distinction.
Although Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A) have lived a major portion of his life as a scholar, with the avowed mission of illuminating the truth of Islam and the negation of fallacious sects, and this would appear quite removed from Tasawwuf, yet the only practical difference between the two, namely the use of the former as a media to expound the truth, and the latter to imbue people with positive faith. Nevertheless, people are amazed that a man, who until the other day, was known as a dialectician and a preacher of Islam, is not only talking of Mystic Path, but is also claiming spiritual bonds with the veteran Sufi Masters of the Past. This amazement is obviously out of place in the view of Quranic injunction: This is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills. (62:4)
THE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL
The purification of the soul always formed part of the main mission of the Prophets; that is, the dissemination and propagation of the Devine Message. This responsibility later fell directly on the shoulders of the true Ulema in the Ummah of the last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who, as his genuine successors, have continued to shed brave light in every Dark Age of materialism and sacrilege. In the present age of ruinous confusion, the importance of this responsibility has increased manifold; of the utter neglect of Islam by Muslims has not only driven them to misery, but also grievously weakened their bonds of faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). The decay in their belief and consequent perversion in their conduct has reached a stage that any attempt to pull them out of the depth of ignominy and the heedless chaos of faithlessness, attracts grave uncertainties and apprehensions rather than a encouraging will to follow the Shariah, to purify the soul and to reform within. The Quranic Verse: Layers upon layers of darkness… (24:40) provides the nearest expression of their present state.
SHARIAH & SUFISM
Any action against the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) cannot be called Sufism. Singing and dancing, and the prostration on tombs are not part of Sufism. Nor is predicting the future and predicting the outcome of cases in the courts of law, a part of Sufism. Sufis are not required to abandon their worldly possessions or live in the wilderness far from the practical world. In fact these absurdities are just its opposites. It is an established fact that Tazkiyah (soul purification) stands for that inner purity which inspires a person’s spirit to obey the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If a false claimant of Sufism teaches tricks and jugglery, ignoring religious obligations, he is an impostor. A true Sheikh will lead a believer to the august spiritual audience of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the company of an accomplished spiritual guide and Sheikh of Sufism, and if you follow his instructions, you will observe a positive change in yourself, transferring you from vice to virtue.
ISLAM, AS A COMPLETE CODE OF LIFE
Islam, as a complete code of life or Deen, was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). He was the sole teacher and his mosque was the core institution for the community. Although Islam in its entirety was practiced during that blessed era, the classification and compilation of its knowledge into distinct branches like ‘Tafsir’ (interpretation of the Quran), Hadith (traditions or sayings of the holy Prophet- SAWS), Fiqh (Islamic law), and Sufism (the soul purification) were undertaken subsequently. This Deen of Allah passed from the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to his illustrious Companions in two ways: the outward and the inward. The former comprised the knowledge defined by speech and conduct, i.e., the Quran and Sunnah. The latter comprised the invisible blessings or the Prophetic lights transmitted by his blessed self. These blessings purified the hearts and instilled in them a passionate desire to follow Islam with utmost love, honesty and loyalty.
WHAT’S SUFISM
Sufism is the attempt to attain these Barakah (Blessings). The Companions handed down Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) teachings as well as blessings to the Taba’een. Their strong hearts were capable of infusing these blessings into the hearts of their followers. Both aspects of Islam were similarly passed on by the Taba’een to the Taba Taba’een. The compilation of knowledge and its interpretation led to the establishment of many schools of religious thought; famous four being the Hanafi, the Hanbali, the Maliki, and the Shafa'i, all named after their founders. Similarly, in order to acquire, safeguard and distribute his blessings, an organized effort was initiated by four schools of Sufism: The Naqshbandia, the Qadria, the Chishtia, and the Suharwardia. These schools were also named after their organizers and came to be known as Sufi Orders. All these Orders intend to purify the hearts of sincere Muslims with Prophetic lights. These Sufi Orders also grew into many branches with the passage of time and are known by other names as well. The holy Quran has linked success in this life and the Hereafter with Tazkiyah (soul purification). He, who purified, is successful. (87: 14) Sufi Orders of Islam are the institutions where the basics of Tazkiyah (soul purification) and its practical application are taught. They have graded programs in which every new seeker is instructed in Zikr-e Lisani (oral Zikr) and is finally taught the Zikr-e Qalbi (Remembrance in heart).
ZIKR-E QALBI
However, in the Naqshbandia Order, Zikr-e Qalbi is practiced from the very beginning. Adherence to the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) is greatly emphasized in this Order, because the seeker achieves greater and quicker progress through its blessings. The essence of Zikr is that the Qalb should sincerely accept Islamic beliefs and gain the strength to follow the Sunnah with even greater devotion. ‘If the heart is acquainted with Allah and is engaged in His Zikr; then it is filled with Barakaat-e Nabuwwat (Prophetic blessings) which infuse their purity in the mind and body. This not only helps in controlling sensual drives but also removes traces of abhorrence, voracity, envy and insecurity from human soul. The person therefore becomes an embodiment of love, both for the Divine and the corporeal. This is the meaning of a Hadith, “There is a lump of flesh in the human body; if it goes astray the entire body is misguided, and if it is reformed the entire body is reformed. Know that this lump is the Qalb”.’
PAS ANFAS
Recent History Khawajah Naqshband (d. 1389 CE) organized the Naqshbandia Order at Bukhara (Central Asia). This Order has two main branches – the Mujaddidia and the Owaisiah. The former is identified with Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, known as Mujaddid Alif Sani (literally: reviver of the second Muslim millennium), a successor to Khawajah Baqi Billah, who introduced the Order to the Indo- Pakistan sub-continent. The Owaisiah Order employs a similar method of Zikr but acquires the Prophetic blessings in the manner of Khawajah Owais Qarni, who received this beneficence from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) without a formal physical meeting. The Zikr employed by the Naqshbandia is ‘Zikr-e Khafi Qalbi’ (remembrance of Allah’s Name within the heart) and the method is termed ‘Pas Anfas’, which (in Persian) means guarding every breath. The Chain of Transmission of these Barakah, of course, emanates from the holy Prophet- SAWS.
SPIRITUAL BAI’AT (OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
It is necessary in all Sufi Orders that the Sheikh and the seekers must be contemporaries and must physically meet each other for the transfer of these blessings. However, the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order goes beyond this requirement and Sufis of this Order receive these Barakah regardless of physical meeting with their Sheikh or even when the Sheikh is not their contemporary. Yet, it must be underscored that physical meeting with the Sheikh of this Order still holds great importance in dissemination of these Barakah. Sheikh Sirhindi writes about the Owaisiah Order in his book ‘Tazkirah’: ‘It is the most sublime, the most exalted, and the most effective…and the highest station of all others is only its stepping stone.’ By far the greatest singular distinction of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order is the honor of Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance) directly at the blessed hands of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
SHEIKH HAZRAT MOULANA ALLAH YAR KHAN (R.A)
The Reviver Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chikrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The same year, he met Sheikh ‘Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Sheikh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was immediately established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century CE) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years, after which he was directed to undertake the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular zeal and dedication for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss commensurate with his/her sincerity and capacity. Sheikh Allah Yar Khan’s mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and eminence. He authored eighteen books, the most distinguished being Dalael us-Sulook (Sufism - An Objective Appraisal), Hayat-e Barzakhiah (Life Beyond Life) and Israr ul- Haramain (Secrets of the two holy Mosques). He was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished Sufi saints of the Muslim Ummah and a reviver of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order. He passed away on 18 February 1984 in Islamabad at the age of eighty.
THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION OF NAQSHBANDIA OWAISIAH
1. Hazrat Muhammad ur-Rasool Allah (Sall Allah-o Alaihi wa Sallam), 2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radhi Allah-o Unho), 3. Hazrat Imam Hassan Basri (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 4. Hazrat Daud Tai (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 5. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 6. Hazrat Ubaid Ullah Ahrar (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 7. Hazrat Abdur Rahman Jami (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 8. Hazrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Salih (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 9. Hazrat Allah Deen Madni (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 10. Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi).
THE SPIRIT OR RUH
The spirit or Ruh of every person is a created reflection of the Divine Attributes and it originates in Alam-e Amar (Realm of Command). Its food is the Light of Allah or the Divine Refulgence, which it acquires from the Realm of Command through the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him), whose status in the spiritual world is like that of the sun in the solar system. The Quran refers to him as the ‘bright lamp’. Indeed, he is the divinely selected channel of all Barakah. All Exalted Messengers themselves receive these Barakah from him.
LATAIF
The human Ruh also possesses vital organs like the physical body; through which it acquires its knowledge, food and energy. These are called Lataif (singular Latifah: subtlety). Scholars of various Sufi Orders have associated them with specific areas of the human body. The Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order identifies these Lataif as follows. First - Qalb: This spiritual faculty is located within the physical heart. Its function is Zikr. Its strength increases one’s capacity for Allah’s Zikr. Second – Ruh: The site of this Latifah, which is a distinct faculty of the human Ruh, is on the right side of the chest at the level of Qalb. Its primary function is concentration towards Allah. Third – Sirri: This is located above the Qalb and functions to make possible Kashf. Forth – Khaffi: This is located above the Ruh and functions to perceive the omnipresence of Allah. Fifth – Akhfa: This is located in the middle of chest, at the centre of the first four Lataif and makes it possible for the Ruh to perceive the closeness of Allah, Who is closer to us than our own selves. Sixth – Nafs: This Latifah is located at the forehead and functions to purify the human soul. Seventh – Sultan al-Azkar: This Latifah is located at the top centre of the head and serves to absorb the Barakah of Allah into the entire body, so that every cell resonates with Zikr.
FIVE EXALTED MESSENGERS OF GOD
There are Five Exalted Messengers among the many known and unknown Messengers of Allah. They are Hazrat Muhammad, Hazrat Nuh (Noah), Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), Hazrat Musa (Moses), and Hazrat Esa (Jesus), peace be upon them all. Hazrat Adam is the first Prophet of Allah and the father of mankind. Each Latifah is associated with a particular Prophet. The Barakah and lights from Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him), descend on the first Latifah Qalb; its lights are reflected from the first heaven and are yellowish. The second Latifah is associated with Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon them). Its lights descend from the second heaven and appear as golden red. The lights descending upon the third Latifah are from Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and are white. One the fourth Latifah, the lights of Hazrat Esa (peace be upon him) descend from the fourth heaven and are deep blue. The fifth Latifah receives its Barakah directly from the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him). The lights associated with this Latifah are green, descend from the fifth heaven, and overwhelm all the first four Lataif. The Lights descending upon the sixth and seventh Lataif are the Divine Lights, whose color and condition cannot be determined. These are like flashes of lightening that defy comprehension. If Allah blesses a seeker with Kashf, he can observe all of this. The vision is slightly diffused in the beginning, but gradually the clarity improves.
SULOOK
Stages of the Path After all seven Lataif of a seeker have been illuminated with Divine Lights through Tawajjuh of the Sheikh and his Ruh has acquired the ability to fly, the Sheikh initiates its journey on the sublime Path of Divine nearness. The Path is known as Sulook, and its stages are not hypothetical imaginations but real and actually existing stations on the spiritual Path. These are also referred to as Meditations, because a seeker mentally meditates about a station while his/her Ruh actually ascends towards it. The first three stations that form the base of whole Sulook are described as; Ahadiyyat, a station of Absolute Unity of Divinity. It is above and beyond the seven heavens. It is so vast a station that the seven heavens and all that they encompass are lost within Ahadiyyat as a ring is lost in a vast desert. Its lights are white in color. Maiyyat station denotes Divine Company, ‘He is with you, wherever you might be.’ This station is so vast that Ahadiyyat along with the seven heavens beneath are lost within it as a ring is lost in a desert. Its lights are green in color. Aqrabiyyat station denotes Divine Nearness, ‘He is nearer to you than your life- vein.’ Again, Aqrabiyyat is vast as compared to Maiyyat in the same proportion. Its lights are golden red and are reflected from the Divine Throne. It is indeed the greatest favor of Almighty Allah that He blesses a seeker with an accomplished Sheikh, who takes him to these sublime stations. The final station that a seeker attains to during his/her lifetime becomes his/her Iliyyeen (blessed abode) in Barzakh and his/her Ruh stays at this station after death.
ZIKR
Why is Zikr Necessary for Everyone? Allah ordains every soul in the Quran to Perform Zikr. This not only means reciting the Quran and Tasbeeh but also Zikr-e Qalb. It is only through Zikr-e Qalbi that Prophetic Lights reach the depths of human soul and purify it from all vice and evil. Zikr infuses a realization of constant Divine Presence and a seeker feels great improvement in the level of sincerity and love towards Allah and the holy Prophet- SAWS. Such levels of sincerity, love and feelings of Divine Presence can never be obtained without Zikr. It would be a mistake to believe that Zikr may be a requirement only for the very pious and virtuous people. Zikr provides the Prophetic blessings which are in effect the life line of every human soul. It transforms even the most corrupted humans into virtuous souls by bringing out the best in them. The fact is that Zikr is the only way to achieve true contentment and satisfaction in life. The holy Quran has pointed to this eternal fact that it is only through Zikr Allah that hearts can find satisfaction. Such satisfaction and peace are the ultimate requirements of every person, regardless of religion, race and ethnicity. Practicing Zikr regularly removes all traces of anxiety and restlessness, and guides the human soul to eternal bliss and peace.
KHALIFA MAJAZEEN
Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), during his life time in 1974, presented a nomination list to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), during Maraqba, of expected Khalifa Majazeen for Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) approved some names, deleted some of the names, and added down the name of Major Ghulam Muhammad as also Khalifa Majaaz of Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia (which was not previously included in the list)
The approved names at that time included:
1. Mr. Muhammad Akram Awan Sahib,
2. Mr. Sayed Bunyad Hussain Shah Sahib,
3. Mr. Major Ahsan Baig Sahib,
4. Mr. Col. Matloob Hussain Sahib,
5. Mr. Major Ghulam Muhammad Sahib of Wan Bhachran Mianwali,
6. Mr. Molvi Abdul Haq Sahib,
7. Mr. Hafiz Abdul Razzaq Sahib,
8. Mr. Hafiz Ghulam Qadri Sahib,
9. Mr. Khan Muhammad Irani Sahib,
10. Mr. Maolana Abdul Ghafoor Sahib,
11. Mr. Syed Muhammad Hassan Sahib of Zohb.
These Majazeen were authorized to; held Majalis of Zikar (Pas Anfas) in their respective areas, arrange Majalis of Zikar in neighboring areas, train them on the way of Sulook, prepare them for Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance), and present them to Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan for Spiritual Bai’at at the Hand of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), in the life of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), and were all equal in status as Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Presently we are following Hazrat Major ® Ghulam Muhammad Sahib, Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah’s peace be upon Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), the glorious Prophet of Islam, and on his Companions and his followers.
TASAWWUF
"There is no doubt that Tasawwuf is an important branch of Islam. The word itself may have been derived form the Arabic word "Soof" (Wool) or from "Safa" (cleanliness), but its foundation lies in one’s personal sincerity in seeking Allah’s nearness and trying to live a life pleasing to Him. Study of the Quran, the Hadith, and the practical life of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and his faithful Companions provide unmistakable support to this reality." (Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A)
SUFISM, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ISLAM
Doubts exist not only in the minds of the Muslim faithful but also among the Ulema, notably the exoteric about Tasawwuf and its votaries. Often they lead to misunderstanding, as if Shariah and Tariqah were two separate entries, or that Tasawwuf was some obscure discipline foreign to Islam, or that it was altogether above the established laws and injunctions of our Religion. To help remove these misgivings and to reassure seekers, as well as scholars, our Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), Sheikh Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia, wrote Al-Jamal Wal Kamal, Aqaid-O-Kamalaat Ulmai-e-Deoband, Binat-e-Rasool (S.A.W), Daamad-e-Ali (R.A), Dalael-us-Salook, Ejaad-e-Mazhab Shia, Hayat-un-Nabi (S.A.W), Hayat Barzakhia, Ilm-o-Irfan, Niffaz-e-Shariat Aur Fiqah-e-Jaferia, Saif-e-Owaisi, Shikast-e-Ahdai Hussain and Tahkeek Halal Haram books.
BIOGRAPHY
Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chakrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The very year, he met Shaykh Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Shaykh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was right away established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years. In 1962 he was directed to carry out the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular enthusiasm and devotion for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss as per his/her sincerity and capacity. Shaykh Allah Yar Khan's mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and distinction.
Although Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A) have lived a major portion of his life as a scholar, with the avowed mission of illuminating the truth of Islam and the negation of fallacious sects, and this would appear quite removed from Tasawwuf, yet the only practical difference between the two, namely the use of the former as a media to expound the truth, and the latter to imbue people with positive faith. Nevertheless, people are amazed that a man, who until the other day, was known as a dialectician and a preacher of Islam, is not only talking of Mystic Path, but is also claiming spiritual bonds with the veteran Sufi Masters of the Past. This amazement is obviously out of place in the view of Quranic injunction: This is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills. (62:4)
THE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL
The purification of the soul always formed part of the main mission of the Prophets; that is, the dissemination and propagation of the Devine Message. This responsibility later fell directly on the shoulders of the true Ulema in the Ummah of the last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who, as his genuine successors, have continued to shed brave light in every Dark Age of materialism and sacrilege. In the present age of ruinous confusion, the importance of this responsibility has increased manifold; of the utter neglect of Islam by Muslims has not only driven them to misery, but also grievously weakened their bonds of faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). The decay in their belief and consequent perversion in their conduct has reached a stage that any attempt to pull them out of the depth of ignominy and the heedless chaos of faithlessness, attracts grave uncertainties and apprehensions rather than a encouraging will to follow the Shariah, to purify the soul and to reform within. The Quranic Verse: Layers upon layers of darkness… (24:40) provides the nearest expression of their present state.
SHARIAH & SUFISM
Any action against the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) cannot be called Sufism. Singing and dancing, and the prostration on tombs are not part of Sufism. Nor is predicting the future and predicting the outcome of cases in the courts of law, a part of Sufism. Sufis are not required to abandon their worldly possessions or live in the wilderness far from the practical world. In fact these absurdities are just its opposites. It is an established fact that Tazkiyah (soul purification) stands for that inner purity which inspires a person’s spirit to obey the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If a false claimant of Sufism teaches tricks and jugglery, ignoring religious obligations, he is an impostor. A true Sheikh will lead a believer to the august spiritual audience of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the company of an accomplished spiritual guide and Sheikh of Sufism, and if you follow his instructions, you will observe a positive change in yourself, transferring you from vice to virtue.
ISLAM, AS A COMPLETE CODE OF LIFE
Islam, as a complete code of life or Deen, was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). He was the sole teacher and his mosque was the core institution for the community. Although Islam in its entirety was practiced during that blessed era, the classification and compilation of its knowledge into distinct branches like ‘Tafsir’ (interpretation of the Quran), Hadith (traditions or sayings of the holy Prophet- SAWS), Fiqh (Islamic law), and Sufism (the soul purification) were undertaken subsequently. This Deen of Allah passed from the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to his illustrious Companions in two ways: the outward and the inward. The former comprised the knowledge defined by speech and conduct, i.e., the Quran and Sunnah. The latter comprised the invisible blessings or the Prophetic lights transmitted by his blessed self. These blessings purified the hearts and instilled in them a passionate desire to follow Islam with utmost love, honesty and loyalty.
WHAT’S SUFISM
Sufism is the attempt to attain these Barakah (Blessings). The Companions handed down Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) teachings as well as blessings to the Taba’een. Their strong hearts were capable of infusing these blessings into the hearts of their followers. Both aspects of Islam were similarly passed on by the Taba’een to the Taba Taba’een. The compilation of knowledge and its interpretation led to the establishment of many schools of religious thought; famous four being the Hanafi, the Hanbali, the Maliki, and the Shafa'i, all named after their founders. Similarly, in order to acquire, safeguard and distribute his blessings, an organized effort was initiated by four schools of Sufism: The Naqshbandia, the Qadria, the Chishtia, and the Suharwardia. These schools were also named after their organizers and came to be known as Sufi Orders. All these Orders intend to purify the hearts of sincere Muslims with Prophetic lights. These Sufi Orders also grew into many branches with the passage of time and are known by other names as well. The holy Quran has linked success in this life and the Hereafter with Tazkiyah (soul purification). He, who purified, is successful. (87: 14) Sufi Orders of Islam are the institutions where the basics of Tazkiyah (soul purification) and its practical application are taught. They have graded programs in which every new seeker is instructed in Zikr-e Lisani (oral Zikr) and is finally taught the Zikr-e Qalbi (Remembrance in heart).
ZIKR-E QALBI
However, in the Naqshbandia Order, Zikr-e Qalbi is practiced from the very beginning. Adherence to the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) is greatly emphasized in this Order, because the seeker achieves greater and quicker progress through its blessings. The essence of Zikr is that the Qalb should sincerely accept Islamic beliefs and gain the strength to follow the Sunnah with even greater devotion. ‘If the heart is acquainted with Allah and is engaged in His Zikr; then it is filled with Barakaat-e Nabuwwat (Prophetic blessings) which infuse their purity in the mind and body. This not only helps in controlling sensual drives but also removes traces of abhorrence, voracity, envy and insecurity from human soul. The person therefore becomes an embodiment of love, both for the Divine and the corporeal. This is the meaning of a Hadith, “There is a lump of flesh in the human body; if it goes astray the entire body is misguided, and if it is reformed the entire body is reformed. Know that this lump is the Qalb”.’
PAS ANFAS
Recent History Khawajah Naqshband (d. 1389 CE) organized the Naqshbandia Order at Bukhara (Central Asia). This Order has two main branches – the Mujaddidia and the Owaisiah. The former is identified with Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, known as Mujaddid Alif Sani (literally: reviver of the second Muslim millennium), a successor to Khawajah Baqi Billah, who introduced the Order to the Indo- Pakistan sub-continent. The Owaisiah Order employs a similar method of Zikr but acquires the Prophetic blessings in the manner of Khawajah Owais Qarni, who received this beneficence from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) without a formal physical meeting. The Zikr employed by the Naqshbandia is ‘Zikr-e Khafi Qalbi’ (remembrance of Allah’s Name within the heart) and the method is termed ‘Pas Anfas’, which (in Persian) means guarding every breath. The Chain of Transmission of these Barakah, of course, emanates from the holy Prophet- SAWS.
SPIRITUAL BAI’AT (OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
It is necessary in all Sufi Orders that the Sheikh and the seekers must be contemporaries and must physically meet each other for the transfer of these blessings. However, the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order goes beyond this requirement and Sufis of this Order receive these Barakah regardless of physical meeting with their Sheikh or even when the Sheikh is not their contemporary. Yet, it must be underscored that physical meeting with the Sheikh of this Order still holds great importance in dissemination of these Barakah. Sheikh Sirhindi writes about the Owaisiah Order in his book ‘Tazkirah’: ‘It is the most sublime, the most exalted, and the most effective…and the highest station of all others is only its stepping stone.’ By far the greatest singular distinction of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order is the honor of Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance) directly at the blessed hands of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
SHEIKH HAZRAT MOULANA ALLAH YAR KHAN (R.A)
The Reviver Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chikrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The same year, he met Sheikh ‘Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Sheikh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was immediately established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century CE) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years, after which he was directed to undertake the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular zeal and dedication for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss commensurate with his/her sincerity and capacity. Sheikh Allah Yar Khan’s mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and eminence. He authored eighteen books, the most distinguished being Dalael us-Sulook (Sufism - An Objective Appraisal), Hayat-e Barzakhiah (Life Beyond Life) and Israr ul- Haramain (Secrets of the two holy Mosques). He was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished Sufi saints of the Muslim Ummah and a reviver of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order. He passed away on 18 February 1984 in Islamabad at the age of eighty.
THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION OF NAQSHBANDIA OWAISIAH
1. Hazrat Muhammad ur-Rasool Allah (Sall Allah-o Alaihi wa Sallam), 2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radhi Allah-o Unho), 3. Hazrat Imam Hassan Basri (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 4. Hazrat Daud Tai (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 5. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 6. Hazrat Ubaid Ullah Ahrar (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 7. Hazrat Abdur Rahman Jami (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 8. Hazrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Salih (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 9. Hazrat Allah Deen Madni (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 10. Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi).
THE SPIRIT OR RUH
The spirit or Ruh of every person is a created reflection of the Divine Attributes and it originates in Alam-e Amar (Realm of Command). Its food is the Light of Allah or the Divine Refulgence, which it acquires from the Realm of Command through the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him), whose status in the spiritual world is like that of the sun in the solar system. The Quran refers to him as the ‘bright lamp’. Indeed, he is the divinely selected channel of all Barakah. All Exalted Messengers themselves receive these Barakah from him.
LATAIF
The human Ruh also possesses vital organs like the physical body; through which it acquires its knowledge, food and energy. These are called Lataif (singular Latifah: subtlety). Scholars of various Sufi Orders have associated them with specific areas of the human body. The Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order identifies these Lataif as follows. First - Qalb: This spiritual faculty is located within the physical heart. Its function is Zikr. Its strength increases one’s capacity for Allah’s Zikr. Second – Ruh: The site of this Latifah, which is a distinct faculty of the human Ruh, is on the right side of the chest at the level of Qalb. Its primary function is concentration towards Allah. Third – Sirri: This is located above the Qalb and functions to make possible Kashf. Forth – Khaffi: This is located above the Ruh and functions to perceive the omnipresence of Allah. Fifth – Akhfa: This is located in the middle of chest, at the centre of the first four Lataif and makes it possible for the Ruh to perceive the closeness of Allah, Who is closer to us than our own selves. Sixth – Nafs: This Latifah is located at the forehead and functions to purify the human soul. Seventh – Sultan al-Azkar: This Latifah is located at the top centre of the head and serves to absorb the Barakah of Allah into the entire body, so that every cell resonates with Zikr.
FIVE EXALTED MESSENGERS OF GOD
There are Five Exalted Messengers among the many known and unknown Messengers of Allah. They are Hazrat Muhammad, Hazrat Nuh (Noah), Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), Hazrat Musa (Moses), and Hazrat Esa (Jesus), peace be upon them all. Hazrat Adam is the first Prophet of Allah and the father of mankind. Each Latifah is associated with a particular Prophet. The Barakah and lights from Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him), descend on the first Latifah Qalb; its lights are reflected from the first heaven and are yellowish. The second Latifah is associated with Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon them). Its lights descend from the second heaven and appear as golden red. The lights descending upon the third Latifah are from Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and are white. One the fourth Latifah, the lights of Hazrat Esa (peace be upon him) descend from the fourth heaven and are deep blue. The fifth Latifah receives its Barakah directly from the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him). The lights associated with this Latifah are green, descend from the fifth heaven, and overwhelm all the first four Lataif. The Lights descending upon the sixth and seventh Lataif are the Divine Lights, whose color and condition cannot be determined. These are like flashes of lightening that defy comprehension. If Allah blesses a seeker with Kashf, he can observe all of this. The vision is slightly diffused in the beginning, but gradually the clarity improves.
SULOOK
Stages of the Path After all seven Lataif of a seeker have been illuminated with Divine Lights through Tawajjuh of the Sheikh and his Ruh has acquired the ability to fly, the Sheikh initiates its journey on the sublime Path of Divine nearness. The Path is known as Sulook, and its stages are not hypothetical imaginations but real and actually existing stations on the spiritual Path. These are also referred to as Meditations, because a seeker mentally meditates about a station while his/her Ruh actually ascends towards it. The first three stations that form the base of whole Sulook are described as; Ahadiyyat, a station of Absolute Unity of Divinity. It is above and beyond the seven heavens. It is so vast a station that the seven heavens and all that they encompass are lost within Ahadiyyat as a ring is lost in a vast desert. Its lights are white in color. Maiyyat station denotes Divine Company, ‘He is with you, wherever you might be.’ This station is so vast that Ahadiyyat along with the seven heavens beneath are lost within it as a ring is lost in a desert. Its lights are green in color. Aqrabiyyat station denotes Divine Nearness, ‘He is nearer to you than your life- vein.’ Again, Aqrabiyyat is vast as compared to Maiyyat in the same proportion. Its lights are golden red and are reflected from the Divine Throne. It is indeed the greatest favor of Almighty Allah that He blesses a seeker with an accomplished Sheikh, who takes him to these sublime stations. The final station that a seeker attains to during his/her lifetime becomes his/her Iliyyeen (blessed abode) in Barzakh and his/her Ruh stays at this station after death.
ZIKR
Why is Zikr Necessary for Everyone? Allah ordains every soul in the Quran to Perform Zikr. This not only means reciting the Quran and Tasbeeh but also Zikr-e Qalb. It is only through Zikr-e Qalbi that Prophetic Lights reach the depths of human soul and purify it from all vice and evil. Zikr infuses a realization of constant Divine Presence and a seeker feels great improvement in the level of sincerity and love towards Allah and the holy Prophet- SAWS. Such levels of sincerity, love and feelings of Divine Presence can never be obtained without Zikr. It would be a mistake to believe that Zikr may be a requirement only for the very pious and virtuous people. Zikr provides the Prophetic blessings which are in effect the life line of every human soul. It transforms even the most corrupted humans into virtuous souls by bringing out the best in them. The fact is that Zikr is the only way to achieve true contentment and satisfaction in life. The holy Quran has pointed to this eternal fact that it is only through Zikr Allah that hearts can find satisfaction. Such satisfaction and peace are the ultimate requirements of every person, regardless of religion, race and ethnicity. Practicing Zikr regularly removes all traces of anxiety and restlessness, and guides the human soul to eternal bliss and peace.
KHALIFA MAJAZEEN
Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), during his life time in 1974, presented a nomination list to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), during Maraqba, of expected Khalifa Majazeen for Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) approved some names, deleted some of the names, and added down the name of Major Ghulam Muhammad as also Khalifa Majaaz of Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia (which was not previously included in the list)
The approved names at that time included:
1. Mr. Muhammad Akram Awan Sahib,
2. Mr. Sayed Bunyad Hussain Shah Sahib,
3. Mr. Major Ahsan Baig Sahib,
4. Mr. Col. Matloob Hussain Sahib,
5. Mr. Major Ghulam Muhammad Sahib of Wan Bhachran Mianwali,
6. Mr. Molvi Abdul Haq Sahib,
7. Mr. Hafiz Abdul Razzaq Sahib,
8. Mr. Hafiz Ghulam Qadri Sahib,
9. Mr. Khan Muhammad Irani Sahib,
10. Mr. Maolana Abdul Ghafoor Sahib,
11. Mr. Syed Muhammad Hassan Sahib of Zohb.
These Majazeen were authorized to; held Majalis of Zikar (Pas Anfas) in their respective areas, arrange Majalis of Zikar in neighboring areas, train them on the way of Sulook, prepare them for Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance), and present them to Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan for Spiritual Bai’at at the Hand of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), in the life of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), and were all equal in status as Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Presently we are following Hazrat Major ® Ghulam Muhammad Sahib, Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah’s peace be upon Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), the glorious Prophet of Islam, and on his Companions and his followers.
TASAWWUF
"There is no doubt that Tasawwuf is an important branch of Islam. The word itself may have been derived form the Arabic word "Soof" (Wool) or from "Safa" (cleanliness), but its foundation lies in one’s personal sincerity in seeking Allah’s nearness and trying to live a life pleasing to Him. Study of the Quran, the Hadith, and the practical life of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and his faithful Companions provide unmistakable support to this reality." (Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A)
SUFISM, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ISLAM
Doubts exist not only in the minds of the Muslim faithful but also among the Ulema, notably the exoteric about Tasawwuf and its votaries. Often they lead to misunderstanding, as if Shariah and Tariqah were two separate entries, or that Tasawwuf was some obscure discipline foreign to Islam, or that it was altogether above the established laws and injunctions of our Religion. To help remove these misgivings and to reassure seekers, as well as scholars, our Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), Sheikh Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia, wrote Al-Jamal Wal Kamal, Aqaid-O-Kamalaat Ulmai-e-Deoband, Binat-e-Rasool (S.A.W), Daamad-e-Ali (R.A), Dalael-us-Salook, Ejaad-e-Mazhab Shia, Hayat-un-Nabi (S.A.W), Hayat Barzakhia, Ilm-o-Irfan, Niffaz-e-Shariat Aur Fiqah-e-Jaferia, Saif-e-Owaisi, Shikast-e-Ahdai Hussain and Tahkeek Halal Haram books.
BIOGRAPHY
Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chakrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The very year, he met Shaykh Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Shaykh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was right away established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years. In 1962 he was directed to carry out the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular enthusiasm and devotion for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss as per his/her sincerity and capacity. Shaykh Allah Yar Khan's mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and distinction.
Although Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A) have lived a major portion of his life as a scholar, with the avowed mission of illuminating the truth of Islam and the negation of fallacious sects, and this would appear quite removed from Tasawwuf, yet the only practical difference between the two, namely the use of the former as a media to expound the truth, and the latter to imbue people with positive faith. Nevertheless, people are amazed that a man, who until the other day, was known as a dialectician and a preacher of Islam, is not only talking of Mystic Path, but is also claiming spiritual bonds with the veteran Sufi Masters of the Past. This amazement is obviously out of place in the view of Quranic injunction: This is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills. (62:4)
THE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL
The purification of the soul always formed part of the main mission of the Prophets; that is, the dissemination and propagation of the Devine Message. This responsibility later fell directly on the shoulders of the true Ulema in the Ummah of the last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who, as his genuine successors, have continued to shed brave light in every Dark Age of materialism and sacrilege. In the present age of ruinous confusion, the importance of this responsibility has increased manifold; of the utter neglect of Islam by Muslims has not only driven them to misery, but also grievously weakened their bonds of faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). The decay in their belief and consequent perversion in their conduct has reached a stage that any attempt to pull them out of the depth of ignominy and the heedless chaos of faithlessness, attracts grave uncertainties and apprehensions rather than a encouraging will to follow the Shariah, to purify the soul and to reform within. The Quranic Verse: Layers upon layers of darkness… (24:40) provides the nearest expression of their present state.
SHARIAH & SUFISM
Any action against the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) cannot be called Sufism. Singing and dancing, and the prostration on tombs are not part of Sufism. Nor is predicting the future and predicting the outcome of cases in the courts of law, a part of Sufism. Sufis are not required to abandon their worldly possessions or live in the wilderness far from the practical world. In fact these absurdities are just its opposites. It is an established fact that Tazkiyah (soul purification) stands for that inner purity which inspires a person’s spirit to obey the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If a false claimant of Sufism teaches tricks and jugglery, ignoring religious obligations, he is an impostor. A true Sheikh will lead a believer to the august spiritual audience of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the company of an accomplished spiritual guide and Sheikh of Sufism, and if you follow his instructions, you will observe a positive change in yourself, transferring you from vice to virtue.
ISLAM, AS A COMPLETE CODE OF LIFE
Islam, as a complete code of life or Deen, was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). He was the sole teacher and his mosque was the core institution for the community. Although Islam in its entirety was practiced during that blessed era, the classification and compilation of its knowledge into distinct branches like ‘Tafsir’ (interpretation of the Quran), Hadith (traditions or sayings of the holy Prophet- SAWS), Fiqh (Islamic law), and Sufism (the soul purification) were undertaken subsequently. This Deen of Allah passed from the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to his illustrious Companions in two ways: the outward and the inward. The former comprised the knowledge defined by speech and conduct, i.e., the Quran and Sunnah. The latter comprised the invisible blessings or the Prophetic lights transmitted by his blessed self. These blessings purified the hearts and instilled in them a passionate desire to follow Islam with utmost love, honesty and loyalty.
WHAT’S SUFISM
Sufism is the attempt to attain these Barakah (Blessings). The Companions handed down Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) teachings as well as blessings to the Taba’een. Their strong hearts were capable of infusing these blessings into the hearts of their followers. Both aspects of Islam were similarly passed on by the Taba’een to the Taba Taba’een. The compilation of knowledge and its interpretation led to the establishment of many schools of religious thought; famous four being the Hanafi, the Hanbali, the Maliki, and the Shafa'i, all named after their founders. Similarly, in order to acquire, safeguard and distribute his blessings, an organized effort was initiated by four schools of Sufism: The Naqshbandia, the Qadria, the Chishtia, and the Suharwardia. These schools were also named after their organizers and came to be known as Sufi Orders. All these Orders intend to purify the hearts of sincere Muslims with Prophetic lights. These Sufi Orders also grew into many branches with the passage of time and are known by other names as well. The holy Quran has linked success in this life and the Hereafter with Tazkiyah (soul purification). He, who purified, is successful. (87: 14) Sufi Orders of Islam are the institutions where the basics of Tazkiyah (soul purification) and its practical application are taught. They have graded programs in which every new seeker is instructed in Zikr-e Lisani (oral Zikr) and is finally taught the Zikr-e Qalbi (Remembrance in heart).
ZIKR-E QALBI
However, in the Naqshbandia Order, Zikr-e Qalbi is practiced from the very beginning. Adherence to the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) is greatly emphasized in this Order, because the seeker achieves greater and quicker progress through its blessings. The essence of Zikr is that the Qalb should sincerely accept Islamic beliefs and gain the strength to follow the Sunnah with even greater devotion. ‘If the heart is acquainted with Allah and is engaged in His Zikr; then it is filled with Barakaat-e Nabuwwat (Prophetic blessings) which infuse their purity in the mind and body. This not only helps in controlling sensual drives but also removes traces of abhorrence, voracity, envy and insecurity from human soul. The person therefore becomes an embodiment of love, both for the Divine and the corporeal. This is the meaning of a Hadith, “There is a lump of flesh in the human body; if it goes astray the entire body is misguided, and if it is reformed the entire body is reformed. Know that this lump is the Qalb”.’
PAS ANFAS
Recent History Khawajah Naqshband (d. 1389 CE) organized the Naqshbandia Order at Bukhara (Central Asia). This Order has two main branches – the Mujaddidia and the Owaisiah. The former is identified with Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, known as Mujaddid Alif Sani (literally: reviver of the second Muslim millennium), a successor to Khawajah Baqi Billah, who introduced the Order to the Indo- Pakistan sub-continent. The Owaisiah Order employs a similar method of Zikr but acquires the Prophetic blessings in the manner of Khawajah Owais Qarni, who received this beneficence from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) without a formal physical meeting. The Zikr employed by the Naqshbandia is ‘Zikr-e Khafi Qalbi’ (remembrance of Allah’s Name within the heart) and the method is termed ‘Pas Anfas’, which (in Persian) means guarding every breath. The Chain of Transmission of these Barakah, of course, emanates from the holy Prophet- SAWS.
SPIRITUAL BAI’AT (OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
It is necessary in all Sufi Orders that the Sheikh and the seekers must be contemporaries and must physically meet each other for the transfer of these blessings. However, the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order goes beyond this requirement and Sufis of this Order receive these Barakah regardless of physical meeting with their Sheikh or even when the Sheikh is not their contemporary. Yet, it must be underscored that physical meeting with the Sheikh of this Order still holds great importance in dissemination of these Barakah. Sheikh Sirhindi writes about the Owaisiah Order in his book ‘Tazkirah’: ‘It is the most sublime, the most exalted, and the most effective…and the highest station of all others is only its stepping stone.’ By far the greatest singular distinction of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order is the honor of Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance) directly at the blessed hands of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
SHEIKH HAZRAT MOULANA ALLAH YAR KHAN (R.A)
The Reviver Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chikrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The same year, he met Sheikh ‘Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Sheikh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was immediately established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century CE) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years, after which he was directed to undertake the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular zeal and dedication for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss commensurate with his/her sincerity and capacity. Sheikh Allah Yar Khan’s mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and eminence. He authored eighteen books, the most distinguished being Dalael us-Sulook (Sufism - An Objective Appraisal), Hayat-e Barzakhiah (Life Beyond Life) and Israr ul- Haramain (Secrets of the two holy Mosques). He was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished Sufi saints of the Muslim Ummah and a reviver of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order. He passed away on 18 February 1984 in Islamabad at the age of eighty.
THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION OF NAQSHBANDIA OWAISIAH
1. Hazrat Muhammad ur-Rasool Allah (Sall Allah-o Alaihi wa Sallam), 2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radhi Allah-o Unho), 3. Hazrat Imam Hassan Basri (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 4. Hazrat Daud Tai (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 5. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 6. Hazrat Ubaid Ullah Ahrar (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 7. Hazrat Abdur Rahman Jami (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 8. Hazrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Salih (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 9. Hazrat Allah Deen Madni (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 10. Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi).
THE SPIRIT OR RUH
The spirit or Ruh of every person is a created reflection of the Divine Attributes and it originates in Alam-e Amar (Realm of Command). Its food is the Light of Allah or the Divine Refulgence, which it acquires from the Realm of Command through the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him), whose status in the spiritual world is like that of the sun in the solar system. The Quran refers to him as the ‘bright lamp’. Indeed, he is the divinely selected channel of all Barakah. All Exalted Messengers themselves receive these Barakah from him.
LATAIF
The human Ruh also possesses vital organs like the physical body; through which it acquires its knowledge, food and energy. These are called Lataif (singular Latifah: subtlety). Scholars of various Sufi Orders have associated them with specific areas of the human body. The Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order identifies these Lataif as follows. First - Qalb: This spiritual faculty is located within the physical heart. Its function is Zikr. Its strength increases one’s capacity for Allah’s Zikr. Second – Ruh: The site of this Latifah, which is a distinct faculty of the human Ruh, is on the right side of the chest at the level of Qalb. Its primary function is concentration towards Allah. Third – Sirri: This is located above the Qalb and functions to make possible Kashf. Forth – Khaffi: This is located above the Ruh and functions to perceive the omnipresence of Allah. Fifth – Akhfa: This is located in the middle of chest, at the centre of the first four Lataif and makes it possible for the Ruh to perceive the closeness of Allah, Who is closer to us than our own selves. Sixth – Nafs: This Latifah is located at the forehead and functions to purify the human soul. Seventh – Sultan al-Azkar: This Latifah is located at the top centre of the head and serves to absorb the Barakah of Allah into the entire body, so that every cell resonates with Zikr.
FIVE EXALTED MESSENGERS OF GOD
There are Five Exalted Messengers among the many known and unknown Messengers of Allah. They are Hazrat Muhammad, Hazrat Nuh (Noah), Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), Hazrat Musa (Moses), and Hazrat Esa (Jesus), peace be upon them all. Hazrat Adam is the first Prophet of Allah and the father of mankind. Each Latifah is associated with a particular Prophet. The Barakah and lights from Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him), descend on the first Latifah Qalb; its lights are reflected from the first heaven and are yellowish. The second Latifah is associated with Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon them). Its lights descend from the second heaven and appear as golden red. The lights descending upon the third Latifah are from Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and are white. One the fourth Latifah, the lights of Hazrat Esa (peace be upon him) descend from the fourth heaven and are deep blue. The fifth Latifah receives its Barakah directly from the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him). The lights associated with this Latifah are green, descend from the fifth heaven, and overwhelm all the first four Lataif. The Lights descending upon the sixth and seventh Lataif are the Divine Lights, whose color and condition cannot be determined. These are like flashes of lightening that defy comprehension. If Allah blesses a seeker with Kashf, he can observe all of this. The vision is slightly diffused in the beginning, but gradually the clarity improves.
SULOOK
Stages of the Path After all seven Lataif of a seeker have been illuminated with Divine Lights through Tawajjuh of the Sheikh and his Ruh has acquired the ability to fly, the Sheikh initiates its journey on the sublime Path of Divine nearness. The Path is known as Sulook, and its stages are not hypothetical imaginations but real and actually existing stations on the spiritual Path. These are also referred to as Meditations, because a seeker mentally meditates about a station while his/her Ruh actually ascends towards it. The first three stations that form the base of whole Sulook are described as; Ahadiyyat, a station of Absolute Unity of Divinity. It is above and beyond the seven heavens. It is so vast a station that the seven heavens and all that they encompass are lost within Ahadiyyat as a ring is lost in a vast desert. Its lights are white in color. Maiyyat station denotes Divine Company, ‘He is with you, wherever you might be.’ This station is so vast that Ahadiyyat along with the seven heavens beneath are lost within it as a ring is lost in a desert. Its lights are green in color. Aqrabiyyat station denotes Divine Nearness, ‘He is nearer to you than your life- vein.’ Again, Aqrabiyyat is vast as compared to Maiyyat in the same proportion. Its lights are golden red and are reflected from the Divine Throne. It is indeed the greatest favor of Almighty Allah that He blesses a seeker with an accomplished Sheikh, who takes him to these sublime stations. The final station that a seeker attains to during his/her lifetime becomes his/her Iliyyeen (blessed abode) in Barzakh and his/her Ruh stays at this station after death.
ZIKR
Why is Zikr Necessary for Everyone? Allah ordains every soul in the Quran to Perform Zikr. This not only means reciting the Quran and Tasbeeh but also Zikr-e Qalb. It is only through Zikr-e Qalbi that Prophetic Lights reach the depths of human soul and purify it from all vice and evil. Zikr infuses a realization of constant Divine Presence and a seeker feels great improvement in the level of sincerity and love towards Allah and the holy Prophet- SAWS. Such levels of sincerity, love and feelings of Divine Presence can never be obtained without Zikr. It would be a mistake to believe that Zikr may be a requirement only for the very pious and virtuous people. Zikr provides the Prophetic blessings which are in effect the life line of every human soul. It transforms even the most corrupted humans into virtuous souls by bringing out the best in them. The fact is that Zikr is the only way to achieve true contentment and satisfaction in life. The holy Quran has pointed to this eternal fact that it is only through Zikr Allah that hearts can find satisfaction. Such satisfaction and peace are the ultimate requirements of every person, regardless of religion, race and ethnicity. Practicing Zikr regularly removes all traces of anxiety and restlessness, and guides the human soul to eternal bliss and peace.
KHALIFA MAJAZEEN
Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), during his life time in 1974, presented a nomination list to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), during Maraqba, of expected Khalifa Majazeen for Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) approved some names, deleted some of the names, and added down the name of Major Ghulam Muhammad as also Khalifa Majaaz of Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia (which was not previously included in the list)
The approved names at that time included:
1. Mr. Muhammad Akram Awan Sahib,
2. Mr. Sayed Bunyad Hussain Shah Sahib,
3. Mr. Major Ahsan Baig Sahib,
4. Mr. Col. Matloob Hussain Sahib,
5. Mr. Major Ghulam Muhammad Sahib of Wan Bhachran Mianwali,
6. Mr. Molvi Abdul Haq Sahib,
7. Mr. Hafiz Abdul Razzaq Sahib,
8. Mr. Hafiz Ghulam Qadri Sahib,
9. Mr. Khan Muhammad Irani Sahib,
10. Mr. Maolana Abdul Ghafoor Sahib,
11. Mr. Syed Muhammad Hassan Sahib of Zohb.
These Majazeen were authorized to; held Majalis of Zikar (Pas Anfas) in their respective areas, arrange Majalis of Zikar in neighboring areas, train them on the way of Sulook, prepare them for Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance), and present them to Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan for Spiritual Bai’at at the Hand of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), in the life of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), and were all equal in status as Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Presently we are following Hazrat Major ® Ghulam Muhammad Sahib, Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
خواب میں دوپٹے دیکھنا خواب میں دوپٹے دیکھنے کی تعبیر Khwab mein Dupatta dekhna Agar koi shakhs khwab mein dupatta dekhe to iski kya tabeer hai? Khwab mein dupatta dekhna Qanaat naseeb hone ki daleel hai urdu khwabon ki tabeer online tabeer maloom karne k usool islamic dream interpretation khawabon ki tabeer ka urdu Khawab nama. khwabon Ki Tabeer urdu main khwab kya kehty hain Khwab or hakikat- apne khwabon ki tabeer janiye- Dream interpretation Tabeer Al Royaa. تعبیر خواب tabire khab farsi Shanasai khwab waqai w ghair waqei tabeer e khawab w tafseer royaa Jame Kaamil khwab ki tabeer se related wo sab kuch jo ap janna chahte hain islamic khwabon ki tabeer in urdu خوابوں کی تعبیر khawab nama Dreams present dreams or khawab and khawab ki tabeer in Urdu is explained here with meanings. Khawabon ki tabeer with meanings or khwab aur Khwabon Ki Tabeer Pay Se, khwab nama in urdu, khwab aur un ki tabeer, pay se shuru hone wale khwabon ki tabeer, khawab nama, khab nama, tabeer ur roya Khwab Ki Tabeer, Khwabon Ki Tabeer, Khwab Nama in Urdu khwabon ki tabeer, khawab nama, khwab ki tabeer in urdu, khwab ki tabeer, tafsir al ahlam khawab ki tabeer, khwab ki tabeer, khawab, khwab, tabeer, khawab nama, khwabo ki tabeer, tabeer khwab, rohani ilaj, roohani ilaj, istikhara, hisab, taweez Dream Interpretation, aap ka khwab , Khwab ki tabeer , dreams details in urdu. حقیقتِ خواب تر تیب ردیف الف · ردیف ب · Share. DMCA.com. Weekly Horoscope Dost aap ka blog bohat hi aaala hai, mujy khawabon k bary me bohat c maloomat yahan sy mili hain. KHAWAB ME AGR MURDAY KO AZAB ME DEKHAIN TO USKI TABEER KYA HO GI ?? ... aap ka koi contact num mil sakta hai ? Khwabon Ki Tabeer By Mufti Muhammad Faiz Ahmad Awaisi Khwabon Ki Tabeer In Urdu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please Subscribe Here:- www.youtube.com/channel/UCOQGJbVpkHDa3l_R0EA_CgQ FACEBOOK:- ift.tt/2pOCx6j TWITTER:- twitter.com/DesiNuskhay GOOGLE+:- ift.tt/2pdAz33 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Desi Nuskhay Aur Wazaif channel is about all general health related issues in Urdu / hindi, Urdu Totkay, Hindi totkay, Health News in Urdu, health tips, beauty tips & ghareloo totkay, Islamic Knowledge in Urdu.Cooking Recipes in Urdu. We also provide the information about vegetable benefits in urdu, sabzion ke faide, fruits benefits for health, phalon ke faide, We also discuss life issues like... How to live a happy and healthy life in urdu. We provide general information about your health for more information and treatments please contact your doctor. For more videos please subscribe www.youtube.com/channel/UCOQGJbVpkHDa3l_R0EA_CgQ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Health Disclaimer: The information on this channel is designed for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care.