MIRACLES -ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE IN BRIEF-PART 3.

From the Layman’s (Nasir Ali) Desk-7: Miracles –Islamic perspective in brief: Part 3.



In the name of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful.


Tasawwuf is not new to Islam:

We need to explain a few more things before we come to the "Miracles".  We noted earlier that Deen consists of Islam, Iman and Ihsan. We further noted that Ihsan is what came to be known later as Tasawwuf.  In other words, the reality of Tasawwuf existed during the time of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam). Those who say that it is borrowed from other disciplines simply want to mislead the Muslims.  In the early period of Islam, the followers of Tasawwuf or Sufism were known as Muqarrabin (favourites of Allah) Sabirin (patient ones), Abrar (the virtuous), Zuhhad (the pious), Awliya-Allah (Friends of Allah), Siddiqun (Truthful) which were all the Quranic terms. Therefore, the absence of the word “Tasawwuf” or “Sufi” does not indicate that the reality was not there. In fact, the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) was the first Sufi who used to retire to Ghaare Hira for Dhikr Allah. During the early years of his ministry forty-five men of Makkah joined as many others of Madinah the Radiant, took an oath of fidelity to the doctrines of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) and formed a fraternity, engaging themselves in devotion, renouncing the active life of the world and engaging themselves in prayers and meditation. They occupied the verandah of the Masjid and came to be known as the Ahle Suffa, whence came the word “Sufi”.  The earliest mention of those words has been made by Hasan Basri ® (d.110 A.H.) and by Sufyan al-Thawri the Islamic scholar, jurist, Hafiz who learnt various shades of meaning of 'Riya' (Ostentation) from a Sufi.   

The Sufis have also adapted themselves to the pattern of Hazrat Abu Bakr ® in stripping themselves of worldly things; to Hazrat Umar ® in wearing of the patched robe or Muraqqa and rigorously performing religious duties; to Hazrat Uthman ® in resigning their affairs to Allah, sincerity of devotion and sacrificing life and property; to Hazrat Ali ® in endurance of affliction, and in respect to the truth of outward expressions and subtleties of inward meanings, severance of all things from the heart except the remembrance of Allah who keeps his servants in whatever state He wills, and consideration of Divine Providence.


Imam Muhammed Mathum al-Faruqi ® has given us details on the subject in the 59th letter of the second volume of his Maktubat. According to him, all the paths of tasawwuf come from Rasulullah (sall-allahu alaihi wasallam). The superiors of tasawwuf have attained the ma’arif emanating from the blessed heart of Rasulullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) through their Guides in every century. In fact, all the external and the internal (spiritual) perfections were attained through the Holy Messenger (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam). The external form of command and prohibition was transmitted by the learned scholars of the four schools of thoughts. The hidden knowledge relating to the heart and soul were conducted by the Sufis. Indeed the terms fana’, baqa’, jadhba, suluk and sair-i ila’llah, which were used for attainments on the way of tasawwuf, were first used by the great leaders of tasawwuf.


Imam-e-Rabbani points out that it  is written in the Sahih of al-Bukhari that Abu Huraira (radi-Allahu ta’ala ’anh) said:


‘I filled two cups from Rasulullah (sallallahu ’alaihi wasallam). I have explained the contents of one of them. You would kill me if I disclosed the other.’


{Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 3, Number 121: where” two cups” are sometimes translated as “two kinds” or as G.F. Haddad recommends: “Two vessels”. }


Those who don’t believe in Tasawwuf, the above hadith has been the butt of frequent criticism. But it is there in Sahih Bukhari unless it has been expunged.   For brevity's sake, I don't intend to go into the background of this Hadith Shareef.   


It is also written in the Sahih of al-Bukhari that when ’Umar ® died, his son ’Abdullah ® said that nine-tenths of knowledge had died and, seeing that the listeners were confused, added that he meant not the knowledge of fiqh (jurisprudence) but the knowledge of knowing Allah (Gnosis).


Sufi terminologies such as Tawajjuh (thinking deeply) of Allah Most High, the dhikrs of nafi (negation) and ithbat (affirmation) and muraqaba (meditation) existed during the time of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) and that of as-Sahabat al-kiram ® . Although the above terms had not been heard from the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) but he did have the above states {ahwal (pl. of haal, spiritual state)}.

According to Shah Waliyulla Dehelvi, the four periods of mysticism were to the liking of Allah. During the first and the second century of Islam, the outcome of mysticism and the sum-total of the religion was Ihsan. The second began with Junaid Baghdadi ® when the emphasis was put on the acquisition of attributes, i.e ‘Ta’alluq Billah’ (attachment with Allah). The third began with Shaykh Abu Sa’id Fazlullah Ibn abi’l Khayr of Mayhana and with Abu’l Hasan Kharqani ® when on crossing the bar of action the mystics acquired the degree of ‘ Jadhb’ (Absorption). The fourth period began with ibn al-Arabi when other relevant problems of mysticism were discussed (such as “Wahdat al-Wajud or Unity of Being).

In passing it may be noted that later when Ahmad Sirhind Mujaddid Alf Sani confronted the Unity of Being with his own, Unity of Witnessing, (Wahdat al-Shuhud) it was Hazrat Shah Waliullah Dehelvi who brought about the reconciliation between the two doctrines (Maktoob-i-Madani; Lamhaat, Lamha 21).   Care must be taken to remember that the differences, if any, were not theological ones as between Asharism and Mutazilaism,  but merely "Irfani" (Gnostic) ones.  Earlier it was Imam Ghazali (d.1111 c..) who brought about the reconciliation between the theological Islam and the mystic or Sufistic Islam where it was necessary to get rid of evil dispositions, vile qualities and the appetites of the flesh. Then it was for the heart to be cleared of all except Allah - and this could be done by Dhikr-Allah. This could not be acquired by learning but by inward transformation and actually experiencing. That was why Imam Ghazali detached himself from worldly ties and turned wholly to Allah. But that’s another subject. 


That brings us to the importance of loving Awliya-Allah. We have never seen the Awliya-Allah of the past but we do love them for the sake of Allah since they are the beloved of Allah.


IMPORTANCE OF LOVING AWLIYA-ALLAH:


We have to remember that Awliya-Allah have strived to help the Ummah of our beloved Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam). Everyone Muslim knows that the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) has clearly indicated that on the Day of Resurrection, Hazrat Uwais al-Qarni ® would intercede for as many people of the Ummah as there were the sheep of Rabia and Muzzer tribe. Before the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) assumed the veil from this material world, he had also asked Hazrat Umar ® and Hazrat Ali ® to seek him and give him his mantle and also ask him to pray to Allah for the forgiveness of both of them – which they did. Generally, such is the status of Awliya-Allah.


Hazrat Shaykh Muhiyuddeen Abdul Qadir Jilani Ghousul Azam ® once said that if Allah grants him a station of honour in His sight, he would obtain from his Creator a covenant on behalf of his disciples, to be binding till the Day of Qiyamah, that none of them would die without being in a state of repentance, and that he would be the Surety for them in this regard.


Hazrat Bayazid Bistami ® too states that he had made a resolve to pray for all the creatures. However, then a thought came to him that the station of intercession belongs to the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam). So he observed his manner. He tells us that then he heard a voice saying, because of this one observance of good manners, I have exalted your name so that until the Resurrection, men shall call you the Sultan of the Gnostics.


Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishti ® too prayed for the salvation of followers till the Day of Qiyamah (Last Day) and obtained it while he was absorbed in prayers at the Ka’ba Shareef in 583 A.H.


Without purifying our heart, it is very difficult to receive “Faiz” from Awliya-Allah. Once when someone asked Hazrat Bayazid Bistami ® the reason why the former had not gained spiritually despite remaining in his company for so long, the Shaykh replied: “It’s because of your ‘Nafs’ (carnal self) which is not under your control. You do not regard honour the same as a disgrace. Consider both of them equal.”


There was a person whose mother had been telling him off and on to offer supererogatory prayers (‘nawaafil’) and sit in the company of Bayazid Bistami ®. Like many of us today, he thought that if he has at all to offer additional prayers or do some extra good deeds, why not do it on our own and alone! The answer holds good today as it was then. The Faiz (Divine Effusion) of Allah would come to that person in his individual capacity which is not much compared to that he would get by sitting in the company of Awliya-Allah who have the ‘Qurb” (nearness) of Allah.


Allah has promised us that He will accept the prayers of those whom he Loves. We know that Messengers of Allah, Prophets, Siddiqeen (the Truthful), Shohda (Martyrs), Awliya-Allah (Friends of Allah) and the Saliheen (the Pious and Righteous people) are loved by Allah. “Faiz” and “Marifa” have been over-flowing from Hazrat Imam Jafar Sadiq to the great Sufi Masters and Awliya through Hazrat Abu Bakr ® and to those of other Orders (Silsilas) through Hazrat Ali ®.


A man asked Bayazid, "Show me a deed by which I will approach my Lord." He said, "Love the friends of Allah in order that they will love you. Love his saints until they love you. Because Allah looks at the hearts of His saints and He will see your name engraved in the heart of His saints and He will forgive you." For this reason, the Naqshbandi followers have been elevated by their love for their shaikhs. This love lifts them to a station of continuous pleasure and continuous presence in the heart of their beloved.


In his first letter, Shaykh Ahmad al-Badawi ® has indicated that “no one who sits with them (i.e. the Awliya) is wretched,”  as reported in the Sahih.  He quotes a hadith from Sahih Bukhari regarding the evidence against turning away from sitting with them: “Shall I tell you about the three men? One of them took himself to Allah and Allah took him in. The other was shy, so Allah was shy with him. And the other turned away, so Allah turned away from him.” Awliya-Allah are the endless treasure trove, impenetrable fortress, “the universal interspace” and the overflowing sea.


Therefore, we need to seek the company of such emancipated souls. No less a person than Hazrat Fariduddin Masood Ganj-e-Shakhar ® who is known in the sub-continent of India and Pakistan as Baba Farid and is the third Peer-O-Murshid in line of the Chishtiya Silsila, himself used to set out to meet saints, i.e. before he met Hazrat Qutub-ud-din Bhaktiyar Kaki.


“Uth Farida gaun kar duniyaa bekhan jay,
Mat koyee bakshaa milanwajay tuu bhee bakshaa jay”


(Get up O Farid and roam about the world/Maybe in thy wandering ye may meet some emancipated soul, receive his blessings and achieve deliverance.)


Hazrat Baba Farid ® has narrated that there was a sinful young man who died in Multan. It was revealed in a dream that the young man had been pardoned by Allah for the reason that one day when Hazrat Khwaja Baha-uddin  Zakariya Multani was taking a walk, the young man had kissed his hand with the utmost respect. It was because of this gesture that he had been pardoned.


On the subject of Loving of Awliya-Allah, this is especially applicable to loving the Ahle Bayt or People of the House of Prophet (sallal laahu alahi wassallam).  According to the prophetic traditions, not loving Hazrat Ali (R) is a sign of a hypocrite (Munafiq) and offending Hazrat Fatimah (R) is offending the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) whose dear daughter she is.  The Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) has categorically shown his love for Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain (may Allah be pleased with them both).    According to a Sahih Hadith in Tirmidhi, the Messenger of Allah (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) has said: "When I am loved, then my family members whom I love, should also be loved." 

Loving someone means having an affinity with that person and having a strong affection for that person, and accepting the deeds and beliefs of that person.  This should not be confused with the words: "although I have not acted like them.." which appears in Sahih Muslim, in a hadith reported by Anas bin Maalik in addition to the one, that when a person told the Messenger of Allah (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) that "I have made no significant preparation with prayer and fasting and charity, but I,  however, love Allah and His Messenger,' thereupon the Messenger of Allah (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) said: "you would be along with the one whom you love."   These words underline that although I do not possess their strength of belief, their actions, their piety and their powerful proximity to Allah with their devotions, yet with all my faults and shortcoming in controlling my 'Nafs' (carnal soul or the lower self) and striving to do those deeds, I do love them while admitting that I have not acted like them.  Allah tells us: Whoso obeyeth Allah and the messenger, they are with those unto whom Allah hath shown favour, of the prophets and the saints and the martyrs and the righteous. The best of the company are they! (Qur'an 4:69).  In fact that this company begins from the Barzakh itself is also proven from the prophetic traditions.  This will definitely bring out the paramount importance of loving those whom Allah has shown His favours though we may not be to anything as far as their rank with Allah goes, or we may not even belong to their 'Jamaat', yet by loving them we can expect to be in their august company right after leaving this transitory world.  As Allah says in the next verse: That is bounty from Allah (Qur'an: 4:70).  What a bounty it is! As it has been said “Zikr-ul-Anbiah Ibada tun Wa Zikr-ul-Auliya Kafara tun” i.e. Discussing the Prophets of Allah is a form of Ibaadah, and discussing the Awliya is atonement. The Mercy of Allah descends when His Awliya are discussed.

To continue, Insha Allah….


NASIR

THE SPIRITUAL EYE - AN ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE.

From Layman's Desk -1: THE SPIRITUAL EYE.

“Say this is my way. I am inviting you towards God by the way of
internal sight.” (12:108)

We must get to know some idea as to what we mean by the term “Spiritual Eye,” also known as the “Inward Eye,” “Eye of the Heart,” (‘Chashme Qalb’) all of which are opposed to the “Carnal Eye,” and “Material Eye”. The eyes that are visible to us are the “Material Eye,” but the sight which is the prerogative of the select few is calld the “Spiritual Eye,” as it is not commonly visible. When the Holy Qur’an says, “You perceive (it) not” (2:154) while stating that the Martyrs are alive, it is actually referring to our material eye and its inability to perceive the hidden realities which can only be seen by the spiritual eye.

In his celebrated masterpiece, IHYA ULUM ID DIN, Imam Ghazaali (Reh.) speaks of this distinction:

“When a man dies, he is removed from this material world to a world which is unknown and spiritual and it cannot be seen with this material eye.

“An eye is created within the mind of every man but it is covered by him with passions and earthly desires and nothing of the spiritual world can be seen with the eye of heart unless the screen over it is removed. As this screen is removed from the eyes of the Prophets, they can see things of the spiritual world.”

An authentic prophetic tradition in Nasaai, which is also confirmed by Haakim as genuine, states:

“Do you feel surprised at the friendship of Ibrahim with Allah, His talking with Moosa, and His being seen by Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhe wassallam).”

Therefore, as the screen of earthly desires and passions was removed from the eyes of the Prophets, Ibrahim (a.s.) became ‘Khaleel Allah’ (bosom friend of Allah). Moosa (a.s.) was ‘Kalimullah’ (who spoke to Allah), and Muhammed (sallallaahu alayhe wassallam) is the Messenger of Allah who has seen Allah.

The distinction between the Material Eye and the Spiritual Eye has also been alluded to by Ali bin Usman al-Hajwiri (Daata Ganje Baksh rahamatullah) in his celebrated KASHF AL MAHJUB. According to him, the the Holy Prophet (sallallaahu alayhe wassallam) told Aisha (Radi Allah Anha) that he did not see Allah on the Night of Ascension whereas Ibn Abbas (Radi Allah Anhu) relates that the the Holy Prophet (sallallaahu alayhe wassallam) told him that he saw Allah on that occasion. This seeming contradiction has been explained by the Awliya-Allah in terms of the “Material Eye” and the “Spiritual Eye”. He explains that in saying that he did not see Allah, the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhe wassallam) was referring to his Material Eye. By saying that he did see Allah on that occasion, the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhe wassallam) was referring to his Spiritual Eye. Since Aisha (R) was a Formalist (ahl-e-rusoom) and Ibn Abbas (R) was a Spiritualist (ahl-i-ma’ani) it was necessary for the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhe wassallam) to speak to each of them according to their insight.

This insight is also commonly known as the “Kashf” which is the station of revelation or the “unveiledness”. In order that the screen or veil be removed from the person, that person should continually be seeking the Truth and fleeing from the Falsehood. But for a person who essentially sees no difference between the Truth and the Falsehood, will never have his screen removed because he falls into the category of those whose hearts have been “sealed” by Allah.

We will now see how when the screen is not removed, it leads to blindness of the heart which is the Spiritual Eye. Such a person remains blind even in the hereafter in contrast to the people of faith who will be provided with a light there. This light, again, varies with the degree of the faith and the degree of the veil removed.

In Surah Noor of the Holy Qur’an we read:

“Say to the believing men to lower their gaze....” (24:30)

“Say to the believing women to lower their gaze..(24:31)

So, we are told to close our eyes to the physical lusts. What needs to be really opened wide is our Inner Eye or the Eye of the Intelligence and to have no thought except the vision of God. Our hearts being synonymous with the rest of Intellect, and Intellect in turn being synonymous with the Light, it is really the blindness of this eye, i.e. the heart, which the Qur’an speaks of:

“Truly, it is not the eyes that are blind, but the Hearts which are in their breasts.” (22:46).

The heedless and the ignorant who follow their lusts are blind. That this blindness means that the children of darkness will not receive the Light of Allah’s countenance is clear:

“But those who were blind in the world, will be blind in the Hereafter. And most stray from the path. (17:72)

In the Darkness of the Day of Judgment, those who believe in Allah and the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhe wassallam) will “have their reward and their Light” (57:19).

Again, in the same Surah al-Hadid of the Holy Qur’an it is stated:

“O ye that believe! Fear Allah, and believe in His Messenger, and He will bestow on you a double portion of his Mercy: He will provide for you a Light by which ye shall walk (straight in your path) and He will forgive you (your past); for Allah is oft-Forgiving and Merciful.” (57:28)

It is further stated in the same Surah:

“The Day shalt thou see the believing men and the believing women – How their Light runs forward before them and by their right hands; (Their greetings will be) ‘Good news for you this Day! Gardens below which flow rivers! To dwell therein forever!’ This is indeed the highest triumph.” (57:12)

This verse shows that the light of faith by which the believers were guided in this life, but which was visible only by spiritual eye, would be clearly seen going before the believers on the Resurrection Day.

“Allah is the Light of the Heavens and the earth...(24:35) and in the same verse of Surah Noor it is also said: “Allah guides to his light whom he pleases”. But this Light is not distributed uniformly. The Holy Qur’an also states: “To all are degrees (or ranks) according to their deeds.” (6:132). It also points out that the believers have “grades of dignity” (8:4). In the Holy Qur’an these ranks have been mentioned variously as Prophets, the affirmers of truth (Siddiqeen), the martyrs, and the righteous (Saaleheen)...(4:69), on all of whom is the Grace of Allah.

Again, in Surah Waqiah, we have three classes: The Companions of the Right Hand (Ashaab ul-Maimana), Companions of the Left Hand (Ashaab al-Mash-ama), and the Foremost (Saabeqoon) who will be the nearest to Allah (al-Muqurreboon): the first group being the righteous people; the second, of those who will be in the “midst of a fierce blast of fire and in boiling water and in the shade of black smoke” for persisting in “wickedness supreme”; and the third group of those who attained the highest degree in spiritual understanding.

In verse 35 of Surah Ahzaab of the Holy Qur’an, the believing men and women have been categorised variously as those who submit, who believe, who are devout, who speak the truth, who are patient, who are humble, who give alms, who fast, who guard (their chastity) and who remember (Allah much) - all for whom Allah has prepared forgiveness and a vast reward.

In Surah Mujaadila, it is stated: “Allah will exalt those who believe among you, and those who have knowledge, to high ranks.” (58:11)

True, faith equalises all before Allah, but there is leadership, and rank and degree, depending on the knowledge and insight. For example, regarding the Awliya-Allah, the Holy Qur’an states:

“Behold! Verily on the Awliya-Allah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve.” (10:62)

According to a prophetic tradition, the Holy Prophet (sallallaahu alayhe wassallam) stated:

“Allah created his creation in darkness, then He sprayed it with His Light. Those whom the light reached became rightly guided, while those it did not, went astray.”

The Holy Qur’an states:

“Some faces on that day shall be bright. Looking to their Lord.” (75:22, 23)

According to the authentic traditions, some will be shining as the bright full moon on the night, some like the bright shining stars, and so on. This light is in direct proportion to the degree of faith and attainment of the gnosis of Allah.

Imam Ghazaali (Reh.) points out in his IHYA, the light of the faith of the prophets and the apostles is as the rays of the sun; the light of the Siddiqoon (the Truthful) is like that of the moon; the light of the Awliya-Allah is like that of the stars; and the light of the ordinary believers is like that of a lamp. According to him, the light gets stronger with the involvement of sure faith: if it is just blind faith as in the case of ordinary believer, it is dim; the faith of the followers of jurisprudence or Fiqh involves some proof and is not based on hearsay, so the light is stronger than that of the ordinary believers. Coming to the light of Awliya-Allah, he says that it involves certain faith. This is real knowledge gained by the direct sight of the Inner Eye. So the intensity of this light is much more than that of the above categories.

In the words of Shaikh Nuh Ha Mim Keller in his article on Haqiqat al-Muhammadiyya:
“The light of each human being depends upon his faith, knowledge and virtue. The most powerful lights are those of Divine Messengers, then those of Prophets, Saints, virtuous believers, and finally those of sinful believers.”

For the lover of Allah, the light in his heart keeps him busy with the next world When his Spiritual Eye is opened, his bodily eye is shut and he sees nothing but Allah. When ‘Abd Allah Ibn ‘Umar (R) was circumambulating the Ka’ba, someone wished him the Salaam; but he did not hear since he had shut himself off from the external world. Later on, when that person asked him the reason for not replying to his Salaam, he stated: “We were seeing God”. Similarly, when Hazarat ‘Ali (R) was asked if he saw God, he replied: “How should we worship the One we don’t see?” Indeed, this is the foremost component of ‘Ihsan’ the second one being to worship Allah as if He is seeing you - the first being to worship Allah as if you see Him.

Therefore, it behoves a believer to seek ways and means to get acquainted with the ‘Chashme Qalb’ or “Ruy’at al-Qalb” or the Vision of the Heart, or the Inner Heart or Spiritual Eye rather than the outward or the Carnal Eye, so that while living in this world he or she don’t go about being blind to the spiritual truths lest the Heart gets Sealed by Allah and they becomes blind in the hereafter where such people would have to go without any light and thus stray from the right path. That’s the importance of the Spiritual Eye in short.

Allah and his Rasool (s) know best.

NASIR