Through a mysterious power [qudra
khafiya], an inner will [irada batina] exerted by ALLAH (Almighty and Glorious
is He), His Prophets [anbiya'], His saints [Awliya'] and the special few [khawass]
among His creatures are detached from their worldly desires. Not the slightest
trace of carnal desire and willfulness remains within them, so that their inner
beings [bawatin] are purely devoted to Him. Then, when He wishes to grant them
their allotted shares in full, He creates the life of worldly existence [wujud]
within them, so that all the allotted shares may be received.
Jesus (peace be upon him) did not marry; he never took a wife. At the end of
time, ALLAH (Exalted is He) will send him back down to the earth, and He will
then marry him to a young woman of Quraish, who will bear him a son.
As for the person with real experience ['arif], he does not receive his portion
until after achieving proficiency in both knowledge ['ilm] and abstinence [zuhd],
then he collects his allotted shares along with all the rest of you. He regains
his worldly appetites after having abstained from them [to be on the safe side]
whenever there was any doubt. Once he has acquired knowledge, cold water tastes
good to him, while in the eyes of pious abstainers the finest meal seems like
drinking wine and eating the flesh of the pig. Many a pious abstainer is shut
off by his abstinence from the Lord of Truth, and many a person with real
experience is shut off through dwelling too much on his experience [ma'rifa],
although this is actually rather unusual and in most cases he is likely to be
safe and sound.
As a general rule, your closeness to the sons of this world keeps you far away
from ALLAH (Almighty and Glorious is He). The right course for you is to
concentrate your attention on the hereafter and on worshipful obedience, then
you may be saved, while your allotted shares will come to you even if they are
unwelcome.
What He requires of you [first of all] is that you stop following your natural
tendency [tab'] and put in its place the special concessions [rukhas] allowed by
the sacred law [shar']. Then He will instruct you to give up these special
concessions bit by bit, until all your actions are in accordance with the strict
interpretation ['azima]. Then, if you patiently observe the strict version of
the law, love for ALLAH (Almighty and Glorious is He) will arise within your
heart. Once love is firmly established there, saintship [wilaya] will come to
you from ALLAH (Almighty and Glorious is He).
If you are sensible, count yourself among the people of the Fire [of Hell],
because this will encourage you to improve your conduct. If you are in fact one
of the people of the Garden [of Paradise], you will have demonstrated your
gratitude to Him. When you go out of your house, you should feel as if you were
going forth to war, as if you might never come back home again. You should also
be aware that you are made to suffer because of your acquisitiveness, and be
convinced that ALLAH (Exalted is He) is capable of sustaining you without effort
or strain.
The believer [mu'min] is sometimes like a mountain and at other times like a
feather, blown about by the winds of His destiny [qadar]; in the face of
misfortunes like a mountain, but in the company of the Lord of Truth (Almighty
and Glorious is He) like a feather wafted by the winds of His decrees [aqdar].
O people of ours, it is too late for you to fill the role of Messenger [risala]
or the role of Prophet [Nubuwwah], but there is still time for you to experience
saintship [wilaya]!
There can be no access to the King's company as long as one is still attached to
worldly existence [wujud]. It seems you must be blind, since you do not see. It
seems you must have quenched your thirst, since you do not drink. It seems you
must be dead, since there is no movement in you. Woe unto the outcasts who are
unaware of being outcasts! You do no good, nor do you help the good people to do
good. You are bad; you love a worldly life with no hereafter, an outer [zahir]
with no inner [batin]. You will gain no benefit from your important connections,
your wealth and your patron. You will soon be dead, and after death you will
suffer humiliation.
Should anyone desire glory, the glory belongs to ALLAH. (35:10)
And [thus it also belongs] to His Messenger [rasul] and to the saints [Awliya']
and the champions of truth [siddiqun].
The ocean is this world, the ship is the sacred law [shar'] and the sailor is
the grace [lutf] of ALLAH (Almighty and Glorious is He). Anyone who deviates
from following the sacred law will therefore drown in this world, but if someone
seeks refuge aboard the ship of the sacred law and makes himself at home there,
the sailor will appoint him to be his lieutenant [istanabahu]. He will put him
in charge of the ship and everything aboard it, and will make him a relative by
finding him a bride from his own family [saharahu]. This is how it will be for
someone who forsakes this world, devotes himself to the acquisition of knowledge
['ilm], bears suffering with patience and comes to be the beloved [mahbub] of
the sacred law. While he is in this condition, lo and behold, ALLAH (Almighty
and Glorious is He) will come and bestow His grace upon him. He will grant him
His intimate knowledge [ma'rifa] and invest him with robes of honor specially
designed for him. One mark of divine friendship on top of another [wilaya fawqa
wilaya]!
In ALLAH you have ample compensation for the loss of anything other than Him. If
something happens to pass you by, do not feel sad about it, for the King
disposes of His property as He sees fit. The slave ['abd] belongs to his Master
[Mawla], along with everything he owns. Whatever He may take away from you, you
will find it again tomorrow [at the Resurrection]. The Fire [of Hell] will say:
"Pass through, O believer [mu'min], for your light has extinguished my flames!"
Likewise in this world, when faith [iman] has grown strong and one's inner being
[batin] has made contact with the nearness of the Lord of Truth (Almighty and
Glorious is He), along comes the fire of disasters to cause an obstruction on
the path of hearts. The fire of conflicts takes its stand on the path of
aspirants, then it catches the aspirant [murid] because of the remnants he still
carries, traces of worldly attachment and attention to creatures. To those of
perfect faith [kamil al-iman] it says: "Pass through, O believer, for your light
has extinguished my flames!" They are not injured in this world by arrows that
fall from the castle walls. You must conduct yourselves in such a way that
neither the fire of this world nor that of the hereafter will be able to harm
you.
ALLAH (Almighty and Glorious is He) has certain servants whom He calls
physicians [atibba']. He lets them live in good health ['afiya], causes them to
die in good health and admits them to the Garden [of Paradise] in good health.
When someone really knows ['arafa] ALLAH (Almighty and Glorious is He), he
becomes detached from carnal appetites and pleasures. It is only because he is
compelled to do so that he accepts all his allotted shares [of worldly goods].
"The neighbor before the house [al-jar qabla'd-dar]." Having won the neighbor,
this fortunate person [mubarak] now gains the house, established in possession
by the King. The King has said:
You are today in our presence established and worthy of trust. (12:54)
When someone has really come to know ALLAH, and has been admitted to His
presence, he will not reach out with his eyes or his hands toward anything in
His kingdom. He is just like a bride ['arus] who has been solemnly escorted to
the King. Her food and drink are the nearness of the King. In His nearness she
finds the fulfillment of all her desires. When the lower self [nafs] has become
obedient, it melts together with the heart, which becomes its jailer. Then the
King releases the heart from the prison.
And the king said: "Bring him to me." (12:50)
After his nobility and his good character and good conduct have become apparent,
he will be escorted into His presence. He will greet him with noble generosity,
draw him near and bring him close, treat him kindly, invest him with robes of
honor and address him without an intermediary, saying:
You are today in our presence established and worthy of trust.
He will keep all his attention focused on Himself.
Above- ends the books that are attributed to him alongwith some excerpts from
Hazrat Sheikh Sayyed Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA)- sayings. I have briefly also noted
a few of the Sheikh’s answers to questions posed by some mureed. They are:
Concerning Divinely-inspired receivings [mawarid Ilahiyya]
and
satanic insinuations [tawariq shaitaniyya].
Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir (may ALLAH be well pleased with him) was asked to explain
the distinctive characteristics of Divinely-inspired receiving’s [mawarid
Ilahiyya] and satanic insinuations [tawariq shaitaniyya]. He replied:
"The Divinely-inspired receiving comes only in response to an appeal [istid'a'].
It does not go away because of any intervening cause [sabab]. It does not come
in one particular mode [namat], nor at any specific time. As for the satanic
insinuation [tariq shaitani], it is contrary to that in all respects."
Concerning love [mahabba].
When asked about love [mahabba], the Shaikh (may ALLAH be well pleased with him)
said: "It is a disturbance [tashwish] that affects the heart. It is inspired by
the Beloved [Mahbub], by contrast with Whom this world comes to be like the ring
of a seal, or a funeral wake. Love is an intoxication that has no corresponding
sobriety. It is total devotion to the Beloved, in every respect, both in private
and in public, with a self-effacing predilection. It is a natural impulse, not
an affectation.
"Love is blindness to everything other than Beloved, due to solicitude for Him.
It is also blindness to the Beloved Himself, due to a profound respect for Him.
It is therefore total blindness. Lovers [muhibbun] are too drunk to get sober,
except through direct vision of the Beloved. They are too sick to be cured,
except by the sight of the One they seek. They are too distressed to be
consoled, except by their Master [Mawla]. They can find no refuge, except in the
remembrance of Him. They do not respond to anyone, except to His summoner.
Concerning the realization of Divine Oneness [tawhid].
When the Shaikh (may ALLAH be well pleased with him) was asked about the
realization of Divine Oneness [tawhid], he said: "[It is signified by] the
indications of the secret of consciences [dama'ir], and of the hidden content of
the secret of the innermost beings [sara'ir], at the advent of the Divine
Presence [Hadra]. [It is signified by] the passage of the heart beyond the
ultimate boundary of thoughts, its elevation to the highest degrees of
connection [wisal], its penetration of the veils of glorification, its progress
toward nearness on the feet of detachment, its advance toward proximity with the
effort of singular devotion, in combination with the annihilation of the two
realms of being, the vacating of the two domains [this world and the Hereafter],
the removal of the two sandals, the acquisition of the two lights, and the
extinction of all the worlds beneath the radiance of the lights of the brilliant
flashes of disclosure, without previous intention."
Concerning direct knowledge [ma'rifa].
When the Shaikh (may ALLAH be well pleased with him) was asked about knowledge
acquired by direct experience [ma'rifa], he said:
"It is insight into the meanings of the secrets of the hiding places of the
mysteries, and recognition of the visible signs of the Lord of Truth [Haqq] in
everything that exists, by viewing every element thereof in the light of the
meanings of His Uniqueness [Wahdaniyya]. It is the acquisition of the knowledge
of Reality [Haqiqa] in the extinction of every transitory being, when the
Everlasting [Baqi] points toward it with the sign of the awe-inspiring dignity
of Lordship [Rububiyya]. It is recognition of the trace of perpetuity [baqa'] in
what the Everlasting [Baqi] has indicated, in the light of the majesty of
Divinity [Ilahiyya], by looking with the eye of the heart."
Concerning spiritual aspiration [himma].
When someone asked him about spiritual aspiration [himma], the Shaikh (may ALLAH
be well pleased with him) explained:
"It means that the aspirant becomes completely naked, in every part of his
being. In the case of his lower self [nafs], it is stripped of the love of this
world. In the case of his spirit [ruh], it is stripped of attachment to the
Hereafter. In the case of his heart [qalb], it is stripped of any will that
competes with the Will of the Master [Mawla]. As for his innermost being [sirr],
it is detached from paying the slightest attention to the created universe, even
with a quick peep or a glance."
Concerning the highest of all the degrees of Divine remembrance [dhikr].
When the Shaikh (may ALLAH be well pleased with him) was asked about the highest
of all the degrees of Divine remembrance [dhikr], he said:
"It is that which impresses the heart, by command of the Lord of Truth (Almighty
and Glorious is He) at the moment of His choice, with the perpetuity of
everlasting providence ['inaya]. This remembrance [dhikr] is permanent,
persistent and enduring. No trace of forgetfulness impairs it, and no
heedlessness disturbs it, for the feelings, instincts and thoughts are all
involved in the act of remembering. This is the frequent remembrance [dhikr
kathir] referred to by the Lord of Truth (Glory be to Him, and Exalted is He) in
His revelation.144 The best kind of remembrance is that which is prompted by the
signals received from the All-Compelling Sovereign [al-Malik al-Jabbar], in the
recesses of our innermost beings [asrar]."
Concerning absolute trust [tawakkul]. When someone asked him about absolute
trust [tawakkul], the Shaikh (may ALLAH be well pleased with him) explained:
"It is the preoccupation of the innermost being [sirr] with ALLAH (Exalted is
He), to the exclusion of any other than Him. When someone puts all his trust in
the Lord, he forgets whatever he used to rely on, for His sake, and depends on
Him entirely, to the exclusion of all apart from Him. He thereby ascends from
the shame of nonentity [fana'] to the state of absolute trust.
"Absolute trust [tawakkul] is the raising of the glance of the eye of direct
perception [ma'rifa], by the innermost being [sirr], toward the hidden mystery
of things decreed by destiny [maqdurat]. It is the firm belief, based on the
reality of certainty [haqiqat al-yaqin], in the concepts grasped by the methods
of direct perception, because they are sealed [with the stamp of Truth], and
therefore immune to the opposite of certainty."
In answer to another question concerning absolute trust [tawakkul], the Shaikh
(may ALLAH be well pleased with him) explained:
"Absolute trust [tawakkul] is a reality [haqiqa] like the reality of sincere
devotion [ikhlas]. The reality of sincere devotion is the transfer of the
aspiration [himma] from the rewards [obtained by deeds] to the deeds
[themselves]. The same is true of absolute trust, since it is the abandonment of
personal power and strength, in favor of reliance on the Lord of lords [Rabb
al-arbab] (Glory be to Him, and Exalted is He)."
Then he went on to say (may ALLAH be well pleased with him):
"O young man! How often you are spoken to, but do not hear! How often you hear,
but fail to understand! How often you understand, but do not take action! How
often you take action, but do not act sincerely, and do not become immersed in
your sincere devotion, with your whole being!"
Concerning fear [khawf].
When someone asked the Shaikh (may ALLAH be well pleased with him) about fear
[khawf], he said:
"There are several kinds of fear. There is the fear [khawf] that applies to
those who are guilty of sin [mudhnibin]. There is the anxiety [rahba] that
applies to those who practice worshipful service ['abidin]. There is the
apprehension [khashya] that applies to the learned ['alimin]. There is the
timidity [wajal] that applies to the lovers [muhibbin]. There is also the awe
[haiba] that applies to those who know by direct experience ['arifin].
"The fear experienced by sinners is the fear of the punishments that lie in
store for them. The fear experienced by worshippers is due to [their uncertainty
about] the spiritual reward of their acts of worshipful service. The fear
experienced by the learned is the fear of committing shirk khafi [hidden
association of partners with ALLAH] in their acts of worshipful obedience. The
fear experienced by the lovers is the fear of missing the Meeting [with the
Beloved]. The fear experienced by those who know by direct experience takes the
form of awe and reverence [ta'zim], which is the most intense kind of fear,
because it never fades away, whereas these other kinds do abate, when they are
met with compassion and tender kindness."
Concerning repentance [tawba].
When someone asked him about repentance [tawba], the Shaikh (may ALLAH be well
pleased with him) explained:
"Repentance is the process whereby the Lord of Truth (Exalted is He) looks
toward His ancient and predestined providence ['inaya] for His servant, directs
that providence toward His servant's heart, and tenderly detaches it, by
attracting it toward Him and grasping it. When this takes place, the heart is
drawn toward Him, away from corrupt ambition. The spirit obediently complies,
the heart and the mind follow suit, repentance [tawba] is truly accomplished,
and the whole affair becomes proper to ALLAH (Exalted is He)."
Concerning this world [ad-dunya].
In response to a question concerning this world [ad-dunya], the Shaikh (may
ALLAH be well pleased with him) said:
"Evict it from your heart into your hand, so that it cannot beguile you."
Concerning weeping [buka'].
When the Shaikh (may ALLAH be well pleased with him) was asked about weeping
[buka'], he said:
"Weep for Him, weep because of Him, and weep over Him."
Concerning thankfulness [shukr].
When someone asked him about thankfulness [shukr], the Shaikh (may ALLAH be well
pleased with him) explained :
"The true nature of thankfulness [haqiqat ash-shukr] is the acknowledgment of
the benefaction of the Benefactor [ni'mat al-Mun'im], with an attitude of
humility, an overt recognition of the blessing, and a reverential confession of
one's inability to give adequate thanks. Thankfulness can be subdivided into
several categories, namely:
1. Thankfulness expressed by the tongue [shukr al-lisan]. This constitutes the
acknowledgment of the benefaction [ni'ma] with an attitude of humble acceptance
[istikana].
2. Thankfulness expressed by the body and the limbs [shukr bi'l-badan wa
'l-arkan]. This is the characteristic indication of loyalty and readiness to
serve [al-wafa' wa 'l-khidma].
3. Thankfulness expressed by the inner feeling [shukr bi'l-qalb]. This requires
a careful balance between the visible display of
appreciation and the constant preservation of a sense of reverence.
"Beyond this stage, thankfulness passes from the realm of the visible to the
realm of the invisible [ghaiba], where the focus of attention is the Benefactor
[Mun'im], rather than the benefaction [ni'ma].
"The person who is simply thankful [shakir] is someone who gives thanks for what
is available [mawjud], while the person who is very thankful [shakur] is someone
who gives thanks for what is unavailable [mafqud].
"The person who gives praise [hamid] is someone who regards withholding as a
gift, and views harm as a benefit, and in whose sight the two qualities
eventually become equal.
"The glory [majd] that exhausts all expressions of praise [mahamid] is the
witnessing of perfection [kamal], in the quality of Beauty [Jamal] and the
attribute of Majesty [Jalal], with the eye of direct perception, on the carpet
of nearness [to the Lord]."
Concerning patience [sabr].
In response to a question concerning patience [sabr], the Shaikh (may ALLAH be
well pleased with him) said:
"Patience [sabr] means coping with misfortune by remaining on your best
behavior. It means welcoming His decrees, and accepting them in accordance with
the statutes [ahkam] of the Book and the Sunna.
Patience [sabr] can be subdivided into several categories, namely:
1. Patience for the sake of ALLAH [sabr li'llah] (Exalted is He). This is the
kind of patience [sabr] that is exercised in the course of carrying out His
commandments and respectfully observing His prohibitions.
2. Patience in bearing with ALLAH [sabr ma'a 'llah] (Exalted is He). This is the
kind of patience [sabr] that is exercised by calmly enduring the effects of His
decree and His actions within you, and by demonstrating indifference to the
advent of poverty, without a scowl or a frown.
3. Patience in anticipation of ALLAH [sabr 'ala 'llah] (Exalted is He). This is
the kind of patience [sabr] that is exercised through steadfast reliance on that
which He has promised, and that which He has threatened, in all things.
"The journey from this world to the Hereafter should be easy for the true
believer [mu'min], but separation from creatures, even for love of the Truth, is
difficult. The journey from what is known by hearsay [naqli] to [the direct
experience of] ALLAH (Exalted is He) is very hard, and patience in bearing with
ALLAH [sabr ma'a 'llah] is even more difficult.
"The patient pauper is worthier than the grateful rich man, and the grateful
pauper is worthier than either. As for the pauper who is both patient and
thankful, he is worthier than any of them.
"No one courts misfortune, with the exception of him who knows its spiritual
reward."
Concerning goodness of moral character [husn al-khulq].
When someone asked him about goodness of moral character [husn al-khulq], the
Shaikh (may ALLAH be well pleased with him) explained:
"What it signifies is that you are not affected by the rudeness of creatures
[khalq], once you have become acquainted with the Truth [Haqq]. It means that
you belittle your own lower self [nafs] and whatever arises from it, in full
recognition of its faults. It means that you honor your fellow creatures, and
what arises from them, by showing respect for what has been entrusted to them,
in the way of faith and wisdom. That is the most excellent of all the virtues of
the servant [of the Lord], and the jewels of the men of valor become manifest
therein."
Concerning the state of ecstasy [wajd].
When someone asked him about the state of ecstasy [wajd], the Shaikh (may ALLAH
be well pleased with him) explained:
"It is the state in which the spirit [ruh] is preoccupied with the sweetness of
the remembrance [dhikr], and the lower self [nafs] is preoccupied with the
pleasure of the entertainment [tatrib], while the innermost being [sirr] remains
wholly devoted to the Beloved Friend [Habib], impervious to any outside
influence, in its dedication to the Truth, in the presence of the Truth [Haqq].
"The experience of ecstasy is a beverage which the Master [Mawla] gives his
saint [Wali] to drink, on the pulpit of His Noble Grace [Karama]. When he
drinks, he becomes light-headed, and when he becomes light-headed, his heart
flies on the wings of intimate friendship [uns] in the gardens of Holiness
[Quds]. Then it falls into the ocean of awe, and is thrown into a trance, so the
ecstatic [wajid] swoons into unconsciousness."
Concerning the sense of shame [haya'].
When someone asked the Shaikh (may ALLAH be well pleased with him) about the
sense of shame [haya'], he said:
"It means that the servant [of the Lord] feels too ashamed to say "ALLAH," so
long as he has not fulfilled his duty to Him. It means that he turns toward
ALLAH in unlawful situations, and that he does not appeal to ALLAH for anything
to which he is not entitled. It means that he abandons acts of sinful
disobedience out of shame, not from fear. It means that he duly performs all
acts of worshipful obedience, aware that the Lord of Truth is watching over Him,
so that he feels a sense of shame in His presence.
"The sense of shame [haya'] is engendered by the removal of the veil between the
heart and the experience of awe [haiba]."
Concerning direct witnessing [mushahada].
In response to a question concerning direct witnessing [mushahada], the Shaikh
(may ALLAH be well pleased with him) explained:
"It is the experience of becoming blind to the two realms of being [this world
and the Hereafter] with the eye of the heart, and beholding the Lord of Truth
with the eye of direct perception [ma'rifa]. It means that the hearts acquire
insight, through the pure vision of certainty [yaqin], into what He has told us
about the invisible realms [ghuyub]."
Concerning nearness [qurb].
When someone asked the Shaikh (may ALLAH be well pleased with him) about
nearness [qurb], he said:
"It is the rolling up of distances by the grace of proximity [tayy al-masafat
bi-lutf al-mudanat]."
Concerning the meaning of the term "[spiritual] pauper" [faqir].
When someone asked the Shaikh (may ALLAH be well pleased with him) about the
meaning of the term "[spiritual] pauper" [faqir], he said: "[In the Arabic
script, it is written with the letters]: fa'-qaf-yay-ra'." Then he explained the
significance of each of these letters in poetic verse:
The initial fa' of the faqir stands for his absorption [fana'] in his essence,
and his detachment [faragh] from his description and his attributes.
fa'u 'l-faqiri fana'u-hu fi dhati-hi-wa faraghu-hu min na'ti-hi wa sifati-h.
The qaf stands for the strength [quwwa] of his heart in [its dedication to] his
Beloved, and his commitment [qiyam] to ALLAH for the sake of His good pleasure.
wa 'l-qafu quwwatu qalbi-hi bi-Habibi-hi-wa qiyamu-hu li'llahi fi mardati-h.
The yay shows that he pins his hope [yarju] on Him, and fears [yakhafu] Him, and
performs [yaqumu] his duty as true devotion demands.
wa 'l-yayu yarju bi-hi wa yakhafu-hu-wa yaqumu bi't-taqwa bi-haqqi tuqati-h.
The ra' stands for the refinement [riqqa] of his heart and its purity, and its
return [ruju'] to ALLAH from its carnal desires.
wa 'r-ra'u riqqatu qalbi-hi wa-safa'u-hu-wa ruju'u-hu li'llahi 'an shahawati-h.
The Shaikh (may ALLAH be well pleased with him) then went on to say:
"What is required of the spiritual pauper [faqir] is that he should be flexible
in thinking [fikr] and centered in remembrance [dhikr], courteous in
disagreement [munaza'a] and ready to assist in reconciliation [muraja'a]. He
must seek nothing from the Lord of Truth but the Truth [Haqq], and he must
practice nothing but truthfulness [sidq]. He must be the most tolerant of
people, and the most self-effacing. His laughter should be of the cheerful,
smiling kind, and his curiosity should be used as an instrument of learning. He
should be a reminder to the heedless, and a teacher to the ignorant. He must not
hurt those who hurt him, and he must not meddle in things that do not concern
him.
"He must give plenty in the way of favors, but little in the way of offense. He
must be careful to abstain from things that are unlawful, and stand well clear
of things that are of dubious legality [shubuhat]. He must be a helper [ghawth]
to the stranger, and a father to the orphan. His joy should be apparent in his
face, while his sadness is stored in his heart. He should be engrossed in his
contemplation [fikr] and happy in his poverty [faqr]. He must not disclose a
secret, nor rend a veil. He must be graceful in movement, bountiful in kindness,
charming in outlook, generous in providing benefits, refined in taste, excellent
in moral character, and very gentle.