Pakistan: A Timely Reminder from Shahab Sahib.

Given the current situation in Pakistan I thought this article by Hz Qudratullah Shahab (ra) would be worth reviewing. It seems we have still not learnt the lesson.

Pakistan: From Concept to Reality

How has the Pakistan that was born in the vision of Allama Iqbal developed into reality? This self-evaluation is even more necessary than the display of flags and other celebrations that take place on every Independence Day.

That strong and matchless machine known as the Pakistan movement that came into motion from 1940 to 1947 was rooted in the aspirations of the vast majority of Indian muslims. The dynamo that drove this machine towards the creation of Pakistan were the individual and collective aspirations, will and strength of these people. However these aspirations had many forms. For the vast majority they centered around the preservation of their faith and religious identity but there was a small group that had its own vision. Amongst this group some had the vision of stacks of newly found wealth, some political elements began to see ministries in place of membership of local councils. The civil and military beaurocracy also began dreaming of a tremendous expansion in their influence and role. By the grace of God Pakistan was created and the desires of these groups were realized beyond their expectations. However collective aspirations were lost and each group retreated into its shell from where it began to eat at the being of their country from inside.

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Despite these warning bells we have spent the past 39 years ripping our constitution to shreds. The supremacy of the law and the sanctity of the constitution is like the garment of chastity which if torn once is impossible to sow together again. One transgression leads to another and unless it is punished on first occurrence it becomes a habit. Then gradually the difference between governance and lack of it, social order and anarchy, law and lawlessness and constitutional government and dictatorship is lost to people. With the loss of constitutional constraints justice and fairplay are also lost. When this befalls the constitution of the country all other good traditions also lose their validity and the political process either stops or is stopped. In such a condition patriotism and patriotic feeling grows weak and ideals lose value. Doubt and suspicion give rise to pessimism which leads to militancy and disruption of the order.

The ONLY alternative to constitutional government IS constitutional government. All claims apart from this are false and usually a cover for furthering the vested interests of the established elites. We are in a shameful situation and must take heed.

(extract from article published in the Daily Pukar 6 Sept 1986.)

 

Sufism- the Shahabian View

Hz Qudratullah Shahab (ra)

The following is a reply that Shahab sahib gave regarding his view of Sufism.

“I’m not really a Sufi but I have always loved reading religious books and most of the books that I read were by Shaykhs who are much venerated by people. For example the very first book that I read was the Awarif al-Maarif of Shaykh Shahabuddin Suhrawardy (ra). It was a difficult book which I only understood partially. Then the Kashf al-Mahjub of Data sahib (ra), then the Maktubat of Hz Mujaddid Alf Sani (ra). These were the type of books I loved to read but the book that attracted me most was the Imdaad al-Mushtaaq compiled by Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (ra) about the life of his shaykh Hz Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki (ra)…….. I was really drawn to it but it was about the events in the shaykh’s life and did not contain the practical side such as the stages of the Way and how to traverse them etc.

But one thing became very clear for me and that was that the real highway is the Shariah, and the various tariqa’s of tasawwuf are small lanes and narrow paths that join this highway at some point or another. If that is not the case then such a tasawwuf is false because these lanes and paths were only created to lead into that highway. In the early generations ( at the time of the Holy Prophet, upon whom be peace and blessings) there was no need for such encouragement or to advise people: do this, don’t do that, or your character should be like so and so. The Prophet’s (upon him be peace and blessings) presence acted like a magnet; even after a century in the era of the Tabieen this magnetic pull was still strong and was sufficient to keep people on the straight path of the shariah.

However as time passed it was felt that to keep people on the straight path other measures were necessary like the kindergarten schools for those children who are afraid to attend mainstream schools or who do not succeed there. Thus, tasawwuf is like the kindergarten: there they have sweets, here dhikr. The great shaykhs have said that if you feel pleasure in your dhikr or (extra) worship, give it up! These things are not for pleasure. So they kept the kindergarten to a minimum but some people became absorbed in it and got stuck. For if you go in this direction your pleasure is increased, your confidence is increased, your knowledge is increased; that is a different kind of knowledge. Also through these awrad/wazaif one gains spiritual powers and the person experiencing all this fails to reach the highway of shariah and continues to walk this path untill he becomes happy with it. Then he is neither good for this nor for that. Then he becomes a great Sufi. He may have hundreds of thousands of followers but they fail to reach the real goal”.

(taken from the article by Zulfiqar Tabish in Zikr-e-Shahab)

 

Extract of Letter - Hz Qudratullah Shahab

This is an extract from a letter addressed to a young woman who Shahab sahib had graciously taken under his wing for instruction in the spiritual path.

“As-salamu alaykum…………

Do not follow the example of Imam Ghazali (RA) in tasawwuf. He is one of the few people who adopted a particular method and lifestyle upon the Path are turned a “knowledge” into a”science”. For the rest there is only one example to be followed and that is in the life of the Holy Prophet (upon him be blessings and peace). Poor sinners like us must endeavor to follow in his footsteps as best as we can for in that lies complete harmony between the Deen (religion) and the Dunya (world).

One should not allow one’s enthusiasm for tasawwuf to lead one to renounce the world or be renounced by it. Real perfection lies in leading an outwardly normal life whilst inwardly being alone with God. One’s outer should not give news of one’s inner, as far as possible.

You say: unless one retreats into solitude concentrated wholly upon God the doors of kashf (unveiling) and ilham (inspiration) will not open to one. Please note that opening the doors of kashf and ilham is not the goal; the true goal is the ma’rifa (experiential recognition) of God. For that there is no need to turn away from the world. It is present and attainable everywhere as long as the Huqooq Allah (rights of God) and the Huqooq al-Ibaad (rights of creation) are fulfilled and provided one makes a little extra effort according to one’s capacity and circumstances…..was-Salaam!

In need of your prayers,

Qudratullah Shahab.”

 

Hz Qudratullah Shahab (RA) on Bay’at

These days one usually encounters various opinions regarding pledging oneself to a shaykh of tariqa. There those who consider Islam to be a simple and self-explanatory religion and therefore do not see any need for a shaykh. Then there are others who regard it as a necessary condition of success in this world and the next. For them everything is mediated through the medium of the shaykh. There are still others who whilst not holding it to be a necessity for everyone are adamant that sufism cannot be practiced without it. Needless to say all of these views are partially but not wholly true.

Islam is indeed a practice oriented religion less interested in theological speculation and thus relatively easy to follow at a basic level. However it is often forgotten by proponents of the first view that being simple is one thing and simplistic quite another. Islam was never intended to be simplistic. Proponents of the second view noted above make the mistake of taking a reasonable and true teaching too far. They forget that God is always and everywhere accessible to all of his creation and that the shaykh is one of the means through which God pours down His grace upon us but not the only means.

The third view is generally considered the soundest. Hence anyone interested in spirituality is often advised to “find a shaykh” before even taking the first step. The reasons for this are clear: we usually have no knowledge about our own selves let alone “matters of the spirit” and the passage from ignorance to knowledge can be both difficult and deceptive. Thus we need the help and guidance of an expert; someone who knows the way because he has made the journey. It is for this purpose that bay’at with a shaykh is taken.

What needs to be understood especially in our times is that whilst spiritual guidance is necessary taking bay’at (binding oneself to a shaykh) is not. Bay’at is a pledge which has certain conditions amongst which is the surrender of the will of the disciple to the shaykh. In the classical period of sufism this was regarded as necessary but under the changed circumstances of the present era many masters do not regard this as essential. This was the view of Hz Qudratullah Shahab, Wasif Ali Wasif and others. Interestingly enough this has also been the view of the Ba-Alawi Syeds from the time of Imam al-Haddad in the late 17th century. The Imam made clear his reasons why such a pact is no longer reasonable: neither the disciples nor the shaykhs (generally) meet the exacting spiritual standards which were a pre-condition for such a relationship. On consideration this turns out to be a very realistic and compassionate view. It allows seekers to benefit from shaykhs without the burden of stringent conditions of complete obedience. It also protects them from exploitation especially in times when true shaykhs seem to be getting fewer by the day.

Hz Q.U.S was asked more than once to accept the pledge of discipleship. He always declined saying: ” in this age bay’at is very difficult. Education is widespread…western modes of thinking have made us more self-reliant. Thus the ones who takes bay’at gets stuck in a noose for the first conditon of bay’at is that the disciple not even entertain disobedience to his master in his mind; because it is through the Khayal (imagination, mental imagery, imaginal realm) that the murshid benefits the seeker spiritually. Thus even if he entertains a thought of that kind in his heart there is a chance of his suffering loss….”. However Q.U.S did stress that the guidance of an “expert” is necessary particularly when the seeker begins to have spiritual experiences in order to distinguish true experiences from the whisperings of the ego or the illusions of one’s own imagination.

 

Final Resting Place of Hz Qudratullah Shahab (RA)

May God fill it with Light and elevate his rank. He continues to be an inspiration.

 

Shahabiyat 3.2 (on tawba)

……It was by a chance encounter that my attention was drawn towards tawba (repentance). I was once honoured by the visit to the tomb of the author of the Masnavi Mawlana Jalauddin Rumi (RA). On the main entrance to the dergah I noticed a quatrain that says:

Return! Return! whoever you are return!

Whether you be an associator or disbeliever return!

Our hospice is not a hospice of despair

Even if you have broken a hundred vows return!

Each word of these verses entered my heart like an arrow to be lodged there permanently. I immediately realized the benefits, ease and greatness of tawba. The verse were an open invitation to me (and others like me) to return through the door of repentance and it seemed that there being placed in such a blessed place made their effect even more potent, rather like an invisible electric current sending beneficial shocks to our system.

Since that day I’ve been convinced that every muslim has the light of faith in his/her heart even though its effects may not be apparent. Rather like a beautiful person whose face is smeared with dust and his/her beauty is temporarily hidden. The moment they wash it clean the moon like radiance of their face will become apparent. Similarly the light of faith becomes smeared in some people through sin but the moment they repent that light will begin to shine again. If they fall into sin again and then return the soap of repentance will wash all sins away again; likewise time and time again for the mercy of the All-Merciful is vaster than the sins of human beings. However one should be aware that just as a garment that is sent to the washerman repeatedly loses some of its original lustre the human heart suffers a similar fate and it is important to to remain firm of resolve after repentance.

 

Shahabiyat 3.1 (on tawakkul)

…Apart from Taqwa I was also quite confused about tawakkul (reliance/trust in God). Over time these verses of the Quran have helped to clarify things for me:

If Allah helps you, none can overcome you: If He forsakes you, who is there, after that, that can help you? in Allah, then, Let believers put their trust. (3:160)

For, Believers are those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a tremor in their hearts, and when they hear His signs rehearsed, find their faith strengthened, and put (all) their trust in their Lord; (8:02).

And Moses said: O my people! If ye have believed in Allah then put trust in Him, if ye have indeed surrendered (unto Him)! They said: In Allah we put trust. Our Lord! Oh, make us not a lure for the wrongdoing folk;(10;84-85)

These verses mention both tawakkul and du’a (supplication) at the same time. This removed the doubt that du’a is against/contrary to tawakkul….. (Shahabnama) .

Since Green Sufi has already written on Shahab sahib’s views on tawakkul I will not reproduce it here but please do read it on his blog here.

 

Shahabiyat 3 (on taqwa)

…..I was also confused about the true meaning of taqwa (piety, God-consciousness), tawakkul( reliance on God) and tawba(repentance). I had read somewhere that in order to understand the Quran one must have a wholesome disposition, a wholesome intellect, breadth of vision and the “light” of understanding and these come about through taqwa. What is taqwa though? How is it attained? At that time I had no idea.

The Quran describes the person of taqwa thus:

It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces to the East and the West; but righteous is he who believeth in Allah and the Last Day and the angels and the Scripture and the prophets; and giveth wealth, for love of Him, to kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask, and to set slaves free; and observeth proper worship and payeth the poor-due. And those who keep their treaty when they make one, and the patient in tribulation and adversity and time of stress. Such are they who are sincere. Such are the Allah-fearing. (2:177)

The Quran also tells us:

Deal justly, that is nearer to piety. (5:0
O ye Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover your shame, as well as to be an adornment to you. But the raiment of righteousness,- that is the best. (7:26)

Apart from outer raiment there is also spiritual raiment, that is the raiment of taqwa which is even more needed than the outer garments. Just as the outer garment covers the nakedness of the body and adorns it, so does the garment of taqwa cover our bad traits and adorn our good ones.

After reading the descriptions of the people of taqwa in the Quran my heart was set free from the fear of those “righteous folk” who are often seen carrying the staff of their own righteousness and pouring scorn on their “weaker” fellows in a remorseless manner. Such people truly deserve to be pitied. The real people of taqwa are people of beauty and grace; of good character, clean hearted, full of faith, generous, just, truthful, soft-hearted, able to control their anger and their desires; free of arrogance, searching out the faults of others or being sarcastic and derogatory towards them.

Their outer garments are beautiful and pleasing and their inner garments are even more beautiful. This is the raiment of taqwa. Their outer form does not proclaim their righteousness and if their inner self ever entertains the idea that they are people of taqwa, this inner raiment is ripped to shreds leaving them stark naked in the valley of arrogance. This is a two-edged sword. Only that fortunate one  survives its blow whose taqwa is for God alone.

Shahabnama.

 

Shahabiyat 2.4 (on the prayer)

A final post on prayer from Shahab sahib (RA).

“After establishing rusukh in prayer the next step is the establishment of Nisbat with God. Nisbat is a bond of affection that God has for the servant and the servant has for God. This is called the inner connection with God. In proportion to the growth of one’s rusukh nisbat also becomes stronger and more subtler. Nisbat is the door to the ma’rifa of God and the sign of true nisbat is that once attained it can never be lost rather like a fruit that cannot lose its ripeness after attaining it or like the human being who once he reaches puberty cannot return to childhood. ” Whoever disbelieves in satan and believes in God has grasped a firm handhold that shall never break”.

Although nisbat relates to our inner nature yet its development takes place in the outer realm. The inner and outer aspects of the human being are like the two wheels of a car. It they are not the same size, weight and shape then it will be difficult to reach one’s destination. The real destination is the good pleasure of God, the path to which is compliance with His will as revealed in the Shariah. Some of these commands pertain to the outer such as prayer, zakat, hajj etc and some pertain to the inner such as love of God, love of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon him), taqwa etc. By traveling this path with balance and proportion one attains to the station of servanthood. If this is attained then all other stations ( such as those of the abdal, the ghous, the qutb etc) are as nothing in comparison with it.

It is a common misunderstanding that these are matters of sufism. In reality they pertain to the shariah for the shariah is the ordained path of our religion. All the different tariqa’s of sufism are small roads that join this highway at one point or another. They have no goal of their own rather they are all a means of reaching this highway of the Shariah. It is by continuous travel on this highway that one reaches the destination of God’s nearness, good pleasure and His ma’rifa.

Shahabnama.

 

Shahabiyat 2.3 (on the prayer)

…..after crossing these hurdles at least to some extent, the real essence of the prayer lies in “Rasukh” (lasting effectivity). In worldly affairs rasukh usually means to get something done through the influence of others but in the deen this refers to something different. The purpose of prayer is that the heart becomes focused on God. Thus if after continuous struggle and effort one arrives at the point where one can pray without the need to exercise one’s will, one can take it that one has achieved rasukh to some extent and degree. In order to do this one has to struggle against many one’s natural inclinations and tendencies.

If one bends a piece of cardboard in one direction then in order to unbend it one would have to bend it in the opposite direction. Thus it is with human nature. One should be concerned with acting and not worry about experiencing states, good feelings etc; nor does one need to know if rasukh is being developed or not. It is like a child growing before our eyes. From moment to moment, from week to week, from month to month we do not see how much he has grown. This does not mean no growth is taking place but rather that at such close quarters we don’t perceive it. After a while the increased height and size of the child will prove that continuous growth has been occurring. Thus it is with rasukh…

In this way if due to continuous striving one develops a certain attachment to the prayer one finds that one is internally changed and good deeds flow from one quite naturally. One no longer needs to struggle against oneself. If one undertakes this mujahada without any worldly intention then one finds that it becomes an aide to increase/support and the door to perfect rasukh is opened to one.

This steadfastness id the greatest miracle (karama) upon which the grace and good pleasure of God is ever present. Such people are the ones that have their supplications accepted often, in fact their wishing and willing becomes a supplication (du’a). This is because the circle of their own desires has been reduced to the point of zero and as such their wishes/desires are mostly for others. For themselves they only have one desire: a beautiful sealing (husn al–khatima) i.e. a good end to their earthly life.

Shahabnama.