In the quest to fulfill the purpose of life, we see that our religion teaches that guidance can be got by following those that have Allah’s Blessings, the Spiritual Guide. Such a practice in our religion is classified as Tasawaff or Sufism. In this chapter we follow this lead. What does the Quran and Hadith teach about Tasawaff? The Spiritual Guide:
With the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful,
Tasawaff starts off from a person becoming a “mureed” (disciple) and this is a practice which entails a person holding the hands of the spiritual guide and seeking forgiveness and swearing allegiance to him or making a pledge to him to follow an Islamic way of life. The Spiritual Guide or Pir O Murshid acts as an agent for Allah Subhanatallah and by pledging allegiance to the Spiritual Guide (Pir O murshid), the “mureed” is in fact pledging allegiance to Allah Subhanatallah.
This process of becoming a disciple is called taking “Baith”. In this first part of “lessons in Tasawaff” we take a look at the importance of the Spiritual Guide in the light of the Holy Quran and the traditions of our Grand Master, the Holy Prophet Muhammad Salallahu Alayhe Wasallam. In subsequent articles we would also look at these other concepts in the light of our Holy Scriptures.
The First Rose:
Finding guidance in the form of the Spiritual guide is so important that we learnt from the previous articles that it is the dua that we are taught by Allah Subhanatallah to ask for in every rakaath of every prayer.
“Guide us on the Straightway, the way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace…” Sura Fatia 6.
Allah Subhanatallah could have said: “Guide us on the straight path that is described to us in the Holy Quran” or He could have said “Guide us on the path of the Holy Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam” but instead He said: Guide us on the straightway, the way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace.” It is present tense and we have to find such people to guide us in our life.
Having a Spiritual Guide is similar to being apprenticed to an artisan to learn a trade. Spiritual guidance is such that it cannot be learnt from books but it can only be gained from interacting with a Spiritual guide because words and books simply cannot teach love and other matters pertaining to the soul.
Spiritual guidance can only be gained by first submitting to the Spiritual Guide. How often in the Holy Quraan we are extolled to keep the company of the righteous eg.
“And keep yourself content with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face…” 18:28
The Second Rose:
Five days before the Holy Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam could pass away he sat on the “mimbar” and said:
“as for a servant- Allah gave him choice either that he should have whatever he wished for when it comes to the fineries of this world or he could have that which is near to Him. He chooses that which is near to Him.” Al Hadith 4:44:8:169.
When Hazrath Abu Bakar (RA) heard this he began to cry because he realized that the Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam had chosen to leave this physical world. The verse that the Holy Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam often repeated at the time of his passing away a few days later was:
“In the company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah.” Al Quran 4:69 and he prayed “Rabb grant me pardon: and join me to the companionship on high.”Al Hadith 4:44:8:179.
So what did he mean by “that which is near to Allah,” and “the companionship on high?”
Allah Subhanatallah states in the Holy Quran:
“And those who believe and work righteous deeds – them shall we admit to the company of the Righteous.” Al Quran 29:9
and in another verse Allah lists those people that make up these righteous company.
“All who obey Allah and the messenger are in the company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah- of the Prophets (who teach), the sincere (lovers of Truth), the martyrs, and the righteous (who do good):”
Basically these are the Prophets and the friends of Allah (the Spiritual Guide). In continuing Allah exclaims
“Ah how beautiful is their company. Such is the Bounty of Allah: and sufficient is it that Allah knows all.” AL Quran 4:69
Imagine the greatness of such company which even the Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam sought? Imagine the greatness of such company which Allah Subhanatallah describes as beautiful.
If their company is beautiful in the hereafter then it is just as beautiful in this world. Being in the presence of such people in this world is also such a great pleasure and we must seek such companionship in this world. Hazrath Essa (AS) “shall be of (the company) of the righteous.” 3:46
The Third Rose:
Hazrath Omar (RA) reports that the Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam said:
“There will be some amongst the servants of Allah who are neither prophets nor martyrs but the prophets and martyrs will envy them on resurrection day on account of their rank to Allah. They enquired. Inform us who they are. He replied: They are a people who love one another for pleasure of Allah without having blood connections among them or property connections: and they make presents to one another. By Allah their faces will certainly be light up. They do not fear when the people fear and they do not grieve when the people grieve. Then he read the verse: Behold as for the friends of Allah, there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve 10:62.” Al Hadis 1:4:29:268.
The mere fact that the Prophet (SAW) read the verse pertaining to the “Aulia Allah” or the Friends of Allah shows that this description is of them. The relationship between the Spiritual Guide (Pir) and a mureed is the only relationship which entails loving one another for the sake of Allah. Our murshid Hazrath Poona Wale Shah Saib (RA) always said: “Pir dill me uterna – ye sab se barie baath” (put your pir into your heart (grow to love your Spiritual Guide (pir) – this is the greatest achievement.) Everything about tasawaff is centered around love and their poetry describes love so intensely. Lovers in Islam hold the highest rank and this we would explore in a subsequent articles.
The Forth Rose:
Tasawaff existed throughout human history. The Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam himself lived a life of a Sufi. In the time of the Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam his companions placed their hands in his hands and they pledged allegiance to him on many occasions.
The Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam was their spiritual guide and they were his disciples. The famous “Batul Ridwaan” was one such occasion when his companions took “baith” or pledged allegiance to him and this extraordinary event is recorded in the Holy Quran:
“Verily those that pledge their allegiance to you, pledge their allegiance in truth to Allah:…” AL Quran 48:10 and “Allah’s good pleasure was on the (fourteen hundred) believers when they swore fealty (Took baith) to thee under the tree.” Al Quran 48:18.
After the Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam, permission to make mureeds was given Hazrath Ali (RA) from which the Quadria, Chistia and the Shorwardia chain of the Spiritual Guides (Sufie saints) started. Hazrath Abu Bakar Siddique (RA) also made mureeds and from him the Naqshabandi chain of the Spiritual Guides started off.
The As’habe Suffa where those companions of the Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam that dedicated their entire lives to the study of Sufism and its practices. They sat on a raised platform near the home of the Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam.
Throughout Islamic history people took baith. Study the history of any great Islamic personality since the time of the Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam till now and you would learn that they had a Spiritual Guide (Pir O murshid) to guide them spiritually.
Devine knowledge always comes to humanity in the form of inspiration to Allah’s chosen servants. The fact that knowledge lies within a learned man and not in books is further strengthened by the following Hadith: “The Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam is reported to have said:
“Verily Allah does not take away knowledge by snatching it from the people but he takes away knowledge by decreasing the scholars, so that when he leaves no scholar, people turn to ignorant leaders who, when they are asked to deliver religious verdicts, deliver them without knowledge. They would go astray and they would lead others astray. Al Hadith 1:4:2:31.
The First Thorn in the Garden
If submitting to and kissing the feet of a perfect Spiritual Guide, like the way the angles bowed down to Hazrath Adam (AS) is making shirk then shaitaan is a true believer for he did not bow down to anyone else but Allah. “(Iblis) said: “I am not one to prostrate myself to man,…” 15:33 How ironic! It is this act of not bowing down to anyone else except Allah that made him the outcast. He only outwardly or physically prostrated to Allah but when Allah Subhanatallah put him to the test by asking him to bow down to a perfect man (Spiritual Guide) he showed that he inwardly did not submit to Allah because he could not follow His Command.
The Wine bar in the Garden
This bar, unlike the wine bars where alcohol is served, serves halaal wine for it is made from the nectar of the roses in the garden. They call it the “wine of love” and sometimes they call it “Sharabe Tabaura”.
Love is intoxicating. When you grow to love your Spiritual Guide (Pir O Murshid) then you are perpetually intoxicated. He is the wine steward and through his eyes flow the wine of love. The Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam said to his disciples:
“You would not believe until you love me more than your parents, your children and the whole of humanity” Al Hadith 1:1:2:13.
Although this wine is amazingly expensive and the patrons sacrifice their entire lives for it, they still feel it a bargain.
If they had to give their lives a million times over for just one draught of it, they would gladly give it over and still think it a bargain.
Peace and salutations be upon Allah’s Messengers who are responsible for guiding humanity throughout time. Ameen.
Published by Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi.
Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi was founded by Dr/Hakim Hazrath Khwaja Sayed Shareef Ahmed Ali Shah RA, (lovingly known as Hazrath Poona Wale Shah Saib RA).
Author: Mohammed Hassan Gaffoor Contact him on WhatsApp +27 84 910 1486
Watch our video on the Spiritual guide