| HOLDING THE HANDS OF A PIOUS PERSON
With regard to ‘holding the hand of Saints’, a poet describes as to how Allah opens up the road;
“My journey has become easy
Now that the winds have changed their direction.
The lamps of the road have lit up
Now that I have held your hand.”
When one holds the hand of a pious person, i.e. when he surrenders himself for reformation under the guidance of a spiritual mentor i.e. a Shaykh, then it becomes easy for him to conform to the Sunnah and the Shar’iah, as well
as to abstain from sins.
Hakeemul Ummah, Shaykh Ashraf Ali Thănwi (R) says that some ignorant people think that when Shaykh Qasim Nănotwi, Shaykh Rashid Ahmad Ganghohi and himself held the hand of Hăji Imdădullah (R), then he (Hăji Imdădullah) suddenly became an outstanding personality.
Shaykh Thănwi (R) rebutted this thought with great emotion saying;
“I take an oath that these people are in folly! By Allah! ask these very Ulamă what was their condition before they had held the hand of Hăji Saheb? Before being blessed with the beneficial companionship of Hăji Saheb, we undoubtedly
possessed knowledge, but it was dormant. We likewise possessed Imăn before being in the company of Hăji Saheb, but it was the Imăn of belief, an argument and an intellectual Imăn. We had the belief of’;
“And He (Allah) is with you where ever you are.”
‘But we believed in general companionship. After placing our hand into the hand of Hăji Saheb, and commencing Zikrullah, the doors of our hearts opened, allowing the Noor of Allah to enter therein.
Our Imăn of belief now advanced to a level of Imăn of ecstasy and reality, and our belief concerning the general presence of Allah progressed to a level of believing in His Special Presence. This belief was now changed to a fervent and intuitive belief and experience, which we actually perceived with our hearts, that Allah has indeed entered our hearts.”
LINK WITH ALLAH
Once Khwaja Azizul Hasan (R) asked Shaykh Thănwi (R) in Jaunpur;
“How will a person know that he has attained sainthood and has established a link with Allah? Will he realise that he has actually established a firm link with Allah? Will he perceive that Allah has entered his heart?”
Shaykh Thănwi (R) replied, “When you attained puberty (buloogh) did you realise it? Did you have to ask your friends, ’O friends! Tell me, have I attained puberty?”
What a marvellous example! Shaykh Thănwi (R) then explained; “Likewise, when a person devotes some time in the company of the Ahlullah (saints), engaging in Zikrullah and abstaining from sins, his soul reaches puberty. A different life enters in him. His heart becomes filled with the love of Allah and he perceives the special spiritual warmth and closeness of Allah.”
Taken from "Tarbiyatus Saalikeen - ITA
» Posted by ummi taalib on 13th July 2010
0 Comments
|
