Giving preference to zikr-e-jahri (audible zikr) over zikr-e-Sirri (silent zikr)
Someone had written to Moulana Thanwi (Rahmatullah Alayhi) I make zikr silently. I do this for two reasons: (1) I fear that if I make zikr audibly I will disturb those who are asleep. (2) People will begin to think of me as a buzurg and this will create pride within me.
Hadhrat Thanwi (Rahmatullah Alayhi) replied: Continue making zikr aloud. The solution to the first problem is that you should make zikr in a place where there isn’t anybody sleeping e.g. the Musjid. However, do not make zikr so loudly that the people of the area will be disturbed.
As far as the second problem, then ponder over the fact that when you will begin to sway your head whilst making zikr people will not think you to be a buzurg but an insane person. Your nafs has advised you that people should not think you to be a buzurg.
However, it has in fact devised a plan whereby people would begin to think of you as a buzurg. The reason for this is that when you will lower your head and engage in zikr-e-Sirri people will think that you have now reached the level of the angels. The nuktah (subtle point) in this is that it is difficult to remain punctual and constant on a devotional practice. If you will make zikr-e-jahri a few people will come to know that you wake up in the latter portion of the night to make zikr, such as the muazzin of the musjid. At times you will be overcome by sleep and laziness and perhaps miss out making zikr on that day. The muazzin will come to know that today Mr so and so did not wake up. However, if you make zikr-e-Sirri nobody will know whether you got up or not and in this way your laziness and weakness will remain
concealed.
Extracted from Malfoozaat of Mufti Mahmood Hasan Gangohi (rahmatullah alayhi)
Hizbul Azam Pdf for smartphones & Muraqabah-e-dua
The Hizbul Azam is a collection of duas that are categorised by day of the week.
This pdf has the Arabic & English meaning and is sized to work well on your smartphone. It will also work on your desktop.
During the month of Ramadhan, special time just before maghrib is set aside at the Khanqah for all the mutakifeen to recite this kitab. This is followed by Muraqabah-e-dua, which has been taught to us by Hazrat Sheikh Zakariyya Rahmatullah Alayhi.
The method is that the head is tilted towards the heart and the tongue is held against the top of mouth. The tongue will not move during dua and dua will be made from the heart only with full concentration.
For the first few minutes you will make dua for yourself, family & friends.
For the 2nd few minutes you will make dua for the entire muslim ummah. The last few minutes should be used to make dua for the entire creation.
This year (2014), we were fortunate to be visited by Hazrat Moulana Abdul Hafeez Makki Saheb, senior khalifah of Hazrat Sheikh Zakariyya Rahmatullah Alayhi. Hazrat was very pleased that the practice of Muraqabah-e-dua was being done at the khanqah.
A printed version of the kitab is also available at R20 per copy.
Dua for Rajab
Big Molvi Sahab
Hadhrat Maulana Mufti Rafi ‘Usmani دامت برکاتہم holding a speech at Jamiah Ashrafiya, Lahore:
During the prosperous era of Darul ‘Uloom Deoband there were not attached very big titles to the ‘Ulama’s names like nowadays. Today very big titles, for example ‘Allamah, Faqih al-‘Asr, Wahid al-Dahr, Mufti-e-‘Azam etc. and so on, get used but in those times these titles didn’t exist. In that time a scholar of Deen was called “Molvi Sahab” and the biggest scholar of Deen was called “big Molvi Sahab”. So, they were not called with more titles than that: They had knowledge, not titles. Today, knowledge has left and very big titles get joined with our names.
My respected father Hadhrat Maulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi’ Sahab رحمۃ اللہ علیہ used to say, for thirty years now our Deeni Madaris have been fruitless, because for thirty years our Madaris are not producing any “Molvis”. He said, “Many Maulanas are produced, but no Molvi. And what is a Molvi?”
علم مولی’ ہو جسے ہے مولوی
جسے حضرت مولوی معنوی
So, “Molvis” are actually called the friends of “Maula”, called the friends of Allah. Today friends of Allah are not produced. Listen to the condition of Darul ‘Uloom Deoband in those times:
My respected father رحمۃ اللہ علیہ used to tell, that hearing of Darul ‘Uloom Deoband’s reputation people came from very far places to Darul ‘Uloom. The visitors came with the wish to meet the big ‘Ulama. So, one person came to meet Hadhrat Shaykh al-Hind [Mahmud al-Hassan] Sahab نوراللہ مرقدہ and asked him, “You must be the big Molvi Sahab around here?” Hadhrat Shaykh al-Hind نوراللہ مرقدہ replied, “Not me, but the actual big Molvi Sahab is so-and-so Sahab.” Because in those times Hadhrat Shaykh al-Hind نوراللہ مرقدہ had been the biggest and the teachers of all, that’s why he was called “big Molvi Sahab” and the rest of the ‘Ulama were called “Molvi Sahab”. So, Hadhrat Shaykh al-Hind نوراللہ مرقدہ said that the real big Molvi Sahab was so-and-so and saying this he sent him to another elder. The person came to him and asked, “Are you the big Molvi Sahab?” This elder said as well, that it’s not me, the big Molvi Sahab is so-and-so. In this way he was send to the third ‘Alim. Purpose of the story is that no one was ready to accept to be the “big Molvi Sahab”.
Therefore, my respected father رحمۃ اللہ علیہ used to say, that as a result of that they were all big. Why? Because when noone of them was ready to accept himself as big, then definitely the promise of Rasulullah صلی اللہ علیہ و الہ وسلم gets fulfilled:
“Whosoever adopts Tawwadhu [humility] for the sake of Allah, Allah Ta’ala will honour him.”
That’s why they all were big. And today everyone of us says, that I am big. The result is that everyone became small.
When one asks someone today “Are you the big leader?”, “Are you the big teacher of this institute?” or “Are you the big scholar of these times?” Then in the answer he will adopt Riya [showing off] inside Tawwadhu, because the Shaytan of a Molvi is a Molvi himself. So, Shaytan tells him: “Don’t say ‘I’m the big one.’, because when you say that you’re the big one he might think you don’t have any Tawwadhu and if you don’t have any Tawwadhu you can not be a friend of Allah, in result of that he’ll not look up to you anymore. So, you should reply “I’m not a big scholar, but yes people say so.”” Which actually means I confirm to be a big scholar, but how can I say it with my own tounge. In this way he will adopt Riya inside of Tawwadhu and this is called Hubb-e-Jah. Summary is that when you look at the root of most of today’s mischief you’ll see two things, one is Hubb-e-Maal and one is Hubb-e-Jah. May Allah Ta’ala protect all of us from these two inner diseases. (Ameen!)
