This letter, written to Khwâja Jihân, states that he who wants the
Hereafter should not be fond of this world. It explains how to abandon the
world.
May Allahu ta’âlâ give you salvation and
health! It is impossible to obtain the religion together with the world. He who
wants to earn the next world should give up this world. At such a time as this,
it is not easy to give up this world altogether. At least, it is necessary to
give it up nominally, that is, to think of oneself as having given it up. This
means to obey the Sharî’at in doing everything. It is necessary to obey the
Sharîat in doing everything. It is necessary to obey the Sharî’at while eating,
while drinking, while dressing and while setting up a home. It is necessary not
to go beyond the commandments of the Sharî’at. It is fard to give the zakât of
gold and silver, of commercial goods and of the quadruped stock animals that
graze on the grass and plants in the field. It is certainly necessary to give
their zakât.
A person who has been ornamented with
obeying the Sharî’at has escaped the harm of this world and has procured the
next world. The person who cannot abstain from the world even nominally may be
said to be a munâfiq. [see fn.
Well, I have told you the essence of the matter;
Either get annoyed or follow my advice.
Who is that manly, fortunate person who
will lend an ear to this right word, despite the striking appearance of this
world, its servants, maids, delicious foods, various sherbets, ornamented and
attractive dresses and many pleasures?
Translation of a Persian couplet:
The weight of the pearls has deafened your ears,
What can I do, none of my cries and laments he hears.
[The word ‘Dunyâ’ (the world) is an Arabic
word which is the feminine form of the word ’ednâ.’ That is, it is a
superlative noun. Its infinitives is ‘dunuw’ or ‘danâed.’ If it comes from the
first one
it means the closest.’ The word ‘dunyâ’ in
the ayât-i-kerîma which purports, “We adorned the closest skies with lights,” has
this meaning. If it comes from the second one it means ‘the worst.’ Sometimes
it has been used with this second meaning. For example, in the hadîth-i sharîf, “The base, the infamous things are mal’ûn,” it
has this second meaning. That is, it means, ‘Dunyâ is mal’ûn.’ Base things are
those which are harâm and makrûh. Property has not been blamed because Allah
considers property to be prosperity. An example which will prove this word of
ours to be right is the property which Hadrat Ibrâhim (salawâtullahi ’alaih)
had. He was the second highest person among mankind. His cattle, half a million
of which were only beef cattle, covered plains and valleys.]
May Allahu ta’âlâ honour us and you with
adapting ourselves to the Sharî’at of Muhammad (alayhissalâm)!
Shaikh Mayân Zakariyyâ is the ex-administrator of finance. He is an ’âlim [learned] and a virtuous person. He has been in prison for a long time. He is needy and miserable due to his old age, shortage of a livelihood, and long imprisonment. He asks this faqir [Imam-i Rabbânî] to visit the headquarters where he is kept so that he may be released. I could not come because of the long distance between us. By taking advantage of our brother Khâja Muhammad Sadîq, I caused you to have a headache from those few words presented by Khâja when he addressed your audience. Inshâ-Allah the said wretched person will get what is expected of your high kindness and favour, for he is an ’âlim and he is old. Wassalâm awwalan wa âkhiran.