Sheref ad-dîn Ahmad ibn
Yahyâ Munîrî (d. in
“Most people go wrong by
acting upon doubts and illusions. Some of such ill-thinking people say, ‘Allâhu
ta’âlâ does not need our ’ibâdât. Our ’ibâdât do Him no good. It is indifferent
to His Greatness whether people worship Him or disobey Him. Those who perform
’ibâdât suffer trouble and bother themselves in vain.’ This reasoning is wrong;
those who do not know Islam say so because they think that ’ibâdât are
commanded because they are useful to Allâhu ta’âlâ. This is a very wrong
supposition that makes one confuse impossible with possible. Any ’ibâda done by
anybody is useful to himself only. Allâhu ta’âlâ declares clearly in the
eighteenth âyat of the sűrat Fâtir that this is so. A person who bears this
wrong thought is like a sick person whom the doctor recommends to diet but who
does not diet and says, ‘It won’t harm the doctor if I don’t diet.’ He is right
to say that it will not harm the doctor. But it will harm him. The doctor
recommends him to diet not because it will be useful to the doctor himself but
to cure the patient’s disease. If he follows the doctor’s advice he will
recover. If he does not, he will die, and this will not harm the doctor at all.
“Some other
wrong-thinking people never perform any ’ibâda nor stop committing prohibitions
(harâms). That is, they do not
---------------------------------
[1] There are 100 letters in this collection of
letters, (Maktűbât). It was compiled in
obey Islam. They say,
‘Allah is Kerîm and Merciful. He pities His human slaves very much. His
Forgiveness is endless. He will not torture anybody.’ Yes, they are right in
their first statement, but wrong in their last statement. The Devil deceives
and misleades them to disobedience. A reasonable person will not be deceived by
the Devil. Allâhu ta’âlâ is not only Kerîm and Merciful, but also He will
torture very vehemently, very bitterly. We witness that He makes many people
live in poverty and trouble in this world. He makes, without hesitation, many
of His slaves live in torment. Though He is very Merciful and the Razzâq
(Sustainer), He will not give even one morsel of bread unless the trouble of
agriculture and farming is undertaken. Though He is the One who keeps everybody
alive, He will not let a person survive without eating and drinking. He will
not cure a sick person who does not take medicine. He created means for all the
worldly blessings such as living, not becoming sick and owning property, and
showed no mercy in depriving those who would not hold fast to the means of the
worldly blessings. So is the case with attaining the blessings of the next
world. He made disbelief and ignorance poisons fatal to the soul. And laziness
makes the soul sick. If medicine is not used, the soul will become sick and
die. The one and only medicine for disbelief and ignorance is knowledge and
ma’rifa. And the medicine for laziness is to perform salât and all kinds of
’ibâdât. In this world, if a person takes poison and then says, ‘Allah is
Merciful, and He will protect me against the harm of poison,’ he will become
ill and die. If a person with diarrhoea drinks castor oil [or if a diabetic
eats sugar or starchy food], he will get worse. To follow one’s lust (shahwa),
that is, to do the desires of the nafs, makes his heart sick. If a person
believes that following his lust is a sin and is harmful, his following the
lust will not kill his heart. If he disbelieves its harm, it will kill his
heart, because he who disbelieves becomes a disbeliever. And disbelief is a
poison for the heart and soul.
“Another group of
wrong-thinkers undergo riyâda by suffering hunger, for the purpose of eradicating
their lust (shahwa), wrath (ghadab) and sensual desires, which are disapproved
by Islam. They think that Islam commands them to be eradicated. After suffering
hunger for a long time, they see that these evil desires of theirs have not
perished, and conclude that Islam commands something which cannot be done. They
say, ‘This command of Islam cannot be done. Man cannot get rid of the habits
existing in his nature. To try to get rid of them is like striving to make a
coloured person white. To
try to do something impossible is to waste one’s life.’ They think and act in
the wrong direction. However, their claim that Islam commands so is sheer
ignorance and idiocy, for Islam does not command eradication of the human
attributes like wrath and lust. Such a claim is a slander against Islam. If
Islam had commanded so, Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm), the master of Islam, would
not have had these attributes. In fact, he said, ‘I am a human
being, too. Like anybody, I will get angry, too.’ From time to time, he
would be seen angry. His anger was always for the sake of Allâhu ta’âlâ. Allâhu
ta’âlâ praises the people ‘who can overcome their wrath’ in the Qur’ân al-kerîm.
He does not praise those who do not get angry. The wrong-thinker’s saying that
one should eradicate one’s lust is quite groundless. The fact that Rasűlullah
(sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam) married nine women (radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ
’anhunna) clearly shows that his statement is wrong. If a person loses his
lust, he will have to regain it by taking medicine. So is the case with wrath;
a man can protect his wife and children with his attribute of wrath. He fights
(jihâd) against the enemies of Islam with the aid of this attribute. It is
owing to lust that one has children and is talked of with honour and fame after
his death. These are things liked and praised by Islam.
“Islam commands not to
eradicate lust and wrath but to control both of them and to use them as
prescribed by Islam. It is similar in that it is necessary for a horseman or a
hunter not to do away with his horse or dog but to tame it in such a manner as
to utilize it. In other words, lust and wrath are like the dog of a hunter and
the horse of a horseman. Without these two, the blessings of the next world
cannot be hunted. But utilizing them requires training them and using them
suitably with Islam. If they are not trained but become excessive and overflow
Islam’s limits, they will lead one to ruination. Riyâda is intended not to
eradicate these two attributes but to train them and make them obey Islam. And
this is possible for everybody.
“As for the fourth group
of wrong-thinkers, they deceive themselves saying, ‘Everything was predestined
in the eternal past. Before a child is born, it is determined if it is going to
be sa’îd (one who deserves Paradise) or shaqî (one who deserves Hell). This will not change
afterwards. For this reason, it is no good to worship.’ So said the as-Sahâbat
al-kirâm when Rasűlullah (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam) stated that
qadâ’ and qadar would not change and that everything had been
predestined in eternity:
‘Let us rely on the eternal predestination and not perform ’ibâdât.’ But
Rasűlullah replied, ‘Do worship! It is easy for everbody to do what
was predestined for him in eternity!’ That is, he who was determined to be sa’îd in
eternity will be made to do what the sa’îd do. From this, it is understood that
the fact that those who were determined to be sa’îd in eternity perform ’ibâdât
and those who were determined to be shaqî disobey Him is similar to the fact
that those who were predestined to live healthfully in eternity take food and
medicine and those who were predestined to become sick and die do not take food
or medicine. Those whose destiny is to die of hunger or sickness are unable to
benefit from food or medicine. The ways of earning are open for a person whose
predestination is to become rich. A person whose destiny is to die in the east
finds the ways leading to the west closed. As reported, when [Archangel]
’Azrâ’îl (’alaihi ’s-salâm) visited [the Prophet] Sulaimân (’alaihi ’s-salâm),
he looked intently at one of those who were sitting there. The man was
frightened by the angel’s stern looks. When ’Azrâ’îl (’alaihi ’s-salâm) was
gone, he begged Sulaimân (’alaihi ’s-salâm) to command the wind to take him to
a western country so that he would escape ’Azrâ’îl (’alaihi ’s-salâm). When
’Azrâ’îl (’alaihi ’s-salâm) came back, Sulaimân (’alaihi ’s-salâm) asked why he
had looked intently on the man’s face. ’Azrâ’îl (’alaihi ’s-salâm) said, ‘I had
been commanded to take away his soul in a western town in an hour. But when I
saw him in your company, I could not help looking at him with astonishment.
Later I went to the west to carry out the command and saw him there and took
his life.’[1] As it is seen, the man feared ’Azrâ’îl (’alaihi
’s-salâm) so that the eternal predestination would take place, and Sulaimân
(’alaihi ’s-salâm) complied; the predestination in eternity was effected
through a chain of means. Likewise, a person who was determined to be sa’îd in
eternity will get the lot of having îmân and correcting his bad habits by
undergoing riyâda. The 125th âyat of the sűrat al-An’âm declares, ‘Allâhu ta’âlâ
places Islam into the heart of a slave of His whom He wishes to guide to the
right path.’ A person who was shaqî in eternity, that is, who was predestined to go
to Hell, is given the thought, ‘There is no need to perform ’ibâdât. It was
predestined in eternity whether a person would be sa’îd or shaqî.’ He does not
perform ’ibâdât because of this thought. His not performing ’ibâdât because of
---------------------------------
[1] This story is told in detail in Mathnawî by
Jalâl ad-dîn Rűmî, who passed away in Konya in
this thought shows that
he was determined to be shaqî in eternity. Likewise, a person whose ignorance
was predestined in eternity is given the thought, ‘Everything was predestined
in eternity. Reading or learning will be of no benefit to a person if he was
predestined to be ignorant.’ Thus he does not study or learn anything. He
remains ignorant. If it was predestined for a person to farm and get crops
abundantly, he is given the lot of ploughing his field and sowing seeds. So is
the case with those who were preordained as sa’îd in eternity to have îmân and
to worship and those who were preordained as shaqî to disbelieve and disobey.
Idiots, unable to understand this, say, ‘What do îmân and ’ibâdât have to do
with being sa’îd in eternity, or disbelief and disobedience with being shaqî?’
With their short reason, they try to comprehend this relation and to solve
everything with their own intellect. But the human reason is limited, and it is
stupidity or idiocy to attempt to understand the things beyond reason’s
comprehension with reason. Those who think so should be judged to be stupid. ’Îsâ (’alaihi s-salâm) said, ‘It
was not difficult for me to make the congenital blind see, nor even to
resuscitate the dead. But I could not explain the truth to any idiot.’ Allâhu
ta’âlâ, with His Infinite Knowledge and Wisdom (Hikma), promotes some of His
slaves to the grade equal to that of angels, even to a higher grade than that.
And some others He demotes to the grade of dogs or swines.”
Hadrat Sheref ad-dîn
Ahmad ibn Yahyâ Munîrî wrote in his 76th letter:
“ ‘Sa’âda’ means ‘deserving
Paradise.’ And ‘shaqâwa’ means ‘deserving Hell.’ Sa’âda and shaqâwa are like Allâhu
ta’âlâ’s two warehouses. The key to the first warehouse is obedience and
’ibâda. The key to the second warehouse is sinfulness. Allâhu ta’âlâ destined
in eternity whether a person would be sa’îd or shaqî. [We call it destiny.] A
person who was called sa’îd in eternity is given the key to sa’âda in this world,
and he obeys Allâhu ta’âlâ. And a person who was shaqî in eternity is given the
key to shaqâwa in this world, and he always commits sins. In this world,
everyone can understand whether he is sa’îd or shaqî by looking at the key in
his hand. The religious scholars who think of the next world understand from
this whether a person is shaqî or sa’îd. But a man of religious post who is
addicted to this world does not know it. Every honour or blessing is in obeying
and worshipping Allâhu ta’âlâ. And every evil or trouble originates from
sinning. Trouble and misfortune come to everybody through
sinning. And comfort and
ease come through obedience.[1] There was a man who had spent his life praying and
performing ’ibâdât for many years in the Aqsâ Mosque in Jerusalem; when he
neglected one sajda (prostration), he lost so much that he was utterly
destroyed. However, because the As’hâb al-kahf’s dog walked for a few steps
behind the siddîqs, it was promoted so high that it was not demoted back though
it was dirty. This fact is very astonishing; men of knowledge have not solved
this riddle for centuries. The human reason cannot comprehend the Divine Wisdom
hidden in it. Allâhu ta’âlâ told Âdam (’alaihi ’s-salâm) not to eat wheat, but
He let him eat it; He commanded Satan to prostrate before Âdam
(’alaihi’s-salâm), but He willed him not to prostrate; He said we should look
for Him, but He did not will that attainment: [on these matters] the pilgrims
on the Divine Way said nothing but that they were never able to understand.
Then, how can we say anything? He does not need the belief or worships of human
beings, whose disbelief or sinning never harms Him. He never needs His
creatures. He made knowledge a means for clearing away disbelief and created
ignorance as a means for sinning. Belief and obedience originate from
knowledge, while disbelief and sin from ignorance. Obedience should not be
forsaken even if it may seem very menial! And sinning should be avoided even if
it may seem quite venial! The ’ulamâ’ of Islam declared that three things would
cause three other things: obedience causes Allâhu ta’âlâ’s Ridâ’ (Consent);
sinning causes His Wrath (Ghadab); îmân causes one to earn honour and dignity.
For this reason, we should strictly avoid committing even a venial sin; Allâhu
ta’âlâ’s Wrath might be in that sin. We should regard every Believer as better
than we are. He may be a slave whom Allâhu ta’âlâ loves very much. Each
person’s destiny, which was determined in eternity, can never be changed. If
Allâhu ta’âlâ wishes, He may forgive a person who always sins and does not
observe His orders. When angels asked, ‘Oh Allah! Are You going to create those
creatures who will corrupt the world and shed blood?’ He did not say that they
would not corrupt but He said, ‘I know what you do not know.’ He meant, ‘I make the
unworthy worthy. I make those who are far off come near. I make the low
exalted. You judge them by their conduct, but I look at
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[1] This is Allâhu ta’âlâ’s Divine Law. No one can
change this. We should not consider something that seems easy and sweet to our
nafs as sa’âda. Nor should we think of those things that look difficult and
bitter to the nafs as shaqâwa or perdition.
their hearts. You take
your sinlessness into account; they trust themselves to My Mercy. As I like
your innocence, so I like to forgive their sins. You cannot know what I know. I
make them attain My eternal blessings and fondle them all with My everlasting
favour.’ ”
Sherefuddîn Ahmad bin
Yahyâ Munîrî (rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ ’alaih) passed away in 732 [1380 A.D.]. He
lived in the city of Bihar, India. His grave is there, too. Munir is one of the
names of the villages in the region of the city of Bihar. His biography is
written in details in the book Akhbâr-ul akhyâr, by Shah Abdulhaq Dahlawî
(rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ ’alaih). This book is in Persian, and it was printed in
the city of Diobend, India, in 1332 [1914 A.D.], and later in Lahor, Pakistân.
Those books, Irshad-us-sâlikîn, Ma’din-ul-ma’ânî, and Maktűbât are very estimable. Gulam
Alî Abdullah-i Dahlawî (rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ alaih),[1] one of the great Ahl
as-Sunna scholars recommends reading Ahmad bin Yahya Munîrî’s book Maktűbât and reports in his
99th letter that it is very effectual in
purifying the heart.
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[1] Abdullah-i Dahlawî passed away in Delhi in