Muhammad
Ma’sűm as-Sirhindî (rahmat-Allâhi ’alaih), one of the great Islamic scholars of
India, wrote in the 182nd letter of the first volume of his work Maktűbât:
“Holding fast to causes is
not inconsistent with tawakkul since the power of affecting, too, is given to
causes by Allâhu ta’âlâ. While holding fast to causes, one should know that the
effectivity of causes originates from Allâhu ta’âlâ and should confide in Him. Holding
fast to those causes whose effectivity has been experienced is a form of
performing tawakkul. It is not conformable to tawakkul if one holds fast to
those causes whose effectivity is not established or is not even hoped for. It
is necessary, even a duty, to hold fast to the causes whose effectivity is
absolute. Fire has the effect of burning; Allâhu ta’âlâ is the One who gives
the property of burning to fire. When we are hungry, we will eat food; we are
to believe that Allâhu ta’âlâ has given to food the effect of satiating. If we
do not use such causes with absolute effects and are harmed, we will have
disobeyed and opposed Allâhu ta’âlâ. Causes are of three categories: those
whose effects have not been seen or heard of, so not permitted to use; those
that have been experienced and seen to be effective, so it is necassary (wâjib)
to use and is sinful to ignore; and those with doubtful effectivity, so using
them is not necessary but permitted (jâ’iz). Allâhu ta’âlâ orders us to consult
with experienced, learned persons before doing our important affairs, to do
them after consulting and, while doing, to have tawakkul towards Allâhu ta’âlâ
and to expect the outcome from Him. Consulting, too, is a way of holding fast
to causes. This order explains that holding fast to causes is wâjib and that it
is necessary to expect their effect from Allâhu ta’âlâ. Tawakkul is not
employed in affairs pertaining to the next worldy, that is, in ’ibâdas and
tâ’as. We have been ordered to perform ’ibâdas, to endeavour to carry on
’ibâdas. In affairs pertaining to the next world, we have to fear and hope
instead of having tawakkul. It is
necessary to perform these orders and to have
confidence in Allâhu ta’âlâ’s Mercy and Benevolence for His accepting and rewarding them. It is a human duty to carry out [His] orders and to abstain
from [His] prohibitions.
“[You
ask,] ‘Is there such a high status in our religion so that one who attains to
it will have forgotten about himself and about everything?’ In response to your
question, we say that there is the status called fanâ’ in tasawwuf. One who
endeavours on the way of tasawwuf forgets about himself and about everything
when he attains to that status. Nevertheless, his bâtin (heart, soul) is the
one who reaches the status of fanâ’ or baqâ’. This hâl (state) occurs in one’s
heart and soul. The zâhir (body, intellect) of a human being has to supply his
own needs. Even if he has advanced much further, he cannot rescue himself from
this duty.
“You
ask whether discovering others’ thoughts, getting information about lost things
and the acceptance of the prayers said are the signs of advancing on the way of
tasawwuf, of attaining to Allâhu ta’âlâ’s love. Dear brother! These are the
extraordinary things Allâhu ta’âlâ creates outside His usual custom (’âdat).
Their occurrence to somebody does not show his advancement and acceptance. They
may occur also to the people of istidrâj who are devoid of felicity. They may
also be observed in disbelievers who polishes their nafses through undergoing
riyâda. In some, they happen without riyâda, too. Since undergoing riyâda is
not a condition for becoming a walî, that is, for attaining to the degrees of
wilâya, so it is not a condition for the people of istidrâj to display khâriqas
and for awliyâ’ (rahimahum-Allâhu ta’âlâ) to display karâmas. Undertaking
riyâda facilitates their frequent occurrence.
“Most
awliyâ’ are protected from the sin called ’ujb (self-admiration). ’Ujb and
riyâ’ (hypocrisy) are not left in the one who has reached the status of fanâ’.
It is true that he may be mistaken out of being human, because awliyâ’ are not
protected against erring. However, they immediately awaken from ghafla
(unawareness) and get rid of its harm by asking for Allâhu ta’âlâ’s Forgiveness
(istighfâr) and by doing charitable deeds.
“Eating
little and sleeping little are beneficial for advancing on the way of tasawwuf,
but one should not be as excessive as to harm the body and intellect. These and
riyâdât should be done in consistency with the Sunna. If they are done
excessively, it will be ruhbaniyya (monastic life), which does not exist in
Islam. The kashfs of awliyâ’ are not imaginative things; they are the things
inspired (ilhâm) to
the heart. Imaginative kashfs should not be trusted in. Wahm and imagination
(hayâl) help in understanding the information coming to the heart. Fifty
thousand years’ distance between the Creator and the created is passed in a
short time with the help of wahm. And the imagination is beneficial to
understand ladunnî knowledge easily. Both help much on the way of tasawwuf. It
has been reported that some prayers are helpful in worldly affairs. Saying
Allâhu ta’âlâ’s names are much more helpful.
“It
is very good not to remember one’s own body while performing salât. Things that
occur while performing salât are more valuable than those occurring outside
salât. The importance of salât should be understood well. We should perform
salâts in their mustahab times and with attention to their conditions and to
ta’dîl al-arkân. [It is condition that one, while beginning a salât, knows that
it is the time for that salât.] It is stated in a hadîth ash-shrarîf that the
curtains between the one who performs salât and Allâhu ta’âlâ are removed.
“You
write that you see awliyâ’s copies or figures in ’âlam al-mithâl and talk with
them. These are good things, but they are not our aim. Since they do not harm
our aim, they are not regrettable things, either.
“You
ask whether it is necessary to believe that Khidir (’alaihi ’s-salâm) is alive.
Our ’ulamâ’ have not reported it in unanimity. Though some awliyâ’ have said
that they saw and spoke to him, such reports does not show that he is alive;
his soul might have been seen in human figure, and his soul might have done
things that are done by human beings. If he were alive during that time, this
does not mean he is alive now. Many of the things
done by Khidir (’alaihi ’s-salâm) are written in the book Al-isâba fî ma’rifati ’s-Sahâba. Most ’ulamâ’
reported that he had passed away. If he had been alive, he would have gone to
our master, the Prophet, performed the prayer of Jum’a together and attended his suhba
and jihâds.
“The
souls of the awliyâ’ who have died are sometimes seen in their [human figures
or] copies in ’âlam al-mithâl. Because, everything in the world has a copy in
’âlam al-mithâl. Even more, spiritual, non-material things, too, have copies
there.’Âlam al-mithâl does not consist of imaginary things. It is an ’âlam that
exists as this visible, material ’âlam does. The souls of awliyâ’ sometimes are
seen in the figures of their own bodies and sometimes, without bodies or
figures, meet and talk with people’s
The
teachings about souls and the life in the grave are very subtle. We should not
speak on them out of supposition or surmise. We should believe briefly what has
been reported openly in the nasses (âyats and hadîths) and should not speak
more. It should be believed that there are blessings and tortures in the grave.
It has also been reported that the dead talk with one another and because of
the tortures, they cry and lament. Except human beings and genies, all
creatures hear their cries. Souls cry not only alone but also through their
bodies.
“However
much a person advances in tasawwuf, reaches perfection or attains to qurb
al-ilâhi, neither his body nor his soul can escape being creatures. Everything
other than Allâhu ta’âlâ is hâdith (created), and all creatures had been
non-existent before becoming existent. They will become non-existent again. For
being a Muslim, believing as such is a must. It is the same for the souls of prophets (’alaihimu
’s-salawâtu wa ’t-taslîmât) and awliyâ’. To escape the tortures of the next
world, we have to follow what the ’ulamâ’ of Ahl as-Sunna have reported. Those
kashfs and karâmât that do not conform to their books are worthless. The aim on
the way of tasawwuf consists of seeing the faults and defects of one’s own
nafs, making the adaptation to the rules of Islam easy and tasteful and
escaping from secret polytheism and disbelief.
“You
write about the good hâls of your students, for which you shall be much
thankful to Allâhu ta’âlâ. Try hard for your students to be perfect Muslims and
to attain to Allâhu ta’âlâ’s Consent! Tell them about the âdâb in the rules of
Islam, the âdâb of the scholars of Ahl as-Sunna and the hâls and morals of
Salaf as-sâlihîn. Do not refrain from preaching and advising them! Allâhu
ta’âlâ does not love those without âdâb. Recite the Qur’ân
al-karîm
much! Perform your salât in khushű’ (reverence) and in accord with the books of
fiqh [written by the ’ulamâ’ of Ahl as-Sunna] and always say the beautiful word
lâ ilâha illa’llâh! May Allâhu ta’âlâ
show Mercy upon all of us! May He bestow upon all of us the good deeds through
which His Consent is attained! I express my salâm and say my prayers for you
and for those who follow the true path, the footsteps of Muhammad (’alaihi
’s-salâm)! Since much time has past since the time of Rasűlullâh (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ
’alaihi wa sallam) and the Doomsday is nearing, bida’ are widespread everywhere
now. Darkness and the harms of bida’ have disseminated throughout the world;
the sunnas have been
forgotten. Their
lights have been covered. Now the most valuable deed that will make one attain
to Allâhu ta’âlâ’s Consent is the endeavour to uncover the forgotten sunnas,
that is, to disseminate Islamic sciences. Those who want to be near Muhammad
(’alaihi ’s-salâm) on the Day of Judgement should work for this purpose. A hadîth
sharîf
says, ‘There is the thawâb
of a hundred martyrs for the one who uncovers a forsaken sunna of mine.’ [That is, it is very
meritorius to uncover, preach and promulgate an Islamic teaching.] The first
thing to do for uncovering a sunna is one’s performance of that sunna
personally. Next comes the endeavour to make others perform it.
“You
write about the fear of the last breath. There has been nobody who has escaped
this fear. The last breath of everyone other than prophets (’alaihimu
’s-salawâtu wa ’t-taslîmât) is uncertain. The good news of being rescued in the
last breath can be known only through wahî. Though good signs, works and
tidings indicate the safety of the last breath, they only make up a strong
supposition. However strong the supposition is, it cannot rescue one from this
suffering, this fear.
“You
say, ‘I see that my ’ibâdas and tâ’as do not deserve being acceptable.
Therefore, there sometimes appear some slackness in performing ’ibâda.’ We are
ordered to perform ’ibâdas in this world. We have to perform them even if we do
not know whether they will be accepted or not. We will not only perform them
but also, asking forgiveness of our defects in them, entreat by crying and
moaning for their acceptance. Repenting and entreating may cause their
acceptance. We are human
servants. We are obliged to do our human duties. The Devil, the accursed, tries
to deceive us so that we may not undertake our human duties.
“You
ask about our tawajjuh and love towards you. Is there any need to express it?
Your love towards us is the work, the result, of our love towards you. All the
flowers and fruits on the tree stem from the trunk. This rule has always worked
as such. Sűrat al-Mâ’ida states, ‘I love them. And they love Me,’ in the 54th âyat and, ‘Allah is pleased with them. And they are
pleased with Allah,’ in the 109th âyat. Allâhu ta’âlâ expressed His love and consent
before those [of His lovers].”
Kâdî-zâde Ahmad Effendi (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) wrote in his Turkish work Farâ’id al-fawâ’id, which is a commentary ofÂmantu: “When one does a charitable deed and presents its thawâb to any dead person, it reaches him. As written in the book Wasat by al-Imâm at-Tabarânî (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ), Anas ibn Mâlik (râdî-
Allâhu ’anh)
reported that Rasűlullâh (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam) had said, ‘When one gives alms for a dead person of
his acquaintance, Jabrâ’il (’alaihi ’s-salâm) takes the thawâb of the alms to him in a dish of lights (nűr) and
says, “Oh the owner of the grave! This present is sent by your friend, take
it!” The dead personrejoices to receive that present. Upon seeing this, those
dead people to whom no present is sent feel sorrow.’
“As
said by ’Amr ibn Jarîr (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ), if a person prays or does a
charitable deed for a religious brother of his who has passed to the next world
and if he gifts its thawâb to him, an angel takes the thawâb to that dead
person and says, ‘Such person among your friends sent this to you.’ The hadîth
ash-sharîf
reported by Imâm Muslim (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ) on the authority of Abu Huraira
(radî-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anh) says: ‘When a believer dies, all his deeds end; only three of his deeds
do not end, and their thawâbs go on being written in this deed-book. These
three deeds are his sadaqa al-jâriyya (continuing good works), his useful books and his piouschildren who
pray for his blessedness.’ The prayers and thawâbs presented to all Muslims reach all of
them. When one goes to a believer’s grave and greets him, the dead one in the
grave hears him, replies to his greeting and, if they were acquainted, recognized
him. Rasűlullâh (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) ordered us to visit graves and
to greet those in them. The hadîth ash-sharîf related by ’Abdullâh ibn ’Abbâs (radî-Allâhu
’anhumâ) says, ‘When one
visits the grave of abeliever of his acquaintance and greets him, the latter
recognizes him and responds to the greeting.’ Another hadîth
sharîf
says, ‘When one visits the
grave of a religiousbrother of his and sits by grave, the dead one rejoices.’
“When
a believer recites a salawat sharîfa for our Prophet (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ
’alaihi wa sallam), angels convey the salawât to our master, who is Fakhr al-’âlam (Glory of the
world). The Hadîth ash-sharîf says, ‘Allâhu
ta’âlâ has angels that move on the earth. They convey to me the salawât recited
by myumma,’ and,
‘When one recites salât for
me, his salât is immediately conveyed to me.’ These two hadîths
mean ‘Angels convey some of them, and I [directly] hear the others.’ There are
many hadîths that report that he personally will hear and reply to the salât
and salâm that will be said by the Rawdat al-muqaddasa.
“The
blessed bodies of prophets (’allahimu ’s-salâtu wa ’s-salâm) do not rot. This is stated in
many hadîths, one of which says, ‘Prophets are alive in their graves.’ Some ’ulamâ’ said
that
martyrs do not rot,
either. Al-Imâm al-Qurtubî said that the bodies of believers who were patient
during troubles and sufferings and those of the pious who followed Islamic
rules did not rot. The body that has not sinned does not rot. The bodies of the
’ulamâ’ who practise their knowledge, those of hâfizes and muezzins [who do not
commit sins or bid’a] and those of awliyâ’ (qaddas-Allâhu ta’âlâ asrârahumu
’l-’azîz) do not rot. Even more, the earth does not affect their shrouds.
Others’ bodies rot. A hadîth sharîf says, ‘Earth rots the body of every dead person. Only the bone
called coccyx does not rot.’
“Our
religion does not openly describe how the soul is. The soul is neither a
substance nor an attribute but, unlike substances, it exists without needing
any matter. After man dies, his soul does not become non-existent. It exists
needing no matter. It possesses perception and comprehension. It is not openly
reported where the soul goes. In the commentary to Jawhara, Ibrâhîm al-Lâqânî wrote various
narrations. Al-Imâm as-Suyűtî, in his work Sharh as-sudűr, and Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya said that the
souls of rebels (shaqî), that is, unbelievers and sinners, are in torture while
the souls of the happy (sa’îd), that is, believers and the pious, are in
blessings and pleasures. The Jews’ souls come together with other Jewish souls.
[The souls of Christians, the lâ-madhhabî and unbelievers
without a holy book reside with one anoher’s.] The place where the souls are
tortured is called Sijjîn. The place of
blessings and pleasures is called ’Illiyyîn. The highest rank at ’Illiyîn is called Mala al-’a’lâ. Our master Rasűlullâh said as his last
statement, ‘Oh my Rabb!
Forgive me! Show mercy tome! Make me attain to Rafîq al-a’lâ,’ which is the place
of prophets. Their ranks, too, are different. On the night of Mi’râj, our Prophet (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ
’alaihi wa sallam) saw ’Âdam(’alaihi ’s-salâm) in the first sky, ’Îsâ and Yahyâ
(’alaihima ’s-salâm) in the second sky, Yűsuf (’alaihi ’s-salâm) in the third
sky, Idrîs (’alaihi ’s-salâm) in the fourth sky, Hârűn (’alaihi ’s-salâm) in
the fifth sky, Műsâ (’alaihi ’s-salâm) in the sixth sky and Ibrâhîm (’alaihi
’s-salâm) in the seventh sky. The souls of the ’ulamâ’ of Ahl as-Sunna are near
those of prophets (’alaihimu ’s-salawâtu wa ’t-taslîmât). A hadîth
sharîf
says, ‘Martyrs’
souls are at the ’Arsh al-ilâhî. Whenever theywant, they go to the places they
wish in Paradise, and thenthey return to their dwellings.’ Morning and evening,
or day and night, do not exist in the life of the next world. Paradise is
nűrânî (glorious; formed of the Glory of Allâhu ta’âlâ). Some martyrs do not
enter Paradise but remain under the green domes
along the river
called Bâriq near Paradise. The
blessings of Paradise are brought to them in the morning and evening; here,
‘morning and evening’ are used as metaphors to liken to the time in this world.
According to a narration, all believers’ souls are under these domes. Martyrs
say, ‘If our brothers-in-Islam in the world saw the blessings and happiness we
have attained to, they would rush out to perform jihâd.’ The 170th âyat
al-karîma of Sűrat Âl ’Imrân says, ‘Do not say “dead” for those who became martyrs in the way of
Allah.They are alive. Nutrition is always given to them. The fear of being
tortured does not exist in them. They do not worry about being deprived of
blessings, either.’ In the world, their bodies decay and putrefy under soil, and
animals eat their flesh; those who see this condition of theirs think that they
suffer pains and are under torture. They cannot comprehend the blessings and
happiness martyrs attain to. While martyrs are alive as such, prophets, too, are
certainly alive since every prophet possesses the rank of martyrdom. A hadîth
sharîf
says, ‘The one whose death
comes while he is learning knowledge is met by Allâhu ta’âlâ in the rank of prophets.’ ’Uthmân ibn ’Affân (radî-Allâhu ’anh) reported that Rasűlullâh (sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ
’alaihi wa sallam) had said, ‘On the Day of Judgement, prophets will intercede firstly and the ’ulamâ’
next.’ A
hadîth sharîf says, ‘Those
who die of tâ’űn attain to the rank of martyrs.’ Ta’űn means any
epidemic disease like plague.
“During the life in the
grave, one will be in the company of those with whom he will be together with
on the Day of Judgement. He will be assembled for Judgement among those whom he
loves and lives with in this world. Imâm Ahmad ibn Hanbal (rahimah-Allâhu
ta’âlâ) said, ‘Believers’ souls are in Paradise. Unbelievers’ souls are in
Hell.’ To some ’ulamâ’, the former are in Jannat al-mawâ, the Paradise under
the ’Arsh. The souls of those who habitually commit fornication or who dwell on
interest or orphans’ property are under torture in Hell. The souls of those on
whom others have rights do not enter Paradise. Such are the souls of those who
commit sins and cruelty. The souls of awliyâ’ (rahimahum-Allâhu ta’âlâ) and
pious believers come to their graves and visit their bodies. Believers’ souls
visit one another. They talk with one another especially on Friday nights. When
a believer dies and his or her soul ascends to the sky, the souls of [dead]
believers come and ask about their acquaintances in this world. The souls of
those who die without making a testament are not permitted to talk.”