This part is a translation from the book Manâqib
wa Maqâmât-i-Ahmadiyya-i-Saîdiyya, written by Muhammad Maz-har ‘quddisa sirruh’, a son of Ahmad Sa’îd
Fârűqî ‘quddisa sirruh’:
Ahmad-i-Fârűqî Serhendî ‘quddisa sirruh’, an acme for
ârifs, a guide for owners of haqîqat, a paragon for the Awliyâ-i-kirâm, a
darling of Allâhu ta’âlâ, the revitalizer and illuminater of the second
thousand (Islamic) years, a qibla for the hearts of those who advance in the
way leading towards Allâhu
ta’âlâ, a peerless link in the
Silsila-i-Zeheb, was fathered by Abd-ul-ahad. And this noble person, in his
turn, was fathered by Zeynel’âbidîn, whose father was Abd-ul-hayy, whose father
was Muhammad, whose father was Habîbullah, whose father was Refî’uddîn, whose
father was Khawâja Nűr, whose father was Nasîr-ud-dîn, whose father was
Suleymân, whose father was Yűsuf, whose father was Shu’âyb, whose father was
Ahmad, whose father was Yűsuf, whose
father was Shihâb-ud-dîn (better known with the name Ferrűh Shâh), whose father
was Nasîr-ad-dîn, whose father was Mahműd, whose father was Suleymân, whose father
was Mes’űd, whose father was Abdullah Wâ’iz-i-esghar, whose father was Abdullah
Wâ’iz-i-ekber, whose father was Nâsir, whose father was Abdullah ibni ’Umar,
and whose father, finally, was hadrat ’Umar ul-Fârűq ‘radiy-Allâhu anhum
ajma’în’.
Each and every one of Imâm-i-Rabbânî’s ‘quddisa sirruh’
fathers and grandfathers possessed ’ilm and ikhlâs and was at the same time one
of the Shaikhs and notables of his own time. All of them were extremely
venerable persons and were among the Awliyâ-i-kirâm.
Great Walîs such as Mawlânâ Ahmad Nâmiqî Jâmi and
Halîlullah-i-Bedahshî had foretold the advent of Imâm-i-Rabbânî ‘quiddisa
sirruh’. In fact, our master, the Messenger of Allah ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wa
sallam’ had given the good news that he would
come. The hadîth-i-sherîf
expressing this good news is written in the book Jam’ul
jawâmî’, by Imâm-i-Suyűtî, who quotes it
from Ibni Mes’űd Abd-ur-Rahmân ibni Yezîd, and who quotes it from hadrat Jâbir
‘radiy-Allâhu anhum’. The hadîth-i-sherîf
purports: “From among my Ummat (Muslims),
someone called Sila will appear. Many, many people will enter
Paradise through his shafâ’at (intercession).”
‘Sila’ means ‘conjoiner’, ‘uniter’,
‘unifier’. Later, he was called so on account of his unifying two branches of
knowledge, i.e. Tasawwuf and Fiqh. Scholars contemporary with him addressed him
with this nickname. As a matter of fact, in a letter he wrote to his son
Muhammad Ma’thűm ‘quddisa sirruh’, he says, “I pay my hamd (gratitude, laud and
praise) to my Rabb (Allâhu ta’âlâ), who has made
me a sila between two oceans.”
He honoured the world with his presence in the hijrî
lunar year 971, and passed away on the twenty-ninth, Tuesday, of the month of
Safar in 1034 [A.D. 1624]. He was only a child when lights of maturity, wilâyat
and hidâyat shone on his blessed, pure forehead. As a small child he was
honoured with fruitfull inspirations to the heart from Shâh Kemâl
Kihtalî-yi-Qâdirî ‘rahmatullâhi aleyh’, who directly inspired into him the
nisbat-i-qâdiriyya.
It took him only a short time to memorize the Qur’ân al-kerîm. Then, acquiring knowledge from his father and from the time’s
greatest scholars, he became a great scholar. He derived great benefit from his
father and attained ma’rifats of Tawhîd in his presence. He received the ijâzat
(certificate) of Irshâd (guiding disciples in the way of Tasawwuf) in the paths of Cheshtiyya and Qâdiriyya. He became
a substitute for his father. When he was seventeen years old he became a master
in zâhirî and bâtinî (pertaining to heart) knowledge. He began to publish his
knowledge and educate disciples in the two great branches. He would read books
written by great leaders of Naqshbendiyya order with great enthusiasm and
looked forward to meeting one of the superiors of this order. He kept this
yearning and zeal in his heart till he eventually attained the matchless sohbat
and company of Khwâja Muhammad Bâkî ‘quddisa sirruh’, one of the greatest
leaders of this order, an owner of irshâd (guidance) and hidâyat (guidance to
and attainment of the right way), a corroborator of Islam, an owner of
haqîqats.
Having attained this blessed company, which draws one
towards Allâhu ta’âlâ and lifts
one up to very high ranks, he joined the order of these great people. Holding
fast to their services and strictly observing the âdâb (subtle standards) of
sohbat, he attained nisbat-i-Naqshbendî in two months plus a few days. Showers
of knowledge and ma’rifat, like April rain, began to pour into his blessed
heart. His master, Khwâja Bâkî-billâh ‘qaddas-Allâhu sirrahul’azîz’ frequently
said about him, “Ahmad is one of the Murâds and Mahbűbs.” This was the reason
for his rapid progress. He became like a sun illuminating the entire world. His
master gave him the good news that he had attained very high ranks and would be
able to make others attain these ranks, that he was very close to Allâhu ta’âlâ, and said, “On my way back to India
after having received my ijâzat from my master Emkenghî ‘quddisa sirruh’, I
came to the city of Serhend where you were. I had a dream, wherein they told me
I was in the vicinity of a qutb (a person who occupies the highest rank) and
showed a vision of that high person. You are that high person (whose vision I
saw in my dream). It was during another of my travels through Serhend when I
saw a torch extending up to heavens and illuminating the entire world from the
farthest east to the remotest points in the west. I beheld that the light
coming from the torch became brighter and brighter and crowds of people lit
their own candles from the torch. I know this dream as good news, a harbinger
of your coming to the world.”
As Khwâja Bâkî-billâh ‘quddisa sirruh’ sent
Imâm-i-Rabbânî ‘qaddas-Allâhu sirrahul ’azîz’ with ijâzat-i-mutlaq (full
authorization) to the city of Serhend, he withdrew from his own position and
trusted the business of educating and training his disciples, including his
sons, to him, and said, “Ahmad is a sun
outshining thousands of stars like us. There have been only one or two like him
in this Ummat. And today there is next to no one like him under the celestial
dome. I look on myself as one of his satellites [pupils]. All his ma’rifats are
correct and approved by Prophets ‘alaihimus-salâm’.” In fact, his master as
well as his disciples would attend his sohbat in order to receive fayz and nűr
from him.
Having attained high grades and unequalled ranks, Imâm-i-Rabbânî
came to Serhend and set about educating people who yearned for attaining love
of Allâhu ta’âlâ. Echoes of guidance spread
throughout the world. Calls of hidâyat inspired spring weather into hearts,
producing many a renovation and green foliage. The drum of Qutb-ul-aqtâb was
beaten in his name. A
mere compliment received from him would suffice for one to attain
high grades of Wilâyat. Abdâls and Awtâds ran for his company. His lights of
Wilâyat, his barakats of karâmat are too occult to express in words or writing.
People who were stranded in the desert of aberration and bewilderment attained
hidâyat in his sohbat.
People who were about to drown in the sea of remoteness reached
the shore of closeness through his favour. Pursuers of haqîqat and ma’rifat
crowded around him like ants. Sultans, commanders, governors shone with the
light emanating from this source of Hidâyat. The fayz pouring like April rain
on the disciples in his presence was an object of envy for angels in the seven
skies. Upon hearing about his greatness and kerâmats, learned and eminent
people far and near hastened to rub their faces on his threshold, which
radiated Wilâyat. Owing to his fruitful tawajjuh and attention, which attracted
one towards Allâhu ta’âlâ, they attained
spiritual peace and nűr and tawhîd without any mushâhada or effort, without
taking pains. Without having to dive into the sea of Wahdat, it became possible
for them to disappear into the ocean of Ahâdiyyat without any toil. Slightest
care on his part would result in the mushâhada of Wahdat in the kathrat, jazbas
(raptures) of love and ma’rifats of heart. The nisbat (order) of Ahrariyya
became strong again, so that it spread throughout the world owing to his
fruitful efforts. Other nisbats beyond the already known sulűk and jazba were
discovered. Self-abnegations, such as fasting without making iftâr (eating at
the time of breaking fast), subjecting oneself to mortifications for forty
days, doing without food and drink, keeping away from people, methods commonly
used by people preceding him, were no longer things to be aspired after for
people matured in his company. These arduous methods left their places to
moderations such as being temperate in worships and observing the Sunnat
strictly in prayers and deeds. Perfections that would normally cost years’
mortifications would be attained in a moment owing to his barakat and tawajjuh.
His blessed person ‘rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ aleyh’ became a great gift from Allâhu ta’âlâ and a representative of His Messenger
‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wa sallam’. He was entrusted with the duty of guidance and
leadership of unending paths. He became the mujaddid of the second thousand
years. Thus, any sort of fayz and barakat coming to anyone till the end of the
world will be coming through him. With his quite new teachings, unheard - of
ma’rifats, secrets that
had never been revealed by anyone before him, and extraordinary
kashfs which no one else had attained, he started a new trend; this fact is as
obvious as the sun.
At the beginning of every hundred years a Mujaddid
(person to reconsolidate, to
restore Islam) will come. However, there is a great difference between
mujaddids coming every hundred years and those who come every thousand years.
Difference between these two kinds of mujaddids is equal to and even more than
the difference between a hundred and a thousand.
Mujaddid is the person who serves as the medium for
all sorts of fayz and barakat coming to people in his time. Even those lucky
people called Qutb, Awtâd, Budalâ and Nujabâ ‘qaddas-Allâhu ta’âlâ esrârahum-ul-’azîz’ receive their fayz through him.
The time of Imâm-i-Ahmad Rabbânî ‘quddisa sirruh’ can be
described as follows: During the earlier dispensations, whenever an Ummat
degenerated and the earth was covered with zulmat, a new great Prophet called Ulul’azm would come and a new religion
would be revealed to him. The most useful Ummat is the Ummat of Muhammad
‘alaihis-salâm’. And the Prophet of this Ummat
is the finality of all Prophets ‘alaihim-us-salawâtu wa-t-taslîmât’. Scholars
among this Ummat are like the Prophets of Benî Isrâ’îl (Children of Israel).
This fact is stated in a hadîth-i-sherîf. It was
decided (by Allâhu ta’âlâ) that existence of scholars
in this Ummat would be sufficient (for Muslims). Therefore, one thousand years
after our master the Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi
wa sallam’, a noble person with perfect ma’rifat, knowledge and wisdom would be
necessary to take the place of one of the past Prophets called Ulul’azm. For
the latest period of the Muslim dispensation would begin one thousand years
after our master the Prophet’s ‘sall-Allâhu
alaihi wa sallam’ death. Elapse of one thousand years is a matter of paramount
importance and it is a major factor in the changing of situations. Since there
would not be any change in this Ummat and in this religion, it would, beyond
doubt, be necessary that the standard of spirituality and the firmness of
guidance possessed by the earlier Muslims be reinstated in the later
generations. Thus, Imâm-i-Ahmad Rabbânî’s ‘quddisa sirruh’ blessed person was
equipped with all the perfections peculiar to prophethood and messengership and
distinguished from others. People who observe his astoundingly unusual information,
his ma’rifats pertaining to the Zât-i-ilâhî (Person of Allâhu
ta’âlâ), his purely beautiful moral quality and
his oral and written statements describing hâls, mawâjids,
tajallîs and zuhűrs, will see this fact well. For these things are the essentials
of the Islamic religion and make up an epitome of the teachings pertaining to Allâhu ta’âlâ, His Person and Attributes. Innumerous
secrets and meanings, the haqîqat (the essence, the real inner meaning) of
Kâ’ba-i-mu’azzama, the haqîqat of Qur’ân al-kerîm,
the haqîqat of namâz, ma’bűdiyyat-i-sirfa, degrees of muhabbat (love) called
hillat, muhibbiyyat and mahbűbiyyat, the grades termed ta’ayyun-i-wujűdî,
ta’ayyun-i-hubbî, lâ-ta’ayyun, the zuhűr (manifestation) of properties called
mabda-i-ta’ayyun in creatures, mabda-i-ta’ayyyuns belonging to Prophets and
angels, to which of the Divine Attributes or Names the idiosyncratic talents of
each of his disciples were related, to what Prophet
each of the Awliyâ was related as a result of natural identity (mashrab), e.g.
Muhammadî-ul-mashrab, Ibrâhîm-ul-mashrab, etc., their own wilâyat related to
muhibbiyyat and mahbűbiyyat-i-zâtiyya, their inner natures and peculiarities,
the haqîqat of being a qayyűm, secrets of sabâhat and malâhat and combination
of these two graces, and many other secrets and meanings were bestowed on him
by Allâhu ta’âlâ. None of the Awliyâ
‘rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ alaihim ajma’în’ had mentioned these values. A summary of
these values is written in his three books titled Mektűbât
and in his other seven pamphlets.
The Imâm ‘quddisa sirruh’ had innumerous kashfs and
karâmats. We will write a few of them in order to become blessed:
1- One of the Imâm’s disciples wrote a letter to him, asking,
“Did the Ashâb-i-kirâm attain these ranks which you have been telling about? If
so, did it occur at once or gradually?” The Imâm said that a question of this
sort could be answered only in a sohbat (by being together). The questioner
visited him for his sohbat. The imâm made tawajjuh to him (turned his attention
towards him), bestowing on him all the nisbats he possessed, and said, “What
did you see?” Upon this the person threw himself down to hadrat Imâm’s feet and
said, “Now I know that the As-hâb-i-kirâm ‘alaihim-ur-ridwân’ attained all the
ranks of wilâyat with only one sohbat with Rasűlullah
‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wa sallam’.”
2- Mawlâna Yűsuf was ill. It seemed that he was to
die soon. Imâm-i-Rabbânî visited him. Mawlânâ Yűsuf requested tawajjuh and
himmat. So the Imâm ‘quddisa sirruh’ went in murâqaba (contemplation, profound
meditation) and made him attain the
grades of Fanâ and Baqâ. Upon this, the latter, badly
ill as he was, informed with the realized improvements taking place in his
heart. As soon as his progress reached its zenith he attained Allâhu ta’âlâ (passed away).
3- Some of the Imâm’s disciples expressed their wish
to visit the Ghaws-ul-a’zam Abd-ul-qâdir-i-Geylânî ‘quddisa sirruh’. The Imâm
remained silent and made tawajjuh towards the soul of the Ghaws-ul-a’zam
‘radiy-Allâhu anhumâ’. Hadrat Abd-ul-qâdir-i-Geylânî’s blessed soul appeared
and he and some of his senior disciples honoured the place with their presence.
Those disciples of the Imâm’s who were present at the place visited the guests and
received fayz from them.
4- Someone suffering from leprosy begged the Imâm to
pray for the restoration of his health. When the Imâm made tawajjuh the person
regained his health completely.
5- A hâfid whose duty was to recite Qur’ân al-kerîm in the circle became badly ill. Everybody was hopeless.
Imâm-i-Rabbânî said, “I have admitted him under my protection.” The person
recovered immediately.
6- He was on a safar (voyage, travel). The weather
was unbearably hot and heavy. Exhausted, his companions and disciples begged
him to intercede for mercy. The Imâm ‘quddisa sirruh’ trusted himself to Allâhu ta’âlâ. Presently, a cloud appeared and poured some light rain. It was
no longer hot. Nor was there any dust left.
7- Some of his adherents found a Hindu idol temple empty at a
remote place and broke the idols. They had hardly finished doing this when they
found themselves surrounded by fully armed idolaters awaiting them with their
swords drawn. The adherents seeked asylum with the Imâm, begging him for help.
Imâm-i-Rabbânî ‘qaddas-Allâhu ta’âlâ sirrah-ul-’azîz’ appeared at the place and
said, “Don’t worry! You will soon be receiving help from the unknown.” A number
of horsemen came into sight and protected the beloved born slaves from the
unbelievers.
8- One of his disciples met a lion in the country.
There was no place to shelter. He seeked asylum with the Imâm and begged for
help. The Imâm appeared with a walking stick in his hand and hit the fierce
animal hard. The lion ran away and the disciple was saved.
9- A pious person living in a far away country heard
about the
Imâm’s fame and came to the city of Serhend. Someone
invited him to his house to spend the night there. When he said that he was
there to receive fayz from the Imâm and that he was very happy because he was
going to be blessed with the honour of joining his disciples, the host began to
vituperate hadrat Imâm, using filthy language about him. Deeply saddened and
embarrassed, the pious person committed himself to the Imâm’s soul and begged
him through his heart: “I am here only with the intention of serving you for
Allah’s sake. This person wants to deprive me of this happiness.”
Imâm-i-Rabbânî appeared, exasperated and with his sword drawn, and cutting the
denier to pieces he left the house. When the pious person was blessed with the
Imâm’s presence the following morning and attempted to relate the previous
night’s event, the Imâm preferred to conceal his kerâmat, saying, “Do not
relate by day what happened at night.”
10- One of the Imâm’s ‘quddisa sirruh’ deniers
invited one of the Imâm’s disciples to his home. Putting something to eat in
front of the guest, the host began to speak ill of Imâm-i-Rabbânî ‘rahmatullâhi
ta’âlâ aleyh’. The disciple was vexed and wished to go back to the Imâm’s
place. This stirred the Ghayrat-i-ilâhî, whereupon all the limbs of the
denier’s body broke and the body was torn to pieces. Terrified, the disciple
left the house and made for the Imâm’s place. The Imâm was standing at the
door, as it was his blessed habit. Holding his disciple by the hand, he took
him to the denier’s house. They entered the house. The Imâm supplicated to Allâhu ta’âlâ for the resuscitation of the dead person. Allâhu ta’âlâ accepted his supplication. When they stood up some time later, he
said to his disciple, “Don’t tell anyone about this event as long as I am
alive.”
11- One day ten of the Imâm’s disciples invited him to have (the
dinner called) Iftâr with them and all the ten invitations happened to be for
the same evening. Accepting all the invitations, he had Iftâr with all the ten
families at the same time in the same evening.
12- He said one day, “The desire I had had to visit
the Ka’ba-i-mu’azzama became so overwhelming that it was all but impossible for
me to endure it any longer. By the grace of Allâhu ta’âlâ, this
zeal and devotion generated so powerful an attraction that I found the
Kâ’ba-i-mu’azzama by my side and was honoured with tawâf (visiting the Kâ’ba).”
We shall quote a few of the sayings that emanated from
Imâm-i-Ahmad Rabbânî’s ‘qaddas-Allâhu
ta’âlâ sirrah-ul’azîz’ blessed heart
and were expressed through his blessed pen’s tongue:
He stated: All things seen and known are muqayyad.
[They are dependent on other things.]. They are not [worth being] maqsűd (thing(s)
wished for) or matlűb (thing(s) aspired after). What is [worth being] matlűb is
what is free and far from all bounds and dependencies. Then, it must be looked
for beyond seeing and knowing.
He stated: Sayr and Sulűk consist of progress in
knowledge.
He stated: What camouflages the Awliyâullâh
‘rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ alaihim ajma’în’ from others’ sight, and prevents them
from being identified, is their human properties. These people need what other
people need. Being Awliyâ will not exempt them from this need.
He stated: Allâhu ta’âlâ has
concealed His Walî born slaves in such a way that their own zâhir (physical
senses) are unaware of the perfections in their hearts, nonetheless for others’
identifying them.
He stated: Yâ Rabbî (o my Allah)! What a mystery it
is that Thou hast made them Awliyâ (beloved born slaves) for Thine Self. Their
bâtin (hearts) are like nectars. A person who tastes one tiny drop of them will
find endless life and attain eternal felicity. Their outward appearances, on
the other hand, are like fatal poison. He who evaluates them only by looking at
their outward appearances will end up in eternal death.
He stated: Man’s creation is intended for him to do
his duties as a born slave. The highest of the ranks of Wilâyat is the rank of
’abdiyyat (being a born slave). There is no rank above it.
He stated: They bless only one out of thousands of people with
the honour of Ikhlâs and the rank of Ridâ. This faqîr (hadrat Imâm-i-Ahmad
Rabbânî means himself) was blessed with Ikhlâs and Ridâ, which are the ultimate
goals, only after ten years’ progress in this way. As alms from our master the Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wa sallam’, the essence,
the inner nature (haqîqat) of these mysteries was entirely explained to me. May
hamd-u-thanâ (laud, praise and gratitude) be to Allâhu
ta’âlâ for this blessing.
He stated: The way taken (and guided) by these
superior
people ‘rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ alaihim ajma’în’ is
extremely valuable and very sacred. It has been based on the principle of
adapting yourself to the Sunnat. Now I have no desire but to revive one of the
Sunnats of Rasűlullah ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wa sallam’. Let those who aspire
after hâls, mawâjids and zawks have them. The heart should be enriched with the
nisbat [following the way] of our superiors and the zâhir (body, outward
appearance, actions) should be decorated with (obeying) the Ahkâm-i-Islâmiyya.
[Ahkâm-i-Islâmiyyâ means Islam’s commandments and prohibitions].
He stated: Prophets ‘alaihim-us-salawâtu
wa-t-taslîmat’ were sent to India. I see bright nűrs (lights, haloes) on their
graves. I could show their graves one by one if I wanted to. Yet people are
mostly disinclined to believe such statements.
He stated: The word ‘riyâzat’ (mortification) has
meant ‘subjecting oneself to hunger’, ‘fasting’ to (most) people. However,
steady strictness about eating as much as our religion prescribes is more
difficult and more useful than performing supererogatory fast for thousands of
years.
He stated: If delicious, sweet food is offered to a
person and if he eats as much of it as our religion prescribes and leaves the
rest though he has appetite and wishes to eat it all, this abstention of his is
a powerful way of riyâzat and it is much better than the other methods of
riyâzat.
He stated: I saw the Sarwar-i-kâinât ‘sall-Allâhu
alaihi wa sallam’. He wrote an ijâzat for me, saying, “I have not written an
ijâzat like this for anyone after my As-hâb.” Then he gave me the good news:
“On the rising day thousands of people will enter Paradise through your
shafâ’at.” He made me a mujtahid in the ’Ilm-i-Kelâm.
He stated: “I saw Islam. It stopped at our place like a caravan
stopping at a caravanserai.” As he said so he pointed to his mosque and to his
convent.
He stated: One morning I saw Imâm-i-a’zam
‘rahmatullâhi aleyh’ and his teacher and his disciples arriving. I found myself
immersed in their haloes. I attained a special Fanâ in the nisbat of those
great people. Likewise, at some other time Imâm-i-Shâfi’î ‘rahmatullâhi aleyh’
and his teacher and his disciples appeared. This time their haloes covered me
all over. I attained Fanâ in their nisbat, too.
He stated: Ghaws-ul-a’zam (Abd-ul-qâdîr Geylânî)
‘quddisa sirruh’ and the great Shaikhs of Qâdirî path ‘rahmatullâhi alaihim’
visited me. With the arrival of these great people, I found myself in the
haloes of Qâdirî nisbat (path). I thought to myself, “I was educated by the
superiors of Naqshbendî. How is it that the Qâdirî order seems to have had more
effect on me?” As soon as this thought passed through my heart, hadrat
Khwâja-i-jihân Bahâ-ad-dîn Bukhârî ‘quddisa sirruh’, accompanied by his
disciples, honoured the place with his presence and sat against the
Ghaws-us-saqaleyn. Addressing the other group, he said, “Ahmad is one of us. He
attained perfection and maturity through our methods of education.” In the
meantime, leaders of the orders Cheshtiyya and Kubrawiyya arrived, too. They
poured their own nisbats into my heart. They gave me new ijâzats. I already was
in possession of the nisbats of those superior people, and now they became
firmer and brighter. If I wish, I can make my disciples reach perfection
through all these paths.
He stated: One day I was pervaded with a feeling of
seeing my deeds deficient. I was in a mood of utter penitence and contrition,
when I heard a voice saying, “I have forgiven thee and those who invoke through
thee, whether through another means or without any intermediary in between,
till the end of the world,” as it had been expressed in the hadîth-i-sherîf, “If a person humiliates himself for the sake of Allâhu
ta’âlâ, Allâhu ta’âlâ will exalt him.”
He stated: “They have shown me all those men and
women who have joined our order as well as those who will join us through means
or directly till the end of the world. They have given me their names, family
names, and countries. I could name them all one by one if I liked to. All these
people have been forgiven for my sake.
He stated: I have been given the good news, “If you
attend a person’s funeral he shall be forgiven.” I was also inspired, “If you
ask for a dead person’s forgiveness, his torment shall be stopped once and for
all.” At some other time I was inspired, “If a handful of soil from your grave
is put on a grave, the person lying in this grave shall attain
maghfirat-i-ilâhiyya (Allah’s forgiveness).” [This shows how great the person
who lies in this grave (hadrat Imâm Rabbânî) must be].
He stated: The essence of the path with which Allâhu ta’âlâ has specially blessed this faqîr (Imâm-i-Rabbânî) is the path of
Ahrâriyya, in which all the hâls (spiritual states), which are
normally attained at the end (in the other orders of
Tasawwuf), have been placed in the beginning. Edifices, kiosks have been built
on this foundation. If this foundation had not been so strong, the situation
would not be as it is today. This valuable seed was brought from Bukhârâ and
Semerkand and sown in India, whose essence descends from the soil of
Medîna-i-Munawwara and Mekka-i-mukarrama. It was watered with water of fazîlat
(virtue) and ikrâm (kindness, blessing) for years. It was grown with ihsân
(grace, kindness, blessing). When it maturated and reached perfection, today’s
fruits of knowledge and ma’rifat came into being.
He stated: We have been inspired that hadrat Mahdî
‘alaih-ir-rahma’ will be in this nisbat of ours; he will read and accept what
we have written in ma’rifat and haqîqat.
He stated: Allâhu ta’âlâ, with
his Fadl and Kerem, has endowed on us (hadrat Imâm-i-Rabbânî means himself) all
sorts of perfection that a born slave could possess, [with the exception of the
rank of Prophethood].
The virtues and peculiar values Imâm-i-Ahmad Rabbânî
‘qaddas-Allâhu ta’âlâ sirrah-ul’azîz’ was invested with are beyond the limits
of enumeration. As a singular blessing, Allâhu ta’âlâ honoured
him with the fortune of adapting himself to our master the Messenger of Allah
‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wa sallam’ in all the seven categories. [The seven
categories of following our master Rasűlullah
‘sall-allâhi alaihi wa sallam' are explained in detail in the thirtieth (30)
chapter of the first fascicle Endless Bliss]. He (Allâhu ta’âlâ) made him
privy to the mysterious secrets hidden in the (âyats called) Mutashâbihât and
Muqattaât in Qur’ân al-kerîm. He made him attain
to the perfections peculiar to (people called) Sâbiqs. [Prophets ‘alaihim-us-salâm’ and the highest ones of
their As-hâb are called Sâbiq]. He was blessed with the rank of Qayyűm-i-’âlam.
Some of his disciples attained the rank of Qutb dependent on him. A new path
beyond (the stages called) the Jazba and Sulűk and the Sayr-i-âfâqî and the
Sayr-i-enfusî came into being.
With the barakat of his management, the Islamic
religion became very powerful, especially in India. Islamic works of art, which
had been destroyed and neglected in the time of Ekber Shâh, were restored. Many
disbelievers became Muslims in his hands. Thousands of sinners made tawba.
Writing effective letters to the time’s powerful governors and commanders,
among whom
were his adherents and disciples such as Abd-ur-Rahîm
Khân, who was famous for his name Khân-i-Khânân, and Nawwâb Ferîd Murtadâ Khân
and Muhammad a’zam Khân, he encouraged them to promote and spread Islam and to
promulgate the belief of Ahl as-sunna wa-l-jamâ’a. And these people, obeying
his blessed advice, put forward efforts for the fulfilment of this purpose and
served for the maintenance of the religion. They did this so successfully that
the darkness of bid’at and disbelief turned into light of Îmân and Sunnat. He
assigned his highly educated disciples to the task of teaching the zâhirî
teachings (teachings pertaining to worships) and the bâtinî ma’rifats (occult
knowledge pertaining to heart and soul) to people and sent them everywhere. A
few of them are: Mawlânâ Hamîd-i-Benghâlî, Mawlânâ Muhammad Siddîq-i-Bedahshî,
Shaikh Muzammil, Mawlânâ Tâhir-i-Bedahshî, Mawlânâ Ahmad-i-Riwanbî,
Kerîm-ad-dîn Hasan-i-Abdâlî, Hasan-i-Berkî, Mawlânâ Abd-ul-Hayy-i-Belhî,
Mawlânâ Hâshim-i-Kishmî, Mawlânâ Bedreddîn-i-Serhendî, Yűsuf-i-Berkî, Hâdji
Hidir-i-Afghânî, Khwâja Muhammad Sâdiq-i-Kâbilî, Mawlânâ Yâr Muhammad
Qadîm-i-Talkânî, and others ‘rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ alaihim ajma’în’.
These people are some of the Imâm’s distinguished
disciples. Millions of people received fayz through these people’s sohbat and
attained the rank of Wilâyat. He gave very sublime good news to these exalted
disciples of his and inspirited people to attaining the sohbat of these
distinguished people. To some of his disciples he gave the good news that they
had attained ranks of Wilâyat and Qutb.
Nűr Muhammad Punti ‘rahmatullâhi aleyh’ is one of his greatest
disciples. He (the Imâm) said about him, “He is one of the rijâl-ul-ghayb. He
is either among the Nuqabâ or one of the Nujabâ.”
Bedî’ud-dîn-i-Sehârenpűrî ‘quddisa sirruh’ received
many kindnesses and praisals from our master the Prophet
‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wa sallam’ in his dreams. In one of these occasions the
Messenger of Allah ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wa sallam’ said to him, “You are the
sirâj, the candle of India.” He was also blessed with the fortune of becoming
the time’s qutb.
Mawlânâ Ahmad-i-Berkî ‘quddisa sirruh’ passed all the
stages of sulűk in one week. He, too, attained the honour of becoming the qutb
of his country.
Mawlânâ Muhammad Tâhir-i-Lâhorî ‘quddisa sirruh’ was
another one who was honoured with the blessing of becoming the qutb for his
country. Allâhu ta’âlâ sent him the following message through inspiration:
“I have salvaged from Hell fire all of those people to whom thou hast made
tawajjuh. I have forgiven anyone who pays homage to thee.”
Sayyid Âdam-i-Bennűrî ‘quddisa sirruh’ would make the
disciple attain the grade of Fanâ-i-qalbî and the Nisbat-i-khâssa at first
tawajjuh, even during the telkîn. Allâhu ta’âlâ blessed
him with a special methodology, a special path. This methodology is termed Ahsaniyya.
Through this methodology, which
was peculiar to him, he would attract people towards Allâhu ta’âlâ. The good news informing about this fact had been given to him by
Imâm-i-Rabbânî ‘quddisa sirruh’, who had said, “Through an unknown way you
shall be given more than you have received from us. Anyone who joins your way
has been forgiven. On the Rising Day you shall be given a banner. People who
have recourse to you and follow your way shall enjoy comfort in the shade of
your banner on the Rising Day.” More than four hundred thousand people made
tawba in his hands. He had one thousand disciples who had attained perfection.
On his arrival in Medîna-i-Munawwara, (he greeted the Messenger of Allah
‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wa sallam’ and) his salâm (greeting, salutation) was
acknowledged by the Prophet and he had the honour of musâfaha (shaking hands)
with the Prophet, a blessing which has not even fallen to the lot of
a few distinguished people. At that lucky moment, a voice was heard to say, “O my
son! Stay with me!” Indeed, he
passed away in Medîna-i-munawwara.
Another one was Sayyid Muhammad Nu’mân-i-Bedahshî
‘quddisa sirruh’. Imâm-i-Rabbânî wrote to him in one of his letters: “The
crescent of your perfection has become like the full moon against the sun. All
the values given to the sun have been reflected on it.” Also, he gave him the
good news that he was a qutb. He had very effective and abundant guidance. He
attracted hundreds of thousands of people to Allâhu ta’âlâ. The time’s
emperor was alarmed at the great number of his disciples. Inviting him from
Dakka, he took him under his protection. Once he said, “I saw our master the Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu
alaihi wa sallam’ in my dream. Abű Bekr as-Siddîq ‘radiy-Allâhu anh’ was with
the Sarwar. The Messenger said, ‘O Abâ
Bekr! Tell my son Muhammad Nu’mân: Anyone liked and accepted by Ahmad
(Imâm-i-Rabbânî) is liked and accepted by me and by Allâhu ta’âlâ. Anyone disliked and rejected by Ahmad is disliked by me and by
Allâhu
ta’âlâ.’ Because I was one of the people liked and
accepted by Imâm-i-Ahmad Rabbânî, I rejoiced greatly at this good news. I was
still enjoying this peaceful joy, when the Messenger of Allah stated again:
‘Tell my son Muhammad Nu’mân: Anyone liked and accepted by you is liked and
accepted by Ahmad. And anyone liked and accepted by him is liked and accepted
by me and by Allâhu ta’âlâ. Anyone you dislike and reject, Ahmad and I and Allâhu ta’âlâ will dislike and reject, too.