The Day of ‘Ashurah’

by Shaikhul Islam Hadhrat Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani (Hafizullah)

Although Muharram is a sanctified month as a whole, yet, the 10th day of Muharram is the most sacred among all its days. The day is named ‘Ashurah’. According to the Holy Companion Ibn ‘Abbas, Radi-Allahu anhu. The Holy Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, when migrated to Madinah, found that the Jews of Madinah used to fast on the 10th day of Muharram. They said that it was the day on which the Holy Prophet Musa (Moses), alayhis salam, and his followers crossed the Red Sea miraculously and the Pharaoh was drowned in its waters. On hearing this from the Jews, the Holy Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, said, “We are more closely rotated to Musa, alayhi salam, than you,” and directed the Muslims to fast on the day of ‘Ashura’. (Abu Dawood)

Filed under: 3. Ibaadah, Seasonal, Sunnah & Hadith

Fadha’il comes before Masa’il

Hadhrat Maulana Ilyas Kandhalwi (Rahimullah Ta’ala) said,

“The status of Fadha’il (virtues) comes before Masa’il (laws). Through Fadha’il one gets convinced of the reward of an Amaal (action), which is a status of Iman and from there one makes intention for Amaal. Learning the Masa’il will only become necessary as soon as one is ready for the Amaal. That’s why to us there is more importance to Fadha’il.”

[“Malfoozat Hadhrat Maulana Muhammad Ilyas (Rahimullah)”, no. 201]

Filed under: 2. Fiqh, 3. Ibaadah, Malfoozat

From London to Makkah Mukarramah

From the Malfoozat of Shaikhul Hadith Maulana Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhalvi (nawarallahu marqadahu) on Wednesday the 17th Ramadhanul Mubarak 1390:

“It stayed Hadhratwala [Maulana Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhalvi]‘s routine, that at the majlis (gathering) of the day that Hadhrat Maulana Inaamul Hassan Sahab [Rahimullah] arrives through Hadhrat’s allusion the kaargusary (report)of any significant Jama’at would get told. So at today’s majlis Maulana Muhammad Umar Sahab Palanpuri [Rahimullah] read out the kaargusary of a Jama’at that walked from London to Makkah Mukarramah on foot.”

Filed under: 6. History & Biographies, Malfoozat

Real Purpose of Speeches

Hakeemul Ummat Hadhrat Maualana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Rahimullah) says,

“The actual purpose of speeches is, that the human sees what diseases do I have. Out of all the diseases that have been mentionend in the speech, how many can be found inside me and of those that can be found, what is their cure?

Except this intention all the other thoughts are inessential and when it [this intention] is there then even if any speech gives no enjoyment at all one should not care.”

(Takmeel al-Islam: Jild 4, p. 534)

Filed under: 5. Tasawwuf, Bad Qualities, Malfoozat

What means ‘Alam?

Hadhrat Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani (damat barkatuhum) explains in a lecture I recently listened to,

“What’s the meaning of ‘Alam in the Arabic language? The word ‘Alam in the Arabic language is the name of something, which becomes the means for knowledge of another thing. Out of ‘Ilm comes the word ‘Alam into existence.

Filed under: Malfoozat, Zikr & Du'a

A Du’a of Hadhrat Maulana Yusuf Kandhalvi

O’ Allah! Forgive our sins. Ya’ Allah! Forgive our faux-pas. O’ Allah! We are blame-worthy, we are transgressors, we are guilty, our entire life passed in obedience of our desires. O’ Holy Lord! Putting this dunya in front of us, we have been affected by it and have been inhaled by it’s Yaqeen and have become seeker of it and we wasted all our abilities in it. O’ Lord! Forgive this heinous transgression of backsliding our effort, the heinous transgression through which hundreds of mischiefs have born in us and hundreds of riches inside of us have been robbed. O’ Lord! The changing of this effort, this is our heinous transgression, forgive the whole Ummat this heinous transgression, leaving the effort which Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) put us on when he went – we engaged in the efforts he took us away from when he went. O’ Lord! To change this effort has been our biggest crime, forgive it with specificness and the transgressions resulting from leaving this effort, forgive every single transgression through Your mercy and forgive every single sin, forgive every single misdeed.

Filed under: Zikr & Du'a