Maktubat-i Imam-i Rabbani Selection from Volume 2 Rough Draft: Work in Progress Irshad Alam Mujaddidi December 1, 2020 c © 2020 Irshad Alam. All rights reserved. Irshad Alam Mujaddidi is the pen name for Irshad Alam Publisher: Aklima Akter Sufi Peace Mission 4A Gulshan Avenue North, Circle 2 Dhaka 1212 BANGLADESH Email: mim786@gmail.com Ijazat My first shaykh Muhammad Mamunur Rashid gave me ijazat, mandate to translate the Mujaddid, and his chief khalifa, my second shaykh Qazi Rezaul Haq has confirmed it. Now when I asked Shaykh Mamun for ijazat, he said that I must journey to Sirhind and get a per- sonal ijazat from the Mujaddid. I implored, You have a deep nisbat to the Mujaddid. Isn’t your ijazat good enough? He replied, No! That’s not enough. You need a personal ijazat from from the Mujaddid directly So finally when I went there in 2003, even be- fore I visited the grave, as soon as I went to the office of the mazar, I received the sign that I’ve re- ceived the ijazat. Because the then caretaker Yahya saab beamed on seeing me. He exclaimed, Mujad- did would now POUR (dhele) into you While I translate directly from the original, I take my understanding from the two Bengali transla- tions by two sufi shaykhs. First one is Shah Muti Muhammad Aftabi who learned the Maktubat from his shaykh and father, who in turn, learned it from his shaykh Wajid Ali Shah of Kolkata. Second is my sufi uncle shaykh Banda Khalil. Verification The greatest academic authority on the Naqsh- bandi tariqa in the West, Dr. Hamid Algar, of Uni- versity of California at Berkeley, has checked it . Copy of his email would be provided on request. in an email. 1 Contents Contents 2 1 Maktubs 2.1-2.25 3 1.1 Maktub 2.4 excerpt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1.2 Maktub 2.6 excerpt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1.3 Maktub 2.7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1.4 Maktub 2.8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1.5 Maktub 2.13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1.6 Maktub 2.14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1.7 Maktub 2.15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1.8 Maktub 2.16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1.9 Maktub 2.17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 1.10 Maktub 2.18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 1.11 Maktub 2.19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 1.12 Maktub 2.20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 1.13 Maktub 2.21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 1.14 Maktub 2.22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 1.15 Maktub 2.23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 1.16 Maktub 2.24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 1.17 Maktub 2.25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 2 Maktubs 2.26-2.50 15 2.1 Maktub 2.29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 2.2 Maktub 2.30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 2.3 Maktub 2.31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 2.4 Maktub 2.32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 2.5 Maktub 2.33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 2.6 Maktub 2.34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 2.7 Maktub 2.35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 2.8 Maktub 2.36 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 2.9 Maktub 2.37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 2.10 Maktub 2.38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 2.11 Maktub 2.42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 2.12 Maktub 2.43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 2.13 Maktub 2.44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 2.14 Maktub 2.46 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 2.15 Maktub 2.47 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 2.16 Maktub 2.48 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 2 CONTENTS 3 2.17 Maktub 2.49 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 2.18 Maktub 2.50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 3 Maktubs 2.51-2.75 29 3.1 Maktub 2.51 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 3.2 Maktub 2.52 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 3.3 Maktub 2.53 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 3.4 Maktub 2.54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 3.5 Maktub 2.55 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 3.6 Maktub 2.56 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 3.7 Maktub 2.57 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 3.8 Maktub 2.58 excerpt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 3.9 Maktub 2.60 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 3.10 Maktub 2.61 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 3.11 Maktub 2.62 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 3.12 Maktub 2.63 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 3.13 Maktub 2.64 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 3.14 Maktub 2.65 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 3.15 Maktub 2.66 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 3.16 Maktub 2.62 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 3.17 Maktub 2.68 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 3.18 Maktub 2.69 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 3.19 Maktub 2.75 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 4 Maktubs 2.76-2.99 43 4.1 Maktub 2.78 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 4.2 Maktub 2.81 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 4.3 Maktub 2.82 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 4.4 Maktub 2.83 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 4.5 Maktub 2.84 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 4.6 Maktub 2.85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 4.7 Maktub 2.86 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 4.8 Maktub 2.87 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 4.9 Maktub 2.88 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 4.10 Maktub 2.89 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 4.11 Maktub 2.90 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 4.12 Maktub 2.94 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Chapter 1 Maktubs 2.1-2.25 1.1 Maktub 2.4 excerpt Alhamdu li-’llahi wa salamun ‘ala ‘ibadihi ’lladhina ’stafa ‘ainu ’l-yaqin, haqqu ’l-yaqin What can I write on the ‘ainu ’l-yaqin or haqqu ’l-yaqin ? Even if I say, who would get it, or what would he get out of it? Because this knowledge is beyond the boundaries of walayat. Like the ulama of the outer knowledge, the possessors of walayat are incapable to perceive (idrak) it. Instead, this knowledge is learned from the niche of the light of prophethood (mishkat-i anwar-i nubuwat), ‘ala arbabha, al-salawatu wa ’l-salamu, wa ’l-tahiyyatu And that knowledge has become alive (tazeh) and manifested with freshness (tarawat) after the re- newal (tajdid) of the second millennium, by the rule of following and inheritance (tab‘iyat, warathat) 1 And this knowledge suspends from the person, attributes and act of God, and is clothed (tatal- abbas) by the states, ecstasies and manifestations (ahwal, mawajid, zuhurat). Possessor of such knowledge is the Mujaddid of this millennium, as it is not unknown to the masters who gaze into this knowledge. Those possessors would be able to learn that the said knowledges are beyond (wara’) than the knowledges (‘ulum) of the ulama and the marifat of the friends of Allah. Even that, in comparison, the [ulama’s] knowledge is the skin (qishr) when the above-mentioned knowledge [of the Mujaddid] is like the pith (lubb). 1 i.e., the Mujaddid has been granted the renewed form of that knowledge Millennial Mujaddid: High Rank You may know that at the head (ser) of each cen- tury, a Mujaddid comes. However, the Mujaddid of the century is different than the Mujaddid of the millennium. In the same way that there is a differ- ence between the numbers hundred and thousand, there is a difference between the Mujaddid of the century and the Mujaddid of the millennium. In- stead, the difference is more than that. That person is called the Mujaddid who is the connector (wasila) via whom all the ummat of that time receives effu- sion and baraka, even if that ummat is that time’s pole, peg, substitute, or nobleman (qutb, watad, badal, nujaba). Elects a slave To pacify the commoners Khas kunid bandeh-iy Musallahat-i ‘am ra Wa ’l-salamu ‘ala mani ‘ttaba‘a ’l-huda. Wa ’l- tazama mutaba‘ata ’l-mustafa. ‘Alaihi wa ‘ala alihi al-salawatu wa ’l-taslimatu ’l-‘ula, wa ‘ala jami‘i ikhwanihi mina ’l-anbiya’i wa ’l-mursalina, wa ’l-mala’ikati ’l-muqarribina, wa ‘ibadi ’llahi ’l- salihina ’l-ajma‘ina 1.2 Maktub 2.6 excerpt To Khwaja Muhammad Ma‘sum (raj) Alhamdu li-’llahi wa salamun ‘ala ‘ibadihi ’lladhina ’stafa 5 6 CHAPTER 1. MAKTUBS 2.1-2.25 Sila What I have come to know that the purpose behind my own creation has been attained. And what has been being sought (mas’ul) for a thousand years has been granted. Praise to Allah who has made me the sila , connector between two oceans, and peacemaker between two factions (Alhamdu li-’llahi ’lladhi ja‘alaniy silatan baina ’l-bahraini, wa muslihan baina ’l-fi’ataini), Akmala ’l-hamdi ‘ala kulli halin. Wa ’l-salawatu wa ’l-salamu ‘ala khayri ’l-anamai, wa ‘ala ikhwanihi ’l-kirami, mina ’l-anbiya-i wa ’l- mala’ikati ’l-‘izami 2 Magnificent mission O son! All these interactions depend on my cre- ation. But still then, another great mission has been put on me. I was not brought in for to act as a pir to the disciples 3 And I was not created to perfect or guide (takmil, irshad) the creation, it is for a different interaction and a different func- tion. In the mean time, if one keeps nisbat with me (munasibat) 4 , then he would take in the effusion, else he would not. Compared to that magnificent mission, the task of perfecting others, and guid- ing towards the way is like the trash one throws away on the street (matruh). Compared to the in- ner relationship of the prophets, their mission of invitation is like that as well. The office of the nabi . prophet has ended, but their perfect follow- ers receive the perfections and the unique things (kamalat, khasa’is) of the nabi as his follower and heir (tab‘iyat, warathat), ‘alaihimu ’l-salawatu wa ’l-taslimatu wa ’l-tahiyyatu 5 1.3 Maktub 2.7 To ‘Abdul Hayy, compiler of volume 2 of the Mak- tubat Alhamdu li-’llahi wa salamun ‘ala ‘ibadihi ’lladhina ’stafa For [Allah], he has given us bliss, guided us towards Islam, and made us ummat of his 2 excerpt 3 lit. piry va muridy 4 i.e., one takes bayat with a caliph of mine and develops that nisbat via sufi practices 5 excerpt beloved Muhammad the Mustafa (An‘ama ‘alaina, wa hadana ila ’l-Islami, wa ja‘alna min ummati, habibihi muhammadini ’l-mustafa), ‘alaihi, wa ‘ala alihi, ’l-salawatu wa ’l-salam Above good-pleasure None may step above the station of ridha , good- pleasure of God, except the ‘final rasul.’ Maybe it is this station that the rasul (salam) alluded to when he said, I have a unique time with Al- lah. I have no room therein for any angel brought near, or any nabi or rasul (Liy ma‘a ’llahiuw waq- tun. La yasa‘uniy fihi malakun muqarrabun, wa la nabiyyun mursalun) 6 Additionally, there is an allusion to this unique thing in a sacred hadith, O Muhammad! I and you are 7 . Whatever is there other than you, I have cre- ated them for you . So Muhammad (salam) replied, O Allah! You are and I do not. I am forsaking ev- eryone except you for your sake (Ya Muhammadu! Ana wa anta wama siwaka. Khalaqtu li-ajlika. Fa- qala Muhammadu (salam), Allahumma anta wa ma ana. Wa ma siwaka taraktu li-ajlika) 8 Muhammadthe rasul of Allah (salam), how would they realize today 9 ? How would they come to know of his magnificence and greatness (‘azimat, bozorgi)? Because the truth-teller and the liar are commingled (mumtazaj) together on this world of testing (dar-i ibtila). On the day of resurrection, greatness [of the ra- sul] would certainly be understood and realized (). For he would be the foreman and imam of the prophets. And he would have the right of interces- sion. From Adam on to the later prophets (peace), all would be under his flag. Exalted station of Mujaddid It is proper that in the above-mentioned elect homeland (watn-i khass), which is higher than the station of good-pleasure (rida), [the rasul] would appoint one his heir and successor (warathat, tab‘iyat). And as a tufayl 10 And that tufayl 6 hadith 7 i.e., are original existences 8 hadith 9 in this world 10 i.e., an accompanied servant who eats the left-over of his master when he goes to a dinner 1.4. MAKTUB 2.8 7 would receive the mysteries forbidden to the others (mahram). To the generous lord no task is hard Ba kariman karha dushvar nist 1.4 Maktub 2.8 Faith in absent difference 1.5 Maktub 2.13 To Mirza Shamsuddin [In the beginning, let me offer] praise to God, benediction to the blessed prophet and convey in- vitation to God ( hamd, salawat, tablighi ’l-da‘wat ). I am delighted to receive your noble letter that you have sent out of your generosity via my no- ble brother Shaykh Muhammad Tahir. You wrote, Until we meet, keep on remembering me via letters oozing with religious advice Noble sir! The religious advice is to follow our religion (din), and the prince of the messengers (salam). This following has two parts: 1. Part of the ulama of the outer knowledge is to: a) Rectify the articles of faith (tas’hih-i ‘aqa’id) b) Learn the science of the sharia, and the rules (‘ilm-i shara’i‘ va ahkam) c) Practice the according to the rules estab- lished by that science 2. Part of the noble sufis is, in a way such that they agree to the part of the ulama of the man- ifest knowledge, attain the: a) states and raptures (ahwal, mawajid) and b) exoteric and esoteric knowledge (‘ulum, ma‘arif) The ulama deeply rooted in knowledge (ulama-i rasikhin) are the heirs of the prophets, and their part is the combination of the: 1. part of the ulama of manifest knowledge 2. part of the sufis, which is superior to it (be-an mumtaz and) 3. knowledge of those secrets (asrar), and sub- tle matters (daqa’iq), which are deep mysteries that are alluded to (ramziy, isharatiy) in the allegorical (mutashabihat) verses of the Quran as mystic explanations (bar sabil-i ta’wil). [Yes! This type of ulama, i.e., those who are deeply rooted in knowledge (ulama-i rasikhin), in- deed know their allegorical meanings]. Because they are the ones who are perfect in their follow- ing (fa-humu ’l-kamilun fi ’l-mutaba‘ati) [of the prophet], and are the realizers of the inheritance (mutahaqqiquna bi-’l-warathati). As followers and heirs, they are partners of the elect felicities unique to the prophets (sharik-i dawlat-i khass-i anbiya’). And realizers of the mysteries of the holy court of God 11 They are ones who have been ennobled by the saying, The ulama of my community are like the prophets of the tribe of Israel (‘Ulama-i ummati k- ambiya’i bani isra’il) 12 So it is necessary to fol- low the prince of the emissaries, and the beloved of the lord of the worlds (sayyidi ’l-mursalina, habibi rabbi ’l-‘alamina) (salam), in knowledge, in deeds, in states, and raptures (‘ilman, ‘amalan, halan, wa- jdan). That way one may attain his inheritance, which is highest degree of felicity (nihayatu dara- jati ’l-sa‘adati). 1.6 Maktub 2.14 1.7 Maktub 2.15 half done in the other computer 1.8 Maktub 2.16 To Shaykh Badi‘uddin Shaharanpuri All praise is to Allah! Peace on his elect devotees (Alhamdu li-’llahi wa salamun ‘ala ‘ibadihi ’llad- hina ’stafa). You blessed letter did arrive. You have written, Two calamities have appeared in this 11 This line is a re-translation from Aftabi 12 hadith 8 CHAPTER 1. MAKTUBS 2.1-2.25 area, one is plague, and the other is famine . May Allah (S) save us and you from these calamities (A‘adhana ’llahu subhanahu wa iyyakum ‘ani ’l- baliyyati). Amin. You have also written that de- spite all these calamities, you are spending day and night in worship (‘ibadat), and muraqaba- meditation. And the inner realm is always filled up with Allah (batin ma‘mur ast bi-’llahi) (S). Praise and gratefulness for that (Alhamdu wa ’l-minnatu ‘ala dhalika) [to Allah (SWT)]. The answers to your questions 13 are as follows: 1. In sunna salat, the four Qul are recited most times. 2. It is sunna to have four pieces of clothes in the burial shrouds of men. The head-dress is additional, i.e. it is not sunna. We shorten to sunna. 3. We do not write down the answers because it is: a) possible that the [answer paper] would get [ritually] unholy b) not established by sound hadiths c) not practiced by the Turanian ulama 4. A baraka-filled over-shirt (pirhan-i tabarrukiy) may substitute the inner-shirt (qamis) in the burial shroud (kafn). 5. The clothes that the shahids die in, those are their burial shrouds. Hazrat Siddiq (radiya ’llahu ta‘ala ‘anhu) left a last will (wasiyat), Use these two pieces of clothes that I am wear- ing as my burial shroud 6. In a measure, the smaller barzakh, i.e., the grave, is a worldly place, and so it is possi- ble to progress (????????) by other ?????????? shaykhs 14 therein. The states of the grave, are different for different individuals, e.g., the prophets perform salat within their graves (al- anbiya’u yusalluna fi ’l-quburi) , you may have heard it. In the night of the miraj, when our 13 Mujaddid mentions in the end of this letter that he is sick, and that is why he in answering in short. That seems to be also the reason he is not writing out the questions 14 I learned from my tariqa elders, and also books that it is possible for a dead murid to complete the rest of his suluk after death prophet (salam) crossed the grave of prophet Moses (‘alaihi wa salam), he saw [prophet Moses] praying salat within that grave. At the same moment, he reached the heavens, and found [prophet Moses] there as well. The in- teraction of this homestead [of the grave] is surprising and astonishing (aja’ib, ghara’ib). These days, when I’m putting my eyes in that direction often, due to my beloved son Khwaja Muhammad Sadiq, many amazing secrets are being revealed. If I make even just a little of it public, it would give rise to many controversies (fitna) . The exalted throne ( ‘arsh-i majid ) is like the ceiling of the paradise, but still, the grave is a garden of the paradise. Knowledge with only a little wisdom (andish) is unable to draw its picture, and a different set of eyes is needed to see the spectacle of these amazing things (tamasha-i iyn u‘jub-ha). 7. Even after one has done some sins, more or less, faith alone is sufficient for one’s salva- tion. However, elevation of the pleasant for- mula (raf‘-i kalima-i tayyiba) depends on good deeds (‘amal-i salih). 8. To flee from [possible] death [in time of an epi- demic], is a major sin. It is like fleeing from ji- had. Instead, he who takes up patience (sabr), and remains in that place, in an epidemic, if he dies he would considered a shahid, and would be saved from the chastisement in the grave. And if he does not die, he would be considered a ghazi , war-hero. When it is said to me, Die I hear, and obey I tell the caller of death Welcome! Come in! In qala li mutmittu, sam‘an wa ta‘atan Wa qultu li-da‘i ’l-mawti, Ahlan, wa marhaban! For a few days, I am having bouts of coughing. And I have gotten weak. So I am answering in short. 1.9. MAKTUB 2.17 9 1.9 Maktub 2.17 To Mirza Husamuddin [In the beginning, let me offer] praise to God, benediction to the blessed prophet and convey invi- tation to God ( hamd, salawat, tablighi ’l-da‘awat ). I am delighted to receive your letter that you have sent via Shaykh Mustafa, which talked about con- soling people in their misfortunes. Inna li-’Llahi wa inna ilaihi raji‘un These incidents of mis- fortune, although they are apparently painful, ac- tually are mediums of progress, and like healing balm. By the grace of Allah (SWT), the bene- fit that one would have received from those dead people in this world, one would receive a hundred times that in the last world. Children are pure grace from God. When alive, they give out bene- fits, and when dead, they give out benefits as well. The great imam, reviver of the sunna (imam-i ajall, muhyi al-sunna) [Imam Nawawi] have written in the Hilyatu ’l-Abrar 15 that during the caliphate of ‘Abdullah ibn Mubarak (rad), plague appeared for three days only. Within these three days, thirteen sons of Hazrat Anas (rad), and fourteen sons of Hazrat ‘Abdullah ibn Mubarak (rad), the son of Hazrat Abubakr (rad) died. Indeed, Hazrat Anas (rad) was the personal servant of the prophet, and the prophet prayed that he be blessed. When such things happened for the companions of the prophet (salam), then what is the worth of sinners like us? It is in the hadith, Plague (ta‘un) was a punish- ment (‘adhab) for the earlier communities, but it is like martyrdom (shahadat) for this community 16 Indeed, those who died in this epidemic, they re- alized an astonishing degree of presence (huduri) , and left with the faces fully turned (mutawa- jjuh) onto God. How I wish that I could leave this world along with them! This calamity, to this [Muhammadan] community (ummat) is a calamity outwardly, but it is a blessing (rahmat) inwardly. Mian Shaykh Tahir narrated, In the time of the epidemic, someone in Lahore saw [in a dream] that [angels] are saying, “Those who would not die at this time, they would regret it later”. [I believe that that dream] is indeed true. Because when I focus on the hal of those dead people, I witness as- 15 hadith book by Imam Nawawi, also called Al-Azkar 16 hadith, quoted in the Farsi translation tonishing states, and amazing interactions(ahwal-i ghaiba’, mu‘amalat-i ‘ajiba’). It is indeed true that the shahids who sacrifice their lives on the path of Allah have such distinctions. Sir! The separation with my beloved son Khwaja Muhammad Sadiq is the most severe calamity. I do not know if anyone has ever faced such a heart- wrenching disaster. However, the patience and gratefulness that God has given to this weak heart, that indeed is a lofty bliss (ni‘amat), and precious gift. I pray to God that the recompense for this calamity, he safekeeps all of it for the last world, so that even a penny of it shows up in this world — although I am praying such as my mind is nar- row. Indeed, I am well-aware that actually God’s mercy and forgiveness is all-embracing. For both the last world, and the first world belongs to Allah (Fa-li-’llahi ’l-akhiratu wa ’l-uwla). I am asking my brothers to strengthen (imdad), solicit (i‘anat), supplicate (du‘a’) so that my fi- nal state is peacefulness (al-salamati ’l-khatimati). And that I receive forgiveness for my errors, and omissions that comes from my human frailties (mina ’l-taqsirati ’l-nashi’ati mina ’l-bashariyati). Our lord, forgive us for our sins, and for our ex- cesses in our deeds, and make our feet stable, and help us to triumph over hordes of unbelievers ( Rab- bana ’ghfirlana dhunubana, wa israfana fi amrina, wa thabbit aqdamana, wa ’nsurna ‘ala ’l-qawmi ’l- kafirina 17 ). Wa ’l-salamu ‘alaikum ‘ala sa’iri mani ’ttaba’a ’l-huda 1.10 Maktub 2.18 To Shaykh Jamal Naguri All praise is to Allah! Peace on his elect devotees ( Alhamdu li-’llahi wa salamun ‘ala ‘ibadihi ’llad- hina ’stafa ). Ulama deeply-rooted in knowledge, ulama of the outer knowledge, sufis Ulama are the heirs (warathatu) of the prophets 18 — this is enough for praising the magnificent ulama. That inherited knowledge is that part of the knowledge of the sharia that has remained left (baqiy) with the prophets (‘alaihimu ’l-salawatu 17 Q 18 hadith 10 CHAPTER 1. MAKTUBS 2.1-2.25 wa ’l-taslimatu). And the knowledge of the sharia has both an outer form (suratiy) and an essence (haqiqiy). The ulama firmly rooted in knowledge (rasikhin), they have brought together the skin (qishr) with the pith (lubb) and amalgamated (majmu‘i) the form with the essence (surat, haqiqat). And these elders have conceived the sharia with the person whose skin (qeshr) is his form (surat), and the pith (lubb) is his essence (haqiqat). They consider the science of the sharia and its rules as the outer form (surat) of the sharia. And they find the science of the essences and mysteries (haqa’iq, asrar) as the essence (haqiqat) of the sharia. So, there is a first group that gets captivated by the outer form of the sharia. And they deny its essence. And they do not recognize anything but the Hidaya and the Bazduwiy as their pir and fore- man (pir, muqtada). On the other hand, there is a second group as well. Although they are attracted towards the essence, they still do not recognize it to be the essence of the sharia. Instead, they limit the sharia to the form, and conceive it as the skin. And they estimate that its essence is something else but that [outer sharia]. As a result, necessarily, they fail to realize the true meaning (haqiqat) of that essence [of the sharia]. And they fail to receive any awareness (agahiy) of the allegorical (mutashabi- hat) verses of the Quran. Therefore, it is [the third group], the ulama deeply-rooted in knowledge (rasikhin) who are the true heirs of the prophets. May Allah put us and you among their lovers and make us follow their tracks (Ja‘alana ’llahu sub- hanahu wa iyyakum min muhubbihin wa muqtafiy atharihim). Naqshbandi pir-muridi So brother Mian Shaykh Nur Muhammad! You have expressed on your behalf, I have ijazat from the Sufi shaykhs of many silsilas. So I wish for ijazat from the Naqshbandis as well Honored sir! [The interrelationship between] the master and the disciple (piriy va muridiy) in this sublime Naqshbandi tariqa is established by the taking and giving of knowledge (ta‘lim, ta‘allum) of the tariqa, not by the [granting of] the ceremo- nial cap (kolah) and the shajara that is prevalent in other silsilas 19 The tariqa , method of these masters is based on companionship (suhbat) 20 Their nurturing (tarbiyat) is reflective (in‘akasiy) 21 Therefore, necessarily, the end of others has been inserted into their beginning, and their path is very short. Their gaze (nazr) heals all diseases of the heart, and their face-turnings take away all spiri- tual (ma‘nuwiya) illnesses. Naqshbandis are amazing captains of the caravan who lead the caravan via a secret path to the sanctuary — Naqshbandiya ‘ajab qafila-i salar-and Keh barand az rah-i pinhan be-haram qafila ra Please forgive me for my inability. 1.11 Maktub 2.19 To Khwaja Mir Muhibbullah Following sunna and avoiding deviation After the praise, salawat, and the propagation of the invitation, asylum as Sayyid (sayyadat paneh), my exalted brother Mir Muhibbu ’llah, you may know that the way the fakirs are in this area de- serves praising God. I ask from Allah for your peacefulness, fixedness and firm standing (salamat, thubat, istiqamat) [on the sharia]. For some time, you have not let us know how things are in that area. Yes! Distance is indeed a barrier. My religious advice to you is to [uphold] the re- ligion, follow the prince of the messengers (salam), practice the illuminated sunna, and desist from dis- liked deviations (). Even if a disliked deviation ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 19 Cap and shajara: In many tariqas, there is a system where the pir gives bayat, and gives the new murid a cere- monial cap and a written out shajara, and that is it. On the other hand, in Naqshbandi tariqa, every murid is given face- turnings, and practices to go through the suluk, the path for spiritual evolution 20 companionship of a shaykh who is kamil-i mukammil 21 in‘akasiy is a method where the teaching shaykh throws the ‘aks , reflection of his batin onto the batin of the student, and as a result, the student acquires the perfections of the shaykh easily, effortlessly and rapidly IAM 1.12. MAKTUB 2.20 11 1.12 Maktub 2.20 To Mulla Muhammad Tahir Badakhshi All praise is to Allah! Peace on his elect devotees ( Alhamdu li-’llahi wa salamun ‘ala ‘ibadihi ’llad- hina ’stafa ). Your noble letter that you sent from the outskirts of Jainpur has reached me. In that, there was news on your physical weakness, and that made me worried. I am anxiously waiting for the news of you getting healed. Could you please in- form me via someone coming here? Salat: Excellence O beloved! When this world is the workplace, and the last world is the place where you get paid, you should take care to do good deeds. Establishing salat is the most excellent (fadil- tarin) act of worship — it is the cornerstone of the religion (‘imad-i din), and the heavenly ascension for the faithful (mi‘raj-i mu’min). Therefore, you should remain watchful (mar‘iy) in discharging its duties in a complete manner (itmam-i tamam). Especially, you may take care (ihtiyat) to do its pillars (rukn), preconditions (shart), sunnas, and adabs 22 as they should be done. I am exhorting you to discharge the duties of the pillars (ta‘dil-i arkan) calmly (tumaninat). I am giving you that duty again and again. So preserve (muhafaza) the pillars. Most people neglect (da’i‘) the salat, an do not carry out the pillars (rukn) of the salat peacefully and properly (tumaniyat, ta‘dil), and as a result fail to preserve it well (nik muhafaza namayad). God has warned these people with numerous threats. When the namaz is sound (durust), there is a high hope that salvation would be possible. Be- cause then the religion (din) would be established (barpa shad), and the ascent that is the miraj (mi‘raj-i ‘uruj) 23 would take place. People of the constitution of fire revel in sugar People of the constitution of black bile! Blind are they 22 i.e., mustahab 23 The perfected salat of the God-realized salik can be compared to the miraj as the rasul said, Salat is the miraj of the faithful Jaundice patients, take sugar You don’t have any disease???????????? disease-free well Blind are the BATIKs ????????????// So do take this chance Bar shakkar gholtida-iy safra’iyan az bara’iy kuri’iy — suda’iyan! And peace be onto them who follow guidance, and stick to following the Mustafa. ( Wa ’l-salamu ‘ala mani ’ttaba‘a ’l-huda, wa ’ltazama mutaba‘ata ’l- mustafa ), ‘Alaihi, wa ‘ala alihi ’l-salawatu, wa ’l- taslimatu ’l-‘uwla 1.13 Maktub 2.21 I marked it at first, “SKIP, too long, too technical”—but it’s so INTERESTING that I’m doing it, at least a part To Khwaja Muhammad Siddiq who holds the title Hidaya Bismi ’llahi ’l-Rahman al-Rahim Alhamdu li- ’llahi wa ’l-salamun ‘ala ‘ibadihi ’lladhina ’stafa Heart that contains God is the piece of flesh Question: You, [the Mujaddid], have written in your maktubs and risalas that the the manifes- tation of the heart is a little flash (lum‘a) of the manifestation of the ‘arsh And complete excel- lence (fadl kulliy) belongs to that manifestation of the heart (zuhur-i qalbiy). On the other hand, it comes in a hadith qudsiy, Neither the earth may contain me, nor the heavens, but the heart of the faithful slave contains me (La yasa‘uniy ardiy, wa la sama’iy, wa lakin yasa‘uniy qalbu ‘abdiya ’l- mu’mini) 24 This hadith mandates (lazim) that the manifestation of the heart is most complete (atamm). And superiority is established for the [heart]. [How to rationalize this dichotomy?] Answer: Beloved! Answer to your question rests on a preface. You may know that what the mas- ters of friendhood have called and meant as the heart is the reality of human all-comprehensiveness (haqiqat-i jami‘a-i insaniy). That reality is in the 24 hadith 12 CHAPTER 1. MAKTUBS 2.1-2.25 world of command. On the other hand, what comes in the tongue of the nabi as the heart is that bod- ily part (mudgha) such that when that gets whole- some the whole body gets wholesome, and when that gets corrupted, the whole body gets corrupted. As it comes in a hadith qudsi, Within the human body, there is a bodily part, when it gets whole- some, the whole body gets wholesome. And when it gets corrupted, the whole body gets corrupted. Take note! That is the heart. (Inna fi jasadi ’bni adama mudghatan, idha salahat, salaha ’l-jasadu kulluhu, wa idha fasadat, fasada ’l-jasadu kulluhu. Ala! Wa hiya qalbu.) 25 ?????????????????? How is heart narrow? Question: That heart is all-embracing (wasa‘at) is establshed by hadith qudsi. So why are you calling that heart narrow (tang)? Answer: [That heart] is narrow because there is no room within it for the ma sewa. At the same time, it is all-embracing as it is the lo- cus wherein the primordial lights (anwar-i qidam) are manifested. So there is no dichotomy. And peace be onto them who follow guidance, and stick to following the Mustafa. ( Wa ’l-salamu ‘ala mani ’ttaba‘a ’l-huda, wa ’ltazama mutaba‘ata ’l- mustafa ), ‘Alaihi, wa ‘ala alihi ’l-salawatu, wa ’l- taslimatu ’l-‘uwla Summary O brother! 1.14 Maktub 2.22 To Mawlana Mahmud Sadiq Kashmiri Superiority of Sirhind May Allah Almighty give you peace ( Sallamakumu ’llahu ta‘ala ). All praise is to Allah! Peace on his elect devotees ( Alhamdu lillahi wa salamun ‘ala ‘ibadihi ’lladhina ’stafa )! By the grace of Al- lah (SWT), and as alms from his beloved ( Bi- ‘inayati ’llahi ta‘ala wa subhanahu, wa bi-sadaqati 25 hadith habibihi ), ‘alaihi, wa ‘ala alihi, wa ’l-salawatu, wa ’l-salamu, wa ’l-tahiyyatu, wa barakatu The exalted city of Sirhind, it is said to be the land where I was born. It used to be like a deep dark well. By the grace of God, and the connec- torhood of the rasul, God has filled it up, made it like a high palace for my sake. And granted it superiority over most cities and provinces. A nur , light is kept in that land for safe-keeping that is collected from the light that is ‘without at- tribute’ and ‘without how’ (biy-sifati, biy-kayfi). That is like the nur (dar rang-i nuriy) that gets lighted and radiates (sati‘, lami‘) from the blessed soil of the holy Kaaba. That nur was revealed to me a few months before the passing away of my beloved son. I located it one end of my house that I live in. That is such a nur towards which no dirt of attributes or modes (sifat, shan) has been thrown at. And that is pure and unblemished (mu- nazzoh, mubarra) from all attributes and modes (sifat, shan). A desire took root in my mind that may that piece of land becomes my grave, and may that nur gets lighted on the head of my grave. I revealed this felicity to my eldest son Hazrat Khwaja Muham- mad Sadiq (quddisa sirruhu) who was the holder of my hidden mysteries (sahib-i sirr). I also discussed with him about that said nur and my wish. By the way, that beloved son of mine himself proceeded to- wards this felicity before me, and in the land near that said nur, was drowned in the sea of that nur. Pleasantly, to the lords of bliss, all is bliss- ful To the lovers and the poor ones, whatever they gulp down Hani’an li-arbabi ’l-na‘im na‘imuha Wa li-’l-‘ashiqi ’l-miskini ma yanajarra‘u This is an additional nobility (sharafat) of this ex- alted city that my beloved son, who is among the greatest friends, is taking his final rest here. After some time, it was revealed that that said nur in safe-keeping is one of the flames of one of the nurs in my heart (anwar-i qalbiya). And that [flame] has been taken (iqtibas namudeh) from that [nur in my heart] and lighted (afrukhteh) onto that piece of land. And it has been lighted in the same way that a lamp is lighted from a flame. Say, all 1.15. MAKTUB 2.23 13 comes from Allah. Allah is the nur of the heavens and the earth (Qul, kullun min ‘indi ’llahi. Allahu nuru ’l-samawati wa ’l-ardi) 26 Subhana rabbika rabbi ’l-‘izzati ‘amma yasifuna, wa salamun ‘ala ’l- mursalina wa ’l-hamdu li-’llahi rabbi ’l-‘alamin) 27 1.15 Maktub 2.23 To Khwaja Muhammad ‘Abdullah Bismi ’llahi ’l-Rahman al-Rahim All praise is to Allah, and peace be onto his elect devotees ( Al- hamdu li-’llahi wa ’l-salamun ‘ala ‘ibadihi ’lladhina ’stafa .) Follow Sunna and reject bid‘at ( Sallamahumu ’l-lahu subhanahu ‘amma la-yaliqu bi-janabihi ).The advice that is being given to you, my beloved son, and the rest of the beloveds is that you follow the illuminated sunna (‘ala sahibha al-salawatu wa ’l-salamu wa ’l-tahiyyatu), and put aside the displeasing deviations (bid‘at-i na- mardiya). These times, Islam has become rare-to- find, Muslims have become rare, and getting rarer to find. It’s getting to the point that there would be none present on the surface of the earth to speak out the name Allah. The day of resurrection would take place among the worst people 28 A royal falcon (shahbaz) is he who in the time that Islam is so rare, strengthens the sunna, and destroys deviations (bid‘at). This is such a time that a thousand years have elapsed since the advent of the best of men (khairu ’l-bashar)???????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????// Reject bid‘at sufi practices If the sufis of this time do justice and come to the true path, and do not look towards Naqshbandi is sunna tariqa May Allah grant our honorable pirs a good compen- sation on behalf of all of us. Because they did not point us the later ones towards bid‘at acts. And by 26 Q 27 Q 28 hadith quoted in Farsi making us follow them 29 and cast us into blackness that destroys (). They did not guide us onto any path but towards following the sunna, And they did not point towards any second way but the fol- lowing of the master of the sharia, and performing hard-to-do acts (). Therefore, their way of doing () is