It is not strange for a theologian and mystic to be a poet. In his weekly Qadiriyya Halqa Zikr’s he emotionally breaks out into poetry and often sings eulogies in praise of our beloved Prophet Muhammad Mustapha (Allah bless him and give him peace). Poetry is an art, music of the soul, inspiration expressed in the beauty and harmony of the words. When the soul of a person is intoxicated, it is moved. There is no poet who is not a mystic, when the poet sings, his breath is likened to a peaceful wind that blows and is connected to the Divine Spirit. His soul is so in-tuned with the whole universe, that he hears, as it were, the echo of the Universe.
His Eminence is an
expert historian and composer of a beautiful collection of
Naats and Ghazzals called "Qaseeme Bakshees".
Hafiz
of Shiraz gives a challenge to the dignified when he says
"Pious friends, you would forget your dignity if you would
here the song that comes from a glowing heart". It is such
noble souls as His Eminence, who has touched the highest
limits of life, so that they have been able to contribute some
Truth, giving an interpretation of human nature and the inner
law of life. The poets were great thinkers and Sufism has been the
wisdom of the poets.
What
attracted his followers to him like a magnet, is his lively Halqa Zikr,
which he began publicly in 1964 and has continued uninterrupted for
more than 36
years? His
Eminence is known for his unique style in delivering a sermon.
Being a linguist himself, listeners are enraptured by his
poetry of exquisite beauty that permeates all his discourses.
Indeed he never fails to support his arguments by beautiful
Arabic, Urdu, Persian or Hindi verses penned by great poets
such as Alahazrat Maulana Shah Ahmad Raza Khan, Maulana
Jallaludin Rumi, Hafiz, Saadi, Allama Dr. Sir Muhammad Iqbal
(may Allah be pleased with them), and at times by his own self.
He
is a mirror of Divine Reflection. A source of wisdom and
spiritual knowledge, a poet and accomplished writer of great
essence, an orator of high caliber achieving concrete results,
a compassionate and affable friend, a humanitarian, a true
spiritual healer, a lover of the poor and the down-trodden, an
adviser, counselor and comforter at the same time, and in
short a mystic in the true sense of the word. He has been a lighthouse for more than three decades leading our
embarkation to a good port.
People
shower him with praises, while he, in all humility, believes
that such praises belong to Allah the Almighty, His beloved
Prophet Hazrat Muhammad Mustapha (Allah bless him and give him
peace), the Sultan of Saints,
Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jilani (may Allah be pleased with him), Hazrat Kwaja Moinuddeen
Chishti (may Allah be pleased with him) and to the line of those glorious Masters of the
Path of Islam. As a true Sufi his heart soul and everything
else belongs to Allah the Almighty and to him the following
verse of Alahazrat Maulana Shah Ahmed Raza Khan (may Allah be
pleased with him) does
justice:
"Neither have I the taste for the elixir of praise
Nor have I sting for the taunting gaze
Neither have I ears for eulogy
Nor the senses for abuses
Free and lonely despite the multitude
Am I in the corner of my solitude
Which, apart from myself, can but contain
My few books, my inkpot and my pen".
His
Eminence gives a clear picture
of his own world in the following verse:
"My universe contains only my pen and my inkpot,
My place is my prayer mat and I am Muhammad Ibrahim".
His Eminence is a dedicated scholar of
Islam, a true lover of the beloved Prophet (Allah bless and
give him peace), an ardent
admirer of Hazrat Sayyiduna Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (may
Allah be pleased with him) and
deeply intoxicated by the pristine qualities and works of the
Revivalist of the 14th Century, Imam Ahle Sunnat
Shah Ahmad Raza Khan Qadiri (may Allah be pleased with him).