13th November, 1995 – 1420th weekly Monday Halqa Zikr at Sunni Razvi Academy
Love and Peace
The moth whirls around the light of the candle. The child cries to be in the lap of his mother. The disciple, on his part, years to be in the company of his master for he knows that his faith would be fortified and that his master would rouse him to perform more and more righteous deeds. As a result, contentment, serenity and peace would be his.
The Sunni Razvi Centre is a haven of peace and happiness from this restless world, continued Hazrat Maulana Khushtar. Every spiritual session comprises reading some verses of the Holy Quran, Naat Shareef [poems in praise of the beloved Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace)], Halqa Zikr (invocation and remembrance of Allah), Fikr (reflection), Moreqeba (meditation), etc. All these are done with a view to bringing love and pace in the hearts of the participants emphasized His Eminence.
On that day I chanted a poem written by Imam Ahmed Raza Khan (may Allah be pleased with him) and translated into English by Prof. Qureshi. I also spoke of the interest shown my many other scholars across the world on the life, teachings and achievements of Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (may Allah be pleased with him). I seized the opportunity to dwell a bit on an article written by Prof. Annemarie Schiemel following her participation on Hazrat Maulana Rumi’s (may Allah be pleased with him) death anniversary in 1998. Hereunder follow excerpts from the article published in "Sufi Issue 1":
"Where to find Maulana? A visit to Konya reveals that the true home of the Master of Divine love is not a city, not a country, not anywhere on earth at all, but in the hearts of those who thirst for the wine of love".
"And is it really important to go to Konya? The Sufis have always emphasized the fact that traveling in the soul is the activity that really matters, ‘seek me in your hearts after my death,’ thus said Maulana, and it is here that we find him, in the renewed joy of reading his Diwan, in rediscovering his presence everywhere between Bangladesh and Los Angeles, and in the unending bliss which his verse causes in one’s soul."
When asked about their opinions on listening to mystical songs, Maulana Rumi said, "It adds fuel to the fire of love", and Maulana Sharafuddin Maneri of Bilhar stated, "It stimulates and strengthens love and yearning."
Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (RA) was drowned in the ocean of love. This is the first impression we get when we read and recite his poems. In the poem, which I cited, the Imam recognizes his weakness, a sign of humility and, in a state of ‘drunkenness’; he almost humbly strikes at the door of the beloved Prophet (SAW) and begs for a crumb of generosity. The depth of his love may be gauged from the following couplets:
Kab se phaila-e hein daaman tairq ishq
Ab to pass-ein zakrm daaman daar ham
O sword of Love! We have waited and waited so long
Inflict now on us a wound, which is serious and strong.
Lutff az khrood raftagee yaa Rab naseeb
Hoon shheeda jalwo-o raftaar ham
O God! Grant us the honor and pleasure
Of dying at the feet of our beloved Master.
Here, it is fitting to note how Shaikh Baktiyar Kaki (may Allah be pleased with him) successor of Kwaja Moinuddeen Chishti (may Allah be pleased with him), passed away. On hearing the following:
Those slain by the dagger of love receive
New life every moment from the Unseen
He was transported into a spiritual trance and remained in this state for three days and breathed his last on the fourth day in the presence of his two most beloved disciples.
To conclude, we shall again quote Maulana Rumi:
Never be without Love, lest you dead
Die in Love and remain alive
17th and 24th November, EidGah Mosque
Footprints on the sand of time
As the blessed soul of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), the first Caliph in Islam, had left his body in the month of Jamdi-ul-Akhir, Hazrat Maulana Khushtar chose a few words on the most famous successor of the beloved Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace).
On one occasion, the beloved Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and a few Companions were praying by the Ka’aba when a group of non-believers, with Abu-Jahl at their head and armed to the teeth, suddenly made their appearance and started harassing them. Hazrat Ali (RA), the lion of Islam, who was present, avowed the situation, was most difficult. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (RA) who was also present did not loose his composure. Collecting his forces in both hands, he stood up and said:
"Why are you causing difficulty to the beloved Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace)? Is it simply because he is speaking the truth and is inviting you to pray to ONE GOD?"
Losing no time, the angry mob fell upon Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), wounded him most atrociously and went away when they thought that he would breathe no more. With much love and devotion, the Companions took Hazat Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) to his home. His father was anxious and his mother wanted to give him something to drink. But when he opened his eyes and started uttering some words, the first thing he did was to enquire whether the Prophet was safe and sound. At that time, a person came and announced that no misfortune had befallen the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), but still he was restless. He requested to be taken to the Prophet’s place and it was only when he had seen the Prophet with his own eyes that he was satisfied.
In another anecdote, it is related that Hazrat Gabriel told the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) that Allah who had seen Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), once so rich and so respected, wearing but torn apparel, had conveyed His (Allah’s) salaam upon Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him). When the message was conveyed to Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), he started shedding tears of love.
All Companions of the beloved Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) had much love for him, but that of Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), emphasized Maulana Hazrat Khushtar, was unique and peerless. At the time of the Prophet’s departure from this earthly abode, the situation was almost out of control. Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) from whom the devil would flee wherever he walked, withdrew his sword and vociferated that he would chop off the head of any person who would day that the Prophet had passed away. Some time after Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) came, lifted the shroud covering the Prophet, kissed his forehead, and solemnly affirmed, " Whoever worshipped Allah, Allah is still omnipresent."
Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), concluded Maulana Khushtar, had sacrificed his body, his soul and his wealth for the sake of Islam. His footprints have thus been left on the sands of time, and he will always be remembered with much devotion and love.
27th November – Halqa Zikr at the Sunni Razvi Academy
If the King is ours
Hazrat Maulana Khushtar drew the attention of the assembly to the fact that no proper journey can be undertaken if preparations are not made beforehand. In the same way, we have to prepare ourselves for the journey back to Almighty Allah with the best provisions, and the best of all provisions is the fear of Allah. Such being the case, we should seize every opportunity to participate in any activity likely to increase our fear of God.
Love plays an important role to bring us closer to the Almighty. Hence, the lover should bear love’s grief and try to be inflamed that he may be transformed into the beloved. Here His Eminence quoted the following from Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (may Allah be pleased with him):
Main to malik hi kahoonga ke ho maalik ke habeeb
Yani mehboob-o-mohib main naheen mera tera
Since you are Allah’s beloved, yours is everything.
In love mine and thine does not apply to anything
Hazrat Maulana related that the King Haroon al-Rashid loved a black slave. People were taken aback and they started gossiping. The monarch called for an assembly and stated that the request of one and all would be granted. Some asked for diamonds, some asked for gold and others for land, etc. When the turn of the black slave came, she just asked for Haroon al-Rashid for she was aware that if the king would be hers, everything belonging to the king would also be hers.
Would it be appropriate to affirm that if the King is ours, everything is ours, and nothing is ours for everything is His and we are not even ourselves ours?
3rd and 10th December – Urs Kwaja Moinuddeen Chishti (may Allah be pleased with him)
No Ali without ‘Wali’
The 32nd annual Urs of Kwaja Moinuddeen Chisti (may Allah be pleased with him) was celebrated with much fervor at the Sunni Razvi Academy on the 3rd December. On that auspicious occasion, Hazrat Maulana Khushtar made reference to the advice given by his teacher Mufti Muhammad Sadaar Ahmad (may Allah be pleased with him) who counseled his students not to pay any head to mischievous words of anybody, the more so, if the latter emerges from their own group. Otherwise, any good actions, once started, would be slowed down. The advice of the beloved Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) to Hazrat Imam Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) to the effect that it is better to guide one person on the right Path than be the possessor of both worlds was also mentioned.
Kwaja Moinuddeen Chishti (may Allah be pleased with him) who proceeded to India upon the spiritual instructions of the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) played a prominent role in that country. Very often the environment was not propitious but he never did recoil. With much zeal and enthusiasm he propagated the message of truth, love and peace. Hazrat Nizamuddeen Auliya (may Allah be pleased with him), the great Saint of the Chishti Sufi Order, devoted heart and soul to pursue that honorable work to the end that he sent home seven hundred of his representatives, men who had smashed their egos and annihilated themselves in the love of Almighty Allah, to the various parts of India.
Shaikh Hassen (may Allah be pleased with him), brother of Imam Ahmad Raza (may Allah be pleased with him), continued Hazrat Maulana Khushtar, had stated that our faith would always be safeguarded for we have the golden luck of being blessed on one side by Shaikh Sayyiduna Abdul Qadir Jilani (may Allah be pleased with him), Mohyuddeen, the resuscitator and, on the other side, by Moinuddeen (may Allah be pleased with him), the helper.
The following, sung by a very humble man during the Urs celebrations at the Jummah Mosque in the early sixties, flashed into my mind:
Kassam Khuda ki mein kooch aaj le-ke ja-oonga
Ke mein gharib koon Kwaja mere gharib nawaaz
By Allah’s name! I will today, with hands full, leave the door,
For I am poor and Kwaja is the helper of the poor.
At the Shan-e-Rassool Mosque, on the 10th December, Hazrat Maulana Khushtar spoke on our double connection with Kwaja Moinuddeen Chishti (may Allah be pleased with him), one through the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat and the other through our forefathers who welcomed Kwaja Sayyid Moinudden Chishti (may Allah be pleased with him) as their spiritual father. The audience was requested to always have a smiling face and a sweet tongue. These two qualities, stressed Maulana Khushtar, would render our life simple and serene.
A deep respect and reverence for all the walis (saints) is most essential as it is only through the ‘walis’ that we can reach the court of Hazrat Imam Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), the gateway to knowledge, both seen and unseen.