The true friend of Allah is one who has these three qualities:
1. A Friend of God must have affection like the Sun. When the sun rises, it is beneficial to all. All derive warmth & light from it irrespective of their Faith.
2. A Friend of God must be generous like the river. The River quenches everyone's thirst. It does not discriminate whether we are good or bad, a relation or a stranger.
3. A Friend of God has hospitality like the Earth. We are cradled in its lap, it is always spread below our feet.
The noblest of characters is possessed by one who is:
1. Bountiful in poverty.
2. Content in hunger.
3. Cheerful in grief.
4. Friendly in hostility.
The surest way to ward off the eternal punishment of hell is:
1. feed the hungry.
2. Redress the aggrieved.
3. help the distressed.
Sayings of Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti, r.a.
Without performing Namaz (prayer), none can approach God, because Namaz is the is one climax (mi'raj) of the process of such an approach for the pious.
If the rules of Namaz are not followed properly, it is struck back on the face of him who offers such a Namaz.
The heart of a true Lover constantly burns with the fire of love, so much so that whatever intrudes upon its sanctity is burnt to ashes.
Of all the worship that pleases Almighty Allah, the most is the granting of relief to the humble and the oppressed.
Performance of charity is the key of attaining the state of philanthropy.
The one who does not perform devotion to Allah earns his living sinfully.
There are four cardinal virtues of the individual: (i) refraining from begging if poor (ii) showing the attitude of being well-fed when hungry; (iii) maintaining cheerfulness in the time of sorrow; and (iv) befriending those hostile.
That man is a true devotee of Almighty Allah, who resigns with pleasure to the misfortune that comes from his beloved (Almighty Allah).
The path of Love of God is such a path that whosoever steps into it, loses himself.
For a follower of the path of Truth, it is worse than sin to disdain or look down upon anyone.
Those who are true Lovers of God give away both of the worlds for the sake of their Beloved and even then feel that they have done nothing worthy.
Perfection in faith is evident by three things: (i) Fear, (ii) Hope, and (iii) Love
Friday, June 18, 2010
Urs of Hazrat Khwaja Buzurg
Today is the Urs or death anniversary of one of the greatest saints of Islam, Hazrat Moinudeen Chishti Ajmeri, also known as Gharib Nawaz [friend of the poor]. Some of his other honorifics are Sultan ul Hind [the King of India] and Khwaja Buzurg [the venerable Master] and Naaib e Rasul[ deputy of the Prophet, peace be upon him].
Sufis take these honorifics seriously by the way: they are not arbitrary but rather given by God & His Prophet.
It would be hard to overestimate the love & veneration that the majority of ordinary Muslims of India Pakistan & Bangladesh feel for this great Wali. Ajmer, site of Hazrat's shrine, is quite simply the spiritual heart of India.
The photo above is from a beautiful photoset by Haji Saeed Chisthi here
There is an excellent biography of the Master here.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
Hazrat Ibn Arabi on Zikr/Dhikr- Remembrance of God
"You must practice dhikr (remembering God) and asking His Forgiveness. For (asking His forgiveness) after you've sinned effaces and removes the sin, while doing so after you've been willingly obedient and have done good (ihsān) brings ‘light upon light’ and joy upon
joy. As for dhikr, that unifies the (scattered) heart and purifies your inner thoughts and
intentions. But if you should tire (of performing dhikr), then turn to reciting the book of God, reciting it deliberately and reflectively, glorifying and exalting God. (Recite the Qur'an) while asking and imploring (God), if it is a verse of imploring; or with awe and humility, if it is a verse (suggesting) fear and a threat and a warning and lesson. As for the Qur'an, the one who recites it never tires of it, because of the (constantly changing) diversity of meanings within it."
-from the adab al Murid
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