Faith Practice Piety

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Faith Practice Piety:
An Excerpt from the

Maktubat-i Imam-i Rabbani
Original: The Great Mujaddid Ahmad

Sirhindi
Translation and Annotation: Irshad Alam
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Published by:
Aklima Akter
Sufi Peace Mission
4A Gulshan Avenue
Gulshan 2
Dhaka 1212
Bangladesh
web:
www.sufipeace.org
www.meetup.com/Berkeley-Sufi-Center
email:
www.sufipeace.org/feedback
2010 Irshad Alam. All rights reserved.
ISBN: 984-70239-0000-6
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Reviews
Sufi Irshad Alam has produced an interesting

and challenging translation of a part of the
Maktubat-i Imam-i Rabbani. In coming to
grips with the difficulties of his version, the
reader may gain access to some of the mean-
ings of Imam-i Rabbani.
Prof. Hamid Algar, Professor of Islamic Studies and
Persian, University of California at Berkeley
I congratulate you for this successful transla-

tion from the Maktubat.
Sufi Shaykh Prof. Dr. Muhammad Masood Ahmed,
Editor of 12-volume encyclopedia (Urdu) and author of
three books and numerous articles on Imam Rabbani
I found the passages which I checked trans-

lated accurately.
Prof. Yohanan Friedmann Author of Shaykh Ahmad
Sirhindi: An Outline of His Thought and a Study of His
Image in the Eyes of Posterity, Professor, Institute of
Asian and African Studies, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem,
Israel
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the translation is quite good and judicious
Prof. Sajjad H. Rizvi Lecturer in Islamic Studies, In-

stitute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter,
United Kingdom
marvelous
Prof. Alan Abdul-Haqq Godlas, Professor of Reli-

gion, University of Georgia
Irshad Alams scholarly translation of Sirhindis

epistle and his commentary on it is a valuable
source for any serious student of sufism. But
it is of special value for any follower of the
Naqshbandi tariqa, as it outlines some of the
fundamental qualities of this path, and the es-
oteric science by which the Naqshbandi mas-
ters guide their disciples.
Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, Naqshbandi sheikh and au-

thor, www.goldensufi.org
Sufi Irshad Alam has produced a remarkable,

fascinating and challenging translation of a
part of the Maktubat-i Imam-i Rabbani. In
translating from Persian to English Sufi Ir-
shad Alam has overcome the difficulties of
this great task and has enabled the reader to
gain approach to some of the meanings of
Imam-i Rabbani. Sufi Irshad Alam needs to
be commended for his meticulous and painstak-
ing translation that produced this book. This
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book gives insights into the original work done

by the Great Mujaddid Ahmad Sirhindi. This
book is concise and up to the point covering
a lot of material that is unknown to ordinary
Muslims, as well as scholars.
Prof. Ibrahim B. Syed, Ph.D., Islamic Research Foun-

dation International, Inc., www.irfi.org
This is a long awaited important work in the

history of Sufism which should be of interest
to disciples of the Mujaddid as well as others.
Laleh Bakhtiar, Ph. D. Author, Translator and Editor

of numerous Sufi and Islamic books, Kazi Publications
Inc., www.kazi.org
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Acknowledgements
In the beginning, I acknowledge the great debt that I have to my sufi

shaykh. It is he who taught me the inner meanings and interpreta-
tions of the Maktubat-i Imam-i Rabbani.
To sufi shaykh Shah Muti Aftabi, who has been a great teacher
to me, although I never met him in person. I learned the text of
the Maktubat by studying the Persian original side by side with his
amazingly accurate Bengali translation.
To all my teachers in the Arabic and Persian languages Dr. John
Hayes, Sonia Shiri, Noha Radwan, Mavash Hariri and others.
To Dr. Giv Nassiri for reading most of this manuscript of this
book and diligently comparing with the original Persian and writing
an introduction.
To Prof. Hamid Algar, Sufi Shaykh Prof. Muhammad Masood
Ahmed, Prof. Yohanan Friedmann, Prof. Sajjad H. Rizvi for verify-
ing a few random parts of this book and writing reviews.
To Dr. Nazeer Ahmed, Rashid Patch, Grandmaster James Harkins,
Nasr Ullah, Sheikh Nur al-Jerrahi for giving me encouragement.
To Valerie Turner for editing and Sukomal Modak and his broth-
ers Satyajit and Souren for typesetting the book in LaTex.
And to my parents, for funding almost all the expenses behind
this book. And to Russell Bates, Semnani Foundation, and others
for making grants that paid for a part.
May they all be drenched by the energy and blessings emanating
from the Mujaddid.
Irshad Alam
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Dedication
I am dedicating this book to my parents who

have nurtured me with love and care. Abba!
Amma! I love you!
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Message from My Sufi Shaykh
Im delighted to hear of the publication of the book Faith

Practice Piety that contains annotated translations from
the Maktubat-i Imam-i Rabbani. Irshad has been dili-
gently learning the Maktubat and the sufi path of the
Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi tariqa under my guidance for the
last twenty years. I have also granted Irshad a permission
or ijaza to teach this tariqa as my deputy. May Allah
grant him success in transmitting both the verbal mes-
sage and the spiritual transmission of this exalted tariqa.
Amin!
Muhammad Mamunur Rashid

Kompong Sam, Cambodia
About My Sufi Shaykh
My sufi guide Muhammad Mamunur Rashid is a living

saint who is a teacher of the Naqshbandi-Mujaddidi sufi
tariqa and the Grandshaykh or head of its Pure Mujaddidi
branch. Originally from Bangladesh, he has relocated to
Cambodia following divine inspiration. He is now ab-
sorbed in his mission to spread Universal Sufi Islam to
Indo-China, China, Europe and the rest of the world.
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CONTENTS
Reviews i
Acknowledgments iv
Dedication v
Message from My Sufi Shaykh vi
About My Sufi Shaykh vi

Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1 PREFACES 7
Verification of the Translation . . . . . . . 7
Foreword by the Translator . . . . . . . . 11
Confirming the Accuracy: . . . . . . 14
Suggestions on the Annotations: . . . 15
A Note on Technical Terms and Translation . 15
2 LIFE OF THE MUJADDID 17

Birth and Family . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Prophecies on the Mujaddid. . . . . . . . 18
First Stage in Education . . . . . . . . . 20
Life in Agra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Return to Sirhind . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Initial Sufi Training . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Khwaja Baqibillahs Mission to India . . . . 24
The Meeting with Khwaja Baqibillah . . . . 27
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2 CONTENTS
The Exalted Ranks of the Great Mujaddid . . 29

The Birth of the Mujaddidi tariqa . . . . . 32
The Parting from This World . . . . . . . 39
Writings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
I 43
3 Preamble: Ode to Khwaja Baqibillah 45

Sufi Technical Terms . . . . . . . . . . 47
Insertion of the End in the Beginning . . . . 51
Monist Ontologies . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Reviewing the Monist Ontologies . . . . . 57
Naqshbandi Science is Sublime . . . . . . 61
II 67
4 The Creed 69
FaithThe Sunni Creed . . . . . . . . . 69
Existence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
A Review of Basic Concepts in Ontology . . 74
Uniqueness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Knowledge: The ChronoEpistemology . . . 79
Speech and Time . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
The Act and Time . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Incomparability . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Similarity is Merely Allegorical . . . . . . 107
Allegorical Verses may Not Be Interpreted . . 109
Rejection of Unificationism . . . . . . . . 111
Changelessness . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Self-Sufficientness . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Perfection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
The Maturudi School . . . . . . . . . . 122
Eternalness and Beginninglessness . . . . . 123
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CONTENTS 3
All-Powerfulness and the philosophers . . . 124

Taqlid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Ibn Arabi and Wahdat-i Wujud . . . . . . 135
Bringing-into-Existence . . . . . . . . . 139
Worldly Occasions and Their Effectivities . . 139
God Desires and Creates Both Good and Evil. 145
Eternal Bliss and Damnation . . . . . . . 151
The Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Dispatch of the Prophets is Mercy . . . . . 158
Intellects and Revelation . . . . . . . . . 161
Prescriptions of the Sharia Are Blessings . . 167
Revelation is True . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Punishment in the Grave . . . . . . . . . 171
God May Judge or He May Forgive . . . . 172
The Day of Resurrection . . . . . . . . . 173
The Reckoning, the Scale, the Bridge . . . . 175
Paradise and Hell Are Eternal . . . . . . . 176
5 Angels 181
The Ulama is More Correct . . . . . . . 184
Faith and Holding Enmity . . . . . . . . 185
Shias Wrongly Defame the Companions. . . 187
Gods Personal Enmity with Faithlessness . 189
The Faithless Will Not Receive Mercy . . . 190
All the Faithful Will Be Saved. . . . . . . 192
Increase or Decrease of Faith . . . . . . . 199
The Greatness of Imam Abu Hanifa . . . . 203
Miracles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Well-instructed Caliphs: Superiorities . . . . 209
The Companions: Their Disputes . . . . . 217
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4 CONTENTS
III 221
6 Practice 223
Practice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Ablution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Comments: The Purpose of Sufism . . . . . 228
IV 233
7 Piety: The Purpose of the Tariqa 235

The Purpose of Sufism . . . . . . . . . . 235
Naqshbandi tariqa Clings to the Sunna . . . 238
Loud Zikr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Songs, Dances, Ecstasies, Raptures . . . . . 243
Singing: Advice to his Pirs Sons . . . . . 250
Mawluds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Inventing New Practices in the tariqa . . . . 253
V 257
8 Rules of the Tariqa 259
Index 277
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CHAPTER
1
PREFACES
Verification of the Translation

Professor Giv Nassiri compared this transla-
tion with the Persian original word-for-word
and wrote this review. He taught Persian lan-
guage and literature at the University of Cali-
fornia from 1991 to 1996. Since 1996 he has
taught courses on Islam as an adjunct profes-
sor at the Graduate Theological Union and
Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley.
I have reviewed Mr. Irshad Alams translation of the

maktub or epistle 1.266 [Volume I, maktub #no. 266] of
Imam-i Rabbani Ahmad Sirhindis Maktubat [his mag-
nus opus that is his collected letters] that is in this book.
I have checked it word-for- word in its entirety for ac-
curacy in translation from Persian to English. Mr. Ir-
shad Alam is a sufi of the Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi tariqa
of Imam-i Rabbani Sirhindi.
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8 CHAPTER 1. PREFACES
To the best of my knowledge this is the only transla-

tion of an entire long maktub of Maktubat-i Imam-i Rab-
bani translated directly from Persian to English.
The only other direct translation is one by Professor
Muhammad Abdul Haq Ansari in his work, Sufism and
Shariah. There he has translated a selection of passages
of the Maktubat. Another work of translation into En-
glish is by Suleyman Hilmi Isik that is contained in his
book The Endless Bliss published by Hakikat Kitabevi
in Turkeyin fact, I was informed that Shaykh Isik had
translated the Persian Maktubat into Turkish and his dis-
ciples re-translated part of that work into English.However,
the quality of that English translation is such that its un-
intelligible to the native English readers. For that rea-
son I have not attempted to compare it with sufi Irshads
present translation.
From strictly a translation point of view, I believe
this work can be characterized as one in which devotion
and care to the accuracy of the message of Imam-i Rab-
bani,Imam of sufi Irshads tariqa Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi,
has led him to strike a distinctively fine and effective bal-
ance between being literal and interpretive in his transla-
tion.By so doing, I believe, he has succeeded in provid-
ing accuracy and accessibility.
Before I further describe the quality of this work
of translation, I would like to point out that on a very
few occasions this balance between literal and interpre-
tive sways in favor of one or the other. But this is quite
rare and when the text tends toward the literal, there is
proof of sufi Irshads care for accuracy and his fresh look
at the complexities of the classical Persian language, and
when the text tends toward the interpretive, his approach
is to make the inherent difficulties of the text accessible
to a wider readership.
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VERIFICATION OF THE TRANSLATION 9
In an effort to clarify and make accessible the diffi-

cult passages, at times the translation becomes interpre-
tive rather than literal; this does not in any way dimin-
ish its devotion to conveying Sirhindis message literally
and accurately. The rare use of interpretive translation is
an exception, not a rule, and that does not diminish the
works inspired and accurate translation of the sufi con-
tent.
On the other hand his effort to maintain a balance
between the literal and the interpretive approaches on
rare occasions also appears toward the literal, where the
masters language is colloquial and idiomatic. Sufi Ir-
shads literal translation of such rare phrases is remark-
able, given the amazing fact that he has had no formal
Persian language training and that his meticulous and
painstaking effort at an accurate translation is due to his
devotion to the Mujaddid, Imam of Irshad Alams sufi
tariqa.
An important and valuable characteristic of sufi Ir-
shads translation is its meticulous attention to the trans-
lation of technical sufi terminology. Use of accurate En-
glish terminology for specific sufi terms is paramount in
a successful and beneficial translation of such primary
manuscripts and sufi Irshad has achieved this task with
accuracy.
In addition to accurately conveying Sirhindis terse
and measured use of sufi terminology and concepts, sufi
Irshad, possibly because of his discipleship with his mas-
ter, Imam-i Rabbani, has conveyed the meanings of such
terminology effectively and consistently.
sufi Irshads translation also benefits from more re-
cent standardization and refinement of Islamic terminol-
ogy in English, whereas ten to fifteen years ago there
were wide variations in the translations of the same terms
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and concepts. He appears to meticulously follow Profes-

sor Chitticks accurate and informed translation of tech-
nical terms of Islamic disciplines.
As I mentioned above, sufi Irshad resolves ambigui-
ties of certain Persian sentences in the Maktubat through
an interpretive translation. The reader, while attempt-
ing to decipher the interpretation of such complex dis-
cussions will gain insight into sufi terminology and con-
cepts. At times what appeared to me as too literal a
translation of a colloquial Persian term turned out to be a
particular usage attributed to the Great Mujaddid Imam-i
Rabbani, members of his eponymous tariqa the Mujad-
didi, and some other sufis. For instance, in todays Per-
sian usage tavajjuh kardan simply means to pay at-
tention or accept. So, I was initially quite surprised to
find sufi Irshads translation into to give a face-turning.This
is apparently a particular sufi practice expressed in that
context by Imam-i Rabbani. His use of the term refers to
a sufi guides practice of concentrating on the inner state
of a disciple and by so doing also ridding the disciple of
any turbidity of the heart of discernment.
By way of conclusion, I must say that there are a
number of advantages inherent in this translation, which
makes it a valuable work for those serious about a sin-
cere understanding of Imam-i Rabbanis writings. My
endorsement relates only to the quality of the translation
of the maktub at hand, maktub 1.266- Ive not reviewed
sufi Irshads commentaries or opinions or the translations
from the other maktubs. Other reviewers may review
those.
Giv Nassiri
Adjunct Professor of Islamic Studies
Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, CA
Ph. D. Islamic and Persian Studies, Univer-
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FOREWORD BY THE TRANSLATOR 11
sity of California at Berkeley, 2002.
Doctorate in Islamic studies obtained under

the supervision of Prof. Hamid Algar
Ph.D. exam in Persian under the supervision
of the late Professor Muhammad Jafar Mahjub
Foreword by the Translator

Thank you for your review of my book. It is primarily
the annotated translation of maktub or epistle 1.266 (i.e.,
Volume I, maktub no.# 266) of the Maktubat-i Imam-i
Rabbani from the original Persian (mixed with Arabic.).
Ive also translated sections from many other maktubs in
order to explain the original maktub. I am publishing
this edition primarily for the reviewers. Based on your
feedback, I shall prepare the next edition for the public.
So I would like to request your help in my endeavor.
The translation of makub 1.266, which is most of
this book, has been completely reviewed and compared
word-by-word with the original Persian by Professor Giv
Nassiri Ph. D., of the Graduate Theological Union in,-
Berkeley, California. While none of the errors that he
found were significant in terms of accuracy, I have ac-
cepted some of the suggestions that he made, in my quest
to make this a perfect translation. Most of his sugges-
tions reflect differences of opinion between us rather than
errors or inaccuracies in the translation.
Professor Nassiri is an Iranian scholar of Islam and
sufism who, although born a Shia, has rejected Shiism
and converted to mainstream Sunnism. He had started
on the Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi sufi tariqa, taking his first
bayat from a shaykh in Turkey; he has now taken his
second bayat from our tariqa. May the flow of faydh and
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baraka that he is receiving from the Great Mujaddid via

our tariqa permeate this work!
Im offering this book to you with the greatest hu-
mility. Im not at all an academic scholar; Im only a sufi
and its a karamat, miracle of the Mujaddid performed
through my sufi teacher Grand shaykh Muhammad Ma-
munur Rashid,-that Ive been able to translate this from
the original languages without really knowing them;
i.e., I know very little Persian and Arabic, so little that
I cant honestly claim that I know them I can neither
speak nor write in them and; I can only read them with
the help of dictionaries. Still I have made this transla-
tion from the Persian original, with the exception of a
few lines that were not intelligible in the manuscript, and
most of these have been identified in the footnotes. If
you compare this translation with the original Persian,
you will also come to the conclusion that it is indeed a
very accurate translation.
Its not just a scholarly workits also a inspired sufi
work, guided by the energy or faydh of the Mujaddid that
I receive by the mediation of my shaykh. So my shaykhs
interpretation permeates this work.
In my translation, Ive tried to be as literal as pos-
sible; Ive taken an interpretive meaning only when the
literal meaning is unintelligible. At the same time, Ive
been extremely cautious so that I do not distort the Mu-
jaddid. Ive also broken up the Mujaddids extremely
long and convoluted sentences into smaller sentences for
the sake of clarity. However, the poems are usually inter-
pretive.
As an example of my translation style, I would point
to the paragraph on section Can Intellects Guide Us
Without Revelation that starts with the sentence, There
are some premises that the [sufi] masters hold as ax-
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FOREWORD BY THE TRANSLATOR 13
iomatic truths. If we look at the original Persian text

contained in the footnote below, we see that its untrans-
latable literally, if by that term we mean word-for-word.
And if you try, it would come out as meaningless gibber-
ish. So I had to break up that sentence into many smaller
sentences. Yet I conveyed exactly what the Mujaddid
said, nothing more and nothing less (though in a more
understandable format).
Yes! On the first look, it may seem as if Im only
interpreting the original text, that its not a literal
translation. When Dr. Giv Nassiri was reviewing it, he
had the same initial impression In fact, he commented on
the first sentence of that very paragraph, Have you made
it up as an explanation? I dont see anything like that in
the [original Persian] text. So I pointed to the words
muqaddamat-i musallama, which appeared later in that
long convoluted Persian original sentence. I had to cre-
ate a whole sentence to convey the meaning of that pair of
words. So while sometimes it may seem that Ive taken
an interpretive approach, in fact Im conveying the exact
meaning of the original text. My translation is more in
one sense- it is far more understandable; though I have
never changed the message of the Mujaddid. After mak-
ing the complete review, even Dr. Nassiri agreed. He
said, At the first glance, it seemed that you were inter-
preting the text in many places. But now I know that
youre really sticking to the text.
In the worldly measures, this translation is accu-
rate because what I lacked in language skills, I over-
compensated for with sheer hard work and religious devotion-
this translation project is not just a project for me, in-
stead, as a devout disciple of the Mujaddidi tariqa, I see
it as a means to my salvation in the hereafter. In my first
reading of the maktubs that Ive translated, I understood
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nothing. But I diligently checked the meaning of every

word in the dictionary and reference books, compared it
with the Bengali translation, and finally deciphered the
meaning and arrived at my translation. When I finished,
I could read the Persian text, understand everything, and
explain it to others.
Of immense help has been the superb Bengali trans-
lation of the Maktubat authored by sufi shaykh Shah Muham-
mad Muti Ahmad Aftabi of Bangladesh, which he trans-
lated from the original Persian. He learned the Maktubat
from his father and shaykh Shah Muhammad Aftabuz-
zaman who in turn learned it from his shaykh, Hazrat
Barkat Ali Shah Bezwari of Kolkata, India. He was also
a great saint and the Mujaddid guided him in his work
spiritually. He completed this work over the span of eigh-
teen years; whenever he could not understand something
properly, he sat down in muraqaba (passive meditation)
and found his answer through ilham, (inspiration.). So
his translation has been an amazingly accurate work.
While I referred to the Bengali translation, I trans-
lated from the original Persian and my translation is not
at all a re-translation from the Bengali translation. The
Bengali translation was useful in helping me to under-
stand the Maktubat. I have also diligently checked my
translation with the Bengali translation and that has ver-
ified that my finished translation is indeed accurate.
You may want to send me feedback by emails or by
letter after reviewing this book, according to the follow-
ing terms.
Confirming the Accuracy:
Ive translated it from the book Maktubat-i Imam-i Rab-

bani edited by Nur Ahmad Amritsari published by Mak-
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A NOTE ON TECHNICAL TERMS AND TRANSLATION15
taba Ahmadiya Mujaddidiya in Quetta, Pakistan in 1999.

My translation is indexed to that original book.
I have also used the Intikhab-i Maktubat-i Shaykh
Ahmad SirhindI edited by the eminent scholar Fazlur Rah-
man and published by the Iqbal Academy in Lahore, Pak-
istan. If you need a copy, you may contact them and they
may send scholars complimentary copies.
Suggestions on the Annotations:
Ill appreciate any suggestions on the annotation and ex-

planation section. If you have any information on the
sources of the poems and quotations, I would appreciate
your help. You may contact me via email through the
feedback button at www.sufipeace.org.
I am grateful for positive, constructive criticism and
I will appreciate all that you can offer, in an effort to
make the next edition of the book better. Thank you in
advance!
Irshad Alam
Berkeley, California and Dhaka, Bangladesh
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.sufipeace.org
A Note on Technical Terms and Translation

Please note that I have followed Professor William Chitticks
scheme of translation. Except for a few instances where
there were good reasons to do so (e.g., contingent in-
stead of possible), I have consistently followed Chitticks
translations for the technical words that he introduces in
his monumental translation of Ibn Arabi, The Sufi Path
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of Knowledge 1 (abbreviated SPK), and revised in its se-

quel, The Self-Disclosure of God 2 (abbreviated SDG). I
would suggest that readers refer to the SPK for the mean-
ings of the technical terms, but also refer to the appendix
in the SDG where he notes the changes he made in the
second book. I have consistently used the newer terms
for the translated technical words. Alternatively, you
may use the Index of Technical Terms in SDG only,
but then you may want to refer to the SPK for the defini-
tions of the technical terms.
The Mujaddid follows the general system of Ibn
Arabi. Although in many cases the Mujaddid holds very
different opinions; still Chitticks translations of Ibn Arabis
terms can correctly translate those terms in almost all of
those cases. If you are not well versed in the fundamen-
tal concepts of Ibn Arabi, you may want to read this book
alongside Chitticks Sufi Path of Knowledge, in which he
explains them.
1
William Chittick, The Sufi Path of Knowledge, (Albany, NY: State Uni-
versity of New York Press, 1989).
2
William Chittick, The Self-Disclosure of God, (Albany, NY: State Uni-
versity of New York Press, 1998).
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CHAPTER
2
LIFE OF THE MUJADDID
Birth and Family
The Great Mujaddid Ahmad Sirhindi was born in the city

of Sirhind in East Punjab, India, at midnight on a Fri-
day night,1 14th Shawwal 971 hijri / 1564 CE.2 His full
name was Badr al-Din Abu al-Barakat al Faruqi.3 He is
known better by two of his titles, Mujaddid-i-Alfithani
(Mujaddid or Renewer of the Second Thousand Years)
and Imam-i Rabbani (Leader sent by the Lord).
The Mujaddids father was Hazrat Shaykh Abd al-
Ahad Faruqi who was an eminent scholar of his times
and a sufi Shaykh or teacher. Shaykh Abd al-Ahad was
an initiate and caliph in both the Chishti silsila or lineage
in which his preceptor was Shaykh Rukn al-Din, son of
1
Friday night in the traditional Muslim calendar is Thursday night in the
modern western calender because a Muslim day starts at the previous days
sunset. Halat-i Mashaikh, Tazkirah-i Imam Rabbani both say at midnight.
2
All dates in this biography are from the unpublished article Imam-i
Rabbani by Professor Hamid Algar.
3
Fazlur Rahman, Intikhab-i Maktubat-i Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi, p. 73.
17
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18 Life of the Mujaddid
the celebrated Abd al-Quddus Gangohi (d. 943/1537),

and of the Qadri, and the author of a number of mono-
graphs on sufism, especially on wahdat al-wujud.
The Mujaddid was a descendent of Caliph Umar
Faruq with eighteen generations in-between, i.e., he was
a nineteenth- generation descendant. This the reason the
Great Mujaddid is sometimes called Ahmad Faruqi. In-
deed, the Mujaddid was quite proud of his Faruqi lineage,
as evidenced by a few of his writings in the Maktubat.
However, his more common surname is Sirhindi that
comes from the town of his birth.
According to the Mujaddidi tradition, this holy child
was born circumcised (just as the Prophet Muhammad,
(salam) was born). He did not cry like other children and
he never dirtied his clothes. 4
Prophecies on the Mujaddid

The Prophet Muhammad himself prophesied on the ad-
vent of the Mujaddid. In a hadith report narrated by
Imam Suyuti, the Prophet spoke thus,
At the head of the 11th century hijri, Allah

will send a man who is a dazzling light. His
name will be the same as mine. He will emerge
between the reigns of two unjust rulers. Through
his intercession, countless people will be saved.
This saying indirectly confirms the Mujaddidi belief that

the Mujaddid is the greatest saint after the companions
and before Imam Mahdi. The greatest enemies of God
are the ones whom the Prophet specifically identified to
4
Ihsan, Abul Fayz Kamaluddin Muhammad, Rawdatul Qayyumiya, Ben-
gali translation, p. 70
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PROPHECIES ON THE MUJADDID 19
be the enemies of God, e.g., Abu Jahl, Pharaoh, and oth-

ers. Similarly, the greatest friend of God is the one iden-
tified by the Prophet as well.
Shaykh Abdul Ahad once had a dream,
The entire world is engulfed in a deep dark-
ness. Pigs, monkeys, and bears are attacking
and killing people. At that time, a ball of light
emerged from his breast. In that ball of light,
there is a throne and a man of light was sitting
there. All the oppressors, transgressors, apos-
tates are being slaughtered before him as sac-
rificial animals. And someone is proclaiming
in a thunderous voice,
Say! Truth has been established and false-
hood has been destroyed.(Koran 17,80)
Hazrat Abdul Ahad went to Shaykh Shah Kamal Kaithali
for the interpretation of that dream. Hazrat Kaithali in-
terpreted,
Youll have a son! All unfaithfulness, poly-
theism, heresy, apostasy, and deviation from
the prophetic way, darkness, and corrupt customs-
they all will die on his emergence. The blessed
tradition of Prophet Muhammad will be re-
newed.
When he was an infant, he became very sick; and
those around him had little hope that he would live. At
that time, the Qadri sufi saint Shah Kamal Kaithali ar-
rived at Sirhind. His father took the infant Mujaddid to
Shah Kamal for his prayers and blessings. Hazrat Shah
Kamal was exceedingly delighted to see the holy child!
He consoled his father Shaykh Abdul Ahad, Have no
worry! Instead, have inner peace. Because your son will
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have a long life and hell be a great scholar and arif,

knower of Allah!
Out of his love and affection, Shah Kamal put his
blessed tongue into the mouth of the Mujaddid and he
suckled on that tongue for a long time. Hazrat Shah Ka-
mal exclaimed, This infant just attained the complete
kamalat, perfection in the Qadri tariqa!
First Stage in Education

The Mujaddid received his early education at home from
his father and other scholars of Sirhind. He also memo-
rized the Koran at an early age.
Then he went to Sialkot and studied under a number
of eminent scholars. He learned hadith literature from
Yaqub Sarfi Kashmiri and logic from Mawlana Kamal
Kashmiri. From Mawlana Qadi Bahlul Badakshani, he
learned and attained the Ijazat or certificate to teach ad-
vanced texts of Koranic exegesis or tafsir (Wahidi and
others) and hadith iterature (Mishkat, Bukhari, Tirmidhi,
Jami l-Saghir of Suyuti and others) After completing
this stage of his formal education in just three years,
at the exceptionally early age of seventeen, he returned
home to Sirhind.
Life in Agra
Some three years later, he came to the court of the Mughal
Emperor Akbar at Agra, possibly aided by an introduc-
tion from his teacher Shaykh Yaqub. There he came to
know the two brothers Faydi (d. 1004/ 1595) and Abul
Fadl (d. 1011/ 1602). The Mujaddid helped Faydi with
composing his Sawati l-ilham- a commentary on the
Quran written entirely with dotless letters.
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LIFE IN AGRA 21
The Mujaddids dealings with Abul-Fadl were far

less harmonious. He felt that Abul-Fadl was so devoted
to rational philosophy that he cast doubt on the need
for prophecy. So the Mujaddid attempted to correct this
tendency by referring him Ghazalis al-Munqidh min al-
Dalal. Their disagreement culminated in a bitter public
debate in which Abul-Fadl is said to have abused gener-
ally respected scholars of Sunni Islam.
It was during his stay at Agra that Sirhindi wrote his
first work, an Arabic monograph titled Ithbat an-Nubuwwa.
That book was designed to reassert the necessity of be-
lief in prophethood as a corollary to belief in God, in the
face of the skepticism fostered by Akbars syncretic cult,
the din-iilahi. That books preface tells us of the debate
Shaykh Ahmad had had with a man [Abu l-Fadl] who
studied the science of falsafa ... and led people astray, as
well as straying himself, with respect to prophethood and
its attachment to a given person (Ithbat an-Nubuwwa,
pp. 1113).5
The monograph named Tayid-i Ahl-i Sunnat (also
known as Radd-i Rawafidh or Kavaif-iShia) is also re-
lated to the circumstances of the time. That book demol-
ishes the Shia arguments and upholds the doctrines of the
mainstream Sunnis. Written some time after 995/1587,
this denunciation of Shiism was inspired by the sectar-
ian polemics being exchanged between the Shii ulama of
Iran and their Sunni counterparts in Transoxiana; Sirhindi
endorsed the fatwa of the Bukharan scholars that con-
demned Shiis as kafir. This monograph also presaged
the strong hostility to Shiism that Shaykh Ahmad later
bequeathed to the line of Naqshbandi tradition descended
from him, partly as a result of his exaltation of Abu Bakr
as the fountainhead of Naqshbani sobriety.
5
Quoted by Dr Hamid Algar in Imam-i Rabbani, an unpublished paper
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Return to Sirhind
Eventually, the Mujaddid left Agra to return to Sirhind.
Precisely when he left Agra is unknown. It was his father
who had come to Agra to fetch him and so he left with
his father. On the way, he stopped in Thaneswar to marry
the daughter of Shaykh Sultan, a local nobleman.
Having returned to Sirhind, the Mujaddid now started
the sufi textual dimension of his education. He studied
with his father. It may be noted that his father Shaykh
Abdul Ahad was a firm believer in wahdatul wujud. He
used to say, Whatever is seen is the One; only the head-
ings are different.6 He was also the author of a number
of monographs on wahdatul wujud. And the young Mu-
jaddid initially assimilated this with great enthusiasm.
With his father, the Mujaddid studied the fundamen-
tal texts such as Taarruf of a Kalabadhi (d. 390/1000),
the Awarif al-Maarif of Shihabuddin Suhrawardi and
the Fusus al-Hikam of Ibn Arabi (d. 638/1240).
It may be in this period that the Mujaddid wrote
his monograph Maarif-i Ladunniya or it may even have
been in the early period of his discipleship with Khwaja
Baqibillah. That book indicates that he thoroughly stud-
ied Ibn Arabi in this period. He may have studied Ibn
Arabi before, but perhaps not in such great depth. The
scholar Fazlur Rahman places its time of writing much
earlier but I believe that he has made a mistake.
Initial Sufi Training

At home, the Mujaddid learned the Sabri branch of the
Chishti tariqa from his father. He also learned the Qadri
tariqa from him as well. In the Mujaddidi tradition, it is
6
Nure Sirhind, p. 22.
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INITIAL SUFI TRAINING 23
said that he had already attained perfection in the Qadri

tariqa in his infancy from Shah Kamal Kaithali, so at this
time he really learned only the outward rules and meth-
ods of the Qadri tariqa from his father.
The Mujaddid also attained the nisbat-i fardiyat, the
transmission of solitariness (fardiyat) from his father, 7
which he had in turn acquired from Shah Kamal Kaithali.
He also attained perfection and the rank of a deputy
or khilafat in the Kubrawi and Suhrawardi8 tariqas from
Mawlana Yaqub Sarfi. However, some scholars believe
that it was his father who taught him the Suhrawardi
tariqa.9 Many other sufi Shaykhs taught him and so he
attained perfection and was given the rand of a deputy
(khilafat) in fifteen tariqas.
The Shadhili tariqa may be included there as well.
Because the prayer, dua-i hizbul bahar, is a wazifa or
litany of the Mujaddidi tariqa10 and that indicates that the
Mujaddid may have been a shaykh of that Shadhili tariqa
as well. Later he learned the Naqshbandi tariqa (the six-
teenth) and he established the Mujaddidi tariqa(the sev-
enteenth). So it is said that he had attained perfection in
seventeen tariqas altogether.
7
Mabda va Maad, Minha 1
8
Halat-i Mashaikh, p. 14.
9
Rawdatul Qayyumiya
10
Although I have not found any documentary evidence supporting it,
I feel that the Mujaddid attained perfection in the Shadhili tariqa and the
Shadhili transmission is contained in the Mujaddidi tariqa. I feel it because
the Shadhili litany Hizb al-Bahr is a litany in this tariqa as well. Now in
the Mujaddidi tariqa, this is not a everyday litany as in the Shadhili tariqa,
but instead it may be done on occasion with the shaykhs permission. My
Shaykh says that according to the tariqa rules, the permission to recite this
litany may be granted only to the missionaries of this tariqa to realize suc-
cess in their mission. However, Professor Algar told me that many tariqas
recite the hizb al-bahr although they may not have any initiatic connection
to the Shadhili tariqa.
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Khwaja Baqibillahs Mission to India

In the meantime, Khwaja Baqibillah embarked on his
journey to India. According to the Mujaddidi tradition,
his mission was to transmit the Naqshbandi nisbat to the
saint who will be the Mujaddid of the second millen-
nium hijri. It was his teacher Shaykh Khwajegi Amkangi
who had entrusted him with this mission, however it was
Khwaja Bahauddin Naqshband who had given him this
mission originally.
Once, Khwaja Baqibillah was visiting the shrine of
Khwaja Naqshband. He told Khwaja Baqibillah,
Soon a perfect vicegerent of the prophet will

be born in India. Such a great friend has never
been born after the honorable companions.
He is center of attention of all the friends.
They all are trying to bring him into their own
silsilas (lineages) in the hope that their silsilas
would spread all over the world via him and
would last until the end of the world. The
light of his good-guidance-giving would il-
luminate all that is from the heavens to the
earth and until the end of the world. I fer-
vently aspire that he would take up my silsila
and I expect that my hope would be fulfilled
by the grace of God. So you should go to
India and meet that friend. Let it not happen
that someone else would recruit him into their
own silsila before you. The transmission that
the prophet granted Hazrat Abubakr, it has
reached me as an object left in trust and I have
transmitted that to my caliphs. Currently, this
transmission is in the hands of the greatest
caliph of my silsila Khwajegi Amkangi. So
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KHWAJA BAQIBILLAHS MISSION TO INDIA 25
you should first go to Khwajegi Amkangi and

attain this transmission and then go to India
and transmit it to that man. Then that object
left in trust would reach its true recipient.
In accordance with this instruction of Khwaja Naqsh-

band, Khwaja Baqibillah started his journey to Khwajegi
Amkangi. Khwaja Naqshband also informed Khwajegi
Amkangi through a dream. On the way, Khwaja Baqi-
billah had a dream where Khwajegi Amkangi told him,
Son! I am waiting for you. When he finally arrived,
Khwajegi Amkangi spent three days with him in seclu-
sion and told him, By the grace of Allah, the purpose for
which Khwaja Naqshband sent you here, your nutruring,
that is now complete. Now take this transmission and go
to India, a great task is waiting for you there.
11
After he had been his shaykh for a long time, it was

Khwaja Baqibillah (qaf) who told Hazrat Mujaddid:
Once Hazrat Mawlana Khwajegi Amkangi(qaf)

instructed me, Go to India! Youll propagate
this tariqa there! I raised objections, as I
could not find any sign of competence in me.
So my shaykh asked me do istikhara [prayers
to receive guidance from God through dreams
or inspirations] and I did so.
At night, I had a dream, I saw a parrot. I

thought in my dream that if this parrot comes
and sits on my hand then it would be a sign
11
Muhammad Ihsan, Rawdatul Qayyumia where he draws reference to
Khwaja Hashim Kashmi, Barakatul Ahmadiya, I referred to the Bengali
translation by Mahbubur Rahman, Raojatul Kaiumiyah, Khulna: Al-Hakim
Prokashoni, Khulna, Bangladesh, 2004. pp. 82-3)
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that my journey to India would be a success.

And as soon as I had this idea in my mind, the
parrot flew to me and sat on my hand. I put
my saliva in its beak. In return, it put sweet
saliva in my mouth.
When I had woken up in the morning, I de-

scribed that dream to Khwajegi Amkangi. He
interpreted, Parrot is the symbol for India.12
Youll go and nurture a great saint there. In
return, hell also give you spiritual nourish-
ment. Indeed, hell enlighten the whole world.
When I reached Sirhind on the way, I had a

dream in which someone told me, You are
now near a qutb, pole. He also showed me
the face of that pole. In the morning, I vis-
ited all the saints of Sirhind but none had the
face that I saw in that dream. Then I decided
that the pole in my dream would emerge in
the future. Then when you came to me, I rec-
ognized that face in you and found that capa-
bility in you.
Another day I dreamt, Im lighting up a huge

lamp. That lamp is burning brighter and brighter
every moment. And that lamp is in turn light-
ing up hundreds and hundreds of new lamps.
And all those new lamps are also growing
brighter and brighter every moment. When
I reached the outskirts of Sirhind, I saw that
thousands and thousands of lamps are burn-
ing in Sirhind. Through this dream also, I
12
In olden times, India was known for its parrots. Even the Masnavi of
Mawlana Rumi has stories about the parrots of India.
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THE MEETING WITH KHWAJA BAQIBILLAH 27
believe that I received Allahs sign towards

you.
The exchange of saliva and sugar between Khwaja

Baqibillah and the parrot later proved to be true. The
Mujaddid learned all the maqamat stations, of the knowl-
edge of the Naqshbandi tariqa from Khwaja Baqibillah,
which explained why Khwaja Baqibillah in the dream
put his saliva in the beak of the parrot. Afterwards, Hazrat
Mujaddid received advanced stations, maqamat from Al-
lah above and beyond all that was in the old Naqshbandi
tariqa. And he taught those to Khwaja Baqibillah. That
explained why the parrot in the dream put sugar into the
mouth of Khwaja Baqibillah.
The Meeting with Khwaja Baqibillah

When his father died in 1007/1597, Shaykh Ahmad left
Sirhind with the intention of performing the hajj. His
route took him to Delhi where he had a decisive encounter
with the Naqshbandi saint Khwaja Abd al-Baqi (com-
monly known as Baqi Billah; d.1012/1603).
In Delhi, the Mujaddid stayed with his intimate friend
Mawlana Hasan Kashmiri who took him to Hazrat Khwaja.
When he looked at the Mujaddid then known as Shaykh
Ahmad, Khwaja Baqibillah instantaneously recognized
Shaykh Ahmad to be that parrot of his dream. He knew
that Shaykh Ahmad is that fortunate man who is the right-
ful heir to this exalted transmission, who is that unique
representative of the Blessed Prophet (salam), who is that
auspicious man for whom he had come to India. It was
against Khwaja Baqibillahs nature to show interest to
someone to make him his disciple. But Shaykh Ahmad
became an exception to that rule. He requested Shaykh
Ahmad, Please be my guest in my khankah for a few
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days.
Shaykh Ahmad promised to stay there for a week.
But his state, hal changed in a few days. Hazrat Khwajas
jadhdhba affected him powerfully. He requested Hazrat
Khwaja to accept him as a disciple.
Normally Khwaja Baqibillah was very selective about
accepting new disciples. Indeed, he always made is-
tikhara prayers, seeking divine signs indicating whether
or not he should accept that disciple. But Shaykh Ahmad
became an exception. The Khwaja immediately gave
him bayat, initiation and gave him the first lesson, zikr
in the subtle center qalb, heart. Immediately, his heart
was filled with Naqshbandi nur, light. Shaykh Ahmad
wondered,
Wondrous creation are the Naqshbandi saints
They radiate light in a unique manner
They give away the fragrance of love to those
who dont even seek
Can you find a more generous one anywhere
in the world? Where will you find someone
who cares as much?
As much care as the Naqshbandis give
Baqi Billah was much impressed with his new disciple

concerning whom he wrote to one of his devotees,
A person from Sirhind by the name of Shaykh
Ahmad, highly knowledgeable and observant,
has spent a few days with me ... it seems that
he may become a sun illuminating the world.
Shaykh Ahmad attained perfection, kamalat in the Naqsh-
bandi tariqa. Khwaja Baqibillah granted him khilafat,
deputyship and ijazat, mandate to teach as a shaykh. Then
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THE EXALTED RANKS OF THE GREAT MUJADDID 29
he returned to Sirhind, accompanied by a few other dis-

ciples of Baqi Billah. There a near permanent state of
ecstasy (istighraq) caused him to retreat into seclusion,
much to the disappointment of his companions from Delhi.
But once the ecstasy subsided, he began corresponding
with Baqi Billah in a series of letters that were at the ori-
gin of his collected correspondence (the Maktubat con-
tains a total of twenty-six letters addressed to Baqi Bil-
lah). After an absence of one year, Shaykh Ahmad paid
a return visit to his preceptor in Delhi, and with some
reluctance (that he showed as a symbol of humility) ac-
cepted to train some disciples on his behalf. Thereafter
he communicated with Baqi Billah by letter, with the ex-
ception of a final visit in 1012/1613; on the occasion of
this meeting, the master honored him by walking some
distance to welcome him and he entrusted him with the
spiritual training of his sons.
The Exalted Ranks of the Great Mujaddid

Its a Mujaddidi belief that the Mujaddid was not only the
greatest waliAllah ever, but he more than that. Indeed, all
the kamalat of all the awliya of the Muhammadan com-
munity (after the companions and before Imam Mahdi)
were added together and given to him!
When non-sufis write on the Mujaddid, they stress
his struggle with the Emperors Akbar, Jahangir, and their
courtiers-because that is something that they can under-
stand. But from the sufi perspective, it is his sufi dimen-
sion, e.g. the energy and the blessings that he radiates
(faydh va barakat), that is more important.
This excerpt that describes a high rank of the Mu-
jaddid i.e. the guardianship (qayyumiyat). Hazrat Mu-
jaddid wrote,
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Once after the dhuhr prayer, I was in medita-

tion, muraqaba and someone was reciting the
Koran. Suddenly I noticed a heavenly robe
hovering over me. An idea came upon my
mind that this robe of guardianship (qaiyu-
miyat) is all the creation. And I have been
graced with this robe as I am the heir to the
Last Prophet (salam) and I faithfully follow
him. Then the Merciful Prophet (salam) ap-
peared and tied a turban on my head by his
own blessed hands; and congratulated me on
my elevation to the rank of the quardian (qaiyum).
What is a Qaiyum? About that, the Mujaddids son
Khwaja Muhammad Mathum wrote,
Qaiyum is the khalifa or deputy of Allah (SWT)
in this world.. All the poles (qutb, aqtab) and
the substitutes (badal, abdal) are in his cir-
cle of shadow. The pegs (watad, awtad) are
within the boundaries of the perfection of the
Qaiyum. All the people in the entire world
look towards him to fulfill their wishes and
desires. He is the qibla of attention for the
entire world. The whole world exists because
of his holy person (dhat).
He further explained,
The habit of Allah (SWT) is such that once-
in-a-while after many ages, by His own Grace,
the Haqq (SWT) grants some knower, arif,
a portion from His own priceless Person and
makes him His deputy and caliph as thei.e.,
qaiyum. It is through the intermediation of
him [the Qaiyum] that the entire cosmos is
sustained.
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THE EXALTED RANKS OF THE GREAT MUJADDID 31
Indeed, as the Mujaddid explained in the Maktubat, Al-

lah granted three more his descendants the rank of Qaiyum,
Guardian. And the rank of Qaiyumiyat is above all the
awliya and just below the rank of the companions of the
Generous Prophet (salam). And all the Qaiyums have
been created from residue of the dough of which the
Prophet Muhammad was made. Indeed, the Mujaddid
himself declared, I was created from the residue of the
dough of which was made Prophet Muhammad, the Beloved
of God (salam). /footnoteHalat-i Mashaikh-i Naqshbandiya-
Mujaddidiya, volume 2, pp.27-28
These first qayyum was the great mujaddid Ahmad
Sirhindi and the second was his son Khwaja Muhammad
Masum. The third qayyum was his son Khwaja Hujjatul-
lah Naqshband and the fourth was his grandson Khwaja
Muhammad Zubair.
This story is narrated in the Rawdatul Qaiyyumia
about his elevation to the rank of the Mujaddid alfithani
or reformer of the second millenium Hijri.
It was hijri 1010 year, the 10th of the Islamic
month of Rabiul Awwal, Friday night break-
ing into dawn. Shaykh Ahmad was sitting in
his room alone. It was then that the Prophet
Muhammad (salam) came there. Along with
him came all the other prophets (salam), count-
less angels and friends of Allah. By his own
holy pair of hands, the Merciful Prophet put
a resplendent robe on him and told, Shaykh
Ahmad! As a symbol of your being a Mu-
jaddid, Im putting this magnificent robe on
you. From now on, youll be known as the
Mujaddid-i Alfi Thani, the Mujaddid of the
second millenium. All the responsibility for
my community (ummat) in both worldly mat-
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ters and religious matters, is assigned to you.13

Usually prophets receive the position of prophets at
the age of forty. Hazrat Mujaddid had just reached forty
and it was at that age that , he received the position of the
Mujaddid of the Second Thousand Years.
The Birth of the Mujaddidi tariqa

The following story is well-known in the Mujaddidi tra-
dition. It is quoted in the primary hagiographies of the
Mujaddid by his caliphs Badruddin Sirhindi and Hashim
Kashmi and the secondary text Rawdatul Qayyumiya.
14
Once, the Great Succor Muhyiuddin Abdul

Qadir Jilani was absorbed in muraqabah, med-
itation in a forest. Suddenly, a light came
down from the heavens and that light lighted
up the whole world. The Great Succor was
informed that after five hundred years, when
polytheism and deviation from the prophetic
way would spread throughout the world,; a
true friend [of Allah] would emerge. He would
demolish all polytheism and deviations and
would resurrect the Muhammadan religion.
His companionship would be alchemical [i.e.,
it would transform base metal into gold.]. And
his sons and caliphs would serve the religion
greatly.
13
Rawdatul Qayyumia, pp. 99-100, 104
14
Hazratu l-Quds written by the Mujaddids devoted disciple and caliph
Hazrat Badruddin Sirhindi and Zubdatu l-Maqamat by Hazrat Hashim
Kashmi and from which it has been quoted in the traditional hagiographies
the Rawdatu l-Qayyumia and the Halat-i Mashaikh-i Naqshbandiya Mu-
jaddidiya
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THE BIRTH OF THE MUJADDIDI TARIQA 33
Then the Great Succor selected a khirqa, (a

cloak with spiritual significance in the sufi
tradition) filled it up with his perfections and
gave it to his son Tajuddin Abdur Razzaq and
said, When that great man will emerge, then
give him this khirqa. That khirqa was trans-
ferred generation-to-generation and finally reached
the hands of his descendant and Caliph Shah
Sikander Kaithali. He once had a dream, Ac-
cording to the instruction of the Great Succor,
give that khirqa to the Great Mujaddid Ah-
mad Sirhindi. But Shah Sikander was reluc-
tant to part with this family heirloom.
So what ultimately happened is that once, Hazrat

Mujaddid was meditating in muraqaba or sufi
meditation; at that time, some one came and
placed a emphkhirqa, an initiatic cloak signi-
fying spiritual maturity and khilafat, onto the
shoulders of the Mujaddid. That person was
Hazrat Shah Sikander, grandson of the sufi
saint Shah Kamal Kaithali.
Hazrat Mujaddid opened his eyes and seeing

Hazrat Sikander, stood up and embraced him
with humility and courtesy. Hazrat Sikan-
der said, This khirqa originally belonged to
my ancestor, Hazrat Abdul Qadir Jilani. My
grandfather had told me on his deathbed, Keep
it for now! Whomever Ill ask you to give it
to, give it to him! Indeed, this khirqa has
been passed down in my family from genera-
tion to generation in the same way. Now my
saintly grandfather has appeared in my dream
several times and asked me to give it to you.
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But I didnt as I felt pain at the thought of

giving this family heirloom away. Finally,
Ive been severely warned that if I dont com-
ply then my sufi transmission would be taken
away as a punishment. Thats why, Ive fi-
nally come to you.
Hazrat Mujaddid wore that khirqa and retired
to privacy. Then this idea floated on his mind,
The practice of the sufi shaykhs is that when
they present their khirqa to someone, he be-
comes their deputy or caliph. Or they give
the khirqa as a first step, and make him their
caliph at the second stage. Hazrat Mujaddid
narrated, As soon as this idea came upon my
mind, [all the saints in my Qadri silsila start-
ing from the founder] Hazrat Abdul Qadir Ji-
lani to Hazrat Shah Kamal Kaithali appeared
and illuminated me with the lights of their
nisbat.
Then the Mujaddid thought, Ive been nur-
tured by the the Naqshbandis! Still such a
thing happened! He narrated, In the mean
time, all the saints in my Naqshbandi silsila
from Hazrat Khwaja Abdul Khaliq Gujdawani
to Hazrat Khwaja BaqIbillah, appeared and
asked, Shaykh Ahmad attained his own per-
fection as well as the ability to bring others to
perfection, (kamal va takmil,) via our tariqa.
So how is he related to your tariqa? The
saints of the Qadri tariqa replied, He received
the first taste of the sweet from us.
By that, they alluded to an incident in Hazrat
Mujaddids childhood. Once, when the child
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Mujaddid had become very sick, his father

took him to Shah Kamal Kaithali, who was
a saint of the Qadri tariqa. The saint had put
his tongue into the mouth of the newborn and
it started to suck on his tongue. And Shah
Kamal exclaimed, This infant just attained
the complete kamalat, perfection in the Qadri
tariqa!
In the meantime, the masters of the Chishti

tariqa came and claimed the Mujaddid for their
own. They reasoned, His ancestors were ser-
vants of our tariqa.
The masters of the Kubrawi, Suhrawardi, and

many other tariqas came as well. Each of
them argued, The Mujaddid was a caliph in
my tariqa before he was [even a disciple] ] for
the Naqshbandis.
The masters of all the other tariqas also ap-

peared. They all wanted the Mujaddid to serve
their tariqas.
Hazrat Mujaddids Caliph Hazrat Badruddin

Sirhindi quoted the Mujaddid in his book the
Holy Hazrats [Hazratul Quds] At that time
such a great number of spirits of the saints
came to Sirhind that they thronged all the build-
ings, streets, and open spaces of the city. The
saints were disputing among themselves so
strongly that from dawn it continued until the
time of dhuhr, the noon prayer.
It was at that time that the spirit of the viceroy

for both worlds, the prophet Muhammad (salam)
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came and resolved the dispute with love and

compassion for everyone. He stated, All of
you! You may transmit the perfections of your
transmissions totally to the Mujaddid of the
Second Thousand Years. He is the caliph of
all of you. You will all receive equal rewards
from his good deeds. However, the Naqsh-
bandi tariqa originates from Hazrat Abu Bakr,
the most exalted man after the prophets. And
it strictly clings to the sunna and assiduously
casts off deviations. And so that tariqa is most
appropriate for the special service of renewal
and revival of Islam that he will render.
So the dispute was finally resolved! As per

the prophets instruction, every imam of ev-
ery tariqa transmitted all the perfections of
his own tariqa to the Mujaddid. Added to
that were the perfections and transmissions
unique to the Mujaddid of the Second Thou-
sand Years. Also added were the unique per-
fections granted by the Prophet (salam). Also
added were the perfections unique to the Mu-
jaddid, namely, the perfections of the Guardian,
the Imam, the Treasury of Mercy and all oth-
ers [Qaiyum, Imam, Khazinatu l-Rahmat] As
a result, a new tariqa was born.
Due to his extreme adab, courtesy, the Mujaddid still

called this new Naqshbandi tariqa. However, within a
few generations, this tariqa was named Naqshbandi-Mujaddidi
or Mujaddidi for short. And this tariqa has two imams or
founders, Hazrat Bahauddin Naqshband being the first
imam and Hazrat Mujaddid being the second but more
important imam. Although this tariqa can be called new
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in the sense that it is more than the old Naqshbandi

tariqa, its not new in the sense that it is different. The
base of this tariqa is still the old Naqshbandi tariqa. If the
old Naqshbandi tariqa can be likened to a building, then
it can be said that the Mujaddid renovated the building by
adding more floors to it. That is the way he interpreted it
in the Maktubat.
It should be noted that the old Naqshbandi tariqa
soon died out, as all the Naqshbandis adopted this more
energized version of the tariqa. With the exception of a
few archaic Naqshbandis in Chinese Turkistan, the old
tariqa has ceased to exist; 15 instead, their followers have
taken bayat from a Mujaddidi shaykh. If you look at their
shajara, lineage tree youll find Hazrat Mujaddid there.
This tariqa may be called Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi in-
stead of what its called traditionally, which is Naqshbandi-
Mujaddidi. The reason is that if you call it Naqshbandi-
Mujaddidi, people often shorten it by calling it Naqsh-
bandi and that is very misleading. Now Hazrat Mujad-
did could call it Naqshbandi because that was adab for
him. But now since so many great masters of our tariqa
have adopted and agreed to the new name, it may be lack
of adab for us to call it by the old name, because that
would not showing the proper respect to the Mujaddid,
the pre-eminent saint in the Naqshbandi-Mujaddidi sil-
sila, indeed the closest person to Allah after the prophets
and before Imam Mahdi.
Who is the prophet of Islam? Is he Prophet Muham-
mad or Prophet Abraham? The Koran says that Hazrat
Abraham was the first Muslim and ours is the same re-
ligion as his. Now can we claim that Prophet Abra-
ham is more important than Prophet Muhammad? Would
15
Source: Hamid Algar, the premier academic researcher on this tariqa in
the West.
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that not be a lack of adab for us? The relationship of

Hazrat Naqshband and Hazrat Mujaddid can be com-
pared to the relationship between Hazrat Abraham and
Hazrat Muhammad. Yes! Prophet Muhammad shows
great respect to Prophet Abaraham; but that does not
mean that Prophet Abraham is superior to Prophet Muham-
mad. Instead, it only means that the Prophet had a great
deal of adab. Similarly, the fact that the Mujaddid shows
a lot of respect to Hazrat Bahauddin Naqshband in the
Maktubat only confirms the perfection of his adab. Is-
lam should be referred to as Muhammadan as opposed
to Abrahamic; although both are true. Similarly, this
tariqa should be referred to as Mujaddidi as opposed to
Naqshbandi, although both are true.
Another reason why this tariqa should be called Mu-
jaddidi instead of Naqshbandi is that the system of lataif
or the subtle center system for these two tariqas are also
slightly different. The latifa or subtle center called nafs
is located near the navel in the archaic Naqshbandi tariqa,
but Hazrat Mujaddid changed that location to the center
of the forehead for the Mujaddidi tariqa.
Also, the number of maqamat, i.e., the stations of
spiritual enlightenment, are also vastly increased in the
Mujaddidi tariqa. Now most shaykhs never ascend to
such sublime stations, so they do not even know about
these.
Since the Mujaddidi tariqa is so much superior, all
the Naqshbandis today, even those from Bukhara or Samarkand,
(with the exception of those archaic Naqshbandis in Chi-
nese Turkestan) have adopted the Mujaddidi tariqa in-
stead. If you look at their lineage tree or shajara, you
will see Hazrat Mujaddid there.
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THE PARTING FROM THIS WORLD 39
The Parting from This World

After a life of great service to Allah as well as His beloved
humanity, the Great Mujaddid left this world to meet his
Maker at the age of sixty-three, the same age at which
our beloved Prophet (salam) left his earthly life. It was
the early dawn of Tuesday, the 28th or the 29th of Sa-
far) 16 in 1034 AH/1624 CE. Inna liLlahi wa inna alaihi
rajiun! Verily we are from Allah and verily we will re-
turn to Him! His shrine has become a place of universal
pilgrimage for Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus-people of all reli-
gions go there to pay their homage and drink that fragrant
elixir wafting upward from his grave.
This is the translation of a Persian poem on the grave
of the Great Mujaddid:
by Abdul Ghani Dihlawi
O the sacred soil of the grave! [You ooze the

fragrance of] ambergris and musk!
Has become intoxicated by your [maddening]

aroma, the entire universe!
[God] the Cupbearer has nurtured you with

such fragrant essence! As a result, the people
of the world!
Sane when they come to you, they leave as

drunks!
That mystery of paradise is your secret! [Such

that] the people on the surface of the earth!
16
Due to disagreement on when the moon of Safar was sighted, there is
dispute on the lunar date of death
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[Having breathed] one breath from [that fra-

grance from] you, blast off into a heavenly
orbit [far above the land of sand and dust!]
Before the Mujaddid, the progress for the friends of

Allah was limited to the level of friendship, walayat.
Breaking their rank, the Mujaddid progressed to the level
of nubuwat, in the same way that the four well-instructed
caliphs also progressed to the level of nubuwat.
Writings
The magnum opus of the Mujaddid is the Maktubat-i-
Imam-i-Rabbani that contains a total of 536 maktubs that
he sent to various people. Among them, twenty six were
written to his own sufi guide Khwaja Baqibillah. One
he wrote to the Emperor Jahangir. One he wrote to a
Hindu named Hari Rama. And the rest were written to
his disciples and devotees including two or three to his
women disciples.
The Maktubat was divided into three volumes. The
first volume had three hundred and thirteen maktubs after
the three hundred and thirteen companions who fought
in the battle of Badr. This number is also the number of
major prophets (rasul). This volume was called the Pearl
of Knoledge, Durru l-Marifat and it was compiled by
Khwaja Muhammad Jadid Badakshi Talqani. The second
volume, completed in 1019 hijri, was called the Light of
the Creation, Nuru l-Khalaiq compiled by Khwaja Ab-
dul Hai. The compiler was Khwaja Abdul Hai who was
the son of the Mujaddids Khwaja Chakar Hasari, wrote
that the volume had ninety-nine maktubs as the number
of the attributive names (ism, sifat) of Allah is ninety-
nine. In the preface, he also wrote that he had com-
pleted it by the instruction of the Mujaddids son Khwaja
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WRITINGS 41
Muhammad Masum. The third volume, the Knowledge

of the Realities, Marifatul Haqaiq, was compiled by
Khwaja Muhammad Hashim. Originally it had 114 mak-
tubs that corresponds to the # number of the chapters of
the Koran; later 10 more were added. Since the Mujad-
did died after those ten maktubs, they were added instead
of creating a new volume.
Additionally, the Mujaddid also wrote seven mono-
graphs, risala on various topics. They are:
1. Ithbat wa Nubuwwa: Why mankind needs prophetic

revelation to know God. The Mujaddid wrote it in
Arabic, the Agra period, c.1585
2. Tayyid-i Ahl-i Sunnat:17 Refuting the Shia beliefs
and establishing the mainstream Sunnite creed. The
Mujaddid wrote it in Persian, also in the Agra pe-
riod.
3. Maarif-i Ladunniya: Comments on Ibn Arabi, gen-
erally positive but sometimes negative, even sar-
castic; exaltedness of the Naqshbandi tariqa. Fa-
zlur Rahman puts it in the Agra period but he is
obviously wrong; the book talks about Naqshbandi
tariqa. The Mujaddid wrote it in Persian early in
the Baqibillah period, 1597-1603.
4. Taliqat bar Sharh-i Rubaiyat: Explains and com-
ments on the Quatrains of Khwaja Baqibillah; he
showed it to the Khwaja. The Mujaddid wrote it in
the Baqibillah period in Persian.
5. Mabda va Maad: There are 51 Minha or chapters
on many topics. The Mujaddid wrote it in the Baqi-
billah period, 1597-1603; but I think after God-
given Knowledge. It was also written in Persian.
17
Also known as Kavaif-i Shiah and Radd-i Rawafidh
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6. Risala-i Tahliliya: Not Reviewed. The Mujaddid

wrote it in Arabic.
7. Mukashifat-i Ayniya: Each chapter describes the
hal on one of the 29 stations, maqamat on the way-
faring, suluk of the Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi tariqa;
he showed it to the Khwaja; refers to the Mabda.
The Mujaddid wrote it in the later Baqibillah pe-
riod, 1597-1603 in Persian.
This biography is partly sufi-inspiration taken from

the Mujaddidi book of hagiographies, Halat-i Mashaikh-
i Naqshbandiya Mujaddidiya and Rawdatul Qayyumia,
Bengali translations, and partly historical narratives taken
from Fazlur Rahman, Chapter 5: Shaikh Ahmads Life,
in the Intikhab-i Maktubat-i Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi, and
Professor Hamid Algars unpublished article, Imam-i
Rabbani
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Part I
43
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CHAPTER
3
Preamble: Ode to Khwaja Baqibillah
The Mujaddid wrote this maktub to Khwaja Abdullah

and Khwaja Ubaidullah , who were the two sons of his
sufi teacher Khwaja Baqibillah. Hazrat 1 Mujaddid starts
this maktub by showing his respect to Khwaja Baqibil-
lah. He first describes the exalted sufi experiential knowl-
edge that he gained and he acknowledges the sublime
sufi states that he experienced via the intermediation
of Khwaja Baqibillah. He recounts them as a mark of
courtesy as he is writing to the sons of Khwaja Baqibil-
lah.
Praise, salutations, and conveyance of the in-

vitation toward God to the venerable and es-
teemed sons of my master! From my head
to feet, I am drowned in the beneficence (ih-
san) of your great father [Khwaja Baqibillah]
1
When used before a personal name, Hazrat (Arabic Hadrat) is an hon-
orific title akin to Venerable or His Eminence. It is used before the name
of the prophets as well as other holy men and women in the Islamic tradi-
tion in the Indian subcontinent. The Mujaddid also uses Hazrat before the
names and attributes of God, but I omit them to avoid confusion.
45
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46 Preamble: Ode to Khwaja Baqibillah
. From him, I accomplished the lessons Alef

and Beh of this tariqa and I learned the letters
of the alphabet of this path. By the blessing
of his companionship(suhba) 2
I have attained the felicity (dawla) of inser-
tion of the end in the beginning (indiraj al-
nihayat fil-bidaya). I found the felicity of
journeying in the homeland 3 (safar dar watn)
as the alms [that he offered me] for serving
him. His noble face-turning (tawajjuh) for
two and a half months made such an untrain-
able4
person like myself [able to] receive the Naqsh-
bandi transmission (nisbat); it also granted
me the gift of the elect presence (hudur-i khass)
of these great ones. How can I describe the
self-disclosures, the manifestations 5 , the lights,
the colors, the things without color, and the
things without howness (tajalliyat, zuhu-
rat, anwar, alwan, bi-rangiha, bi-kaifiha) that
surfaced by his intermediation [in this short
span of time?] How can I explain them in de-
2
companionship, suhba, refers to companionship with a spiritual master
by dint of which energy and blessings flow into the disciple and he attains
spiritual growth
3
journeying in the homeland, or safar dar watan is another traditional
saying in the Naqshbandi tariqa. One meaning is the aspirants spiritual
journey within the microcosm of his own being
4
untrainable, or na qabil: qabil is term used by Ibn Arabi to mean re-
ceptacle of Gods manifestation. Here the Mujaddid is saying, out of hu-
mility, that he is incapable of being a receptacle i.e., he is untrainable. See
William Chittick, The Sufi Path of Knowledge (Albany: State University of
New York Press, 1989) pp. 91-92, hereafter referred to as SPK
5
Self-disclosures, or tajalliyat, and manifestations, or zuhurat, are Gods
display of Himself in the created things and their understandings and in-
sights. SPK, pp. 91-92
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SUFI TECHNICAL TERMS 47
tail? [A 1.266,105.7-13] 6
Face-turning (tawajjuh) is a sufi technical term. Chittick

translates this as attentiveness in The sufi Path of Knowl-
edge; thus he alludes to its standard Persian meaning.
But in The Self-Disclosures of God, he translates it as
face-turning, its literal meaning. The section that fol-
lows elucidates the meaning of some of the more impor-
tant terms that the Mujaddid uses.
Sufi Technical Terms

It is useful to first define the sufi technical terms: energy
or faydh, transmission or nisbat, presence or hudur, face-
turning or tawajjuh, companionship or suhbat, mediation
or wasila. These are all interrelated terms; they all refer
to the experiential supernatural energy or faydh of any
sufi system or tariqa. This energy flows in a supernatural
channel or circuit from master to master in the lineage or
silsila.
Literally, faydh means effusion and this is how Chittick
translates it. In the sufi context, it refers to the supernat-
ural energy that flows from master to disciple. The
American spiritual community employs the word en-
ergy to mean this concept in their methods. I am also
using the word energy, as I find it more intuitive.
Literally, nisbat means relationship. In the sufi
context, it means the spiritual connection, the current of
faydh (analogous to a current of electricity) that flows
from master to master in the silsila along a supernatural
circuit up to the disciple. Chittick translates it as rela-
6
[A 1.266, 105.7-13]: A refers to the Amritsari edition of the Maktubat-i
Imam-i Rabbani, 1.266 refers to the maktub #266 in the volume I, 105 is the
page number, 7-13 means line # 7 to 13
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tion or relationship, and that is correct literally, but in-

correct in the sufi context. Some others translate it more
accurately as connection. The American spiritual com-
munity employs the word transmission to mean this
concept and this is also what I have chosen to use.
The sufi term bayat comes from Arabic word for
house, bait; it literally means, the act of becoming a
part of the household [or the family]. It refers to ini-
tiation, the ceremony or process by which one is con-
nected to the nisbat of any sufi tariqa. Generally in sufi
tariqas, one holds the hands of his sufi shaykh and re-
cites a pledge. This process connects him to the nisbat.
An English translation for bayat may be initiation, but
that word has a negative connotation today because it has
become associated with cults; so I sometimes translate
bayat by opening, meaning the process by which the
door of energy and blessing opens up to the disciple.
Hudur is literally translated as presence. The
presence of a master refers to the domain where his faydh
has an effect. Usually, it is the strongest near the master.
Tawajjuh is literally translated as face-turning. It
means, giving attention in Persian/Arabic, but it also
has a sufi technical meaning. The master focuses his
attention toward the disciple when he wants to give a
face-turning to a disciple. And in this way the disci-
ple receives a powerful burst of energy.
So the disciple is affected by energy (faydh) from
being in the presence (hudur) of the master. He attains
that presence from being in the companionship (suh-
bat) of the master. A larger door of energy-transmission
opens up to him when he takes the bayat. Whatever
energy he receives, he receives it via the mediation or
wasila of the master. Once in a while, the master gives
him a face-turning or tawajjuh and he receives a pow-
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SUFI TECHNICAL TERMS 49
erful burst of energy. When he is successful in attain-

ing a transmission or nisbat from the master, he is con-
nected to the continual flow of energy that flows from
master to master in the lineage or silsila an energy that
flows along a supernatural channel.
Indeed, any lineage of any inner discipline can be
explained by the same paradigm of master-to-master meta-
physical transmission of energy. Examples include the
the Jewish inner path Kabbalah, the Hindu inner path
Yoga, the Japanese inner path Zen, the Chinese inner
paths including their science of energy-cultivation through
breaths called Chikung and their system of internal mar-
tial arts like Taichi.
Arabic term English translation Electromagnetic analogy

Faydh energy electrons, photons
Hudur presence electromagnetic field
Suhbat companionship being so near a magnet that something gets magnetized
Bayya bayat clicking the switch on; or physically turning on the electricity
Wasila mediation node in a network
tawajjuh face-turning pulse of laser, lightning of static electricity
Nisbat transmission electric current
Table 3.1: Electromagnetic Analogies
The name for the structured method undertaken to

reach God is suluk or wayfaring i.e. the curriculum for
each sufi tariqa. This is the first meaning of suluk. And
just as the curriculum of an educational institution is di-
vided into courses or grade-levels, the suluk or curricu-
lum of a tariqa is also divided into stations (maqam, plu-
ral maqamat). And these maqamat may be traversed by
two methods.
The first method is called suluk, meaning wayfar-
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ing [by the seekers own efforts]. By this method, the

sufi seeker or student (murid, talib) takes the initiative
to reach God through his own arduous efforts. The sec-
ond type is jadhdhba, in which God Himself takes the
initiative and attracts the seeker to Himself by his jadhd-
hba(attraction) of love and the seeker reaches God effort-
lessly, by His grace. Therefore, depending on the con-
text, suluk may mean a structured system to reach God
for a particular tariqa, or one of the two methods that is
employed in those systems.
Arabic English sufi meaning Educational analogy

Wayfaring- structured,
through- methodical
a-structured- path
suluk (first meaning) curriculum- of Curriculum
to-reach- each
God tariqa
each
Maqam, pl. maqamat station stage grade level
of development
Wayfaring- One of the two methods

by-the- of wayfaring that
suluk (second meaning) seekers- involves arduous efforts hard rigorous studies
own-efforts (prayer, zikr, fasting,
etc.)to reach God
The other one of easy studies,

attraction the two methods with a superb
jadhdhba from of wayfaring where teacher who
God one progresses easily, explains
without arduous effort, things
by the elect grace of God easily
Table 3.2: Terms for learning sufism
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INSERTION OF THE END IN THE BEGINNING 51
Insertion of the End in the Beginning

Insertion of the end in the beginning, or indiraj-i nihayat
dar bidayat, is a traditional saying that describes a unique
characteristic of the Naqshbandi tariqa. The Mujaddid
himself explains why the method of this tariqa is called
the insertion of the end in the beginning. He wrote,
The shaykhs of the Naqshbandi tariqa (qaf )

have chosen to start their journey (sayr) from
the world of command. And they have fol-
lowed that [journey] up by the [journey in]
the world of creation and that [journey] takes
place next. That [sequence] is in contrast to
the shaykhs of the rest of the tariqas who be-
gin their journeys from the world of creation.
And after traversing the world of creation, they
place their feet into the world of command
and arrive at the station of attraction (jadhd-
hba). It is for this reason that the Naqshbandi
tariqa is the nearest (aqrab) tariqa; and nec-
essarily the ends (nihayat) of the others have
been inserted in their beginning (bidayat).
Can you foresee my rose-garden

How will it look in the spring?
[A 1.145, 23.4-8]
Now what does the Mujaddid really mean? What is
journeying in the world of command? The usual method
that most tariqas employ at the beginning level is the
method of suluk or wayfaring . In that method, the subtle
center of the soul, latifa-i nafs, is illuminated first and the
four elements, i.e., fire, air, water, and earth elements are
illuminated next. These five centers belong to the world
of creation, (alam-i khalq). This world of creation is
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the seat of all evil and corruption. The disciple takes

a journey along the stations of the sufi path, employing
arduous, difficult practices, initially to cleanse those sub-
tle centers and then to progress beyond themthis is the
method of suluk or wayfaring.
The method of suluk is to be contrasted with the
method of jadhdhba. The Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi tariqa
employs the method of jadhdhba firstit starts with the
cleansing of the subtle center heart, qalb, and then pro-
ceeds sequentially to the four other subtle centers of the
world of command (alam-i amr). These are the spirit
or ruh, the secret heart or sirr, the arcanum or khafi, and
the super-arcanum or akhfa. The prototypes of these sub-
tle centers lie in the world of command that is nearer to
the realm of God and so that world is holy and pureso
these subtle centers are easier to purify. Also Gods elect
grace, as jadhdhba, purifies these centers easily and ef-
fortlessly. This is called the method of jadhdhba.
The subtle center nafs or soul is a thing of the world
of creation; it is the seat of all evil and corruption; so as-
pirants need to undertake difficult, arduous practices in
order to purify their souls. And this would take them a
long time, if they even succeeded at all. After the purifi-
cation of the nafs, the aspirants undergo the purification
of the qalib or the mold, i.e., the physical body that
consists of four subtle centers distributed everywhere
they are the four elements: fire, water, air, and earth.
Naturally, all these centers of the world of creation take
a long time to cleanse. This method of undertaking dif-
ficult, arduous practices on the part of the aspirant is
called the method of suluk, or wayfaring.
In the alternate method, that is the method of jad-
hdhba, God attracts the aspirant to Himself through His
love, and the aspirant proceeds to God quickly and eas-
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ily without any difficult practices. The five subtle cen-

ters of the world of command are cleaned through the
method of jadhdhba. The prototypes of these subtle cen-
ters are in the divine la-makani or spaceless world. The
subtle centers in the human body are a mere reflection of
those sublime centers. Naturally, these subtle centers are
cleansed quickly and easily without any difficult, ardu-
ous practices on the part of the aspirant because they are
essentially pure.
The usual method of other tariqas had been to cleanse
the subtle centers of the world of creation before the sub-
tle centers of the world of command. Or undertake their
suluk before the jadhdhba. Following the usual meth-
ods, it takes aspirants many years of arduous practice to
complete their path. Many people either gave up or died
before they reached the end of the path.
Sequence Method World of the Subtle Center Subtle Center

1 wayfaring by the world of creation Soul or nafs
2 seekers effort, or The four
3 suluk elements: fire,
4 air, water, earth
5
6 attraction from world of Super-arcanum or
God, or jadhdhba command akhfa
7 Arcanum or khafi
8 Secret heart or sirr
9 Spirit or ruh
10 Heart or qalb
Table 3.3: Sequence in which the ten subtle centers are puri-
fied in other tariqas, e.g., Qadri, Chishti, etc.
Note; In the Chishti tariqa, the ten subtle centers

exist as ten different steps, while in the Qadri tariqa, the
cleansing of the four elements is brought together as one
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step-their seventh step.

Hazrat Bahauddin Naqshband searched for an eas-
ier way that would take the aspirants to Allah faster. So
he begged Allah, Allah! Give me such a tariqa, whose
students are not deprived of what they seekYou! Al-
lah finally accepted his supplication and gave him the
system of God-realization that is the Naqshbandi tariqa.
In this tariqa, the seekers heart center, latifa al-qalb, is
purified first, in the beginning of the process. The origin
of the heart center lies in the world of command, which
is the otherworldly realm that is nearer to God. So it is
quite pure to begin with. And therefore the heart cen-
ter is purified easily. Then the seeker purifies the other
four lataif of the world of command and continues on to
the nafs. Since all the lataif of the world of command
have already been purified, the seeker already possesses
a foundation on which to stand, his nafs is also purified
quite easily.
Sequence Method World where the subtle Subtle center in

center belongs originally the human body
1 heart or qalb
2 spirit or ruh
3 Attraction from world of secret heart or sirr
4 God or jadhdhba command arcanum or khafi
5 super-arcanum or akhfa
6 world of creation soul or nafs
wayfaring by the the four

7-10 seekers effort, or elements: fire,
suluk air, water, earth
Table 3.4: Sequence In Which The Ten Subtle Centers Are

Purified In The Naqshbandi Tariqa
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In the other tariqas, the jadhdhba that is pure grace

from God purifies the subtle centers of the world of com-
mand after suluk, i.e., difficult, arduous effort on the part
of the seeker, who works to purify the five subtle centers
of the world of creation. But in the Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi
tariqa, that jadhdhba comes at the very beginning of the
path. This is what insertion of the end in the beginning
meansjadhdhba before suluk, or the cleansing of the
subtle centers of the world of command before the subtle
centers of the world of creation.
Now, does the concept of indiraj-i nihayat dar bi-
dayat mean that the new initiate of the Naqshbandi tariqa
is at the same level as the adepts in the other tariqas who
have reached their ends? The answer is no, because you
cannot compare a new adept with an advanced adept. But
you can compare a new adept of the Naqshbandi tariqa
with a new adept in another tariqa. Then you will see that
even a new adept of the Naqshbandi tariqa has a portion
of the gift that the adepts of the other tariqas receive at
the end of their path. Another way to look at it is that
while the new Naqshbandi adept may possess illumina-
tion of the heart, the strength of his transmission (nisbat)
is much weaker than the nisbat of an advanced adept of
the other tariqas who has also illuminated his heart, but
after years of arduous practice.
Still another way of looking at it is that the jad-
hdhba that the aspirant realizes in the beginning of the
Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi tariqa is really the shadow (zill)
of the real jadhdhba that he realizes later. However, still
he has received a taste of it in the beginning of his path.
As the Mujaddid explains,
The proposition insertion of the end in the

beginning (indiraj-i nihayat dar bidayat) that
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proceed from these [Naqshbandi] masters, some

shaykhs of the other silsilas (qaf) wonder if
it is really true. They wonder what it really
means.
And they do not agree with the proposition
that the beginner on this [Naqshbandi] tariqa
is a peer of those who have reached the end
in the other tariqas. How surprising! How
did they interpret insertion of the end in the
beginning to means that the beginner of this
tariqa will be a peer of those who have reached
the end in the other tariqas?
[The masters of the Naqshbandi tariqa,] they
have not said anything more than insertion
of the end in the beginning. What they have
said does not indicate peerage.
Instead, it means that the competent shaykh
in this tariqa who has reached the end (muntahi),
employs his face-turning and power-of-intervention
(tasarruf ). And he bestows the taste from his
treasures that he had received in his last sta-
tion in the path, to the rightly-guided (rashid)
beginner. And he puts the salty taste of his
own end into the beginning [of the beginner].
So where is the peerage? Where is the room
for a doubt? [A 2.43, 114.9-14]
Monist Ontologies
Now Hazrat Mujaddid eulogizes his teacher by recount-
ing the knowledge that he learned from Khwaja Baqi-
billah. He says that he came to understand all the fine
points of tawhid or monism and all the fine variations in
that doctrine via Khwaja Baqibillahs intermediation.
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REVIEWING THE MONIST ONTOLOGIES 57
By the blessing of his exalted face-turning,

what subtle point remains within the sciences
of tawhid or monism, [and all its subtle vari-
ations e.g.,] ittihad or unificationism, qurb or
nearnessism, maiyat or withnessism, ihata
or encompassmentism, sarayan or penetra-
tionism, etc. that he did not disclose to me!
Or he did not grant me the cognizance of its
reality [i.e., the reality of any subtle point in
those sciences of tawhid]! [A 1.266, 105.12-
13]
Reviewing the Monist Ontologies

Tawhid or monism refers to the doctrine that God is one
with the cosmosmany variant doctrines are put together
under the banner of tawhid.
One of these variants is ittihad or unificationism
the doctrine that God is one and the same as the cosmos.
Chittick translates ittihad as unificationism, and that is
its literal meaning. Its technical meaning in sufi ontol-
ogy is that God is merged in the cosmos in such a way
that these two cannot be distinguished from one another.
This is diametrically opposed to the Islamic doctrine that
comes from the Koran and the hadith literature, that God
and the creation are distinct and separate.
Yes! If someone twists the Koran and hadith litera-
ture to arrive at unificationism, he is indeed an apostate.
However, a sufi may actually see God merged in the
cosmos in his subjective experience and in that case he
should be excused. The Mujaddid explains that if some
people such as many of the sufis following ittihad, love
a person in the extreme, i.e., God, they may not even
notice the shadow. Instead, they see only their beloved
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person and say that only the beloved person exists. In

that case, they may say that the shadow is unified with
that beloved person, or that the shadow does not exist at
all; only their beloved person exists. As the Mujaddid
writes,
Mansur [Hallaj] who said Anal Haqq, meant
neither Im the Haqq nor did he mean Im
unified (muttahid) with the Haqq; for that
would have made him into an apostate (kufr)
who would deserve (mujib) execution. In-
stead he meant that I do not exist and in-
stead what [alone] exists is the Haqq (SWT)
In short, the sufis recognize the things [of the
world] as manifestations of the Haqq. (Almighty!
All-Holy!) And the locus [of manifestation]
of the divine names and attributes. However,
that recognition lacks any taint of descent (tanaz-
zul) or the suspicion of change or substitution
(taghayyur va tabaddul).
It would be useful to explain it with an exam-
ple. If someones shadow falls somewhere,
it cannot be said that that shadow is uni-
fied with that person. Nor can it be said
that that person is identical (ayniyyat) with
the shadow. Nor can it be said that that per-
son has made a descent (tanazzul) and ap-
peared as the shadow. Actually, that person is
exactly what he was before. (sarafat-i asalat-
i khod) And the shadow has appeared without
any descent or change in him whatsoever.
There may be times that some people do not
at all see a shadow because they love the [orig-
inal person] extremely and the shadow is hid-
den from their sight. [As a result] they do
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REVIEWING THE MONIST ONTOLOGIES 59
not see anything else but that person. In such

a situation, they may say that the shadow
is identical to that person. [However, what
they really] mean is that the shadow does not
exist and the only thing that exists is that per-
son. [A 2.44, 116-7]
Therefore, if a sufi says that he sees that the cosmos
is unified with God, he should be excused from the
charge of apostasy.
The Mujaddid discusses more on these monist sci-
ences in his book Taliqat bar Sharh-Rubaiyat
. His essential idea is that these concepts that are in
the Koran e.g., ihata, qurb, and others, should be treated
as mutashabihat or allegorical versesonly God and His
elect understand their hidden, mysterious meanings.
For example, ihata or encompassmentism, is the
doctrine that God encompasses the cosmos. The Koran
says, Take note! Verily He [Allah] encompasses every-
thing (Koran 41:54). Many misguided sufis interpret en-
compassment as a sort of a physical encompassment,
which is clearly wrong. However, encompassment may
indeed be interpreted in a way so as to conform to the
sharia.
Hazrat Khwaja Muhammad Mathum who was the
Mujaddids son and spiritual heir explained it even better
in his book Maktubat-i Mathumiya. It is written there
that in a letter to him, one of his disciples cited the verse
Take note! Verily Allah encompasses everything (Koran
54:41) and asks him to explain the nature of this encom-
passment. In answer, Hazrat Mathum writes,
You should know that encompassment has two
meanings. [First,] you may bring encompass-
ment down to encompassment by knowledge
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(ihata-i ilmi). Some of the verifiers [muhaqqiqan

or God-realized sufis who have attained the
sublime station of haqiqat and verified this
proposition via their experiential knowledge
attained through unveilings and mystic visions]
hold this opinion. This is also in line with
what the noble Koran says, Verily! Indeed!
Allah encompasses everything by His Knowl-
edge (Koran 65:12). Therefore there is no
reason for you to become bewildered or re-
main hesitant to accept it.
[Second,] you may also interpret encompass-
ment [literally] as physical (bi-jism) encom-
passment. Then I would point out that en-
compassment and withness (ihata va maiyat)
of the Haqq (SWT) is not the same as encom-
passment of a body by another body (jism
bi-jism). [Such literal interpretation] would
be incompatiable with divine incomparability
and holiness (tanzih va taqdis). So this en-
compassment should be classified as an alle-
gory (mutashabihat). [Then you may believe
them] in the same way that you believe in [the
allegorical verses of the Koran that talk about
God having] hands or a face.
Finally, the second Qayyum, Hazrat Mathum concludes,

He (SWT) is all encompassing (muhit) and
with us (ba ma) but we should not be pre-
occupied with its nature (kayfiyat).
7
7
Khwaja Muhammad Mathum, Maktubat-i Mathumiya, Volume III,
maktub #16. I referred to the book Muntakhabat az Maktubat-i Mathumiya,
(Istanbul: Ihlas Vakfi, 1979), p. 248.
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NAQSHBANDI SCIENCE IS SUBLIME 61
Arabic name English translation Description

Ittihad Unificationism God and the creation are unified
Ihata Encompassmentism God encompasses the entire creation
Qurb Nearnessism God is near everything in the creation
sarayan Penetrationism God penetrates the creation as
fragrance penetrates the rose
Table 3.5: Monist Ontologies
Another ontology is qurb or nearnessismthe doctrine

that God is near the cosmos. As Allah says in the Ko-
ran, We are nearer to him [man] than [mans] jugular
vein (Koran 50:16). It should also be understood as a
mutashabihat verse whose meaning is beyond the lim-
ited human comprehension that most of us possess.
Now what about the monist ontologies that are not
described in the Koran? One example is sarayan, or
penetrationism the doctrine that God penetrates the cos-
mos like fragrance penetrates the rose. The Mujaddid
feels that even these verses should be treated as mutashabi-
hat. 8
If we adopt this Mujaddidi understanding, many of
these monist ontologies can be brought within Islam.
Naqshbandi Science is Sublime

The science of oneness in manyness i.e., seeing God
in the many forms of the world, or the science of many-
ness in oneness i.e., seeing the many forms of the world
in God are the most sublime of the sciences that the
other sufi masters teach. On the other hand, the sciences
that Khwaja Baqibillah taught the Mujaddid are far more
8
Ahmad Sirhindi, Taliqat bar Sharh-i Rubaiyat, I referred to the un-
published translation into Bengali by Mawlana Mominul Haq, 2005.
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sublime than those false sciences of tawhid or monism;

they propose that God is beyond the cosmos.
Witnessing oneness in manyness (wahdat

dar kathrat) or manyness in oneness (kathrat
dar wahdat) are only the preliminaries and
beginnings (muqaddamat va mubadi) of this
science [the science of dualism that one re-
alizes in this Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi tariqa].
In short, where the Naqshbandi transmission
and the elect presence (hudur-i khass) of these
great ones [the masters of the Naqshbandi tariqa]
are present, there even a name of these [anti-
sharia monist] sciences should come to the
tongue. Nor even a sign of these [false] wit-
nessings or unveilings [that suggest that God
is identical with the cosmos] should be dis-
cussed. If someone still does it, then [it means
that] his gaze is toward the low [levels of knowl-
edge.]
Shuhud: Here witnessing or shuhud means direct expe-

riential knowledge. It is often used synonymously with
unveiling, i.e., kashf or mukashafa;9 another synonym is
dhawq or tasting.
Now the Mujaddid extols the superiority of the Naqsh-
bandi tariqa, as being devoid of false sufi sciences that
contravene the sharia e.g., the doctrine that God is one
with the cosmos, and because its science is free from the
abominable practices of the dancers who conduct deviant
sufi practices that contravene the sunna e.g., loud zikr,
dancing, singing, etc.
9
For more on witnessing (shuhud) and unveiling (kashf, mukashafah),
see SPK, pp. 225-228. Note that SPK shows that mushahada is often used
to mean kashf or mukashafah, i.e., unveiling (SPK, p. 277).
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The abode of the practices of these great ones

[the masters of the Naqshbandi tariqa] is lofty!
These [practices] are not at all like [the prac-
tices of] the charlatans (zarraqi) [who dis-
seminate false sufi sciences that contravene
the sharia] or [the practices of] the dancers
[who conduct deviant sufi practices e.g. danc-
ing that contravene the sunna]. Since I have
received such a kind of sublime felicity [as
the transmission of this most high Naqshbandi
tariqa] from [your father] Hazrat [Baqibillah]
, then even if I lay my head on the feet of
your servants of your court, for them to tram-
ple upon it for my entire life, still I would
have done nothing!
The Mujaddid again engages is some polite hyperbole.

He apologizes for not being more attentive to the two
sons of his master and he shows his gratitude for his sufi
brother Khwaja Husamuddin Ahmad who has been tak-
ing care of those two brothers.
What shall I present about my shortcomings?

What shall I reveal of my shame? May the
grant good compensation to the Authority of
the Gnostic Sciences, Khwaja Husamuddin
Ahmad! 10 On our behalf, he has taken upon
himself the charge of defective ones like us.
He has resolved to serve the servants of this
exalted doorstep courageously. And he has
given reprieve to us, the ones who have gone
astray from the path.
10
Khwaja Husamuddin Ahmad was an eminent disciple of Khwaja Baqi-
billah, the Mujaddids shaykh.
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If there were a tongue on every hair on my

body
Still I would not be able to show a
thousandth of the gratitude that he deserves.
[A 1.266, 105.15-106.3]
Hazrat Mujaddid lays the groundwork for writing
this maktub; he recounts that Khwaja Baqibillah had him
start teaching as a sufi teacher to his two sons, and he had
instructed him to take care of them.
Three times I have been honored with the fe-
licity of kissing the doorstep of his Hazrat
[Baqibillah]. The last time, he told me, I
have become very weak physically and I dont
expect to live much longer! Do look after
my children! Then he brought you before
him. At that time, you were with your wet-
nurse. He instructed me to give you my face-
turning. At his instruction, I gave you my
face-turning before him. It was such a strong
face-turning that clear traces of it were ob-
served. Next he instructed me to give a face-
turning to your mother. At his instruction,
I also gave my face-turning to your mother
while she was [behind a curtain and] unseen.
I hope that by the blessing of giving those
face-turnings in his [Khwaja Baqibillahs] pres-
ence, they [my face-turnings] will bear many
fruits.
Do not presume that I have forgotten his in-
structions or his last wish. His instruction
must be obeyed and his last wish must be ful-
filled! Nor am I neglecting them. Certainly
not! Instead I have been waiting for your sug-
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gestion and permission. Now I am writing

a few lines in the way of advice. [A 1.266,
106.3-10]
Trace (athar, pl. athar) is term used by Ibn Arabi to
refer to a phenomenon in the cosmos, i.e., the things, the
entities, the forms, and so forth. They are the effects
of God exercising His influence. Chittick translates athar
as effect in SPK, but he changes it to trace in SDG.
He writes that the reason for this was that effect hints
toward a cause and effect relationship and that was in-
accurate. So trace, which lacks that connotation, is a
more appropriate word.
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Part II
67
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CHAPTER
4
The Creed
FaithThe Sunni Creed

The Mujaddid begins his lessons on the sharia and the
Naqshbandi tariqa, to the two sons of his shaykh by stress-
ing the importance of adhering to the creed of the main-
stream Sunni community.
May Allah (SWT) make you happy! Now lis-

ten with inner awareness! For intelligent peo-
ple, the first obligation is to rectify their creed
with the required doctrines of the mainstream
Sunni community (ahl-i sunnat va jamaat)
that is the saved sect (praise be to Allah who
has kept me with it) and these doctrines are
indeed correct. Now I am clarifying some of
these doctrines that are somewhat hard to un-
derstand. [A 1.266, 106.10-13]
Sunnismany people these days define Sunni by what the

Shias conceive to be Sunni, i.e., anyone who is not a
Shia. Indeed, the Shias hold that the Wahhabis, a non-
69
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70 The Creed
Sunni sect who call themselves Salafis, are the most ex-
treme Sunnis because they are strongly against the Shias.
On the other hand, what the Mujaddid means by Sunni is
how the Sunni ulama define a Sunnisomeone who be-
lieves in the Sunni creed. Thus a Mutazila or a salafi,
although they are not Shia, still are not Sunni because
they do not believe in the necessary creed of the Sunnis.
These definitions/translations may be adopted:
mainstream Sunni community: ahl-i sunnat va jamaat

Salafis: this includes all the reformist sects that
believe in the four caliphs but do not support the
required tenets of the mainstream Sunni community.
Shia/Mawdudists: Those who denigrate the companions of

Prophet Muhammad (including followers of the modern
Pakistani reformer Mawdudi, who denounces some of the
companions in his book Khilafat O Mulqiyat and elsewhere).
Table 4.1: The Sects of Islam today
I have translated firqa as sect. While it is true

that the term sect is somewhat outdated, and has a neg-
ative connotation, I prefer it. In addition, it is still being
used by some first-class translators today. For example,
Professor R. J. McCarthy uses it in his superb translation,
Al-Ghazalis Path to Sufism.
Existence
The Mujaddid proposes that Allah exists by His person
(dhat), not by His existence (wujud). By this, he opposes
two groups. First, he opposes Imam Ashari and some
sufis including Ibn Arabi,
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EXISTENCE 71
who propose that divine existence is identical to His

person. Second, he opposes the Muslim philosophers of
the faylasuf tradition who proposed that God exists by
His attribute of existence that is additional to His exis-
tence 1
While these faylasufs called God the Necessary Be-
ing, by this they meant an actual being whose non-
existence is not only not a fact but an unthinkable ab-
surdity. However, those philosophers also affirmed the
attribute of existence of God and that He exists by this
attribute of existence. 2
Indeed,Avicenna coined term wajib al-wujud, but
he meant that God only possessed the attribute of exis-
tence necessarily. On the other hand, the created things
may or may not possess the attribute of existence- if they
do possess that attribute then they exist.
faylasuf tradition Ashari / Ibn Arabi Mujaddid

Gods existence is additional to His Gods existence God exists by His
person i.e. He exists by that attribute of is identical person, not by His
existence that is additional to His person to His person attribute of existence
Table 4.2: Three Opinions in the Theory of Existence
You should know that Allah (SWT) exists by

His holy person (bi-dhat-i muqaddas-i khod
mawjud ast) and everything else exists by His
bestowal of existence (ijad).[A 1.266, 106.13-
14]
1
Ahmad Sirhindi, Maarif-i Ladunniya, marifat 14
2
Fazlur Rahman, p. 4-5. (English section of the book)
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72 The Creed
The Mujaddid writes that the ulama of the mainstream

Sunni community have proposed that God exists by His
person, not by His attribute of existence. He elaborates
on this point in his monograph, Mabda va Maad and
writes,
How eloquently have the Sunni ulama said,
The existence of the Necessary (SWT) is ad-
ditional (zaid) to His (SWT) person (dhat).
To claim that the existence is identical to the

person or to establish nothing beyond exis-
tence is a result of a defect in the considera-
tive faculty (nazar).
Shaykh Alauddawla [Simnani] has said, Be-

yond the world of existence lies the world of
the loving Lord (malikul wadud). [Mabda
11, 18.1-4]
In the Mabda, he writes even more. The Mujaddid pro-

poses that God exists by his person, dhat, not by his
existence, wujud. He writes,
The Necessary Being (SWT) is unique in that
that He exists by His own person and He need
not depend on His [attribute of] existence in
order to exist. It does not matter whether we
maintain that the divine existence is identical
to the divine person (ain-i dhat) or additional
to the person (zaid-i dhat). [Mabda 19, 39]
He also writes,
The Haqq (SWT) exists by (mawjud) by His
own person (dhat), not by His existence (wu-
jud). That is unlike the others things that exist
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EXISTENCE 73
by existences. So He (SWT) does not need to

exist by His existence.
And he contrasts it with Ibn Arabi who proposes that the
divine existence is identical to the divine person
[Ibn Arabi] has proposed that divine existence
identical (in) to the divine person, not ad-
ditional (zaid) to it. So God does not need
to depend on something else to exist.
Now the Mujaddid comments on this matter.
However, we need solid evidence to prove
that the divine existence is identical to the
person. And also we will have to face the op-
position of many scholars of the mainstream
Sunni community. Because these great mas-
ters do not propose that the [divine] existence
is identical [to the divine person]. Instead
they recognize the [divine] existence to be ad-
ditional (zaid) to [divine] person.
We should not forget that if we rule on the

additionality of existence (ziyadat-i wujud),
then it necessitates that the Necessary needs
others. However, if we propose on that He
(SWT) exists by His own person and take this
existence as an ordinary qualifier (ard-i am)
then it appears that the statement of many mu-
takallimun (kalam-scholars) of the people of
truth is correct. And that objection [to the
Mujaddids proposition] that the opponents
make on the ground of [God] needing others
vanishes. And the difference between these
two propositions becomes clear, i.e., [the propo-
sition] that the Necessary (SWT) exists by
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74 The Creed
His own person but [the divine attribute of]

existence truly cannot enter there and [the propo-
sition] that He exists by His own existence
but this existence is established to be identi-
cal to His person.
Ibn Arabi Mujaddid

God exists by His own God exists by
existence but this existence His own person not
is identical to His person by His existence
Table 4.3: Existence of God: Ibn Arabi versus the Mujaddid
This knowledge is an elect knowledge that Al-

lah (SWT) has uniquely granted me. Praise to
Allah (SWT) for this [great gift], and saluta-
tion and peace to His messenger! [Mabda 18,
38-9]
A Review of Basic Concepts in Ontology

In Aristotelian ontology, the first thing that we consider
is substance. It refers to the things or objects that the
ontologist is concerned about, e.g., John, Robert, man,
tiger, and so on. Primary substance is any individual
thing, e.g., a specific and unique John, Robert, a partic-
ular man, a particular tiger, etc. Secondary substance
is what we get after abstracting one level, e.g., the class
called man, or the class called tiger, and so on.
Substance is called jawhar is Arabic that originates.
The Arabic word jawhar comes from Persian gawhar,
jewel. It refers to the idea that the substance is the most
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A REVIEW OF BASIC CONCEPTS IN ONTOLOGY 75
valuable thing, i.e., the primary subject of consideration

for the ontologist.
The Arabic philosophical term mahiya, that literally
means what-is-it-ness, is translated as essence - in
keeping with modern English usage. It means the defini-
tion of a thing, i.e., the concept that defines a thing intrin-
sically or the set of attributes that make a thing what it is
necessarily. It consists of qualities that are intrinsic to it,
which are called essential attributes. For example, all
roses have petals. So the attribute of having petals is
an essential attribute of rose, and a part of the essence
of rose.
Aristotle held that essence is more important than
existence. He reasoned that we ask the question What is
it? even before we ask Does it exist? Muslim philoso-
phers who followed Aristotle reasoned along the same
lines. Averroes (Ibn Rushd), who lived in medieval
Spain, diverged from this trend and affirmed the primacy
of existence over essence. Mulla Sadra, the seventeenth-
century Muslim Iranian philosopher, broke away from
that tradition as well. Averroes and Mulla Sadra, they
both reasoned that only after we know that it exists, do
we even bother to wonder, What is it?
Attribute or sifat refers to property of a thing. Sifat
may be an intrinsic part of the thing, i.e., a part of its
essence, in which case it may be called an essential at-
tribute. Or it may be an accidental attribute, i.e., some-
thing that is not an essential part of the essence but in-
stead something accidental or additional to it. In the case
of an accidental attribute, the thing may or may not pos-
sess that attribute and even if the thing does not have that
attribute, it is still that thing. For example, a rose may or
may not possess the attribute of being of the color red.
Here, the color red is an accidental attribute or an ac-
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76 The Creed
cident of the rose and not a part of the essence of the

rose. On the other hand, having petals is an essential
attribute or part of the essence of the rose.
When we talk about God, the term attribute or sifat
refers to a reified attribute that has external existence.
This is not at all like the human conception of attributes.
However, God does have other subtler forms of attributes
that lack external existence and are more like human at-
tributes in that way. The first level of subtler attribute is
mode or shan and the second level that is even subtler
is crossing-over or itibar.
A particular or juziya is best defined by defining
what it is not. It is not an abstraction; it is something that
is concrete. It is also not multiply-instantiated rather it
is one-of-a-kind or unique. For example, Socrates is not
an abstraction; instead he was concrete. Additionally,
he was not multiply-instantiated; rather he was unique.
So Socrates is a particular.
A universal or kulliya refers to the universal
essence that is contained in a class, genus, or species of
primary substances. That is, the universal is something
that is not an individual, e.g., the class of beings called
man (as opposed to the particular individual named John).
Most scholars3 translate dhat as essence, espe-
cially when it refers to God; but I am using person. In
Islamic philosophy, dhat may mean any one of these four
things: 1) essence or mahiya, 2) existence or wujud, 3)
thatness or anniya, or 4) substance or jawhar. Instead of
preoccupying ourselves with the meaning of these terms,
we ought to note that while essence or mahiya is a
mere concept that does not have external existence, dhat
is externally existent. This is one reason that I have cho-
3
The philosopher Majid Fakhry also uses person.
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UNIQUENESS 77
sen to translate dhat of God, Who is necessarily exter-

nally existent, with the word person rather than essence.
Uniqueness
The Mujaddid stresses that God is inherently unique; He
is incomparable; He is transcendent.
He (SWT) is beyond the beyond and then be-
yond the beyond and the beyond the beyond
and still then beyond the beyond. (faHua sub-
hanaHu wara al-wara thumma wara al-wara
thumma wara al-wara thumma wara al-wara).
[A 2.1, 3.15]
Like His person, His attributes and acts are also unique,
incomparable, and transcendent.
The person, the attributes, and the act of God
are unique. No one can be truly associ-
ated with Him in any matterwith respect to
existence or with respect to something else.
However, we are not concerned with a nomi-
nal commonality or a verbal correlation.
Note: Here I am translating afal as act instead of
acts when it comes in the context of how the Mujad-
did means it. While Imam Ashari understands it to mean
multiple acts, the Great Mujaddid understands it to mean
one single all-inclusive act. God may have such a nomi-
nal comparison but never a true comparison with the cre-
ated things.
His attributes and act (like His person) are
also without what manner (bi-chuni) and
without how (bi-cheguneh). They have no
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78 The Creed
correlation with the attributes and acts of con-

tingent things. [A 1.266, 106.14-17]
The Mujaddid quotes this poem to illustrate it:
What will we say about the name of this
bird?
Who lives in the same nest along with the
anqa
Before man, it is named the anqa
For my bird, that name is still hidden 4
The Mujaddid writes more on the divine incompa-
rability in his Maktubat. There he wrote:
Allah is indeed perfect and exalted (kamalahu
subhanahu). However, He (SWT) is also be-
yond these two attributes. Indeed, He (SWT)
is beyond all the names and attributes (jamiil
asma wa l-sifat), beyond all the modes and
crossing overs (jamiil shuun wal itibarat),
beyond manifestation and non-manifestation
(zuhur wa l-butun), beyond coming out in
the open and becoming hidden (buruz wa
lkumun), beyond self-disclosures and man-
ifestations (tajalliyat wa l-zuhurat), beyond
all that where one arrives and where one is
made to arrive (mawsulin wa mafsulin), be-
yond witnessings and unveilings (mushadat
wa l-mukashafat), beyond all sensory things
and intelligible things (mahsus wa l-maqul),
beyond all illusory things and imaginalized
things (mawhum wa l-mutakhayyal), and He
4
This poem is quoted in the Fazlur Rahman text but not in the Amritsari
text
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KNOWLEDGE: THE CHRONOEPISTEMOLOGY 79
(SWT) is beyond the beyond, then beyond the

beyond and still then beyond the beyond. [A
2.1, 3]
In the Mabda va Maad, the Mujaddid wrote,
We do not worship a God who comes within
the compass of witnessing (shuhud), can be
seen, or can be known or can be imagined
or conceived. Because that what can be wit-
nessed, seen, known, imagined or conceived
(mash-hud, mari, malum, mawhum, mutakhayyul)-
that is a crafted and newly-originated (masnu
va muhdath) thing just like him who witnesses,
sees, knows, imagines or conceives [i.e. man].
I am searching for that morsel
Which is more than a mouthful
[Mabda 20, 41]
The Mujaddid writes even more on Gods incom-
parability with the creation in his monograph Mabda
va Maad. There he explains that the Koranic verses
that compare God with the creation are really allegori-
cal verses.5 He also explains that we really do not know
what those comparisons mean.6
Knowledge: The ChronoEpistemology

The Mujaddid offers his unique solution to a quandary
in the science of kalam, the science that could be most
likened to the Muslim analogue of theology. We hold that
divine knowledge never changes but we do see that the
5
Mabda va Maad, minha 35
6
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80 The Creed
information on objects does change with time (as the ob-

jects themselves undergo change), so how can this con-
tradiction be rationalized?
In answer, the Ashari school of kalam proposes that
while God does possess the attribute of knowledge and
that knowledge is indeed timeless, that divine mind pos-
sesses one piece of information for each moment, for
each object of knowledge. As a result, for each object
of knowledge, the knowledge, i.e., the sum total or the
entire body of information on it does not change; instead
what may change is how that knowledge relates to the ob-
ject of knowledge. The information on that object may
change to a new and different piece of information as the
moment of time changes. Or in their terminology, the di-
vine minds taalluq or attachment with the object shifts
to a new taalluq as time changes. 7
On the other hand, the Mujaddid proposes a unique
chronoepistemology- that the divine mind comes to
know each object of knowledge for the entire eternity
in only a single event. Or in the Mujaddidi terminology,
the divine mind has only one taalluq or attachment with
each object for all of eternity.
Note: Is it correct to say God knows or has known?
From the standpoint of God, He may only know, since
He lives in a timeless realm. So in that context, I am us-
ing the term God knows. However, from the viewpoint
of man, God has known. Because when He has known
is in our past. So in that context, I am using God has
known.
Note: Taalluq means an attachment, deep connec-
tion, or relationship. But this attachment is from a prin-
7
This explanation is based upon what I understood from the text; the
eminent scholar Fazlur Rahman explains it in the same way in his book the
Selected Letters of Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi , pp. 66-67.
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cipal to the subsidiary; from the prototype to the shadow;

from the original to the derivative. In this context, it
refers to the the connection through which (or roughly
the event when) the divine mind comes to know the in-
formation on the objects of divine knowledge.
Now lets go back to learn from the Mujaddid.
For example, lets take the attribute of knowl-

edge. It is a divine attribute that is truly eter-
nal (qadim) and indivisible 8 (basit-i) and
it never has any multiplicity in that way [such
that it could be dissected into constituent parts
such as, knowledge of moment 1, knowledge
of moment 2, and so on]. It is only subjectively(bi-
itibar) [in the sight of human beings who
live in time] that it [the divine mind] has mul-
tiple taalluq. [A 1.266, 106.17-.18]
It is only subjectively, i.e., in the sight of human be-

ings who live in time, that the divine mind has multiple
taalluq or attachments with an object of His knowledge.
That is, it is only subjectively that the divine mind comes
to know each object of Gods knowledge on a moment-
by-moment basis. In that case, the divine mind has one
attachment or taalluq for each moment. For example,
human beings see that something happens to that object
in moment 1, the next thing happens in moment 2, and
so on. So it seems that what God comes to know about
that object changing as time progresses. Actually, that in-
terpretation is not true, because God is timeless. Instead,
what is true is that God comes to know each object of
His knowledge only once for all eternity and that single
8
Indivisible (basit) literally means a simple thing- a philosophical con-
cept that refers to a thing so elemental that it cannot be subdivided any fur-
ther.
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82 The Creed
channel of knowing includes all the information on that

object for all eternity. That is, God comes to know all
the information on that object, all at once, in that eternal
timeless instant in which the object lives.
For there is only one instance of being un-
veiled (inkishaf ) that is indivisible (basit)- all
the knowledge from the beginning of eternity
to the end of eternity has been unveil in that
same instance of unveiling. He has known
everything in their similar and contradictory
states, universally, or particularly (kulliya va
juziya) for each specific moment in time- He
has known all that in that indivisible one-
in-all (wahid basit) [moment]. [A 1.266, 106.18-
20]
Here I am using the past tense to refer to Gods knowl-
edge. Yes! God only knows as He lives in a realm
which is the realm of perpetual present. But from the
context of man, God has known because when He came
to know that, that time was in our past.
Above, the Mujaddid affirms that God knows everything-
both universals and particulars. That contradicts a group
of faylasufs who proposed that God knows only the uni-
versals but not the particulars.
Note: The philosophical term universal describes
a common attribute that refers to all the members of a
group, e.g., all tigers are brave. A particular describes
one instance of an attribute, e.g., Ali is brave. So those
deviant philosophers proposed that while God knows the
universal: All men will die one day; He does not know
the particular, The day when Ali will die.
In that very same moment, he has known Zayd
[i.e., John Doe] both as existent and also as
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nonexistent, as an embryo and also as a child,

as young and also as old, as alive and also as
dead, as standing and also as sitting, as reclin-
ing and also as sitting, as laughing and also as
crying, in pleasure and pain, as exalted and
also as ashamed, in the grave (barzakh) and,
also on the Day of the Mustering, in Paradise
and also immersed in pleasures.[A 1.266, 107.1-
4]
There is no more than one taalluq for all the objects of
Gods knowledge and that single taalluq attaches all the
information on the objects of knowledge to divine knowl-
edge for all eternity. If there were multiple time-periods
in the domain of God, there could be multiple taalluqs.
However, there is a single all-inclusive time-period in the
timeless domain of God, and so consequently, there is
only a single all-inclusive taalluq.
Therefore, there is no more than one taalluq

in that homestead. [And there is only one
taalluq] since a multiplicity in the taalluqs
requires a multiplicity in moments and a mul-
tiplicity in the peiod of time (azmaneh). [A
1.266, 107.4-5]
Yes! In the timeless domain of God, there are no multiple

moments; instead there is only one timeless time-period
that stretches from the beginning of eternity to the end
of eternity. So there are no manyness or no multiple
time-periods; instead there is only one all-inclusive eter-
nal period of time.
However, there is nothing but one-in-all in-
divisible moment (anun wahidatun basitun)
from the beginning of eternity until the end of
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84 The Creed
eternity [in the timeless domain of God]. And

there truly is no multiplicity in time [since
there is no more than a single eternal mo-
ment of time in the timeless domain of God].
For time does not flow before Him (SWT)-
there is neither any prior nor any posterior.[A
1.266, 107.5-7]
Consequently, there is only one single all-inclusive all-
encompassing all-spanning taalluq. And that taalluq
will be of an unknown nature from the viewpoint of us,
the earthlings who live in time.
Should we, in His mind, establish any taalluq
to the objects of Gods Knowledge,9 it will be
a single taalluq, which will attach with itself
all the information [to be known for the entire
eternity]. That taalluq would also be un-
known in its howness, majhul al-kayfiyat, [i.e.,
of an unknown nature] And that taalluq can
be qualified as bi-chuni va bi-cheguni, with-
out what manner and without how, just like
with what the attribute of knowledge can be
qualified.[A 1.266, 107.7-8]
Naqid and didd: it is useful to review our logic and define
the terms contradictory, naqid, and contrary, didd. Con-
tradictory or naqid means two opposites that cannot both
be true (so they are mutually exclusive), but at least one
of them must be true (for they are totally exhaustive). On
the other hand, contrary or didd means two opposites that
are only mutually exclusive. Two contraries both cannot
be true, only one of them may be true; but they are not
9
Malumat (objects of Gods Knowledge) is a term used by Ibn Arabi.
Sometimes, Ibn Arabi also uses this term synonymously with the term
nonexistent things (madumat). See SPK, p. 11.
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mutually exhaustive and therefore both may be false. So

contradictory is a subset of contrary.
Note that wahid has been translated as one-in-all.
It refers to a one that is all-inclusive, one that maybe
composed of components. It stands in contrast to ahad
that means an absolute or numerical oneness, i.e., one-
in-number.
The two very similar terms bi-chuni and bi-cheguni
have been translated as without what manner and with-
out how respectively.
In the continuation of the interpretation of the mak-
tub, the Mujaddid next explains how God knows all the
information on an object for multiple moments simulta-
neously. To explain this, he brings forth an example from
Arabic grammar: When a grammatically educated man
knows a word in Arabic, he simultaneously knows all the
variant morphological forms of that original word. So if
a mere mortal can hold many pieces of contradictory in-
formation in his mind concurrently, why cant God?
By way of an example, we know that an indi-

vidual [educated in Arabic grammar] knows
an [Arabic] word in the same moment [in its
variant morphological forms, e.g., in the forms
denoting] several different parts of speech, sev-
eral different tenses, or several different moods.
That is, at that same moment, he knows that
word in its noun forms, its verb forms, its
preposition forms, its three-letter forms, its
four-letter forms, in its fully-declined forms
or in its indeclinable forms, in its diptote forms
or non-diptote forms, in its triptote forms or
its non-triptote forms. Or he may know it
[that Arabic word] in its definite forms or in
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86 The Creed
its indefinite forms. Or he may know it in its

present tense forms or in its past tense forms.
Or he may know it in its affirmative forms
or in its negative forms. So we can believe
that the individual, at the same moment, sees
all these forms that are in different parts of
speech and different moods reflected in the
mirror that is the prototype form. That is, all
these contradictory things may be present at
the same time in the mind of a contingent be-
ing [a man who is educated in Arabic gram-
mar], or instead in the sight of a contingent
being[or man]. Then why should that be im-
possible even in the mind of the Necessary
whose analogy is most sublime? Allah has
the highest analogy! So how will be there a
conflict? [A 1.266, 107.8-15]
The Mujaddid explains that for an object, while the infor-

mation on each particular moment in created earthly time
may be different than the information on another mo-
ment, still that information is unique for each moment.
And since Gods knowledge includes both the earthly
moment of time as well as the information for that mo-
ment of time, there is no conflict. An easy way to visu-
alize this may is to imagine that there is a snapshot of
the cosmos for each moment of time. And all these snap-
shots are placed before God, who is timeless. So it is not
that God knows the future; rather past, present, and fu-
ture are all placed before Him, who lives in a timeless
moment that is beyond time. This is much easier to visu-
alize when one reads the theory in modern physics that
time is not indivisible, that it is composed of quanta
i.e., units called Planck time. Then one can easily visu-
alize that God, who is above time, has a snapshot of
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the cosmos placed before Him for each quanta of time,

i.e., Planck time. Ibn Arabi also believed in a quan-
tum theory of time, he refers to each quanta of time (or
Planck time) as al-zaman al-fard.10 And it seems that
the Muslim kalam scholars, like the Asharis and the fay-
lasufs also believed in this way.
You should know that although it appears that

there is a conflict, actually there is not any
conflict. This is because in one and the same
moment, He knows Zayd both as existent and
nonexistent; He also knows in that same mo-
ment that Zayd came to exist after 1000 AH,
that Zayd had been nonexistent before and
that Zayd ceased to exist after 1100 AH. So
there is actually no conflict [since those events
occur in different times.] The same reasoning
can explain the other conflicts [in this section
on divine knowledge]. So understand! .[A
1.266, 107.15-19] {insert object 1two dia-
grams}
The Mujaddid compares and contrasts the three theories

of time of the three schools: the faylasufs, the Ashari
and the Mujaddidi school. First, the Islamicate philo-
sophical tradition or the faylasuf tradition proposed that
God lives in time and He learns new things as they oc-
cur in time. Second, the Ashari tradition proposes that
while God is timeless Himself, His taalluq or relation-
ship with a created thing may shift to a new relation-
ship over earthly time. Third, the Mujaddid proposes
that Gods knowledge is timeless; it does not change over
time. Since God lives in a timeless (la-zamani) domain,
he is not subservient to time and instead time is His cre-
10
Chittick, William, The Self-Disclosure of God, p. 98.
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88 The Creed
ation. There is only a single, indivisible, eternal period

of time that may be called a moment for the lack of a
better word; but it is not even a moment. As my sufi
shaykh explained, In this world, time is ever-flowing
and there is really no present; it is either the past or
the future. We blink our eyes and things either hap-
pened before the blink of our eye or will happen after the
blink of our eye. On the other hand, in the next world,
there is neither past nor future. In that realm, there is
only one, uninterrupted, continuous period of time, it is
the perpetual present. 11 Divine knowledge is time-
Philosophers Asharis Mujaddid

God lives in time and Gods knowledge is Gods knowledge is
He learns new things timeless itself. timeless; it does not
as they occur in time. However, the taalluq change over time
or relationship that because He already
divine knowledge has knows what happens
with a created thing to any object for each
may shift to a new moment, from the
relationship over beginning of eternity
earthly time. For each until the end of
temporal object, eternity.
divine knowledge
knows it through one
taalluq for moment
I, another taalluq for
moment 2, and so on.
Table 4.4: Chrono-epistemologies: A Comparison
less. No part of His knowledge is created in time or

newly originated (hadith.). There are many particulars
of Gods all-encompassing knowledge- one particular for
each unique object of knowledge. And divine knowledge
11
sufi Shaykh Muhammad Mamunur Rashid, in a discussion with the au-
thor in 1998 in his khanqa in Dhaka, Bangladesh
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has one taalluq for each unique object of knowledge. In

that context, divine knowledge has many taalluqs. That
context stands in contrast to the Ashari context. In the
Ashari context, for each object, Gods knowledge has
one taalluq for each moment of time. So each one of
these Ashari taalluqs is newly originated. But the Mu-
jaddidi taalluqs are different, they are timeless.
This verification clarifies that although Gods
knowledge has many taalluq with various par-
ticulars [of that knowledge where each partic-
ular refers to the information for a unique mo-
ment of time], still knowledge is not tainted
by a taint of modification (taghayyur). [A
1.266, 107.19-20]
The chrono-epistemology of the faylasufs is wrong. They
maintained that Gods knowledge is created in time, not
timeless. God lives in time and He learns new things as
time progresses- things that He did not know beforehand,
And even a suspicion of newly-originatedness
(huduth) should not be found in that divine
attribute [of knowledge]as the philosophers-
maintain. [A 1.266, 107.20-108.1]
The Mujaddid proposes that Gods knowledge is primor-
dial and none none should even suspect that even a part
of that knowledge is originated newly, i.e., God would
learn something new that He did not know beforehand.
The philosophers of the faylasuf tradition maintain that
God lives in time and He comes to learn new information
as time elapses. But the Mujaddid denies that.
The Mujaddid continues,
When things are known one after another you
may conceive a change in the predestination.
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90 The Creed
[A 1.266, 108.1-2]
The Mujaddid explains that when things are known one
after another sequentially in a linear model of time, we
may conceive a change in predestination or Gods fore-
knowledge of future things. That would be a chrono-
epistemology wherein God lives in time and comes to
know new information as He traverses through time- just
like human beings do.
However, the chrono-epistemology that follows the
Mujaddids verification is quite different and there lies
no possibility of new or modified information.
[On the other hand, in this alternative sce-
nario which is a holistic model of time,] all is
known in a single moment so there is no pos-
sibility of any modified or newly originated
information. [A 1.266, 108.2]
According to the Mujaddidi science, God lives in a time-
less domain and so His Knowledge is also timeless. God
comes to know all and every bit of information encom-
passing past, present, and future is in a single primordial
moment so there is no possibility of having any informa-
tion that is modified in time.
Verification (tahqiq) refers to the knowledge of the
great sufis who have verified the truth of their knowl-
edge through unveiling, kashf, or direct vision or wit-
nessing, mushahadat. Epistemologically, this is contrasted
with ijtihad, individual striving for the interpretation of
the law, and also with taqlid, following the authority of
the learned predecessors. In the Self-Disclosure of God,
Chittick introduces a new translation of this term, namely,
realization; this brings home the meaning of tahqiq
more accurately. But realization is a common word
used in a number of non-technical senses. So to avoid
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confusion, I employ the word that he used in the sufi Path

of Knowledge, verification.
Newly originated (hadith) refers to something was
not pri-mordially existent i.e. that has been created in
time. It is to be contrasted with eternal (qadim). Chittick
translates it as temporally originated in SPK; but he
changes it to newly-arrived in SDG. I am using newly
originated instead.
If we agree to the Mujaddidi chrono-epistemology,
the Ashari chrono-epistemology becomes irrelevant. The
Asharis propose their chrono-epistemology so that they
can defend against the arguments of the philosophers,
How can God know several conflicting pieces of infor-
mation for the same thing at the same time? Then there
are conflicts. Or how can He learn new knowledge? Then
His knowledge is not unchanging. However, in the Mu-
jaddidi chrono-epistemology, there is no conflict because
God knows both the particular moment of time and the
information on the object- both pieces of information
for each moment of time in eternity.
So the Mujaddid continues,
That way, there is no need to establish mul-
tiple taalluqs for it so that modification and
newly-originatedness (taghayyur va huduth)
can be attributed to those taalluqs instead
of the attribute of knowledge. That is what
some scholars of the science of kalam pro-
pose in order to negate the reservations of the
philosophers. [A 1.266, 108.2-4]
The Mujaddid explains that that way, there is no need
to establish the Ashari chrono-epistemology where there
are multiple taalluqs for the divine attribute of knowl-
edge. In such a case, there would be one taalluq or at-
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92 The Creed
tachment of coming to know for each moment, for each

object of divine knowledge. Ashari scholars of the sci-
ence of kalam propose this traditional chrono-epistemology
so that they could defend against the arguments of the
faylasufs. who argued, How can the Asharis say that
the divine knowledge becomes modified? Therefore,
in this way, the Asharis would not have to say that the
divine attribute of knowledge itself undergoes modifica-
tion. Instead, they could say that it is those taalluqs
which become modified and are newly originated.
However, employing that Ashari chrono-epistemology
is not really necessary; the Mujaddids alternative chrono-
epistemology
On the other hand, when man looks at the world,
he indeed sees multiple taalluq (each taalluq for each
event of coming to know).
Take note! It is fine if we establish that ob-
jects of Gods knowledge [i.e., man] them-
selves have multiple taalluq. (Ari! Agar taaddud-
i taalluqat dar janib-i malumat ithbat ku-
nim gunjaish darad) [A 1.266, 108.4]
Yes! Man indeed may come to know each object of
his knowledge through multiple channels of coming to
know, one channel for each moment. However, man is
not like God. He is Incomparable! He is timeless! He is
beyond having any similarity with man, with respect to
time as in other matters. As the Mujaddid explained,
[God is] not a creature of time because time is
His creation (zamani nist keh zaman makhluq-
i Ust). [A 1.167, 50.9]
And God who is timeless comes to know each object
only once for the single timeless moment in the nec-
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essary domain that comprises the entire eternity in the

contingent domain. On the other hand, man as a creature
of time may come to know things through many events
or channels as he lives in time.
Another interpretation of the hard-to-interpret line
above may be as follows.
Yes! If we establish multiple taalluq [from

divine knowledge] to the objects of Gods knowl-
edge then it would be fine. (Ari! Agar taaddud-
i taalluqat dar janib-i malumat ithbat ku-
nim gunjaish darad) [A 1.266, 108.4]
This is a scenario where each taalluq comes down

to a unique object of Gods knowledge; and since there is
more than one object of Gods knowledge, there is more
than one taalluq. However, please remember that more
than one taalluq from divine knowledge to a certain ob-
ject of Gods knowledge is not allowed in a scenario in
which each taalluq refers to a unique moment of time.
This is because there are no multiple moments of time;
instead there is only one indivisible moment of time
for God.
The Great Mujaddid describes elsewhere the time-
lessness of God, as discussed in the above chrono-epistemology.
He wrote, explained above suffices.
You should know that among those contin-
gent beings who have realized the station of
nearness (qurb) of the divinity (ilahi) (SWT),
those ones who have stepped their feet out-
side the circle of contingentness (daiira-i
imkan) find the beginningless beginning and
the endless end (azal va abad) unified (mut-
tahid) together.
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94 The Creed
While on his stations of ascent (maqamat-

i uruj) on the night of Heavenly Ascension
(miraj), Hazrat [Muhammad] the Seal of the
Messengers (salam) found Hazrat Jonah in
the belly of the fish. And he found the storm
of Hazrat Noah taking place. (salam) And he
saw the people of paradise in the paradise and
the people of hell in hell. He found five hun-
dred years [of earthly time] equal to half a
day after entering the paradise. [The Prophet]
saw a rich companion named Abdur Rahman
ibn Auf12 entering paradise late, so Hazrat
Prophet asked him the reason for coming late
and he gave news of his own trials and tribu-
lations (aqibat va mihn) [that he suffered on
the way.] He [the prophet] saw all that in one
momentthere was neither past nor future.
Through the grace of [Prophet Muhammad]

the Friend of Allah (sal), I have experienced
such states [i.e., unveilings and mystic vi-
sions] once in a while. [In one those mys-
tic visions,] I [the Mujaddid] saw the angels
prostrating before Adam (salam) and at that
time their heads were not raised from the pros-
tration. I saw the angels of the [Highest Par-
adise] illiyin not performing these prostra-
tions, they were not ordered to prostate. In
my vision, they were absorbed [in seeing that.
All these past events as well as] all the hap-
penings (ahwal) that will happen in the last
world, they were all seen in that same [one
12
Refers to the hadith report, The rich will enter paradise five-hundred
years after the poor. This is reason this rich companion, Abdur Rahman ibn
Auf, is reaching paradise late.
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SPEECH AND TIME 95
13
single all-inclusive] moment.
Speech and Time

Gods speech is one single utterance that is indivisible
and timeless. All the different worldly forms of divin-
ity (e.g., the Koran, the Torah, the Gospels, etc.) have
originated from that one single indivisible utterance.
Gods speech (kalam) is one indivisible utter-
ance (kalam). From the beginning of eternity
to the end of eternity, God has spoken with
that one utterance. If it is a command, it has
come from that [same utterance]. If it is a
prohibition, it has come from it as well. If it is
a notification, it has been derived from it too.
If it is an inquiry, it is from the same place
too. If it is hope, it has acquired existence
from it too. If it is anticipation, it is from it
too. All the revealed books and the delivered
scriptures are a page of that indivisible (ba-
sit)14 utterance. If it is the Torah, it has been
transcribed from it. If it is the Gospels, it has
taken the sound of words from it. If it is the
Psalms of David, it has been copied from it.
If it is the Furqan,15 it has been revealed from
it.
By Allah! The divine speech!
It is truly one and that is all
Therefore, it is in its descent

13
14
basit is a philosophical term that refers to s substance so elemental that
it cannot be subdivided any further
15
Koran, literally means the criterion
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96 The Creed
that it traced different worldly

forms
[A 1.266, 108.4-10]
The Mujaddid corroborates the above explanation on di-

vine speech elsewhere. He writes,
The Haqq (SWT) has spoken with only one

one-in-all (wahid) utterance from the begin-
ning of time until the end of time (azal ta
abad). That utterance cannot be partitioned
or subdivided. This is because it is impos-
sible for the Almighty to be silent or to be
dumb. The surprising matter is that from the
beginning of time until the end of time there
is only one one-in-all moment. It is because
time does not flow over the Exalted Lord. Clearly
when it is all within one one-in-all moment,
what can take place but an utterance that is
one-in-all and indivisible (wahid basit). [Mabda
40, 62.1-4]
The Mujaddid now explains the timelessness of divine

speech.
The surprising matter is that from the begin-

ning of eternity until the end of eternity, there
is only a moment in that place [which is the
realm of God.] Time does not flow over Him
(SWT). Within one moment, what can be spo-
ken but one one-in-all utterance that cannot
be subdivided (kalam-i wahid-i basit)?
That one one-in-all utterance has become the

origin of so many types of [individual] utter-
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SPEECH AND TIME 97
ances [each] in the context of multiple taalluqs

or relationships.
For example, if it has a taalluq of command-

ingness (mamur), then a command originates.
Or if it has a taalluq of prohibitingness (manhi),
then it is called a prohibition (nihi). Or if it
has a taalluq of news-givingness (ikhbar),
then it becomes news. In short, [that God
speaks on not only the news of the present,
but also] the news on the past and the future -
that throws people into confusion..
The priority and posteriority of the turner [of

time] [God] (dal) indicates the priority and
posteriority of the things that are turned [or
put in sequence in that linear time] (madlul).
It is not something hard to understand! It is
so because the past and the future are special
qualifiers (sifat-i makhsus-i dal) with which
the turner [of time] qualifies [or puts into
sequence the events in that linear time. And
He qualifies the events] in that moment that
has been stretched (inbisat) [from a wholistic
one-in-all model of time into a linear model
of time stretching from the beginning of eter-
nity to the end of eternity.]
And in the view of the things that are turned

[sequentially in that linear time] (madlul),
since that moment [when God speaks] is un-
changed and it [that timeless moment] has not
been stretched out (inbisat) [to create a linear
time as it has been stretched out in the mun-
dane, temporal realm], then there is no past
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98 The Creed
or future there [in that timeless moment when

God speaks.]
The philosophers say, The essence (mahiya)

of a thing may have a distinct and separate
(alihadeh) [characteristic] with respect to [that
things] external existence (wujud-i khariji).
[However, the essence] may not have that [same
characteristic] with respect to [that things]
mental existence (wujud-i dhihni).
[So we see that] a thing can have contradic-

tions it its qualities and inseparable qualifica-
tions (tabayin-i sifat va lawajim) with respect
to its existence and it-ness (huwiyat).
And we also see that] the turner [of time]

and the things that are turned [sequentially
in that linear time] are [already] essentially
separate from one another (dal va madlul keh
fil haqiqat az yek digar juda and).
Therefore, they are also permitted [to differ in

their qualities and inseparable qualifications]
as in the previous [illustration].
What has been told is that it is only a moment

from the beginning of eternity to the end of
eternity. And that [they have said one mo-
ment] is due to the insufficiency of the lan-
guage (tangi-i ibarat). Actually, we may not
even say one moment. [That time period is
so infinitesimally short that] to call it even a
moment would be hard.
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THE ACT AND TIME 99
The Act and Time

The Mujaddid now teaches us about oneness of the act(s)
of God.
Likewise, Gods act (fal, af al)is one. All

His handiwork (masnuat) from the beginning
of time to the end of time (azal ta abad) has
come to exist by that one act. This Koranic
verse points toward that, Our command is none
but a single glance of the eye (Koran 54:50).
Be it the giving of life or the giving of death,
it depends on that act. Be it the giving of
pain or the giving of bliss, it depends on that
same act. Be it the bestowal of existence or
the bestowal of nonexistence, it has grown
out of that act. So it is established that the
divine act(s) does not have multiple taalluq
or attachments [with the created things]. In-
stead, all the created things from the begin-
ning of time to the end of time have come
into existence in their unique times of exis-
tence by that one taalluq [or attachment with
the divine act(s)]. Like the divine act, this
[single one-in-all] taalluq is ailso without
what manner and without how (bichun va
bichugun.) For what manner cannot be an
analogy for that which is without what man-
ner. None but the royal chariot may carry the
royal tributes! [A 1.266, 108.10-16]
In the same way as it is with divine knowledge, Gods act

is also one, indivisible and timeless. All the individual
actions of God that we see in the world, they have all
originated from that one all-including timeless act.
The Mujaddid now comments on the divine act(s).
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100 The Creed
Not understanding the [chronological] reality

of the act of the Haqq (SWT), Imam Abul
Hasan Ashari said that [the act(s) of] engen-
dering is newly originated; and the [rest of
the] His (SWT) act(s) are newly originated as
well. He did not understand that these [what
he understands to be the multiple activities of
God] are really the traces (athar) of the be-
ginningless one act of the Haqq (SWT), not
His multiple acts [themselves]. [A 1.266, 108.16-
18]
Imam Ashari proposed that act(s) of God are newly orig-

inated or created in time and what appears to be hu-
man activity is really the direct act(s) of God. On the
other hand, Ibn Arabi proposed that the divine act(s) is
more remote and human activity is the self-disclosure of
divine act(s) instead of being divine act(s) themselves.
The Mujaddid goes even one more step in the direction
of Ibn Arabi on the remoteness of the divine act(s)he
proposes that the human activities are really the traces
of the self-disclosure of the act(s) instead of being the
self-disclosure of the act(s) directly.
That is, the Mujaddid proposes that God acts through
a one-in-all timeless all-inclusive act and it is not God
directly acting when human beings act, instead those hu-
man actions are the traces of the timeless one-in-all
divine act. That timeless one-in-all act self-disclose into
human activities that are multiple in number and created
in time.
The Mujaddid continues his explanstion,
The same explanation answers those sufis [like

Ibn Arabi] who propose that the divine act
self-discloses [into human activity i.e., they
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THE ACT AND TIME 101
Imam Ashari Ibn Arabi Mujaddid

Many-in-number
and newly One-in-all and One-in-all and
Divine Act(s) originated or timeless timeless
created in
time
Even more
Direct, act(s) of Indirect, indirect,
Human activity God directly Self-disclosure (self-disclosures
of the Act(s) of the) traces
directly of the act(s)
Table 4.5: Reality of the Act(s): Ashari, Ibn Arabi, Mujaddid
propose that human acts are directly the self-

disclosures of divine act(s)]. They see only a
one-in-all divine act [reflected] in the mirror
of the activity of the contingent beings [i.e.,
man] in that homestead [of human activity].
Actually that self-disclosure [that is human

activity] is the self-disclosure of the traces
of the divine act, not the self-disclosure of the
act itself. It is because the engendering-act
[is not reflected] in the mirrors that are newly
originated things. Neither is it manifested in
the loci of manifestations that are contingent
things. It is because the engendering-act is
an act of God that is without what manner,
without how, eternal and abiding in divine
Person (bichuni, bichuguni, qadim, qaim bi-
dhat-i U (SWT)).
In the close quarter that is out-
ward form (sura)
How can meaning be contained?
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102 The Creed
In the hut of the beggars

What business does the sultan have?
[A 1.266, 108.18-109.3]
Ibn Arabi proposes that human activity is the self-
disclosure of the divine act(s). The Mujaddid points out
Ibn Arabis error by clarifying that human activity is too
gross to be the self-disclosure of the divine act(s) di-
rectly. The divine act is sublime. And its self-disclosures
are also sublime- too sublime to be acts of contingent
beings. Ibn Arabi proposed that the acts of contingent
beings are the self-disclosures of the divine act(s) it-
self. Alternatively, the Mujaddid proposed that it could
not happen directly; instead, the acts of contingent be-
ings are the self-disclosures of the traces of the divine
act.
The nature of the self-disclosure.

Ibn Arabi Mujaddid
Direct; Indirect;
Human activities are directly the Human activities are the
self-disclosures of the divine act. self-disclosuresof the
traces of the divine act.
Table 4.6: How are human activities self-disclosures of the

one-and-all divine act?
So the Mujaddid proposes to modify Ibn Arabi.

I believe that a self-disclosure of the act and
attributes cannot be conceived without a self-
disclosure of the Person (SWT). For, the act
and attributes cannot be detached from the di-
vine Person (SWT). Therefore, the self-disclosures
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INCOMPARABILITY 103
of [the acts and the attributes] cannot be con-

ceived without the self-disclosure of the Per-
son. What are indeed detached from the Per-
son (SWT) are the shadows (zill, zilal) of
the act and the shadows of the attributes.
Therefore, those self-disclosures are the self-
disclosures of the shadows of the act and
the attributes, not of the act and attributes them-
selves. But not everyones [e.g., Ibn Arabis]
understanding can attain this perfection [in
knowledge!] This is the bounty of Allah! He
grants it to whomever He wills! Allah pos-
sesses magnificent bounties! (Koran 57:21).
[A 1.266, 109.3-.7]
So the Mujaddid alternatively proposes that human ac-

tivity is the self-disclosure of the shadows of the act(s)
and the attributes. He argues that since human acts are
not sublime enough to be the self-disclosures of Gods
act(s) directly, it can only be so indirectly by being
the shadows of His self-disclosure. This is a subtle
point that Ibn Arabi did not understand when he pro-
posed that human activity is the self-disclosure of the
divine act directly.
It may be noted that the Mujaddid is saying the hu-
man activity is both self-disclosures of the traces (athar)
of the divine act and the self-disclosure of the shadows
(zill; plural, zilal, azlal) of the act. They may be equiva-
lent.
Incomparability
The Mujaddid teaches us on the incomparability of God.
To proceed to the gist of the matter, He (SWT)
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104 The Creed
is not incarnated (hulul) into anything. Nor

does anything dwell (hal) in Him. However,
He (SWT) encompasses (wasaat) everything,
is near (qurb) everything and is with (maiyat)
everything. However that encompassment, near-
ness and withness are not within our defect-
prone comprehension. If they were, that would
not be appropriate for His all-holy person (janab)
[for He is Incomparable!]. He is also beyond
that which He makes known through unveil-
ings and witnessings. For the contingent be-
ings may not receive anything from the real-
ity of His person, attributes, and act except ig-
norance and bewilderment. You should bring
faith in the Unseen [Beingthat is, God]. [A
1.266, 109.7-11]
The Mujaddid says that God is far above what the su-
fis may see in their spiritual sight. He believes that the
contingent beings cannot attain anything but ignorance
and bewilderment when they try to understand His per-
son, His attributes, or His act. We have to attain faith
in God who is not seen, heard, or known. As the Ko-
ran says, Those who have faith in the Unseen (Koran
2:3). Especially the sufis should take heed of this
since they may often experience many interesting wit-
nessings, i.e., mystic visions in their wayfaring. They
should not take heed of them for that is not God, and it is
God that they seek. 16
Now the Mujaddid teaches us about the mystics vi-
sions of God that sufis may see.
And everything that you may unveil or wit-

16
Indivisible (basit) literally means a simple thing, a philosophical con-
cept in which a substance cannot be subdivided into components.
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INCOMPARABILITY 105
ness [in your mystic visions as God,] you should

obliterate that by bringing them under the scope
of no or la in the formula of negation, [la
ilaha]. [A 1.266, 109.11]
That is, when you say there is no god (la ilaha), you
may include all those that you unveil or witness in that
god. Now the Mujaddid quotes a poem to illustrate that
none may comprehend God.
None may hunt the phoenix

So pick up your trap
For you will find trapped in that trap
Nothing else but air
Now the Mujaddid quotes a poem from his sufi mentor

to illustrate his point.
This stanza from the Masnavi written by our
Hazrat [Baqibillah] fits here:
[In my journey], the throne of Self-
Sufficiency is ever higher [than what
I can attain].
Therefore, to me, to think of attain-
ing it is not appropriate [A 1.266,
109.12-13]
The above poem alludes to the incomprehensible
nature of God. The mind of man cannot comprehend
God, who is incomparable to the creation. He feels un-
comfortable by this divine incomparability. So he seeks
comfort by creating concrete analogies for God- this is
why idolaters worship idols. He tries to bring God down
into this world, but actually He is too high, far above this
temporal realm. The Mujaddid illustrates this eternal hu-
man mind-set by the above poem by his sufi mentor.
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106 The Creed
Elsewhere in the Maktubat, the Mujaddid also writes

on divine incomparability. He says that the sufis often see
the created things that are chun (with a manner or how
i.e., comprehensible) and mistake them for God, who is
bichun (without what manner or incomprehensible).
[O disciple!] There do not find manyness in

oneness (kathrat dar wahdat). And do not be
content with witnessing the [created things
which are] chun [with how] instead of hold-
ing out for [God who is] bichun [without how]!
For what appears in the mirror of chun is never
bichun; and what appears in manyness is never
the truly One (wahid haqiqi). [A 1.190, 76.15-
17]
On God, the Mujaddid writes,
He [God] is blameless from having a likeness

or resemblance (shabh va manand) and ab-
solved from being a form or shape (shakl va
mithal). Being a father or a son is not possible
for Him. How will it be possible for Him to
have a peer or model (kafaat va tamaththul)?
Even a taint of unification or incarnation (itti-
had va hulul) is considered improper for His
honor and even a suspicion of coming out
in the open or being hidden (buruz va ku-
mun) is considered ugly for His holy person.
[A 1.167, 50.11-14]
Note: Kumun means to become hidden (pinhan shodan).

Buruz means to come out to some foreign place (birun
amadan) and become clear, evident, and public (ashkara
shodan).
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SIMILARITY IS MERELY ALLEGORICAL 107
Technically, kumun means [for God] to come down

(farvad amadan) and descend (nuzul) to some thing and
thus become hidden from His abode.
And, buruz means [for God] to incarnate Himself
in the creation and become clear, evident, and public
and thus manifest Himself (zuhur namudan hulul kardeh
ashkara shodan) in the body of something.17
Similarity is Merely Allegorical

What does it mean when God says that He is near ev-
erything, with everything and embraces everything?
God does describe Himself in a limited way in His rev-
elation. For example, He states, We are nearer to Him
than his jugular vein (Koran 50:16). So we must bring
faith into that self-description. Still God is Incompara-
ble to His creation; His Incomparability transcends His
Similaritywe do not know what those self-descriptions
really mean. So while we admit those divine self-descriptions,
we admit them only in a bi-la kayf (i.e., without how
manner).
Therefore, let us have faith that He (SWT) en-
compasses (muhit) everything, is (qarib) near
everything, and is with (ba) everything. How-
ever, we do not know what that encompass-
ment, nearness, or withness (ihata va qurb va
maiyat) means. To say that it means cog-
nitive encompassment or cognitive nearness,
and so forth, is like interpreting (tawil) the
allegorical verses and I am against interpret-
ing the allegorical verses. [A 1.266, 109.14-
16]
17
A synonym for the Koran; literally, the Distinguisher, meaning that
which distinguishes between good and evil.
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108 The Creed
What is the Mujaddidi interpretation of withness (maiyat)?

The Mujaddid himself explains it.
Man cannot become the Haqq (SWT), but by
His grace, he is never separated (juda) from
Him. Whomever he loves, he is with him.
18
Everything has realized the relationship
of withness with the Haqq (SWT) [in some
way] but this withness that grows (nashi)
from that love (hubb), is something else.
Until [that] love is found, no one will un-
derstand anything about this withness (maiyat).
Just as [that] love has different levels, in the
same way that withness has also different lev-
els in the same way.
This very withness [i.e., the withness that

comes from love] is that withness through which
one purifies oneself from reflectedness (zil-
liyat) [by realizing a complete fana fillah or
annihilation in the ultimate prototype (asl) who
is Allah]. And this very withness is that with-
ness that is the medium through which one
may realize an effacement (idmihlal) in ev-
erything [i.e., a state where the sufi effaces
all created things from his mind as he has at-
tained a complete absorption in Allah or fana
fiLlah.]19
This very withness is that withness that takes

away (muzil) mans servanthood (riqqiyat) [to
someone other than Allah. Even that, mans
18
Ibn Arabi said that divine act(s) self-disclose into human acts. Please
see SPK, 208-209.
19
Mohammad Mamunur Rashid, Islami Biswas (Serhind
Prakashan,1998), p. 14
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ALLEGORICAL VERSES MAY NOT BE INTERPRETED109
slavehood to Allah also becomes perfect and

he becomes wholly committed to Him, such
that] the slightest slack in that slavehood dis-
appears and vanishes (muzil-i riqqiyat ast va
mushabbat-i hurumiyat [ast] dar in abdiyat).
This withness is that withness which silences

I-ness. (anaiyat) Instead, it negates I-ness on
the levels of perfection. [A 3.26, 67.7-12]
Allegorical Verses may Not Be Interpreted

I have translated mutashabihat verses as allegorical verses.
Many people translate mutashabihat as ambiguous, mean-
ing something that has one out of several possible mean-
ings. I believe that ambiguous cannot be the correct
translation of the Mujaddidi meaning of the term mu-
tashabihat. What the Mujaddid means by the term mu-
tashabihat is something much deeper, hidden, and mys-
terious. It is really far deeper than even an allegory.
However, the second meaning of allegorical is hav-
ing hidden spiritual meaning that transcends the literal
sense of a sacred text, and that applies to mutashabihat.
And so I am using the word allegorical to translate it
and the word categorical to translate muhkam. Chittick
also uses this scheme in one of his books.
The Mujaddid is against interpreting the allegorical
verses. He writes that the allegorical verses indeed have
profound meanings but they are much more than being
merely ambiguous; instead, they are deep, hidden, and
mysterious. Those meanings are revealed to the Prophet
and the elect in his community. So anyone else may be
able to interpret them. So instead of trying to interpret
those verses, the common people should accept them as
they are, i.e., bi-la kayf or howless.
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110 The Creed
The Mujaddid teaches us about allegorical verses in

his monograph Mabda va Maad. He says,
I have been shown that the terms nearness

(qurb), withness (maiyat), and encompass-
ment (ihata) of the Haqq (SWT) that are in
the Sagacious Koran are among the allegor-
ical or mutashabihat words of the Koran.
[The words] hand or face [in the Koran that
refers to God having hands or a face are ex-
amples of such allegories.] The words first
(awwal), last (akhir), manifest (zahir), non-
manifest (batin) and the likes of them are also
the same.
So we say that the Haqq (SWT) is near us,

but we do not know what that nearness means.
Similarly, we say [that He is] the First but we
do not know what does that first means.
The meaning of that nearness and firstness
does not come within the bounds of our knowl-
edge or understanding (ilm va fahm). The
Haqq (SWT) is untainted by those imperfec-
tions. And indeed [He is even] higher (bar-
tar) than that. And [He is indeed even higher
than] that what we know through our unveil-
ings (kashf ) and witnessings (mushahida). He
(SWT) elevates Himself higher than that and
He is pure from thatas well.
Some sufis have realized the meaning of near-

ness and withness through unveiling. They
consider the Haqq (SWT) to be near us and
with us [spatially]. This is not proper! They
have stepped into the school of mujassima or
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REJECTION OF UNIFICATIONISM 111
Corporealists. And some of the ulama have

interpreted those terms by allegorical inter-
pretation (tawil). For example, by nearness,
some have meant cognitive nearness (qurb-
i ilmi). They have made allegories of that in
the same way that they have made an allegory
of hand by power (qudrat) and face by
person. (dhat)
True knowledge is before Allah (SWT)! Peace

towards those who follow guidance! [Mabda
35, 55-6] 20
Rejection of Unificationism
The Mujaddid rejects ittihad or unificationismthe sufi
science that says that God is unified (muttahid) with
the cosmos, i.e. God is merged in the cosmos in such
a way that these two cannot be distinguished from one
another
He (SWT) is not unified with (muttahid) any-
thing else. Nor is anything unified with Him.
The Mujaddid then analyzes a sufi saying that apparently
proposes unificationism and demonstrates that it actually
does not do so.
That which people understand to be ittihad

or unificationism from the sayings of some
sufis is actually contrary to what they meant.
For example, one such saying is When need-
iness is complete, it becomes Allah. Idha
tamma l-faqru, fa Hua Allahu. Although it
20
[Mabda 35:55-56] means Mabda va Maad, minha or chapter 35, pp.
55-56
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112 The Creed
seems to propose unificationism, what it re-

ally means is that when [the sufi] completes
faqr i.e., poverty or neediness [i.e the sufi re-
alizes that he needs Allah for everything as
he has no resource of his own] and [the sufi]
realizes sheer nothingness (nisti-i mahd) [be-
fore God], then nothing remains but Allah.
It does not mean that the faqir i.e., the needy
becomes unified with God (bi-khuda) and be-
comes God himself. For that would be apos-
tasy and heresy. The Exalted Lord is far
greater than what the transgressors imagine.
ta ala Llahu subhanaHu amma yatawah-
hamu al-zalimuna uluwwan kabira.
Now the Mujaddid explains the mystery of Anal Haqq.
Our Hazrat Khwaja [Baqibillah]

(qaf) has said that Anal Haqq does not mean,
I am God; instead it means, I am nothing
and God [alone] exists. [A 1.266, 109.16-
110.1]
My own shaykh in the sufi path, a living saint in the

lineage of the Great Mujaddid, explains the above in a
greater detail very eloquently- what Anal Haqq really
means is,
I have lost my own existence as I am over-

whelmed by the sheerness of Gods existence.
Now I do not exist for only God exists. When
I say I, I am not saying it on behalf of my-
self. Instead, I am saying it on behalf of God.
Now I am just like the burning bush21 of
21
hadith: Al-maru maa man ahabba [Bukhari, Muslim]
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CHANGELESSNESS 113
Hazrat Moses that cried out, Verily I am Al-

lah! (Koran 20:14, 28:30) That is, I am merely
the announcer here as the burning bush had
been. Or I am merely the medium through
whom God speaks, like a loudspeaker is the
medium through which the announcer speaks.
22
Changelessness
The Mujaddid maintains that God experiences no change.
The person, attributes or the act of God do

not change or be substituted (taghayyur va
tabdil). So exalted is He whose person, at-
tributes, and act(s) do not change like the [per-
son, attributes and acts of the] engendered things
that are newly originated (huduth-i al-akwan)
do!
No aspect of God ever changes; neither His person nor

His attributes nor His act(s). Change is the lot of newly
originated things but God is too exalted to undergo change.
The Mujaddid then interprets Ibn Arabi and defends
him against the false charge of contradicting the main-
stream Sunni creed on the changelessness of God.
What the wujudi sufis [who follow the Ibn

Arabi doctrine of wahdatul wujud or existen-
tial monism] establish as tanazzulat-i khamsa,
the five descents, is not a modification or sub-
stitution (taghayyur va tandil) in the Neces-
sary (dar martaba-i wujub), for that would
22
note from Bengali text v. V p. 85 [Mabda 35:55-56] means Mabda va
Maad, minha or chapter 35, pp. 55-56
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114 The Creed
be apostasy and misguidance. Instead, they

have relegated these descents onto the levels
of manifestations of the divine perfection
(zuhurat-i kamal-i U). That way a modifica-
tion or substitution in the person, attributes or
the act of He (SWT) would not take place. [A
1.266, 110.1-5]
Ibn Arabi held that the creation, i.e., the cosmos, em-
anates from God in five successive steps. These are em-
anations or descents called tanazzulat-i khamsa.
Level of Name of the descent

descent (emanation) What changes?
1 Cognitive undifferentiated entification, taayyun-i Ideas in the mind of the necessary
ilmi jumali
2 Cognitive differentiated entification, taayyun-i As above
ilmi tafsili
3 Spiritual entification, taayyun-i ruhi Shadow of the necessary
4 Imaginal entification, taayyun-i mithali As above
5 Corporeous entification, taayyun-i jasadi As above
Table 4.7: Ibn Arabis Five Descents (Emanations) of the

Necessary
Yes! If you do interpret that to mean that God Him-

self undergoes change, it would be a violation of the
creed of the mainstream Sunnis that says that God is
changeless. However, the Mujaddid interprets that Ibn
Arabi must have meant that the shadow of God un-
dergoes those emanations, not God Himself who is be-
yond change. That is, what does change is the way that
God manifests Himself, not His person itself. So the
charges against Ibn Arabi that he contradicts the main-
stream Sunni creed are baseless.
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SELF-SUFFICIENTNESS 115
The Mujaddid seems to argue here in a reductio

ad absurdum syllogism: Islamic creed says that God is
changeless. So if someone believes that God Himself un-
dergoes change, then he must be ruled faithless and mis-
guided. So if Ibn Arabi or anyone else interprets the five
emanations or tanazzulat-i khamsa as changes in God
Himself, then he must be ruled an unbeliever. But the
Mujaddid consistently rules Ibn Arabi to be a great saint
of Allah. Therefore, Ibn Arabi could not have meant it
as a change in the Necessary.
Self-Sufficientness
The Mujaddid states that God is absolutely self-sufficient.
He does not need anything from anyone.
He (SWT) is unboundedly self-sufficient (ghaniyy-
i mutlaq) in His person, in His attributes, and
in His act. He does not need anything in any
respect. Just as He does not need anything for
His existence, He does not need anything for
His manifestations (zuhurat) either.
The Mujaddid then comments on the Ibn Arabi proposi-
tion that God needs the created things to manifest His
perfections
That which is understood from the statements
of some sufis [e.g., Ibn Arabi] is that Allah
needs us to manifest the perfections of His
names and attributes. I find it hard to buy a
proposition like that! I know that the purpose
of the act of creation is that the created thing
would attain perfection, not that His (SWT)
holy person would attain perfection. As the
Koran says, We have created man and the
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116 The Creed
Jinn so that they would worship Me (Koran

51:56). [Here I, the Mujaddid, interpret they
would worship Me as] they would know
Me. Therefore, the purpose behind creat-
ing man and Jinn is so that they would attain
knowledge (marifat). That is, the purpose is
their [own] perfection, not the perfection of
something that belongs to the Haqq (SWT).
It comes in a hadith report where God speaks
in the first person: I have created the created
things for knowing. 23 Here too, knowing
means that the created things may know. It
does not mean that God may be known and
by this knowing God may attain some per-
fection. Allah (SWT) rises far above this!
[A 1.266, 110.5-.14]
Here the Mujaddid disagrees with Ibn Arabi. He clarifies
that actually it is the created things that need God to at-
tain their own perfections, not the other way round. As
my sufi shaykh explains,
The purpose behind creating man and Jinn is
so that they desire to know God and attain
perfection. We know the well-known hadith
report wherein God speaks in the first person,
I was a Hidden Treasure. I wanted to be
known. So I created the creation. 24 What
God really means is, Let the creation come
to know Me and attain their perfections. It
is wrong to think that what He meant is, Let
Me, Allah, become known to the creation and
gain some perfection in this process. This is
23
hadith: fa-khalaqtu al-khalq li-arafa [Mulla Ali Qari]
24
hadith: kuntu kandhan makhfiyan. fa-ahbabtu an arafa. fa-khalaqtu
al-khalq li-arafa [Ibn Arabi]
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PERFECTION 117
because Allah is self-sufficient. He rises far

above such wrong conceptions. 25
How does the Mujaddid jump from so that they would

worship me to so that they would know me? My sufi
shaykhs companionship taught me the logic behind this
connection between worship and knowing. Yes! God
has asked man to worship Him. But how will we worship
Him unless we know Him? That may be the Mujad-
dids logic behind interpreting worshiping as know-
ing. The pre-eminent Koranic exegete Ibn Abbas also
interpreted worship Allah as know Allah here. All
later commentators also interpreted it this way following
his line of interpretation.
Perfection
The Mujaddid states that God is perfect and he elaborates
on that perfection.
Allah is unblemished and exonerated by all

attribute of imperfection and all burn-mark of
newly-originatedness (huduth). He is not a
body Himself; nor does He possess a body
(jism va jismani nist). He transcends both
space and time (la-makani va la-zamani).
The Mujaddids verification confirms the ulama of the

mainstream Sunni community. Their ulama says that
God possesses all the attributes in Himself in a non-entified
manner except the eight real attributes, sifat-i haqiqiya,
which exist in Him with an additional existence. The
real attributes are eight according to the Maturidi school
of kalam, which the Mujaddid follows. The predominant
25
Muhammad Mamunur Rashid, Islami Bishwas, p. 16
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118 The Creed
Ashari School of kalam has seven, as it leaves out en-

genderingness from the roll of the real attributes. 26
He possesses all the perfect attributes. Among

these, eight perfect attributes exist in Him with
existence additional (zaid) to the existence
of the Person (SWT). They are: (1) livingness
or life , hayat; (2) knowingness or knowl-
edge, ilm; (3) powerfulness or power, qudrat;
(4) desiringness or desire, irada; (5) seeing-
ness or sight, basr; (6) hearingness, sama;
(7) speakingness or speech, kalam; and (8)
engenderingness, takwin.
Attribute Arabic/Persian name

livingness or life hayat
knowingness or knowledge ilm
powerfulness or power qudrat
desiringness or desire irada
seeingness or sight basr
hearingness sama
speakingness or speech kalam
engenderingness takwin
Table 4.8: Eight real attributes [Sifat-i haqiqiya]
Note: In Arabic, these attributes are called by a

morphological form which has dual meanings. For ex-
ample, the attribute of being capable of speaking is
called kalam and that also means speech or that what
is being spoken. So people translate the attribute of
kalam as speech and that is misleading. Instead, the
attribute of kalam may be translated as the attribute of
26
Please see the Mujaddids monograph Mabda va Maad, minha or
chapter 41 where he explains the error of the Asharis.
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PERFECTION 119
speakingness. It is true that there is no such word in En-

glish called speakingness but the superb sufi translator
William Chittick uses newly coined words in this style.
Confirming the ulama of the mainstream Sunni com-
munity, the Mujaddid proposes that the attributes of God
have an external existence, i.e., they do exist in the out-
side, kharij. He criticizes the position of Ibn Arabi who
denied the external existence of the Attributes 27 and
who said that they are merely relationships that God
has with the cosmos and those relationships exist only in
the mind of God which is the abode of His knowledge
(ilm).
These attributes do exist [and not merely cog-

nitively in the mind of God, but] in the out-
side (kharij) [i.e. in the real world outside
the mind of God with a true existence.] It
is not that they exist with an existence that
is additional to the existence of the Person
only cognitively while they are identical to
the Person externally- like some sufis [who
believe in wahdat al-wujud, e.g., Ibn Arabi,
Muinuddin Chishti, and many others] con-
sider.28 They say:
By the intellect, all are other than
the attributes
By the verification; all are identical
to Your person
What they mean here is that while they know by the in-
tellect, i.e., intellectually from the kalam that attributes
27
The Mutazilas and the faylasufs also deny the external existence of the
Attributes
28
Please see SPK p. 5 for Ibn Arabis position
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120 The Creed
are disjointed from the person of God, they know from

their verification, i.e., sufi experiential knowledge, that
they are the same.
For example, the following sufi poem by Hazrat Muin-
uddin Chishti Ajmiri also supports the identity of the per-
son of Allah and His attributes.
I dont see the Attributes separate from the

Person.
So wherever I look, I dont see anything but
God. 29
The Mujaddid says that to reduce the existence of divine

attributes from external existence to cognitive existence,
as Ibn Arabi does, is really to deny the existence of
the attributes. There are several deviant sects of Islam
who are recognized to have denied the existence of the
attributes, e.g., the Mutazilas, the philosophers, etc.
Even those deviant sects accepted the cognitive ex-
istence of the attributes and only denied their external ex-
istence. So if someone else [e.g., Ibn Arabi] accepts the
cognitive existence of the attributes but denies the exter-
nal existence, he is indeed out of the mainstream Sunni
community just as those deviant sects are recognized to
be.
It is really denying the attributes (sifat), be-
cause even those who deny the attributes (i.e.,
the Mutazilas and the Faylsufs) have proposed
that the person and the attributes of God are
cognitively other and externally unified.
That is, even they did not deny cognitive oth-
erness and they did not propose that what they
29
Sifat va dhat az ham juda nemibinam - Be har che minegaram juz
Khuda namibinam [Jehadul Islam edited Diwan-i Muinuddin, p. 154]
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PERFECTION 121
understand to be knowledge is identical to

what they understand to be the person, or
power or desire. They have only proposed
that the Person and the attributes are identical
in the outside. Therefore, until they consider
them other with respect to their existence
in the outside, they will not break away from
the group that denies the attributes. As you
know, conceptual otherness is not a true dif-
ference! [A 1.266, 110.14-111.3]
It should be stressed that the Mujaddid still did not con-
sider Ibn Arabi to be out of the mainstream Sunni com-
munity. As a sufi, he knew that Ibn Arabi did not arrive
at it from mis-interpretations of the Koran and the hadith
but instead he verified that science through his unveil-
ings, which were erroneous in this case. And errors in
unveilings are excusable just as errors in scholastic in-
terpretation on the matters of the sharia law (ijtihad) are
excusable.
Ulama of the manifest knowledge: The domain of
knowledge can be divided into two sub-domains. One
is the manifest knowledge (ilm-i zahir), the knowledge
of the Koran, hadith literature and all that can be de-
rived from those sources employing logic. The other is
the non-manifest knowledge (ilm-i batin) that is expe-
riential knowledge derived through kashf, ilham, dhawq,
shuhud, etc. The ulama that deal with the Koran and
hadith using logic are the ulama of the manifest knowl-
edge. They include jurists (fuqaha), scholars of hadith
literature (muhaddith) exegetes of the Koran (mufassir),
and others. They are to be contrasted with the scholars
of the non-manifest knowledge who are the sufi masters.
The ulama of the manifest knowledge say that the
attributes exist externally. That is, the divine attributes
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122 The Creed
are not at all like human attributes. For human at-

tributes also do not have an external existence, only a
conceptual existence. Instead, divine attributes have a
hypostasized or reified existence externally, just as the
Platonic archetypes do.
The Mujaddids verification agrees with it but in
maktub 1.234 he refines that position by saying that the
attributes have only shadow existence. He notes that
both Ibn Arabi and the mainstream Sunni ulama did
not distinguish between the prototype existence and the
shadow existence and he believes that it caused the di-
vergence of opinion between them.
Note: The references from the Maktubat-i Imam-i
Rabbani will be described as two numbers separated by a
stop. The first number will be the volume number and the
second number will be the maktub number. For example,
maktub 1.234 refers to maktub 234 in the Volume 1
The Maturudi School

The Mujaddid followed the Maturidi school of kalam as
opposed to the Ashari school. He writes on the superior-
ity of the Maturidi school,
In a mystic vision, (waqia) Hazrat Prophet

(salam) stated, You are a mujathid of the sci-
ence of kalam. After this incident, I started
to form a distinct opinion in every matter of
kalam. For most of the matters on which there
are differences between the Ashari school and
Maturidi school, at the first glance it seems
that the truth is along the Ashari line. But
when it is contemplated with a fine perspicac-
ity and a keen gaze (hunur-i firasat va huddat-
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ETERNALNESS AND BEGINNINGLESSNESS 123
i nazar), then it becomes clear that the truth

is along the Maturidi line. I believe that in
all the matters of kalam on which there is a
dispute, the Maturidis are correct.
The truth is that because they perfectly follow

the shining Sunna, these [Maturidi] masters
have attained this high honor. Their oppo-
sition [in the mainstream Sunni community
which is the Asharis] have not been able to
attain this as they gave pre-eminence to the
philosophical views. However, both of these
groups are in the people of truth.
Eternalness and Beginninglessness

The Mujaddid confirms that God and only God is eter-
nal and beginningless. If anyone believes that something
other than God is also eternal or beginningless, as the
philosophers of the faylasuf tradition (e.g., Avicenna, al-
Farabi, and others) proposed, then he must be ruled to be
a faithless person.
He (SWT) is eternal and beginningless (qadim
va azali). Nothing else is established to be
eternal and beginningless. All the Muslims
are unanimous on this. And they have de-
clared as unfaithful whosoever proposes that
something other than the Haqq (SWT) is eter-
nal or beginningless. It is for this reason that
Imam Ghazzali has declared Avicenna, al-Farabi
and everyone else to be faithless who pro-
poses that intellects, souls, hyles, or forms
(nufus, uqul, haywula, surat) are eternal. They
also consider the heavens and everything else
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124 The Creed
in the heavens to be also eternal.
And he reconciles a statement of Ibn Arabi on the eter-

nity of the spirits to the mainstream Sunni creed.
Our Hazrat Khwaja [Baqibillah] (qaf) has said

that Shaykh Muhiyuddin Ibn Arabi has pro-
posed that the spirits of the perfect ones
[i.e., friends of Allah who have realized His
nearness] are eternal. 30 This idea should
be diverted from its outward meaning [i.e.,
it should not be construed to mean that the
spirits are co-eternal with God] and instead
should be taken in its inner (tawil) mean-
ing [that is, for example, it may be taken to
mean that those spirits were the first things to
be created.] In that way, it [this proposition
of Ibn Arabi] would not contradict the con-
sensus of opinion of the people of religion [in
the proposition that nothing but God is eter-
nal]. [A 1.266, 111.3-111.9]
All-Powerfulness and the philosophers

The Mujaddid criticizes the deist doctrines of the philoso-
phers i.e., the philosophers of the faylasuf tradition, e.g.,
Avicenna, al-Farabi, Averrois and others.
The ancient Greek philosophers, Plato, Aristotle,
and others originated this lineage of thought and Ploti-
nus, who lived in Alexandria, Egypt in the third century
30
This proposition of Ibn Arabi is found in the Tafsir Ibn Arabi under Sura
Dahr, however some scholars belive that that tafsir was actually written by
Kamaluddin Abdul-Razzaq ibn Abi Ghanaim al-Kashi (d. 736/1336). Some
other scholars believe that it was written by Imam Ali ibn Muhammad al-
Bagdadi al-Sufi popularly known as al-Khazin (d. 741/1341)
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ALL-POWERFULNESS AND THE PHILOSOPHERS 125
CE, developed it. Subsequently, philosophers of the Is-

lamic tradition, such as Avicenna, al-Farabi, and Aver-
roes, added to and refined them to develop this faylasuf
tradition. The faylasuf called themselves Peripatetic or
Aristotelian, many people consider them instead Neo-
platonic but really it is a third tradition that synthesized
the first two and added to them. 31
They propose that God lives in time and He created
the cosmos with a single act that happened only once
in time and then he left all the day-to-day happenings
to natural law that they call the Active Intellect. That
is, they were deists, who believed that God is like a
clockmaker who has made the mechanism that would run
the clock and then has let the clock run itself. Instead,
Muslims (like Christians or Jews) are theists, people
who believe that God is a personal God who is intimately
connected to the day-to-day happenings of the world.
How is it that the Islamic philosophers follow Aris-
totle? Is he not a Western philosopher? We usually
consider Western to be synonymous with European.
So have Muslims borrowed their philosophy from Chris-
tians? The answer is that Islamic philosophy is indeed
Western philosophy. In general, if one reads a survey
book on Western philosophy that covers the period be-
fore the middle ages, Islamic/Islamicate philosophers are
included there. In terms of philosophical tradition, philoso-
phers divide the world into three regions. First is the
Western realm that includes Europe, North Africa, and
Western Asia to Iran- people there historically follows
Western philosophy. The second is India and the third
is China. Although there are differences between Indian
and Chinese philosophy, still they share some fundamen-
31
That is the view of Fazlur Rahman in the Selected Letters of Ahmad
Sirhindi (Lahore: Iqbal Academy Pakistan, 1984)
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126 The Creed
tal characteristics and so they may be loosely grouped

together as Eastern philosophies.
Western philosophers are dualists- they see the world
as a dichotomy- something is either one or its contrary-
e.g., good or evil, white or black, beautiful or ugly, etc.
This dualist worldview went to the extreme in Iran, where
their prophets, e.g., Zoroaster and Mani, even preached
of two gods, one god as the creator of good and the other
god as creator of evil. In another time, this dualism went
to the extreme in northwest Europewhile the Romans
saw nothing wrong with their emperor being the chief
priest, pontifus maximus; the people of northwest Eu-
rope could never successfully integrate church and state
together.
In contrast, Eastern philosophers, both of the Indian
tradition and the Chinese tradition, are monists- they syn-
thesize the opposites; to them, good and evil, God and
the creation, existence and nonexistence are not antithe-
ses but parts of the same whole. It is true that there are
monist trends even in Western philosophy, e.g., Ibn Arabi
or Spinoza; yet still this general observation holds. Many
people today do not understand this and even many pub-
lishers and bookstores in the west classify books on Is-
lam with books on Eastern religion, and group them
together with Hinduism and Buddhism.
While it is true that Hinduism and Buddhism are
indeed Eastern religions, Islam, like its two sister re-
ligions, Christianity and Judaism, are not Eastern reli-
gions. All three of them are Western religions and
their philosophical traditions are in the mainstream of
the the Western philosophical tradition. Indeed, modern
Europe received its philosophical knowledge, even its
knowledge of ancient Greek philosophy, from the Mus-
lims. It is the Muslim philosophers who translated and
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studied and commented on the books of Plato, Aristo-

tle, and others, and kept that tradition alive. Europeans
learned about Aristotle from the Arabic translations of
his original works, that were then retranslated into Euro-
pean languages, as well as the translations of his Muslim
commentators e.g., al-Farabi, Avicenna , Averroes, and
others.
First, the Mujaddid affirms the mainstream Sunni
doctrine that God is all-powerful.
He (SWT) is the all-powerful chooser (qadir-

i mukhtar) He is unblemished by even a taint
of obligatedness (ijab) and exonerated from
even a surmise of compelledness (idtirar).
Then the Mujaddid begins his diatribe against these philoso-

phers of the faylasuf tradition and their deist doctrines.
The unwise (bi-khord) philosophers consider

obligatedness (ijab) to be [the epitome of] per-
fection. As a result, they have negated free
choice (ikhtiyar) from the Necessary (SWT)
and instead, they have established obligated-
ness.
These unwise ones consider the Necessary (SWT)

to be inoperative (tatil)32 and inactive except
that one single handiwork (masnu) has come
from Him (who is the creator of the heavens
and the earth). They even propose that He
made that [single handiwork] out of obliga-
tion. They relate the [continued] existence of
the newly originated things (wujud-i hawa-
dith) to the active intellect (aql-i faal), which
32
Inoperativity [tatil]: the doctrine where God has nothing to do.
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128 The Creed
has not been even established to exist except

in their imagination! They have nothing to
do with God in their corrupted conception.
Finding no other alternative, they turn to the
active intellect in their times of trouble but
do not turn to the Haqq (SWT) since they
do not give Him any ability to intervene in
the [continued] existence of newly originated
things. They say that it is the active intellect
that brings the newly originated things into
existence.
These unfortunate ones (bi-dawlatan) in stu-

pidity and foolishness (bilahat) [i.e., the fay-
lasuf ] are in the forefront of all misguided
sects. Even the people without faith pray to
God for help. And supplicate to Him to re-
move their misfortunesunlike these unin-
telligent ones (safihan).
The Islamic belief is that God is perfect and so He is be-

yond the imperfection of being obligated to do anything
in any way; in contrast, the faylasuf believe in obliga-
tionism. So the Mujaddid says that these philosophers
are not wise; they consider Gods being obligated to do
what He does as a fitting attribute for Him!
To the Mujaddid, the faylasuf tradition philosophers
are worse than the other misguided sects of Islam for two
reasons.
These worthless people have two things more

in misguidedness and foolishness (bilahat) than
all [the other misguided] sects. First, they do
not believe, instead they deny the revealed
law and they stubbornly resist and hold en-
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mity to the message of the messengers (ikhtibar-

i mursala.) Second, they hierarchically ar-
range some corrupted premises and manipu-
late some invalid proofs and visions (shawahid)
to prove their designs and baseless issues. In
proving their designs, they have become so
stupid that they exceed all idiots in their stu-
pidity. The zodiac and the planets are perpet-
ually unstable and wandering- still they hold
that their movements and positions cause all
that happens. They have shut their eyes be-
fore the Creator of the heavens, the giver of
existence of the planets and their mover and
the director of their affairs and instead con-
sider Him far removed from their affairs. What
unwise ones! What unfortunate ones! [The
only one] less intelligent (safih) is he who
considers them intelligent and wise!
First, they deny the revealed message that the prophets
brought forth. Second, they try to prove their misbegot-
ten beliefs via falsehood. He also decries their belief in
astrology that suggests that planets control the destiny;
instead he suggests that they turn to God who created the
planets in the first place.
The Mujaddid shows his scorn for all the sciences
of the philosophers.
Among their codified and systemic sciences
is geometry that is totally useless. The sum of
three angles in a triangle is two right angles-
what benefit does it have? Those theorems
that are close to their hearts33 - what purpose
do they serve? Medicine, astronomy, and ethics
33
shakl arusi va mamuni
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130 The Creed
are the best of their sciences and even that

they have stolen from the revealed books of
the prophets who came before our prophet
(salam). They use those extracted fragments
[from those divinely-revealed sciences] to spread
their own invalid sciences. Imam Ghazzali
clarified it in his book Munqidh an al-Dalal.
34
To the Mujaddid, many of the sciences of the faylasuf

are useless. And the ones which are useful (medicine,
astronomy, ethics) have their origins in the divine revela-
tion.
However, it must be understood from the context
that the Mujaddid villified geometry as useless only
because he could not find any practical use for it; and so
he rejected the study of geometry as an end in itself or
as a means of God-realization. He found practical use
for some of the other sciences and claimed that those sci-
ences have divine origins. If the Mujaddid saw the prac-
tical uses for geometry, he would respect that as well. So
the Mujaddidi view is that no science is worth studying
as an end in itself; instead they should help one either
in ones path towards God-realization or in the practical
world. And the only science one may study for God-
realization is the science that is derived from the revealed
message of the prophets.
The Mujaddid eulogizes the practice of taqlid, fol-
lowing authority of the prophets.
If the followers of godly religions and the prophets

(salam) err in their proofs and demonstrations,
34
Imam Ghazzali, Munqidh an al-Dalal. This translation is very good,
R. J. McCarthy, Al-Ghazalis Path to Sufism, (Louisville, Kentucky: Fons
Vitae, 2000.
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there is no fear. Since the source of their

practice is following authority (taqlid) of the
prophets (salam). They bring proofs and demon-
strations to establish their purpose only for
the sake of added strength. Following the au-
thority of the prophets is sufficient for them,
unlike these unfortunate ones [the philosophers].
They leave aside following the authority of
the prophets and instead rely on their proofs
to establish their argument. [They are] mis-
guided [themselves;] therefore they misguide
[others, who follow them, as well!]35
The Mujaddid also expresses his scorn for the philoso-
phers conceit and their denial of the prophetic method.
When the invitation of Prophet Hazrat Jesus

(salam) reached Plato,
36
who was the giant among these unfortunate

people, he responded, We are a group who
has already been guided! We do not need any
more guidance! How witless! [Jesus was] a
man who could perform feats that are beyond
their medical science- resurrecting the dead,
healing those born blind, and healing the lep-
ers! When they saw such a man, they should
have understood his [sublime inner] state!
It is utmost headstrongness and stupidity to
answer without thinking.
35
hadith: Dallu fa-adlu [Muslim]
36
Plato possibly here stands for the typical philosopher with their char-
acteristic mind-set the eminent philosopher by the name Plato died long
before Prophet Jesus. Another possibility is that it might mean Plotinus
(Flutinus), the third-century founder of Neoplatonism who influenced the
Muslim world so immensely.
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132 The Creed
Most of the letters of the word falasafah

is safah [and that means unintelli-
gent]
Therefore, the dominant verdict [that
the philosopher is] unintelligent
is the majority opinion
The Mujaddid continues to denigrate the philosophers

and mentions a book that exposes their errors.
May Allah save us from the darkness of their
ill-intentioned beliefs! These days my son
Muhammad Mathum 37 has completed the
book Jawahir-i Sharh-i Mawaqif . 38 While
studying this book, the ugly beliefs of these
unwise people have become clear and many
benefits have come from it. Praise be to Al-
lah, who has guided us to toward this. We
would not have been guided had Allah not
guided us! Verily the Messengers from our
Lord came with the truth! (Koran 7:43) [A
1.266, 111.9-113.3]
Taqlid
Taqlid is a fundamental Islamic concept that is very im-
portant to the Mujaddid. Literally, the verb qalada means,
to put a collar on. It refers to putting a collar on a beast
of burden so that he cannot see left or right but moves
37
Muhammad Mathum: Third son and the spiritual heir of the Mujaddid
38
The Jawahir by an unknown author seems to be short version of Ali ibn
Muhammad Jurjani (d. 818/1415), Sharh-i Mawaqif ; It is a commentary on
the Mawaqif, the well-known book on kalam and one of the best books
on that subject in Arabic written by Qadi Add al-Din Abdur Rahman ibn
Ahmad Iji (d. 818/1415.) (this footnote is taken from Fazlur Rahman text,
p. 70)
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TAQLID 133
blindly to wherever his driver directs him. Figuratively

it means blind conformity to the Prophet, the Salaf, or
the Pious Predecessors and others worthy of humble im-
itation.
The Mujaddid explains the concept of taqlid in de-
tail in his monograph Mabda va Maad.
He has an abundant share of the tariqa of the
sufis, indeed from the Islamic community (millat-
i Islam) who abundantly possess the fitrat, habit
of taqlid [following the authority of the pre-
decessors] and the innate disposition (jibilla)
of imitation (mutabaat) [of those worthy ones.].
Here the principal of affairs (madarikar) is

taqlid. And the taqlid of the prophets (salam)
elevates one to lofty levels (darajat) and im-
itation of the sufis brings one to the great-
est station of ascent (maarij) [from where he
can make a high ascent or uruj].
Hazrat Abu Bakr the Truthful (dwad) is greatly

endowed with this fitrat. [And because of this
fitrat,] without any delay, he rushed to accept
the felicity of attesting to the prophethood [of
Hazrat Muhammad (salam)] and became the
leader of the truthful ones (rais-i siddiqan).
On the other hand, the accursed Abu Jahl had
less receptivity to taqlid and imitation. [As
a result] he was not receptive to that felicity
and instead became the leader of the accursed
ones.
The perfection that a disciple attains is through

the taqlid of his own pir or guide. A pirs er-
ror is the disciples correct method. Because
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134 The Creed
of this, Hazrat Abu Bakr (dwad) used to seek

out the error of the Prophet (salam) and used
to exclaim, How I wish that I could be the
error of Muhammad!
Hazrat Prophet (salam) said about Hazrat Bi-

lal (Allah be satisfied with him!): The sin
of Bilal is shin to Allah. Hazrat Bilal was
a native of Ethiopia [where Arabic was not
the mother-tongue and so] used to [mispro-
nounce ash-hadu as] as-hadu [pronouncing
the shin] like sin during the prayer call (ad-
han)
To God (Mighty! High!) that as-hadu was

ash-hadu. Therefore, this Bilals error is bet-
ter than others correct way. Like a poet has
written:
Overwhelms it when you cry out ash-
hadu
Bilals call as-hadu
Bar ash-hadi to khandeh
Ze nida as-hadi Bilal
I have heard from an exalted man (aziz) about

[this characteristic of] a prayer (dua) that is
suggested by the sufi shaykhs, but in which
the shaykh has made a mistake; and so he re-
cites it in the corrupted way. If their follow-
ers recite those prayers exactly the same way
(bi haman sarafat) [with the same mistake]
that the shaykhs used to recite them, then the
recitation would be effective (tathir). On the
other hand, if they recite them correctly, then
it would no longer be effective.
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IBN ARABI AND WAHDAT-I WUJUD 135
May Allah (SWT) keep us steadfast on im-

itating (taqlid) of the prophets and follow-
ing (mutabaat) His friends (awliya) by His
love of His beloved [Prophet Muhammad]!
(salam) [Mabda 51, 75-76]
Ibn Arabi and Wahdat-i Wujud

The Mujaddid says that Ibn Arabi leans toward obliga-
tionism (ijab,) the doctrine of the faylasuf tradition philoso-
phers. Obligationism says that God has no free will; in-
stead whatever He does, He is obligated to do it.
The expressions of Shaykh Muhiyuddin Ibn

Arabi also point toward obligationism [the doc-
trine that proposes that God is obliged to do
whatever He does]. His interpretation of power
is analogous to the interpretation of the philoso-
phers. In that interpretation, it is not allowed
that capable ones abandon actions. And he
[Ibn Arabi] holds that it is mandatory to act.
[And since God is all-powerful, He is obliged
to act or to create.]
Please note that the Mujaddid always uses the title Shaykh
when referring to Ibn Arabi, thereby showing his respect
for Ibn Arabi. And he always uses the traditional term
quddisa sirruh, may his secrets be sanctified after Ibn
Arabis name. That denotes that he considered Ibn Arabi
to be a great saint.
The Mujaddid expresses his positive opinion of Ibn
Arabi, and considers those statements of Ibn Arabi, that
made others think that he deviated from Islam as errors
in unveilings; and as such, excusable.
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136 The Creed
Amazing thing! That Shaykh Muhiyuddin

[Ibn Arabi] appears to be accepted by God
in my [sufi mystic] vision [i.e., unveilings or
kashf ]! On the other hand, many of his ideas
seem to oppose the opinions of the people of
truth 39 !
And those [ideas] seem to be erroneous and
incorrect! However, errors in unveiling [that
Shaykh Ibn Arabi has for those few of his
ideas] are excusable just as errors in striv-
ings for interpretation (ijtihad) [in the matters
of the sharia] are not to be blamed. This is
my unique belief about Shaykh Muhyiuddin,
He is among the accepted ones of God but I
see his opinions that oppose [the consensus of
opinion of the ulama of the mainstream Sunni
community] to be erroneous and harmful [to
the common people].
Some sufis criticize (taan) and blame (mala-

mat) this shaykh. And consider [all] his ideas
to be false (takhtiya). Some other sufis choose
to follow the shaykh blindly and consider all
his ideas correct. And they [attempt to] estab-
lish the truth (haqiqat) of that [Ibn Arabis]
science through [fraudulent] proofs and [de-
fective] visions (dalail va shawahid).
Those proofs (dalail) are from the realm of external

knowledge, i.e., from the Koran and the hadith literature.
Those two sources are indeed true but they misinterpret
39
People of truth (ahl-i haqq): The Mujaddid seems to mean the ulama of
the mainstream Sunni community (ulama-i ahl-i Sunnat val jamaat) by this
term. Please note that the mainstream Sunnis exclude deviant sects such as
Wahhabis or Salafis, and the Mutazilas who may still accept the four caliphs
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IBN ARABI AND WAHDAT-I WUJUD 137
that knowledge and are so those proofs are unacceptable.

Similarly those witnessings (shawahid) are sufi mystic
visions and unveilings that are subject to errors and so
are unreliable.
However, there is no doubt that both of these
parties have chosen to follow the [two ex-
tremes of] excessiveness and deficiency and
(ifrat va tafrit) and remain far away from the
middle path. How can I deny the shaykh who
is an accepted friend of God only because of
his errors in unveiling? On the other hand,
how can I blindly accept [certain parts of]
his science that is far from being correct and
that is contrary to the opinions of the peo-
ple of truth [i.e., the rightly-guided ulama
of the mainstream Sunni community]? The
truth lies in the middle. By His grace and
generosity, Allah the Exalted has endowed me
with that knowledge.
Rejecting extremists: The middle path: Accepting extremists:

Ibn Taymiyya and followers The Mujaddid Ibn Arabis followers
Rejects all of Ibn Accepts most of Ibn Accepts all
Arabis ideas Arabi ideas; gently of Ibn Arabis
completely criticizes a few (but ideas blindly
still does not denounce
him, as those are
errors in unveilings
and thus excusable)
Table 4.9: Ibn Arabi: How Do They Consider Him?
It may be noted that many of the ulama of the main-

stream Sunnis have also proposed the same opinion on
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138 The Creed
Ibn Arabi. Many have also forbidden the common peo-

ple to read Ibn Arabi books. Because the common people
would take his writings literally, and will not understand
its deep hidden meanings and thus would go astray.
Taan is translated as criticize. In this context,
taan means gentle criticism; it is not a type of harsh
denouncement. And this is how the Mujaddid criticizes
Ibn Arabi; gently as opposed to harshly.
The Mujaddid reconciles Ibn Arabis wahdat-i wu-
jud
40
with the ontology of the ulama of the mainstream

Sunni community,
Take note! In the matter of wahdat-i wujud,

a large group in this sufi community concurs
with the Shaykh. Although the Shaykh has
his unique style here, still they are unanimous
in the gist of the matter. [On the first look],
this matter may appear to contradict the opin-
ion of the people of truth. Still one may pay
attention to it, as it deserves the effort for rec-
onciliation. By the grace of Allah (SWT), I
have reconciled this matter in the Taliqat bar
Sharh-i Rubaiyat , [my monograph where
I comment on the quatrains] of our Hazrat
[Baqibillah]. There, I have reconciled this
matter with the opinion of the people of truth.
And I have relegated the dispute between the
two schools to terminology. And I have re-
solved the mutual misgivings and suppositions
in such a way that no room for any doubt and
40
Wahdat-i wujud is the Persian equivalent of wahdat al-wujud and this
is the term that the Mujaddid uses, as he writes in Persian.
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BRINGING-INTO-EXISTENCE 139
ambiguity to remain. The text [of my mono-

graph the Taliqat] itself is the proof of this
for the reader! [A 1.266, 113.3-18]
The Mujaddids opinion on Ibn Arabi in the above sec-
tion is very important, as many scholars (who never
read the Mujaddid in the original Persian or even in an
accurate translation) believe that the Mujaddids criti-
cism of Ibn Arabi was a roaring criticism. Here it is
clear that it was only a mild criticism of a small fraction
of Ibn Arabis views. And the Mujaddid considered even
those few errors to be excusable as they are errors in
his unveilings. And he still viewed Ibn Arabi as a great
saint.
Bringing-into-Existence
God has brought everything into existence. He also sus-
tains everything.
You should know that contingent things, all
of them- whether they be matters, accidents,
bodies, intellects, souls, celestial spheres or
elements (jawahir, irad, ajsam, uqul, nu-
fus, aflak, anasir)- all are supported by the
[power of] bringing-into-existence of the all-
powerful chooser (ijad-i qadir-i mukhtar) who
has brought them from their concealment in
nonexistence into existence. As with their ex-
istence, they also need Him (SWT) for their
sustenance. [A 1.266, 113.18-114.1]
Worldly Occasions and Their Effectivities

By His wisdom, God has hidden Himself behind the cur-
tain of worldly occasions; but wise men see that curtain
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140 The Creed
as a proof of His existence.

God has made the existence of the worldly
occasions (asbab) a curtain for His activity
and He has made wisdom as the covering for
His power. No! Instead, He has made worldly
occasions as the proof of the fixedness of His
own activity. And He has made wisdom as
the medium for the existence [i.e., applica-
tion] of His power.
Possessors of sagacity are those whose insight
has been embellished by the kohl of follow-
ing the authority of the prophets. They know
that worldly occasions and mediums need God
for them to come into existence and to re-
main existing. They obtain from Him even
the slightest degree of their fixedness and abid-
ingness [thubut va qiyam]. In actuality, they
are really sheer inanimate things. How will
they bring about traces in other inanimate
things like themselves? Or how will they ef-
fectuate or originate them?
So there must be an all-powerful Being above

them who has brought them into existence
and granted them their appropriate perfections.
It may be compared to the scenario where in-
telligent people see inanimate things [such as
puppets in a puppet show] acting and from
that they deduce that those things must have
an actor or a mover [such as the puppeteer]
behind them. They do know that this act is
not possible for it [to do on by itself]. There
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WORLDLY OCCASIONS AND THEIR EFFECTIVITIES141
must be an actor above them who has brought

that act into existence.
So the act of an inanimate thing is not a cur-

tain hiding the real actor for the intelligent
people. On the contrary, when he sees the
inanimate thing acting, it points toward the
real actor.
The same argument applies here! Yes!Less

intelligent people may indeed see the act of
an inanimate thing as a curtain for the act of
the true actor. Since when he sees it acting,
he considers the sheer inanimate thing as the
possessor of power and denies the true actor.
As God says in the Koran, It misguides many
and guides many (Koran 2:26). This knowl-
edge of mine has been learned from the niche
of prophethood. Everyones knowledge does
not reach there!
Wise men attain their wisdom by following the author-

ity of the prophets. They know that worldly occasions
prove the existence of their Creator. Worldly occasions
lack any power in and of themselves. So if their Cre-
ator did not possess power, how else would worldly oc-
casions attain power? Therefore, the fact that worldly oc-
casions apparently possess power establishes that there
is a Supreme Being that is giving them that power. It is
like the puppet that acts in a puppet show, thereby prov-
ing that there must be a puppeteer who is controlling the
puppets, and giving them their power to move.
41
41
Worldly occasions that are beings other than humans may indeed be
compared to puppets, but human beings are not mere puppets in the Mujad-
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142 The Creed
There are many benefits of having worldly occa-

sions as intermediaries. As a proof, the Mujaddid cites
the story of Prophet Jacob in the noble Koran. He re-
bukes those who do not see the need for worldly occa-
sions. It is via the medium of those worldly occasions
that God Himself works. Our infinitely wise Lord em-
ploys worldly occasions, as He knows that there is wis-
dom in it. Such is also the sunna of the prophets.
There are many people who consider the elim-
ination of worldly occasions to be perfection.
First, they relate everything to the Haqq (SWT)
without any intermediary. They do not realize
that you eliminate wisdom when you elimi-
nate worldly occasions. There is much ben-
efit and wholesomeness in this wisdom [i.e.,
worldly occasions]. Lord! You have not cre-
ated this in vain (Koran 3:191). The prophets
held that all things proceed from God; how-
ever, they still always employed worldly oc-
casions as if those were pious deeds. For ex-
ample, in the case of Hazrat Jacob, he antici-
pated danger and suggested to his sons: Sons!
Dont enter through a single door. Instead,
enter through different doors (Koran 12:67).
Yes! Prophet Jacob did employ a worldly occasion for
his sons safety; he did instruct them to enter through
different doors. He was afraid that someone will look
at them with evil eyes and harm them. So to avoid
or, or at least to minimize the damage to one son only,
he suggested them to enter through different doors. But
even after employing that occasion, he put his trust and
didi scheme. Indeed, the Mujaddid grants human beings far more freedom
than Ashari does. See the section below entitled God the Desirer and Cre-
ator of both Good and Evil.
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WORLDLY OCCASIONS AND THEIR EFFECTIVITIES143
faith in God. And that attitude denotes the perfection of

reliance on Allah. Ignorant people may think that throw-
ing up their hands, sitting still without making any effort,
and hoping that God will perform a miracle is the apogee
of reliance on Allah. However, that is not what God sug-
gests and this is not what His messengers do.
Along with [employing] these considerations
(maraat) [i.e., worldly occasions, Jacob] rel-
egated this matter to the Haqq (SWT) and
said, I will not be able to protect you from
Allah in any matter. Verily there is no rul-
ing except that of Allah. On Him I rely and
on Him relies the reliant (Koran 12:67). The
Haqq (SWT) was pleased and He suggested
that it came from Him and commented about
Hazrat Jacob, Verily he possesses knowledge
for We taught him. However, most men do
not know this much (Koran 12:68). In the no-
ble Koran, God Himself has also indicated to
our prophet to take up intermediaries, Dear
Prophet! Allah and your faithful followers
suffice for you (Koran 8:64).
42
The Mujaddid supports the ulama of the mainstream Sunni

community by supporting the concept of effectivity
the ability of contingent things to effect. Employing the
power to effect of the created things is not a negation of
reliance on God. On the contrary, it is a demonstratation
of perfect reliance on God, who is the Creator of that
42
While most Koranic exegetes interpret this verse as translated above,
a minority interpret it differently, as For you and your faithful followers,
Allah is sufficient. Following the majority interpretation, the Mujaddid sug-
gests that this verse hints the Prophet to take benefit from his companions
as intermediaries. [IA]
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144 The Creed
effectivity. And when He wills, the worldly occasions

become effective, and when He does not will it, they do
not become effective.
Now what remains is the matter of effectiv-
ities (tathir) of the worldly occasions. It
has been narrated that the Haqq (SWT) some-
times does create effectivities in the worldly
occasions and so [in those cases] those things
[worldly occasions] do become effective. And
other times, He does not create the effectivi-
ties in them. Therefore, inevitably [in those
cases] those things [worldly occasions] do not
show any effect.
It is apprpriate that the Haqq (SWT) creates

effectivities in worldly occasions some of the
time and then they become effective. And
some other times, no effectivity manifests from
those [worldly occasions]. To deny absolutely
the effectivity of worldly occasions is evidence
of intellectual arrogance. One must admit ef-
fectivities. One should also admit that effec-
tivities depend on Gods capability of bring-
ing things into existence, just as the worldly
occasions do. This is my opinion on this mat-
ter. AllahAllah (SWT) reveals the truth!
From the above, we can conclude that employing worldly

occasions does not negate reliance on Allah; on the con-
trary, it denotes complete reliance on Allah.
This clarifies that employing worldly occa-
sions as intermediaries is not contrary to re-
liance on Allah- although the imperfect ones
[who have not realized the true knowledge]
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GOD DESIRES AND CREATES BOTH GOOD AND EVIL145
may think otherwise. On the contrary, the

perfection of reliance on Allah lies in em-
ploying worldly occasions as intermediaries.
Hazrat Jacob (salam) employed worldly oc-
casions, left everything to the Haqq (SWT),
and then relied on Him. As he [Prophet Ja-
cob, (salam)] says in the Koran, I rely on Him
and on Him relies the reliant (Koran 12:67.)
[A 1.266, 114.1-115.13]
God Desires and Creates Both Good and Evil

The Mujaddid affirms the mainstream Sunni creed that
says that God creates both good and evil. However, He
is well pleased by good deeds and displeased by evil
deeds. This subtle difference between desiring and
good-pleasure is hard to understand- and has given birth
to many schisms.
He (SWT) desires both good and evil. And

He creates both of them. However, He is well
pleased by good [deeds] and displeased by
evil [deeds.] There is a subtle difference be-
tween desiring (irada) and good pleasure (rida).
Out of all the sects of Islam, Haqq (SWT)
has given [only] the mainstream Sunni sect
guidance on this difference. The rest of the
sects have not been given guidance on this
difference and so they have remained in er-
ror. Here, the [misguided sect named] Mu-
tazila says that man is the creator of his own
actions. And it [the Mutazila sect] finds that
he [man] brings his own lack of faith or dis-
obedience into existence. [A 1.266, 115.13-
16]
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146 The Creed
The Mujaddid explains and comments on Ibn Arabis

proposition that good deeds come from Gods name, the
Guide, and bad deeds come from His name, the Mis-
guider, and therefore, He is obligated to like both good
and evil equally; they both please God in the same way.
The Mujaddid rejects this proposition of Ibn Arabi and
comments that this view is similar to Oobligationism, a
discredited heresy.
It is understood from what Shaykh Muhiyud-
din [Ibn Arabi] and his followers [who can be
compared to another misguided sect]
43
imply that faith and wholesome deeds please

the name the Guide in the same way that lack
of faith and disobedience please the name the
Misguider. This proposition contradicts the
people of truth. And it [this proposition of
Ibn Arabi] also is inclined toward obligation-
ism [the doctrine that God is obligated to do
whatever He does]; He is obligated to be well
pleased [at all activity] in the same way that
the suns rise and its illumination is pleasing
to the sun. [A 1.266, 115.16-19]
My sufi shaykh interprets this section above in the fol-
lowing way.
The sun rises and illuminates the solar sys-
tem whether it wants to or does not want to
is immaterial. Here, its volition is meaning-
43
The Mujaddid here equates Ibn Arabi and his followers with a sect.
However, it should be noted that he means sect only in an allegorical
sense. For he always considers Ibn Arabi as a great master of the mainstream
Sunni community and his views that contradicts the mainstream Sunni com-
munity as errors of unveilings and thus excusable.
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less. Ibn Arabi says that those things, e.g.,

faith, wholesome deeds, lack of faith, disobe-
dience, etc. will please God in the same way.
That is, God is obligated to like all the deeds
of man, good or bad; He has no choice in this
matter, since all actions of man proceed from
God Himself [i.e., the good actions proceed
from His name the Guide, al-Hadi, and the
bad actions proceed from His name the Mis-
guider, al-Mudill]. 44
The Mujaddid affirms that God is the Creator of all ac-
tions, however; He has given man power and desire so
that he himself may choose whether to do a certain ac-
tion or not. When he does choose to do it, Allah creates
that act.
Haqq (SWT) has given man [the attributes

of] power and desire so that he himself may
choose to perform the action [or not]. Cre-
ation of the action relates to Haqq (SWT).
And kasb or earning the merit [of the action
as the wages of his free choice of perform-
ing that action over not performing that ac-
tion] relates to man. Such is the habit (adat)
of Allah (SWT). After man intends to act out
an action, Allahs act of creation attaches it-
self (mutaallaq) to that [intended] action. [A
1.266, 115.19-116.2]
And in this method God creates that intended action.

The concept of kasb, which means acquisition,
or earning merit, comes fromkalam, the Muslim reli-
gious science used to defend the traditional Islamic be-
44
Muhammad Mamunur Rashid, Islami Bishwas, p. 24
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148 The Creed
liefs against the argumentations of the philosophers of

the faylasuf tradition and others. In contrast to the Chris-
tian science of theology, the only purpose of kalam was
defensive, i.e. to defend against the arguments of the
faylasufs and others. Imam Ashari, the first person to
systematize the mainstream Sunni kalam, introduced this
concept to answer this dilemma God is the creator of
human actions. All human acts are actually divine act(s).
So how can man be penalized on account of Gods act?
Would that not be injustice? (Please note that reward-
ing someone undeservedly is not injustice, it is Gods
bounty- punishing someone unjustly is the contentious
issue.) On one extreme, the deviant Jabariya or Compul-
sionist sect held that God compels man to do whatever
he does- both good actions and bad actions. This would
make God unjust for His punishment of someone in the
last world. On the other extreme, the deviant The Mu-
tazila sect held that God granted man absolute freedom
in his actions and man is the creator of his own actions,
thus God would be unjust in sending someone to hell on
account of his actions. Thus God becomes less than om-
nipotent, thus undeserving of His name all-powerful and
not the Creator of everything, and so undeserving of His
name All-Creating.
Complusionists Asharis (the dominant Mutazilas

(Jabariya) mainstream Sunni school)
Man has no Man has limited Man has complete
free will free will free will
Table 4.10: Free will of man: A comparison of the three sects
In answer to both, Imam Ashari, the predominant

mainstream Sunni scholar of kalam, and his followers
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introduced the concept of acquisition or kasb. They ex-

plained that there is a distinction between the creation
(khalq) and acquisition (kasb) of an action. While God
creates all human acts, man acquires his acts from Him.
Their viewpoint is summarized in this table. I also con-
trast the Ashari theory with the Mutazila theory, to under-
stand the former better. As the poet Rumi wrote, Things
are known by their contraries!
Now God has indeed given man both power and
desire, but how much? The official mainstream Sunni
teaching is that God has given man limited free will.
Now what is the extent of this limited free will? How
is it limited? Imam Ashari has given man a very lim-
ited free will and the Mujaddid criticizes this in several
of his maktubs. In contrast, the Mujaddid grants man a
truer free will, in line with the Maturudi school of kalam
that he followed. He proposes an ethics in which man
is more responsible for his actions than Ashari proposes-
he theorizes that while mans act of choosing is weaker
than Gods act of choosing, still it is sufficient to do
the act and therefore, it is man who is morally respon-
sible for the consequences of all his actions. Yes! Non-
human worldly occasions may be compared to pup-
pets. However, human beings are not mere puppets
with God pulling the strings; they do possess a true free-
dom in their activity in the stage of the world, although
it is a stage that God has set up.
When mans action proceeds from [his own]

act of intending and act of choosing (qasd
va ikhtiyar), then it is he who deserves the
praise, censure, reward, or punishment (mad-
ha va dham va thawab va iqab). It is said
that mans act of choosing is weak (daif ).
What does weak mean here? If it means
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150 The Creed
Ashari concept of kasb The Mutazila concept (where it

differs from the Asharis)
All power belongs to God. Power All Muslim sects agree in that all
is either a) original, i.e., power belongs to God and whatever
eternal (qadim), or b) derived, power man has is power derived from God.
i.e., newly originated (hadith). Ashari But the Mutazilas differ from the
agrees with all Muslim sects that the Asharis in the belief that the derived
power that man possesses is derived45 power is sufficient to perform
from God. Where Ashari differs from the the human act; while the Asharis believe
Mutazilas is that he proposes that that even that derived power is not
the original power alone is effective; sufficient, man still needs God
the derived power can create nothing. to perform the act for him
Ashari proposed that God creates the Mutazilas proposed that the power
actions that are performed by man; man that humans possess (although it is
is not capable of creating any action.46 originally derived from God)
There is no creator except God and the can indeed create and so mans
actions of man are, therefore, His creation.47 acts are his own acts.
But man may acquire Gods actions.
Thus God is the creator and man is the
acquisitor (muktasib) of human actions.
How does God create human acts? Mutazilas agree here.

It is a two-part process.
Initiation Part:
God creates in man the
power (qudra) to perform the act and the
power to make a free choice
(ikhtiyar) between two actions.
Completion Part: However, those two Here the Mutazilas do not need God to
God-created human powers qudra and complete the human act. The derived
ikhtiyar are not sufficient to do the act. power that man possesses (that originally
Man still needs God to complete his act. came from God) is sufficient to
Now it is the habit or nature (ada) complete the human act.
of God to create the action corresponding
to the power and free choice of man.
So God creates the act of man.
The Result: Therefore, it is God who Thus man is the creator

performs all human acts, both as to of his own action.
initiation and as to completion.
So how is man responsible for that act, which Man is totally free in all aspects of taking
is nominally attributed to him but is actually his act- in deciding between what act to do,
Gods act? Because man has acquired or in intending to do the chosen action, and
earned (kasb) the merit of the act. finally in completing the act, (although it is
God that originally granted man those powers).
i How? Man is free in deciding between which So the act of man is his own creation.
i
actions to do, and in intending to do the Therefore, it is man who earns the merit
i chosen action. By doing so, man acquires of the act. i
(iktisab) the merit of the act, good
or bad. So he earns the merit of that that
divine act, i.e., he earns or comes to
deserve the reward or punishment meted out
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ETERNAL BLISS AND DAMNATION 151
that human act of choosing is weaker than

the divine act of choosing, then it is correct.
On the contrary, if it means that human act of
choosing is not sufficient to do the act then
it is not correct. Verily Allah (SWT) does
not prescribe for someone an act that is not
within ones realm of ability. He wants the
easy act for man, not the difficult act.49 [A
1.266, 116.2-6; FR 74.2-20]
Jabariya Asharis Mujaddid Mutazilas

(Compulsionists)
Absolutely no limited free More and truer Complete free
free will will free will will
Table 4.12: Free will of Man: Comparison between the three

sects and the Mujaddid
The Mujaddid proposes a more and truer free will

than the Asharis, but still less than the complete free will
that the Mutazilas propose.
Eternal Bliss and Damnation

The Mujaddid unveilings totally conform with the main-
stream Sunni creedthe faithful will enjoy an eternity
of bliss and those who are unfaithful to the core, lacking
even a grain of faith, will suffer eternal damnation.
The gist of the section is that meting out an

everlasting recompense for an action of tem-
porary duration is the measuring out (taqdir)
49
The Mujaddid discusses more on predestination in maktub 1.289
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152 The Creed
by Haqq. He has decreed everlasting punish-

ment to be the proper recompense for lack of
faith for a temporary period of time [that is
the earthly life]. And He has decreed ever-
lasting bliss to be the proper recompense for
faith lasting for a temporary period of time
[that is the earthly life]- such is the measur-
ing out of the Mighty and Wise. [A 1.266,
116.6-8]
The Mujaddid justifies eternal bliss and damnation.

He argues that an eternity of bliss or pain is the proper
recompense for possessing faith in God or not; since God
is so sublime.
By the grace of Allah, we can also under-

stand that it is He who is the Lord of all man-
ifest and nonmanifest bliss and it is He who
brought the heavens and the earth into exis-
tence; and also all the greatness and perfec-
tion that there is, all that is established for
Him. The recompense for exercising a lack
of faith in Him would also be a most severe
punishment. And that punishment is eternal
damnation.
Likewise, to have faith in an unseen God who
grants us so much bliss should have a great
recompense. And to hold Him to be True
when the impediments of the [instigating] soul
and Satan exist should also have a great rec-
ompense. Indeed, their recompense should
be the greatest recompense. And that recom-
pense should be everlasting bliss. So faith is
the cause of being granted that greatest rec-
ompense, which is everlasting bliss! That re-
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ETERNAL BLISS AND DAMNATION 153
ally glorifies faith. Or instead, that glorifies

God who is the object of that faith.
Some shaykhs [e.g., Ibn Arabi] have said that

entrance into paradise truly depends on di-
vine bounty. [However, [while I, the Mujad-
did, agree to it, I also propose that God] has
made it appear that it [entrance to paradise]
depends on our faith ? and there is a reason
for Him doing so. And the reason is that we
find the compensation of our own acts to be
more pleasurable. [So, we find paradise more
pleasurable when we know that it is the re-
sult of us having faith than when we know
that it is the result of divine bounty. Yes!]
I consider that-entrance to paradise depends
on faith. [However, faith is merely an in-
termediary reason here, not the ultimate rea-
son.] And faith is His bounty and gift. [So
ultimately, entrance to paradise depends on
divine bounty.] Similarly, entrance into hell
depends on faithlessness. And faithlessness
grows out of the caprices of the instigating
soul. All the beautiful things that you receive
are from Allah and all the ugly things that
you receive are from your own selves (Koran
4:79). [A 1.266, 116.8-16]
The Mujaddid refutes Ibn Arabis proposition on

the eternity on punishement. Ibn Arabi proposes that af-
ter suffering hellfire for a long long time, everyone will
be ultimately forgiven and granted paradise. The Mu-
jaddid disagrees with that and instead supports the con-
sensus of opinion of the ulama of the mainstream Sunni
community- that the faithless will suffer eternal damna-
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154 The Creed
tion. He says it glorifies God to grant perpetual paradise

only to those who have faith in Him; and to send those
who reject Him to everlasting hell. Perpetuity in paradise
or eternal damnation- such a bountiful reward or severe
punishment on account of possessing faith in God or not,
that only exalts God!
The Mujaddid explains that denial of God is such an
enormous sin that eternal damnation is its proper recom-
pense. Here he again contradicts Ibn Arabi and supports
the ulama of the mainstream Sunni community.
You should know the following. You may en-
ter paradise only if you possess faith. [Faith
is so important that one receives such a great
gift, like the gift of paradise, only if one pos-
sesses faith. And the reason behind it] is re-
ally to glorify faith; instead to glorify [God
who is] the object of that faith. It is for this
reason that such an exalted wage is meted out
[on account of faith ? it glorifies God who
is the object of that faith]. And you will en-
ter hell if you lack faith. [Faith is very criti-
cal! So critical! So critical that one receives
the dreadful punishment of eternal damnation
for lacking faith. And the reason behind that
rule] is really to denigrate lack of faith and to
venerate (tabjil) Him [God], in whom is that
lack of faith. It is for this reason that such
a severe and everlasting punishment is meted
out. [A 1.266, 116.16-20]
Now the Mujaddid criticizes Ibn Arabi who denied
eternal damnation for the faithless and instead proposed
that finally everyone will enter paradise.
What some shaykhs [e.g., Ibn Arabi and his
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THE VISION 155
followers] have said on it lacks this subtlety.

Also, entrance to hell corresponds to that [lack
of faith] and those shaykhs interpretations do
not address this either. For entrance into hell
truly depends on lack of faith. Allah (SWT)
inspires the truth! Such as this! [A 1.266,
116.20-117.2]
The Vision
It is an article of faith of the mainstream Sunni commu-
nity that the faithful will see God in the last world.
The Mujaddids verification of this vision of Allah agrees
with the mainstream Sunni creed.
The faithful will see the Haqq (SWT) in the

last world in paradise. That vision will be
directionless (bi-jihat); howless (bi-kayf );
without likeness (bi-shabh) and without
analogy (bi-mithal). [A 1.266, 117.2-3]
The Mujaddid comments that all Muslim sects ex-

cept the mainstream Sunnis deny the vision. Even Ibn
Arabi reduces the vision to a self-disclosure in the out-
ward form.
This is such a matter that every sect, be it

within our religion or out of it, denies- except
the mainstream Sunnis- they [those outside
the mainstream Sunni sect e.g., the Mutazi-
las] do not permit a vision that is direction-
less and without what manner. Even so,
Shaykh Muhiyuddin Ibn Arabi has reduced
this next-worldly vision to a self-disclosure
in the outward form (tajalli-i suri) and he
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156 The Creed
does not permit any self-disclosure except with

this [interpretation, that it is a] type [that is
only in the outward form]. [A 1.266, 117.3-
5]
The Mujaddid points out that the vision that the main-
stream Sunnis propose and the Mutazilas deny is differ-
ent from what Ibn Arabi calls the vision.
The Mutazilas deny the vision since they stress the
incomparability (tanzih) of God and deny His similarity
(tashbih). In the reductio ad absurdum syllogism, they
argue in this line, Since God is incomparable, His vi-
sion also must be incomparable. Therefore, the vision
must be directionless and without what manner. How-
ever, we can not see something that is directionless or
without what manner. Therefore, the vision must be an
absurdity.
Ibn Arabi says that if the Mutazilas conceived the
vision to be some kind of self-disclosure in the outward
form like he conceives, they would not have denied it.
His conception of the self-disclosure (that he calls self-
disclosure in the outward form or tajalli-i suri) has both
direction and how; so the Mutazilas would not have
denied such a type of self-disclosure.
One day, our Hazrat [Baqibillah] quoted from

the Shaykh [Ibn Arabi], If the Mutazilas would
not confine this vision to the level of tanzih,
i.e., divine incomparability and instead would
propose tashbih, i.e., divine similarity and would
recognize the vision to be this self-disclosure
[in the outward form], they would never deny
this vision or consider it impossible. That is,
their denial is on the point of it [the vision]
being directionless and without-how (bi-kayf )
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THE VISION 157
[that is specific to the level of tanzih]. How-

ever, that [self-disclosure] which the Mutazi-
las conceive] is not at all like this self-disclosure
[in the outward form, which I, Ibn Arabi, con-
ceive], as this one has both direction and how.50
[A 1.266, 117.5-9]
The Mujaddid points out that the self-disclosure in

the outward form of Ibn Arabi would not be a vision of
God at all. And if someone proposes that the vision is
a sort of self-disclosure in the outward form, then he
is really denying that vision altogether and thus denying
the mainstream Sunni creed.
It should be borne in mind that to drag down
this last-worldly vision to a self-disclosure
as an outward from (tajalli-i suuri) [a self-
disclosure where God appears as a physical
form, which Ibn Arabi proposes] is really to
deny this vision. It is because although that
[last-worldly] self-disclosure in the outward
form is different from this [worldly] self-
disclosure in the outward form, still it is not
the vision of the Haqq (SWT). [A 1.266, 117.9-
11]
The faithful will see Him, lacking
any how
But will neither perceive Him nor
will take down an image [of Him]
The poem above illustrates what the nature of that
vision would be. It would be just as the Mujaddid ex-
plained in his monograph Mabda va Maad,
50
For more of his writings on the vision, see the Mujaddids monograph
Mabda va Maad, Minhas i.e., chapters 20 and 42; and also maktub 3.44
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158 The Creed
Tomorrow [on the Day of the Resurrection]

all the faithful will see the Haqq (SWT) with
their [own physical] eyes; but none will be
able to perceive Him. Sight would not be able
to perceive Him (Koran 6:103). [Mabda 42,
66.1-.3]
Dispatch of the Prophets is Mercy

The Mujaddid discusses the benefit of sending prophets
to mankind. 51 To the Mujaddid, prophets are critical in
order to tell us about God and His attributes. While intel-
lect is a proof, it is only an incomplete proof. Therefore,
the dispatch of the prophets is critical.
The dispatch of the prophets is an act of mercy

to the inhabitants of the world. If these great
ones were not the intermediaries, then who
would guide lost people like us toward the
knowledge of the person and the attributes
of the Necessary Existence (SWT)? Or who
would distinguish between the things that please
our lord well and the things that do not please
Him well? Without the support from the light
of their invitation toward God, our imperfect
intellects are far removed from this knowl-
edge. And without following these great ones
[who are the prophets], our incomplete un-
derstandings cannot understand it. Yes! Intel-
lect is always a proof but it is an incomplete
proof. It has not reached the level of maturity.
Dispatch of the prophets is the mature proof.
51
The Mujaddid writes more on the same theme-the need for prophets-in
his monograph Ithbat wa Nubuwwat
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DISPATCH OF THE PROPHETS IS MERCY 159
That is why the last-worldly reward and pun-

ishment depends on it.
The Mujaddid answers the question, If one disobeys the
prophets, he is subject to punishment in the last world.
If the prophets did not warn him, God would not have
punished him. So prophets can be said to be the cause of
his punishment. So how then, can the dispatch be termed
as an act of mercy?
Question: Since the last-worldly punishment
always depends on this dispatch [of the prophets],
how could one possibly call this dispatch a
mercy to the inhabitants of the world?
In answer, the Mujaddid first recounts all the nu-
merous benefits of the dispatch of the prophets.
Answer: This dispatch is identical to mercy,

as it is the worldly occasion, which leads to
the knowledge of the person and the attributes
of the Necessary Existence (SWT), and that
[knowledge] guarantees felicity, both in this
world and the next world. By this felicity
of dispatch, we attain the cognition of that
which is appropriate to the Holy Majesty that
is He (SWT) from that which is inappropri-
ate to the Holy Majesty that is He (SWT).
Our lame and blind intellect is branded by the
brand of contingentness and newly-originatedness!
How will it know which name or attribute or
[what is the reality of the] act(s) that is ap-
propriate to the Necessary Presence who is
necessarily eternal? So that it [our lame and
blind intellect] may know which ones [of the
names, attributes, or act(s)] it should apply to
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160 The Creed
Him and which ones it should not? On the

contrary, due to its own imperfection, it [the
intellect] often considers perfection as imper-
fection; and imagines imperfection as perfec-
tion.
I consider [the knowledge of] this distinction

above all obvious and hidden bliss. He is
most unfortunate who applies inappropriate
things to the Person (SWT); and associates an
undeserved thing to His exalted presence. By
this dispatch, [man can] separate truth from
falsehood. And he can distinguish right wor-
ship from the false [worship]. Through the
means of this dispatch, they [the prophets] in-
vite man to the Haqq (SWT), and bring the
servants to felicity of the nearness and ar-
rival to the Master. Through the means of
this dispatch, one may be informed on how to
well please the Master (lofty are His modes!)
as it has been mentioned before. And one
can distinguish when one may intervene in
the possession of the Almighty and when one
may not. There are many more benefits of
this dispatch. So it is now decided that the
dispatch of the prophets is a mercy.
He notes that he who disobeys this dispatch has only

himself to blame for his punishment, not the dispatch.
Therefore, the dispatch is still mercy, as it has numerous
benefits.
So one who obeys the caprices of his insti-
gating soul (nafs-i ammarah) is the one who
disparages this dispatch at the instigation of
the accursed Satan and who does not practice
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INTELLECTS AND REVELATION 161
in accordance to the message of that dispatch.

So why should that dispatch be blamed there?
Instead, why should not that [dispatch via the
prophets] still [be considered to] be mercy?
[A 1.266, 117.11-118.11, FR76.12-11.22]
Intellects and Revelation

Here the Mujaddid answers a question that is extremely
relevant to modern times, as many spiritually-minded peo-
ple (New Agers in America and elsewhere) ask, Why
do we need to bother with divine Revelation? Why cant
we just follow our hearts instead?
First, we need to note that the gods that many of
these new-agers follow are not even within their hearts
but instead their nafs-i ammarah, instigating souls. They
do what they want to do, i.e., what their instigating souls
want to do. But even when some of them (the more spir-
itual ones) do follow their hearts, even then they may
be misguided. This is true even for their masters who
have some realization of God, or even sufi masters. This
is why we need to follow the divinely revealed code of
conduct sent to the prophets for our salvation.
Here, the Mujaddid explains that even the purified
intellects, even those of their masters who have realized
God, are not free from human frailties. And therefore,
even the rulings derived by the purified intellects of those
masters (let alone the impure intellects of ordinary peo-
ple) are not reliable. Only the divine revelation that the
prophets receive is free from such errors and so is en-
tirely reliable.
Question: The intellect is essentially imper-

fect and incomplete in realizing the divine rul-
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162 The Creed
ings in itself or by itself. Even then, having

been cleansed and purified [i.e., refined and
polished] it [the intellect] does find a correla-
tion and conjunction (munasaba va ittisal) in
an other than how manner [i.e., it finds an
unqualified connection] to the level of Neces-
saryness (wujub). (SWT) As a result of that
correlation and conjunction, why cant it [the
intellect] acquire the divine injunctions from
there [i.e., from God directly and without the
intermediation of any prophet]? Why should
there still be a need for a dispatch [by the
prophets to mankind] via the angels?
Answer: Although the intellect may create

such a correlation and conjunction [with God]
still the taalluq, [the intimate attachment that
comes down to the intellect] from the hylo-
morphic form [i.e., the essence of an indi-
vidual man who is receiving the knowledge]
does not completely disappear or disengage.
So the faculty of imagination [that is an in-
tegral part of the essence of man] is always
holding fast onto it [the intellect]. Illusions
never leave the screen of its mind. The fac-
ulties of anger and appetite are its constant
companions. The vices of eager desire and
covetousness are its continual confidants. Absent-
mindedness and forgetfulness that are charac-
teristics of man are squandered on it. Errors
and mistakes that are the lot of mankind do
not leave it. Therefore intellect is not depend-
able. And the rules derived by it are not well
protected from the power of imagination and
the intervention of illusion. And they [those
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rules] are not preserved from the taint of for-

getfulness and the surmise of error. The case
of the angels is its contrary. They are pure
from these ascriptions and exonerated from
these vices. Therefore, they are necessarily
dependable. And the rules derived by it [the
method of transmission via the angels] are
well guarded from the taint of illusion and
imagination and the surmise of forgetfulness
and error.
On the hylomorphic form, Aristotle proposed that

primary substances, i.e., individual things (e.g., the man
Karim or the man Zahir, the thing A or the thing B, etc.)
are hylomorphic compounds made of matter poured into
the mold that is the hylomorphic form or pikar hayyu-
lani. So hylomorphic form means essence of a thing.
In Ibn Arabis ontology that follows that tradition here,
the hylomorphic form is the fixed entity52 and matter
is wujud. Or the hylomorphic form is the receptacle
or qabil of divine wujud. Or the hylomorphic form is the
essence while the substance is the outer form, the sura.
In this context, hylomorphic form refers to the essence
of man that includes human frailties like the vices of for-
getfulness, error, imagination, etc.
Another question, It is the God-realized sufi mas-
ters who have said sayings like All is He (hama ust), I
am the Haqq (anal Haqq), I am the Exalted (subhani),
etc. So why arent they true? The Mujaddid clarifies
that even for those great masters, the messages that they
presume to be from God may be false. First, those mes-
sages may have been corrupted during their transmission
to those masters.
52
On fixed entities (ayan thabita), see SPK p. 89. For a definition of
fixed entity see SPK, pps. 11-12, pps. 83-86.
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164 The Creed
Metallic Individual Individual Outer form Outer form

thing thing thing
Mold Hylomorphic Fixed entity Essence Reality
form (haqiqa)
Metal Matter Wujud

(existence
of God)
Table 4.13: Things and their compositions
There are some premises (like All is He, hama

ust, subhani, anal haqq) that the [sufi] mas-
ters hold as axiomatic truths (muqaddamat-
i musallama.) 53 They have been attained
by the way of illusion and imagination along
with other things. [So, necessarily] they are
far from the truth. Sometimes I sense that
when a science that is [really a body of] spir-
itual conjectures (bi-talaqqii ruhani) is spiri-
tually received, that science is contaminated
with some of those false premises. That hap-
pens in that interval of time when the sensory
faculties spiritually take down that science.
At that time, some of those false premises
are sometimes unintentionally contaminated
with that science in a way that those premises
cannot be distinguished [from that science]
at that critical interval of time [of reception].
While in that state [of reception], sometimes
those [false premises] can be distinguished
53
muqaddamat-i musallama (premises that [sufi] masters accept gener-
ally and hold as axiomatic truths.) Musallama means premises that are ac-
cepted and held as axiomatic truths by the experts and the elite, in this
context sufi masters, as opposed to the common people in general
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[from that science that was originally received

from God] and some other times they can-
not be distinguished. Therefore, that science
[that was originally true and pure] has neces-
sarily attained the form of falsehood as it has
been contaminated with those false premises.
Therefore, none should rely on that [contam-
inated] science any longer.
Note: When the Mujaddid wrote it, he directed this

not only against the misguided sufis and spirituals,but
also against the faylasuf tradition philosophers. The mis-
guided sufis believed that when they would receive their
enlightenment, they would attain an arrival (wasl) with
God; and through that relationship, they would establish
a correlation with God and receive knowledge from Him
directly. In the same way, many of these faylasuf tra-
dition philosophers (Avicenna, al-Farabi, Ibn Bajjah et
al) proposed that a elect few may attain enlightenment
through the acquisition of knowledge54 . And when the
enlighted minds of the seekers-of-knowledge will attain
true enlightenment, those minds will attain conjunction
(ittisal) with the active intellect. And then those en-
lightened philosophers will attain knowledge directly
from it.
Note: The Mujaddid writes in his monograph the
Mabda va Maad 55 that initially the heart receives a
spiritual knowledge and it is only then that the knowl-
edge is transmitted to the sensory faculties. On the other
hand, the sensory organs receive a worldly knowledge
first and it is only then that knowledge is transmitted to
54
Fakhry, Majid, A History of Islamic Philosophy, (New York: Columbia
University Press, 2004) p. 271
55
Ahmad Sirhindi, Mabda va Maad, minha 43; I referred to the Bengali
translation p. 97
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166 The Creed
the heart, which is the repository of conviction. Prob-

ably, the Mujaddid means the same thing here that the
heart receives this science spiritually and then this sci-
ence is transmitted to the sensory organs. He may also
mean that the heart is the repository of the conviction that
those are false premises and they mix with that science
while that science is being transmitted from the heart to
the sensory organs. Remember that in Islamic sciences,
especially in sufi epistemology, the heart, qalb is the or-
gan of cognition, not the brain.
Second, the Mujaddid explains that those messages
are corrupt because they have been received in an impure
heart. Please note that this argument is applicable in the
case of masters who live their lives outside the sharia.
Yes! The Mujaddid says that these God-realized mas-
ters may indeed receive inspirations, unveilings or per-
form miracles! However, one must follow divine revela-
tion in order to purify his heart- and it is not the soul,
nafs but the heart, qalb that is the primary organ of re-
alizing divine knowledge in the Islamic tradition. He ex-
plains that for those masters, it is their souls that are
purified but not their hearts. They may attain miracu-
lous powers and unveilings of the unseen world through
their purified souls but since their hearts are still im-
pure, the messages that they receive there are also impure
and are not worthy of reliance.
Or I can say that the cleansing and purifica-

tion of the soul depends on practicing those
wholesome deeds that satisfy the Master and
depend on the dispatchas it has been nar-
rated before. Therefore, one may not real-
ize the cleansing and purification without the
dispatch. The purification that the faithless
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PRESCRIPTIONS OF THE SHARIA ARE BLESSINGS 167
and the corrupt attain 56 is the purification of

the soul only but not the purification of the
heart. And the purification of the soul alone
does not increase anything but misguidance.
And it points to nowhere except damage. The
unveilings of some unseen things that come
in the hand of the faithless and the corrupt is
what leads one step by step to ruin. Their re-
sult is badness and damages that group.
May Allah (SWT) save us from these calami-
ties by our reverence for the prince of the
prophets [Muhammad] (salam). [A 1.266,
118.11-119.11; FR 77.22-79.6]
Prescriptions of the Sharia Are Blessings

The Mujaddid does not consider the imposition of the
divine commandments on us as a burden; instead, it is
a blessing. The Mujaddid notes that some people who
reject the divine law ask the question, Why did God im-
pose a burdensome law on us? Instead, why did he not
let us live like animals, unencumbered by any law?
It is clear from this verification that the pre-
scription of the sharia that is established by
the prophetic method is also a blessing. It
is not what the heretics who reject the sharia
consider.
In Arabic, taklif does mean prescription but in
Persian, the language of Islamic India, taklif means, bur-
den. So what in Arabic means God has prescribed
56
Elsewhere in the Maktubat, the Mujaddid writes that although the yogis
and Brahmins of India engage in many arduous practices to attain God, they
have come to naught, as those practices were not in conformity of the sharia
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168 The Creed
sharia for man means in Persian God has burdened

man with the sharia.
They mistakenly think that the word taklif,

prescription derives from the word kulfat,
burden. And so they think this way but it
is irrational. They argue, Where is the kind-
ness of God if He would prescribe difficult
deeds to people and say that if they would do
this difficult prescription then they would be
sent to paradise and if they do otherwise then
they would be sent to hell? Why did He pre-
scribe these difficult things instead of letting
us eat and sleep and do whatever we like?
Now the Mujaddid answers why we should follow

the divine law. First, the intellect establishes the prescrip-
tions of the law as necessary. Those prescriptions are not
at all a burden; instead they are expressions of gratitude
for Gods blessings to mankind.
These unfortunate and unwise people do not

seem to know that mans intelligence requires
people to express gratitude [to God] for the
blessings that they receive [from Him]. These
prescriptions of the sharia are the clarification
of this gratitude. Therefore, intellect estab-
lishes prescription as necessary.
Second, the Mujaddid explains that the law makes

the world an orderly place.
Furthermore, the order of the world depends

on this prescription. If everyone were left to
his own whim, nothing but evil and corrup-
tion would appear. Every whimsical person
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PRESCRIPTIONS OF THE SHARIA ARE BLESSINGS 169
would lay his hands on other peoples bodies

and properties. And depravity and corruption
would reign. They would destroy themselves
and they would destroy him [on whom they
have laid their hands]! May Allah save us! If
the prohibition and the ban by the sharia were
not there! Your life lies in just retribution!
Possessors of intelligence! (Koran 2:179).
The drunk Ethiopian would vomit
in the Kaaba
If the cane of the judge were not
ruling
Third, the Mujaddid argues, God is our absolute

owner. So whatever He has ordered us to do must be
done without any question. None may question whatever
He does!
Or I can also say that He (SWT) is the un-

bounded possessor and people are His pos-
sessions. So whatever ruling that He gives
or whatever intervention He does to them are
identical to goodness and wholesomeness. So
these rulings are devoid of and exonerated from
even a taint of injustice and corruption. None
may question whatever He does! (Koran 21:23).
Who has the courage?
(In fear of Him!)
To open up his mouth!

Until he has submitted to Him!
If He (SWT) would send everyone to hell and

decree eternal damnation, we may not protest
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170 The Creed
against Him. For that would not be a viola-

tion of the rights of others. Nor would there
be even a taint of injustice. [This is] unlike
our possessions, which are truly His posses-
sions. Every use of that [divine possession
by us] is transgression in itself. That is be-
cause [Allah] the Master of the Sharia, has
given us those possessions for some whole-
some purpose, although in reality, those are
His possessions. Therefore, our violation of
them [the divine possessions or rights] is per-
missible [only] to that extent that God the ab-
solute and unbounded owner permits it and
remains indifferent to it. [A 1.266, 119.11-
120.10; FR 79.6-80.12]
Revelation is True
The Revelation that the prophets of God receive is indeed
true.
What these great ones [the prophets of God]

(salam) delivered as decrees from God and
clarification of the rules, all that is true and
conforms to true events.
Yes! The prophets may make errors, but that error

is only temporary. God does not allow them to remain in
error for long. For example, in the Koranic story of the
Prophet Jonah (Koran 37:139148), God dispatched him
to his people and entrusted him with the obligation of
prophethood. However, he was disheartened by his peo-
ples adamant refusal to heed the truth. In desperation,
he left the area leaving his mission and his people. God
became angry at Hazrat Jonah and following the divine
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PUNISHMENT IN THE GRAVE 171
command, a big fish devoured Hazrat Jonah. He then re-

pented and was forgiven by Allah. Another example lies
in the Koranic story of Moses, who accidentally killed an
Egyptian trying to defend an Israelite (Koran 28:15).
Although they may err in interpreting the rules,

still they are not permitted to persist in their
errors. It is said that soon they would be made
aware of their errors. And when they real-
ize that, they would be driven to that which
is correct. So do not count their errors! [A
1.266, 120.10-13; FR 79.6-80]
Punishment in the Grave

The punishment of the grave as prophesied by the Prophet
Muhammad is indeed true.
The punishment in the grave for the faithless
and for some of the sinners among the faithful
is true. For the truthful reporter (salam) has
reported such. The questioning in the grave
of both the faithful and the faithless is also
true.
The punishment in the grave is more like the pun-
ishment of hell in its intensity.
The grave is the intermediary realm between
this world and the next world. In one respect,
that punishment [of the grave] can be corre-
lated to a punishment of this world, which
is of limited duration. [Because both pun-
ishments are of limited duration.] However,
in another respect, it [the punishment of the
grave] can be correlated with the punishment
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172 The Creed
in the next world, for it is really a punishment

of the next world [in its severity]. The gener-
ous verse Fire will be presented to them in
the morning and evening (Koran 40:46) was
sent down in reference to the punishment in
the grave. Likewise, the ease of the grave
has two sides as well [a worldly side in that
that ease- it is of limited duration and an oth-
erworldly side- in that the ease is heavenly].
[A 1.266, 120.13-18; FR 80]
God May Judge or He May Forgive

Allah may forgive all the sins of some people and send
them to paradise directly.
The man whose errors and mistakes Allah for-

gives by His perfect generosity and clemency,
and does not take account of his sins at all, is
truly fortunate. Even if He does take account,
God shows him perfect generosity and expi-
ates his sins by worldly pain and suffering. If
any sin is left, God expiates them by the pres-
sure of the grave and the sufferings he experi-
ences there. Finally, God cleans and purifies
him and then dispatches him to the Plain of
the Mustering.
Or He may not forgive him at all and punish him in

hellfire. However, all the faithful will be finally shown
mercy! They will be taken out of hell and granted par-
adise!
However, it would also be justice if God does

not do that and instead takes him on into the
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THE DAY OF RESURRECTION 173
last world. Woe to those humiliated sinners!

However, if those sinners come from the peo-
ple of Islam, they will finally be shown mercy.
And they will be protected from everlasting
punishment. This is the great grace of Al-
lah! By the revered status of the Prince of
the Prophets [Muhammad] (salam) Please ac-
cept our supplication, Lord! Complete our
lights for us and grant us salvation! Verily
You are powerful over everything! (Koran
8:66). By Your love of the Prince of the Mes-
sengers! Salutaion and peace be on him, on
his progeny and on them! [A 1.266, 120.18-
121.5]
The Day of Resurrection

The Mujaddid affirms the Day of Resurrection, when all
existence will be initially destroyed and later everyone
will be resurrected. This is contrary to the doctrine of
the faylasuf tradition philosophers who believed that the
cosmos would exist eternally.
The Day of Resurrection is true. That day, all

the heavens, the heavenly bodies, the earth,
the mountains, the seas, the animals, the plants,
the mines- all will become nonexistent and
destroyed. The heavens will be snuffed out.
The stars will be scattered and put to flight.
The land and the mountains will be swept away
like dust. All of these will be brought into
nonexistence and annihilated at the first blow
of the Horn. At the second blow [of the Horn],
everyone will be raised from their graves and
assembled on the Plain of the Mustering.
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174 The Creed
Now the Mujaddid comments on the faylasuf tradition

philosophers who deny the destruction of the cosmos.
The Mujaddid comments that they are denying the defini-
tive plain texts (the Koran and the hadith literature) and
the consensus of opinion of the prophets by making that
claim and therefore even their claim to be Muslim is sus-
pect.
The philosophers do not concede that the heav-
ens and the heavenly bodies will be brought
to nonexistence. And they do not consider the
annihilation and corruption of those things pos-
sible. They say that those things are begin-
ningless and endless.
The Mujaddid observes the fact that the philosophers of
the later period of the faylasuf tradition were even bolder
in asserting their anti-islamic doctrines. Still they claimed
to be Muslim and even practiced the rites of Islam!
Although they say all this, the later ones, out
of their own witlessness, claim to be included
in the class of the people of Islam and even
observe some of the rules of Islam.
He finds it surprising that even many sincere Muslims
support those philosophers of the faylasuf tradition when
its adherents deny definitive articles of the Islamic faith
derived from the Koran and the hadith literature.
It is surprising that some among the people
of Islam believe these interpretations of theirs
to be true. And they consider it wrong to
criticize or condemn them whilst they deny
definitive plain texts [the Koran and the ha-
dith literature]. And they contradict the con-
sensus of opinion of the prophets (salam).
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THE RECKONING, THE SCALE, THE BRIDGE 175
The Mujaddid brings his proofs for the destruction of the

cosmos from the Koran.
Allah has said, When the sun would be cov-
ered and the stars would be made turbid (Ko-
ran 81:12). And Allah has said, When the
heavens will be pierced and they will listen
to their Lord; that would be the right thing
for them (Koran 84:12). And Allah has also
said, The heavens will open up and sprout
many doors (Koran 78:19), i.e., the heavens
will be pierced. There are many such evi-
dences in the Koran.
In conclusion, he again suspects their claim to be Mus-
lims since he believes that the denial of the philosophers
of such a fundamental Muslim creed takes them outside
the boundaries of Islam.
They do not realize that reciting the verse of
witnessing is not sufficient for Islam. They
are also required to attest to all the necessary
doctrines in the religion. Also, they must be
exonerated from faithlessness; [in their hearts]
Islam will not form its form until then. Else
all efforts [to get closer to Allah] will be in
vain! [A 1.266, 121.5-17]
The Reckoning, the Scale, the Bridge

The Mujaddid confirms the mainstream Sunni creed and
declares the Reckoning, the Scale, and the Bridge to be
true.
The Reckoning (hisab), the Scale (mizan), and
the Bridge (sirat) are true, as the truthful re-
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176 The Creed
porter [Prophet Muhammad] (salam) has re-

ported.
The Mujaddid explains the critical importance of follow-

ing authority or taqlid of the prophets: The prophetic
method is beyond the intellectual method. Even when
denied by the intellect, we should still believe in divine
revelation derived by the prophetic method.
People ignorant of the prophetic method may

consider the existence of these things far-fetched
but that should not even be taken into account.
For the prophetic method is beyond the intel-
lectual method. To corroborate the true news
of the prophets by the intellectual gaze is, in
effect, to deny the prophetic method. There
[in the realm of religion], one transacts busi-
ness by following authority. They do not
know that the prophetic method is opposed
to the intellectual method. Indeed, the intel-
lectual method alone may not guide one to
that exalted destination [where one realizes
knowledge of God] unless knowledge that came
from the prophets (taqlid) corroborates that
[knowledge that one has attained through the
intellectual method.]. Opposition is one thing
and not arriving is another thing. One may
oppose after one arrives. [A 1.266, 121.17-
122.3; FR 82.7-16]
Paradise and Hell Are Eternal

The Mujaddid agrees with the mainstream Sunni creed
and affirms that paradise and hell exist; and that they will
remain for eternity.
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PARADISE AND HELL ARE ETERNAL 177
Paradise and hell indeed exist. After the Reck-

oning on the Day of Resurrection, one group
will be sent to paradise and another group
will be sent to hell. The reward and punish-
ment there will be for eternity without end; it
will never end- as the assured and definitive
plain texts have indicated.
The Mujaddid now comments on Ibn Arabis proposition
that the punishment in hell is only temporary- all sinners
will be finally forgiven. The Mujaddid proves that while
all sinners who possess even a grain of faith will be fi-
nally forgiven, still those who are truly unfaithful will
suffer eternal damnation.
In his book the Fusus al-Hikam, the author
[Ibn Arabi] writes that everyones end result
will be mercy. My Mercy embraces every-
thing (Koran 7:156). He establishes that the
faithless will suffer for three ages in the hell.
He says that after that, the fire will become
cool and peaceful for them, as it became for
Hazrat Abraham. He holds that to break di-
vine threats [for punishment] is permissible.
He says that none among the people of the
heart [i.e., sufis] agree to eternal damnation
for the faithless. In this matter too, he has
strayed far from the correct position. He does
not recognize that the embrace of mercy that
includes both the faithful and the faithless is
only for this world. In the last world, the
faithless will not even find the smell of mercy.
As Allah (SWT) says, Verily none would lack
hope from the Spirit [i.e., God] except the faith-
less (Koran 12:87). Allah also said, My Mercy
embraces everything. So We will ordain these
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178 The Creed
[good things] for those who venerate 57 Me,

pay zakat and believe in my verses (Koran
7:156). The Shaykh recites the first verse but
does not invoke the second verse. Allah has
also said, Verily the Mercy of Allah is to the
pious (Koran 7:56)
Here is one more verse [that they misinter-

pret], Do not think that Allah will break the
promise to his Prophet (Koran 14:47). This
verse should not mislead one into thinking
that it points specifically toward the breaking
of promises. Maybe God has mentioned only
the breaking of promises because what He
means here includes both helping the prophets
and their prevailing over the faithless. Actu-
ally, this verse contains both the promise of
rewards and the threat of punishment- promise
to the prophets and threat to the faithless. They
say that [rather, misinterpret this verse to mean]
that this generous verse negates both the promise
of rewards and the threat of punishment- promise
to the prophets and threat to the faithless. So
[actually] this verse proves the Shaykh wrong,
not right.
Also, he who threatens punishment and does

not carry it out is just as much a liar as he
who breaks his promise of reward; he would
not be worthy of being God(SWT).
57
The Koranic word khawf is usually translated as fear but I believe
that the word that is more accurate in this context, is veneration, awe, rev-
erence or adoration the respect mixed with fear that one experiences before
a mighty and majestic power like God.
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PARADISE AND HELL ARE ETERNAL 179
[This is to say] as if He knew from pre-eternity

that I would not exact eternal damnation on
the disbelievers, nevertheless- for some ben-
eficial consideration contrary to His [pre-eternal]
knowledge, He has then said that He would
not exact everlasting punishment. To propose
such a view of God is of utmost abhorrence.
Exalted is your Lord who is the Lord of Ex-

altation from with what that they qualify Him
[i.e., the evil attributes like being a liar] and
peace be on His emissary (Koran 37:180181).
For these reasons, this Ibn Arabi proposition should not

be accepted. First, it is only his unveiling and an un-
veiling may be indeed false. Second, it contradicts the
consensus of opinion of all Muslims.
That the people of the heart unanimously
agree on, that the faithless will not suffer eter-
nal damnation, is only an unveiling of the Shaykh
[Ibn Arabi]. There is a high possibility that
an unveiling is erroneous. So that unveiling
should not even be counted. This opinion of
his also contradicts the consensus of opinion
of the Muslims [as all Muslim ulama have a
consensus of opinion on the proposition that
the truly faithless will suffer eternal damna-
tion.] [A 122.3-123.2; FR 82.16-84.1]
Ibn Arabi claimed that all the people of the heart, i.e.,
the sufis who have attained knowledge from God from
an inner realization, agree that the faithless will not suf-
fer eternal damnation. The Mujaddid points out that even
if that were true, that the entire spiritual [community]
agree on that, that knowledge is not the incontrovertibly
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180 The Creed
true knowledge that the prophets receive, instead it is

only an unveiling- derived knowledge that is prone to
error. On the other hand, the ulama say the truly faith-
less will indeed suffer eternal damnation. And the ulama
derive their knowledge from the prophetic revelation that
is indeed incontrovertibly true knowledge Therefore, one
should disregard what Ibn Arabi said and instead believe
what the ulama said which is that the truly faithless will
suffer eternal damnation.
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CHAPTER
5
Angels
The Mujaddid discusses the angels and says,
Angels are servants of God who are preserved

from sins and protected from errors and for-
getfulness. As the Koran says, They do not
rebel against the commands of Allah and they
do what has been commanded to them (Koran
66:6). They are pure from [the blemish that
is the need of] eating and drinking [which is
the characteristic of the creatures of the lower
corporeal realm]. And they are unattached
and exonerated from a conjugal relationship
[that is another characteristic of those lower
beings].
Angels are neither male nor female. So why did God

use the masculine gender for them in the Koran? The
Mujaddid explains that question here.
God uses masculine personal pronouns for them

in the Sagacious Koran (al-Quran al-Hakim)
181
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182 CHAPTER 5. ANGELS
because of the nobility of the male over the

female. It is in line with Gods using the mas-
culine pronoun to refer to Himself.
Therefore, that should not be construed to mean that the

angels are male.
The Mujaddid believes that angels can be prophets
as well.
God has elected a few among them [the an-

gels] for Messengerhood, just like He has en-
nobled a few humans with this felicity as well.
As the Koran says, Allah chooses His Mes-
sengers from the angels and humans(Koran
22:75).
The Mujaddid affirms that the human prophets are

ranked higher than even the elect angels who are not
prophets.
Most of the ulama among the people of truth

hold that the elect among humans are supe-
rior to the elect among the angels. Imam Ghaz-
zali, Imam of the Two Holy Cities, 1 and [Ibn
Arabi], the author of the Meccan Revelations
- they both proposed the superiority of the
elect angels over the elect humans. What ap-
pears to me is that the friendship that the an-
gels possess is superior to the friendship that
the humans possess [i.e., the elect angels are
closer to God than the elect human beings].
Nevertheless, prophethood and messengerhood
are on an [exalted] rank that the angels may
1
Imam of the Two Holy Cities (Imam al-Haramayn): Abd al-Malik ibn
Abdullah Juwaini (d. 478 / 1085-86
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183
not reach. That rank arises from the element

of earth that is in the lot of humans only. 2
The Mujaddid affirms that the prophet is far more exalted

in his rank than the friends of Allah, and this is in agree-
ment with the opinion of the majority of the ulama. Here
he contradicts Ibn Arabi who says that the friend, wali is
nearer to God than the prophet in his prophetic dimen-
sion. (Remember! A prophet is a wali too!) It is because
the focus of the prophet is toward the people while the
focus of the friend is toward God3
It has also been made manifest to me that

the perfection of friendship has no compar-
ison to the perfection of prophethood. Alas!
This relationship is like the relationship of a
drop of water to the ocean. Therefore, the
adornment that comes from prophethood is
far superior to the adornment that comes from
friendship. So, absolute superiority belongs
to the prophets. Angels [who are not prophets
themselves] are superior to the [human] prophets
only in certain aspects. What the majority of
the ulama has said is indeed correct. Praise
is to Allah who has kept me with them! It is
clear from this verification that no friend may
reach the rank of any prophet. On the con-
trary, the head of that friend will always re-
main below the feet of the prophet. [A 1.266,
123.2- 16]
2
The Mujaddid writes more about the superiority of elect man over the
angels in The Mabda va Maad, Minha i.e., chapter 23
3
Mabda va Maad, Minha i.e., chapter 57
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The Ulama is More Correct

The Mujaddid finds the ulama to be more correct in
their interpretation of religion than the sufis.
You should know that in all the matters where

the ulama and the sufis differ, when I observe
it well then I find truth to lie with the ulama.
And this is because the ulama follow the prophets in their

quest for the truth- they arrive at the truth by extracting
information from the level of prophethood, i.e., from di-
vine revelation that is preserved from error. On the other
hand, the sufis attain their information from the level of
friendship, i.e., from the unveilings and witnessings of
the friends, and this is prone to error. Therefore, the in-
formation that the prophets attain through divine revela-
tion, wahi, is far more correct than the information that
the sufis attain through unveiling and inspiration, kashf
va ilham. The ulama obtain their information by employ-
ing reason to that divine revelation and as a corollary,
their information is also more correct than sufi inspira-
tions.
Its mystery is that the gaze of the ulama, as

they follow the prophets (salam), penetrates
the perfection of prophethood and its science.
On the other hand, the gaze of the sufis is fo-
cused on the perfections of friendship and its
science. Therefore, necessarily, the science
that is taken from the niche of prophethood
is more correct and truer than that which has
been taken from the level of friendship. I
have included the verification of some of this
science in the maktub that I have written to
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FAITH AND HOLDING ENMITY 185
my rightly guided son on the tariqa. 4 If

you are not clear, you may refer there [to that
maktub]. [A 1.266, 123.16-124.6]
Faith and Holding Enmity

The Mujaddid defines faith as attesting to all the required
doctrines of Islam. Faith refers to the attestation by the
heart of all the required and well-known matters of the
religion that has reached us. Verbal attestation is also
a pillar of the faith but sometimes that may be omitted
[under extenuating circumstances, e.g., where it is dan-
gerous to admit it].
Faith is the attesting by heart in all [the ar-

ticles of the faith that are] required and well
accepted. It is said that verbal attestation is
also a pillar of the faith that [sometimes] may
be omitted.
While the Mujaddid encourages us to harbor enmity to-

ward faithlessness, this must be interpreted in the light
of his times. At that time, ideas that compromised the
purity of Islam were prevalent; indeed, as a result, Islam
in India faced an existential threat. The Emperors Akbar
and Jahangir synthesized the principles and the practices
of Islam with other religions like Hinduism and Jainism
and arrived at a corrupted version of Islam, which is not
really Islam at all. The Mujaddid stresses that there is no
joining the truth with the untruth. And we should hold
enmity against all beliefs that go against Islam.
A signpost of this attestation is to proclaim

distance (tabarri) from faithlessness; and to
4
Maktub 1.260 written to Khwaja Muhammad Sadiq.
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detest lack of faith and all the characteristic

and necessary things of faithlessness, e.g., ty-
ing religious belts to mark one as an adherent
to a different religion, etc. May Allah (SWT)
save us [from doing that!]. If someone claims
this attestation [of faith] but still does not dis-
tance himself from faithlessness, then he be-
lieves in two religions and so he is branded
with the burning nametag of apostasy.
Truly, the ruling on him is the ruling of a hyp-

ocrite. He is neither with this group, nor is
he with that group (Koran 4:143) . There-
fore, in order to realize true faith, there is no
alternative to distancing oneself from faith-
lessness. The lowest form of that distance
is distance by the heart. The highest form
of that distance is distance by both the heart
and the body (qalib.) Here distancing one
means holding enmity (dushmani) against the
enemies of the Haqq. That should be done
with the heart only if there is an apprehen-
sion that they would harm us. Otherwise, that
should be done with both the heart and the
mold when there is no such apprehension.
The Koran says, Prophet! Struggle with the

faithless and the hypocrites and treat them
harshly (Koran 9:73). For love for God and
love for the Prophet does not materialize with-
out holding enmity against their enemies.
Nearness is not possible

Without enmity [A 1.266, 124.6-
11]
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SHIAS WRONGLY DEFAME THE COMPANIONS 187
Shias Wrongly Defame the Companions

The Mujaddid demonstrates that it is wrong to hold en-
mity against the companions.
Here it is true that the Shias apply this say-

ing [that being a friend is not possible with-
out holding enmity] to the friendship with
the Prophets family. They hold that a pre-
condition of that friendship is enmity to the
[first] three caliphs [Hazrat Abu Bakr, Hazrat
Umar, and Hazrat Uthman] and the other com-
panions [who are outside the Prophets fam-
ily]. That interpretation is not really correct,
as the pre-condition is the enmity to their en-
emies, not the unbounded enmity to every-
one else [except the Prophets family].
No intelligent person with a sense of justice

would ever allow that the companions of the
Prophet (salam) would hold enmity against
the family of the Prophet. Instead, these great
men spent their properties and even themselves
for the love of the Prophet; and sacrificed their
exalted rank and leadership. So how can one
relate enmity of the Prophets family to them?
How it is possible when definitive plain texts
(the Koran and the hadith literature) establish
the love of the near ones to that great man;
and have made their love [love of the com-
panions] as the wage [from us] of their invi-
tation [of us] toward God.
As Allah has said, Say: I do not seek anything

from you as its wage except support for my
near ones. [I do not seek anything from you,
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the members of the Muhammadan commu-

nity, except support for my family-members,
as the wage of the prophetic invitation]. We
will increase the rewards for him who will
practice good deeds (Koran 42:23).
Therefore, instead of holding enmity against the noble

companions, you may hold enmity against the enemies of
God! The Mujaddid comments elsewhere5 that while the
Shias are always calumniating against the companions
(who served the prophet) they never vilify his enemies,
such as Abu Jahl (who was the principal enemy of the
Prophet).
Now the Mujaddid brings the example of the Prophet
Abraham. He became a friend Allah by his enmity to the
enemies of Allah. The Mujaddid interprets the saying
Being a friend is not possible without holding enmity
to mean that that enmity is toward the enemies of Al-
lah, not toward those who the Shias detest the first three
caliphs and the companions in general.
Prophet Abraham, the Friend of the All-Merciful
(salam), has attained such greatness that he
has become the trunk of the tree of the prophets
by [virtue of] his enmity to His enemies. It is
for this reason that Allah said, Verily for you
there is a beautiful model [example] in Abra-
ham and those who are with him. They told
their people Verily we are enemies to you
and those who you worship in lieu of Allah.
We reject you. An everlasting enmity and a
wrathful relationship has begun between you
and us until you bring faith in one Allah
(Koran 60:4). I see no other practice as good
5
Maktubat-i Imam-i Rabbani
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GODS PERSONAL ENMITY WITH FAITHLESSNESS189
as this enmity [to the enemies of God] to real-

ize the satisfaction of God. [A 1.266, 124.11-
125.4]
Gods Personal Enmity with Faithlessness

The Mujaddid explains why the faithless will suffer eter-
nal damnation in the last world; it is because His enmity
with faithlessness is personal (i.e., related to His person)
while his displeasure with the evil deeds is related to His
Attributes.
I find that the Haqq (SWT) has a personal

(dhati) enmity with the faithless and faith-
lessness. And the external (afaqi) idols, e.g.,
Lat or Uzzah [and other pagan deities] and
their worshippers are the personal enemies
of the Haqq (SWT). Eternal hellfire is the rec-
ompense for this abominable act. On the other
hand, the human caprices that are the internal
(anfusi) idols of the instigating soul; and all
other bad deeds are not like that. For Gods
enmity and wrathfulness with them is not per-
sonal wrath. Instead, the wrath [that God
has with them] relates to [His] attributes. If
there is a punishment or rebuke, then it is
[imposed as a recompense] for their actions.
That is why eternal damnation is not the rec-
ompense for such sinful acts. Instead, He
may forgive them [even without any punish-
ment at all] if He so desires. [A 1.266, 125.4-
9; FR 87.2-10]
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The Faithless Will Not Receive Mercy

The Mujaddid confirms the mainstream Sunni creed and
establishes that the truly faithless will not receive divine
mercy in the last world; they will suffer eternal damna-
tion. This is because Gods enmity with the polytheists
is personal, while His enmity with the faithful sinners
is attributive.
You should know that since it is established

that Gods enmity with the faithless and faith-
lessness is personal, His merciful attributes
would not nullify His personal enmity in
the last world. For what relates to the per-
son is mightier and higher than what relates
to the attributes. So that what is established
by the attributes may not replace what is es-
tablished by the person (dhat.) In a hadith re-
port in which God speaks in the first person,
My Mercy precedes My Wrath. 6 refers to
attributive wrath that is the lot of the sinful
faithful, not the personal wrath that is the
lot of the polytheists.
Now the Mujaddid verifies how the faithless receive di-

vine mercy in this world while God is personally angry
with them. He establishes by the Koran that that mercy
is really only a mercy in appearance but actually divine
wrath.
Question: In your above verification, the faith-

less do receive divine mercy in this world. So
how can the attribute of mercy negate per-
sonal enmity in this world?
6
hadith: sabaqat rahmata adhabi [Bukhari, Muslim]
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THE FAITHLESS WILL NOT RECEIVE MERCY 191
Answer: The mercy that the faithless receive

in this world is merely in appearance or out-
ward form. Actually, they are divine plans
that take them step-by-step to ruin. As Allah
has said, Do they calculate that the respite
that We are giving them with property and
children is helping them by taking them to
good? Nay! For they do not understand!
(Koran 23:5556). It also says in the Koran,
We will take them step by step [to ruin] in a
manner that they would not understand. Ver-
ily My scheme is strong (Koran 7:182183),
and that establishes that meaning as well. So
understand! [A 1.266, 125.9-19; FR 87.10-
88.2]
Now the critical question is, who is truly faithless? Is

anyone who does not have a tribal affiliation with Is-
lam faithless? Let us look in the Mazharian Exegesis,
Tafsir al-Mazhari , written by the eminent nineteenth-
century Hanafi scholar and Mujaddidi sufi shaykh Qazi
Sanaullah Panipathi. Hazrat Qazi Sanaullah is a highly
acclaimed scholar who is greatly respected in Turkey,
the Indian subcontinent, and many other countries that
follow the Hanafi school. He named this exegesis after
his sufi shaykh Mirza Mazhar Jan-i Janan Shahid who is
found in almost all Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi silsilas. He
named this exegesis after his shaykh because it was his
shaykhs spiritual nurturing that enabled him to realize
true knowledge. The great scholar says in interpreting
the verse, Verily there are many among the People of the
Book who have brought faith in Allah and what We have
revealed unto you and what We have revealed unto them,
in the spirit of veneration of Allah; and do not sell Al-
lahs verses at a meager price. For them, there is a great
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bounty as their wage with their Lord (Koran 3:199). Ex-

plaining this verse, Qazi Sanaullah Panipathi writes that
it was revealed on the occasion of the death of Negus, the
King of Ethiopia [who believed in the Prophet Muham-
mad being a messenger from Allah, i.e., Islam, but still
followed his Christian practices]. The Prophet prayed the
janazah prayer for him in Medinah. Upon seeing this,
the hypocrites started to ridicule, Look! Muhammad is
now praying for a Christian! 7 The exegete explains,
All the People of the Book are not faithless. There are
many among them who have faith. They possess the cor-
rect conception of the person and the attributes of Allah.
They have faith in the Koran, and in the previously re-
vealed heavenly books: the Torah, the Psalms of David,
and the Gospels. Before Allah, there is a great prize for
those among the People of the Book who have brought
faith. Now according to the exegesis of this eminent
scholar, Allah and the Prophet Muhammad (salam) ap-
pear to be more generous in expanding the definition of
the faithful than many tribal Muslims.8
All the Faithful Will Be Saved

Here the Mujaddid establishes that everyone who pos-
sesses even a grain of faith, even if they have committed
grave sins and have been sent to hell, will be finally for-
given and allowed to enter paradise.
Question: Eternal damnation in hell is the

recompense for lack of faith. However, what
7
The Bengali text of the Tafsir al-Mazhari says Jew but that is clearly
an error
8
Qadi Sanaullah Panipathi, Tafsir al-Mazhari, I referred to the Ben-
gali translation, Kayi Chanaullaha Panipathi, Taphsire Mayhari, (Dhaka:
Hakimabada Khankaye Mojaddediya) p. 199
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ALL THE FAITHFUL WILL BE SAVED 193
about that faithful person who observes the

rites of the faithless and glorifies their cus-
toms? The ulama rule him to be an unfaith-
ful person and include him among the apos-
tates. Most of the Muslims in India are af-
flicted with this calamity. So by the juridi-
cal proclamation of the ulama (fatwa), they
should be afflicted with endless punishment
in the last world. On the other hand, it comes
in sound hadith reports that if someone pos-
sesses even a grain of faith in his heart then
he will be taken out of hell and will not suffer
everlasting punishment. What is your verifi-
cation of this matter?
The Mujaddid clarifies that while those who are unfaith-
ful to their cores will suffer eternal damnation; those
who possess even a particle of faith (even after practic-
ing other religions) will be finally forgiven and granted
paradise.
Answer: If he is completely unfaithful (kafir-

i mahd), then everlasting punishment is in-
deed his lot. (May Allah (SWT) save us from
that grave predicament!) However, if he has
even a grain of faith left [even] after taking
up the customs of the faithless, he will [still]
be taken out of hell [after a limited time of
chastisement]. By the blessing of that grain
of faith, there is hope that he will be delivered
from eternal damnation. And he will be saved
from permanent imprisonment [in hell].
The Mujaddid verifies that only the punishment of hell-

fire may wipe out the sin of faithlessness. That means
that a person who has committed a sin of faithlessness
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and died before repenting, will have to face punishment

in hell for a finite amount of time to expiate for his sin of
faithlessness, though he will still be taken out hell after
some time unless he is completely and totally faithless
without even a particle of faith in him.
Once I was visiting a sick man who was on

the verge of death. When I became aware of
his state, I saw that his heart is very dark.
Although I gave him a face-turning to remove
that darkness, it failed to do that. After giv-
ing him a lot of face-turnings, I realized that
that darkness arises from his hidden quality
of lack of faith. The origin of that turbidity
is his friendship with the faithless and faith-
lessness. Numerous face-turnings could not
remove that darkness. For only the punish-
ment of fire that is the recompense of lack of
faith may purify the heart from that darkness.
I also realized that if that person has even a
grain of faith, then by its blessing he would
finally be taken out of hell.
You should pray the funeral prayer, janazah, for even

nominal Muslims, i.e., Muslims who profess faith but
still observe the rites of the faithless peoples.
When I witnessed such a state [of merely nom-
inal faith] in him, I seriously questioned whether
or not I should pray his janazah [funeral prayer].
After I had concentrated on this matter, it ap-
peared that I should indeed pray his janazah.
Therefore, you should pray the janazah for
even such a Muslim who possesses faith but
still observes the rites of the faithless and glo-
rifies their holy days. They should not be
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left as disbelievers [for the disbelivers to per-

form their customs on them]- as the people do
these days. One should harbor the hope that
by the blessing of that [grain of] faith they
would finally be saved from eternal damna-
tion.
There is no forgiveness for the faithless people. If he
were a faithless person in his core, eternal damnation
would be his lot. If he has even a grain of faith in him, he
will suffer only a temporary punishment in hell. How-
ever, in any case, the faithless people will indeed be pun-
ished.
So now we know that there is no forgiveness
or relief for the unfaithful. Verily Allah will
not forgive the polytheists (Koran 4:48). If
he is totally unfaithful, endless punishment is
the recompense for his lack of faith. On the
other hand, if he has even a grain of faith then
a temporary punishment in hell will be his
recompense. For the rest of the major sins,
Allah may forgive or He may punish, as He
chooses. I believe that punishment in hell-
be it temporary or eternal is the lot of lack of
faith [itself] and the attributes of lack of
faith. Its verification will come soon [in the
question and answer section below the next
paragraph].
A truly faithful person, even if he has committed major
sins, will never suffer punishment in hell.
Allah may forgive the major sinners [of those
who possess faith] if they repent. Or He may
forgive [them] through [someone elses] in-
tercession. Or He may forgive by His own
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forgiveness and grace. Or He may forgive

[them after they suffer] worldly pain and or-
deals. Or He may forgive [them after] the
hardships and agony of death.
For the rest, I hope that He would deem their

punishment in the grave as sufficient punish-
ment. Or in addition to that punishment, He
would complete their punishment by the [painful]
circumstances of the Day of Resurrection and
the sufferings of that day. Thus He will not
leave any sin that would need the punishment
of hell [to expiate it].
Its proof is the word of Allah, Those who

have brought faith and have not clothed their
faith by transgression (zulm) they are the ones
for whom there is security. (Koran 6:83) Here
transgression means ascribing a partner to Al-
lah. Allah (SWT) is most knowledgable on
the realities of things, all of them.
My sufi shaykh explained that the sins for which even a

person of faith would suffer hellfire (e.g., murder, theft,
etc.) are not the sin of faithlessness; they are still close
to the sin of faithlessness.
Now the Mujaddid verifies his previously mentioned
proposition that punishment in hell- be it temporary or
eternal- is the lot of those who lack faith [itself] and
the attributes of the lack of faith. While a sinful faith-
ful person may still suffer in hellfire, the Mujaddid es-
tablishes that the sins that he commits must possess the
attributes of the lack of faith.
Question: What if someone mentions that
punishment in hell comes as the compensa-
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tion for many other sinful acts in addition to

the act of lacking faith? For example, the
Almighty has said, Whosoever murders a faith-
ful person intentionally, he will be in the Gehenna9
(Koran 4:93). It comes in the hadith literature
that whosoever prays an obligatory prayer late
without an excuse will suffer punishment in
hell for one era. Therefore [it is established
that] the punishment in hell is not the out-
come for only the people without faith. [There-
fore, how can you claim what you claimed a
few paragraphs before, that the punishment
in hell- be it temporary or eternal- is the lot
of those who lack faith itself and the at-
tributes of that lack of faith.]
Answer: My answer is that he who murders

intentionally refers to that murderer who be-
lieves that murder is lawful. And the Koranic
exegetes have explained that he who consid-
ers murder to be lawful is a faithless person.
Those sins, for which the punishment of hell
has been decreed, are not devoid of the taint
of the attribute of faithlessness. Examples
of such sins are to belittle that sin, to lack
compunction having done that sin, or to hold
the rules and regulations of the sharia in con-
tempt.
The Prophet has promised salvation for all his true followers-
they will all directly go to paradise. That establishes the
verification of the Mujaddid that all the truly faithful will
go to paradise without any punishment in hellfire.
9
Gehenna, also written jahannam is one of the seven hells
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The Prophet says in a hadith report, I shall

intercede for the major sinners of my com-
munity. 10 He says in another place, My
community is the community that has been
shown mercy. There is no punishment for
them in the last world 11 and others. The
following Koranic verse clarifies this mean-
ing, Those who have brought faith and have
not polluted their faith by transgression, they
are the ones for whom there is security (Ko-
ran 6:83).
Now the Mujaddid comments on the case of polytheists
who lacked the mental competence or who have not been
warned through a prophet. God is just and He cannot be
expected to punish people who lacked the mental com-
petence, e.g., the children of polytheists or insane poly-
theists. God has also promised in the Koran, I will not
punish anyone until I have dispatched a Messenger [to
warn him] (Koran 17:15). Therefore, additionally, He
cannot be expected to punish people who have not been
warned through a prophet. So He may not punish the
polytheists who lived in the mountains away from peo-
ple and the message of the prophets, or the polytheists
who lived in an era without a prophet, and so have not
been warned through a prophet, and other such groups.
The situation of the children of the polythe-
ists, those who live in mountaintops [away
from people and the message of the prophets]
and the polytheists who lived in an era with-
out a prophet [and so haven not been warned
through a prophet]- I have demonstrated them
10
hadith: shafaati lahil al-kabair min ummati [Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud]
11
hadith: ummati ummata marhuma, la adhaba laha fil akhirati [Ibn
Najjar, Abdullah ibn Darar]
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INCREASE OR DECREASE OF FAITH 199
clearly in the maktub that I have written to my

son Muhammad Said.12 So you may study
it there. [A 1.266, 125.19-127.12; FR 88.2-
90.12]
In that maktub, the Mujaddid proposes that on the Day

of the Mustering (qiyamat), those two groups of people
would be meted out their rewards and punishment and
then destroyed, just as it would be in the case of animals.
Increase or Decrease of Faith

The Mujaddid discusses both Imam Shafii and Imam
Abu Hanifas positions on the question of whether faith
may remain the same or may vary for a faithful person.
He makes an analysis and argues in support of Imam Abu
Hanifas position that faith remains the same amount.
The ulama diverge on [the question of] whether

or not faith can increase or decrease in amount.
The Great Imam [Abu Hanifa] the Kufi (dwad)
has stated, Faith neither increases nor de-
creases. On the othet hand, Imam Shafii
says, It increases and decreases.
Faiths Increase or Decrease

Imam Abu Hanifa Imam Shafii
Faith is an all or nothing thing; Faith itself may either
though its brightness may increase or decrease
increase or decrease
Table 5.1: Faiths Increase or Decrease
12
Maktub 1.259
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The Mujaddid agrees that faith may not increase or de-

crease; what may do so is the brightness of that faith.
There is no doubt that faith is the expression
of attestation or certitude by the heart and so
an increase or decrease does not apply there.
For that which may increase or decrease is
within the realm of uncertainty. In short, do-
ing wholesome deeds brightens that certitude
and doing unwholesome deeds makes that cer-
titude turbid. Therefore, an increase or de-
crease in faith refers to the brightness of
that certitude, not that certitude itself.
Some people may call this brightness to be more in
faith, and vice versa.
Some call a bright and illuminated certitude
more compared to a certitude that lacks bright-
ness and illumination. Some others do not
even consider a certitude lacking brightness
to be certitude at all; they consider only a
bright certitude to be certitude and a certitude
lacking brightness as imperfect. Some oth-
ers have sharp gazes and they see that this in-
crease or decrease refers to the attribute of
the certitude, not to the certitude itself. Nec-
essarily, they say that certitude itself may not
be more or imperfect.
Now the Mujaddid shows through an analogy that those
people are more accurate who say that faith may vary
only in the brightness, not in the amount
An analogy for this is two comparable mir-
rors that differ in brightness and illumination.
And someone observes the brighter mirror that
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INCREASE OR DECREASE OF FAITH 201
reflects better and says, This mirror is more

than the mirror that is less bright and reflects
less. Someone else says, Both the mirrors
are equal; neither one is more or less than the
other. Their difference in brightness and re-
flectivity refers to the attributes of those two
mirrors. Therefore the vision of the second
person is correct and pierces the reality of the
matter. On the other hand, the vision of the
first person is limited to the surface. It does
not go from the attribute to the essence of the
matter.
Allah raises the levels of those among you
who have brought faith and have been awarded
knowledge. (Koran 58:11).
So the Mujaddid says that Imam Abu Hanifa was right
when he said that faith neither increases nor decreases.
There are people who oppose Imam Abu Han-
ifas opinion that faith does not increase or
decrease. However, I have demolished their
arguments by that what I have revealed in this
verification. Faith of the common faithful (that
changes phases) [and so is less than perfect
faith] cannot be compared to the faith of the
prophets (salam) [whose faith is the perfect
faith].
The Mujaddid clarifies that more faith means brighter
faith.
The faith of the prophets that is perfectly bright
and illuminated is far more fruitful and pro-
ductive that the faith of the common faith-
ful that is dark and turbid. They differ in
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their levels and so on. The faith of Abu Bakr

(dwad) weighs more than the faith of all the
Muslims added together.13 Here the word more
should be interpreted in terms of its bright-
ness and illumination. And that increase should
be relegated to its [the faiths] perfect attributes.
Now the Mujaddid explains the increase or decrease
in faith with a paradigm from the humanness of the
prophets.
Please note that prophets are equal to the com-
mon people in terms of their humanness. Both
in terms of their outer bodies [that are human]
and inner essences [that are human as well],
both the classes are the same. However, the
prophets are ranked higher in excellence in
terms of their perfect attributes. He who does
not possess those perfect attributes is out of
that class. And he is devoid of the unique per-
fections and excellences of that class. Even
with this difference, there is neither an in-
crease nor a decrease in their humanness. So
none may say that they increase or decrease
in their humanness. Allah (SWT) inspires
what is correct!
Some interpret the term attestation of the faith by the
meaning that is commonly used in logic but the Mujaddid
disagrees.
By the term attestation of the faith, some
mean attestation as used in the terminology
of the science of logic. That attestation in-
cludes both surmise and certitude. By this
13
well-known hadith
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THE GREATNESS OF IMAM ABU HANIFA 203
interpretation, faith may indeed increase or

decrease. However, the truth is that what is
meant by the term attestation here is certi-
tude and obedience of the heart, not its gen-
eral (am) meaning that includes surmise (zann)
with it.
Now the Mujaddid reconciles two seemingly contradic-
tory statements of Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Shafii.
The Great Imam [Abu Hanifa] the Kufi has
said, I am truly a person of faith. On the
other hand, Imam Shafii has said, Allah will-
ing, I am a person of faith. Actually, they
differ only in manner of speech. The first
school considers the faith of the [present]
state. The second school considers [the state
on] the return [of the soul to God on death],
which is at the end of all deeds. However, it
is better to exclude doubt [i.e., the expression
Allah willing] here. It is not hidden from
the just! [A 1.266, 127.12-129.3; FR 90.12-
92.8]
The Greatness of Imam Abu Hanifa

It may be noted that the Great Mujaddid held the Great
Imam in the highest respect. He writes in his monograph
Mabda va Maad on the greatness of Imam Abu Hanifa:
How can I write about the lofty stature of
Imam Abu Hanifa! (dwad) He was the great-
est of these great ones! The Supreme Imam
(imam al-azam)! The leader of the perfect
ones! Be it in knowledge, be it in abstinence
(wara) or be it in Godwariness, (taqwa) he
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was greater than all the mujatahid imams, 14

more than Shafii, or Malik or Ahmad ibn
Hanbal.
Imam Shafii said, The fuqaha, [the schol-
ars of Islamic jurisprudence] all of them are
family members (iyal) of Abu Hanifa who
depend on him for their living. (alfuqaha-u
kulluhum iyalu Abi Hanifa.)
It is said that when Imam Shafii used to visit
the mausoleum of Imam Abu Hanifa, then he
used to reject his own ijtihad [or interpreta-
tions in Islamic practice] and stopped observ-
ing his own practice [that contradicted the ijti-
had of the Great Imam]. And he used to say,
It embarasses me that in his presence I do
anything that is contrary to his decision. [At
that time] he used to suspend both reciting
Sura Fatiha when praying behind a imam and
reciting the dua qunut in the fajr prayer. It
was Shafii who could properly appreciate his
greatness.
When Hazrat Jesus (salam) will descend [to
the earth] in the future, he will practice ac-
cording to the school (madh-hab) of Abu Han-
ifa. Khwaja Muhammad Parsa (qaf) wrote in
the Fusul-i Sitta, This very honor (buzurgi)
is enough for him that one of the great (ulul
azam) prophets will practice according to his
school. A thousand other honors cannot be
compared to this honor.
14
mujatahid imams refers to the four leaders of fiqh, the science of Is-
lamic jurisprudence i.e. Abu Hanifa, Shafii, Malik, Ahmad ibn Hanbal.
They founded four eponymous schools of law
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Our Hazrat Khwaja [Baqibillah] (qaf) said:
For some time, I used to disagree with the

Imam [Abu Hanifa] and recite Sura Fatiha
[when praying following an imam]. Finally, I
saw the Great Imam in a dream one night.
I saw he came to me clothed in a resplendent

robe and recited a qasida,
This signification is sufficient

That there have been many friends
of God in my school
After that, I stopped reciting Sura Fatiha be-

hind the Imam. [Mabda 28, 49.8-50]
The Mujaddid discusses his insight into the important

matter in jurisprudence of reciting Sura Fatiha behind an
imam. The Hanafi school says that the imams recitation
of Sura Fatiha in the salat is sufficient, so the followers
should remain silent. Shafii school as well as all the
other schools say that the followers must also recite Sura
Fatiha- they draw their decision from a well-known ha-
dith, There is no salat without Sura Fatiha. La salata
illa bi-fatihatul kitab. [Bukhari, Muslim] The Mujad-
did demonstrates that the decision of the Hanafi school is
correct here.
For a long time, I had been wishing so that I
could find an acceptable reason in the Hanafi
school for reciting Sura Fatiha when pray-
ing behind a imam. Because reciting the Ko-
ran when following the imam is obligatory
(fardh) at all times. So it does not seem intel-
ligent to reject real recitation (qirat haqiqi)
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and practice virtual recitation (qirat hukmi).

At the same time, it comes in the hadith, There
is no salat without Sura Fatiha. 15
However, since I follow the Hanafi school, I

decided not to stop reciting Sura Fatiha. And
I started to count it as a kind of disciplined
training and striving (riyadat va mujahida).
Because rejecting one school of sharia in fa-
vor of another school is a type of rejection
(ilhad).
At last, through the grace of following the

Hanafi school, the Haqq (SWT) revealed the
true meaning (haqiqat) of not reciting Sura
Fatiha behind an imam. And through my in-
sight (nazar-i basirat), I learned that virtual
recitation is better than real recitation. Be-
cause the imam and the followers, they both
mutually agree (ittifaq) to stand together as
supplicants (munajat) [in the salat]. As it is
said, For the worshipper in salat supplicates
to his Lord. [lianna al-musalliya yunaji rab-
bahu].
In salat, [the followers] make the imam their

spokesman. So whatever speech the imam re-
cites during the salat, he recites it on behalf of
the group. It is like when a group of people
appears before a magnanimous king to ful-
fill a need of theirs and elects a spokesman
among themselves so that he can request it on
behalf of everyone there. In such a setting, if
someone else also talks while the spokesman
15
hadith: la salata illa bi-fatihatil kitab [Bukhari, Muslim]
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is talking, that would be considered poor man-

ners and that could displease the king. There-
fore, the virtual speech (takallam-i hukmi) of
this group through the spokesman is better
than real speech (takallam-i haqiqi) of those
people [individually]. It is analogous to the
situation when the group recites [the Koran]
(qirat) praying behind an imam it [every-
one reciting individually] would disturb the
peace (shaghab), lack manners and create dis-
unity (tafriq).
Many of the matters on which the Hanafi and

the Shafii schools differ are of this type. The
Shafii school takes into account the matters
outer and formal aspect (zahir va surat) but
the Hanafi school takes into account its inner
essential (batin va haqiqat) aspect.
It was revealed to me that in the divergences

of opinions in kalam, the truth is on the Hanafi
side. For example, they recognize Gods [at-
tribute of] engenderingness (takwin) as a real
attribute (sifat-i haqiqi) while apparently it
seems that engenderingness [is not a real at-
tribute; instead it] is the result of the attributes
of power and will (qudrat va irada). How-
ever, we learn via fine consideration and the
light of perspicacity (daqt-i nazar va nur-i fi-
rasat) that engenderingness is a distinct and
separate (alihadeh) attribute. Other matters
may be solved through this analogy. In most
of the matters where the jurists diverge (khilafiyat-
i fiqhi), the Hanafi school is right. Only in a
few matters, the Shafiis are right. [Mabda
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28, 47-8]
Miracles
The Mujaddid establishes the miracle of the prophets
and miracle of the friends. The Mutazilas and a few
other misguided sects deny them.
The karamats or miracles of the friends of
Allah are true. So many instances of the
breaking of habit 16 have taken place by the
friends that they have become a regular habit
of theirs. Denying it would be like denying
knowledge that is habitual and self-evident
(daruri). 17
The prophets are required to demonstrate to the people
that they are prophets. Therefore, prophets must claim
that they are indeed prophets. And they may show mira-
cles to the people to prove that they have God-given pow-
ers. These are parts of the prophetic call. However, the
friends (awliya) are commanded to keep themselves hid-
den. And miracles are not at all a requirement of friend-
ship (walayat). The friends preach as a representative
(naib), of the prophet and their miracles or karamats only
prove that they sincerely follow their prophet.
[However, while the] miracles of the prophets

(mujiza) are an integral part (maqrun) of the
invitation of the prophets, the miracles of the
16
The breaking of habits (khawariq al-adah) is an Ibn Arabi term that
means miracles; see SPK, p. 99
17
In this context, daruri means self-evident. The scholar R. J. McCarthy
has done the same in a similar context. See McCarthy, Al-Ghazalis Path to
Sufism, p. 87n31
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WELL-INSTRUCTED CALIPHS: SUPERIORITIES 209
friends are not so. Instead, those [miracles of

the friends] prove (maqrun) that [those friends]
acknowledge and follow the authority of their
prophet. So you should not suspect that those
two, the miracles of the prophets and the
miracles of the friends, are false- as the de-
niers [materialists who deny supernatural events
like mujiza and karamat, e.g., the Mutazila]
maintain. [A 1.266, 129.3-6]
Well-instructed Caliphs: Superiorities

The Mujaddid affirms the mainstream Sunni creed that
says that the order of superiority of the well-instructed
caliphs is in accordance to the order of their caliphates.
The order of superiority among the well-instructed

18
caliphs is in accordance to the order of their
caliphates.
He first establishes the superiority of the Caliph Abu Bakr

and the Caliph Umar.
The superiority of the Two Shaykhs [Hazrat
Abu Bakr and Hazrat Umar] has been estab-
lished by the consensus of opinion of the com-
panions and the followers.
Imam Ashari agrees to the superiority of the Two Shaykhs.
Many of the great imams have transmitted it
as well. One of them is Imam Shafii. The
18
well-instructed (rashidin): Rashidin is usually translated as rightly-
guided. However, I offer an alternative I translate rushd as good-instruction
and hidayat as good-guidance. Rushd means specific good instructions for
doing worldly deeds, whereas hidayat refers to a more spiritual guidance
guidance of the spirit toward God
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great Imam Abul Hasan Ashari said, Verily

to recognize the superior qualities (tafdil) of
Abu Bakr followed by Umar over the rest of
the community is definitive.
Imam Dhahabi concurs to it.
Imam Dhahabi 19 said, Many people includ-

ing numerous numbers of the Shias have nar-
rated from Ali that since the time when he
was the caliph and ruler, Verily Abu Bakr
and Umar are the most superior in the com-
munity. He [Imam Dhahabi] added that more
than eighty people have narrated it from Ali.
He [Hazrat Ali] had even named many of
them. Then he [Hazrat Ali] had added, May
Allah punishes the dissenters, the rawafid, for
they have shown ignorance!
Imam Bukhari confirms by a narration from Hazrat Ali.
Imam Bukhari narrates from Hazrat Ali, Ver-

ily the most excellent man after the Prophet
is Abu Bakr, next is Umar and the rest are
after them. According to the narration, at
that point Hazrat Alis son Hazrat Muham-
mad ibn Hanafiya had interjected, Next is
you? Hazrat Ali then replied [twice for em-
phasis,] I am only an ordinary Muslim! I am
an ordinary Muslim! 20
Imam Dhahabi also concurs by a narration from Hazrat

Ali.
19
Imam Dhahabi Imam Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ahmad Dhahabi
20
Imam Bukhari, Tarikh-i Bukhari, a less than sahih hadith report col-
lection by Imam Bukhari
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Imam Dhahabi and others have narrated sound

reports from Hazrat Ali, Be forewarned! It
has reached me that many people elevate me
over the two [i.e., Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat
Umar]. And if someone does elevate me over
them, he is a slanderer (muftar). [I will pun-
ish] him the same way as [I would punish] a
slanderer.
Imam Darriqtani narrates another saying from Hazrat Ali.
It has been narrated in Darruqtani 21 from

Hazrat Ali, Let me find no one who gives me
superiority to Abu Bakr or Umar. Be fore-
warned! I shall whip him just like a slan-
derer.
There has been so many such hadith reports from Hazrat

Ali that even many Shias agree on the superiority of the
Two Shaykhs.
So many sayings like this are narrated from

Hazrat Ali and from many other companions
that there is no room for anyone to deny this.
It has even reached the point that a prominent
Shia named Abdur Razzaq22 says, I hold the
Two Shaykhs as the best. For Ali has given
them superiority over himself. Else I would
not have given them superiority. This sin is
sufficient [to ruin] methat I love him but I
act against him. All these are taken from the
21
Imam Darruqtani, Sunan-i Darruqtani, a well-known book of hadith
collection
22
Abdur Razzaq: A prominent Shia scholar quoted in the classical book
the Siwaiq
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23
book the Siwaiq.
Now the Mujaddid establishes the superiority of Hazrat

Uthman over Hazrat Ali.
Now what comes is the matter of superiority

of Hazrat Uthman versus Hazrat Ali. Most
of the ulama of the mainstream Sunni com-
munity hold the opinion that Hazrat Uthman
is next in excellence to the two shaykhs and
then comes Hazrat Ali. The imams of the
four schools of jurisprudence are agreed on
this. Imam Malik was initially hesitant on
granting superiority to Hazrat Uthman. How-
ever, Qadi Ayyad 24 reports that Imam Malik
later reversed himself in his position regard-
ing the superiority of Hazrat Uthman. And
Imam Qurtubi said, This is true! Allah will-
ing!
The Mujaddid establishes that Imam Abu Hanifa also

supported the superiority of Hazrat Uthman. He clarifies
a statement of Abu Hanifa that can be interpreted to deny
that superiority. That statement may be misconstrued to
mean that the Imam only believed that the two later ones
only deserved love; they did not deserve to be consid-
ered superior. But the Mujaddid rationalizes that state-
ment and demonstrates that the Imam must have agreed
to their superiority as well.
From the following statement, it seems that

the great Imam Abu Hanifa was hesitant on
granting superiority to Hazrat Uthman. He
23
Shaykh Shihabuddin Ahmad ibn Hajjar, al-Sawaiq al-Muhriqa al-
Radd Ala Ahl al-Bida
24
Qadi Ayyad was an eminent scholar of hadith
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said, A signpost of being in the mainstream

Sunni community is to grant superiority to
the Two Shaykhs and to love the Two Later
Ones. In consideration, I believe that this
statement should be applied in a different con-
text. Many disputes and conflicts appeared
during the reigns of the Two Later Ones. And
the hearts of men were turbid. In those cir-
cumstances, the great Imam applied the term
love toward the Two Later Ones. And he
made friendship with them a signpost of the
sunna. It is not that he had even a taint of
hesitation [on the superiority of Hazrat Uth-
man]. How could he have a hesitation? For
the books of the Hanafite School are replete
with the statement the order of superiority
of the caliphs is in accordance of their order
of succession. In short, the superiority of the
Two Shaykhs is yaqini, certain. However, the
superiority of Hazrat Uthman lacks that [cer-
titude].
The Mujaddid affirms that the Shias indeed possess faith
although they are deviants.
Therefore, it should be borne in mind that
people who deny the superiority of Hazrat Uth-
man (or deny the superiority of the Two Shaykhs
additionally) should not be ruled faithless. How-
ever, we should consider them to be deviants
who have fallen astray. For the ulama has
differed in ruling them faithless. And there
are strong reservations if they are definitively
unanimous in this [ruling]. Such a denier is,
in effect, no different than the worthless Yazid.
However, they [the ulama] have stopped short
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of cursing even him, out of caution [as Yazid

may have repented before dying].
The Mujaddid demonstrates that defaming any of the com-
panions is an abominable sin.
The pain that Hazrat Prophet feels on account
of the well-instructed caliphs is the same pain
that he feels on account of the two imams.
The Prophet said, By Allah! By Allah! My
companions! Do not mistreat them! Whoso-
ever will love them, he will love them for his
love for me. And whosoever will hold enmity
to them, they will hold that enmity for his en-
mity toward me. Whosoever will hurt them,
he will hurt me. And whosoever will hurt me,
will hurt Allah. And whosoever hurts Allah,
Allah will catch him quickly. 25 For Al-
lah said, Verily whosoever hurts Allah or his
Prophet, Allah will curse him in this world
and in the next world. (Koran 33:57).
The Mujaddid explains that while it is true that Hazrat
Ali has been praised the most in the hadith literature, still
he is not superior to his three predecessor caliphs.
In his Sharh-i Aqaid-i Nasafi, Mawlana Saidud-
din 26 talks about justice on this [order of]
superiority. However, what he considers jus-
tice is far from justice. And the manner in
25
Allah! Allah! Fi ashabi! La tattakhuzuhum ghardan min badi. Fa-man
ahabbahum, fa-bi-hubbi ahabbahum. Wa man abghadahum, fa-bi-bughdi
abghadahum. Wa man adhahum, fa-qad adhani! Wa man adhani, fa-qad
adhiLlah. Wa man adhiLlah, fa-yushaka an yakhuzuhu. [Tirmidhi]
26
Mawlana Saad al-Din, Sharh-i Aqaid-i Nasafi [Commentary on the
Creed of Nasafi] - it is a commentary on the original book written by
Muhammad ibn Abu al-Fadl Burhan Nasafi (d. 791 / 1390)
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which he has overturned this [order of supe-

riority] is fruitless. For it is decided by the
ulama that the subject of superiority is the
plentitude of rewards before God.
It is not superiority with respect to praise for
excellences or virtues that the rational thinkers
employ as the criterion [but not the ulama].
Instead, it is so because the pious predeces-
sors and the followers have transmitted far
more praises for the excellences and virtues
for Hazrat Ali, the Commander of the Faith-
ful, than any other companion. It has even
reached the point that Imam Ahmad has said,
No companion has been praised for his virtues
as much as Ali. Even then, he himself still
rules toward the superiority of the three caliphs.
Therefore, it is understood that the subject of
superiority is something else beyond excel-
lences and virtues. Only the witnesses of the
treasury of divine revelation [i.e., the com-
panions] have been able to realize it in form
or in indication. They are the companions of
the Prophet.
The author of the Sharh-i Aqaid-i Nasafi
said, If the subject of superiority is the amount
of reward then there is scope for hesitation.
This statement should be rejected because hes-
itation would be relevant only then when we
could not have learned it from the author of
the sharia [Prophet Muhammad] directly or
indirectly. If we have indeed known it, why
hesitate? And if we have not known it, why
rule toward superiority at all?
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He who considers everyone as equal and the

excellence of one with respect to another as
meaningless talk is the one who talks mean-
inglessly. He is indeed the one who talks
meaninglessly who considers the consensus
of opinion of the people of truth as mean-
ingless talk. Unless misunderstanding the word
fadl, excellence has taken him to such fuduli
or meaningless position.
Now the Mujaddid comments on what Ibn Arabi said on

this order of superiority.
The author [Ibn Arabi] writes in the Futuhat-
i Makkiya, The order of their caliphates is in
accordance to the order of their l7ife-spans.
This saying of his does not point toward them
being equal because the matter of caliphate is
one thing and the arguments about superiority
are another thing.
Much of Ibn Arabis science is derived from false un-
veilings or sufi ecstatic utterances. That portion should
be rejected.
Even if we agree that this does point toward
them being equal, even then this saying of his
as well the other similar sayings should be
considered as ecstatic utterances (shathiyat).
And that should not be accepted. Much of his
[Ibn Arabis] unveiling-derived science (maarif-
i kashfi) has strayed away from the science
of the [mainstream] Sunni community; that
is far from being correct. So none should fol-
low that false [portion of the Ibn Arabi] sci-
ence except a person sick in heart or a blind
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THE COMPANIONS: THEIR DISPUTES 217
follower. [A 1.266, 129.6-131.18; FR 92-95]
The Companions: Their Disputes

The Mujaddid confirms the mainstream Sunni creed; he
holds that we should love all the companions and hold
malice toward none. The conflict that arose amongst
them arose because of their error in their ijtihad, striv-
ings for interpretations, not because they were evil in
heart. Therefore, their errors should be excused.
The disputes and conflicts that occurred among
the companions should be held with a purely
good interpretation. They [those disputes] must
be kept far from caprices and chauvinism. Imam
Taftazani had an excessive love for Hazrat Ali
but still he said, The disputes and fights did
not take place on the question of winning the
caliphate. On the contrary, they occurred due
to their errors in their ijtihad, interpretation.
It is written in the [Koranic exegesis] Hashia

al-Khiyali, 27 Verily [Hazrat] Muwawiya and
the warring rebels were loyal. They recog-
nized Hazrat Ali as the best person of the time
and the rightful candidate to be the Imam.
But they had a reservation, as he did not take
retribution from the killers of Hazrat Uthman.
He quotes from Hazrat Ali in the [exegesis]
Hashiya-i Qurra-i Kamal ;28 Those who
are fighting us are our brothers. They are nei-
ther faithless nor corrupt. For what they are
doing is in accordance to their interpretation
27
Ali ibn Musa al-Khiyali, Hashia al-Khiyali
28
Kamal al-Din Ismail, Hashiya-i Qurra-i Kamal
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(tawil). There is no doubt that errors in in-

terpretation, ijtihad, are beyond blame. And
they are raised above denunciation and con-
demnation.
You should remember all the companions fondly,

out of deference of the right of their com-
panionship to the best of men (salam). You
should love them for our love for the Prophet.
The Prophet said, Whosoever will love them,
he will love them for his love of me; and
whosoever will hold enmity to them will hold
that for his enmity to me. 29 What it means
is the love that relates to me is the same love
that relates to the companions and the enmity
that relates to me is the same enmity that re-
lates to the companions.
We have no friendship with them who fought

with Hazrat Ali. Still, they are the compan-
ions of the Prophet and we have been com-
manded to love them and forbidden to hurt or
hate them. So we have no choice but to love
them all for our love for the prophet (salam).
And [we have no choice but] to refrain from
hurting or hating them since that hurt and hate
ultimately reaches that leader [the Prophet Muham-
mad (salam)].
However, we call those who were right as

those who were right and call those who were
wrong as those who were wrong. Hazrat Ali
was on the right path and his opponents were
29
hadith: man ahabbahum, fa-bi-hubbi ahabbahum. Wa man
abghadahum, fa-bi-bughdi abghadahum. [Tirmidhi]
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THE COMPANIONS: THEIR DISPUTES 219
on the wrong path. To say any more is bab-

bling. The verification of this discourse is
in detail in the maktub that I have written to
Khwaja Muhammad Ashraf.30 If you have
any question, please refer there.. [A 1.266,
131.18-132.15; FR 95-96]
30
maktub 1.251
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Part III
221
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CHAPTER
6
Practice
Practice
The second necessary component of Islam is the practice
of the sharia. So having rectified the sharia, practicing
the practice would be the next step.
After rectifying the creed, you should learn

the rules of the science of jurisprudence. One
should not neglect learning the science of ju-
risprudence, e.g., what is obligatory or fard,
incumbent or wajib, lawful or halal, unlawful
or haram, sunna, suspicious or mushtabah,
reprehensible or makruh, etc. It is also re-
quired that you practice that which this sci-
ence establishes. You should determine which
ones are the required practices from the books
of jurisprudence. A complete attempt to prac-
tice good deeds should be observed. Prayer is
the foundation of religion. Now I am recount-
ing a summary of its excellences and pillars.
So listen!
223
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224 Practice
Ablution
The Mujaddid explains how to make ablution properly
since ablution is the key to prayer.
First, it is important to perform the ablution
completely. It is required that you wash each
limb three times completely and perfectly, so
that the method of the sunna is observed. While
wiping off the head, the entire head should be
done. You should take care to wipe the ears
and the neck well. While cleansing in be-
tween the toes, you should wash by the small
finger of the left hand starting from the small
toe of the left foot. You should be careful to
do it right.
You should not consider taking up mustahab

deeds insignificant. God likes mustahab deeds;
practicing mustahab pleases Him. If you can
learn of one single act that brings Gods sat-
isfaction and love in exchange of the entire
world, capture that spoil of war! This ex-
change can be compared to an exchange in
which someone buys some priceless jewels
for a few pieces of broken earthenware! Or
an exchange in which one loses his spirit for
a cheap inanimate thing!
Prayer
The Mujaddid now explains how to perform a proper
prayer, which is the fundamental practice of Islam.
After a perfect purification and a complete
ablution, you should make the intention for
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PRAYER 225
the prayer. Prayer is the heavenly ascension

or miraj for the faithful. You should take care
to perform the obligatory prayers only in a
congregation so that not even the first glorifi-
cation or takbir with the imam is missed. You
should pray in the mustahab time. 1 And you
should perform the pious deed of reciting the
sunna amount of the [Koranic] Recitation. 2
You should remain motionless when you bow

or prostrate, for most narrations consider it
obligatory or incumbent. Stand straight while
standing so that all the bones return to their
own places. It is necessary to become mo-
tionless for a few moments right after stand-
ing and you should practice that too. It may
be obligatory, incumbent or sunna- there is
a divergence in opinion here. Likewise, you
should stay motionless while sitting between
the two prostrations- as while standing.
While bowing or prostrating, you should re-

peat the glorifications or tasbih three times
or at most up to seven times or eleven times-
there is a divergence of opinion here too. The
imam should repeat the glorifications taking
1
The Mujaddid wrote in the Maktubat that the early part of the allotted
time period of prayer should be held to be the mustahab time except that the
isha, night prayer, should be delayed in the winter months until one-third
of the night has passed. However, many ulama also suggest that during the
summer months, the dhuhr prayer should be delayed a little bit as well.
2
It is sunna to recite a long chapter (from the beginning of the Koran until
Sura Buruj) in fajr, the morning prayer; a medium-length chapter (from Sura
Buruj until Sura Bayyinah) for dhuhr, the noon prayer, asr or late-afternoon
prayer, and isha, the night prayer; and a short chapter (from Sura Bayyinah
until the end of the Koran) in maghrib, the sunset prayer in the obligatory
cycles, rakats of the prayer.
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226 Practice
into consideration the state of the followers.

I am ashamed when an able person praying
alone repeats the least number of glorifica-
tions; if he can at all, he should repeat it five
or seven times.
While prostrating, [the bodily part] that is nearer

to the ground should be laid on the ground
first. Therefore, lay the two knees on the ground
first. Next, lay down the two hands. Next lay
down the nose and then the forehead. While
laying down the knees and the hands, lay down
the right limbs first. While raising the head,
the bodily part that is nearer to the sky should
be raised first. Therefore, first raise your fore-
head!
You should stitch your gaze on the seat of

prostration. While bowing, you should look
toward your own feet. While prostrating, look
at the tip of the nose. While sitting, you should
look toward your two hands or your sides.
When instead of being scattered, the gaze will
be focused and stitched to the above-mentioned
points, only then will the prayer be performed
with concentration. And a prayer with humil-
ity will be realized- which is what has been
narrated by the Prophet (salam).
It is sunna to keep the fingers spread out while

bowing and to keep them together while pros-
trating. Those [acts] have been decreed to
be pious deeds. Closing and opening the fin-
gers has a purpose. Observing its benefits, the
Master of the Sharia [Prophet Muhammad]
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PRAYER 227
has instituted those practices. I see no benefit

equal to following the master of the sharia
[Prophet Muhammad] (salam).
All these rules have been written in the books

of jurisprudence in detail and clearly. My
intention behind mentioning them here is so
that you long to practice these according to
the science of jurisprudence. By the grace of
the Prince of the Messengers [Muhammad],
may Allah (SWT) grant us the opportunity to
rectify our creed in the religion, and you as
well! And then to practice wholesome deeds
according to the science of the sharia! May
the most bountiful salutations and the most
perfect peace offerings be on him and all his
progeny!
If you long to learn the excellences of prayer

and find its perfections, then study the three
maktubs 3 dispatched in sequence one after
another. The first maktub has been written to
my son Muhammad Sadiq. The second mak-
tub is for Mir Muhammad Numan and the
third is for Shaykh Taj. [A 1.266, 132.15-
134.8; FR 96-99.3]
Now why does the Mujaddid specifically mention prayer

(and ablution that is its prerequisite) in this section, among
so many other acts of worship? The first reason may be
that the five-time- daily obligatory prayer is the funda-
mental practice of Islam. However, even more important
3
maktub 1.260 (written to his son Muhammad Sadiq,), 1.262 (to his
caliph or ordained deputy Mir Muhammad Numan) and 1.263 (to his caliph
Shaykh Taj)
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228 Practice
may be the reason that we must possess piety or ikhlas

during our prayer if we want God to accept that prayer.
Piety is critical for prayer to be accepted; maybe that is
why the Mujaddid is bundling these sections together.
Comments: The Purpose of Sufism

The following writing by my sufi shaykh clarifies the
purpose of the tariqa according to the Mujaddid. Sufism
or tariqa is merely a technology to realize pious inten-
tion, as clarified by my shaykh, who explains,
How to attain the pious intention? Intention
originates in the heart. Pronouncing the in-
tention is not obligatory. Intention in the heart
is what is obligatory. It is obligatory to make
a proper intention before performing any act
of worship. It is in the hadith that all acts
will be judged according to the intention be-
hind them [Bukhari]. The heart is the seat of
intention of all acts, be they good or evil. Sa-
tan, the sworn enemy of man, makes it his
home and whispers evil suggestions to him.
As long as Satan can rule over the heart, pious
intention cannot grow there. Since Satan has
made the human heart his home, it is impure.
Intention of the impure heart must be impure.
Therefore, in order to purify the heart, Satan
must be driven out of there. Only then there
can be pious intention behind acts. It is said
in the hadith, Satan sits in the hearts of men.
If the heart is engaged in zikr of Allah, then
Satan flees it. Instead if the heart is heedless
from zikr, then Satan stays there and whispers
evil suggestions [Bukhari].
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COMMENTS: THE PURPOSE OF SUFISM 229
Satan tries his best to interrupt our prayers.

He knows that if our prayer is purely pious,
i.e., realizing the good-pleasure of God is the
sole objective of that prayer, then he will be
unable to defeat the power from Allah that
we will gain through that properly performed
prayer. It is only when our Prayer, the essence
of all devotional acts, is done with a purely
pious intention, that then we are able to ab-
stain from all acts that Allah detests. Allah
has stated, Verily prayer restrains from shame-
ful and unjust acts(Koran 29:45). Allah ac-
cepts our prayer only when the devotee pu-
rifies his body, clothes, and mind. And his
intention being only the satisfaction of Allah,
he performs all the pillars of the prayer prop-
erly. Allah is Pure. Only the pure may suc-
ceed in worshiping Him. Not only the body;
the mind of the devotee should be pure as
well. Ablution or bathing creates outer pu-
rity. And the zikr of Allah that takes place
in the heart creates inner purity. Therefore,
the heart should always be doing the zikr of
Allah spontaneously. And this zikr should
be permanent. Whenever the heart is heed-
less of the zikr of Allah, Satan will rule it.
He will then contaminate the heart that is the
source of all good acts of man. And by ru-
ining mans single-minded attention to Allah
during prayer, he will destroy it. Prayer is the
key to salvation from all evil acts. It says in
the hadith: A prayer is not accepted with-
out a presence of the heart. 4 And Allah has
4
hadith: La salata illa bi-huduril qalb
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230 Practice
stated: And establish prayer in order to do my

zikr (Koran 20:14).
To repel this satanic threat, we must learn ilm
al-qalb, the knowledge of the heart. Then
our hearts will always be immersed in the never-
ending zikr of Allah and thus we can save
ourselves from this dangerous predicament.
So we should seek the help of an authority
on the knowledge of the heart. The real
sufi shaykh is an authority on this knowledge.
The purpose behind enrolling in any sufi tariqa
is to attain nothing else but ikhlas or purely
pious intention, i.e., a true and godly inten-
tion. It is not those perverted aims with which
many people throng the khanqas of the sufi
shaykhs so often [e.g., to cure diseases, win
worldly advancement, etc. through the spiri-
tual powers of the shaykh]. And many peo-
ple who call themselves sufi shaykhs nurture
these aims, which are far from the true aim
for which people should come to sufi shaykhs.
Now we understand why it is necessary to
enroll in one of the many tariqas of the su-
fis. The purpose is to enable us to follow the
sharia completely. Unless one enrolls in a sufi
tariqa and learns the knowledge of the heart
from this educational institution, one may
not be able to realize purely pious intention.
By this interpretation, sufi tariqas are servants
of the sharia. And this is the purpose of true
tasawwuf. 5
5
Muhammad Mamunur Rashid, Patha Parichiti, originally written in
Bengali and also its English translation The Path (Dhaka: Hakimabad
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COMMENTS: THE PURPOSE OF SUFISM 231
Khanqa-i Mojaddediya), being continuously reprinted since 1980)
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232 Practice
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Part IV
233
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CHAPTER
7
Piety:
The Purpose of the Tariqa
The Purpose of Sufism

The third necessary component of Islam, after rectifying
the creed and beginning to practice the practice, is en-
gaging in the practices of sufism or tariqa, so that we may
realize true piety. We realize piety when whatever we do;
we do it for Allah attaining the good pleasure of Allah
becomes the purpose (niyat) behind all our deeds.
First, we need to attain the two wings of be-

lief and practice. Next, there lies the [task
of wayfaring in the] exalted sufi tariqas if di-
vine grace guides us there. The purpose is not
that anything additional to belief and practice
is attained or something new comes in hand.
Instead, the purpose is to strengthen the belief
to one of certitude and inner peace, so that the
skepticism of the skeptic may not void it, and
the objection of the charlatan may not invali-
235
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236 Piety The Purpose of the Tariqa
date it.
The leg that is reasoning is like
a wooden leg [that is unstable]
Those who seek reasoning lack
the stability.
Note: This poem in original Persian is as below:
pa-i istidlal-i chubin ast

va mustadill bi tamkin.
Here the Mujaddid paraphrases a Rumi poem
(that he also quotes verbatim in maktub
1.92):
pa-i istidlalyan-i chubin bud
pa-i chubin sakht bi tamkin bud
The leg of those who engage in reasoning
is wooden
The wooden leg is entirely unstable
My sufi shaykh explained that stability here refers

to attaining ikhlas or piety; and that level of piety is real-
ized when one travels on the path of sufi wayfaring and
attains the station of the heart in inner peace, or qalb-i
salim [at the completion of the ninth step, annihilation
in the messenger or fana fi l-rasul, in the Mujaddidi
wayfaring or suluk]. This saying means that those who
seek reasoning lack a heart that is in inner peace.
The Mujaddid continues on the benefits of sufi way-
faring. And its ultimate benefit is the realization of inner
peace. He says that gimmicks like seeing unseen lights
and colors i.e., the supernatural experiences like seeing
lights and colors that normal people cannot see but sufis
endowed with the power of kashf, unveiling or ethereal
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THE PURPOSE OF SUFISM 237
vision can see, are not at all the purpose of sufism

these are actually unimportant things.
The Koran says, Take note! It is in the zikr of
Allah that the heart finds inner peace(Koran
13:28). The practice also becomes easy and
spontaneous. Laziness and rebelliousness that
originates from the instigating [soul] is elim-
inated.
It is not the purpose of the sufi wayfarer to

witness unseen forms and shapes or to behold
lights and colors. For these are games and
joys!
What is the purpose of learning sufism? Is it to attain su-

pernatural experiences like seeing forms, shapes, lights,
and colors that are ordinarily invisible? Some sufis er-
roneously believe that having such supernatural experi-
ences is the purpose of sufism. The Mujaddid ridicules
them and wonders, if seeing shapes and lights is what
they want then why are they not satisfied with seeing
shapes and lights that are ordinarily visible. Instead why
are they doing arduous sufi practices in order to see lights
and colors that are ordinarily invisible.
What wrong do the sensory forms and lights
do? So that someone would forgo them, and
undertake self-mortifications and difficult prac-
tices (bar yadat va mujahadat), in the hope of
seeing the unseen forms and lights?
Yes! These misguided sufis argue that seeing those un-
seen lights may beneficial because they proove that su-
pernatural things, e.g., God, angels, paradise, hell, do
exist. However, the Mujadaddi counters them by not-
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ing that even the existence of ordinarily visible lights and

colors prove that a Creator exists who has created them.
Indeed these forms [that can be seen by ev-
eryone] and those forms [that can only be seen
by those enlightened sufis] and these lights
and those lights- all are the creation of the
Haqq (SWT) and signifiers of His existence.
[A 1.266, 134.8-16; FR 99.4-100.4]
Therefore, seeing supernatural things cannot be a valid
purpose of sufism.
Naqshbandi tariqa Clings to the Sunna

The Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi tariqa is the most excellent
tariqa, as it strictly conforms to the sunna.
Of all the sufi tariqas, choosing the Naqsh-
bandi tariqa is the best and most advisable as
their great masters cling to the sunna and cast
off all deviations (bidat). For this reason, if
the felicity of following the sunna enriches
them but they do not gain any [sufi ethe-
real/physical symptom or] state, still they are
happy.
On the other hand, if [such] a state contributes

to the slackening of the following [of the sunna]
they do not like those states. For this rea-
son, they do not permit singing and dancing
[that are the accepted practices of many other
tariqas]. And they do not consider the states
that result from those [practices such as singing
and dancing] as credible, [i.e., divinely in-
spired]. Instead, they even consider loud zikr
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LOUD ZIKR 239
as a deviation [i.e., a bad deviation or bad

bidat] and they prohibit it. And they do not
turn toward the fruits [i.e., states] that those
practices produce. [A 1.266, 134.16-135.1;
FR 100.4-12]
Loud Zikr
Now the Mujaddid explains this important point of loud
zikr.
Once we were present in his [Khwaja Baqi-

billahs] service, in a gathering for meal. A
devotee of our Hazrat Khwaja named Shaykh
Kamal pronounced the name Allah aloud at
the start of the meal. Hazrat [Baqibillah] was
displeased to such an extent that he rebuked
him [shaykh Kamal] strongly and told us to
forbid him [shaykh Kamal] from coming to
his meal gatherings. I have heard from Hazrat
[Baqibillah] that once Hazrat Khwaja Naqsh-
band gathered the ulama of Bukhara together
and took them to the khanqa [or sufi cloister
or center] of Hazrat Amir Kulal to forbid him
from loud zikr. The ulama told Hazrat Amir
Kulal, Loud zikr is a deviation. Do not prac-
tice it! In answer, he stated, [All right!] I
will not practice it [anymore]!. [A 1.266,
135.1-6; FR 100.4-12]
A fundamental rule of the Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi tariqa

is that all zikr should be done in silence. Allah stated,
Do zikr of your Lord within yourself (Koran 7:205). But
can a Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi practice loud zikr at all, or
even once in a while? The answer is a resounding No!
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The Mujaddid strongly forbids them to practice loud

zikr. He stresses that in addition of this practice being
in violation of the sharia, it is also in violation of the
tariqa. Now what if someone claims that some of the pre-
decessor masters of the Naqshbandi tariqa used to prac-
tice loud zikr? So why can we not? Yes! It is true that
these masters in the Naqshbandi line, Hazrat Abu Yusuf
Hamadani , Khwaja Mahmud Injir Fagnawi, Khwaja Az-
izan Ali Ramitani, and Khwaja Sayyid Amir Kulal zRG
used to practice loud zikr. However, they are not at all
members of the Naqshbandi tariqa- that tariqa did not
even exist at that time. The Naqshbandi tariqa starts with
Hazrat Bahauddin Naqshband, our first imam and he has
forbidden it. More importantly, our second imam, the
Great Mujaddid Ahmad Sirhindi also forbade it in many
different places in his writings. Yes! It is established be-
yond doubt that these practices such as loud zikr, singing,
and dancing violate the fundamental rules of this most
high tariqa. Now there may be other interpretations of
the sharia or the hadith literature that approve those prac-
tices. However, the followers of this exalted Mujaddidi-
Naqshbandi tariqa should still abstain from these prac-
tices so as to abide by the rules established the two imams
of this tariqa.
What is the history of loud zikr among the khwa-
jegan masters and their predecessors who are in our sil-
sila and who preceded the formation of the Naqshbandi
tariqa? Hazrat Bayazid Bistami Khwaja Abu Yusuf Hamadanis
method was loud zikr. But it was Hazrat Khidr who
taught Khwaja Abdul Khaliq Ghujdawani first and it was
by the method of silent zikr. When Khwaja Ghujdawani
became the disciple of Khwaja Hamadani, Khwaja Hamadani
told him, Do zikr as Hazrat Khidr (salam) taught you.
Khwaja Ghujdawanis successor Khwaja Arif Riwagiri
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LOUD ZIKR 241
also followed his master. But it was his successor Khwaja

Mahmud Injir Fagnawi who first introduced loud zikr in
that lineage of Hazrat Ghujdawani. And Khwaja Fag-
nawis successor Khwaja Azizan Ali Ramitani also prac-
ticed loud zikr. And so did Hazrat Amir Kulal, until
Hazrat Bahauddin Naqshband and the ulama of Bukhara
forbade him to do so, as it is a blameworthy deviation.
The sharia proscribes loud zikr and so this practice
invited many critiques. In a council of the ulama, the Sun
of the Imams, Hazrat Halwani, asked him, Why do you
practice loud zikr? Hazrat Fagnawi answered,
I do loud zikr to awaken those asleep, to in-

form the heedless, to hold fast to the sharia
and the tariqa, to bring people to this path and
to make them desire God-realization (haqiqat).
Once he was asked,
Who can do loud zikr? So he answered, He

whose tongue is free from lying and back-
biting, who esophagus is free from haram and
suspicious food, whose heart is pure from van-
ity and hypocrisy, and whose head has not
been lowered to anyone except Allah, it is he
who can do loud zikr.1
Now can this be construed to mean that loud zikr may be

re-introduced today for the Naqshbandis? No! Because
the above statement makes it clear that loud zikr was
practiced as an exceptional measure and it was allowed
only for an exceptional person, even for them- masters in
1
Halat-i Mashaikh-i Naqshbandiya Mujaddidiya, I referred to the Ben-
gali translation, Maolana Mohammad Hasan Naksbandi Mujaddedi, Halate
Mashayekhe Naksbandiya Mujaddediya, (Dhaka: Barakatiya Darul Ulum,
1997), v. I, p. 178, pp. 192-193; p. 196
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our silsila who preceded the formation of the Naqshbandi

tariqa. However, when our first imam Hazrat Bahauddin
Naqshban formalized this tariqa, he absolutely forbade
loud zikr as a rule of this tariqa. And our second imam
sustained this ban. So the present day Naqshbandis may
not even quote them to legitimize loud zikr.
Indeed, this ban on public display includes all su-
pererogatory practices. As a general rule, my sufi shaykh
has taught me to perform all supererogatory prayers at
home instead of in mosques. He even taught us to hide
our prayer beads from public eyes. And he taught us that
if in a mosque or in public we do our tariqas silent zikr
with prayer beads, we should hide those prayer beads.
For example, I often used to close my eyes and meditate
in public but the shaykh told me that I should not do that
in public because then people would wonder what I am
doing; it would make our acts of worship public. The
only time that we, the adepts of the Mujaddidi tariqa,
may close our eyes and meditate in public is in our sitting
meditations (muraqabas) that are done after the dawn
(fajr) and sunset (maghrib) prayers.
Following the rules of the tariqa, I always hide my
prayer beads while doing zikr in public, on buses or mass
transport in the United States and someone once sug-
gested that I should not hide my prayer beads because
showing them may help delivering the message, i.e., if
people ask what I am doing, I could explain it and that
would be another way to spread Islam and the tariqa.
When I asked him, my shaykh overruled it and said that
the rule of this tariqa is that all acts of worship should be
khafi i.e., not only silent but also hidden from the public.
Therefore, it is a rule of the tariqa to hide all our su-
pererogatory practices- they should not only be silent but
also hidden from the public. And the tariqa-rules must be
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SONGS, DANCES, ECSTASIES, RAPTURES 243
meticulously observed to receive the faydh and baraka

from the tariqa.
Songs, Dances, Ecstasies, Raptures

If you practice sufi songs and dances, you may still ex-
perience strong hal or states but those states produced
by these non-sharia practices are evil. In another mak-
tub, the Mujaddid compares the relative merits of prayer
versus singing and dancing according to the sharia. He
concludes that hal produced by prayer is superior to the
hal produced by singing and dancing in the same way
that prayer is a more meritorious act than singing and
dancing.
When the great ones of this tariqa have for-

bidden even loud zikr so strongly, what can
one say about songs, dances, ecstasies, and
raptures (wajd va tawajid)! I consider the
states and raptures (mawajid) that emerge by
non-permissible means as a kind istidraj [prac-
tice] that leads step by step to ruin. States
and longings (ahwal va adhwaq) come in the
hands even for the people of istidraj or peo-
ple who practice occult that lead them step-
by-step to ruin. They see the unveilings of
tawhid (kashf-i tawhid). And they see [God]
unveiled in the mirror that is the forms of the
world and they also identify Him with those
forms.
Yes! Tawhid is unveiled before these misguided people

as well- it is experienced by many mystics of many other
religions. Let us read the following example from the
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Hindu scriptures. In the Chandogya Upanishad 2 Sve-

taketu asks his father the Rishi (sage) Aruni, How shall
I see the immortal divine Being? Aruni threw some salt
into a container of water and asked Svetaketu, Son! Can
you tell where the salt went? You will not see any salt
anywhere. Instead taste the water! Then you will expe-
rience the presence of salt in every drop of that water. In
the same way, Truth [i.e., God] is everywhere. You can-
not see Him in the creation, but you can experience Him
there through meditation. That is why, son, I say Thou
art Him.
So the Mujaddid says that realizing tawhid (i.e., that
God and the creation, all are the same) is not the purpose
of God-realization- instead it is the spontaneous obser-
vance of the sharia that is the destination.
The sages of Greece and the yogis and the

Brahmins of India are also among these peo-
ple [who practiced occult] that led them step-
by-step to ruin. The sign that the states are
real [i.e., of divine origin] is that those [states]
conform to the science of the sharia and keep
people away from taking up forbidden and
questionable practices. [A 1.266, 135.6-10]
Yes! That is the real purpose of a spiritual quest accord-

ing to the Mujaddid. It is to purify the inner realm so that
man spontaneously observes the sharia. So if the prac-
tices of any God-realized master do not accomplish it,
then that establishes that that practice is not of divine ori-
gin.
The Mujaddid writes more on the same theme else-
where in the Maktubat.
2
an ancient Hindu scripture that is the source of Vedanta monist tradition
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It is because the Brahmins and yogis of In-

dia and the philosophers of Greece have had
plenty of the likes of these self-disclosures
in [physical] form, imaginal unveilings, and
monist ideas (tajalli-i suri, mukashafat-i mithali,
ulum-i tawhidi); but they have received noth-
ing but negativity and dishonor (raswai) as a
result and nothing but remoteness (bud) and
disappointment (haramani) in their lot. [A
1.237, 37.15-17]
Singing and dancing do violate the sharia. The Mujad-
did now cites from the Koran, hadith, and opinion of the
Salaf, the pious predecessors.
You should know that singings and dancing
are really parts of games and joys. Allah
has stated, Among people, whosoever buys a
game of words (Koran 31:6), and this verse
has been revealed to forbid singing. Mujahid,
who was the student of Ibn Abbas, and a pre-
eminent follower, has said that the game of
words means singing here. It is written in
the Koranic exegesis Madarik 3 that game of
words means tales told at a night party and
singing. [These two great scholars among the
companions], Ibn Abbas and Ibn Masud , 4
both swear, Verily it is singing. Mujahid 5
has interpreted the Koranic phrase who does
not witness falsehood (Koran 35:72) as refer-
ring to singing.
3
Abdullah ibn Ahmad Nasafi, Madarik al-Tanzil wa Haqaiq al-Tawil
4
Ibn Abbas and Ibn Masud were companions and great scholars and
Koranic commentators
5
Mujahid: An early Koranic commentator of the generation after the
companions
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Imam of Guidance Abu Mansur Maturidi 6

says, Whosoever praises a qari [reciter of
the Koran] of our times by saying You re-
cited well!- [that means that he approves of
that qaris singing the verses of the Koran
and that is haram since singing in all forms
is haram and so, since he approves a haram
act] he becomes an apostate, his wife gets an
[automatic] divorce7 [as he would have be-
come an apostate] and Allah makes all his
good deeds come to naught [as he would have
become an apostate]. [A 1.266, 135.10-16]
Imam Maturidis argument seems to be this: The qari

of his time used to recite the Koran in a melodious-like
singing. And singing is haram, even if someone sings
the verses of the Koran. So if someone approved that
qaris singing the verses of the Koran and that is haram,
then he would be approving a haram act. And since he
approved a haram act, he would leave the folds of Islam.
According to the sharia, if a Muslim leaves the fold of
Islam, his marriage becomes null and void, i.e., wife gets
an automatic divorce. Also, all his good deeds are erased
from the records.
Abu Nasiruddin Dubusi narrates the follow-
ing from Qadi Zahiruddin Khwarizmi. 8 He
6
Abu Mansur Maturidi was the founder of one of the two major schools
of kalam (apologetics or defensive dogmatic theology); it is the dominant
school in Transoxiana (Uzbekistan, Takjikistan region) and India. Abul
Hasan Ashari founded the other school that is dominant in the rest of the
world. The Mujaddid followed the Maturidite school, on whose excellence
he writes in his monograph the Mabda va Maad, Minha i.e., chapter 28
7
According to the sharia, if a Muslim leaves the fold of Islam, his mar-
riage becomes null and void, i.e., the wife is automatically divorced. Also,
all his good deeds are erased from the records
8
Abu Nasiruddin Dubusi and Qadi Zahiruddin Khawarizmi were Islamic
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said, He who listens to a singer or someone

else singing a song or he who sees a forbid-
den act and likes it, he would immediately
become an apostate in our opinion. It does
not matter whether he believes in it [i.e., be-
lieves that that forbidden act is permissible]
as a matter of creed or not. 9 [By merely lik-
ing that forbidden act] he invalidates a ruling
of the sharia. And he who invalidates a rul-
ing of the sharia no longer remains a faithful
[Muslim] before the four interpreter Imams.
10
Allah will not accept any of his good deeds.
All his good deeds will come to naught. May
Allah save us from this!
The jurists have narrated so many prohibi-

tions on singing that there are just too many
to number. Even then if someone quotes ab-
rogated hadith reports or rarely transmitted
narrations to establish that singing is allow-
able, then you should not even consider it.
For no jurist in any time or place has ever
made a juridical pronouncement that singing
is allowed or that dancing or footwork is permissible-
the Great Imam Diyauddin Shami 11 wrote
thus in his book the Multaqat.
scholars
9
According to the sharia, one who believes a haram act to be halal leaves
the folds of Islam. However, if he does carry out that act believing it to be
haram, he becomes guilty of that sin but he still remains a Muslim
10
Interpreter Imam (mujtahid imam): This refers to the imams who
founded the four schools of interpretation, i.e., Abu Hanifa, Shafii, Malik,
and Ahmad ibn Hanbal
11
Diya al-din Shami was a great scholar, and qadi of Delhi. He was a
contemporary of sufi shaykh Nizamuddin Chishti (d. 725 / 1325). His book
Nisab al-Ihtisab is held in high esteem ( Fazlur Rahman, p. 102)
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Now the Mujaddid answers the question, But many

eminent sufis of the past used to practice these deviant
practices. So why should they not be lawful? The Mu-
jaddid explains that the practices of the sufis are not evi-
dence for lawfulness; instead, it is the opinions of the ju-
rists and the scholars of the fiqh or the law of the sharia,
that establish something to be lawful.
Practices of the sufis are not proofs of lawful-
ness or unlawfulness. Is it not enough that we
consider them [those sufis] excusable, do not
blame them, and leave their matter to God?
Here the opinion of [jurists like] Imam Abu
Hanifa, Imam Abu Yusuf, or Imam Muham-
mad 12 is relevant, not the practice of [sufis
like] Abu Bakr Shibli or Abul Hasan Nuri. 13
This time the Mujaddid answers the question, The mas-
ters of many tariqas used to practice these deviant prac-
tices. So why can we not? The Mujaddid answers that
those masters practices should not be a pretext because
they practiced them only when overwhelmed by their
states. So todays sufis, who do not attain those sub-
lime states and are not at all overwhelmed by those
states, may not use their predecessors practices as ex-
cuses.
The immature sufis of this age have brought
singing and dancing into their religion and
community under the pretext that their own
pirs practiced them. Even more, they have
made them into pious deeds and acts of wor-
12
Imam Abu Hanifa was the founder of the Hanafi school of jurispru-
dence, and Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad were two of his greatest
disciples
13
Abu Bakr Shibli and Abul Hasan Nuri were eminent sufi masters
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ship. They are the ones who take their reli-

gion as games and joys (Koran 25:72) , refers
to those who are present in gatherings of singing.
The Mujaddid finds it horrible to glorify singing and danc-

ing.
We learn from the preceding narrations that

whosoever considers an unlawful act to be
right leaves the fold of Islam and becomes
an apostate; now you can imagine how hor-
rible is it to glorify the gathering of singing
and dancing, let alone to consider them pious
deeds or acts of worship! Praise and glory
be on Allah! Our pirs [i.e the great shaykhs
of the Naqshbandi tariqa] are free from these
[deviant practices]! And they have not guided
us, their followers, into doing taqlid of them
[i.e. following them] into these [deviant prac-
tices] either [with them being our role mod-
els!]. [A 1.266, 135.16-136.15; FR 101-102.15]
It may be noted here that while jurists hold singing to be

haram, hadith scholars often approve of it. Even Hazrat
Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dihlavi, the eminent hadith scholar
and disciple of the Mujaddid, approves of songs in his
book the Path of Prophethood or Madarij-i Nubuwat,
which is a biography on the life of Prophet Muhammad
(salam.). It is possible that this book was written before
he became a disciple of the Mujaddid. In any case, he
has the right to differ from the Mujaddid as he was a
great hadith scholar himself. However, what is certain is
that songs are forbidden as practices of this tariqa, even
if one could find an acceptable reason for singing in the
sharia.
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Now disciples in tariqas other than the Naqshbandi

(e.g. Chishti, Shadhili, etc.) may ask, Many of our pre-
decessor shaykhs used to practice singing, dancing, etc.
so why can we not? The Mujaddid explains it in another
maktub, 14 by explaining that those shaykhs engaged in
those anti-sharia practices only when predominated by
their states. Since they cannot control themselves in
that state, they are excused. However, their followers
who practice those anti-sharia practices are not in that
state and so they are not excused- even they should not
engage in those practices. However, in the case of the
Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi tariqa, even that suspicion is not
available as none of its predecessor shaykhs used to in-
dulge in these deviant practices.
Singing: Advice to his Pirs Sons

In addition to the practices of loud zikr, singing and danc-
ing violate the fundamental method of the Mujaddidi-
Naqshbandi tariqa. They are blameworthy deviations from
the practices of the tariqa.
I have heard that you two, the two sons of my
venerable master, have taken a fancy toward
singing. And you set up gatherings Thursday
nights 15 for singing songs and reciting qasi-
das. Most of our sufi brothers are agreeing to
this practice! [A 1.266, 136.15-17]
The Mujaddid so strongly forbade them because these
naats and qasidas (types of poems) were being indeed re-
cited with musical instrumentsi have learned it from
14
maktub 1.291, Volume III, Bengali text p. 189
15
In the Muslim tradition, the day starts with sunset and continues until
the next sunset. First comes Friday night, then comes the Friday day. So the
Muslim Friday night is the Western Thursday night
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MAWLUDS 251
my living tradition, from my shaykh who learnt it from

another shaykh 16 who in turn learned this from his sil-
sila. Sunni ulama usually approve singing songs and
reciting qasidas without musical instruments, especially
in a mawlud. However, my shaykh added that the main
person in the gathering (usually the shaykh), should not
participate in singingthen the sunna will be observed
because the prophet did not practice singing.
Mawluds
While previously, the Mujaddid forbade singing as it vi-
olated the sharia, now he is forbidding it as a violation
of the Naqshbandi tariqa. He argues that it would be in-
troducing a new alien practice in this tariqa and that is as
bad as introducing such practices in the sharia.
Did the Mujaddid forbid all mawluds? No! It should
be noted Mujaddid is not condemning all mawlud cele-
brations, instead only those celebrations where singing
with musical instruments takes place, as it violates the
sharia, and those where singing songs are performed as
practices of this tariqa, as that violates the Naqshbandi
tariqa. The ulama have generally approved singing naats
and qasidas when sung with voice only and without mu-
sical instruments. Elsewhere in the Maktubat, the Mu-
jaddid discusses more on what types of mawluds are per-
mitted and what types are not. There, he responds to a
question posed by a disciple,
In the matter of recitation of the Mawlud, you
have asked, Regarding reciting the Koran with
16
I learned it from my shaykh Muhammad Mamunur Rashid in his
Khanqa in Dhaka in a private conversation in 1998. He in turn learned it
from Shah Muti Aftabi, the translator of the Bengali Maktubat, in a private
meeting in Sabhar, Dhaka in the 1980s
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a melodious voice and reciting qasidas in praise

and eulogy of the prophet (qasaid-i naat va
manqabat), what stricture is there?
In answer, the Mujaddid describes the practices that are
forbidden in mawlud.
What is forbidden is the mispronunciation and
changing of the sounds of the Koran. Also
forbidden is the addition [to the recitation, the
practice] of taking into account the musical
modes. And [also disallowed is the recita-
tion that is] outside of the way of a normal
voice (tardid-i sawt) but instead the way of
singing sweetly; And [also forbidden is hand
clapping- practices like this are not allowed
even in poetry- [recitation].
Now the Mujaddid discusses the strictures that regulate
the proper forms of the mawlud.
If you recite in such a way that no phonetic
corruption in the proper [method of pronun-
ciation] of the Koran takes place; and when
the qasidas are recited, the above-mentioned
prohibitions are not broken and additionally
[they are recited] with the right intention [i.e.,
to become closer to God, instead of having
fun] then they may be permitted.
Then the Mujaddid voices his apprehension that if mawluds
are celebrated at all, they would ultimately lead to devi-
ations.
Sir! The idea comes to my mind that until
this door is completely closed, idiots [who
practice deviant forms of mawlid] will not be
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INVENTING NEW PRACTICES IN THE TARIQA 253
stopped. If you permit a little of it, that will

lead to more of it [being practiced]. A little
will increase to a lot! It is a well-known say-
ing. [A 3.72, 157.8-14]
Now remember that the Mujaddid approves of mawluds
when done in the sunna format. He now only voices his
apprehensions that even proper forms of mawluds will
degenerate into deviant forms of mawluds.
Inventing New Practices in the tariqa

The Mujaddid cautions his sufi brothers against inventing
new practices in the Naqshandi tariqa. He says,
Surprise! A thousand surprises! The disci-
ples of the other silsilas take these things up
on the pretext that it is the practice of their
own pirs. And they ward off the reverence
for the sharia by the practice of their own pirs
although even that is not really true. What ex-
cuse would our sufi brothers 17 give for taking
up this practice? On one hand, it destroys the
reverence for the sharia! On the other hand,
it is contrary to their pirs practice! Neither
the people of the sharia are pleased with this
practice, nor are the people of the tariqa!
The Mujaddid has always held the opinion that inventing
deviations (bidat) in the tariqa is just as sinful an act
as introducing deviations in the sharia. That is why he
denounces introducing singing and dancing in this tariqa
which is inventing new practices in the tariqa.
17
sufi brother (yar): Literally yar means friend. But here, as well as in
other places, the Mujaddid seems to mean his brothers in the tariqa, i.e.,
other students of Khwaja Baqibillah
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Even if it were not violating the sharia, it would

be inventing (ihdath) a new practice into the
tariqa and that alone is abominable! So how
can it be that that gathering [of singing with
musical instruments that you are holding is]
acceptable to the sharia?
Therefore, the Mujaddid forbids these new inventions in

the tariqa.
I firmly believe that the esteemed Mirza Jiu

18
is not pleased with this practice. He is
not openly forbidding it only for the sake of
adab, courtesy. It is also for that reason that
he is not forbidding the sufi brothers from go-
ing to these gatherings. I do not anticipate go-
ing there [to your khanqa in Delhi] soon. So I
have collected my thoughts and written a few
lines. You should take this lesson [that is in
this maktub] in the company of Mirza Jiu and
read this letter in front of him from beginning
to end. [A 1.266, 136.17-end-of-maktub]
What does the Mujaddid mean by the term pir here?

What does he mean when he claims that none of our pre-
decessor pirs used to engage in singing [with musical in-
struments] or dancing? Pir is a Persian word that liter-
ally means elder; however, in its technical meaning, it
is synonymous with the Arabic shaykh or another Per-
sian word, bozorg. In Iran and the Indian subcontinent,
pir also means guide in the tariqa- it is a synonym
for the Arabic shaykh in this technical sense, as well
as literally. In this maktub, the Mujaddid is referring to
his predecessor shaykhs in the Naqshbandi tariqa.
18
another name for Khwaja Husamuddin Ahmed
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INVENTING NEW PRACTICES IN THE TARIQA 255
Here, one may comment that many shaykhs who are

listed in the lineage tree or the shajara of this tariqa
like Hazrat Sayyid Amir Kulal and several of his prede-
cessors used to practice loud zikr. (However, this mak-
tub shows that Hazrat Bahauddin persuaded Hazrat Amir
Kulal to give up loud zikr.) So why does the Mujad-
did make the false claim that our pirs did not prac-
tice these? Did the Mujaddid not know the history of
his tariqa? The answer is that although these elders are
listed in the shajara or the lineage tree of the tariqa, still
they are not members in the Naqshbandi tariqa techni-
cally. This is because the tariqa starts with the founder,
the Imam who formalizes the rules of the tariqa and who
is a primary source of the energy and blessings, faydh
va baraka, of that tariqa. Our tariqa, the Mujaddidi-
Naqshbandi tariqa, like several other tariqas, has two Imams:
the first Imam is Bahauddin Naqshband and the second
Imam is the Great Mujaddid Ahmad Sirhindi. So tech-
nically, the elders who are in our silsila but are before
Hazrat Bahauddin Naqshband are not elders of our tariqa
and so the Mujaddid does not even consider their prac-
tices as models of our practices. They are not at all our
role models in defining the rules of the tariqa. It is the
two Imams who make these rules.
The term silsila literally means chain and it has two
technical meanings in the sufi science. First, it means
the shajara or the lineage tree, i.e., the list of consecutive
masters in the tariqa- that cannot be the meaning here as
some early masters in this shajara of this tariqa, prior to
the formation of the tariqa by Hazrat Bahauddin Naqsh-
band, indeed practiced loud zikr. So here, this term can
only have its second meaning, whereby it is synonymous
to tariqa- a formalized system of teaching knowledge of
the heart. Here it refers to this Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi
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tariqa that was originally instituted by its first Imam Hazrat

Bahauddin Naqshband and later renewed, re-invigorated
and expanded by its second Imam Hazrat the Great Mu-
jaddid Ahmad Sirhindi.
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Part V
257
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CHAPTER
8
Rules of the Tariqa
What to do when one seeks to follow the sufi path and

reach God? One may learn from the personal experience
of the Mujaddid. He writes in his monograph Mabda va
Maad about how he started his own sufi journey.
When I experienced the desire for this path,
divine grace (ilahi) (SWT) took me to a caliph
of the family of the khwaja hazrats (qaf). It
is from there that I attained the tariqa of these
masters and I clung to his companionship. [Mabda
1, 3.1-4]
Yes! In order to attain Allah, one must attain the com-
panionship of an authorized deputy or khalifa of any of
the sufi tariqas and learn from him.
From which sufi tariqa should one learn? There
are many tariqas and each one of them has their unique
method for God-realization. However, as the Mujaddid
says,
Know that the tariqa which is the nearest, fore-
259
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260 Rules of the Tariqa
most, most appropriate, strongest, most reli-

able, wisest, truest, most just, highest, great-
est, most elevated, and most perfect (aqrab,
asbaq, awfaq, awthaq, aslam, ahkam, asdaq,
adall, ala, ajall, arfa, akmal) is the most
distinguished Naqshbandi tariqa. May Allah
(SWT) sanctify the spirits of its family-members
and the secrets of its adherents! [A 1.290,
90.7-9]
Why? The Mujaddid also explains the reason that has

carried this tariqa to such greatness. It is because this
tariqa strictly follows the sunna.
All the greatness of this tariqa and the high

status of these masters result because this tariqa
firmly follows the shining sunna (salam) and
stays away from displeasing deviations. They
are those for whom the end has been inserted
in the beginning, as[it happened] for the hon-
ored companions (dwad)! [A 1.290,190]
What is the first zikr of the Naqshbandi tariqa? That is

the zikr of the name of the person (ism-i dhat) i.e., Al-
lah. . . Allah. . . Allah. . . And that is the first zikr that the
Mujaddid learned from his guide Hazrat Baqibillah. The
Mujaddid writes,
Brother! May Allah show you the straight

path! When by the divine grace,I experienced
a raving madness for this [sufi] path, he guided
me to our shaykh, our Mawla, our Imam shaykh
Muhammad al-Baqi who was a celebrated caliph
of the family of the great Naqshbandi hazrats.
He was the asylum of the friends [of Allah],
one who is aware of the reality, (walayat panah,
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261
haqiqat-i agah), guide to the tariqa where the

end has been inserted in the beginning and
which connects one to the path towards the
degrees of friendship [of Allah], the supporter
[of the religion that leads one to] the good-
pleasure of God (hadi-i tariq-i indiraj-i ni-
hayat fil bidayat wa ila al-sabil al-mawsil
ila darajat al-walayat, muayyid al-ridan) [A
1.290,190]
Yes! That is the initial zikr of this tariqa. It is Al-
lah. . . Allah. . . .Allah. It is not Haqq, Hayy, Qayyum or
any other name.
Now what is the proper method of zikr in this Mujaddidi-
Naqshbandi tariqa? We know one thing for sure that
the zikr of the Mujaddidi tariqa is always silent. We
need to know it so that we can easily detect if some
shaykh is following a deviant practice or the unadulter-
ated Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi practice. The Mujaddid ex-
plains how to do the zikr:
Praise be to Allah who is the Lord of the worlds!
Salutation and peace be upon the Prince of
the Prophets, his progeny and his pure com-
panions!
Know and be aware that your felicity (saadat),

instead the felicity of every child of Adam,
and success and salvation (durustagari) for
everyone, lies in the zikr of his object of wor-
ship (ilahi) (SWT). As much as possible, you
should keep yourself drowned in the zikr of
God all the time; you should not permit your-
self even one moments heedlessness.
Praise be to the Allah (SWT)! What a divine
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grant of good fortune! This perpetual zikr

(dawam-i dhikr) is realized right in the begin-
ning of the tariqa of the khwajegan hazrats.
(qaf). [While this perpetual zikr is realized at
the end of the other tariqas, it is realized in
the beginning of this Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi
tariqa] as insertion of the end in the begin-
ning. (indiraj al-nihayat fi-l bidayat), [which
is a uniquely distinguishing characteristic of
this tariqa].
Therefore, the students should choose this most

high tariqa, as it is the best and the most ap-
propriate. Even more, it is obligatory and
incumbent (wajib va lazim). So [now] you
should turn your focus of attention (qibla-i
tawajjuh) away from all [the other] directions
and instead turn your face totally towards the
exalted persons (janab) of these masters of
the most high tariqa. And beseech fervently
[assistance for God-realization] from the in-
ner realms (batin) of these great ones.
Some argue, Loud zikr also used to be a Naqshbandi

practice. Many shaykhs of this tariqa used to practice it
in the past. So we are only re-introducing them. So why
should it be blamed? The answer is two-fold. First, is
the case in which these masters are in the silsila of our
tariqa but before the formation of the tariqa, that we have
already discussed. Second, when it was indeed practiced
after the formation of our tariqa, the answer is that the
practice of the deviant branches of the tariqa should not
be our model. Even in the Maktubat, Hazrat Mujaddid
cautions many Naqshbandis who practiced loud zikr
and states that they are the deviant branches of the
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263
tariqa unfit to be our role models. This also proves that

loud zikr among Naqshbandis was rampant even at that
time; it is not a new deviation, rather it is a very old and
common deviation among the Naqshbandis. The argu-
ment that because others have done it or do, it is ac-
ceptable, is known to be false and countless examples
can be given to illustrate the faulty logic of this justifi-
cation. Furthermore, the Mujaddid guarantees that those
who participate in deviant practices are in fact blocked
from receiving any faydh or baraka of the tariqa. Neither
do they reach any hal of the tariqa; any hal they may re-
ceive is really a deception that leads step-by-step to ruin
(istidraj).
Some modern-day nontraditional Naqshbandi shaykhs
argue, While silent zikr was appropriate in the past, with
the change of time, the rules need to be changed. We
feel that loud zikr is appropriate for the current time. In
answer, we may remind ourselves why all these deviant
practices, e.g., loud zikr, singing, dancing, and so forth,
are forbidden in this tariqa. A fundamental rule of this
tariqa is strict (azimat) adherence to the sunna. Loud
zikr is a deviation (bidat) from the sunna, and that is
why it is prohibited, in contrast to the rules of the other
tariqas, which do not follow the sunna as strictly. As
the Mujaddid wrote,
Know! To attain the tariqa of the khwajegan

hazrats, (qaf), you should believe in the be-
liefs of the mainstream Sunni community and
observe the shining sunna of the Chosen One
(on its owner [Prophet Muhammad] be salu-
tations, peace and benediction!). And you
should avoid the deviations [to the sunna or
bidat] and the caprices of the [instigating]
soul. And you should practice strictly (az-
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imat) as much as possible. And you should

remain cautious of a relaxed (rukhsat) prac-
tice. [A 1.290, 95.7-10]
Yes! Loud zikr and singing may be allowed by some
ulama as a relaxed (rukhsat) practice. But the heart
of the Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi tariqa is to strictly (az-
imat) follow the sharia and sunna, and this is why these
practices are banned in this tariqa. The Mujaddid ex-
plains the message of the Naqshbandi masters again,
Brother! The great ones of the Most High

Naqshbandi tariqa (qaf) cling to the shining
sunna and choose a strict (azimat) practice
[over a relaxed (rukhsat) practice]. Along with
adhering to [the sunna] and choosing [a strict
practice], if they are ennobled by states and
raptures (hal va mawajid) then they consider
it to be a tremendous bliss.
On the other hand, if they realize those states

and raptures but find themselves slackening
in adhering to [the sunna] and choosing that
[strict practice], then they do not like those
states and do not want those raptures. In-
stead, they consider that slackening to be a
sign of their own badness. [A 1.237, 37.12-
15]
This above section is an especially relevant response to

todays nontraditional Naqshbandi sufi shaykhs who say
that these deviant practices are needed to attract people
to the tariqa today. Yes! It is true that practices like loud
zikr produce stronger hal (although only temporarily ).
And singing may attract people. But true Naqshbandis
would not like that hal and attraction produced by those
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265
deviant practices; instead they would consider that slack-

ening of the sunna to be a sign of their own weakness.
The Mujaddid again wrote on the importance of avoid-
ing a relaxed practice of the sharia in this tariqa.
Therefore, as a choice, the tariqa that would
be the most appropriate and best suited is the
one which requires you to observe the sunna
and which conforms to the injunctions of the
sharia. That tariqa is the tariqa of the Naqsh-
bandi masters. These great ones have included
the sunna and left out deviations from this
tariqa. As much as possible, they do not per-
mit a relaxed (rukhsat) practice even when
that appears to benefit the inner realm. On
the other hand, they maintain a strict (azi-
mat) practice even when that appears to harm
that inner realm. [A 1.243, 43.12-16]
Yes! Loud zikr indeed produces a stronger hal and so it
appears to benefit the inner realm. And so many tariqas
do permit this. However, even so, the Naqshbandi mas-
ters prohibit those deviant practices.
Still another maktub forbids loud zikr and all its
deviations as being in violation of a core value of this
tariqa, which is to observe the sunna. This maktub was
written to Khwaja Muhammad Qasim, the son of Khwa-
jegi Amkangi. And Khwaja Amkangi was the pir of
Khwaja Baqibillah . It shows that these deviations have
been creeping into this tariqa from a long time.
You may know that the Naqshbandi tariqa has
attained superiority and has been elevated to
a high rank because this tariqa firmly follows
the sunna and meticulously avoids all devi-
ations. It is for this reason, the great ones
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of this Most High tariqa have avoided loud

(jahr) zikr and instead directed towards silent
(khafi) zikr. And they have forbidden songs,
dances, ecstasies, and raptures (sama va raqs
va wajd va tawajud) that did not exist in the
time of that Great Leader [Prophet Muham-
mad] (salam) or in the times of the well-instructed
caliphs (dwad) Seclusion and forty-day retreats
(arbain) were not practiced in the time of the
Great Master, instead they have chosen seclu-
sion within congregation (khalwat dar anju-
man).
Consequently, commitment [to the sunna] has

yielded great results and avoidance [of devia-
tions] has given them abundant rewards. It is
for this reason that the end of other [tariqas]
has been inserted in the beginning for these
masters and their transmission (nisbat) is higher
than all other transmissions. Their message is
the medicine for the heart!
And their blessed gaze (nazar-i shan) is medicine

for illness of the diseases of mental worri-
ness (ilal-i manuya). And the face-turning
of their noble presence (tawajjuh-i wajih) saves
the seekers from the captivation of the two
worlds [of creation, this world and the last
world.]. Their power to elevate [others on the
sufi path] (himmat-i rafi) carries the seekers
from the perigee of contingentness (imkan) to
the apogee of Necessaryness (wujub).
Naqshbandis are such amazing lead-

ers of the caravan!
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267
They lead from the hidden path to

the sanctuary of the caravan!
The attraction (jadhdhba) that come
from their companionship, from the
heart of the wayfarer!
Carries off any whispering of seclu-
sion (khalwat) or thought of chilla
(forty-day retreats or arbain)
In these times, that transmission (nisbat) has

become as rare as the phoenix! And some
from this grade [of nontraditional Naqshbandi
shaykhs] have not found that great treasure
and have been deprived of this rare bliss. They
have looked around everywhere for these jew-
els but of no avail. So finally they have be-
come contented with pieces of broken earth-
enware, or like children, they have found com-
fort in walnuts and raisins. Many of them
have been confused and perturbed and so they
have left the method of their own [tariqas]
past masters. And some times, they try to
find peace through loud zikr. Other times,
they search for comfort in songs and dances
(sama va raqs). Since they have failed to
find seclusion in the congregation (khalwat
dar anjuman), they have instituted forty-day
retreats in seclusion (arba in-i khalwat). It
is even more surprising that they believe they
are completing and perfecting this noble nis-
bat (transmission) with these newly- invented
practices (bidat). And they consider this de-
struction as renovation. May the Haqq (SWT)
give them a sense of justice! And may He put
a few of the perfections of the great ones of
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this tariqa into the heads of the souls [of these

deviant Naqshbandis!] By the letters Nun and
Saad [in the Koran]! For Your love for the
prophet and his noble progeny (salam)!
At this time, these new practices (muhdathat)
are being instituted. And even the original
tariqa of these great ones has been concealed.
And both the commoners and the elite are
practicing newly-instituted practices. And they
are deviating from the original and ancient
tariqa. So the idea came to my mind that I
should inform the servants of your sublime
court of all these matters ! And by that bring
some of the pain in my heart out in the open!
I do not know in which group these sufi com-
rades of your court belong? Which tribe?
I cant sleep [at night] worrying on
this
In whose lap am I sleeping happily
My supplication to Allah (SWT) is that He
saves you from this catastrophe! And He pre-
serves your noble court from including these
false practices!
Sir! Newly-instituted and invented practices
(ihdath va ibda ) have become so prevalent
in this tariqa that if those who are against this
tariqa say that this is the tariqa that includes
newly- invented practices (bidat) and excludes
sunna then they would have a point! [A 1.168,
52.6-53.12]
Yes! Practices like loud zikr, songs, dances, ecstasies
and raptures may be allowed by many scholars, how-
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269
ever; these practices do contravene the sunna and are

new additions to Islam that emerged after the time of the
prophet and the companions. And because the Naqsh-
bandis strictly follow the sunna, they forbid these prac-
tices while other tariqas who maintain only a relaxed
practice may still practice them.
Here is another prohibition of loud zikr.
You have also asked, You [the Mujaddid]
forbid loud (jahr) zikr as it is a deviation (bidat).
However, it produces a taste and longing for
God (dhawq va shawq). And you do not for-
bid other things that were not there in the time
of that Great Leader [Prophet Muhammad]
(salam), for example the [the outfit called]
fardi, shawl and shalwar.
Sir! The acts of that Great Leader (salam) are

of two types [the first type is performed as
an act] of worship (ibadat), [and the second
type is performed as an act ] of custom and
habit (urf va ada).
The acts of worship, if you contravene them,

then I consider it a reprehensible deviation
(bidat-ha-i mankur). And I proclaim that
they are forbidden. Because instituting a new
practice (ihdath) in religion is exceedingly
wicked (murud).
On the other hand, if you contravene the acts

that are performed as customs and habits, then
I do not consider it to be a reprehensible de-
viation. And I do not proclaim it to be pro-
hibited, as it is not connected to the religion.
[A 1.231, 22.2-8]
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Yes! With the changed times, Naqshbandi shaykhs can

make some changes in the practice. But that does not
extend to a fundamental practice like loud zikr. That
is forever forbidden for Naqshbandis, even though that
practice may be highly effective in producing a taste
and longing for God.
Another prohibition on loud zikr follows,
Know that the tariqa of the khwajegan hazrats

(qaf ) is the nearest (aqrab) among the tariqas
that connects one (mawsila) [to God]. And
the end (nihayat) of others has been inserted
in the beginning (bidayat) of these masters.
And their transmission (nisbat) is above (fawqa)
all other transmissions.
This tariqa has realized all these [excellences]

because it clings to the sunna and discards de-
viations. As much as possible, they do not
permit a relaxed (rukhsat) practice even when
it seems to benefit the inner realm (batin).
And they do not give up a strict practice
(azimat), even when they consider it to be
harmful to their journey (sayrat) [on the sufi
path].
They place the states and raptures (ahwal

va mawajid) below the rules of the sharia [in
importance]. They consider [sufi experiences
like] longings and the sufi ideas (adhwaq
va maarif ) to be servants of the science of
the sharia. They do not exchange the precious
jewels of the sharia for walnuts and raisins as
children do, or ecstasies or deep states (wajd
va hal-i ghaus) [as the deviant ones among
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271
the sufis do]. And they do not become de-

ceived or charmed by false sufi expressions
(tarahat). They do not leave the nass [the Ko-
ran and the hadith] to become engaged in the
fass[the book Fusus al-Hikam by Ibn Arabi.].
And they do not revere the Futuhat-i Makkiya
[or the Meccan Revelation of Ibn Arabi.] more
than the Futuhat-i Madaniya [the Medinan
Revelations, i.e., the hadith].
Their state (hal) is permanent (dawam) and

their time (waqt) is perpetual. While the self-
disclosure of the person of God (tajalli-i dhati)
that the others experience is [transient] like
the flash of a lightning, what these masters
experience is permanent. And these exalted
ones do not even take into account that self-
disclosure which disappears the next moment
after its appearance. Allah has said about them,
They are such men whom trade and business
cannot distract from the zikr of Allah. (Koran
37:24)
However, everyone cannot empathize with the

tastings (dhawq) that these great ones expe-
rience. For this reason, many defective ones
may deny many of the perfections of this most
distinguished Naqshbandi tariqa .
If a defective one blames on this

group a defect!
Allah forbid! I will bite my tongue
from these complaints!
[A 1.131, 9.4-10.15]
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Yes! Many such defective nontraditional Naqshbandi

shaykhs do make the claim that the traditional Naqsh-
bandi practice of silent zikr is ineffective. This is because
those shaykhs are incompetent, not because the practice
of this tariqa is ineffective. The Mujaddid continues his
sermon,
See! Some of the later caliphs of this most
distinguished Naqshbandi tariqa have insti-
tuted new practices (ihdath) into this tariqa
and have lost the true method of these great
ones [who preceded them in this Naqshbandi
tariqa]. Many of the disciples [of these de-
viant Naqshbandi shaykhs] hold the belief that
they [those deviant nontraditional Naqshbandi
shaykhs] are making this tariqa perfect by these
newly-instituted practices.
God forbid! Never! It is an exceedingly ar-

rogant claim that they are making! On the
contrary, they are ruining and losing it [this
Naqshbandi tariqa, by these newly-instituted
practices.] [A 1.131, 9.4-10.15]
another writing in which the Mujaddid prohibits loud

zikr, because it violates the sharia and the sunna, follows,
The great ones of this most distinguished [Naqsh-
bandi] tariqa make the states and raptures (hal
va mawajid) subservient to the rules of the
sharia. And make the longings and sufi ideas
(adhwaq va maarif ) subservient to the sci-
ence of the religion. They do not act like chil-
dren and so they do not exchange the price-
less jewels of the sharia with walnuts and raisins
[as children do] or ecstasies and states [as the
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273
deviant sufis do] (wajd va hal). And they are

not deceived or charmed by the false sufi ex-
pressions (tarahat). They do not accept the
states (ahwal) that are attained by practices
that violate the sharia or contravene the shin-
ing sunna. Nor do they even want them. This
attitude of theirs has even reached the point
that they do not permit singing and dancing
(sama va raqs). Neither do they even ap-
proach loud zikr. [A 1.221, 7.18-8.2]
Here is still another writing on strict practice and de-
viant practices like loud zikr, singing, and dancing.
Therefore, the nearest (aqrab) tariqa of all
the tariqas is that tariqa in which the opposi-
tion to the [instigating] soul is the most. There
is no doubt that opposing the [instigating] soul
is more in the Most High Naqshbandi tariqa
than in the other tariqas. That is why these
masters have chosen a strict practice and
discarded a relaxed practice. Everyone knows
that a strict practice includes discarding both
the forbidden [or haram] (muharram) and the
superfluous (fudul). 1 And this is in contrast
to a relaxed practice that discards only the
forbidden things.
If someone says that one may undertake strict

practices even in the other tariqas, I would
answer that most tariqas include singing and
dancing (sama va raqs), which may be con-
sidered at most relaxed practices only through
1
superflous practices mean those practices that are mubah in the sharia,
i.e., a practice that is permitted but has neither any merit in it nor any bad
consequence
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much deceptive argumentation They [the other

tariqas] cannot be called strict at all.
What the Mujaddid means by a strict practice is a prac-

tice that strictly follows the sunna. On the other hand,
what the common people mean is a practice that is dif-
ficult and hard-to-so. According to the way the Mujad-
did defines the term strict,- that is, following the sunna
strictly ? those deviant tariqas cannot be at all called
strict.
The Mujaddid reiterates that point here.
Loud zikr is something that is just like that. It

cannot be thought of as being anything more
than a relaxed practice shaykhs of other sil-
silas [that are not Naqshbandi] have instituted
new practices (umur-i muhdath) into their own
tariqas [and they were only] intending to im-
prove [their own tariqas.] Those [practices
are really forbidden or haram according to the
sharia and they] may [at most] be ruled re-
laxed [practices and even that] after a lot of
rectification (tashih), [manipulative reasoning
and stretching].
The masters of our most high [Naqshbandi]

silsila are their antithesis. They do not per-
mit even the slightest deviation (mukhalifat)
from the sunna. And they do not support any
newly instituted or invented practice (ibda
va ihdath). Consequently, opposition to the
[instigating] soul is complete in this tariqa.
Therefore, it is the nearest (aqrab) tariqa.

And it is the best and most appropriate tariqa
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275
for a seeker to choose. Because the path to-

wards their final point is the nearest and
what they seek (matlab) on [their sufi path to-
wards] perfection is high.
Some of their caliphs of the later times has

left the fundamental principles (awda) that
these masters have laid down and instead they
have instituted new practices (ihdath) in this
tariqa. And they have chosen singing, danc-
ing, and loud zikr (sama, raqs, jahr).
They imagine that they are perfecting and com-

pleting (takmil va tatmim) this tariqa with these
newly instituted and invented practices (muh-
dathat va mubdaat). They do not know that
destroying the fundamental principles (awdaat)
of the tariqa will kill the tariqa. [A 1.286,
52.14-53.7]
Some nontraditional Naqshbandi shaykhs claim that with

these newly-invented practices, they are modernizing the
tariqa to fit the current place and time. The above text
may be a proper response to them.
Prohibitions of deviations like loud zikr, singing with
musical instruments, etc. are so critically important that
the Mujaddid repeats this point in another maktub sent to
Khwaja Husamuddin Ahmad in the khanqa of the sons
of Khwaja Baqibillah . There he says that deviations
in the tariqa are just as bad as deviations in the sharia.
He again stresses the prohibition on loud zikr as well
as songs and dances as practices of the tariqa. He even
maintains that it is such a grave misdeed, that if the two
sons of his teacher Khwaja Baqibillah persist in those
anti-tariqa and anti-sharia practices,; he will cut off all
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relations with them. Additionally, he forbids loud zikr in

many other places as well and not as a temporary prohi-
bition, but instead as a permanent ban, as it violates the
very fundamentals of this tariqa, as well as the sharia, as
he interprets it. He wrote,
Honored Sir! Instituting new practices (ih-
dath) in the tariqa, I see as a [blameworthy]
deviation (bidat) and no lesser a deviation
than inventing new practices in the religion
(din). The blessings (barakat) of the tariqa
will pour [onto the seekers via the transmis-
sion channel] until new practices are insti-
tuted therein. When new practices (amr-i muh-
dath) are instituted in the tariqa, then the chan-
nel of energy and blessings is blocked. So it
is the most important of the important mat-
ters (ahammi-muhim) that we preserve [the
traditions of] this tariqa and it is indispens-
able to desist from violating its [traditions]
(ijtinab az mukhalafat-i tariqat).
Therefore, wherever, whomever you may see

indulging [in acts that] violate [the traditions
of] this tariqa, you should forbid him strongly
and strengthen this tariqa. [A 1.267, 76.5-10]
Yes! The Mujaddid guarantees that those deviant nontra-

ditional Naqshbandi shaykhs practicing loud zikr in the
name of the Naqshbandi tariqa, along with their disci-
ples, are not receiving any energy transmission or bless-
ings from our tariqa. It is important for us to forbid
them strongly and strengthen the Mujaddidi-Naqshbandi
tariqa! May Allah help us and grant us success! Amin!
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Index
hidayat(definition), 209 person

rushd (definition), 209 as a translation for dhat,
faylasuf 76
attribute, 120
, 30
existence,theory, 71
jawhar ablution
definition, 74 how to do it, 224
juziya, 76 accidental
kulliya definition, 76
definition, 76 annihilation
mahiya in the messenger, 236
definition, 75 Arabi, Ibn, 177180
mustahab deeds attribute
importance, 224 accidental, 75
qalb-i salim, 236
essential, 76
suluk
Gods, 76
to Ibn Arabi, 122
Mujaddidi suluk, 236
to Sunni ulama, 122
fana
definition, 75
fi l-rasul, 236
existence, 120
dhat
person, as a translation bayat
for dhat, 76 definition, 48
277
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278 INDEX
belief additional attribute, 118

and sufism, 235
bliss, eternal, 152 earth, the element, 183
books energy
Selected Letters of Shaikh Ahmad definition, 47
Sirhindi, 80 engenderingness
Sunan-i Darruqtani, 211
additional attribute, 118
Jawahir-i Sharh-i Mawaqif, 132
essence, 75
Mabda va Maad, 259
existence, 7074
Madarik, 245
shadow, 122
Masnavi, 105 face-turning
Taliqat bar Sharh-Rubaiyat,59 definition, 47
Al-Ghazalis Path to Sufism, 70
faculty, considerative, 72
Futuhat-i Makkiya, 271
faith, particle of, 193
Madarij-i Nubuwat, 249
Fakhry, Majid
Munqidh an al-Dalal, 130
philosophical terms, 76
Khilafat O Mulqiyat, 70
following authority (taqlid)
Sharh-i Aqaid-i Nasafi, 214,
importance, 176
215
Taliqat bar Sharh-i Rubaiyat, 138 Gods knowledge
Upanishad, Chandogya, 244 universals and particu-
Tafsir al-Mazhari, 191 lars, 82
Bridge, the(sirat), 175 Greece, philosophers, 245
Creed hadith, 113, 116, 131, 190,

Mainstream Sunni, 69 193, 197, 198, 202,
205, 206, 210, 211,
damnation, eternal, 151155, 218, 228, 229
169, 177180, 195 Hanifa, Imam Abi, 199, 203
due to personal enmity, Hanifa, Imam Abu, 201
189 hearingness
faith (lack of), 192 additional attribute, 118
justification, 152 heart
dancing, 275 in inner peace, 236
desire heart, people of the, 179
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INDEX 279
hell, eternity, 177180 definitions of, 7477

Hinduism, meditation, 244 ontology
hisab, 175 Aristotle, 74
hypocrite, 186
paradise, eternity, 177
India, Brahmins and yogis, particular (definition), 76
245 persons
Islam Arabi, Ibn, 70
sects, 70 Mujaddids criticism,
138
knowledge
attribute, 122
Hanifa, Abu, 212
Koran, 19, 5961, 99, 103,
104, 107, 113, 116, Saiduddin, Mawlana, 214
132, 141143, 145, Abbas, Ibn, 117
153, 158, 169173, Abdullah, Khwaja, 45
175, 177, 178, 181, Abu Bakr, 209, 210
182, 186, 188, 191, Abu Hanifa, Imam, 248
192, 195198, 201, Abu Yusuf, 248
214, 229, 230, 237, Ahmad, Khwaja Husamud-
239, 245, 249, 271 din, 63, 254, 275
al-Farabi, 123, 124, 127
life Ali, 210
additional attribute, 118 Amkangi, Khwajegi, 265
Arabi, Ibn, 73, 119, 120,
meditation 124, 153, 182
Hindu, 244 Aristotle, 74, 75, 124,
Mujaddid 125
attribute, 120 Aruni, 244
Mutazila Ashari, Imam, 70, 210
attribute, 120 Averrois, 75, 124, 127
Naqshbandi tariqa Avicenna, 71, 123, 124,
is the best, 260 127
Mujaddid starts, 259 Baqibillah, Khwaja, 45,
56, 61, 63, 64, 105,
ontological terms 112, 124, 138, 156,
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280 INDEX
205, 239, 260, 265, Plato, 124, 131

275 Plotinus, 124, 125
Bukhari, Imam, 210 Qasim, Muhammad, 265
Chishti, Muinuddin, 119 Ramitani, Khwaja Mah-
poem, 120 mud Injir, 240
Dhahabi, Imam, 210 Rumi, 149, 236
Dubusi, Abu Nasirud- Rushd, Ibn, 75, 124
din, 246 Shafii, 203
Fagnawi, Khwaja, 240 Shafii, Imam, 208
Ghazzali, Imam, 130 Shami, Diyauddin, 247
Hallaj, Mansur, 58 Shibli, Abu Bakr, 248
Hamadani, Abu Yusuf, Simnani, Alauddawla,
240 72
Hanifa, Abu, 203 Svetaketu, 244
Hanifa, Abu Imam, 208 Ubaidullah, Khwaja, 45
Ibn Abbas, 245 Umar, 209, 210
Ibn Masud, 245 power
Jesus, 131, 204 additional attribute, 118
Juwaini, Abd al-Malik, practice
182 and sufism, 235
Khwarizmi, Qadi Zahirud- of Islam, 223230
din, 246 prayer
Kulal, Sayyid Amir, 239, how to do it, 224227
240 presence
Mathum, Khwaja Muham- definition, 48
mad, 59, 132 prophets
Maturidi, Imam, 246 angels can be, 182
Mawdudi, 70 superior to angels, 183
McCarthy, R. J., 70 superior to friends, 183,
Muhammad ibn Hanafiya, 184
210
Muhammad, Imam, 248 Reckoning (hisab), 175
Mujahid, 245
Mulla Sadra, 75 Sadiq, Khwaja Muhammad,
Nuri, Abul Hasan, 248 185
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INDEX 281
Salafi silent, 239

definition, 70 loud, 275, 276
Scale, the (mizan), 175 zikr, loud, 239276
seclusion, 266 zikr, loud (history), 240
Shafii, Imam, 199, 203
sharia
science of jurisprudence,
you should learn, 223
sight
singing, 275
sirat, 175
speech
stability
attaining piety, 236
substance
definition, 74
sufism
purpose, 228
purpose, to realize pi-
ous intention, 230
sunna, 263
Sunni
beliefs, 263
creed, 69
definition, 69, 70
transmission, 48
ulama
superior to the sufis, 184
wayfaring (Mujaddidi), 236
zikr, 237
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i i

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FaithMar7-2010 2010/3/10 8:06 page i #1

Faith Practice Piety:

An Excerpt from the

Original: The Great Mujaddid Ahmad

Translation and Annotation: Irshad Alam

FaithMar7-2010 2010/3/10 8:06 page ii #2

2010 Irshad Alam. All rights reserved.

FaithMar7-2010 2010/3/10 8:06 page i #3

Sufi Irshad Alam has produced an interesting

I congratulate you for this successful transla-

I found the passages which I checked trans-

FaithMar7-2010 2010/3/10 8:06 page ii #4

the translation is quite good and judicious

Prof. Sajjad H. Rizvi Lecturer in Islamic Studies, In-

Prof. Alan Abdul-Haqq Godlas, Professor of Reli-

Irshad Alams scholarly translation of Sirhindis

Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, Naqshbandi sheikh and au-

Sufi Irshad Alam has produced a remarkable,

FaithMar7-2010 2010/3/10 8:06 page iii #5

book gives insights into the original work done

Prof. Ibrahim B. Syed, Ph.D., Islamic Research Foun-

This is a long awaited important work in the

Laleh Bakhtiar, Ph. D. Author, Translator and Editor

FaithMar7-2010 2010/3/10 8:06 page iv #6

In the beginning, I acknowledge the great debt that I have to my sufi

FaithMar7-2010 2010/3/10 8:06 page v #7

I am dedicating this book to my parents who

FaithMar7-2010 2010/3/10 8:06 page vi #8

Message from My Sufi Shaykh

Im delighted to hear of the publication of the book Faith

Muhammad Mamunur Rashid

About My Sufi Shaykh

My sufi guide Muhammad Mamunur Rashid is a living

FaithMar7-2010 2010/3/10 8:06 page 1 #9

Message from My Sufi Shaykh vi

About My Sufi Shaykh vi

2 LIFE OF THE MUJADDID 17

FaithMar7-2010 2010/3/10 8:06 page 2 #10

The Exalted Ranks of the Great Mujaddid . . 29

3 Preamble: Ode to Khwaja Baqibillah 45

FaithMar7-2010 2010/3/10 8:06 page 3 #11

All-Powerfulness and the philosophers . . . 124

FaithMar7-2010 2010/3/10 8:06 page 4 #12

7 Piety: The Purpose of the Tariqa 235

8 Rules of the Tariqa 259

FaithMar7-2010 2010/3/10 8:06 page 5 #13

FaithMar7-2010 2010/3/10 8:06 page 6 #14

FaithMar7-2010 2010/3/10 8:06 page 7 #15

Verification of the Translation

I have reviewed Mr. Irshad Alams translation of the

FaithMar7-2010 2010/3/10 8:06 page 8 #16

To the best of my knowledge this is the only transla-

FaithMar7-2010 2010/3/10 8:06 page 9 #17

VERIFICATION OF THE TRANSLATION 9

In an effort to clarify and make accessible the diffi-

FaithMar7-2010 2010/3/10 8:06 page 10 #18

and concepts. He appears to meticulously follow Profes-

FaithMar7-2010 2010/3/10 8:06 page 11 #19

FOREWORD BY THE TRANSLATOR 11