Discourses of August–October 1958
اگست–اکتوبر ۱۹۵۸ء کے مجالس
20 October 1958 — Monday (7 Rabi' al-Thani 1378 AH)
The Verse for Love Between Husband and Wife: Yuhbibbonahu
يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ ٱللَّهِ
"They love them as they love Allah." (Qurʾān 2:165) — Hazrat here invokes this Quranic image of love's intensity (the verse in its original context describes those who take rivals alongside Allah, loving them with a love like Allah's love) to illustrate the depth of love Allah has placed between spouses through His decree.
Fana'iyyat (Spiritual Annihilation) and Dhikr
Some people are advised to remember (dhikr) — Allah's nearness and the servant's distance is what it becomes — (I.e., this understanding is that the abundance of dhikr goes away from the mind after a while) — the point is that abundance of dhikr goes away from the mind — meaning the abundance of dhikr in the mind creates bewilderment — only Allah's existence remains in the sense — a type of love and fana' comes to them — to these people the advice was given for abundant dhikr — because 'And remember Allah abundantly so that you may succeed' (Quran 8:45). In this is the falah (success): the abundance of dhikr makes the abundance go away.
وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
"And remember Allah abundantly, that you may succeed." (al-Anfāl 8:45) [The verse in context is addressed to believers before battle; Hazrat cites it here for the general principle of abundant dhikr as the path to falāḥ (success/flourishing).]
The State Near Fana': Mansur's State
Near fana' (spiritual annihilation) the human is in a state of being between heaven and earth — and it lowers them to the ground — the near-fana' state is a transient passing-through state — 'fana'' is not 'Mansur's state' — the people near fana' are like this — they speak while looking at their own self — their own identity (zat) also remains with them.
Ba'd-e-'Aqli (After Reason)
The state of near fana' reaches the state of 'ba'd-e-'aqli' — through the means of 'aqli' he says — I am saying in myself too 'sujhata hun' — in Arabic they say 'aqal' — 'paon baand dene wali 'aqal' — the thing that keeps the feet tied is 'aqal' — it rests them — fana' does not give — Allah's great kindness (ehsan) is that though I have gone to this extent I am not beyond reason.
To Me Today Allah Is Nowhere Present
Today a strange kind of state has occurred — I am in a state of 'moujud (present)' — this dunya is 'present' — he says 'moujud' — and it passes...
23 October 1958 — Thursday (9 Rabi' al-Thani 1378 AH)
Meeting with Abu al-Kalam Azad
'al-Harb bil-hurr wal-'abd bil-'abd' — the free (man) for the free (man) and the slave for the slave — 'ba' (in this verse) is not 'compensation' but 'sababiyya' (substitution) — meaning: free in exchange for free, slave in exchange for slave — I was greatly troubled about this — Maulana (Abu al-Kalam Azad's) Hindi translation came — and I went to him (Abu al-Kalam) for the translation.
The Words of the Quran (Quran ke Alfaaz)
I will revere (a'zat) the words of the Quran from the depths of my heart. From where does religion get these words? — 'It is a wasiyyat (obligation)' — from the Quran's words — (In the Quran is 'wa kutiba 'alaykum' — the words of the Quran teach in practice — all the world's people will oppose) — Muhammad Rasul Allah ﷺ and his Muslims have those words, not abandoning them, not abandoning these words — (meaning: the words give that Quranic order that are not considered an earlier passing order) — some give to you the order — two dear ones — I am under command — I also do not follow the command — leave to — 'something better will happen' (niyya ada ho jayegi).
The Killer: Pardon or Penalty? (Qatil ko Mu'afi ya Saza?)
The question was: if the heirs of the victim forgive (pardon) the killer, but the ruler-judge thinks it is not appropriate to excuse him — what then? — He said: this matter is 'politics (siyasat)' not 'fiqh (jurisprudence)' — and its origin is from Hazrat 'Ali — it is not from Hazrat Mu'awiya.
24 October 1958 — Friday (10 Rabi' al-Thani 1378 AH)
'Wa 'ala alladhina yutiqunahu fidyatun ta'am masakin'
وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ
"And upon those who are able to fast, but with hardship — fidya (expiation) is feeding a poor person." (Quran 2:184) — This verse has several interpretations: (1) One view is that it means: who used to be able to fast but now (because of old age) cannot — fidya is for them; (2) A second view (another opinion): its meaning is that fitra means — 'Shahwali Allah Sahib says' — the pronoun of 'hu' is towards 'fidyatun ta'am masakin' — meaning 'yutiqunahu' — meaning 'those who bear it (fidyah)'. However one sees in these verses, this is never a legal nuance — but sometimes the nuance of this is 'fidya' — in any case in Ramadan whoever is able to fast but cannot, generally he is in the category of the able (capable) — whether it is shaykh qani (someone barely holding on) — meaning it is nearly approaching death that if he gets food at one time for approximately the same, and if he got eaten one more time, he was then healthy — then he has also been given a rest (arazi rule) — the reason being that Allah has given strength and rest for this — and after (Allah in recovery) confirmed and for the reason he abandoned the fast — he was not able to eat the eating (or food for the poor) or pay the fidyah — then for this reason he also remained in keeping the fast.
The Shar'i Stratagem (Hiila-e-Shar'i)
The legal stratagem (hiila shar'i) is of two types: one is only to give oneself comfort (as in the Shafi'i view on matters of pre-emption — haqq-e-shuf'a) — but one side has taken the long hand of the other neighbour and one by one given it — (it is very expensive for this) — after that the neighbour has no more right of pre-emption (haqq-e-shuf'a) — the neighbour will not be around — 'haqq-e-shuf'a' will be gone. This kind of stratagem is technically halal (permissible by the letter of the law) but it is not 'muhsin' (excellent/virtuous) — the second type is more virtuous. Just as Job ('alayhis salam)'s wife — the doctor said something to him — when Job learned that the doctors' knowledge had come from a Shaytan (devil) — 'look! what a stratagem Shaytan has brought!' — when the matter came to 'Alayhis salam' by the doctor's knowledge's origin, Hazrat accepted it (he took the cure) — the matter of Shaytan told this knowledge and the Prophet of God told: 'to write it and beat my wife' — he did so — (because she was sincere towards him for the sake of his health). The narration is incorrect because the Quranic ruling 'wala tazir waziratun wizra ukhra' (no bearer of burdens bears the burden of another) — it is not possible — and because in qisas (retaliation) guarantee is also its condition.
25 October 1958 — Saturday (11 Rabi' al-Thani 1378 AH)
The Faqeer's Disciple (Faqeer ka Chelah)
A faqeer's student is not a faqeer. A maulvi's student is not a maulvi. A maulvi's student is not a maulvi.
4 August 1958 — Monday (16 Muharram 1378 AH)
Dreams Founded on Seeking Benefit and Repelling Harm
The dream comes to a seeker because it is tied to the ever-alert pursuit of benefit and repelling of harm — so the alertness continues while asleep. The detail and the probability will remain different — the mad, child, woman, sinful, immoral person will not be able to describe each dream that comes — but adults also can describe them — and everywhere there is one accompaniment: the 'seeking of benefit and repelling of harm' is ingrained.
Society's Work and Their Self-Division (Samaaj ke Kaamon ki Taqsim aur Zateen)
Remember! Several important things occur — agriculture (zira'at) is the most important of them all. The one who produces what does not exist — it is born (from the earth) by him — agriculture is above it (everything). And the one who makes this into a bigger thing (industry/crafts) — and the skills of industry (san'at) and the craft (hirfa) — Allah gave material (mawad) to you in shape — changed it into forms — the one who brings crafts and agriculture — what is produced from agriculture and the one who also brings crafts and skills and those who bring all things — for these there is no difference in one place — all are necessary for trade — for the protection of all these matters a force (fawj) is needed — for the protection of force knowledge is necessary — this is 'knowledge (ilm)' — everything comes from this — I told a Hindu (person) that 'a Hindu people, for the sake of a people, have one thing established a single profession' — and another was a merchant (Vaish), and workers, laborers, servants — 'shudra' — and a 'force (fawj)' that one passes by them — and those involved in scholarly activity are called 'Brahmin' — 'they say'.
The Hindus have said this: that one profession/activity for a single self (fitrat) of a person remains — a technical person of fitrat who remains — a person cannot be a labourer by fitrat then — a craftsman (san'ati) — so then that person cannot be a labourer by fitrat — a scholarly ('ilmi) person cannot be a soldier by fitrat — a soldier cannot be a scholar by fitrat. However this is wrong: there is a natural ('ilmi) person who remains — it is wrong (it seems like this) — that a scholarly person with no concern goes and fights — in the time of the university (university), reading in the front — and it was not considered permissible for a Brahmin — because they had respect from the other side — the trader, craftsman, worker (Shudra) — all these qualities are the name of the self's (zat) inherent being — a person cannot reflect on the self — a technical (san'ati) person cannot remain a labourer — so a scholarly ('ilmi) person cannot remain a soldier — therefore because of respect (ihtiram) for them, the Brahmins have been told to leave aside — now — people of learning are honoured — they say: 'you are a Brahmin, we are (a Brahmin!) — we are.' A Brahmin from me was talking with me and chatting and he said: 'Miyan (sir), you are a good Ram and Lakshman (i.e., good at what you do)' and he also said the name 'Ram aur Lakshman' — I said 'why Ram-Lakshman?' 'why? because of the goodness of what they do (though they are Brahmins and being what they themselves are from)' — so from being a Brahmin going to maintain their own manner: 'trade (trader), Brahmin, Shudra, craftsman' — these qualities are the name, not of inherent self (zat) — focus on the self's inherent (fitrat) nature — the child will be born and to mother-father raises and you will be a craftsman and so on — look at what service this is — 'shudra (Shudra)' — its origin is: 'from growing up and from running industry and doing commerce —' and this Vaish (merchant) is in his own merchant — its force is a worker (naukkar) — (but the army is a naukkar force) — though not pleasant to the stomach, staying till the end, staying till the end, not going anywhere — and the nation's life is not given up — and these Shudra have no money for their sake — so Vaish (merchant) can be — and a Brahmin has also been — the people's education ('ilm) has been directed toward — sarkaar (the authority) came with sword standing up — to these — (you were with the Brahmin 'state' together) — Miyan Aithania — by Univers (university) reading sitting, pushing — 'shudra (Shudra)' — the state's understanding of this was not difficult — (so a Brahmin together with a 'chhattri' state was also) — Miyan in university reading holding till — 'shudra (Shudra) in it' — and even in the university time I still read standing — 'I am a Brahmin, I am a Brahmin' (in the University's time a Brahmin one was) — the qualities are 'Brahmin' and 'Brahmin' and 'Kshatriya' — and 'Vaish' — so this is 'Brahmin' — 'Chhattri' — and 'Vaish' — so in terms of fitrat (nature), all nations (qaum) are the same — all people are thus — now there is one command — the Prophets are 'karam hakarim' (noble generous ones) — they had in service, a naukkar (servant) to fulfil for them for the nation and the protection of the Ummat — this is 'chhattri' — commerce, this is 'Vaish' — then the people's education toward — 'so they became Brahmin' — (you gave the education and education toward the direction — then you became 'Brahmin') — then sarkaar (authority) came with sword standing — to these — (you were together with 'Brahmin state').
In Urdu Literature's Place
He who has the power to express every type of content is the possessor of the language (ahl-e-zaban) — Ghalib destroyed the Urdu language in the day and (after Urdu language and statement in some wrongness was the discussion and the health) to him came — and he gave the works of his own shaer and the aphorisms as evidence — look! — 'Ghalib has given the day off to you' — I say: but I say I am 'Ghalib's shagird (disciple)' — he says: but he has the method (uslub) of Ghalib himself — difficult words to produce and use the pleasant words well — the expertise is in this to have the taste.
22 August 1958 — Friday (23 Safar 1378 AH)
The Worth of Knowledge ('Ilm ka Wajaha)
Knowledge is something like honour — as you will know this world of the same degree — Allah's manifestations (tajalliyat) and their secrets — showing these to two friends, the one looking and the one who looks (those who look) — the equal (barabar) will be? — (meaning: through kashf or through unity of action — the heart of a person learns the words of people) — and to generally know people gives (the lawful respect and admiration) — but except fraud and conjuring tricks — this is not against it — in Allah's beloved servants' knowledge and Allah's tajalliyat (manifestations) — they are more precious in awareness and more worthy of respect.
Urdu Literature's Place (Urdu Adab mein Maqam)
He who has the power to express every type of content is the possessor of the language (ahl-e-zaban) — Ghalib started and then after Urdu language became confused — and those days of Hazrat Qibla — the works of his shaer and the aphorisms of his — as evidence will be given — look! — 'Ghalib has given the day off to you' — take Muhammad Husain Azad — he is Ghalib's disciple, has the taste — but I say 'I am Ghalib's disciple' — he said: and he has Ghalib's own method (uslub) — difficult words to produce and use the pleasant words well — the skill is in having the taste.
23 August 1958 — Saturday (24 Safar 1378 AH)
The Dispute among the Hypocrites
The dispute (naza') was going on and the one who can overcome those who die? — I say: 'La ilaha illallah, Muhammad Rasulullah' — I say: I only say 'Muhammad Rasulullah' — people raised the objection that 'adding the name of Muhammad on it is not needed' — I said: 'Muhammad Rasulullah' — at last 'Allah' is also the same. 'La ilaha illallah'.
The Pleasure of Elders (Lazzat-e-Daro)
Elders also used to take pleasure in difficulty — but to me they are not right — rendering the truth is the sense of pleasure. When the person also takes responsibility (hisaab) — then 'how will they give praise?' — 'Hez-b' is necessary — but be careful and alert — and on feeling (ehsas) is dependent.
Prophets and Saints (Anbiya' wa Awliya')
For Prophets: 'wahi' (revelation) — knowing the self's (zat) direction — and for saints: 'bast' (expansion of the heart) — 'wahi' — meaning (knowing who is completely certain (yaqini wahi ka rakh jana)) and for saints and awliya: 'bast' — meaning completely (i.e., all ilhamat and inkishafat and the completion of certainty — completely knowing — completely coming to a closed state (bast)).
Every State of Hazrat is Better than Before (Hazrat ki Har Ba'd ki Halat Pehli Halat se Behtar)
In the Mi'raj (the Ascension) my sarkaar (the Prophet ﷺ) used to take great care — his (the Prophet's) state after it was much better — this state of Mi'raj is better than the pre-Mi'raj state, and the Hereafter is better than this — 'khayr laka min al-awla wal-akhira' — (In all of this there was the degree of witness and the highest shuhud and degree of shahud).
The Spiritual Glory of the Murshid (Murshid Shan-e-Hidayat)
Young ones, small ones — all said something — 'what command does the murshid give?' — A man has said that the Prophet ﷺ used to become honoured in forty years — therefore the murshid in this form also gives the command that the sarkaar (Prophet) gave — but the second person (the second one) has said to the sarkaar that this has given (taught) the murshid is in capacity — the murshid should be: — wanting to be a murshid, becoming a murshid, the Saalik (spiritual wayfarer), what did he become? — a majdhub, saalik — (Hazrat Qibla then mentioned a specific incident — he described it to him in writing and had him present these happenings too — for this reason as a precaution the entire incident was being written for all people — the incident is this: a person of a murshid was in search for a long time — a city was reached — someone saw the door of a mosque — a huge shadow was at the door of the mosque — a shadow appeared to the mureed (disciple) — the person inside was called — 'become my mureed (disciple)' — but the person did not accept — then to that person — to see Khizr (i.e., hidden spiritual guidance) and to say — 'I am seeking from you' — the sarkaar (the Shaykh) said: 'I am giving guidance for him' — the sarkaar has in this way — because only these two have always been under the guidance: (of my authority of qutbiyya and this person as the best disciple from the Hazrat Sahib's disciples and the son-in-law of Hazrat Qibla and the husband of Hazrat Qibla's small granddaughter) — by Khizr's authority and in this state (his 'spirit/soul' — mureed's) went to total qutbiyyat — in total completion — this person became the fayzi and this Sahib was given the faydi.
The Kindness of the Master (Sarkaar ka Ihsan)
Abu Bakr Siddiq — I am both dead and alive for the Prophet ﷺ — the Prophet's ihsan (benefit) — performing the ihsan of the Prophet ﷺ to Abu Bakr and acting upon the ihsan of the Prophet ﷺ (i.e., the Prophet ﷺ himself could fulfil what his nation could do) — they said by their own virtue: 'all the ihsan could be given if Abu Bakr's ihsan could be given.'
29 August 1958 — Friday (13 Safar 1378 AH)
The person of the mushaf (one who holds the Mushaf) — and the ones who consider kashf — whatever is needed — the talk is given — they are: 'apparently' kashf — that which to think rationally is not known — but then the kashf is 'real kashf' which is what appears outwardly — in kashf in thoughts also while being sober — and also while asleep the person stays fully sober — and stays alert — and wishes to stay so — and from the other side comes the ilham — and the one who comes is peace and the calm — one thing to remember is: the second thought after the first thought comes — with no condition without a link — the link does not come — whether it came before? — the first's after the second (link) came — why? — the world in which everything happening — whatever is in between — they are all linked one to the other — and the one after the other after the other comes — you say 'Hand — bring the link of hand' — 'hold your hand' — (the Quran's asloob — ha — and the one whose person is there also — Hazrat spoke and gave the reference of this style) — 'ba-l-iqtiraan' — in the Quran's form — some but he is there — in the Quran he does not see it in this form — (meaning Quran's approach and style — do not be troubled by this — but the form appearing to be real — but the form that seems real is that one).
2 September 1958 — Wednesday (16 Safar 1378 AH)
Contentment and Submission (Rida wa Taslim)
Allah is pleased with you — 'rida wa taslim' is not against difficulty (takleef) — but the one who is displeased with people's bad conduct will be displeased — then this is a natural thing — rida' and taslim do not mean going against the self's peace — eating and drinking and the other difficulties — to not make the self restless — this is the natural thing — 'because (of Allah) He is not displeased with you' — 'from whose perspective are your difficulties my?' — so do not say.
'Aysh Ablah (The Fool's Life)
'Aysh ablah — it is an Arabic expression (darb al-mathal) — 'Aysh ablah' means the careless (be-waquf ki) large carefree life — (i.e., the carefree, foolish life).
3 September 1958 — Thursday (18 Safar 1378 AH)
The Supplication for Madmen: What to Read for Cats (Diwane ko kya Khana ka kya Du'a)
A madman (diwana) biting a cat — one comes toward it — if you read that verse then the snake of it will chase from the ears to them — to it also for this read and beat the snake — so they return.
6 September 1958 — Saturday (21 Safar 1378 AH)
Dawn (Shafaq)
The Imam al-A'zam has 'tulu'' (the rising) — 'shafaq' is the opposite of 'tulu'' — meaning every dawn (subh) there is still ahead before the sun rises and it keeps remaining daylight and then when the sun sets (after that) the redness (surkhi) of the Imam al-A'zam (Hanafi school, taking shafaq = redness) — meaning every morning the dawn is ahead before the sun and is still ahead of the setting.
12 September 1958 — Friday (26 Safar 1378 AH) — Surah al-Qur'an se Yar
The Quran and the Mu'allaqat — Seven Odes
'Subha' — 'Muʻallaqa' — a poet also has a quality there is — it is 'subh' — the 'Mu'allaqat' are the seven most celebrated poems of the Arabs, the seven masterpiece odes of Arab poets — one of them wrote at different times for the Ka'ba and placed them there — the purpose was: that any (poet) of this quality of language and eloquence and rhetoric should come and give an answer — these odes have been there without any answer, their compositions and the courage to reply to them no one had — and among the seven great poets none who also became a Muslim — Hazrat 'Umar sent letters (to them) to bring Islam — one of them (Labid) who also became a Muslim — in this Labid — in Islam Hazrat 'Umar said that it was a great honour that he said the (people's) letters to Labid's letter of Islam's bringing — Hazrat's purpose was that: the difference from the time of Jahiliyya (pre-Islam) to the Islamic era of poetry — has changed — what has the change been since after Islam — (I.e., has the quality of Islamic poetry in his letters changed from Jahiliyya poetry?)
10 October 1958 — Friday (25 Rabi' al-Awwal 1378 AH)
Remember! Time's Command is Allah's (Zamana-e-Fitrat ka Hukm)
Remember! Allah (Miyan Allah) — people who are in the era of 'fitrat' (the natural pre-prophetic period) — meaning in the era there is no Prophet — these people are given the command to go to Hell — those of this era — and on those who the people are about to make (those who are about to be ready) — they will not be given — they will be forgiven (maafi) — and who are about to be given justice (hisaab) — and they will be given punishment (azaab).
13 October 1958 — Monday (28 Rabi' al-Awwal 1378 AH)
Spreading Good Publicly (Bhalaim ko 'Aam karna)
Whatever I find a good thing immediately I make it generally known — we have the good deeds (amassing) at our disposal — 'khair' = good, 'many in number', 'obligatory' — necessary.
Miqat's Issue (Miqat ka Mas'ala)
Very good! A thing I want to say — remember this very well — today people go to Jeddah to Hajj — some pilgrims at Mecca are present. — today by air travel a person comes — what is the miqat? — What is the miqat for him (the station of ihram)? — I am sitting at the Hajj station, what should I do? — Look at this — at minimum from the miqat's (four and a half miles, i.e., from Jeddah) distance — so the four and a half miles — (meaning the Miqat is the boundary that the Hajj pilgrims going to Mecca from there have to pass in the state of ihram and which is obligatory for the traveller who passes) — other than these routes the directions are tied (to them) by ihram — the air travel route is about four and a half miles — so the airborne travellers will go there tied in ihram — they go straight to Jeddah — Jeddah is within these Miqat boundaries themselves — those who go within the boundaries — they can tie ihram there (i.e., in Jeddah as it is within the Miqat).
Hajj Badal (Proxy Hajj) — Detailed
Who will understand qadri (divine decree)? — The Hajj Badal is who can understand?
All Prophets Have One Teaching (Tamam Paighambaron ki Ik Hi Ta'lim)
The apparent fact is: one Prophet speaks one truth — the true ones (sach bolne wale) all speak the same truth — the truth cannot become multiple kinds — there are a few rules that remain constant, such as 'scholars of customs (maref)', 'for all of us the same one' — 'do not steal, do not commit theft,' etc.
Analogies Can Come More Than Once (Darb al-Mathal Ahin Ek se Zyada Bar Aa Sakti Hain)
'Tilka Ummat qad khalat' (that is an aya of the Quran and a darb al-mathal — a proverbial saying) — this aya, this verse is a darb al-mathal — but of this there is no saying that it can come more than once — why does it come more than once?
A Unique Quality of the Quran (Quran Sharif ki Khasiyat)
The Quran has a special quality — I am reading and a word comes wrong to my mind and one becomes uneasy until the correct word of the mind comes. When that correct word of the language comes there is no peace until it comes — (this is the highest degree of fasahat — eloquence) — a harmony (Harminy) is the Quran.
An Important Caution When Translating the Quran (Quran ka Tarjuma karte Waqt Aham Ihtiyat)
One thing is important to remember — here is a 'mahawara (usage)' — this 'darb al-mathal'! (meaning the Quran's proverbial expressions — be careful) you should know when translating the Quran — 'mahawara' is from the 'Aalam' people or from the 'jahil' ones? — and if they are from 'jahil' ones — then you translate through their mahawara (their usage/idiom) the Quran — so the Quran's greatness will no longer remain.
Bait al-Muqaddas (The Jerusalem Mosque)
Bait al-Muqaddas has its own status — Hajj is also correct there, Hajj is correct there also — (and Hajj is also to Bait al-Muqaddas).
A Specific Ruling's Generalization ('Aam Hukm ki Takhs̈is)
Do not specify it from your heart — do not make the general into a specific — give the general — Allah gives you a general ruling — you yourself from your side make it specific — how? — so stay in the general (aam) — Allah gives a general ruling and you are making it toward your own specific — do you not think there is a specific one for your direction?