Discourses of July–August 1958

جولائی–اگست ۱۹۵۸ء کے مجالس

28 July 1958 — Monday (10 Muharram 1378 AH)

The Battles of Ahzab, Hudaybiyya, the Conquest of Mecca, and the Battle of Ta'if

The Battle of Ahzab (the Confederates, 627 CE): Quraysh gathered several tribes — including the arrival of the Jewish Banu Nadir who had been expelled — and concluded an alliance against the Muslims. The Muslims dug a defensive trench under the Prophet's ﷺ direction. The Confederates besieged Medina but ultimately retreated. This battle is called 'Ahzab' because several tribes (ahzab = groupings) participated in it. Afterward there was a period of silence — for two months no one attacked each other — until Muharram when some began to move again.

Three hundred people were permitted to go forth under the Commander's (sarkari) authority. But the disbelievers of Quraysh did not allow the treaty to be honoured in the way the Prophet ﷺ had settled. The Prophet was not pleased with this — yet Allah said through revelation (al-Baqara 2:144): ‘Verily We see the turning of your face toward the heaven.’ [This verse, however, refers to the change of qibla; the malfuzāt here connects it narratively to the period leading to the Treaty of Ḥudaybiyya.] This became Ḥudaybiyya. One tribe allied with the Muslims, another disbelieved against them — the allied tribe then turned against their own allies among the Muslims, joined forces and camped at night. But Khalid ibn Walid had not yet received the command not to enter Mecca from the other direction, and he entered Mecca from the opposite direction without orders — a skirmish resulted. The Prophet ﷺ prohibited further fighting and granted amnesty. Hazrat Abbas at the time of the Conquest brought Abu Sufyan out from the city beforehand and the Prophet ﷺ honoured him, saying: 'Whoever enters the house of Abu Sufyan is safe.' Abu Sufyan said, 'My house is small — how can everyone fit?' The Prophet ﷺ replied: 'Whoever closes the door of his home, locks it; most people had already gone outside for work.' — The Battle of Ta'if followed, in which the Muslims built large towers (catapults) and the army scaled the walls and came close to the fortress and fought hand to hand. The Prophet's ﷺ army was twelve thousand; the Hawazin forces were fourteen thousand — all the arms of the twelve thousand army were not of iron.

29 July 1958 — Tuesday (11 Muharram 1378 AH)

Love and Enmity are Both Relative (Nisbat Muhabbat ki Bhi, 'Adawat ki Bhi)

People think that only love is relative (nisbati) — that it exists only in comparison. This is not so. Enmity too is relative. Every person sees in relation to their own self.

The Conquest of Mecca — 'They enter into the religion of Allah in multitudes'

يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ أَفْوَاجًا

"They enter into the religion of Allah in multitudes." (Quran 110:2) — An important point to remember here: it was the Prophet ﷺ who had brought an army to destroy the Ka'ba — wait, the meaning is reversed. Allah protected His own house from those seeking to destroy it. In the minds of the people of Mecca, there was the belief that no enemy of God could touch the House. But when the Muslims conquered Mecca, the Prophet ﷺ took his right.

Glorification and Praise (Tasbih wa Tahmid)

Tasbih (Subhan Allah) means: 'I declare Allah free of all defects.' Tahmid (Alhamdulillah) means: 'I attribute all good qualities to Allah.' Both are necessary because tasbih clears Allah of imperfection and tahmid attributes perfection.

Tasbih, Tahmid, and Istighfar (Seeking Forgiveness)

Even after hundreds of thousands of acts of tasbih and worship, none of it is truly befitting of Allah's majesty. Therefore the command was given to seek forgiveness (istighfar) — and say: 'My Lord, nothing I have done is truly fitting for Your greatness.' Istighfar after abundant worship is the mark of one who knows his own smallness before Allah's infinite majesty.

Ancient Warfare (Qadeem Zamane ki Jang)

In ancient times, the custom of warfare was such that when the hero (batal) was killed, the war ended. A direct battle — ghazwa is a battle in which the Prophet ﷺ himself participated; sariyya is one in which only the army went without the Prophet ﷺ.

30 July 1958 — Wednesday (12 Muharram 1378 AH)

Dreams, Their Interpretation, and the World of Similitudes ('Alam al-Tashbih)

True dreams (ru'ya sadiqah) are those that appear exactly as they come — such as the dreams of Hazrat Ibrahim ('alayhis salam) and Hazrat Isma'il ('alayhis salam). Hazrat Ibrahim was commanded to sacrifice his son, and though the vision was true, the final reality was different — a ram was substituted. Similarly Hazrat Yusuf's dream of the sun, moon, and stars prostrating — this was true, but it required interpretation.

A thing is real and it can also be described in a similitude — both descriptions are true. This is the nature of the dream-world as well. For the interpretation of a dream, one must look at the imagery, the person's own language and mental associations, and the circumstances of the time. If you look at two people having the same dream, each one's interpretation will differ according to their personal circumstances. The more silent and inner a person is, the closer their dream is to reality.

I say this: Everything in God's creation is a similitude — and interpretation requires a complete return to the Source. I say to Habib Ali: 'Sit before me' — this appears in my vision. In reality in this tashbih (similitude) it is Ahadi Zat (the Singular Divine Essence) that appears. What you see before you — qualities (sifat), you see; attributes you see; states you see — and you will see whatever you like. In this tashbih there is no tashbih — it is a reflection and Habib Ali is what appears in it. And Habib Ali is infinitely close to me, yet appears far — he sees me clearly but I am far from him and he also sees me. Who can be the standard? Can you not see that you are visible in the tashbih? Because in the tashbih the Ahadi Zat (Singular Essence) alone is visible — and that is what is coming into view in the tashbih.

31 July 1958 — Thursday (13 Muharram 1378 AH)

The Meaning of 'Ma' in Surah al-Kafirun

The word 'ma' (ما) in Arabic has several meanings: (1) negation (نفی): 'ma' = 'not'; (2) relative pronoun (موصول): 'ma' = 'what' / 'that which'; (3) verbal noun (مصدری): 'ma' = the action itself. In Surah al-Kafirun, the verse 'La a'budu ma ta'budun' ('I do not worship what you worship') — the word 'ma' here is taken by some as the relative pronoun ('that which you worship — i.e., idols') and by others as the verbal noun ('I do not practice the worship you practise'). The verse 'Wala antum 'abiduna ma a'bud' ('Nor do you worship what I worship') similarly allows two readings. Hazrat Qibla held that the verbal noun (masdar) meaning is preferable because it is more comprehensive — I say: I hold it better to repeat the earlier statement in the new verse with a new point, so that no new meaning needs to be introduced.

1 August 1958 — Friday (13 Muharram 1378 AH)

Clarification of Surah al-Ma'un

Religion (din) is: obedience to Allah and following His laws — and the second meaning of 'din' is debt or obligation. The one who denies the reckoning (yukadhdhib bil-din) is also the one who has no ability to accept the law of accountability. A large person is not capable of even accepting this — if reason were strong, he would see the world and see that it is governed by accountability. 'Qanoon-e-Majazat' (the law of consequence) 'is everywhere' — the one who is not obedient to the law of consequence does not allow others to benefit from his own good deeds either. So for this reason the other side will also one day come to his aid — (al-Ladhi yukadhdhibu bil-din = the one who is not capable of the law of consequence). Food: to feed, to give food, to give to eat — 'feeding the poor requires giving help to those in need'. The 'Qanoon-e-Majazat' has 'no special connection with the Hereafter' — in this world too there is. 'You do not feed anyone — so you do not help anyone — then in his presence (the person in front of him) also does not give to you.' 'Maa'un — help — such things by which you are willing to give help to others on a daily basis — and if you are not ready to give help, then to Allah, what will you ask? One thing: do not give harm — and here is one who is preventing good from happening, is keeping someone from serving others, giving help to others — and it is blocked.' 'Wa yamna'oon al-ma'un' — 'blocked — the path of help is itself blocked.'

Al-Ma'un (The Small Kindnesses)

The surah closes with 'wa yamna'oon al-ma'un' — 'and they withhold small kindnesses'. Ma'un refers to small, daily acts of mutual assistance — lending a pot, a needle, passing salt. These small acts are the fabric of a functioning society. Those who pray ostentatiously yet withhold even these small kindnesses expose the hollowness of their worship.

Religion and Greatness (Din aur Jurra)

The one who is 'great' (jurra — i.e., incapable of accepting accountability's law) is not capable of accepting even the basic concept of religion — not even to accept the meaning of 'din' as 'obligation'. Remember one point: God says His permission (ijazat) — you do something and it is His permission — not His permission, Allah's is 'greatness (jurra)'. With Allah is 'greatness'.

Allah is Merciful (Allah ka Rahim)

Allah's mercy (rahma) is of two types: (1) Initiatory mercy (rahma ibtidai): He created us, nurtured us, gave us the materials of life — this is 'voluntary mercy' (rahma wujubi) — meaning good action without expectation of return — not that it was obligatory on Him to do this; (2) Responsive mercy (rahma wujubi in the second sense): the giving of a reward in return for good action. He already bound Himself to this for us. We had the first mercy without the second — and we are already given the gift of life, water, food, everything — the 'voluntary mercy' is first — and the 'obligatory mercy' comes at the end of every kindness.

2 August 1958 — Saturday (15 Muharram 1378 AH)

Types of Dreams and Their Interpretation (Khwaab ki Aqsam aur un ki Ta'beer)

What kind of thing is a dream? And which dreams are true (sadiqah), and which require interpretation, and which require no attention? 'Adghas ahlam' — confused jumble — this is our view: dreams from the 'Alawi realm ('alam al-malakut) also come, and ordinary dreams also come, and the same dreams occur while waking (adgas ahlam) and some are from within us — moral corruption shows in them and one type of dream comes from a higher world ('alam 'alawi) and brings a new state. This detail is in our brief treatise 'Nizam al-'Amal al-Fuqara' — 'I say: Keep remembering Allah day and night, you will remain in His remembrance; if you remain in His presence, no bad thoughts will come; and the one who is from us in his heart — he will come near — (metaphorical comparison) — though it appears sometimes as an allegory, sometimes as an allusion, sometimes as metaphor — 'Al-'Aysh nawm wal-maniyya yaqzah' — Life is a sleep and death is wakefulness — a beautiful saying — and between the two there is a human being walking around in a single dream.'

خیال اس یار کا ہے، میں نہیں ہوں / وہی جلوہ نما ہے، میں نہیں ہوں

"It is the thought of that Beloved that exists — not I / It is that same splendour that manifests — not I." (Hasrat Siddiqui)

چاشگاہ ہے عالمِ کسی اُستاد کامل کا / یہ ہم تم کیا ہیں گویا سینما کی چند تصویریں

"This universe is the lecture hall of some Perfect Master / What are you and I but a few images in a cinema screen?" (Hasrat Siddiqui)

The Dream from Talab (Benefit-Seeking) Alone (Khwaab ki Buniyad Jalab-e-Naf' aur Daf'a-e-Zarar par)

The dream arises because the one seeking benefit or repelling harm is always alert — and so they continue to see related visions even while asleep. This is entirely wrong: the young child (before puberty) does not think of these matters, and so their dreams tend to be more straightforwardly true. Adults also tend to be true — but everywhere there is the accompaniment of 'seeking benefit and repelling harm.'

The Verse of Surah al-Fil ('Alam tara kayfa fa'ala Rabbuk bi-ashab al-fil)

أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِأَصْحَابِ الْفِيلِ

"Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant?" (Quran 105:1) — The Prophet ﷺ had not seen this event himself. So why 'alam tara' ('have you not seen')? This is not 'tara' in the sense of physical seeing — but rather 'have you not come to know with complete certainty (yaqin)?' — not just informed — 'meaning: do you not know with certainty?' — because why is the knowledge 'not yaqin'? — because 'rida'at' (nursing, i.e., early childhood) means 'they are in the same station as certainty'.

'Kayfa fa'ala Allah' — not 'kayfa fa'ala Rabb' — because 'Rabb' nurtures and brings to completion and also protects — because the story of the companions of the elephant is about the protection of the people of Mecca — therefore 'Rabb' is more comprehensive than 'Allah' — this is the Quran — each of its words cannot be moved from its place.

From Thought to Speech (Khatra se Kalam tak)

First a passing thought (khatra) comes, then a consideration (fikr) forms, and then speech (kalam) follows. The beginning of all speech is the thought. This chain from khatra to fikr to kalam is how Allah's tajalli (self-manifestation) moves through the heart — first as a subtle impression, then as understanding, then as expression.

Hazrat Qibla's Method of Action

I tell true things — and I do not turn away and so on — meaning I do not dismiss someone else's view or their school (maslak). Rather than rejecting truth, I speak it directly.

The Inner Government (Hukumat Batin)

I did not sleep the entire night — I was sitting in contemplation (fikr), wakefulness — investigate everything, and if there is some great corruption anywhere on earth (anywhere, not only here) it is necessary to eliminate it.

5 August 1958 — Tuesday (18 Muharram 1378 AH)

'What Should We Do so that Our Kashf and Dreams Are Always True?'

He mentioned within the topic of the Prophets' dreams that the Prophet's heart was pure, calm, serene, and free of carnal desires — therefore Allah ruled their dream as wahi (revelation), and He made their dreams 'true visions (ru'ya sadiqah)'. These bad thoughts and desire-driven dreams are the destroyers of kashf. How can these bad thoughts be repelled? 'The detail of this is in our brief treatise Nizam al-'Amal al-Fuqara.' — 'I say: keep your remembrance of Allah day and night and you will remain in it; if you remain in the presence of Hazrat (i.e., in constant divine remembrance), no bad thoughts will come to you, and your kashf and dreams will be good.' — 'Al-'Aysh nawm wal-maniyya yaqzah — Life is a dream and death is wakefulness' — it appears somewhere as a metaphor, sometimes as an analogy — 'Whoever is from the heart of us — he will come near (metaphor) — and the other way around he will find difficulty.'

Towards Allah (Seerali Allah)

The journey toward Allah never ends — but the journey toward one's own self (nafs) ends. Allah is infinite; the self (nafs) has a horizon. The murshid's journey toward Allah ends — but toward himself it does not end. He begins to share the feelings and states of the murshid; the feelings of the murshid become the inheritor in him — this is 'sayr fi'l-shaykh' (journeying in the Shaykh). The feelings and states of the shaykh come to the disciple — then the disciple becomes oriented toward the Messenger (Rasul) and his feelings and states, and follows his teachings and emotions — but 'the shaykh's feelings and states are being seen in the shaykh' — and then the disciple becomes oriented toward the Messenger ﷺ.

But the shaykh — 'what does he see? What is this thing?' — 'Sayr fi'l-Shaykh lillah' — and after this Allah's feelings (states) begin to appear — meaning according to the murshid's teaching — what is 'Sayr fi'l-Shaykh lillah'? Some people reach the station of becoming so close to the murshid that they leave the murshid behind — by going in the direction of 'tabeed and tamdeed' (extension in tawhid and gnosis). The famous Mawruf Karkhi says — 'it has been said to me that you have gone far ahead of the murshid and grown beyond him' — (Hazrat Pak said:) 'My horse has gone ahead and grown, so this is why my horse's reins are ahead.' 'Sayr fi'l-Rasul lillah wa lillah' is very fortunate for many great people, but not for every individual.

The Murshid and the Ustadh (Teacher)

From the ustadh (teacher) one gets 'ilm (knowledge) only — you buy it. But the murshid's feelings (احساسات) are not obtained. You become a student, not a murshid's mureed. The murshed's student to a murshid — one cannot call a murshid an ustadh.

Was Hazrat 'Umar's Iman Weak Before Islam? The Narration is False

Hazrat 'Umar became a Muslim just as he was — he put his sword in the defence of Islam and offered his life and property. A narration has been attributed to Hazrat 'Umar that he said to the Prophet ﷺ: 'I love all things more than you' — but then: 'you are more beloved to me than my own self.' This narration is completely false and contrary to the narration — in the same way the companion of Shali Sahib brought a narration that there was a single deadline and Abu Dharr and Abu Ghifar who presented themselves — and at that time Hazrat 'Umar accepted this — but at the time of death he insisted on continuing Abu Dharr — the narration is false because of the Quranic ruling 'wala tazir waziratun wizra ukhra' (no bearer of burdens bears the burden of another) — it is not possible — and because qisas (retaliation) also has a guarantee as its condition.

Meeting of Jibril ('alayhis salam) — One Time Jibril Came to Me

One time Jibril ('alayhis salam) came to me in my sick state — I said: Hazrat, why have you come? — He said: Why do you come? — I said: Because after you the Quran is no longer brought. Why has the Quran been brought to us? — 'So that we give knowledge to your people.' — 'Indeed' — the central knowledge one gets is that which one gets from Jibril, i.e., the knowledge that comes from Jibril.

6 August 1958 — Wednesday (19 Muharram 1378 AH)

What is 'Haqiqat Muhammadi'?

I say: what is the Haqiqat Muhammadi? This Haqiqat Muhammadi is something that has no name to keep — the reality that holds the self (haqiqat apni) is a single Haqiqat Muhammadi. One aspect of it is 'negative (manfi)' and one aspect is 'positive (musbat)'. The 'negative (manfi)' is: selfhood (khudiyat) and 'positive (musbat)' is: presence (istibat). Every station has one ruling — there is no bad deed in it — meaning from the aspect of the station's requirement — 'no,' he says 'you did good.' (This means: every station's requirement is absolute from the standpoint of the station.)

Other faqirs hold in their view and my view there is a difference — 'manfi' is selfhood (bi-zat khud manfi) and 'musbat' is selfhood (bi-zat khud musbat) — I do not speak (to Allah) of events — I do not speak — I say: I am speaking 'Haqiqat Muhammadi ko moujud nahin bolta' — 'adm' — I say: 'I am speaking of a specific person (shakhs)' — 'whenever he also thinks (fikr) — I say: I am the (muhaata) comprehensive — I am being this — it is the same — people call the 'Haqiqat Muhammadi' a compound (murakkab) — somewhere it has not been like this: 'hua' and 'mutathhar' — 'manfi' — 'na hu' — 'musbat' — 'na ho' — 'thbit' — not ho — both are eternal (qadeem) and the rest are created — it is this way — I say this: (mooshar = giving impression) — meaning accepting influence and (mutassir = being affected) — Moshar's meaning is Haqiqat Apni and Mutassir's meaning is Haqiqat Muhammadi.

Philosophy and Religion (Falsafa aur Mazhab)

God's direction is toward philosophy (falsafa), and also toward religion — philosophy stumbled and stopped at one point and this religion guides it — but this religion too is stable.

Seeing and Giving to See (Dekhna aur Dikhana)

One who does not have the perfection of seeing (dekhna ka kamal) does not give it to others (la deta hai) — and the one who will show is one who cannot see — what will he show?

Positive and Negative (Paazitive, Nagitive)

My request is that the limits (intiha) of your self-manifestations (tajalliyat) have no end to me — for this reason that the 'positive (Positive)' is in comparison to the 'negative (Negative)' — the existence (wujud) is compared to non-existence (adam) — 'nothing in me (ma)' — everything remaining is for Allah's work — and I do not let anything of the Prophet's ﷺ go — meaning: 'I am in infinite smallness — this is the grandeur of the Prophet ﷺ.' Habib, why do you give him so many difficulties (miseries)? (i.e., why does Allah give him these) — because this is 'positive (Positive)' so that it makes itself (his own non-existence in relation to existence and the original negative nature — on his original negative and relative nature, it forces it) to be a positive.

This 'negative (Negative)' (which is the fundamental worldview) from the standpoint of looks — from its standpoint he is a 'positive (Positive)' — (like when a bulb is only on the verge of being on and then it becomes dark and nothing is there and then another bulb comes in its place — the chain continues from beginning to end — each on, each negative — and one will be replaced by a positive — and the same bulb won't light and the candle won't light). This 'negative (Negative)' that is the fundamental worldview — from his standpoint a 'positive (Positive)' is being made — a circuit (da'ira) of two thoughts gives birth to two teams — with 'positive (Positive)' and one 'negative (Negative)' — then the sharpness of 'negative (Negative)' is no longer there — but there is one circuit — a 'positive (Positive)' direction — a team of closed circuits (qab-e-qawsain wa adna) — See me 'mujhe dekho' (meaning they are appearing to me to look) — my things below are very much — look at this towards the light (najar lagana), what is visible — manfi (negative) — what good fortune? — not visible (kisi taraf), it is there 'musbat' (positive) — appears (nazar ata) — 'he' is 'who is coming' 'nahin' — 'negative (Negative)' — how misfortune (kam bakht) — how can it be? — (meaning: the visible cannot be seen) — look at it 'shabbat' (positive) — as it will appear (nazar ata).

9 August 1958 — Saturday (23 Muharram 1378 AH)

Shirk (Associating Partners with Allah)

If Allah's attributes exist in servants and created beings, then from that perspective it is shirk — but in its outward meaning (bi'l-'ard) it is not shirk. However, intrinsically (bi-l-zat) it is shirk — even if people worship through intermediaries, thinking they are not the original but the means (i.e., they do not actually take them as the original): and in fact there is no shirk — and then if there is a means (waseela), and if they do it because of someone's command (meaning without a divine command), then it has occurred — or that it became kufr and shirk — then this is possible (that in that act in which hilu and la'ib can exist — then there is the possibility of evasion and aversion from it and even prohibition from this).

What is Forbidden is Understood as 'Shirk fi'l-Hukm'

What is forbidden (ghayr mamnu') is understood as 'shirk fi'l-hukm' — it is a disobedience (naa-farmani) — and it is also a 'shirk fi'l-hukm' — but whose guarantee is there? — Now look at this — it is that 'khalq lahu ma fi'l-samawati wal-ard' — this is the general permission — and if some barrier is from far away, this has been said — or it has gone around kufr and shirk — and that is in it (that possibility that in that act in which hilu and la'ib there can be — then there is the possibility of evasion and aversion and also prohibition from this).

Dreams and Inspiration (Khwaab aur Ilham)

Dreams are not a basis for legal rulings (hukm). I am speaking of those in whose hearts these calm down — 'ilham' is — 'ilham' is all-encompassing — it is true that 'ilham' happens: lies and true things come to mind, sometimes false; 'ilham' is at rest (waqti) — the false and the unstable come on the heart; inspiration (ilham) comes from a higher world and brings a calm and peace of heart.

True Visions like Ru'ya Sadiqah are also Kashf (Ru'yaye Sadiqah ki Tarah Khayal aur Kashf bhi Sadiq)

In the same way that true visions (ru'ya sadiqah) happen, true thought (khayal sadiq) and true kashf also happen — the difference between dream and kashf is that the dream is so engrossing that the world disappears and the mind remains with it. But kashf stays in one's own thought — it also stays in the dream — it remains conscious, wishes to remain so, and if it goes away it wishes to be told — 'sit!' — but it may be there 'shh' or 'silence' or 'do not speak' — and then it closes — now of this, the thoughts, this wish, it has a connection with the era's context and mentality — from the mentality of that era the interpretation will be given — a Hindustani (Indian) would say a dream vision is the example of 'utter stupidity' and if a European had seen it (in a dream) he would say it is an example of 'a loyal companion' — Muslim scholars too have several types — it is also possible that the English see a man in the shape of a spy in a dream — a man sees a snake (in a dream) and he is wealthy and is one who sits on top of snakes — therefore that wealth will be interpreted — and an enemy person too sees a snake — the meaning is the enemy — Ibn Sirin in the presence of a person who says he has seen in a dream that he is giving the azan — Ibn Sirin said 'another companion also saw that he was giving the azan and was sitting at the prayer mat' — and Allah told them that 'you will get to interpret (farkh karte ho) — this with the verse (Quranic) — a certain man has said 'he is giving azan and praying — they are unable to stop and he is very weak' — and I have used a poet's language and given an interpretation of theirs that an aya (Quran) of this type, a verse (she'r) which points in the direction — the 'pulpit' — 'the one who gives the news and looks after (khabardaar karne wala)' — (the interpreter will become an aya) — (meaning the Quran's aya or a metaphor or an analogy a verse which as a pointer the interpretation is given which refers to 'pulpit') — the tashbih (similitude) is — not tashbih — it is a reflection — and Habib Ali is what appears in it.

The World of Similitude and the World of Testimony ('Alam-e-Tashbih aur 'Alam-e-Shahadat)

The difference between the 'world of similitude' ('alam al-tashbih) and the 'world of testimony' ('alam al-shahadat) is that the 'world of similitude' can be seen by all (everyone sees in it), and the 'world of testimony' is also visible. Their 'total similitude' — to detail this belongs only to him (i.e., to God alone) — only God knows it — over how many years how many changes there were? — Where are they in him? — All of it is in my knowledge — 'Wherever you are, he is there to see.' Now the state you are in — kashf also begins in it.

The Meaning of 'Ma' in Surah al-Kafirun (continued)

The word 'ma' — in Surah al-Kafirun it becomes three kinds: (1) negation (nafi), ma = not; (2) relative pronoun (mawsul), ma = that which; (3) verbal noun (masdar), ma = the action. In two places people take one meaning — 'La a'budu ma ta'budun' — I say in two places I will keep the relative pronoun (mawsul) meaning. Other people take in both places the relative (mawsuli) meaning — (1) I do not worship that which you worship — 'wala antum 'abiduna ma a'bud' — my object of worship is not yours — the verbal noun (masdar) meaning is this: 'my manner of worship is different from yours'. I say the second sentence 'in two places the relative pronoun meaning is there' is from the masdar — the verbal meaning is: I say: I say the sentence that has already been said is better to repeat in the new verse with a new point, that it is: 'and whoever says this, they are wrong, because the meaning they say is right' — I say: they are the same — the same meaning of worship.

1 August 1958 / 1 August 1958 — Friday (13 Muharram 1378 AH): Surah al-Ma'un Clarification — Beneficence Becomes General

What I find a good thing immediately I make it generally known — we have the good deeds (amassing) at our disposal — 'khair', 'many in number', 'obligatory' — necessary.

13 August 1958 — Wednesday (26 Muharram 1378 AH)

Miqat (The Boundaries for Ihram)

Today people go to Hajj — some pilgrims are at Mecca. What is the miqat? What is the station of ihram? — I am at the station of Hajj (maqam e-hajj), what am I to do? — Look at this — at a minimum the Miqat is from four and a half miles distance — so you are four and a half miles away — (meaning: the miqat is the boundary at which pilgrims heading to Mecca must put on ihram and which must be passed in a state of ihram) — other than these routes, the directions of travel are bound by ihram — the air travel routes are about four and a half miles — so the airborne traveller must bind ihram on them — they go directly to Jeddah — Jeddah is within these boundaries themselves — those who go within these boundaries can bind ihram there.

Hajj Badal (Proxy Hajj)

One thing to remember is — people make Hajj Badal (proxy Hajj), now it is — 'abid Allah (God's worshipper) — what to do? — and how does the substitute (badal) make it — how will it happen? — Bait Allah (the House of God) is also Hajj, Bait al-Muqaddas (Jerusalem) is also Hajj — (and Bait al-Muqaddas also). Who comes from where has no distance. The air route is about four and a half miles distance from Jeddah and they go — ihram is bound there — they go to Jeddah straight — Jeddah is within the miqat itself — those who go within the boundaries — they can bind ihram there.

The Direction of Qibla Changes — A Single Report (Khabar Ahad)

One thing to remember is: the 'Masjid al-Qiblatain' — 'two mosques of qibla' — once a Companion prayed two prayers with the Prophet ﷺ — then he went to another mosque and gave the notice (i.e., informed them of the change of qibla). Only one person was there as a witness — the question being put to everyone is: has khabar ahad (a single report) created yaqin (certainty)? — My answer to this: 'You cannot understand this from me' — but my standard is 'shahadat (testimony)' — and the Prophet ﷺ is a two-mile walk — he has the capacity to lie, two people on the road are going, do they have the courage to tell a lie, and act on a lie, go out to face qibla? — So the 'yariin' (certainty) was enough for acceptance. The one who had self-confidence was a trustworthy person too — then by the Prophet ﷺ's means the people will arrive at certainty — so the change of qibla came about by khabar ahad — by khabar ahad yaqin (certainty) is possible — as in the example of the Hindu slave girl in the house: one reports that her owner gave freedom — this was the standard of yaqin (certainty) — so the khabar ahad was enough for this — and the khabar ahad from a trustworthy person also is sufficient for yaqin.

The Verse for Worries: Wa-sa-ya'lamu al-ladhina zalamoo

وَسَيَعْلَمُ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا أَيَّ مُنقَلَبٍ يَنقَلِبُونَ

"And those who do wrong will come to know what kind of turning they will be turned to." (Quran 26:227) — This verse was told to Habib (a student or disciple) for those in difficulties.