August 23 – September 14, 1940 — On Tasawwuf, History, and Advanced Topics
اگست–ستمبر ۱۹۴۰
Tasawwur-e-Shaykh (Visualization of the Shaykh)
The practice of keeping the spiritual form of the Shaykh in one's inner vision (tasawwur) is one of the key spiritual disciplines of the Qadiri path. It is not idol worship or any form of shirk. Rather, it is a means of maintaining spiritual focus and connection to the guide. The image in mind is not the Shaykh as a physical person but as a spiritual reality and channel of divine grace.
The Tajalli (Divine Manifestation)
The tajallī is the divine manifestation upon the heart of the wayfarer. As the heart is purified through dhikr, spiritual discipline, and the ṣuḥba of the Shaykh, it becomes capable of receiving divine manifestations. These are not visions of the divine essence — which is beyond all perception — but of divine attributes and names reflected in the mirror of a purified heart.
The Tajalli of the Shaykh
When the Shaykh's own spiritual state is lofty, a reflection of that state — a fayḍ (spiritual emanation) — reaches the disciples who maintain the nisbat. This is the tajallī of the Shaykh. It explains why the ṣuḥba of the truly great masters produces such rapid spiritual development in disciples, even without extensive verbal teaching.
Tasawwur and Purification of the Self (Tazkiya-e-Nafs)
The purification of the self (nafs) from its blameworthy qualities — pride, envy, greed, anger, lust, attachment to the world — is the core work of tasawwuf. The tasawwur of the Shaykh aids in this purification because the Shaykh's pure spiritual state exerts a positive influence on the disciple's inner world.
The Scholar and the Ascetic (Zahid wa 'Alim)
There is sometimes a tension perceived between the scholar ('alim) who focuses on the exoteric sciences and the ascetic (zahid) who focuses on renunciation of the world. In the ideal, these two are united. The truly complete human being is both learned in the sciences and purified in the self. Hazrat Qibla embodied this union.
Physical Exercise and Its Place
Hazrat noted that maintaining the body in health through appropriate exercise and care is not contrary to the spiritual life. The body is a trust (amanah) that must be preserved for the purpose of worship. Excessive austerity that destroys the body is not the way of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
The Remedy for the Nation and the Land
For the ailments of the Muslim nation and the troubles of the time, Hazrat prescribed a collective remedy: return to the Quran and Sunna, revive the knowledge-seeking tradition, honor the scholars, purify the community's spiritual life, and give governance to the qualified and the righteous.
Inspiration (Ilham) and Its Status
Ilham — divine inspiration to the heart — is a reality for the awliya'. However, ilham is not a source of Islamic law. It cannot abrogate the Quran or Sunna. It can only be acted upon personally and cannot be imposed on others. Moreover, ilham must be tested against the Sharia — if it contradicts the Sharia, it is from the self or the devil, not from Allah.
The Forbidden, the Disliked, and the Permitted
Hazrat Qibla gave a careful account of the categories of Islamic legal rulings: haram (absolutely forbidden), makruh tahrim (prohibitively disliked), makruh tanzih (mildly disliked), and mubah (permitted). These gradations are important for practical religious life. A mubah act may become makruh or haram depending on its circumstances and the intention behind it.
Bid'at (Innovation in Religion)
Bid'at is an addition to the religion that has no basis in the Quran, the Sunna, or the consensus of the early community. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Every innovation is a going astray, and every going astray leads to the Fire.” (Sunan al-Nasāʿī, Sunan Abī Dāwūd) However, scholars distinguish between bid'at in matters of religion (which is forbidden) and new things in worldly affairs (which may be permissible or even good).
Marriage and Its Customs
Marriage is a great Sunna and half of the religion. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
مَا بَيْنَ النِّكَاحِ وَالسِّفَاحِ الدَّفُّ وَالصَّوْتُ
"What distinguishes marriage from fornication is the drum and the voice" — i.e., public announcement and celebration. Marriage should be announced, celebrated in a halal manner, and kept free from extravagant customs borrowed from non-Muslims that contradict the Sharia.
The Wife's Important Quality
Hazrat Qibla said that the most important quality to look for in a spouse is religious practice and character (dindari and akhlaq). Beauty fades; wealth changes; status shifts. But a righteous spouse is a constant blessing and a protection for one's faith.
Islam's Peace-Loving Nature
Islam is fundamentally a religion of peace. The name Islam itself derives from salam (peace). The goal of Islamic law and governance is to establish justice, security, and peace for all members of society. War is permitted in Islam only in defense of the community and to remove oppression — never for conquest or domination for its own sake.
Ijma' (Consensus) Cannot Be Wrong
The consensus (ijma') of the scholars of the Muslim community is a binding legal source. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said that his community will never agree upon an error (Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Sunan al-Tirmidhī). Therefore, what the scholars have agreed upon across generations — in matters of doctrine and practice — is certain truth.
The Rights of Mother and Father
After the rights of Allah and His Messenger, the most important rights are those of one's parents. The Quran places their honor immediately after the command to worship Allah alone. Even if the parents are not Muslim, their rights to kind treatment, care, and service remain.
Logic (Mantiq) and Its Place
Logic (mantiq) is a tool for correct thinking, not an end in itself. The classical scholars used it as a propaedeutic discipline to sharpen the mind for jurisprudential reasoning and philosophical argumentation. It should be studied enough to achieve this purpose, but the Islamic sciences should not be subordinated to it.