Qaseedah of Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jeelani (May Allah be pleased with him)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

One of the poems (Qaseedah) of Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jeelani (May Allah be pleased with him)

مَا فِي الصَبابَةِ مَنْهَلٌ مُسْتعْذَبُ إِلاّ وَلِي فِيهِ اْلأَلَذُ الأَطْيَبُ

Whatever source of sweetness exists in intense love, mine is the most delicious and the most delicate

أَوْ فِي الْوِصَالِ مَكَانَهُ مَخْصوْصَةٌ إلاَّ وَمَنْزلَتي أَعَزُّ وَأَقْرَبُ

However special any rank may be in love’s embrace, my station is yet more splendid and more intimate.

وَهَبَتْ لِيَ الأَيّامُ رَوْنَقَ صَفْوِهَا فَحَلَتْ مَنَاهِلْهَا وَطَابَ الْمَشْرَبُ

The days have bestowed on me their lustrous purity, so the drink from their springs is pleasing to the palate.

وَغَدَوْتُ مَخْطُوباً لِكُلِّ كَرِيمةٍ لاَ يَهْتَدي فِيهَا اللَّبِيبُ فَيَخْطُبُ

I am now the fiancé of every noble lady, who has not been discovered and proposed to by an eligible candidate.

أَنَا مِنْ رِجَالِ لاَ يَخَافُ جَليسُهُمْ رَيْبَ الزَّمَانِ وَلاَ يَرى مَا يَرْهَبُ

I am the kind of man whose companion is never worried, and can never see any reason to be afraid or hesitate.

قَوْمٌ لَهُمْ فِي كُلِّ مَجْدٍ رُتْبَةٌ عُلْويَّةٌ وَبِكُلِّ جَيْشٍ مَوْكِبُ

For such there is an escorting retinue in every army, and in every domain of dignity they hold a lofty estate.

أَنَا بُلْبُلُ الأَفْرَاحِ أَمْلأَ دَوْحَها طَرَباً وَفِي الْعَلْيَاءِ بَازٌ أَشْهَبُ

As the bulbul of all young birds, I fill their nests with song, and as the Falcon I soar and levitate..

أَضْحَتْ جُيُوشُ الحُبِّ تَحْتَ مَشِيئَتي طَوْعاً وَمَهْمَا رُمْتُهُ لاَ يَعْزُبُ

The armies of love are subject to my will, obedient, gallant, and ever intact, so that they never separate.

أَصْبَحْتُ لاَ أَمَلاً ولاَ أُمْنِيَّةً أَرْجُو وَلاَ سَوْعُودةً أَتَرَقَّبُ

I abstained from entertaining hope and expectation, or looking for something promised on a certain date.

مَا زِلْتُ أَرْتَعُ فِي مَيَادِينِ الرِّضَا حَتَّى بَلَغْتُ مَكَانَةً لاَ تُوهَبُ

I continued to graze in the pastures of contentment, until I was granted a status that has no duplicate.

أَضْحَى الزَّمَانُ كَحُلَّةٍ مَرْقُومَةٍ نَزْهُو وَنَحْنُ لَهَا الطِّرَازُ المُذْهَبُ

Then Time became like a garment finely embroidered, we being the gilded stitches that made it immaculate.

أَفَلتْ شُمُوسُ الأَوَّلِينَ وَشَمْسُنَا أَبَداً عَلَى فَلَكِ الْعُلَى لاَ تَغْرُبُ

The suns of the ancients have set, but our own Sun, in its orbit up on high, will never cease to radiate.

Translation from (http://shaikhabdalqadir.org/about-him/meaning-of-the-grey-falcon/) 

On the Cosmic Truth

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Among those who enjoy Sufi or folk music in South Asia, one particular performer Abida is quite popular.  She frequently combines the poem of famous Sufis and renders them into ecstatic songs, that bring joy to her audience. One particular compilation titled "Ek Nukte Wich Gal Mukdi Hai", roughly translated as "In this point, all discourse ends" goes on and on about the true essence of religion - the Cosmic Truth. 

In "Ek Nukte" she has combined the poems of Sayyid Abdullah (Bulley) Shah, Ghulam Farid and Sultan Bahu beautifully to elucidate the simple truth that the entire purpose of God's teachings is to have a pure sincere heart, that is considerate to others.

I have attempted a loose translation below:

نماز پڑھن کم زنانہ

Some consider (my) prayers inferior

اتے روزہ صرفہ روٹی 

And (my) fasts merely miserliness

اونچیاں بانگاں  او دیں دیں

Yet they whose calls for prayer are loud and high pitched

نیّت جنہاں دی کھوٹی

May well be those whose intentions are corrupt

مکّے تے ول او ہی جاں دیں

And those who rush to be the first to go to Mecca for pilgrimage

جیڈے ہو دے کم دے ٹوٹی

Perhaps are not doing what they are supposed to, at home

وے میاں بھللیا جے ہووے حب یار ملن دی

O Bhulley ! If you truly desire to meet the Beloved

تے رکھ صاف اندر دی کوٹھی

you should ensure that (His) abode inside you is pure (i.e., your heart)

اس کا مکھ اک جیوت ہے ، گھونگھٹ ہے سنسار

His face is a Jyot (Noor/ Divine Light), and the veil is this world

گھونگھٹ میں وہ چھپ گیا ، منہ پر آنچل ڈار    

And He has hidden Himself in this veil, cloaking His Face from us

 اک نقطے وچ گل مک دی ہے

And this is where it all discourse ends

پھڈ نقطہ چھوڈ حساباں نوں

Hold on to this essence, and forget petty accounting

لکھ کروڑ نماز پڑھی وے مللہ 

The Mullah may pray hundreds of thousands of prayers,

ایویں یار ملن دستور نہیں

Certainly not the way to reach the Beloved

جے سین دل ساجت نہ کریں

If you do not tend to matters of the heart,

تے سین سجدہ تیرا منظور نہیں

Your prostrations will never be accepted

چا غیر کنو دل دور کریں

No sooner have you distanced your heart from everything other than the Beloved

پچھے یار ملن کچھ دور نہیں

You will find Him without delay

آ کہے غلام فریدا، او دل کی ہے، جہ دل وچ عربی بول دا نور نہیں

Says Ghulam Farid, what kind of a heart is that, in which the Noor of the Qur'an has not entered?

پھڈ نقطہ چھوڈ حساباں نوں

Hold on to the essence, forget petty accounts

چھڈ دوزخ گورعذاباں نوں 

Cast aside discussions of hellfire, and punishments of the grave

کر بند کفر دیاں باباں نوں

Stop discussions on infidelity and infidels

کر صاف دلے دیاں خواباں نوں 

Purify your heart's dreams and aspirations

گل ایسے گھر وچ ڈھک دی ہے 

The Truth will descend upon such a heart

 اک نقطے وچ گل مک دی ہے

And this is where it all discourse ends

جے کر دین علم وچ ہوندا

And if the deen was really in your bookish knowledge

تا سر نیزے کیوں چڑھ دے او

Then why would innocents be beheaded, and their heads raised on lances ? (referring to the martyrdom of Sayyidina Hussain (may Allah be pleased with him, and bless him) in Karbala)

جے کچھ ملاحظہ اس در دا کر دے

And if they had any regard for his (Prophet Muhammad's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) doorstep

تے خیمے تمبو کیوں سڑ دے ہو 

They would not have routed (his family's) camp

جے کر من دے بیت رسولی

And if they truly honored their pledge to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

 تا پانی کیوں بند کردے ہو

Then why would the deprive them (Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) family) of water?

پر صادق دین تنہا دے باہو  

And remember O Bahoo ! The true deen belongs to them

 جو سر قربانی کر دے ہو

who sacrifice(d) themselves

 ایویں متھا زمین گھسائی جا  

Keep rubbing your forehead on the floor

 پا لیتا محراب دکھائی دا

And you have found your ostentatious mihraab (sanctuary)

پڑھ کلمہ لوک ہنسائی دا 

And your parroting has brought ridicule to the kalimah (assertion of faith)

 دل اندر سمجھ نہ لائی دا 

As it has not been understood by the depths of your heart

کدی سچی بات بھی لک دی ہے

Has the truth ever remained hidden for long?

 اک نقطے وچ گل مک دی ہے

And this is where it all discourse ends

پھڈ نقطہ چھوڈ حساباں نوں

Hold on to the essence, forget petty accounts

 تسبیح پڑھے مکاراں والی    

You pray the rosary of deception

 تے داڑھی کیتی چٹی

And your beard looks white (like someone of repute)

پرا وا مال ایویں کھاد اوے 

You usurp the rights of others

 جے وے ترکاری لگ دی میٹھی

and you enjoy it with delight

نہ تو مندر مشیتی وریا

I doubt you have ever truly entered a temple or a mosque...

 نہ قبر اندھری دیکھی

or have ever thought about the darkness of a grave

خبر تداں پوسائی بھللیہ 

Better ask about him, O Bhulle !

 جدااں منہ تے آتی مٹی

when the face is being covered with dust (being buried)

 کئی حاجی بن بن آئے جی، گل نیلے جامے پایے جی    

Many of them return from the pilgrimage, adorned in beautiful attire,

حجج ویچ دھکیلے پایے جی ، پر یہ گل کنو بھایے جی  

even after having suffered the tribulations of hajj, they still don't like what I have to share

کتھے سچی گل وی رک دی ہے 

but can you ever prevent the truth from revealing itself?

 اک نقطے وچ گل مک دی ہے

And this is where it all discourse ends

نہ میں عالم نہ میں فاضل نہ مفتی نہ قاضی ہوں 

Neither a scholar, nor a learned man am I, neither jurist nor judge

نہ دل میرا دوزخ مانگے ، نہ شوق بہشتی راضی ہوں

I certainly don't aspire for Hellfire, but my heart is not content with the pursuance of paradise

نہ میں تارے روزے راکھے نہ میں پاک نمازی ہوں

I haven't fulfilled the obligatory fasts, and I am not a virtuous worshipper

باجھ وصال الله دے باہو، ہوئی دنیا کوڑی بازی ہو   

Devoid of Union with Allah, O Bahoo ! This world is just an illusory distraction

On the Etiquette of Charity

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Allah says in Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread) 5:55

إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاَةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ

Behold, your only helper shall be God, and His Apostle, and those who have attained to faith - those that are constant in prayer, and render the zakat (charity) and are among those who bow down [in humility before God]


There is an interpretation of the above ayat which states that the last portion (الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ) is connected , and means "those who give zakat, while bowing down (in humility before God)" or "those who give zakat, and then bow down (in humility before God)"

There is a famous narrative related to this concept about Khanzada Mirza Khan Abdul Rahim Khan-e-Khana (Hindi: अब्दुल रहीम ख़ान-ए-ख़ाना, Urdu: عبدالرحيم خانخان), also known as Rahim (रहीम, رحیم) who was a Sufi poet and a minister during the time of Mughal emperor Akbar. He was one of the main nine ministers in his court, also known as the Navaratnas.

He was extremely generous and had a peculiar habit while giving alms to the poor. He never appeared even slightly arrogant, or never tried to look better than the person he was giving alms to. As a matter of fact he would always keep his gaze lowered in all humility, while distributing alms.

It is noted in Hindi tradition that when Tulsidas heard about Rahim's strange method of giving alms, he promptly wrote a couplet and sent it to Rahim:-

"ऐसी देनी देंन ज्यूँ, कित सीखे हो सैन
ज्यों ज्यों कर ऊंच्यो करो, त्यों त्यों निचे नैन"

"O Dear, Why do you give charity in that way, where have you learnt that?  The higher your deeds, the humbler your eyes?



In reply, he wrote to Tulsidas, explaining the reasoning behind his humility:

"देनहार कोई और है, भेजत जो दिन रैन
लोग भरम हम पर करे, तासो निचे नैन"

"The Giver is someone else, generously providing day and night.  But (in ignorance), these people give me the credit, so I (humbly) lower my gaze."

Thinking Well of Allah

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

حسن الظن بالله

In Sahih Bukhari (Volume 8, Book 73, Number 90, Good Manners and Form Al-Adab),  Prophet (salallahu alayhi wasallam) has reportedly strongly discouraged against thinking ill of others (as narrated Abu Huraira).
"Beware of ill intentions towards others, for it is the worst of falsehood; and do not look for the others' faults and do not spy, and do not be jealous of one another, and do not desert (cut your relation with) one another, and do not hate one another; and O Allah's worshipers! Be brothers"

Looking at the statement  إياكم والظن ، فان الظن أكذب الحديث, when thinking ill of others is the worst kind of thinking, what can we say of "thinking ill of Allah". Any believer will shudder at the idea of falling into such a category. And yet, as we shall see, it is something that we do without realizing the gravity of it.

The scholar Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr (Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah) writes in his Zad Al Ma’ad:

 فأكثر الخلق بل كلهم إلا من شاء الله يظنون بالله غير الحق ظن السوء ؛

 فإن غالب بني آدم يعتقد أنه مبخوس الحق ، ناقص الحظ ، وأنه يستحق فوق ما أعطاه الله ،

 ولسان حاله يقول : ظلمني ربي ومنعني ما أستحق ، ونفسه تشهد عليه لذلك ،

وهو بلسانه ينكره ولا يتجاسر على التصريح به ومن فتش نفسه وتغلغل في معرفة دفائنها وطواياها ،

...........

ولو فتشت من فتشته ، لرأيت عنده تعتباً على القدر وملامة له

، واقتراحاً عليه خلاف ما جرى به ، وأنه ينبغي أن يكون كذا وكذا ، فمستقل ومستكثر ، وفتش نفسك هل أنت سالم من ذلك :

فإن تنـجُ منها تنجُ من ذي عظيمة وإلا فإني لا أخالك ناجياً

“Most people – in fact everybody (barring those protected by Allah) –assume the worst with regards to Allah, and it is certainly far from the truth. Most people believe that they are deprived of what they rightfully deserve, or suffer from bad luck,  or certainly deserve more than what Allah has provided for them.
It is as if they are saying: ‘My Lord has wronged me and deprived me of what I deserve,’ and his soul bears witness to this while his tongue states otherwise, and does not state what is in his/her heart.
.....…So, dig into your own self: are you protected from this? If you are safe from this, you have been protected from something truly terrible. Otherwise, I do not see that you have been saved.”

After reading his statement, I examined myself, and found out that I have more than infrequently wished or wanted my situation to be different from what it is. And I have frequently looked at the condition of the world, and thought that it could be better. And at the same time, I also do believe that Allah knows what is best.  It is these two contradicting feelings that I must reconcile.

If I truly believe in that what Allah does is best, then how can I not be happy in what is my share in this world?

I looked up ( الظن ) in the Qur'an to examine what Allah has revealed to us. What I found truly shocked me. People who think ill of Allah have been rebuked as hypocrites and deniers of truth (for example (Ali Imran, 3:154, Al Fath 48:6). And at the same time,Allah says, conveying to us the words of his prophet Yaqub (alayhissalaam), “Do not despair of Allah’s mercy. No one despairs of Allah’s mercy except the unbelieving people.” (Yusuf, 12:87)

The Prophet (salallahu alayhi wasallam) in his parting words of advise, added "None of you should die except while assuming the best about Allah." (Sahîh Muslim (5125), on the authority of Jabir bin Abd Allah al-Ansari ).

عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِىَّ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَبْلَ وَفَاتِهِ بِثَلاَثٍ يَقُولُ

 لاَ يَمُوتَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ إِلاَّ وَهُوَ يُحْسِنُ بِاللَّهِ الظَّنَّ

A state of thinking well of Allah is not only a matter of the heart, but also has a direct impact on our deeds.  In the words of Hassan Al Basri (may Allah be pleased with him):

المؤمن أحسنَ الظنّ بربّه فأحسن العملَ ، وإنّ الفاجر أساءَ الظنّ بربّه فأساءَ العمل

"The believer assumes the best about his Lord so he does the best deeds. The sinner assumes the worst about his Lord, so he does evil deeds"

So I remind myself, and my fellow believers, let us introspect and cleanse ourselves from this shortcoming, if we have it, and think well of Allah, and let us ask Him for help and guidance, with the belief that He will accept our supplications. As the Prophet (salallahu alayhi wasallam) advised us:

ادْعُوا اللهَ وَأَنْتُمْ مُوقِنُونَ بِالإجَابَةِ

When you beseech Allah in supplication, be convinced that He will answer you." [Sunan al-Tirmidhi (3401)]

In this context, I would like to share a doa' quoted in An-Nasai through Anas Bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that Rasoolullah (salallahu alayhi wasallam) taught to sayyidah Fatimah (may Allah's blessings be upon her):

وعن أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لفاطمة رضي الله عنها: ما يمنعك أن تسمعي ما أوصيك به أن تقولي إذا أصبحت وإذا أمسيت: يا حي يا قيوم برحمتك أستغيث، أصلح لي شأني كله ولا تكلني إلى نفسي طرفة عين. رواه النسائي

“O Hayy O Qayyum! I seek assistance from You alone, courtesy of your Mercy; please rectify all my affairs and do not leave me at the mercy of my nafs even for the blink of an eye"