The Path:

Learning Sufism is Obligatory

Sufi Shaykh Muhammad Mamunur Rashid

This monograph explains why a Muslim should learn Sufism or Tasawwuf. The line of
reasoning of the author follows the arguments made by the Great Mujaddid Ahmad
Sirhindi in his book the Maktubat-I Imam Rabbani primarily being based on Volume I,
epistle 266. Drawing his arguments from the Koran and the Hadith, the author
demonstrates that it is obligatory on every Muslim to learn Sufism.

Translated and distributed by:

Irshad Alam
Sufi Peace Mission/ Sufi Tarikah of Pure Mujaddidi
PO Box 4604
Berkeley CA 94704
510-666-0986
www.sufipeace.com
Introduction: Islam is the Straight Path

Islam is the Straight Path. Only the travelers on this Straight Path may reach the correct
destination. “Satisfaction of God” is the greatest treasure and that may be realized only on
this path. Our blessed master Muhammad (peace be upon him) has described this Path in
detail in his twenty-three years life as a prophet. He is the prophet of all men: men of the
past, men of the present and men of the future. He is the “prophet of the prophets.” He is
also the prophet of the Jinns, the angels and in fact, the entire creation. He is the
“beloved” of Allah. If you follow him, you will attain success in this world and the last
world. There is no other path to attain Allah, except the path that he has established. That
man is truly wise who has devoted his life to faithfully follow the Blessed Prophet (peace).

Islam is the complete religion, i.e. the complete “Din” or “code of life.” It is complete with
such a type of completeness that there is no opportunity to add or subtract from it. That is,
this Din is beyond the necessity of any change, be it addition or be it subtraction. Prophet
Adam (peace) sowed the seed of this Din. The prophets (peace) who followed him
nurtured the sapling that was this Din. When it came to the Great Prophet (peace), that
Din grew to be a full-blown tree. As Allah said: “This day, We have perfected your Din for
you.”1 Our first duty is to reflect this Din into our life completely. Such is the command of
Allah (Almighty and Exalted is He!). He said: “Believers! Enter into [a state of] total
submission [towards Allah].”2

We will have to search for the complete Din within the Koran and the Sunnah. We may not
search beyond these two sources. For the Blessed Prophet (peace) said in his Last
Sermon: “After me, if you hold on to two things, then you will be saved from
misguidance. They are the Koran and my Sunnah.”3 Also, our interpretations of the Koran
and the Sunnah must be in accordance to the interpretations made by the honorable Imams
of the Sunnite Community. Because all the misguided factions of Islam, e.g. the Shiites,
the Salafis or the Wahhabis, the Kharijites, the Mutazilites, the Mawdudites etc., they all
offer the proofs for their interpretations from the Koran and the Hadith (i.e. the body of
reports on the Sunnah.) However, their interpretations of the Koran and the Sunnah are
false. These interpretations arise from their Animal Souls. Only the honorable ulama of the
Sunnite Community has realized the true meaning of the Koran and the Sunnah. Their
interpretations follow the honorable companions (may Allah be satisfied towards them)
and the pious predecessors. This community has attained satisfaction of Allah! This
Community has attained salvation! Therefore, the first obligation for every Muslim is to
perfect their own creed in accordance with the creed of this Community.
The Creed of the Sunnite Community

1. Allah (Exalted and Almighty is He!) is Existence Himself. And it is Him, Who has
bestowed existence to everything else that exists.
2. Allah’s Essence is unique, His Attributes are unique and His Act is unique. He has no
commonality with anyone else in any respect.
1
The Koran, Sura Ma:>ida, 5:3
2
The Koran, Sura Baqara, 2:208
3
After me, if you hold on to two things, then you will be saved from misguidance. They
are the Koran and my Sunnah.”

2
3. The divine Essence, the divine Attributes and the divine Act are “not similar” to
anything else.
4. All divine activities from the beginning of creation to the end of creation are the
manifestations of a one-in-all divine Act.
5. Allah is not incarnated in anything. Neither does Allah absorb anything. He embraces
all things and He is with all things. However, this all-embracingness and withness are
not something that we can comprehend. He is beyond comprehension.
6. Allah’s Essence does not change, His Attributes do not change and His Act does not
change.
7. Allah is Self-Sufficient. He does not need anything else for Himself. With respect to
His Existence, with respect to His Attributes and with respect to His Act, He is self-
sufficient. He is not dependent on anything else for anything.
8. Allah is beyond having any imperfection and beyond being a newly arrived thing. He
does not have a body. He is beyond space and beyond time. Only He encompasses all
perfections.
9. Allah is beginningless and endless. None except Him is beginningless or endless.
10. Allah is the All-Powerful Chooser. He is totally independent with regard to applying
His power or making a choice. He cannot be compelled to do anything. All creation
depends on His will. It is Him, Who has brought the creation from nonexistence to
existence. Therefore, the created things depend on Him for gaining existence.
Likewise, they depend on Him for remaining existent.
11. Allah has created the created things. Likewise, Allah has created their effectivities.
Examples of effectivities are fire’s ability to burn, medicine’s ability to cure diseases
etc. We have to admit that such effectivities do exist. At the same time, we should also
believe that such effectivities depend on the will of Allah. Unless Allah wills so, the
created things may not even exist, let alone have effectivities.
12. To take benefit from the effectivities of the created things does not contradict relying
in Allah. On the contrary, it is the sign of wisdom. Examples of such actions are: to
take medicine in order to cure diseases, to stockpile weapons in order to win a war, to
earn money in order to provide for the family, etc.
13. Allah is the Creator of both good and evil acts. However, He is satisfied by good acts
and dissatisfied by evil acts. Man may only “desire” to perform an act. When man does
desire to perform that act, Allah may either create it or not create it. And if Allah does
create that act, man “earns” that action’s reward or punishment by his desire since he
has free choice to desire to perform the act or not to desire to perform that act.
14. We must believe in the “measuring out” or predestination. Allah has “measured out” or
predestined all the major things in human life, e.g. birth, death, children, where
someone will live, how much money he will make etc. This is called the “measuring
out” or predestination.
15. Paradise and hell indeed exist. Man must possess faith to enter paradise. Actually, man
may enter paradise only by the grace of Allah. And faith is His greatest grace.
16. Rejection of the faith is the cause for condemnation to hell. When a faithful person
commits sins, his sins may be forgiven right away. If not, they may be expiated through
worldly chastisement or through suffering in time of his death. If any sin remains, they
are expiated through chastisement in the grave. If any sin still remains, it will be
expiated through chastisement on the Day of Resurrection. Any remaining sin will be
expiated through temporary chastisement in hell. Finally, all faithful people will enter

3
 paradise. On the other hand, he who is truly an unfaithful person will suffer eternal
damnation.
17. The faithful will be graced with the Beatific Vision of Allah in the paradise. However,
that Vision will be beyond direction, similarity or analogy. Allah is beyond conception.
Likewise, His Vision will also be beyond conception.
18. Allah sends prophets (peace be upon them) to mankind due to His Mercy. And man
can distinguish between the right and the wrong because of the prophets. The divine
revelation that they receive is true. Anything contrary to that divine revelation is false.
19. The prophets are sinless. They are the elects of Allah. Since Allah preserves them all
the time, they are saved from committing sins. If it happens that they make a mistake,
Allah corrects them. They do not dwell in that mistake permanently.
20. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the last prophet. There is no other prophet
after him.
21. The chastisement in the grave is true. There, two angels will question everyone about
their good and bad deeds.
22. The Day of Resurrection is true. Archangel Israphel will blow his horn once and every
created thing will be destroyed. He will blow it again and then they will all be
resurrected and congregate in the Plain of the Mustering
23. Allah will judge man in the Plain of the Mustering. He will weigh their good deeds and
the bad deeds in the Balance. Then everyone will be commanded to pass the Bridge.
The righteous faithful will pass the Bridge and enter paradise. The sinners will fall
from the Bridge and enter hell. However, due to Allah’s limitless mercy, everyone who
has faith even for the amount of a mustard seed will be taken out of hell and brought
into paradise.
24. The angels are the servants of Allah. They are sinless and they do not make any
mistake. Neither do they eat nor do they drink. Neither are they male nor are they
female. They have a higher rank than man with respect to “nearness to Allah” does but
not with respect to prophethood. However, prophethood is higher in rank than
friendship. Whatever friendship it maybe, be it the friendship of the friends, be it the
friendship of the prophets or be it the friendship of the angels, its like a drop of water
against prophethood which is like an ocean. Since the best of men have been granted
the gift of prophethood, therefore, the best of men man is more exalted in rank than
the best of angels.
25. Faith means to believe all the knowledge about the Din that we’ve received by our
heart, to testify about the Din by our tongues and to live the Din by our actions.
26. Faith does not increase in amount. Nor does it decrease in amount. However, it may
grow brighter or dimmer. For example, the faith of the prophets or the friends of Allah
are brighter that the faith of the common Muslims. The faithful should say firmly, “I’m
truly a faithful person.” The Great Imam Abu Hanifah used to say like that.
27. The “miracles of the prophets” and the “miracles of the friends of Allah” are true.
Miracles of the prophets are proofs of their prophethood. On the contrary, miracles of
the friends are not proofs of anything. Some friend may show miracles while some
other may not.
28. The ranks of the Four Right-Acting Caliphs are in accordance to their order of
succession. Master Abu Bakr is the highest-ranking Muslim. Next is Master Umar.
Next is Master Usman. Next is Master Ali (may Allah be satisfied towards all of them.)
29. We should interpret the disputes and the conflicts that occurred among the honorable
companions (may Allah be satisfied towards all of them) in a positive light. Their

4
 disputes did not derive from their Animal Souls. Instead, they occurred due to errors in
their interpretation. It says in the Hadith that he who arrives at the right interpretation
in matters of religion receives two measures of reward and he who arrives at the
wrong interpretation receives one measure of reward.4 Therefore, even their wrong
interpretations were virtuous actions. The companionship of the Blessed Prophet
(peace) made the companions free from the clutch of evil forever. Even the highest-
ranked friend of Allah cannot reach the level of the lowest-ranked companion. Only
they whose hearts are filled with filth criticize the pure companions.

Islam = Knowledge + Practice + Sincerity of Intention

Having perfected our creed, we should try to faithfully follow the Shariah. For success in
this world and the last world lies in the following of the Shariah. Shariah has three
components: Knowledge, practice and sincerity of intention.5 These three things
complement one another. If you reject any one, the other two become valueless. So we
should try to attain each one of these three components with equal enthusiasm. Now let us
discuss each of these three components briefly.
`
A. Knowledge
We must attain knowledge. For knowledge is light and lack of knowledge is darkness.
The purpose of Islam is to guide man from the darkness of falsehood towards the light
of truth. That’s why it is obligatory in Islam to attain knowledge. For the Prophet has
said, “To seek knowledge is obligatory unto every Muslim man and woman.”6 Now
this knowledge is the knowledge of the Din, i.e. the knowledge of the Shariah. Every
Muslim must attain knowledge on the commands and prohibitions of Allah. It is
essential to learn about what is lawful and unlawful, what is obligatory or necessary
etc.

The Prophet (peace) said that there are two types of knowledge, “knowledge of the
tongue” and “knowledge of the heart.”7 He has also said that is it obligatory to attain
“knowledge.”8 He has not limited this obligation only to the “knowledge of the
tongue”. Therefore, since knowledge is of two types, it is obligatory to attain both
types of knowledge. Therefore, learning the “knowledge of the heart” is established to
be obligatory.

4
Hadith: he who arrives at the right interpretation in matters of religion receives two
measures of reward and he who arrives at the wrong interpretation receives one measure
of reward
5
Hadith: Shariah has three components: Knowledge, practice and sincerity of intention
6
Hadith: Ibn Maja, to seek knowledge is obligatory unto every Muslim man and woman
7
Mishkat two types of knowledge
8
Hadith: its obligatory to learn knowledge.

5
B. Practice
Along with learning the knowledge, it is necessary to practice the practice. For the
purpose of learning the knowledge is the practice of the practice. Therefore, it is
fruitless to learn the knowledge unless we practice. Since we are the slaves of Allah,
our primary obligation is to fulfill the dues of servitude. We will have to learn that
knowledge in order to learn the rules of servitude. And we’ll have to practice
according to that knowledge.

C. Sincerity of Intention
The intention behind the learning of the knowledge and practice of the practice should
be sincere. If the intention is something else except observance of the command of
Allah or the realization of His satisfaction, whatever knowledge is learnt or act is
performed, it will come to no avail. That’s why sincerity of intention is critical.

All of these three components of the Din  knowledge, practice and sincerity of intention
 are critical. If we reject any one of these, the other two becomes valueless. For
example, if we practice the practice and possesses the sincerity of intention but he has no
knowledge then its valueless. Or if we have the knowledge and the sincerity of intention
but lack only the practice then its also valueless. Again if we have the knowledge and the
practice, they will be valueless without the sincerity of intention

How do we learn this “knowledge of the heart?”

We need to seek the help of a Sufi Shaykh to learn this “knowledge of the heart.” To learn
the “knowledge of the tongue”, one may study in a seminary or Madrasah. Or he may
study books of religious jurisprudence. Or he may converse with a scholar. Likewise, to
learn the “knowledge of the heart”, one has to seek help from such a person whose heart
has been illuminated with the light of perpetual Zikr. To attain spiritual companionship of
such a person, it is necessary to enroll or to take Bayat, i.e. become a student or Murid.
Via the string of the attachment of love, the light of Zikr is transmitted from the heart of
such a teacher to the heart of the student and then it also becomes lighted with the light of
Zikr. It is then that the heart of the student may realize inner peace. An authority of the
“knowledge of the heart” is called a Sufi Shaykh, Pir or Murshid. Along with the learning
of the “knowledge of the tongue”, one should learn the “knowledge of the heart”. For he
is certainly misguided who does not learn this priceless knowledge from a Sufi Shaykh or
Murshid who is a friend of Allah. As Allah has said, “Whom Allah misguides, you will not
find a “friend” [of Allah] or a “Murshid” to guide him.”9 And he would be guilty of the sin
of failing to perform an obligatory action

How much of this “knowledge of the heart” should we learn?

Now that we know that learning the “knowledge of the heart” is obligatory, we need to
have a clear conception about the limit of this obligation. So now let’s examine, “How
much of this “knowledge of the heart” are we obligated to learn?”

Let’s first answer the general question, “How much of the knowledge of the Din are we
9
The Koran, Sura ???wali ammurshidah

6
obligated to learn?” We know that Islam stands on five pillars: Profession of the Faith,
Prayer, Fast, Hajj and the Tithe.10 To realize these five pillars in our lives, it is obligatory
for us to attain the knowledge of how to perform these five practices properly. However,
whoever among us is not rich, Hajj or the Tithe is not obligatory for him. So it is not
obligatory for him to attain that knowledge which is required to perform those practices.
In short, according to the Shariah, whatever practice someone is required to perform he is
required to learn the knowledge necessary to perform those actions. Every individual
Muslim is not obligated to become a scholar of the Hadith, a commentator of the Koran or
to commit the entire Koran to memory. Likewise, with respect to the “knowledge the
heart,” it is not obligatory for every individual Muslim to become a friend of Allah with an
exalted rank e.g. Pole, Succor, Substitute, Peg or Mujaddid.

Now we can answer the specific question, “How much of the <<knowledge of the heart>>
are we obligated to learn?” Learning that much “knowledge of the heart” is obligatory by
dint of what a Muslim’s heart becomes free from the love of things other than Allah and
instead realizes inner peace. As Allah has stated: “The Day [of Resurrection] whereon
neither wealth nor sons will avail. But only he [will succeed] who comes with a heart in
inner peace”11 And the heart may realize inner peace when it lighted with the light of Zikr.
Inner peace lies in none else but the Zikr of Allah.12 As Allah has stated: “In the Zikr of
Allah do hearts find inner peace.”13

Tarikah: The “Educational Institution” to teach “Knowledge of the Heart”

Sufi Tarikahs teach us the “knowledge of the heart” that enables us to attain sincerity in
our intentions. We need to have sincere intention behind every pious act. It is in the Hadith
that all actions will be judged according to the intention behind them.14 Let’s examine this
concept of “sincerity of intention.”
Heart is the locus of intention. Pronouncing the intention is not obligatory. Intention in the
heart is what is obligatory. Making intention is obligatory before performing any act of
worship. The heart is the seat of intention of all action, be it good or be it evil. Satan, the
sworn enemy of man, makes it his home and whispers evil suggestions to him. As long as
Satan can rule over the heart, sincere intention can’t 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 sincere intentions behind actions. It is said in the Hadith, “Satan sits in the heart 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.”15
Allah does not accept our Prayers if we harbor thoughts of things other than Allah during
Prayers and that would surely happen if our hearts were impure. For Allah has said in a
Hadith report, “If someone prays a Prayer that is not completely for Me, I reject that

10
Islam stands on five pillars: Profession of the Faith, Prayer, Fast, Hajj and the Tithe
11
The Koran, Su:ra Shu<ara:>,26:88-89
12
The Koran, Sura ??? illa bi zikrillahi tatmainnal qulub
13
The Koran, Su:ra Ra<d, 13:28
14
Bukhari
15
Bukhari

7
Prayer.”16 So Satan tried his best to interrupt our Prayers. For he knows that if our Prayer
is pure then he will be unable to defeat the power from Allah that we will gain through
Prayer. Prayer is the gist of all devotional actions and when it will be pure, we would be
able to abstain from all actions that Allah detests. As Allah has stated, “Verily Prayer
restrains from shameful and unjust actions.”17

Allah accepts only a pure and sincere Prayer. He accepts a Prayer only when the devotee
prays having purified his body, clothes and the heart. And the devotee’s sole intention is
the satisfaction of Allah. And the devotee performs all the pillars of the Prayer properly.
Allah is Pure. Only the pure may succeed in worshipping Him. Not only the body, the
heart of the devotee should be pure as well. Ablution or bathing creates outer purity. And
the Zikr of Allah that takes place in the heart creates inner purity. For the Prophet has said,
“There is a part in the human body. If it is wholesome, all his actions are wholesome. And
if it is unwholesome, all his actions are unwholesome. That bodily part is the heart.18”

Therefore, the heart should always be doing the Zikr of Allah spontaneously. And this Zikr
should be permanent. Whenever the heart will be heedless from the Zikr of Allah, Satan
will rule it. He will then contaminate the heart that is the source of all good actions of
man. By ruining man’s single-minded attention to Allah during Prayer, Satan will destroy
it. Prayer is the key to salvation from all evil actions. It says in the Hadith: “A Prayer is not
accepted without a presence of the heart.”19 So a Prayer done when the heart is under the
suzerainty of Satan is invalid. At least during the Prayer, Zikr of Allah should be in the
heart of man. For Allah has stated: “And establish Prayer in order to do my Zikr.”20

“Knowledge of the heart” is critically important as it enables us to repel this satanic threat
and instead pray Prayers that are acceptable to Allah. When we learn this knowledge, our
hearts will be immersed in the never-ending Zikr of Allah and thus we would save
ourselves from this dangerous predicament. So we should seek the help of an authority of
the “knowledge of the heart.” The “real” Sufi Shaykh is an authority of this knowledge.
The purpose behind enrolling any Sufi Tarikah is to attain nothing else but “sincerity of
intention.” It is not those perverted aims with which many people throng the Sufi Shaykhs
often. And many people who call themselves Sufi Shaykhs nurture these aims which are
far from the true aim for what people should come to Sufi Shaykhs.

Now we understand why it is necessary to enroll in one of the many Sufi Tarikahs. The
purpose is to enable us to perfect our following of the Shariah. For unless one enrolls in a
Sufi Tarikah and learn the “knowledge of the heart” from this “educational institution”,
one may not realize true sincerity of intention.

Into which Sufi Tarikah should we enroll?

16
Hadith of Jabir
17
The Koran, Su:ra Ankabu:t 29:45
18
bodily part hadith
19
A Prayer is not accepted without a single-minded attention to Allah
20
The Koran, Sura T*a: Ha: 20:14

8
The Pure Mujaddidiya Tarikah may be the most appropriate Tarikah for this time as it’s
very easy. All Sufi Tarikahs share the same purpose  learning the “knowledge of the
heart.” However, in most Tarikahs, you will have to do “hard struggle” to learn the
knowledge. In contrast, you will NOT have to do any “hard struggle” to learn in this
Tarikah; actually, it’s practices are very easy-to-do. Allah loves hard-to-do good deeds.
Likewise, He also loves east-to-do good deeds. Today, life is complicated and people have
little time available and therefore may prefer to practice an easy-to-practice Tarikah. In
this Tarikah, the student may attain a state where his “heart is permanently doing the Zikr
of Allah spontaneously,” i.e. by itself. You’ll know it because you’ll feel physical
sensations along with inner growth. Your heart would be vibrating with the Zikr just as it
says in the Koran, “Verily the faithful are them whose hearts vibrate when they do the Zikr
of Allah.”21
This Tarikah is appropriate for this time also because it assiduously clings to the Sunnah
and steer away from deviations. Many other Tarikahs employ deviant practices that
opposes the Sunnah and the Shariah e.g. loud Zikr, singing, dancing etc. In contrast, the
practices of this Tarikah strictly conform to the Sunnah. They are silent Zikr, meditation,
supplication etc. Also the esoteric science that its adherents experience totally conform to
the Sunnah.
In this Tarikah, the disciple realizes that state of perpetual Zikr without much effort on his
part. Instead, the Shaykh projects his spiritual energy i.e. gives “face-turnings” to the
disciple and he attains progress because of it. That Zikr may start instantaneously with the
enrollment or Bayat. At most, it may take forty days. And the disciple spontaneously starts
to receive esoteric knowledge through his illuminated heart. More bodily centers are
illuminated in the next stations and they are also attained very easily and very fast. Once
you complete a sequence of stations, you’d attain the station of “heart in inner peace.” It is
on that station, you’d attain true sincerity and your Prayers would be accepted. Learning
Sufism as far as that station is critical, in fact it is obligatory since it is obligatory that
Prayers be sincerely for Allah.
Should you choose so, you may elect to learn more and grow closer to Allah. Then you
may progress even more and arrive on the sublime station of “soul in inner peace.” It is the
point where your instigating soul is pacified and become obedient to Allah. As Allah
declares, “O soul in inner peace! Return to your Lord being well pleased yourself and well
pleasing towards Him.22” However, reaching that point would be supererogatory while
reaching the point of heart in inner peace would be obligatory.
Choosing a competent Sufi Shaykh is critical. It should be kept in mind that the Tarikah
does not take the student to the destination, he who takes is the Shaykh. However exalted
may be the Tarikah, only a Shaykh with complete perfection in that Tarikah is capable of
taking the students to the desired destination. If the Shaykh lacks perfection, the Tarikah
alone cannot take you to the desired destination.

Conclusion: Where we are? Where should we go?

21
The Koran, Sura Anfal, 8:2
22
The Koran, Sura Fajr, 89:27

9
All of us Muslims should be concerned about the fact that today we are in distress. We
must keep in mind the saying of the Prophet: “All Muslims are brothers.”23 We must
remember the Message of Allah: “You are a one-in-all community.”24 We are the
community most despised in the world. Our prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is
the chieftain or Imam of all the prophets. And likewise we are to be the leader of all
communities. Instead, what’s the reality? Be it in a Muslim-majority country or be it in a
Muslim-minority country, everywhere we are persecuted. In some places we are
persecuted by our own Animal Souls due to affluence, again in some other places we are
persecuted by the enemies of Islam due to poverty, lack of education or minority status.

We must elevate ourselves from this abysmal state. We should immerse ourselves in the
struggle to regain our lost glory. And we need to be engaged in constructive self-criticism
and free ourselves from our faults. Whatever we may be, be it a peasant, be it a worker or
be it the president of the country, we are primarily servants of Allah and members of the
Muhammadan community. How are we all doing our jobs?

How are our heads-of-state doing their jobs? The obligation on our head-of-the-state is to
institute Shariah in the country so that there may be justice in the society. Law of Allah is
the only law. O the head-of the-state! How dare you preserve laws against the Laws of
Allah in the world of Allah! Remember! You’ll have to answer Allah in the last world!

How is our ulama doing its job? The duty on the ulama is to educate all Muslims in the
knowledge of the Din: the Islamic code of life. And to answer questions that pertain to the
current time in the light of the Koran and the Sunnah. And to elevate the Shariah to a
more exalted station. O the ulama! You consider yourselves to be the deputies of the
Prophet. But where is the sacrifice like that of the Prophet (peace)? Are you really
carrying out the duties of the deputies of the Prophet (peace)? Aren’t you engaged in a
contest for name, fame, power and money? The Prophet (peace) said: “In the last world,
that scholar will be most severely punished who hasn’t benefited from his own
knowledge.”25 Haven’t you forgotten it?

How is our Sufi Community doing its job? The duty on the Sufi community is to develop
the flow of light of love for Allah in the inner realm of man. But what’s happening
actually? O the Sufi community! Your primary pre-occupation now is the earning of
money by selling indulgences, selling amulets, doing spiritual work for a client for his
worldly gains for money, curing diseases through spiritual work for money, singing and
dancing, serving the rich and powerful as sycophants and so on. You call yourselves
servants of the Din but you do the work of the enemies of the Din!

It’s critical that our leaders are reformed. It is said that the enemies of the Din are three: 1)
the head-of-state seeking personal enrichment 2) the ulama seeking worldly gain 3) the
fake Sufis.26 Therefore, unless these three groups are reformed, the Din may not prosper.

23
All Muslims are brothers hadith???
24
The Koran, Su:ra Anbiya:>, 21:92
25
Hadith: In the last world, that scholar will be most severely punished who hasn’t
benefited from his own knowledge
26
???? is Iit a hadith???

10
The devout head-of-state, the devout ulama, the Sufis who has attained perfection  they
are the ones who can be compatriots in the exalted work of elevating the Din.

Although the common Muslims are not directly responsible for perverting the Din, still
they cannot deny responsibility totally. It is necessary on them as well to seek the help of
devout ones among the ulama and the Sufi Shaykhs in order to learn the knowledge of the
Din. Instead, they seek the help of the ulama and the Sufi Shaykhs for worldly gain. And a
large section of the ulama and Sufi communities are serving the demand of the Animal
Souls of these common Muslims.

Many intellectuals are enveloped by the darkness of ideas opposed to Islam and they
cannot avoid their responsibilities either. A deluge of anti-Islamic ideas is flooding us but
where are our intellectuals? They are always absorbed in the study of thick anti-Islamic
books and researching the ideas that are in them. But they have no time to study the
Koran or the Hadith. Do they not know that the Shariah commands us to learn the
knowledge of the Din? It is obligatory on everyone  on the educated, uneducated,
workers, peasants, industrialists, journalists, scientists, intellectuals, and so on.

We all need to examine ourselves critically. Our heads-of-states, our ulama class, our Sufi
Shaykhs, our socially conscious intellectuals  they all are included within the Muslim
community. If any one of us falls astray, the rest cannot remain heedless since we all are a
one-in-all community. We know that if a single limb of us grows weak, it harms us all, it
makes our combined strength weaker. Therefore, as a part of our communal self-criticism,
let each of us look at our own selves carefully. And let’s answer:

1. Are we following the correct creed?

2. Are we learning both of the two streams of the knowledge of the Din, i.e. the
“knowledge of the tongue” and the “knowledge of the heart”?
3. Are we practicing according to that knowledge?
4. To attain sincerity of intention, have we enrolled in the appropriate Sufi Tarikah for
this time?

First, we’ll have to able give affirmative answers to these questions for our own selves.
Second, we’ll have to spread this news to our own family, to the country and to the world.
It is only then that the complete Din will be established in our lives. It is only then that
we’ll be able to perform our duty to spread the Din or Tabligh, establish the Din or
struggle for the Din or Jihad. He who cannot establish the complete Din in the realm of his
own being, will he be able to establish the Din in the country or in the society ever? Never!

Therefore, my Muslim brothers! Let’s take heed! Keeping the plan to establish complete
Din in the society, in the country and in the world before us, let’s immerse ourselves in the
quest to follow the complete Din for our own selves. Peace in the beginning and in the
end!

11
 Glossary

ablution [wud*u:>] one-in-all community [ummatan

Act(s) [af<al] wa:h*idatan]
action/practice [<aml] Peg [watad]
all-embracingness [ittisa:<] earn[kasb=earning]
All-Powerful Chooser [qa:dir-I pillars [arka:n]
mukhta:r] pious predecessors [salaf].
Animal Souls [nafs,pl.anfus]. Pole [qutb]
Attributes [sifa:t] Tithe [zakah]
bathing [ghusl] practice/action [<aml]
Beatific Vision of Allah [dida:r] Prayer [s*alah]
beginningless [azali:] projection of spiritual energy
beloved [h*abi:b] [“face-turning” or tawajjuh]
Bridge [s*ira:t*]. prophethood [nubuwa:].
creed [<aqi:da] rejection of the faith [kufr]
Day of Resurrection [qiya:ma]. reliance [tawakkul].
desire [ira:da]. Self-sufficient [ghaniyy].
disciple [muri:d] Shariah [sha:ria]
divine revelation [wah*I:] Sincerity of Intention [ikhla:s*]
effectivity [ta>thi:r] sinless [ma<s*u:m]
endless [abadi:] soul in inner peace [nafs-I
Essence [dha:t], mut*mainnah]
establish the Din [iqamat of Din] Speech [qalam].
Existence [Wuju:d] spread the Din [tabli:gh]
faith [i:ma:n] struggle for the Din [jiha:d].
Fast [s*aum] Substitute [badal]
free choice [ikhtiya:r]. Succor [ghauth]
friend [wali] Sufi Shaykh [Shaykh al-tariqa,
heart [qalb]. Murshid]
heart in inner peace [qalbin Sunnite Community [Ah*l al-Sunnah
sali:m] wa al-Jama<a]
incarnation [h*ulu:l] Tarikah [tariqa]
incumbent [wa:jib] unlawful [h*ara:m]
initiation [bayya] withness [ma<iyya]
inner peace [sali:m] Zikr [dhikr]
Knowledge [<ilm] Instigating soul [nafs-I ammara]
knowledge of the tongue [<ilm al-
lisa:n]
knowledge of the heart [<ilm al-
qalb]
lawful [h*ala:l]
measuring out [taqdi:r]
miracles of the friends[kara:ma:t
al-awliya:>]
miracles of the prophets
[mu<jiza:t al-anbiya:>]
Mujaddid [mujaddid]
Mustering [Hashr]
nearness to Allah [wila:ya]
newly arrived thing [h*a:dith]
not similar [bi-mithl]
obligation [fard*]

12