Monday 24 August 2009

Tafsir e Ashrafi - Volume Two

Muhaddis e Azam Mission Publications UK is pleased to announce that Volume 2 of Tafsir e Ashrafi (Urdu) written by Shaykh ul Islam Sayyad Muhammad Madani Miya Ashrafi Jilani has been published and will be available in the United Kingdom shortly. Volume Two contains the Tafsir of chapters (Spiaras) 4, 5 and 6 of the Holy Qura’n.

Muhaddis e Azam Mission Publications UK is in the process of securing sponsorship from generous Muslims to ensure all Sunni Ulemas, Huffaz and Imams in the United Kingdom are given a free copy of Volume Two. We have learnt that Volume One wasn’t distributed as widely as it should have been and therefore we have arranged for this to be distributed with Volume Two wherever it is needed, again free of charge.

Of course more sponsorship is urgently required and if anyone would like to make a contribution for the Isale Sawaab of their relatives and/or make a Lillah donation then they should email us at missionuk @ hotmail. co. uk.

We have arranged for the distribution of Volume 2 in the following towns and cities and their neighbouring areas: Blackburn, Bolton, Preston, Manchester, Halifax, Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Batley, Bradford, Leeds, Wakefield, Birmingham, Leicester and London. If anyone would like to ensure the Imam of their mosque or any other Scholar they are associated with receives a copy in a town or city not mentioned above should email us at the address given.

Muhaddis e Azam Mission Publications UK will also be shortly receiving the translation of the first Chapter of Tafsir e Ashrafi which has been translated into Gujerati. We are seeking sponsorship of this translation which would allow us to distribute it for free to those who read Gujerati otherwise we will have to sell it for a small fee. If anyone would like to sponsor copies of Chapter 1 of the Gujerati Tafsir they should send an email to missionuk @ hotmail. co. uk and further details will be provided.

Ramadan Mubarak











Ramadan Mubarak to all visitors to this site

Tuesday 18 August 2009

Shaykh ul Islam's current activity

Hazrat Shaykh ul Islam is currently in Kichocha Sharif where he is busy writing the Tafsir of the Holy Qura’n. Volume Two of the Tafsir which includes Chapters 4, 5 and 6 of the Qura’n has been completed and has also been published - more information relating to this will be provided in due course.

Hazrat will spend Ramadan in Lucknow where he will continue with his writing and of course with the numerous other issues that are presented to him on a daily basis.

Thursday 13 August 2009

To My 'Ego' by Shaykh ul Islam

Raees ul Muhaqiqin Shaykh ul Islam wal Muslimin Hadrat Allama Mowlana Mufti Shah Sayyad Muhammad Madani Miya Ashrafi Jilani, Janasheen of Hadart Mohaddis e Azam e Hind (Blessings be Upon Him) wrote a note to his ‘ego’ in Urdu which was translated into English and published in The Mission magazine which is reproduced in its entirety below.

It is a thought provoking document which succinctly addresses the reasons why there is so much animosity between members of families and friends, between those working for good causes such as committee members in Mosques and generally between Muslims; and shows how the diseases of suspicion, mistrust, jealousy and hatred adversely affect not only the soul but the body as well.

While Shaykh ul Islam has written this for his ‘ego’, it is in reality a lesson for the rest of us Muslims who undoubtedly have large egos and an abundance of pride which leads us to think that we are better than everyone else. If we act upon the advice given by Hadrat Shaykh ul Islam we will undoubtedly benefit both in this world and in the life hereafter.

May Allah Almighty give us guidance to act upon these words and help us to improve our character.


'To my ego'

A thousand greetings and blessings

Your body is ill and together so is your soul. The illness of the body means a person creates distance between himself and harmony in this world, and the illness of the soul means a person’s life hereafter is destroyed. These illnesses can also inflict others but the illness of others does not damage us whatsoever. Equally, the well being of others does not lead to our well being. Our benefit is only derived from our well being and our damage is only derived from our ill health.

There are some illnesses of the soul which ruin our life hereafter. Among these illnesses two are very important:

1. Suspicion and Mistrust

There are absolute assertions in Qura’nic instruction and Prophetic tradition to refrain from suspicion and mistrust; which has been stated in clear words to be a sin. If we think of a bad person as being good, then there is no damage to us. Our optimism will save us from backbiting about that particular person. Conversely, if we think of a good person as being bad, then that person suffers no loss or damage but our life in the hereafter will be ruined.

Proclaiming a good person as bad either to his face or behind his back is obviously wrong but to talk about a bad person and discuss his misdemeanours behind his back is still wrong and the Qura’n states this to be the equivalent of eating the flesh of one’s dead brother!

It should be remembered that if a person has a fault and this is discussed in his absence, then this is backbiting and the Qura’n has declared this to be forbidden (haram). Therefore, one is not given permission to backbite by stating that whatever I have said is absolutely true and there is no untruth whatsoever in what I have said. At this juncture it should be clearly understood that when a person is discussing someone else‘s faults and misdemeanours, then this is what is described as backbiting – if this is untrue then it is a baseless allegation which is an even bigger sin than backbiting.

2. Hatred and Jealousy

A true Muslim’s greatest asset is that he keeps his heart clear when thinking of other Muslims. In maintaining this condition he does not think of any personal benefit or detriment to him. He has in his heart the desire for kindness, and good manners towards his enemies and towards those who wish him harm. He understands that hatred can be only be ended by love and animosity only by kindness.

A fire cannot be doused by more flames. The Prophets (Peace Be Upon Them) managed to change their arch enemies into their esteemed followers by displaying good deeds and actions – answering anger with anger, abuse with abuse, violence with violence, enmity with enmity is so easy that any ordinary person within a disrespected group of people is also able to respond in this way. But responding to anger with a smile, answering abuse with good wishes and prayers, blessings in response to violence, responding to animosity with good manners is the tradition of Prophets (Peace Be Upon Them); and those who follow this path are the fortunate people whom Allah Almighty has granted respect and honour and has given the guidance to follow the path of his beloved and pious followers.

Those people who follow the teachings of the pious people of Islam and only look at their own faults and weaknesses and try and endeavour to alleviate their own weaknesses simply do not have the time to look for faults in others.

Hadrat Ali (Blessings Be Upon Him) states:

'That person who spreads animosity is a sinner, and he who spreads even a little enmity is an oppressor and he who creates enmity cannot attain closeness to Allah Almighty.’ (Maqasid ul Islam, Volume 5 Page 155)

The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) stated:

‘If as a result of conflict between two Muslims they do not talk to each other for three days and do not resolve their differences during this time, then both of them will leave the fold of Islam and ‘wilayat’ will not remain in them (that is, their good deeds whether obligatory or supplementary will not be accepted by Allah Almighty). The person who takes the first step towards reconciliation will go to heaven first on the day of judgment.’ (Ibid Page 156).

The Messenger’s (Peace Be Upon Him) teaching is that ‘every Muslim will be forgiven but the person who has spread enmity towards another Muslim brother will not be forgiven.’ (Ibid Page 174 )

It is narrated that on the night of 15 Sha’ban, with the exception of polytheists everyone is forgiven; but the one with hatred and jealousy is not forgiven. This topic is mentioned in great detail in the Sahaa (Ibid Page 174).

It is the call of the friends of Allah that: ‘In our beliefs having hatred and animosity towards someone is infidelity (which takes a person away from the fountain of Allah’s blessings).
One should endeavour to keep his heart as transparent and as clear as a mirror as this is our only way. Mistrust and animosity undoubtedly ruins one’s life hereafter but also leads to disrespect and misery in this world. These diseases not only distance the soul from Allah’s gifts and mercy but also affect the body and make it unwell. It’s opposite; of thinking well of one’s Muslim brother and displaying good behaviour and characteristics and forgiving all his small and large mistakes sincerely from the heart is guarantee of success of the body and of the soul.

Remember, Allah Almighty is the forgiver of sins and holds dear those who forgive. Those who control their anger, forgive people, display good behaviour and show good manners are those who are the beloved of Allah Almighty.

We should pray with sincerity and from the depths of our heart that, O Lord Almighty after giving us guidance, ensure our hearts do not stray; and keep away from our hearts jealousy and hatred and if they do enter our hearts, then remove them and make us clean and pure. Ameen
Although this document has been written specifically for the guidance of my ‘ego’ I hope and pray that along with me all those having an ‘ego’ benefit from it and this can also become a guidance for them.

And the hearts of people like us after becoming clean and pure become bright and enlightened, and Allah Almighty takes that work from us which pleases his beloved Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) and keeps us away from those deeds which displease his beloved Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) .

Undoubtedly it is Allah Almighty who showers his blessings on us and we should never become despondent or non expectant of Allah’s grace. From his garden of blessings comes the call that O my worshipper, my court is not a court of despondency and if you have broken the vow of forgiveness a hundred times, show remorse and return, and with sincerity from your heart seek forgiveness and I will forgive you.

New York 2005 speech

Salaam

Welcome to shaykhulislam.blogspot.com. This site will contain in due course the works of Raees ul Muhaqiqin Shaykh ul Islam wal Muslimin Hadrat Allama Sayyad Muhammad Madani Miya Ashrafi Jilani, Janasheen of Hadart Mohaddis e Azam e Hind (Blessings be Upon Him) as well as news, articles and discussions relating to Sunni Muslims and in particular the Ashrafi branch of Sufism.