Dalael-us-Suluk

CHAPTER 3

EVIDENCE ON TASAWWUF

Hadith-e Jibril

I n all the books on the subject, Hadith-e Jibril has been accepted as the central core of the fundamentals of the Faith, which is said to comprise of Islam, Iman and Ihsan. In the last part of this Hadith, Ihsan has been de­scribed in these words:

Jibril asked about Ihsan. The Holy Prophet explained: “Worship ALLAH as if you see Him, for if you see Him not, yet He sees you.” The Prophet turning to ‘Umar asked if he knew who the seeker was? Hadhrat ‘Umar replied that ALLAH and His Prophet knew better. The Prophet explained that he was Jibril who had come to expound their Faith.

Explaining this Hadith, Shah ‘Abdul Haqq Dehlawi (a celebrated tradi­tionalist, d. 1052 A. H. / 1642 C. E.) quotes Imam Malik (d. 199 A.H. / 814 C.E.):

Whosoever, without adequate knowledge of Fiqh acquired Tasawwuf would then turn infidel and inversely a sinner. He who acquired both became an accomplished believer.

He goes on to explain in his ‘Ash‘at al-Lam‘at Sharah al-Mishkat p: 45:

Listen, that the foundation of the Faith and its consummation rest on Fiqh, Philosophy and Tasawwuf. Hadith-e Jibril refers to these three components: Islam implies Fiqh because it comprises com­mandments of the Shari‘ah, vis-à-vis, human conduct. Iman repre­sents the beliefs, the basic propositions of philosophy, and Ihsan symbolises true Tasawwuf, which implies sincerest devotion to­wards ALLAH. The gist of the sayings of the great sufi Masters is nothing but Ihsan. Tasawwuf and scholasticism are complemen­tary, because one without the other, just as Fiqh without Tasaw­wuf is meaningless. The reason is that the Divine Commandments cannot be judiciously known without the knowledge of Fiqh, which in turn is incomplete without Tasawwuf because without sincerity, symbolised by Tasawwuf, human conduct even if gov­erned by Fiqh, does not merit Divine assent. Of course, both these without Iman are of no consequence whatsoever. The best analogy is that of the human body and the spirit, one without the other re­mains incomplete.

Note: Tasawwuf is an integral part of the Faith. Such a part essentially reflects the whole, the rejection of Tasawwuf therefore, amounts to the denial of the Faith itself.

A religious scholar uninitiated in Tasawwuf and the Path can neither be a spiritual successor of the Prophet nor his deputy.

The spiritual successor of the Prophet will be the person who has acquired all the three aspects of religion as mentioned in Hadith-e Jibril, is well versed in the Book and the Sunnah and en­deavours in the canons of mystic knowledge and guidance of its seekers.

Tafhimat p: 13.

Notes:

The Purpose of Raising Prophets

P rophets are raised for three purposes:

  • To correct, beliefs.
  • To reform human conduct.
  • To imbue sincerity in both.

The fundamentalists (‘Ulama-e ‘Usool) fulfill the first aspect, jurists the second, and sufis the third.

Tafhimat-e Ilahiyah p: 130

Tasawwuf is to Faith as the Spirit is to the Body

By the Being who controls my life, the third aspect is very subtle and fathomless as a source of Shari‘ah objectives, and is like the soul in abody or meaning in a word.

Tafhimat

Notes:

Tasawwuf is Obligatory

T hna Ullah Panipatti in his famous Tafsir-e Mazhari (vol: IV, p: 24) de­scribes the position and importance of Tasawwuf while commenting on the following verse:

And the believers should not all go out to fight (in the way of ALLAH).Of every troop of them, a party only should go forth that they (who are left behind) may gain sound knowledge in religion, and that they may warn their folk when they return to them, so that they may beware. (9:122)

The attainment of knowledge termed as ‘Ilm-e Ladunni (knowledge from His Presence) by the sufis is obligatory, for its end result is the cleaning of the heart from its vain impulses and its absorption in perpetual observation. Purification of the soul from moral ailments such as arrogance, conceit, jealousy, avarice, weariness in Divine worship, sensuality, hypocrisy, etc., and re­placing them by the attainment of high moral virtues, e.g. repen­tance, acquiescence to the Will of ALLAH, gratitude, fortitude etc., is essential. There is no doubt that the said moral ailments are, for a believer, deadlier than the sins he commits with his physical body while the virtues listed above are of greater signifi­cance than Salah, Fasting and Zakat because any kind of worship devoid of sincerity is of no consequence. And it is this sincerity which is the other name of Tasawwuf.

Imam Ghazali’s Opinion

Like all other branches of obligatory knowledge of Islam, the at­tainment of mystic knowledge is also obligatory. It pertains to the states of the heart such as sincere trust in ALLAH, His fear, and surrender to His Will.

T‘alim al-Mut‘allimin, p: 2.

Note: According to Imam Ghazali, (a distinguished champion of Tasawwuf- d. 505 A.H. /1111 C. E.) sufi knowledge is obligatory. Maulana Ashraf ‘AliThanvi (d. 1363 A.H. /1943 C.E.) in his at-Takashshaf ‘an-Muhimmat at-Tasawwuf p: 7, also held the acquisition of sufi knowledge as obligatory.

 

‘Allama Shami, while explaining the states of the heart concludes in his Durr-e Mukhtar vol: I:

The attainment of knowledge which enables a true believer to get rid of moral ailments is obligatory for him.

Tasawwuf Among theFundamentals

A ccording to Tafsir-e Jamal (vol: I, p: 497), “Faith does not accept any change. It is unalloyed Tauhid and Ikhlas (sincerity), which were sheet-anchor for all the Prophets ”

Note: This proves that Tasawwuf is among the fundamentals of Islam and comprises sincerity and Ihsan. Without sincerity neither Tauhid nor faith and practice merit Divine assent.

The Sunnis Solely Depend on Shari‘ah and Tariqah

S hah ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Dehlawi (one of Shah Wali Ullah’s illustrious sons and a renowned traditionalist and commentator) writes:

The Sunnis rely solely on Shari‘ah and Tariqah and regard them as the only sources of excellence and nobility.

T his points, in no uncertain terms, to the fact that those who reject Tasawwuf are not Sunnis. The sufi Masters, who have been distinctly in­spired, have inherited Tasawwuf and belief therein from the Book and the Hadith and have been without exception, unanimous in their views; this indeed is the common creed of all sufi veterans. Of course, it is a duty that often prompts them to cure the general apathy tormenting the masses.

Tasawwuf Proved through Twatir

T asawwuf and the (mystical) Path are proved from Twatir of a large group of righteous men, unparalleled in their erudition and conduct, piety, asceticism and fear of ALLAH. To agree on a fallacy is nearly impossible and inconceivable for such a group.

Analysis of Hadith-e Ihsan

The word Ihsan occurring in the Hadith, had a pointed reference to those verses of the Qur-an in which this word occurs. These verses enunciate that Ihsan comprises Iman and Islam, i.e., practices, the morals, the states (of the sufis).

Mirqat vol: I p: 59

 

A ccording to Faidh al-Bari, vol: 1, p: 149, “Ihsan encompasses the states of the sufis as well as their knowledge. To witness realities, as a result of enlightenment of the heart, is just like a visual observation. It is a state which constitutes an enduring attribute of the devotee as distinct from his knowledge.”

T he above explanation of Faidh al-Bari shows that Ihsan or Tasawwuf and the Path are not confined to knowledge. Its routine study as knowl­edge does not make one a mystic on the same analogy that one does not become a Namazi (one who regularly prays), a Saim (one who fasts), or a Haji (a pilgrim) simply by acquiring knowledge of Salah, Saum or Hajj. These are the actions, or practices, as distinct from knowledge; this pre­cisely is the case with Tasawwuf and the Path.

T he spiritual states issuing out from the bosom of an accomplished sufi illuminate the seeker’s heart. There exists no terminology to describe these states in their true perspective. The books on Tasawwuf and the Path can provide knowledge to a certain extent but the mystic states, the real motif, cannot be acquired without the Tawajjuh of an accomplished sufi. As an acknowledgement of Divine Grace, I gratefully extend an open invitation to those seeking His nearness to come to me. Insha-ALLAH, they shall not be disappointed.

T he denial of Tasawwuf and the Path is not due to any scholarly or ra­tional reasons, but stems from ignorance, obduracy and animosity. Scores of verses in the Qur-an provide its basis, which have been quoted by the traditionalists to prove its authenticity. The explanation of these verses is contained in numerous sayings of the Prophet as well as the precepts of the sufi Masters. Principles aside, even the minor details of Tasawwuf derive their strength from the Book and Hadith. It can be said, without fear of refutation, that the various ways of the sufis and their line of approach explaining their precepts and practices, vis-à-vis, the outcome or the end result, both in principle and in detail, are supported by categorical injunctions of the Qur-an as well as Hadith, as follows later.

T he Islamic beliefs, the details of Fiqh, the practices, the ethics and the various forms of worship, constitute the infra-structure of Islam, while its heart and soul lie in sincerity or Ihsan, another name of Tasawwuf and the Path. For example all the jurists are unanimous that a fast is not broken by back-biting, that is to say, the structure of this worship remains intact as a matter of law, but authentic Hadith declares that back-biting destroys the very spirit of Saum. In this case the fast will be of no consequence just like a body without a soul- Tasawwuf paves the way to these realities. Therefore, the maulvi (a religious scholar) symbolises the precept and the body while the sufi represents the practice and the soul. The rewards and retributions of the dead in Barzakh, which the maulvi shall witness only in the Hereafter, are observed by the sufis while in this temporal existence. Whatever the former sees in a dream, the latter sees through kashf while awake and that is why he has a degree of semblance with the Angels.

Hadhrat Jabir quotes the Prophet, “Hymning His praise will become natural with the dwellers of Paradise as a reward, just as breathing is to you.”

al-Mishkat p: 488.

T his is exactly the state the sufis experience in their method of zikr termed as Pas Anfas (guard every breath). Hadhrat Jabir’s Hadith provides the basis and proof of this method. The Hadith about Jibril’s first visit (at Mount Hira) hints at a certain state of suffocation as experienced by the Prophet. The Prophet had said that Jibril pressed him while embrac­ing, to an extent that he felt the throes of death. This state is normally ex­perienced in suffocation or choking. When the Divine lights descend at a devotee engaged in zikr, he finds himself under pressure and suffocation.

H ere is a quotation from Faidh al-Bari (vol: I, p: 149-150) pertaining to recitals, sufi practices, connections and various Sufi Orders:

The word Ihsan covers the entire range of virtues, be it recitals or sufi practices. The former pertains to formulae emanating from the Prophet, while the latter comprises the Dharb (emphatic recitals of His name so as to cause minor concussion of the heart) and states described by the sufi Masters. The connection, in sufi terminology, is a particular one, distinct from Creator and crea­tion; anyone endowed with it is called a man of Nisbat (connection) and there are four major Orders in Tasawwuf: Suharwardy, Qadiri, Chishti and Naqshbandi. We are linked with the first one for the last ten generations without a break. The com­mands and prohibitions, promises and threats passed down to us in Shari‘ah. To act on them and to be absorbed by them is Tariqah. At this stage all practices are completely identified with the Faith. This was the state of our pious precursors, but today we find only precepts without practice, faith without physical certification. There are so many reciters of the Book who are imprecated by the Book itself. To be able, faithfully, to follow the way shown by our ancestors will be the real success. This goes to prove that Shari‘ah and Tariqah are not two separate entities as generally believed by the masses.

E laborating the difference between the words and their meanings, the author continues (vol: I, p: 304):

I am not one of those who depend solely upon words to draw conclusions in matters pertaining to the Faith. To me the real meaning lies in what has been inherited by the Ummah and ac­cepted by its pioneers for they are the torch bearers and real guides of the Faith. We trust them fully and brook no doubt about them.

T he glorious Faith has been handed down to us in a narrative form. At the same time, a group of people having deep insight into the real meaning of these words continued to exist throughout the ages. Besides, they pro­vided the practical example. This age-old practice is the quintessence of the Faith. Full trust therein constitutes the real faith and it is this very faith which has reached us through the four schools of juristic thought on the one hand and the four Sufi Orders on the other. The Sunnis rely solely on these two spheres of Prophethood. If we make undue allowance in the matter of interpretations, it will no longer be a Faith but only unbridled egoism. The correct interpretation of the Faith recounted over the genera­tions will, therefore, depend on age-old and well established practice by the majority.

T here are, however, vast contradictions in the matter of precept and practice. High claims of knowledge that are bereft of practice, such knowledge is like a barren tree. To quote the great master Jami:

Should you aspire for knowledge, be mindful of practice; for knowledge without practice is a deadly poison.

A s regards faith, it is a confession which, as a rule must be supported by genuine testimony. In the absence of such a testimony, the confession is of no consequence and the one making it is declared a liar. Any confession of faith must therefore be authenticated by practice, which is the only yard­stick; otherwise it will be a farce. It is unfortunate that Muslims, by and large, are the victims of this contradiction.

What is Faith

“Jibril came to expound to you the Faith”, so that you are made wise in the matter of beliefs and practice both inward and out­ward.

‘Umdah tul-Qari vol: I, p: 339.

T he famous Hadith-e Jibril expounds three branches of knowledge:

F irstly, beliefs- which is dogmatic theology. The second is commands and prohibitions and the understanding thereof- this is Fiqh. The third pertains to inner manifestations and contemplations which is Tasawwuf. These three constitute the Faith as a whole, Ihsan is the heart and soul of Tasawwuf, which is another name of singular devotion or sincerity. This is exactly how the accomplished saints of Islam defined Tasawwuf.

Analogously, the religion of Islam is like Salat-e Witr having three rak‘at.

O nly the third component would complete the Witr, but it would not be enough by itself unless the first two are combined with it. According to ‘Allama Qurtabi, Hadith-e Jibril constitutes the fountainhead of Sunnah. ‘Ayyadh said that this Hadith includes all invocations, all forms of wor­ship (inward, as well as, outward) and religious practice, sincerity of the body and the soul. Shaikh al-Hind (Maulana Mahmud al-Hassan, the most celebrated scholar of the Indian sub-continent of his time), said that Imam Bukhari’s explanation of this Hadith aims at highlighting the fact that its contents, namely the principles and the ramifications, the practices, Iman, Islam, Ihsan, and the moral codes are all components of the Faith. The word Bashashat (delight) occurring in the Hadith pertaining to Caesar of Rome quoted later, means Ihsan, which implies that anyone endowed with the delight of faith has indeed been blessed by Him, and faith, with all its sweetness, lies embedded in his heart. It will not be incorrect to infer that he shall not turn a renegade. One can hardly retain one’s faith if not blessed with such an understanding.

I mam Rabbani writes in his Maktubat (Epistles) that once the meditation Fana fi-ALLAH and Baqa bi-ALLAH is well established, one surely dies on Faith. The word ‘Bashashat’ in the said Hadith has led the Imam to make this surety conditional upon constancy.

‘Allama Qastlani regards this Hadith as comprehensive. The first part i.e., “... worship ALLAH as if you see Him ”, points to the manifestations and vision of Divinity, while the second part, i.e., “... If you see Him not, yet He sees you”, refers to meditation.

T his in fact points to the two states of a seeker. Some are blessed with kashf who start observing the Divine Refulgence, the Angels, the spirits, while others do not, but their spiritual status remains unaffected by this difference of states.

T he historical background of Hadith-e Jibril further enhances its impor­tance. Jibril had come in the guise of a man shortly after the return of the Prophet from Makkah, after his last pilgrimage, when he was nearing the end of his temporal existence. The religion had, by then, been per­fected and all commandments revealed. In a single sitting, Jibril narrated the gist of the Faith, as is evident from the Prophet’s comment, “He came in order to teach you your religion.” This manifests the very aim of Hadlth-e Jibril, i.e., in a single meeting the essence of the Faith was placed before the Prophet to help reinforce and strengthen its commandments, with a dominant note at its three aspects. Just as Salat-e Witr is not per­formed with only two rak‘at, the religion will not be complete without its third component, i.e., Tasawwuf. However, there are two types of attitudes with regard to Tasawwuf. A group of people do not practice it, they are just like those who do not offer their prayers: Shari‘ah regards them as sinners. Yet there are others who disavow it. This amounts to the rejection of one third of religion; rejection of a part, as a rule, means rejection of the whole. We can only pray for such people.

May ALLAH show them the light!

A nother commentary on Hadith-e Jibril in Sharah ‘Aqidah as-Safarini, vol: I, p: 430:

The sum total of this Hadith is that the Faith and its adherents comprise three groups, as announced by the Prophet. The first is represented by the word Islam, the second by Iman, and the third by Ihsan. Anyone who excelled in all three, indeed, touched the zenith. This classification of the Ummah into three groups has been referred to in the Qur-an in these words:

Then We gave the scripture as inheritance to those whom We
elected of Our bondsmen. But of them are some who wrong themselves and of them are some who are lukewarm and of them are some who outstrip (others) through good deeds by ALLAH’s leave. That is the great favour. (35:32)

A Muslim who (after embracing Islam) fails to abide by its essentials has indeed wronged himself. Lukewarm is the one who obeys the com­mands and abstains from the prohibitions. He is just an ordinary believer, while the third category is that of a true believer who worships ALLAH as if he sees Him or inversely is fully convinced of His seeing him.

ALLAH’s Nearness through Supplemental Worship

T he Prophet quotes Him , “The nearness attained by My bondsman through obligatory worship is unique. Then he continues to draw near to Me through supplemental works until I begin to love him. And when I love him, I am his ears so he hears by Me and his eyes so that he sees by Me. ” A great saint Hadhrat Anwar Shah while discussing this Hadith in Faidh al-Bari writes,

When Imam Zahbi came across this Hadith while compiling his Mizan-e E‘itedal, he wailed, “Had I not been over-awed by the authenticity of al-Bukhari (containing this Hadith) I would have adversely commented on it.” Shaikh Anwar Shah Kashmiri re­marks, “Glorified be ALLAH! Imam Zahbi completely ignored logic. When the Hadith is correct (obviously, because it is con­tained in al-Bukhari) it should have been readily accepted as such.” It is always advisable to entrust a problem that is beyond one’s comprehension to those who know, rather than venturing a comment. However, the ‘Ulama who are content with the exoterics of religion explain the meaning of this Hadith thus:

All the body organs of the bondsman become subservient to His Will. With this state, it will be correct to assert that he hears for the sake of ALLAH and also sees for His sake. This is what is meant by His acting as ears and eyes of a bondsman. I say that this interpretation does not convey the correct sense of the Hadith. The narration is in the first person which denotes that a bondsman who has attained ALLAH’s nearness retains only his form and appear­ance, all his actions are directly controlled by Him. This is the station termed as Fana fi-ALLAH by the sufis, which means that such a person is no longer possessed by his desires, his reins are with ALLAH.

T he analogy is found in the Qur-an in the story of Prophet Musa . When he got near the fire, a voice was heard, “Praised be the Being within,” though he could see only the fire. When His reful­gence manifested through the fire, a voice was heard, “I am ALLAH.” The point to ponder over is: How did Musa hear ALLAH’s Speech from the fire? The speaker apparently is the burning bush but the speech has been attributed to ALLAH, be­cause His Refulgence appeared in the burning bush which became an intermediary of His gnosis. The object of refulgence acted for the Refulgent. The fact is that the Divine light reflected in the fire because at the time Musa needed the fire. If you have under­stood the reality of Divine Refulgence, go past mere analogies and get closer to Him. When it is true of a bush that a voice, “I am ALLAH.” can be heard from inside it, there is no reason to doubt that He can act through the instrumentality of His confidants. When man is created on the countenance of the Beneficent, why should he be considered inferior to that bush of Prophet Musa . Such issues must be pondered over very carefully, for mere con­ventional knowledge cannot lead us anywhere. There can be no access to these realities, without having recourse to sufi knowl­edge. Every expert should confine himself to his own domain, and this is the domain of the sufis alone.

T his discussion unveils yet another mystery, i.e., the Divine Speech is eternal just like His Refulgence, but it appeared in a created object, i.e., the burning bush, and was heard also. This is exactly the case of the Qur-an, it is eternal, non-creation but manifests itself through the speech of the creation. Likewise, the Divine words manifest themselves in the form of kashf and ilham, through an enlightened heart.

I mam Zahbi’s remarks referred to above have been elaborated in the explanation of Mizan-e E‘itedal vol: I. p: 301.

Had I not been over-awed by the authenticity of al-Bukhari. I would have listed this Hadith in the fabrications of Khalid bin Mukhallad.

T he great ‘Allama Ibn-e Hajr has refuted this remark in a splendid man­ner, in his monumental work Fatah al-Bari. Shaikh Anwar Shah Kashmiri has remarked that the problem of a particular field should better be en­trusted to an expert of that field. It does not behove an unacquainted per­son to comment on it just to satisfy his vanity.

Difference in Nearness Through Obligatory and Supplemental Wor­ship

Discussing this point, the sufis assert that in case of nearness through obligatory worship, a bondsman becomes His limbs but vice versa in the case of supplemental worship (becoming limbs is an allegory to indicate the state of nearness because ALLAH is beyond any corporeal descrip­tion).

Faidh al-Bari vol: IV, p: 427

When a bondsman reaches such a stage of His nearness, the decla­ration, “Whosoever bears enmity with My friends. I proclaim war against him”, no longer looks strange.

T he expression ‘Adali Waliyan in the Hadith denotes real enmity with ALLAH and not His friend, otherwise the expression ‘Ada Waliyanli would have been used. To expound the meaning of this Hadith, ‘Allama Sayuti edited a whole treatise called al-Qaul al-Jali fi Hadith al-Wali which is available in my personal library. In his al-Hawi lil Fatawa, the ‘Allama has listed this Hadith, with slight variation in the wording from five different narrators (of great standing): Anas bin Malik, Hadhrat ‘Aishah, Memuna, Ibn-e ‘Abbas and Abi Imama .

T hese various wordings of the Hadith clearly bring out the fact that the Prophet formally advised his Ummah to love the aulia and dare not op­pose them. Writes ‘Allama Ibn-e Jozi:

We have been persuaded to embed in our hearts the love for a wali-ALLAH. In one Hadith, the Prophet supplicates in these words “O Rabb ! I beseech You of Your Love and the love of the one who holds You dear.”

‘Allama Shokani dilates on this Hadith in the following words:

And the Hadith lists the means adopted by His bondsmen to attain His Love. The Prophet supplicated for the love of those who love Him. And it is an established fact that only sincere bondsmen bear love with Him. So their love is an act of His obedience and a form of His nearness.

Tuhfa tuz-Zakirin p: 331

T wo points have been repeatedly emphasised in these narrations. The first is a prohibition, i.e., enmity of the aulia. Here, the warning is so stern that it has been proclaimed as enmity with Him. The second is a command, i.e., to cultivate love for the aulia, which has been declared as a means to His obedience and nearness. The reason is quite obvious: the aulia are to be loved because they show the way to His Love. They have a well tried prescription in the form of zikr. When it is performed in their company, in the prescribed manner, it surely results in ALLAH’s Love. Al-Bukhari and al-Muslim recount the benefits and the end results of this collective zikr in the following words:

When a group of men assemble for ALLAH’s zikr, the Angels cover them by their wings, they are engulfed by His Grace. A state of peace descends on them and they are in turn, remembered by Him in the presence of Angels. It is such a group, that anyone joining it does not die as a wretched.

T his Hadith clearly brings out the effects of zikr and the company of the aulia, so much so, that the latter alone are a guarantee against a miserable end. Hadhrat Anwar Shah Kashmiri explains this Hadith further in his Faidh al-Bari:

The Angels spread their wings over them, they are encircled like the sun in an eclipse. The light of zikr spreads around them like the waves caused by a stone flung in water. These waves are, of course, proportionate to the force with which the stone is hurled. Likewise everything falling within the zikr wave is affected and joins in zikr. Imam Sh‘arani is said to have once noticed during zikr that everything had joined in. By morning, the entire earth had been affected and everything was in harmony with him in zikr. The Prophet’s saying that anyone sitting with those en­gaged in zikr does not remain wretched points to this meaning. In fact, zikr is life- and animates everything in its wake. This influ­ence extends according to the strength and sincerity of the en­deavour of the one engaged in it till the entire environment springs to life and joins in. If you can discern this reality it will be easier to discuss the secret of birds and mountains joining the Prophet Daud in hymning His praise. The entire atmosphere was influ­enced by zikr. According to the Holy Qur-an, everything joined his Halqah-e Zikr and since he was a Prophet, the strength and in­fluence of his zikr was proportionate to his status. This is not so in the case of others.

Z ikr by the trees, the stones, the mountains and the birds is clearly proved by Hadith. Ibn-e Majah and Tirmizi under chapters on Hajj, and al-Bukhari lists this Hadith under Azan:

The Prophet said that when a Muslim recites Talbih (a set of phrases repeated by the pilgrim affirming his presence before ALLAH), all stones, trees and pebbles join him till it spreads to all corners of the globe. About the Azan, al-Bukhari quotes the Holy Prophet:

“Anyone who hears the Azan from among men, the jinn and other creation will bear witness to it on the Day of Reckoning.”

The explanations of the aforementioned Hadith indicate that zikr initiated by an accomplished Shaikh suffuses the entire environment. It is, there­fore, immaterial how far away the devotees are sitting from him.

T his discussion highlights another important issue. Those who deny hearing by the dead, should note that when stones, trees, dust and all other things hear Talbih and the Azan, there is no reason to exclude the dead, even if reduced to bits and pieces, or reduced to dust. Disagreement, how­ever, exists whether the dead hymn His praise, consonant with their new state or according to their previous existence. Nevertheless, the cognition and understanding by the dead cannot be denied even after they turn into dust, as it is possible and duly proved in case of stones, trees and dust, no matter how incredible it may seem.

I n the light of the above discourse, we can draw the following conclu­sions: