Tasawwuf and Character Building
SECTION 2
CHAPTER 19
MASJID -E NABVI
MEDITATION OF THE COURT
OF THE
HOLY PROPHET
After the meditatoin of Raudha Athar, the meditation of the Holy Prophets Court is practised. The verses repeated during the meditation are same as for Raudha Athar.
During the meditation, the salik feels the Holy Prophet sitting on a throne, with the Companions
sitting in front of him. The Aulia are sitting on one side. The salik feels himself sitting in such a pious gathering. His eyes are cast down in respect. He realises his own humblesness and is immensely thankful to ALLAH for granting him such a status. Tears stream down his face with love and happiness and the Durood continues from the depth of his heart.
MEDITATION OF FANA FIR RASOOL
In the august Court of the Holy Prophet, the salik feels that limbs and parts of his body have been cut in pieces and every piece and every drop of blood is earnestly reciting: ALLAHHuma Salle Ala Muhammad-e nin Nabi yil Ummiye wa Aalehee wa Sahbehi wa Barik wa Sallim. After some time the pieces join together, and the save Durood continues.
Before understanding the effects of this meditation on the salik, first the reality of Fana should be understood. In Sufism the meaning of Fana is not pershing, but Fana means to eliminate one’s ego and pride. When the word Fana is added to Fir Rasool and the word becomes Fana Fir Rasool, it means that the salik has abandoned his standards of likes and dislikes, and he is under the total control of the Holy Prophet. In Tasawwuf this meditation is taught for the purpose that a salik learns to act according to the following Hadith, “No person among you can feel the sweet taste of Iman (Faith and Belief) unless all his desires and deeds conform to my teachings.”
When this meditation is established, it affects the salik in the following ways:
- No artificial standard of love is accepted. Only that standard of love is accepted which has been defined by the Holy Prophet.
- The official standard of love must conform to the following Hadith: “He who loves the way of my Sunnah, is true in his claim of loving me.” If the adherence to the Sunnah is missing, it is not love, only plain acting.
- When these changes take place in a salik, he tries to copy the blessed ways of the Holy Prophet in the whole pattern of his life, be it the beliefs or worships or day to day dealings with others. If he does something which is not according to the Sunnah, he feels a hatred for his own self and makes efforts to come back to the Sunnah and sincerely asks for forgiveness from ALLAH.
- His outlook becomes broader. He is not concerned about his own well-being, but feels the urge to serve his other fellow brothers.
MEDITATION OF SPIRITUAL BAI’AT
This special meditation is only found in the Naqshbandiah Owaisiah Order. The order we follow is the Naqshbandiah, and the training of the salik is done according to the principles of the great masters of Naqshbandiah. We are also related to the Owaisiah system. That is why we do not just claim to acquire blessings from the Ruh, but we practically experience this fact.
The greatest source and fountainhead of all the blessings is the Holy Prophet. This great wealth which was distributed when the Holy Prophet was living in this world, is still distributed by his Holy Spirit. ALLAH has described the way this great favour is bestowed: “Indeed those who take oath with you, in truth take oath with ALLAH.” The same method is used to acquire beneficence from the Ruh. The Ruh of the salik is now strong for its flight by the illuminated lataif and the meditations. Therefore the Ruh makes its presence in the Court of the Holy Prophet and is gifted by the great wealth of taking an oath at the sacred hands of the Holy Prophet. After the oath, the Prophet gives him the responsibility of serving the religion according to his capability. In the world of Tasawwuf, this is the first station in the path of Sulook. The other stations start from this point.
This meditation affects the salik’s practical life in two ways. Firstly, the reformation of his own self, and secondly, the service of humanity. The biggest change which takes place is that a person realises his own faults, and this is indeed a great change. The Holy Prophet has said: “He is fortunate who is conscious of his own faults, and does not find time to criticise others.”
Unmindful of our own selves,
We cast searching glances on other’s faults,
When our eyes turned to our own sins,
Nobody seems lower to us than ourselves.
This feeling inspires a person to continuously reform himself. The second effect is that one makes endless efforts and finds inner peace by leading the servants of ALLAH on the right path. This is the point where the salik is actually following in the footsteps of his Holy Prophet
. Nobody can ever imagine a greater gift than this.
OALLAH! Please grant us Your love, and the love of Your beloved Prophet, and make us love those deeds which will bring us closer to Your love. Ameen.