Quenching A Future Imam's Learning Aspiration
I wrote a letter to a certain Maulana Saheb that in this path af’āl (actions) are intended and not Infi’āl (self occurrence)*. In these two terms I have summed up the whole spirit of Tasawwuf and explained it. But Maulana Saheb did not pay heed.
Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi rehmatullahi alayh mentioned that once Jahangeer (the mughal king) came to meet Sheikh Saleem Chishti rehmatullahi alayh. (At that time) Sheikh had given his rags to one of his Mureed to look for lice. During this time Sheikh went into his quarters and closed the doors.
“Acceptance of supplication (Dua’) is not a karamat because the supplications of laymen as well as kuffar (disbelievers) also get accepted. Look at اكفر الكفرة افجرالفجرة (most disbelieving of the disbelievers and most sinning of the sinful), i.e Shaytaan’s dua’ was accepted. Moreover, (look at) his Dua’ which was accepted was also an abnormal one and is considered bad manners according to the Fuqaha’ (Jurists)….
Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi rehmatullah alayh says,
“Some people increase their bad deeds in this month (Ramadhaan). This is perhaps due to unawareness, or due to deficient understanding, or perhaps they know it yet do not practice caution. This is indeed a very strange matter that in this month, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has even prohibited those things which were permissible in normal months. Isn’t this an indication that those actions which were already impermissible are now prohibited to a greater degree?
One letter came which said that, “I have been thinking a lot about which sin I might have committed in lieu of which I am facing such difficulties.” I replied to him that the time when you did not have any difficulty, did you ever think in lieu of which good deeds are you relishing the good easy life?