Spiritual Teachings

Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti (HA) was a great Saint and has left a collection of poems in Persian. Among his other books, all written in Persian traced so far, are:

1. Anis-ul-Arwah
2. Hadis-ul-Ma’arif
3. Risala Maujudia
4. Kanj-ul-Israr
5. Kashf-ul-lsrar
6. Afaq-o-Anfas

The essence of religion lies in obeying and following the spiritual master, as the spiritual master serves as the pathway to internal obedience, with God being the ultimate guide on this path. Religion itself is pure and devoid of contradictions, emphasizing the need to free oneself from attachments. A courageous seeker, dedicated to purity, immerses themselves in the true knowledge of God.

Dear friend, religion is the voice emanating from a deep, distant source, and it is embraced by the seeker to ultimately reach that source. No religion is superior if the student clings to mere habits in the initial stages, for true religion transcends habitual tendencies. When the sincere seeker is lost, their sole desire is to adhere to the religion of their beloved, for their religion is love for The Beloved.

If a religion leads people to God, it is true Islam. Conversely, if it fails to guide individuals towards God, it is considered worse than disbelief. According to those who seek reality, Islam is the path that leads to God, while disbelief is the path that takes one away from God. However, the truthful seeker does not belong to any particular religion, nor does their belonging lie in different religions, but the people of knowledge do not know any other religion, Rather, decorion to the truth of Allah,

The seeker who has not experienced complete annihilation and continues to adhere to the rules of the Sharia (religious law) and the practices of the Tariqat (spiritual path) is unable to attain the oneness with the beloved. When Khwaja Junaid Baghdadi was asked about his religion, he responded by saying, "I am on the religion of God." Religion can be understood in two aspects: the external aspect, which is the Shariat (religious law), and the internal aspect, which is the reality of divine knowledge.(haqeeqat)

Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti (ra) was a source of inspiration and illumination and his discourses reveal great spiritual insight. They are contained in a book entitled Daleel-ul-Arefeen written by his premier caliph and Sajjada nashin Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki of Osh (ra).

Mysticism and mystics

He says that “Mysticism is a name and not a custom.” By merely being conversant with and studying mysticism, one does not become a Sufi. It is the inner life that marks one out as a mystic. A mystic must have an exact understanding of divine knowledge. He should surrender his will to the Will of God. He should be kind, hospitable, and courteous, devoid of any trace of haughtiness or arrogance or superiority. He should be content, meek and gentle, reposing his utmost trust in God. The ambition to win disciples and to win applause or fame is foolish and vain. On the contrary, the essential ambition should be to be nearer to the Friend and to be accepted by the Friend

.

Discipleship

He says that a disciple must submit his whole self and will to his spiritual guide and teacher. He observed:

The spiritual disciple should by earnestly following and obeying his spiritual guide, try to reach the place where the spiritual guide himself becomes the comb of his disciple.

A spiritual disciple then should have as his motto, service, love of, obedience to, and faith in his spiritual guide and teacher in order to attain perfection.

Spiritual Guide

As regards the spiritual guide, he says that he, indeed, is a guide, friend, and philosopher to his disciple, for his moral, spiritual, and ethical development.

Love

According to Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti (HA):

The path of love is such, that he who treads on it, loses his name and identity. Love is all-embracing and all-pervading: the lover’s heart is a fireplace of love. Whatever comes in it is burnt and becomes annihilated. There is no fire greater in intensity than the fire of love. The sign of true love is manifested in obedience to and the fear of the Friend.

As regards the repentance of lovers, he says that this is of three kinds.

1. Firstly, it is due to shame
2. Secondly to avoid sin
3. Thirdly to purify themselves by purging cruelty and enmity from within themselves

Genuine love rules out the idea of treating the Friend with a reserve. The springs of love are in God and not in us. Hence, love is divine.

Prayer

He emphasizes the importance of prayer and says that it is a great necessity for the development of the soul.

He does not restrict prayer in its implications, expressions, and meaning, giving a broad connotation to the word “prayer.” According to him, prayer consists in selfless service, sympathy, and fellow-feeling. Thus, helping the weak, the aggrieved, the needy, to feed the hungry, and to have the captive freed all constitute prayers.

He says that to see six things constitutes prayer for the mystic:

1. To see one’s own parents in the morning and say salaam to them
2. To see one’s own children with love and affection
3. To see the Holy Quran
4. To see the face of the learned with respect
5. To see the gate of Ka’ba
6. To look towards the face of one’s own spiritual guide and teacher and to devote oneself to his service
7. 
   

The Enlightened

According to him, fear, respect, and shyness are the three things that go to make one enlightened.

The perfection of the enlightened depends upon the loss of the self. An enlightened being is said to be perfect only when all barriers separating him and the Friend are dismantled. Either he must live (in case, he does not to give up himself) or the Friend (when all barriers are removed and there is no separate self anymore).

Renunciation

He lays great emphasis on renunciation, holding that the object should be to have no objective. To lose an objective is to gain the objective.

A perfect dervish should remove from his heart the stain, stress and the burden of anything and everything. He should not give place in his heart to anything and anyone except God Almighty alone. He should not pursue any other object. He should desire nothing except God.

Fasting

According to him, the real fast is the renunciation of all religious and worldly desires.

Music

He says that there are three conditions attached to sama.’ (music); these relating to time, place, and community of interest.

It is through sama’ that the nearness of God is achieved. It confers love on the heart, it gives sincerity to the head, unity to the soul, service to the body, and vision to the eye.

Reality of Kalma

People utter the phrase "لا إله إلا الله" without comprehending the significance of نیست (no) and حست(yes). They remain unaware of which aspect is being negated and which is being affirmed. The essence of the term "kalma" conveys the profound notion that nothing exists except for the sole presence of Allah, and Muhammad serves as the embodiment of Allah's manifestation. Hence, it is crucial for students not to allow divergent thoughts to intrude and instead acknowledge the omnipresence in all aspects. Consequently, the Divine has proclaimed, "فَأَيْنَمَا تَوَلَّوْا فَتَمَ وَجَهُ اللَّهُ" (Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 115), indicating that the manifestation of Allah is present wherever one turns their gaze.

Reality of Namaz:

There exist two forms of prayer: one practiced by scholars, jurists, and the self-disciplined, which is confined to actions and only allows proximity to the realm of angels and the self. The other form of prayer is that of prophets, saints, and caliphs, emanating from hearts surrendered to the divine. Its fruit is a profound connection with the divine and its reach extends to the realm of the majestic soul. It is said in a hadith, “ الأنبياء والأولياء يَعْلَمُونَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ وَ أَيْنَمَا "Prophets and saints always pray with a present heart." They remain in constant, hidden remembrance, as stated by the Prophet,  ذِكرُ اللَّسَانِ تَعْلِقُهُ وَذِكْر قَلبٍوَسَوَسَهُ وَ ذِكَرَ الرّوح مُشَاهِدَهُ وَذِكَرَ الْحَفِي وَأَيْنَمَا" "The remembrance from the tongue is attached, the remembrance from the mind and its whispers, the remembrance from the soul in its vision, the secret remembrance is always present." This secret remembrance and prayer embody the true renunciation of the self.

Reality of Fasting

The definition of reality of fasting is that a person frees his heart from all worldly and religious desires , It means one should be free from desire of paradise and worldly wealth, etc., thinking about other than Allah, lusting for heaven, etc. are things that break the true fast. The Messenger of God said: " بِرَغْبَتِعَمَادُونَ الله  In other words, it is not worthy to see anything except Allah. Prophet of Allah said, صُومُوا بِرُويَتِهِوَأَفطروا برؤيَتِهِ That is, the real beginning of fasting is from the vision of God and the end will also be on the vision of God, that is, the beginning of fasting is the knowledge of the Almighty, and also the end of fasting.  According to the Hadith of the Prophet, there are two joys for the fasting person, one is at the time of breaking the fast, and the other is at the time of the meeting with God.  Iftar is not a condition for fasting, but fasting is a condition for iftar.  All the people who fast abstain from eating and drinking during it, but this is not a reality of fast, but a worldly one, in this fast one does not abandon everything, there are psychological and physiological dangers are present.  From this type of fasting It happens that people can feel the hunger and thirst of the poor and needy people and help them.

Reality of Hajj

Man's heart is akin to the Kaaba, as the Prophet proclaimed, قلب الانسان بَيْتُ الرّحمن "The human heart is the abode of the Merciful." Moreover, it is stated elsewhere, قلب المؤ منین عَرَشُ الله تعالى "The heart of believers is the throne of the Most High." The existence of man can be likened to the walls of a home. When the veils of doubt, suspicion, and anything besides Allah are lifted, the splendor of the Divine will be unveiled within the inner sanctum of the heart. This, indeed, is the true pilgrimage to the Kaaba. The essence of genuine pilgrimage lies in the complete effacement of one's ego, allowing the heart to attain purity in both its outward and inward dimensions, and to embody divine attributes. Such annihilation is born out of profound love, for the one who is devoted to the Almighty has dissolved their self in Him, becoming a manifestation of the Ultimate Truth. Allah Almighty declares, وفي انjفوسكوم عفلا تبسرون"We are closer to you than your jugular vein," signifying His indwelling presence within the heart. Therefore, the heart becomes the sacred abode and throne of Allah. Within the mortal body composed of earthly elements, Allah alone is the speaker, the listener, the seer, the seeker, and the guide. The prophets, akin to skilled physicians, offer spiritual remedies tailored to the ailments of various souls. They impart wisdom and knowledge, facilitating complete spiritual healing, and enabling individuals to become cognizant of the Divine. The first group consists of worldly individuals known as the "Arbab e Zahiri" or intellectual scholars who adhere strictly to the path of Sharia. They reside on the initial stage of the journey of divine love. If they depart from this world in such a state, their worship remains confined to the material realm. The second group, known as the "Awam ul-Khaas," comprises special individuals drawn towards spirituality. However, due to their limited understanding of inner knowledge, they oscillate between worldly pursuits and spiritual yearnings. Their inner vision is not fully illuminated by the inner light. This group is referred to as the "Ahl al-Tariqat." The third group consists of select individuals known as the "Khawas" or the people of truth, while the fourth and most exclusive group is composed of those very special individuals, the "Khas al-Khwas," who are deemed the people of divine knowledge or "Ahl al-Maarifat." The grace of divine mysteries is bestowed upon the qualified few. All objects in existence are manifestations of the Divine, and while they are ultimately one, their apparent attributes differ. Similarly, the essence remains singular, yet its manifestations are diverse. Allah declares, إِن الله على كُلِّ شَيْ مُحِيطٌ"Indeed, Allah encompasses all things," yet man possesses the distinction of greatness among all creatures. Allah, in His transcendent wisdom,  ان الله تعالى خلق آدم على صُورَتِهِ created Adam in His image, as mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 253.  فضلُنَا بَعْضُكُمُ على بَعْضٍ  that we have differentiated some over the other.

The reality of Charity (Zakat): 

In accordance with Sharia law, it is mandatory to give five dinars as zakat (charity) out of every two hundred dinars. However, according to the spiritual practitioners (Tariqat), it is obligatory to retain five dinars for oneself and donate the remainder in charity. Zakat is obligatory for the liberated individuals, not for slaves, until the slave frees themselves from the bondage of the ego, only then do they enter the category of the liberated. If one remains enslaved to their own ego, the obligation of charity does not apply. A slave to their own ego must first attain freedom from self-imprisonment to truly offer real charity (zakat-e-haqeeqi). Zakat is obligatory for mentally sound adults, while it is not mandatory for those who are insane or minors. Thus, a person who has not liberated themselves from unconsciousness and sensory indulgence is not considered a mentally sound adult in the eyes of the wise. Therefore, it is necessary to rid oneself of such limitations in order to be able to offer genuine zakat. The true treasure lies in the hidden presence of God, and the hearts of the wise serve as its vessels. It becomes obligatory for these sages to dispense the charity of divine mysteries from their genuine treasure to the misguided and the ignorant.

The knowledge of the physical realm (Nasut) is referred to as the Shariat, while the knowledge of the angelic realm (Malkut) is known as Tariqat. The knowledge of the realm of divine power (Jabrut) is called Haqeeqat, and the knowledge of the realm of divine essence (Lahut) pertains to the knowledge of Almighty Allah.

The knowledge of the physical realm encompasses the world we inhabit, while the knowledge of the angelic realm relates to the spiritual dimension. The knowledge of the realm of divine power signifies a closeness to the Almighty, and the realm of Lahut signifies a state of proximity with Allah, transcending both this world and the spiritual realm.

Acquiring knowledge of the spiritual realm is attained through the utterance of the phrase "La ilaha illallah" (There is no deity except Allah) in such a way that it negates the existence of anything besides Allah (Nafi) and affirms the truth that Allah alone exists (Isbaat).

It has been mentioned in a hadith that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, رأيتُ رَبِّي بِعَيْنِ إِنِّي فِي قَلْبِيأَحْسَنَ صُورَته أوّلَ نُور لا اله الا الله کو نو ر مُحَمد رَسُولُ الل "I saw my Lord with my own eyes, and the most beautiful form of His manifestation is in my heart, the first light. There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." This signifies an extraordinary spiritual vision beyond the veils, where the light of the moon is overwhelmed by the radiance of the sun.

Furthermore, envision the light of Muhammad within the light of Allah, just as the light of the sun resides amidst the radiance of the moon. Similarly, perceive the light of Muhammad within the light of Allah, akin to the light of stars within the light of the moon. By traversing the affirmation of "La ilaha illallah" (There is no deity except Allah) and reaching the essence of Allah (Ilallah), one attains the station of true faith. 

Dear seeker, acknowledge there is no God as negation (La ilaha) and embrace only  Allah's existence as truth (illallah). Hazrat Bayazid beautifully expressed, "People repent from their sins, but I repent from saying there is no Allah (La ilaah)." A dervish never goes against the principles of the Shariat. It is incumbent upon the seeker to recite the complete kalma (declaration of faith) before and after absorption, but in the pursuit of the ultimate reality (Haqeeqat), nothing is more appropriate than invoking the Name of Allah. This is accompanied by steadfastness in the path of internal transformation and obedience, seeking closeness to Allah in the realm of divine power (aalam-e-Jabrut).

When love radiates within the heart of a seeker, encompassing the realm of power and ecstasy, it is permissible for them to stand up and engage in ecstatic dancing during Sama (spiritual music) in that state. However, it is important to note that in the worldly realm of existence, such dancing is prohibited (haram), while in the angelic realm, it is deemed detestable (makrooh). The permissibility of sama varies among seekers, as it is permitted for some and considered neutral (mubah) for others.

Nevertheless, it is crucial for a sincere seeker, guided by wisdom, to refrain from engaging in dance during spiritual music within the realm of their own egoic desires (Alam e Nasut)or in the angelic realm (Alam e Malkut). This practice is only permissible when the seeker has attained unwavering steadfastness in the realm of ecstasy (Alam e Jabrut) and power or in the realm beyond existence itself (Alam e Lahut).

In the Gospel, it is mentioned that songs are played and psalms are sung, yet there is no rejoicing or dancing in response. The Messenger of God encouraged embellishing voices while reciting the Qur'an. The Sufi tradition emphasizes the importance of musical instruments accompanying songs, as they enhance the musical experience.

In the book "Quwat al-Qulub" authored by Hazrat Khwaja Uthman Haruni, it is written that melody, when perceived through the sense of hearing, is an act of worship that holds numerous hidden secrets. These secrets encompass the depths of human emotions, the acknowledgment of mortality in every circumstance, the potential for healing within every voice, the harmony found within every musical string, and the lyrical narrative that accompanies every journey.

There are two types of Sufi music: HAJAM and GHAIR HAJAM. As Sufis, it is essential to recognize and understand the profound transformative effects and the spiritual significance of these musical expressions. This understanding enables us to manifest the reality and perfection, imbued with divine majesty, in a truthful manner.

There are specific conditions that should be met when engaging in the listening of Sufi music. Firstly, the timing should be chosen when the heart is not entangled in worldly distractions or mundane needs such as bathing or eating. Secondly, the place should be appropriate, free from the presence of those who are disrespectful, oppressive, neglectful of prayer, or ignorant of the principles of Islam. Lastly, the gathering should consist of individuals who share a common devotion to one Master or one Silsila (spiritual lineage), or individuals who follow a particular attribute or the same Sufi path, such as Haiders, Qalandars, or Haidaraan. However, there should be no presence of arrogant worshippers, and it is advisable to exclude women and children from such gatherings.

Sufi music is prohibited for those who are negligent or engage in conversation during its performance. Those who partake in Sufi music should remain still, refraining from any voluntary movements, and await the rewards bestowed by the Almighty within their hearts. If someone experiences a state of overwhelming ecstasy, others should acknowledge and support them. If someone's turban falls, it should be picked up and placed back on their head, while ensuring their protection. While it may be considered an innovation (bidat), it is a noble innovation as long as it aligns with the teachings of the Sunnah. It is permissible and within the bounds of Sharia to bring joy to people through good manners.

Hazrat Zunnon of Egypt asserts that music emanates from the Almighty, captivating the heart and instilling a fervent passion for the truth within the seeker. Those who listen to music for the sake of truth find the path to truth, while those who indulge in it for sensual pleasure fall into disbelief. When Sufi music is listened to with the intention of attaining ecstatic union with the truth, the act of listening becomes a connection with the truth. Outwardly, it may seem like a temptation, but internally, it serves as a lesson. Such listening is permissible. However, listening that is not for the sake of truth becomes a temptation.

Some suggest that music serves as a means of obedience through which love is acquired and the lover becomes absorbed in the beloved. However, the truth is that in Sufi music, a twofold connection is established. It connects the heart with purity in love, the hidden with observation, the soul with unity, the body with service, the eye with vision, and the ear with the sound of the beloved. Listening to music can be categorized into two types: with a medium and without a medium. When listening to Qawwal (devotional singers), the experience is concealed and secretive. When listening from the perspective of truth, it becomes an intuition (huzuri). Sufi music is like the sun, providing each individual with a unique taste of spiritual elevation and a divine drink of ecstasy. No one is deprived of its blessings. Music originates from the truth, but beginners in their spiritual journey may not yet be capable of perceiving the sound of truth.

According to Hazrat Junaid al-Baghdadi, he witnessed a dervish who entered a gathering of Sufi music and surrendered himself to the experience, as if submitting to death. This authentic form of music holds true spiritual significance. In the realm of true music, it is permissible to offer garments to the Qawwal (devotional singer) as a gesture, as the clothing of the deceased is considered to belong to the one who caused their demise. However, if garments are not offered to the Qawwal, it goes against the principles of the spiritual path (Tariqat). 

There are differing views regarding the permission to offer the garments of the deceased to the Qawwal, with some suggesting that it should be done with the permission of the Murshid (spiritual guide). Therefore, without the explicit order of the spiritual guide, garments should not be given to the Qawwal.

While listening to Sufi music, it is not permissible to engage in actions such as tearing clothes, complaining, shouting slogans, praising, crying, knocking, walking, talking, drinking water, mentioning the flaws of the Qawwal, or looking at others. However, when a listener becomes overcome by the experience, with the veils lifted and consciousness suspended, if such a person engages in tearing their clothes, it is deemed acceptable. It is advisable to cultivate a habit of engaging in Sama (spiritual music).

1. The heart of a lover (the true devotee of God) constantly burns with the fire of love so much so that whatever (passion) intrudes upon its sanctity is burnt to ashes.
2. When the river pursues its course, the flow occasions force and noise, but when it ultimately merges into the sea, it rests in supreme peace. The same is true of the individual 'self' covering various stages on its onward journey to merge itself in the Universal Self.
3. He indeed is a true devotee, blessed with the love of God, who is gifted with the following three attributes:
   
   • River-like charity, i.e. his sense of charity has no limits and is equally beneficial to all the creatures of God who approach him.
   • Sun-like affection, i.e. his affection may be extended indiscriminately to all like sunlight.
   • Earth-like hospitality, i.e. his loving embrace may be open to all like that of the earth.

1. The association with the pious and godly persons is better even than doing a good deed, and the association with ungodly and vicious people is worse than doing an evil act.
2. A sin committed does not harm an individual so much as the looking down with contempt upon one's own fellow beings.
3. The estate of a hermit settles upon him who has no earthly belongings which might excite his sense of attachment.
4. Realization of God comes to him who keeps vigilance and forgets recollection of 'self'.
5. The test of a true devotee's mind is that it is always, and to all intents, strictly obedient to the will of God and is constantly afraid of behaving in a manner that is apt to displease Him, resulting in the withdrawal of His grace.
6. A seer of the 'essence of things' is characteristically mute and meditative.
7. It is an elevated stage on the path leading to the realization of God that the seeker of the goal can witness the Universe and its panorama through his two fingers only.
8. Concentration on the implications of drawing and discharging breath is a part of the seer's (Arif's) worship.
9. Of all the worship, the worship that pleases the Almighty God most is the grant of relief to the humble and the oppressed.
10. He is a hardened sinner who commits sin and yet simultaneously entertains the belief that he is one of God's 'chosen few'.
11. The Arif or seer is always over head and ears in the ocean of happiest expectation. If he stands up, the guiding force is the love of the 'friend' (God); if he sits down, it is to meditate over His glory, and if he sleeps, it is the sweet remembrance of Him which lulls him to rest.
12. He is the knower of the path of love (of God) who relinquishes attachment to both the worlds.
13. The highly prized gift for a dervish is his association with other dervishes, while his greatest loss is to remain away from them.
14. Patience is tested through resignation to sorrow, sufferings, and disaster without murmur or disclosing one's pains to others.
15. The more one learns about the 'essence of things,' the more one wonders.
16. The seer regards death as a friend, luxury as an enemy, and the constant narration or remembrance of God as glory.
17. Knowledge is comprised of an unfathomable ocean, and enlightenment is like a wave in it; then what is the relation of God and man? While the ocean of knowledge is sustained by God alone, the enlightenment pertains to man.
18. Those having insight into the 'essence of things' are endowed with light like the sun, and they impart illumination to the whole world.
19. Without saying prayer, in other words, without performing Namaaz, none can approach God because Nammaz is the climax in the process of such an approach for the pious.
20. There are four cardinal virtues of the individual self; firstly, refraining from begging in the state of penury; secondly, showing the attitude of the well-fed when feeling hungry; thirdly, maintaining cheerfulness in the time of sorrow; and fourthly, befriending the enemy.
21. By attaining perfection in the observation of Islamic Law (Shariat) through a pious conduct, one reaches the stage of the path leading to Divinity (Tariqat), and then onward he passes on to enlightenment (Marifat) and lastly to the attainment of the high point of human existence (Haqiqat).
22. The soul of him who performs ablution before going to bed always soars high in the heaven (Arsh), taking a bird's eye view of the lower regions.
23. Namaaz is like a trust committed to human care by God, and as such, it should be zealously guarded. Namaaz is the climax or destination of the faithful, and lastly, Namaaz is a secret relationship existing between the worshipper and the worshipped.
24. Even the angels in the heaven pray for him who, having performed his morning Namaaz, remains sitting there engaged in the meditation of God.
25. Incessant recitation of praise of God (Alhamd Sharif or Te Deum) is the infallible remedy for the fulfillment of one's needs.
26. The graveyard is the place for picking up a lesson. In such a solemn surrounding, one should not indulge in laughing or burst into laughter or eat or drink or do any other worldly thing.
27. In the matter of realization of God and 'self, no distinction is made between an Arif and a Salik; they both reach the same and identical destination.
28. God rains misfortune and misery upon the heads of those whom He loves.
29. It is a pious act to look at God's scripture (Quran); greater is the piety in reciting it, even if it is but one letter. It will banish ten vices and enable ten virtues to be recorded in lieu. It improves the eyesight and will impart immunity to the eyes against all mishaps.
30. A devotional approach to the saint and friendship with dervishes attract blessings from the High.
31. The devotional visit to God's Kaaba is as good a reward as one thousand years of worship and devotion to God. The piety resulting from the Hajj itself is over and above this.
32. To cast a devotional look towards one's Pir and to serve him faithfully are comparable to the devotion to God.
33. The best way of evading the fire of hell lies in feeding the hungry, providing water to the thirsty, removing the wants of the needy, and befriending the miserable.
34. It amounts to devotion and worship on the part of a son to cast a look at the faces of his parents. All the sins committed by the son who kisses the feet of his parents are extinguished.
35. He is an Arif or seer who is visited every day by a hundred thousand flashes of light (inspiration) from the Heaven.
36. He is an Arif whom unseen wisdom enlightens to enable him to reveal mysteries to solve all thorny problems and meet all arguments successfully. He is always swimming in the ocean of interpretation and is capable of extraction the pearl of secrets and of 'light' and to present it to those who are competent enough to test its genuineness.
37. Just as the sunshine increases gradually in the morning, so does the Divine Light expand in one who says Ishraaq prayers.
38. One of the signs of an Arif is that he remains characteristically smiling at all times.
39. When the Arif meditates over a thing, he attains a state of absorption in which even if thousands of angels assuming wonderful forms try to attract him, he would remain entirely undisturbed for the time being.
40. For an Arif, it is an ordinary miracle that he ascends beyond the Heaven by taking only one step and reaches the 'Veil of Divine Glory.' But God alone knows the secret implications of that stage. He cannot say where it leads him ultimately to, and what he perceives in that mysterious state when he returns.
41. The mouth of a human being is regarded as sanctified irrespective of his personality, i.e., be it that of a true and faithful Muslim (Momin) or an unbeliever (Kafir), be he purified or impure.
42. If all the rules of prayer are not properly followed, the prayer is rejected, striking back on the face of the one who offers it (Hadith).
43. Prayer is a pledge between a Momin (faithful believer) and God. Its faithful discharge leads to redemption. If it is not discharged faithfully, the defaulter would not be able to show his face to God on the Day of Judgment.
44. Offer your repentance quickly before death arrives and hurry up to perform the Namaaz before its final hour passes.
45. It is the greatest sin not to perform the obligatory prayer at its proper and appointed time or to say two obligatory prayers simultaneously at one and the same time.
46. The Almighty God will erect on the Day of Judgment curtains the thickness of which will take 500 years to cross over between the hell and the man who feeds a hungry person.
47. That man is a true devotee of God who resigns with pleasure to the misfortune that comes from his Beloved (i.e. God).
48. For the seer or dervish who follows the true path, it is the greatest sin if his heart does not melt with the fear of God when the name of God is uttered before him or when the Quran is recited before him.
49. It is incumbent on the follower of the path leading to Divinity (Tariqat) that he must first divorce or renounce the physical world, and then the second world thereafter, and ultimately his own Nafs (self), only then can he pursue his right path; failing which he should abandon the enterprise of Sufism.
50. For a follower of the path of Truth, it is worse than a sin to disdain or look down upon anyone.
51. The stage of perfection in knowledge of the realization of God (Irfaan) is reached when the seer enlightens the hearts of other people with the Divine Light.
52. The Arif is defined as one who banishes all thoughts from his mind and indulges in the one-pointed meditation of God's glory to acquire nearness with Him, and who is Himself One without a second.
53. When the Arif becomes silent, it means that he is talking to God, and when he closes his eyes, it means that he is knocking at God's door.
54. The path of Love (of God) is such that whoever steps into it loses himself.
55. Those who are true lovers of God give away both worlds for the sake of their Beloved and still feel that they have done nothing whatsoever.
56. Three things are dearer than all others in the world. Firstly, the savant who speaks according to what he has digested; secondly, the person who does not succumb to avarice; and thirdly, the Arif who is always singing the praises and glory of his Beloved (God).
57. Sufism has no rituals or ceremonies to be performed, nor are there academic dissertations easily acquired by reading. According to men who are lovers of God and the Sheikhs of Tariqat, Sufism means scrupulously maintained moral behavior observed towards all creatures of God.
58. The resignation of the Arif is revealed in his unflinching faith in the mercy and grace of God alone, not being attracted to anyone else.
59. Only two things are enough for one desiring to establish himself on the path of Tariqat:

• Devotion to and worship of God.
• Obeying His commandments.