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Discipline, and adherence to one's murshid's teachings,
whether one sees the rewards or not, are a sure key to success
in both the worlds. This lesson and more we learn from Khwaja
Noor Muhammad Maharwi (rahmatullahi alaihi). He was born
on 14 Ramadaan 1730AC in Mahar Sharif, Pakistan. He began
his Qur'anic education at the tender age of six, and quickly
became a hafiz and an alim. After this, he set out on what
was to prove a long search for a shaykh, finally finding
him in Hazrat Moulana Fakhrudeen Muhibbun Nabi of Delhi
(rahmatullahi alaihi). Becoming a mureed, he found that
his love for his shaykh and the internal changes in his
heart grew every day of the 35 years that he spent with
him.
Initially, Moulana Fakhrudeen (rahmatullahi alaihi) gave
him a wazifa to read, which he did punctually and wholeheartedly
every day for years, although seeing no rewards - either
internal or external - for his efforts. After a long time,
Moulana (rahmatullahi alaihi) asked him if he had seen any
benefits yet. He replied in the negative. His murshid told
him then to reduce his reading of the wazifa, which he promptly
did. After another few days, Moulana Fakhrudeen (rahmatullahi
alaihi) again asked if there had been any changes in him,
but again he replied that there had not. Then his murshid
told him to cease his recitation altogether. Immediately
upon stopping the wazifa, he began to notice spiritual changes.
Of course, his constant reading with no results was merely
a test designed by his murshid in order to increase his
discipline.
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It is easy to perform any action when rewards accompany
it; the true test of faith is to continue, even though one
sees no benefit from it. After all, in part of a long hadith,
Jibrael (alaihi salaam) states that to sacrifice in Allah's
path is like the sweetness of honey, but to keep sacrificing
in Allah's path is like the thinness of a hair. Surely it
was because of this incident that he used to say, "If a
mureed does not follow his shaykh's teachings punctually
and completely, no matter how much he sits in his company,
the shaykh will not recognise him."
After
many years he was given khilafat, and after 35 years with
his shaykh he returned to Mahar sharif and immersed himself
in zikr and ibadaat. In a commentary in Majaalisul Abraar,
the author narrates a hadith that states that one moment's
muraaqaba, or deep contemplation and meditation, is better
than performing seventy years of ceaseless ibaadat. Khwaja
Noor Muhammad (rahmatullahi alaihi) used to be in muraaqaba
from fajr to zawaal every day. After lunch, he would return
to the masjid for further ibaadaat. As is plainly clear,
the sawaab of this daily practice is astronomical, but we
must realise that mere rewards do not concern those whose
every breath is taken in love and reverence for almighty
Allah. Khwaja Noor Muhammad (rahmatullahi alaihi) had 46
khulafah who were sent to all corners of the Indo-Pak subcontinent
and the Middle East. One of these was Khwaja Suleiman Tawswi,
the mighty saint whose wilayah was prophesied even before
his birth by Moulana Fakhrudeen Delhawi (rahmatullahi alaihi).
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1. The most important duty is to have steadfast faith in
The Holy Prophet (saw), firmness of Imaan, and strict adherence
to the shariah.
2. If you please the creation, you will please the Creator.
3. There are many cures to the sicknesses of the heart,
but if you are not prepared to take the medicine, you will
never be healed.
4. It is essential to realise that you are not sinless.
This realisation is one of Allah's great mercies.
Khwaja
Noor Muhammad (rahmatullahi alaihi) used to recite the following
verses:
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