People of Knowledge in Quran & Sunnah (Ulama) What is Siraat-e-mustaqeem? ِ َّط ال ِ ِّ ِ ِ ِ ِ َّ ين ل ا الض َل و م ه ي ل ع وب ض غ ْم ل ا ر ي غ م ه ي ل ع ت م ع َن أ ين ذ ا ر ص َ َ َ َ َ ْ ْ ُ َ َ َ ْ ْ ْ َْ َ ْ َْ َ َ َ Surah Al-Fatiha (6-7) The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray. Who are the favored ones? ِ ُّه َد ِ ِالصال ِ الص ِّد ِ ِ َّ ِ ه ين ِ و ِا ال و ين ِي و ين ي ب َّ ن ال ن م م ه ي ل ع ه ل ال م ع َن أ ين ذ َ َّ ِّ ِّ ِّ ْ ْ َ ُ َ َ َ َّال َ َ ََ ََ َ َ Surah Nisaa (4:69) Allah Subhan’uhu Ta’ala has bestowed favor on the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. Add allazeena People of Spirituality in the Quran & Sunnah (Mashaa’ikh) Who are the Awliya-ullah? إِ ْن أ َْولِيَا ُؤهُ إََِّل ال ُْمتَّ ُِو َن The Awliya are not but the righteous. Surah Anfaal (8:34) أ َََل إِ َّن أَولِ ف َعلَْي ِه ْم َوََل ُه ْم يَ ِْ َزنُو َن ي اِ اللَّ ِه ََل َخ ْو ٌ ََْ )Surah Yunus (10:62 Unquestionably, [for] the friends of Allah there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve ال الْب َّزار ح َّدثَنَا َعلِ ِ ي َح َّدثَنَا ُم َِ َّمد بْن َس ِعيد بْن َسابِق َح َّدثَنَا يَ ْع ُِوب بْن ز ا الر ب ر ح ن ب ي َّ قَ َ َ َ ّ ّ ْ َْ ي َو ُه َو الْ ُِ ِّم ّي َع ْن َج ْع َفر بْن أَبِي ال ُْم ِغ َيرة َع ْن َس ِعيد بْن ُجبَ ْير َع ْن اِبْن َع ْبد اللَّه ْاْلَ ْش َع ِر ّ ال رجل يا رسول اللَّه من أَولِياِ اللَّه ؟ قَا َل " الَّ ِ ين إِ َذا ُرُِوا ذُكِ َر اللَّه ذ َعبَّاس قَ َ َْ َْ ال :قَ َ َ ُ َ َ ُ َ (Ibn Katheer, Tafseer ul-Quran ul-Azeem, Chapter on Surah )Yunus Who are the People of Zikr? ِ ِ ِ ِ السماو َّال ِ َّ َّ ِ ِ ين ذ ي م ر ك ذ و ي ق ه ل ال ن و ي ام ر ك ف ت و ا ْق ل خ ي ف ن و و ا ود ع ق ج ى ل ع ات ه ب و ن ْ َ ُ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ ً ٰ َ ُ َ َ ُ َ َ َ ً ُ ْ َ َ َ َ ََ ُ ُ ِ َو ْاْلَ ْر ض Surah Ale-Imran (3:191) Those people who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth. َّ ِالص ََل ِة َوإِيتَ ِا ٌ ِر َج الزَك ِاة ۙ يَ َخافُو َن َّ ال ََّل تُ ْل ِهي ِه ْم تِ َج َارةٌ َوََل بَ ْي ٌع َعن ِذ ْك ِر اللَّ ِه َوإِقَ ِام ِ ِي وما تَ تَ َِلَّب ف َ ْ ار ص ب اْل و وب ل ِ ل ا يه ُ ْ ُ ً َْ َُْ َ ُ ُ Surah Nur (24:37) Those men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from remembrance of Allah and performance of prayer and giving of zakat. They fear a Day in which the hearts and eyes will [fearfully] turn about. Command to keep the company of the Saadiqeen: Be with those who are true. ِادق ِ الص ين َ َّ َوُكونُوا َم َع Surah Taubah (9:119) ِ َّك مع ال ِاصب ين يَ ْدعُو َن َربَّ ُهم بِالْغَ َد ِاة َوال َْع ُِّ ِّي يُ ِري ُدو َن َو ْج َههُ ۙ َوََل تَ ْع ُد ذ س ف ن ر ْ َ َ َ َ َ َ ْ ْ ََ و ِْيَ ِاة ال هدنْ يَا ۙ َوََل تُ ِط ْع َم ْن أَ ْغ َفلْنَا قَ لْبَهُ َعن ِذ ْك ِرنَا َواتَّبَ َع َ ََع ْي ن َ اك َع ْن ُه ْم تُ ِري ُد ِزينَةَ ال َه َواهُ َوَكا َن أ َْم ُرهُ فُ ُرطًا Surah Kahf (18:28) And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey one whose heart we have made heedless of our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect. Existence of Ibaadullah: فِال رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه وسلم إن من عباد اهلل من لو أقسم على اهلل ْلبره Allah’s Messenger (Saws) said, "There are some people amongst Allah's slaves whose oaths are fulfilled by Allah "when they take them. صِيح البخاري » كتاب الجهاد والسير » باب قول اهلل تعالى من المؤمنين رجال صدقوا ما عاهدوا اهلل عليه فمنهم من قضى نِبه ومنهم من ينتظر وما بدلوا تبديَل Status of Awliya-ullah: حدثنا زهير بن حرب حدثنا جرير عن سهيل عن أبيه عن أبي هريرة قال قال رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه وسلم إن اهلل إذا أحب عبدا دعا جبريل فِال إني أحب فَلنا فأحبه قال فيِبه جبريل ثم ينادي في السماِ فيِول إن اهلل يِب فَلنا فأحبوه فيِبه أهل السماِ قال ثم يوضع له الِبول في اْلرض وإذا أبغض عبدا دعا جبريل فيِول إني أبغض فَلنا فأبغضه قال فيبغضه جبريل ثم ينادي في أهل السماِ إن اهلل يبغض فَلنا فأبغضوه قال فيبغضونه ثم توضع له البغضاِ في اْلرض صِيح مسلم » كتاب البر والصلة واآلداب » باب إذا أحب اهلل عبدا حببه إلى عباد Abu Huraira reported that Allah's Messenger (Saws) said: When Allah loves a servant, He calls Gabriel and says:Verily, I love so and so; you should also love him, and then Gabriel begins to love him. Then he makes an announcement in the heaven saying: Allah loves so and so and you also love him, and then the inhabitants of the Heaven (the angels) also begin to love him and then there is conferred honor upon him in the earth; and when Allah is angry with any servant He calls Gabriel and says: I am angry with such and such and you also become angry with him, and then Gabriel also becomes angry and then makes an announcement amongst the inhabitants of heaven:Verily Allah is angry with so-and so, so you also become angry with him, and thus they also become angry with him. Then he becomes the object of wrath on the earth also.” Benefit of keeping the company of Ahl-e-zikr: حدثنا قتيبة بن سعيد حدثنا جرير عن اْلعمش عن أبي صالح عن أبي هريرة قال قال رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه وسلم إن هلل مَلئكة يطوفون في الطرق يلتمسون أهل الذكر فإذا وجدوا قوما يذكرون اهلل تنادوا هلموا إلى حاجتكم قال فيِفونهم بأجنِتهم إلى السماِ الدنيا قال فيسألهم ربهم وهو أعلم منهم ما يِول عبادي قالوا يِولون يسبِونك ويكبرونك ويِمدونك ويمجدونك قال فيِول هل رأوني قال فيِولون َل واهلل ما رأوك قال فيِول وكيف لو رأوني قال يِولون لو رأوك كانوا أشد لك عبادة وأشد لك تمجيدا وتِميدا وأكثر لك تسبيِا قال يِول فما يسألوني قال يسألونك الجنة قال يِول وهل رأوها قال يِولون َل واهلل يا رب ما رأوها قال يِول فكيف لو أنهم رأوها قال يِولون لو أنهم رأوها كانوا أشد عليها حرصا وأشد لها طلبا وأعظم فيها رغبة قال فمم يتعوذون قال يِولون من النار قال يِول وهل رأوها قال يِولون َل واهلل يا رب ما رأوها قال يِول فكيف لو رأوها قال يِولون لو رأوها كانوا أشد منها فرارا وأشد لها مخافة قال فيِول فأشهدكم أني قد غفرت لهم قال يِول ملك من المَلئكة فيهم فَلن ليس منهم إنما جاِ لِاجة قال هم الجلساِ َل يُِّى بهم جليسهم رواه شعبة عن اْلعمش ولم يرفعه ورواه سهيل عن أبيه عن أبي هريرة عن النبي صلى اهلل عليه وسلم Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "Allah, the Exalted, has teams of angels who go about on the roads seeking those who remember Allah. When they find some people remembering Allah they call to one another and say, `Come to what you are looking for;' and they surround them with their wings till the space between them and the lowest sky is fully covered. Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, asks them (although He is best informed about every thing): `What are my slaves saying?' They say: `They are glorifying Your Tasbih, Tahmid, Takbir, Tamjid, (i.e., they were declaring Your Perfectness, praising, remembering the Greatness and Majesty of Allah).' He asks: `Have they seen Me?' They reply, `No, indeed, they have not seen You.' He asks: `How would they act if they were to see Me?' Thereupon they reply: `If they were to see You, they would engage more earnestly in worshipping and glorifying You and would extol You more.' He would say: `What do they beg of Me?' They say, `They beg You for Your Jannah.' Allah says, `Have they seen My Jannah?' They say, `No, our Rubb.' He says: `How would they act if they were to see My Jannah?' They reply, `Were they to see it, they would more intensely eager for it.' They (the angels) say, `They seek Your Protection.' He asks, `Against what do they seek My Protection?' They (the angels) say, `Our Rubb, from the fire of Hell.' (He, the Rubb) says, `Have they seen the fire of Hell?' They say, `No. By Your Honour, they have not seen it.' He says: `How would they act if they were to see My Fire?' They say: `If they were to see it, they would more earnest in being away from it and fearing it. They beg of Your forgiveness.' He says: `I call you to witness that I hereby grant pardon to them and confer upon them what they ask for; and grant them protection against what they seek protection from.' One of the angels says: `Our Rubb, there is amongst them such and such slave who does not belong to the assembly of those who are participating in Your remembrance. He passed by them and sat down with them.' He says: `I also grant him pardon because they are the people by virtue of whom their associates will not be unfortunate'.'‘ Saheeh Bukhari, Book of Prayers, Chapter on the Virtue of Allah’s Remembrance Allah swt’s Love for His Awliya: ال رسو ُل اللَّ ِ َ :عن أَبِي ُهريْ رةَ ر ِ َّ صلَّى اللَّهُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم ه ق : ال ق ه ن ع ه ل ال ي ض َ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ ُ َ َُ ْ ََ َ َ ِ ِ ِ َّ ِ ِ َّ ب إِلَ َّي " ر ِ ت ا م و ، ب ر ِْ ل ا ب ه ت ن ذ آ د ِ ف ا، ي ل و ي ل ى اد ع ن م : ال ق ل ج و ز ع ه ل ال ن إ َ َّ َ ًّ َ َ َ َ ْ َّ ْ َّ َ َ َ َ ُُ َ ْ ََ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ُّي ٍ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ب إِلَ َّي ر ِ ت ي ي د ب ع ال ز ي ا م و ، ه ي ل ع ت ض ر ت اف ا م م ي ل إ ب َح أ ِ ب ي د َع ْب ُ َ ْ َ َ َّ َّ َّ ْ َ َّ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ َ َْ ََ ُ ْ َ ِ ت سمعهُ الَّ ِذي يسمع بِ ِ ِ بِ ِ ِ ص َرهُ الَّ ِذي ب و ، ه ن ك ، ه ت ب ب َح أ ا ذ إ ف ، ه ب ُح أ َّى ت ح ل الن َّ َ َ ُ ُ َ ْ َ ُ ََ َ ْ َْ ُ ُ ْ ُ َ ْ َ َّواف َ َ صر بِ ِه ،وي َدهُ الَّتِي ي ب ِ ِ ش بِ َهاَ ،وِر ْجلَهُ الَّتِي يَ ْم ُِّي بِ َهاَ ،وإِ ْن َسأَلَنِي َْلُ ْع ِطيَ نَّهُ، ط َْ ُ يُ ْب ُ َ َ ت عن َشي ٍِ أَنَا فَ ِ ِ اعلُهُ تَ رد ِ ِ ِ َّ هدي َع ْن نَ ْف ِ ُ َّ س د د ر ت ا م و ، ه ن ذ ي ع ْل ي ن ذ ا ع ت اس ن َ َ َ َولَئ ْ ْ َ َ َ ُ ََ ََ ْ ُ َ ْ ْ ِ “ َعب ِ ِ َ َ اِتَ ُه س م ه ر ك أ ا ن أ و ت و ْم ل ا ه ر ك ي ، ن م ؤ ْم ل ا ي د ْ ْ َ ْ َ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َْ َ ُ َ َََ Saheeh Bukhari, Book of Riqaq (Melting the Heart), Chapter on Humility On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (Saws) said: "Allah (Subhan wa Ta’ala) said: Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him. Seeking Knowledge from Scholars of Spirituality (Mashaa’ikh) اسأ َْل بِ ِه َخبِ ًيرا َّ ْ َالر ْح َمٰ ُن ف Surah Furqan (25:59) The Most Merciful, so ask about Him one well informed. استعلم عنه من هو خبير به عالم به فاتبعه واقتد به: أي “That is, seek knowledge from the one who is wellinformed of it, has knowledge of it, so follow him and take guidance from him” (Imam Tabari, Jami’ al-Bayan ‘an taweel ay al-Quran,Chapter on Surah Furqan) Ibn Mas'ud r.a.'s advice for People in Doubt حدثنا عثمان بن أبي شيبة حدثنا جرير عن منصور عن أبي وائل قال قال عبد اهلل رضي اهلل عنه لِد أتاني اليوم رجل فسألني عن أمر ما دريت ما أرد عليه فِال أرأيت رجَل مؤديا نُّيطا يخرج مع أمرائنا في المغازي فيعزم علينا في أشياِ َل نِصيها فِلت له واهلل ما أدري ما أقول لك إَل أنا كنا مع النبي صلى اهلل عليه وسلم فعسى أن َل يعزم علينا في أمر إَل مرة حتى نفعله وإن أحدكم لن يزال بخير ما اتِى اهلل وإذا شك في نفسه شيِ سأل رجَل فُّفاه منه وأوشك أن َل تجدوه والذي َل إله إَل هو ما أذكر ما غبر من الدنيا إَل كالثغب شرب صفوه وبِي كدره (Saheeh Bukhari, Book of Fighting for the Cause of Allah, Chapter on )the leader giving orders according to the ability of people Narrated Abdullah Ra: Today a man came to me and asked me a question which I did not know how to answer. He said, "Tell me, if a wealthy active man, well-equipped with arms, goes out on military expeditions with our chiefs, and orders us to do such things as we cannot do (should we obey him?)" I replied, "By Allah, I do not know what to reply you, except that we, were in the company of the Prophet and he used to order us to do a thing once only till we finished it. And no doubt, everyone among you will remain in a good state as long as he obeys Allah. If one is in doubt, he should ask somebody who would satisfy him, but soon will come a time when you will not find such a man. By Him, except Whom none has the right to be worshipped. I see that the example of what has passed of this life (to what remains thereof) is like a pond whose fresh water has been used up and nothing remains but muddy water."