Post by Mohammed Aarif Waghoo on Dec 25, 2014 11:18:09 GMT 5.5
Imam-i Rabbani Mujaddid-i-Alf-i Thani Shaykh Ahmed Sirhindi (rah), popularly known as Imam-i-Rabbani among sunni muslims ( Ahle Sunnah Wal Jammah )[ Died 1034 Ah] was a great Sufi Shaykh of the Naqshbandi order and a follower of Hanafi school of Fiqh. The followers of his branch have now come to be known as Naqshbandi-Mujadidi.
He writes in his Maktub [Persian , daftar awwal , hissa panjam, Urdu, Vol 2, letter no 273 which is addressed to Mirza Husamuddeen Ahmed] :
“There is a reason for not doing these things in this [Naqshbandi] tariqah] with regard to Sam’a [audition], Raqs [whirling under the state of love for Haqq], Mawlid and poetry recitation [ Shair khawni] for the people of this tariqah and the people of this tariqah have achieved high status while not doing all these things.. Those who are in this [Naqshbandi ] tariqah should refrain from opposing this tariqah.
Hazrat Khawja Naqshband [ quddus sirrahu] has said
“I do not do this thing nor do I stop people/ criticize people those who do”
[Imam-i- Rabbani says ] which means
“since this thing is not done in our tariqa [ Nqashbandi ] so I do not do it and since it is practiced by mashaykh of other silsila, I do not deny it also” ..
Please note here the prohibition is about sama and raqs and not the mawlid, since mawlid is not something to specific to any sufi tariqah but rather something found in all.
It should be noted that, Khwaja Khurd (rah) who was the son and khalifah of Baqi Billah (rah) himself used to celeberate “urs” and evidence for other Naqshbandi Shaykhs celebrating Mawlid and Urs can be found here:
PRACTICES OF SHAH WALIULLAH
Shah Waliullah writes in ( Anfas al Arifeen , page 65)
“ Some times Khawja Khurd (rh) used to celeberate “Urs” of Khawja Baqi Billah (Rd). My Father narrates that he has seen many times that people use to offer help to Shah Khurd (rh). Some one used to say” I will take the responsibility to provide rice ( for Urs). Other used to say” I will take the responsibility to provide mear ( for Urs) and some one else used to say “ I WILL TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ARRANGING QAWWAL” ( for the urs)”
Please note : Khwaja Khurd (rh) is the son and khalifah of Khawja Baqi Billah.(rd)
Khawja Baqi Billah is the Shaykh ( peer ) of Imam Rabbani (rd). This is sufficient proof to show that Urs was celeberated before any division ocured in the subcontinent. There are many other authentic narrations present in books showing celeberation of Urs even before this.
Please note an important point that people used to arrange Qawwal for urs. Those people who perform ( read) sam’a ( audition) in urs gathering are called Qawwal. This shows that sam’a was also a part of this Urs. Imam Rabbani Mujaddid al fathani (rd) also did not object to sam’a and Insha Allah this will be scanned later from his maktoob.
Also Data Ganj Hujweri (Rd) has written in Kashf Al Mahjoob an incidence about Jaunaid Baghdadi (rd) listening to sam’a.
2
Shah Waliullah writes ( Anfas al Arifeen , page 82)
“ My father used to tell that he has seen one of the khalifah of Khawja Berang ( Rh) who was very old , but he had grace/ light on his face. This Khalifa was famous by the name “ Shaykhi”.He used to celeberate Urs ( annual gathering) and l ( that is , Shah Waliullah ) also participated in these urs when I was about six- seven years old.
3.
Shah Waliullah writes in ( Anfas al Arifeen , page 106)
“My Fatherr told me that once he could not get materials to prepare food on the occasion of Urs of prophet ( sal allahu alayhi wa sallam ) so that he could make NIYAZ for the blessed ruh of prophet ( sal allahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) . Therefore he took some dried grams and jaggery and gave its NIYAZ for the blessed ruh of prophet ( sal allahu alaihi wa sallam) . On that night he saw with his eyes that many things were presented to prophet ( sal allahu alaihi wa sallam) and this dried grams and jaggery was also presented to him. Prophet ( sal allahu alaihi wa sallam). Prophet was happy to see this and he ( sal allahu alayhi wa sallam) took some from this and also distributed it among his companions”.
Shah waliullah writes further
“ This type of incidence is related to other people also , but the truth is this happened with my father”.
Look at the proud which Shah Wailullah (rh) is taking in narrating this incidence and “they” say Mawlid is a biddah and should not be celeberated in any form ! They also teach their followers that they should keep away from mawlid gathering!
4
Shah Waliullah writes about an incidence where his father was invited for a dinner.
( Anfas al Arifeen , page 112)
Shah Waliullah writes
“ Suddenly a woman arrived with sweet dish in a plate and said that she had made a vow
( mannat) that when ever her husband returns home , she will cook sweet dish and distribute it among the poor ( Fuqra) present at the shrine of Makhdum Allah diya ( Rh). She said that she was praying to Allah that some people still be present at the shrine , even at this time of the night , so that she could fulfil her Nazr.
Hence making Vow and distributing food at the shrine of Muslim saints and scholars was accepted by Shah Abdul Raheem . [ It is also permissible as per Hanafi fiqh]
5
Shah Waliullah writes in ( Anfas al Arifeen , page 181)
“ My father had lots of respect for Shaykh In Arabi . He used to say that he can explain whole Fusus al hikam from Quran and hadith “.
At another place Imam-i-Rabbani [rah] writes [ Persian Daftar som, Hissah Hashtam, Urdu, volume 3 letter 72, which is addressed to Mirza Husamuddeen Ahmed] In answering a question which was addressed to Imam Rabbani, Imam-i-Rabbani writes:
“And then you have asked concerning Mawlid. “
Imam Rabbani replies:
“What harm is there in reciting quran, naa’t [ song in praise of prophet] and manqabat [ song praising Awaliya Allah] in beautiful voice . WHAT IS PROPHIBITED IS to change the words/ pronunciation of Quran , to recite quran as if some one is singing a song and to clap which is not allowed even in the sessions of Poetry”
“If Mawlid is done in this manner that no mistake in quran recitation occurs and no mistake and careless ness occur in reciting qasida, then what is the harm in it ? My friend, strict measure is to be taken to close the door [ of careless ness] , otherwise there is a famous saying that small things results in big matter”
[end of letter]
Some people have misunderstood the extract shown above by attributing part of the reply by Imam – i – Rabbani as being a part of the question that was asked. It can be seen that Imam-i-Rabbani is replying to the question which was asked to him in a letter which he received. That is why he mentions in his answer “WHAT IS PROPHIBITED IS……”
So basically Imam-i-Rabbani has nothing against the mawlid. The above is the full response of Imam-i-Rabbani (rah) and this can be seen from the scans.
He writes in his Maktub [Persian , daftar awwal , hissa panjam, Urdu, Vol 2, letter no 273 which is addressed to Mirza Husamuddeen Ahmed] :
“There is a reason for not doing these things in this [Naqshbandi] tariqah] with regard to Sam’a [audition], Raqs [whirling under the state of love for Haqq], Mawlid and poetry recitation [ Shair khawni] for the people of this tariqah and the people of this tariqah have achieved high status while not doing all these things.. Those who are in this [Naqshbandi ] tariqah should refrain from opposing this tariqah.
Hazrat Khawja Naqshband [ quddus sirrahu] has said
“I do not do this thing nor do I stop people/ criticize people those who do”
[Imam-i- Rabbani says ] which means
“since this thing is not done in our tariqa [ Nqashbandi ] so I do not do it and since it is practiced by mashaykh of other silsila, I do not deny it also” ..
Please note here the prohibition is about sama and raqs and not the mawlid, since mawlid is not something to specific to any sufi tariqah but rather something found in all.
It should be noted that, Khwaja Khurd (rah) who was the son and khalifah of Baqi Billah (rah) himself used to celeberate “urs” and evidence for other Naqshbandi Shaykhs celebrating Mawlid and Urs can be found here:
PRACTICES OF SHAH WALIULLAH
Shah Waliullah writes in ( Anfas al Arifeen , page 65)
“ Some times Khawja Khurd (rh) used to celeberate “Urs” of Khawja Baqi Billah (Rd). My Father narrates that he has seen many times that people use to offer help to Shah Khurd (rh). Some one used to say” I will take the responsibility to provide rice ( for Urs). Other used to say” I will take the responsibility to provide mear ( for Urs) and some one else used to say “ I WILL TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ARRANGING QAWWAL” ( for the urs)”
Please note : Khwaja Khurd (rh) is the son and khalifah of Khawja Baqi Billah.(rd)
Khawja Baqi Billah is the Shaykh ( peer ) of Imam Rabbani (rd). This is sufficient proof to show that Urs was celeberated before any division ocured in the subcontinent. There are many other authentic narrations present in books showing celeberation of Urs even before this.
Please note an important point that people used to arrange Qawwal for urs. Those people who perform ( read) sam’a ( audition) in urs gathering are called Qawwal. This shows that sam’a was also a part of this Urs. Imam Rabbani Mujaddid al fathani (rd) also did not object to sam’a and Insha Allah this will be scanned later from his maktoob.
Also Data Ganj Hujweri (Rd) has written in Kashf Al Mahjoob an incidence about Jaunaid Baghdadi (rd) listening to sam’a.
2
Shah Waliullah writes ( Anfas al Arifeen , page 82)
“ My father used to tell that he has seen one of the khalifah of Khawja Berang ( Rh) who was very old , but he had grace/ light on his face. This Khalifa was famous by the name “ Shaykhi”.He used to celeberate Urs ( annual gathering) and l ( that is , Shah Waliullah ) also participated in these urs when I was about six- seven years old.
3.
Shah Waliullah writes in ( Anfas al Arifeen , page 106)
“My Fatherr told me that once he could not get materials to prepare food on the occasion of Urs of prophet ( sal allahu alayhi wa sallam ) so that he could make NIYAZ for the blessed ruh of prophet ( sal allahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) . Therefore he took some dried grams and jaggery and gave its NIYAZ for the blessed ruh of prophet ( sal allahu alaihi wa sallam) . On that night he saw with his eyes that many things were presented to prophet ( sal allahu alaihi wa sallam) and this dried grams and jaggery was also presented to him. Prophet ( sal allahu alaihi wa sallam). Prophet was happy to see this and he ( sal allahu alayhi wa sallam) took some from this and also distributed it among his companions”.
Shah waliullah writes further
“ This type of incidence is related to other people also , but the truth is this happened with my father”.
Look at the proud which Shah Wailullah (rh) is taking in narrating this incidence and “they” say Mawlid is a biddah and should not be celeberated in any form ! They also teach their followers that they should keep away from mawlid gathering!
4
Shah Waliullah writes about an incidence where his father was invited for a dinner.
( Anfas al Arifeen , page 112)
Shah Waliullah writes
“ Suddenly a woman arrived with sweet dish in a plate and said that she had made a vow
( mannat) that when ever her husband returns home , she will cook sweet dish and distribute it among the poor ( Fuqra) present at the shrine of Makhdum Allah diya ( Rh). She said that she was praying to Allah that some people still be present at the shrine , even at this time of the night , so that she could fulfil her Nazr.
Hence making Vow and distributing food at the shrine of Muslim saints and scholars was accepted by Shah Abdul Raheem . [ It is also permissible as per Hanafi fiqh]
5
Shah Waliullah writes in ( Anfas al Arifeen , page 181)
“ My father had lots of respect for Shaykh In Arabi . He used to say that he can explain whole Fusus al hikam from Quran and hadith “.
At another place Imam-i-Rabbani [rah] writes [ Persian Daftar som, Hissah Hashtam, Urdu, volume 3 letter 72, which is addressed to Mirza Husamuddeen Ahmed] In answering a question which was addressed to Imam Rabbani, Imam-i-Rabbani writes:
“And then you have asked concerning Mawlid. “
Imam Rabbani replies:
“What harm is there in reciting quran, naa’t [ song in praise of prophet] and manqabat [ song praising Awaliya Allah] in beautiful voice . WHAT IS PROPHIBITED IS to change the words/ pronunciation of Quran , to recite quran as if some one is singing a song and to clap which is not allowed even in the sessions of Poetry”
“If Mawlid is done in this manner that no mistake in quran recitation occurs and no mistake and careless ness occur in reciting qasida, then what is the harm in it ? My friend, strict measure is to be taken to close the door [ of careless ness] , otherwise there is a famous saying that small things results in big matter”
[end of letter]
Some people have misunderstood the extract shown above by attributing part of the reply by Imam – i – Rabbani as being a part of the question that was asked. It can be seen that Imam-i-Rabbani is replying to the question which was asked to him in a letter which he received. That is why he mentions in his answer “WHAT IS PROPHIBITED IS……”
So basically Imam-i-Rabbani has nothing against the mawlid. The above is the full response of Imam-i-Rabbani (rah) and this can be seen from the scans.