Glad-tidings
for the Qādirīs
It is stated in Bahĵat-ul-Asrār that
Ghauš-e-A’ẓam قُدِّسَ سِرُّهُ الرَّبَّانِي has
said, ‘I was given an extremely large register in which the names of my
companions and those of my would-be disciples till the Judgement Day were
inscribed. I was then told that those people have been blessed due to their
spiritual link with me. I asked the angel of Hell whether any of my disciples
was in Hell. He replied in the negative. He رَحْمَةُ
اللهِ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ further said, ‘I swear by the glory and
greatness of my Creator عَزَّوَجَلَّ!
My hand of protection is above my disciple as the sky is above the earth. Even
if my disciple is not righteous, no matter, by the grace of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, I am righteous. I swear by the glory and
greatness of my Creator عَزَّوَجَلَّ!
I will not leave the court of my Creator عَزَّوَجَلَّ
unless I make each and every disciple of mine enter the Paradise.’
(Bahĵat-ul-Asrār, pp. 193)
Ghauš-e-A’ẓam رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ further said, ‘Allah
(عَزَّوَجَلَّ) has promised me to
make my disciples and friends enter Paradise. Therefore, the one who calls
himself a disciple of mine, I initiate him into my Spiritual Order and pay
attention towards him. I have made the Munkar and Nakīr promise that they would
not frighten my disciples in their graves.’
(Bahĵat-ul-Asrār, pp. 193)
Sixteen
rights of Murshid
A’lā Ḥaḍrat, Imām of Ahl-e-Sunnat,
Reviver of Sunnah, Eradicator of Bid’ah, Scholar of Sharī’ah, Guide of Ṭarīqah,
‘Allāmah, Maulānā, Al-Ḥāj Al-Ḥāfiẓ, Al-Qārī Ash-Shāh Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ الرَّحْمٰن has said, ‘The Murshid
has countless rights to be fulfilled by his disciple. Some of them are being
mentioned here:
1. A disciple should remain as
submissive to his Murshid as a dead person is helpless before a living one.
2. He should consider the pleasure of
his Murshid as that of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and
his Murshid’s displeasure as Allah’s.
3. For himself, he should regard his
Murshid the best of all the contemporary saints.
4. Even if a disciple attains a favour
apparently from someone else, he should still consider it as a favour from his
own Murshid.
5. A disciple should remain prepared to
sacrifice his wealth, life, offspring and everything else for his Murshid.
6. Even if any act of Murshid appears
to be contrary to Sharī’ah or even a major sin, the disciple should not still
object to it, nor should he give way to any ill opinion. Instead, he must
consider it as his own misunderstanding.
7. A disciple must not forsake his
Murshid. He should consider even a mere thought of it as harmful as fire. He
should not become anyone else’s disciple even if the other person appears to be
flying in the sky as it is like changing one’s (spiritual) father.
8. He should avoid even talking while
present in the court of his Murshid, let alone laughing.
9. He should keep his eyes, ears and
heart completely attentive towards his Murshid.
10. If the Murshid ever asks the
disciple about something, he should reply gently and reverentially and then
become silent again.
11. The disciple should respect his
Murshid’s clothes, sitting place, offspring, house, area and city.
12. He should not say ‘Why’ to his
Murshid’s commands. In other words, he should never argue, nor should he delay
in carrying out his Murshid’s command. Instead, he should prefer it to all
other things.
13. A disciple should not sit where his
Murshid sits even in his Murshid’s absence.
14. Even after the demise of the
Murshid, the disciple should not marry his Murshid’s widow.
15. If the Murshid is alive, the
disciple should daily make supplication for his Murshid’s protection and
well-being. If the Murshid has passed away, the disciple should make Īṣāl-e-Šawāb¹
of Fātiḥah and Ṣalāt to his Murshid.
16. A disciple should remain a friend of
his Murshid’s friend and an enemy of his Murshid’s enemy. In short, after Allah
عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, a disciple should
whole-heartedly prefer his relation to his Murshid to everyone else’s in the
world and stick by him. When a disciple becomes devoted to his Murshid to this
degree, he is blessed with the help of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ,
His Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ
وَسَلَّم and saints رَحِمَهُمُ اللهُ تَعَالٰى in
his life, at the time of death, in grave, on the Judgement Day, at the balance,
the bridge Ṣirāṭ, the blessed pond and everywhere else. Even if the Murshid is
not of a high spiritual rank, he will definitely lead his disciple to
spiritually elevated Murshid as this Qādiriyyah Order is linked with
Ghauš-e-A’ẓam رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ,
from whom to Sayyidunā ‘Alī كَرَّمَ اللهُ تَعَالٰى وَجْهَهُ
الْكَرِيْم, from whom to the Holy Prophet صَلَّى
اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and then finally to
Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. However, it is
imperative that the Murshid fulfils the four preconditions of Bai’at. Then, the
disciple’s firm belief may bring about fruitful results.
(Fatāwā Razawiyyah, Vol. 24, pp.
369)
Standard transliteration note: In
shā' Allāh ‘Azza-wa-Jalla - Wa Allāhu Ta‘ālā A‘lam.
¹ Īṣāl-e-Šawāb refers to the act of
spiritually conveying the reward of virtuous deeds to the deceased. See its
detailed method in the booklet ‘Method of Fātiḥah’ published by
Maktaba-tul-Madina.
The teachings presented above
highlight the importance of sincere devotion, respect, obedience, and
steadfastness in the relationship between a Murshid and his disciple. The
blessed sayings attributed to Ghaus-e-Azam and the guidance of Imam Ahmad Raza
Khan emphasize that a disciple should remain connected to a qualified Murshid,
respect him, pray for him, and avoid unnecessary objections or disrespect. At
the same time, it is essential to remember that the validity of Bai’at depends
upon the Murshid fulfilling the prescribed Shar’i conditions. A true spiritual
relationship should encourage obedience to Allah Almighty, love for the Holy
Prophet ﷺ, adherence to Islamic teachings, good
character, and continuous self-reformation. The sixteen rights mentioned provide
important principles of spiritual discipline and devotion. May Allah Almighty
grant us sincerity, steadfastness, respect for His righteous servants, and the
ability to follow the Qur’an and Sunnah throughout our lives. Āmīn.
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