Spiritual Training is needed instead
of Politics
for Success in Life and Hereafter
Spiritual Training is needed instead of Politics for Success in Life and Hereafter
Spiritual training is needed instead of politics for success in life and hereafter.
This is the slogan of Tehreek Dawat-e-Faqr.
Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib-ur-Rehman is the present Imam of Sarwari Qadri Order, possessor of Trust of Faqr and spiritual successor of Sultan Bahoo.
To spread Sultan Bahoo’s teachings of Faqr and to enlighten the inwards of people with the light of faith, he established Tehreek Dawat-e-Faqr on Friday, 23rd October, 2009 (3rd Dhū al-Qa‘dah 1430h). This step of Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen revolutionised the spread of teachings of Faqr. The way he has spread the teachings and beneficence of Faqr, is a marvel in its own right and reflects his extremely exalted spiritual status.
Tehreek Dawat-e-Faqr is a non-political and non-governmental organisation. Present era is of materialism and where the dust of materialism has covered everything, politics is no exception. In fact, it represents the horrible reality of greed and lust. Politics is all about rank and status whereas Faqr is to deny one’s own being. There is no place for rank and status in Faqr. Faqr is all about surrender and submission to Divine will whereas politics is a war of egotism.
Faqr versus Politics
Politics is the relation of man with man but Faqr is the connection of man with Allah. Politics is to indulge in mud-slinging but Faqr is to cover up others weaknesses. Faqr is Divine favour whereas politics is worldly affair. Politics is satisfying carnal desires whereas Faqr is the path of righteousness. Politics is symbol of world; Faqr is ever residing in Lahoot Lamakan (extreme Divine closeness). Faqr is the path of secrets of Allah whereas politics is governmental matters. Politics is full of jealousy, pride, vanity, arrogance and narcissism whereas the purpose of Faqr is to get rid of these inner diseases by spiritual training. Faqr is light, splendour and eternal life, in which there is no place for political act even political and negative thinking has no place.
Tehreek Dawat e Faqr is an organisation of the men of Allah. The followers of this organisation only have one purpose – to benefit from the spiritual company of the present Imam of Sarwari Qadri order, Sultan ul Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib ur Rehman.
Sultan ul Ashiqeen trains his disciples inwardly as well as outwardly such that they become true embodiment of
“And hold fast to the rope of Allah, all of you together, and do not generate dissension and factions.” (3:103)
He trains his disciples just like Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) trained the Companions.
Spiritual Training and Enlightenment is Real Success
Pondering over the slogan of Tehreek Dawat e Faqr that was mentioned in the beginning of this article, it would transpire that the regression that the Muslim umma as a whole is facing today, the way out to that in fact lies in this slogan. Instead of pursuing politics, if we focus our energies on improving our moral conduct, character, spiritual training and following Sharia, it would restore the lost glory and put us on the track on progression. Our example is like the Israelites who instead of correcting their behaviours, further got them themselves entangled into politics and worldly matters which invited wrath of Allah and as a result torment of Allah befell on them. Abu Yahya has described this incident in his book, “Jab Zindagi Shuru Hogi”. An extract from the book is provided here for the readers.
The Israelites
“At the time when Prophet Jeremiah declared his prophethood, the Israelites were under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar II. They had to pay annual tax to the king to live peacefully. The reason for their slavery was the degraded morality which had become part of their life. Polytheism, adultery and gambling was common. They used to lend money on very high interest rates. Those who were unable to repay the loan, their families were taken as slave. The scholars, instead of correcting their behaviour and character were entangling people in the trap of nationalism. They considered faith and religion to be just limited to slaughtering animals as sacrifice and ritual. Their rulers were cruel and greedy. Instead of serving people, they were busy in pursuing their worldly lusts.
On one hand was the extreme lack of morality and on the other hand the Israelites were determined to break free from the slavery of Nebuchadnezzar II and revolt against him. In fact, it was the torment of Allah upon them but their leaders were misleading them. Instead of making them aware of the reality of their worse moral conduct, the scholars and their leaders were preaching them national pride and the past glory of Prophet Solomon and Prophet David.
Prophet Jeremiah invited Israelites to righteousness (Faqr)
In such circumstances, Allah sent Prophet Jeremiah to guide them to the righteous path. To take them away from politics. However, when he started preaching and calling Israelites to the righteous path, they started opposing him. He went to every young and old but except a handful of people, they denied him. His message was simple. He advised them instead of clashing with Nebuchadnezzar II, focus on correcting your faith and character. Instead of listening to him, they called him an agent of Nebuchadnezzar II and as a punishment hung him in a well and then imprisoned him in a cage. Then they revolted against Nebuchadnezzar II.
In response Nebuchadnezzar II and his forces retaliated. Approximately 6 million Jews were killed and another 6 million were taken as slaves. Jerusalem was completely destroyed during the fight. This incident is in Quran and Allah has told us that Nebuchadnezzar II and his forces were in fact the torment of Allah upon Jews because they had created a lot of trouble on earth.” (Excerpt from ‘Jab Zindagi Shuru Hoi’)
In short, the Israelites, instead of working on correcting their moral conduct and making their life in the world and hereafter better, they had made politics and government their purpose of life. Due to greed, lust, polytheism and adultery, they had lost the ability to differentiate between good and bad. That was the reason they did not pay heed to the message of Prophet Jeremiah. There is a lesson for us in this story and in the aforementioned slogan of Tehreek Dawat e Faqr.
Faqr makes one indifferent
There are many examples of Fakirs from the past who let go their political posts for adopting Faqr and spiritual training. On the other hand, there is not a single example of a Fakir leaving spirituality for the sake of politics. This is because Faqr is indifferent.
Ibrahim ibn Adham left his throne and adopted Faqr. He says,
“Faqr is one of the treasures of Allah, He blesses those with this treasure whom He loves.”
Shaikh Hassan of Basra had many spiritual successors but only two of them are famous. Shaikh Habib al-Ajami and Shaikh Abd al-Wahid ibn Zaid. Through their spiritual training, 14 Sufi orders were born. One of those Sufi orders is whose leader left kingship to adopt Faqr. That was Gazronia Order. This began from Abu Ishaq Gazroni who was the king of Gazron. He left his throne and pledged allegiance to Khawaja Abdullah Hanif who was a spiritual successor of Shaikh Rowaem who in turn was a disciple of Junaid of Baghdad. (Shams ul Fuqara)
It is relevant to mention Imam Abu Hanifa here who refused to accept the post of Justice. He rather, held his ground and accepted imprisonment where eventually he died. Generally, people think of Faqr as poverty, however for the saints and knowers of Allah, it is a spiritual station about which the holy Prophet (pbuh) said:
Faqr is my pride and Faqr is from me and Faqr is the reason of my superiority over all the Prophets and Messengers.
Sultan ul Arifeen Sultan Bahoo says about Faqr:
نظر فقرش گنج قدمش گنج بر
فقر لایحتاج شد صاحب نظر
The sight of (possessor of) Faqr is treasure and he has complete authority over everything. Yet he is indifferent to everything.
فقر شاہے ہر دو عالم بے نیاز و باخدا
احتیاجش کس نہ باشد مدِنظرش مصطفیؐ
Faqr is a king who, due to extreme Divine closeness remains completely indifferent to everything in this world and hereafter. He (the possessor of Faqr) ever remains in Mohammadan Assembly. (Mohkim ul Fuqara)
This proves that the Fakirs are completely indifferent to the show and pomp of this world, political positions and love of wealth. They understand the reality of ‘Only Allah, anything other than Allah is lust’ and therefore, they do not pay heed to anything other than Allah.
The Importance and Need for Spiritual Training
The success in this world and hereafter lies in spiritual development. One can never attain Divine vision and union with outward deeds. No matter how hard ones tries, even if they become thin like a dried branch of a tree due to excessive devotional exercises, hard mystic struggles, supererogatory prayers, observing seclusion or perform forty days mystic struggles. In fact, excessive outward devotional practices make the innerself become even stronger and arrogant. Spiritual training belongs to the inward of a person.
When a person completes spiritual training, their outward being automatically transforms (due to the influence of the inward). Nafs (innerself) is a veil between Allah and man. If this veil is removed, man succeeds in attaining real success in life i.e. Divine gnosis and union. Arrogance, pride and vanity, jealousy, narcissism, pretence, anger, malice and grudge, sensual desires, lusts of prominence, power and fame, backbiting, greed, lie, these all are diseases of the innerself. Spiritual training is to cleanse the innerself of all these diseases and ill attributes. This is called purgation of innerself in Sufi terminology.
Allah Almighty says:
“Indeed, only he who is purified (from the afflictions of his ill-commanding innerself and pollution of sins) will triumph.” (87:14)
“Indeed, the one who purifies his innerself (under the guidance of a perfect spiritual guide) succeeds.” (91:9)
There is a centre for purgation of innerself in every era.
During the (physical) life of Prophet (pbuh), he used to purify the innerselves of the Companions by his company and spiritual sight so that their inwards could absorb the light and true meanings of Quranic verses and hence they excelled inwardly.
The Prophetic Way of Purgation of Innerself
“He is the One Who raised for the illiterate people a messenger from among themselves – reciting to them His revelations, purifying them, and teaching them the Book and wisdom, for indeed they had previously been clearly astray” (62:2)
The same way of purifying the innerselves exists today, just like it was in the time of the holy Prophet (pbuh). This way of spiritual enlightenment passed on from the holy Prophet (pbuh) to his spiritual vicegerents in every era and will continue to be passed on until the day of Judgement. The holy Prophet said about this:
‘Guidance will reach the later generations of my umma just like I am preaching amongst you.’ (Muslim)
One group of my umma will always remain on the straight path (Sirat e Mustaqeem) and their opponents will never be able to harm them until Allah’s command will be called (i.e. the day of Judgement will arrive) and they will be on the righteous path. (Muslim and Sahih al-Bukhari)
Just like there are (specialist) doctors to treat physical diseases and illnesses, similarly, only a perfectly accomplished spiritual doctor can cleanse the innerself and rid it off various diseases. That spiritual doctor is a Spiritual Guide or Murshid. He, through his company and through the invocation and contemplation of Ism Allah Zaat cleanses the innerself and sanctifies the inwards of his disciples. It is incumbent upon every person to search for such a spiritual guide. The holy Prophet (pbuh) said:
“One who failed to recognise the Imam of his (her) era through inward verification, it is as if he died in ignorance.”
Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen – The Universal Divine Man of this Era
The Universal Divine Man and Perfect Spiritual Guide of present era is Sultan ul Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib ur Rehman.
He, through his spiritual sight and company as well as through the invocation and contemplation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat, cleanses the inwards of the seekers of Allah and enlightens them with the light of faith and bestows upon them the highest stations of Faqr. All his efforts are to spread the message of Faqr to the masses and train them spiritually so that they may succeed in the world and hereafter. For this, the seeker must remain loyal with the Murshid (spiritual guide) and abstain from negative thinking and always strive to follow Mohammadan Sharia. This is because the success in this world and hereafter lies in spiritual enlightenment and not in chasing the worldly riches or politics.
Books Consulted:
- Sufism – The Soul of Islam, Author – Sultan ul Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib ur Rehman
- Tazkia Nafs ka Nabawi Tariqa, Author – as above
- Nafs Ke Nasoor, Author – as above
- Sultan ul Ashiqeen, Publisher – Sultan ul Faqr Publications
- Jab Zindagi Shuru Hogi, Author – Abu Yahya
The literal meaning of Faqr is poverty and destitution. However, the real meaning of Faqr is completely different from what the general perception is. Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) put a lot of emphasis on striving to attain Faqr. He said: ‘Faqr is my pride and Faqr is from me and Faqr is the reason of my superiority over all the Prophets and Messengers.’ It is Faqr that differentiated Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) from all other Prophets and Messengers. It is what grants extreme closeness and gnosis of Divine Essence.
On another occasion, the holy Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘When Faqr accomplished that is Allah’. This means that when a Momin (believer) travels the path of Faqr under the spiritual guidance and company of a Perfect Spiritual Guide and reaches its peak, his or her own being annihilates in Divine Essence and there remains nothing in his or her being other than Allah. What that means is whatever he says or does is with the command and will of Allah. He ever remains engrossed in Divine vision and in Mohammadan Assembly.
This honour is only for the Mohammadan umma through the benevolence of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh).
Comments (22)
Excellent article.
One can only succeed in life when their inward is cleansed of the various diseases and their soul becomes capable of Divine vision.
💯 % true. It’s Reality.
success in this world and hereafter lies in spiritual enlightenment and not in chasing the worldly riches or politics.
Very informative article
This is the slogan of Tehreek Dawat e Faqr.
Spiritual training is needed instead of politics for success in life and hereafter.
A very clear and great message!
Beautiful and Informative Article…👌💯❤️
Must read this article 👍👍
Good,…
Best artical
Great ♥️♥️
Best article
Nice Article
Great article MashaAllah. Eye opener
Best article
Well written
Very informative article
Sultan ul Ashiqeen trains his disciples just like Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) trained the Companions. A well written article
Nicely written
Yess Spiritual training is alot better than politics!!
nice Article
👌👌👌