Love and Reverence for the Righteous

Every human has love in its existence, love connects man to Allah. Allah has adorned all the realms with His treasures in the love of his creation. It is only His love that even if he commits many sins, when he bows before Allah, Allah does not see his sins but He just takes him under His kind gesture. Hence Allah’s love is boundless and immeasurable, His blessings are countless.

Allah says:

• (O Jinns and humans!) So which of the blessings of your Lord will you both deny? (Ar-Rehman)

Hence the foremost deserver of the love of the man is Allah and is the sign of his faith. Allah says:

• And the faithful ones love Allah the most. (Al-Baqarah)

Sultan Bahoo says:

Even a little particle of Divine love is better than gaining excellence in jurisprudence and the devotion of seventy years because only by virtue of Divine love a seeker becomes confidant of the secrets of the Divine Oneness and Lordliness. While the arrogance created due to excessive knowledge and devotions deprives one of these blessings. (Ain-ul-Faqr)

LOVE FOR PROPHET MOHAMMAD

Now a question arises that how a person can love Allah ardently. Which deeds he should do to love Allah ardently.

Allah says:

(O Beloved!) say: ‘If you love Allah, follow me. Allah will then take you as (His) beloved, and forgive your sins for you, and Allah is most Forgiving, Ever-Merciful.’ (3:31)

Prophet Mohammad said:

None of you will have faith till he loves me more than his father, his children and all mankind. (Sahih-Muslim)

Prophet Mohammad says:

“I am from the Nur of Allah and all creation is from my Nur.” (Haqeeqat-e-Mohammadiya)

The light of Prophet Mohammad is the base of the human. The nur of the Prophet Mohammad creates love of Allah in the inward. Only this is the guarantee of the Divine faith.

Allah says in the Holy Quran:

“One who loved the Prophet Mohammad, in fact loved Allah”.

HADITHS

They are absolutely pure

• Umm Salama relates that once Prophet Mohammad was in her house. Ali ibn Abi Talib, Fatimah bint Mohammad, Hasan ibn Ali and Husayn ibn Ali came. Allah revealed this verse:

اِنَّمَا یُرِیۡدُ اللّٰہُ لِیُذۡہِبَ عَنۡکُمُ الرِّجۡسَ اَہۡلَ الۡبَیۡتِ وَ یُطَہِّرَکُمۡ  تَطۡہِیۡرًا﴿﴾  (33:33)

Meaning: Allah only intends to remove rijs from you, O People of the Cloak (of the Prophet, [even a doubt]) and make you absolutely pure and clean by blessing you with (perfect) purity and wholesomeness. (33:33)

The Prophet covered all of them with his cloak and looked towards the sky and prayed twice, “O Allah! They are People of Cloak, they belong to me and purify them from all impurities.”

Umm Salama says that she entered her head in the cloak and asked if she was also with them. The Prophet said, “You are on righteousness, you are on righteousness.” (Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal 27041)

Love them for Allah

• Abdullah ibn Abbas narrates that Prophet Mohammad said, “Love Allah because of His blessings upon you and love me for Allah and love my family (the People of Cloak) for me.” (Tirmidhi 3789)

One day’s love for them is better than devotion of a year

• Abdullah bin Masud relates a tradition from Prophet Mohammad, “One day’s love of the People of Cloak is better than the devotion of a year and the one who dies in their love will enter the paradise.” (Daylami)

Man will be with that person in paradise whom he loves

• Once an Arab came in the company of Prophet Mohammad and said: O Prophet Mohammad no matter what I do I cannot earn virtues as much as the People of Cloak and the sacred Companions did, whereas I love the People of Cloak and the sacred Companions so will I be parted from everyone? (Means everyone will be on high ranks and I don’t have any virtuous deed). Then Prophet Mohammad said, “Man will be with that person whom he loves” (Sahih-Bukhari-o-Muslim)

Hating them will throw man in hell

• Abu Sa’id al-Khudri narrates that Prophet Mohammad said, “I swear to Allah who holds my life that whosoever hates the People of Cloak, Allah will throw him in hell.” (Mustadrak, Ibn Hibban)
• Hasan ibn Ali relates that he said to Muawiya ibn Khadaij, “O Muawiya! You must prevent yourself from keeping malice against us as Prophet Mohammad has declared that whosoever keeps spite and jealousy against us will be forced to leave pond of al-Kawther with whips of fire on the doomsday.” (Tabarani)
• Jabir ibn Abdullah narrates that once the Prophet said, “One who possesses these three things, neither he belongs to me nor I belong to him: enmity against Ali, enmity against my progeny and restricting the faith to verification by tongue only.” (Daylami)

Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen says:

My spiritual guide Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib-ur-Rehman who is exactly on the footsteps of Prophet Mohammad is the possessor of the Divine Trust, the vicegerent of Prophet Mohammad and the man of essence. He says that:

“A little bit of mistrust against the sacred People of Cloak, deprives even a great virtuous person from grand levels.”

LOVE FOR THE EXALTED COMPANIONS

When it comes to the topic of loyalty, sacrifice of life and love and reverence then the most exalted and elevated level is only of the sacred Companions. Nothing is a great example other than these pure ones in the account of love and reverence.

They were annihilated in Prophet Mohammad perfectly

My spiritual guide, Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen says:

“Companions had the honour to remain in the company of Prophet Mohammad. They not only accepted Islam but also sacrificed all of their belongings to spread Islam in the world. Companions are the first lovers of Prophet Mohammad and thus they have superiority over all the ummah. They are the sacred souls who stood along Prophet Mohammad during hardships and remained steadfast in all trials. They are such exalted personalities who were annihilated in Prophet Mohammad in such a way that they had become his perfect reflection.

The greatest honour for Companions is that Allah has expressed His pleasure for them in the Quran.

رَضِیَ اللّٰہُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَ رَضُوۡا عَنۡہُ ؕ ذٰلِکَ الۡفَوۡزُ الۡعَظِیۡمُ (5:119)

Meaning: Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. This (pleasure of Allah) is the highest achievement. (5:119)

None has a status equal to them

• Abu Hurairah relates that Prophet Mohammad said, “Do not ridicule my Companions, do not ridicule my Companions. I swear to Allah Who holds my life! You cannot achieve the status equal to the lowest of their status or even half of it even if you donate gold equal to Mount Uhud.” (Muslim, Nisai, Ibn Majah)

The family of Prophet Mohammad is a source of comfort

Abu Sa’id al-Khudri relates that Prophet Mohammad said, “The most special for me is my family who is a source of comfort for me.” (Tirmidhi 3904)

Fatimah is the leader of the true believing Muslim women

• Aisha bint Abi Bakr relates a tradition that Prophet Mohammad said on his deathbed to Fatimah, “Are you not pleased that you are the leader of all the Muslim women in heaven, the women of my ummah and all the true believing women!” (Mustadrak 4740)

They love Prophet Mohammad more than their family

Once Prophet Mohammad sent Zayd bin al-Dathinnah and a group of Companions to the tribe of Uzal Waqara (who had accepted Islam) to preach them but the tribe deceived them. Safwan ibn Umayya brought Zayd so that he would be killed instead of his father, Umayya ibn Khalaf. He brought him at maqam-e-tan’eem outside the haram.

When the preparations of his killing were done, Abu Safwan asked him by the swear of Allah that “O Zayd Do you prefer that on this occasion Prophet Mohammad would be on your place and we would kill him and you stay with your people? He answered “I swear upon Allah! I don’t even like that if Prophet Mohammad is sitting at a place and a thorn prick and hurts him and I stay with my people.” Abu Safwan said “I haven’t seen any person to love someone as much as the sacred Companions do” (Sirat-Ibn-Hisham)

Hence the love of the sacred Companions is the guarantor of every person’s faith and falsely thinking about them is absolute doom.

Cursed is the one whosoever speaks bad about them

• Jabir ibn Abdullah says that he heard Prophet Mohammad saying, “Undoubtedly there are countless people on the earth, but my Companions are very few in number. So do not backbite about my Companions and whoever speaks bad about them, may Allah curse him.” (Tabarani, Al-Qadi Abu Ya’la)

Their enemy is the enemy of Allah

Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib-ur-Rehman says: Whoever is the enemy of the People of cloak and the sacred companions, he is verily the enemy of Allah.” (Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen)

LOVE AND REVERENCE FOR THE FAKIRS (THE UNIVERSAL DIVINE MAN)

Since now, the Holy Quran is still in its original form which is only by the beneficence of the Fakirs. While the love of Allah is possible only through the medium of Prophet Mohammad, the love of Prophet Mohammad is possible only through the medium of the Fakirs (the Universal Divine Man). The group of Fakirs (the Universal Divine Man) are the only respectful ones who excelled in the love and obedience of the Prophet Mohammad.

Fakirs are loved by Allah

Abu Huraira says that Prophet Mohammad says that:

“When Allah loves a person, He calls Gabriel that I love that person, you also love him, and hence Gabriel also loves him. Thence Gabriel calls the dwellers of the skies that Allah loves that person, you also love him. Hence they also love him. Then his love is also inculcated in the hearts of the dwellers of the earth.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

Following him with devotion and respect is the sign of huge success

Meaning: Whosoever looked towards a Fakir (with respect and devotion) and listened his words (i.e. followed them), Allah will raise him with Prophets and Messengers on the Doomsday.

Following him is like following Prophet Mohammad.

Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani says:

• As Prophet Mohammad is not physically present for you to follow so when you follow the sacred men who are his perfect followers and have always obeyed him steadfastly, it is as if you have followed Prophet Mohammad. Seeing them is like seeing him. (Al-Fath ar-Rabbani, Section-14)

Verily love of the Fakirs (the Universal Divine Man) is compulsory upon the believers and one should protect himself from the hatred against them.

Disrespecting them is a complete disgrace

Abdullah Ibn Abbas says:

“Whosoever respected the rich and disrespected the Fakirs (the Universal Divine Man) is disgraced in both the worlds.”

Sultan Bahoo says about the enemy of Fakir (the Universal Divine Man):

• The enemy of Fakirs (the Universal Divine Man) is in fact the enemy of Allah. (Mohabbat-ul-Asrar)

Their presence is the favour of Allah

The sacred presence of the Fakirs (the Universal Divine Man) is the giver of life to the worlds. A dead inward is enlivened by just their spiritual sight. It is verified by the incident of Musa and Khidr. When Khidr was staying at “Majma’a Al-Bahrain”, a fish enlivens and jumps into the water from the plate of Musa. This incident proves that where he was staying, that place was enlivened. (Shan-e-Auliya)

HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE FAKIR

(THE UNIVERSAL DIVINE MAN) NOWADAYS?

Now a question arises that in this era of chaos where we can find a Fakir?

Sultan Bahoo says:

“The spiritual guide who does not grant the invocation and contemplation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat, that spiritual guide is not the eligible for holding the throne of Divine Guidance and persuasion.” (Nur-ul-Huda-Kalan)

He is the exact reflection of this hadith

The spiritual guide and possessor of Divine Trust is Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib-ur-Rehman. His sacred self is exactly the reflection of this Hadith:

وَ مَا یَزَالُ عَبْدِیْ یَتَقَرَّبُ اِلَیَّ بِالنَّوَافِلِ حَتَّی اُحِبَّہٗ فَاِذَا اَحْبَبْتُہٗ کُنْتُ سَمْعَہُ الَّذِیْ یَسْمَعُ بِہٖ وَ بَصَرَہُ الَّذِیْ یُبْصِرُ بِہٖ وَ یَدَہُ الَّتِیْ یَبْطِشُ بِھَا وَ رِجْلَہُ الَّتِیْ یَمْشِیْ بِھَا  (بخاری 6502)

Meaning: When a person becomes close to me through excessive prayers and devotions I start loving him so much so I become his ears by which he listens, I become his eyes by which he sees, I become his hands by which he holds and I become his legs by which he walks. (Bukhari 6502)

He grants the invocation and contemplation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat

Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen grants the invocation and contemplation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat to the seekers of Allah. It is his spiritual beneficence that even the common seeker if does so with a sincere heart, gets granted with the closeness of Allah and the presence in the Mohammadan Assembly. Therefore, it is compulsory upon every seeker to search for the spiritual guide and instil his love and reverence to get the closeness of Allah and complete his faith.

(To know more about the beneficence of Faqr and the complete life history of Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen read the book Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen).

Sultan Bahoo ra says that:

Meaning: The Throne is under the steps of the perfect spiritual guide, sit there reverently, it would reveal upon you the complete gnosis of Divine Oneness. (Qurb-e-Deedar)

LOVE AND REVERENCE FOR THE FAMILY OF THE FAKIRS

They are the closest ones

Each love is only for Allah and only that love is complete which is spent in the company of those whose every act hence every minute is spent in the way of Allah. It is compulsory upon every sincere seeker to have love and reverence for the progeny of the spiritual guide. As these sacred beings benefit the most from the spiritual guide.

The progeny of every spiritual guide is not worthy of reverence

Here, it is compulsory to know that the progeny of every spiritual guide is not worthy of reverence because the irony is that in this era of chaos after the death of the spiritual guide, those people of his family who are not familiar of Faqr, they do not have the courage to sacrifice everything for the spiritual guide and cannot leave the desires of the innerself, make the name of spiritual guide their business and loot innocent people. This progeny should not be followed.

Sultan Bahoo says:

Anyone who does not follow Prophet Mohammad completely and declares himself a spiritual guide or leader just because he is the son of a Shaikh, he is depraved as well as the depraver. (Kashf-ul-Asrar)

Therefore only that progeny deserves the love and reverence who have sacrificed everything in the love of Allah and haven’t indulged themselves in the worldly desires. Therefore only their obedience and reverence is obligatory upon the seeker.

Only the lover of Allah loves the righteous and the one who denies any of them is the liar and disgraced in both the worlds. That man doesn’t love Allah rather loves his desires because whoever his innerself loves he accepts that and when his innerselves are hurt he leaves them.

Rumi says:

Meaning: Whosoever wants to have the closeness of Allah should have the company of the lovers of Allah.

Benefitted from the book:

1. Mohkim-ul-Fuqara (Author: Sultan Bahoo)
2. The Mohammadan Reality (Author: Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib-ur-Rehman)
3. Mukashfa-tul-Quloob
4. Shan-e-Auliya