The second sign

Among the signs that set the scholar of the Hereafter apart from and distinguish him from the evil scholar, the second sign is that he does not seek worldly gain in exchange for the rulings and injunctions of the Shari'ah. There are certain marks and proofs of not seeking the world in exchange for this good deed. A few of them are these:

(a) The world is contemptible and lowly in his heart, and he is certain that there is filth and impurity in it and that it is bound to perish.

(b) The greatness of the Hereafter is in his heart: that it is what endures, that its blessings are everlasting and eternal, and that it alone is worth choosing.

(c) He also keeps in mind that this world and the Hereafter are opposed to and contrary to one another. Their example is that of two co-wives: if one is pleased, the other is displeased; or they are like the two pans of a scale:

if one is heavy, the other is light.

(d) Whatever he teaches others, he first acts upon it himself. Allah the Exalted says:

لِمَ تَقُوْلُوْنَ مَالَاتَفْعَلُوْنَ؂

Why do you say what you do not do?

"Why do you say what you do not do?"

And He said further on:

کَبُرَ مَقْتاً عِنْدَ اللہِ أَنْ تَقُوْلُوْا مَا لَا تَفْعَلُوْنَ؂

It is most hateful in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do.

"It is a thing of great wrath in the sight of Allah the Exalted that you say what you do not do."

Likewise, whatever sin he forbids others, he first keeps himself away from it. And in the story of Hazrat Shu'ayb (upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace), Allah said:

وَمَا أُرِیْدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَکُمْ إِلَی مَا أَنْہَاکُمْ عَنْہ؂

And I do not intend to act contrary to you in that which I forbid you.

"I do not intend to oppose you in the things I forbid you."

The Third Sign

One sign of the scholar of the Hereafter is also that he has a full eagerness for acquiring beneficial knowledge, abstains from the world, and avoids idle argument and talk. Hazrat Imam Muhammad Ghazali (may his secret be sanctified) says that those who seek knowledge should be like Hazrat Hatim al-Asamm, who was a student of Hazrat Shaqiq al-Balkhi (may Allah have mercy on him). Hazrat Shaqiq said: "How long have you kept my company?" Hazrat Asamm said: "Thirty-three years." He said: "What knowledge have you acquired in this period?" He said: "Eight matters." He said: "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un! My life has been spent with you, and you have learned only eight matters? Tell me, what are they?"

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1. Surah al-Saff 61:2

2. Surah al-Saff 61:3

3. Surah Hud 11:88

Hazrat Hatim said: "I looked at this creation and saw that each one loves his beloved, thinking he will enter the grave with his beloved. Yet when he enters the grave, his beloved will part from him. So I made good deeds and virtues my friends, so that when I go into the grave, my beloved will go into the grave with me as well." Hazrat Shaqiq (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "You have done well."

"What is the second matter?" He submitted: "I reflected on the saying of Allah the Exalted:

وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّہِ وَنَہَی النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْہَوَی فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّۃَ ہِیَ الْمَأْوَی؂

And as for him who feared standing before his Lord and restrained the self from desire, then indeed Paradise will be his refuge.

That is, whoever feared standing before his Lord and held back his self (nafs) from evil desire, Paradise alone is his abode."

"and I came to know that this is the truth. So I struggled against my self in driving away evil desires until it became settled upon obedience to Allah the Exalted."

"The third matter is that I looked at the creation and saw that everyone has something precious and valued which he holds on to and guards. Then I reflected on the saying of the Lord of the universe, Majestic and Exalted is He:

مَا عِندَکُمْ یَنفَدُ وَمَا عِندَ اللّہِ بَاقٍ؂

Whatever is with you will run out, and whatever is with Allah will remain.

That is, what is with you will come to an end, and what is with Allah will remain."

"So whenever I obtained anything of worth and value, I turned it over to Allah the Exalted, so that it might remain with Him."

"The fourth matter: I saw the creation, and each of them turns to wealth, to lineage, rank

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1. Surah al-Nazi'at 79:40-41

2. Surah al-Nahl 16:96

and ancestry. So I reflected and saw that all of them are 'nothing'. Then I reflected on the saying of the Master, Mighty and Majestic is He:

إِنَّ أَکْرَمَکُمْ عِندَ اللَّہِ أَتْقَاکُمْ ؂

Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most God-fearing of you.

That is, indeed the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah the Exalted is the one who is the most God-fearing."

"Therefore I strove hard in God-fearing piety (taqwa), so that I might become honoured in the sight of Allah the Exalted."

"The fifth matter is that I saw that they find fault with one another, taunt one another, and some curse others, and the root of all this is envy. Then I reflected on the saying of the Lord of the Throne, Majestic and Exalted is He:

نَحْنُ قَسَمْنَا بَیْنَہُم مَّعِیْشَتَہُمْ فِیْ الْحَیَاۃِ الدُّنْیَا ؂

It is We who have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of this world.

That is, We have distributed livelihood among them in the life of this world."

"So I gave up envy and kept away from people, and I came to know that one's portion is from Allah the Exalted. So I gave up enmity."

"The sixth matter is that I saw the creation transgressing against one another and fighting one another. Then I reflected on the saying of Allah the Exalted:

إِنَّ الشَّیْطَانَ لَکُمْ عَدُوٌّ فَاتَّخِذُوہُ عَدُوّاً ؂

Indeed, Satan is an enemy to you, so take him as an enemy.

That is, indeed Satan is your enemy, so you too hold him as an enemy." "I reflected, and I regarded him alone as an enemy and took him alone as an enemy, and I strove and laboured to protect myself from him, because Allah

.................

1. Surah al-Hujurat 49:13

2. Surah al-Zukhruf 43:32

3. Surah Fatir 35:6

the Exalted has borne witness against him that he is My enemy. So I gave up enmity towards the rest of creation besides him."

"The seventh matter is that I looked at the creation and saw that everyone seeks a piece of bread, abases himself for it, and in seeking it goes as far as the unlawful. Then I reflected on the saying of the Provider of the worlds, Majestic and Exalted is He:

وَمَا مِن دَآبَّۃٍ فِیْ الأَرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَی اللّہِ رِزْقُہَا؂

And there is no creature on the earth but that its provision is upon Allah.

That is, there is no creature that walks upon the earth but that its provision is the responsibility of Allah."

"I reflected, and I came to know that I too am one of those creatures that walk on the earth (dabba) whose provision is the responsibility of Allah the Exalted. So I occupied myself with that which belongs to Allah the Exalted, and I left my own wealth with Him."

"The eighth matter is that I looked at the creation and saw that all of them place their reliance and trust in creatures like themselves. So I reflected on the saying of Allah the Exalted:

وَمَن یَتَوَکَّلْ عَلَی اللَّہِ فَہُوَ حَسْبُہ ؂

And whoever relies upon Allah, then He is sufficient for him.

That is, whoever places his reliance and trust in Allah the Exalted, Allah the Exalted is sufficient for him."

"I reflected, and I placed my trust in Him alone. So He alone is sufficient for me."

After listening, Hazrat Shaqiq (may his secret be sanctified) said: "O Hatim! May Allah the Exalted grant you success. I reflected on the sciences of the Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms and the Glorious Quran, and I found all the kinds of goodness and religious integrity revolving around these very eight matters. Whoever acts upon them has acted upon all four Books."

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1. Surah Hud 11:6

2. Surah al-Talaq 65:3

The Fourth Sign

Since the scholar of the Hereafter is turned towards the Hereafter, and he knows that excessive use of the world causes loss in the Hereafter, as is established by hadith, and as this humble author has already explained in another writing, the scholars and the knowers of Allah ('urafa) have stated this as his sign: that he uses the world as little as possible and contents himself with what is needed. They have also stressed that the excess and extravagance which the wealthy and affluent have adopted in eating, drinking, clothing and the like is also a cause of loss in the Hereafter. In this regard there are shortcomings in several respects. The seeker of the Hereafter should adopt only and only lawful means of livelihood.

Second: great wisdom is needed in spending the wealth one has obtained. For himself and for his children he should adopt a middle degree and moderation in eating, drinking, clothing and the like, keeping the Sunnah in view. Today, first, many dishes are laid out on the dining cloth for the pleasure of the self. Second, people prepare costly foods. Third, they eat so much that they leave not the slightest room in the stomach. Fourth, they keep eating every little while without any hunger. Fifth, ready-made (factory-produced) items: savoury snacks here, papads there, sweets. Similarly, in drinks they exceed the limits of moderation and spend money. In the construction of houses, their flooring and their decoration and adornment there is also boundless excess today. People of sense and learning are left staring in astonishment at the extravagance. By resorting to excess in every matter, the people of the world have created many difficulties for the poor, and especially for the middle class.

If people spent their wealth and ate and drank in the way of the pious predecessors (salaf) and in the light of the Prophetic life (sira), and likewise adopted moderation in clothing and in shoes and sandals, they would earn a very great reward in the Hereafter; and if they saved wealth and spent it on the poor, they would earn the reward of charity (sadaqa). The scholars should keep in view

that if they wish to become scholars of the Hereafter, then, first, they should earn by lawful means. Scholars and spiritual masters (mashaikh) in accepting offerings (nazrana), and ordinary traders and craftsmen in earning, should take special care that they earn in a lawful way. Second, they should spend on permissible things. Third, they should spend with moderation. Fourth, they should spend with a good intention.

Scholars, spiritual masters and everyone else should save wealth and spend it on the poor, widows and orphans. In particular, the seeker of spirituality and the Hereafter should spend as little as possible. A large part in the spirituality that is disappearing today is played by eating one's fill and unlawful income. From this arise evil traits such as sluggishness, laziness, wrongdoing, hardness and harshness of hearts, miserliness and so on. Moreover, the scholars and spiritual masters, whose full attention ought to be on seeking the Hereafter, have also inclined towards the world after seeing these worldly people, from which countless evil consequences have resulted and are still resulting. First, they became busy in amassing wealth and no longer cared for spreading the religion. Second, they set their sons and daughters to acquiring worldly knowledge, on which they are spending huge sums, and because of this they began to accept offerings for their speeches, writings and other religious services. Third, disinterest in the religious sciences increased. Fourth, they began chasing government grants and employment. Fifth, because of heavy spending and the pursuit of wealth, they stopped caring about lawful and unlawful. Sixth, they fell victim to mutual envy, and so on.

Scholars and spiritual masters should also specially guide their disciples (murids) and associates to adopt the middle way in all things, from those mentioned above to weddings, 'aqiqa and the like, and to correct their intentions. Allama Sayyid Bakri Makki, describing the sign of the scholar of the Hereafter, says:

"And among his signs is that he avoids luxury in food and showiness in his dwelling and in its furnishings, that is, its goods; that he avoids indulgence and adornment in his clothing; and that he inclines towards contentment and making do with little in all of that,

as far as he is able, holding to prudence and following the pious predecessors."

Translation: And some of the signs of the scholars of the Hereafter are also these: that he avoids unnecessary luxury in eating, drinking and manner of living, keeps away from adornment and luxury in clothing as well, contents himself with little and with the least in all things, and, as far as possible, follows prudence and caution in spending and the way of the pious predecessors.

The Fifth Sign

The above-mentioned Imam (Allama Sayyid Bakri Makki, may his secret be sanctified) and other eminent scholars have stated that the scholar of the Hereafter is the one who avoids visiting nobles and ministers, sultans and rulers, and keeping their company. The company of most of today's great men of wealth, of government office-holders and of prominent politicians, and sitting and mixing with them, carries the same evil effects because of which the scholars forbade the company of rulers and sultans. The esteemed Imam records a few of these evil effects.

First: the one who keeps their company sees their splendour, adornment and abundance of wealth, and so contempt arises in his heart for the blessings that Allah the Exalted has given him. Belittling a blessing is a great calamity; through it the feeling of gratitude for blessings is also lost, and ingratitude for blessings arises.

Second: today's nobles, sultans and men of wealth do not in any circumstance refrain from excess, extravagance, sins and wrongs, except whom Allah wills. Their awe and grandeur are such that it is not within everyone's power to object to and check their mistakes. So if he sees these mistakes and stays silent, he will be one who compromises in religion (mudahin fi al-din).

Third: generally, in order to please such people, others use affected speech, give undue praise, even praise and commend their evils, and try to prove all their deeds and words to be good. This falls under outright slander (buhtan); and if

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1. Kifayat al-Atqiya, p. 72

he is doing this praising and commending out of greed for obtaining worldly gain, then this will be eating what is unlawful. The earlier scholars, spiritual masters and religious people avoided their company and the like because of the hadith that has been narrated through Hazrat Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah ennoble his countenance) from the Prophet ﷺ, the Leader of the worlds, that he said: "Indeed, in Hell there is a valley from which, when it is opened, Hell seeks refuge seventy times. It has been prepared for the showing-off reciters (qurra', i.e. scholars), and among the reciters the most severe punishment is for those who frequently go round to the nobles."

Fourth: Hazrat Sayyiduna Umar ibn Abdul Aziz wrote to Imam Hasan Basri (may Allah be pleased with them both): "Point out to us a people whose help I may take in (carrying out) the command of Allah." Hazrat Imam Hasan wrote: "As for the people of religion, they do not seek you; and as for the people of the world, you do not seek them. Hold fast to the noble-minded for your company, for these people guard their honour from being soiled by the dirt of betrayal."

The temperament of the earlier scholars, spiritual masters and righteous people can be well understood from this: they avoided even the company of one who was the rightly guided caliph of his age and the greatest ascetic. Hazrat Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Hazrat Salama: "Do not go to the doors of sultans and kings, for you will gain nothing of their world, but they will take your religion, which is better."

The above-mentioned Imam says:

"This is a great trial (fitna) for the scholars and a powerful means for Satan against them, especially for one whose manner of speaking is well received and whose speech is sweet."

This is a great trial for the scholars and a powerful means for Satan over them, that is, a weapon and instrument, especially against one whose manner of speaking is well received and whose speech is sweet.

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1. Kifayat al-Atqiya, p. 72

2. Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din, Part One, p. 69, Chapter Six, On the Evils of Knowledge, Dar al-Ma'rifa, Beirut

For Satan keeps persuading him that your visiting them and giving them admonition and advice will stop oppression, that the symbols of religion (sha'a'ir) will be established, and that if they become righteous, their subjects and dependants will become righteous. He keeps persuading him until they come to regard visiting them as religion itself. Then the same state comes about as was mentioned above: they begin giving undue praise and commending their evil words and deeds, and they start compromising in religion. This is ruin.

Let it be known that the elders described these perilous passes for those scholars who were religious and righteous and pure and free of greed and covetousness for the world. Nowadays, in place of religion the world, and in place of the Hereafter the honour of this world, has become so firmly seated that they remain absorbed at all times in seeking the world, and busy themselves seeking the means and ways through which worldly honour and its wealth and goods may be obtained. The joy most present-day pirs feel at the allegiance (bay'a) of the wealthy is not felt at the allegiance of the poor. The delight today's scholars feel at closeness to the wealthy and to politicians is not felt with the poor; especially if men of wealth remember them or come to their homes, they are beside themselves with joy. If prayers become qaza (missed) in their gatherings, they have no worry; they are very happy to say yes to whatever they say. They ought to worry about their own end. If invitations from the poor are missed, or rather if they deliberately do not go, there is no worry; but the invitations of the wealthy are accepted with the greatest eagerness and are never missed under any circumstance. If the wealthy, or famous and influential custodians of shrines (gaddi-nashin), or scholars call them, they go running; in going to the homes of the poor there are a thousand excuses. If the wealthy call them to Quran recitation gatherings, they are beside themselves with joy; if the poor call them, only a few people turn up, half-heartedly. To obtain worldly benefits they stand respectfully before polytheist officials and politicians; if they get a chance to speak at their functions, they heap praise upon praise; they always long for a glance of their favour. If someone is closer to them than they are,

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1. Kifayat al-Atqiya, p. 72

then they will either fall victim to envy or become busy flattering and fawning over that very person. The religious people of knowledge weep tears of blood over the conditions this worldliness has created today.

Hazrat Mujaddid Alf-e-Sani (may his secret be sanctified), giving advice in one of his letters (maktubat), says: "Flee from the rich as you flee from a lion, rather even more than that."

He combined the outward and the inward, was among the people of knowledge and the people of nearness (to Allah), a very great diagnostician of the spiritual pulse and a knower of the temperament of religion, and the greatest scholar of this world and the Hereafter. No one knew better than he what brings righteousness and success, and what is good and evil. He recognised the impurities and filth of selves and hearts far better than the people of knowledge of today. The advice he gave is the very righteousness and success, and is goodness through and through.

It should be known that there have been some people who are perfect in courage, resolve, God-fearing piety and religiousness, and who are pure of every filth outwardly and inwardly, who are not impressed by anyone's rank, grandeur, wealth and riches, nor influenced by anyone. For such people there is no harm in going, with a good intention, to nobles, rulers and people of wealth and riches.

Others are the opposite of this: they can be influenced by the people mentioned above and fall prey to greed. The elders have forbidden such people. Today's conditions are such that the scholars of the Ahl-e-Sunnat should maintain relations for the benefit of religion and of the people; otherwise the opponents are always busy, in an organised way, trying to catch just such people. Today the work of religion is difficult without wealth and riches too.

Let it be known that there are some scholars and spiritual masters who are completely pure of greed and covetousness; they seek neither honour nor wealth from anyone, and they have the ability and strength to exert their influence on others. For such people the eminent scholars have permitted that they may visit nobles and sultans for the sake of religious interests. In history there are many such names

whose greatness and saintliness are acknowledged, and whom nobles and sultans honoured immensely. They got nobles and sultans to help the common people and the elite, brought them onto the right path, never stayed silent at their wrong words, and never held any greed or covetousness towards them. When the spiritual guide (pir-o-murshid) of Imam Ghazali (may his secret be sanctified), Khwaja Abu Ali Farmadi (may his secret be sanctified), went to the caliph of the time for some need, the caliph, on seeing him, would vacate his seat, stand up out of reverence, and seat him on his own seat. Some of his close associates said: "Great scholars and imams come to you, yet you neither stand up for anyone nor seat anyone on your seat. Why do you show him so much respect?" The caliph replied: "He reproaches us for our wrong words and wrong deeds, while the others praise them."

It is in Akhbar al-Akhyar and other works that the king of Delhi bore some grudge against Hazrat Mahbub-e-Ilahi, and the people's turning towards him and his honour and fame irked the king. To reduce his influence, he invited Hazrat Khwaja Abul Fath Rukn-e-Alam Multani. The aim was that the people of Delhi also knew of his honour and fame and his sainthood (wilayat) and saintliness, so on his arrival the people would turn towards him, and in this way the influence of Hazrat Mahbub-e-Ilahi (may his secret be sanctified) would decrease. When Hazrat Rukn-e-Alam arrived, the first to reach him to welcome him was Mahbub-e-Ilahi. Later, when the king presented himself, he asked: "Who welcomed you first of all?" He replied spontaneously: "The one who is the best in Delhi." Hearing this remark about Hazrat Mahbub-e-Ilahi, the king was left dumbfounded. As long as he stayed in Delhi, he kept fulfilling people's needs. People would write their needs on scraps of paper and drop them into his palanquin; at times there were so many that there was no room left to sit. He would read them out to the king and have the king get them done.

Hazrat Mujaddid Alf-e-Sani (may his secret be sanctified) had so much influence in the government that, had he wished, he could have obtained a high office; but without any greed for office he remained seated on a straw mat and began the work of reform,

even though for the sake of the truth he endured the hardships of imprisonment. In the end he accomplished such a work of reform that it has no parallel; and even when the king of the time became his devoted servant, neither he nor his descendants coveted any rank or office. Indeed, people such as Aurangzeb were disciples of his son Khwaja Ma'sum, and from Jahangir to the very last, all of them had deep devotion, love and connection with the Mujaddidi family. Yet these elders took nothing from these nobles except reform and service to the people. Because of these religious services, Allah the Exalted had granted them such honour, and the people turned to them so much, that the sultans were left looking on.

In short, however many lives of the righteous you read whose connection with nobles, rulers and the sultans of their time remained, it was solely for the sake of Allah; they took nothing from the world of kings. The mixing of such people was indeed better: they stopped rulers from oppression, did the work of religion, and served the people.

Hazrat Allama Sayyid Bakri Makki (may his secret be sanctified) says:

"It used to be said: when scholars learn, they act; when they act, they become occupied; when they become occupied, they are missed; when they are missed, they are sought; and when they are sought, they flee."

It is said that when scholars attain knowledge they should act upon it; then when they act, they become occupied; then when they are occupied, they become detached from the world; then when they become detached, they will be sought out; then when they are sought out, they take to flight.