The Sufi Letters Book

The mausoleum of Hazrat Khaja Moinuddin Chisti

Translated by
Mohammed Abdul Hafeez, B.Com.
Translator ‘ Muslim Saints and Mystics’
(The Tadhkirah al-Awliya of Farid Eldin Attar
Email: [email protected]
 Preface

In this book translation of Sufi letters in English from the

website ‘Sufinama’ is added by me upon its compilation into this
book.

The letters written by Hazrat Khaja Moinuddin Chisti and the

letters written by Hazrat Yahiah Munieri and both of them are
well known and famous Sufi masters of North India.
These English letters have been published by the Suifname
website and which is being published by me in the book shape
for the first time. And I have given its title as ‘The Sufi Letters
Book’.
These letters have been published by me into the English
language from the above old website and in which there are
available some great achievements, as well as his commands and
the teaching of the holy persons. And who were holy saints in the
area of North India and during their life period he was engaged in
teaching preaching of Islamic religion and such details which are
not yet known to the general and special persons, are added in this
book and which are available in a very interesting style so, for this
reason, the readers will find great interest and attention in this
matter.
Due to the above facts and details, if the readers will start
treading the first page of the book and will not stop reading till
they will reach this book’s last page as some interesting events
and as well as other great details and endeavors of the holy saint
is added in this book and this holy saint was passed away from the
world many years ago.
 Even though this is a small book, but due to its importance, it
is so great due to the coverage of many interesting events and
positive information so it is like an ocean of knowledge and
information of the prophet who was passed away from the world
upon doing his great endeavors and many hard tasks for the
teaching and propagation of the Islamic religion and the work of
Islam and which he was done in the North Indian area so this
book is great and it will present the ocean of knowledge for the
guidance of people towards the right path of Islam.

To write about these great holy saints of the North India area
and their great endeavors is not only it is difficult and but it is a
very hard task. They were great scholars of the Islamic religion in
North India region as well as they were not only great pious
personalities in the area of the area and they were also great and
well known and as well as famous Sufi saints of Allah so, in brief,
but they were also great holy scholars of their time in the north
india region and also famous in all other parts of India and in
some other parts of the world.
For a long time, they were engaged in religious discourses,
sermons, and training of the people and they did also many great
endeavors for the preaching and propagation work of Islam in
Tamil Nadu and around the Deccan region, and also there were no
such personalities lived during their time in Hyderabad area and
in the other parts of India.
.
Published by

© Mohammed Abdul Hafeez

First Published 1445/2023

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced

or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic or otherwise, without written permission
from the publisher.

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In the praise of the noble prophet Mohammed
(peace be upon him)

In Madina is the grave of the prophet, which visited by angels

It is such grave, there is excellence in empyrean and in the sky

Is there any relation between desert of Madina with the gardens?

So with the lovely air of Madina, it is envious the garden of
paradise

If Madina city is safe then everything is safe

So Allah keeps it as the cause of the blessing
Madina is such a garden city which is the décor of all gardens
The seasons of the gardens of paradise are due to the Madina

While leaving Madina, so no need to visit the garden of paradise

As it is better than heaven and it is a living paradise on the earth

Not we but Allah also love the city of the

prophet
Love of Madina is love of the prophet and Allah

The beggar of this door is the king of fate and worlds

The beggar of this place is matter of envy of the kings

One who has become rich there so his fate could not known
In the resurrection day prophet, Ibrahim will find help there

Oh, Allah help us to reach Madina city to see how it is there?

Where is the mercy and there is available blessing everywhere?

If one leaves Madina then he will not find the resort of heaven
If there is a love of Madina then it is guaranteed of the heaven

On the earth, he is called Mohammed and Ahmed in the skies

His praise is in the world and also his praise is found in the skies

There is his great rule in Madina also he is a ruler of the skies

Madina is capital and he is the great ruler of the two worlds

What mistake you did Fatima by leaving the city of Madina ?

As it is such heaven and liked by the angles of the empyrean
 5

Why visitor will go to heaven by leaving the city of Madina ?

What is heaven as it is gracefully for the sake of Madina city

By Mohammed Abdul Hafeez

E-Books author

In the praise of Hazrat Shaikh Abdul Quader Jilana

Tomb of Hazrat Shaikh Abdul Quader Jilani

To call me at your kind door oh Shah Ghouse Azam

Show your kind sight to me oh Shah Ghouse Azam
 6

To improve my condition soon Shah Ghouse Azam

To come in a dream of the servant oh Ghouse Azam

For sake of the souls of the martyrs oh Ghouse Azam

And show your face of the wisdom oh Ghouse Azam
To help me soon as my condition is down very worse
Saying this with fondness and in a helpless condition
Peeran Peer, oh the great Sultan and Dastagir of time
Oh Shah remove my difficulty as I am worried much
All the pious persons who put down necks before you
All said in the helpless condition Shah Ghouse Azam
With your grace to lighten,their chests and the hearts
Oh good teacher of the religion oh Shah Ghouse Azam
The boat in the sea of grief you are the only saver for us
Come and help the boat to goal oh Shah Ghouse Azam
Waves of the storm of grief are there from everywhere
To save us from all troubles oh Shah Ghouse Azam
There is the wish of hafeez to see your tomb in Baghdad
To call your lowest servant to Baghdad oh Ghouse Azam
 7

The genealogical branching

The mausoleum of Hazrat Khaja Moinuddin Chisti

The genealogical branching

Oh Allah have mercy upon me due to your magnificence

Have favour and mercy upon me for sake of the prophet
To open secret of the soul for sake of Syed Ali Ibn Taleb
To keep away problems for the sake of the Shah Khaibar
I bring the name of the helper Hazrat Hasan of Basra city
For sake of the Hazrat Abdul Wahid who is well known
Have mercy upon me due to Syed Khaja Tufail Ibn Ayaz
As well as for the sake of the sultan Shah Ibrahim Balqi
 8

Have mercy upon me for sake of Hazrat Khaja Huzeafa

Have mercy upon me for sake of Hazrat Bu Habri Basri
For sake of Khaja Mamshad give pleasure to my heart
As well as for the sake of Khaja Abu Ishaq have mercy
Have mercy upon me for the sake of Mohammed Chisti
For the sake of the truthful person Khaja Abu Yousuf
Help for kind sake of Mahmud Haq and for Haji Sharif
And for sake of our great leader Khaja Usman Haruni

By Mohammed Abdul Hafeez

From Chiragh-E-Chist
 9

The Sufi Letters Book

The mausoleum of Khaja Moinuddin Chisti

Compiled by
Mohammed Abdul Hafeez
E-book author
 10

Letter No. 1.- On Divine Mysteries

KHWAJA GHARIB NAWAZ

“In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

“My cordial friend, my brother, Khawaja Qutubuddin of Delhi,

May the most high God grant you the happiness of both the
worlds.

“After Salaams, it is impressed on you to teach your true

disciples and seekers after God a few points of divine mystery,
which I am writing to you, so that they may not be led astray.”

“He who knew God never begged anything of Him, nor has he
ever any desires. He who has not yet known Him cannot
understand these things.”
 11

“Another thing, Give up avarice. He who gave it up attained his

objects. The most high and glorious God has said about such
persons, “He who bridled his desires shall enter heaven.”

“He who turned away his heart from God to excessive lust shall
be wrapped up in a shroud of curse and buried in the grave of
regrets; and he who turned away his heart from excessive lust to
God and put it on His path, shall be wrapped up in a shroud of
mercy and interred in the grave of salvation.

“Hazrat Khwaja Bayazid Bastami, prince of those who know

God, may God pour His blessings on him, has said: “Once I saw
the most high God in a dream. He asked me ‘Bayazid, what do
you want?’ I replied, ‘I want what you want.’ The most high
God was pleased and said, ‘I am yours and you are mine’. He
who submits to His will shall be under His protection.

“Now, if you want to know what mysticism is, then close the
door upon every comfort, and sit on the knees of love. If you did
this, you should become initiated in the mysteries of mysticism.
The seeker after God must do this with heart and soul. God
willing, he will be saved from the mischief’s of Satan and attain
the desires of both the worlds.
 12

“My Sheikh, my God pour His blessings on him, asked me once:

“Muinuddin, on you know the one who is in the presence of
God? It is he who is always at devotion, and takes whatever
happens to him as coming from God as His dispensation, and is
resigned to it; rather looks upon it as His blessing. This is the
crux of all devotion. He who has this is the king of the entire
world; rather a king of the world supplicates him for favors.”

“One day my Sheikh addressed me thus – “It is wrong to say, as

come dervishes do, that when a seeker has gained his desires, he
gets rid of perplexity. They also say that worship and devotion
are no longer incumbent upon him, which is again wrong;
because the Chief of the World, blessings and peace of God be
upon him, was always prostrating in worship and devotion
before God. Although he had reached the summit of devotion,
he would say- ‘I did not worship Thee as I ought to have.’ These
words also were always on his lips- ‘I bear witness that there is
no God but Allah and that Mohammed is His apostle.’ Then
know it for certain that when one who knows God attains
perfection, he offers his prayers most sincerely, and thus gains
more knowledge of God, and the idea of his presence before
Him; the highest is rather the prayer (Namaaz). When one
realizes this and acts with sincerity, one feels a sort of thirst as if
one has drunk several cups of fire. As he will drink on such
 13

cups, his thirst will increase, because there is no limit to

boundless glory of God. At this stage, tranquility of his mind is
changed into untranquillity and his ease into uneasiness, until
death rescues him. And Salaams.”

Letter No. 2- On Nearness to God

KHWAJA GHARIB NAWAZ

“In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. One

afflicted with the pain of eagerness to see God and the dervish
bearing oppression, my brother, Khwaja Qutubuddin of Delhi,
may the most high God grant you the happiness of both the
worlds.

“After Salaams enjoined by the practice of the holy Prophet, I

want to set out as below:-

“Khwaja Najmuddin the younger, Khwaja Mohammed Tariq

and other dervishes were once in attendance upon Khwaja
 14

Usman Harooni, may his grave be hallowed. Meanwhile a man

came to the Khwaja and asked, “How to God?” He replied- “The
best way of knowing it is the doing of good deeds. Know it for
certain that on him the door of nearness is opened who is given
the power of doing good deeds.” Then, with tears in his eyes, he
continues-

“There was a man who had a maid-servant who observed

punctuality of time. She used to get up at midnight, perform
ablutions and offer two rakats of Namaaz (a sacred inclination of
head so that palms of hands rest upon the knees in prayers),
thank God, and pray with raised hands, ‘O God, I have already
reached Thee, do not now keep me away from Thee. When her
master heard this, he asked her, ‘How do you know you have
reached the nearness to God?’ She replied, ‘I know this, because
He has given me the power to get up at midnight to offer two
rakats of prayer.’ The master said, ‘Go away, O maid-servant, I
set thee free for God.’

“So one ought to worship God day and night so that one’s name
may be entered in the register of the pious, and one be saved
from the thralldom of one’s desires and the devil

– And Salaams.”
 15

Letter No. 3- On Renouncement

KHWAJA GHARIB NAWAZ

In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

“One who knows the significances of ‘God is Eternal’, is

initiated into the splendors of ‘He begetteth not, nor is begotten’,
my brother, Khwaja Qutubuddin of Delhi, may God raise you to
higher eminence, accept from Muinuddin Sanjari, a sinful fakir,
salaams full of love and happiness.

“Up till the penning of these lines, I am in the enjoyment of

good health for which I am grateful to God, and pray that you
may have the health of both the worlds.”
 16

“My dear brother,

Sheikh Usman Harooni says, “No one but those possessing

knowledge (of God) should be let into the mysteries of love (of
God).”

When Khwaja Sheikh Saadi asked him how to know those who
possessed knowledge (of God), he replied, “Their sign is
renunciation of the world. He, who has attained this stage, takes
him for one knowing God. He, who does not attain it, is
completely devoid of His knowledge.

Believe it that Kalimah-e-Shahadat (the two members of

Mohammedan confession of faith, i.e. Laa-ilaha-illullah (there is
no God but Allah) and Mohammed-ur-Rasullallah (Mohammed
is the apostle of God) which embodies both a denial and an
affirmation, is the means of acquiring divine knowledge. Power
and pelf are two Mumbo-Jumbos. They have led, and are
leading, many astray from the straight path. They are being
worshiped by the whole world. Many are at devotion at temples.
He who drove away their love from his heart, has repudiated
them. He who has acquired knowledge of God, has attained the
 17

stage of faith in the existence of God. This is achieved by

reciting Laa-ilaha-illallah, and acting upto it. Therefore he who
does not recite Kalimah-e-Shahadat does not know God

– And Salaams.”

Letter No. 4- On Disappointment

KHWAJA GHARIB NAWAZ

“In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

“One, who knows the truths of knowledge of God and the lover
of the Lord of the universe, Khwaja Qutubuddin of Delhi, may
God take pity on you.
 18

“Know that the wisest of the men are the dervishes who have
taken to religious life and disappointment; because in every wish
is implied disappointment and in every disappointment a wish.
On the contrary, the senseless regard health as trouble and vice
versa. Therefore, the wisdom lies in this that when they are beset
with a desire, they should get rid of is; resign themselves to
disappointment and ascetic mortification; and, renouncing their
wish, put up with disappointment. “Unless you are disappointed,
you cannot attain your wishes.”

“Therefore, attachment to God, Who is eternal, is necessary. If

God grants eye, it will see that all paths lead to Him, and in
whatever direction in both the worlds it turns, it sees nothing but
Him. Acquire an eye and religious life; because if you look
closely, every particle of this earth is a Jamsheds’ Cup.

“I have no more to pen but the desire for personal meeting.”

Letter No. 5- God shows the way

KHWAJA GHARIB NAWAZ
 19

“In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

“The flower of those who hold communion with God, and the
lover of the Lord of the universe, my brother, Qutubuddin of
Delhi, may you be happy in the shelter of true God.

“One day when I, your well-wisher, was in attendance upon

Khwaja Usman Harooni, a man came to him and said, “O
Sheikh, I have acquired deferent kinds of knowledge, but have
not attained my object.” The Sheikh replied, “You must do one
thing which will make you a scholar and abstinent. It is what our
chosen Prophet and Messenger of god, May blessings and peace
of God be upon him, has said, i.e. renunciation of the world is
the secret of all worship, while its love the root of all evil. If you
act up to this Tradition, you will need no other knowledge. It is a
subtle point which it is easy to understand but difficult to
practice. Now, know it for certain that you cannot renounce the
world until love for God has reached the highest pitch. And love
 20

is born only when God shows the way; without His showing the
way, the object cannot be achieved. The Quranic verse runs: “He
whom God shows the way is the one who has been put on the
path of righteousness.” It, therefore, behaves a man not to waste
his time in worldly pursuits but always keep God in view. He
should, rather regarding time as a fine opportunity, spend his life
in poverty and abstinence and hunger, behave with humility, and
hang down his head in shame on account of his sins. He should
always be humble and submissive; because, in the realm of
worship and devotion, these are the most valuable assets.” Then
he told this story which came pat to the purpose:-

The STORY OF HATIM’S 8 LESSONS

“Hatim the Deaf was a pupil and disciple of Khwaja Usman.

One day the Sheikh asked him how long he had lived and served
him and been attending his lectures? He replied that he had done
that for 30 years. The Sheikh again asked him as to how much
he had acquired and benefited during this period” Hatim replied
that he had learnt eight things. The Sheikh, still continuing,
asked him if he did not have them before, and was told, in reply,
that he did not, and that, as a matter of fact, he now needed no
more. The Sheikh then said, “Verily we are jar God and verily
we shall return to Him. Hatim, I spent all my life for you, and I
 21

do not want you to know more than this.” Hatim then said, “This
much is enough for me, Sir, because this embraces the good of
both the worlds.” “All right”, said the Sheikh, “now tell me what
those eight things are.”

Hatim began thus:-

(1) Good deeds, the eternal companions

Firstly- when I reflected on the world, I found that everyone had

a beloved. There are several kinds of beloved; some are with
him until the throes of death and some till he is dead, while
others follow him to the verge of grave. Beyond this, none goes
with him; none goes with him into his grave to sympathize with
him there, and hold to him a torch of light, and help him travel
safely through the stages of the Day-of-Judgment. It, then,
dawned upon me a man’s good deeds. I, therefore, made them
my beloved, and bestowed my love on them so that they might
sympathize with me in my grave and not desert me.

Sheikh- You did well.

(2) Control of animal desires

 22

Hatim- Secondly, when I reflected on the conduct of the people,

I found that all follow desires and are led by their longings. I,
then, pondered over the Quranic verse: “He who fearing God
checked the animal desires shall have his place in heaven,” and
was convinced that the Holy Book was right. Therefore, I
opposed the animal desires, and put them in the crucible of
struggle (in defense of faith) and did not act up to a single
prompting of theirs. I derived consolation from worship of God,
the most high.

Sheikh- May God bless this. You did well.

(3) Contentment

Hatim- Thirdly, When I reflected on the affairs of the world, and

found that everyone is after the worldly affair, puts up with
troubles and tribulations, gets something from the worldly lords,
and is very happy. I, then, pondered over this Quranic verse;
“Whatever is with you is bound to come to an end, and whatever
is with God shall ever remain.” Therefore, whatever I had put by
I spent for God, and consigned myself to His care so that it
might be endowed with eternity and be my guide and provision
in the other world.

Sheikh- (Praying for blessings)- You did well.

 23

(4) Abstinence

Hatim- fourthly, When I reflected on the condition of human

beings, I found that some men regard those as nobles,
respectable and great who belong to a numerous race; they look
upon wealth and number of children as the source of respect and
honor, and take pride in them. I, then, pondered over this
Quranic verse: “With God is he most honored who is most
abstemious.” It goes without saying that this is right and true,
and what people think is quite wrong. So I adopted abstinence in
order that I might deserve honor in the eyes of God.

Sheikh- You did well.

(5) Jealousy

Hatim- Fifthly, When I reflected on the condition of people, I

found that they speak ill of one another out of jealousy only; and
they are jealous of wealth, position and knowledge. I, then,
pondered over this Quranic verse; “We distributed food among
them, etc. for their terrestrial life.” When this has fallen to their
share from eternity and no one has a hand in it, what good can
jealousy do them? I, therefore, determined to behave peacefully
towards everybody.

Sheikh- You did well.

 24

(6) Satan- the foe of mankind

Hatim- Sixthly, when I reflected on the world I found that some

people are enemies of one another, and bear grudge in particular
matters. I, then, pondered over this Quranic verse: “Verily Satan
is your enemy.” I, then, realized that the word of God is quite
true. Really, Satan is our enemy; he should not be followed.
Since then I look upon Satan as my enemy. I neither follow nor
listen him. I follow the commands of God and honor Him,
which is right. God says, “O son of Adam, did I not warn thee
against the following and worshipping of Satan, and against
treading on his footsteps, because he is thy open foe” Worship
Me which is the way straight.”

Sheikh- You did well.

(7) God provides for every creature

Hatim- Seventhly, when I reflected on the world, I found that

everyone is making tremendous efforts to earn his bread, which
leads to unlawful things and humiliation and degradation. I,
then, pondered over the Quranic verse: “There is not a single
creature on the face of the earth for whose subsistence God is
not responsible.” I realized, then, that His word is true, as I am
also one of those creatures. I busied myself with the worship of
 25

God, firmly believing that He will provide for me, because He

Himself has promised it.

Sheikh- You did well.

(8) Reliance on God

Hatim- Eighthly, When I reflected on the God’s creatures, I

found that everyone relies on one thing or the other. Some rely
on gold and silver, while others on their Quranic verse: “God is
enough for him who relies on Him.” I, then, relied on God, and
He is enough for me and is my good supporter.

Sheikh- Hatim, may God grant you power to act up to all this. I
have carefully read the Book of Moses, the Bible, the Psalms of
David, and the Quran, and from these books I gathered only
these points. He who acts up to them follows these books
virtually. This story made it clear to me that it was the deeds,
and not the pro-found knowledge, which were really needed.”

Letter No. 6- Negation and Assertion

KHWAJA GHARIB NAWAZ
 26

In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

“Repository of divine mysteries and the mine of bounties of

God, my brother, Khwaja Qutubuddin of Delhi, may the most
high God keep you safe.

“One day my Sheikh said a very nice thing about negation and
assertion. “Negation”, he said, “means remembrance of the most
high God, because a self-conscious man cannot be conscious of
God. There must be one who should contradict this negation. If
we think that only God exists, we achieve our object. Be it plain
to you that this is the case with the Kalimah-e-Shahadat (word
bearing witness to the existence of God), the prayers and the
fasts. And indeed to ignore their essence and be content with
their appearance is useless. He is an errant fool who has not got
to the bottom of their truth.”Then, he said, “God always was and
shall ever be. The devotee is blind in the beginning. When God
gives him sight, he sees and hears and forgets himself. When
 27

this is the condition, the one who has attained communion with
God, is endowed with eternal life.

Now I add my Salaams.”

Letter No. 7- The perfect Faqeer

KHWAJA GHARIB NAWAZ
 28

In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

“One who is initiated in to the divine love and knows God, lover
of Allah, my brother, Khwaja Qutubuddin, May the most high
God increase your piety.

“After Salaams, full of love, from one who invokes God to pour
His blessings on you, be it known to you.

“My dear, do tell your disciples what is meant by a perfect fakir,

and what his signs are and how he is known. The sheikhs of the
path (Tariqat), May the most high God hallow their graves, have
said: “He is a fakir who is indifferent to all wants, and does not
want but His eternal face; because all the creation is the mirror
and manifestation of that Eternal face. He, therefore, seeks his
end from it.”

“Some of the savants have explained it thus:

“A perfect devotee is one from whose heart everything is absent

but God; and nothing but Him is his aim and object. When
things other than God are driven away from his heart, the object
is achieved.”

“The seeker should, therefore, be after his aim and object. Now,
one ought to know what to seek? Be it plain to you that the aim
 29

is pain and heart-burning, whether divine or worldly. Here is

meant by worldly heart-burning, the preliminary injunctions of
the religious laws (shari-at).

-And Salaams.”

------------------------------------------------------

Nafs, the desire-nature.

SHEIKH SHARFUDDIN YAHYA MANERI

Some say the desire-nature is a substance, placed in the body,

similar to the soul. Others say it is a quality of the body, similar
 30

to life. But all take it as the source of evil qualities and acts.
These evils are grouped into: (a) sins, (b) qualities, e.g. pride,
envy, anger. The former pertain more to the outer man, the latter
more to the inner man. The former are purified by ascetic
practices, the latter by taubah (or turning)....

It is said that the desire-nature and the soul are both mysterious
entities in the body, corresponding to demons and angels, hell
and heaven in the macrocosm;- the one being the centre of evil,
the other the centre of good. There is no help against the desire-
nature save in ascetic practices. Man is the epitome of the whole
universe, and is composed of the soul, the desire-nature and the
body. He bears the characteristics of all the worlds. The earth,
water, fire and air of this world appear in his body as the four
humors: blood, phlegm, melancholy and bile. Other worlds are
not less vividly marked in him. The soul leads him to heaven,
being its image; the desire-nature leads him to hell, being its
image.

Bu Ali saw his desire-nature in the form of a hog. He wished to

kill it, but is said to him, do not trouble thyself: I belong to the
army of god, thou canst not annihilate me. Mohammad Nuri
speaks of his desire-nature coming out of his throat in the form
of a miniature fox. i knew it was the desire-nature, so i put it
 31

under my feet and began to trample upon it. It grew the larger
and the stronger. I said, 'pain and torture destroy all things, but
they simply aid your growth!' it said, 'this is due to the fact of
my constitution being the other way: what is pain for others is
pleasure of me.' Abul Abbas saw it in the form of a yellowish
dog. When he attempted to turn it out, it came underneath the
skirts of his parent, and disappeared. Abul Qasim saw it in the
form of a serpent. Another dervish saw it in the form of a
mouse, and asked who it was. It said, i am the death of the
heedless and the salvation of the divine friends. If i were not,
they would turn proud of their purity and noble deeds. these
stories go to show that the desire-nature is a corporeal being-not
a quality-albeit it is endowed with qualities. It should be
subdued by ascetic practices, but it cannot be completely
destroyed in its essential nature. There need not be any fear from
its existence, when it has been subdued by the disciple. ... This
dreary forest cannot be crossed save with the help of the divine
grace and under the protection of a master of compassion.-letter
81.
 32

Origin of theosophy
SHEIKH SHARFUDDIN YAHYA MANERI

The origin of theosophy. The institution of theosophy (tasavvuf)

is ancient. It has been practiced by the prophets and the saints.
As evil impulses predominate in the world, the theosophist
(Sufi) is looked down upon by men. The theosophist is one who
has lost the self, exists in the true one, is beyond the reach of the
lower nature, and is at one with truth. A theosophical student
(mutasavvif) is he who seeks to become a theosophist through
asceticism and purification, and disciplines himself in the ways
of the theosophist....
 33

The prophet had a place in his mosque set apart to discourse

privately with his elect companions, who trod the path. There
were senior disciples such as Abu-Bakr, Omar, Osman, Ali and
Salman, and mediocre ones, such as Bilal and others. The Arab
chiefs and his ordinary companions were about 70 in number.
When the prophet wished to show his special regard to a
particular companion (Sufi) he favored him with a piece of his
garment (n. B. The word Sufi may be derived either from Safa,
purity, or from Suf, dress.- trs.)

The first theosophist was Adam, and the last Mohammad, and
theosophy has continued amongst the followers of Mohammad.-
letter 22.

Pillars of the path

SHEIKH SHARFUDDIN YAHYA MANERI
 34

The pillars of the path. Their words enliven the heart; their deeds
liberate men; their compassion is universal; they do not care for
feeding and clothing themselves, but feed and clothe all; they do
not look to the evil of others, but stand as their saviors, return
good for evil, and bless them that curse. Why?- for they are
protected: no gale save the zephyr of love can blow over the
world from the horizon of their heart. Their compassion shines
as the sun over friend and foe alike. They are humble as the
earth, trodden by the feet of all. They are not hostile to any man,
nor do they grasp at anything of the world. All creatures are
their children, they are not the children of any. They are absolute
compassion for the whole universe, for east and west,- for they
are liberated and see all from the one root... One void of these
qualities cannot treat the path.

In the case of a theosophist, the heart goes first, then comes the
tongue. In the case of a worldly-wise man, the tongue goes first,
and then the heart.-letter-24.

Pursuit and renunciation

SHEIKH SHARFUDDIN YAHYA MANERI
 35

Sufis differ as to whether they should follow or renounce

worldly pursuits. Complete renunciation is only permitted at a
very high stage, i.e. that of absolute unity and perfect trust in
god.

Working for a livelihood began with Adam. He cultivated lands

and taught cultivation to his children. The prophet Shoaib was a
merchant and possessed cattle. Moses served as his shepherd. If
work interfered with the principle of trust in god, the prophets
would not have worked for a livelihood. Mohammad warned his
friends against the abuse of the principle of trust, and ever kept
in store a year's provision for his children. Work is a duty for
him who has to support another; but he should work so as not to
be cut off from god.

Each should look to his circumstances and inner attitude, in

order to decide whether he should resort to work or cease from
work. If ceasing separates him from god, work should be
 36

resorted to; if ceasing leads him to god, work should be left

aside.

Work is as lawful as prayer and fast. The more you pray, the
more you fast, the better; but to look for your salvation there
from is dualism. You should adore for the glorification of god
and the strengthening of your love, but you should rely on his
grace for your salvation. Similarly, work is better than
renunciation; but it is not the work, but rather the divine grace,
which is to be looked up to as providence.

A dervish should avoid begging as far as possible, as it is

dangerous in many respects. He, however, may beg

(a) to gratify his hunger....

(b) to pull down his personality.....

(c) knowing the world as the divine steward.

It is more in keeping with the ceremonious glorification of the

lord to ask of his steward than of himself.- letter 69.

Renunciation of the world

SHEIKH SHARFUDDIN YAHYA MANERI
 37

Service of the lord is impossible without renunciation of the

world. When thy body works for the world and thy heart longs
for it, how canst thou serve him? The heart is one; it cannot
attend to two things at the same time. The world and the lord are
wide apart as east and west. The more you approach the one, the
farther you recede from the other....

Renunciation is twofold:-----

(1) human renunciation, i.e. the renunciation which can be

achieved by a man. It consists of three stages:

(a) ceasing to seek for the worldly objects one has not. (b)
casting off the worldly objects one has.

(c) ceasing to entertain worldly desires in the mind.

(2) superhuman renunciation, which consists in complete

indifference to the world. It can be accomplished, with the help
 38

of the divine grace, by one who has achieved success in all the
three stages of human renunciation. The second is the true
renunciation with many sages.

The expulsion of worldly desires from the mind is a most

difficult task. You will find many cases of apparent
renunciation, with an inner longing for the world. But when you
cease to seek for what you have not, and cast off what you have,
the divine grace will enable you to drive out worldly desires
from your mind. Relinquishment of the world will not give real
renunciation, so long as the heart still craves for the world. The
prophets were master-ascetics. One of them was Solomon, who
possessed the sovereignty of all the worlds, and was certainly an
ascetic. Conclusion: the separation of the heart from worldly
cravings, in spite of the possession of worldly objects, is
superior to the separation of the body from worldly objects, in
spite of the worldly cravings that remain in the heart.

Renunciation is the basis of all virtue and progress, and, as such,

is the first condition of discipleship. Ahmad Hambal (peace on
him!) Says that renunciation is threefold:-- (a) abstinence from
what is forbidden by the scriptures. This is the lower
renunciation.
 39

(b) abstinence from over-indulgence in lawful pleasures. This is

the higher renunciation.

(c) renunciation of that which separates man from god. This is

the highest renunciation.- letter 75.

Seclusion
SHEIKH SHARFUDDIN YAHYA MANERI

A man not wanted by the world for its intellectual or theological

education, may isolate himself from others, and avoid company
save on necessary occasions, such as those of the Friday and the
id prayers, a pilgrimage to Mecca, and other useful meetings.
The man who wishes to avoid company altogether, had better
live far away from human habitation (in a mountain or on a
desert island). Else (let him not isolate him-self altogether)
unless he knows for certain that his gains from attendance at the
Friday prayer or other social gatherings are really outweighed by
 40

the losses he incurs from coming into contact with human

society....

But there may be a different sort of man, a master of knowledge,

needed by others for their religious enlightenment, the
exposition of truths, the setting aside of heretical arguments, and
for stirring them to live out the teachings of religion. It is hardly
lawful for such a man to absolutely avoid human society. It is
narrated of a sage named abu bakar that, as he wandered about
the hills with the object of leading a life of prayer and worship
in seclusion, he heard a voice saying, Abu baker, why dost thou
desert the creatures of the lord when thou hast attained the
position of a divine light? so he returned to the society of men.
Such a man, though living corporeally in the world and doing
his duties to it, has to work for his own salvation as well. Omar
(peace on him!) Said of himself, should I sleep at night i would
ruin myself, should i sleep during the day, I would ruin my
subjects. it is exceedingly hard to be corporeally in the world
and to be at the same time mentally away from it. Imam gazali
opines that a learned man may be excused for isolating himself
and burying his knowledge in days of trouble and degeneration,
when a man may send for a religious teacher, but declines to
learn anything of him- when no man appreciates the importance
of religious duties...
 41

An extremely weak man should not resort to seclusion... The

real object of seclusion is mental isolation, not bodily
separation.- letter 95.

Seeking god
SHEIKH SHARFUDDIN YAHYA MANERI

Nothing is more binding upon you than to seek god. If you go to

market, seek him. If you come home, seek him. If you enter a
tavern, seek him. If the angel of death come to you, take care not
to neglect the seeking. Tell him, do thou thy work, i do mine. ....
If you be taken down to hell, you shall not neglect the seeking.
Say to the angel of hell, strike my useless personality with the
whip of chastisement: i, on my part, tread the path of seeking- so
that the work may go on. If you are taken up to heaven, do not
look to the kooris and palaces, but speed on the worlds, i will
not have them without thy presence.
 42

The first stage on the path of seeking is humility. The great ones
man.' sown in the heart, it impels to god. Practiced for some
time, it turns into courage. Masters unanimously hold that love
cannot put up save with the courage of the disciple. Practiced for
some time, courage turns into seeking. This seeking is led by the
divine will to the secrets of (the holy formula), there is no god
except Allah. the drum of seeking proclaims at the gate of the
divine sanctuary, he who seeks god obtains him. a cry resounds:
he who seeks god obtains him. a cry resounds: let neither sky
nor earth, heaven nor hell, hinder the path of my seekers, for
they seek me, and i am their goal. these are the steps on the
ladder of human progress. Each pilgrim has his owes stage,
according to his aspiration. The vigilant seeker should kill out
self-conceit and self-respect with asceticism and purification,
transcend both the worlds, and be ready to lose his life. It is
unlawful for him to aspire after anything in the universe. one
does not unite with the all, unless one parts with all. it is said:
When Adam was lodged in paradise, the law commanded him
not to approach the tree, while the path dictated to him to turn
away from all. Adam said unto himself. this paradise is full of
wonders, and i am its lord. But my heart longs to visit the abode
of sorrow: lordship will not serve my purpose. a voice spoke to
his spirit, Adam, wilt thou remove to a foreign country? yes,
answered Adam, for I have something to do. the voice said, “do
 43

this work here. Adam: the other is more important. the voice:
heretofore, paradise and the angels have been thy servants. Now
thou salt have to exchange the home of peace for the abode of
condemnation, the crown for poverty, reputation for disgrace.
Adam: I accept all these, and will proclaim my freedom
throughout the universe. so it cannot be said that Adam was
deprived of paradise, but rather that paradise was deprived of
Adam.- 50

Seeking the path

SHEIKH SHARFUDDIN YAHYA MANERI

Seeking the path. The aspiration of the seeker should be such

that, if offered this world its pleasures, the next with its heaven,
and the universe with its sufferings, he should leave the world
and its pleasures for the profane, the next world and its heaven
for the faithful, and choose the sufferings for himself. He turns
 44

from the lawful in order to avoid heaven, in the same way that
common people turn from the unlawful to avoid hell. He seek
increase in all their works; he seeks the one alone in all. If given
anything, he gives it away, if not given, he is content.

The marks of the seeker are as follows. He is happy if he does

not get the desired object, so that he may be liberated from all
bonds; he opposes the desire-nature so much, that he would not
gratify its craving, even if it cried therefore for seventy years; he
is so harmonized with God that ease and uneasiness, a boon and
a curse, admission and rejection are the same to him, he is too
resigned to beg for anything either from God or from the world;
his asceticism keeps him as fully satisfied with his little all- a
garment or a blanket- as others might be with the whole world...
He vigilantly melts his desire nature in the furnace of asceticism
and does not think of anything save the true one. He sees him on
the right and on the left. Sitting and standing. Such a seeker is
called the divine seer. He attaches no importance to the
sovereignty of of earth or of heaven. His body becomes
emaciated by devotional aspirations, while his heart is cheered
with divine blessedness. Thoughts of wife and children, of this
world and the next, do not occupy his heart. Though his body be
on earth, his soul is with god. Though here, he has already been
there, reached the goal, and seen the beloved with his inner eye.
 45

This stage can be reached only under the protection of a perfect

teacher, the path safely trodden under his supervision only... It is
indispensable for a disciple to put off his desires and protests,
and place himself before the teacher as a dead body before the
washer of the dead, so that he may deal with him as he kills.

Virtue and vice have their uses and evils. Often a virtue thrown
one the farther from god, and a vice leads one the nearer to
him... The virtue that begins in peace and ends in pride throws
one the farther from God; the vice that begins in fear and ends in
repentance leads one the nearer to him. - letter 23.

Self-toleration.
SHEIKH SHARFUDDIN YAHYA MANERI

Self-toleration.
SHEIKH SHARFUDDIN YAHYA MANERI
 46

He who is on good terms with the self is dead, thought

apparently living; he whose life is in god is really living, though
apparently dead. Death is not of the body alone: the inner man
may die in the same way as the outer. Men are perishing in the
sea of desires. Their saviors are the prophets who help them to
cross the sea of desires and merge in the divine unity... The
ungodly live in the form only and are dead in the spirit, since
true life consists in human nature responding to the divine life.
On the other hand, those who have sacrificed themselves on the
path of god are not to be considered as dead, but as living with
their lord....

the divine treasury is too full of prayers already. Put in a grain of

humble devotion if you can.- letter 86.

Sorrow
 47

SHEIKH SHARFUDDIN YAHYA MANERI

No reading is so useful as that of the diary of sorrow… the goal

is unattainable save through the destruction of the desire-nature.
Either be ready to kill it out and tread the path, or withdraw
your-self from the rank of the seekers-so that others may pass on
(unimpeded by your presence).

A story.- David, when about to pray, saw an ant, and wished to

remove it from the place. The ant appealed to David against his
cruelty. David said: god, how an i to deal with thy creatures?
god replied, behave with self-restraint, lest thou should harm
any; do not look to the outer body of a creature, but to the spirit
underlying. An ant, if permitted, may rend asunder the dark veil,
radiate the light of divine unity from its bosom, and put to
shame many a monotheist.another story.- once upon a time,
mosses prayed so warmly that the stimulating effect was felt by
him till the succeeding day. He wondered whether anyone could
 48

be so blessed as he was the night before. The angel Gabriel

presently came with this message from god: there is one, in this
forest, who can cure the ills of my devotees. mosses hastened to
the spot, and found a frog croaking in a pool. The frog said:
mosses, I have long been waiting to uproot pride from your
heart. The divine influence you felt last night passed it on to
you. Be warned against the repetition of the boast! -letter 89.

The company of the saints

SHEIKH SHARFUDDIN YAHYA MANERI

Holy company is an important discipline for the pupil. It is very

effective in conquering nature and habit. Hence is it laid down
by the holy saints as binding upon a disciple. The rationale of it
is this. The desire-nature consists of certain ingrained
tendencies, and is affected by the tendencies of one's associates.
 49

The prophet says: men follow the religion of their friends, so

they should always be careful of their company....

It is said that a man, while going round K'aba prayed: lord, make
my brothers virtuous. others asked him, why dost thou pray for
thy brothers at this sacred spot, and not for thyself? he replied: i
have brothers who, when i return to them, will elevate me by
their virtues if they are virtuous, and degrade me by their vices if
they are vicious. As my righteousness rests on theirs, i pray for
them, that they may help me in reaching the goal. Malik (peace
on him!) Says: do not associate with a brother or a friend, unless
you would thereby advance the cause of religion. To associate
with any other object is absolutely forbidden. explanation: if you
associate with a superior, he will benefit you by his presence; if
you associate with an inferior, you should benefit him by
teaching him religion and morality, and yourself too by learning
something useful he may know. Company is to to be sought for
the sake of the lord, not for selfish gratification.

Nothing is more dangerous for a beginner than loneliness. A

story runs thus. There was a disciple of master Junnaid who
fancied he had made great progress and could not be harmed by
isolation. So he took to seclusion. Nightly, a procession
appeared before him with a horse for him to ride, and he was
 50

requested to ride up to heaven,- a delightful place with sweet

dishes, running brooks and fair company-where he enjoyed
himself till morn, and slept. On awakening, he would find
himself at the door of his hermitage. He turned proud and
boastful. On hearing the report, the master came to him, asked
him and was told what had happened, and advised him to repeat
three times when he went to the pleasure-haunt: there is nothing
to be relied upon save god, and there is no power except his. he
refused to act up to the advice for a few nights more. At last he
wished to test the efficiency of the master's lesson and repeated
the sentence as advised. The whole procession fell into
confusion and scattered, and he found himself in a cemetery
with the bones of the dead around him. Then he came to realize
his guilt, repented, and returned to the company of his fellow-
disciples.

The rule of society is to behave with each according to his

position in life. With reference to elders, to serve them; not to
speak before them save when necessary, and then only with their
permission, and after have finished if they are speaking; not to
sit on an elevated seat in their presence. With reference to
equals, to live in harmony, and to share one's wealth with them
(not as a loan, but as a free gift). With reference to the young, to
treat them with love and kindness.
 51

General: elders to be treated as one's own parents, equals as

one's own brothers, the younger ones as one's own children.
None to be asked for anything, but each to be helped. Life to be
rendered agreeable to all. Not to oppose others except at the call
of religious duty. To associate with those strong in religion,
integrity and moderation. Not to mix with those opposed in
religion and temperament. To avoid the company of a youth.
(the desire in the young for the company of their elders aids the
development of their intelligence and knowledge. The desire in
elders for the company of youths leads to sin and folly). ...

Sufis, when conversing with one another, never say, this is mine,
that is thins, i wish it were so, i wish it were not so. it is the
verdict of the masters of knowledge that god does not approve
of the use of words denoting Inness.

It thou wouldst know the unknown, taste the nectar of grace and
transcend the seven heavens, then close the five senses, and pass
from the perishable to the imperishable. They asked master
Shibli, who is a know er, and how is he to be distinguished? he
said, he is deaf, dumb and blind. they replied, these are the
marks of an unbeliever. he rejoined: the unbeliever is deaf to the
voice of truth, dumb for the utterance of truth, and blind to the
 52

vision of truth; whereas the know er is deaf, dumb and blind to

all save truth.- letter 70.

The descent from Adam

SHEIKH SHARFUDDIN YAHYA MANERI

The pilgrim justifies his descent from Adam when he enters the
heart. Now he has finished the turning, and begins his
pilgrimage. By the virtue of his complete turning, anything
coming in contact with him undergoes a change. This is the
power of transmutation. This explains the phenomena of
transmutation wrought by many dervishes (e.g. the change of
wine into an innocuous beverage). Such a pilgrim may lawfully
lay his hand on the imperial treasury, and use the wealth of
kings. (religious injunctions vary with circumstances. It is
reported in the traditions that a young man came to the prophet
and asked if he could lawfully take a certain oil in the fast month
 53

of ramzan. He said, no. next followed an old man who put the
same question. He said, yes. the companions of the prophet were
confused, and asked, how is it, o messenger of god, that you
allowed in the one case what you prohibited in the other. he
replied: the one was a young man, and i was afraid of the fire of
his youth; the other was an old man, and i did not apprehend any
danger for him.) but those who take to the outer conduct without
having reached the inner stage, court their own ruin. Such a
stage must have the sanction of divine authority. A time comes
to the master of the heart, when all his limbs become (as sacred
as) the heart. No part of his body, e.g., a nail or a hair, should be
cast aside, as it partakes of the sanctity of the heart. The broken
hairs of the prophet were divided by his companions as a
precious gift among themselves... Hence arose the practice of
sharing among disciples the pieces of the teacher's worn-out
mantle. The practice is a mere sham if the teacher is not a
master.

He who has completed the turning and reached the heart, is a

master. Only such a one is entitled to the honor of a leader,- not
one who is below this stage.

Question:- how to distinguish the real master from a mere

pretender? Answer:- the true seeker has an inner eye enabling
 54

him to recognize a real master. He would not be attracted to a

pretender. Dost thou not behold that if different kinds of animals
flock together, and different kinds of food be placed before
them, each will fall to on his own appropriate food and turn
away from what is meant for others?...

The true seeker also is known as such, as his inner eye opens to
the vision of the master, and he receives the nourishment suited
to his aspiration. The master begins to work on him. He is (as
one) dead, and the master gives him a wash, purifying him of all
under able elements. This purification completes the turning.
Then he begins his journey on the divine path- which is called
the pilgrimage. This is not devotion as ordinarily understood
(i.e. prayer, fast, alms-giving, etc.). Allegiance to a master is in
itself devotion; progress on the path is its fruit. A brief prayer, a
day's fast, or a simple charity, performed or given in obedience
to a master's direction, are more beneficial than long protracted
prayers, or splendid gifts, performed or given in response to the
call of the desire-nature. As s qualification for the path, seek to
get rid of old habits. But it is not possible to get rid of old habits
and purify the dross without the service of a master, since he
alone can, by his knowledge, gradually drive out the host of the
evil elements, and help one towards the realization of there is no
God save Allah.
 55

continue thy seeking till the seeking unveils itself, and destroys
thy self in thee. Henceforth the disciple has nothing to do: the
seeking will itself lead him on.

So long as thou sleekest any but the beloved, no seeker art thou.
How then canst thou be wholly his? By wholly turning to him.
He can afford to have thousands of friends, for he can reach all
alike. The sun is with all-east and west, Hindu and Turk-for his
range is unlimited. But thou art limited in capacity, and canst not
feel the warmth of his rays unless thou wholly expose thyself to
him. All the worlds are benefited by him, yet he does not lose in
the least.

Here one should guard against a possible misunderstanding. To

love a thing as a means does not interfere with the love for the
end or the final object. Our foes even ought to be loved as
connected with the lord. This is not a division of love, but its
perfection. Love is a peculiar state: friendship with foes is
possible only here. Abul Abbas- peace be on him- said to a party
marching to war against the unbelievers, would i might lick the
dust of the feet of the unbelievers whom ye would kill for his
sake. the care of a scholar for pen and paper cannot be said to
divert his attention from learning. The real object of love ought
to be only one (i.e. god), but loving others as subservient to the
 56

final object (i.e. divine love) is by no means harmful. If a man

loves god, he must love the prophets and the masters- any, if he
ponders well, he must love the prophets and the masters-nay, if
he ponders well, he must love all as connected with him. All the
universe is his work and is certainly himself. duality does not
approach thy sanctuary: the whole world is thyself and thy
energy. The universe is the shadow of thy presence; all is the
result of thy mighty workmanship. but if it be the divine will to
put an end to a certain work of his, using thee as instrument,
thou as a devotee must destroy it, and none should accuse thee
of lack of respect for his work. This is a very high stage. If
Mohammad and his blessed companions killed the unbelievers,
they did so in obedience to the divine will. The lover has not to
seek his own pleasure. -letter 66.

The discipline of the desire-nature

SHEIKH SHARFUDDIN YAHYA MANERI
 57

The desire-nature is the worst foe. It is very difficult to be armed

against it, since, firstly, it is an internal foe, and it is almost
impossible to guard the house against a thief co-tenant; and,
secondly, it is a lovely foe, and a man is blind to the defects of
his beloved, whose shortcoming take on the appearance of
merits. Such being the case, the desire-nature may ere long hurl
a man unawares to the lowest depth of degradation. If you
ponder well, you will find it at the root of all the troubles that
beset man in the past or may beset him in the future. This being
the foe, one should intelligently strive to overcome it. It is
improper to overcome it all at once, as it is a vehicle and
instrument of the soul; nor is it proper to let it go wholly
unbridled, in view of the probable dangers. So the disciple needs
a middle course, and it is this: you should strengthen it to the
extent of enabling it to perform its duties; you should weaken it
to the measure of preventing the chance of its leading you
astray. Anything besides this rule is objectionable. It is reported
in sacred tradition that on seeing Abdullah Masud, who had by
ascetic practices weakened his body, his feet having become
incapable of motion, his eyes having sunk in their sockets,
Mohammad said, O Abdullah, be warned! Thy desire-nature has
claims on thee. so the conclusion is that the desire-nature should
be disciplined by knowledge, so that it may neither overcome
(nor disobey) thee, nor be itself destroyed.
 58

The middle course consists in restraining the desire-nature by

temperance. There are three ways of thus subduing it: (a)
withholding gratification;... (b) imposing religious observances;
(c) invoking the divine help for mastery over it. If you follow
this threefold method, the desire-nature will be amenable of
discipline.- letter 83.

The evil of the world

SHEIKH SHARFUDDIN YAHYA MANERI

The world and all things therein are to be avoided, save as

needed for the lord's sake. The world may be classed under three
groups:-

(1) the first group is purely worldly, and cannot serve his cause.
It consists of:
 59

(a) vices. Their commission in the mind or with the body does
not serve his cause.

(b) too much of lawful enjoyments. This is the root of all

failures and sins.

(2) the second group is purely divine, but may be turned to

selfish use by an impure motive, e.g., meditation, prayer and
asceticism, if practiced with the object of gaining the respect of
the people. (3) the third group is apparently worldly but really
divine, e.g., eating for the sake of the divine service; marriage
with the object of begetting a child who shall repeat there is no
god save Allah; making a small fortune with the object of
peacefully serving god. In short, the world is that which gratifies
the ravings of desire in the present, and is of no use after death;
that which may help on the other side of death is not worldly....
He who appropriates the world to the limit of bare necessity
(food, garment and a dwelling-house) breaks his bonds; whereas
he who seeks luxurious living exposes himself to endless
troubles.... The great ones have remarked that the lowest stage of
purity shows itself as an inner craving for well-being after death
and a diminution of world desires, ending in a gradual
estrangement from this world, and the realization of other
worlds.....
 60

The work is harder than you imagine. All worldly pleasures are
sorrows and sufferings.- letter 74.

The final doom

SHEIKH SHARFUDDIN YAHYA MANERI

There are two classes of travelers, the noble and the wicked.
Each class has its peculiar speed, path, and doom.

Noble souls are divided into ordinary noble ones, and the more
advanced. The former attain heaven and the heavenly ranks by
following the ascetic practices prescribed by religion. The more
advanced approach purity by following the path of devotion.

The wicked, too, are divided into ordinary wicked ones, and the
more degraded. The former include some of the believers,
leading a sinful life, disobeying the divine injunctions, and
addicted to sensual pleasures. They tread the path of
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transgression and go to hell. The latter are the unbelievers,

solely attending to sensual pleasures and earthly gains, and
wholly disbelieving in religion and the disembodied life. They
risk the permanent for the sake of the transient, and finally lose
this world as well as the next. The former suffer in hell
temporarily, but finally escape it by virtue of their faith, albeit
imperfect. The latter eternally suffer in hell owing to total
absence of faith. There are different gradation in hell, as there
are grades of unbelief to hypocrisy. There are thinkers and blind
followers amongst unbelievers as well as amongst believers. As
the faith of a thoughtful believer is superior to that of an
ordinary believer, so the sufferings of a thoughtful unbeliever
are intense than those of an ordinary unbeliever. Ordinary
unbelief is inherited from ancestors and surroundings, and is
punished in the first infernal region. Intellectual unbelief does
not rest upon tradition, but upon researches carried on for long
years, self-denial and discipline of the lower nature, all intended
for and ending in skepticism and atheism.- letter 68.

The heart.
SHEIKH SHARFUDDIN YAHYA MANERI
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There is a treasure buried in the heart of the knower. It is love. A

single jewel out of it is worth a thousand heavens. The guardian
of heaven is an angel named Rizwan, whereas the guardian of
the treasure of love is god himself.

Know that thy merit is measured by what thou sleekest.... If thou

worship pest to obtain heaven or avoid hell, thou worship pest
thy own desires. If thou sleekest or dearest an object, thou art the
worshiper of that object. Thy real value depends on what is in
thy heart. If thy heart is attached to god, thou art a divine man....

Junnaid, when ill, prayed for his recovery. A voice answered

him, dost thou come in between myself and thee? thou wallets
every morning to office and comets back at dusk. Where is the
difference thy prayers are for increase of wealth, and thy
pilgrimages for popular approbation. All thy acts are similarly
tainted with name and form. The real end of life is yet veiled
from thee.- letter 80
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The soul (ruh).

SHEIKH SHARFUDDIN YAHYA MANERI

People differ in their opinions on the soul- some call it a body,

some an essence, some an accident; some regard it as eternal,
others as created. Orthodox Islam declares its existence, but is
silent on its nature and quality. God says: if questioned on the
soul, say, 'it is from the will of god., Abu Bakr Qahati, however,
holds that the soul is beyond the category of created objects. (the
author does not subscribe to this view, and enters on a
controversy to show its heresy.- trs.)- letter 79.
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The steps of a disciple.

SHEIKH SHARFUDDIN YAHYA MANERI

The steps of a disciple. The first step is religion (Shariat.) When

the disciple has fully paid the demand of religion, and aspires to
go beyond, the path (Tariqat) appears before him. It is the way
to the heart. When he has fully observed the conditions of the
path, and aspires to soar higher, the veils of the heart are rent,
and truth (Haqiqat) shines therein. It is the way to the soul, and
the goal of the seeker.
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Broadly speaking, there are four stages: Nasut, Malakut, Jabarut

and Lahut, each leading to the next. Nasut is the animal nature,
and function through the five senses- e.g. eating, contacting,
seeing, hearing and the like. When the disciple controls the
senses to the limit of bare necessity, and transcends the animal
nature by purification and asceticism, he reaches Malakut- the
region of the angels. The duties of this stage are prayer to god.
When he is not proud of these, he transcends this sate and
reaches Jabarut- the region of the soul. No one knows the soul
but with the divine help; and truth, which is its mansion, baffles
description and allusion. The duties of this stage are love,
earnestness, joy, seeking, ecstasy and insensibility. When the
pilgrim transcends these by forgetting self altogether, he reaches
Lahut, the unconditioned state. Here words fail.

Religion is for the desire-nature; the path, for the heart; truth for
the soul. Religion leads the desire-nature from Nasut to Malakut,
and transmutes it into heart. The path leads the heart from
Malakut to Jabarut, and transmutes it into soul. Truth leads the
soul from jabarransmute the desire- nature into heart, the heart
into soul, and to unify the three into one. the lover, the beloved
and love are essentially one. this is absolute monotheism. ... the
motive of the faithful is superior to their acts. acts by themselves
are of no value: the importance lies in the heart. It is said that the
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traveler on the divine path has three states: (1) action. (2)
knowledge. (3) love. These three states are not experienced
unless god wills it so. But one should work and wait. He will do
verily what he has willed. He looks neither to the destruction nor
to the salvation of any one. One who wishes to arrive at the truth
must serve a teacher. No one can transcend the bondage and
darkness of desires unless he, with the help of the divine grace,
comes under the protection of a perfect and experienced teacher.
As the teacher knows, he will teach the disciple according to his
capacity, and will prescribe remedies suited to his ailments, so
that there is no god except Allah. be firmly established in his
nature, and the ingress of the evil spirits be cut off from his
heart. All the world seeks to tread the divine path. But each
knows according to his inner purity, each seeks and aspires
according to his knowledge, and each treads the path according
to his seeking and aspiration.- letters 56-57.

The way to god.

SHEIKH SHARFUDDIN YAHYA MANERI
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The way to god. Khwaja Bayazid was asked, what is the way to
God? he replied: when thou hast vanished on the way, then hast
thou come to God. mark this: if one attached to the way cannot
see god, how can one attached to self see God?

When the sun of divine knowledge rises, all modes of

knowledge become ignorance; when divine aspiration appears,
all desires melt away..

Whoever is bound to his exterior- his turban, his robe, the size
and color of his garment- is still attached to the personality and a
worshiper thereof. Thou canst serve either personality or the
law: two contraries cannot unite. So long as you hanker after
approbation and dignity so long as you become angry at an
insult, you are with your old genius and self-conceit, and have
not been accepted by the law. You should sacrifice yourself in
the self. To no purpose do you change your dress and food. If
you eat a single blade of grass in a lifetime, remain clad in a
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single garment for a thousand years, are shut up in a monastery

away from the sight of men,- beware, lest you should be
deluded. All these are but the subtleties of the desire-nature, its
cunning and craft.

Many pious men are as motionless as a serpent or a scorpion

frozen with cold. Their piety is not due to rectitude and purity,
but to lack of opportunity. When summer comes in and the
surroundings change, one may behold what they do.... No one
can safely tread the path without a guide.... In the beginning, a
disciple is not a fit recipient of the divine light. He is like a bat,
unable to bear the light of the sun. As it is dangerous folly to
travel in utter darkness, he needs a light less dazzling than the
sun, in order to illumine the path for his masters, who, like the
moon (reflection the light of the sun), have become fit reflectors
of the spiritual light.- letter 51.

The End.