Month: May 2026

■ Sufism: A Reality With No Name.

At the time of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ,
what we now call Tasawwuf had no formal title, no structured terminology, and no separate identity as a “science.”

Yet its essence permeated everything. It was not an added layer to Islām it was the inner life of Islām itself.

“It was a reality without a name.”

This reality was embodied perfectly in the
life of the Prophet ﷺ the one whom Allāh describes in the Qur’an as:

“Indeed, in the Messenger of Allāh
you have an excellent model…” (33:21)

He ﷺ was not only the conveyor of revelation, but the living manifestation of its inward meanings.

His nights in prayer, his tears in supplication, his constant remembrance, and his humility 
all of this formed the foundation of what would later be called Sufism.

▪︎ The Companions: The First People of the Path

The Companions, may Allāh be pleased with them did not study spirituality as a subject  they lived it.

Their purification came through direct companionship with the Prophet ﷺ.

They learned sincerity, reliance on Allāh, love, and the discipline of the ego not from books, but from witnessing the one whose character was the Qur’ān.

Among them were those who embodied deep spiritual realization, such as Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, may Allāh be pleased with him, in his complete truthfulness and surrender.

Sayyidunā ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib, may Allāh be pleased with him, whose words later became oceans of spiritual wisdom for seekers of the path.

There were also the People of the Bench,
a group of devoted companions who lived in the mosque of the Prophet ﷺ, detached from worldly concerns, immersed in remembrance, poverty, and presence with Allāh.

They represent one of the earliest visible expressions of ascetic spirituality within Islam.

▪︎ Remembrance: The Lifeblood of the Heart

Gatherings of remembrance were a natural expression of the Qurʾānic command to remember Allāh abundantly.

The companions would sit together, invoking Allāh, reflecting on His signs, and softening their hearts.

This is why the verse you cited from Al-Kahf (18:28) is central to the Sufi understanding:

“Restrain yourself with those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face…”

▪︎ This verse highlights three essential foundations of the path:

▪︎ Companionship with people of remembrance

▪︎ Sincerity in seeking only Allāh

▪︎ Detachment from worldly distractions

▪︎ From Reality to Name

As time passed and hearts became more occupied with worldly life, scholars began to formalize this inner dimension to preserve it.

Thus the term Tasawwuf emerged, not to introduce something new, but to protect something ancient.

▪︎ Great masters like Shaykh Al-Junāyd of Baghdad, may Allāh sanctify his secret,
defined it as:

“That Allāh causes you to die to yourself and live in Him.”

Imām Abu Hāmid al-Ghazāli, may Allāh sanctify his secret, later revived its sciences, showing that without purification of the heart, outward knowledge remains incomplete.

From Egypt, many knowers of Allāh carried
this same reality and expressed it in words that reflect the depth of this path:

• Shaykh Aḥmad al-Badawī, may Allāh sanctify his secret, said:

“Your distance from Allāh is only the distance of your heart from remembrance. So return, and you will find Him near.”

• Shaykh Ibrāhīm al-Desoukī, may Allāh sanctify his secret, said:

“The one who knows Allāh is never alone,
and the one who is distracted from Him is never at rest.”

• Shaykh Abū al-Ḥasan al-Shādhili, may Allāh sanctify his secret, said:

“Do not move your feet except where you hope for reward, and do not sit except where you are safe from disobedience.”

• Shaykh Ahmad al-Dardir, may Allāh sanctify his secret, said:

“The path is not in the quantity of actions, but in the truthfulness within them. A small deed with presence outweighs mountains without it.”

These are not new teachings,  they are echoes of the same light that was present in the time of the Prophet ﷺ, preserved in the hearts of those who followed his way with sincerity.

▪︎ The Essence Remains

Sufism is not in the name, nor in outward appearance, nor in claims. It is:

A heart emptied of all but Allāh

A soul illuminated by remembrance

An inner state of constant awareness of Him

It is Islam lived with depth.
It is spiritual excellence to worship Allāh as though you see Him.

And so, even today, the reality remains what it always was:

A path of presence.
A journey of return.
A secret between the servant and his Lord.

“It was a reality without a name and it remains a reality beyond names.”

■ Teachings Of The Heart.

■ Sayyidunā Yūnus ع and the Whale:
Lessons from the Ocean of Divine Mercy.

▪︎ The Descent into the Ocean

Sayyidunā Yūnus ع left his people out of sorrow and frustration when they did not respond to his call.

He boarded a ship, and when the ship faced
a raging storm, lots were cast, and his name emerged.

Thrown into the ocean, he was swallowed by
a whale by the command of Almighty Allāh.

▪︎ Imām al-Qushayri ق writes:

“The darkness of the night, the darkness of
the ocean, and the darkness of the whale’s belly surrounded Yunus ع.

Yet he turned inward to the Light of Allāh.
This is the way of the Awliya: when surrounded by layers of darkness, they seek the Light within.”

▪︎ His Prayer in the Depths

In the depths, Prophet Yūnus ع recited:

“La ilaha illa Anta, subhanaka, inni kuntu minaz-zalimeen.”

(There is no deity but You; Glory be to You. Indeed, I was among the wrongdoers).

▪︎ Shaykh Abdul Qādir al-Jilāni ق explains:

“His supplication was not asking for deliverance first, but an admission of his
state before his Lord. Whoever acknowledges his own wrong and glorifies his Lord, deliverance is written for him.”

▪︎ Shaykh Ibn Arābi ق interprets the whale
as a manifestation of Divine Mercy:

“The whale was not a punishment,
but a means of protection from drowning. Outwardly it was confinement,
inwardly it was preservation.”

This teaches seekers that what appears
as constriction in life may be a hidden protection from a greater drowning in heedlessness.

▪︎ Lessons for the Seeker.

▪︎  Admit your wrongs without excuses.

▪︎  The prayer of Sayyidunā Yūnus ع contained
no justification, only humility.

▪︎  Never despair of Allāh’s Mercy.

▪︎ Shaykh al-Junāyd al-Baghdadi ق Said:

“If Yūnus had despaired, he would have remained in the whale until Judgement.
But hope opened the door of mercy.”

▪︎ Shaykh Bahā’uddīn Naqshband ق Said:

“When Allāh imprisons you in a situation,
He is calling you to the secret of Yunus:
La ilaha illa Anta.”

Though trapped, Sayyidunā Yūnus ع found absolute freedom in the remembrance of Almighty Allāh.

▪︎ The Return and Redemption

After three days in the whale, he was cast
upon the shore, weak and ill, and Almighty Allāh caused a gourd plant to grow over him
for shade and healing.

He returned to his people to find them believers, demonstrating that the fruits of patience are always beyond imagination.

The story of Sayyidunā Prophet Yūnus ع is not merely a historical event but an eternal lesson in spiritual etiquette.

▪︎ As the Awliya Say:

“The whale’s belly is the place where lovers
are cleansed of every veil except the oneness of Allāh.”

May we recite his prayer in our darknesses,
find the Light within, and be delivered into the radiant shores of nearness to our Lord.

🌿 Ramla bint Abi Sufyan (R.A.) — Faith Above Family 🤍🕊️

Ramla bint Abi Sufyan (R.A.), also known as Umm Habiba, was the wife of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)…
A woman whose life showed what it means to choose faith over everything.

She was the daughter of Abu Sufyan — a leader of Quraysh.

—

🌿 A Life of Test

She accepted Islam early… while her father was still an opponent of Islam.

💔 A test between family and faith.

She migrated to Abyssinia with her husband Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh (R.A.).

📖 Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra — Ibn Sa’d

Then came a severe trial.

Her husband left Islam and became a Christian.

💔 A heartbreaking moment.

But she remained firm.

Alone… in a foreign land… holding tightly to her iman.

—

🌿 Honor from Allah

After her husband passed away…

She was alone in Abyssinia.

Then came honor from Allah.

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) sent a proposal to her.

The marriage was conducted by the Negus (Najashi), the king of Abyssinia.

📖 Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra — Ibn Sa’d
📖 Al-Isabah — Ibn Hajar

🤍 From loneliness to becoming a Mother of the Believers.

—

🌿 Faith Over Family

Later, her father Abu Sufyan came to Madinah.

At that time, he was still not Muslim.

When he tried to sit on the bedding of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)…

She folded it away.

He asked:
“Do you consider me unworthy of it?”

She replied:
“This is the bedding of the Messenger of Allah, and you are a disbeliever.”

📖 Musnad Ahmad
📖 Al-Isabah — Ibn Hajar

💛 Iman over blood relations.

—

🌿 Her Legacy

She was a woman of strength and sincerity.

She left her home… faced loneliness… and endured hardship…

But never left her faith.

—

🌿 Think about it:

What would you choose…

If your faith was tested against everything you love?

This was her choice.

This was her iman.

—

🌿 Lessons for Us:

💛 Faith comes before family when tested
💛 Stay firm, even when alone
💛 Allah honors patience
💛 True success is holding onto iman

📚 References:

Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra — Ibn Sa’d
Musnad Ahmad
Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah — Ibn Hajar

One day, Jamīlah bint Saʿd ibn al-Rabīʿ—may Allah be pleased with them both—entered upon Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, the successor of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Out of honor and respect, Abu Bakr spread his own cloak for her to sit upon.

At that moment, Umar ibn al-Khattab entered and was surprised by what he saw. He asked:
“Who is this, O successor of the Messenger of Allah, for whom you have spread your cloak?”
Abu Bakr replied:

“This is the daughter of a man who is better than both you and me—except for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”

ʿUmar asked:

“And who is he?”

Abu Bakr replied:

“A man who has already taken his seat in Paradise, while you and I remain behind… This is the daughter of Sa’d ibn al-Rabi’.”
Yes—Saʿd ibn al-Rabīʿ, the lion of the Day of Battle of Uhud.

Let us journey through the gardens of history to know this remarkable man and how he attained such a lofty station.

Saʿd ibn al-Rabīʿ and his cousin, Abdullah ibn Rawahah, were among the twelve leaders present at the Pledge of Aqabah.

On that night, Ibn Rawāḥah asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:

“O Messenger of Allah, stipulate for your Lord and for yourself whatever you wish.”
The Prophet ﷺ replied:

“I stipulate for my Lord that you worship Him alone and associate nothing with Him, and I stipulate for myself that you protect me as you protect yourselves and your families.”
Ibn Rawāḥah then asked:

“And what will we receive if we fulfill this?”

The Prophet ﷺ answered with one word:
“Paradise.”

The moment Saʿd ibn al-Rabīʿ heard the word Paradise from the blessed lips of the Messenger ﷺ, he cried out joyfully:
“A profitable bargain, O Messenger of Allah! A profitable bargain! By Allah, we will neither withdraw from it nor seek to cancel it!”
Regarding such believers, Allah revealed:
“Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their wealth in exchange for Paradise.” (Quran 9:111)

From that day onward, Saʿd remained true to his pledge. He never hesitated in serving Islam, striving with his wealth, his strength, and his life.

He fought bravely at Battle of Badr, and when the Day of Uhud arrived, he fought with unmatched courage, seeking the martyrdom that filled the hearts of the Companions.
As Paradise seemed to draw near, Saʿd cast aside the weight of this world. He threw off his armor, broke the sheath of his sword, and rushed into the enemy ranks like a blazing star. None stood before him except that he either fled or fell.

Seeing the devastation he brought upon them, the polytheists gathered against him from every side. Spears, arrows, and swords struck him relentlessly.

Still he fought.

Until his wounds overwhelmed him.
Until his noble body collapsed upon the battlefield—bearing seventy wounds from spears, swords, and arrows.
When the battle ended, the first thing the Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked was:
“What happened to Saʿd ibn al-Rabīʿ? Who will find him for me?”

Ubayy ibn Ka’b volunteered and searched among the slain until he found Saʿd, barely alive.
He called out to him several times until finally he said:
“O Saʿd ibn al-Rabīʿ! The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sends you his salām and asks: How do you find yourself?”
At the mention of the Messenger ﷺ, Saʿd’s face lit up.
He said:
“Convey my salām to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and tell him:
Saʿd ibn al-Rabīʿ has found the fragrance of Paradise.
And say to him:
May Allah reward you with the best reward ever given to a Prophet on behalf of his nation.
And convey my salām to my people, the Ansār, and tell them:
By Allah! You have no excuse before Allah if harm reaches your Prophet while even one of you still lives and can blink an eye.”
Then his voice faded…
His heart grew still…
And Saʿd ibn al-Rabīʿ رضي الله عنه returned to his Lord as a martyr.
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard his words, he turned toward the qiblah, raised his hands, and supplicated:
“O Allah, meet Saʿd ibn al-Rabīʿ while You are pleased with him.”
Then he said:
“May Allah have mercy on him. He was sincere to Allah and His Messenger—both in life and in death.”
If you have finished reading, send blessings upon Muhammad ﷺ.

The Perfect Spiritual Guide (Murshid) of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (رحمة الله عليه):

Name and Lineage
Blessed name: Hazrat Khwaja Usman Harooni
Kunya (title): Abu al-Noor
Honorific title: Shaykh al-Islam
His noble lineage reaches, in the eleventh generation, to Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him).
Birth
According to most historians, he was born in 536 AH / 1141 CE in the town of Haroon (or Harwan) in Khurasan, near Nishapur.
Because of this place, he became معروف as “Harooni.” Some scholars say “Harwani” is more correct, but “Harooni” became commonly used among both scholars and the العامة.
A famous supplicatory verse says:
“By the حق of Khwaja Usman Harooni… O Moinuddin Chishti, help!”
Education
He received his early education from his respected father. Later, he traveled to Nishapur for higher studies, which was a major center of knowledge at that time.
He studied under renowned scholars and became proficient in all the prevalent sciences. Soon, he was counted among the distinguished scholars of his era.
Spiritual Allegiance (Bay‘ah) and Khilafah
After completing outward knowledge, he sought inner (spiritual) knowledge. Allah guided him to the khanqah of
Khwaja Sharif Zindani, where he took bay‘ah in the Chishti order.
Through عبادت، مجاہدہ، اور ریاضت (worship, struggle, and discipline), he reached spiritual perfection. His Murshid granted him khilafah (spiritual succession).
He also benefited from Khwaja Maudood Chishti.
Character and Spiritual Rank
He is counted among the كبار اولیاء (great saints) and leading spiritual masters of Islam.
He was a جامع (comprehensive master) of:
Shari‘ah and Tariqah
Outward and inward sciences
Tasawwuf and Ma‘rifah
It is written:
“He was the most knowledgeable in Shari‘ah, Tariqah, and Haqiqah.”
Teachings of His Murshid
His Murshid instructed him with deep wisdom, saying:
Follow the way of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Adopt humility and فقری (spiritual poverty)
Never consider yourself superior to others
Pride destroys spiritual مقام
Worship and Spiritual Discipline
Hazrat Khwaja Usman Harooni was known for extreme asceticism:
He memorized the Qur’an
Recited one complete Qur’an daily
For 70 years, he never ate to full satisfaction
Stayed awake at night in worship
Sometimes fasted continuously for days
Lived on minimal food
He would weep intensely in spiritual gatherings (sama‘), sometimes becoming overwhelmed with divine states.
After prayer, a voice from the unseen would say:
“We have accepted your prayer. Ask what you wish.”
He would reply:
“O Allah, I want only You.”
When asked again, he would say:
“Forgive the sinners of the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.”
It was proclaimed that thousands of sinners were forgiven بسبب his دعاء.
Special Prayers
In his later life in Makkah, he made two special prayers:
That his grave be in Makkah and remain known
That his spiritual son,
Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti,
be granted a unique ولایت (spiritual authority)
A heavenly voice answered:
His grave will remain محفوظ in Makkah
Moinuddin Chishti will be granted unmatched spiritual authority in India
Miracles and Influence
He transformed countless lives:
Many non-Muslims accepted Islam at his hands
Many sinners repented
Many reached high spiritual ranks
One famous incident:
He entered fire holding a child among fire-worshippers, and the fire turned into a garden. Witnessing this, they accepted Islam.
Greatest Spiritual Legacy
His greatest miracle is his disciple:
Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, known as Sultan al-Hind.
Khalifahs (Successors)
Among his distinguished successors:
Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti
Khwaja Najmuddin Sughra
Khwaja Syed Arab Bukhari
Khwaja Ahmad Bukhari
Qazi Daniyal Qatri
Through them, countless people embraced Islam.
Sayings and Poetry
His teachings were compiled by Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in “Anis al-Arwah.”
He also had poetic expression, including:
“I do not know why I dance at the moment of لقاء,
But I take pride in this state—that I dance before my Beloved.”
Passing (Wisal)
He passed away on 5 Shawwal 617 AH (3 December 1220 CE) in Makkah.
His blessed grave is located near Jannat al-Mu‘alla and remains preserved—fulfilling his supplication.
Al-Fatiha