Sixteenth Assembly (Khwan-Pur-Nemat)

Jalaluddin Mahjub said: What are the questions Munkar and Nakeer¹ will ask in the grave, and what are the answers? The Venerable Master replied: They will ask: 'Who is your Lord, and who is your prophet, and what is your religion.' The reply is: 'God is my Lord and yours; my prophet is Muham- mad-peace be upon him; and my religion is Islam.

Khwaja Mamman Multani was present in the honorable assembly. Somebody began to say that Khwaja Mamman, at that time, was bringing to completion. many works of Muslims. The Venerable Master said: Excellent! What wealth! A hund- red prayers and fasts will not achieve what one work of a believer will. Furthering the works of the Muslims and exerting oneself with the affairs of the people is great wealth indeed. This is the task of the prophets who undertook the work of the people and bore their afflictions.

Afterwards he recounted this story: When I was in that old cave, there was a military governor there. He did not have a very good way of dealing with the people, many of whom would come to me to get me to intercede on their behalf. I used to do so for each one of them. I would write down their request, but a great number of people began to mob me for this purpose. From time to time my human nature asserted itself and I got annoyed. Sheikh Zada Chishti-may God keep him safe-happened to be there at the time. It so happened that he had come to visit me in that place. He observed that this business proved vexatious for me on some occasions and that I grew annoyed. Afterwards he said: 'So you are annoyed. Be careful not to get annoyed. Take upon yourself the affliction of the people. s

He related this story: There is a place called 'Hariv'-or some such name-situated some days' journey from Chisht.

certain gentleman had some work with a man of that place, but he was unable to bring the work to a satisfactory conclusion. At that time the revered Sheikh Maudood Chishti was the spiritual leader in Chisht. The man came from that place and explained the whole situation to his spiritual guide. He made this request: 'Master, my work depends upon your going there. If you come and intercede with that man on my behalf my work will be accomplished. The Revered Sheikh immediately complied with his request. He said: 'If it is true that your work will be accomplished by my going, then I shall set out immediately.' Thereupon he stood up, threw his prayer-carpet over his shoulder and set out. Some of his disciples followed him, wondering where their sheikh was going. They did not have the courage to ask him. They thought he was visiting some shrine. The whole day passed by, but they did not reach their destination. At last, they heard that a certain man had come and made a request. Finally, Khwaja Maudood reached the place and, going up to the man, presented his request.

Now it so happened that he did not accede to the request of the Khwaja, so his work was not accomplished. The Khwaja said to the man: 'I have done what I undertook to do. The successful completion of any work depends upon God. What do you now have to say? He replied: 'Return home in peace.' So, he came home.

After the sheikh returned home everyone began to say to that other man: 'The Revered Sheikh did not write to you, nor did he send anyone to you in connection with this work, but he came himself and you paid no attention to what he had to say.' At last, this resulted in his feeling sorry. He said: 'The work will be done when the Revered Sheikh himself returns. The petitioner once again came to the Revered Khwaja and said: 'Master, once again the success of my work depends upon your coming. Be gracious to me just once again. He replied immediately: 'So it depends on my coming, does it? Flinging his prayer-carpet over his shoulder, he set out. The work was at last accomplished. Upon his return to Chisht, the disciples questioned him about his reason for going: 'Master, if you had written something, or had sent somebody, it would have been the same. You could have gone yourself later on.' He replied:

'He had not requested me to write something on his behalf or to send somebody but had said that his work depended on my going. Since this was so, it was necessary for me to go myself.

When the Venerable Master reached this point in his narrative he said: Bringing to completion the work of a brother Muslim is a great undertaking. What have saintly men and sheikhs said about this group's¹¹ going to the doors of the great or not? They have said that they should go if the king summons them. If they fail to do so, it would be heretical. If he does not call them, however, they should not go, unless it be for the sake of some Muslim. If he knows that his going will accomplish something then, in such a situation, he should approach the doors of kings. In the Ihya-e-Uloom, for example, it is mentioned that a certain prophet had steadied the king's stirrup to enable him to mount his steed. People were quite astonished by this incident. They said: 'What is this? One of God's prophets is holding the king's stirrup to enable him to mount? The prophet replied: 'I took hold of his stirrup so that he might become favorably inclined towards me. Once he Favours me and holds me in affection then, if somebody has some work to get done, it can be accomplished through my request and intercession.12 This is why I steadied the king's stirrup.

When the Venerable Master reached this point he lavished praise on this intention, urging those present to do similar things by saying several times, What an admirable purpose!

Jalaluddin Mahjub said: What are the questions Munkar and Nakeer¹ will ask in the grave, and what are the answers? The Venerable Master replied: They will ask: 'Who is your Lord, and who is your prophet, and what is your religion.' The reply is: 'God is my Lord and yours; my prophet is Muham- mad-peace be upon him; and my religion is Islam.

Khwaja Mamman Multani was present in the honorable assembly. Somebody began to say that Khwaja Mamman, at that time, was bringing to completion. many works of Muslims. The Venerable Master said: Excellent! What wealth! A hund- red prayers and fasts will not achieve what one work of a believer will. Furthering the works of the Muslims and exerting oneself with the affairs of the people is great wealth indeed. This is the task of the prophets who undertook the work of the people and bore their afflictions.

Afterwards he recounted this story: When I was in that old cave, there was a military governor there. He did not have a very good way of dealing with the people, many of whom would come to me to get me to intercede on their behalf. I used to do so for each one of them. I would write down their request, but a great number of people began to mob me for this purpose. From time to time my human nature asserted itself and I got annoyed. Sheikh Zada Chishti-may God keep him safe-happened to be there at the time. It so happened that he had come to visit me in that place. He observed that this business proved vexatious for me on some occasions and that I grew annoyed. Afterwards he said: 'So you are annoyed. Be careful not to get annoyed. Take upon yourself the affliction of the people. s

He related this story: There is a place called 'Hariv'-or some such name-situated some days' journey from Chisht.

certain gentleman had some work with a man of that place, but he was unable to bring the work to a satisfactory conclusion. At that time the revered Sheikh Maudood Chishti was the spiritual leader in Chisht. The man came from that place and explained the whole situation to his spiritual guide. He made this request: 'Master, my work depends upon your going there. If you come and intercede with that man on my behalf my work will be accomplished. The Revered Sheikh immediately complied with his request. He said: 'If it is true that your work will be accomplished by my going, then I shall set out immediately.' Thereupon he stood up, threw his prayer-carpet over his shoulder and set out. Some of his disciples followed him, wondering where their sheikh was going. They did not have the courage to ask him. They thought he was visiting some shrine. The whole day passed by, but they did not reach their destination. At last, they heard that a certain man had come and made a request. Finally, Khwaja Maudood reached the place and, going up to the man, presented his request.

Now it so happened that he did not accede to the request of the Khwaja, so his work was not accomplished. The Khwaja said to the man: 'I have done what I undertook to do. The successful completion of any work depends upon God. What do you now have to say? He replied: 'Return home in peace.' So, he came home.

After the sheikh returned home everyone began to say to that other man: 'The Revered Sheikh did not write to you, nor did he send anyone to you in connection with this work, but he came himself and you paid no attention to what he had to say.' At last, this resulted in his feeling sorry. He said: 'The work will be done when the Revered Sheikh himself returns. The petitioner once again came to the Revered Khwaja and said: 'Master, once again the success of my work depends upon your coming. Be gracious to me just once again. He replied immediately: 'So it depends on my coming, does it? Flinging his prayer-carpet over his shoulder, he set out. The work was at last accomplished. Upon his return to Chisht, the disciples questioned him about his reason for going: 'Master, if you had written something, or had sent somebody, it would have been the same. You could have gone yourself later on.' He replied:

'He had not requested me to write something on his behalf or to send somebody but had said that his work depended on my going. Since this was so, it was necessary for me to go myself.

When the Venerable Master reached this point in his narrative he said: Bringing to completion the work of a brother Muslim is a great undertaking. What have saintly men and sheikhs said about this group's¹¹ going to the doors of the great or not? They have said that they should go if the king summons them. If they fail to do so, it would be heretical. If he does not call them, however, they should not go, unless it be for the sake of some Muslim. If he knows that his going will accomplish something then, in such a situation, he should approach the doors of kings. In the Ihya-e-Uloom, for example, it is mentioned that a certain prophet had steadied the king's stirrup to enable him to mount his steed. People were quite astonished by this incident. They said: 'What is this? One of God's prophets is holding the king's stirrup to enable him to mount? The prophet replied: 'I took hold of his stirrup so that he might become favorably inclined towards me. Once he Favours me and holds me in affection then, if somebody has some work to get done, it can be accomplished through my request and intercession.12 This is why I steadied the king's stirrup.

When the Venerable Master reached this point he lavished praise on this intention, urging those present to do similar things by saying several times, What an admirable purpose!