Thirty-Sixth Assembly (Khawn-Pur-Nemat)

One of those present in the honored assembly enquired: Where does today's practice of making petition come from? The Venerable Master replied: It has not come to my attention in any reliable book, but there is a story which says that, in a certain city. there was a woman called Maryam. Her son disappeared. He was imprisoned in the royal dungeon. His mother was continually wailing and weeping at the loss of her son. There was a saintly man in the city. The woman went along to see him and explained her predicament. By chance it was the month of Rajab.¹ the saintly man said: 'In two or three days it will be the fifteenth of the month of Rajab. Observe a fast on that day and pray. That prayer is called a prayer of petition. Say it. The woman did as she was bidden for the sake of her lost son. By chance, at the very time the woman finished her prayer there was an immediate response. In the city where her son lay in the royal dungeon the king released him at that very hour. He thus regained his liberty. A few days later he reached home. His mother asked him what had happen- ed. He narrated the story to her. His mother asked him the exact time he had been released. He told her that it happened on the fifteenth of Rajab and mentioned the time of day. His mother informed him that she had finished praying for him at that very hour.

Afterwards he said: It is called 'Maryam's Day' for the reason given in the story, but I have not come across this in any reliable book or collection of traditions, nor have the sheikhs who composed prayer manuals included this prayer in their collection. Another point is that, among all the works of the sheikhs, Qut-ul-Quloob (Nourishment for Hearts) is very trustworthy. All the sheikhs have confidence in it. It is acceptable to all. Its author is Khwaja Abu Talib Makki, one of the second generation of the companions of the Prophet. He was

a saintly and scholarly man, close to the period of the Prophet. That is why everybody has a lot of confidence in him, so that all the sheikhs who write about short prayers refer to the Qut-ul-Quloob, affirming that the particular prayer is recorded in it. If anybody doubts this, he can check for himself. So, here we have a reliable book, Qut-ul-Quloob, but this prayer is not found in it either, nor is it found among the collection of 'Fragrant Prayers, or 'Occasional Prayers.

A discussion about the 'Night of Ascent' arose: on which night did it occur? The Venerable Master said: The 'Night of Ascent' is on the night of the twenty-seventh of this month. One of those present said: This has been disputed. Some say it is not the night of the twenty-seventh but some other night. He said: Although it has been disputed, nevertheless that is the most widely accepted date. It is similar to the dispute concerning the 'Night of Power'. Some say it is the twenty-first, some the twenty-third, some the twenty-fifth. some the twenty-seventh and some the twenty-ninth, but the common opinion is the twenty-seventh. This opinion has gained wide acceptance.

Your palate, mouth, lips and teeth Are luxuries-until they are put to use!

A discussion about spurious traditions arose. He said: Handling traditions is an extremely difficult task. Seven cen- turies have elapsed during which the traditions of the Apostle have come down to us. The Apostle himself has said it is a challenging task. If somebody narrates today what happened yesterday many discrepancies will appear in the narrative. Just imagine what it must be like when seven centuries have elapsed and, in this field, so many different canonical forms have appeared. Who knows, perhaps somebody, in order to bolster his own opinion, might have said: 'The Apostle said such and such. His speech and its meaning were of this nature. They add to the speech of the Apostle to such an extent that Imam Yusuf Qazi could relate that he had memorized twelve thousand spurious traditions.

At this point one of those present said that a traditionist had come to Delhi. He was saying that some of the traditions contained in the Mishkat and Hidaya were of a spurious nature.

The Venerable Master said: If, in the commentary found at the beginning of each chapter of the Quran, there is a tradition saying that whoever reads the chapter will obtain such and such, then all such traditions are spurious. Afterwards he added: The spurious nature of traditions can also be ascertained from the effects attributed to the recital of the particular chapter: not one of them will be obtained! For example, above one chapter it is written that whoever recites this chapter will have a thousand of his needs met, yet no one is fulfilled. From this contradiction it is clear that the tradition is spurious-but God knows best!10

A discussion about the remedy for hardness of heart arose. He said: The treatment for hardness of heart is to contemplate graveyards. It is said that, in the Prophet's assembly, an Arab once arrived and bewailed his hard-heartedness. The Prophet said to him: 'Look at a graveyard!' Thus, all suffering from this ailment should do just that, but so as to derive profit, nor like others who are simply like animals. He recited this couplet:

Whoever has no affection for Your face and greatness Is a beast, lurking in human form.

Moreover, he will also abandon sin, for hardness of heart is a cause of sin. Afterwards, concerning the signs of softness of heart, he said: Weeping is a sign of softness of heart. An- other is finding delight in worship. Yet another is to pay attention to any sermon or piece of advice from another, finding a place for it in his heart and putting it into execution. Another is showing kindness to people, while one more is fear of sin. These are all signs of softness of heart.11

Sayyid Auhaduddin, the son of the sister of the Great Sheikh, Najibuddin Firdausi, was present. He said: If a person gives food in honor of the soul of some deceased person is it better than giving money? The Venerable Master replied: It is better to give money, for this has wider usage. A poor man has many personal needs which can all be met be dirhams and dinars.13 So, when somebody gives money, then he can use it to buy what he pleases. On the contrary, if you give food, it could so happen that the person was full and unable

to eat. Moreover, silver and gold are the delight, aim and desire of one's carnal soul. When money is separated from one- self there is a pinching effect on the soul. 13 This results in an. upset carnal soul. Thus, saintly people have thrown themselves into bodily worship to exercise austerity and self-control but have not enjoyed any divine illumination. Finally, they were exhausted. They said: 'Now we will begin to throw away our goods. Then they began to experience divine Favours.

Catch hold of the Sufi garb; bring the cup of wine: A good name and intoxication cannot hang together.

One of those present in the honored assembly enquired: Where does today's practice of making petition come from? The Venerable Master replied: It has not come to my attention in any reliable book, but there is a story which says that, in a certain city. there was a woman called Maryam. Her son disappeared. He was imprisoned in the royal dungeon. His mother was continually wailing and weeping at the loss of her son. There was a saintly man in the city. The woman went along to see him and explained her predicament. By chance it was the month of Rajab.¹ the saintly man said: 'In two or three days it will be the fifteenth of the month of Rajab. Observe a fast on that day and pray. That prayer is called a prayer of petition. Say it. The woman did as she was bidden for the sake of her lost son. By chance, at the very time the woman finished her prayer there was an immediate response. In the city where her son lay in the royal dungeon the king released him at that very hour. He thus regained his liberty. A few days later he reached home. His mother asked him what had happen- ed. He narrated the story to her. His mother asked him the exact time he had been released. He told her that it happened on the fifteenth of Rajab and mentioned the time of day. His mother informed him that she had finished praying for him at that very hour.

Afterwards he said: It is called 'Maryam's Day' for the reason given in the story, but I have not come across this in any reliable book or collection of traditions, nor have the sheikhs who composed prayer manuals included this prayer in their collection. Another point is that, among all the works of the sheikhs, Qut-ul-Quloob (Nourishment for Hearts) is very trustworthy. All the sheikhs have confidence in it. It is acceptable to all. Its author is Khwaja Abu Talib Makki, one of the second generation of the companions of the Prophet. He was

a saintly and scholarly man, close to the period of the Prophet. That is why everybody has a lot of confidence in him, so that all the sheikhs who write about short prayers refer to the Qut-ul-Quloob, affirming that the particular prayer is recorded in it. If anybody doubts this, he can check for himself. So, here we have a reliable book, Qut-ul-Quloob, but this prayer is not found in it either, nor is it found among the collection of 'Fragrant Prayers, or 'Occasional Prayers.

A discussion about the 'Night of Ascent' arose: on which night did it occur? The Venerable Master said: The 'Night of Ascent' is on the night of the twenty-seventh of this month. One of those present said: This has been disputed. Some say it is not the night of the twenty-seventh but some other night. He said: Although it has been disputed, nevertheless that is the most widely accepted date. It is similar to the dispute concerning the 'Night of Power'. Some say it is the twenty-first, some the twenty-third, some the twenty-fifth. some the twenty-seventh and some the twenty-ninth, but the common opinion is the twenty-seventh. This opinion has gained wide acceptance.

Your palate, mouth, lips and teeth Are luxuries-until they are put to use!

A discussion about spurious traditions arose. He said: Handling traditions is an extremely difficult task. Seven cen- turies have elapsed during which the traditions of the Apostle have come down to us. The Apostle himself has said it is a challenging task. If somebody narrates today what happened yesterday many discrepancies will appear in the narrative. Just imagine what it must be like when seven centuries have elapsed and, in this field, so many different canonical forms have appeared. Who knows, perhaps somebody, in order to bolster his own opinion, might have said: 'The Apostle said such and such. His speech and its meaning were of this nature. They add to the speech of the Apostle to such an extent that Imam Yusuf Qazi could relate that he had memorized twelve thousand spurious traditions.

At this point one of those present said that a traditionist had come to Delhi. He was saying that some of the traditions contained in the Mishkat and Hidaya were of a spurious nature.

The Venerable Master said: If, in the commentary found at the beginning of each chapter of the Quran, there is a tradition saying that whoever reads the chapter will obtain such and such, then all such traditions are spurious. Afterwards he added: The spurious nature of traditions can also be ascertained from the effects attributed to the recital of the particular chapter: not one of them will be obtained! For example, above one chapter it is written that whoever recites this chapter will have a thousand of his needs met, yet no one is fulfilled. From this contradiction it is clear that the tradition is spurious-but God knows best!10

A discussion about the remedy for hardness of heart arose. He said: The treatment for hardness of heart is to contemplate graveyards. It is said that, in the Prophet's assembly, an Arab once arrived and bewailed his hard-heartedness. The Prophet said to him: 'Look at a graveyard!' Thus, all suffering from this ailment should do just that, but so as to derive profit, nor like others who are simply like animals. He recited this couplet:

Whoever has no affection for Your face and greatness Is a beast, lurking in human form.

Moreover, he will also abandon sin, for hardness of heart is a cause of sin. Afterwards, concerning the signs of softness of heart, he said: Weeping is a sign of softness of heart. An- other is finding delight in worship. Yet another is to pay attention to any sermon or piece of advice from another, finding a place for it in his heart and putting it into execution. Another is showing kindness to people, while one more is fear of sin. These are all signs of softness of heart.11

Sayyid Auhaduddin, the son of the sister of the Great Sheikh, Najibuddin Firdausi, was present. He said: If a person gives food in honor of the soul of some deceased person is it better than giving money? The Venerable Master replied: It is better to give money, for this has wider usage. A poor man has many personal needs which can all be met be dirhams and dinars.13 So, when somebody gives money, then he can use it to buy what he pleases. On the contrary, if you give food, it could so happen that the person was full and unable

to eat. Moreover, silver and gold are the delight, aim and desire of one's carnal soul. When money is separated from one- self there is a pinching effect on the soul. 13 This results in an. upset carnal soul. Thus, saintly people have thrown themselves into bodily worship to exercise austerity and self-control but have not enjoyed any divine illumination. Finally, they were exhausted. They said: 'Now we will begin to throw away our goods. Then they began to experience divine Favours.

Catch hold of the Sufi garb; bring the cup of wine: A good name and intoxication cannot hang together.