Khwaja Muin-ud-Din Chishti (R.A) - Sufism Biographies

The Chisti Order, probably the most widespread and influential of the
Sufi Orders in the sub-continent of India, was introduced into India
by Khwaja Muin-ud-Din Chishti, popularly known as Hazrat Gharib Nawaz
which means the Helper of the poor. He was bornin about 1142 in
Seistan in Central Asia, and was descended from both Imam Hasan (A.S)
and Imam Husayn (A.S). He studied the traditional Islamic sciences of
the Holy Quran and the recorded actions and sayings of the Holy
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the universities of Bukhara and Samarkand.
However, his yearning for the inner knowledgeof self-unfoldment led
him to become the close follower of Khwaja Uthman Herwani, a Chishti
Sufi master from the Nishapur region of Khurasan in Persia. He served
this spiritual master devotedly for twenty years, accompanying him on
many travels throughoutCentral Asia and Arabia. After going on the
pilgrimage to Mecca, and visiting the tomb of Holy Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) in Medina, he was asked to establish Islam in India. After
spending forty days in the spiritual retreat next to the tomb of
Shaykh Ali-al-Hujwiri, popularly known as Hazrat Date Ganj Bakhsh (d.
about 1075) in Lahore, Shaykh Chishti made his way to India.
Hazrat Gharib Nawab was nearing fifty when he reached India. After his
stay in Lahore, he travelled via Multan and Delhi until he arrived in
Ajmer in Rajasthan which he made his base. Here he is said to have
married twice and both of them gave him children. In Ajmer he devoted
most of his timeto guiding serious seekers of self-knowledge, and to
dispelling the ignorance of the orthodox Muslims by awakening a higher
consciousness of the reality of Islam in them. He also inspired many
Hindus to purify their own devotional practices, and there is nodoubt
that many people's hearts turned to Islam because of the example which
he himself set. Some historical accounts state that thousand families
accepted Islam at his hand.
Shaykh Muin-ud-Din Chishti died in 1236. His teaching was quite simple
and basic, and he preached in a manner that was universal ratherthan
purely dogmatic. He taught that the highest form of devotionwas
nothing other than 'feeding the hungry, providing clothes for thenaked
and helping thosein distress.' He describes the qualities that
endearman to God as being 'river-like generosity, sun-like affection
and earth-like hospitality'.
The proof of the universality of Hazrat Gharib Nawaz's message and his
role as a teacher is that today, as throughout all the centuries since
his death, his tomb in Ajmer is visited by innumerableMuslims and
countless thousands of Hindus who acknowledge his high spiritual
station. Every day, all the year round, as in his lifetime, gifts of
food from the more well-off flood into the hands of his descendants,
only to be cooked in giant cauldrons and redistributed to the less
well-off before the end of the day.

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Should they obey the woman who treats people with ruqyah?

My mother used to take a woman who recites Quraan to my grandmother's
home so that she recites on our grandmother. As my grandmother is old,
disabled, and reached the stage of senility although she is not very
old. This woman recites Quraan on my grandmother and sometimes on my
mother. One time while she was reciting she held my mother's head so
my mother started screaming. I did not see this but my mother told me.
Now my mother goes regularly to this woman and she takes my sister and
me with her. When she recites onmy mother, my mother raises her hands
like if she wants to hit someone, her nails comeout and she starts
sayingthreatening statements and slanders the Quraan.
This woman told us that she is possessed by a devil, and that our
mother is under spell. She also told us that the devil wants her to
become disabled like mygrandmother and lose her mind as well. She
advised us to read surat al-baqarah everyday andto recite Quraan
always at home. She also gave us olive oil, jujube, honey, black seeds
and pressed dates, and advised us to use them always. She also advised
us to spread water with salt and rose water at home alternatively on
daily basis.
The question:
Is it permissible for us to use those things she gave us? Is what we
do considered shirk?.
Praise be to Allaah.
We ask Allaah to grant your mother quick and full healing by His Leave
and to decree for her and you reward, patience and steadfastness.
We do not see anything in your question that would make us say that
you should not go to that woman who treats people with ruqyah. It says
in the question that she does ruqyah by reciting Qur'aan, and sheuses
blessed oil (i.e., olive oil) and 'ajwah dates which protect against
poison and spellsby Allaah's Leave, and the fragrance of rose water
which gives one strength to resist witchcraft and hasad (destructive
envy); some of them also use 'ood (aloeswood) and bukhoor (incense) to
achieve the same purpose. All of these are things that are acceptable
in sharee'ah in sha Allaah.
But what we see here is the use of salt which is sprinkled in the
house, and we are afraid that this idea may have been picked up by
some of those who do ruqyah from the myth or belief of the common folk
that salt wards off the evil eye and so on.
We asked some of those who do ruqyah about that and he said that
salthas no such effect, even though some people useit.
What we advise you to do is to be fully aware ofwhat words and
recitations she uses in her ruqyah, and if she uses anything other
thanthe Islamically acceptable words such as dhikrs, du'aa's and
verses, such as things that cannot be understood, or you haveany
doubts about her, then hasten to ask her about what it means, and ask
knowledgeable people about her. Many of those who treat people with
ruqyah pretend to be reciting Qur'aan to fool the listeners, when in
fact they are using sihr (witchcraft) and trickery and using hidden
words which they say or write in order to harm the sickperson so that
he will carry on coming to him and giving him money.

How can we protect ourselves from the harm of the jinn?

I am having a problem with Jinn. I hve been able to perceive Jinn in
diferent ways all my life. I never seemed to be bothered by this until
recently. I saw a Jinn in our apartment in the first days we moved in.
Off and on I would pick up on a little activity from this jinn or even
jinns like doors opening by themselves· seeing it· hearing them ect...
However· things seem tobe changing a lot. Now something is happening
everyday and things which are making me uncomfortable in my home to
the point where I do not want to live here anymore. The Jinn(s) open
doors· shout my name startling me out of sleep· knock over objects·
appear as acat· are messing with mycomputer and phones· I see it's
shadows and even more. It is very freaky. I am really not sure what to
do about this proble. I am hoping moving out of this housewill help
the situation...? But in the mean time I have tried to recite
Al-Baqarah· Al-Iklas· Al-Falaq· An Nas and even play a recording of
the recitation in my house. The activity stops when I do so but as
soonas I stop the recording the Jinn makes it presence known in
someway or other (most of the time). Sometimes· my recording will be
shut off and my cmputer reset in the middle of the recitation...which
apparently has happened too many times. Jinn even appear to me in
dreams very often. I do not know how to end this situation but I wouls
seriously appreciste answers or suggestions soon.
- unless he is a Prophet."
(Ahkaam al-Qur'aan, 2/195, 196)
Ibn Hazm said:
"The jinn are real, and they are creatures created by Allaah. Among
them are kaafirs and believers. They can see us but we cannot seethem.
They eat, have children and die. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meanings):
'O you assembly of jinn and Mankind!' [al-An'aam 6:130]
'And the jinn, We created aforetime from the smokeless flame of fire'
[al-Hijr 15:27]
'"And of us some are Muslims (who have submitted to Allaah, after
listening to this Qur'aan), and of us someare Al-Qaasitoon
(disbelievers those who have deviated from the Right Path)'. And
whosoever has embraced Islam (i.e. has become a Muslim by submitting
to Allaah), then such have sought the Right Path.
And as for the Qaasitoon (disbelievers who deviated from the Right
Path), they shall be firewood for Hell"'[al-Jinn 72:14-15]
'Verily, he and Qabeeluhu (his soldiers from the jinn or his tribe)
see you from where you cannot see them'[al-A'raaf 7:27]
'Will you then take him (Iblees) and his offspringas protectors and
helpers rather than Me'[al-Kahf 18:50]
'Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish'[al-Rahmaan 55:26]
'Everyone shall taste death'[Aal 'Imraan 3:185]."
(al-Muhallaa, 1/34/35)
Hence what the questioner has seen maybe just her imagination or an
illusion, or it may be jinn appearing in a form other than that with
which Allaah has created them.
Secondly:
With regard to the jinn harming humans, this is proven to happen and
it does happen. Protection against that is attained by reciting
Qur'aan and adhkaar (dhikr) prescribed in sharee'ah.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
"Undoubtedly the jinn can have a harmful effect on humans, and they
could even kill them. They may harm a person by throwing stones at
him, or by trying to terrify him, andother things that are proven in
the Sunnah or indicated by real events. It was reported that the
Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave permission
to one of his Companions to go to his wife during one of the military
campaigns - I think it was the campaign of al-Khandaq - as he was a
young manwho had recently got married. When he reached his house, he
found his wife standing at the door, and he objected to that. She said
to him, 'Go inside,' so he went inside and found a snake curled up on
the bed. He had a spear with him, so he stabbed it with the spearuntil
it died, and at the same instant as the snake died the man also died.
It was not known which of them died first,the snake or the man. When
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) heard of that,
he forbade killing the harmless kinds of snakesthat are found in
houses,apart from those which are maimed or are streaked and
malignant.
This indicates that the jinn may attack humans, and that they may harm
them, as is known from real-life events. There are numerous reports
which indicate that a man may come to a deserted area, and a stone may
be thrown at him, but he does not see anybody, or he may hearvoices or
a rustling sound like the rustling oftrees, and other things that may
make him feel distressed and scared. A jinn may also enter the body of
a human, either because of love or with the intention of harminghim,
or for some other reason. This is indicated in the aayah
(interpretation of the meaning):
'Those who eat Ribaa will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection)
except like the standing of a person beaten by Shaytaan (Satan)
leadinghim to insanity'[al-Baqarah 2:275]
In such cases, the jinn may speak from inside of that person and
address the one who is reading verses from the Qur'aan over him; the
reciter may take a promise from the jinn never to come back, and other
things concerning which there are very many reports which are
widespread among the people.
So the protection which will prevent the evil of the jinn is for a
person to recite that which is narrated in the Sunnah as being
effective in providing protection, such as Aayat al-Kurisy, for if a
person recites Aayat al-Kursiy at night, he will continue to have
protection from Allaah, and no shaytaan will come near him until
morning. And Allaah is the Protector.'"
(Majmoo' Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 1/287-288)
The Sunnah mentions adhkhaar (dhikr) by means of which one maygain
protection from theshayaateen (devils). These include:
Seeking refuge with Allaah from the jinn:
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And if an evil whisper from Shaytaan (Satan) tries to turn you away
(OMuhammad) (from doing good), then seek refuge in Allaah. Verily, He
is the All Hearer, the All Knower"[Fussilat 41:36]
"And if an evil whisper comes to you from Shaytaan (Satan), then seek
refuge with Allaah. Verily, He is All-Hearer, All-Knower"
[al-A'raaf 7:200]
It was narrated from Sulaymaan ibn Sard that two men were trading
insults in the presence ofthe Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon them), until the face of one of them turned red. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, "I know a word
which, if he were to say it, what he is suffering from would go away:
'A'oodhu Billaahi min al-Shaytaan il-rajeem (I seek refuge with Allaah
from the accursed Shaytaan).'"
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3108; Muslim, 2610)
2 - Reciting al-Mi'wadhatayn (the last two Soorahs of the Qur'aan,
al-Falaq and al-Naas).
It was narrated that Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with
him) said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) used to seek refuge withAllaah from the jinn and from the
evil eye until the Mi'wadhatayn were revealed, and when theywere
revealed he startedto recite them and not anything else."
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi,2058; he said it is hasan ghareeb. Also
narrated by al-Nasaa'i, 5494; Ibn Maajah, 3511. The hadeeth was
classed as saheeh by al-Albaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) in
Saheeh al-Jaami', 4905).
3 - Reciting Aayat al-Kursiy
It was narrated that AbuHurayrah said: "The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) put me in charge of
guarding the zakaah of Ramadaan. Someone came to me and started
grabbing handfuls of thefood. I took hold of him and said, 'I will
take you to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him).' He said, 'I will teach you some words by means of which
Allaah will benefityou.' I said, 'What are they?' He said, 'When you
go to your bed, recite this aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
"Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but
He), Al-Hayyul-Qayyoom (the Ever Living, the One Whosustains and
protects all that exists)..." [al-Baqarah 2:255] - until he completed
the aayah. Then Allaah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with
you and no shaytaan (devil) will come near you until morning.' The
Messengerof Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked
me, 'What did your prisoner do last night?' I said, 'O Messenger of
Allaah, he taught me something, and claimed that Allaah would benefit
me by it.' He said, 'What was it?' I said, 'He taught me to recite
Aayat al-Kursiy when I go to bed, and said that no shaytaan would come
near me until morning, and that Allaah would appoint a guard for me
who would stay with me.' TheProphet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said, 'He told you the truth, although he is an inveterate
liar. That was the Shaytaan.'"
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3101)
4 - Reciting Soorat al-Baqarah
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Do not make your houses
like graves, for the Shaytaan runs away from a house in which Soorat
al-Baqarah is recited."(Narrated by Muslim, 780)
5 - The last verses of Soorat al-Baqarah
It was narrated that AbuMas'ood al-Ansaari said: "The Messenger of
Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 'Whoever
recites the last two verses of Soorat al-Baqarah at night, that will
suffice him.'" (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4723; Muslim, 807)
It was narrated from al-Nu'maan ibn Basheer (may Allaah be pleased
with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Allaah inscribed a book two thousand years before He created
the heavens and the earth, from which the last two aayahs of Soorat
al-Baqarah were revealed. If they are recited for three nights, no
shaytaan (devil)will remain in the house).
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi,2882. This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami', 1799).
6 - Reciting "Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah,
lahu'l-mulkwa lahu'l-hamd wa huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadeer (There is
no god except Allaah Alone with no partner or associate; His is the
Sovereignty and His is the praise, andHe is Able to do all things)"
one hundred times.
It was narrated from AbuHurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever says "Laailaaha
ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu'l-mulk wa lahu'l-hamd wa
huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadeer"one hundred times in the day, will have
a reward equivalent to that of freeing ten slaves, one hundred
hasanahs (good deeds) will be recorded for him,and one hundred
sayi'ahs (bad deeds) will be erased from his record, and it will be
protection for him from the Shaytaan for that day, until evening
comes. No one could achieve any better than him except the one who
does more than he did."
(narrated by al-Bukhaari, 31119; Muslim, 2691)
7 - Remembering Allaah often (dhikr)
It was narrated from al-Haarith al-Ash'ari that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah commanded Yahyaa ibn
Zakariyah (peace be upon him) five things to follow and to enjoin upon
the Children of Israel... and he commanded them to remember Allaah, and
the likeness of that is a man who was being pursued by the enemy,
until he reached a strong fortress in which he found protection;
similarly a man cannot find protection from the Shaytaan except by
remembering Allaah..."
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi,2863; he said it is hasan saheeh. The hadeeth
was classed as saheeh byal-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami', 1724)
8 - The adhaan
It was narrated that Suhayl ibn Abi Saalih said: "My father sent me to
Bani Haarithah, and there was with me a slave of ours, or a companion
of ours. Someone called out his name from a garden, and the one who
was with me looked into the garden and did not see anything. I
mentioned that to my father, and hesaid, 'If I had known thatthis was
going to happen to you, I would not have sent you. But if you hear a
voice then make the call for prayer, for I heard Abu Hurayrah(may
Allaah be pleased with him) narrating that the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When the Shaytaan
hears the call to prayer, he runs away fast."'"(Narrated by Muslim,
389).
The word translated here as "runs away fast" may also mean "farting."
9 - Reciting Qur'aan offers protection againstthe Shaytaan
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And when you (Muhammad) recite the Qur'aan, We put between you and
those who believe not in the Hereafter, an invisible veil (or screen
their hearts, so they hear or understand it not)[al-Israa' 17:45]
And Allaah knows best.

Does Iblees have freedom of will? Why is he eager to mislead people?

After a lot of thinking I began to question the Shaytaan's character.
This question might tendto limits, but I was wondering why, if he
knows his final destination is Hell, does he strive to do evil? -As he
is, afterall, one among the Jinns. Humans divert to evil under the
influence of the Shaytaan, but under what influence does the Shaytaan
do evil? Why? -Does he not know, with firm confirmation (as he has
communicated with Allah) that he is fuel for Hell? As he is a Jinn,
doesnot he, like Humans, have the freedom of choice?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Iblees and other jinn, and humans, have free will and freedom of
choice, to obey Allaah or to disobey Him, as Allaahsays
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Then whosoever wills, let him believe; and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve"
[al-Kahf 18:29]
"Verily, We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful"
[al-Insaan 76:3]
Allaah commanded Iblees to prostrate to Adam, but he refused and was
arrogant, and was one of the kaafirs. So Allaah expelled him from His
mercy, and cursed him until the Day of Judgement.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And (remember) when We said to the angels: 'Prostrate yourselves
before Adam.' And they prostrated except Iblees (Satan), he refused
and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allaah)"
[al-Baqarah 2:34]
"So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together.
Except Iblees (Satan) — he refused to be among the prostrators.
(Allaah) said: 'O Iblees (Satan)! What is your reason for not being
among the prostrators?'
[Iblees (Satan)] said: 'I am not the one to prostrate myself to a
human being, whom You created from dried (sounding) clay of altered
mud.'
(Allaah) said: 'Then, get out from here, for verily,you are Rajeem (an
outcast or a cursed one).
And verily, the curse shall be upon you till theDay of Recompense
(i.e. the Day of Resurrection)."
[al-Hijr 15:30-35]
Then Iblees asked for a respite until the Day of Resurrection, and
Allaah granted him that.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"[Iblees (Satan)] said: 'O my Lord! Give me then respite till the Day
they (the dead) will be resurrected.'
Allaah said: 'Then verily, you are of those reprieved,
Till the Day of the time appointed'"
[al-Hijr 15:36-38]
When Iblees was certain that he is one of those who are doomed, as
well as his being arrogant and being ungrateful to his Lord, he
resolved to mislead whomever he could of the slaves of Allaah, so that
they would be with him in Hell.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"[Iblees (Satan)] said: 'O my Lord! Because You misled me, I shall
indeed adorn the path of error for them (mankind) on the earth, and I
shall mislead them all.
Except Your chosen, (guided) slaves among them.'"
[al-Hijr 15:39, 40]
He is eager to mislead and corrupt, so as to increase the numbers of
his followers and worshippers among the doomed who will share his
fate.
Iblees knows that his destination is the Fire, and he hopes to take
everyone else with him to Hell, out of envy, hatred, kufr and
stubbornness.
He hates mankind, who are the children of Adam(peace be upon him), and
he is hostile towardsthem because he is cursed and has been banished
from the mercyof Allaah because of his refusal to prostrate to their
father Adam. Hence Allaah has warnedHis slaves against him and has
said:
"Surely, Shaytaan (Satan) is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as
an enemy. He only invites his Hizb (followers) that they may become
the dwellers of the blazing Fire"
[Faatir 35:6]
Iblees does not need anyone to whisper to him, because he is the
source of all evil.
The believer can be saved from his plots and traps by obeying his Lord
and adhering to Hisreligion, for the Shaytaan has no power over those
who believe, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"So when you want to recite the Qur'aan, seek refuge with Allaah from
Shaytaan (Satan), the outcast (the cursed one).
Verily, he has no power over those who believe and put their trust
only in their Lord (Allaah).
His power is only over those who obey and follow him (Satan), and
those who join partners with Him (Allaah, i.e. those who are
Mushrikoon, i.e., polytheists)"
[al-Nahl 16:98-100]
And Allaah knows best.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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