NAMÁZ IN SOLITUDE VERSUS NAMÁZ WITH JAMÁʹAT – Hadhrat Maseehul Ummat رحمه الله

NAMÁZ IN SOLITUDE VERSUS NAMÁZ WITH JAMÁʹAT

Extracted from Majlis of Hadhrat Maseehul Ummat رحمه الله

Some people do not perform namáz with jamáʹat

in order to have greater khushúʹ. They say, ʺWe have experienced it

many times that we do not have as much khushúʹ in our namáz when

performed with jamáʹat as when we perform the namáz in solitude at

home.ʺ That is why they perform their namáz at home (and not in the

masjid with jamáʹat).

O bondsmen of Alláh! O jáhil! That namáz – with its

attendant wasáwis – that is performed in the masjid with jamáʹat is

thousands of times superior to that namáz performed in solitude at

home with full khushúʹ. That person who goes to the masjid to

perform his namáz is the bondsman of the sharíʹat – that is, he is

subservient. Whereas you, the one who is performing his namáz at

home, are a bondsman of your temperament. And the bondsman of

the temperament is termed a mushrik; and the bondsman of the

sharíʹat is called a bondsman of Alláh.

So, just see: he considers himself to be mukhlis (sincere)

whereas the sharíʹat considers him to be a mushrik, this being

mushrik‐amalí (and not iʹtiqádí).

Qissah – the Sháhsáhib of Patyálah

A sháhsáhib, a resident of Patyálah, once came here. He had a

thousand muríds. I was still staying over there.

[Hadhratjí هيلع للها ةحمر pointed to the house across the courtyard from the

majliskhánah.

He stayed for several days and discussions on the masáʹil of

sulúk took place regularly. He had also mentioned that he had met a

number of masháʹikh before coming here.

One day we were sitting and having a discussion. The azán

for Asr was given. I stood up and went to perform my namáz in the

masjid. He did not go. After performing namáz I came and sat by him

and asked him, ʺDid you not go to the masjid to perform namáz?ʺ He

replied, ʺI performed my namáz here.ʺ I asked, ʺWhy?ʺ He replied,

ʺAt the time I was in such a spiritual state that, had I stood up, that

state would not have remained with me.ʺ

I said to him, ʺThere are three states: Hálate‐gaibat (oblivion),

hálate‐istigráq (absorption) and hálate‐sukr (spiritual intoxication).

So, were you in such a state of gaibat that you neither heard the azán

nor were you aware of people going for namáz and that I was going

for namáz? Were you so engrossed?ʺ

He replied, ʺNo. I was not in such a state but I was fully

cognisant – I heard the azán and I was also aware of your going for

namáz.ʺ

This poor fellow was ignorant. That is why it is fardh to attain

knowledge of the sharíʹat to the degree of necessity. Without

acquiring this degree of knowledge it was not permissible for him to

become a sheikh. How can that person who is ignorant of the sharíʹat

be a sheikh?

Now, it does not matter whether one acquires this ’ilm by

studying the detailed Arabic kitábs; or one acquires this ’ilm by

studying authentic Urdu kitábs; or whether one acquires this ’ilm by

regularly asking some ʹálim; or one acquires this ’ilm by regular

attendance at the majális of an ʹálim and listening attentively.

However, definitely acquire ’ilm.