Short Advices – The Counsel Of Hājī Imdādullāh Muhājir Makkī Rahmatullahi Alayhi – Part 1
Sheikh Hāji Imdādullāh Muhājir was a great ascetic and scrupulous scholar. He was a descendant of Umar (Allah be well pleased with him). Born in North India, he migrated to Makkah after the Indian Mutiny in 1857. His counsel is re-produced hereunder in English to benefit one and all. Allah alone gives success. (A translation by: Sheikh Shazad Khan, As-Suffa Institute, Birmingham)
– You should learn sacred law so that you can fulfill your obligation to your Lord and other human beings.
– You should follow the Qurān and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad [Allah bless you and give you peace] and his Companions [Allah be well pleased with them].
– You should abandon blameworthy traits. They are, greed [ḥirṣ], fallacious hope [ṭūl al-amal], anger [ghaḍab], lying [kidhb], backbiting [ghībah], stinginess [bukhl], envy [ḥasad], ostentation [riyā], pride [kibr] and rancour [ḥiqd].
– You should adopt the praiseworthy traits. They are, patience [ṣabr], gratitude [shukr], contentment [qanā‘ah], knowledge [‘ilm], certitude [yaqīn], entrustment to Allah [tafwīḍ], reliance on Allah [tawakkul], satisfaction with Allah’s decree [riḍā] and accepting fate [taslīm].
– You should be steadfast in following the Sharī‘ah and abstain from all unlawfulness [harām].
– You should adopt taqwā and abstinence.
– You should adopt the sunnah at all times and avoid all prohibited and doubtful items.
– If you sin, you should repent immediately, and should compensate the action with good works and penitence. Never should you delay repentance.
– You should perform all five daily prayers with congregation.
– After performing the fard, wájib, sunnah and nafl works, you should occupy yourself with what the shaykh has prescribed.
– You should not hanker after excess in litanies but rather concentrate on occupying the heart with Allah’s remembrance and love.
– When you feel pleasure in His remembrance you should be grateful.
– All works should be done solely for divine pleasure.
– You should not seek inspiration [kashf] or miracles [karámat].
– When you experience expansion [basṭ] you should adopt gratitude and be mindful of the boundaries of divine law.
– When you experience constriction [qabḍ] you should not despair but continue in ardour.
– You should consider yourself below your works, and regard yourself as blameworthy in their performance.
– You should not disclose the secrets of the esoteric sciences to the unacquainted.
– You should not disclose your own experiences to anyone other than your Shaykh.
– You should shun the world and all that it contains; otherwise a thousand years of spiritual works will be of no avail.
– The heart is a mirror; so protect it from the gleam of other than Him.
– You should constantly seek refuge from the love of prestige and leadership, as it is deception.
– Time is a blessing; use it wisely and do not waste it in forgetfulness, as lost time cannot be compensated.
– You should chivalrously persevere on the path, and detach yourself from the changing of worldly matters.
– Flee from innovators and unorthodox Sufis, even if they perform supernatural acts.
– Intermingle with fellow human beings according to necessity and with good character and humbleness.
– Adopt humility as your necessary character and object to no one.
– Adopt tenderness in your speech and befriend silence and solitude.
– Persevere in your works wholeheartedly.
– Do not let disturbance enter your heart and assign all actions to Allah alone.
– Guard your heart vigorously from the threat of the other.
– Oblige yourself with helping others in matters of religion.
– First rectify your intention and then begin the work.
– Eat moderately; do not exceed so much that you become idle nor so little that you become weak in performing works.
– Adopt moderation in all affairs.
– It is better that you earn your livelihood. Reliance on Allah for sustenance is also permissible provided that you are immune from expectation of created beings.
– Keep your heart pure from attachment to other than Him. Neither fear nor hope from anyone besides Him.
– Yearn for Allah impatiently, longing Him endlessly.
– Be with Allah at all times.
– Be grateful for whatever He bestows you; little or large.
– Do not despair at poverty, but rather consider it your honour that He has privileged you with the station of the prophets and friends of Allah.
– Adopt tenderness and mercy with your colleagues. Pardon their faults and accept their excuses.
– Always abstain from backbiting.
– Overlook the shortcomings of others but not your own.
– Consider everyone better than yourself, and do not quarrel with anyone, even if you are on the truth.
– Your occupation should be serving others and being a host.
– Seek the companionship of the poor and needy, and serve the religious scholars and pious with honour and prestige.
– Consider the existence and absence of things alike.
– Be content with the wealth that you possess.
– Give preference to others over yourself.
– Love hunger and thirst for it is the food of Allah.
– Laugh less and cry more. Fear divine punishment and His disregarding you.
– Remember death profusely, for it cuts ties with other than Him.
– Seek refuge from Hell, for it is the abode of divine separateness. And seek Heaven for it is the abode of divine proximity.
– Account yourself daily after fajr and maghrib prayers by recollecting the events of the day. Thank Him for the good works performed and seek His forgiveness for all sins committed.
– Adopt truthfulness and eating the lawful as your necessary trait.
– Avoid all gatherings of mere amusement and unlawfulness.
– Abstain from all cultural norms of ignorance.
– Love, hate, befriend and bear enmity, for the sake of Allah.
– Do not harm anyone nor have high expectations from them.
– Forever remain modest and avoid excess verbiage.
– Do not worry excessively and adopt a reformative attitude.
– Remain obedient to your Lord, pious and dignified.
– The above are the traits of the pious. Do not be deluded if you attain them nor consider yourself as good.
– Visit the graves of the pious and also the general Muslim public. Donate reward of recitation unto them.
– Adopt etiquette and obey your Shaykh for he is the heir of the Prophet [Allah bless him and give him peace].
– Continuously pray for the Shaykhs of the tariqa for they are your intermediaries to Allah.
