HAALAAT AND MAQAAMAAT
(Haalaat literally means conditions/states, and Maqaamaat means stages/stations/places. In Tasawwuf these terms have particular meanings which Hadhrat Thanvi explains in this Malfooth.)
Imperfect spiritual states – spiritual conditions in which one has not yet gained fortitude and steadfastness – are called Haalaat. When these states become grounded and firm then in Tasawwuf they are called Maqaamaat. However, people (i.e. crank and quack ‘sufis’ – the people of bid’ah) have fabricated baseless meanings for these terms. The meaning is simply this that Haalaat (spiritual states) are called Maqaamaat when they become grounded.
ROOHAANI (SPIRITUAL) AND NAFSAANI (EMOTIONAL) HAALAAT (STATES)
The Saalikeen (Mureeds pursuing the path of moral reformation and spiritual progress) experience two kinds of conditions: Roohaani and Nafsaani. The Roohaani conditions are such attributes which remain with the soul even after death and separation from the physical body, e.g. tawakkul, sabr, shukr, ikhlaas, sidq, etc. These attributes do not weaken in consequence of the weakness of the physical body. They remain inherent with the soul after separation from the body.
The Nafsaani attributes such as emotion, anger, vengeance, etc., are eliminated after the separation of the soul from the body, and they become weak with the weakening of the physical body. Generally, the Nafsaani Haalaat occur to people of little intelligence. These conditions occur with rarity in people of perfect intelligence. The reason for this is that these haalaat require mental tranquility (i.e. mental inactivity). An intelligent person’s mind is generally not in the state of tranquility. Precisely for this reason did these haalaat not occur to the noblest personalities of the Ummah, viz., the Sahaabah. They were men of the highest level of intellectual perfection.
Furthermore, these Nafsaani Haalaat develop generally during the age of youth. They occur rarely during old age. However, even in the Nafsaani Haalaat there are some such spiritually subtle conditions which occur to even men of perfect intelligence, e.g. crying in profusion which occurred much to the Sahaabah.
Hadhrat Maulana Gangohi (rahmatullah alayh) had a mureed who was maghloobul haal (a person who is overwhelmed by emotional states which are beyond his volitional control). This mureed would laugh very loudly. When some people questioned about his loud laughter (loud laughter is prohibited in the hadith), Hadhrat Gangohi said: “He is maghloobul haal.” Such states do occur to the Saalikeen. Then, they asked Hadhrat Gangohi: “Did you also experience such states at any time?” Hadhrat Gangohi responded: “Was I some moron to experience such a state?”
This response of Hadhrat Gangohi confirms that generally Nafsaani Haalaat occur to persons of little intelligence, and do not as a rule occur to people of intelligence and wisdom. Regarding these Nafsaani conditions Hadhrat Junaid Baghdaadi (rahmatullah alayh) said:
“These are such imaginations by means of which the infants of Tareeqat (Tasawwuf) are nutured.” These emotional states aid the weaklings. However, the Auliya had no care whatsoever for such conditions.
NO GUIDANCE WITHOUT INTENTION
As long as a person has no intention of reforming himself, the teaching and training of a murshid (guide) will be of no benefit nor will anyone’s dua normally be of benefit. Who can be a greater guide and teacher than Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), and whose dua can be more acceptable than Rasulullah’s dua? His uncle, Abu Talib had profound love for him. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) constantly made endeavours in the hope that Abu Talib would accept Imaan. However, since Abu Talib himself had no intention of reforming, all endeavours were of no avail.
MALFOOZAAT PART 4
