WASIYET BY Hadhrat Maseehullah (Rahmatullahi Alayhi)

[The wasiyet that Hadhrat Maseehullah (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) gave on 17/10/92, just about 25 days before Hadrahratji passed away]

[Hadhratji (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) said:] I can hardly muster enough courage to stir my tongue, weakness having sapped my strength to this extent. It is with great difficulty that I speak. Even then, a few points need stating. Listen attentively.

**Take care to perform good deeds with istiqamat, always with good character and good speech. Also, take care to take it upon yourself to perform namaz, keep roza, and perform what is sunnah and mustahab, taking into account your health and ease of performance. In the same way zikr and tilawat should continue, taking into account opportunity and ease of performance.

**Take care to continue in your studying of kitabs. This is very necessary. Hadhratwala’s (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) “Shariat and Tariqat” and Imam Ghazali’s (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) Arabic “Tabliqh-ad-Din” (the Urdu translation), one should make obligatory on oneself to read. Hadhratwala (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) used to prescribe these kitabs to great, great ulema, with much emphasis.

**Also, Hadhratwala’s (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) commentary “Bayan-al-Qur’an” should be studied.

**Avoid all sinful deeds, to the extent of refraining from anything doubtful, as it appears in Bukhari sharif:
What is halal is obvious, and what is haram is also obvious, and between the two is what is doubtful.

**You should be very desirous of attaining the akhlaqe hamidah and you should remove the akhlaqe razilah and develop a sense of distaste for the latter.

**The effect of this would be that you attain husne kalam (good speech) and husne khulq (good character) and that you maintain these states. The meaning of husne kalam is that words should be decent and cultured (polite/affable), spoken with a soft voice. The meaning of husne khulq is that one should have hilm, which, in our language, we call burdabari (tolerance/ forbearance). Whenever somebody says anything against your temperament, something which offends you, make light of it by using husne-kalam, with burdabari, according to the statement of Allah Ta’ala:
And when they hear vanity they withdraw from it (S.28; A.55)

So, whenever you are in such a situation, put it off honourably. Do not sit at such a place, or involve yourself in that activity, which may be the reason for your being slandered, as it appears in the Hadith sharif.
Abstain from places/occasions of slander.

You have not been told to save yourself from slander, but you are to save yourself from such places and such activities which may cause you to be a target of slander.

[After a pause, Hadhratji (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) continued:]
**My guide and mentor, Hadhrat Hakimul Ummat, Mujaddide-Millat (Rahmatullahi Alayhi), used to say, “There are two words; one is ‘Dhiyan’, the other ‘Dhun’, to take note of. “‘Dhiyan’ is that, at all times, sitting, standing, walking about, the thought of Allah Ta’ala should be in you. “‘Dhun’ is that tazkiyah nafs (the purification of the nafs) should at all times be an obsession.” These two words are most onerous. Continuously act on them.

**Do not involve yourself in the affairs of others. Keep yourself aloof from the affairs of others. (To intrude into the affairs of others) is contrary to the honour and dignity (shan) of mashikhiyet.

**Abundance of zikr should be recited in such a way that the tongue makes zikr with every breath and the heart is grateful to Allah Ta’ala (shakir) for the tawfiq for zikr and obedience.

**Keep dealings (mu’amalah) and transactions completely correct, clear and clean.

Enough! These are a few words, by way of wasiyet, which I wish to mention. Despite the fact that I do not have enough courage and strength to muster, then too, by the fadhl of Allah Ta’ala, this wasiyet has been made.

[The following morning, after the fajr namaz, Hadhratji (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) repeated:]

**Good deeds should be performed continuously, with istiqamat, with husne- kalam and husne-khulq; with soft, polite words, as Bari Ta’ala has stated:
Tell My bondmen to speak that which is kindlier. (S.17; A.53)

With husne kalam and husne khulq, whenever any incident takes place, contrary to your temperament, offending you, pass it off with husne kalam, with soft words, with husne khulq. Bari Ta’ala has stated:
The good deed and the evil deed are not alike. Repel the evil deed with one which is better (S.41; A.34)

** Adopt hilm (forbearance) or let it pass in silence. Bari Ta’ala has stated:
And when they hear vanity they withdraw from it (S.28; A.55)

Husne khulq (good character) is a great thing. Huzur Akram(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) had asked the Sahaba (radi Allahu Anhu): “Shall I show you that thing that is better than a person making ibadat the whole night and keeping rozas every day, for a full year?”
The Sahaba (radi Allahu Anhu) asked, “O Rasulullah (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam), what is that?”
Rasulullah (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said, “Husne khulq. This is a much greater thing.”
Then Rasulullah (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) asked, “Shall I show you something even better than that?”
The Sahaba (R.A.) pondered: “What could be better than that?” They then requested Rasulullah (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) to show them.
Rasulullah (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said, “To have husne khulq with your wife – to treat her with softness.”

This is because one continuously comes across such things contrary to one’s temperament from one’s wife. In the same way approach your relatives and friends, even your enemy, with husne khulq.

In conclusion: This is sufficient – Be punctual with and be drawn towards good deeds, with husne khulq and husne kalam. And refrain from evil deeds, with feelings of distaste for them. And let your tongue be zakir, and your heart be shakir.

Cleansing of the nafs and rectification of the nafs should be an obsession (dhun); and the dhiyan of Allah Ta’ala: What has been outlined is the whole summary, the essence, of Tasawwuf.

This is sufficient. Continually act on it. These are the noble statements of my murshid Hakim-al-Ummat mujaddid-al- millat, Maulana Mohammed Ashraf Ali sahib Thanwi (Rahmatullahi Alayhi)