Naqshbandiya Foundation for Islamic Education

The Naqshbandiya Foundation for Islamic Education (NFIE) is a non-profit, tax exempt, religious and educational organization dedicated to serve Islam with a special focus on Tasawwuf(Sufism),

Sunday, November 20, 2016

RABI AL-AWWAL: SIGNIFICANCE AND VIRTUES -  SHAYKH ABDAL HAQQ MUHADDITH DEHLAVI (RA)

 SOURCE: Islamic Months & Year (Ma sabata bil sunnah un amal as sunnah)
Shaykh Abdal Haqq Muhaddith Dehlavi (R.A)

Rabi al-Awwal:

Blessed Birth of Prophet (saws)

1. Year of Prosperity & Joy-
Dear Friends! Allah Taala guide you with light of Certainty (Nur al-Yaqeen) and illuminate your heart with remembrance of His beloved Prophet (saws), blessings on the Chosen Prophet (saws), his family & companions. As mentioned in the books of Sirah & Ahadith, Hazrat Amina (r) witnessed unusual & strange events during her pregnancy. Quraysh of Makkah were suffering with severe famine and their land became green with trees bearing fruits after the blessed pregnancy. They became prosperous and
therefore named 570 AD as “The Year of Prosperity & Joy”.
2. Blessed Birth in State of Prostration (Sajjada)
Abu Nuaym has narrated from Abdullah ibn Abbas (r) “Hazrat Amina, the mother of Prophet (saws) dreamed that someone said to her “You have conceived the best of humankind and master of the worlds, when you give birth to him, call him Muhammad and tell no one about your situation”. She said: “I saw a flock of birds that had come without my noticing from whence they came, until they covered my chamber. Their beaks were made of emerald and their wings of rubies. The veil was lifted from my sight and at that moment I saw the eastern and western regions of earth. I saw three banners raised a banner in the East, a banner in the West and a banner on the top of the Kaaba.” “I gave birth to Muhammad (saws); when he came out of my belly I turned and looked at him, and lo and behold, I saw him prostrating himself with his Shahadah Finger raised like one who was pleading and supplicating. Then I saw a white cloud that had come from the sky, came down until it covered him and he was concealed from my sight; I heard a voice call out “ Take Muhammad (saws) around the East and West of the world; take him into all of the oceans, so that they will know his name, his description, and his form and they will know that he is called al-Mahi, the Effacer, because there is no polytheism but it will be effaced by him in his time.”
3. Last of the Prophets (Khatim al-Nabiyeen)
Imam Ahmad,Bazar,Tibrani,Hakim and Allama Bayhaqi has narrated from Arbaz bin Sariya that Prophet (saws) said “ I am servant of Allah and last of the Prophets. I was Prophet when Adam was between water and mud and I will inform you of all events shortly. I am answer to the supplication of my father Hazrat Ibrahim, glad tiding of Hazrat Isa and I am dream of my mother which she saw. The mothers of Prophets see dreams about prophecy of their sons. The mother of Messenger of Allah (saws) saw a light emanating from her belly that reached to the castles of Syria. Hazrat Abbas bin Muttalib said about this
light in his poetry “Oh.Rasul! The earth became illuminated on your blessed birth and skies became bright with your light and we tread the path of guidance with your light.”   
4. Seal of the Prophethood (Muhr e Nabawwut)   
Hazrat Aisha Siddiqa (r) stated that a Jewish Resident of Makkah addressed the Quraysh on the day of the blessed birth of Prophet (saws): “Oh! People of Quraysh! Did you have a birth of a son in your family? Then he said “The Prophet of Ummah will be born this night and there will be a seal of Prophethood between his shoulders as a sign of Prophecy. Quraysh found out that Abdullah bin Abdal Muttalib had a son. He took few persons with him to visit Hazrat Amina and wished to see the seal. He fainted after witnessing the seal and then stated “ Oh.People of Quraysh ! Listen, Prophecy has finished in the house of Bani Israel. Now you will become prominent & dominant in the world through this Prophet(saws) and his message will spread from East to the West.” Yaqub bin Sufyan has written this tradition with hasan isnad and is also included in Fath al-Bari.
5. Date and Time of the Blessed Birth
There is difference of opinion about date and time of birth however 12th Rabi al-Awwal is most popular opinion. The People of Makkah visit the birth place of Prophet (saws) on this day and this tradition is practiced even today. Taibi states, there is a concensus amongst Muslims that Prophet (saws) was born on this date. I (Abdul Haq) agree with Taibi. It is popularly believed that day of birth was Monday Morning. Qatada Ansari states that Prophet (saws) used to fast on Mondays and when he was asked about this, he said “This is the day I was born and this is the day, I was given Prophethood”. (Sahih Muslim)
6. Superiority of Night of Mawlid
The night of Mawlid is superior to the night of Destiny (laylat al-qadar). The night of Mawlid is the night of Prophet’s coming to this world and Night of Power was given to him, that which was honored by the very existence of one for whose sake it is honored, is more honorable than that which is honored by reason of what was given to him.
Thuwayba, the slave girl of Abu Lahab gave the glad news of the blessed birth of Prophet (saws) and therefore he freed her out of delight. When Abu Lahab died, one of his relatives saw him in dream. He said to him,” What happened to you?”. Abu Lahab replied I am suffering in hell however on Mondays, there is some relief and then he pointed to his two fingers, by signaling which, he freed Thuwayba. I am able to drink water with these two fingers. Ibn al-Jauzi has written that  if Abu Lahab, the unbeliever whose condemnation was revealed in the Quran, was rewarded in hell for his joy on the night of Prophet’s Birth (saws), what is the case of Muslims who delight in his birth and spend all that they can afford or love of him? By my life, his reward from the Allah Taala can only be that He graciously causes him to enter the gardens of bliss. The Muslims have always celebrated Mawlid un Nabi (saws) during the month of Rabi al-Awwal. They prepare food, give charity to poor, distribute gifts and express happiness. They spend generously, recite Quran and decorate their homes. Allah Taala continues to shower His blessing & baraka on them. The Muslims who celebrate Mawlid-un-Nabi (saws) remain in Allah’s Security and their needs are fulfilled.  Allah Taala sends His mercy on the person who celebrates Eid on the night of Mawlid un Nabi (saws). May Allah Taala reward us for our sincere intensions and enable us to follow the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet (saws). Allah is enough for us and He is the Best Helper.      
                                                                          Shaykh Abdal Haqq  Muhaddith Dehlavi (r.a)
Shaykh Abdal Haqq Muhaddith Dehlvi (958-1052A.H), one of the leading Islamic scholars of the 11th century. An epoch-making personage well-versed in the sciences of Islam and practices of Sufism (Tasawwuf), Shaykh Dehlvi rendered historical contributions to the revival and renewal of faith as well as spiritual guidance of the Indian Muslims. It would be no exaggeration to state that from the early 11th century till the late 13th century, almost all remarkable works and researches on the classical Islamic sciences in India were a result of rigorous intellectual efforts and endeavors made by him.
Shaykh Muhaddith Dehlvi, whom many eminent historians consider “the pioneer of the Islamic literature in Indian subcontinent”, greatly excelled in the sciences of the Rivayat and Dirayat (narration and critical appreciation) and al-Jarh wat-Ta’deel (criticism and praise) of the Hadiths. He was the son of Shaykh Saifuddin Turk Bukhari and spiritual devotee (Mureed) of Hazrat Syed Musa Gilani Quadri. Shaykh Dehlvi undertook the Hajj, pilgrimage to Makkah in 996H and remained there for a couple of years to learn from the then spiritually-inclined Ulema of Haramain Shareefain (Makkah and Madina). He spent most of his time in the Hijaz with Shaykh Muttaqi who spiritually mentored him. Thus, he excelled in the Islamic sciences and the practices of Sufism under the patronage of the early Sufis of the Hijaz.
Shaykh Muhaddith Dehlvi was not merely a Sufi practitioner but also an authoritative Islamic scholar, prolific writer, commentator of the Qur’an and a profound critic of the Hadith narrations. He wrote 116 books on faith, Islamic sciences and spirituality. Among his widely circulated and greatly acclaimed works on Islamic sciences and particularly Sufism are: “Ash’at al-Lam’at (a scholarly critical commentary on the Hadiths of the Mishkat), “Tareekh al-Madina” (classical work on Islamic history), “Madarij an-Nabuwat” (a seminal work on the Sirah, Prophethood and its attributes), “Akhbar ul Akhyar” (an incredibly comprehensive contribution to documenting the history of South Asian Sufism), “Zad ul Muttaqeen fi Suluk Tariq al Yaqeen” (the spiritual teachings of Shaykh Ali Muttaqi and his disciple Shaykh Abdul Wahhab bin Waliullah Muttaqi, both are Indian Sufis who migrated to Makkah) and “Takmeel ul Iman” (a book candidly explaining the crucial Islamic doctrines in particular and the concepts of Ilm ul Kalam or science of theological discourse in general).
In his writings, Shaykh Dehlvi often dwelled on the comparison between “knowledge of philosophy” and “understanding of faith” while explaining the rational concepts of Ilm ul Kalam at the same time. This helped many to take deep scholarly insights into the Sufi doctrines. He also gave paramount importance to reconciliation between the Qur’anic injunctions and Sufism precepts.
Shaykh Dehlvi also translated into Persian numerous gems of Islamic and Sufi literature. For instance, he rendered into Persian the historical document of Sufi discourses “Futuh al Ghaib” (knowledge of the unseen) delivered by Shaikh Muhiyuddin Abdul Qadir Jilani, who established the Qadriya Sufi order.

Shaykh Abdal Haqq Muhaddith Dehlvi met his lord on the 21st of Rabi-ul-Awal, 1052 AH (1642 C.E) at the age of 94. It was the era of Shahjahan’s rule in India. His shrine is situated in the famous area of Mehrauli in Delhi. The main mausoleum is in the center and is surrounded by the tombs of many Sufi Masters buried there.

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