The majority of Hafiz Ibn Rajab’s books are full of mention of the Sufi shaykhs, and their words and condition. We shall suffice here with several quotations from his excellent book Al-Dhayl ‘ala Tabaqat al-Hanabilah. All of those who he mentions and who we shall mention are Hanbali predecessors, or from those to whom the shaykhs of the Salafi movement attribute themselves. By this, the purpose will be achieved in the best way, insha-Allah, and it is He Most High upon Whom trust is...
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Shaykh al-Islam Mawlana Husayn Ahmad Madani (may Allah enlighten his resting place) has also stressed in his letters that the original purpose of Suluk is ihsan. In one epistle he writes, "My respected one. The original purpose of Suluk is ihsan -- 'that you worship Allah as if you are seeing him' (Al-Hadith). In other words an ingrained ability should develop in the salik and this should be at the beginning. As to the end, then that...
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A collection of letters between three leading 'ulama detailing the need and importance of establishing gatherings of dhikr in madrasahs. Consisting of letters between the Grand Mufti of Pakistan Mufti Muhammad Shafi', Shaykh al-Hadith Mawlana Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhlawi and Muhaddith al-'Asr Mawlana Sayyid Muhammad Yusuf Binnori (may Allah enlighten their graves).
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Question: To my sayyid, my mawla (may Allah increase your piety), Al-Salam 'alaykum wa rahmat Allah wa barakatuh, Your dear letter arrived on 15 Dhu 'l-Hijjah. I am regretful for not being able to present myself in the service of Maulwi 'Abd al-Rahman. What are the detailed circumstances of the destitute that I may convey to you? The road to here, however, is very dangerous. Do not, at all, take the trouble . This would be very difficult on this lowly one.
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The issue of the permissibility of istighathah/isti 'anah is one that is widely discussed and a bone of contention for many. The elders of Deoband — like their predecessors from the Wali Allah and Mujaddidi tradition — write that there are three meanings of isti'anah.
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The article below was published in Roshni, a religious supplement published each Friday with the Saudi-based Urdu News newspaper, in clarification of a column published a few weeks earlier, discussing a story about a man who was told on his death bed that he had been forgiven due to his devotion to sending Blessings and Peace (Salat wa Salam) to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) each morning.
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Living in the vicinity of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, Mawlana Mufti ‘Ashiq Ilahi al-Bulandshehri (1925-1999)—a respected and acclaimed student of the North Indian hadith master Shaykh al-Hadith Mawlana Muhammad Zakariyya al-Kandhalawi—was a prolific writer, a Hanafi mufti, and a hadith scholar of great magnitude.
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