Advice for the Muslim

Uwâisîs. There was faid in the suhbas of as-Sahâbat al-kirâm, too,
but one suhba was not sufficient and many suhbas were
necessary. The suhbas of the awliyâ’ who came after [as-Sahâbat
al-kirâm] could only be effective when accompanied with
undertaking riyâda.
“Allâhu ta’âlâ has created in men the capability of approaching
and knowing Him. This ability varies with the individual.
“After performing fards and wâjibs and abstaining from
harâms and mushtabihât, the dhikr is the most effective
supererogatory (nâfila) ’ibâdât. One should always perform the
dhikr of Allâhu ta’âlâ. A hadîth sharîf says, ‘What the people of
Paradise regret most is the time spent without the dhikr of
Allâhu ta’âlâ in the world.’ Allâhu ta’âlâ cannot be approached
by performing supererogatory ’ibâdât and reciting the Qur’ân
al-karîm before fanâ’ an-nafs is attained. No progress can be
made with them unless the bâtin is purified. The bâtin can be
purified by the dhikr of Allah. The Hadîth ash-sharîf declares,
‘The best dhikr is Lâ ilâha illa ’llâh.’ Therefore, one should
always repeat this kalimat at-tawhîd in one’s free time. And in
his remaining spare time, one should meet and attend the suhba
of the people who always think of the next world and are sâlih.
If one cannot find pious company, one should not make friends
with renegades, bid’a-followers or fâsiqs (those who commit
harâms), but read books written by the sâlih. One should not
converse with those who are ignorant of Islam, those who have
set their hearts on the world and who are lâ-madhhabî.
Conversation with such people is detrimental to one’s bâtin
(heart, soul). Attending the suhba of awliyâ’ is more useful than
the dhikr and other supererogatory ’ibâdât. As-Sahâbat alkirâm
(radî-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anhum) used to say, ‘Would you stay
with me for sometime so that I may refresh my îmân,’ when
they saw one another. Jalâl ad-dîn Rûmî (rahmat-Allâhi ’alaih)
said:
‘Little time spent in the presence of awliyâ’
Is more helpful than a century with taqwâ!’
Khwâja ’Ubaid-Allâh al-Ahrâr (rahmat-Allâhi ’alaih) said:
‘Nâfila salât can be performed any time,
But our suhba will not be found again!’
– 256 –