Documents of the Right Word

SECOND VOLUME, 36th LETTER
One does not need anyone’s permission for doing with the
intention of earning thawâb those practices which our Prophet
described and did himself and yet which are not exclusive to him
(as the Prophet). Rasûlullah’s having done them is already a
permission and a document, too, to prove that they are
permissible practices. On the other hand, effectiveness of some
special practices, dhikrs, benedictions and amulets, which are
intended to attain certain wishes or to elude certain hardships, is
liable to a special permission on the part of one’s Master and
Murshid.
After Rasûlullah’s death, some people saw him and talked to
him, wide awake as they were. His blessed body never leaves his
grave. His blessed grave is never left empty. Greater ones of this
Ummat have also been seen in various countries at the same time.
For example, Shâh-i-naqshbend Muhammad Bahâ-ud-dîn [1]
reportedly has been present at seven different places at the same
time of Iftâr and joined the meal called Iftâr at each of these seven
places. These appearings are spiritual. The soul reveals itself in
physical form. Prophets are alive in their graves. However, the life
they lead is not worldly life. They have left the world and entered
the Hereafter. They perform namâz in their graves. Transition
from this world to the world to come is termed mawt (death). The
situation martyrs are in is even better. Their life in the Hereafter is
more powerful. Whereas (dead) Prophets are called emwât (dead)
in Qur’ân al-kerîm, an âyat purports about martyrs: “Do not say
‘emwât’ about those who have been killed in the way of Allah!
They are alive. Yet you do not know.”
The thawâb for alms given [or for âyats of Qur’ân al-kerîm
recited] should first be sent as a gift to the blessed soul of our
Prophet and then sent to the souls of dead Muslims. Pious deeds
are more likely to be accepted if this procedure is followed.
However, doing so is not a condition stipulated for the
acceptability of alms. It will be good also to send the thawâb as a
gift to the souls of all Believers. Each and every Believer will
receive all the thawâb (earned for the pious deed performed, e.g.
the alms given). This will by no means detract from the thawâb
which the dead person for whom the pious deed is intended will
receive.
[1] Shâh-i-naqshbend passed away in 791 [A.D. 1389].
– 414 –