Session: 9 July 1959 — Thursday

۹ جولائی ۱۹۵۹ء — پنجشنبہ

Purification of the Self (تزکیہ نفس)

The companions submitted: 'O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) — what do you give us? The Qur'an gives it too, and teaches the correct use of it. And from the word hikma (wisdom) it becomes apparent that hikma points toward the natural direction of teaching.' — 'What is hikma? It gives each thing its due — the importance of this 'ilm cannot be overstated. Both 'ilm and hikma are outwardly important. 'Ilm is one thing, hikma is another — they differ. 'Ilm pertains to the nafs (self), works with texts — nafs is not learning, it is practical, it is a spiritual thing, it is a human-soul thing. The Companions would submit in the presence: 'We are in your company, present in your court — and when we go back to our homes, that state does not remain.' And at home is our heart's state — the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would say to them: that is how he used to purify them — some he would press to his chest and from that chest a light would begin to emerge, removing shirk and kufr. He would say: 'Spread your cloak!' — and the Companions would show something by that sign, meaning his hand indicated something — they would press their chests and his hand would reach them — and at that chest a light would begin — from knowledge and the presence of qalb (heart) they would become illuminated — on some the hand of the Shaykh and on that a dark light would begin to emerge — anyway — 'there are two kinds of tazkiyah: by special attention (tawajjuh khass) and by good companionship (sohbat-e-nek).'

'For the Naqshbandis: the people channel their attention onto their disciples and students and thereby change the weaknesses — they change their weaknesses by power — they suppress the students' fears with their own attention (will power) and drive away their inattention (Attention). For the Chishti: through love of devotion and good attention, they generate in their disciples the same devotions — others in the Qadiri way use their own attention — their general teaching is: 'Stay sakin al-qalb (at peace of heart), keep nafs mutma'inna (the tranquil self), live desireless, surrender — your master will manage you and through the trust in God will take care of all your affairs — God is sufficient here — to this attention is not the person — this is the attention of God — and this attention is God's.' The message is to surrender completely.