Sessions: June 1959 — First Half
جون ۱۹۵۹ء — اول
A Scholarly Subtlety (علمی لطیفہ)
وَلَا تَسْأَلُوا عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ
'And do not ask about things...' (al-Ma'idah 5:101). This verse warns against unnecessary questioning about things whose answers would only burden the asker. There is a scholarly wisdom embedded in knowing when to enquire and when to remain content with what has been given. Excessive questioning — particularly about divine decrees and the details of the unseen — can lead to confusion and doubt rather than clarity and certainty.
Rejecting Hadith and the Status of Narration (انکار حدیث یا روایت کا مرتبہ)
The rejection of hadith is a grave matter. A person who rejects a hadith that is mutawatir (mass-transmitted with certainty) commits an act akin to disbelief. One who rejects an ahad (singular-chain) hadith that is sahih (sound) on the basis of personal whim — without scholarly justification — also commits a serious religious error. The hadith is the second source of Islamic law and the key to understanding the Qur'an.
Permissible Innovation (بدعت حسنہ)
Not all bid'a (innovation) is forbidden. The scholars distinguish between bid'a sayyia (blameworthy innovation — anything that contradicts an established sunnah or principle) and bid'a hasana (praiseworthy innovation — any new practice that promotes Islamic values without contradicting established texts). The compilation of the Qur'an into a single volume and the formalisation of the Tarawih prayer are examples of praiseworthy innovations approved by the Companions.
The Ruler's Juridical Opinion Is Also to Be Obeyed (حکمران کی فقہی رائے بھی قابل اطاعت)
A Muslim ruler who follows one of the recognised schools of jurisprudence and issues rulings on the basis of it is to be obeyed by the Muslim community in those matters — even if his scholarly opinion differs from that of the individual's own school. This is part of the Islamic principle of obedience to legitimate authority (uli al-amr), which prevents chaos and division in the Muslim community.
The Abode of Action (دار العمل)
This world (dunya) is dar al-'amal — the abode of action. The afterlife is the abode of recompense (dar al-jaza'). The believer must use every moment of this life wisely, for the opportunity for action closes at the moment of death. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Take advantage of five before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your illness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before your preoccupation, and your life before your death.'
A Noble Reward (اجر کریم)
يَسْعَىٰ نُورُهُم
'Their light will hasten before them' (al-Hadid 57:12 / al-Tahrim 66:8). The believers will be distinguished on the Day of Judgment by their radiant light, which will precede them on the path to paradise. This light is the manifestation of their faith, their righteous deeds, and the divine grace they accumulated in this life.
Tranquility of the Heart (اطمینان قلب)
وَلَا يَنظُرُ إِلَيْهِمْ
'And He will not look at them' (Al-Imran 3:77). The opposite of divine favour is divine turning away — the spiritual catastrophe of the heart that has chosen the wrong path. Itminan al-qalb (tranquility of the heart) is the mark of divine acceptance, and its absence is a warning sign. The believer uses the state of his inner peace or turmoil as a compass for the rightness of his path.
The Truthful and the Martyrs (والصدیقون والشهداء)
The siddiqun (the utterly truthful ones) and the shuhada (the martyrs) occupy the highest stations in the divine presence — above the general body of the believers and below the prophets. The siddiq is one whose every state — inward and outward — is in perfect alignment with truth. The martyr has given his very life for Allah's cause. Both are assured of paradise and are to be remembered with love and reverence.
For Them Their Reward and Their Light (لهم أجرهم ونورهم)
The believers who are steadfast in their faith will receive both their reward and their light on the Day of Judgment. The reward is the substantive recompense for their deeds — paradise and its blessings. The light is the radiance of faith made manifest. Both are gifts from Allah, not earned by the servant's merits alone but given by divine grace in response to sincere effort.
Inspiration and Spiritual Sensitivity (الہام اور روحی)
Ilham (divine inspiration to the heart of a believer, distinct from prophetic revelation) is a real phenomenon in Islamic spiritual experience. It is a form of divine communication by which Allah places true perceptions in the hearts of His purified servants. It must always be weighed against the standards of the Qur'an and Sunnah — whatever contradicts those standards is not true ilham but an illusion of the ego or a deception of the shaitan.
Knowledge, the Scholar, and taṣawwuf (علم، عالم اور تصوف)
True knowledge ('ilm), the scholar ('alim), and taṣawwuf (Islamic spirituality) are inseparably connected. taṣawwuf without 'ilm is mere fancy and spiritual pretension. 'Ilm without the spiritual purification of taṣawwuf is dry intellectualism that does not reach the heart. The complete Islamic tradition holds both together: the scholar must be a practitioner of the spiritual path, and the Sufi must be grounded in scholarship.
Understanding the Qur'an (قرآن فہمی)
Qur'anic understanding is not merely a matter of knowing the Arabic language and the exegetical sciences, though these are indispensable prerequisites. True Qur'an fami (understanding of the Qur'an) requires a purified heart, consistent practice of its injunctions, companionship of those who live by it, and divine grace. The Qur'an reveals its deeper meanings to those who are qualified to receive them.
Independent Legal Reasoning on a Question (اجتہادی فی المسئلہ)
Ijtihad — independent scholarly reasoning on a new question — is permissible only for those who meet its strict conditions: mastery of the Arabic language, comprehensive knowledge of the Qur'an and Sunnah, familiarity with the scholarly consensus (ijma'), and a deep understanding of the principles of Islamic jurisprudence (usul al-fiqh). The ordinary Muslim who lacks these qualifications must follow the established schools.
Knowledge Is Life (علم زندگی ہے)
Knowledge is the life of the soul as food is the life of the body. Ignorance is spiritual death — and a community that abandons learning will inevitably decline both morally and materially. The pursuit of knowledge is a religious obligation for every Muslim, and the scholar who transmits knowledge to others performs one of the most essential services to the community.
The Best Path (بہترین مسلک)
The best path is the middle path — the path of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah, which avoids the extremes of literalism on one side and rationalist deviation on the other. It is the path of the Companions, the Successors, and the four great Imams — a path that honours both the letter of the divine law and the spirit of divine love.
Love for the Qur'an (قرآن سے لگاؤ)
Hazrat's attachment to the Qur'an was lifelong and profound. He urged his students to develop a living relationship with the Qur'an — to read it daily, to reflect on its meanings, to act upon its teachings, and to find in it the answer to every question of the heart. The Qur'an is the rope of Allah that has been let down from heaven; those who hold fast to it will not go astray.
The Limits of Self-Reliance (خود اعتمادی کی حد)
Self-reliance (khud-i'timadi) has its proper place in the life of the believer — in the employment of means, in taking initiative, and in not depending on others for what one can do for oneself. But it must never become a substitute for reliance on Allah (tawakkul) or an excuse for ignoring the guidance of scholars. The limits of self-reliance are set by one's actual knowledge, capability, and station.
Humility or Boldness? (تواضع یا جرأت)
True tawadu' (humility) and true jur'at (spiritual boldness) are not opposites — they are partners in the life of the mature believer. Humility is appropriate in one's own estimation of oneself before Allah and before the scholars. Spiritual boldness is appropriate when speaking the truth to those in power or when defending the faith against falsehood. The person who is humble before equals and bold before the oppressor exemplifies the prophetic character.
Narration and Discernment (روایت و درایت)
In the science of hadith, riwaya (narration) refers to the chain of transmission — who narrated from whom. Diraya (discernment) refers to the understanding and evaluation of the content. Both are necessary: a hadith that is sound in its chain must also be evaluated for its compatibility with established principles. This is the integrated methodology of the great hadith scholars and jurists.