are two opposing conditions, which are found in people. These are:
Anaa’niyyat and Fanaa’iyyat.
Anaa’niyyat means that everything is about “me”,
or about: “I, me and myself”. At all times life revolves
around me and myself. That’s all.
The person puts himself first, gives preference to himself and
believes that he is important. The person wants to be recognized
wherever he goes – that he is somebody. If he is not recognized,
he is offended. If he goes to some Majlis and people do not shake
his hand and acknowledge his presence, he is upset. The thinking
is: I am such a great person and people are not showing any kind
The inner desire is to be recognized and to be known. Such a condition
indicates that the person is in the firm grip of his own nafs.
This is Anaa’niyyat. Everything is ‘ana’, ‘ana’,
‘ana’ (I, I, I).
When there is Anaa’niyyat, Allah Ta’ala destroys.
When the sheep is alive, it bleats. It repeatedly says: ‘Meh
meh meh”. This is the sheep that comes under the knife for
slaughter. When the nafs is alive, and its condition is ‘ana,
ana, ana’, then that person comes under the punishment of
Allah Ta’ala and is humbled; is destroyed.
On the other hand, there is the person who develops Fana’iyyat:
He annihilates himself. There is no “me, myself and I”.
…One girl had a proposal from someone. I am not mentioning
any name and no one knows who I am talking about. In her e-mail,
she mentioned her level of Taqwa. She said: ‘I have a high
level of Taqwa. There is someone who is proposing marriage. However,
I do not want his level of Taqwa to be lower than mine. He must
be able to increase my level of Taqwa.”
Part of the reply that was given was: “I have to caution
you with regard to your claim of your Taqwa being of a very high
level. This is very dangerous. …All those who are of a high
level of Taqwa consider themselves to be insignificant; they consider
themselves to be the most sinful ones on earth. Allah Ta’ala
then places in the hearts of people, Husne Zann (good opinion) and
Thanaa (praise) - that the person is a person of Taqwa. Those who
have Taqwa do not make loud and bold claims, because they have annihilated
They have made Fanaa of their nafs. On that Fanaa, Allah Ta’ala
gives them “Baqaa”. Allah Ta’ala keeps their names,
keeps their works, keeps their Bayanaat, their Uloom and their Naseehah
alive, because they made Fanaa. …Whereas the one who is always
chasing after name and fame and prominence, then Allah Ta’ala
gives him or her, “Fanaa”. Allah Ta’ala destroys.
…This “Fanaa” and destruction has a different
meaning to Fanaa of the nafs.
Allah Ta’ala dislikes and disapproves that the servant makes
a claim and testifies to his or her own purity and piety. Allah
“…So do not claim purity for yourselves. He knows best
who is God-fearing.”
[Surah An-Najm 53 : 32]
It is most definitely Allah Ta’ala’s Fadhl and Karam
upon any person, if the person progresses in this path of Islaah
“…Had it not been for the grace of Allah upon you, and
His Mercy, not a single person from you would have ever attained
purity. But Allah purifies whomsoever He wills. Allah is All-Hearing,
[Surah An-Noor 24 : 21]
The Mashaa’ik used to train their Mureeds in many different
ways. Hazrat Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (Rahmatullah ‘alaih)
was a Mureed of Hazrat Haaji Imadadullah (Rahmatullah ‘alayh)
and in that Ta-alluq, he became very close to his Shaykh. …However,
consider the training he received from his Shaykh:
He was seated at the Dastarkhan with his Shaykh. When the food came
from Hazrat Haaji Saheb’s home, one plate contained very delicious
kofta (kabaab). The other plate contained a simple type of gravy.
Hazrat Haaji Saheb (Rahmatullah ‘alaih) kept the kabaab aside
and gave Maulana Gangohi (Rahmatullah ‘alaih) the simple gravy.
As they were eating, Hazrat Zamin Shaheed (Rahmatullah ‘alaih)
walked in. On seeing them eating, he addressed Hazrat Haaji Saheb
(Rahmatullah ‘alaih) and said: "Why do you not pass the
kofta also to Rashid Ahmad?"
Upon this, Hazrat Haaji Saheb (Rahmatullah ‘alaih) replied,
with the object of testing his Mureed: "He (Maulana Gangohi)
should be grateful that I am allowing him to even eat with me. In
fact, I had intended to give him a piece of bread in his hand and
for him to eat elsewhere!"
While he said this, he also watched the reaction of Maulana Gangohi
(Rahmatullah ‘alaih). Hazrat Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi
(Rahmatullah ‘alaih) did not take any offence on this statement
and his facial expression also did not change in any way. He himself
said: “Alhamdulillah! There was no effect on my heart. I accepted
that whatever Haaji Saheb had said, was the truth. In fact, to get
a piece of bread from him was a great favour, regardless of the
way it was obtained.”
…When someone is a little upset, it is easy to make out that
he is upset.
Another person would have said that he is being humiliated and
disgraced and shamed. But these were the type of tests they went
through in the past.
Today, Mureeds would say: “What does this Shaykh think of
himself?! Does he think I can’t have good food at home?”
…The person would leave. He would go home. Finished.
Most Mureeds today don’t have that same capacity or appreciation.
So the present day Mashaa’ik, understanding the nature of
people, adopt a somewhat lenient approach. Of course, there will
be discipline but they understand the nature of the people is not
The objective is the reformation of the Mureed. Some, who are inexperienced,
constantly reproach and admonish their Mureeds or students. They
reprimand and reprimand. This indicates that there is no correct
understanding and no skill of how to make Islaah. Each person is
different. Each person’s temperament is different. And the
Shaykh has to understand the temperament of each Mureed. There are
some who will take a harsh reprimand but others may just disappear
altogether – and then they will lose out on the benefits of
the Suhbat and the Ta’leem of the Shaykh.
Even the Shaykh and the Ustaadh need to check why they are reprimanding.
Is it motivated by nafs or is it a sincere concern for the Mureed
to progress in this path or the student to excel in his studies?
So these are the aspects of Sulook that need to be learnt: To make
Fanaa of one’s self!
Once that Azmat of Allah Ta’ala enters the heart, the person
will not think anything of himself.
Nabi (Sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) taught us the Dua:
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“O Allah, make me small (insignificant) in my own eyes, and
make me great (significant) in the eyes of the people.”
Meaning, in my heart, I should think of myself as very small, as
insignificant, as nobody, but in the hearts of people, Allah Ta’ala
places respect and Azmat (honour).
If people are not going to have Azmat in their hearts, who will
listen? If a person is addicted to drugs or is known as a womanizer
or is a gambler or involved in other major sins, and if the person
is told to sit on the Mimbar and give a Bayaan, will anyone listen
to his Bayaan, with Azmat? …We know, and the public knows,
what sins he is engaging in. …Will people make special requests
that he makes Dua for them? … No.
Because there is no Azmat in the hearts of the people and in the
sight of the people.
Ask Allah Ta’ala to give us Azmat, but in our own sight,
in our own hearts, we must not think of ourselves as people of worth
and esteem. There must be Fana’iyyat. However, this is a process.
Fana’iyyat is not just saying: ‘I’m nothing!’.
Words are very easy to utter, but the reality is something else.
The reality requires Islaah, Tazkiyyah and Mujahadah.
My Shaykh, Hazrat Maulana Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar Saheb (Rahmatullahi
‘alayh) had said that sometimes a person tries to project
an image of humility and self-effacement; he wants to be known as
a very pious and humble man. So he will say: “I’m nothing.
I’m absolutely nothing.”
…But if a person were to agree with him and say: “Yes,
you are nothing.” – then his colour changes and he becomes
angry. Why? Because there is no Haqeeqat; no reality.
This Fanaa’iyyat is achieved when the connection with one’s
Shaykh is sincere, and the Mureed plays his part as a Mureed should,
by informing the Shaykh of his spiritual ailments, accepting and
following through with the guidance and direction, with the spiritual
medication and prescriptions of the Shaykh. All of this requires
humility and surrender – but how many are prepared to humble
Yet it is in humbling oneself, undertaking this process of Islaah
and bringing this reality in us, that Allah Ta’ala will grant
elevation and Baqaa.
Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “Whoever
humbles himself for the sake of Allah, Allah elevates him.”
We should not do, seeking elevation and Baqaa. We should do for
the sake of Allah Ta’ala.
May Allah Ta’ala grant us complete and correct
understanding and the Taufeeq of reforming ourselves. May Allah
Ta’ala grant us the qualities of Istighnaa, Qanaa’at,
Tawakkul and Yaqeen in Him.