Translation

Indeed, my nafs e amaarah which is laden with evil; it did not benefit from the advice, It did not pay any attention due to its ignorance from the warnings given by grey hair and old age.

Commentary

My nafs e amaarah which calls towards evil, due to its ignorance did not accept or pay any attention to the advice and warnings given by white hairs and the signs of old age.

Imam Busiri عليهالرمحة explains beautifully the ignorance of the nafs, and tells the nafs, “O nafs your biggest ignorance is that you take no warning from the signs of old age. I have become old by wandering in the desert of love. I have become old in the ishq of The Most Beloved صلى الله عليه وسلم. Do not insult yourself anymore O nafs by showing your ignorance. It is better for you to become tame in this age, and to follow me in my love.”

RAZA NAFS DUSHMAN HAY DAM MEIN NA AANA,

KAHAAN TUMNE DEKHE HAIN CHANDRAANE WAALE.

~ Alahadrat Azeemulbarakat عليهالرمحة

Translation

And I have not made any preparation for good deeds, a feast for the guest, that has lodged uncovered in my head, nor did I honour it.

Commentary

This couplet is connected to the previous one that my nafs e amaarah did not pay heed and honour this blessed guest (meaning old age). It did not serve this blessed guest with good deeds. Once old age came, it was paramount that the nafs served it with good deeds and honoured it.

It’s natural that in old age one leans towards good deeds, but alas my nafs did not let me do this.

O nafs! Old age is to be honoured with good deeds, making oneself busy in the worship of Allah Almighty, in preparation for the hereafter. O nafs! This guest is here but only for a few days, honour it now before it's too late.

BAAZAARE AMAL MEIN TO SAUDA NAH BANA APNA,

SARKAAR-E-KARAM TUJH MEIN AIBI KI SAMAAYI HAY.

~ Alahadrat Azeemulbarakat عليهالرمحة

Translation

Had I known that I would not be able to honour him, I would have concealed my secret, which has been exposed, with a dye.

Commentary

Here Imam Busiri عليهالرمحة is referring to henna or similar and not black dye as black dye is prohibited in Shariah.

If I had known that I would not have been able to honour old age I would have covered the signs of old age with henna, but this is of no use. The advice of old age is to control the desires not to cover the signs of old age.

MUFT PAALA THAA KABHI KAAM KI AADAT NA PARRI,

AB AMAL POOCHTE HAIN HAAYE NIKAMMA TERAA.

~ Alahadrat Azeemulbarakat عليهالرمحة

Translation

Is there anyone who can restrain my wayward self from its waywardness? Just as an unmanageable horse is restrained by reins.

Commentary

Imam Busiri عليهالرمحة explains the necessity of a Murshid. The Murshid is the one who teaches the Murid, who tames his wayward nafs. Who puts the Murid on to the straight path. The instructions of the Murshid is like a rein for the Murid. The Murid should also act accordingly as if the rein is in the hands of his Murshid, whichever way he steers him he follows, obediently. This is the reason why the words attributed to Sayyiduna Bayazid Bustami عليهالرمحة are extremely deep. “The one who has no shaykh, he is the Murid of the shaytaan."

If I had known that I would not have been able to honour old age I would have covered the signs of old age with henna, but this is of no use. The advice of old age is to control the desires not to cover the signs of old age.

AANKH SEY KAAJAL SAAF CHURAA LAIN YAAN WOH CHOR BALAA KEY HAIN,

TERI GATTHRRI TAAKEE HAY AUR TU NE NEEND NIKALI HAY.

~ Alahadrat Azeemulbarakat عليهالرمحة

May Allah Almighty keep us all steadfast, and keep our Imaan safe under the protection of Maslake Alahadrat Azeemulbarakat الرمحة عليه. Aameen.

Translation

Do not try to subdue its appetite by sins, for indeed food only increases the desires of the glutton

Commentary

O one who has kept his soul decorated with the love of lust! Take this thought out from the heart that you will be able to refrain from sins after committing numerous sins. The sins increase the lust of the soul and it becomes stronger. Do not try to control the nafs by listening to it. For the nafs only gets hungrier if you feed it. Do not feed it sins thinking it will leave you alone. A glutton never gets tired of eating, feeding him only increases his greed for food.

If I had known that I would not have been able to honour old age I would have covered the signs of old age with henna, but this is of no use. The advice of old age is to control the desires not to cover the signs of old age.

APNI BANI HUM AAP BIGAARAIN,

KAUN BANAAYE BANAATAY YEH HAIN.

~ Alahadrat Azeemulbarakat عليهالرمحة

Translation

The nafs is like a small child, if you let him keep on drinking milk, he will grow with this habit and grow strong. Yet if the child is weaned it stops.

Commentary

The nafs is similar to the small child, if one keeps feeding the child it will happily drink. If one does not stop, the child will grow past the age and keep drinking. If the child is not weaned, he will keep drinking and then it will become extremely difficult to get the child to stop.

Here the child is given as an example.

If the nafs is fed according to its desires it will continue to grow, if it is neglected it will form a habit of sinning, until it becomes completely drowned in sins and its desires. If it is given complete freedom it destroys itself in the evil pleasures of sins and stays in this state until death. If however it is controlled it becomes tame and stops. Therefore the tarbiyyah of the nafs is necessary, and this should be done as early as possible, before a habit is formed.

What must be understood here is upto what age is the word Tifl used, and which words are used after this age.

While the child is in the womb it is called Janin (foetus). After it is born, it is called Waleed (offspring). While it begins to drink milk, it is called Tifl (infant). After this period he is called Sabee (youth). Then Marahiq. Until the age of 19 he is called Ghulaam. From 19 to 34 years he is called Shabaab (a young man). From 34 to 51 years, he is called Kahal (adult). The remaining years of his life he is called Sheikh (an old man).

ALLAH ALLAH KEY NABI SEY, FAARIYAAD HAY NAFS KI BADI SEY.

DIN BHAR KHELON MEIN KHAAK URRAAYI, LAAJ AAYI NA ZARRON KI HANSI SEY.

~ Alahadrat Azeemulbarakat عليهالرمحة

Translation

Then direct its inclination far from you, and control its inclination towards desires, and beware that it does not overpower you.

Indeed, lust whenever it overpowers will kill or shame your character.

Commentary

Imam Busiri عليهالرمحةexplains and warns us, “Don't make the mistake of making the nafs a friend, do not let it become in charge and overpower you, otherwise there is a great chance of destruction.”

Imam Abu Malik Al Ash'ari عليهالرمحة writes that the enemy is not he who one fights on the battlefield. The real enemy is the one who hides within you.

Hadrat Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه has explained these secrets of Tasawwuf and the controlling of the nafs in a nutshell, in the following couplet:

ایاکم و تحکيم الشهوات على انفسكم

فان عاجلها ذميم و اجلها و خیم

Save your nafs from overthrowing the kingdom of desires.

Once the nafs starts to rule, once it is in power, its initial effect is to shame and to defame and long term effect is destruction.

Since we now know what an evil the nafs is, we should rush quickly in stopping its desires.

Hazrat Ibrahim bin Shaybaan said that he never slept under a roof for 40 years. In Risaala Qashiri, Abi Turaab Nakhshi relates that his nafs never desired a thing, but once while he was on a journey it asked for egg and bread. I passed a town and the people mistook me for a thief and I was struck 70 times with a whip. Then they recognised me, apologised, and took me home. They then served me egg and bread. So I said to my nafs, now eat this egg and bread which you have earned after being whipped 70 times.

IMAAN PE MAUT BEHTAR OW NAFS,

TERI NAAPAAK ZINDAGI SEY.

~ Alahadrat Azeemulbarakat عليهالرمحة

Translation

And guard it and watch it well, while it grazes in the field of deeds, And if it enjoys pasture do not let it roam free.

Indeed, lust whenever it overpowers will kill or shame your character.

Commentary

Let the nafs eat from the fields of good deeds. Do not let the nafs roam freely and eat whatever it desires. Keep an eye on it lest it goes into the fields of bad deeds. If it shows interest then stop it from eating.

What is being explained here is how to rectify the nafs, and how it becomes proud very quickly. This is why when the seeker performs nawaafil the nafs begins to find pleasure in those prayers, it then creates space for astonishment and pride. It then begins to demand honour and shows pride in the community, which is very harmful for the seeker. So if you find the nafs in this condition, among the good deeds, then do not leave it free but secure it firmly.

HUM KHAAK MEIN MIL CHUKE HAIN KAB KEY, NIKAALA NA GHUBAAR TERE JEE SEY.

HAY ZAALIM MEIN NIBA HUN TUJH SEY, ALLAH BACHAAYE US GHARI SEY.

~ Alahadrat Azeemulbarakat عليهالرمحة

Translation

How often does it make one approve of a deadly pleasure? How often is pleasure considered good? One does not know that there is poison mixed within the fat.

Commentary

How many times does one approve of a pleasure? One thinks it's good but little does he know that this pleasure is poisonous. This is a deadly sin. The nafs plays a deadly game and shows the meat and tries to disguise the poison in the fat. It shows the pleasure and one is so drowned in the pleasure he fails to see that this is a cause for his destruction.

SHEHAD DIKHAAYE ZEHAR PILAAYE QAATIL DAAEN SHOHAR KUSH,

ISS MURDAAR PE KYA LALCHAAYA DUNYA DEKHI BHAALI HAY.

~ Alahadrat Azeemulbarakat عليهالرمحة

Translation

And fear the evil of the nafs in both hunger and overeating, Most times hunger is more evil than overeating.

Commentary

Fear the evil of the nafs in hunger, poverty and overeating.

Overeating often causes much more damage than just indigestion. One should fear both hunger and overeating; because overeating keeps one away from the remembrance of Allah Almighty, and hunger is even worse because it can sometimes lead to kufr.

It is often seen that obese people who spend all their time eating are often neglectful of the remembrance of the Almighty, but as per the Hadith Shareef of The Most Beloved صلى الله عليه وسلم,

كاد الفقران يكون كفر

(Hunger can lead to kufr)

This hunger and greed has led many towards evil as is evident even today. Hunger also is of many types: hunger for status, for wealth, fame, leadership etc.

Today many people are hungry for these types of things along with hunger for food.

The Beloved Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم advised Sayyiduna Maadh رضي الله عنه that,

ان نفسك مطيئتك فارفق بها وليس من الرفق الا ان تجيعها وتذبيها

(The nafs of man is his transport, make your transport according to yourself, and this cannot be done except by making it soft through hunger).

Eating is also Fard in certain conditions i.e. if one eats in order to save his life.

Regarding this, The Beloved Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

ان الله ليو جر فى كل لقمة يرفعها العبد الى فيه

(Allah جل جلاله grants reward for every morsel that a servant puts in his mouth).

To eat is also Mustahab, if one eats with this intention that one does not become weak in performing the 5 daily Salah.

Regarding this, The Beloved Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

المؤمن القوى أحب الى الله تعالى من المؤمن الضعيف

(A healthy believer is more beloved to Allah Almighty than a weak believer is).

KHAATE HAIN TERE DAR KA,

PEETE HAIN تيرے DAR KA,

PAANI HAY تیرا PAANI,

DAANA HAY تیرا DAANA.

~ Huzoor Mufti e Azam Hind عليه الرمحة

Translation

And shed tears from those eyes which have become full of forbidden sights. Incline to the way of regret by keeping strict to the way of abstinence.

Commentary

Imam Busiri رمحة عليه has up to now listed the evils of the nafs, the evils of eating too much, the evils of hunger, of fame, of show, of status, of wealth etc. The evils of Haram pleasures, lust etc., and then detailed the damage these evils do. Now Imam Busiri رحمة عليه tells us the solution to all these evils and how to repent and stay away in the future.

He says, “Those eyes which have been filled with Haram, which have become dirty and soiled, wash them and empty them through tears. Tears and regret is the solution. Keep strict with istighfaar, regret and weeping, with the intention of staying away completely from this sin for the rest of your life by making sure you don't even go close to anything which might lead you towards doing this sin.“

Regret is also repentance as per the Hadith Shareef:

The Beloved Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم advised Sayyiduna Maadh رضي الله عنه that,

الندم توبة

(The regret from a sin is repentance).

The pious elders for the same reason said, “By shedding tears, the sins get washed and the stages are raised.”

One sinner on the day of Qayaamat will be called and all his body parts will testify against him, and expose the sins that he had committed. He will then be sentenced to be thrown into the fire of hell.

A hair from his eyelash will request that it wants to testify. Allah Almighty will grant it permission to speak. It will say, “Oh Allah! I am the witness that this person used to cry, due to Your fear.” Allah Almighty will forgive that person. A voice will call out, “This person has been freed due to the testimony of one hair.”

Hazrat Hujjatul Islam, Allama Haamid Raza Khan عليه رمحة was once asked, “For whom does this Ayah فيهما عينن تجرين give glad tidings to?”

He replied,“هما لمن عينن تجرين These two Ponds of Jannah are for those people whose two eyes used to shed tears in the fear of Allah Almighty.”

Speciality

The speciality of this couplet as explained by our Akaabireen is:

1. Whoever reads this 11 times after each Salah will be blessed with Ilm and the ability to express himself to the public with easy speech.

2. To recite this couplet at the time of towbah and at the time when one becomes a murid and does towbah will become a means of sincere repentance.

3. If this couplet is recited during difficulties whilst studying or understanding a certain concept, then to recite this 119 times will open up the mind to studies and understanding.

DAR THA KEY ISYAA(N) KI SAZA AB HOGI YA ROUZE JAZA,

DEE UNKI REHMAT NE SADAA YE BHI NAHIN WO BHI NAHIN.

~ Alahadrat Azeemulbarakat عليه الرمحة

May Allah Almighty give us the towfeeq to cry in His Court, to repent and to keep us steadfast upon our towbah. Aameen.

Translation

And oppose, resist both the nafs and the shaytaan; disobey them both. Should they offer you any sincere advice, regard it with suspicion, accuse them of lying.

Commentary

Nafs and shaytaan are the enemies of humans from the very beginning. They can never be your well-wishers. Don't ever fall into the trap of thinking they are your well-wishers, this will be a costly mistake. We should be wary and alert at all times of their devious plans.

Hadrat Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه has said beautifully,

طاعة النفس داء وعصيانها دواء

(The obedience of the nafs is a disease, and disobedience to it is the only cure).

So whatever the nafs and the shaytaan advises do the opposite. Do not listen to anything they have to say. Always be disobedient towards them both.

Regarding the mischief of shaytaan, Moulana Rumi رحمة الله عليه has written in his Mathnawi Shareef that Sayyiduna Amir Muaawiya رضي الله عنه was sleeping. Before dawn, the shaytaan came to him and said Hayya Alal Falah (come towards success). Sayyiduna Muaawiya رضي الله عنه recognised him and said, “Why have you come to say ‘Come towards success?’ Your job is to make everyone’s Salah Qaza.”

The shaytaan replied, “One day you missed reading Salah behind the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, due to this you remained sad for the whole day and cried, your good deeds were doubled due to your crying, so I feared that today also, if you missed the Salah you will do the same thing and double your good deeds.”

DIN LAHV ME KHONA TUJHE, SHAB SUBHA TAK SONA TUJHE,

SHARME NABI KHAUFE KHUDA YE BHI NAHIN WO BHI NAHIN.

~ Alahadrat Azeemulbarakat عليه الرمحة

Speciality

Reciting this couplet and the previous couplet 11 times after the Jummuah Salah will keep one away from sins In'Sha'Allah Ta'aala.

Translation

And neither obey the nafs and the shaytaan, as an enemy or as a ruler. For you know very well the deception of such an enemy or a ruler.

Commentary

The Ulema have written that from the couplets in the Qasidah Burdah Shareef this couplet is the most stringent and demanding

The commentator Zarkashi writes, “I could not understand this concept, I was confused due to not understanding the link between the nafs and the shaytaan. How can one be an enemy and a ruler at the same time? When I could not understand this, I turned spiritually towards Imam Busiri عليه الرحمة. “He explained that there are three things in a human which are the roots of desires. The heart, the nafs, and shaytaan. If the heart turns one towards something good, the nafs stops the heart. An argument between them begins, the shaytaan then appears on the scene as a judge and always rules in favour of the nafs. In the same way when the heart argues with the shaytaan, the nafs appears as a judge to solve the argument and always rules in favour of shaytaan.

To stay protected from the waswas (whisperings), the Sufiyaa e Kiraam have instructed the following six measures:

1. To often recite the Ta'ooz.

اعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

2. To often recite the Kalimah Shareef

لا اله الا الله محمد رسول الله

3. To often recite Bismillah.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

4. To keep away from greed.

5. To hate evil deeds.

6. Not to let your Dunya take over your Deen.

RAZA NAFS DUSHMAN HAY DAM MEIN NA AANA,

KAHAAN TUMNE DEKHE HAIN CHANDRAANE WAALE.

~ Alahadrat Azeemulbarakat عليه الرحمة

Translation

I seek forgiveness from Allah جل جلاله from such sayings without practice, indeed I have claimed through this, offspring from the owner of the barren.

Commentary

I seek forgiveness from Allah Almighty from words which are said to others, but I do not act on them myself.

My nafs is like the barren one. I am busy in sinning but yet I advise others not to. My words have no effect without my acting upon them also. One can shout and scream and lecture others, but your words will not enter the hearts if one is ignorant to his own preachings.

Imam Busiri عليه الرحمة cries and says, “I also did not practice what I preached. So in the Court of Allah Almighty, I sincerely repent for giving advice to other people and not practising on it.”

Any advice without practice is like a barren woman trying to conceive children.

KHAAYA PIYA AUR PEHNA ACHHON SEY RAHA ACHHA,

KUCH DEEN KA BHI KAR LE DUNIYA KA HAI KYA KARNA.

~ Huzoor Mufti e Azam Hind عليه الرحمة

Translation

I command you to do good, but I do not conform to it, I do not command myself to do the same. If I am not steadfast, then what is the use of me saying to you "be steadfast."

Commentary

I preached you to do good but did not act on this myself. My words are contradicting my actions. The non practising person who preaches people to be pious and Allah-fearing is like the unlearned doctor prescribing to patients, whilst in reality he himself is a patient. The biggest Karamat is being steadfast in the Deen and not the exposure of acts.

This is why the Ulema e Kiraam have written in reply to claims of certain people walking on water, strands of hay, pieces of wood and also floating on water. When they were told of certain people flying in the air, they replied that the fly also flies in the air. When they were told that certain people travel from the east to west in a few minutes, they replied the shaytaan also does the same. When asked what is a Karamat? They replied the biggest Karamat is steadfastness in religion.

MERE A'AMAL KA BADLA TOH JAHANNAM HI THA,

MAIN TOH JAATA MUJHE SARKAR NEY JAANE NAH DIYA.

~ Huzoor Mufti e Azam Hind عليه الرحمة

Translation

I have made no provisions of voluntary devotions and worship before death approaches. Nor have I offered other than the compulsory fasts and prayers.

Commentary

To achieve closeness to Allah Almighty, it's absolutely necessary to get assistance from Nawaafil. Faraaiz and Waajibaat are the foundation and this is the minimum.

As per the Hadith Shareef “My servant keeps on attaining closeness to Me through Nafl, until I make him a Beloved.”

Sayyiduna Junaid Baghdaadi رضي الله عنه would cover the windows of his room and perform 400 Nawaafil prayers daily

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Haneef رضي الله عنه relates that in my teens, I would read Surah Ikhlaas 10,000 times in one rakaat. Sometimes I would complete the whole Qur'an Al Kareem in one rakaat. On some days, I would perform 1000 rakaat Nafl between Fajr and Asr.

It is related that someone stayed with Sayyiduna Imam Abu Hanifah رضي الله عنه for a whole year. He said that he never saw Hazrat’s back leaning against the ground for the year. His companions would say to me that Imam Abu Hanifah رضي الله عنه always performs Fajr Salah with the Wudu that he made for Esha Salah.

NAH POHNCHE UN KEY QADMON TAK NAH KUCH HUSN-E-AMAL HI HAY,

HASSAN KYA POOCHTE HO HUM GAYAY GUZRAY ZAMAANE SEY.

~ Ustaade Zaman, Shahenshah e Sukhan, Allama Hassan Raza عليه الرحمة