“In previous centuries, students would come from their villages or neighborhoods to scholars, who would have them memorize a matn or short basic text of fiqh, then teach the students what the condensed and often technical language of the particular rulings implies, along with the conditions for applying them, their evidential basis from Qur’an and Hadith, and so forth. In this way, students returning to their native places were able to give reliable answers based on qualified scholarship to most of the questions in sacred Law they encountered (since the short text they memorised, mostly in point form, were comprehensive in what they covered), and then go on to explain the details of them that they had learned from their scholars.”
With such educational interests in view, the first priority of a matn’s author was often to state the content as briefly as possible to facilitate memorizing. Imam Nanwai’s book al Maqasid, simply entitled “The Objectives” (of Religion) is such a text (an english translation is available), we find in it for example that Imam Nawawi has summarized the law for prayer (salat) in a few brief lists of integrals, it’s conditions, and sunna’s, all in point form to enable students who learn them to answer a wide range of questions on whether a particular prayer is valid.
In his book al Maqasid, Imam al Nawawi, who was one of the Main Scholars the Shafii Madhhab, outlines the objectives of the Islamic science of Tasawwuf (sufism) and it’s Principles, clarifying its aim and intent in the following manner.
The Rules of Tassawwuf:
The basic rules of the way of tasawwuf are five (1) having god fearingness (Taqwa) privately and publicly, (2) living according to the sunna in word and deed, (3) indifference to whether others accept or reject one, (4) satisfaction with Allah most High in (times of) scarcity and plenty, and (5) turning to Allah in happiness or affliction.
Acquiring these five qualities are the foundation to what the prophet defined as Ihsan, the ability to “worship Allah as if you see him”, which can’t occur if we don’t know how to be aware of him in our selves.
Imam Nawawi continues, (1) God fearingness (Taqwa) is attained by scrupulousness and uprightness; (2) Following the sunnah is attained through caution and good character; (3) indifference to others acceptance or rejection is attained through patience and trust in Allah; (4) Satisfaction with Allah is attained through contentment with what one has and submission to the will of Allah; (5) Turning to Allah most High is attained by gratitude to Him in Happiness and taking refuge in Him in affliction.
The foundation of these consist of five things:
(1) high aspiration (2) Keeping Allah’s reverence, (3) giving the best of service, (4) keeping one’s spiritual resolves, and (5) esteeming Allah’s blessings.
(1) whoever’s aspiration is high, his rank rises; (2) Whoever revers Allah, Allah maintains his respect; (3) Whoever’s service is godly is necessarily shown generosity; (4) Whoever keeps his spiritual resolves continues to have guidance; (5) whoever esteems Allah’s blessings will be grateful for them, and whoever is grateful for them will necessarily see them increased.
The Signs of Tasawwuf’s Principles Showing On A Person Through Practice Are Also Five;
(1) seeking Sacred Knowledge in order to perform Allah’s command; (2) keeping the company of sheikhs and fellow disciples in order to see with insight; (3) forgoing both dispensations from religious obligations and figurative interpretations of scripture, for the sake of cautiousness; (4) organizing ones time with spiritual works to maintain presence of heart; and (5) suspecting the self in all matters, in order to free oneself from caprice and be safe from destruction.
(1) Seeking Sacred Knowledge is vitiated (spoilt or impaired) by keeping the company of juveniles (imature people), whether in age, mentality, or religion, who do not refer for guidance to a firm principle or rule; (2) Keeping the company of sheikhs and disciples is vitiated by self-deception and concern with the unimportant; (3) Leaving dispensations and figurative interpretations is vitiated by leniency toward the self; (4) Organizing one’s time with spiritual works is vitiated by looking for more and more supererogatory worship; (5) Suspecting the self is vitiated by satisfaction at its goodliness and uprightness.
The Principles Of Curing The Ego Are Five;
The principles of curing the ego are also five: (1) lightening the stomach by diminishing one’s food and drink; (2) taking refuge in Allah Most High from the unforeseen when it befalls; (3) shunning situations involving what one fears to fall victim to; (4) continually asking Allah’s forgiveness (istighfar) and His blessings upon the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) night and day with full presence of mind; and (5) keeping the company of him who guides one to Allah.
Reaching Allah
(Reaching Allah is a descriptive expression of the state of knowing Allah, which encapsulates the acts one does to attain it.)
One reaches Allah Most High by (1) repenting from all things unlawful or offensive; (2) seeking Sacred Knowledge in the amount needed; (3) continually keeping on ritual purity; (4) performing the prescribed prayers at the first of their times in a group prayer (and praying the confirmed sunnas associated with them); (5) always performing eight rak’as of the nonobligatory midmorning prayer (al-duha), the six rak’as between the sunset (maghrib) and nightfall (‘isha) prayers, the night vigil prayer (tahajjud) after having risen from sleeping, and the witr prayer (n: an odd-number of rak’as as one’s last prayer before dawn); (6) fasting Mondays and Thursdays, and the “full moon
These include:
(1) Allahumma bike nusbihu wa bike numsi wa bike nahya wa bike namutu wa ilayka nashuru (10.39) (“0 Allah, through You we reach morning, through You we reach evening, through You we live, through You we die, and unto You is the resurrection”) [saying this in the morning; and in the evening substituting ilayka l-masir (10.40) (“unto You is the final becoming”) for ilayka n-nushur (“unto You is the resurrection”)].
(2) Asbahna wa asbaha al-mulku li Llahi wa l-hamdu li Llahi wa l-kibriya’u li Llahi wa l-‘adhamatu li Llahi wa l-khalqu wa l-amru wa l-laylu wa n-naharu wa ma sakana fihima li Llah (10.41) (“We have reached morning and the dominion is Allah’s, the praise Allah’s, the exaltedness Allah’s, the immensity Allah’s, the creation, the command, the night and day and all that dwells in them Allah’s”).
(3) Allahumma ma asbaha bi min ni’matin aw bi ahadin min khalqika fa minka wahdaka la sharlka lak, fa laka l-hamdu wa laka sh-shukr (three times) (10.42) (“O Allah, any blessing that has come to me or any of Your creation is from You alone, without partner, so Yours is the praise and Yours the thanks”).
(4) Allahumma inni asbahtu ush-hiduka wa ush-hidu hamalata ‘arshika wa mala’ikataka wa jamia khalqika annaka Anta Llahu la ilaha illa Anta wahdaka la sharlka lak, wa anna Muhammadan ‘abduka wa rasuluk (four times) (10.43) (“O Allah, I hereby take You as my witness, with the bearers of Your Throne, Your angels, and all of Your creation, that there is no god but You alone, without partner, and that Muhammad is Your slave and messenger”).
(5) Amantu bi Llahi Rabban wa bi l-Islami dinan wa bi Sayyidina Muhammadin salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallama nabiyyan wa rasula (three times) (10.44) (“I accept Allah as Lord, Islam as a religion, and our liegelord Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) as prophet and messenger”).
(6) Amana r-Rasuolu … to the end of the sura (n: i.e. the last two verses of al-Baqara: Amana r-Rasulu bima unzila ilayhi min-Rabbihi wa l-mu’minun(a), Kullun amana bi Llahi wa mala’ikatihi wa kutubihi wa rusulih(I), la nufarriqu bayna ahadin min rusulih(I), wa qalu sami’na wa a-ta’na ghufranaka Rabbana wa ilayka l-masir(u). La yukallifu Llahu nafsan illa wus’aha, laha ma kasabat wa ‘alayha ma ktasabat, Rabbana la tu’akhidhna in naslna aw akhta’na, Rabbana wa la tahmil ‘alayna isran kama hamaltahu ‘ala lladhlna min qablina, Rabbana wa la tuhammilna ma la taqata lana bih(I), wa ‘fu ‘anna wa ghfir lana wa rhamna Anta mawlana fa-nsurna ‘ala l-qawmi l-kafirln (10.45) (“The Messenger believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the believers; Each believes in Allah, His angels, His Books, and His messengers; We draw no distinction between any of His messengers; And they say: ‘We hear and obey; Your forgiveness, Our Lord, to You is the becoming.’ Allah does not charge any soul except its strength: what it earns is for it, and what it commits, against it. O Lord, do not take us to task if we forget or make mistakes; O Lord, do not burden us with hardship as You did those before us; And do not laden us with what we have no strength to bear; but pardon us, and forgive us, and show us mercy; You are our Master, so give us victory over the unbelieving folk” (Qur’an 2:285-86)).
(7) Fa in tawallaw faqul hasbiya Llahu la ilaha illa Huwa ‘alayhi tawakkaltu wa Huwa Rabbu l-‘Arshi l-Adhlm (seven times) (10.46) (“So if they turn away, say: ‘Allah is enough for me, there is no god but He, on Him I rely, and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne” (Qur’an 9:129)).
(8) Fa subhana Llahi hina tumsuna wa hina tusbihun. Wa lahu l-hamdu fi s-samawati wa l-ardhi wa ‘ashiyyan wa hina tush-hirun. Yukhriju l-hayya min al-mayyiti wa yukhriju l-mayyita min al-hayyi wa yuhyi l-ardha ba’da mawtiha wa kadhalika tukhrajun (10.47) (“So glory
be to Allah, when you reach evening and when you reach morning. And His is the praise in the heavens and earth, and at the coming of night, and when you reach noon. He brings forth the living from the dead, and brings forth the dead from the living, and gives life to the earth after it is dead; thus shall you too be brought forth” (Qur’an 30:17-19)).
(9) Ya Sin (Sura 36).
(10) Auodhu bi Llahi s-Sami’i L-‘Alimi min ash-shaytani r-rajlm (three times) (10.48) (“I take refuge in Allah, the AllHearing, the All-Knowing, from the accursed devil”).
(11) Law anzalna hadha l-Qur ‘ana … to the end of the sura (n: i.e. the last four verses of al-Hashr: Law anzalna hadha l-Qur ‘ana ‘ala jabali l-la ra’aytahu khashi’an mutasaddi’an min khashyati Llah(i), wa tilka l-amthalu nasribuha li n-nasi la’allahum yatafakkaruon(a). Huwa Llahu lladhi la ilaha illa Huwa ‘Alimu l-Ghaybi wa sh-Shahadati Huwa r-Rahmanu rRahim(u). Huwa Llahu lladhi la ilaha illa Huwa l-Maliku l-Quddusu s-Salamu l-Mu ‘minu l-Muhayminu l- Azlzu l-Jabbaru l-Mutakabbir(u), subhna Llahi ‘amma yushrikun(a). Huwa Llahu l-Khaliqu l-Bari’u l-Musawwiru lahu l-asma’u l-husna, yusabbihu lahu ma fi s-samawati wa l-ardi wa Huwa l- ‘Azlzu haklm (10.49) (“Had We sent this Qur’an down upon a mountain you would have seen it humbled, split asunder for fear of Allah. And those similes, We strike them for men, that haply they may reflect. He is Allah besides whom there is no other god; the Knower of the Unseen and the Visible —He is the Most Merciful and Compassionate. He is Allah besides whom there is no other god; The King, the All-Sanctified, the All-Peaceful, the All-Faithful, the Guardian, the Invincible, the Overmastering, the Exalted. Extolled be Allah’s glory above what they associate! He is Allah, the Creator, the Originator, the Former. To Him belong the most beautiful names. All that is in the heavens and earth extols His glory; and He is the Invincible, the All-Wise” (Qur’an 59:21-24)).
(12) Al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq, and al-Nas (Suras 112, 113, and 114) (three times each).
(13) Bismi Llahi lladhi la yadurru ma’a Smihi shay’un fi l-ardi wa la fi s-sama’i wa Huwa s-Sami’u l-‘Alim (three times) (10.50) (“In the Name of Allah, with whose Name nothing is harmed in the earth or sky, and He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing”).
(14) A’udhu bi kalimati Llahi t-tammati min ghasabihi wa ‘iqabihl wa sharri ‘ibadihl wa min hamazati sh-shayatina wa an yahdurun (three times) (10.51) (“I take refuge in the perfect words of Allah, from His wrath, His punishment, the evil of His servants, and from the whispering of devils, and lest they come to me”).
(15) Astaghfiru Llaha l-Adhima lladhi la ilaha illa Huwa hayya l-Qayyuma wa atubu ilayh (three times) (10.52) (“I ask forgiveness of Allah Most Great, who there is no god besides, the Living, the Ever-Subsistent, and I repent to Him”).
(16) Subhana Llahi wa bi hamdih (three times) (10.53) (“I glorify Allah’s absolute perfection and extol His praise”).
(17) Subhna Llahi wa bi hamdihi ‘adada khalqihi wa rida nafsihi wa zinata ‘arshihi wa midada kalimatih (10.54) (three times) (“I glorify Allah’s absolute perfection and extol His praise with the number of what He has created, the amount of His satisfaction in His person, the magnitude of the weight of His throne, and the plenitude of that by which His words are eked out”). And if one has enough time, one may recite:
(18) Subhana Llahi wa l-hamdu li Llahi wa la ilaha illa Llahu wa Llahu akbar (a hundred times) (10.55) (“I glorify Allah’s absolute perfection, Praise be to Allah, There is no god but Allah, Allah is ever greatest”).
(19) La hawla wa la quwwata illa bi Llahi l-‘Aliyyi l-‘Adhim (10.56) (one hundred times) (“There is no power and no strength save through Allah, the Most High, the Most Great”).
(20) La ilaha illa Llahu l-Maliku l-haqqu l-Mubin (10.57) (one hundred times) (“There is no god but Allah, the Manifest True King”).
(21) La ilaha illa Llahu wahdahu la sharlka lah(u), lahu l-mulku wa lahu l-hamdu wa Huwa ‘ala kulli shay ‘in qadlr (10.58) (one hundred times or three times) (“There is no god but Allah alone, without partner, His is the dominion, His the praise, and He has power over everything”).
(22) Allahumma salli ala Sayyidina Muhammadin ‘abdika wa nabiyyika wa habibika n-nabiyyi l-ummiyyi wa ala alihi wa sahbihi wa sallim (one hundred times or three times) (10.59) (“O Allah bless our liege lord Muhammad, Your servant, prophet, and beloved, the Unlettered Prophet; and his Folk and Companions, and give them peace”).
And in this amount is a sufficiency, for those reached by the divine help, and Allah gives guidance, and guides to the path. Allah is our sufficiency and best to rely on. Ameen.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ اشْتَرَىٰ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُم بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الْجَنَّةَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَيَقْتُلُونَ وَيُقْتَلُونَ وَعْدًا عَلَيْهِ حَقًّا فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنجِيلِ وَالْقُرْآنِ وَمَنْ أَوْفَىٰ بِعَهْدِهِ مِنَ اللَّهِ فَاسْتَبْشِرُوا بِبَيْعِكُمُ الَّذِي بَايَعْتُم بِهِ وَذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ
“Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allah, so they kill and are killed. [It is] a true promise [binding] upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur’an. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah ? So rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted. And it is that which is the great attainment” (9:111).
Those who are destined to be closer to Allah have the greater burden, and more is expected from them in the way of Allah for their place in Jannah.