In The Name of Allah The Beneficent The Merciful
Mean's of Tasawwuf
There are certain means with which to achieve the goal of Tasawwuf. One of these is called the struggle of the essentials (me'day ka mujahidah). Many Sufi Saints prescribe this form of struggle. Reduction in speech (killat-ul-kalam), reduction in meeting with ordinary people (killat-ul-Ikhtilat ma-al-anaam), reduced eating (killat-ut-ta'am), and reduction in sleeping (killat-ul-manaam). What is required from these efforts is the ability to concentrate, and to remain up to the task of the goal of Tasawwuf. But since in the present times the stamina of people are not the same as those before them, therefore the reductions in eating and sleeping are disallowed since this form of reduction weakens the health. Therefore mitigate your eating and sleeping habits. However, you should stay away from such a discussion of worldly things that is beneficial neither in this world nor in the Hereafter. Similarly, abstain from such unnecessary company of friends, where the topics of discussion are worldly objects.
Along with these abstinences, there are two types of exercises that one can do: useful without danger of harm, and useful with the danger of harm. Amongst the exercises that are useful without any harm are Remembrance of Allah (zikr), Contemplation of the Remembrances (shughl), and Contemplation of the Remembered (muraaqbah). The second type of exercises which are useful but with associated dangers are the Contemplation of The Spiritual Teacher (tasawwur-e-sheikh), Love other than Allah's (Ishk-e-Majazi), and Praise of Allah in Rhyme (Sama'a). By grace of Allah, our lineage only endows exercises of the first sort. Remembrance within heart (zikr-e-qalbi) is prescribed in excess; and according to the situation and capability, the Contemplations of the Remembrances and the Remembered are prescribed. The real thing is Remembrance, be it verbal or within heart. It is through this that the heart will pay attention to Allah, the Remembered. The effect of remembrance within heart is greater, and leads to closeness to Allah faster. As Allah says in the Quran:
The meaning of this is that remember Me and I will remember you. Is it not a great honor that Allah remembers the likes of us? When Allah will remember us, then his attention will be directed towards us -- and there is nothing more that you can ask for. When our heart will be attentive to Allah, then Satan will not have the courage to attack us. Because when our heart is void of the remembrance of Allah, then Satan is let loose over us:
The meaning of this is that whosoever forgets the remembrance of Al-Rehman, We let loose Satan over him; and he stays with him as a comrade.
