This qissah concerns a person who had become bai’at to Hadhratwala, Hadhrat Ashraf ‘Ali Thanwi Rahmatullah.
One day Hadhratwala spoke to him: It is a long time since u have become bai’at, but, in all this time, you have not related your condition or progress.
The ta’alluq of bai’at is for the purpose of relating your Hal. How can a murid adopt an attitude of independence while his sheikh is still alive? How can he maintain silence and not relate his inner state to his sheikh? Once (I was also present), a Khalifa of Hadhratwala asked him concerning continued correspondence from a khalifah.
This is an important point in Suluk. Hadhratwala replied, with a note of warning: ” If ones contact with one’s sheikh is severed, if one does not maintain this islahi contact, there is a real danger of a change coming in one’s nisbat, in one’s ta ‘alluqma-Allah.
The murderer answered Hadhratwala: ” What is there to say or ask? I am a poor person. I am performing my 5 daily namaz. What is shown to me I do. I keep my roza in Ramadhaan. I do not have wealth, so there is no zakaat to give-and-take the question of Hajj does not arise at all.”
Hadhratwala said: ” Is that so?”
He then proceeded to question the murid concerning his past and his business dealings. From what he said his ibaadat appeared to be in order, but what about his mu’amulat? Then only did the murids eyes open.
” Oho! Then I am tainted from the roots of the hair on my head to the nails on my toes! In what way? Well… before becoming bai’at I used to be a thief! What must I do now? I do not have any wealth as to return the money I had stolen.”
Hadhratwala advised him: ” As far as you have knowledge of the people from whom you stole, go up to them and ask their forgiveness. What else is there to do except to get them to overlook what you stole.”
The murid was a sincere person. He went. His heart had already developed ta’alluqum Allah. The medan of Hashr filled his vision. He went. After a long period of absence he returned, clutching in his hand a piece of paper with a list of names. The names were of the people from whom he had stolen. Next to each name was the amount stolen. What good people they were – they pardoned him and even signed their names to that effect! There was a Hindu person’s name aswell – 500 rupis of his had been stolen. 500 rupis of those days would be equivalent to some 500,000 rupis today!
The Hindu had written: ” Hasbata- lillah, I have forgiven him.”
For the sake of Allah Ta’ala, the Hindu had pardoned him the entire sum.
Having noted all this, Hadhratwala asked,” How can one be sure that you had gone to them and that these are their signatures?”
Murid: ” You may use whatever method you please to confirm it.
Hadhratwala: ” Very well. Go to the post office and get as many reply paid envelopes as there are names on your list. Writing for confirmation will be sufficient.”
Murid : ” Very well “. He went to the post office, bought the envelopes and presented these to Hadhratwala.
Hadhratwala: ” No. No. I had not intention of writing to them l. But seeing that you have bought the envelopes, I will buy them from you.”
Murid: ” I did not bring them to sell to you. I will use them for the mail order business I am doing. Give them back to me.” Hadhratwala returned the envelopes to him.
Huququl-ibad
