Horizons of Perfection : Siraaj al Awarif

  Horizons of Perfection :
Siraaj al-Awaarif [New Revised Edition].
by 'Qutb al-Irshad' Sayyid  Ahmad Nuri al-Qadiri Barkati,
[A4] Hardback - 311 total pages,
Transl. by Abdul Hadi Qadiri.
Published in South Africa.
*Contains extensive footnotes,
** Also contains 'Blessed Sandal Mubarak' (Nalayn Shareef) Bookmark.




Description :


The full title of ''Siraaj Al-Awarif fil-Wasaya wa al-Maarif'' - 'The Lamp of Mystic Knowledge to Comprehend the Mystic Way of Life and Counsel' was first published in 1313 A.H.  The author of this book, Hadrat Sayyid Shah Abul Husain Ahmad-e-Noori, alaihir rahmah, who was born in 1255 A.H., belonged to the famous chain of mystics of Khanqah-e-Barkatiya of Marehra Shareef.



The present book, which was originally written in Persian has tremendous merits, the most outstanding being the selection of themes with careful precision. Two previous translations of Siraj al-Awarif have appeared in Urdu ; the first translation was done by Hadrat Mawlana Mufti Khalil Ahmad Khan Sahib Barkati, alaihi ar-rahmah of Marehra and the second by Dr. Sayyid Shah Muhammad Amin Mia. The language of the latter is more simple and fluent as compared to the first translation.


The book is divided into seven sections and each section has been called 'Lustres' (source of light or lustre). Each Lustre is further sub-divided into several 'Noor' (Light) explaining different subjects.





Table of Contents :


---Foreword,
---Prelude,
---Acknowledgement,
---About the Author. 


Siraj al-Awarif
---Khutba, Naat and Manqabat,

---The Four categories of the Ahl al-Bayt,
---[1st] Fard: Salvation depends only on following the Madhhab of the Ahl al-Sunnah wah Jama'ah,
---[2nd] Fard: Haqqiqah never opposes the Shari'ah,
---[3rd] Fard: Good conduct is the biggest root of Din,
---[4th] Fard: What is the meaning of tasawwuf.


Chapter [I] First Lustre is about 'Wills' and contains eleven Noor.
---[1] To be steadfast on the path of the Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jama'ah,
---[2] The important qualities of a murshid (spiritual guide),
---[3] Take bay'ah (oath of allegiance),
---[4] The importance of seeking knowledge of Din,
---[5] To serve a Wali of Allah, (Friend of God)
---[6] Take all decisions according to the Shari'ah (Islamic Law),
---[7] Steadfast on Din is a sign of success and salvation,
---[8] Showing mercy to others,
---[9] Objection on spending lavishly in celebrations,
---[10] Stress on importance of performing Salah with Jama'at in the masjid,
---[11] The importance of taqlid of the Four Imams & belief in the declaration that ''my foot is on the necks of all the Awliya-Allah'' by Sayyadina Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, radi Allahu ta'ala anhu.
---The explanation of Mahbub-e-Elahi and Mahbub-e-Subhani : Answers to Objections.


Chapter [II] Second Lustre is about the 'Beliefs of the Ahl al-Sunnat' and contains twenty-eight Noor.
---[1] The Book of Perfection of Iman,
---[2] The Ilm-e-Ghayb of the Ambiya and Awliya,
---[3] The Ahl al-Bayt and Awliya are not Ma'sum (sinless),
---[4] The Khabar (information of any Nabi is absolutely Haqq (true),
---[5] Any Kashf that is not in accordance to Shari'ah is not recognised,
---[6] The forbiddance of cursing the deceased,
------ The real meaning of the word La'nat (curse),
---[7] The Excellence of the Shaykhayn and the Maddhab of Imam Abu Hanifa,
---[8] All Prophets are Sinless (ma'sum),
---[9] No wali can attain the status of a Prophet,
---[10] Angels are Ma'sum (sinless),              
---[11] The surperiority of the Prophets,
---[12] The status of Sayyidah Khadijah, Ayesha, Fatima and Maryam,
---[13] Excellence is according to the sequence of Khilafat-Rashidah,
---[14] It is kufr to mock the laws of Shari'ah,
---[15] The Wahhabies are misled and they mislead,
---[16] Explanation of Mu'jizah and Karamat,
---[17] Allah Almighty sends His Wahi through the Nabi,
---[18] Why is 'Belief on the Unseen' [Iman bil Ghayb] excellent ?
---[19] Concerning cursing Yazid,
---[20] Concerning the Battle of Jamal and Sif'fin,
---[21] Wilayah (Sainthood) is Wahbi (Divinely conferred),
---[22] Nubuwwah and Risalah is specific to Insan,
---[23] The Beloved Rasul, Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa Sallam, is Unique and Matchless,
------Translators Note: Aqaaid Ahl al-Sunnah on this issue,
---[24] The difference between Qada-e-Mubram and Qada-e-Mo'allaq,
---[25] The Excellence of Sayyaduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq,
---[26] Malice towards Sayyaduna Amir Mu'awiya is a sign of Heresy,
---[27] The excellences of the Sahaba (Companions) of the Prophet,
---[28] A Prophet is never stripped of his Prophethood.



Chapter [III] Third Lustre deals with Tasawwuf and comprises sixty-seven Noor.
---[1] The difference between tasawwuf and Suluk,
---[2] Wahdat al-Wujud and Wahdat al-Shuhud,
---[3] The Qadiri Stations of Suluk,
---[4] The status of the Ambiya and Awliya,
---[5] The Quest for truth and falsehood,
---[6] Karamat is not a confirmation of Wilayah,
---[7] Method of distinguishing between a real Wali and a fake Wali,
---[8] Corruption of pretending ignorant Sufis,
---[9] Shaykhayn are nurtured by the Tree of Nubuwwah,
---[10] The stations of Taraq'qi and Tanaz'zul,
---[11] The Two Nisbas of the Arifin,

--- and so on, ... [67] Noors in total.



Chapter [IV] Fourth Lustre is on Sulook (conduct) and includes fifty-two Noor.
---[1] The valuable Risala of 'Amal wa Ma'mul,
---[2] Du'a after Meals,
---[3] The method of performing Salat al-Tahajjud,
---[4] The method of increasing ones rizq,
---[5] The method of increasing ones maghfirah,

---[10] The Waza'if at bedtime,
---[11] Dhikr al-Haqq,
---[12] Dhikr al-Khawas,
---[13] Hindi Dhikr of Baba Farid Mas'ud Ganj e Shakar,

---[25] Distribution of time in 24 hours,
---[26] The method reciting the Khandani Shajrah,
---[27] Panje Ganj-e Saghir,
---[28] Panje Ganj-e Kabir,
---[29] Awrad-e-Khamsa,
---[30] Ashgal-e-Khamsa,
---[31] Method of taking Bay'ah and becoming talib,
---[32] The renewal of Bay'ah on the hands of another shaykh,
---[33] The murid of one silsila in another silsila,
---[34] What does a murid do in the presence of the murshid,
---[35] The Qadiri Mashaykh's method of tawajjuh,

--- and so on, ... [52] Noors in total.


Chapter [V] Fifth Lustre is devoted to the questions regarding Fiqh and it is divided into forty-nine Noor.
---[1] The Laws of Khab're-Wahid,
---[2] The laws pertaining to greeting and associating with an open transgressor (fasiq),
---[3] Emphasis on Miswak,

---[8] The punishment for forgetting the Holy Qur'an,
---[9] Two types of Sajdah, (prostration),
---[10] The ruling of tawaf (circambulation) of anything besides the Holy Ka'bah,
---[11] Praising a Kafir, Mushrik or Fasiq-e-Mo'lin,
---[12] Recite the Holy Qur'an softly in public,
---[13] Abstain from the company of a 'foreign' in private,
---[14] To call a Muslim a Kafir is worse than killing him,
---[15] Regarding Halal that which Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, has made Haram,
---[16] Hiding the Truth and False Testimony,
---[17] Giving False evidence,
---[18] Sins of minor children and their parents,
---[19] Difference between Hijab and Satr,
---[20] The Shari'ah and Hijab of women,
---[21] The face and voice of a woman,
---[22] Tight and see-through clothing and the Shari'ah,
---[23] Women and Blind Men,
---[24] Hijab and Kafir Women,
---[25] Who is a Mehram?

---[29] Mourning in the 10 Days of Muharram,
---[30] The Fateha of Giyarwi Sharif,
---[31] The Majlis of Mawlid al-Nabi,
---[32] Qiyam and Salaam,
---[33] Mourning over the Dead,
---[34] The virtue of Nikah with widows,
---[35] Forbiddance of Nikah with Shi'as and Wahhabis,
---[36] Esale Thawab on the Day of Ashura,
---[37] The method of deriving Fuyud and Barkat from Imam al-Husain,
---[38] The Ruling of Shari'ah on Ta'ziya,
---[39] Not fulfilling unlawful commands of parents,
---[40] Killing dangerous animals and hunting,
---[41] Photography and Shari'ah,
---[42] Burying the deceased in homes,
---[43] Burying the deceased in the city of his death,
---[44] Forbiddance of exhuming bodies of the deceased,

--- and so on, ... [49] Noors in total.


Chapter [VI] Sixth Lustre concentrates on 'Counsels and Morality' and the subject is dealt with in twenty-three Noor. 
---[1] Do not expose your secrets,
---[2] Observe the words of an Alim and not his actions,
---[3] Imitate the habits and worship patterns of the illustrious Mashaykh,
---[4] The method of advising the transgressors and sinners,
---[5] Show mercy upon the weak,
---[6] Vulgarness is Haram,
---[7] Kindness and care for domesticated animals,
---[8] Unnecessarily living in the Masjid,
---[9] Rejecting the Awliya invites bad consequences,
---[10] Hypocrisy and double standards,
---[11] Reading letters of others without their permission,
---[12] To gain revenge on the one who dislikes you,
---[13] Breaking relations with Muslims,
---[14] Kindness to those smaller than you,

--- and so on, ... [23] Noors in total.



Chapter [VII] Seventh Lustre concerning a collection of benefits,
---Du'a when seeing the new moon,
---Du'a when in hardship and in difficulty,
---Jinns are dangerous,
---Dangers for those who 'deal' with jinns, 
---Difference of status between Humans and jinns,

--- and so on, ... [10] Noors in total.


--- About the Translator, 

---

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