Advice and Guidance in the Booklets of Amir Ahl Al-Sunnah - Part 01

Advice and Guidance, and the Booklets of Amir Ahl al-Sunnah (Part: 01)

The renowned spiritual guide and leader of Ahl al-Sunnah, Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Attar Qadiri دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـهْ, is one of the distinguished scholars of the present era. He has not only fulfilled the noble duty of preaching and propagating Islam but has also dedicated his life to the moral and spiritual development of people from all walks of life.

Millions of Muslims worldwide are receiving religious guidance from his speeches, Madani Muzakaras, written booklets, and soul-refreshing advice. He has authored dozens of insightful booklets on reformative topics, presented in a captivating and accessible manner—engaging children, youth, women, men, businessmen, scholars, and students alike; in essence, individuals from every walk of life. These include important subjects such as creed, worship, morals, Prophetic biography (sīrah), social conduct, and self-reformation. These booklets not only provide evidence from the noble Quran and sacred Sunnah but also offer practical guidance in the form of anecdotes, statements of pious predecessors, and other points. These books and booklets are a means for the reader to be invited towards goodness, to refine their ethics, and to be protected from corruption at every stage of life.

Below is a statistical overview of 6 booklets from his collection of advice and guidance:

· Madani Will (Pages: 16): It is preferable (mustaḥabb) to prepare a will. It usually involves making provisions for one's shroud and burial, giving a portion of one's wealth to someone, and advising one's relatives. Amir Ahl al-Sunnah, Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Attar Qadiri دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـهْ wrote this will while sitting in al-Masjid al-Nabawī, hence it was named اَرْبَعِیْن وَصَایَامِنَ الْمَدِیْنَۃِ الْمُنَوَّرَۃ. He advised his relatives that his shroud and burial arrangements should be carried out according to the Sunnah, his inheritance divided according to Shariah, and his disciples and those associated with Dawat-e-Islami should remain steadfast on Islam and the way of Ahl al-Sunnah. Besides these, other pieces of advice regarding various rights were also given.

· Some Attacks of Satan (Pages: 52): Satan attacks those who serve the religion, with various weapons, leading them astray and trapping them in his net. This booklet identifies some of these weapons, such as hypocrisy, self-admiration, suspicion, and mischief-making. The explanation, condemnation, and legal reprehensibility of these satanic weapons are discussed in light of Islamic law. Comprising 6 verses, 17 hadith narrations, 18 jurisprudential statements, 29 sayings of the pious predecessors, and 5 anecdotes, this booklet also includes the benefits of condolence, the importance and blessings of sincerity, encouragement to become righteous, and important clarifications regarding relationships with people of influence.

· Priceless Diamonds (Pages: 26): It is very important to value the blessing of time, for these moments are the priceless diamonds of our lives—lest they be lost to ignorance and heedlessness. This booklet explains the value and importance of time in light of 6 verses, 14 hadith narrations, 17 sayings, 12 Shariah rulings, and 3 anecdotes. It covers the sudden arrival of death, the closeness of accountability, the valuing of time by the pious predecessors, proper use of precious seconds and priceless moments, the sayings of those who valued time, the arrangement of daily schedules, the condemnation of needlessly staying awake at night, and the importance of academic pursuits and the morning hours. Furthermore, 15 points regarding sleeping and awakening, comprising sunan and etiquettes, are also mentioned in the booklet.

· Heedlessness (Pages: 25): Remaining heedless of adopting good deeds and neglecting the consequences of sins brings great harm to a person. Indeed, negligence is blameworthy. This booklet describes the harms of negligence, its causes, the states of those who claim to be righteous and those who are negligent, the mention of the messengers of death, the punishments for unlawful gazing, the condemnation of shaving the beard, and the reprehensibility of immodesty and unlawful fashion. The booklet also contains encouragement for repentance. It comprises 4 Quranic verses, 13 hadith narrations, 4 sayings, 14 Shariah rulings, and 5 anecdotes. At the end of the booklet, there are 25 pearls of wisdom based on the sunan, rulings, and etiquettes of ꜤAqīqah.

· I Want to Rectify Myself (Pages: 40): Self-accountability is absolutely essential for the reformation of one's soul. The study of the lives of the pious predecessors shows that they held their souls to account greatly. In light of 5 blessed verses, 17 hadith narrations, 8 sayings, 4 Shariah rulings, and 9 anecdotes, this booklet discusses the importance and necessity of "self-accountability," its definition, its method, the style of accountability of the pious predecessors, their fear of Allah Almighty, their humility and modesty, their fear and awe regarding childhood sins, self-chastisement for mistakes committed due to human nature, and patience in the face of calamities and adversities. At the end, good intentions and the sunan and etiquettes of applying kohl are mentioned.

· Bones of Kings (Pages: 24): If the terrifying matters of the grave and the Day of Judgment are kept in mind, a person is drawn towards good deeds and stays away from sins. This booklet contains a poignant description of the difficulties of death, the grave and the gathering (on the Day of Judgment), the length of the journey to the afterlife, and the bewildering states that will be encountered. In light of 2 verses, 10 hadith narrations, 4 jurisprudential rulings, 3 sayings of pious predecessors, and 2 anecdotes and stories, it describes the severity of death, the painful accounts of the soul, the terrifying appearance of the Angel of Death (Malak al-Mawt), the darkness of the grave, the perishing of worldly palaces and dwellings, the ephemerality of the world, preparation for the afterlife, the terrifying depiction of the Day of Judgment, and the standing for 50,000 years.³¹ Furthermore, 16 points related to visiting the graveyard are included at the end.