TASAWWUF

A concise definition of Tasawwuf is Adab which means respect—good conduct. Those who are deprived of the companionship of the Pious lack in Adab. Adab is not merely an external façade of greeting and smiling. True Adab is restricted to the Auliya.

Hadhrat Shah Abul Ma-aali (rahmatullah alayh) was o­n a journey. During his absence his Shaikh visited his home. Shah Abul Ma-aali’s wife was eager to prepare some food for her husband’s Shaikh, but there was not a grain of food in the house. Most of the time passed with hunger in the home. She was unable to obtain even a small loan from the neighbourhood to enable her to prepare the food.

When the Shaikh observed the poverty in the home of his Mureed, he went to the market place and purchased a small quantity of wheat. He filled a small earthenware container with the wheat and placed a ta’weez inside. He instructed the lady: "Do not empty this vessel. Take from it whatever you need." The Shaikh then departed.

After some days had passed, Shah Abul Ma-aali returned home. After having observed the abundance of food for a few days, he enquired from his wife. She explained the episode of his Shaikh. Shah Abul Ma-aali, o­n hearing this, was in a dilemma. If he retained the ta’weez, it was in conflict with his practice of Zuhd (renunciation of the world and abstinence). It was in conflict with his lofty state of Tawakkul. If he removes the ta’weez it will be showing disrespect to his Shaikh. He was in a quandary. How could he reconcile the two opposite conditions?

He said to his wife: "The jug is not deserving of this Ta’weez. My head deserves this Ta’weez more. So saying, he removed the Ta’weez and tied it o­n his head. o­nce again the state of hunger returned to his home. In this manner did Shah Abul Ma-aali maintain the respect of his Shaikh as well as the demand of his Tawakkul and Zuhd.