Ism-e-Allah Zaat
Sultan ul Ashiqeen has discussed in detail the reality of Ism e Allah Zaat in his book Haqeeqat Ism-e-Allah Zaat. This is so to make people aware of its marvels, blessings and beneficence. Its invocation and contemplation lead to Allah’s proximity and vision. Additionally, Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen has written a phenomenal book Shams-ul-Fuqara, which is based upon the teachings of Faqr and Sufism. In this book he says:
Ism (name) of Allah is His Zaat (Self or Essence) and for Allah, the glorified, it is specific. Well known scholars of Islam state that this name is neither an infinitive noun nor derivative. Which means, neither ‘Allah’ is derived from any word nor any word can be derived from it. Unlike other attributive names of Allah, It cannot be applied metaphorically on anyone. Thus, this name is perfectly pure of combination or application. Like Allah Himself, His name is also the One, only and لَمْ یَلِدْ وَ لَمْ یُلَدْ (Meaning: He neither begat nor was begotten).
Ism-e-Allah Zaat is Whole
Invocation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat develops a special relationship between Allah and His slave. Also, the Holy Quran mentions this name four thousand times.
The Fuqara and Mystics immortal with Allah consider Allah ( اَللّٰہُ ) to be His greatest name (Ism-e-Azam). This name encompasses all the Divine attributes within itself. Thus, remembering Him with the Name Allah ( اَللّٰہُ ), is in fact calling Him with all attributive names simultaneously. Any other attributed name of Allah does not possess this unique quality. Imam Razi elaborates this point in a very beautiful manner. He says:
Certainly! When you remember Allah with His names of compassion you only invoke that attribute of compassion. You don not remember His attribute of wrath and majesty. For example, when you say O the most beneficent (Rehman) or O the most merciful (Raheem), you only invoke that attribute of compassion not of wrath and majesty. Similarly, if you call Him as O Aleem (the all-knowing) you only invoke His attribute of omniscience not of omnipotence. But when you say Allah, you invoke all the Divine attributes. Because the One to be worshiped ( الٰہ ) is the One who possesses all the Divine attributes. (Tafsir-e-Kabeer, Vol-1-pg 85)
Ism-e-Allah Zaat Blesses with Divine Vision
Ism-e-Allah Zaat literally means the personal name of Allah. Explaining this name, Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib-ur-Rehman says:
When a person invocates Ism-e-Allah Zaat, then Allah blesses him with the Self Disclosure of his Essence. This possesses all the Divine attributes in it. Due to which the invoker witnesses the Divine light of the Essence within himself. Allah enlightens his being with the Divine light of the Essence. Thus, blesses him with the vision of the Divine Self.
Ism-e-Allah Zaat Is Unique
Just like Him, His name Allah ( اَللّٰہُ ) i.e. Ism-e-Allah Zaat is also unique. Undoubtedly, it is unparalleled regarding its peculiar effects and marvels. Another, distinguished quality is that even if we gradually separate its letters from it, even then its meanings remain unchanged. Rather, in any case it remains the Ism-e-Allah Zaat and addresses Allah only.
For instance, if we remove the first letter (Alif) of (AllahHoo), it becomes لِلّٰہ (Lillah) which means “for Allah”. That is also Ism-e-Allah Zaat. In the Holy Quran, Allah says:
لِلّٰہِ مَافِی السَّمٰوٰتِ وَمَافِی الْاَرْضِ
Meaning: Whatever is in the heavens and in the earth is for Allah.
Furthermore, removing the first letter (ل) of لِلّٰہ (Lillah), makes it لَہُ (LaHoo, meaning ‘for Him’, which is also Ism-e-Zaat. As Allah says in the Quran:
لَہُ الْمُلْکُ وَلَہُ الْحَمْدُ وَھُوَ عَلٰی کُلِّ شَیْئٍ قَدِیْر
Meaning: For Him is all the kingdom and glory and He has complete command over everything.
Next, remove the second ( ل ) in لِلّٰہ and it becomes Hoo ( ھُو ). Hoo ( ھُو ) is a pronoun for Allah, as used many times in the Quran for Ism-e-Allah:
ھُوَ اﷲ الَّذِی لَآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا ھُو
Meaning: He ( ھُو ) is Allah (and) no one is (worth) worship except Hoo ( ھُو ).
At another occasion Allah says in the Quran:
اَللّٰہُ نُوْرُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالْاَرْضِ
Meaning: (Ism-e-Allah Zaat) is the Divine light of the earth and the skies. (24:35)
All Creation is Manifested from Ism-e-Allah Zaat
Sultan Bahoo says:
From the Divine light (of Ism-e-Allah Zaat) all the creation manifested. Hence, this light is the sustenance of all the creation. (Majalisa tul Nabi)
This means that Allah manifested from His light, the Noor of Mohammad. Then, He created all the souls of the creation from it. The sustenance of human soul is the Divine light of Ism-e-Allah Zaat. When souls get their sustenance, they gain the power of sight to see Allah Almighty. (Book: Shams ul Fuqara Chapter: Ism-e-Allah Zaat)
Reality of Ism-e-Allah Zaat
Sultan Bahoo explains the splendour and reality of Ism-e-Allah Zaat in the following words:
Ism-e-Allah Zaat is exactly the same as the Divine Essence. (Ain-ul-Faqr)
In Mehak-ul-Faqr Kalan, Sultan Bahoo says;
اسمِ اَللہ راہبر است در ہر مقام
از اسمِ اَللہ یافتند فقرش تمام
Meaning: (Invocation of) Ism-e-Allah Zaat guides the seekers of Allah at every stage. Also, it lets them reach the extreme stage of Faqr. (Mehak al-Faqr Kalan)
In Ain-ul-Faqr, Sultan Bahoo says;
- Listen! All the four holy books i.e. Torah, Gospel, Psalms and Quran are just the explanation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat. What is Ism-e-Allah Zaat? Ism-e-Allah Zaat is exactly the Divine Essence Who is incomparable, unparalleled, doubtless and unexemplified, for Whom Allah said:
قُلْ ہُوَ اللّٰہُ اَحَدْ
Meaning: O Beloved! Say unto them Allah is One.
Whoever recites and learns (the reality of) Ism-e-Allah Zaat by heart, becomes the beloved of Allah. By the recitation and invocation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat, one gains the inspirational knowledge about which Allah says:
وَعَلَّمَ آدَمَ الْاَسْمَآ ئَ کُلّھَا
Meaning: And (Allah) taught Adam the Divine knowledge of all the beautiful names of Allah. (2:31)
Furthermore, Allah says:
مِمَّا لَمْ یُذْکَرِ اسْمُ اللّٰہِ عَلَیْہِ وَ اِنَّہٌ لَفَسِقٌ
Meaning: Do not take anything upon which (you) did not recite Ism-e-Allah. Verily! it is a sin (to have it). (6:121)
Ism-e-Allah Zaat is the Key to Both the Worlds
The Holy Prophet ascended to the station of ultimate nearness higher than the Throne, the Chair, the Pen, the Tablet. Then he conversed to Allah without any veil in between. It was only due to the benediction of Ism-e-Allah Zaat as Ism-e-Allah Zaat is the key to both the worlds. Moreover, the seven layers of earth and skies are stable without any pillar only because of Ism-e-Allah Zaat. All the Prophets got Prophethood and won over the disbelievers only due to the power of Ism-e-Allah Zaat. Their eternal slogan was “Only Allah is enough for our help”. Additionally, the medium connecting Allah and His slave is Ism-e-Allah Zaat.
All the Saints whether al-Ghawth or Qutb (different ranks of Saints) got the beneficence of invocation, meditation, inspiration and concentration. All such blessings and also their absorption in Divine Oneness, unveiling and miracles are by the grace of Ism-e-Allah Zaat. Allah reveals such inspirational knowledge by Ism-e-Allah Zaat that one does not need to gain any other knowledge.
Ism-e-Allah Zaat makes a Seeker Indifferent of Everything but Allah
ہر کرا باسم اَللہ شد قرار
ہر چہ باشد غیر اللہ زان فرار
Meaning: When one attaches with Ism-e-Allah Zaat, then Allah detaches him from everything expect Allah Himself. (Ain-ul-Faqr)
On the Doomsday, Allah will reckon the account of good and bad deeds of people. Then, Allah will forgive the person who sincerely invoked and engraved his inward with Ism-e-Allah, even once in life. Even if his sins would be equal to the fourteen layers of the earth and the skies. In fact, per Allah’s command the angels will compare his single good deed of invocation of Ism-e-Allah with all his sins. Certainly, his single good deed of invocation of Ism-e-Allah will be heavier and override all his sins.
Then angels would surprisingly ask, “O Allah! How come, only one good deed of this person surpasses everything else? May we know what that good deed is?” Allah would say “This person is My seeker and used to remain occupied in the invocation of Ism-e-Allah. O angels! You are among those who I veiled from My real worship which is the invocation of Ism-e-Allah. When My seekers do the invocation of Ism-e-Allah I am with them and they are with Me. Indeed, you are unaware of it.” In short, everything other than Allah is lust. (Ain-ul-Faqr)
Importance of Contemplation of the Ism-e-Allah Zaat
Sultan Bahoo says:
By the contemplation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat, the seeker of closeness to Allah resides in the realm of Divinity (LaHoot). Here, he sees the Divine light of the Essence. Then, he becomes disgusted by the short lived and fruitless pleasures of both the world. He sees Allah everywhere, hears directly from His Magnificent Self and finds the Divine Essence completely within himself. (Nur-ul-Huda Kalan)
Ism-e-Allah Zaat is Better than All Other Prayers
Sultan Bahoo says:
- A person can spend all his life in praying, fasting, giving charity, performing pilgrimage, reciting Quran. Rather, he can perform all physical prayers or get excellence as a religious scholar, but nothing will benefit him. If he remains ignorant of Ism-e-Allah Zaat and Ism-e-Mohammad then he ruined and wasted all his life and prayers. (Just like Ism-e-Allah Zaat is Allah’s personal name, Ism-e-Mohammad is the personal name of the Holy Prophet). (Ain-ul-Faqr)
- To learn one law of Islamic jurisprudence is better than a sincere prayer of one year. While one breath taken in the invocation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat is better than learning thousand Islamic laws.(Ain-ul-Faqr)
Levels of Piety Achieved via Ism-e-Allah Zaat
Sultan Bahoo says:
Whoever achieved the levels of piety, it was through the Ism-e-Allah Zaat. From the name of Allah (ﷲ) four Divine names manifest. Firstly, name (AllahHoo) itself, whose invocation is the most gracious. When we separate the first Arabic alphabet (Alif) of (AllahHoo), it becomes (Lillah). The invocation of (Lillah) is the Divine beneficence. When we remove first ل (L) of (Lillah), it becomes (LaHoo). The invocation of (LaHoo) is the Divine blessing. Lastly, when we separate second ل (L) of (LaHoo), it becomes Hoo (ھُو) and its invocation is the Divine favour. Hence, Allah says: “there is no one to be worshipped except Allah” (2:255). Furthermore, seek only Allah, everything other than Allah is lust. (Mehak-ul-Faqr Kalan)
(AllahHoo, Lillah, LaHoo and Hoo) are Ism-e-Allah Zaat and hence the greatest name of Allah. (Ain-ul-Faqr)
Ism-e-Azam (ھُو ) was Rare in Past
In this contemporary age, Muslims in general do not have the time for hard spiritual endeavours. Even, the Divine lovers want to reach Allah as early as possible. Therefore, Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen has taken revolutionary steps in this way to spread beneficence of Ism-e-Allah Zaat among the seekers. In previous era, the spiritual guides granted disciples and seekers with Ism-e-Allah Zaat in four stages. Consequently, seekers crossed these stages in steps and hence progressed in proximity to Allah. This was time consuming and due to lack of pure intentions, some could not even cross the initial stages. Eventually, many seekers did not make it to the next or ultimate stage Hoo (ھُو).
Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen made Ism-e-Azam (ھُو) common
Sultan-ul-Faqr VI Sultan Mohammad Asghar Ali granted the invocation of Hoo ( ھُو ) to few chosen seekers of Allah. He in his life permitted his superior spiritual successor Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen to grant the invocation of Hoo ( ھُو ).
After adorning the throne of Divine guidance and persuasion Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen made Ism-e-Azam (ھُو ) common. He instead of granting seekers Ism-e-Allah Zaat in four stages, took the revolutionary step in the path of Faqr. Rather, he granted the invocation of Ya Hoo ( ھُو ) on oath of allegiance (al-bayah/ bayat). Thus, right away making the seeker capable of presence in the Divine court. Undoubtedly, this is the sign and proof of his ultimate Divine proximity and highest level in the court of Allah. Because, the beneficence of spiritual guide is directly proportional to the level of his proximity to Allah. Thus, higher the level, more is he powerful to grant the same to the seeker of Allah.
Hoo (ھُو ) is the king of invocations
The theophanies of Hoo ( ھُو ) are the most effective and strong. It is not easy for a new seeker to stand its effects. Therefore, his perfect spiritual guide’s marvel makes him able to tolerate these theophanies. He, like a spiritual fort, consequently make these theophanies subtle and easy for him. As Sultan Bahoo says:
ابتدا ’ھُو‘ انتہا ’ھُو‘ ہر کہ با ھُو می رسد
عارف عرفاں شود ہر کہ با ھُو‘ ’ھُو‘ شود
Explanation: Hoo is the beginning and Hoo is the finality. Whosoever reaches Hoo, becomes Mystic (one who prays Allah while seeing Him). Thus, by annihilating in Hoo, he himself becomes Hoo.
- The invocation of Hoo affects its reciter in such a way that he starts loving Hoo extremely. Thus, becoming disgusted by everything other than Allah. (Ain-ul-Faqr)
- Due to the frequent invocation, Hoo dominates and overpowers the being of the reciter of Hoo. Then, there remains nothing in him except Hoo. (Mehak-ul-Faqr Kalan)
Shaikh-e-Akbar Mohiyuddin Ibn Arabi says about the invocation of Hoo ( ھُو ):
‘Hoo’ is the most elevated and the ultimate invocation of Mystics. (Al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya Vol-II Chp 5)
Sayyid Abdul Karim bin Ibrahim al-Jili has said:
Hoo is the greatest name of Allah and is the most powerful Ism-e-Allah Zaat. (Al-Insan al-Kamil)
Significance of Invoking Hoo (ھُو)
Sultan-ul-Faqr VI Sultan Mohammad Asghar Ali has said:
Ism-e-Allah Zaat, Hoo ( ھُو ), is the Sultan-ul-Azkar. Thus, the seeker who has become Hoo ( ھُو ) after annihilating in Hoo ( ھُو ), is the Sultan.
Furthermore, Allama Iqbal said about Hoo ( ھُو ):
ہر کہ پیمان با ھُو الموجود است
گردنش از بند ہر معبود رست
Explanation: One must strengthen his relationship with the omnipresent Hoo by annihilating in Hoo. Because only then Allah liberates him from the slavery of everyone and everything.
منم کہ طوافِ حرم کردہ ام بتے بے کنار
منم کہ پیش بتاں نعرہ ہائے ھُو زدہ ام
Explanation: Iqbal says that he circumambulated the Holy Kaaba while keeping the idols in his inward. Here, he has referred to the idols of desires of inciting innerself and world. Then, he adds that he also raised the slogan of Hoo ( ھُو ) in front of idols. Here, idols refer to the superficial religious scholars. To elaborate, it means that he opened the secret of Hoo ( ھُو ) to the spiritually blind.
The Grand Marvel of Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen is ‘Hoo’
To reach Hoo is like reaching Allah Almighty. The invocation of Hoo ( ھُو ) annihilates the innerself in its theophanies. Only then, Hoo ( ھُو ) manifests in the entity of man. Thus, the grand marvel is to reach Hoo ( ھُو ). The marvel of our perfect spiritual guide Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib-ur-Rehman to take the seeker to Hoo ( ھُو ). He grants the last in stage of invocation which is Ya Hoo ( ھُو ) to seekers. Indeed, he does so by the will and order of his spiritual guide, Sultan-ul-Faqr VI. Due to his spiritual capability and powers, he takes the seekers to the ultimate destination Hoo ( ھُو ).
Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen’s Struggles in Spreading Ism-e-Allah Zaat
The struggles of Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib-ur-Rehman to spread the beneficence of Ism-e-Allah Zaat are extensive. For sure, it is a trail of patience and worth praise. He travels across Pakistan and grants invocation and contemplation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat to seekers of Allah in every city. He grants it both with and without oath of allegiance. For the abroad of Divine Seekers, he grants Ism-e-Allah Zaat by either taking online oath of allegiance or without it.
To spread the beneficence of Ism-e-Allah Zaat, he printed and distributed over fifteen thousand copies of books free of cost. These books were Haqeeqat Ism-e-Allah Zaat (The Divine Reality of Ism-e-Allah Zaat) and Murshid Kamil Akmal (The Perfect Spiritual Guide). Moreover, he gave numerous Ism-e-Allah Zaat made of gold and those printed in golden to seekers of Allah. The generosity of Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen knows no bounds. He increases the capability of the seeker by his spiritual favour and attention. Not only that, he also grants seekers the beneficence of Ism-e-Allah Zaat more than their capability.
Under his supervision, Tehreek Dawat-e-Faqr invites people from all over the world towards invocation and contemplation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat. For this purpose, organization not only takes preaching tours accross the country but also uses internet and social media. Indeed, Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen’s efforts to spread the beneficence of Ism-e-Allah Zaat in the world are unprecedented.
As said by Sultan-ul-Faqr VI Sultan Mohammad Asghar Ali:
“Munificent is the one who spreads the beneficence of Ism-e-Allah Zaat and the vision of Allah by travelling.”
The Denier of Ism-e-Allah Zaat and Ism-e-Mohammad
- One who negates the significance of Ism-e-Allah Zaat and its invocation falls into one of the two categories: either he is a hypocrite and infidel, or he is envious and arrogant. (Ain-ul-Faqr)
- The denier of Ism-e-Allah Zaat and Ism-e-Mohammad is either the second Abu Jahl (Amr ibn Hisham is called ‘Father of Ignorance’), or Pharaoh. (Aqal-e-Bedar)
- One who does not have faith in Ism-e-Allah Zaat and Ism-e-Mohammad is a hypocrite. (Mehak-ul-Faqr Kalan)
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