Tahajjud Prayers and the Ascent of the Soul

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Ya Ali Madad. On the occasion Mi’raj, the commemoration of the journey in which our Holy Prophet (s.a.s.) attained the status of fana fi’llah and baqa bi’llah using ism-i azam (symbolized by Burraq, the mystical horse), please accept our heartfelt felicitations!

On this day, may Noor Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam, the 49th direct lineal descendant of the Holy Prophet (s.a.s.), grant peace, prosperity, happiness, barakat, higher spiritual enlightenment, spiritual & luminous tayid (help) and empowerment to the global Jamat as we go through this difficult period. Ameen.

Allâhumâ salli alâ Muhammadin wa âle Muhammad (O Allah! Bestow Peace on and through Muhammad and his Descendants).

In the post, I have organized the content under four headings:

1. Ayats from Surah Al-Muzzammil and commentaries on these verses;
2. Transliteration and translation of a verse from Kalame Mowla;
3. Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam’s position in a murid’s personal search; and
4. Global prayers and three grand aspirations.

1. Ayats from the Holy Quran

I have presented ayats from the Holy Quran translation of S. V. Mir Ahmed Ali in the graphic of this post. Here is the commentaries on these ayats:

Footnote 2749 for Verse 73:1

It is said whenever the Holy Prophet got into the state of receiving any revelation he used to feel a shivering in his body and felt the necessity of getting himself covered with some cloth. God liked His most loved Apostle in the state of being covered that He addressed him as the ‘Muzzammil‘, i.e., the Wrapped up one.

Footnote 2749, S. V. Mir Ahmed Ali, pp. 1763

Additional Note

The term ‘Muzzammil‘ here and ‘Muddassir‘ in the next Chapter is used in addressing the Holy Prophet, literally means the one who has wrapped himself in a garb—separating himself from other engagements and the world around him for a purpose of sleeping or for meditation. (A.P.)

Addendum to footnote 2749, S. V. Mir Ahmed Ali, pp. 1763

Footnote 2750 for Verses 73:2-3

In the beginning, the believers had to offer the midnight ‘Tahajjud‘ optional prayers. The people did not know the exact hour when they had to pray and hence they used to keep awake the whole night in prayers. The merciful Lord revealed His will that they had to stand in prayers only for a small part of the night and not the whole of it. The prayer, i.e., ‘Tahajjud‘ is optional with the highest recommendation to offer it to achieve spiritual progress.

Footnote 2750, S. V. Mir Ahmed Ali, pp. 1763

Footnote 2754 for Verse 73:8

‘Tabattul‘ to cut away one’s self and get communion exclusively with the Lord —The Holy Lady Fatima, daughter of the Holy Prophet is called ‘Batool‘ for she used to turn to God in prayers disconnecting herself from everything in the world so that her whole being was dedicated exclusively for God.

Footnote 2754, S. V. Mir Ahmed Ali, pp. 1764

2. Teachings of Noor Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.)

In verse 171 of Kalāmē Mowlā, NOOR Mowlana Murtazā Ali (a.s.) explains that luminous prayer (bandagi) (with a luminous word at a luminous time) leads to spiritual elevation. This is the mechanism which the lover of Soul (Ruh) and Light (Noor) uses to meet the Beloved. The transliteration and translation of the verse is as follows:

Rean martabā bohot badā hey,
sab khalkat pāwē ārām,
Pir payegambar walee Oleeā,
rāt bandagisē sab pāa nām,
Merāj rasul bhee rātmē (n) pāyā,
āshak wasal pāwē māshuk,
Jo tu(n) sācha āshak hey,
to rean bandagisē mat chuk … 171

The status of night is great (because it contains a luminous hour).
The entire creation attains rest during the night.
Pirs, Prophets, Friends and Saints,
attained a lofty status through luminous prayers (bandagi).
The Messenger also attained Merāj (ascension) at night
and the lover attains union with the Beloved (through luminous prayer).
If you are a true lover (of Soul and Light),
then do not miss the night’s luminous prayer (bandagi). … 171

3. Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam’s Position in a Murid’s Personal Search

It is important to first recognize the position of the Holy Imam from a perspective of Light (Luminosity). This is defined as follows:

Ta’wil of word ‘Abad’ (Timelessness, haziratu’l-qudus):

“The sacred Sanctuary, i.e. the greatest treasure of secrets is in the light of the forehead of the manifest Imam, where God has gathered together all things related to intellect, knowledge, recognition and spirituality. The same sacred light also rises in the forehead of the perfect arif (a knowledgeable person) for the sake of recognition. Thus, azal (pre-eternity), abad (post-eternity) and other realities are gathered together and centered in the enclosure of the light of the forehead.”

Source: Tawil 13: A Thousand Wisdoms, p.25

Please note the tight connection between the luminous (Noorani) personality of the manifest Imam, the luminous word, the luminous time and the luminous prayer. The murid has to first know the position of the manifest Imam, link the luminous word to the luminous personality of the manifest Imam, and then follow the path lit by the manifest Imam by practicing luminous prayers in the small watches of the night, i.e., in the early hours before sunrise. This is the proper implementation of ‘Tahajjud’ prayers described in Holy Quran 73:2-3 to achieve spiritual progress.

4. Global Prayers and Three Grand Aspirations

Through the barakat of recitation of Holy Quran, Qasidas, Holy Ginans and voluminous prayers and Angelic Salwat by many, many individuals of the global Jamat, O Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam, bless the global Jamat with:

1. Spiritual and luminous tayid (help) to advance materially, spiritually and intellectually;
2. Sunshine in our spiritual hearts and actualization of the inner vision of the Truth;
3. Empowerment to present a Material Nazrana of time, knowledge and financial resources;
4. Empowerment to present a Spiritual Nazrana in the form of a pure heart which is in a state of constant dhikr; and
5. Empowerment to present a Luminous Nazrana in the form of a sound heart (qalb-i salim) which is in a state of constant dhikr and enlightenment.

Al-Hamdu lil-lahi Rab-bil Aalamin (All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds).

Shab-e Meraj Mubarak!

Angelic Salwat Supplication

Let us now start supplicating with angelic salwat, Allâhumâ salli alâ Muhammadin wa âle Muhammad (O Allah! Bestow Peace on and through Muhammad and his Descendants) to our beloved NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam for mushkil aasan for material and spiritual upliftment.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Haizinda—Qayampaya
(Our Present Imam is Living and His NOOR is Eternal)