A considered deliberation would enable us to determine many ways and dimensions of thinking and understanding. Skipping over the details we shall mention two aspects. Those who, knowledge-wise, have a strong mind that is, have such a mind in which there is no room for any doubt or disbelief, – they firmly believe that everything, big or small, joyful or sorrowful comes from God. It comes to their observation that whatsoever is presently existing in the universe is now happening or has taken place in the past or would ever happen in the future is directly related to God, that is, a manifestation of everything that corresponds with its existence in the mind of God. Leaving apart the philosophical approach, we shall dwell upon this with the help of few examples.
Every action of life has its own significance. The act of ascribing meanings to this significance, in fact, is the change in the thinking approach. We believe that everything which exists in this world or will ever exist henceforth is already present somewhere i.e. nothing can come into being unless it is not already existing. Man is born because he existed somewhere before his birth. Fall and rise, ups and downs, days, months, and years of man’s life are already recorded in the form of a film. We can call this film the Cosmic Film or the ‘Preserved Scripturum’.
The Cosmic Film
When a man becomes adult, sensible, and conscious he requires means and resources to live his life and for the acquisition of sources, money is an indispensable medium. The thing is that the Creator of the person has allocated, say, one hundred thousand rupees for him as if deposited in a bank in his name. Man strives and struggles to utilize the sources, a man succeeds in his efforts the money is accordingly released to meet the requirements and needs. One thing is but sure, had there not been a record of the allocated resources and funds in the Cosmic Film; the Preserved Scripturum, the displayed film would have remained incomplete. If despite the allocation of millions of rupees, someone remains, unaware of his allocated resources or does not put them to use, then the funds are of no use to him.
One approach in this regard is that despite the reprimands of his conscience man earns his livelihood through unfair means. In both the cases of fair or unfair earnings, one feeds himself anyhow with two loaves of bread. This is an established maxim that whatever one has in this world is already allocated to him in the form of a film. One who is earning by working hard conscientiously and another who is earning without paying any heed to the reprimands of his conscience, in both these cases they are getting the same amount which has already been allocated to them in the Preserved Scripturum.
It is therefore very strange and folly of the highest order that one should spoil and corrupt one’s own legitimate and fair earnings by indulging in unfair practices.
Ingenuity and Fate
Once Hazrat Ali was going. Somewhere on horseback, when the prayer time approached. He dismounted and told a passer-by budu to hold the horse so that he could offer prayers. The Budu agreed. Hazrat Ali got engrossed in his prayers as usual. The Budu felt tempted and couldn’t resist taking advantage of the situation and slipped away with the reins of the horse. When Hazrat Ali finished his prayers he found the budu missing along with the reins of the horse. By and by, Hazrat Ali’s servant; Qambar, happened to pass by. All gave him two dirhams (Arab currency) and told him to buy another set of reins. Qamber, on reaching the market, found the same budu trying to sell the same reins. Qamber got hold of the budu when he recognized the reins and dragged him back to his master.
“What made you bring him here?” Hazrat Ali demanded. Qamber replied, “Sir, the reins of your horse are here.” “What price did he ask for it?” Hazrat Ali inquired. “‘Two Dirhams!” replied Qamber.
“Give him two Dirhams”, said Hazrat Ali and then added, When I had told him to hold the horse, it was in my mind that I would tip him two Dirhams. Now it was ingenuity on his part that he liked to have his luck in another way.
Seven Thieves
Once it occurred to Sheikh (May God be merciful to him) that is it not strange on the part of God that He is ever-obliging. Says Time and again, I feed thee, I drink upon you, and I give you the sustenance. Only if we could restrain from eating, no force can compel us to take food. This thought helped him to stop tacking food. When the pressure of the wife and kids started to develop in this regard he quitted the house and took refuge in an old graveyard. In the evening a man came there to offer benefactions for his vow. After prayers, he tried to present some sweetmeat to Sheikh. Firm refusal from Sheikh and persistent offers by that gentleman created a scene and finally, he wrapped some sweets in a parcel for the ‘poor Sheikh’, considering him not in his senses by then and placed the parcel under a bush so that he could have them when he would be in his right senses. After midnight a few thieves entered the graveyard and set on to split the shares of the looted goods. In order to see what was going on, Sheikh got up. Taking him as an informer of the police the thieves hurriedly gathered the goods and asked him of his whereabouts. Sheikh’s reply couldn’t satisfy them. During the interrogation, one of the thieves saw the parcel lying under the bush.
When the parcel was examined; they found seven pieces of sweets, now it was a sheer chance that the thieves also happened to be seven. The chief of the thieves said, “This man too is a thief and has got some smart planes for us and wants to play a dirty trick upon us.
These sweets have been poisoned to kill us to take away our hard earnings”. The Chief decided to overturn the tables and told Shaikh to eat those sweets. Sheikh’s refusal did nothing but confirm their inference so deduced. He ordered his companions to make him eat those sweets forcefully. Two held him by the arms, two took charge of his legs, one rode upon the chest and one held his head and thus the sweets were put into his mouth. When Sheikh’s determination hindered him from swallowing the sweet morsel they started hitting him with blows and slapped him on the face and thrust the sweets one after another until all was clear. After performing this splendid task all of them fled away leaving the Sheikh to meet his fate. Sheikh after recovering a bit got up and looked toward heaven in utter dismay when he heard someone saying, O, haughty and proud man, you better go to your house otherwise we will be supplying you food daily in the same manner.
HaIwa* in a Basket
A man abandoned his social life and went to the jungle and remained hungry on the pretext that when he would not eat who would feed him On the third day when hunger and thirst started to grow out of Control, he suggested to himself that there would be no harm if some water is taken and went to the nearby brook. On reaching there he saw a basket floating in the stream. Curiosity made him open the basket. There was a tray in the basket with a lot of Maiwa (Dry Fruits) in it. He couldn’t resist and had the whole thing voraciously. After enjoying the Halwa (Halwa a thick paste-like sweet dish prepared from flour, sugar, and fat-oil.) and drinking water to his content, he decided to find out from where the halwa had come and started trudging up-stream. Finally, he reached a habitation; a village. A peasant told him that a basket was put in the water by the chief of the village but he was unaware of the contents of the basket. The haughty man visited the chief’s house who told him that one of his brothers was a leper and had an infection in almost every part of his body causing puss and blood to ooze, yesterday they had a monk-visitor, who suggested the treatment that halwa be cooked and spread on the body of the diseased person, like a poultice, while it was still hot. And early in the morning the halwa was removed and placed in the basket, it was floated downstream, as directed by the monk.
A Document of Lessons
In persons, who have the firmness of knowledge, such a pattern of faith is formed that they associate every movement, every activity, every function, and every requisition of their life to God. This is the pattern of thinking of the prophets. It is firmly held in their minds that the favors allocated to them by God will reach them in every case.
This faith produces the strength of ‘Detachment’ (Istaghna) in them. It is the statement of Qalander ba’ba Auliya that Detachment cannot be produced without faith and that faith cannot be completed without observation and the one who does not have detachment in him, is more closely related to the material world (the lower degraded world) rather than to God.
Spiritualism is a document of such lessons in which this has been elucidated that Detachment is compulsory for inner peace and tranquility. For Detachment the dependency (trust) upon God, the Omnipotent Being is indispensable. For strengthening that dependency, it is essential that there is faith in man and for having faith one has to have the sight which can see the Unseen; otherwise, no one can have peace. In the modern world it is an odd situation that everyone wishes to have heaps of wealth and at the same time is complaining of scarcity and dearth of peace. Peace is not a temporary thing; it is a certain, permanent state which never perishes. Therefore, how is it possible that the things which are temporary, short-lived, perishable and we always see them annihilating before our own eyes, could give us peace. Detachment is such a thinking approach in which one contemplates the real and immortal things after taking his mind off the material and mortal things. When this thinking makes a person enter into the unseen, step by step, first of all, faith is formed in him. As soon as the rays of faith enlighten the mind, the sight, which observes the Unseen, is activated in him. When it is revealed upon a person, after observation of the Unseen, that the whole universe is reigned by one. Single Being, all his mental trends are focused upon that Being and after this centralization of thoughts, the tree of detachment grows and enlarges in him branch by branch.
National and Individual Life
All the movements and activities of the universe are recorded in the form of a film. The feature, and impressions of the cosmic manifestations, as they exist in the film, are relayed and broadcasted to countless systems of galaxies. Struggle strives and capability are the only conditions. If efforts and struggle are not made, emptiness and a vacuum are created in life. This is eternally valid for both national and individual cases alike.
It is the Divine Law that if someone strives and struggles and the creatures of God are benefited ensuing the efforts, in one or the other way, the resources propagates and multiplies. Countless potentialities are hidden in all the things which have been created by God on this planet, earth. When these hidden potentialities are discovered and motivated incalculable avenues of inventions are flung open. We see that Iron is created by God, when the characteristics and properties of iron are discovered, on the individual on or national level, iron becomes one of the most useful items for the people. In scientific advancement, there will be hardly anything in which the contribution of iron, in one way or the other, is not there.
Besides the individual life, the national life is also inscribed in the Preserved Scripturum. When someone struggles individually, benefits and advantages of individual level are achieved, and when one, two, four, or ten persons strive together on the national level the whole nation benefits from this struggle. God says, “I do not change the fates of those nations who themselves do not wish so”. It is also inscribed in the Preserved Scripturum that the nations who try to change their circumstances, get the means and resources to become dignified and honorable, whereas those who do not wish to change themselves have to live a degraded and deprived life.
These are the inscriptions of the Preserved Scripturum: If a man uses the powers, granted by God, in the right directions, positive results are achieved and if he misuses them negative results would be faced. The only thing that God wants is that one should exercise. He gave powers in such a way that it should yield die welfare of the person using them. Individual welfare has no significance for God because God is the Creator, the Lord of all, and his Lordship demands that all creatures must be benefited by the favors, bestowals, and resources provided by God. In short, whatsoever is happening in the world is already recorded in the Preserved Scripturum. Besides the account of rising and fall of people, it is also inscribed in the film that if a nation lives a practical life in the right way exaltation will be their fate and if their practical life is spent in wrongdoings, they shall be made slaves to others.
The Prophetic Approach
Whenever the rise and fall come under discussion, the study of the factors of rising and fall becomes unavoidable. It has been already stated that progress is the result of striving on an individual or collective level and decline and fall results when individuals or nations become easy-going and begin to live a luxurious life. There are two aspects of advancement and progress. One of them is the state of the worldly dignity, worldly splendor, and worldly glory of an individual or that of the nation, and the other side of the progress which in fact is the real side is that an individual or a nation still living in the phenomenal world could reach the unseen world.
If both these two sides are taken into consideration, it becomes very clear that the scientific advancement of the present age is ostensible and apparent progress only. There is no doubt that the nations who have researched and struggled hard for the invention and discoveries are the advanced and developed nations, in the worldly sense. But we also note that the same nations are the most deprived nations in terms of peace of mind and tranquility of soul because they are unaware of the Reality, or to say, they still lack knowledge about Real life. People familiar with the Real World always remain calm tranquil. The present era is indeed the era of progress and advancement but at the same time the miseries, worries, unrest, and mental depression faced by mankind despite its advancement is also unprecedented. The reason for this is very simple; personal interests are the basis of this progress, whether it is the progress of an individual or that of a nation. Had this development really been for the welfare of mankind, peace would have been the eventual result of this advancement. Individual or collective minds are related to the thinking approach. If the thinking approach is that our efforts and inventions should be benefiting mankind and the creatures of God; this would be the prophetic thinking approach the and the dame is that God. This approach and the way of thinking I technically called the Qalander Conscious, which tells us that if there is Detachment in man he will be guarded and saved from ever new disease miseries and worried.
The simple way to acquire the state of Detachment (Istaghna) is that the thinking of man is concurrent with the Elohistic approach of thinking. When we observe the existents of the earth, we find that God has creased countless means and resources for His creatures and still none of these resources is directly related to any of the personal needs of God. God is insouciant in everything. Despite the fact that God is free from all wants and He needs nothings, He is providing means and sources for His creatures regularly, according to law and rule. If in a season mangoes are needed, trees bear flowers, and mangoes are produced schematically to fulfill the needs of the people. Since man is indigent of sources and means therefore he cannot be indifferent to the resources in such a way that may isolate him everything and cause seclusion for him, but he can adopt this thinking approach that the sources generated from his efforts are to be shared by the whole human race and mankind has every right to use them as he does. Acquisition of a particular thinking approach is subject to the mental association with the requisite approach. If you are desirous, for instance, of having a friendship with a gentleman you would be doing the same things which he would do. If the association of a gambler is sought, you would obviously gamble with him and if the company of a Saint is desired you’ll adopt the activities liked the most by the saint. The Change in thinking approach is proportionate to the adopted habits and activities in this regard.
Attitude of God
God serves His creatures without expecting any reward for Himself. When this thinking approach is adopted optionally by someone that he would serve the creatures of God in every case, Qalander Conscious is granted to him, and when this thinking is firmly established it becomes his target forever and anon that I am only doing that which would be appreciated and liked by God. It comes to his notice, because of reiterated repetition of this habit or action that whatsoever has happened or is happening or will ever happen, is from God and this helps in establishing faith in him. This very Thinking Style is called the Detachment. The whole life of prophets is governed by this principle that everything is from God. The thinking approach of Detachment is well established in prophets and the Friends of God (Auliya). To have this thinking approach established in them when they think about something they would never have a direct affinity with anything for themselves, they always hid in their minds that God is the sole owner of the universe including themselves. Nothing is related to them directly but everything, which is related to them, is because of God. Gradually when this thinking approach is well established it becomes a trait of their personality that before attending any affair they think of God prior to having any thought regarding that particular thing. Before paying attention to anything they would, almost habitually, have this feeling that this thing has no direct relationship with them and they are concerned with it only because of God.
This attitude causes every movement of their mind to be associated with feelings for God. God becomes their addressee, as someone sensually perceived. Gradually the Attributes of God are permanently rooted in their minds and their minds become locum tenens to the Attributes of God. Every movement of the mind of a person, after attaining this state, becomes the movement of the Attributes of God. And no movement of their mind is devoid of Power and Authority. The administrating Auliya is bestowed with the same mind by God and the Auliya acting on the Inspiration and Divine Guidance attempt to acquire this mind through ascetic exercises.
Action and Intention
So far as good or evil is concerned, no action in this world is good or evil by itself. In fact, ascribed meaning to action is the good or the evil. Ascribing meaning is the Intention. Whatsoever is there in the intention of a person before taking an action is the virtue of the evil. The action of the fire is to burn. When it is used in the welfare of people; in cooking food etc. it is virtuous action. And if the fire is used for destructive purposes; for putting the houses of people on fire, then it is evil.
If the thinking pattern of the nations of whose progress we are impressed or indigent of their help, is carefully studied, it will be clearly seen that the motto of their advancement in scientific progress is the rule of one nation making the whole human race their subject or to collect and gather all the monetary resources from their inventions inflicting poverty and distress upon the other fellow beings. Since this advancement is devoid of the thought of the welfare of the whole mankind and is contradictory to the Elohistic approach, therefore, this progress and advancement have become a source of constant worry and distress for mankind including those who struggled and strived for these very inventions. One day this worry and distress shall inflict calamity on the earth and will turn it into an inferno. Centralization of one’s mind is only possible if one believes that the existence and annihilation of things are from God and when this belief is destabilized and disintegrates one is trapped in such ideas and doubts which result in mental tension, confusion, misery, fear, and phobia. Whereas it can be easily seen that man’s every action, every activity, and every movement is controlled by such a Being who cannot be seen with the help of physical eyes. Child’s stay in the mother’s womb, provision of food for nine months for its nourishment over there, lactation arrangements in the mother’s breast prior to child’s birth, supply of milk after birth, moderate and balanced growth of the child because of the nourishing effect of the milk, becoming a mature man from the child, urges of the youth, supply of resources for completion of the urges and needs, the existence of resources before they could be provided. This sustenance will eventually become extinct if the earth is forbidden to produce grains. After marriage, the wish of the couple for having someone as their name-carrier, the intensity of the urge resulting in their parenthood, and surging love in the hearts of the parents for the child. It is worth considering that if love for the child had not been infused in the parents by God the children could not have been brought up, moreover love for the offspring is not particular to man only, this passion is found in every creature of God. And due to this love, alone parents bother to nurture and bring up their offsprings.
Growth of Seed in the Soil
Normally it is considered that without toiling efforts, resources cannot be acquired but we observe that the resources for which we struggle and strive already exist schematically. When a peasant sows seeds, after tilling the land the growth of the seeds results in the provision of various types of foods for human requirements. This happens only because the sources already exist. For instance, the presence of the earth, availability of seeds, fertility of the soil, presence of water for the growth of the seeds, the existence of the sunlight, existence of the air, the hot or cold weather according to the seasons, etc. If the seeds are not available or the soil is barren, water is not present, the air is not there, and then every effort of man would be futile and useless.
By Creations of God
It is the characteristic of God that every creation generates and gives rise to billions of more inventions. For instance, Electricity, which is a by the creation of God, is responsible for thousands of inventions that have come into being and still many more to follow. This situation discloses the secret that God has created the sources so that man should trace out the hidden potentialities of the sources and put them to use. When a nation is set to search these hidden potentialities, God reveals many secrets upon them, and when they contemplate in the light of the revealed facts more new inventions come into being.
Qalander Conscious guides us that everything, which is found in the universe, is dihedral. One of the two sides of the Creation is the manifestation and the other is the immanent side. Water is a liquid. This is the external side of it, but when we search for its hidden potentialities we find many of them. Similar is the case of the iron which is apparently a metal and when its hidden potentialities are traced out new products and inventions come into being.
When we set to look for the Attributes of God in anything, it is observed that whatsoever is there in the universe or is present in the earth have been created for the benefit of man.
Correct Definition
Detachment does not only mean that one should become unconcerned and insouciant regarding money, no one can remain unconcerned about money and desires. The accomplishment of basic requirements of life and the desire to look after the near and dear ones is unavoidable and is related to human rights. Detachment means that whatsoever is done by a man should be done in conformity with the Will of God and it must not be harmful or injurious for the creatures. Everyone should remain cheerful and should not be a cause of misery and distress for other fellow beings. This must be firmly incorporated in one’s mind that God is the sole owner and proprietor of each and everything present in this universe. It is God who created the earth, fashioned the seed, granted the ability to become a tree to the seed and the soil to nurture the tree in its lap, water to circulate in the tissues of tree-like blood, air to provide oxygen, light to supplement the deficiency of the colors in the trees, sun to remain in touch with the trees in order to help ripen the fruits, moonlight to produce sweetness in the fruits. It is the duty of the earth to produce and nurture trees that are required for fulfilling human needs and the duty of the trees is to produce those leaves and fruits which are most wanted by the creatures, according to the seasons.
Membership of the Universe
God wants that everything in the universe should remain in motion. Those who in pursuance of this Wish, Decree, and Attitude of God struggle, become the members of the universe. This membership keeps the universe active and kinetic. The question is what man could have done or what advancement was possible had the people been made mentally retarded, insane, or mad by God. Don’t we see people born ignorant of rising or fail?
We have just stated that those who have an affinity with God and firmly believe that God is encompassing every activity of life are bestowed with a prophetic approach of thinking. A person with such an approach, in spiritualism, is called Mustaghni (Richly Detached) and he realizes that he is linked with such a Being, Who is encompassing his life. Recurrence and repetition of this feeling take a physical form and he pragmatically observes that he is living within a ring (Sphere) of light in which the whole universe is enveloped. All heavenly books have explained it very elaborately that the basis of the earth and the heavens are the Light, through which everything of the universe is linked with God. When this ring of light or the halo becomes evident for the Mustaghni, he can study all the formulae which are the formulae of the creation.
Paradise and Hell
Only those will abide in Paradise, who have comprehended the teachings of the holy books as the prophets did. Those will be the residents of Paradise upon whom God has bestowed His Kindness and has adorned them as His Friends. Since God Himself is free and far above any fear, worry, or anxiety therefore His Friends, too, like Him are emancipated from the clutches of worries and fears. Those who could not get into friendship with God, Paradise will not accept them and -would be fuel for Hell. If there is sorrow and fear in someone, then according to the rule stated by God, he is not a friend of God, and one who is not the Friend of God will be denied entrance into paradise.
Dependency and Trust
Normally when Detachment is discussed, it is considered as the magnitude of the trust and dependency, which one has upon God. Trust and dependency play their role, more or less, in everyone’s life. But when we come to its definition and implication, it is observed that this too, like other rituals of our worships, is merely a pretty snare of words. Trust and dependency mean that one should entrust the charge of all his affairs to God but, practically, in the light of our observations of daily routines of life it appears to be uncertain and impracticable words. Generally, people think that if my boss is annoyed I’ll be fired or will be degraded or will be barred from promotion.
This also is our common observation that when something yields positive results, we boastfully claim it to be the result of our own intellect, wisdom courage, and whatnot. There are numerous examples that are evident that the trust and dependency upon God is merely a hypothetical statement on the part of the people. One who does not have trust and dependency upon God remains devoid of Detachment? In fact, trust and dependency are a special link between man and God, and one who enjoys this relationship with God is liberated from the greed of the world. Such a person becomes nonchalant and impertinent to the help and assistance of other people. He becomes aware of God’s Attributes that He is the Only, One.
He is Insouciant; He is neither procreated nor procreates. He has no family. In the light of these Attributes of God when we examine the creatures we find that creatures can’t be one, they have to be in multitudes, needy and indigent of resources for the fulfillment of desires and requirements of life. It is also mandatory for the creatures to bear offspring and to be off-springs themselves and to have families. When these five agencies are taken into consideration of Qalander Conscious it is revealed that out of these five Attributes of God creatures can have a direct relation with God in only one of them. It is impossible for creatures not to be in plurality, they have to have off-springs, or to be offspring themselves, they also have to have families i.e. creatures cannot exercise any control in these four Attributes of God, but they can have a relation with God in only one of His Attributes, that is, they can associate all their needs and requirements with God alone taking their minds off from all the other resources.
One is far away from the deeds of trust and dependency if the factors of demand in him are associated with creatures instead of God. A spiritual associate is made to practice to hand over all the wants and needs of life to his preceptor; the spiritual guide. And he becomes responsible for all the needs of his disciple just as the parents are responsible for the requirements of an infant, unless and until he is not conscious and capable enough to look after himself, they remain thoughtful and watchful for their baby round the clock. The door of the house should not be left open so that the child should not go out unobserved. If it is colds, why is he not properly dressed he may catch a cold. If he hasn’t taken food on time they are worried why the child hasn’t taken the feed. If he oversleeps they are worried and if he is insomniac, they are fretting. Everyone who has got kids of his own or has seen his younger brothers or sisters, knows it pretty well that the parents are the ones who are responsible for all the needs of the child and the responsibility is fulfilled in such a way which has nothing to do with the child’s mind. Since the disciple or the pupil is a spiritual child to the preceptor or the teacher (Sheikh or Murad) therefore he becomes responsible for all the worldly, religious, and spiritual needs of the disciple.
As the association grows stronger the mind of the preceptor is transferred to the disciple accordingly and he subconsciously becomes aware that the person who is taking care of him, he himself is being cared for by God. And gradually his mind is liberated and all his needs and requirements become associated with God.
Qalander Conscious School
Before my admission to the Qalander Conscious School, I had two vices. One; I was a business-minded person, whenever I had a chance to meet someone 1 would readily have one or the other expectation from him for myself. After my submission to Qalander ba’ba Auliya, first of all, this approach of mine was correct. Any expectation from anybody was never accomplished. It happened repeatedly and finally, it occurred to me that someone could be helpful only when God wills so.
Eat the Gold
After this, the second program of my training started. I was made to see by the spiritual eyes that there is a big room with many cabinets stocked with gold bars and I am confined in that room. This state prevailed for forty-eight hours, with this state whenever I had the urge for food a voice echo in my ears, “Eat the Gold!” when I intended to drink water the same voice would be there to tell me, “Quench your thirst with gold and silver”. When finally I emerged out of that state, even a ten-rupee note would produce a taste of detestation in me. And it was followed by thousands of incidents that were rationally and logically impossible but they did happen. Many experiences in this regard firmly established this belief that only what happens which God wills. The purpose of telling all this is that spiritualism is not knowledge-based and founded on mere words and phrases but is a practical science based upon observations and experiences.
Automatic Machine
Life, from birth to death, Limbo hereafter, the Day of Reckoning and Judgment, Paradise and Hell, and envisioning of the Beatific Vision Of God, all these things are based upon belief. The basic thing is that one believes that he is alive and existing, he is conscious and his mind is functioning properly, he is independent to some extent in certain affairs and mostly remains under the influence of involuntary states, for instance, if someone starts breathing voluntarily and willfully, he will be out of breath within minutes. In our life routines when one feels hungry he takes something to satisfy his appetite, when he feels thirsty he quenches his thirst by drinking some water. Similar is the case of the machine built in the human body which functions regularly, non-stop, and continuously. The parts of this machine; the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, stomach, and intestines remain continually active.
There is not even a single person, among the five billion population of this planet who could operate this machine willfully and voluntarily. This inbuilt machine is working involuntarily. The fuel used in this machine is also not in the control of man and this is further consolidated by the fact that when this machine ceases to function no power of the world, no advanced knowledge or Sciences and technologies can restore it to work. Usually, this machine under a natural system stops gradually and sometimes it stops suddenly and instantly. Gradual close down is termed as illness and its sudden break down is called ‘Heart Failure’.
Man considers that the cure of illness and disease is optional but we don’t find even a single person who would like to fall ill or wants to die. Had living been an optional thing no one would have ever expired. Similarly, the fundamental factors of life and all the movements on which smooth functions of life depends are not optional. If we consider the basis of life, it commences with the birth, which by no means is in the control of the born History of mankind is evident that not even a single soul has ever been born according to his own choice or will. Every person and everything that is born comes into this world for an appointed time and on the expiry of that time, no one overstays even for a fraction of a second. This is such an established fact, which is noticed by everyone, at every moment at everywhere. In short, God creates as He wills and creates in various forms, with different statuses. No such precedence is available that a dwarf had ever grown into a seven feet tall man or seven feet tall mall had ever shrunk to two and a half feet.
Man, Tune, and Toy
When we compare people in terms of intellect and mental capabilities some are found to be more capable than others, some are less capable and some are found to be totally devoid of this marvelous faculty. Science might be claiming its ability to walk in space but no evidence is available on record that an idiot cloud has been made wise. God grants intellect and understanding as much as He wills. The ability to ponder and contemplate is also bestowed by Him but the tragedy is that those who have been granted these abilities consider them to be their own merit and virtue and when it is taken away from them they can’t do anything about it.
All the components of life is in control of a Power. The Power derives and stops them as and when it wishes so. According to Qalander ba’ba Auliya, founder of the Qalander Conscious, “It is foolish on the part of the people to say that they have control over circumstances and man can change the situations according to his will and wish. It is not so. Man is a toy. He acts and plays according to the stimuli of the circumstances. If the man in fact had control over the circumstances and situations nobody would have been poor, sick and nobody would have ever liked to grow old, and nobody would have ever liked to die”.
History tells us that those who proclaimed themselves to be gods were strangled by the merciless clutches of death. The examples of Shaddad, Nimrud, and Pharaoh cannot be ignored on the pretext of mere stories. History repeats itself in every era only the names of the characters are changed. The example of King of Iran, in the present age, can easily be cited in this regard, who celebrated the twenty-fifth centenary of his dynasty, was forced to face the death of humiliation in a state of helplessness and exile in a strange land and nobody was there to console him in that misery and distress. Had man any control over the circumstances a king like him would have never died in such a miserable situation. Numerous incidents of this type take place daily but we do not bother to pay any attention to them and pass by overlooking and calling them ‘a Chance’, whereas there is no room for any chance or accident in this universe which is run wider a set of a cohesive and coordinating system by God.
When it becomes a belief of a person that everything small or big is existing according to a system formulated by God, a pattern of faith and certitude forms in him. Under stimuli of various events of life, it is found by him that all these events are chained and linked strongly and concordantly and he is forced to consider and acknowledge that the Only Supreme Sovereign of the universe is God.
A Note is Dropped from the Sky
It is a well-known fact that a firm belief in something is only possible when that thing about which we have no idea that how it will be accomplished, actually happens without any resources, control, or will. Once I was rewriting the pages of the Book; Loh-o-Qalam (The Pen and the Scripturum) by Qalander ba’ba Auliya. It was late in the afternoon. Few guests arrived from Lahore. Since after a short while it would be dinner time. I thought of entertaining the guests by serving them something for dinner. Now, those were the days when I was in the State of Bewilderment and not only there wasn’t any arrangement of food but even my dress had shrunk to a vast and lungi only.
It is yet another story that how could I live through the seasons of winter, summer and rains. When God grants the strength and ability one can live through austerity and hardships easily. First I had the notion of borrowing money from my neighbors but the thought of embarrassment resulting from a possible refusal by him didn’t allow me to do so. Then I had the idea of availing the credit facility of the nearby hotel but couldn’t make myself agree with this idea, too, and I kept quiet that if it is the will of God some sort of an arrangement will be made for the food.
When I stepped out of the room a five-rupee note fell from the roof, it was a brand new note and I heard it fall. I got scared. A voice echoed in my mind that it is from God. I picked up the note and a sufficient meal was arranged comfortably.
Sixty Rupees
After the sighting of Eid Moon, I was worried about the traditional token money of “Eidee” for the kids and l went to see a friend in order to borrow some money from him for the occasion. My friend told me that though he had some money it was kept with him as a trust by someone. I didn’t like to insist and started back. When I was passing through the bazaar an old friend of mine met me very cordial1y and offered me some money. When I tried to refuse he told me that money which he was offering was to clear an old debt and he shoved sixty rupees in my pocket which sufficed for all the needs and requirements of that Eid. The thought-provoking thing in this event is that I had visited my friend with an intention of asking for thirty rupees which were not enough for my requirements and God arranged the money which was actually needed. There had been many incidents out of which only two have been stated.
Chicken Rice in the Village
An interesting event regarding ‘Detachment’ has been stated by Ghous All Shah Panipatti in his book; “Tazkara-e-Ghousia”. He narrates:- “I was an Imam of a village mosque. A dervish came there and stayed for the night. After the evening prayer, I invited him to the meal. He inquired what there was for the meal. He didn’t show any interest when he heard about the Dal Roti (a kind of meal); Pulses and loaves of bread. When I insisted he said, it is my covenant with God that I only eat if He provides me with chicken Pulao”. I, considering him a psycho-case, saved some food for him and retired to my room. Those were the days of the rainy season; the sky was clouded, after a short while it started raining torrentially. In the heavy showers, I heard someone knocking at the door. When I opened the door, I found a man, covering himself in a jute bag with a tray in his hand. He said, handing over the tray to me, “We had vowed. Here is the Chicken Rice for you and the plate will be collected in the morning”. I brought the Chicken Rice to the dervish who enjoyed it heartily.
Can Have Fish?
Once around 11.30 p.m. Qalander ba’ba Auliya asked me, can we have fish? I submitted, “Sir, it is half-past eleven in the night but I will try if I could find it in some hotel”. He commented, “1 won’t eat the fish prepared at hotels”. Now I got confused because at that hour of the night from where the raw fish could be arranged?
In those days Nazimabad wasn’t this populated. Anyhow, I decided to go out for it but when I started to leave Qalander ba’ba said, “Leave it, don’t bother, we shall see to it in the morning’. Hardly after an hour, someone knocked at the door. I found, when I came out, a man with a fish in his hand. “I am coming from Thatta and beg to present this fish to Qalander ba’ba Auliya”, be said, and with this he took leave.
Ration of Birds
This faith and belief were established firmly consequence of numerous events that God is the Only Care Taker of our needs. He has promised that He is the One who provides sustenance and He supplies the sustenance in every case. And the workers of God who are associated with the Administration, called Vicegerents on the earth by God are appointed to provide the means of livelihood for the creatures. We are born as and when God Wills, we stay alive till He Wills, no one can overstay that appointed time but it is very odd that man thinks that living and earning of his livelihood is in his own control. When the harvest is reaped by the peasant every grain is collected and gathered by him. Even the spoilt grains are collected and cast before the pets. If the place where the wheat is thrashed is examined, hardly a few grains will be found but we find that billions of birds peck their feed. It is a marveling fact. When no special crop is cultivated for the birds and the farmers also don’t leave any grain for them then from where do these birds feed themselves? It is the law when birds descend with the intention to peck their feed; the feed is provided by nature before they could touch the ground. Had there been any control of the farmers over the feed of the birds all would have died of hunger.
Trees and Grass
The quadrupeds are, anyhow, greater than human beings in numbers on the earth. Apparently, they feed themselves on the grass and the quantity of grass and leaves of trees consumed by them is so large that there shouldn’t be any grass or trees leftover on the earth, but nature produces grass and trees in such a huge quantity and abundance that there never happens to be any shortage of vegetation. Man has no control over the growth and production of vegetation. Nature produces it at her own sweet will, nurtures the greenery as she wills. Basic needs and requirements of life are distributed by God without associating them with any toiling. The air, water, sun, and moonlight are the most vital basic needs, and if man, as claimed by him, is self-sufficient in his needs then which power does he possess or what knowledge does he have which would enable him to achieve the sunlight. If the underground water reservoirs dried up through which knowledge or power can man restore the water channels on the earth? The same is the case of the air. If the system producing the air and maintaining its motion is suspended then billions of creatures would be destroyed in a microsecond.
The Labor Family
Qalandar Ghouse Ali Shah has stated an event regarding the provisioning of sustenance and distribution of means and sources by God. Once a city fell into such an intense market slump that markets virtually became barren and deserted. People started transmigrating from there. This situation affected the laborers the most. They were distressed and in great misery. People were unable to find any solution to improve this situation. One day two merchants came there and started buying, so much so, their list of purchases extended to almost every available commodity. Resulting from the purchases everybody in the town became active. The merchants declared the long list of items intended to be purchased by them and also announced that their stay would not be more than a week or two. This created a scene of hustle and bustle in the market. Merchants of that city were hectically trying to arrange the various commodities from other cities to meet the demands. People were happy and grew to prosper, those who had migrated, returned, and those who had the intentions to migrate reviewed their decisions. After purchases, the two merchants ordered the loading of the goods on board which provided a chance for the laborers to set to work and they also became wealthy. Anxiety, unrest, hunger, and poverty vanished from the city and the abandoned city once again came to life. An old man, who was working for the merchants, when he was relieved of his duties at the time of the departure of the ship, requested the Merchants that since he is alone and would be glad if allowed to remain in service and to accompany them. Merchants agreed and the ship set sail. When they reached the deep waters the merchants told the old man that they were angels and since the settlement was facing destruction eventually resulting from the market slump therefore God had ordered them to save that habitation so that the supply of sustenance should remain continued for the people. With this, both the angles disappeared.