Dec. 11, '03.

Wa Alaikum Assalam wa Rahmatullah.

As you know, rights on us may be divided in two types. Allah Paak's rights and Allah
Paak's makhlooq's rights. Allah Paak's right's list is unending. At the top is Eemaan
on Him without Shirk. Then follows, obeying His other orders. This orders' list
comprises of do's and do-not's. These do's and do-not's are of different levels of
importance.

About Allah Paak's rights, He says that He does not pardon those who do Shirk, and
pardons anything else – whomever He wants.

Everybody and everything is His makhlooq. We have all these things' and people's
rights on us. There are our own rights on us. To reply to your question, I'll divide the
people's rights on us in two types. One type is related to material and tangible things.
The examples of breaching of such rights are taking other's things by theft, fraud, or
force. The other type of rights is related to minds and hearts. Examples of breaching
them is doing or saying something that hurts somebody mentally.

Of course, the second type of breach of rights is very serious. I think that it is the
reason why its atonement is made so handy – though courage-requiring. Merely a
'sorry' might do. Tender words win minds and hearts. An apologetic smile in a
person's eyes may bring that person's heart in our hands.

Note that if we have taken anybody's rights, we should compensate for them as
adequately, as perfectly, and as soon as we can.

Achieving Roohani Ilm (and practicing) wipes out our sins, but not the ones related to
makhlooq's rights - like depriving anybody of something or hurting anybody
physically or mentally. These need to be taken care of separately by settling them
with the concerned persons. As in everything, we should be tactful in doing this also.
It is not necessary that we put ourselves in any embarrassing situation. It would be
enough if we give out any type of compensation without any reference or indication to
our breach. Not only material things, but also making Dua or Istighfar for a person,
with or without his knowledge, could be possible forms of compensations. We may
also do Sadqah and Khairat on any person's behalf by way of compensation – without
his knowledge if necessary. Note that these types of indirect settlement of rights are
appropriate only when a direct settlement with the concerned person is impossible, or
difficult and complicated.

Aey Allah, mujh par bahot huqooq hain – jin meyn terey huqooq hain aur teri khalq
key huqooq hain. Aey Allah, terey jo huqooq hain, tu unheny ma'aaf farmadey, aur
teri khalq key jo huqooq hain tu unheyn mujh par sey uthaley (meri taraf sey ada kar
dey). (This is the translation of a Sunnat Dua).

When asking the above question, you have brought up a good topic by mentioning
'Roohani relationship' with Allah Paak. Here is some talk about it.
Do not say 'if we achieve Roohani relationship and contact with Allah Paak'. Every
Muslim, without any doubt, has Roohani relationship and contact with Allah Paak –
though at different levels. What do you think a 'thought' is? From where or from
whom do you think it is? It is from from where we are. It is from Allah Paak. The
more one is given the Rahmat of feeling this, the more the thought becomes divine in
its characteristics. The Quran is the best mutual contact with Allah Paak. Kalimah
and any other zikr, Istighfar, and dua are some contacts. Namaaz, a combination of all
the above is an enormous contact and relationship. We wash and clean ourselves and
come to Him several times daily and stand still in front of Him and say 'Only Thou we
worship, and only Thou we beg. Put us on the right path'. We say 'Allah is The
Greatest' and put our face on the ground.

I'll write a relevant and a very important point here. There are milestones and
milestones and milestones on the path of Roohani relationship with Allah Paak.
BEWARE!!! At every stage – from any low to any high - do not ever forget
Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam). No relationship or contact with Allah
Paak is correct, real, and valid without his (SAWS) shown path and said words. The
progress of Roohani relationship with Allah Paak – step by step – should be in the
light of his (SAWS) shown path. If one reaches a very high level of Roohani
relationship with Allah Paak, and finds something there which goes against even a
single word of him (SAWS), he must take that 'word' and leave that 'something'
completely. Otherwise, there would be the total disaster.

Second important and mentionable thing here. We must always obey our next-
superior generally. Particularly, as a Mureed also, we must never even slightly
disregard our next Murshad – and then all the above ones in the series. It is like a
chain that binds you with Allah Paak. If a ring in this chain is broken, Khuda-na-
khwastah, one is broken from Allah Paak. The first ring you are attached with (your
next-superior) is very important. Listen to this. Hazrat Qiblah's (Rahmatullahi Alaih)
brother (RA) was also a mureed of the same Murshad (RA). Once their Murshad
(RA) said to his brother that Allah Paak has taken your brother from me (meaning, for
especial and direct Tarbiat). When Hazrat Qiblah heard about this, he said, "Unu
boley to kya hota. Main kan chhortaun unku. Allah Mian ki hi ek Tajalli samajh key
pakda rahoonga". You see, what not only a great 'Murshad', but what a great 'Mureed'
also Hazrat Qiblah was! Once in a Saalgirah or Urs of Hazrat Qiblah, Dada Hazrat
(my Murshad, my next superior) delivered an address. The title of that address was,
"Mureed-e-Kamil", meaning 'The Perfect Mureed'. It described how Hazrat Qiblah
was a perfect Mureed also – not only a perfect Murshad.

What is needed to embark on the right path and remain on it? The answer is 'Allah ka
Fazl'. Only Allah ka Fazl and nothing else. But then, what is upon us to do? Three
things. 1. Ita'at. 2. Ummeed and Khauf from Allah Paak - with duaen and koshish not
to destroy our Eemaan and Amal by Riya, Ujb, Takabbur, Hasad, leaving Farayez and
other neyk kaam, and committing Kaba-er and other sins. 3. Istighfar and Taubah.
"Kullu bani Adam khattaun, wa khairul khattaun at-Tawwaboon (Hadis-e-Sharif) =
All bani Adam are mistake-makers, and the best mistake-makers are the repenters
(taubah karney waley). We should repent immediately upon any mistake. Not feeling
a mistake or delaying repenting is far worse than committing a mistake. Upon a
mistake, we should immediately feel and act as a child feels and acts when a costly
crockery piece is dropped and broken by his hands.
Now I'll write here something about dreams and their relationship with real life. Like
a 'thought', the importance and meaningfulness of a 'dream' is also proportionate to the
nature and status of a person – on the scale of piousness and purity. Sahabah
(Raziallhu Anhum) used to narrate their dreams to Rasoolullah (SAWS) and he
(SAWS) used to give ta'a'beer. Prophets' dreams are equal to Wahee. When Ibrahim
Alaihissalam saw sacrificing his son Ismail Alaihissalam in his dream, he narrated it
to him. Ismail (A) readily said (he was, maybe, about seven years old), "My father,
do as you are ordered (by Allah Paak)". But ordinary people's dreams are not binding
on them. Though these dreams might have some meaning and explanation. To act
upon what we see in a dream might be right or wrong only according to what is
generally right or wrong in real life. If it is something not positively virtuous or
clearly forbidden, then it depends upon many things. One of the safe options in such
a situation could be just to leave it.

Alhamdulillah.

(Dec 12. How good if you all read it every six months in the coming years. It will
give you something more every time – insha-Allah. I'll myself read it again and try to
take more from it in terms of knowledge and practice.)