Farooqi’s Guide To Sufism: Nisbat (Affinity/Association)The Connection With The Shaykh (The Spiritual Guide)

What is NIsbat (connection) in tasawuf)?

"Nisbat" is an Arabic word, derived from the word Nasb. It has different meanings like link, relationship, ancestor, kinship and generation etc. But as a term, its meanings and interpretations are taken separately in different disciplines. For example:

1- Nisbat in Arithmetic

In mathematics, ratio and proportion are the names of the addition and subtraction of differences based on comparisons and relationships.

2- Nisbat In Blood Relations

Humans have to establish relationships with their ancestors and relatives by blood. Such as father, mother, grandparents, siblings, maternal and paternal uncles and aunts, etc.

3- NIsbat in Foster Relationships

When a woman feeds any child, he or she (The child) has to maintain the sanctity of that relationship. It is known as a foster relationship (Nisbat).

4- Linguistic Nisbat(Affinity)

The people who speak the same language have a lingual relationship (Nisbat). For example Arabic, Persian, Greek etc..

5- Political Nisbat (Association)

The supporters of any political party have a political Nisbat. For example, supporters of different political parties.

6- Spiritual Nisbat (Attachment)

The relationship that the members of a spiritual chain of tariqat have with one another is called spiritual Nisbat. Like Chishti, Qadri, Suhrawardi, Naqshbandi, Mujaddadi, Owaisi, Nowshahi, Rifai, Shazli etc.

7- Literary Nisbat (Reference)

People with a particular point of view in literature have literary affinity among themselves. Some are romantics, some classical, some like tragedy and some prefer comedy.

8- Regional Nisbat (Introduction)

Living in a province, city, town, village or country, when you introduce yourself in relation to the region, then it is called regional relation. Like Iranians living in Iran, Afghans living in Afghanistan, Russians living in Russia, Americans living in America, Lahoris living in Lahore, Indians living in India, Jhelamis living in Jhelum, Gujarati, Faisalabadi, Thanvi, Jhangvi, Shirazi, Rasool Nagri etc.

9- Religious Nisbat (Association)

If some people share the same religion, they are said to be related to one another, such as Christians who believe in Christianity, Jews who believe in Judaism, Muslims who follow Islam, etc.

10- Sectarian Nisbat  (Involvement)

The believers of Islamic jurisprudence and of some specific philosophy of religion also introduce themselves in relation to that philosophy and religion. This is called sectarian or philosophical Nisbat. Like Hanafis who believe in Imam e Azam Abu Hanifa, Maliki who follows the law of Imam Malik, Shafi'i, Hambali, and Jafari etc.

11- Personal Nisbat (Attachment)

If you want to express your special Nisbat with a person, it is called personal Nisbat.  For example, those who have special devotion and connection with Syedna Farooq Azam (R.A) are called Farooqi, those who are related to Hazrat Usman Ghani (R.A) are called Osmani, likewise Alavi, Siddiqui, Mujaddadi, Faridi, Chishti, Sialvi, Parvizi, Ahmadi (Qadiani) etc.

Similarly, Chathe, Cheeme, Tuwane, Rajput, Rohele, Jat, Khokhar, Maratha, Sindhu, Tarar, Waraich, Bajwe, Sekhu, Ghumman, Naagi, Qalandar, Bath etc. are also considered in the category of personal Nisbat.

12- Professional Nisbat (Community)

The connection and relationship between those who adopt one profession and source of income are called a professional Nisbat. For example, the potter, the carpenter, the blacksmith, the cloth weaver, the milk men, the barber, and the maulvis etc.

The False Concepts of Kami kameen (People who belong to a poor working class)

Here it will be interesting to mention that the credit of laying the foundations on the basis of occupation, belongs to the British. They (British) adopted the nefarious, insidious and satanic policy of divide and rule by pushing the Muslims in particular and the Hindus in general into groups and sects. The British bestowed certain titles such as Nawab Bahadur, Khan Bahadur, Sahib Bahadur and Nambardar to honor their allies who were supporting them to sustain their rule over the Indians.  In reward of their treachery and disloyalty, they were bribed and paid and the rest of the people were attributed with humiliating and contemptuous words such as ``Kami Kamin''. And ironically, the Imams (the people who run the affairs of the Masjid) of the Masjids were given the title of Mullah, and reduced their social stature as the lowest class.  The reason was only that he is the one who makes the people offer the prayers, and tries to put them on the right path. And in order to further humiliate this class, the British popularized vulgar, indecent idioms and proverbs, which are used to slander the religion and the pious class.

British Conspiracy

As a Muslim and as a possessor of Allah's law jurisprudence and the Qur'an, put your hand on your heart and consider how much the English devil has wronged with us and has taken the revenge of the Crusades. How to destroy the Ottoman Empire they had sent a devil like Lawrence of Arabia to the holy Hijaz and divided a central state into 28 unstable, and weak countries. And made them puppet rulers of those countries to dance on their fingers and they are still dancing. They are even ready to sacrifice their body, mind, and wealth on their little gesture. It seems that the governments of most of the Islamic countries run away from the Islamic unity, as a crow who runs away from Galail(a kind of weapon which is used to hunt the birds in Punjab)  And go around announcing to please the British.

“O beloved! We have decorated this party for you.”

Then more pity is on the so-called saviours of their so-called tribal castes who, despite the passage of centuries, have not been aware of this conspiracy yet. Even before 1857, there were tribes and groups, the evidence of which is found in the Qur'an to some extent.

"O people! We created you from a male and a female and made you into tribes and groups so that you may attain identification. Verily, the most honorable of you in the sight of Allah is the one who is the most pious among you."

Tribal system and the blood and fraternal relations

Consider, when there was a tribal system in India, blood and brotherly relations were used for introduction and recognition, then all the people of every occupation and profession in each tribe were introduced by the name of the same tribe. In the Jat community, farmers, potters, wood and iron cutters and cloth weavers were all called Jats. In the same way, in the Khokhar tribe, in the Chatha tribe, in the Nagi tribe, in the Bajwa community, in the Rohila nation, in the Waraich and Tiwana tribes, the introductory name and recognition of all kinds of people was the same. As all Kashmiris either migrated or the residents of Kashmir feel proud to be called Kashmiri. Although people of all kinds of professions and occupations, such as potters, weavers, tailors, blacksmiths, etc. are living there, their introductory title is Kashmiri (Dar, Butt, Lone, Malik, Khawaja). In Arabic peninsula, the people who served the Kaaba and the residents of Makkah were given the introductory name Qureshi and the Jannnisaars (the people who can lay down their property and lives for the honour of Islam and the Prophet P.B.U.H) of Holy Madinah were named as Ansar-e-Madinah. But alas! The conspiracy of the British was successful and we embraced this devil's well-thought-out conspiracy wholeheartedly.

Ameer Minai says;

Kitny sada hain ameer beemar huey jis kay sabab

Usi attar kay londay se dawa lete hain

( “How much so-called innocent people we are that we do consult the same devil-physician who is cause of our illness”)

Allama Iqbal wrote an elegy on this embarrassed situation;

Jaan bhi gharw e ghair badan bhi gharw e ghair

Afsos kay baqi na makan hey na makeen hay

Europe ki ghulami pe razamand hua to

Mujh ku to ghila tujh say hay Europe say nahi

“(Our life and physical existence both are mortgaged to our enemies. Alas! Nothing is free from devilish clutches. We have been enslaved willingly to the European; I may protest against you not to Europe. (Sorry to say) “

Point to consider

Today, we use the same professional relationship established by the British label; the names Arai's hospital, Mughal's school, Kashmiri's mosque, Mehr's dispensary and Ansari's colony. Here we forget that Who did this to us? Marriages are determined by labelling the names of these professional communities. On the basis of tribes and castes political votes are divided. Religious and territorial claims are made. Alas!

Allama Iqbal says;

Kon suny Iqbal teri anjuman badal gai

Naey zamany hain tum ham ku purani baaten suna rahe ho

‘(Who will listen to your tragic decline? As the whole layout of the nation misshaped (deteriorated). Why do you bother us by relating such stories of old-ages.)’’

The truth of Nisbat (Association)

From the above-mentioned details, the basic aspects about Nisbat must have become clear to the eyes of the readers that there are many types and dimensions of the Nisbat. It becomes a source of introduction and recognition for the people If someone is called only Muhammad Sharif, it would not be clear to get his side. There will arise many questions. For example:

1. Who are his ancestors?

2. To which country does he belong? Which is the province, district, tehsil, village and colony?

3. What is his profession? Which company does he keep?

4. If “educated”, from which educational institution did he get his education?

5. If he is a scholar; from which Darul-Uloom did he get his degree? What is the genealogy of his teachers?

6. If he has passionate association and devotion for a spiritual person, then what is his introduction? From whom he has received his spiritual bliss.  What is his Tariqat or spiritual Nisbat?

7. If he belongs to a famous tribe or family, then who are they? What is his family Nisbat?

8. If Muhammad Sharif is a follower of a particular school of jurisprudence, it would also be helpful to know him.

9. Muhammad Sharif's personal qualities and achievements would also be the reason for his introduction.

In short, the more comparisons someone gets, the more help will be given to understand his personality and his value will also be determined. If there is a good Nisbat he will be honoured and if there is a bad Nisbat he will be humiliated and disgraced.

Look, if a person is compared to Satan, Pharaoh, Nimrod, Haman, Shaddad, Qarun, Iblis the Cursed, etc., then he will definitely be considered unfortunate and miserable, because he has been compared to the wretched.

In the same way, if any Nisbat is directed towards Allah, towards the beloved servants of Allah, towards the services and protection of the Qur'an and Hadith, then surely, he will be fortunate and blissful, the Quran says;

"O you who believe! Fear Allah and be with the truthful".

It is mentioned in the Hadith Sharif that 

“the one who is compared to the mosque is one who has faith, who is fortunate”.

 Allama Iqbal says;

Ye raaz kisi ko nahi maloom kay momin

Qari nazar aata hai haqeeqat myn hai Quran

(This secret is unknown to everyone that the sincere Reciter of the Holy Quran is the Quran in actions.)

Pay attention to some other aspects as well

1. If a cloth has a Nisbat to the cover of the Kabba, it becomes blessed, but if socks were made of this cloth, the dust would be its fate.

2.  Zam,Zam is sacred water because of its Nisbat to the Prophet Ismail (A.S)

3. The Nisbat of Hajr-e-Aswad (The black stone near the Kaaba which according to the Islamic teachings is sent from heaven) to heaven makes it holy for the Muslims of the world. Every Muslim considers it a blessing to kiss it. If someone fails to kiss it, he points his hand towards it and kisses his own hand as a sign of its love otherwise circumambulation of Hajj will not be completed.

4. If a paper, cardboard and cloth have a Nisbat to the Holy Quran, it is respected by every Muslim. They touch it with their eyes, kiss it and do not turn their backs towards it. On the other hand, if the same paper has some other painting on it, it might be trampled under the feet.

5. If an Arab has a Nisbat with the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H), he will be respected more than any other pious person in the world.  In the same way, whoever is fortunate enough to be related to the house of Ahl-e-Bait-e-Athar, the masses will call him Sayyid Sahib, Pir Sahib, Al-e-Rasool (P.B.U.H) and Olad-e-Ali  (R.A), and ask for God’s mercy for these people in their prayers.

Countless examples like this can be given such as Haji, Namaazi, Hijazi, Madani, Makki, Ghazi, Mujahid, Shaheed, Hafiz, Saim, Zakir, Saber, Shakir, Faqir, Waliullah, Zabiullah, Habibullah, Kaleemullah, Rasoolullah and Nabiullah etc.

Silly Objections and Fair Replies

Question: Some people who are blind of knowledge and reason, object that these Sufi Salasil (the schools of sufi practices) and their Nisbat innovations and are other than Allah, it is very important to avoid them and refrain from them.

Answer: The above presented interpretation and explanation regarding the Nisbat, may provide an answer to almost every objection in a simple and a common way. But still, I ask a few questions to those who have objections in a simple way. If they don’t mind, their self-made, ignorant and crazy questions will be answered by their own answers.

1. If it is shirk, heresy and illegal to have a heartly spiritual connection with the servants of Allah, then should we develop a heartly connection with Iblis (Satan)?

2. If it is wrong to write Siddiqui on the basis of love and devotion to Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique (R.A)-the most faithful companion of The Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H)-, then is it the part of belief to write Abu-Jahli and Yazidi because of the love of Abu-Jahl or Yazid.

3. In the same way, when someone writes Farooqi, Uthmani, Alavi, Makki or Madani, Hashmi or Qureshi, Jafari or Naqvi, and Taqi, (God Forbid) are all of them committing the shirk? no way!

4. Here the question arises that these Nisbats are means of introduction and familiarity, which are ordered to be maintained in the Holy Qur'an as well:

 

"And we created your clans and groups so that you may know one another".

If introducing physical relationship and lineage as a source of introduction is proved by the Qur'an, is the Qur'an also teaching polytheism?

5. If someone writes Chatha, Cheema, Tiwana, Rathor, Khokhar, Mughal, Rohila, Jat, Bat, Kashmiri, Waraich, Nat, Qalandar, Bajwa, Randhawa and hundreds of such castes and communities, they can still be called Muslims, believers, monotheists and the righteous ones. Although, all these communities and clans that are mentioned above, they are all basically the Nisbats of Hindus and Sikhs, Magusis (people who worship the fire) and polytheists from generation to generation. If these people remain Muslims and believers even after being known by the names of their ancestors, the people who try to be known by the saints of Allah, interpreters of the Holy Quran, the collectors of the Hadiths and the servants of Islam can never be the deviators. The Maliki, Humbali, Shafi'i, Hanafi, Chishti, Qadri, Suhrawardi, Naqshbandi, Shazli, Rifa'i, Golarvi, Sialvi, Faridi are those who love the lovers of Allah.

Conclusion

The result of all this discussion is that all the Nisbats are mere introductions and not the reasons for pride. The Holy Quran says,

"Indeed, the most honourable among you in the sight of Allah is the one who is the most pious among you."

If a person considers any Nisbat a reason for pride and considers other Muslims inferior to him, he is reprehensible. He should be reformed, because the Holy Prophet said in his sermon on the day of the conquest of Makah:

"O Quraish, Arabs! You should refrain from tribal pride; otherwise, Allah will humiliate you more than black worms in dung".

Then on the occasion of the farewell sermon, he further said:

"Caution! A white person has no superiority over a black person and a black person over a white person, and an Arab person has no superiority to a foreigner, and a foreigner has no superiority to an Arab person, except for the sake of altruism and piety."

Therefore, merely being Naqshbandi, Mujadadi, Chishti, Qadri or Cheema, Chatha, Jat and Butt, is not a sign of any elevation and greatness.

Yes, if the Qur'an and Sunnah are followed firmly, you are following the true light.

 

Mian Muhammad Bakhsh says;

Naikan lokan di sohbat yaro jenwen dukan ataran

Soda bhawen mol na laey hully aawin hazaran

Bury lokan di sohbat yaro jenwen dukan loharan

Kapray paawen kunj kunj paey chingan pain hazaran

“(The association with the noble - fellows is like the company of scent-market which provides sweet smell free of cost but the company of evil -fellows is the company of black-smith whose furnace sprinkles iron strakes and flames whether you are very careful about your clothes.)”