Writings of the Promised Messiahas

NEVER ABANDON THE WAY OF THE HOLY PROPHETSAW

I would also like to tell you that there are many people who desire to attain these excellences by way of their own self-invented incantations and litanies. But let me tell you that if you adopt a method that was not practiced by the Holy Prophetsaw then it is futile. Who could be more truly experienced in the path of those favoured by God than the Holy Prophetsaw? In fact, he was a man in whose person all the excellences of prophethood reached their final limit as well. The path adopted by the Holy Prophetsaw is the most effective and nearest way to God. To abandon this path and invent another – irrespective of the joy that it may bring – in my opinion, leads to ruin. This is what God has disclosed to me. By truly following the Holy Prophetsaw one finds God; but one who does not follow the Holy Prophetsaw – even after an entire life of striving – shall not be able to attain the ultimate objective.

As such, even Sa’di speaks of the necessity of subservience to the Holy Prophetsaw in the following words:

ےفطصم� ئےا�ف�ملو صفا و قصد و شکو عرووہد�

Strive to forsake materialism, and to adopt piety, sincerity, and purity; But do not step beyond (the practices taught by) Mustafasaw .

So, do not abandon the path of the Holy Prophetsaw. I observe that people have invented a plethora of diverse incantations. They hang themselves upside down and undertake ascetic practices like yogis, but all of this is useless. It is not the custom of Prophets, peace be upon them, to hang upside down, or engage in meditative practices of ‘negation and affirmation’ (nafi-o-asbat), or perform the Sufi ‘invocation of the saw’ (dhikr-e-arra). This is why Allah the Exalted has referred to the Holy Prophetsaw as a perfect exemplar:

ۃنسح ۃوسا للا لوسر � کل

Verily, you have in the Prophet of Allah an excellent model.1

Follow in the footsteps of the Holy Prophetsaw and do not try to deviate from his path even an inch.

1 Surah al-Azhab, 33:22

The Promised Messiah (as), Malfuzat-Volume 2 [Tilford, Surrey: Islam International Publications Ltd., 2019], 71,72