Book of Healing - Qur'anic Healing - Preface
Preface
Tags: Spiritual Disease, Divine Remembrance, Hazrat Ibrahim, Satisfied Soul, Nafs-i Mutma'innah, Dhikr, `Ibadat, Carnal Soul, Qur'anic healing
1. How can a religious person doubt the reality that the holy Qur'an and the religion of nature, namely Islam, in their external and internal vastness, are a complete universe of manifold and diverse heavenly bounties (5:3; 31:20), which is forever luminous and resplendent with the Divine lights and is prosperous with heavenly knowledge and wisdom? In the world of the Qur'an and Islam, the Glorious and Benevolent Lord, through His infinite mercy, has granted everything to all Muslims and mu'mins, not only potentially, but also actually. If all of them together try to count all His favours, they will never be able to attain success in this impossible pursuit (14:34). For, the bounties of the Benevolent and Merciful Lord are limitless and endless. One such great bounty in the eyes of the wise people, is obviously and certainly the health and healing of the body, soul and intellect. Rather, it holds the central position among them, for, it is the external and internal health which is the totality and perfection of the human existence and without it, the realisation and attainment of all other bounties is not possible at all.
2. Although the world today has become greatly equipped with external sciences and arts and there is no scarcity of material methods of cure, some of which are admirably effective and useful, yet, they are limited to the extent of physical cure. However, there is no complaint about these methods. For man, by himself, can in no way cure the soul nor can he see its diseases, unless he has due recourse to the Qur'an and the sunnat of the holy Prophet, since the medical aspect of the noble Qur'an is also sufficient healing, superb and unique in every respect. Being the Divine speech, it is a perfect, complete and unique book and such a universal record of guidance, that it has no precedent. It contains complete knowledge and explanation of all matters related to body and soul (16:89). You might have heard that, during the time of Prophethood, among the great companions of the Prophet, (may God be pleased with them), there was very little illness. The cause of this collective health can be none other than the Qur'an and the Teacher of the Qur'an, for they used to act upon those Divine prescriptions of prevention and health, which are recorded in the Qur'an.
3. This book, which is named "Qur'anic Healing (Qur'ani `Ilaj)", is before you. Although it does not cover many subjects, nonetheless, it may not be far from the truth to say that some of the points discussed here are extremely thought-provoking. Therefore, if this book is approved of and considered useful by the people of wisdom, it will be a miracle of the knowledge of the Qur'an itself, not an achievement of this humble entity, who was not able to do even the smallest service of the glorious Qur'an through the power of his pen or the wealth of his own knowledge. Thus, if there are some virtues of knowledge and wisdom and some secrets of collective health in this book, they are from the treasures of the Qur'an. If there are some defects, obviously they are due to me, for I am not a man who is perfect and complete in all respects, rather, I am nothing but an incomplete and imperfect human being.
4. Regarding the importance and usefulness of Qur'anic healing, one additional point is that, human existence is affected not only by medicines, but also by speech and circumstances. For instance, when someone perspires due to shame or trembles due to fear or weeps and cries bitterly due to heart-rending news, or cannot sleep the whole night due to overwhelming sadness or happiness, this is because his condition changes. The scientific or psychological analysis of all these states is that none of them is trivial, rather a powerful mental thing has penetrated the depth of the heart and brain, which has affected each and every particle of the body in this way. Although according to (ordinary) intellect, it was not necessary that it be so. Similarly, if the mind of an intelligent person comes under the influence of the wise Qur'an, will not his state change altogether? Will he not gradually be delivered from spiritual diseases? Why not, he will certainly be delivered from them.
5. It becomes quite clear from the study of the Qur'an that in utmost humility and in shedding tears like a darwish, lies not only the cure of spiritual diseases, but also a revolutionary progress of the personal world, provided it is done with knowledge and good deeds. Since prostration in prayer and acts of devotion represent the proximity of God (96:19), if this prostration is performed with the tears of Divine love, it surpasses any description and praise. You can see in the Qur'an (17:109) how great is the pleasure of God, the Beneficent, in a prostration in which a servant (with ardent love), in a way, becomes annihilated in Him.
6. The method of physical cure is such that for every disease, there is a separate prescription. Contrary to this, in spiritual healing, a single medicine can cure hundreds of diseases. Take for instance, Divine remembrance, through which is attained the satisfaction (itminan) of the heart (13:28). But this point should be remembered well that the state of the human heart which God, the Knowing, the Wise, has called satisfaction, has such vast and lofty meanings, that they, in addition to being a solution for innumerable difficulties, expand to the spiritual heights of Hazrat Ibrahim (may peace be on him) (2:260). On the other hand, satisfaction is embodied in the terrestrial angels (17:95). Further, see also the description of the satisfied soul (nafs-i mutma'innah) in the Qur'an (89:27-30), so that, the vast meaning of this wisdom-filled word may be realised.
7. According to a darwish, remembrance and worship (dhikr-u `ibadat), with respect to space and non-space, is of two kinds. One is spatial and the other, non-spatial. By spatial `ibadat is meant that its centre is either the heart, mind, eye, ear or nose (breathing), etc. In non-spatial `ibadat, a pious and pure sufi (mystic) not only forgets himself, but also becomes unrelated and unaware of time and space and everything related to them and annihilates himself in the remembrance of God. The difference between these two kinds of `ibadat is not hidden. However, any kind of `ibadat is after all, `ibadat. And a mercy and a (kind of) knowledge are hidden in everything (40:7). Thus, in some of the methods of Qur'anic healing, you can do spatial dhikr-u `ibadat. For instance, the method of "Healing through the Movement of Feet", in which one has to conceive that the waves of light of dhikr spread throughout the body from the centre of the heart. A great secret of cure and healing is hidden in this method.
8. I wish I were able to write this important book, which deals with the great subject of "Qur'anic Healing" in appropriate words and expressions as it deserves. I wish I had the valuable treasures (of vocabulary) of Urdu literature as other learned scholars have. Alas! Were it written by one of the high-ranking and prominent scholars of religion, who, in addition to possessing the sciences of the Qur'an, are also the kings of the pen! Alas! had I spent that part of my life in a college, in which I used to graze the goats of my esteemed father! If only one of the masters of the pen had helped me in this field! Alas! The prince of knowledge and wisdom has become the adopted son of a poor villager, who finds it difficult to feed him and to present him before the people in an appropriate attire.
9. In the external world, if an idol is broken once, it does not need to be broken again, because it cannot restore itself, but the idol of the carnal soul or ego or self-conceit in man is such that, it must be broken and smashed into bits and pieces again and again, for it is like a magician who automatically revives after every destruction. May God (help us) to continue to fulfil this sacred duty of the greater jihad diligently! In order to fulfil this duty, it is necessary that in success, we should be grateful in word and deed to God, may He be exalted. For, it is He Who is the real sovereign; it is He to Whom belongs command; it is He Who helps and gives success. Yes, it is true that after the mention of the rights of God, comes the mention of the rights of (His) servants, therefore, it is necessary that we should mention with gratitude, all those through whose co-operation, encouragement, confidence and well-wishing, we have been able to complete an important work. Had it been a voluminous book of history, I would have recorded the esteemed names of all my intimate friends and old companions, who have continued to be the cause of success and happiness every time. Nevertheless, my heart is always full of appreciation and well-wishing for them. Yet, if I do not mention here "Khanah-i Hikmat" and "Idarah-i `Arif" in particular, it will be a grave ingratitude on my part, for they have done countless favours to me and this book, in fact, is theirs and not mine.
10. I must, being immersed in the ocean of tears, thank God, the Great, the Sublime, the Kind Provider of means, for mercy and benevolence that He has granted the means of Khanah-i Hikmat and Idarah-i `Arif to this insignificant servant. Otherwise, in this age of progress, while people in the form of organisations, work like a tempestuous ocean, how would it have been possible for a helpless, old man of sixty-nine years to render on his own any service to knowledge. If I say that I only use the pen, even this claim, in reality, may be very strange for, in fact the pen is a very heavy thing. But when God wills, He can gather many hands in one hand. Thus, may God save us from conceit and pride.
11. Admiration and appreciation of any institution, in fact, is that of its patrons, office-bearers and members. Nonetheless, I feel it is necessary to mention here the honourable names of Mr. Fath `Ali Habib and Mr. Muhammad `Abdu'l-`Aziz, the Presidents of Khanah-i Hikmat and Idarah-i `Arif, respectively. Both of them are darwishes, but they have four hidden treasures: good manners, faith, yearning for knowledge and zeal to serve humanity. That is, they yearn to be among those who spread the light of knowledge. For, according to them only knowledge is such an all-encompassing wealth with which everyone can be served equally. They always work together and respect other office-bearers and members, due to which all their meetings take place in a darwish-like and sincere spirit. Thus, these two institutions are in accord and united like the two eyes of a man, and their actions turn into a single act, as those of the eyes whose individual act mingles and merges to become a collective act. I am grateful to Khanah-i Hikmat and Idarah-i `Arif and their centres and branches. Similarly, I am also indebted to B.R.A. (Burushaski Research Academy). The office-bearers and members of these institutions consider the service of spreading knowledge of the Qur'an, dearer than their own souls.This is such a powerful incentive, that it can create a courageous soul in a servant to serve. Allah, may He be Exalted, is the Causer of causes!
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