In the quest of knowledge, the modern man has also discovered that the centuries old concepts about religion are contrary to the scientific thought and, therefore, need to be either discarded or made compatible with the scientific method. This is the challenge that the religious scholars and theologians have failed to face. Instead of analyzing the problem on scientific basis, they have adhered to their timeworn ideologies with a practical surrender to the materialistic values in vogue. Even the torchbearers, the so-called intellectuals and modern scholars of Islam who pretend to be abreast with the modern scientific thought have given in to the onslaught of modern sciences and in secret depths of their hearts feel nervous how to defend their position. They are doing more harms than good by defending their post with archaic weapons.

However, towards the dawn of new millennium, there has risen one guiding star on the intellectual horizon that has showered rays of his effulgent wisdom on the modern mind fallen prey to stray ideologies. Equipped adequately with the scientific and religious knowledge, he has given the call to modern man that Islam is the religion that, ever since its revelation, has the scientific bases which the modern scientific thought is now claiming to discover and further needs to explore in its totality. What Descartes and his successors (Locke, Barkeley, Hume, Kant and Hobbes, Montesquieu, Mill and Benthem and others) did to promote scientific method and rational thought in Europe, has been accomplished in the world of theology, single-handedly by Prof. Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. The world has already recognized him as ‘outstanding man of the century’ and ‘leading intellectual of the world.’

This is not in our purview here to reckon the contributions made by Prof. Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri to the modern Islamic thought and its reconstruction. Nor can we measure his achievements in clearing and purifying Islamic ideology from muddling of various ‘isms’ wrought over centuries. But the aspect of his intellectual ventures focussed here relates to a sensitive issue that has disintegrated the intellectual unity of Muslim thinkers and their followers.

Who is ‘Wali’ and what role he plays in spreading light of divine guidance among the believers is a question that has been answered divergently under the reflective influences alien to Islam. A huge reservoir of literature exists on Mysticism, Islamic Mysticism, Pantheism and Transcendentalism, nature of Mystic Experience, its variety, allied philosophies and schools of thought. The antagonists too have generated colossal works proving it contrary to the ‘true Islam’ and labeling it as an impious innovation in the approved Islamic code of life. This controversy has inflicted serious damage to the modern Muslim mind leading the young educated Muslims all over the world to desperation and abhorrence from Islam. They are confused and blatantly question the intellectual validity and logical wellbeing of Islamic thought. The Muslim scholars engaged in this unfortunate controversy, however, ill afford any attempt to recover from the ‘spin’. They drastically lack in advanced knowledge and are unaware of the ‘phenomena’ of modern scientific mind. Being the odd ones, they now stay out of this war of wits, which has spread over East and West. How to satisfy the modern scientific mind on the question of Islamic Spiritualism, its nature and significance; the ‘Friends of Allah’- Auliya, their role and task, status and dignity and the phenomenology of spiritual experience is an uphill task which Prof. Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri, however, has performed with tantamount facility, authority and command.

Without entangling himself in sterile controversy on mysticism and its various ‘schools’ and types, he has taken the Holy Qur’an as the basic and exclusive source of his logic. He triumphantly convinces the reader that a Wali Allah (a friend of Allah), whether a mystic or a saint (whatever term one may use to describe him), is a spiritually privileged Muslim. He acquires heavenly acquaintance and proximity to Allah through absolute obedience to and an overpowering love and adoration for the Holy Prophet (A). He then himself becomes a source of spiritual bliss and inspiration for those who stand fast in his company.

Simultaneously, endowed with a vividly historic insight, he educates the modern Muslim mind how, centuries ago, the Muslim scholars defeated their rival thinkers employing the then contemporary logic against them. He emphatically exhorts all educated Muslims of the world to acquire perfect knowledge of modern logic and defeat the antagonists of Islam who have joined hands against the ‘Ummah’ with an intention to shake the solid spiritual realities which are the bases of Islamic thought and ideology. Prof. Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, the intellectual spirit of our age, the divine genius of the new millennium and a ‘Friend of Allah’ has a sagacious eye on rise and fall of the Muslim and non-Muslim empires. He possesses a vision that penetrates into future and clearly discerns the impending dangers and their remedies.

While handling this most difficult and controversial subject of Islamic spiritual philosophy, disseminating it to the modern inquisitive mind, he has adopted an easy and logical style to communicate the ideas with the help of similitudes and parables and enviably sublime and inspiring expression. This is exactly the style of exposition and elucidation manifest in the Holy Quran where the divine principles and the spiritual realities of life are made home to man loud and clear through parables and similitudes. While explaining the nature of friendship with Almighty Allah he has based his arguments on the verses of the Holy Qur’an and has taken similitude from modern scientific subjects specially ‘Magnetism’ and ‘Electric Charge’. The concept of ‘Spiritual Magnetism’ and ‘Spiritual Charge’ enabling Auliya Allah to get into the ‘spiritual channel’ which originates from the Holy Messenger (A) is a dazzlingly unique and exceptional addition to the existing literature on Islamic Spiritualism. It attracts and convinces the modern educated reader and deletes his disbelief in spiritual values. It irrefutably proves that the phenomenology of Islamic Spiritualism is compatible with the modern scientific method. This dissertation in this way is, by any standard, a classic piece of literature produced on the subject.

            This work, besides spiritualism, also enlightens the reader on ventures of modern science especially in the field of parapsychology. An account of scientific research into finding the underlying reality of psychic experiences and supplying empirical interpretations to extra-sensory perception (ESP) and out-of-body-experience (OBE) has added substantial value to intellectual status of this exposition. The glimpses from spiritual life of Auliya, of their divine experiences in comparison to ESPs, OBEs and the concept of an infinite power within man, highlighting the real significance of Islamic Spiritualism, invite the scientific mind to struggle if it can and belie the spiritual reality. When they decline to disbelieve in psychic reality and its wonders on electromagnetic ground, how can they decline to believe in spirituality of real self of man, its special link with Allah and its acquired infinite spiritual competence towards conquering the universe, demonstrated by Auliya Allah. Studying spiritualism in the perspective of most modern scientific investigation in the field of parapsychology is an amazingly emphatic maiden attempt in the field. It has indeed opened the doors, to embrace Islamic Faith, on those who have been enabled by this study to develop their belief in Islamic Spiritualism on rational scientific grounds. We the believers, welcome this courage to convert to Islam on this rational basis.

Triumphant indeed is he who purifies himself (of afflictions of self and sins’ pollution) .[1]

Corresponding to this allegory of Super Electro Magnetic System, Auliâ through self-strife, and self-control get rid of all lusts and low impulses like anger, jealousy, vanity, revenge etc.’ which impede our way to Allah  . They cool their ‘self’ down and look like an embodiment of this Qur’anic verse:

They control anger, tolerate others faults and follies (working for their betterment) and Allah love those who strive to make up others’ deficiencies.[2]

As the Super Electro Magnet gets charged through cessation of resistance and works wonders in the physical world Allah’s Friends likewise, get purified from wrong impulses and worldly urges and absorb the bounties of Allah   and His Messenger (A). So charged with spiritual energy, they perform wonders in the worldly life. Through this metamorphosis, their hearts work like conducting magnets. The Electro Magnet is passed through a particular process to make Super Conducting Magnet, which is then processed through Nuclear Magnetic Resonant. When a patient is placed before it, all his internal organs invisible to naked eye become discernable. The scanner with magnetic capability distinctly perceives all that is hidden and concealed inside the physical body. The ‘Auliya Allah’ through purification process acquire a vision which penetrates like a scanner and discern, through their internal (magnetic) awareness, things which are hidden may be thousand miles distant, and know the unseen. They can perceive that which the naked eye cannot see. They can look into and ahead of time.

[1]           Qur’an (al-A‘ala) 87:14.

[2].             Qur’an (Al Imran) 3:134.

Well-grounded and groomed in the purifying and illumining, holy and divine companionship of the Spiritual Sovereign of the Universe, the close associates and comrades of our dearest Prophet (A) were the Spiritual Super Conducting Magnets refined through process of ‘Tazkia’. The Holy Messenger (A) himself spiritually charged them. Without physical means, they could spiritually scan and monitor even the combats against the unbelievers and issue commands to their war commanders engaged in far-off battlefields. In a war against the adversaries of Islam, the commander of the Muslim army Saria bin Jabal had deployed his troops against the adversaries. In the event of war, the enemy changed its strategy and encircled the Muslim troops, catching them unaware. The Second Caliph of the Muslims, Hadrat Umar Farooq (RTA) was, at that moment, delivering his Juma’a address in Madînah. Owing to his spiritual concentration, he scanned the battlefield, saw the positions of both the warring armies and addressed the commander of his forces:

 O Saria, take cover of the hill.’

After issuing this command, he continued his address. He was neither equipped with any radar nor had he any direct TV Channel to monitor such a distant activity. Delivering his address in ‘Nabvi Mosque’ in Madînah, he issued instructions to his army commander engaged in the strategy of war. This was his Spiritual Magnetic Force and his inner vision that watched everything. The commander Hadrat Saria-bin-Jabal received the message of the Caliph, implemented his orders, took shelter of the hill as advised and in consequence thereof won the war. The enemy was defeated and the Muslim forces gained victory.

            This episode needs to be studied in the perspective of ESP we have already discussed in the preceding chapters. How Hadrat Suleman (D) and the little ant interacted serves an analogy to the underlying spiritual reality that engenders such events.

The Auliya Allah inculcate in themselves the spiritual magnetic force. They achieve it through strenuous worship aimed at winning Allah’s pleasure. They employ methods including philanthropic and Allah fearing deeds. They implement the Holy Prophet’s instructions, follow his foot- steps and strictly comply with shariah, his code of conduct. Conforming to spiritual commands, and obeying Allah’s commandments, they purify their inner self through enveloping themselves in love and obedience of the beloved Muhammad (A) and thus receive favours from the Holy Messenger (A) and his worthy Companions.

The materialistic progress of the scientific age has almost turned the world into global village. The computer has reduced the distance and the Internet facility has reduced the world to a rye grain. A common man can observe the whole world like a rye grain placed on his palm through scientific devices. It is the scientific advancement that has elevated our vision to this level. Nonetheless, the servants of the Holy Messenger (A) have obtained this capability through their spiritual vehemence and well-being. They have infinite capability to bring the forces of nature into their control and service. Hadrat Ghawth-e-A‘zam Sheikh Abdul Qadar Jilani (AR) pronounced: 

I discern all countries of Allah like seeing a rye grain on my palm.

(ii) Abu Nu‘aym, Dalail–un-nubuwwah (p. 507);

(iii) ‘Ali al-Hindi Kanz-ul-‘ummal (12:571,572,573#35788-91).

The magnets are also enabled through a process to generate electricity, which produces heat and light. With the conversion of electric energy into mechanical energy, the things get transformed and the dead bodies start moving. A plastic doll, for example, charged with battery gets into motion and produces many recorded sounds. It keeps moving as long as it gets charge from the battery cell. This is how in the physical world the battery-cell system enlivens the non-living objects and sets them into motion. Correspondingly, the Auliya Allah in spiritual world, animate the lifeless hearts and restore them to action and activity. Those who blessed with the companionship of Allah’s friends, get back to life again are reborn with their hearts and souls filled with the bounties of Allah’s friends. This is validated in the Holy Quran where meeting between the Prophet Moses (D) and Hadrat Khizar (D) is described. At Majma-ul-Bahrain, the residence of Hadrat Khizar, the cooked fish in Hadrat Musa’s breakfast box, got animated and jumped into the water. This episode manifests that the residential place of Hadrat Khizar (D) had a favorable climate for resurrection of the dead. The Holy Quran describes: 

When both of them reached the confluence of two rivers, they forgot their fish (there);so the (fried) fish (got animated and) escaped through water as if it was a tunnel.

                This is how Auliya Allah resuscitate the lifeless people. They are assigned to charge them with new vitality. Khawaja Moeen-ud-Din Chishti Ajmari said about Hadrat Data Gunj Bakhsh: “He awards treasures to the world and reflects Allah’s radiance; a perfect Leader for the incompetent and a Guide to the perfect leaders.”

The current system of electric power supply allegorically well-explains the channels of Aulia or Mystics in the world. Acquisition of bounties from them is relative to one’s own caliber. It would be ridiculous on one’s part to look for an electric connection directly from a Dam. How can you get a direct connection from a Dam? There is a system of electric power supply; it has its own lines that are to be strictly followed. The electricity travels from Tarbella Dam to powerhouses, further to power stations, then to transformers up to our houses according to a particular measure. After getting a connection from a transformer we use stabilizers and fuses for the safety of electric appliances. We take these safety measures because the electric points in our houses are never so strong to accept high voltage. Such a system is called Silsila, Channel.

In similitude of this electric power supply system we can better comprehend the spiritual channels and their utility and activation. Allah   has blessed the universe with a spiritual reservoir (Dam) spread from the depths of the Earth beyond the skies to the divine privacy and solitude. From this Dam, the transfer and distribution of kindness, special attention, amiable attachment, favours and bounties the world over, is accomplished in the universe through different well-organized channels. This reservoir of spiritual bounties, kindness, compassion, love and affection is the most eminent holy personality of the most revered and adored Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (A). To pass his bliss to all the believers, there are enormous ‘Channels’ of Allah’s friends that work like ‘power distribution system’ i.e. the distribution system of spiritual power, force or energy. These Friends distribute this supply according to the recipient’s caliber. The system is destined to last till the Day of Judgement.

The Auliya Allah have vitalized and strengthened the link of their Channels with our beloved and most adorable Prophet (A). Through extreme hard work, extraordinary spiritual labour and self-strife, they take bounties directly from the source. Everyone cannot afford a direct connection from the Dam. The common believers are, therefore, strictly advised to persist with the companionship of Aulia and through this persistent association with them acquire the spiritual charity they are destined to obtain.

Allah   has established this system of Spiritual Channels. It is a continued flow of light, furnishing the humanity with Allah’s bounties. Denying this system of Spiritual Channels means denial of reason, awareness and the system of sustenance provision by the Sustainer.

The necessity of a spiritual connection can also be evaluated by examining an incident that took place in National Aeronautic Space Agency (NASA). The ten year Apollo mission of NASA probe Apolo-10 was heading towards the Moon. The scientists working in Kennedy Space Center Florida, were busy guiding the mission. During the proceedings, the mission’s link with the Control Room on Earth got disconnected accidentally. The mission not only failed to reach its destination but also was doomed in space. After this accident, the Apollo Mission’s next probe Apolo-11 was sent to the Moon. Its contact with the Ground Control Center remained intact; it reached the moon and returned to the Earth safely as per program after achieving the objectives of the mission. The Apollo that lost contact with the Space Research Center was ruined; the one that stayed in contact with the center conquered its mission.

Analogously, Allah   has devised a system of goading and guidance to take the believers to the goal of emancipation. The central control of this emancipation mission rests with the Holy Prophet (A). Those who succeed in keeping the contact with the center intact receive the alms of his love and the charity of his care and compassion. The one who loses contact is doomed, just like Apolo-10.

In the modern satanic era, our hearts are veiled in default and negligence. We decline to receive favours of Allah and the Holy Prophet (A). Owing to visionlessness of our hearts, we even deny the very existence of favours and spiritual bounties. In fact, Allah has designed our hearts like TV screens. We think that the TV transmissions have stopped. Nay! they have not. The Channel’s transmissions are continually on; but our receiving sets i.e. the TV sets or the receivers are out of order. We have to detect fault and get it repaired to receive the transmissions. The reception of sound and vision is subject to persistence of connection with the transmission centre. Extending this example to receiving spiritual transmissions, it must be clear that the distribution of spiritual alms never stops. It is malfunctioning of our set that it fails to catch the frequency and receive the spiritual transmission which remains on day and night. You restore the contact today and there you receive the favours without any hindrance.

The link of Auliya with the Sovereign Authority of our Spiritual Universe, our most revered, esteemed and beloved Holy Prophet (A) never disrupts. Their cardiac screen is always furnished with the transmissions from Gunbed-e-Khazra Madînah. One of the great Auliya Allah Hadrat Abdul Abbas Marsi said:

If the holy face of Muhammad(A) gets out of my sigh even for a moment, I consider myself an unbeliever that moment.1

The cardiac needle of Aulia remains fixed at the transmission from the Channel of the ‘Green Dome’ Madînah. Their contact with the Holy Prophet (A) remains round the clock intact and the process of distribution of spiritual blessings continues.

Thorough and effective comprehension of the Holy Quran attaches special significance to semantic inter-relationship of the Qur’anic verses. While studying the chapter of ‘Al-Kahf’ we should investigate the semantic relations of the verse under study.

With the episode of Ashab-e-Kahf, (the companions of Kahf) this study will bring to fore the message contained in the verse and the episode. They were Auliya Allah from the former Ummah who, under security threat of the cruel ruler and the adversaries of Islam, migrated from their abodes for safety and hid themselves in a cave for shelter. They prayed to Allah:

O’ our Lord, bestow on us your special kindness and provide us with (means of) guidance in our affair.[1]

Allah Almighty accepted their imploration and gave them the happy tiding that He would provide them with His kindness. What was that special kindness conferred on the companions of Kahf needs to be comprehended. An in-depth study of the context of the Holy Qur’an will reveal that the Companions of Kahf reposed in the cave for 309 years. Independent of their physical needs and provisions of life, in a grave like circumstances, they were kept from decomposition and degeneration, which should have inflicted their physical bodies due to atmospheric changes over long 309 years. It was a special shower of Allah’s kindness that the sun changed its course to keep their bodies intact, safe and secure from climatic effects and temperature variations. The 309 Lunar years equal 300 Solar years. They remained there fresh and retrievable for three centuries. For the companions of Kahf, however, such a long span of time took flight in hours. The Holy Qur’an describes:

And you behold, when the sun rises it moves away from their cave on their right and when it sets it shifts away from them on their left and they are lying in the spacious hollow (in the cave).[2]

This is a special sign of Allah that for His Friends, he changed the rules of rising and setting of the Sun, which change was incorporated in the overall system of the universe for long 309 years. He amended a fixed and predetermined heavenly system for 300 rotations of the Earth round the Sun with the sole purpose to keep His Friends safe from any possible damage. He changed the course of nature for His Friends This was the ‘decision’ of the All-Powerful, All-Knowing.

After describing the whole episode, Allah Almighty exhorted, “Those who seek My nearness, must persist with the companionship of my Friends.”

The Holy Quran further specifies:

He whom Allah guides is on the right path but whom He makes stray you will find them friendless with no help or guide.[3]

Allah the most benevolent, the most merciful, lulled the Companions of Kahf to an undisturbed and profound sleep and exalted them to a heavenly status; then he thoroughly engaged and involved them in an ecstatic state of visioning ‘the ultimate reality’. The time got wings to fly and centuries passed like moments. The Doomsday lasting for 50,000 yours would not be more than an Asar Prayer time (late afternoon prayer time) for His Friends. For Allah’s adversaries, however, this would stretch as long as 50 millennia of indescribable agony and pain. The inference is that the time reduces in the heavenly experience of visioning reality; the measure of time changes: centuries pass as moments.

On that day, Allah will direct his angels to arrange for a glimpse of Allah’s sight for those who pursued and sought Him all along their worldly and earthly term of life. Instead of luxuriating in their comfortable and overstuffed beds and couches, they kneeled and bowed their heads down in front of Allah at night ‘for half of night or less or a little more’ to seek His favour, consent and delight. On the day of judgement all veils will be removed and ‘His Friends’ will be positioned on enlightened mounds. For them the day will not be longer than their ‘Asar Prayer’ i.e. a few hours, while for others it will span 50,000 years.

[2].             Qur’an (al-Kahf) 18:17.

[3].             Qur’an (al-Kahf) 18:17.

The Holy Quran confirms that “Ashab-e-Kahf” spent three centuries like a few hours. When they inquired after waking up as to how long they had slept, one of them retorted, “a day or a little more”. The time they had actually spent according to the Holy Quran was three centuries, hence undeniable. Nonetheless, their clothes had not worn and the physical well being was intact, as if they had a nap, which restored their strength and vitality.

Then, one of them was assigned to take coins they possessed and go to bazaar to make some purchases. When he paid the coins the shopkeeper felt bewildered and gazed at his customer in astonishment as to wherefrom he had brought centuries-old coins. He refused to accept the payment in the out-dated and antiquated coins. The customer, one of the Ashab-e-Kahf, said, “We took these coins with us a day before.” The shopkeeper replied, “how is it possible? I don’t understand wherefrom have you brought these centuries-old coins.” On that the customer looked curiously at every thing around and felt puzzled to find them changed altogether. Such ‘Auliya Allah blessed with vision’ stay in caves for centuries but their physical conditions remain unchanged, natural and normal. Similarly, such people with vision, in-transit, spend thousands of years in graves and this period passes like a few hours. It is not a contrived parable. The Holy Qur’an has revealed it. Auliya Allah even after their physical transfer from this world, live with an intuition of Allah. What to talk of the Holy Messenger (A) who came to distribute the boon of life among the lifeless! And this holy distribution is continuously on even today!

There was also a pet dog in the ‘companionship’ of the Kahf Companions. It remained sprawling on the cave entrance for 309 years to guard The Ashab. The Holy Qur’an also mentions this dog:

 And their dog is sprawling on (their) threshold.[1]

The dog was blessed with that status owing to its companionship of Allah’s Friends. The commentators on the Holy Qur’an observe that the dog too used to take sides when the Ashab turned their sides while asleep. This resulted out of the perpetual company and association which is emphasized in the Holy Qur’an, “perpetuate their companionship”. Another account of the episode holds that the Ashab made efforts to send the dog away as it could bark and thus alarm and rouse the cruel king’s men to reach them in the cave. They endeavored to drive it away forcefully but the fortunate dog remained tenaciously stuck, received bounties for 309 years and became a significant part of the story.