Sultan Bahoo razi Allah anhu says:

گر   بگویم   فقرش   را   تمام

احتیاجی نیست فقرش را مقام

• Explanation: If I explain Faqr entirely then I can say concisely that Faqr is transcendent of levels and stations. (Nur-ul-Huda)

Sultan Bahoo explains all the stages of extremes of Faqr in these words:

• Listen O self-sacrificing seeker! Listen O spiritual guide towards the beneficence of Faqr! According to a tradition, patience and complete submission, is the finality of Faqr. However, one must move ahead and should not feel proud on attaining it. (Nur-ul-Huda).

What is the height of Faqr?

He further says:

• There are four levels of Faqr; first is to have eternal immersion by the contemplation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat such that both the worlds come under the feet of the seeker and all the angels become his humble slave. Is it accomplishment in Faqr? No! It is also imperfect level, do not feel proud and essentially move ahead from this. The seeker may achieve the level where he can cover the journey from the Throne to the nether regions in a glance, grant eternal life to the dead by his sight. He can read the Guarded Tablet and tell people about their good and bad fortune, offer the salat five times daily in the sanctuary of Kaaba. Always eat the lawful and leave the unlawful forever. Is it accomplishment in Faqr? No! It is also unaccomplished level of Faqr. Do not feel proud on achieving it rather, must necessarily move ahead. All such levels are related to the physical world and keep the person an implorer. Only the Fakir, who is independent of all needs, has found the seven treasures and seven levels of Miraj. A Hadith says;

اَلْفَقْرُ لَایَحْتَاجَ اِلَّا اِلَی اللّٰہ (عین العلم وزین الحلم)

        Meaning: Faqr needs nothing (from anyone) except Allah. (Ayn al-Ilm wa Zain al-Hilm) (Nur-ul-Huda)

Seven levels of Miraj

Sultan Bahoo further says:

The seven treasures relate with these seven levels of Miraj. First is the Miraj of knowledge. Second is the Miraj of clemency. Third is the Miraj of Divine love. Fourth is the Miraj of gnosis. Fifth is the Miraj of observation of Divine closeness. Sixth is the Miraj of company of Saints in the Mohammadan Assembly. Seventh is the Miraj of residing in the station of no station and becoming the Fakir annihilated and immortal with Allah. This is the veritable level of Faqr about which the Holy Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wa’alihi wasallam ) said,

اِذَا تَمَّ الْفَقْرُ فَھُوَ اللّٰہُ

Meaning: When Faqr is accomplished that is Allah. (Nur-ul-Huda).

How one can reach the height of Faqr?

Grace of Allah

One cannot reach this level on his own hard work only. It is the grace of Allah that He shows the path to the seeker to reach Him. Furthermore, Sultan Bahoo says in Nur-ul-Huda:

باھوؒ  فقر را  دریافتہ   از مصطفیؐ

واقفِ  اسرار شد  فضل  از اِلٰہ

Explanation:

Bahoo got Faqr directly from Prophet Mohammad. And became the knower of all secrets by the grace of Allah.

Allah says:

ذٰلِکَ فَضۡلُ اللّٰہِ یُؤۡتِیۡہِ مَنۡ یَّشَآءُ ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ ذُو الۡفَضۡلِ الۡعَظِیۡمِ (57:21)

Meaning: It is Allah’s bounty that, He gives to whom He wills. And Allah is the Lord of infinite bounty. (57:21)

At large, people just know the name of Faqr. Only one among thousands accomplishes Faqr by truly acquiring it, observing and tasting its pleasure personally. The Holy Prophet said:

اِذَا تَمَّ الْفَقْرُ فَھُوَ اللّٰہ

Meaning: When Faqr is accomplished that is Allah. (Nur-ul-Huda)

Invocation and contemplation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat

Apart from the favor of Allah, the other most important thing is the invocation and contemplation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat. In fact, Sultan Bahoo says:

• The inward, in which Ism-e-Allah (name of Allah) sustains, becomes alive and never dies. That is why a Hadith says:
• Saints never die.

 He lives in this (physical) world but works for that (spiritual) world. The secret (inner part) in which Ism-e-Allah sustains, does not require seclusion. As he adorns the dress of Divine secrets, i.e. Ism-e-Allah embraces the inner and outer self of a person from head to toe. (Mehak-ul-Faqr-Kalan)

Allah Almighty says in a Qudsi Hadith:

• No doubt! There are some of My Saints who are hidden beneath My Robe. No one knows them except Me.

Sultan Bahoo says:

• Only that seeker reaches this level, whom Ism-e-Allah blesses with its bounty and grace, pledge oath of allegiance to Prophet Mohammad and attains the level of hiding in the Divine Robe and reaches at the highest level of Faqr. The whole being of such Fakir becomes Divine Light (nur). After that, nothing other than Allah can enter in his entire existence. Even while being in the assembly of other people, He remains hidden from their sight like Prophet Khidr. (Mehak-ul-Faqr-Kalan)

Moral Attributes

Not everyone can achieve this level. In order to achieve it, moral attributes like sincerity, Divine love, perseverance, patience, loyalty, sacrifice, surrender and submission to Allah’s will are necessary. At every step man is tested by the blessings of this world and hereafter esoterically and exoterically. Hence, one whose eyes neither incline towards anything other than Allah nor exceed the limit becomes successful.

Sultan Bahoo says:

• The Mohammadan Fakir steps steadily and firmly in the path of Faqr and annihilation in Allah. Faqr heads Allah and Allah Himself heads Faqr. It means that Fakirs become like falcons from Ism-e-Allah Zaat. Therefore, if a person remains steadfast in Faqr, he becomes man of Divine secrets. On the contrary, if he goes astray from the path of Faqr and faces towards this material world and worldly people, leaves steadiness and courage, then he stoops down from the height of Faqr and Divine secrets. Hence, he becomes like a crow whose eye is on the carrion. Eventually, he is disgraced and becomes wretched in both the worlds. (Mehak-ul-Faqr Kalan)

Slavery of perfect and accomplished spiritual guide

Sultan Bahoo declares that along with the invocation and contemplation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat, the slavery of perfect and accomplished spiritual guide is necessary.

He further says:

• The path of Faqr is very difficult. So, one should have a spiritual guide who should also be a problem solver.

The Holy Prophet says:

مَشِی عَنِ الرَّاسِ بِدُونِ الاَقدَامِ

Meaning : (The travellers of path of Faqr) progress towards Allah headlong instead of walking on steps

Sultan Bahoo further says:

• O struggling man! Open your eyes and come out of your dreams. For Divine observation, you need an inward that is alive. (Mehak-ul-Faqr Kalan)

Sultan Bahoo says in Aqal-e-Baydar:

• The spiritual guide bestows the level of gnosis of Allah and Divine presence by his attention from inward to inward, sight to sight, soul to soul and secret to secret. By a single attention of his persuasion, the seeker enlightens. Hence, exalts to the level of (when Faqr is accomplished that is Allah). Then he becomes the ruler of both the worlds and becomes Fakir who annihilates in Allah and is independent of all desires.

Sultan Bahoo says in Nur-ul-Huda:

• The ultimate level of Faqr cannot be achieved by mystic struggle and exercise. However, only the seeker whom the attention of perfect and accomplished spiritual guide presents before Prophet Mohammad, attains it by the Mohammadan sight.