The Perfect Fakir

Authority and Submission

The highest ranked amongst Saints is a perfect Fakir. He is annihilated in Allah at a stage where he has authority over all Divine Treasures. The entire creation is obedient to his command. Sufis and Saints have described the grandeur of a Fakir in their writings. Al Ghawth al Azam says:

Sultan Bahoo says:

Fakirs Hold Exalted Rank in the Court of Allah

A Fakir holds a high rank in Divine court. He is Allah’s companion who has gained Divine Vision. He is at the stage of being Owner of all Sovereignty and Master of Kingdom. He is a Mystic, Allah’s Saint and Scholar of Truth who is one with Allah, with an illuminated conscience, ruler of both worlds. All creation is under his command. The Guarded Tablet remains under his study. He is permanently present in the Mohammadan Assembly. He also leads the spirituality of the dead since he has the Divine Sight and the authority to Raise by the Command of Allah. (Noor ul Huda Qalan)

A Fakir is always absorbed in Oneness. He is a cardinal of all, he holds a solution to every difficulty. (Tawfiq ul Hidayat)

A Fakir is someone who can explore eighteen thousand realms just by closing his eyes. (Ain ul Faqr)

Some illiterate people refer to beggars as Fakirs. This is absolutely incorrect. A Fakir is someone who possesses Faqr. Faqr is Prophet Mohammad’s legacy;

Perfect Fakirs Completely Submit to the Will of Allah

Despite holding so much power, authority and strength, a perfect Fakir remains humble. He bows his head in front of Allah’s Will and never uses his authority. He has fully submitted to Allah’s Will.

Allah says:

The above mentioned verses prove Allah wants us to surrender and submit to His Will, be grateful for His blessings and remain patient in times of difficulty. Allah only acknowledges the faith of those who submit to Him wholeheartedly, and let go of any personal desires. He accepts any troubles he may face in this world, considering they are sent by Allah, so he goes through them contently.

Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib-ur-Rehman says:

The mystics and lovers, whose purpose is to make Allah happy, they remain contented with Allah’s Will.

Incident of Shah Ghaus Gawalyari

Al Gawth al Azam says:

Whosoever remains patient and content with Allah’s Will, he will get a lot of help in this world and a lot of blessings in hereafter. (Al Fath Al Rabbani)

Sultan Bahoo says:

Narcissists never get close to Allah, their god is their self. The ones who fight their self, submitting to Allah’s Will, are the ones who find Allah. (Noor ul Huda Kalan)

Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib-ur-Rehman says, “I have never asked Allah for anything other than His Vision and contentment.” (Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen)

However, it is not easy reaching that level of persistence and submission. Even great Saints have failed on this way. Shah Ghaus Gawalyari was at the stage of surrender and submission. The governor of Gawalyar asked him to leave the kingdom till sundown that day. He left with his family and disciples. Knowing this, Hindu looters attacked them from behind and took all their possessions. Shah Ghaus’s nine year old granddaughter was sitting behind him on his horse. She was wearing gold earrings. The looters snatched them which tore her ears and she started screaming with pain. Watching this, Shah Ghaus found it difficult to remain calm and helplessly used his authority. He swirled his stick in the air which beheaded all the looters instantly.

If he wanted, he could have killed them earlier. However, he remained submitted to Allah’s Will, but he could not bear the pain of his granddaughter so he gave in. (Falsafa Shahadat Imam Hussain)

Incident of Shaikh Ahmad Sharbini

Imam Nabhani mentions in “Jamia Karamat-e-Auliya” that Shaikh Ahmad Sharbini was a great Saint who was at the stage of submission. He had only a young son who was about to die. His wife came crying to him saying that he has Allah’s Love but she only has her son. She said If he dies how will she live, so he should ask Allah to keep their son alive. To this he replied he will submit to Allah’s Will, if Allah wants to take his son’s life, he will never object. His wife kept crying and begging for mercy but his inward remained calm submitting to Allah’s Will. When the angel of death came to take the child’s life, as his soul was being removed from his body, Sharbini’s fatherly love came in the way.

He stumbled from the stage of submission. He raised his head and looked upwards. His authority was so much that it only took one look of request, and destiny was changed on the Guarded Tablet (Lawh e Mahfuz). He ordered the angel of death, “O angel, return to your Lord, the order of his death has been revoked.” (Falsala Shahadat Imam Hussain)

Submission of Imam Hussain to Divine Will

The greatest example of surrender and submission is that of Imam Hussain in Karbala. He had complete authority yet he chose to bow down surrendering to Allah’s Will. He knew from his very childhood that he will be martyred in Karbala. He even knew the time and place of his martyrdom. If he wanted, he could have teamed up with Yazid and escaped death. Or he could simply just ask Allah and Allah would have changed his destiny instantly. Nevertheless, that is not what he wanted. He was a Perfect Fakir, he could part the Euphrates river with one signal and drown Yazid’s army. Regardless, he let his own family and loved ones die in battle and even let them behead him. That was the level of his submission and thus he is the greatest example of surrendering in the way of Allah.

Sultan Bahoo says:

Perfect Spiritual Guide can use his spiritual power at the Will of Allah

Sultan Bahoo also says:

O Bahoo! When a seeker is immersed in the state of complete surrender, whatever befalls on him by Allah he accepts. If he has Divine Closeness, he will never be afraid of what may come, in fact others should be afraid of him. (Kaleed ul Tauheed Kalan)

Hence, it is clear that a perfect Fakir has complete authority but his only priority is submitting to Allah’s Will. However, it is also not true that a perfect Fakir never uses his authority. He uses it for the cause of religion, for purgation of the self of the seekers, in order to save them from worldly troubles according to Allah’s Will. He saves them from Allah’s disobedience and from sin.

Like Sultan Bahoo says:

While committing sin, the self does not stop even if you remind yourself of Allah, His Prophet, Heaven, Hell, Divine Vision or anything at all. The self does not budge. The only thing that can control the self is the Divine Sight of a perfect spiritual guide, with Allah’s Will. Whenever a disciple is about to commit a sin, surely his spiritual guide can see and so he stops him inwardly. This is why the link is better than the merit. (Ain ul Faqr)

Conclusion

The above mentioned extract proves that a spiritual guide or a perfect Fakir uses his authority to stop his disciples from committing sins. He never uses it for personal gain or any personal desires. In fact, it is only used for the betterment of the creation, to introduce them to gnosis of Allah. It is used for the seekers of Allah, to bestow upon them Divine Closeness. Even during this time, he does not let go of the state of complete submission. He fulfils all his duties keeping in mind Allah’s Will. That is why Allah said to Al Gawth al Azam:

To me a Fakir is not someone who does not possess anything, but someone who holds authority over everything, and says, “be” and it is done.

Note:

This is an English translation of Urdu article فقیرِ کامل کا تصرف اور تسلیم و رضا that was published in July 2024 issue of Mahnama Sultan-ul-Faqr Magazine. Sultan Mohammad Ahsan Ali wrote the original article. Zuhaa Fatima has translated it in English.