“Verily, He Who Has Purified The Heart Is Successful And He Who Has Despoiled It Has Lost.” (Al-Quran)

Tasawwuf is a branch of Islamic knowledge which focuses on the spiritual development of the Muslim. The goal of Tasawwuf is complete submission to the Shariah and Sunnah in order to attain purification of the heart and soul and to develop a true, deep and lasting connection with Allah.

Maulana Sajjad Nomani is a qualified spiritual guide, authorized by the Mashayakh of Chishti and Naqshbandi Mujaddidi school of ilm-ul-ihsan to carry out spiritual guidance. On the authorization of Peer Zulfiqar Ahmad Naqshbandi Mujaddidi he established a spiritual centre “Khanqah Naqshbandiya Mujaddidiya” at Mamdapur in Raigadh District of Maharashtra State. Thousands of people flock to this spiritual center and thousands others log on to the internet to listen to his live speeches. This center seeks to revive the moral & spiritual essence of the community by establishing fruitful & time-tested teacher-student relationships.

A view of the monthly gathering at theKhanqah Naqshbnandiya Mujaddidiya, Neral, Maharashtra

One of the primary purposes of the establishment of the Khanqah – a spiritual center is to convey the message of love and tolerance, Islamic monotheism, compassion, sincerity, truth, contemplation, social service, gratefulness, fear of Allah, hope, abstention, and trust. It is a spiritual avenue to cure our sick, hardened souls & democratized minds of the moral decadence due to the diseases of consumerism, materialistic attachment, impatience, intolerance, cowardice, self-aggrandizement, egocentricity, pride, arrogance, desire for recognition, jealousy, malice, schadenfreude, back-biting, gossiping, anger, ungratefulness, dishonesty, selfishness, regionalism, racism, sectarianism, artificiality, insincerity, manipulative behavior, fake humility, hypocrisy, aggressiveness, nepotism, lethargy, carelessness, indiscretion, profligacy, jingoism, emotional instability, inability to introspect, incapability to accept even justified correction, incapacity to earnestly weep in front of our lord, superficial belief in the attributes of Allah, forgetfulness of death, forgetfulness of the day of judgment, shallow & spiritless ibadaat, inability to respect and abide by the wisdom & guidance of our insightful & wise elders and the true men of knowledge & a sense of helplessness to control our sight in the face of the all-encompassing bombardment of the temptations on display. Set-up in the refreshing natural background of Mamdapur, Neral, it functions not only as a spiritual rehabilitation center but also as the fountain spring of revolutionary, constructive & integrated educational reforms. Website (www.taubah.org)

The Qur’an is the final, absolute & immutable word of Allah revealed to mankind which will be valid & relevant till the end of time. It has an essence and spirit which when understood & implemented properly, has the potential to change the world. This is precisely what happened with the companions of the Prophet (saws) and the early Muslims. They were devoted men of constructive action who lived the Qur'an considering it to be a direct guidance from their creator in every aspect of life. They perceived Qur’an as a real & applicable message from Allah and molded their lives according to its principles and the result was spiritual & civilizational achievements which the world never witnessed before or after.

However, we have come a long way from those days of glory. Today, Muslims in general just have a token or superficial belief in the Quran. We devote the better part of our lives in acquiring temporal knowledge & furthering our careers. But struggle to find time for reciting & contemplating on the Quran. Most of us are cut off from our history, our culture, & the language of the Quran. As a result we simply drift along in life without any conscious sense of ultimate purpose or an eventual destination. Our lives have become devoid of meaning, a muddle of conflict, reactions, anxiety, aimlessness, desires and spiritual emptiness. We lack the ability to think critically about the circumstances of our own lives as well as that of the world at large. Infact, humanity as a whole is grappling with problems in every sphere – spiritual, moral, economic, educational & social.

The Quran provides the solutions for our individual as well as collective predicaments. It is an instruction manual of checks and balances, for the formation of an equitable society & a prescription for the internal diseases of human beings. The Quran coaxes us to see, to hear, to ponder, to explore, to understand innumerable times. We are repeatedly encouraged to reflect on its verses, absorb its meaning & purify our thoughts and mold our conduct according to the divine commandments. The Quran proclaims, “O mankind! There hath come to you a direction from your lord and a healing for the (diseases) in your hearts, and for those who believe - guidance and a mercy.” (Surah Yunus : 57)

It is a book of profound essence which should continuously illuminate our life & inspire us in all situations & for all people – a mother, a father, a child, a teacher, a scholar, an engineer, a doctor, a laborer, a policy-maker or an administrator, irrespective of whether we are poor or rich, young or old and black, white or brown. It is the means through which we can recognize Allah and establish a living and continuous relationship with Him and beseech Him to shower His guidance, mercy & forgiveness on us. It is an expression of the love & mercy of Almighty Allah for the whole of mankind. Reciting the Quran & reflecting on its message, is a cure for our ailing hearts struggling under the onslaught of trials, calamities & our base desires. It is therefore incumbent on all Muslims to atleast learn enough Arabic which will enable us to connect with the guidance of Allah whenever we recite the Quran whether in Salah or otherwise.

But, to realize its profound depth we need to submit ourselves in complete humbleness to the Almighty & acquire its authentic knowledge and understanding from genuine scholars & our pious predecessors, instead of relying on our own personal and often corrupted comprehension. History confirms the tremendous havoc caused by some of the misguided youth (Khawarij) who relied on their own deficient understanding of the divine revelation over and above the understanding of luminaries like Hazrat Ali (ra). Therefore the value of guidance & companionship with learned scholars cannot be overstated for the Quranic training & reformation of the masses. Moreover, in the modern atmosphere of moral decadence, materialism, misinterpretation & distortions coupled with incessant attacks on Islam, the Quran and the holy Prophet, it is critically important to have Dars e Quran sessions conducted by the authentic Ulama in every mosque of every locality. To fulfill this pressing need one of the most eminent scholars of our era, Shaikh Khalilur Rahman Sajjad Nomani periodically delivers sermons expounding the guidance of the Quran in the context of contemporary circumstances.

Muslim youth & professionals are today forced to live in practically two different worlds - the customary Muslim atmosphere at home and an environment outside which is culturally & ethically challenging. They are often unable to connect the ideals of their faith in the real world where they are exposed to the pressures of western indoctrination, consumerism, multiculturalism, assimilation and peer-pressures. The result is that they suffer from Identity Crisis. Identity is critically important for self-esteem as well as spiritual, mental, emotional and overall personality development. It is critically important that they are religiously well-equipped to prudently handle themselves in such challenging circumstances without lapsing into extremes of isolation or confrontation.

Tarbiyah in Islam is very important, for indeed all of the Deen is based upon tarbiyah (i.e. the education and upbringing of the people). Rahman Foundation aspires to raise a generation of committed and disciplined youth who will spread the message of Islam. The focus of Tarbiyah is to groom youth who are distinguished, strive for excellence, have a sense of mission, are self-motivated, conduct a balanced life, live in peace with themselves and their environment, and are equipped with the necessary knowledge, understanding, and skills to make a difference in the society by taking an active role, both individually and collectively, in the reform process that seeks the betterment of our community, country and the whole world.