Q: Is the purification of the lower self an obligation in order to obtain HDE Gohar Shahi?
Is the Purification of the Lower Self An Obligation?
It is an obligation to purify the lower self on the spiritual path.
In Shariah, however, it is said that it is necessary but not an obligation.
It is not an obligation in Shariah, it is a necessity.
Whereas in Tariqah, it is not a necessity but an obligation.
There is no progress without this step.
His Divine Eminence spiritually taught me with the esoteric Qur’an.
In ‘93, Hafiz Farid and Hafiz Nadeem
came to London from Karachi to lead Taraweeh.
So, Farid bhai invited me to speak at the mosque in Hounslow where they were performing Taraweeh.
He even sent me £50 to buy a bus ticket and told me head over.
So, I spoke at the event
and an esoteric verse of the Qur'an was uttered from my mouth
and in order to elaborate that verse,
I rendered additional traditions of the Prophet (s).
Now, the verse that I had spoken about,
and these two were Hafiz,
and there was one other scholar present
Hashmi Sab, who was also their acquaintance.
So, he said to them,
‘Hafiz Sab, I have never read the verse that Mr Younus is reciting in the Qur’an.
Where did it come from?
It’s a really nice verse but it is not in the Qur’an’.
So they tried to tell him to read the Qur’an and he said,
‘I’m a Hafiz and I have not read it so how can it be in the Qur’an?’
Now, that verse was one in which God said,
‘O Messenger of God (s),
had I not been concerned that this would've been strenuous upon your ummah,
we would've made the purification of the lower self obligatory upon the ummah'.
This was a verse from the Esoteric Qur’an,
and it was uttered and then, I forgot about it myself.
Then, in Manchester - around a month and a half later,
there was a khateeb in Victoria Park Mosque
called Zafar Mehmood Farashwi who said to me,
'You talk about the purification of the lower self,
is there any evidence in the Qur’an to back it?'
I presented the same verse
and rendered him speechless in that moment
because he wasn’t a Hafiz.
However, when I went to the mosque the following Friday,
he approached me and said, 'Where is that verse that you spoke of?
' I said, 'You're a scholar, it’s your job to find it'.
He said, 'I’ve already checked and this verse is not in the Qur'an'.
I said, ‘Really?
If you cannot find it in the Qur'an,
can you refute the context of the verse?
Is this not mentioned in the traditions?
Do no other verses of the Qur’an state this,
‘you shall not be successful if you do not purify your lower self’?
‘Qad aflaha man tazzaka’.
What does the Qur’an state about Prophet Muhammad (s)?
'We sent amongst you a messenger
that recites the Qur'an upon you, purifies your lower self
and teaches you wisdom and religion’.
I only reiterated the same thing with that verse,
‘O Messenger of God,
had I not been concerned of the hardship it may cause
upon your ummah,
I would have made the purification of the lower self
obligatory upon everyone'.
How else can it proven that purification of the lower self
is an obligation
when God has clearly declared,
'Successful are those that have purified their lower selves'
Now, the matter is about whether it is an obligation or not
and about achieving success or failing.
If you wish to be successful,
you must make the task an obligation upon you,
and if you do not make it an obligation, then you face failure.
It’s the same thing.
He asked, ‘Where did this verse come from when it is not in the Qur’an?’
We said, ‘It is definitely in th Qur’an,
however, this is the doctrine
that was concealed in the chest of the Prophet (s)
and did not come to the lips of the Prophet (s),
and this doctrine is known as the Qur'an e Maknoon in the Qur’an itself.
So, if you wish to understand this doctrine,
then for that, the answer is: yes,
purification of the lower self and awakening of the spiritual heart is an even greater obligation than salah and fasting.
Why is it a greater obligation?
Because if your spiritual heart is not awakened, your obligatory worship shall be wasted.
'There is no salah without the presence of the heart'.
This is an act without which your obligatory act is not accepted.
So, when an obligatory act is dependent upon a particular act
then that act is greater than the obligation, isn't it?
La salata illa bi huzoori e qalb
'There is no salah without the presence of the heart'.
Now you should understand that purification of the lower self and activation of the heart are the most essential obligations.
Now, ask me why these were not made to be apparent obligations.
The reason is that not everyone is destined to have faith.
How can God make it an obligation upon one upon whose heart God did not inscribe faith?
Technically, this would create a burden for God.
[People would say], 'Well, God made this an obligation upon everyone but faith cannot enter our hearts as they are not being activated, so it's not our fault'.
This is why God did not make it an obligation.
Had God made it an obligation, it would have been for all.
And he would have to bless all.
Since he did not make it an obligation, only those will be successful who are momin.
And you can see for yourself, do all these 73 sects observe fasting?
They do?
And tell me what was the purpose of fasting in the Qur'an?
'La'allakum tattaqoon'
'So that you become cleansed and purified'
These people in the 73 sects, who have been fasting every year, have they become purified?
Due to the impurity of the lower self, the fasts don't make a difference, they are being wasted.
Since the heart is not awakened, the worshippers are in deep waters: 'Fa wailul-lil musalleen allazeena hum 'an salaatihim saahoon'
'Death and woe upon those who pray, yet are heedless of their prayer'
'hum yura'aoon'
'And', God said, 'They are just showing off'.
'Allazeena hum 'an salaatihim saahoon'
They are not aware of the reality of salah.
'Allazeena hum yura'aoon - And those people are just showing off'.
Showing off how? People look at them and praise them.
On the other hand, God says, 'La salata illa bi huzoori e qalb'.
Your salah was not registered with God because your heart is not awakened.
It is the heart's job to deliver your salah to God.
And interestingly,
I furnish my discourses with references to the Qur'an and Ahadith,
but the clergymen never state this.
They came up with something else instead.
What did they say? The clergy who are opposing us in India concurrently.
They concocted something new. They didn't state that 'his speeches are supported with evidence'
'and full of references from the Qur'an and Ahadith', they didn't say this.
Instead, they said, 'God has bestowed Mr Younus with the art of conversation'.
'And God has rendered his voice efficacy, so do not listen to him!'
If God has rendered efficacy to his voice, why didn't God do it for you?