There was a time when the mansions of high ranking Nawabs¹ filled Marris Road of Aligarh, India. About 40 years ago, through the blessings of my Shaikh, I compiled some couplets in which these Nawabs are being addressed. At that time, as a simple and poor student of Deen, I went with my Shaikh, Hazrat Maulana Shah Abdul Ghani Saheb (r.a.) to visit Nawab Chatari. However, through the blessings of my Shaikh, I did not allow the greatness of those Nawabs to enter my heart. My Shaikh used to say that the mureed who did not attain the love of Allah Ta‘ala from his Shaikh, but rather enjoyed delicious foods and had a good time traveling around, became deprived of Allah Ta‘ala.

Allah Ta’ala had given me the taufiq (guidance and ability) that I had made no attempts to win the favor of the Nawabs and the rich people with flattery. On the other hand, these days, the condition of the mureed is such that if a wealthy individual comes to visit the Shaikh, then the mureed does not even look at his Shaikh. If the mureed happens to be a principal of a Deeni institution, then he will follow this wealthy person around with his receipt book, ready for donations and will attempt to show him his institution.

Listen attentively to what I have to say! There is no benefit in running after the creation. Only crying before Allah and humbling oneself before the Creator will benefit us. Neverthless, through the blessings of my Shaikh, I addressed those Nawabs with the following couplets which I had composed:

Very luxurious are these mansions of yours,
These multitude of expensive vases, these colorful sights.

Oh! by what support are you living your life?
That after death all those “supports” will step aside.

If you have not attained the closeness of the Lord of spring,
then you have attained dry autumn but not spring.