Kindly Clear these Concepts 4 me.

[miyya]

Assalam-o-alaikum Everyone.

I have just joined this forum and would like your assistance in clearing a few of my blurred concepts.
Until recently I had no idea what sufism was. It was only a few weeks earlier that I heard about Hazarat Khawaja Gharib Nawaz of Ajmeer Sharif and was drawn towards this entire school of thought.

I did some research on the personality and life of the Holy Saint, and was really really impressed. It is now that I have started to revere him and suddenly this desire of visiting ajmeer Sharif has risen in my heart. But I live in Pakistan and am a student, therefore Presently I do not have the resources to visit the shrine. My devotion for Hazarat Gharib Nawaz is increasing day by day and I pray that Allah grants me a chance to be at the Holy Dargah.
I have even seen the shrine in my dream.

Anyway, Can someone clear the following concepts for me.

1: Is it permissible in Islam to keep mannat?
2: Gharib Nawaz's shrine is in Rajisthan, can someone keep a mannat through his medium by being in another country or is it necessay to be physically present at the darbar? If yes, then what is the correct method?
3: Do the deceased AWLIYA ALLAH get to know about our neeyat and mannat?
4: Is it right/ok to recite Fatiha for the isaal-esawab of Sufi saints?

kindly explicate these points for me.
Thanks.

[Imam]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu


All Praise be to Allah who is the Lord of the Worlds, and may Endless Blessings be showered upon His Most Beloved, and Final Messenger of Islam, Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam



In Islam, it is permissible to keep mannats [oaths], as the Bukhari Shareef has a whole chapter devoted to this issue. It is called 'Kitabul Imani wan Nuzur.'


In this kitab, it actually details the importance of keeping a mannat with support from the verse of the Qur'an al karim. The Qur'an states:

'Allah will not hold you responsible for oaths taken by misunderstanding, but he will hold you responsible for oaths, which you have made binding. Then the penalty for breaking such oaths is the feeding of 10 needy people, with average food with which you feed your fasting members, or clothing them, or freeing a slave. Then for whoso finds not anything of these, for him is the fasting of three days. This is the alternative penalty of your oath, when you have sworn, and guard your oaths, thus Allah explains His signs to you so that you may be grateful.'

(Qur'an, al-Maidah, 5;89)


This verse clearly states the mannat concept and sets out all the laws pertaining to it. It is also intended that such oaths (mannat), should not be broken if it is clearly intended to fulfil it, in the first instance.


Therefore, we do have authorities from the Qur'an, and many other books of hadith, which specify that it is permissible to keep a mannat.


A mannat can be kept whilst you are in a different country, an example of this is if someone said:

'I will donate £100 in the name of Khawaja Sahib Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu, if I get to go to Ajmer'.

This form of mannat is permissible, as once the person has been to Ajmer and returned successfully, he would be liable to give up £100 for the completion of his intention. There is no need to be present at the shrine, and make a mannat, as this can be done from any part of the world.


Now whether the deceased gets to know what your intention is, and what mannat you have made is really a matter of belief for each individual. On the one hand you have those who say 'na'udhu billah' that even the Messengers do not know who we are, let alone saints, on the other hand, we have those who state that every saint knows what his devotee intends, and thinks.


Since the power of a person who is deceased is greater in the next world than this world, but we do not see it, I think that they do have a power to recognise who it is which speaks of them, who remembers them, and who conveys reward to them.


This leaves us with the issue of reciting fatihah for the saints, which is and always has been permissible. Some days are more virtuous than others, for example days of urs [Death anniversaries of the Saints], in which many people gather, convey reward, make oaths, recite al-Qur'an, listen to scholars, as well as other Islamic acts. And all this is part and parcel of the auspicious days in Islam.


I hope I have answered your queries.


Jazak'allah for your question.



Wallahu A'lamu Biththawaab


M. Waseem Ashrafi