“In reality a king is one who rules a kingdom and a qutub is one who has the highest rank amongst the saints”
This excerpt is from Hadhrat Maulana Shaikhul Hadith Muhammad Zakariya Kandhlawi(Rah)’s explanation of Tariqat. He also mentioned briefly about ranks of saints in his book Fazail Sadaqat is well. Obviously the ranks are based on their piety but could you please explain the questions below in detail.
Could you please explain the ranks of saints? what are the diff ranks? how does one become the saint in these trouble times…?
What is qutub?
What does the honorific “Allamah” stand for..etc.
I ve read smwhre (unfortunately i cannot remember where…) that at any time on earth -ie. Dunya- there are forty awliya. When one dies another takes him place, and this will continue to do so until the day of qiyama?
if this statment true? Who are the they? is true..how does next one take the place of the deceased?
Anas ibn Maalik [radhiallaahu anhu] narrates that Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said that there are 40 Abdaal in his Ummah. Twenty two of them are in Shaam (Syria) and 18 are in Iraq. When one of them dies, Allah appoints someone to fill the vacancy. When Qiyaamah is nearby, they will all die.
Abdaal – this is a class of Awliyaa whose identities are secret. They execute a variety of duties imposed on them by Allah.
Hadhrat Mas’ood [radhiallaahu anhu] narrates that Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said, ‘There are three hundred servants of Allah, whose hearts are like the heart of Aadam (alayhimus salaam), forty have hearts like the heart of Ibraahim (alayhimus salaam), seven have hearts like the heart of Izraaeel (alayhimus salaam), five have hearts like the heart of Jibraaeel (alayhimus salaam), three have hearts like the heart of Mikaaeel (alayhimus salaam), and one has the heart like the heart of Israafeel. When one dies, Allah appoints one of the group of three to take his place, when one of the group of three dies, Allah appoints one from the group of five to take his place, when one from the group of five dies, Allah appoints one from the group of seven to take his place, when one from the group of seven dies, Allah appoints one from the group of forty to take his place, when one from the group of forty dies, Allah appoints one from the group of three hundred to take his place, when one of the group of three hundred dies, a man from the rank and file of mankind is ennobled (with Imaan and Taqwa) and appointed. Allah removes calamities from the Ummah of Muhammad [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] by virtue of the blessedness of these Awliyaa.’
The one servant mentioned in this Hadith is called the Qutub or Ghauth. Among the Awliyaa, his rank and position are like the centre of a circle. He is the pivot.
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai