The meaning of rabt-e-qalb bish-shaikh is to focus one’s heart towards the shaikh bearing in mind that the mercies of Allah Ta`ala are descending onto the heart of my shaikh by means of which they are transferred to my heart.
With regards to material assets, a child receives these through the father. Be it money, food, sweets or clothing, the child receives them through his father even though it is Allah Ta`ala who has bestowed the father with these favours.
Similarly, all the spiritual favours that a taalib experiences are through his shaikh. He even perceives that these feelings are coming via the heart of the shaikh.
Perceivable items do not come directly to us. They come through some medium. One does not find bread coming baked directly from Allah Ta`ala. The same applies to matters of this nature as well.
Lets discuss it from another angle. The mureed develops a liking for the shaik hwhich later advances to the level of `ishq (intense love) and thereafter reaching the level of fanaa’iyyat.
The gist of fanaa’iyyat is that the mureed annihilates all his qualities and allows the qualities of the shaikh to be instilled within him. Once the qualities of the shaikh pass over to the mureed he now becomes a sahib-e-nisbat-e-qawiyyah (one whose link with Allah Ta`ala is firm and strong). Whatever passes the mind of the shaikh appears in his mind as well. The dislikes of the shaikh become his dislikes and this can be achieved without saying a word.
However, note that If this was within the volition of the mashaayikh then their children would have never been deprived for they have the most amount of love for their own children, and as is quite obvious the mashaayikh do have children.
Hadhrat Moulana Ilyaas Sahib rahimahullah mentioned, “I had once written to Hadhrat Saharanpuri rahimahullah: I desire spending a few days in your company. Hadhrat replied: “You do not need to come all the way to acquire something from me. For you to be near me or far away is the same for acquiring faizfrom me.”
This is rabt-e-qalb bish-shaikh
The taalib will perceive that there is a certain feeling within his heart. Moulana Abdullah Gangohi rahimahullah , the author of Tayseer-ul-Mubtadi resided in Thanabawan. He was bay`at to Hadhrat Saharanpuri rahimahullah, though he was initially bay`at to Hadhrat Gangohi rahimahullah and later made rujoo`(turned) to Hadhrat Saharanpuri rahimahullah.
At times, whilst sitting in Thana bawan he would feel an urge to go to Saharanpur. However, after looking at the time he would realise that the train to Saharanpur would have already left. Nevertheless, the urge of going to Saharanpur would still be bothering him and he would force himself to go. Upon reaching the station he would find a train heading for Saharanpur and in this way he would reach there. On reaching Saharanpur Hadhrat would tell him, “I was thinking of you.”
This is rabt-e-qalb.
Moulana `Aashiq Ilahi rahimahullah relates: Whilst I was asleep Hadhrat Saharanpuri came to the musjid and rested on the straw mats. After waking up for tahajjud Hadhrat lowered the bucket in the well. At that time, I saw a dream wherein Hadhrat came and lowered the bucket in the well. Immediately my eyes opened and I could actually hear the sound of the bucket falling into the well. (Moulana’s quarters were adjacent to the musjid.) Without wasting any time I headed for the musjid and found Hadhrat Saharanpuri there.
This is rabt-e-qalb.
A mureedof Hadhrat Saharanpuri rahimahullah lived a few miles from Muzaffarnagar. Once, he felt an urge to go to the Muzaffarnagar railway station. He left aside whatever he was occupied in and hurriedly set off for Muzaffarnagar railway station. Upon reaching the station, he saw Hadhrat Saharanpuri rahimahullah .
Hadhrat told him, “The thought crossed my mind that it would be nice if I met you.” He replied, “Had I not met you I would have gone to the doctors to enquire the reason for having the pressing urge to come here.”
May Allah Ta`ala forgive us, but nowadays the taalibeen (mureeds) have this very strong notion that it is only Allah who has the knowledge of the unseen and nobody else. The pious personalities know nothing of the unseen and therefore we (taalibeen) are able to do as we please. However, they don’t speak about themselves reaching those ranks.
Hadhrat Moulana Husain Ahmad Madani rahimahullah received several complaints regarding a particular mureedof his. When this mureed came to Moulana, Moulana paid no attention to him. The mureed sensed the situation and wrote a note to Moulana Madani that stated:
‘If you have received complaints regarding me then you should first verify the matter. If it can be established with shar`ee proof then suggest some punishment for me.’
On seeing this note, Moulana mentioned, “Don’t you feel ashamed of writing this? You are demanding that shar`ee evidence be established. Before coming here at a certain place a certain incident in relation to yourself had transpired and at another place another incident had transpired.”
After showing him many incidents of this nature, Hadhrat Moulana said, “Do you still have the heart of asking for shar`ee evidence. You feel satisfied within yourself that we have no knowledge and it is only Allah Ta`ala who has all the information. This is correct that Allah Ta`ala alone has the knowledge of the unseen, but through your facial expressions some of it can be perceived. After all, why is it stated: (Fear the firaasah(perception) of a mu’min for he sees with the noor(light) of Allah Ta`ala.) The effects of both good and vice are clearly displayed on one’s face.”
Once, Moulana Ilyaas Sahib rahimahullah said, “One will be unable to realise the need of tableegh without total exposure of the sins and faults of the ummat. Together with that he has to develop such great concern for concealing these faults and sins that he becomes restless and makes an effort to conceal these sins. Until then the need of tableegh will not be understood.”
(taken from Malfuzaat Faqihul Ummah)