بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
و الصلاة و السلام على أشرف المرسلين
و على اله و اصحابه أجمعين
The Muraqqa’a contains lots of benefits in this world and in the afterlife. Imam al Bana al sarqusti (radiAllah ‘anhu) took an inventory of the Muraqqa’a benefits in his book, al Mabahith al Asliya, explained by Sayiduna Ahmad ibn ‘Ajiba (qudissa sirruh) who said in those verses:
The people of Tassawuf choose the Muraqqa’a
because of the characteristics we will mention:
This first (characteristic): it allows (the Mureed) to get rid of pride
It protects against cold and heat
It is cheap and no one who desires this lowly world
will be envious
It debases the ego and it extends the life time
and it also extends the capacity of patience and endurance
Its use is the follow of sayiduna ‘Umar’s example
no one sees those who wear it with Khuchu’
because it makes modest
The Murraqa’a: it is the clothing which is composed of a great number of colored (or not) pieces of fabrics made of wool or fur or leather. The people of Tassawuf prefered this clothing to other clothings because of ten reasons:
The first reason
It allows the one who wears it to get rid of pride and to fight it (pride) with its opposite which is humility. However, if the intention of the one who wears it is to try to pass himself as a pious man, then its wearing is forbidden (Haram). If he wears it to distinguish himself from the furuqara who do not wear it, or if he thinks that wearing the Muraqqa’a would make him better than others, then the obtained effect is the opposite of the desired effect.
The second reason
It is composed in a such way that it protects from heat because the pieces of fabrics are stitched together. It also protects from wold because of the fabrics thickness.
The third reason
It is very cheap because it is made from fabrics which were destined for garbage and it costs nothing for the one who gives them. But if someone choose fabrics of good quality then the Muraqqa’a loses its true meaning and it would no longer give its fruits becoming like any other clothing.
The fourth reason
It does not tempt the thief because of its appearance (not because of its sacred reality). If the Muraqqa’a was stolen to a faqir, thieves would not get any fruits. It means that they will not reach any spiritual Knowledge through the Muraqqa’a. On the contrary, they probably would give it back and they would asked the forgiveness of Allah as it has already be seen. Wearing the Muraqqa’a to looks like other fuqarah is authorized according to Shaykh sidi Ahmad Zarruq (radiAllah ‘anhu).
The Fifth reason
Its wearing takes away lots of evil things because of the respect people have for the one who wears it. People respect him because he looks like good people. Behaving in this way is authorized if the intention is to take away people from he and not to attract people attention. In accordance with the verse: “O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah forgiving and Merciful.”
[surah al ahzab/verse 59].
And this is the explanation of the quoted poem verse:
no one who desires this lowly world
will be envious
The sixth reason
Wearing the Murraqa’a among the fellow is a good way to access to the debasement of the ego (nafs). And in this debasement is its death. And in its death is its Life.
In this sense, sidi al Shushtari (radi Allah anhu) said in this verse:
If you want to join us, your death is a condition
do not reach the spiritual fulfillment, he who still remains
In the debasement of the nafs, there is also the loss of dignity and rank, and this is a condition to fulfill the maqam of Ikhlass (sincerity).Through the debasement of the nafs, we access to a life out of sight, forgotten by people, and this is a rest and a security for the one who experiences it, because he will not be recognized for something else than what he actually is. He is not informed about important affairs. If if he is absent, no one notices. And if he is present, his opinion is ignored. In this sense, the Prophet ﷺ said: “There is a master (rabb) whose face is dusty and whose hair is unkempt, who wears tatter clothing and who owns nothing (dhû thimrayn). No one pays attention to him. If he swore by himself on Allah, He would grant him.”
Seventh reason
The wearing of the Muraqqa’a increases the spiritual aspiration and it turns away the mureed from the creation. The opinion of people only brings evil things to the common believers and the one who wears the Muraqqa’a no longer pays attention to the creation: criticism and compliment are equal in his eyes.
A shaykh said to a young man: “Watch out with this Muraqqa’a! because you honor it too much.” the young man replied: “We only honor it for Allah”, the shaykh then said: “How good it is to honor for Allah”.
Eighth reason
It has been said that wearing the Muraqqa’a extends the life time because of the blessings the Muraqqa’a brings to the one who wears it.
In a short period of time, he who wears the murraqqa’a reaches Knowledges and spiritual levels while the one who does not would take years to reach them.
In this sense, Sayiduna ibn ‘Ata Allah iskandari (radiAllah ‘anhu) said in his hikam:
Whoever is blessed in his age, he is able to reap much from the blessing of God in a very short time. So much so, that one cannot explain [the immensity] nor even allude to it.
And the fruits of arifin’s worship is multiplied several times.
It also is said in his Hikam: “No deed arising from a renouncing heart is small, and no deed arising from an avaricious heart is fruitful.”
It has also been said: “This is real and this is something special, (the Muraqqa’a) foretells a long life for the one who wears it, and Allah ﷻ is the best Knower.”
Ninth reason
It allows to learn patience and to practice the nafs contradiction, and there are good things known by all.
Allah ﷻ says: “Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account” [surah az zumar/verse 10]
and he says: “but give good tidings to the patient”
[surah baqarah/ verse 155]
and he says: “O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.”
[surah al baqarah/verse 153].
Some sahaba (radiAllah ‘anhu) said: “Patience (as sabr) is for faith as the head is the body, and Patience is the mount of those who direct as it is for those who follow”.
Allah ﷻ said: “And We made from among them leaders guiding by Our command when they were patient and [when] they were certain of Our signs.”
[surah as Sajda, verse 24].
The wearing of the Muraqqa’a is also an obstable against major sins (kaba’eer) because the one who is wearinh it cannot approach such things. So the Muraqqa’a is a protection against major sins and the patience needed to wear it is in a manner of speaking equivalent to the patience needed to confront all the major sins.
Tenth reason
The Muraqqa’a is the following of the exemple of the Commander of the Faithful, Sayiduna ‘Umar ibn al Khattab (radi Allah anhu).And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said in this sense: “follow those after me: Abu Bakr and Umar”.
So following them is obeying to the instruction of the Prophet ﷺ and the one who wears the Muraqqa’a, he follows all the reasons that led ‘Umar (radiAllah ‘anhu) to wear it.
Indeed, ‘Umar (radiAllah ‘anhu) wore a Muraqqa’a: there was between his shoulders thirteen patched pieces of fabric and one of them was made of leather. When he swapped his Muraqqa’a for an other clothing, following the advice of muslims, during the conquest of Jerusalem, he said: “I am denying myself”. Then he took back his Muraqqa’a.
So the wearing of the Muraqqa’a was a choice of ‘Umar (radi Allah anhu). It was also the expression of his modesty and it was not an imposed constraint, because he had money and goods after and even before the Khilafa.
[al Futuhat al Ilahiya fi Charhi l Mabahithi al Asliya].
