Five titles in the current Sang-e-Meel collection.

Professor Abdullah Bhatti can be described as one in thousands, even one in hundreds of thousands; finding another like him is not easy. Many of us have read about Tasawwuf and heard, generation after generation, about the Sufis; Abdullah Bhatti is a living testimony to that tradition. His book “Asrar-e-Roohaniat” startles and even leaves its readers bewildered. It is both autobiography and a story of the wider world. History seems gathered into it, along with the accomplishments of spiritual sciences and his own experiences.

For general readers, “Kashf al-Mahjub” is quite difficult to read and understand, but Professor Muhammad Abdullah Bhatti has made that difficulty easier. In his book “Asrar-e-Roohaniat,” he has brought together the teachings of many Sufis in very simple language. Professor Muhammad Abdullah Bhatti deserves both congratulations and thanks for his research and effort.

Bhatti Sahib has explained the secrets and subtleties of spirituality in this book in a beautiful, simple manner. As I continued reading it, I was pleasantly surprised that it is truly a book on spirituality filled with comprehensive information.

How greatly Allah has blessed this servant of God. His discussion of spiritual subtleties, states and observations is pleasantly surprising. Bhatti Sahib is not merely an experienced person; he is a seasoned personality with extensive study of Tasawwuf.

For a long time my search and wandering remained devoted to finding people of this kind—in a corner of some city, at the foot of a mountain, or amid a wilderness. Abdullah Bhatti Sahib is one destination in that search. Someone gifted me one of his books, and it became a companion in the solitude of my nights. The longing to meet him, together with the wonder of the book, brought me to his door. That house was, in fact, a gathering place for many people of insight. To others Abdullah Bhatti Sahib may be a spiritual personality associated with extraordinary phenomena; to me, he is a diver in the ocean of divinely bestowed knowledge, seated upon the seat of knowledge and insight. He gathers pearls and continues to distribute them. Such people are among the signs of Allah in these latter times.

The book titled “Bazm-e-Darwesh” carries a fragrance of its own. Bazm-e-Darwesh is no less than a gathering in the tradition of the qalandars. Every darwesh is welcome in this gathering, and whoever enters it may himself become a darwesh. This is the work Abdullah Bhatti is doing. No one is turned away from him; everyone may come. “Bazm-e-Darwesh” holds the stature of a perfect spiritual guide. His writings feel like a teacher instructing his disciples. His books are setting students on a journey of ascent from the earthly realm toward the spiritual realm. Bazm-e-Darwesh is a valuable addition to the world of Tasawwuf.

In my view, it is difficult to find another comprehensive book currently available that brings together spiritual remedies for human problems in this way. Professor Sahib has gathered these subjects with remarkable breadth. Anyone familiar with this field cannot help but appreciate its organization and writing. The book presents spiritual remedies for the worries and problems a Muslim may encounter in ordinary life, making it not merely a book for a select few, but something presented as useful for every Muslim and worthy of a place in homes and libraries.

Another merit of this book is that it describes in detail medical and spiritual approaches to basic social problems and complicated ailments. For seekers on this path and beginners in these practices, it is presented as both beneficial and reassuring. In addition, its detailed discussion of kashf-e-quboor, connection with people of shrines, practices for receiving spiritual benefit, and protective practices adds further distinction to the book.

Nowadays, society is affected by concerns about sorcery, magic, harmful spiritual influences and the adverse effects attributed to amulets. In his book, Professor Sahib describes approaches to such matters in a very simple and effective manner. In “Sarmaya e Darwesh,” alongside devotional recitations and practices, he has also included tested family remedies for physical ailments. These remedies add further practical value to the book.

Abdullah Bhatti appears like an ordinary person, yet he is an exceptional person—indeed, exceptionally so. It seems to me as though he is living many lives. This book has been called an encyclopedia of Islamic spiritual devotional practices, and that description is, in my view, justified and complete. I have not read a book like this before. It is an extraordinary spiritual effort.

“Sarmaya e Darwesh,” described here as the largest encyclopedia of Islamic spiritual devotional practices, contains 61 chapters and is presented as something not previously written in this form. It is truly the life treasure of the practices of a complete darwesh, whose importance becomes clear after reading it. “Sarmaya e Darwesh” is the accumulated spiritual treasure of a Sufi darwesh, transferred from one individual to the public in the spirit of service so that troubled and suffering people may benefit from it for spiritual and physical care.

The third and new book of the well-known spiritual scholar Professor Muhammad Abdullah Bhatti, “Sarmaya e Darwesh,” contains an ocean-like depth within it. Reading Sarmaya e Darwesh, therefore, can prove deeply valuable for the purification of the spirit, mind and heart.

In my view, Abdullah Bhatti Sahib is like a sun in the spiritual world whose light has illuminated the lives of countless people. I believe that for as long as Allah has granted Abdullah Bhatti Sahib to this society, this journey of spiritual illumination will continue with the same radiance, along with the mission of serving those in need, providing spiritual guidance and helping people in distress.

Each of his books contains an ocean-like depth. He repeatedly dives into the deep seas of spirituality, Tasawwuf, the path of faqr and divine love, bringing back rare and precious gems for readers. He lifts the veil from spiritual and Sufi mysteries over which the dust of centuries has settled. His books quench the long-standing thirst of those interested in spiritual knowledge, esoteric subjects, spirituality and Tasawwuf. This work also discusses such matters as which fields may suit people of different zodiac signs, naming, marriage, business and related choices.

During his stay in Delhi, Sir Bhatti unveiled many of the mysteries of numerology. The book is written in an accessible style that an ordinary reader can benefit from easily. From naming a newborn, education and choosing a field, to career, marriage, business, lucky numbers, days, months, years, stones, zodiac signs, colours, friendships, marriage choices, work, and whether to remain in the country or go abroad, the book addresses a wide range of such questions. It is presented as a mirror to guide readers. The writer says that after reading it, one need not consult a palmist, astrologer or similar adviser, because Sir Bhatti has lifted the veil from these matters and their secrets.

Seeing Bhatti Sahib continuously engaged in serving people for the sake of Allah has often made me wonder whether he is an ordinary person of this material world or something altogether different. The remarkable stories in “Karishma Naam” are presented in a way that even those who doubt palmistry and numerology may find persuasive. We are fortunate, the writer says, to have before us Professor Abdullah Bhatti—a darwesh, numerologist, palmist and teacher of spiritual subjects—who has spent decades serving people day and night without charge.

Who am I? Why am I? What am I? Every conscious human being must, at some point, ask themselves for answers to these questions. In essence, this is a journey from the known to the unknown—or from the unknown toward the known. A human being is only a small part of the vast existence of the universe, setting out to explore its immensity. Where this search may lead, how perilous, complex and unfamiliar it may be, can truly be understood only by those who undertake that journey.

I do not know why, but I feel that this book ought somehow to be included in the curriculum for teachers. Just as children are tested before admission to school, teachers too should be tested on this book and considered qualified to teach only after passing that test.

If you feel lonely even among crowds of people, if the blows of life and the duplicity of those close to you have wounded your heart, and if you remain worried about your future, do not lose heart. Read “Fikr-e-Darvaish” carefully from the beginning and, as you continue, you may find direction and what you seek. May Allah keep Professor Abdullah Bhatti Sahib in His protection and grant all of us the opportunity to read his book. Ameen.

For reasons I cannot quite explain, I find myself wanting to call Professor Muhammad Abdullah Bhatti simply “Abdullah.” The fact is that “Fikr-e-Darvaish” and “Asrar-e-Roohaniat” have given me both a sense of exhilaration and a feeling of awe. I have never before had an experience quite like this in relation to a book and its author. Both “Asrar-e-Roohaniat” and “Fikr-e-Darvaish” are remarkable books. The work is unusual, the author even more so, and my own response strangest of all; I find it difficult to express in ordinary prose.