Hierarchy of Saints Series, Vol 15
How to Enter Through the Door and Dwell in the City
Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani
28 August 2010 Fenton Zawiya, Michigan
Fajr Ramadan Series 2010
A`oodhu billahi min ash-Shaytaani 'r-rajeem. Bismillahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem.
Nawaytu 'l-arba`een, nawaytu 'l-`itikaaf, nawaytu 'l-khalwah, nawaytu 'l-`uzlah,
nawaytu 'r-riyaadah, nawaytu 's-sulook, lillahi ta`ala fee haadha 'l-masjid.
Madad yaa Sayyidee, Sultan al-Awliya Shaykh `AbdAllah al-Fa`iz ad-Daghestani
and Sultan al-Awliya Shaykh Muhammad Nazim al-Haqqani!
Ati`ullaha wa ati`u 'r-Rasoola wa ooli 'l-amri minkum.
Obey Allah, obey the Prophet, and obey those in authority among you. (4:59)
Those who are on authority are those who have the key for the door of the Prophet (s). These doors are too many; it is not one door, but to reach the main door there are too many doors until you reach the door of that city that we described in the previous session. Every door has the people who are attracted to it, to go to main door, and these are awliyaullah receiving from Prophet and they came to him through one door, what the Prophet (s) described:
انا مدينة العلم و علي بابها
Anaa madeenatu'l-`ilmi wa `aliyyun baabuhaa.
"I am the city of knowledge and `Ali is its door."
They will go in through that main door, and inside they will find the one who is with Prophet (s) always, that one who migrated with him from Mecca to Madina, Sayyidina Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (q)!
That means, if you want to reach that city it is easy: first use dhikrullah that Prophet showed to Sayyidina `Ali (q). We described it yesterday as laa ilaha illa-Llah, when Prophet said to Ali, "Close your eyes and listen to what I say," and he said, laa ilaha illa-Llah, three times. Why three times and not four, or four times and not two? li-anna Allahu witrun wa yuhib al-witr. "Allah is 'One' and He loves everything to be with odd numbers." Of reciting laa ilaha illa-Llah three times, the first recitation is to negate, deny and throw out of the heart everything from dunya. You are saying, "Yaa Rabbee! I am directing myself to You by throwing away dunya and coming to You!" The second recitation of la ilaha illa-Llah means, "I am coming through your beloved, Sayyidina Muhammad (s)!" And the third recitation of laa ilaha illa-Llah is to come through the door where Sayyidina `Ali is standing. That is the code of, "I am the city of knowledge and `Ali is its door."
That is the three parts of the key. And when that door opens, that is something else. Like on Hajj, on the day of Arafat before everyone comes, they open Ka`aba to wash it and what is inside? That door is the Ka`aba that is in everyone's heart, where there are guardians. Sayyidina `Ali, Sayyidina Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, and Sayyidina Muhammad (s) are there! When you open the first lock, you enter there by the way that Prophet showed Abu Bakr as-Siddiq to come to Allah and to him. When you use that word, the door of Prophet opens, and from there you begin to see all these manifestations that are inside the Ka`aba.
Prophet (s) said to the Sahabah (r) and to Sayyidina `Ali (q) and to all Prophet's khalifahs:
ma fadalakum abu bakr bi shay'in min salaat wa sawam wa lakin hajattan fee qalbih.
Abu Bakr did not surpass you by offering excessive prayers and fasting, but by shay'in waqara fee qalbihi, something (unique) that entered his deepest, most inner heart.
That is something unique to Abu Bakr (q), that he used to approach more and more to Prophet (s) and to Allah ((swt)). That is what made him different from anyone else. (Mawlana sneezes.) That is confirmation of what we are saying, and that Sayyidina Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (q) is looking at us from his place.
So as we said, the Prophet (s) taught Sayyidina `Ali (q) Dhikr al-Lisaan, "Dhikr of the Tongue," by saying la ilaha illa-Llah, and he showed Sayyidina Abu Bakr (q) Dhikr al-Jinaan, "the Hidden (silent) Dhikr." This hidden dhikr is not through the tongue, as the tongue is the main door to enter. Then when you enter, you do dhikrullah by ismudh-Dhaat, Allah's most beautiful Name. This Name encompasses all Names that come under it, lafdhatul-Jalaalah, Allah. that is why Allah said in Holy Qur'an:
قُلِ اللّهُ ثُمَّ ذَرْهُمْ فِي خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ
qul Allah wa dharhum fee khawdihim yal`aboon.
Say "Allah," then leave them to plunge in vain discourse and trifling. ( Surat al-An`am, 6:91)
What is this? Is it a prediction of today's situation. SubhaanAllah! This is something new that is coming with Mawlana Shaykh Nazim's (q) madad. It was mentioned in the Holy Qur'an 1,400 years ago, that there will be people who will deny making dhikr by Ismu 'l-Jalaalah. Just as the ignorant people from the time of Prophet (s) denied the existence of Allah, there are people today who deny the mention of Allah by the heart, by using Allah's Name, saying it is bid`a, kufr, shirk, and haraam. Allah (swt) said to Prophet (s), "Don't listen to them, but instead say 'Allah', and don't care for them! Say Allah, Allah, as it has been mentioned in Holy Qur'an.
Look at what Allah's Azhaamat is telling us, "Say it and don't listen to them."
Why does He want the mentioning of "Allah", why not "ar-Rahman", "ar-Raheem", "al-Malik", "al-Quddoos", "al-Mu'min", or "al-Muhaymin"? Why "Allah"? Because Allah (swt) manifested upon every prophet one of His Beautiful Names; what He gives to that prophet is under that Divine Name, and He can manifest the same Name on many prophets of the 124,000 prophets. But Prophet Muhammad (s) is highest among all anbiya, so Allah gave him the highest Name and manifested Himself to Prophet by that Name. Therefore, all prophets have to be under him and as many Names as there are, they all have to be under that Name, "Allah, The One, Unique." They cannot all be under the Divine Names ar-Rahman, ar-Raheem, al-Qudoos, for example. These are different Names, different doors that you can go through.
Awliyaullah are inheritors from prophets. When they inherit from Sayyidina Musa (a), Sayyidina Lut (a), or Sayyidina Salih (a), it is from the manifestations of the Beautifiul Names they are under. And as long as there are awliya, there is always one on top, Sultan al-Awliya, as Sayyidina Muhyuddin Ibn Arabi (r) mentioned. Similarly, for anbiya there is the only one with the station Khatam al-Anbiya, "Seal of Prophets," and Sultan al-Anbiya, "King of Prophets." Prophet (s) gets something special on top of what he has. Also, he shares with all anbiya all what he receives. Other anbiya don't share; each of them is under a private Name. But Prophet (s) is under ism al-jam`i lil asma was-siffat. Allah is manifesting Himself to Prophet (s) through His Beautiful Name that encompasses all Beautiful Names and Attributes, "Allah".
So He said, "Say, 'Allah'." Why not say "ar-Rahman"? Because ar-Rahman is a description, an adjective; "Allah" is the main Name. He (swt) said, "Come to Me directly through the Name "Allah" as there is no obstacle for you, yaa Muhammad (s)! All My doors are open to you and I brought you in Mi`raaj to dress you with that Name!" The proof that Prophet (s) is under that Name is in Holy Qur'an:
وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا
Wa annahoo lamma qaama `abdullah, yad`oohoo kaadoo yakoonoo `alayhi libada.
Yet when the devotee of Allah stands forth to envoke Him, they just make round him a dense crowd. (Surat al-Jinn, 72:19)
Is there anywhere else where Allah mentioned him as `abdAllah directly? That is exclusively for Prophet (s) and it means he is the one under the tajalli of that Name. Ashe is under that tajalli, how he is going to be called? `AbdAllah, "Servant of Allah;" that is the real `abd, the rest are imitation. What is he called, other than Rahmatali 'l-`Alameen, "Mercy to all the Worlds"? Every scholar you ask will say Prophet (s) is al-Insaan al-Kamil, "the Perfect Human Being." There is no other Insaani Kamil, there is only one, the Prophet (s). Allahuma salli `ala Sayyidina Muhammad (s)! That Beautiful Name has been described in Surat al-Ikhlaas, qul yaa Muhammad. Allah (swt) revealed:
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
Qul Huw Allahu Ahad.
Say (O Muhammad), "He is 'Allah', The One, Who has no partner." (al-Ikhlaas, 112:1)
Say "Allah," qul Huwa, "The One Who Is completely Unknown," Whose reality of that Essence cannot be known, except under the Name, "Allah." All the descriptions from the Beautiful Names and Attributes come under that. But in reality, His Essence, the Absolute Unknown, the Hidden, is "Allah", and He is "Ahad". "Allah" is higher than "Ahad," the description. Say, "Allah, the One with no partner, no child, no description of Him;" that is "Allah".
وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا
Wa annahoo lamma qaama `abdullah, yad`oohoo kaadoo yakoonoo `alayhi libada.
Yet when the devotee of Allah stands forth to envoke Him, they just make round him a dense crowd. (Surat al-Jinn, 72:19)
It means, "the One Who is also Unknown," as no one knows the Prophet's (s) rank or what Allah (swt) gave him. He is known as "The Only (real) `AbdAllah", because the Name "Allah" means "Tthe One Who is Absolute Unknown", so the one who is under that Name is Muhammad (s), "al-Insaan al-Kamil." That Name, al-`Ism ash-Shareef, is the Holy Name put to describe The Essence, to give The Esesence a Name, which is "Allah." But to understand that Name is impossible, so you understand through the other holy descriptions. "Allah" is described through all the Godly Attributes, Asma ar-Ruboobiyya, the Names of Lordship, al-Jalal, "The Majestic", al-Jamaal, "The Beauty", and al-Kamaal, "The Perfection"; these are descriptions of Allah (swt).
Wa huwa `ismun lidh-Dhaat al-Buht, is the Name given to the Secret, the Essence. As close as you zoom in, it is the Name for that Absolute Unknown, al-`Ama al-Mutlaq. No one can see it, it is veiled. Even the Prophet (s) cannot see that Essence, although He is under the manifestation of that Name we just described, "Allah".
So the Name "Allah" is higher than all the Divine Beautiful Names. That is why Prophet (s) is higher than all prophets, as he is carrying the manifestation of that Name, and he is Rahmat`Ali 'l-`Alameen. He was dressed with that Name, and that is why all prophets will come with their nations asking for Prophet's (s) mercy, to give them shafa`a, to bless them and their nations. Why? Because he is under the manifestation of that highest Name which all other Names are under. It is considered in the Islamic Schools of Thought, especially in Hanafi madhhab, that Ismullah al-`Azham is the Name that Allah manifested on His Prophet (s).
Sayyidina Musa (a) asked, "Yaa Rabbee! Tell me, what is Your Greatest Name?"
وَلَمَّا جَاء مُوسَى لِمِيقَاتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهُ رَبُّهُ قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِي أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ لَن تَرَانِي وَلَـكِنِ انظُرْ إِلَى الْجَبَلِ فَإِنِ اسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُ فَسَوْفَ تَرَانِي فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّى رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ موسَى صَعِقًا فَلَمَّا أَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Qala rabbee arinee andhur ilayk, qala lan taraanee wa laakin undhur ila al-jabali, fa inni 'staqarrra makaanuhu fasawfa taraanee, fa lamaa tajalla rabbuhu li 'l-jabali ja`alahoo dakka wa khara Musa saa'iqan, falamma aafaaqa qaala subhaanaka tubtoo ilayk, wa anaa awwal al-mumineen.
He said, "O my Lord! Show Yourself to me, that I may look upon You." Allah said, "By no means can you see Me (directly), but look upon the mountain; if it abides in its place, then you shall see Me." When his Lord manifested His glory on the mount, He made it as dust, and Moses fell down in a swoon. When he recovered his senses, he said, "Glory be to You! To You I return in repentance, and I am the first to believe." (Surat al-`Araaf, 7:143)
He said, "O Allah! Let me see you. Let me know Your Greatest Name," and all prophets asked that. But Allah (swt) said, "O Musa! That is not for you, that is only for My Beloved, Sayyidina Muhammad. So what is for you? Look at the mountain." He sent His manifestation on the mountain and Sayyidina Musa fainted, because he trespassed his limit. In Mi`raaj, Sayyidina Jibreel (a) said to Prophet (s), "I cannot go further. I cannot cross this limit, but you can go further." But Sayyidina Musa asked to cross the limits, and Allah taught him a lesson.
فَلَمَّا أَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ
Wa lamma afaaq qaala suhaanaka tubtu ilayk.
When he woke up he asked forgiveness. (Surat al-`Araaf, 7:143)
That is when he realized that is for Muhammad.
In his tafseer, Ibn `Abbas (r) said, "When Musa fainted, he saw all the prophets in sajdah, except for the 313 who were standing in prayer." So it is not a sin for them, but it is a limit not to transgress. "That is for My Beloved one, Sayyidina Muhammad!"
According to Sayyidina Abu Hanifa an-Nu`man's (r) madhhab, that Name is the exclusive manifestation for Prophet only; no one can share it. That is why he was able to go on Mi`raaj. If he was not carrying `Ismullah al-`AAzham, he would have fainted, but because he was carrying that he was able to go through.
So what is our luck? In Naqshbandi Tariqah, your dhikr is "Allah". They take you there directly. As soon as they give you initiation, if that shaykh is real and connected, as soon as you put your hand, you enter in that unique area and you are inside. You pass through the door of Sayyidina `Ali (q), who says, "He is our guest, let him in." Like with Sayyidina Muhammad (s) when he went in Mi`raaj with Jibreel (a); at each Heaven, they knocked. Angels asked, "Who is with you, Jibreel?"
Sayyidina Jibreel answered, "Muhammad."
Then they asked, "Is he invited?"
"Yes," replied Jibreel.
Do you think that angels don't know he is invited? Of course, but this is to show more honor. When you take initiation, it means you are invited.
O People! Who are listening or not listening around the world, if you take baya` by Internet or by a representative, that means you have an invitation to enter that city. You have your name there like a name tag on your chest, you have that medallion. Come in, you are invited. Allahuma salli `ala Sayyidina Muhammad!
We try to remind ourselves of the person on whom Allah manifested the ism udh-Dhaat by making dhikr with the Name "Allah" as ordered by our shaykh. What does that Name represent? It represents, The One Who created the Perfect servant." When Adam (a) was between clay and water or between body and soul, that is the perfect human being who is accumulating from the Divine Name, "al-Jami`i," containing all different levels. He is containing kull al-maraatib al-Ilaahiyyah, all different Divine Levels. That is the reality of that perfect human being. Heavenly world, malakoot and worldly universes, mulk, alike, he is carrying all universes' secrets, as he is under the tajalli of ismullah al-`Azham. All minds, souls, and hearts of human beings are under his control, under his keyboard. He can see every one of them by their heavenly name. All universes, worldly and heavenly, are under him. They are created by Allah (swt) and are under the blessing of that Name. Prophet (s) is khalifatullah fee mulkih, khalifah of Allah in His Creation. So he represents Allah in every Creation, in Heaven and Earth.
We shall continue that tomorrow inshaa-Allah. This might not be even one drop of the ocean of awliyaullah. We can see how great and strong awliyaullah are, and how weak we are. This will show that we know nothing; the knowledge comes and goes, and we cannot repeat it. These cameras can repeat it, but we cannot. It is in our heart, downloaded, but it needs someone who has the key and is able to upload. The heart is getting it, but because we are not awake it feels like a dream. Sometimes you remember the dream, sometimes you don't. If you remember, it is good, and if you don't, it is also good. Because when they take you to higher levels, they close dreams for you. That is good tidings in tariqah. As much as you don't know, they keep giving to you in slow doses, but when it becomes a big dose, you might be finished. If they leave you, you might go crazy, then you would drop everything, and they allow that only for a few people. But for everyone else, if Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) would open what you have in your heart, you could not take it and you would run away. You would be in a heavenly coma, always staring at something invisible. Wake up! No, he is not there anymore. So they give it to you slowly, slowly.
At beginning of tariqah, they show you so many dreams, to close you down. What do you want to see dreams for, to grow the ego? They give you dreams in the beginning to attract you, but when you reach the other shore, they destroy the boat. As in Holy Qur'an, when Sayyidina Musa was with Khidr (a), they went in a boat and he made a hole. When it reached the other side, it was sinking. The king didn't need it anymore. They take you with ego to the other side like that boat, but they make a hole and when it reaches to the other side, the boat begins to sink. That way, you cannot go back! Then they chain that person, he gets angry. Where does he run? He cannot, he is chained.
So what if the shaykh shouts at you? Keep quiet, don't show him anything now. There is no bridge to bring you back to where you were before. Now you are in the minefield and you have to be clever. They put you in a minefield and say, "Cross it." How will you cross? You need a plan. What is the plan? It is dhikrullah; that will make you cross the minefield! And all of that has to enter where? Into baytullah. All of that is coming in baytullah, where people are circumambulating. That baytullah in your heart is a duplicate of Ka`abatullah in Mecca. That is to make sure that your home becomes mazhar tajalliyaat min `al-asmai wa 's-sifaat, "the Light (or appearance) of Manifestations of Allah's Beautiful Names and Attributes." When your heart is like that, it is ameenan, safe. Allah's houses are hearts of believers. "Neither Heaven nor Earth contains Me, but the heart of a believer contains Me." Enter your heart, your "inn;" then you are safe. Say, "Allah"! Say, "laa ilaha illa-Llah!"
Salaam to all. May Allah bless you one-by-one, and may Mawlana Shaykh be happy with all of you.
Wa min Allahi 't-tawfeeq, bi hurmati 'l-habeeb, bi hurmati 'l-Fatihah.
