Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani
27 March 2010 Jersey City, New Jersey
Suhbah in Private Home before Dhuhr
A`oodhu billahi min ash-Shaytaani 'r-rajeem. Bismillahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem.
This became a masjid here! Dastoor yaa Sayyidee, madad. (Mawlana stands, recites salawaat and sits.) Whatever Mawlana is sending, I am saying; I am not preparing anything to speak. I am nothing. I am sitting on a chair only for everyone to see me. You don't need a chair. That means you don't need to be arrogant. "Chairs" give arrogance. Don't be glued to your chair. Whoever likes to sit on it, let him sit. In tariqah, it is not the ones who sit on chairs that are the awliyaullah, or that they have a higher rank, no. The one who sits by the door might be more important than those who have big turbans or long beards. Allah knows best.
We must know that we have been created for servanthood, to be servants. "Servant" means you have to serve, but serve whom? People must know and understand that they are not serving Allah (swt), they are serving themselves to become a servant. If you don't serve yourself, then you are not a real servant. The message of prophets was to serve the ummah and they became servants of Allah (swt). We are normal people. Awliyaullah must serve the ummah in order to inherit from Prophet (s). Normal people must learn to serve themselves, by coming against the ego. At-tariqatu kulluha aadaabun, "Tariqah, all of it, is discipline." Without discipline, there is no tariqah, and servanthood is to keep what is good and eliminate what is bad.
They call it "green organizations" or "green movements.” What do they do? They keep nature always green, but they forgot about nurturing the "green" of themselves. They are looking outside themselves, they are not looking within themselves. They want everything external to be green, but they don't want everything in themselves to be green. What is the benefit? The disadvantage is that they are not able to tell themselves to be green, so there might be some kind of disadvantage of destroying their souls.
Prophet (s) said, Man arifa nafsahu faqad arifa rabbahu, "Who knows himself knows his Lord." If we don't know ourselves, how can we know our Lord? No one will know their Lord. If you don't know yourself, you might go over the limits, then you are transgressing or trespassing something that has no right for you. It backfires against you. So we have to know our limits and where we stand. People today are going beyond limits, although they pray and fast. Prophet (s) said in his hadith, “The poor is the one who has no `amal, even if he fasts and prays.” His `amal disappeared because he is moving beyond his limits. So we have to know our limits and not to impose things on people; first we must impose on ourselves!
Today people put on dark eyeglasses saying it is because of the sun, but some of them put on sunglasses because they don't want anyone to see where they are looking. Some of them even have reflective mirrors! You cannot see completely where their eyes are looking. So where are they looking? It might be at something haraam; it might be they are looking at women, is it not? You cannot see their eyes. Many scholars are making this mistake. They want to enjoy themselves so they put on sunglasses, not only men but also women.
So years ago, there was a popular TV talk show in the Arabian Gulf and always when the hosts appear, two of them, they are wearing dark eyeglasses on TV! I thought at the beginning they might be blind. This happened in the late 1970's, not now; I was in my twenties, young. They came on the show with dark eyeglasses. What is that? It might be they were blind, so I was pitying them, and they were scholars. One day I met them, but oh, they were not blind! Their eyes were good but they were putting dark eyeglasses on. Not on the street; on the street they had normal eyeglasses, but on the TV, they had dark eyeglasses. One has a long white beard like mine, he was in his sixties, and the other was in his seventies. I didn’t know they were not blind. I didn’t know there was someone thinking like me, wondering why they wore dark eyeglasses on the show. They take live questions in the studio, which they answered.
So a question came, “I know they are respected shaykhs but I want to know, why they are wearing dark eyeglasses in the studio?" They had an amazing answer. They said, “We don't want women to have fitnah with us, looking at our eyes, so we are closing our eyes, like a niqaab (veil).” (laughter) That means they think their eyes are beautiful and they don't want to be fitnah for women. One is 60 and one is 70 or 80 years old and they have eyeglasses because people are watching them!?! That was an amazing answer. Any stupid person will not accept that answer, because they know that (these scholars) don't know their limits; they went so far and cannot come back! They cannot see the truth and open up.
People today are on two sides: either you are keeping traditional Islamic beliefs, or you are moving to an ideology that ties you completely, and Islam does not tie you. Sayyidina Muhammad (s) (Mawlana stands.) made Islam to stretch, to make it easy. (Mawlana sits.) One person came to Prophet (s) and said, “The Shari'ah and discipline of Islam is too much on me; I cannot follow it. Give me something that is easy, that I can cope with.” Look, the Prophet (s) brought it from all the way up to make it easy. He said, Ija`l lisanak ratban bi-dhikrillah, "Keep your tongue moist with dhikrullah.” That is a hadith. They cannot deny it, it is sahih (sound, authentic). And that is the limit: keep your tongue continuously wet with dhikrullah. Don't bother with what people are saying. Look at what is in you, don't look further away or you will lose. That is why you must keep that in mind, in order that you will get those blessings and those manifestations from dhikrullah on your tongue. You have to keep the remembrance of Allah (swt) and Prophet (s) in your life.
Prophet brought up the Sahaaba (r) by them seeing him everyday and remembering him. To show humbleness, Prophet (s) was keeping company with Sayyidina Jibreel (a). Sayyidina Musa (a) didn’t need Jibreel (a) as he was speaking directly to Allah (swt), but Prophet (s) was showing humbleness. Allah (swt) is saying, "Look, this is the Seal of Messengers, the beloved one, and he needs a guide!" That is to teach us that we need a guide like the Prophet (s) needed a guide, but really he doesn’t need a guide because he is the guide for the whole universe! Allah (swt) gave him uloom al-awwaleen wa’l-akhireen, knowledge of before and after. He doesn’t need it, but it is for us to understand.
He went from Mecca to Madinah to Masjid al-Aqsa, and from there to qaaba qawsayni aw adnaa,“Two bows’ length or nearer.” So does he need a guide to go from Mecca to Madinah? No, but he took a guide in hijrah. We cannot go directly; we need to clean ourselves to go to the Divine Presence. If you come stinky, they say to you, "Go back." You cannot pass security; you have to come through security clean. You have to go to the Divine Presence clean, pure and smelling nice, not bringing Shaytan with you. Those suicide bombers are coming with Shaytan, and killing innocent people. You have to leave Shaytan and come. How do you do that? You need a guide. Listen, this is very important! Allah (swt) said in the Qur'an:
وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌ
I was in Africa, mainly in North Africa, where they are Tijani and Qadiri; there are no Naqshbandis there. I am speaking about the west and east coast, but not Egypt, where there are Naqshbandis. But below Egypt in Senegal and Ivory Coast, Ghana, and on the east coast, like Kenya, I saw many Tijanis and Sammaniys and Qadiris. There are many people who asked scholars, after we met with them, and they liked us. They are already in tariqah but they were questioning, can they take baya` with the Naqshbandi tariqah? So I know it is yes, because Mawlana Shaykh Nazim and Grandshaykh (q), many times they said, " Ablution over ablution is sunnah, it is light upon light (nur ala nur)." You have ablution to pray Dhuhr and when `Asr comes, it is sunnah to make new ablution without spoiling the first ablution. In tariqah, if you see it is needed, there is no problem in taking tariqah on top of a tariqah; that will accumulate more barakah.
Since Tijaniyya and Qadiri Tariqahs are very strong, I called Mawlana Shaykh on the phone. I hate it when people, representatives, say, “This came to my heart from Mawlana Shaykh.” That is mardoodan `alayhim, rejected on them because they are false ones. You cannot say something you don't have! You are lying. It is not easy to connect with your shaykh's heart and get an answer; not everyone has this power. This power needs a very high level in wilayah, sainthood. Like Sayyidina `Umar (r) was seeing Sariya (r) and sending him a message from Madinah to Sham, Yaa sariya al-jabl, "Take to the mountain at your back.” And Sariya (r) heard `Umar (r) while he was speaking from the minbar in Madinah. That is an authentic hadith. Sayyidina `Umar (r) was able to see and speak and Sayyidina Sariya (r) was able to hear. See the difference. Not many can inherit that power from Prophet (s), only very few saints. Now Mawlana has so many representatives and, one in this area says, "Whatever I tell you is what Prophet (s) is sending to me and what Mawlana Shaykh is sending to me." His words have no value! He will be responsible for what he is saying, especially in sensitive issues of tariqah.
People come and request baya`. Is that baya`? That is barakah baya`, that is not the way it was given a long time ago, when no one could take baya` from shuyookh until they studied and learned under their guidance all about Islam, Shari'ah, haqiqat and tafsir al-Qur'an. I said it many times: with all the people that came in his time, I never saw Grandshaykh (q) give baya` to anyone. Only he used to say, "I have two students: Nazim Effendi and Husayn Effendi.” This means Shaykh Nazim and Shaykh Husayn (q), that is it. He never said, "I am giving you baya`." They don't give! Today, to help tariqah spread, they give it.
Do you think it is easy to take the Tijani Tariqah from a Tijani shaykh? In the west it might be easy, like passing an exam in university, but go to Senegal, where you have to learn Shari`ah and study with the person who is khalifah of Shaykh Ahmad Bamba or Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse. You have to be strong in Shari’ah knowledge. But for a hikmah, wisdom that only a few know, Mawlana Shaykh Nazim is giving baya` from east to west to spread the barakah. We are in a time that is very difficult, so you only take their hands. Now tomorrow they (false ones) will say what I am saying, because they only copy.
How do you connect yourself? You make yourself an email then you can reach through email. Mawlana Shaykh is spreading the system of heavenly emails through different websites that carry his name! Although that person who is designing that website--it means that representative, not really, but in an analogy, as an explanation--the one who is representing Mawlana Shaykh directs him to that server and gives him that connection to those emails. All of them are connected to Mawlana Shaykh. That person is connected directly. As soon as you get your Gmail or Yahoo mail, you are connected, and you don't need the intermediate person anymore. Through technology knowledge, you are there already with this kind of heavenly knowledge, about which we gave an explanation.
Awliyaullah want your email to send you messages. Google, Yahoo doesn’t send you messages? Sometimes you call them "trash" or "junk mail;" you don't look at them. But awliyaullah don't have any junk email! That junk one, without him knowing anything, the one who says, "I am a representative," connects you there and then his job is finished! The heavenly shaykh is the one who you will be receiving from! At that time, you will be dressed with whatever the Prophet (s) dressed him in. Every 24 hours you will be dressed. He sends that email back to you and you don't feel it or see it or know about it, but it becomes a way for him to reach you. Because you made the first step, he is then ordered by Allah (swt) to take you up 99 steps!
These junk representatives don't know that they are junk, they think they are big awliyaullah. They say, "I will send jinns on you and do black magic on you if you don't behave well." In any case, Mawlana Shaykh leaves them. They ask me why Mawlana leaves them. Because they are connecting people to Mawlana, and that is their only job. Today that is a way to spread the barakah that awliyaa are receiving. We are in the days of Akhirah and we are seeing the signs that Prophet (s) predicted would happen in the Last Days. So they want to spread rahmatullah as much as possible through these kinds of teachings. Before it was not like this. Now they give initiation to anyone, because they are responsible there and they have heavenly responsibility on us.
When this sensitive issue came in Africa, and it first came in Abdijan, in Ivory Coast, I called Mawlana Shaykh on the phone as it is a sensitive issue. Although I had some inspiration and knowledge about it, I had to get permission. I called Mawlana physically and that is where you are in need. Some people come and say, “I got inspiration.” No, physically you have to get it, because you have a junk system. If you got inspiration, I would have gotten it before you! I didn't come yesterday and I am not claiming anything, but if Mawlana Shaykh wants to send something, we will get it before the others get it. However, keeping quiet is better.
So when I saw this opening there were thousands of people, and some of them asked for baya`, even imaams. Who is that Qadiriyyah imaam from Ivory Coast, not Ghana.? Aba Cisse. He said, “I want Naqshbandi Tariqah." I could have given it to him, I have permission, but this is a sensitive issue. So I called Mawlana Shaykh and asked, “Do I give?” He said, “Of course. We are authorized on Tijaniyya and on all forty tariqahs! Of course, you give on my behalf.” So I gave thousands of them baya` and we dress them with these turbans that are from the Naqshbandi Order. This is not to speak about ourselves, but this is the barakah of the shaykh: thousands of people come and rush to you and run to you. How? We don't know. It is amazing. They tell you, “Come here,” and we go there and we find thousands and thousands of people. Even if I don't speak, they want tariqah! It is the barakah and power of the shaykh through you. One of them is coming here now. So guidance is important. (Imam Kouddus arrives and Mawlana greets him).
So Sayyidina Muhammad (s) who went for Mi`raj and went for `Isra from Mecca to Masjid al-Aqsa, cannot go to Madinah from Mecca without a guide? For heavens, Allah (swt) made him to need a heavenly guide, and for dunya Allah (swt) made him to need a worldly guide for moving from Mecca to Madinah with Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (q). It means you need one leg in dunya and one leg in Akhirah:
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا
Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil 'akhirahti hasanatan waqina 'adhaban-naar.
Our Lord! Grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the punishment of the Fire. (2:201)
As Sayyidina `Ali (q) said, `Amal li-dunyaka ka-annaka ta`ayshu abadan wa `amal li akhirahtika ka-annaka tamootu ghaddan.
Do for dunya as if you will live forever, and do for your Akhirah as if you will die tomorrow.
We are doing the opposite. We are doing for dunya as if we will never die!
The Prophet (s) asked, Man al-muflis? "Who is bankrupt?"
Sahaaba (r) answered, "The one who has no money."
Prophet (s) said, "The one who has no `amal, wa in saam wa in salla, even if he prays and fasts."
O Muslims! That means don't forget your Akhirah and remember only dunya, as dunya eats hasanaat. You do sayi`aat, and you are not remembering your Akhirah. Guidance is important. I went to Shaykh al-Islam's country, Ivory Coast, and I knew no one, I needed a guide. He sent an invitation and we got the visa because of that, and we were able to go on the plane and when we arrived, he showed us respect. Do you need a guide or not?! How do you want to go to heavenly worship without a guide?! Those who say there is no hierarchy in Islam, that is rejected on them. There is no hierarchy according to arrogance, but if awliyaullah are humble there is no problem. Give respect to everyone according to their levels. You cannot throw everyone in the dungeon, as in Ghana. They brought those who were honorable people in their communities, kidnapped them, and threw them in dungeons and tortured them, and called them slaves. Anzil an-naasu manaazilahum. Don't throw people in dungeons in order to climb on their heads. No. Tariqah is the opposite: let all people climb on your shoulders, and you be on the lower level.
Prophet (s) asked safety for his ummah and he will not enter Paradise before his whole ummah enters! Although it is his haqq, his right, but he wants to secure his whole ummah and then wait for Allah's rahmat to enter the whole ummah. Do we do that today? No. They ask, "Where is tariqah in Qur'an?" Allahu akbar! Allah (swt) mentioned it:
وَأَلَّوِ اسْتَقَامُوا عَلَى الطَّرِيقَةِ لَأَسْقَيْنَاهُم مَّاء غَدَقًا
Wa law an istaqaamoo `ala at-tariqat la as-qaynahum ma'an ghadaqa.
If they kept on the right path and way, We would shower them with heavenly showers. (72:16)
Does it mean He will shower them with normal rain? No, it means with heavenly showers of mercy and blessings. That is in Suraatu 'l-Jinn. That is tariqah, to be blessed.
And we say
وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌ
Wa fawqa kull dhi `ilmin `aleem.
Above every knower there is a higher knower. (12:76) That is why you can take tariqah even you had a tariqah before, not to contradict the first one, but you might find something in this tariqah that adds to your barakah. We are not taking you from your shaykh, no. Prophet (s) said in a sahih hadith, that is accepted to us. But they take that in a different form:
ashaabee kan-nujoom bi ayyihim aqtadaytum ahtadaytum.
My Companions are like the stars, whichever one you follow you will be guided.
If we follow two Companions (r), does that not give us more? Prophet (s) mentioned virtues about each of them. Sayyidina Abu Bakr (q) was in the cave with Prophet (s), and he was the first Muslim and first khalifah. Sayyidina `Umar (q) was the second khalifah and Prophet (s) said, “He would be a prophet if I was not the last one.” Sayyidina `Uthman (q), "Dhun Nurayn," had two lights, as he married two of the Prophet's daughters. And Sayyidina `Ali (q) was married to Sayyidah Fatimah (a) and Prophet said, ana madinatul-`ilm wa `aliyyun baabuha, "I am the city of knowledge and `Ali (r) is its door." We take from all of them because it adds up. Ablution over ablution is nur `ala nur, light upon light.
If your heart is saying to you “yes,” whatever first inspiration comes to your heart, follow it. The next might not be inspiration, but rather a whisper from Shaytan that comes to confuse the first. We have been authorized to say to follow the first inspiration, don't follow the second. Sometimes someone comes and says, "I have been inspired to give 1000 dollars.” The next day, Shaytan comes and says, "Oh, it is too much," so he comes and says, "900." And next day he comes and says, "700." After one week, Shaytan comes and says, “Don't give! Why do you want to give? No need.” No, that is from fear in the heart caused by Shaytan. No, follow the first inspiration because Allah will take problems away from you!
There is one here, he was driving from Florida to come back here and he gave sadaqah before he left Florida. On the way back his sister was driving, and for sure they would have had an accident. They don't know how the steering wheel turned, and they were on the other side of the highway. It saved them and they fell into a ditch, but the car didn't flip and the car went back to the highway. Prophet (s) said, as-sadaqa tarud al-bala wa tazeedul-`umr, "Charity extends life and removes afflictions."
May Allah (swt) forgive us, may Allah bless us, and may Allah bless everyone here and outside in the world, as well.
Wa min Allahi 't-tawfeeq, bi hurmati 'l-habeeb, bi hurmati 'l-Fatihah.
Mawlana Shaykh Kuddous is head of Muslims of the whole Ivory Coast. He is so humble to come here although he is sick. He said, “I am coming for us to say to him welcome!” And mashaa-Allah, he is with all kinds of Muslim organizations all over the world, from east to west. I forgot that he speaks Arabic and French only, not English also. He can address us now in French and it will be translated into English.
(See complete transcript of this address.)
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