suhbat 04-27-2009 Washington_DC.kt.mms_edit

Importance of Knowing One’s Limits

Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani

April 27^th, 2009 | Private Residence | Washington DC

 

A`udhu billahi min ash-Shaytaani 'r-rajeem

Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem

Nawaytu al-arba`een, nawayatu al-`itikaaf, nawaytu al-khalwah, nawatu ar-riyaadah, nawaytu as-sulook, nawaytu al-`uzlah, nawaytu as-siyaam lillahi ta`ala al-`adheem fee hadha 'l-masjid

  

Everyone of us likes to decorate his house with different pictures with different lights with different decorations.  And all of you if you have guests you put most of what you can do to make the place nice and you tried your best here to make this room a nice room. So what you call it in English, you have a word for it?  Cozy? 

If you have more money I think you would have built a palace and decorated it then it won’t be cozy anymore. Then it will be what – spectacular! From cozy to spectacular.

If you are a king what you do? You make a huge castle to look that no one can imitate you. Is it not? You try your best not to be imitated. But still you are in limits. You can still be imitated and you are- many can do the same as you did and they can make, it might be better than what you did. And that’s only to show hospitality to your guest. 

What you think about if you invited a very special guest what you do? Not like us we are, not like me- might be like them- [ALLAH] If you have the chance to invite a special guest what you do? You do your best for your guest to be happy with your invitation.  You might put red carpet on the whole street to make him happy.  Like your shirt [points to one guest]

What you think about the guest who is the Seal of Messengers? and has been invited- the only prophet from 124,000 prophets to be invited for the Night of Ascension?  Huh? What you expect? Wherever he moved was not decorated? Of course it was decorated- heavens were decorated! And they are decorated relative to the greatness of the Decorator - al-Khaliq  the Creator, one of His Beautiful Names and Attributes.  Khaliq means no restriction of what He creates.  He created heavens to host His Beloved servant Sayyidina Muhammad (s). He created angels to give salutation to Prophet (s) - that’s not something we can understand with our mind. 

Allah created angels to do what? To make salutations.  That’s not something easy to understand.  We come through it as if “ahh it is a normal issue.” Angels day and night their food, their energy, their existence is salutations [on the Prophet (s)]. They are continuously in salutations to Prophet (s) as Allah said in Holy Quran, inna Allaha wa malaikatahu yusalloona `ala an-nabi - Verily Allah and His angels are making salawat, praising Sayyidina Muhammad (s) . 

Here how many are we? 100, 200, 1000,one million, one billion, one trillion- that is still in limits if they all do salutations, but angels are not in limits.  Allah is not in limits. Allah has no limit to His Greatness. They say Allah is making salutations to His Prophet (s). Then how much… we have to think how much is the respect Allah is giving to Sayyidina Muhammad (s).  It’s not something [that can be grasped] by mind.  Whatever you want to define or describe, the pen is limited to write, the tongue is limited to speak.

You can’t know sweetness of water without tasting [drinks from water], and you can’t know greatness of the Prophet (s) without being present there. You were present there? [No.] Do you think Prophet (s) will go without his ummah? No.  So you were present or not?  You were present!

Everyone is present because Sayyidina Muhammad (s) rahmatan li’l-`alameen – he has to show mercy to everyone of what Allah has created.  He will not go without his entourage.  Who are entourage of the Prophet (s)? His ummah - all of them. Do you think Prophet (s) differentiates - ‘come with me’.  Allah showed the creation the greatness and perfection of Sayyidina Muhammad (s) by sending salutations to Prophet (s).  When you want to praise someone you mention his name.  Allah swt is praising Sayyidina Muhammad (s), mentioning his name and introducing him to angels and introducing him to the whole creation.  According to how much you show love to Sayyidina Muhammad (s) you will be more nearer than anyone else to him.  We are speaking me and you, human to human, but when prophets speak to prophets it is completely different.  Their knowledge is different. What we are speaking like drops of an ocean.

We suffer in this dunya not because Allah wants us to suffer but according to what we are doing we are suffering.  People they say, “O we are suffering because Allah is punishing us.”  Huh it’s not? Correct?

Did Allah punish the Prophet (s)? The Prophet (s) was suffering.  He was abused he was tortured he was suffering, he was struggling for the benefit of the Ummah.  Do you think Allah is punishing him? Allah is rewarding.  Don’t put in your mind if you are suffering you are being punished; you are being rewarded.  If you are patient you reach your trust - they give you your jewels in your hand.   If you are not patient - they give you candies, enough. 

What is rahmatan li’l-`alameen?  Our mistake is we judge others. We say, “O this one is not praying – he is a bad person; he is out of Islam!” How do you know? It is Allah’s judgment. You judge yourself.  Because the Prophet (s) said, “man `arifa nafsahu faqad `arafa rabbahu - who knows himself knows his Lord.”

This one was crying [points to Waleed]. If I left him crying not putting my hand on him, he would make everyone here to cry - he has that power of jadhba- attraction. If he cries everyone will cry behind him.  That is why I called him near me to control him. If he stayed over there he would cry until ladies thought he was giving birth.  Why is he shouting and crying? Crying out of love to Sayyidina Muhammad (s).

His family are all like that in Lebanon, Beirut.  So how much you suffer, how much you are rewarded.  He came to me one year ago. He said, “I have a job and I am applying for a promotion  to be manager for nine different centers in North Carolina.” He drove all the way to Michigan, 12 hours attended dhikr, and he didn’t stay; then drove back 12 hours because he is crazy and went back all the way. He asked to make du`a: “I am applying to make nine centers under me.”  He called the next day - they gave him not only nine centers but they gave him all of North Carolina. He struggled coming going doing his awrad, reciting his Quran, reading his Dala’ilu ’l-Khayrat, doing everything, Allah gives.

Allah gives, but know yourself. If you don’t want to know yourself that you are not perfect- because we think ourselves perfect [Waleed cries] Why do we go to doctors? When we are sick we go to a doctor because we know our body is not perfect. Your soul is not perfect so why don’t you go to a spiritual guide, a spiritual doctor, to fix your soul to stand by your limits?  “man `arafa haddahu waqafa `indah - Who knows his limit stops there.” Do you know your limit? If you know your limit you stand by your limit.  Don’t exceed your limit.

Some people say, “We are competing for this job but someone else took it.” Ok, relax, be patient. If Allah wanted you to take it you would have taken it.

Our problem is we struggle like a fish out of the ocean.  So Allah gave Sayyidina Muhammad dunya and akhira and the Prophet (s) said, “Ya Rabbee! I am nothing.” When he was in Laylat al-Isra and Mi’raj Allah asked, “Who am I and who are you?”  the Prophet (s) said, “You  are my Lord and I am your servant. I am Your servant. To Your Greatness I am nothing.” 

Today we are like roosters.  Put two roosters they fight immediately. Men are roosters and women became roosters. Shaytan enters because they don’t know limits - they fight. When we know limits we are very nicely living, no difficulties.  If problems come and you are patient Allah rewards you and takes it from your way.  Sayyidina Muhammad (s) I was the most abused prophet by his people. Look his uncle was planning to throw him in the ditch he dug. So our problem today is how to know our limit. 

What we need to know if we exceeded your limit or not, very simple- check your anger.    If you don’t get angry means you did not exceed your limit you are patient you are submitting to Allah.  If you get angry- what will happen?  As Prophet (s) said, “OAbu Bakr Anger (ghadab) is kufr!” Kufr means disbelieving in Allah (swt). When you get angry.  How do you know if you get angry or not- ask someone to give you a slap on the face - what you do? Stay straight. Don’t give him the other side. Sayyidina `Isa (as) said, “If someone hits the right side, turn your face and give them the left.”  But Ihsan - the level of moral excellence in Islam [ALLAAAH] means if you hit someone on his face there can be no movement. Because if you move it is making your ego to say, “No, never mind, I am better than you. I am giving my cheek to you.” [Instead] You [must] keep firm. If he gives you another one on your left he gives you it - if not, alhamdulillah.

So do you like someone to slap on your face? do you want someone to slap you on the face? Do you want one? [No.] Say “yes.” 

There was a wrestler, a big one taller than him [points to Waleed]  He is one of the main basketball players - very famous in the Middle East. there was a wrestler who came to Grand Grandshaykh.   He has a dagger here, a gun here, a sword here, coming to the shaykh – when he was in seclusion on the top of a mountain.  “I am coming to you. I want tariqah! I want initiation!”

Awliya didn’t give initiation in previous times - it was very difficult to get it.  He has a sword and a dagger - any shaykh would be afraid and give 100 initiations, but the Shaykh was firm . At that moment he looked at his heart and the Prophet (s) appeared to him and said, “Ya waladee! This man is loyal to me - he loves me.  He wants to repent. Teach him.” 

He was angry his anger destroyed him, wrestlers they build up the ego to make them fight. They teach them when they are sitting on the chair “you are better, beat him, kill him!”- they make him angry to go knock down the opponent. So the anger is the problem, the shaykh looked and saw his heart full of anger, he wants to teach him, the order came from Prophet to teach him.

[The shaykh said:] “My son I am sending you on field trip into the city. There will be a man selling sheep stomachs and intestines - all these smelly things - go behind him and with all your force give him a slap on his neck where he is carrying these intestines and tell me what he will do.” 

He went, [thinking,] “O tariqah is nice - beating people.” He went and hit him on his neck from behind.   The man looked at him very angry but he didn’t open his mouth. The wrestler became more angry - he wanted to hit him more but the man didn’t say anything he only turns his face and got angry.  The wrestler went back and told the shaykh. “Ok next day go and beat the next man as much as you can with full power.”  The next day he went and saw the second man hit him with all his hand hit him on the back, that man looked at him laughing.  The wrestler left him and went.  He told the Shaykh, “What is this tariqah. I want someone to beat him.” “Never mind. Tomorrow one more- now leave the city and go to the village. You will see a village man with his buffalo and he is plowing with his buffalo the land, soil. Take that stick and beat him on his back until the stick breaks.”

He went and saw an old man 75 years old, plowing. So he took the stick as the shaykh said and beated him. The man didn’t look back, didn’t smile or get angry, but put his feet and pushed on the plow to make the buffalo go faster. He hit him again the man hit the plow again. The third time he hit him the stick broke.

If you were there what would you do- if someone beat you with a stick?  What would you do? Nothing? What! You became a wali already? You run away because you don’t have a stick to beat him back. 

So the stick broke.  The old man ran to him and said, “Please open your hand; let me kiss your hand. O my son I know my shaykh has sent you because I have sins and with this stick he is removing these sins from me.  So don’t be my plaintiff on the Day of Judgment because I made your hand to feel pain by beating me. So forgive me for the pain I gave to your hand.” 

He went to the shaykh surprised he didn’t know what to say. He was stunned.  The shaykh said, “The first one was a beginner in tariqah - he showed you anger. The second one was ready – musta`id - to get his trust. He smiled to tell you, “O my shaykh I know you sent him to test me.” So there is still ego there. The third one is at the level of mureed the level of a real student. He knew it was a test and he knew he had to not turn his face. He knew he has to plow more because he did something wrong.

Tests and suffering it raises all your levels. That’s why they send these on us, suffering.  By knowing limits where you can reach is what is needed because if you know it you don’t exceed it.  If you don’t exceed it you know what is the level of ego negativity within yourself and you try to eliminate it. That’s why the Prophet (s) said “Who knows himself knows his Lord.”

May Allah guide us to know our Prophet first; to know our shuyukh and we are asking Sayyidina Muhammad (s) to take us to the Presence of Allah (swt) to the Divine Presence, wa min Allah tawfiq bi hurmat al fatiha

 

That is a very important point to think about it: 

to give our anger down;

to know our limits;

to know ourselves;

and whatever comes is for rewards and for raising your levels, it is not for lowering levels and not for punishment.

Allah doesn’t want to lower anyone, He wants to raise everyone higher and higher with Sayyidina Muhammad (s) wa min Allah tawfiq bi hurmat al fatiha

MSH.27 MAR 2010.DHUHR.PREPOST.ENG

Always Follow the First Inspiration
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.

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.

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

Wa fawqa kull dhi `ilmin `aleem.

Above every knower there is a greater knower. (12:76)

 

It means above every shaykh there is a shaykh. Don't say, "I took baya` with this shaykh." Above every shaykh there is a shaykh, and above every knower there is a knower, and above every knowledge, there is a higher knowledge.

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.)

 

MSN.31 AUG 2010.POST.ENG

The Heavenly Value of Happiness
Sultan al-Awliya
Mawlana Shaykh Nazim al-Haqqani
31 August 2010    Lefke, Cyprus

(Mawlana Shaykh stands)  
Allah Allah, Allah Allah, Allah Allah, Allah Allah
RabbunAllah, HasbunAllah! RabbunAllah, HasbunAllah!
Subhaan Allah, Sultaan Allah! Subhaan Allah, Sultan Allah!
O our Lord! Give your most high praises and glory to your most glorified one in Your Divine Presence, who is only one. You are only One and Your representative is only one! O our Lord! For his honor, forgive us and grant us from Your endless blessings! Allahu Akbaru wa lillaahi 'l-hamd! Alfu alfu salaat, wa alfu alfu salaam `ala Sayyidi 'l-Awwaleen wa ’l-`Akhireen, Sayyidina Muhammad wa `alaa aalihi wa saahbihi wa man tabi`ahum bi-ihsaan ila yawm ad-deen. As-salaatu wa 's-salaam `ala jami` al-anbiyaa wa 'l-mursaleen, salawaatullaahi wa salaamullaahi `alayhim ajma`een, wa man tabi`ahum bi-ihsaan ila yawm ad-deen.

A`oodhu billahi min ash-Shaytani 'r-rajeem. Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem. Thumma as-saalatu wa 's-salaam `alaa Saahib az-Zamaan wa `alaa Qutb al-Mutasarrif, the most authorized one to look at everything on this planet! They help us through his heavenly powers. We are saying, Bismillaahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem! (Mawlana Shaykh sits). We are taking power, every weak one. Dastoor yaa Sayyidee, yaa Rasoolullah! Every one who feels that he is weak and unable to carry his functions may say, (Mawlana Shaykh stands) Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem, O my Lord! (Mawlana Shaykh sits).

O Salafi `ulamas! Then, even an ant can help him. Sometimes a very small ant comes on me, visiting me. Sometimes even ants are not visiting you because you are so proud ones, Salafi `ulamas! If I could come, I would come to you, but I am unable to visit your holy ones. But you are so proud to come and visit such an old person, saying you are not in need for his declarations! You must not look at the one who is speaking, but you must take care for the one who is making that old person address all nations and religions daily. Some say the highest level person is His Holiness, the Pope, and His Holiness, the Chief Rabbi. Salafi `ulamas are not referred to as "holiness;" you can't call them that or they will get very angry if you say, "O Your Holiness!"

You are understanding English? What is the meaning of "holiness"? It means pure, awsaafu 'l-bashariyyah, human attributes. When a person becomes clean, he becomes a holy one. Yes, do you think that you are holy? Salafi `ulamas must be holy! If you are holy ones, you may look to such an old person, and ask yourselves, who is making him address you? If you are "holy ones", it means who has heavenly lights. An example it, at night you can't see but in the daytime you can see, and if you are getting in trouble or misunderstanding or if you are unable to look and see, you must use your heavenly lights. When you are using heavenly lights you may understand whether it is okay or not. Also, holy ones are not quarrelling. No, they are looking and seeing who is making that one to address all the nations, and he may address seven billion people, or more, that holy one may address 70 billion! Understanding?

O our Attenders! As-salaamu `alaykum! You are very busy. Some are thinking, "O Shaykh! We are not busy, but we are businessmen. Correct your address to us! You must say 'businessmen,' not 'busy men.'" They complain and do not accept that our attenders are busy ones, saying, "No, it is not true that we are 'busy ones;' our servants and those who work for us are busy ones! For us that has no honor."

O Business People! Mashaa-Allah! Therefore, your form is different from forms of your 'busy people'? They answer, "Yes, we are businessmen and also chairmen. Correct your speech, O Shaykh, correct your addressing. We are not on your or others levels; our level is up, to the businessmen level." Applaud them! (Mawlana Shaykh applauds) What we shall do? And our Salafi `ulamas are also saying, "O Shaykh! We are more important; we are not on your level. We are Salafiyoon `ala ay wazin!" But I am saying you are Salafiyoon `ala wazin sufliyoon, "On the lowest level, without meaning! Millions of people are Salafi, which means they have passed away. They also claim like you, "I am Salafi," and they have reached the passed-away people. The Salafiyoon have really become Salafu, passed away!

O People! Our common people, whom we call, "Our Attenders," welcome to you, whoever comes here to enjoy himself with a joking one's address. They may smile, and smiling gives them pleasure. At least take this. Come and attend daily so that you are smiling a little bit, because the heavy burden of dunya makes you `aboos al-wajh kareeh al-manzhar (frowing-faced, hateful to view), with ugly faces. Always your faces display your anger, that you are not in pleasure. But who is smiling, his face shows his happiness. Beyond smiling, laughter gives much more pleasure, and the Lord of Heavens likes His servant to be happy and in pleasure. He likes this! For example, when your children are laughing and smiling, as parents it makes you happy. And when the Lord of Heavens (swt) sees His servants are happy, He Grants them much more reasons of happiness.

O Salafi `ulamas! You are `ulamas; therefore, you know a man is under two manifestations. One, they are under manifestation of pleasure, halaat al-bast. Do you understand? Sometimes what they are giving me is difficult for me to understand because it is for you. O `ulamas! You say you understand, but I am sometimes understanding and sometimes not. But you must understand that halaat al-bast is the manifestation of spiritual expansiveness. Masriyoon, Egyptians, always thing they have first-class understanding, but their understanding is less than mine! Bast means "manifestation of expansion." Mashaa-Allah lughah Arabia, your Arabic language is of high-class people. Halaat al-bast means when servants are in pleasure, and the Lord of Heavens likes to see His servants in pleasure and He is going to be happy with them. But contrary to halaat al-bast is haalat al-qabd, those who never smile, laugh, or joke because they think they are so important. These are two tajalliyat, manifestations, which are always on Earth.

The Lord of Heavens is manifesting with His pleasure. If one drop from the Lord's Pleasure Oceans comes on a person, that makes the Lord of Heavens happy, and He says, "My servant is happy!" You must know such things if you are `ulamas, and you must try to make people happy, because the Lord of Heavens is happy when He sees His servants are in pleasure.

Where is real pleasure going to appear? Pleasure does not come from outside ones' self. But now no-mind people are running after imitated pleasures, which is around them. However, real, true pleasure comes from our inner being. That is mazhar, appearance of pleasure in your real being, and now people are neglecting that. Pleasure reflected on our real being makes us happy and in pleasure, which makes the Lord of Heavens happy with His servant, who is taking from His Pleasure Oceans. Allah Almighty loves that! And He shows His pleasure on those circling around Him, and on those who make others happy! That makes the Lord of Heavens happy with us and He grants us more happiness.

What is Allah Almighty saying? You are `ulamas, so you must know. Allah Almighty saying: (Mawlana Shaykh stands)

هَلْ جَزَاءُ الْإِحْسَانِ إِلَّا الْإِحْسَانُ

Hal jazaa'ul ihsaan illa 'l-ihsaan.
Is there any reward for good other than good? (Ar-Rahman 55:60)

O our Salafi `ulamas! Is anything wrong with what I am speaking? Where are you, what is your position? Am I speaking to you in Arabic or in Turkish? Hal jazaa'ul ihsaan illa 'l-ihsaan.Why are you not taking care to reach a good understanding from Holy Qur'an? Why are we always going to be jahil, ignorant? Give and take. Whatever you are giving, the Lord of Heavens will praise you, yukaafaat, rewarding, or in English it means "prize." If a person is successful, he has been awarded a prize, yes? One masri, Egyptian, and one American (mureeds present) and neither of them understand! My English is high English. If Shakespeare hears me he would be surprised and say, "From where did you learn such English that I never thought of?" (laughter) Heavenly grants are never-ending, and therefore, they are making me speak.

What is "ihsaan"? Ihsaan is a heavenly grant. When you give an earthly grant to people, Allah Almighty rewards you with a heavenly grant. This is so easy to understand! O our mulook! O our `ulamas! Try to understand Holy Qur'an! Hal jazaa'ul ihsaan illa 'l-ihsaan,Who is saying this? Is the one who is nothing speaking this, or is this the holy verse from Holy Qur'an? When you grant from material things, heavenly grants come on you! So there is a grant that you give to people's physical being, and there is another grant that you give from your real being, which is from Heavens. If you give to others from that ihsaan, it is virtue granted from heavenly grants not to your physical being, but to your real being. Your real being is not your physical body. No, you have a real being and if you are prepared, heavenly grants will come to your real being from Heavens.

O Salafi `ulamas! I am trying to be a student, but I am so old, and sometimes I understand and sometimes not. But you are young, prepared ones, so you should give your advice to people, and also you should d say to your mulook, "Give from your material grants to people and take nafsahum!" If you give from your spiritual grant to people's spirituality, you will take much more heavenly grants for your spirituality. May Allah forgive us and grant us to understanding! People are either going to be in pleasure or in sadness. This is how to show people to be in happiness and pleasure, here and Hereafter.

May Allah forgive me, forgive you, and forgive His servants, for the honor of the Seal of Prophets, Sayyidina Muhammad (s), in this holy month, sayyid as-shuhoor, master of all the months, Holy Ramadan!

Fatihah.

This is something from the barakah, blessings, for this holy month. What I am hearing and what they are making me address to people is heavenly pleasure for the honor of this most honored month, shahr Ramadan Mubarak, the blessed month of Ramadan!

O People! Take care to do more of ihsaan in this month. May Allah forgive us.
 
(39 minutes)

(Mawlana Shaykh speaks with Shaykh Hisham Effendi on the phone.)

(Mawlana Shaykh prays two raka'at Salaat ash-Shukr.)