MSH.17 AUG 2010.Vol4.POST.ENG

Hierarchy of Saints Series, Vol 4
The Story of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (q)
Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani
17 August 2010    Fenton Zawiya, Michigan
Fajr   Ramadan 2010 Series

If some people don't have eyeglasses they can't see, and with eyeglasses they can see. So eyeglasses are important for those who don't have perfect vision, and if they don't have perfect vision, they are nearsighted, measuring minus one, minus two, three, or four, up to minus twenty, which is total blindness. And also a person might be farsighted. If you can't see, you need eyeglasses, which means you need someone to show you the way. And that's why Abu Yazeed al-Bistami (q), one of the greatest awliyaaullah, said, man lam yakun lahu ustadh fa imaamahu 'sh-Shaytan, "Who doesn't have a guide, his imam is Shaytan, the devil." And it is said, man lam yakun lahu shaykh fa-shaykhahu 'sh-Shaytan, "Who doesn't have a shaykh, his shaykh is whatever gossips come to his heart, and he will follow that."

So awliyaaullah became awliyaaullah not because of their progress in scholarly matters, but because their guides guided them. So the importance is on the guide: how strong he is and how much power he has to guide those who are listening and following his teachings. That is very important to know and understand. It's not so easy that you will be able to reach by learning, reading books, and studying, but it's important to reach when your guide is teaching, and Allah (swt) guided everyone to something, or to someone. He guided the Sahaabah (r) to Prophet (s) and He guided ummat an-Nabi to Prophet (s), who said, "Whoever you follow from my Sahaabah, you will be guided."

This is an example from one of the biggest scholarly shaykhs and many people follow his madhhab, that in his time two big imams of Islam were following, like teacher and student: Imam Shafi`ee (q) and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (q). Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal was following Imam Shafi`ee, and after Imam Shafi`ee passed away, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal established his own school of thought, which today many people follow. He was a very scholarly person, and all of the a'immah (imams) were, but this is one example.

One time Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal was in an association with Imam Shafi`ee and suddenly one waliyullah came, whom Imam Shafi`ee respected a lot. And I heard from Grandshaykh (q), and it is very well established in Shari`ah that the water from ablution is dead water because it takes all your sins and illnesses. The water of wudu cleans you and then it becomes dead and you can't use it. That's why some people throw it in the garden or outside, because you can't consume it. So they were discussing some issues and Grandshaykh (q) said, "When that wali came to Imam Shafi`ee's association, not talking, only listening, people didn't give attention to him. But when he made ablution, Imam Shafi`ee used to drink that water, although he knew in Shari`ah you can't drink it, but he drank it for barakah. That was Shayban ar-Rayy (q), a very high wali who was also ummi, illiterate, but Allah (swt) doesn't look at who is literate or illiterate, and He made his heart and tongue connect.

So Shayban ar-Rayy (q) came and sat with them in their association and at that moment Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal looked at Imam Shafi`ee and said, "O my shaykh! li unnabih haadha `alaa nuqsaana `ilmihi. I want to emphasize and bring to the attention of that person!" He didn't call Shayban ar-Rayy by name, he only said, "that person," not giving importance. "He must complete his knowledge as he doesn't know anything!" Then he pointed to Shayban ar-Rayy, saying, "I want to bring to his attention that he is lacking `ilm, li yashtaghil li tahseeli haadha 'l-`ilm, in order that he will go and learn a little bit."

Today they say you need a certificate, a paper that says you are an `alim, or else they consider you are nothing. How do they know you are nothing? Shayban ar-Rayy (q) didn't know how to read or write, and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (q) wasn't giving him importance.
Imam Shafi`ee (q) said, "Wait, don't touch that, don't say anything or he will humiliate you!"
Ahmad ibn Hanbal insisted, "No! My duty is to make him aware that he has no knowledge!"

Today if you don't have doctorate, if you are not a PhD, they think you don't know anything; for them, you have to be a doctor of Shari`ah, but that wali is not a doctor in Shari`ah. That means awliyaaullah don't know that (knowledge from papers), only Allah (swt) chooses them. When Allah chooses them it is finished.

وَأَنَا اخْتَرْتُكَ فَاسْتَمِعْ لِمَا يُوحَى

Wa anaa 'khtartuka fastami` limaa yoohaa.
I have chosen you; listen then to the inspiration (sent to you). (20:13)

Allah (swt) said to Sayyidina Musa (a), "If you know Shari`ah or not, I choose you." Allah chooses His awliya, and not everyone becomes wali. But when Allah chooses, the matter is finished. Allah said, anaa 'khtartuka fastami` limaa yoohaa, "Listen to what I am giving you and go and deliver it."

Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem.

يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ قُمْ فَأَنذِرْ وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ وَالرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ

Yaa ayyuha 'l-muddaththir, qum fa andhir wa rabbaka fakabbir wa thiyaabaka fatahhir wa 'l-rujza fahjur. 
O thou enveloped in thy cloak, arise and warn! Thy Lord magnify, thy raiment purify, pollution shun! (74:1-5)

"O Muhammad! You, the one who is covering yourself." Prophet (s) was shivering at that time, qum fa andhur, "Wake up, go and deliver the message, and glorify your Lord." Wa thiyabaka fatahhir, "And go purify your clothes." What clothes? These clothes we wear or the clothes of the heart? They cover this physical body, which is the cover of the heart, a piece of flesh, but what is inside it? Allah cannot put inside the flesh what He put inside Ka`aba? What is inside Ka`aba? It is four walls and inside are asraarullah, Allah's secrets, and what He manifested on that House no one knows, just as what He put in the heart of Prophet (s) no one knows.

(Sahib recites)
Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem.

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ لِقَاءنَا لَوْلَا أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَوْ نَرَى رَبَّنَا لَقَدِ اسْتَكْبَرُوا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ وَعَتَوْ عُتُوًّا كَبِيرًا   يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ الْمَلَائِكَةَ لَا بُشْرَى يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُجْرِمِينَ وَيَقُولُونَ حِجْرًا مَّحْجُورًا   وَقَدِمْنَا إِلَى مَا عَمِلُوا مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ هَبَاء مَّنثُورًا   أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ يَوْمَئِذٍ خَيْرٌ مُّسْتَقَرًّا وَأَحْسَنُ مَقِيلًا

wa qaala alladheena laa yarjoona liqaunaa law laa uzila `alayna'l-malaaikati aw naraa rabbunaa laqad istakbaroo fee anfusihim wa `ataw `utwoowin kabeera. yawma yarawna'l-malaaikatu laa bushraa yawmaidhin li'l-mujrimeena wa yaquloona hijran mahjoora.Wa qadimnaa ila maa `amiloo min `amalin fa ja`alnahu habaa'in manthoora. Ashaabu'l-jannati yawmaidhin khayrun mustaqarran wa ahsanu maqeela.
Such as fear not the meeting with Us (for Judgment) say: "Why are not the angels sent down to us, or (why) do we not see our Lord?" Indeed they have an arrogant conceit of themselves, and mighty is the insolence of their impiety! The Day they see the angels,- no joy will there be to the sinners that Day: The (angels) will say: "There is a barrier forbidden (to you) altogether!" And We shall turn to whatever deeds they did (in this life), and We shall make such deeds as floating dust scattered about. The Companions of the Garden will be well, that Day, in their abode, and have the fairest of places for repose.

[not the verse Shaykh sought]

فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِن كُلِّ أمَّةٍ بِشَهِيدٍ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلَى هَـؤُلاء شَهِيدًا

Fa-kayfa idhaa jina min kulli ummatin bi-shaheedin wa jina bika `alaa haaulaa'i shaheeda
How then if We brought from each people a witness, and We brought thee as a witness against these people! (4:41)
"When we have brought from every ummah a shaheed, witness." That means Allah chose a witness from every ummah. Wa ji'na bika `ala haaoolai shaheeda, "And We have brought you, O Muhammad, as a witness over all of them." That means, "We brought these prophets first and then awliyaaullah as witnesses on their followers that are on the right path and rightly guided, and We are not confirming that until you, yaa Muhammad, make witness on all of them, the prophets and the awliya!"

Was Sayyidina Musa (a) educated? No. It means if Allah (swt) chooses, He chooses. And Sayyidina Muhammad (s) is nabi al-ummiy, the prophet who never opened a book or read. Today, what is knowledge? Show me in Azhar ash-Shareef, in Sham, in Morocco, Syria, or Hijaaz, what do they teach? They teach what is in books and no longer give importance to spiritual knowledge. Let the shaykhs of Azhar go to where Imam Shafi`ee (q) is buried there.

This story is from two main scholars, Imam Shafi`ee and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Imam Shafi`ee was following Shayban ar-Rayy and said to Imam Ahmad, la takoon jassooran, "Don't encourage yourself to question him as he will humiliate you."
He said, "No, no, no! My job is to tell him he needs this kind of teaching and to go and learn."
And Imam Shafi`ee said, la taf`al, "Don't touch on that subject; leave him alone."

And Imam Ahmad asked Shayban ar-Rayy, madha taqool feeman nasiya salatuh min as-salawaat al-khams fil Islam, fi 'sh-sharee`ah, "What is the judgment of someone that the time of the prayer passed and he didn't pray, he forgot?" It needs knowledge. Today there are too many different schools of thought and they give different answers. Like the Wahhabis and Salafis say, "Don't repeat it as the time is gone, so even if you pray qadaa, make it up, it is not accepted." They believe there is no qadaa, but other schools of thought say it is an obligation to make it up, and they believe that qadaa prayer it is not perfect, but nevertheless you have to make it up so you will learn discipline. Those are two different schools.

So Imam Ahmad was checking Shayban ar-Rayy and said, "You don't know anything! What is the hukum? Give me the judgment of Shari`ah. What do we say to this question? Give me a fatwah." Shayban ar-Rayy laughed and Imam Ahmad became more frustrated, he wanted to humiliate him in front of Imam Shafi`ee. Shayban ar-Rayy answered, "Yaa Ahmad! Are you challenging me?" Ahmad ibn Hanbal began to shake, and Shayban ar-Rayy said, "Your question is like that of a child. How dare you ask me such a question? Don't you know you are ignorant for asking that? Yaa Ahmad, qalbun ghafala an Allah fa yanbaghi an yuaddab hatta la ya`ood ila ghaflatihi, a heart that becomes heedless of Allah's Presence for one moment must be disciplined. That means you must be disciplined when you come and ask such a question. How dare you ask someone whose heart is with his Lord in every moment, that if he misses a prayer what he has to do! If you miss a prayer you have to be disciplined, hatta la ta`ood ila al-ghaflah. That means, don't ask that childish question! Your heart has to be in Allah's Presence, if your heart is there you will never miss a prayer."

That is like someone who has no heart, what will happen? Throw him in the grave. That heart must be disciplined in order that you don't become heedless another time. And at that moment Imam Ahmad fainted, he had a heart attack from the power of those words of Shayban ar-Rayy.

Imam Shafi`ee said, "Leave him until he comes back to normal and leaves asking such childish questions." When he woke up, Imam Shafi`ee said to him, alam aqul laka lam tata`arad lahu, "Didn't I tell you not to bother him? So don't bother him! If you bother him, this is your end."

Don't bother awliyaaullah; don't come against them or they will make you to faint. What happened to Sayyidina Musa (a)? He fainted! He said, "O my Lord, let me see You." You cannot; when Allah (swt) wills, you will see without questioning. Allah made him faint to make him learn. That is why awliyaaullah are always fainting in Allah's Divine Presence, surrendering. So don't come to a wali and criticize; they will humiliate you from their powers.

And I heard the continuation of this story from Grandshaykh (q):
When Imam Ahmad woke up he crawled on his chest to Shayban ar-Rayy, asking for forgiveness and seeking his guidance.

So two imams were taking from Shayban ar-Rayy, and he was illiterate! Also, Imam Abu Hanifa bin Nu`man (q) took knowledge from Bishr al-Haafi (q). If an ummiy, one who cannot read or write, is a powerful wali, able to put down Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, then what do you think about a wali who is literate, who knows everything? What do you think about his power; what can he do? If you see that one ummiy from awliya has this power, what do you think if Allah gives them heavenly knowledge, then what can they do? They can make a hole in the boat!

فَانطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا رَكِبَا فِي السَّفِينَةِ خَرَقَهَا قَالَ أَخَرَقْتَهَا لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا إِمْرًا

Fantalaqa hatta idha rakiba fi as-safinati kharaqaha. Qaala akharaqtaha li tughriqa ahlaha. Laqad ji`ta shay`aan `imraa.
So the two set out until, when they were in the ship, he made a hole in it. (Moses) said, "Have you made a hole to drown the folk therein? Verily you have done a dreadful thing!" (18:71)

What did Sayyidina Khidr (a) do? He made a hole in the boat, then killed the boy, and then he built the wall. So he drowns you to take all your bad characteristics, and then he kills your ego, and then he builds the wall of treasures in your heart. So don't bother awliyaaullah, because they have many ways to bother you. In every moment of your life they can bother you!

Grandshaykh (q) said, "Everyday the shaykh has to look at the mureed three times. When he looks he doesn't send candies, but he sends him poison, to check if they are handling difficulty or not." So when you get in difficulty remember that your shaykh is looking at you, and don't get angry. I am not speaking about business difficulties, I am talking about mureed-to-mureed, or people-to-people, who get angry with each other, who lie about what they are doing, and this and that. Be careful and remember at that moment the shaykh is observing you. That is why today, I am going to tell these two (mureeds) not to go back home, but to stay here. (laughter)

So that is why they said, laylee bi wajhika mushriqun wa dhalaamahu fi 'n-naasi saari, "My night in your face is daylight," or, "When I am looking at your face, O my shaykh, my night is daylight shining. Even if it is night, when I look at your face in dark nights I see that diya, that shining of the sun on Earth. Your face is shining, wa dhalaamahu fi 'n-naasi saari, but the darkness of the night in the faces of the people is dark, but in your face it is sunlight. Wan-naasu fee sadaf adh-dhalaami, and the people are in darkness, wa laakin nahnu fee daw an-nahaar, and we are with you, O our shaykh, O our wali, in the daylight." That means, "When you are among us it is daylight, but when we are with people it is darkness." That is why we always have to watch what we are doing, what we are saying, and what we are putting in our hearts.

It is said that Rabi`a al-`Adawiyya (q) got sick. They asked her, "What is the cause of your illness? Why are you sick?" She didn't have the flu, a heart attack, or any physical sickness, but spiritually she was depressed. They asked her, "Why are you depressed?"

Today if you ask people, "What are you doing?" they will answer, "I am getting counseling from a psychologist." He is a psychologist who himself needs a psychiatrist! If you need a psychologist, go to a wali because he knows your needs.
Rabi`a al-`Adawiyya (q) said, "Oh, I have a major problem."
They said, "You, a lady saint?"
And ladies complain they have no saints! There are many. The Prophet's wives are Umhat al-Mu'mineen, "Mothers of All Believers" (r). No one can reach their ranks, or the ranks of the lady Companions of Prophet (s) and the lady teachers after them. But this psychological problem is in the minds of ladies because of the rudeness of men.

They said, "Why are you depressed? Did anyone from the jama`at bother you?"
She said, wa laakin nadhartu ila janatee bi 'l-qalb, "No. I gazed at the Heavens with my heart. I was in a trance, a spiritual state, and that opened, and I looked at the Heavens through my heart."

To us that is good, but for her it was not good, because she made a mistake according to her rank. Fa ghaara `alayya qalbee, "My heart got jealous from me, because my heart doesn't want to have partners or have anyone other than Allah (swt). It asked, how am I looking through my heart to Paradise when I have to look with my heart to Allah (swt)? I fell into this big sin, this mistake."

Look how they are so sensitive when their heart moves a little bit! Although she was looking at the Heavens, she moved one second to heedlessness. For us it is perfect, but for her it was a heedless moment that her heart went to look at Paradise and left looking at Allah (swt). Her heart asked, "How do you dare look at Paradise? I (your heart) has to always be in that Divine Presence!" That's why Prophet (s) said:

لي وجه مع الله و لي وجه مع الخلق

lee wajhun ma` Allah wa lee wajhun ma` al-khalq.
I have one face (presence) with Allah, and I have one face with the ummah.

That means, "I don't let anything interfere," yaghaar `alaa awliya'ihi wa anbiya'ihi. Allah (swt) doesn't like to share anyone with His servants! We will continue tomorrow about Haqiqat al-Gheerah, the Reality of Jealousy, and what is the jealousy that awliyaaullah are trying to get rid of. So it means, be aware of the power of your shaykh. Don't let anyone share with you your love to your shaykh. Your love must be to your shaykh, from your shaykh to Prophet (s), and from Prophet (s) to Allah (swt).

So Shayban ar-Rayy (q) scolded Imam Ahmad (q), saying, "Why are you asking me about missing prayers when every moment I am in prayer? How can you miss a prayer when you are always in that Presence? That prayer time is heavenly time." Shayban ar-Rayy is showing him, "Not only am I praying in dunya time, but in heavenly time also. Do you know heavenly time, O Ahmad?"
"No, I only know dunya time."

One time Grandshaykh (q) and Mawlana Shaykh (q) said that Sayyidina Bilal (r) was standing to call adhaan, and Prophet (s) said, "Wait," and as soon as he said, "Don't call adhaan," he said, "Call adhaan." Sayyidina Bilal was surprised. Prophet (s) explained, "The moment from when I said 'wait' to the time I said 'call', the sun moved fifty thousand years." That means in that moment the Bayt al-Ma`moor moved. The reality of Ka`aba is the reflection of Bayt al-Ma`moor, the real House of Allah (swt) located in the Fourth Heaven, where Prophet (s) prayed with all prophets in Laylat ul-`Isra wal-Mi`raj.

So adhaan is not on our time, it is on the time that Prophet (s) accepted in the holy night; he established the times and we pray on the time of Bayt al-Ma`moor in Mecca and Madinah. It is not when we pray Dhuhr in America, for (by then) already it was prayed in the Heavens! But the right time was what Prophet (s) established. Allah (swt) (accepts our prayer) as made at the right time, but in reality, the right time is when Prophet (s) prays.

Who can give you such knowledge if not an inheritor of the secret of Prophet (s)? So you don't know how awliyaaullah act and what is their knowledge, which is from the heart of Sayyidina Muhammad (s). That is why we must not object on how they do things; what they do is according to the Prophet (s), who did not pray except on the right time.

According to a hadith in Bukhari and Muslim, it was near the time of Maghrib, and Prophet (s) asked Sayyidina `Ali (r),  "Did you pray `Asr?"
He said, "Yaa Rasoolullah, I did not." So Prophet (s) stopped the sun for Sayyidina `Ali (r) until he finished praying, and then it went to sunset. So Prophet's power is but a drop and he gives drops to awliyaaullah. All of them have one drop from that ocean of Prophet's knowledge, and that keep things moving until the Day of Judgment.

May Allah bless us, forgive us, and grant our shaykh long life, and make all of us happy, healthy and wealthy.

Bi hurmati 'l-habeeb, bi hurmati 'l-Fatihah.

MSH.18 AUG 2010.Vol5.POST.ENG

Hierarchy of Saints Series, Vol 5
Gheeratullah: Allah's Possessiveness of the Hearts of His Servants
Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani
18 August 2010 Fenton Zawiya, Michigan
Fajr   Ramadan Series 2010

 

 

Allahuma salli ‘alaa Sayyidina Muhammad, hatta yarda Sayyindina Muhammad (s). 

 

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.

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) 

As we said yesterday, Sayyidina Abu Yazid al-Bistami (q) said, man la shaykha lahu shaykhahu as-Shaytan, "Who does not have a shaykh, his shaykh is Shaytan. Because Shaytan is very clever, he comes at the right time to deviate us from the real path. Everyone says, "Oh, why are we speaking of Shaytan and devils? We are praying, we are fasting, we are doing this, we are doing that." It is true, we are praying and fasting in our eyes, but in Allah's eyes, Shaytan is still playing with us, as he played with Adam (as) in Heavens. Isn't Shaytan able to play with us on Earth then? He can. That is why you always need a guard. Today if you go travel to Malaysia or Indonesia, you will see that there is a guard at every house. It is mostly in Malaysia. You see guards at the doors, they hire them. Why? Although Malaysia is a country with not too much crime, but still they are hiring guards because they don't want to fall into a heedless moment and suddenly something happens. So they are taking care. Likewise, we have to take care by understanding and knowing that at any moment we might fall into heedlessness and if we don't have a shaykh to guide us, we fall into the miseries of this dunya. Allah (swt) sent messengers. He has messengers and He has prophets. A Prophet is not a messenger. A messenger is a Prophet and a messenger at the same time, Sahib ar risalah.

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ اللّهِ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ جَآؤُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ اللّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُواْ اللّهَ تَوَّابًا رَّحِيمًا

Bismillahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem, Wa maa arsalnaa min rasoolin illa li yuta`a bi idhnillahi wa law annahum idh zhalamoo anfusahum jaa'ooka fastaghfarullah wa 'staghfara lahumu 'r-rasoola la-wajadoollaha tawwaaba'r-raheema.

We sent an apostle but to be obeyed in accordance with the Will of Allah. If they had only, when they were unjust to themselves, come unto you and asked Allah's forgiveness, and the messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah indeed Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.    (Surat an-Nisaa, 4:64)

The messenger has a message to deliver so you have to obey his message. A prophet does not have a message to deliver. He obeys the messenger of his time or the messenger that came before him. So any prophet who is not a messenger must obey the messenger that came before or the messenger who is in his time. Allah has appointed many prophets. What is the hikmat (wisdom) of appointing many prophets if they don't have a message? Why did they became prophets? We understand that a messenger has a constitution and Shari`ah, and Allah sent him with that message to follow it. But a prophet can be in the same time of a messenger. So who follows whom? A prophet follows a messenger, a messenger doesn't follow a prophet. So every messenger that came, was a cycle of this lifetime. Allah sent messengers and ended them with the seal of Messengers, Sayyidina Muhammad (s). That is why Islam orders us to accept all the messengers that came
before the Prophet (s).

 

Wa arsalnaa min rasoolin illa an yuta`a bi idhnillahi. He didn't say, "we didn't send a nabi," He said, "we didn't send a messenger until he will be obeyed." So Prophet (s) wrapped all messengers that came before. But it is not necessary to accept prophets that came before as you have Sayyidina Muhammad (s) as a messenger. But prophets are appointed to accept the messenger that came before them and in their time. Why? Because we have to have a role model. If there is a messenger in the east, there was no technology at that time, it was not opened yet, it opened in the time of Prophet (s). There was no tech to reach (far) and so Allah sent messengers and prophets. Prophets means `ibaadAllah as-saliheen, servants that are symbols, role models for everyone. Prophet (s) mentioned maqam al-ihsaan, to worship Allah as if you are seeing Him. And if you are not seeing Him, know that He is seeing you. So Allah sent prophets as role models to be symbols for the community around them.

  يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ اللّهَ وَكُونُواْ مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ

Yaa ayyuhalladheena aamanoo ittaqoollah wa koonoo ma` as-saadiqeen.

O you who believe! Fear Allah and be those who are pious (in word and deed). (Surat at-Tawbah 9:119)

 

So that is an indicator to be with prophets in the time before the Prophet (s). They are trustworthy ones, and thus are symbols and examples for their communities in their time, as awliyaullah are today. There are no more prophets or messengers after Sayyidina Muhammad (s). There are inheritors of the pious and sincere people, the prophets, and they are awliyaaAllah. Some awliyaullah carry knowledge they take from the heart of the Prophet (s) and that is how they guide their followers. Some take with a prophet who had no message but who was pious. So they dress in that piety and become a role model between their communities.

This is a very, very important point in our understanding and the teaching. That is why Allah (swt) said, as mentioned by Prophet (s):

 مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوا مَا عَاهَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ فَمِنْهُم مَّن قَضَى نَحْبَهُ وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَنتَظِرُ وَمَا بَدَّلُوا تَبْدِيلًا

Min al-mumineena rijaalun saadaqoo maa `ahadullah `alayh. Faminhum man qadaa nahbahu wa minhum man yantazhir wa maa badaloo tabdeela.

Among the believers are Men who accepted and did what they promised of the Covenant they took with Allah. Of them some have completed their vow (to the extreme), and some (still) wait: but they have never changed (their determination) in the least. (al-Ahzaab 33:23)

 

They are men who kept their covenant and did their best in dunya. Some of them left and some are living. They are passing away slowly with time and others are coming in their turn. They are the real models whom we can learn from. Not every mureed is a wali or a role model. The shaykh picks up or appoints some role models because he wants the barakah to be spread. These people might not have knowledge to guide, but the shaykh appoints them as they are sincere and pious to do dhikrullah, as when Prophet (s) was asked by one Sahaabi:

عن عبد الله بن بسر رضي الله عنه أن رجلا قال: يا رسول الله إن شرائع الإسلام قد كثرت علي فأخبرني بشيء أتشبث به؟ قال: " لا يزال لسانك رطبا من ذكر الله" الترمذي.

Yaa Rasoolullah, inna shara`ia al-islam qad kathurat `alayya. "The rules of Islam became heavy on me."
Prophet (s) said, Ija`l lisaanak ratban min dhikrillah, "Make your tongue wet or alive with dhikrullah." Tirmidhi
 

So those who make themselves busy with dhikrullah are pious ones. They are not necessarily murshideen to guide you through knowledge, but they are like blending a beautiful smell, as when someone with a nice scent comes in and makes everyone smell that way. It is like a rose that makes everyone in its environment smell nice. One of these awliyaaullah are appointed by the shaykh. That is why Sayyidina Abu Yazid al-Bistami (q) said, "Who has no shaykh, Shaytan is his shaykh." Why? Because Shaytan will bring him stinky roses and will guide him not to remember dhikrullah. The one who does dhikr will have a nice smell. The Prophet (s) said, "The smell of a fasting person's mouth is better than the smell of Paradise." Because the angels approach the fasting person and reflect their smell on them. So the person disobeying Allah will smell of Shaytan, bad smell. This is `ilmu 's-sulook, knowledge of that journey where you are going, to Allah's Divine Presence. as-saalik is the one who is following the path.

 

Everyone of us has a different way or a different journey. Our journey is full of miseries because we are blending it with dunya work. But awliya's journey is perfect. If you follow that wali or that role model, you will reach your destiny and he will bring you to the Divine Presence. That is why a guide is important in the lives of people. As we said, there are two types of guides; the one spreading the teaching of Prophet (s) and Islam, and the one who is a role model, who guides through his behavior. He has Maqaam al-Ihsaan, the Station of Perfected Character. You like his ways and you follow him. He doesn't need to say anything to you. That is why you have many different kinds awliyaullah. They are, Budala, Nujaba, Nuqaba, Awtad, and Akhyaar. They are everywhere to guide the ummah through their destinies.
So Allah (swt) has chosen, as He chose His prophets and His messengers, from Ummat an-Nabi (s) guides that carry and inherit knowledges continuously from the heart of Prophet (s) and spread it.

 Some are only to be role models for others and Allah loves them. He doesn't like their love to be for other than Him; it has to be to Him only. That is why in tariqat there is ghareeh, not in the meaning of jealousy, but karaahat mushaarakat li-ghayrih (hatred of sharing with anyone else), but possessiveness. You dislike that someone shares the love of your beloved. If you love someone, you want that one to be to yours only, and it is not jealousy. You feel, "I don't like anyone to share that love except me." Let us give a dunya example. A husband doesn't like to share anyone with his wife and a wife doesn't like to share anyone with her husband; that is gheerah. So in another meaning, Allah chose his saints and He doesn't like His saints to share their love with anyone, it must be exclusively to Him. The students of the shaykh have to know that the final level of their love is to reach the Divine Presence and love to Allah (swt)! That is why we say mahabbat ash-shaykh guides you to mahabbat an-Nabi (s), which guides you to mahabbatAllah, that is the last landing. This means that you don't see anyone in your life. In every `amal, action, you do or every moment of life passes, you have to see the Will of Allah (swt), no one else. If you don't do that as a wali, Allah doesn't like it. He likes His wali only to be to Him. That is why He likes the heart of His servant not to be attached to anyone.

When Rabi`a al-`Adawiyya (q) got sick, they asked her what is the problem. She said, "I looked at Paradise with my heart. That was a mistake. I looked with my heart at something created and my heart must be only for my Lord." Maqam al-wilaya it is not easy to reach. That is why these awliya, Aqtaab, Budalaa, Nuqabaa, Nujabaa, Awtaad, and Akhyaar, have excellent characteristics. We are only able to speak about it, but they are able to taste it. We are not tasting, we are only listening and reading, but they are listening and tasting. Adam (a) listened to Iblees and he lost. That is why Prophet (s) said:

Hubbuka li shay ya`mee wa yasum.

O my Lord! Your Love to someone will make that one blind and deaf.

Your love to someone or to any of your Creation, will make that one blind and deaf. It means Allah has gheerah; He doesn't like anyone to share His servant and wants the love of that servant directed only to Him. And when He loves that servant completely, that servant becomes blind and deaf to this dunya; he cannot see and hear anything of this world, he only hears and sees Allah (swt). That is why Prophet (s) said:

لي ساعة مع الرب وساعة مع الخلق

Lee sa`atun ma` al-khaaliq wa lee sa`atun ma` al-khalq.

I have a picture or an hour with My Lord in which no angels can be in the middle of that relationship.

Prophet Muhammad's (s) heart is completely blind from dunya, although he is not, but in the meaning and he is deaf and blind from dunya. That is why he was invited to Mi`raj, where no angel reached. At (the station of) qaaba qawsayni aw adnaa, he is not seeing or feeling anything but the Divine Presence of His Lord. Grandshaykh (q) said Allah asked him there, "Who are you?" and Prophet (s) said, "I am You."

There is the real tawheed for the Prophet (s). He understood the level of Oneness, that in the Divine Presence everything was not existing, and awliyaaullah quench their thirst from that ocean. When you are near, you are not seeing anything except Holy Divine Attributes that Allah will be manifesting on you. Wa al-haqqu anna al-gheeratu lillah haqqan, "The reality is, Allah has the right not to share anything of His servants with Him." Allah (swt) said:

أوليائي تحت قبابي لا يعلمهم غيري               

Awliyaee tahta qibaabee la ya`lamahum ghayree.
My awliya are under My domes; no one knows them except Me. (Hadith Qudsee)

من عادا لي وليا فقد آذنته بالحرب

Man `adaa lee waliyyan faqad aadhantahu bi 'l-harb.
Whoever comes against a wali (friend) of Mine, I declare war on him. (Hadith Qudsee)

 

That is gheerah. So Allah's servants have no right; all their actions, all their breaths, and all their remembrance must be only for Allah (swt). And when someone has gheerah, it means he loves someone and doesn't want to share. This shows there is love there. Gheerah takes you to love. When you become pious, gheerah to Allah comes to you and when that happens, mahabbatAllah blows to you. So then you enter the first level of mahabbatAllah, mahabbat al-habeeb, and mahabbat al-shaykh, which leads to hudoor, and then that leads to annihilation. It is said, al-gheera gheerataan, (possessiveness, jealousy, is of two kinds). Gheerat al-bashar `ala an-nufoos wa gheeratallah `ala al-quloob, the possessiveness of the self, the body loves the ego and the ego leads to bad desires. When body is attached to the ego, then you are making a detour and that is why we call it al-gheerat al-bashariyya `ala an-nufoos. The body doesn't want to share anything with the self. The ego must be "for the body only" and that is where Shaytan can play.

But there is the second part; gheeratallah `ala al-quloob, the heavenly gheerah which is on the hearts, as it is said, ma fee qalbee illa-Llah, "There is nothing in my heart except Allah." So the heart is the House of Allah (swt). Constantly for twenty-four hours that heart is in dhikrullah. If you put a speaker on the heart, you can hear it saying, Huuu, Huuu, Huuu. You see these palpitations in this sound. That is a sound that has been coded and covered. Everyone has a code in their heart; if they open it, they will understand what kind of dhikr their heart is doing. And every person's dhikr doesn't resemble the dhikr of another. Even if both say Huuu, each one will be different from the other or else, that will diminish Allah's Greatness. Just as every angel has a different dhikr, each person's heart has a dhikr, voluntary or involuntary. The human being is born on fitrah, on the natural way, but his parents make him either Christian, Jewish, or Zoroastrian. But you are born on fitratu 'l-Islaam, and that is the light put in the heart of people.

    إن الدين عند الله الإسلام                 

Inna ad-deena `ind-Allahi al-Islam,
The religion before Allah is Islam. (Aali `Imraan 3:19)

all religion end up in Islam, even Adam (a) and Ibrahim (a), who said:

إِنِّي وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا أَنَاْ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ

innee wajahut wajhiyya lilladhee fatar as-samawaati wal-`arda haneefa muslimaan.
I have directed my face to the One Who created Heaven and Earth, and I am Muslim.

It is from that time. So the religion to Allah is Islam as it came last, but it came with Ibrahim (a) and ended with Prophet (s) wrapping everything together. The hearts of human beings are created and born on Islam, that is why it is voluntary or involuntary, and that is why it is making that dhikr by pumping. When the heart stops pumping, you are finished. If the brain stops you are still alive, but if the heart stops you are dead. Allah doesn't like His servant's heart doing anything other than remembering Him. When Allah loves someone, He wants that one to be for Him only.

One of the awliya said, "Why did Allah send Adam on Earth?"

 قال القشيري: لما وطّن آدم نفسه على الخلود في الجنة ولذاتها غار الله عليه. كان آدم يحب أن يركن إلى الخلود في الجنة فلم يقبل الله منه هذا

Al-Qushayri (q) said, Meethaalaha lamaa watana Adam nafasahu `alaa al-khulood fi'l-jannahi wa ladhaatiha ghaar Allah `alayh. Kaana Adam yuhib an yarkan ila'l-khulood fi'l-jannat falam yaqbal-Llahu minhu haadha. akhrajahullah minha gheeratan `alayh. 

the example of this is Adam whose homeland was Paradise living there eternally, with all its delicious tastes, then Allah became possessive of him. Adam loved to be live for eternity in Paradise, which Allah did not accept. To show him that Allah does not accept his self to love other than Him. Allah does not become harmed by someone but you will be harmed by losing Allah.

This is the explanation of Al-Qushayri (q). And he said, Wa Ibrahim lamma `ajabahu Isma`eel amarahu bi dhabhih, "When Ibrahim became so fond of Isma`eel, Allah said to go slaughter him," as there can be no competition, no love for anyone else in the hearts of His servants. Prophets have no love except to their Creator, and here we are speaking of real love. When Isma`eel was born, Ibrahim was so happy that his love went to Isma`eel. That is why today humans are receiving that kind of love for their children, which is okay. But for Ibrahim, Allah said, "Go and slaughter your son, Isma`eel."

So Allah told Ibrahim to slaughter Isma`eel, and when Ibrahim took the knife to slaughter Isma`eel, at that moment Allah (swt) took his love for `Isma`eel out of his heart, then He sent the lamb to be slaughtered.

But Adam (a) wanted to be eternally in Paradise. So for Ibrahim (a), Allah accepted his intention to slaughter, saying, "That is enough for Me."

Dhikrullah is important. That is why the guidance of shuyookh took their followers to dhikrullah. Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) says that even if two people have homes next to each other, both do dhikr to increase the tajalli." May Allah give long life to Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q)!

We will continue tomorrow, inshaa-Allah.

Wa min Allahi 't-tawfeeq, bi hurmati 'l-habeeb, bi hurmati 'l-Fatihah. Taqqabal-Allah.

MSN.19 AUG 2010.POST.ENG

Only Losers Run after Dunya

Sultan al-Awliya

Mawlana Shaykh Nazim al-Haqqani

19 August 2010 Lefke, Cyprus

Dastoor yaa Sayyiddi, madad. Laa ilaaha illa-Llah, laa ilaaha illa-Llah, laa ilaaha illa-Llah Muhammadun Rasoolullah `alayhi salaatullahi wa salaamuh thumma 's-salaam `ala jami`ee'l-anbiya wa 'l-awliya wa `ala Saahib az-Zamaan wa `ala Qutb al-Mutassarif fi 'd-dunya maa bayna al-mashaariq wa 'l-maghaarib. Zidhu yaa Rabbee `izzan wa sharafa zidna bihim yaa Rabbana hulman wa ta`atan wa `izzan wa sharafan wa nooran. A`oodhu billahi min ash-Shaytani 'r-rajeem, Bismillahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem.

O People! As-salaamu `alaykum. This heavenly salute is for believers. Unbelievers, they are not asking. If they are not asking, they will be in bad conditions and also in unrest; they will be unhappy and in a position of dishonor. There will be no honor for those who are not interested in a heavenly salute, here and Hereafter! And we are asking forgiveness for ourselves and for everyone from Mankind who is living on this planet. 

O our Attenders! As-salaamu `alaykum. Don't be always `aboos al-wajhi, "frowning faced." Don't be like those who are always showing through their faces that they are in unrest, unhappy, and aren't successful ones. Allah Almighty is not loading on His servants a heavy burden. Allah Almighty is never saying to His servants, "Run after dunya and collect so many things." Never is Allah Almighty urging His servants to be rich ones for dunya. Never is He (swt) saying, "O Mankind! Run after dunya and collect so many things." He is never offering this. 

O our common Attenders! What is your opinion? What have you learned from the messengers' messages and from holy books? Say, if you are believers! Say, "We learned that our Creator is not urging Mankind to run after dunya to collect it."

O Salafi `ulamas? Where are you? Why are you not saying this and teaching people? You are only running to be `ulamas, such learned ones, doctors, that one and that one. No, you are just kulif, granted knowledge for what you learned. Did you learn for your knowledge to be for you only, and not to give to people? Because common people can't learn everything. But you are saying, "We learned from childhood, we are trying to learn more and more and more." I understand that you learned, but for what? To say, "That is Shaykh Kirmani, a famous learned person, Shaykh Dumani is a big `alim or a big learned person, Shaykh Tijani is known as a big `alim." To be said that you are such a big `alim and you are asking to be respected? So many names we may say of those of you who have learned that heavenly knowledge. For what, to keep it to yourself?

What is the benefit to keep that knowledge to yourself? It is a heavenly grant to `ulamas, particularly those who claim, "We are Wahabi `ulamas or Salafi `ulamas," or, "We are Salaafiyoon." Why are you not teaching people what was the heavenly order to Mankind? Say! What was their mission and heavenly offer? Which thing? Say! Did the Lord of Heavens offer His servants to collect dunya? Say! To build high buildings, or save trillions or billions worth of gold and jewels? And the heavenly ones are particularly addressing people in holy places, kings and princes and shaykhs and rich ones, because Salafiyoon are living under their wings, showing off, that they are something when really they are nothing!

Why are you not saying this to mulook and umaraa and shaykhs, who are saving billions and trillions? Is it for this purpose that Allah Almighty is sending prophets to teach people, that they should collect dunya? For what? And if they are doing wrong, what can we do? People from holy lands are collecting billions, trillions, coins, petroleum, and this and that. What should we say? They are our leaders, who are saying, "We are taking people to the right way."

If the right way is to collect gold and to build high buildings or to marry beautiful ladies and to enjoy themselves, if it is a heavenly order for Mankind, what are we going to do? There is no possibility for us because all of us can't be kings or umaraas or shaykhs. No. And Allah Almighty, with His Divine Justice, is giving the same level for all of Mankind. And Allah Almighty is always, through His holy book, al- Qur'an al-Kareem, saying, Ayyuha 'n-naas, "O Mankind, O Human nature!" Yes, He is making a distinction between Mankind, saying, إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَى inna khalaqnaakum min dhakarin wa unthaa. "Verily we created you (Mankind) from male and female." (49:13) (Mawlana Shaykh stands and sits) Why are you not saying this? That is a holy command to all prophets.

The Seal of Prophets (s) was never leaving one coin, never leaving anything from dunya. Which way are you following? O our oolu 'l-amr, "those in authority," our kings and mulook who are claiming they are holy ones, saying, "We are special, chosen ones." Who is choosing you, that you are chosen, that you are an exception, that you can save gold and build high buildings? Is there such a command in holy books or in our Prophet's declaration? Show us that Allah Almighty is giving a chance to you and with that chance you are accumulating billions of coins, hundreds of high buildings, hundreds of cars, hundreds of ladies. Who is giving that authority, that chance to you? 

On the Day of Resurrection, the mulook will come and catch the Salafi `ulamas first, saying, "Why were you saying to us that the Lord of Heavens offered us to save many more coins and to have so many high buildings in east and west, in holy places?" SubhaanAllahi 'l-`Aliyyu 'l-`Azheem! 

O Salafi `ulamas! You are saying, "We are mu'mins," and you are building towers of Nimrod in holy places! And we are saying it is not a good thing to make so many high buildings here. What must we do? Their ladies are saying, "O my darling! We may go to London or New York or Paris, or to Monte Carlo, western countries. Why are we sitting here?"

"O my darling! We built such a high building to be happy, but you are saying that we may go to Monte Carlo?"

"Where, O my darling?"

"We must keep the order of Holy Prophet."

"What did he say?"

"I forgot."

"But I did not forget. The Holy Prophet was saying, سافروا تصحوا و ترزقوا'Saafiroo tasahuru wa turzaqu, "travel about, you will awaken and you will be provided sustenance."

"I never heard this fatwah. I must ask our Salafiyoon if they gave a fatwah, that we may save ourselves in the Divine Presence!"

(Mawlana stands and sits) Mashaa-Allah, mashaa-Allah. What is Allah Almighty saying? O Salafi `ulamas, why are you not reminding mulook and other ones what Allah Almighty is saying? (Mawlana Shaykh stands) asta`eedhu billah. الرِّجَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَاء ar-rijaalu qawaamoon `ala an-nisaa, "Men are maintainers and leaders of women." (4:34) So many times we are reciting Holy Qur'an, but we are not paying attention, we are not understanding which surah was this?

"We are saying, O our Salafi `ulama, you are knowing which surah is this?"

"Yes, our Majesty, Allah Almighty is saying, ar-rijaalu qawaamoon `ala an-nisaa but we are fearing to say this to our mulook because they will blame us. Therefore, we are not saying anything." (Mawlana Shaykh sits)

Yes, sir. Yes, sir. We are saying, "We are fed up here with sand and deserts. No, we like to be like east and west, to have beautiful places. We like to enjoy ourselves. We have the possibility, why are we sitting here?" 

"Be patient, O my beautiful one. Don't be angry, my princess one. I may kiss you. Don't be angry. We may prepare for a short trip to other countries to be happy, so don't be angry with us." 

O Salafi `ulamas! Where are you? I am not making a scenario here, or theater or cinema. But this is my lowest level with people and they are making me speak to you because you are on the lowest level. Who is on the lowest level? Oh, our Wahabi `ulamas; you are saying, "We are very, very happy to go to western countries for the sake of making tabligh, to call people to Islam. Therefore, we must go there."

That is the Wahabis' understanding, because they are saying, "We must go everywhere in western countries, we can enjoy ourselves first and we are saying to mulook we are calling people to Islam." No, you are not calling people to Islam and you are not calling people (Mawlana Shaykh stands) to Allah Jalla Jalaaluh and His Prophet (s), most beloved one, most honored one. (Mawlana Shaykh sits) But that is your mentality, to go to western countries. And you are saying to His Majesty, the King, "We are doing our best to go to western countries and call people to Islam. Therefore, we must build or buy high buildings, we must dress as Europeans or western countries' dressing, and we must put ornaments." 

They are all liars! Come take care of people in Muslim countries first, then go to western countries! Don't be heedless!

O Wahhabiyoon! Don't think that no one knows what you are doing. Without speaking there are some ones who know your intentions! Therefore, you are always unsuccessful and your faces are always in darkness. Yes, their mentalities must be taken away. First we should arrange everything in Islamic countries so that western countries are running to you to see the life of Muslims, and they will find realities of Islam, Deen Allah, Deen al-Haqq! May Allah (swt) forgive us.

O our Attenders! Don't be heedless and ignorant. My English is so bad, but if you are hearing and thinking about it, you can understand. Fear from Allah Almighty! (Mawlana Shaykh stands)

O our Lord! We are so weak ones, we can't do anything on our egos, we are weak servants. Forgive us, for the honor of the Seal of Prophets, Sayyidi 'l-Awwaleen wa ’l-Akhireen (s)!  (Mawlana Shaykh sits)

Fatihah.

(34 minutes) Good, that is enough. It was a heavy bombardment.

(852 viewers today) Alhamdulillah, it is going up. Allah makes them understand. Tawbah yaa Rabb! Tawbah yaa Rabb! Tawbah, astaghfirullah.

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

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

MSN.1 SEP 2010.POST.ENG

Sayyidina Muhammad (s) Never Came Back From Isra and Mi`raj (The Night Journey)
Sultan al-Awliya
Mawlana Shaykh Nazim al-Haqqani
1 September 2010    Lefke, Cyprus

(Mawlana Shaykh stands) Laa ilaaha illa-Llah, laa ilaaha illa-Llah, laa ilaaha illa-Llah, Muhammadan Rasoolullah, `alayhi salaatullah was salaamuh. A`oodhu billahi min ash-Shaytani 'r-rajeem. Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem. Thumma as-salaat wa 's-salaam `ala jami` al-anbiya wa 'l-mursaleen w 'alhamdulillah Rabbi 'l-`Alameen. (Mawlana Shaykh sits)

Thumma as-salaam `ala Saahib az-Zamaan, Sayyidina Mahdi (a). Thumma as-salaam `ala Qutb al-Mutasarrif; our heavenly salute on our protector on this planet, Qutb al-Mutasarrif, and for all awliya, saints, who act.

It is a humble meeting, but we are addressing all people, through east and west from north to south, on this planet.

O our Attenders! As-salaamu `alaykum. SubhaanAllahi 'l-`Aliyyu 'l-`Azheem. SubhaanAllahi 'l-`Aliyyu 'l-`Azheem. Among our attenders, there is a group of people saying, We are Salafi `ulamas," and you know who you are. They claim this for themselves, a title they give to themselves; a group of people from some countries are saying that. And now (the awliya) are making me address people, and I am knowing nothing. If they are not supporting something, it is difficult to address even to a billion people, it doesn't matter. If heavenly support reaches, even an ant may address not billions but a trillion people! Yes, not billions but trillions, it is easy to address them; (if Allah likes) even an ant may address all people! Asta`eedhu billah. قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌ Qaalat namlatun, "One ant spoke." (27:18) The meaning? This is mukhaatab, ayyuha 'l-naml. That means, if Allah Almighty asks any creature to address them, it is enough to make an ant call them and make them hear (that message).

Wali, a saint; who is a saint? A saint may hear. He may take an ant in his hand, making like this, (Mawlana Shaykh puts his hand to his ear) and that waliyullah can hear the ant's speech as thunder! Therefore, the holy ones are looking after shu'oon ad-dunya, everything that is happening, as nothing happens by itself. There is a heavenly will, iraadah. There is no partner for the Lord's Will and no one knows His Will. If the Lord of Heavens yureed, asks to make His servants to hear from east to west and from north to south, I am too weak, but if He orders even an ant, that ant can la yuhazz ad-dunya, shake the world! Everything would be shaking and trembling, if an ant may say only, "O my Lord!" Yuhazz ad-dunya iradah, leave (discussion of) that Divine Will; if you are coming on the lowest level, that power is granted to Allah Almighty's chosen ones! If He is saying, (Mawlana Shaykh stands) Allahu Akbar! Everything must stand up, like the Night of Power, Laylat al-Qadr. (Mawlana Shaykh sits) Yes, now we are talking about this planet, that scientists say is a globe and that the sun and the moon are something else. People are saying that our world is moving, and that the sun is stable, not moving, and what we are looking at is the sun moving, and our Earth is thaabit, fixed (stationary).

 

There is one ayatul-kareemah; Allah Almighty is saying, one, two or three verses full of haqaa`iq, realities. Asta`eedhu billah: (Mawlana Shaykh stands)

وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَـكِن شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ مَا لَهُم بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِلاَّ اتِّبَاعَ الظَّنِّ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينًا

wa maa qataloohu wa maa salaboohu wa laakin shubbiha lahum wa inna 'Lladheena 'khtalafoo feehi lafee shakkin minhu maa lahum bihi min `ilmin 'illaa attibaa`a azh-zhanni wa maa qataloohu yaqeena.

But they killed him (Jesus) not, nor crucified him, but the resemblance of  `Isa (Jesus) was put over another man (whom they killed), and those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have no certain knowledge; they follow nothing but conjecture, for surely they killed him not. (An-Nisa, 4:157)

(Mawlana Shaykh sits). There are so many things `ulamas may take from that ayatul-kareemah! Jesus Christ is living that tashbeeh, similar appearance. Those holy verses contain Secret Meaning Oceans, secrets of wisdoms, and secrets of unlimited Unseen worlds. For people it is tashbeeh, the appearance of the sun rising, the sun setting, and dunya is stable. But scientists say, "No, the sun is rising and walking and setting." That is tashbeeh, "to be seen." As they are looking in such a way at everything in this Creation, from this side you may see a new appearance and from that side another appearance. If I am looking at you, your appearance will be in such a way, and if I am looking from the side or from the back, it is going to be different.

Awliyaullah, saints, who have secret knowledge, are saying about the Divine Appearances, that for each one there are 24,000 new appearances coming daily! Allahu Akbar! (Mawlana Shaykh stands) Allahu Akbar al-Akbar! Allahu Akbar al-Akbar! (Mawlana Shaykh sits). You think that there are fixed forms? Never! Even when we are standing, our fixed appearance is something else and when we are sitting our appearance is another. Even if we are standing a hundred times, we are changing (in appearance). (Mawlana Shaykh stands) Allahu Akbar al-Akbar! Allahu Akbar al-Akbar! Subhaan Sen! (Mawlana Shaykh sits)

We are sitting here, and the Lord of Heavens is asking to open new horizons for believers and for ahlu 'l-fahem, "scientists." Allah, Allah. Those clouds in every second are in another appearance. Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Therefore, ma`rifatullah, heavenly knowledge, is something else, and Divinely Appearance is another thing. The last limit of all Creation is up to the divinely level, not beyond! Therefore, it is mentioned the Seal of Prophets, sayyidi 'r-rusulu 'l-kiraam (s) was invited on the Night Journey? I am asking our Salafi `ulamas, kam Isra'a, how many Night Journeys happened? Only once? What happened? Was Allah Almighty inviting only once? Do you think that a King invites the honorable members of His Kingdom only once, no second time? Even if a sultan is weak, he will not invite only once, but several times, or you may say countless times! Then how can it happen that the Lord of Heavens invites His most beloved one only once and not more? Allah Almighty is "Maalik al-Mulk"!

I am always asking the Salafi `ulamas what do you think about the Mir`aj, "Night Journey"? Who invited the Seal of Prophets (s)? His Lord invited him. Did His Lord invite him or was anyone else sending the invitation min qabal aw min ba`d? Did such an invitation happen before, or will it happen after that? They know nothing, as their level of understanding is so low! They are not saying that Allah Almighty's invitation, Qur'an al-Kareem kalaamullahi 'l-azali. Azali is from pre-Eternal to Eternal. How many times (did He invite), and for whom did that invitation happen? That invitation came only for Prophet (s)! What do you think about that invitation? Do you think it expired? Laa shareeka lahu wa laa shabeehan lah Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (He has no partner and He has none to be compared with Allah the Glorified and Exalted)! If Allah (swt) invited His most beloved one and is showing what is able to be seen by His most beloved one, do you think that He sent him back down (to Earth)? What is your opinion? Is the Lord of Heavens calling and giving such an invitation and afterwards saying, "Go away."

 

Yes, He sent one with his name as a representative for His servants. But the real being (essence) of Rasoolullah (s) had never been sent to people, no. That invitation was to take him to Allah Almighty's Divine Presence and keep him there with Allah, Who sent one representative on behalf of His most beloved one; what we were seeing and hearing was only one representative. How many representatives are there? Countless! The real being is with Allah Almighty and there are countless representatives of that real being!

O Salafi `ulamas! Marhaban! How are you? Are you not accepting this? He is Allah! He is Able to do anything! When never takes back what He grants! He invited mataa (when)? Fee yawm al-azal, the Day of Azal, "Eternity" for the Lord of Heavens. He called him from azal, His most beloved one was invited from Eternity, and laa yazaal, he is with his Lord, Allah Almighty. May Allah give us some understanding. Wa laakin shubiha lahum, there is tashbeeh here; He sent one surah, appearance, because this world cannot carry more than that or it would melt and nothing would remain. Subhaanahu wa ta`ala! Where is Masjid al-Aqsa?

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَى بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلاً مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الأَقْصَى

Subhaana 'Lladhee asrá bi `abdihi laylan mina 'l-Masjidi 'l-Haraami ila 'l-Masjidi al-Aqsá.
Exalted be He Who took His servant for a journey by night from al-Masjid al-Haraam (at Mecca) to the Farthest Mosque (in Jerusalem). (al-'Israa, 17:1)

The meanings are like oceans, impossible to understand! Every time a new opening comes, giving refreshment and pleasure and enlightenment to the real beings of Mankind. Our real being is not on this planet; it is where we were, in the Divine Presence on the Day of Promises. Did that event close down, or is it continued? Continued, yes.

 

They have not made me speak of such a thing before, but his (a guest's) understanding is making me speak about such things. Some ones may ask, "Why the shaykh is speaking this way?"

Hasan al-Basri, Allah bless him, was advising people time by time, and Sayyida Rabi`a al-`Adawiyya was living then, may Allah bless them both. One day he was speaking, addressing and making some openings for haadiri, "presence people," and people said, "O Imam! Today there are so many simple things you are saying, and we are accustomed to hearing something new." And what was the answer from Hasan al-Basri? "Do you think I prepare to give to ants what I prepared to be given to elephants? Today, elephants are not here; therefore, I am giving this, saying it is enough and good for you!" What was his aim? It was that Rabi`a al-`Adawiyya was not there, so Heavens reserved a big heavenly grant. "Saahibatah is not here; therefore, I cannot give you more (knowledge) as you are such small ones that can be crushed. So I am giving you a small one." Therefore, today heavenly ones sent something on the lowest, for Sumoo al-Ameer's (His Majesty Prince's) honor and Sayyid's (Habeeb `Ali al-Jafri) honor.

May Allah forgive us in this holy month! May Allah grant us a good understanding, according to our levels, not more. And we are asking for the honor of this holy month to give us divine blessings, to make us always asking for divinely grants, for the honor of the Seal of Prophets (s), and his followers, and for the honor of all prophets, peace be upon them. May Allah forgive us.

Fatihah.

(43 minutes) (928 viewers)

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

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar!

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

MSH.20 AUG 2010.Vol7.POST.ENG

Hierarchy of Saints Series, Vol 7
Changeable and Unchangeable Principles
Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani
20 August 2010    Fenton Zawiya, Michigan
Fajr    Ramadan Series 2010

 

As-salaamu `alaykum.
Nawaytu 'l-arba`een, nawaytu 'l-`itikaaf, nawaytu 'l-khalwah, nawaytu 'l-'uzlah,
nawaytu 'r-riyaadah, nawaytu 's-sulook, lillahi ta`ala fee hadhaa 'l-masjid.

A`oodhu billahi min ash-Shaytani 'r-rajeem. Bismillahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem.
Madad yaa Sayyidee, yaa Sultan al-Awliya Shaykh `AbdAllah al-Fa`iz ad-Daghestani!
Madad yaa Sayyidee, Shaykh Muhammad Nazim al-Haqqani!

Alhamdulillah that Allah (swt) has connected us with people to whom He granted heavenly support. As followers or mureeds, it is necessary for everyone, if he wants to find his journey and reach his goal, to know where he is putting his foot. To know where he is stepping, his intention has to be clean, that he is following the path of Ahlu ’s-Sunnah wa ’l-Jama`ah, the path of Ahlu 'l-Bayt, and his intention has to be saadiq, pure, on his journey. Because today people are connecting with so many `ulama and different scholars, leaving the reality of Islam behind them and not giving importance to or even speaking about Maqaam al-Ihsaan, the station where thoughts and characters are pure, and moral values are carried within you, which takes you to your goal and destiny.

Awliyaaullah say that every person likes to reach somewhere. The goal is to reach Allah's love and Prophet's love, but unfortunately, it is like a pipe with many holes, so water leaks through the holes and doesn't reach the end of pipe, so you don't receive anything. Qaaloo innama kharam al-wusool ... "they pierce their way by putting many holes in it," and they lost the usool, the main principles of Islam, which is Maqaam al-Ihsaan.

People say they want Maqaam al-Ihsaan, but already they have put too many holes in their pipe, so how will they reach it? They will not. Awliyaa say you have to be careful. Qaala al-Qushayri, one of the big Sufi `alims, Imam Abd al-Karim ibn Hawazin al-Qushayri (q) (d. 1074, Persia), said, "It is not good to follow someone who is not from this path (Ahlu ’s-Sunnah wa ’l-Jama`ah and Ahlu 'l-Bayt; the Sufi path) as it might take you somewhere unaccepted. Today (700 years ago) people are on two ways and you have to avoid these two ways." It means, not avoid them completely, but find someone who carries them and carries the reality of Maqaam al-Ihsaan. "People today are people of footnotes and hearsay. They copy; they don't depend on what is new coming to hearts, refreshing their hearts. They copy what has been written, as this is their knowledge. They know what others wrote, but they don't progress to reach their destination. aw imma ashaab al-qawl wa 'l-fikr, They are people of thoughts: academia and intellectuals. You have to be careful about them. They are thinking with the mind, and Allah (swt) cannot be known by the mind, He is known by hearts."

So today people copy and paste and if that knowledge is not footnoted, they don't accept it! So they copy what came before them or they use their mind to make "reforms," as if Islam needs reform. No, Islam doesn't need reform but Muslims need to reform, by returning to the tradition of Prophet (s) and his Companions (r)! So the first group copy and paste and the second group are thinking people, like socialists who came at the beginning of the 20th century, Maududi, Syed Qutb and many others, saying, "We have to reform Islam." No, you have to be very careful about what your mind is thinking.

Awliyaa take from the heart of Prophet (s), and in that there are two principles: thawaabit, firm, fixed elements that you cannot play with or change, and mutaghayaraat, changeable. The thawaabit principles are not changed from copying and pasting, nor through academia thinking, but there has to be an inspiration from the heart of Prophet (s). Allah (swt) sends to Prophet, and Prophet sends to the hearts of awliyaa.This is why Jalaaluddin Rumi (q) brought so many changeable principles that he dressed on thawaabit, firm principles, because firm principles can be dressed with whatever dress you like.

Allah (swt) is known through His Beautiful Names, so His Beautiful Names can be dressed. Allah will manifest on His Prophet with His Beautiful Names, and He can dress on anyone from His Beautiful Names and grant them to know what name they are under. And there are many Names. Like tajalli ismullah al-`azham, the manifestation of the Name encompassing all Names, "Allah". How will it be manifested? For example, it will be manifested on "one," as in Holy Qur'an it is mentioned:

وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا

Wa annahu lamma qama `abdu Allaahi yad`oohu kaadoo yakoonoona `alayhi libada.
Yet when the Devotee of Allah stands forth to invoke Him, they just make round him a dense crowd. (72:19)

"When Allah's servant, the only one mentioned in Holy Qur'an as '`AbdAllah'," which means He dressed Prophet (s) with His Beautiful Names and with `ismullah al-`Adham, the Name encompassing all the Beautiful Names and Attributes, "Allah".

So Allah al-`ism al-ladhee... yatahaqaqu bi ismih...He is the only one on whom Allah (swt) manifested His Beautiful Names and Attributes, the Prophet (s). Because he is the highest rank and highest shaan, prestige, because he reached the reality and certainty of the manifestation of His Highest Beautiful Name, "Allah" that Prophet (s) was able to reach. That is why he was able to go in Israa wa 'l-Mi`raaj. Do you think that if Allah didn't dress him, he could go in Israa wa 'l-Mi`raaj? He would have been completely annihilated! Allah dressed him so he can come back. So Imam al-Qushayri (q) said, "When the servant of Allah asks through prayers, that Name was for Prophet and his inheritors," who are Ghawth, Aqtaab, Budalaa, Nujabaa, Nuqabaa, Awtaad, Akhyaar.

So the reality is not changeable. They can be dressed by mutaghayaraat, changeable principles, and in this way you can give every reality a colorful dress that you can follow. He continues:

وَأَلَّوِ اسْتَقَامُوا عَلَى الطَّرِيقَةِ لَأَسْقَيْنَاهُم مَّاء غَدَقًا

wa law istaqaamoo `ala at-tariqati la asqaynaahum maa'an ghadaqa
If they kept straight forward on the way, tariqah, we would shower them with blessings.

"If they stay on the Way, Siraat al-Mustaqeem," this is a fixed principle. But you can dress that principle, that anyone can go on that path, in a different manifestation, with different dresses, with different shuyookh, with different dhikr. The road doesn't change, but your technique as you go from one shaykh to another is a dress that can be changed. Allah said in Holy Qur'an: wa law istaqaamoo `ala at-tariqati la asqaynaahum maa'an ghadaqa.

Today they know now where rain comes from and to where it goes. The reality of the rain doesn't change. There are lakes or equatorial areas to where water evaporates, that is unchangable, but where that rain is sent is changable.

وَالْبَلَدُ الطَّيِّبُ يَخْرُجُ نَبَاتُهُ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِ وَالَّذِي خَبُثَ لاَ يَخْرُجُ إِلاَّ نَكِدًا كَذَلِكَ نُصَرِّفُ الآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَشْكُرُونَ

Wal baladut-tayyibu yakhruju nabatuhu bi-idhni rabbihi wa'Lladhee khabutha laa yakhruju illa nakidan kadhaalika nusarrifu 'l-ayati li-qawmin yashkuroon.
From the land that is clean and good, by the will of its Cherisher, springs up produce, (rich) after its kind: but from the land that is bad, springs up nothing but that which is niggardly: thus do we explain the signs by various (symbols) to those who are grateful. (al-Aa`raaf, 7:58)

The clouds are there, but Allah (swt) moves them as He likes by wind, which is in hands of angels, which is changeable. The principles of evaporation are unchangeable. For example, if you drop water on the floor, in ten or fifteen minutes it evaporates. If you go to the sauna, you sweat. Similarly, you have to sweat in the way of tariqah. If you don't sweat, what is the benefit? Do you want to sit on the throne and for them to carry you? nuqsaniyya, you have deficiencies they must work on for you to improve. For example, you don't like watermelon, so they give you watermelon; that is a bitterness, a sweat. This one likes to sleep too much, so they keep him awake! So everyone has to sweat and in a different way.

So a big wali said to someone who is higher than him but he didn't know, and awliyaa like to joke with each other, "Do you like to see Him, atureedu an taraah." The same question applies to everyone here: do you like to see Him? Yes, of course! Why are you coming to make dhikrullah? To see Him, to be more near Him.
That wali answered, "No, I don't like to see Him."
If they ask us, we would run to see Him! Sayyidina Musa (a) asked to see Him! So this wali was careful. And so he said no. They said that is strange.
He continued, unnazihu dhaak al-jamal `an nazhari mithilih, "I exalt that Beauty from Someone who has my eyes," meaning, "I am not worthy; I don't want my dirty eyes to see that Beauty, because that Beauty is exalted." To see that Beauty requires clean eyes. Can we say that?
They said, "When do you relax?" Today they say when you relax, take a massage. (laughter)
He said, "No, ma dumtu lahu dhaakiran, as long as I am remembering Him, I am relaxing. When I am heedless from His remembrance, I will not find any relaxation; I am sweating."

 

So you see the difference between them and us? Imam al-Qushayri (q) said, wa law istaqaamoo `ala at-tareeqati la asqaynahum maa'an ghadaqa "If they knew the variants (utaghayaraat), they would have succeeded."

Light is a constant speed, traveling at 300,000 Km/s. The moon has many variations in density between it and Earth; that is mutaghayaraat. That is why the speed of light coming from the moon is less than 300,000 Km/s, as there is a lot of friction taking place within that distance. So in this galaxy with so many stars--some farther than the moon, or the sun, or the polestar--your destination on this path is farther than any star in this universe. And a lot of variations might drop your power to move forward. That is why the guide will teach you what awraad to say, to make you move depending on your capacity. If you connect a 500-watt lamp to a 100-watt power source, the light, the lamp, and the wire will burn. But if you connect a 50-watt lamp to a 100-watt power source, neither the lamp nor the wire will burn. So the shaykh knows the capacity your heart can carry; he connects you, and your light is not burned out, and you move on that path. What the shaykh gives is mutaghayaraat, something that changes. He might give you a 50-watt or a 100-watt connection.

 

So Allah (swt) said in Holy Qur'an, "If he would stand on the path, we would order angels to send these clouds of mercy and put in their hearts. We would shower them with 'un-understandables' (unique knowledge)."

Support comes from Allah (swt). If you are on a track ready to move, as you are given awraad from your shaykh and you do it, then mercy, inayatullah, comes to push you like the wind blowing the clouds of rain. That is reeh as-siba, "cool breeze from Heavens" that moves you forward. Like a carriage on a track only needs the first push and it keeps going like a roller coaster. It might find a hill but it will go slowly up and then will go down quickly.

Allah (swt) said, inna ma` al-`usri yusra,"With difficulty comes ease." (94:6) He didn't say, "With ease comes difficulty," no, with difficulty there must be ease. So you face difficulty first, then you reach ease, as Allah (swt) confirmed:

أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ وَوَضَعْنَا عَنكَ وِزْرَكَ

alam nashrah laka sadrak, wa wadaa`naa `anka wizrak.
Have We not opened your breast for you and removed from you your burden. (Surat al-Shahr, 94:1-2)

Then, when you are steady on path, He sends angels to move these clouds of mercy and you quickly reach your goal.
Today people are so interested in an-naql wal-athar, "This one said this and this one said that." If you don't say the transmission of that knowledge, it is not acceptable. But everything is changeable, as today there are awliyaaullah inspired from the heart of Prophet (s). He (s) said, "I left behind the Book of Allah and my Way," and, "I left behind the holy Book and my Family." Put these two different hadeeth in an equation with the first side kitaabullah wa sunnatee = kitaabullah wa `itratee. Remove what is common on both sides, kitaabullah, so what is left? Sunnatee = `Itratee. So you have to look, those who are on his way are from his Family. Who are his Family? Many are from his blood family and also there is his spiritual family, like Sayyidina Salmaan al-Faarsi (r). Awliyaa are the ones who can take you forward to understand kitaabullah, the Book of Allah. Others only say, "He said this and he said that," but they are not understanding what is coming new. That is `ilm al-ghuyoob for you, but for them that is `ilm azh-zhuhoor, knowledge appearing for them.

 

So follow those who are receive divine inspiration in their hearts, shuyookh at-taa'ifah, shaykhs of that particular group. Who are they? They are awliyaaullah. If you follow others, you are in a maze. So awliyaa take you out of that maze. Awliyaullah are all on the similar way. Think-tank intellectuals believe if they study four years, they become a doctor and put that certificate. No, awliyaa are those who take you through your life, the past, future and present, giving you precisely what you need at any given moment. Now the intellectuals are coming to reform Islam. Islam is perfect like the full moon! You cannot reform Islam with ideas of Marx, Lenin, or socio-political movements such as communism, socialism, or even democratic or liberal ideologies. You have to come with something that is more spiritual and in the middle, that everyone can follow.

So Prophet (s) mentioned in many ahadeeth, and what is revealed in Holy Qur'an, that the best way to reach that is through dhikrullah and different ways of dhikr. Allah (swt) describes Himself for us with 99 Beautiful Names. You can go to infinite Names to remember Him and you have to know the highest is ismullah, "Allah," and when the servant of Allah (swt) stood up to pray, he is the one whom Allah (swt) dressed with all the Beautiful Names and Attributes. Abdus-Salaam is under the tajalli of the Divine Name "as-Salaam," but "`AbdAllah," Allah's Servant, is under the tajalli of all the Beautiful Names and Attributes!

So awliyaa are changable, based on what is dressing them. So may Allah (swt) clean us with His endless power.

Be careful on that verse, wa law istaqaamoo `ala at-tareeqati la asqaynaahum maan ghadaqa. May Allah (swt) fill our hearts with all His Names and Attributes.

Bi hurmati 'l-habeeb, bi hurmati 'l-Fatihah.