MERCY OCEANS, Book 01 (Shaykh Nazim, 208 pages, 3/12)
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said that he would have preferred to have been a woman rather than a man! He said this because a woman has only these three responsibilities, and if she honoured them, she would enter Paradise without any questions. A man, on the other hand, would be asked so many questions that he would wish he were dirt, let alone a woman! “I say this because I am a weak servant,” said Abu Muhammad. “If the husband is pleased with his wife, Allah is pleased.”
Nowadays, women are asking to be treated like men, wishing to bear the same heavy load. This is lack of wisdom. Women have the same chance as men for improvement in the Divine Presence, but they are created in a different way. Their inner lives are different. Men are hard and women are soft. “Men are the controllers of women,” says Allah. The souls of men are the perfection of Allah, while the souls of women are the appearance of the beauty of Allah. ‘Jamal,’ ‘Kamal,’ ‘Jalal’ – beauty, perfection, and majesty…
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“What is the highest point of selfishness?” asks our Grandshaykh. “It is egotism, and it is the worst character in a man. It means that such a man cannot carry anything contrary to his will. He must always do as he likes or he will be angry. There is no speaking against his opinion. He has no respect for the ideas of anyone else, and he won’t admit that he is wrong.”
Ego is the attribute of Pharaoh. It demands always to be chief, to dominate. It is the character of Satan, the worst character of the nafs, and the last to leave a man. The love of being chief! If there were only two people on earth, you would see it!
It is so difficult to rid a person of egotism. To conquer it is like trying to kill a snake, when the head is cut off the tail still wiggles! It is the aim of the tariqats, especially Naqshbandiyya, to eradicate this evil character.
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The Prophet (peace be upon him) never did anything without consulting Allah and the Sahaba (his companions). It is sunnah for us to do likewise. Our Grandshaykh tells us that no matter how clever a man may be, he is still in need of consultation.
Once, according to our Grandshaykh, a certain king was speaking with his grand vizier. “Tell me,” asked the king, “Why does a man need to consult with another? Doesn’t he have eyes to see with, and a mind with which to decide what to do?”
“O my king,” replied the vizier, “While it is true that a man has eyes, it is also true that he can never use them to see himself. On that point, each of us is blind!”
We learn correctness quickly with consultation. Everyone must have a consultant, or ‘mustashar.’ We must also know that if a man wishes to follow on the footsteps of the Prophet (peace be upon him), he must have a shaykh. He must ask Allah to send him a teacher.
“What are the good characters of a consultant?” asks our Grandshaykh. “You must be satisfied in your heart with his adab, his manners and mentality, and his ‘deen,’ his religious actions. The Prophet (peace be upon him), for example, consulted with his wives.”
His was the way of gentleness. His manner for asking for help would be to initiate the action himself. For instance, he might say to his wife, “May I put that jar over there?” Quickly she would understand, and pick it up herself. This is good manners, you can’t find this anywhere. Or, perhaps Rasulullah (peace be upon him) would place the jar himself, thus showing respect for his wife and raising her to his level. If a wife was listening closely enough to place the jar herself, it would be better for her than forty years of nafl (voluntary, or supererogatory) prayers. His giving her this chance increases domestic pleasure.
His was the way of consultation. When men consult each other, love and respect grow. “You have the best character,” Allah Almighty says of Muhammad (peace be upon him).
People would reply to the Prophet (peace be upon him), “O Muhammad! You know best,” whenever he would ask them a question.
Thus, social harmony is completed by consultation. Through commanding comes hatred, disrespect, and wildness. If all people practiced consultation, there would be the highest form of civilization and perfection.
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“All religions teach people the ways of real obedience to Allah Almighty,” explains our Grandshaykh. “We are His servants whether we accept it or not. Yet, knowing this is not enough. Anyone may say, “We are the servants of Allah Almighty,” but how many are truly serving as our Lord wants? Something is preventing us from real service, real obedience to Allah. It is our nafs.
“Therefore, man is always between two poles. From one Allah Almighty is calling us to His service, and from the other calls our nafs. When a servant is listening to his Lord, he is the servant of his Lord. When he listens to his nafs, on the other hand, he is the servant of his nafs.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was teaching us how to save ourselves from being the slave of our nafs. “O people!” he said, “Die before you die!” This is the advice to those wanting to be real servants to Allah Almighty; always listening to their Lord.
For such a person there are not two Lords, only Allah. Quran says, “If there are two Lords, one must be killed!” A man cannot serve two masters. Our nafs are asking for high life in this world; slay them, and you will be free for your Lord’s service and worship.
Our Grandshaykh says that the sign of a man’s having reached that point is that he has no demands other than his Lord’s. There are, for him, no demands in front of his Lord’s. He doesn’t say, “I like this. I don’t like that.” If his Lord likes, he likes – no demands. This is real obedience. He is like the dead body in the hands of the washer. He has surrendered. Does the dead person harm anyone with his hands or with his speech? No, it is impossible! People may give him harm without a reply from him.
This is the meaning of the hadith: “There is no harm in Islam; there is no giving harm for harm.” Suppose, for example, that I plant a tree and someone comes and pulls it up. That is a harm. Yet, Rasulullah (peace be upon him) says, “Don’t go and do the same to him!”
Of course, if there is no original harm, there can be no reply. No more harms for harms piling up. This was the personal sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). He was a mercy for all of creation, and all of the universe. His real followers are also mercy for all creation; fountains of mercy in this life, and after leaving it. I am not saying ‘dying.’ Everyone who comes to these people, whether during their lives or by visiting their tombs, will find mercy with them, will find pleasure at their hands.
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Our Shaykh says that haste in all things is not good. There are only three things for which haste was advised by our Prophet (peace be upon him):
The first case in which haste is recommended is when boys and girls reach puberty, we must hurry their marriage. Haste in this case is recommended because it will bring satisfaction for both the community and the individuals involved. All troubles come from unmarried people. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The worst people are the unwed.” Badness in society comes from unmarried people. When Mahdi (peace be upon him) comes, the first order will be for everyone to marry. No single people will remain, and community problems will draw to a close. The Prophet (peace be upon him) says about marriage, “A married man will protect one half of his religion but must be very careful of the other half, fearful of his actions before his Lord.” Therefore, marriage is very important in Islam.
The second case in which haste is advised by the Prophet (peace be upon him) is burying the dead. We shouldn’t wait for any reason. The dead body’s wish to meet the soil is as a groom’s desire to meet the bride.
The third case for haste is in providing for guests. Anything which is ready in the house should be placed upon the table. Do not delay to
make an elaborate preparation. A hadith relates, “If you believe in Allah and the Hereafter, you must provide for your guests.”
Haste in other than these three things is undesirable. To be patient is an attribute of Rahman (mercy). Our Grandshaykh says, “Sabr (patience) is an attribute of Allah Almighty. If a person wears this attribute, he will be given endless mercy, and will reach the side of Allah. It is only given to those who wear patience.”
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Says our Grandshaykh on correcting wrong actions into right, “In this time it is very difficult. You can’t find anyone on the correct way, generally speaking. All are on wrong ways, not pleasing Allah.
“What are these ways? They are the ways of pleasure for the nafs, ‘hasad al-amu’ (lusts). Nowadays, evils and devils are leading people. Even if all learned people were to meet to try and stop this facade, they would be helpless. Even if all Awliya gathered, they could do nothing. Rasulullah (peace be upon him) said, ‘The attribute of people (in our times, today) is tyranny. They deny the existence of the Creator, Allah Almighty.’ What can be done?
“Allah will send, for this time, a great Wali, a representative of His power. He will come with miracles of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and will destroy evils and devils. He is Mahdi (peace be upon him), and Allah Almighty will prepare him in one night to hold the entire universe in his hands!”
* * * * * * *
Concerning the hadith, “Die before you die,” Mawlana was asked,
“How can one accomplish this quickly?”
He replied, “For that, I must lock you in the water closet! Then you will see what this dunya is!”
When we started to write this, he said, “Don’t write! Everyone will
run away!”
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Our Grandshaykh says, “When Ibrahim, the son of the Prophet (peace be upon him), was born, a neighbouring Jew came to congratulate him saying, ‘May this son be a faithful follower to you, O Muhammad. May he not be lazy and may he take your place active with himmah (power of faith!)’
“The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, ‘O my neighbour, may Allah give you long life, and protect you from all evils and troubles. May He make this world give you much richness!’
“The Prophet (peace be upon him) made this gesture of goodness to an unbeliever, even though he knew that unbelief, denial of the truth, is the biggest evil and the source of all troubles. Allah accepted the Prophet’s prayer, and the neighbour came into Islam.
“Therefore, it is sunnah to visit neighbours, even if they are not Muslims. One should respect them, pray for them, and ask Allah to keep them and protect them from evil. You should keep good relations among those living forty houses’ distance from you in all directions. Then the country will have a close relationship.”
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Our Grandshaykh said, “I’m surprised at how quickly and easily people are learning the language of Satan without a school or teacher! They may learn it anywhere, in the home or in the street. I’m wondering how they learn it so quickly!”
Satan’s language is the cause of all troubles. Those words come out like fire. They must destroy both the one who speaks, and the one who listens. They make traps for men, catching them and throwing them into hell. Now we are living in a time when all people, from the highest to the lowest, are speaking Satan’s language; each one making traps for another.
Mankind and nations are on this way until they return to Allah’s ways. Until there is Allah’s language, no love will live among people. It is the honour of mankind to speak Divine languages. He who likes Allah
must speak Holy words. Therefore, we are waiting for a big teacher to come and teach Allah’s language with Divine power!
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Each one of these lessons solves one problem for mankind. Each one is a help for a certain situation. They may be of use now and also when Mahdi (peace be upon him) comes. They will not lose their value.
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Our Grandshaykh described how a dervish may be acceptable as a servant to Allah Almighty:
“He must have one character from each of three animals,” he said. “From the donkey, he must be able to carry burdens with patience, and without objections. Unless he can do this he will be unsuccessful, for without patience one cannot carry the responsibilities of life.
“From the dog, he must learn faithfulness to his master. If the master tells the dog to stay somewhere until the man returns, that dog will stay, even until death. If the owner beats it and chases it away, the dog will still return, with tail wagging, when its master calls.
“Finally, when a man looks at a pig he must know that his nafs is dirtier and filthier than the pig. The dirt of pigs is external, while the nafs is dirty inside. The nafs’ dirt comes from fighting with his Lord. Pigs’ dirt comes from eating dirty things, not from fighting. Perfect man must have such a character that he will accept whatever dirt is thrown on him, whether by words or actions, knowing that his nafs is dirtier.
“These three characters of animals are for Prophets and Awliya. If a man doesn’t have these characters, he isn’t a Prophet who carries all the burdens of the world, accepts all sorts of abuse, and still keeps total faith in his Lord and patience for all. These are the footsteps upon which we must follow. These characters give man rest and satisfaction in his heart. Only in this way can he reach happiness in this life. Otherwise, he will be unhappy always.
* * * * * * *
“If our actions of today are not better than our actions of
yesterday, it would be better for us to be in the earth than on it!”
So says our Grandshaykh speaking about the hadith which tells us when death is preferable to life. It is an exact balance upon which we can weigh our actions and measure our progress. It means that every day we must turn to our Lord more and more. This is improvement, to place our hearts more and more in the Divine Presence. Day by day, we should improve, cutting the bonds with which our nafs tie us to this life so that we may go freely up to Heaven. No one who is filled with the satisfactions and pleasures of this life may approach the Divine Presence. This is because he who is aiming towards his Heavenly station has no interest in this life, this dunya.
He who thinks about the Divine Presence, all troubles of this life will be as nothing for him! The best day for him will be the day when he is free from all his bonds and goes to Allah! There is endless pleasure in the Divine Presence, and he enters into oceans of satisfaction! The ancient doctors of wisdom had a prescription for nervous people. They told them to look at the sky instead of the ground. It is a simple example for this point. When a man looks to the Heavens, even if it is only with his eyes, he forgets his troubles. What will be the result if he looks with his heart to his Lord!
Our Grandshaykh says that nowadays it would be better for almost everyone to be under the ground, in their graves. This is because every day they are making new ties and bonds to this world. For them troubles are growing every day also. “O My people! Cut your ties and come to Me,” says Allah Almighty. “I have prepared for you all pleasures! Endless beauty, enjoyment, and happiness!” This announcement is for every moment. Everyone may hear this in his heart, but people are not using the ears in their hearts.
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“The balance of the community is with the family,” says our Grandshaykh, “and the balance of the family is with the obedience of the wife to her husband.”
No one may object to this point. When a woman obeys her husband, it is a decree for her pleasure in Paradise. Obedience has been ordered for wives to husbands, not husbands to their wives. It is contrary to nature for the strong to obey the weak. This is the law of nature, and the law of Allah; anyone going against this law must be punished.
Nowadays, men are obeying women. Every day, troubles are growing. People are leaving their obedience to Allah, and following Satan! The results of this are today’s endless troubles. It is the order of Allah for the wife to obey the husband. If she disobeys, however, and her husband has patience with her, it will mean degrees in Paradise for him. The goodness or the badness that we do in this life will not go unnoticed by our Lord.
* * * * * * *
“I’m not giving advice to people,” said our Grandshaykh, “because
I can’t find anyone who can keep that advice!”
“All Awliya are now hidden, because no one is listening to them. When there is no one to listen, they do not speak. People aren’t listening to the ulema (scholars), or the Awliya (saints), but only to the commands of their nafs, their egos. Only through fear of punishment will they obey any law at all, like small boys fearing the teacher’s stick. But the wise men, the ulema, have no power in these times. No one will listen to them.
The only correction for this is the edge of the sword of Mahdi (peace be upon him). There is no other way. This is not an ordinary sword, but a miracle sword, a terrible sword! Therefore, we are waiting, all goodhearted people are waiting for this power to come. It will come to cut off all the evils and devils now governing this world.
Bad people are not waiting, not looking for this huge event. They wish to continue forever. But, there is a Divine law; for every period there is a limit. No one can change the limits set by Allah Almighty. Now, we are in the period of tyrants. They have their limit, and then, finished! They are like a man stepping towards a buried mine; step by step, and then. . . BOOM! They will have reached their limit. Every day, the world is approaching this limit; it is the third world war!
* * * * * * *
Our Grandshaykh said, “If twelve thousand real believers were to
fight against seven kingdoms, they would win.”
Hadith, also, tells us that, “It is impossible not to win if twelve thousand of my nation will go against any army.”
The quantity isn’t important, but the quality is. In the army of Mahdi (peace be upon him), each man will be worth an army. What will be their qualities? “If you cut off their skins,” said our Shaykh, “they would not change!”
The owner of Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) placed him under a rock in the desert. His only reply was, “Allah, Allah!” If a person has real faith, like that, in difficult situations, Heavenly power will come to him. If there is no faith, he will die.
Our Grandshaykh told Mawlana that one day, he was at sea in a terrible storm. Quickly, the little boat in which he was traveling began to fill with water. All the people began to panic, except our Grandshaykh and one other man. Our Grandshaykh asked that fellow, “Why aren’t you afraid?”
“O Shaykh ‘Abdullah,” replied the man, “nothing is changing. We
are in Allah’s hands!”
Soon, a big ship came, and saved them all from the storm. In this way, Allah Almighty was testing and trying his servants. When He sees that their lman is all right, He takes them out of danger. For this, a servant must develop ‘sakina’ (calm) in the face of difficulties.
When Mahdi (peace be upon him) comes, twelve thousand soldiers from five countries in the west (known only to the Awliya) will come. Those twelve thousand are always in contact with Divine powers, a sign of real faith. They are forever steadfast, never turning their faces from the Face of Allah Almighty under any circumstances. Armies turn to ashes under their gaze. They are descendants of Sayyidina ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). When Mahdi (peace be upon him) says, “Allahu- Akbar!” they will be ready at the south gate of Damascus, from Aman.
Allah sets limits, and this one is soon to be suddenly finished. Each happening has its proper time. You may wake in the morning to a different world!
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An important and fine point from the teachings of our Grandshaykh:
The best of knowledge is the secret wisdom in it, not its outside shell. Whoever has been given this secret meaning has been given that which is most valuable. Anyone may find oysters on the shore, but to find a pearl you must dive to the depths.
The shell is the keeper of the pearl. Everyone may read Quran and hadith, but not everyone can understand the secret wisdom contained in them. It is not given to every person. Allah Almighty only gives these secrets to the hearts of His pure servants.
When a servant is given this valuable knowledge, his heart becomes like a fountain where many people may drink. Our Grandshaykh’s heart is a fountain of secret knowledge. It is the power of our ‘Buraq’ (our Heavenly ‘horse’) with which we are approaching the Divine Presence. As much as we have ‘Hikmah’ (wisdom) we are approaching…
* * * * * * *
Our Grandshaykh says, “Here is an important and useful secret. It can be knowledge for anyone. As much as he remembers and knows, he will draw much benefit.
“We can observe the universe, and know that it is filled with many creatures, all made by the Creator. What we must also see, however, is that the Creator and His creatures stand together. All things exist by the power of the Creator. If He Almighty did not support all things, they would vanish instantly. They have no existence outside of their Lord’s power. They are like shadows. If you hold your hand over a table, you can
see its shadow. If you remove your hand, the shadow goes away. One is original, the other is not.
“Allah Almighty is the original, the Creator. All Prophets and Awliya teach that absolute existence is for Him alone. There is no existence for any other. This must be a base for our knowledge to stand upon. If there is no true foundation for building knowledge, then our building will be imaginary, useless.
“Some foolish people ask, ‘Who created the Creator?’ It is a stupid question. The Creator cannot be created. All religions, all Prophets, give a description for Allah Almighty by saying, ‘By Allah, I am Lord! I am not in need of anything! I am He who stands by Himself! All the universe stands by My power!” Qayyum. Therefore, the Creator must be one; two is impossible, for one would then be in need of the other. He Almighty is in need of nothing. This is the explanation of ‘Tawhid.’
“Our existence is by Him Almighty. He is sending the spirit to us at all times. If He is not sending, there is no existence for us. We are nothing by ourselves. All creation is as a shadow of the hand of Allah. When the hand moves, the shadow moves. All things, all goodness and badness, no matter where, or from whom they appear to be coming, are in reality coming from Allah Almighty. This is deep knowledge. If a man knows this, he will be fixed in his belief, unmoving, like a mountain in powerful winds! It is the sixth pillar of Iman, of faith.
“When a man knows that all things, all people, are only an appearance of the power of Allah Almighty, then he will, out of respect to his Lord, keep respect for everyone. Allah Almighty will then change what had been badness into goodness for that servant. When you reach the reality of this point, no one can harm you or give you trouble. For your good manners, and your respect of your Lord and His creatures, Allah will change your harmer into your helper! You must say, ‘This fellow coming to me exists by my Lord’s will. He is my Lord’s servant, therefore I must keep his respect.’
“Fighting evils? You must know that the father of evils is within ourselves. It is our nafs. To fight your own nafs is enough. This is a strong lesson.”
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Here is another important lesson from our Grandshaykh:
“Allah sent one hundred and twenty-four thousand Prophets (peace and blessings be upon them) since the time of Adam (peace be upon him). From the Heavens He sent so many Holy books. What was the Divine reason for this? After the last Prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him), so many Awliya were also sent to lead and teach people. For what?
“They were sent to show people how to put out their egotism. Each person has a nafs which claims, ‘I must be obeyed. I must be the sultan to which all people obey!’ There is no limit to the nafs’ demands. Egos wish even Allah and his Prophet (peace be upon him) to bow to their desires!”
This is a complete description of our nafs. Prophets taught that the danger to people lay within the ego. They came, therefore, along with all the Holy books, to teach people how to strip off their nafs until they can’t claim anything. Our Grandshaykh knows the secret tricks of the nafs. He tells us that people’s sickness is a result of their egos. All problems result from this, personally and generally. Remember, the nafs claims always to be first, and that all must listen to it. Therefore, you must not listen. It is dangerous to listen to the nafs. Only by fighting against your ego can you reach happiness, here and hereafter…
“How can we fight our nafs?” asks our Grandshaykh. “The law (Shariah) of the Prophet (peace be upon him) puts men’s actions into two categories: those that we are ordered to do, and those that we are prohibited from doing. We must follow this law, that is the way to leave egotism.
“The nafs will always fight the orders of Allah, and run toward prohibited actions. We must refuse them. If we can defeat the nafs, then all things will be all right for us. With our nafs dead, there are no more objections to the orders of our Lord, no more claims to be sultan. We will say only, ‘O my Lord! I am your servant!’
“The main target of all Prophets is to teach man to say, ‘O my Lord, as you like. I am ready!’ Allah Almighty then says, ‘O my servant! As you like!’ This is the station of the Awliya, where people may be given immediately upon asking.”
* * * * * * *
“There is a hadith,” says our Grandshaykh, “that tells us that we must ask for knowledge. It is an order of our Lord. Whoever asks for knowledge will be taught by the Prophet (peace be upon him), the Awliya or by Allah Himself. The condition is that we must ask.
“Who is a seeker of knowledge? What are his attributes? His first sign is humbleness. It is a necessary condition for learning, for whoever is humble may accept all the conditions and difficulties he will encounter on his way to knowledge. He may, for instance, have to leave home and live among foreign peoples with unfamiliar customs. He must, if he is a real seeker of knowledge, be willing to wear old clothes, sleep on the floor, and share unaccustomed meals with strangers, always being patient for the knowledge to lead him to his Lord’s Presence. If a man cannot accept difficult situations, whatever they may be, then he is not humble. Allah gives to everyone who askes with humbleness and sincerity, but Holy knowledge is prohibited to those whose hearts are filled with pride.
“Egotism is the worst character of the nafs. It was for this character that Allah Almighty expelled lblis from the Divine Presence. When Iblis was ordered to make sajdah (to bow down) to Adam (peace be upon him), he hesitated and remained standing for a moment. This hesitation was so slight that it went unnoticed by all, save Allah Almighty. In that one instant Iblis claimed, ‘I am also God. No one is ruler over me!’ For that one moment’s rebellion, Iblis was thrown from the Divine Presence! Our nafs have the same character as this. They are always in rebellion to our Lord’s orders. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ‘The greatest enemy to man is his nafs.’ Therefore, if anyone is thrown from the Divine Presence, it is due to egotism. This is very strong knowledge if a man knows and believes.”
* * * * * * *
We are trying here not to teach, but to be believing. That is the difference between this place and other schools. We are taking care to make people believe, for whoever believes will keep orders.
The Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) was in Mecca for thirteen years, trying to make people believe. It was only afterwards that they were sent to Medina, because only the believers could keep the orders. Millions of people know this hadith, but what is the benefit; they don’t keep it!
The important point is to make people believe. Nowadays, there are millions of Muslims, but you can’t find many believers among them. The Sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them) of the Prophet (peace be upon him) were only a few thousand, but there was not one unbeliever among them. Because of their belief, victory was with them. The thirteen years spent in Mecca formed a foundation of belief to build a religion upon. Only when they believed exactly did Allah order the Hijra.
We must take an example from the Prophet (peace be upon him). You must do your best to make people believe in you, even if it is only one person. Then, you will be beside Prophets on the Judgment Day! You must be trustworthy; for if a man believes in you, he will do whatever you advise.
You must follow a man ninety-nine steps, so that he may come with you one step. Even if that man is going to haram, don’t abandon him! If you saw a man drowning in a dirty river, would you stand on the bank and refuse to jump in and save him because the water was dirty? If you can swim, you must save him. As our power allows, we must do our best; ninety-nine “NO’s” for one “YES.” Ninety-nine steps for friendship, it is a strong sword.
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“Nafs is our most dangerous enemy,” says our Grandshaykh. “We must be very careful of its endless traps and tricks. One trick of our ego is to claim humbleness when what it really desires is to be highly regarded by others. Abu Yazid al-Bistami (may Allah grant him more honours) said to us, ‘You must look to your nafs, O my sons, with such a looking that you may see that it is lower than all people. You must say,
‘My nafs is no good. My nafs is worse than those of all people. It is worse than Pharaoh, worse than Nimrod, worse even, than Satan!’ Unless you are saying this, you cannot smell the good smells of reality within our Tariqat. If a man doesn’t accept that his nafs is worse than everybody else’s, he really is the worst! Proud people cannot enter paradise, or smell the perfume.”
* * * * * * *
Our Grandshaykh says, “Allah gives to any who ask. He never refuses His servants, even unbelievers. It is not his attribute to refuse anyone asking, ‘O my Lord! Give to me!’
“It is also ordered for us to give, when our Lord asks. As we give, He gives to us. It is like taking water from a well, the water level stays the same, without becoming less and less! if you give one, Allah Almighty will give ten, twenty! There would be no problems if everyone in the world believed this, especially the wealthy. Abu Bakr (may Allah he pleased with him) said to the Prophet (peace be upon him), ‘Before Islam, I kept my hand in a tight fist, but now I open it without end.’
“Everybody may ask Allah for anything. Sometimes, He gives immediately, sometimes He gives later. Maybe He will not give during a man’s life, but will give after death, in Barzakh (between this life and akhira, the life hereafter). We determine here, in this world, what Barzakh holds for us. Maybe Al
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said that he would have preferred to have been a woman rather than a man! He said this because a woman has only these three responsibilities, and if she honoured them, she would enter Paradise without any questions. A man, on the other hand, would be asked so many questions that he would wish he were dirt, let alone a woman! “I say this because I am a weak servant,” said Abu Muhammad. “If the husband is pleased with his wife, Allah is pleased.”
Nowadays, women are asking to be treated like men, wishing to bear the same heavy load. This is lack of wisdom. Women have the same chance as men for improvement in the Divine Presence, but they are created in a different way. Their inner lives are different. Men are hard and women are soft. “Men are the controllers of women,” says Allah. The souls of men are the perfection of Allah, while the souls of women are the appearance of the beauty of Allah. ‘Jamal,’ ‘Kamal,’ ‘Jalal’ – beauty, perfection, and majesty…
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“What is the highest point of selfishness?” asks our Grandshaykh. “It is egotism, and it is the worst character in a man. It means that such a man cannot carry anything contrary to his will. He must always do as he likes or he will be angry. There is no speaking against his opinion. He has no respect for the ideas of anyone else, and he won’t admit that he is wrong.”
Ego is the attribute of Pharaoh. It demands always to be chief, to dominate. It is the character of Satan, the worst character of the nafs, and the last to leave a man. The love of being chief! If there were only two people on earth, you would see it!
It is so difficult to rid a person of egotism. To conquer it is like trying to kill a snake, when the head is cut off the tail still wiggles! It is the aim of the tariqats, especially Naqshbandiyya, to eradicate this evil character.
* * * * * * *
The Prophet (peace be upon him) never did anything without consulting Allah and the Sahaba (his companions). It is sunnah for us to do likewise. Our Grandshaykh tells us that no matter how clever a man may be, he is still in need of consultation.
Once, according to our Grandshaykh, a certain king was speaking with his grand vizier. “Tell me,” asked the king, “Why does a man need to consult with another? Doesn’t he have eyes to see with, and a mind with which to decide what to do?”
“O my king,” replied the vizier, “While it is true that a man has eyes, it is also true that he can never use them to see himself. On that point, each of us is blind!”
We learn correctness quickly with consultation. Everyone must have a consultant, or ‘mustashar.’ We must also know that if a man wishes to follow on the footsteps of the Prophet (peace be upon him), he must have a shaykh. He must ask Allah to send him a teacher.
“What are the good characters of a consultant?” asks our Grandshaykh. “You must be satisfied in your heart with his adab, his manners and mentality, and his ‘deen,’ his religious actions. The Prophet (peace be upon him), for example, consulted with his wives.”
His was the way of gentleness. His manner for asking for help would be to initiate the action himself. For instance, he might say to his wife, “May I put that jar over there?” Quickly she would understand, and pick it up herself. This is good manners, you can’t find this anywhere. Or, perhaps Rasulullah (peace be upon him) would place the jar himself, thus showing respect for his wife and raising her to his level. If a wife was listening closely enough to place the jar herself, it would be better for her than forty years of nafl (voluntary, or supererogatory) prayers. His giving her this chance increases domestic pleasure.
His was the way of consultation. When men consult each other, love and respect grow. “You have the best character,” Allah Almighty says of Muhammad (peace be upon him).
People would reply to the Prophet (peace be upon him), “O Muhammad! You know best,” whenever he would ask them a question.
Thus, social harmony is completed by consultation. Through commanding comes hatred, disrespect, and wildness. If all people practiced consultation, there would be the highest form of civilization and perfection.
* * * * * * *
“All religions teach people the ways of real obedience to Allah Almighty,” explains our Grandshaykh. “We are His servants whether we accept it or not. Yet, knowing this is not enough. Anyone may say, “We are the servants of Allah Almighty,” but how many are truly serving as our Lord wants? Something is preventing us from real service, real obedience to Allah. It is our nafs.
“Therefore, man is always between two poles. From one Allah Almighty is calling us to His service, and from the other calls our nafs. When a servant is listening to his Lord, he is the servant of his Lord. When he listens to his nafs, on the other hand, he is the servant of his nafs.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was teaching us how to save ourselves from being the slave of our nafs. “O people!” he said, “Die before you die!” This is the advice to those wanting to be real servants to Allah Almighty; always listening to their Lord.
For such a person there are not two Lords, only Allah. Quran says, “If there are two Lords, one must be killed!” A man cannot serve two masters. Our nafs are asking for high life in this world; slay them, and you will be free for your Lord’s service and worship.
Our Grandshaykh says that the sign of a man’s having reached that point is that he has no demands other than his Lord’s. There are, for him, no demands in front of his Lord’s. He doesn’t say, “I like this. I don’t like that.” If his Lord likes, he likes – no demands. This is real obedience. He is like the dead body in the hands of the washer. He has surrendered. Does the dead person harm anyone with his hands or with his speech? No, it is impossible! People may give him harm without a reply from him.
This is the meaning of the hadith: “There is no harm in Islam; there is no giving harm for harm.” Suppose, for example, that I plant a tree and someone comes and pulls it up. That is a harm. Yet, Rasulullah (peace be upon him) says, “Don’t go and do the same to him!”
Of course, if there is no original harm, there can be no reply. No more harms for harms piling up. This was the personal sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). He was a mercy for all of creation, and all of the universe. His real followers are also mercy for all creation; fountains of mercy in this life, and after leaving it. I am not saying ‘dying.’ Everyone who comes to these people, whether during their lives or by visiting their tombs, will find mercy with them, will find pleasure at their hands.
* * * * * * *
Our Shaykh says that haste in all things is not good. There are only three things for which haste was advised by our Prophet (peace be upon him):
The first case in which haste is recommended is when boys and girls reach puberty, we must hurry their marriage. Haste in this case is recommended because it will bring satisfaction for both the community and the individuals involved. All troubles come from unmarried people. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The worst people are the unwed.” Badness in society comes from unmarried people. When Mahdi (peace be upon him) comes, the first order will be for everyone to marry. No single people will remain, and community problems will draw to a close. The Prophet (peace be upon him) says about marriage, “A married man will protect one half of his religion but must be very careful of the other half, fearful of his actions before his Lord.” Therefore, marriage is very important in Islam.
The second case in which haste is advised by the Prophet (peace be upon him) is burying the dead. We shouldn’t wait for any reason. The dead body’s wish to meet the soil is as a groom’s desire to meet the bride.
The third case for haste is in providing for guests. Anything which is ready in the house should be placed upon the table. Do not delay to
make an elaborate preparation. A hadith relates, “If you believe in Allah and the Hereafter, you must provide for your guests.”
Haste in other than these three things is undesirable. To be patient is an attribute of Rahman (mercy). Our Grandshaykh says, “Sabr (patience) is an attribute of Allah Almighty. If a person wears this attribute, he will be given endless mercy, and will reach the side of Allah. It is only given to those who wear patience.”
* * * * * * *
Says our Grandshaykh on correcting wrong actions into right, “In this time it is very difficult. You can’t find anyone on the correct way, generally speaking. All are on wrong ways, not pleasing Allah.
“What are these ways? They are the ways of pleasure for the nafs, ‘hasad al-amu’ (lusts). Nowadays, evils and devils are leading people. Even if all learned people were to meet to try and stop this facade, they would be helpless. Even if all Awliya gathered, they could do nothing. Rasulullah (peace be upon him) said, ‘The attribute of people (in our times, today) is tyranny. They deny the existence of the Creator, Allah Almighty.’ What can be done?
“Allah will send, for this time, a great Wali, a representative of His power. He will come with miracles of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and will destroy evils and devils. He is Mahdi (peace be upon him), and Allah Almighty will prepare him in one night to hold the entire universe in his hands!”
* * * * * * *
Concerning the hadith, “Die before you die,” Mawlana was asked,
“How can one accomplish this quickly?”
He replied, “For that, I must lock you in the water closet! Then you will see what this dunya is!”
When we started to write this, he said, “Don’t write! Everyone will
run away!”
* * * * * * *
Our Grandshaykh says, “When Ibrahim, the son of the Prophet (peace be upon him), was born, a neighbouring Jew came to congratulate him saying, ‘May this son be a faithful follower to you, O Muhammad. May he not be lazy and may he take your place active with himmah (power of faith!)’
“The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, ‘O my neighbour, may Allah give you long life, and protect you from all evils and troubles. May He make this world give you much richness!’
“The Prophet (peace be upon him) made this gesture of goodness to an unbeliever, even though he knew that unbelief, denial of the truth, is the biggest evil and the source of all troubles. Allah accepted the Prophet’s prayer, and the neighbour came into Islam.
“Therefore, it is sunnah to visit neighbours, even if they are not Muslims. One should respect them, pray for them, and ask Allah to keep them and protect them from evil. You should keep good relations among those living forty houses’ distance from you in all directions. Then the country will have a close relationship.”
* * * * * * *
Our Grandshaykh said, “I’m surprised at how quickly and easily people are learning the language of Satan without a school or teacher! They may learn it anywhere, in the home or in the street. I’m wondering how they learn it so quickly!”
Satan’s language is the cause of all troubles. Those words come out like fire. They must destroy both the one who speaks, and the one who listens. They make traps for men, catching them and throwing them into hell. Now we are living in a time when all people, from the highest to the lowest, are speaking Satan’s language; each one making traps for another.
Mankind and nations are on this way until they return to Allah’s ways. Until there is Allah’s language, no love will live among people. It is the honour of mankind to speak Divine languages. He who likes Allah
must speak Holy words. Therefore, we are waiting for a big teacher to come and teach Allah’s language with Divine power!
* * * * * * *
Each one of these lessons solves one problem for mankind. Each one is a help for a certain situation. They may be of use now and also when Mahdi (peace be upon him) comes. They will not lose their value.
* * * * * * *
Our Grandshaykh described how a dervish may be acceptable as a servant to Allah Almighty:
“He must have one character from each of three animals,” he said. “From the donkey, he must be able to carry burdens with patience, and without objections. Unless he can do this he will be unsuccessful, for without patience one cannot carry the responsibilities of life.
“From the dog, he must learn faithfulness to his master. If the master tells the dog to stay somewhere until the man returns, that dog will stay, even until death. If the owner beats it and chases it away, the dog will still return, with tail wagging, when its master calls.
“Finally, when a man looks at a pig he must know that his nafs is dirtier and filthier than the pig. The dirt of pigs is external, while the nafs is dirty inside. The nafs’ dirt comes from fighting with his Lord. Pigs’ dirt comes from eating dirty things, not from fighting. Perfect man must have such a character that he will accept whatever dirt is thrown on him, whether by words or actions, knowing that his nafs is dirtier.
“These three characters of animals are for Prophets and Awliya. If a man doesn’t have these characters, he isn’t a Prophet who carries all the burdens of the world, accepts all sorts of abuse, and still keeps total faith in his Lord and patience for all. These are the footsteps upon which we must follow. These characters give man rest and satisfaction in his heart. Only in this way can he reach happiness in this life. Otherwise, he will be unhappy always.
* * * * * * *
“If our actions of today are not better than our actions of
yesterday, it would be better for us to be in the earth than on it!”
So says our Grandshaykh speaking about the hadith which tells us when death is preferable to life. It is an exact balance upon which we can weigh our actions and measure our progress. It means that every day we must turn to our Lord more and more. This is improvement, to place our hearts more and more in the Divine Presence. Day by day, we should improve, cutting the bonds with which our nafs tie us to this life so that we may go freely up to Heaven. No one who is filled with the satisfactions and pleasures of this life may approach the Divine Presence. This is because he who is aiming towards his Heavenly station has no interest in this life, this dunya.
He who thinks about the Divine Presence, all troubles of this life will be as nothing for him! The best day for him will be the day when he is free from all his bonds and goes to Allah! There is endless pleasure in the Divine Presence, and he enters into oceans of satisfaction! The ancient doctors of wisdom had a prescription for nervous people. They told them to look at the sky instead of the ground. It is a simple example for this point. When a man looks to the Heavens, even if it is only with his eyes, he forgets his troubles. What will be the result if he looks with his heart to his Lord!
Our Grandshaykh says that nowadays it would be better for almost everyone to be under the ground, in their graves. This is because every day they are making new ties and bonds to this world. For them troubles are growing every day also. “O My people! Cut your ties and come to Me,” says Allah Almighty. “I have prepared for you all pleasures! Endless beauty, enjoyment, and happiness!” This announcement is for every moment. Everyone may hear this in his heart, but people are not using the ears in their hearts.
* * * * * * *
“The balance of the community is with the family,” says our Grandshaykh, “and the balance of the family is with the obedience of the wife to her husband.”
No one may object to this point. When a woman obeys her husband, it is a decree for her pleasure in Paradise. Obedience has been ordered for wives to husbands, not husbands to their wives. It is contrary to nature for the strong to obey the weak. This is the law of nature, and the law of Allah; anyone going against this law must be punished.
Nowadays, men are obeying women. Every day, troubles are growing. People are leaving their obedience to Allah, and following Satan! The results of this are today’s endless troubles. It is the order of Allah for the wife to obey the husband. If she disobeys, however, and her husband has patience with her, it will mean degrees in Paradise for him. The goodness or the badness that we do in this life will not go unnoticed by our Lord.
* * * * * * *
“I’m not giving advice to people,” said our Grandshaykh, “because
I can’t find anyone who can keep that advice!”
“All Awliya are now hidden, because no one is listening to them. When there is no one to listen, they do not speak. People aren’t listening to the ulema (scholars), or the Awliya (saints), but only to the commands of their nafs, their egos. Only through fear of punishment will they obey any law at all, like small boys fearing the teacher’s stick. But the wise men, the ulema, have no power in these times. No one will listen to them.
The only correction for this is the edge of the sword of Mahdi (peace be upon him). There is no other way. This is not an ordinary sword, but a miracle sword, a terrible sword! Therefore, we are waiting, all goodhearted people are waiting for this power to come. It will come to cut off all the evils and devils now governing this world.
Bad people are not waiting, not looking for this huge event. They wish to continue forever. But, there is a Divine law; for every period there is a limit. No one can change the limits set by Allah Almighty. Now, we are in the period of tyrants. They have their limit, and then, finished! They are like a man stepping towards a buried mine; step by step, and then. . . BOOM! They will have reached their limit. Every day, the world is approaching this limit; it is the third world war!
* * * * * * *
Our Grandshaykh said, “If twelve thousand real believers were to
fight against seven kingdoms, they would win.”
Hadith, also, tells us that, “It is impossible not to win if twelve thousand of my nation will go against any army.”
The quantity isn’t important, but the quality is. In the army of Mahdi (peace be upon him), each man will be worth an army. What will be their qualities? “If you cut off their skins,” said our Shaykh, “they would not change!”
The owner of Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) placed him under a rock in the desert. His only reply was, “Allah, Allah!” If a person has real faith, like that, in difficult situations, Heavenly power will come to him. If there is no faith, he will die.
Our Grandshaykh told Mawlana that one day, he was at sea in a terrible storm. Quickly, the little boat in which he was traveling began to fill with water. All the people began to panic, except our Grandshaykh and one other man. Our Grandshaykh asked that fellow, “Why aren’t you afraid?”
“O Shaykh ‘Abdullah,” replied the man, “nothing is changing. We
are in Allah’s hands!”
Soon, a big ship came, and saved them all from the storm. In this way, Allah Almighty was testing and trying his servants. When He sees that their lman is all right, He takes them out of danger. For this, a servant must develop ‘sakina’ (calm) in the face of difficulties.
When Mahdi (peace be upon him) comes, twelve thousand soldiers from five countries in the west (known only to the Awliya) will come. Those twelve thousand are always in contact with Divine powers, a sign of real faith. They are forever steadfast, never turning their faces from the Face of Allah Almighty under any circumstances. Armies turn to ashes under their gaze. They are descendants of Sayyidina ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). When Mahdi (peace be upon him) says, “Allahu- Akbar!” they will be ready at the south gate of Damascus, from Aman.
Allah sets limits, and this one is soon to be suddenly finished. Each happening has its proper time. You may wake in the morning to a different world!
* * * * * * *
An important and fine point from the teachings of our Grandshaykh:
The best of knowledge is the secret wisdom in it, not its outside shell. Whoever has been given this secret meaning has been given that which is most valuable. Anyone may find oysters on the shore, but to find a pearl you must dive to the depths.
The shell is the keeper of the pearl. Everyone may read Quran and hadith, but not everyone can understand the secret wisdom contained in them. It is not given to every person. Allah Almighty only gives these secrets to the hearts of His pure servants.
When a servant is given this valuable knowledge, his heart becomes like a fountain where many people may drink. Our Grandshaykh’s heart is a fountain of secret knowledge. It is the power of our ‘Buraq’ (our Heavenly ‘horse’) with which we are approaching the Divine Presence. As much as we have ‘Hikmah’ (wisdom) we are approaching…
* * * * * * *
Our Grandshaykh says, “Here is an important and useful secret. It can be knowledge for anyone. As much as he remembers and knows, he will draw much benefit.
“We can observe the universe, and know that it is filled with many creatures, all made by the Creator. What we must also see, however, is that the Creator and His creatures stand together. All things exist by the power of the Creator. If He Almighty did not support all things, they would vanish instantly. They have no existence outside of their Lord’s power. They are like shadows. If you hold your hand over a table, you can
see its shadow. If you remove your hand, the shadow goes away. One is original, the other is not.
“Allah Almighty is the original, the Creator. All Prophets and Awliya teach that absolute existence is for Him alone. There is no existence for any other. This must be a base for our knowledge to stand upon. If there is no true foundation for building knowledge, then our building will be imaginary, useless.
“Some foolish people ask, ‘Who created the Creator?’ It is a stupid question. The Creator cannot be created. All religions, all Prophets, give a description for Allah Almighty by saying, ‘By Allah, I am Lord! I am not in need of anything! I am He who stands by Himself! All the universe stands by My power!” Qayyum. Therefore, the Creator must be one; two is impossible, for one would then be in need of the other. He Almighty is in need of nothing. This is the explanation of ‘Tawhid.’
“Our existence is by Him Almighty. He is sending the spirit to us at all times. If He is not sending, there is no existence for us. We are nothing by ourselves. All creation is as a shadow of the hand of Allah. When the hand moves, the shadow moves. All things, all goodness and badness, no matter where, or from whom they appear to be coming, are in reality coming from Allah Almighty. This is deep knowledge. If a man knows this, he will be fixed in his belief, unmoving, like a mountain in powerful winds! It is the sixth pillar of Iman, of faith.
“When a man knows that all things, all people, are only an appearance of the power of Allah Almighty, then he will, out of respect to his Lord, keep respect for everyone. Allah Almighty will then change what had been badness into goodness for that servant. When you reach the reality of this point, no one can harm you or give you trouble. For your good manners, and your respect of your Lord and His creatures, Allah will change your harmer into your helper! You must say, ‘This fellow coming to me exists by my Lord’s will. He is my Lord’s servant, therefore I must keep his respect.’
“Fighting evils? You must know that the father of evils is within ourselves. It is our nafs. To fight your own nafs is enough. This is a strong lesson.”
* * * * * * *
Here is another important lesson from our Grandshaykh:
“Allah sent one hundred and twenty-four thousand Prophets (peace and blessings be upon them) since the time of Adam (peace be upon him). From the Heavens He sent so many Holy books. What was the Divine reason for this? After the last Prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him), so many Awliya were also sent to lead and teach people. For what?
“They were sent to show people how to put out their egotism. Each person has a nafs which claims, ‘I must be obeyed. I must be the sultan to which all people obey!’ There is no limit to the nafs’ demands. Egos wish even Allah and his Prophet (peace be upon him) to bow to their desires!”
This is a complete description of our nafs. Prophets taught that the danger to people lay within the ego. They came, therefore, along with all the Holy books, to teach people how to strip off their nafs until they can’t claim anything. Our Grandshaykh knows the secret tricks of the nafs. He tells us that people’s sickness is a result of their egos. All problems result from this, personally and generally. Remember, the nafs claims always to be first, and that all must listen to it. Therefore, you must not listen. It is dangerous to listen to the nafs. Only by fighting against your ego can you reach happiness, here and hereafter…
“How can we fight our nafs?” asks our Grandshaykh. “The law (Shariah) of the Prophet (peace be upon him) puts men’s actions into two categories: those that we are ordered to do, and those that we are prohibited from doing. We must follow this law, that is the way to leave egotism.
“The nafs will always fight the orders of Allah, and run toward prohibited actions. We must refuse them. If we can defeat the nafs, then all things will be all right for us. With our nafs dead, there are no more objections to the orders of our Lord, no more claims to be sultan. We will say only, ‘O my Lord! I am your servant!’
“The main target of all Prophets is to teach man to say, ‘O my Lord, as you like. I am ready!’ Allah Almighty then says, ‘O my servant! As you like!’ This is the station of the Awliya, where people may be given immediately upon asking.”
* * * * * * *
“There is a hadith,” says our Grandshaykh, “that tells us that we must ask for knowledge. It is an order of our Lord. Whoever asks for knowledge will be taught by the Prophet (peace be upon him), the Awliya or by Allah Himself. The condition is that we must ask.
“Who is a seeker of knowledge? What are his attributes? His first sign is humbleness. It is a necessary condition for learning, for whoever is humble may accept all the conditions and difficulties he will encounter on his way to knowledge. He may, for instance, have to leave home and live among foreign peoples with unfamiliar customs. He must, if he is a real seeker of knowledge, be willing to wear old clothes, sleep on the floor, and share unaccustomed meals with strangers, always being patient for the knowledge to lead him to his Lord’s Presence. If a man cannot accept difficult situations, whatever they may be, then he is not humble. Allah gives to everyone who askes with humbleness and sincerity, but Holy knowledge is prohibited to those whose hearts are filled with pride.
“Egotism is the worst character of the nafs. It was for this character that Allah Almighty expelled lblis from the Divine Presence. When Iblis was ordered to make sajdah (to bow down) to Adam (peace be upon him), he hesitated and remained standing for a moment. This hesitation was so slight that it went unnoticed by all, save Allah Almighty. In that one instant Iblis claimed, ‘I am also God. No one is ruler over me!’ For that one moment’s rebellion, Iblis was thrown from the Divine Presence! Our nafs have the same character as this. They are always in rebellion to our Lord’s orders. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ‘The greatest enemy to man is his nafs.’ Therefore, if anyone is thrown from the Divine Presence, it is due to egotism. This is very strong knowledge if a man knows and believes.”
* * * * * * *
We are trying here not to teach, but to be believing. That is the difference between this place and other schools. We are taking care to make people believe, for whoever believes will keep orders.
The Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) was in Mecca for thirteen years, trying to make people believe. It was only afterwards that they were sent to Medina, because only the believers could keep the orders. Millions of people know this hadith, but what is the benefit; they don’t keep it!
The important point is to make people believe. Nowadays, there are millions of Muslims, but you can’t find many believers among them. The Sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them) of the Prophet (peace be upon him) were only a few thousand, but there was not one unbeliever among them. Because of their belief, victory was with them. The thirteen years spent in Mecca formed a foundation of belief to build a religion upon. Only when they believed exactly did Allah order the Hijra.
We must take an example from the Prophet (peace be upon him). You must do your best to make people believe in you, even if it is only one person. Then, you will be beside Prophets on the Judgment Day! You must be trustworthy; for if a man believes in you, he will do whatever you advise.
You must follow a man ninety-nine steps, so that he may come with you one step. Even if that man is going to haram, don’t abandon him! If you saw a man drowning in a dirty river, would you stand on the bank and refuse to jump in and save him because the water was dirty? If you can swim, you must save him. As our power allows, we must do our best; ninety-nine “NO’s” for one “YES.” Ninety-nine steps for friendship, it is a strong sword.
* * * * * * *
“Nafs is our most dangerous enemy,” says our Grandshaykh. “We must be very careful of its endless traps and tricks. One trick of our ego is to claim humbleness when what it really desires is to be highly regarded by others. Abu Yazid al-Bistami (may Allah grant him more honours) said to us, ‘You must look to your nafs, O my sons, with such a looking that you may see that it is lower than all people. You must say,
‘My nafs is no good. My nafs is worse than those of all people. It is worse than Pharaoh, worse than Nimrod, worse even, than Satan!’ Unless you are saying this, you cannot smell the good smells of reality within our Tariqat. If a man doesn’t accept that his nafs is worse than everybody else’s, he really is the worst! Proud people cannot enter paradise, or smell the perfume.”
* * * * * * *
Our Grandshaykh says, “Allah gives to any who ask. He never refuses His servants, even unbelievers. It is not his attribute to refuse anyone asking, ‘O my Lord! Give to me!’
“It is also ordered for us to give, when our Lord asks. As we give, He gives to us. It is like taking water from a well, the water level stays the same, without becoming less and less! if you give one, Allah Almighty will give ten, twenty! There would be no problems if everyone in the world believed this, especially the wealthy. Abu Bakr (may Allah he pleased with him) said to the Prophet (peace be upon him), ‘Before Islam, I kept my hand in a tight fist, but now I open it without end.’
“Everybody may ask Allah for anything. Sometimes, He gives immediately, sometimes He gives later. Maybe He will not give during a man’s life, but will give after death, in Barzakh (between this life and akhira, the life hereafter). We determine here, in this world, what Barzakh holds for us. Maybe Al
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