MERCY OCEANS, Book 02 (Shaykh Nazim, 224 pages, 9/12)
https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=5781
fooled by the outer appearence. The degree of people in the Divine Presence is with their heart. You must look after your heart more than your body.
* * *
NAQSHBANDIA TARIQAT SETTING LIMITS FOR EGO’S DESIRES
We are going to speak about our most distinguished of tariqats, Naqshbandiyya al-aliyya. Without ways no- body can reach from one place to another. Everyone has a particular destination. Every Prophet came with outer laws and inner ways to show people how to reach their destinations. The inner way is most important. When the inner is alright, quickly the outward is going
130
to be right. So many people may take the outward, but their inward remaining not good. Therefore, faith is the first order. If our faith is strong, our actions will be best. This is a balance for measuring. The actions and the attributes of a man are according to his faith. As much as having faith, actions better, character better. Changing the ego’s characteristics is very difficult. It is keeping them strongly. Like water, the ego always likes to run downhill, never likes to go up. You must use power to get water up from the valley to the mountain. All Tariqats’ aim is at changing bad character into good character. People who are enjoying with ego’s desires are not accepting to be controlled by faith. They are asking to be free.
Now we are living in an atmosphere where people are not taking any care. Everyone is asking to be more free in their actions, free in their desires. Even if giving one the whole world, he would ask to have another planet. You cannot find any limit to be satisfied with if running after ego’s desires. Tariqat orders its follower to use his mentality for everything. Mentality says, ‘you are one person, what is your need in this life?, what is your ca- pacity for eating, dressing, marrying?’ Using mentality in this way gives you rest. Tariqat orders one to keep to one’s capacity. One exceeding himself will be cruel. Taking more than your capacity is taking the rights of others. Just as all countries have boundaries, all peo- ple in a community have boundaries. To ask more is foolishness. The Prophet said: «Honourable is he who is satisfied and dishonourable is he who is greedy.» Who- ever is not in Tariqat and is under the control of his ego
131
is always asking more than his need. For what? If ha- ving more than you need; give. Nothing makes people happier and more at peace than to be generous. Nothing gives trouble to the heart like miserliness always suffe- ring when losing anything. And then when going to die:
«Oh, how can I leave my flocks, my cars, my buildings!» The worst suffering is for those tying their hearts to this world’s materials. Tariqat orders to put your heart with your Lord. He is not going to leave you, here or hereafter. This is peace and satisfaction for everyone. You may be in any religion, but this reality is not going to change. Endless peace and enjoyment is for people leaving enjoyment of this world, and tying their hearts to the Lord. There are two kinds of enjoyment. Enjoy- ment of the body is so short and has so many limiting conditions which must be met. Enjoyment of the heart is most complete. You cannot describe that enjoyment. If having a headache, it stops, bad thoughts, stop, every bad thing stops when sitting in the Lord’s presence and calling to Him, speaking to Him.
* * *
TRAVELLING, THE WAY OF ALL PROPHETS
Our Grandsheikh is speaking about travelling. The Prophet, peace be upon him, urged people to travel. It is sunnah, the famous way of all Prophets, because they were ordered to teach people and train them. So many people can’t find a reason to go to Prophets, their egos
132
preventing them. But if a Prophet comes to them they may believe. Anyone looking to or speaking with or sit- ting with, respecting, helping, or giving something to them must come to happiness, faith and Islam. If anyo- ne gives a simple thing, a little helping to a Prophet, it is enough to be in protection with him on the last day. Therefore Prophets travelled among people. Do you know how difficult it is for Prophets to go around mixing with people? Can you name one Prophet not mi- xing with people? Can you? They were going to their meetings and calling them; and those were very hard people. Allah Almighty says, ‘go out and show your- self and call them and be patient with them.’ For every saint on the steps of the Prophet, it is wâjib, mandatory to travel. They are hunters for people, to bring them from an untrue way to the true way. For 40 years I have been travelling, for the sake of sunnah, and by the or- der of my Grandsheikh, and coming into relations with people, that they may help us, respect us or look on us. Indeed one look may be forgotten, but this shape, face will be drawn on his heart, coming back to him in his last moment. Such a person as our Grandsheikh, his light is not going to be lost.
When travelling, you must keep yourself suitable to all people, not quarreling or showing bad character. The difficulties of travel change ego’s bad characters into good characters. A man may find rest and peace in his home doing as he likes, but in a foreign country, he can’t find everything as he likes or everyone respecting him as his countrymen. You find in travelling medici- ne for ego’s badness and come back home softer, wiser
133
and giving value for everything. Travelling is good for bodies and spirits, from two sides gaining. The Prophet says: «Travel, you will find health and provision.» Sub- hanallâh, now American and European people are using this hadith saving money to travel on holidays. They are keeping the order of the Prophet without knowing it. Anyone keeping a hadith of the Prophet is hooked. He will be in the Divine Presence on the Last Day, sa- ying: «Oh my Lord, these people followed me, travel- ling once a year. I ask intercession for them.» For the honour of the Prophet, his intercession is accepted.
* * *
COVERING BADNESS
Our Grandshkeikh is guiding us always to goodness and good character. He was saying an important wisdom everyone must use. To cover badness is from one of the good characters. If there is badness, cover it, don’t lea- ve it to be seen either on yourself or on others. Don’t exhibit badness to people. Show goodness to them from yourself. Keep yourself that no one may be witness to your badness. It is not a good manner to admit or boast of a bad doing. Allah Almighty likes to cover badness. Look to the cat covering its dirties. Don’t leave any sign. When badness is covered it is finished. Don’t try to open that which is covered.
Yesterday we met a friend, and I told one student to kiss his hand. He did not like it and said: «I am not a
134
good man that you should kiss me.» And he began to tell us of his badness. I said: «Now we are witnesses for your goodness as a Muslim and as a believer, why telling us this? We are weak people, perhaps our love for you will come down.» The Prophet says: «Faith destroys every badness that came before it.» It cleans a person of every badness he made before faith. Don’t speak of them. We are asking Islam with every means to make love strong between people, bringing them nearer to each other. Everything making them far apart is prohibited.
Allah likes to cover our sins and likes his servants to cover them also. The Prophet says there is a curse for the fifth witness. The worst action for people is adul- tery and it carries the severest punishment. For two persons married to others it is death. But there must be four witnesses. How will they witness? The judge will call them one at a time while the others wait outside. He asks the first if he was witness to fornication. He says «Yes». «Are you sure?» «Yes, I saw them.» «Did you run your hand between them and feel something like a knife in its sheath?» «No.» «Then go away, get out.» All four witnesses come and go this way. For any other wit- nesses coming, a fifth or sixth, a curse is on them. Then the judge asks the accused: «What do you say?» It is best for them to say «No». (When a person came to the Prophet wanting to admit to adultery, the Prophet first turned away his head, told him to go away, and when he persisted asked the sahâba if that person was mad, and only after all that carried out punishment.)
The judge says: «It is harâm to be alone with a strange woman. No death punishment, but you must
133
know that this leads to fornication. Be careful.» Then he may give them any other punishment, so that they may remember.
This keeps people honourable in front of everyone. Perhaps we may see such a thing, but we must keep our eyes. Don’t be witness for sins. If seeing, think of another thing. One learned man was passing with his students by a ruined place. A man and woman were to- gether in there. The students ran to catch them, but the sheikh came with his coat and covered them, sa- ying: «This poor man and his wife have no roof to be under. Leave them.»
Our Grandsheikh was telling a tale of Mulla Nasrud- din. Once his wife died and he married a widow. They were lying together in bed, when she started talking like this: «Oh, my first husband was such a good man.» He became angry and returned: «Oh, my first wife, she was so sweet and beautiful and obedient.» But when she continued, he kicked her out of bed and broke her foot. She went to court and complained. The judge asked the Mulla whether he had kicked her. He said: «No, not at all. You must know a bed is for two persons. That night also came her first husband and my first wife and she was on the edge of the bed and rolled off. The judge understood and sent them away.
* * *
136
FOR THOSE DENYING TARIQATS
Our Grandsheikh is cautioning us on an important point. Shah Naqshband, the main pillar of the Naqsh- bandi Order, was advising to his khalifa, ‘Alā’uddîn al- Bukhārî: «Don’t listen to a learned person who denies the way of Tariqats. If listening, then for three days Satan will be in command of you. If not repenting in three days, he will take the man for forty days. And if not repenting in 40 days, you must expect to come on you a curse for one year.» Now in our times, so many people are refusing Tariqats. Leave them, don’t argue with them. They are like Abû Jahl, the Prophet spoke to him, but he did not accept. We are not more power- ful than the Prophet.
* * *
WHO IS AN UNBELIEVER?
Our Grandsheikh says whoever is never saying «Allah» is a kâfir, unbeliever. Anyone saying «Allah», even in his own language, you must not say to him «Kafir». This is clear, our Grandsheikh is leaving this so wide, so open, not making conditions, all Prophets just came to make people, believing in their Lord, not in them- selves. Anyone saying «God» must be considered a be- liever. Even if a person says, as we do in English, «Oh my God», Allah is catching him. This is gigantic good news. The Prophet, peace be upon him, says if a person
137
says: «Ya Rabb», Allah says to him: «I am here, oh my servant, what do you need?» Allah is closer to you than you to yourself.»
* * *
SPEAKING THE HOLY NAME OF ALLAH
Our Grandsheikh says that whoever speaks the holy name of Allah Almighty, he is accepted in the Divine Presence as a believer; and he told me a tale on this point, that even if the child of a man, says the holy name, the father will take benefit.
Once upon a time, there was a highway-man. He killed and robbed so many people. When he died, they buried him in a cemetery holding 700,000 people. There came on him such a punishment that all around him where disturbed by it, even believers. For seven years it con- tinued, then one day it suddenly stopped, and blessings began to come. All the buried people were surprised. Allah gave to them the explanation. That person’s wife was pregnant when he died. She gave birth to a boy, and when he reached the age of seven years, one neigh- bour took him to a mosque, and he told the sheikh the- re: «This is an orphan, son of that robber; please teach him Qur’ān. I will pay double.» He accepted. The boy sat in front of him and they began: Bismi llâhi r-rahmâni r-rahîm. They repeated this over and over. Allah said:
«I am ashamed to give punishment to any man, no mat- ter how bad his actions were when his son is calling My
138
name.» Be pleased. Don’t be worried for your parents. Allah Almighty for your honour is giving blessings for all your parents. Now I have not permission, but will come a time when I will show to all coming to Grand- sheikh the positions of their ancestors, by dreams or when awake. This is exact knowledge. «‘Ilm-ul-Yaqîn, ‘Ain-ul-Yaqîn» Certainty of Knowledge, Certainty of Vision, more sure than your present sight. Everytime calling on Allah, comes increase of light, honour and peace in your heart.
* * *
ALWAYS ASK FOR MORE KNOWLEDGE THE SOUL’S CAPACITY IS ENDLESS
My Grandsheikh is saying the advice of the Prophet to him: «For everyone coming to visit you, you must advi- se him that although he may be such a learned person, he must know that there may be another, more learned than him.» This means you must always ask for more knowledge. Known things are nothing beside unknown things. Our knowledge is like nothing in comparison to what we don’t know.
My Grandsheikh was saying: «European people will come to us; they are not ignorant people, but they must know, that there are some things they do not know. They must be asking more.» Don’t stay at one level. Rea- ching one horizon, you see another horizon, you must ask for it. Allah is endlessly bestowing knowledge.
139
Now we may say, our power is not enough for car- rying more. This thought is with body power, limited head capacity, but we are looking to the heart, power of spirit. That power is endless. The soul’s capacity is endless. Now Western people have reached the peak of scientific knowledges, but yet their hearts are virgin. If opening that, endless power will appear.
Our Grandsheikh is addressing: Oh, Western people, your heads are full up with knowledge, but still your hearts are empty. Ask not more for your mind, now ask for your heart. Its space is such that you may put in it all the stars and yet it is not filled. You must ask the keys. Every Prophet in his reign, his time, is the owner of those keys. This time is for Sayyidinā Muhammad and his Awliyā’. If you have not reached to a level to keep a treasure, it is not given to you. Like for orphans, the government keeps their property until they reach maturity. If we are asking for the treasure of the heart, it means we are moving to take the keys.
* * *
KEEPING THE EYES, THE TONGUE, THE LIMBS
Our Grandsheikh is saying that in the wisdom of all Heavenly Books, the summary of orders which Allah Almighty is sending through all of them, is this:
All order to servants to protect firstly their eyes, secondly their tongues, and thirdly all organs of the
160
body, to keep them from the control of Satan, our main enemy. All troubles come to people from their looking, speaking and acting. There are two teachers for eve- ry man. Allah Almighty teaching goodness and Satan teaching badness. Man is ready to accept both, but to learn evil is easier, because it is ego’s desire, and becau- se it is mixed up, joined with bodily needs. To practice goodness is difficult. To learn is easy, but to practice is difficult. Therefore you may see the majority of peo- ple running after badness. But for goodness, it requires climbing, up, not easy. All devils are teaching bad ac- tions, easy to learn, not needed for one to go to school. From looking come the main problems for people,
«Why does he have such fine clothes, and I don’t have?» Envy grows among people after looking. One looking to himself and not thanking his Lord is a criminal. Everyo- ne must say: «I have been given the best one, my body, my wife, my horse.» One looking that: «He has and I haven’t» is entering into Hell in this life and burning. All Holy Books say: «Keep your eyes from the look of envy.»
All quarrelling, anger, affliction and discord come from the tongue, The Prophet says, who keeps his tongue is in safety. Who leaves his tongue untied may fall into Hell in this life and the next. It is such a snake, biting you and others. There are four gates to keep the tongue, the upper and the lower teeth and two lips. In all Holy Books, the order to keep the tongue is unchan- ging, but people are changing it.
Thirdly, all shari‘ahs from Adam to Muhammad or- der to keep the body, ears, hands, feet and every organ,
161
because Satan is coming to take them and use them as he likes. Don’t surrender, be a fighter against Satan. These orders are never changing in any religion. If not putting value on keeping these three, that religion loses its value, becomes useless. Anyone using his mentality will find this exactly right. Religions are not mistaken, but people are making mistakes, losing what is impor- tant and looking to the unimportant. You may try this. Anyone doing ego’s desires must feel regret and sorrow. Refusing ego’s desire is difficult at the beginning, but if you are patient and not doing its desires, then Allah will give to your heart pleasure and happiness. This is true for everyone. Man is in the same form. Whether French, English, American or German, yellow or red, his feelings are the same in front of good or bad actions. When Nero burned Rome, he was burning in his con- science.
Therefore the first teaching of Tariqat is to keep your eyes, your tongue and your limbs as much as you can. You are training, you can’t learn suddenly. Step by step, you can reach the level where you like to be, don’t give up hope. If you may be one per cent successful it is good, but zero per cent is no good. We must try, we must fight as much as we can. The Prophet says, eve- ry action is with its intention. Now we intend to keep these three. We may win sometimes, and lose some- times, but our intention brings Divine Help, and with Divine Help, we may be successful in every way.
* * *
162
book two
FOLLOWING LIKE A SHADOW AND THE STORY OF THE BARREL OF WINE
One of our Grandsheikhs, ‘Alā’uddîn al-Bukhārî, was asking his Sheikh, Shah Naqshbandi a question. He was the son-in-law of Shah Naqshbandi and sometimes as- ked not for himself but for the benefit of other students.
«Oh my Sheikh when can we say a person is a servant of Allah?» He said: «When you are a shadow of Allah Al- mighty.» This means following His Will as shadow fol- lows a body. Your shadow is never leaving you. Then he asked: «When is a person really of the Ummah of the Prophet?» The answer: «When he is to the Prophet as a shadow following in every way.» «When is a person a real mureed?» «When he is following the sheikh like a shadow.» When the sheikh is present, no will for that mureed, only the sheikh is there.
(Here a question is asked of Mevlana: «What if the sheikh says ‘Drink tea’, and the mureed says ‘I don’t drink tea’?)
Sometimes a sheikh tries his mureed, to see if he is yet using his own mind or not. Once in Istanbul, Sheikh Yahya at-Trabzoni had such a beautiful mosque, a very peaceful place on the Bosporus. I am visiting there every time I go to Istanbul. So many Christians came into Islam by his hand. He was not a big man, small like me. One day, sitting with his mureeds, one ship captain who was a Christian, came in with a barrel of vintage wine on his back. The mureeds tried to stop him, but the sheikh, sitting, signaled them to let him be. The captain rushed to kiss the sheikh’s hand and
163
sat addressing him: «Oh my lord, I am a captain on the Black Sea; we were in treacherous storm there and had given up all hope of surviving. I was praying, ‘I heard of a big sheikh in Istanbul, Sheikh Yahya, for his honour I am asking help.’ Then a person appeared in the sea and taking the ship by the bow, led it into a safe bay. He said he was Yahya, and I swore if I arrived safely, I would give him a barrel of the most valuable wine.» The sheikh accepted, and said: «Now pour for every- one.» All the mureeds were speechless, but one by one drinking, big cups full. The captain was astonished that no one was getting drunk, so tasting himself, he found fresh pomegranate juice. Throwing himself at the feet of the sheikh, he said. «Lâ ilâha illâ llâh. Muhammadun rasûla llâh.»
Sometimes a sheikh is trying you, you must carry out his order. Don’t think the sheikh is going against shari‘ah. The testing is for old mureeds. Old trees you may climb up on them, but new ones may bend and break.
‘Alā’uddîn continued: «When is a person a real brot- her in Tariqat?» «When saying to Allah: ‘As you like, oh my Lord’, and saying to the Prophet ‘As you like’, and saying to his sheikh ‘As you like’, and saying to his brother ‘As you like, my brother’, then he is a real brother in Tariqat.» «When is a lady a real wife for her husband?» «When she is as his shadow, saying ‘As you like, my lord’.»
‘Alā’uddîn spoke to his sheikh saying: «Oh my Lord, with these replies, I am catching the keys to the Kamal Maqam, the state of perfection.» Whoever can act with
164
these words, must reach to real perfection in the Di- vine Presence. It is enough to reach the highest degree of sainthood.
* * *
A METHOD IN OUR WAY
Our Grandsheikh was asking: «Oh my sons, how was the Prophet teaching his disciples?» He was not giving spe- cial lessons for language, fiqh or tawheed. As in Qur’ān, where every knowledge and science comes through the verses, all Grandsheikhs were teaching their mureeds in association with them. No need for special lessons, they could find everything in their sheikh’s lectures, and the knowledge was easy to keep. You may take a vitamin tablet, but Allah puts vitamins in oranges, le- mons, grapes and apples, and you eat and are pleased. No one is pleased with a vitamin tablet. In apples you find freshness and enjoyment for yourself.
* * *
PRIDE AND MANNERS AT METTING
We are speaking on a method in the Naqshbandi Or- der. If some people are meeting in a place, among them one should be speaking and the others listening. That gathering becomes Allah’s gathering. Whoever is at-
163
tending will come out clean, feeling peace within them- selves, rest, and enjoyment of heart. This is the sign of mercy and blessing coming. They go out wearing Di- vine lights.
On the contrary, if there is a meeting where every- one is saying: «I know» and «My mind is the best one here», and everyone is sitting there with one satan on his neck, «I am the first on earth, no one can think like me», and none coming down to humbleness; then schisms and hypocrisy will be there, no agreements. People arrive like mankind and leave like wolves, don- keys, snakes and scorpions. Every meeting where peo- ple are claiming to be something, they will be nothing. But to a humble man Allah gives; he is useful to himself and others. We accept that who knows more has more responsibility, a heavy weight.
The best manner in the Naqshbandi Order or for any- one is to be asking for more knowledge. More know- ledge is more light. More light, more light. (Here a brother is nodding in agreement when Mevlana turns to him.) You know the meaning of the first light and the second light? More light means reaching easily to heaven. Light is Divine wisdom and with this light as- cending to heavens.
The Prophet said: «Cleanliness is from faith.» All of his Hadiths make easy ways for us to reach heaven. In- stead of too many books, the Prophet was making re- ligion and its practice easy. Any person can keep this hadith, no need to go to school. It can be learned in an instant and practiced all of one’s life, and is enough for a man to reach the highest degree of sainthood. If a man
166
has his faith, he must be clean in his heart, body, and life. Not clean means no faith, the first sign of cleanli- ness means belief in God Almighty.
If a man is clean in his heart, he is not proud. No one can be proud except the Lord Almighty. He is Al-Muta- kabbir. It is not for servants. What have we to be proud about? Can one who enters a toilet be proud? If proud, he must not go in. That work there, does it give us ho- nour? If giving honour we must do it in front of other people. I am speaking clearly, sitting at the bottom of people to make them understand, pride is the ugliest character from people. Pride is for Allah Almighty only. Humbleness is the attribute of a servant.
Pharaoh was going to the toilet only once every 40 days, and then saying: «I, Pharaoh, am your Lord.» Al- lah sent to him Moses, ‘alayhi s-salâm whose staff tur- ned into a dragon, opening its mouth, one mile from the bottom jaw to the upper, and rushing on the castle of Pharaoh. Then out of fear Pharaoh was going 40 times in one day to the toilet.
When people are meeting and no one is listening, it means they are proud, with what? If humble and liste- ning, Allah gives one piece of wisdom from every per- son you meet with. Everyone is a Khalif of Allah Al- mighty. Everyone has a secret. Don’t think every forest is empty of tigers. Be perceptive. Don’t think nothing is with a person, judging him by his clothes. We must respect people, this is cleanliness. If a man is good in every way but is proud, you cannot like him. He is un- liked by people and by Allah.
167
* * *
THE WISDOM BEHIND SATAN NOTHING CREATED WITHOUT BENEFIT
Our Grandsheikh was speaking about ‘Alā’uddîn al- Bukhārî, the khalif of Shah Naqshbandi, the main pil- lar of the Naqshbandi Order. Our Grandsheikh said if Shah Naqshbandi had not existed, there would be no order. Grandsheikh was praising ‘Alā’uddîn, saying that he was a big man and he knew the secret wisdom of the existence of satan in the universe. Only a few people know. He was one of them in his time among the ‘Ulamā’. All Awliyā’ know, but as for ‘ulamâ’, only a few know. Grandsheikh asked: «What is the benefit to know the wisdom of satan’s ex
Link: https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=5781
fooled by the outer appearence. The degree of people in the Divine Presence is with their heart. You must look after your heart more than your body.
* * *
NAQSHBANDIA TARIQAT SETTING LIMITS FOR EGO’S DESIRES
We are going to speak about our most distinguished of tariqats, Naqshbandiyya al-aliyya. Without ways no- body can reach from one place to another. Everyone has a particular destination. Every Prophet came with outer laws and inner ways to show people how to reach their destinations. The inner way is most important. When the inner is alright, quickly the outward is going
130
to be right. So many people may take the outward, but their inward remaining not good. Therefore, faith is the first order. If our faith is strong, our actions will be best. This is a balance for measuring. The actions and the attributes of a man are according to his faith. As much as having faith, actions better, character better. Changing the ego’s characteristics is very difficult. It is keeping them strongly. Like water, the ego always likes to run downhill, never likes to go up. You must use power to get water up from the valley to the mountain. All Tariqats’ aim is at changing bad character into good character. People who are enjoying with ego’s desires are not accepting to be controlled by faith. They are asking to be free.
Now we are living in an atmosphere where people are not taking any care. Everyone is asking to be more free in their actions, free in their desires. Even if giving one the whole world, he would ask to have another planet. You cannot find any limit to be satisfied with if running after ego’s desires. Tariqat orders its follower to use his mentality for everything. Mentality says, ‘you are one person, what is your need in this life?, what is your ca- pacity for eating, dressing, marrying?’ Using mentality in this way gives you rest. Tariqat orders one to keep to one’s capacity. One exceeding himself will be cruel. Taking more than your capacity is taking the rights of others. Just as all countries have boundaries, all peo- ple in a community have boundaries. To ask more is foolishness. The Prophet said: «Honourable is he who is satisfied and dishonourable is he who is greedy.» Who- ever is not in Tariqat and is under the control of his ego
131
is always asking more than his need. For what? If ha- ving more than you need; give. Nothing makes people happier and more at peace than to be generous. Nothing gives trouble to the heart like miserliness always suffe- ring when losing anything. And then when going to die:
«Oh, how can I leave my flocks, my cars, my buildings!» The worst suffering is for those tying their hearts to this world’s materials. Tariqat orders to put your heart with your Lord. He is not going to leave you, here or hereafter. This is peace and satisfaction for everyone. You may be in any religion, but this reality is not going to change. Endless peace and enjoyment is for people leaving enjoyment of this world, and tying their hearts to the Lord. There are two kinds of enjoyment. Enjoy- ment of the body is so short and has so many limiting conditions which must be met. Enjoyment of the heart is most complete. You cannot describe that enjoyment. If having a headache, it stops, bad thoughts, stop, every bad thing stops when sitting in the Lord’s presence and calling to Him, speaking to Him.
* * *
TRAVELLING, THE WAY OF ALL PROPHETS
Our Grandsheikh is speaking about travelling. The Prophet, peace be upon him, urged people to travel. It is sunnah, the famous way of all Prophets, because they were ordered to teach people and train them. So many people can’t find a reason to go to Prophets, their egos
132
preventing them. But if a Prophet comes to them they may believe. Anyone looking to or speaking with or sit- ting with, respecting, helping, or giving something to them must come to happiness, faith and Islam. If anyo- ne gives a simple thing, a little helping to a Prophet, it is enough to be in protection with him on the last day. Therefore Prophets travelled among people. Do you know how difficult it is for Prophets to go around mixing with people? Can you name one Prophet not mi- xing with people? Can you? They were going to their meetings and calling them; and those were very hard people. Allah Almighty says, ‘go out and show your- self and call them and be patient with them.’ For every saint on the steps of the Prophet, it is wâjib, mandatory to travel. They are hunters for people, to bring them from an untrue way to the true way. For 40 years I have been travelling, for the sake of sunnah, and by the or- der of my Grandsheikh, and coming into relations with people, that they may help us, respect us or look on us. Indeed one look may be forgotten, but this shape, face will be drawn on his heart, coming back to him in his last moment. Such a person as our Grandsheikh, his light is not going to be lost.
When travelling, you must keep yourself suitable to all people, not quarreling or showing bad character. The difficulties of travel change ego’s bad characters into good characters. A man may find rest and peace in his home doing as he likes, but in a foreign country, he can’t find everything as he likes or everyone respecting him as his countrymen. You find in travelling medici- ne for ego’s badness and come back home softer, wiser
133
and giving value for everything. Travelling is good for bodies and spirits, from two sides gaining. The Prophet says: «Travel, you will find health and provision.» Sub- hanallâh, now American and European people are using this hadith saving money to travel on holidays. They are keeping the order of the Prophet without knowing it. Anyone keeping a hadith of the Prophet is hooked. He will be in the Divine Presence on the Last Day, sa- ying: «Oh my Lord, these people followed me, travel- ling once a year. I ask intercession for them.» For the honour of the Prophet, his intercession is accepted.
* * *
COVERING BADNESS
Our Grandshkeikh is guiding us always to goodness and good character. He was saying an important wisdom everyone must use. To cover badness is from one of the good characters. If there is badness, cover it, don’t lea- ve it to be seen either on yourself or on others. Don’t exhibit badness to people. Show goodness to them from yourself. Keep yourself that no one may be witness to your badness. It is not a good manner to admit or boast of a bad doing. Allah Almighty likes to cover badness. Look to the cat covering its dirties. Don’t leave any sign. When badness is covered it is finished. Don’t try to open that which is covered.
Yesterday we met a friend, and I told one student to kiss his hand. He did not like it and said: «I am not a
134
good man that you should kiss me.» And he began to tell us of his badness. I said: «Now we are witnesses for your goodness as a Muslim and as a believer, why telling us this? We are weak people, perhaps our love for you will come down.» The Prophet says: «Faith destroys every badness that came before it.» It cleans a person of every badness he made before faith. Don’t speak of them. We are asking Islam with every means to make love strong between people, bringing them nearer to each other. Everything making them far apart is prohibited.
Allah likes to cover our sins and likes his servants to cover them also. The Prophet says there is a curse for the fifth witness. The worst action for people is adul- tery and it carries the severest punishment. For two persons married to others it is death. But there must be four witnesses. How will they witness? The judge will call them one at a time while the others wait outside. He asks the first if he was witness to fornication. He says «Yes». «Are you sure?» «Yes, I saw them.» «Did you run your hand between them and feel something like a knife in its sheath?» «No.» «Then go away, get out.» All four witnesses come and go this way. For any other wit- nesses coming, a fifth or sixth, a curse is on them. Then the judge asks the accused: «What do you say?» It is best for them to say «No». (When a person came to the Prophet wanting to admit to adultery, the Prophet first turned away his head, told him to go away, and when he persisted asked the sahâba if that person was mad, and only after all that carried out punishment.)
The judge says: «It is harâm to be alone with a strange woman. No death punishment, but you must
133
know that this leads to fornication. Be careful.» Then he may give them any other punishment, so that they may remember.
This keeps people honourable in front of everyone. Perhaps we may see such a thing, but we must keep our eyes. Don’t be witness for sins. If seeing, think of another thing. One learned man was passing with his students by a ruined place. A man and woman were to- gether in there. The students ran to catch them, but the sheikh came with his coat and covered them, sa- ying: «This poor man and his wife have no roof to be under. Leave them.»
Our Grandsheikh was telling a tale of Mulla Nasrud- din. Once his wife died and he married a widow. They were lying together in bed, when she started talking like this: «Oh, my first husband was such a good man.» He became angry and returned: «Oh, my first wife, she was so sweet and beautiful and obedient.» But when she continued, he kicked her out of bed and broke her foot. She went to court and complained. The judge asked the Mulla whether he had kicked her. He said: «No, not at all. You must know a bed is for two persons. That night also came her first husband and my first wife and she was on the edge of the bed and rolled off. The judge understood and sent them away.
* * *
136
FOR THOSE DENYING TARIQATS
Our Grandsheikh is cautioning us on an important point. Shah Naqshband, the main pillar of the Naqsh- bandi Order, was advising to his khalifa, ‘Alā’uddîn al- Bukhārî: «Don’t listen to a learned person who denies the way of Tariqats. If listening, then for three days Satan will be in command of you. If not repenting in three days, he will take the man for forty days. And if not repenting in 40 days, you must expect to come on you a curse for one year.» Now in our times, so many people are refusing Tariqats. Leave them, don’t argue with them. They are like Abû Jahl, the Prophet spoke to him, but he did not accept. We are not more power- ful than the Prophet.
* * *
WHO IS AN UNBELIEVER?
Our Grandsheikh says whoever is never saying «Allah» is a kâfir, unbeliever. Anyone saying «Allah», even in his own language, you must not say to him «Kafir». This is clear, our Grandsheikh is leaving this so wide, so open, not making conditions, all Prophets just came to make people, believing in their Lord, not in them- selves. Anyone saying «God» must be considered a be- liever. Even if a person says, as we do in English, «Oh my God», Allah is catching him. This is gigantic good news. The Prophet, peace be upon him, says if a person
137
says: «Ya Rabb», Allah says to him: «I am here, oh my servant, what do you need?» Allah is closer to you than you to yourself.»
* * *
SPEAKING THE HOLY NAME OF ALLAH
Our Grandsheikh says that whoever speaks the holy name of Allah Almighty, he is accepted in the Divine Presence as a believer; and he told me a tale on this point, that even if the child of a man, says the holy name, the father will take benefit.
Once upon a time, there was a highway-man. He killed and robbed so many people. When he died, they buried him in a cemetery holding 700,000 people. There came on him such a punishment that all around him where disturbed by it, even believers. For seven years it con- tinued, then one day it suddenly stopped, and blessings began to come. All the buried people were surprised. Allah gave to them the explanation. That person’s wife was pregnant when he died. She gave birth to a boy, and when he reached the age of seven years, one neigh- bour took him to a mosque, and he told the sheikh the- re: «This is an orphan, son of that robber; please teach him Qur’ān. I will pay double.» He accepted. The boy sat in front of him and they began: Bismi llâhi r-rahmâni r-rahîm. They repeated this over and over. Allah said:
«I am ashamed to give punishment to any man, no mat- ter how bad his actions were when his son is calling My
138
name.» Be pleased. Don’t be worried for your parents. Allah Almighty for your honour is giving blessings for all your parents. Now I have not permission, but will come a time when I will show to all coming to Grand- sheikh the positions of their ancestors, by dreams or when awake. This is exact knowledge. «‘Ilm-ul-Yaqîn, ‘Ain-ul-Yaqîn» Certainty of Knowledge, Certainty of Vision, more sure than your present sight. Everytime calling on Allah, comes increase of light, honour and peace in your heart.
* * *
ALWAYS ASK FOR MORE KNOWLEDGE THE SOUL’S CAPACITY IS ENDLESS
My Grandsheikh is saying the advice of the Prophet to him: «For everyone coming to visit you, you must advi- se him that although he may be such a learned person, he must know that there may be another, more learned than him.» This means you must always ask for more knowledge. Known things are nothing beside unknown things. Our knowledge is like nothing in comparison to what we don’t know.
My Grandsheikh was saying: «European people will come to us; they are not ignorant people, but they must know, that there are some things they do not know. They must be asking more.» Don’t stay at one level. Rea- ching one horizon, you see another horizon, you must ask for it. Allah is endlessly bestowing knowledge.
139
Now we may say, our power is not enough for car- rying more. This thought is with body power, limited head capacity, but we are looking to the heart, power of spirit. That power is endless. The soul’s capacity is endless. Now Western people have reached the peak of scientific knowledges, but yet their hearts are virgin. If opening that, endless power will appear.
Our Grandsheikh is addressing: Oh, Western people, your heads are full up with knowledge, but still your hearts are empty. Ask not more for your mind, now ask for your heart. Its space is such that you may put in it all the stars and yet it is not filled. You must ask the keys. Every Prophet in his reign, his time, is the owner of those keys. This time is for Sayyidinā Muhammad and his Awliyā’. If you have not reached to a level to keep a treasure, it is not given to you. Like for orphans, the government keeps their property until they reach maturity. If we are asking for the treasure of the heart, it means we are moving to take the keys.
* * *
KEEPING THE EYES, THE TONGUE, THE LIMBS
Our Grandsheikh is saying that in the wisdom of all Heavenly Books, the summary of orders which Allah Almighty is sending through all of them, is this:
All order to servants to protect firstly their eyes, secondly their tongues, and thirdly all organs of the
160
body, to keep them from the control of Satan, our main enemy. All troubles come to people from their looking, speaking and acting. There are two teachers for eve- ry man. Allah Almighty teaching goodness and Satan teaching badness. Man is ready to accept both, but to learn evil is easier, because it is ego’s desire, and becau- se it is mixed up, joined with bodily needs. To practice goodness is difficult. To learn is easy, but to practice is difficult. Therefore you may see the majority of peo- ple running after badness. But for goodness, it requires climbing, up, not easy. All devils are teaching bad ac- tions, easy to learn, not needed for one to go to school. From looking come the main problems for people,
«Why does he have such fine clothes, and I don’t have?» Envy grows among people after looking. One looking to himself and not thanking his Lord is a criminal. Everyo- ne must say: «I have been given the best one, my body, my wife, my horse.» One looking that: «He has and I haven’t» is entering into Hell in this life and burning. All Holy Books say: «Keep your eyes from the look of envy.»
All quarrelling, anger, affliction and discord come from the tongue, The Prophet says, who keeps his tongue is in safety. Who leaves his tongue untied may fall into Hell in this life and the next. It is such a snake, biting you and others. There are four gates to keep the tongue, the upper and the lower teeth and two lips. In all Holy Books, the order to keep the tongue is unchan- ging, but people are changing it.
Thirdly, all shari‘ahs from Adam to Muhammad or- der to keep the body, ears, hands, feet and every organ,
161
because Satan is coming to take them and use them as he likes. Don’t surrender, be a fighter against Satan. These orders are never changing in any religion. If not putting value on keeping these three, that religion loses its value, becomes useless. Anyone using his mentality will find this exactly right. Religions are not mistaken, but people are making mistakes, losing what is impor- tant and looking to the unimportant. You may try this. Anyone doing ego’s desires must feel regret and sorrow. Refusing ego’s desire is difficult at the beginning, but if you are patient and not doing its desires, then Allah will give to your heart pleasure and happiness. This is true for everyone. Man is in the same form. Whether French, English, American or German, yellow or red, his feelings are the same in front of good or bad actions. When Nero burned Rome, he was burning in his con- science.
Therefore the first teaching of Tariqat is to keep your eyes, your tongue and your limbs as much as you can. You are training, you can’t learn suddenly. Step by step, you can reach the level where you like to be, don’t give up hope. If you may be one per cent successful it is good, but zero per cent is no good. We must try, we must fight as much as we can. The Prophet says, eve- ry action is with its intention. Now we intend to keep these three. We may win sometimes, and lose some- times, but our intention brings Divine Help, and with Divine Help, we may be successful in every way.
* * *
162
book two
FOLLOWING LIKE A SHADOW AND THE STORY OF THE BARREL OF WINE
One of our Grandsheikhs, ‘Alā’uddîn al-Bukhārî, was asking his Sheikh, Shah Naqshbandi a question. He was the son-in-law of Shah Naqshbandi and sometimes as- ked not for himself but for the benefit of other students.
«Oh my Sheikh when can we say a person is a servant of Allah?» He said: «When you are a shadow of Allah Al- mighty.» This means following His Will as shadow fol- lows a body. Your shadow is never leaving you. Then he asked: «When is a person really of the Ummah of the Prophet?» The answer: «When he is to the Prophet as a shadow following in every way.» «When is a person a real mureed?» «When he is following the sheikh like a shadow.» When the sheikh is present, no will for that mureed, only the sheikh is there.
(Here a question is asked of Mevlana: «What if the sheikh says ‘Drink tea’, and the mureed says ‘I don’t drink tea’?)
Sometimes a sheikh tries his mureed, to see if he is yet using his own mind or not. Once in Istanbul, Sheikh Yahya at-Trabzoni had such a beautiful mosque, a very peaceful place on the Bosporus. I am visiting there every time I go to Istanbul. So many Christians came into Islam by his hand. He was not a big man, small like me. One day, sitting with his mureeds, one ship captain who was a Christian, came in with a barrel of vintage wine on his back. The mureeds tried to stop him, but the sheikh, sitting, signaled them to let him be. The captain rushed to kiss the sheikh’s hand and
163
sat addressing him: «Oh my lord, I am a captain on the Black Sea; we were in treacherous storm there and had given up all hope of surviving. I was praying, ‘I heard of a big sheikh in Istanbul, Sheikh Yahya, for his honour I am asking help.’ Then a person appeared in the sea and taking the ship by the bow, led it into a safe bay. He said he was Yahya, and I swore if I arrived safely, I would give him a barrel of the most valuable wine.» The sheikh accepted, and said: «Now pour for every- one.» All the mureeds were speechless, but one by one drinking, big cups full. The captain was astonished that no one was getting drunk, so tasting himself, he found fresh pomegranate juice. Throwing himself at the feet of the sheikh, he said. «Lâ ilâha illâ llâh. Muhammadun rasûla llâh.»
Sometimes a sheikh is trying you, you must carry out his order. Don’t think the sheikh is going against shari‘ah. The testing is for old mureeds. Old trees you may climb up on them, but new ones may bend and break.
‘Alā’uddîn continued: «When is a person a real brot- her in Tariqat?» «When saying to Allah: ‘As you like, oh my Lord’, and saying to the Prophet ‘As you like’, and saying to his sheikh ‘As you like’, and saying to his brother ‘As you like, my brother’, then he is a real brother in Tariqat.» «When is a lady a real wife for her husband?» «When she is as his shadow, saying ‘As you like, my lord’.»
‘Alā’uddîn spoke to his sheikh saying: «Oh my Lord, with these replies, I am catching the keys to the Kamal Maqam, the state of perfection.» Whoever can act with
164
these words, must reach to real perfection in the Di- vine Presence. It is enough to reach the highest degree of sainthood.
* * *
A METHOD IN OUR WAY
Our Grandsheikh was asking: «Oh my sons, how was the Prophet teaching his disciples?» He was not giving spe- cial lessons for language, fiqh or tawheed. As in Qur’ān, where every knowledge and science comes through the verses, all Grandsheikhs were teaching their mureeds in association with them. No need for special lessons, they could find everything in their sheikh’s lectures, and the knowledge was easy to keep. You may take a vitamin tablet, but Allah puts vitamins in oranges, le- mons, grapes and apples, and you eat and are pleased. No one is pleased with a vitamin tablet. In apples you find freshness and enjoyment for yourself.
* * *
PRIDE AND MANNERS AT METTING
We are speaking on a method in the Naqshbandi Or- der. If some people are meeting in a place, among them one should be speaking and the others listening. That gathering becomes Allah’s gathering. Whoever is at-
163
tending will come out clean, feeling peace within them- selves, rest, and enjoyment of heart. This is the sign of mercy and blessing coming. They go out wearing Di- vine lights.
On the contrary, if there is a meeting where every- one is saying: «I know» and «My mind is the best one here», and everyone is sitting there with one satan on his neck, «I am the first on earth, no one can think like me», and none coming down to humbleness; then schisms and hypocrisy will be there, no agreements. People arrive like mankind and leave like wolves, don- keys, snakes and scorpions. Every meeting where peo- ple are claiming to be something, they will be nothing. But to a humble man Allah gives; he is useful to himself and others. We accept that who knows more has more responsibility, a heavy weight.
The best manner in the Naqshbandi Order or for any- one is to be asking for more knowledge. More know- ledge is more light. More light, more light. (Here a brother is nodding in agreement when Mevlana turns to him.) You know the meaning of the first light and the second light? More light means reaching easily to heaven. Light is Divine wisdom and with this light as- cending to heavens.
The Prophet said: «Cleanliness is from faith.» All of his Hadiths make easy ways for us to reach heaven. In- stead of too many books, the Prophet was making re- ligion and its practice easy. Any person can keep this hadith, no need to go to school. It can be learned in an instant and practiced all of one’s life, and is enough for a man to reach the highest degree of sainthood. If a man
166
has his faith, he must be clean in his heart, body, and life. Not clean means no faith, the first sign of cleanli- ness means belief in God Almighty.
If a man is clean in his heart, he is not proud. No one can be proud except the Lord Almighty. He is Al-Muta- kabbir. It is not for servants. What have we to be proud about? Can one who enters a toilet be proud? If proud, he must not go in. That work there, does it give us ho- nour? If giving honour we must do it in front of other people. I am speaking clearly, sitting at the bottom of people to make them understand, pride is the ugliest character from people. Pride is for Allah Almighty only. Humbleness is the attribute of a servant.
Pharaoh was going to the toilet only once every 40 days, and then saying: «I, Pharaoh, am your Lord.» Al- lah sent to him Moses, ‘alayhi s-salâm whose staff tur- ned into a dragon, opening its mouth, one mile from the bottom jaw to the upper, and rushing on the castle of Pharaoh. Then out of fear Pharaoh was going 40 times in one day to the toilet.
When people are meeting and no one is listening, it means they are proud, with what? If humble and liste- ning, Allah gives one piece of wisdom from every per- son you meet with. Everyone is a Khalif of Allah Al- mighty. Everyone has a secret. Don’t think every forest is empty of tigers. Be perceptive. Don’t think nothing is with a person, judging him by his clothes. We must respect people, this is cleanliness. If a man is good in every way but is proud, you cannot like him. He is un- liked by people and by Allah.
167
* * *
THE WISDOM BEHIND SATAN NOTHING CREATED WITHOUT BENEFIT
Our Grandsheikh was speaking about ‘Alā’uddîn al- Bukhārî, the khalif of Shah Naqshbandi, the main pil- lar of the Naqshbandi Order. Our Grandsheikh said if Shah Naqshbandi had not existed, there would be no order. Grandsheikh was praising ‘Alā’uddîn, saying that he was a big man and he knew the secret wisdom of the existence of satan in the universe. Only a few people know. He was one of them in his time among the ‘Ulamā’. All Awliyā’ know, but as for ‘ulamâ’, only a few know. Grandsheikh asked: «What is the benefit to know the wisdom of satan’s ex
Link: https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=5781