MERCY OCEANS, Book 02 (Shaykh Nazim, 224 pages, 10/12)
https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=5782
istence?» If a man is knowing this, he is able to conquer Satan. Whoever is not knowing this cannot conquer; he must be under his rule. This is an important point in every religion. Eve- ry Prophet and saint knew this, and this enabled them to fight and put Satan under their control.
When knowing this, you may be on Satan, ego, this world and vain desires, their commander; not them commanding over you. These four are enemies. If not controlled they are terrible. If you can control, they give endless benefit. As with electricity, if not con- tained in protected wires, it is dangerous, a killer. If controlling these four, they are most useful for you; you may ride on them to the heavens. Allah never created anything without benefit. Americans asked for the se-
168
cret power of electricity, and Allah gave it to them. To anyone asking, Allah promises to give. If you know the way to use it, everything has benefit.
There are so many creatures, visible and invisible. Satan is invisibile, not seen by ordinary eyes, but seen by Prophets and saints. Before, he did appear before people, but after the time of the Prophet, Satan was prevented from appearing.
Sayyidinā ‘Alî was one of the most respectful people to all persons. He would never walk in front of an old man. Once in the time of the Prophet, he opened his door to go to the mosque for the fajr prayer, just then he saw an old person walking slowly ahead of him. For his respect ‘Alî walked slowly behind him until reaching the mosque. But seeing the man not entering the mo- sque and turning away, and seeing the Prophet inside rising from the first rakat’s prostration ‘Alî understood that the old man was Satan, coming to make him late for prayer. Quickly he grabbed him by the neck and put him under a big stone. After the prayer the Pro- phet said: «Oh ‘Alî, what happened?» He replied: «Oh my Prophet, you know what happened. The enemy of Allah tricked me today into losing one rakat.» Coming out with the Prophet and companions in order to look at Satan squirming under the rock, ‘Alî was very angry. That one rakat behind the Prophet was more valuable to him than the whole world. He said: «My intention is to leave him here up until the last day, but I am rea- dy for your command 0 my Prophet.» «Oh ‘Alî, don’t be a robber. If keeping him you will cut the ways of my nation to their stations in the Divine Presence, to
169
their fighting degrees. Don’t be worried about him; he is only a servant to my nation. So many will reach to a high degree because of fighting him.» He means that we are more powerful than that satan, and he is indicating to us the secret wisdom that Satan is the main reason for improvement in spiritual life. You can accept him and also benefit from him. Ride on him and go; you may reach any station in the Divine Presence.
Our Grandsheikh said that if you know that in every happening is a secret wisdom, and you are looking after that, then you may find in yourself peace and satisfac- tion. If people knew that there is wisdom in every hap- pening, then there would be no troubles between them on earth. Allah never gives permission for anything to appear without wisdom. Our Grandsheikh told of Say- yed Jamaluddin Ghumuqi, he was once sitting; a mu- reed in front of him and a plate of apples between them. He took one apple and tossed it up in the air, and before it came down tossed up another, catching them both and putting them back. The mureed said: «Oh my lord, I know you are not playing, and that there is no action of yours without wisdom. What is the wisdom of this, 0 my lord.» He said: «Oh my son, just now Divine an- ger was coming with the Angel of Death to two persons known to us. Throwing the apples made the Divine an- ger go away and mercy came in its place. Now they are coming to inform us.» Then came a knock on the door, announcing that two people had just died, would he please attend the funeral prayer. Know, that in every action is the will of the Creator. You must keep this good manner and then this good manner will keep you.
170
For one looking for the wisdom in a happening, Allah keeps him, no harm comes to that person. Everytime ask for the wisdom in every happening around you. When man takes from this wisdom, he may find in him- self peace, no disturbance.
* * *
DHIKR – REMEMBERING GOD
An important point for satisfaction in life is Dhikr. As much as you may be reading, you can’t reach wisdom. It comes to you by Dhikr. The Prophet, peace be upon him, says: «Oh my people, you must ask everything from those people making Dhikr.» Dhikr takes the soul to Allah Almighty. With it you can find the way to the Divine Presence. People of Dhikr are in the Divine Pre- sence; you may ask them anything, and quickly they give wisdom. As much as you engage yourself in Dhikr, your tongue, and more than your tongue, your heart, you will be a fountain of wisdom, speaking wisdom al- ways. Every word of our Grandsheikh was wisdom. My heart is in connection with his presence; without him I cannot speak anything.
* * *
171
THE VALUE OF THIS WORLD
I am speaking one tale from our Grandsheikh concer- ning this dunyā and its value in front of Awliyā’, saints. The tale happened in the time of ‘Abd ul-Qādir al-Jilānî, a great saint from a royal family. Once a learned man intended to visit him, and travelled from Baghdad with two silver piastres tied in his belt, thinking he perhaps might be in need for it. On reaching the palace of Sheikh ‘Abd ul-Qādir he saw big halls with rich carpets and couches. People were sitting at a feast in pairs. For each was one lamb and three turkeys. There was too much glory, all pomp and all lights. The scholar was surpri- sed, and in his heart thinking: «This is a famous sheikh. How can he live a king’s life? A sheikh must be ascetic.» The sheikh called him: «Oh scholar, come here. Don’t think like this. All the world to us is not as valuable as those two piastres tied in your belt are to you. When we are giving freely, not afraid, we are holding the world in our hands like a man picking up a dirty thing; he holds it with the tips of his fingernails and then drops it in the first suitable place. We are giving where there is need, not making treasures.» When something comes to you, use it for yourself and for others, don’t put treasures of this world in your heart. You must not like them. Love is for Allah Almighty, not for this life. You may earn from this world ag much as you can; it is free for earning, but you must know that you must leave it one day. The best way is to keep it with the hands, not with the heart. Depthless sorrow is for the one who dies and yet he is loving the world’s treasures. No worry if
172
you are keeping the whole world in your hand, but not in your heart.
Once a king died who had so many treasures. When his son came to the throne, his first order to the chief wazir was: «Open my father’s treasures and give them away, all of them.» The wazir was too much surprised:
«How can we give to everyone, each will only get such a little bit? Better for us is to say to everyone to bring a piece of silver the weight of a barley grain. Then we will have a second treasure.» He replied: «Oh my wa- zir, this is not a good mentality. It is enough that my father guarded those treasures throughout his life. I am not going to be their guardian. I am giving for the sake of Allah Almighty.» Some people dreamed of the dead king, and they saw his body had turned into earth, but his eyes were rolling in their place. Asking the new king for the meaning, he told them: «His eyes are looking for his treasure. He has no rest in his tomb, longing still for what he left in this world.»
I heard in London that many people, especially la- dies, are keeping their jewels in bank vaults. It is im- possible to wear so much; a powerful horse is needed to carry them. From time to time, the people visit and try on one after another on their necks, and arms, polishing and then leaving. What is the benefit of those jewels if you cannot carry them with you? I am saying: «Oh people, all jewels in the banks belong to me, but I can’t carry them, so I am leaving them there also.» I am bet- ter off than they are, because if they are stolen, I am not sorry. They are crying, beating themselves. Everyone who says ‘This is for nie’, and thinks to protect it, on
173
losing it, he will be sorry. If he is not thinking: ‘This is for me’, then he will not be sorry, even if the whole world goes away. Everything you own from this world, will be sorrow for you. As much as having nothing, you are free. No sorrow for the heart, if it is thinking: ‘The whole world is not for me; the owner is our Lord. He gives as He likes and takes as He likes.’
* * *
ON VISITING GRAVES
The visiting of graves is from respect of men, that they are not animals. As to their degrees in life, we are re- specting them still, so they will not be lost. For saints and Prophets, we are keeping their tombs. In their life, mercy was coming on them, and after their leaving this life also mercy is coming. And we are asking for Mercy. It is an occasion to be with them as they were in life, and at least as they are in their tombs. They are living in their tombs in a life suited to that world. They may see and hear.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, used to visit the tomb of his uncle, Sayyidinā Hamza, and sit and recite there. It is not a forbidden thing. Every week he was going to the Jannat-il-Baqi‘ or to Mount Ohud to visit the martyrs there. It is a permission given to us, not against shari‘ah. We are keeping the tombs of saints that they might not be lost. Not worshipping tombs, no, only asking for that mercy coming on them, and
174
praying for them. For every believer you may pray, send to them a prayer as a gift from us.
* * *
A LESSON FROM
A MEETING IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD WHAT GIVES A MAN DISHONOUR?
Our Grandsheikh spoke of a meeting in the spiritu- al world of souls. It happened in the cave where Cain killed Abel, the place of 40 saints. You can see there 40 mihrabs. Those saints come there every night. It is private for them, far from people, and no one has the courage to go there at night. If a man is there, he may faint or die from fear. Each of the forty prayer niches is private for one person. His shape may be seen on the mihrab, but not everyone can see. Once my wife went to visit that place. She looked at the first one and saw, at the second and saw, at the third and saw, the fourth, fifth and sixth and saw, but coming to the seventh, no more power to look, she left from fear. Anyone with lights in their hearts may see, but feeling too much awe. Every night they are praying, then going from east to west, their spirits taking them.
Every person has a body and a soul. The soul is in the body now, moving by the body’s action, slowly. But the soul’s movement is quicker than the speed of light. All saints have a power, and may put their bodies in their souls. When the body is in the soul, it can move with the
173
speed of the soul, any moment from east to west, from earth to the farthest star. Quicker than our looking the- re, our soul can reach there, carrying with it the body. If it is suitable there for the body, you may put it there as on earth; so many earths for the sons of Adam. But to be on a star is possible only with a spiritual body.
A saint may meet with every soul, here or in Bar- zakh. He can call your soul, even when it is sleeping. In sleep, the soul leaves the body, only a little power stays with it, as with a neon light switched off in a dark room, yet you may see waves of light. Like this, the soul is ‘switched off’, waves remaining to keep breath and blood going. Therefore some people see saints in dreams. Their souls have extraordinary powers you can’t describe, vast powers. If he wishes, he can take you and your body also from east to west. These peo- ple, the whole world is in their hand, in this world and in the heavenly world. If a man is ready, he may remem- ber such a dream.
If not ready, he will forget. All of us are ready, but not yet reaching the level of unveiling; we have veils on our hearts’ eyes. When the veils are removed, you may look on the Day of Promises, when you were as- ked by Allah Almighty: «Am I not your Lord?» We may look onto that view, that sight. They are not thin, very thick those veils, and the way of removing needs much operation. That operation is Dhikr.
There was a meeting in that place, the place of the 40 mihrabs. All Prophets were present. The Imam of the Naqshbandi Tariqat, Shah Naqshband, was asking the Prophet an important question. This news is from
176
our Grandsheikh. He was present and has permission for speaking. «Oh my Prophet, can you tell me about a characteristic that makes people dishonourable?» Every man has been honoured by his Lord. No one you can find without honour, women, men, little boys, street cleaners, everyone is honoured the same. You may lose or keep this honour for yourself, but you must keep re- spect for the honour of everyone. You must not look at their titles, stars on their shoulders or their clothes. The Sons of Adam are honoured by their Lord. This is a reality, but some actions make people dishonourable. Shah Naqshband was asking which kind of actions.
The Prophet said: «Oh Fard-ul-Arsh, you are not as- king for yourself but for my nation. I am pleased with you and my nation will benefit.
The first action is for a man to involve himself in things that are not his concern (mâ lâ ya‘nî).» If you are not concerned, don’t look. This makes people disho- nourable. So many people are in trouble from this cha- racteristic, all troubles in the world are coming from this. Students are gathering, shouting ‘that person down, that person up’. So many people are criticizing governments. Each should look after their job, farmers to plant, students to study. If you could do that job better, Allah would put you as president. Don’t speak againts governments, no need for this. For Russians, their president is suitable, for Americans, their presi- dent is suitable, each nation gets the ruler it deserves.
The second action bringing dishonour is not to en- dure disliked things. Perhaps one person addresses you with words you don’t like and you are offended. You
177
must keep that anger in yourself, not showing it. If an- ger showing in the face, with hand or tongue, that anger makes people dishonourable. Anger is an adder, a strong poisonous snake like the cobra; if you are not careful, it will bite you and others. Anger first blows out the light of faith in your heart and then comes on your face. Keep one mirror with you, and when angry, look at your face. You will be frightened. Our Grandsheikh says, to show anger in the face or actions takes away faith from the heart. You can’t listen to your Lord or to your Prophet. If a person dies angry, he will go to Hell.
* * *
CONTROLLING ANGER AND PASSION
Our Grandsheikh is speaking on anger making people dishonourable. Getting angry means a man is looking to himself, «I am better than you»; looking proudly, «He is no good, but I am good; I have a right to be angry.» This is a kind of pride. Your only right to be angry is on yourself, your ego.
Our Grandsheikh said: »Oh Nazim Efendi, don’t even kill a flea with anger.» A mosquito for example, gives you harm don’t kill it with anger. You may kill it, but without anger. Why be angry? Anger always harms you, your body and your faith. The Prophet’s advice was: «Don’t get angry.» Be kind with all. You will gain your health and gain the love of people and you also will be pleased with all.
178
Do you know any better character? For anger, we must try to make it under our command; we cannot move it out of our character.
In London I saw some people walking big dogs. They were sniffing me, pulling their owners along. If a man cannot hold it, the dog may bring harm to him. We must keep control in our hands. Must keep blood pres- sures down; above normal means anger, but down to zero means death.
We have two main powers for our life, ghadab and shahwa, anger and lust. Losing one of these we must die. Shahwa is the desire for eating, drinking and mar- rying. Our Grandsheikh used to say this and now in medical science these two powers are well known. All troubles come from these. If you can control them, they may serve you up to the end. They will not disappear, we are in need of them, but every bad character of the ego is coming through these powers. All Prophets came to teach people the harms of these on our egos; taught people how to control anger and passion. You may read thousands of books, but they are not giving you per- fection. When you can control these two, you will then have perfection; you will then be a trustworthy person. For that person, red gold, black earth and white thigh are all the same; he is not changing. Some people may be affected by a pot of gold, or even more affected by a white body, but to a trustworthy person black earth is the same thing. Perfection is not so easy. So many people are falling into Hell from gold and white bodies. If no control, no steering wheel or brakes on car, it will fall into the valley.
179
My Grandsheikh said to me: «I will allow you to look at anyone, ladies and girls, if you can look on them as your daughters or sisters.» If you can’t look this way, it is harâm. For some men to look at strange women is for- bidden, becauso Satan is quickly coming on them. Some look to a woman, and immediately see her as she will be one year after her death and burial, a fearful skeleton; taking so many wisdoms from that looking. The Pro- phet was seeing women as his daughters, sisters, and mother. By his looking, the light of Prophethood was cleaning them.
* * *
THE ADVICE OF SATAN
AND PEOPLE OF ADVANCED THINKING
Our Grandsheikh says that people in this life are stan- ding on a plain between two sides, one Allah and His Prophet, and the other Satan and his soldiers. If liste- ning to Allah, they are on the way of faith. If listening to Satan, they are losing faith. A man believing in, and confirming Allah’s invitation is with Allah.
But Satan says: «Why are you going after unseen things, like heavens and the world hereafter? Come to me, all pleasures are with us. They are here, ready now, you may see and feel.» The ego sometimes believes this and leaves Allah. If the Angel of Death comes at that time, one may die outside the fold of Islam, very dan- gerous.
180
Our Grandsheikh says we must be very careful to whom we are listening. Our enemy has so many tricks. He may come to you, posing as an adviser, like he did to Adam and Eve, telling them if they ate from that tree, they would live forever in Paradise. «He swore by God and advised us; he may be truthful,» they said. He came disguised, with another face, so they could not see his fangs. He is a liar and he may come in so many shapes. He says you must look after this life’s pleasure, «You are still young people, you may repent later.» Don’t believe him or you will fall into Hell. If he cannot prevent you from the way of faith he says: «You are young people, no wor- ry for small sins.» Now is the time that denying is a fa- shion. Satan is dividing people into two camps. Believers are old-fashioned. The new fashion is to deny spiritual realities, and look to themselves as advanced people.
Once a big saint was travelling by bus and sitting among teenagers. He looks like a sheikh, with beard and turban, and they were laughing at him. «You talk about heaven and hell, but there is only this world.» They were acting like the advocates of Satan, He said:
«When we arrive, I shall show your advantage.» They were surprised: «What will you show us?» «I shall show you what you are proud of in your advancement.» The bus was going to Aleppo. But by his miracle powers it took them to the situation he wanted; the bus stopped at a place where there were many donkeys and asses. The males were running after the females on a wide plain. «Come on and look, this is your advancement; before, men and women were married, in their houses alone. Now you have advanced to making sex in front of
181
everyone and are not ashamed. Donkeys are doing this and yet you say this is advancement. What is the next advancement, to break down every bond of shame?» We say if people want to be free ‚ that freedom is in the jungle. They are fighting the Prophet and every belief in the hereafter. But they are wrong.
Once seven philosophers came to Sayyidinā ‘Alî, de- nying everything, beginning with the Creator up to the hereafter, the Day of Judgement and Heaven and Hell. They said: «Oh ‘Alî, we are coming to make an investi- gation. We are looking to you and all believers as fools, because you believe in Paradise and Hell and make rules and suffer with having to keep so many prohibitions. We are enjoying life by every possible means, no forbid- den things for us. We are clever and you are fools.» ‘Alî said: «I just want to ask one question to make things clear. Do you know that one day you and me will be in the same position?» The philosopher, being a clever man, answered: «Yes.» Then ‘Alî continued: «Yes, when we die we are equal. When your enjoyment is finished, zero, nothing is left with you. Is a dead person tasting anything? And if we are suffering under orders and pro- hibitions, that too will be ended, nothing remaining. zero equals zero, no profiting or losing from anything in this life. If that day of our death is the end, nothing coming after it, then we are all equal, no gain for you, and no loss for us. But if it is as we say and believe, that there is a Day of Judgement, Heaven and Hell, then we are happy, and you are in a state of loss.» Here ‘Alî was striking their spokesman on the head with his knuckles and saying: «You must think what will come on this
182
head of punishment.» The philosophers klucked toge- ther to come up with an answer and a way out, but ‘Alî had them encircled, no way out. He said: «Our belief is a reserve for us, we are the clever ones.» The philo- sophers came to faith and Islam, believing in all Pro- phets, in the Day of Judgement and Heaven and Hell.
When Satan comes to you for denying belief, tell him:
«What if we do find something after this life?» Are we carrying a mountain by believing in Allah and His Pro- phet and His holy books? We believe without seeing, and there may come a day when we can see. If following Allah’s way and our Prophet, we may see Heaven and Hell in this life.
So many times my Grandsheikh was showing me how some graves are like paradise and some are like hell. That is the way of unveiling; Allah Almighty gives us light to see here and in the hereafter.
* * *
PRESENCE IN WORSHIP MUHAMMAD, THE LAST PROPHET
My Grandsheikh once spoke to me about Jaafer as-Sa- diq from the golden chain of the Naqshbandi silsila. He was a descendant of the Prophet and the sheikh of Abû Yazîd, who said: »I saw and passed 99 sheikhs until I re- ached my Grandsheikh.» Our Grandsheikh was saying of Jaafer, that when he was worshipping, so many times buildings could not withstand him, from the force of
183
the mercy coming on him and his awesomeness. He would go into the mountains and deserts, and when worshipping, he would go forth from himself into the Divine Presence. Birds would land on his head, he was like a dead tree. That is their worshipping in the Di- vine Presence, to be absent from themselves. The value of worship is that Presence. As much as you are with yourself, you are far away from real worship. You are a servant to yourself. Being absent from yourself means coming into unity, Tawhîd. When you are present in the Divine Presence, you can forget nothing, all powers are present with you, no heedlessness. We may forget something from the prayer when we are with our ego. Originally all worshipping is only to make you absent from yourself and present in the Divine Presence. As much as you are with yourself, no real unity. He was finished with the self, Jaafer as-Sadiq not there any lon- ger, Divine Lights appearing with him.
* * *
MUHAMMAD, PEACE BE UPON HIM
We must believe that our Prophet is alive in his tomb, looking, hearing and living, and that his life is a real and perfect and complete life. His life means the life of his nation. Every nation was living as their Prophet was li- ving. The Ummah living now is living by the life of the Prophet. He is living with his complete powers and is serving his nation. It is under his sight. He knows very
184
well the situation of his nation in every time. There are 4,300,000,000 people living on earth now, and all are the nation of Muhammad. Now is his time. The periods of other Prophets are finished, no more nation of Moses, no more nation of Jesus. They may say ‘we are the na- tion of Moses, of Jesus,’ but it is not accepted in the Divine Presence. It is like an old person in Damascus saying ‘I am a citizen of the Ottoman empire.’ Everyone who is saying ‘I am the nation of Moses, of Jesus,’ they are dreaming. Let them dream. The reality is the last Prophet who was sent. Whether they say yes or no, it is his nation.
I was asking a learned man why he was not accepting Muhammad as a Prophet, and what were his proofs for the Prophets before Muhammad. He said: «Yes, as our books and traditions tell us, we believe in Abraham, Ja- cob and Moses.» I asked: «What kind of traditions do you have, coming from the heavens? We also have tradi- tions. Why are you saying yours are right and ours are not right?» If I am coming and saying ‘I am a Prophet,’ you have the right to ask for proof. All people asked the Prophets for proof, so they showed them miracles. Without miracles you can’t believe in any Prophet. By traditions, their miracles have reached to our time. Mu- hammad brought so many mirac
Link: https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=5782
istence?» If a man is knowing this, he is able to conquer Satan. Whoever is not knowing this cannot conquer; he must be under his rule. This is an important point in every religion. Eve- ry Prophet and saint knew this, and this enabled them to fight and put Satan under their control.
When knowing this, you may be on Satan, ego, this world and vain desires, their commander; not them commanding over you. These four are enemies. If not controlled they are terrible. If you can control, they give endless benefit. As with electricity, if not con- tained in protected wires, it is dangerous, a killer. If controlling these four, they are most useful for you; you may ride on them to the heavens. Allah never created anything without benefit. Americans asked for the se-
168
cret power of electricity, and Allah gave it to them. To anyone asking, Allah promises to give. If you know the way to use it, everything has benefit.
There are so many creatures, visible and invisible. Satan is invisibile, not seen by ordinary eyes, but seen by Prophets and saints. Before, he did appear before people, but after the time of the Prophet, Satan was prevented from appearing.
Sayyidinā ‘Alî was one of the most respectful people to all persons. He would never walk in front of an old man. Once in the time of the Prophet, he opened his door to go to the mosque for the fajr prayer, just then he saw an old person walking slowly ahead of him. For his respect ‘Alî walked slowly behind him until reaching the mosque. But seeing the man not entering the mo- sque and turning away, and seeing the Prophet inside rising from the first rakat’s prostration ‘Alî understood that the old man was Satan, coming to make him late for prayer. Quickly he grabbed him by the neck and put him under a big stone. After the prayer the Pro- phet said: «Oh ‘Alî, what happened?» He replied: «Oh my Prophet, you know what happened. The enemy of Allah tricked me today into losing one rakat.» Coming out with the Prophet and companions in order to look at Satan squirming under the rock, ‘Alî was very angry. That one rakat behind the Prophet was more valuable to him than the whole world. He said: «My intention is to leave him here up until the last day, but I am rea- dy for your command 0 my Prophet.» «Oh ‘Alî, don’t be a robber. If keeping him you will cut the ways of my nation to their stations in the Divine Presence, to
169
their fighting degrees. Don’t be worried about him; he is only a servant to my nation. So many will reach to a high degree because of fighting him.» He means that we are more powerful than that satan, and he is indicating to us the secret wisdom that Satan is the main reason for improvement in spiritual life. You can accept him and also benefit from him. Ride on him and go; you may reach any station in the Divine Presence.
Our Grandsheikh said that if you know that in every happening is a secret wisdom, and you are looking after that, then you may find in yourself peace and satisfac- tion. If people knew that there is wisdom in every hap- pening, then there would be no troubles between them on earth. Allah never gives permission for anything to appear without wisdom. Our Grandsheikh told of Say- yed Jamaluddin Ghumuqi, he was once sitting; a mu- reed in front of him and a plate of apples between them. He took one apple and tossed it up in the air, and before it came down tossed up another, catching them both and putting them back. The mureed said: «Oh my lord, I know you are not playing, and that there is no action of yours without wisdom. What is the wisdom of this, 0 my lord.» He said: «Oh my son, just now Divine an- ger was coming with the Angel of Death to two persons known to us. Throwing the apples made the Divine an- ger go away and mercy came in its place. Now they are coming to inform us.» Then came a knock on the door, announcing that two people had just died, would he please attend the funeral prayer. Know, that in every action is the will of the Creator. You must keep this good manner and then this good manner will keep you.
170
For one looking for the wisdom in a happening, Allah keeps him, no harm comes to that person. Everytime ask for the wisdom in every happening around you. When man takes from this wisdom, he may find in him- self peace, no disturbance.
* * *
DHIKR – REMEMBERING GOD
An important point for satisfaction in life is Dhikr. As much as you may be reading, you can’t reach wisdom. It comes to you by Dhikr. The Prophet, peace be upon him, says: «Oh my people, you must ask everything from those people making Dhikr.» Dhikr takes the soul to Allah Almighty. With it you can find the way to the Divine Presence. People of Dhikr are in the Divine Pre- sence; you may ask them anything, and quickly they give wisdom. As much as you engage yourself in Dhikr, your tongue, and more than your tongue, your heart, you will be a fountain of wisdom, speaking wisdom al- ways. Every word of our Grandsheikh was wisdom. My heart is in connection with his presence; without him I cannot speak anything.
* * *
171
THE VALUE OF THIS WORLD
I am speaking one tale from our Grandsheikh concer- ning this dunyā and its value in front of Awliyā’, saints. The tale happened in the time of ‘Abd ul-Qādir al-Jilānî, a great saint from a royal family. Once a learned man intended to visit him, and travelled from Baghdad with two silver piastres tied in his belt, thinking he perhaps might be in need for it. On reaching the palace of Sheikh ‘Abd ul-Qādir he saw big halls with rich carpets and couches. People were sitting at a feast in pairs. For each was one lamb and three turkeys. There was too much glory, all pomp and all lights. The scholar was surpri- sed, and in his heart thinking: «This is a famous sheikh. How can he live a king’s life? A sheikh must be ascetic.» The sheikh called him: «Oh scholar, come here. Don’t think like this. All the world to us is not as valuable as those two piastres tied in your belt are to you. When we are giving freely, not afraid, we are holding the world in our hands like a man picking up a dirty thing; he holds it with the tips of his fingernails and then drops it in the first suitable place. We are giving where there is need, not making treasures.» When something comes to you, use it for yourself and for others, don’t put treasures of this world in your heart. You must not like them. Love is for Allah Almighty, not for this life. You may earn from this world ag much as you can; it is free for earning, but you must know that you must leave it one day. The best way is to keep it with the hands, not with the heart. Depthless sorrow is for the one who dies and yet he is loving the world’s treasures. No worry if
172
you are keeping the whole world in your hand, but not in your heart.
Once a king died who had so many treasures. When his son came to the throne, his first order to the chief wazir was: «Open my father’s treasures and give them away, all of them.» The wazir was too much surprised:
«How can we give to everyone, each will only get such a little bit? Better for us is to say to everyone to bring a piece of silver the weight of a barley grain. Then we will have a second treasure.» He replied: «Oh my wa- zir, this is not a good mentality. It is enough that my father guarded those treasures throughout his life. I am not going to be their guardian. I am giving for the sake of Allah Almighty.» Some people dreamed of the dead king, and they saw his body had turned into earth, but his eyes were rolling in their place. Asking the new king for the meaning, he told them: «His eyes are looking for his treasure. He has no rest in his tomb, longing still for what he left in this world.»
I heard in London that many people, especially la- dies, are keeping their jewels in bank vaults. It is im- possible to wear so much; a powerful horse is needed to carry them. From time to time, the people visit and try on one after another on their necks, and arms, polishing and then leaving. What is the benefit of those jewels if you cannot carry them with you? I am saying: «Oh people, all jewels in the banks belong to me, but I can’t carry them, so I am leaving them there also.» I am bet- ter off than they are, because if they are stolen, I am not sorry. They are crying, beating themselves. Everyone who says ‘This is for nie’, and thinks to protect it, on
173
losing it, he will be sorry. If he is not thinking: ‘This is for me’, then he will not be sorry, even if the whole world goes away. Everything you own from this world, will be sorrow for you. As much as having nothing, you are free. No sorrow for the heart, if it is thinking: ‘The whole world is not for me; the owner is our Lord. He gives as He likes and takes as He likes.’
* * *
ON VISITING GRAVES
The visiting of graves is from respect of men, that they are not animals. As to their degrees in life, we are re- specting them still, so they will not be lost. For saints and Prophets, we are keeping their tombs. In their life, mercy was coming on them, and after their leaving this life also mercy is coming. And we are asking for Mercy. It is an occasion to be with them as they were in life, and at least as they are in their tombs. They are living in their tombs in a life suited to that world. They may see and hear.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, used to visit the tomb of his uncle, Sayyidinā Hamza, and sit and recite there. It is not a forbidden thing. Every week he was going to the Jannat-il-Baqi‘ or to Mount Ohud to visit the martyrs there. It is a permission given to us, not against shari‘ah. We are keeping the tombs of saints that they might not be lost. Not worshipping tombs, no, only asking for that mercy coming on them, and
174
praying for them. For every believer you may pray, send to them a prayer as a gift from us.
* * *
A LESSON FROM
A MEETING IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD WHAT GIVES A MAN DISHONOUR?
Our Grandsheikh spoke of a meeting in the spiritu- al world of souls. It happened in the cave where Cain killed Abel, the place of 40 saints. You can see there 40 mihrabs. Those saints come there every night. It is private for them, far from people, and no one has the courage to go there at night. If a man is there, he may faint or die from fear. Each of the forty prayer niches is private for one person. His shape may be seen on the mihrab, but not everyone can see. Once my wife went to visit that place. She looked at the first one and saw, at the second and saw, at the third and saw, the fourth, fifth and sixth and saw, but coming to the seventh, no more power to look, she left from fear. Anyone with lights in their hearts may see, but feeling too much awe. Every night they are praying, then going from east to west, their spirits taking them.
Every person has a body and a soul. The soul is in the body now, moving by the body’s action, slowly. But the soul’s movement is quicker than the speed of light. All saints have a power, and may put their bodies in their souls. When the body is in the soul, it can move with the
173
speed of the soul, any moment from east to west, from earth to the farthest star. Quicker than our looking the- re, our soul can reach there, carrying with it the body. If it is suitable there for the body, you may put it there as on earth; so many earths for the sons of Adam. But to be on a star is possible only with a spiritual body.
A saint may meet with every soul, here or in Bar- zakh. He can call your soul, even when it is sleeping. In sleep, the soul leaves the body, only a little power stays with it, as with a neon light switched off in a dark room, yet you may see waves of light. Like this, the soul is ‘switched off’, waves remaining to keep breath and blood going. Therefore some people see saints in dreams. Their souls have extraordinary powers you can’t describe, vast powers. If he wishes, he can take you and your body also from east to west. These peo- ple, the whole world is in their hand, in this world and in the heavenly world. If a man is ready, he may remem- ber such a dream.
If not ready, he will forget. All of us are ready, but not yet reaching the level of unveiling; we have veils on our hearts’ eyes. When the veils are removed, you may look on the Day of Promises, when you were as- ked by Allah Almighty: «Am I not your Lord?» We may look onto that view, that sight. They are not thin, very thick those veils, and the way of removing needs much operation. That operation is Dhikr.
There was a meeting in that place, the place of the 40 mihrabs. All Prophets were present. The Imam of the Naqshbandi Tariqat, Shah Naqshband, was asking the Prophet an important question. This news is from
176
our Grandsheikh. He was present and has permission for speaking. «Oh my Prophet, can you tell me about a characteristic that makes people dishonourable?» Every man has been honoured by his Lord. No one you can find without honour, women, men, little boys, street cleaners, everyone is honoured the same. You may lose or keep this honour for yourself, but you must keep re- spect for the honour of everyone. You must not look at their titles, stars on their shoulders or their clothes. The Sons of Adam are honoured by their Lord. This is a reality, but some actions make people dishonourable. Shah Naqshband was asking which kind of actions.
The Prophet said: «Oh Fard-ul-Arsh, you are not as- king for yourself but for my nation. I am pleased with you and my nation will benefit.
The first action is for a man to involve himself in things that are not his concern (mâ lâ ya‘nî).» If you are not concerned, don’t look. This makes people disho- nourable. So many people are in trouble from this cha- racteristic, all troubles in the world are coming from this. Students are gathering, shouting ‘that person down, that person up’. So many people are criticizing governments. Each should look after their job, farmers to plant, students to study. If you could do that job better, Allah would put you as president. Don’t speak againts governments, no need for this. For Russians, their president is suitable, for Americans, their presi- dent is suitable, each nation gets the ruler it deserves.
The second action bringing dishonour is not to en- dure disliked things. Perhaps one person addresses you with words you don’t like and you are offended. You
177
must keep that anger in yourself, not showing it. If an- ger showing in the face, with hand or tongue, that anger makes people dishonourable. Anger is an adder, a strong poisonous snake like the cobra; if you are not careful, it will bite you and others. Anger first blows out the light of faith in your heart and then comes on your face. Keep one mirror with you, and when angry, look at your face. You will be frightened. Our Grandsheikh says, to show anger in the face or actions takes away faith from the heart. You can’t listen to your Lord or to your Prophet. If a person dies angry, he will go to Hell.
* * *
CONTROLLING ANGER AND PASSION
Our Grandsheikh is speaking on anger making people dishonourable. Getting angry means a man is looking to himself, «I am better than you»; looking proudly, «He is no good, but I am good; I have a right to be angry.» This is a kind of pride. Your only right to be angry is on yourself, your ego.
Our Grandsheikh said: »Oh Nazim Efendi, don’t even kill a flea with anger.» A mosquito for example, gives you harm don’t kill it with anger. You may kill it, but without anger. Why be angry? Anger always harms you, your body and your faith. The Prophet’s advice was: «Don’t get angry.» Be kind with all. You will gain your health and gain the love of people and you also will be pleased with all.
178
Do you know any better character? For anger, we must try to make it under our command; we cannot move it out of our character.
In London I saw some people walking big dogs. They were sniffing me, pulling their owners along. If a man cannot hold it, the dog may bring harm to him. We must keep control in our hands. Must keep blood pres- sures down; above normal means anger, but down to zero means death.
We have two main powers for our life, ghadab and shahwa, anger and lust. Losing one of these we must die. Shahwa is the desire for eating, drinking and mar- rying. Our Grandsheikh used to say this and now in medical science these two powers are well known. All troubles come from these. If you can control them, they may serve you up to the end. They will not disappear, we are in need of them, but every bad character of the ego is coming through these powers. All Prophets came to teach people the harms of these on our egos; taught people how to control anger and passion. You may read thousands of books, but they are not giving you per- fection. When you can control these two, you will then have perfection; you will then be a trustworthy person. For that person, red gold, black earth and white thigh are all the same; he is not changing. Some people may be affected by a pot of gold, or even more affected by a white body, but to a trustworthy person black earth is the same thing. Perfection is not so easy. So many people are falling into Hell from gold and white bodies. If no control, no steering wheel or brakes on car, it will fall into the valley.
179
My Grandsheikh said to me: «I will allow you to look at anyone, ladies and girls, if you can look on them as your daughters or sisters.» If you can’t look this way, it is harâm. For some men to look at strange women is for- bidden, becauso Satan is quickly coming on them. Some look to a woman, and immediately see her as she will be one year after her death and burial, a fearful skeleton; taking so many wisdoms from that looking. The Pro- phet was seeing women as his daughters, sisters, and mother. By his looking, the light of Prophethood was cleaning them.
* * *
THE ADVICE OF SATAN
AND PEOPLE OF ADVANCED THINKING
Our Grandsheikh says that people in this life are stan- ding on a plain between two sides, one Allah and His Prophet, and the other Satan and his soldiers. If liste- ning to Allah, they are on the way of faith. If listening to Satan, they are losing faith. A man believing in, and confirming Allah’s invitation is with Allah.
But Satan says: «Why are you going after unseen things, like heavens and the world hereafter? Come to me, all pleasures are with us. They are here, ready now, you may see and feel.» The ego sometimes believes this and leaves Allah. If the Angel of Death comes at that time, one may die outside the fold of Islam, very dan- gerous.
180
Our Grandsheikh says we must be very careful to whom we are listening. Our enemy has so many tricks. He may come to you, posing as an adviser, like he did to Adam and Eve, telling them if they ate from that tree, they would live forever in Paradise. «He swore by God and advised us; he may be truthful,» they said. He came disguised, with another face, so they could not see his fangs. He is a liar and he may come in so many shapes. He says you must look after this life’s pleasure, «You are still young people, you may repent later.» Don’t believe him or you will fall into Hell. If he cannot prevent you from the way of faith he says: «You are young people, no wor- ry for small sins.» Now is the time that denying is a fa- shion. Satan is dividing people into two camps. Believers are old-fashioned. The new fashion is to deny spiritual realities, and look to themselves as advanced people.
Once a big saint was travelling by bus and sitting among teenagers. He looks like a sheikh, with beard and turban, and they were laughing at him. «You talk about heaven and hell, but there is only this world.» They were acting like the advocates of Satan, He said:
«When we arrive, I shall show your advantage.» They were surprised: «What will you show us?» «I shall show you what you are proud of in your advancement.» The bus was going to Aleppo. But by his miracle powers it took them to the situation he wanted; the bus stopped at a place where there were many donkeys and asses. The males were running after the females on a wide plain. «Come on and look, this is your advancement; before, men and women were married, in their houses alone. Now you have advanced to making sex in front of
181
everyone and are not ashamed. Donkeys are doing this and yet you say this is advancement. What is the next advancement, to break down every bond of shame?» We say if people want to be free ‚ that freedom is in the jungle. They are fighting the Prophet and every belief in the hereafter. But they are wrong.
Once seven philosophers came to Sayyidinā ‘Alî, de- nying everything, beginning with the Creator up to the hereafter, the Day of Judgement and Heaven and Hell. They said: «Oh ‘Alî, we are coming to make an investi- gation. We are looking to you and all believers as fools, because you believe in Paradise and Hell and make rules and suffer with having to keep so many prohibitions. We are enjoying life by every possible means, no forbid- den things for us. We are clever and you are fools.» ‘Alî said: «I just want to ask one question to make things clear. Do you know that one day you and me will be in the same position?» The philosopher, being a clever man, answered: «Yes.» Then ‘Alî continued: «Yes, when we die we are equal. When your enjoyment is finished, zero, nothing is left with you. Is a dead person tasting anything? And if we are suffering under orders and pro- hibitions, that too will be ended, nothing remaining. zero equals zero, no profiting or losing from anything in this life. If that day of our death is the end, nothing coming after it, then we are all equal, no gain for you, and no loss for us. But if it is as we say and believe, that there is a Day of Judgement, Heaven and Hell, then we are happy, and you are in a state of loss.» Here ‘Alî was striking their spokesman on the head with his knuckles and saying: «You must think what will come on this
182
head of punishment.» The philosophers klucked toge- ther to come up with an answer and a way out, but ‘Alî had them encircled, no way out. He said: «Our belief is a reserve for us, we are the clever ones.» The philo- sophers came to faith and Islam, believing in all Pro- phets, in the Day of Judgement and Heaven and Hell.
When Satan comes to you for denying belief, tell him:
«What if we do find something after this life?» Are we carrying a mountain by believing in Allah and His Pro- phet and His holy books? We believe without seeing, and there may come a day when we can see. If following Allah’s way and our Prophet, we may see Heaven and Hell in this life.
So many times my Grandsheikh was showing me how some graves are like paradise and some are like hell. That is the way of unveiling; Allah Almighty gives us light to see here and in the hereafter.
* * *
PRESENCE IN WORSHIP MUHAMMAD, THE LAST PROPHET
My Grandsheikh once spoke to me about Jaafer as-Sa- diq from the golden chain of the Naqshbandi silsila. He was a descendant of the Prophet and the sheikh of Abû Yazîd, who said: »I saw and passed 99 sheikhs until I re- ached my Grandsheikh.» Our Grandsheikh was saying of Jaafer, that when he was worshipping, so many times buildings could not withstand him, from the force of
183
the mercy coming on him and his awesomeness. He would go into the mountains and deserts, and when worshipping, he would go forth from himself into the Divine Presence. Birds would land on his head, he was like a dead tree. That is their worshipping in the Di- vine Presence, to be absent from themselves. The value of worship is that Presence. As much as you are with yourself, you are far away from real worship. You are a servant to yourself. Being absent from yourself means coming into unity, Tawhîd. When you are present in the Divine Presence, you can forget nothing, all powers are present with you, no heedlessness. We may forget something from the prayer when we are with our ego. Originally all worshipping is only to make you absent from yourself and present in the Divine Presence. As much as you are with yourself, no real unity. He was finished with the self, Jaafer as-Sadiq not there any lon- ger, Divine Lights appearing with him.
* * *
MUHAMMAD, PEACE BE UPON HIM
We must believe that our Prophet is alive in his tomb, looking, hearing and living, and that his life is a real and perfect and complete life. His life means the life of his nation. Every nation was living as their Prophet was li- ving. The Ummah living now is living by the life of the Prophet. He is living with his complete powers and is serving his nation. It is under his sight. He knows very
184
well the situation of his nation in every time. There are 4,300,000,000 people living on earth now, and all are the nation of Muhammad. Now is his time. The periods of other Prophets are finished, no more nation of Moses, no more nation of Jesus. They may say ‘we are the na- tion of Moses, of Jesus,’ but it is not accepted in the Divine Presence. It is like an old person in Damascus saying ‘I am a citizen of the Ottoman empire.’ Everyone who is saying ‘I am the nation of Moses, of Jesus,’ they are dreaming. Let them dream. The reality is the last Prophet who was sent. Whether they say yes or no, it is his nation.
I was asking a learned man why he was not accepting Muhammad as a Prophet, and what were his proofs for the Prophets before Muhammad. He said: «Yes, as our books and traditions tell us, we believe in Abraham, Ja- cob and Moses.» I asked: «What kind of traditions do you have, coming from the heavens? We also have tradi- tions. Why are you saying yours are right and ours are not right?» If I am coming and saying ‘I am a Prophet,’ you have the right to ask for proof. All people asked the Prophets for proof, so they showed them miracles. Without miracles you can’t believe in any Prophet. By traditions, their miracles have reached to our time. Mu- hammad brought so many mirac
Link: https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=5782