MERCY OCEANS, Book 02 (Shaykh Nazim, 224 pages, 12/12)
https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=5784
to every evil.
The honour of a human being is according to the de- gree of his obedience. As much as he is listening to the advice of his Lord, he has more honour in the Divine Presence. He may be white or black, a farmer or a go- vernor, worker or minister, it doesn’t matter. The ho- nour of everyone is with his obedience to his Lord. It is a basic principle in Islam. Hadith says: «Allah Almighty
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is not looking to your appearance, but to your hearts and actions.»
Islam came as a religion acceptable to all people. Eve- ryone may be pleased, because it is only according to your hearts and actions. So many kinds of people there are on Earth but everyone is an individual in himself, no one else is like him. Allah has made it like this to try everyone. All must thank their Lord that they are one of mankind. Mankind has been honoured by Allah Al- mighty. These forms here are not our permanent forms, everyday they are going to change. Our real forms will appear in the life hereafter. Your light, your beauty, your handsomeness will be according to your actions. The Prophet says, after passing the bridge over Hell and coming to the entrance of Paradise, there are two rivers running there. Everyone coming from the place of gathering has the form he had when he was in the world. Upon arrival he immediately enters the first ri- ver and dives in, then emerges changed to a form like Joseph, peace be upon him, the most handsome of the Prophets.
Believing ladies will come out more beautiful than paradise beauties, even if they were old and bent. If one of those paradise girls spread her hand into this world, her beautiful fragrance would cause all people to be mad, forgetting eating and drinking until dying. No one would be able to look now to one of those girls, and believing ladies will be more beautiful than that. They will have seventy layers of beautiful clothes, the beauty of each shining through, not covered by the others, and not covering the beauty of the body. Each
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will have 70,000 maidens to catch the end of her dress. It is impossible to finish describing everything of the beauties of paradise. What does a picture give you? Are you a person who is there? Everything you will find in Paradise, is not like anything you have known before, beauties you have never heard of, seen, or thought of before.
Maybe now, some beauty or handsomeness is given by the Lord to a person from Divine Lights. That per- son may be in your heart, and you may find him near to yourself. That is the result of his heart’s goodness. But some have beauty, yet there is no familiarity with them. That is because of their wildness.
It is enough for praise and thanks that we are from mankind, and that we only need a pure heart to be ac- ceptable to people and in the Divine Presence. All Pro- phets are agreeing, saying ‘Oh people, do your best for everyone.’ Our Grandsheikh advises this also for every- one of you. You know what that meaning is. It means, do as much as you can, don’t hold back, don’t stay in one place; good, better, best. That is enough for us for honour. It is simple; you can keep it. If everyone could practice this, this world would be like Paradise, per- manent peace and permanent happiness for all. When you are observing your Lord’s pleasure, then you may do your best. His pleasure is earned by your best ac- tions. This is the unchanging advice from every Pro- phet. When you are doing your best and observing your Lord’s pleasure, Allah makes all people do their best for you. Even if the world is on fire, you would be in Paradise.
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BE PLEASED SERVING FOR ALLAH’S SAKE
We are speaking on an important point, serving for the sake of Allah Almighty. Everything you are going to do must be for the sake of Allah. The highest rank is given to people who are serving for Allah’s sake. For the ho- nour of one person serving Allah, helping people for the sake of his Lord, he has for his honour a rank in the Di- vine Presence, and Allah removes His curse and Divine Anger from 70 bad places in that man’s country.
One day my Grandsheikh was speaking about the Prophet Moses, saying that he asked his Lord: «Oh my Lord, when are you going to be pleased with me?» «Oh Moses, when you are pleased with Me, I am pleased with you.» If a man is asking for his Lord’s pleasure, he must look to himself. To be pleased with the Lord, he must be pleased with all His doings, then He is pleased with us. Our Lord can do anything with us and all around us. Important is to be pleased with all He does to you and to others. This is not so easy an exercise; needs hard working. Everytime you are becoming angry, «What is that? What is that?» you are not pleased. You may meet everything in this world, you may like it or not like it. If you like it, you are pleased with your Lord; if you are not liking it, you are separating from your Lord. The- refore Allah Almighty makes the sixth pillar of faith to believe that every happening from goodness or badness originates with Him. That belief carries us to that sta-
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tion, to be pleased with all of His doings. Everything is happening by His Will, therefore Mevlana Khālid was teaching beginners on that point, and Grandsheikh was stressing that point every time. Not to forget that eve- ry happening from everyone is from the Will of Allah Almighty, so don’t get angry.
Every mistake we make draws upon us a punishment we don’t like in order to clean us. If we can recognize that mistake and repent quickly, that mistake is taken away. Important, don’t be afraid of badness or punish- ment. Know that everything is coming to you, accor- ding to your intentions and actions. It is impossible to give harm to people and to go without punishment. If your intentions and actions are alright, you may always be alright. Sometimes a person thinks, ‘I never did such a bad thing to get such a punishment,’ I heard from my Grandsheikh that a mureed cleans his ancestors. For new Muslims coming here, it is our duty to give you every respect, the best houses and every comfort. But the Muslim community is not interested even in itself; they are fed-up. According to our capabilities we are trying to make you pleased, but it is difficult. As much as you are in unliked positions, this carries from your ancestors a heavy load. You are accustomed to high life, and here we have a low life.
Everything that comes on a person, he must know that it is the will of his Lord. For goodness we must be thankful; for unliked things we must be patient. For our patience, Allah gives us endless rewards.
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LAzINESS
(This is the answer to a question an American wrote to us; how can a man overcome his laziness if at all possi- ble?)
Our Grandsheikh says that the original characteri- stic of nafs is to be the laziest of all creatures. You can- not imagine laziness like that of our egos. Lazy, but only for his desires he is such a hard working person. For himself yes, but for others he does not like even the minimum amount of work. If for himself, you may find him twenty-four hours a day awake, no sleep over-po- wering him. If his body is not tired, he is not going to be tired, not sitting from dancing, drinking, eating, sin- ging. But to work for another person, he is so lazy, you cannot find any measure for his laziness. A person only moves to take benefit for himself. That benefit is his motivation, and that benefit’s summary is enjoyment for himself. He takes no benefit from drinking, smoking and taking drugs, but he may find enjoyment, therefore he rushes towards them.
Motivation can come from two directions. One is enjoyment for physical bodies, and the other, an attrac- tion that conquers it and carries you to hard working, is faith. A man with no faith, cannot carry himself to do any help or charity for others. He may put fire to the whole world for his enjoyment and say, ‘I don’t care.’ His care is with himself. You cannot find any opponent for the ego except faith. There is no way for a person to care for others without faith. If we cannot put faith in a person, he is dangerous to himself and to mankind.
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You can observe that characteristic on hippies now; not taking any care and they are lazy even for themselves.
Overcoming laziness is possible only with faith. The most highly motivated people are Prophets, then saints, then believers according to their faith power. It is in every real religion for believers to follow their Prophet and their Prophet’s inheritors. The real answer to this question is coming now. By ourselves, we can barely move. Every believer who asks for his laziness to be re- moved must be in personal contact with a living Wali. He must find one and take Baiyat from him, then he may also take benefit from saints in their tombs. Every real saint must leave a deputy for himself. Without a deputy, a real saint is never going.
Saints are the fountains of motivation. What is the main condition for reaching a saint for motivation? It is effort; it means to move. A car serves you if you get in it and turn on the ignition. If you just sit like a passenger, how will it drive? Himma is ready all the time, but you must turn the ignition. You take your Tasbih, ready for Dhikr, but so many excuses come, ‘Not now, later.’ But if you are saying, ‘You must sit,’ and then putting your heart to the heart of Grandsheikh, then Dhikr is running, motivation coming. Ask him if he is too tired to eat. Is a man too tired for marital activities? No, he is like a lion. She says, ‘You are tired,’ ‘No, I am not tired.’ Without moving, you have no right to expect motivation from a Prophet or a Saint.
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MARRIAGE
In Islam marriage is one of the holiest actions. In reality it is the first order from Allah Almighty to mankind. It is the base for every good character. Without marriage neither men nor women can be safe from the attacks of devils, and the king of devils is Satan. Every religion urges people to marry, and in every religion fornication is the worst evil. The well-being of the world hinges upon marriage, closing doors to many evils and pro- tecting people from falling into Hell.
In Islam marriage is a sacred foundation; it must be kept very carefully. In Islam women have rights and men have rights. Both sides must respect each other’s rights. That is the Lord’s advice to us. A marriage which makes Allah Almighty pleased, is when both keep respect towards each other. Marriage is the foun- dation and the family is a social building. There must be one head for every building. In Islam, Allah makes the husband the head of the family, and his wife should obey him. A lovely family making the Lord pleased is when the wife obeys the husband. In Islam, when the husband obeys the wife, he is a sinner, and if the wife is causing him to listen to her, she also is a sinner. When the husband is obeying the wife, he is disobeying the Lord. Husbands must use wisdom; women believe ea- sily, their hearts are fine. A husband, when going to do something, may ask his wife; it does not mean her an- swer is an order. When she is asked, she may say, ‘As you like.’ That woman makes her Lord pleased with her. If asking, ‘May I go, may I buy, may I do,’ that is
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the good manner of a lady. A lady; the exact meaning is to be so gentle, especially to husbands. Now they are very polite with strangers, but very hard on their husbands, like a hell-mouth. Subhanallah, she must be more polite to her husband than to anyone, and then Allah makes him an excellent husband for her.
In Islam it is forbidden for a husband to look at strange women and for a wife to look at strange men. A man must look to his wife as the most sweet and beau- tiful. Harâm is not sweet, it is poison for you. A wo- man must look to her husband as the most sweet and handsome person, because she is not concerned with others. Her paradise is with her husband, and a man’s is with his wife. When Adam was in Paradise, walking alone, too much pressure was in his heart. He was not taking any pleasure until Allah created Eve, his wife. Then Paradise was full of pleasures; before that it was empty. Man without woman is incomplete, and woman without man is incomplete. No one can be proud over the other; they complete each other in this life and the life hereafter.
What is the first thing parents should teach their children? According to the hadith of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, make his first speech to be the Holy name of our Lord, to say ‘Allâh, Allâh, Allâh.’ Whoever speaks this firstly we hope he may speak it lastly.
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GLOSSARY OF ARABIC TERMS
ABA: Coarse woolen cloak.
– A –
ABU BAKR AS-SIDDIQ: First Khalifa of the Holy Prophet Muham- med and inheritor of the inner teaching transmitted to his heart in the Cave of Thaur where the Prophet and he were hiding from would-be assassins. Allah caused a spider web to appear at the ent- rance of the cave to convince the pursuers that no one could be in it. The incident is mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān.
ADAB: Ideal manners for all people, especially Sufis. ADHAN: The call to prayer read from mosques five times a day.
AISHA: Daughter of Abû Bakr and favoured wife of the Prophet. Related many sayings from the Holy Prophet.
ALI: Cousin of the Prophet and husband of the Prophet’s daughter Fatima. Fourth and last of the rightly guided Khalifas. Inheritor of the inner teaching and thus first Sheikh of forty sufi Tariqats. Fa- mous as warrior, man of letters as well as for his ascetic lifestyle. ALLAHU AKBAR: Allah is Greatest; also known as ‘Takbir’.
AL-MAHDI: Divinely empowered leader of Muslims prophesized to appear at the end of times to unite all Muslims, previously in disunity. He will perform great miracles, such as the total incapaci- tation of technology. He will prepare the way for the return of Jesus Christ, i. e. Sayyidinā ‘Isā (‘alayhi s-salâm)
AL-MUTAKABBIR: Name of Allah, meaning: The Proud. AK- HIRA: The Hereafter; after-life.
‘AQL: Mind higher reasoning faculty of man. AWLIYA: (sing. WALI) Saint; Friend of Allah. AzEEMAT: Way of strong determination.
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– B –
BAHLUL: Brother of Abbassid Khalifa Harûn ar-Rashîd. Saint who played the fool. Literally «buffoon.»
BAIYAT: Oath of allegiance to a Prophet, Sheikh or leader. BARAKA: Blessing emanating from holy places, people or objects. BARzAKH: The intermediate life of the dead waiting for the Day of Resurrection.
BATIL: Falsehood; manifest error.
BAYAzID AL-BISTAMI: (or ABU YAzID) Great early Naqshban- di Master of the second century after the Prophet.
BILAL: First Muezzin (Caller to Prayer) of the Prophet; Black sla- ve who suffered grievous torture from his master because of his faith.
– D –
DAGHESTAN: Province in the Caucasus Mountains on the Caspi- an Sea, home of Grandsheikh Abdallah, presently under Russian occupation.
DAJJAL: «Anti-Christ» to appear at the end of time with miracle powers given by Allah to misguide and lead astray those «in who- se hearts is swerving.» Will be killed by Sayyidinā ‘îsā near Dama- scus.
DAY OF PROMISES: Day before Creation of the world when all souls were assembled before Allah and asked by him: Am I not your Lord?» They all answered: «Oh yes» and promised to be His humble servants.
DHIKR: Remembrance of Allah; takes many forms in Sufi paths and is elemental to them all.
DUA: Individual or group prayer, supplication to Allah in any lan- guage, different from Salāt (the canonical Muslim prayer).
DUNYA: Literally: «low»; the world, worldly life.
FAJR: Dawn; dawn prayer.
– F –
FARD: Obligation; obligatory order.
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FARD-ul-ARSH: Title of Baha-ud-Din Naqshband, lit.: «Individual of the Throne.» FATIMA: Only daughter of the Prophet who survived him and car- ried on his lineage. One of only four women in history up until the Prophet’s time to reach spiritual perfection; wife of ‘Alî, mother of Hassan and Hussein.
FATWA: Islamic jurisprudential verdict. FEAST OF IBRAHIM: The ‘Id-ul-Adhā, Muslim festival day in the days of Hajj, when animals are slaughtered in commemoration of the sacrifice of Sayyidinā Ibrāhîm who was ready to slaughter his son, Ismā‘îl, on the order of Allah.
FIQH: lit.: Understanding; Islamic Law (Jurisprudence). FITNA: Discord, affliction.
FUQARâ’: (sing.: FAQîR) Poor, needy. Often referring to Dervi- shes and Sufi brethren.
– H –
HABIB-ULLAH: Allah’s Beloved; Name of Muhammad. HADITH: Traditions. Records of the sayings and practices of the Holy Prophet passed down in unbroken chains by transmitters and compiled in collections in the second century after his lifetime.
HAJJ: The yearly pilgrimage to Mecca; one who has performed its rites is known as a Hajji.
HAMzA: Uncle of the Prophet who was martyred in the Battle of Ohud in the year 3 (after Hijra),
HARAM: Meaning literally: religiously forbidden, prohibited be- cause of either sacredness er harmfulness.
HAWA: Desires of the carnal soul. HEJAz: The western area of Arabian Peninsula containing the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
HELAL: Permitted by religious law; opp. to «Harām.» HIKMAT: Wisdom, essence of knowledge.
HIMMA: High aspiration; high-minded ambition.
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– I –
IBLIS : The accursed Devil, Shaitān. IBRAHIM: The Prophet Abraham.
‘ID: Muslim Holy Celebrations, one following the fasting month of Ramadan, the other after Hajj; Bayram.
IHRAM: The holy state entered into when visiting the Holy Mos- que in Mecca or performing the rites of pilgrimage, involves special dress and certain restrictions.
IMAM: Leader of congregational prayer, or, in another sense: the leader of all Muslims.
IMâN: Faith.
‘ISA: The Prophet Jesus.
‘ISHA: Night time; mandatory prayer at the night-fall. ISHRAQ: Sunrise; optional prayer at that time.
ISRA: The miraculous transporting of the Prophet on the heavenly steed of Burraq from Mecca to Jerusalem before ascending to the seven heavens.
ISTIGHFAR: Asking forgiveness of Allah; a form of Du‘ā’.
– J –
JAFAR AS-SADIQ: Early descendant of the Prophet, great saint and Naqshbandi master, leading religious scholar.
JAMA‘AT: Congregation.
JANNAT-I-BAQI‘: Graveyard in Medina where many of the Pro- phet’s companions, wives and family are buried.
JEBEL QASIYUN: Holy Mountain on the West of Damascus on which many Prophets and saints are buried.
JIBRIL: Gabriel; the Angel carrying Divine revelations. JIHAD: Holy War.
JIHAD AL-AKBAR: The greater Holy War, the fight against the lower self, the nafs.
JINN: One of the two peoples the Qur’ān addresses itself to: man- kind and jinn. Invisible beings created from smokeless fire. Some believers, some unbelievers.
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KAFIR: Unbeliever, infidel.
– K – L –
KARAMA: Miracles given to saints.
KHALIFA: Successor of the Prophet or a Sheikh, acting on his au- thority. Later meaning ruler of Islamic State.
KHALWA: Period of seclusion or withdrawl for the sake of spiritual advancement.
LA ILAHA ILLA LLAH: «There is no God but Allah», Muslim cre- do, followed by: Muhammed is messenger of Allah.
LUQMAN: Mentioned in Qur’ān as a holy man, and perhaps a Pro- phet, famous as a divinely inspired healer.
– M –
MADHHAB: Jurisprudential schools in Islam following the inter- pretations of certain pious Imams.
MAKRUH: Undesirable by religious standards. MAQAM-AL-MAHMUD: Praiseworthy station.
MASJID: «Mosque», the English word being a mispronunciation of the Arabic.
MA’SUM: Protected from sin, innocent (the Prophets). MEDINA: City of the Prophet. He fled there from Mecca, lived there and is buried next to the Prophet’s mosque.
MEVLANA: lit.: «Our Master».
MEVLANA KHALID BAGHDADI: Naqshbandi Master of the late 18th century buried in Damascus.
MIHRAB: Prayer niche in mosque etc. indicating the direction of Mecca (the Qibla).
MIMBAR: Raised pulpit in mosques for giving sermons. MI‘RAJ: Ascension of the Prophet to the seven heavens on the oc- casion of ISRA.
MT. OHUD: Scene of battle in the year 3 (A. H.) where the Mus- lims were defeated because of their disobedience to the Prophet out of greed for booty.
MUEzzIN: The caller to prayer who mounts the minaret. MU’MIN: A believer; one having IMâN.
MUREED: Disciple of a sheikh.
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MURSHID: Guide; one who leads to wisdom.
MUSLIM, female: MUSLIMA: One who surrenders to Allah’s will, one professing the creed of Islam.
NAFS: Ego; lower self. NI‘MAT: Divine Favours.
– N – P –
NIMROD: Evil king who tried to burn the Prophet Ibrahim in a fire. By Divine Miracle the fire was cool for Prophet Ibrahim.
PARADISE GIRLS: The «Huris», beautiful companions of the dwel- lers of Paradise Gardens.
PRESERVED TABLETS: Tablets in Allah’s Presence on which all Fate and future events are inscribed.
– Q – R –
QADIR: Name of Allah, the All-Powerful. QIYAMA: Resurrection from the graves.
QUEEN OF SHEBA: Bilqis by name, is mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān, became Muslim at the hand of Solomon.
QUTUB: The «Teacher of the Age», Pole of the Universe. RABIA AL-ADAWIYYA: Famous woman mystic saint. RAKAT: One unit of prayer in Muslim canonical prayer, consisting of standing, bowing and two prostrations.
RAMADAN: The holy month of fasting in Islam. RASULALLAH: Messenger of God, referring to Muhammed. RUKHSA: Excusability, permitted alleviation of duty.
SABR: Patience.
– S –
SAHABA: Companions of the Prophet. SAJDA: Prostration in prayer, forehead, nose, hands, knees and toes touching the ground.
SALAT-AL-JUM‘A: Obligatory congregational Friday noon prayer where a sermon is delivered.
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SAYYIDINA: Our lord, Title of respect.
SHAHADA: The act of bearing witness that: there is no God but Allah, Muhammed is His Messenger.
SHAM: Arabic for Damascus and the surrounding lands. SHARI‘AH: Code of Divinely revealed laws governing the life of a Muslim, derived from Qur’ān and Sunnah.
SHEIKH: Title of respect for aged or learned persons, head of Ta- riqat.
SHEIKH AL-AKBAR: The «Greatest Sheikh», Title given to Sheikh Muhiy-ud-dîn Ibn ‘Arabî.
SHEIKH ABD-UL-KHALIQ GHUJDAWANI: Early Naqshbandi
master through whom the tasbih of the Prophet and Abû Bakr in the cave of Thaur was made a regular Friday practice of the Tariqat. This tasbîh is Known as «Khatimi Khajagān».
SHEIKH ABD-UL-QADIR: Of Jilān, known as the «Rose of Bagh- dad»; founder of the Qādirî-Order of Dervishes.
SHEIKH MUHIY-UD-DIN: Known as Ibn ‘Arabî, originally from Andalusia, great scholar and spiritual giant, buried in Damascus. Lived in the 12th century A.D.
SHEIKH SHARAF-UD-DIN: Naqshbandi master of early 20th cen- tury, Sheikh of Grandsheikh Abdallah. Buried near Bursa.
SHAITAN: Satan, the accursed Devil. SIDDIQ: Station of perfect righteousness.
SILSILA: «Chain.» Succession of Sheikhs in a Tariqat connecting to the Prophet.
SUBHANALLAH: Glory be to God. Exclamation of surprise, amaze- ment or the like.
SOLOMON: SULEIMAN, Prophet and King of the Hebrews, Son of David. Had power over animals and Jinn.
SULTAN: King.
SULTAN-AL-‘âRIFîN: Title of Abû Yazîd Bis†āmî; «King of the Knowers.»
SULTAN HARUN-AR-RASHID: Early Abbassid ruler in Baghdad. SULTAN SELIM: Ottoman Sultan who conquered Syria.
SUNNAH: Application of the example of the Prophet. SUNNETJI: One who carries out the Sunnah of eating up the last morsel of food, not leaving any for the devil.
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mercy oceans
– T –
TAFAKKUR: Act of deep thinking; Meditation. TAHAJJUD: Optional Prayer in the last third of the night.
TAJALLI: Emanations or radiations from Holy Persons, affecting others in varied ways.
TAKBIR: Saying «Allāhu Akbar», Allah is Greatest.
TARIQAT: The ways of Sufism; orders of dervishes; the Way of inner teaching in Islam.
TASBIH: Glorification of Allah Almighty. TASLIMA: Perfect surrender.
TAWAKKUL: Trust in Allah.
TAWHEED: The creed of Oneness of God, the Unity of Allah. THRONE: The Throne of Allah Almighty in the Heavens.
– U – W –
ULAMA: (sing.: ALIM) persons learned in Islamic Knowledges. UMMAH: Nation, community belonging to a Prophet.
UMMAYYAD MOSQUE: Central Mosque of Damascus built by the Ummayyad dynasty in which is the tomb of Prophet Yahya, John the Baptist.
WAJIB: Required by religious law. WUDU: Required ablution for attaining ritual purity before prayer or reading Holy Qur’ān.
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We ask to be no-one and nothing. For, as long as we are someone, we are not complete.
Sheikh nâ|im, Islam. The Freedom To Serve. 94 S., kart., EU 10,00. ISBN 978-3-927606-13-9
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«When I was younger, I read and studied a great deal. Not only religion, Qur’ān and Hadîth, but also Eu- ropean Knowledge, ‘positive, objective knowledge’, as they called it at the University. So many books I read. Also, I met several Sheikhs and learned people, but my heart was not at peace with anyone until I met our Grandsheikh. When he was speaking, ah! He was illiterate, but he was giving with his words Divine Knowledge; knowledge that I could trust a hundred percent! I was in peace with his meetings. For forty years I was with him, and for forty years I tried to follow him. I am the weakest person, but my intention was to follow him. I felt as though I were an ant, with a broken leg, trying to crawl from Damascus to Mecca; that is how I saw myself in our Grandsheikh’s presence. But my hope was to follow him, as our Prophet says: ‘The value of actions is ac- cording to the intentions behind them.’ Therefore, I hope my Lord, Allah Almighty, will send me to where Grandsheikh is: to the Divine Presence, even though I am like that little ant.
I accepted Grandsheikh as Allah Almighty or- dered in Qur’ān: ‘Follow in the path of him who has turned to Me with love.’ This is my intention. I intend to follow him, and I am interested in that point only. I left all my ‘knowledge’, and intended to follow his way to Allah Almighty.»
Mevlana Sheikh Nazim al-Haqqani an-Naqshband (From Mercy Oceans Book One)
Link: https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=5784
to every evil.
The honour of a human being is according to the de- gree of his obedience. As much as he is listening to the advice of his Lord, he has more honour in the Divine Presence. He may be white or black, a farmer or a go- vernor, worker or minister, it doesn’t matter. The ho- nour of everyone is with his obedience to his Lord. It is a basic principle in Islam. Hadith says: «Allah Almighty
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is not looking to your appearance, but to your hearts and actions.»
Islam came as a religion acceptable to all people. Eve- ryone may be pleased, because it is only according to your hearts and actions. So many kinds of people there are on Earth but everyone is an individual in himself, no one else is like him. Allah has made it like this to try everyone. All must thank their Lord that they are one of mankind. Mankind has been honoured by Allah Al- mighty. These forms here are not our permanent forms, everyday they are going to change. Our real forms will appear in the life hereafter. Your light, your beauty, your handsomeness will be according to your actions. The Prophet says, after passing the bridge over Hell and coming to the entrance of Paradise, there are two rivers running there. Everyone coming from the place of gathering has the form he had when he was in the world. Upon arrival he immediately enters the first ri- ver and dives in, then emerges changed to a form like Joseph, peace be upon him, the most handsome of the Prophets.
Believing ladies will come out more beautiful than paradise beauties, even if they were old and bent. If one of those paradise girls spread her hand into this world, her beautiful fragrance would cause all people to be mad, forgetting eating and drinking until dying. No one would be able to look now to one of those girls, and believing ladies will be more beautiful than that. They will have seventy layers of beautiful clothes, the beauty of each shining through, not covered by the others, and not covering the beauty of the body. Each
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will have 70,000 maidens to catch the end of her dress. It is impossible to finish describing everything of the beauties of paradise. What does a picture give you? Are you a person who is there? Everything you will find in Paradise, is not like anything you have known before, beauties you have never heard of, seen, or thought of before.
Maybe now, some beauty or handsomeness is given by the Lord to a person from Divine Lights. That per- son may be in your heart, and you may find him near to yourself. That is the result of his heart’s goodness. But some have beauty, yet there is no familiarity with them. That is because of their wildness.
It is enough for praise and thanks that we are from mankind, and that we only need a pure heart to be ac- ceptable to people and in the Divine Presence. All Pro- phets are agreeing, saying ‘Oh people, do your best for everyone.’ Our Grandsheikh advises this also for every- one of you. You know what that meaning is. It means, do as much as you can, don’t hold back, don’t stay in one place; good, better, best. That is enough for us for honour. It is simple; you can keep it. If everyone could practice this, this world would be like Paradise, per- manent peace and permanent happiness for all. When you are observing your Lord’s pleasure, then you may do your best. His pleasure is earned by your best ac- tions. This is the unchanging advice from every Pro- phet. When you are doing your best and observing your Lord’s pleasure, Allah makes all people do their best for you. Even if the world is on fire, you would be in Paradise.
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BE PLEASED SERVING FOR ALLAH’S SAKE
We are speaking on an important point, serving for the sake of Allah Almighty. Everything you are going to do must be for the sake of Allah. The highest rank is given to people who are serving for Allah’s sake. For the ho- nour of one person serving Allah, helping people for the sake of his Lord, he has for his honour a rank in the Di- vine Presence, and Allah removes His curse and Divine Anger from 70 bad places in that man’s country.
One day my Grandsheikh was speaking about the Prophet Moses, saying that he asked his Lord: «Oh my Lord, when are you going to be pleased with me?» «Oh Moses, when you are pleased with Me, I am pleased with you.» If a man is asking for his Lord’s pleasure, he must look to himself. To be pleased with the Lord, he must be pleased with all His doings, then He is pleased with us. Our Lord can do anything with us and all around us. Important is to be pleased with all He does to you and to others. This is not so easy an exercise; needs hard working. Everytime you are becoming angry, «What is that? What is that?» you are not pleased. You may meet everything in this world, you may like it or not like it. If you like it, you are pleased with your Lord; if you are not liking it, you are separating from your Lord. The- refore Allah Almighty makes the sixth pillar of faith to believe that every happening from goodness or badness originates with Him. That belief carries us to that sta-
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tion, to be pleased with all of His doings. Everything is happening by His Will, therefore Mevlana Khālid was teaching beginners on that point, and Grandsheikh was stressing that point every time. Not to forget that eve- ry happening from everyone is from the Will of Allah Almighty, so don’t get angry.
Every mistake we make draws upon us a punishment we don’t like in order to clean us. If we can recognize that mistake and repent quickly, that mistake is taken away. Important, don’t be afraid of badness or punish- ment. Know that everything is coming to you, accor- ding to your intentions and actions. It is impossible to give harm to people and to go without punishment. If your intentions and actions are alright, you may always be alright. Sometimes a person thinks, ‘I never did such a bad thing to get such a punishment,’ I heard from my Grandsheikh that a mureed cleans his ancestors. For new Muslims coming here, it is our duty to give you every respect, the best houses and every comfort. But the Muslim community is not interested even in itself; they are fed-up. According to our capabilities we are trying to make you pleased, but it is difficult. As much as you are in unliked positions, this carries from your ancestors a heavy load. You are accustomed to high life, and here we have a low life.
Everything that comes on a person, he must know that it is the will of his Lord. For goodness we must be thankful; for unliked things we must be patient. For our patience, Allah gives us endless rewards.
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LAzINESS
(This is the answer to a question an American wrote to us; how can a man overcome his laziness if at all possi- ble?)
Our Grandsheikh says that the original characteri- stic of nafs is to be the laziest of all creatures. You can- not imagine laziness like that of our egos. Lazy, but only for his desires he is such a hard working person. For himself yes, but for others he does not like even the minimum amount of work. If for himself, you may find him twenty-four hours a day awake, no sleep over-po- wering him. If his body is not tired, he is not going to be tired, not sitting from dancing, drinking, eating, sin- ging. But to work for another person, he is so lazy, you cannot find any measure for his laziness. A person only moves to take benefit for himself. That benefit is his motivation, and that benefit’s summary is enjoyment for himself. He takes no benefit from drinking, smoking and taking drugs, but he may find enjoyment, therefore he rushes towards them.
Motivation can come from two directions. One is enjoyment for physical bodies, and the other, an attrac- tion that conquers it and carries you to hard working, is faith. A man with no faith, cannot carry himself to do any help or charity for others. He may put fire to the whole world for his enjoyment and say, ‘I don’t care.’ His care is with himself. You cannot find any opponent for the ego except faith. There is no way for a person to care for others without faith. If we cannot put faith in a person, he is dangerous to himself and to mankind.
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You can observe that characteristic on hippies now; not taking any care and they are lazy even for themselves.
Overcoming laziness is possible only with faith. The most highly motivated people are Prophets, then saints, then believers according to their faith power. It is in every real religion for believers to follow their Prophet and their Prophet’s inheritors. The real answer to this question is coming now. By ourselves, we can barely move. Every believer who asks for his laziness to be re- moved must be in personal contact with a living Wali. He must find one and take Baiyat from him, then he may also take benefit from saints in their tombs. Every real saint must leave a deputy for himself. Without a deputy, a real saint is never going.
Saints are the fountains of motivation. What is the main condition for reaching a saint for motivation? It is effort; it means to move. A car serves you if you get in it and turn on the ignition. If you just sit like a passenger, how will it drive? Himma is ready all the time, but you must turn the ignition. You take your Tasbih, ready for Dhikr, but so many excuses come, ‘Not now, later.’ But if you are saying, ‘You must sit,’ and then putting your heart to the heart of Grandsheikh, then Dhikr is running, motivation coming. Ask him if he is too tired to eat. Is a man too tired for marital activities? No, he is like a lion. She says, ‘You are tired,’ ‘No, I am not tired.’ Without moving, you have no right to expect motivation from a Prophet or a Saint.
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MARRIAGE
In Islam marriage is one of the holiest actions. In reality it is the first order from Allah Almighty to mankind. It is the base for every good character. Without marriage neither men nor women can be safe from the attacks of devils, and the king of devils is Satan. Every religion urges people to marry, and in every religion fornication is the worst evil. The well-being of the world hinges upon marriage, closing doors to many evils and pro- tecting people from falling into Hell.
In Islam marriage is a sacred foundation; it must be kept very carefully. In Islam women have rights and men have rights. Both sides must respect each other’s rights. That is the Lord’s advice to us. A marriage which makes Allah Almighty pleased, is when both keep respect towards each other. Marriage is the foun- dation and the family is a social building. There must be one head for every building. In Islam, Allah makes the husband the head of the family, and his wife should obey him. A lovely family making the Lord pleased is when the wife obeys the husband. In Islam, when the husband obeys the wife, he is a sinner, and if the wife is causing him to listen to her, she also is a sinner. When the husband is obeying the wife, he is disobeying the Lord. Husbands must use wisdom; women believe ea- sily, their hearts are fine. A husband, when going to do something, may ask his wife; it does not mean her an- swer is an order. When she is asked, she may say, ‘As you like.’ That woman makes her Lord pleased with her. If asking, ‘May I go, may I buy, may I do,’ that is
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the good manner of a lady. A lady; the exact meaning is to be so gentle, especially to husbands. Now they are very polite with strangers, but very hard on their husbands, like a hell-mouth. Subhanallah, she must be more polite to her husband than to anyone, and then Allah makes him an excellent husband for her.
In Islam it is forbidden for a husband to look at strange women and for a wife to look at strange men. A man must look to his wife as the most sweet and beau- tiful. Harâm is not sweet, it is poison for you. A wo- man must look to her husband as the most sweet and handsome person, because she is not concerned with others. Her paradise is with her husband, and a man’s is with his wife. When Adam was in Paradise, walking alone, too much pressure was in his heart. He was not taking any pleasure until Allah created Eve, his wife. Then Paradise was full of pleasures; before that it was empty. Man without woman is incomplete, and woman without man is incomplete. No one can be proud over the other; they complete each other in this life and the life hereafter.
What is the first thing parents should teach their children? According to the hadith of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, make his first speech to be the Holy name of our Lord, to say ‘Allâh, Allâh, Allâh.’ Whoever speaks this firstly we hope he may speak it lastly.
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GLOSSARY OF ARABIC TERMS
ABA: Coarse woolen cloak.
– A –
ABU BAKR AS-SIDDIQ: First Khalifa of the Holy Prophet Muham- med and inheritor of the inner teaching transmitted to his heart in the Cave of Thaur where the Prophet and he were hiding from would-be assassins. Allah caused a spider web to appear at the ent- rance of the cave to convince the pursuers that no one could be in it. The incident is mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān.
ADAB: Ideal manners for all people, especially Sufis. ADHAN: The call to prayer read from mosques five times a day.
AISHA: Daughter of Abû Bakr and favoured wife of the Prophet. Related many sayings from the Holy Prophet.
ALI: Cousin of the Prophet and husband of the Prophet’s daughter Fatima. Fourth and last of the rightly guided Khalifas. Inheritor of the inner teaching and thus first Sheikh of forty sufi Tariqats. Fa- mous as warrior, man of letters as well as for his ascetic lifestyle. ALLAHU AKBAR: Allah is Greatest; also known as ‘Takbir’.
AL-MAHDI: Divinely empowered leader of Muslims prophesized to appear at the end of times to unite all Muslims, previously in disunity. He will perform great miracles, such as the total incapaci- tation of technology. He will prepare the way for the return of Jesus Christ, i. e. Sayyidinā ‘Isā (‘alayhi s-salâm)
AL-MUTAKABBIR: Name of Allah, meaning: The Proud. AK- HIRA: The Hereafter; after-life.
‘AQL: Mind higher reasoning faculty of man. AWLIYA: (sing. WALI) Saint; Friend of Allah. AzEEMAT: Way of strong determination.
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– B –
BAHLUL: Brother of Abbassid Khalifa Harûn ar-Rashîd. Saint who played the fool. Literally «buffoon.»
BAIYAT: Oath of allegiance to a Prophet, Sheikh or leader. BARAKA: Blessing emanating from holy places, people or objects. BARzAKH: The intermediate life of the dead waiting for the Day of Resurrection.
BATIL: Falsehood; manifest error.
BAYAzID AL-BISTAMI: (or ABU YAzID) Great early Naqshban- di Master of the second century after the Prophet.
BILAL: First Muezzin (Caller to Prayer) of the Prophet; Black sla- ve who suffered grievous torture from his master because of his faith.
– D –
DAGHESTAN: Province in the Caucasus Mountains on the Caspi- an Sea, home of Grandsheikh Abdallah, presently under Russian occupation.
DAJJAL: «Anti-Christ» to appear at the end of time with miracle powers given by Allah to misguide and lead astray those «in who- se hearts is swerving.» Will be killed by Sayyidinā ‘îsā near Dama- scus.
DAY OF PROMISES: Day before Creation of the world when all souls were assembled before Allah and asked by him: Am I not your Lord?» They all answered: «Oh yes» and promised to be His humble servants.
DHIKR: Remembrance of Allah; takes many forms in Sufi paths and is elemental to them all.
DUA: Individual or group prayer, supplication to Allah in any lan- guage, different from Salāt (the canonical Muslim prayer).
DUNYA: Literally: «low»; the world, worldly life.
FAJR: Dawn; dawn prayer.
– F –
FARD: Obligation; obligatory order.
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FARD-ul-ARSH: Title of Baha-ud-Din Naqshband, lit.: «Individual of the Throne.» FATIMA: Only daughter of the Prophet who survived him and car- ried on his lineage. One of only four women in history up until the Prophet’s time to reach spiritual perfection; wife of ‘Alî, mother of Hassan and Hussein.
FATWA: Islamic jurisprudential verdict. FEAST OF IBRAHIM: The ‘Id-ul-Adhā, Muslim festival day in the days of Hajj, when animals are slaughtered in commemoration of the sacrifice of Sayyidinā Ibrāhîm who was ready to slaughter his son, Ismā‘îl, on the order of Allah.
FIQH: lit.: Understanding; Islamic Law (Jurisprudence). FITNA: Discord, affliction.
FUQARâ’: (sing.: FAQîR) Poor, needy. Often referring to Dervi- shes and Sufi brethren.
– H –
HABIB-ULLAH: Allah’s Beloved; Name of Muhammad. HADITH: Traditions. Records of the sayings and practices of the Holy Prophet passed down in unbroken chains by transmitters and compiled in collections in the second century after his lifetime.
HAJJ: The yearly pilgrimage to Mecca; one who has performed its rites is known as a Hajji.
HAMzA: Uncle of the Prophet who was martyred in the Battle of Ohud in the year 3 (after Hijra),
HARAM: Meaning literally: religiously forbidden, prohibited be- cause of either sacredness er harmfulness.
HAWA: Desires of the carnal soul. HEJAz: The western area of Arabian Peninsula containing the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
HELAL: Permitted by religious law; opp. to «Harām.» HIKMAT: Wisdom, essence of knowledge.
HIMMA: High aspiration; high-minded ambition.
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– I –
IBLIS : The accursed Devil, Shaitān. IBRAHIM: The Prophet Abraham.
‘ID: Muslim Holy Celebrations, one following the fasting month of Ramadan, the other after Hajj; Bayram.
IHRAM: The holy state entered into when visiting the Holy Mos- que in Mecca or performing the rites of pilgrimage, involves special dress and certain restrictions.
IMAM: Leader of congregational prayer, or, in another sense: the leader of all Muslims.
IMâN: Faith.
‘ISA: The Prophet Jesus.
‘ISHA: Night time; mandatory prayer at the night-fall. ISHRAQ: Sunrise; optional prayer at that time.
ISRA: The miraculous transporting of the Prophet on the heavenly steed of Burraq from Mecca to Jerusalem before ascending to the seven heavens.
ISTIGHFAR: Asking forgiveness of Allah; a form of Du‘ā’.
– J –
JAFAR AS-SADIQ: Early descendant of the Prophet, great saint and Naqshbandi master, leading religious scholar.
JAMA‘AT: Congregation.
JANNAT-I-BAQI‘: Graveyard in Medina where many of the Pro- phet’s companions, wives and family are buried.
JEBEL QASIYUN: Holy Mountain on the West of Damascus on which many Prophets and saints are buried.
JIBRIL: Gabriel; the Angel carrying Divine revelations. JIHAD: Holy War.
JIHAD AL-AKBAR: The greater Holy War, the fight against the lower self, the nafs.
JINN: One of the two peoples the Qur’ān addresses itself to: man- kind and jinn. Invisible beings created from smokeless fire. Some believers, some unbelievers.
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KAFIR: Unbeliever, infidel.
– K – L –
KARAMA: Miracles given to saints.
KHALIFA: Successor of the Prophet or a Sheikh, acting on his au- thority. Later meaning ruler of Islamic State.
KHALWA: Period of seclusion or withdrawl for the sake of spiritual advancement.
LA ILAHA ILLA LLAH: «There is no God but Allah», Muslim cre- do, followed by: Muhammed is messenger of Allah.
LUQMAN: Mentioned in Qur’ān as a holy man, and perhaps a Pro- phet, famous as a divinely inspired healer.
– M –
MADHHAB: Jurisprudential schools in Islam following the inter- pretations of certain pious Imams.
MAKRUH: Undesirable by religious standards. MAQAM-AL-MAHMUD: Praiseworthy station.
MASJID: «Mosque», the English word being a mispronunciation of the Arabic.
MA’SUM: Protected from sin, innocent (the Prophets). MEDINA: City of the Prophet. He fled there from Mecca, lived there and is buried next to the Prophet’s mosque.
MEVLANA: lit.: «Our Master».
MEVLANA KHALID BAGHDADI: Naqshbandi Master of the late 18th century buried in Damascus.
MIHRAB: Prayer niche in mosque etc. indicating the direction of Mecca (the Qibla).
MIMBAR: Raised pulpit in mosques for giving sermons. MI‘RAJ: Ascension of the Prophet to the seven heavens on the oc- casion of ISRA.
MT. OHUD: Scene of battle in the year 3 (A. H.) where the Mus- lims were defeated because of their disobedience to the Prophet out of greed for booty.
MUEzzIN: The caller to prayer who mounts the minaret. MU’MIN: A believer; one having IMâN.
MUREED: Disciple of a sheikh.
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MURSHID: Guide; one who leads to wisdom.
MUSLIM, female: MUSLIMA: One who surrenders to Allah’s will, one professing the creed of Islam.
NAFS: Ego; lower self. NI‘MAT: Divine Favours.
– N – P –
NIMROD: Evil king who tried to burn the Prophet Ibrahim in a fire. By Divine Miracle the fire was cool for Prophet Ibrahim.
PARADISE GIRLS: The «Huris», beautiful companions of the dwel- lers of Paradise Gardens.
PRESERVED TABLETS: Tablets in Allah’s Presence on which all Fate and future events are inscribed.
– Q – R –
QADIR: Name of Allah, the All-Powerful. QIYAMA: Resurrection from the graves.
QUEEN OF SHEBA: Bilqis by name, is mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān, became Muslim at the hand of Solomon.
QUTUB: The «Teacher of the Age», Pole of the Universe. RABIA AL-ADAWIYYA: Famous woman mystic saint. RAKAT: One unit of prayer in Muslim canonical prayer, consisting of standing, bowing and two prostrations.
RAMADAN: The holy month of fasting in Islam. RASULALLAH: Messenger of God, referring to Muhammed. RUKHSA: Excusability, permitted alleviation of duty.
SABR: Patience.
– S –
SAHABA: Companions of the Prophet. SAJDA: Prostration in prayer, forehead, nose, hands, knees and toes touching the ground.
SALAT-AL-JUM‘A: Obligatory congregational Friday noon prayer where a sermon is delivered.
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SAYYIDINA: Our lord, Title of respect.
SHAHADA: The act of bearing witness that: there is no God but Allah, Muhammed is His Messenger.
SHAM: Arabic for Damascus and the surrounding lands. SHARI‘AH: Code of Divinely revealed laws governing the life of a Muslim, derived from Qur’ān and Sunnah.
SHEIKH: Title of respect for aged or learned persons, head of Ta- riqat.
SHEIKH AL-AKBAR: The «Greatest Sheikh», Title given to Sheikh Muhiy-ud-dîn Ibn ‘Arabî.
SHEIKH ABD-UL-KHALIQ GHUJDAWANI: Early Naqshbandi
master through whom the tasbih of the Prophet and Abû Bakr in the cave of Thaur was made a regular Friday practice of the Tariqat. This tasbîh is Known as «Khatimi Khajagān».
SHEIKH ABD-UL-QADIR: Of Jilān, known as the «Rose of Bagh- dad»; founder of the Qādirî-Order of Dervishes.
SHEIKH MUHIY-UD-DIN: Known as Ibn ‘Arabî, originally from Andalusia, great scholar and spiritual giant, buried in Damascus. Lived in the 12th century A.D.
SHEIKH SHARAF-UD-DIN: Naqshbandi master of early 20th cen- tury, Sheikh of Grandsheikh Abdallah. Buried near Bursa.
SHAITAN: Satan, the accursed Devil. SIDDIQ: Station of perfect righteousness.
SILSILA: «Chain.» Succession of Sheikhs in a Tariqat connecting to the Prophet.
SUBHANALLAH: Glory be to God. Exclamation of surprise, amaze- ment or the like.
SOLOMON: SULEIMAN, Prophet and King of the Hebrews, Son of David. Had power over animals and Jinn.
SULTAN: King.
SULTAN-AL-‘âRIFîN: Title of Abû Yazîd Bis†āmî; «King of the Knowers.»
SULTAN HARUN-AR-RASHID: Early Abbassid ruler in Baghdad. SULTAN SELIM: Ottoman Sultan who conquered Syria.
SUNNAH: Application of the example of the Prophet. SUNNETJI: One who carries out the Sunnah of eating up the last morsel of food, not leaving any for the devil.
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mercy oceans
– T –
TAFAKKUR: Act of deep thinking; Meditation. TAHAJJUD: Optional Prayer in the last third of the night.
TAJALLI: Emanations or radiations from Holy Persons, affecting others in varied ways.
TAKBIR: Saying «Allāhu Akbar», Allah is Greatest.
TARIQAT: The ways of Sufism; orders of dervishes; the Way of inner teaching in Islam.
TASBIH: Glorification of Allah Almighty. TASLIMA: Perfect surrender.
TAWAKKUL: Trust in Allah.
TAWHEED: The creed of Oneness of God, the Unity of Allah. THRONE: The Throne of Allah Almighty in the Heavens.
– U – W –
ULAMA: (sing.: ALIM) persons learned in Islamic Knowledges. UMMAH: Nation, community belonging to a Prophet.
UMMAYYAD MOSQUE: Central Mosque of Damascus built by the Ummayyad dynasty in which is the tomb of Prophet Yahya, John the Baptist.
WAJIB: Required by religious law. WUDU: Required ablution for attaining ritual purity before prayer or reading Holy Qur’ān.
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Weekly Newsletter with Sohbets of Maulānā Sheikh Nā|im Efendi in connection with www.before- armageddon.com.
«When I was younger, I read and studied a great deal. Not only religion, Qur’ān and Hadîth, but also Eu- ropean Knowledge, ‘positive, objective knowledge’, as they called it at the University. So many books I read. Also, I met several Sheikhs and learned people, but my heart was not at peace with anyone until I met our Grandsheikh. When he was speaking, ah! He was illiterate, but he was giving with his words Divine Knowledge; knowledge that I could trust a hundred percent! I was in peace with his meetings. For forty years I was with him, and for forty years I tried to follow him. I am the weakest person, but my intention was to follow him. I felt as though I were an ant, with a broken leg, trying to crawl from Damascus to Mecca; that is how I saw myself in our Grandsheikh’s presence. But my hope was to follow him, as our Prophet says: ‘The value of actions is ac- cording to the intentions behind them.’ Therefore, I hope my Lord, Allah Almighty, will send me to where Grandsheikh is: to the Divine Presence, even though I am like that little ant.
I accepted Grandsheikh as Allah Almighty or- dered in Qur’ān: ‘Follow in the path of him who has turned to Me with love.’ This is my intention. I intend to follow him, and I am interested in that point only. I left all my ‘knowledge’, and intended to follow his way to Allah Almighty.»
Mevlana Sheikh Nazim al-Haqqani an-Naqshband (From Mercy Oceans Book One)
Link: https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=5784