MERCY OCEANS, Book 03 (Divine Sources, Shaykh Nazim, 83 pages, 3/4)
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bad thoughts and evil intentions that would pull you down into endless trouble.
Who is that “guard”? That “guard” is “dhikr”, the remembrance of Allah. Who remembers his Lord has a Divine Light in his heart that prevents Satan and his soldiers from entering. Therefore, the more you are able to remember and to meditate, keeping a close observer's eye on your heart, the more successful you will be in keeping out your mortal enemy. But should you fail to remember, should you be too occupied to keep an eye on your heart, then certainly Satan will sneak in, at a moment's heedlessness, and begin to make yousuffer. :
What is it that keeps us from meditation and self- observation? W hen we dwell on the desires of our lower selves we become preoccupied and distracted from our vigilance. Thus with our own desires Satan accomplishes his break-in; our own desires ate his best decoy. But how can we escape from the preoccupation with our ego’s desires, when those desires are such an intrinsic part of our being? You must know
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that the ego’s desires are of two kinds: legitimate and illegitimate. The physical being is attracted to food, drink and sexual life, You cannot prevent yourself from desiring those things as long as you are alive, for we are human beings and not angels. We must understand that Allah Almighty grants us from all of those things that we desire only as much as is good for us, just as much as will make us better able to concentrate on our ‘guard duty”.
The best guard is neither the starving man nor the overfed glutton, for the starving man will leave his post in search of food, and the overfed glutton will fall asleep at his post. Thus, if a person does not permit himself even the legitimate fulfillment of physical needs, especially sex, the lower self will rebel violently and attack him with a gigantic and frenzied explosion which forces him to fulfill his needs immediately, regardless of whether that fulfillment is legitimate or not. The result of such abstemiousness will be wantonness and nothing else; it will lead that person to lose sight completely of the distinction between permitted and prohibited actions.
For this reason our Grandsheikhs order every murid to grant their ego its legitimate rights and to listen to some of its demands: that they eat and drink of good, wholesome, and tasteful permitted food and marry in accordance with Divine injunction. If you deny* yourselves these permitted pleasures you are inviting “heart disease”, and you will suffer from many blows, sometimes to the heart, to the head, the stomach, or the sexual organs, etc.
Therefore, it is imperative for murids to protect themselves from the attack of the lower self before it goes
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wild and no longer listens to anyone or anything, and becomes like a starving person who gobbles down any dirty thing resembling food that may fall into his bands — and be it dog food; or like a thirsty person who rushes on water and drinks and drinks until he is ill; or like a person deprived or sex whose will finally breaks and who may fall into debauchery, perversion or brutality to satisfy his needs.
In order to prevent such excesses, new Muslims should make the intention to marry. It is not good for a Muslim to remain single, especially for followers of the Most Distinguished Naqshbandi Order. To be unmarried quickly cuts our hearts off from satisfaction, as suppressed sexual desire is the biggest troublemaker of the heart, robbing it of peace and contentment. When the mind dwells on sexual thoughts Divine Lights are extinguished and a shroud of darkness is cast over our hearts; quickly happiness flees; contentment is killed by the mad onslaught of physical pteoccupation. That is the worst disease of our hearts, and you must have a Guide to teach you how to prevent such an onslaught. A person in distress from heartaches must seek a Guide with the same urgency that a heart-attack victim calls fora doctor.
How may one know whom to follow? How can one tell which Guide may lead him successfully? The right Guide is the master of the art of diagnosis and treatment; the one who neither prescribes amputation in case of a scratch, nor a band-aid for a cancer. He is the merciful and sympathetic healer of hearts who doesn't put his patient through unnecessary pain and discomfort, who will always choose the less traumatic of two suitable treatments. A true Guide
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cannot be the type of person who loads great burdens on the backs of his followers, except those who have been trained to carry such burdens with ease.
Look, everything in the Universe has been created in measure. We have been ordered to establish that ordained measure in all things and be neither extravagant nor parsimonious, and He Almighty is the ultimate Judge of what that proper measute is. For example, were Allah Almighty to otder us to worship Him only once a day, and if we kept up that practice con sistently, our obedience would be acceptable. But were you ordered to pray fifty times a day and kept only forty-nine prayers consistently, it would mean that you were courting your Lord’s displeasure. Allah Almighty knows very well which of His orders are easy and which are difficult for each and every one of His servants. He may order easily-kept commands and see how His servant tries to obey Him, thén He may order something more difficult for the ego to bear, that we may earn His greater pleasure through exertion of a greater effort.
We ask our Lord to show us the easiest way to success for our brothers and sisters, to show us a way of life free of “heart disease”, trouble and suffering; to show us the way of satisfaction, rest, light and happiness. It is clear to us that heartaches come to us through our egos’ desires and our inability to deal with those desires properly, either denying our egos their rightful demands or giving them more than is good for them. Therefore, our unmarried brothers and sisters should intend to marry in the near future if a suitable opportunity presents itself, When a person marries, and if the matriage is successful, 99% of all heartaches will disappear.
45 MAINTAINING PEACE IN MARRIAGE
Question: “Do you know of a good way to maintain peace in matriage, a way to preserve respect and love between husband and wife? With all the tensions of everyday life married people often start to yell at each other and quarrel. Is it possible to prevent this?”
Look, our Grandsheikh always used to say that we must use wisdom on every occasion, particularly in those situations in which Satan is playing his favourite role: that of the housebreaker. In the family situation Satan always tries to act out his disruptive and destructive intention towards the marriage, as marriage is the thing he hates most. He is outtaged by happy couples and particularly by marital fidelity. His goal is to stir up people’s passions and then direct those people to satisfy their passions illegitimately, outside of the marriage. If a person marties, Satan makes it his business to run after those people and try to destroy that legal spiritual bond. You must know this, as it is the basis for understanding marriage problems and for defeating Satan, devils and evil. If you don’t understand this point you will be unable to solve yout marital problems, and the situation will get worse day by day.
Sometimes Satan attacks from the husband’s side, making him wild with anger and jealousy. Sometimes Satan attacks from the wife's side, making her like a mad woman, wild with jealousy and misunderstanding. Now when you notice that Satan has mounted your mate, and is spurring him or her on
46 to quarrel with you, don’t give any reply. Just remain silent and say to yourself: ‘Satan is riding on my mate; I must leave him ride until his mount gets tired and he dismounts”. Then, when you see the change you must try to soothe him or her and talk gently with soft caresses, yes.
Don't try to argue with an angry person! An angry person wont even listen to Allah or His Prophet, so how shall he listen to you? All that you say or reason out will only fall on deaf ears or even serve to whip him or her up into even greater frenzy; so better to be patient and not reply. Remember that it takes two hands to clap; if you withhold your hand, that one hand will wave and wave, but if it doesn’t meet with another hand it will finally tire and stop. T hat is the way: you will never find a better way to maintain family unity. It is the way of
wisdom.
47 SOUL CAN FIND SOUL Allah Almighty has given us life that we may use it as He
pleases, and what pleases Him from our actions are those actions that are beneficial to our fellow men. There is a very simple rule of thumb regarding our actions: Do all that you can to serve people, and avoid all that may harm others, though it be. beneficial to you. All Prophets sent to all peoples at all times have taught this to their followers. It is an unchanging, unchangeable religious principle.
All activities from which people benefit have been permitted and encouraged by religion. And other activities, such as earning one’s livelihood, must at least not be harmful to people. But in our times so many undertakings are embarked upon without the slightest regard for their being beneficial or at least benign. If people see the possibility of some material benefit for themselves in an activity, they never ask what the results of that activity may be for anyone else. They say: “I don’t care what happens to anyone else but myself. If it is profitable I must do it; that is my only criterion”. But people are going to be killed! Everything is going to be destroyed! He replies: “That's too bad, but don’t tell me aboutit, [really don’t care—I care only about myself.”
As this mentality is so prevalent in these times it is imperative for a believer to believe that his business or job is beneficial to mankind, or a least not harmful. He must not be
amonster without a conscience, and must be careful to ayoid
all harmful activities. This is a plain reality stressed in all
48 religions by all Prophets in all times to all peoples: no one can object. Our brother, Sheikh M., asked me about some prac- tices and diets devised in order to give spiritual and physical benefit to people. We shall say, at least those who propagate these methods and diets believe they are beneficial, and they may be right or wrong. If they are beneficial they may find acceptance and may be practised by a few people: but if a method is harmful for people or useless, Satan himself will cettainly make it his business to propagate it personally so that it finds great acceptance among people, and you will see millions of people destroying themselves or wasting their time following those methods and diets. Because the age we live in is the Age of Satan's Dominion he finds it extremely easy to harm people as he wishes. He looks and sees that something will harm or distract people from good deeds, and he sponsors it, endorses it and even personally offers his setvices as chief publicity manager.
Therefore, it may easily be observed in our times that every group that flourishes and meets with stupendous success is a sick group and that their teachings and practices ate flawed. In the Age of Satan’s Dominion you can’t plant a good fruit tree and expect it to sutvive. Probably weeds will choke it, or there will be a drought, or there will bea flood ora freeze or a pestilence. And even if it does grow to become a sapling, some goat will come and eat it.
When I explained this situation to Sheikh M. he replied: “Well, if that's the case maybe we should pray that we are unsuccessful — better to be nothing than to give evil fruits.” I don’t mean that we should despair of bearing sweet fruits, no;
49 what I mean is that we should be aware of the odds we are up against in this time, and set our expectations, if we have any, accordingly, so we are not surprised to see so many people following misguidance.
Yes, groups that are following a right path, a path that leads to real benefits for its followers and for people in general, even in this time may grow — but not like other groups. The bad or useless groups may be seen to be increasing quickly, but rightly guided groups grow very slowly, too slowly. But, knowing this we have no need to despair and lose hope. We are pleased if we can be successful even one-tenth of one percent of the time. But misguided groups are “successful” 200% or 2000%, so rapidly do their membership rolls, and especially their bank accounts, increase. We never anticipate such outward prosperity, for even Prophets, (even our Prophet Muhammed) Peace be upon them, were not 100% successful. They were only sent to setve as examples and they were not responsible for their peoples’ giving up stubbornness, egoism and misguidance.
“Whoso follows the guidance does so to his own
spiritual benefit, and who is misguided harms himself.”
“(Oh Muhammad), you will not be asked about
their actions nor they about yours.”
Yes, even if we can benefit only one in a thousand with goodness we are happy. What is important is that you move, that you work toward your lofty goals. Don’t sit complacently! For within the person who has been shown a right way and feels the beneficent power of the contact with
50 Allah’s Saints in his life, there arises the desire to bring suitable and well-intentioned people into contact with the same blessings. This is from the heart’s compassion. Allah Almighty is calling His Creatures to His Divine Love, and He uses those who have been touched by that love as a means for His taking the hearts of others back towards Himself. When that love has touched you you will feel compassion stirring in your heart, a compassionate love that is contagious.
Look, a young person aroused by the fires of passion will be impelled by those fires to walk the streets. He or she leaves their house with a firm intention and a driving desire. They will find what they are seeking, (though it would be better for them if they didn't!) That young person will find a partner for his passion, because his or her intention is firm: if one escapes, three more will come! We can learn from this a Divine Law: firm intention and determination is the key to success in
aventute. So, if donkey can find donkey, soul can find soul.
51 THE PURIFICATION OF OUR FAITH
One of the five pillars of Islam is called “Zakat”, that means the purification of our money and properties by annually giving away one-fortieth of it to the needy. This is a well-known aspect of Islamic Law: that the rich share their wealth with the poor so that their wealth may bring them blessings and goodness rather than affliction and envy.
But there is also another kind of Zakat in Islam, and in the sight of the Naqshbandi Tariqah it is the most important Zakat: the Zakat or purification of our faith. What is the purification of out faith? To give of our faith to someone else, to be the means of bringing someone into the blessed faith of Islam. Ultimately it is Allah Almighty who opens the hearts of His servants to His faith, yet He orders us to make — ourselves the means by which He acquaints His servants with the blessings a servant who believes in his Lord may receive. We can obey this Divine Order by making ourselves perfect examples of the beneficient effect of that faith on man’s being — and character, and by sharing the light that shines forth from our sincerity and humility.
Now, out brother has been the means for the guidance of our new brother H. to Islam. Thus, by leading one man to the truth, has he given the Zakat of his faith. The Holy Prophet, Peace be upon him, once said: “To be the means by which one petson is guided to the truth is better for you than the whole wotld and what it contains.” Therefore, the Prophet’s companions spread out over the face of the Earth in ordet to
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share with others what they had been blessed with. Faith is a wonderful tree which the believer is called upon to plant where he can, in any suitable place, then to tend it as best as he can to insure that it may have a chance to grow. And so you must not be satisfied just to lead a person to belief, but you must extend to himall the help and encouragement you can so that his faith may grow stronger. You must bea true brother or sister to that person so that the roots of that sapling may grow deep and the branches spread and ultimately yield fruit and seed,
Yes, if you see a beautiful tree you must try to plant it elsewhere also. Some plants are grown from seed, some by implanting branches in the earth, some by planting a piece of root or bulb, and some by grafting a piece of bark onto an existing tree. You must take wisdom from this example and become skillful gardeners, using the right methods for the right plants in the right season. What we are saying is that you must use your wisdom and compassion in dealing with those beginners who look to you for guidance: be perceptive of their particular needs and particular situations, like a gardener.
We are not urging you to call people to our way like parrots, repeating the same thing in the same way to every person without discrimination. You must look and see what doot is open and enter from that door. Don't just kick in the first door you find! Don’t be like those door-to-door preachers whom people flee from on sight and cross the street just in order to avoid. Be true gardeners: don't chop down a tree that only needs grafting and planta seed in its place; also, don’t graft good bark onto a dead stump.
53 SMOKING: THE HOLE IN THE LOCKED DOOR THROUGH WHICH THE THIEF ENTERS
I asked our new Muslim brother how he is succeeding in his attempt to live as a Muslim. He replied: “I am doing well. I have started to perform the prayers and fasts that Allah has ordered and have left most of the well-known forbidden actions. The only problem is that, up until now, I have been unable to quit smoking.’ I told him:
Look, cigarette smoking in the sight of people, par- ticularly in the sight of Muslims, is something of little or no effect on a person's character, and because they see it as being © of no account and as having no effect on their religious lives, _
Muslims, more than others, smoke like chimneys. But their thinking couldn't be more mistaken.
When you accepted Islam you managed to leave behind all of the well-known and most harmful prohibited actions, and that is very good - not everyone can do that so easily, immediately upon his accepting the faith. The only big — problem, you say, is that you are addicted to tobacco, that it occupies your heart to such an extent that leaving itisagreat _ struggle which you can’t seem to win.
Our Grandsheikh, Sheikh Abdullah Ad-Daghistani, may Allah be pleased with him and make him pleased with Him, used to say that cigarette smoking, even if itis of no account in the sight of people, is, in reality, one of he greatest ©
weaknesses a believer can have, as the cigarette habit leaves its
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victim completely bereft of willpower. Cigarettes catch people and destroy their willpower in such an absolute way that if he cannot cut himself off from the smoking habit, one day smoking will cut him off from every goodness, even from faith itself. T his is the main and overriding reason for quitting the cigarette habit (among all the numerous other very strong reasons): he must leave it once and for all so that he may take his willpower into his own hands, and thus protect himself from falling under the control of others. When I say “others” I am mainly referring to his own lower self and Satan, who stands in the background as the evil advisor to the ego. Who cannot control himself may lose control over himself so that his being passes into the hands of his animal self and Satan, who are ready to destroy the humanity of your soul.
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Qut’an: “Oh My people, you may see something as being of no consequence, butin My sight it may be of immense consequence and gravity.” Now cigarette smoking is at most a small vice in the eyes of Muslims, but in the sight-of Allah Almighty it is a fatal weakness in a believer; it is like a small hole in a door through which a burglar may enter. Now you have just closed the door on all the major sins that are most displeasing to Allah Almighty, but what good does it do as long as that hole remains? What purpose does such a door serve? You might as well leave it wide open for all the good it does! Perhaps you may say: “It is a thick oak door and I have shut it firmly and locked it well, what difference does a little hole make, it doesn’t matter.” What doesn’t matter? Say it doesn't matter
once the thief has opened the whole big door by putting a
55 wire through, the hole and run off with your treasure!
Therefore, if a person leaves such a hole for Satan to enter through and gain control, he is exposing his faith to great danger. And so I say to our brother: You have left so many forbidden actions which ate displeasing to your Lord. You have locked that door, now you must think of what you can do about that cigar- ette-hole.
Sheikh Muhammad Adil
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MUSIC
Question: “Whatis our relationship to music?” The Sheikh:
Whenever we find some activity to be enjoyable we must ask ourselves whether that activity also makes our Lord pleased with us. If the answer is ‘yes’ then you know that such activities are alright.
When we refer to music and to whether there is any merit init in the sight of Allah, we cannot speak of “music” as if all different kinds of music are one and the same. One must make distinctions. One kind of music, and the best music in the sight of Allah, is divinely inspired music, such as the music of several of the Sufi Tariqahs in their remembrance of Allah, most notably the Mevlevi whirling initiated by Mev- lana Jalaluddin Rumi, may Allah sanctify his blessed soul. It must be clear that there is a vast difference between such music and the satanic, sexually arousing music of the discotheque.
Yes, the music of those Tarigahs is divine music: they sing heavenly songs that touch our souls gently, turning our attention to the inner realities and eternal life; they bring our souls a pleasure that makes our hearts open wider and wider to divine inspiration until you feel your heart to be full of Divine Love. How can such music be termed reprehensible, or sinful?
But nowadays when people refer to “music”, they usually mean pop and disco music, the kind of music that not only
57 distracts the mind, but fills our hearts with darkness, sadness and misery. It is the kind of music that Satan uses to control those who don’t have a firm command over their willpower, and to push them into the pit of spiritual pollution. Even an older or middle aged man like our friend here, if exposed to such music, may start jumping around like a devil; even chains cannot hold people when such music enters their blood. Such music is so dangerous that even those who can exercise their willpower flee from such sounds, taking refuge in their Lord from the Accursed Devil.
Perhaps while listening and dancing to such music you may feel a type of enjoyment, but when the party is over and you return to your house, turn your gaze inward: there you will find your conscience condemning you for exposing it to such degradation; and you will repent for having left a way for such darkness and sadness to overtake you. Listening to that kind of music never makes our Lord pleased withus.
Therefore, our relationship with music depends on our own conscience; it may tell us if the music is uplifting or otherwise. Consult your conscience, and if there is a clear positive response, then don't worry, that music may be divinely inspired.
According to tradition, on the Day of Resurrection the four Angels who bear the Divine Throne will be glorifying their Lord with such beautiful litanies that all the souls gathered on that day will lose their self- awareness in complete absorption in that beauty — they shall be beside themselves and in their Lord. The recitation of Holy Qur'an is also divine music, as our Holy Prophet, Muhammad, Peace
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be upon him, stressed that it should be recited in a beautiful voice. And so, divine music has an important place in our religion, since our Prophet has advised that through beautiful recitation the Holy Qur’an may best reach out hearts.
Now the distinction between music for our Lord and music for our lower selves is clear. The same clear measure applies to everything, not only music. Islam applies this measure to all aspects of life and culture in order to determine whether they are permitted or prohibited, All good things of this world and the next (Tayyibat) are permitted to us, and Islam has the greatest tolerance of all religions for the channeling of man’s multi-faceted energies and creative impulses into acceptable and laudable activities. Islam gives to people the best of everything, in this world and the next, and never seeks to instill negativity in its followers. Rather than encouraging total rejection of this life, Islam encourages
us to seek the good and wholesome in social relations, in
food, drink and clothes, the best for body and soul,
But Islam never tolerates actions which are intrinsically associated with darkness — harmful to individuals and to the society (Khabaith). Islam distinguishes clearly between these two groups, Tayyibat and Khabaith; it aims at awakening the conscience of its followers, so they may become capable of distinguishing tight from wrong.
we oe Ke
Music is not rejected by Islam in an absolute manner; but, as you know, Islam is a religion of discipline, and its judgements are not necessarily going to accord with people’s imaginings or opinions. In Islam, people must arrange their
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lives in accordance with the Divinely revealed discipline, and part of that discipline is that we are told to avoid all those paths that lead to evil. Some of the paths that are interdicted by Islam may appear to be safe at the beginning, but if we follow them we will find out what danger lies on them and what harm results to our faith. Therefore, Islam takes care to determine the direction of any path and to block those paths that lead over cliffs from the beginning.
We aren't declaring music to be something categorically evil, but through its misuse it may become the main reason for evil to appeat — and everything that causes evil is prohibited by Divine Commandment in Islam, Most Western people are obsessed by music and are incorrectly thinking that their whole lives, their inner lives included, are dependent on music. They are like little babies to whom music is like their mother’s breast, and until they are weaned they can’t live without it, But when those little babies discover solid food they may leave suckling and find that there are more important activities in life. Therefore we are not discouraging Westerners who are beginners on this path from listening to or playing music: we are only saying to them that they must be careful of music, and not let it carry them away from their spiritual lives and trap them under their egos’ command. To be under your ego’s command is prohibited. Modern pop music, especially disco music, renders its listeners slaves to their egos, so that even if they are tied with ropes they must break them to writhe and jump about. Who loses control of his ego gets carried off by the torrent of evil, losing his dignity, his honour, his faith and humanity.
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But other kinds of music, suchas folk-and-country music, or non-deyotional classical music, usually fall between the two categories of beneficial and harmful, and therefore needn't be encouraged or discouraged by religion. As far as serious classical music is concerned, it usually tends toward the side of divinely inspired music, as classical musicians, and particularly composers, are
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bad thoughts and evil intentions that would pull you down into endless trouble.
Who is that “guard”? That “guard” is “dhikr”, the remembrance of Allah. Who remembers his Lord has a Divine Light in his heart that prevents Satan and his soldiers from entering. Therefore, the more you are able to remember and to meditate, keeping a close observer's eye on your heart, the more successful you will be in keeping out your mortal enemy. But should you fail to remember, should you be too occupied to keep an eye on your heart, then certainly Satan will sneak in, at a moment's heedlessness, and begin to make yousuffer. :
What is it that keeps us from meditation and self- observation? W hen we dwell on the desires of our lower selves we become preoccupied and distracted from our vigilance. Thus with our own desires Satan accomplishes his break-in; our own desires ate his best decoy. But how can we escape from the preoccupation with our ego’s desires, when those desires are such an intrinsic part of our being? You must know
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that the ego’s desires are of two kinds: legitimate and illegitimate. The physical being is attracted to food, drink and sexual life, You cannot prevent yourself from desiring those things as long as you are alive, for we are human beings and not angels. We must understand that Allah Almighty grants us from all of those things that we desire only as much as is good for us, just as much as will make us better able to concentrate on our ‘guard duty”.
The best guard is neither the starving man nor the overfed glutton, for the starving man will leave his post in search of food, and the overfed glutton will fall asleep at his post. Thus, if a person does not permit himself even the legitimate fulfillment of physical needs, especially sex, the lower self will rebel violently and attack him with a gigantic and frenzied explosion which forces him to fulfill his needs immediately, regardless of whether that fulfillment is legitimate or not. The result of such abstemiousness will be wantonness and nothing else; it will lead that person to lose sight completely of the distinction between permitted and prohibited actions.
For this reason our Grandsheikhs order every murid to grant their ego its legitimate rights and to listen to some of its demands: that they eat and drink of good, wholesome, and tasteful permitted food and marry in accordance with Divine injunction. If you deny* yourselves these permitted pleasures you are inviting “heart disease”, and you will suffer from many blows, sometimes to the heart, to the head, the stomach, or the sexual organs, etc.
Therefore, it is imperative for murids to protect themselves from the attack of the lower self before it goes
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wild and no longer listens to anyone or anything, and becomes like a starving person who gobbles down any dirty thing resembling food that may fall into his bands — and be it dog food; or like a thirsty person who rushes on water and drinks and drinks until he is ill; or like a person deprived or sex whose will finally breaks and who may fall into debauchery, perversion or brutality to satisfy his needs.
In order to prevent such excesses, new Muslims should make the intention to marry. It is not good for a Muslim to remain single, especially for followers of the Most Distinguished Naqshbandi Order. To be unmarried quickly cuts our hearts off from satisfaction, as suppressed sexual desire is the biggest troublemaker of the heart, robbing it of peace and contentment. When the mind dwells on sexual thoughts Divine Lights are extinguished and a shroud of darkness is cast over our hearts; quickly happiness flees; contentment is killed by the mad onslaught of physical pteoccupation. That is the worst disease of our hearts, and you must have a Guide to teach you how to prevent such an onslaught. A person in distress from heartaches must seek a Guide with the same urgency that a heart-attack victim calls fora doctor.
How may one know whom to follow? How can one tell which Guide may lead him successfully? The right Guide is the master of the art of diagnosis and treatment; the one who neither prescribes amputation in case of a scratch, nor a band-aid for a cancer. He is the merciful and sympathetic healer of hearts who doesn't put his patient through unnecessary pain and discomfort, who will always choose the less traumatic of two suitable treatments. A true Guide
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cannot be the type of person who loads great burdens on the backs of his followers, except those who have been trained to carry such burdens with ease.
Look, everything in the Universe has been created in measure. We have been ordered to establish that ordained measure in all things and be neither extravagant nor parsimonious, and He Almighty is the ultimate Judge of what that proper measute is. For example, were Allah Almighty to otder us to worship Him only once a day, and if we kept up that practice con sistently, our obedience would be acceptable. But were you ordered to pray fifty times a day and kept only forty-nine prayers consistently, it would mean that you were courting your Lord’s displeasure. Allah Almighty knows very well which of His orders are easy and which are difficult for each and every one of His servants. He may order easily-kept commands and see how His servant tries to obey Him, thén He may order something more difficult for the ego to bear, that we may earn His greater pleasure through exertion of a greater effort.
We ask our Lord to show us the easiest way to success for our brothers and sisters, to show us a way of life free of “heart disease”, trouble and suffering; to show us the way of satisfaction, rest, light and happiness. It is clear to us that heartaches come to us through our egos’ desires and our inability to deal with those desires properly, either denying our egos their rightful demands or giving them more than is good for them. Therefore, our unmarried brothers and sisters should intend to marry in the near future if a suitable opportunity presents itself, When a person marries, and if the matriage is successful, 99% of all heartaches will disappear.
45 MAINTAINING PEACE IN MARRIAGE
Question: “Do you know of a good way to maintain peace in matriage, a way to preserve respect and love between husband and wife? With all the tensions of everyday life married people often start to yell at each other and quarrel. Is it possible to prevent this?”
Look, our Grandsheikh always used to say that we must use wisdom on every occasion, particularly in those situations in which Satan is playing his favourite role: that of the housebreaker. In the family situation Satan always tries to act out his disruptive and destructive intention towards the marriage, as marriage is the thing he hates most. He is outtaged by happy couples and particularly by marital fidelity. His goal is to stir up people’s passions and then direct those people to satisfy their passions illegitimately, outside of the marriage. If a person marties, Satan makes it his business to run after those people and try to destroy that legal spiritual bond. You must know this, as it is the basis for understanding marriage problems and for defeating Satan, devils and evil. If you don’t understand this point you will be unable to solve yout marital problems, and the situation will get worse day by day.
Sometimes Satan attacks from the husband’s side, making him wild with anger and jealousy. Sometimes Satan attacks from the wife's side, making her like a mad woman, wild with jealousy and misunderstanding. Now when you notice that Satan has mounted your mate, and is spurring him or her on
46 to quarrel with you, don’t give any reply. Just remain silent and say to yourself: ‘Satan is riding on my mate; I must leave him ride until his mount gets tired and he dismounts”. Then, when you see the change you must try to soothe him or her and talk gently with soft caresses, yes.
Don't try to argue with an angry person! An angry person wont even listen to Allah or His Prophet, so how shall he listen to you? All that you say or reason out will only fall on deaf ears or even serve to whip him or her up into even greater frenzy; so better to be patient and not reply. Remember that it takes two hands to clap; if you withhold your hand, that one hand will wave and wave, but if it doesn’t meet with another hand it will finally tire and stop. T hat is the way: you will never find a better way to maintain family unity. It is the way of
wisdom.
47 SOUL CAN FIND SOUL Allah Almighty has given us life that we may use it as He
pleases, and what pleases Him from our actions are those actions that are beneficial to our fellow men. There is a very simple rule of thumb regarding our actions: Do all that you can to serve people, and avoid all that may harm others, though it be. beneficial to you. All Prophets sent to all peoples at all times have taught this to their followers. It is an unchanging, unchangeable religious principle.
All activities from which people benefit have been permitted and encouraged by religion. And other activities, such as earning one’s livelihood, must at least not be harmful to people. But in our times so many undertakings are embarked upon without the slightest regard for their being beneficial or at least benign. If people see the possibility of some material benefit for themselves in an activity, they never ask what the results of that activity may be for anyone else. They say: “I don’t care what happens to anyone else but myself. If it is profitable I must do it; that is my only criterion”. But people are going to be killed! Everything is going to be destroyed! He replies: “That's too bad, but don’t tell me aboutit, [really don’t care—I care only about myself.”
As this mentality is so prevalent in these times it is imperative for a believer to believe that his business or job is beneficial to mankind, or a least not harmful. He must not be
amonster without a conscience, and must be careful to ayoid
all harmful activities. This is a plain reality stressed in all
48 religions by all Prophets in all times to all peoples: no one can object. Our brother, Sheikh M., asked me about some prac- tices and diets devised in order to give spiritual and physical benefit to people. We shall say, at least those who propagate these methods and diets believe they are beneficial, and they may be right or wrong. If they are beneficial they may find acceptance and may be practised by a few people: but if a method is harmful for people or useless, Satan himself will cettainly make it his business to propagate it personally so that it finds great acceptance among people, and you will see millions of people destroying themselves or wasting their time following those methods and diets. Because the age we live in is the Age of Satan's Dominion he finds it extremely easy to harm people as he wishes. He looks and sees that something will harm or distract people from good deeds, and he sponsors it, endorses it and even personally offers his setvices as chief publicity manager.
Therefore, it may easily be observed in our times that every group that flourishes and meets with stupendous success is a sick group and that their teachings and practices ate flawed. In the Age of Satan’s Dominion you can’t plant a good fruit tree and expect it to sutvive. Probably weeds will choke it, or there will be a drought, or there will bea flood ora freeze or a pestilence. And even if it does grow to become a sapling, some goat will come and eat it.
When I explained this situation to Sheikh M. he replied: “Well, if that's the case maybe we should pray that we are unsuccessful — better to be nothing than to give evil fruits.” I don’t mean that we should despair of bearing sweet fruits, no;
49 what I mean is that we should be aware of the odds we are up against in this time, and set our expectations, if we have any, accordingly, so we are not surprised to see so many people following misguidance.
Yes, groups that are following a right path, a path that leads to real benefits for its followers and for people in general, even in this time may grow — but not like other groups. The bad or useless groups may be seen to be increasing quickly, but rightly guided groups grow very slowly, too slowly. But, knowing this we have no need to despair and lose hope. We are pleased if we can be successful even one-tenth of one percent of the time. But misguided groups are “successful” 200% or 2000%, so rapidly do their membership rolls, and especially their bank accounts, increase. We never anticipate such outward prosperity, for even Prophets, (even our Prophet Muhammed) Peace be upon them, were not 100% successful. They were only sent to setve as examples and they were not responsible for their peoples’ giving up stubbornness, egoism and misguidance.
“Whoso follows the guidance does so to his own
spiritual benefit, and who is misguided harms himself.”
“(Oh Muhammad), you will not be asked about
their actions nor they about yours.”
Yes, even if we can benefit only one in a thousand with goodness we are happy. What is important is that you move, that you work toward your lofty goals. Don’t sit complacently! For within the person who has been shown a right way and feels the beneficent power of the contact with
50 Allah’s Saints in his life, there arises the desire to bring suitable and well-intentioned people into contact with the same blessings. This is from the heart’s compassion. Allah Almighty is calling His Creatures to His Divine Love, and He uses those who have been touched by that love as a means for His taking the hearts of others back towards Himself. When that love has touched you you will feel compassion stirring in your heart, a compassionate love that is contagious.
Look, a young person aroused by the fires of passion will be impelled by those fires to walk the streets. He or she leaves their house with a firm intention and a driving desire. They will find what they are seeking, (though it would be better for them if they didn't!) That young person will find a partner for his passion, because his or her intention is firm: if one escapes, three more will come! We can learn from this a Divine Law: firm intention and determination is the key to success in
aventute. So, if donkey can find donkey, soul can find soul.
51 THE PURIFICATION OF OUR FAITH
One of the five pillars of Islam is called “Zakat”, that means the purification of our money and properties by annually giving away one-fortieth of it to the needy. This is a well-known aspect of Islamic Law: that the rich share their wealth with the poor so that their wealth may bring them blessings and goodness rather than affliction and envy.
But there is also another kind of Zakat in Islam, and in the sight of the Naqshbandi Tariqah it is the most important Zakat: the Zakat or purification of our faith. What is the purification of out faith? To give of our faith to someone else, to be the means of bringing someone into the blessed faith of Islam. Ultimately it is Allah Almighty who opens the hearts of His servants to His faith, yet He orders us to make — ourselves the means by which He acquaints His servants with the blessings a servant who believes in his Lord may receive. We can obey this Divine Order by making ourselves perfect examples of the beneficient effect of that faith on man’s being — and character, and by sharing the light that shines forth from our sincerity and humility.
Now, out brother has been the means for the guidance of our new brother H. to Islam. Thus, by leading one man to the truth, has he given the Zakat of his faith. The Holy Prophet, Peace be upon him, once said: “To be the means by which one petson is guided to the truth is better for you than the whole wotld and what it contains.” Therefore, the Prophet’s companions spread out over the face of the Earth in ordet to
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share with others what they had been blessed with. Faith is a wonderful tree which the believer is called upon to plant where he can, in any suitable place, then to tend it as best as he can to insure that it may have a chance to grow. And so you must not be satisfied just to lead a person to belief, but you must extend to himall the help and encouragement you can so that his faith may grow stronger. You must bea true brother or sister to that person so that the roots of that sapling may grow deep and the branches spread and ultimately yield fruit and seed,
Yes, if you see a beautiful tree you must try to plant it elsewhere also. Some plants are grown from seed, some by implanting branches in the earth, some by planting a piece of root or bulb, and some by grafting a piece of bark onto an existing tree. You must take wisdom from this example and become skillful gardeners, using the right methods for the right plants in the right season. What we are saying is that you must use your wisdom and compassion in dealing with those beginners who look to you for guidance: be perceptive of their particular needs and particular situations, like a gardener.
We are not urging you to call people to our way like parrots, repeating the same thing in the same way to every person without discrimination. You must look and see what doot is open and enter from that door. Don't just kick in the first door you find! Don’t be like those door-to-door preachers whom people flee from on sight and cross the street just in order to avoid. Be true gardeners: don't chop down a tree that only needs grafting and planta seed in its place; also, don’t graft good bark onto a dead stump.
53 SMOKING: THE HOLE IN THE LOCKED DOOR THROUGH WHICH THE THIEF ENTERS
I asked our new Muslim brother how he is succeeding in his attempt to live as a Muslim. He replied: “I am doing well. I have started to perform the prayers and fasts that Allah has ordered and have left most of the well-known forbidden actions. The only problem is that, up until now, I have been unable to quit smoking.’ I told him:
Look, cigarette smoking in the sight of people, par- ticularly in the sight of Muslims, is something of little or no effect on a person's character, and because they see it as being © of no account and as having no effect on their religious lives, _
Muslims, more than others, smoke like chimneys. But their thinking couldn't be more mistaken.
When you accepted Islam you managed to leave behind all of the well-known and most harmful prohibited actions, and that is very good - not everyone can do that so easily, immediately upon his accepting the faith. The only big — problem, you say, is that you are addicted to tobacco, that it occupies your heart to such an extent that leaving itisagreat _ struggle which you can’t seem to win.
Our Grandsheikh, Sheikh Abdullah Ad-Daghistani, may Allah be pleased with him and make him pleased with Him, used to say that cigarette smoking, even if itis of no account in the sight of people, is, in reality, one of he greatest ©
weaknesses a believer can have, as the cigarette habit leaves its
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victim completely bereft of willpower. Cigarettes catch people and destroy their willpower in such an absolute way that if he cannot cut himself off from the smoking habit, one day smoking will cut him off from every goodness, even from faith itself. T his is the main and overriding reason for quitting the cigarette habit (among all the numerous other very strong reasons): he must leave it once and for all so that he may take his willpower into his own hands, and thus protect himself from falling under the control of others. When I say “others” I am mainly referring to his own lower self and Satan, who stands in the background as the evil advisor to the ego. Who cannot control himself may lose control over himself so that his being passes into the hands of his animal self and Satan, who are ready to destroy the humanity of your soul.
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Qut’an: “Oh My people, you may see something as being of no consequence, butin My sight it may be of immense consequence and gravity.” Now cigarette smoking is at most a small vice in the eyes of Muslims, but in the sight-of Allah Almighty it is a fatal weakness in a believer; it is like a small hole in a door through which a burglar may enter. Now you have just closed the door on all the major sins that are most displeasing to Allah Almighty, but what good does it do as long as that hole remains? What purpose does such a door serve? You might as well leave it wide open for all the good it does! Perhaps you may say: “It is a thick oak door and I have shut it firmly and locked it well, what difference does a little hole make, it doesn’t matter.” What doesn’t matter? Say it doesn't matter
once the thief has opened the whole big door by putting a
55 wire through, the hole and run off with your treasure!
Therefore, if a person leaves such a hole for Satan to enter through and gain control, he is exposing his faith to great danger. And so I say to our brother: You have left so many forbidden actions which ate displeasing to your Lord. You have locked that door, now you must think of what you can do about that cigar- ette-hole.
Sheikh Muhammad Adil
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MUSIC
Question: “Whatis our relationship to music?” The Sheikh:
Whenever we find some activity to be enjoyable we must ask ourselves whether that activity also makes our Lord pleased with us. If the answer is ‘yes’ then you know that such activities are alright.
When we refer to music and to whether there is any merit init in the sight of Allah, we cannot speak of “music” as if all different kinds of music are one and the same. One must make distinctions. One kind of music, and the best music in the sight of Allah, is divinely inspired music, such as the music of several of the Sufi Tariqahs in their remembrance of Allah, most notably the Mevlevi whirling initiated by Mev- lana Jalaluddin Rumi, may Allah sanctify his blessed soul. It must be clear that there is a vast difference between such music and the satanic, sexually arousing music of the discotheque.
Yes, the music of those Tarigahs is divine music: they sing heavenly songs that touch our souls gently, turning our attention to the inner realities and eternal life; they bring our souls a pleasure that makes our hearts open wider and wider to divine inspiration until you feel your heart to be full of Divine Love. How can such music be termed reprehensible, or sinful?
But nowadays when people refer to “music”, they usually mean pop and disco music, the kind of music that not only
57 distracts the mind, but fills our hearts with darkness, sadness and misery. It is the kind of music that Satan uses to control those who don’t have a firm command over their willpower, and to push them into the pit of spiritual pollution. Even an older or middle aged man like our friend here, if exposed to such music, may start jumping around like a devil; even chains cannot hold people when such music enters their blood. Such music is so dangerous that even those who can exercise their willpower flee from such sounds, taking refuge in their Lord from the Accursed Devil.
Perhaps while listening and dancing to such music you may feel a type of enjoyment, but when the party is over and you return to your house, turn your gaze inward: there you will find your conscience condemning you for exposing it to such degradation; and you will repent for having left a way for such darkness and sadness to overtake you. Listening to that kind of music never makes our Lord pleased withus.
Therefore, our relationship with music depends on our own conscience; it may tell us if the music is uplifting or otherwise. Consult your conscience, and if there is a clear positive response, then don't worry, that music may be divinely inspired.
According to tradition, on the Day of Resurrection the four Angels who bear the Divine Throne will be glorifying their Lord with such beautiful litanies that all the souls gathered on that day will lose their self- awareness in complete absorption in that beauty — they shall be beside themselves and in their Lord. The recitation of Holy Qur'an is also divine music, as our Holy Prophet, Muhammad, Peace
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be upon him, stressed that it should be recited in a beautiful voice. And so, divine music has an important place in our religion, since our Prophet has advised that through beautiful recitation the Holy Qur’an may best reach out hearts.
Now the distinction between music for our Lord and music for our lower selves is clear. The same clear measure applies to everything, not only music. Islam applies this measure to all aspects of life and culture in order to determine whether they are permitted or prohibited, All good things of this world and the next (Tayyibat) are permitted to us, and Islam has the greatest tolerance of all religions for the channeling of man’s multi-faceted energies and creative impulses into acceptable and laudable activities. Islam gives to people the best of everything, in this world and the next, and never seeks to instill negativity in its followers. Rather than encouraging total rejection of this life, Islam encourages
us to seek the good and wholesome in social relations, in
food, drink and clothes, the best for body and soul,
But Islam never tolerates actions which are intrinsically associated with darkness — harmful to individuals and to the society (Khabaith). Islam distinguishes clearly between these two groups, Tayyibat and Khabaith; it aims at awakening the conscience of its followers, so they may become capable of distinguishing tight from wrong.
we oe Ke
Music is not rejected by Islam in an absolute manner; but, as you know, Islam is a religion of discipline, and its judgements are not necessarily going to accord with people’s imaginings or opinions. In Islam, people must arrange their
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lives in accordance with the Divinely revealed discipline, and part of that discipline is that we are told to avoid all those paths that lead to evil. Some of the paths that are interdicted by Islam may appear to be safe at the beginning, but if we follow them we will find out what danger lies on them and what harm results to our faith. Therefore, Islam takes care to determine the direction of any path and to block those paths that lead over cliffs from the beginning.
We aren't declaring music to be something categorically evil, but through its misuse it may become the main reason for evil to appeat — and everything that causes evil is prohibited by Divine Commandment in Islam, Most Western people are obsessed by music and are incorrectly thinking that their whole lives, their inner lives included, are dependent on music. They are like little babies to whom music is like their mother’s breast, and until they are weaned they can’t live without it, But when those little babies discover solid food they may leave suckling and find that there are more important activities in life. Therefore we are not discouraging Westerners who are beginners on this path from listening to or playing music: we are only saying to them that they must be careful of music, and not let it carry them away from their spiritual lives and trap them under their egos’ command. To be under your ego’s command is prohibited. Modern pop music, especially disco music, renders its listeners slaves to their egos, so that even if they are tied with ropes they must break them to writhe and jump about. Who loses control of his ego gets carried off by the torrent of evil, losing his dignity, his honour, his faith and humanity.
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But other kinds of music, suchas folk-and-country music, or non-deyotional classical music, usually fall between the two categories of beneficial and harmful, and therefore needn't be encouraged or discouraged by religion. As far as serious classical music is concerned, it usually tends toward the side of divinely inspired music, as classical musicians, and particularly composers, are
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