Bridge To Eternity (Shaykh Nazim, 104 pages, 9/10)
https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=6014
strong faith. If we can take wisdom from every event, then we will be strong in faith. We will get more power to receive Divine Knowledge. Allah orders us to look deeply into each thing, into each event, to find a secret wisdom that gives it value. If you look deeply, you will taste.
Everything must be in its time. You cannot put it out of its time, because every moment is occupied. You cannot find time that is ‘empty’. Therefore, in our Tariqah, there is no delaying actions. Actions must be done in their times. As Allah Almighty says: “For prayer there is a special time and order.” This is a sign for us. Asking us to delay our actions comes from the nafs. Our nafs is very lazy; it doesn’t like to move, and therefore it wishes to delay every- thing. To our nafs, it seems easy to say: “I shall do it tomorrow.” It is always looking for an escape from serious actions; it only likes to play.
72|Bridge to Eternity THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A SERVANT OF ALLAH ‘Taubah’- Repentance
‘Taubah’, Repentance, means not to listen to one’s four enemies- the nafs(ego), hawa(vain desires), dunya and shaytaan. Man may agree with his Lord or with his four enemies. If a man is asking to return to his Lord, he must be in rebellion against those four enemies, and not listen to their orders.
How to be Accepta ble in the Divine Presence
Our GrandShaykh described how a Dervish may be acceptable as a servant to Allah Almighty. “He must have one character from each of three animals,” he said. ”From the donkey, he must be able to carry burdens with patience and without objection. Unless he can do this he will be unsuccessful, because without patience one cannot carry the responsibilities of life. From the dog, he must learn faithfulness to his master. If the master tells the dog to stay somewhere until he returns, that dog will stay, even until death. If the owner beats it and chases it away, the dog will still return, with its tail wagging, when its master calls. Finally, when a man looks at a pig, he must know that his nafs is dirtier and filthier than a pig. The dirt of pigs is external, it comes from eating dirty things. But the nafs is dirty inside. Its dirt comes from fighting with its Lord. A perfect man must have such a character that he will accept whatever dirt is thrown on him, whether by words or by actions, knowing that his nafs is dirtier.” These three characteristics give a man rest and satisfaction in his heart. Only in this way can he reach happiness in this life. These are the characteristics of Prophets and Saints...
The 12 Good Characters in Dogs
Our GrandShaykh said:
“There are 12 good characters in dogs that you may also find in Prophets and Awliya. They are: Not forgetting goodness: they don’t forget those who have done goodness to them. They are patient and always grateful for everything that they are given. They are not angry with their owners, even if they are beaten and sent away. If their owners call, they return with their tails wagging. They are humble; obedient; truthful; trustworthy, good friends; loyal, always remaining with their owners and never turning traitor. They are satisfied with small things; they are ‘zahid’, not looking to anything from this dunya. They have nothing from this world, they have no place for themselves. They may sleep anywhere, and if someone throws stones at them, they quickly get up and go somewhere else. They are very light sleepers; they don’t sleep too much, and quickly awaken. If a man has those attributes, he is a Wali. Those 12 attributes belong to Prophets and Saints.
Allah Tries His servants Allah Almighty tries His servants to see if they are patient. We must remember this so that
when an event comes to test our patience we will remain firm. We must keep ‘patience at the first blow ’, we must keep our faith, then our power will grow and the power of our
73\|Bridge to Eternity enemies will decrease. Our real enemy is our own ego. In the great war against our ego, ‘Jihad’, the angry man will lose and the patient man gains.
“Will You be Patient?”
Patience is fighting all that the nafs likes. There are three types of patience: Patience with physical discomforts, such as getting up on cold mornings for prayer, having cold water for washing, waiting in line, being uncomfortable during illness, completing difficult tasks, and so forth. To remain patient and steadfast in your worship in spite of these difficulties is very valuable in the sight of Allah. Even more valuable is the patience to refrain from forbidden things. A Hadith says: “To live as a servant and to keep away from forbidden things is more valuable than the worship of all the angels, men and jinn throughout the ages.” The third type of patience is the best of all. It is to be patient with the people who trouble you. The Holy Quran says: “We are trying some of you with others of you.” Patience is the most necessary thing in the life of man. If you have patience, all goodness is with you. Allah’s Eyes are on you...will you be patient?
The Sign of Spiritual Health
People with good characters are healthy in their spiritual lives. From the amount of a person’s complains you may know how much bad characteristics there are that are left with him. When you finish all your complaining, you may know that you are healthy. No more bad character. This is important, because a person with a good character, if he has no complaint, has patience; and that means he has real faith. When you can escape the pull of your bad characteristics, there are no troubles for you either, whether in this life or in the life hereafter. You must remember that this is going according to your Lorad’s Will. This is the key, the medicine for that illness. You must say: “Why | am complaining, when Allah Almighty has ordered this to be?” When you remember this, you will be satisfied with His Will and agree with it.
The Secret Kafir
If a man is not aware that Allah’s Eyes are on him everywhere, all the time, that man is not a Mu’min, believer. You must imagine, in your heart that Allah’s Eyes are with you. If you forget this, you will be absent from your Lord, and present with your ego. The best actions come by keeping this in your mind.
If a man is doing an action that is not pleasing to Allah, His Prophet or Awliya, it means that he is considered a ‘secret Kafir’, a secret unbeliever. We have been ordered to clean ourselves of both evident and secret kufr. Therefore you must be careful about your openly visible acts as well as your secret acts. You must keep a balance with you with which to weigh your actions. You must look at each action that you do, or are about to do, and make sure that it will be pleasing to Allah, His Prophet and the Awliya. When you know that that action will bring pleasure to your Lord, the Prophet and the Awliya, you may do it. If not, you must leave it. If a man balances his actions in this life, there will be no balancing for him on Judgement Day. Therefore the Prophet said: “It is more lovely to Allah if a man sits for an hour thinking and weighing of his actions, than if he prays for 7o years!” This is because you
74|Bridge to Eternity may erase your 7o years of worship with an act that Allah is not pleased with; but if you weigh of that action first, with your mind, you may be able to leave it, and escape its harm.
‘Malayani’- That Which Doesn’t Concern You
‘Malayani’ means, ‘that which doesn’t concern you’. You must not speak of or act on that which doesn’t concern you. If a man takes care of his speech, keeping his tongue, Allah Almighty gives Divine Wisdom to his tongue so that he speaks only truth and righteousness. To speak of that which doesn’t concern you makes your Iman weak. When you leave this bad habit, your faith becomes stronger. You cannot know what concerns you or not, save through your inspirations. Then you may know very well what is yours or not
Are We Building or Destroying?
The spirit of all acts of worship consists of three points: To keep your tongue from all prohibited speaking, speaking only good words, not bad. To keep your eyes from looking at prohibited things, dirty places, and actions. To keep all your organs from prohibited actions; listening, walking, touching, thinking bad things, having bad intentions. Without keeping your eyes, your tongues, and your organs from what is prohibited, you cannot take any benefit from your good actions. Like when you are planting something, you must keep it safe and protect it from harm. We must know what we are doing. Are we building or destroying? Every prohibited action destroys our building, destroys our physical and spiritual bodies.
First Fight Your Own Self
To be is able to put one’s organs under one’s will is the mark of a real servant of Allah. If a man can’t do this, he is the servant of his ego, nafs. You must be able to advise yourself, before you may advise others. If your Self accepts being under your command, then other people may accept being under your command. This is the way of Prophets and Awliya. First they fight themselves, and then they look after other people. When they speak, their words have an effect upon those who listen. And if a person listens, it is impossible for him not to take benefit from the words of a Prophet or a Saint. He may take power to control his nafs and go on the right way. It is not enough to say, “| am Muslim”, and to say the Shahada. You must try to keep your organs far from all actions that are not Muslim, far from ‘Haram’, forbidden things.
75|Bridge to Eternity THE BOND OF DIVINE LOVE
Levels of Love
The Lord is One. He created all of us and planted His Divine Love in the very yeast of our being. You must know that, although that love may be temporarily covered, it is running through our hearts as a river runs to an ocean. It may manifest only as temporary human love, it may even seem to disappear completely, like a river that flows under a mountain, only to re-emerge on the other side. But there can be no doubt that our Lord has placed in every heart a current that flows irresistibly to His Love Oceans in the Divine Presence. Allah says: “Oh My servants, as | have given you of My Divine Love, so have | given it to all creation; so spread your love to everyone, that you may be in harmony with My will." To perceive the beauty in all creation you must transcend outward forms and shapes and pass to meanings, eternal spiritual realities, as forms are limited and limiting, whereas spiritual realities are Oceans, endless Oceans of Contentment. To arrive at those Oceans will bring you inner peace.
There are levels of love along the way. Their quality is different, according to their nearness to the goal, the Absolute Love Oceans of our Lord. When one has reached that goal he may take any amount of harm from others and still love. He may say: "I love you for the sake of my Lord, not for any other reason. That love will never change or diminish, as no matter what you do your Lord's love is with you, and therefore | love you, too." We are trying to reach that point, but it is difficult. We are tested, and that is an opportunity for us to advance. Holy people have advised us that rather than avoiding all ill-mannered and badly educated people, we should mix with them and establish contact with them, that they may benefit and that we may test ourselves and gain thereby. The Holy Masters have promised me that whoever sits with me and listens with his heart full of love, being receptive to Divine Love, must come to the same level: their hearts must open to Divine Love. The Masters are not going to abandon us, and we are not going to turn from them, as our hearts have been bound with the strongest bond: the bond of Divine Love, that strongest relationship that exists between the Creator and His creatures.
If the love that is with me was only transitory love, you wouldn't sit with me for even one moment. But the love that is with me is real, permanent and Divine; and | extend rays of it to your hearts in my association to awaken permanent love in you. This is a love that will blossom in your hearts. | am asking permission from my Lord to spread His permanent Divine Love to the hearts of all people. The time is approaching when we hope that permission will be granted.
a Wadud...”- The Fountain of Divine Love
All creatures appeared through Allah's Divine Love. He loved them and they appeared; therefore everything in existence carries its share of Divine Love in it. The electrons of atoms turn around the nuclei with the speed of light, because they are alive with the Divine Love Power that their Lord has granted them.
76|Bridge to Eternity It is Allah who, through His Holy Name 'Ya Wadud', the All-Loving, gives His Divine Love to everything in the Universe. Those electrons spin at such high speed around the nuclei because they are drunk with Divine Love. That is how the influence of that Love is manifested by them. Through the Divine Name, ‘Al Wadud', real, never-changing, permanent love is granted to us by the Lord. When we say 'Ya Wadud', we are opening ourselves up to that Divine Love, asking our Lord to awaken that unlimited and eternal love. | have been ordered to teach and advise people to call on our Lord, saying: "Ya Wadud", as this will enable the sincere to attain real love of their Lord Allah Almighty and to love everything around themselves for the sake of the Creator who loves all of His creation.
This love is the essence of all success in the way of spiritual purification. To realize that love, to come into contact with the Divine Love Oceans, is the challenge and fulfilment of human existence. We seek to awaken permanent love. Practices, prayers and rules are of no use in our time without that love, because the ego easily attaches itself to practices and uses them, so that they serve our vanity.
Everyone has a circle of friends, relations, acquaintances. Starting from those closest to us, our wives or husbands, parents and children, brothers and sisters, we must be generous in giving of our permanent love, making peace with them. Giving of our permanent love is the most important practice for our time. The lower self of man, the selfish ego, never wants to give permanent love to anyone except himself. But Man has been created to love all creation, as he represents his Lord on Earth and has the greatest reservoir of Divine Love with him. He can be a great means of expression for that Divine Love in this world, a fountain of love that every creature may drink from.
77|\Bridge to Eternity THE NEED OF A DIVINE MIRROR TO SEE ONESELF
Do you think that we came from the Divine Presence with our whole originality, our whole personality? Never. We are like one ray of the sun. We are, in our originality, in reality, still in the Divine Presence. Not moving, out of time and space there is no movement. We are continuously worshipping, always in the Divine Presence for service. Here, in this life, there is only one ray from that timeless ‘sun’ for us. We are here for a little time only.
Prophets have come to us to open that door through which we can look at our realities in the Divine Presence. Step by step, if you are following in their footsteps, it will open for you to look at yourself, to know yourself. We don’t know ourselves; we need a Divine Mirror to look in to see ourselves. You are asking why we come to this life. It is to be witnesses of ourselves. We have been sent to attain perfection, to look at ourselves and say: “We are something also.” | cannot give more than this description until you taste it for yourself. When you taste, you will know. May Allah grant us to taste... Bi hurmati’l Habib... Fatiha.
78|\Bridge to Eternity APPENDIX: NAQSHBANDI ESSENTIALS
The Golden Chain of the Most Distinguished Naqshbandi Order ‘Tawassul’- The Plea for Acceptance
Ya Sayyid as-Sadati wa Nura’l Mawjudat, ya man huwwa’l malja’u li man massahu daymun wa ghammun wa ‘alam. Ya Aqraba’l wasa’ili ila’llahi ta’ala, wa ya Aqwa’ | mustanadi, atawassalu ila janabika’l ‘adham_ bi haula’i s-sadati wa ahli’llah wa ahli baytika’l kiram, li daf’i durrin la yudfa’u illa bi wasitatika, wa raf’i daymin la yurfa’u illa bi dalalatika, bi Sayidi wa Mawlayi, ya Sayidi, ya Rasulu’llah, ya Rahmatan li'l ‘alamin... (al Fatiha)
(Oh Master of the Masters and Light of the Existence. Oh refuge of the one who has been struck by afflictions, distress and pain. Oh closest of means to approach Allah. Oh most powerful of supports. | entreat your mighty presence by means of these Masters and the People of Allah and the honoured Members of your Family, for the removal of harm that cannot be removed except by your intercession, and the lifting of affliction that cannot be lifted except by your guidance, by my Master and Lord, oh my Master, oh Prophet of Allah, oh Mercy to the Worlds... al Fatiha. )
ALLAH Jalla Jalaluh, Subhana wa ta’ ala
SAYIDUNA NABI MUHAMMAD, RASULU’ LLAH sws Sayyiduna Abu Bakr as-Siddig ra, Khalifatu Rasuli’llah Salman al Farsi ra
Qasim bin Muhammad bin Abu Bakr as Siddig ra Imam Jafar as Sadiq
Sultanu’! Arifin: Abu Yazid Tayfur al Bistami
Abu’! Hasan al Kharagani
Abu ‘Ali Ahmad al Farmadi
Khwajah Abu Yaqub Yusuf al Hamadani
Abu’! Abbas Sayiduna’l Khidr as
Imamu’l Khatm: Khwajah ‘Abdul Khaliq al Ghujdawani Khwajah Arif al Rivgari
Khwajah Mahmoud Faghnawi
Khwajah ‘Azizan ‘Ali ar-Ramitani
Khwajah Muhammad Baba as-Sammasi
Khwajah Sayid Amir Kulal
Imamu’l Tariqah wa Ghawthu’l Khaliqah Khwajah Muhammad Baha’ud-Din Shah Naqshiband Al Uwaysi, Al Bukhari
18 Khwajah ‘Ala’ud-Din al ‘Attar al Bukhari
19 Khwajah Yaqub al Charkhi
20 Khwajah ‘Ubaydu’llah al Ahrar
21 Sayyiduna Shaykh Muhammad az-Zahid al Bukhari 22 Sayyiduna Shaykh Darwish Muhammad
Pe BOWMAN DAUNAWNP
PRPrPrPrPP NDOB WH
79|Bridge to Eternity 23 Mawlana Ahmad Khwajah al-Amkanaki
24 Sayyiduna Sheikh Muhammad al Baqi bi’llah
25 Imam Rabbani Ahmad al Farugi as-Sirhindi Mujaddidu’! Alfi th-Thani
26 Sayyiduna Sheikh Muhammad Ma’sum bin Imam Ahmad al Faruqi as-Sirhindi
27 Sayyiduna Sheikh Sayf’u-d-Din ‘Arif bin Muhammad Ma’sum
28 Sayyiduna Sheikh as-Sayyid Nur Muhammad
29 Sayyiduna Sheikh Shamsu-d-Din Habibu’llah Jan-i Jahan
30 Sayyiduna Sheikh ‘Abdu’llah ad-Dahlawi
31 Sayyiduna Sheikh Diya’u-d-Din Khalid al Baghdadi
32 Sayyiduna Sheikh Isma’il ad-Daghistani
33 Sayyiduna Sheikh Khas Muhammad ad-Daghistani
34 Sayyiduna Sheikh Muhammad Effendi al-Yaraghi
35 Sayyiduna Sheikh as-Sayyid Jamalu-d-Din al Ghumugi, al Husaini
36 Sayyiduna Sheikh Abu Ahmad as-Sughuri
37 Sayyiduna Sheikh Abu Muhammad al Madani
38 Sayyiduna Sheikh as-Sayyid Sharafu-d-Din ad-Daghistani
39 Sultanu’l Awliya: Shaykh ‘Abdu’llah al Fa’izi ad-Daghistani
40 Mawlana wa Ustadhina As-Sayyid Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil al Qubrusi, — al- Haqgani, an-Naqshbandi
Qaddasa’llahu ta’ala arwahahumu z-zakiya, wa nawwara’ llahu ta’ala adrihatahumu’ | mubaraka, wa a’ada’llahu ta’ala ‘alayna min barakatihim wa fuyu datihim, da’ima, wa’l hamdu’lillahi Rabbi’! ‘alamin... al Fatiha.
(May Allah sanctify their pure souls and illuminate their blessed graves, may He return to us from their blessings and overflowing bounty, always; and all praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds... al Fatiha.)
‘Bay’ah’ — The Pledge of Allegiance, The Initiation
The Bay’ah is a conscious confirmation of the connection between the Master and his disciple. The disciple ‘allows’ his Sheikh and Master to work with him, accepting to be his student and follower, for the sake of his spiritual progress toward his destination. The disciple puts his hand in the hand of the Master or on his stick or coat. Other people can also be connected by putting their right hand on the right shoulder of the person in front of them. The Master says:
“Audhu bi’llahi mina shaitani rajim, Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim... ‘Inna’lladhina yubayi’unaka innama yubayi’una’llah, yadu’llahi fauga aydiihim, faman nakatha fa innama yankuthu ‘ala nafsi, wa man aufa’ bima ‘ahada ‘alayu’llah fasayutihi ajra ‘athiima’...
Allahu, Allahu, Allahu, Haqa,
Allahu, Allahu, Allahu, Haqa,
Allahu, Allahu, Allahu, Haqq...
Hasbi Allahu wa niamal Wakil, la haula wa la quwatta illa bi’lahi’l ‘Aliya’l ‘Aziim...
801 Bridge to Eternity Radina bi’llahi Rabban, wa bi’l Islami dinan, wa bi Muhammadin Rasulan, wa bi Abdullah Daghestani Shaykhuna wa Ustadhuna wa Murshiduna...
lla sharafi-n-Nabi salla’llahu ‘alayhi wa sallim wa alihi wa sahbihi’l kiram wa ila arwahi jami’il Anbiya’i wa’l Mursalin, wa khudama’i shara’i’ahim wa ila arwahi’l a’immati’l arba’a, wa ila Mashaikhina fi Tariqati Nagqshbandiya’ti’l ‘Aliyya, khassatan ila ruhi’l Imami-Tarigqa wa Ghawthi’l Khaliga Shah Baha’ud-din Naqshband Muhammadini’l Uwaysiyi’l Bukhari, wa ila ustadhina wa ustadhi ustadhina Khwaja ‘Abdu’! Khaliq al Ghujdawani, wa ila Sultani’l Awliya Sheikh ‘Abdu’llah al Fa’izi ad-Daghestani wa ila Mawlana Shaykh Nazim al Haqqani, wa ila arwahi sa’iri sadaatina wa-s-Siddiqiyun... al Fatiha.”
After the Bay’ah the initiate may also receive a new name from the Sheikh. Everyone has seven names which are all known to the Sheikh. These names help and guide the Murid on his way of personal development.
‘Rabita—tu-Sharifa — The Connection with the Shaykh
Our GrandShaykh Shah-u-Nagshband said: “God looks at the hearts of His Saints with His Lights, and whoever is around that Saint will get the blessings of those Lights.”
“Whoever is initiated by us and follows and loves us, whether he is near or far, wherever he is, even if he is in the East and we are in the West, we nourish from the stream of Divine Love and give him Divine Light in his daily life.”
“Tafakkur sa’atin khayrun min ‘ibaadati saba’in sanatin”- Reflective thinking for one hour is better than 7o years of supererogatory worship. Make Ghusl or Wudhu and put on clean clothes if possible. Pray two Raka‘at ‘Tahiyatu’l Wudhu’. Then sit down in a silent private place and face the Qiblah. Close your eyes and try to stop all movements, thinking and wishing. Imagine yourself in the presence of your Sheikh and him sitting in front of you. For that purpose you can try to remember a moment you had with the Sheikh which was pleasant or impressive to you, or use a picture of him to remember his face. Connect with him through your heart, turning in love towards him. “Sincerity is to worship Allah as if you were seeing Him; and even if you don’t see Him, He is always looking to you.” The Sheikh is the representative of the Holy Prophet who is the Khaliphatullah. Remember that the Sheikh is always looking to us, that he is always with us, even though we may not be able to see, hear or feel him. This is why we are not with him and forget him. Imagine yourself always in his presence, he being at your side, no matter what you do. This will protect you from misbehaving. To connect with the Shaykh, read 3 x Suratu'l Ikhlas and 1 x Suratu’l Fatiha. Dedicate them to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sws and to the soul of our GrandShaykh Abdullah ad-Daghestani. Then ask for Mawlana Shaykh Nazim.
Sura Ikhlas (3x):
Audhu bi’llahi mina shaitani rajim, Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim; “Qul: Huwa’llahu Ahad, Allahu-s-Samad,
Lam yalid wa lam yulad,
wa lam yaku-l-lahu kufuwan ahad.”
811Bridge to Eternity (Say: He is Allah the One; Allah the eternally Independent; He has not given birth to anyone nor was He born from anyone; and no one is like Him.).
Surah Fatiha (1x):
Audhu bi’llahi mina shaitani rajim, Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim; “Alhamduli’llahi Rabbi’! ‘Alamin,
Ar-Rahmanir-Rahim,
Maliki yaumid-din,
iyyaka na’budu wa iyyaka nasta’in,
ihdina sirata’l mustagim,
sirata’l ladhina an’amta ‘alayhim
ghayri’l maghdubi ‘alayhim wa lad-daaliin. Amin.”
(All thanks is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds;
the Merciful, the Beneficent;
the King on the Day of Judgement;
You we worship and You we ask for help;
guide us on the straight path;
the path of those that You had mercy on
and not of those that You are angry with nor those that go astray. Amin.)
You can imagine the heart of the Sheikh like an ocean of Divine Faiz, Blessings, and your own heart like a vessel which is being filled with that Faiz running from the Sheikh’s heart to your own heart.
Or you can imagine your Shaykh covering you like a tent under which you are sitting. On its four sides the Divine Faiz is raining down. You can also imagine yourself swimming in the ocean of the Sheikh’s heart, like a fish or a drop of water.
If you are getting disturbed by other pictures, open your eyes quickly. They will disappear and then you can continue to concentrate. If disturbing thoughts are coming to you, say: “La haula wa la quwatta illa bi’llahi’l ‘Aliyu’l ‘Azim’, (There is no power nor strength with me except that which is coming from Allah, the most High, the Magnificent) and/or: “Audhu bi’llahi mina shaitani rajim”, (| seek refuge in Allah’s Presence from the cursed Shaitan), 100 times or more, until they disappear. Our Grandsheikh Shah-u-Naqshiband said: “The seeker in this way must be busy in rejecting evil whisperings and the ego’s demands, either before they reach him, or after they reach him but before they control him.
A seeker who doesn’t reject them until after they reached him and controlled him cannot get any fruit, because at that time it is impossible to take the whisperings out of the heart.” When practising the silent Dhikr of the heart keep the tongue on the upper palate and the teeth on top of each other. To deepen the concentration while listening to the heart’s Dhikr you can imagine the Name of Allah from light being engraved on your heart.
The ‘Naqsh’
821 Bridge to Eternity Everything has been created for man except for his heart. The heart is for Allah Alone, so that He can make it His Throne. The ‘Nagsh’ is Allah’s stamp or seal on the heart. During the training in the Nagshbandi Order Allah’s Name is being perfectly engraved in the heart of the seeker or disciple.
The Strong Intention
Our GrandShaykh Abdullah ad-Daghestani said: "I will teach you a way to approach me quickly. Whenever you do your prayers, make Dhikr, read Quran, anything that you are doing, make the following intention:
Nawaytu'l Arbain, Itikaf, Khalwat, 'Uzla, Riada, Suluq, Siyam, li'llaha ta‘ala..." (| am intending the 40 Days, Retreat, Seclusion, Abstinence, Contentedness, Following in obediency, Fasting, for the sake of Allah Almighty. ) Your worshipping with this intention will be deducted from the 40 Days of Seclusion, which are obligatory for a Naqshbandi Murid.
Our GrandShaykh Shah Baha’ud-Din Naqshband said:
“Intention, ‘Niyat’, is very important. It consists of three letters: ‘Nun’, which represents the ‘Nur Allah’, the Light of God; ‘Ya’, which represents the ‘Yad Allah’, the Hand of God; and ‘Ha’, which represents ‘Hidayatu’llah’,
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strong faith. If we can take wisdom from every event, then we will be strong in faith. We will get more power to receive Divine Knowledge. Allah orders us to look deeply into each thing, into each event, to find a secret wisdom that gives it value. If you look deeply, you will taste.
Everything must be in its time. You cannot put it out of its time, because every moment is occupied. You cannot find time that is ‘empty’. Therefore, in our Tariqah, there is no delaying actions. Actions must be done in their times. As Allah Almighty says: “For prayer there is a special time and order.” This is a sign for us. Asking us to delay our actions comes from the nafs. Our nafs is very lazy; it doesn’t like to move, and therefore it wishes to delay every- thing. To our nafs, it seems easy to say: “I shall do it tomorrow.” It is always looking for an escape from serious actions; it only likes to play.
72|Bridge to Eternity THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A SERVANT OF ALLAH ‘Taubah’- Repentance
‘Taubah’, Repentance, means not to listen to one’s four enemies- the nafs(ego), hawa(vain desires), dunya and shaytaan. Man may agree with his Lord or with his four enemies. If a man is asking to return to his Lord, he must be in rebellion against those four enemies, and not listen to their orders.
How to be Accepta ble in the Divine Presence
Our GrandShaykh described how a Dervish may be acceptable as a servant to Allah Almighty. “He must have one character from each of three animals,” he said. ”From the donkey, he must be able to carry burdens with patience and without objection. Unless he can do this he will be unsuccessful, because without patience one cannot carry the responsibilities of life. From the dog, he must learn faithfulness to his master. If the master tells the dog to stay somewhere until he returns, that dog will stay, even until death. If the owner beats it and chases it away, the dog will still return, with its tail wagging, when its master calls. Finally, when a man looks at a pig, he must know that his nafs is dirtier and filthier than a pig. The dirt of pigs is external, it comes from eating dirty things. But the nafs is dirty inside. Its dirt comes from fighting with its Lord. A perfect man must have such a character that he will accept whatever dirt is thrown on him, whether by words or by actions, knowing that his nafs is dirtier.” These three characteristics give a man rest and satisfaction in his heart. Only in this way can he reach happiness in this life. These are the characteristics of Prophets and Saints...
The 12 Good Characters in Dogs
Our GrandShaykh said:
“There are 12 good characters in dogs that you may also find in Prophets and Awliya. They are: Not forgetting goodness: they don’t forget those who have done goodness to them. They are patient and always grateful for everything that they are given. They are not angry with their owners, even if they are beaten and sent away. If their owners call, they return with their tails wagging. They are humble; obedient; truthful; trustworthy, good friends; loyal, always remaining with their owners and never turning traitor. They are satisfied with small things; they are ‘zahid’, not looking to anything from this dunya. They have nothing from this world, they have no place for themselves. They may sleep anywhere, and if someone throws stones at them, they quickly get up and go somewhere else. They are very light sleepers; they don’t sleep too much, and quickly awaken. If a man has those attributes, he is a Wali. Those 12 attributes belong to Prophets and Saints.
Allah Tries His servants Allah Almighty tries His servants to see if they are patient. We must remember this so that
when an event comes to test our patience we will remain firm. We must keep ‘patience at the first blow ’, we must keep our faith, then our power will grow and the power of our
73\|Bridge to Eternity enemies will decrease. Our real enemy is our own ego. In the great war against our ego, ‘Jihad’, the angry man will lose and the patient man gains.
“Will You be Patient?”
Patience is fighting all that the nafs likes. There are three types of patience: Patience with physical discomforts, such as getting up on cold mornings for prayer, having cold water for washing, waiting in line, being uncomfortable during illness, completing difficult tasks, and so forth. To remain patient and steadfast in your worship in spite of these difficulties is very valuable in the sight of Allah. Even more valuable is the patience to refrain from forbidden things. A Hadith says: “To live as a servant and to keep away from forbidden things is more valuable than the worship of all the angels, men and jinn throughout the ages.” The third type of patience is the best of all. It is to be patient with the people who trouble you. The Holy Quran says: “We are trying some of you with others of you.” Patience is the most necessary thing in the life of man. If you have patience, all goodness is with you. Allah’s Eyes are on you...will you be patient?
The Sign of Spiritual Health
People with good characters are healthy in their spiritual lives. From the amount of a person’s complains you may know how much bad characteristics there are that are left with him. When you finish all your complaining, you may know that you are healthy. No more bad character. This is important, because a person with a good character, if he has no complaint, has patience; and that means he has real faith. When you can escape the pull of your bad characteristics, there are no troubles for you either, whether in this life or in the life hereafter. You must remember that this is going according to your Lorad’s Will. This is the key, the medicine for that illness. You must say: “Why | am complaining, when Allah Almighty has ordered this to be?” When you remember this, you will be satisfied with His Will and agree with it.
The Secret Kafir
If a man is not aware that Allah’s Eyes are on him everywhere, all the time, that man is not a Mu’min, believer. You must imagine, in your heart that Allah’s Eyes are with you. If you forget this, you will be absent from your Lord, and present with your ego. The best actions come by keeping this in your mind.
If a man is doing an action that is not pleasing to Allah, His Prophet or Awliya, it means that he is considered a ‘secret Kafir’, a secret unbeliever. We have been ordered to clean ourselves of both evident and secret kufr. Therefore you must be careful about your openly visible acts as well as your secret acts. You must keep a balance with you with which to weigh your actions. You must look at each action that you do, or are about to do, and make sure that it will be pleasing to Allah, His Prophet and the Awliya. When you know that that action will bring pleasure to your Lord, the Prophet and the Awliya, you may do it. If not, you must leave it. If a man balances his actions in this life, there will be no balancing for him on Judgement Day. Therefore the Prophet said: “It is more lovely to Allah if a man sits for an hour thinking and weighing of his actions, than if he prays for 7o years!” This is because you
74|Bridge to Eternity may erase your 7o years of worship with an act that Allah is not pleased with; but if you weigh of that action first, with your mind, you may be able to leave it, and escape its harm.
‘Malayani’- That Which Doesn’t Concern You
‘Malayani’ means, ‘that which doesn’t concern you’. You must not speak of or act on that which doesn’t concern you. If a man takes care of his speech, keeping his tongue, Allah Almighty gives Divine Wisdom to his tongue so that he speaks only truth and righteousness. To speak of that which doesn’t concern you makes your Iman weak. When you leave this bad habit, your faith becomes stronger. You cannot know what concerns you or not, save through your inspirations. Then you may know very well what is yours or not
Are We Building or Destroying?
The spirit of all acts of worship consists of three points: To keep your tongue from all prohibited speaking, speaking only good words, not bad. To keep your eyes from looking at prohibited things, dirty places, and actions. To keep all your organs from prohibited actions; listening, walking, touching, thinking bad things, having bad intentions. Without keeping your eyes, your tongues, and your organs from what is prohibited, you cannot take any benefit from your good actions. Like when you are planting something, you must keep it safe and protect it from harm. We must know what we are doing. Are we building or destroying? Every prohibited action destroys our building, destroys our physical and spiritual bodies.
First Fight Your Own Self
To be is able to put one’s organs under one’s will is the mark of a real servant of Allah. If a man can’t do this, he is the servant of his ego, nafs. You must be able to advise yourself, before you may advise others. If your Self accepts being under your command, then other people may accept being under your command. This is the way of Prophets and Awliya. First they fight themselves, and then they look after other people. When they speak, their words have an effect upon those who listen. And if a person listens, it is impossible for him not to take benefit from the words of a Prophet or a Saint. He may take power to control his nafs and go on the right way. It is not enough to say, “| am Muslim”, and to say the Shahada. You must try to keep your organs far from all actions that are not Muslim, far from ‘Haram’, forbidden things.
75|Bridge to Eternity THE BOND OF DIVINE LOVE
Levels of Love
The Lord is One. He created all of us and planted His Divine Love in the very yeast of our being. You must know that, although that love may be temporarily covered, it is running through our hearts as a river runs to an ocean. It may manifest only as temporary human love, it may even seem to disappear completely, like a river that flows under a mountain, only to re-emerge on the other side. But there can be no doubt that our Lord has placed in every heart a current that flows irresistibly to His Love Oceans in the Divine Presence. Allah says: “Oh My servants, as | have given you of My Divine Love, so have | given it to all creation; so spread your love to everyone, that you may be in harmony with My will." To perceive the beauty in all creation you must transcend outward forms and shapes and pass to meanings, eternal spiritual realities, as forms are limited and limiting, whereas spiritual realities are Oceans, endless Oceans of Contentment. To arrive at those Oceans will bring you inner peace.
There are levels of love along the way. Their quality is different, according to their nearness to the goal, the Absolute Love Oceans of our Lord. When one has reached that goal he may take any amount of harm from others and still love. He may say: "I love you for the sake of my Lord, not for any other reason. That love will never change or diminish, as no matter what you do your Lord's love is with you, and therefore | love you, too." We are trying to reach that point, but it is difficult. We are tested, and that is an opportunity for us to advance. Holy people have advised us that rather than avoiding all ill-mannered and badly educated people, we should mix with them and establish contact with them, that they may benefit and that we may test ourselves and gain thereby. The Holy Masters have promised me that whoever sits with me and listens with his heart full of love, being receptive to Divine Love, must come to the same level: their hearts must open to Divine Love. The Masters are not going to abandon us, and we are not going to turn from them, as our hearts have been bound with the strongest bond: the bond of Divine Love, that strongest relationship that exists between the Creator and His creatures.
If the love that is with me was only transitory love, you wouldn't sit with me for even one moment. But the love that is with me is real, permanent and Divine; and | extend rays of it to your hearts in my association to awaken permanent love in you. This is a love that will blossom in your hearts. | am asking permission from my Lord to spread His permanent Divine Love to the hearts of all people. The time is approaching when we hope that permission will be granted.
a Wadud...”- The Fountain of Divine Love
All creatures appeared through Allah's Divine Love. He loved them and they appeared; therefore everything in existence carries its share of Divine Love in it. The electrons of atoms turn around the nuclei with the speed of light, because they are alive with the Divine Love Power that their Lord has granted them.
76|Bridge to Eternity It is Allah who, through His Holy Name 'Ya Wadud', the All-Loving, gives His Divine Love to everything in the Universe. Those electrons spin at such high speed around the nuclei because they are drunk with Divine Love. That is how the influence of that Love is manifested by them. Through the Divine Name, ‘Al Wadud', real, never-changing, permanent love is granted to us by the Lord. When we say 'Ya Wadud', we are opening ourselves up to that Divine Love, asking our Lord to awaken that unlimited and eternal love. | have been ordered to teach and advise people to call on our Lord, saying: "Ya Wadud", as this will enable the sincere to attain real love of their Lord Allah Almighty and to love everything around themselves for the sake of the Creator who loves all of His creation.
This love is the essence of all success in the way of spiritual purification. To realize that love, to come into contact with the Divine Love Oceans, is the challenge and fulfilment of human existence. We seek to awaken permanent love. Practices, prayers and rules are of no use in our time without that love, because the ego easily attaches itself to practices and uses them, so that they serve our vanity.
Everyone has a circle of friends, relations, acquaintances. Starting from those closest to us, our wives or husbands, parents and children, brothers and sisters, we must be generous in giving of our permanent love, making peace with them. Giving of our permanent love is the most important practice for our time. The lower self of man, the selfish ego, never wants to give permanent love to anyone except himself. But Man has been created to love all creation, as he represents his Lord on Earth and has the greatest reservoir of Divine Love with him. He can be a great means of expression for that Divine Love in this world, a fountain of love that every creature may drink from.
77|\Bridge to Eternity THE NEED OF A DIVINE MIRROR TO SEE ONESELF
Do you think that we came from the Divine Presence with our whole originality, our whole personality? Never. We are like one ray of the sun. We are, in our originality, in reality, still in the Divine Presence. Not moving, out of time and space there is no movement. We are continuously worshipping, always in the Divine Presence for service. Here, in this life, there is only one ray from that timeless ‘sun’ for us. We are here for a little time only.
Prophets have come to us to open that door through which we can look at our realities in the Divine Presence. Step by step, if you are following in their footsteps, it will open for you to look at yourself, to know yourself. We don’t know ourselves; we need a Divine Mirror to look in to see ourselves. You are asking why we come to this life. It is to be witnesses of ourselves. We have been sent to attain perfection, to look at ourselves and say: “We are something also.” | cannot give more than this description until you taste it for yourself. When you taste, you will know. May Allah grant us to taste... Bi hurmati’l Habib... Fatiha.
78|\Bridge to Eternity APPENDIX: NAQSHBANDI ESSENTIALS
The Golden Chain of the Most Distinguished Naqshbandi Order ‘Tawassul’- The Plea for Acceptance
Ya Sayyid as-Sadati wa Nura’l Mawjudat, ya man huwwa’l malja’u li man massahu daymun wa ghammun wa ‘alam. Ya Aqraba’l wasa’ili ila’llahi ta’ala, wa ya Aqwa’ | mustanadi, atawassalu ila janabika’l ‘adham_ bi haula’i s-sadati wa ahli’llah wa ahli baytika’l kiram, li daf’i durrin la yudfa’u illa bi wasitatika, wa raf’i daymin la yurfa’u illa bi dalalatika, bi Sayidi wa Mawlayi, ya Sayidi, ya Rasulu’llah, ya Rahmatan li'l ‘alamin... (al Fatiha)
(Oh Master of the Masters and Light of the Existence. Oh refuge of the one who has been struck by afflictions, distress and pain. Oh closest of means to approach Allah. Oh most powerful of supports. | entreat your mighty presence by means of these Masters and the People of Allah and the honoured Members of your Family, for the removal of harm that cannot be removed except by your intercession, and the lifting of affliction that cannot be lifted except by your guidance, by my Master and Lord, oh my Master, oh Prophet of Allah, oh Mercy to the Worlds... al Fatiha. )
ALLAH Jalla Jalaluh, Subhana wa ta’ ala
SAYIDUNA NABI MUHAMMAD, RASULU’ LLAH sws Sayyiduna Abu Bakr as-Siddig ra, Khalifatu Rasuli’llah Salman al Farsi ra
Qasim bin Muhammad bin Abu Bakr as Siddig ra Imam Jafar as Sadiq
Sultanu’! Arifin: Abu Yazid Tayfur al Bistami
Abu’! Hasan al Kharagani
Abu ‘Ali Ahmad al Farmadi
Khwajah Abu Yaqub Yusuf al Hamadani
Abu’! Abbas Sayiduna’l Khidr as
Imamu’l Khatm: Khwajah ‘Abdul Khaliq al Ghujdawani Khwajah Arif al Rivgari
Khwajah Mahmoud Faghnawi
Khwajah ‘Azizan ‘Ali ar-Ramitani
Khwajah Muhammad Baba as-Sammasi
Khwajah Sayid Amir Kulal
Imamu’l Tariqah wa Ghawthu’l Khaliqah Khwajah Muhammad Baha’ud-Din Shah Naqshiband Al Uwaysi, Al Bukhari
18 Khwajah ‘Ala’ud-Din al ‘Attar al Bukhari
19 Khwajah Yaqub al Charkhi
20 Khwajah ‘Ubaydu’llah al Ahrar
21 Sayyiduna Shaykh Muhammad az-Zahid al Bukhari 22 Sayyiduna Shaykh Darwish Muhammad
Pe BOWMAN DAUNAWNP
PRPrPrPrPP NDOB WH
79|Bridge to Eternity 23 Mawlana Ahmad Khwajah al-Amkanaki
24 Sayyiduna Sheikh Muhammad al Baqi bi’llah
25 Imam Rabbani Ahmad al Farugi as-Sirhindi Mujaddidu’! Alfi th-Thani
26 Sayyiduna Sheikh Muhammad Ma’sum bin Imam Ahmad al Faruqi as-Sirhindi
27 Sayyiduna Sheikh Sayf’u-d-Din ‘Arif bin Muhammad Ma’sum
28 Sayyiduna Sheikh as-Sayyid Nur Muhammad
29 Sayyiduna Sheikh Shamsu-d-Din Habibu’llah Jan-i Jahan
30 Sayyiduna Sheikh ‘Abdu’llah ad-Dahlawi
31 Sayyiduna Sheikh Diya’u-d-Din Khalid al Baghdadi
32 Sayyiduna Sheikh Isma’il ad-Daghistani
33 Sayyiduna Sheikh Khas Muhammad ad-Daghistani
34 Sayyiduna Sheikh Muhammad Effendi al-Yaraghi
35 Sayyiduna Sheikh as-Sayyid Jamalu-d-Din al Ghumugi, al Husaini
36 Sayyiduna Sheikh Abu Ahmad as-Sughuri
37 Sayyiduna Sheikh Abu Muhammad al Madani
38 Sayyiduna Sheikh as-Sayyid Sharafu-d-Din ad-Daghistani
39 Sultanu’l Awliya: Shaykh ‘Abdu’llah al Fa’izi ad-Daghistani
40 Mawlana wa Ustadhina As-Sayyid Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil al Qubrusi, — al- Haqgani, an-Naqshbandi
Qaddasa’llahu ta’ala arwahahumu z-zakiya, wa nawwara’ llahu ta’ala adrihatahumu’ | mubaraka, wa a’ada’llahu ta’ala ‘alayna min barakatihim wa fuyu datihim, da’ima, wa’l hamdu’lillahi Rabbi’! ‘alamin... al Fatiha.
(May Allah sanctify their pure souls and illuminate their blessed graves, may He return to us from their blessings and overflowing bounty, always; and all praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds... al Fatiha.)
‘Bay’ah’ — The Pledge of Allegiance, The Initiation
The Bay’ah is a conscious confirmation of the connection between the Master and his disciple. The disciple ‘allows’ his Sheikh and Master to work with him, accepting to be his student and follower, for the sake of his spiritual progress toward his destination. The disciple puts his hand in the hand of the Master or on his stick or coat. Other people can also be connected by putting their right hand on the right shoulder of the person in front of them. The Master says:
“Audhu bi’llahi mina shaitani rajim, Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim... ‘Inna’lladhina yubayi’unaka innama yubayi’una’llah, yadu’llahi fauga aydiihim, faman nakatha fa innama yankuthu ‘ala nafsi, wa man aufa’ bima ‘ahada ‘alayu’llah fasayutihi ajra ‘athiima’...
Allahu, Allahu, Allahu, Haqa,
Allahu, Allahu, Allahu, Haqa,
Allahu, Allahu, Allahu, Haqq...
Hasbi Allahu wa niamal Wakil, la haula wa la quwatta illa bi’lahi’l ‘Aliya’l ‘Aziim...
801 Bridge to Eternity Radina bi’llahi Rabban, wa bi’l Islami dinan, wa bi Muhammadin Rasulan, wa bi Abdullah Daghestani Shaykhuna wa Ustadhuna wa Murshiduna...
lla sharafi-n-Nabi salla’llahu ‘alayhi wa sallim wa alihi wa sahbihi’l kiram wa ila arwahi jami’il Anbiya’i wa’l Mursalin, wa khudama’i shara’i’ahim wa ila arwahi’l a’immati’l arba’a, wa ila Mashaikhina fi Tariqati Nagqshbandiya’ti’l ‘Aliyya, khassatan ila ruhi’l Imami-Tarigqa wa Ghawthi’l Khaliga Shah Baha’ud-din Naqshband Muhammadini’l Uwaysiyi’l Bukhari, wa ila ustadhina wa ustadhi ustadhina Khwaja ‘Abdu’! Khaliq al Ghujdawani, wa ila Sultani’l Awliya Sheikh ‘Abdu’llah al Fa’izi ad-Daghestani wa ila Mawlana Shaykh Nazim al Haqqani, wa ila arwahi sa’iri sadaatina wa-s-Siddiqiyun... al Fatiha.”
After the Bay’ah the initiate may also receive a new name from the Sheikh. Everyone has seven names which are all known to the Sheikh. These names help and guide the Murid on his way of personal development.
‘Rabita—tu-Sharifa — The Connection with the Shaykh
Our GrandShaykh Shah-u-Nagshband said: “God looks at the hearts of His Saints with His Lights, and whoever is around that Saint will get the blessings of those Lights.”
“Whoever is initiated by us and follows and loves us, whether he is near or far, wherever he is, even if he is in the East and we are in the West, we nourish from the stream of Divine Love and give him Divine Light in his daily life.”
“Tafakkur sa’atin khayrun min ‘ibaadati saba’in sanatin”- Reflective thinking for one hour is better than 7o years of supererogatory worship. Make Ghusl or Wudhu and put on clean clothes if possible. Pray two Raka‘at ‘Tahiyatu’l Wudhu’. Then sit down in a silent private place and face the Qiblah. Close your eyes and try to stop all movements, thinking and wishing. Imagine yourself in the presence of your Sheikh and him sitting in front of you. For that purpose you can try to remember a moment you had with the Sheikh which was pleasant or impressive to you, or use a picture of him to remember his face. Connect with him through your heart, turning in love towards him. “Sincerity is to worship Allah as if you were seeing Him; and even if you don’t see Him, He is always looking to you.” The Sheikh is the representative of the Holy Prophet who is the Khaliphatullah. Remember that the Sheikh is always looking to us, that he is always with us, even though we may not be able to see, hear or feel him. This is why we are not with him and forget him. Imagine yourself always in his presence, he being at your side, no matter what you do. This will protect you from misbehaving. To connect with the Shaykh, read 3 x Suratu'l Ikhlas and 1 x Suratu’l Fatiha. Dedicate them to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sws and to the soul of our GrandShaykh Abdullah ad-Daghestani. Then ask for Mawlana Shaykh Nazim.
Sura Ikhlas (3x):
Audhu bi’llahi mina shaitani rajim, Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim; “Qul: Huwa’llahu Ahad, Allahu-s-Samad,
Lam yalid wa lam yulad,
wa lam yaku-l-lahu kufuwan ahad.”
811Bridge to Eternity (Say: He is Allah the One; Allah the eternally Independent; He has not given birth to anyone nor was He born from anyone; and no one is like Him.).
Surah Fatiha (1x):
Audhu bi’llahi mina shaitani rajim, Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim; “Alhamduli’llahi Rabbi’! ‘Alamin,
Ar-Rahmanir-Rahim,
Maliki yaumid-din,
iyyaka na’budu wa iyyaka nasta’in,
ihdina sirata’l mustagim,
sirata’l ladhina an’amta ‘alayhim
ghayri’l maghdubi ‘alayhim wa lad-daaliin. Amin.”
(All thanks is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds;
the Merciful, the Beneficent;
the King on the Day of Judgement;
You we worship and You we ask for help;
guide us on the straight path;
the path of those that You had mercy on
and not of those that You are angry with nor those that go astray. Amin.)
You can imagine the heart of the Sheikh like an ocean of Divine Faiz, Blessings, and your own heart like a vessel which is being filled with that Faiz running from the Sheikh’s heart to your own heart.
Or you can imagine your Shaykh covering you like a tent under which you are sitting. On its four sides the Divine Faiz is raining down. You can also imagine yourself swimming in the ocean of the Sheikh’s heart, like a fish or a drop of water.
If you are getting disturbed by other pictures, open your eyes quickly. They will disappear and then you can continue to concentrate. If disturbing thoughts are coming to you, say: “La haula wa la quwatta illa bi’llahi’l ‘Aliyu’l ‘Azim’, (There is no power nor strength with me except that which is coming from Allah, the most High, the Magnificent) and/or: “Audhu bi’llahi mina shaitani rajim”, (| seek refuge in Allah’s Presence from the cursed Shaitan), 100 times or more, until they disappear. Our Grandsheikh Shah-u-Naqshiband said: “The seeker in this way must be busy in rejecting evil whisperings and the ego’s demands, either before they reach him, or after they reach him but before they control him.
A seeker who doesn’t reject them until after they reached him and controlled him cannot get any fruit, because at that time it is impossible to take the whisperings out of the heart.” When practising the silent Dhikr of the heart keep the tongue on the upper palate and the teeth on top of each other. To deepen the concentration while listening to the heart’s Dhikr you can imagine the Name of Allah from light being engraved on your heart.
The ‘Naqsh’
821 Bridge to Eternity Everything has been created for man except for his heart. The heart is for Allah Alone, so that He can make it His Throne. The ‘Nagsh’ is Allah’s stamp or seal on the heart. During the training in the Nagshbandi Order Allah’s Name is being perfectly engraved in the heart of the seeker or disciple.
The Strong Intention
Our GrandShaykh Abdullah ad-Daghestani said: "I will teach you a way to approach me quickly. Whenever you do your prayers, make Dhikr, read Quran, anything that you are doing, make the following intention:
Nawaytu'l Arbain, Itikaf, Khalwat, 'Uzla, Riada, Suluq, Siyam, li'llaha ta‘ala..." (| am intending the 40 Days, Retreat, Seclusion, Abstinence, Contentedness, Following in obediency, Fasting, for the sake of Allah Almighty. ) Your worshipping with this intention will be deducted from the 40 Days of Seclusion, which are obligatory for a Naqshbandi Murid.
Our GrandShaykh Shah Baha’ud-Din Naqshband said:
“Intention, ‘Niyat’, is very important. It consists of three letters: ‘Nun’, which represents the ‘Nur Allah’, the Light of God; ‘Ya’, which represents the ‘Yad Allah’, the Hand of God; and ‘Ha’, which represents ‘Hidayatu’llah’,
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