Mercy Oceans, Book 12 (192 pages, 3/15)
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ants.
If everyone gathered and gave their love to their Lord, this life would be a paradise. But we are not giving our love to our Lord; we are only giving something, some nonsensical things, and we are living in hell. Our lives are full of sadness, of fear, of hopeless things, of troubles and sufferings. That is the reason, because falsehood is in our hearts; truth has not yet come and entered into your heart to defeat falsehood from your heart. Yes, everyone is carrying his responsibility.
May falsehood be taken away from your heart and truth come and enter into your heart, and may Allah Almighty make for you a private situation in a private world. You may be with people, you may walk with them in this life, but you will see some other ones. You will live in another London-city, not this London. There is another London, also; there is not only one London for the Lord, Almighty Allah. He is the Creator, and when He orders there to be in existence one billion Londons for His sincere servants, they are ready.
Yes; that is the truth, and when truth comes, falsehood goes away.
The one who has truth in his heart may live in another London with other ones, with some people whose faces are like sunshine. Their roads, their streets are clean; no sound harms your senses; no one looks at another with wildness. Silver domes, golden towers. Yes, that is the barakah, the blessing of being with truth. "When truth comes, falsehood goes away13," Allah Almighty says.
Therefore we are asking forgiveness for everything, and we are asking divine help for taking away falsehood from our hearts and putting that truth into our hearts, truth going through our bodies, through our minds and around ourselves. May Allah give it to you. When I say something, I have
13 VII:81
been authorized to give that good tidings to you through my Grandsheikh; you must see it, also. Therefore, when I am saying that there are other Londons, you may see them. When truth comes clearly into your heart, it, is so easy; I may take you to that London. Wa min Allah at-taufiq14."
By the name of Allah, All-mighty, All-merciful, Most Benficent and Most Munificent. He knows what we are in need of and He gives what we are in need of. Believers, they are in need of divine support throughout their lives, and the one who has strong faith and belief, he receives more support. And, also, as much as we know we are weak and in need, Allah Almighty gives us more support.
Our Grandsheikh was always speaking about the good attribute which is more lovely to Allah Almighty than anything else: Allah Almighty likes His servant to ask from Him and to say, "O my Lord, I am Your weakest and most needy one." This attribute of servants is most lovely to our Lord, Allah Almighty, and we are saying, "O our Lord, we are the weakest ones and the most in need of Your divine support." And Allah Almighty gives that support, and, if we are sincere, He gives to us also from His endless favors.
We are in a holy month, and that holy month is teaching us. Fasting teaches servants that they are in need of their Lord at every time. And when a person fasts and thinks about his Lord, Allah Almighty looks at what is in His servant's heart, at who is there, because Allah Almighty created man and He made one part of our bodies for Himself only. He never accepts to have a partner for Himself, and the most precious part of your body is that part. Your heart is that precious one, and it belongs to the Lord, Almighty Allah.
And He looks there; every day Allah Almighty looks at our hearts. Why does He look? He looks to see what His servant is doing with that precious part.
14 And the guidance is from God
Allah Almighty says, "O My servant, My face is toward your face, but your face is toward where? O My servant, put your face in front of My Divine Face." But your face is mostly not in front of His Divine Face, and we are asking forgiveness.
All prophets and all shari'ahs came to teach people that they must put their faces in front of their Lord's Divine Face. People are running after finding peace and happiness and satisfaction through this world, but it is impossible; if you look and your face is not toward your Lord's Divine Face, no one can find peace and satisfaction and happiness in his heart. And every day Allah Almighty looks and tries His servants, to see whether His servant is with Him or is with someone else.
Once there was a grandsheikh, and one day he went up to the mimbar for the Jum'ah khutbah15, addressing a huge crowd of people; so many scholars, they were listening to him, also. And he was saying: "O people, look at me and listen. Judgment Day is approaching, and everyone must be present on that Day, the Last Day, the judgment day for everyone. And the Judge, He is your Lord, Allah Almighty.
"Don't be afraid! He is only going to call you one by one. He can do anything! He will make judgment on everyone one by one and at the same time He will make judgment for everyone, and everyone will think that Allah Almighty, his Lord, is judging himself only, while He is really going to give judgment for everyone who is in that place.
"He will call you and ask you only one question, nothing else." And they were listening carefully. "If you can give a correct answer, it will be all right; no need to ask a second question. If not, it will be difficult for you. Your Lord will
15 Mimbar: a pulpit, generally with steps leading up to a raised platform. Jum'ah khutbah: the sermon of the Friday congregational prayer
ask everyone, will ask you, 'O My servant, I was with you during your life. You - with whom were you?'"
That is the question, only one question: "O My servant, with whom were you?" That is the question. If you can say, "O my Lord, I was with You," then every question will have been given its answer and your Lord will be happy with you, pleased with you; you will have made Him pleased with you. If not, too much trouble is waiting for you.
Therefore, every prophet just came to teach us how we should be with our Lord at every time, and we must try to be with him throughout our lives.
Therefore, Allah Almighty made every action of mankind to be governed by a rule:
Every moment and every action, they have a value, and you must consider the value of your actions and you must think about that action. When you are going to act, you must know that someone is looking at you and that that someone is your Lord. His Face is toward your face; His Face, His Divine Face, is toward your heart, and His Divine Face and Its gaze is on you.
When you keep that adab, good manners, then your Lord, Allah Almighty, is going to be with you, every time; with His endless favors He will support you for everything. As long as you consider your Lord, more support will come to you. And our Grandsheikh was always speaking about real faith, acceptable faith - how it must be so that Allah Almighty accepts that faith, and which kind of faith supports its owner, divine support always protecting him.
We must consider always in our hearts that Allah Almighty, by day or night throughout our whole life, is looking at us; His divine Gaze is never taken away from anyone. If you consider that my sheikh is looking at me everywhere, you will be careful about every action that you are going to do. Then what about Allah Almighty, never leaving you even for the smallest unit of time, looking at you? That gives us real faith in Allah Almighty.
If Allah Almighty gives to us from His favors, sometimes we forget our Lord because we are occupied with the enjoyment of favors during this life. But Allah Almighty gives His servants mostly troubles.
When Allah created man, Adam, He had not yet blown into him from His Divine soul, so that only Adam's body was lying, without a soul. Then Allah Almighty ordered a rain to fall on him. It rained for forty years only sadness; sadness, sorrow and suffering rained on his body. Then it stopped, and for one year it rained a rain of enjoyment and happiness.
Therefore, in forty years only one year of happiness and enjoyment comes during our lives16. What is the divine wisdom in that? There are so many wisdoms for that rain on Adam, and on his children, also, it is the same,
If a person speaks to his Lord, calling him, "Yā Karim!"17 Allah Almighty calls to His servant and says, "O My servant, you are still in that world, you are in prison. Then how are you saying 'Ya Karim'? What do you know about My karam, My favors? This world, this life, is a prison for everyone, for believers and unbelievers. You must be patient. When you get to Paradise, Paradise is the place of My favors. This world, this life, is not the place of My favors yet!"
Troubles and sufferings and sorrows always cover this life, O people, and you can only breathe through your beliefs. Those who believe, they can take themselves out of that sorrow and sadness; but the ones who haven't any beliefs or faith, they are always in darkness, in sadness, in sorrow. And the divine wisdom of Allah Almighty's making too much sufferings and sorrows for man here is because when we are in sadness, in troubles and suffering, we ask for someone to help us; "Ya Aman, ya Rabbi!"18 we must say, we
16 That is, the ratio of suffering to happiness in this world's life is one to forty
17 O Generous One." Al-Karim is one of the ninety-nine Beautiful Names of Allah. Sheikh Nazim adds parenthetically, "Karim means the One who gives endless favors, with happiness and enjoyment
18 O Trustworthy one, O my Lord!
must call to Him. When we are rich we think that we are not in need of anyone and we do not call to Him, but when we are in trouble, then we remember that one who can help us in any condition, in any situation.
Therefore, throughout our whole life, suffering powers our lives. Allah Almighty likes His servants to call Him and to ask from Him. When you call, "O my God!" He says, "O My servant!" and without your heart burning, that addressing to Allah does not come. If that calling to Allah comes from your heart, He accepts it; if it only comes from your lips, it does not reach there as it does when it comes from your heart. Therefore Allah Almighty makes sorrows and sufferings for His servants so that they may remember Him and His blessings and favors.
And Allah Almighty is always trying His servants; everyone is going to be tried. Trying makes our faith stronger; if He does not try you, you will stay on the same level, and for that reason Allah Almighty tries His servants and gives them more power through their beliefs and faith. Therefore, everything that falls upon people is a trial from Allah Almighty. And the Prophet, p.b.u.h., says, "If two days of your life are equal, the same, it is a loss. Today must be more than yesterday and tomorrow must be more than this day."
What does it mean? It is not that if you pray forty rak'āts19 today you are going to do forty-one tomorrow, and after tomorrow forty-two; no. But as we grow in our mother's womb and come to this life, and grow day by day from a one-day-old baby, a two-day-old baby, then one week, one month, one year, we grow up to forty years; forty years, it is a perfection for our physicai body and for our mind. Then, from forty, our physical body begins to go down, becoming weaker, but our spiritual power must go on to perfection.
Day by day our faith must reach to a point that, when you reach that level, there should be a new world in your view.
19 Rak'ats are the cycles which make up the Islamic prayer or salat
Now all of us, we are going through a black tunnel. But we must continue on our steps; then we will reach that horizon and we will see another world that is now unseen to ourselves. If you reach that point before leaving this life, you are fortunate; you will have reached the real position of being deputy of your Lord, Almighty Allah.
That is the meaning of that hadith, that saying of the Prophet, p.b.u.h., that day by day we must approach that horizon. If you stay on the same step, then you are losing; each day you must put your foot on the next step.
Before death comes, you must finish your steps and you must be at that horizon, looking at unseen worlds, looking at the Heavens, looking at your heavenly station in the Divine Presence. Those are fortunate people, rijal- Allah.20
Therefore Allah' Almighty tries His servants every day. If a person passes that examination, that trial, then he improves to the second level. And Allah Almighty does not try you with enjoyable happenings, but He tries His servant with something to see if he can carry it or not, not giving to you a sweet - no. Too many sufferings fall on people. The one who can carry them is improving in his steps toward his divine station in the Divine Presence.
Therefore believers, they know that there is trying by Allah Almighty and they prepare themselves to carry it. It may be by anything, any kind of a trial. And mostly Allah Almighty tries His servants by each other, and He likes you to bear each other without getting angry with each other. Anger is wildness and Allah Almighty never likes it. And every day, from morning time up to sleeping time, you must be awake, seeing from where a trial is coming to you, so that you may be ready to keep that. If you keep it - one step more, one step more - your faith gets to be stronger.
This holy month is teaching us, also, to bear, to be patient, and to be able to carry everything that is difficult for our ego. Every difficult thing makes our
20 People of God
faith stronger, and as much as our faith is stronger, we are coming closer to our Lord and to His Divine Presence.
By the name of Allah, All-mighty, All-merciful, Most Beneficent and Most Munificent. Allah Almighty honored us, the children of Adam, making us candidates to be the deputies of our Lord in this world, in this universe. And honor for the Children of Adam is to believe in their Lord - that He is in existence and that there is no God in existence but Allah Almighty.
From the first prophet up to the last one, Allah Almighty informed and proclaimed His existence and His unity. Whoever accepts that, he has been honored by the Lord, Almighty Allah. Allah Almighty proclaimed His existence and unity through the first prophet, and He also announced His Last Prophet, the Seal of the Prophets, beloved Muhammad, p.b.u.h.
As we believe in all the prophets without making any distinction among them, at the beginning all mankind was ordered or invited to believe in all the prophets past or to come, and particularly in beloved Muhammad, peace be upon him and upon them21. His name was written on the Divine Throne before creatures were created, and "La ilaha illa-Llah, Muhammadu-r rasul- Allah, there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger," is written in Arabic words everywhere in Paradise, also.
And it has been proclaimed by every prophet. Each prophet called his nation to believe in the Last Prophet, beloved Muhammad, p.b.u.h.; because to believe in their own prophet gave them honor, but to believe also in the Last Prophet, the Seal of the Prophets, gave them more honor and more lights.
Therefore Allah Almighty invited and ordered all nations, through their prophets, to believe in their own prophets and also to believe in the Last
21 See, for example, II:136, 285; III:81, 84; V:13 (12 in Pickthall's translation); XXXIII:7-8
Prophet, beloved Muhammad, p.b.u.h., so that every prophet informed his nation about the Last Prophet through their holy books, and every holy book mentioned the name of the Last Prophet, Muhammad, p.b.u.h., by his name, as it is written on the pillars of the Throne, "La ilaha illa-Llah, Muhammadu-r- rasul-Allah," p.b.u.h.
Then, the last prophet before the Seal of the Prophets, Jesus Christ, p.b.u.h., also mentioned the name of the greatest prophet and the Seal of the Prophets, Sayyidina Muhammad, p.b.u.h., in his Gospel22, mentioning his name as "Ahmad,"23 which they are translating as "Parakletos" in the original Greek Bible. He was saying that "Ahmad is coming just after me. He is going to be the prophet for all nations, and his nation, ummah, is the last of the ummahs."
As it is written, it was well-known, also, among scholars of the Christian faith. They knew from where he was going to come. It is written that the Last Prophet would come from Hijaz and it is mentioned that he would come from Makkah. And also there is written every detail to make his identity exactly clear, not leaving any doubt about it, because he was the last one and must be recognized by everyone. Since he was going to be the prophet for all the world or for all nations, he must be a well-known person among other nations, among Moses' nation and among Jesus Christ's nation and ummah, because he was going to come at a time when they should be ready.
Therefore Allah Almighty did not leave out any sign for His beloved Muhammad, to make His Last Prophet to be well-known, and he was indicated in holy books.
The Jewish people, after their Temple was destroyed, spread all over the world, everywhere. They are clever people; perhaps they are the most clever
22 The scripture revealed to Jesus known as the Injil (Evangelos or Gospel), some parts or which may be preserved in the existing four Gospels
23 The Praised One," coming from the same Arabic root and having the same meaning as Muhammad
ones among all nations. And I don't think that Jewish people would leave the good places of the earth, leaving Anatolia or Syria or Iraq or Iran or Europe or Egypt or any other country, such healthy-Wealthy countries, to go to the desert of Arabia24; I don't think that they are such mindless people to go to live in the Arabian deserts, with fifty or sixty degrees centigrade and salty water and only palm trees growing, without any reason. Then why did they go there?
They were living in and around Yathrib (Madinah) and in Khaibar. Why were they there, for what purpose? This dunya, this world, is wide, and then it was not as it is now, so crowded; no, they could go anywhere and they could live in good places, so many open spaces at that time. Why did they choose those deserts? What was the reason?
The reason, the only reason, was that they knew that the Seal of the Prophets would come in the Arabian desert, in that country. It is written in the Holy Torah, in the Old Testament and the New Testament; they knew that he was going to be born there.
His grandfather's building25 was the House of the Lord; Abraham, p.b.u.h., built that House, the House of the Lord, which is now there, in the middle of the desert. Nothing grew in that desert, nothing. And he said to his Lord, "O my Lord, I am leaving my descendants in a huge desert. Give them their rizq, provisions, and give them Your heavenly provisions, also. Send them, from Your Divine Presence, a messenger teaching them your wisdoms and Your holy words."26
24 Referring to the Jewish settlements in Yathrib (later known as Madinah) and surrounding areas during the Prophet's time
25 The Holy Prophet's "grandfather" was the Prophet Abraham, who, together with his son Ishmael built the Sacred House of God, the K'abah, in the small desert settlement which became the city of Makkah
26 See II:126–129, XIV:37
They knew about him; it was written. And they were expecting that that prophet would come from among themselves and that they would quickly go with him, all together. But divine wisdoms made that Last Prophet from the Sons of Ishmael, not from the Sons of Isaac, peace be upon them both; yes. And Christians, also, were living in Najran (now it is Aden and that area) and they were also expecting that Last Prophet. It is written in traditions; everything is clear in Islam.
During those years Damascus was in the hands of the Romans, Christians. The capital of the Eastern Roman Empire was in Constantinople, and Damascus was a very famous center of Christianity at that time.
There were two priests who were always together. They were looking for the Last Prophet. Once one said to the other, "As we know through our holy books, this is the right time for the Last Prophet to appear. Let us go and search for him."
They set out to look for the Last Prophet. They began their journey from Damascus and went through deserts, reaching Yathrib. When they entered Yathrib, one of them looked at the position of the mountains and valley and trees. The valley went like this, and the mountains and their rocks were burned-looking, like black coal, and the palm trees and gardens were inside. They looked, and one of them said, "This is the place that is described in holy books; it is the place to which the Last Prophet will immigrate," because it had those special characteristics.
Then they entered Yathrib, the town, and asked for the masjid, mosque, going there and entering. The Prophet, p.b.u.h., was there with his Companions, sitting among them.
No need for anyone to ask who that one was. He was like the full moon among stars; as he is going to be well-known on the Last Day, no one was in
need to ask, "Who is Muhammad?" They came and sat in front of him, and one of them said, "You are Muhammad."
The Prophet replied, "Yes, I am Muhammad." Then the second one said, "And you are Ahmad." And he said, "I am Ahmad, also."
The Prophet's names are written on all the masjid's walls in Madinah, about two-hundred-and-fifty names; but the Naqshbandi Order knows one thousand names for the Prophet, p.b.u.h. - one thousand! To have many names is a sign of a person's honor; the more names there are for a person, the more honor it is for him. Therefore he has been honored with one thousand names. As his name in Paradise is 'Abdul-Karim, in Hell it is
'Abdul-Qahhar; on the Divine Throne 'Abdul-Majid, on earth Muhammad, and in the Heavens Ahmad.27
They addressed him exactly as they knew, as "Ahmad" and "Muhammad." Then they asked him, "Could you tell us what is the greatest witness in the Holy Book that has come to you?"
Then at that time the Angel Gabriel came and brought the verse, "Bismillahi- r-Rahmani-r-Rahim. Shahid Allahu annahu la ilaha illa Hua, wal-malaikatu wal-ulu-l-'ilmi qaiman bil-qist. La ilaha illa Hua, al-lAzizu-l-Hakim"28, - Gabriel just brought this verse to him and he recited it. Then those two priests fell upon his hands; upon his feet, also, saying, "You are that prophet about whom Moses informed us and about whom Jesus Christ gave good tidings. You are that prophet, and we are witnesses to that."
27 As the various names of the Holy Prophet are derived from Allah Almighty's exalted divine attributes, different names are suitable for different situations
28 In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful. God (Himself) is witness that there is no deity but He, and the angels and the people of knowledge, standing firmly for justice. There is no deity but He, the Mighty, the Wise." (III:18)
Allah Almighty Himself is the Witness. Who can be greater than Him? He is saying, "I Myself am witness that I am the one, the Creator, the Lord of the Worlds, the Lord of Creatures, the Lord of the Universe, the Lord of the Heavens, and I am that one besides whom no one may be able to do anything. I am that one who has eternal Power Oceans and eternal Knowledge and Wisdom Oceans with Myself," He Himself is witnessing for Himself. "And also all angels, they are witnesses to My unity and My existence. And everyone who has been honored with knowledge, every learned and knowledgeable person, also says 'La ilaha illa-Llah," proclaiming My existence and My unity."
Therefore Allah Almighty gives honor to the Children of Adam by their saying "La ilaha illa-Llah," by their proclaiming the existence of Allah Almighty and His unity. That is the honor that we have been given, and that is the knowledge from which all knowledge comes; it is the source of all knowledge and all wisdoms, and knowledge comes forth from that source to say, "There is no God but Allah. All power, absolute Power Oceans and absolute Wisdom Oceans, are for Him, Almighty Allah."
Therefore, at all times, people who want honor receive honor by proclaiming the existence and unity of their Lord, Allah Almighty. If a person does not proclaim the existence and unity of Allah Almighty, he is never given honor or knowledge or wisdom; anyone who claims that he has wisdom and knowledge, he must proclaim the existence of God, Almighty Allah, and His unity. That verse is the greatest witness in the Holy Qur'an, and it includes everyone by saying "ulu-l-'ilm," the people of knowledge: those who have knowledge and wisdom, they say, "La ilaha illa-Llah, there is no God but Allah, Almighty Allah."
Now in our time all nations are falling into crises. And we are seeing that in our time, like a new fashion, ideas are coming fo
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ants.
If everyone gathered and gave their love to their Lord, this life would be a paradise. But we are not giving our love to our Lord; we are only giving something, some nonsensical things, and we are living in hell. Our lives are full of sadness, of fear, of hopeless things, of troubles and sufferings. That is the reason, because falsehood is in our hearts; truth has not yet come and entered into your heart to defeat falsehood from your heart. Yes, everyone is carrying his responsibility.
May falsehood be taken away from your heart and truth come and enter into your heart, and may Allah Almighty make for you a private situation in a private world. You may be with people, you may walk with them in this life, but you will see some other ones. You will live in another London-city, not this London. There is another London, also; there is not only one London for the Lord, Almighty Allah. He is the Creator, and when He orders there to be in existence one billion Londons for His sincere servants, they are ready.
Yes; that is the truth, and when truth comes, falsehood goes away.
The one who has truth in his heart may live in another London with other ones, with some people whose faces are like sunshine. Their roads, their streets are clean; no sound harms your senses; no one looks at another with wildness. Silver domes, golden towers. Yes, that is the barakah, the blessing of being with truth. "When truth comes, falsehood goes away13," Allah Almighty says.
Therefore we are asking forgiveness for everything, and we are asking divine help for taking away falsehood from our hearts and putting that truth into our hearts, truth going through our bodies, through our minds and around ourselves. May Allah give it to you. When I say something, I have
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been authorized to give that good tidings to you through my Grandsheikh; you must see it, also. Therefore, when I am saying that there are other Londons, you may see them. When truth comes clearly into your heart, it, is so easy; I may take you to that London. Wa min Allah at-taufiq14."
By the name of Allah, All-mighty, All-merciful, Most Benficent and Most Munificent. He knows what we are in need of and He gives what we are in need of. Believers, they are in need of divine support throughout their lives, and the one who has strong faith and belief, he receives more support. And, also, as much as we know we are weak and in need, Allah Almighty gives us more support.
Our Grandsheikh was always speaking about the good attribute which is more lovely to Allah Almighty than anything else: Allah Almighty likes His servant to ask from Him and to say, "O my Lord, I am Your weakest and most needy one." This attribute of servants is most lovely to our Lord, Allah Almighty, and we are saying, "O our Lord, we are the weakest ones and the most in need of Your divine support." And Allah Almighty gives that support, and, if we are sincere, He gives to us also from His endless favors.
We are in a holy month, and that holy month is teaching us. Fasting teaches servants that they are in need of their Lord at every time. And when a person fasts and thinks about his Lord, Allah Almighty looks at what is in His servant's heart, at who is there, because Allah Almighty created man and He made one part of our bodies for Himself only. He never accepts to have a partner for Himself, and the most precious part of your body is that part. Your heart is that precious one, and it belongs to the Lord, Almighty Allah.
And He looks there; every day Allah Almighty looks at our hearts. Why does He look? He looks to see what His servant is doing with that precious part.
14 And the guidance is from God
Allah Almighty says, "O My servant, My face is toward your face, but your face is toward where? O My servant, put your face in front of My Divine Face." But your face is mostly not in front of His Divine Face, and we are asking forgiveness.
All prophets and all shari'ahs came to teach people that they must put their faces in front of their Lord's Divine Face. People are running after finding peace and happiness and satisfaction through this world, but it is impossible; if you look and your face is not toward your Lord's Divine Face, no one can find peace and satisfaction and happiness in his heart. And every day Allah Almighty looks and tries His servants, to see whether His servant is with Him or is with someone else.
Once there was a grandsheikh, and one day he went up to the mimbar for the Jum'ah khutbah15, addressing a huge crowd of people; so many scholars, they were listening to him, also. And he was saying: "O people, look at me and listen. Judgment Day is approaching, and everyone must be present on that Day, the Last Day, the judgment day for everyone. And the Judge, He is your Lord, Allah Almighty.
"Don't be afraid! He is only going to call you one by one. He can do anything! He will make judgment on everyone one by one and at the same time He will make judgment for everyone, and everyone will think that Allah Almighty, his Lord, is judging himself only, while He is really going to give judgment for everyone who is in that place.
"He will call you and ask you only one question, nothing else." And they were listening carefully. "If you can give a correct answer, it will be all right; no need to ask a second question. If not, it will be difficult for you. Your Lord will
15 Mimbar: a pulpit, generally with steps leading up to a raised platform. Jum'ah khutbah: the sermon of the Friday congregational prayer
ask everyone, will ask you, 'O My servant, I was with you during your life. You - with whom were you?'"
That is the question, only one question: "O My servant, with whom were you?" That is the question. If you can say, "O my Lord, I was with You," then every question will have been given its answer and your Lord will be happy with you, pleased with you; you will have made Him pleased with you. If not, too much trouble is waiting for you.
Therefore, every prophet just came to teach us how we should be with our Lord at every time, and we must try to be with him throughout our lives.
Therefore, Allah Almighty made every action of mankind to be governed by a rule:
Every moment and every action, they have a value, and you must consider the value of your actions and you must think about that action. When you are going to act, you must know that someone is looking at you and that that someone is your Lord. His Face is toward your face; His Face, His Divine Face, is toward your heart, and His Divine Face and Its gaze is on you.
When you keep that adab, good manners, then your Lord, Allah Almighty, is going to be with you, every time; with His endless favors He will support you for everything. As long as you consider your Lord, more support will come to you. And our Grandsheikh was always speaking about real faith, acceptable faith - how it must be so that Allah Almighty accepts that faith, and which kind of faith supports its owner, divine support always protecting him.
We must consider always in our hearts that Allah Almighty, by day or night throughout our whole life, is looking at us; His divine Gaze is never taken away from anyone. If you consider that my sheikh is looking at me everywhere, you will be careful about every action that you are going to do. Then what about Allah Almighty, never leaving you even for the smallest unit of time, looking at you? That gives us real faith in Allah Almighty.
If Allah Almighty gives to us from His favors, sometimes we forget our Lord because we are occupied with the enjoyment of favors during this life. But Allah Almighty gives His servants mostly troubles.
When Allah created man, Adam, He had not yet blown into him from His Divine soul, so that only Adam's body was lying, without a soul. Then Allah Almighty ordered a rain to fall on him. It rained for forty years only sadness; sadness, sorrow and suffering rained on his body. Then it stopped, and for one year it rained a rain of enjoyment and happiness.
Therefore, in forty years only one year of happiness and enjoyment comes during our lives16. What is the divine wisdom in that? There are so many wisdoms for that rain on Adam, and on his children, also, it is the same,
If a person speaks to his Lord, calling him, "Yā Karim!"17 Allah Almighty calls to His servant and says, "O My servant, you are still in that world, you are in prison. Then how are you saying 'Ya Karim'? What do you know about My karam, My favors? This world, this life, is a prison for everyone, for believers and unbelievers. You must be patient. When you get to Paradise, Paradise is the place of My favors. This world, this life, is not the place of My favors yet!"
Troubles and sufferings and sorrows always cover this life, O people, and you can only breathe through your beliefs. Those who believe, they can take themselves out of that sorrow and sadness; but the ones who haven't any beliefs or faith, they are always in darkness, in sadness, in sorrow. And the divine wisdom of Allah Almighty's making too much sufferings and sorrows for man here is because when we are in sadness, in troubles and suffering, we ask for someone to help us; "Ya Aman, ya Rabbi!"18 we must say, we
16 That is, the ratio of suffering to happiness in this world's life is one to forty
17 O Generous One." Al-Karim is one of the ninety-nine Beautiful Names of Allah. Sheikh Nazim adds parenthetically, "Karim means the One who gives endless favors, with happiness and enjoyment
18 O Trustworthy one, O my Lord!
must call to Him. When we are rich we think that we are not in need of anyone and we do not call to Him, but when we are in trouble, then we remember that one who can help us in any condition, in any situation.
Therefore, throughout our whole life, suffering powers our lives. Allah Almighty likes His servants to call Him and to ask from Him. When you call, "O my God!" He says, "O My servant!" and without your heart burning, that addressing to Allah does not come. If that calling to Allah comes from your heart, He accepts it; if it only comes from your lips, it does not reach there as it does when it comes from your heart. Therefore Allah Almighty makes sorrows and sufferings for His servants so that they may remember Him and His blessings and favors.
And Allah Almighty is always trying His servants; everyone is going to be tried. Trying makes our faith stronger; if He does not try you, you will stay on the same level, and for that reason Allah Almighty tries His servants and gives them more power through their beliefs and faith. Therefore, everything that falls upon people is a trial from Allah Almighty. And the Prophet, p.b.u.h., says, "If two days of your life are equal, the same, it is a loss. Today must be more than yesterday and tomorrow must be more than this day."
What does it mean? It is not that if you pray forty rak'āts19 today you are going to do forty-one tomorrow, and after tomorrow forty-two; no. But as we grow in our mother's womb and come to this life, and grow day by day from a one-day-old baby, a two-day-old baby, then one week, one month, one year, we grow up to forty years; forty years, it is a perfection for our physicai body and for our mind. Then, from forty, our physical body begins to go down, becoming weaker, but our spiritual power must go on to perfection.
Day by day our faith must reach to a point that, when you reach that level, there should be a new world in your view.
19 Rak'ats are the cycles which make up the Islamic prayer or salat
Now all of us, we are going through a black tunnel. But we must continue on our steps; then we will reach that horizon and we will see another world that is now unseen to ourselves. If you reach that point before leaving this life, you are fortunate; you will have reached the real position of being deputy of your Lord, Almighty Allah.
That is the meaning of that hadith, that saying of the Prophet, p.b.u.h., that day by day we must approach that horizon. If you stay on the same step, then you are losing; each day you must put your foot on the next step.
Before death comes, you must finish your steps and you must be at that horizon, looking at unseen worlds, looking at the Heavens, looking at your heavenly station in the Divine Presence. Those are fortunate people, rijal- Allah.20
Therefore Allah' Almighty tries His servants every day. If a person passes that examination, that trial, then he improves to the second level. And Allah Almighty does not try you with enjoyable happenings, but He tries His servant with something to see if he can carry it or not, not giving to you a sweet - no. Too many sufferings fall on people. The one who can carry them is improving in his steps toward his divine station in the Divine Presence.
Therefore believers, they know that there is trying by Allah Almighty and they prepare themselves to carry it. It may be by anything, any kind of a trial. And mostly Allah Almighty tries His servants by each other, and He likes you to bear each other without getting angry with each other. Anger is wildness and Allah Almighty never likes it. And every day, from morning time up to sleeping time, you must be awake, seeing from where a trial is coming to you, so that you may be ready to keep that. If you keep it - one step more, one step more - your faith gets to be stronger.
This holy month is teaching us, also, to bear, to be patient, and to be able to carry everything that is difficult for our ego. Every difficult thing makes our
20 People of God
faith stronger, and as much as our faith is stronger, we are coming closer to our Lord and to His Divine Presence.
By the name of Allah, All-mighty, All-merciful, Most Beneficent and Most Munificent. Allah Almighty honored us, the children of Adam, making us candidates to be the deputies of our Lord in this world, in this universe. And honor for the Children of Adam is to believe in their Lord - that He is in existence and that there is no God in existence but Allah Almighty.
From the first prophet up to the last one, Allah Almighty informed and proclaimed His existence and His unity. Whoever accepts that, he has been honored by the Lord, Almighty Allah. Allah Almighty proclaimed His existence and unity through the first prophet, and He also announced His Last Prophet, the Seal of the Prophets, beloved Muhammad, p.b.u.h.
As we believe in all the prophets without making any distinction among them, at the beginning all mankind was ordered or invited to believe in all the prophets past or to come, and particularly in beloved Muhammad, peace be upon him and upon them21. His name was written on the Divine Throne before creatures were created, and "La ilaha illa-Llah, Muhammadu-r rasul- Allah, there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger," is written in Arabic words everywhere in Paradise, also.
And it has been proclaimed by every prophet. Each prophet called his nation to believe in the Last Prophet, beloved Muhammad, p.b.u.h.; because to believe in their own prophet gave them honor, but to believe also in the Last Prophet, the Seal of the Prophets, gave them more honor and more lights.
Therefore Allah Almighty invited and ordered all nations, through their prophets, to believe in their own prophets and also to believe in the Last
21 See, for example, II:136, 285; III:81, 84; V:13 (12 in Pickthall's translation); XXXIII:7-8
Prophet, beloved Muhammad, p.b.u.h., so that every prophet informed his nation about the Last Prophet through their holy books, and every holy book mentioned the name of the Last Prophet, Muhammad, p.b.u.h., by his name, as it is written on the pillars of the Throne, "La ilaha illa-Llah, Muhammadu-r- rasul-Allah," p.b.u.h.
Then, the last prophet before the Seal of the Prophets, Jesus Christ, p.b.u.h., also mentioned the name of the greatest prophet and the Seal of the Prophets, Sayyidina Muhammad, p.b.u.h., in his Gospel22, mentioning his name as "Ahmad,"23 which they are translating as "Parakletos" in the original Greek Bible. He was saying that "Ahmad is coming just after me. He is going to be the prophet for all nations, and his nation, ummah, is the last of the ummahs."
As it is written, it was well-known, also, among scholars of the Christian faith. They knew from where he was going to come. It is written that the Last Prophet would come from Hijaz and it is mentioned that he would come from Makkah. And also there is written every detail to make his identity exactly clear, not leaving any doubt about it, because he was the last one and must be recognized by everyone. Since he was going to be the prophet for all the world or for all nations, he must be a well-known person among other nations, among Moses' nation and among Jesus Christ's nation and ummah, because he was going to come at a time when they should be ready.
Therefore Allah Almighty did not leave out any sign for His beloved Muhammad, to make His Last Prophet to be well-known, and he was indicated in holy books.
The Jewish people, after their Temple was destroyed, spread all over the world, everywhere. They are clever people; perhaps they are the most clever
22 The scripture revealed to Jesus known as the Injil (Evangelos or Gospel), some parts or which may be preserved in the existing four Gospels
23 The Praised One," coming from the same Arabic root and having the same meaning as Muhammad
ones among all nations. And I don't think that Jewish people would leave the good places of the earth, leaving Anatolia or Syria or Iraq or Iran or Europe or Egypt or any other country, such healthy-Wealthy countries, to go to the desert of Arabia24; I don't think that they are such mindless people to go to live in the Arabian deserts, with fifty or sixty degrees centigrade and salty water and only palm trees growing, without any reason. Then why did they go there?
They were living in and around Yathrib (Madinah) and in Khaibar. Why were they there, for what purpose? This dunya, this world, is wide, and then it was not as it is now, so crowded; no, they could go anywhere and they could live in good places, so many open spaces at that time. Why did they choose those deserts? What was the reason?
The reason, the only reason, was that they knew that the Seal of the Prophets would come in the Arabian desert, in that country. It is written in the Holy Torah, in the Old Testament and the New Testament; they knew that he was going to be born there.
His grandfather's building25 was the House of the Lord; Abraham, p.b.u.h., built that House, the House of the Lord, which is now there, in the middle of the desert. Nothing grew in that desert, nothing. And he said to his Lord, "O my Lord, I am leaving my descendants in a huge desert. Give them their rizq, provisions, and give them Your heavenly provisions, also. Send them, from Your Divine Presence, a messenger teaching them your wisdoms and Your holy words."26
24 Referring to the Jewish settlements in Yathrib (later known as Madinah) and surrounding areas during the Prophet's time
25 The Holy Prophet's "grandfather" was the Prophet Abraham, who, together with his son Ishmael built the Sacred House of God, the K'abah, in the small desert settlement which became the city of Makkah
26 See II:126–129, XIV:37
They knew about him; it was written. And they were expecting that that prophet would come from among themselves and that they would quickly go with him, all together. But divine wisdoms made that Last Prophet from the Sons of Ishmael, not from the Sons of Isaac, peace be upon them both; yes. And Christians, also, were living in Najran (now it is Aden and that area) and they were also expecting that Last Prophet. It is written in traditions; everything is clear in Islam.
During those years Damascus was in the hands of the Romans, Christians. The capital of the Eastern Roman Empire was in Constantinople, and Damascus was a very famous center of Christianity at that time.
There were two priests who were always together. They were looking for the Last Prophet. Once one said to the other, "As we know through our holy books, this is the right time for the Last Prophet to appear. Let us go and search for him."
They set out to look for the Last Prophet. They began their journey from Damascus and went through deserts, reaching Yathrib. When they entered Yathrib, one of them looked at the position of the mountains and valley and trees. The valley went like this, and the mountains and their rocks were burned-looking, like black coal, and the palm trees and gardens were inside. They looked, and one of them said, "This is the place that is described in holy books; it is the place to which the Last Prophet will immigrate," because it had those special characteristics.
Then they entered Yathrib, the town, and asked for the masjid, mosque, going there and entering. The Prophet, p.b.u.h., was there with his Companions, sitting among them.
No need for anyone to ask who that one was. He was like the full moon among stars; as he is going to be well-known on the Last Day, no one was in
need to ask, "Who is Muhammad?" They came and sat in front of him, and one of them said, "You are Muhammad."
The Prophet replied, "Yes, I am Muhammad." Then the second one said, "And you are Ahmad." And he said, "I am Ahmad, also."
The Prophet's names are written on all the masjid's walls in Madinah, about two-hundred-and-fifty names; but the Naqshbandi Order knows one thousand names for the Prophet, p.b.u.h. - one thousand! To have many names is a sign of a person's honor; the more names there are for a person, the more honor it is for him. Therefore he has been honored with one thousand names. As his name in Paradise is 'Abdul-Karim, in Hell it is
'Abdul-Qahhar; on the Divine Throne 'Abdul-Majid, on earth Muhammad, and in the Heavens Ahmad.27
They addressed him exactly as they knew, as "Ahmad" and "Muhammad." Then they asked him, "Could you tell us what is the greatest witness in the Holy Book that has come to you?"
Then at that time the Angel Gabriel came and brought the verse, "Bismillahi- r-Rahmani-r-Rahim. Shahid Allahu annahu la ilaha illa Hua, wal-malaikatu wal-ulu-l-'ilmi qaiman bil-qist. La ilaha illa Hua, al-lAzizu-l-Hakim"28, - Gabriel just brought this verse to him and he recited it. Then those two priests fell upon his hands; upon his feet, also, saying, "You are that prophet about whom Moses informed us and about whom Jesus Christ gave good tidings. You are that prophet, and we are witnesses to that."
27 As the various names of the Holy Prophet are derived from Allah Almighty's exalted divine attributes, different names are suitable for different situations
28 In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful. God (Himself) is witness that there is no deity but He, and the angels and the people of knowledge, standing firmly for justice. There is no deity but He, the Mighty, the Wise." (III:18)
Allah Almighty Himself is the Witness. Who can be greater than Him? He is saying, "I Myself am witness that I am the one, the Creator, the Lord of the Worlds, the Lord of Creatures, the Lord of the Universe, the Lord of the Heavens, and I am that one besides whom no one may be able to do anything. I am that one who has eternal Power Oceans and eternal Knowledge and Wisdom Oceans with Myself," He Himself is witnessing for Himself. "And also all angels, they are witnesses to My unity and My existence. And everyone who has been honored with knowledge, every learned and knowledgeable person, also says 'La ilaha illa-Llah," proclaiming My existence and My unity."
Therefore Allah Almighty gives honor to the Children of Adam by their saying "La ilaha illa-Llah," by their proclaiming the existence of Allah Almighty and His unity. That is the honor that we have been given, and that is the knowledge from which all knowledge comes; it is the source of all knowledge and all wisdoms, and knowledge comes forth from that source to say, "There is no God but Allah. All power, absolute Power Oceans and absolute Wisdom Oceans, are for Him, Almighty Allah."
Therefore, at all times, people who want honor receive honor by proclaiming the existence and unity of their Lord, Allah Almighty. If a person does not proclaim the existence and unity of Allah Almighty, he is never given honor or knowledge or wisdom; anyone who claims that he has wisdom and knowledge, he must proclaim the existence of God, Almighty Allah, and His unity. That verse is the greatest witness in the Holy Qur'an, and it includes everyone by saying "ulu-l-'ilm," the people of knowledge: those who have knowledge and wisdom, they say, "La ilaha illa-Llah, there is no God but Allah, Almighty Allah."
Now in our time all nations are falling into crises. And we are seeing that in our time, like a new fashion, ideas are coming fo
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