Mercy Oceans, Book 12 (192 pages, 9/15)
https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=6181
In twenty-three years the rules of Islam came to be complete.
We are not saying that the rules of Islam are not to be with people in our time; we believe that all its rules are suitable for the nature of man, but we are not prepared for those rules at once. When we make Shahadah, saying, "We bear witness to the unity and existence of God and the prophethood and the Message of Prophet Muhammad, p.b.u.h.," saying that we are witnesses, that we accept it, it doesn't mean that we are ready to carry all
88 Glory be to God, the Most High, the Almighty
the rules of Islam at that moment. If you say that it does, it means that you do not understand any of the wisdoms for the coming of the Holy Qur'an over twenty-three years. Then, if you say this, you must make an operation on the heads of people, to cut them open and bring the Book, putting it inside. Otherwise, it is impossible.
Therefore, when the Prophet, p.b.u.h., informed us about the signs of the last days, he said that when the Last Day approaches, there would be in Islam people without wisdom; and wisdoms are more precious than knowledge. Allah Almighty says, "Wa man yu'ta-l-hikmata fa-qad utia khairan kathira89, the one who has been given wisdoms has been given all treasures." Therefore a little bit of wisdom is more precious than all knowledge without wisdoms, as a diamond is more precious than a great amount of coal.
In our time we have knowledge. But we are not in need of knowledge; rather, we are in need of wisdoms. We have thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of scholars, but they have only knowledge, without wisdoms.
They may be unhappy with my words, but I must say them. We are in need of wisdoms, and Allah Almighty says that wisdoms are not given to everyone. Wisdoms do not come from outside; the sources of wisdoms come through hearts. You are getting wisdoms by reading books? No.
Rather it is something that you have been given through your heart. Therefore the Prophet, p.b.u.h., says, "Man akhlasa arba'ina sabaha, la- fajarat yanadiu-l-hikmah min qalbihi 'ala lisanihi90." He is saying that if anyone can be a sincere worshipper for forty days - and ikhlas, sincerity,
89 Literally, "And the one who has been given wisdom has indeed been given great good." (II:269)
90 For the one who is sincere (to his Lord] for forty days, springs of wisdom wil gues forth from his heart upon his tongue." (Hadith)
means never letting anything of his ego's desires to be involved or to interfere with his worship for forty days - then Allah Almighty opens in his heart the sources of wisdoms.
But it is not easy. We are following the way of the mind and that means that we are never given any wisdoms. Yes, the most knowledge that anyone had been given was given to Satan. No one among all scholars could compete with Satan; he would be victorious. But nothing of wisdoms does he have.
If he had only minimum wisdom, he would have been the first to make sajdah, prostration, to Adam, respecting his Lord's command; before anyone else, he would have made sajdah when Allah Almighty ordered the angels to make sajdah to Adam. But he hasn't any wisdom. Therefore, he fell and was cast out.
Therefore, we are not in need of knowledge. But I am seeing that each one of the new Muslim people, here or in America or England or France or Germany, quickly wants to learn Arabic - to go to Egypt, to go to Azhar, to go to Hijaz; even to Pakistan, also, they go to learn. They want to learn Arabic or to learn Qur'an, to learn Hadith, to be scholars.
Yes, we know that there is a hadith from the Prophet, p.b.u.h, saying, "Talaba-l-'ilma faridatun 'ala kulli Muslim wa Muslimah91 - Allah Almighty makes it obligatory on every believer, man or woman, to acquire knowledge, 'ilm." But what are its limits? Because for everything there is a secret desire, shahwat al-khafiyah; for everyone, there are secret desires of their egos which make people to be on false ways, to think that Islam is only something to know, and a person begins on the way of seeking knowledge - more, more, more, more, more, more knowledge, running, running, running, and it is impossible to find an end for knowledge. And he gets to be tired and finally comes to forget, also, because of so much taking; then he can't carry it and begins to fall down until, at the end, if he can keep even Kalimat ash-
91 Acquiring knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim male and female. (Hadith)
Shahadah92," it is all right. Yes; I am seeing our Western Muslim brothers and sisters. They are mostly interested in learning, learning, learning and knowing, and without knowing where they should stop.
Imam A'dham, the greatest Imam, Abu Hanifah, whose madhhab93, way, millions of people follow, was explaining the meaning of that hadith that makes it obligatory on believers to learn or to know, and he was saying: "Afdal al-'ilm, the most precious knowledge that you may have, is only that which is regarding or which concerns yourself," or, as we can say, about what is for you and what is against you: to know everything that may be for you, giving you benefit here and Hereafter, and which thing harms you or gives you trouble here and punishment here and Hereafter.
Only that is important to know. It doesn't mean that you are going to learn all the Holy Qur'an and all the hadiths of the Prophet, p.b.u.h., and all books that are written or every kind of knowledge that Islam brought; it doesn't have such a meaning. But Western people have a deep desire to read, to
learn, and they are not changing this characteristic of theirs. Therefore, when they become Muslims - like our brother here; he is asking for a teacher to teach him Arabic and then the meanings of the Holy Qur'an, the meanings of hadith, and it is going to be a heavy burden on him. And I am saying to him: "Stop; no need. Only what you may meet with during your life, you must learn and you must practice."
That is important: to know or to learn in order to practice, not simply to know, to possess knowledge - no. We are in need of more knowledge only to pactice it and to use it in our fight with our egos. You are acquiring knowledge in order to reach wisdoms, because without wisdoms it is impossible to stop your ego's attacking and fighting you.
92 " The Shahadah or Declaration of Faith
93 school of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh)
Wisdons are like atomic bombs on your ego, but other knowledges are only simple weapons and in our time they are not going to work; simple weapons are nothing now. As the last days approach, the weapons of devils, the weapons of Satan, are improving, also, to take people away from faith and beliefs. But, as Satan is improving in his attacks and the methods that he uses to make people beliefless and without faith, so awliya are using wisdoms to defeat Satan and his assistants and helpers.
Therefore, this is from those tricks, satanic tricks. If Satan is not able to prevent someone from coming into Islam or from believing, then he uses another method, to make him be tired. When a person is tired, finished; no more can he follow the way or the rules of Islam. And Satan uses his new methods on new believers, saying: "Oh, now you are Muslim, you must keep all the rules. Otherwise it is impossible; you are not Muslim."
Five times a day prayer? One time is enough for you as a new Muslim, and Allah Almighty accepts even only one sajdah a day. So many Muslims do not make even that one sajdah, although they are Muslims; they do not say that we are kafir, unbeliever - no, they are Muslims. I can show you here in London Turks who are Muslims; they are not making even one sajdah each day. Then why are you saying "five times" for new Muslims? Five times worshipping is perfection. You may say, "It is enough for you to make one sajdah daily."
He wasn't doing anything before but now you are saying, "No. You must learn the Holy Qur'an, all of it, and you must pray five times, and you must fast all of Ramadan, and you must be ready to go to Hajj." That is completion, that is the height, but he must reach that completion step by step. But quickly Satan comes, saying, "No - you are not Muslim if you don't do it all"; and Satan has representatives, also, among people, to bring down their beliefs or to destroy them.
Therefore Allah Almighty, in His divine wisdom, at first ordered the Sahabah to pray only two rak'ats in the morning, and then came two rak'ats also at Maghrib, sunset time. Then, years later, came the order for five times.
We can use the same way, using wisdoms, and we can say to people: "If the Sahabah, the Companions of Muhammad, p.b.u.h., could pray only two rak'ats in the beginning, what is wrong if we say for new Muslims, 'Make one sajdah each day; enough'?" We are using that wisdom in that way, and then when I am coming the following year, I am seeing those people praying all the prayers. I did not say to them to pray five times but they are saying, "We can do it now." I advised them only to pray two rak'ats, but they are happy now with five times; they are asking for more.
Therefore, we are in need of wisdoms, and wisdoms are coming through your heart. And you may keep forty days. I am not saying to keep forty days and each day for twenty-four hours to be occupied with worship, no; but I may say to you: Only once a day you may do a worship, at midnight or before Fajr time, before dawn, so that no one is with you except your Lord. If you can't take a shower, ghusl, you may do wudu. Then you may pray two rak'ats standing facing qiblah, and you are saying, no one is in existence except You, and I am nothing. And I am with You and You are with me." Nothing to say.
Do it, repeat it, for forty nights. Then wisdoms will open a little bit in your heart. Through wisdom comes a light which makes clear this darkness in your world, and you may find a way to go on.
That is for forty days, the easiest method. It may be for five minutes; enough for you, but if you continue with that for forty days, you should find a big benefit. You should find yourself closer to your Lord and that is important: to feel that you are closer to your Lord.
By the name of Allah, All-mighty, All-merciful, Most Beneficent and Most Munificent. Islam as a religion has rules from Allah Almighty, and Islam teaches people what are the perfect conditions for them during this life and Hereafter. And in Islam Allah Almighty does not force people: He only asks servants to obey by their good will and to keep rules. Divine wisdom never makes people to do anything by force or to serve or to worship by force.
Now, we are speaking on the Islamic rules and how we can practice them. Allah Almighty, from the beginning up to the end, when He sent His holy message to the Last Prophet, p.b.u.h.; used His wisdoms, divine wisdoms, to teach people and to train them step by step; and Islam came into perfection, from its beginning up to its end, over a period of twenty-three years.
Now we are living fifteen centuries after Islam came, and Islam is clear; nothing is secret in Islam concerning its rules. It is clear; it can be well-known and well-understood. And we are thanking Allah Almighty that in our time Islam is becoming more clear.
In our time, ideas or thoughts are so differing and opposing and specialized, and for each school of thought there is so much advertising; people are spending millions or billions for advertising their ideas. But Islam - no one is spending anything on it, nor on its ideas and principles, and yet Islam is going to be more clear. Anyone who looks at Islam can understand that, as a person looking at an artificial stone and at a genuine one.
Now it is going to be understood that Islam brought conscious principles which it is impossible for a person who has a perfect view of them to reject, or for a person who has a perfect thought or idea when he looks at the Islamic rules. Therefore we are not in need of advertising; Islam presents itself by itself to all people who have 'aql salim, sound minds94.
94 That is, a correct view, indistorted by prejudice or stereotyping
Therefore, in our days, only Islam is becoming more clear to everyone, and it is going to be more and more clear up to the time when Mahdi comes, may Allah bless him95. Then Jesus Christ will come, and Islam and its principles and rules will become clear to perfect view. People now are interested, not a lot of people but even a few; and till those days come, we must see which rules or principles of Islam we must keep first.
I am seeing and hearing that so many Western people, learned people, also, are interested in Islam, but they are afraid of the Islamic rules, to put themselves under Islamic discipline. They are afraid because they see Islam as a perfect system of rules, and they say, "It is difficult for us to keep all the rules in Islam and to be a Muslim." And also our scholars, or Muslims who are doing Islamic d'awah, Islamic missionary works which is spreading throughout Western countries, are using a difficult method for everyone, and that makes people wonder about it; and most people are afraid to come under that Islamic discipline.
Therefore, as Allah Almighty says, "La yukallif-ullahu nafsan illa wus'aha96, Allah Almighty never loads on His servants more than they have capability or capacity to bear." Then, when a person comes and wants to be Muslim, he asks, "How can I be Muslim? What is the entrance to Islam?" we say: "The entrance is to say that I am witness to the existence and unity of Allah Almighty, and then I am witness that beloved Muhammad, p.b.u.h., is our Lord's servant and His messenger."
That is the main door by which we enter Islam. When a person says this, you must accept him as a Muslim. We can't take him out of Islam till he turns back and says, "I take back my words, I do not proclaim my witness to that";
95 The divinely-empowered leader who will come near the end of this world to fight and destroy the Dajjal and his satanic works, as foretold in numerous hadiths
96 Literally, "God does not burden any soul except with what it can bear." (II:286)
then he takes himself out of Islam, apostasizes, and then we can say, "Now you are out of Islam." But for the main entrance, we ask, "Do you accept the existence of Allah Almighty as your Lord?" and he says, "Yes." "Do you accept and do you witness that beloved Muhammad is His servant and His messenger?" and he says, "Yes." Then we say, "Come in." Then, if that person lives by it, keeping that Shahadah, that Witness, with himself, he is a Muslim, and if he dies, we wash his body and pray over it and bury it in a Muslim cemetery. Even if he does not keep any rule of Islam except this one, he is Muslim.
Then, he may use that, the first principle among the pillars of Islam; the most important pillar is that one. Allah Almighty asks from everyone to proclaim that He is in existence and that He is one, and all the prophets are witnesses that they brought that first principle of Islam, that first pillar, to people. They came originally to make people proclaim the existence and unity of our Lord, and when we believe in their prophethood, we affirm our Shahadah, our Witness.
Yes, if you make 'that Shahadah with your tongue, it is going to be in your heart. If this whole building is full-up with coal and you put a burning coal into it, what do you think? That one burning coal can make the whole burn.
Therefore, if a person accepts and says that Islam is my religion, and I am witness to the unity and existence of my Lord, Allah Almighty, and to beloved Muhammad, p.b.u.h., as His prophet and messenger and His servant, that is like a fire, burning the darkness, lighting the darkness in our hearts and burning the bad characteristics of our egos.
First the Prophet, p.b.u.h., called people to proclaim the unity of Allah Almighty, and he said that I have been ordered not to put my sword in its sheath till people proclaim the unity of their Lord. This means that the main purpose of the message of the Last Prophet is to make people proclaim the unity of their Lord and His existence: calling people, and when they accept,
that acceptance makes some feelings to grow in their hearts, so that that person feels that I must respect that One who is in existence and who is my Lord, the Lord of the Heavens, the Lord of the Worlds, the Lord of the Children of Adam.
When that feeling opens in a person's heart, then we can say to hin, "If you would like to worship and to give your respects, most high respects to your Lord, clean yourself." And even if he does not know the Islamic rules for cleaning, everyone knows to clean himself; everyone knows to wash his hands and his face and his mouth. But in Islam there is a rule concerning intention: you must intend, when you are going to do something, that I am doing this action to make my Lord pleased with me, or I intend to do this action as a respect to my Lord. Intention is the difference between ordinary actions and Islamic actions. When you make such an intention, that is going to be an Islamic action; without such an intention, it is an ordinary action.
And so you may clean yourself; it is a rule, an Islamic rule. If you do it once a day, it is correct, and if you want to do more, that is correct. And there are also rules for giving your most high respects to your Lord.
You may give your respect to a person by doing like this, doing like that, and those are customs for people. But we are leaving customs and practicing rules because Islam is a religion and it has rules. Therefore, if you are asking how I can give my respect to my Lord, I may say that you can turn your face in the direction of your Lord's House in Makkah97, and you can stand and can say, "Allahu akbar, my Lord is the Greatest98."
97 The Sacred K'abah in Makkah
98 These are the words of consecration which begin the Islamic prayer, salat, and they are repeated during the salat before every change of posture. What is being detailed here are the steps of salat, in which a worshipper first prepares himself for standing in his Lord's Divine Presence by cleaning himself, and then performs the prayer by standing facing Makkah, then bowing and prostrating
If you say this, it is correct. And if you bow yourself out of respect to your Lord, it is correct, also. And if you put your forehead on the ground, that is the most humble action that a person can do toward anyone, and it is not for anyone except One: you put your forehead on the ground once in highest respect to your Lord.
If you do that once a day, it is all right, and Allah Almighty is going to be pleased with you, also. The more you work or worship by means of your sincerity, the more Allah Almighty calls you to His Divine Presence.
Therefore, inspirations come to your heart: "O My servant, come to Me again." It is good fortune for a person to be invited once more to his Lord's Divine Presence. If he has such an inspiration, he may do it again and yet again; as long as his Lord accepts his worship and calls him, he may do it. Then it is the best.
But the most important point, more than rules of worship, for every new Muslim, is that Allah Almighty is saying to him, "O My servant, I am accepting you now as a Muslim. You may do, out of respect for Me, as much as you can; but I am only asking from you to leave alone everything that is no good for yourself or for others."
That is important; Allah is asking that. And, alhamdulillah, I am seeing that every brother or sister who comes into Islam quickly leaves his or her past life's activities and quickly comes into the Islamic atmosphere. That is important, and it is the best action for any new Muslim brother or sister: to leave every no-good or bad action that he or she was accustomed to before coming into Islam; as Allah Almighty said through His Prophet, "Tarku dharratin min maharam-Illah afdhalu 'ind-Allahi min ibadati-th-thakalain99," to leave one unliked characteristic, or unliked or prohibited action, is more lovely to Allah Almighty than the worshipping of all nations."
99 Literally, "To leave off the smallest bit of what God has prohibited is better in the sight of God than the worshipping of both species (mankind and jinn)." (Hadith)
You can't do that worshipping; yet if you could put all the ummah's, all nations', all peoples' worshipping on one side of the scale and on the other side of it you put one bad thing that you are leaving of the bad characteristics or bad actions that you were accustomed to before coming into Islam, leaving that one bad thing is more lovely to our Lord than all the worshipping that all nations can do. It is sufficient as a proof that Allah Almighty likes that His servant should leave bad characteristics. Those bad characteristics are only our egos' characteristics, and Allah Almighty orders us to fight our egos so that we may leave every bad characteristic.
Therefore, if anyone wants to come into Islam, we have so many easy ways. And the Prophet said, also: "Iman, faith, has seventy-three branches." If a person says "La ilaha illa-Llah," accepting the existence and unity of the Lord, Allah Almighty, it is the highest form of faith to proclaim that, and the lowest degree, he said, is "Imatata-l-adha mina-t-tariq100," to remove anything that harms people in their path, like nails or thorns or banana skins or glass. Sighn of faith in the heart of that person. You can't say that the one who keeps such ways is an unbeliever; the Prophet says that he is a believer. Therefore, we may give rules to people or we may advise people to take what is easier for them from the rules of Islam, and it is correct. And "Ajalla-l-karamat dawama-t-taufiq101" - the most important miraculous action for a person is to keep something that he knows is best, not leaving it.
If you know that something is best or is the best way, you must keepit, not leaving it; even though in our time it is so difficult to keep the best thing that we know, maybe more difficult than holding fire in your hand, still you must be patient in keeping it. And we are asking Forgiveness from Allah Almighty for everything in which we are guiding people into difficult conditions and
100 Paraphrase of a hadith stating that iman, faith, has over seventy-three branches, the highest of which is to witness to the truth of God Almighty's existence and Oneness, while such a simple act of human concern as removing anything harmful from peoples' path qualifies as the lowest
101 The highest of miracles is to be constant in following right guidance
making them run away from Islam, although Islam is the easiest and most tolerant religion.
By the name of Allah, All-mighty, All-merciful, Most Beneficent and Most Munificent. We must know for which thing Allah Almighty is going to be angry and which thing makes Him pleased with us, because it has an effect on our personalities. Every employee is too pleased when nothing comes on is record - too much, because if there is something on his record, it prevents him from rising. Everyone knows this. Then, what about when we are servants? Why are you not asking which thing makes a bad record for ourselves in the Divine Presence? We must know.
Allah Almighty sent all the prophets, and through every shari'ah - I mean to say the ways that Allah Almighty established for His servants to walk on and to reach His Divine Presence - Allah Almighty made one prohibited thing common. There is one haram thing, a common haram, that is prohibited by Allah Almighty in every shari'ah, through every message of His messengers. It is only one thing, never changing, and that makes Allah Almighty angry with His servants. We must know.
"Inni haramtu dhulma 'ala Nafsi102" - Allah Almighty has made dhulm, cruelty, forbidden for Himself. Then what about for creatures? On Judgment Day, if even the horn of a sheep has pierced another sheep, Allah Almighty will take vengeance for it from that one, even for animals. Never is a person who does cruelty going to be left alone: Allah Almighty must ask from him and will avenge that person who has been wronged.
102 Truly, I have forbidden dhulm to Myself (Hadith Qudsi). The noun dhulm and its derivative, dhalim. (oppressor wrong-doer, cruel or un just one; plural, dhalimin), as well as the verb forms which are derived from it, are used again and again in the Qur'an to denote wrongdoing, physical and mental cruelty, injustice, oppression and tyranny in their many forms, including the dhulm which a person who commits sins does against his own self. It is in this sense that Sheikh Nazim's use of the word "cruelty” is to be understood.
That is the first and most important point that makes Allah Almighty angry with His servants: to be cruel. And what is cruelty? Everyone has a descriptio
Link: https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=6181
In twenty-three years the rules of Islam came to be complete.
We are not saying that the rules of Islam are not to be with people in our time; we believe that all its rules are suitable for the nature of man, but we are not prepared for those rules at once. When we make Shahadah, saying, "We bear witness to the unity and existence of God and the prophethood and the Message of Prophet Muhammad, p.b.u.h.," saying that we are witnesses, that we accept it, it doesn't mean that we are ready to carry all
88 Glory be to God, the Most High, the Almighty
the rules of Islam at that moment. If you say that it does, it means that you do not understand any of the wisdoms for the coming of the Holy Qur'an over twenty-three years. Then, if you say this, you must make an operation on the heads of people, to cut them open and bring the Book, putting it inside. Otherwise, it is impossible.
Therefore, when the Prophet, p.b.u.h., informed us about the signs of the last days, he said that when the Last Day approaches, there would be in Islam people without wisdom; and wisdoms are more precious than knowledge. Allah Almighty says, "Wa man yu'ta-l-hikmata fa-qad utia khairan kathira89, the one who has been given wisdoms has been given all treasures." Therefore a little bit of wisdom is more precious than all knowledge without wisdoms, as a diamond is more precious than a great amount of coal.
In our time we have knowledge. But we are not in need of knowledge; rather, we are in need of wisdoms. We have thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of scholars, but they have only knowledge, without wisdoms.
They may be unhappy with my words, but I must say them. We are in need of wisdoms, and Allah Almighty says that wisdoms are not given to everyone. Wisdoms do not come from outside; the sources of wisdoms come through hearts. You are getting wisdoms by reading books? No.
Rather it is something that you have been given through your heart. Therefore the Prophet, p.b.u.h., says, "Man akhlasa arba'ina sabaha, la- fajarat yanadiu-l-hikmah min qalbihi 'ala lisanihi90." He is saying that if anyone can be a sincere worshipper for forty days - and ikhlas, sincerity,
89 Literally, "And the one who has been given wisdom has indeed been given great good." (II:269)
90 For the one who is sincere (to his Lord] for forty days, springs of wisdom wil gues forth from his heart upon his tongue." (Hadith)
means never letting anything of his ego's desires to be involved or to interfere with his worship for forty days - then Allah Almighty opens in his heart the sources of wisdoms.
But it is not easy. We are following the way of the mind and that means that we are never given any wisdoms. Yes, the most knowledge that anyone had been given was given to Satan. No one among all scholars could compete with Satan; he would be victorious. But nothing of wisdoms does he have.
If he had only minimum wisdom, he would have been the first to make sajdah, prostration, to Adam, respecting his Lord's command; before anyone else, he would have made sajdah when Allah Almighty ordered the angels to make sajdah to Adam. But he hasn't any wisdom. Therefore, he fell and was cast out.
Therefore, we are not in need of knowledge. But I am seeing that each one of the new Muslim people, here or in America or England or France or Germany, quickly wants to learn Arabic - to go to Egypt, to go to Azhar, to go to Hijaz; even to Pakistan, also, they go to learn. They want to learn Arabic or to learn Qur'an, to learn Hadith, to be scholars.
Yes, we know that there is a hadith from the Prophet, p.b.u.h, saying, "Talaba-l-'ilma faridatun 'ala kulli Muslim wa Muslimah91 - Allah Almighty makes it obligatory on every believer, man or woman, to acquire knowledge, 'ilm." But what are its limits? Because for everything there is a secret desire, shahwat al-khafiyah; for everyone, there are secret desires of their egos which make people to be on false ways, to think that Islam is only something to know, and a person begins on the way of seeking knowledge - more, more, more, more, more, more knowledge, running, running, running, and it is impossible to find an end for knowledge. And he gets to be tired and finally comes to forget, also, because of so much taking; then he can't carry it and begins to fall down until, at the end, if he can keep even Kalimat ash-
91 Acquiring knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim male and female. (Hadith)
Shahadah92," it is all right. Yes; I am seeing our Western Muslim brothers and sisters. They are mostly interested in learning, learning, learning and knowing, and without knowing where they should stop.
Imam A'dham, the greatest Imam, Abu Hanifah, whose madhhab93, way, millions of people follow, was explaining the meaning of that hadith that makes it obligatory on believers to learn or to know, and he was saying: "Afdal al-'ilm, the most precious knowledge that you may have, is only that which is regarding or which concerns yourself," or, as we can say, about what is for you and what is against you: to know everything that may be for you, giving you benefit here and Hereafter, and which thing harms you or gives you trouble here and punishment here and Hereafter.
Only that is important to know. It doesn't mean that you are going to learn all the Holy Qur'an and all the hadiths of the Prophet, p.b.u.h., and all books that are written or every kind of knowledge that Islam brought; it doesn't have such a meaning. But Western people have a deep desire to read, to
learn, and they are not changing this characteristic of theirs. Therefore, when they become Muslims - like our brother here; he is asking for a teacher to teach him Arabic and then the meanings of the Holy Qur'an, the meanings of hadith, and it is going to be a heavy burden on him. And I am saying to him: "Stop; no need. Only what you may meet with during your life, you must learn and you must practice."
That is important: to know or to learn in order to practice, not simply to know, to possess knowledge - no. We are in need of more knowledge only to pactice it and to use it in our fight with our egos. You are acquiring knowledge in order to reach wisdoms, because without wisdoms it is impossible to stop your ego's attacking and fighting you.
92 " The Shahadah or Declaration of Faith
93 school of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh)
Wisdons are like atomic bombs on your ego, but other knowledges are only simple weapons and in our time they are not going to work; simple weapons are nothing now. As the last days approach, the weapons of devils, the weapons of Satan, are improving, also, to take people away from faith and beliefs. But, as Satan is improving in his attacks and the methods that he uses to make people beliefless and without faith, so awliya are using wisdoms to defeat Satan and his assistants and helpers.
Therefore, this is from those tricks, satanic tricks. If Satan is not able to prevent someone from coming into Islam or from believing, then he uses another method, to make him be tired. When a person is tired, finished; no more can he follow the way or the rules of Islam. And Satan uses his new methods on new believers, saying: "Oh, now you are Muslim, you must keep all the rules. Otherwise it is impossible; you are not Muslim."
Five times a day prayer? One time is enough for you as a new Muslim, and Allah Almighty accepts even only one sajdah a day. So many Muslims do not make even that one sajdah, although they are Muslims; they do not say that we are kafir, unbeliever - no, they are Muslims. I can show you here in London Turks who are Muslims; they are not making even one sajdah each day. Then why are you saying "five times" for new Muslims? Five times worshipping is perfection. You may say, "It is enough for you to make one sajdah daily."
He wasn't doing anything before but now you are saying, "No. You must learn the Holy Qur'an, all of it, and you must pray five times, and you must fast all of Ramadan, and you must be ready to go to Hajj." That is completion, that is the height, but he must reach that completion step by step. But quickly Satan comes, saying, "No - you are not Muslim if you don't do it all"; and Satan has representatives, also, among people, to bring down their beliefs or to destroy them.
Therefore Allah Almighty, in His divine wisdom, at first ordered the Sahabah to pray only two rak'ats in the morning, and then came two rak'ats also at Maghrib, sunset time. Then, years later, came the order for five times.
We can use the same way, using wisdoms, and we can say to people: "If the Sahabah, the Companions of Muhammad, p.b.u.h., could pray only two rak'ats in the beginning, what is wrong if we say for new Muslims, 'Make one sajdah each day; enough'?" We are using that wisdom in that way, and then when I am coming the following year, I am seeing those people praying all the prayers. I did not say to them to pray five times but they are saying, "We can do it now." I advised them only to pray two rak'ats, but they are happy now with five times; they are asking for more.
Therefore, we are in need of wisdoms, and wisdoms are coming through your heart. And you may keep forty days. I am not saying to keep forty days and each day for twenty-four hours to be occupied with worship, no; but I may say to you: Only once a day you may do a worship, at midnight or before Fajr time, before dawn, so that no one is with you except your Lord. If you can't take a shower, ghusl, you may do wudu. Then you may pray two rak'ats standing facing qiblah, and you are saying, no one is in existence except You, and I am nothing. And I am with You and You are with me." Nothing to say.
Do it, repeat it, for forty nights. Then wisdoms will open a little bit in your heart. Through wisdom comes a light which makes clear this darkness in your world, and you may find a way to go on.
That is for forty days, the easiest method. It may be for five minutes; enough for you, but if you continue with that for forty days, you should find a big benefit. You should find yourself closer to your Lord and that is important: to feel that you are closer to your Lord.
By the name of Allah, All-mighty, All-merciful, Most Beneficent and Most Munificent. Islam as a religion has rules from Allah Almighty, and Islam teaches people what are the perfect conditions for them during this life and Hereafter. And in Islam Allah Almighty does not force people: He only asks servants to obey by their good will and to keep rules. Divine wisdom never makes people to do anything by force or to serve or to worship by force.
Now, we are speaking on the Islamic rules and how we can practice them. Allah Almighty, from the beginning up to the end, when He sent His holy message to the Last Prophet, p.b.u.h.; used His wisdoms, divine wisdoms, to teach people and to train them step by step; and Islam came into perfection, from its beginning up to its end, over a period of twenty-three years.
Now we are living fifteen centuries after Islam came, and Islam is clear; nothing is secret in Islam concerning its rules. It is clear; it can be well-known and well-understood. And we are thanking Allah Almighty that in our time Islam is becoming more clear.
In our time, ideas or thoughts are so differing and opposing and specialized, and for each school of thought there is so much advertising; people are spending millions or billions for advertising their ideas. But Islam - no one is spending anything on it, nor on its ideas and principles, and yet Islam is going to be more clear. Anyone who looks at Islam can understand that, as a person looking at an artificial stone and at a genuine one.
Now it is going to be understood that Islam brought conscious principles which it is impossible for a person who has a perfect view of them to reject, or for a person who has a perfect thought or idea when he looks at the Islamic rules. Therefore we are not in need of advertising; Islam presents itself by itself to all people who have 'aql salim, sound minds94.
94 That is, a correct view, indistorted by prejudice or stereotyping
Therefore, in our days, only Islam is becoming more clear to everyone, and it is going to be more and more clear up to the time when Mahdi comes, may Allah bless him95. Then Jesus Christ will come, and Islam and its principles and rules will become clear to perfect view. People now are interested, not a lot of people but even a few; and till those days come, we must see which rules or principles of Islam we must keep first.
I am seeing and hearing that so many Western people, learned people, also, are interested in Islam, but they are afraid of the Islamic rules, to put themselves under Islamic discipline. They are afraid because they see Islam as a perfect system of rules, and they say, "It is difficult for us to keep all the rules in Islam and to be a Muslim." And also our scholars, or Muslims who are doing Islamic d'awah, Islamic missionary works which is spreading throughout Western countries, are using a difficult method for everyone, and that makes people wonder about it; and most people are afraid to come under that Islamic discipline.
Therefore, as Allah Almighty says, "La yukallif-ullahu nafsan illa wus'aha96, Allah Almighty never loads on His servants more than they have capability or capacity to bear." Then, when a person comes and wants to be Muslim, he asks, "How can I be Muslim? What is the entrance to Islam?" we say: "The entrance is to say that I am witness to the existence and unity of Allah Almighty, and then I am witness that beloved Muhammad, p.b.u.h., is our Lord's servant and His messenger."
That is the main door by which we enter Islam. When a person says this, you must accept him as a Muslim. We can't take him out of Islam till he turns back and says, "I take back my words, I do not proclaim my witness to that";
95 The divinely-empowered leader who will come near the end of this world to fight and destroy the Dajjal and his satanic works, as foretold in numerous hadiths
96 Literally, "God does not burden any soul except with what it can bear." (II:286)
then he takes himself out of Islam, apostasizes, and then we can say, "Now you are out of Islam." But for the main entrance, we ask, "Do you accept the existence of Allah Almighty as your Lord?" and he says, "Yes." "Do you accept and do you witness that beloved Muhammad is His servant and His messenger?" and he says, "Yes." Then we say, "Come in." Then, if that person lives by it, keeping that Shahadah, that Witness, with himself, he is a Muslim, and if he dies, we wash his body and pray over it and bury it in a Muslim cemetery. Even if he does not keep any rule of Islam except this one, he is Muslim.
Then, he may use that, the first principle among the pillars of Islam; the most important pillar is that one. Allah Almighty asks from everyone to proclaim that He is in existence and that He is one, and all the prophets are witnesses that they brought that first principle of Islam, that first pillar, to people. They came originally to make people proclaim the existence and unity of our Lord, and when we believe in their prophethood, we affirm our Shahadah, our Witness.
Yes, if you make 'that Shahadah with your tongue, it is going to be in your heart. If this whole building is full-up with coal and you put a burning coal into it, what do you think? That one burning coal can make the whole burn.
Therefore, if a person accepts and says that Islam is my religion, and I am witness to the unity and existence of my Lord, Allah Almighty, and to beloved Muhammad, p.b.u.h., as His prophet and messenger and His servant, that is like a fire, burning the darkness, lighting the darkness in our hearts and burning the bad characteristics of our egos.
First the Prophet, p.b.u.h., called people to proclaim the unity of Allah Almighty, and he said that I have been ordered not to put my sword in its sheath till people proclaim the unity of their Lord. This means that the main purpose of the message of the Last Prophet is to make people proclaim the unity of their Lord and His existence: calling people, and when they accept,
that acceptance makes some feelings to grow in their hearts, so that that person feels that I must respect that One who is in existence and who is my Lord, the Lord of the Heavens, the Lord of the Worlds, the Lord of the Children of Adam.
When that feeling opens in a person's heart, then we can say to hin, "If you would like to worship and to give your respects, most high respects to your Lord, clean yourself." And even if he does not know the Islamic rules for cleaning, everyone knows to clean himself; everyone knows to wash his hands and his face and his mouth. But in Islam there is a rule concerning intention: you must intend, when you are going to do something, that I am doing this action to make my Lord pleased with me, or I intend to do this action as a respect to my Lord. Intention is the difference between ordinary actions and Islamic actions. When you make such an intention, that is going to be an Islamic action; without such an intention, it is an ordinary action.
And so you may clean yourself; it is a rule, an Islamic rule. If you do it once a day, it is correct, and if you want to do more, that is correct. And there are also rules for giving your most high respects to your Lord.
You may give your respect to a person by doing like this, doing like that, and those are customs for people. But we are leaving customs and practicing rules because Islam is a religion and it has rules. Therefore, if you are asking how I can give my respect to my Lord, I may say that you can turn your face in the direction of your Lord's House in Makkah97, and you can stand and can say, "Allahu akbar, my Lord is the Greatest98."
97 The Sacred K'abah in Makkah
98 These are the words of consecration which begin the Islamic prayer, salat, and they are repeated during the salat before every change of posture. What is being detailed here are the steps of salat, in which a worshipper first prepares himself for standing in his Lord's Divine Presence by cleaning himself, and then performs the prayer by standing facing Makkah, then bowing and prostrating
If you say this, it is correct. And if you bow yourself out of respect to your Lord, it is correct, also. And if you put your forehead on the ground, that is the most humble action that a person can do toward anyone, and it is not for anyone except One: you put your forehead on the ground once in highest respect to your Lord.
If you do that once a day, it is all right, and Allah Almighty is going to be pleased with you, also. The more you work or worship by means of your sincerity, the more Allah Almighty calls you to His Divine Presence.
Therefore, inspirations come to your heart: "O My servant, come to Me again." It is good fortune for a person to be invited once more to his Lord's Divine Presence. If he has such an inspiration, he may do it again and yet again; as long as his Lord accepts his worship and calls him, he may do it. Then it is the best.
But the most important point, more than rules of worship, for every new Muslim, is that Allah Almighty is saying to him, "O My servant, I am accepting you now as a Muslim. You may do, out of respect for Me, as much as you can; but I am only asking from you to leave alone everything that is no good for yourself or for others."
That is important; Allah is asking that. And, alhamdulillah, I am seeing that every brother or sister who comes into Islam quickly leaves his or her past life's activities and quickly comes into the Islamic atmosphere. That is important, and it is the best action for any new Muslim brother or sister: to leave every no-good or bad action that he or she was accustomed to before coming into Islam; as Allah Almighty said through His Prophet, "Tarku dharratin min maharam-Illah afdhalu 'ind-Allahi min ibadati-th-thakalain99," to leave one unliked characteristic, or unliked or prohibited action, is more lovely to Allah Almighty than the worshipping of all nations."
99 Literally, "To leave off the smallest bit of what God has prohibited is better in the sight of God than the worshipping of both species (mankind and jinn)." (Hadith)
You can't do that worshipping; yet if you could put all the ummah's, all nations', all peoples' worshipping on one side of the scale and on the other side of it you put one bad thing that you are leaving of the bad characteristics or bad actions that you were accustomed to before coming into Islam, leaving that one bad thing is more lovely to our Lord than all the worshipping that all nations can do. It is sufficient as a proof that Allah Almighty likes that His servant should leave bad characteristics. Those bad characteristics are only our egos' characteristics, and Allah Almighty orders us to fight our egos so that we may leave every bad characteristic.
Therefore, if anyone wants to come into Islam, we have so many easy ways. And the Prophet said, also: "Iman, faith, has seventy-three branches." If a person says "La ilaha illa-Llah," accepting the existence and unity of the Lord, Allah Almighty, it is the highest form of faith to proclaim that, and the lowest degree, he said, is "Imatata-l-adha mina-t-tariq100," to remove anything that harms people in their path, like nails or thorns or banana skins or glass. Sighn of faith in the heart of that person. You can't say that the one who keeps such ways is an unbeliever; the Prophet says that he is a believer. Therefore, we may give rules to people or we may advise people to take what is easier for them from the rules of Islam, and it is correct. And "Ajalla-l-karamat dawama-t-taufiq101" - the most important miraculous action for a person is to keep something that he knows is best, not leaving it.
If you know that something is best or is the best way, you must keepit, not leaving it; even though in our time it is so difficult to keep the best thing that we know, maybe more difficult than holding fire in your hand, still you must be patient in keeping it. And we are asking Forgiveness from Allah Almighty for everything in which we are guiding people into difficult conditions and
100 Paraphrase of a hadith stating that iman, faith, has over seventy-three branches, the highest of which is to witness to the truth of God Almighty's existence and Oneness, while such a simple act of human concern as removing anything harmful from peoples' path qualifies as the lowest
101 The highest of miracles is to be constant in following right guidance
making them run away from Islam, although Islam is the easiest and most tolerant religion.
By the name of Allah, All-mighty, All-merciful, Most Beneficent and Most Munificent. We must know for which thing Allah Almighty is going to be angry and which thing makes Him pleased with us, because it has an effect on our personalities. Every employee is too pleased when nothing comes on is record - too much, because if there is something on his record, it prevents him from rising. Everyone knows this. Then, what about when we are servants? Why are you not asking which thing makes a bad record for ourselves in the Divine Presence? We must know.
Allah Almighty sent all the prophets, and through every shari'ah - I mean to say the ways that Allah Almighty established for His servants to walk on and to reach His Divine Presence - Allah Almighty made one prohibited thing common. There is one haram thing, a common haram, that is prohibited by Allah Almighty in every shari'ah, through every message of His messengers. It is only one thing, never changing, and that makes Allah Almighty angry with His servants. We must know.
"Inni haramtu dhulma 'ala Nafsi102" - Allah Almighty has made dhulm, cruelty, forbidden for Himself. Then what about for creatures? On Judgment Day, if even the horn of a sheep has pierced another sheep, Allah Almighty will take vengeance for it from that one, even for animals. Never is a person who does cruelty going to be left alone: Allah Almighty must ask from him and will avenge that person who has been wronged.
102 Truly, I have forbidden dhulm to Myself (Hadith Qudsi). The noun dhulm and its derivative, dhalim. (oppressor wrong-doer, cruel or un just one; plural, dhalimin), as well as the verb forms which are derived from it, are used again and again in the Qur'an to denote wrongdoing, physical and mental cruelty, injustice, oppression and tyranny in their many forms, including the dhulm which a person who commits sins does against his own self. It is in this sense that Sheikh Nazim's use of the word "cruelty” is to be understood.
That is the first and most important point that makes Allah Almighty angry with His servants: to be cruel. And what is cruelty? Everyone has a descriptio
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