17 August 2011 Fenton Zawiya, Michigan
After Salat al-Fajr
A`oodhu billahi min ash-Shaytaani 'r-rajeem. Bismillahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem.
Nawaytu 'l-arba`een, nawaytu 'l-`itikaaf, nawaytu 'l-khalwah, nawaytu 'l-`uzlah,
nawaytu 'r-riyaadah, nawaytu 's-sulook, lillahi ta`ala fee haadha 'l-masjid.
Ati`oollaha wa ati`oo 'r-Rasoola wa ooli 'l-amri minkum.
Obey Allah, obey the Prophet, and obey those in authority among you. (4:59)
We all have to challenge our ego by working hard. One major topic in the Naqshbandi Tariqah and in other tariqahs of tasawwuf is, laa tashkoo min ahad, “Don't complain about anyone.” It means don't come and say to me, “This one did this and that one did that.” Swallow it; that is the highest level. I know we are not able, but if we complain about anyone we drop from Allah's eyes and in doing so, we lose His love and support. So do not complain, especially about what happens in your home between you and your wife; those matters have to be kept confidential. Allah (swt) doesn't like anyone to expose what happens between him and his wife. If you don’t like your husband or vice versa, leave each other peacefully without exposing your dirty laundry for nothing.
Be Shy to Expose Private Matters and Do Not Complain
Today it is considered “modern” and “civilized” to expose the private matters of a husband and wife. You will find all kinds of talk shows in which they expose every detail of their relationship, even what happens in bed! They don't have the least bit of shyness, because Shaytan doesn't feel shy. When you don't feel shy, it is as the Prophet (s) said:
إذا لم تستح فاصنع ما شئت
wa in lam tastahiyy fasn`a maa shi't.
Because you are not shy, do what you like (as you are already dressing in the behavior of Shaytan).
Shaytan was not shy, as he even argued with Allah (swt)! So don’t expose what happens in your home. However, if you ask a sincere person whom you consider to be a wali for advice, that is acceptable, as he will keep your secret and guide you. In addition, don’t expose yourself to others, because the ego always likes to show itself. Don’t let the ego show-off and be proud of what you are doing by saying, “I did this and that.” That is shirk khafee, hidden shirk.
Allah (swt) revealed the ayah on the Prophet (s):
قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَى إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاء رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا
Qul innamaa anaa basharun mithlukum yoohaa ilayya annamaa ilaahukum ilaahun waahidun faman kaana yarjoo liqaa rabbihi fal-ya`mal `amalan saalihan wa laa yushrik bi`ibadati rabbihi ahada.
Say, "I am but a man like yourselves, (but) the inspiration has come to me that your Allah is one Allah. Whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness and in the worship of his Lord admit no one as partner. (Surat al-Kahf, 18:110)
Don’t Show Off or Become Proud of Your Deeds
For example, some people say, “This man or this woman gave to this charity,” and they are happy for people to see their names everywhere. Allah (swt) said you have to make `amalan salihan on the condition that you laa tushriku bi rabbika ahada, do not show-off or think you did something good, as that is hidden partnership. You might show your good actions to others and make them feel as if they owe you something. No one owes you anything, rather you owe Allah (swt) your wealth! So don’t claim that you did something good, which is a hidden shirk and making yourself partner to Allah (swt).
Prophet (s) prohibited that, saying, “Don’t be proud of anything you do because if you become proud, that `amal will be put down and killed in Allah's Presence. Anyone who sees that Allah allowed and made him do that goodness, then Allah will take that pride from him.”
Allah (swt) knows what is in the hearts and souls of people. Our ego likes to say, “I did this and that.” For example, politicians go on stage and to win the election they say, “I did this and that for you,” and then afterwards they bring the money down. When they do that, Allah kills in them all the good they did and shows them they did the wrong thing in the wrong place!
When Sayyidina `Umar (r) became khalifah of the Prophet (s), he came to Prophet’s house crying.
His wife asked, “You have became Ameer al-Mu’mineen, so why are you crying?”
He said, “Now I am more responsible: if anyone is hungry, now I am responsible.”
He wept at the heaviness of the title. Today do you see a president cry when he is elected? They celebrate with fireworks, and for every firework one Shaytan enters him! You know that Shaytan can enter from the ears, eyes, nostrils, mouth, and then the belly, then through the toes and from somewhere else; there are ten points of entry! Ten steps in Sufism take you ten levels high, and Shaytan takes you ten levels down! Shayateen can enter from everywhere to make your ego so proud of yourself that it makes hidden shirk enter your heart.
Sayyidina `Umar (r) didn't wait for the United Nations to enter Somalia to carry the food and water to the people, he carried the food and water on his own shoulders, with his army, carrying that door to door, and he disguised himself so no one knew who is giving the food. Now there is famine in Somalia. Where are the Muslims? In fact, where are the human beings (to help)? Yesterday on the news they showed a weeping woman whose husband died running from the Somali drought to Kenya, and then five of her eight children died one-by-one in her hands, until she reached a safe haven with her three remaining children! Six are gone, and her three children might also die, Allah knows.
We Are Accountable
What are we doing? We are breaking our fast every night with samosas and all kind of foods, thinking, “I like this but not that .” Those people are dying and yet they only need one drop of water to drink and one bite of food to eat! So don’t make your self proud of something you did, as Allah (swt) made that through your hands!
Allahuma aj`alna min as-saadiqeen, may Allah make us from those who speak the truth, as Allah's Way is truthfulness, tareeq as-sidq. If you reach that level, you will be aware of what you are writing. Today no one goes back home and opens his notes from these suhbat and reviews the main points. All of us are responsible for this knowledge! On the Day of Judgment the first question they ask you is, “Why didn’t you deliver my message? Why didn’t you carry the message of Islam and Tazkiyyat an-Nafs?”
You may answer, “I was busy.”
“What were you doing?”
“I was working.”
You are responsible for your Akhirah, not just for dunya. We will all be asked, “What were you doing?” That is why Allah (swt) told us to say:
وِمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Rabbana atina fi 'd-dunya hasanatan wa fi ’l-akhiratin hasanatan wa qinaa `adhab an-naar.
O our Lord! Give us goodness in this life and goodness in the other life, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire. (Surat al-Baqara, 2:201)
There is also "save us from punishment," because when you do hasanatan, goodness, you think it is from you, but it is from Allah! Among people in the masjid, who goes first to Paradise, the imaam or the one who calls adhaan or the one cleaning the masjid? The one who cleans the masjid goes first, then the muadhdhin, then the imaam. If you ask the imaam to clean the bathroom, he will say, “You want me to do that?”
Shaykh `Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujdawani and the Student
Sayyidina `Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujdawani (q) had a student who was Shaykh al-Islam. All of the `ulama and students of the Four Imams had shaykhs, guides. He asked, “Can I take your hand?”
`Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujdawani replied, “Yes, we will give you bay` a.”
The student thought, “The shaykh will have me sit next to him on the chair.”
`Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujdwani (q) said, “It is very good that you are now a mureed. We don’t have enough wood, so take this axe, a rope and a donkey and go to the forest. Cut some wood and bring it back for us to burn.” He didn’t tell him how to do it or which road to take.
The new student said, “Yaa Sayyidee, I am an `alim, I am Shaykh ul-Islam.” Of course the shaykh knows he is an `alim and Shaykh ul-Islam, but that is the hidden shirk. There are seven who are at the heavenly rank of Shaykh ul-Islam; they will be with Mahdi (a). So who gave him that title?
He continued, “May I go through the woods behind the homes and streets, so as not to be seen? If they see me they will say, ‘Shaykh ul-Islam became crazy.’”
The shaykh answered, “So this is what you are saying? Now I will not allow you to go from the back, instead you must go through the city with the axe, rope, and donkey.”
He asked again, “Yaa Sayyidee, can you change the route?”
“Okay, yes,” said the shaykh, “now I will change it entirely. Instead of cutting wood, you must go and clean the public restrooms, including toilets, and not only that, but clean the stones they use (to clean themselves)! Go to the river, clean them and come back. I do not want to hear any questions nor arguments. If you don’t like, it you may leave here.”
If You Show Sincerity, Allah (swt) Opens His Door
So whether you are a mufti or Shaykh ul-Islam, it doesn't matter. Then the student realized that is a test with no way out. The main point here is that you must not please the ego. You took the hand of your shaykh for Allah (swt); that is it, you are chained now. If you cannot accept it then why did you take his hand? You must understand with it comes a big responsibility. Now bay` a is cheap. We ask Allah to protect us from the Fire, wa qinaa `adhab an-naar. Focus all your effort on pleasing Allah, for then He makes His Mercy reach you. When you do something good, don’t show-off or say, “It is a favor,” but instead say, “It is for Allah,” then Allah (swt) will open for you the doors to Him. If you show sincerity, Allah opens his doors to you.
This naseeha, or even one word from the teachings of awliyaullah will cover everything, but we are useless. How can you claim you are doing anything for Allah when you do not practice what you preach? You are a liar in what you say! You want others to do what you yourself are not doing. You are a liar aqwaalika, wa fee afa`alika, in your statement and in your actions! You do not thank Allah for what good He inspires you to do and yet you want people to thank you for what you have done: that is shirk! You are directing people to you and then your actions are habaa'an manthoora.
The way of Allah (swt), the way of knowledge of the Divine Presence and the knowledge of Prophet (s) is truth. suroor al-mu’min fee wajhihi, “The happiness of a believer appears in his face.” When you look at a mu’min whose actions are for Allah (swt), Allah will be happy with him. You will see his face glowing and shining, and people will be attracted to him even if he doesn't speak. There are awliyaullah who do not speak in their majlis; just a quiet sitting in their holy presence is enough to make people happy with them.
Also, huznihi fee qalbih, “His sadness is in his heart,” which means, he controls his sadness. When a wali is sad, he doesn't reflect that sadness on his face, he keeps it in his heart. Keep happiness on your face by smiling; it is sunnat to smile in the face of people and to keep your sadness to yourself. May Allah bless us and forgive us. Make bullet points in your notes; study them and don’t write them to hide in your closets as this is important for you.
Wa min Allahi 't-tawfeeq, bi hurmati 'l-habeeb, bi hurmati 'l-Fatihah.