4 July 2015 Fenton Zawiya, Michigan
Fajr Suhbah
A`oodhu billahi min ash-Shaytaani 'r-rajeem. Bismillaahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem.
Nawaytu 'l-arba`een, nawaytu 'l-`itikaaf, nawaytu 'l-khalwah, nawaytu 'l-`uzlah,
nawaytu 'r-riyaada, nawaytu 's-salook, lillahi ta'ala al-`Azheem fee hadha 'l-masjid.
أَطِيعُواْ اللّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ
Atee`oollaha wa atee`oo 'r-Rasoola wa ooli 'l-amri minkum.
Obey Allah, obey the Prophet, and obey those in authority among you. (Surat an-Nisa, 4:59)
As-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh.
Today is the 17th of Ramadan al-Kareem and in that day the famous Battle of Badr took place, where the Muslims were victorious and although their numbers were limited, 313 of the believers were able to defeat 1,000 of the unbelievers. May Allah bless us with the blessings of those who were at the Battle of Badr in their fight against the unbelievers who abused them in Meccatu 'l-Mukarrama. This battle was supported by angels whom Allah sent to support them at the Battle of Badr, and they all had turbans with tails. We recite Surat al-Fatihah for the souls of all those who died on that day and for the Prophet (s). Surat al-Fatihah.
As-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh, wherever you are and for those who are present here. May Allah (swt) teach us, the one who teaches you is Allah (swt). He taught the Prophet (s) by Revelation and the Prophet (s) taught the Sahaabah (r) and the Sahaabah taught the Ummah.
We said yesterday that every group of people received the trust they were given and accepted it on the Day of Promises. The Prophet (s) said:
الأرواح جنود مجندة فما تعارف منها ائتلف وما تناكر منها اختلف
Souls are troops collected together and those who familiarised with each other would have affinity, with one another and those amongst them who opposed each other would also be divergent.
(Adab al-Mufrad by Bukhari)
The souls are like groups of people, battalions, whom Allah made to know each other and be together and those who are in another group are in that group, ans it does not mean that they are unbelievers or did something big in Islam if they are in a different group, no. As long as you are taking care of Shari`ah and doing your `ibaadah, you are in the group that is taken care of by the Prophet (s) and you have been assigned a person to guide you. If some people might say, “There is no guide, Allah is The Guide,” thank you, very good, we like that, but what then do you say about the verse of the Holy Qur'an, Bismillaahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem:
وَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْلَا أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ آيَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ ۗ إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُنذِرٌ ۖ وَلِكُلِّ قَوْمٍ هَادٍ
Those who disbelieve say, “If only a sign from his Lord were revealed to him.” You are nothing but a warner and to every nation there is a guide. (Surat ar-Ra’d, 13:7)
Yaa Sayyidina Muhammad (s)! Allah sent him only to warn people and for the rest, Allah is saying in the ayah, “For every group of souls there is a guide.” How do you deny the guide? The people need a guide. Allah (swt) is saying it in the Holy Qur'an, “Every group of people have a guide.” You can be a group of one million people and you are guiding them and you might have two people and you are guiding them as the Prophet (s) said:
إذا كنتم ثلاثة فأمروا أحدكم
If there are three of you then make one the leader. (Tabarani)
So that ameer is the guide as Allah said, “To every nation there is a guide.” Not everyone will be together on Earth, it is according to what has been written on the Day of Promises that each person will be with their group. Leave the rest and don't fight to acquire groups under you. What is written for you is written, whether you are going to have ten people under you, 100 or 200 million, so leave the da`ah, claim, that it has to be one group. If it had to be one, then Allah would have made the whole Ummah united, not in different groups.
Ikhtilaaf al-ummah rahmat is a very basic principle in Islam: the differences among the Ummah are a mercy. I love this one and follow him, and you love that one and follow him, so we cannot fight over it; take your piece of cake Allah gave you and go. He said, “For every group of people there is a guide,” even for a group of three there is a guide, so we see that there are many guides, as the message of the Prophet (s) came to us from the Sahaabah (r) and according to many scholars, there are 124,000 Sahaabah. Every one of these Sahaabah (r) have a group of people behind them and not all of them are the same.
Sayyidina Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (r) may have some people who love him more than they love the others, and Sayyidina `Umar (r) may have some people who follow him and love him more than Sayyidina `Uthman (r) or Sayyidina `Ali (r), and similarly for Sayyidina `Ali (r). Can we say they are wrong? We follow the way of Sayyidina Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (r) and that is how Tariqah was born, following Sayyidina Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (r). Sayyidina `Ali (r) has another way that that is fit for other groups and you cannot deny them. We have 124,000 different guides leading different groups and they are all Awliyaullah, they all take from Sahaabat an-Nabi (s). What did the Prophet (s) say?
أصحابي كالنجوم بأيهم اقتديتم اهتديتم
My Companions are like stars (on a dark night); whichever of them you follow, you will be guided.
(`Abd ibn Humayd, ad-Daraqutnee, ibn `Adiyy, ibn `Abd al-Barr,
with unsound chains but the meaning is sound.)
As the ayah says, “For every group of people there is a guide.” Allah said, “You are nothing but a warner,” so whoever takes it will have a good guide and whoever does not take and chooses something wrong will have a bad guide. Sa`daat an-Naqshbandiyyoon took their guidance on the Day of Promises from two Sahaabah (r), Sayyidina Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (r) and Sayyidina `Ali (r). That is why it is called the “Golden Chain,” because it is from two sides, it was combined. Also add on it what the Prophet (s) said:
أنا مدينة العلم و علي بابه
I am the City of Knowledge and `Ali is its Door (or Gate). (al-Haakim, Tirmidhi)
The door of what? When that door is opened, you reach your Trust. Sayyidina `Ali (r) is at that door, but the knowledge is inside!
يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْأَهِلَّةِ ۖ قُلْ هِيَ مَوَاقِيتُ لِلنَّاسِ وَالْحَجِّ ۗ وَلَيْسَ الْبِرُّ بِأَن تَأْتُوا الْبُيُوتَ مِن ظُهُورِهَا وَلَٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنِ اتَّقَىٰ ۗ وَأْتُوا الْبُيُوتَ مِنْ أَبْوَابِهَا ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
They ask you concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage. It is no virtue if you enter your houses from the back: It is virtue if you fear Allah. Enter houses through the proper doors: And fear Allah: That you may prosper.
(Surat al-Baqara, 2:189)
Don't come from the back to a city or group of people sitting with taqwa, no, have courage and come face-to-face. Don't allow wrong guidance to guide you to the back: if you have something to say, say it in front of others so they can defend themselves. Do not make a conspiracy against others by coming to people from behind their back as Allah (swt) will not guide us like that, He guided us through the Sahaabah (r) in order to be on the Right Guidance. Sa`daat an-Naqshbandiyyoon took their guidance first, before all others, because they took it from Sayyidina Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (r) and Sayyidina 'Ali (r). They are in the Fourth Station on the Day of Promises. What is the First Station?
1. The First Station is the highest, the Station of the Prophets. They were first to take their Trust before anyone else under the guidance of Sayyidina Muhammad (s), because he said:
أَنَا سَيِّدُ وَلَدِ آدَمَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامة
I am the master of the son of Adam on the Day of Resurrection. (Ibn Majah, Ahmad)
“I am the one whom everyone will be under on the Day of Judgement.” So all prophets are taking from the Prophet (s); if not, then their message is not so effective. That is the door for all other prophets to get their Trust: come through the door of the Prophet (s)!
2. The Second Station is Sahaabat an-Nabi (s), Prophet’s (s) Companions (r). Every Companion is a star by which you can be guided, every one of them have Ahadith. If you follow that single Hadith, it is enough. Every word of Hadith emits light that can be seen and even if it is seen, you are dressed by that light.
3. The Third Station is the A'immaat, the Station of Imams, who are descendants of the Prophet (s). Knowledge can be taken from them and the Naqshbandiyoon take Shari`ah and Haqiqah from Prophet (s), from the Sahaabah (r), from the Four Imams and from the Twelve Imams. We are not speaking about Shi`ism, we are Ahlu ’s-Sunnah wa ’l-Jama`ah and we are referring to the grandchildren of the Prophet (s). We love and respect them, they are the teachers of the Ummah. The Naqshbandiyyoon took their `uhood, their `ahad from these three different groups.
So when you enter Tariqah, you must put in front of you one nail that is a principle of the Tariqah and if you don't follow it, you are out of it. Even if you come and beg the shaykh or the guide, and as we said there is a guide for everyone. If you keep your mind turned on, don't come to the shaykh; your mind has to be sleeping if you want to be guided by the shaykh! So the first principle of Tariqah that Grandshaykh (q) said is, an ya`ataqid al-mureed anna murshidahu `alamu minhu bi haqiqati `aqlihi wa roohihi, “The mureed must know that his murshid knows more about the mureed than the mureed knows about himself.” He has to believe that. If he doesn't believe that even one percent, he will lose the 99 percent!
There needs to be complete submission in order for the doors to be open for you. Your soul is yearning for that because it is pure and cannot be destroyed. The light that Allah (swt) created everyone is heavenly light and no one knows how the soul comes or goes, but when it comes it gives hayaat, life, and when it goes it gives mamaat. This is so amazing, Awliyaullah and Prophets wonder how it works. No science can understand how the soul comes and goes. That soul enters and the child gets its life. If you keep that soul pure as it was on the Day of Promises, knowledge will be open for you. That is why the mureed has to know that his shaykh knows more about his brain, his intelligence and his soul than the mureed knows himself. How then do you argue when the shaykh says something? You must say, “sami`na wa at`ana”. Their words are like jewels, they don't throw jewels amongst the feet of animals, their jewels are highly appreciated!
Grandshaykh (q) said that the meaning we get from the entire Holy Qur'an is based on one ayah and if you do according to that ayah, it is as if you have fulfilled all the requirements that Holy Qur'an asks of you. The summary of all 6,666 ayaat is one ayah:
أَطِيعُواْ اللّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ
Obey Allah, obey the Prophet, and obey those in authority among you. (Surat an-Nisa, 4:59)
“Obey Allah.” So if you obey, it is as if you read the entire Holy Qur'an. Then “obey the Prophet (s),” and if you obey, it is as if you have read the entire Holy Qur'an. Lastly, wa ooli ‘l-amri minkum, “Obey those in charge of you.” If you obey them, it is as if you are bringing the message of Islam and the teaching of Holy Qur’an.
وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا
Leave what Prophet (s) forbade and take what he ordered. (Surat al-Hashr, 59:7)
Whatever the Prophet (s) gives, you take it; he did not say to think about it or measure it, no! There is no way to discuss this issue, there must be complete and blind submission to the Prophet (s)! Whatever he gave is haqq, there is no question! That is why Sayyidina Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (r) is called ‘Siddiq.’ When the Prophet (s) brought the Message, one year and eight months before the hijrah, he was invited for Israa’ wa 'l-Mi`raaj and when he came back he stood on a cliff or hill and told the people, “This night, Allah (swt) took me to Qaaba Qawsayni aw Adnaa, beyond the limits of Heavens.” Some among them believed.
Sayyidina `Umar (r) was a little bit shaky (skeptical) and went to Sayyidina Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (r) and said, “Come and see what your friend is saying, that he went to Israa’ wa ‘l-Mi`raaj.” He was, I don't want to say, in a struggle with himself to believe or not believe.
Without a thought, Sayyidina Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (r) said, “Sadaqa Rasoolullah, whatever the Prophet (s) said is the truth,” without question!
SubhaanAllah, look at the strength of his imaan, and it differed like that from one Sahaabi (r) to another. He confirmed what the Prophet (s) said without hearing it, so he reached the level and so did all Sahaabah (r) of mootoo qabl an tamoot. Prophet (s) said to his Sahaabah (r), “If someone wants to see someone who died before they died, look at Sayyidina Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (r)”, meaning he had complete submission. His reaction was always, “I accept whatever the Prophet (s) said.” Then Sayyidina `Umar (r) calmed down.
So the first thing we have to believe is that whatever the Prophet (s) came with we take, as there is no refurbishment of Islam, like refurbishing a house, no, it is already perfect like the full moon! Last night was the full moon. Prophet (s) is a perfect full moon and we take whatever he says!
The mureed has to know that the shaykh knows more, even in Math, Science, Physics or Shari`ah. Awliyaullah are able to see what we cannot. If you ask them questions in Physics or Math, they answer in Physics and Math, but the adab is that you don't need to ask. Keep adab with them and submit to them and they will take you to submit to Allah (swt) and His Prophet (s). If you had 100 percent submission to Awliyaullah--of course we are not speaking about the Prophet (s), as he is above that--but about the level of human beings, common people, if you believe that your shaykh knows more than you, about your `aqal, your rooh, then he will open al-Haqa'iq wa ‘l-Asraar, the Realities and Secrets. If you have any doubts then he will not, so the first thing is you must have absolute submission, with no questions. If the shaykh says “put it here,” then put it here, don't say “it is better there,” no. He knows more than you from the smallest matter in dunya to the highest level of knowledge!
When he opens the Realities and Secrets for you, then the `uhood you made on Day of Promises comes one after one, and we made so many promises on Yawm al-Alastu bi Rabbikum according to that verse, “For every nation there is a guide.” Then they will take you to different level of Adab ash-Shari`ah, the Etiquettes of Shari`ah and they will give you that secret which, when you read the Hadith to deduce from it Shari`ah, it will come in a different way than to normal people will understand and read. You will begin to go into the core and the secret of the Hadith and when the Prophet (s) mentioned it, and what level the Prophet (s) was at when he mentioned it, as he is always in Ascension.
They will open for you one after one, and then you will become `arifun billah, one of the highest level, so at-tasleem wa ‘l-maqbool `inda awliyaullah, submission is what awliyaullah recommend to their followers, like when a doctor gives his patient a pill, the patient won’t say, “Why am I taking it?” So why is it then when the shaykh says, “Do this,” you begin to question? Why are you coming to the shaykh? To prescribe for you a wird that will fit you! It is like when a doctor gives you a prescription for a tablet to take, you take it; whether you are cured or not, that is different. He gives you a tablet that might suit you not the other patient. Doctors are trying their best to give the cure for both of them, but for one it works immediately because he has a stronger submission, and for someone else it will take longer or not work because he has less submission.
Some of the mureeds advance quickly when the shaykh says “do this,” because they have more submission and no doubts. Another mureed that is given the same wird does not advance, even though it is the same wird, because he has doubts and less submission, like the patients who come to the doctor and one will is cured quickly and one is not. Why are you complaining about your guide? Allah said, “For every people there is a guide.” Follow that guide, and you may take any guide.
Grandshaykh (q) used to mention that story and it is a story, but he taught by it. One person was in a huge desert and as you walk through it you reach the ocean. Near the ocean are bushes. One person was looking for something to worship. He found nothing except the bushes, so he began to say, “O bushes! Show me where I have to pray and to whom I have to pray.” The bushes answered him because:
وَإِن مِّن شَيْءٍ إِلاَّ يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدَهِ
And there is not a thing but celebrates His praise! (Surat al-Israa’, 17:44)
Allah wanted to guide him by those bushes and there was nothing else there. He says to the bushes, “Guide me”, and he heard them say, “Worship Allah!” So he began to worship his Creator and took care of those bushes day and night. One night winter came and the wind took the bushes by their roots and blew them in the air and they fell in the ocean. The man said to the bushes, “Please don't leave me, please don't leave me! You are my guide!” He ran after them and saw he was walking on the water, not drowning: that was because he had full taslimiyya so Allah saved him. When the bushes told him to make sajda, he made sajda. If there was someone to guide him, he would have been guided. Awliya use this story to teach you that if you follow the guide with full taslimiyya and without using your mind, you will be rising up, the Earth will not pull you down with its gravity. That means as soon as he begins to whirl, it is like an engine, like Sayyidina Jalaluddin Rumi (q) used to whirl like an engine, rising up with his followers. When they open for you, you will be rising as long as you have taslimiyya, then gravity will not apply to you and you will float.
So the basic principle in every Tariqah is that the mureed must submit to the shaykh, whether he likes it or not he must do what is ordered. This shows adab from the side of the mureed. If the shaykh is not showing adab that is his problem, we do not interfere with that. We do what has been ordered for us to do. When you go to a doctor for an X-ray, he says, “I have to make an X-ray for you.” Then he says, “I have to make an MRI for you,” and you don't say no. In fact, you are happy to do the X-ray. They are happy to do an X-ray, MRI or anything they can and the patient is happy, because he is not paying, the insurance is, so in this matter, who is paying the responsibility? The shaykh is responsible: he is paying and is liable for anything he says concerning Shari`ah. The shaykh might have one way and the mureed with his doubts might do it another wrong way, and that is not accepted, so our work is to surrender to our teacher and then it is his responsibility, we are the sheep. It is better to be a sheep or a lamb than to be a shepherd. Don't be a goat, it climbs mountains and cries and shouts. Be a lamb, they are quiet, they go to the field in the morning to eat the grass and come back on the evening. Goats roam everywhere, so don't be goat, be a lamb!
That is why they said they want the mureed to be like leaves in Fall, when the leaves fall down they don't say, “Why are you throwing me?” they don’t care. When the order comes, they fall down and the wind comes and takes them to the fire and burns them. The leaves don't protest and say, “Why are you burning me?” He said, “We want mureeds like that. We take them left, they go; we take them right, they go, we take them to the Fire, they go.” That is why Rabi`a al-`Adawiyya (q) said, “Yaa Rabbee, I am not worshipping You to get into Paradise nor to escape Hellfire, but I am worshipping You because I love You.” She surrendered, and the mureed has to surrender in order to get his amaanah.
May Allah (swt) forgive us and bless us. We will continue tomorrow inshaa-Allah.
Wa min Allahi 't-tawfeeq, bi hurmati 'l-habeeb, bi hurmati 'l-Fatihah.
http://sufilive.com/Adab-in-the-Naqshbandi-Tariqah-5--5930.html
© Copyright 2015 Sufilive. All rights reserved. This transcript is protected
by international copyright law. Please attribute Sufilive when sharing it. JazakAllahu khayr.