Suhbah at Mawlid with Habib Shaykh
(Translated from Arabic)
I would like to thank you all for your love for Prophet Muhammad (s). I stand overwhelmed and speechless before this wonderful congregation and majestic Mawlid, which is not only with all of us, but also with all of Heavens and Earth, and with all humans and jinn. Prophet Muhammad (s) brought us together and he dwells in the Divine Presence. Ahlu ’l-Sunnah wa ’l-Jama`ah believe that Prophet (s) is always present amongst us and within all Creations. The Light of Prophet (s) is the reason for our continuity in this world. Know that the messenger of Allah is amongst you:
وإعلموا أن فيكم رسول الله
W `alamoo anna feekum rasoolullah.
And know Allah's Messenger is in you. (al-Hujrat, 49:7)
O Muslims! You have recited, "laa ilaaha illa-Llah!" O Believers! You have remembered your Lord and admitted His Oneness. Therefore, when a servant comes on Judgment Day with ninety-nine books and every book is filled with sins, the servant knows he is destined to Hell. Then comes a little paper with, "laa ilaaha illa-Llah," written on it, and all his sins are erased! So say laa ilaaha illa-Llah every day and you will be saved from all bad things. We ask Allah (swt) to never withdraw laa ilaaha illa-Llah from our hearts!
I will relate to you an account from the book, The Relief from Darkness and Burdens. Sayyidina Moses (a) asked Allah to teach him something with which he can remember Him. Allah (swt) said, "Say, 'la ilaaha illa-Llah.'"
Moses said, “O Allah! Please give me something especially for me.”
Allah said to Moses, "(To recite) laa ilaaha illa-Llah has more weight than all of Heavens and Earth! You are already in Paradise with your remembrance of Allah, and you will be with Prophet Muhammad (s) on the Last Day!"
O Lovers of our chosen Prophet (s)! O Generous Congregation! I do not proclaim to be anything special, nor have I come for certain gains. We ask for forgiveness!
I will relate to you a brief account of the Sahaabah (r) of our beloved Prophet (s), which shows how they loved and respected one another, and how they grew up with him and learned from him as related in the Glorious Qur'an:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
inna Llaha wa malaa'ikatahu yusalloona `ala 'n-nabi, yaa ayyuhal-ladheena aamanoo salloo `alayhi was sallimoo tasleemaa.
Verily, Allah and His angels send praise on the Prophet. O Believers! Pray upon him and greet him. (33:56)
This is an order from Allah through the Holy Qur'an. What is the interpretation of this verse? It orders us to ask Allah (swt) to pray on His Prophet (s). It is coming in the tone of a command. Who is commanding Allah? This is a secret and heavenly knowledge. Sayyidina `Ali (r) was afraid to express all the knowledge Prophet (s) put in his heart, afraid he would be killed were he to express such secrets, and now this knowledge is exiting from the hearts of people. `Ulama should be using this esoteric knowledge to purify people, as this is the main objective of seeking knowledge: to learn what helps purify our hearts and egos. I would like to refer to the Qlorious Qur'an. Bismillahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem:
يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُقُمْ فَأَنذِرْ وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ
Yaa ayyhual muddaththir, qum fa-andhir, wa rabbuk fa-kabbir, wa thiyaabaka fa-tahhir.
O you wrapped up (in the mantle)! Arise and deliver your warning! And your Lord do magnify! And your garments free from stain. (Surat al-Muddaththir, 74:1-4)
Al-Muddaththir is "the one wrapped in blankets." The `ulama have interpreted this verse as, "Prophet was trembling and shivering from seeing Sayyidina Jibreel (a), so he asked to be wrapped in blankets." But Prophet (s) was in existence before Sayyidina Adam (a), so why would he tremble from the meeting with Sayyidina Jibreel (a)? The Sufi interpretation of this surah is that in Eternity and at Ghari Thawr, the Cave of Revelation, Allah (swt) had already wrapped the Prophet with all heavenly knowledge and manifestations. Allah (swt) taught him all the heavenly secrets from before the creation of Adam and, in this case, Prophet trembled because Allah sent him a message with Sayyidina Jibreel, ordering him to reveal the heavenly knowledge to guide people: "O Wrapped One! Stand up and warn people, and express greatness to your Lord, and clean your clothes.”
O Muslims! This is a Muhammadi and Rabbani session, so don't be surprised, but wait! O Allah! These people have gathered here for the sake of Prophet (s), so please bestow upon them from Your generosity and bounty for his sake.
Prophet (s) said, "But how can I read? How can I reveal those secrets which You have given me? To what extent would you like me to reveal?"
Allah (swt) spoke to Prophet (s), “O Muhammad! You are dressed with Heavenly Lights, so report to the people what you have seen of Me.”
Now I will relate to you an account with which I would like to end our talk tonight, as narrated by Sayyidina Abu Hurayra (r): "The Sahaabah (r) were heading to the room of Prophet Muhammad (s), so `Ali (r) told Abu Bakr (r) to go first and knock at the door of Prophet, but Abu Bakr told `Ali that he should go first. However, `Ali (r) said, "I cannot go before a man about whom I have heard Prophet say, 'The sun has not risen or set after me on a man better than Abu Bakr.' Abu Bakr (r) in return said, “I cannot go before a man about whom Prophet said, 'The best of women has been given to him, as he is the best of men.' `Ali replied, "I cannot go before a man about whom Prophet said, 'Whoever wanted to look at the chest of Abraham should look at the chest of Abu Bakr.'”
This account shows how much respect the Sahaabah (r) of Prophet Muhammad (s) had among themselves. We will continue this another time.
As salaamu `alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.