After `Asr
As-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh. After every meeting, Allah (swt) Only knows what kind of reward you will receive, because you left your work, your businesses, your families, and coming here to be in love with Allah, to be in love with Prophet (s), to be in love with Sayyidina Shaykh Nazim (q), and with awliyaullah. We have to know there are 124,000 awliya all around this world and every wali has one above him, until we reach Sultan al-Awliya. Under Sultan are 123,999 awliya and they are all around this Earth, taking care of what they have been ordered to do. Don't try and calculate, thinking, for example, "If there are ten representatives here, there must be twenty there." No, awliyaullah are more than whatever you expect. If you were to count how many representatives Mawlana Shaykh Nazim has around the world, there are maybe 200, 300, 400, 1,000. But awliyaullah are 124,000 and they are hidden. They are under the orders of 313 high walis. Above the 313 are the forty grand awliya of the Golden Chain. In every time there are forty grand awliya; if one leaves dunya, then another takes over.
Under Sultan ul-Awliya are five qutbs or helpers, and each helper can move the universe if they like. They are: Qutb, Qutb al-Bilaad, Qutb al-Aqtaab, Qutb al-Irshaad, Qutb al-Mutasarrif. Five receive orders from Sultan ul-Awliya and immediately execute them. This hierarchy structure has existed between awliya since the time of Prophet (s), to bring the Message continuously. And there are hidden saints in every country. So in your country there are awliya too; they are different than the representatives. There are 124,000 prophets and each wali inherits from a prophet, so there are 124,000 awliya. These saints are the ones taking care of everything going on. There might be one among you, there might be two, or there might be no one. But it's your duty to keep your eyes open as you might see one of them. Grandshaykh (q) used to say that even if you live on top of a mountain, there must be a wali passing once in every twenty-four hours. You might see him in the form of a bird, he might come spiritually, you might smell a nice smell, or feel blessed, or get goosebumps, or nice dreams. Do you understand now?
Sayyidina Musa (a) left Eygpt and went to Yemen because of Pharaoh. He married the daughter of Prophet Shu`ayb (a). On his way back to Egypt, on one of those very cold nights, he and his family were shivering, and suddenly he saw fire far away on the mountain. He saw fire on the mountain at night. Do you know that? Now you know it. What did he do? Allah (swt) said in Holy Qu'ran:
إِذْ رَأَى نَارًا فَقَالَ لِأَهْلِهِ امْكُثُوا إِنِّي آنَسْتُ نَارًا لَّعَلِّي آتِيكُم مِّنْهَا بِقَبَسٍ أَوْ أَجِدُ عَلَى النَّارِ هُدًى
Idh ra’a naaran faqaala li ahlihi ’mkuthoo innee aanastu naaran la`aliya aateekum minhaa biqabasin aw ajidu `ala ’n-naari hudaa.
Behold, he saw a fire, so he said to his family,“You stay. I perceive a fire; perhaps I can bring you some burning brand from there or find some guidance at the fire.” (Surat TaHa, 20:10)
He said to his family, "You stay here! Innee aanastu naaran." He didn't say, "I saw fire." He said, "I felt something from within me attracting me to that fire." He saw that heavenly power as fire. So you might be on the mountain and anything might attract you: a bird, a tree, a waterfall. If anything attracts you, go and check! Maybe behind the tree is a wali, maybe behind the bird is a wali. In that story of Sayyidina Musa (a), he said to his family, "Sit here. I felt drawn to that light, to that fire."
فَلَمَّا أَتَاهَا نُودِي يَا مُوسَى إِنِّي أَنَا رَبُّكَ فَاخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ إِنَّكَ بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى
Falammaa aataahaa noodiya yaa Musa, innee annaa rabbuka fakhl`a n`alayka innaka bi ’l-waadi ’l-muqaddasi toowaa.
But when he came to the fire a voice was heard, “O Moses! Indeed I am your Lord! Therefore, (in My Presence) remove your shoes, (for) you are in the sacred valley, Tuwa. (Sura TaHa 20:11,12)
He approached and decided to go and see that fire and to get something. If he'd stayed with his family, he would have never known the beauty of that manifestation. And he left; he was not lazy like so many people are today that they don't do anything. So when he approached, he heard a voice, "O Musa! Why are you coming? Innee annaa rabbuka, I am your Lord!" When he reached there, behind the fire was the light of Allah's Manifestation. He said, "Take off your shoes; you are in a holy valley." If he had sat back, he would never have reached that power. Allah gave awliyaullah that power so they can take from Prophet (s) and give to everyone. They come to you where you are, they are more than happy to help, but ask! If you don't ask, you cannot get.
Allah said in the Holy Qur'an:
ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ
Id`oonee astajeeb lakum.
Supplicate to Me and I will give you! (40:60)
Some people ask and then say, "O, nothing happened." That's a wrong understanding. Allah will respond, Allah will give, but He likes you to keep asking, and keep asking. So don't be lazy! Whenever you ask Me, if you don't get it in dunya, you will get it in Akhirah. If I give you in Akhirah, it's better than getting it in dunya. So that's why awliyaullah keep asking, keep making du`a, du`a, du`a for their followers, because they want their followers to be like stars in the sky!
This meeting with dhikrullah is a cleansing process. Don't you take a shower everyday? Don't you also wash your clothes? Dhikrullah is a heavenly shower, a heavenly cleansing; like cleaning your clothes, your body and soul are cleansed by dhikr. That is why it is very important to come at least once a week, even if there is no one. When Grandshaykh (q) was young, in seclusion he used to take his turban, because he is a fountain of knowledge, he has to say something, and he spoke to his turban. When there was no one, he made dhikr with his turban. If you are alone, do dhikr alone once a week, if there is no center. Sit and do the same as we did, but don't be lazy! If you are lazy for dunya, it is not accepted; people run after jobs, is it not? Also, laziness for akhirahis not accepted because we don't want to be punished. So we go back to Sayyidina Musa's story. You want to hear it? (Yes!)
So let's say, Nuruddin, if the president speaks to you on the phone you would be happy, for sure. After the third time he calls you, you would like to make an appointment to see him. Sayyidina Musa (a) was the same; that's human nature. Allah made him from the five main prophets. Do you know who they are? Who is the first? (Adam.) No, he is the father. Noah (a), Ibrahim (a), Musa (a), Jesus (a) and Sayyidina Muhammad (s). So Sayyidina Musa (a), based on what Allah (swt) gave to him, Allah spoke to him directly. Allah narrates this story in the Qu'ran:
قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِي أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ
Qaala rabbee arinee undhoor ilayk!
(Musa) said, "O Allah! Let me see You!" (Surat al-`Araaf, 7:143)
That's too big. When you come to Allah (swt) you don't say, "Let me see you!" Allah is teaching us through Musa, who sacrificed himself to teach us, by asking this question.
قَالَ لَن تَرَانِي
Qaala lan taraanee.
(Allah) said, "By no means can you see Me (directly). (Surat al-`Araaf, 7:143)
Because he thought he was so friendly now with his Lord, as He is calling him. You see, if (a mureed) is called by the president two or three times a day, he would want to see him. Allah (swt) did not accept Musa's request, although he was the only one to whom Allah spoke directly without Archangel Gabriel. He said, "No, you cannot see Me, but I might let you see Me on one condition," because He did not want to break his heart, He didn't want to say, "Absolutely no, you cannot!"
قَالَ لَن تَرَانِي وَلَـكِنِ انظُرْ إِلَى الْجَبَلِ فَإِنِ اسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُ فَسَوْفَ تَرَانِي
Qaala lan taraanee, wa laakin inthur ila 'l-jabali. Fa ini 'staqarra makaanahu fasawfa taraanee.
He said, "Never can you see Me, but look at the mountain. If it stands still in its place, then thou wilt see Me. (Surat al-`Araaf 7:143)
Did you understand? Is it clear?
قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِي أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ لَن تَرَانِي وَلَـكِنِ انظُرْ إِلَى الْجَبَلِ فَإِنِ اسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُ فَسَوْفَ تَرَانِي فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّى رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ موسَى صَعِقًا فَلَمَّا أَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Qaala rabbee arinee andhur ilayk, qaala lan taraanee wa laakin undhur ila al-jabali, fa ini 'staqarrra makaanuhu fasawfa taraanee, fa lamaa tajalla rabbuhu li 'l-jabali ja`alahoo dakka wa khara Musa saa'iqan, falamma aafaaqa qaala subhaanaka tubtoo ilayk, wa anaa awwal al-mumineen.
He said, "O my Lord! Show Yourself to me, that I may look upon You." Allah said, "By no means can you see Me (directly), but look upon the mountain; if it abides in its place, then you shall see Me." When his Lord manifested His glory on the mount, He made it as dust, and Moses fell down in a swoon. When he recovered his senses, he said, "Glory be to You! To You I return in repentance, and I am the first to believe." (Surat al-`Araaf, 7:143)
So one of the big saints named Ibn al-`Arabi (q) who buried in Damascus, said that Sayyidina Musa (a) came to Allah with his ego, so Allah wanted to teach him, "Don't come to Me with your ego! You want to come with Me, then there may be no ego with you. You're coming with your desires; the one who is coming to Me must have no desires, he has to submit to Me completely! You are My prophet! You have no right to ask."
سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا
Samina wa aata`na.
We hear and we obey. (2:285)
Prophet (s) never asked a question. There were many incidents about which questions arose, but Prophet did not ask, he waited for Sayyidina Jibreel (a) to come. So adab, discipline in tariqah is to keep a low profile, don't ask too much as when you begin to ask you begin to fight. Unless it is a question not to challenge others, but for the benefit of everyone, that is okay. So may Allah (swt) give us the power of servanthood, to work with each other, to help each other, and to keep our anger down.
Look at this mureed, I never saw him angry, always I shout at him and he answers, "Yes." I shout at Ishaq and he answers, "Yes." They don't argue with me, but they argue with each other! I am joking. But it is important to work with each other. If you are a shaykh or not a shaykh, what is the benefit? What is going to change if you are a sheep or shepherd? The shepherd has more responsibility and the sheep has less. Why do you want to carry burdens? If Mawlana appoints someone, alhamdulillah, come to dhikr and then go away. Why you want to carry burdens and answer people's questions, this one says, "I want to marry," the other says, "I want a divorce, I want business, I want to kill my friend," the other one says, "I want to kill my wife!" (laughter) Aaah! Be nothing. How many times have you heard Mawlana Shaykh on Sufilive saying, "I am zero, I like to be zero, but if they want me to speak I am something, but among us I am nothing." So we are nothing. If my shaykh, which is your shaykh, says, "Nurudeen is my representative," why not? Okay, if he says, "Shahabudeen is my representative," no problem, or "Salim is my representative," no problem. Let us all work together. May Allah (swt) forgive us, and bless us, and support us.
I would like to thank you so much for your hospitality, and for coming here everyday to give your respect and honor, and for opening your homes and this place, working hard to give food, and coming together in such a lovely way. I have been touched, and I said to Hajjah I am going to tell Mawlana about the situation here in Argentina, and how lovely the people are. Inshaa-Allah, we will be visiting more and more, five days is enough every time and another five in Chile, maybe twice a year, or maybe ten times a year! (Loud applause) Allahu Akbar! It is not far; it is only ten hours, it's okay. We will see what Mawlana Shaykh will arrange and inshaa-Allah we will be glad to inform you.
Thank you very much.
Wa min Allahi 't-tawfeeq, bi hurmati 'l-habeeb, bi hurmati 'l-Fatihah.
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