(Introduction to Ramadan Series 2017)
A`oodhu billahi min ash-Shaytani ‘r-rajeem. Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani '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.
Alhamdulillahi’ Lladhee hadana li’ l-Islam wa maa kunna li-nahtadee law laa an hadana’Llah.
As-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh. Alhamdulillah, today, this Saturday, we are towards the end of Sha`baan, next Friday or Saturday will inshaa-Allah be Ramadan. Allahumma fa ballighna Ramadan, may Allah (swt) give us life to witness and observe our fasting in Ramadan.
I won't be too long because people might be tired, but I was reading this suhbah of Grandshaykh (q) translated by Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q), that may shed light on a very important issue which none of us are excluded from, all of us are in this problem. First of all is the problem that every one of us thinks he has the best mind and intelligence, and people seek his or her advice. But in reality, about the person asked to give advice is, Allah said in the Holy Qur'an, one who says, wa qul rabbee zidnee `ilman, “O Allah, give me more and more of knowledge.” Why would someone say that if he is an `alim? It is because`ilm doesn't end.
وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌ
Above every knower is a (higher) knower. (Surah Yusuf, 12:76)
It means we are in jahal, ignorance. Even though they consider us scholars of chemistry, biology, medicine, law, Hadith, Holy Qur'an, in reality Allah says in the Holy Qur'an, “Say! Yaa Muhammad (or all prophets): Allahumma zidnee `ilma, O Allah give me more knowledge,” nothing else. Heavenly knowledge will cover everything you are asking for. Worldly knowledge is still in limits; however much an `abd can reach before he dies he will find worldly knowledge was not enough to move an ant, and if it was Akhirah knowledge it does not move an ant, it moves the universe! Allah will give that power because He said, “One of My heavenly days is more than thousands of days in dunya.”
وَإِنَّ يَوْمًا عِندَ رَبِّكَ كَأَلْفِ سَنَةٍ مِّمَّا تَعُدُّونَ
Verily a day in the sight of your Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning. (Surat al-Hajj, 22:47)
It is like one-thousand years as you count. One-thousand years, two-thousand years, now we passed 2000 years from time of Sayyidina `Isa (a). If Allah opened a heavenly day to us, it is equal to a thousand years of dunya knowledge. Imagine what knowledge you would get in a thousand years! So what about Akhirah knowledge? It is an ocean! If you dive into that ocean you cannot come out easily as you will seek more and more knowledge. Like someone standing on the beach entering the ocean, you like the water and want to go further in, not wanting go back, especially in hot weather. Every one of us would like to be in that ocean which, however, cannot be given easily to anyone. There are codes you must use to open the doors of heavenly knowledge, like Sayyidina Abu Yazid al-Bistami (q), who struggled for years and years, asking, “Yaa Rabbee, kayfa al-wusoola ilayk. How can I reach You?” His struggle wasn't easy, Allah didn’t give it to him easily. Allah left him to struggle, like when He left Sayyidina Musa (a) in the desert for forty years, and finally when he was unable to continue, he asked, “When will You destroy Fir`awn for me?” Allah (swt) said:
أَلَيْسَ الصُّبْحُ بِقَرِيبٍ
Is not the morning near? (Surat Hud, 11:18)
“It is near. Don’t worry, I will destroy him for you.” For forty years, Allah left him in the desert. That is Sayyidina Musa (a). Sayyidina Muhammad, `alayhi afdalu ’s-salaatu wa ’s-salaam…alhamdulillah, we live nicely, we have every comfort, but in time of the Prophet (s), in Mecca and Madinah the people did not have any comforts. They ate bread with many rocks in it; they didn't have rice at that time, it was difficult to get it from India or China.
So Sayyidina Abu Yazid al-Bistami (q) was asking, “Kayfa al-wusoola ilayk, How can I reach You, yaa Rabb?” It is not easy nor cheap: you must struggle hard against your ego, your self (nafs). If you want to follow that way, welcome, and if you don't want to, welcome. Almost all followed that way, (only) some of them didn’t fall into being abused. Sayyidina Nuh (a) and Sayyidina Ibrahim (a) were abused and all five greatest prophets, Uloo ‘l-`Azham, were abused. Sayyidina `Isa (a) was abused and Sayyidina Muhammad (s) was abused.
There were all kinds of difficulties for Sayyidina Nuh (a) to build the ship and carry the wood from a far distance in order, by Allah's order, to save himself and his children. The water came and the ocean rose with the boat. As water was rising over the Earth, the boat sailed until it landed on the mountain of Joodi, between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He lived 900 years according to history, but we know he lived for 950 years, and for 900 of those years he was abused by his people, and still he called them to come to their senses! Finally, in the end he said, “Yaa Rabbee! I cannot do any more,” and in the last fifty years he built the boat and the water came over the entire Earth.
We are taliboon, seeking knowledge from any source, and Allah (swt) gave the best source to the Prophet (s)! All the Ummah is taking from that ocean as much as they can, but it is still in limits. As Grandshaykh (q), may Allah bless his soul, said, “If you count the knowledge of all Ummat an-Nabi (s) and all people living in that time, compared to that of the Prophet (s) it is not but a drop in the ocean.” So why do we get upset and fight, for what? If you want to be an `alim, he said you have to have kamaal al-insaan fee kalaamihi, perfection of a human being is what they say. How you know this one is perfect is by the way he addresses the people; that shows if he has `ilm or not.
Grandshaykh (q) said one very famous `alim in the 1940's came and asked about `ilm. Grandshaykh addressed him and said, “Before you ask from heavenly knowledge, I want to know have you fulfilled and understood the knowledge you are after in dunya,” because people begin in dunya knowledge and end up in Akhirah knowledge. So `ulama are still struggling. Common people are like that respected man who came to Grandshaykh (q).
He said, “Do you see that tree outside the house?”
That `alim said, “Yes, my shaykh.” He was a very respected person and spoke very nicely.
Grandshaykh (q) said, “Green leaves are emerging because it is spring; they come out now after winter, they are fresh. Can you tell me the number of leaves on that tree?”
It is a simple question, is it not? But he did not answer well. What will you answer if someone asks you that question? No answer. There are two ways: some say, “I have no answer,” and some say, “There is an answer.” Those with heavenly knowledge say that there is an answer and those without it say, “We don't know.” If you go to the dentist and he asks how many teeth are in your mouth, do you know the answer? You don't know, but you are going to know about heavenly knowledge? Allah (swt) said:
وَلاَ رَطْبٍ وَلاَ يَابِسٍ إِلاَّ فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ
(There is not) anything fresh or dry (alive or not), but is (inscribed) in a Clear Book. (Surat al-An`am, 6:59)
Everything, living or non-living, is registered in detail in the Holy Qur'an, where Allah (swt) mentioned everything concerning Creation and gave that knowledge to the Prophet (s). Allah created everything without looking at it by kun fayakoon. So He gave him the knowledge of what all the Ummah will do, from the moment of birth to the moment of death. That is heavenly knowledge, about which Allah (swt) said:
الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ
The Beneficent. Hath made known the Quran. He hath created man. (Surat ar-Rahman, 55:1-3)
Ar-Rahman is Allah’s Holy Name, meaning “The Most Merciful.” `Alam al-qur’an, li ‘n-Nabi (s) bi Rahmatillah al basahu min bi ‘l-libaas ar-rahmat, from Allah's Mercy He dressed Sayyidina Muhammad (s) and taught him Holy Qur'an. Sayyidina Musa (a) received his knowledge from Khidr (a), when, by Allah's permission, fa wajadaa `abdan min `ibaadina, he sought someone higher in knowledge to see how much he can stand with him. Allah sent him to Sayyidina Khidr, and there he said, “You cannot withstand me, because you will see things you never imagined.” That is why he put a hole in the boat, and killed the boy, and built the wall of the two orphans. We will not go into that story now, but Allah ordered Sayyidina Musa (a) to go to ‘one from among many’ of His servants, and from the Prophet (s) to Sayyidina Khidr (a).
But for the Prophet (s) Allah gave him directly from Himself, not from another `abd. How many teeth in his mouth? 26. He is clever. You? [I have no idea Mawlana.] So Sayyidina Khidr (a) gave to Sayyidina Musa (a) but Allah gave to Sayyidina Muhammad (s). He showed him His Rahmah and dressed him:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ
(O Muhammad!) We have sent you not except as a Mercy for all the Worlds. (Surat al-Anbiyaa, 21:107)
So from that name, ar-Rahman, Allah took the best, the cream of His Rahmah and gave it to the Prophet (s). That needed the salawaat of angels and that is why they are ordered to make salawaat on him!
So we are, as Mawlana says, al-kamaal al-insaanu fee kalaamihi, the perfection of a person is in how he speaks. You can distinguish a normal scholar of Shari`ah, Hadeeth and Tafseer, from a Wali whom you sit with and are attracted to, even if he doesn’t say anything. That is why Allah said to the Prophet (s), “Say, ‘Ask for Me to give you more knowledge, zidnee `ilman.’” He did not say zidnee `ilm ad-dunya, knowledge for provision of this or that, but He said ‘`ilma.’ When Ankar and Nakeer come to you in the grave to ask you about `ilm, knowledge of your Lord, “Man rabbuk, Who is your Creator?” what are you going to say? May Allah keep our tongue wet and not frozen at that time, may we answer, “Allah!” Allah said to Sayyidina Muhammad (s):
قُلِ الله ثُمَّ ذَرْهُمْ فِي خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ
Say "Allah," then leave them to plunge in vain discourse and trifling. (Surat al-An`am, 6:91)
“Say ‘Allah’ and leave them playing on their playground.” The best khitaab, address to the Prophet (s) is be taalib, a student. When you say, Rabbi zidnee `ilman, “My Lord! Increase me in knowledge,” it means you are a student asking for more, and that was the first advice to the Prophet (s) as Allah (swt) considers knowledge important. Al-`alim huwa alladhee la yajhal `anshay. The `alim knows everything, he is not ignorant in any matter you ask him about. That is why for Allah to consider you to be from Ahl al-`Ilm, you must address Him, “Laa ilaaha illa-Llah wahdahu laa shareeka lahu lahu ‘l-mulku wa lahu ‘l-hamdu yuhyi wa yumeetu wa huwa `alaa kulli shay`in qadeer. When you know your limits and that Allah is your Creator, He will be happy with you and will give you more knowledge and the ability to go deeper into that ocean.
Grandshaykh (q) said, “As much as you receive knowledge, you are showing your ignorance,” because when your `ilm increases, you understand that you deserve zero in everything, is it not? As much as they raise you, you see your shortcomings and wonder, “How did I say that? Oh, I was wrong!” Then you remember, like a professor or teacher monitoring you and knows you are wrong. As much as you rise up in knowledge you begin to understand your ignorance. And what is the greatest ignorance people will find, that leaves you crazy? That is when all your focus is to be someone important. This one is a captain, this one is a doctor, this one is an `alim, he is a physicist, he is an author. These positions have increased your knowledge, but also increased your ignorance, for you know you have so much to learn, that you are ignorant! Kullu man azdada `ilma fa ya`rifu mazaad jahlih, as much as you increase in knowledge, as much as you become aware of your ignorance. May Allah keep us away from ignorance.
Grandshaykh (q) said that Allah gave Awliyaullah immunity from Iblees to run after them to make them stray. He runs after you to take you in a wrong direction. He comes to you with all his instruments and tools to make you more and more ignorant, and to steal your faith, and as soon as he does you are lost! So we have to be very careful not to let our imaan be lost in the hands of Iblees, or we are finished.
Iblees came and tricked Sayyidina Adam (a), where? It was in Heaven. How was Iblees able to enter Heaven? No one can enter Heaven except on Judgment Day, but he found a way to enter and he came to Sayyidina Adam (a). Where were the angels to prevent him? But Allah has `iraadah, His will; that is why no one can do anything to stop it because Allah wants that thing to happen. So among Awliyaullah, Iblees is known as the real thief who will take the house of imaan that you live in, from that clot everyone has in the heart where Shaytan can enter and exit. That is why the Prophet (s) said, “I am the only one who rides on the Shaytan and make him under me.”
The Prophet (s) is m`asoom, infallible; he does not make mistakes or sin. He is more than protected: he is innocent! So Iblees runs after the `abd to take his imaan and when he takes your imaan he is very happy because you lost yourself between his arms and he will take over. He tries his best to attack you physically, and if he was not able he will attack you in an indirect way in order to take your imaan away from you. The first step when the `abd falls into the trap of Shaytan is when he thinks he knows everything and doesn't respect anyone’s advice, only his own mind. There Shaytan is able to pull him out, `ajaabahu bi `amalihi, to be proud of his actions. We have to be very careful. We will stop here and continue the same suhbah later. The continuation of it is very important inshaa-Allah.
Wa min Allahi 't-tawfeeq, bi hurmati 'l-Fatihah.
Be aware of Iblees and his devils; they come in different form for everyone. He comes and says, “You are the best, I am proud of you! I will give you something precious,” and then he gives you a box. The man or woman is imagines he is giving them a box, which they open and inside are green leaves. “What are these green leaves?” “This is especially for you, this is marijuana. Take it, one sip.” As soon as he begins to take it, he is finished. From that he will go higher in the ranks of Iblees.
“So what is this?” they ask.
“This is only hasheesh for donkeys, to eat grass like sheep, but for you we have cocaine, to raise you up.”
This is the mistake we are falling into. People come and say, “I lost my child, I lost my son, where are they?” They are smoking marijuana and using cocaine. Many families come crying. What to do? They cannot do anything. Now they make it free, cheap and legal, saying it treats cancer. We don't want to go into that. Also, Shaytan will trick you and make you worry about your rizq, “What am I going to eat tomorrow? What do I have to do tomorrow, face tomorrow, be tomorrow?”
Worrying too much is not necessary, leave it to Allah (swt), as some people say, “We look forward to whatever Allah gives and we take it. We cannot come against Allah’s will.” These are the Awliyaullah, men and women. Their hearts are towards Allah’s (swt) love, they see everything comes from Him. If He is happy, they are happy. Allah will make them go through some struggle, but then He will open everything for them, like in the case of Sayyidina Abu Yazid al-Bistami (q). He asked Allah (swt), “How may I reach You?” Allah doesn’t want His servant to fall back, but to move forward. Finally after Allah (swt) saw him continuously struggling and that he was a hundred percent sincere, He opened for him. Don't worry about your rizq! It is what Allah has written for you on the Lawh al-Mahfoozh, so you cannot increase it or decrease it.
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ مَا أُرِيدُ مِنْهُم مِّن رِّزْقٍ وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَن يُطْعِمُونِ
And I created not the jinns and ins (humans) except they should worship Me (Alone). I seek not any provision from them, nor do I ask that they should feed Me. (Adh-Dhariyaat, 51:56, 57)
“I created ins and jinn to worship Me.” That is your duty and that is how you become a Wali, by worshipping Allah (swt). “Let them not worry about their rizq, I will not leave them without it. I don't want anything from them, I will provide for them. Do your worship and focus on Me, connect your heart with My Prophet, you will be given ‘maa laa `aynun raa’at wa laa udhunun sami`at wa maa khatarqalbi bashar.”
You don't know when that test will finish, Allah will veil it from you because He wants you to keep asking, to keep checking all the doors here and there, to keep struggling, and when He sees that you are persistent on that, as-sulh lamhat, in the blink of an eye He will give you your Amaanah and you will become a Wali! It is according to your intention: if it is for the love of Allah and His Prophet (s), then you will get everything. May Allah make our intention for Allah and His Prophet (s)!
Ask anything you want from Allah (swt) through du’a; keep asking until it opens, don't say, “I asked and asked and it did not open.” No, you must be persistent like Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (q). He doubted everything in his early age, even the Existence of Allah (swt)! He was an `alim, but that doubt came as gossip in his mind. What saved him, Grandshaykh (q) said, is as-sulhu lamha, to make peace with Allah (swt) was a blink of an eye. He was writing a very important letter to reach the sultan regarding people who were to be killed, when a black fly came on the ink and began to quench its thirst. So he let that fly drink the ink like water and then it flew away. At that moment reeh as-sobh, inayatullah, Allah’s care, the pure breeze of Heavens that Allah (swt) sends on you and opens la `aynun raa'at wa udhunun sami`at. He was in the process of writing something very important to save people, but he thought, “Allah created that fly for the love of Sayyidina Muhammad (s),” so he let it drink because it was the same night of Mawlid an-Nabi (s), and he said, “This is mawlidan from me for the sake of Prophet’s (s) birth.” At that time Allah's care, inayatullah came on him and dressed him with Rahmatullah. It comes in a moment.
So we all are asking; people come and they are all asking for du`a. All of us are asking for du`a. But all of them are in Allah's Hands. For some of them the relief opens quickly, while others have to persist. With that, Allah might open for everyone and give them their Amaanah in dunya and grant them be in the presence of the Prophet (s)!
Don't be worried, don't be afraid. What is good for you is coming and what is bad for you is running away. For these three months, Awliyaullah have a title, because they also have programs, but not like ours. So for these three months--Rajab, Sha`baan and Ramadan--their theme is, “The good will come for the Ummah and the bad will run away in every matter” including work, happiness, fixing problems, everything you are worried about between husband and wife or children. Inshaa-Allah that is their concern and Awliyaullah are working hard to manage that and to get Rahmatullah and Rahmat an-Nabi (s) dressed on all of us
Wa min Allahi 't-tawfeeq, bi hurmati 'l-Fatihah.
http://sufilive.com/Shaytan-is-the-Thief-of-Your-Heart-6363.html