11 February 2011 Lefke, Cyprus
A`oodhu billahi min ash-Shaytaani ‘r-rajeem. Bismillahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem. La hawla wa la quwatta illa billahi 'l-`Aliyyu 'l-`Azheem.
We don't know anything except what our honorable masters have taught us. We cannot claim that our Lord taught us anything. This station is only for prophets, particularly for the Master of the earlier and later creations (s). Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! We are saying Bismillahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem, so that our meeting would be enveloped with the blessings of the people of Allah Almighty.
Our beloved ones have come for a visit to this country in which, Umm Hiram bint Milhan (Hala Sultan), is buried; may Allah be pleased with her and grant her satisfaction. Her presence is a source of blessing here. Despite the sea (barrier), the blessings of Sham is also reaching this island. With Allah's care, no bridge is required to connect us to Sham. No, the blessings can still reach us.
Grandshaykh (q) used to say that Allah Almighty says that the heart of Sham is within the borders of Sham. You can detect the heart of Sham by looking in the morning, at the outskirt corners of Sham from the top of the Umayyad Mosque minaret. The heart of Sham is where the extent of your vision can reach.
This is what is mentioned in the noble Prophetic Traditions, that:
ash-shaam kinaanatee, aja`al feehaa khiyaar `ibaadee,
Sham is my sheath; I put in it the best of My servants.
Such merits of Sham had also been mentioned in previous books.
It was also mentioned that Ka`ab al-Ahbar (r) did not proclaim his Islam during the time of Prophet Muhammad (s), nor during the period of Abu Bakr's (r) (caliphate). However, during the caliphate rule of the Prince of Believers, `Umar ibn al-Khattab (r), (the latter) once asked, "O Ka`ab, you have witnessed the time of the best of all creations, Prophet of Allah (s).You are better and more privileged than me, but why did you not declare yourself to be a Muslim until now?” Ka`ab replied, "O khalifah of Allah's Messenger! I was observing, waiting and monitoring all the signs which should come with the Prophet of the end times. I have witnessed all of them, except for the last two signs, when two of the Prophet's wazirs, ministers become his nation's deputies, after him. I was waiting to see these last signs after having witnessed all the other signs of his prophethood. As soon as I witnessed (Abu Bakr [r] and `Umar [r] becoming his deputies), I declared my Islam."
This was Ka`ab al-Ahbar (r). He used to say, as also mentioned in previous books, that Allah (swt) says, "I have made the land of Sham a treasure trove where My servants dwell." Sham is a blessing, mashaa-Allah. Where your vision reaches while looking from the top of the eastern minaret of the Umayyad Mosque, that is where the heart of Sham can be found. You can reach all four sides of Sham’s borders within six days travel by camel. We ask Allah to grant us one part of Sham's blessings, for the sake of the barakah of the presence of the female Companion (r) of the Messenger of Allah (s).
Now Jordan is included in the land of Sham. SubhaanAllahi 'l-`Azheem, Glory be to Allah the Almighty! May Allah never cut our appointed lot from the blessings of Sham! They are regarded by the scholars as the people of Maydan and Hamida. Neighboring the capital city of Sham are the people of Shaghur, some of whom fear some from this side, like Abu `Ubayda al-Khayyal, who used to laugh when such things were mentioned.
Now we are going to speak regarding Mustafa. Whoever is called “Mustafa” must be firm, not easy; he must be a rock. He shall be, if Allah wills, the one carrying the flag in the land of Jordan. He has permission from the noble shaykhs to teach people what is necessary for them and I also grant him permission (to teach) whatever also comes from our side. You can make review sessions on any suitable day, in such a way that may not deprive the people from the blessings of the Khatm ul-Khwajagan. Thanks to Allah, I have given him permission to preach to people and attain (...).
Bismillahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem. I never heard the Master of the First and Last Creations (s) mentioned the word “tasawwuf.” People, however, have recently created this word. We turn to the Holy Qur’an and to the hadith of Prophet (s). Allah Almighty states in His Cherished Book:
وَلَـكِن كُونُواْ رَبَّانِيِّينَ
wa laakin koonoo rabbaniyyeen
But rather, "Be of the Lord” (Surat Aali `Imraan, 3:79)
No one can object to this speech. I cannot say to people there is such a thing as tassawuf, “Sufism,” but there are Rabbaniyeen, “lordly ones.” We seek to follow the path of Rabbaniyeen. One student came to me when perhaps Shaykh Mustafa was not yet born. I saw a young man like him and invited him to come in. He entered and said, “O Shaykh Nazim, I have completed my studies from the University of Damascus.”
I told him, “Congratulations to you.”
He said, “I would like to hear from you even one word that may benefit me.”
SubhaanAllah, he mentioned a Hadeeth Qudsee whereby Allah Almighty says:
yaa `abdee, ati`nee aj`aluka rabbaniyyan taqoolu li shayyin kun fayakoon.
O My Servant! Obey Me; you shall become lordly and you may say to anything “Be!” and it will be.
This means Allah Almighty likes His servants to be Rabbaniyeen, lordly. The key for such an honorable station is obedience to the Lord Almighty; there is nothing else and it is the key to all goodness! Therefore, don't say we make “Sufi meetings,” but rather, give them the title of “Rabbani Ones” or say we are making an effort to become “lordly ones” because the levels of Rabbaniyeen is not one level, but rather countless levels. Rabbanis are countless and endless servants of Allah Almighty. Good tidings to those who are under the custody of Rabbaniyeen.
Did you understand? Thanks to Allah (swt). We summon people to become lordly and all nations are also invited to become Rabbaniyeen.
وَرَهْبَانِيَّةً ابْتَدَعُوهَا مَا كَتَبْنَاهَا عَلَيْهِمْ إِلَّا ابْتِغَاء رِضْوَانِ اللَّهِ فَمَا رَعَوْهَا حَقَّ رِعَايَتِهَا
wa rahbaniyyatan ibtada`oohaa maa katabnaahaa `alayhim illa ’btighaa ridwaanAllah fa maa ra-awhaa haqqa ri’aayatiha
But the Monasticism which they invented for themselves, We did not prescribe for them. (We commanded) only the seeking for the good pleasure of Allah, but they did not foster that as they should have done. (Surat al-Hadeed, 57:27)
Asceticism is one way of reaching a Lordly Attribute. They innovated what they named as monasteries. This ayaah means they did not foster asceticism properly. Fa maa ra-awha haqqa ri’aayatihaa, “But they did not foster that as they should have done.” This is a strong response to the sects that do not have a good understanding of the concept of Rabbaniyyah; they developed an innovation regarding it. Bida`, “innovation,” is the term used by friends of devils to hurl accusations at other Muslims. Allah (swt) mentions they innovated Monasticism. This is an innovation from their side. However, there are good and bad innovations, but they have mixed everything altogether.
May Allah forgive us. You see the holy words: wa rahbaniyyatan ibtada`oohaafa maa ra-awhaa haqqa ri’aayatiha, had they fostered it properly, it would have been acceptable by Allah.
Visitor: He is in charge of inspecting preachers in mosques. If he ever comes in contact with Wahhabi imaams, should he argue with them or avoid that ?
Mawlana Shaykh Nazim: No, there should be no dispute in Islam. It is forbidden, but engaging in discussion sessions is acceptable. We don’t have arguments and disputes in our religion. We say, "You have a religion of your own, and we have our own religion." That's it.
Visitor: Bismillahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem. Sayyidee, one of the mosque imaams who previously came here and took baya` with you, speaks publicly on the mosque pulpit about some of the instructions you mention during associations. In his last sermon, he talked about political matters, democracy and the like, so he was captured (by officials). They called me and said he is recognized as one of your Naqshbandi group. I told him that he is Naqshbandi, but Mawlana Shaykh Nazim did not give him permission to speak on the pulpit about what he mentions in his association; there is no permission. The authorities said this person must curb his tongue on issues regarding politics when he stands on the pulpit, so I drew his attention to the fact that if Mawlana Shaykh wished that his instructions be declared on mosque pulpits, he would have mentioned to us to do so.
Mawlana Shaykh Nazim: There is no politics in Islam because politics is impurity.
Visitor: So he must leave it.
Mawlana Shaykh Nazim::What does he want from being defiled by it? He may infect himself, yatajanas, yatanajas.
Visitor: He may become defiled and yatajanas, naturalized (a play on words).
Mawlana Shaykh Nazim: He is highly intelligent, but playing with the minds of people. They have corrupted the minds of Arabs, who got confused by their speeches and left them puzzled about what should be done with the Palestinians, because some of them pull to the right and some to the left, and some shoot off to the far left, and some further back. They are clever, but as long as it is not devilish intelligence, rather if it is a Lordly intelligence, Rabbani, then it is merciful. Some of them are hooked by the devil and become corrupted.
May Allah protect us from the devilish evil and traps from our ego's evil!
Fatihah.
(Mawlana Shaykh Nazim gives baya`.)
May Allah grant you success and may He be pleased with you.