28 April 2012 Burton, Michigan
Suhbah before Salaat al-Maghrib at As-Siddiq Mosque
[Du`a Jawharat al-Kamaal included at end of this transcript.]
A`oodhu billahi min ash-Shaytaani ‘r-rajim. Bismillahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem.
Nawaytu 'l-arba`een, nawaytu 'l-`itikaaf, nawaytu 'l-khalwah, nawaytu 'l-`uzlah, nawaytu 'r-riyaadah, nawaytu 's-sulook, lillahi ta`ala fee haadha 'l-masjid.
أَطِيعُواْ اللّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ
Ati`oollaaha wa ati`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)
In the previous sessions we have spoken about the importance of salawaat on Prophet (s), and what benefit those who are doing salawaat are getting. From among these benefits, we are asking Allah (swt) that we can see Prophet (s) and that He will open for us visions, in dreams or in real life, for the sake of Prophet (s). This is a continuation of what we previously mentioned.
We are summarizing many different ahadeeth of the Sahaabah (r), some of whom spoke about what will happen in any place in which the name of Prophet (s) is mentioned or in which salawaat is recited. For example, we are sitting here making salawaat on Prophet (s), saying, “Allahumma salli `alaa Muhammadin wa `alaa aali Muhammadin wa sallim,” and every day we recite that in a longer version. What will be the outcome of this or any version of salawaat, either in jama`ah or by yourself?
When you eat and afterwards open your mouth to breathe or speak, people smell what you ate. That is why it is not recommended to eat onion or garlic before coming to the masjid, although these are both beneficial for a human being. Prophet (s) said that if you are traveling you should eat the onion of that village because it will prevent sickness; it has the ability to fight off any microbe or illness of that area. Grandshaykh (q) used to say that wherever you find yourself in your travels, try to eat the onion from there until you go to the next city or village, and then eat the onions that grow there.
It is recommended that when people sit in such an association, someone should put perfume on the hands of the others, what do we say in Arabic?“Allahumma salli `alaa Muhammadin wa `alaa aali Muhammadin wa sallim. Why? Because Prophet (s) is the perfume of heavens and earth and you are using perfume with salawaat. If someone is sitting in this association or by himself or herself in a room connecting their heart with the Light of the heart of the Prophet (s), sitting in his presence, and begins by saying, “Yaa Sayyidee! I am coming to you,” Prophet (s) will not close his door, as he said, “I am the City of Knowledge, come to me.”
انا مدينة العلم و علي بابها
Anaa madeenatu'l-`ilmi wa `aliyyun baabuhaa.
I am the City of Knowledge and `Ali is it's door. (al-Haakim, Tirmidhi)
Therefore, when that person is sitting in his room or in a group making salawaat, the place in which that salawaat is done will become a holy place, like what happened to the place of the Virgin Mary, Sayyida Maryam (r), because she was worshipping and mentioning Allah's Name in dhikrullah, and of course she knew about Prophet (s). Whenever Sayyidina Zakariyya (a) entered her niche, he found provisions had been provided, so in that place he asked Allah (swt) to give him a child, and Allah (swt) gave him Sayyidina Yahya (a) because her place was a place of cleanliness, purified and holy. That is why when you sit in such an association or by yourself, reciting this version or any version of salawaat every day three times and on Jumu`ah 100 times, from that place something arises and it becomes a place of purity and cleanliness, a holy place, because the name of Prophet (s) was mentioned.
أفضل الأسماء ما عبد وما حمد
Afdalul asmaa maa `ubbid wa maa hummid
The best name are the ones which indicate servanthood or praise of Allah.
The best of names include ‘`abd,’” such as the names “`AbdAllah,” “`Abdur-Rahmaan,” “`Abdul-Haleem,” “`Abdul-Jabbar,” “`Abdus-Saboor,” and the names maa hummid, “of the Prophet (s),” such as, “Muhammad,” “Ahmad,” “TaHa,” “YaSin,” “Mahmood,” “Hamid,” “Maahi,” and all names of the Prophet (s) that are the best names. Just as we have Asma’ullah al-Husna, the Beautiful Names of Allah, we also have the Names of Prophet (s), which we know as found in Dala’il al-Khayrat are two-hundred, but from different sources you can find up to a thousand names of Prophet (s)!
As we said, there are many versions of making salawaat on the Prophet (s) and I mentioned this one, the salawaat that Grandshaykh (q) and Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) ordered us to read: `alaa ashrafi ’l-`alameena Sayyidina Muhammadin salawaat, `alaa akmali ’l-`alameena Sayyidina Muhammadin salawaat, `alaa afdali ’l-`alameena Sayyidina Muhammadin salawaat... until the very end. I looked through many books to find that hadith of Sayyidina `Ali (r) and recently found it in Nahj al-Mutaqqeen, where he mentions part of that salawaat:
صَلَواتُ اللهِ تعالى ومَلائِكَتِهِ وأنبيائه ورَسُلِهِ وجَميعِ خَلْقِهِ على مُحَمِّدٍ وعلى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عليه وعليهمُ السَّلامُ ورَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعالى وبَرَكاتُهُ
Salawaatullaahi wa malaa’ikatihi wa anbiyaaihi wa rusoolihi wa jami`ee khalqihi `alaa Muhammad wa `alaa aali Muhammad `alayhi wa `alayhimu ‘s-salaam wa rahmatullaahi wa barakatuh.
Blessings of Allah Almighty, of His Angels, of His Prophets, of His Messengers, and all Creation be upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad; may the Peace and Mercy of Allah Almighty and His Blessings be upon upon him and upon them.
So in Matali` al-Musarraat, The Rising of Happiness, Sayyidina `Ali (r) said whenever you mention the name of the Prophet (s) in the above version or in any version, a very nice fragrance will rise from that place that will be filled with the fragrance of incense or perfume. When we recite this, the angels change the smell of our mouths into a perfumed fragrance that rises from there and continues to rise in an ascension. When you say, salawaatullaahi wa malaa’ikatihi wa anbiyaaihi wa rusoolihi wa jami`ee khalqihi, “Blessings of Allah Almighty, of His Angels, of His Prophets, of His Messengers and all Creation,” and you are making salawaat on the family of Prophet (s), it is as if all Creation recited it, which will be written for the person who says it even once!
Grandshaykh (q) said that Shaykh Sharafuddin (q) wrote down this salawaat and if you read it, even if the whole Creation from the time of Sayyidina Adam (a) until the Day of Judgment were put on the Scale and you put this salawaat on the other side, it would be heavier! It is so easy. Sayyidina `Ali (r), about whom the Prophet (s) said, “I am the City of Knowledge and `Ali is the door,” took the secret of all salawaats and put it in this form for people to read. If it is recited in the way Sayyidina `Ali (r) related it and Shaykh Sharafuddin (q) wrote it, the same way all of you are reading it, it is heavier than anything on the Scale and perfume rises from that association, and as it ascends through every level it will increase and more angels make salawaat and all that is written for you! In every level of its ascension there are angels that Allah (swt) ordered to make salawaat, which becomes as if you are reading each one! As long as you are reciting, there are angels also reciting for you, and for each salawaat you get the reward of ten salawaats from Allah (swt). When He gives ten back, no one can explain what it is. So from that one salawaat we do and the other different versions that people do, that smell rises until it penetrates throughout the heavens.
يَا مَعْشَرَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنسِ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَن تَنفُذُوا مِنْ أَقْطَارِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ فَانفُذُوا لَا تَنفُذُونَ إِلَّا بِسُلْطَانٍ
Yaa ma`ashara al-jinni wa ’l-insi in istata`tum an tanfuzhoo min aqtaari ‘s-samawaati wa ’l-ardi fa-anfuthoo la tanfuthoona illa bi-sultaan.
O you, assembly of jinns and men! If you can pass beyond the zones of the Heavens and the Earth, pass! Not without authority (a sultaan) shall you be able to pass. (Surat ar-Rahman, 55:33)
This means, “O jinn and ins! If you are able to penetrate the limits of the heavens and earth then do it, but you will not be able to do it without a sultaan.” There are too many meanings for this and now a new one has come: if you can penetrate it do it, there is a possibility. Allah (swt) says, “I am allowing you, but you cannot do it without a sultaan.” This means that salawaat on Prophet (s) is the sultaan that lets you penetrate. In this meeting or any meeting around the world where salawaat is being made, there is already a sultaan from the salawaat and its smell that emanates and penetrates through the Seven Heavens, as Allah (swt) says in Holy Qur`an, “Try to penetrate it.” We can penetrate it with Prophet’s salawaat! The tafseer is, that salawaat will ascend through the heavens until it reaches ‘Arsh ar-Rahman! I will say it again:
Salawaatullaahi wa malaa’ikatihi wa anbiyaaihi wa rusoolihi wa jami`ee khalqihi `alaa Muhammad wa `alaa aali Muhammad `alayhi wa `alayhimu ‘s-salaam wa rahmatullaahi wa barakatuh.
That salawaat was recited by Sayyidina `Ali (r) to the Sahaabah (r), and he explained that it reached `Arsh, and Sahaabah never say something that does not exist!
Allah and His angels are making salawaat on His Prophet (s), but how is their salawaat? What we are explaining is only a drop in an ocean. wa yajidu reehaha kullu man khalaqallahu ta`ala fi ‘l-ard, “Every creature on earth and in this universe will smell it except jinn and ins.” Everyone else will smell it except them, because Allah (swt) veiled them from it, because if you smelled it you would be finished, and Allah’s wisdom is for this earth to continue, but if you smelled it you would stop doing everything and fall in love with that smell and will be unable to come out of it, knowing that if you do come out, you would start smelling the bad smell of dunya again! So Allah veiled it, although it is there and it is written for you and will go with you to your grave, as it is your key to heavens!
مجلس يذكر فيه النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم نمت فيه رائحة تخترق السماوات السبع حتى تنتهي إلى العرش ويجد كل من خلق الله ريحها في الأرض غير الإنس والجن فإنهم لو وجدوا تلك الرائحة اشتغل كل منهم بلذته عن معيشته، ولا يجد تلك الرائحة ملك أو خلق من خلق الله تعالى إلا استغفر لأهل المجلس، ويكتب لهم بعدد هذا الخلق كلهم حسنات، ويرفع لهم درجات، سواء كان بالمجلس واحد أو ألف كل واحد يأخذ من الأجر مثل هذا العدد، وما عند الله تعالى أكثر
Majlisun yadhkur feehi’n-Nabi (s) namat feehi raa’ihat takhtariq as-samawaat as-sabi` hattaa tantahiyy ila’l-`arshi wa yajid kulli man khalaq Allahu reehiha fi’l-ardi ghayra al-insi wa’l-jinni fa innahum law wajadoo reeha tilka’r-raa’ihata ashtaghal kullun minhum bi-ladhdhatihi `an ma`shatahu. Wa laa yajid tilka’r-raa’ihat malakin aw khalqin min khalqillaahi ta`ala illa ’staghfara li-ahl al-majlis. Wa yuktab lahum bi `adad hadha’l-khalq kullahum hasanaat. wa yarfa` lahum darajaat. Sawaa’un kaana bi’l-majlis waahidin aw alfin kulli waahidin yaakhudh min al-ajra mithla hadha’l-`addad. Wa maa `indallaahi ta`ala akthar.
A beautiful fragrance will rise up from a gathering in which the Prophet (s) is mentioned which which will penetrate the seven heavens until it ends ups at the Throne. And every single creation one of Allah’s creation on earth will smell that fragrance except for Jinn and human beings, for verily if they were to smell that fragrance it would busy every one of them so much with its delightful scent that it would take them away from working for a living. And no angel and not one of Allah’s creations smells that fragrance except that they ask forgiveness for the people of that gathering and good deeds are written for them on the number of all these creations and they are raised up in levels, regardless if the gathering contained one person or 1000, each one would take the reward on that number. And what is in Allah’s Divine Presence of reward is far more.
That’s why awliyaullah smell it, because they are no longer concerned with dunya; all their focus it to love and obey Allah (swt) and Prophet (s) and to go on this line of Ma`rifah. “If we could smell it, every human being and jinn would be preoccupied with this fragrance and would drop everything from their personal lives and everything would stop,” so Allah (swt) hides it. But awliyaullah are explaining it to us to check if we are going to take that route and go. Yes, we must go, because as we said, with salawaat Allah (swt) will open all doors of rizq. So don’t worry about dunya as it will come to you and be your slave. Now we are slaves of dunya; everyone is saying, “Job, job, job!” and no one is saying, “Akhirah, akhirah, akhirah!” That includes all of us! If you say “Akhirah,” you will be saved, and if you say “dunya,” you will be tortured and tested. Wa laa yajid tilka ‘r-raahiya malakun wa laa khalqun min khalqillaahi ta`ala illa ‘staghfara li-ahli ‘l-majlis. Only jinn and ins cannot smell it, but anyone else, angels and any other creations that Allah created, even a worm or virus, will smell it and any creature that smells it will be praising Prophet (s), and their praising will be written for you!
This is a door that never closes for us because Prophet (s) is Rahmatali 'l-`Alameen, Mercy to All the Worlds, a title which doesn't begin to express the Mercy that Allah (swt) gave Prophet (s) to give us! All beings will make istighfaar and salawaat on behalf of the one who recited that one salawaat, from jinn or ins, because there are mu'min who are human and also non-human. For each salawaat you recite, a reward will be written for you that equals the number of Allah’s Creation who smelled that smell. You can't count that! If you go to the forest and look at the ants in their houses, you cannot count them: there might be millions, billions or quadrillions. Who knows? What about fish and worms and other things?
Also, Allah (swt) will raise you in the different levels according to their number; if their number is one million, you will get one million levels, if ten, you get ten million levels, with just one salawaat! What do you think about the salawaat of angels on the Prophet (s)! And this is just for one association, or for one person who is doing it by himself! This is also mentioned in another book, `Inaanatu ‘t-Taalibeen. So Allah (swt) has opened for us maa laa `aynun ra`at wa laa udhnun sami`at wa laa khatara `ala qalbi bashar, “What no eye has seen, no ear has ever heard and what never occurred to any heart.”
Allah (swt) gave to human beings, especially to Ummat an-Nabee (s), unimaginable honor that will be given to you on the Day of Judgment, all for His love of Prophet Muhammad (s). If you love Prophet (s), whom Allah loves, then Allah loves you! Allahumma salli ‘alaa Sayyidina Muhammad wa `alaa ali Sayyidina Muhammad.
There is a version of salawaat that is different from other versions we have mentioned, and if you read it seven times a day or more, yuhibbahu mahabbatan khaasah wa laa yamootu illa waliyyan, Prophet (s) will love you with a special love and you will not leave dunya without being a wali. That is “Jawharat al-Kamal, the Jewel of Perfection,” the jewel perfect in condition:
إذا قرأت " جوهرة الكمال " سبع مرّات أو أكثر في اليوم الواحد فستكسب حب خاص من النبي (ص) ولن تذهب من هذه الدنيا دون أن تكون من الأولياء .
جوهرة الكمال
للهم صلّي وسلّم على عين الرحمة الربّانية , والياقوتة المتحققة الحائطة بمركز الفهوم والمعاني ونور الأكوان المتكوّنة الآدمية من البحور والأواني , ونورك اللامع الذي ملأت به الكونك الحائط بأمكنة المكان , اللهم صلّي وسلّم على عين الحق التي تجلّى منها عروش الحقائق عين المعارف الأقوم , صراطك التام الأسقم , إحاطة النور المطلسم , اللهم صلّي وسلّم على طلعة الحق بالحق الكنز الأعظم , إفاضتك منك إليك إحاطة النور المطلسم , صلّى الله عليه وعلى آله صلاة تعرّفنا بها إليه بها إيّاها
Allahumma salli wa sallim `alaa `ayni ‘r-rahmati ‘r-rabbaaniyyah wa ‘l yaaqootati al-mutahaqqiqati ‘l-haa’itati bi-markazi ‘l-fuhoomi wa 'l-ma`aanee. Wa noori ‘l-akwaani ‘l-mutakawwinati ‘l-aadami min al-buhoori wa ‘l-awaani. Wa noorika ‘llaami`u 'Lladhee mala'ta bihi kawnaka 'l-haa’iti bi-amkinatil makaani.
Allahumma salli wa sallim `alaa `ayni ‘l-haqqi allatee tajalla minhaa `urooshu ‘l-haqaaiqi `ayni ‘l-ma`aarif al-aqwamu siraatuka ‘t-taammu 'l-asqam, ihaatati ‘n-noori ‘l-mutalsam. Allahumma salli wa sallim `alaa tal`ati 'l-haqqi bi 'l-haqq al-kanzil `aazham. Ifaadatuka minka ilayka ihaatati ‘n-noori ‘l-mutalsam. SallAllaahu `alayhi wa `alaa aalihi salaatan tu`arrifunaa bihaa ilayh bihaa iyyaahaa.
O Allah! Send benediction upon and salute the Source of Divine Mercy! The True Ruby which encompasses the center of comprehension and meanings! The Light of the World, which is in fact the Son of Adam! The Possessor of Divine Truth! The Most-Luminous Lightning in the profitable rain clouds which fill all the intervening seas as receptacles! The Bright Light with which You filled the universe and which surrounds the places of existence!
O Allah! Bless and salute the Source of Truth from which manifestations of realities are manifest! The Source of Knowledge, the Most-Upright, the Complete and Most-Straight Path! O Allah! Bless and salute the Advent of the Truth by the Truth! The Greatest Treasure! Your Overflowing that is coming from Itself to Itself! The Circle of Mysterious Light! May Allah bless the Prophet and his household, a prayer which brings us to knowledge of him!
As we read it, the angels will be reading it. It is not easy for everyone to read and although some of you can read it, not everyone can, so I will ask him to translate it, like we did with Ahmed al Badawi’s salawaat.
This is some of what we are speaking about regarding the love of Prophet (s): when you love him Allah (swt) loves you, and when you don't love him Allah doesn't love you, because there is one Habeeb, Habeebullah huwa Muhammad (s)! There are habaaib Muhammad, lovers of Muhammad, but Habeebullah is only one. The lovers of Prophet (s) are awliyaullah and ummat an-Nabee (s), but the reality is that Muhammad (s) is the only lover of Allah (swt). You can say, Ibraheemu khaleelullah, “Ibraheem is Allah’s friend,” but you cannot say Allah khaleel Ibraheem, “Allah is Ibraheem’s friend.” However, for Prophet (s) you can say it both ways: Muhammadun habeebullah and Allahu habeebu Muhammad. That is a unique maqaam, Maqaam al-Fardaaniyya, that no one else shares! Allah (swt) loves Prophet (s) and whoever loves him, that’s it! May Allah (swt) give us love for Prophet (s), because when He gives us that love it means He loves us.
Man daawama `alaa qiraa’atiha marratan min kulli yawm laa yadhuq sakharaati ’l-mawt. It is also said that if someone says, “As-salaamu `alayka ayyuha ‘n-nabee wa rahmatullahi ta`ala wa barakatuh” once a day or continuously, you will not feel the pain when the soul is leaving the body, what are called sakharaati ’l-mawt, “the pangs of death,” as according to your acts you will be in punishment. As for the mu'min, someone asked Prophet (s) how their soul comes out and he said, “Like a hair from ghee,” because it will come out so easily. For mu'min there is no pain of death. When you slaughter a goat or sheep, you see the animal struggle, but the soul of the mu’min will not struggle, it will go with angels with no pain, like taking a hair from ghee. So he said, “You will not feel the pain of death.” SubhaanAllah!
There is also a du`a of al-Fatihah, but it is long and I am not going to explain that now.
He says, “O brothers and my beloved sons! At the end you will find safety and win the guidance of Allah (swt) and Prophet (s) and reach the highest of levels if you constantly keep salawaat on Prophet (s).” Do this in the way you like, whether you have memorized some or you find others in different books, especially in Dalaa’il al-Khayraat, because it contains most of the salawaat. So keep on reciting from this book unless you are sick or have guests or are traveling. If you cannot read it, Grandshaykh (q) said instead recite one-hundred salawaat on Prophet (s) and it will be as if you did the reading for that day. For those who cannot read Arabic or who are busy, do it that day; it takes ten minutes and you will be raised on all these levels that have been mentioned throughout this series.
[Du`a, Khatm]
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