As-Siddiq Mosque
A`oodhu billahi min ash-Shaytaani ‘r-rajeem. 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.
Ati`ullaha wa ati`u ‘r-Rasoola wa ooli ‘l-amri minkum.
Obey Allah, obey the Prophet, and obey those in authority among you. (4:59)
Dastoor, madad ya Sultaan al-Awliyaa, Mawlana Shaykh Muhammad Nazim al-Haqqani.
Dastoor, madad ya Sultaan al-Awliyaa, Mawlana Shaykh `Abd Allah al-Fa’iz ad-Daghestani.
As-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh. Allah (swt) gave us life to thank Him. He didn’t give us life to forget about Him. And He gave us this amaanah to keep intact, pure. Not to disturb it, and not to make it dirty. But unfortunately we are people who are not up to the level of clean, to be clean and to be responsible. We are irresponsible. If someone is sick in dunya, you see lot of doctors looking after him or after her. You try your best to keep in contact with your doctors to make sure you live a healthy life. You see from the behavior of people that everyone is trying to eat healthy. And they tell you today not to eat oil, not to eat butter, not to eat ghee, don’t eat this or that. What do you want to eat? Everything must be boiled! Is it not? (They say:) "Then you live longer."
Allahu akbar. How can they live longer when Allah (swt) said, “فَإِذَا جَاء أَجَلُهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلاَ يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ - fa idhaa jaa ajaluhum laa yastaakhiroona sa`atan wa la yastaqdimoon - When their appointed term has come there is no way to increase your life by one hour or to decrease it by one hour" ? (16:61)
People run to the doctor, since they think they can increase their life. But Allah (swt) made doctors as instruments to make sure the person whom they are treating will reach the right moment of death. That means the doctor is part of the system of the age that Allah (swt) gave to you. The doctor is playing a role in it, that the right time of age Allah (swt) gave to you will be completed. That doctor Allah (swt) made him to look after your sickness in order to come to the right time frame to die. Then when the time of death comes, no doctor can say, “Stay.” You are leaving. You are not listening to anyone at that time, except to that voice that is calling you. Come! You will go. You cannot say, “No.”
So as we look at our bodies to be healthy with the help of doctors and nutritionists, and this and that. We must also look for spiritual doctors. And by spiritual doctors I mean the real ones, not the fake ones. There are too many fake ones. Too many, you cannot count them. The real ones are the ones that are really connected through their hearts with the Prophet (s) without a doubt. Those spiritual doctors keep this sunnah of the Prophet (s) in every action they do. Not like these pseudo doctors, murshid this murshid that, shaykh this, shaykh that. No. Those, if they ask they will be answered. Those, when they say, “Ya Rabbee!” They hear the voice “Ya `Abdee!” They hear, ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ - Id`oonee astajib lakum - Ask Me! I will respond to you; I will accept.” (40:60) From whom can it be accepted? Who is the one that has the title that whatever he asks, he will be given? The one, that if you love someone, if he asks you, you give.
You love your son, if he ask you, you give. Even if you don’t have, you try to get it to give it. What? You give your daughter. If his wife asks, he will not give. If his daughter asks he will give. Some people they give their wives. But wife and husband, if their daughter or son ask they, try their best to find a way to give them. So it means habeeb, the loved one, anything he asks he will be given. What is the difference between habeeb and khaleel? Khaleel is different and habeeb is different. Who is khaleel? It is the one you feel close and intimate with. You feel friendship, he is your friend. The one that is your friend, he is in need of you. Because if he will ask you if he is in need of something, you will give to him. But habeeb, without asking you give. A lover, whom you love, if you love someone, you go and buy jewelry. Even if they don’t ask. But for your friend you don’t buy jewelry unless he asks. The khaleel, you give if he asks. The habeeb, without asking you give.
So Khaleelullah is different and Habeebullah is different. Khaleelullah is Sayyidina `Ibraheem (a) and Habeebullah is Sayyidina Muhammad (s), and between Khaleelullah and Habeebullah there are many different levels that different ones can have, but the only one who is Habeebullah is Sayyidina Muhammad (s). He is the one entitled to mahabbah. Allah (swt) loved him, because He created him to be loved. He created him with that reality, He dressed him with that reality. Allah (swt) wants His servants to be loved by Him. That is why he is called Habeeb ar-Rahmaan; no one else is called Habeeb al-Rahmaan, except Sayyidina Muhammad (s).
Sayyidina `Ibraheem (a) is called Khaleelullah, “friend of Allah” (swt). And saints are friends of Allah (swt). Not like friends between people, they are RijaalAllah. If they ask something, Allah (swt) gives them. If in their heart inspirations come, then Allah (swt) makes reality for them. If they ask, Allah (swt) will give.
رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوا مَا عَاهَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ فَمِنْهُم مَّن قَضَى نَحْبَهُ وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَنتَظِرُ وَمَا بَدَّلُوا تَبْدِيلًا
- Rijaalun sadaqoo ma `ahadallaha `alayh fa-minhum man qadaa nahbahu wa minhum man yantadhir wa maa baddaloo tabdeela - men that kept their covenant with Allah (swt) and some passed and some are waiting. (33:23)
They never changed, they are always on Siraat al-Mustaqeem. Always on the right path. This is their (?), they have to go through that system. Allah (swt) created that Siraat al-Mustaqeem and no one can pass it, except there is one at the end he doesn’t need to pass. He passed already. Allah (swt) said about him,
إِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًا مُّبِينًا لِيَغْفِرَ لَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ وَيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكَ وَيَهْدِيَكَ صِرَاطًا مُّسْتَقِيمً
Inna fatahna laka fathan mubeena. li-yaghfira laka allahu maa taqadama min dhanbika wa ta-akhar wa yutima ni`matahu `alayka wa yahdiyaka siraatin mustaqeema - We have granted you a manifest victory in order that Allah may forgive thee thy faults of the past and those to follow; fulfil His favour to thee; and guide thee on the Straight Way;(48:2)
Allah (swt) granted to him without him asking. Li yaghfira laka, Allah (swt) made a big opening for him; it means, “You don’t need to ask, yaa Muhammad (s). We have made a huge opening for your victory against Shaytan and for anything in dunya and by giving you forgiveness.”
For Allah (swt) to forgive what you did before and after. What did Prophet (sws) do? He didn’t make a sin. But Allah (swt) wants to give him responsibility over human beings, and jinn and angels. Ma taqadama means “what happened before”. That means, “Yaa Muhammad (s) you are My beloved one, you are My lover. And I am giving you that Creation under your responsibility and in Day of Promises I asked them, ‘Who am I?’ And they said, ‘You are our Lord.’ And they didn’t keep that responsibility. So these sins they made, are your responsibility and so I made for you an opening to forgive for you al the sins you have done.” And we know that Prophet (s) didn’t do any sin. So whose sins are they? They are the sins of the ummah. As Sayyidina Adam (a) ate from the fruit. And he was ma`soom (innocent). It was not him who ate, but the dhurriyyah (offspring) of Bani Adam (a) behind his back made his arm to move to eat.
So Prophet (s) took that responsibility. “Since I love you, you are My habeeb, I am forgiving all sins of before, I am forgiving your ummah.That is why I gave you shafa`ah.” So what happened before the sins, means what happened in the world of souls, before dunya. Not as they translate, what sins you have done before in your life. No, the Prophet (s) as all know, did not sin in this life. So it refers of the time when Sayyidina Adam (a) married to Sayyida Hawa and their children. Allah (swt) has forgiven all their children of their sins without the Prophet (s) asking. This is the greatness of Prophet Muhammad (s) the sincere servant of Allah (swt). So there is huge difference between Habeebullah and Khaleelullah. Habeeb is the one who without asking will be given. But khaleel is the one given when he asks. You must be happy that Allah (swt) created us from Ummat an-Nabee! We are not following prior prophets, but we are following Sayyidina Muhammad alayhi afdal as-salaat was-salaam. That is why we can say, Muhammad Habeebullah. And you can say, “Allah Habeebu Muhammad (Allah is beloved of Muhammad)?” Can you say that or not? Yes, and you can say, Allah Habeeb Muhammad.
Sajeda (Kabbani) stands up each time Prophet’s (s) name is mentioned. So in Indonesia we often had 5000 people in attendance and she stood up and I stood because I was shy, so all were standing and sitting, standing and sitting! (laughter)
So we can say Muhammad Habeebullah and Allah Habeebullah, but we cannot say Allah Khaleel ``Ibraheem, no. We can say `Ibraheem Khaleelullah but not the reverse. You cannot say that Allah (swt) is friend of Sayyidina `Ibraheem (a). But for Sayyidina Muhammad (s) you can say that. That is why huw al-habeeb alladhae turjaa shafa`atahu, “He is the beloved one to Allah (swt) that humanity are always requesting and in need of his intercession.” Intercession is not for him, intercession is for the ummah.
Can you say Muhammad Habeeb al-Ummah? Yes. Can you say al-Ummah Habeebu Muhammad? Yes; it is the reality of Sayyidina Muhammad (s). Allah (swt) gave him the total love. So you can say whatever you like about love of Prophet (s) for Allah (swt), and love of Allah (swt) for Prophet (s). But you cannot say Allah Khaleel `Ibraheem. So for Sayyidina Muhammad (s) you can reverse the equation. You cannot say Allah Khaleel `Ibraheem. That is why huw al-habeeb alladhee turjaa shafa`atahu, he is the beloved one that everyone seek his intercession. Who is everyone? Is it us? No, it is everyone. It means jinn and ins. Not one is out, everyone is need of shafa`ata'n-Nabiyy. Yarhamakallah. He is the one that everyone is in need of his shafa`ah, human beings and jinn.
So the lover, you can reach your lover without a doorkeeper, bi laa waasitah, is it not? With no means you reach your lover. But for your friend, your khaleel, you cannot reach without means. That is why Sayyidina Muhammad (s) went to Qaaba Qawsayni aw Adna without means. Sayyidina Jibreel (a) said, “You go on without me.” Without means and no doorkeeper, Prophet (s) continued his way. But friend, khaleel needs a means. (Sayyidina `Ibraheem made du`a:) wa an… yaghfira lee khatiyatee, “I wish that Allah (swt) will forgive my sins.” To forgive a sin what do you need? You need intercession, someone to intercede. If Sayyidina `Ibraheem (a), the father of the three (monotheist) religions, is asking to be forgiven walladhe atma`u an yaghfira lee khatiyatee, “I am in the need for Allah (swt) to forgive me.” But for Prophet (s) he said, Adam wa man doonahu tahta liwaee yawm al-qiyamah. Are you understanding? The habeeb reaches without means. The khaleel needs a means. So on Judgment Day they need intercession of Sayyidina Muhammad (s).
And there is a story about Imam al-Ghazali (r). He said, “One night kuntu fee darun khaarij al-balda, “I came to a village and at night when I was performing my tahajjud prayer, I am awake and praying. Through mukashafa, vision that Allah (swt) opened to my heart, I saw all the people in this village sleeping. Not one was up for praying. All of them were sleeping. Wa lam yakun ahadan minhum fee `ibadati Rabbihi aw ita`at khaaliqihi, Not one is praying or in obedience to Allah (swt).”
And look how even awliyaaullah don’t say it is too much; even awliyaaullah fall into mistakes. There is no wali that is masum. They make mistakes; if they don’t make mistakes they would be prophets. But you have to have husn adh-dhann, good thoughts about him because by good intention, not by bad intention, he did it. His intention is pure, but a mistake happened. So like Imam al-Ghazali (r) here, he saw everyone sleeping, they are not praying. His ego began to speak with him, telling him, “O, you are better than them. (I am adding that.) You are better, you are praying and they are not praying.”
(Imam Ghazali’s narration continues,) “And I said to myself law kuntu qadiran `ala harq haadhihi al-balda la haraqta kullah, “If I was able to burn this village as they are not worshipping their Creator, I will burn them all!” Look how much the self can play with everyone! Major. Who are you to say this? I am not saying that for him, he is a big wali, but for the self. The self is talking and struggling with the ego.
(Imam Ghazali’s narration continues, “And I thought,) Who are you to say, ‘I will burn them’? Who gave you that authority? I was thinking and struggling between my soul and my ego, and inspirations came to me that ihraqal-`ibaad mukhtasan billahi bi nafsihi, “No one can burn anyone; the Only One who has right to burn is Allah (swt)!”
That is why Prophet (s) prohibited burning anyone dead or alive. That is why those suicide bombers killing with fire and explosions are forbidden; it is not accepted in Islam. Prophet (s) prohibited burning someone with fire. Even a worm you cannot burn with fire, even a fly, even any small animal, an insect you are not allowed to burn by fire. There are many people in villages they collect and burn. There might be ants there and they might die. So we do lot of things that are not accepted and we don’t think about it. How many ants you are killing by burning in a farm? How many souls are you killing?
So Imam Ghazali (r) said to himself, “Burning is only by Allah (swt)! So how did I give that wrong decision to myself? Immediately I backed out of that inspiration that came to my heart. (Then he said,) law kunta shafi`an la shaf`ata li kulli waahidin minhum, “If i was an intercessor, I would have interceded for everyone of them without looking at their deeds! (Then I said to myself,) “That is another mistake for me! Shafa’ is only for Sayyidina Muhammad (s), not for anyone else!”
Then came to me a nidaa'un, a voice (saying), yaqoolu yaa shaykh law laa turja `ala haadha al-qawla, ”O Shaykh! It is good that you backed up from that inspiration that came to your heart also, because if you didn’t back out from that, I would have put you in the deepest possible point in Earth, and I would have stripped your name completely from awliyaaullah! You would no longer be a wali to Me, because shafa`a is to My Beloved. That is siffat al-habeeb, the attribute of Sayyidina Muhammad (s)!”
So we are in need for Shafa`at an-Nabee (s) and that shafa`a is that the Prophet (s) wants to catch one good thing you have done in your life in order to intercede for you!
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FUNDRAISER FOR ORPHANS
So I will stop here, but I would like to say that anyone who is hearing us on the Iternet, we have encountered a lot of orphans on this trip. Thousands of them. And one orphan was reciting, or orating or reciting something. She said, and she is not more than 7 years of age. And she was crying and she was saying, with at least 400-500 orphans in that special incident. She said, “I am tasting the suffering of not having a mother or a father. My mother died when she delivered me.” It was a very nice statement, it is on Sufilive. If they can go to the university Paramadein in Jakarta, you can see it there. I read it in English and she read in Bahasa. She said when she was born her mother died and she didn’t have but a sick father. And after one year that father died. And she was raised an orphan not having a father or a mother. And she said many of her friends who were there, they have no parents, they died in tsunami. And they have no relatives.
So we visited many of these orphanages and we were asked if there is possibility to help these poor boys and girls. And they are really in need. So I said to myself, how we can raise money for these orphans? And those hearing on internet, they can type that in the chatroom. I brought these clothes, they are from Mawlana Shaykh (q) who gave it to me and I used them very little. We will auction them and whatever money comes, we give for them. If anyone is interested they can buy and poor can give or rich can help poor can give and say I won’t go to the movie theatre (save that money) and rich can help as much as they like. This is Mawlana Shaykh Nazim’s (q) white jubbah for summer and with it one of his shirts. A set, pants/ shirt/ jubbah of Mawlana Shaykh (q), who wants it? Mawlana Shaykh Nazim’s (q) he wore it 2-3 years, it still has his smell in it, it is winter one. This is another one purple jubbah, written “heavenly healing team”. They gave to me in Jakarta, I sent it to Mawlana (q) and he wore it and sent back to me. With all these decorations also Mawlana Shaykh’s (q) jubbah he gave to me. Anyone wants it? There is one jubbah that Mawlana Shaykh (q) wears a lot, bring it from the office. This Mawlana Shaykh Nazim’s (q) for many years and it was worn by him in seclusion. Not less than $10K money going for orphans. Really its very dear to me this piece, I didn’t want to give it, but never mind.
Wa min Allahi ‘t-tawfeeq. Du`a.