As-Siddiq Institute and Mosque, Burton, Michigan USA,
20 February 2021
Bismillaahi 'r-rahmaani' r-raheem
God willing, we will talk a little about the manners of Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q). What was the first thing you saw when you entered his dergah? A sign which says, "Adab Yaa Hu! Keep good conduct, O Allah support us!" Adab, good manners, have been lost, from the old to the young, the manners have been lost.
God willing, this comes from the sohbat Mawlana Shaykh Nazim gave in Beirut in 1984. 1984 was an important year. Mawlana Shaykh Nazim left Damascus between 1979-1980 because the first time we visited him was in 1980 in Cyprus was when he had just moved and his house was still being renovated at that time. The house we always see in photos was a ruin at that time. Mawlana Shaykh Nazim was renovating it slowly with his own hands and those of his disciples. So in 1980 he moved there while he also made many trips between Arab countries, Europe, Turkey and beyond.
During a journey to Madinah al-Munawwarah, upon its holy inhabitants the most excellent of blessings and peace, namely Rasulullah (s), his companions and Ahlu 'l-Bayt and those who are around it. I have delivered this sohba in Houston and once in other places, and it is an important sohba.
Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) never claimed to be the successor of Shaykh `AbdAllah ad-Daghestani (q). Mawlana Shaykh `AbdAllah ad-Daghestani (q) also never claimed to be the successor of Shaykh Sharafuddin (q). While it is common knowledge, but they never say it in public. They never say, "I am the successor."
Sayyidina Shaykh Nazim (q) said that there was someone who met him during his travels in Medina. The man said, "You seem like a Naqshbandi, are you a Naqshbandi?" This was 1984, eleven years after the passing of Shaykh `AbdAllah ad-Daghestani (q). What did Grandshaykh, Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) say? He said, "God willing, nasilu ilaa haqiqat an-naqsh." He did not say, "Yes, I am a Naqshbandi!" He did not give any title to his ego. He said, "Insha Allah nasilu, insha Allah we will reach haqiqat, the truth and reality of that naqsh, engraving."
Naqsh means engraving, which is to write something. What does the Holy Qur'an say about the engraving that should be placed on your heart?
Allah (swt) says in the Holy Qur'an:
لا تجد قوما يؤمنون بالله واليوم الاخر يوادون من حاد الله ورسوله ولو كانوا اباءهم او ابناءهم او اخوانهم او عشيرتهم اولىك كتب في قلوبهم الايمان وايدهم بروح منه ويدخلهم جنت تجري من تحتها الانهر خلدين فيها رضي الله عنهم ورضوا عنه اولىك حزب الله الآ ان حزب الله هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُوْنَ.
You (Muhammad) will not get a people who believe in Allah and in the Hereafter will have mutual affection for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if those people are their fathers, children, relatives or their families. These are the people whose hearts God has implanted faith and Allah has strengthened them with the Spirit that comes from Him. (Surah al-Mujadalah, 58:22)
Oolaa'ika, that is people, kataba fi quloobihimu 'l-imaan, Allah (swt) has written faith in their hearts. Kataba means writing, namely naqsh. Oolaa'ika kataba fi quloobihimu 'l-imaan, Allah (swt) has written, carved, planted traces of faith in their hearts. Wa ayadahum bi roohin minhu, and strengthened them with a spirit from Him. That spirit is the spirituality of your Shaykh.
From whom did Mawlana Shaykh Nazim get his strength? From the spirituality of Shaykh `AbdAllah ad-Daghestani (q). Allah (swt) said, "I have carved faith in their hearts and I have strengthened them with a spirit, Roohu 'l-Quddus; as Sayyidina `Isa (as) got strength from Roohu 'l-Quddus; Sayyidina Muhammad (s) had the support of Sayyidina Jibril (as), Roohu 'l-Ameen: There is a spirit who will strengthen those whom Allah has planted faith in their hearts.
So Grandshaykh Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) was laughing and saying, "I hope that we attain haqiqat of the naqsh, engraving, bi barakati Sayyidina 'l-Shaykh, with the blessing of my Shaykh - that is that spirit, who strengthens me, who has led me to this path, inshaAllah I can reach the reality of the engraving of faith in Allah (swt) in my heart. "
So this man thought that Mawlana Shaykh Nazim was a mureed, disciple. He said, "Well, if you wish to attain reality of the engraving, then who is your Shaykh?" Look at how Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) gave the impression to that person that, "I am not a shaykh." Now everyone is confessing, "I am the Shaykh!" That person gets the impression that Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) is not his Shaykh. Look at his manners, tawad`u, humility.
The man asked, "All right, then who is your Shaykh?"
Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) said, "Our Shaykh is the Seal (khatimah) of all Naqshbandi Imams." Now people say, "No, no, that person is the successor." Look at the adab of Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q), where he says that his Shaykh is the last Shaykh of all Naqshbandi Imams for him. "Wa khitaamuhu misk," and the seal is musk. He indicated that Grandshaykh's seal was musk. Allah (swt) said in the Holy Quran:
خِتَامُهُ مِسْكٌ وَفِي ذَلِكَ فَلْيَتَنَافَسِ الْمُتَنَافِسُونَ. وَمِزَاجُهُ مِن تَسْنِيمٍ. عَيْنًا يَشْرَبُ بِهَا الْمُقَرَّبُونَ.
Its Seal is musk. For this let (all) those strive who strive for bliss. And mixed with water of Tasnim, A spring whence those brought near to Allah drink. (Surat al-Mutaffifin, 83: 26-28)
Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) said, "I reached Heaven with my Shaykh, and I have drunk from that spring in Heaven whose seal is musk." It means that if you follow the Shaykh you will reach Heaven and you will drink from that spring.
Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) did not say that he was the successor of Shaykh `AbdAllah (q). Mawlana Shaykh Hisham has shown us Mawlana Shaykh Nazim's (q) handwriting in which he wrote the names of Shuyukh an-Naqshbandiyya and he stopped at Shaykh `AbdAllah ad-Daghestani (q). He did not continue. Adab, good manners! He said, "Sultanu 'l-Awliya' Ash-Shaykh `AbdAllah ad-Daghestani (q), may Allah raise his stations forever, that is our Shaykh, the cover of the Naqshbandiyya Imams and its seal is musk."
So the person asked, "OK, you have described your Shaykh in a very beautiful way, but is he still alive and provided for?"
Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) said, "When he becomes deceased, we will not follow him." Grandshaykh Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) taught us where he told that person, "If my Shaykh is dead then I will not follow him." The Shaykh is living an eternal life. Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) lives an eternal life. Allah (swt) has given them eternity, هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ hum feehaa khaalidoon, "they are eternal in it." Grandshaykh teaches us that no matter what you are in this life, your Shaykh always lives with you.
Nowadays people say, "The Shaykh is gone!" No! Learn the manners from Grandshaykh Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q). Know that he is in his grave, alive and provided sustenance, huwa hayyun yurzaq.
The man asked, "Well if he is the last Imam in the Naqshbandiyya Order, where is he now?" "Qultu lahu` inda Rabbee, I told him that he is in the Presence of my Lord. " Look, Mawlana Shaykh Nazim tells you where Awliyaullah are.
They have one face with creatures, with people and one face with Haqq. That is the true haqiqat of qalb, the heart. The heart has two faces, the first is called al-fuad which is with Haqq, namely the fuad seen by Rasulullah (s); and the face of the heart facing the creatures, namely sadr.
اَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَۙ
Haven't We expanded your breast (O Muhammad)? (Surat al-Inshirah, 94,1)
Meaning, "Have We not expanded your chest so that you can be with your people."
So the heart has two faces like the moon which has a dark and light face. The bright face of the qalb is called fuad, it faces Haqq, Allah swt, and receives light. The opposite face of the moon is facing us, the dark side. He looks our way at night. You are dark and invisible at night, but the moon at night is luminous.
So the Shaykh is looking at you with his light, O dark people. And he looks towards Allah (swt) to receive light. That is the essence of the heart. So Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) said, "My Shaykh is with my Lord." One face is facing Haqq, the other face is facing the creature.
The radiant face facing Allah (swt) is the fuad of the heart and the dark side is sadr, the realm of alam nashrah laka shadrak, "We have expanded your chest" to be with the people. The people need to cry a lot which is why the Shaykh carries a stick. But he never used it on us because of his hilm, tolerance, he is very haleem.
اِنَّ اِبْرٰهِيْمَ لَاَوَّاهٌ حَلِيْمٌ
Ibrahim was most tender-hearted. most clement. (Surat At-Tauba, 9:114)
Ibrahim was awwaah, which means he cried a lot ah ... ah ... ah ... to his Lord, haleem to his people. He cried a lot to his Lord and was gentle with his people.
Why does the Arabic letter 'Ba' have a dot, nukta?
Bismillaahi 'r-Rahmaani' r-Raheem
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
The letter 'Ba' has one dot, because it affirms about one love. You want to find Allah (swt), you have to start with Bismillaahi 'r-Rahmaani' r-Raheem to enter the Ocean of the Qur'an, and the first letter you have to say is 'Ba'!
'Ba' has one dot and that is one love. You can't have two loves, you can't have three loves, only one! That is our love for Grand Shaykh, and his love is for his Shaykh and so on to the lineage of Rasulullah (s) and from him (s) to Allah (swt). That's one 'Ba'.
You need something, you need a bond, you need to bind yourself to something. May Allah (swt) make us remember Mawlana Shaykh Nazim at all times, maintain manners towards Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q). He is the last Imam of the Naqshbandiyya for us. We just look at him, we just love him with sincere love, completely. Other Shaykhs are on top of our heads, they also love Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) and we love anyone who loves our teacher. And our teachers live forever! Don't break the bond.
As Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) said that, "law kaana mayyitan lamaa taba`naahu, if Grand Shaykh `AbdAllah Fa'iz ad-Daghestani (q) is dead I would not follow him. " Following the dead will not get you anywhere.
The man said, "All right, your teacher is with your Lord, then how do you reach Shaykh Nazim (q)?" This is manners for big people, not for me (laughs). The man asked Shaykh Nazim (q) how to reach Grand Shaykh `AbdAllah (q). If someone asks you, "How can we reach Shaykh Nazim (q)?" What will you say?
Notice, listen and learn about this. He said, "If they do not want you, they will not send you to us through the door you will enter. You will stand in the doorway." What did you put on the doorstep? Doormat! You will step on the doormat and enter. "If they don't want you, they won't send you to me. So you'll step on the doormat first and then enter." Then who is the doormat? Look at the humility of Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q). He said, "You step on me and go in through the door." Why do you have to step on the doormat first? Because your feet are dirty, meaning you have filth in your heart.
Before entering the holy region, الوادي المقدس al-waadi al-muqaddas, the holy valley, what did Sayyidina Musa (as) hear? Take off your shoes! Your shoes are dirty, can't get into the holy area. So Grand Shaykh said, "You cannot enter the door; you cannot enter Grand Shaykh's presence, before you clean yourself first. Where? On the doormat!" I am the one who will remove your dirt. That thing so step on me!"
Notice this subtle message. The Shaykh said to him, "I will remove your filth." What did Mawlana Shaykh Hisham teach? Sayyidina Abayazid al-Bistami (q) said, "You must be mazbalah مزبلة, a garbage dump." How many times have we heard Mawlana Shaykh Hisham say that. The Shaykh was a garbage dump and the dumpster never says, "Don't throw garbage in me again." No! You keep throwing away all the garbage, including smelly diapers as well. What does the dumpster say? Nothing!
So Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) said to him, "You cannot enter the presence of the Grand Shaykh without cleaning your feet first, as it was said to Sayyidina Musa (as):
إِنِّي أَنَا رَبُّكَ فَاخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ إِنَّكَ بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى
Truly, I am your Lord, so take off your sandals. Because indeed you are in the holy valley, Toowa. (Surah Taha, 20:12)
This means Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) will make you reach a state like that of Sayyidina Musa (as).
And whose voice was that at the Sacred Valley? Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) said that the voice that said to take off the shoes was the voice of the Prophet (peace be upon him). In the holy book of the Qur'an it is said that, "Truly, I am your Lord, so take off your sandals. Because indeed you are in the holy valley, Toowa."
Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) said Allah (swt) would not tell you to take off your sandals. Allah (swt) is al-`Aliyyu 'l-`Azheem, The Most High, the Tremendous, but it is the person waiting for you there who says it. Rasulullah (s) was the one waiting for Musa (as) there at ash-Shajarati 'l-Mubarak, the Sacred Tree. Who is said to be the holy tree? So the Shaykh said to you, "I will get rid of your filth and I will prepare you to enter the door, into the presence of Grandshaykh and Rasulullah (s)."
The person didn't seem to like this answer. He said, "All right, you told me about entering through the door, stepping on the doormat first, but who is your Shaykh's caliph? Mawlana say, "I told him, 'In front of you is the shaykh's khaadim (servant).'" If you need something from the Shaykh you can ask his khaadim. He didn't say, "I am this, I am that," but he said, "Ask me, I am the servant of my Shaykh, I will convey to him what you need."
Take care of good manners! Look at Mawlana Shaykh Nazim's (q) wariness (wara`) it is a high level of sincerity but at the same time he shows you his state. He is the one who will lead you to the holy presence of Grandshaykh and Rasulullah (s), by removing all your filth. May Allah (swt) forgive us. May Allah (swt) make us always with him.
He is hayyun yurzaq, living, He lives and gets sustenance, so don't forget it. That means he gets spiritual sustenance and physical sustenance and Allah (swt) is All-Knowing. May Allah (swt) forgive all of us and enable us to maintain adab towards Mawlana and always understand that he is alive. May Allah (swt) forgive us.
https://sufilive.com/Urs-of-Sultan-al-Awliya-Mawlana-Shaykh-Nazim-Adil-Haqqani-7432.html
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