From Mawlana Shaykh Nazim's Personal Notes
Tawbah, yaa Rabbee. Tawbah, yaa Rabbee. Tawbah, astaghfirullah. Shukr, yaa Rabbee. Shukr, yaa Rabbee. Shukr, alhamdulillah.
Allahumma ja’alna min ash-shakireen. Allahumma ja’alna ma ash-shakireen. Allahumma ja’alna inda `abdika shakoor, sallAllahu `alayhi was-sallam, yaa Rabbi ’l-`Alameen.
Ameen. Ameen. Ameen.
Dastoor, yaa Sayyidi, yaa Sultan al-Awliya. Dastoor, yaa Sayyidi wa Mawlay. Madad, yaa RijaalAllah.
Inshaa-Allah, a few words and then we can join the kids in their tents. What can you do? Awliyaullah have narrated that Rasoolullah (s) said:
وأَتْبِعِ السَّيِّئَةَ الْحسنةَ تَمْحُهَا،
Atbi`a ’s-sayyi`at al-hasanatan tamhuhaa.
Follow the bad deed with a good deed and it will erase it.
The best good deed and the quickest one IS “Laa ilaaha illa-Llaah.” When the general population says, “Laa ilaaha illa-Llaah,” it will erase the sin you have committed. When we fall into mistakes or when we make mistakes intentionally or unintentionally, when you say, “Laa ilaaha illa-Llaah,” it erases it. It’s the same thing with the five prayers. When we pray, all the nonsense that we talked about downstairs is erased. Everything gets erased by that Holy Word, “Laa ilaaha illa-Llaah Muhammadun Rasoolullah (s).” That’s for people in general.
For khawas, the special ones who are on Shari`ah, of course, but they have also delved into tariqah. The ones who have taken tariqah, say, “Laa ilaaha illa-Llah,” to try to erase the bad with the good. Tariqah is the spiritual. What is in our hearts is hubbu ‘d-dunya wa shahawatihaa, the love of the world and its pleasure. In tariqah, when we say, “Laa ilaaha illa-Llah,” which is hasana, a good deed, with that goodness we are trying to erase the love of dunya. We are trying to replace the intensity of pleasures and desires of dunya in our hearts with, “Laa ilaaha illa-Llah.” We are trying to slowly erase what pleases you or what you desire in this dunya with love of Allah (swt). That’s for the people in tariqah.
There is Shari`ah, tariqah and then Haqqiqah, the elite. As Awliyaullah have said, when they say, “Laa ilaaha illa-Llah,” they are leaving shirk wujoodi ‘l-mawjoodat. Wujood. You exist and Allah (swt) exists. If I have a problem, I’m coming to Your Wujood, Your Presence.
The elite cut it off. They don’t consider you as wujood. Are you here forever? They are going to the Wujoodu ‘l-Haqiqi, the Eternal Existence. They are not concerned with the temporary existence. You are a temporary existence. I am a temporary existence. He is a temporary existence.
When Awliyaullah have a need, they don’t go to anybody with a temporary existence. That is wujoodu ‘l-majaazi. “Majaaz” means it’s there but it’s not there. You are an image. That image can disappear at any time. We have the cemetery here. There were images walking on earth. What happened to these images? They’re not here anymore. They’re not present. “Soorah” is a picture. It’s not here anymore.
Of course we make mistakes, but Anbiyaullah are mas`oom, Awliyaullah are mahfouzh, hifzh, protected. When we make mistakes, we say, “Laa ilaaha illa-Llah,” and Allah (swt) forgives. When you go deeper and say, “Laa ilaaha illa-Llah,” you are erasing the love of dunya from your heart and whatever is in it. When you go even deeper, you are cutting off. You are not seeing anybody anymore. That is shirk wujoodi ‘l-mawjoodat. You are making partners with Allah (swt), wujood of mawjoodat, the existence of existence. I hope I’m getting through.
That is why when Anbiyallah and Awliyaullah have a need, they never go to anybody except Allah (swt). They have taken away that shirk, that partnership that, “If I go to this rich man, he will meet my needs. If I go to this politician, he will meet my needs. I have to present my needs to somebody.” “International court.” Go, present your needs to all the judges that are looking at you like this. They are all tied up. It’s obvious.
They don’t go to anyone other than Allah (swt). They do not present their needs to other than Allah (swt). What did Sayyidina Yaqub (a) say?
قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أَشْكُوا۟ بَثِّى وَحُزْنِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَأَعْلَمُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
He said: "I only complain of my distraction and anguish to Allah, and I know from Allah that which ye know not. (Surah Yusuf, 12:86)
Innamaa ashku bathi wa huzni illa-Llah, “I am only complaining...” It’s not “complaining,” but, “I am presenting my sorrow to Allah (swt).” He is not asking this one or that one. That is the perfect Waliyullah. He has cut off wujoodu ‘l-majaazi. He has cut off the existence that is temporary, including himself. I am also temporary.
When they cut off wujoodu ‘l-majaazi, what happens? They are asking for the Real Existence. That’s why they are on that road of sulook. They go deeper and deeper in detaching from everything that is other than Allah (swt) in the mind. There is nothing other than Allah (swt). What we are is ta`yeen, an assignment. `Itibaar means you assume something, “Okay, he is the president. He is the prime minister. He is the dean. He is the CEO. He is the manager.” These are assignments by the mind. These assignments can change at any time. The people that are fulfilling these positions can change at any time. These are not real things.
The deeper they get, the more they are cut off from temporary existence and are going to Eternal Existence. That is Wujoodu ‘l-Haqqani. It is said that when Allah (swt) accepts them, they go into the Ocean of Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem. When you are accepted by Allah (swt), you are in His Presence, then you go into the Ocean of Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem. Wasn’t Rasoolullah (s) cut off from all existence? When he went on Mi`raj, he traversed all existences until he reached a position that he was out. Allah (swt) knows where. We cannot explain it. It is something that is unexplainable, so we will leave it there.
When you arrive at the Station of being with Allah (swt) in the Divine Presence, He will send you back with, “Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem.” Baa represents baqaa. You are Baqi billah. That’s how you start. You are Eternally Alive by Allah (swt), Baqi billah. “Sana” means “highness.” You are `azeez. You are valuable in front of people. You are unique. There is no second you. `Azeez means something very, very rare and very precious. There is no second, `azeez. That is sana, highness. That is the seen in “Bismillah.” Baa is Baqibillah. You are Eternally staying in existence by Allah (swt).
These are Sifaatullah, the Attributes of Allah (swt) that He dresses people with. It is said that, “Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem” contains Ismullahi ’l-`Azham. When you are dressed with these Attributes, then you are somebody that is walking by the Noor of Allah (swt). It is said that Noor shines on their faces. When you see Waliyullah like our shuyookh, you are immediately drawn to that Beauty, the Light that is emanating from them.
Seen is sana. Baqi billah means you are Eternally Alive by Allah (swt). Sana is highness and eminence. Awliyaullah are always kept high up on the heads of people and in the hearts of people. Meem is “mulk.” You are Eternally Present, you are Eternally esteemed in the reign of Allah (swt). Awliyaullah and Anbiyaullah are as such. Allah (swt) is Ar-Rahmaan Ar-Raheem. Alif represents Ahadiyya, Oneness. Laam is Jalal, the Might of Allah (swt). Laam is Jamal, the Beauty of Allah (swt). Haa is Huwiya, the Identity of Allah (swt).
Awliyaullah have forsaken their existence and have taken Eternal Existence. That is Wujoodu ‘l-Haqqani. When they talk about “Haqqani,” it is somebody that has been dressed with the Lights of the Attributes of that Holy Name, “Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem.”
What do you do then? You are representing Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem. You are giving. What do Waliyullah and Nabiyullah do? They give mercy. Ar-Rahmaan is general for kaafir and mu’min. They give their mercy to all like the sun. The sun doesn’t differentiate between an unbeliever’s village and a believer’s village. It gives its light to all. That is Sifaatu ‘r-Rahman, when Allah (swt) takes care of all of His Creation, whether they believe in Him or not, whether it’s a kaafir or a mu`min. Ar-Raheem is especially for the mu`min.
Waliyullah take on these Attributes of Allah (swt) by first seeking, “Laa ilaaha illa-Llah,” which is the Maraatib at-Tawheed, the Levels of Tawheed. The beginner level is to say, “Laa ilaaha illa-Hu,” as Awliyaullah have said. He, Hu, ghayb. As they say, “Speaking in the third person.” He is absent from you, Hu.
The beginner remembers the Deity, the Lord that is absent from his eyes and from his heart, so he says, laa ilaaha illa-Hu, “There is no illa, god, but Him.” When you come to the middle way, muttawassit, you start to say, “Laa ilaaha illa-Anta.” Now He is present. “Anta” means “You.” First you start with, “No god but Him,” ghayb, third person, then you start to say, “Laa ilaaha illa-Anta,” the second person. And then the last one? This is all in the Qur’an. Laa ilaaha illa-Ana.
When Waliyullah or the saalik, the one treading the path, moves towards Allah (swt), he says, Alhamdullahi Rabbi 'l-`Alameen. Ar-Rahman ar-Raheem. Maaliki Yawm ad-Deen. You are addressing somebody in the third person. “I give my thanks to Allah (swt), the Lord of the Worlds.” You are describing someone. But when you say, “iyyaka na`budu,'' what is that? It is “You, Thee,” the way they say it in minaabir and masaajid. Ihdina ‘s-siraata ‘l-mustaqeem, “Show us the Right Path.” The Right Path is when Allah (swt) is the only one speaking in that Presence.
In, Laa illaaha illa-Anta, you are two. “There is no god but You,” so me and You. Then you will diminish it until Allah (swt) is the only Speaker and say, Laa illaaha illa-Anaa, “There is no illa but Me. There is nobody but Me.” That is Bahru ‘l-Wahdaniyya. That is how the mureed gains access to the Divine Presence. When there is nobody but Allah (swt), He dresses you with that Ismullahi ’l-`Azham, with, Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem. By Him you continue your Eternal Life.
Awliyaullah have done that. That’s what we are seeking. It all starts with Dhikrullah. It all starts with, Laa ilaaha illa-Llah, until you reach the level of cutting off dunya from your heart and at the end you cut off everything else, including yourself. There is nothing in existence except Allah (swt).
Inshaa-Allah, Allah (swt) will accept us. How does He accept you? How do you become like that? It’s easy. Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) said it so many times. Yaa `abdee, at`ianee, “Just obey Me. I will make you Rabbani. I will make you dressed by My Lights. I will dress you from Me.” What is “Rabbani?” To belong to Rabb, Allah (swt). That’s where “rabbi” comes from, he belongs to Allah (swt), a divine person, a holy one. When you say “Rabbani,” it means you belong to Him. Allah (swt) says, “I will do it for you, just obey Me.” Allah (swt) wants to see you come to Him by a hand’s length and then He will come to by an arm’s length.
Who’s a mathematician here? I was shocked when I learned about this. How much is this? They say 30 centimeters. And this? Sixty, seventy centimeters. Awliyaullah have said Allah (swt) already extended to you the hand’s breadth. It is two. That’s how I read it. He already gave you the first distance that you are moving and He is giving you the second distance already. The arm’s length is already two hands. I went on Google to see what the arm length and hand length are. It’s almost double.
Awliyaullah have said when Allah (swt) said, “If you approach Me by the span of a hand, I will approach you by the span of an arm.” That means He already gave you the span of the hand from the beginning to start with and He is giving you the rest, so it’s all by Him. What He needs you to do is, at’ani, as Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) used to say, “Just obey Me, My servant, and I will make you all you want to be.” What do you want to be? You want to be His servant. That’s what we want. You don’t want to be anything else.
May Allah (swt) forgive us. May Allah (swt) allow us to gain access to where Awliyaullah and Anbiyaullah have gained access.
I read this verse this morning and I forgot to talk about it.
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ لَنُدْخِلَنَّهُمْ فِى ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
And those who believe and work righteous deeds, them shall We admit to the company of the Righteous. (Surah al-Ankabut, 29:9)
Wa ‘l-ladheena aamanoo wa `amiloo ‘s-saalihati la-nudkhilannahum fi ‘s-saliheen, “The ones that believe and do goodness, I swear We will make them enter, We will force them to enter in between the pious ones.” Awliyaullah have said, inna’l-ladheena aamanoo bi mahabbatillah, “The ones who have believed in the Love of Allah (swt) and asked for Allah (swt). Wa `amiloo ‘s-saalihaati, “And they did what makes them move towards Allah (swt).” The ones who believe that the Love of Allah (swt) exists and they want Allah (swt) so they do what makes them move to Allah (swt). La nudkhilannahum, Allah (swt) is making an oath, “We will surely make them enter among the pious ones.” He will make you enter Maqam al-Awliya wa ‘l-Anbiya. He will make you enter from wherever the saints and prophets have entered to be in that group.
All you need to do is believe that Allah (swt) has created you to love you. You have to seek His Love by moving towards Him with Dhikrullah, by cutting off every other love. Then Allah (swt) is promising you, “I will force you to enter through the door, the Maqam that Awliya and Anbiya entered through.” “Fi ‘s-saaliheen.” Who are the “saliheen?” The Anbiya and Awliya, prophets and saints.
If you believe in Allah (swt)’s Love and you’re seeking His Love and you’re making Dhikrullah, He promises that He will make you go through the door that Mawlana Shaykh Hisham went through. How did they get there? How did Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) get to the door he went through? He believed in the Love of Allah (swt) and he wanted the Love of Allah (swt). He wanted to move towards Him. What did his shaykh give him? Khalwat wa riyaadah as he called it, seclusion and litanies to recite.
It is said that Sayyidina Adam (a) saw a level higher than his level in Jannah. He asked, “Yaa Rabbee! How can I reach that?” He said, “You will only reach that by crying.” He ate from the tree to go down to earth and cry. That is one explanation given by Awliyaullah. “You can only reach that level by crying for Me, by yearning for Me, by wanting Me.” Jannah is not a place of crying. Jannah is a place of happiness. You have to go down.
Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) said he came down and he was uzla, alone in khalwah for 300 years. If you believe in the Love of Allah (swt), that high station that he saw…there is Ma`rifatullah and Mahabbatullah. That is why Habeebullah is the highest level. So many Anbiya had ma`rifa, but Habeebullah reached the Ultimate Love. It can be reached if you follow Rasoolullah (s).
Sayyidina Adam (a) wanted that. Allah (swt) said, “The only way is by crying.” What do you do when you are separated from your love? You cry. Do you see the kids crying for the iPad? Separate them for five minutes. Take the iPad away from Nour for five minutes. They will cry. He said, “If you want Me, you have to cry.” Sayyidina Adam (a) was alone for 300 years on earth. There was no other human being because Sayyida Hawa was somewhere else. It is said that he was on one foot crying and Allah (swt) accepted and dressed him. Then He said, “Now teach your children.” That is why he was the first messenger. “Teach your children how to get to that high level.”
The door that our shuyookh have entered through is Dhikrullah. They believed in the Love of Allah (swt) and they wanted it. They did Dhikrullah and Allah (swt) promised, “We will admit them among the pious ones,” which are Anbiya and Awliya. Inshaa-Allah, we can be with them.
All you need to do is, ati`anee, “Obey Me.” Allah (swt) gave you a mind, `aql. If you know something is right, you do it. If you know something is wrong, you don’t do it. In Arabic, `aql an-naaqa, means, “Pull the reins.” The sheep out there want to eat everything. You say, “No, this part is not good.” You pull the reins. That is `aql. It means you are pulling back. When you use your `aql, you do what’s right and avoid what’s wrong. Allah (swt) will make you get there faster. If you approach Him by a handspan, which He has already extended to you, Allah (swt) will pull you through, inshaa-Allah.
May Allah (swt) make us with Anbiya and Awliya. Ameen, yaa Rabbee.
Bi hurmati 'l-habeeb (s), wa bi sirri Surat al-Fatihah.
https://sufilive.com/Dr-Nour-La-ilaha-ill-Llah-Erases-Love-of-Dunya-8239.html
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