Aʿūdhu bi’Llāhi mina ’sh-Shayṭāni ’r-Rajīm. Bismi’Llāhi ’r-Raḥmāni ’r-Raḥīm.
Lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā bi’Llāhi ’l-ʿAliyyi ’l-ʿAẓīm.
Dastūr, yā Sayyidī yā Sulṭān al-Awliyāʾ. Madad, yā Rijāl Allāh. Naẓarakum. Madadakum. Himmatakum. Sādātinā ’l-kirām.
Dastūr, yā Sayyidī, yā Sulṭān al-Awliyāʾ. Dastūr, yā Sayyidī wa Mawlāy. Madad, yā Rijāl Allāh.
Allāh, Allāh. Allāh, Allāh. Allāh, Allāh. ʿAzīz Allāh.
Allāh, Allāh. Allāh, Allāh. Allāh, Allāh. Karīm Allāh.
Allāh, Allāh. Allāh, Allāh. Allāh, Allāh. Subḥān Allāh.
Allāh, Allāh. Allāh, Allāh. Allāh, Allāh. Sulṭān Allāh.
As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatu ’Llāhi taʿālā wa barakātuh.
Welcome, everyone. We have Missouri, Scotland, Texas, the staple. We have people who have travelled from out of state, out of the country, to attend this humble majlis. We are not fancy people, as our teachers have said. We are humble people in a humble setting. May Allah (swt) keep us with the humble ones.
Thamaratu ’l-ḥilm wa ’t-tawāḍuʿi ’l-maḥabbah. The fruit of humility, the fruit of forbearance, the fruit of tolerance is love, love from people towards ourselves. When somebody humbles themselves down, people have love for them. When somebody becomes arrogant and puts his head up, puts his nose up and thinks he is greater than anyone else, people don’t like him. The fruit of humility and humbleness is mahabbah. That is what we are trying to achieve, mahabbatu ‘n-naas, the love of hearts.
We went to San Francisco, California. We mixed with the shuyookh, the scholars, the saints, the seekers. Mawlana Jami (r) has said, I mix with all of these. I still found myself with the “I” and I found them with the “I.” Do you know what the “I” is?
He said, “I wandered in monasteries and mosques, kissing the hands of the teachers and the disciples.”
Didn’t we do that? We wandered in mosques, spiritual centers, worship centers, whatever we went into. That is what is missing nowadays, tawwa`duh, humility is missing. Wa thamaratul qana’a, the fruit of contentment is raaha, comfort, ease.
There is someone who is never content. He is never at ease, running after more and more and more and they have hundreds of thousands of zeros in their bank account. They are still not content. Are they at ease? Are they comfortable? If you want to be comfortable, if you want to have tranquility, you have to be living in ease and comfort. You have to be content with what you have.
The more they run after greed, after what they want, they’re troubled. They are never content. First they are not content and second, they are arrogant. There is no humility and no contentment, therefore they have no comfort and no love. Do they love him? I doubt it. Do they love her? I doubt it. Who are they? The greedy ones, the ones who are running after every opportunity to take more and more and trample on the rights of others. They are never at ease. They are never comfortable.
Qana’a is very important. Two words that one wise one has said: thamaratul-qana’a ar-raaha. The fruit of contentment is comfort. Wa thamaratu ‘t-tawwa`duh al-mahabbah. The fruit of humility is love. Are you running after treasures? You are not an Arab. I need an Arab. Arabs love gold: black gold, yellow gold, white gold, red gold. I’m an Arab, okay. We think running after treasures will give us the best. No. Sayyidina Ali (r) has said, ahsanu ‘l-kunooz mahabbatu ‘l-quloob, the finest of treasures is the love of the hearts.
Alhamdulillah, we went to California and tried to get love in the hearts of people towards us, towards our shuyookh, towards our master, towards Rasoolullah (s). We tried to give what’s in our hearts to them, the love that we have for Dhikrullah in our hearts, the love we have to Prophet (s) in our hearts, the love we have to Sahaabah (r), Ahlu ‘l-Bayt, saints, Anbiya, Awliya, Atqiya, Asfiya, all the holy ones.
That love that we have in our hearts, we tried to spread it as much as we can, to attract these hearts, the hearts that are void of spirituality. We have all become void of spirituality. How do you know you’re void of spirituality? When you don’t have humility anymore. They have become arrogant, boastful and when they don’t have humility and humbleness anymore, they are void of spirituality. The more you have spirituality in yourself, the more humble you are and the more you can mix with anyone. May Allah (swt) give us that mahabbatu ‘l-quloob. The finest of treasures is the love of the hearts. Our shuyookh are called the collectors of hearts. They have the most valuable treasures. May Allah (swt) allow us to be on their way.
How do you reach that? It is said, man ahsana khuluqa, whoever perfects his character, taaba `ayshu, his life becomes pleasant. If we correct our akhlaq, our manners, our conduct, our qualities, our characters and if we perfect them as human beings--I’m not talking only about Muslims, the human race. If the human race perfects their character, their life becomes pleasant. Wa daamat salaamatuhu, and his well-being endures. Nobody will harm you. Nobody will hurt you. You are such a joyful one to be around. You are such a pleasant one to be around. You are such a good person to others. People appreciate what you do for them, so your well-being endures. They will not come against you. They will not target you. They will not harm you.
Salam means safety. Your safety endures. You are safe in your community. You are safe in your city and in the world. Why? Because you have such a pleasant character that everybody wants to be with you. Whoever perfects his character, his life is pleasant, his life is sweet. Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) used to say, make your life sweet. Allah (swt) promised in the Holy Qur’an, those who make dhikrullah, their life is sweet.
Wa daamat salaamatuhu, their safety continues, their well-being continues. Wa ta’akkadat fi ’n nufusi mahabbatuh, and the love for him or her in the hearts of people is firmly established. If you want to be loved in your community then try to perfect your character.
And vice versa is correct. If your character is bad, your life becomes troubled. Do you ever watch the news of the community? The one who has bad character, isn’t his life troubled? You can see. The one who has bad character, his life is troubled. Their safety is compromised. It’s the opposite. They’re afraid, “We need to do this to protect ourselves. We need to do that to protect ourselves.” Because you have a bad character, people don’t like you. The third one is, people will run away from them. Do you ever approach a person with a bad character? You’re afraid he or she is going to explode at you. They are not safe. They ask, “Why aren’t we safe?” Check yourself if you have good character.
What is a good character? Sound judgement and truthful speech. If you speak the truth and your reasoning is correct, your rank in people’s eyes will elevate. Be a truthful, honest one. That’s one. The second is, tawwa`duh. By humility, love increases. If you want to have a beautiful life, speak the truth, be humble and third, be gentle. Through gentleness your supporters increase, those who help you increase.
Let’s try to be like that. Try to be a gentle, kind, tender one to your family and to others. Try to be a humble one in your community, at work or whatever it is. And try to be truthful one. That is good character. When you have these characteristics, people like to be with you, otherwise it’s difficult. May Allah (swt) forgive us. May Allah (swt) allow everyone that we know and that we don’t know to correct their behavior through their characteristics, their character, their qualities, let them have a sweet life, a good life, let them be content. Be content, then you will be comfortable. If you are a greedy one, you are uncomfortable, you’re troubled. All these good characteristics that we learn from Awliyaullah and from Rasoolullah (s), Allah (swt) called them bil mu’mineena ra’ufur rahim.
لَقَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُم بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Now a Messenger has come to you from among yourselves: it grieves him that you should perish: ardently anxious is he over you: to the Believers he is most kind and merciful. (Surat at-Tawbah, 9:128)
What is ra’uf? Overly tender, too much gentleness and kindness to others. Rahim, merciful. The heart of a prophet contains love, mercy, gentleness, tenderness, kindness--all the characteristics that all of us are missing nowadays. The whole human race has missed the characteristics of prophets, saints, holy ones. May Allah (swt) forgive us.
The finest of treasures is mahabbatu ‘l-quloob, the love of the hearts. Be from them. Be from those who gather the love in the hearts of people. Be from those who collect the hearts of people. To whom? Not to yourself. Not like Mawla Jami said, I went to the presence of the scholars and all I saw in them was “I.” Don’t call them to yourself, call them to your beloveds. Who are your beloveds? First, your teachers, your shuyookh and then from there, up the chain to Rasoolullah (s), Habeebullah, the Beloved of the Lord of Heavens, the Beloved of Allah (swt). Call people to them. Don’t call people to the “I” that you have in your heart. That is the biggest arrogance. May Allah (swt) forgive us.
We went to California. We saw everyone. We saw people from the east to the west, from north to south. Every different person came to be in Dhikrullah, to learn something from what we have learned. May Allah (swt) give us that humbleness.
Sayyidina Musa (a) was so humble. He said, “Yaa Sayyidee. Can you teach me from what you learned?” He said, “Can I follow you? Can I be with you? Can I accompany you?”
“Why do you want to accompany me?”
“So, I can learn from what you learned, so I can be taught what you got taught.”
He didn’t attribute the knowledge to Khidr (a). He knew where the knowledge was coming from. It was coming from the Divine Presence. Never, ever think that the knowledge is within you. That is tarku ‘l-adab. That is bad adab. Know that the knowledge comes from the Divine Presence to Rasoolullah (s) because he is your Prophet. Your Prophet knows your heart. Your Prophet knows you in and out. He knows you more than you. He has right over you more than you and it is in the Qur’an.
ٱلنَّبِىُّ أَوْلَىٰ بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَأَزْوَٰجُهُۥٓ أُمَّهَـٰتُهُمْ وَأُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَىٰ بِبَعْضٍ فِى كِتَـٰبِ ٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُهَـٰجِرِينَ إِلَّآ أَن تَفْعَلُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَوْلِيَآئِكُم مَّعْرُوفًا كَانَ ذَٰلِكَ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ مَسْطُورًا
An-Nabiyyu awlā bi ’l-muʾminīna min anfusihim wa azwājuhu ummahātuhum.
The Prophet is closer to the Believers than their own selves, and his wives are their mothers. (Surat al-Ahzab, 33:6)
I heard it from my father, Mawlana Shaykh Hisham (q). Rasoolullah (s) has more right upon you than you. Rasoolullah (s) knows you more than you. And his holy wives are their mothers, Ummu ‘l-Mu’mineen. Rasoolullah (s), your Prophet, will give you the knowledge. Don’t say, “It’s mine.” Say, “It’s the giving of my beloved Prophet. He has bestowed on me from the knowledge he was given.” Inshaa-Allah, Allah (swt) gives us more. That is why we say, Rabbee zidnee `ilma, yaa Rabbee, increase our knowledge from the Ocean of Rasoolullah (s).
You cannot reach that. You have to reach your teachers first, `ulama and Awliya. What do they teach? Correct your heart. If you want to feel safe in this world, correct your khuluq, your manners. Perfect your conduct, your character if you want to feel safe. If you are angry at everybody, if you show pride and arrogance over everyone, if you are greedy then you are a troubled man or a troubled woman. Your heart is troubled, your community is troubled and all your life is troubled.
Correct your khuluq. Your life will be sweet. Your life will be pleasant. Your safety will continue. Your well-being will endure and in the hearts of people your love will settle. Makarimu ’l-akhlaq.
Inshaa-Allah, we can reach that station where we can take from our Prophet (s) what he has from makarimu ’l-akhlaq as Allah (swt) has described him, he has great khuluq, great manners, great character. Inshaa-Allah, we can be from them.
Humble yourself down and be content with what you have. That is the start.
Wa min Allahi 't-tawfeeq, bi hurmati 'l-habeeb, bi hurmati 'l-Fatihah.
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