of our worship. This retards our progress towards the heavens. Therefore we need a controller over us. Now supersonic aeroplanes are fully automatic. Or are they? Is there a pilot controlling it? If he is not controlling it, why is he sitting there? Even though the plane is fully automatic yet it is in need of a pilot for controlling it. In the same way although you may be fully automatic in your prayers, yet you are in need of a pilot to guide you and control you. Therefore we are in need of a Sheik (spiritual guide). The Sheik knows the finer points of our egos which are in need of correction.
denying and cursing to let a Sheik control them because of their egos. It is their egos that are cursed. They say that holy books alone are enough. Fully automatic. But it is not enough without a controller. Those foolish people quote Quran, Sunnah, Quran Sunnah and Kitab Sunnah. What about he pilot? No pilot. Do you think that you are doing and knowing your best through Kitab and Sunnah only, without having some one to look after and control you. Almighty Allah says to His Prophet (Sal) “Wa sahabi amfil amar” – that is to control the Sahaba. Everyone knows to read the Holy Quran and Holy Hadis. So many priests and so many professors they too are reading Holy Quran and Holy Hadis, but what is the benefit they derive from it? Therefore we are asking from Allah Almighty for good understanding and to give us some one to control our actions and our worship. Yes like students who do their homework and the teacher who goes through it. These people are not even intelligent as these students who at least have their homework corrected. Yes these people are so proud of the way they are following and it is the way of Shaitan. Shaitan was fully automatic, and Allah Almighty asked him to take Adam (alai) as his pilot. He rejected this. He said “I won’t accept Adam (alai) as controller over me. I won’t carry any one to be above me” that is the pride that destroyed Shaitan or Iblis. Likewise these people say that they are able to read and understand what is in the Holy Quran and they say that only they may look and that they may understand and that they are not in need of a controller. The Prophet (sal) accepts a Guide Our Grandsheik is saying an important good manner for guidance. Everyone must look for a guide, as we are in need to reach to our destinations and it is so difficult. Look to our Prophet, peace be upon him. All creation is for his honour and sake; Allah made the universe for his Habib (beloved). Yet the Prophet accepted a guide, Jibril (alai). All Prophets accepted Jibril as their guide. Our Prophet is of the highest station in the Divine Presence, a representative of Allah among his people, and he is taking a guide. It is indicating that for everyone asking to reach the Divine Presence a guide is necessary. This is the most important adab. Our Prophet was always following the orders of Jibril, doing every action and speaking according to Allah’s orders as brought by Jibril. It means that no one may reach the Divine Presence without a guide and guidance. You must give yourself to the hands of a guide, surrender, or else no benefit can you take. A guide is one who knows your destination. He is an open-eyed person. A blind man can’t guide, he is in need for one. In our days very few persons are accepting a guide for themselves, everyone is so proud, saying, “I am clever, I know better”. They may know this world’s knowledge, but this guidance is not such that you can read in books and follow. You only know it with a murshid. You must have a guide; only pride is keeping people away. There is no reaching the Divine Presence without a real guide. For a humble Mureed following a Murshid, if he is consulting the murshid in every matter it is good, but for three things it is a must. These are marriage, divorce, and far journeying. Also for the pilgrimage is necessary consultation with the Sheik. If not consulting, one may fall in a bad condition. The Sheik may give his orders by dreams, as it is prohibited for jinn or devils to appear in the form of the Prophet or the Sheik. Whoever is asking improvement in the Way of Allah must ask for a guide. It is the quickest and shortest way. Seyyidina Ali asked the Prophet, “what is the easiest way to our Lord? He said, Oh Ali, look for one Friend of Allah and stay in his shadow. A shadow is not going to separate from a man. Then you may reach easily and quickly to the Lord’s Presence”. The beginning of the way is to agree with a guide. Our Grandsheik says that Iblis is the most learned of people for all religious knowledge, knowing very will the contents of the Torah, Psalms, Gospel, and Qur’an. But he is prohibited from taking Divine knowledges; he can never know about the secrets of those books. If he knew, he would not want people to make them like himself. What closes these secrets? It is to be proud of knowledge or worshipping. This puts one far away. Iblis would never take a guide for himself. Allah intended Adam to be his guide but be would never accept Adam or his knowledge. This is the power of his proud ness, and the reason for which he was thrown out of the Divine Presence. Our Grandsheik is saying about the signs of a Murshid, one who is leading people into the right ways and is an inheritor of the Prophet. Murshid in Arabic is also one who pilots ships into unfamiliar harbours. Everyone has a special destination; no two persons are alike, thinking the same thoughts. Everyone who does not know how to go on to his destination is in need of a guide. The future is unknown, commonly, but knowledge of it is given to Prophet and Saints. We are in darkness in need of lights, the light of Prophet hood is to inform us what is ahead generally, and the light of sainthood to guide us to our personal destinations. Signs of a Guide The sign of a Murshid is that you are able to trust him. It is an action of the heart and cannot be measured with a yardstick or scales. Your heart gives the signal and the heart is never mistaken. If a person is sitting with a true Murshid, he feels peace, rest and satisfaction. Very happy, this is the sign. He forgets everything from troubles; he is just in an ocean. Now so many people are going to the sea-side. Why? Because when they enter the water, they find rest and enjoyment. As the body is drawn, so the soul is asking for a sea. We need in our life one person like an ocean, so that our hearts can be in enjoyment and satisfied with that person. Sheik Abd-ul Khaliq al-Ghujdawani was speaking about the attribute of a Mureed as to how he should be in front of his Sheik. Surrendering is a good attribute for all followers, without it comes no benefit or development. The meaning of surrender is to leave one’s will and to follow the will of the Sheik; to turn to him for everything, saying; “As you like, oh my master.: Our Grandsheik quotes Abd-ul Khaliq as saying, “Oh my sons, we are not accepting a surrender like a dead person’s surrender to the hands of the washer. They sometimes complain that the water is too hot or too cold, though not with their tongues, but spiritually speaking. If a Mureed is saying objections in himself, it is not acceptable”. Surrender must be inward and outward, like a dry leaf in the wind. Even if it gets blown into a fire, nothing will you hear from it. Such a Mureed is taking 100% benefit from the sheik. As much as the Sheik takes from blessings, he is also receiving. If surrender is not complete, then only half and half. This is the way for one who is asking. Who says to his ego: “As you like”, - how can there occur development? Step by step, a sheik teaches his followers how to surrender. It is not so easy a thing. Prophets sent from the Divine Presence to teach this were rejected by their people. We are training now, If we are saying: “As you like” to the Sheik, then we may say likewise to the Prophet, and then we may say so to our Lord. We are training how to be with our Lord. Our Grandsheik’s advice to everyone is that they must look for a holy person who may guide them to their Lord’s Way. He stresses, furthermore, that this is an obligation for every believer, and that once the seeker has found his guide, the most important point for him as a follower is always to firmly believe that his guide is absolutely right and correct in his actions. You must believe in your guide, must believe that he knows at least fifty times more than you; your having this attitude is a necessary condition for his being able to guide you. If you think that he knows feels or looks at things the way that you do, then you will never be able to derive any benefit nor receive any guidance from that person. Real spiritual guides are inheritors of the Prophets and in spiritual contact with them. It is a well known fact about Prophets that they had extraordinary powers and characteristics that enabled them to serve as guides for people to their Lord’s Divine Presence. You must know that whatever is the number of people in a Prophet’s Nation, and be it millions or billions, that Prophet must know at least that number of times more than any of his people may know. You can only know for yourself, but a Prophet must know for his whole Nation, so that he can complete his Prophet hood by means of them. Because of the spiritual connection that real guides have with the Prophet, and by virtue of their being his inheritors, they also have such extraordinary powers and characteristics which enable them to know at least fifty times more than we know. The most important thing for a seeker (Murid) who follows a guide (Murshid) in order to move toward the Divine Presence is to understand that his guide is going to try him time and again. The Murshid has been ordered by the Prophet to try his Murids, and everyone knows that a trial is not an easy thing – or else it isn’t a trial. When a Murshid tries his Murid, he sends toward him some trial in which that Murid can see no Divine Wisdom at all. Perhaps he orders some thing which the mind of that Murid cannot accept and protests against loudly to itself: “It is not right to do this; why does he order me to do such a thing?” If the Murid should openly express such rebelliousness to his Sheik, or if it just comes to his heart without him even letting anyone know about it, the Divine Power between him and his Sheik is cut – like a blown fuse; he is then stuck at that level and unable to progress. Grandsheik says: “For a Murid to rebel, either openly or secretly, against his Sheik is as terrible as someone cursing the Prophets; it is abominable to think bad thoughts about one’s own guide. One’s changing of heart in relation to his Sheik is like cursing the Prophets, for if not for your guide you are never going to reach to knowledge of the Prophet’s realities.” Therefore, a follower must have utmost respect for his Murshid, not only in what he expresses, but also in what he conceals in his heart. This is training for believers so that they may learn to always keep respect in their hearts for the Prophet, and never to object in nay way to anything that the Prophet did in the way of actions and judgments. If someone says, regarding the Prophet, “This action of his was totally correct, but that one not so much,” then immediately the power is cut between the Prophet and that person, and the connection is in need of being reestablished. Ultimately, this training is essential in enabling us to keep our faith and to become real slaves of the Almighty, as in the course of our lives so many strange, terrible and unthinkable events may occur whereby people’s hearts will be disturbed, and many will say, “What is this, is this justice?” So many people are asking this question nowadays, when, according to the understanding of their minds, there is no justice and no mercy in certain events – this is unbelief. If a person believes in his Lord, he must believe that his Lord is always guiding events in the most excellent of ways, and that in everything that happens you may find the Lords absolute Mercy and Justice. Training by a Guide If you do not accept training at the hands of a Murshid, you won’t be able to tolerate many events which are happening all around you in this life, but over which you can exercise no control whatsoever. If you are going to object to the occurrence of these events, you are, in effect, accusing Allah of wrong judgement and injustice. Therefore, every believer must first be trained at the hands of a Murshid; then, when he has stopped saying, ‘No’, and ‘Why’, in relation to his Sheik, the perfume of good actions will begin to issue forth from that Murid. What this means is that you will not find any objection in a real believer to what his Lord decrees, nor can you witness any breach of manners toward the Lord. He says: “Oh my Lord, You are right, I am wrong; oh my Prophet, you are right, I am wrong; oh my Grandsheik, you are right, I am wrong.” This is the peak and the perfume of good manners and actions; whoever obtains these characteristics will improve more rapidly than anyone else. The trials that come to us from our Sheik will be much lighter trials than those coming from the Prophet, and the trials that the Prophet sends will, in turn, be much easier trials than the ones send by Allah Almighty – and you must be ready for your Lord’s trial, then you will be alright – not before. When you can say, “What my Lord decrees is right, and what I might desire contrary to that is wrong,” you have attained the highest degree of good manners with your Lord (Adab). All Prophets have been sent in order to teach this point. How can a person really believe in his Lord when he sometimes objects, saying that his Lord is not performing the best of possible actions? A person has really overcome this pitfall and attained to real faith when he can wholeheartedly say, “Allah knows best what is good for His creatures, the Prophet knows what is best for his Nation and the Murshid for his followers – we can be wrong, but they can’t.” When he can always acuse himself in this manner, it means that he has attained the first station of faith (Iman). The basic and common level for man is to be at all times one with his ego, and when man is one with his ego, he is in the darkness of unbelief (Kufr). People on that level many be heard saying, “I am just fine, but the problem is with the others – they are all wrong.” As long as a person is on that level, he will never accept a guide or believe in a Prophet; how should he, when he thinks that he knows everything better than anyone else? He is under the control of the commanding-self, nafs ul-ammara bis- suu), and s long as he is under its command he will remain on the level of unbelief. When one climbs from that level to the second level, he improves to the awakening of the self-accusing self (An-nafs ul-lawwamah); once awakened, that self always makes the person see himself as being blameworthy, and accuse himself by saying, “You are wrong, oh my ego.” At that stage he will seek some guide to show him what is right, as he has recognized that his ego is always wrong; it’s praying is wrong, its fasting wrong, its alms-giving wrong and its pilgrimage is wrong- nothing is right because he is not right, not yet purified from the tyranny of his lower self. Once he has accepted the fact that his ego is preventing him from doing any goodness, he is ready to accept a guide to lead him to real goodness, and at that point he is prepared to be a follower; even if his guide tries him severely, he will say, “I am wrong, he is right.” When a person has reached this point, he has attained the first level of real faith (Haqiqi Iman). All different kinds of situations may befall a person during his life. One may encounter both goodness and badness, and indeed it may be one’s lot to have to suffer the most troublesome and harmful events. Whenever such events befall one, the sign of real faith is one’s being able to put up with them – for example, to eat an unliked food (unliked by the ego, not by the Divine Law); to see hear or come in contact with something one detests. In all these cases, one just be able to keep hold of oneself without flinching, without undergoing any change within oneself and without saying, “This is wrong and I am right.” This is steadfastness, a sign of real faith. Guides are the Inheritors of the Prophet (Sal) The value of human beings is well-known, completely known, by Allah Almighty, who created them and gave them their values. Then, the most knowledgeable person concerning the value of man is the Seal of the Prophets, beloved Muhammad, p.b.u. h., and the other Prophets take their knowledge concerning the value of the Sons of Adam from him. And then, the true followers of the Prophets and of the Seal of the Prophets, peace be upon them all, the Awliya (Saints), know the value of mankind, and they take human beings and arrange them from every side. Then their values, their true forms, appear, and they take them to the Divine Presence. But without a Prophet or their inheritors, people are like discarded stones. Even if they are diamonds, without their being cut and made suitable, they are not going to be put on a crown. Therefore, every Prophet came to make people ready to go into the Divine Presence, to their heavenly stations in the Divine Presence. Whoever comes and submits to the Prophets, the Prophets arrange them. But if they run away from them, escaping, they can’t do it. Then they are like stones, thrown away. Therefore, the most important work of the Prophets and of their successors, the Awliya, is to make everyone’s value clear by arranging each one according to his promises on the Day of Promises. If anyone is asking to be in the Divine Presence, in the first rank, he must follow the Prophets or those who follow them, the Awliya. Those who do not follow – no value for them; they still remain like stones. Then ultimately they must be treated by some training after they leave this life and in Barzakh (the stage of existence between death and the Day of Judgment of the Eternal life) and in the next life in order to allow their values to appear, but they are not going to be in the first rank of those who will be with the Prophets and Awliya. No value for a person who stays by himself and never follows the Prophets and their inheritors! Even is this life, if a person does not follow a college or university course, he never gains any value in his community; people say, “A simple or ordinary, standard person.” But the one who follows a course in a university or college or academy, and it is proved by a certificate or diploma, has value. No matters how much you may know by yourself, if you do not follow one of them, no one gives you value. You can’t be a doctor, you can’t be an engineer, and you can’t be a lawyer because you aren’t following any school. Therefore, in the spiritual life, whoever is asking for improvement, insofar as he may be by himself, he may acquire something, but it is of no value. You must follow a Prophet. For this reason, philosophers, who are asking to reach a point by themselves without following any one of the Prophets, have no value. We must follow. To the extent that you can follow one of them, you may reach your real value, and that value will appear among creatures on earth and in Heaven. No one can attain to that, particularly to heavenly stations, without following someone who belongs to Heaven. All Prophets belong to Heaven; if a person has no relationship to Heaven, he is not going to be a Prophet. Whoever has no relationship to Heaven is also not going to be Wali, a Saint; it is impossible. There must be a relationship between that person and Heaven, and you must follow such a person who has a relationship between himself and heavenly beings; otherwise, the one who is walking on earth (that is, a person who is worldly and not strongly connect to Heaven), is not going to be a guide to you. You many find everything on earth, but without a guide you can’t find the way to Heaven; it is so difficult and so far and so full of danger. Therefore, there must be a guide for you. Even for a rocket which is sent into space, it is so difficult and so dangerous to be in it or to have the control of it; you can’t send a rocket into space through just anyone. He must be a person specially trained for that purpose, knowing best how he can send it. To send a person from earth to Heaven – it is more difficult than sending a rocket into space; not everyone can do that. The one who can do that is the one who has been sent to Heaven by the Prophet (Sal). He knows the way and he knows how he may send others. He comes through the Prophet up to his own Grandsheik, never making a mistake. Don’t tell me, “Why are you not sending us now?” Go an tell that engineer or scientist who is preparing that rocket, “Send it into space now.” Would he listen to you? He is working on it. A person is going to be ready to be sent up to Heaven, Grandsheik said to me, if forty scholars who know the Shari’ah excellently are with him for forty days and they give a report saying, “This person is all right from every direction. We forty scholars have been looking at him day and night for forty days. In every action and behavior that person is perfect. According to our knowledge, there is nothing wrong with him.” If they give such a report, it is all right to send him. We are trying now, but then our egos come, destroying this path and damaging us; every bad action damages our inner structure. We are trying to build it but it is so difficult. But, as we are beginners, it doesn’t matter. We are practicing, we are building, we are learning, we are preparing ourselves. It is enough to be here humbly and listening; that gives us divine help and makes us be ready. Even at the last moment we must be complete, insha’allah; we are going to be complete and go to Heaven, and we will see doors opening to us. So many people, When they go from earth to Heaven, find doors closed to them because they are not ready; then they are sent back to make them ready to go up. But those whom come and listen and accept and believe, they must be prepared, even at the last moment before leaving this life, to reach their heavenly stations in the Divine Presence. The Guide guards his Followers If we are separate, we are like parts of a tasbih (Rosary), beads. If there is no string, they will be lost, scattered, but when they are on this string that can never happen. And for each person, if alone there is danger of being lost, but if coming with an imam, (The alif or long, terminal bead connecting a tasbih or string of prayer beads), on a string, he is protected. Look, everyone! (He shows his tasbih) Sometimes this string is strong; sometimes it is very weak and quickly breaks. Therefore you must be careful. A silver one is stronger, you know? Then anyone who is with a Sheik, with a guide, the guide guards them. If not with a guide, they are often going to be lost. We must be humble, as much as we are able, to be in agreement with a sheik, with a guide. The guide is the most important person throughout our lives because everyone must take a guide either on a good way or on a bad way. Everyone takes a guide. If a person does not take a guide on a good way, another guide is waiting for him, quickly taking him to a bad way. For bad ways there are so many guides; so many devils, dressed like men and taking them. Therefore, everyone is in need of a guide, but you must be careful to take a guide throughout your life for goodness, not for badness. Everyone knows that, for all people, this life is going to be either with good things or with bad things; everyone knows that. But so many times we are so weak in the hands of our egos, running after our nafs. When you run and make your ego or someone who is from devils as your guide, you quickly fall into dangerous, terrible places, hells. You must choose that way which is going to be suitable for you. A strong guide guards his followers; they may be in the East, they may in the West. When Yusuf (alai) was in Egypt, his father Yaqub, was in Palestine or in the area around Damascus. When the wife of the ruler of Egypt called Yusuf to her bed, (The story of Joseph and the wife of Aziz is narrated in XII: 23-34), and he was ready for that, his father showed himself and said, “O Yusuf, guard yourself.” Yaqub (alai), could have been in the Far East, doesn’t matter, he could have been as far away as you can imagine. Nothing keeps back that power; distances never prevent that power from reaching. Awliya have miraculous powers like Prophets, but Prophets’ miracles are more perfect. Awliya do not have such power but they have the same attributes as Anbiya, Prophets; then that power goes through them, also. They may do miraculous things, and a true sheik may guard his Murids, whether they are in the Far East or in the Far West. They may send their spiritual power to every Murid so that they are not alone or solitary. When you remember him that remembrance makes your sheik’s spiritual power be ready with you, be present with you. That is a miraculous power which every true sheik has been given. MURID : How can we make contact with our Sheik, not just for asking help but for being with him. SHEIK: If a boy falls in love with a girl or a girl falls in love with a boy, they are occupied; they are always in contact with each other. If your have such love for your sheik, you may be in contact sometimes. Some people are engaged by their Lord, Allah Almighty; they are the Anbiya, Prophets, and Awliya. Never does anyone get into their hearts except their Lord; they are always in contact. Some people are always engaged with the Prophet, p.b.u.h., some people with their Sheik. Some people sometimes, maybe when they are in need, ask for their Sheik. According to your need, you may ask, you may be in contact. And it is so easy. When the remembrance of him comes upon you, you are in contact; no need for protocol. Quickly, when you think about your Sheik, he is with you; when you forget, you are far away. When you remember, he is with you, quickly. You must understand this point. Then it is going to be easier for our brothers and sisters to be in contact with their Sheik. Any time they may be in need, if reciting a Fateha and send it to the Prophet and their Grandsheik, it is alright. Being with your Guide And in our time, people are using so many wrong methods. They do not understand, or they do not even know, what is the beginning and what is the end; from where they are beginning and to where they are reaching, as a blind person never understands where he is or where is going to be. And most important for a person throughout his life is a true guide. A true guide can be known when your soul is in peace and satisfaction with a person. That is the sign, the real sign; to feel peace and satisfaction with him in your heart. If you are still in doubt, hesitant, it means that something is wrong with that person and you must look for another. If your heart is not in peace with his method, you must not follow that way. There are so many ways. You must try for another one until you reach peace in your heart, so that it should be alright for you. Then this is the way to attain peace, to die before dying. This means that when you find a guide, you must be with him. You must not carry about a different personality from his but must agree to be one with him, one unit. You can’t carry about another personality from your guide’s; you must melt your personality in his personality and you must appear as himself. Then you will be all right. Once a person came to a Grandsheik and knocked at his door. The Grandsheik asked, “Who is there?” “Ibrahim,” the man said. “It is I.” I, I, I – always saying I. “I?” the Grandsheik said. “My place is only for one, not for two. Go away.” And that person went away. After one year he tried again, coming and knocking at the door. “Who is there?” the Grandsheik asked. “You, you.” “If you say, You, now you may come in.” Therefore, the first condition for a person who is asking to reach real peace is that he must give himself, all that he is carrying, to put into his guide. His guide can take it and carry it. When you are going to be your guide that is the way to reach your destination. There is an airplane. It may hold one hundred or two hundred or three hundred passengers, but when it flies you can see only one jet plane. You do not see five hundred persons inside; you can see only that it is a plane, flying. The plane takes all those people into itself, finished. Therefore, when you take a guide to your destination, you can be in him; you can give yourself, your selfhood. You must consider yourself as a drop. Then it reaches its ocean and no more drops – finished. You leave that drop and are going to be an ocean. That is peace. When that drop falls into the ocean, can you take it out, can you find it? Finished; it is all ocean. Therefore, peace is not to be found without leaving your drop in that ocean. And your guide may be a lake or he may be a sea, but they run into oceans, also. That is important. When we say, “Die before you die,” this is the meaning of how we can die before the natural death. You give your personality to your guide; you throw your personality into your guide’s personality, and then you say, “I am no longer in existence,” finished. When you look at your guide, you see yourself in him and when he looks at you, he looks at himself, and we – we reached our spiritual peace. You may find it during your short lifetime in this life. But if you do not use true, correct methods and you go wrong, you will always go far away from peace. Instead of running toward oceans, you will be running toward deserts. The Obeyed One There are two types of Quran – “Quran un Nathik” and “Quran us Samith”. The Quran is something that speaks. It must speak and we must listen and obey it. If the Prophet (Sal) had not come the Quran would not have spoken. Almighty Allah first sent the Prophet (Sal) and then the Quran. The Quran was sent through the Prophet. The Prophet spoke. Therefore the written Quran is one thing and the speaking Quran is something else. If there is no speaking Quran then that Quran-i- Kareem shall give no benefit to the people. Therefore Almighty Allah first sent the Prophet (Sal) and then through him made revelation by sending Holy Quran to him. Then, the Prophet (Sal) spoke – The speaking Quran is the Prophet (Sal). The Sahabas – Mea wa-arba ishreena alf – 120,000 of the Sahabas, all of them listened to this speaking Quran. Listened and obeyed. If only the Quran was sent who is to be obeyed. The Prophet (Sal) is the representative of Man atha ahu faqad atha Allah, those that obey Rasoolullah obey Allah. He is the representative, representing Haqq. Therefore, the Sahabas listened to the speaking Quran and obeyed him. Before Islam the Sahabas were at the lowest of levels. From this level Rasoolullah (Sal) brought them up to the highest level. So much that no community either before or after shall reach to this level. It is impossible for any community to reach to the level of the Sahabas. Is this a fact or a falsehood? Rasoolullah did take them from the lowest of levels to the very highest level so much so that no community shall ever be able to match it. How was this possible? It was made possible by listening to the speaking Quran. The True Ones There are some foolish people today who deny this point. They are a heedless people. They say that everyone should read Quran and Hadith and that it is enough. According to them there is no need to follow an Iman or to follow a Sheik. They follow only shaithan. If one does not follow an Imam or a Sheik, who is he following? Everyone must follow someone; so in that case they love to follow shaithan. They are an ignorant people because they say that you must look to the Quran and the Hadith only. I am asking “Were the Sahabas looking to the Quran or were they looking to the Prophet, who was the actual speaking Quran? Were they not obeying him? Allah Almighty has made it very clear through the Holy Quran “Asta-eedu billah. Ya ayyu halla-zeena a’manuth thaqullaha wa koonoo ma’sadiqeen.” “O believers be fearful of Almighty Allah and be with the True ones (The Awliyas). These foolish people say that the “True Ones” (The Awliyas) referred to here have all passed away. They say on the other hand that if these “True Ones” can be found today, then we must find them and be with them. Even the tombs of those True Ones are being destroyed by these people. They deny even them. “Koonu” means you must be “Ma’a-saadkeen” with the True Ones”. “Who are these True Ones”. Sadik – means trustworthy and true ones. Who are they? Sadakoo ma a’tha Allahu ala rijalin – they are Rijhalun. They are a group of people from mankind. They are the ones who promised to Allah on the day of Promises “Yawmul ahd wal meezan, alasthu birabbikum qaaloo balaa.” They never changed their promises “You are our Lord and we are your servants. Only Your Servants”. They were the ones who did not change this promise to become servants of their egos, or servants of Dunya or servants of shaithan. They are the servants of Almighty Allah only. These are the ones whom Allah ordered people to be with. They are the trustworthy and True Ones. The Sahabas gathered around Rasoolullah and listened to him and obeyed him and reached the highest level of mankind. Therefore we too have been ordered to look and search for a “True One” (The Saints). It is an order from Almighty Allah. The entire nation of the Prophet (umma) they should have a “True one” to be their Khalifa. But they have lost it now. Wherever we may be, we must search and look for such a “True One”. Don’t say that you can never find them. “No! We can always find one. If a person asks Khidr Alaihi Salaam, “Thalabna wajadna” it is impossible for a person to ask and not to meet one. It is Almighty Allah’s Divine Attribute. If a person asks for something with sincerity and seriousness, he must achieve it. As you are Ceylonese people, you know about gems. The miners keep digging till they find, they do not say that it is impossible to find. They keep on digging till they find the gems. Almighty Allah likewise teaches you. If you are asking to find precious stones and working for it and then finding it, then likewise “there are also precious servants of mine” says Allah, if you ask sincerely you may find them. Don’t say “No”, I am asking. I know that this is Sri Lanka, or Malaysia or India. Perhaps you may say “we shall never find. Even if these precious ones are all gone from this area then it must be that they shall be at Mecca within the Kaaba and at Medina at the Rawla Sheriff. It must be. I ask so many people what do you find in Mecca and Medina? They say they have kissed the black stone on several occasion. Then I ask them whether apart from the stone and the buildings they have not met any beloved ones of Allah, (Saints). Did you ever look or search for them. They said “no, only the Kaaba and the black stone, then we were involved in buying and selling goods, we did nothing else.” This Umma is forgetting to ask from the Saints. Therefore all the Saints are now hiding themselves. They say (the Saints) that the Umma of today do not value the Saints anymore. So they have escaped and are hiding themselves, and the Umma ends up loosing them. They never ask from the Saints and then troubles begin to rain on them. This is the punishment from Almighty Allah because they are not asking from the good ones, the ones that Almighty Allah ordered us to be with, instead they keep company with the bad ones. When people get together with these “bad ones” curses fall upon them. On the other hand when they are with the “good ones” blessings rain on them. Therefore it is very important for you and for the entire Islamic world to look and search for the Saints. Where are they “They must search for them.”. If they are pleased with them, then Allah Almighty and Rasoolullah (Sal) are pleased with them. If Almighty Allah and Rasoolullah (Sal) are pleased with them, always mercy and blessings will pour on them. Today people are fearful. What are they fearing. If Almighty Allah does not give them permission nobody can be able to do anything. If He gives permission then no one can prevent them (the Saints) from coming to you. Therefore this is a punishment because we are not with the Saints. Some foolish people are attacking Saints and trying to put them down. Therefore those who do this to them, have curses coming on thm. “Ala inna awliya Allahi la khawfun alaihim walahum yahzanoon.” Allah Almighty in the Holy Quran praises the Saints when he says “In the Saints, there is no fear, in them now or in the future, and they will not be sad forever.” It means that it is also for those who are with the Saints that they also shall have no fear or sadness. The companions of the Prophet, (Sal), said that when they were fearful, the Prophet, (Sal), was a shelter for them. Those who were far away came running to the Prophet, (Sal) to feel safety with him. Al the Saints are the inheritors of the Prophet (Sal). When you are going to be with them, physically or spiritually you are sheltered by them. If you can’t find them physically, let your spiritual body search for them and be with them. If at anytime you feel fear, run to them with your spiritual being. They should send a shelter and also confidence to you. May Allah Almighty forgive us and our attenders here. Your hearts are very suitable hearts. Therefore may blessings come on you. I feel confident and refreshed through my heart as you are here with me. May Allah Almighty make it continuous and forever. May He bless you and your ancestors. The Rope of Allah Almighty Allah Almighty says : Fala Tamootunna illah Wa Antum Muslimoon. Allah Almighty orders: “Oh people, Oh Believers, you believe, but through your heart you may lose your faith and your wrong actions will make Iman to leave you and make belief to leave you and make you not to die in Islam. You must be very careful not to lose your Iman by your speech, by your actions or by your intentions or by your opinions. Bad opinions lead you to bad intentions. Bad intentions lead you to bad actions and bad actions lead you to loose your faith and your Iman. “Fala Tamootunna Illa Wa Antum Muslimoon.” You must take care and not be guided by our own opinion. There is no “own opinion” for Muslims – Muslims who surrender to Allah Almighty and to Rasoolullah (Sal) should not say: This is my opinion or that is my opinion because this is the twentieth century, and even if it is the one hundred and twentieth century you must try only to follow and not to have opinions. Don’t think that A-immatil arbathil the four Imams, gave their own opinions, No, Never. They always gave their decisions after looking at the Quran and Hadees. Therefore wrong opinions lead people to wrong intentions, wrong intentions lead them to wrong actions, wrong actions harm Islam and destroys Islam. When they destroy Islam, they lose their faith and Iman as well. Therefore Allah Almighty orders: Wa’thasimu bi Hablullahi Jami’ah”. Don’t say this is my opinion, or that is my opinion, come altogether in unity. “Wa’thasiu bi Hablullahi Jami’ah”. Allah Almighty says “Hablullah”. Hablullah means Rope – Rope of Allah Almighty. What is that Rope? Have you seen that Rope? What is that Rope? Hablullah. Quran: “Hablullahi Ummati”. Rasoolullah (Sal) said, “Quran Hablullahi Ummati.’ Quran-e-Karim” is that Rope or the unbreakable Rope of Allah Almighty. Then there are also two Qurans. Perhaps you have never heard about the two Qurans? There are two Qurans – one is the silent Quran and the other the speaking Quran. The Prophet (Sal) is the speaking Quran. The Sahaba, were with the speaking Quran. They were not only reciting the silent Quran but they were understanding from the speaking Quran wa’thasimu bi-Hablullahi Jami’ah. What is that Quran? It is the Rasool (Sal) who is Hablullahi Ummati and you must understand this point well. Please don’t aspire to reach the level of Rasoolullah (Sal) because no Prophet ever inherited any money or property. Their only inheritance was Meeraz (revelations) and nothing else. The Prophet (Sal) inherited the Holy Quran and the Holy knowledge that was revealed. He left that Meraaz (revelations) to His Sahaba and to the hearts of his Sahaba. Therefore Prophet (Sal) was given that inheritance by Allah Almighty, who in turn gave it to the hearts of the Sahaba. Particularly Prophet (Sal) said that “Allah Almighty poured through my heart and then I poured it to the heart of Abu Bakr (Ral). As Prophet (Sal) was the speaking Quran to the Sahaba, the Sahaba were connected to him with this unbreakable rope. After the Prophet (Sal) the Umma was with the Sahaba, and after the Sahaba, who carried it? Who carries that Divine trust which is revealed from heart to heart? Who are they? What is the Speaking Quran and who is making mankind connected with that Rope. After the lifetime of Prophet (Sal) who connected the Speaking Quran to the True Umma? Not the Umma, we see today of people who think that anyone who reads a translation of the Holy Quran is an authority on Islam. That is the way they think. It is their opinion. They don’t ask the Speaking Quran or care to search for them and to be with them. That is our power. Islam’s power is to be connected with holy people because Allah Almighty has promised that “If you get connected with Hablullahi Ummathi, that is with such people who belong to the Heavens, with such Holy people who are the Friends of Allah and who are close to Him and His Rasool (Sal) and they are the Saints. If you are not with them “Wala Tafarraqu”, you would be separated. It is such a sad separation that it is a punishment in itself. This is a punishment for the Ummah and what is happening to the Ummah nowadays is only a punishment because you are not getting connected with the inheritors of the Prophet (Sal) and because everyone is claiming that they know in accordance with their opinions. The End |
| THE GUIDE AND GUIDANCE and the NEED TO FOLLOW A SHEIKH |
Sheikh Nazim
The Pilot at the Controls
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