Drunk without wine; sated without food; distraught; foodless and sleepless; a king beneath a humble cloak; a treasure within a ruin; not of air and eath; not of fire and water; a sea without bounds. He has a hundred moons and skies and suns. He is wise through universal truth - not a scholar from a book.

“Human beings must be known to be loved; but Allah must be loved to be known.” - Blaise Pascal

My need is you!

This is another lecture/sohbet from Shaikh Nazim. The Shaikh is talking about the essence of human existence. This sohbet elaborates on the importance of following the heart and going towards the positive feeling. The best part of being a Sufi is that you have a balance between the worldy life along with connection with your God. Sufism is about moderate life, being able to understand issues from both points of views and just loving life for the sake of Allah. It does not mean that you don't enjoy life, but, rather you value your afterlife more.



Hope you enjoy this. Please don't mind the translated english, I am just cut and pasting it for all of you. - Sufi

Shaykh Nazim Suhba from January 07, 2008


What you are coming for? You are here for..

It is an association. We are trying to follow the ways of the Seal of Prophets – peace be upon him. We are trying to follow the ways of followers of the sahaba, the companions of Rasulullah - sallaLlahu alayhi wa sallam. We are trying to follow good steps of awliya. Where they are putting their steps it is safe, safe step. If not, you should be in a dangerous position.

This is a world - dunya. Sometimes we are looking and seeing some preparations of armies. They're for their defense putting mines in the ground - they can't be seen or known: terrible. If you step on it, boom! Blown away! No joking from mines. It doesn't know who is stepping on it, whether a general, footsoldier, or an emperor. Therefore armies are using an expert - who knows.

Now, prophets are the first level people for knowing it is danger for mankind to be killed. Holy order from heavens is saying, "Oh My Beloved ones, look and try to protect my servants on earth, because their most dangerous enemy Shaytan is putting in such varied places so many mines, traps, or bringing hundreds of thousands of tricks to carry people to that mine."

First order from the Lord of Heavens from all Prophets and Messengers – peace be upon them – is: beware to protect my servants so they don't fall into the trap of Shaytan. Shaytan is freely going from East to West, West to East, North to South, South to North. He is not in need of carrying a passport; no need to use a visa. He is saying, "I'm free. Sometimes I am making myself clear for some of my best friends, but mostly I am camouflaging myself through people and they are thinking that I am their first-class advisor." Shaytan is free to go anywhere, even the Ka'ba, even in Prophet's Holy Masjid, and in 'Arafat as well. Everywhere free.

Like newspaper people (showing their press ID): "Today I have very important work with some VIPs. They'll be coming here and I'll be looking after them to make them even drunker. They are going to be drunk and then I will come and make a speech."

(The shaykh is mimicking a VIP giving a speech:)
"Yes, oh my servants. I was thinking that I could make a good speech for you, but I am looking not prepared and I am not remembering anything, bring me another champagne, and I may speak to those donkeys."

Everywhere Shaytan is going making an inspection. The chief inspection on mankind. For whoever is believing in heavenly knowledge and news, the inspector is Shaytan looking everywhere. Anywhere there is such a thing about heavenly knowledge or positions, he is saying, "Take that away."

Therefore, Allah Almighty is saying "Asta'idh billah". You must flee from Shaytan, you must ask protection. You must ask protection. If not, he will carry you away also. That person is looking for a station, but doesn't know where he is going. He goes but arrives at a different place than he was planning.

"Shaytan: Ya Rabbi, we are running to You from that one. Don't leave is in front of that dangerous enemy. We are weak ones."

Therefore we are saying, "A'udhu billah min ash-Shaytanir-rajim.' What was the title of our association? That all prophets are calling people to be servants of their Lord, and that is the main point for which man was created. Man must now for what he is in existence, for what reason they've been created. Then millions and millions of people are believing this, but they're not giving enough time or energy for heavenly service. People are making heavenly service, but most people are not appreciating anything for heavenly service. Never appreciating. Then so many people are accepting that they have been ordered to perform heavenly service, but they are not giving enough care for that service. They have made their main goal to reach dunya as much as possible. They are doing some heavenly service, but it's not their main target - heavenly service is our most important target. We have been created for heavenly service. Any doubt?

"Wa ma khalaqtu insi wa jinni illa li-'abudun." "I never created mankind or jinn for any purpose other than my service: 'ubudiyya - to be My divine servants. So many people are making this heavenly service, but what was the main purpose for Sahaba when they were coming into the holy circle of the Most Holy One - sallaLlahu alayhi wa sallam. What was their aim always running and listening? They knew that they'd been created for heavenly service, but they were every time coming, running to the Prophet - sallaLlahu alayhi wa sallam. Why? They were asking for more and more urging power for them for heavenly service. They were wanting to learn and know what is is the best worshipping to their Lord. They were saying, "How can we do our heavenly service in the best ways- to the best ones, that is important." Yes, you can pray five times, but five times that is not the main target. Because out of five times you are working, working. You are giving your full energy for five times. We are saying, "Enough, enough. We have so many things to do. We may pray quickly but run away." He may or not be looking at what he's saying. Our Lord is saying, "My servant is running to another service, not giving full care to my heavenly service that I was dressing them for to be an honour for them in dunya and akhira. Look, oh Angels, at my servants. Mostly they are not looking to heavenly service. Who are they considering? The servants are giving a very short time saying, "We are not in need of more than that."

Like salafi people, they are not taking care to make sunna or zawaid like what Prophet - sallaLlahu alayhi wa sallam - was doing. Only obligatory service, then they run away - go and work. When you are leaving this world that is for Allah, where are you going? Who is the foreman for manking on their service?

Foreman No.1 is Shaytan. East and West they are running and saying what is the order of the boss. "Look to see that you don't give too much time for their prayers. You must grant to them very short time for their heavenly service." They are making taslim and then taking their shoes and running away.

For whom are they running? For whose service are they running? Have I created them for My Heavenly Service, or have I created them to follow their dangerous enemy and dunya? You know, O our Lord, You know best. You created them for their Heavenly Service, but mostly they are not giving anytime for that service, or they are giving a very short time. They are taking their shoes and quickly running off. For what? For Shaytan's way. They are workers of shaytanic service. How is this dunya going to have people that are happy.

Therefore, I am happy with who is coming here. Al-Hamdulillah! You are sitting and not thinking about any other service. You are sitting, and no one is thinking about their job. No. And your main target, which is the title of the association that our grandshaykh is granting us, may Allah bless him. Say to our brothers, sisters, sons, grandsons, grand-daughters that we are doing this association to learn how we can do our service for our Lord in the best way. We are translating, and you are knowing but you cannot speak on that. Your target, how we can do our Heavenly Service in the best way. That must be through your heart always: how can I give my best service to the Lord of heavens? Therefore, we are saying, "welcome to you," as Prophets were welcoming people who were coming in such a way. Some people are coming, taking something, and running away. They were not on the same rank of Heavenly Service as other people sitting in front of the Prophet - sallaLlahu alayhi wa sallam - who were asking much more knowledge to practice their Heavenly Service in the best way. Therefore, here is a handful of people who are asking to do their best service for the Lord of Heavens. Capital for those people, but for others dangerous days are coming.

Dangerous days are coming, and I am asking forgiveness from Allah Almighty, and I am asking us to keep us on enlightened ways - not to leave us to full in dark ways. Darkness is the worst for looking at by people. May Allah forgive us. This assocation may be more than enough for the whole world to be as a sun shining on their hearts. May Allah forgive me and give much more power and authority through Muharram to take away the ways of heedlessness. That people may run from dunya to akhira. Al-Fatiha for the honour of the most honoured one in your Divinely Presence.

Importance Of Enduring Troubles

Our Grandshaykh was saying about trials: everyday they are coming afresh and the seeker must be ready and careful each time for that trying, that his faith may become real faith. Everyone may improve his station. For one still under his ego's rule, he will be tested by that which his ego will never like; from everything, family, friends, work and neighbours, may come to you what you don't like. The way of development is the way of patience. There is no quick development. One must be agreeable to all happenings to and around himself.

That is the sign of development, to endure peoples' troubling you. It is not important to fly in the sky or to walk on the sea or to be seen in several places at once or to dream good dreams. lmportant in our way is to be patient, resisting every wave of evil like a mountain in a storm, not being pushed back. That is development. Or like the ocean, not becoming dirty from the rivers pouring into it. People with extraordinary powers may fly, but may in the end lose their faith when Satan rushes to attack them. We must be able to endure every harm from everyone.

Our Grandshaykh says, we must be awakened for everything coming contrary to our liking and be ready to tolerate it. This is the real station of faith. Three times a day a shaykh looks to his seekers, but not with a looking to give them pleasure, instead they are looking to send something to the seeker that he will never like. Are you patient, or giving up? When you are patient, your heart is given satisfaction, and a light comes on your real eyes and more faith comes to you. At each opportunity you may advance or regress. This time is particularly filled up with unliked things, the world is full of evils and devils. The Prophet said, "to keep religion in this time is more difficult than to keep fire in one's hand." We must be patient. Allah gives to those enduring unliked things endless reward. It is the way of real faith, like the way of Prophets and of Saints, to endure the badness of people.

Believe in your Shaikh

As a student, one must always believe in his or hers teacher.

An Invitation to the Divine Presence

This article from Shaikh Nazim illustrates the true nature of islam, and how peaceful it is. People of Adam are all Allah (God)'s creations and Allah recognizes their good deeds better than anyone.

This article is republished from sheiknazim2.com/aninvitation.html and talks about the connection between Shaikh and his Student. There are arabic words used that are new to me as well, but the essence of the article can still be achieved.

Please contact your Shaikh for more clarification.

An Invitation to the Divine Presence
Shaikh Nazim

I ask my Lord to help me to, be Just and to uphold justice. This is what our Lord asked of mankind from the time of the first man, Adam, up to our time, and it is what will be asked of man until the Last Day. A person who stands for justice is called “Haqqani”, and that title is the essential basis of all other honourable ranks in the Divine Presence.

“The day when truth will benefit the truthful”

It means nothing to Allah that you were known in this life as a Muslim, Christian, Jew or Buddhist, but he will be concerned with whether you de­served the title of Haqqani. Those who have been Haqqani in this life are transformed; their very essence adopts Divine attributes so that they become “Rabbani” or beings who pertain to the Lord intimately. It is about these people that Allah Almighty says in a Holy Hadith:

Oh My servant, be obedient to Me and I will make you Rabbani, Then you (also) will say to a thing “be” and so will it be. When one reaches the level of Rabbani, God dresses him in His Own attributes and makes him His deputy. Then he grants you willpower that is not your own, but His. But the way to attain the Station of Rabbani leads through the Station of Haqqani, and whoever intends sincerely to be Haqqani will receive guidance from Him.

What is the nature of the station of Rabbani? for those in that station the ocean may be as a puddle, and even the whole world may be a crumb in their hands. Abdul Wahhab ash-Shaarani, a great Sufi of Egypt, said that some men of God see the world as a candle and some see it as an atom. A man of God will first be shown the nature of the universe and all of its creatures, then he will learn about the Lord Almighty. Therefore, on his Night Journey the Holy Prophet was shown the whole universe and only thereafter was invited to leave it and enter the realm of absolute Truth. He left everything, including his self, and entered the Divine Presence, but only after he had been shown ev­erything about the world did he enter Unity Oceans.

He entered Unity Oceans but he was ordered back to the world to invite all Nations to follow him to the Divine Presence. Those who heed his call to ascend to the seven heavens are two sep­arate groups. The first group consists of those who may potentially attain the Station of Gabriel. When Gabriel was leading the Holy Prophet in his ascension, he stopped at a certain point, for fear of being annihilated in the Divine. That Station represents the highest attainment possible through the mind. The second group contains those who are prepared to sacrifice everything, even themselves, to attain absolute “Unity Oceans”. Their station is absolute Unity, Ahadiya, while the station of those who fail to throw off the yoke of mind, form and relativity is the station of Gabriel, the station of the awareness of Unity, Wahadiyya. The station of Wahadiyya is in Unity
Oceans, but it is a “sub-station”. It is, however, the uttermost limit for all but the fewest of seekers.

The way to the station of Ahadiyya, of absolute Unity, is one of total inner renunciation of all hopes of being something. Some of our brothers have asked me to open up to them the doors of Divine attraction, Jadhbah. It is a kind of a power, but it is not my job to dispense power, but to take it away, that you might be empty handed and thus candidates for the station of Absolute Unity.

If an unprepared person were to receive spiri­tual power, he would only wreak destruction upon himself and others. A little boy may admire the large horses the police ride, but if he we were to mount him on such a horse, do you think that he would be able to control it,? Sometimes a father may put his small son on his lap while he drives down a quiet street, and let him steer, but do you think that the father is really letting him drive?

Only those who have subdued their egos may be given any power. A rocket is not launched until all of its systems have been checked many times over, and the flight of each soul to its heavenly destination is much more important than launching a rocket, so don’t imagine that Grandsheikhs em­power their murids (students) easily.

Once, Ubaydullah al-Ahrari called one of his murids and said: “Oh Abdullah, go climb that moun­tain and wait there for me, I am coming after you.” The murid climbed the mountain and began to wait. The morning passed, then the afternoon. The sun set and still there was no sign of the Sheikh. The next day the dervish waited patiently, but still the Sheikh did not come. But his orders were clear, so he waited, a week, a month, a year, five years, and seven years. He survived on that mountain as a beast would survive. In the summer he fed himself with berries and in the winter from the bark of trees. When he prayed the birds would alight on his shoulders and at night when he chanted his Dhikr the animals would gather around him in a circle.


There he waited for seven years without any news from his Grandsheikh. But the Grandsheikh had original1y received the order to send that murid to the mountain from the Holy Prophet, and he was awaiting the order to go up, after him. When the order arrived the Sheikh went up to the murid’s perch in the blink of an eye and said to him.

“Oh my son, why have you been waiting here so long? I told you that I was coming, so when I didn’t come, why didn’t you come and see what had happened to me? I could have died or been hurt; I could have been lost on the mountain, so why didn’t you search for me?" The murid answered: "Oh my Master, I was ordered to wait for you, not to look for you. You ordered me to wait here until you came, and, as the saying goes, whatever a noble person pro­mises, that he will fulfil, so what about you, Oh most noble of mankind”! Is it possible for you to promise something and then fail to fulfil it? I would have waited here for you even until the Last Day. A dog will wait for you if you tell him to, so how shall I be less loyal and obedient? Besides, it was not too difficult for me to wait here, at least you came before I died, when you could have left me until that time too. I relied on your word, not on my mind’s judgement, as I know that you are caring for me.”

The murid had understood that his Sheikh was not really scolding him for staying there but that he was testing him by repeating the same argu­ments and objections that his ego had brought forward when the Sheikh had not appeared when expected. That murid attained the same level of reliance upon his Sheikh and through his Sheikh on the Prophet and ultimately on his Lord, that Abraham attained in reliance on his Lord. When Abraham was thrown in the fire by Nimrod, the Angel Gabriel came and asked him: “Are you in need of help?” I am in need of my Lord’s help, not yours,” replied Abraham. Then Gabriel said: “Then ask your Lord for help.” “There is no need for me to ask, for He sees me, looks after me and knows well, where I am and of what I am in need.’”

That murid was on exactly the same level of trust to his Sheikh. He knew that his Grandsheikh, was not a blind person, and that, therefore, he must be aware of his condition. This is why he answered his Sheikh’s queries by saying “Oh my Sheikh, I have no doubt that you are keeping me within the scope of your spiritual vision, so why should I apply my mind and will when I have given the reins of my will to you trusting that you will guide me to my Lord’s pleasure. I am in your hands like a dead body in the hands of those who wash it before burial.”

Then there appeared a flock of wild doves as an escort for a. very large green bird, a bird which appears to murids who have successfully completed their seclusion. That is a sign that the murid is ready to be escorted to the presence of the Holy Prophet and the Grandsheikhs of his assembly. The Holy Prophet ordered Ubaydullah: “Now I have witnessed that your murid is absolutely in control of his ego. you may give him his powers.

The powers received at this point are six

1) Haqiqat ul-Jadhbah (The Secret of Attraction)

2) Haqiqat ul-Fayd (The Secret of Emanation or Outpouring)

3) Haqiqat ut-Tawassul (The Secret of Connection)

4) Haqiqat ut-Tawajjuh (The Secret of Alignment)

5) Haqiqat ul-Irshad (The Secret of Guidance)

6) Haqiqat ut-Tayy (The Secret of Folding Space)



Until the Holy Prophet appears to the Grand­sheikh and takes upon himself responsibility for the murid, no powers are given. But at that time the floodgates are thrown open.

In our way we must never claim to know any­thing or to be anything, because dissolution in Unity Oceans requires the abandonment of all pretentiousness. Most people, on the contrary spend their life energy on futile attempts to grasp some­thing in their hands.

However, when they open their hands to see what they have, they realize that they never caught it, or even if they did, it flies away as soon as they open their hands. Even seekers of truth sometimes attempt a “catch” by trying to reach a spiritual station for the sake of their egos. In this case seekers have not completely renounced self-aggrandizement, but in accordance with their level they may attain good in this life and the next, but not that ultimate station of Ahadiyya. Only he who abandons the covetousness of this life and the next will be given pleasure that no one can imagine.


A murid becomes eligible for these powers Then he becomes free of his ego’s tyranny. When they are granted he is a free man, forever free of the limitations of time and space.

Time and space are the illusions which now bind us. When we are free they are at our command.

The Power of Attraction is the power which enabled the saintly advisor of King Solomon to bring the throne of the Queen of Sheba to Jerusalem, from Yemen in the time it takes for an eye to blink, or less (Holy Qur’an, Chapter 34). This is the power that enables one to draw anything to himself. Inanimate objects are the easiest, people the most difficult.

The Power of Emanation or Outpouring is the power to be the means for .the transfer of the experience of the Divine Presence to the murid. It is all embracing light that overflows the brim of the vessel. The Holy Prophet is the vessel in which these Divine favours are poured and, as they are without end, they flow from his heart to the hearts of Saints and from theirs to those of murids.

The Power of Connection is the power to connect at all times to this chain of transmission of Divine power and favours. For Saints it is the intimate knowledge of the Prophet’s realities and those of the chain of Sheikhs leading to him. For those who are yet aspiring to that station it is the daily invocation of the names of those Grandsheikhs leading up to the Holy Prophet. In our time, the time when the advent of Imam al-Mahdi is anticipated, many more people will have access to this power than ever before.


The Power of Alignment enables the Sheikh to turn his heart towards the hearts of his murids at any given time, and to turn their hearts towards their destinations. If he can’t do this then it is meaningless to say that he is a Sheikh. The first step is in his turning the heart of the murid towards his own, after this it will be possible to turn it onwards.


The Power of Guidance is the power to lead one on his way to his destination once he has been turned toward the direction through the Power of Alignment. For example, if you arrive at Heathrow Airport it is not enough, you must be lead or given directions to arrive at your specific destination in London. Therefore, being turned in the direction is only the first step, the door of the maze; you must be helped on through it.

The Power of Folding Space is the power to travel at will anywhere in the Universe without actually traveling the distance, but rather by “rolling it up” like a parchment. Such a thing is unattainable except for those, who have subdued the physical body absolutely.

Presently our souls are encased in our physical bodies. The secret of this power is that, by bringing the physical body under control it becomes encased in the spiritual body, and the movement of the spiritual body is not cumbersome like that of this body. What is the speed of a donkey compared to the speed of Light? The speed of light is like a donkey compared to the speed of the spiritual body.

Please don't mind the references that were translated from Arabic/Turkish to English.

Easiest way to do Zikr

Easiest way to lead to higher Spiritual peace is by doing zikr (dhikr). According to Maulana Shaikh Nazim, by calling Allah's (God) name, you can attain peace and beat your 'nafs'.

According to Wikipedia, Nafs is an Arabic word meaning self. In Sufi teachings, it means more of false ego. When Sufis talk about opposing Nafs, they mean Nafs Ammara, which talks about personal ego.

By just saying Allah's name, we are keeping it simple and avoid our egos contradicting anything. Simple and fast is the key to internal peace.

Shaikh Nazim - Grand Master of the Sufi Circle known as Nakhsbandi

When you meet someone better than yourself,
turn your thoughts to becoming his equal.
When you meet someone not as good as you are,
look within and examine your own self
Confucius

King Without a Crown

You're all that I have and you're all that I need
Each and every day I pray to get to know you please
want to be close to you, yes I'm so hungry
You're like water for my soul when it gets thirsty
Without you there's no me
You're the air that I breathe
Say Sometimes the world is dark and I just can't see
With these, demons surround all around to bring me down to negativity
But I believe, yes I believe, I said I believe
I'll stand on my own two feet
Won't be brought down on one knee
I'll Fight with all of my might and get these demons to flee
Hashem raise fire blaze burn bright in agony
Hashem's raise thy blaze burn bright and I believe
Out of darkness comes light, twilight unto the heights
Crown Heights your burnin' up all through the twilight
Said, thank you to my God, now I finally got it right
And I'll fight with all of my heart, and all a' my soul, and all a' my might

Mountain Qaf

This is a sohbet (lecture) on Mountain Qaf from my Sheikh.

Regarding the Mountain Qaf and the Paranormal Cities

Introduction

Our Master, the venerable Khwaja Muhammad Nazim once spoke about the Mountain Qaf and its inhabitants who will aid Imam al Mahdi (upon whom be peace) when he appears,

"By the Prophet's order, he (Al Mahdi) was taken away behind Mountain Qaf. Nujaba, Awtad, Budalla and Akhyar (five kinds of Awliya) took him. Their Imam is Shihabuddin. Then he was ordered to be in the Empty Quarters. That is where Yemen and Hijaz join. It is a dead desert...We hope to be his helpers. We are asking Almighty God to let us reach his happy times, his happy days. When he appears, he will say, "God is Greatest! God is Greatest! God is Greatest!" (Allahu Akbar). This will be heard from the East to the West without any doubt. Angel Gabriel will shout, "God's vicegerent has appeared! Join his army, Oh Believers!"

Everything will be clear...God will send people from behind Mountain Qaf. No one will be alone at that time. When the Savior (AS) comes, he will bring so many new people with him who will be coming from around this earth. There are so many unknown worlds around our world. People will come from Nujaba, Awtad, Budalla and Akhyar."

"You should know that our Master, the venerable Khwaja Muhammad Nazim is also present on the Mountain Qaf, where he delievers the Juma Khutbah to the inhabitants of that denizen"-Sayyid Ahmed Amiruddin

Mountain Qaf According to Imam al Tabari

The following tradition is attributed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and is recorded by Tabari in,‘Chronique de Tabari’.

Here is how the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied concerning Djaboulqa and Djaboulsa:

“These are two cities, one in the East and one in the West. Djaboulqa is in the East and Djaboulsa in the West. These cities are of emerald and both are linked to the mountain Qaf. They have both twelve thousand parasang in length and twelve thousand parasang in width.”

The Prince of Believers ‘Ali (peace be upon him) son of Abu T’Alib was in presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when the Jews came from Khaibar, Fadak and those of Beji Qoraidha. The Jews came with Abu Jehal and W’Alid-ben-Mogaira to see that, what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said was tally with the Pentateuch and the traditions.

Hadrat ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “O Apostle of Allah, these two cities (Djaboulqa and Djaboulsa) are they in the same world we are living?”

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “The two cities are situated in darkness and contiguous to the mountain Qaf.”

‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, “How many inhabitants are there in these places?” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “Each of these cities has fortresses and in each fortress there is a garrison of 1000 men who keep on guard each night. The tour (of guard duty) of the men who once keep on guard does not return until the next year”.

‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, “why should there be so great number of people to guard on that place?”

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “Because in these places there are an enormous quantity of gems which belongs to these people whom we call-Tharis and Taqil, they are the enemy of the Djaboulqa and Djaboulsa. They are unceasingly at war night and day. They fight with themselves. It is because of these people that there are these guards and these sentinels”.

Hadrat ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, “do the inhabitants of Djaboulqa and Djaboulsa form part of the children of Adam?”

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).replied, “they do not even know Adam.”

‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, “has the devil penetrated there?” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “neither do they know it (the devil).”

‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) asked “do the sun and the moon shine on them?” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “They know not that Allah has created the sun and the moon.”

Hadrat ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, “But how they see?” Muhammad(peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “light come to them from the mountain Qaf, and their walls, their stones, and their dusts are all shining as lights.”

‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) “O Apostle of Allah, what do they eat?”

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “the herbs that grow on the earth.”‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, “what do they wear?”

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “they have no need to cover their bodies with garments.”

‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) added, “so, they are angels.”

Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “No, but their obedience to Allah is similar to the angels.”

‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, “do they have kids?”

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “they desire not to have for they are all males and they have no females.”

‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, “are they among the Elects or of the damned?” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “they are among the Elects, because they follow the religion and the laws. And they have professed Islam. In the night of Mi’raj when Jibrail took me to heaven, he took me thence to these people. I offered them Islam, they believed in me and in Allah. I appointed a C’Aliph among them from among their own nation and I taught them Islam. Jibrail then took me to Tharis and Taqil and towards Yajuj and Majuj; they were infidels and did not accept Islam.”

Then ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, “O, Apostle of Allah, can any man reach that place?” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “No man has the power to reach these people because one has to walk four months in darkness! Meanwhile at the time of Prophet Hud, three men among the Adites³ who became Muslim and who believed in the Prophet Hud, fled their people, and reached these cities.”

Some people pretended that Djaboulqa and Djaboulsa are situated to where the sun sets. We are also told that, the inhabitants of Earth would have heard the rising and the setting of the sun, had not these people created tumults and noises at these cities. Dhul-Qurnain remained two months in the darkness willing to reach these mysterious cities. But he failed as he needed to walk for two more months in the darkness.

The Jews of Medinah Al-Munawwara having heard these stories said, “We have seen the same things in the Pentateuch.” Now the three persons who fled the A’d⁴ people arrived at Djaboulqa and Djaboulsa, and they stayed there. They were tormented by the people of Fid. They wanted to escape, but they could not. For these people have more power than they do.

The philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein proposed, “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world,” an intriguing proposition, begging the question: “Do our words shape the way we think about things?”

Real Love is forever!

Here is a Sohbet, "Lecture" from Shaikh Nazim himself. Bare the translation as it was emailed to me like this but you can understand the main essence of the lecture.

Real Love is forever, as it is For the Sake of Almighty God

There was one student in Daghestan who was on a high degree of love, a strong lover of Allah and the Prophet Muhammad (sal). He was saying about the love between people and that so many people are liking one another but that we cannot accept this love until it is tested to be true or not. A love that is true for only seven days, or seven months, or seven years and then on the eighth goes away, that is not love. How is that love described? You may see in your friend a no good word or action, and become angry with him and cut that love. Any love ending in enmity is not real love. We must love for the sake of Allah, then there is always forgiveness, and a love that is never ending. Real love must be forever.

If I like you and you are grinding me in a mill, and if it is possible for me to come out whole ? after suffering all that crushing, if my love for you changes, it is not real love. Who is in love for the sake of Allah, will be on Mimbars of Light on the Last Day, says the Prophet Muhammad (sal). All people will ask, "Who are these, Prophets??" Angels will answer: "No, they are lovers for the sake of Allah." If love is for this life and the ego's enjoyment, then it is no real love. An important characteristic for believers is to love for the sake of Allah, even if it be to love only one person.

Our Grandsheikh said to me that there were two mureeds (students) in his homeland who would sometimes meet and assault one another with words, saying to each other all manner of things. Then they would look to each other's heart to see if there came any effect from the cursing, but no change. Next, with their hands they would slap each other until they got tired then they would sit down and blow on their hands. Still, not changing in love. Finally they would beat each other with sticks, until they fell down, then they would laugh together. Here Satan (Devil) would become very angry and run away. To be like this is the highest degree of love, and for Awliya (saints) their love never changes, come what may from people. This is the love that Tariqa teaches us to endure. If one gets angry, it means, no real love in his heart. We must accept the faults of people, as we all have so many faults. We must be tolerant and compassionate.

Our Grandsheikh says if a man loves a person, he never sees any disliked thing; every thing is perfect, his features, his speaking and actions. By practicing, you may be on that station. Like Layla and Majnun, he loved everything belonging to her, her dogs, her village, including even the stones. Perfect love results in looking to a person and seeing all perfection. For a lover, nothing can be disliked in his beloved; if we see people in perfection, we will like them. Because everyone is unique in His creation, there is complete and special perfection with him. Even physically, each one is a special individual. This is from Allah?s endless power, to make everyone unique. Looking with these eyes, our hearts must incline to at least be friends with everybody. Then everybody also comes to us with friendship, and then friendship will lead to love. As much as we are loving people, we are strong in love for the Lord. Look always at people's perfection and search for their good actions. Allah orders, don?t look at people's faults, it brings you to hate and enmity. You will come down to these same faults. You must keep your eyes.

What is the concept of Shaikh?

Salaam, Shalom, Hi!, Bonjour Everyone!

Having grown up in this western, modern civilization, I have gone through the typical teenage boys to men struggles in trying to figure out this life and our purpose to be here. I have gone through depression, anxiety and other struggles in life till I met my Shaikh, who acts like a guidance counselor, a teacher or a well wisher atleast towards our journey.

Shaikh is someone who you can trust with your decisions as he has learned and is still learning through people who have far greater experiences in life. A major rule in Sufi teachings is that a human can learn the most through the experiences. The knowledge is implicit as opposed to explicit. You cannot gain experience by reading a book. A shaikh can help you gain experiences, whether it be through intentions or just circumstances that you come across in life.

I will try to explain and elaborate my experiences and teachings in the manner that I learn them. In essence, in my opinion, journey towards Sufism leads to inner acceptance and peace.

"I have just started on this journey and lot of things that had happened in my life are already making sense. Not everything that happened in my life has been a coincidence. The collaborative effect of all the things, situations or incidents that I have come across make me what I am today. The experiences of today will make me what I will be tomorrow." - The author of this blog (Name withheld, so that the essence of this blog is not lost)