Maulana Shaykh Nazim Al-Haqqani gave a deep and powerful Suhbah on the 3rd of May 2011, concerning Osama bin Laden's death.
Here is the Synopsis:
Osama bin Laden has been a controversial figure in the Muslim world. Some view him as a true Islamic warrior, others, as a murderer and terrorist. Is his death that of a martyr or otherwise? Maulana skillfully dissects Osama's actions and motives, explaining to his mureeds a very important lesson as to why Tariqah is so vital, for it is the only means of subduing our marauding Egos. Maulana says, we are all servants – either to our Egos, or to our Lord. One who returns to Allah as a slave to his Ego, has lost his honour, forever.
Osama followed his Ego and damaged the whole notion of a religion.
Osama followed his Ego and damaged the whole notion of a religion.
This is perhaps one of the most important Suhbahs ever, it is for anyone who seeks to understand what religion is really all about. The aim of religion is so simple, so fundamental, yet shaitan has cleverly distracted us from our true destination – it is like a Grade-A student who enrolls in the best University, who goes to campus everyday, and participates in so many campus activities (like Sports, Social work, running the Campus newsletter, standing for elections on the Student Council etc) – he does everything -except study - and in the end, he fails his examinations.
Today's believers are doing just that - they are aimlessly going through the motion of performing the religious rituals, but they are not tasting or feeling anything real, for they have left out the most important ingredient of the meal. Food without salt is tasteless, just as drinks without sugar is. Each time we whip up a gourmet meal, shaitan ensures that we forget the salt and sugar. Because religion is so tasteless today, people are seeking to taste from the enjoyment of dunia instead.
Read this Suhbah slowly and with a real desire to understand what has gone wrong in our lives. Maulana has clearly laid out our most important struggle in religion in this Suhbah, "Oh our Lord, do not leave us in the hands of our Egos, even for the blink of an eye." (Hadees).
May Allah bestow us all with understanding and wisdom, ameen!
The full Summary is available at: