Speech By Hazrat Imamul Arifin Pir Aftab Ahmad Qasmi

Hazrat Pir Aftab Sahib was the eldest son of Hazrat Pir Khan Sahib.

He spent 35 years of his life in travel propagating the sufi message of Mohra Sharif. He was very strict on the rules of Silsila-e-Naqshbandia. He maintained the order according to the founding forefathers. He propagated the Khatm-e-Khwajgan and Zikr of Allah. He was very well known among sufi orders in Europe. Hazrat Peer Aftab Sahib converted many non Muslims to Islam by his spiritual power given by Allah. He was the first sufi from Pakistan to introduce Sufism in Denmark. In 1972 Hazrat Sahib accompanied by Makhdoom-e-Tariqat Hazrat Pir Aurangzeb Badshah was the first sufi in many years to have recited the Azan and performed Salat ul Zuhr and also the recitation of Zikr in the famous Qurtaba Masjid in Spain with a group of 50 followers. During his tours Hazrat Sahib attracted many different type of people both rich and poor, even the royal family of Libya were followers of Hazrat Sahib.

Hazrat Pir Aftab Sahib was a true Ashiq (lover) of Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (PBUH). Hazrat Pir Aftab’s life and his speeches and his preachings can be summarized in a few words which are “He always stated that you should fear your lord to an to such a point that when you pray in your mind it is Him who is standing in front of you and it is Him you are bowing to and you should love the prophet to such an extent that nothing in the world matters but the Rasool (PBUH)”. Wherever he went he preached the Zikr and Ishq for the Rasool (PBUH). That was his mission and wherever he went he definitely left his mark.

Hazrat Pir Aftab Sahib left this mortal world in the year of 1992 on the 24th of May. He was buried in Mohra Shareef. The light that was shining from his face on the day of funeral was a sign for all of us that the Ashiq of Muhammad (PBUH) will never leave this world without being recognized. Hazrat Pir Auliya Badshah stated at the funeral that the Imam Ghazali of our times have passed away from this mortal world.

Supplication for Forgiveness

In the Name of God I begin, with all my respect,And all praise belongs to God, for my strength and maturity.

I seek the forgiveness of God, our Lord and Creator,For all mankind and for the evils of my [soul’s] turmoil.

I seek the forgiveness of God, motivator of the heavenly spheres in the darkness, For our failure to thank Him enough for His bounty.

I seek the forgiveness of God, the Savior of one who seeks His aid,Whenever he suffers misfortune or calamity.

I seek the forgiveness of God, Forgiver of the sins of one Who comes to Him broken, humiliated, and full of remorse.

I seek the forgiveness of God, Concealer of the faults of The morally deficient, and their Savior from adversity.

I seek the forgiveness of God for my secret thoughts and overt acts,For the fickleness of my heart and for the smile upon my lips.

I seek the forgiveness of God for my speech and my behavior,For my evil character, type, and nature.

I seek the forgiveness of God for my words and deeds,For my vain strivings, and the exhaustion of my abilities.

I seek the forgiveness of God for my ignorance and transgressions,For the greatest of my conscious sins, and the minor ones I have committed.

I seek the forgiveness of God for what my hand has wrought,For my errors and [the sins] toward which I was inclined.

I seek the forgiveness of God for that which my hand did not earn,And for that which I earned upon attaining adulthood.

I seek the forgiveness of God for saying ‘I’ and ‘with me’,[For saying] ‘belonging to me’ and ‘mine’, and for my suspicions and my [limited] understanding.

I seek the forgiveness of God for that which I did not know,For that which I knew, and for that which I wrote by pen.

I seek the forgiveness of God for my sleep, my lethargy,And my wakefulness, and for that which has maintained me [in life].

I seek the forgiveness of God during the day, its night,And, its morrow, before it is created from nothingness.

I seek the forgiveness of God for that which occurred during my youth,And for my disagreements with the aged and mature.

I seek the forgiveness of God, as often as I have feared what He has bestowed,And [as often as] the clouds have rained on the plains and hills.

I seek the forgiveness of God, as often as the number of pilgrims, goingToward lands characterized by purity and sanctity.

I seek the forgiveness of God, as often as the breaking of dawn, and as oftenAs the doves coo their songs in the branches.

I seek the forgiveness of God, as often as the number of letters [in the Qur’an] and multiplicity ofQur’anic verses and aphorisms recited during invocation.

I seek the forgiveness of God, as often as the number of riding animals,Worlds beyond the horizons, and landmarks in the earth.

I seek the forgiveness of God, as often as the number of plants andSheep on the land and [the amount of] bounty in the sea.

I seek the forgiveness of God, as often as the number of heavenly bodiesEncompassed by knowledge, and for everything that is apparent and hidden.

I seek the forgiveness of God, as often as the number of [grains of] sand,And the [amount of] rain that falls continuously on the earth.

I seek the forgiveness of God, as often as the number of created things—Of human beings and jinn, or Arabs and non-Arabs.

I seek the forgiveness of God, as often as the number of thoughts inThe breasts of those endowed with trust, authority, and wisdom.

I seek the forgiveness of God—all majesty be to God, our Creator,Creator of mankind and the One who brought us forth from nothingness.

I seek the forgiveness of God—all majesty be to God, Who provided for usPrior to physical existence, and Who apportions all the shares [of worldly destiny].

I seek the forgiveness of God, Whose bounties are without number,The All-Encompassing, the Most Excellent, [the One] noted for generosity.

I seek the forgiveness of God—all majesty be to God, Who gathers us in [at death],The annihilator of centuries, and annihilator of all nations.

I seek the forgiveness of God—all majesty be to God, Who resurrects usAfter death, and Who gives life to decaying bones.

I seek the forgiveness of God, innumerable times,As often as the number of known species and breaths of life.

I seek the forgiveness of God—on Him be praises without number,[For] He causes Himself to be praised pre-eternally.

I seek the forgiveness of God, the Forgiver of sins Who, wheneverThe slave disobeys, forgives him with indulgence and generosity.

So forgive me the greatest of my transgressions, and[On] the Day of Judgment, when my feet are about to stumble.

Then may blessings be on the Chosen One from Mudhar,The Best of Mankind, among those who weep or smile.

And may his family and companions be preserved

By our Lord, along with all of [their] followers.

-Shaykh Abu Madyan

The Sufi

“The Sufi is one whose heart is pure (safa), free from attachment to his physical existence (wujud). His heart is an ambassador between him and his Lord (Almighty and Glorious is He). He cannot be a Sufi until he sees his Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) in his dreams, educating him, telling him what to do and what not to do. His heart will make progress and his innermost being (sirr) will be purified (yasfu) at the door of the King, while his hand is in the hand of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).”

-Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani

Futuh al-Ghayb

A Parable

A person who is concerned for himself is like a servant whose master has dispatched him on a mission. The master has sent him to some land that the master owns in order to procure some cloth there for him. When the servant arrives in that place, he begins to say to himself, “Where will I reside? Whom will I marry?” He gets preoccupied with these questions, expending all his energy on anxiety about these concerns, until he is delinquent in executing the commands for which his master had sent him. When his master calls on him, his reward from the master will be that the master cuts him off and separates himself from the servant, since he was totally preoccupied by his own affairs rather than observing the prerogatives and rights of his master.

So it is with you, my fellow believer. The True One has dispatched you to this world and commanded you to serve in it faithfully, and has undertaken to support and sustain your existence contingent on your service. If you become engrossed in worrying about your own concerns for yourself and neglect the rights held over you by your master, then you have turned aside from the path of right guidance and slid down the low road to ruin.

-Imam Ibn ‘Ata’Allah al-Iskandari

On Opposing the Ego (Mukhalafat al-nafs) and Remembering One's Faults (Dhikr uyubiha)

God Most High has said, "As for him who fears to stand before his Lord and restrains the ego [animal soul] its desires, the garden is shelter" (79:40)

Ali bin Ahmad bin Abdan informed us through Jabir that the Messenger of God said, "The worst of what I fear for my community is the pursuit of passion and ambition for the future, for the passions leads away from the truth, while ambition makes one forget the next world." So know that opposing the ego (nafs ammarah, the animal soul, the passions throughout the chapter) is the beginning of worship.

The shaykhs, asked about submission to God - Islam - have said that it means to slaughter the ego with the swords of opposition to it. You should know that when the disasters of the ego rise in a person, the glories of intimacy with God set.

Dhu-l-Nun al-Misri said, "The key to worship is reflection. The sign of attaining the mark is to oppose the ego and its desires. To oppose the ego is to abandon what it craves." Ibn Ata said, "The ego is disposed to bad conduct while the servant is commanded to observe the rule of behavior, so the ego falls by its nature into the arena of things to be actively resisted, and the servant with effort can turn it back from the evil of its wishes. He who gives it free rein is partner to its corruption."

I heard Abu Abd al-Rahmah al-Sulami say Junayd said, "The ego [animal soul] summons to dangers, assists enemies, pursues whims, and is to be suspected of every sort of wickedness." Abu Hafs said, "Whoever does not suspect his ego at every moment, oppose it in all circumstances, and drag it toward what it hates for all his days, has been fooled. Whoever looks at it expecting any good from it has caused his ruins."

How can an intelligent person be satisfied with himself while the noble, son of the noble, son of the noble, son of the noble - Joseph the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham the Friend of God - says, "I do not absolve myself, for the ego [animal soul] commands to wrongdoing" (12:53)!

I heard Muhammad bin al-Husayn say that Junayd said, "One night I could not sleep. I got up to make my private devotions but was unable to find the sweetness and delight I usually find in conversations with my Lord. I was troubled and amazed. I wanted to sleep but was not able. I sat but could not endure the sitting. So I opened the door and went outside. There in the street lay a man wrapped in a cloak. When he felt my presence he raised his head and said, 'O Abu-l-Qasim, finally!' 'Sir,' I said, 'no appointment was made.' 'Rather I asked the Mover of the Hearts to move your heart towards me,' he replied. 'He has done that,' I told him. 'What is your need?' 'When does the disease of the ego [animal soul] become its cure?' he asked. 'When the ego [animal soul] opposes its desire, its disease becomes its cure,' I answered. Directing himself to his ego, he said, 'Listen! I have given you this answer seven times and you refused to hear it except from Junayd. So now you have heard it!' He turned away from me. I did not know him, and I have never come across him again."

Abu Bakr al-Tamastani said, "The greatest blessing is to escape from the ego, because the ego is the greatest veil between you and God Almighty and Glorious." Sahl ibn Abd Allah said, "There is no way to worship God equal to opposing the ego and its caprice."

I heard Muhammad bin al-Husayn say that Ibn Ata was asked what thing most quickly brings on God's wrath. He said, "Looking upon the ego and its states, the worst of which is the expectation of compensation for its acts." And I heard him say that Ibrahim al-Khawwas said, "I was on the mountain of al-Lukam [in Damascus] when I saw some pomegranates and wanted them. I came up, took one, and broke it open, but finding it sour I went away and left them. Then I saw a man lying on the ground. He was covered with hornets. 'Peace be upon you,' I greeted him. 'And upon you be peace, Ibrahim!' he replied. 'How do you know me?' I asked. 'Nothing is hidden from one who knows God Most High,' said he. 'I see that your state is with God Most High,' I said. 'If only you would ask Him to shelter and protect you from the torment of those hornets!' 'And I see that your state is with God Most High.' He returned. 'If only you would ask him to protect you from the desire for pomegranates! For a man but finds the pain of the sting of hornets in this world, while he finds the pain of the sting of pomegranates in the next!' So I left him and went away."

It is told that Ibrahim bin Shayban said, "I did not sleep under my own roof or in any place that had a lock upon it for forty years. Many times I desired to eat a meal of lentils, but it did not come about. Then one time in Damascus, an earthen vessel full of lentils was presented to me. I ate out of it and was leaving when I saw glasses to which were clinging what seemed to be drops of liquid. I had thought the vessel clean, but somebody said to me, 'What are you looking at? Those are wine dregs, and that jug is a wine jug!' 'I must carry out a duty.' I said to myself. So I went into the wineseller's shop and kept pouring out that jug. He supposed I was emptying it by order of the Sultan. When he knew that it was not so, he dragged me to the judge Ibn Tulun who ordered that I be flogged with 200 lashes and thrown me into prison. There I stayed for awhile, until my teacher, Abu Abd Allah al-Maghribi, came to that city. He interceded for me. When his eyes fell upon me, he asked me 'What have you done?' 'A meal of lentils and two hundred lashes,' I said. 'You have been protected by shields against the true punishment,' he told me."
I heard Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami say that Sari al-Saqati said, "My ego has been pleading with me for thirty or forty years to dip a carrot into date syrup, and I have not fed it!" And I heard him say that he heard my grandfather say, "The bane of the servant is his satisfaction with himself as he is." I also heard him say that Husayn bin Ali al-Qirmisini said, "I am ibn Yusuf, the Amir of Balkh, who sent a gift to Hatim al-Asamm, who received it from him." Asked why he did so, he said, "In accepting it I found humiliation for me and honor for him, while in returning it was honor for me and humiliation for him, so I chose his honor over mine and my humiliation over his."

Someone told a Sufi, "I want to go on the pilgrimage free of material support." He answered, "First free your heart from distraction, your ego from frivolity, and your tongue form nonsense - then travel however you wish!"

Abu Sulayman al-Darani said, "Whoever does good at night is rewarded during the day and whoever does good during the day is rewarded at night. Whoever is sincere in abandoning a desire is saved from catering to it. God is too noble to punish a heart that has abandoned a desire for His sake."

God, glory to Him, revealed to David, "O David, beware! Warn your companions about devouring the objects of desire. When people's hearts are tied to the desires of this world, their intelligence is veiled from Me."

A man was seen seated in mid-air. Someone asked him, "Why were you granted this?" "I gave up idle desire (hawa)," he said, "and the air (hawa; a play on words because hawa means both) became subject to me."

It is said that if a thousand desires were presented to a believer he would drive them away through fear of God, while if a single desire were presented to a libertine, it would drive fear of God away from him. It is said, "Do not give your bridle into the hand of caprice, for it will lead you into darkness."

Yusuf bin Asbat said, "Nothing will extinguish desires from the heart except an unsettling fear or a troubled yearning." Al-Khawwas said, "Whoever gives up a desire and does not find the recompense for it in his heart is lying about having given it up."

Jafar bin Nisar said, "Junayd gave me a dirham and said, 'Go and buy me Waziri figs.' I bought them, and when he broke fast he took one and put it in his mouth. Then he spit it out, wept, and said, 'Take them away!' I asked him about this. He said, 'A voice spoke in my heart saying, "Aren't you ashamed? A desire you gave up for My sake - now you are returning to it!"'"

They recite:

The last letter of disgrace has been stolen from desire.

The victim of every desire is a victim of disgrace.
Know that the ego possesses contemptible characteristics, and one of them is envy.

-Imam Abu-l-Qasim al-Qushayri

Risalah Qushayriyyah (Principles of Sufism)

Demolish this house

Demolish this house,
for a thousand houses
may be made from this carnelian.
A treasure lies beneath the house,
So don’t stand still,
for there is no other way.
Don’t be afraid of destroying the house,
because with its treasure in your hand
you can builda thousand houses without toil and pain.
In the end this house will fall into ruin,
and the treasure beneath it will be revealed;
But it won’t be yours,
since your soul receives that divine gift
as wages for destroying the house.
If it hasn’t done the hard work,
it earns nothing:
There is nothing for the human being hereafter
but recompense for that which she has wrought here.

-Rumi
Mathnawi IV

Ibn Arabi on this world

Indeed the whole world is imagination.

Only He is the real in Reality.

Whoever understands this

knows the secrets of the spiritual path.

-Ibn Arabi

Chechen Sufi's

There is a candle in your heart...

Dua by Dr. Pir Fazeel Ayaz Qasmi

Creation Of The Nafs

The scriptures of old report that when Allah created the intellect, He said, "O intellect go back," and it went back. (Then He said.) "O intellect come forward," and it came forward. (He then said,) "O intellect who am I," and it said, "You are Allah, the Lord of the universes."
Similarly, when He created the nafs, He said, "O nafs come forth," yet it went back. Then He said "O nafs go back," and it came forward. "O Nafs who am I?" and it said, "You are you and I am I." Thus Allah imposed hunger upon it and weakness crept into it until it became subdued and obedient. He then said, "O nafs go back," and it went back, and "O nafs come forward," and it came forward. He said, "O nafs who am I?" and it said, "You are Allah, the lord of all the universes."
Thus weakening the desires of the nafs proved of great importance in the realm of seeking nearness to Allah

-Habib 'Ali Zain Al 'Abideen Al Jifri

Ma'alim as-Suluk (Wayfarers to God)

Ya Muhammad (Peace & Blessing Be Upon Him)

Salawat - Nasheed

God is Most Great

Your Saying “God is Most Great” does not mean that He is greater than something else, since there is nothing else alongside of Him, so that it could be said that He is greater than it… Rather, the meaning of Allahu Akbar is that He is much too great to be perceived by the senses or for the depths of His Majesty to be reached by reason and logic, and indeed, that He is much too great to be known by an other-than-Him for truly, no one knows God but God.

-Ibn ‘Ata’ Allah

On The Excellence Of Learning

The excellence of learning is attested in the Qur’an by the following words of Allah: “And if a party of every band of them march not out. it is that they may instruct themselves in their religion;” (9:123) and again. “Ask of those who have Books of Monition if ye know it not.” (16:45)

[As to the evidence of the excellence of learning] in tradition, the Prophet of Allah said. “Whoever follows a path in search of knowledge. Allah will guide him into a path leading into Paradise.”[1]And again. “Verily the angels will bow low to the seeker after knowledge in approval of what he does.”[2] He also said, “To rise up before daybreak and learn but a section of knowledge is better than prostrating yourself in prayer a hundred times.”[3] The Apostle again said. “One section of knowledge which a man learns is better for him than all the riches of the world.” And again. “Seeking after knowledge is an ordinance obligatory upon every Muslim.”[4] He also said, “Seek ye knowledge even [as far as] China.” The Prophet further said. “Knowledge is like sealed treasure houses, the keys of which arc inquiry. Inquire. therefore, for therein lies reward for four: the inquirer, the learned, the auditor, and their admirer.” He also said, “The ignorant one should not hide his ignorance nor the learned his knowledge.” And in a tradition on the authority of abu Dharr,[5] “To be present in the circle of a learned man is better than prostrating oneself in payer a thousand times. or visiting a thousand sick men. or joining a thousand funerals.” It was then said.. “O Apostle of Allah, is it also better than the reading of the Qur’an?” To which he replied, “What good. though. is the Qur’an except through knowledge?” The Prophet also said. “Whoever is overtaken by death while seeking knowledge wherewith to strengthen Islam. between him and the prophets in Paradise is but one grade.”

[As to the evidence of the excellence of learning] in the sayings of the Companions, ibn-Abbas said, “While I sought knowledge, I was abased, but when I was sought for it, I was exalted.” Similarly, ibn-abi -Mulaykah[6] said, “Never have I seen the like of ibn `Abbas: to behold him is to behold the most handsome man; when he speaks, he is the most eloquent, and when he hands down a judicial opinion, he [reveals himself] as the most learned.” Ibn-al-Mubarak said, I wonder how one who sought no knowledge could be moved to any noble deed;” while one of the wise men said, “Verily I pity no one as I pity the man who seeks knowledge but understands not, and him who understands and seek it not.” Abu-al-Darda’[7] said, “I would rather learn one point than spend my night in continual prayer;” and again, “The learned and the learner are partners in righteousness while the rest of men are barbarians in whom there is no good.” He :also said, “Be learned, or a learner, or an auditor but never anything else lest thou perish.” ‘Ata’[8] said “[Attendance at] an assembly of learning[9] atones [the evil of attending] seventy places of entertainment.” “Umar[10] said, “The death of a thousand worshippers who spend their days in fasting and their nights in continual prayer is a lesser calamity than the passing away of one learned man who is aware of what is lawful before Allah and what is unlawful. “Al-Shafi’i said, “Seeking knowledge is better than supererogatory works.” Ibn-‘Abd-al-Hakam[11] said, “I was [once] at Malik’s[12] place studying at his feet when the hour of noon arrived. Thereupon I closed my books and put them away in order to pray; but he said, `What you have risen to perform is not better than what you were doing provided your intentions are good.” Abu-al-Darda’ also said, “Whoever should regard that rising early for study is not jihad [reveals himself] deficient in reasoning and intellect.”

- Iman Al Ghazali

Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din

Kitab al-ilm

[1] Muslim. al-Dhikr-w-al-Du’a’. 11: Ibn-Majah. Intro., 17: 4.
[2] Ibn-Majah, Intro.. 17:4.
[3] Cf. Ibn-Majah, Intro., 16:9.
[4] See supra, p. 3. [Ibn-Majah, Sunan al-Mustafa, Intro., 17:5, al-Baghawi, Masabih al-Sunnah, (Cairo, 1318), Vol. I, p. 15. ed.]
[5] Al-Ghif­­ari. Jundub ibn-Junadah. d. A.H. 32/A.D. 652-3 See al-Nawawi. Tahdhib al-Asma’ ed F. Wüstenfeld (Gottingen. 1842-7). pp. 714-15
[6] A.H. 117/A.D. 735; Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, Vol I, pp. 95-6.
[7] ‘Uwaymir ibn-Zayd (A.H. 32/A.D. 652-3) See ibn-Sa’d, Vol. VII, Pt. 2,
pp. 117-18.
[8] Ibn-abi-Rabah (A.H. 115/A.D. 733). See ibn-Qutaybah, p. 227; ibn-
Khallikan, I, Vol. pp. 571-3.
[9] “Dhkir” in B.
[10] The second Rashidite Caliph.
[11] Abu Muhammad ‘Abdullah (A.H. 314/A.D. 829), father of the famous
historian of Egypt; see ibn-Khallikan, Vol. 1, pp. 444-5.
[12] Ibn-Anas (A.H.179/A.D.795). See al-Fihrist, pp.198-9; ibn-Khallikan,
Vol. II, p. 200.

Woman

The Prophet said that women hold dominion over sages and over men of heart,

but that fools, again, hold the upper hand over women, because fools are violent and exceedingly froward. They have no tenderness or gentleness or amity, because the animal nature sways their temperament. Love and tenderness are qualities of humanity, passion and lust are qualities of animality. Woman is a ray of God, not a mere mistress, the Creator's self, as it were, not a mere creature!

- Rumi

If You Could...

If you could get rid
of yourself just once,
The secret of secrets
Would open to you.
The face of the unknown,
Hidden beyond the universe
Would appear
on theMirror of your perception.

-Rumi-

Spiritual Ecstasy

The Prophet, may Allah grant blessings and peace upon him, says, 'The one who has not experienced ecstasy and thereby received the manifestation of divine wisdom and truth has not lived'.

Hadrat Junayd, may Allah be pleased with him, said, 'When ecstasy meets the divine manifestations inside one, one is either in a state of the highest joy or the deepest sorrow'.

There are two kinds of ecstasy: physical ecstasy and spiritual ecstasy. Physical ecstasy is a product of the ego. It does not give one any spiritual satisfaction. It is under the influence of the senses. Often it is hypocritical, occurring so that others see or hear about it. This kind of ecstasy is totally devoid of value because it is purposeful, it is willed: the one who experiences it still thinks that he can do, that he can choose. It is not good to give any importance to such experiences.

Spiritual ecstasy, however, is a totally different state, a state caused by the overflow of spiritual energy. Ordinarily, exterior influences—such as a beautifully recited poem, or the Qur'an chanted by a beautiful voice, or the excitement brought on by the ceremony of remembrance of the Sufis—may cause this spiritual elevation. This happens because at such moments the physical resistance of the being is obliterated. The will, the ability of the mind to choose and to decide, is overcome. When the powers of both the body and the mind are undermined, the ecstatic state is purely spiritual. To go along with that kind of experience is beneficial to one.

The influences which incite spiritual ecstasy are described in the words of the Prophet, may Allah grant blessings and peace upon him, 'The verses of the Qur'an, the wise and wondrous poems of love and sounds and voices of yearning illuminate the face of the soul'.

The Prophet, may Allah grant blessings and peace upon him, says, 'The one who has not experienced ecstasy does not have the taste of his religion'.

There are ten states of ecstasy. Some of these are apparent and their signs visible, and some are hidden and unobservable by others, like the inner consciousness and remembrance of Allah, or a silent reading of the Holy Qur'an. To shed tears, to have deep feeling of regret, fear of Allah's punishment, longing and sorrow, shame for one's moments of unconsciousness; when one grows pale, or the face flushes with excitement from states within and from events around one, burning with the yearning for Allah—these and all physical and spiritual anomalies caused by such things are signs of ecstasy.

- Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani
Sirr al-Asrār (Secret of Secrets)

Anecdotes Of Junaid

Once Junaid’s eye pained him, and he sent for the doctor.“If your eye is throbbing, do not let any water get to it,” the doctor advised.

When he had gone, Junaid performed his ablutions and prayed, and then went to sleep. When he awoke, his eye was well again. He heard a voice saying, “Junaid forsook his eye to gain Our good pleasure. If with the same intention he had begged of Us all the inhabitants of Hell, his petition would have been granted.”

The physician called and saw that his eye was healed.“What did you do?” he asked.“I performed the ablutions for prayer,” Junaid answered.

Thereupon the physician, who was a Christian, declared his conversion.

“This is the Creator’s cure, not the creature’s,” he commented. “It was my eye that was sick, not yours. You were the physician, not I.”

-Farid al-Din Attar
Tadhkirat al-Awliya'

"I'm contained by true hearts"

The Prophet said that Allah has said,

"I cannot be contained in hallowed places.

Heaven and earth cannot hold Me.

But I am contained by true hearts.

If you seek Me, search in those hearts."

-Rumi

In the hour or grief...

In the hour of grief you turn to Him;

when grief departs you transgress.

In adversity you moan entreating Him;

when ease returns you turn away.

Those who know Allah remain steady,

but those who doubt exult at times

and become despondent at others.

-Rumi

Liberate yourself

Liberate yourself from the fetters of the ego
and surrender yourself before God.
Let the Lord be your shepherd,
allow Him to attend to all your cares,
and do not allow temptations to entice you.
Aspirations of this world are the cause of all concern.
Aspire to God and obtain freedom.

-Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani

In God's eyes

I surrender myself to no other god but God.

If He desires my bloodshed,

then so be it! I have no fear.

I may be disgraced in your world;

before God honor will be mine.

A laughing stock in the eyes of the world,

in God's eyes cherished and acclaimed.

-Rumi

The Key to Success

On Dhikr

Dhikr is a fire which does not stay or spread – so if it enters a house saying, "Me and nothing other than me," which is one of the meanings of "la ilaha illa'llah' (There is no god but Allah), and there is firewood in the house, it burns it up and it becomes fire. If there is darkness in the house, it becomes light. If there is light in the house, it becomes 'light upon light'.

Dhikr expels from the body impure substances produced by excess in eating or from the consumption of unlawful food. As for food which is lawful, it does not touch it. So the harmful components are burned up and the good components remain.

Dhikr is heard by every part as if it were blowing on a trumpet. When dhikr first occurs in the head, the sound of trumpets and cymbals is experienced there. Dhikr is a sultan – when it descends in a place, it descends with its trumpets and cymbals because dhikr is opposed to all that is other than the Truth. When it descends in a place, it occupies itself with negating what is contrary to the Truth, as we find in the union of water and fire. After these sounds, different sounds are heard: like the ripple of water, the sound of the wind, the sound of fire when it is kindled, the sounds of galloping of horses, and the sound of leaves of the trees rustling in the wind.

This is because man is a combination of every noble and low substance: dust, water, fire, air and earth, and heaven and earth and what is between them: these sounds issue from every source and element of these substances. Whoever has heard these sounds in dhikr praises Allah and glorifies Him with his entire tongue. This is the result of the dhikr with the tongue with the force of complete absorption. Perhaps the worshipper will reach the state where, if he falls silent from dhikr, the heart will stir in his breast, like the movement of the child in the womb, seeking dhikr.

Some say that he heart is like 'Isa, the son of Mary, peace be upon him, and dhikr is its milk. When it grows and becomes strong, longing for the Truth audibly springs from it and pangs of yearning craving for dhikr and the One invoked. The dhikr of the heart is like the sound of the bee, neither a confused high noise nor a very low hidden sound. When the One invoked takes possession of the heart and the dhikr is obliterated and vanishes, and the invoker does not pay attention to the dhikr nor to the heart. If during this, he notices the dhikr or the heart, that is a distracting veil.

This is state is annihilation (fana') – and it is that man is annihilated in respect to his self (nafs), and he feels nothing in his limbs nor things outside of him or things inside of him. If, during that, it occurs to him that he is totally annihilated in respect to himself, that then is a blemish and turbidity. Perfection is that he be annihilated to himself and to annihilation, and the annihilation of annihilation is the goal of annihilation. Annihilation is the earliest of the Path (Tariq) since it is travelling towards Allah Almighty, and then guidance follows. By guidance I mean the guidance of Allah as the Prophet Ibrahim said, "I am going to my Lord, and He will guide me." (37:99)
This absorption is seldom stable and rarely continues. If the invoker continues, it becomes a fixed habit and a permanent state by which he may ascend to the celestial world. Then the purest real Being emerges and he is imprinted with nature of the invisible world (malakut) and the holiness of Divinity (lahut) is manifested to him. The first thing manifested to him from that world are the essences of the angels and the spirits of the Prophets and saints in beautiful forms through which some of the realities overflow onto him. That is the beginning. This continues until his degree is higher than forms and he encounters the Truth in everything with clarity.
This is the fruit of the core of dhikr. Its beginning is only the dhikr of the tongue; and then the dhikr of the heart is stimulated. Then the dhikr becomes natural; and then the One invoked takes possession and the invoker is obliterated. This is the inner secret of the words of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: "Whoever wish to abide in the Garden of Paradise should invoke Allah much" and the secret of his words "Hidden dhikr is seventy times preferable to dhikr which is heard by listeners."

The sign of dhikr moving to the inner conscience (sirr) is the absence of the invoker from dhikr and the One invoked, and the dhikr of the inner conscience is frantic thirst and drowning in it.
Among its signs is that when you ceasing doing dhikr, it does not leave you, and the ascendancy of dhikr in you stirs you from absence to presence.

Among its signs is that dhikr presses against your heads and limbs so that they seem as if they were bound with shackles and chains.

Among its signs is that its fires do not abate and its light does not depart. Rather you always see its lights rising and descending while the fires around you are pure, aflame and brightly burning. When dhikr reaches the inner conscience when the invoker falls silent from dhikr, it is as if needles had been thrust through his tongue or as if his entire face were a tongue invoking, light pouring from it.

- Ibn 'Ata'llah al-Iskandari

From Miftah al-Falah (The Key to Success)

The Chapter on Dhikr

Encouragement to remember Allah often, secretly and openly, and to presevere in it; what is reported about someone who does not remember Allah often

1. Abu Huryara reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "Allah Almighty says, 'I am in My slave's opinion of Me and I am with Him when He remembers Me. When he remembers Me in himself, I mention him in Myself. If he mentions Me in an assembly, I mention him in a better assembly than them.' If he comes near Me by a handspan, I come near him a cubit. If he comes near Me by a cubit, I come near a fathom. When he comes to walking, I come to him running."
(Muslim and al-Bukhari, Ahmad has at the end of it, Qatada said, "Allah is quicker to forgive.")

2. 'Abdullah ibn Busr reported a man said, "Messenger of Allah, the laws of Islam are too much for me. Tell me something I can cling to." He said, "Your tongue should remain moist with the remembrance of Allah." (at-Tirmidhi)

3. Abu'd-Darda' reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "Shall I inform you of the best of your actions and the purest of your property and the highest of your degrees and what is better for you than spending gold and silver and better for you than encountering the enemy and striking their necks and their striking your necks?" They said, "Yes, indeed!" He said, "Remembrance of Allah Almighty." MuÔadh ibn Jabal said, "There is nothing which saves from the punishment of Allah more than remembrance of Allah." (Ahmad, Ibn Abi'd-Dunya, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)

4. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "Do a lot of remembrance of Allah until they say, 'He is mad.'" (Ahmad, Abu Ya'la and Ibn Hibban)

5. Abu Musa reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "If one man has some dirhams in his possession which he divides and another remembers Allah, the one who remembers Allah is better." One variant has, "There is no sadaqa better than remembrance of Allah." (at-Tabarani)
6. Umm Anas reported that she said, "Messenger of Allah, command me." He said, "Avoid acts of disobedience: that is the best jihad. Do a lot of invoking Allah. You do not bring Allah anything he loves more than a lot of remembrance." (at-Tabarani. In one variant, "Remember Allah a lot. It is the action which Allah loves most to reveive." At-Tabarani notes that Umm Anas is not the mother of Anas ibn Malik.)

Encouraging attending gatherings of dhikr and meeting together to remember Allah

7. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "Allah Almighty has angels who travel the highways and by-ways seeking out the people of dhikr. When they find people remembering Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, they call out to one another, 'Come to what you hunger for!' and they enfold them with their wings stretching up to the lowest heaven. Their Lord - who knows them better - asks them, 'What are My slaves saying?' They say, 'They are glorifying You, proclaiming Your greatness, praising You and magnifying You.' He says, 'Have they seen Me?' They say, 'No, by Allah, they have not seen You.' He says, 'How would it be if they were to see Me?' [extra 'He said's deleted] They say, 'If they were to see You, they would worship You even more intensely and magnify You even more intensely and glorify You even more intensely.' He says, 'What are they asking Me for?'They say, 'They are asking You for the Garden.' He says, 'Have they seen it?' They say, 'No, by Allah, they have not seen it.'" He says, 'How would it be if they were to see it?' They say, 'If they were to see it, they would yearn for it even more strongly and seek it even more assiduously and would have an even greater desire for it.' He says, 'What are they seeking refuge from?' 'They are seeking refuge from the Fire.' He says, 'Have they seen it?' He says, 'How would it be if they were to see it?' They say, 'If they were to see it, they would flee from it even harder and have an even greater fear of it.' He says, 'I testify to you that I have forgiven them.' One of angels says, 'Among them is so-and-so who is not one of them. He came to get something he needed.' He says, 'They are sitting and the one sitting with them will not be wretched.'" (al-Bukhari)

8. ÔAbdullah ibn 'Umar reported: "I asked, 'Messenger of Allah, what is the booty of the assemblies of dhikr?' He replied, 'The booty of the asemblies of dhikr is the Garden.'" (Ahmad)

9. Anas ibn Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "When you come upon the meadows of the Garden, graze in them." He was asked, "What are the meadows of the Garden?" "Circles of dhikr." he replied. (at-Tirmidhi)

10. 'Amr ibn ÔAbasa said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah say about the right hand of the All-Merciful, 'Both His hands are right hands. There are men who are not Prophets or martyrs the whiteness of whose faces overpowers the sight of those who look. The Prophets and martyrs envy their seat and proximity to Allah Almighty.' He was asked, 'Messenger of Allah, who are they?' He replied, 'A mixture of isolated people from the tribes who meet to remember Allah and select the best words as someone who eats dates selects the best ones.'" (at-Tabarani)

-Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani
from at-Targhib wa at-Tarhib

Inner Wakefulness

This place is a dream
only a sleeper considers it real
then death comes like dawn
and you wake up laughing
at what you thought
was your grief

A man goes to sleep in the town
where he has always lived
and he dreams
he's living in another town
in the dream he doesn't remember
the town he's sleeping in his bed in
he believes the reality
of the dream town
the world is that kind of sleep

Humankind is being led
along an evolving course,
through this migration
of intelligences
and though we seem
to be sleeping
there is an inner wakefulness,
that directs the dream
and that will eventually
startle us back
to the truth of
who we are

-from The Essential Rumi

A Discourse on Sexual Desire

Know that man has been made subject to sexual desire for two beneficial reasons. The first of these is that by knowing its delight he is able to draw an analogy which suggests to him what the delight of the Afterlife must be like. For the delight of the sexual act, were it to last, would be the greatest pleasure of the body, just as the pain of a burn is the body’s greatest agony. Encouragement and deterrence [al-targhib wa’l-tarhib], which drive people towards their saving happiness, can only be brought about by means palpable pain and pleasure, since what cannot be perceived through experience will never be greatly desired. The second reason is that it allows the human race to continue and the world [‘alam] to abide. Such are its benefits.

However, sexual desire also contains evil which may destroy both religion and the world if it is not controlled and subjugated, and restored to a state of equilibrium. It has been said that His word (Exalted is He!), O our Lord! Burden us not with more that we can bear! [II:286] refers, when correctly interpreted, to powerful lust. And Ibn ‘Abbas understood His word (Exalted is He!), wa-min sharri ghasiqin idha waqab [CXIII:3] to refer to ‘the erection of the male member’.


It is told that Moses (upon whom be peace) was once sitting in company when Satan came up to him wearing a cloak in which he assumed many colours [yatalawwanu fihi alwan]. When he drew near to him he took this off and set it aside. Then he said, ‘Peace be upon you Moses!’ Moses ask him who he was and he replied, ‘I am Satan’. ‘God slay you!’ Moses said. ‘What brings you here?’ And he answered, ‘I have come to greet you in view of your great rank in the sight of God’. ‘What was it that I saw you wearing?’ he asked, and he replied, ‘A cloak with which I snatch away the hearts of the descendants of Adam’. ‘What is it then,’ Moses asked, ‘that a man does which enables you to prevail over them?’ And he replied, ‘He becomes pleased with himself, and considers that he has many good deeds to his credit, and forgets his sins. Now, I would warn you against three things! Never be alone with a woman who is not lawful for you, for never does a man do so without having me, not my companions, as his companion, so that I tempt them both with one another. Never make a vow to God without fulfilling it. And never prepare something to give as charity and then fail to give it, for never does a man do so without having me, not my companions, as his companion, so that I prevent him from giving it [at a later time]’. Then he went away, crying, ‘Woe is me! Moses has learnt something against which to warn the descendants of Adam!’

Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib once said, ‘Satan never despaired of destroying any previous prophet by means of women. In my opinion they are to be feared more than anything else. I do not enter a single house in Medina – apart from my own and that of my daughter, which I take a bath in on Fridays and then leave’ (Abu Nu'aym).

Someone once said, ‘The devil says to women: “You are half my army! You are my arrow with which I do not miss! You are my confidante! You are my messenger with whom I achieve my wants!” Thus half his army is desire, the other half being anger.’

The desire for women, which the greatest of all desires, is susceptible to excess, defect, and equilibrium. Excess obtains when the intellect is overcome, so that a man’s concern is so distracted towards the enjoyment of women and slavegirls that he is unable to tread the path of the Afterlife; or it may overcome a man’s religion, so that he is drawn into obscene activities. This may become so extreme in some cases that two foul habits are acquired. Firstly, he may partake of something which makes him desire to have intercourse more often, just as some people take certain drugs which strengthen the stomach and allow them to eat more of the things which they desire. This resembles nothing so much as a man tormented by savage beasts and snakes which sleep from time to time, but which he finds methods of awakening and arousing, and then has to make his peace with. For the desires for food and intercourse are in reality pains, which a man would rather be free of so as to gain another form of delight. Should you object that it has been narrated in a gharib (A hadith which contains unusual lexis, or which is related by only one chain of authorities. (Jurjani)) Tradition that the Emissary of God (may God bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘I complained to Gabriel that I would like more strength when having intercourse with my wives, and he instructed me to eat harisa,’ (Tabarani, Tabarsi) then you should know that he had (may God bless him and grant him peace) nine wives, and that he was obliged to satisfy them all, and that no-one was permitted to marry them after his death, or even if he divorced them: his request for strength was therefore for this, and not for enjoyment.

The second thing is that in the case of some misguided people this desire may end in amorous passion [‘ishq], which constitutes utter ignorance of the intended purpose of sexual congress, and a descent to a level lower than that of the animals. For such people are not content merely to gratify their lust, which is the unsightliest of all desires and the one of which a man should most be embarrassed, but instead believe that their lust can only be satisfied by one person. An animal finds it enough to satisfy its lust anywhere it can, whereas these people will only be satisfied by one person in particular, which thing heaps abasement upon abasement, and enslavement upon enslavement, until their intellects are subordinated to the service of their cravings, even though the intellect has been created to be obeyed, not to obey desires and devise means of gratifying them. Amorous passion is nothing but a wellspring of excessive sexual desire, and is the disease of an empty and unconcerned heart. One should be one’s guard against its preliminaries by abstaining from repeated glances and thoughts. Otherwise, it will take firm hold of one and be difficult to shake off. In this it resembles the passion which certain people harbour for wealth, status, land and children, or even for playing with birds, lutes, backgammon, or chess, all of which may posses them to such a degree that their religious and worldly lives are adulterated and they are unable ever to abstain from them. To break the power of amorous passion in its early stages is like pulling at the reins of a riding-beast when it heads for a gate it would like to enter: to rein it back is a very easy thing, whereas to treat such a passion after it has taken hold of one is like letting the beast go in, and then catching it by its tail and pulling it from behind: a much more difficult task. One should therefore take precautions at the onset of these things, for later they can only be treated with an effort so intense as almost to lead to death.

Excess in the matter of sexual desire, then, causes the intellect to be overcome to this degree, which is very much to be condemned. Insufficient sexual desire, however, leads to an indifference to women, or to giving them insufficient pleasure, which is also to be condemned. Sexual desire is praiseworthy thing when it stands in a state of equilibrium, obedient to the intellect and the Law in all its movements. Whenever it becomes excessive, it should be broken with hunger and marriage. The Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace) said: ‘O young men! You should marry, and whosoever cannot should fast, for fasting is a form of castration.’ (Bukhari)

-Hujjatul Islam, Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, Breaking The Two Desires (Kitab Kasr al-Shahwatayn); Book XXIII of The Revival of the Religious Sciences (Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din)

Invoking blessings on the Prophet (peace & blessings be upon him)

the above transliteration is :-

Allahumma salli ' wa sallim was baarik ala Sayyidina Muhammadil
nil-fatihi lima Ughliqa wal khatimi lima sabaqa wan-naa-siril-haqqi
bil-haqqi wal-hadi ila Sirati-kal-mustaqima sal-lal-lahu 'alayhi
wa 'ala alihi wa-ashaabihi haqqa qadrihi wa-miq-da rihil-'azim.

the above translation is:-

O God bless our Master Muhammad (pbuh) who opened what had been closed, and who is the Seal of what had gone before, he who makes the Truth Victorious by the Truth, the guide to thy straight path, and bless his household as is the due of his immense position and grandeur.

I am sure you have heard the fact that there is no such thing as invoking too much salawat on the Prophet and that we should stay clear of anyone who makes such a claim. We will only mention here some evidence on this topic by way of a reminder.

Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet said: "If people sit in an gathering in which they do not remember Allah nor invoke a blessing on the Prophet, it will be a cause of grief for them on the Day of Judgment." (Narrated by Tirmidhi, who graded it hasan.)

The author of Fath al-`allam said: "This hadith proves that it is incumbent on one to remember Allah and invoke blessings on the Prophet while sitting in an gathering, for whether we take the words "cause of grief" to mean torment of fire or any other punishment, obviously a punishment is incurred only when an obligatory act is neglected or a forbidden act is committed, and here it is both the remembrance of Allah and the invoking of blessings on His Prophet that are apparently incumbent."

Dua For Relief Of Debt

Once a Sahaba (radhiallahu anhu) came to the Beloved Rasool (peace & blessings be upon him) and complained that the world has turned its back on him (referring to poverty). Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (peace & blessings be upon him) said to him, “Do you not know that Tasbeeh which is also the Tasbeeh of the Angles of sustenance? It is due to this Tasbeeh that Allah (peace & blessings be upon him) gives sustenance. The needs of this Duniya will come to you in abundance. Recite this Tasbeeh 100 times daily at the rise of early morning (just after Sobho-Saadiq). This is the sacred Tasbeeh of the Angels,

سبحان الله و بحمده سبحان الله العظيم و بحمده استغفر الله

Seven days passed and the Sahaba(radhiallahu anhu) returned to the Holy Prophet (peace & blessings be upon him) and said: “Ya Rasoolullah (peace & blessings be upon him)! The Duniya (wealth) is coming to me so abundantly that I do not know how to carry it or where to put it. I am absolutely amazed and astonished as to what to do with it.”

-Fath al-Bari narrated by umm al-mu'minin Sayyidah A'iesha (radhiallahu anha)

The Name Of Allah

Let's say the name of Allah all the time.
Let's see what my Lord does.
Let's travel the Way always.
Let's see what my Lord does.

Just when you least expect it,
suddenly the veil is lifted.
The remedy arrives in time.
Let's see what my Lord does.

What did Yunus do?
What did he do?
He found a straight Path,
held the hand of a guide.
Let's see what my Lord does.

-Yunus Emre

Forgive Me

Giving thanks for abundance
is sweeter than the abundance itself:
Should one who is absorbed with the Generous One
be distracted by the gift?
Thankfulness is the soul of beneficence;
abundance is but the husk,
for thankfulness brings you to the place where the Beloved lives.
Abundance yields heedlessness;
thankfulness brings alertness:
hunt for bounty with the net of gratitude.

Rumi
Mathnawi III, 2895-2897

Could Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) Read?

This lecture is in three parts: Part 1A, Part 1B and Part 2
A lecture delivered by Shaykh M I H Pirzada at the Leeds Makkah Masjid (UK)
on Sunday 17 December 2006.

In Parts 1A and 1B, Shaykh Pirzada addresses the issue concerning the noble Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) not reciting at the first divine revelation and he answers
the criticisms that the Prophet (peace be upon him) could not read.

In Part 2, Shaykh Pirzada highlights the importance of education and the pursuit of scientific
knowledge as seen through the first Qur’anic revelation.

The lecture is translated into English by Bakhtyar H. Pirzada al-Azhari.

11 Principles Of The Naqshbandi Sufi Order

The following eleven principles show the exercise aims of the Tariqat Naqshbandiya. The first eight were formulated by Khwaja Abd-al-Khaliq al-Ghujdawani and the last three were added by Khwaja Bahauddin Naqshband.

01-Yad Kard
Remembrance or making mention, both oral and mental, be always repeating the Zikr imparted to you so that you may attain the beatific vision. Khwaja Bahauddin Naqshband said, “The aim in Zikr is that the heart be always aware of Al-Haqq[The Truth, a Beautiful Name of Allah], for its practice banished inattention.”

02-Baz Gasht
Restraint: The person saying the Zikr when engaging in the heart repetition of the blessed phrase [shahada] should intersperse it with such phrases as “my God you are my Goal and your satisfaction is my aim”, to help keep one’s thoughts from straying. Other masters say that it means ‘return’ or ‘repent’ i.e. return to Al-Haqq by way of contrition [inkisar].

03-Nigah Dasht
Watchfulness: Over wandering, passing thoughts when repeating the blessed phrase.

04-Yad Dasht
Recollection: concentration upon the Divine Presence in a condition of Dhawq [zoq], foretaste, intuitive anticipation or perceptiveness not using external aids.

05-Hosh Dar Dam
Awareness while breathing: the technique of breath control. Khawaja Bahauddin Naqshband said, “The external basis of this tariqa is the breath.” One must not exhale or inhale in forgetfulness.

06-Safar Dar Watan
Journeying in one’s homeland: This is an interior journey, the movement from blameworthy to praiseworthy qualities. Others refer to it as the vision or revelation of the hidden side of shahada.

07-Nazar Bar Qadam
Watching one’s steps: Let the salik [pilgrim] ever be watchful during his journey whatever the type of country through which he is passing that he does not let his gaze be distracted from the goal of his journey.

08-Khalwat Dar Anjuman
Soltitude in a crowd: The journey of the salik though outwardly is in the world, inwardly it is with God. Leaders of the Tariqa have said, “In this tariqa association is in the crowd [assembly] and disassociation in the khalwa”. A common weekly practice was to perform Zikr in the assembly.

09-Wuquf-e-Zamani
Temporal pause: Keeping account of how one is spending his time, whether rightly and if so give thanks or wrongly and if so asking for forgiveness, according to the ranking of the deeds, for “verily the good deeds of the righteous are the equities of those who are near [to God]”.

10-Wufuf-e-Adadi
Numerical pause: Checking that the ‘heart Zikr’ [said in the heart, silently] has been repeated the requisite number of times, taking into account one’s wandering. Bahauddin Naqshband considered numerical awareness the first stage of esoteric knowledge.

11-Wuquf-e-Qalbi
Heart pause: Forming a mental picture of one’s heart with the name of Allah. Engraved thereon, to emphasize that the heart has no consciousness or goal other than Allah. This is the meaning of “Naqshband”.

Chechen Zikr

The Honorable & Exalted Status Of Rasool Allah (Peace & Blessings Be Upon Him)

The Excellence of His Glorious Names
Hazrat Jabir bin Mut’am radhi-allahu-anhu relates that I heard the Holy Prophet say, ‘I have many names. One of them is Muhammad and another is Ahmad. I am known as Haasshir, for (on the Day of Judgment) the entire human race will be gathered together under my banner. I am also called Aqib and Aqib is the one after whom there is no other prophet.
(Bukhari and Muslim)

The First to Be Granted Prophethood
Hazrat Abu Huraira radhi-allahu-anhu relates that the Sahaba asked, ‘O Holy Prophet! When were you granted prophethood?’ The Holy Prophet replied, ‘I was granted prophethood before the creation of Adam.’
(Tirmizi)

Hazrat Jabir radhi-allahu-anhu once asked, ‘O Holy Prophet! What was the very first thing that Allah created?’ The Holy Prophet replied, ‘Jabir, the very first thing that Allah created before anything else was the noor (light) of your prophet from His (divine) noor.’
(Mawahib-e-Ladunniyah related by Hazrat Abdurrazzaq)

The Imam of All Prophets
Hazrat Ubay bin Kaab radhi-allahu-anhu relates that the Holy Prophet said, ‘On the day of Judgment, I will be the Imam (leader) of all the prophets and the one who will speak on their behalf with Allah. It will be because of me that other prophets will be given permission to intercede. I do not boast about this.’
(Tirmizi)

The Last Prophet
Hazrat Abu Huraira radhi-allahu-anhu relates that the Holy Prophet said, ‘My position amongst the rest of the prophets can be compared to a palace which has been beautifully built but the space of one brick has been left empty. People looked around the palace and marveled at its splendor and immaculate construction except for that empty space of one brick. I filled that empty space and hence completed the construction of that palace. In the same way, the advent of prophets was completed by my advent into this world.’ In another hadeeth, it is related that the Holy Prophet said, ‘I am like the brick that was missing in the “Palace of Prophet hood” and I am the last prophet.’
(Bukhari and Muslim)

His Unique Characteristics
Hazrat Aisha radhi-allahu-anha relates that the Holy Porphet forbade his Ummah from fasting continuously (without breaking the fast each day at sunset) by his mercy and kindness. The Sahaba said to him, ‘You fast in this way (but forbid us from doing so)’. The Holy Prophet replied, ‘I am not like you. My Lord provides me with food and drink.’
(Bukhari)

A Mercy and Blessing for All Creations
Hazrat Abu Huraira radhi-allahu-anhu relates that the Holy Prophet was once asked to curse the disbelievers (who were persecuting and torturing the Muslims severely) but the Holy Prophet replied, ‘I have not been sent to curse; I was sent as a mercy and blessing.
(Muslim)

The Greatest Amongst Prophets
Hazrat Ibn-e-Abbas radhi-allahu-anhu relates that some Sahaba were sitting together when the Holy Prophet approached them and listened to them talking amongst themselves. One Sahabi said, ‘Allah appointed Prophet Ibraheem as his Khaleel (very close and dear friend).’ Another said, ‘Allah spoke (directly) to Prophet Moosa.’ A third Sahabi said, ‘Prophet Eesa is ‘Kalimatullah’ (Allah’s word) and ‘Ruhullah’ (Allah’s spirit).’ A fourth Sahabi said, ‘Prophet Adam is ‘Safiullah’ (Allah’s chosen one).’
The Holy Prophet went upto them and said, ‘I heard your conversation. You are surprised that Ibraheem is ‘Khaleelullah’ yet he is worthy of that rank and that Mossa is ‘Najeeulla’ (‘Kaleemullah’), he is worthy of that rank and that Eesa is ‘Ruhullah’ and ‘Kalimatullah’, he is worthy of those ranks and that Adam is ‘Safiullah’, he too is worthy of those ranks and that Adam is ‘Safiullah’, he too is worthy of that rank. Listen carefully! I am ‘Habeebullah’ (Allah’s beloved) but I do not say this to boast.
On the Day of Judgment, ‘Liva-ul-Hamd’ (Holy Prophet’s special flag) will be in my hand alone. Adam and entire human race will be beneath it. I do not boast about this. I will be the first one to intercede with Allah on behalf of sinners on the Day of Judgment and I will be the first one whose shaffa’ah (intercession) will be accepted. I do not boast about this. I will be the first one to turn the key of Paradise. The poor amongst the Muslims will be with me at that time. Allah will open the door of paradise for my sake and will allow me to enter it. I do not boast about this. In Allah’s view, I am the most honorable amongst all those who have passed and all those who are to come. I do not boast about this.’
(Tirmizi)

His Life after His Physical Departure from This World
Hazrat Abud Darda radhi-allahu-anhu relates that the Holy Prophet said, ‘Recite a lot of salat and salam (durood) upon me on Friday because this is witnessed by angels who are present upon this day (for this purpose). The salat and salam of everyone who recites it is presented before me until they stop reciting salat and salam.’ Hazrat Abu Darda says, I asked, ‘(OHoly Prophet!) Will the salat and salaam be presented before you even after your death?’ The Holy Prophet replied, ‘(Yes, because) Allah has forbidden the earth from decomposing the bodies of prophets. Hence, Allah’s prophets are alive and they are given ‘rizq’ (nourishment in their graves).’
(Ibn Majah)

Life and Death
Hazrat Abu Saeed Khudri radhi-allahu-anhu narrates that one day, the Holy Prophet sat upon the minbar in the mosque and said, ‘Indeed, Allah has given a servant of His a choice between taking as much as he wishes from the treasures and pleasures of this world or accepting the rewards and the blessings that his Lord has kept for him. That person chose the rewards and blessings that Allah has kept for him.’ On hearing this, Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq radhi-allahu-anhu wept and said, ‘O Holy Prophet! We would sacrifice our parents for you! (i.e. you are more dear to us than even our parents).”
Hazrat Abu Saeed Khudri radhi-allahu-anhu says, ‘We were very surprised by this statement of Hazrat Abu Bakr’s. People started to say, ‘Look at this old man. The Holy Prophet was talking about a person who was given a choice between the pleasures of this world and the rewards of the Hereafter and that person chose the rewards of the Hereafter and Hazrat Abu Bakr says, “O Holy Prophet! We would sacrifice our parents for you!”’ In fact, that person (who was given this choice) was the Holy Prophet himself and Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq radhi-allahu-anhu was the most learned amongst us (and hence, only he realized this).’
(Bukhari and Muslim)

The Owner of the Treasures of the Universe
Hazrat Abu Huraira radhi-allahu-anhu relates that the Holp Prophet said, ‘I have been sent with the gift of ‘jawaami-ul-kalim’ (speech which is concise in words but vast in meaning). I have been helped by the fact that fear of me has been put into the hearts of disbelievers. I was asleep once and I saw that the keys of all the treasures of the earth were presented to me and placed in my hand.’
(Bukhari and Muslim)

The Distributor of Allah’s Bounties
Hazrat Jabir Radhi-allahu-anhu relates that the Holy Prophet said, ‘Keep your names the same as my name but do not keep anyone’s ‘kuniyyah’ (title) the same as my ‘kuniyyah’ because only I have been appointed as ‘Qasim’ (distributor). I distribute Allah’s favors and gifts amongst you.’
(Bukhari and Muslim)

Foretelling of Events
Hazrat Huzaifa radhi-allahu-anhu relates, ‘One day the Holy Prophet stood before us (Sahaba) and told us about every single event that was going to occur until the day of judgment. He who remembered these facts remembered them and he who forgot them forgot them. These friends of mine (Sahaba) know this. Whenever any of these events occur (about which the Holy Prophet had informed us) which I had forgotten, then on seeing it taking place, I immediately rmemember it in the same way as a person recognizes some one immediately, whom he has not seen for a long time, upon seeing him again.’
(Bukhari and Muslim)

His Knowledge of the Unseen
Hazrat Umar radhi-allahu-anhu relates, ‘The Holy Prophet stood before us (Sahaba) one day and told us about everything that had happened from the beginning of creation and everything that was going to occur right up to the time when the inhabitants of Paradise and inhabitants of Hell would occupy their respective places in these two abodes. He who remembered these facts remembered them and he who forgot them forgot them.’
(Bukhari)

His Challenge to People to Ask Him Anything
Hazrat Anas bin Malik radhi-allahu-anhu relates that one day after midday, the Holy Prophet came from his house and led us in the Zuhr prayer, the Holy Prophet stood on the minbar. He spoke about the Day of Judgment and said that many great events would take place before it. Then Holy Prophet said, “If anyone wishes to ask me about anything then do so. I swear by Allah! Whilst I am standing here, I shall answer every question you ask me!”
Hazrat Anas radhi-allahu-anhu says that on hearing this everyone started crying (Through fear). The Holy Prophet was repeatedly saying, “Ask me!” Hazrat Anas says that a man stood up and said, “O Holy Prophet! Where will my abode be (in the Hereafter)?” The Holy Prophet replied, “Hell”. Then Hazrat Abdullah bin Huzafah radhi-allahu-anhu stood up and said, “O Holy Prophet! Who is my father?” The Holy Prophet replied, “Your father is Huzafah.”
Hazrat Anas says that the Holy Prophet again repeatedly said, “Ask me! Ask me(anything you want to)!” Seeing what was happening, Hazrat Umar radhi-allahu-anhu rose and sat very respectfully (as we do during ‘tashahhud’ in salah) in front of the Holy Prophet and said, “We are satisfied and contented that Allah is our Lord, that Islam is our ‘Deen’ (religion and way of life) and that Muhammad (sallallahu-alaihi-wasalam) is our prophet.” On hearing Hazrat Umar’s words, the Holy Prophet fell silent. Then he said, “I swera by Him (Allah) in whose control is my life! Just now during the (Zuhr) prayer, I was shown Paradise and Hell in front of this wall. I have never before witnessed good and evil as I have today.”
(Bukhari)

Praying for Rain in Madeenah Munawara
Hazrat Anas Radhi-allahu-anhu relates that once in the Holy Prophet’s time, the people were afflicted by severe drought and famine. Whilst the Holy Prophet was delivering the Friday sermon seated upon the minbar, a villager stood up and said, ‘O Holy Prophet! Our animals are perishing and our children are starving as a result of this famine. Please pray to Allah for us.’
The Holy Prophet raised hid hands for prayer. Hazrat Anas says that at that time we could not see a even a speck of cloud in the sky but I swear by Allah! The Holy Prophet had not yet even lowered his hands after his ‘dua’ (prayer) when grey clouds as large as mountains began to appear in the sky and it rained heavily. When the Holy Prophet descended from the minbar, I could see raindrops dripping from his beard. It continued to rain that day, the next day, the day after and every day until the following Friday. (When the Holy Prophet sat upon the minbar to deliver the Friday sermon the following week) the same villager or someone else stood up and said, ‘O Holy Prophet! Because of the abundance of rain, buildings are collapsing and animals are drowning (in the floods). Pray to Allah for us.’ The Holy Prophet raised his hands for ‘dua’ and prayed, ‘O Allah! Make it rain around us but not upon us.’ The Holy Prophet was pointing to the clouds and directing them with his hand. Whichever direction the Holy Prophet pointed in, the clouds broke away from there until the entire sky over Madeenah was absolutely clear (of clouds) and it now rained around Madeenah. Whenever anyone came to Madeenah from another city, they spoke of the abundance of rain.
(Bukhari and Muslim)

Hazrat Abu Huraira’s Mother Accepts Islam
Hazrat Abu Huraira radhi-allahu-anhu says, ‘My mother was a disbeliever. I used to keep inviting her to accept Islam. Once, when I asked her to become a Muslim, she said very disrespectful words about the Holy Prophet. This saddened me greatly. Crying, I went to the Holy Prophet and said, ‘O Holy Prophet! Pray to Allah that He may guide my mother to accept Islam!’ The Holy Prophet prayed, “O Allah! Guide Abu Huraira’s mother (to accept Islam).’ Hazrat Abu Huraira says that hearing the Holy Prophet’s prayer, I returned home joyfully. When I arrived home I saw that the door was closed. Having heard my footsteps, my mother said, ‘Abu Huraira! Wait outside!’ I heard water splashing onto the ground. My mother had a bath and dressed. Opening the door hurriedly she said, ‘Abu Huraira! I testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad ( sallallahu-alaihi-wasalam) is His (noble) servant and true prophet.’ On hearing this, crying for joy, I immediately went to the Holy Prophet and gave him the good news of my mother’s acceptance of Islam. The Holy Prophet praised Allah and blessed me with his prayers.
(Muslim)

His Knowledge of Events Occurring in Barzakh
Hazrat Inve Abbas radhi-allhu-anhu relates that the Holy Prophet once passed by two graves. He said that the people in these two graves were being punished and that this was not due to any big sins. In fact, it was due to very small sins. One of them did not bother preventing drops of urine getting onto his body and clothes. The other used to spread malicious stories about people. The Holy Prophet then took a fresh branch of a tree, split into two pieces and stuck a piece of branch into each of the two graves. The Sahaba asked him, ‘O Holy Prophet! Why have you done this?’ The Holy Prophet replied, ‘Whilst these branches remain fresh, the punishment in these graves will be reduced.’
(Bukhari)

Splitting the Moon
Hazrat Anas radhi-allahu-anhu relates that the people of Makkah asked the Holy Prophet to show them a ‘mu’jiza’ (a miracle – as proof of his prophethood). In response, the Holy Prophet split the moon into two parts until they could see Mount Hira between the two halves.
(Bukhari and Muslim)

The Flowing of Water from His Hands
Hazrat Jabir radhi-allahu-anhu relates that people were extremely thirsty on the day of the Peace Treaty of Hudaibiyyah. The Holy Prophet had a water vessel in front of him from which he was performing ‘wudhu’. Everyone went to him and said, ‘We have not got any water at all to perform ‘wudhu’ or to drink. The only water we have (amongst us altogether) is that which is in your water-vessel.’ Hearing this, the Holy Prophet placed his blessed hand into that vessel and (miraculously) water began to gush forth from between his fingers like springs of water. Hazrat Jabir says that we all drank our fill and performed ‘wudhu’ from that water. Hazrat Jabir was asked how many people were present (that day) and he replied, ‘Even if we had numbered one hundred thousand that water would have been sufficient for us but there were only fifteen hundred of us that day.
(Bukhari and Muslim)

Benefits of Reciting Salat and Salam
Hazrat Anas radhi-allahu-anhu relates that the Holy Prophet said, ‘Whoever recites salat and salam (durood) upon me once, Allah grants that person ten blessings, forgives ten of his sins and elevates his status by ten dgrees.’
(Nissaee)

Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar radhi-allahu-anhu says, “Whoever recites salat and salam upon the Holy Prophet once, Allah and His Angels send their blessings upon that person seventy times.”
(Mishkat)

Reporting Events in Syria Whilst in Madeenah
Hazrat Anas radhi-allahu-anhu relates that the Holy Prophet informed us of ‘shahadah’ (martyrdom) of Hazrat Zaid, Hazrat Jafar and Hazrat Ibn-u-Ravaha radhi-allahu-anhum before this news reached us (in Madeenah) from the battlefield (in Syria). The Holy Prophet said, “Zaid held the banner of Islam first and was martyred fighting to the end. The Jafar held the banner and was also martyred fighting to the end. Then Ibn-u-Ravaha held it and he too was martyred.” Whilst the Holy Prophet was relating this, tears were streaming down his noble face. (The Holy Prophet continued) “then ‘Saif-um-min-Suyufillah’ (a sword from amongst Allah’s swords) Khalid bin Waleed held the banner of Islam and Allah granted Muslims victory over their enemy.”
(Bukhari)

The Necessity of Loving Rasool Allah (Peace Be Upon Him)

Allah says, ‘(O Holy Prophet!) Say (to the believers) if your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your clan, the wealth that you have earned, the business in which you fear loss and your chosen houses are more dear to you than Allah and His prophet and jihad (fighting or struggling) in His cause then wait until Allah brings forth His command (punishment.’
(Holy Quran, Surah 9, At-Tauba, Verse 24)

Qadhi Iyadh rahmatullah-alaih writes that this verse is sufficient proof and indication of the necessity of loving the Holy Prophet and the fact that this is an immensely important obligation.

The Holy Prophet said, ’None amongst you can be a true believer until his love for me is greater than the love he holds for his parents, his children and everyone else.’
(Bukhari and Muslim related by Hazrat Anas)

Hazrat Anas radhi-allahhu-anhu also relates that the Holy Prophet said, ‘A person who possesses the following three qualities has acquired the true meaning of eeman(faith):

1. His love for Allah and the Holy Prophet Muhammad sallallahu-alaihi-wasallam is greater than his love for anyone else.
2. His friendship with anyone is solely for Allah’s pleasure.
3. Having accepted Islam, he abhors ‘kufr’(disbelief) as much as he would loathe burning in fire.’
(Bukhari and Muslim)

Hazrat Umar radhi-allahu-anhu said to the Holy Prophet, ‘I love you more than everything than myself.’ The Holy Prophet said, ‘None amongst you can be atrue believer until I am dearer to him than even himself.’
Hazrat Umar said, ‘I swear by Him (Allah) who revealed the Book (Holy Quran) to you! You are indeed dearer to me than even myself.’
The Holy Prophet replied, ‘Umar, now your eeman (faith) is complete.’
(Bukhari)

The ahadeeth below have been selected from ‘Ash-Shifa’ , Part Two, Chapter Two, Section 2; ‘The Reward for Loving the Prophet’:

A man came to the Holy Prophet and asked, ‘When will the day of Judgment come?’ The Holy Prophet replied, ‘What have you prepared for it?’ The man said, ‘I have not prepared for it with a lot of salah, fasting or sadqah (charitable donations) but I do love Allah and His Prophet. ‘The Holy Prophet said to him , ‘Anta ma’a man ahbabta (On the day of judgment) you will be with the one you love.’
(Bukhari related by Hazrat Anas)

Hazrat Safwan bin Qudamah radhi-allahu-anhu relates, ‘I did hijra (emigrated) to the Holy Prophet and went to him and said, “O Holy Prophet! Give me your hand so I may swear the oath of allegiance to you,” The Holy Prophet gave me his hand. I said to him, “O Holy Prophet! I do indeed love you, “The Holy Prophet replied, “Al-mar’u ma’a man ahabba- A person is (and always will be) with the one he loves.”’
(Tirmizi and Nissaee)

A man came to the Holy Prophet and said, ‘O Holy Prophet! You are indeed dearer to me than my family and my wealth, I remember you and I cannot wait until I can come and look at you. I think of my death and yours and know that when you enter paradise you will be at a high ranking place with the prophets and so, even if I am granted entrance to paradise I will not be able to see you (because of your high status).
In response to this, Allah revealed the verse: “And he who obeys Allah and the Prophet, he will be with those whom Allah has favored-the prophets, the siddiqeen (truthful people), the shuhada (martyrs) and the saliheen (pious people). And what good companions they are.” (Holy Quran, Surah 4: An-Nisa, Verse69). The Holy Prophet called the man and recited this verse to him.