The Greatness and Rank of Shah Naqshband Part 1 of 2

Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani | Saturday, Jan 10, 2009 | Burton, MI US

Audhu billah min ash-shaytan ir-rajeem


Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem


We are doing dhikr 14th Muharram is urs of Sayyidina Shah Naqshband. Dont say, "why we came here, it’s snowing." Allah knows it is snowing, Allah made it to snow in order to test us to see if we are going to come or we are going to sit at home and say, " we have firewood and chimneys and we are warm Saturday evenings. Allah swt doesn’t like lazy servants. You must be very happy and must be very thankful that Allah gave us this opportunity to come tonight and make that special dhikr for the night of the passing of Shah Naqshband and to visit the holy hair of the Prophet (s).and this occasion is worth millions and millions and we don’t know how much is its value Allah is the one who rewards His servants. And Allah swt made this opportunity easy for us to come. We have to be very thankful. Sayyidina Shah Naqshband Muhammad Naqshband is not an ordinary saint. Allah gave him special characteristics that awliyaullah are not aware, some of them are not aware of the characteristics that Allah gave to Sayyidina Shah Naqshband.


One time one of his characteristics is that one time Sayyidina Abayazid al-Bistami, who is one of the biggest saints, one of the saints that Allah swt gave them power beyond the power of human mind. Allah gave him power on some angels that he was using these angels for the benefit of the community. Sayyidina Bayazid al-Bistami with his dedication said, "Ya Rabbee, I am not returning until I reach your Divine Presence. And he was progressing in worshipness and giving his time to reach that Divine Presence. Where he used to do seclusion? Not like us today or like no one is doing seclusion or if they are doing seclusion they do it in a room or in an easy place. He was doing seclusion in a well 70 m. down. Which means 250 ft. approximately down. He is sitting down in the dry well and he is doing his seclusion there. He is not doing seclusion like we do seclusions for forty days. But he is doing seclusions for year and years. Asking Allah swt to open for him his Divine Presence. We, all of us, we are coming in these associations thinking we are big awliya. Everyone thinks himself or herself that he reached the highest level of sainthood, put a turban grow a little bit beard then he thinks o I am someone to be respected. And we are asking, "O Allah we put a turban and have a beard so open for us your Divine Presence.” Correct Abu Bakr? [yes] Muhammad Amin? We do a little bit and we want too much. Alhamdulillah no problem Allah is Generous. We are not like those saints that came before and we are not like Mawlana Shaykh; we are weak servants. We ask that Allah give us even we are moving like an ant, Allah is generous.


But in these days they were dedicated in order to reach. We are asking, Ya Rabbee open for us. We are asking and Allah likes His servants to ask. Are you asking. Ask. Idoo`nee astajeeb lakum – as Me I will respond to you.


So he was asking and asking and asking through many many seclusions until he heard a voice that “Ya Abayazid! What you want?” and it is coming to his heart that message. Like today they say they are sending text messages on these phones. Awliyaullah have higher than this technology thousands of years before. Sayyidina Bayazid had that tech 1000 y ears ago. And with a voice. You have text message with a voice on computer? No. it is with writing. Their text message is with a voice and sometimes you can see also.


What is the message coming? O Bayazid what do you want? I want my Lord’s Divine Presence. I want my Lord to open for me that I can enter into that ocean of love, ocean of worshipness, ocean of dedication to my Lord.” He sent back text message. He received and he was able to send back, now there is a connection. Before he was sending, sending, sending. This time he got the answer. Immediately he text back to the same phone. He got the answer and then sent back a message to the same number. He sent back, “Ya Rabbee, I want my Lord’s love.” He got message back, “do you want that?” “Open for me Your door that I might be inside.”


That is nice. Do you want that? [yessir] Then you have to behave the same way he behave. Who said “yes,” raise your hand. This one he doesn't care. You don’t want? [shrugs]


See. “Ya Rabbee I want to go there.” “Ok, on one condition.” “Ok, what is that. Go and make yourself to be a… what? To be a dump for My servants. A dump place.”


He is where is you see many places these big dumps where all these trucks come carrying all the waste materials. And dump it. Do they dump it or not? [yessir]. So what they do there? They dump all these garbage. “O Abayazid. You want for My Divine Presence to be opened for you? Go be a dump for My servants.”


It means “be like the earth.” The earth you stand on it, you step on it, you blow it up, you put a bulldozer on it, it doesn’t complain. It means, “be like earth, no complaints. Carry My servants. Be Humble to them and let them dump their waste on you and you give them back in return rewards.”


When you dump in dump areas, waste, after a while what happens? What you see when you pass by dump areas. You will see fire there. From a gas which has been formed from the waste that has happened. That is when you become a dump you will be like a fire, you will be like that love to that Divine Presence is increasing it is coming like a lamp, like a flame, dancing from that coming out that flame, shaking and shaking and shaking it is immersed in the love of its Creator.


It means when you become a dump you become a flame, giving light. People they throw the dump it is not worth anything. But no It is worth a lot. Awliyaullah when they put their lives for their mureeds for their followers for Allah’s sake, they get tired, they say, “no problem,” and say for the sake of their followers they carry that, then Allah makes them like flames dancing in the Divine Presence. So the voice came to him, you want for My Divine Presence to be opened go and be a dump for My servants. It means “humble yourself. Don’t show yourself, your ego.” “Don’t argue” it means. Don’t argue between you and your wife. Between you and your husband. Between you and your daughter and between you and your son. Don’t argue between your brothers and sisters. Argument will extinguish the light of the heart.


Today everyone argues. You tell them don’t argue they say, "No, we have to argue. You like it or you don’t like it, we have to argue.” Why they are fighting in me. Leave me, everywhere. Everyone wants to stand on his position. No one wants to bow to the second one. No one wants to give a space to the other. We are here learning. We are not … it is an advice you like to take, you take, you don’t like to take don’t take. Don’t argue. "Al-jidaal yudfi`u nur al-qalb - Argument will extinguish light of the heart.” Some people if they don’t find someone to argue with they will fight with themselves. They look in the mirror and they argue.


They do that everywhere here. They call it emptying yourself in the mirror. You don’t see these groups where they sit in groups and they empty themselves, and then finally they don’t reach anywhere. And at the end they say, "go and fight with yourself in the mirror.” So at the end they get frustrated even and break the mirror.


So he heard, “Go and be dump to My servants.” \So we are coming to the story of Shah Naqshband but this is important to build upon.


So to become a dump is not easy .you have to make something which will make the people beat you up and then see if they carry you or not.


So Sayyidina Bayazid al-Bistami with his high level of spirituality the people cannot understand what he is saying. I am not going into the story of what he did, but he did 2 things that made confusion in the village. So at that moment, scholars, they didn’t understand what he is doing or saying. And they ordered for Bayazid to be eliminate to be executed to be killed.


So they put him in a hole and they being to throw him with stones until he will die. Because what he did wasn’t accepted. What he did, I will say one story.


He was going in the alleys between homes and passed by a house where a beautiful lady came out, he hugged her and went into the house and locked the door. And everyone was angry, saying, “what he did? This is against Shariah!” Today they do that a lot; they don’t care for Shariah or not.


So his students and scholars left him and said, "what he did was wrong.” Except for one, he was standing at the door waiting for his teacher to come out. Sayyidina Bayazid came out after two hours and looked around and said, "O where are your friends?” there were 200 of them then after he hugged the lady they all left and cursed him.


If it was this one or any of us, and shaykh asks us, where are your friends we would say, "they ran away,” to make ourselves big.


So he said, "O Sayyidee, my concern is you, my duty is you. I don’t know about them, you may ask them.”


So that is adab. Then Sayyidina Bayazid said, "come inside the house.” He said, "this is my sister. What you behaved, you behaved in a manner that no one behaved like you. I am going to get you married to my sister.” That mureed never expected to get married to the sister of Sayyidina Bayazid. But because he didn’t put in his heart any doubts Allah rewarded him.


Then he got married to his sister and then they came and said, "we have to kill him because he has done something against Shariah,” as they didn’t know she is his sister.


They took him and throw him with stones until he fell unconscious, and they thought he had died. They threw his body and put it in the dump.


After a few days he revived from that shock of being beaten, and when he awoke he said, "O Allah, whoever harmed me give them from my hasanaat and put their sayiaat on me.”


In this way showing respect to Allah’s servants because by this means he made a situation when he has to accept His servants in the way they are harming.


People are harming, we cannot harm Allah, but they are disobeying Allah and Allah says, no problem, I forgive. So to understand the secret of that ayah. He had to experience that.


Are we forgiving those who harm us? No sir. No, we put oil on the fire to make it bigger.


So after he recovered after seven days in the dump, and constant `ibadah asking Allah to forgive them. He said, "I am leaving this village” and he went to the seashore and there he found a boat. He asked the captain if he can join them. And they went into the sea and the sea became very stormy.


Look their belief, their belief is not like today. They said, "that one of us is a sinner. That sinner must go and throw himself in the water. And Bayazid came and said, "that one is me. Don’t throw anyone else. And he threw himself in the ocean and he said, "Ya Rabbee, I will not come back until I find the truth. And he was going in that ocean a very high speed down. Allah opened the seven earths for him. That means that he goes deeper and deeper. And that means Allah opened the universe for him that he goes deeper and deeper and comes out in another place in the universe in order to say that I am going in search of your Divine Presence.


So after going for seven days he heard in a very no light area he reached a place where he is hearing dhikrullah, and they were making dhikr Huuuuuuuuuuu he was approaching but he was worried and the voice was growing. And he said that all the power that Allah gave to him, Sayyidina Bayazid had the power that if he sends it around the earth he can see every person on earth and know what is his present and his past and his future. Using all that power he was unable to count all the people making dhikr there.


And suddenly he heard a voice, Ya Bayazid what are you doing here? This is not your territory, this is my territory.” That was Sayyidina Shah Naqshband doing dhikrullah before he was on earth, when he was a soul in his spiritual life he was conducting the dhikr with all his mureeds, whoever came as a mureed of the Naqshbandi order from Abu Bakr as-Siddiq up to Day of Judgment , anyone is in Naqshbandi order was present there with Shah Naqshband in the Divine Presence. That was one of the characteristics of Sayyidina Shah Naqshband.


He said, "I was not able to count them and I was not able ot know anything about them, but I knew that I am one of them, but with my soul there, not with my body.” And this is a way that Allah gave to Sayyidina Shah Naqshband to prepare all his mureeds.


Don’t think our dhikr here is what is going to save us. No our dhikr there our dhikr is under Shah. Naqshband and up to Judgment Day we are there doing dhikr Huuuuuuu. Huwa means absolute unknown. It means whatever you know still you don’t know more. That means there is no end to knowledge, knowledge is never ending.


So Sayyidina Shah Naqshband, is that one who is, and as Grandshaykh said, "in the association of awliyaullah in the presence of the Prophet (s) that Sayyidina Shah Naqshband is going to fill four paradises; cannot the remaining awliyaullah fill the rest. The awliya are debating cannot we fill the rest.


So we are ummatan marhuoma - an ummah that Allah has rewarded it. As long a we are on right way. Following the Shariah. But we are weak and helpless. One day on right side, next day on wrong side. Ya Rabbee we cannot do more than that. We are asking your support. May Allah forgive us. 14th Muharram is the day that Sayyidina Shah Naqshband left dunya with his body and yet he is still training his students with dhikrullah and all of us are in that presence.


May Allah forgive us.


Wa min Allah at-tawfeeq bi-hurmati 'l-Fatiha



The Greatness and Rank of Shah Naqshband Part 2 of 2

Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani | Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 | Fenton, MI US



Audhu billah min ash-shaytan ir-rajeem

Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem

Nawaytu'l-arba`een, nawaytu'l-`itikaaf, nawaytu'l-khalwah, nawaytu'l-riyaada, nawaytu's-salook, nawaytu'l-`uzlah lillahi ta`ala fee hadha'l-masjid

Ati` Allah wa ati` ar-rasula wa uli 'l-amri minkum



Yesterday we spoke about…

Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem. We spoke about Sayyidina Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu and it was his urs and Sayyidina Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu, Allah gave him many characteristics. And one we explained yesterday and another is that Allah gave him two eyes that one cannot distinguish the white from the black - one is always overtaking the other. You can see the white over the pupil and the pupil over the white and he has big eyes and so people cannot dare to look at his eyes; they get afraid because there is a majestic power in his eyes. As Grandshaykh Qaddasallahu Sirrahu explained it was like a tahoon, a grinder, they turn like that and they are as big like that, symbolically we say, "they are big eyes.” And people cannot look into his eyes because of that manifestation of that heavenly power that comes to him from two oceans, the ocean of rahmat - Divine Mercy and the ocean of qudrah- Divine Power, these two oceans were always manifesting these two Beautiful Names and Attributes on him and they are appearing in his eyes. And because Allah gave him that power he is trying not ot waste it and trying not to spend it, because in every moment these manifestations are descending from heavens on him and to keep his eyes safe, from looking at something haraam, he was trying to, as when you look and see something that you are not allowed to look at what do you do? You turn your face or you look down. Or when a bad thought comes to the mind, of anything you are thinking, you close your eyes and then open your eyes and say “istaghfirullah,” as focus comes first from the eyes. So you try not to focus, as Sayyidina Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu likes to keep his focus not on dunya things, he wants to keep it more on heavenly things.

So some people when they pray they want to chase away these bad thoughts that come, so they close their eyes, and that is the only reason it is accepted in Shariah to close the eyes in prayer, as it is not accepted to pray with your eyes closed - you must keep the eyes open.

Some people when they pray they might look at you or they look back and left by moving their eyes, not their head. And sometimes you focus on many thoughts bad thoughts that come and you forget the number of raka`ats you prayed.

And Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu didn’t want to lose that focus so in order to do that he was keeping the white moving over the black and the black moving over the white. And anyone looking into his eyes will be struck by lightning as he doesn’t want to use the energy to look at people.

So the discipline was that his mureeds never look at his face. And that is the correct adab of tariqah when the Shaykh gives association then you must keep your head down and not look up.

That is ok for us, as we are beginners. But in our time when we were sitting with Mawlana Shaykh Nazim Qaddasallahu Sirrahu or with Grandshaykh Qaddasallahu Sirrahu the adab was to keep the eyes down

And Sayyidina Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu was keeping the energy of that light for a day when everyone will be in need of it. That is the day:

يَوْمَ يَفِرُّ الْمَرْءُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ وَأُمِّهِ وَأَبِيهِ وَصَاحِبَتِهِ وَبَنِيهِ

yawma yafirru al-maru min akhihi wa ummihi wa abeeh. That Day shall a man flee from his own brother, and from his mother and father, 80:36 (Asad) and from his spouse and his children: 80:34

The day a person runs from his brother and sister and father and mother and wife and children running and saying “myself, myself!”

At that day you will not see pity for anyone you will not think about anyone but yourself, not even the children. Today always they say save the children. But on that day no one will be able to think about the children or anyone but himself.

Only Sayyidina Muhammad (s). Who is able to stand up in the presence of his Lord and think about someone other than his family? That One is not caring for himself or his family at that time, but he is caring for the Ummah.

He is the only one. He is saying, “O my Lord! Do whatever you like with me, but [give me] my nation.”

Even all prophets cannot ask intercession - they come to Sayyidina Muhammad (s) asking intercession Judgment Day.

آدم ومن دونه تحت لوائي يوم القيامة ، ولا فخر

“Adam and whoever is other than him are under my flag on Judgment Day.”

On that day, Allah gave him that right. On that day Allah gave him that right, Allah gave him helpers. Although the Prophet (s) doesn’t need helpers, but in order to guide the Ummah there are every century helpers to help guide the people.

And that is why we know there are 124,000 saints and there are 7007 Naqshband saints. They are present with the Prophet (s) and waiting for [unclear] ummah.

The Prophet (s) said, "Afdal al-ummah akhyar al-ummah, akhir al-ummah - The Ummah that has been most mercied by Allah is this ummah, and the last of this ummah.” You might be from these 7007 saints, Allah knows best. Very few are coming and attending Mawlana Shaykh Nazim’s lectures. Who knows. They might be 7007. There are always 7007.

So first to be ordered after Sayyidina Abu Bakr as-Siddiq Qaddasallahu Sirrahu and Sayyida Fatima az-Zahra Alayhissalam is Sayyidina Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu. And that day, because you know that if you have a hundred golden coins and a generous person came and said, "this is 100 golden coins and every week I am giving to this center.” And he asks the shaykh or imam to distribute to whoever is attending that center every week, equally. And if there is 100 people every one will take one. And if there are 10 people everyone will take 10. And if there is only one person he will take all the 100.

And on Day of Judgment the intercession of intercessors will be cumulative. First Sayyidina Muhammad (s) and then Sayyidina Abu Bakr as-Siddiq Radiallahu anhu and then Sayyida Fatima Radiallahu anhu and that is her dowry.

And that is when she was asked to marry Sayyidina `Ali (r), the Prophet (s) asked if she accepted and she said “no.” And the Prophet (s) was not happy with this answer, and Jibreel came to him and said, " ask her why? And the Prophet (s) asked and Sayyida Fatima said, "you were always asking ‘my Ummah, my Ummah!’ In birth you were saying, ‘my Ummah, my Ummah!’ and in your life you are asking, ‘my Ummah, my Ummah,’ and in your grave you will be asking, ‘my Ummah, my Ummah,’ and on Judgment Day you will be asking ‘my Ummah, my Ummah!’ So I too want to be like you in saving the Ummah, and so I am asking that my dowry will be the whole ummah.

Now the dowry is that - she owns that dowry. Now there is custom that they bring a wife and say, "make a marriage.” There is no dowry, no wakeel, how is that? You must give a dowry. You must not be cheap. You must give as much as you can to respect the honor of your wife.

Today they make a marriage and they give two rings. What is that $10, and $10!?

Bring her something that will benefit your wife in her future, she and her children. That is why the dowry will be important for her. It might be khatm al Qur'an [recitation of entire Qur’an]. It might be you do 1000 salawat on her behalf every day.

So her dowry was she got married with the whole ummah as her dowry. At that time she will come and say, "O My Lord, I am asking my dowry.” If she doesn’t get her dowry then her marriage is not accepted. Her marriage was accepted and authenticated by Allah. And they say there is no respect for ladies. One lady will take everyone to Paradise, men and women.

So they are… she intercedes for the Ummah. Sayyidina Abu Bakr Radiallahu anhu intercedes for the Ummah. Sayyidina Muhammad (s) for sure will intercede for everyone. Then awliyaullah one after one, will intercede and that will accumulate. That trust will accumulate on us. From the Prophet (s) , from Sayyidina Abu Bakr Radiallahu anhu, from Sayyida Fatima Alayhissalam from awliyaullah, so they will accumulate and then the mercy of Allah will come. So we will all be under that.

So after that Allah will give permission to Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu to use his eyes. There is no “how” in religion, there is kun fayakoon. How many human beings are on earth today? 6 billion. Can you put 6 billion in one saaha, or one playing field or one courtyard? Let us say you can put them. There is a huge area bigger than this earth that can accommodate these 6 billion people and you see them and you see this huge gathering jam`an ghaafir, too much like an ocean that has no beginning and no end. Bigger than oceans. There are 6 billion in one courtyard. Can you identify one in the middle with your eyes like that? No. you cannot. Imagine then, not imagine, but think, forget 6 billion, on the day of resurrection not only 6 billion, but everyone is going to be on that huge playing field that Allah creates. This is beyond our understanding but at least it will give us an idea and open our minds to think.

We never thought like that before now Mawlana is sending that information. So you look not at 6 billion but at trillions of human being, standing in this playing field. Each with a name and with a personality and with different features. No two looks the same except twins. They don’t look the same. And think what kind of power Allah gave to Sayyidina Muhammad (s) to identify each one from this crowd. He knows them one by one - he cannot intercede for them without knowing their names. Allah will open for him an ocean of knowledge that he (s) will know each of them from beginning to end.

Can you imagine that? Try to draw it in your mind, as if you are looking at this playing field on Day of Judgment and asking Allah, “Ya Allah! We are weak servants forgive us our sins” and we are seeing Sayyidina Muhammad (s) and the awliyaullah and they will intercede for us in our sins.

At that moment after whomever Allah wants to intercede first, when Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu’s turn comes, he will release that energy that he has stored up from those two Beautiful Names and Attributes: al-Qadir and ar-Rahman, from that light he was accumulating in his eyes all his life, he will release it out and make that light as thin as possible and he will send it as much as it can go to the right. He will send it as much as it will stretch right it will go right and when it cannot reach any more right, it has to go to the other side, it goes like rectangle, as much as it can go vertical over this crowd. He is standing beside the Prophet (s) and releasing it and it goes right as much as it can go and then vertical as much as it can go and then left as much as it can go and then vertical again as much as it can go from his right eye all the way to make a square or a circle or a rectangle and then finally coming all the way around back to his left eye. Whoever is inside the rectangle, square or circle will go inside the intercession of Sayyidina Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu Qaddasallahu Sirrahu besides the intercession of the Prophet (s). And awliyaullah say in the way he does it he will pull out from this crowd what will fill four paradises.

That is why he didn’t want to waste his sight in dunya. It is not worth it. He is saving it for akhira, when everyone is in need of it, when everyone runs from wife, runs from his father, runs from his mother and runs from his children saying, “myself and myself.”

And awliya say, “If Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu did that by himself, cannot the rest of awliya fill the remaining three paradises. Look one wali, Allah gave that power to Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu. That is one of his characters that awliyaullah they like to save their energy their power for the last day. They don’t like to show, Naqshband saints for dunya, they like to keep it for akhira. What is benefit if I tell to Muhammad Amin to rise up and then he rises up. What is the benefit? Sayyidina Muhammad (s) brought a miracle that last from beginning to end, that there is no beginning and no end. The Holy Qur'an. Allah spoke these words to Jibreel and Jibreel to the Prophet (s) and the Prophet (s) brought it to us. Not any other religion has these words of Allah to be given to their nation. We have been give the words, the letters of the words that Allah gave to Jibreel Alayhissalam and Jibreel Alayhissalam revealed to the Prophet (s). `Allama al-qur’an – He taught the Qur’an - that is the Word of Allah, the Letter of Allah and it is what Allah likes. Only looking at the Qur'an will intercede for you in Day of Judgment and in the grave. Even a convert if you cannot read, even looking into Holy Qur'an will benefit you.

If people give you this recorder as a gift you will be happy. What about when Allah is giving us His Holy Words revealed to Sayyidina Muhammad (s) by Jibreel Alayhissalam? What better gift do you want?

So Naqshband shaykhs don’t like to do miracles - don't ask them for miracles. They will make du`a for you, but not in direct way. They want to hide themselves, hiding their powers. They want to use it in Judgment Day. So Sayyidina Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu was saving the power of his eyes to use in the Judgment Day to fill four paradises. When he was passing away he was on the bed and as Sayyidina Azraeel Alayhissalam was coming to take his soul, and say Azraeel in one of the hadith says, if I knew and if I felt, ("knew” here means “felt”) if I know how much difficulty is the taking of a person’ soul I would not take except with softness. As on the last day, when Allah orders him to take the soul of every angel, he takes his own soul and except for Sayyidina Israfil. So he takes the soul of himself and he says if I knew how it was to take the soul, I would never do it except with ease.

So as Sayyidina Azraeel Alayhissalam was coming to take his soul he was falling from the bed to floor. And the mureeds were putting him back on the bed, and each time he would fall down again. And each time he is on the floor and rubbing his head and his beard on the floor and saying Ya `Afuw, Ya `Afuw. This majestic saint, with the light of his face and the light of his sainthood and the breath of spiritual incense that comes from him, was rubbing his face on the floor when he falls and saying Ya `Afuw, Ya `Afuw and they carry him and put him back on bed and he falls again and says Ya `Afuw Ya `Afuw Ya `Afuw. If he has to do like that what about us? Look at how you are spending your life and look at yourself and how you can fight your ego.

Seven times he was falling down and saying, “Ya `Afuw, Ya `Afuw….`afuw `anna Ya Kareeem `afwak wa ridaaka. Bi sirri suratil Fatiha.

The one who will fill four paradises is rubbing his face on floor and from something he considers a big sin. We know there are big sins and small sins, kaba’ir and sagha’ir. He considered he did a big sin, bigger than the biggest sin. The big sins are known. Lying cheating, drinking alcohol, zina, eating pork, these are big sins. Kaba’ir. Sagha’ir are whatever you do outside these, they are sagha’ir. For these you make ablution and pray two raka`ats and ask Allah’s forgiveness, they are gone, Allah will forgive.

The Sultan al-Awliya, the one who spread the tariqah, east and west, and after whom the tariqah takes the name. What he did to say, "Ya `Afuw.” It is good to say, "Ya `Afuw.” But in that emotional way.

Allah is reminding him on the time of his death, “Ya Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu, you are inheritor of the secrets of the Prophet (s), you are My saint.

أَلا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاء اللّهِ لاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

Alaa inna awliya’Allahi la khawfun `alayhim wa laa hum yahzanoon.

Behold! verily on the friends of Allah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve; 10:62

Ala inna awliyaullah… you have nothing to fear. But Ya Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu, what you did was not accepted.”

Look He is speaking to him not from our levels. Inspiring his heart. We have to be careful when we say these things it is not for our level, we are beginners. These are levels of saints. The Maqam al-Ihsan the level of submission to Allah and not interfering except you are submitting and accepting to say ashhadu an la ilah illah Allah wa ashhadu anna muhammadun Rasulullah you are bearing witness with vision not with the maqam al-awwaam that is normal communal level. But kashf if you are speaking in at-tahiyaat, al-mubarakat lillahi was-salawatu at-tayyibaat,… you are in the Divine Presence my salaams to him Ya Muhammad (s), you are seeing him there. So that level is not for us. That is level for what Allah inspiring Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu. He said, "Ya Muhammad (s) Bahauddin Naqshband. What you did is not for a saint to do. My Will is My Will. My Will no one will interfere in it.” “Ya Rabbee what I did?” He is speaking to himself, speaking to Allah, getting an inspiration. “Remember in the village when you had a drought, remember what you did?” That is why he was falling off the bed and saying Ya `Afuw. He said, "I learned the lesson not to interfere in anything You want.”

That is why when you got to wali you ask him to pray, he will pray but if he has no permission to change that destiny, it will not change. That is a code.

What he did Sayyidina Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu to cause this humiliation at the time of his passing? There was drought in his village for many months. There was no food - so they came to him saying, “Ya Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu, we have nothing to eat. Children have nothing to eat. We are begging you to intercede.” So instead of praying as it must be done in the Naqshbandi way, instead he did something to teach the Naqshbandi students [what not to do]. And he asked the richest family, “Do you have any slight amount of wheat in your home?” That villager said, "W’Allahi if you look through whole village you will not find any wheat at all but I have a small amount that I saved.” Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu said, "bring it.” So he brought it and you know in the village they have grinding stones and they have two cows or buffalo and they put the yoke on the cow and he turns the grinding stones. He put one yoke on himself and one on a cow and put the wheat between the stones. And he began to turn the grindstone, and he told the people “come and bring as many people as you can and wheat will be coming out for all the day.”

And as he was turning the people were filling their bags with flour and filling and filling. It was filling the whole area, from morning to evening. He did that physical miracle one time. Allah made him to make istighfaar when he was leaving dunya saying to him, “Why you interfered in My Will?”

“I put My Will like that. Why did you put your finger in it? It is not your business, it is not your job.”

It is Allah’s iradah. “You want to do it you do it, but you must take permission.” That is why after that story, awliyaullah cannot do miracles except with permission of Sayyidina Muhammad (s). So Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu considered that a big sin, bigger than the big sins and he was asking Allah’s forgiveness, and finally, after seven times falling and saying “Ya `Afuw…” he stopped falling from the bed and Allah forgave him and he passed away on his bed.

So that is one of many stories from the line of saints of Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu, and I didn’t plan to have that story and also I am hearing that story from Mawlana Shaykh now and maybe to take a new understanding. And whatever Grandshaykh spoke he took his mureeds to the level that was spoken about. And that means we don’t leave here without he level that Shah Naqshband Qaddasallahu Sirrahu was dressed and what other awliyaullah have been dressed and so we will insha-Allah be with him under that light that comes from his two eyes and under the shafa`ah of the Prophet (s) and all awliyaullah.

Direct ticket to the Divine Presence- Holding the hand of ProphetSallallahu Alayhi Wasallam

Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani | Saturday, Sep 13, 2008 | Fenton, MI US

Michigan Zawiya



Audhu billah min ash-shaytan ir-rajeem

Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem

Nawaytu'l-arba`een, nawaytu'l-`itikaaf, nawaytu'l-khalwah, nawaytu'l-riyaada, nawaytu's-salook, nawaytu'l-`uzlah lillahi ta`ala fee hadha'l-masjid

So we are continuing where we left the previous session.

He is advising, Grandshaykhs they are always advising their followers, their students, not to look at dunya and we explained that last time. So in summary he says, look at dunya as an ugly, how is an ugly person, you don’t like to look at him or her because of too much committing forbiddens in life, they become in their late age ugly.

Bride and groom in young age, they are what? They are beautiful. When they grow up what becomes? Beauty goes. What is left? Only beauty of the soul, the physical beauty of the body is gone. So he says, look at dunya, that beautiful body is going to be gone. Where is that beautiful body going? To the grave. There in the grave, according to what you have done in dunya, your grave will be a piece of Paradise and if your amal is bad it will be hufran min hufar an-niraan, a ditch from hellfire.

So he is advising before you reach that level, look at yourself and look at your dunya that one day you are going to die. You are leaving behind everything that you have made, except your reputation. Except `ilm, knowledge.

Prophet said, “yanqati` amal abni adam illa min thalath: sadaqatun jariya, a flowing donation that you give fee sabeelillah in any way, wa waladin salihun yada`u lah, a child that remembers you when you die and prays for you, wa `ilmun yantafi`u bih - a knowledge you leave behind that people benefit by it.” These kinds of associations leave behind a knowledge that you can teach and your children can teach. And that will be written for you as you spread it already.

Don’t be lazy. Allah doesn’t like lazy people. Go and be like a hunter. Always a hunter has company with him. Why to bring the prey. Grandshaykh, may Allah bless his soul, always used to say to us, “You are so important and all of you are so important to the shaykh, as the dog is important to the hunter. Without his loyalty and sincerity that dog will never bring the prey to his master to shoot it or hunt it, to put it down.”

So important is we must be helpers for the hunter. Hunt good and precious people, bring them from their caves, the caves of dunya from where they have been hiding. They are lost. Don’t sit and you do only your own job but you don’t care for others. Be a diplomat, with the flag of love and peace and bring people to your shaykh.

After a while you are going to die.

وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌ فَإِذَا جَاء أَجَلُهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلاَ يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ

Wa likulli ummatin ajalun fa idha jaa ajaluhum laa yastakhiroona sa`atan wa laa yastaqdimoon

To every people is a term appointed: when their term is reached, not an hour can they cause delay, nor (an hour) can they advance (it in anticipation).

Al-A'raf [7:34]

When the time for them to leave and Allah orders Azra`eel to come and take their souls they are not going to be delayed or advanced one second. So it means be careful. Do as Sayyidina `Ali (r) said, `amal li-dunyaka ka-annaka tamootu ghadan. Wa `amal li- akhiratika ka-annaka ta`ayshu abada – live for this life as if you would live forever and live for the next as if you were going to die tomorrow.

Now he is making tasbih, moving his hands. He doesn’t know if his thumb is going to move to the second tasbih or his soul will be gone. You cannot plan. People are planning for 2020, 2030. what are you planning for 2030. one hurricane can take all that you have planned. Who sent that hurricane? Allah swt. Can they do anything? Can they go and fight? No way. When Allah wants something. These hurricanes are signs for us. When Allah wants he sends and we have to take a lesson and Allah said:

َ تُبَدَّلُ الأَرْضُ غَيْرَ الأَرْضِ وَالسَّمَاوَاتُ وَبَرَزُواْ للّهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ

yawma tubaddal al-ardu ghayrul-ard was-samawaati wa barazoo lillahi il Wahid al-Qahhaar.

One day the earth will be changed to a different earth, and so will be the heavens, and (men) will be marshalled forth, before Allah, the One, the Irresistible; Ibrahim [14:48]

As the hurricane comes suddenly, you don’t know when it comes. So one day there will be a great change for earth, suddenly. Whatever we have collected in our hand we lose in one second. Look thy have built homes, and what happened to these homes? In one second, not more. You are leaving and going. This one leaves his wife and this one leaves his son. And then who is going to be his companion in the grave? [your actions] worms. The dirt is your companion, that grave. All these worms, snakes, wild chars that you have in yourself, Allah will make them alive to bite you, eat you.

There was a very, a student of Mawlana Shaykh Nazim, may Allah give him long life, in Lebanon Tripoli. There is a cemetery there that Mawlana likes, too many awliya there. That one is the one who digs the holes and prepares the graves. He said, "sometimes I see black snakes coming from the grave. Sometimes I see human bodies, burned. When I put them they are not burned, but when I open to put another person in, I find them burned.:

That is Allah giving signs. That as the Prophet (s) said, “either is it hole from Hellfire or it is going to be a Paradise.” It depends on the character of every person. So whatever we polish a stone to get a diamond, you have to keep polishing and polishing and polishing. these meetings are where Mawlana polishes us. We have to many bad characters. People think they are clean but you are not.

So your partner in the dirt is the worms and that they throw on you. You are going to be living with them. If you have been living for dunya. But if you have been living to akhira you will only find your grave to be a piece of Paradise.

Enter to Allah with the hand of the Prophet (s). Don’t try to go by yourself. Keep connection with the Prophet (s). They might ask how you keep connect with the Prophet (s). It is easy. It is easy to say it but difficult to act on it.

Keep your hand in the hand of the Prophet (s) means keep remembering him. Keep making salawat on him. As Allah said,

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ اللّهِ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ جَآؤُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ اللّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُواْ اللّهَ تَوَّابًا رَّحِيمًا

"wa maa arsalnaa min rasulin illa li-yuta'a bi-idhnillahi. wa law annahum idh dhalamu anfusahum jaa'ooka f ’astaghfirullaha w ’astaghfaralahum ar-Rasul la-wajad-Allah tawaaban raheema"

"And We have sent no Messenger but that he should be obeyed by the command of Allah. And if they had come to thee when they had wronged their souls, and asked forgiveness of Allah, and if the Messenger had also asked forgiveness for them, they would have

surely found Allah Oft-Returning with compassion and Merciful." [an-Nisa, 64]

“when they were oppressors to themselves they come and ask forgiveness in your presence.”

Always keep the Prophet’s presence in your heart. It is easy to say it. Make him your teacher. Make his hand to comb you, to pet you. Make him happy with you. When he is happy with you, Allah is happy with you. Allah said:

مَّنْ يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللّهَ

Man yuti` ar-rasul faqad at`a-ullah. – “He who obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah” [4:80]

Another simple question “are we obeying the prophet or not? We are struggling. We don’t want to say “no” or “yes.” We are struggling, we want to obey. Shaytan comes and says, “Why? a little bit my share a little bit your share. A little bit for the Prophet (s) and then a little bit for me.” Then slowly, slowly he takes you to shaytan. So obedience to the Prophet (s) is to always remind yourself that the Prophet (s) is the one who will take you to Allah. And you have to put in your mind that your Shaykh is the one who takes you to the presence of the Prophet (s) .

Humbleness will make them happy with you. Arrogance will make them upset with you.

If you are humble to everyone, extend your hand to everyone, Allah will be happy with you, prophet will be happy with you. Imaatati ’l-`adaa min at-tareeq min al-eeman.

Even the littlest thing you can do, to move a stone from the way or even the banana peel if you see it on the street, tae it away, throw it, that is from imaan. That shows you have imaan in your heart. Imaatati ’l-`adaa min at-tareeq - that show we still have the light of faith in our heart. You take away something you don’t want anyone to be harmed by it.

Let the Prophet (s) be happy with you. He is al-Haakim bayn al-arwaah - He is the judge between souls.

الارواح جنود مجندة , فما تعارف منها ائتلف , و ما تناكر منها اختلف

“al-arwaahu junoodun mujanada - The souls are like armies grouped together” and the Prophet (s) is the judge between them. Let our Prophet be our judge when something happens, let him take the decision, leave the matter to him. As Allah said in Holy Qur'an:

فَمَنْ عَفَا وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَجْرُهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ

“whoever makes peace and forgives, Allah will reward him.” Ash-Shura [42:40]

Reward him what? To make his hand with the hand of his Prophet.

If you are walking with your child in the street, son or daughter, how much you care to hold the hand of the child. Why? For safety only but you love ot hold the hand. If you are still not married but let’s say consumed the marriage, how much before that you like to hold the hand of the bride or groom. Are you holding the hand? Are you not shouting when you are holding the hand.

[Shaykh indicates someone]: jazbah comes to him. When he is like that know he is far from that presence. When he is in that trance, that state that means he is there. That is a sign to learn from him. That kind of trance is not the one we are looking forward for. What we look forward is perfection. That is still in the first levels. They cannot hold themselves, some people they go and make different remembrance of Allah or mentions Allah in a crowd, something like what he did today.

So Allah swt wants us to hold the hand of His Prophet. If you hold the hand of the one you love how much you care to hold the hand of that person. Ho much you care to hold the hand of your Prophet. When you are holding the hand of your Prophet, you have a direct ticket to the Divine Presence. Finished.

Today there is election, huh? Is there not an election here in this country. If you hold the hand of one of these nominees, one of these presidential candidates, you can pass through security without anyone asking question. Can anyone say to you, “where are you going?” No you’re holding the hand of the candidate. That is a normal human being. What do you think about the hand of the Prophet (s), holding it?

So holding the hand of the Prophet (s) takes you in directly, it is a direct ticket to where you need to reach. Allah swt made him the Master, the Leader, the Master of masters and Leader of leaders.

So when you enter to the Presence of Allah, the Divine Presence, holding the hand of the Prophet (s), how do you enter? What do you need to do? When we are praying - where are we entering? What do you need to do? We are entering the Divine Presence, we are between the hands of Allah swt. Let it be a real entry. So when you enter what do you do? You do dhikrullah.

So when you reach the stage of holding hand of the Prophet (s) and entering in. Then they tell you , you have different job, a different experience. Now what do you have to do to come in? Keep your tongue wet with dhikrullah.

جاء رجل إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم و قال” يا رسول الله إن شرائع الإسلام قد كثرت علىّ فدلني على عمل أتشبث به قال لا يزال لسانك رطباً بذكر الله

When that man came to the Prophet (s) and said, “inna shara`iah al-islam qad kathurat `alaya - Shariah of Islam became too much for me, but give me something besides it that is easy for me.” It doesn’t mean he was not following Shariah, but he wants something that makes it easy to him.

Like you are drinking tea with no sugar. You want sugar. Shariah has things that are difficult and something is not difficult. You need something sweet in it.

People send there children to learn Qur’an. They tell you we don’t want that. Why? They need something sweetener to make it sweet when they are reading. Because Shaytan comes and make obstacles. So what did the Prophet say? "Keep your tongue wet with dhikrullah."

Now you want to enter the presence of Allah holding the hand of the Prophet (s), you must keep in dhikrullah. Even when you are sleeping with your wife. Keep the heart constant in dhikrullah - dawim `ala dhikrullah. When the remembrance of Allah open in heart it opens doors that have never been opened before.

Allah put in your heart 6 doors that have never been opened before. They are haqiqat al-fayd, haqiqat al-jazbah, haqiqat at-tawassul, haqiqat at-tawajjuh, haqiqat al-irshad, haqiqat at-tayy.

One student of Sayyidina Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujdawani, may Allah bless his soul, one of the great great saints of the Golden Chain. He is buried in Merv near Bukhara. He has a student. And that student - one of his students - the shaykh always gives him job to do. When shaykh ask you to do something be sure there is a test behind it. Don’t be happy he gave you a job to do. Run away from jobs. Because any job he gives there is a test.

Giving him a job to go and cut wood from the jungle. He goes in the morning and comes in the evening. He didn’t cut anything. La hawla wa la quwwattta illa billah il `aliyy il-`adheem. "It is cold and snowing and you didn’t cut wood. What happened?" "O sayyidee, I was so busy reading Qur’an and doing dhikr.” “You cannot cut wood and do dhikr?”

“No, I cannot mix them.”

“So now I will give you another job. Go and take my sheep and be a shepherd, give them food. That is the easiest thing I can give to you. All prophets were shepherds.”

Did you make shepherd in your life?

The Shaykh said, “I am giving you my flock because that is what we are eating all the time. So take and feed them in these mountains.” He was happy he took them and went.

And the shaykh after a while called him, after say one year. He said, “What happened? Did you give food to them, did you increase them, as they give every year lambs?” He said, “W’Allahi, ya Sayyidee they are finished.” He said, “Why are they finished” He said, “Rajab comes, I said this is the Month of Allah, and I begin to slaughter them, and give to people. 27th Rajab comes, I slaughter and give to people; Sha`ban, the month of Prophet comes, I slaughter and give to people; Ramadan comes, the Month of the Ummah, I slaughter and give to people. Eid comes, I slaughter and give to people. Ashura comes, I slaughter and feed the people.”

The Shaykh said, “You are the worst between my students. That is why I sent you away, to avoid contaminating all the students with your ignorance! Go and I don’t want to see you here.”

And he kicked him out.” Then looking at his heart - did it change? His heart didn’t change.

Sometimes you hear from the shaykh a word. Shaytan brings to your hear all kinds of questions. Why he is upset, I brought to him a gift. They are happy with their gifts.

As Bilqees sent a gift to Sulayman.

So the shaykh knows that mureed is very dedicated to shaykh. He prayed Isha and after all the people left he was hiding himself behind the pillars in the mosque. He was speaking to himself: “You are the worst of the students! You are so ignorant. Shaykh tried you in this and this and this and you failed in all of them. And to make sure you are the worst, (he wants to give a very solid confirmation. People don’t dare to do that as they don’t believe it. He was believing himself to be the worst completely.)

Do you think you are the worst. No, you were complaining on Ali, that he delayed you 10 minutes.

He believed he was the worst - that is why when he gave the oath and that oath was not effective because he believed he was the worst.

So we, if we give that oath, then we are not certain on it, we will be cut in half by that oath, we cannot come out of it.

So what is that oath. He said, "W’Allahi, if I am not saying the truth, then between me and my wife is haraam.” What does that mean? It means there is no play there - finished. “My wife is divorced from me and me from her 3 times, if I am not saying the truth.”

That means if even 1%, that he is not saying truth, then his wife will be split from him.

Look between thousands of students he thinks he is the best and if he doesn’t sit on table of the shaykh he gets upset.

So what did he do? His shaykh is hiding behind another pillar [qutb].

So he knows the heart of his student. He was laughing, saying, “Come Ahmad, come.” “O you are here my shaykh?” “Now you showed me what I was waiting from you. You showed me you reached complete submission.”

[the clock rings] That is telling you have to submit to the time.

“You have reached complete submission, by order of the Prophet (s) I pass you your amanaat.”

You see his amanah how it came easy. But he was making dhikrullah and reading Qur'an. At that time 124,000 pigeons came and were circling the mosque. Then a green bird came, that symbolized the Prophet (s). If the Prophet (s) appears [directly], immediately that person will faint. Then the Prophet (s) appeared and said to his shaykh, “Give him his trust.” His shaykh didn’t do anything but sat on his knees and with his shahada finger like a laser machine he opened to his heart whatever is in his heart. That is not what is being put there, but what is already there in the heart.

These 6 powers haqiqat al-fayd, haqiqat al-jazbah, haqiqat at-tawassul, haqiqat at-tawajjuh, haqiqat al-irshad, haqiqat at-tayy, he was opening one after one, with the shahada finger. What was he opening? Ma`rifatullah. We will continue this today at noon. Insha-Allah. Bi hurmatil Fatiha.

It means to reach ma`rifah we need to completely make our self in full submission. It means die before death. Die before you die.

If you die before you die it means no ego. You completely surrendering to Allah and his prophet. May Allah guide us to the right path, the path of Sayyidina Muhammad (s) and awliyaullah and give our Shaykh long life and give us long life to see Sayyidina al-Mahdi.

Bi hurmatil Fatiha.

Be with Siddiqeen

Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani | Friday, Mar 09, 2007 | Oakland, CA US



لا تكثر لهمك


ما قدر يكون


و الله المقدر


و العالم شعون


Laa tukthir li-hammik


Ma quddir yakoon


W’Allahul-muqaddir


Wa `alam shu`oon





Don’t worry too much


With anything that happens to you.


Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala is the one who decrees destiny


And this world has many different affairs.


نحن الخلاءق


كلنا عبيد


و الاله قينا


يقعل ما يريد


Nahnu al-khala’iq


Kulluna `abeed


Wa-l-ilahu feena


yaf`alu maa yureed





We are the creation;


All of us are servants


And with us God


Will do as He likes.





سَلْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَمْ آتَيْنَاهُم مِّنْ آيَةٍ بَيِّنَةٍ وَمَن يُبَدِّلْ نِعْمَةَ اللّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءتْهُ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ


Sal banee israaeela kam ataynaahum min ayaatin bayyinaatin wa man yubaddil ni`mata Allahi min ba`di ma jaa’athu fa-inna Allaha shadeedu’l-`iqaab


Ask the Children of Israel how many clear (Signs) We have sent them. But if any one, after Allah's favour has come to him, substitutes (something else), Allah is strict in punishment. Al-Baqara [2:211]


ثُمَّ اتَّخَذُواْ الْعِجْلَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ فَعَفَوْنَا عَن ذَلِكَ وَآتَيْنَا مُوسَى سُلْطَانًا مُّبِينًا


thumma ittakhadhoo al-`ijla min ba`di maa ja-athumu albayyinatu fa `afawna `an dhaalika wa atayna moosa sultaanan mubeena


Yet they worshipped the calf even after clear signs had come to them; even so we forgave them; and gave Moses manifest proofs of authority. Women, 4:153


Ask the Children of Israel how many clear signs we brought them. After these clear evidences, clear signs, came, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala is the Forgiver who forgives whom He likes, as not everyone goes along with what has been given to them.


And Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala has given to Sayyidina Musa Alayhissalam Sultan: Sultan al-`ilm, Sultan ash-Shariah, Sultan al-marifah, Sultan al-quwwah, Sultan al-asma’a, sultan for everything. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala gave Sayyidina Musa Alayhissalam authority and power of knowledge, on ma`rifah, on power, on authority, on understanding Shariah, on understanding haqiqat, on understanding marifah, on understanding azeemah. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala gave him that sultan.


That is why, when He sent him to Fira`un, and he saw Fira`un with all his surroundings he was worried. And he said:


اذْهَبْ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُ طَغَى قَالَ رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِييَ فْقَهُوا قَوْلِي وَاجْعَل لِّي وَزِيرًا مِّنْ أَهْلِي هَارُونَ أَخِي اشْدُدْ بِهِ أَزْرِي وَأَشْرِكْهُ فِي أَمْرِي كَيْ نُسَبِّحَكَ كَثِيرًا وَنَذْكُرَكَ كَثِيرًا إِنَّكَ كُنتَ بِنَا بَصِيرًا


“Yafqahu qawlee. wa j`al wazeeran min ahlee, haaroun akhee, ashdud bee azree w’ashrikhu fee amree kay nusabihuk katheeran wa nadhkurak katheeran innaka kunta bina baseera.”


When He ordered him to go and deliver a speech to bani israeel he said, “Haroun is a better speaker. I am not that speaker.” Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala gave everyone a talent. Haroun is a nabi and Sayyidina Musa Alayhissalam is a nabi. And Sayyidina Musa asked, “Oh, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala give me a helper.” That is an indication that if Nabi Sayyidina Musa Alayhissalam needed a helper, then everyone needs a helper. No one can do anything by themselves. People think they can do things, and understand things, by themselves - that they don’t need a teacher.


Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala is, throughout the Holy Qur'an, teaching that Sayyidina Musa Alayhissalam was asking for a helper: “he speaks better than me, ashdud bee azree - I will let him know what is going on with me and deliver the message to Fira`un.” Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala is showing us here that we need a friend. If people don’t have a friend, they feel they are lonely; they feel like they cannot do what is needed to be done. They want someone to go along with them in order to ask, “Is this correct, or is it not correct?” and who is better than someone to show you the way and Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala said, “Yaa ayyuhalladheena aamanoo ittaqullah wa koonoo ma` as-saadiqeen.” Be with trustworthy people: by yourself you are not guided. You need someone to tell you this is the way.


Recite one more time about Sayyidina Musa Alayhissalam.


وَاجْعَل لِّي وَزِيرًا مِّنْ أَهْلِي هَارُونَ أَخِي اشْدُدْ بِهِ أَزْرِي وَأَشْرِكْهُ فِي أَمْرِي كَيْ نُسَبِّحَكَ كَثِيرًا وَنَذْكُرَكَ كَثِيرًا إِنَّكَ كُنتَ بِنَا بَصِيرًا


“wa j`al wazeeran min ahlee, haaroun akhee, ashdud bee azree w’ashrikhu fee amree kay nusabihuk katheeran wa nadhkurak katheeran innaka kunta bina baseera.”


…Before that. Rabbee ashrah lee sadree ya yasser lee amree w’ahlul-`uqdatan min lisaanee yafqahu qawlee.


He said: “Ya Rabbee, Sayyidina Musa Alayhissalam, yasser lee amree, make my way easy since you are asking me to deliver your message. Make it easy and ashrah lee sadree and open for me my heart that I will accept firaun and give me patience that I will speak with him and wahlul uqdatan min lisanee and untie my tongue because my tongue is tied together. It means open one of them (the knots). It means there are many, right? Wahlul uqdatan min lisaanee yafqahu qawlee. It means that which you have already planted in me from your knowledge and the knowledge of the Prophet (saws), which you have shown me and I learned it in tur sina, which Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala revealed to him that he didn’t reveal to anyone. Where he said:


إِذْ رَأَى نَارًا فَقَالَ لِأَهْلِهِ امْكُثُوا إِنِّي آنَسْتُ نَارًا لَّعَلِّي آتِيكُم مِّنْهَا بِقَبَسٍ أَوْ أَجِدُ عَلَى النَّارِ هُدًى فَلَمَّا أَتَاهَا نُودِي يَا مُوسَى إِنِّي أَنَا رَبُّكَ فَاخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ إِنَّكَ بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى وَأَنَا اخْتَرْتُكَ فَاسْتَمِعْ لِمَا يُوحَى


Idh ra’a naaran fa-qaala li ahlihi amkuthu innee aanastu naaran la`allee aateekum minha bi-qabasin aw ajidu `ala an-naari huda Fa-lamma ataahaa noodiya ya moosa Innee ana rabbuka Fakhla` na`layka innaka bi’l-waadi ’l-muqaddasi tuwaa. Wa ana akhtartuka fastami` limaa yoohaa


Behold, he saw a fire: So he said to his family, "Tarry ye; I perceive a fire; perhaps I can bring you some burning brand therefrom, or find some guidance at the fire." But when he came to the fire, a voice was heard: "O Moses! Verily I am thy Lord! therefore (in My presence) put off thy shoes: thou art in the sacred valley Tuwa. "I have chosen thee: listen, then, to the inspiration (sent to thee).”al-Anbiya, 20:10-20:13


He was moving from Yemen after he completed his contract with his father-in-law after he married one of his daughters and completed ten years of work. He left with his family for Egypt. On the way he told his family, “Oh, I saw a fire. It is cold at night…When he reached there: innee ana rabbuka. He heard a voice: “Verily I am Allah your lord, remove your shoes.” Innee bil waadi al-muqadassa tuwa. You cannot enter with your shoes. Can you enter the mosque with shoes on? Can you enter the mosque to pray five raka`ats with your shoes on? Can you enter to make circumambulation of Ka`bah with your shoes on? No.


Wahabis say they can. They go and circumambulate Ka`bah with their shoes on. There is a little bit of fireworks here. You cannot. It is sacred place. That is not respectful.


You can, but then it is not respectful. They take from an incident that in a time of the Prophet (saws) he wore his shoes. That was a time when it was rough; all rocks and one might enter your foot.


You cannot wear your shoes.


When someone puts on his shoes, what does that mean? When someone puts his shoes on, it means he is traveling; going out of the house. If you see new shoes in a dream it means that you are going to travel and there will be new rizq in it. Shoes in a dream, means rizq and travel in front of you.


So he took off his shoes and he said, “Go take it, take it away.” Because shoes, as we explained yesterday, in these days are made up of leather and what kind of leather did we mention? [Cowhide leather?] - Cow? - Ox? - Tiger? [Donkey]


Donkey! They used to make their shoes from donkey leather. Donkeys are the sign of ignorance. It means, “Ya Sayyidina Musa Alayhissalam, don’t come to me with your ignorance.” [Sayyidina Musa Alayhissalam doesn’t have ignorance but Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala is teaching us.] It means, “Don’t come to me with your ego, then it will be two.” Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala is only One; there is no two. If you say Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala ended up in three it is going to be kufr. If you say two, it is kufr; so only One. So, “Oh, Sayyidina Musa Alayhissalam, don’t come to Me except with purity. When that purity comes, that opening will come. So if you want to come to Me, come to Me mujarradan min kull shay; stripped of everything. Don’t come to My door;” (This is not for Sayyidina Musa Alayhissalam, it is for us). “Don’t come to My door with all the dirtiness of dunya.” This story gives the answer.


When they were running to catch and crucify Sayyidina `Isa Alayhissalam:


بَل رَّفَعَهُ اللّهُ إِلَيْهِ وَكَانَ اللّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا


“bal rafa`ahu Allah ilayh. Ma al-massih ibnu Maryam illa Rasulullah (s)…ta`am. Yufakoon.”


Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise;-





مَّا الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ إِلاَّ رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ وَأُمُّهُ صِدِّيقَةٌ كَانَا يَأْكُلاَنِ الطَّعَامَ انظُرْ كَيْفَ نُبَيِّنُ لَهُمُ الآيَاتِ ثُمَّ انظُرْ أَنَّى يُؤْفَكُونَ


Ma al-maseehu ibnu maryama illa rasoolun qad khalat min qablihi’r-rusulu wa ummuhu siddeeqatun kaana yakulaani’t-ta`ama undhur kayfa nubayyinu lahumu ’l-ayaati thumma indhur anna yufakoona


Christ the son of Mary was no more than an apostle; many were the apostles that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat their (daily) food. See how Allah doth make His signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth! Al-Ma'idah [5:75]


Sayyidina `Isa Alayhissalam is a Rasulullah (saws) and his mother is a siddiqa. That level comes under the Prophet (saws). Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala mentioned










وَمَن يُطِعِ اللّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاء وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولَـئِكَ رَفِيقًا










M`a alladheena an`ama Allahu `alayhim mina an-nabiyyeena wa’s-siddeeqeena wa’sh-shuhada’i wa’s-saliheena wa hasuna ulaika rafeeqa.







All who obey Allah and the apostle are in the company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah,- of the prophets (who teach), the sincere (lovers of Truth), the witnesses (who testify), and the Righteous (who do good): Ah! what a beautiful fellowship! An-Nisa [4:69]


So she is under the level of the Prophet (saws); she is Siddiq. She is not godly; he is not godly. kaana yakulaani’t-ta`ama - They were in need of food. One who needs to eat food is in need of something so how can they be ilah. I didn’t go deeper into the word; if you like that deeper explanation or that is ok. It is not high, it is low this one.


It means when someone eats food, what does he have to do at the end of the day? How do you say that Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala… He said it in a very eloquent way in the Holy Qur'an. He said “they were eating food,” so you can understand from that what you need to understand.


So Allah ordered Sayyidina Musa Alayhissalam to first… what did he say? Rabbee ashrah lee sadree. First level, “open my heart. Ashrah lee sadree - expand my heart. Wa yasser lee amree - and make my affairs easy.” After expanding the heart, expansion: “yasser lee amree, make my thing easy; wahlul uqdatan min lisaanee, and to make it easy untie one of these knots in my tongue.”


How many knots on the tongue? He said to untie one, but it means there were many. It means, “Ya Rabbee, you want me to be messenger to Fira`un, one drop from your ocean is enough. He said, “Open one of those knots.” Then he said, “Yafqahu qawlee,” - so they understand my words. “Will you untie one of my tongues”… yafqahu qawlee. Fiqhu shay is not to read something. Allahuma faqihna fid-deen. That is a prayer: “Oh Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala, make us deeply rooted in the understanding of Islam, the religion.” Like a mufti, you go inside the Holy Qur'an and bring out verdicts. “So by taking out one knot, I will be able to understand by going into everything in depth. And when they are like that, give me my helper; make him a minister to me - ushdud bee azree. Make him support me. When You give that to me, after these people understand and their minds get bigger and they begin to go deeply into this matter, then what? At that moment, give me someone to help me take care of them; to follow up.


Waj`al lee wazeeran min ahlee haarouna akhee - Give me my brother to build them up, kay nusabbihaka katheeran.. now he untied one knot and gave him a wazeer then he is making dhikrullah. Tasbeeh. Kay nusabihaka katheeran… how do you mention Allah swt? Through dhikrullah. And he said, “kay nusabihaka katheeran, wa nadhkurak katheeran - we praise you too much and we remember you too much.” That Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala is showing us through Sayyidina Musa Alayhissalam that we have to be like that to learn; in order for us to understand that guidance is always needed, or a friend that you can relate to is needed. Like Sayyidina Musa Alayhissalam took a friend, Sayyidina Haroun Alayhissalam, people also need a friend. That is why the Prophet (saws) said, “If you are three, put one amir.” Assign one “friend” to conduct you. Don’t have it that everyone puts in a word and then you fight. Now, in order not to fight, they say to use democracy: elect or vote for anything. So if we are one hundred people, are we going to vote on everything? If someone is not hungry, and the rest are hungry, then we vote? That is why Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala said, “One amir.” That amir is not a normal person: he must be someone that understands every person in that community in order that when he says something everyone accepts and it is for the benefit of the whole community. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala gave us something that we are in need of. He showed us that you need to be with trustworthy people, as we said at the beginning:


يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ اللّهَ وَكُونُواْ مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ


Ya ayyuhaladdheena aamanaoo ittaqutAllah wa koonoo ma` as-saadiqeen.


O believers, fear Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala or have taqwa; be with trustworthy people. 9:119


[Sincere] people [are those] who know more, who are pious and sincere, so that you can learn from them. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala did not say, “Accompany”; He said, “accompany trustworthy people.” He didn’t say, “Accompany muslimeen.” There is a big difference. Muslimeen is two billion. He didn’t say, “Be with 2 billion.” He didn’t say, “ittaqullah wa koonoo ma` al-muslimeen.” He said, “IttaqutAllah and be with sadiq.” Where is a sadiq? Find someone saadiq.


You cannot be with everyone at the same moment. You are limited. You are in this area; you cannot see more than this area. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala said, “Koonoo ma as-sadiqeen.” In this area, there are a few saadiq people. Find them and be with them. If you find someone, follow. Be in his meeting, in his associations. These saadiqeen people are the traditional people. Today, to find traditional people is very difficult. There are a lot around dunya; you can find them, but in this country it is very difficult. There is no more tradition. There is only qaala wa qeela. You understand qaala wa qeela: he said, it is said. You want to write a book now and they tell you, “Oh, you don’t have footnotes.” Why do I have to footnotes? That is to show that you are an academician. You have to support what you said in footnotes. Who are in these footnotes? If it was the Prophet (saws) of course I have to put footnotes. But it is not; it is scholars who passed through centuries. Islam is always growing. You need fresh footnotes, can you find them? Dr. Nazeer, who does not like tasty footnotes anymore? When you have fresh footnotes, that is why koonoo ma as-saadiqeen. Saadiqeen are those who are allowed to give fresh footnotes, fresh knowledge. Every moment there is knowledge.


We hope that Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala will bless us and give us that knowledge. I was in… we were in jumu`ah today and we explained about tark as-salaat and how dangerous it is to leave the prayer. It isn’t simple. What did we say, Shaykh Yasser? [It is not simple. Between kufr and belief is leaving salaat] If you want to be considered mumin, or Muslim, or you want to be considered in kufr [kufr meaning here ungrateful, not unbelief] the difference is prayers. Someone doing his prayers is considered mumin and someone who is leaving his prayers may be ending into kaafir.


I was telling the young ones also; the old ones we are falling into regret if we didn’t pray our prayers, because we are going to pray them on the lid of hellfire:


يَوْمَ يُحْمَى عَلَيْهَا فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ فَتُكْوَى بِهَا جِبَاهُهُمْ وَجُنوبُهُمْ وَظُهُورُهُمْ هَـذَا مَا كَنَزْتُمْ لأَنفُسِكُمْ فَذُوقُواْ مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْنِزُونَ

Yawma yuhma `alayha fee naari jahannama fa-tukwaa bihaa jibaahuhum wa junoobuhum wa dhuhooruhum. haadha ma kanaztum li-anfusikum fadhooqoo ma kuntum taknizoona.


On the Day when heat will be produced out of that (wealth) in the fire of Hell, and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs.- "This is the (treasure) which ye buried for yourselves: taste ye, then, the (treasures) ye buried!" At-Tauba [9:35]

fatukwa biha jibahahum…when their faces adn their sides and their back they are going to be like ironed, they are going to pray on the lid of hellfire. Yet young ones can save themselves from that by praying in dunya. What is it going to take? The maximum time it takes is five minutes. But we are running after Shaytan… no one gives attention to ar-Rahman anymore. We give attention to whom? - To Shaytaan. Shaytan says to you, “You have been sitting home with your family and working all week, now today you need to take them outside." O that is good. "Take them to a movie theatre.” So you take them to a movie theatre and then you miss a prayer, either Asr or Dhuhr or Maghrib. On top of that, you pay $100. Who is happy with that? - Shaytan. Don’t tell me that people don’t go to a movie theatre and miss their prayers. Can anyone say, “I didn’t miss a prayer in my life”? Ask. Can anyone say? [ "no." ] Then it means we are going to pray them on the lid of hellfire: Those who did it qada and knew they didn’t make it on time and made it at night, they will be forgiven. But those who didn’t even care, and they missed it, it is better for them with every prayer to pray another prayer, to cover what they missed before. This is very important. It is more important than love of the Prophet (saws) and knowledge. If we don’t build our basic house then what is benefit? We try to build it and Shaytan tears it down. It is better to build it with no Shaytan influence there. It is said that if you keep your prayer and don’t miss it then the distance between you and Shaytan is like the distance between east and west. He cannot approach you.


And Allah swt, we ask Him Subhanahu wa Ta`ala to support us and we ask Him to send good people to find mosques for us to pray in. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala will send rewards to those people for each that prays there because they are the ones who arrange the place.


wa min Allah at-tawfeeq bi-hurmatil Fatiha


[What about the knots that were in the tongue of Sayyidina Musa Alayhissalam?]


When he was in Yemen and learned what he needed to learn from the manifestation of Beautiful Names and Attributes it was as if Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala had put knots in his tongue, because pious people they cannot speak of the great things they received of heavenly knowledge to present to people. Oh, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala, if you want me to give this knowledge, then you may explain.


[I have heard it said that he has damage in his tongue from when he was a child.]


In that ayah it does not relate to the knot in his tongue that he received when he was a child. It is not that frozen issue that is in his tongue; we are not after that, we are after the knowledge that is in his tongue. If you have something to describe, then people will be happy if you share it with them.


[Can you make up one or more than one prayer at a time?]


You can do make up prayers at any time. The intention is to make it daily so that with every prayer you pray, you make up one prayer.