The Second Jahilliyah
BismillahirRahmanirRahim
THE SECOND JAHILIYYA
Sohbet given by Sheykh Abdul Kerim el-Kibrisi
Manhattan Dergah, New York City.
Selamun aleykum. Meded Ya Sayiddi, Ya Sultan Evliya, Mevlana Sheykh Nazim al-Hakkani. Meded.
When you put honey in the middle, the bees are going to come. But the mosquitoes, flies and all kinds of other harmful creatures will also come to the honey. Everyone has to take their share from it. The bees are not going to fight with the mosquitoes, because they will take what is for them, elhamdulillah. The mosquitoes are going to take what is for them, and the flies.
There is Haqq and Batil, the Truth and false. Either we are on the side of Truth or we are on the side of false. The people who are on the side of Truth have to be on the same road. They have to understand each other. They have to respect their ways. The people who are representing false, they are all together anyway. They are eating each other but they are all together in front of us.
This is the worst time that happened to Muslims about which Holy Prophet (saw) is saying, "The second Jahiliyya is going to be worst than the first one." And this is what we are facing today. The second Jahiliyya time. He said that it is because people in the second Jahiliyya time will know certain knowledge and they are not going to accept anything from anyone.
In the first Jahiliyya time people were ignorant. When someone from the Sahabi spoke to them, they were sitting and listening and comparing it with what they know. And so many were accepting. That was a Jahiliyya time, the first Jahiliyya, where Holy Prophet (saw) came only one person and then hundreds and thousands of people started following. Those people were against the Holy Prophet (saw) because they did not have any knowledge of what he brought. They were holding on to their traditions only. They were ignorant people. They did not know any better. When the other ones went and approached them properly and they showed them what Holy Prophet (saw) brought to them, they accepted. They did not argue about it. They did not feel threatened. The only ones who felt threatened were those people who were the knowledgeable people for that time. Like Abu Jahil and all the other ones. They were the people who knew how to read and write. They were the people who knew the activities of the world. They were the people who knew what was happening in the business world. They could not accept what Holy Prophet (saw) brought to them because it would not be good for their political and economical matters. What Prophet (saw) brought to them required them to change what they were doing. Not so for the ignorant. They did not fight. They sat and they listened. And sometimes later they accepted it.
Holy Prophet (saw) is saying that the Ahir Zaman, the End of Times, the second Jahiliyya time is going to be worse than the first because people are going to study the religion, they will know how to read and write but they are not going to accept anything, they are not going to accept anybody. They are just going to accept what is only for them, what is their understanding from what they read and write. So in this time people read and write. Millions read and write. So many people are reading and writing but they are ignorant. Holy Prophet (saw) is saying, "They are going to be ignorant with what they read and write. They are going to become ignorant with the knowledge that they know."
As everyone of you know, by the law of the government today you have to send your children to school. They have to learn how to read and write. But learning how to read and write is not giving them any knowledge or wisdom. However they are programming them, that is the only thing they know. Today's people became more ignorant than the people fourteen hundred years ago. They became ignorant with the knowledge of reading and writing. Not being able to read and write is not the sole problem. The secret is to know, that you need to read and write to understand. Everyone who reads and writes does not understand. They say, "Take the Quran and read." If you take the Quran and read and understand only according to your own understanding most likely you will become a terrorist. That is what most of them are doing. You cannot even understand the newspaper. Take a part from the newspaper and read. Then I am going to ask you "Give me the summary" and you are not going to be able to put it together. To be able to write and read is to learn. To know what? To know your self. Not to know other things but first you have to study you, your self, you have to know yourself, who you are, what you are and what is your position in this world. What is your secret, what is your duty, what is your mission, why have you been created, why are you occupying this space, why are you leaving this space and where are you going? That is the most important matter.
The schools are only teaching people lying and cheating these days. They know that the theory of evolution, Darwinism is finished. It is bankrupt. But they are still teaching. Everything is on that. The foundations of schools are on that theory. All those children that are studying and coming out of the schools, now their foundation is evolution which is completely against creation. So they are going to become ignorant. So ignorant that they are not going to know that they are ignorant. Taking one man's word, ordinary man. Who is this man? Who is this Darwin? Why are you accepting him? (I am saying to the Chrisitan world) You are accepting Darwin and putting his books in the schools and universities. You say you are accepting Jesus but you are not using his book in the schools. What kind of nonsense is this? (Shaykh smiling). You are saying, "Jesus is the Lord. We are the creatures, he is the creator." But you are not teaching in the schools to these people about that and you are teaching about Darwinism, about Sheytan. The same thing is with the Muslims and the same thing is with the Jews. In the Muslims countries they say, "We are Muslims. We are accepting Allah and His Prophet." But no school is teaching anything about Holy Prophet (alayhi salatu wa salam). With the Jews it is the same thing. They are not teaching about Moses or the Tewrat. So everywhere in the world they are concentrating to teach people Darwinism. Evolution.
So Prophet (saw) is saying, "The second Jahiliyya is going to be worse than the first one." That is what we see. Not by individual ignorance but by general ignorance. You are sending your children to school and this is what they are going to teach them. When they are growing up if you want to plant something in them by saying to them, "Allah created you", they are going to say to you, "You are crazy. This is what they teach us in the school." If you say to them, "They are wrong", they say, "Then why are you sending us to school?" So you are stuck between those two things and you cannot even touch your children in this time. Did Holy Prophet (saw) say that? Yes, he said this too. He said, "A time is going to come when you are not even going to be able to reach to your own children, your own families. Nobody is going to listen to you. There is not going to be one house left in the world where the confusion will not enter." This is the time. Of course, we are pretty happy that we reached to these days. And we reached to the end of this time too because every activity in the world that is shown to us (when you know the life of Holy Prophet alayhi salatu wa salam and when you know the teachings and the hadith that he pointed with, that when this comes this is going to happen and when this comes this is going to happen) we are watching that everything is moving towards the direction that Holy Prophet (alayhi salatu wa salam) has pointed to us.
Holy Prophet (saw) is saying, "The nation of Bani Israil is going to deviate into seventy-one different divisions. One is going to be on the Siratul Mustakim, in the straight path and seventy is going to be wrong." He says, "The Christians, people who say they are following Jesus is going to divide into seventy-two different divisions. One will be on straight path and seventy-one will be wrong." He says, "My nation is going to divide into seventy-three different divisions. Only one will be in Siratul Mustakim and seventy-two of them will be in the wrong ways. And if they stay in that wrong road they will be punished before they enter Paradise." He says, "Those ones who stay on Siratul Mustakim will live clean lives and they will go out from this world clean." And when they asked him, "Who are those Ya Rasulullah?" He says, "Those are the ones who hold on very tightly to my traditions, to my sunnat." He says, "Although my sunnat is going to be forgotten in that time by my nation, by the ummat of Muhammad (salatu wa sallam). People are not going to follow my sunnats. If they keep one of them they will be rewarded the equal of a hundred martyrs in the Judgment Day."
So these are the days. And as you said, you went to one place and you were surprised. I want you to go around and see what is it that they are giving. What is it they have and what is it that they are concentrating on. Are they concentrating on other than what other groups are doing? So many people today, Friday, are making certain activities. Different celebrations. They are coming together, eating together, enjoying together, doing so many activities. They have so many social gatherings under the name of religions gatherings. But when you look at the lifestyle they are living, there is no familiarity with the lifestyle of the Prophet (saw) and his Sahaba-e Ikram. But you will find familiarity with what the Christians are celebrating or the Jews are celebrating. As a matter of fact, so many are celebrating with liquor, but they are Muslims.
There was a time, when I was working with the United Nations, the Palestinians one night made a Palestinian Night, celebrating and trying to express and show their rights to other nations, and they were making a big cocktail party. Of course I had to be there. And I went and I looked. I saw all these Palestinians under the name of religion and the Arab-Israeli conflict were celebrating, they were trying to say their rights to others saying, "This is our problem, this is what had happened to us." But they had liquor in their hands, they were drinking and the time of the prayer was passing. So I said to the top official whom I know, "I have to go now."
He said, "But we did not begin yet."
I said, "Well, I know. Before you began you failed. So I have no business here."
"What do you mean?"
"I thought you were Muslims."
"Of course we are Muslims."
"But you are celebrating with liquor that Allah and His Prophet forbade you."
"But all these people are Christians and we have to show them that we have familiarity with them."
"Good, you are becoming one of them. They are not becoming one of you. So you lost. The beginning is lost. So I have no business here."
I left elhamdulillah. What I am trying to say is, when you are trying to get your rights you cannot get them from the way that Allah has forbidden you. Allah banned those things for you. You cannot say, "I do these things to be better looking to those ones in order to ask my rights". Your rights are going to be given to you by your Lord. By this one's hand or that one's hand but He is going to approve. If you are trying to please them you are never going to get your rights. The story that I told you happened maybe in 1979 and now we see that they did not get their rights and they are not going to get their rights and the worst is coming.
Everyone is saying, "What is our fault? What have we done?" What we have done is we have deviated into seventy-three different ways and we have left the one way, we left the Holy Prophet's way. All other ways are claiming, "We are following Allah's orders" and this and that. Everyone is claiming that. If the claim is right then you have to follow what Holy Prophet (saw) is teaching. Because Allah is saying to you, "Follow that one." He is giving order. He says, "Follow! Say to them: If they love Me they must follow you." It is an ayat-e kerim. Allah is saying, "IF they love me", they are claiming that they love Allah. He says, "If they love Me, they must follow you. Because you are the one whom I love and you are the one whom I showed the way and they must follow you for Me to love them."
Anyone who is dismissing the Holy Prophet (alayhi salatu wa salam) one way or the other, it is impossible for them to reach Allah. You can only claim. But Allah is not a little creature like you. You have not understood the Creator. If you did, then definitely you are going to look for a Wesil (means of approach) between Him and you, someone who is going to represent you. Otherwise, the ego is always representing itself and the ego is always seeing itself above anybody. That is wrong because no matter who we are and what we are, we are creatures. Allah is the Creator and we are creatures. That is what we have to know.
Time is up for Maghrib.
Wa min Allahu taufiq
Bihurmatil habib
Bihurmatil Fatiha.
posted by Abu Unaysah @ 4:53 AM
13 comments
13 Comments:
Asalam Alaikum
I will bring my questions here and leave off discussion at Eteraz's site.
The orientation of the discussion is too religious for the secular nature of his blog.
Let me gather some time and my thoughts and I will again begin to pester you and Yursil with questions.
Wa'Alaikum as Salaam,
Welcome! Insh'Allah Rahman. You are always welcome here. The only you must bring - Edep Ya HU! The Manner which Allah likes. This is my Sheykhs advice, and I intend to extend it to this blogsite as well.
Unfortunately, I have some work to attend to outside. Please feel free to leave any questions and comments here and I'll get back to you as soon as possible(Sounding like an answering machine-Sorry about that). Also, keep in mind that there is nothing known as secular or religious, when it comes to Allah. Remembering Allah every hour in your day - (Sleep is also worship) - doesn't make for an extremist. Instead, it is the reason of creation - to say La ilaha Ill'Allah. I have a challenge for you (more of an experiment), if you decide to take it up. Try it for a day. Say La ilaha Ill'Allah. Every waking hour. Once. Echo it in your heart. Every hour. Aside from the daily five prayers. Do this - conscientiously and reflectively - With belief that you are invoking the name of Allah in order to remember Him. Do that for one day, and come back and tell me if you see any changes. Insh'Allah.
Was'Salaam wa Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu
I've cut and pasted the comment from Eteraz's site if you wish to continue from there:
Bismillahir-Rahman-nir-Rahim,
“Intellectual and rational discourse on the meaning of the Holy Qur’an seems to me to be ‘cupping the Ocean.’ True, the water is briney and there may be some sand and other elements that indicate the vast sea, but most of the critical things about the Ocean will not fit in a cup. The brain is a cup. Small cup or big cup, still a cup. Still vexed by borders and limitation.”
I submittted that I will not debate, and I will not. Converse however, yes, Insh’Allah. :)
Alhamdulillah, we agree on this realization. But Divine Oceans are unlike earthly oceans. No brine. There is no sand or gravel, nor any impurites. It is perfect, because He is perfect. If it is cloudy, we’ve engaged it with a dirty cup. Everyone, according to their level with Allah, are seeing something. If their sight is obstructed, they’re seeing the obstruction. It is only a drop that we are getting, if we’re getting anything at all, and to that we’re all adding limitless confusion. The Mind is limited. Yes. But the cup is not the mind. The Cup is the Heart. Limitless place in the Heart. Allah(SWT) says in the Qur’an, I cannot fit into all the heavens and the earth. Space and Time, these are limits which cannot confine Allah. But Allah adds, though I do not fit in any of these places, I fit in to the heart of the Believer. There, the throne can exist. Subhan’Allah.
All of us, we’ve replaced Allah with all kinds of nonsense. Our hearts are lined with the love of the world. Shaytan says, “Run to the world”. And we go running, unaware he’s dancing the jig in our hearts as we go. To put Allah there, we must remove the love of those trinkets and baubles of the world, first. Allah will not enter into a heart which doesn’t love Him. If we pour into the cup of our heart which contains impurities, the message doesn’t become diluted. But we see it through cataracts and opaque cups, when in fact it should be as clear and transparent as the day we were born. To remove the confusion from our cups, we need the help of our Shyekh.
The Sheykh you mentioned, who takes his knowledge from the Uwaysi tariqat - Hazrat Uways al Qarani(RA) one of the beloveds of Allah and the Prophet, speaks what is true. But remember, association holds true for truth as well as guilt. We must associate with those who Allah mentions in the Qur’an as “His friends” and Walis, to reach to Him. Association, sitting in their sohbet. Becoming - Sahabis of the Close ones. Sahabi from Sohbet.
As for The beard and the burqa. Let’s try not to look at it as an imposition, or look for loopholes to escape from the “shackles of facial hair” and those “suffocating black sheets of oppression”
I guarantee you, if you look at it through the eyes of Love, it will be clear to you. Who is the closest one in Divine presence? What is he doing? To use him as an example today, for many seems it is an insurmountable mountain. “Be like him? Surely you jest.” or “Hey, hey, hey. I’m not the prophet(ASWS).”
Again, this is the way we are tricked today. Will the clean-cut look land you positions at work, women, prestige and worldly respect? Maybe. Maybe not.
Hmmm. Here, this one(ASWS) is Loved by Allah, and He is the Sultan ul Ambiya. What does he have? Run to do that. Not because it is Heaven and Hell. But because all the actions he does is loved by our creator. See, closeness to Allah is voluntary. People, however, mistake this with being “optional” or “extra”. If you run to do that to gain the Attentions of the Divine One, to gain his affection, you will surely get the reward for that. No ifs. But holding fast is crucial. Then, you will be the most successful one here, and in the Akhira. He will test you in so many ways, to check whether that Love is true. But, we ask for help, Insh’Allah to be steadfast in those tests. If we succeed, endless oceans…
Seyh Effendi says, “To know if you are beloved to Allah, check your heart. If you find, with honesty, that you have love for the world, and the prestige of the dunya, and all that comes with it, then no, you are not beloved. If you search your heart - and find you have an averseness to this world, regarding it as something foul, then, you are becoming beloved to Him.” - Look what’s being said here. Not whether you love Allah, but if you are becoming beloved TO Him…
Subhan’Allah. You may believe this or not. My admissions of weaknesses always stand. This is what is to my understanding of what I’ve been given. Whatever the urge is, whether it’s retaliation in anger, cruising for the enjoyment of the appetites of the eyes, flesh, tongue, or self-delusions of grandeur - (”I’ll do it myself! Ahh-see, Reached God all by myself. Didn’t need any of your ulema to tell me either. What to do you say to that. PAH! Self-satisfaction”) - confusion from the most cursed one.
Allah says, No, don’t do it by yourself. You’ll be misled. Go to those who are the inheritors. The Prophet, (ASWS) said, What I fear most for my nation near the end of times, is, they will read the Qur’an, and interpret it according to their own understanding. (paraphrasing again)
This concept may throw a wrench in the path which our nafs is taking us, and in turn, we may recoil with alarm. If so - Know that it is the ego which is recoiling. Your job is to fight that one. Rein it in. Then we may begin to understand,…”Oh, so, that’s what this meant…”
Insh’Allah Rahman. May Allah give us support in the Jihad-an-Nafs, Jihad-al-Akbar.
Ameen. For the sake of our sheykh.
Was’Salaam.
Was’Salaam
Walaikuma Assalam
Insha'alah, you will find me willing in the adab department. If a question sounds rude, it may be that I am not aware. Overlook it if you can.
We can start with interpreting the Holy Qur'an as your time permits and knowing full well that your time is precious and I have no expectations except to learn something in due time.
I am appreciative of the time you have available to answer questions.
One further comment: I have no agenda. Please accept everything as it appears and in honest inquiry. I will try to hide nothing in the questions I ask. I have an alternate "style" to Islam and I am curious about yours. Not to be accepted nor to condemn. I assume your line of Naqshbandis are competant Sufis and rigouous on Shariah as well as Tariqa and Haqiqa. So please answer as time allows.
I am not aware, myself, of following any special scholars. I am a westerner. With all the burdens and benefits that implies. I am not a revert and not a convert. I have evolved to Islam as a continuation of my path. I attend khaneghah and I try to learn as much as I can.
I read the Holy Qur'an and I assume that the moment and the message come together. I look at the Book as a sort of oracle with dynamic meaning. This means there can be no complete, fixed, scholarly interpretation to Divine Word. It bypasses the mind and touches the heart.
I make no distinction between heaven and hell and dunya. We are there. We are here. Focus on your heart, heaven. Focus on your mind, dunya. Focus on your wicked nafs, hell. Allah is not there. Allah is permeating all. In this respect, I accept the doctrine of Tauhid. But, I think it is possible Ibn Arabi went to far.
I am convinced that Islam will be the major religion of the United States.
I am concerned that It is fostered carefully, protected from enemies in and outside the Deen.
And so forth. This is enough to begin a discussion as you are interested and have adequate time.
many thanks
Blake
As-Salaam wa Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu,
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,
Dear Blake,
Alhamdulillah. We are of the Naqshbandi Hakkani way. Our Grandsheykh, Sheykh Mevlana Nazim Adil al-Hakkani is the 40th GrandSheykh in the golden chain going back to the Prophet(ASWS) through Hazarat Abu Bakr(RA). Our website is http://www.naksibendi.org. Visit us for more info, Insh'Allah.
Hakkani - the Path of Truth/Haqq.
So this is who we are. It is a chain going back to the prophet(ASWS), the integrity of the Sunnah kept Intact Alhamdulillah. We are not the only tariqat with this integrity. But we are Alhamdulillah, one of them.
The divine message of the Qur'an is meant for all mankind and creation, because there is only One creator, no matter the infinite number of creatures.
But Allah did not send this message on a hill somewhere to be picked up by me or you. The message was sent through a Prophet. Not just any Prophet, however, [to be sure there have been at least 125,000 prophets, of which 26(or more..) are named in the Qur'an. ] but the seal of Prophets(ASWS), the Mercy to all creation. Subhan'Allah. He is the teacher. He is teaching us this book, Alhamdulillah. The best example and most beloved creation of Allah, and we are his community, his Ummah.
Bearing this in mind - the need to 'assume' the Qur'an is so & so, is unnecessary. It is a confusion to think that anyone can pick up the Qur'an, interpret it for his or herself, apply it, and think they are practicing Allah's religion. No.
I know being a westerner(I myself am a "westerner" - born and raised for the most part in the states - and not a convert or revert either), that the ideals of western democracy, the backbone of western civilization, "free" speech and all that have been pummeled into our skulls since we started K-G. The protocols of living man's life according to man - That too a small group of men going back not 200 years back - 'American' Man. Man, as his nature of the ego being in power - will function in the capacity to fulfill his ego. If he is approaching something - it will either fit to his ego or not. Whether it is good for him or not, regardless. How is Allah's message going to be interpreted by the Ego? Maybe like this:
"Oh don't listen to this one, or that one. You are free to interpret whatever way you want - Don't worry God's message cannot be limited to me by such and such. I am still God's creature" -
It is a trick to you. This is where a majority of them are going astray. Yes, you are Allah's creature, but you must live according to the way He likes, not how X,Y,Z in Congress, or the White House, or the X,Y,Z Philosopher told you. To try to know Him - yes this is possible to try and know Him, - is to love Him. To love Him you must follow the messenger. Not the message - Allah is very specific in the Qur'an - Love me? Follow Hazreti Muhammad(ASWS)" - Ah. By yourself, no. Allah sent us a guide. 'You want to be favored by Me? - He says - follow my most favored one. No mysteries to be had about the method to go about interpreting Allah's word.
Don't believe me about the ego? Hmm. Look at your reply. Take a look at the number of "I's". 'I' do this, and 'I' do that. 'I' believe this. The ego, once it has established control - it's very difficult to say - 'Hmm - I? What is this I? Who am I, to believe this and that? Because I got an education at a respected university(respected by dunya), or I've read countless exegesis on philosophy, and consider myself a possibly 'formidable' opponent on "Crossfire" .' So what? What does this mean when it comes to understanding Allah? Nothing. That diploma is not respected by Allah. It is of the dunya - the cursed thing in the eyes of Allah - temporary and nothing but a confusion for you. That Confusion is the test. So what are you? What am I? Nothing. We've never been anything, if not with Allah. And we've not been with Allah, unless we've Lived the Sunnah - Because that One(ASWS) is the one to follow. Not Manji, Not Bush, Not your Dad, Not my Dad, Not Eteraz, Not Yursil, Not me, and certainly Not Yourself. The Holy Prophet(ASWS) and His Inheritors, the Evliya. That's it.
"'I' make no distinction between heaven and hell" - You don't? Mash'Allah. Whether you do or don't - Allah and His Prophet(ASWS) do. So what happens then? See the confusion of the ego? See why Jihad-al Asghar is not easy? See why Jihad-ul Akbar - War against the Nafs - is the single most difficult war you can ever wage - and you have been created to do just that. Allah says in the Qur'an that He created man perfect. To be the Caliphatullah on Earth.
If you look around you - There's so many things happening. Whatever it is, it is anything BUT perfect. So what gives? We ARE perfect but hidden. The Ruh is perfect. It is with you and me and all of us. The key is to bring out that one, by passing the test - silencing the voice of the other part of you - the Loud and dominant Ego. Supressing the Ego. Not KILLING it. No. It is an animal. THis is why we many times act like animals when we give the rein to that one - many times worse than animals also. So, we don't kill it, but tame it, put the reins in our hands, asking support from Allah - "Ya Allah, I know I am nothing. You have created me from a drop of water and made me from clay, and this body will perish soon, Ya Rabbi. But while I still draw breath - Please, send me support- I am making the intention to support my Ruh above my ego. I want to control that ego - please send me support" -
Insh'Allah - if you are sincere, Support will come. But not if you're supporting that nafs. If he has your support AND the support of Shaytan - His natural buddy, then where will you go?
If you're following your ego, you go where the ego goes. Ego is following Shaytan always. Our Sheykh says, "If you have a natural urge to do something, Know 99% of the time - it is not taking you toward Allah. So don't do it. 99% of our urges are from ego, and Shaytan. Sitting, reading this - you will definitely get some whisperings and urges(because Shaytan and ego don't want to read anything bad about themselves) - Think about going to this or that site - Let's discuss politics make yourself happy - you're "good" at that. Make yourself feel good - praise, compliments, let them rain on you - you are great, you deserve it, you are god - <---what? Yes, sooner or later, this will happen. Majority of the world, when they serve in the name of their ego, they have taken themselves and it and Shaytan as their Lord. Don't believe me - Prophet and Allah are saying this. What did Firaun do with Moses(AS)? Namrud(Nimrod) with Abraham(AS)? Today's society will run after them - they have it all - Wealth, Women, Power...(hah). Free thinkers maybe. Looked upto in today's society - one of the most curesed ones in the Qur'an. They declared themselves God, and had hundreds and hundreds of followers. this may seem extreme to you - declaring yourself as God. You may say - no, I'd never do that. But this is what Shaytan wants. 'La ilaha ill-An'Nafs'. Astaghfir'Allah hil Azeem.
"Don't follow anyone. You know what you know. Follow yourself."
Here. Here is where the mistake is. This is where he made his mistake as well, with Adam(AS) in Divine Presence...So if you want to say, I look at it this way, and I look at it that way. Please. Continue. When you want to say, no I reject all ways, even my own, if they are not the way of the Holy Prophet(ASWS) - then that will be the most important step you ever take in your life, no exaggeration. Hmm. It may seem that - 'How can all of these people be wrong - How could I be wrong?' Yes, Nafs will hate that. But Remember that Everything your Nafs hates, is the best thing for you, because Nafs only hates what Shaytan hates, and Allah loves. Until you train it, it will love what Shaytan loves. Very serious. My Sheykh said, " Prophet(ASWS) is saying: - deen 'an naseehat - Religion is advice.
The body is religion. the Ruh/Spirit is the advice. Take the Ruh for your guide, because the nafs is only confusion, misery, and an unfavorable end for you and for me."
Take what you will from what's written here. Ideally, take whatever your nafs hates. At this point you and the nafs are indistinguishable, when you say 'I hate this , and I love that'. When you begin to say, 'Prophet(ASWS) loves or hates this, and this is why I hate or love this',...then you are beginning to distinguish that nafs from yourself.
Was'Salaam
"'I' make no distinction between heaven and hell" - You don't? Mash'Allah. Whether you do or don't - Allah and His Prophet(ASWS) do. So what happens then? See the confusion of the ego?
No. I don't see the confusion (in myself).
Please try to see the whole question and not a fragment that could be whacked down easily. I never made such a statement except that was part of a statement.
The whole idea was: "I make no distinction between heaven and hell and dunya. We are there. We are here. Focus on your heart, heaven. Focus on your mind, dunya. Focus on your wicked nafs, hell."
Most people in religion that I know are trapped in the realm of duality.
This means Hell is down there. Heaven is up there. Dunya is here. And Allah is always someplace else.
The middlemen are always in-between "leading the way." Of course their egos are completely subdued and they only lead people to heaven.
Like Shaykh Osama Bin Laden.
This instead of learning to "be." There would be no hidden world, no malakut, jabarut,hahut if everything was separated out as you imply. Physical death would be the only revealer and "Die before you die..." would be empty words.
"I" is a reflection of the Divine. I have no other voice except "I." All I can do is purify I so that little I is not a small fragmented I, but insha'alah, a Universal I.
If I am to understand and learn, you should know the question.
This help in communication.
Wasalaam
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,
I think you misunderstood me. What you said is correct. The I, the ego, must be purified. I fail to see Osama's role in that however. He is NO Sheykh,..but, we're getting off topic.
But you MUST see the confusion in yourself. The confusion of the ego is in all of us. To say, "I don't have an ego", is to deny ouselves, our existence. We have all been created with an ego, and have all been created with the purpose to purify it. This may become clear to you Insh'Allah.
The hidden worlds: they are hidden to us because our basirah(the vision of our hearts) has been draped heavily with veils. To remove them, one must say 'Allah'. Our Sheykh says, "If you want to cure the physical diseases of the heart. If you want to cure the spiritual diseases of the heart,...you must say 'Allah'. You must kick Shaytan out, and put 'Allah' there. 'Allah', 'Allah', 'Allah'..."
I leave us both with this:
"You have not yet mastered Islam, so how can you be a true believer
[mu'min]? You have not yet mastered conviction [iqan], so how can you
be one who knows by experience [`arif], a saint, a spiritual deputy?
You have not yet mastered the knowledge of direct experience
[ma'rifa], sainthood and spiritual deputyship, so how can you be a
lover whose own existence has ceased to be? You call yourself a
Muslim, even though the Book and the Sunna have rendered judgment
against you, since you have failed to put their law into practice, and
you have not followed them obediently. Anyone who seeks Allah
(Almighty and Glorious is He) will surely find Him. If someone makes a
serious effort to serve His cause, He will surely guide that person in
the right path, because He has said in the unambiguous wording of His
Book:
As for those who strive in Our cause, We shall surely guide them in
Our paths. (29:69)
He is no wrongful tyrant, and He does not love injustice. As He has
said (Exalted is He):
Allah is never unjust to His servants. (3:182)
Allah (Exalted is He) will give something for nothing, so how could He
fail to give in return for something? As He has said (Almighty and
Glorious is He):
Is the reward of goodness anything but goodness? (55:60)
If a person does his work well in this world, Allah will treat him
well in both this world and the hereafter. What prevents you from
obeying Him and affirming His Oneness, except your sins, your
ignorance, and the ruinous condition of your homes and your
sanctuaries? You will soon experience remorse. You must hear the
verses of the Quran with the ears of your hearts. Turn again to Him
and leave every other door. Cling on the door of your Lord (Almighty
and Glorious is He). He is the remover of harm. He is the One who
responds to the plea of the needy. Be patient with Him, for then you
will experience all that is good. Give thanks to Him when He answers
your prayer, and be patient with Him when He delays His response to
you. Courage is an hour's patience."
-(Hazret Abdul Kadir Geylani ks)
[Jala Al-Khawatir, tr. M. Holland]
Asalaamu Alaikum
But you MUST see the confusion in yourself. The confusion of the ego is in all of us. To say, "I don't have an ego", is to deny ouselves, our existence.
There are levels to confusion. One has to be aware of black and white answers to grey questions.
Yes, of course. There is confusion between mind-body and soul. The human being is complicated.
Knowing one is confused is better than not knowing...that is the real confusion. You put me in the position of stating either I know all or I know nothing. It is neither of these.
This is why I stated that, for me, purification of the little, fragmented I is necessary. There is no confusion in that. The personal I fades into the universal I as I purify my nafs.
Yes, this takes a guide. Because there is confusion.
The hidden worlds: they are hidden to us because our basirah(the vision of our hearts) has been draped heavily with veils. To remove them, one must say 'Allah'.
I have read
The hidden would are not hidden because we don't say, 'Allah'(what does that mean?) but because we have not openned the inner eye. And we must if we wish to learn.
The difference between us is your are preaching a traditional liturgy of non-specific generalities and I am in search of precise methods. Even in trusting all to Allah, if one has time and the inclination to learn, their is no sin in seeking the reason and method of leaving all to Allah.
My trust requires that I understand and if there is some gap in that understanding than either I have not learned enough or I am not trusting something reliable. Trusting in the hidden is not an easy thing. And it should not be taken lightly since we are trusting our lives to that thing.
Is Iblis the master trickster? Didn't he say that he would turn all but a few? I make the assumption that he is not wearing a red suit and horns coming out of his head. I believe that he has the most scholarly and pious robes available. His position on earth is the most esteemed and approved. Don't you think he is a Hadi and recites ayahs with a beautiful voice.
Damn right he does. Whom shall we trust? Ourselves first and most of all. This is the foundation upon which all trust is built.
To deal with such a problem, our wisdom must not be rooted in folly. It should come from a firm and unshakey wisdom within ourselves.
Don't you agree?
Wa'Alaikum as Salaam,
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,
Hmm. It seems we are going on in circles. When I discuss with you, I am being 'general' or 'non-specific'beacause I am trying to refrain from 'telling' you anything. Who am I to tell you? The Sheykhs(the True ones) speak, because they are given authority to speak as the inheritors of the Prophet(ASWS). I can quote them from what freedom I am given. But the student, if he has decided upon being a student, should learn from his master. His master must be from one of the true sheykhs and he must have ijaza to teach, from his master, and from his master, and from his master, going back to the prophet(ASWS). This MUST be the case. No greyness here. The source must be ascertained. When we are discussing Allah's chosen elite - The Prophet)ASWS) and his successors(in faith - not necessarily heriditary) - you know the source is a divine one.
That passed on, from master to dervish continues as long as their is life on earth. They may be hidden sometimes, or apparent. Our duty is to seek them out. But, one ting is for certain. I experienced this myself, when I first joined tariqat. You never choose the tariqat. Tariqat chooses you.
You're asking very specific questions in this last comment of yours and this I can answer very clearly. Black and white, as you said. Forgive me, if I was vague with you. I was lightly brushing the topic of tasawwuf with generalities so as not to scare you or your nafs off. That I think was a mistake. Also, I am not fit to lecture on this. I give you some drops that find their way to my heart, from my Sheykh's cup. Drops I give, because that's all I have. Alhamdulillah.
Visit the site, as I'll be putting up some more sohbets up. Read if you wish to learn. You are sincere, in that you have made it here to ask, and your intention is to reach Allah. And this is the only reason why I'm having this conversation with you. But there are levels of sincerity as well. Do not take everything I say as proofs and evidences. Try to understand that what I'm telling you has a source beyond my mouth, or brain. I do not speak for myself. I do not speak from myself. So I must end this conversation, as it's slowly turning into a debate. I will answer a few of your questions as straight forward as possible.
"You put me in the position of stating either I know all or I know nothing. It is neither of these."
Yes, I did put you in that position. And it is definitely one of those. Every student must put themselves in this position before they set out to learn anything. 'You will never learn anything, as long as you think you know something '- From my Sheykh.
"This is why I stated that, for me, purification of the little, fragmented I is necessary. There is no confusion in that. The personal I fades into the universal I as I purify my nafs."
Yes, Insh'Allah. It will. I am saying the same thing. Escept the I is aided and supporet by The Sheykh. Without the Sheykh, the 'I' is the devil's plaything.
"Yes, this takes a guide. Because there is confusion."
Yes.
"I have read the hidden would are not hidden because we don't say, 'Allah'(what does that mean?) but because we have not opened the inner eye. And we must if we wish to learn."
Saying Allah means exactly that. Is it confusing? Say Allah. With your tongue. At first it will seem hollow. Later, it will make the connection with your heart. Say Auzubillahi mins-shaytan-nirrajeem first, then Bismillahirrahmanirrahim, then begin. You may be distracted, thinking of other things. When that happens, say Auzubillah...and Bismillah..and begin again. As many times as it takes to be focused. This is a general intro to precise method.
The Basirah can be opened by a sheykh. Yes. How does that happen? What needs to be done? Saying Allah is what we were created to do. Saying Allah is the simplest form of Dhikr. And the most powerful...and basirah, is like a door. Once open, The winds are strong enough to blow it shut again. Saying 'Allah' with your heart continuously keeps it open. The point about the Guide and Sheykh - this is obvious and precludes all discussions relating to tasawwuf - In my posts by discussing generalities - I was merely directing your understanding towards certain...certanties..
"The difference between us is your are preaching a traditional liturgy of non-specific generalities and I am in search of precise methods. Even in trusting all to Allah, if one has time and the inclination to learn, their is no sin in seeking the reason and method of leaving all to Allah."
I am preaching nothing. This is a conversation. I am not in search of followers. I explained why I was being non-specific. If you want precise methods, find a guide. Go to a Sheykh. There is safety in that. That is my advice, and the advice of the Sheykhs, which comes from the hadith of the Prophet(ASWS). We are discussing generalities here. Specifities would entitle a debate, and you know my position on engaging such activity.
"...Even in trusting all to Allah, if one has time and the inclination to learn, their is no sin in seeking the reason and method of leaving all to Allah."
Where will you seek this reason and method? Depending on that, we can qualify if it is sinful or not. Again, not a direct question, but more rhetorical. Think on it.
"My trust requires that I understand and if there is some gap in that understanding than either I have not learned enough or I am not trusting something reliable. Trusting in the hidden is not an easy thing. And it should not be taken lightly since we are trusting our lives to that thing."
Are you saying here that Allah is hidden from you, and you have qualms in trusting him? This is the beginning and the end of faith. Iman. If you have it , Alhamdulillah. If you don't, I cannot give it to you. Nobody can. You can build it, by trying to understand...and asking support from Him to give you understanding...but here I think we've come to the root of it. If you find difficulty in trusting Him, and you need iman to do so...how can you ask Him for support? Who will you then trust...
"Is Iblis the master trickster? Didn't he say that he would turn all but a few? I make the assumption that he is not wearing a red suit and horns coming out of his head. I believe that he has the most scholarly and pious robes available. His position on earth is the most esteemed and approved. Don't you think he is a Hadi and recites ayahs with a beautiful voice.
Damn right he does. Whom shall we trust? Ourselves first and most of all. This is the foundation upon which all trust is built.
To deal with such a problem, our wisdom must not be rooted in folly. It should come from a firm and unshakey wisdom within ourselves.
Don't you agree?"
Ah. To trust oneself. This here, is the true folly.
The Walis, Allah's close ones, say:
"The one who attempts the path without a guide, or takes himeself as a guide, has taken Shaytan for a guide"
Those people who say, "I don't need a guide. I can do it all on my own, after all - Uways al Qarani did. All I have to do is read the right books! And listen to my INNER GUIDANCE® and I will get to be a MASTER ™ without anyone telling me what to do."
Yes, this is the real foolishness. So I vehemently disagree my friend, because My Sheykh disagrees, the Sahabah disagree, the Prophet(ASWS) disagrees, and Allah disagrees. There is no grey area here.
If what you are asking is, - "If Shaytan can confuse us, he can also confuse us by coming in the form of a guide, and therefore mislead us" -
Yes, This is a valid fear. Subhan'Allah. Very real. If you take him as your guide, you go where he's going.
"So, Who do we trust?"
Allah says in the Qur'an, Bismillahirrahmanirrahim, take your knowledge from those who ask you no worldy fee. Not just money, now. No worldly fee.
Also a good way, to figure it out, is if they have love for the Prophet(ASWS).
Sheykh describes how to know the ones that Allah doesn't love:
"The easiest way to know that, is the love of the Prophet (saw). Love of the prophets. Love those who love the Prophet (saw). It is very easy to understand then. You don't have to go into details, - 'This one is beloved and this one is not beloved.'
Those who have a drop of love in their hearts for the Holy Prophet (alayhi salatu wa salam) or for any other prophets, it is a sign to us that we must try to have some communication with those. Those who don't love Allah and His Prophet (saw), leave them.
They are not any good for you and not any good for me."
If they are with the Sunnah, or against the Sunnah - this is also a good way to see if they are true ones. All the sunnah - not just choose whatever fits. I'm going to follow this comment up with one sohbet from Sheykh Mevlana and one from Sheykh Effendi on the blog. You may read these if you like, and take whatever you like.
If you are a true student, you will take the Walis for your teacher and not yourself. Shaytan is no wali, he is the one who worshipped Allah the most, and the one with the most knowledge. But he lost his manner with Allah, and he became arrogant in with what He 'thought' he knew. He is the most cursed one no matter what he may wear. If he truly had knowledge ,he would know that simply to 'be' is the testament to serve the divine will. Arguing with the creator - is what landed him the position of Shaytan. I'm sure today, - "Wow, that Iblis, sure had balls to say what he said. Free Speech ON! - Shaytan had a thousand reasons he may feed you to justify what he did - but each of them point to his undoubtably damned disobedience. To "let" in the doubts, is to aid him, and he is no friend to you or to me.
If you "tell" me that -" Whom shall we trust? Ourselves first and most of all. This is the foundation upon which all trust is built."
-then you have already made your decision, and nothing I say will probably change your mind. If you say - you yourself is the foundation upon which all trust is built, you have taken yourself above Allah, or at least associating yourself with Him. So if you've decided, you've decided. What can I tell you, Blake?
Alhamdulillah. So I leave you with these thoughts, - Take what you will from it, Insh'Allah. And never forget to ask support from Him. He is the only one you can trust. You - are fooled if you think you can trust yourself over Him. If you ask me Why - I will tell you is that is what I've learned from those who know, from the source. If you doubt the source - and you've been created from the source - how can you trust yourself...?
I submit, I will not have the leisure to discuss this further with you. You are always welcome here, however. All are welcome always, with their manners intact. It's what separates us from the animals, and what the Prophet(ASWS) came to teach us. But the Animals, make no mistake, are better than us in so many ways. They are looking at the people today, and cursing them. Cursing us if we don't fulifll our true purpose. The Animals, Allah's creation, are always in remembrance of Him - All of creation is. Except us. We were given the choice. We have the capacity to become worse than Shaytan(Munafiqeen) or better than the Angels. This is our test. Allah tells us - To have true success, hold steadfastly to the Prophet(ASWS). Allah is telling us this. How important it is to us, this we choose. Insh'Allah we'll make the right choice.
Ameen. May Allah guide Us.
Was'Salaam wa Alaikum wa Rahmatullah.
"I am preaching nothing. This is a conversation. I am not in search of followers."
When you say, This is the way it is...it seems to me that it is not conversation. It is "preachy" to my way of thinking.
I never knew anyone who could speak for everyone except God.
And "He" speaks to few. Rabb is a different story. Everyone has a Lord and Provider.
You ideas are interesting and have a long history. But there is an absolute quality to them that begs the question: Are you positive in what you say or is this conjecture?
Someone who mistakes absolute knowledge for conjecture is misled themselves and, if they talk, a misleader.
This does not apply to you, but I will tell you that I am missing where the caveat or qualification is.
But I appreciate your ideas and you time. I don't mean to discourage with pestering question nor am I a simp who will take everything hook, line and sinker
I should have read down further. Nevermind and pardon.
Asalaam Alaikum
Dear Abu Unaysah
Thank you for your time and explanations.
Best wishes for you now and into the future.
Blake
Wa'Alaikum as-Salaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barkatahu,
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.
Dear Blake,
May Allah guide us both to Him in the most beautiful of ways, and the path most beloved to Him, to His Light, and His Beatific Vision for eternity, Ameen. May Allah grant you a true Sheykh, in the practice of the most beloved(ASWS), and grant you the company of the saints, and forgive each of your sins, even if they be as high as the mountain. Please remember me in your prayers. Ameen Ya Rabbul Alameen. For the sake of the Holy Prophet(ASWS), SHeykh Mevlana and Sheykh Effendi. Ameen.
Was'Salaam wa Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu
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