The spiritual key for this era

An address by Shaykh Nazim Haqqani from Wednesday, January 9, 2008.

Just last night Shaykh Hisham Efendi Hazretli, Madad ul-Haqq (Support of the Truth), arrived, paying honour to our dergah. We have been honoured, and I am also happy for him to address you through what Allah Almighty is giving him for as long as he is going to be here. Before I was speaking and people were listing, but it was a heavy burden to speak to people. To be imam, to be a khatib, is not as you say. A real imam, as opposed to just a formality, must have something from spirituality to give to people. Neither wood against wood, nor wax against wax, will give ever give anything. But if the candle is lit, that fire may enlighten if not a thousand, then a million or even a billion people. One burning candle is enough to awaken the candles in each of our hearts. But now it is so difficult to reach such a people, because they are all hidden and you are not asking for them. If you are not giving your whole energy to ask for such a person, it is difficult to find. So many people know so many things, yet their candles are dark. If not awakened themselves, they can’t wake up others. That is a sign of the last days.

Audhu billahi min al-shaitan ir-rajim (I seek refuge with Allah from Shaytan the accursed),

Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim (In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful)

We are beginning by fleeing to Allah, fleeing to Allah from Shaytan. Because anytime Shaytan finds a candle enlightened, he comes and extinguishes it. Therefore we are saying, “Stay away from our meetings!” Don’t give Shaytan a way in! How can you do this? By saying, “Audhu billahi min al-shaitan ir-rajim, bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim” shaitan is running away, but after a while he is coming, coming, not leaving you. Therefore, the most important wird (daily devotion) now is to say: “Audhu billahi min al-shaitan ir-rajim, bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim”

Audhu billahi min al-shaitan ir-rajim. For every purpose say: Audhu billahi min al-shaitan ir-rajim. Audhu billahi min al-shaitan ir-rajim! Beware, or you’ll find yourself in the sewer! Therefore people they are like rats scurrying along, saying: “This is modern life that we must achieve like the Europeans and Americans! Look how theirs is the high life!” Where? The ego is saying, “Come with me! The sewer! Give it a try!” “Is it okay to do that?” “Yes, you’re free! Free! Jump on in!” Lup!… Then we’re trying to say, “Ya Hu, come out!” But it’s too late, the self responds, “No, no, here there is modernized life, western life, the high life!” Tauba, Astaghfirullah al adhim! (I repent! May Allah Almighty forgive me!) because our egos are chasing Shaytan, asking to run after shaitan. Then our egos are asking to dive into sewer water. Our selves are saying, “Quickly, jump in!” This is because it’s the ego’s pleasure to run into that filth. Therefore, when you see that your ego is asking to run, say: Audhu billahi min al-shaitan ir-rajim.

Therefore, the mumin, the believer must be an awakened person! If not, Shaytan will quickly draw you down into the sewer. Aman, ya Rabbi! (Save us, Oh Lord!) All people are running, running, running after this. Audhu billahi min al-shaitan ir-rajim! You must say this at least 40 times a day to have power because Shaytan is rushing at you.
And then, Subhanallah (Glory to Allah!), Maulana Shaykh Sultanul Awliya, (the King of Saints, Shaykh Nazim`s own master, Abdallah al-Fa`iz al-Daghestani) may Allah raise his rank was saying, “Now there is no way for murids (sincere spiritual seekers) to reach to higher and higher spiritual stations. The only important spiritual excercise is to say for every occasion, “Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim, Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim, Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim!” It will never be perfect obedience without Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim. If you aren’t saying Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim, it is never going to be a perfectly acceptable service to the Lord of Heavens. It has also been mentioned through Holy Hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad[s]) that we who is not mentioning “Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alamin” (Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds) at the head of every action is not going to be perfect.

Therefore, say “Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim, Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alamin” so that we may be able to come here, to sit and listen, forcing our egos to follow our true selves! This is giving us spiritual power, pumping in it in. You can use it once, then for a second action you again pump up the power with Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim, Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alamin. First though we must say “Audhu billahi min al-shaitan ir-rajim!” Then you follow with “Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim, Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alamin.”

By saying this, a person will be able to conquer his ego and free himself from Shaytan! It is not something that you need to read hundreds of books for. No, such a simple thing is giving power, power! We are beginning and Allah is finishing it. If you are beginning with His Holy Name and, Huuuu, praising Him, then you will be granted a dress of honour. How many dresses like that can you carry?

That is nur, Heavenly Light, that honors and enlightens your real being. For every action that you begin with “Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim, Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alamin,” you are honoured with a dressing of light that gives you glory to reach the Divine Presence. Lights!

I was wondering when Shaykh Hisham Efendi Hazretleri would be ready to address you because every saint has his or her own channel. That shaytan-box, the television, has so many channels, and each wali, each saint, has channels in common with other saints, but they also have special, private channels. Therefore, when he speaks to you, his channel will be giving something else. Never on this earth will two happenings be exactly the same. No, things are always changing. Therefore, when speaking, a saint is always giving something new from heavenly stations. Saints may be taking from a billion special channels. Your may have 40, 50, 60, or 100 channels, not even reaching to 500. Saints though may reach to millions, billions, trillions, quadrillions, or quintillions of channels. Subhanallah, Subhanal Mutil Wahhab! (Glory be to Allah!…)

Therefore I am hereby introducing Shaykh Hisham Effendi. If I am not speaking, he may speak although it doesn`t please him to do so when I am here: but I am nothing. What he says, say! His channel is special. I might hear something from him that I don`t get on my own channel. Therefore, it is not something that belongs to our egos and I am will be happy. Such a person, Allah Almighty is sending from His chosen Awliya (saints), that are carrying from me also. He may speak.

Yesterday I was speaking to Shaykh Abdul Hayy from Egypt, mazun (the permitted one). I said, “Until I arrive, you speak to people.” Before I even got from here to the to the entrance of the dergah (sufi meeting place), they told me that Shaykh Abdul Hayy had finished speaking. I said, “Huh? I haven’t even left yet? He may speak! He is mazun, permitted! He may speak!”

Welcome to you! Welcome Shaykh Hisham Hazretleri! I think that he needs to rest a little because he didn’t arrive in Cyprus until after midnight, and was then perhaps sitting for salat ul-fajr (the dawn prayer). I have a new telescope. Even if I don`t come out, I see what is going on. It`s not an artificial telescope. (The shaykh here begins coughing). We are going to be like an old car. What to do? Therefore I am leaving here today. It’s enough. Tomorrow he can speak to you from his special channel. MashaAllah (Allah has willed it). He is going from East to West and meeting with so many people: high level people, the level of Presidents, the level of crown-princes, the level of tyrants, even the level of shaitans- he is bombarding them! Therefore, he has a specialty among awliya: mashurun, marufun.

Therefore, any news?

May Allah forgive us and Mubarak new year (blessed)! Allah makes it mubarak. I hope it is a new beginning in the history of Islam, beginning from today the first of Muharram 1429. I hope that it is a good new beginning, that Islam is going to rise higher, higher, and higher, that kufr (disbelief) will be brought down, down down, that Shaytan’s sultanate will finish, and that Islam will rise appear, rising up from East to West, from North to South. May everyone everywhere say: La ilaha illAllah, la ilaha illAllah, la ilaha illAllah (there is no divinity except Allah)…Sayyiduna wa Nabiyuna Muhammadur Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam (our master and prophet Muhammad is the emissary of Allah- Allah’s blessings and peace upon him!

Zidhu, ya Rabbi, izzan wa sharafan, wa nuran wa sururan, wa ridwanan wa sultanan!
(Give him, oh Lord, majesty and honour, lights and secrets, satisfaction and kingship!)
Zidna bihi, ya Rabbi, kazalik imanan wa yaqinan wa sidqan!

Adrikna, ya Rabbana, ahdu Medhi alaihi salam, ahdu Sayyedena Isa alaihi salat wa salam!
Adrikna, ya Rabbi, ayam halli. Anta tatafaddal ibadika salihin, saadetid dunya wa saadetil akhira, ya Rabb, bi jahi man arwalta alaihi Suratil Fatiha.

Sheikh Hisham Efendi is going to be with us inshaAllah for five or six days. May Allah give him much more power, much more Nur (light), and the muslims also for the baraka of this blessed month, shahru muharramul haram (the month of Muharram the Sacred), bi jahi Nabiyil Karim, Sayyidil awwalina wal akhirin, Fatiha!

Mubarak yaumul jadid! (The new day is blessed)

from Sufi Live