13 Chapters of Good Advice (Part 1)

Maulana Shaykh Nazim’s daily Suhbahs

13 Chapters of Good Advice (Part 1)

22nd April 2011

A’uzubillah himinash shaitan nirrajeem

Bismillah-hir Rahman-nir Raheem

Assalamu’alaikum wrh wbkt

(These Chapters are brief snippets of salient advice, given as Maulana spoke to different guests, for us to lead healthy, happy lives. This first Part deals with the initial 4 Chapters.)

Chapter 1- Natural is Best

• Seek natural things in life, artificial things are the worst things to bring into our lives. Run to nature, and run away from all that is man-made and artificial!

• Maulana gave the example of how he drinks a cup of bitter orange juice, three times daily – in the morning, at noon and in the evening – and in doing so, he has never needed medication for common flu/cold. One who makes it a point to take natural fruits and juices, will not be troubled by diseases.

• Maulana said, this is a declaration for all of Mankind, that leaving artificial things is best for this Ummah.

Commentary

• Seek out the natural alternative in as many matters as humanly possible.
  • If you wish to eat, eat of natural fresh produce, not the processed, canned or preserved stuff. Avoid Genetically-modified foods, and Hormone-Induced foods at all costs.
  • Use natural ingredients when cooking, avoid instant and junk food.
  • Use natural medicines, instead of depending on pharmaceutical concoctions. Read an excellent past Suhbah just on this matter.
  • Walk in the park, instead of on a treadmill.
  • Buy real flowers for your homes, instead of fake plastic ones.
  • Heat up food over a fire instead of in a microwave.
  • Drive your car with the windows down instead of using the airconditioner.
  • Avoid make up and nail polish, use collyrium and henna instead.

• A famous incident that happened in the time of the Prophet (saw), was when a neighbouring King had offered his best physicians to be at the Prophet’s (saw) service. Despite staying in Medina for a long time, the doctors had no patients to treat at all, from amongst the Companions of the Prophet (saw), for they were all in the prime of health.

• Compare that situation, to today’s world, where hospitals are crammed full with millions of physically, spiritually and mentally sick people. So many are stricken with chronic diseases that make their lives miserable, and a burden to others.

• Surely we can see that something very wrong is happening with our food, medicine and environment, in that so many people are sick all their lives, while hospitals and pharmaceutical firms rake in billions in profits. We must be doing something wrong, and this simple advice from Maulana is the key to a healthy life.

Chapter 2 – Advice for new parents

• Pregnant mothers should not go to doctors, as the medications and investigations (like ultrasound, extraction of amniotic fluid for DNA testing etc) are dangerous for the baby, and may result in children being born handicapped or with medical issues eg hole-in-the-heart. So many people are bringing such children to Maulana, and he is seeing that doctor contribute to this rise in neonatal diseases. Maulana said that such interference by doctors makes Allah angry, and displeases the Prophet (saw), so it is his duty to inform the believers of such.

• Maulana said very firmly that, once a woman is confirmed pregnant, the couple are to do the following:
  • slaughter a sheep (like during Qurban), for the honour of Shaykh Sayyid Abdul Qadir Jilani (q) and Sayyidatina Nafisatul Thohirah (q), and feed the poor with the meat. These two Saints then become responsible to complete the development of the baby in the womb of the mother.
  • the mother must wear two Taweezes, one for herself and the other for the unborn child.
  • when the baby is finally born, put that Taweez on him/her.
  • charity must be done daily, in the name of both mother and unborn child.
  • pregnant women should only be delivered by mid-wives, and not doctors.

• That is sufficient for the birth of a healthy child, there is no need for expensive, invasive and unnecessary weekly pre-natal check ups with obstreticians.

• In a Suhbah given on the 24th of February this year, Maulana said: “When you get pregnant, do not go to the doctors; a midwife will be sufficient. Today, they are bringing many disabled children to me, all because of these machines doctors put on their bellies. And after they spoil it, they come to me and say, “Come Shaykh Effendi, pray to fix this situation!” Well you ruined it, so how shall I fix it now? Pay attention to this. Warn them! A midwife can deliver a whole village or a whole city! Now the doctors use machines right away, saying, “Cut her belly!” A baby knows where to come from; it will come out from where it entered, but how to explain this? No one will understand.”

Commentary

• For thousands of years, women gave birth with the help of mid-wives, and recovered through massage and herbs. Even today, many traditional communities still preserve and practice these traditional healing methods of old. Caesarian is a very new development, frowned upon by Islam. Many women are choosing elective caesarians now, that is, they wish to go through one for convenience and to avoid the pain of childbirth, some choose caesarian just so that the child is born on an auspicious birthdate!

• The Maqam of Sayyidah Nafisatul Thohirah (q) is in Egypt, she is an Ahlul Bayt with a most pious and illustrious life story (click here to read when you have time, it is quite a long article). Egyptians visit her shrine throughout the year and particularly in the holy month of Ramadan and they pray to Allah through her for their recovery from sickness and diseases. People also fulfill their nazar at the holy shrine on achieving their needs and desires. Her Mosque and Maqam has a unique status in the hearts of Egyptians, and the happiness of newly weds is not complete, if their marriage is not held at Sayyidah Nafisah’s site. Egyptians visit her mosque/shrine daily to pray for successful marriage.

Chapter 3 – Take notes and study the Suhbahs!

GrandShaykh and Maulana Shaykh Nazim

• Maulana told his guests that everytime GrandShaykh Abdullah was speaking, he was always taking notes, to ponder upon and revise later. Despite having only simple paper and pencil, massive volumes of notes were taken. Maulana lamented the fact that it is amazing how today’s mureeds/guests/visitors have at their disposal camcorders, recorders, mobile phones that can record Suhbahs, yet few bother to do so!

Commentary

• Shah Naqshband al-Uwaisi al-Bukhari (q), Imam of our Tariqah said, “Our Way is Suhbah (Association), and there is Goodness in Gathering.” Shaykh Adnan Kabbani taught that, Shah Naqshband said those words 12000 times during his life, corresponding to the number of times Rasulullah (saw) had performed Mi’raj, of which the contents of only one Mi’raj has been made known to common people. Each Suhbah of Shah Naqshband used to teach one Jewel, one Secret, from one Mi’raj, one Ascension of Rasulullah (saw).

• Every word uttered by Saintly ones in every gathering is a precious Jewel. We must be like hungry, starving creatures in the presence of our Shaykh, lapping up every word, jotting down every key he gives, and recording in our hearts every opening he unveils. Some visitors think that Maulana is just an old man rambling on and on about democracy and Divine punishments. Astaghfirullah. Maulana is neither senile nor demented, he is always at the peak of mental sharpness, and he speaks to all present from what is revealed to his heart from the secrets of the Preserved Tablets. In Haqiqatul Haqqani, a book approved by Maulana himself, and written by our beloved Shaykh Adnan, GrandShaykh said, “Shaykh Nazim is a tajalli, or a Light of Allah Almighty. When he speaks, don’t listen to him as Maulana Shaykh Nazim, but listen to him as if Allah Almighty is speaking to you.”

• We must show the utmost respect and adab in Maulana’s presence. We must not raise our voice, and we mustn’t speak unless spoken to. We should refrain from joking (some do it to show familiarity) and we must not question him or embarrass him with excessive praises. It is best to keep the mouth shut, and the heart and ears wide open, when with him. There is meaning in all his gestures, jokes and casual remarks, so take everything down and review it later; often, you will see the wisdom of what he says much later after you have returned to your countries.

Chapter 4 – No permission yet for mureeds to perform Umrah/Haj this year

• Due to the political uncertainty and instability in the Middle Eastern region, there is no permission yet for mureeds to perform Umrah or Haj this year, until the green light is given to Maulana for his mureeds to do so.

Commentary

• I had asked Maulana the same question when I visited him on the 12th of March, and he had given me the same answer, only that he had added that in Ramadhan, he may be given a firm answer on this matter.

• The adab in tariqah is to seek permission on all matters, especially pertaining to long distance travel, marriage and divorce. Unfortunately, many mureeds are taking this as a formality, and proceed to buy tickets and make bookings, prior to seeking permission. Some do not even bother to seek permission at all!

• It has been mentioned in some hadeeth, that there will be bloodshed in Arafah during the Haj when Imam Mahdi (as) emerges, so it is very important that we seek permission before going, even though it is a good deed to perform Umrah/Haj. Considering the many natural disasters happening worldwide, the increasing political unrest, the nuclear fallout from Japan etc, it would be wise to seek permission before any travelling, not just for Umrah/Haj.

(to be continued)

This 22 minute series of Suhbahs in English, can be viewed at www.Saltanat.org, click here to watch it now. Saltanat TV is the Official Site of Maulana Shaykh Nazim that is sanctioned and approved by him personally.

We are seeking translators to translate these English Suhbahs into as many languages as possible. We are willing to pay for translations, as time is short and there is much that needs to be made known to people around the world. Let us know if you can help, and your charges. We are doing out utmost to raise funds for this, so please help us.