Summary of Maulana Shaykh Nazim’s daily Suhbahs

22nd April 2010, Thursday

Every Guide must ask himself this question

A’uzubillah himinash shaitan nirrajeem

Bismillah-hir Rahman-nir Raheem

Assalamu’alaikum wrh wbkt

• Mawlana asked to be bestowed knowledge that would help us ascend from one level to the next. We must perform what is our right – our right is to be obedient servants of Allah. Each human being must know where he stands. If he doesn’t know that, he may lose his direction on this journey.

• Every human being who understands what his responsibilities are, has acquired honor. Those who do not know their responsibilities, they have no Divine value, for they are like animals – animals have no responsibilities.

• Mawlana said that he is merely a ‘tap’ through which Divine advice flows, and such advice reaches these taps in waves. Just as no home can have a flow of water without pipes/taps, no human can receive a flow of heavenly teachings, if he is not linked to a heavenly ‘tap’. No one on Earth has control over these heavenly pipes and taps.

• Teachers who are not true ‘taps’ of guidance often show bad manners/behavior, causing people to run away from Islam. Such teachers, who show a gruff and rough exterior, who treat their students harshly and rudely, and who preach a violent and extremist brand of Islam, have the Divine light (nūr) removed from their faces. It is sad that their Shayṭānic behaviour causes people to leave Islam, instead of falling in love with it. So many extremist/fanatic preachers have caused people to hate Islam, and to say, “If this is Islam, then I do not accept it.”

• To all such preachers, Mawlana called out to them and asked them, “Where are you headed in life? What is your mission and direction in life?” Do you intend to lead people towards your extremist/fanatical ideology? Do you not think that Rasūlullāh (saw) was not aware that his Nation would split up into so many sects? He had said, “In future, my Nation will split into 73 sects. My Nation will leave my Sunnah, they will leave my Way and the Way of my Companions and their followers, and they will even declare the Way of my Companions as wrong.” This has already occurred. Has it never crossed the minds of those who are in such sects, that a small group can never dictate the ideology of the majority? People today tremble before the miniscule pig flu virus, but they do not fear the Almighty (in daring to declare the majority of Muslims as astray, and justifying their small sects as the true ones)!

• Many of them obstinately cling to their wayward creed – qulūbunā ghulfun (their hearts are locked) – as if their hearts and minds have been entrenched in such an ideology. Many Muslims’ hearts have been locked – they reject the Islam brought by the Prophet (saw) and his Companions – they accept only their own ideology! So many followers hold their leader’s teachings in higher esteem than that of Rasūlullāh (saw). For example, many Arabs have abandoned the Sunnah – they no longer sport a beard, they do not wear a turban, they have abandoned the Sunnah dressing for smart Western suits with ties, and they too seek to own sleek sports cars like the rich and famous do.

• Many fanatics are so quick to label all new developments in Islam as bid‘a (blameworthy innovations). Mawlana asked if such fanatics considered it practical to insists that we still ride camels today?

• Mawlana asked these so-called guides – in which direction are they taking their followers? What is the purpose and direction they aim for, in seeking and teaching knowledge? They should ask themselves – where does heavenly knowledge lead its students? Towards dunyā or ākhirah? Does the Lord of Heavens lead His servants to dunyā or to Maula (the Master)? The only aim of all that was brought by Rasūlullāh (saw) is to lead the Ummah to ākhirah! Every guide must ask if he is doing the same thing.

• The discarding of the turban by the  so-called ālīm (learned ones), is an especially ominous sign (a bad omen), as Rasūlullāh (saw) said in a Ḣadīth, “The Turban is the Crown of the Arabs, he who raises it will be raised by Allah, and he who discards it, will be humiliated by Allah.” Why have today’s Arabs abandoned the wearing of the Turban? Why are the Muslims of today, following the ways of the Disbelievers, the Hypocrites and the Opponents of Islam? So many Muslims from the various sects condemn the act of covering our heads at all times. Has the Prophet (saw) ever been seen with his head exposed? That is why he said, “Anyone who revives a Sunnah of mine, will be rewarded like one who has died a martyr.”

• During the battle of Badr, Allah sent Angels to assist the outnumbered believers. The Angels descended from the Heavens, riding on their horses, and each was wearing a Turban, with a tail at the back of the Turban.

بَلَى إِنْ تَصْبِرُوا وَتَتَّقُوا وَيَأْتُوكُمْ مِنْ فَوْرِهِمْ هَذَا يُمْدِدْكُمْ رَبُّكُمْ بِخَمْسَةِ آلَافٍ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ مُسَوِّمِينَ

“Remember when you (O Muhammad) said to the Faithful: Is it not enough for you that Allah should help you with three thousand angels (specially) sent down? Indeed, if you remain patient, and act in piety, even if the enemy should rush here on you in hot haste, your Lord would help you with five thousand angels making a terrific onslaught.” (Quran 3:124-125)

• When the Prophet (saw) saw how the Angels were all with tailed-turbans, he wore such a turban (with a tail), and he taught the Companions to do so too.

• In the past, Allah sent His Prophets to guide humans to ākhirah. Today too, there are those who bring such Divine advice/guidance, and all true guides must show their followers the Way to their Lord – and away from dunyā! Today, Man is working and striving for dunyā, day and night; we are no longer striving to please Allah. Yet the Prophet (saw) directed us towards Allah, not dunyā, so what has happened? Guides must teach humans real knowledge – so that humans will know their true life’s direction and their true responsibilities in this worldly life. For those genuine guides who preach this knowledge, the Angels pray for them, “Oh our Lord, grant to that servant as You please.”

• Mawlana said that all teachers, guides and learned ones must join hands, to destroy Shayṭān’s fortress, to bury Shayṭān and his kingdom under our feet – that must be our common aim.

Fatihah.