Be a raindrop that dissolves in the Ocean

Summary of Maulana Shaykh Nazim’s daily Suhbahs

17th April 2010, Saturday

Be a raindrop that dissolves in the Ocean

A’uzubillah himinash shaitan nirrajeem

Bismillah-hir Rahman-nir Raheem

Assalamu’alaikum wrh wbkt

• Mawlana recited A’ūdhubillāhi min ash-shayṭān ir-rajīm and remarked that Shayṭān is the ugliest creature in existence; he has been so ever since he defied his Creator. When we are receiving Divine lights, Shayṭān throws a veil of darkness over us, blinding us from Divine guidance – that is his mission. Each time you hear Shayṭān’s whisper, run towards Him as advised in the Holy Qur’an.

وَإِمَّا يَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنِ نَزۡغٌ۬ فَٱسۡتَعِذۡ بِٱللَّهِ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

“And if an evil whisper comes to you from Shaitân (Satan) then seek refuge with Allâh. Verily, He is All-Hearer, All-Knower.” (Quran 7:200)

• Mawlana said that we should recite A’ūdhubillāhi min ash-shayṭān ir-rajīm with a sense of shame, for while we are seeking His protection, we ourselves willingly follow Shayṭān’s ways and whispers. It is as if we were transferring all responsibility for our safety to Allah alone, and denying the fact that we too have to make a conscious effort to distance ourselves from Shayṭān, in order to be protected. (It is like a person who can’t swim, and who asks for protection from drowning, yet he deliberately keeps wading into deep water, disobeying the ‘Do not swim’ sign!)

• Mawlana remarked that whenever he raised his voice and appeared to be angry, he was not angry with the viewers, instead he was angry at their egos, for egos are collaborators with Shayṭān, urging them to defy Allah. Mawlana said that he would never be angry at our real beings, for the real being (minus the ego) is a perfected creature, kāmil mukammal (مكمّل كامل).

• What is the meaning of Adam? The word Adam consists of three Arabic letters, Alif, Dal and Meem – each of which has deep meanings. Alif stands for Allah and Azali – Adam is a creature that represents Allah on Earth (Khalῑfah), from Azali (pre-eternity) to eternity. Dal means Dawām, continuous – it refers to the continuation of His domination on Earth, all creation having been created for the honor of His Most beloved, Rasūlullāh (saw) and the act of creation goes on continuously. Meem is for Muntahā, the destination, the eternal peak of honor which Man aims to achieve during his time in dunyā. These are Oceans of knowledge from pre-eternity to eternity (Abadiyyun Azaliyyun), there is eternal honor awaiting Man if he understands his journey.

• A human being attains honor by reflecting upon his journey to meet Allah. Reflection brings light into the mind, and that light illuminates what was previously dark and unknown – making it clear – that is called understanding. No one who has been bestowed this light of understanding, can be prevented from drawing closer to Allah. So honor comes from the understanding that Man has attained, the highest honors are for those people who use their minds – people of sound minds, the dhawil ‘uqūl (العقول ذاوي).

• Mawlana compared the understanding of two types of believers. The first group performs all their deeds, only seeking Divine pleasure and acceptance – the thought of Paradise never crossing their minds at all – to them, it is as if Paradise did not exist. Compare this with the lowly second group, whose sole aim in doing good is to attain Paradise. See how different levels of understanding lead to different levels of honor? Now that we understand that point, let us ask ourselves, what is the purpose of all the understanding we attain – where does it lead us?

• The Prophet (saw) left us five hundred good deeds to follow. Each one of these deeds, when practiced (regularly and sincerely), brings a different heavenly light of understanding into our minds, and as we grow in understanding, we grow in honor; as we grow in honor, we grow closer to the Almighty.

• The Companions of the Prophet (saw) once asked, يا رسول الله، ما أفضل الاعمال؟ “Ya Rasūlullāh (saw), what is the best deed that we can perform, one that cannot be out-done by any other deed?” They had expected to be told of a certain act of obedience or etiquette (adāb) that would be the very best deed possible. The Prophet (saw) stunned them all by answering, “Al-‘ilmu billāh,” which means – the best deed is ‘the knowledge of Allah’, that is, to know Him. What stunned the Companions was that knowing Allah was not a ‘deed’, so how could it be the best deed possible?

• As mentioned earlier, practicing good deeds brings you a light that unveils a greater understanding about Allah. Such an understanding brings you closer to Him – being close to Allah, makes you know Him, you become a Knower of Allah. That is an honor for Man, for you are amongst a select few that know who Allah is!

• To further illustrate this point, Mawlana gave this example. You may own a car. Your purpose in owning the car is not just to admire it or to own it – it is to help you get to your destination. The vehicle is a means to reach somewhere. Good deeds are our vehicle – it is the means by which we grow in understanding of Allah. Our destination is to know Allah – our deeds help us get there. The entire 500 deeds taught by Rasūlullāh (saw) is not the destination! It is our means of reaching an understanding of Allah. This is a very important point to understand – that hidden within every deed lies a more intimate understanding of your Lord Almighty.

• As you draw closer to Him, as you begin to Know Him more and more intimately, you will sink into His Oceans, you will slowly cease to exist, you will be annihilated in Him, fana’ fillāh and baqa’ billāh. You cannot understand Him, until you are annihilated. Like a raindrop from a cloud that falls into the Ocean, it loses its form, its identity (fana’ fillāh), and assumes the identity of the Ocean (baqa’ billāh.). That means your identity disappears, you have become ‘nothing’, what emerges from you is then the identity of a heavenly being, followed by the appearance of a Divine being that is in eternal obedience. So, the ultimate destination of performance of all good deeds, is to attain annihilation.

• Oh people, do not just learn about your physical bodies, for that will turn to dust. Learn about your spiritual selves – ponder and reflect as to why you are here on Earth, what is your aim in life, why must you die eventually, why does Allah allow us only a very short existence in this dunyā, and what is real purpose of our short time here.

• At the start of this journey of realization and understanding, one is in ignorance, so the mind is enveloped in darkness, and it has yet to understand anything. The mind is a gift of honor to us, as Allah did not give it to animals; it is gift for the Khalῑfah. But Man has not realized how to use this powerful gift, he doesn’t realize the purpose of this gift, so instead of reflecting and attaining illumination with it (and hence more honor and closeness to Allah), Man misuses it – some people use it to attain dunyā, some to show how smart they are, some use it to do evil and some simply don’t bother using it at all. It is a pity to see Man abuse this gift, and ultimately fail in his journey, remaining in darkness.

• Mawlana urged us to use our minds and to perform good deeds in abundance – and to do so relentlessly and diligently – until we disappear in His Oceans, where your true selves will emerge, and you will be dressed in heavenly Dressings of Honor (Rabbaniyy).

• Teach this lesson that you have learnt today to all Children of Adam, for when they have truly understood their mission, they will abandon their efforts for dunyā, and they will focus their entire energy and abilities and capabilities to attain their Lord’s Pleasure, as their only aim in this short life. That is why Allah placed the Ka’abah on Earth, it is a place He has commanded us to turn our faces to – turn away from all else, from all of dunyā – and just seek Him.

وَمِنۡ حَيۡثُ خَرَجۡتَ فَوَلِّ وَجۡهَكَ شَطۡرَ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ‌ۚ وَحَيۡثُ مَا كُنتُمۡ فَوَلُّواْ وُجُوهَڪُمۡ شَطۡرَهُ ۥ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ حُجَّةٌ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مِنۡہُمۡ فَلَا تَخۡشَوۡهُمۡ وَٱخۡشَوۡنِى وَلِأُتِمَّ نِعۡمَتِى عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ تَہۡتَدُونَ

“
And from wheresoever you start forth, turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid-Al-Harām (at Makkah), and wheresoever you are, turn your faces towards, it so that men may have no argument against you except those of them that are wrong-doers, so fear them not, but fear Me! – And so that I may complete My Blessings on you and that you may be guided.” (Quran 2:150)

• Allah has commanded us to always turn our faces towards His House, He also commanded us to fear Him – and Allah would complete His blessings upon us and guide us.

• Guidance is sent by Allah via the Warasat ul-Anbiyā, the Inheritors of the Prophet (saw). Ask guidance from such people, but it is not easy to find them, for such people do not come to you. Instead, you have to go to them. Such divinely sent ones are like gravity; they will pull your raindrop irresistibly, to fall into and be annihilated within the Divine Oceans.

Fatihah.