Be humble, seek those with real Knowledge

Posted on 12 December, 2009 by The SufiHub Team

Summary of Maulana Shaykh Nazim’s Suhbah

12th December 2009, Saturday

Be humble, seek those with real Knowledge

A’uzubillah himinsh shaitan nirrajeem

Bismillahir Rahman-nir Raheem

Assalamu’alaikum wrh wbkt

  • Maulana says that Man seeks safety, happiness and honour in the hereafter, but fails to ask about how to achieve it.

  • We must constantly recite A’uzubillah and Bismillah, as these are our spiritual swords against our egoes, against shaitan and against the humans that follow and assist shaitan.

  • Mosques are not just ordinary buildings, they are special demarcated areas of worship, where many beings worship Allah, all the time.

  • Just to know something is not enough. We need the KEYS to unlock the understanding and secrets in the knowledge that we learn. We must be prepared to seek from those to whom Allah has given such keys, and we must be humble enough to ASK for help and guidance.

  • In today’s world, many so-called learned people, with PhDs and doctorates, feel that they themselves are sources of knowledge and that they are the ones who are able to teach others and unlock such secrets, whereas they have merely studied knowledge from books, and do not possess the keys to its secrets and understanding. A University degree in Islamic studies doesn’t mean that you truly understand Islam, and many who have achieved this degree feel that they no longer need to ASK and learn, as they feel self-sufficient and complete, and even feel that they themselves are sources of guidance for others.

  • We are advised not to ask from those who are such, who are not experts appointed by Allah, as Allah has said the the Quran, that we must seek knowledge from one who is arif/khabir, an expert. And the arifs/khabirs in religion are the AwliyaAllah, the Walis, not the academics.

  • Sayyidina Musa (as) was given divine knowledge, but he did not have the keys to its spiritual secrets and hidden meanings and understanding. When he sought this from Allah, Allah commanded Sayyidina Musa (as) to seek out the servant of Allah, who was the holder of such knowledge. Such a servant, was Sayyidina Khidr (as). So, if even Prophets had to seek out the holder of the divine keys to understanding, what about us? Can we understand by merely reading a book, and just using our faculties of understanding? No. We need a guide. The story of Sayyidina Musa (as) seeking a guide to further his understanding, is a command from Allah, for us to do the same.

  • Our Prophet Muhammad (saw) was gifted with the understanding of Divine Knowledge, and after him, the true Guides are given such knowledge too. The Prophet did not study from books, he was taught by Allah Almighty, as it was Allah’s Will that the Prophet be given such knowledge.

  • Once, a world famous teacher of the tafsir of the Qur’an, Imam Razi, came to Makkah, to give a lecture on Islam. Thousands of Muslims gathered, they stood up to welcome him, and they chanted, “Imamul Razi” as they crowded around him to take from his spiritual lights.

  • As Imam Razi sat in front of the Ka’abah, he noticed, from the corner of his eye, one man, who was not standing to honour him. This man sat down, facing the Ka’abah, with a hood over his head. “Why is he not standing to honour me, and to honour the knowledge that I bring?” Imam Razi’s heart whispered to him.

  • Imam Razi then began his speech. To his amazement, he was unable to utter even one word. The crowd waited expectantly, and Imam Razi sat in his seat of honour, in front of the Ka’abah, unable to speak. He knew that it must have something to do with the mysterious man who did not stand to honour him.

  • Imam Razi went to the mysterious man, kissed his hand, and begged for his forgiveness. “By the honour of Baitullah, I beseech you to forgive me.” Only after that mysterious man, who in fact was Sayyidina Khidr (as), allowed him to speak, was he able to do so.

  • Maulana says, Imam Razi’s vast knowledge was but a drop of water when compared to the ocean that Sayyidina Khidr (as) was. And what happens when a drop of water meets an ocean? It dissolves in it and disappears. That was why Imam Razi was unable to speak, his knowledge, though vast, was a mere speck in comparison to a servant of Allah, who holds the keys to real knowledge.

  • So what about your knowledge? Do you think you are vast in knowledge and understanding? Do not be proud, learn to lower yourself, acknowledge your lowly position before Allah, and beg him by making this prayer, “Rabbi zidni ilma” which means, “Oh My Lord, increase me in knowledge!”

  • Do not look upon yourself as being sufficient in knowledge, be humble enough to ask for real knowledge from Allah. Important people always think themselves as complete/knowledgeable. Do not try to attain importance in the eyes of others, for as long as you seek to be important, you are one of those without true knowledge, as you are seeking something of no value to yourself.

  • If you do not have true knowledge, then what you possess is imitated knowledge, which will leave you naked on Judgement Day, you will be like a tree, stripped of its leaves, its flowers and its fruits.

  • But if you inherit true knowledge, with its secrets and its understanding, this knowledge will remain with you, and will benefit you, for eternity.

    Fatihah.

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