#SohbahSeries: Be Like Flowing Water

Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm

Maulana Sheikh Nazimق’s Suhbah

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By the name of Allah, All-Mighty, All-Merciful, Most Beneficent and Most Munificent.

[This sohbah was given in response to a question asked by a mureed about whether he should remain in England after finishing his studies or return to his homeland.]

Anyone may ask such a question about his life, about his destiny. We must be like running water, like a river or a spring flowing out. Water always moves forward, finding its way with ease. It avoids obstacles and keeps flowing, never stopping.

If it finds a deep place, a hole, it fills it and then runs again. If it finds a rock, it does not stubbornly try to cut through, but turns and flows around it. If it is blocked, it gathers until it can move again.

In our lives, we must observe where the easier way lies. This is not to abandon effort, but to understand the wisdom of flowing as Allah ﷻ makes possible. If people realized this, they would live in rest and comfort. If one way is going to be easy, you must follow it.

There is an Arabic saying, “Al-‘alamatu-l-idhn at-taysir” – the sign that Allah Almighty’s Will is with a way is that it becomes easy. If you find a way opening smoothly, that is a sign of your Lord ﷻ’s pleasure. If you find yourself blocked with hardships, then you must understand that your Lord ﷻ has closed that door for your protection.

For the sons of Adam (AS), there are so many ways. If one way is closed, another will open. To insist stubbornly on a blocked path only brings difficulties. Do not pursue hardship.

In our lives, we may face many difficulties. Allah Almighty places them in order to protect His ﷻ servants from falling into worse situations, putting a barrier before them so that they cannot fall into the valley. At that moment, you must change your course.

Even in Shari‘ah, Allah ﷻ has given alternatives. If you cannot pray standing, pray sitting. If not sitting, then lying down. If you cannot face Qibla on a ship, your intention suffices, whichever way the ship turns. For every difficulty, He ﷻ provides an ease.

Therefore, do not be like a rock, unmoving, but be like flowing water. Rocks remain stuck, but water flows, and it always reaches the ocean.

Allah Almighty gives us will power, but His ﷻ Will covers all our wills. Do not be stubborn with your own will. You may know something, but He ﷻ knows everything.

When you ask for something, it may appear good to you from this side, but you cannot see what is behind it. He ﷻ knows what is behind it, also.

Therefore, follow your Lord ﷻ’s Will. How do you follow His ﷻ Will? You must know that His ﷻ Will always brings the way of ease.

Someone asked, “Is there not a time to try to confront difficulties, to take on the challenge, so that you will meet a difficult way but gain something through it?”

Sheikh Nazimق replied, “As water does, you may do. If there is a rock not firm in the earth, water carries that rock away. If a powerful river comes, it may lift it.

But if the rock is firmly in the earth, the river changes its course. If it is easy to move, you may understand, but if it is firm, you must understand that it is impossible.

Then change and go. Otherwise the rock will remain in the middle of the stream, because no river can carry every stone in its path. The water leaves and runs.”

This is a very good method for everyone’s life. Do not be stubborn with difficulties. Be like water, not like stone. The one who runs with events is always in peace. The one who resists is always in trouble.

Agreement is the key to peace, satisfaction, and happiness, but very few understand. Most people are fighting with the flow of events, trying to stop what cannot be stopped. But you must run with them!

You are coming like this, and the river is running like this. You cannot stop it, but you can flow with it. The Will of Allah ﷻ runs powerfully. Your will cannot stop it. You may try to resist, but however much you try, it will carry you.

Sometimes you must jump from one possibility to another. If you try every door and see that all are locked, then the matter is finished. Yes, finished. In such a case, go back.

Most people insist, “My order must be carried out,” just as Pharaoh once said. That brings suffering to people. They are not like running water, they are like rocks, saying, “This Nile must run as I say.”

But the Nile is never going to run as you like, it runs as its Lord ﷻ orders it to run. That is why people suffer: they refuse to be soft.

You must be very careful about this point. You must follow Allah Almighty’s Will, and the sign of His ﷻ Will is to be able to follow events easily. If you want easy ways, you will find endless easy ways.

But if you say, “No” everything says “No” to you, echoing. When you say, “No!” everything says, “No-o-o!”

But when you say, “Yes” everything says, “Yes-s-s!” And when you say, “Happy!” everything around you says, “Ha-a-appy!”

Another mureed asked, “But if you are saying we should go with the flow, what about now, when there is a flood of haram, bad thoughts, and corruption?

How do we avoid being swept away? If we resist, we are too weak. If we let go, we drown. What should we do, especially in Western countries like America or Europe?”

Sheikh Nazimق answered, “We said that for every difficulty there is an easy way. You are asking protection from your Lord. 

When the flood of Noah (AS) came, it did not take everyone. Why? Because some were in the Ark of Safety. Whoever was in it, the flood never touched them.

When you take shelter under the protection of your faith, you may be anywhere. No worry for you. All people are going, but some sink and some swim.

The ones who sink are finished, but others hold to a life preserver. Whoever has one does not drown. Without it, he will go down, finished, just like the time of Noah (AS).

Now you are taking the life preserver. No worry about being in London, or in Western countries. No. Allah Almighty is keeping you from haram, alhamdulillah. You are here, sitting in this gathering.

All of you are young, and outside there are parks, beaches, discos, so many places pulling people. You could be there, wasting your time as others do, but instead you are here. Who is protecting you?

Your faith in Allah Almighty is protecting you. This is the miracle.

It is enough evidence that Islam is a living religion, and tariqat is a living power. Even one young person proves that power. The power that takes away even one from that flood, that is the divine, miraculous power that Allah Almighty gives to real faith.”

The way of safety is to flow with the Will of Allah ﷻ and to hold firmly to the rope of faith. Whoever holds it will not drown, wherever they may be.

May Allah ﷻ make us like flowing water, soft before His ﷻ Will.

May He ﷻ shield us with the life preserver of faith, keeping us safe amid the floods of this age.

Al-Fatiha.

• Mawlana Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqaniق

More sohbahs from the Liberating the Soul Series can be found here.

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This series was initiated by the SufiHub Team in honour of the 2nd Urs of our beloved Sheikh, the late Sheikh Muhammad Abdul Sattar Khan, who lovingly dedicated himself to transcribing and summarising the daily sohbahs of Mawlana Sheikh Nazimق.

It was through this blessed service that he began his journey on this beautiful Way in 2008, remaining steadfast upon it until his final breath in 2023. Today, his legacy continues at our Zawiyah at A’Posh Bizhub Singapore through his representatives Sidi Shalihin, Ismail, and Syed Muhammad, who humbly carry forward the path he sincerely paved.

We pray that our dear Sheikh Abdul Sattar has been reunited with his beloved Mawlana Sheikh Nazimق and all our Grandshaykhs, and that their light continues to guide us always on the way of Haqq.

The text was originally taken from Liberating the Soul – A Guide for Spiritual Growth by Shaykh Nazim Adil al-Haqqaniق. With love and sincere intention, parts of this sohbah have been gently revised by the SufiHub Team for clarity and contextual relevance.

If you wish to share it on your platforms, kindly post it in full and ensure that proper credit is given to all its sources. For this is adab, the very core of our beautiful religion and way.

Should you have any queries or concerns, you are always welcome to reach us at thesufihubteam@gmail.com.

Wassalam.