#SohbahSeries: The Heavenly Levels

Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm

Maulana Sheikh Nazimق’s Suhbah

When Allah Almighty, before bringing Sayyidina Adam (AS) into existence, informed the angels, He ﷻ said that He was going to create a deputy for Himself upon the earth.

The angels had some knowledge that Allah ﷻ had granted them. They knew that there would be a deputy on earth, and they expected that deputyhood would be given to them.

Then Allah ﷻ declared, “I am going to create another creature. He will be My deputy.”

The angels said, “O our Lord, are You creating a being who will cause corruption and shed blood, and granting deputyhood to him, while we are worshipping You without ever going against Your command?”

Then Allah ﷻ said, “You do not know! You are objecting, you are not pleased with what I have decreed, but I am pleased, and I am granting My deputyhood to him.”

It was written for mankind that they would make dissension, that they would fight and follow devils, doing things against divine orders. Yet Allah ﷻ knows best His creatures and what He has placed within them.

We have been given, from the heavens, a soul. Our bodies are from the material of this world. The honour that Allah ﷻ has granted mankind has not been given to the angels. The Malaika (angels) have been created from divine Oceans of Light, but they do not have the mixture of body and soul that man carries.

If we had not been given physical bodies, we would be like angels too, always worshipping, with nothing else to do. Yet our honour lies precisely in this physical form. Our souls came into our bodies, and we were ordered to take complete control of these bodies, to discipline them and make them reach the real station of deputyhood in the Divine Presence.

Now we are candidates to be deputies, but Allah ﷻ is asking His servants to reach the real stations of deputyhood. These heavenly ranks have been granted to mankind, but they remain hidden from most people.

Only a few exceptions among human beings have reached them and know their rank, while the majority of us have not.

No one can truly know that station until he reaches it. If a person has never tasted honey, as much as you try to give a description of its sweetness, is it possible? A little child, as much as you try to describe the joy of marriage, can he understand?

In the same way, those who have reached the real stations of deputyhood cannot be understood by those still far away. But Allah ﷻ wants His servants to learn the way that leads to those stations.

Therefore, He sent prophets (AS) to mankind. They are perfect ones who achieved full control over their physical bodies and their egos. The one who conquers his ego quickly finds connection to heavenly positions, while the one still ruled by his ego remains bound to the lowest level.

When the angels looked at mankind, they saw only that first level, the lowest one, where people fight, kill, and cause blood to flow, doing every evil act. That is the level of those who have not yet tamed their egos.

But according to their beliefs and understanding, believers rise in their stations as they gain control over their egos. The more they conquer their egos, the higher they ascend from first to second, third, fourth, fifth. But at the first level, they are still fighting and disturbing one another.

I remember being with my Grandsheikhق in Makkah, during the blessed days of Hajj. We were making tawaf around the Holy Ka‘bah. It was the most crowded time, as the pilgrims were returning from Mina to complete their pilgrimage, and everything had to be done within a short time.

The crowd was so dense that people were pushing and struggling with each other, fighting to make a way for themselves.

Then Grandsheikhق said to me, “Nazim Effendi, close your eyes.”

I closed them for only a second. When I opened them again, I found myself with Grandsheikhق at the top level among people.

There, another group was making tawaf, but they were so smooth, polite and gentle ones, like butterflies. 

Then I looked down and saw those below still fighting and shouting at one another.

Above that second level there was a third, then a fourth, each one higher than the other. The Ka‘bah is upon the earth, but above it, in the same direction, are the seven heavens, seven levels making tawaf.

In every heaven there is a holy building corresponding to the Ka‘bah, each made of the most precious jewels. You cannot imagine that beautiful view, you cannot look at it with these eyes.

Above them is the Divine Chair, al-Kursi, and beyond that the Throne, al-‘Arsh. At each of these levels, every moment, seventy thousand angels make tawaf and then depart, never returning again until the Day of Resurrection.

It was only to give me understanding that Grandsheikhق raised me to that second level. All those I saw were from mankind, yet they had reached the stations of real deputyhood. They have passed through that stormy space, and their spiritual power keeps them making tawaf there.

Prophets (AS) came to bring humanity up to that level. But throughout history, people kept fighting the prophets. They opposed their way, their teachings, their attributes, and their guidance.

The more enemies a prophet (AS) faced, the higher his rank rose. Therefore, every prophet was made to suffer at the hands of tyrants and devils, yet not one of them abandoned his mission. They proclaimed the truth, called people to the path of Haqq, and invited them to serve the One who is the Absolute Truth, until their last breath.

We are asking to follow the ways of all the prophets (AS). The Seal of the Prophets ﷺ came on the same path as all the prophets before him. There is no difference among them in purpose; all were sent to destroy falsehood and raise mankind to divine nearness.

To follow the Seal of the Prophets ﷺ is to follow all the prophets (AS). It means to fight the devils within ourselves and the devils around us, and to make the truth rule upon the earth.

The Christians say, “Islam brought the sword.” But they do not understand. They claim that their Prophet, Sayyidina ‘Isa (AS), did not use power, that he was taken and put upon the cross.

If a prophet (AS) does not show power, devils will destroy him. Therefore Allah Almighty sent prophets with power, not against the good, but against dragons and wolves in human form, those whose outer forms are human but whose characteristics like wild animals. Their forms are human, but their hearts are like beasts!

When Sayyidina ‘Isa (AS) returns, as the Holy Prophet ﷺ foretold, for forty years there will be no devils and no fighting upon the earth. It will take place in Damascus. I am waiting for Damascus to open.

You must also long to witness those days, to meet Sayyidina Mahdi (AS), and to pray in that great mosque (The Umayyad Mosque).

The Seal of the Prophets ﷺ gave clear information about this. He ﷺ was in Madinah, fifty days’ journey by camel from Damascus, yet he ﷺ said, “My nation will be in Damascus, and there will be a great mosque with three minarets. My brother, Jesus Christ, will descend upon the eastern minaret of that mosque.”

As he ﷺ said, so it has come to pass. His ﷺ nation conquered Damascus and converted the great cathedral into a mosque with three minarets. Everything has happened just as he ﷺ foretold, as clear as the sun in the sky.

That day, when Sayyidina ‘Isa (AS) descends with his heavenly sword, he will pray with the believers and go forth to slay Dajjal. That day, every believer will be given heavenly power to defeat the devils and cleanse the earth of evil.

He will cleanse the whole world of falsehood, and his days will be days of Paradise upon earth. Ask to be among those who live in those blessed days with Sayyidina ‘Isa (AS), and to stand behind Sayyidina Mahdi (AS), carrying the banner of truth.

We must prepare ourselves for those days. The honour of real deputyhood is not achieved without struggle. Each servant must fight his ego and bring it under command, until his heart becomes a throne for divine light.

May Allah ﷻ make us among those who follow the footsteps of His prophets (AS), who conquer their egos, and who rise to the stations of true deputyhood in His Divine Presence.

May He ﷻ grant us to witness the blessed days of Sayyidina Mahdi (AS) and Sayyidina ‘Isa (AS), and to be written among those who stand with them in truth, sincerity, and love.

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.

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