Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm
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By the name of Allah, All-Mighty, All-Merciful, Most Beneficent and Most Munificent.
The 8th of Rajab marks the blessed Urs of Mawlana Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Qubrusi al-Haqqaniق, one of the great spiritual poles of our time, whose life became a living bridge between the classical inheritance of Islam and the hearts of people across the modern world.
Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق was born in Larnaca, Cyprus, on the 23rd of April 1922, corresponding to the 26th of Shaʿban 1340 AH, into a noble lineage carrying immense spiritual light and honour.
From his father’s side, his lineage reaches Mawlana Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilaniق, the founder of the Qadiri Tariqah. From his mother’s side, it reaches Mawlana Shaykh Jalaluddin Rumiق, the founder of the Mevlevi Order. He was both Hasani and Husayni from the Ahlul Bayt, a direct descendant of the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and was granted spiritual authority in both the Qadiri and Mevlevi Sufi Ways.
From his earliest childhood in Cyprus, he was raised in the company of saints. He sat with his paternal grandfather, a Shaykh of the Qadiri Tariqah, and was trained in discipline, adab, and spiritual conduct. From his maternal grandfather, he inherited the fragrance and refinement of the Mevlevi Way.
Even as a child, his character was extraordinary. He was always smiling, content, and patient. He never argued, never fought, and never displayed harshness. A quiet dignity surrounded him, as though his heart was already resting in constant remembrance.
The people of Larnaca recognised his state and respected him deeply. Even at a young age, people would consult him, and at times he spoke of matters before they unfolded. There were occasions, even when he was only five years old, when he would be found missing from home.
His mother would search for him and find him either in the mosque or at the grave of Hazrat Umm Haramر (Hala Sultan), the aunt and companion of the Holy Prophet ﷺ, who was buried there centuries earlier. A mosque was later built beside her grave, and above it a rock remains suspended in the air.
Whenever his mother tried to bring him home, he would gently say, “Please leave me here with my grandmother. She is one of our ancestors.” He would sit there quietly, speaking, listening, and holding long conversations, as though receiving guidance from an unseen world.
During the day, he attended school, and in the evenings he studied the religious sciences. He quickly became known for his sharp intellect and clarity of expression. He studied Shariah, jurisprudence, ijma, qiyas, hadith, logic, commentary, and the tafsir of the Holy Quran.
He became known as a person of wisdom, impeccable adab, deep knowledge, and spiritual presence. His words were simple yet filled with meaning, and even in his youth he would often lead the Qadiri and Mevlevi dhikr gatherings.
In 1940, after completing high school, he was sent to Istanbul to study chemical engineering in university. He excelled among his peers and completed his degree with distinction. His professors encouraged him to pursue further research, but he replied, “I feel no attraction to modern sciences. My heart is drawn to spirituality.” Alongside his university studies, he continued learning Divine Law and Arabic under Shaykh Jamaluddin al-Lasuniق.
During his first year in Istanbul, he met his first spiritual guide, Shaykh Sulayman Arzurumiق, a Shaykh of the Naqshbandi Tariqah. In those years, he was often seen spending the nights in Sultan Ahmed Mosque, immersed in deep remembrance and contemplation.
He later said that he received immense peace and spiritual openings there, and that he prayed Fajr regularly with his two guides, Shaykh Jamaluddin al-Lasuniق and Shaykh Sulayman Arzurumiق, who placed spiritual knowledge directly into his heart by Divine permission.
During those years, many visions came to him calling him toward Damascus. Again and again he saw the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ calling him. A deep yearning grew within him to leave everything and migrate toward the lands of the Prophet ﷺ, and his heart longed intensely for Madinah. Yet he waited with perfect adab, as he had not been granted permission by his Shaykh.
One day, this longing became so intense, and he saw a vision where Shaykh Sulaymanق gently shook him by the shoulder and said, “Now permission has come. Your secrets, your trust, and your spiritual guidance are not with me. I held you only as a trust until you were ready for your real Shaykh, who is also my master, Grandshaykh Abdullah al-Faiz ad-Daghestaniق. He is the one who holds your key. Go to him in Damascus. This permission comes from me and from the Holy Prophet ﷺ.”
Shaykh Sulayman Arzurumiق was among the 313 messenger saints of the Naqshbandi Way. He gave no address, no directions, only the name Grandshaykh Abdullah ad-Daghestaniق, and he said, “My son, do not wait. Go to Damascus.”
Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق set out on his journey at once, placing his complete trust in Allah ﷻ.
He travelled first to Aleppo, then to Hama, and then to Homs to visit the grave of Sayyidina Khalid ibn Walidر, a companion of the Holy Prophet ﷺ. As he entered the mosque, a servant approached him and said that the Holy Prophet ﷺ had appeared to him in a dream the night before and told him that one of his grandsons would arrive the next day and must be taken care of. He described Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق exactly as he appeared.
At that time, travel to Damascus was impossible due to occupation and war. Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق accepted the servant’s invitation and was given a room in the mosque. He remained in Homs for one year, leaving only to pray and to sit in the company of its scholars, refining both his outward knowledge and inward state. Though the war was fierce, his heart never ceased yearning for Damascus.
In 1944, he travelled by a safer route through Tripoli, then Beirut, and finally toward Damascus. When he arrived in Tripoli by bus, alone and unknown, Shaykh Munir al-Malekق, the Mufti of Tripoli and Shaykh of the Sufi Order there, approached him and said, “Are you Shaykh Nazim? I saw a dream in which the Prophet ﷺ told me that one of my grandsons was coming to Tripoli. He showed me your appearance and told me to look for you and to take care of you.”
He stayed there for one month before arrangements were made for his onward journey.
He arrived in Damascus on a Friday. He knew that Grandshaykh Abdullahق lived in the district of Hayy al-Midan, near the tomb of Sayyidina Bilal al-Habashiر and other companions and descendants of the Holy Prophet ﷺ, but he did not know which house. As bombardment emptied the streets and people hid in their homes, he saw a vision of his Shaykh calling him from his house.
When the vision ended, the streets were deserted. He then saw another vision showing him a specific door. He searched until he found it. As he raised his hand to knock, the door opened, and Grandshaykh Abdullahق stood before him and said, “Welcome, my son, Nazim Effendi.”
That first meeting shook his heart completely. He later said he had never seen such a Shaykh before. Light poured from his face, warmth flowed from his heart, and he smiled as he said, “We have been waiting for you.” “What shall I do?” Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق asked. Grandshaykh Abdullahق replied, “Tomorrow I will give you your answer. For now, rest.”
That night, Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق prayed behind him. He said that he had never felt such power in prayer before. He felt himself drawn into the Divine Presence, and his heart became completely bound to his Shaykh.
A great vision then opened. He saw himself ascending a ladder from their prayer place to Bayt al-Mamur, the Kaʿbah of the Heavens, step by step. Each step was a spiritual station placed upon him by his Shaykh, and in each station knowledge entered his heart that he had never learned or heard before.
He saw the 124,000 Prophets standing in rows for prayer, with the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as Imam. Behind them stood the 124,000 Companions. Behind them stood 7,007 saints of the Naqshbandi Tariqah, and behind them the 124,000 saints of the other Tariqahs.
There was an empty space to the right of Sayyidina Abu Bakr as Siddiqر. Grandshaykh Abdullahق stepped into that space and took Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق with him.
They prayed the dawn prayer. Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق said that he had never tasted such sweetness in his life. The Holy Prophet ﷺ led the prayer, and the beauty of his recitation was beyond description. When the prayer ended, the vision closed, and he heard his Shaykh instructing him to call the adhan for Fajr.
Soon after, Grandshaykh Abdullahق granted him the bayah of the Naqshbandi Tariqah and said, “O my son, we have a power by which, in one second, we can raise our disciple to his station.”
As he spoke, Grandshaykh Abdullahق looked directly into the heart of Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق. His eyes changed from yellow to red, then to white, then to green and black. With each change, knowledge corresponding to that station was poured into Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق’s heart.
The first was the yellow light, corresponding to the state of the heart, through which he received all outward knowledge necessary for guiding people in their daily lives. The second stage was the knowledge of the forty spiritual orders transmitted from Sayyidina ʿAliر, through which he was made a master of all these paths.
The third stage was the secret of the secret, a station permitted only to the Shaykhs of the Naqshbandi Order, transmitted through Sayyidina Abu Bakrر. He was then taken into the station of the hidden, the realm of concealed spiritual knowledge, before the station of complete annihilation. From there, he was brought into the Presence of Allah ﷻ and returned, complete and perfected by Divine permission.
Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق desired nothing except to remain with his Shaykh and serve him. Yet his Shaykh said, “My son, your people are in need of you. I have given you enough for now. Return to Cyprus today.”
Having spent a year and a half striving to reach his Shaykh, his heart was shattered by this instruction, yet he surrendered completely. He kissed his Shaykh’s hands and feet before setting out on the return journey. Traveling once more through Tripoli by truck, he was received by Shaykh Munir al-Malekق, who had seen the Holy Prophet ﷺ in a dream. From there, he finally reached Cyprus by sailboat, as no other means of travel were available during the war.
When he stepped onto the soil of Cyprus, a vision opened to his heart. He saw Grandshaykh Abdullahق saying to him, “O my son, nothing was able to prevent you from carrying out my order. You have achieved a lot by listening and accepting. From this moment, I will always be visible to you. Anytime you direct a question or seek a spiritual state, it will be granted to you because of your complete submission. All the saints are happy with you, and the Prophet ﷺ is happy with you.”
From that moment on, Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق said, “My Shaykh never left me. He has always been beside me.”
Through his presence, teachings, and mercy, millions across the world were guided back to remembrance, adab, and love of the Holy Prophet ﷺ.
The extraordinary reality of Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق is further revealed in the accounts of his trusted senior mureed, Shaykh Adnan Kabbaniق in his book Haqiqat ul-Haqqani. He explained that Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق is among the greatest saints of this time. Hearts are drawn to him without understanding why, for the pull toward his Divine presence is unmistakable.
Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق did not seek to display miracles such as flying in the air or walking upon water. He himself said that even shaytan could perform such acts. His miracles were of a different nature, appearing in the everyday lives of his mureeds in ways that transformed hearts rather than astonished the eyes.
One of his miracles is that he is present with each of his mureeds at every moment. Whenever a mureed calls, “Madad, Ya Sayyidi,” a divine light flows from his heart into theirs, changing their state and removing harm before it reaches them.
Another miracle of Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق is the miracle in the grave. When the angels come to question a murid, Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق will be present and will say to them, “Do not question my follower. Question me instead, and I will answer on his behalf.” The angels would not be able to bear his light, and they will be compelled to withdraw.
Shaykh Adnanق recounted that even a single visit to Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق transforms a person’s faith. On the Day of Judgment, those who have seen him will be granted his intercession, and Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق will stand as their defender, bringing them into the Paradise closest to Allah ﷻ, far surpassing all other realms. His vision extended over all living people and those yet to come, for Allah ﷻ had entrusted him with the hearts of the faithful, especially during the time of Sayyidina Mahdi (AS).
An example of his protective intercession occurred during tawaf in Makkah. The sun burned fiercely without a single cloud, yet Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق raised his hands in prayer, asking Allah ﷻ to send rain to bless the Kaʿbah. Soon clouds gathered and rain poured until the streets flowed like rivers. This was a glimpse of his constant guardianship, his nearness to the Divine, and his mercy toward those under his care.
Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق carried the Naqshbandi Way across the world with love, humility, and complete devotion to the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. His life was for Allah ﷻ alone, emptied of self, and overflowing with remembrance, mercy, and care for the Ummah. Those blessed to meet him knew that his guidance flowed as much from his inner state as from his words.
On his blessed Urs tonight, we honor a life devoted entirely to service, and a guide whose light continues to reach seekers wherever they may be. May his himmah, karamah, and protection envelop us always.
May Allah ﷻ sanctify his secret and reunite us with him in akhirah for all eternity.
Al-Fatiha.
More by Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق can be found here.
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This series was initiated by the SufiHub Team in honour 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 Stations of Splendour and Haqiqat ul Haqqani by Shaykh Adnan Kabbaniق. 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. We would appreciate it if you could include the subject and relevant details in your email, so we can respond promptly.
Wassalam.
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