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Email transcript > The Maqaam of Shaykh `Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (q)
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<b>SufiLive.com</b><br> <a href="http://www.sufilive.com/The_Maqaam_of_Shaykh_Abdul_Qadir_al_Jilani_q_-3758.html">http://www.sufilive.com/The_Maqaam_of_Shaykh_Abdul_Qadir_al_Jilani_q_-3758.html</a> <html><head><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){(function(){function d(a){this.t={};this.tick=function(a,b,c){this.t[a]=[void 0!=c?c:(new Date).getTime(),b]};this.tick("start",null,a)}var a=new d;window.jstiming={Timer:d,load:a};if(window.performance&&window.performance.timing){var a=window.performance.timing,b=window.jstiming.load,c=a.navigationStart,a=a.responseStart;0<c&&a>=c&&(b.tick("_wtsrt",void 0,c),b.tick("wtsrt_","_wtsrt",a),b.tick("tbsd_","wtsrt_"))}try{a=null,window.chrome&&window.chrome.csi&&(a=Math.floor(window.chrome.csi().pageT), b&&0<c&&(b.tick("_tbnd",void 0,window.chrome.csi().startE),b.tick("tbnd_","_tbnd",c))),null==a&&window.gtbExternal&&(a=window.gtbExternal.pageT()),null==a&&window.external&&(a=window.external.pageT,b&&0<c&&(b.tick("_tbnd",void 0,window.external.startE),b.tick("tbnd_","_tbnd",c))),a&&(window.jstiming.pt=a)}catch(e){}})();})() </script><script type="text/javascript">var KX_timer = new window.jstiming.Timer(); KX_timer.name = 'published';</script><title>MSH.26 AUG 2011.POST.ENG.Vol27</title><style type="text/css"> body { font-family: arial, sans, sans-serif; margin: 0; } iframe { border: 0; frameborder: 0; height: 100%; width: 100%; } #header, #footer { background: #f0f0f0; padding: 10px 10px; } #header { border-bottom: 1px #ccc solid; } #footer { border-top: 1px #ccc solid; border-bottom: 1px #ccc solid; font-size: 13; } #contents { margin: 6px; } .dash { padding: 0 6px; } </style></head><body><div id="header">MSH.26 AUG 2011.POST.ENG.Vol27</div><div id="contents"><style type="text/css">ol{margin:0;padding:0}.c9{text-align:right;margin-left:90pt}.c10{max-width:468pt;padding:72pt 72pt 72pt 72pt}.c8{font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"}.c11{font-size:18pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"}.c7{text-align:right;margin-left:60pt}.c3{height:11pt;direction:ltr}.c0{font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"}.c1{background-color:#ffffff}.c12{background-color:#f4cccc}.c16{font-family:"Times New Roman"}.c6{background-color:#ffff00}.c2{font-style:italic}.c14{margin-left:30pt}.c13{text-align:right}.c15{margin-left:72pt}.c4{direction:ltr}.c5{text-align:center}.title{padding-top:24pt;line-height:1.15;text-align:left;color:#000000;font-size:36pt;font-family:"Arial";font-weight:bold;padding-bottom:6pt}.subtitle{padding-top:18pt;line-height:1.15;text-align:left;color:#666666;font-style:italic;font-size:24pt;font-family:"Georgia";padding-bottom:4pt}li{color:#000000;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Arial"}p{color:#000000;font-size:11pt;margin:0;font-family:"Arial"}h1{padding-top:24pt;line-height:1.15;text-align:left;color:#000000;font-size:24pt;font-family:"Arial";font-weight:bold;padding-bottom:6pt}h2{padding-top:18pt;line-height:1.15;text-align:left;color:#000000;font-size:18pt;font-family:"Arial";font-weight:bold;padding-bottom:4pt}h3{padding-top:14pt;line-height:1.15;text-align:left;color:#000000;font-size:14pt;font-family:"Arial";font-weight:bold;padding-bottom:4pt}h4{padding-top:12pt;line-height:1.15;text-align:left;color:#000000;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial";font-weight:bold;padding-bottom:2pt}h5{padding-top:11pt;line-height:1.15;text-align:left;color:#000000;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Arial";font-weight:bold;padding-bottom:2pt}h6{padding-top:10pt;line-height:1.15;text-align:left;color:#000000;font-size:10pt;font-family:"Arial";font-weight:bold;padding-bottom:2pt}</style><p class="c4 c5"><span class="c11">The </span><span class="c2 c11">Maqaam</span><span class="c11"> of Shaykh `Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (q)</span><p><p class="c4 c5"><span class="c11">Ramadan Series 2011, Volume 27</span><p><p class="c4 c5"><span class="c8">Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani</span><p><p class="c4 c5"><span class="c8">26 August 2011 Fenton Zawiya, Michigan</span><p><p class="c4 c5"><span class="c8">Suhbah after Salat al-Fajr</span><p><p class="c3"><span></span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1 c2">A`oodhu billahi min ash-Shaytaani 'r-rajeem. Bismillahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem.</span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1 c2">Nawaytu 'l-arba`een, nawaytu 'l-`itikaaf, nawaytu 'l-khalwah, nawaytu 'l-`uzlah,</span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1 c2">nawaytu 'r-riyaadah, nawaytu 's-sulook, lillahi ta`ala fee haadha 'l-masjid.</span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1 c2"> </span><p><p class="c4 c13"><span class="c8 c1">أَطِيعُواْ اللّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ</span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1 c2">Ati`ullaha wa ati`u 'r-Rasoola wa ooli 'l-amri minkum.</span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1 c2">Obey Allah, obey the Prophet, and obey those in authority among you.</span><span class="c0 c1"> (4:59)</span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c1"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">Since the beginning of Ramadan, we</span><span class="c0"> have mentioned many things about </span><span class="c0 c2">`</span><span class="c0">Ilm at-Tasawwuf </span><span class="c0">and the importance of these associations, and what Allah (swt) inspired to our </span><span class="c0 c2">shuyukh</span><span class="c0">, specifically Mawlana Shaykh Nazim, may Allah grant him long life, to send these messages and information for everyone. It is very important to know that Ramadan is a month of spirituality, a month that is very important to Allah (swt), during which He likes His servants to be good. </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0">The Prophet (s) said in a Holy Hadeeth revealed to him from Allah (swt): </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c2">as-sawmu lee wa anaa ajzi bih.</span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c2">Fasting is for Me and I will reward for it.</span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0">There are five pillars in Islam, but Allah (swt) emphasized fasting when He said, </span><span class="c0">“Fasting is for Me and I will reward for it.” </span><span class="c0">Does someone else reward for </span><span class="c0 c2">salaat, shahaada, zakaat, </span><span class="c0">or </span><span class="c0 c2">hajj</span><span class="c0">? No, but what it means here is that any</span><span class="c0 c2"> `amal</span><span class="c0"> we do ascends with the angels: if we pray, angels ascend with that prayer to the Divine Presence as a means to carry it, but it is Allah (swt) Who rewards it, and this is the same for </span><span class="c0 c2">shahaada</span><span class="c0">, </span><span class="c0 c2">salaat, zakaat</span><span class="c0">, and </span><span class="c0 c2">hajj</span><span class="c0">. Only fasting </span><span class="c0">is not</span><span class="c0 c2"> tarfa`</span><span class="c0">, lifted by angels; it is directly lifted by Allah Himself to His Divine Presence, and angels do not know what kind of rewards Allah will give, as He said, “Fasting is for Me!” Prayers are for you, as when you pray it’s for your own benefit, </span><span class="c0">but fasting is for Allah and therefore He rewards it directly. </span><span class="c0">Therefore, the Prophet (s) said:</span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c2">la tukhdhaloo ummatee maa `azhzhamoo shahru ramadan.</span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c2">Allah will never put down my ummah as long as they are honoring Ramadan. </span><span class="c0">(Muslim)</span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0">W</span><span class="c0">hen you honor Ramadan, you are honoring Allah (swt), Who created you. You are thanking Him for giving you Ramadan, which is not only comprised of fasting from eating and drinking, but Ramadan is S</span><span class="c0">iraat al-Mustaqeem, the Straight Path.</span><span class="c0"> In Suraat al-Fatihah, everyone recites,</span><span class="c0 c2"> ihdina as-siraat al-mustaqeem</span><span class="c0">, “Guide us to the Straight Path,” but is there only </span><span class="c0">one </span><span class="c0 c2">siraat </span><span class="c0">or</span><span class="c0 c2"> </span><span class="c0">many? Every person has his own </span><span class="c0 c2">siraat </span><span class="c0">through which he will </span><span class="c0">pass; not everyone will go on the same </span><span class="c0 c2">siraat </span><span class="c0">because </span><span class="c0">everyone will get according to his own capacity.</span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c12"></span><p><p class="c13 c4 c14"><span class="c8">لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللّهُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا</span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c2">laa yukallifullahu nafsan illa wusa`aha.</span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c2">Allah does not put a burden on anyone more than he can bear. </span><span class="c0">(Surat al-Baqarah, 2:286)</span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0">You will be judged according to your capacity, which means your capacity is different from anyone else’s. Everyone will have a different </span><span class="c0 c2">siraat </span><span class="c0">where</span><span class="c0"> he will be judged accordingly. Will a handicapped person be judged the same as someone who is not? All of us are handicapped to a certain extent or we would be perfect and in the presence of the Prophet (s). We are not there, so don’t say you are there because you would be lying. Some people say, “We have visions of the Prophet (s).” First of all, if you want to have visions you must completely leave</span><span class="c0 c2"> hubb ad-dunya,</span><span class="c0"> love of this life and its desires. We don’t do that, so we are handicapped.</span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0">If you want to be in the presence of the Prophet (s), look at what Shaykh `Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (q) did! He was one of the biggest </span><span class="c0 c2">awliyaullah </span><span class="c0">of his time, to whom </span><span class="c0">Allah gave Maqaam al-Ghawthiya, which </span><span class="c0">is not cheap; you cannot achieve that because you are rich or donate a lot to Islam. </span><span class="c0">There are many shaykhs who have reached the reality of</span><span class="c0"> sainthood, but look at </span><span class="c0">what they are doing. So he was a very well-known shaykh, who memorized all the knowledges of Qur’an, who could read on the fourteen </span><span class="c0 c2">qira`ah</span><span class="c0"> and explain every verse according to different </span><span class="c0 c2">qira`at</span><span class="c0">. He studied </span><span class="c0">`Uloom al-Qur’an and `Ilm at-Tasawwuf. When h</span><span class="c0">e was able to approach his shaykh with all this, his shaykh dressed him with the </span><span class="c0 c2">jubbah </span><span class="c0">of </span><span class="c0 c2">irshaad</span><span class="c0">. </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0">Thereafter, </span><span class="c0">he didn’t sit on the chair and give </span><span class="c0 c2">suhbahs</span><span class="c0">. </span><span class="c0">He knew that this way is not through </span><span class="c0 c2">hubb ad-dunya </span><span class="c0">so </span><span class="c0">he completely dropped it. Some people say, “I dropped </span><span class="c0 c2">hubb ad-dunya</span><span class="c0"> from my heart: I am not watching TV or going to the cinema,” which is good, but not enough. Shaykh `Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (q) left </span><span class="c0 c2">dunya </span><span class="c0">and went into the desert of Iraq</span><span class="c0"> </span><span class="c0">where there is nothing except sun, very hot in the day and very cold at night, and he wore only the woolen </span><span class="c0 c2">jubbah </span><span class="c0">given to him by his shaykh which, from the shaykh’s </span><span class="c0 c2">barakah</span><span class="c0">, protected him from both the heat and cold</span><span class="c0">! It was </span><span class="c0">made of sheep skin, so how did it protect him from the sun? When you submit like a sheep, just as sheep skin protects sheep from the sun and cold so you will be, as sheep submit to their shepherd with no ego or desires! </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0">From his love of Allah (swt) he ran into the desert, where he kept</span><span class="c0"> continuous seclusion and struggled against the self, which doesn’t</span><span class="c0"> like to be in the desert where it is not easy to survive! Shaykh `Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (q), who lived in Baghdad, Iraq in what was considered at that time to be the best civilization, left everything behind and went into the desert, where he carried the burden of struggling against the self; whatever his self asked for he did not give. </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0">The self will ask for a lot of things. Grandshaykh (q) said, “If someone makes </span><span class="c0 c2">wudu </span><span class="c0">and prays two </span><span class="c0 c2">raka`ats </span><span class="c0">whenever he feels sleepy, and does this </span><span class="c0">for forty days, Allah (swt) will give him power that he won’t need to sleep anymore.” You see </span><span class="c0 c2">awliyaullah </span><span class="c0">sleep, but they have already been through that </span><span class="c0">struggle </span><span class="c0">once in their lifetime so as not to be in need of sleep. But why do they sleep? When an order comes to them from the Prophet (s) for the benefit of their followers, they cannot do it with eyes open, they have to withdraw from people and go lie down. You see their eyes closed but the eyes of their heart are wide open, and they are doing something for the benefit of their followers. </span><span class="c0">That </span><span class="c0">is their sleep!</span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0">So how do people claim they have reached the level of sainthood? It is not that easy! A rich person like Shaykh `Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (q), who came from a good family and learned everything about Shari`ah, left everything and went into the desert where there is nothing, to polish his ego and say to it, “This is your home where you are going to live, so you must submit!” In a desert, you submit solely to Allah (swt), because there you don’t know east, west, north or south. </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c2">Fa ayna maa tawalloo fa thamma wajhullah.</span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c2">Wherever you direct your face, you see Allah's Oneness, the signs of His Creation.</span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0">So he was carrying all those burdens and fighting with his desires. Do you fight with your desires? It is difficult, not easy. A </span><span class="c0 c2">mureed</span><span class="c0"> was in the middle of a </span><span class="c0 c2">qasidah </span><span class="c0">yesterday as we were holding the Holy Hair of the Prophet (s), and something urgent happened, so he left everything behind and ran to the one whom he loves; in doing so he lost one of the biggest trusts that might have been given to him! How do you leave the Holy Hair of the Prophet (s) and run? That was a test and we are heedless, but we must not be heedless in certain moments!</span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0">One time, Sayyidina Shaykh Sharafuddin (q) was sitting with his </span><span class="c0 c2">mureeds </span><span class="c0">in an association, and </span><span class="c0">one of his best </span><span class="c0 c2">mureeds </span><span class="c0">was sitting with him. S</span><span class="c0">omeone came and whispered in the ear of that </span><span class="c0 c2">mureed, </span><span class="c0">and he immediately </span><span class="c0">left the association and ran to his house, which was burning, and he couldn’t do anything. His wife and children were inside, but he could not save them as his whole house was on fire, so he ran to his shaykh, who looked at him and said, “In that meeting, I was going to give you your trust, but you messed it up. Do you think your shaykh is blind to what is taking place in your house? Go get your wife and children; you will see them outside.” The hand of the shaykh saved them!</span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0">So we are heedless; we think with the mind and not with the heart in order to submit. When Sayyidina Ibrahim (a) was thrown in the fire of Nimrod, he submitted. Sayyidina Jibril (a) came to him and said, “</span><span class="c0 c2">Yaa</span><span class="c0"> Ibrahim! Do you need anything? I am ready.” He said, “No, I don’t. Why should I? The One Who sent you here knows what I want; I don’t need you!” Then Allah (swt) said:</span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c2"></span><p><p class="c4 c15"><span class="c8">يَا نَارُ كُونِي بَرْدًا وَسَلَامًا عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ</span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c2">yaa naaru koonee bardan wa salaaman `ala Ibrahim.</span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c2">(Allah said) O fire! Be cool and peaceful on Ibrahim! </span><span class="c0">(21:69)</span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c2"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0">S</span><span class="c0">o </span><span class="c0 c2">awliyaullah </span><span class="c0">went through a lot of difficulties in life solely for their love of Allah (swt), to polish their egos, not reach any station or level. Shaykh `Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (q) was always hungry and when you are hungry you cannot sleep. In seclusion, they tell you to eat one small bowl of lentil soup, but because you are under the order of the shaykh, you don’t even feel like eating that because you have spiritual support, so you eat very little..</span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0">When Mawlana Shaykh Nazim was ordered into seclusion by Grandshaykh (q) for six months, followed by another three months in Madinatu 'l-Munawwara together with Grandshaykh, Grandshaykh used </span><span class="c0">to give his food to Mawlana Shaykh and he never ate. Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (q) said during those six months he never saw Grandshaykh (q) touch food, he only drank tea. If you didn’t eat for forty days you would die, but if you are under the order of the shaykh, you can go until the end without food, only drinking tea. </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0">Shaykh `Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (q)</span><span class="c0 c1"> was always in secluded places and his only job was to worship and make </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">dhikrullah</span><span class="c0 c1">.</span><span class="c0 c1"> </span><span class="c0">He </span><span class="c0 c1">said, “I went into so many difficulties at the beginning, coming against my ego, which was threatening to kill me. I endured every possible struggle with my ego and I fought until I won. My sole dress was the woolen </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">jubbah </span><span class="c0 c1">from my shaykh and a </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">khuraiqah</span><span class="c0 c1">, small piece of cloth on my head, and I was barefoot. My food was a small fruit that grows between the desert thorns. That was the beginning of my journey.” </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">He walked on the hot desert sand, sometimes on thorns. Where are those who claim they are representatives? All of them might have turbans like a big tray of rice, always trying to balancing it on their heads! Where are we in that journey? First of all, today they tell you to study only secular science and knowledge. He is the </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">ghawth</span><span class="c0 c1">, </span><span class="c0 c1">the one who distributes the sustenance of human beings by Allah’s order!</span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">In a </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">hadeeth,</span><span class="c0 c1"> Prophet (s) said, </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">ana al-Qassim wa ana al-Mahiyy, wa ana Taha wa YaSeen</span><span class="c0 c1">, “</span><span class="c0 c1">I am al-Qassim, the one who provides physical and spiritual sustenance to everyone by Allah’s order, and I am al-Mahiyy, the one who waives the sins of people with the </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">shafa`ah</span><span class="c0 c1"> that Allah gives to me. The whole secret of Holy Qur'an is in my heart.” </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">The </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">ghawth </span><span class="c0 c1">slowly reaches the level to inherit from that secret of the Prophet (s). He is the one who takes from the Prophet (s) and gives to human beings. </span><span class="c0">Shaykh `Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (q)</span><span class="c0 c1"> did not receive that through studying secular science! He became the richest in Allah's Eyes and in the Prophet's eyes, providing everyone from that secret of the Prophet (s) that he achieved by walking on thorns in the desert! He left his knowledge behind, although he was the biggest scholar of his time, and he wasn’t concerned about knowing the chemical components of water; why bother yourself? Water is already there, just drink it! </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1"></span><p><p class="c4 c9"><span class="c8 c1">وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَاء كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَيٍّ</span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1 c2">wa ja`alna min al-maa'i kulla shayin hayy</span><span class="c0 c1">, </span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1 c2">We made from water every living thing. </span><span class="c0 c1">(Al-Anbiya, 21:30)</span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">So keep drinking and you will end up knowing everything! Now we have computer science. People in the computer science field will be asked on the Day of Judgment, “What have you provided for the </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">ummah</span><span class="c0 c1">,</span><span class="c0 c1"> good technology or porno technology? YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter? Is that technology or is Islam the real technology? Did you provide teaching of Islam or make a center for research on Islam?” If their intention is to promote teaching of Islam on the Internet, that is beneficial, but unfortunately it is mixed with too much dirtiness. One lady was researching Sayyidina Imam Ghazali (q) and as soon as she entered his name in the search engine, a porno page appeared! </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">When </span><span class="c0">Shaykh `Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (q)</span><span class="c0 c1"> was able to polish his ego, then Allah (swt) gave him the power to address those in need of his knowledge. His teacher gave him a huge institution of Islamic studies to teach the Science of </span><span class="c0">Qur’an</span><span class="c0 c1"> </span><span class="c0 c1">and</span><span class="c0 c1 c2"> hadeeth, </span><span class="c0 c1">until his reputation reached from east to west and students came from everywhere; he pulled them like a magnet! He converted and taught thousands. People were dedicated to his teachings because of the </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">barakah </span><span class="c0 c1">of that wool </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">jubbah </span><span class="c0 c1">his shaykh gave him, and he also became richer in </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">dunya</span><span class="c0 c1">, but what he took with his left hand he gave with his right hand; nothing stayed with him. </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c6"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">In the story mentioned by Grandshaykh (q), one poor lady came to Shaykh `Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (q) everyday to see him because she loved him. He was sitting after Maghrib in a circle with about forty students, all of whom had nice beards, nice turbans, and nice ironed clothes. </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">Awliyaullah </span><span class="c0 c1">like discipline in all things, so don’t come to their presence in jeans or women in pants; Mawlana shouts at them! So as he was sitting with his student, the servants entered and brought a big rooster in front of everyone, and a big turkey in front of Shaykh `Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (q), and that lady’s mouth watered, and in her heart she was saying, “</span><span class="c0 c1 c2">Inshaa-Allah </span><span class="c0 c1">I will get a piece!” As they ate she thought, “O, they will leave me half, or one-quarter, or fifteen percent, or five percent.” </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">Then nothing but the bones were left, so she thought, “At least I will get the bones,” but they ate the bones as well! She came everyday and saw the same thing and said to herself, “</span><span class="c0 c1 c2">Allahu Akbar!</span><span class="c0 c1"> This is nice. I will bring my son to be with the shaykh, to take </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">baya`</span><span class="c0 c1"> from him and at least he will eat well.” That’s why many people take </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">baya`</span><span class="c0 c1"> </span><span class="c0 c1">, to get some kind of worldly benefit. Then she said, “He will eat half and perhaps will give me some, as well.” </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">So she brought her son to Shaykh `Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (q) and said, “I want you to teach my son to be like you.” </span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">He said, “Welcome, bring him in!” and she brought him. She was very happy that the shaykh said yes. The shaykh called his helper and said, “Take him to be like me.” </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">The next day and the day after that the lady came and didn’t see her son, then she came a week later but still didn’t see him. Finally, after one month she couldn’t take it anymore so she went to the shaykh and said, “O my shaykh, where is my son? I’m not seeing him here.” She was promising herself half a chicken, half a rooster. </span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">He said, “Your son is somewhere.” </span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">She said, “Can I see him?” </span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">“Of course you can!” </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">He called his he</span><span class="c0 c1">l</span><span class="c0 c1">per and said, “Take this lady to her son,” and his helper took her down to the lowest basement level, where she saw him very skinny, sitting and reciting,</span><span class="c0 c1 c2"> “Laa ilaaha illa-Llah, Laa ilaaha illa-Llah, Laa ilaaha illa-Llah, Laa ilaaha illa-Llah, Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah!”</span><span class="c0 c1"> In front of him was only one cup of water and a piece of dry bread. In order to eat, he had to dip the dry bread in water and add a little bit of salt. She got very angry and said, “I did not send you here to eat this dry bread and sit, saying, ‘</span><span class="c0 c1 c2">Laa ilaaha illa-Llah, Laa ilaaha illa-Llah, Laa ilaaha illa-Llah!’” </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1 c2"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">That’s what too many mothers and fathers say to their children, “Why are you going to these places, listening to these crazy Sufi people? Go and study!” </span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">He says, “Mom and Dad! I am attracted; I see there is life there!” </span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">“No, no, no, you don’t know anything! Go and study in a university where it is all mixed, where girls and boys date each other. In western countries and now in middle eastern countries, you will be happy because they give the girls birth control tablets.” </span><span class="c0 c1">That</span><span class="c0 c1"> is civilization?</span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">She said, “Do you want to sit in the basement, making ‘</span><span class="c0 c1 c2">Laa ilaaha illa-Llah, Laa ilaaha illa-Llah</span><span class="c0 c1">?’” However, one recitation of “</span><span class="c0 c1 c2">La ilaaha illa-Llah”</span><span class="c0 c1"> is enough to bring up all the `</span><span class="c0 c1 c2">amal</span><span class="c0 c1"> of the </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">ummah</span><span class="c0 c1"> and make all sins disappear! If you say, “</span><span class="c0 c1 c2">H2O, H2O, H2O</span><span class="c0 c1">, </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">H2O,</span><span class="c0 c1">” what will it give you? If you mention all the minerals in the periodic table from beginning to end, what will they give you? Nothing! But when you say, “</span><span class="c0 c1 c2">Laa ilaaha illa-Llah”</span><span class="c0 c1"> even once, it’s enough to clean all sins of the </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">ummah</span><span class="c0 c1">!</span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">The Prophet (s) said:</span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1 c2">man qaala la ilaha ill-Llah dakhal al-Jannah, </span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1 c2">Whoever says ‘Laa ilaaha illa-Llah’ enters Paradise.</span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">Now they will come to say, “O Shaykh! You spoiled our children. Is it real that they have to go and study in the desert?” Why not? It depends on how you direct your son or daughter from the beginning. Everyone wants their children to live a decent life, which is good, but Allah (swt) said:</span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1"></span><p><p class="c4 c7"><span class="c8 c1">رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ</span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1 c2">Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil ‘akhirati wa hasanatan. </span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1 c2">Our Lord! Grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter. </span><span class="c0 c1">(al-Baqarah, 2:201) </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c12"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">That means to have one leg in </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">dunya </span><span class="c0 c1">and one leg in </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">Akhirah</span><span class="c0 c1">, asking for </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">hasana </span><span class="c0 c1">in </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">dunya </span><span class="c0 c1">and in </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">Akhirah</span><span class="c0 c1">. So you must balance, not everything should be </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">dunya, dunya, dunya</span><span class="c0 c1">. How many hours do they study for </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">dunya </span><span class="c0 c1">every day after school, and how many hours do they study for </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">Akhirah</span><span class="c0 c1">? For </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">Akhirah </span><span class="c0 c1">nothing, but for </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">dunya </span><span class="c0 c1">everything! </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">She went back to her shaykh and said, “</span><span class="c0 c1 c2">Yaa Sayyidee!</span><span class="c0 c1"> I didn’t send my son to be like a stick; I sent him to eat like you.” </span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">He said, “Do you want him to eat like me, even the bones?” </span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">She said, “Yes.” </span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">He said, “In order to eat like me, he needs to go through this kind of life first, to be polished. This is how he will become like me, otherwise don’t bring him here, go somewhere else. This is our way and what one needs to do to become a shaykh.” </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">The way of </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">awliyaullah </span><span class="c0 c1">is hardship, as the Prophet (s) said:</span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c2">akhshawshanoo fa innal ni`amal tadoom.</span><span class="c0 c2"> </span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c2">Live roughly and don’t waste. </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">Live roughly because favors will not last; your situation might change one day. If you live roughly you know you can survive even with a little bit of provision, </span><span class="c0 c1">but when you don’t live roughly, you require the status of designer names such as Polo, Armani, Rolex, Gucci, and so on. </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c6"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">What did Shaykh `Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (q) end up with? He said, “For Allah to be happy with you, </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">atamut ta`am</span><span class="c0 c1">, offer food to people.” If a </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">tariqah </span><span class="c0 c1">does</span><span class="c0 c1"> not offer food, it is not a </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">tariqah</span><span class="c0 c1">. The best way to bring the hearts of people is by feeding them, because the food of </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">awliyaullah </span><span class="c0 c1">is clean, so when you eat it good energy comes and cleans you from inside. The food of normal people is cooked, even with no </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">wudu</span><span class="c0 c1">, or p</span><span class="c0 c1">erhaps they are smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol while they cook, or do not wash their hands when they use the bathroom! So that food is contaminated with bad energy, while the food of </span><span class="c0 c1 c2">awliyaullah </span><span class="c0 c1">is clean and gives you positive energy. </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c1">May Allah forgive us and may Allah bless us.</span><span class="c0 c1 c2"> </span><p><p class="c3"><span class="c0 c1 c2"></span><p><p class="c4"><span class="c0 c2">Wa min Allahi 't-tawfeeq, bi hurmati 'l-habeeb, bi hurmati 'l-Fatihah.</span><span class="c0"> </span><p><p class="c3"><span></span><p><p class="c3"><span></span><p></div><div id="footer"><span>Published by <a target="_blank" title="Learn more about Google Drive" href="//docs.google.com/">Google Drive</a></span><span class="dash">–</span><a href="//docs.google.com/abuse?id=1bD5DF5CWVQw7GvL8wdjJmpWinUwnDV_y0VZm1LKavJM">Report Abuse</a><span class="dash">–</span><span>Updated automatically every 5 minutes</span></div><script type="text/javascript"> (function(){var e=!1;if(window.jstiming){window.jstiming.a={};window.jstiming.b=1;var k=function(b,a,d){var c=b.t[a],g=b.t.start;if(c&&(g||d))return c=b.t[a][0],void 0!=d?g=d:g=g[0],c-g},p=function(b,a,d){var c="";window.jstiming.pt&&(c+="&srt="+window.jstiming.pt,delete window.jstiming.pt);try{window.external&&window.external.tran?c+="&tran="+window.external.tran:window.gtbExternal&&window.gtbExternal.tran?c+="&tran="+window.gtbExternal.tran():window.chrome&&window.chrome.csi&&(c+="&tran="+window.chrome.csi().tran)}catch(g){}var f= window.chrome;if(f&&(f=f.loadTimes)){f().wasFetchedViaSpdy&&(c+="&p=s");if(f().wasNpnNegotiated){var c=c+"&npn=1",l=f().npnNegotiatedProtocol;l&&(c+="&npnv="+(encodeURIComponent||escape)(l))}f().wasAlternateProtocolAvailable&&(c+="&apa=1")}var m=b.t,t=m.start,f=[],l=[],h;for(h in m)if("start"!=h&&0!=h.indexOf("_")){var n=m[h][1];n?m[n]&&l.push(h+"."+k(b,h,m[n][0])):t&&f.push(h+"."+k(b,h))}delete m.start;if(a)for(var q in a)c+="&"+q+"="+a[q];(a=d)||(a="https:"==document.location.protocol?"https://csi.gstatic.com/csi": "http://csi.gstatic.com/csi");return[a,"?v=3","&s="+(window.jstiming.sn||"_s")+"&action=",b.name,l.length?"&it="+l.join(","):"","",c,"&rt=",f.join(",")].join("")};window.jstiming.getReportUri=p;var r=function(b,a,d){b=p(b,a,d);if(!b)return"";a=new Image;var c=window.jstiming.b++;window.jstiming.a[c]=a;a.onload=a.onerror=function(){window.jstiming&&delete window.jstiming.a[c]};a.src=b;a=null;return b};window.jstiming.report=function(b,a,d){if("prerender"==document.webkitVisibilityState){var c=e,g= function(){if(!c){a?a.prerender="1":a={prerender:"1"};var f;"prerender"==document.webkitVisibilityState?f=e:(r(b,a,d),f=!0);f&&(c=!0,document.removeEventListener("webkitvisibilitychange",g,e))}};document.addEventListener("webkitvisibilitychange",g,e);return""}return r(b,a,d)};window.jstiming.reportDone=function(b){if(window.jstiming.b<=(b||1))return e;for(var a in window.jstiming.a)return e;return!0};var s=function(b,a,d,c){return 0<d?(c?b.tick(a,c,d):b.tick(a,"",d),!0):e};window.jstiming.getNavTiming= function(b){if(window.performance&&window.performance.timing){var a=window.performance.timing;s(b,"_dns",a.domainLookupStart)&&s(b,"dns_",a.domainLookupEnd,"_dns");s(b,"_con",a.connectStart)&&s(b,"con_",a.connectEnd,"_con");s(b,"_req",a.requestStart)&&s(b,"req_",a.responseStart,"_req");s(b,"_rcv",a.responseStart)&&s(b,"rcv_",a.responseEnd,"_rcv");if(s(b,"_ns",a.navigationStart)){s(b,"ntsrt_",a.responseStart,"_ns");s(b,"nsfs_",a.fetchStart,"_ns");var d=window.external&&window.external.startE;!d&&(window.chrome&& window.chrome.csi)&&(d=Math.floor(window.chrome.csi().startE));d&&(s(b,"_se",d),s(b,"sens_",a.navigationStart,"_se"));s(b,"ntplt0_",a.loadEventStart,"_ns");s(b,"ntplt1_",a.loadEventEnd,"_ns")}}}};})() </script><script type="text/javascript">KX_timer.tick('tl'); if (document.location.protocol == 'https:') {window.jstiming.report(KX_timer, undefined , 'https://gg.google.com/csi');} else {window.jstiming.report(KX_timer);}</script></body></html>