16 June 2011 Jakarta, Indonesia
Mawlid an-Nabi (s) with K.H. Amir Hamzah
at Pesantren Daarul Ishlah
A`oodhu billahi min ash-Shaytani 'r-rajeem. Bismillahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem.
Nawaytu 'l-arba`een, nawaytu 'l-`itikaaf, nawaytu 'l-khalwah, nawaytu 'l-`uzlah,
nawaytu 'r-riyaadah, nawaytu 's-sulook, lillahi ta`ala fee haadha 'l-masjid.
Ati`oollaha wa ati`oo 'r-Rasoola wa ooli 'l-amri minkum.
Obey Allah, obey the Prophet, and obey those in authority among you. (4:59)
As-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh. Sayyid Amir Hamza has ordered me to give an advice. He is our teacher and our leader and the Owner of this holy place.
We are weak ones full of sins. We hope Allah will forgive all of us altogether; forgive us our sins, which are our burden in this life and the next. And we hope that Allah will grant us shafa`ah of Sayyidina Muhammad (s), for without his shafa`ah not one person will enter the Gardens, not one near angel, nor any believing jinn, not even a near wali or a prophet drawn-near, all of them will be in a bad ending. That mercy of Allah which will pull all of the servants of Allah, and will draw them to that mercy on Judgment Day in order that he will intercede for them on that day.
To read from paper is easy but to speak from a lecture that you have prepared it is easy. But I have never been allowed by my teacher, by my guru to prepare anything. Even if I am speaking before conferences, western conferences, or if I am speaking before ambassadors or anywhere I go, if I prepare something to read, my shaykh will throw it in the garbage. He said, “Don’t speak from paper but speak from the heart. And I am like a reflector, I look at you and I reflect to my shaykh what I am seeing and he is able to look at you and give to me what is needed for you to listen. That is the way in every tariqah.
Greetings, ladies and gentlemen, and especially Shaykh Hamza. (Mawlana speaks to Amir Hamza.) as for Shaykh Nawfal he is already in the presence of awliyaullah. Therefore, there is no balance for him. Therefore, he is in the station of sainthood.
Whatever the wali will get from the presence of the Prophet (s) will be able to generate love of the Prophet (s) in the hearts of the listeners. Mawlana Shaykh Nazim al-Haqqani (q) has power granted to him. Inshaa-Allah by the end of this month, you and the translator will be (.. ) because you attend that majlis. Inshaa-Allah in the near future during khalwah (seclusion), from first of Rajab to mid-Sha`ban, during which one worships Allah and does that for 45 days in a mosque or cave, you will be granted power to carry the people. Allahu Akbar!
There are many good tidings in the month of Rajab; this is not a lie and Allah cursed those who lie.
You are working very hard for your shaykh. Say “Allah! Allah!” Wahhabis refuse to allow us to say the word “Allah.” Say, “Allah! Allah! Allah!” They reject dhikrullah and using the Name of Allah, but Allah (swt) said in Holy Qur’an:
قُلِ اللّهُ ثُمَّ ذَرْهُمْ فِي خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ
qul Allah wa dharhum fee khawdihim yal`aboon.
Say "Allah," then leave them to plunge in vain discourse and trifling. (al-An`am, 6:91)
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَبْشِرُ
وا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ
Inna alladheena qaaloo rabbuna ’Llaahu thumma ’staqaamoo tatanazzalu `alayhimu ’l-malaa’ikatu allaa takhaafoo wa laa tahzanoo wa ’bshiroo bi’l-jannati allatee kuntum toow`adoon.
In the case of those who say, "Our Lord is Allah,” and who further stand straight and steadfast, the angels descend on them (from time to time): "Fear not!" (they suggest), "Nor grieve, but receive the Glad Tidings of the Garden (of Bliss) which you were promised! (al-Fussilat, 41:30)
Do angels come to those who are not doing tasbeeh and tahleel, or to those who are? The smallest verse of Qur’an consists of just one word. If we recite that one verse, which is also only one letter, ‘qaaf,’ and then further extend that recitation, will angels not come to us? When a servant of Allah (swt) sits just once in his life with wudu (ablution) and recites even one word from the Holy Qur’an, it is impossible that person will not receive blessings of guidance and not be dressed with Allah's Beautiful Names and Attributes!
Allah (swt) said in the Holy Qur’an:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِ
inna-Llaha wa malaa'ikatahu yusalloona `ala 'n-nabi.
Verily, Allah and His angels send praise on the Prophet. (al-Ahzaab, 33:56)
When did salawaat on the Prophet (s) begin, and how many angels have come down even for one minute in this blessed month? The secrets of Holy Qur'an are unknowable and unlimited! We are only sharing a little bit here today and keeping the rest, as until the atmosphere is full of love these cannot be given out.
إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاء وَالْمُنكَرِ
inna as-salaata tanha `anil-fahshaai wa ’l-munkari
Salaat prevents wrongdoing and evil and rebellion. (Al-`Ankabut, 29:45)
(...) Angels come down on that servant who is praising the Prophet (s). ( … ) You are not far from the Prophet (s); you are here in the circle of dhikr where the inspirations are descending and if you pay attention you can grasp them, they don't come a second time, especially on Jumu`ah, where there is a special barakah coming down.
It is narrated in the Holy Qur’an:
يَوْمَ تَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ وَأَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
yawma tashhadoo `alayhim alsinatihim wa aydeehim wa arjuluhum bimaa kanoo y`amaloon.
On the Day when their own tongues and hands and feet will bear witness against them (by recalling) all they did. (al-Noor, 24:24)
What will they testify? That you have spent time with angels. On the Day of Judgment your hands and feet, even your skin and hair will testify. If you go from your house to the masjid and commit nothing against Shari`ah, the angels and your own self will be witness for that good behavior.
Allah (swt) said:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
inna-Llaha wa malaa'ikatahu yusalloona `ala 'n-nabi, yaa ayyuhal-ladheena aamanoo salloo `alayhi was sallimoo tasleemaa.
Verily, Allah and His angels send praise on the Prophet. O Believers! Pray upon him and greet him. (al-'Ahzaab, 33:56)
First Allah said, “Allah and His Angels praise the Prophet (s),” He did not say first, “the believers,” as they were not the first ordered to do that. Why? It is not possible for awliyaaullah or angels to know the secrets of these salawaat or in which languages they are recited, which are countless; each angel has their own personal language, because Allah is sending to each one of them what they must praise the Prophet (s) with by means of praise and ayahs (verses) of Holy Qur’an. Those angels descend and all these salawaat are being dressed on the Prophet (s) and as he enters Paradise, they are shining from him and are specialized to those who invoked praise and blessings on the Prophet (s).
Allah (swt) said:
وَلَا تَخَافِي وَلَا تَحْزَنِي
wa laa takhaafee wa laa tahzanee.
But fear not, nor grieve. (al-Qasas, 28:7)
Angels come to them and tell them to enter these special Paradises created only for you, you will be entering the Paradise of Muhammadiyoon. You will be dressed in the complete picture of the Prophet (s) and you will be in his image. Jannat al-Muhammadiyoon is for the Muslims who are lovers of the Prophet (s), for he cannot be alone, he must be accompanied by those who are in the similar image. Praise on the Prophet (s) is something that takes away problems, so praise him! Allahuma salli wa sallim wa baarik `alaa habeebika wa nabiyyika, Sayyidina Muhammad (s).
We have come to your presence, yaa Rasoolullah, making tawassul through you, O Prophet of Allah! Whoever needs something from this dunya must memorize that du`a of the blind man, “Du`a Haajah.” This was when the Prophet (s) ordered the blind man in his du`a to take him as a means to Allah (swt) to be cured from blindness:
Innee asaluk wa atawajahu ilayh bi-nabiyya Muhammad. Yaa Muhammad! Innee atawajah ila rabbik fee haajatee hadhihi li tuqda lee.
Allah (swt) mentioned in the Holy Qur'an:
قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّمْلُ ادْخُلُوا مَسَاكِنَكُمْ لَا يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ سُلَيْمَانُ وَجُنُودُهُ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ
Qaalat namlatun yaa ayyuha 'n-namlu 'dkhuloo masaakinakum laa yahtimannakum Sulaymaanu wa junooduhoo wa hum la yash`uroon.
One of the ants said, "O Ants! Enter your homes unless Sulayman and his armies unknowingly trample you. (an-Naml, 27:18)
Make your service pure to Allah, especially in the month of Rajab. One day on Mawlid an-Nabi, Imam al-Ghazali (q) was going to send a letter to a person. When he began to write, a fly fell down in the ink. He said, “O Allah, you created me for the honor of Prophet (s). Since then I never had doubt about what I learned, I know what is false and what is true.”
Tonight is a special and holy gathering. Imam al-Ghazali (q) read all books but still had doubts, although he was a great scholar. One night Imam al-Ghazali (q) was writing a letter to the ruler about requesting an excuse not to hang someone. A fly came and began to drink the ink of his pen. He stopped, as he was about to hit the fly, but he thought, “Allah created this fly to honor the Prophet (s) and this letter is also for the sake of honoring the Prophet (s).” As the fly drank the ink, suddenly a heavenly voice spoke, “You have succeeded today.” Imam al-Ghazali (r) was then taken on a mi`raaj (ascension) imitating that of the Prophet (s). He was told, “While you had many mistakes, because of that one deed you performed for sake of the Prophet (s), you were granted mi`raaj.”
So who are those angels that come down to those reciting praise of the Prophet (s), and what do they bring them? May Allah forgive us and bless us for the sake of his beloved Prophet (s)!
Wa min Allahi 't-tawfeeq, bi hurmati 'l-habeeb, bi hurmati 'l-Fatihah.