Sohbet

Zikr

Unwrapping and speaking about the Holy Hair of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه و سلم)

Showing Respect to the Holy Hair of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه و سلم)

Handing out Candies and having Tea

In Sunan Ibn Majah and elsewhere is the account of a Sahabi who was teaching writing and Qur’an to a man of the people of the Suffah. Later on, the man gave Mu`adh a bow. Mu`adh thought that there is nothing wrong in taking it, and besides, he will use it for fighting in the path of Allah, but he was still uncertain so he thought to ask the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). The Prophet told him that “if you want it (the bow) to be girdled around your neck with fire on the Day of Resurrection, then take it.”

Based on this hadith, the authentic view of the Hanafi school is that it is prohibited to take money for teaching of Qur’an. This is the more precautionary view, and is in keeping with the apparent sense of the hadith. The Shafi`is, however, reasoned that the reason for the prohibition issued to Mu`adh here was that they had not fixed any price for the teaching, and that Mu`adh had therefore been teaching only for the sake of reward in the Hereafter, such that if he were to take a material payment, this would reduce or annul his reward. So, they said there is no harm in taking payment if the price was arranged beforehand. They also drew support from the hadith where a group of Companions took a payment of food for ruqyah (curing someone by reciting verses of the Qur’an). The Hanafis respond that this hadith is an evidence for the permissibility of taking payment for ruqyah, but not for teaching the Qur’an.

The hadith does not apply to selling of Islamic books and other materials; it is specifically about _teaching_. Even selling the Qur’an (muSHaf) is not Haram, (except according to a view of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal), but it is makrooh. Although, the salaf used to shy away from accepting money for books and the like also, and this is undoubtedly more precautionary, so as to reserve all reward for the Hereafter. Yet, if someone is making a living by selling books, then there is no harm in charging a profit, w’Allahu a`lam.

The issue of teachers and schools raises another point. As I have mentioned, the authentic view of the madhhab is that taking a fee for teaching Qur’an is Haram. However, later on when Islam became weaker, and the state no longer took the same care of the religion and its people, such that the `ulama and teachers of the Qur’an were no longer provided for by the state, these people came into dire circumstances. They had no source of income, and no education or training (other than religious sciences) which they could use to earn a living. It was quite literally a matter of life and death for them. Under these situations, fatwa was given in the madhhab on the permissibility of taking payment for teaching Qur’an, since necessity dictates exceptions and makes the prohibited temporarily permissible. Ibn `Abidin has mentioned this in sharH `uqood rasm al-muftee.

It should be note, however, that this was a specific fatwa for a specific situation, and that the authentic view of the madhhab remains one of prohibition of accepting payment. So, if a person is in such dire circumstances, with no other way out, he could take by this fatwa then and accept some payment. If no such mitigating circumstances exist, it remains prohibited. w’Allahu a`lam.

The reality is today it is possible to live a mediocre lifestyle with a job that requires very little training.

Are we in the life or death situation today that has made charging for ‘Islamic knowledge’ permissible?  Or, do we really believe it is a life or death situation for our scholars to be able to afford macbook pro’s?

While the above excerpt mentions the two categories of teaching Quran and charging for the text, the reality is when teaching Islam *you are teaching Quran*. What did ‘teaching Quran’ mean in a society where everyone spoke Arabic?  It meant understanding, developing of knowledge based on the Quran and its lessons. This prohibition clearly applied to the entire field of Islamic study, much less the very explicit study of tajweed and qirat.

Later jurists have extended the permission (of payment) to similar duties like leading the prayer (imamah), calling for prayers (adhan), teaching Hadith and Fiqh, etc., for they are related to the teaching of the Holy Qur’an, and survival of Islam equally depends on them.”

[Mufti Muhammad Shafi, Ma'ariful Qur'an, Vol. 1, p191]

In the above excerpt, it is interesting to note how the wording of the exception is to ‘accept some payment’ vs demand some payment.   With expensive books and classes, Muslims in the pursuit of ‘Islamic knowledge’ have created a subculture that excludes the poor and the unread.  Some Sheykhs of the ‘spiritual sciences’ charge even for their sohbet.  Now we even have major islamic ‘conferences’ with “pay-per-view“.

Why aren’t all these books and tapes available online for free? Empire building.

The new industry of disseminating ‘Islamic knowledge’ or, in modern days called ‘Sacred knowledge’, has reached a new peak.  Any and all stigma related to collecting of personal money under the name of Islam has been lost.  Instead of doing it quietly, with discretion, it is now brazen and up-front.  What is the wisdom in the Hanafi position above, which ruled over Muslims for centuries? A personal examination will demonstrate quite a few lessons.

It is reported by Jabir that the Prophet said: The flesh and body that is raised on unlawful sustenance shall not enter Paradise. Hell is more deserving to the flesh that grows on one’s body out of unlawful sustenance. (Ahmad).

“Tarikatuna sohbah wal hayri fi jamiyah.” Discourses refer to the ‘sohbahs’ or associations with the sheykh. He speaks extempore, tapping into the Divine Source, spiritually connecting to his sheykh to speak on a matter that concerns those present. These discourses are always fresh and alive. Although the words may seem simple, there are at least seven levels of understanding. Perfect manners in listening increases the ability to understand the discourses in more than one level and not only from a basic intellectual level. When reading the discourses we are advised to be in a state of ritual purity and to free ourselves from any distraction that may interrupt the reading. -http://www.nakshibendi.com

Sohbets of the awliya are a powerful medium for personal change, if they are listened to with the abandonment of heedlessness. One of the manners of sohbet is to pay clear and undistracted attention to the Sheykh. Taking notes in itself is completely discouraged in sohbet.

I wrote about the modern invention of taking notes in sohbet here:
http://www.yursil.com/blog/2007/09/sufi-notes/

On the other hand, after finishing the sohbet, immediate reflections on ones heart are indeed powerful. Often after listening to a Sohbet we are asked to summarize it instantly. Mureeds are then able to, from one listening (and without notes) give an accurate summary, often quoting parts of the sohbet verbatim, and include points of personal meaning.

One blogger writes about personal reflections immediately upon reading or listening to a sohbet at http://sohbetjournal.wordpress.com/. A site that is also a departure from the concept of ‘notes’ but rather one of living immediate post reflection.

Every time I see someone enamored with this or that politician, I see a desire in them. That desire is for a person who is sincere, capable… guided.

How misplaced is that affection!

Supposedly ‘religious’ people are also targets, yet they too fall short of moral integrity. How many Priests have been removed due to misconduct? How many protestant preachers have been found compromised?

People have been disappointed time and time again, but they keep coming back for more ‘moral heroes’, whether in a religious or secular guise.

Where does that leave us? Muslims put our faith in people also, in moral heroes… ‘modern Muslims’ simply tend to avoid using a term to describe them. ‘Saints’ or ‘Awliya’ is often a hated word. Really though, for all their proclamations that the Prophet (S) is their sole model, whether its the modern day lecturer, or the local Imam, Muslims end up doing the same thing.

However, these individuals are just ordinary people as well, regular ordinary everyday people who have memorized a bit more than us Or they can speak better than us. Or they can recite better than us.

But is that really our moral hero? Or are we loving an illusion that we have created?

Can we believe that someone can become a moral giant, someone imbued with the source of goodness, a representative on earth of said goodness, without training, without discipline, without connection?

The Awliya, or otherwise translated as “Muslims Saints” are just that. They are representatives of goodness. You feel it in their presence, because truly those one act with a power far beyond that of human kind. They ask nothing from you, in fact, you need everything from them.

“Allah said, ‘I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper (walî) of Mine. And the most beloved things with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined (frD) upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing nawâfil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection (Refuge), I will protect him; (i.e. give him My Refuge) and I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of the believer, for he hates death, and I hate to disappoint him.”

Narrated by Abu Huraira in Bukhari, vol8, hadith 509

Remembering these two hadith is important:

Literacy will increase�as Judgment draws nigh.
(Ahmad Diya’al-Din al-Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al-Ahadith)

Near the establishment of the Hour there will be days during which (religious) knowledge will be taken away (vanish) and general ignorance will spread…
(Bukhari)

By some they may appear conflicting, for how can literacy increase but knowledge decrease? For others it will be very clear.

Sheykh Effendi is working on our ego’s, showing us our nature and giving us a glimpse into what is coming.

Every person has a choice to be made for either haqq or falsehood, and it needs to be made soon. Time to be clear on our answer.

Much of the information that is online regarding Sheykh Maulana Nazim al Hakkani is from either overexcited mureeds who don’t know any better or those deliberately looking to manipulate Sheykh Maulana’s name in order to progress an agenda. For example, one site gives the illusion that Sheykh Maulana Nazim wrote the words presented, but it is in fact a book written by others. These same anonymous people don’t identify themselves or any source of any of the pages except via association of random pictures to text.

It is best to stick with those that offer clear audio or video of Sheykh Maulana, or transcribed Sohbets by trusted mureeds such as Khairiyah Siegel.

That is all. Everything else is a confusion surrounding Sheykh Maulana. It is the sign of the times that saintly people can be abused in this new way on this new medium, but it is an unfortunate fact and reality of the cruelty and rising tyranny in our generation. At the same time, nothing people say about their wariness or disregard for Sheykh Maulana hurts him in any way. But, as there are not so many saintly people like this available to us today, to hold a negative opinion is certainly dangerous as we know that Allah loves His Wali’s…

Sheykh Maulana does not write books and Sheykh Maulana does not visit websites or make web pages. He gives short talks, Sohbets. These are plain for everyone to hear. The most you will see is transcribed versions of those. Anyone taking a cursory look at those sohbets and the things available under such sites, which put his picture on the top of every page, will realize instantly that this is not the work of the same man.

Explaining to others why learning Tariqat by reading is a waste of time is not even necessary.

The best way to come to some respectible opinion is to listen to Sheykh Maulana or the other Sheykhs, online or otherwise.

Probably the largest single library of his audio is available here:
http://www.naksibendi.org/mevlana_audio.html
video here:
http://www.naksibendi.org/mevlana_video.html
and text here:
http://www.naksibendi.org/mevlana_sohbets.html

Wassalam.

Many thanks to Tahir for recording and putting this online!

We celebrated our Eid upstate with our teacher and guide Sheykh Abdul Kerim. Sheykh Abdul Kerim showed us today (as always) what it means to be a real guide, more than just academic, philosophical and spiritual, but maintaining in true fashion the traditions of Eid ul Adha in each and every detail.

It was busy day as after praying Fajr together, we got changed for Eid namaz, then afterwards we changed again to work clothes (so many layers to keep out the cold) for the tough job during the day. The mureeds had spent a good amount of time in preparation and it was with Sheykhs guidance and support we managed to sacrifice, clean, and cut four sheep and one bull in only a few hours!

The Eid Khutba was a very important and powerful one

http://www.naksibendi.org/Audio_Files/20061230_1427-DhulHijja-10_
SeyhAbdulKerim_Bayram_Hutbe.wma

Some Pictures below:

“Be hard on yourselves and be easy on others…”

Brought to you by the Osmanli Naksibendi-Hakkani Tariqat
under the direction of Sheykh Abdul Kerim al-Kibrisi
with ijazaat and instruction from Maulana Sheykh Nazim al-Haqqani

Spiritual music from the Naksibendi Hakkani order.

Salih inspires Moustafa’s Oud with his own Guitar playing, which then inspires Sheykh and he is moved to recite an Illahi.

Join us in praying for our GrandSheykh Maulana Nazim al-Hakkani and Sheykh Effendi Abdul Kerim, may they continue to lead us strongly to the path of the most Beloved one in the Divine Presence, the Prophet (??? ???? ???? ? ???)!

Brought to you by the Osmanli Naksibendi-Hakkani Tariqat
under the direction of Sheykh Abdul Kerim al-Kibrisi
with ijazaat and instruction from Maulana Sheykh Nazim al-Haqqani

Spiritual music from the Naksibendi Hakkani order.

Beautiful Illahi

Join us in praying for our GrandSheykh Maulana Nazim al-Hakkani and Sheykh Effendi Abdul Kerim, may they continue to lead us strongly to the path of the most Beloved one in the Divine Presence, the Prophet (??? ???? ???? ? ???)!

The Khatm is an ancient practice of the Naqshibendi tariqat, and is performed by Naqshibandi’s around the world. Each has a unique flavor, specialized for the hearts in attendance and what they are in need of.

Alhamdulillah, a couple of us attended a Thanksgiving night at the Church of Latter-Day Saints of Jesus Christ, also known as Mormons. We read the last section of Sura Yasin and translated it for them. In addition, our musicians played an Osmanli Nakshibendi song for the audience, who said the event was their first and one they cannot forget. Representatives of other houses of worship read from their scriptures and sang a few hymns too.

Other pictures available on his blog.

Some excellent (in my humble opinion) audio clips of the event:

091706-PrayerVigil-SheykhAbdulKerim-JoiningSunday.mp3
– Sheykh Effendi Abdul Kerim arrives after our detaining and speaks about it

091706-PrayerVigil-SheykhAbdulKerim-Closing.mp3
– Sheykh Effendi Abdul Kerim’s Closing remarks (MashaAllah must listen) after our final dhikr on Sunday

On the second day, Sunday, we were to arrive at approximately 7 to 7:30 to share the Azaan with the folks participating at the event.

I parked the car and began preparing my few things to bring across the street to the event. Half of us crossed and the other half returned back to grab some additional things from the cars.

Instantly, there were four police cars stopping those on the far side and three cars stopping us on our side from proceeding to the event was not very far away at all.

These were the Secret Service police on our side.

These were the Secret Service police on the other side.

They wanted all of our information, social security numbers, drivers licenses, names, etc. We had to wait for ‘The Suits’ to arrive , and when they did they simply took more of our time with unneeded questioning. I must say this, if the Secret Service is wasting time with the Naksibendi order, it should make everyone feel a lot less safer.

While we waited we took some pictures. They didn’t want pictures taken, but they –unfortunately– got into the background while we took pictures of other things.

Bilaal and I

Yaseen and Bilal

The Patient Mureeds

They detained us for some time when finally we were allowed to attend the event.

Luqman Khwaja gave a good speech in response to this occurance and responding to the Jewish Rabbi who spoke as well.

Then the others in the event did some type of song which we provided some Tauheed to (it was probably in need of it). Mustafa enjoyed it and called out to do it again!

Sheykh arrived after that and gave a very good sohbet about peace, terrorism, and the war-mongers.

After that we had some adventures with a Christian fundamentalist who was causing some problems for the event coordinators. We invited him to eat, gave some Dawah and wrapped up.

What a trip! I will have some good audio up shortly InshaAllah. I have to internalize this trip a bit and then I will post part 3.

After staying the Friday Dhikr in New York City, Sheykh and the mureeds stay overnight until Fajr before they head back upstate. This was a special day as some mureeds who rarely leave upstate were given an opportunity to travel with Sheykh down to Washington D.C. We headed out to Washington D.C. after Fajr. I left seperately in order to take my wife and gather some things.

I bought a new microphone stand, something I sorely needed, before leaving. It was intended to help with recordings in the future, whereas right now I usually put the microphone on the ground and I was keen on using it during this weekend.

My arrival in Washington D.C. was right on time. I knew this event had many Native American participants and sponsors, so the large Teepee’s along the Washington Monument park made clear where I needed to go. Alhamdulillah we found excellent parking both times.

Sheykh Effendi had just arrived as well and I began working on setting up.

Although, SubhanAllah only later did I discover that although I did have a nice shiny new stand, I was missing a key cable which prevented me from using the external microphone.

In the end the stand had a very good use, alhamdulillah, to hold the flag with the Osmanli Naksibendi symbol.

Here Bilaal and I figure out some way to hang the flag on it:

Later the flag caught air and began spinning, MashaAllah a whirling dervish of its own kind

Sheykh gave a short talk before Zikr, explaining it in very good ways that made it clear to those of different faiths watching.

Here is a picture of me with the monument.

Sheykh Effendi, Luqman Khwaja and myself

After Saturday night we went to stay as guests at a mureeds house. There Sheykh led Maghrib and gave a Sohobet, and we had dinner afterwards.

After that there was an amazing session of Illahyi’s (traditional Islamic music)

I’ll continue the strange events of Sunday in a seperate post.

Brought to you by the Osmanli Naksibendi-Hakkani Tariqat
under the direction of Sheykh Abdul Kerim al-Kibrisi
with ijazaat and instruction from Maulana Sheykh Nazim al-Haqqani

Spiritual music from the Naksibendi Hakkani order.

Sheykh Effendi recites from his book of traditional Ilayhi’s

MP3 mixed using all Open-Source software (Audacity)

Stringed Instruments present

Brought to you by the Osmanli Naksibendi-Hakkani Tariqat
under the direction of Sheykh Abdul Kerim al-Kibrisi
with ijazaat and instruction from Maulana Sheykh Nazim al-Haqqani

Spiritual music from the murids of the Naksibendi Hakkani order.

Simply a must listen! There was much special barakat in the NY City dergah last night!

AfterHours080406.mp3 – Running Time: 22 Minutes – Size: 33 MB

MP3 mixed using all Open-Source software (Audacity)

Stringed Instruments present

Brought to you by the Osmanli Naksibendi-Hakkani Tariqat
under the direction of Sheykh Abdul Kerim al-Kibrisi
with ijazaat and instruction from Maulana Sheykh Nazim al-Haqqani

Spiritual music from the murids of the Naksibendi Hakkani order, stringed instruments present.

(I very much like this towards the 5:30 mark)

Brought to you by the�Osmanli Naksibendi-Hakkani Tariqat
under the direction of Sheykh Abdul Kerim al-Kibrisi
with ijazaat and instruction from Maulana Sheykh Nazim al-Haqqani

Spiritual music from the murids of the Naksibendi Hakkani order, stringed instruments present.

Brought to you by the�Osmanli Naksibendi-Hakkani Tariqat
under the direction of Sheykh Abdul Kerim al-Kibrisi
with ijazaat and instruction from Maulana Sheykh Nazim al-Haqqani

DhikrulAllah, from the Khatm-e-Khwajagan recorded by myself�at the NYC Dergah.

Brought to you by the�Osmanli Naksibendi-Hakkani Tariqat
under the direction of Sheykh Abdul Kerim al-Kibrisi
with ijazaat and instruction from Maulana Sheykh Nazim al-Haqqani

DhikrulAllah, from the Khatm-e-Khwajagan recorded by myself�at the NYC Dergah.

Allah Hu Allah Haqq -�Running Time 7:29� – 10 MB MP3

Hajja Meryem wrote this in 2003, in response to the comment quoted below.� I am finding her writing to be, simply put, full of honesty and sincerity �:

> Look at Sheykhs and wanna-be scholars today. The most pronounced
> thing about them is the xxl size of their bellies.

But what can you tell from that? The Sheykhs I love are not ordering anything or asking anything for themselves. Whatever assets they acquire passes into one hand and out the other to people in need and for the sake of Allah. Their time is spent sitting in meditation or sitting in sobhet, not running laps on the local track (although they do engage in various degrees of farming). They have dozens of Turks, Afghanis, Syrians, Bosnians, Pakistanis, Africans, etc. hovering around them like moths to a flame, and who as a token of their love and desire for blessing are bringing and cooking all kinds of wonderful Osmanli and ethnic foods and dishes. The Sheykh in that tradition has an obligation to eat whatever is put in front of him (even if the food is a disastrous “mistake”, which sometimes happens). Can you imagine the heartbreak among such a community of the Sheykh doesn’t partake of your gift? The same Sheykhs can spend the entire month of Rajab in seclusion (or months and years, for that matter), eating one bowl of lentil soup a day. At any given time, if no one is around, a few of olives or a date suffices. Fasting a couple of times a week (Monday and Thursday) is a relief, not a burden. It’s all the same to them – to eat lavishly, or not to eat at all, is the provision of Allah. Who should care, except the besmitten murid or muhib who wants all the best for his Sheykh’s comfort? In any case, in my experience, the bereket around the Sheykh(s) is profuse and palpable; and many people benefit (and possibly more than a few hang around just for that reason). Hidden Evliya (Mevlana Sheykh Nazim says there are many today) depend only on Allah. Besides Mevlana Rumi, perhaps some of the other sufi poets you know were loners. Some Sheykhs wish they could stay hidden, lost in dhikr and meditation; but that is not their mission.� Alhamdulillah for that (for our benefit).

Here is to praying that I don’t become one of the ones offering a disastrous meal!

�Sohbet by Sheykh Abdul Kerim el-Kibrisi

Sunday 9 Rabi-ul Akhir, 1427
May 8, 2006
Osmanli Naks-i’bendi Hakkani Dergah, Siddiki Center, New York.

Medet Ya Seyyidi Ya Sultanul Awliya, Medet.

The role of Sheytan to believers is similar to our two feet. With two
feet we can walk. If we have one foot then we cannot walk. We cannot
make any progress. We cannot reach anywhere. There is Haqq and Batil.
There’s truth and false. The false is there and we are fighting
against it. So the truth is appearing. We are understanding the value
of truth because the wrong is there, the false is there. People
usually say, “Well, I am good.” How do you know you are good? You have
to know the evil to be able to understand the good. There is evil. So
we are understanding the good. If there was no nighttime how were you
going to understand the value of the day and the beauty of the day?
You will never be able to understand that then if there was no dark
and no night. So Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has created Sheytan for
that reason. His ordering is coming to us and the whispering of
Sheytan is also coming to us. When we are fighting against the
whispering that is coming and what is coming from the ego for our own
desires, then we will be able to make progress and reach to higher
stations. Otherwise, we will be sitting in one station and that’s it.
There will be no progress if you are taking Sheytan away and if you
are taking the ego away.

The ego is a means for us to make progress and to go to higher
stations. If there is no ego then who are you going to fight against?
Sheytan is saying, “Sleep.” If you are closing your eyes and sleeping
then you are following Sheytan. Why not fighting back saying, “This is
not a bedroom. Why am I sleeping here?” Sheytan is saying, “Sleep. You
are very tired. Sleep.” Very tired? Shake a little bit to see if it’s
going to go away. It’s not the time to sleep. So if we do anything
that comes to us anytime then how are we fighting against that? How
are we winning? That’s why Holy Prophet (sws) is saying, “Everything
that man desires, he grabs and he eats, it is enough sin for him.”
It’s enough wasting. Anything he desires he grabs and he puts it in
his mouth right away is enough sin for him. That’s enough for him
because what happens when anything that is coming he is putting it in
there? It brings lots of problems. Your system works so hard that you
become heedless. Now you have to sleep. You cannot be awakening no
matter where you are then. The only time you wake up then is where
there is food again (saying,) “Ah, I woke up. There’s food. Let me
eat.” We have to fight. We have to fight with our ego and the best way
of fighting the ego, the time when you grab the ego under your control
is when you are fasting. Other times, eh. Fasting is not only one
month Ramazan and then finishing. Fasting yourself from unnecessary
eating and drinking, stopping yourself from that.

Now Sheytan says to you, “Don’t get up early in the morning.” You say,
“I am used to it.” Which ego is ever used to it? You got your ego so
trained? Subhanallah. But if I say, “How many times in one year you
didn’t get up for fajr prayer on time?” I can count. We can download
your files from the computer. Hmm.

El-Fatiha.