27 JAN 2022 · Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem Allah Almighty Says in the Holy Quran, يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ فِى ٱلسِّلْمِ كَآفَّةً وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ “O you who have believed, enter into Islām completely [and perfectly] and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.” Quran 2:208 The purpose of mankind is such, to be in glorious peace, in wholehearted submission to the Most Magnificent, Lord Most High. Allahﷻ is Beautiful and Heﷻ Loves Beauty. Hence, Heﷻ Created our Holy Prophetﷺ and adorned himﷺ with the most exquisite of human nature, the Perfection of Creation, for all to emulate. It is therefore, natural, for those divinely chosen, to be drawn into following and being in the guiding path of ‘beautiful ones’, inheritors of the Prophetﷺ. The Guide, divinely appointed by Allahﷻ, leads people towards becoming awakened to their true purpose of existence, being more aware of the Greatness of the Creatorﷻ. Allahﷻ is the Giver for all of Hisﷻ creation, it is perpetually impossible to enumerate the gifts that we truly possess. Hence, the gratitude of creation can never be complete, it is but a continuous state of being in Shukr (thankfulness) to Al-Mashkur, The One Who Is Worthy Of Thanks. وَإِن تَعُدُّواْ نِعۡمَةَ ٱللَّهِ لَا تُحۡصُوهَآ‌ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَفُورٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬ “And if you should count the Favours of Allah, you could not enumerate them…” Qur’an; 16:18 To be in this constant state of thankfulness, in awareness of the Might of Allahﷻ, Mawlanaق reminds hisق mureeds to strive in establishing the heart connection, Rabitah, with our Murshid as heق is the doorway for us to always be in awareness of Prophetﷺ, who is in turn always in the Divine Presence of Allah Almighty. A perfect chain of the True Powerhouse that will connect the one who seeks to be with Allahﷻ. Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق said, “Holy Prophetﷺ, used to pray, اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَكِلْنِي إلى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ "Oh my Lord, don't leave me in the hands of my ego, not even for a blink of an eye." If you stand with your ego, it cuts you off from others, then you are alone with ego. Therefore, you must ask, “Oh my Sheikh, I am asking to be with you. You are with me, but I am not with you. I'll try to be with you". The more you are able to focus on his being with you, the more power reaches you on his side. His power will surround you as long as you are with him, then you should reach unlimited power, because the Sheikh can take you to Allah Almighty in the Divine Presence.” The Holy month of Rejab is also known as the month of Allahﷻ, a grand opening for those seeking forgiveness, to draw near to their Creator and find realisation of being Hisﷻ blessed creation. It is said that in the last seven breaths of a dying person, is a moment where Allah Almighty, will be, without an intercessor, alone with Hisﷻ creation. This is the moment feared by the God Conscious ones, a moment when every person will have to be in the Presence of Allahﷻ, in complete awareness of their every action earned, good or otherwise. There is an accounting that will take place very soon and hence, a sincere seeker in this Way will find every opportunity to beseech in Allahﷻ for Hisﷻ Mercy and Forgiveness. As mureeds in this way, we are taught to look forward to the three holy months that are superior to all other months, Rejab, Sha’aban and Ramadan. Their superiority over other months is like the Superiority of Allahﷻ to Hisﷻ creation. These months are for sincere ones who seek to be cleansed of the filth of sin, begging day and night, to be pardoned and prepared for the final return as purified ones, accepted in the Diwan of Allahﷻ. Therefore, put in great effort to be forgiven in the coming holy month of Rejab, the month of Allah Almighty’s Forgiveness and seclusion, drawing near to Himﷻ. May we be raised as the people of Tawbah, sincerely repenting for all our sins, realising our many mistakes and remembering that we are indeed creation, always in need of our Creator.

20 JAN 2022 · Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem Our Holy Prophetﷺ was asked by a man, “O Messenger of Allah, which of the believers are best?” The Prophetﷺ said, “Those with the best character.” The man asked further, “Which of the believers are the wisest?” The Prophetﷺ said, “Those who remember death often and have best prepared for it with good deeds; such are the wisest.” Hadeeth, Sunan Ibn Mājah 4259 There is no greater lesson than the lesson of death. At the witnessing of death, most shun away from its reality, either out of fear or love for this life. The wisest ones take heed of it approaching, like a homing arrow that never misses its target. Released at the moment a person is formed in the womb, the ‘Arrow of Death’ hurls at great speed, waiting to hit the target at its predestined moment, not a second earlier or later. Hence, Mawlana Shaykh Nazimق said, “assume the poise of a dying man.” Someone who is approaching the doors of death, on his deathbed, no longer deluded by this material life, equipped with real knowledge of his very limited time, will want to resolve all his worldly affairs, forgive and seek forgiveness. Thus, mureeds in this Way are asked to remember death daily, for at least 5 times, in preparation for its arrival, fully aware that he is in reality, a dying person. When one remembers death, one will be quick to forgive and seek forgiveness, let go of all rancour, beseeching the Creator for Hisﷻ Mercy, for mankind is never without sin. Even the greatest of Saints, the likes of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al-Jailaniق, was remembered to repeatedly say, “Ya Afuw”, ‘O’ Most Forgiving’, as death approached his blessed being. Zikrul Maut, is for the wisest of believers. It becomes a constant reminder to live cleansing one’s self for the final return to Allah Almighty, when every atom of good and bad deed earned, will be shown. This will be a moment of blissful union for the believer who lived to ‘die before he died’, one who strove hard to reject his will, only accepting the Will of his Lord in complete Faith, knowing that whatever befalls and is chosen for him, is from Divine Perfection. Holy Prophetﷺ said, “Whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him, and whoever hates to meet Allah, Allah hates to meet him.” It was said to himﷺ: “O Messenger of Allah, does hating to meet Allah mean hating to meet death? For all of us hate death.” He said: “No. Rather that is only at the moment of death. But if he is given the glad tidings of the Mercy and Forgiveness of Allah, he loves to meet Allah and Allah Loves to meet him; and if he is given the tidings of the punishment of Allah, he hates to meet Allah and Allah Hates to meet him. Sunan Ibn Majah 4264 Preparations for death begins with, like the hadith quoted at the beginning mentions, to be the foremost of believers, having a good character, which is the most prized of deeds on the Divine Scales. Allah Almighty only Does Goodness and Loves those who do good, hence, a sincere mureed must strive to uphold the best of etiquettes, learn to take the Wisdom of daily life into his reflection, to become ones with sincere, ‘golden hearts’, qalbun saleem, constantly remembering death, rejecting the selfish egoistic will and only striving to accept the Will of Allahﷻ. May Allahﷻ make us to be ones who taste the sweetness of dying before we die, heeding the lessons of death and to be in complete agreement with Hisﷻ Will.

13 JAN 2022

6 JAN 2022 · Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem Allahﷻ Says in the Holy Quran, قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَبَانَا ٱسْتَغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا خَـٰطِـِٔينَ قَالَ سَوْفَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكُمْ رَبِّىٓ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ They [the brothers of Sayyidina Yusuf] said, "O our father, ask forgiveness of our guilty (deeds) for us; surely we have been sinners.” He [Sayyidina Yaqub] said, "Eventually I will ask my Lord to forgive you; surely He, Ever He, is The Ever-Forgiving, The Ever-Merciful." (Quran 12:97-98) Sayyidina Yaqub Alayhi salam is a great role model of one exercising ‘sabrun jameel’, showing graceful patience, despite the heavy test of his sons plotting against their brother, Sayyidina Yusuf Alayhi salam. In the verse above, we find Sayyidina Yaqub’s answer to his children’s repentance saying, he would eventually, at a later time, seek forgiveness from Allahﷻ for their sins. Mawlanaق has taught us that Sayyidina Yaqub was delaying his prayer, waiting for the best time, when supplications are highly likely to be accepted, to beseech in Allahﷻ to pardon his children. Here, we find, the perfect interpretation of the Quran, with the guidance of a Murshid, that Sayyidina Yaqub although in deep sorrow, was waiting to meet a time most suitable to be most intimate with Allah Most High, supplicate to Himﷻ and have his dua accepted, such as on a Friday or during the last third of the night, during Tahajjud. Prophetﷺ, said, “Wondrous is the affair of a believer, as there is good for him in every matter; this is not the case for anyone but a believer. If he experiences pleasure, he thanks Allah and it is good for him. If he experiences harm, he shows patience and it is good for him.” Hadeeth Sahih Muslim 2999 For a believer, Allah Almighty has made ease and difficulty both beneficial to him. Religion has been perfected, made easy and when diligently practiced, brings ease to a person here and hereafter. Indeed, what a marvelous position to be in. Like Sayyidina Yaqub, a believer is hopeful to His Lord in difficulty, and thankful when at ease. A beneficial trait that is essential to impart in the young. Being frugal, delaying their childish wants, teaching them to learn through difficulty, builds resilience in a child, eventually helping them grow into adults who are hopeful in any trials Allahﷻ lays for them, throughout life. When one understands the reality of this life being a place of tests, a lowly place that Allahﷻ does not look at, except to Gaze and see Hisﷻ beloved servants, then will one also yearn to attain this Loving Gaze. It is a journey of finding Hisﷻ beloved servants, Saintly ones, sitting at their feet as students and following their every advice. Mawlanaق said that we are sent to this earthly life like droplets of water, individuals with an egoistic-self and, with proper guidance from a Murshid, every droplet can eventually meet the indispensable ocean, Allah Almighty, dissolving, in unity, with Hisﷻ Will. With time, the droplets in the Ocean of Unity changes further, becomes free from its weighted liquid state, annihilated, travelling upwards as vapour, and dances with the atmosphere. Like this, a sincere mureed will slowly learn through the many tests and trials of life, guided to discard his will, only accept Allah’sﷻ Will and ultimately be guided to attain true companionship with Allahﷻ, reaching servanthood. A mureed must do his utmost to be in worship, slowly building to progress in prayers, service in this Way, following the orders of his Guide, and beautifying his actions with Sincerity and Thankfulness. Holy Prophetﷺ taught this dua, “O Living, O Sustainer, by Your mercy I seek deliverance. Take care of all my affairs and do not leave me to the care of myself even for the blink of an eye.” A sincere mureed must learn to surrender all matters of this fleeting life, good or otherwise, to Allahﷻ, realising that everything is in reality, from Hisﷻ Generosity, full of Love and never without Great Wisdom. May Allahﷻ make us to be ones patient in adversity, sincere in our actions, thankful ones whose hearts are inspired to have Himﷻ choose for us all our affairs in life and to make us annihilated ones, only living with Hisﷻ Will.