
Ashura – Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (saws)
Significance of ‘Ashura and 6 Prophets:
Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, And
Muhammad (saws)
Our Soul’s Journey and Levels of the Heart
From the realities of Mawlana Shaykh as taught by Shaykh Nurjan Mirahmadi
A’odhu billahi minash shaytaanir rajeem
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem
The holy month of Muharram, the month of no haram is opening. The New Year is opening for us, the Hijri calendar, always inshaaAllah stepping with our right foot. Asking yaa Rabbi, we are asking to step on this year and enter the new Hijri calendar. That in the holy month of Muharram, in the holy day of Ashura, that yaa Rabbi from what You are dressing the lights of Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, dress us. What You are dressing and blessings from the lights to the Ahlul Bayt, to the holy Khulafa Rashideen and Mahdiyeen, bless us and dress us. Yaa Rabbi bless us from what you are dressing from the lights of awliyaullah, the Saliheen and the servants You are pleased with and you love and what you have granted Your nearness to, (bless us).
A reminder for myself in this busy world with all of its allurement and its ‘Attraction’, that constantly trying to remind ourselves that we are from eternity. That there is an eternal message, and everything and every prophet came with a message for his nation and came with an eternal piece of an entire puzzle. We try our best in life to be from the people of light, the people of eternity.
Prepare for the Holy Month of Muharram
The people of Malakoot (heavens), they exist within the Mulk, means that the people of Heaven know they exist on Earth and they have heard the messages from the earthly realm, but always a reminder within the spiritual world, within the realm of light, that how to improve ourselves. That every messenger came with a piece of that puzzle.
The importance and the holiness of Muharram is that it is our new year. It is the year in which the Islamic calendar begins signified by the Hijrah of Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
For us we welcome this month inshaAllah. That every month when it comes in, to enter into a shower, and say ya Rabbi all I can do is to wash away by example these sins with water. That let Your Rahma, that the showers of Your real Rahma to dress me and take away my sins and prepare me for the holiness of this holy month, That we step into that month with the right foot that moving towards our marif’a. That I want to make a hijrah to Your Divinely Presence, to the presence of Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, to Ashaab an-Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, to Ahlul Bayt an-Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and to always be in the company of those whom You are pleased with of Your awliyaullah, fis-samaaee wa fil-ardh, from the Heavens and from the Earth.
When Allah Azza wa Jal forgives the sins, forgives the wrongs, and dresses and blesses with his Rahma. The result of the month of Hajj, the month of ma`rifah is the Rahma of Allah Azza wa Jal, Muharram. That after you have made your hijra to Me and came to Me, I am going to grant you from My Rahma, I am going to grant you My forgiveness. Its significance in our life is that eternal journey begins and is a reminder that this hijrah in our life is continuous, that for every ending there be a beginning. The Hajj is not an ending point but a point to notify us that Muharram is opening and you can begin your divinely journey, an eternal journey, to Allah’s Divinely Presence, to constantly be moving towards purification and that our stations to be raised higher and higher, means trying to always improve ourselves.
So every day of Muharram, every Muharram that is beginning, we are asking yaa Rabbi grant us Your forgiveness, grant us your maghfirah that You have granted and forgiven our past. And grant us the lights of Islam, the lights of Imaan and the lights of Ihsaan, the stages of perfection. That is why it is so important to fast in the first ten days of Muharram. It is so important to increase worshipness, to feed, to pray, to wash, to give food, to give clothing, to do so many charitable acts because Allah Azza wa Jal is granting the soul tremendous realities in these ten days of his holy forgiveness.
Alhamdulillah this holy month of Muharram and the realities of Muharram is opening. Muharram comes and they begin to inspire within us that from just the lataaif of the heart and the importance of the six big prophets of Allah Azza wa Jal. All the prophets are important, but with limited time and limited understanding.
2:253 -“Tilkar Rusulu faddalna ba’dahum ‘ala ba’din minhum man kallama Allahu, wa rafa’a ba’dahum darajatin, wa atayna ‘Isa ibna Maryama albayyinati wa ayyadnahu bi Rohil Qudusi…”(surat al Baqara)
“Those are the Messengers; We have graced some of them over some others; of them (there are some) to whom Allah spoke, and some He raised in degrees. And We brought Isa son of Maryam (Jesus son of Mary) the supreme evidences and aided him with the Spirit of Holiness. (The Angel Jibril) ….(Holy quran 2:253)
In the understanding of the (levels of the) Qalb, and in the opening of the Qalb, Nabi Adam alayhi ‘s-salaam’s is importance, Nabi Nuh (as), Nabi Ibrahim (as), Nabi Musa (as), Nabi ‘Isa (as), and Nabi Sayyidina Muhammad al-Mustafa sallallahu alayhi wa sallam are important. These are from the big prophets of Allah Azza wa Jal and have tremendous reality that in the month of Muharram and in the holy days of Ashura.
The importance of Muharram for us is to understand ‘Ashura which they describe as Ash-e-Nurah, means there is going to be granting of a light. And every nation was granted a forgiveness. And with Allah Azza wa Jal’s forgiveness it is two edged, that if Allah Azza wa Jal grants a forgiveness it does not come empty. What Allah Azza wa Jal grants is that Nur and that light, Allah’s Rida and satisfaction.
Historical Significance of ‘Ashura
First Station of Qalb (Heart) –
Sayyidina Adam Was Forgiven in ‘Ashura
For us the first teaching is going to come is that Sayyidina Adam alayhi ‘s-salaam. Sayyidina Adam (as) is going to teach, that. “I was forgiven on Ashura.” Aash-e-Nura is a granting of lights, when Allah Azza wa Jal forgives the sins and dresses and blesses with His Rahma (mercy).
Sayyidina Adam (as) comes to us and teaches that: I fell onto dunya and for forty years, I cried out unto Allah Azza wa Jal to grant me forgiveness. And on Ashura Sayyidina Adam was granted his forgiveness. Means the Baab at-Taubah begins the reality of opening within the heart because the ‘level of the heart’ is a much higher understanding than normal teachings. And awliya inspire within our hearts to understand that Sayyidina Adam alayhi ‘s-salaam is coming and teaching that, “I was forgiven on this day“. And Sayyidina Adam alayhi ‘s-salaam remembered:
Yaa Hamid ba haqqi Muhammad,
yaa `Aliyun ba haqqi `Ali,
yaa Khaliq ba haqqi Fatimatuz Zahra,
yaa Rahman ba haqqi Imam Hassan al Mujtaba,
yaa Raheem ba haqqi Sayid ash Shuhada Imam Hussain alayhi ‘s-salaam,
grant me forgiveness yaa Rabbi.
Allah Azza wa Jal asked, “How did you remember these words yaa Adam?” He said that, “I saw that on the Throne, when You showed me Your Paradises and I forgot and became heedless in this dunya. And after forty years of tauba and crying, then I remembered Sayyidina Jibril (Angel Gabriel) had come to me and said, ‘remember what you are reading, there is a day you are going to need that recitation’. And it came to my heart that, that is my key to maghfirah, to forgiveness.” So Sayyidina Adam comes into our lives and teaching, `now understand all the prophets and their ways and moving into forgiveness.`
Sayyidina Adam alayhis salaam‘s repentance was accepted on ‘Ashura. Means with all our focus of eternity, yaa Rabb that my eternal journey to Your Divinely Presence, grant me my maghfirah (forgiveness), as You granted to Sayyidina Adam alayhi ‘s-salaam because we are under their dress; when you mentioned them, when you remembered their lives, tanzil rahma.
Inda zikris Saliheena Tanzilur Rahma.
“In mentioning the names of the pious people, Allah’s Mercy descends.” Prophet Muhammad (saws)
Allah Azza wa Jal has no time, there is no watch up there, means there must be an eternal Rahma, that is always flowing,. It is that hijab that when this earth and this existence of us moves to a certain Brooj, to a certain constellation, there is a tremendous dress. That dress was so significant that Allah (aj) on Ashura granted forgiveness to Sayyidina Adam (as).
20:122 – “Thumma ijtabahu Rabbuhu fataba alayhi wa’hada.” (Surat Taha)
“Then his Lord chose him (Adam) and turned to him in forgiveness and guided [him].” (Holy Quran 20:122)
It is a reminder for ourselves, when we are washing, praying, and cleansing ourselves to welcome the holy month of Muharram, that we try to struggle and strive with the most amount of action in that month, our fasting, our praying, everything that we are doing. We are weak servants and constantly falling into difficulties and trials and tribulations. Yaa Rabbi grant me as You granted Sayyidina Adam alayhi ‘s-salaam, grant me Your forgiveness, grant me Your lights and Your blessings.
[For more information on the first Station of the Heart, refer to article “First Station Qalb (Heart)”.]
Second Station of Heart – Sirr (Secret) –
Nuh (as)’s Ship Came to a Safety
That was from the ‘Qalb’ (first station of the heart) and then we come into the ‘Sir’ of the heart (second station of the heart), which is under authority of Sayyidina Nuh alayhi ‘s-salaam. Sayyidina Nuh alayhi ‘s-salaam comes and teaches that, “In the flood of ignorance and difficulty, my ship was granted refuge, my ship was granted forgiveness, and Allah Azza wa Jal granted land and water moved on Ashura and my community was saved,”. And begins to teach that we fall into difficulty and how Allah (Azza wa Jal) saved Sayyidina Adam (alayhi ‘s-salaam) and granted him forgiveness, saved Sayyidina Nuh alayhi ‘s-salaam and granted him forgiveness, being saved from flooding and saved from calamity.
Awliya teach many realities of what ‘that ship’ was made from. That the ship had names of all the prophets upon it, and the head of its planks for steering was in the name of Sayyidna Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, name of Sayyidina Ali, Sayyida Fatima, Sayyidina Hassan, Sayyidina Hussain salaatu wa ‘s-salaam; every plank of wood had the names of holy people so that the ship would sail through safety, wa “Safinatun Najat” and opens many different realities.
Sayyidina Nuh alayhi ‘s-salaam teaches that inshaAllah you are going to be tested in your lives and faith has to be granted. When Allah Azza wa Jal grants that faith, it’s from the lights of Ashura that you will be saved. Because everybody has a ‘ship’ that is sailing towards Allah’s Divine Mercy and that is the soul. Every test that comes it builds the soul so that the soul knows the way back to Allah Azza wa Jal and imaan can only be granted by Allah Azza wa Jal and those are the lights of Ashura.
Sayyidina Nuh (as) built a ship of faith. Means that ship is the ‘ship of faith’ in our soul. Means once the ship went sailing, after forty days of rain and on the day of Ashura, Allah Azza wa Jal granted that ship to land to safety.
11:44 – “Wa qeela ya ardu ibla’ee ma aki wa ya Samao aqli’ee wa gheeda almao wa qudiya al-amru wastawat ‘alal joodiyyi, wa qeela bu’dan lilqawmi azhzhalimeen.” (Surat Hud)
” And it was said, “O earth, swallow your water, and O sky, withhold [your rain].” And the water subsided, and the matter was accomplished, and the ship came to rest on the [mountain of] Judiyy. And it was said, “Away with the wrongdoing people.” (Holy Quran, 11:44)
Yaa Rabbi You granted the ocean of forgiveness in this holy month. You granted his ship a safety on ‘Ashura. Ya Rabbi You grant my soul to be safe in this holy month, as You gave to Sayyidina Nuh alayhi ‘s-salaam, grant me.
36:41 – “Wa ayatul lahum anna hamalna dhurriyyatahum fil fulkil mashhooni.”
And a sign for them is that We carried their forefathers in the Laden ship. (Surat YaSeen 36:41)
[For more information on the Second Station of the Heart, refer to article “Second Level of the Heart – Sir – Station of Secret]
Third Station of Heart – Sir ul Sir (Secret of Secret) –
3a) Ibrahim Saved from Fire
Then we come to Sayyidina Ibrahim alayhi ‘s-salaam (third station of the heart). Sayyidina Ibrahim alayhi ‘s-salaam comes and teaches that: as dunya was going to throw me into the fire, qulna yaa naaru koonee bardan wa salaamun `alaa Ibrahim, that Allah Azza wa Jal gave me coolness and peacefulness as I was going to be thrown into the fire of Nimrod, that Ashura came and Allah Azza wa Jal granted that let it go, “Sayyidina Ibrahim alayhi ‘s-salaam is going to be cool and peaceful, means that fire is not going to burn My Nabi.”
21:69 – “Qulna ya Naaru, koni Bardan wa Salaman ‘ala Ibrahim.” (Surat al Anbiya)
“We said, “O fire, be coolness and safety upon Abraham.“ (The Prophets 21:69)
Sayyidina Ibrahim alayhi ‘s-salaam comes and is teaching our soul, that every day you are in the fires of Nimrod and everyday your ghadab (anger) is overtaking you.
Ibrahim (as) teaches us that, no matter how much shayateen are chasing after you, it be cool and peaceful. That your ghadab, your anger has to go and the light of your imaan and your faith begins to shine. Because ghadab is kufr, anger takes you outside of the ocean of faith. Nabi Ibrahim alayhi ‘s-salaam teaching that if we are filled with anger never are we going to reach to the shore of safety. That we don’t want to be naarani (fiery) but we want to be Noorani (have light) that yaa Rabbi grant us from the lights of Ashura grant us from the lights these realities, not to be fiery but to be Noorani, to be filled with light and love of Divinely Presence.
Ibrahim (as) was under tremendous oppression. If that was oppression, imagine the oppression of today? How much difficulty, how much temptation, how many things that are opening into the dunya that we are not seeing but are constantly weighing us into negativity. Constantly weighing us down into not correct choices. These are from the unseen, when they become seen everyone will lose their mind, but from unseen the amount of negativity that is coming yaa Rabbi grant me “qul ya naaru, koni bardan wa salaamun `alaa Ibrahim”. As You granted to Sayyidina Ibrahim alayhi ‘s-salaam, that grant me yaa Rabbi a safety from this fire. Means that every time we made wudu and we are washing, yaa Rabbi take away the fire of ghadab (anger). Take away the fire of anger that makes You to be upset with me, if that anger exists within me.
It means Muharram has a weight and is something that can’t be imagined. We are asking in these ten days, we are asking on behalf of all that You granted to all the Nations of Your Creation that have not yet come to the best of nations, the Nation of Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Yaa Rabbi grant me as You granted Sayyidina Ibrahim alayhi ‘s-salaam, a freedom from this oppression, and from that fire that makes the Shaytan and shayateen and everything in this dunya, make it (that fire) to be cool and peaceful for me. Means it is a big Rahma of Allah Azza wa Jal, that although they are all around you, their fire and anger won’t affect you. You will be cool and peaceful.
Allah Saves us from Unseen Fires/Difficulties
That is now in today’s world but we are not understanding because maybe we don’t have a heart that sees. If the heart that sees, and its sees how much difficulty there is around us, you would go crazy. If we could see the amount of negativity around us, we would definitely go mad. That is one of the great gifts of Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem, not so much from what Allah gave us, but what Allah kept away from us. If we could see at night how many difficult things are all around us, how many horrible energies are constantly everywhere. But with Allah’s Rahma they are away, they are not affecting you like they are affecting other people.
If you don’t believe then go to the mental hospital. It is highly recommended to enter into a facility in which the `aql (mind) is no longer working. Ninety percent of what they describe is true and real. And a hijab, veil, has been lifted from them and they say things that the ‘people of basirah’ (spiritual vision) they know; they know what they are saying: “I see this crawling”, “I see this flying”, “I see these things all over the wall”, “I see this, I see this…” you are correct what you see, but this dunya is not going to tolerate so they say, “Hmm ajeeb!” No, they are correct in what they see. They see things they are not supposed to see through drugs and alcohol, through abuse, these veils have been lifted and they can’t defend themselves. Because once you see something you can’t defend yourself from it, unless you have a spiritual energy. Means if you see shayateen or you see something that is not pleasing to you, and it sees that you see it, it now begins to come after you. And your mind has no capacity to defend yourself.
That is why they don’t open these veils unless the person’s spirituality is powerful enough to repel. Their energy is so powerful that those shayateen dare not approach that energy otherwise they will be burned. But there are difficulties everywhere, that is Allah’s Rahma. That is ‘Qul yaa naroo konee bardan wa salaamun `alaa Ibrahim’.
21:69 – “Qulna ya Naaru, koni Bardan wa Salaman ‘ala Ibrahim.” (Surat al Anbiya)
“We said, “O fire, be coolness and safety upon Abraham.” (The Prophets 21:69)
Yaa Rabbi whatever is opening on this dunya that You have created of good and bad, protect me from its bad, protect me from its anger and its difficulty.
Third Station – Sir o Sir 3b – Sayyidina Musa (as) –
Sea Parted and Musa’s Nation Reached to Shore of Safety
Then Sayyidina Musa alayhi ‘s-salaam, because Sayyidina Ibrahim and Sayyidina Musa operate from same lataaif ‘Sirr O Sirr’ (third station of the heart). Nabi Musa alayhi ‘s-salaam comes and teaches that: my ummah, my community were saved from fir’aun (Pharaoh) on Ashura. That as these shayateen are running after us, we are running and Allah Azza wa Jal granted a path through that water on the holy day of Ashura. Ashura came and Allah granted a way towards that reality. Always asking yaa Rabi grant us a way through difficulties, grant us a way through every bad characteristics that keep chasing us and coming after us. As you granted all these ummahs, grant from Ummat an-Nabi a way a nijat, a salvation, a path towards your Divinely Presence.
Sayyidina Musa (as) teaches that, “Yes, if Allah Azza wa Jal frees you from fir’aun (Pharaoh), Allah Azza wa Jal saved my nation on Ashura. Means Allah Azza wa Jal parted the sea and granted me access to His Heavenly Kingdom.”
26:63 & 26:65 – “Fa awhayna ila Musa anidrib bi’asaka albahra, fanfalaqa fakana kullu firqin kattawdil ‘aZheem. (63)
Wa anjayna Musa wa man ma’ahu ajma’een . (65) (Surat ash Shu’ara)
” Then We inspired to Moses, “Strike with your staff the sea,” and it parted, and each portion was like a great towering mountain. (63)
“And We saved Moses and those with him, all together. (65) (Holy Quran 26:63 & 65)
Means that when we operate from the realm of Mulk, dunya, and if Allah Azza wa Jal parts the ocean for us, means He is going to take your arwah, soul onto its heavenly station because now is coming the ‘ascension’ and the mir`aj towards realities.
Yaa Rabbi as you saved Sayyidina Ibrahim alayhi ‘s-salaam and as you saved Nabi Musa alayhi ‘s-salaam and parted the sea; means take me from this dunya existence. And with Reeh as-sabah or Roh Sebah, Mawlana gives the name of the angel that Allah Azza wa Jal sends for you, to lift your soul, like the island of realities (Shaykh picks an object to demonstrate the migration from one point to another), means the realm of barzakh and the realm of dunya and if Allah Azza wa Jal opens and parts the seas, means the angel comes and lifts your soul on its reality. And from your reality station you are operating in this dunya. If not, you are always in the realm of dunya and under the effect of dunya. Means if these energies begin to come, they begin to collapse that person.
Awliyaullah come and teach that with all our struggle, we are on one side (of the shore), until the day that Allah Azza wa Jal grants Reeh as-Sabba or Roh sibah, it is a very special angel. That when Allah Azza wa Jal is satisfied with your struggle and sees the intent with which you are struggling, struggling, struggling, these angels come and lift you from one shore to the next shore. And that shore is the shore of Paradise where Allah Azza wa Jal begins to dress the soul from its Paradise Reality. That only through the blessings of Ashura and the lights of Ashura, that soul can be granted that reality. We pray yaa Rabbi grant us from that eternity, which each prophet had a physical but a much more important eternal piece of the puzzle.
17:80 “Wa qul rabbi adkhilnee mudkhala sidqin waakhrijnee mukhraja sidqin wajal lee minla dunka sultanan naseera.”
Sultanan Naseera – Victorious King
On this Muharram yaa Rabbi part Your ocean, part that which is separating me from Your safety shores, and grant me safety, sultanan naseerah, grant me a presence into Your authorized Sultan. When Allah Azza wa Jal begins to lift the soul from its dunya reality and bring it towards its Malakoot reality, it’s now coming into the presence of the Sultan. If the soul is moving and entering into the presence of the Sultan, it will be granted an authority from the presence of Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
48:1 – “Inna Fatahna laka Fathan Mubeena.” (Surat al Fath)
“Verily We have granted thee a manifest Victory.” (Quran, victory 48:1)
Sultanan naseerah, Surah al-`Israa, that Baab as-Siddiq, yaa Rabbi let me to leave from Baab as-Siddiq and come back from Baab as-Siddiq and in the presence of the Sultan an-naseerah.
79:80 – “wa qul Rabbi adkhelni mudkhala Sidqin wa akhrejni mukhraja Sidqin waj’al li min ladunka Sultanan NaSeera.” (Surat al Isra)
Say: “O my Lord! Let my entry be by the Gate of Truth and Honour, and likewise my exit by the Gate of Truth and Honour; and grant me from Thy Presence an authority [a King] to aid (me).” (Quran, The Night Journey 79:80)
Means that authorized Sultan, that if Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam authorizes that individual, stamps that individual, their soul is an authorized soul. Means this is then the power of Muharram. Nabi Musa alayhi ‘s-salaam reminds us that you make a du`a that Allah Azza wa Jal parts those seas and bring your soul onto its safety shores and to be reaching these divinely lights.
[For more information on the Third level of the Heart, refer to article “Third level of the Heart – Sir ul Sir Station Qalb (Heart)“.]
Fourth Station- Khafa (Hidden) – ‘Isa (as) Was Raised to Heaven on ‘Ashura
Sayyidina `Isa alayhi ‘s-salaam comes and teaches that, “I was raised on the day of Ashura. That every shayateen (devil) came to attack me and Allah Azza wa Jal raised me into Divinely Ascension”.
Means now we are going from this dunya reality all the way up, being purified and clean. And Nabi `Isa alayhi ‘s-salaam, Jesus Christ peace and blessings be upon him, teaching, then you must raised. If your soul has reached the other shore then Allah Azza wa Jal is going to raise you towards these Divine realities. And I was raised on the day of Ashura, the people who wished to harm me they could not harm me and I was raised to Divinely Presence, the presence of Allah’s Divinely Oceans.
Then, Sayyidina ‘Isa alayhi‘s-salaam teaches that, “If Allah Azza wa Jal granted you what Nabi Musa alayhi ‘s-salaam told you, then Allah Azza wa Jal is going to grant what He granted to me.”(ascension)
4:157-158 – “Wa qawlihim inna qatalna alMaseeha ‘Isa ibna Maryama Rasoola Allahi wa ma qatalohu wa ma salabohu wa lakin shubbiha lahum, wa innal ladheena ikhtalafo feehi lafee shakkin minhu, ma lahum bihi min ‘ilmin illa ittiba’a aZhzhanni, wa ma qatalohu yaqeena.” (157) Bal rafa’ahu Allahu ilayhi, wa kana Allahu ‘Azeezan Hakeema.” (158) (Surat an Nisa)
“And [for] their saying, “Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah .” And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain. (157)”Rather, Allah raised him to Himself. And ever is Allah Exalted in Might and Wise.(158) (Holy Quran, 4:157-158)
Means as the world came to crucify Sayyidina ‘Isa alayhi ‘s-salaam, Allah Azza wa Jal raised him to his sultanan naseerah, to His Divinely Presence. That this dunya coming to crucify you because they can’t take your haqq (truth), they can’t take your truthfulness, they can’t take your light. Then come into My Divinely Presence and nothing is going to crucify you.
Means there is an eternal message in the prophets. If Allah Azza wa Jal is granting you His safety shores, they are clarifying where is He granting? He is granting you into His Divinely Presence. Means Sayyidina ‘Isa teaches then at that time your soul will be taught on how to elevate itself into Allah Azza wa Jal’s Divinely Presence, the Heavenly Kingdom, because laa shareek. It’s a Heavenly Kingdom in which Allah Azza wa Jal grants the dress and the lights upon the soul. And then come to the Sultan of Creation. Means what You granted to Sayyidina ‘Isa, grant me that ascension. What You granted now for Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. What did You grant Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam?
Fifth Station – Akhfa (Most Hidden) –
Prophet Muhammad (saws) Entered City of Lights on ‘Ashura
[For more information on the Fifth level of the Heart, refer to article “Station of Sir Akhkfa – Towards Understanding “ABD”Allah. “
One small understanding which is greatest understanding is that You granted Madina tul Munawwarah. That Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam entered into the City of Lights on Ashura.
These are all confirmations of the same journey, that is what they want us to understand inna deena indalahil-Islam
3:19 “Innad deena ‘indAllahil Islam” (Surat Ali ‘Imran)
The religion with God is Islam… (Holy Quran, 3:18-19)
It is that every prophet came to bring a piece of the puzzle. Not one of them was complete by themselves but showing, no, no, we have an eternal piece of the puzzle, that all humanity is in need of, and only Islam brings. Because each of other nations only has the other puzzle. Only Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam brought the khatm, he brought all the pieces of all the nations because he taught us to love all the prophets. You can’t get the Prophet, you can’t get the puzzle if you don’t have love for Sayyidina ‘Isa alayhi ‘s-salaam. And Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam brought that love for us, that you must love Sayyidina `Isa alayhi ‘s-salaam. And he must give you a piece of that ascension; he must come into your life and teach you how to raise your soul into Allah’s Divinely Presence.
If you raised your soul into Allah’s Divinely Presence, Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is teaching now, “Come into my City of Lights, Madina tul Munawwarah, that I dress you from these lights, bless you from these lights and begin to teach you the life-long process of annihilation.”
The Prophet (SAWS) said, “There is a garden from the gardens of Paradise between my house and my pulpit is on my Fountain (Al-Kawthar).” Narrated Abu Huraira (RA)
[And Quran confirms the above Hadith in Surat al Kawthar]
108:1 – Inna ‘atayna kal kawthar
To thee (O Muhammad) we have granted the Fount (of Abundance). (108:1)
Nabi Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam comes and teaches us: all of these realities, that the first thing in that Paradise that was granted to Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is the Hijri calendar. The Hijra of Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is the importance of moving from dunya. Allah Azza wa Jal granted Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam the City of Lights, Madina tul Munawwarah. It is symbolic for us, the City of Light. That Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam granting that: I am the City of Light, everything else is dunya. If you are coming towards that reality, then I am the owner of that key.
“ana madinatul-ilmin wa `Aliyyun baabuha.“
“I am city of knowledge and `Ali is the door.” Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
The Hijrah of Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the movement, and pilgrimage of Prophet’s movement from Mecca to Madinah. Madinah is the City of Lights, that that Ashura it was granted for Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam to leave them. Leave the torment that they are putting you through and I am now granting you the City of Lights.
The Heavenly Meaning of City of Light:
It is not the City of only this dunya but Madinah tul Munawwarah, the City of Allah Azza wa Jal is the City of Light, it is the presence of Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. And teaching us that after all that elevation and all that rising into the oceans of Heavenly Presence, then what city Allah Azza wa Jal is going to grant us? It is the City of Madinah tul Munawwarah, the City of Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Yaa Rabbi raise us to your Maqam al-Mahmud. Maqam al-Mahmud was Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his name is Sayyidina Mahmud alayhi ‘s-salaam in Paradises. That that City to open, that reality and that ocean to open. So it’s not something small, it is just the month that is beginning.
Summary of Lessons for Our Soul
That soul has to be purified and clean, like Sayyidina Adam alayhi ‘s-salaam is teaching. It is all the same path that you have to be granted forgiveness. Nabi Nuh is teaching that your soul has to be fixed, your faith has to be complete and your ship has to be sailing. It has to have Allah’s ‘Qulna yaa naaru bardan wa salaamu `alaa Ibrahim`. That no matter how much shayateen are chasing after you, it be cool and peaceful. That your ghadab, your anger has to go and the light of your imaan and your faith begins to shine. Nabi Ibrahim alayhi ‘s-salaam teaches that if we are filled with anger never are we going to reach to the shore of safety. So bring all of these characteristics down. And Nabi Musa is then teaching that: to be free from these difficulties. Yaa Rabbi grant me a path, grant me the angels to take my soul to the next shore, the shore of Your realities, the shore of Your Rida, Your satisfaction.
We are asking from all these realities yaa Rabbi grant us a repentance, take away this ghadab and anger, raise our souls in its darajaat to Your Heavenly Lights, and then grant us entry into the city of Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, that we be in the most blessed lights, the most blessed presence, the most praiseworthy station of all Creation.
Then Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is describing the characteristics of the people of his city.
“ana madinatul-ilmin wa `Aliyyun baabuha.“
“I am city of knowledge and `Ali is the door.” Prophet Muhammad
That Prophet was granted the City, and then we want to move into the reality of that City and then Ahlul Bayt an-Nabi, Ashaab an-Nabi, even the companions of Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam, they all gave that same example, then you must sacrifice, fasalli li-rabbika wanhar.
108:2 – Fasali li rabbika wanhar
So pray to your Lord and Sacrifice. (108:2)
Ahlul Bayt and Ashab Nabi (saws) Teach Sacrifice:
Now the Ahlul Bayt and Ashaab an-Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, each one of them were martyred. Because then the understanding of the ascension into the City of Lights. What then the family of Sayyidina Muhammad came and taught us? ‘Ashura and Karbala, and all the Companions they had their own Karbala, they all died, they all struggled and they all suffered.
Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam teaching that is the reality of this City of Lights. They are going to teach how to annihilate yourself, how to struggle with yourself, and how to crush yourself, so that you can always remain in the City of Lights.
Sacrifice Your Bad Characteristics to Be in City of Light
Imam Hussain alayhi ‘s-salaam comes and teaches us that, “If we want to be in the City of Lights, we want to be in the company of all the prophets, all the Siddiqs, all the Shuhada, all the Saliheen, all of them they are with Allah Azza wa Jal. If we want to be with them fasalli li-rabbika wanhar because these are Ashaab al-Kawthar; the presence of Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the presence of lights, the presence of this City, these are the companions of the Kawthar.
108:1 – Inna ‘atayna kal kawthar
108:2 – Fasali li rabbika wanhar
108:3 -Inna shani-aka huwal abtar. (Surat al Kawthar)To thee (O Muhammad) we have granted the Fount (of Abundance). (108:1)
So pray to your Lord and Sacrifice. (108:2)
Indeed, your enemy is the one cut off. (108:3 – The Abundance)
That I will obliterate everything that comes your way, means I take away all those shaytanic desires, all these Shaytans that are coming after you to bring you back to your dunya understanding. And I raise you into your heavenly reality, your soul’s reality, into the most blessed and most divinely presence that you can imagine. But live a life based on sacrifice. There was an eternal message in what Imam Hussain (alayhi ‘s-salaam) was given. There was an event but there is an eternal reality upon it.
Ashura opens for us from the Ahlul Bayt, teaching us that you must sacrifice for the perfection of your faith. It’s not about ‘what I want’, it’s is not about ‘what I need’ but everything in my life yaa Rabbi I didn’t need it. Teach me how I don’t need it, teach me that what I need is not important and what you need is everything. And all the prophets made the same du`a, that Your Kingdom is coming and Your Will must be done on Earth, means in my heart, “Your Will” must be in my heart not “my will” in my heart. All the prophets come saying this is the same du`a, this is the same Paradise, this is the same reality. But if you want to sit at that table and eat with them, to be in the noble company of the noble prophets and noble saints and noble souls, then they lay for us a path based on these understandings, that you must enter the Baab at-Taubah.
This is the month in which we are asking, “Yaa Rabbi grant us forgiveness, grant us to be halal for You, grant for all our bad characters to be taken, yaa Rabbi. Let us move these twelve months all the way to the month of Dhul Hajj but through the Gate of Taubah and gates of forgiveness,”. And then Allah Azza wa Jal asks if you are carrying into My Divinely Presence then leave all your bad characteristics, sacrifice all your bad characteristics, sacrifice your smoking, your drinking, your anger, all the things that are blocking you from Divine realities.
If we can sacrifice those and live a life based on sacrifice, then every day we ask ourselves, “Do I need this or Allah Azza wa Jal needs this?” Everything that we are wanting in our lives as soon as that want comes in, then they say live a life based on your hisaab, muhasaba, everyday taking an account yaa Rabbi who needs this? I need this? You need this? We need this? And we begin to live where we try to keep that hisaab that I don’t need it yaa Rabbi.
Alhamdulillah there is no huge suffering with your physicality that Allah is calling you: come now with your physicality sacrifice yourself. All that Allah Azza wa Jal is asking from us is to sacrifice bad characteristics, sacrifice all these things that block us from that light. And live a life of purity, a life of realities and understand how all the prophets understood their forgiveness on this day and in this month.
This month is opening and these ten days they (prophets) understood these are the days of forgiveness and all their nations were forgiven and the Nation of Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was granted the City of Lights. The keeper of that City his hand is Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Allah Azza wa Jal has granted us the greatest gift of life, the greatest gift in existence is to be from Ummat an-Nabi who is the owner of that City. And then to have love of Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and following the example of the Companions and the family of Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, that sacrifice. All of them were martyred, all the Companions were martyred, all of them went through difficulty with physical sacrifices. And all awliya teach us is to not just sacrifice your desires, but sacrifice your wants and bad character.
We pray that Allah Azza wa Jal gant us to see Muharram, grant us the `amal that is pleasing to His Divinely Presence in the ten days of Muharram. And as much as people can fast during the ten days of Muharram. And then definitely the ninth to fast for the opening of Ashura and the lights of Ashura, and what Imam Hussain alayhi ‘s-salaam and what all the nations, what we described was the ‘Ashura of all the prophets.
That all the Prophets were given forgiveness and were granted lights and elevations. And shows the maqaam, the station of Sayyidina Muhammad, that what type of forgiveness was granted to the Nation of Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, but at the cost of the sufferings of the holy Companions, and the holy family. That their forgiveness was a tremendous cost.
We pray that Allah Azza wa Jal dress us from those lights, bless us from those lights. Give us himma to fast to receive these lights and give us ‘ amal to be good and Allah dress us and bless us from those lights. And to fast Ashura, and we have our majlis inshaAllah on the tenth of ‘Ashura.
Subhaana rabbika rabbil izzati `amma yasifoon wa salaamun `alal mursaleen wal hamdulillahi rabbil `aalameen. Bi hurmati Muhammad al-Mustafa wa bi sirri surat al-Fatiha.
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