The Protocol on Dealing with a True Spiritual Master | Surah Kahf

From the Realities of Mawlana (Q) as taught by Shaykh Nurjan Mirahmadi

  A’uzu Billahi Minash Shaitanir Rajeem
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the rejected one
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

“Atiullah wa atiur Rasul wa Ulil amre minkum”

أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنكُم… ﴿٥٩﴾‏…

4:59 – “…Atiullaha wa atiur Rasula wa Ulil amre minkum…” (Surat An-Nisa)

“…Obey Allah, obey the Messenger, and those in authority among you…” (The Women, 4:59)

Always a reminder for myself ana abdukal ‘ajeez, wa dayeef, wa miskin, wa zhalim, wa jahl, and but for the grace of Allah (AJ) that we are still in existence. Alhamdulillah, in this holy month of Safar, “Subhana man huwa ‘Alimul Hakim”.

سُبْحَانَ الْعَلِيْمُ الْحَكِيمْ

“Subhanal ’Alimul Hakim”

“Glory be to the All-Knowing, the Wise”

The Path of Awliyaullah and the Significance of the Heart

That in this way of Shamsul ‘Arifeen (Sun of Knowers) and this path of awliyaullah (saints) that the second lunar month in this reality of 9 and the power of 9 takes us to 18, Surat Al-Kahf and in this way of the heart into the Divinely presence, the mountain of all realities – the heart of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. That the mountain is the stability, the mountain is the source in which to seek refuge from the difficulties of the world.

Hence, Allah (AJ) gives to us isharat (sign). The cave, that enter into the cave and be from Ashab ul Kahf (companions of the cave). Look to their example. Alhamdulillah, today brings us to ayatul kareem (the generous verse of Holy Qur’an), the 60th verse in which the relationship of this journeying of the cave, Allah (AJ) wants us to remember the journey of Sayyidina Musa (as).

Knowledge and Guidance is an Endless Journey

[Allah (AJ)] Gives from the highest example so that nobody can say, ‘No, it’s not me. I’m an ‘aalim (scholar). I don’t need these things.’ Sayyidina Musa (as), one whom hears Allah (AJ); it means such a level of yaqeen (certainty) in which Allah (AJ) allows of this great prophet (as) of Allah (AJ) to hear, to hear a voice continuously in a dialogue and still, he was in need of a guidance, a need of a reality.

Above every knower, Allah (AJ) has another level of knowledge, another group of people in their understanding that Allah’s (AJ) knowledge has no end. Allah’s (AJ) oceans have no beginning and no end.

﴾نَرْ‌فَعُ دَرَ‌جَاتٍ مَّن نَّشَاءُ ۗ وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٧٦

12:76 – “…Narfa’u darajatin man nashao, Wa fawqa kulli dhee ‘ilmin ‘aleem.” (Surat Yusuf)

“… We raise in degrees whom We will, and Above every knower there is a greater knower.” (Joseph, 12:76)

Sayyidina Musa (as) Witnessed the Glory of Allah (AJ)

In this way of reality, Sayyidina Musa (as) set out after he had his vision that, ‘Ya Rabbi, I want to see You’. Allah (AJ), ‘You can’t see Me but let Me show you from My great signs, from My glory,’ and he witnessed what he witnessed and ‘ulama (scholars) described he witnessed the light of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ.

﴾وَلَمَّا جَاءَ مُوسَىٰ لِمِيقَاتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهُ رَبُّهُ قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِي أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ ۚ قَالَ لَن تَرَانِي وَلَـٰكِنِ انظُرْ إِلَى الْجَبَلِ فَإِنِ اسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُ فَسَوْفَ تَرَانِي ۚ فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّىٰ رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ مُوسَىٰ صَعِقًا ۚ فَلَمَّا أَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿١٤٣

7:143 – “Wa lamma jaa Musa limeeqatina wa kallamahu Rabbuhu, qala rabbi arinee anzhur ilayka, Qala lan taranee wa lakini onzhur ilal jabali fa inistaqarra makanahu, fasawfa taranee, falamma tajalla Rabbuhu lil jabali ja`alahu, dakkan wa kharra Musa sa`iqan, falamma afaqa qala subhanaka tubtu ilayka wa ana awwalul Mumineen.” (Surat Al-A’raf)

“And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said, “My Lord, show me [Yourself] that I may look at You.” [Allah] said, “you will not see Me, but look at the mountain; if it should remain in its place, then you will see Me.” But when his Lord manifested His glory on the mountain, He made it as dust, and Moses fell unconscious. And when he awoke/recovered his senses, he said, “Glory be to You! to You I turn in repentance, and I am the first of the believers.” (The Heights. 7:143)

Then in the na’at (prophetic praising) we recite, ‘Oh, ask Nabi Musa (as) what he saw.’ As a result of seeing that reality, he took Yashua (as) and set out on his journey. ‘I won’t stop until I reach where the two rivers meet.’

﴾وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِفَتَاهُ لَا أَبْرَ‌حُ حَتَّىٰ أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَ‌يْنِ أَوْ أَمْضِيَ حُقُبًا ﴿٦٠

18:60 – “Wa idh qala Mosa lefatahu laa abrahu hatta ablugha majma’a albahrayni aw amdiya huquba.”  (Surat Al-Kahf)

“Behold, Moses said to his attendant, I will not give up until I reach the junction of the two seas or (until) I spend years and years in travel.” (The Cave, 18:60)

Holy Qur’an: a Portal of Divine Light

Alhamdulillah, Allah (AJ) gives Holy Qur’an as an immense guidance that everything within it is a portal, is a dimension of light from malakut (heavenly realm), from the heavens in which every letter has an angel. Every angel has an energy sending out and every effect of Holy Qur’an is a dress upon insan (mankind). That the two rivers meet is the reality of “La ilaha illAllah Muhammadun Rasulallah ﷺ”.

لَا إِلَهَ إلاَّ اللهُ مُحَمَّدٌا رَسُولْ الله ﷺ

“La ilaha illallahu Muhammadun Rasulallah ﷺ”

“There is no deity but Allah, Prophet Muhammad is the messenger of Allah”

Seeking the Higher Reality By Entering Into the Cave

Because of what he witnessed, he wanted the higher reality. We said last night that in his journeying because this is now the opening of the understanding of tafakkur (contemplation) because Allah (AJ) gave to us and all who are following at the beginning of Surat Al-Kahf that, ‘Enter into the cave and then I’ll seal their hearing and that to dress you from a rahmah (mercy) and settle your affairs.’

﴾فَضَرَبْنَا عَلَىٰ آذَانِهِمْ فِي الْكَهْفِ سِنِينَ عَدَدًا ﴿١١

18:11 – “Fadarabnaa ‘alaa aazanihim fil Kahfi seneena ‘adadaa” (Surat Al-Kahf)

“Then We draw (a veil) over their ears, for a number of years, in the Cave, (so that they heard not)” (The Cave, 18:11)

﴾وَإِذِ اعْتَزَلْتُمُوهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا اللَّـهَ فَأْوُوا إِلَى الْكَهْفِ يَنشُرْ‌ لَكُمْ رَ‌بُّكُم مِّن رَّ‌حْمَتِهِ وَيُهَيِّئْ لَكُم مِّنْ أَمْرِ‌كُم مِّرْ‌فَقًا ﴿١٦

18:16 – “Wa idhi’ tazaltumo hum wa ma ya’budoona illAllaha fawoo ilal kahfi yanshur lakum rabbukum mir rahmatihi wa yuhayyi lakum min amrikum mirfaqa.” (Surat Al-Kahf)

“When ye turn away from them and the things they worship other than Allah, betake yourselves to the Cave: Your Lord will shower His mercies on you and disposes of your affair towards comfort and ease.” (The Cave, 18:16)

Seeing is From Shaitan, Hearing is From Rahman

All of the beginning of Ashab ul Kahf (companions of the cave) was about the state of entering into a cave. That Allah (AJ) trained the servants of this reality. Their path is “sam’ina wa ata’na”. That, ‘I hear and I obey.’

﴾سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَاِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيْرُ ﴿٢٨٥

2:285 – “Sam’ina wa ata’na, ghufranaka Rabbana wa ilaykal masir.” (Surat Al-Baqarah)

“…We hear, and we obey: (We seek) Thy forgiveness, our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys.” (The Cow, 2:285)

That if they can discipline their hearing, the entire being can be brought into submission; not discipline you’re seeing. People want to see and they do every bad thing and listen to no one. Seeing is from shaitan (satan). Anybody can see because they close their eyes and the devil will come up to them and start showing them but hearing has to do with Rahman (The Most Compassionate). It has to do with taslim (submission), to hear and to discipline.

Our Greatest Submission is the Submission of Our Will

Submit your will back to the Will of Allah (AJ). That He gave this free will and people feel that they can be a wild animal upon this Earth because they have free will. The greatest submission – once you’ve submitted your time, your money, your effort – the greatest submission is the submission of your will. That, ‘I turn my will back to you, ya Rabbi, and I want to learn how to submit.’ Then everything I do in this school of tarbiyah (discipline) and tazkiyah (purification) is that I’m going to submit. My will is not important. My comments are not important. My desire is not important. Nothing. My opinion is not important. Just submit.

Our Greatest Battle is the Submission of Our Ears

With every waswas (whispering) that shaitan (satan) is going to put upon, this is the greatest battle for humanity are their ears. Look what shaitan is doing. Look at what he plays upon people. Look what he puts upon people. Look at all the sights and sounds that are attacking insan (mankind). You know where the true battle is.

As a result, Allah (AJ) guided whom he guides, “Waliyun Murshidun”. Those whom Allah (AJ) guides, they have a wali (saint) and a murshid (authorized spiritual guide) and those whom Allah (AJ) does not guide, they will never have a wali nor murshid.

﴾مَن يَهْدِ اللَّـهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِ ۖ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ وَلِيًّا مُّرْشِدًا…﴿١٧

18:17 – ” …man yahdillahu fahuwal Muhtadi, wa man yudlil falan tajida lahu waliyyan murshida. (Surat al Kahf)

“… He whom Allah, guides is rightly guided; but he whom Allah leaves to stray,- for him you will never find Saintly Guide to the Right Way.” (The Cave, 18:17)

They think they’re clever and say, ‘There are no walis in Qur’an’. Not for you because Allah (AJ) said, ‘You’re not going to get one.’ But those whom Allah (AJ) guided, they must have. They must have that guidance and as a result, they’re being guided on how to submit their ears. When they come to the discipline of submission of the ears, this is now the opening of muraqabah (spiritual connection).

Sayyidina Musa (as) Sought the Muhammadan Reality

What Sayyidina Musa (as) wanted of that reality was a Muhammadan reality. Allah (AJ) directed to Sayyidina Musa (as), ‘I’m going to send you one of those servants, not the servant. I’m going to send you to one of my servants that attained a rahmah (mercy) and then We taught him knowledges.’

﴾فَوَجَدَا عَبْدًا مِّنْ عِبَادِنَا آتَيْنَاهُ رَ‌حْمَةً مِّنْ عِندِنَا وَعَلَّمْنَاهُ مِن لَّدُنَّا عِلْمًا ﴿٦٥

18:65 – “Fawajada ‘abdan min ‘ibadinaa ataynahu rahmatan min ‘indina wa ‘allamnahu mil ladunna ‘ilma.” (Surat Al-Kahf)

“So they found one of Our servant from among Our servants, on whom We had bestowed Mercy from Ourselves and whom We had taught [unseen/heavenly] knowledge from Our own Presence…” (The Cave, 18:65)

It means that he attained a proximity to “Rahmatal lil’alameen”. He attained a proximity to the Muhammad haqqaiq (realities) and as a result of that proximity, the knowledge that begins to flow within the heart because of the nearness to the presence of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ.

﴾وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَ‌حْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ ﴿١٠٧

21:107 – “Wa maa arsalnaka illa Rahmatal lil’alameen.” (Surat Al-Anbiya)

“And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad (pbuh)], except as a mercy to the worlds/creation.” (The Prophets, 21:107)

Allah (AJ) Builds His Heavenly Kingdom Upon Our Humility, Not Our Pride

[Of] Which today they do the opposite. Today they go to study and then they think they’ll gain a nearness to Prophet ﷺ. While Allah (AJ) gave the formula different for these rijal (people of maturity) that, ‘They attained a rahmah (mercy) then we taught them knowledges.’ (Holy Qur’an, 18:65)

So, they attained the school of tarbiyah (purification) and tazkiyah in which they were taught how to be merciful, how to be kind, how to be humble. This is the foundation of all structures. That when the servant is taught to be nothing, to be humble, to be down and crushed, this is a foundation in which Allah (AJ) will build His heavenly kingdom upon that person; not upon the foundation of pride and arrogance. Otherwise, it will be hijacked immediately by shaitan and the person will find themself to be Fir’aun (pharaoh) where they think they are the lord most high.

﴾فَقَالَ أَنَا رَبُّكُمُ الْأَعْلَى ﴿٢٤

79:24  – “Faqala ana rabbukumu al ‘Aala.” (Surat An-Nazi’at)

“And Fir’aun (Pharoah) said, I am your Lord All-Highest!” (Those Who Drag Forth, 79:24)

Sayyidina Musa (as) Was Seeking a Spiritual Sign

Based on that reality, Sayyidina Musa (as) wanted that secret. ‘I want where this La ilaha illAllah Muhammadun Rasulallah ﷺ.’ As he’s walking on the path with Yashua (as), they had brought a lunch for themselves, a dried fish. Then they passed and said, ‘Let’s eat now.’ He says, ‘This is ‘ajeeb (strange). I forgot to tell you. Shaitan made me to forget. When we were at that rock and I was putting the fish, this dead fish, dried fish – it came to life. It was ‘ajeeb and this hoot, hoot jumped into the water.’ 

He got upset, said, ‘That’s what the sign I was looking for’ meaning it was not something physical. There was not a bearded man standing there which they ignored. They had travelled a long distance. He was exhausted. 

﴾فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَا قَالَ لِفَتَاهُ آتِنَا غَدَاءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِن سَفَرِنَا هَـٰذَا نَصَبًا ﴿٦٢﴾ قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ وَمَا أَنسَانِيهُ إِلَّا الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ ۚ وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا ﴿٦٣

18:62-63 – “Falammaa jaawazaa qaala lifataahu aatinaa ghadaaa’anaa laqad laqeena min safarinaa haazaa nasabaa. (62)  Qaala ara’ayta iz awainaaa ilas sakhrati fa innee naseetul hoota wa maaa ansaaneehu illash Shaitaanu an azkurah; wattakhaza sabeelahoo fil bahri’ajabaa (63)” (Surat Al-Kahf) 

“So when they had passed beyond it, [Moses] said to his boy, “Bring us our morning meal. We have certainly suffered in this, our journey, [much] fatigue. (62) He said, “Did you see when we retired to the rock? Indeed, I forgot [there] the fish. And none made me forget it except Satan – that I should mention it. And it took its course into the sea amazingly (63)”. (The Cave, 18:62-63) 

99% of Humanity Pass the Signs of Allah (AJ)

It means he’s asking now something of a spiritual realm. One whom is hearing Allah (AJ), Allah (AJ) is then describing how difficult it was. Allah (AJ) didn’t give him cheat notes [Shaykh whispers], ‘Ya Musa (as), he’s right there’. That he was seeking and what he was seeking, he knew is unseen and he knew that he had to have looked for signs of that reality but if you’re busy seeking, you’re going to pass it if you’re going too fast. If this one whom hears Allah (AJ) passed it, well 99% of humanity definitely will pass it because this is a great prophet (as) of Allah (AJ) who has a gift of hearing the Divinely Presence.

The Enticement of the Fake Lights of Shaitan

So, it’s not going to be something visual. It’s not going to be something obvious. You’re not going to see out of the zawiyahs (spiritual schools of Sufism) of the shaykhs all sorts of sparkling and simmering realities enticing you like Las Vegas to come in because that’s what shaitan does. [He] Puts dazzling stars and lights to make you remember paradise and that’s why people are attracted to these lights and all these shining and glimmering because the heavens is luminous. But their system is dajjal (man of deceit) and fake. But it requires a sincere heart in which Nabi Musa (as) realized, ‘No, I was waiting for a sign. We passed it and the fish came to life. That was the sign I was looking for.’ (Holy Qur’an, 18:62-63)

Awliyaullah are the Evergreen Servants of Allah (AJ)

Knowing that these servants, they are from Bahrul Hayat (The Ocean of Ever-Living). They are the evergreen servants of Allah (AJ). They represent the reality of that greenness that Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ so dearly loved. They represent the resurrection and bringing everything back to life.

He understood that reality of Sayyidina Khidr (as), Sayyidina Abbas Khidr (as). That, ‘Let us go back. This time, we’re going to do it a lot slower.’ So, retracing his steps and connecting the heart at which time, with that sincerity, he was able then to witness the presence of Sayyidina Abbas Khidr (as). This now gives to us the realities of muraqabah.

That this life of ours is a journey and everybody wants this journey to open up physically. When they’re grocery shopping and they’re driving, when they come and physically sit in the presence of people, they think things will open for them. They’re expecting things to open for them, none of which have anything to do with that reality.

Prophet ﷺ is a Divine Sun That Illuminates everything

That the one whom hears Allah (AJ) has to go out on a mission and the one whom he wants to meet to become rushd (mature); it means above his uloom (knowledge). He asked Allah (AJ), ‘I want to be rushd means I want to be cooked in the presence of Your Divinely sun, the one who represents Your eternal light.’ That’s why Prophet ﷺ, if everyone else is a moon, Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ is the sun. Everyone else is just a reflection of the light.

Prophet ﷺ is the one pushing the light of Allah (AJ) out towards creation. That’s when you become rushd is that you have to be in the presence of the sun. You can be as luminous as you want as a moon but until you meet your sun, until you meet that reality, sit within the presence of that reality and truly become a reflection because “La ilaha illAllah” because this is all based on the usool (principles) and tawheed (oneness). “La ilaha illAllah” only shines on “Muhammadun Rasulallah ﷺ”.

لَا إِلَهَ إلاَّ اللهُ مُحَمَّدٌا رَسُولْ الله ﷺ

“La ilaha illallahu Muhammadun Rasulallah ﷺ”

“There is no deity but Allah, Prophet Muhammad is the messenger of Allah”

Nothing Stands Between Allah (AJ) and Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ

There’s nothing – bayna – there’s nothing between La ilaha illAllah hey to meem. It connects. Allah (AJ) didn’t put an angel in between, didn’t put another prophet (as) in between, He didn’t put me and you in between. But there’s nothing between La ilaha illAllah Muhammadun Rasulallah – it’s one, one sentence. This reflection of Divine only reflects to Muhammadun Rasulallah ﷺ so get behind the line. You’re not going to cut out Muhammadun Rasulallah ﷺ and Allah (AJ) going to dress you. So, when the prophet (as) of Allah (AJ) is understanding that, then definitely he’s, ‘I want with these two rivers meet. I want to be in the presence of that reality.’

﴾وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِفَتَاهُ لَا أَبْرَ‌حُ حَتَّىٰ أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَ‌يْنِ أَوْ أَمْضِيَ حُقُبًا ﴿٦٠

18:60 – “Wa idh qala Mosa lefatahu laa abrahu hatta ablugha majma’a albahrayni aw amdiya huquba.”  (Surat Al-Kahf)

“Behold, Moses said to his attendant, I will not give up until I reach the junction of the two seas or (until) I spend years and years in travel.” (The Cave, 18:60)

Nabi Musa’s (as) Humbling Journey to Meet Sayyidina Khidr (as)

Well, you can’t just go there like that because you have a title. That title means nothing to Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. So, [he] sent then to meet Sayyidina Khidr (as) who’s going to give him a rough time. How bad you want to meet Prophet ﷺ? Then you have to be humbled, crushed, brought down.

That’s why the first thing he said to him, ‘How are you going to have patience with me on things that you have no knowledge of?’ Oh, that’s a big hit for somebody who hears Allah (AJ). Immediately to test that, ‘What you’re here for?’ The depth of the tariqah (spiritual path) means this way of muraqabah is to get to know your reality.

﴾وَكَيْفَ تَصْبِرُ‌ عَلَىٰ مَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ خُبْرً‌ا ﴿٦٨

18:68 – “Wa kayfa tasbiru ‘ala ma lam tuhit bihi khubra.” (Surat Al-Kahf)

“And how can you have patience for what you do not encompass in knowledge?” (The Cave, 18:68)

You’re Not Here to Verify Your Guide

Don’t think you came to the shaykhs and you like and dislike the shaykh or you think you know the shaykh because his dialogue with Sayyidina Khidr (as) through these few verses of ayatul kareem (the generous verse of Holy Qur’an) is giving to us a big understanding. ‘I wanted knowledge so I asked Allah (AJ). Allah (AJ) just set an appointment. At such and such place, you’ll go meet one of these servants.’ Thinking that maybe he’ll observe the servant, check him out and say, ‘What’s so good about you? What’s special about you? I hear Allah (AJ)’.

Then whatever transpired was based on Sayyidina Musa (as) trying to qualify Sayyidina Khidr (as). ‘Why’d you break this boat? (Holy Qur’an, 18:71) Why did you harm that child? (Holy Qur’an, 18:74) Why did you not charge for the wall? (Holy Qur’an, 18:77) That wasn’t seeking a reality, you were trying to credential Sayyidina Khidr (as) but your promise was to be humbled by Prophet ﷺ. You weren’t here to credential the shaykh, verify the shaykh. You’re here to reach to your grave, not his. You’re not sleeping in the proximity of him. You’re not holding judgment with him. You have nothing to do with the shaykh.

The Guide is a Mirror for the Seeker

The shaykh is merely a mirror for you so that you can find and realize your journey. What you dislike about the shaykh, it’s actually you. Whatever characteristic you’re finding wrong is actually you. You never saw the shaykh. His reality is not known to you. If you drive by in a car can I say that, ‘Oh, I know who you are’? So, no. I just saw your car drive by. I don’t know anything about who you are. I don’t know who’s inside you, what reality that reality is.

That’s what we’re going to take from it this understanding in this round. He’s entering into a portal. He’s asking to reach to a Muhammadan haqqaiq. He’s being asked by Allah (AJ) and agreeing that, ‘You have to humble yourself because you can’t go with your presence, your crown into the presence of this king.’ Nobody goes with a crown into a presence of a king. You have to take your crown off and then you have to crawl in that presence to show humility.

Don’t Ask Too Many Questions on the Path

So you weren’t there to verify who Sayyidina Khidr (as) was. That’s why the dialogue has so much difficulty. ‘Why?’ Said, ‘I told you don’t ask any questions until I talk to you.’

﴾قَالَ فَإِنِ اتَّبَعْتَنِي فَلَا تَسْأَلْنِي عَن شَيْءٍ حَتَّىٰ أُحْدِثَ لَكَ مِنْهُ ذِكْرً‌ا ﴿٧٠ 

18:70 – “Qala fa ini ittaba’tanee fala tasalnee ‘an shay-in hatta ohditha laka minhu dhikra.” (Surat Al-Kahf) 

“[Khidr] He said, Then if you follow me, do not ask me questions about anything until I myself speak to you concerning it.” (The Cave, 18:70) 

And again, ‘Why?’. I said, ‘Look I told you, there are no questions.’ ‘Why?’ Until the last three times he said, ‘Oh this is going to be rude. You’re a big prophet (as) of Allah (AJ) but this is where me and you we part. It’s not going to work anymore.’

﴾قَالَ هَـٰذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنِكَ ۚ سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِع عَّلَيْهِ صَبْرًا ﴿٧

18:78 – “Qaala haazaa firaaqu bainee wa bainik; sa unabi ‘uka bitaaweeli maa lam tastati’ ‘alaihi sabraa” (Surat Al-Kahf) 

“He answered: ‘This is the parting between me and thee: now will I tell thee the interpretation/significance of (those things) with which you could not have patience.'” (The Cave, 18:78) 

But the reality and the depth of that for the tariqahs is that we’re asking now to enter a state of muraqabah. That you have to have a relationship with the unseen reality of the shaykh, unseen reality of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ, awliyaullah (saints), all of them. They’re all in that cave.

 Build Your Spiritual Connection With Your Guide

It’s not something visible. It’s not something because you saw his physicality, therefore, now you have a special access. That just made it easier for you to be able to have that love within your heart and build your spiritual connection and if you don’t and don’t build the spiritual connection, all your life you’ll be passing that cave.

‘I don’t know where that was. I didn’t know what the holy night was, nothing. I’ve been all these years sitting here and nothing happened to me.’ But the tariqahs come and trained – no, no. This is now ayatul kareem. The 60th verse begins now the understanding of muraqabah.

Circles of Zikr are Portals of Paradise on Earth

We said all of Qur’an is the secrets of portals. We’ll say portals because Prophet ﷺ used the word ‘paradise’. People are confused that paradise is like you have to die. Well, no, paradise is existing on Earth everywhere. The circles, the halaqas, the awliya – all – the Rauza e Sharif (Holy Burial Chamber). All the maqams (stations) of these awliyaulllah are paradises. You don’t have to die to go to paradise. You have to die to feel paradise.

It means you’ll be training on how to observe, how to humble, how to lower the bad characteristics so that you can feel the barakah and the blessings of paradise that are all around us. So, we’ll call it portals because these are the words that shaitans are using on their sciences making it sound like, ‘Wooh, wohoo, spooky’. Oh, Prophet ﷺ gave all these sciences thousands of years ago for his nation and was the one who gave the knowledges from beginning of time to the end of time, all within the heart of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. Of their knowledge and of his knowledge, they understand very little bit of it.

Prophet ﷺ is the Locus of All Knowledge

Ayatul Kursi (The verse of The Throne) describes Prophet ﷺ. “Man zal lazee yashfa’u indahooo illaa bi-iznih”. What’s the ‘Bi-iznih’. That of his knowledge, they encompass very little of it.

﴾مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ ۚ …يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ  وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ… ﴿٢٥٥…

2:255 – “…Man zal lazee yashfa’u indahooo illaa bi-iznih…Ya’lamu maa baina aydeehim wa maa khalfahum wa laa yuheetoona bishai’im min ‘ilmihee illaa bimaa shaaa…” (Surat Al Baqarah)

“…Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?…They do not compass anything from His knowledge except what he wills/permits…” (The Cow, 2:255)

It means not something they’re capable of understanding what Allah (AJ) gave to the king of all creation. All the creation of seen and unseen worlds are under the sultanate (kingdom) of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. So, it means then this opening from ayatul kareem of the 60th verse and the reality of Sayyidina Khidr (as) which Allah (AJ) put into Naqshbandiya tul ‘Aliya (The Most Distinguished Naqshbandi Order) in the shajarah (spiritual lineage). He is one of our shaykhs, not taking barakah (blessings). Other tariqahs take the barakah of Sayyidina Khidr (as). Sayyidina Abbas Khidr (as) is in the tariqah chain, is one of the shaykhs of the tariqah and must be lending his support to the chain at all times. This is Naqshbandiya tul ‘Aliya.

Hu-Men Carry Allah’s (AJ) Divine Love and Guidance

As a result of that, he’s teaching and inspiring that if you’re going to come into this cave, you have to train for the unseen. This barakah, this power is all going to be based on your ability to connect with unseen. So, there’s a maqam in Turkey where they say, ‘Oh, at this maqam, there’s a big waw sign.’ Why? Because the Hu-men, they’re the hidayat (guidance) of Wadood (The Most Loving).

Anyone who wants to be a Hu-man, he has to have hidayat, guidance. But he has to have the character of wadood. That’s what makes him to be Hu. He carries Allah’s (AJ) Divinely love and good character and you can sit there all you want. You won’t see anything if you don’t have sincerity. If you have sincerity and good heart, he’s right there sitting in front of you.

Spiritual Guides Revive Dead Hearts

Because of that barakah, they’re teaching then the tariqah’s muraqabahs all that. That you have to stop at that junction. That you have to understand this is the secret of hayat (ever-living). The shaykhs can revive the dead but they don’t go to the qabr (grave) and bring out zombies but it’s the dead heart. The hearts that are losing hope in this dunya (material world). Just begin to listen to the talks, begin to connect your heart with the talks. They carry the secret of muhyil qulub (reviver of hearts), mahidh dhunub (eraser of sins).

They inherit from Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ the ability to crush the sins of people and revive the heart with the same light. The same light that goes out to destroy the sins of people because they’re like sunshine. See how the vastness of a sun, you know, just a wilayat and sainthood of this smallest awliya which there are no small awliya – imagine the sun. Have you seen the Earth in proportion to the sun? It’s like less than a dot.

The Divine Sun Incinerates All Sins

All the inhabitants on the Earth, what will happen in the presence of the sun? It will incinerate it, dissolve it. No matter how huge that person thinks they are in the presence of that sun is nothing, nothing. That’s not even the size of Prophet ﷺ. These are all within Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. There are suns that are billions of times larger, more powerful than this sun and universes will be lost in their presence.

What do you think about the sins of somebody in the presence of that ‘azimat (might) that Allah (AJ) dress upon their light? That’s why we say, “Astaghfirullahal ‘Azim, wa atubu ilayh”.

أَسْتَغْفِرُالله الْعَظِيْمِ وَأَتُوْبُ إِلَيْه

“Astaghfirullahal ‘Azim, wa atubu ilayh.”

“I ask for forgiveness of Allah the Magnificent, and I turn to Him in repentance.”

That Allah (AJ) grant istighfar (forgiveness) from sifat al ‘Azim (attribute of the Magnificent). That, ‘Your Might and Majesty and power is beyond our comprehension.’ Allah’s (AJ) light can dissolve everything. So, it means then that reality of their light and the ability of that light then has an immense reality but it requires the one to stop and find the cave, find the companionship.

The Shaykhs Represent the Reality of Sayyidina Khidr (as)

That each of the shaykhs represent the reality of Sayyidina Abbas Khidr (as). If you can find that reality and know that I’m only going to be understanding and really witnessing this Khidr (as) dress is if I truly found him and I won’t find him with my physical eyes. I’ll see the signs. I’ll see everything around him comes to life. I’ll see that the dead hearts of people come to life. Then how will I find him and really connect with him is through my soul. I’m going to sit and close my eyes and I’m going to make my meditation, my tafakkur and my contemplation.

I’m going to ask for their madad and support and that to call them into that presence every night meditating, every night meditating; asking to connect, asking to feel that energy, asking to be allowed to be dressed by that reality until it becomes a reality in which that becomes my companion. 

Even Sayyidina Musa (as) Faced Tests of Social Pressure

Because one Sayyidina Musa (as) they met up, now the journey began. ‘Let’s go. Let’s go to this village where there’s a man who has a boat and there’s an evil shaitan.’ He says, ‘An evil king coming to take everybody’s boats. Let’s go to this boat and bring it down.’ Nobody could see Sayyidina Khidr (as). All they saw was Sayyidina Musa (as) breaking a boat. That’s where he said his social pressure now. So, following the unseen and meditating and doing muraqabah and you don’t have to explain to people you’re guided. You don’t explain to people, ‘I’m following this reality’ because Sayyidina Musa (as) was describing its difficulty. ‘Why you broke this boat?’

﴾فَانطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا رَ‌كِبَا فِي السَّفِينَةِ خَرَ‌قَهَا ۖ قَالَ أَخَرَ‌قْتَهَا لِتُغْرِ‌قَ أَهْلَهَا لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا إِمْرً‌ا ﴿٧١

18:71 – “Fantalaqa hatta idha rakiba fes safeenati kharaqaha, qala akharaqtaha litughriqa ahlaha laqad jita shay-an imra.” (Surat Al-Kahf)

“So they set out, until when they had embarked on the ship, Al-Khidr tore it open. [Moses] said, Have you torn it open to drown its people? You have certainly done a grave thing.” (The Cave, 18:71)

Not because he cares about a boat but nobody can see Sayyidina Khidr (as) breaking it. All they saw was Sayyidina Musa (as) breaking a boat. ‘What am I going to explain to people that I’m breaking this poor man’s boat?’ Everything that transpires on this journey, it’s about a social pressure because if you could see Sayyidina Khidr (as), you say, ‘It’s him, not me. He did it.’

Are You Reluctant to Follow the Path Due to Social Pressure?

So, then that has a big understanding of our time now on this Earth. We’re so difficult with social pressure. ‘Why I have to follow tariqah? Why I have to do these things? I don’t have time to sit and do my zikr. People are going to make fun of me. Oh…’ Keep going, you can. It never ends. If that’s what you’re more worried about then that’s the path you’re going to take.

If thousands of years before Allah (AJ) is describing social pressure for Sayyidina Musa (as), it means then to overcome that reality and to understand that this path of mine is unseen. This connection of mine going to be unseen. I have to build that connection, build that energy, enter into that reality, that portal, that dress. As a result, that first test of bringing the boat down, there’s going to be testing in my life.

Your Guide Prevents Shaitan’s Hijack By Taking Charge of Your Rizq

That boat was the secret of rizq (sustenance) and Sayyidina Khidr (as) was teaching Sayyidina Musa (as), ‘This is the man, how he makes money. If this shaitan takes his boat, he will never make money again or will hijack his rizq for shaitan. We’re going to hide that boat for a while so that he doesn’t give his rizq to shaitan.’  That has to be the first understanding in tariqahs.

If people want to come to a shaykh and be enriched and immediately get all the money and run and say, ‘I don’t know if it was from you,’ and now go out and spend it for shaitan, that’s not going to work. This is not going to happen. Even if you think you run, Allah (AJ) will pull it away another day. There’s nobody taking anything from that reality. It means that whatever comes, that person is going to be disciplined.

Our Challenges Affirm Our Allegiance and Build Our Sustenance

Now they know that that boat went underwater. When it went underwater, didn’t break it and destroy it otherwise the tariqahs would have a discipline whoever comes to them, Allah (AJ) would destroy their rizq. But no, he said, ‘We merely put a hole in the boat so that we have the attention of the student.’ This man, they had his attention. There’s a deep reality. As a result, through the tarbiyah (discipline) and training when they want to bring that boat back up, that servant should know their allegiance to the tariqah and to the Muhammadan haqqaiq (realities).

Nothing of which comes to you is yours. It belongs to the nation. It belongs to the way of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. That your life, your death, everything about you is for that servanthood and that’s how the shaykhs leave everything about them is for their mission, their way, the propagation of the love of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. That’s why the boat is just brought down and not destroyed because at any moment, their du’as (supplications) then Allah (AJ) test, Prophet ﷺ test. The order comes and the rizq comes back up. But if the servant is not sure on what this rizq and where this rizq came then they fall prey to putting it into the hands of shayateen (devils).

Use Your Dunya to Build Your Akhirah

It means they do everything that’s not going to be bettering their akhirah (hereafter). Because “Fid dunyaa hasanat wa aakhirat hasanat wa qinaa azaaban Naar”.

﴾وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ ﴿٢٠١

2:201 – “Wa minhum mai yaqoolu rabbanaaa aatina fid dunyaa hasanatawn wa fil aakhirati hasanatanw wa qinaa azaaban Naar.” (Surat Al-Baqarah)

“Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.” (The Cow, 2:201)

What Allah (AJ) wants for these students is that, ‘We gave you a dunya so that you could build your akhirah.’ They’re not two separate entities, separation of church and state. It’s one entity. This Earth was made for you to build your palace in akhirah and that’s the only reason you have this existence; not that you do whatever you want on this Earth and hope in the end you may have a good place in heaven. Nobody even prepares like that for this Earth. ‘Well I don’t know, I just spend my money and maybe one day I’ll have a home.’ But they use their dunya to build their akhirah so when their last breath, they built their palace. They built their relationship and the love with Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ.

We pray that Allah (AJ) give us more understanding that now as we enter into these realities of muraqabah and the unseen and how to accompany the unseen servants of Allah (AJ). You begin to read from verse 60, next few verses. All the adab (manners) that Allah (AJ) is writing, this is the mannerisms in which Allah (AJ) has written on how to accompany these unseen servants and this reality.

Subhana rabbika rabbal ‘izzati ‘amma yasifoon, wa salaamun ‘alal mursaleen, walhamdulillahi rabbil ‘aalameen. Bi hurmati Muhammad al-Mustafa wa bi siri Surat al-Fatiha.

Special thanks to our transcribers for their help with transcribing this suhbah.

Original Date of Suhbah: September 23, 2022

Related Articles:

• Seek Refuge in the Cave of Ashab e Kahf
• How to Accompany ‘Ibadullah (Servants of Allah) – The Ones whom Allah has Taught
• Three Tests that Reflected the life of Musa (as)
• Social Pressures in the Three Tests of Sayyidina Musa (as)
• Surah Kahf: The Heart Cave – In Search of a Saintly Guide Waliyun Murshida

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