Road to Paradise is Like Hell – Realities of Surah Yusuf

September 14, 2020 October 22, 2021

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

A’udhu 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

Holy Qur’an Gives the Most Beautiful Story of Sayyidina Yusuf (as)

So alhamdulillah, that for one reality from Surat Yusuf about the path and our way towards this door of ma’rifah (gnosticism) and that our life is a continuous struggle. That when Sayyidina Yusuf (as) – because this when Allah (AJ) describes this most beautiful qissah and story, 12^th surah (chapter) of Holy Qur’an, the 12^th month of the nation of Islam, and Allah (AJ) says, ‘This is a most beautiful qissah and it’s from the alif lam ra.’

﴾نَحْنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ أَحْسَنَ ٱلْقَصَصِ بِمَآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ هَٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ… ﴿٣

12:3 – “Nahnu naqussu ‘alayka ahsana alqasasi bima awhayna ilayka haaza alqurana…” (Surat Yusuf)

“We relate to you, the best of stories in what We have revealed to you of this Qur’an…” (Yusuf, 12:03)

And Izzatullah from Allah’s (AJ) Izzah and Might moves through the lam of lisanul haq (tongue of truth). And through that lam, it gives every isharat (sign) to rabbaniyun, the lofty and lordly souls in which Allah (AJ) has predestined and raised their reality. And this is a reminder for them because Surat Yusuf, Allah (AJ) has all the coding of what ‘Rab’ means and its many uses. Rab is an authority. That this qissah and this reality is to reach to Rabbil’ala. It means I’m on a path to reach to my Lord, most high in which Sayyidina Yusuf (as) saw the destination, ‘I reach such a station in which the sun and the moon and all the planets of this galaxy made sujood (prostration) to me.’

﴾إِذْ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَا أَبَتِ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ رَأَيْتُهُمْ لِي سَاجِدِينَ ﴿٤

12:4 – “Idh qala Yosufu li abeehi ya abati innee raaytu ahada Ashara kawkaban wash Shamsa wal Qamara raaytuhum le sajideen.” (Surat Yusuf)

“[Of these stories mention] when Joseph said to his father, “O my father, indeed I have seen eleven stars and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me.” (Joseph, 12:4)

There is No Birthright Towards the Reality of the Path

But the path is then based on not inheriting. Just don’t step into something and inherit it. Because if anyone was to be inheriting, it would be Sayyidina Yusuf (as); his father is a prophet of Allah (AJ). And Allah’s (AJ) specifying for Sayyidina Yusuf (as), ‘No, your father’s path and reality is one thing. But yours is a different.’ So, again the status of every insan (human being) is going to be tested by Allah (AJ). There’s no birthright towards the reality in which you step right into it and achieve what Allah (AJ) wants you to achieve. Then there’s the well, that you’re surrounded by jealousy and the brothers are all prophets of Allah (AJ).

So, a reminder then – do you think that normal people are not going to be jealous in our lives and have enmity and envy in their hearts and all they want is the destruction of someone? That’s the evil eye, the understanding of energy, the understanding of hasad (jealousy), the understanding of every type of difficulty that shaitan (satan) wants to put onto people to push towards you. He doesn’t want you to accomplish your goal for Allah (AJ). He wants to push every player on the field to come after you. So, when people think the world is against them, Allah (AJ), ‘No, no, this is the struggle of this dunya (material world).’ And gives the example that this is a very loved story and this is the story of the prophets of Allah (AJ).

We Must Walk Through Hell to Get to Paradise

So, this is showing these are the people whom Allah (AJ) loves, how He’s going to be testing them. And said that the hasad (jealousy) was so bad and so difficult but your path was based on going into the well, thrown into a well, thrown into an ocean of difficulty. And we’re in continuous upside-down tribulation in our lives. And in every moment, Allah (AJ) from every direction, there’s a storm coming. And that’s why then the tafakkur, the contemplation, the circles of zikr (remembrance) is a circle of paradise.

Dunya wasn’t supposed to be the paradise. The road to paradise is you walk through hell. You gotta walk through hell to get to paradise. If anyone thought this way into paradise was easy, you’re probably on the wrong path. And the way to hell is like paradise. Las Vegas, all of these entertainment facilities that shaitan has set up for them, like paradise for them. They even have paradise islands and then paradise this and paradise that and that’s a path towards jahannam (hellfire). So, it means this dunya was about that reality, that our path into heaven – we’re going to walk through hell. And shaitan going to making hell for us on every direction possible.

Bad Character Veils Us From Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ

So, then Allah’s (AJ) ni’mat (blessing) and opening was then take this way of tafakkur before things become very difficult. Take this way of meditation in which you connect your heart and that you understand how to use these tools. That when things are a little bit peaceful, you’re sitting and meditating and how to connect your heart. That, ‘Let me to be under the faiz (downpouring blessings) of these awliyaullah (saints). That let me to always be in their association. Let their nazar (gaze) to be upon me and keep me into the presence of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ.

These are the schools of protocol. They teach you good manners, good character so that the vision and the feeling and the condition of the heart opens to the presence of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. The bad doesn’t open into the presence. It’s just by its nature bad. When people do bad things, they become veiled from Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. The more bad, the more veils and veils and veils until its like a steel wall. And then shaitan begin to attack that individual and difficulty begins to come to them. Every type of difficulty begins to visit them. Their rizq (sustenance) becomes farther and farther and farther away. For when Allah (AJ) loves you, He sends everything to you. That it comes. You do your zikr, do your tafakkur, be sincere, keep clean, keep the love of Prophet ﷺ, be an ambassador for truth. Uphold the justice and the rights of people and don’t enter into the teams of shaitan. For if you should enter into the team of shaitan, you’ve taken now a path of darkness.

Zikrs are a Stargate to the Heavenly Dimension

That was our whole life – the meditation, the tafakkur, the connecting is the tool in which to use. So, that when every time a test comes to me, I can sit and meditate and contemplate and when things are too fuzzy and too clouded, I use the zikr as a gate towards paradise. So, you see those sci-fi movies when they make the ‘zhoooom’ (Shaykh makes a circle in the air); this ring opens up, what is it called? Star ring? It was a series… (voice from the audience: Stargate) “Stargate,” that’s it, ‘zhooom.’ As soon as they turn it on, you can walk through that dimension. Prophet ﷺ gave to us the halaqas (circles) of zikr said, ‘They’re a stargate.’ Literally, the angels are circumambulating all the way to Arsh ar-Rahman.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيْ اللهُ عَنْهُ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَي اللُه عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلِّمْ، قَالَ: إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَلَائِكَةً سَيَّارَةً فُضُلًا يَتَتَبَّعُونَ مَجَالِسَ الذِّكْرِ. فَإِذَا وَجَدُوْا مَجْلِسًا فِيهِ ذِكْرٌ، قَعَدُوْا مَعَهُمْ وَحَفَّ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا بِأَجْنِحَتِهِمْ، حَتَّى يَمْلَئُوْا مَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا.
(أَخْرَجَهُ مُسْلِمْ)

‘An Abi Huraira (as) ‘anhu, ‘an Nabi (saws) qal: “Inna Lillahi malayikatan sayyaratan fudulan yatatabbi’ona majalisaz Zikre, fa iza wajadu majlisan fihi zikrun, qa’adu ma’ahum wa haffa ba’duhum ba’dan bi ajnihatihim, hatta yamlao ma baynahum wa baynas samayid dunya.”

“Abu Hurairah (ra) narrates from Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) that: “There is a group of angels who patrol the earth seeking gatherings of Zikr (divine remembrance). When they find the gathering of zikr they call out to each other and form a circle around this gathering, with their wings ascending one above another, creating layers until the space between the earth and the first heaven is filled.” ‏[Sahih Muslim]

Calibrate and Connect to the Presence of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ

So, if you sit with them and Allah (AJ) opened wherever you are on this earth. Get yourself your contemplation, put a headphone if you have to, close your eyes, listen and put yourself into that circle of zikr – it’s a gate opening for you. Then all these tools come to understand how to use that gate. That in these times of difficulty, when that gate is sitting there you sit, you contemplate asking, ‘Ya Rabbi, let me to be dressed by your light, blessed by your light. Keep me into the presence of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ.’ Make your requests that, ‘Send this faiz, send this light, take this mushkilat way, take these difficulties away. Give me the good character. Get the isharats and the guidance and the lights and the understanding I need.’ For the gates of paradise, when they open, every difficulty is washed away. How you can go to paradise and then come out of it? It’s not in the rules of paradise. Say, ‘Ya Rabbi, keep my soul always in your halaqas of zikr, to be washed in this halaqa, to be dressed from this halaqa. I have become overrun by the difficulties of shaitan and what he’s putting upon me and putting upon all my loved ones.’ So, these are immense blessings, to connect and to calibrate, to make the connection.

Isolation Leads to Contemplation – There is No Guidance Without Allah (AJ)

Then to make the understanding is, ‘What I need to know? What is the guidance I have to receive?’ That in that chal and in that hole is the time of contemplation. And Allah (AJ) wanted Sayyidina Yusuf (as) ‘Contemplate.’ Your title and your family connection is no importance in this hole. All that’s importance in this hole is your connection with Allah (AJ). And the one who came, came now to fetch him for Allah (AJ).

So, in that hole, Allah (AJ) begin to guide that wherever you are – these are all analogies – that your hole is your difficulty in life and then when you pray out, ‘Ya Rabbi, grant me a salvation. Grant me an understanding,’ Allah (AJ) inspire with you, ‘Click, boom,’ the next video you’re on the channel. Now we came to the part about the ones Allah (AJ) sends to the hole. When Allah (AJ) guides, there is no guidance except when Allah (AJ) guides. Whom Allah (AJ) guides is truly guided, there is no guidance without Allah (AJ).

﴾وَقَالُوا الْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ الَّذِي هَدَانَا لِهَـٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِيَ لَوْلَا أَنْ هَدَانَا اللَّـهُ ۖ لَقَدْ جَاءَتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِالْحَقِّ… ﴿٤٣…

7:43 – “…wa qalo Alhamdulillahi al ladhee hadana lihadha wa ma kunna linahtadiya lawla an hadana Allahu, laqad jaa at Rusulu Rabbina bil Haqqi…” (Surat Al-A’raf)

“… And they will say, Praise be to Allah, who has guided us to this [joy and happiness]; and we would never have been guided if Allah had not guided us. Certainly the messengers of our Lord had come with the truth…” (The Heights, 7:43)

It’s not perchance. It’s not a random act of your cleverness. This is a guidance from your Lord. If you take it, alhamdulillah. It wasn’t you cleverly clicked on the page. You had prayed for a salvation. You had prayed for an understanding. You had prayed for something to be taken and that was your hole. Then they came to fetch you.

Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ Represents Malik al’ Aziz (The Almighty King)

When they fetch you, they realize that, ‘Oh! There is something in this one.’ It means then they start to deal with you. The line up is your emailing because some people don’t put the beads together. Their mind just sort of like, ‘Wow, where are you going?’ So, you have to put it all together. The line that reaches you is the emailing and the line of communication with those. With that caravan that is here to take you to the presence of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ for the King; Malik al’ Aziz (The Almighty King). Allah (AJ) don’t make stories random. The name of the King – he’s Malik al’Aziz. It means Sifat al-Aziz (attribute of the Almighty), that nothing escapes this King. It’s not about a dunya story. It’s about the King whom Allah’s (AJ) Aziz and Sifat al-Aziz is upon that reality and can be no one other than Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ, with love and muhabbat that Allah (AJ) has. He says, ‘Your ultimate destination on this path is to the divinely presence. And that divinely presence, it has a King. He’s Malik al’Aziz – Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. The caravan has to come to get you and bring you to that presence.

Your Testing and Difficulties Are the Medallions of Your Soul

When they bring you, surrender your will. Don’t tell them your title. Don’t tell them your background, your nobility. Can you imagine Sayyidina Yusuf (as) telling the caravan who he is. They came up and they took him as a captive. Why? Why Allah (AJ) wants that analogy for us to understand? That there’s no title going to this King. There is no, ‘I’m…do you know who I am?’ ‘No, we don’t really care who you are.’ Malik al’Aziz doesn’t care who you are. Because its not the dunya titles that match, but it’s the nothing titles that are important for Prophet ﷺ. How much difficulty can you take? How much humiliation? How many testings can you take? Those are the medallions of your soul. How do you prosper through difficulty and testing? So, then that caravan of hope comes, looks at you that, ‘There must be something good within this one. We’ll start dealing with them because Allah (AJ) is sending them.’

Communication With the Shaykh is the Rope That Lifts You

The email and communication is the rope that lifting you and bringing you. Then their teachings and all of the study, the material is the protocol in which to give you good character and understanding, good character, understanding. Every test has its results that Allah (AJ) wants – wants to grind you and finish you until there’s nothing left of you. And then the whole entry into the kingdom.

So, it’s not easy to have a high rank and become aseeran, to become a captive. And for a prophet of Allah (AJ) – that’s why Allah’s (AJ) greatness that He shows the best and the highest of example and nobody is at a station of prophesies. Doesn’t matter who you are, Allah (AJ) say, ‘Look, when we want a station for you, you have to be tested. Be patient in your testing.’ You’re going to be humbled along this way. As you enter into this humility, then they’re going to take you to the market. The king will come and purchase you and now bring you into his kingdom.

Be Careful With What You Think You Have Achieved in Dunya!

So, it means then as soon as you made that connection and you start going on the way, there’s so much barakah (blessing) flowing from this Kingdom that many people lose themselves. Barakah is flowing, things opening, all these things happening. What happened then for Sayyidina Yusuf (as)? That women represent the dunya and his beauty represents the beatific lights of Allah (AJ) upon him. It doesn’t mean you’re physically beautiful; it means that you’re spiritually beautiful with Allah (AJ).

For if Allah (AJ) loves you and Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ loves you, you’re beautiful to the whole world because the beatific lights of your soul begin to shine out. And always these analogies – the women represented dunya. That every time the dunya saw this light, they were astonished by it. They were throwing themselves at his feet. It means be careful. Be careful with the barakah of what’s coming from that palace. Be careful of whatever authority you think you have, what ability you think you have, whatever you think you’ve achieved from this Kingdom. Be careful!

Real Shaykhs Will Teach You the Balance of Life

Don’t abuse people. Don’t take the rights of people. Don’t do these things that are contrary to what Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ want. Many become crooks; they steal the rights of women, they steal the rights of children, and they steal the rights of people. You’re not the first. How many came to the tariqahs (spiritual paths)? And they began to abuse people, ‘Give me everything that’s in your account, give me this, give me that.’ We have all the time coming. They empty everything in their life. They leave their families and they give this money to some person who’s promising them what Allah (AJ) knows best what he’s promising.

And that’s not the way to support. You support, you don’t empty your accounts for anyone. You take away the desire to conquer the Earth and to achieve to be the CEO of the biggest corporation, but to be a servant of Allah (AJ). And that what mulk (earthly realm) of Allah (AJ) has given to you, you place it to be in service. And a real shaykh would teach you how to balance what you’re doing. He doesn’t ask you to empty your account.

Be of Service to Allah (AJ) and His Creation

That those women represent that reality; so much barakah flowing that dunya is throwing itself at you. Which one are you going to take? Are you going to take that dunya? Are you going to try to run after that reality? Until the King’s dunya – it means now it got even higher temptation for Sayyidina Yusuf (as). Zulaikha, the wife of the King is now got her eyes upon him. It means not just even minor dunya is chasing you for that tabarak (blessing) that you’re being dressed by Prophet ﷺ, the lights of Prophet ﷺ, all these lights and blessings from the zikr, from the associations. Because everything they do has an immense barakah flowing.

People in their mind begin to think it’s themselves. It’s from them and whatever opens it’s from them; they get it and they run. But this path of humility is not from me. It’s from those who saved me and dressed me and blessed me and taught me, ‘Live a life of service. Defend the weak. Be of service to Allah (AJ), to His creation.’

Sayyidina Yusuf (as) Was Confronted – Dunya Attempts to Attack

So, Zulaikha then represents the big temptation coming and keeps trying to grab Sayyidina Yusuf (as) until the final confrontation where now people entered into the room. They saw what had happened, that she’s all over this and now the King has to get involved. It means that the King enters into the room. It means your case is going to the presence of Prophet ﷺ and they’re gonna ask, ‘Were you going after her or she’s coming after you? If you’re going after her, everything in front of you is torn. If you were running from her, you’re back is torn.’ So, it means he wasn’t going after her trying to attack that dunya, but he was trying to run away. Zulaikha was going after him and tore the back of his shirt.

﴾قَالَ هِيَ رَاوَدَتْنِي عَن نَّفْسِي ۚ وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِّنْ أَهْلِهَا إِن كَانَ قَمِيصُهُ قُدَّ مِن قُبُلٍ فَصَدَقَتْ وَهُوَ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ ﴿٢٦﴾ وَإِن كَانَ قَمِيصُهُ قُدَّ مِن دُبُرٍ فَكَذَبَتْ وَهُوَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ ﴿٢٧﴾ فَلَمَّا رَأَىٰ قَمِيصَهُ قُدَّ مِن دُبُرٍ قَالَ إِنَّهُ مِن كَيْدِكُنَّ ۖ إِنَّ كَيْدَكُنَّ عَظِيمٌ ﴿٢٨

12:26-28: “Qaala hiya raawadatnee ‘an nafsee wa shahida shaahidum min ahlihaa in kaana qameesuhoo qudda min qubulin fasadaqat wa huwa minal kaazibeen (26). Wa in kaana qameesuhoo qudda min duburin fakazabat wa huwa minas saadiqeen (27). Falammaa ra-aa qamee sahoo qudda min duburin qaala innahoo min kaidikunna inna kaidakunna ‘azeem (28)” (Surat Yusuf)

“He said: “It was she that sought to seduce me – from my (true) self.” And one of her household saw (this) and bore witness, (thus):- “If it be that his shirt is torn from the front, then is her tale true, and he is a liar! (26) But if it be that his shirt is torn from the back, then is she the liar, and he is telling the truth! (27) So when he saw his shirt – that it was torn at the back – (her husband) said: “Behold! It is a snare of you women! truly, mighty is your snare!” (Yusuf, 12:26-28)

Live a Life of Humility in Dunya That Tempts You

This means at that point Sayyidina Yusuf (as) gives for us the example that this barakah and this blessing was so immense for what Allah (AJ) was dressing of that maqam (station), that he asked Allah (AJ) prison is better for me than this dunya. The first hole was you were thrown into it; the second hole, you asked for it. It means admit to yourself you’re wrong, admit to what you’re doing wrong, admit that this dunya is tempting you. Live a life of humility, ‘Ya Rabbi, I’m overtaken. I’m not able to deal with what’s coming towards me.’ And every night, they cry and they cry for najat (salvation), cry for help, cry for a madad and support. And they showed look, ‘This dunya attacked from my back and attacked me. Prison is better for me.’

﴾قَالَ رَبِّ السِّجْنُ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا يَدْعُونَنِي إِلَيْهِ ۖ وَإِلَّا تَصْرِفْ عَنِّي كَيْدَهُنَّ أَصْبُ إِلَيْهِنَّ وَأَكُن مِّنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ ﴿٣٣

12:33 – “Qaala rabbis sijnu ahabbu ilaiya mimma yad’oo naneee ‘ilaihi wa illaa tasrif ‘annee kaidahunna asbu ilaihinna wa akum minal jaahileen” (Surat Yusuf)

“He said: ‘O my Lord! the prison is more to my liking than that to which they invite me: Unless Thou turn away their snare from me, I should (in my youthful folly) feel inclined towards them and join the ranks of the ignorant.'” (Yusuf, 12:33)

Keep Your Distance From Temptations by Entering Seclusion

This means I want to go into my seclusion and I have to seclude myself from people. If I don’t seclude myself from people and continuously want to be active with everyone, you’re going to run into that difficulty until the case is in the presence of Prophet ﷺ and that’s not going to be good. At that time, he realized, ‘How am I going to reach this station with this kind of fitna (confusion) all around me? Better that I seclude myself.’ Seven years went into isolation and prison, a prison too. Can you imagine a prison of those days? What type of difficulty he put upon himself? He asked, ‘Better I go to prison.’

We pray that Allah (AJ) give us deep understandings of the Holy Qur’an and its reality. That you took a path; when the path begins to open for you, the blessings begin to flow upon you. Don’t think it’s over and these blessings are just coming from every direction. You have choices to make and Allah’s (AJ) giving you temptations. He’s saying, ‘Which one is it that you want to be tempted by? And the course has to remain to the presence of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. And then we take a course in which we isolate ourself, we lived often very isolated. Don’t have to deal with people, don’t have to communicate with people. Keep yourself distant from all of these temptations, make your zikr, your salawats (praises upon Prophet Muhammad ﷺ). Make your connections. If Sayyidina Yusuf (as) is reminding us, imagine what kind of difficulty we’re gonna have and he’s a prophet of Allah (AJ). We pray that Allah (AJ) dress us and bless us and give us an understanding of the immense barakah of the light and the love of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ and to survive through that barakah, to make the right choices and the right.

Repent to the Shaykh & Seek Forgiveness

This is the time in which immense difficulty is heading towards this Earth. We said we don’t want to live a life with the wrong bullseye on the head. You know, you do something and all of a sudden a bullseye comes to you that now punishment enters towards you. Why? Why would we want that type of life? We’re going, trying to do all our dawah (religious propagation), all our teaching. Ya Rabbi, grant us your tawbah (repentance), grant us your maghfirah (forgiveness), grant us good character. Forgive our wrongs for the sake of the love of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. Protect us and guide us. If you live a life of humility, you’ll be safe. When you do something wrong, quickly run to tell the Shaykh, repent to the Shaykh. Don’t hide. Shaitan’s biggest danger is he make you to think, ‘You don’t need to repent.’

As soon as you’ve done something wrong, you have to say it, ‘I’m under control. I can’t control myself.’ And this email line is a connection. That, ‘I’m doing things wrong, I need your nazar, pray for me,’ you admit to yourself; don’t let shaitan hold your mouth so that you don’t repent. And then secretly you put into your heart, ‘Everything is ok.’ No, it’s not because now that bullseye is moving towards you. We pray that Allah (AJ) save us through these difficulties. And that Allah (AJ) open within our hearts the understanding of tawbah and maghfirah. And that Prophet’s ﷺ nazar be upon us and that he push into our hearts the good character, that keep us and our families to be safe. Anyone who doesn’t care for themself, they should care about their family and the difficulty that will face everyone.

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: August 8, 2020

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