Spiritual Lessons From Qur’an – Surah Tawbah in Muharram

August 14, 2021 August 15, 2021

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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

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil ‘aalameen, was salaatu was salaamu ‘alaa Ashraful Mursaleen, Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammadul Mustafa ﷺ. Madad ya Sayyidi ya Rasulul Kareem, Ya Habibul ‘Azeem, unzur halana wa ishfa’lana, ‘abidona bi madadikum wa nazarekum.

Every Year is a Hijrah (Migration) From Our Ego to Allah’s (AJ) Satisfaction

InshaAllah, the holy month of Muharram and the opening of our hijrah. This is our door for opening, leaving our bad character and dunya (material world), and asking that Allah (AJ) bring us closer to His Divinely Presence. Every year is a hijrah from our nafs (ego) and dunya towards Allah’s (AJ) rida and satisfaction.

We start the month and step with our right foot and asking, “Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem, laa hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil ‘Aliyyil ‘Azheem.” With each step – there is no power and might except through Allah (AJ).

وَلاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ اِلاَّ بِاللهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيْمِ

“Wa laa hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil ‘Aliyyil ‘Azheem.”

“And there is no Support/strength, nor power except by Allah, The Sublimely Exalted, The Magnificent.”

That, Allah (AJ) to write good for us, inshaAllah. We take each step admitting our weakness and that, ‘Ya Rabbi write for us a good ‘amal (action) from this dunya towards Your akhirah (hereafter).’

Importance of Muharram in Our Spiritual Journey

1. Salvation – Each Nation was Granted Salvation on ‘Ashura

It’s reality for awliyaullah (saints) is the hijrah (migration). The month of najat and salvation, that for every nation Allah (AJ), through all their suffering, granted them a salvation. Each nation had a salvation on ‘Ashura, Asha Nura – it’s a beginning and a birth and an opening of a reality of light. That, the imitated light of our dunya that Allah (AJ) make it an eternal light of our paradise reality, inshaAllah.

We play an ayatul kareem (the generous verse of Holy Qur’an), Surah Tawbah. That for awliya (saints) understanding that they taught to us that the Holy Qur’an is our dress and our way and through its infinite realities it is the guide for all creation. That, when Allah (AJ) opening for us it’s reality, the 9^th and the power of nine – the sultanate (kingdom) of the reality of the power of nine, the first month. Then they look to not only the first surah (chapter) – Surah Fatiha, that you’ll go through the 12 surahs in life and the journey through surah 1 all the way to the 12^th surah on the month of Hajj which is Surah al-Yusuf (as).

2. Struggle – The Hijrah Signifies the Struggle Towards the World of Light

It is a teaching for us that when Allah (AJ) want to raise us in our hijrah and take us into the reality of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ, then Muharram was a month in which Prophet ﷺ was given the order to leave Mecca and all the struggling in Mecca and 13 years of struggling in Mecca until Allah (AJ) open the City of Lights. It means the malakut (heavenly realm) and the oceans and the realities of malakut. And in this reality every step and every action is something for people of tafakkur (contemplation). And so many verses of Holy Qur’an Allah (AJ) described, ‘None know it but the people of tafakkur,’ because they read and they studied that reality by stopping and contemplating.

﴾إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لَّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿١٣

45:13 – “…Inna fee dhalika la ayatin liqawmin yatafakkaron.” (Surat Al-Jathiya)

“…Behold, in that are Signs indeed for those who reflect/Contemplate [Meditate].” (The Crouching, 45:13)

3. Sacrifice – Imam Ali (as) Teaches to Give Our Entire Self for The Reality

Then when Allah (AJ) is giving a secret in every movement of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ, thirteen years of struggling. An isharat (sign) comes and an order comes that to move open into the City of Lights – Madinatul Munawwara. And because they were coming to kill Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ in Mecca he was going to leave; then every event has its secret. Imam Ali (as) as a youth said that, ‘I’ll lie in your bed and you make your hijrah to complete Allah’s (AJ) deen (religion). That, don’t let these people to come to stop you from your work for Allah (AJ), I will lie in the bed.’ And he lied in his bed to be killed. Because they were coming to assassinate Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ and Imam Ali (as) lied in the bed as a youth.

Imam Ali (as) is the Exemplar of Futuwwa (Chivalry)

That’s why we call the “futuwwa” is the ‘youthful chivalry.’ That as a youth he thought not even a second that, ‘I will sacrifice myself to be slaughtered so that you deliver the message of Allah (AJ) and complete your mission.’ That one shows the immense noble character of a youthful servant of Allah (AJ). That, not in old age but in his youth he lied within the bed for certain to be killed. The whole event that transpired – they came to kill Imam Ali (as) and Allah (AJ) immediately ordered Sayyidina Jibreel (as) to guard his head and Sayyidina Mikhael (as) to guard his feet.

.فِيِ لَيْلَةْ اَلْمَبِيتْ أَمِيِرْ اَلْمُؤْمِنِيِنْ عَلَىٰ فِرَاشِ اَلنَّبِيِ ﷺ
أَوْحَىٰ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إلَىٰ جَبْرَائِيلُ وَمِيكَائِيلَ: ألَّا كُنْتُمَا مِثْلِ عَلِيِّ بِنْ أَبِي طَالِبٍ؟ آخَيْتُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ مُحَمّدٍ (صلّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وآله) فَبَاتَ عَلَى فِرَاشِهِ يَفْدِيَة بِنَفْسِهِ ، وَيُؤْثِرُهْ بِالْحَيَاةِ. اَهْبِطَا إِلَى الْأَرْضِ فَاحْفَظَهُ مِنْ عَدُوِّهِْ

Fi Laylat al Mabeet, Amir al Muminin ‘ala ferashi anNabiyi ﷺ. Awha Allahu ‘Azza wa Jalla ila Jibrayilu wa Mikayilu: “Alla kuntuma mithli ‘Aliyi ibn Abi Talib? Akhaytu baynahu wa bayna Muhammadin fabata ‘ala firashihi yafdiyah benafsihi, wa yuthiruh bil hayati. Ahbita/ihbeta ilal Ardi fahfazhahu min ‘adowwihi.

On the night when Amir al Muminin (the Leader of the Believers, Imam ‘Ali (as)) slept in the place of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), Allah (AJ) told the angels Jibreel (as) and Mikayil (as): “Have you seen anyone like ‘Ali the son of Abi Talib? The brotherhood between him and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) is as such that Imam ‘Ali (as) slept in the place of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to sacrifice himself and give his life. Go to the Earth and protect him from the enemies.”

imam-ali-hides-in-bed-of-Prophet-s Allah (AJ) said, ‘Not a hair of this child is to be touched!’ As a result, they entered into the room and instead of stabbing and slaughtering the body, it occurred to them to look and they saw, ‘Oh, it’s not Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ, it’s Imam Ali (as),’ and they spared him from that. But that was an immense reality of what was to lie ahead for the mission of Ahlul Bayt (Holy family of Prophet ﷺ). That they would set the example of a Siddiqiya (truthful) character because all the companions are Siddiq (truthful). But from this Siddiq, his example was he would give his entire self for that reality. So that hijrah has that reality as a secret within it. That Imam Ali (as) is going to teach us something in our hijrah because he’s an immense character in that movement.

4. Faith – Reality of the Ghar-e-Thawr

Then the hijrah with Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ and Sayyidina Abu Bakr as Siddiq (as) – as Siddiq al-Mutlaq (the absolute truthful). That, when we say the hijrah in the Islamic calendar was the movement of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ with Sayyidina Abu Bakr as Siddiq (as) and they directed themselves to go to Madinatul Munawwara (luminous city of Prophet ﷺ). Before Madinatul Munawwara – because they were being chased by these enemies in Mecca – Allah (AJ) ordered Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ into The Cave – Ghar-e-Thawr, The Cave. In that cave again there’s no… there everything is filled with immense realities. That, Prophet ﷺ went with his beloved friend into a cave.

The minute they sat into the cave Allah (AJ) sealed the cave with the spider web and a bird. A dove came and laid 2 eggs right in front of the cave as a shield against Prophet ﷺ. So that when you looked into the cave, all you saw was a spider web as if it had been there forever and that a bird’s nest with two eggs were guarding the gate of that reality. Inside, the Most Beloved Creation of Allah (AJ) and his beloved siddiq, his beloved friend, the most truthful of servants – Siddiq al-Mutlaq, Sayyidina Abu Bakr as Siddiq (as), our beloved grandfather of the Naqshbandiya realities.

Every Month’s Reality is From The Cave

In that cave is the way of all turuqs (spiritual paths) and the way of Naqshbandiya and the way of these haqqaiq (realities). When people are asking that, ‘You know, what is this understanding of these 12 veils? And what is that every month has a tajalli (manifestation) and every month has a reality?’ It’s from that cave! If they don’t understand it then they were not taught it’s reality from the cave. In that cave Allah (AJ) brings the secret in Surah Tawbah. We’ll play that now, Surah Tawbah, verse 40. It’s about Prophet ﷺ is with Sayyidina Abu Bakr as Siddiq (as) in the cave and Allah (AJ) is saying, ‘Don’t be scared, don’t be worried! For, Allah (AJ) is with you.’ Allah’s (AJ) with us, Prophet ﷺ was confirming.

إِلَّا تَنصُرُ‌وهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَ‌هُ اللَّـهُ إِذْ أَخْرَ‌جَهُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وا ثَانِيَ اثْنَيْنِ إِذْ هُمَا فِي الْغَارِ‌ إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَاحِبِهِ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ مَعَنَا ۖ فَأَنزَلَ اللَّـهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَيَّدَهُ بِجُنُودٍ لَّمْ تَرَ‌وْهَا وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وا السُّفْلَىٰ ۗ وَكَلِمَةُ اللَّـهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا ۗ وَاللَّـهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿٤٠

9:40 – “Illa tansuroohu faqad nasarahullahu idh akhrajahul ladheena kafaro thaniya ithnayni idh huma fil ghari idh yaqolu lisahibihi la tahzan inna Allaha ma’ana, fa anzalAllahu sakeenatahu, ‘alayhi wa ayyadahu, bi junodin lam tarawha wa ja’ala kalimatal ladheena kafaro assufla, wa kalimatUllahi hiya al’ulya, wAllahu ‘Azeezun Hakeem.” (Surat At-Tawbah)

“If you do not aid the Prophet – Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, “Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us.” And Allah sent down his tranquillity upon him and supported him with angels you did not see and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allah – that is the highest. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.” (The Repentance, 9:40)

5. Repentance – Enter into The Cave Through Baab at Tawbah (Door of Repentance)

This is a journey into the Holy Qur’an. That, Allah (AJ) through this blessed ayatul kareem, Surah Tawbah is the gate of this reality. That awliyaullah, they taught to their students that if you want to be with Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ then love Prophet ﷺ more than you love yourself.

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْن مَالِكٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ، قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ” لاَ يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى أَكُونَ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ وَالِدِهِ وَوَلَدِهِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ “. [صَحِيِحْ مُسْلِمْ، حديث ٤٤، واَلْبُخَارِي، كِتَابُ الْإيْمَانْ، حديث ١٥]

‘An Anas ibn Malik (ra) qala, qala Rasulullahi ﷺ “La yuminu ahadukum hatta akona ahabba ilayhi min walidihi wa waladihi wan nasi ajma’yeen.” [Sahih Muslim, Hadith 44, wa Al Bukhari, Kitabul Iman, Hadith 15]

Narrated by Anas son of Malik (ra) that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “None of you will have faith till he loves me more than his father, his children, and all mankind.” [Authentic by Muslim, Hadith 44 & by Al Bukhari, Book of Faith, Hadith 15]

And that, that entrance into that reality is a Baab at Tawbah – is a gate of repentance, in which every year we ask, ‘Ya Rabbi, dress us from the Holy Qur’an and let the Holy Qur’an be our guide.’ Not by our empty words but actually the Qur’an to pull our soul into its reality. This is not something you recite by your tongue and think that you’re being guided but it’s that the Qur’an remember you and that the Holy Qur’an draws your soul into its reality.

Let Your Self to Be Sacrificed at the Door

That reality is a Baab at Tawbah (door of repentance) that, ‘Come to the gate of tawbah and repentance’ in which you ask Allah (AJ), no “Bismillahir rahmanir raheem” because this surah has no “Bismillahir rahmanir raheem“, but “Bismillah Allahu Akbar.” ‘Ya Rabbi, that let me to be sacrificed, my bad character to be sacrificed, that all my wants and desires, Ya Rabbi, to the best of my ability to be sacrificed. And what is it that You want for me?’ That, whatever plan I had in life it may not be what Allah’s (AJ) plan was. Whatever wants or hopes I had in life may not be what Allah’s (AJ) plans were or wants or hopes for me. That, to put your head on the table and say, ‘Ya Rabbi, Bismillah Allahu Akbar. Whatever is that You want for me, Ya Rabbi, You find me to be, inshaAllah, submitting to the best of my ability.’ Then if Allah (AJ) give a permission from “Atiullah atiur Rasul wa Ulil amre minkum” the ulul amr (People of the Command) will begin to pull us into the Holy Qur’an which is in the heart of Sayyidina Muhammad’s ﷺ soul.

﴾أَطِيعُواللَّه وَأَطِيعُوٱلرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ… ﴿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)

Realities of The Cave

1. Manzil ul Qur’an – The Cave is The Heart of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ

That’s why all these teachings, they come together like a beads of a tasbih (prayer beads). When Allah (AJ) says, ‘Hold firm to the rope of Allah (AJ),’ it’s the rope of this tasbih, its knowledges, and its realities, that it draws and pulls us in.

وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّـهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّ‌قُوا ۚ  ﴿١٠٣

3:103 – “Wa’tasimo bihab lillahi jamee’an wa la tafarraqo…” (Surat Ali-Imran)

“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not separate…” (Family of Imran, 3:103)

With that love of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ they begin to teach, ‘That’s Manzil ul Qur’an’, that’s the house in which emanating Holy Qur’an.’ The uncreated speech of Allah (AJ) is emanating from the soul and heart of Sayyidina Muhammad’s ﷺ malakut realities that can’t be understood and can’t be comprehended. That is the cave that they’re drawing us into that reality. That, ‘Come in to this heart of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ with your love, with your good deeds, and good actions. Make a tawbah (repentance) and live a life of maghfirah, begging Allah’s (AJ) forgiveness and let that reality to draw us in.’

2. Preservation – Sayyidina Aqib ﷺ Frees His Nation from the Hellfire

So then read Surah Tawbah in this month and see how much of the Naqshbandiya teaching ayatul kareem is all in this holy surah. Every ayah (verse) of the Qur’an is dressing us, giving suhbats (discourses) to us, cleaning us, washing us, preparing for us. Our journey is in the Holy Qur’an and that is located in the heart of the soul of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. So it’s pulling us.

So, you pull the App [Muhammadan Way App], you open up Muharram and you begin to read the tajallis of the month that every name of Allah (AJ) is dressing. And that name of Allah (AJ) that dresses that reality, the name of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ that being the key for that name to dress us – Sayyidina Aqib ﷺ – the one whom frees a nation from difficulty and hellfire. The one whom frees because this is Baab at Tawbah that, ‘Ya Rabbi we’re coming to the door from the one whom saves his nation from the abode of fire – Darul Jaheem. That, we’re coming to the door of this reality.’

3. The Key – Allah’s (AJ) Door Opens Through the Key of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ

Allah’s (AJ) sifat al-Jabbar (attribute of the Compeller) is the door that opens with the key of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ, is the key of rahmah and mercy. That, when Allah (AJ) open His Jabaroot, and His qudra and His power upon the servant, then who can punish that servant when Allah (AJ) grants them maghfirah? Who can harm that servant whom Allah (AJ) is guarding? Who can nourish or deprive that servant whom Allah (AJ) is guarding with sifat al-Jabaroot? It means He dresses the servant in that reality, takes them into that, and then that tajalli of that cave, the tajalli of that first hijab (veil) out of these 12 hijabs – “Subhana Rabbil ’ala.”

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيُ الْأَعْلَي

“Subhana Rabbil ’ala.”
Glory be to my Lord, the Lofty.

That, Allah (AJ) to dress us from these tajallis, bless us from these tajallis. To know that you’re in the cave of all realities, to be dressed in the cave of all realities, blessed in the cave of all realities. Then you read Surah Tawbah to be dressed by all of its secrets and it’s blessings.

4. Mercy – The Cave is a Rahmah for Those Who Run From Oppression

Then the next month that opens up for us to understand, from nine, the next nine becomes 18 (9×2=18) and that’s Surat al-Kahf. That was your confirmation that these shaykhs they’re not making this up. This is the hijrah. The hijrah is to the cave and that cave is the safety, is the najat (salvation), is the station in which everyone has to stop to enter into the City of Lights. It means your relationship and love has to be with Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ secure and blessed. So when the second month opens, and Surat al-Kahf opens, then it’s already confirmed for you that – be from Ashab ul Kahf – the people of the cave.

Madina Sharif in red rose floating petals That they run from all oppression, they run from all wrong, for what? That, Allah (AJ) may save them and dress them from His rahmah (mercy). And that’s why Allah (AJ) then describes His rahmah of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ, “Wa maa arsalnaka illa Rahmatal lil’alameen.” That, ‘We would not have sent this reality except that it’s a mercy for all of Allah’s (AJ) creation, for all universes, all worlds, all that is manifesting and not manifesting; the rahmah of it is Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ.’ That’s the immensity of these blessings; that’s the immensity of these nights that are opening.

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)

Dress Yourself With the Secrets of Two Faces of the Moon

And that the step of every companion is a reality. We pray that Allah (AJ) give us more and more understanding and that we can dress into that reality, be blessed into that reality.

What was the secret of Imam Ali (as) that shows us in our chivalry and in our way? Sacrifice yourself for Prophet ﷺ! Not that you bring harm to yourself and others but let your bad character, and your wants and bad desires, to be taken away. That, to abstain from these badnesses for the sake of that reality. At least, ‘Ya Rabbi, let me to sacrifice something that I want and something that I know that is not good for me. I’ll sacrifice that in the way of this reality so that I can inherit from this truthful Siddiq and this reality of Imam Ali (as). So that he can dress us from this futuwwa and this chivalrous character, noble character, honorable character.’ And that, the opening of the hijrah with Sayydina Abu Bakr as Siddiq (as) is teaching us then many realities within the cave.

Step With Your Right Foot in Muharram for a Blessed Year

In the next few nights, inshaAllah, we’ll try to go into these realities and we pray that people to think and read from Surah Tawbah in English. The language that you have, you read it, try to understand each verse, you meditate on it and its immense blessings, inshaAllah, to dress us and bless us. We have a little bit of time, inshaAllah for some questions and answers – it’s an interactive Thursday. It’s the beginning of our year and inshaAllah, we pray that everybody step with their right foot into the year asking for it to be a better year, a blessed year. That, Allah (AJ) keep us to be safe, our families and loved ones to be safe. That, Prophet ﷺ to be happy with us and the companions to be happy with us, Ahlul Bayt to be happy with us, awliyaullah to be happy with us fis samayi wa fil ard (in the heavens and on earth). Anyone whom Allah (AJ) is pleased with, inshaAllah, they be pleased with us too, inshaAllah.

Ask Questions to Gain Knowledge, Not to Find Doubt

[email protected] – inshaAllah that please ask your questions and they’ll send out the response. It’s good to keep it connected, keep your questions coming. Try not to be argumentative. Imam Ali (as) gave us the guidelines and Surat al-Kahf is definitely a guideline for all people of this reality. For if you find yourself drawn to this teaching, these are from the people of the cave. Allah (AJ) gives the adab (manners) of how to deal with the people of the cave in Surat al-Kahf. When Nabi Musa (as) met with Sayydina Khidr (as); that is the whole adab of tariqah (spiritual path). That, the questioning we’re opening and allowing so that people have a sense of drawing close and maybe their understandings are so out there that we try to bring it a little bit more towards reality and clarity.

But in no way is it a way of questions to find doubt or to challenge. This is not like University where you can begin to challenge and debate and argue. If you don’t find it to be appropriate for you then it’s better just to click and go somewhere else. There’s no arguing with a reality. If you accept it, you accept it, alhamdulillah. If you don’t find acceptance into it then maybe it’s not time for that person. But we pray that Allah (AJ) to guide all people and open their hearts.

Spread the Love of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

This is the month of generosity, this is the month in which to get the knowledges, to read the articles and to live a life of service. That how can we be of service to Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ – by having a Milad, having a mawlid, propagate the knowledges of this reality, propagate the Mawlid an-Nabi ﷺ (celebration of the birthday of Prophet ﷺ) and spread the goodness and the love of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ, inshaAllah. Thank you very much, inshaAllah. We see everybody tomorrow night, inshaAllah. As salaamu alaykum warahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

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 20, 2020

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