Sohbahs
The revered Ghawth-i Thani Shaykh Sayyid Abdülbaki el-Hüseyni (quddisa sirruhu) stated:
"Sohbah” begets mahabbah (divinely inspired love). And it is mahabbah that drives a person to perform good deeds. Without mahabbah, one can accomplish nothing."
The friends of Allah are not verbose. They guide more through their silent demeanor and transformative gaze than through words; they are occupied with good deeds. Those who knew Ghawth-i Thani (quddisa sirruhu) have seldom seen him elaborate on matters. Like his murshid, Sayyid Muhammed Raşid el-Hüseyni (quddisa sirruhu), his silent demeanor was more influential than mere words. His walking, sitting, and rising were as if the Sunnah of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was incarnate in his every move.
Though Ghawth-i Thani (quddisa sirruhu) did not engage in much sohbah, during his thirty years of irshad, there were occasions when he spoke, sometimes one-on-one and sometimes to groups. These sohbahs were recorded when possible, either through audio recordings or notes taken by those in attendance.
A notable characteristic of these sohbahs is their simplicity. Like the previous two murshids of the Menzil dargah, Ghawth-i Thani (quddisa sirruhu) did not speak in ambiguous, difficult-to-understand, or open-to-interpretation language. Instead, he directly addressed the matter at hand; he reiterated key issues like intention (niyyah), service, sincerity (ikhlas), and remembrance (dhikr) in almost every sohbah. Hence, it can be said that his sohbahs were meant as reminders.
An aspect of these sohbahs that may seem peculiar to those not familiar with the Menzil style is the infrequent reference to the noble ayahs and hadiths. Historically, perfect guides (kamil murshids) focused on the message rather than directly quoting such sources in public sohbahs. However, in written texts like treatises, letters, and books, they have indicated references to verses, hadiths, or sayings of the great ones. The work of Ghawth-i Thani (quddisa sirruhu) titled 'el-Minhacü’s-Seni Adab-ı Şeyh Seyyid Abdülhakim el-Hüseyni' is a fine example.
In this section, we have compiled some of Ghawth's sohbahs. For ease of reading, we have categorized them under subheadings according to their topics.
INTENTION (NIYYAH)
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Actions are but by intention." (al-Bukhari, Bad' al-Wayh, 1)
If the intention is to please Allah, then the actions are acceptable. If the actions are not for the sake of Allah, then they are not righteous.
The world is a place of tests. One must always check their intentions. For this reason, the intention should always be for the sake of Allah. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Love of the world is the root of all wrongdoings" (Bayhaqi, Shuab al-Iman, No. 10501). Allah has cursed the world. The world is accursed.
Our Ghawth (Ghawth-i Kasrawi - quddisa sirruhu) once gave a sohbah on intention:
It is essential for a person, when rising in the morning, when dressing, to take a minute or two to form an intention in the heart. Likewise, a person must go and work. Worldly work is also essential. Allah has decreed it. But it must be in the path of good, not in the path of evil. If one works in the way of evil, they will be ruined, they will suffer harm, disaster will occur. Hence, one must work in the path of good, and intention is necessary.
"Ya Rabbi, I will go and work for Your pleasure. My aim is Your pleasure. You are the Absolute Provider. Whether I work or not, You have promised to provide for me, saying, 'I will give you your sustenance.' Ya Rabbi, You have made it obligatory upon us to provide for our family members. I am working to meet the needs of my family. And I am working to increase my good deeds, Ya Rabbi."
If a person sets such an intention in their heart, it is as if they have worshiped Allah in the mosque with prostration until evening.
There was a man named Ibn ‘Usfur who had committed all kinds of sins. One day, as he was going down to the market, he saw a child tormenting a bird. Ibn Usfur made the following intention: "Ya Rabbi, I will convince this child with some money to release the bird, perhaps through this act, I may attain Your forgiveness."
Ibn ‘Usfur freed the bird. A few days later, he died. He had a wali neighbor. One day, wondering about the state of his neighbor's soul, he went to his grave. He closed his eyes and recited 'astaghfirullah' twenty-five times. He saw that the man was in Jannah. He asked him:
- You were our neighbor. You committed many sins.
- Yes, I did, Ibn ‘Usfur replied.
- What did you do that Allah forgave you?
Ibn ‘Usfur said:
- Allah said, "You freed the bird for My pleasure. Why would I not free you?"
Indeed, Ibn ‘Usfur's intention was attaining the pleasure of Allah. Allah looks for a reason to forgive His servant.
One must always check their intentions. One must be cautious of ignoble dispositions like arrogance and pride.
A person is upright or corrupt according to their intention. Intention is formed within the heart. Allah cannot be deceived. Allah knows the heart, looks at the heart. A person can deceive another person. But they can never deceive Allah.
One must keep the intention firm. One must not be ensnared by the world. The intention must be to please Allah. No matter how much a person works, if Allah does not forgive them, they cannot be saved.
Intention is very important. If one’s intentions are not for the sake of Allah, it becomes dangerous. Whatever work you do, let the pleasure of Allah be in your intention. Embed attaining His pleasure in your heart. Let this be in every act you do.
Do not fall under the curse of the world! Always keep your intention firm in your heart, always check it, always do it for the pleasure of Allah so that it becomes worship. Intention is necessary to see the benefit of work. Allah has made it a requirement. Therefore, let us always check our hearts.
The heart is exclusive to Allah. That is, Allah looks into a person's heart. If haram thoughts occur in the heart, if evil thoughts come to the heart, Allah does not have them committed to the record. If it is a good deed, He has it recorded; if it is charity, He records it, but if it is a sin, He does not have it recorded.
For example, if a person makes an intention, "Ya Rabbi, for Your pleasure, I will do this thing; for example, I will build a mosque, I will go on Hajj..." If one makes an intention for such a good deed and does it, Allah will record ten good deeds in their account. But if they intend to do it and cannot, He records one good deed.
But if a person intends to commit a sin; for instance, "I will cause harm to so-and-so..." They start to take action but end up doing nothing. Allah does not record anything in their account for that. If they do it, He records it; if they do not, He does not record it. But if a person intends to do good and makes the intention, He immediately records it. If they do it, He records ten; if they do not, He records one.
It is essential that the heart always has the right intention. Ghawth (quddisa sirruhu) used to say: "We make the intention for Hajj every year. We always settle our hearts on the intention, 'This year, I will go to Hajj.' If Allah decrees it for us, He records it as a good deed. If not, He still grants the reward of Hajj. With such intentions, a person always accumulates good deeds in their account."
Without intention, there is no action. Intention is necessary when making wudu and performing salah. Everything depends on intention. Intention should always be scrutinized. It must be maintained firm and strong for the sake of Allah. Qualities like showing off (riya), envy (hasad), arrogance (kibr), and pride (ghurur) can ruin good deeds.
Nothing can be accomplished without intention. We make intentions when praying salah, making wudu, fasting. If we do not make an intention, that act of worship is not valid. Whatever a person does, if it is without intention, that act goes to waste.
Making an intention is very easy, very brief. You can make an intention within a minute. You can say: "O Allah, I am going to the dargah. This is Your dargah. This is the dargah of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). This is the dargah of the Sadat-i Naqshbandi (the noble awliya of the Naqshbandi path). Ya Rabbi, I am setting out for service to the ummah of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). Assist me on this path."
Whichever act of goodness a person does for the pleasure of Allah, it means they are serving both their worldly and hereafter needs. This is how we conduct ourselves, and we desire you to do the same.
Whoever is working, no matter where, should work for the pleasure of Allah, should do whatever they do for Allah, so that in the hereafter they may be among those whose faces are bright.
We must continually check our intentions. If our intention is for the worldly life, then we are included in its cursed status. If our intention is for Allah, then it serves both this world and the hereafter. We work both to meet the needs of our families, relatives, and neighbors, and if our intention is for Allah, then our deeds become acts of worship.
Allah the Most High continuously checks the hearts of people. If the heart desires goodness, He grants goodness; if it desires evil, He grants evil. It is essential to always be good, to desire good, and to check the intention in our hearts. We must always ask Allah for what is good and beneficial.
Our goal is (to work) for the sake of Allah. Not for property, money, or fame. Your intention should be to please Allah. The world is transient; the hereafter is everlasting. Primarily, what one needs is intention. All deeds become righteous through intention. When the deed is righteous, the grave becomes illuminated. Darkness is dispelled, and light arrives.
When we intend to perform a deed, we first correct our intention, then we perform the deed. When we go out, we should protect ourselves from sins. Committing sins is forbidden. Because if a person commits sins outside, does not protect themselves from sins, then all the worship and rewards of the day vanish. Sins burn like fire and consume everything. Just as a tree burns and nothing is left when it catches fire, so do sins destroy all the beautiful intentions, deeds, and rewards if a person does not protect themselves from sin outside. Therefore, we will not commit sins; we will stay away from sin.
REMEMBRANCE (DHIKR)
Dhikr (remembrance)is the medicine for the heart, unlike other forms of worship. Acts of worship like reading the Qur’an earn a person rewards. However, the treatment of the heart is done through dhikr. It is not acceptable to neglect dhikr saying, 'I am sleepy, I don't feel like it, I am tired.'
To perform dhikr intermittently irritates the heart. Just as if we do not consistently take the medicine prescribed by a doctor, we see no benefit; the same applies to dhikr. Also, the prescribed count of dhikr should be observed; neither less nor more. If you take less medicine, you will not benefit. If you take more, it can be harmful.
Do not perform your wird (daily dhikr) with ghaflah (heedlessness). If the heart stays in place, but the mind wanders elsewhere, it is as if it has not been done at all. You are sinning, both inflicting the wound and trying to heal your heart. Healing does not occur this way. Do not perform dhikr heedlessly. Do it in the correct amount, do not persist in sin, do not commit sins.
The Shariah is the root, the tariqah is the trunk, and its fruit is the deed, the wird. That is, without the wird, without remembrance, it does not happen. Wird is light; it is illumination. Shariah, tariqah, and action... If one of these is lacking, the Sadat-i Kiram do not accept it. Shariah, tariqah, wird are the beacons of Allah the Almighty. They are the beacons of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (radiyallahu anh) and of the Naqshbandi awliya. It is pure light, like milk, like snow, crystal clear. It does not accept even an atom's weight of impurity.
Humans must resort to spiritual remedies like the remembrance of Allah. The sound of the remembrance of Allah drives away Shaytan. Shaytan is a coward. He flees from the sound of remembrance. However, the nafs (ego) is not like that. It waits silently for the human to make a mistake, like a cat waiting for a mouse.
Wird is very important. Nothing can take the place of wird. Your heart is only cleansed through dhikr. If you do not perform your wird, the stains and impurities in your heart multiply. You cannot enjoy or benefit from anything.
Perform your wird. You go to the doctor, he gives you medicine. If you do not take that medicine, your illness does not go away. The medicine for spiritual illnesses is remembrance, wird.
There can be no Sufi without dhikr. Nothing comes of a Sufi who does not engage in remembrance. Whatever you do, perform your wird. Do not do it in heedlessness. First, awaken from heedlessness. There is no benefit from heedlessly performed wird. Why does no inspiration come? Because you are in ghaflah (heedlessness); that's why.
The heart is like a child; it repeats what you teach it. Just as you teach a child learning to speak to say 'mom' and 'dad,' you must teach the heart to say 'Allah, Allah.' You must imagine it has a mouth and is saying 'Allah,' and you must compel it to say 'Allah.' Not much; after three months, five months, the heart will begin to say 'Allah.' Effort is necessary.
Our entire endeavor is truly to ignite those brothers who desire to engage in remembrance without ghaflah. This is our intention. Certainly, Allah helps, the Sadat grant their aid.
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True rabita (connection with the murshid) and dhikr dispel darkness. To perform dhikr without heedlessness, first pay attention to your daily life. Sufism is a daily life practice. The things you eat and drink, the people you talk to, your prayers, your wudu, your transactions must be honest. This is daily life, but remembrance is something else entirely. All creation performs remembrance.
The nafs has forty legs, and two heads. One is between the eyebrows, and the other is in the stomach. The forty legs have enveloped our entire body. We have raised it all these years to adulthood. Its legs have wrapped around our entire body. The only discipline for the nafs is remembrance and visiting the murshid. That is, to come under the gaze of the murshid. Otherwise, it cannot be dealt with.
As you engage in remembrance, the legs of the nafs burn, and as they burn, it slowly withdraws its legs from the flesh. During this withdrawal, there will be pains and aches. These pains are from the nafs pulling its legs together. As the nafs slowly retracts its legs, some people experience pain in their backs, others in their necks. We've nourished it for so many years, and now we're striving to make it retract its legs. As the nafs retracts all its legs from the lower body, it gathers them in the stomach. Through continuous remembrance, the last point it will gather is between the eyebrows. That is, it will have returned to its final abode.
There is no taste from remembrance performed in heedlessness. When you truly perform your wird, you feel sad to see it end. The most virtuous of worship is remembrance.
To perform khatma and rabita and to recite salawat bring a reward. But the reformation of the heart only occurs through remembrance.
Remembrance is the sustenance of the heart. A heart that does not receive its sustenance weakens and then dies. The heart is only nourished, strengthened, sweetened, and finds spiritual life through remembrance.
One cannot be a Naqshbandi without performing five thousand counts of wird. When a person reaches maturity, Allah begins to record their sins and rewards. Every person and animal has a biological heart, which pumps blood to the body. Within it, there is also a human heart. Animals do not have this. When one begins to commit sins, the human heart becomes darkened and wounded.
The entire Qur’an is dhikr. There are many verses about dhikr. The continuity of dhikr is important. It should be performed every day, neither too much nor too little…
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Dhikr is the medicine for the heart. Just as taking the medicine given by the doctor at its prescribed time each day is beneficial, so too must remembrance be performed consistently every day. It must not be done in heedlessness. If performed in heedlessness, it brings distress, heaviness, and reluctance. Then there is no inspiration, no love. It becomes burdensome, and one does not want to engage in it. It's like applying ointment to a wound and then stabbing it again – it irritates and reopens the wound, making it difficult to heal.
One cannot be a Naqshbandi without performing five thousand counts of wird. One will benefit from performing a khatma, become a loving devotee (muhib), but cannot become a Naqshbandi.
KNOWLEDGE
Teach the Sufis fiqh. It is necessary for them to know how to perform salah and other acts of worship. Just the other day, a fifty-five-year-old person came and said that he had only been coming to the mosque for three days. Emphasize this; teach and hold lessons. Work for Allah, and pay no mind to what others say.
Engage in sohbah, increase it. Emphasize fiqh. There are those who do not know how to pray or are unaware of the special situations of women. Knowledge (ilm) is very important. The scholars are the custodians of this religion. It is they who raise the perfect guides (kamil murshids).
A Muslim must learn their wudu, ghusl, how to pray, and study basic Islamic knowledge (ilmihal). Learning knowledge is an obligation (fard). All ignorance stems from not knowing. Therefore, everyone must read and learn.
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Allah the Exalted can grant kashf and karamah to those without knowledge as well. However, for one who does not know the Shariah, it is pitch-black darkness. For the ignorant, without knowledge, kashf and karamah become a calamity. They quickly fall headlong.
The tariqah is the station of piety (taqwa) built upon the Shariah. Without Shariah, there is no tariqah. If the iron and concrete used in the foundation of a house are deficient, the building is not sturdy and collapses quickly. The foundation of the tariqah is the Shariah. Without a solid foundation, the people of the tariqah quickly stray from the path.
For a person to be Muslim, they must first pronounce the proclamation of faith (shahadah). Then, they must accept the conditions of faith (iman). After that, they must perform the five pillars of Islam. Among these, Hajj (pilgrimage), zakat, and fasting are bound to certain conditions. However, salah is obligatory for every sane individual who has come of age. It is an act of worship that must be performed under all conditions. Its penalty for omission is severe. According to some scholars, the penalty is five hundred years; according to others, seventy thousand years. Even if a person is ill and unable to move, they are still required to perform salah, even if through gesture (ima). Even if a person is drowning, even if the moment of death (sakarat al-mawt) has come, they are still obliged to perform the prayer of that time. They are responsible for the prayer of that time.
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Intention (niyyah) is important in services and acts of worship. The intention must be for the pleasure of Allah. We thought everyone knew surah Al-Fatiha. We saw they were reciting it incorrectly. Then, their prayers are nullified. All Sufis must learn Al-Fatiha properly. Without the salah, your khatma, rabita, and wird are also nullified.
One does not attain greatness through kashf and karamah. Therefore, one must be very careful. One day, Abdulqadir Gilani (quddisa sirruhu) was busy with worship in the mihrab when he heard a voice: "I have accepted all your deeds. From now on, do not worship us!" He thought: "There is no such command in the Qur'an or hadiths. The Messenger of Allah was never relieved of worship. Who am I compared to him!" and he threw his prayer beads at Shaytan. They shattered. Shaytan said: "O Abdulqadir, I have led astray seventy thousand awliya by this way."
Knowledge is very important. There are great stations in knowledge. Scholars are the heirs of our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). To become an heir, one must work. If we do not work, we cannot acquire that knowledge. Knowledge is the beginning and the end of all deeds. Learning is a righteous act. The greatest deed, the greatest victory, is knowledge. Without knowledge, one remains ignorant.
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As you know, an ignorant person has no station and knows nothing. The foundation of Islam is knowledge. Without knowledge, there is no Islam.
An ignorant person does not know wudu or ghusl. Without knowledge, there can be no action. Without knowledge, we cannot get to know Allah the Most High. We cannot know His greatness, His wisdom.
Everything depends on knowledge. Reading, studying ilm, working on it, focusing on it is an honor for us; it is an act of worship, a great station.
This Tariq-i Aliyyah (Exalted Path) is tasawwuf. Tasawwuf is taqwa (piety), taqwa is Shariah. Taqwa is the greatest knowledge. It is the way of the Shariah. That is, the Shariah is the command of Allah the Almighty. Fulfilling the commands of Allah the Almighty depends on being a faithful servant.
Without knowledge, tasawwuf is a disaster. Knowledge requires steadfastness (istiqamah), no matter what. If one doesn’t have steadfastness, it leads to disaster, disbelief (kufr), filth. If a person is true to the Shariah, does not err, does not deviate from the path, they make gains. But if they lose their way, Allah forbid, they go towards disbelief.
To spread the religion of Islam, knowledge is essential. Without knowledge, neither tariqah nor Shariah can be served. Nor can the wisdom of Allah the Almighty be learned. No benefit can be attained. There must be knowledge. Therefore, you must be careful.
The times of our Ghawth were very strict. There was someone named Haji Jibo in Kasrik. Our Ghawth (quddisa sirruhu) was staying in his house. It was a two-story house. One floor was a barn, and he lived on the other floor. They cleaned that barn, plastered it. The plaster was made with mud at the time. They closed all the windows and doors. They also put in a staircase. There were no carpets at the time, only mats. They opened a door about sixty to seventy centimeters under the mat, and we went up and down through there. We read by the light of a lamp in those days.
From that point to this day, we have never been without students seeking knowledge. In those days, there were about fifteen to twenty students. It was not like today. Allah the Most High has given us a great blessing. He has granted us these madrasas, these students of knowledge. These are great blessings.
GOOD DEEDS
Prepare a garment for yourself for the hereafter while you are in the world. Do not go to the hereafter naked. The earth disintegrates the burial shrouds.
There was a wali who had worshiped for five hundred years and had not spent a single moment in heedlessness. When he passed away, Allah the Most High said to him:
- You have performed deeds for five hundred years. Should I reward you with your deeds or by forgiving you?
- Ya Rabbi, You gave me five hundred years of life. I never strayed from Your path. Reward me with my deeds.
Allah the Exalted called His angels:
- Calculate all his deeds. But also calculate the blessings I have given him, and reward him accordingly, He said.
The calculation was made, and five hundred years of worship covered only the blessing of one eye. If a person lived for five thousand years, neither their strength nor their worship would cover those blessings.
The forgiveness of Allah the Almighty is vast. The forgiveness of Allah (jalla jalaluhu) is a hundred parts. One part has come to this world, and ninety-nine are reserved for the hereafter. Allah the Almighty is merciful. Without His mercy, He would transform the disbelievers into animals. He also gives worldly possessions and intellect to disbelievers with that one part of mercy. He has reserved the ninety-nine for the hereafter, all for Muslims, for believers. If a person takes even an atom's weight of faith to the hereafter, there are great glad tidings. If they go without faith, there is no mercy, no intercession, no salvation.
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The world is transient, but the hereafter is everlasting. Even if you live a long life in this world—say, you get to live a hundred years—fifteen years go to childhood, when one does not understand anything. Half of the eighty-five years goes to sleep. That leaves forty-two, forty-three years. If they spend it with worldly gossip, it is a pity. The burial shroud also disintegrates; they remain naked, disgraced. But if a person goes with righteous deeds, they gain high stations. Righteous deeds are the ones performed for Allah.
All actions turn into righteous deeds with the right intention. When the deed is righteous, the grave is illuminated, darkness retreats, light arrives. A person needs to do good deeds. Then, their life in the world can be said to be not wasted. Death is getting closer day by day. Work for the world as if you will never die; work for the hereafter as if you will die tomorrow. Let's work to benefit the Ummah of Muhammad. If a person does not experience hardship, they cannot taste the pleasures of Jannah.
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A person who earns a lot of money can receive a lot of respect in this world. To whom do those who hold high positions and power show respect? To the ones with money! When there is money, the doors of the world are thrown open. Just as respect and hospitality are given to those with a lot of money in the world, respect is given to those with a lot of merit in the hereafter.
ADAB
Do not compromise in matters of adab. Be as valiant as a lion in preserving it. Adab is of paramount importance.
Until the time of Mawlana Khalid (quddisa sirruhu), those who came to the dargah were provided sustenance for three days, after which they were to fend for themselves. Everyone ate from their own expense. He changed this adab. He instituted a new adab that if a Sufi stayed even for a year, their provisions would not be cut off, saying, "My back broke until I changed this adab."
This adab is very important; observe it. Perpetuate adab with your actions and behavior. Stand united and in solidarity. Leading even one person to hidayah (guidance to the true path) benefits in a chain reaction that reaches the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
Leading one person to hidayah causes a cascading effect that benefits the person who caused it, reaches the Sadat-i Kiram, and extends up to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
THE PURPOSE OF THE WAQF ESTABLISHMENT
I initiated the waqf work. Our intention is to please Allah and provide benefit to the ummah of our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
We established the waqf to eradicate wrongdoings. We started this work to prevent them. We consulted, performed istikharah, and established the waqfs. The waqf was established, and we saw its material and spiritual benefits. We are very pleased; it has brought us joy. May Allah be pleased. It was also right and proper in terms of official and legal aspects.
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This Exalted Path (Tariq-i Aliyyah) is pure and does not accept any stain. This tariqah stems from Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (radiyallahu anh).
These waqfs are the waqfs of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). Waqfs were established for the service of the Prophet's ummah. Our goal is to attain the pleasure of Allah.
Our waqfs are now in excellent shape. It’s called a waqf, but it’s not just a foundation; its essence is the Shariah. Our intention is sincere; what we do is for the pleasure of Allah, for the benefit of the Prophet's ummah. The purpose of me telling you this is for you to correct your intention. Your intention should be for Allah, for the ummah of our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), and for service. Shariah and tariqah are an inseparable whole. Shah-i Naqshband (quddisa sirruhu) said: "To separate Shariah from tariqah is heresy."
We suffered a lot before establishing this waqf. This tariqah is the path of guidance. This tariqah is the path of Islam. This tariqah is the path of the Prophet. This tariqah is the path of taqwa. Thanks be to Allah, the waqfs were established, with the support of the Sadat. Allah the Exalted says: "If you come one step towards me, I will come ten steps towards you." (Muslim, Dhikr, 1, No. 6983) We took one step, and thankfully, a thousand steps were taken towards us.
In the past, there were ignorant, uninformed volunteers. Now, with the waqf, they have become almost like scholars. They know hadith, tafsir, fiqh, the Qur’an. Allah has bestowed great favor upon us. These efforts bring us joy. We can never be grateful enough. Great progress has been made.
The reason for the establishment of this waqf is tasawwuf. Tasawwuf is the essence of the Qur’an and Sunnah. Tasawwuf is about obeying Allah's commands and avoiding sins. There are sins that burn all good deeds, like fire burns wood. These waqfs will be the center of the Shariah. Our tariqah is comprised of the Shariah.
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Waqfs were established for the dargahs. Regular operations of the dargah services require oversight. The place where the Sufis perform their khatma must be clean and orderly.
These waqfs were established for unity and solidarity, to help the weak and the poor. We established these waqfs for the Sufis to engage in sohbah. That must also be done for Allah. We established these waqfs to warn each other about one another’s mistakes, to correct each other, to keep each other away from the fire. That's why we want to be very careful.
SERVICE
Strive in these waqf services. This service, this task that has come before you, is a blessing. Appreciate the value of this service that has been entrusted to you; take it, preserve it, keep it within your homes. If you let this blessing slip away, you will not be able to catch it again. You won't find this opportunity again.
We are partners in these services. This partnership, this spiritual trade, does not end with death. It continues until the Day of Judgment. The Book of Deeds does not close until the Day of Judgment because this tariqah will continue until the Day of Judgment. Its benefits are for you, for us, and for the Sadat.
The world has become a sea of disbelief. It is necessary to rescue people from this sea of disbelief, help them. The ummah of Muhammad is in the midst of fire. If you see someone burning in a fire, what would you do? Would you not help? No one's heart can bear that. Would it be fitting not to help them?
We are nothing. We are like a walking stick in the hands of the Sadat-i Kiram. It is necessary to help the ummah of Muhammad for Allah’s sake. Assist the ummah of Muhammad for Allah’s sake.
If a person were to lead the entire world to guidance but had not attained guidance themselves, it would be of no benefit to them. What good is it if all people are saved while the individual themselves is going to the fire? Let's first save ourselves. Then friends, relatives, household members…
We publish this magazine for the education of people regarding the religion of Islam, and also to meet the needs of the takka, the waqf. We work in the way of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
We are pleased with you. Sufis come; they need soup, bread, beds… For these, income is necessary. Without income, it is not possible. You need to work for the world, and money is needed for the continuity of the service. Working for the world with this intention is a righteous act. Otherwise, we do not need money. We have thrown our possessions, our lives, our clothes under the feet of the Sufis. The purpose of this Exalted Path (Tariq-i Aliyyah) is service.
Ghawth (quddisa sirruhu) swore, "Our house has never received anything haram." Seyda (quddisa sirruhu) also said, "Our house has never received anything haram." We also say, "Our house has never received anything haram." Be careful! Do not mix haram into this waqf. If you are not careful, you bear the responsibility. Earning halal is an act of worship in itself.
Let the waqfs do trade. Commerce is the Sunnah of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) also engaged in trade. Help the poor. If someone wants to do good, do not obstruct their charity. The waqf can accept help. However, try to earn money through trade, let the waqf help the poor, the needy, the students, the women without protectors.
This service will undoubtedly continue. Let our intention be for Allah. If our intention is for Allah, you and we and the Sadat-i Kiram will all benefit. Everyone up to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) will see the benefit. Allah is the owner of mercy; He gives the same reward without diminishing it.
Serve this path, work so that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) will intercede for us. Those who cause good will receive the same reward (as the one who does good). Great care and much work are necessary. Work for the pleasure of Allah; the more we work, the more Allah the Almighty gives. Let's work for this Tariq-i Aliyyah.
If it’s not for Allah, even if we had the whole world, it would not be worth the tip of a needle. But if it is for Allah, even if it is as small as the tip of a needle, it has value.
We are now old, counted among the elderly. What did Ghawth and Seyda take to the hereafter? They took service for Allah and righteous deeds. We also want to take service and righteous deeds.
DILIGENCE
There is great benefit in working hard. Especially in this time and age, it is necessary to work night and day because our aim is to please our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) loves his ummah immensely. He is not like other prophets.
A person who enters Jannah without experiencing hardship will not find it pleasant. It is only after toiling that one truly appreciates comfort.
On the Day of Judgment, when Allah the Most High releases the ships of Hell, Hell will approach all humanity. At that moment, our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) will stand and say, "Ya Rabbi, save my ummah." The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) seeks not for himself but for his ummah. We, too, must work for him. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) loves his ummah dearly. Therefore, let us also please him.
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In the times of other prophets, one sin was counted as one sin and one good deed as one good deed. Allah the Exalted, to increase the reward for our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), writes at least ten rewards for one good deed. There are some good deeds for which a thousand or even fifteen hundred rewards are written.
These rewards are abundant. For example, if one does a good deed in Makkah or utters the Lafza-i Jalal (the name Allah), it is as if they have uttered the Lafza-i Jalal a hundred thousand times. That is, in Makkah, one is equivalent to a hundred thousand. In Medina, one equals a thousand; there are that many rewards. Whoever utters one Lafza-i Jalal in their own country, Allah writes ten times the reward.
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There is a sohbah by Ghawth al-Kasrawi: “A man was collecting honey. He had his own beehive. He would collect honey from surrounding villages, and he would say to his bees, ‘You buzz, and I will bring the honey. What I find is enough for both you and me. If you die, my secret is revealed. Do not die, just buzz.’”
You, too, should buzz; the Sadat have plenty of honey; they will support you. Their himmah is abundant. The more you strive, the more support you receive. The honey of the Sadat is plentiful and varied in the sight of Allah. Like bees, you too should not perish. The Sadat are constantly looking for disciples to give them honey. May Allah bless us with many disciples.
What does buzzing mean? It starts with intention, then acting according to the commands of Allah the Exalted, adhering to the pure Shariah and the adabs of the Sadat, and working hard. Allah the Almighty has tied everything to various causes. It just won’t do to sit idle. Allah the Almighty does not love those who sit idly. We must work hard; we must strive. May Allah the Most High not divert us from this path. May He grant us the rewards of this path. The goal is to carry this High Path (Tariq-i Aliyyah) further. One needs to make effort for this.
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Our intention is to attain the pleasure of Allah the Almighty. Let it not be for anything else. Let us remove anything that is not for the pleasure of Allah the Almighty. We only ask you to work hard so that our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) will be pleased. Let us go before him with bright faces so that we may please him. Allah the Exalted has given our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) many things. He is the greatest prophet. He has given him a great station that He has not given to anyone else. Therefore, let his ummah also be faithful.
This Naqshbandi Path is a great path. It is straight. It is a path of sidq because it is the path of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (radiyallahu anh). He advances with his sidq. We must be sadiq to see the benefit.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is deeply concerned for his ummah. While other prophets think of themselves in the hereafter, our Prophet says, "my ummah, my ummah." But we must also work. May Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) grant us the shafa’ah (intercession) of our Prophet for you and for us.
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The Sufi should be patient when faced with hardships. They should transform the hardships into spirituality and turn it into love. No matter what happens, they should not falter; they should be diligent. The himmah of the murshid manifests in proportion to the disciple's diligence. The measure is the Shariah. What is not in the Shariah is not in the tariqah.
May Allah the Exalted grant us a share in this Straight Path (Tariq-i Mustaqim). May this Straight Path continue until the Day of Judgment. May He not separate us from the intercession of our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). May He not separate us from the shade of the Naqshbandi awliya. May He not separate us from the way of the Prophet, from the path of the Naqshbandi awliya, from the Straight Path. May Allah be your helper.
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Allah willing, may we all follow in the footsteps of our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). That is the ultimate goal. Let's work for that. Let's advance it. Because we are in great loss. We are in the most terrifying, most difficult, most dangerous times of the Day of Judgment. In this dangerous time, it is necessary to work. We will work day and night.
Allah the Almighty loves work. The Sadat-i Kiram love it. Therefore, may Allah the Most High bless us with this path for the hereafter and not for the world, to attain the pleasure of Allah the Almighty and to come under the blessed gaze of the Sadat. May He grant it to all seventy million people. May Allah be your helper, may Allah protect you. Allah willing, we will be united on the Day of Judgment. May Allah be your helper.
GOOD CHARACTER
Islam is good character. One should be forbearing, patient, and endure hardships. Just look at the prophets. From Prophet Adam (alayhi salam) to our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), all of them faced oppression. Allah the Almighty does not love the oppressors; He loves the oppressed. This High Path (Tariq-i A'la) is about always choosing the latter when between oppressing others and being oppressed, being patient, and being forbearing.
Worship is not just salah. Salah is very important; every Muslim must perform it. Otherwise, Allah the Almighty punishes. One must have good character, not lie, and work diligently. These are righteous acts.
Do not treat anyone harshly. Treat people with good character and kind words, be very careful.
We should not rub people's mistakes in their faces. If there is gossip, you must suppress it. Be gentle; do not use harsh words.
No matter how angry the person in front of you gets, be gentle. The goal is the guidance of the ummah of Muhammad to the straight path. Do not retaliate with, "you said this, you said that."
No Sufi should remain offended or estranged from another. If there is any, reconcile them. Adam (alayhissalam) to the present, all the best, the greatest, the noblest, the most beautiful, the most honorable of all humans and prophets, is our Prophet, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. He conquered the world alone with his gentle nature and good character.
If our Seyda (quddisa sirruhu) had not treated the ummah of Muhammad gently, such a large crowd would not have followed him. A Sufi should treat another Sufi gently, explain the truth with good character, and consider the pleasure of Allah the Almighty and not that of the people.
SIDQ (FAITHFULNESS TO THE TRUTH)
This Exalted Path (Tariq-i Aliyyah) comes from Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (radiyallahu anh). He is the originator. Extremely loyal to the Prophet, and his actions were plentiful. Among the companions who performed more actions than him, he is considered the greatest because of his sincerity. This tariqah originates from him. Sincerity is a very lofty station. Therefore, being truthful is very important.
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This path is the path of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq. It has been inherited from him. Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, was the greatest companion. No other companion stood before him. There were those who worshiped more, but in Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (radiyallahu anh), sincerity was predominant. May Allah not separate us from this path.
SOHBAH
Sohbah engenders love (mahabbah). Love inspires one to do good deeds. Without love, a person cannot do anything. Islam is the root, tasawwuf is the trunk, and good deeds are the fruit. All three are essential. Without the root, the trunk cannot stand. Without the trunk, there would be no fruit. But if there is only a root and trunk without fruit, the tree is only good for being cut down for firewood.
In dargahs, wakils should hold plenty of sohbahs about tasawwuf. They should talk about our Seyda and the Sadat. Where sohbah is held, the Sadat are present in spirit. If the Sufis listen with rabita, the mercy of Allah manifests. His mercy leads to love, love to good deeds, and good deeds to the Sufi's salvation and closeness to Allah.
For a wakil to hold sohbah and explain the Shariah, they are not required to be a scholar or learned person. You can read from the books.
There are three reasons that can cut off the flow of spiritual blessings and love from a setting:
• The speaker might be speaking with words coming from their nafs. That is, they are in ghaflah (heedlessness). They speak from a sense of self-importance and have not turned to Allah's mercy or the spiritual support (himmah) of the Sadat.
• The jama'ah may be in ghaflah and attends the gathering without observing the adab. That is, their hearts are scattered, their expectations are different. They have not turned to Allah's mercy or the spiritual support of the Sadat.
• Or, the jama'ah may be eager to find faults in each other based on the topics discussed in the sohbah. That is, everyone is blaming each other, thinking this one has this shortcoming, and that one has that. By Allah, we detest this.
HUMILITY
Let no one push against another, let no one hurt one another’s feelings; all of you be humble. Allah created the Kaaba in the lowest part of Makkah. If He willed, He could have placed it on a hill or a mountain. But He established it in the lowest place of Makkah. Nevertheless, it is the most sublime place in the sight of Allah. Like water flows to the lowest point, Allah's mercy flows to the humble.
Shah-i Naqshband (quddisa sirruhu) gained this station through humility. Have you ever seen water flow upwards? It always flows downwards. You, too, be humble and modest so that your heart may be filled with Allah's mercy. Let us benefit from that mercy; let us not return empty-handed. The more a person sees themselves as lowly, the greater they become in the presence of Allah. The Kaaba is in a low place, but spiritually it is high above. Whoever places their nafs on a pedestal, Allah will abase them.
A true seeker (Sufi) should be like a peacock, not like a crow. Despite its beauty, the peacock bows its head in shame because of the blackness of its feet. A Sufi should be of this mindset and state; they should focus on the faults of their nafs, not on their good qualities. Because looking at one's good qualities can lead to arrogance and pride. Despite its colorful beauty, the peacock is ashamed because of its black legs. The crow, however, screams aloud as if there were no other bird like it, even though its beak touches all kinds of filth.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "The believer is a mirror of his brother" (Abu Dawud, Adab, 57). According to this hadith, a person cannot achieve perfection until they see in themselves the faults and deficiencies they observe in their believing brother or sister.
Unless a person sees themselves as insignificant and worthless as dung in the presence of Allah's majesty, they cannot stay afloat on water, nor can they progress spiritually. One who sees value and weight in themselves sinks like a stone in water and is of no benefit to anyone. All forms of perfection in creation are manifestations of Allah's perfection. It is a vain claim and a grave fault for a person to attribute perfection to themselves.
When it rains, nothing remains on the hills; the water all gathers in the low places, in the streams. Likewise, Allah's mercy and the tasarruf of the Sadat are with the humble hearts.
BEING WITH THE RIGHTEOUS
Even though Nuh (alayhissalam) was a great prophet, his son became one of the wicked people because he sat and associated with the wicked. Nuh (alayhissalam) pleaded for his son to Allah, saying, "He is my half, a part of me." Allah said, "He is not of you." And so, he became one of the evil ones.
Sit with the awliya, with the Sufis; they give us a path. Ghawth (quddisa sirruhu) said: "One who sits with the awliya becomes a wali." Stay away from hypocrites. If you have knowledge and strength, if you can pull them towards good and the right path, then it may be permissible. Otherwise, it can be harmful; one should be very careful.
It is necessary to visit the awliya. They have served this religion greatly. They sacrificed their lives for Islam.
It was not like today back then. One day during our Ghawth's time when we were in Kasrik, the village came under a military incursion to capture Ghawth-i Kasrawi (quddisa sirruhu) just twenty to twenty-five minutes before the Friday prayers.
Our Ghawth sent a message to the commander: “Can we be permitted to leave half an hour later, after performing our Friday prayers?” They said, "Okay, it's possible," and they allowed it. They prayed and left.
In Bitlis, everyone was lined up standing. When the soldiers saw our Ghawth (quddisa sirruhu), they immediately stood up. The regiment commander said, "Alright, this one is the shaykh." Pointing to the others in line, he said, "You all are false shaykhs."
Then they asked for tea, and they brought tea for our Ghawth as well. They had him sit down. Without taking his statement, they sent him back.
Our Ghawth was a great person. It was very strict back then, not like today. These great people are resting here. To visit them, to read the Qur’an for them, to pray for them is a great blessing.
THE PURPOSE OF TASAWWUF
Whoever says, "Islam and tasawwuf are separate," such a person is a heretic. This Exalted Path (Tariq-i Aliyyah) is the essence, wisdom, and piety of the Qur’an. The goal of this High Path (Tariq-i A'la) is to command what is just and forbid what is evil (amr bi’l-maruf nahy ani’l-munkar). The goal of the Naqshbandi tariqah is to attain the pleasure of Allah the Exalted. It is to fulfill the command of Allah the Almighty and to refrain from the actions He has prohibited. Here, the purpose is to engrave Islam into the heart of man, and this is worship. Allah the Almighty has stated in the Qur’an: "Did I not enjoin upon you, O children of Adam, that you should not worship Shaytan, for indeed, he is to you a clear enemy. And that you worship (only) Me? This is a straight path." (Yasin, 60-61)
Worship is the Straight Path (Tariq-i Mustaqim). The aim is always that. The goal is to fulfill the command of Allah the Almighty and to stay away from what He has forbidden. If a person does this, their actions become righteous, good deeds. The pleasure of Allah is found in righteous actions.
This is why we focus on the Exalted Path (Tariq-i Aliyyah). For this, one must strive and set an intention. All actions come from intention; without intention, there is no good deed. Intention is required while making wudu and performing worship. In all actions, there must be a heartfelt intention.
This Exalted Path (Tariq-i Aliyyah) is very precious, sensitive, and delicate. It is pure white; any small stain immediately shows. We must be very careful not to get stained.
The Sadat-i Kiram have exerted great effort for people to reach Allah the Almighty. Like someone going on a long journey needs to maintain their car, check everything. If you drive your car harshly, you will crash. We are on the road; we must be careful.
We do everything we can to save the iman of the ummah of Muhammad. The most necessary thing for a person is iman. The most important issue is to be able to pass away with iman during the throes of death. Once a person departs with iman, their affairs in the hereafter become easy.
The goal of this Naqshbandi tariqah is jihad. The greatest jihad is against the nafs and Shaytan. One must first pay attention to their own nafs. The purpose of the actions and dhikr of the Naqshbandis is for the guidance of the heart. The Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "There is a piece of flesh in the body, if it becomes sound, the whole body becomes sound, and if it is corrupt, the whole body becomes corrupt. And that is the heart." (Bukhari, Iman, 39)
The target of this Exalted Path (Tariq-i Aliyyah) is the guidance of the heart. This Exalted Path (Tariq-i Aliyyah) is the taqwa of the heart.
TRICKS OF THE NAFS AND SHAYTAN
Shaytan plays with a human like a cat plays with a mouse. Shaytan and the nafs are significant enemies. Just as a cat watches a mouse silently from its hole, not even breathing or making a sound so the mouse doesn't notice it, so are Shaytan and the nafs. Shaytan, like the cat, strikes where he sees an opening. Be careful and guard yourself well from the clutches of Shaytan. The Sadat-i Kiram will not abandon you.
Just as a person hires an accountant to look after their worldly business, a Sufi should take account of their nafs and demand answers from it. Forgive everyone else, but never forgive your nafs.
Let's not leave our work to Shaytan nor to the nafs. They are enemies. Enemies do not show mercy to one another. No good comes from an enemy. An enemy always desires to inflict harm. The commanding ego (nafs al-ammarah) always desires evil from a person, never good.
The world is a foul place and causes terrible harm to a person. All sins emanate from it. It is essential for a person to protect themselves from the world. Be careful. You must work and act for the pleasure of Allah the Almighty.
Be attentive to your efforts. The nafs will never give up on a person, nor will Shaytan. Therefore, be vigilant.
People can always make mistakes. We can make mistakes too; we are not prophets, perish the thought. Shaytan can deceive a person. Help each other and correct your mistakes. Look, I tell scholars, my children, if I make a mistake, make sure to warn me.
A person must take a moment to converse with their nafs. Ghawth al-Azam (quddisa sirruhu) said: "A young man wanted to commit adultery. He paused for a moment and said to his nafs, 'This will be over in a few minutes. How will you withstand the fire of Hell?' He lit a match, held his hand over it, and couldn't bear it for two minutes as it hurt him. Then the young man said, 'O cruel nafs! You can't bear the fire of a match for two minutes; how will you bear the fire of Hell?' and he walked away from there."
Shaytan deceives the nafs. It is like a wolf but is cowardly. It runs away at the sound of a voice. It cannot withstand the sound of dhikr. The nafs is not like that. Nafs al-ammarah (the commanding nafs) does not run away. If one performs worship, it swells with arrogance. You must be careful and alert. Do not follow the commanding nafs; always consider the pleasure of Allah. One must pay attention to the nafs al-ammarah so that the good deeds are not lost. The nafs cannot coexist with actions done for the pleasure of Allah. Like fire and water...
FITNAH (DISCORD AND STRIFE)
Be united, be brothers! Strive to protect your brothers with unity and solidarity. Strife is worse than killing. Be very careful to prevent strife.
Pay attention to the fires of strife that arise in your country; do not give them a platform. If possible, try to resolve them among yourselves. If it cannot be resolved among you, if it becomes unmanageable, then inform us.
If someone brings an issue to you, even if they are a Sufi, do not judge immediately. Do not judge superficially. Investigate the matter before making a judgment because Shariah judges according to visible factors. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Fitnah is dormant (asleep); may Allah curse the one who awakens (activates) it" (Suyuti, Jami'us-Saghir, No. 5975). No Sufi should remain offended or estranged from another. If there are any, reconcile them.
This work is for Allah and the Prophet. It will surely proceed. Do not taint this work with strife. Either work diligently in this service, or if you are going to cause discord, stay back, stay at home. Do not get involved in this work; otherwise, you will suffer and be ruined.
Seyda (quddisa sirruhu) said: "We pay no mind to whether discord is caused rightfully or not. We will not be where there is discord."
THE WORLD AND THE HEREAFTER
Doing work is possible only in this world. There is no work in the hereafter, no good deed, no repentance. Let us repent lest we regret. Let's repent in this world before going to the hereafter.
Money is necessary both in this world and the hereafter. Without money, how will you buy clothes? How will you buy food? In the hereafter, respect is given to those who are wealthy. Those with the currency of the hereafter, that is, righteous actions, are given stations, and doors are opened for them. This is because they have the currency of the hereafter, their righteous actions.
If there is worldly money, it leads to earning punishment, but if there is hereafter money, it results in gaining a station. Worldly money finds its true value by serving causes that serve the hereafter. The world is cursed; Allah has cursed it. Let's not fall under that curse. If the intention is to attain the pleasure of Allah, then the money of this world turns into the currency of the hereafter.
It is an obligation to work. Without work, nothing can be achieved. Lying on your back and waiting for the Sufis, living off the backs of others, is not acceptable.
Imam Ghazali (rahmatullahi alayh) was visiting a town, where he saw a dervish in the mosque praying with great piety and humility, fully clothed in Sufi attire. He asked the jama'ah:
– Who is this blessed dervish? I am impressed with him.
The jama'ah said:
– Sir, this dervish is always like this. He is constantly engaged in worship.
– What does this dervish do for a living? How does he sustain himself? He asked. The jama'ah replied:
– This dervish has a brother who is a drunkard. He said, "Brother, you are on the true path, you do not work, I will work and support you, you continue your worship."
Upon this, Imam Ghazali (rahmatullahi alayh) said:
– Say then, the real devout is the drunkard.
"The world is also necessary, but if the intention is to please Allah, it can serve as worship. How could you have come here without money? How would you have bought clothes and food? However, your goal should not be merely the world; your goal should be the afterlife. Your aim should not be to earn worldly money but to earn for the afterlife.
A person reaps what they sow in the field. If they sow wheat, they reap wheat. The world is the field of the afterlife. If you sow the seeds of taqwa, you will receive its fruits in the afterlife.
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A person works with all their might for a life of fifty to sixty years in this world. But it's uncertain; they could die in a day or even the next minute. They think they are working for themselves, but in fact, they are working for others. After death, they leave everything behind, and their wealth remains for their heirs.
The world is like this, but the afterlife is not. It is not about a hundred thousand or even five hundred thousand years, but an eternal life that will continue forever for which we must work hard. Working for Allah and the eternal life is, in fact, working for oneself.
The world follows the afterlife, but the afterlife does not follow the world. If you work for the afterlife, that is, for the pleasure of Allah, worldly life will come to you on its own. It will follow you like an animal that is led by its bridle.
Set your intentions to save the ummah of our Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) from the fire. Just as a father would be distressed by his child being thrown into the fire, so too would the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) be distressed by his ummah being thrown into the fire.
Our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) cares a great deal about his ummah. He thinks more of his ummah than of his own self. While all prophets seek to save themselves, only he strives to save his ummah.
Every person has a camera upon them. Everything is recorded like a film, the good and the bad. The Sufi must be careful with every step they take so that they are not ashamed in the presence of their Rabb on the Day of Judgment. They should be in their homeland just as they are in Menzil. Just as they uphold justice and live by the Shariah in the company of Sufis, they should do the same in their workplace and within their own home. They must balance their worldly life and the afterlife. The world is the field of the afterlife. It would not do to develop one and neglect the other.
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A Sufi can exchange gifts, help, lend, and borrow with another Sufi.
It is obligatory to work. There is no prophet who did not work. The eighteen thousand worlds were created for the honor of the 'Beloved' of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). He could have chosen not to work, but he worked for both this world and the hereafter, joining caravans and trading.
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In the end, a person dies. There is death. No one can object to death. No matter how high a person's status in the world, death is there. Everyone will be held to account. Think: what does a person take from this world? They take their burial shroud. The shroud decays and we are left naked. But if we wear the garment of taqwa, it will protect us.
We must follow the path of Allah, the path of our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), and the path of the Sadat-i Kiram. We must remind each other. Whatever will happen will happen in this world. The book of deeds is closed in the hereafter. Ghawth (quddisa sirruhu) said: “Let us regret in this world, so we do not regret in the hereafter. If we do not reckon like this, the reckoning in the hereafter becomes very difficult. It is not like any judgment received in this world. Let's take care of the account of the hereafter in this world. Let it not be consigned to the hereafter.”
Even if there is poverty, disgrace, and difficulty, the world is transient and it will pass. There is no comfort in the world. Let's follow the path of Allah and the Sadat-i Kiram. The world will be gone anyway. There are mothers, fathers, siblings; they die and leave this world. No one can object to death. Surely, we will all die. If we take the good path, the intercession of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and the mercy of Allah are abundant. A person cannot be saved by deeds alone. One is saved by being with the Sadat-i Kiram and the righteous. Even though dogs are considered the filthiest animals after pigs, Allah purified the dog of the Companions of the Cave (Ashab al-Kahf) and placed it with them in Jannah.
Allah the Exalted says: “So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.” (Al-Zilzal, 7-8)
The world is also necessary. If one holds onto the hereafter, the world will follow. We must hold onto the hereafter more firmly."
