PROPHET MUHAMMAD’S RELATIONSHIPS WITH HIS FAMILY AND RELATIVES

Prophet Muhammad set up principles based on the Quran to create an order in social life. A few of these principles include the brotherhood of all Muslims, helping one another and solidarity amongst people as well as putting up a shared stand against injustice. Along with these, there are other practical examples that the Prophet modelled himself and encouraged all Muslims to emulate. Some of these are equal treatment of all Muslims regardless of whether they are advantaged or disadvantaged, rich or poor, materialization of a Muslim brotherhood between Ansar and Muhajir as an institution of mutual solidarity and continued support, encouragement for helping each other, exchanging gifts and spreading salam (saying ‘peace be upon you’). All of these measures and principles are geared towards the creation of a generally harmonized and peaceful society.

One’s family and relatives who make up his/her immediate environment have special importance within this framework. Tribal prejudice in the pre-islamic Arab society gave rise to a spirit of tribal loyalty in the form of strong relations amongst people from the same tribe and branch. This was however the reason for serious tribal wars and rivalry. Within such a context, the exemplary relationships that Prophet Muhammad had with his tribe and family helped put aside the inner rivalry fired by tribal prejudice and created a sound and legitimate framework of relationships among family and relatives.

The relationship of Allah’s Apostle with his family and relatives can be formulated as his relationships with his Ahl ul Bayt. For the evidence in the Quran, the ahadith (sayings) of the Prophet and the literal meaning of the expression of Ahl ul Bayt in the Arab language point out to the fact that Ahl ul Bayt involves both family and relatives. It is accepted that, in the strict sense of the word, the expression refers to the Prophet’s wives, children, Hadhrat Ali and the Prophet’s grandchildren Hadhrat Hasan and Hussain and in a larger sense, it includes all of his close relatives who are muslims.

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HIS RELATIONSHIPS WITH HIS WIVES

Prophet Muhammad’s (p.b.u.h.) married life started with Khadija and continued with his other marriages. It was said that at the time of his death, he had nine wives.

Six of the Prophet’s wives were from Quraish. These are Hadhrat Khadija, Aisha, Hafsah, Om Habibah, Om Salamah and Sawdah. His other wives from non-Quraysh Arabs were Hadhrat Zaynab bint Jahsh, Maymunah bint Kharis, Zaynab bint Khuzaymah, Juwayriyyah bint Kharis. And his non-Arab wives were Safiyyah bint Huyay and Mariyyah al-Qiptiyyah, both from the tribe of Banu Nadir. Two of Prophet’s wives who died while he was alive were Khadhrat Khadija and Zaynab bint Huzaymah.

Prophet Muhammad’s family life was shaped around islamic principles and he implemented in his own life the principles he preached to his ummah. The following advice of the Prophet for ensuring peace and happiness in the family both in this world and in the hereafter gives us the fundamentals of peace and happiness: “The best among you are those who behave best toward their wives. I am the best among you toward his wives. The best among you is the one  who is the kindest to his wife and the worst among you is the one who treats his wife badly.”

All of the Prophet’s children, except for Ibrahim, were from Hadhrat Khadija. They were Qasim, Abdallah, Zaynab, Ruqiyyah, Om Kolsoum and Fatimah. Other son of the Prophet, Ibrahim, was from Mariyyah who was sent to him as a gift from Muqavqis. Although his sons died when they were quite young, his daughters grew up and got married.

Prophet Muhammad’s marriages, which involved a multitude of situations and aspects, were models for muslims in all respects. While his marriage to Khadija introduces to us an example of monogamous life, his other marriages brings up a rich variety of his attitudes towards his different wives each with a different personality.

The first point to be made about these relationships is the commitment of spouses to each other on the principle of honesty and loyalty. We can find numerous examples of honesty and loyalty between the Prophet and his wives on which they built a happy and peaceful family life. The first example of great loyalty in the family life of the Prophet is the commitment of Khadija, whom he married after their acquaintance through business. Khadija was always there to support him spiritually and financially both before and after his prophethood. When he first received divine revelation, Prophet Muhammad was frightened and worried and the first thing he did was to go to Khadija and tell her about the his situation. Khadija reminded him of his good virtues and told him ‘By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you.‘ and she relieved him by explaining to him that he was visited by an angel and that he was a prophet.

Another example of loyalty and commitment between Allah’s Apostle and his wives was the freedom he gave to his wives on the basis of divine command to choose  between him or worldly benefits when they asked from him for material things, at the end of which, they always chose Allah, His Apostle and the life of the Hereafter.

In return for his wives’ loyalty and commitment to him, Prophet Muhammad always observed their rights. The truth of the matter is that observing the rights of one’s spouse is a principle set by the Quran itself, which can be seen in the following verse: “…And they (women) have rights similar to those (of men) in kindness…”  Examples to the Prophet’s careful observation of the rights of his wives are plenty. For instance, he would draw lots among his wives before he would go on an expedition and each time he would take one of them with him by turns. Again, he would allow a day and a night for each of them. Although in many hadith reports he was said to have more affection for Aisha, this never led him to treat his wives unequally or unfairly. As a matter of fact, he signified the importance of this matter, examples of which he practiced in his own life as a model for all the muslims, within the framework of the basic principles he preached in his Last Khutba (sermon): “O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you.  Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under ALLAH’s trust and with HIS permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers.”

Once asked by one of his companions about the rights of wives over their husbands, he said: “That you should give her food when you eat, clothe her when you clothe yourself, do not strike her on the face, do not revile her or separate yourself from her except in the house.”

Likewise, all the wives of Prophet Muhammad observed his rights over them both as a husband and a Prophet and they acted with care and respect when it came to protecting his prophetic attributes. Once Abu Sufyan, who was the chief of the Meccan polytheists, came to Madinah to request an extension of the duration of the Hudaybiyyah Agreement. When he saw that he was not quite welcome by people, he thought he could go to his daughter, Om Habibah and ask for her help. When he entered the house of her daughter, he wanted to sit on the bench of Allah’s Apostle, but her daughter did not allow him. Abu Sufyan asked her, ‘Oh daughter! Which do you think, that this bench is not worth me or that I am not worth this bench?‘. She said: ‘You are a polytheist and you are impure. That’s why you can not sit on the bench of Allah’s Apostle.‘ Her answer was an open manifestation of her utmost sensitivity.

What is also integral to happiness and peace in family life is love and respect between spouses, which finds its expressions in many of the Prophet’s ahadith and in actual examples from his life. In a hadith, he says: “The most perfect Muslim in the matter of faith is someone who has excellent behavior; and the best among you are those who behave best toward their wives”. Also, other ahadith like,“A believing man should not hate a believing woman; if he dislikes one of her characteristics, he will be pleased with another.” and “I advise you to treat your wives well” are all commands to foster love and respect between spouses.

 Prophet Muhammad never forgot the sacrifices Hadhrat Khadija made and the respect she had for him and he always cherished her memory with love and respect. Once when he talked about her, Aisha told him, ‘Why do you keep talking about that old woman? Allah gave you better ones than her.’ Allah’s Apostle got upset at her remark and replied: ‘“Allah has not given me a better one. She believed in me when no one else did; she accepted Islam when people rejected me; and she helped and comforted me when there was noone else to lend me a helping hand. She used her property for me when noone gave me anything and she gave me children when noone gave me children. “. On the other hand, when asked about who was dearest to him, Allah’s Apostle said ‘Aisha‘ from among women and ‘her father‘ from among men, which is a clear expression of his love and respect for his wives.

We can see that, along with tolerance and sacrifice, solidarity and support in good and bad times play an important part in Prophet Muhammad’s relationships with members of his family. He always welcomed their appropriate wishes and actions and helped them.  Once Hadhrat Aisha wanted to watch the sword show of a team from Habesh in the yard of the mosque, the Prophet accepted her request and waited till the end of the show.

When Safiyyah, whom the Prophet wed after the conquest of Khaybar came to Madinah, Aisha went to visit her. On her return from the visit, the Prophet asked her how she found Safiyyah and Aisha said, ‘Just like a Jewish girl.‘ The Prophet did not get angry with this answer given for some personal reasons and also as a reaction to the beauty of Safiyyah, he only said, ‘O Aisha, don’t say that, she accepted Islam and how beautiful her Islam is.‘ to correct her.

Members of Prophet Muhammad’s family were his greatest helpers in the face of hardships. We could find in their lives the peaks of solidarity. The year the Hudaybiyyah Agreement was made, muslims intended to make umra (a visit to the Kaba’a), wore their ihram (to be clothed in two seamless sheets to perform Hajj or Umra) and prepared to sacrifice animals. In spite of all these preparations, the polytheists did not allow Muslims in Mecca and made an agreement with the Prophet. The agreement not only involved some articles that were not in favor of the muslims but it also stopped them from making umra that year. When this agreement was signed, the Muslims got very upset and had difficulty accepting its conditions.

Although the Prophet told them three times: “Get on your feet, sacrifice your animals, shave and take off your ihram.“ noone was willing to do anything. He became very upset and  went to his wife, Om Salamah, who was with him at that time, and told her about the situation. Safiyyah answeed: “O Allah’s Apostle! Go out, sacrifice your animal without talking to anyone, then call someone, let him shave you and take off your ihram.” The Prophet did as she told and took off his ihram.  Then his companions did the same when they saw what he did although they were a bit half-hearted. This incident shows us how Om Salamah saw how the companions of the Prophet did not want to obey him because of their unhappiness with the situation and also their hatred of the polytheists and how this left the Prophet upset and in despair. The advice she gave at such a critical moment both helped the companions to obey the word of the Prophet and to relieve the Prophet’s burden.

Another distinctive attribute of the family of the Prophet was their patience and contentment in the face of material depravity. While some of the Prophet’s wives were poor, some of them were from rich families. All of them, however, by wedding with the Prophet renounced any prospect of material prosperity and exemplified a greater patience. Aisha narrates, “A complete month would pass by during which we would not make a fire (for cooking), and our food used to be only dates and water unless we were given a present of some meat.“ Again, in another report of hadith, she says: “The family of Muhammad had never eaten their fill of wheat bread for three successive days since they had migrated to Medina till the death of the Prophet. “. These are all exemplary expressions of altruism and patience.

We can find innumerous reports which show that the Prophet wished for a life of modesty and thankfulness to Allah for whatever He provides instead of leading a rich, prosperous life.  The prophet used to make the following dua (invocation): “O Allah, keep me in the company of the poor. Let me die in poverty, raise me with the poor on the Day of Judgement.” Aisha once asked the Prophet, “Why do you ask to be kept in the company of the poor, let you die in poverty and raise you with the poor?“ 
Rasulullah replied, “The poor will enter the Paradise before the rich.” After a pause he added, “O Aisha, never turn a needy person away from your door. Give him something, though it be only a piece of a date. Respect the poor and love them in spite of their poverty. If you bring the poor and needy closer to you, Allah will bring you closer to himself.”

The following hadith of Allah’s Apostle gives us the broadest perspective on the issue of education of propriety, good morals, virtues and knowledge within the family: “ All of you are shepherds and each one is responsible for his flock. A leader of a people is a shepherd and responsible for them. A man is a shepherd over his family and is responsible for them. A woman is a shepherd over her husband’s house and his children and she is responsible for them…“

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HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS CHILDREN

We can see a great deal of this dimension of education in the Prophet’s relationships with his children.. He raised them on Islamic principles and continued to look out for them after their marriages too. He not only took care of some of their material needs, he was also there for their spiritual needs. When it came to this, he did not make any difference between his own children and his stepchildren. He treated them with the same love and compassion and drew their attention to whatever was necessary for their education. Once he saw Umar, the son of Om Salamah from her prior marriage to Abu Salamah, eat from all sides of the dish and said to him: “O boy! Mention the Name of Allah and eat with your right hand, and eat of the dish what is nearer to you“. When in Madinah, Allah’s Apostle used to go to the house of her daughter Fatimah and his son-in-law Ali every morning after he woke up for the morning prayer to wake them up, which is only a small portion of his affection and care for them even after they became adults and got married.

The Prophet shared all the worries and happinesses of his children not only as Allah’s Apostle, but also as a human being, as their father. Once his son-in-law, Abu’l As, the husband of his eldest daughter Zaynab, was taken by the muslims as a prisoner of war from the side of polytheists at the Battle of Badr.

 While the prisoners of war were being released in return for a ransom, Abu’l As wanted to offer his wife’s necklace to be released too. When the Prophet saw this necklace which was a wedding gift to Zaynab from Khadija, he became very sad and told his companions: ‘You can either take it or leave it.‘ When they saw how upset he was, the companions of the Prophet gave the necklace back to him. In what progressed later, the Prophet asked Abu’l As to bring his daughter to Madinah. Abu’l As kept his promise and brought Zaynab to Madinah. The Prophet was very glad that Zaynab could come and appreciated his son-in-law on this one. Again, similar to this, the Prophet could not see or hear from his other daughter Ruqiyyah, who married to Othman and migrated to Habeshestan with him, for a very long time. He was rejoiced when a woman came to him and told him that she saw them and that they were fine. His shedding tears by the side of the grave of his other daughter, Om Kholsom, is another one of his sad and happy moments that we can find in sources. There are many other similar instances with his daughter Fatimah, his son-in-law Ali and his grandchildren Hasan and Hussain in sources of hadith and others.

To sum up, the family life of Allah’s Apostle is an exemplary one in all respects. The principles he followed in his family life are timeless and have lost nothing of their significance over centuries. What we see in the family life of the Prophet is the best model for peace and happiness in this smallest unit of society, which is also what ensures the peace of the whole of society.

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HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS RELATIVES

Relationships with relatives make up an important part of the relations within social texture which spin from one’s immediate family into a much larger group. It is a well-known fact that Prophet Muhammad always had a respected place in his society both before and after his prophethood. The respect others had for him was the fruit of his good relationships with the tribe of Quraysh to which he belonged and in which he lived. He also had a close, loving relationship with his aunts and uncles. We can read between the lines of various reports of his life to find out information that supports these facts. Such a report from his life is the one about the first time the Prophet received divine revelation. It tells how Khadija calmed him down when he went to her scared and worried. She told him: “Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You unite your relatives and you bear the burden of the weak (of our society). You help the poor and the needy, you are honorable to all guests and you bear harm in the path of truthfulness.”

Allah’s Apostle set an example of solidarity among relatives and of helping one another when he took his cousin, Hadhrat Ali, under his protection and raised him. According to the historical reports, the Prophet’s uncle, Abu Talib, had many children and he could not afford to support all of them. The Prophet took Ali under his responsibility and raised him to alleviate his uncle’s burden.  Abbas, too, took another son of Abu Talib to raise so he could help his brother.

The Prophet continued his good relationship with his relatives after his prophethood by inviting them to Islam. In fact, he first started his call to Islam from his relatives before he appealed to all people. When the ayah of “And warn your nearest relations”was revealed, Allah’s Apostle climbed on top of the hill of Safa in Mecca, called out for the chiefs of the branches of the tribe of Quraysh and invited them to Islam. According to a report narrated by Ibn Abbas, Allah’s Apostle was in the middle of the lineage of the tribe of Quraysh and therefore had relations with all the branches of the tribe. This was the reason why he first started his invitation to Islam with them. He requested nothing in return for his invitation. He only asked them to keep their good relations and not be unfair.

After his prophethood, the Prophet started to call people to Islam and he always had the support of those of his relatives who believed in Allah and him. During the first few very difficult years of his call to Islam, the Prophet’s uncle, Abu Talib, protected him from the oppression and cruelty of the polytheists. Again, his uncle Hamza’s support of him went as far as his being martyred at the Battle of Uhud. Abbas, another uncle of the Prophet, believed in him at a later time and remained by his side for all of his life.

Along with examples of solidarity of all kinds that the Prophet had with his relatives, we also see in his life that he emphasized the importance of not breaking relations with one’s relatives, in fact he preached this to all muslims as a principle. He gave the following advice to someone who asked to tell him of a good deed that could take him to Heaven: “Worship Allah without joining him none in your worship, pray, give zakat (obligatory charity tax) and maintain good relations and ties with your kin.”

He warned people that those who break their relations with their relatives would end up in Hell while he gave the good news for those who maintain these relations that they would have ample blessings from Allah. The following report provides us with a clear framework in terms of the desired relationships with one’s relatives. Prophet Muhammad said: “Treating your kin with the same kindness they treat you with does not count as protecting and looking out for them.  The person who truly protects and looks out for his kin is the one who keeps benefiting them even when they break their relations with him.”. The Prophet’s warning on not breaking one’s relations even with relatives that do not believe, is also worth mentioning here.

In some other reports, we see that the Prophet used the expression of ‘my Ahl ul Bayt‘ for his close relatives and he protected them from some unpleasant actions. The Prophet’s uncle, Abbas b. Abdalmuttalib narrated: “A group of people from Quraysh used to stop talking amongst themselves when they saw us. We told about this situation to Allah’s Apostle upon which he said: What is the matter with those who stop talking when they see someone from my Ahl ul Bayt? I swear by Allah,  that a servant(of Allah) shall not be a faithful believer unless he loves my Ahl ul Bayt on account of his love for Allah and my Ahl ul Bayt’s closeness to me.“

In another report quoted in Muslim, the Prophet called the attention of muslims to his Ahl ul Bayt and commanded them to observe their rights. The infamous ‘thaqalain‘ hadith narrated by Zayd b. Arkam not only involves the Prophet’s advice to muslims on his relatives but it also explains that all of the close relatives of the Prophet are among his Ahl ul Bayt. The related part of this fairly long report is as follows: “O people, know that I am only a human being. The time draws near when I will be called (to the next world), and for me to accept Allah’s invitation. I am leaving behind among you, two most precious things: Allah’s scripture which contains guidance and light, don’t let it go and hold it tight.” After this, he added “and my Ahl ul Bayt who are my family members. Beware how you behave towards these.“, which he repeated three times. In the following part of the report, Zayd is asked about who are Ahl ul Bayt and he informs that they are the household of Hadhrat Ali and the households of Aqil, Jafar and Abbas, who are all close relatives of the Prophet.

Allah’s Apostle reminded muslims, in many other reports, of the importance of his Ahl ul Bayt and muslims embraced the Prophet’s relatives with a similar love and respect they had for him. The Prophet’s relatives were prohibited from accepting zakat and a share of booty was allocated for them on a command of the Quran. The Prophet gave away 1/5 of 1/5 of the booty to his relatives. When he did this, he included Banu Hashem and Banu Muttalib while he excluded Banu Umayyah. His practice shows us that the Prophet did not forget the unbelievable oppression and cruelty of Banu Umayyah towards himself and other muslims and for this reason he did not make them a part of this allocation.

 The happinesses of his relatives made the Prophet happy and their worries upset him. Once when he was with his companions in the mosque, Hadhrat Ali came in and looked for a while for a place to sit. Allah’s Apostle looked around at the faces of his companions in a way to imply that he wanted them to make room for Ali. Hadhrat Abu Baqr who was sitting to the right of the Prophet noticed what was going on, moved over to the side and called Ali: “Come here Aba Hasan“. This made the Prophet very glad and he thus complimented Abu Baqr: “Only the ones with virtues can know the virtues of people with virtues.”

To sum up, the Prophet was very sensitive about relationships with one’s immediate family and relatives. After a phase of education and illumination of his own family and relatives, he continued to treat them with love and respect. The life of the Prophet is seen as a model by muslims in this sense like every other aspect of his life and those who follow in his footsteps always work towards the creation of a peaceful society based on good relationships within family and among relatives.

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ZAWK OF the NAME ALLAH

The Name “ALLAH (لله)” is so comprehensive that this Name includes every subject within.

ALLAH (لله): Alif (ا ) – Laam ( ﻝ) – Laam (ﻝ) - Alif (not being written but read)- Ha ( ـه ) 

 — ALIF (ا ): ”AHADIYYAT“: The Essence Truth (Haqiqat) of all the truths. Being mujarrad (pure, unmixed, single, naked, alone) in His own exalted Dhat (self- essence-reality of God). Being ONE in His Unique, Unequalled, Unknowable and Ineffable Absolute Essence.
This is the veil of Divinity (Uluhiyyat [1]), so no sign or measure can be talked about…
This is the Absoluteness in His “Dhat (Self-Essence -Reality)”.

 — LAAM ( ﻝ): “JALALIYYAT (Mightiness of ALLAH)”: This is to exhibit the magnificence of “AL AZUZU’L-AZEEMU’L-JABBAR (the Most Victorious, Magnificent and Compeller One)” and the power (“QuDRat”) of “AL-QADIR (the All Powerful)” over Kulli Shay [2] (Whole-thing/Every thing)).

Laam ( ﻝ) is “DHU’L-JALALI WA’L-IKRAM (the Lord and Owner of Majesty and Bounty who grants from His jalaliyat)”.
Most exalted manifestation (Tajalli) within the “Subhani” System [*].

[*] Subhani system is the circulation of the continuous re-creation. Both matter and spiritual meaning (ma’na) are being re-created in every moment (AN). 

AL-RAHMAN (j.j), The Most Gracious, is comprehensive with His Rahmaniyyat over “Kulli Shay (Whole-thing/Every thing)”.
It is the “Jalaliyyat” in the command of Allah (“Amrullah”)…

 — LAAM (ﻝ): JAMALIYYAT (Manifestation of the Beauty of Allah by His beneficence and blessings): AL ALI’MU (The Absolute Knower of All) encompass whole-thing (kulli shay’in muhit) by His knowledge (ilm), and AL LATUFU’L- HABIR (j.j) is aware of All things (Kulli Shay) and is “AL RAHIYM (The Most Merciful One)” for All things. He is Most Generous to All things by offering and granting blessings by His Graciousness and Mercy (Rahimiyyat).
“Ridhaullah” [3] and “Jamalullah” are His Peaks. It is the “Jamaliyyat” within the will of ALLAH (Muradullah).

 — ALIF: ”KAMALIYYAT (Enlightenment –Perfection)”: Having Absolute Perfection (Kamal) peculiar to His Divine Essence (Dhat), ALLAH Taa’la commanded the perfection and betterment (kamalat) in this examination of servitude.

Every breath of the Servant is a new breath and a new step towards the enlightenment/perfection (kamalat). Every step of the Servant towards the perfection is a new manifestation (Tajalli).
The workbench of “Kun fa yakun” [4] works with each breath.
The breaths being numbered are the times of testimony (shahadat) in the city of “Sha’anullah” [5]. Therefore, every breath has unity/oneness (tawheed)!
If we say the Unity/Oneness (tawheed) of this moment: before we finish saying “La ilaha illa ALLAH”, a new moment will have come…

 — HA ( ـه ): Huwa: Hu: HAQQANIYYAT: ALLAH Taa’la is right and just in His Self-Essence-Reality (dhat) and Creation. AL HAKKU’L-ADLU’L-AZIZ (j.j) has greatness and excellence (izzat).
He is glorious, precious, supreme and exalted in respect of His Essence (Dhat).
That is the right of Godhood/Divinity (Uluhiyyat).
“Haqq (right) of the Dhat (the Self- Essence-Reality of God) of the Haqq (Truth)” belongs to the “Dhat”.

ALLAH Taa’la, at His own Essence, has the absolute and opposite qualities of Servanthood, Poority (Faqriyat)- Inability (Ajziyat)- Abasement (Zillat)- Illness (Illat [6]).

The Name, ”HU” is an exalted name. It is the Abstract (Hulasa).

Glorious Name, “ALLAH”, is “Wajibu’l-Wujud” (whose existence is real and essential in respect of His self- essence-reality (Dhat) ) ALLAH (j.j), permanent-self existent Singular ONE.
ALLAH is the Creator of the Relative Existence from His Own possession.
The Name “ALLAH” encompasses all material-Name (Asma-ul-Husna , Divine Names of Allah,  given to the essence of the creation)-adjective (siffat) and Essence (dhat), features, attributes, actions and even wishes of the creation as well as all subjects belonging to His Own “Dhat (th Self-Essence- Reality)”.
He is by Himself in His own Essence (Dhat).

Only known as much as He lets us know. Philosophical seeking of Him, disregarding the “Naql“ [7] and going with reason (mind) only will end up in frustration and failure.

Manifestation of the Divine Name “Al-Zaheer (the Manifest One)” [8] from the Dhat (Self-Essence-Reality) of ALLAH stops the mind (aql) under normal circumstances.
We can say this clearly that the visible existence (mawjud) is relative (temporary) and are material appearances, and they are not True Being (Wujud) but they are from True Being (Wujud). To think that the unity of these temporary existence is the Unity of True Being (Wahdat-i Wujud) is the production of the mind that has not reached to Divine Knowlegde (Naql).

Latif Yildiz Ekrem (Kul Ihvani) 
www.muhammedinur.com
www.muhammedinur.com/En

Reference: “Latif Yildiz Ekrem” , ÖZ TASAVVUF, Chapter 8.12 ALLAH (cc) ve EL RAHMÂN (cc)ESMÂ ZEVKİ .

GLOSSARY 

[1] Uluhiyyat (Divinity): This is an Arabic term. It may be translated as “Divinity: Quality
of being Divine”. This means Al-Ilah (The God) who is the Creator of the causes and effects, by which He creates the tangibles, which human MIND is able to perceive and witness right at this moment, and the intangibles, which are not visible but exist and can be sensed by their affects, at every moment. La ilaha illallah: There is no God, but ALLAH.

[2] Kulli Shay and Shay: Shay is the Single, Sole and First Being (Thing) created by the Creator (j.j). This is Nur-u Mim(Light of Mim). Matter/material things (ashya) manifest through the movement/motion of this first single point which is a circle with a limitless small diameter close to zero. Ma’Na’( Mana: Ma’na’ MeaNs MeaNing. It is the inner face of something. Inner hearings e.g. notion, thought. Ma’na is the reason (SaBab) for an action to occur.) things manifest through the haraqa (vowel point, vowel mark in Arabic script) of this single point. Our Lord(Ar-Rabb) does not count the all things created one by one as matter or Ma’na, and reduce the all things to a single pen and call this ‘Kulli Shay: Whole Thing or Total thing or Everything’.

[3] Ridhaullah (Ridha of Allah): RIDHA: riZâ (A, riDâ; spelling in T, rIzâ): lit., “contentment.” This term is often used in Islam to mean contentment with whatever the Will of God brings.

[4] Kûn fayakûn: ‘Kûn’ is translated as ‘Be’ in English. It is the sacred command of ALLAH mentioned in Qur’an. But this word is very deep in meaning. Right at this moment (AN), We and everything that we perceive is within this “KûN” as well. Everything is created in “ÂN” with that sacred commANd of ALLAH.

“… iza kada amran fa innama yakulu lahu KUN FA YAKUN.” Qur’an [3/47]
“…if He decreeth a thing, He saith unto it only: ‘Be’ and it is.” Qur’an [3/47]

Moment “ÂN” is a part of the sacred command KûN. ÂN is Impartible Indivisible Particle of Time (ZamÂn). The seed of Time in Sha’anullah, which is perceived as Time in this world of testimony(‘alam al-shahada). “ÂN” is the Essence and Reality of Time. Time is a Tool but Aim is to reach “ÂN”.

Time is a perception and conjecture of “ÂN”s by our minds. That conjecture is called ‘zANn’. Time is called ZamAN in Turkish. Zam means ‘rise or increase’. So increasing AN’s are perceived as Time (ZamAN ) by our minds. At every “ÂN”, everything becomes non-existent and re-created again. But the mind perceives this as continual, in fact everything goes and comes, on and off in every “ÂN”. That is why the ones who watch this in the screen of their minds are always in conjecture (zANn). Allah knows best…

In the mind of human being,
an event (Olay) is born from the relation of two things,
time (ZamÂn) is born from the relation of two events, and
conjecture (ZaNN) is born from the relation of two times and know that this is the basis of the Servanthood Test…

“Wa Mā Yattabi`u ‘Aktharuhum ‘Illā ŽANNāan ۚ ‘Inna Až-ŽANNa Lā Yughnī Mina Al-Ĥaqqi Shay’āan ۚ ‘Inna Al-Laha `Alīmun Bimā Yaf`alūna Most of them follow naught but conjecture. Assuredly conjecture can by no means take the place of truth. Lo! Allah is Aware of what they do. “ Qur’an [10/36]

Kun fayakun (Be and It is) starts with KuN (Be) and When Allah says “Kun (Be)” everything becomes and is created at that Moment (AN).

[5] Sha’anullah: This means the Sha’N of ALLAH. It needs to be understood by reading the Qur’AN. Sha’N is mentioned in 55/29 in the Qur’an:

يَسْأَلُهُ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِي شَأْنٍ
Yas’aluhu Man Fī As-Samāwāti Wa Al-’Arđi ۚ Kulla Yawmin Huwa Fī Sha’nin :

Of Him seeks (its need) every creature in the heavens and on earth: every day in (new) Splendour doth He (shine)!

‘Sha’nin‘ here is like a new manifestation (tajalli ), new Splendour at every moment. God creates new things at every moment and keeps creating. Every moment is a new Sha’N in Sunnatullah…

[6] Illat : Illat in Arabic is Illness but at the same time the root of this word “ill” can be related to the term, “cause”. Everything is within the cause and effect mechanism in the life so the servant is also within this chain of ‘cause and effect’ mechanism which is called ‘illiyat (causality)’. However Allah is the beginning cause for everything and He is independent from ‘illiyat’, as ALLAH is the creator of the ‘cause and effect’.

[7] Naql: In Turkish term “Naql” means to transport, transmit or transfer something from one place to another. Or it means transported thing. The Word of Allah coming to Rasulullah SAW is a “Naql”. Qur’an is “Naql”.The knowledge (ILM) transferred between the minds are also naql. In this term, “N-aql”, there is “N” and “Aql”. Term “Naql” includes the “aql” within it. In fact, ‘Naql’ is the essence of ‘aql (mind)’.

[8] Al-Zaheer: Al Zahir: This is one of Divine Names of Allah jalla jalaluhu.
AZ- Z‘AHIRU (J.J) [Qur’an Ref: 57/3] (dhatī)(الظَّاهِرُ) : the Manifest One

Alif Allah – XI

Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA)

Notes:
“…..grave becomes a living symbol”: The Sufis believe that the Faqirs live in their grave and in Sultan Bahu’s words “their grave is alive”. They listen and respond. Their tombs are epitomes of their spiritual faculties as realized during their lives.

Love like a Knot

Prophet Muhammad is an example for people of every social status and walk of life. Spouses leading a family life with their wives and children can also gather a great deal of lessons and examples from his life. The Prophet received with patience and a warm disposition any possible jealousy, rivalry, and trying behavior coming from his wives. He never resorted to reproach or violence. He treated his wives in a very warm and sincere fashion, seeing them as his confidants and those with whom he shared his pain and his joy. He gave his wives’ dowry to them at the time of their marriage and conversed with them both as a group and individually, consulting them on matters concerning them. He displayed affection towards each and every member of his family and all his wives, in addition to those close to his family, complimenting them and showing them respect. He was always good towards his wives and responded with understanding when faced with their jealousy, and he helped them with household duties.

An Example of Love and Respect

Prophet Muhammad’s first wife Khadija was well-suited to God’s Messenger in every respect. Even before accepting Islam, she never embraced the ways of the Age of Ignorance and led a very pure life. The love and respect that characterized the relationship between her and the Prophet, in their marriage of 25 years, has served as an example to all people. Such was the degree of this love and esteem that it has actually become customary to pray for God to grant couples that are marrying the same degree of love and affection that existed between the Prophet and Khadija. There are many accounts from that era that speak of this love. The following is one such example:

When her husband sought refuge in the cave of Hira, Khadija would take food for him herself, even though she had many attendants at her service. Sensing the arrival of his wife, the Prophet would then walk down to the foot of the mountain in order to greet her, for he knew how grueling the trek up the mountain was and could not bear the thought of his wife enduring this.

On another occasion, Khadija was waiting for the Prophet on a rooftop like she always did and her friends and family said, “Oh Khadija, why are you doing this? It is hot and your old body will become weary.” Responding by saying, “I can’t stand in the shade when my beloved stands under the sun,” Khadija was a living example of the meaning of love and oneness between spouses.

The Race Challenge

Prophet Muhammad maintained a very close relationship with his wives, consolidating the love and affection between them. One of the best examples of this was a race that took place between him and ‘A’isha during the first years of their marriage. According to ‘A’isha, the Prophet took her along with him on one of his journeys. The Prophet instructed his Companions to go on ahead. After they had proceeded some distance, the Prophet asked ‘A’isha if she would like to race him. ‘A’isha gladly accepted and won the race.

Years had passed and ‘A’isah again accompanied Prophet Muhammad on a journey. He asked again if she should like to race. Reminding her husband of the race that she once won, she readily accepted his offer. They raced but this time ‘A’isha lost. According to ‘A’isha, this was due to the weight she had gained since the first race. Afterwards, the Prophet, smiling, said: “This is in return for that race.”

“Don’t Break the Crystals!”

Safiyya narrates: God’s Messenger took me upon his camel during one night journey. I started to get sleepy on the way. (So as to keep me from falling asleep) he began stroking me on the one hand, and saying “O Safiyya, daughter of Huyayy!” on the other.

Even a single word that the Prophet use when referring to his wives is sufficient to demonstrate how he viewed each and every one of them. While setting off for the Farewell Pilgrimage, an Abyssinian slave named Anjasha who, reciting poetry with his beautiful voice, caused the camels to speed up and the Prophet’s wives to become anxious. Thereupon, the Prophet said:

“Anjasha, take care lest the crystals may break!”

The Soup Joke

One day ‘A’isha had cooked a thick soup. Prophet Muhammad sat to eat along with his wide Sawda. He was sitting between his two wives. Sawda did not eat any of the soup while Aisha insisted that she do so. Sawda was adamant about not having any. ‘A’isha said, “I will smear it on our face if you don’t have any.” And when Sawda insisted on not eating, ‘A’isha did exactly as she said. The Prophet then placed Sawda’s hand into the paste, saying, “You do the same to her.” And, smiling, he watched them both.

Whose arm is longer?

Another incident constituting an example of the sense of humor that Prophet Muhammad exhibited in the company of his wives is as follows:

According to the narration of ‘A’isha, the pure wives of the Prophet (Azwaj at-Tahirat) had gathered around the Prophet one day. They asked, “O God’s Messenger! Which one of us will be united with you first after your death?” He answered saying, “The one among you with the longest hand.” Aisha continues: “We took a reed and began to measure our arms. We found out that the one among us with the longest arm was Sawda bint Zam. We later on found out that the one with the longest hand meant the one who gave most in charity, the one that was most generous. With that being said, it was again Sawda who was reunited with the Prophet after his demise. For she loved to give away in charity.”

While there is no information about in collections of Prophetic Traditions about how Prophet Muhammad responded to his wives as they were measuring each others’ arms, it is not difficult to imagine that he watched on with a pleasant smile.

The Value He Placed on Safiyya: Coming out of Retreat

One day when God’s Messenger was at his customary retreat in the mosque for the last ten days of Ramadan, his wife Safiyya came to visit him. After sitting for while, she asked for permission to go back home. Prophet Muhammad left the mosque in order to see her off. They had only just taken a few steps when a couple of Companions passing by saw them and distanced themselves without stopping. Prophet Muhammad stopped them immediately and unveiling the face of Safiyya he said, “Look this is my wife Safiyya.”

The Companions were taken aback and stated, “God forbid! O Prophet of God, how can one ever expect an evil deed from you?” With this action, as with all his others, the Prophet wanted to impart a very important lesson. He said, “Satan continues to circulate through the blood vessels of people.” Since Satan is concerned and involved with people to such a degree, he can place many things in a person’s mind. Even if there was a one in a million chance of it happening, doubt or hesitation regarding the person who was with God’s Messenger could As such, the Prophet immediately intervened in the situation, both exemplifying his assurance and protecting the faith of his congregation.

The Understanding and Love that the Messenger had for his Wives

‘A’isha explains:

 “God’s Messenger seated when he suddenly heard the noise of people and children. We then saw that an Abyssinian was dancing and people had gathered around him. He said, “’A’isha, come take a look,” to me. I placed my cheek on his shoulder and began watching from between his two shoulders. “Have you not had enough, ‘A’isha?” he said. And I was saying, “No!” in order to test his love for me. I saw that he was shuffling his feet, and leaning on each side out of fatigue.”

Again, ‘A’isha narrates: “When alone with his wives, God’s Messenger was the most polite and genial of people. Without fail greeting his wife upon entering the house, when he arrived at night, the Prophet would convey greetings in such a way as to not disturb one who was sleeping, but that could be heard from one who was awake.”

 “My Love is Like a Strong Binding Knot”

The Prophet showed special care in the education of ‘A’isha. After adorning ‘A’isha – who possessed many superior virtues such as intellect, memory, understanding and perception – with a much material and spiritual knowledge, he said: “Learn half of your religion from Humayra (‘A’isha).” Aside this care and assiduousness, his love of and attention to her were also remarkable.

‘A’isha once asked Prophet Muhammad: “O God’s Messenger, how is your love for me?”

“Like a strong binding knot,” the Prophet replied.

‘A’isha again asked, “How is the knot?”

“Like the first day,” he replies.

When eating with ‘A’isha, the Prophet would especially want her to consume a beverage first and would later drink from the very same spot her lips had touched. If she wre eating meat, he would take the meat from her hands and bite from it where she had bitten. Herself explaining these events, ‘A’isha adds that the Prophet remained unchanged even during the time of her menstruation.

Our Prophet’s Loyalty to Khadija

Speaking from time to time about the occasional incident of jealousy experienced among ummahat al-mu’minin (mothers of believers), ‘A’isha explains that she was not jealous of any of the Prophet’s wives in the way she was jealous of Khadija. Explaining that the Prophet would remember Khadija frequently, send sacrificial meat to Khadija’s friends, ‘A’isha states that there were times in which she could not bear such attention and say, “It is as though there are no other women on Earth other than Khadija.”  She sometimes she would even take it a step further and say: “I don’t know why you would keep mentioning a woman so old that she had no teeth in her mouth, when God has given you a younger and more beneficial one in her place.” The Prophet would respond to these words as follows:

“Indeed God did not grant me better than her: she accepted me when people rejected me, she believed in me when people doubted me, she shared her wealth with me when people withheld theirs from me, and God granted me children through her.”

Some individuals and groups who try to depict the Prophet has being a womanizer due to his multiple marriages, are so narrow-minded and so deprived of such elevated feeling that that they refuse to understand this love and loyalty that he felt towards his wife Khadija, with whom he shared his life, with all the good and bad. Despite the fact that he loved ‘A’isha more from than his other wives, the great love and devotion which he had for the mother of his children, remained firm, even at the risk of ‘A’isha’s taking offense. He did not allow for ‘A’isha to speak ill of his loyal partner, with whom he spent 25 years of his 38 years of married life.

Prophet Muhammad acted with mercy and love not just towards his wives, but also towards the Companions’ daughters and wives. The wives of the Helpers, the natives of Madina, had said that, “He was more merciful to us than us ourselves.”

Upon returning from his travels, he would first stop by the house of his daughter, Fatima. And when Fatima came to visit him, he would stand up to receive her and kiss her on the forehead. He would advise his Companions to begin distributing gifts to their children, beginning with their daughters.

One of the male Companions of the Prophet said: “We began to treat our wives very well during the time of the Prophet. We became scared that a verse regarding women would be revealed and us men would be ruined…”

Lastprophet.info

 Sources

1. Professor M. Yaşar Kandemir, Hz. Peygamber ve Aile Hayatı, (The Prophet and his Family Life), Ensar Publications, İstanbul, 2006.

2. Saliha Akgül, Ezvac-ı Tahirat, (The Pure Wives), Gül Yurdu Publications, İzmir, 2008.

3. S. M. Madni Abbasi, Hz. Peygamber (sav)’in Aile Hayatı, (Prophet Muhammad and his Family Life) Kayıhan Publications, İstanbul, 2000.

4. Afzalur Rahman, Mükemmel Bir Eş Olarak Hz. Muhammed, (Prophet Muhammad as the Perfect Husband) İnkilab Publications, İstanbul, 2010.

5. Dr. Huriye Martı, “Kutlu Doğum Haftası Açılış Tebliği”, (Noble Birth Week Opening Statement) Balıkesir, 2009.

The Love

When you find the love, you find yourself. The secret is in the love. You are the love, not another. Everything is in the love, and everyone needs the love. If you find this, what more could you want? When you know, what could you want? When you have the knowledge of the love, you feel peace in your heart. The jewels are inside you. This is the holy meaning. When you understand, then you are the meaning, the holy meaning. But look and reach so that you find every meaning and do not hesitate because inside every meaning is the quality of the love. The love has seven qualities and this love knows no differences.

Leave everything outside that is not useful and give everything to God to live inside His garden of love.  Remember the name of God at every waking moment, and you will find Him beside you, to help you to walk in the way. Be courteous with everyone you meet.  Give them mercy to help them to know the meaning of this love.  Give and listen to everyone who speaks to you.  Listen with the ear of your heart because this is the voice of God speaking to you, trying to help you to know Him.  If you hear another voice, it is wrong. Open your heart to God and He will give you everything. Then your heart will feel quiet and you will only see the love, only the love.

You are the reflection of God. There is nothing, only He. Where is another? Give everything to God and you will begin to know yourself. When God made you, He made beauty. Live with the people on the outside, but hear only your God. Those who live in the outside world are like jewels that need cleaning. They need the fire to burn away all their imperfections so that the jewel may reflect its inner beauty. If you are not clean, how can you find the love? The Sufi way is the straight way – walking a straight path to God, letting nothing on either side block the vision of the straight way. I will ask God to send mercy and peace to everyone because He is the Peace.

If you want God, remember that He gives you what you want. Don’t be afraid. God will not give to you anything that is not good. We must see God in the face of every human being. When you walk and when you sleep, remember the name of God because He knows no time. When you pray to God, pray only to love Him. Do not pray for Him to put you in the garden. God throws out a net, and when He catches you in this net, then you are in the garden. Every student needs God.

When He helps you to find Him, then pray, and when you look into another’s eyes, see the reflection of God looking at you. Understand that inside every word is a message or a sign from God. See the picture of God in every person that you meet.

All the troubles in the world are necessary. If there was no darkness, how could there be light? If you did not see sadness, how could you see happiness? Be courteous to everyone and see the face of God in every person, but know that the people on the outside carry two faces. On the inside they carry the face of God, but on the outside, the face of the shaitan. Be polite with both faces, and when you see someone angry or shouting, know Who speaks to you. Everyone has put himself in his place and this is the station for that person. Be polite with him and give him mercy. Be with God all the time and do not speak with anyone from the outside unless it is necessary.

Give your time for God and he will change you from station to station, cleaning your heart of everything that is not good. This is the message of the prophets. It is a difficult way and at the same time a very easy way. When anyone wants to know God, He will help anyone to walk the straight way.

Follow one guide to take you by the hand, to guide you from the darkness to the light. He will make the walking easy for you and then you can rest. If you go from here to there, you lose time. The student of the family of God rests because he lives in the garden. When anyone knows why he lives and walks in this created world, then he begins to know himself. We are here only to know Him. Live all the time in the garden of love. When your heart feels love, then everything around you is quiet and at peace. This is from the message, but not all the message. Live to love and to know God.  ALLAH.

———————–

[An excerpt from Music of the Soul, by Sidi Muhammad Sa'id al-Jamal ar-Rifa'i as-Shadhul, p26-27.]

OMAR BIN KHATTAB (R.A) AND CHAPTER AL-HAQQA

I again said to my self:
“Presumably , he is a soothsayer! (He knew what was passing through my mind!).
Rasulullah (a.s) continued to recite those verses (in following meanings):

“Nor is it the word of a soothsayer: little admonition it is ye receive. It is a revelation from the Lord of the Worlds. And if the messenger were to invent any sayings in Our name. We assuredly had taken him by the right hand (his strength and power). And We should certainly then cut off the artery of his heart ! And not one of you could have prevented this!
And lo! it is a warrant unto those who are muttaqi.
And We certainly know that there are amongst you those that reject (it).
But truly (Revelation) is a cause of sorrow for the Unbelievers.
But verily it is Truth of assured certainty.
Join the Sabbaha of your Lord by His Name, Al Azim.”

[*] Joining the Sabbaha of the Lord here is to join the sabbaha of creation at every moment like the spinning-swimming atoms. Join-Hear and Live the Moment! Your Lord who “is al- Azim”. The one who encompass every thing by His force (quwwat).

Today we no longer possess the opportunity to perceive the “moment” in which we find ourselves. We live a life that is indexed to the future. We have no time to set aside for thinking or taking stock of our actions and intentions. Perhaps we are seeking unnecessary occupations in order to avoid such undertakings. The fear that we encounter when faced by questions about the meaning of our existence, of where we have been and where we are going, of who and what we are, puts a distance between us and everyone and everything.

Islam, a civilization that is established centered on time, puts forward how to behave in this matter most in its approach to the matter of worship. Islam establishes periodic forms of worship that must be fulfilled: daily (five prayers), weekly (Friday Prayer), annually (Ramadan) and once-in-a-lifetime (Hajj), and thus encourages people to be constantly aware of the concept of time. In fact, Islam takes people out of the planned daily routine only with the funeral prayer which unlike the Christian counterpart is carried out as soon as possible after the death. This consciousness is best expressed in the Quran in the following verse: “Therefore, when thou art free (from thine immediate task) still labor is hard, and to thy Lord turn (all) they attention.” (94, 7/8). The verse includes religious activities like worship, prayer, preaching the message and following the right way as well as worldly activities, like working, producing, learning and teaching, helping and solidarity, thus showing more clearly how Islam balances the two worlds (this world and the after life).

A person who is aware that they will have to account for every minute of their life will not waste any time. Only when one is aware that life is the most valuable capital can one see free time as an opportunity to purify and to revivify.

The following words, attributed to Ataullah Iskenderi, will enlighten our journey in this matter: “Those who want to learn their value and importance before Allah should examine the task in which they are involved at the moment.”

Lastprophet.info

Eighteenth Discourse from Futuh al-Ghaib

                              On Not Complaining

The Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him, and grant him contentment) said:

Let me give you a piece of advice: Never complain to anyone about your luck, whether he be friend or foe, and do not accuse the Lord (Almighty and Glorious is He) of treating you badly and making you suffer misfortune. You should rather proclaim your blessings and your gratitude. Better even to tell a lie by expressing gratitude for a benefit you have not received, than to state the plain fact of your situation truthfully but as a complaint. Who is totally without the grace of Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He)? Allah (Exalted is He) has said:

And if you count the favor of Allah, you will never add it up. (16:18)

How many blessings you enjoy without acknowledging them for what they are! Do not settle for any mere creature as your confidant and intimate companion, and tell no one about your problems. It is rather with Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) that you should be on intimate and confidential terms, and any complaining you do should be about Him and addressed to Him. Recognize no other party, for none has any power to bring you loss or gain, income or expenditure, honor or disgrace, promotion or demotion, poverty or affluence, movement or rest. All things are the creation of Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He). They lie in the hand of Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) and the way they function is at His command and by His leave. Each runs its course until a time appointed, and everything is regulated by Him. There is no advancing what He has postponed, and no putting back what He has brought to the fore. Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) has said:

If Allah afflicts you with some hurt, none can remove it but He; and if He desires any good for you, none can repel His bounty. He causes it to reach whomsoever He will of His servants. He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Compassionate. (10:107)

If you complain about Him (Almighty and Glorious is He) while you are in good health and already enjoy some blessing, just wanting to get more and shutting your eyes contemptuously to the benefit and well-being you have received from Him, He will be angry with you and deprive you of both. He will give you something real to complain about, doubling your trouble, intensifying the chastisement and detestation and loathing you must suffer, and casting you down out of His sight.

You should be very wary of complaining, even if you were being dissected and having your own flesh clipped away with scissors. Beware, beware, and yet again beware! Allah, Allah, and yet again Allah! Escape, escape! Take care, take care!

Most of the various disasters that afflict a human being are due to his complaints against his Lord (Almighty and Glorious is He). How can one have any grievance against Him, when He is the Most Merciful of the merciful, the Best of all judges, Wise, Aware, Gracious, Compassionate; when He is Kind to His servants and not a cruel slave-master; when He is like a wise, sympathetic and kindly family doctor?

Would you find fault with a tender-hearted mother? The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Allah is more merciful toward His servant than a mother toward her child.”

Be on your best behavior, you poor wretch! Persevere in the face of misfortune, even if you are incapable of patience. Then be patient even if you are incapable of conforming with good grace. Then conform with good grace if you are there to be found. Then cease to exist if you are nowhere to be found. O philosopher’s stone, where are you, where can you be found and seen? Do you not heed His words (Almighty and Glorious is He):

Fighting is prescribed for you, though it be hateful to you. But it may happen that you hate a thing which is good for you, and may happen that you love a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows, and you know not. (2:216)

Knowledge of the reality of things has been kept from you under wraps, and you have been kept from it behind a screen. So do not misbehave yourself, whatever your likes or dislikes. Follow the sacred law in whatever may befall you, if you are in the state of piety [taqwa] which is the first step. Follow direct orders, without exceeding them, if you are in the state of consecration [wilaya] and the extinction of desire [khumud wujud al-hawa], which is the second step. Harmonize gladly with the divine action and become totally absorbed in the state of Badaliyya, Ghawthiyya, Qutbiyya and Siddiqiyya, which are the ultimate stages.

Stand clear of destiny’s path; get out of its way. Give up self and desire. Keep your tongue from complaining. Provided you do this, then if what is meant for you is good, the Lord will grant you extra pleasure, happiness and joy; and if it is bad, He will keep you safe in His obedient service while it runs its course. He will absolve you of blame, and keep you unaffected while it lasts, until it is all over for you and becomes a thing of the past–as night ends with the dawning of the day, and as the chill of winter takes its leave when summer comes around. Here is an example for you, so note the moral well.

There are so many sins and errors and outrages, so many kinds of offenses and faults that cause defilement.

To be worthy of the company of the Noble Lord, one must be purged of the impurities of sins and failings. No one is granted an audience at His court unless he is unstained by the filth of pretentiousness and self-conceit, just as no one is fit for the company of kings without being cleansed of all impurities and every kind of stench and dirt. Misfortunes have an expiatory and purificatory effect. As the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) so truthfully said: “One day’s fever is atonement for a year [of sin].”

‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (K.S.)

 Source:  Futuh al-Ghaib (Revelations of the Unseen)

“Son! Son! Honey is not put into a terracotta jar used for vinegar!!! ..”[ Kul Ihvani's Mother]

“Oğul! Oğul! Sirke küpüne bal konulmaz!!!” [ Kul İhvâni’nin annesi]