Dhikr is the greatest of all deeds, and it brings a person closest to Allah ta'ala. All acts of worship depend upon dhikr; it completes our deeds and makes them accepted in the court of Allah ta'ala. Without dhikr, deeds can be rendered futile.
Sadly, we often place great emphasis on various acts of worship for the sake of showing others, while assuming that dhikr is only for the Sufis. However, this act is essential for all believers, and there is no true success without dhikr.
Shaytan removes the importance of this action from our hearts, yet when dhikr becomes scarce among people, corruption spreads and the Deen becomes spoiled.
Deen does not merely refer to the five daily prayers. Rather, prayer is only one component of Deen. In reality, Deen also includes societal affairs, daily practices, manners, and conduct. The real test of a person is how they treat others, the decisions they make, and how they control their anger.
When a believer dies, he is transferred to the Hereafter, unlike animals whose life in this world comes to an end. Mankind has a connection with both this world and the Hereafter. It is a shame that we give so much importance to this world while neglecting the Hereafter.
Mankind is a superior creation compared to animals. Therefore, Allah ta'ala has given us greater desires and responsibilities. When a person wishes to recognise himself and understand the true objective of life, he should visit someone who has a connection with the Hereafter.
The Sheikh connects his students to the Hereafter, and through this connection, the student learns how to live correctly in both worlds.
“We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this Qur’an is the truth.” [41:53]
There are both external and internal signs that direct us towards Allah ta'ala. The lataaif are the internal spiritual points within us that receive and absorb the mercy of Allah ta'ala.
Allah ta'ala has granted us signs within ourselves so that we may draw closer to Him, and these signs are connected to the realm of souls.
Our body is connected to this world and will eventually be consumed in the grave, but our soul is connected to the Hereafter and remains.
Therefore, we must detach ourselves from the world and connect ourselves to the Hereafter. We should become students of a Sheikh and adopt tazkiyah (spiritual purification).
The most important action is dhikr. The purpose of dhikr is to strengthen and maintain our connection with the Hereafter. Through dhikr, a person develops concern for the Hereafter and begins to plan for it. His mindset changes, and the awareness of death and preparation for it begins to develop.
The first step in preparing for death is dhikr and repentance. Without repentance, a person cannot be successful.
It is essential for a person to connect himself to a Sheikh. The student must remain steadfast upon the instructions and teachings of his Sheikh. To begin this journey, we must engage in dhikr in the morning and the evening.
When the Sheikh is present, the faiz is distributed. In his company, we should remain in muraqabah and avoid wasting time in futile activities and gossips, even if only for a short while, his light and faiz remain there. If the Sheikh is no longer physically present, the students should still perform muraqabah in that place, and they will continue to receive spiritual blessings.
When spiritual rectification begins, the conduct and manners of the students also begin to improve.
Allah ta'ala prepares the Sheikh to distribute faiz to the creation. He is granted a special magnificence from Allah ta'ala through which others may benefit. This is not his personal achievement, but rather a manifestation of the greatness of Allah ta'ala.
Muraqabah is the highest level of dhikr. It refers to emptying the mind of distractions and constantly focusing upon Allah ta'ala. This can be practised at any time during the day, even with the eyes open while occupied in worldly affairs. In this way, a person remains constantly connected to Allah ta'ala.
The muraqabah performed in the morning and evening serves as practice and trains the heart to remain in muraqabah throughout the day.
When a person remains constantly connected to Allah ta'ala, he will not swear, cheat, or commit fraud, because he remains conscious that Allah ta'ala is with him.
Through muraqabah, a person attains the level of ihsaan — the state in which a person worships as though he sees Allah ta'ala, or at least remains conscious that Allah ta'ala sees him. This is the rank of ihsaan that every believer should strive to achieve.
A person develops this state through the company of the Sheikh in the khanqah. We should always have the intention of purifying and developing ourselves in the company of the Sheikh.
During muraqabah, the student seeks faiz from Allah ta'ala. The magnificence of Allah ta'ala reaches us through the intermediary of the pious people.
There are various stages of muraqabah. One of them is Muraqabah Ism-e-Dhaat, where a person brings the glory and greatness of Allah ta'ala into the heart. There are seven spiritual points, known as lataaif, within our bodies, and each point connects us to Allah ta'ala.
Why do we perform the Khatam Khawjgan?
Khatam Khawjgan is a means of acquiring the faiz of Allah ta'ala. We recite the kalimaat and convey the reward to the honourable mashaikh of this order. In this way, we strengthen our connection with them so that we may more easily attain the splendour and brilliance of Allah ta'ala through them.
To strengthen this connection, we recite the Khatam Khawjgan and convey the reward to them.
A student should only recite the Khatam Khawjgan in the presence of the Sheikh. When alone, he should perform tasawwur-e-Sheikh — closing his eyes, thinking of his Sheikh, and submitting himself spiritually to him. Through this, he will continue to receive faiz even if he is far away.
Sometimes it takes many years to awaken all the lataaif, but we must continue striving. Often, the longer the journey, the greater the sweetness and enjoyment a person experiences.
After attaining Muraqabah Ism-e-Dhaat, a person moves on to Muraqabah Sifaat, in which he reflects upon the qualities of Allah ta'ala, and the Sheikh gives him this lesson.
It is a great act of worship to feel regret over one’s sins. If a person feels true remorse and sincerely promises not to repeat the sin, it is as though he had not committed it.
As long as a person constantly performs dhikr and the feeling of remorse remains alive within him, he is considered among the friends of Allah (Wali Allah).
A person is truly ruined in this world when he commits sins and fails to repent. If a student commits wrongdoing,
he should always return to his teacher and continue making effort. Even if mistakes are made, one should never become despondent or give up.
A person should never abandon his Sheikh, for the Sheikh does not reject the student. It is Allah ta'ala who expels the student. A person must have performed a very great sin for which he has been thrown out.
If the student abandons the Sheikh and the guidance without reason, then this is his misfortune, as he has rejected the khanqah and its blessings.
May Allah ta'ala grant us the ability to implement these precious pearls of wisdom.
Ameen.
Dhikr is the greatest of all deeds, and it brings a person closest to Allah ta'ala. All acts of worship depend upon dhikr; it completes our deeds and makes them accepted in the court of Allah ta'ala. Without dhikr, deeds can be rendered futile.
Sadly, we often place great emphasis on various acts of worship for the sake of showing others, while assuming that dhikr is only for the Sufis. However, this act is essential for all believers, and there is no true success without dhikr.
Shaytan removes the importance of this action from our hearts, yet when dhikr becomes scarce among people, corruption spreads and the Deen becomes spoiled.
Deen does not merely refer to the five daily prayers. Rather, prayer is only one component of Deen. In reality, Deen also includes societal affairs, daily practices, manners, and conduct. The real test of a person is how they treat others, the decisions they make, and how they control their anger.
When a believer dies, he is transferred to the Hereafter, unlike animals whose life in this world comes to an end. Mankind has a connection with both this world and the Hereafter. It is a shame that we give so much importance to this world while neglecting the Hereafter.
Mankind is a superior creation compared to animals. Therefore, Allah ta'ala has given us greater desires and responsibilities. When a person wishes to recognise himself and understand the true objective of life, he should visit someone who has a connection with the Hereafter.
The Sheikh connects his students to the Hereafter, and through this connection, the student learns how to live correctly in both worlds.
سَنُرِيهِمْ آيَاتِنَا فِي الْآفَاقِ وَفِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ.
“We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this Qur’an is the truth.” [41:53]
There are both external and internal signs that direct us towards Allah ta'ala. The lataaif are the internal spiritual points within us that receive and absorb the mercy of Allah ta'ala.
Allah ta'ala has granted us signs within ourselves so that we may draw closer to Him, and these signs are connected to the realm of souls.
Our body is connected to this world and will eventually be consumed in the grave, but our soul is connected to the Hereafter and remains.
Therefore, we must detach ourselves from the world and connect ourselves to the Hereafter. We should become students of a Sheikh and adopt tazkiyah (spiritual purification).
The most important action is dhikr. The purpose of dhikr is to strengthen and maintain our connection with the Hereafter. Through dhikr, a person develops concern for the Hereafter and begins to plan for it. His mindset changes, and the awareness of death and preparation for it begins to develop.
The first step in preparing for death is dhikr and repentance. Without repentance, a person cannot be successful.
It is essential for a person to connect himself to a Sheikh. The student must remain steadfast upon the instructions and teachings of his Sheikh. To begin this journey, we must engage in dhikr in the morning and the evening.
When the Sheikh is present, the faiz is distributed. In his company, we should remain in muraqabah and avoid wasting time in futile activities and gossips, even if only for a short while, his light and faiz remain there. If the Sheikh is no longer physically present, the students should still perform muraqabah in that place, and they will continue to receive spiritual blessings.
When spiritual rectification begins, the conduct and manners of the students also begin to improve.
Allah ta'ala prepares the Sheikh to distribute faiz to the creation. He is granted a special magnificence from Allah ta'ala through which others may benefit. This is not his personal achievement, but rather a manifestation of the greatness of Allah ta'ala.
Muraqabah is the highest level of dhikr. It refers to emptying the mind of distractions and constantly focusing upon Allah ta'ala. This can be practised at any time during the day, even with the eyes open while occupied in worldly affairs. In this way, a person remains constantly connected to Allah ta'ala.
The muraqabah performed in the morning and evening serves as practice and trains the heart to remain in muraqabah throughout the day.
When a person remains constantly connected to Allah ta'ala, he will not swear, cheat, or commit fraud, because he remains conscious that Allah ta'ala is with him.
Through muraqabah, a person attains the level of ihsaan — the state in which a person worships as though he sees Allah ta'ala, or at least remains conscious that Allah ta'ala sees him. This is the rank of ihsaan that every believer should strive to achieve.
A person develops this state through the company of the Sheikh in the khanqah. We should always have the intention of purifying and developing ourselves in the company of the Sheikh.
During muraqabah, the student seeks faiz from Allah ta'ala. The magnificence of Allah ta'ala reaches us through the intermediary of the pious people.
There are various stages of muraqabah. One of them is Muraqabah Ism-e-Dhaat, where a person brings the glory and greatness of Allah ta'ala into the heart. There are seven spiritual points, known as lataaif, within our bodies, and each point connects us to Allah ta'ala.
Why do we perform the Khatam Khawjgan?
Khatam Khawjgan is a means of acquiring the faiz of Allah ta'ala. We recite the kalimaat and convey the reward to the honourable mashaikh of this order. In this way, we strengthen our connection with them so that we may more easily attain the splendour and brilliance of Allah ta'ala through them.
To strengthen this connection, we recite the Khatam Khawjgan and convey the reward to them.
A student should only recite the Khatam Khawjgan in the presence of the Sheikh. When alone, he should perform tasawwur-e-Sheikh — closing his eyes, thinking of his Sheikh, and submitting himself spiritually to him. Through this, he will continue to receive faiz even if he is far away.
Sometimes it takes many years to awaken all the lataaif, but we must continue striving. Often, the longer the journey, the greater the sweetness and enjoyment a person experiences.
After attaining Muraqabah Ism-e-Dhaat, a person moves on to Muraqabah Sifaat, in which he reflects upon the qualities of Allah ta'ala, and the Sheikh gives him this lesson.
It is a great act of worship to feel regret over one’s sins. If a person feels true remorse and sincerely promises not to repeat the sin, it is as though he had not committed it.
As long as a person constantly performs dhikr and the feeling of remorse remains alive within him, he is considered among the friends of Allah (Wali Allah).
A person is truly ruined in this world when he commits sins and fails to repent. If a student commits wrongdoing,
he should always return to his teacher and continue making effort. Even if mistakes are made, one should never become despondent or give up.
A person should never abandon his Sheikh, for the Sheikh does not reject the student. It is Allah ta'ala who expels the student. A person must have performed a very great sin for which he has been thrown out.
If the student abandons the Sheikh and the guidance without reason, then this is his misfortune, as he has rejected the khanqah and its blessings.
May Allah ta'ala grant us the ability to implement these precious pearls of wisdom.
Ameen.