Overcome

Ha Mim.

Last night, at the Garden of Love,
The Great Simurgh,
Ornamented with feathers of fire,
And enveloped in tender passion,
Came to me,
Carrying the Light of the Beloved...

I asked her,
"O my Love, have you come
For this beggar?"

She, who speaks not
The language of humans nor houris,
Answered with a twinkle
In my own eye and
Vanished the way
Lightning vanishes.

Early in the morning,
The humming of a solitary songbird
Woke me up,
Her whisper came from
The rain-caressed, rustling branches
Whose beloved is every homesick lover.

Huuuuuummm...
Huuuuuummm...
Huuuuuummm...

As the day progressed,
Like Hunters and the Hunted,
I heard the winds
Speak unto the shadows
Beneath the face of the sun,

"Love says unto herself,
'Be your own fuel,
And consume yourself'!"

And I,
Green and black,
Burnt,
Overcome,
Extinct,
I was no more.

"I am Muhammad."

"I am Being,
Glory is my Face,
Praise is my Robe."

"Muhammad is my Light,
'Ali is my Eye and my Sword,
Al-Shiddiq is my Heart,
'Isaa Ruhullaah is my Soul,
Jibreel is my Tongue."

"Truth is my Breath,
And, Love, oh Love,
Love is my Heartbeat."

"I am Muhammad."

At night, a company of dervishes
Sought me, saying,
"We saw you burning
The faces of both the east and west,
The north and south!"

I said,
"Is there anything more
You can desire, O little cups?"

They said,
"Tell us where you have
Brought that Burning Light from!"

I said,
"Watch! I shall indeed put it out,
In the shyness of the night,
As the evening winds long for it too!"

So the Fire, the Light, vanished
From their sight.

Thus I said unto them,
And unto you, my beloveds,
"Now tell me where it has gone!"

And they, overcome,
Left me alone with Love.

Ishq,

Dani

(Written at the Shrine of Hazrat Nizam ad-Din Awliyya, Delhi, 2004)

The Ocean and the Waves (On Sufis and Other Mystics)

Bismillaah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem


My dear sister Dima has shared a beautiful truth on her blog, showing
"the difference between the Ocean and a wave":

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

"And call not with Allaah any other god;

there is no god but He,

every thing is perishable but He;

His is the judgment,

and to Him you shall be brought back."

(Al-Qur'an al-Karim 28: 89)

=======

Here, I would like to add some humble explanation to this truth.

The above verses are profoundly correct (essentially correct on all levels
of being) no matter how simple the casing may look. Allaah Ta'ala as
the Primary Existence (al-Wajib al-Wujud al-Mutlaq) is beyond any need
of particular forms. In His own Absolute Oneness, He is Being (Wujud).
With respect to creation, He is Haqq al-Maujud (the Essence-Truth of
everything there is; though evil is actually another story: it was brought from
pure non-existence as a test).

The perceptual image of the Sea, the Waves, and the Salinity
as One does reflect the particular Oneness of gradations and
the taste of the Oneness of existence, however it is only "sensory",
it does not reveal the essential "texture" of the Absolute Oneness of
Allaah Ta'ala since it is but a manifest form ("shape") not the
Reality (Zaat) itself. This is the point at which Sufis (Muslim
Mystics) differ from mystics of the oriental religions. For example,
in Buddhism, in conformity with some people's thoughts, their
"transcendental" realization is "that which is Whole cannot exist
without that which is Particular (and vice versa)". Thus, due to the
supposedly inherent divergence of the infinite particular forms permeating
the "Spaces of Being", there is no need for the Buddhist to perceive the
Absolute Being (Sunyata, Emptiness) as having a True Self. Also, in
their view, the world of forms was not created and will never end.
It's an endless cycle of appearance and disappearance...

But Sufis, dear beloveds, are different. They realize this cannot be so.

The Peak of Divine Wisdom (al-Hikmah al-Ilahiyyah) whom the Sufis seek,
is that Wujud (Allaah, al-Haqq), Who alone contains existences and
non-existences (and can therefore bring (create) something from
absolute nothingness), has a Self (or "Face", that which reveals
itself as the convergence of all of His Names (Asma) and Attributes
(Sifaat)) that, although indescribable, is symbolized by Essentially
Loving, Essentially Compassionate (ar-Rahmaan, ar-Raheem). This is
Infinity embracing Itself (as an act of Primordial Love beyond
necessity) whose Mystery is Sealed in the "Mim" of Muhammad, the
Perfect Man (al-Insan al-Kamil). In Islaam, one-sided (sensory)
perception is not enough. Something is called certain (true, haqq) if
and only if it bears transcendental logic as a pattern and if this
logic is woven with the threads of Love. That is why, Sufis do not see
things through mere "windows"; they see the Dawn in its full glory
(infinite potential). They see things through the Eye of al-Haqq. And
they, ultimately, see none other than the Face (Wajh) of Allaah as
described in the Holy Qur'an:

"...wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allaah." (2: 115)

May Allaah Ta'ala raise us all to the Reality of His Nur, the First Intellect,
Nur Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa ahli baitihi wa sallam.

Thank you dear Dima, for the beautiful page and for bringing this to
our attention.

Ishq,

Dani

Islaam, the Way of Love and Countless Breaths

Bismillaah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem


Islaam is about relentlessly approaching al-Wajib al-Wujud, Allaah

Subhaan Huwa Ta'ala, the Only One worthy of worship, Whose Reality-Being

(Zaat) is endless. His Ahadiyya (Absolute Oneness) is the sole

foundation of existence, and nothing else.


Islaam is about knowing Allaah Ta'ala, the Beloved, and being in His

circle of protection and trust (walayah).


Islaam is about polishing the Mirror of the Heart and unveiling the

Intellect, until Knowledge of the Absolute becomes inevitable.


Islaam is about seeing Allaah both in the qubr (this world) and in the

akhirat, with His own Light.


Islaam is about seeing Allaah Jalla wa Jalal in the creations and

permeating the worlds with praise of the One of Power and Might.


Islaam is about seeking Allaah's Face, the Face of Absolute Beauty,

with utmost sincerity.


Islaam is about possessing two wings with which one roams the skies of

Certainty (Haqqul Yaqeen): Knowledge and Love.


Islaam is a home-coming for all souls, an invitation of Love to Love's

own banquet.


Islaam is from Allaah and for Allaah.



Islaam is about reaching the Perfection of Humanity through dressing

one's self with the Names and Attributes of al-Haqq Azza wa Jalla

through Ma'rifah and Mahabbah ar-Rasul, Knowledge and Love of Nabi

Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam, who alone is 'Abd

Allaah and Habib Allaah, the one to whom essential secrets and

attributes are given. By my soul, he shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa

sallam is the Nur and Beauty of Allaah's Face.


Islaam is about knowing the People of the Arc of Salvation, Ahl Ya

Sin, the People of Light, the Family of Muhammad, and recognizing

their degree in the Sight of Allaah Ta'ala.


The Fruit of Mahabbah is none other than love of each other, for

Allaah's sake.


Islaam is about sharing your warmth and light, lit from the Beloved's Presence

within, with others, like an orphaned candle in the dark that loses naught

by doing so. Thus it is about dressing others just as you yourselves are dressed.


Islaam is not about ending up in "heaven" or "hell". Both "heaven" and

"hell" are creatures (makhluqat). How can they be our final destinations?


Islaam is about knowing Allaah al-Mahboob, the Final Destination, and

the pure passions, like silent whispers, that lead us there.


Islaam is about Beauty and the ways of lovers and their breaths.


Islaam is about the Great Battle (Jihad al-Akbar): first and foremost,

against the lower self, and against any sort of injustice that befalls

the Ummah as a whole.


Islaam is about loving, loving, and loving in the best way possible.

How can then the stronghold of justice and the sweetness of friendship

not be filled in its cup? And how can the cup and the wine not be pure?


Islaam is about living and dying only for Allaah's sake whose

matchless Fruit is Baqaa' billaah.


Islaam is about walking towards the Sun of Truth, Nur ala Nur,

Light upon Light, with our backs towards falsehood and

its projections upon the earth that are naught but trembling shadows.


Dear friends, renew your shahada now and then, with hearts that behold

the One Beloved and can't forget...


Yaa Allaah have mercy on us all, on me, especially, who has done so

much wrong both towards mankind and towards myself.


Yaa Hu, yaa Allaah, yaa Allaah, yaa Allaah, yaa Haqq.


Ishq,

Dani

Thariqah al-Muhammadiyyah

Bismillaah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem

Dear Beloveds of Allaah,

Ha Mim.

Let me explain from the point of view of Haqiqah, insha Allaah Ta'ala, why the People of Sincerity (Ahl al-Ikhlaas) are ordered to recite the shalaat

"Shalla Allaahu 'alaa Sayyidina Muhammad wa 'alaa ali Sayyidina Muhammad."

Our Beloved Master, the Owner of Absolute Prophethood (Nubuwwah) and Sainthood (Walayah), the Ocean of Essential Knowledge without a shore, the Holy Prophet Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam, was sent from the Shadowless Realm of al-Nur al-Haqq, the Presence of Absolute Power, to the lower worlds (ours as well as others' in the hierarchy of existence) of multiple forms with 2 basic aims.

The first aim was to perfect the Akhlaq of creation by expounding the Laws of the Universe (Shari'ah) as well as the Way of Return (Thariqah) through his physical, historical, and spiritual presence. One must first know the constituents of the worlds in order to play the game of life successfully ("safely").

The second aim was none other than the fulfillment of the Biblical passage

"ELH shall come from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran (physically, this is outside Mecca). Selah. His glory shall cover the heavens, and the earth shall be full of his praise." (Habakkuk 3:3)

ELH (often pronounced "Eloah") refers to the Reality of Alif (Ha) Lam Mim, the State of Union of all existential attributes in Allaah's Zaat (Absolute Reality-Being, Ahadiyya). This passage, from the point of view of Haqiqah, exclusively refers to the unveiling of the Ruh, Nur, and Haqiqah of Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam, the Absolute Perfect Man, before the worlds, in order that the worlds, still in their evolutionary state, might understand ("read" or "see") in the Clearest Light (the Light of His Ta'ala own Face), beyond individual perception, the Essential Union of the Ruh of the Perfect Man and the Ruh of al-Haqq Azza wa Jalla.

That is why, Allaah Ta'ala honors the Holy Prophet shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam with the phrase "shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam", that is, "Utmost Respect of Allaah Ta'ala, al-Wujud al-Zaat, and Peace, (be) upon him and his Family". This is a gesture of Honor from the Presence of Singularity directed to the Essence of the worlds, Muhammad, as Ruh, Nur, and Haqiqah. Once, in the state beyond wajd (ecstasy) or fanaa', that is, baqaa' billaah, Allaah Ta'ala manifest the following words through the lips of the Holy Prophet shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam,

"Ana Ahmadun bila Mim."

("I am Ahmad without Mim (that is, Ahad.)")

Those who are still enslaved by their lower nafs should not dare to interpret this qudsi hadith at all! Such a saying is manifest only in the state of fanaa' al-fanaa' with Allaah's "Ana" ("I" or "I-ness" or "Huwwiyyah", "He-ness"), not with any other (particular) "Ana". Or else, it may be said through the Perfect Man's "Ana" in the state of baqaa' billaah, because the Perfect Man has no need of "Ana" other than Allaah's "Ana" and his existence (presence) in the worlds is merely a Mirror for al-Haqq in which all of His Sifaat (Attributes) converge. (Actually, there is a state that overcomes "Ana", and is called the state of "Huwa Huwa", but this is another story.) Considering the Total Uniquness of Existence, Allaah Ta'ala may introduce His Reality to the worlds with or without Mim. This is beyond all necessities and is revealed in the qudsi hadith

"I was a Hidden Treasure and loved to be known. Therefore I created the Creation that I might be known."

The truth is, Mim is the Sign (al-Hujjah) of, and the Sign for, Allaah's Absolute Oneness, both in total silence and in total revelation. It is a manifestation of Allaah's Unifying Name-Reality, al-'Ayn al-Jam, towards which all things are returned (and hence the phrase ,"inna lillaahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un"). It is only in this Mim alone (the Mim of Muhammad) that Allaah's Greatest Name is known. This is none other than the Sacred Fruit of Thuba, essentially forbidden for all except the Perfect Man (Muhammad) himself. Thus, those who desire to eat of this Fruit must but reach the state of fanaa' fi Rasul (annihilation in the Reality of Muhammad).

Now, who are, from the point of view of Haqiqah, the Family of Muhammad (Ali Muhammad)? The Family of Muhammad refers to the spiritual link (al-nasab al-ruhaniyyah) between self-realized beings (among created beings) and their Perfect, Shadowless Self, Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam, the one who witnesses Allaah Ta'ala without separation in the Light of His Ta'ala own Zaat. The Family of Muhammad consists of those particular beings that, through the Path of Islaam (Shari'ah, Thariqah, and Haqiqah), have reached, and become "universalized" in, the Reality of Muhammad, the Perfect Man, who is the Light upon Light of Allaah Ta'ala and hence the Light of His Ta'ala Face (Wajh) with respect to the created worlds. They are those who have reached fanaa' fi Rasul (and so fanaa' fi Allaah and baqaa' billaah). They are those who have penetrated the Solitude of the Cosmic Being and become the Sign of the Essence. They are those who have experienced the Great Contraction (al-Qiyammah al-Kubra), through all particular forms, into the (unmanifest) Singular Reality of al-Haqq Azza wa Jalla. They are the people of Ha Mim and hence Ya Sin. They are the people of "two bows' length or nearer". They are the people of the Union of Witnessing (al-Wahdah al-Syuhud). And they, as one and beyond perceptual oneness, are Muhammad. They are known to the common people as "Awliyya". They are the people of Essential Knowledge. Hence, the famous hadith

"Al-'Ulama' waratsat al-Anbiyya'."

("The People of Knowledge (the Knowledge of Allaah's Essence) are the inheritors of the Prophets.")

O Seekers of Allaah's Essence, it now becomes incumbent upon me to reveal that the door to this Thariqah is none other than Hazrat Imaam 'Ali alaihi salaam, the Imam of the esoteric East and the exoteric West (al-Imaam al-Masyariq wa al-Magharib), the Possessor of the Absolute Muhammadan Sainthood (al-Walayah al-Muhammadiyyah al-Mutlaq) as revealed in the hadith

"Ana wa 'Aliyyin min Nurin Wahid."

("I and 'Ali are from One Light.")

Heed, therefore, the following:

The Union between the Most Beloved Prophet Muhammad Nurin min Nurillaah shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam and Sayyidina al-Imaam 'Ali al-Murtaza alaihi salaam wa karram Allaahu wajhah is their Essential Union in the Pre-Eternal Nur (Light) of Allaah's Greatest Name (al-Ism al-A'zham) which is none other than His Ta'ala Face (Wajh). In truth, Sayyidina 'Ali alaihi salaam is the first descendant of the Holy Prophet Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam in the realm of the Unity of the Divine Light. 'Ali's blessed Reality was manifested directly from the Mim of Muhammad which, as we have seen above, is also known as al-'Ayn al-Jam. That is why, it is said that Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam beholds 'Ali alaihi salaam and sees himself without separation and vice versa, just as Allaah Ta'ala sees Himself in the Perfect Man (al-Insan al-Kamil al-Muhammadiyyah) that acts as a Mirror and Locus of all of His Ta'ala Sifaat. The famous hadith related to us by Jabir ibn Abdillaah radhi Allaahu anhu says that the first Entity that Allaah Ta'ala created was al-Nur al-Muhammadiyyah. Only the inheritors of the Holy Prophet Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam known as Ahlul Haqiqah delve deeper into this Reality. Among them are the great Quthbs (Axial Saints) and Ghawths (Intercessors) whose presence is a source of great barakaah for this Ummah.

This, my dear brothers and sisters, is the essence of Thariqah al-Wujudiyyah al-Muhammadiyyah, in brief.

Ishq,

Dani

Nazanin, Little Nazanin

Nazanin, little Nazanin,

Innocence of the seashore of winged worlds,

Little flower, through you life honors itself with a touch of tenderness,

Little butterfly, what misery shall not drop into the dust before the sun of your sweetness?

Little rivulet, life's wine and secrets follow you wherever you go like eternally paired lovers.


At dawn, you are your mother and father's first song offering,

In the morning light, you give us angels' wings and glimpses of the roaming clouds,

At noon, you are every child's garland and pebble, his hidden treasure,

At noontide, in the twilight of ascending dreams and homesick lovers, withered leaves are again hued with the bliss of endless life,

At night, hidden in the heart of things, love, like the white morning, is restful in your possession.


Days and nights are your flute players,

The seasons melt upon your laughter,

The rain descends with your transparent sorrow,

The sky, like a golden canopy, is your witness,

The earth is your mother, sister, and bridegroom,

The winds are your whisperers,

Oh everyone's delight.


The sun and moon rise and set for the unknown in you, sweet light of our eye,

The sky wouldn't be so curved in its expanse if it weren't because of you, sweetness,

In the solitude of night, distant stars beg for your light,

For in your eye is the light of our endless youth,

And in your smile is the brink of eternity, Beloved.


Nazanin, little Nazanin,

Which garden is not yours?

And which gardener is not your lover?

Where lies the the barrier of moments,

Where does the passing breeze that swells in autumnal melodies have to go,

What of life and hope shall vanish into the night, like the last glimmer of sunset,

When one as beautiful as you is simply unsurpassable?


Ishq,

Dani

*Dedicated with love and yearning to Nazanin Zahra, Beloved of Allaah.

A Gift of Prophetic Jewels

Salaam Ishq Allaah,

Dear beloveds, the following is a gift of jewels from our Most Beloved Master, the Most Beloved of Allaah, the Holy Prophet Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam (peace be upon his sublime self and the people of his household).


(1) ON THE CREATION OF THE WORLDS AND THE MUHAMMADAN REALITY

Allaah Ta'ala has said, through the lips of our Glorious Master, the Prophet (saaw), in the following qudsi hadith:

"I have created the Soul of Muhammad from the Light of My Face (Wajh)."

(Note: By "My Face" Allaah Ta'ala means the convergence of all of His Sifaat (Names and Attributes), that is, His Ta'ala Greatest Name. Some Sufis call this the 100th Name of Allaah Ta'ala. The Prophet (saaw) once referred to this as the sacred "Fruit" of Thuba.)

To Jabir ibn Abdullaah, may Allaah be pleased with him, one of the Ahl as-Shuffah (the People of the woolen garb living in the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah al-Munawarrah), the Sweet Beloved Prophet (saaw) said,

"O Jabir, verily the very first entity that Your Rabb (Lord, Creator, Cherisher, Evolver) manifested was the Light of your Beloved Prophet."

And,

"For a thousand years of Allaah's Time, after the creation of my Light, Allaah Ta'ala created the Arsh (Heavenly Throne) from the Light of my Eye. He Ta'ala then created the rest of creation from the Arsh. Then He Ta'ala sent the souls to descend to the lowest levels of creation, to the realm of the material world, as He Ta'ala says, "Then We make him (man) descend to the lowest of the low" (Surah Tin: 5).""

And,

"Allaah Ta'ala then sent my Light from where it was first manifest, from the Ultimate Realm (Alam al-Lahut, which is the Realm of Allaah's Absolute Unity-Being), to the Realm of the Divine Names (Alam al-Sifaat), the Manifestation of the Divine Attributes, the Realm of the Causal Intelligence of my Great Soul (al-Ruh al-A'zham). There He Ta'ala dressed souls in robes of my Light. These are the inheritors of my Reality among this Ummah."

He (saaw), has also said,

"I have been given all Names."

(Note: This refers to the Reality of Muhammad (saaw), al-Haqiqah al-Muhammadiyyah, as al-Insan al-Kamil, the Perfect Man, the most perfect Manifestation of all of Allaah's Names, whose Focal Point (Qibla) combines, and is beyond, the Esoteric East and the Exoteric West as he (saaw) said, "My Qibla is neither in the East nor in the West." Muhammad is the Name of all humanity in the realm of the souls (alam al-arwah).)


(2) ON KNOWLEDGE

Our Master, the Prophet (saaw), has said,

"On the day of the Last Judgment, Allaah Ta'ala will gather men together, then separate the wise men from among them, and say to them, "O people of knowledge, I gave you My knowledge because I know you. I did not give you wisdom to punish you on this day. So Enter My Paradise, I have forgiven you."

When asked what Paradise he (saaw) was referring to, he (saaw) said,

"It is the Paradise wherein there is only the Face of Allaah Ta'ala to be seen."

And he (saaw) related a verse from the Holy Qur'an, Surah Qamar: 55, "...the place of Truth in the Presence of a Sovereign Omnipotent."

When asked what sort of knowledge he (saaw) was referring to, he (saaw) said,

"...a special knowledge like a hidden treasure that only those who know the Essence of Allaah Ta'ala can find. Yet when the Mystery is revealed, no one who is conscious and sincere can deny it."

(Note: The knowledge here is the one alluded to in the Holy Qur'an, in Surah Ta Ha: 7, "...the secret and what is yet more hidden." The Axial Sultan of Muhammadan Saints, Hazrat Shaykh Sayyid Abdul Qadir Jilani qaddas Allaahu sirrah (may Allaah sanctify his secret) has said,

"This knowledge was revealed to our Master, the Prophet (saaw), during the Mi'raj (the Night Voyage), his (saaw) Ascension to Allaah Ta'ala (where he (saaw) ultimately reached the state of fanaa' al-fanaa' and baqaa' billaah). This mystery was hidden in him (saaw) behind 30,000 veils. He (saaw) did not reveal its secret except to those among his (saaw) disciples who were closest to him (saaw). It is by the propagation and blessing of this secret that Islaam will continue to reign until the last day of the worlds.")

Our Master, the Prophet (saaw), has said,

"This world is undesirable and unlawful for those who wish for the hereafter. The hereafter is undesirable for those who wish for this world, and it will not be given to them. But for the souls who seek Allaah's Essence alone, neither this world nor the hereafter has any attraction."


(3) ON MAN

Allaah Ta'ala has spoken through our Master, the Prophet (saaw), in the following qudsi hadith,

"Man is My Secret and I am his Secret. The inner knowledge of spiritual essence ('ilm al-bathin) is a secret of My secrets. Only I put this into the heart of My good servant, and none may know his state other than Me."

And,

"I am as My servant knows Me. When he seeks Me and remembers Me, I am with him. If he seeks Me inwardly, I seek him with My Essence. If he remembers and mentions Me in good company, I remember and declare him as My good servant in better company (the company of angels)."


(4) ON REFLECTION (TAFAKKUR) AND WISDOM

Our Master, the Prophet (saaw), has said,

"A moment of reflection is worth more than a year of worship."

And,

"A moment's reflection is worth more than seventy years of worship."

And,

"A moment's reflection is worth more than a thousand years of worship."

He (saaw), has said,

"There is a state in which all and everything is gathered and that is Ma'rifatullaah (Divine Wisdom)."

And,

"With it, one learns the Truth, which gathers within itself all causes and all good. Then one must act upon this Truth. One must also know falsehood and act upon it."


(5) ON TASHAWUF (THARIQAH/SUFISM)

Our Master, the Prophet (saaw), has said,

"The Religion is a tree: Mysticism is its branches, Wisdom is its foliage, Truth is its fruit."

He (saaw) has also said,

"Shari'ah is my sayings, Thariqah is my actions, and Haqiqah is my inner states."


(6) ON INTIMACY

In the following qudsi hadith, Allaah Ta'ala has said, through our Master, the Prophet (saaw),

"My servant, if you wish to enter the sanctuary of My Intimacy, do not pay attention either to this world or to the higher world of the angels, not even to the higher realms where you may receive My Divine Attributes."

(Note: This is the perfection of not associating anything with Allaah Ta'ala. This is the essence of Islaam itself.)


(7) ON BATTLE (JIHAD)

One day, when the Prophet (saaw) and his companions had just returned from a great battle, he (saaw) said, "We have returned from a small battle to wage the Great War." They asked, "What is it, O Messenger of Allaah?" He (saaw) answered, "The battle against the lower self." He (saaw) further said, "This is your greatest enemy, and it is under your ribs."

(Note: Without this sort of Jihad, it is not possible to reach the reality of the Confession of Unity, the Shahada.)


(8) ON LOVE AND YEARNING

Allaah Ta'ala has said, through the lips of His Most Beloved Prophet (saaw),

"My Love, My Existence, is their Love for Me."

And,

"I feel the yearning of My Lovers for Me, and I too long for them."

Allaah Ta'ala has said, through our Master, the Prophet (saaw),

"I cannot be contained by My heavens nor My earths, but I fit into the heart of My Lover."

(Note: About this, Hazrat Bayazid al-Bistami qaddas Allaahu sirrah has said, "If all that exists in and around the Throne (Arsh) of Allaah Ta'ala, the vastest of all of Allaah's creations, were to be placed in a corner of the Perfect Man's heart, he would not even feel the weight of it.")


(9) ON ASCETISM (ZUHUD)

Our Master, the Prophet (saaw), has said,

"My state of utter need, my poverty, is my Pride."

And,

"By this, I have reached the highest possible station among the Prophets."

(Note: Poverty here does not mean the lack of the worldly. It is the abandonment of everything but the wish for the Essence of Allaah Ta'ala.)


(10) ON ECSTASY (WAJD) AND TASTE (ZAUQ)

Our Master, the Prophet (saaw), has said,

"A single divine inspiration which cuts one off from the world and bestows upon one the reflection of Allaah's Divine Attributes, showing one the signs of Allaah's Divine Unity, is worth the experience of both worlds (this world and the hereafter)."

And,

"The one who has not experienced ecstasy and thereby received the manifestation of Divine Wisdom and Truth in truth has not lived!"

(Note: Commenting on this hadith, Hazrat Junayd al-Baghdadi qaddas Allaahu sirrah has said, "When ecstasy meets the Divine Manifestations inside a Lover, he is either in a state of the highest joy or the deepest sorrow.")

Allaah Ta'ala has said, in the Holy Qur'an, in Surah Zumar: 17,

"So give the good news to My servants who listen to the Word, then follow the Beauty in it. Such are they whom Allaah Ta'ala has guided (towards Himself). And such are the men of understanding."

Our Master, the Prophet (saaw), has said,

"The ecstatic ritual of the Lovers of Allaah Ta'ala, their whirling and chanting, is an obligatory form of worship for some, and for others a supererogatory act of worship; and yet for others (who have low taste due to their being veiled by their lower nafs) still it is heresy (bid'ah). It is obligatory for the Perfect Man. It is supererogatory for the Lovers and for the heedless it is heresy."

(Note: Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Shiddiq radhi Allaahu anhu, Mawlana Rumi's great grandfather, was the first to whirl in ecstasy, upon receiving a secret from the Prophet (saaw) in the Cave, as the hadith says, "Whatever is in my heart, I pour into the heart of as-Shiddiq.")

And,

"He is ill-natured who takes no pleasure being with Lovers of Allaah Ta'ala: the poems of the Wise which they chant, the season of spring, the color and perfume of its flowers and the lute and its song."

And,

"The one who has not experienced ecstasy does not have the taste of his religion."


***

Yaa Nabi salaam alaika, yaa Habib salaam alaika, yaa Syahid alaa Wujudillaah, salaam alaika. Anta Syamsun, anta Badrun, anta Nurun fawqa Nuri, anta Nur al-Wajhullaah, anta Nur al-Mawjud, anta Taj al-Muqarrabun yaa Rasul Allaah. Yaa Habib salaam alaika. Shalawaatullaah alaika.

Allaahu, Allaahu, Allaahu Haqq.

Ishq,

Dani

In the Morning Light

Dear beloveds,

Be in the Morning Light with me as you read this little tafseer, insha Allaah Ta'ala.

Listen attentively and sincerely, in the presence of your hearts and souls, to the following verses:

Bismi Huwa Ta'ala...

1. By the Glorious Morning Light,

2. And by the Night when it is still,

3. Your Rabb HAS NOT forsaken you, nor is He displeased.

4. And verily the End will be better for you than the present.

QS. Ad-Dhuha: 1-4.

"By the Glorious Morning Light." This refers to your Rooh, beloveds. What is the Rooh? By Allaah, the Rooh is that which shines from the Totality of His Ta'ala Sifaat. The Rooh witnesses Allaah and is witnessed by Him Ta'ala in total intimacy. This is your deepest self. The Rooh is UNCREATED. No hijab exists for the Rooh. At the same time, the Rooh bears the function of the Light with which al-Insaan (veiled behind the 30,000 layers of nafs) recognizes al-Haqq Azza wa Jalla. In this capacity, the Rooh is therefore also said to be 'Abd (Makhluq) and yet is above all particular existences including the Angels (Malaikat). The Rooh is al-'Aql al-Awwal al-Kull (the First Universal Intellect). This is the Haqiqat of al-Rooh al-A'zham (the Great Spirit). This is, by my soul, Nur Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam. Allaah Ta'ala created the Arsh (the seen and the unseen worlds) from this Light. For this reason, our Most Beloved Prophet Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam is also called al-Nur al-Imkaniyyah (the Light of the created worlds). That is why Islaam is not just about saying, "Laa ilaaha ill Allaah". It is also to witness that Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam is the Knower of the Divine Essence and the Secret of Allaah Ta'ala. That is why this is part of the Tasyahud in salaat. The Muhammadan Reality, al-Haqiqah al-Muhammadiyya, is Allaah's Mercy revealed for our sake. And there are stages of witnessing. The highest state, the Muhammadan State, is known as Ihsaan. This is the state of "Ha Mim", when there is no separation between the Witness (Syahid) and the Witnessed (Masyhud), because the Witness is annihilated in the convergence of all of His Ta'ala Sifaat. This is what is meant in the Qur'an (in Surah al-Israa') by "the distance of two bows' length or closer." The phrase "two bows" refers to "the Witness and the Witnessed" and the word "closer" means the state of the Salik being infinitely extinct in the Divine Essence. This way, the Salik is finally dressed with al-Sifaat al-Haqqani. This is what is meant by the Night of Power, al-Laylat al-Qadr. This was the night when the Qur'an descended for the first time into the lowest world, our physical world. In truth, the Night of Power refers to the physical body of Nabi shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam when his blessed spirit had just been returned from the state of fanaa'. The body remained for 23 years after the unveiling of his Nubuwwah as a source of barakah, until Allaah took him back towards His own Essence, from this place of trial. "Laylatul Qadri khayrun min alfisahr." The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. What does Allaah Ta'ala mean by "a thousand months"? He Ta'ala means the state of multiplicity or the countless manifest forms that exist in the hierarchy of Wujud, that veil the ignorant. The Salik, when endowed with al-Sifaat al-Haqqani, is exalted by none other than Allaah Himself, and therefore is said to be better than all conceivable forms in the Universe. Allaahu Akbar!

"By the Night when it is still." The Night refers to the darkness (nafs) that enshrouds (the capacity of) the Rooh. Al-Hujjat al-Islaam al-Imaam al-Ghazali radhi Allaahu anhu wa qaddas Allaahu sirrah said that the heart (qalb) is borne from the combination ("marriage") between the Rooh and the nafs. Therefore, it has 2 sides: one faces the Rooh and is called al-Fu'ad, and the other faces the soul (nafs), which is called al-Shadr. So by "the Night when it is still", Allaah Ta'ala means the nafs when it is totally silenced when the effects of Direct Witnessing (Syuhud) take place and completely overwhelm its powers. This is called al-Qiyyamah al-Kubra, when the Reality of His Ta'ala Zaat (Essence) is revealed. By the Lover and the Beloved, this is when He Ta'ala is known by the Pure Vision of Nur Muhammad as none other than al-Wujud al-Zaat. This is the indescribable state of al-Tauhid called al-Ahadiyya (Allaah Ta'ala in His own Unique, Singular, Absolute Zaat) that can only be alluded to as "Huwa Huwa" ("He is He"). Subhaan Allaah!

"Your Rabb has not forsaken you, nor is He displeased." Unveiling (Kashf) is an act of Pure Mercy. Why? Because His Ta'ala Essence is so infinitely exalted from the perception of His Ta'ala creation, so infinitely far beyond our perception... Yes, but at the same time He Ta'ala has not created you in vain. He Ta'ala desires you to KNOW Him as Him. He is known by none other than Him! So, subhaan Allaah, for He is al-Rahmaan al-Raheem. The fact that you are veiled behind 30,000 layers of nafs does not mean He Ta'ala wants to hide Himself from you forever. He places souls in this world (dunya), in this place of trial, in order to glorify the Muhammadan Essence over the veils... He Ta'ala desires to glorify the Muhammadan Power of Witnessing His Ta'ala Essence that the Light of the Perfect Man (al-Insan al-Kamil al-Kull) may shine on creation. He can be known by those who are worthy, by His own Will. That is why there are Ahlullaah. That is why there are Sufis. Ulema Zaheer often say, when referring to the Ghayb, "Only Allaah knows..." and stop at that. But there are KNOWERS of Allaah Ta'ala. Such knowers are known as Ahl Ya Sin, and they, as one, are the real FAMILY of the Holy Prophet Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam, beyond blood relations. They know Allaah Ta'ala not through strict rational thinking and not even through transcendental philosophy of any sort. They know Allaah Ta'ala by purifying themselves and by Allaah's consent, thereby reaching the state of the Witnessing of the Muhammadan Spirit. From there on, Allaah Ta'ala, out of Infinite Mercy, absorbs Nur Muhammad completely back into His Zaat, relieving it from its function as the Light of all particular existences, Nur al-Mawjud. This state is called Total Content (Ridha, Allaah is pleased with you and you pleased with Him) and so the Salik reaches Annihilation (Fanaa') in the sweetest way possible. This is also called fanaa' al-fanaa' and baqaa' bi Allaah. Instead of being totally hidden from existences, Allaah Ta'ala reveals Himself through the Reality of Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam while at the same time He Ta'ala infinitely raises the rank of Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam in His own Essential, Unmanifest Zaat. And, for those who have reached Allaah Ta'ala through fanaa' fi Rasul (see my previous article) this is the Akhirat. That is why He Ta'ala says, "And verily the End will be better for you than the present."

So do not despair! May this be useful to you all. Allaah loves us with the Reality of His Zaat, especially His Knowers, those drawn near to the point of being wanted by none other than Him Ta'ala to witness that which no eye can bear to see, no ear can bear to hear, and no mind can bear to perceive.

Allaaahu Nur alaa Nur.

Allaahumma shalli alaa Sayyid al-Mi'raj wa Ha Mim wa Tha Sin wa Ya Sin, Muhammad, Muhammad, Muhammad, Nur alaa Nur min Nurillaah wa alaa ali Muhammad, Muhammad, Muhammad, Syahid alaa Wujudillaah.

Ishq Allaah,

Dani

PS. The foregoing is dedicated to my dear sister Dima. May Allaah soothe your soul and bring you home by means of His Most Beautiful Face, O little bird of Allaah.