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