I have often heard of Mawlana Shaykh Nazim. I am a big fan of his writings; and also his wife's, Hajjah Amina Adil. In the past, I had purchased several of their books and felt their words benefiting my spirit and deepening my love for Allah Ta'ala and our beloved Prophet Muhamad (peace be upon him). I was also aware that my father's side of the family were students of Mawlana Shaykh and followers of the Naqshahbandi order. And although I read his books and enjoyed The Lore of Light written by Hajjah Amina Adil, I refrained from following the sufi order.
In January 2012, approximately 2 weeks after my beloved grandfather passed away, I had a very vivid dream. It was Mawlana Shaykh Nazim. He just looked at me, not saying a word. The way he looked at me sent a very clear and profound message: "I see you." For almost 5 years prior to that dream, I had felt as though I had 'fallen from the Grace of God.' I was in a state of perpetual fall, just waiting for the impact of hitting the ground. That never came. When I woke up from that dream of Mawlana Shaykh just looking at me, I felt I had stopped falling. He had caught me. I felt saved and safe.
Several weeks after the first dream, came a second one. I found myself being in a big room, with wooden panels on the walls, red carpeting on the floor. And there were many young looking men, dressed in green robes and wearing turbans. I couldn't see Mawlana Shaykh but I felt his presence in the room. When I woke up from that dream, I got curious and decided to google about him. And among my findings was a video of him with his followers in Lefke. What I discovered was that the room in the video is the exact room that was in my dream.
I consulted several people who have been followers of the order about my dream. And it was very clear: Mawlana Shaykh had chosen to include me in his order. And from then on, Mawlana Shaykh was my spiritual teacher. The rest is history.
But today, it saddens me that Mawlana Shaykh Nazim has passed on in Lefke, at the age of 92. All those who love him feel the void he has left in our hearts. He's simply irreplaceable. He died at 6:40pm (Malaysian time) on Wednesday 7th of May, 2014.
It pains me that despite the many videos of him I have watched, how many times he came to my aid when I needed his help and how much his wise words help shape my soul, and knowing that he has gone home, I still cry. I cry because I still need him because I'm still so messed up. I cry because I did not get to meet him in person. I cry because despite having met Shaykh Hisham and Shaykh Adnan, it was with Mawlana Shaykh Nazim that I had a spiritual connection with. He came to me. He stopped me from falling. He saved my soul.
And now he has gone home, leaving behind all those who love him in this cruel world. Indeed this world is a prison for those who truly love Allah Ta'ala. I will continue to pray for my Mawlana Shaykh: for the connection of the spirit is never severed by distance or death.
Al Fatihah.
Here are his last words:
Bismillahi 'r-rahmani 'r-raheem
Everything which has a beginning has an ending. You are asking me to stay. But if I was here for 20 years instead of for 20 days and it would end today, it would be the same. In this life this is how it has to be. No-one is together forever, even children and families, neighbours, friends, relatives, murids and sheikhs, students and teachers, all go different ways one day. We can continue in our hearts. We are always together in our souls, even if it is not physical. It tells us that we are servants of Allah the Almighty. All of us are creatures. Even if our clothes change, our original position never will. We are not giving a lecture, I am not a professor but a simple person, like all prophets were. They were sitting on the ground with poor people, slaves, women, children... We have been created from earth and we must try to be closer to earth. This will give you a good character and make you more humble. If you sit on strange chairs, you think you are important. Being close to earth gives benefit to your body. Scientists tell us that there are so many bacteria there. The closer you come to earth the friendlier they will be with you. They will run after those who escape from them. Just like with dogs: if you are friendly with them, they will be too... People nowadays are living in skyscrapers far away from earth. They are in concrete buildings surrounded by plastic and metal. They are escaping from nature and all kinds of illnesses come to them. They want to know where cancer comes from. It is because people are running away from nature. Befriend the earth! You have been created from earth and you will return to earth. If not today, then tomorrow, after one week, one month, one year, or even after 100 years. You cannot escape, you will return to earth. Don't run away from earth, it is your mother. If you come closer to earth it will change your nature for the better. It will give your face more lights and take away the darkness. Disturbing bacteria will leave you and you will be more in peace and in comfort. T'his is why all prophets used to sit on earth. But nowadays people want to be elegant. Physically you take benefit by sitting close to earth, spiritually even more so. Your spirituality will increase, because you will accept to be humble. No-one can develop spiritually without becoming humble. The most humble person is the highest one spiritually. The characteristic which prevents spirituality is pride. Satan was on the highest position when he was humble, but when he became proud he fell to the lowest. The best quality for a servant is to be humble. Whoever wants to reach the high stations of Heavens must accept that they are nothing. If you want safety, you must throw your weight away. In the old days when ships were travelling through difficult straits, people would throw their luggage overboard. If you want to reach Heavenly Stations you must throw your burdens overboard. The heaviest part of you is your ego, asking to be something, never sacrificing itself Sacrifice it! When you have done that, you will reach Heavens and be like lights without any physical body stopping you. It can carry you from earth to Heavens.
- Sheikh Nazim al Haqqani
Everything which has a beginning has an ending. You are asking me to stay. But if I was here for 20 years instead of for 20 days and it would end today, it would be the same. In this life this is how it has to be. No-one is together forever, even children and families, neighbours, friends, relatives, murids and sheikhs, students and teachers, all go different ways one day. We can continue in our hearts. We are always together in our souls, even if it is not physical. It tells us that we are servants of Allah the Almighty. All of us are creatures. Even if our clothes change, our original position never will. We are not giving a lecture, I am not a professor but a simple person, like all prophets were. They were sitting on the ground with poor people, slaves, women, children... We have been created from earth and we must try to be closer to earth. This will give you a good character and make you more humble. If you sit on strange chairs, you think you are important. Being close to earth gives benefit to your body. Scientists tell us that there are so many bacteria there. The closer you come to earth the friendlier they will be with you. They will run after those who escape from them. Just like with dogs: if you are friendly with them, they will be too... People nowadays are living in skyscrapers far away from earth. They are in concrete buildings surrounded by plastic and metal. They are escaping from nature and all kinds of illnesses come to them. They want to know where cancer comes from. It is because people are running away from nature. Befriend the earth! You have been created from earth and you will return to earth. If not today, then tomorrow, after one week, one month, one year, or even after 100 years. You cannot escape, you will return to earth. Don't run away from earth, it is your mother. If you come closer to earth it will change your nature for the better. It will give your face more lights and take away the darkness. Disturbing bacteria will leave you and you will be more in peace and in comfort. T'his is why all prophets used to sit on earth. But nowadays people want to be elegant. Physically you take benefit by sitting close to earth, spiritually even more so. Your spirituality will increase, because you will accept to be humble. No-one can develop spiritually without becoming humble. The most humble person is the highest one spiritually. The characteristic which prevents spirituality is pride. Satan was on the highest position when he was humble, but when he became proud he fell to the lowest. The best quality for a servant is to be humble. Whoever wants to reach the high stations of Heavens must accept that they are nothing. If you want safety, you must throw your weight away. In the old days when ships were travelling through difficult straits, people would throw their luggage overboard. If you want to reach Heavenly Stations you must throw your burdens overboard. The heaviest part of you is your ego, asking to be something, never sacrificing itself Sacrifice it! When you have done that, you will reach Heavens and be like lights without any physical body stopping you. It can carry you from earth to Heavens.
- Sheikh Nazim al Haqqani
2 comments:
glad that you made that connection, though sad that mawlana is here no more, but was wondering, if per chance your grandfather also played a role
@Kissman, I believe you are right. I can feel it my heart that my grandfather as well as my late granduncle Sheikh Abdul Halim (who was a friend of Mawlana Shaykh) had parts to play in my connection with Mawlana Shaykh. Alhamdulillah.
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