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Jun 4, 2011

1 month ago

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United States

You may follow anyone. If you can see from those meetings that some love is awakening in your heart for God Almighty, then you must keep with those meetings. The love of God Almighty is not so easy, because you can not imagine Him. He is beyond our imagination. Therefore God Almighty has put His Divine representation into His prophets. Finally, He gave that Divine representation to His beloved Muhammad, blessings of Allah be upon him. He was beloved by his Lord, Almighty God. The Most Distinguished Osmanli • Nakshibendi • Hakkani Sufi Order is an authentic spiritual path (tarikat) that is deeply rooted in Islam and in the Traditions of the Seal of the Prophets, the Beloved of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It is the only Sufi path that traces its spiritual lineage back to the closest companion of the Prophet (p), Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), 'the second of the two' in the Cave. According to the Prophet (p), all the secret knowledge that Allah put in the heart of the Prophet (p) was poured into the heart of Abu Bakr. This secret knowledge, which is the Prophetic knowledge of Sufism, was then transmitted from heart to heart, from one grandsheykh to another. This order later received its name from Shah Bahauddin Nakshibend of Bukhara, the 19th Grandsheykh who lived in Central Asia. Its purpose is a Prophetic purpose, to turn mankind away from this lower world (dunya) and our lower selves (nafs) to a higher existence (maula) and a higher self (ruh), ultimately to experientially realize the truth of the testimony of faith, that there is no God but God -- "la ilaha illallah". This is achieved by understanding and adhering through practical living the lifestyle of the Prophet (p), the most perfect model for all of humanity and for all times, thus realizing the second phrase of the testimony of faith, "Muhammedan Abduhu wa Rasuluhu"- that Muhammed is the Servant and Messenger of God. The actualization of the second phrase is realized through initiation (bayat) and association (sohbet) with the inheritors of the Prophet (p), the living Saints (awliya) and Sheyhks. Just as the companions of the Prophet (p) achieved spiritual perfection through association with the Prophet (p), so the followers (murids) of this Sufi order realize their spiritual potential through associations with the Sheykh. The main concern of the Nakshibendi Sufi Order is with the Greater Struggle (jihad-ul akbar), the spiritual struggle with the ego (nafs) and the other enemies of Man- shaytan, dunya, and hawa. In order to engage in this Holy Struggle, the murid must be in constant association with the Sheykh and he would then apply the teachings into his daily life. Shah Nakshibend said "Tarikatuna Sohbah wal hayri fi jamiyah"- this Way is based on association and goodness comes through association. Just as a patient submits to a doctor, so the murid learns to submit to the Sheykh, who is a Spiritual Physician of the Heart. Through the cleansing of the heart from all idols and desires, the murid will then be able to transform his heart into the Throne of God, inviting Him to reside therein. Other spiritual practices include the remembrance of God (zikir), chanting the divine names of Allah and praising His Holy Prophet (p). To conclude inshallah, We are Muslims. Our faith is Islam. Islam means submitting to God's Will and accepting that there is no god but ALLAH (the One God) and that Muhammad is the Messenger of ALLAH, peace and blessings upon him, as are Jesus, Moses, Abraham, Noah and Adam, peace be upon them all. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is the Seal (last) of the Prophets. Like the majority of Muslims, we are Sunni Muslims. In addition we are followers of the most distinguished Naks-I'bendi Hakkani Tarikat (sufi order), which traces its traditions directly back to the life-style and teachings of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. Sufism ('Tasawwuf', in Arabic) is one of the Islamic sciences. Under the guidance of a Sheykh of the Tarikat, sufism is the way of purifying oneself from bad manners and characteristics in preparation for passing clean to the afterlife. Sufism is the spirituality in Islam. The chain of transmission (of the teachings) is documented through the 40 GrandSheykhs of the Tarikat back to Abu Bakr Siddik, the first companion to whom the Prophet passed the sufi knowledge of the heart.