THE DIVINE KINGDOM (Shaykh Nazim, 104 pages, 6/6)
https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=6005
le know it and Christian bishops know it. Even if common people do not know it, still bishops and rabbis know that it is the House of the Lord of Abraham, although they write in their books, "The House of the Lord of Jacob." Before Jacob, He was the Lord of Abraham. but they want to change it. If they said "The House of the Lord of Abraham,” then it would be well-known, but they are covering it up.
That is kufr. It is not a lie, but covering truth and showing it in another way. Jacob was the grandson of Abraham, peace be upon them both, and Abraham built the House of the Lord of Makkah. The descendants of Abraham from Ishmael came to that House. They were poets, well-known poets. They would hang up the most famous poems by the most famous poets. For so many years one of their poems hung on the Kabah. No one could bring anything like that poem. But when the Qur'an began to come and the Prophet (saws) recited the first verse when it came, then they took down that poem, saying, "This new one is like the sun of writing and this is like a candle." Beside God Almighty's words, it was no more than a candle by the side of an endless, shining sun. Therefore, they quickly took it down. The Qur'an is such a glorious Book that no one can produce even one verse, one sentence, like it. It says, addressing all people, all the children of Adam, "I am the word of your Lord. You must believe in me because no one can produce anything like me. If you are unable to do that, you must believe that I have been sent by your Lord, from your Lord's Divine Presence." Therefore every wise person must believe that it has been sent by the Lord of the heavens because people can't produce even one verse of it, and it is filled with wisdom.
Now in Europe, in museums, so many precious books are kept. Here also, in the British Museum and other famous European museums, they have manuscripts of the Holy Qur'an and writings about the Holy Qur'an's meanings. See what was the situation before the coming of the Qur'an and what happened after it came, so that no one can deny that Muhammad (saws) was a wise man. If they accept that he was a wise person, it is part of wisdom not to be a liar because wisdom keeps a person from lying.
This must be well known. If you are a wise person you can't tell a lie. Then what about that person, Muhammad (saws)? His sayings and actions generated millions of Traditions, sayings, all of which contain perfect wisdom. He brought a Book filled with wisdom and endless knowledge. As a sign of the endless
56 wisdom and knowledge in the Qur'an, in libraries in the Islamic world, you can now find millions of books (and millions more were also destroyed for various reasons) whose base is the Qur'an. We have now millions of precious books, precious wisdom and knowledge, and the main source is Umm al-Kitab, the Mother of Books, which means the Mother of All Knowledge, the Mother of Wisdom, as a source. that is the Qur'an. Then how can you say about that person who brought it from his Lord that he may be a liar?
They are saying it. Muhammad (saws) said, "I am the prophet of your Lord." How can you say about him, "You are liar," when that person has spoken millions of pieces of wisdom? If a person brings only one piece of wisdom you can't say that he is a liar.
Then what about these people, Christians and Jews, who deny his prophethood? They must be wrong-minded people or they must be envious people, as mentioned in the Qur'an. Yes. They are envious people. Therefore, a curse has come upon them, and the result of that curse is that the Devil's kingdom has been established on earth because they are supporting satans by saying about Muhammad (saws) that he is not a prophet. If they say that he is a prophet, they must follow him.
Therefore, all troubles that have appeared on earth and are continuing will go on to now become a fire-festival, a fire-celebration, over the whole world. As Nero burned Rome to enjoy himself, now all the satans who have established their kingdom throughout the East and West will burn the whole world with fire that can't be extinguished by water or anything else. For this reason, a Grand Shaykh, who is well-known in western countries, Muhiyuddin ibn al-Arabi, a giant-sized saint, a worldwide personality, was saying in his books, books which are full of wisdom (I am taking from his oceans, from Muhammad's oceans (saws). I am taking wisdom that still western scholars can't understand, never finding a solution for that wisdom - he was saying that at the end of this world, when the Last Days are approaching, there will be a fire, a fire burning on earth. If all the oceans could fall upon that fire, it would be impossible to extinguish it. Only the swords of a Divinely-appointed Sultan, ruler, can extinguish that fire.
The Holy Books also mention the Messenger Muhammad (saws). Every Holy Book before the Qur'an also mentions him. People may be liars, but even they can't change the realities in Holy Books. They can't hide the realities in Holy Books. It is impossible. There is a saying in our language that if there is a spear in a sack, you can't Keep it there. It must cut its way out. Therefore, they may want to hide it, but it is well-known that a Sultan will come at that time to extinguish that fire from earth because it is going to burn our planet. And that is
57 the reason why they are lying about Prophet Muhammad, (saws) and that is the punishment for them - fire.
Therefore, God Almighty fights against liars. All the prophets, peace be upon them all, fought against liars. All believers have fought against liars. A curse falls upon liars. The Prophet (saws) said, "The one who deceives or cheats us is not from our nation" (man rashana fa laisa minna). If the Prophet (saws) says he is not from his nation, he is not going to be from the nation of any prophet, and thus he is going to be from the nation of the satans.
Therefore, the biggest sin on earth in the Divine Presence is to lie, to conceal realities, to cover truth, and to change the direction of people. The Kabah is on this side, but you show it to be on the opposite side. People are asking to reach their Lord's Divine Presence but you say, "This is not the right way.” Then what is? Such people are not from the nation of any prophet but they are from the nation of satans and that is all.
Western people must look once again at the personality of beloved Muhammad (saws), particularly now in our time. They must think about it. At every time they want a new way of thinking, looking for so many ways to take the whole of mankind out of miseries, but each time they are unsuccessful, just as God Almighty mentioned in His Book, the Glorious Qur'an, that when the children of Israel were rebellious to their Lord, their Lord imprisoned them in the desert of Sinai. And they said, "What kind of a prison is this? There are no walls surrounding us, no guards (like in Berlin, watching people, nor barbed wires ). We are free. We can go anywhere. We can escape. Who says we are not in prison? Let us move from this place and get out.” Then, they walked from morning up to night time, walking, walking, walking. In the evening they came tired, sweating. Then the sun set and they saw that they were sitting at the same place from which they had started.
What has happened? The whole day we have been walking, walking, to escape, and now we have come back to the same place where we started. Tomorrow we must change our direction. Today we started from this. Tomorrow morning we must go from that side. We must escape. Then going, going, walking hard up to sunset. At sunset they sat down, waiting, so tired, at the same station where they started. What is this - going, turning, coming back to the first station? For forty years they were imprisoned, every day starting but never getting out and always coming back to the first station.
People now claim that they are wise, but they are not such wise people because every time they move they do not search for the true path to go on it. They try every way, try every idea, except that which Muhammad (saws) brought. They do not try that way. Yes, try, up to the end of this world, To where will you
58 come? You will come back to the same troubles, falling into the same pit, falling into the same hell, always falling; yes, trying to climb out and then falling down. As the Prophet (saws) said, "As long as nations go against my way, there will be only degradation (dhillat) and dispiritedness (maskanat) for them.” The beloved Muhammad (saws) is true in his every word, every saying. That is all. I am asking forgiveness for me, for you, for them, and saying, "I seek God's forgiveness" (istighfar Allah). We are giving our endless praises, highest praises, to our Lord Almighty and saying, "Praise belongs to God, praise belongs to God and thanks be to God" (al-hamd Allah, al-Hamd Allah wa shukr Allah).
59 EGOS FEIGN SLEEP... AFTERNOON, JUNE 7, 1985
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, the Lord of the heavens, the Creator of all existence. Everything in existence He created. Anytime He wants to take it all away, He can. Therefore, He is the Mighty (al-Aziz), the Glorious. No one can stand in front of Him. No one can be victorious against Him. Yes? No power can stop Him. All power originates with Him, Don't suppose that something He gave to you works for you. No. All works for Him. He is absolutely victorious.
When is religion alive? This must be an important point for everyone to know. We are living in a time of different ways of thinking. There are so many different ideas and schools of thought, because our egos make themselves out to be a prophet or to be a most important person, or to be the first of those who may be pointed out by people, "This is the one."
This is a great, heavy thing that is put upon a person. It is sufficient as a test or an examination from God Almighty for a person to be pointed out by people that is such-and-such a person.
But our ego, our animal soul (nafs) now wants to be pointed to by hands, by fingers, that that is that person. This is the hobby of our egos. But our ego, our animal soul is still sleeping. If it can find a chance, it wants to be the first. Truly, each an ego is waiting to find a chance to be Pharaoh or a Nimrod or a Nero or any tyrant from among tyrants. Don't imagine that our egos are now very quiet, sitting. No! They may deceive you; that is the characteristic, the well-known characteristic, of egos.
God Almighty says, "Truly the animal soul (nafs) impels toward evil" (13:53) (inna-n-nafsa_ la-ammaratun bis-sou). When he says, "“ammaratun," it is exaggeration - so much! You can never imagine what your ego may command, may order you to do - such bad, such bad, such bad things! Everyone's ego!
That is how, from the time of Prophet Joseph (as) from his mouth, through his sayings, God Almighty speaks and teaches. God Almighty, in His Divine way, is still teaching people, speaking of the past and instructing future people, listening people. Joseph (as) was a prophet and he had an ego. All the prophets, peace be upon them all, have an ego, but they can command it. They are kings of their egos and their egos are slaves to them. That is the difference between ourselves and prophets and saints. We are slaves to our egos. The king's Throne, our hearts, we leave to our ego, saying to it, "You should be here. You can
60 command us,” and we say to it, "I am your slave." God Almighty is warning people, because if you put your ego on the throne of your territory, your body, no doubt its orders will be the worst. What is it going to say to you? If it can find the chance to sit on the throne of Pharaoh, then it is going to order you the worst things, saying, "Oh people, you are my slaves, you are My servants, and I am your Lord!" Yes? Anything incorrect in this? It is correct. God Almighty says that our egos order us to do the worst things.
Therefore, in our time, in this 20th century whose end we are reaching (the last quarter is passing away and we are going through to the 21st century), now people have found such freedom that before no one could dream of such a thing, of such freedom. If your ancestors, O Londoners, were to awaken, coming from cemeteries, they would first cut off your heads. They would say, "What is this?" People with no shame, living in this country? Who are these people? Where have they come from?" Yes - they would fight the people living in our time, in London, and also everywhere else, not only in London. Because we are in London now we are saying this, but even in Turkey, if the Ottomans came, they would fight the people living in Turkey now; in Arabia they would fight them, also. In every kind of a country, from East to West, if the previous inhabitants of those territories came, they would fight the people who are now living on earth because they would say, "What is this? What is this ignorance among people, what is this immodesty?"
We are so proud that civilization has reached the peak of freedom. Still people are asking for more freedom. What is that freedom? To make a throne for everyone and to put him on it, making him sit and say, "I am your Lord. Come to me,” everyone declaring that he is the Lord of this world and of the worlds. That is what people now want of freedom, so that no one can command them - the Lord of the heavens cannot command them. They can order anything, they can do anything.
Yet if I say that now everyone claims to be like a prophet, it is still a lower position. But our egos never want to be lower; they want to be higher. Someone told me a story which shows our time's characteristics, how our egos go on. A person went to look around a mental hospital. One patient said, "I am a prophet. I am unknown but still I am a prophet." Then, when he began shouting so much, there was another one sitting in a high place, with a long beard, calling, "What's the matter? What are you quarreling about?" The person who was visiting said, "This one claims that he is a prophet.” "One minute" - a big book in front of him; turning pages, turning, and then he said, "He is a liar because I never sent such a prophet."
61 That is the characteristic of our egos. Don't imagine that now they are calm. When they find the chance, they are going to do everything. Therefore, throughout his life the Prophet (saws) proclaimed or warned by saying, "Oh my Lord, don't leave me in the hands of my ego." And all the Companions, all the saints, were afraid of their egos. The Prophet (saws) had Divine protection. His animal soul or ego (nafs) was never commander over him, never, but he taught us. "Oh people, you must be very careful. I am warning you about your egos. Too dangerous, too powerful wrestlers, yes? You don't know at what time they may throw you down. You must be very careful." He was asking, "Oh my Lord, don't leave me in the hands of my ego." We put it on the throne of our territories, of our bodies, and say, "Enjoy yourself. As you like. This is London."
This is faith. This is a religion. It is not a game. We must be serious about our faith and our religion. Now we will say something important on that point. In our time, there are so many thoughts because everyone claims to be something. No one agrees to be nothing, and the highest honor in the Divine Presence is to declare that I am nothing, O my Lord. But our ego is never going to agree to be nothing. No. How can it be? I had printed, also, a card, writing on it that I am such and such a person, with letters after my name (a visiting card). Yes, I am registering my personality. Then you are telling me to be nothing!!!
That is important, because when God Almighty created the ego, He ordered it, "Come forward,” but it went back. Ordering, "Go back," and it came forward, doing the opposite. He asked it, "Who am I and who are you.” It claimed to be something, saying, "I am myself and You are You. You are You and I am myself in front of You, I am something.” It means to say, "I seek God's forgiveness,” that if You are something, then I am something, also. If You are in existence, I am in existence, also. am something. I must prove my existence, it claimed. Never saying that You created me; You are everything, I am nothing, not saying that.
That is a battle, going on from the beginning up to the end. Therefore, how is your ego, your nafs, going to agree with you without making a visiting card? You have one, also. Everyone must make a visiting, writing on it, "I am something!" The ego never wants to be something, never agrees to be something. Rather, it can find a chance, it says, "I am everything!"
"Beware!" is written in certain places - "Beware of the dog.” It is written within ourselves, also. What kind? A mad dog may bite you, but this is a dragon - a dragon with 70,000 heads, poisoned heads. If the real form of their egos were to appear to people, everyone would fall down and die. Therefore, we must be very careful of our ego, of our nafs. How can we be careful? How can we be
62 able to protect ourselves, if we have such a terrible companion? It is the companion, the partner, with us, with our personality. Then how may we be able to be victorious over our ego (nafs)?
Yes, we are living in a time in which that useless but harmful freedom gives more power, more authority, to our egos, and everyone says, "I am a prophet," or "I could be a prophet,” or "I can speak as a prophet speaks," or "I can think as they thought," and want people to follow his way, each one more than the other. For this reason, religions are now only something looked at from outside. People look at that church, that synagogue, that mosque, and pass through it to the pub. Yes! No need for us. What was this church? What is that mosque? What is that synagogue? We must go to bars, pubs.
Who is commanding those people? What thing commands them except their egos? Their egos are saying this because the ego never finds enjoyment in a mosque or in a synagogue or in a church. For this reason, now in our time religions are simply forms, even though God Almighty never leaves His servants without shelter against their egos, against satans. There must always be a shelter for those who are asking a protection from devils in every time. That is Divine Justice. Divine Justice makes that shelter for everyone, so that if anyone is running away from satans, he may be under protection.
Now, we may say that there are three heavenly religions on earth: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Then, whoever feels fear of satans may run into one of these three shelters. Yes, I may say to people who are asking for a shelter that they can run into any one of these three shelters. If one of them keeps them or protects them, it is all right. If anyone finds a shelter in Christianity, asking for a shelter and finding a shelter from the hands of satans and from the hands of his ego, that is alright. No discussion, no argument with him. I am saying: Stay in that shelter. However, you must be very careful. If you can find a strong entrance, you may go in and you may lock it, but be careful about the back. There may be holes in the back. Satans may enter. You must look all around to see if it is all right. Don't be like a heedless person, escaping from the enemy and entering a fortress. It has only a strong door, but the back is all destroyed. Yes, because we look and we see that every religion except Islam is like a show. It is all right outwardly, as people claim in their writings, but the back is full of so many holes, so many destroyed walls, so that a thief may easily enter it, Therefore, we are advising any person who is asking for a shelter from satans to take care, inspecting everywhere. If it is all right, then he can stay. Otherwise he must look for a strong and safe shelter.
Then, we should speak about Islam and about two others, both of them claiming to be partners in shelters for people in our time. If you can find two things in
63 any religions, it is alright. It means that it has a living power, that it is alive and can protect you, One thing is if a religion gives you fear of God, it is young, it is powerful. If it can give you love of God, then that is also a sign that it is alright.
If you can find both of them anywhere except in Islam, continue. Go, no need for a new shelter. However, you must not lie about it, because liars are accursed. If that power was with that shelter, God Almighty would never have sent Jesus Christ (as), the Messiah, after Moses (as), and if that shelter, also, was sufficient and strong, He would not have sent the Seal of the Prophets (saws) six centuries after Jesus Christ (as). You must think about it. Now you can find only in Islam the fear in God Almighty and the love of God Almighty. I met a famous scholar who lived in western countries, in England. He was saying, "I visited the tomb of a saint in Damascus. When I first stood before the grave, I was trembling and I couldn't stop trembling. That was Muhiyuddin, Muhiyuddin ibn al-Arabi's tomb. A fear came on me and I was trembling. I couldn't stop. Then after that, a deep love fell on my heart," he was saying.”
A saint represents the life of a religion. No one can now take me to a Christian saint's tomb, although they have so many saints, and make me feel fear or feel hope or make me feel love. However, I can bring anyone to such a place, making him tremble and feel fear, and at the same time love, deep love, for his Lord Almighty.
Thus, we have people, people alive now, who in no other religion except Islam represent such Divine Attributes, making people fear, making people love, through himself or herself; this is specific to the living religion of Islam. You may find in the presence of such a saintly fear, and at the same time love, for your Lord Almighty. These are important signs that we are speaking of, "Praise belongs to God," (al-hamd Allah), we are in a strong shelter.
64 NOTES
e 1. The Sacred Place (mashar) of the Gathering for the Last Judgment near Damascus, Syria.
e 2. Awliya, pl. of wali, the Friends of God, by which Muslim saints and mystics are designated - those who have overcome their egos and surrendered totally to God.
e 3. See 14:125. The fire is mentioned in 31:68-69.
e 4. See 28:18-19, the Chapter of the Ant.
e 5. During this session, Shaykh Nazim was addressing two young brothers who had come from another Shaykh and who planned to continue their travels after leaving him.
e 6. Hujjaj, who governed Iraq during the early Umayyad times, was an extremely harsh and tyrannical ruler. ‘Abdullah ibn Zubayr was a great Companion of the Prophet who stood up against his tyranny and was executed cruelly by Hujjaj.
e 7. He means Divine Presence.
e 8. That is, the human being’s nature and form has been the same from the beginning of his or her creation and will remain the same up to the end. Thus, Islam came for the guidance of the human being as human being (not as a creature "evolving" from another species) and hence is perfect.
e 9. Gabriel was the bringer of Divine revelation (wahy) to all the prophets including the Messenger Muhammad (saws)
e 10. A rak’at or cycle is one complete unit in the prescribed prayer or salat.
e 11. Dhikr and dala'l al-khairat refer to the litany said daily by the followers of the Naqshbandi order. /shrag is an optional prayer of two cycles observed shortly after sunrise while duha is also an optional prayer of between two and eight cycles, which is observed around mid-morning. e 12. This refers to the well-known writer, J. G. Bennett. For his own report on the above incident and his meeting with Grand Shaykh Abdullah ad-Daghistani, see his book Subud and his recently published Autobiography.
65 GENERAL INDEX
abd abduhu Abdul Abdullah ad-Daghistani ad-din adab ahadith ahlan ahsana al-Adawiyah al-Arabi al-Aziz al-din al-Ghazzali al-hamd al-haqq al-iman al- khairat al-Khattab al-khayrat al-kitab al-malaikah al-mashar al-muhabbah al- muluk Alexander amanah amma anbiya Anger Angry Animal(s) Answer Ant(s) Apes Arab Arabia Arabic Arabs Armageddon at-tawfiq awliya Ax Baghdad barakah Basirun Bastami batil Bennett Berlin bidah Caliph Caliphs China Christ Christian Christianity Christians Church Compassionate Compassion Compassionate Cyprus Daghistani Damascus Devil Dhaliman Dharra dhikr Disbelief Disciple(s) Discipline Divinely-appointed Duha England English Envious Envy Europe European Face Faced Facing Fez fitnah Friend(s) Gathering Germany Gnostics hadith Hajjaj halal Hamid Hagq haram hawa haya hayun Hereafter Hero Heroes Heroine Heroines himayah Hitler Holland ibadati Iblis Idol-worshipper(s) ihsan Ihya Ulum al-Din Imam(s) India Indian Iran Iraq Ishmael Ishraq Israel istaghfir Jacob Jalal al-Din Rumi Japanese Jesus Jew(s) Jewish jinn Job Joseph Journey Judaism Judgment jumah Justice Kabah karamah khutubat kufr labbayk London Londoners Madinah Makkah Mashar mashar Merciful Message Messenger Messiah mizan Monotheism Moses Mosque Mother(s) muhabbah Muhammadan Muhiyuddin ibn Arabi mushrik Muslim(s) Mystics nafs Names Nations Nature Near Nero Nimrod Noah Oasis(es) Obedient Obey Ocean Oceans Oppressed Oppressor(s) Ottoman(s) Pakistan Peace Peacock Peoples Personality Pharaoh(s) Planet Pride Priest Prophethood Purification Purified Purifies Purify Purifying galbun qudrah Rabbi(s) Rabi'ah Ramadan Rashana Rasul Real Realities Reality Rebellious Remember Remembrance Rome Ruins Russia Russian Saba Sacred Safari sahabah Saint Saintly Saints sajdah salat Salim Sami sanah Satanic Seal Secret(s) Secretly Self Sermons Servanthood shariah Shaykhs shukr Sinai Solomon Soul Spirited Spirits Spiritually Stalin Subud Sufi sunnah Sweden Sword Swords Synagogue Syria tarigat tashrif Taste tawadu tawhid tawus Tibet Tidings Tiger(s) Tolerance Tradition(s) Treasure(s) Tremble Trembling Tripoli Truthful Turkey Turkish Tyrannical Tyrant(s) 'Umar Umayyad Umm ummah ummi Unbeliever Unbelievers Understand Understanding Unity Universe Universes Vicegerent(s) Victoria Victorious wahy wali Walker Yamut Yazid Zoo Zoological Zubayr
66
Link: https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=6005
le know it and Christian bishops know it. Even if common people do not know it, still bishops and rabbis know that it is the House of the Lord of Abraham, although they write in their books, "The House of the Lord of Jacob." Before Jacob, He was the Lord of Abraham. but they want to change it. If they said "The House of the Lord of Abraham,” then it would be well-known, but they are covering it up.
That is kufr. It is not a lie, but covering truth and showing it in another way. Jacob was the grandson of Abraham, peace be upon them both, and Abraham built the House of the Lord of Makkah. The descendants of Abraham from Ishmael came to that House. They were poets, well-known poets. They would hang up the most famous poems by the most famous poets. For so many years one of their poems hung on the Kabah. No one could bring anything like that poem. But when the Qur'an began to come and the Prophet (saws) recited the first verse when it came, then they took down that poem, saying, "This new one is like the sun of writing and this is like a candle." Beside God Almighty's words, it was no more than a candle by the side of an endless, shining sun. Therefore, they quickly took it down. The Qur'an is such a glorious Book that no one can produce even one verse, one sentence, like it. It says, addressing all people, all the children of Adam, "I am the word of your Lord. You must believe in me because no one can produce anything like me. If you are unable to do that, you must believe that I have been sent by your Lord, from your Lord's Divine Presence." Therefore every wise person must believe that it has been sent by the Lord of the heavens because people can't produce even one verse of it, and it is filled with wisdom.
Now in Europe, in museums, so many precious books are kept. Here also, in the British Museum and other famous European museums, they have manuscripts of the Holy Qur'an and writings about the Holy Qur'an's meanings. See what was the situation before the coming of the Qur'an and what happened after it came, so that no one can deny that Muhammad (saws) was a wise man. If they accept that he was a wise person, it is part of wisdom not to be a liar because wisdom keeps a person from lying.
This must be well known. If you are a wise person you can't tell a lie. Then what about that person, Muhammad (saws)? His sayings and actions generated millions of Traditions, sayings, all of which contain perfect wisdom. He brought a Book filled with wisdom and endless knowledge. As a sign of the endless
56 wisdom and knowledge in the Qur'an, in libraries in the Islamic world, you can now find millions of books (and millions more were also destroyed for various reasons) whose base is the Qur'an. We have now millions of precious books, precious wisdom and knowledge, and the main source is Umm al-Kitab, the Mother of Books, which means the Mother of All Knowledge, the Mother of Wisdom, as a source. that is the Qur'an. Then how can you say about that person who brought it from his Lord that he may be a liar?
They are saying it. Muhammad (saws) said, "I am the prophet of your Lord." How can you say about him, "You are liar," when that person has spoken millions of pieces of wisdom? If a person brings only one piece of wisdom you can't say that he is a liar.
Then what about these people, Christians and Jews, who deny his prophethood? They must be wrong-minded people or they must be envious people, as mentioned in the Qur'an. Yes. They are envious people. Therefore, a curse has come upon them, and the result of that curse is that the Devil's kingdom has been established on earth because they are supporting satans by saying about Muhammad (saws) that he is not a prophet. If they say that he is a prophet, they must follow him.
Therefore, all troubles that have appeared on earth and are continuing will go on to now become a fire-festival, a fire-celebration, over the whole world. As Nero burned Rome to enjoy himself, now all the satans who have established their kingdom throughout the East and West will burn the whole world with fire that can't be extinguished by water or anything else. For this reason, a Grand Shaykh, who is well-known in western countries, Muhiyuddin ibn al-Arabi, a giant-sized saint, a worldwide personality, was saying in his books, books which are full of wisdom (I am taking from his oceans, from Muhammad's oceans (saws). I am taking wisdom that still western scholars can't understand, never finding a solution for that wisdom - he was saying that at the end of this world, when the Last Days are approaching, there will be a fire, a fire burning on earth. If all the oceans could fall upon that fire, it would be impossible to extinguish it. Only the swords of a Divinely-appointed Sultan, ruler, can extinguish that fire.
The Holy Books also mention the Messenger Muhammad (saws). Every Holy Book before the Qur'an also mentions him. People may be liars, but even they can't change the realities in Holy Books. They can't hide the realities in Holy Books. It is impossible. There is a saying in our language that if there is a spear in a sack, you can't Keep it there. It must cut its way out. Therefore, they may want to hide it, but it is well-known that a Sultan will come at that time to extinguish that fire from earth because it is going to burn our planet. And that is
57 the reason why they are lying about Prophet Muhammad, (saws) and that is the punishment for them - fire.
Therefore, God Almighty fights against liars. All the prophets, peace be upon them all, fought against liars. All believers have fought against liars. A curse falls upon liars. The Prophet (saws) said, "The one who deceives or cheats us is not from our nation" (man rashana fa laisa minna). If the Prophet (saws) says he is not from his nation, he is not going to be from the nation of any prophet, and thus he is going to be from the nation of the satans.
Therefore, the biggest sin on earth in the Divine Presence is to lie, to conceal realities, to cover truth, and to change the direction of people. The Kabah is on this side, but you show it to be on the opposite side. People are asking to reach their Lord's Divine Presence but you say, "This is not the right way.” Then what is? Such people are not from the nation of any prophet but they are from the nation of satans and that is all.
Western people must look once again at the personality of beloved Muhammad (saws), particularly now in our time. They must think about it. At every time they want a new way of thinking, looking for so many ways to take the whole of mankind out of miseries, but each time they are unsuccessful, just as God Almighty mentioned in His Book, the Glorious Qur'an, that when the children of Israel were rebellious to their Lord, their Lord imprisoned them in the desert of Sinai. And they said, "What kind of a prison is this? There are no walls surrounding us, no guards (like in Berlin, watching people, nor barbed wires ). We are free. We can go anywhere. We can escape. Who says we are not in prison? Let us move from this place and get out.” Then, they walked from morning up to night time, walking, walking, walking. In the evening they came tired, sweating. Then the sun set and they saw that they were sitting at the same place from which they had started.
What has happened? The whole day we have been walking, walking, to escape, and now we have come back to the same place where we started. Tomorrow we must change our direction. Today we started from this. Tomorrow morning we must go from that side. We must escape. Then going, going, walking hard up to sunset. At sunset they sat down, waiting, so tired, at the same station where they started. What is this - going, turning, coming back to the first station? For forty years they were imprisoned, every day starting but never getting out and always coming back to the first station.
People now claim that they are wise, but they are not such wise people because every time they move they do not search for the true path to go on it. They try every way, try every idea, except that which Muhammad (saws) brought. They do not try that way. Yes, try, up to the end of this world, To where will you
58 come? You will come back to the same troubles, falling into the same pit, falling into the same hell, always falling; yes, trying to climb out and then falling down. As the Prophet (saws) said, "As long as nations go against my way, there will be only degradation (dhillat) and dispiritedness (maskanat) for them.” The beloved Muhammad (saws) is true in his every word, every saying. That is all. I am asking forgiveness for me, for you, for them, and saying, "I seek God's forgiveness" (istighfar Allah). We are giving our endless praises, highest praises, to our Lord Almighty and saying, "Praise belongs to God, praise belongs to God and thanks be to God" (al-hamd Allah, al-Hamd Allah wa shukr Allah).
59 EGOS FEIGN SLEEP... AFTERNOON, JUNE 7, 1985
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, the Lord of the heavens, the Creator of all existence. Everything in existence He created. Anytime He wants to take it all away, He can. Therefore, He is the Mighty (al-Aziz), the Glorious. No one can stand in front of Him. No one can be victorious against Him. Yes? No power can stop Him. All power originates with Him, Don't suppose that something He gave to you works for you. No. All works for Him. He is absolutely victorious.
When is religion alive? This must be an important point for everyone to know. We are living in a time of different ways of thinking. There are so many different ideas and schools of thought, because our egos make themselves out to be a prophet or to be a most important person, or to be the first of those who may be pointed out by people, "This is the one."
This is a great, heavy thing that is put upon a person. It is sufficient as a test or an examination from God Almighty for a person to be pointed out by people that is such-and-such a person.
But our ego, our animal soul (nafs) now wants to be pointed to by hands, by fingers, that that is that person. This is the hobby of our egos. But our ego, our animal soul is still sleeping. If it can find a chance, it wants to be the first. Truly, each an ego is waiting to find a chance to be Pharaoh or a Nimrod or a Nero or any tyrant from among tyrants. Don't imagine that our egos are now very quiet, sitting. No! They may deceive you; that is the characteristic, the well-known characteristic, of egos.
God Almighty says, "Truly the animal soul (nafs) impels toward evil" (13:53) (inna-n-nafsa_ la-ammaratun bis-sou). When he says, "“ammaratun," it is exaggeration - so much! You can never imagine what your ego may command, may order you to do - such bad, such bad, such bad things! Everyone's ego!
That is how, from the time of Prophet Joseph (as) from his mouth, through his sayings, God Almighty speaks and teaches. God Almighty, in His Divine way, is still teaching people, speaking of the past and instructing future people, listening people. Joseph (as) was a prophet and he had an ego. All the prophets, peace be upon them all, have an ego, but they can command it. They are kings of their egos and their egos are slaves to them. That is the difference between ourselves and prophets and saints. We are slaves to our egos. The king's Throne, our hearts, we leave to our ego, saying to it, "You should be here. You can
60 command us,” and we say to it, "I am your slave." God Almighty is warning people, because if you put your ego on the throne of your territory, your body, no doubt its orders will be the worst. What is it going to say to you? If it can find the chance to sit on the throne of Pharaoh, then it is going to order you the worst things, saying, "Oh people, you are my slaves, you are My servants, and I am your Lord!" Yes? Anything incorrect in this? It is correct. God Almighty says that our egos order us to do the worst things.
Therefore, in our time, in this 20th century whose end we are reaching (the last quarter is passing away and we are going through to the 21st century), now people have found such freedom that before no one could dream of such a thing, of such freedom. If your ancestors, O Londoners, were to awaken, coming from cemeteries, they would first cut off your heads. They would say, "What is this?" People with no shame, living in this country? Who are these people? Where have they come from?" Yes - they would fight the people living in our time, in London, and also everywhere else, not only in London. Because we are in London now we are saying this, but even in Turkey, if the Ottomans came, they would fight the people living in Turkey now; in Arabia they would fight them, also. In every kind of a country, from East to West, if the previous inhabitants of those territories came, they would fight the people who are now living on earth because they would say, "What is this? What is this ignorance among people, what is this immodesty?"
We are so proud that civilization has reached the peak of freedom. Still people are asking for more freedom. What is that freedom? To make a throne for everyone and to put him on it, making him sit and say, "I am your Lord. Come to me,” everyone declaring that he is the Lord of this world and of the worlds. That is what people now want of freedom, so that no one can command them - the Lord of the heavens cannot command them. They can order anything, they can do anything.
Yet if I say that now everyone claims to be like a prophet, it is still a lower position. But our egos never want to be lower; they want to be higher. Someone told me a story which shows our time's characteristics, how our egos go on. A person went to look around a mental hospital. One patient said, "I am a prophet. I am unknown but still I am a prophet." Then, when he began shouting so much, there was another one sitting in a high place, with a long beard, calling, "What's the matter? What are you quarreling about?" The person who was visiting said, "This one claims that he is a prophet.” "One minute" - a big book in front of him; turning pages, turning, and then he said, "He is a liar because I never sent such a prophet."
61 That is the characteristic of our egos. Don't imagine that now they are calm. When they find the chance, they are going to do everything. Therefore, throughout his life the Prophet (saws) proclaimed or warned by saying, "Oh my Lord, don't leave me in the hands of my ego." And all the Companions, all the saints, were afraid of their egos. The Prophet (saws) had Divine protection. His animal soul or ego (nafs) was never commander over him, never, but he taught us. "Oh people, you must be very careful. I am warning you about your egos. Too dangerous, too powerful wrestlers, yes? You don't know at what time they may throw you down. You must be very careful." He was asking, "Oh my Lord, don't leave me in the hands of my ego." We put it on the throne of our territories, of our bodies, and say, "Enjoy yourself. As you like. This is London."
This is faith. This is a religion. It is not a game. We must be serious about our faith and our religion. Now we will say something important on that point. In our time, there are so many thoughts because everyone claims to be something. No one agrees to be nothing, and the highest honor in the Divine Presence is to declare that I am nothing, O my Lord. But our ego is never going to agree to be nothing. No. How can it be? I had printed, also, a card, writing on it that I am such and such a person, with letters after my name (a visiting card). Yes, I am registering my personality. Then you are telling me to be nothing!!!
That is important, because when God Almighty created the ego, He ordered it, "Come forward,” but it went back. Ordering, "Go back," and it came forward, doing the opposite. He asked it, "Who am I and who are you.” It claimed to be something, saying, "I am myself and You are You. You are You and I am myself in front of You, I am something.” It means to say, "I seek God's forgiveness,” that if You are something, then I am something, also. If You are in existence, I am in existence, also. am something. I must prove my existence, it claimed. Never saying that You created me; You are everything, I am nothing, not saying that.
That is a battle, going on from the beginning up to the end. Therefore, how is your ego, your nafs, going to agree with you without making a visiting card? You have one, also. Everyone must make a visiting, writing on it, "I am something!" The ego never wants to be something, never agrees to be something. Rather, it can find a chance, it says, "I am everything!"
"Beware!" is written in certain places - "Beware of the dog.” It is written within ourselves, also. What kind? A mad dog may bite you, but this is a dragon - a dragon with 70,000 heads, poisoned heads. If the real form of their egos were to appear to people, everyone would fall down and die. Therefore, we must be very careful of our ego, of our nafs. How can we be careful? How can we be
62 able to protect ourselves, if we have such a terrible companion? It is the companion, the partner, with us, with our personality. Then how may we be able to be victorious over our ego (nafs)?
Yes, we are living in a time in which that useless but harmful freedom gives more power, more authority, to our egos, and everyone says, "I am a prophet," or "I could be a prophet,” or "I can speak as a prophet speaks," or "I can think as they thought," and want people to follow his way, each one more than the other. For this reason, religions are now only something looked at from outside. People look at that church, that synagogue, that mosque, and pass through it to the pub. Yes! No need for us. What was this church? What is that mosque? What is that synagogue? We must go to bars, pubs.
Who is commanding those people? What thing commands them except their egos? Their egos are saying this because the ego never finds enjoyment in a mosque or in a synagogue or in a church. For this reason, now in our time religions are simply forms, even though God Almighty never leaves His servants without shelter against their egos, against satans. There must always be a shelter for those who are asking a protection from devils in every time. That is Divine Justice. Divine Justice makes that shelter for everyone, so that if anyone is running away from satans, he may be under protection.
Now, we may say that there are three heavenly religions on earth: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Then, whoever feels fear of satans may run into one of these three shelters. Yes, I may say to people who are asking for a shelter that they can run into any one of these three shelters. If one of them keeps them or protects them, it is all right. If anyone finds a shelter in Christianity, asking for a shelter and finding a shelter from the hands of satans and from the hands of his ego, that is alright. No discussion, no argument with him. I am saying: Stay in that shelter. However, you must be very careful. If you can find a strong entrance, you may go in and you may lock it, but be careful about the back. There may be holes in the back. Satans may enter. You must look all around to see if it is all right. Don't be like a heedless person, escaping from the enemy and entering a fortress. It has only a strong door, but the back is all destroyed. Yes, because we look and we see that every religion except Islam is like a show. It is all right outwardly, as people claim in their writings, but the back is full of so many holes, so many destroyed walls, so that a thief may easily enter it, Therefore, we are advising any person who is asking for a shelter from satans to take care, inspecting everywhere. If it is all right, then he can stay. Otherwise he must look for a strong and safe shelter.
Then, we should speak about Islam and about two others, both of them claiming to be partners in shelters for people in our time. If you can find two things in
63 any religions, it is alright. It means that it has a living power, that it is alive and can protect you, One thing is if a religion gives you fear of God, it is young, it is powerful. If it can give you love of God, then that is also a sign that it is alright.
If you can find both of them anywhere except in Islam, continue. Go, no need for a new shelter. However, you must not lie about it, because liars are accursed. If that power was with that shelter, God Almighty would never have sent Jesus Christ (as), the Messiah, after Moses (as), and if that shelter, also, was sufficient and strong, He would not have sent the Seal of the Prophets (saws) six centuries after Jesus Christ (as). You must think about it. Now you can find only in Islam the fear in God Almighty and the love of God Almighty. I met a famous scholar who lived in western countries, in England. He was saying, "I visited the tomb of a saint in Damascus. When I first stood before the grave, I was trembling and I couldn't stop trembling. That was Muhiyuddin, Muhiyuddin ibn al-Arabi's tomb. A fear came on me and I was trembling. I couldn't stop. Then after that, a deep love fell on my heart," he was saying.”
A saint represents the life of a religion. No one can now take me to a Christian saint's tomb, although they have so many saints, and make me feel fear or feel hope or make me feel love. However, I can bring anyone to such a place, making him tremble and feel fear, and at the same time love, deep love, for his Lord Almighty.
Thus, we have people, people alive now, who in no other religion except Islam represent such Divine Attributes, making people fear, making people love, through himself or herself; this is specific to the living religion of Islam. You may find in the presence of such a saintly fear, and at the same time love, for your Lord Almighty. These are important signs that we are speaking of, "Praise belongs to God," (al-hamd Allah), we are in a strong shelter.
64 NOTES
e 1. The Sacred Place (mashar) of the Gathering for the Last Judgment near Damascus, Syria.
e 2. Awliya, pl. of wali, the Friends of God, by which Muslim saints and mystics are designated - those who have overcome their egos and surrendered totally to God.
e 3. See 14:125. The fire is mentioned in 31:68-69.
e 4. See 28:18-19, the Chapter of the Ant.
e 5. During this session, Shaykh Nazim was addressing two young brothers who had come from another Shaykh and who planned to continue their travels after leaving him.
e 6. Hujjaj, who governed Iraq during the early Umayyad times, was an extremely harsh and tyrannical ruler. ‘Abdullah ibn Zubayr was a great Companion of the Prophet who stood up against his tyranny and was executed cruelly by Hujjaj.
e 7. He means Divine Presence.
e 8. That is, the human being’s nature and form has been the same from the beginning of his or her creation and will remain the same up to the end. Thus, Islam came for the guidance of the human being as human being (not as a creature "evolving" from another species) and hence is perfect.
e 9. Gabriel was the bringer of Divine revelation (wahy) to all the prophets including the Messenger Muhammad (saws)
e 10. A rak’at or cycle is one complete unit in the prescribed prayer or salat.
e 11. Dhikr and dala'l al-khairat refer to the litany said daily by the followers of the Naqshbandi order. /shrag is an optional prayer of two cycles observed shortly after sunrise while duha is also an optional prayer of between two and eight cycles, which is observed around mid-morning. e 12. This refers to the well-known writer, J. G. Bennett. For his own report on the above incident and his meeting with Grand Shaykh Abdullah ad-Daghistani, see his book Subud and his recently published Autobiography.
65 GENERAL INDEX
abd abduhu Abdul Abdullah ad-Daghistani ad-din adab ahadith ahlan ahsana al-Adawiyah al-Arabi al-Aziz al-din al-Ghazzali al-hamd al-haqq al-iman al- khairat al-Khattab al-khayrat al-kitab al-malaikah al-mashar al-muhabbah al- muluk Alexander amanah amma anbiya Anger Angry Animal(s) Answer Ant(s) Apes Arab Arabia Arabic Arabs Armageddon at-tawfiq awliya Ax Baghdad barakah Basirun Bastami batil Bennett Berlin bidah Caliph Caliphs China Christ Christian Christianity Christians Church Compassionate Compassion Compassionate Cyprus Daghistani Damascus Devil Dhaliman Dharra dhikr Disbelief Disciple(s) Discipline Divinely-appointed Duha England English Envious Envy Europe European Face Faced Facing Fez fitnah Friend(s) Gathering Germany Gnostics hadith Hajjaj halal Hamid Hagq haram hawa haya hayun Hereafter Hero Heroes Heroine Heroines himayah Hitler Holland ibadati Iblis Idol-worshipper(s) ihsan Ihya Ulum al-Din Imam(s) India Indian Iran Iraq Ishmael Ishraq Israel istaghfir Jacob Jalal al-Din Rumi Japanese Jesus Jew(s) Jewish jinn Job Joseph Journey Judaism Judgment jumah Justice Kabah karamah khutubat kufr labbayk London Londoners Madinah Makkah Mashar mashar Merciful Message Messenger Messiah mizan Monotheism Moses Mosque Mother(s) muhabbah Muhammadan Muhiyuddin ibn Arabi mushrik Muslim(s) Mystics nafs Names Nations Nature Near Nero Nimrod Noah Oasis(es) Obedient Obey Ocean Oceans Oppressed Oppressor(s) Ottoman(s) Pakistan Peace Peacock Peoples Personality Pharaoh(s) Planet Pride Priest Prophethood Purification Purified Purifies Purify Purifying galbun qudrah Rabbi(s) Rabi'ah Ramadan Rashana Rasul Real Realities Reality Rebellious Remember Remembrance Rome Ruins Russia Russian Saba Sacred Safari sahabah Saint Saintly Saints sajdah salat Salim Sami sanah Satanic Seal Secret(s) Secretly Self Sermons Servanthood shariah Shaykhs shukr Sinai Solomon Soul Spirited Spirits Spiritually Stalin Subud Sufi sunnah Sweden Sword Swords Synagogue Syria tarigat tashrif Taste tawadu tawhid tawus Tibet Tidings Tiger(s) Tolerance Tradition(s) Treasure(s) Tremble Trembling Tripoli Truthful Turkey Turkish Tyrannical Tyrant(s) 'Umar Umayyad Umm ummah ummi Unbeliever Unbelievers Understand Understanding Unity Universe Universes Vicegerent(s) Victoria Victorious wahy wali Walker Yamut Yazid Zoo Zoological Zubayr
66
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