Majlisu Zikri Wa Zikra

19/12/2015

17/12/2015

"Muhammad ( صلي الله عليه وسلم) is the leader of both worlds and both creations (man and jinn). And of both groups, Arabs and non Arabs.

Our Nabi, the one who commands (good), forbids (evil). There is non (parallel to him). More truthful than him in saying "No" or "Yes".

He is (Allahs) most beloved, whose intercession is hoped for from every fear (and distress) that is going to come (on the day) of agony (and fears).

He called (people) towards Allah, so those who hold on to him, hold on to a rope which will never cut off"

BURDA

16/12/2015

KHUTBA SHEIKH IBRAHIM رضي الله عنه ON CINEMA AND FILM BEING AN EXAMPLE OF THE NON-EXISTENCE OF THINGS.:

The Arifin love that everyone should watch a movie at least one time (in your life) to witness something (of Reality) and to gain certainty that this world is also non-existent! For example, you see in the cinema what you believe to be real, while in truth you know it does not exist! The entirety of existence is just like a movie, for you think you are seeing what is real and that you are doing acts of goodness or avoiding acts of sin, but the truth of the matter is that Allah--Al-Wahid--is the only Doer!

After this realization, the heart of a Murid continues to elevate in the Presence of Allah, to the point where whatever they see--either in the state of wakefulness or sleep--is understood to be (a manifestation of) Allah!

They come to know with certainty that the only Exitent Being is Allah, Glorious & Exalted is He! They experience this Direct Witnessing without remaining in the station of annihilation or while being spiritually intoxicated, but with the perfection of wakefulness (Kamil al-Yaqazatan)!

They come to know the reality of things and give to everything its correct and due rank and position. They know not to esteem something beyond its right, nor to belittle something less than its due. They follow after goodness with the totality of their actions! They pray, fast, give charity out of their wealth, and perform the
pilgrimage--all with the correct Adab of (Direct Witnessing) of Allah--knowing that He is the only Doer!

If a servant attains to this degree, they have become linked to Allah with a real connection, and they will do everything by Allah, for Allah, and in Allah! If a servant does not travel this path of annihilation, perhaps they may do something good
believing themselves to be the doer., and having an aim and purpose other than the Face of Allah! Or perhaps they will avoid doing wrong for fear of being humiliated, and neither of these two states is real worship. Therefore, a servant has the
absolute need to have a real connection to Allah, Glorious & Exlated is He!, to certify that the entirety of his/her actions--both the acts of obedience and avoidance--are completely for the sake of Allah! This is what is meant in the Holy Qur'an when Allah says, "They were only commanded to sincerely worship Allah, and abstain from ascribing partners to Him, and
to perform Salat and give Zakat, and verily, this is the right Deen.(98:5).

Allah has commanded us to His worship--with the prerequisite condition of sincerity! Al-Ikhlas is to remove all partners in your worship to the Real, and your ego is among the partners & idols! Therefore, remove your self from the totality of your actions, and then do everything by Allah, for Allah, and in Allah! The Holy Qur'an is saying, You (Alone) we worship and You (Alone) we ask for help! Lead us to the Straight Path!(1:5-6). The Maqam of Iyyaka Na'budu is the station of the common believer (al-Amm); while the Maqam of Wa Iyyaka Nasta'in is the station of the spiritually elite (al-Khass). The Maqam of the Khas al-Khass is to say nothing at all!

15/12/2015

"The ego's like a child: neglect it and it will grow still suckling; only if you wean it will it be weaned

Guard it as it grazes in the pasture of deeds. And should it find the grazing sweet, let it not roam"

BURDA

14/12/2015

"Sufism is a spiritual clinic with doctors who have knowledge of attending to ailments of the soul. For a sick patient who requires cure and doses of medicine from the clinic, there is the need for him to make declaration of his sickness and acceptance of patient-hood.

In taking Tariqa, one should be aware that Tariqa is a commitment and the beginning of an endless journey. Shaykh Ibrahim here advises that for one to profit in this journey, he should at all times seek righteousness."

13/12/2015

Says Sheikh Ibrahim رضي الله عنه:

"It is inevitable to first and foremost seek knowledge and you must study the laws of Allah (Shari`at) properly.

I swear by my life that knowledge is the leader of actions, as was transmitted from Ta-Ha (صلي الله عليه وسلم), the best of all messengers.

Obtain knowledge of four subjects, oh you traveler, the first of it is the knowledge Of the Lord Possessor.

And secondly is to know all that is involved in the worship of Allah, for that you will be certain.

And thirdly is to learn the different states of soul, from it’s treachery, deceptions and plots.
For the soul has its fault, and Heart its fault, And the spirit its Fault, in these there is no doubt.

And the seeking of knowledge of good conduct on you disciple (is the fourth) For indeed, it is the door for every disciple".

09/12/2015

Last Wednesday of Safar prayers

Many great Awliya-Allah have mentioned that an immense number of Bala (calamities) descend on Mankind on the last Wednesday of this month of Safar.

Our Master Sayyidina Ahmad Tijani (RA) has also confirmed this.

There is also also a special Salah that Sayyidina Shaykh (RA) would perform on this Wednesday to ward off these calamities (as mentioned by Sidi Sukayrij in the Jinayat al-Muntasib).

This Salah had been practiced by the Shaykh's descendants and by the special ones in his Tariqah for generations.

Shaykh-al-Islam Sahib-al-Faydah al-Haj Ibrahim Niasse (RA) has given permission to all his disciples to perform this prayer on the last Wednesday of Safar (as mentioned by Shaykh Abu-Bakr Atiq in Miftah al-Aghlaq).

Mawlana Shaykh al-Imam Hassan Cisse (RA) had also advised his murids to perform this Salah.

Note that non-Tijani saints have also performed this Salah, but did not know about reciting the blessed Jawharat al-Kamal in the end (See the Jawahir al-Khams).

The Salah is performed with the intention of seeking Allah's Mercy in warding off the 360 (or 360,000) calamities that land on this day.

The Salah should be done on the morning of the last Wednesday of Safar (which would be the coming Wednesday), before Zuhr time.

This is how it is done:

A- You should perform a 4 Rakah prayer (like Zuhr or Asr). In each Rakah, you recite:

1 Fatihah, 17 Kawthar, 5 Ikhlas, 1 Falaq and 1 Nas.

B- After finishing the Salah, you recite Ayah 21 from Surah Yusuf 360 times. The Ayah is:

"Wal'Lahu Ghalibun Ala Amrihi walakinna Akhthar an-Nasi La Ya'lamun"

Read it 60 times first, then 300 times

C- Thereafter, recite the Jawharat al-Kamal 3 times, ending it the way we end the Wazifah (with Inna'Llaha…etc)

D- Make Dua for yourself and everyone.

Do note that the Prophet (SAW) was very ill in the month of Safar and he (SAW) passed away from that illness. Therefore, the month of Safar is a very difficult one for all believers, as we all ca

07/12/2015

KHUTBA SHEIKH IBRAHIM رضي الله عنه ON THE THREE (3) TYPES OF SPIRITUAL ANNIHILATION (FANA.):

1.) Annihilation in the Acts of Allah (Fana fil afhal).
2.) Annihilation in the Attributes of Allah (Fana fii Sifat).
3.) Annihilation in the Essence of Allah (Fana fii Zaat).

Many of the Believers have attained the station of annihilation in the Acts of Allah. Whosoever knows that there is no Doer in existence except Allah, this is the one who is annihilated in the Acts of Allah.

Indeed, many of the common believers have
obtained this degree of annihilation. I told my students, in one of the lessons on Arabic Grammar, that the grammarians say: 'The Doer in reality is Allah, even if He engenders the action metaphorically by means of an agent, for the One Who engenders the action is inseparable from the action performed. That is because it all is Allah! The Doer in reality is Allah (al-Fa'il Haqiqatun) and the metaphorical agent (al-Fa'il Majazan) who (appears) to do the action, is also Allah!'

Whosoever knows that there is no Doer in existence except Allah has attained the annihilation in the Acts of Allah--in the Presence of the Acts of Allah (Fi Hadrat al-Af'al)-- and this person has found some of the true Faith (which is required).

If the person attains the station of annihilation in the Attributes (Fana fii Siffat), he has indeed ascended to a higher station. The Attributes of Allah are well-known to all of us, as we have studied the books of Tawhid which begin by
enumerating His (Essential) Attributes:

1.) Power (Qudrat)
2.) Will (Irada)
3.) Knowledge (Ilm)
4.) Life (Hayat)
5.) Hearing (Sami)
6.) Seeing (Basar)
7.) Speech (Kalam)

When we have assigned each of these (Essential) Attributes of Allah to Him Alone, we have attained to the station of annihilation in the Attributes of Allah. The Ulama have settled for us in our elementary teaching that there is no power, will,
knowledge, life, hearing, seeing, or speech except that of Allah! Therefore, whosoever attains (the real knowledge of this) has arrived to the station of Fana fii Sifat! If someone persists onward in Tarqiyya and is elevated beyond this, he will
attain to the station of annihilation in the Essence of Allah (Fana fii Dhat).

02/12/2015

The Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “Whoever among you lives (for a long time) will see many differences. I urge you to follow my Sunnah and the way of the rightly-guided khaleefahs who will come after me. Hold on to it firmly. Beware of newly-invented matters, for every innovation leads you astray.”

30/11/2015

Khutba Sheikh Ibrahim رضي الله عنه ON THE THREE (3) MEANS OF APPROACH to ALLAH (WASILA ILLA LAAH) MENTIONED IN QUR.AN:
"Everything which we are seeking in this life and the Hereafter is to be found in Taqwa! Therefore I advise myself and all of you to have the conscious awareness of Allah--in p***c and private. Again Taqwa is to obey the commands and avoid the
prohibitions of Allah--inwardly and outwardly. Allah says, O you who believe! Have conscious awareness of Allah and keep your duty to Him, and seek the means of approach to Him.(5:35).

Therefore, if you are desiring to acquire Taqwa you must seek that which will connect you to its attainment, and there are three (3) Wasa.il mentioned in the Holy Qur.an:

1.) To follow the Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) in all of his words and actions. Surely, this is a means of approach to Allah, Glorious and Exalted is He! "Say to mankind: If you (really) love Allah then follow me, and Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.(3:31)". The Messenger of Allah is saying that if you love Allah, then follow him! Whosoever follows the Messenger in his words and actions will obtain the love of Allah! Allah says in a Hadith Qudsi, "When I love him, I become him". If Allah loves someone He will become his hearing, his seeing, his speaking, his hands and his feet! This is the beginning of Sainthood (Bidayat al-Wilaya)
and this is the best means of approach (Wasila al Wasila).

2.) The Holy Quran itself is the second means of approach. The Remembrance of Allah, Glorious & Exalted is He, has no other aim and purpose besides the Countenance of Allah. "Keep yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face; and let not your eyes overlook them, desiring the pomp and glitter of the life of this world; and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our Remembrance, and who follows his own lusts, and whose affair has been lost. (18:28)." In other words, imprison your egos (Ahbasa Nafsuka)
along with those who remember Allah, morning and evening, and have no other purpose (in this) but seeking His Face, Glorious & Exalted is He! Surely, this is a means of approach which will connect the servant to Allah, Glorious & Exalted is He!

3.) Companionship with a Gnostic Saint (Arif Billah). Allah says, "And follow the path of
him who turns to Me in repentance and obedience.(31:15)". Whosoever turns to
Allah in the totality of his spiritual states is to be considered an Arif Billah, because there
is nothing remaining of this person except Allah! So whosoever keeps the companionship of such a person will have found the means of approach which will connect you to Allah, Glorious & Exalted is He! The reality of Existence (Haqiqat al-Kawn) is (to be considered) everything other-than Allah; Existence and Man him-self, but Man desires union with Allah (al-Insan yurid al-Wusul ila Allah) although between himself and Allah are veils (Hijab).

The veil which is blocking man is (only) Existence itself! If a person persists in the Dhikr of Allah, Glorious & Exalted is He!, along with presence of heart, he will find existence vanishing from before him and he will attain union with Allah! He
will find existence like a mirage in a desert. The thirsty one thinks it to be water until he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing; but he finds Allah with him!(24:39). The Greatest Shaykh (Shaykh al-Akbar), Muhyideen ibn al.Arabi al-
Hatimi(RA) has said: "Whosoever has been enlightened to see existence. (al-Kawn) as a mirage, has surely been elevated (to see) beyond the veil!

The Complete Shaykh (Shaykh al-Kamil) is the one who--when a disciple comes to him seeking union with Allah--the very first thing he orders him is to engage in abundant Dhikr of Allah until he attains the Presence of Allah, according to the path of
the annihilation of the ego (Tariqa al-Fana.). That is because unless the servant experiences the extinction of himself in the Essence of Allah, he will never obtain the perfection of faith! For as long as the veil remains, there also remains a type of punishment which will overtake the servant. "Nay! Surely, they will be veiled from seeing their Lord that Day. Then verily, they will indeed enter the burning flame of the Hellfire.(83:15-16)". So wherever there is the veil, there also is the
punishment! But if (the disciple) persists in the Dhikr of Allah, he will become annihilated (to existence)!

27/11/2015

Khutba of Sheikh Ibrahim رضي الله عنه on TAQWA continued:

"There are seven groups of people who will be under the Shade of His Arsh on the
Day of Judgment:
1.) A just leader.
2.) A youth who grew up in the obedience of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.
3.) A person whose heart is attached to the Masjid from the time he leaves it until he
returns.
4.) A man who refuses the advancements of a beautiful woman (for illegal sexual
in*******se), and says: 'I fear Allah'.
5.) A person who remembers Allah so much that he cries tears.
6.) A person who gives in charity and hides it, such that his left hand does not know what
his right hand gives in charity.
7.) Two people who love each other for the sake of Allah, Glorious and Exalted is He! (Hadith narrated by Abu Hurayra (رضي الله عنه) and reported in Sahih al-Bukhari vol.1, p.356, no.629 and Sahih Muslim vol.2, p.493, no.2248)

The easiest to attain and most meritorious is the last group. Prophet Muhammad (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said, A man is with whom he loves. Ibn Jarir narrated that Sa`id bin Jubayr (RA) said, "An Ansari man came to the Messenger of Allah while feeling sad. The Prophet said to him, `Why do I see you sad?' He said, `O Messenger of Allah! I was contemplating about something.' The Prophet said, `What is it' The Ansari said, `We come to you day and night, looking at your face and sitting by you.
Tomorrow, you will be raised in the company of the Prophets, and we will not be able to see you.' The Prophet did not say anything, until Jibril came to him with this Ayah, And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger then they will be in the
company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His Grace, among the Prophets, the Truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. How excellent these companions are! and the Prophet sent the good news to the Ansari man.'' This Hadith was
narrated in Mursal form from Masruq, `Ikrimah, `Amir Ash-Sha`bi, Qatadah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas.
This is the version with the best chain of narrators.

In a Hadith collected in the Sahih and Musnad compilations, in Mutawatir form, narrated by several Companions that the Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) was asked about the person who loves someone but his status is not close to theirs. He said, A man is with whom he loves. Anas commented, "We never rejoiced in Islam at anything more than when we heard the
Messenger of Allah say, A man is with whom he loves.. Verily, I love the Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr and `Umar, and I hope that Allah will resurrect me with them, even though I did not perform actions similar to theirs.''

All praise and thanks belongs to Allah because we love them all as well! We love men whom we are certain they are not from the inhabitants of
the Hellfire! A man is with whom he loves! This is the hope we have for ourselves and for our beloveds.

Taqwa is the key to Paradise, which has been prepared for the Muttaqin! Taqwa is therefore the means to salvation from the Hellfire. There is not one of you but will have to pass over it (Sirat over Hell); this is the Decree which must be
accomplished. Then We shall save those who used to be consciously aware of Allah and were dutiful to Him. (19:71-72).

Taqwa is the means to a praiseworthy end. That Home of the Hereafter, We shall assign to those who rebel not against the Truth with prideful arrogance and make corruption in the earth. And the good end is for the Muttaqin.(28:83)

Taqwa is the way out of difficulties and it is the key to provision and sustenance! Whosoever is consciously aware of Allah and keeps his
duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out from every difficulty, and He will provide him from (sources) he could never imagine. Whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him!(65:3).

Taqwa is the key to ease and facilitation. Whosoever is consciously aware of Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make his matter easy for him.(65:4).

Taqwa is the means to obtain the forgiveness of Allah. Whosoever is consciously aware of Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will expiate from him his sins, and will enlarge his reward.(65:5).

Taqwa is the means to obtain the Help of Allah. But if you remain patient and have conscious awareness of Allah, not the least harm will their
cunning do to you. Surely Allah surrounds all that they do.(3:120).