Ibadat Articles

Arabic Recitation Hints

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 18:08:00 GMT

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE READING ANY ARABIC FOR RECITATION !!!

The following points may be helpful if you are interested in learning the pronunciations right the first time, without getting overwhelmed.

Arabic has a number of unusual sounds. The special letters t,s, and h are indicated here but may be safely ignored by beginners.

The letters dh and z are pronounced by the Turks as identical to z. English speakers can sound them closer to the original by pronouncing the soft th of "the". (Not to be confused with the hard th of "thing", easily pronounced in Arabic and English, but which the Turks make an s! It is easy to get confused among the three languages; we can only try our best. Don't forget there is a true z in Arabic ‑‑ i.e. Razzâq, ‘Azîz, (Divine Names) ‑and sometimes a true ‘s’ where you might not expect it ‑‑ i.e. ghâsiqin (Surah Falaq).

Try to make an ‘ayn (`) by swallowing in the back of the throat. If you cant do it, don't drop it. You can get away with sounding it like ahamza (´), which is a simple but absolutely necessary stop in the flow of a word.

Turks also cannot easily pronounce kh and gh. The first turns into an ordinary h and the second is nearly dropped. Americans should try to sound these ‑‑ easier if you are from Jewish or German background!

Long marks (â) extend the actual time spent pronouncing a vowel. Differences in meaning are involved, so it is important to have a feel for this.

In the flow of a sentence, some syllables are given more emphasis than others, and in formal rhythmical recitations these are sometimes not the syllables‑you would expect. The stressed syllables in a phrase are indicated by capitalization (i.e. subHÂNaLLÂHi wal‑HAMdu liLLÂHi). Inshallah, this will help you recite in a fashion more recognizable to those who know the material well.

Occasionally you may encounter final letters of a word enclosed in parentheses (i.e. LÂ iLÂHa ILLÂ ANT(a)). They come at potential phrase breaks, and their pronunciation is optional, depending on how your breath is holding out.

Blessed Periods of Time - The Three Months and the Night of Raghaib - By Tuğrul Efendi

Sat, 31 Mar 2018 18:46:00 GMT

Laylatu'l-Raghāib

The Turkish word rağbet is of Arabic origin, and it comes from the same root -- ragaba -- as the words margūb, targīb, rāgıb, rāgiba, and raghāib. Rağbet has meanings such as; to value, to fulfill a requirement, to render valuable, to manifest the value of... And the Night of Raghāib is a night favored by Allah subhānahū wa ta’ālā. It is, of course, possible to examine the reasons why Allah Almighty favors this night. However, the inability to fathom the divine will behind the divine favoring of this night, should in no way cause anybody to lie about it, by fabricating a material reason in an attempt to explain this divine favor - the reason for which, we are unable to grasp; and this lying means showing disrespect to this night of divine blessings. For instance, when you check out the papers on the day of the Raghāib Night, you see that many of them write that our Beloved Master sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was – astagfirullah - conceived and fell into his mother's blessed womb this night. The thought that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam honored the material world tonight has been a persistent and prevalent mistake in our society. One should not jump to the conclusion that, by "material world", what is meant, is being born into the world, as we understand it; no, the life of a fetus in the womb is a state that belongs to the material world as well. Unfortunately, the social environment we live in is one in which such incorrect pieces of information have become oft-recurring, empty slogans that are, as it were, duplicated by so many people by using carbon paper, as a result of which there is no intellectual and spiritual advancement.

To be able to appreciate the Raghāib Night, just like other blessed periods of time, we need to learn that times, places, and people are in no way equal to one another. We need to know, first and foremost, that Friday is a special day, described by our Beloved Prophet, as the ‘festival of the believers’. The Muslim perception of time in a truly Islamic way of life would be different from the current perceptions of time; day changes into night around late afternoon. The night precedes the day. Therefore, Friday night starts around late afternoon, connecting Thursday to Friday. So, the night connecting Thursday to Friday is not Thursday night; it is called Thursday evening and Friday night. Friday starts with Friday night and it ends the next day around late afternoon. Around the afternoon time the next day, Friday ends, and one can no longer pray Salāt al- Jumu'a. This being the case, the night connecting Thursday to Friday is a blessed night because it belongs to Friday.

The Messenger of Allah recommended us to fast on the first and last days of every lunar month as well as the three middle days, that is, the 13th, 14th, and 15th days1. We know that our Beloved Master sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam made long supplications on the initial days of every lunar month when he saw the new crescent and we also know that he often spent these days fasting. If our Beloved Master had not observed this fast frequently, but rather observed it all the time, it would have become a mu’akkad2 sunnah for us. Owing to his great mercy for us, he did not observe this fast all the time, but rather he kept it frequently. Tahajjud prayer is an act of worship obligatory upon our Beloved Master, but it is not obligatory for us. The obligatory nature of this prayer was limited to himself. It is not a sunnah for us to pray tahajjud before dawn every day either, because even imitating our Beloved Master in this is forbidden for us, just like practicing al-wisāl (continuous fasting) is forbidden for us; this, He sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam did but prohibited others from doing. Pointing to a subtle point, he asked, "Do you feed on what I feed on?" and prohibited us from practicing this kind of fast. Here, we should pay close attention to the nuance between "feeding on something" and "feeling full" as highlighted by our BelovedMaster. While "feeling full" is a physical state that belongs to this body, "feeding on something" is not necessarily related to the physical act of eating something. One can feed on even air and water.

This is to say, the Raghāib Night is a blessed night on which the blessedness of the month of Rajab, the blessedness of the first days of every lunar month, the blessedness of the day and night of Friday all intersect, and it has absolutely got nothing to do with our Beloved Prophet's falling into his mother's blessed womb, a fallacy which we can liken to a tasteless gum chewed by almost every other Muslim! Above all, it is utterly disrespectful to think that the Night of Raghāib has such a meaning. As was clearly stated by our Beloved Master, all of his ancestors, all the way to Seyyidinā Ādam, were hanīf (pl. hunafā) and thus none of them ever associated partners with Allah. Making such a connection between Raghāib and our Beloved Master's conception, astagfirullah, indirectly means talking about the private affair between Seyyidinā Abdullah and Lady Āmina, which is utterly rude and discourteous! In addition, when you perform a simple mathematical operation by counting the months backwards from our Beloved Master's birthday, it becomes clear as day that the Night of Raghāib could not have possibly been the date of His honoring his mother's purest womb.

The Raghāib Night is the first Friday night of the month of Rajab. Thus, depending on which day of the week the first day of Rajab falls on, the Night of Raghāib may fall on any one of the first seven days of Rajab. Let's do the math, assuming that the Night of Raghāib has fallen on Rajab 1: Rajab, Sha'ban, Ramadan, Shawwal, Dhu'l-Qa'adah, Dhu'l-Hijjah, Muharram, Safar, and Rabiu'l- Awwal. In this calculation, we have 8 full months and 12 days. If the Night of Raghāib falls on Rajab 7, this period becomes 8 months and 5 days.

The exact time a normal, healthy baby spends in its mother's womb is 280 days. Although people have taken to saying "9 months and 10 days" assuming that every month is 30 days, some months are 30 days and some are 31, and there is one which lasts 28 to 29 days. So, 9 months and 10 days does not always add up to 280 days. Thanks to revolutionary advancements in medical technology and various modern ways of medical intervention, babies born in the 8th month of gestation can be made to live, but this was impossible under the circumstances of 1,400 years ago; in those days (up until recent centuries) most prematurely born babies died, sometimes causing the mother to die along with them. Babies born in the 7th month of gestation were an exceptional case, and they survived as opposed to eight-month-old babies. So according to the simple mathematical operation we conducted above, it was impossible for our Beloved Master to have been born either as an 8-month-12-day baby or an 8-month-5- day baby. Nothing about the Holy Prophet was deficient or lacking in any way. Therefore, the period he spent in his mother's womb is a full 280 days.

What we have, therefore, is a proven fallacy, very problematic both scientifically and in terms of courtesy. This being the case at hand, where on Earth did this utterly flawed thinking originate? It stems from our erroneous tendency to put everything down to a material affair, including blessed nights and religious & spiritual institutions. You can find such kind of thinking regarding Rabiu'l-Awwal 12 too. While Rabiu'l-Awwal 12 is both His birth and passing date and also when Hijrah ended and He entered Medina and the Friday prayer became obligatory, we have, because of our ignorance, reduced it to His birth alone. This means talking about this date from a purely materialistic perspective. It is high time we stopped attempting to establish material links in relation to our blessed days and nights.

Unfortunately this error is still persisting, and neither the Directorate of Religious Affairs, nor the Office of the Chief Mufti, nor any ministry has categorically stated that this information is absolutely wrong. Even though a few religious officials do make mention of it from time to time, they do it in passing, and what they say becomes a desultory wind that dies down as soon as it starts blowing! What is even more vehement is, this miscalculation is of no serious origin; somebody simply made it up! Ibn al-Jawzi, the great Islamic scholar, notes that a man called Zâhid Abu'l-Hasan Nureddin Ali ibn Abdullah ibn Husayn first fabricated this and it has apparently caught on!

If we look at the history of religious celebrations, we can better understand the essential importance of Raghāib, and how it became a religious institutions too. We know for a fact that our Beloved Master attached particular significance to the first Friday night of every month. Aside from Rajab, Sha'ban, and Ramadan -- whose blessedness is clearly established --, he dedicated more of his time to supererogatory acts of worship and additional special supplications on the first Friday nights of all other lunar months. Therefore, the first Friday of the Blessed Rajab has particular significance in that it is the first Friday of what the Holy Prophet says is "Allah's month". Simply because of this special, extra blessedness, it has become institutionalized and turned into an organized event over the course of the centuries. Its becoming an organized ceremony is much later, of course. Another thing we know is, the order of the Friday prayer and the Friday khutbah changed even during the lifetime of our Beloved Master. Before this change, the prayer used to be made before the khutbah. On a fateful Friday, when our Beloved Master climbed the pulpit after leading the prayer, most of the Companions present in the mosque left the congregation, without listening to the khutbah, upon hearing the chimes and clangs and the yells of the people of a camel caravan which had just entered the City. As is stated in the 11th verse of Sura Jumu'ah, they left our Beloved Master standing, and only 14 of the Companions remained behind. (In the meantime, as a sign that can be appreciated by arifs, let us recall that the Ka'bah used to have 14 servants with 14 specific duties.) After this incident, our Beloved Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam first delivered the khutbah, so that nobody would miss it, now that everybody was going to wait for the prayer. Considering that the Friday prayer became obligatory more than halfway through the mission of our Beloved Master, and that such a change was able to be made because the de facto situation called for it, the first night of Rajab could be institutionalized and particular celebratory events could be held. Why not hold special events so that these days and nights, these religious institutions are properly displayed and taught to the up-and-coming generations of Muslims, as well as to non-Muslims, who may come and see us for the first time when we make contact with their cultures? The Friday prayer itself is a ceremony in essence!

Communal Raghāib celebrations emerged as particular celebratory events at the beginning of 1000's. Before that time, celebrations were of an individual character. Imam al-Ghazzali, for instance, mentions in one of his books the Raghāib celebrations held in Quds (Jerusalem). It is a clearly established fact that there are no limitations on supererogatory acts of worship. No such act of worship can be ever considered as an innovation (bid'ah). Those who argue the opposite view see Islam as made up solely of a set of commandments and prohibitions, and in so doing, they reveal their being deprived of the love of Allah and His Beloved. So, Molla Fanarî, the great Ottoman scholar, knew nothing about the Night of Raghāib, whereas those, who put forward their utterly limited and subjective views as the real faith, have a sound opinion about this night… is that so!? Such ignorant people must first of all take the trouble to check out what is written in Mullah Fanarî's book.

What kind of reasoning could possibly urge one to think, that the larger portion of the ummah's favoring this night, is a mistake and an innovation? It is inconceivable that such gigantic figures, as Ibn Kemal, Ebussuud Efendi, Lutfi Pasha, Ismail Haqqi al-Bursawi, Abdulqadir al-Gaylani, and Mawlana Rumi, shouldn't know about this topic, while a number of upstarts in knowledge should. This is all to say, the Night of Raghāib is a period of time which is a more blessed, more special and more beautiful night compared to most others. This night has certain kinds of divine effusion (faydh) and among the ones who know its value there are people who know, see, and experience these benefits. "How do you know?" could be a question that comes to mind at this point. The answer to "how do you know" has to do with faith. One could obviously ask the same question about the prophethood of Muhammad, the son of Abdullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Which one of us has weighed, measured, and proved his prophethood? How do you know? Can this be perceived with the outward knowledge? Which one is real faith: saying "eyvallah" or asking "how do I know" when Muhammad Mustafa sallallahu alayhi wa sallam tells you "I'm Allah's servant and messenger"? Those who do not have faith in the blessed nature of the Night of Raghāib will come to their senses in the Hereafter regarding the truth. But it will be too late...

As to seeking evidence as opposed to having faith; there are Four Proofs (Adilla-i Arba'a) to determine whether any intention, word, or action is Islamically appropriate or not: the Book, the Sunnah, consensus of opinion (ijma') and analogical reasoning (qiyas). While the order of the first two never changes, ijma' and qiyas are sometimes swapped. To somebody who assumes and claims that the Night of Raghāib or the Night of Bara'ah cannot be found in the Book as explicit statements or commands, ask this question and wait for an answer: why do you make the sunnah part of the morning prayer (fajr) as two cycles (rak'ah)? The Book has no explicit references to the numbers of the cycles to be made in prayer, but we make two cycles in the morning, four at noon, four in the afternoon, three in the evening so on... It means that not everything has to be found openly written in the Qur'an, and that such nights can be determined based on the three other essential sources. No sunnah and no ruling, that is based on a sunnah, are against nass (clear Quranic injunctions)

These kinds of people also tend to dismiss the sunnah of the Holy Prophet by saying, "How do I know they are not later fabrications?". Of course, it is our duty to warn these people that they should not confuse the extremely meticulous and exacting task of collecting ahadith (which started with Ismail al- Bukhari) with, say, the efforts to write down the sayings of Augustus or Caesar. The work of collecting the Hadith was done so cautiously, conscientiously, and fastidiously that some Hadith scholars -- who were obviously saints at the same time -- went to the Blessed Tomb, Rawda al-Mutahhara, (apparently after our Beloved Master's passing) and asked him questions like, "O Messenger of Allah, did you say such and such thing or did you not?" Those who deny that such things have happened and still do happen, could never fully appreciate this knowledge, and will be eternally stuck in their self-imposed skeptical state of "how do I know". Let us reiterate: You know this, just like knowing the prophethood of Muhammad Mustafa, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

People of genuine faith do not seek evidence, and, on the other hand, seeking evidence for faith is a type of lunacy! There lived a great scholar of Islamic theology and dogmatics (kalam) once upon a time, and in a gathering of knowledge where he was not present, it was said of him that "he can produce 1000 proofs about the existence of oneness of Allah." In the same gathering was a poor dervish baba, who was quietly sitting in a corner, and he said, "Well, he apparently had 1000 doubts!" Doubt and skepticism cannot be reconciled with real faith. Unfortunately, those who take their assumptions as real faith, get such normally understandable, intelligible topics all mixed up and messed up!

Therefore, it is a clear sunnah to do something additional on this night, apart from our daily practice. It is a muakkad (confirmed, certain) sunnah to increase our worship on such blessed nights, and muakkad sunnahs are binding duties upon all believers. This night has a right upon us, to be able to fulfill that right, we need to do something more, something additional on this night, however small it may be. We need to demonstrate through our actions that we are aware of the special nature of this night. For example, we have some alcoholic brothers who walk around drunk for nine months, but who do not take a sip for three months when Rajab arrives, just because they respect these months of Allah! Yes, of course, they are our brothers and sisters! If every kind of sin caused intoxication, we would all be staggering! Our Lord has such infinite mercy that He might easily say, "That servant of Mine has stopped committing that sin just for My sake, just for the sake of the nights that I favor over other nights, so I'm forgiving all his sins!" These nights are so blessed in prayer, worship of, if left for confining the next day where even tonight with the recitation that there continues providing a benefit. These nights are of such blessed nature that even those who confine all their worshiping efforts to such nights, those who read the Qur'an only on such nights will also reap the benefits. The reason is, erring comes from the All-Beneficent (ar-Rahman), but persisting in one's errors comes from Satan. That's why we should not persist in our errors and sins.

Apart from its meaning as "value", as we tried to explain at the beginning, Raghāib also means "a gift, a donation, which is very abundant and very precious." Based on this meaning, it has been used particularly in the sciences of jurisprudence (fiqh) and hadith to mean "a good deed, a great reward, or a beautiful and lofty act that leads to such a reward." It is even used by Imam Malik in his ijtihad synonymously with a jurisprudential (fıqhi) term, which has a meaning close to mustahab (desirable) and mandub (commendable). So, if our Lord's favoring the Night of Raghāib, coincides with our favoring it and doing our utmost to benefit from it, it will result in very abundant and precious gifts, donations, and rewards being given to us by Him. Blessed are those who love and favor the Night of Raghāib and do their best to benefit from it...

Known in Arabic as ayyām al-bīydh; ‘the illuminated days’ (a reference to the full moon).
Consolidated, confirmed, certain

Grace to be sung after meals

Sat, 02 Jul 2016 17:57:00 GMT

Hajj information (AH 1421)

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 18:33:00 GMT

Shariks

(companions) You and your sharik(s) should be totally accountable for each other. You must know at all times exactly where your partner is. You are responsible for each others’ health and welfare as well. This relationship is crucial on the Hajj, where you will often go places in groups, in crowded places etc. Getting lost, wandering off etc., could create serious problems. Any problems should be reported directly to the leader, whomever it may be, or to someone who will relate the problem to the leader.

Duties

Chief Guide:

Guide’s assistant & aide-de-camp:

Liason Officer & second aide-de-camp:

Public Relations and translator:

Other translators:

Treasurers & Buyers:

Luggage/Room Assignments/Transportation/Water:

Medical Team:

If one is sick or unable to perform one’s duties, one should enlist a companion or assistant to take over.

DETAILS

Inoculations

Someone should contact a local health center or doctor to find out what is needed as far as inoculations for traveling to Saudi Arabia and any other places to be visited.

Women

Figure your personal cycle. Not only would you not want to be menstruating during the Hajj, but you would: not want to miss the opportunity to enter any mosque. Your doctor can give you something to temporarily suppress your period. Failure to take care of this could void your Hajj!

Comfort

Also handy to have are insect repellent, wash & dry packets, white umbrella, small flashlight, battery operated fans and tissues.

Be sure to bring any personal medication you may need. Also, the following items can be very useful:

Vitamins, salt pills, diarrhea medicine, ointment for cuts, bruises, sunstroke and sulfa eye drop.

Papers & Money, etc.

You should already now have a current passport.

You will need them to be ready ahead of time, so someone can apply for the Visas in a timely manner.

· Completed visa application

· Passport

· 2 passport photos are required of the same size & age as in your passport.

· Green Card, or other visa (original)

· Copy of Marriage certificate (for couples)

· Mahram permission letter (from husband), the each group leader will provide a Mahram letter declaring the single women as being under his protection.

· Muslim Letter for people without Muslim names/nationality who do not have a previous Hajj or Umra visa stamp in their current passports.

· Tickets (we will send to the group leaders as soon as we have them.)

· Immunization booklets

· Your expense money (minimum $500) should be in cash. This sum should be sufficient for food and extra transportation, etc. Should you want to buy gifts, etc., more will be necessary.

Suggestions for clothing etc.

Note: Extra winter clothing for Turkey may be left in the hotel in Istanbul on the way.

Women

· 1 white dress (for Ihram Period)

· 2 other dresses - darker or with patterns easier to keep clean. These must go to your ankle bone, and sleeves to the wrists. 100% cotton & loose are highly recommended.

· 1 long nightgown, also cotton; several pairs of light weight cotton socks

· loose cotton slip, if your robes are not opaque (remember the bright sunlight)

· 2 -3 of sets of cotton underwear

· Sandals with an open heel & toe, easy to take off & slip on. The soles should be padded & solid. Make sure they are very comfortable and well made, (like Birkenstock).

· 2 or 3 large white cotton prayer size scarves

· 2 or 3 smaller cotton scarves

· 1 light weight prayer mat

· 1 small duffel or hand bag (collapsible) for short trips,

· No perfume, scented soaps etc. This may offend people and cause trouble.

· A small travel twisted elastic clothesline may be useful.

Men

· Ihram

· 2 robes. They are the most comfortable and can be bought in Mecca.

· white cotton shirt

· loose cotton white pants

· sandals, see note for women

· 2 -3 sets cotton underwear

· light weight cotton socks

· small shoulder bag for daily use

· money belt

· 1 hand towel

***IMPORTANT***

Each person may have only one tube type, or carry on size nylon bag! Sew a small American flag and write your name on the bag. No extra luggage except a carry-on is permitted as this will cause terrible delays for the whole group in airports, hotels, busses, etc.

Hajj is obligatory to everyone who is:

1. Muslim

2. Adult

3. In good physical and mental health

4. Who has means

5. Has enough sustenance to keep his dependents during his absence

6. Who knows that Hajj is an obligation

A woman who intends to go to the Hajj should either have her husband, or a male companion with whom she cannot legally marry, accompany her. According to Imam Shafii, a woman may also have two or more dependable women companions in lieu of a male companion.

PILGRIMAGE

The fifth principle of Islam is, once in a lifetime, to perform a pilgrimage to the Kaaba in the city of Mecca. This is an enactment of the Day of Judgment. One removes all signs of identity and wraps oneself in a shroud; the king and the beggar are equalized. During this state, one pretends to be dead, selfless. We are forbidden to step on a blade of living green grass, to kill a biting flea, to pull a scab, or even to comb our hair.

Symbolic acts performed during this pilgrimage include circumambulation of the Kaaba; gathering in millions upon the plains of ‘Arafat; and the sacrifice of a ram in remembrance of the prophet Abraham’s sacrifice of his son. Ibn ‘Arabi says that the literal meaning of Hajj (Pilgrimage), in Arabic is the conscious intention to do something at a specific time.

When God addressed the prophet Abraham

Sanctify My house for those who compass it round or use it for a place of retreat or bow or prostrate themselves [in prayer],

(Baqarah, 125)

He related that house on this planet to Himself. And when He said

The first house appointed for humanity was that at Bakka,

(Al-i ‘Imran, 96)

He established it as the first house of worship and assigned it as a symbol of His Throne upon earth. He asked humankind to proceed around it, likening this act to that of the angels who circumambulate His Throne. But the circling of the Kaaba by people whose words are the sincere confirmation of what is in their hearts, who have cleansed their hearts from the temptations of life on this earth, is a worthier worship than the devotion of the angels circumambulating God’s Throne in Heaven.

God built His temple upon three columns, though today it appears to us in the shape of a cube. These three columns are symbolic of the three remembrances of the heart. The one on the corner where the Black Stone is placed represents the divine inspirations. The column in the direction of Yemen represents the angelic characteristics. The third column represents the carnal prompting of human passions. These three supporting columns are guardians; they forbid evil suggestions from entering the house of the Lord. Supported by these three columns, the four sides of the house of God manifest love—although the fourth side of the cube, which faces Iraq, represents the possibility of evil in human beings.

The heart of the believer is the real Kaaba. It also has the four sides of divine inspirations, angelic attributes, material influences, and diabolic temptations. But the ones who know their Lord have three sides to their hearts. The seductions of evil are absent.

As the daily prayer starts with the declaration “God is greater,” so the Pilgrimage begins with the declaration of presence: Labbayk Allahumma labbayk. Labbayk la sharika laka labbayk. Innal hamdu wa ni`mata laka wal mulk. La sharika lak. “0 Lord, I am present! I am here now in obedience, ready to receive Your orders! There is none other than You, all praise is due to You, all belongs to You, You have no partners.” When the prophet Abraham was ordered to build the Kaaba, God told him to cry out these words—and in the spiritual realm, the Lord made the souls of all believers hear them. In remembrance, the pilgrims recite this cry.

Male pilgrims wear two pieces of white cloth—one wrapped around the waist, reaching to under the knees, and one to be thrown over the shoulder to cover the torso. Female pilgrims, also dressed in white, may not cover their face. This practice erases all differences of rank and social status, and is a symbol of the shroud.

The white Pilgrimage cloth is not sewn—it is as if not fashioned by human hands. It belongs to God, hiding what is reprehensible or lacking in a human being, protecting from everything that God forbids and from the temptations of the flesh. Like Adam, we carry our sins with us upon the Pilgrimage. But if he had not erred, he would not have descended to our world, where he is honored with being the Deputy of God.

The Black Stone embedded in one corner of the Kaaba is like the prophet Adam. It also left the Garden pristine and white. It turned black when it entered the earth’s atmosphere. Yet the believers kiss it during the Pilgrimage.

At the end of the Pilgrimage, in a place called Mina, each day for three days the pilgrims throw seven stones at the Devil. Humanity knows its Lord through His three aspects: His actions, His attributes, and His existence. The three days represent these three manifestations. The seven stones represent the seven greater sins: pride in one’s spiritual state; common arrogance; hypocrisy; envy; anger and negativity; love of property; love of position. Thus the first day one casts these sins out of one’s actions, and the second day, out of one’s character. On the third day, with the awe of the mystery of God’s essence, one casts them from one’s being. Finally cleansed, in the place called Mina, which means “Hope” and “Goal,” one finishes the Pilgrimage and returns to the world. And then we try to do what is right, and to be what we are meant to be.

The four conditions for the realization of Hajj are:

1. Islam, which is the condition for the Hajj as well as the condition for the realization of the Hajj.

2. The sacred place: Mount Arafat and the Ka’aba.

3. The sacred time: dependent on the sacred place. The wait in Arafat starts at sunset on the eve of the `Id until the sunrise of the first day of the `Id. Circumambulation of the Ka’aba is from the morning of the first day of the `Id until the end of one’s life. (Except the first ten days of the months of Shawwal, Dhil Qida and Dhil Hijja.) Actually, for the one who is making the Hajj, for practical reasons, the circumambulation is done during the first three days of the `Id.

4. Ihram: The outward condition of Ihram is total ablution cutting of the fingernails, shaving and. clipping mustaches, shaving under one’s arms and one’s Private parts, and to cover oneself with two pieces of unsewn white cloth; one covering the area from the waist to the shins and the other to throw over the shoulders. One cannot cover ones head or feet during the period of Hajj.

Then one performs two raq`ats of salah and makes one’s niyat (intention)

Nawaytul Hajja wa ahrumtu billahi ta`ala.

Allahumma yasirhu li wa takabaltu minni.

I intend to perform the hajj for Allah’s sake and enter Ihram.

My Lord, make it possible for me and accept it from me.

Women do not change their clothes nor uncover their heads or their feet but do the rest. The women who get their period during their Ihram continue their Ihram, except that they cannot make the circumambulation of the Ka’aba. If a woman gets her period after the wait in Arafat and the following circumambulation of the Kaaba, they do not have to make the parting circumambulation and may leave the holy grounds as her Hajj is complete.

After entering Ihram, which should be done at certain geographic points before entering Mecca (We will be entering Ihram at the hotel in Istanbul the day of our departure for Mecca.), one should presume oneself dead and follow these prescriptions:

1. One cannot get married or have sexual intercourse nor may one play, kiss or talk lightly with one’s wife.

2. One cannot wear anything except one’s Ihram. If bitter cold, one may throw something over one’s shoulders.

3. One cannot cover one’s heads or face. Women may cover their heads, but not their faces.

4. One cannot kill any of God’s creations, including stepping on green grass.

5. To shave, to cut one’s hair or fingernails, to peel a scab are all forbidden. To wash giving attention not to kill any living thing on you is permissible.

6. You may profit from the shade of a building, tent, tree or umbrella, as long as none of these touch your head.

7. As soon as one enters Ihram, one starts pronouncing out loud the Talbiya. Women repeat the same prayer in a lower voice:

Labbayk Allahumma labbayk. Labbayk la sharika laka labbayk.

Innal hamdu wa ni`mata laka wal mulk.

La sharika lak.

I am present, my Lord, I am present. I am present. There is none like you. I am present.

All praise to you and all good is from you, all kingdoms are yours.

There is no equal to you.

This prayer must be repeated as often as one can as a reminder, especially when you enter or exit, when you climb or descend, when you meet somebody or leave, etc.

When one enters Mecca and finds the place to leave one’s belongings, immediately one goes to make the first circumambulation which is called Tawaf Qudum. It is a paying of respect to the sacred place, which is not an obligation but is Sunnah (voluntary). Starating from the corner where there is the Black Stone (called the place of Hazeti Ibrahim), taking the Ka’aba on your left side, one goes around the Ka’aba seven times, the first three circumambulations done at a fast pace, finishing where you started. Each time you pass the Black Stone you must salute it by making a tekbir, raising one’s hands to one’s head. After the Tawaf, one makes two raq`ats of namaz and drinks Zamzam water. Afterwards you walk (make the Sa`y) between Safa and Marwa .

The Sa`y starts from Safa and after going between the two Points seven times it ends at Marwa. There is a certain distance marked by two green columns. At that distance one should run without disturbing anybody. It is customary but not obligatory to have a little of one’s hair clipped after the Sa`y.

Arafat

On the eighth day of

Dhul Hijja, after sunrise, one leaves Mecca for Minna One may spend the night in Minna or return back to Mecca. The ninth day of Dhul Hijja, after sunrise, one goes to Arafat stopping at Minna. On that day, which is the eve of `Id, at noon prayer time one makes the noon and afternoon prayer together. After sunset one leaves Arafat for Muzdalifa. At Muzdalifa one performs the sunset and the night prayer together. One spends the night at Muzdalifa and collects the stones to throw at the devil in Minna. The morning of the `Id one comes to Minna to stone the devil, after which one may come to Mecca and make the obligatory circumambulation and the Sa`y, get out of Ihram and put on one’s regular clothes. Then the second and third and fourth day of the `Id one may go back to Minna and stone the devil. At the end of this, one makes a final circumambulation, a farewell to the Ka’aba. One should be careful not to look at the Kaaba after this because if you see it again, you must make another circumambulation.

ON HAJJ

“...the pilgrimage to the Holy House is an obligation which man owes to Allah, for the man who has the ability to find his way to it...” The Holy Qur’an, Surah Ali Imran: 96

Know that “the form” of any ibada, of any kind of devotion, is a means to find Truth. If Truth is not found by it, “form” has no meaning or purpose by itself.

“A man came to take leave from Hz. Shibli (ks). Hz. Shibli(k.s.) asked:

Where are you going?

To the Hajj.

Take with you two big bags; fill them with Mercy there and bring them to us, so that we will have a share of it, to share with our friends and to offer our guests...

The man took his leave and left to go to Hajj. When he returned, he came to visit Hz. Shibli(k.s.), who asked:

Did you go to the Pilgrimage?

Yes.

What did you do first?

I took a ritual total ablution, put on my pilgrim’s garb, made two raqats of salat, started reciting the talbiyya, and made my intention and decision to do the pilgrimage.

With your intention and decision to do the Hajj, were you able to cancel all decisions you had taken which were contrary to this decision, since the day you were born?

No.

Then you have not made your intention to do the Hajj.

Then you say you took off your ordinary clothes and put on your pilgrim’s garb. Have you taken out from your being all you have done in your ordinary life?

No.

Then you have neither taken off your clothes neither have you put on your pilgrim’s garb.

When you washed yourself and took your ablution, did you cleanse yourself of all your ills and defects?

No.

Then you have not taken your ritual ablution.

When you recited the talbiyya and said ‘i am present, my Lord, i am here, at Your orders, i am here heedful, there is none like You, all grace is to You, all blessing is from You, all belongs to You, there is no partner with You’, did you receive an answer, a call from Allah?

No.

Then you have not recited the talbiyya.

Did you enter the Harem, the sacred grounds?

Yes.

When you entered the Harem, did you vow to leave behind all that is haram and unlawful?

No.

Then you have not entered the Harem. Did you visit Mecca?

Yes.

When you visited Mecca, did you feel as if you received a different state from Allah?

No.

Then you have not been in Mecca.

Did you enter the Sacred Mosque?

Yes.

Did you feel closer to Allah in the Sacred Mosque?

No.

Then you have not entered the Sacred Mosque. Did you see the Qaaba?

Yes.

In seeing the Qaaba, did you achieve the goal for which you came?

No.

Then you have not seen the Qaaba.

Did you circumambulate the Qaaba thrice in fast paces and four times slowly?

Yes.

In running thrice around the Qaaba, did you run away from everything that you were with and in walking four times around did you reach salvation and security and thankfulness?

No.

Then you have not left your old self, nor your worldly load; neither have you come closer to your Lord. You have not made your tawwaf.

Did you touch or salute the hajar’u aswad (the Black Stone)?

Yes.

Pity on you! It is said the one who touches the Black Stone touches the Truth. The one who touches the Truth is in the securest peace. Did you feel this security?

No.

Then you have not touched the hajar’u aswad. Did you make two raqats of salat afterwards?

Yes?

In doing so, did you stand in front of your Lord and show Him your intention?

No.

Then you have not made your salat. Did you stand on the hill of Safa?

Yes.

What did you do there?

I recited the takbir. I declared the Greatness of Allah.

As you stood there, did your soul find purity (saf)? Bid your heart find joy (safa)? As you said ‘Allahu Akbar’, did the world and the worldly become smaller?

No.

Then you have neither stood on the top of Safa nor did you declare Allah’s greatness.

As you ran between Safa and Marwa, did you run from His Jelal to His Jemal?

No.

Then you did not walk seven times between Safa and Marwa. Did you stand on the top of the hill of Marwa?

Yes.

As you stood there, did you feel peace and tranquility descend upon you?

No.

Then you have not been there either.

Did you go to Mina from Mecca?

Yes.

Did you receive your wish?

No.

Then you have not been to Mina.

Have you entered the Masjid-i Hayf?

Yes.

When you entered the Masjid—i Hayf, was the fear of Allah refreshed in your heart?

No.

Then you did not enter the Masjid—i Hayf. Did you go up to the mountain of Arafat?

Yes.

Did you come to know how and why you were created, and where you are going to go? Did you come to know who is your Lord, that Lord who you deny? Has Allah shown you a sign that you were one of the chosen?

No.

Then you have not been to Arafat. Have you been to Mash’ar?

Yes.

Did you remember Allah at Mash’ar in such a way that you forgot everything else? Did you come to understand there how one is addressed and how one’s prayers are answered?

No.

Then you have not been to Mash’ar. Did you sacrifice an animal?

Yes.

Did you sacrifice your desires and your will for Allah’s sake?

No.

You have not sacrificed anything. Did you stone the devil at Mina?

Yes.

Did you throw away your ignorance? Did you receive wisdom in its place?

No.

You have not thrown stones at the devil.

Did you visit the Qaaba, the Sacred House, after you descended from Arafat?

Yes.

What gifts have you received from the Master of that house? For the Prophet (saws) says: ‘The pilgrims are Allah’s visitors; it is right that the Host show honor and give presents to the guests...’

I have not received any gifts.

Then you have not done your visitation.

Did you satiate yourself drinking the Zamzam water?

Yes.

Did the taste of Zamzam make you promise not to taste anything unlawful, ever?

No.

Then you have not drunk the Zamzam water.

Did you make the circumambulation of farewell at the Qaaba?

Yes.

Did you leave all of your ego and all your being behind?

No.

Then you have not made your farewell, nor have you made your Hajj. If you wish, you must return and make your Hajj again. If you do, do it the way I told you.

This story is taken from Hz. Sulami’s (ks) Haqaiq’u-t-tafsir. Allah knows best.

al fakir tosun al-Jerrahi

Invocation

Sat, 22 Feb 2025 21:33:00 GMT

Invocation

Jerrahi Ibadet

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 17:31:00 GMT

IBADET OF THE JERRAHI ORDER OF AMERICA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Holidays

Ashura, 10 Muharram .

Maulud-un Nabi 12 Rabi`ul Awwal .

Regaib Kandili, Eve of 1st Friday in Rajab

Rajab, beginning, middle and end

Laylat-ul-Mi’raj, 27 Rajab

Laylat-Nesfu Shaban, Eve of 15 Shaban

Laylat-ul-Qadr, Eve of 27 Ramadan.

Ramadan Arife, eve of `Id ul-Fitr

Dhul-Hijjah, Eve of 1 Dhul-Hijjah

Waqfatu-`Arafat, 9 Dhul-Hijja

Prayers

Addenda to the Ritual Prayer

Teravi .

Tesbih Namaz .

Funeral Prayers

The Friday Jumma’ Namaz

`Id Prayers

Rituals

Usul .

Night Prayer

Zikrullah

This has been prepared to help us remember and continue what Tosun Efendi has taught us. Any mistakes, are purely the fault of Nureddin. May Allah forgive us all.

Ashura, The 10th of Muharram

The prayer in honor of the 10th of Muharram is done anytime between the 10th of Muharram and the 4th of Safar. It is performed at midnight. This prayer consists of 4 rakats and has 2 forms.

A- Each rakat has a Fatihah and 51 suratul-Ikhlas [112]

B- Each rakat has a Fatihah and 1 Suratul Zilzal [99]

1 Suratul Kafirun [109]

1 Suratul Ikhlas [112]

It is very good to fast on this day.

Regaib Kandili

This prayer for the month of Rajab is done on the eve of the 1st Friday, between the evening and night prayers. It is a prayer of 12 rakats done in sets of 2. In each rakat after the Fatihah are:

3 Suratul Qadr [97]

12 Suratul Ikhlas [112]

After the prayer recite 70 times:

Allâhumma salli `alâ Muhammadinin Nabbiyyil Ummiyyi wa `alâ âlihi wa sallim.

O Allah, bestow blessings and peace upon Muhammad, the gentile Prophet, and upon his family.

Then in prostration repeat 70 times:

Subbûhun Quddûsun Rabbul Malâ’ikati war Rûh.

All Glorious, All Holy, Lord of the Angels and of the Spirit!

Then sitting recite 70 times:

Rabbighfir warham wa tajâwaz mâ ta`lam fa innaka Antal `Azîzul A`zam.

My Lord, forgive and have mercy, pardon that which You well know, for you You are the Mighty, the Supreme.

Rajab

It is good, but not obligatory, to fast 3 days in this month, 1 in the beginning, 1 in the middle and 1 at the end. If possible, it it is good to include the 1st Friday, the 15th and the last day of the month.

The Rajab prayer is a prayer of 30 Rakats that can also be separated to be done in conjunction with the fasts; 10 rakats in the beginning with the first fast day, 10 with the 2nd and the last 10 with the third. In each Rakat after the Fatihah say:

3 Suratul Ikhlas [112]

3 Suratul Kafirun [109]

After the prayer recite:

la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharikallah

la huwal-hamdu wa la huwal mulku

yuhyi wa yumit, biyadihil khayr

wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadir

There is no god except Allah, Alone. No partner has He. To Him belongs the kingdom and to Him baelongs the praise. He brings to life and causes death, whole He is ever-living and never dies. All goodness is in His Hand, and He is Powerful over all things.

and then wipe your hands over your face.

Laylatul-Miraj

This prayer is done between the noon and afternoon prayers on the day of Miraj, the 27th of Rajab. It is 4 rakats. After the fatihah in each rakat the following is recited:

1 Suratul Falaq [113]

1 Suratun Nas [114]

3 Suratul Qadr [97]

51 Suratul Ikhlas [112]

Laylat-Nafsu Shaban, Berat Kandili, Salatul Khayr

This namaz, salatal khayr, done on the eve of the 15th of Shaban is 100 rekats. They may be done together, spread out over the day, or done spread throughout the beginning of the month, ending on the berat. In each rakat, after the Fatihah, 10 Ikhlas are repeated. (Or 10 rekats may be done if instead of 10 ikhlas in each, 100 is done.)

Based on the calculation by abjad, ism-i Hu, which many consider to be the ism-i a`zam, is eleven. Again according to abjad, Ta Ha, considered by most to be the most important name of Rasul Allah, is fourteen. Thus, at the end of the hundred rak`ats of salat ul-khayr, the following eleven recitations are done fourteen times each.

1. Istaghfirullah (x 14)

2. Allahumma salli `ala sayyidina Muhammadin wa `ala al-i Muhammadin was-habihi wa sallim. (x 14)

3. Surah Fatihah (x 14)

4. Allahu la ilaha illa Hu al-hayy ul-qayyum. La ta’khudhuhu sinnatuw-wa la nawm. Lahu ma fis-samawati wa ma fil-ard. Man dhalladhi yashfa`u `indahu illa bi idhnih. Ya`lamu ma bayna aydihim wa ma khalfahum wa la yuhituna bi-shay’in min `ilmihi illa bi-ma sha’. Wasi`a kursiyuhus-samawati wal-arda wa la ya`uduhu hifzuhuma, wa huwal-`ali ul-`azim. (x 14)

5. La-qad ja’akum rasulun min anfusikum `azizun `alayhi ma `anittum harisun `alaykum bil-mu’minina ra’ufun rahim. Fa-in tawalaw fa-qul hasbiyy Allaha la ilaha illa Hu `alayhi tawakkaltu wa huwa rabb ul-`arsh il-`azim. (x 14)

6. Ya Sin (the words, not the surah, x 14)

7. Surah Ikhlas (x 14)

8. Surah Falaq (x 14)

9. Surah Nas (x 14)

10. Subhan Allahi wal-hamdu li-Llahi wa la ilaha illa Llahu wa Llahu akbar, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa bi-Llah il-`ali il-`azim. (x 14)

11. Allahumma salli `ala sayyidina Muhammadin salatan tunjina biha min jami`il-ahwali wal-afat, wa taqdi lana biha jami`il-hajat. Wa tutahhiruna biha min jami`is-sayyi’at, wa tarfa’una biha a`lad-darajat. Wa tuballighuna biha aqsal-ghayati min jami`il-khayrati fil-hayati wa ba`dal-mamat. (x 14)

If possible, it is good to recite the mevlud. Tosun Efendi tries to fast at the beginning, middle and end, as in Rajab. The best days are the first, the 13th, 14th and 15th and the last monday.

Laylatul Qadr

The prayer for the Night of Power is 12 rakats. In each rakat after the Fatihah, Suratul Ikhlas is recited, beginning with once and increasing by one each rakat. So the first rakat has 1 Ikhlas, while the last rakat has 12.

Zikrullah may also be done.

Ramadan Arife

This is the last night of Ramadan, at which there is no teravi. On this night tesbih namaz is done.

In New York, the sakal ash sharif may be visited.

Dhul Hijjah

This prayer is done in the last third of the night. It is 4 rakats, and each rakat has after the Fatihah:

3 Suratul Falaq [113]

3 Suratun Nas [114]

3 Suratul Ikhlas [112]

3 Ayatul Kursi [2:255]

Waqfatu-’Arafat

Beginning with the morning prayer and continuing for four days, the arife and bayram,

following each fard prayer recite the tekbir. The last tekbir is done with the afternoon prayer.

There is a hadith about making a nafile prayer of 4 rakats between the noon and afternoon namaz on the day of Arife. In each rakat, after the fatihah recite 50 suratul ikhlas. Following the prayer, recite the following:

3 Labbayk Allahumma labbayk,

labbayk, la sharika lak labbayk.

Innal-hamda wa ni`mata laka wal-mulk.

La sharika lak.

100 La ilaha ilallahu wahdahu la sharika lah,

lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu

yuhyi wa yumitu, biyadihil-khayri,

wa huwa `ala kulli shay’in qadir.

100 La hawla wa la quwwata ila billahil-`azizil- `azim.

Ashhadu an Allaha `ala kulli shay’in qadir

wa an Allaha qad ahata bi kulli shay’in `ilma.

1 A`udhu billahi min ash-shaytanir-rajim.

3 Innallaha huwas-sami`ul-alim.

3 Fatihah, with bismillah and amin

100 suratul ikhlas

100 Bismillahir rahmanir rahim.

Allahumma salli `ala an-nabi il-ummi

wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

Note 3/2000

For the last 2 years, Tosun Efendi has celebrated this occasion with the prayers as done by the Hajis on Mt. Arafat as follows:

We meet, outside weather permitting, during the afternoon prayer time. Unless this is a weekend, it must be late enough for people to get there from work, if they can, but not so late that there is danger of the evening prayer coming too close.

Adhan

Someone (the shaykh or someone else he chooses) says the following aloud:

The Messenger of Allah, saws, said:

“See ye what month this is?”

[There is no response.]

“It is the Holy Month. See ye what land this is?”

[There is no response.]

“It is the Holy Land. See ye what day this is?”

[There is no response.]

“It is the day of the greater pilgramage.”

The shaykh then reads the Farewell Khutba of Rasulullah, saws.

from Haykal’s The Life of Muhammad, & Martin Lings’ Muhammad

O men, listen well to my words, for I do not know whether I shall meet you again on such an occasion in the future.

O Men, your lives and your property shall be inviolate until you meet your Lord. the safety of your lives and of your property shall be as inviolate as this holy day and holy month. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds. Thus do I warn you. Whoever of you is keeping a trust of someone else shall return that trust to its rightful owner. All interest obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer inequity. God has judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to `abbas ibn `Abd al Muttalib shall henceforth be waived.

Every right arising out of homicide in pre-Islamic days is henceforth waived. And the first such right that I waive is that arising from the murder of Rabi`ah ibn al Harith ibn `Abd al Muttalib.

O Men, the devil has lost all hope of ever being worshiped in this land of yours. Nevertheless, he still is anxious to determine the lesser of your deeds. Beware of him, therefore, for the safety of your religion.

O Men, intercalation or tampering with the calendar is evidence of great unbelief and confirms the unbeliever in their misguidance. they indulge in it one year and forbid it the next in order to make permissible that which God forbade, and to forbid that which God has made permissible. The pattern according to which the time is reckoned is always the same. With God, the months are twelve in number. Four of them are holy. Three of these are successive and ones occurs singly between the months of Jumada and sha`ban.

O Men, to you a right belongs with respect to your women and to your women a right with respect to you. It is your right that they not fraternize with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never to commit adultery. but if they do, then God has permitted you to isolate them within their homes and to chastise them without cruelty. but if they abide by your right, then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them, for they are your partners and committed helpers. Remember that you have taken them as your wives and enjoyed their flesh only under God’s trust and with His permission. Reason well, therefore, O Men, and ponder my words which I now convey to you.

I am leaving you with the Book of God and the Sunnah of His Prophet. If you follow them, you will never go astray.

O Men, harken well to my words. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to you own selves.

O God, have I conveyed Your message?

Rasulullah, saws, then imparted the new revelation which he had just received:

This day the disbelievers despair of prvailing against your religion, so fear them not, but fear Me! This day have I perfected your religion and fulfilled My favor unto you, and it hath been My good pleasure to choose Islam for you as your religion. (5:3)

O People, have I faithfully delivered unto you my messge?

The congragation replies:

“Allahumma na`m” (Oh God, yes!)

The shaykh than repeats The Prophet’s words:

“Oh God, bear witness.”

Qadiqamat for the noon prayer is recited.

Noon prayers performed.

Tekbirs recited.

Qadiqamat for the afternoon prayer is recited.

afternoonoon prayers performed.

Tekbirs recited and then a salawati sharif.

Addenda to the Ritual Prayers

After the dua at the end of the morning, evening and night prayers, include the following:

morning and evening: the last 3 ayats of Suratul Hashr [59:22-24]

Huwa-llahu-lladhi la ilaha illa Hu. ‘Alimu-ghaybi wash-shahadah.

Huwar-rahmanur-rahim. Huwa-llahu-lladhi la ilaha illa Hu.

Al Malikul quddusus-salamul mu’minul muhayminul ‘azizul jabbarul mutakabbir.

Subhana-llahi ‘amma yushrikun. Huwa-llahul khaliqul bari’ul musawwiru

lahuasma’ul husna. Yusabbihu lahu ma fis-samawati wal ard

wa huwal ‘azizul hakim.

then recite 10X

subhanallahi wal hamdulillahi wa la ilaha illallahu Allahu akbar

wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil ‘aliyyul azim

night: the last 2 ayats of Suratul Bakara [2:285-286]

amanar-rasulu bima unzila ilayhi mir-rabbihi wal-mu’minun.

kullun amana billahi wa mala’ikatihi wa kutubihi wa rusulih. la nufarriqu bayna

ahadim-mir-rusulih. wa qalu sami`na wa ata’na ghufranaka rabbana wa

ilaykal-masirj La yukalifu-llahu nafsan illa wus’aha. laha ma kasabat

wa `alayha mak-tasabat. Rabbana la tu’akhidhna in nasina aw akhta’na.

Rabbana wa la tahmil `alayna ‘isran kama hammaltahu `alal-ladhina min qablina.

Rabbana wa la tuhammilna ma la taqata lana bih. Wa`fu ‘anna, waghfir lana,

warhamna. Anta mawlana, fansurna `alal-qawm il-kafirun.

Between the first sunnah and the fard, five sung tevhid can be done. Five more can be done following the sura which is recited after the dua, or immediately after the dua if no sura is recited. When the final tevhid is finished the following is recited:

Illa-llah sayyidina Muhammadar rasulullahi haqqan wa sidqa.

Allahumma salli wa sallim wa barik `ala eshrefi asadi nuri jami`il enbiya’i

wal murselin wal hamdulillahi rabbil `alamin

Teravi Namaz

The Teravi namaz, in honor of Ramadan, ia an extra 20 rak`ats added to the night prayer between the last 2 sunnah and the witr. Theses prayers are begun the night before the first day of fasting, and end the night before the last day of fasting. The special thing about these prayers as done by the tariqah is that between each set of four rak`ats ilahis are sung in different makams. Introducing the start of a cycle of prayer is a sung salawat, in a specific makam. the prayer, with tekbirs, and the ilahi following it is in the same makam. At the end of the ilahi, another salawat is sung introducing the new makam which the next cycle of prayer will follow.

The night prayer begins, and continues as usual through the 2 sunnah. When the teravi is ready to begin everyone chants:

subhanallahi wal-hamdulillahi wa la ilahe illallahu wa-llahu akbar,

wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil-aliyyil-azim

Allahumma salli `ala Muhammad (sung in rast makam)

The imam will then recite the first four rak`ats of teravi in rast, and the muadhdhin will likewise chant in rast. After the salams everyone will sing an ilahi, usually just one verse, in rast. After the ilahi ends everyone sings another salawat, this time in ussak.

The order of the makams is as follows:

Rast: lil hamsetü, talaal bedru alayna,

Ussak: ey enbiyalar, gelin Allah diyelim, allah emrin tutalım

Saba: gelin ey asıklar,ismi subhan

Eviç: mevlam senin

Acimasiran: ah sultanım, neyleyelim tutalım

( It is possible to do the teravi namaz in cycles of 2 rather than 4. When doing this an ilahi is sung after every 4 rak`ats. In between each 2 the salawat in that makam is repeated.)

After the last ilahi is sung, one of the muadhdhins chants:

a`udhu bilallhi minash shaytanir rajim

bismillahir rahmanir rahim

rabbana amana bima anzalta wata ba`anar rasul

(than everyone joins in)

faqtubna ma shahidin

another muadhdhin then recites a series of Amins while everyone else offers a dua.

After the final Amin, everyone sings

wal hamdulillahi rabbil `alamin

Allahumma salli `ala sayyidina Muhammad

Then everyone stands for the witr.

The witr during the teravi is done in congregation, with the imam chanting aloud in all 3 rak`ats.

The takbir before the qunut is shouted rather than sung, to signal that the qunnut is to be done, not a movement of position. The imam does not recite the qunut out loud. After the salams everyone recites:

ya rabbi fir warham wa anta khayrur rahimin

The muadhdhin then begins the closing, which is the same as usual except that each asma is done aloud by different muadhdhins.

Allah rasulina salawat

(Allahumma salli ‘ala Sayyidina Muhammadin wa `ala ali Muhammad)

subhana-llahi wal-hamdulillahi wa la ilaha illallahu Allahu akbar

wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil-`aliyyil-azim

(ayatul kursi ,usually, done silently by all)

wa huwal `aliyyul `azim, dhul jalali wal kamali subhanallah

33 subhanallah

subhanal karimil hamdulillah

33 al hamdulillah

Rabbil `alamin ta’ala shanuhu Allahu akbar

33 Allahu akbar

Allahu akbar adham kabira wahidan la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharikalah,

la huwal mulku wa la huwal hamdu wa huwa `ala kulli shay’in qadir.

(by everyone) Ala inna awliya Allah, la khawfun`alayhim wa la hum yah zanun.

(private prayers: assalatu assalams & dua as usual)

Tesbih Namaz

This is 4 rakats with the following repeated a total of 300 times between the initial tekbir and the final selams.

subhanallahi wal-hamdulillahi wa la ilahe illallahu wa-llahu akbar,

wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil-`aliyyil-`azim

In each of the series of repetitions, the first line is repeated while the second line is said only after the last repetition. The repetitions are inserted as follows:

15 before the Fatihah

10 after the sura

10 after the subhanas while staying in ruku

10 between the Sami’ Allahumman hamida and Rabbina lakal hamd while

standing up straight

10 after the subhanas while staying in sajda

10 while sitting between sajdas

10 after the subhanas of the second sajda while still in sajda

This is repeated for all 4 rakats. The sitting sections of the namaz after the second and after the fourth rakats are the same as for a regular namaz.

Funeral Prayers

The funeral prayers are done after the regular namaz, while standing. If there is no coffin, the prayer is done in the mosque. If a coffin is present, the prayer is done outside, with the coffin between the worshippers and the mosque, the coffin is not brought inside. The coffin should be placed in such a manner that the face of the deceased is facing the Kaba. The prayer is performed in the following manner:

Niyat-for the soul of...,the son of...and... .

Tekbir-Fatihah

Tekbir-salawat

Tekbir-sura

Tekbir-dua

The Friday Jumma’ Prayer

The Friday Prayers are done in the following way.

An adhan and then a salatu as-selam are recited, followed immediately by 4 rakats of sunnah.

The following ayat is then recited by one of the muezzins:

A’udhu billahi minash-shaytanir-rajim

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim

innallaha wa mala’ikatahu yusalluna `alan-nabbi

ya ayyuhalladhina amanu sallu `alahi wa sallimu taslima

sadaqallahul-`azim

Allahumma salli `ala sayyidina Muhammadin wa `ala ali sayyidina Muhammad

A second adhan is then recited followed by the khutba.

Baba’s Dua before the Friday Khutba (taken from 11/13/93)

Al-hamdulillah, al-hamdulillah, al-hamdulillahi-lladhi la ilaha illahu.

al-hamdulillahi Rabbil ‘alamin.

Astaghfirullah, astaghfirullah, astaghfirullah al-`azim al-ladhi la ilaha illa Hu, al-hayyul-qayyum wa atubu ilayh, wa as’alahuttawbata wal-maghfirata wal-hidayata innahu huwattabur-rahim.

Wa’fu ‘anna ya karim, wa’fu ‘anna ya karim, wa’fu ‘anna ya karim.

waghfir lana bi fadlika ya rahmanu ya rahim.

Ya maliku, ya quddusu, ya hafizu, yallah.

Al-awwali Allah, al-akhiri Allah, az-zahiri Allah, al-batini Allah.

Khayrihi wa sharrihi min Allahu ta`ala.

Ashhadu an la ilaha illallahu wahduhu la sharikala,

wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan `abduhu wa rasuluhu.

As-salatu as-salamu `alayka Ya Rasulullah,

As-salatu as-salamu `alayka Ya Habibullah,

As-salatu as-salamu `alayka Ya Sayyid al-awwalina wal-akhirin, ishfalana Ya shafi al muznibin.

bi rahmatika Ya arham ar-Rahimin.

The dua after the khutba ends with the salawati kabir, Allahumma salli ala sayyidinna Muhammadan makhtalafal malawan, wa taaqabel asaran...etc., or sometimes the salatun munjiya.

The qadiqamat is then recited followed by the 2 rakats of jumma namaz fard.

4 more rakats of sunnah are then done, followed by the usual closing, with the exception that Tosun Efendi has left out the final sajda with Ya Allah Hu.

The `Id (Bayram) Prayer

Bayram prayers are done in congregation only, after the morning prayers, which people do at home. After taking a total ablution and perfuming themselves, people go to the mosque and sit chanting tekbirs until the imam is ready to start the prayers. (Tosun Efendi does not been lead the prayers, but does deliver the khutba.)

The `Id prayer is a prayer of 2 rakats, with 6 extra tekbirs.

After the initial tekbir for the prayer, the intention for 2 rakats of `Id prayer and the subhanaka,

3 tekbirs are done complete with the hand movements.

The Fatihah and sura are then recited, and the first rakat continues as usual.

After standing up for the second rakat, the Fatihah and sura are recited as lusual, but then after the sura another 3 extra tekbirs are recited with the hand movements.

Then the usual tekbir preceding the position change is done and the prayer is finished as usual from the ruku to the salams,

When the prayer is over, the Shaykh delivers his khutba. After the dua he says `Id mubarak, and the prayer is over.

Usul

The Usul is an ornamentation to the Wirdi Saghir. It is done regularly on Saturday night either before or after evening prayers, depending on the schedule. The Wird’s place is after the prayer, but during summer it is done before. The Wird and Usul are also done after the morning prayers which are done in the dergah on Saturdays.

If the full Wird is recited, the Usul is recited after the Salawati Munjiyyah and the remaining duas are omitted. If the shortened version of the Wird is done, recite the Wird up to and including the Salawati Kebir, [Allahumma salli ‘ala sayyidina Muhammadan makhtalaf al malavan...], and then skip to the Salawati Munjiyyah. The Usul is as follows, with the first number being the normal repetion and the second being a shortened form.

fa'lam annahu

la ilaha illallah 101 33

illallah, Muhammadar Rasulallah Haqqan wa sidqa

bi ismi Jelal

Allah Ya Allah Ya Allah Ya Allah 111 24

Jella Jellallahu

Ya Hafiz Ya Nasr Ya Mu’in Ya Allah 111 33

Hu 101 8

Azza wa jel

Allahumma salli wa sallim wa barik `ala ashrefi asadi nuri jami`il enbiya’i

wal murselin wal hamdulillahi rabbil `alamin

Allahumma Ya Dafi` Ya Mani` Ya Allah 111 33

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim,

Innallahu Hu ar-Razzakadhul Quwwatil Matin 19 19

la ilaha illallah Muhammad Rasulullah, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallimu taslimah, Haqq

la ilaha illallah Muhammad Habibullah, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallimu taslimah, Haqq

la ilaha illallah Muhammad Shafiyyullah, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallimu taslimah, Haqq

la ilaha illallah Muhammad Nur (sung by all)

Khataman-nabi, Allahumma salli wa sallim wa barik `ala ashrefi asadi nuri jami`il enbiya’i

wal murselin wal hamdulillahi rabbil `alamin (recited by a senior)

Suratul Mulk [67]

dua

al-Fatihah

Azamat hudara tekbir

sung tekbir

Allah Allah, final dua

demi enbiya, sirri evliya, ucler, yediler, kirklar, ashki mevla nurun-nabi, kereme Imami `Ali,

gulbengi Muhammedi, Pirimiz Sultan Muhammad Nureddin al-Jerrahi

demi Hazreti Pir, tekabel mina, kereme mevla, bi ismi zatike

Ya Allah Hu

Night Prayer

Adhan

(sometimes, before he starts his prayers, Baba says Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad)

4 rakats of sunnah namaz

3 sung ikhlas (by muedhdhin or other, usually not the imam.)

5 sung tevhid (closing by the senior dervish present, or if no one else you could do it)

qadiqamat

4 rakats fard namaz behind imam, repeated takbirs by whoever does the qamat.

after salams, 3 astaghfirullah

Allahumma antas-salamu wa minkas-salamu tabarakta ya dhal jalali wal ikram. (usually by

whoever does the recited takbirs)

(Baba usually does an extremely short private dua before standing up.)

2 rakats sunnah namaz

3 rakats witr namaz (always done individually except during tarawi prayers during ramadan)

closing by muedhdhin, but could be by someone else, begins after the Shaykh finishes his final salams:

Allah rasulina salawat

(Allahumma salli `ala Sayyidina Muhammadin wa`ala ali Muhammad)

subhana-llahi wal-hamdulillahi wa la ilaha illallahu Allahu akbar

wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil-’aliyyil-azim

(ayatul kursi ,usually, done silently by all)

wa huwal ‘aliyyul azim, dhul jalali wal kamali subhanallah

(33 subhanallah)

subhanal karimil hamdulillah

(33 al hamdulillah)

Rabbil ‘alamin ta’ala shanuhu Allahu akbar

(33 Allahu akbar)

Allahu akbar adham kabira wahidan la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharikalah,

la huwal mulku wa la huwal hamdu wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadir.

Ala inna awliya Allah, la khawfun ‘alayhim wa la hum yah zanun.

(private prayers: assalatu assalams & dua)

Amin, wal hamdulillahi rabbil ‘alamin (by the shaykh when he’s done with his dua, or if you

wish by the muezzin, but still after you are done.)

ayatul amanar rasulu (by imam, usually; may be left out)

5 sung tevhids (as before)

Closing fatihah by shaykh

final dua & sajda by shaykh

Zikrullah

(in brief)

The Jerrahi zikr is done seated on a circle of sheepskins. All are white, except 3 which face the qibla, and 1 which is black and is opposite the three. The 3 which face the qibla are placed on prayer rugs and the heads face the qibla as in prayer. The middle one is blue and the other 2 are red. The black post is placed on the other sheepskins with the head facing to the left, when you are facing in. The posts in the circle are all placed with the heads overlapping the tail of the post before it and all the heads point towards the qibla.

The posts are traditionally taken from sacrificed animals, and therefore symbolize the dervishes’ desire to sacrifice themselves for Allah’s sake. The blue post is the post of Hazreti Pir Nureddin Jerrahi, which was given to him when he became a Pir and was a gift from another taraiqah. The red posts are the posts of his khalifas and the black post is the post of the meydanjibashi, who is in charge of the meydan, the order in the zikrullah, and the general order of the dervishes in the dergah.

The ceremony begins when all the dervishes are at their places, standing quietly with arms crossed and the right toe covering the left. The shaykh then enters across the black post, (the meydanji is waiting outside ready to bring in the incense) goes up to and greets the blue post then stands on his red post (facing qibla, to the left of the blue).

The shyakh then, in a posture like the dervishes, greets them with “Assalamu alykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu” the dervishes respond with “Wa alaykum salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,” and all sit.

The shaykh begins the invocation, and all cross their arms. the dervishes chant “Hu” in honor of Hazreti Pir and the saints and shaykhs who have died whose names are mentioned. When the names of the past saints and shaykhs are done, the “Hu” stops and the dervishes listen quietly. (When the invocation starts, the meydanji brings in the insense. He hold the insense burner in his right hand, chest high, while his left arm is crossed over his chest. He walks onto the black post and bows to the blue post with his right toe over the left. then he walks to the center of the circle, stops and bows again. Then going down on his right knee, he places the insense burner on the floor, rises, bows again and backs onto the black post. He bows one more time and then sits.

When the shaykh finishes the invocation he says “Al Fatihah” and all chant the salawat and then silently recite the Fatihah.

The shaykh then begins, and all join in, singing the salawat. At the last verse when the words “Nuri Huda” are reached all kiss the knuckles of their thumbs and rub their eyes 3 times, and then wipe their face, chest, arms, body and legs.

Everyone then chants the Salawati Kabir, with arms crossed, and then the Salatun Munjiya, with hands raised with palms up. At the words “wal afat” and “jami is sayyiat”, the hands are turned so the palms face down.

Salawati Kabir

Allâhumma salli `ala sayyidinâ Muhammadin makhtalafal malawân.

Wa ta`âqabal `asarân. Wa karraral jadîdân. wastaqbalal farqadân.

Wa balligh rûhahu wa arwâha ahli baytihi minnat tahiyyata was

salâm. Wa bârik wa sallim `alayhi kathîran kathîran kathîrâ. Wa

sallallâhu `alâ sayyidinâ Muhammadin wa `alâ jamî`il anbiyâ’i wal

mursalîn. Wal awliyâ’i was sâlihîn. Wa `alâ malâ’ikatika wal

muqarrabîn. Wa `alâ ahli tâ`atika ajma`îna min ahlis samâwâti wa

ahlil aradîn. Wa ridwânullâhi ta`âlâ `alâ âli rasûlillâhi wa ashâbihi

ajma`îna birahmatika yâ arhamar râhimîn.

Âmîna wal hamdulillâhi rabbil `âlamîn.

Salatun Munjiya

Allâhumma salli `alâ sayyidinâ Muhammadin salâtan tunjînâ bihâ

min jamî`il ahwâli wal âfât. Wa taqdî bihâ jamî`il hâjât. Wa

tutahirunâ bihâ min jamî`is sayyi`ât. Wa tarfa`unâ bihâ a`lad darajât.

Wa tuballighunâ bihâ aqsal ghâyâti min jamî`il khayrâti fil hayâti wa

ba`dal mamât.

the shaykh then begins the tevhid. While the tevhid is being chanted, the perda, pitch, is raised an odd number of times, and then lowered, also an odd number of times. Each time the pitch is changed, it is sped up.

After the tevhid, a durak is sung or Qur’an recited. (At this point the Meydanji removes the insense in a similar way to when he brought it in.

the shaykh then begins the ismi Allah.

the shaykh then begins the ismi Hu.

The shaykh then recites the following ayat:

Bismillahir rahmanir rahim.

Alladhlina yadhqurunallaha qiyaman wa qu`udan wa `ala junubihim

wa yattafaqqaruna fi khalqi samawati wal ard.

Rabbana ma khalaqta hadha batila.

Subhanaka wa faqina adhaban nar.

Na waytul wajd.

At this point all make a prostration, sajda, slapping the floor with their hands, stand up and form a circle. Standing in place, swaying from side to side, all sing the usulilahi.

After the ilahi the shaykh intones:

Ismi pak Hazreti Muhammad Mustafa as salawat. (the dervishes chant the salawat: Allahumma salli `ala sayyidina Muhammad, saying wa `ala ali Muhammadan wa sahbihi wa sallim silently as the shaykh continues:

Awladi pak Hazreti Muhammad Mustafa as salawat.

Ruhu pak Hazreti Muhammad Mustafa as salawat. After the last slalawat all silently recite a Fatihah.

The shaykh then says: Ya Allah HU, all hold hands (right hand on top, left on bottom, except for the shaykh who has both his hands on top), begin to chant the Hu, and circle to the left, beginning with the left foot. After the 8th Hu, the zakirs, singer, begin the devranbashi. (Some time during the 2nd half of the ilahi, the Meydaji brings out the bendirs, drums. He presents each to the shaykh, who takes each one, kisses it and hands it to the drummer.) At the mention of the name of the saint who wrote the ilahi, the shaykh loudly chants an elongated Hayy, and the bendir starts playing and the dervishes begin to chant Hayy Allah Hayy. (After ismi Hayy begins, if the shaykh has been wearing his taj, turban, the Meydanji takes it from him, and gives him his white hat. Tosun Efendi never wears his taj.)

The Hayy Allah Hayy continues, speeding up as the shaykh directs, while the ilahis alternate with qasidas, sung improvizations by a single zakir or hafiz. Towards the end of the zikrullah, the shaykh stops the movement of the zikrullah, and changes the asma to Hayy Hayy Hayy Hayy. If he wants, he may call the dervishes to gather in close around him. Either he or a zakir or a hafiz then chants the salatu as salam. As the Hayy speeds up, the shaykh may change the asma to Ya Hayy, which may begins slower and then speed up again. The asma then changes to Hayy again as the salatu as salam ends. When it is over, the shaykh ends the asma.

Assalatu assalam

Assalatu assalam alayk, alaykay ya rasulallah.

Assalatu assalam alayk, alaykay ya habiballah.

(this continues, substituting a different name of Rasulallah each time)

Assalatu assalam alayk, alaykay ya sayyid al awwalina wal akhirin.

Allah, Allah, Allah Ya Mawlan. (Here the shaykh ends the asma and bendir.)

If the circle was collapse it is reformed and the dervishes turn to the right. The right hand holds the left hand of the person in front. The hands are about waist high. The right hand in front, palm down, and the left hand behind, palm up. The fingers are curled holding on the the others’ fingers.

The circle now moves to the right, while the dervishes are facing forward, instead of the side as before. The walking begins with the inside, left, foot. Hayyul Qayyum Allah is now sung by the dervishes, while the zakirs sing Yandim Yakildum. For the second verse the asma is changed to Allah Wahid Ahad Samad. The third verse asma is Antal Hadi Antal Haqq, Laysal Hadi illaHu. For the last verse, the asma is Hayy Hayy Hu. The Meydanji now goes and places the shaykhs post down in preparation for the closing, or if their is no room gets ready to do so. At the end of the ilahi the asma is changed to HU HU HU HU, and the shaykh stands on his post with his back towards the qibla and the dervishes line up facing him. The zakirs sing:

La ilaha illallah, Muhammad Rasulallah

sallallaha alayhi, sallallaha alayhi,

wa salimu taslimah

1 zakir then sings:

wa salli `ala ashrefi asadi nuri jami`il enbiya’i

wal murselin wal hamdulillahi rabbil `alamin

Immediately a zakir or hafiz recites the ayat:

audhu billahi minash shaytanir rajim

bismillahir rahmanir rahm

wa taral mala’ikataha fina min hawlil arsh

yusabihu nabbi hamdi rabbihim

wa qudiya baynahum bil haqq

wa qilal hamdulillahi rabbil alamin.

sadaqallahul adhim

The shaykh then does his dua

He then says al fatihah, and all sing the salawat and recite a Fatihah.

The shaykh then says:Azamat hudara tekbir, and everyone sings the tekbir:

Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar

La ilaha illallahu allahu akbar

Allahuakbar wa lillahilhamd (this may be done 3 times or once followed by:)

As-salatu as-salamu `alayka Ya Rasulullah,

As-salatu as-salamu `alayka Ya Habibullah,

As-salatu as-salamu `alayka Ya Sayyid al-awwalina wal-akhirin,

wa salamun alal mursalin wal hamdulillahi rabbil alamin.

The shaykh then begins the final dua saying Allah Allah. the dervishes continue to say Allah Allah

the dua ends with the following:

demi enbiya, sirri evliya, ucler, yediler, kirklar, ashki mevla nurun-nabi, kereme Imami `Ali,gulbengi Muhammedi, Pirimiz Sultan Muhammad Nureddin al-Jerrahi

demi Hazreti Pir, tekabel mina, kereme mevla, bi ismi zatike

All then sing: Ya Allah Hu and bow.

The shaykh then either gives the salutation and receives the response (as in the beginning) and then leaves, or walks to the end of the room. turns and faces the dervshes, who have turned, keeping their lines, to face him, and then gives the salutaion.

Mevlidi Sherif

Wed, 28 Nov 2018 20:14:00 GMT

THE MEVLIDI SHERIF

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

Allah! This name invoke we in beginning,
For this is ever due from us, his servants.

Allah ! The name which brings to all who call it,
God's present aid, the weight of labour light'ning.

Did Allah's name begin each fresh endeavour,
The end would ne'er fall short of full attainment.

With every breath repeat that name, unceasing ;
In Allah's name see every task completed.

Who says: Allah ! in language truly loving
Shall see his sins, like autumn leaves, removing.

That man is pure who on the pure name calleth ;
Who cries : Allah ! attains his every purpose.

Come then in love, that holy name repeating ;
Your woeful tears and heartfelt fears commingle.

He may accord us mercy, that great Sov'reign,
The Generous, the Merciful, the Holy.

He's One ! Doubt not his Unity eternal,
Though multitudes profess their creeds of error.

While yet the worlds were not, Allah had being,
Mighty was he, richer than all creation.

He was, while yet was found nor man nor angel, No earth, moon, sun, nine spheres nor highest heaven.

His was the art by which these all were founded, Him they confess, his Unity they witness.

Omnipotence in these revealed his power While giving proofs that testified his Oneness.

" Be ! " said he, and the world stood forth in splendour ; Were he to say : " Be not ! " so would it vanish.

Why, therefore, need we still prolong discussion ? Allah is One ; beyond him is none other.

The proofs might be till Judgement Day extended Yea, more such Days might fall ere they were ended.

Since Muhammed is cause of this existence, With simple hearts petition his assistance.

If from Hell's flame you hope to find salvation, With grief and love repeat the Salutation.

response

Blessing and greeting upon thee, O Apostle of Allah I Blessing and greeting upon thee, O Beloved of Allah !

INTRODUCTION

O worthy friends, ere we begin our story, We charge you with a legacy most solemn ;

A charge which he who holds in due observance, Musk-sweet shall be his soul among its fellows

May God Most High remember with his mercy Each one of you who me * in prayer remembers.

For me, your slave, make earnest supplication ; A Fatiha I beg, your rich donation.

THE FATIHA

Praise be unto Allah, the Lord of all creatures, the Most Merciful, the King of the Day of Judgement. Thee do we worship and of Thee do we beg assistance. Direct us in the right way, the way of those to whom Thou hast been gracious; not of those against whom Thou are incensed, nor of those who go astray. Amin.

THE PROPHETIC SUCCESSION

When man was first by Allah's pow'r created, The ornament was he of all things living.

To Adam came all angels in submission, A gesture oft, at God's command, repeated.

On his brow first God set the Light of Prophets. Saying : This Light belongs to my Beloved.

Long years that Light shone there, nor ever wavered, Until the prophet's earthly life was ended.

Know that to Eve's brow next the Light migrated, Remaining there through many months and seasons.

Then Seth received this sigil of Mustafa,²

Which glowed more bright as year to year was added.

¹ I.e. the soul of the author, Siileyman.

² Throughout this poem the names Ahmed, Muhammed and Mustafa are used for the Prophet.

Thus Abraham and Ishmael received it

My time would fail should all the line be counted.

From brow to brow, in linked chain unbroken, The Light at last attained its goal, Muhammed.

The Mercy of the Worlds appeared, and straightway To him the Light took wing, its journey ended.

Give ear, then, to his merits, O ye pious, And know who is the one will justify us.

If from Hell's flame you hope to find salvation, With love and zeal repeat the Salutation.

response

Blessing and greeting upon thee, O Apostle of Allah ! Blessing and greeting upon thee, O Beloved of Allah !

THE BIRTH OF MUHAMMED (on whom be peace /)

Now Amine, Muhammed's tender mother (Mother-of-pearl, her one pearl like none other),

Had been with child by Abdullah, the faithful, And time had sped, her hour was fast approaching.

But in that night when he to earth descended, A host of herald signs bespoke his coming.

It was the happy month, Rebi-ul-evel. And of this month the twelfth, Isneyn, the Blessed, 20

On which was born the Welfare of the Peoples, 'Mid marvels by his wond'ring mother witnessed.

" I saw," said she, " a wondrous light up-springing, And streaming from my house, with blaze increasing.

Round it the sun revolved, moth-like and dazzled, While earth and sky gave back this matchless splendour.

Heaven's radiant doors stood wide, and Dark was vanquished. There came three angels bearing shining banners;

They raised one at the world's east brink, another At farthest west, the third atop the Kaaba.

Then rank on rank the heavenly host descended,

And round my dwelling marched, as 'twere God's mansion.

This multitude made clear to me that straightway Their lord to earth would come, to bless his people.

In air I saw a silken mattress wafted, By angel band adoringly attended.

So clear before my eyes appeared these visions, That all my heart o'erflowed with glowing wonder.

But now the wall at hand was sharply riven ;

In stepped three shining houris' fresh from Heaven.

Some say that one was Asiye, fair consort Of Egypt's King, who noble Moses nurtured.

One was, without a doubt, the Lady Mary ; The third, a graceful houri, their attendant.

Most graciously the moon-browed three approached me, And, bowing low, said kindly : ' Peace be on thee !'

¹ Angelic, heavenly beings.

Then close at hand they sat in friendly circle While each announced glad tidings of Mustafa.

To me they said : ' Not since the world's creation Hath mother had such cause for exultation.

No son like thine, such strength and grace possessing, Hath God to earth sent down, for its redressing.

Great favour hast thou found, thou lovely mother, To bear a son surpassing every other.

Sultan is he, all hidden truth possessing, Full knowledge of the Unity professing.

For love of him, thy son, the skies are turning ; Mankind and angels for his face are yearning.

This is the night foretold in song and story, In which the worlds rejoice to see his glory.

This night the world a paradise he maketh, This night God's mercy on mankind awaketh.

Men of goodwill this night are all elated, All upright men this night have long awaited.

The Mercy of both Worlds is he, Mustafa, The Refuge of the sinner is Mustafa ! '

With gracious words his nature thus they pictured, And for that blessed Radiance set me yearning."

Here Amine made ending, for the hour

In which should come that best of men had sounded.

" I thirst," she cried, " I thirst, I burn with fever ! " A brimming glass to her at once was proffered.

White was that glass, than snow more white, and colder ; No sweetmeat ever made held half such sweetness.

" I drank it, and my being filled with glory, Nor could I longer self from light distinguish.

On pinions bright a bird of white came floating,¹And stroked my back, so strongly yet how kindly ;

The Sultan of the Faith that hour was given,

And drowned in glory lay both earth and heaven."

Now pray to him, make peace and full submission, That Paradise be yours for your contrition.

If from Hell's flame you hope to find salvation, With love and zeal repeat the Salutation.

response

Blessing and greeting upon thee, O Apostle of Allah ! Blessing and greeting upon thee, O Beloved of Allah !

All things created joyfully acclaimed him,

Sorrow was done, new life the world was flooding.

The very atoms joined in mighty chorus,

Crying with sweetest voices: Welcome, welcome !

Welcome, O matchless Sultan, thou art welcome, Welcome, O Source of Knowledge, thou art welcome.

Welcome, thou Secret of the Koran, welcome, Welcome, Affliction's Cure, thou art most welcome.

¹ At this point in the recital the congregation stands to welcome the arrival of the Prophet.

Welcome, thou Nightingale of Beauty's garden, Welcome, to him who knows the Lord of Pardon.

Welcome, thou Moon and Sun of God's salvation, Welcome, who knowst from Truth no deviation.

Welcome, the rebel's only place of hiding, Welcome, the poor man's only sure confiding.

Welcome, Abiding Spirit, thou art welcome, Welcome, the Lovers' Cup-bearer, O welcome.

Welcome, thou Eyesight of thy true adorer, Welcome, thou Prince, loved by the World's Restorer.

Welcome, the humble soul's Illuminator, Welcome, thou cherished Friend of the Creator.

Welcome, thou Soul Beloved, thou art welcome, Welcome, Affliction's Cure, thou art most welcome.

Welcome, since thou of both worlds art the Blesser, Welcome to thee, the sinner's Intercessor.

Welcome, thou Monarch by two worlds awaited, For whom both earth and heaven were created.

O thou, whose face with noonday splendour gloweth, Whose hand is quick to raise up all the fallen,

Thou art the stay and comfort of all lovers, The only refuge both of slave and freeman ;

O balm of broken hearts, joy of the contrite, O Sultan of the world and all its creatures,

King art thou to the noble race of Prophets, Light-of-the-eye to men, both saint and simple ;

O, last to mount the throne of the Apostles, O thou, the seal and warrant of the Prophets,

Whose light did make the whole world shine in brilliance, Whose rose-like beauty filled the world with roses,

O'ercame the night of ignorance and error,

And brought Attainment's Vineyard to perfection,

O thou, Belov'd of God, grant thy assistance, Smile on us in that hour when ends existence.

If from Hell's flame you hope to find salvation, With love and zeal repeat the Salutation.

response

Blessing and greeting upon thee, O Apostle of Allah ! Blessing and greeting upon thee, O Beloved of Allah !

When he, the Friend of God ruthful and clement, Brought to the world the beauty of his presence,

Each angel to his fellow bore glad tidings, While earth itself in exultation trembled.¹

Affrighted by these portents, sweet Amine

'Twixt swoon and waking saw a wondrous vision

She found herself alone, the houris vanished, Likewise her son. Believing that they had him,

In tremulous dismay her loss she pondered, Imploring God the while to send him to her.

¹ A reference to the earthquake believed to have taken place at the time of the Prophet's birth. In this earthquake the famous vaulted hall at Ctesiphon is supposed to have been ruined.

Her anxious eye sought every nook and corner, Till suddenly she spied him, deep in worship ;

The Welfare of Mankind, facing the Kaaba, Had fallen prone, in holy adoration.

There he with head and tongue was praising Allah, Whose Unity his outstretched finger witnessed.

He cried : " Oh God, I look to thee, beseeching, Grant me my people, let them all be near me ! "

Amine said : "So clear I saw this vision, That I to earth was drawn by my impatience.

So my mind cleared, these shadows all departed, And lo, my son, light of my eyes, Mustafa !

But hear the marvelcord already severed, Eyes painted, and his circumcision perfect !

His face was lighted with a smile like daybreak, A sight which set my heart with joy a-tremble.

My heart glowed hot with fires of tender passion, I snatched him up, and pressed him to my bosom.

Trembled his lips, I saw that words were forming. What could my Bird of Paradise be saying ?

I bent my ear towards his mouth and listened With wonder, for his speech was plain to follow.

Freely submitting all his will to Allah,

He murmured low : ' My people, oh, my people ! ' "

For you he prayed, though he was but an infant, Yet you, full-grown, forsake his path of virtue

' My people !' thus he yearningly addressed you Salute him then, for love will heal and rest you.

If from Hell's flame you hope to find salvation, With love and zeal repeat the Salutation.

response

Blessing and greeting upon thee, O Apostle of Allah ! Blessing and greeting upon thee, O Beloved of Allah I

THE MIRACLES OF ALLAH'S APOSTLE

That night the Meccan chiefs, men pure and guileless, While circling round the Kaaba, deep in worship,

Beheld the shrine in homage bow its summit, And right itself again, not one stone missing.

At this each noble chief his neighbour greeted, Crying : " The Welfare of Mankind is with us ! "

And how the Kaaba spoke with voice of triumph ; " Tonight is born the Sun, who all men lighteth.

From idols and all blasphemy he'll cleanse me,

And save from those who hold that God hath partners.

Henceforth his people, pure of heart and lowly,

Round me will march barefoot, with heads uncovered !"

That night the Prophet's thund'rous drums resounded, Satan that night from heaven was ejected ;

In shrine and temple dashed were god and painting, While 'neath God's scourge the sons of wrath were fainting.

If from Hell's flame you hope to find salvation, With love and zeal repeat the Salutation.

response

Blessing and greeting upon thee, O Apostle of Allah ! Blessing and greeting upon thee, O Beloved of Allah !

The Glory of the World, when he was forty, Assumed the crown of prophecy, mysterious.

Oft heard he then a great voice cry : " O Faithful, Thee have I made to be the world's sure Mercy ! "

By verse and verse came down the sacred Koran, While miracles most passing strange were witnessed.

Know first that never did that sacred body Cast shadow on the earth, not e'en at noonday ;

From head to foot his frame was light in essence, And sure it is that light has not a shadow.

Above that noble head there hung unfailing,

A cloudy fragment sent from heav'n to shield him ;

Its shadow cooled the burning heats of summer, And where he moved, the cloud to him was faithful.

The miracles his eyes displayed are many ; Attend, while I recount these blessed marvels.

Whate'er those eyes might see before them lying, Could they behold as clear when left behind him.

When Gabriel brought down a revelation, The very instant when from heav'n he parted,

On earth his scent would fill the Prophet's nostrils, Who waited then with joy the coming message.

Those glorious lips had but to quiver faintly, And lo, the sun with all his train would tremble.

When winds of dawn about his head played lightly, The scent of musk and amber filled their eddies.

By night his pearly teeth so brightly glittered, Lost needles by that light might be recovered.

His breast poured forth a light by which his comrades Through darkest night could walk the path of safety.

The Friend of God in twain the moon divided, Though he but gestured towards it with his finger.

The Ruler of the World would oft plant palm-trees, And pluck the honeyed fruit within the hour.

This tale might be till Judgement Day extended Yea, more such Days might fall ere it were ended.

If from Hell's flame you hope toflnd salvation, With love and zeal repeat the Salutation.

response

Blessing and greeting upon thee, O Apostle of Allah ! Blessing and greeting upon thee, O Beloved of Allah !

THE HEAVENLY JOURNEY OF ALLAH'S APOSTLE

Come hither, ye who long to' feel love's fires,

Who count yourselves true lovers of the Loved One.

Come, hear how he one night to heav'n ascended ; And burn with love the while, if ye be lovers.

Upon a Thursday night, and this is certain, For this became th' illustrious Night of Power,¹

Our Lord, the royal child of noble fortune, At home was resting in the cool of evening.

While thus in high-souled ease he was there seated, To Paradise ² God sent his angel saying :

" Take thence a belt of rank, a crown well-jewelled, A trusty chestnut steed of noble breeding,

Lead him to my Beloved for his service, To visit highest heaven and behold me."

So Gabriel to Paradise descended,

And saw that countless horses there were grazing.

But in their midst stood one with eyes right tearful, Who would nor eat nor drink, so mournful was he.

His sorrowing eyes streamed like the flooded Jeyhan, Pining and grief his woeful heart had melted.

Said Gabriel: " Why weep you so, what ails you, What wounds are these your soul and body carry ?

¹ The ayth night in the month of Ramazan. ² Lowest of the heavenly spheres.

Your comrades all do graze and drink or wander, While you stand moaning ; say, what do you long for ?

He answered : " Forty thousand years, O Master, Not food or drink, but love my frame has nourished.

For, once, my ear was drawn by sudden music, Voices divinely sweet, low, but heart-piercing,

Which sang in lovely unison : ' Muhammed !' Since then I know not what strange mood is on me,

My left from right can I not now distinguish ; The Master of that name I love for ever.

Within my breast my heart is lean with longing ; Not sight but only sound has made me love him.

This yearning makes of Paradise a prison,

By night and day these groans and sighs I utter.

Though to the eye I seem to stand in heaven, The pangs of absence are my endless torment.

Him. must I find, whose glorious name I cherish, Or else this frame incontinent must perish ! "

Cried Gabriel: " O matchless steed celestial, Languish no more, for God your prayer has answered.

Whoever bears love's emblems in his body Shall know, some day, the joy of lovers' meeting

Come now to meet your loved one as appointed, With healing balm your heart shall be anointed."

The steed and Gabriel set forth together, And soon appeared before the body Prophet.

Our Intercessor in the Day of Judgement ! The crown of bliss tonight thy brow encircles ;

Wander at will throughout the storeyed heavens, And share tonight our Sultan's conversation,

An honour ne'er before to man accorded, For none was worthy thus to be exalted."

That night the Prophet roamed, led on by passion, To view the spheres with comprehending glances.

From each he garnered store of hidden wisdom, Until his steps approached the bourn of Sidre,¹

Beyond which point had Gabriel not ventured Since first the spheres to order were subjected.

When Gabriel made sign he could no further, The Mercy of the Worlds declared in sadness :

" These paths I know not, all is blank before me ; A stranger I, how shall I go without thee ? "

At this the angel cried : " Prophet beloved, Think not thyself to be e'en here a stranger !

For thee alone these spheres have been created, With men and jinns, the houris and bright angels.

But here my range doth end, here is my border, Nor know I what beyond this frontier lieth.

It is commanded by our glorious Master, That I nor wing nor heart beyond this venture.

¹ A tree in the seventh heaven. Also the mansion of the Angel Gabriel.

Should I transgress, swift as the lightning flashci The fire of God would smite my bones to ushci.'

The Glory of the World to this made ansvvci : " Stay thou within the pale, as is commanded.

But I, whose steps hath Love to this point guided, I must go on, although at once I perish.

Who presses on, in death's despite, unshrinking, Shall see his love, and stand, those features drinking.

Count not the way of love adverse or winding ; To yield the head may prove the surest finding."

If from Hell's flame you hope to find salvation, With love and zeal repeat the Salutation.

response

Blessing and greeting upon thee, O Apostle of Allah ! Blessing and greeting upon thee, O Beloved of Allah I

While thus he was with Gabriel conversing, Refref' appeared and, bowing, bade him follow.

The Sultan of the World and he together Set forth from Sidre for their destination.

Soon came a chasm, abysmal and upreaching, Where's neither sky, nor earth, nor habitation ;

* There is uncertainty among the commentators as to what Kr/rr/ represents. Some suppose it to be a heavenly beast not unlike (lie Burak which had carried the Prophet during the first stage ot Im heavenly journey.

This boundless space is neither full nor empty, Its qualities escape man's comprehension.

Before they found the seat of the Eternal. Full seven times ten thousand veils were lifted.

When each was raised, a solemn voice commanded : " Approach, my friend ; delay not to come hither ! "

He saw and crossed those empyrean spaces, And stood at last before the Lord Almighty.

There Majesty revealed to the Beloved, In fullest light, six aspects of his Beauty.

He saw the Lord of Glory full and clearly, As will his followers in the World Hereafter.

The King communed with Mustafa, 'tis certain, Though neither word, nor voice, nor sign were needed.

" I am your heart's desire," he said, " your solace, Your only love, the only God you worship. For me by night and day you sigh, unceasing, And say : ' Why may I not behold his beauty ? '

Come Friend, the love I feel for you is boundless, To you I give all people for your bondsmen.

Whatever you desire shall now be granted ; For every ill a thousand cures stand ready."

Then answered Mustafa : " O God of Mercy, Veiler of Faults, most graciously forgiving,

What shall become of these thy halting people, How shall they find their way into thy presence ?

By day and night their deeds compass rebellion ; I fear lest the Abyss should be their portion.

O Majesty, this is my sole petition

My people, may they be by thee accepted."

From Truth Supreme a loving cry resounded :

" I grant them all to you, my friend, Muhammed !

Your people now to you have I accorded ;

My Paradise I promise for their portion.

O Friend, was such a trifle worth the asking ?

Since you now have my love, my gentle Lover,

Would you make suit for this rebellious handful ?

You might have asked both worlds for your possessing.

You are the glass which mirrors my reflection ; Your name have I inscribed with mine together." God said moreover : " Well I know, my Prophet, That gazing thus your soul will ne'er feel surfeit;

But go, and give my slaves my invitation To come and gaze at will upon my features.

You came to heav'n and for them interceded ; Your people shall approach me in the Natnaz.

Whenever one performs the Namaz duly, It wins him merit like to those in heaven.

All forms of worship are in it included ; It is both way to God and sure arrival. Those faithful souls who pay it five times daily Shall God reward as though they had done fifty." 37

This conversation lasted but an instant,

Though ninety thousand words were in it spoken.

In that same breath, the world's great Prince and Sultan Was back once more, under the roof familiar.

To his revered companions he narrated, From first to last, the story of his journey.

They said : " Oh thou to whom we turn our faces, Blessed be thine exalted, heavenly journey !

We all are slaves, thou art our glorious ruler In all our hearts thou art the full-moon shining.

Enough for us the call to be thy nation ; Enough if we may win thine approbation."

THE PETITION

So come, let us confess our sad rebellions ; With secret moan and bitter groan repenting.

Though life should last however many seasons, Death shall one day become our sole employment.

So let us now defeat death's pangs and sadness, By evermore entreating : God forgive us !

Our deeds have ever been of God unworthy ; We know not what may be our last condition.

Our worthless course have we not left nor altered No preparations made for life eternal.

Our names we make to shine before the people, But secretly our hearts we all have tarnished.

Each breath sees us commit sins by the thousand, Yet not once in our life repent we one sin.¹

Yielding to self we sin and know no limit What shall we do, O God, how make repentance ?

No one of us but knows his heart's sedition, Yet we have come, thy mercy to petition.

We hope for grace to make a good profession, For Mercy's touch, and Ahmed's intercession.

THE REFUGE IN ALLAH

O God, for sake of him, thy friend, Muhammed, For sake of Ahmed, rich in intercession,

For sake of Sidre and of highest heaven,

For sake of paths he trod on that high journey,

For sake of noble words on that night spoken, For eyes which gazed that night upon their Maker,

For sake of light divine and of the Koran, For Zion's sake, for Kaaba, Merve,² Zemzem,

For sake of tears thy lovers shed, unceasing, For heads and hearts of all thy faithful people,

For hearts aflame with Love's consuming passion, For mourners weeping blood, so sharp their sorrow,

¹ An attempt to reproduce the word-play of the original, " Bir giinaha etmedik hi bir gun ah ".

² A hill near Mecca, visited during the annual pilgrimage.

For slaves who walk thy Way in firm devotion, For this sure Way, straight to thy presence leading ;

What time the span of life on earth is meted, What time the shades of death must be entreated,

O Holy One, when our last breath doth falter, Confirm our faith, that it nor change nor alter.

Absolve us, sinful, guilty, rebel creatures, Free from us sin, that we behold thy features.

Our tombs with Faith's pure light do thou make splendid, Our way by cheerful seraph bands attended.

When souls are weighed, our hope in thee we centre ; Guide by thy grace, till Paradise we enter ;

Set us near Mustafa, O thou Benignant,

In gardens where there blows no wind malignant;

Then graciously thy face to us revealing, Content our every wish beyond appealing.

Forgive our rebel deeds, thy mercy hasten, For Ahmed's sake, our sins but lightly chasten.

Join us to those with whom thou art contented, Nor gather us among the souls tormented.

May Siileyman, the lowly, find salvation, Make faith his guide and Paradise his station.

Almighty God, from evil now deliver ! Amen, say all who hope in God the Giver.

A hundred thousand blessings, morn and even, To Mustafa's pure soul by God be given.

May all his clan, companions and his nation, His friends and comrades share this acceptation.

May he, our Advocate, reject us never ! May God be gracious to you all for ever !

If from Hell's flame you hope to find salvation, With love and grief repeat the Salutation.

response

Blessing and greeting upon thee, O Apostle of Allah I Blessing and greeting upon thee, O Beloved of Allah !

THE PRAYER

Praise and thanks be unto thee, O Lord God.

Accept in thy courts of glory this recitation of the Mevlidi Sherif and of the glorious Koran, given in honour of thy noble Friend (prayers and peace be upon him), O Lord God.

We make a gift of the merit and reward of this recitation to the honoured soul of our Master and Prophet; accept it, we pray thee, O Lord God. We make a gift of it to the souls of all the apostles, to their companions and descendants, to the souls of the saints and of all true Believers; accept it on their behalf, O Lord God.

Let thy mercy rejoice all the spirits of such as are departed from among the friends who have been responsible for this recitation of the Mevlidi Sherif, O Lord God. Especially the souls of ........ (Here the leader reads the names of those

for the repose of whose souls the recitation has been made, if this has been a service of that nature.) Grant long life to those who remain, O Lord God.

Make the government of our Republic victorious over all its enemies by land, sea and air, O Lord God. Make our beloved land and nation fortunate-and happy, O Lord God.

When life comes to an end, may the peace of the Faith be ours, and grant us forgiveness and remission of our sins, O Lord God.

Praise be unto God, the Lord of Glory and of the Abstinent, and peace be upon the Apostles, and thanks be unto God, the Lord of the Here and the Hereafter. Amen.

THE FATIHA

Praise be unto Allah, the Lord of all creatures, the Most Merciful, the King of the Day of Judgement. Thee do we worship and of Thee do we beg assistance. Direct us in the right way, the way of those to whom Thou hast been gracious; not of those against whom Thou are incensed, nor of those who go astray. Amin.

Namaz (Salat) Instructions - 1

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 18:37:00 GMT

PRONUNCIATION NOTES	*Examples*
DH the voiced th of "this."	ADHAAN
TH the unvoiced th of "thing."	KAWTHAR
D a very soft d.	FARD
Z a very soft th	AZIIM
T middle-palate t. Rounds following vowel, otherwise indistinguishable for English speakers.	TARIQA
S middle-palate s. Same difference.	SABR
H emphatic aspirated h.	AHAD
' a stop in the back of the throat. In this transliteration ( ' ) stands for both 'ayn and hamza.
GH a gargled g, close to a French r	MAGHDUUBI ALAYHIM
KH as in German ach, Yiddish challah	AL-AKHIRIIN
SH as in the word 'shop'	SHAYYIN
¨ Double vowels (AA) extend the duration of syllables. Where there is no long syllable, stress all syllables in aword equally. (Generally very slight emphasis on first.)
¨ Arabic elides words frequently, running them together into a single flow of sound. Thus Fl AD-DUNYA would be pronounced FIDDUNYA. Where necessary, this elision has been indicated by the mark. i.e. FI2D-DUNYA.
¨ A hyphen between words (AN-NAAS, BI-KA) attaches a word to a short preposition or a variation of the definite article AL, "the."

	¨ 1. *ADHAAN* (Standing facing qiblah,hands up- palms up- face forward; thumbs behind ears for men, hands at shoulder level for women.)		*The Call to Prayer*
		ALLAAHU AKBAR, ALLAAHU AKBAR (2X)	God is most Great
		ASHSHADU AN LAA ILAHA ILAA2LLAAH (2X)	I bear witness that there is no god but God
		ASHSHADU ANNA MUHAMMADAN RASUULULLAAH (2X)	I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God
		HAYYA ALA2S-SALAAT, HAYYA ALA2S-SALAAH	Come to prayer
		HAYYA ALA2L-FALAAH (2X)	Come to felicity
		ALLAAHU AKBAR, ALLAAHU AKBAR (2X)	God is most great
		LAA ILAHA ILAA2LLAAH	There is no god but God
¨ 2. *NIIYA* (Hands down at sides)			*Intention*
		"FOR ALLAH'S SAKE I INTEND TO MAKE THE (two/three/FOUR) RAK'ATS OF THE (SUNNAT/fard)OF THE (dawn/NOON/afternoon/sunset/night) PRAYER"
		ASTAGHFIRULLAH (3X)	I ask God's forgiveness
		ALLAAHU AKBAR(with hands up as in adhan)
	¨ 3. *SUBHANAKA* (Then, hands down, folded right over left, under navel for men, over chest for women)
		SUBHANAKA ALLAAHUMMA WA BI-HAMDIKA	Glory and praise to Thee, O God
		WA TABARRAKA2SMUKA WA TA'AALAA JADDUKA	Your name is blessed, Your might exalted
		WA LAA ILAHA ILA GHAYRUK	and there is no god other than Thee
		A'UUDHU BILLAAHI MIN ASHSHAYTAN IR-RAJIIM	I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the Accursed
¨ 4. *FATI*HA			"Opening"
		BISMILLAAH IR-RAHMAAN IR-RAHIIM	In the name of God, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful
		AL-HAMDU LILLAAHI RABB IL-'AALAMIIN	Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds
		AR-RAHMAAN IR-RAHIIM	Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
		MAALIKI YAWM2ID-DIIN	Possessor of the Day of Judgment
		IYYAAKA NA'BUDU WA IYYAAKA NASTA'IIN	You we serve and to You we turn for help
		IHDINA2S-SIRAT AL-MUSTAQIIM	Guide us on the straight path
		SIRAATA2LLADHIINA AN'AMTA 'ALAYHIM	The path of those with whom You are pleased
		GHAYRI2L-MAGHDUUBI 'ALAYHIM	Not those with whom You are angry
		WA LAA2D DAALLIIN AAMIIN	Nor those who go astray.

¨ 5. *Surahs* (recite one)
		a. *MAA'UUN*		*Small Kindnesses*
			BISMILLAAH IR-RAHMAAN IR-RAHIIM
			A RA'AYTA ALLADHII YUKADHIBU BI-D-DIIN	Have you seen the one who belies religion?
			FA DHAALIKA ALLADHII YADU'U2L-YATIIM	That is he who repels the orphan
			WA LAA YAHUDDU 'ALAA TA'AAMI2L-MISKIIN	And does not encourage the feeding of the needy
			FA-WAYLUN LIL-MUSALLIINA	So woe to those who pray
			ALLADHIINA HUM 'AN SALAATIHIM SAAHUUN	Who are heedless of their prayer
			ALLADHIINA HUM YURA'AA'UUN	Those who wish to be seen
			WA YAMNA'UUNA2L-MAA'UUN	But refuse small kindnesses
		b. *KAWTHAR*		*Abundance*
			BISMILLAAH IR-RAHMAAN IR-RAHIIM
			INNA A'TAYNAAKA2L-KAWTHAR	Indeed we have given you Abundance
			FA-SALLI LI-RABBIKA WA2NHAR	So pray to your Lord and sacrifice
			INNA SHAANI 'AKA HUWA2L-ABTAR	Indeed, it is your tormentor who is cut off.
		c. *KAAFIRUUN*		*Disbelievers*
			BISMILLAAH IR-RAHMAAN IR-RAHIIM
			QUL YAA AYYUHA2L-KAAFIRUUNA	Say: O you who disbelieve
			LAA A'BUDU MA TA'BUDUUNA	I do not serve what you serve
			WA LAA ANTUM 'AABIDUUNA MA A'BUDU	And you are not worshippers of what I serve
			WA LAA ANA 'AABIDUN MA 'ABADTUM	And I will not be a worshipper of what you serve
			WA LAA ANTUM 'AABIDUUNA MAA A'BUDU	And you will not be worshippers of what I serve
			LAKUM DIINUKUM WA LIYA DIIN	To you your religion and to me mine.
		d. *NASR*		*Help*
			BISMILLAAH IR-RAHMAAN IR-RAHIIM
			IDHA JAA'A NASRU2LLAHI WA2L-FATHU	When the help of God comes, and victory
			WA RA'AYTA2N-NAASA YADKHULUUNA FI DIINI2LLAHI AFWAAJAN	And you see humanity entering the religion of God in crowds
			FA-SABBIH BI-HAMDI RABBIKA WA2STAGHFIRHU	Then glorify by praise of- your Lord and ask His forgiveness
			INNAHU KAANA TAWWAABA	Surely He is Ever-Merciful
		e. *IKHLAS*		*Purity*
			BISMILLAAH IR-RAHMAAN IR-RAHIIM
			QUL HUWA2LLAHU AHAD	Say: He is Allah, the One
			ALLAHU2S-SAMAD	Allah, upon which everything depends
			LAM YALID WA LAM YUULAD	He does not beget and is not begotten
			WA LAM YAKUN LAHU KUFUWAN AHAD	Arid there is nothing comparable to Him
		f. *FALAQ*		*Daybreak*
			BISMILLAAH IR-RAHMAAN IR-RAHIIM
			QUL A'UUDHU BI-RABB IL-FALAQ	Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of Daybreak
			MIN SHARRI MAA KHALAQ	From the evil of what He has created
			WA MIN SHARRI GHASIQIN IDHA WAQAB	And from the evil of darkness when it overspreads
			WA MIN SHARRI NAFATHATI FII2L-'UQAD	And from the evil of blowers upon knots
			WA MIN SHARRI HAASIDIN IDHA HASAD	And from the evil of the envious one when he envies
		g. *NAAS*		*Humanity*
			BISMILLAAH IR-RAHMAAN IR-RAHIIM
			QUL A'UUDHU BI-RABB IN-NAAS	I seek refuge with the Lord of Humanity
			MALIK IN-NAAS	The King of Humanity
			ILAH2IN-NAAS	The God of Humanity
			MIN SHARR IL-WASWAAS IL-KHANNAAS	From the evil of the sneaking whisperer
			ALLADHII YUWASWISU FII SUDUUR IN-NAAS	Which whispers in the hearts of humanity
			MIN AL-JINNATI WA2N-NAAS	From the jinn, and humanity.
			(after recitation of Surah, say)
	¨ 6. ALLAAHU AKBAR			God is most Great
	¨ 7. *RUKU'* (bend at right angles from waist, hands on knees)			*Bending*
			SUBHANA RABBII AL-AZIIM (3X)	Glory to my Lord, the Tremendous
			ALLAAHU AKBAR
			(rise to standing position, hands down at sides, reciting while rising:)
			(in standing position recite)
			RABBANAA LAKA2L-HAMD	Our Lord, Yours is the praise
			ALLAAHU AKBAR

¨ 8. *SAJDA* (keeping feet in same place, prostrate, first right knee then left knee, right hand then left hand, forehead and nose between hands on the floor)			*Prostration*
		SUBHANA RABBII2AL-‘ALAA (3X)	Glory to my Lord, the Most High
		ALLAAHU AKBAR
		(sit back on heels long enough to say Subhanallah; repeat Sajda)
		SUBHANA RABBII2AL-‘ALAA (3X)	Glory to my Lord, the Most High
		ALLAAHU AKBAR
		(rise to standing without moving feet or-lifting oneself with hands. Fold hands again and repeat Fatiha and one more (different) Quranic Verse/Surah followed by another Sajda. After second Sajda, instead of standing up, sit on knees and recite: at-Tahiyyatu.
¨ 9. *AT-TAHIYYATU*
		AT-TAHIYYATU-LILLAAHI WA2S-SALAWAATU WA2T- T AYYIBATU	All greetings, blessings, and good acts belong to Allah
		AS-SALAAMU'ALAYKA AYYUHA2N-NABIIYYU	Peace unto you, O Prophet
		WA RAHMATULLAHI WA BARAKATUHU	and the mercy and blessing of Allah
		WA2S-SALAAMU 'ALAYNAA WA 'ALAA 'IBAADI2LLAAHI2S-SALIHIIN	Peace be unto us, and unto the righteous servants of Allah
		ASHHADU AN LAA ILAHA ILAA2LLAAH	I bear witness that there is no god but Allah
		WA2SHHADU ANNA MUHAMMADAN 'ABDUHU WA RAASUULUH	And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.
		ALLAAHU AKBAR
	(stand and repeat third Fatiha, and a different Surah. Continue with Ruku’ and Sajda. Repeat fourth Fatiha and a different Surah, continue with Ruku’ and Sajda. On fourth sajda, repeat at-Tahiyyatufollowed by "Salawat") [N.B. -- This is a Sunnet, or optional prayer, thus all four Ruku’s are to be preceded by both Fatiha and also some selected verses/Surah from the Qur’an. By contrast, for the Fard, or obligatory prayers, the selected Surah/verses from the Qur’an are recited only after each of the first two Fatihas; for the fard of the afternoon prayer, the second two Ruku’s follow immediately after the Fatiha and “Amin.” ] see end note For the Sunnet prayers (which may be either two or four ruku’s) both or all four of the Ruku’s are preceded by verses from the Qur’an**

	¨ 10. *SALAWAAT*
		ALLAAHUMMA SALLI 'ALA SAYYIDINAA MUHAMMADIN WA 'ALA AAHLI MUHAMMADIN		O Allah, bless our master Muhammad and the family of Muhammad
		KAMAA SALLAYTA 'ALAA IBRAHIIMA WA 'ALAA 'AALI 'IBRAHIIMA		as You have blessed Abraham and the family of Abraham
		INNAKA HAMIIDUN MAJIID		Surely You are Praiseworthy, Glorious
		ALLAAHUMMA BARIK 'ALAA MUHAMMADIN WA 'ALA AAHLI MUHAMMADIN		Allah, be gracious unto Muhammad and unto the family of Muhammad
		KAMAA BARAKTA 'ALA IBRAHIIMA WA 'ALAA 'AAHLI IBRAHIIMA		As You were gracious unto Abraham and unto the family of Abraham
		INNAKA HAMIIDUN MAJIID		Surely You are Praiseworthy, Glorious
	¨ 11. *RABBANA A’TAYNA*
		RABBANA A’TAYNAA FI2D-DUNYA HASANATAN FII L-AKHIRATI HASANATAN		Our Lord, grant us good in this world good in the next world,
		WA KINAA ‘ADHABA2N-NAAR		and protect us from the torment of the fire
		WA2DHAABI2L-QABRI		and the suffering of the grave
		BI-RAHMATIKA		by Your Mercy
		YAA ARHAM2AR-RAHIMIIN		O Most Compassionate of the Compassionate
¨ 12. *RABBANAA AGHFIR LII*
		RABBANAA AGHFIR LII WA LI WALIDAYA WA LIL-MU'MINIINA YAWMA YAKUUM UL-HISAAB		Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers on the Day of Accounting
		RABBANAA WA2GHFIR LANA BI-FADLIKA		Our Lord, forgive us by Your Grace
		YAA RAHMAANU YA RAHIIM		O Beneficent, O Compassionate One.
	¨ 13. *SALAAM* ( turning head once to the right. . .
			AS-SALAAMU 'ALAYKUM WA RAHMATU2LLAH . . . once to the left) AS-SALAAMU 'ALAYKUM WA RAHMATU2LLAH

			ASTAGHFIRULLAH (3X)
			ALLAAHUMMA ANTA2S-SALAAM WA MINKA2S-SALAAM	O Allah, You are Peace and peace is from You
			TABAARAKTA YAA DHA2L-JALAALI WA2L-IKRAAM	Blessed art Thou, O Possessor of Majesty, Bounty and Honor.
			(wipe face with both hands, forehead to chin)

			Stand and repeat Intention, substituting “ . . .THE FOUR RAK'ATS OF THE FARD OF THE NOON PRAYER” Then continue with two rak’ats including Surahs/Verses from the Qur’an before the first "at-tahiyyatu. The second two rak’ats of the fard do not include Surahs/Verses after the Fatiha. Stand and repeat Intention, substituting “ . . . THE TWO RAK’ATS OF THE NOON PRAYER.” Continue through at’tahiyyatu then to Salawat, etc. to end the prayer.
			(After the final Salaams of the last two-Rak’at Sunnat prayer, recite:)
			ALLAHUMMA SALLI 'ALAA SAYYIDINAA MUHAMMADIN WA 'ALAA AAHLI MUHAMMADIN WA SAHBIHI WA SALLIM	O Allah, blessings upon our master Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad and his companions, and peace
			SUBHAN ALLAAH, WA2L-HAMDU LILLAAH	Glory to Allah, the praise is Allah's
			LA ILAAHA ILAA2LLAH WA ALLAAHU AKBAR	There is no god but Allah and Allah is Most Great
			WA LAA HAWLA WA LAA QUWWATA ILA BILLAAH2IL-'ALII UL-'AZIIM	And there is no power nor strength save in Allah the Exalted, the Tremendous.

	¨ 14. *AYAT UL-KURSI*			"The Verse of the Throne"
		BISMILLAAH IR-RAHMAAN IR-RAHIIM
		ALLAHU LAA ILAHA ILAA HUWA2L-HAYY UL-QAYYUM		Allah! There is no god save He the Living, the Eternal
		LAA TA'KHUDHUHU SINNATUN WA LAA NAWM		Slumber does not overtake Him, nor sleep
		LAHU MAA FII2SAMAWATI WA MAA FI2L-ARD		To Him belongs what is in the heavens and the earth
		MAN DHA2LLADHII YASHFA'U 'INDAHU ILLA BI-IDHNIH		Who is it that intercedes with Him except by His permission?
		YA’-LAMU MAA BAYNA AYDIIHIM WA MAAKHALFAHUM WA LA YAHIITUUNA BI-SHAYIN MIN 'ILMIHI ILLA BI-MA SHAA'A		He knows what is before them arid what is behind then, and they encompass nothing of His knowledge except as He willed.
		WASI 'A KURSIYYUHU2S-SAMAWATI WA2L-ARD WA LAA YA'UUDUHU HIFZUHUMA		His throne extends over the heavens and the earth and their preservation does not tire Him
		WA HUWA2L-'ALII UL-'AZIIM		And He is the Exalted, the Tremendous.
¨ 15. *TASBIH*
			DHU J-JALAALI WA2L-KAMAALI SUBHANALLAH	Possessor of Majesty and Perfection Glory to Allah
			(recite 33 times SUBHANALLAH)
			SUBHANA L-KARIIM AL-HAMDU LILLAAH	Glory to the Generous, The praise belongs to Allah
			(recite 33 times AL-HAMDU LILLAAH
			RABB IL-'ALAMIIN TA'AALAA SHA' NUHU ALLAAHU AKBAR	Lord of the Worlds, exalted is His action Allah is Most Great
			(recite 33 times ALLAAHU AKBAR)
			ALLAAHU AKBAR ADHAN KABIIRA
			LAA ILAHA ILLAA LLAAHU	There is no god but Allah
			WAHDAHU LAA SHARIKA LAH	Alone, without a partner
			WA LAHU2L-MULK WA LAHU2L-HAMDU	and His is the sovereignty and His is the praise
			WA HUWA 'ALAA KULLI SHAYYIN QADIIR	and He is Able to do all things

¨ 16. *Du’a* (Two hands open, palms up, raised.)		Private Prayers (Supplication)
¨ 17. *Closing*
	AS-SALAATU WA2S-SALAMU 'ALAYKA YA RASUUL ALLAAH	Blessing and peace unto you O Messenger of God
	AS-SALAATU WA2S-SALAAMU 'ALAYKA YA HABIIB ALLAAH	Blessing and peace unto you O Beloved of God
	AS-SALATU WA2S-SALAAMU 'ALAYKA YA SAYYIID AL-AWWALIIN WA2L-AKHIRIIN	Blessing And peace unto you O Master of the First and the Last
	WA2L-HAMDU LILLAAHI RABB IL-'ALAMIIN	And praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds
	Recite FAAtiha

¨ WITR PRAYER (After 2 rak'ats, in the third rak'at, recite Fatiha and one surah, then raise hands and sayALLAAHU AKBAR. Fold hands again. Say: Qunut Qunut
	ALLAAHUMMA INNA NASTA'INUKA	O Allah, surely we ask Your help
	WA NASTIGHFIRUKA	we ask Your forgiveness
	WA NASTAHDIKA	we ask Your guidance
	WA NU'MINU BI'-KA	and we are faithful to You
	WA NATUUBU ILAYKA	we turn to you
	WA NATAWAKKULU 'ALAYKA	and we trust in You
	WA NUTHNII 'ALAYKA2AL-KHAYRA KULLAHU	and we praise You with all good
	NASHKARUKA	we are thankful to You
	WA LAA NAKFURUKA	and not ungrateful to You
	WA NAKHLA'U WA NATRUKU MAN YAFJURUKA	and we renounce and abandon the one who offends You with sins.
	ALLAAHUMMA IYYAKA NA'BUDU	O Allah, You we serve
	WA LAKA NUSALLI WA NASJUDU	and to You we pray and prostrate
	WA ILAYKA NAS'AA WA NAHFIDU	and to you we run
	NARJÛ RAHMATAKA	we hope for Your mercy
	WA NAKHSHA ADHAABAKA	and fear Your punishment
	INNA ADHAABAKA BIL-KUFFAARI MULHIQ	surely Your punishment will overtake those who disbelieve

**End Notes about the Islamic prayer.

1. For the SunnAt (optional) prayers (which may be either two or four Rak’ats,) both or all four of the Rak’ats are preceded by verses from the Qur’an.

2. For the Fard (obligatory) prayers (which may be two, three or four Rak’ats,) when there are more than two Rak’ats, only the first two have the Qur’anic verse/Surah after the Fatiha. If there are only two ruku’s, both of them have the Fatiha plus Qur’anic verse/Surah.

3. The make-up of the five daily prayers are as follows:

*Arabic name*	*English*	*consists of . . .*
Fajr prayer	Morning	2 rak’ats of sunnat prayer; 2 rak’ats of fard prayer
Zuhr prayer	Noon	4 rak’ats of sunnat prayer; 4 rak’ats of fard prayer; 2 rak’ats of sunnat prayer
‘Asr prayer	Afternoon	4 rak’ats of sunnat prayer; 4 rak’ats of fard prayer
Maghrib prayer	Sunset	3 rak’ats of fard prayer; 2 rak’ats of sunnat prayer
‘Ishaa’ prayer	Night	4 rak’ats of sunnat prayer; 4 rak’ats of fard prayer; 2 rak’ats of sunnat; 3 rak’ats of WITR prayer**

Namaz (Salat) Instructions - 2

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 21:21:00 GMT

BISMILLAH IR-RAHMAN IR-RAHIM

In the Name of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful

THE PRAYER SERVICE

There are two forms of prayer. The first is personal prayer. For this there are no procedures; each person offers it as he needs and wishes. Such prayer is common to all people.

The second form of prayer is the prayer ordained by Allah for those who have accepted His service, who seek His will rather than their own. Its form follows His preference rather than our own. Such prayer has conditions and rules. The acceptance of these rules is an obligation upon people who recognize the right of Allah over His servants. For those who know, this "obligation" is the sweetest and most precious of gifts. May Allah place us all among the ones who realize this.

The prayer ordained by Allah is called salāt in Arabic, namaz in Persian and Turkish. Its preconditions are as follows:

CONDITION Namaz must be made in a condition of purity. If the one who prays is not in a state of ablution, the prayer is not valid. Ablution has two levels, greater and lesser.

Greater, or total, ablution is broken by sexual intercourse, menstruation, or seminal emission. It is restored by total washing of the body accompanied by the intention to perform the greater ablution. (One may also renew one's greater ablution at will; men should renew it before each Friday prayer.)

Lesser ablution is broken by excretion, vomiting, passing wind, bleeding an amount more than the size of a pea, or the emission of pus; also by violent anger, hysteria, and sleep. It is restored by washing of the hands, mouth, nose, face, head, ears, neck, forearms, and feet, accompanied by the intention to perform the lesser ablution. (Lesser ablution also may be renewed without physical necessity; it is good to make ablution before each prayer even if one's state of physical purity is intact.)

Women during their periods or recuperating from childbirth cannot maintain a state of ablution; they should not offer namaz at those times and do not owe any cycles of prayer that they miss. However, if a woman's menstrual period continues more than ten days, or if she has a disorder involving an issue of blood, she should made a total ablution and return to namaz, taking care only to make a lesser ablution immediately before each prayer.

Namaz must be made in clothes that are clean of all the bodily substances that break ablution. Accidentally soiled clothing should be washed before prayer is offered in it. Women at prayer should be covered from the neck to the wrists and ankles; all hair should be concealed. Men at prayer must be covered from the navel to the knee; it is also preferable for them to cover their heads.

Along with outer ablution, inner ablution is necessary. Every precondition of prayer, every element of its form, has an inner counterpart which it protects and teaches and by which it is enlivened. The secrets of the inner life of prayer are taught by the shaykhs.

PLACE Namaz may be made in any clean place except a bathroom or a cemetery. It must be made facing the direction of Mecca, as far as that can honestly be determined.

TIME Namaz is due five times a day. The early Muslims began with two times of prayer, morning and evening. Then the afternoon prayer was added, and finally, the noon and night namaz. In this tariqat, new Muslims are often counseled to follow the same procedure, to accustom themselves to the rhythm of devotions by easy stages. One's responsibility and privilege as a servant are not fully assumed, however, until all five appointments are kept.

The best namaz is said just at the time it falls due, but any prayer made before the moment for the next prayer arrives is considered to be "on time." The Holy Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him*), however, often delayed his night prayer until just before going to bed, and this alternative is also considered to have special value.

There are two times when namaz should not be offered: during a period of 43 minutes after the moment of sunrise, and during the half hour before sunset. In this pre-sunset period it is permissible to pray, but considered undesirable, or makrūh.

Islam is a religion of ease. The affairs of life, especially in a non-Muslim country often make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to say all of one's prayers on time. It is a relief to the believer that missed prayers are not lost, but may be made up when one has the opportunity to do so. It is best to maintain the sequence of daily prayers, and make up the noon prayer, for instance, before offering afternoon prayer, or noon and afternoon in order before offering evening namaz. All that is necessary is for the intention to be made for qaza, make up, prayer, rather than for regular prayer -- and you will find you are much happier if you make them up as soon as possible!

Our Efendi (a.r.e.), in view of modern working conditions, gave Americans a special permission to count noon prayers said at any point in the afternoon before sunset, even together with the afternoon prayers, as if they were on time.

Namaz is not limited to the five ordained times, but may be offered freely as often as one wishes. Such voluntary devotions are called nāfilah prayers. There are two restrictions on the time of nāfilah prayers: they cannot be offered while an obligatory prayer is owed, and they are not valid if made between the afternoon prayer and sunset.

*It is an important adab of Islam, enjoined on believers in the Holy Qur'an itself, to bless the Prophet whenever his name is mentioned. The Arabic for "May Allah's peace and blessings be upon him" is sallallāhu alayhi wa sallim, here abbreviated as (s.a.w.s.). Similar blessings are offered at the mention of any of the prophets and Messengers ("peace be upon him", `alayhi assalām), the Companions of the Prophet ("may Allah be pleased with him/her" -- radiyallahu `anhu/`anhā), and the saints ("may Allah sanctify his secret",qaddusallāhu sirrahu). One extension of this principle in the adab of the tariqat is that shaykhs and babas are always addressed by their titles, not merely by their names.

INTENTION The prayer ordained by Allah is not valid unless it follows a stated intention.

Intention must be made before each series of rak`ats that opens with Allahu akbar and closes with assalāmu `alaykum wa rahmatullāh.

To make intention properly one must know what sort of namaz one is intending to offer in each series of rak`ats. There are three fundamental levels of namaz:

Farz, or obligatory prayers. The farz rak`ats represent the basic responsibility of servanthood and the "minimum daily requirement" of one's spiritual food. Farz namaz must be performed at all costs; not to do so endangers one's inner health.

Sunnat, or prayers following the example of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.). The profession of faith is double. After Lā ilāha illāllāh, "There is no god but Allah," comes Muhammadun rasulullāh, "Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) is Allah's' Messenger." The whole of the religion, and the whole of Sufism, is in following where he leads. Sunnat prayers are prayers that the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) himself regularly said, but that he specified were not binding on the Muslims. To make such namaz is to show respect for the teaching and benefit embodied in his every action, and to take a small step closer to him. Though not obligatory, their importance is great. Sunnat rak`ats, with certain specified exceptions, may not be performed in qaza, "make-up," prayers, but only when the prayer is done on time.

Nāfilah, or extra prayers, as mentioned above, are rak`ats offered-beyond the specified service of farz and sunnat.

If one is praying alone, it is sufficient to specify in one's intention the number, level, and time of the rak`ats to be offered, i.e., "For Allah's sake I intend to make four rak`ats of farz of the afternoon prayer." However, if one is praying in congregation, this also should be formulated -- "For Allah's sake I intend to make four rak`ats of farz of afternoon prayer in congregation, behind the imam."

Some adabs of prayer The time of namaz, from Allāhu akbar to assālamu `alaykum, is held to be inviolable. There should be no eating, drinking, talking, unnecessary movement or looking about during this time. The namaz once entered into should be continued to its conclusion. It is permissible to move a step or two or to brush away something at the place where one will put one's head. (though only once) . .' It is permissible to kill vermin that enter the place of prayer during the namaz, and if food is burning, it is permissible to leave the namaz to go and save it.

In the Hanafi school of Islamic practice to which we belong, it is not considered proper to walk in front of someone who is engaged in namaz. In a small room, to make it easier for other people to get around, it is considerate to place some object, a chair, a pocketbook, in front of one to define the space of prayer.

When mixed groups offer namaz, women must pray behind men. Not to observe this invalidates the prayer for the one who refuses to follow it.

When prayer is offered in congregation, it is important that the lines of people be straight. Lines toward the front should be filled in completely before other lines are formed behind them. No member of the congregation should perform any action of the namaz, bowing, prostrating, etc, before the imam performs it.

Performing namaz in congregation has great merit. If one owes an earlier prayer and hears-the adhan summoning the congregation to a later prayer, one should join the congregation and make up the missed prayer at the end of the day (see witr, below). If one has already made the prayer being offered in congregation, one may make it again. The prayer made alone earlier will count as nafilah.

If one joins a congregation late, one should immediately make intention and fall into the prayer line. If you are in time to join in the first bowing (or even the first prostration) it is counted as if you had been present from the beginning. If you come in later than that, even if at the final prostration, you are credited with having offered prayer in congregation, but you must make up the rak`ats you missed, standing to offer them when the rest of the congregation has finished the salams at the end.

The mind wanders constantly, and even when one has gained familiarity with the namaz, it is amazingly easy to be distracted and make errors or forget where one is. "To frustrate the devil," it is said, the prostration of unconsciousness was given to the believers. If you make a mistake, rather than doing everything over, at the end of the series of rak`ats make the salam toward the right side only, then two prostrations, and then end the prayer as usual. This "unconsciousness" or "error" prostration repairs your namaz. If you cannot remember whether you have done too few or enough rak`ats, do the greater number before making the ·unconsciousness" prostration. Do not make the "unconsciousness· prostration in a congregational prayer unless the 'imam makes it.

DAILY PRAYER SERVICE

Dawn prayer (fajr namaz). Dawn prayer is due from the pre-dawn time, when there is sufficient light to distinguish a white thread from a black one, or the earth from the sky, until sunrise. It may still be made as if "on time"· up until the time of the noon prayer. It consists of

Two rak`ats of sunnat

Two rak`ats of farz.

These two rak`ats of sunnat of fajr prayer are the most binding of sunnat prayers, and should be performed even if the dawn prayer is offered late. The dawn namaz is very important, and every effort. should be made to perform it in its time. New Muslims may simply say it when they get up in the morning. With greater experience in the religion, the sweetness and value of making this prayer before sunrise becomes more and more evident.

Noon prayer (zuhr in Arabic; öğle in Turkish). Its time is from when the sun is just past the zenith until the time of afternoon prayer. It consists of

Four rak`ats of sunnat

Four rak`ats of farz

Two rak`ats of sunnat.

Afternoon prayer (`asr in Arabic: ikindi in Turkish) Afternoon prayer is due from the time the shadow of an object,like a spear stuck in the ground, is the same length as the object itself, until sunset. It falls at roughly the half-way point between the noon and sunset prayers. (as mentioned before, to offer the prayer during the half hour just before sunset is disapproved.) It consists of

Four rak`ats of sunnat

Four· rak`ats of farz.

Evening prayer (maghrib in Arabic: akşam in Turkish) falls from the time of sunset until the full darkness of night. Since the time of the onset of full darkness is ambiguous, evening prayer may be offered as "on time" at any point after sunset and before night prayer is made. It consists of

Three rak`ats of farz

Two rak`ats of sunnat.

These two sunnat rak`ats are also of special importance and should be performed if at all possible.

Night prayer (`ishā in Arabic; yatsı in Turkish) is due from the onset of full darkness until the time dawn prayer arrives again. It consists of

Four rak`ats of sunnat

Four rak`ats of farz

Two rak`ats of sunnat

and is followed, usually immediately, by

Three r ak ' ats of a special sunnat called witr.

The two rak`ats of sunnat after the farz, and the three rak`ats of witr, must always be offered. Witr is actually a separate prayer, sealing the day's devotions. Our Efendi (a.r.e.) called it the cream of the namaz. If one owes prayers out of sequence because of having joined a congregation while owing an earlier prayer, as mentioned above, the time to make these up is before the witr prayer. It is, however, possible to make nāfilah prayers even after witr.

SOME SPECIAL PRAYERS

Seferi If one is traveling, namaz is said differently than if one is at home. The sunnats of noon and afternoon prayers, and the first four sunnat rak`ats of night prayer, may be dropped, and the number of farz rak`ats of the noon, afternoon, and night prayers is reduced to two. Intention is made for seferi, traveling, rak`ats of whatever farz prayer is due. If of necessity one offers namaz while sitting in a bus, train, plane, etc., it is permissible to face in the

direction of travel rather than toward Mecca. However, if possible, it is better to wait and pray more correctly later. Travel should be begun and ended with two special rak`ats, two seferi rak`ats to begin, and two shukr or thankfulness rak`ats to end.

Friday Prayer (or juma`). Juma' is a congregational prayer offered on Fridays at the ordinary time for noon prayer, in a mosque or public gathering place. It consists of four rak`ats of sunnat offered before the sermon, two rak`ats of farz of juma` prayer, and a varying number of sunnat rak`ats afterwards. Many Muslims end with four rak`ats of sunnat; our practice is to make ten rak`ats, divided into sets of four, four, arid two*. When it is offered, the juma` prayer replaces the noon prayer. If men have no valid excuse for not attending juma` prayer, it is obligatory for them. Women's attendance at juma` prayers is optional.

`Id or Bayram (Holiday) Prayer `Id prayer is offered in large congregations twice a year: on the day of the Lesser `Id that marks the completion of the fast of Ramazan, and on the day of the Greater `Id that marks the culmination of the season of Hajj. `Id prayer consists of two rak`ats offered in congregation, and is performed with special extra repetitions of Allāhu akbar. Women may attend `Id prayers even if they have their periods. They may not make the namaz proper, but may join in all·the declarations of Allāhu akbar.

Tahajjud Prayer This prayer was binding on the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) but is a nāfilah for the believers. It consists of an indefinite number of rak`ats in even numbers between two and eight offered on rising from sleep in the middle of the night, after the previous day's prayers are completed but before the next dawn prayer is due. Its blessing is very great and it is universally recommended for spiritual progress.

* * *

To search for knowledge is the command of Allāh and the order of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.). Every believer needs to know those things that will make his religion complete. May Allah be pleased with you for asking for this information, enable you to put it fully into practice, and give you abundant benefit from it. For errors and oversights that may be here, I beg His forgiveness.

Allah knows best.

* At the time this paper was written this was true. However, presently we do just four rak`ats after the farz.

On Hajj

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 18:56:00 GMT

"...the pilgrimage to the Holy House is an obligation which man owes to Allah, for the man who has the ability to find his way to it..." The Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Imran: 96

Know that "the form" of any ibada, of any kind of devotion, is a means to find Truth. If Truth is not found by it, "form" has no meaning or purpose by itself.

"A man came to take leave from Hz. Shibli (ks). Hz. Shibli(k.s.) asked:

— Where are you going?

— To the Hajj.

— Take with you two big bags; fill them with Mercy there and bring them to us, so that we will have a share of it, to share with our friends and to offer our guests...

The man took his leave and left to go to Hajj. When he returned, he came to visit Hz. Shibli(k.s.), who asked:

— Did you go to the Pilgrimage?

— Yes.

— What did you do first?

— I took a ritual total ablution, put on my pilgrim’s garb, made two raqats of salat, started reciting the talbiyya, and made my intention and decision to do the pilgrimage.

— With your intention and decision to do the Hajj, were you able to cancel all decisions you had taken which were contrary to this decision, since the day you were born?

— No.

— Then you have not made your intention to do the Hajj.

Then you say you took off your ordinary clothes and put on your pilgrim’s garb. Have you denuded yourself of all you have done in your ordinary life?

— No.

— Then you have neither taken off your clothes neither have you put on your pilgrim’s garb.

When you washed yourself and took your ablution, did you cleanse yourself of all your ills and defects?

— No.

— Then you have not taken your ritual ablution.

When you recited the talbiyya and said ‘i am present, my Lord,

i am here, at Your orders, i am here heedful, there is none like You, all grace is to You, all blessing is from You, all belongs to You, there is no partner with You’, did you receive an answer, a call from Allah?

— No.

— Then you have not recited the talbiyya.

Did you enter the Harem, the sacred grounds?

— Yes.

- When you entered the Harem, did you vow to leave behind all that is haram and unlawful?

— No.

— Then you have not entered the Harem. Did you visit Mecca?

— Yes.

— When you visited Mecca, did you feel as if you received a different state from Allah?

— No.

— Then you have not been in Mecca.

Did you enter the Sacred Mosque?

— Yes.

— Did you feel closer to Allah in the Sacred Mosque?

— No.

— Then you have not entered the Sacred Mosque. Did you see the Qaaba?

— Yes.

— In seeing the Qaaba, did you achieve the goal for which you came?

— No.

— Then you have not seen the Qaaba.

Did you circumambulate the Qaaba thrice in fast paces and four times slowly?

— Yes.

— In running thrice around the Qaaba, did you run away from everything that you were with and in walking four times around did you reach salvation and security and thankfulness?

— No.

— Then you have not left your old self, nor your worldly load; neither have you come closer to your Lord. You have not made your tawwaf.

Did you touch and salute the hajar’u aswad (the Black Stone)?

— Yes.

— Pity on you! It is said the one who touches the Black Stone touches the Truth. The one who touches the Truth is in the securest peace. Did you feel this security?

— No.

— Then you have not touched the hajar’u aswad. Did you make two raqats of salat afterwards?

— Yes?

— In doing so, did you stand in front of your Lord and show Him your intention?

— No.

— Then you have not made your salat. Did you stand on the hill of Safa?

— Yes.

— What did you do there?

— I recited the takbir. I declared the Greatness of Allah.

— As you stood there, did your soul find purity (saf)? Bid your heart find joy (safa)? As you said ‘Allahu Akbar’, did the world and the worldly become smaller?

— No.

— Then you have neither stood on the top of Safa nor did you declare Allah’s greatness.

As you ran between Safa and Marwa, did you run from His Jelal to His Jemal?

— No.

— Then you did not walk seven times between Safa and Marwa. Did you stand on the top of the hill of Marwa?

— Yes.

— As you stood there, did you feel peace and tranquility descend upon you?

— No.

— Then you have not been there either.

— Did you go to Mina from Mecca?

— Yes.

— Did you receive your wish?

— No.

— Then you have not been to Mina.

Have you entered the Masjid—i Hayf?

— Yes.

— When you entered the Masjid—i Hayf, was the fear of Allah refreshed in your heart?

— No.

— Then you did not enter the Masjid—i Hayf. Did you go up to the mountain of Arafat?

— Yes.

— Did you come to know how and why you were created, and where you are going to go? Did you come to know who is your Lord, that Lord who you deny? Has Allah shown you a sign that you were one of the chosen?

— No.

— Then you have not been to Arafat. Have you been to Mash’ar?

— Yes.

— Did you remember Allah at Mash’ar in such a way that you forgot everything else? Did you come to understand there how one is addressed and how one’s prayers are answered?

— No.

— Then you have not been to Mash’ar. Did you sacrifice an animal?

— Yes.

— Did you sacrifice your desires and your will for Allah’s sake?

— No.

— You have not sacrificed anything. Did you stone the devil at Mina?

— Yes.

— Did you throw away your ignorance? Did you receive wisdom in its place?

— No.

— You have not thrown stones at the devil.

Did you visit the Qaaba, the Sacred House, after you descended from Arafat?

— Yes.

— What gifts have you received from the Master of that house? For the Prophet (saws) says: ‘The pilgrims are Allah’s visitors; it is right that the Host show honor and give presents to the guests...’

— I have not received any gifts.

— Then you have not done your visitation.

Did you satiate yourself drinking the Zamzam water?

— Yes.

— Did the taste of Zamzam make you promise not to taste anything unlawful, ever?

— No.

— Then you have not drunk the Zamzam water.

Did you make the circumambulation of farewell at the Qaaba?

— Yes.

— Did you leave all of your ego and all your being behind?

— No.

— Then you have not made your farewell, nor have you made your Hajj. If you wish, you must return and make your Hajj again. If you do, do it the way I told you.

This story is taken from Hz. Sulami’s (ks) Haqaiq’ut-tafsir. Allah knows best.

Al fakir Tosun al-Jerrahi

On Salat

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 18:00:00 GMT

SALAT

Salat, the ritual worship, is the third and final thing which the Beloved of Allah was made to love of our world. Salat is vision of things beyond our sight. That is why he said, "Salat is the light of my eyes." Seeing realms beyond our vision and closer to Allah permitted him to converse with his Creator.

Allah says, "Mention Me in remembrance and I will respond by remembering you." Thus salat is a conversation between Allah and His servant in a divine tradition. He says, "I divided salat between Myself and My servant in half. Half of the worship belongs to Me and half to My servant. And My servant will certainly receive that which he asks of Me."

In every cycle of the ritual prayer, the opening verse of the Qur'an must be recited. It is an obligation. Without it the prayer is not valid. The one in prayer says, "bismillah ir-rahman ir-rahim" – in the name of Allah, the most Beneficent and the most Merciful. The Lord responds: "My servant is calling on Me." When the servant says, "El hamdulillah ir-rabil alemin" – all thanks and praise to the Lord of all creation, The Lord says: "My servant is thankful to Me." When the worshipper says, "maliki yewmeddin" – the owner of the day of last judgement, the Lord says: "My servant has submitted to Me and left his life in My hands." These first three verses of the opening chapter of the Holy Qur'an belong to Allah. "We belong only to You and we ask all we need from You." Then the Lord says: "My servant is now with Me and he will have all that he wishes." This verse in the center of the chapter is like Purgatory, a state of abandonment of the self, and then the servant says: "Ihdinas-siratal mutakim" – lead us to the straight path, the truth, "eSirrateledhina en amta aleyhim, – "the path of those who are close to You, whom You love, "Gayril magdubi aleyhim we leddaline," – not the path of the ones who meet Your wrath. And Allah says: "That which My servant asks belongs to him. When My servant intends and wishes he is given the state of purity, sincerity and peace."

Whoever yearns for truth, obtains it. For Allah says in a divine tradition, "I am with the one who calls on Me." The one with eyes certainly should be able to see the One who is with him. "But the blind in this world of matter are blind to the real reality of the other world." One’s being with the truth or not while praying should let one know where one is and who one is. The one who feels the presence of his Lord during prayer is an imam, the leader of a congregation, even if he is praying alone, because the Prophet of Allah says: "He who truly prays is certainly an imam, because there are angels praying behind him." That true servant of Allah is raised to represent his Lord, for, when he says "semiallahu li men hamidah" Allah hears those who praise and thank Him. He is repeating Allah’s promised response to himself and to the angels behind him and the angles respond "rabbena leykel hamd" – "our Lord, all praise and thanks are due to You." All this is seen by the ones who can claim, like our Master, the Messenger of Allah, that "salat is the light of my eye." The ones who do not see or feel their Lord, but at least believe that He sees and hears them are blind, deaf and dumb, and may not receive unless Allah, in His mercy, gives them the protection from sinning and doing wrong. Allah says in the Holy Qur'an: "Salat protects man from things wrong and forbidden," and, "Allah knows what you are doing," and, be like "the one who listens as if he sees his Lord."

The material being came into existence through motion and that motion which caused existence is within the movements of the salat. These motions are three: vertical movement – upwards, horizontal movement – forwards, and the reverse movement backwards and downward. The first, vertical movement, is in the position of "kiyan," standing up. The second, horizontal movement, is in the position of "ruku," bent position. The third reverse movement is in the "sejde," prostration. These three motions are also manifest in the three kingdoms of creation: the vertical in man, the horizontal in animals, and the prostration upon the earth, in earth. In the final movement of prostration, when the worshipper becomes a lifeless earth which does not move or do anything on its own with its will, but only moves and does by the will of another, is the state of the Beloved of Allah who did not attribute anything which he was or did or said to himself, but attributed to his Lord. When he said "salat is the light of my eye," he meant that it is neither his salat nor his eye but the Lord Himself saw Himself in this divine light. Thus in the salat the reality sees its realness, the truth sees nothing else but the truth. That is why it is maleficent and forbidden by the Lord to care for anything else other than what is being done through you in salat, and whenever the mind wanders in imagination is when the devil steals from the salat and prevents the lover from reaching the Beloved. The true lover seeks only the Beloved. The direction of the kaaba is where the worshipper looks for the Beloved. Whatever distracts one, leads one astray, away from the beloved.

The Lord ordered us to worship Him, to praise Him, but He also praises the one who praises Him and prays for the one who prays to Him. This mutual, shared state is like a mirror. It differs for each and every one, as Hazreti Junayd al Bagdadi, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The color of the water is the color of the cup which contains it." So, the truth is in accordance with the state in which one finds oneself. The Lord appears in accordance to our need, as Moses saw Him in the "burning bush" when he needed fire. Some saints saw Him as coral or in a date tree, and Hazreti Ibn Arabi saw Him in the shape of a white horse. The beloved of Allah saw Him in the shape of a most beautiful youth who resembled him. The coral is the final evolution of the mineral kingdom, one step behind the vegetable kingdom. The date tree is the final evolution of the vegetable kingdom, one step behind the animal kingdom. In fact, like an animal if one cuts the top of it, it dies. And the horse is the final evolution of the animal kingdom, close to the human being. And the human being is the best of creation and the Beloved of Allah is the best and the most perfect among men.

Allah says, "I am as My servant thinks of Me." He also says, "Everything worships Me and tells My praises but you do not hear." Mineral, vegetable, animal, each in its own way worships its Creator and obeys Him more than men do, for they have no will of their own. But man, the final and best creation of the Creator, is given the gift of will, with the gift of the knowledge of all the names in which the Creator’s attributes are manifest, and the gift of an ego and a mind and is tested by his ability to choose.

When man worships he worships the One whom he thinks He is, whom he imagines to be, as if an artwork created by an artist. Often when he praises Him, he praises himself, and, alas, condemns the others who worship their own gods. If such a one understood the meaning of "the color of water is that of the cup which contains it" he would have been able to differentiate the cup from the clear water and not to praise the container instead of the contained. That contained god is that which will fit into the different sizes of the hearts which are able to contain it, a drop from an endless ocean...which the Absolute Lord cannot fit into anything. When the Lord said: "I do not fit into the heavens and the earths which I have created but fit into the loving heart of My believing servant," this does not signify His size, as all He created is not Him but all is from Him.

This writing also is a drop from the ocean and my humble gift to my children on the occasion of the Mevlud-un Nabi with the hope that it will increase their love for the Beloved of Allah. For one is able to love only the one whom one knows. Allah knows best and He is the one who tells the truth and guides to the straight path.

Shaykh Tosun Bayrak al-Jerrahi al-Halveti

On Salat (Sept, 07)

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 19:05:00 GMT

ON SALAT

One day Hatem-i Zahid (ks) came to visit Asim Ibn Yusuf (ks). When Asim asked him, “Have you been able to do your salat properly?” he answered: “Yes. I hope so!” Then Asim asked him to tell how he did his salat. Hatem-i Zahid replied:

“When the time of prayer approaches I take my ablution the way we know our Prophet (saws) did, even though my previous ablution was not broken. Next I stand at the place where I pray a long time, until I have an awareness of my whole body and I feel physically present. Then I imagine a straight line coming from the Qaaba up to my forehead and the Maqam-i Ibrahim in line with my chest, knowing well that Allah Most High is free of all image and place, that I am in His presence, and that He sees my past, my present and my future and all that is in my mind and my heart.

I stand as if on the Bridge of Sirat, which is thinner than hair and sharper than a sword. Paradise is on my right, and Hell is on my left. The Angel of Death stands right behind me. And I strongly feel that this prayer is my last before I leave this world. Then with the back of my raised hands I throw all thoughts and cares of this world behind me; as if I see my Lord I say “Allahu Akbar.”

I then do my recitation reflecting on the meaning of each of Allah’s words. I bend at Ruqu with total humbleness and supplication, and I make my prostration turning into dust. Then at the end when I sit on my knees an immense hope comes to me with the recitation of “I witness that there is no God, nothing but Allah.” When I give salams to my right and left the fear that Allah may forsake me comes. I walk out of my prayer with more strength to be patient and sincere. Yes, I have been making my prayers like this for the last 30 years.”

Asim, shedding tears, said: “I have not been able to do my salat even close to what you have described.”

********

For our own sake, for our own felicity in this world and in the hereafter, woe to our lazy egos, which drag their feet when it comes to doing something for Allah’s sake! It is so vigilant in trying to get the best of this world, even when it belongs rightfully to others and is much much more than we will ever need. When will we ever learn?

Salat is not just a ritual, or a demonstration that you are a believer. It is your Miraj, your ascension to your Lord, your license to the presence of your Maker, your Nourisher, the One who keeps you alive and well. Do you feel raised step by step each time you say “Allahu Akbar,” and with each move towards Him do you move away from this lowly world? Do you feel the warmth of His love, compassion and care? Do you smell the perfumes of Paradise? Perhaps we should do our salat over and over again.

May Allahu Teala the Most Merciful forgive our errors and sins and help us be worthy of our humanity and Islam. Amin.

Tosun Baba, August 30, 2007

Rajab Prayers

Tue, 29 Mar 2016 15:13:00 GMT

Regaib Kandili

Thursday Evening, 4/7/16

This prayer for the month of Rajab is done on the eve of the 1st Friday, between the evening and night prayers. It is a prayer of 12 rakats done in sets of 2. In each rakat after the Fatihah are:

3 Suratul Qadr [97]

12 Suratul Ikhlas [112]

After the prayer recite 70 times:

Allâhumma salli `alâ Muhammadinin Nabbiyyil Ummiyyi wa `alâ âlihi wa sallim.

O Allah, bestow blessings and peace upon Muhammad, the gentile Prophet, and upon his family.

Then in prostration repeat 70 times:

Subbûhun Quddûsun Rabbul Malâ’ikati war Rûh.

All Glorious, All Holy, Lord of the Angels and of the Spirit!

Then sitting recite 70 times:

Rabbighfir warham wa tajâwaz mâ ta`lam fa innaka Antal `Azîzul A`zam.

My Lord, forgive and have mercy, pardon that which You well know, for you You are the Mighty, the Supreme.

Rajab

4/8/16 – 5/7/16

3 Suratul Ikhlas [112]

3 Suratul Kafirun [109]

After the prayer recite:

la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah

lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu

yuhyi wa yumit, biyadihil khayr

wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadir

There is no god except Allah, Alone. No partner has He. To Him belongs the kingdom and to Him belongs the praise. He brings to life and causes death, in His Hand are Blessings, and He is Powerful over all things.and then wipe your hands over your face.

Laylatul-Miraj

This prayer is done between the noon and afternoon prayers on the day of Miraj, the 27th of Rajab. It is 4 rakats. After the fatihah in each rakat the following is recited:

1 Suratul Falaq [113]

1 Suratun Nas [114]

3 Suratul Qadr [97]

51 Suratul Ikhlas [112]

Ramadan (1417)

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 17:08:00 GMT

RAMADAN 1417 AH

My beloved companion on the path to truth.

May all praise and thanks be upon Allah who has brought us once again in good health to realize the blessed month of Ramadan. We know that all acts of worship in our religion are filled with infinite wisdom and rewards. They are also medicines for the sick at heart from the pharmacy of the Holy Quran.

For instance, Salat five times a day is a protection from that which Allah has forbade us. At the same time it controls our daily lives and prevents us from falling under the tyranny of our egos.

Zekat is a cure for that terrible sickness, miserliness, which is nothing less than an expression of our faithlessness and hopelessness in Allah’s generosity. It shows us to whom truly belongs what we think we possess.

Fasting is the light of the heart. It is what wipes off the dust and dirt of egotism from the mirror of sacred secrets; it cures the heart from the love and ambition of this world. Allah, most high, says in the Holy Quran:

“Ya ayyuhalladhina amanu kutiba alaykumu siyamu kama

kutiba ‘alalladhiyna min qablikum la’allakum tattaqun.”

“On that known month I have made an obligation for you to fast from before the time of Fajr until after sunset, with an intention of doing it for Allah’s sake as a sign of your faith in Him, and for no other purpose you are to abstain from eating drinking and sexual acts. This was ordained to the followers of all the other prophets whom I have sent before you, as it is ordained for you. Now with what you will receive in return for your efforts, you will be protected from what Allah forbade you and be a true servant close to him.”

Everything which Allah most high orders us to do has an outer and an inner meaning. The outer meaning of fasting during Ramadan is not eating drinking or having sex from the before the sunrise until after the sunset. But our being is not only our stomach and sexual organs, while fasting is ordained to all our physical being. Therefore, as we abstain from taking nourishment and making love, we should also abstain by keeping our tongue from lying, gossiping or pronouncing any words which may hurt the feelings of any human being. Our eyes must be prevented from watching anything around us heedlessly. Our ears must be prevented from listening to anything which is forbidden by Allah. Our egos must be prevented from its ambition of this world and lust for its pleasure and from selfishness and arrogance.

The meaning of fasting interiorly is that it is done by the heart and the soul. The fast of the heart, which is Allah’s house, is to empty it of worldly concerns, thus lightening it, lifting it from the attraction of material things, thus protecting it from the invasion of the desires of our flesh.

The fasting of the soul is to keep it from wanting even the beauties of paradise and an eternal life of bliss. It should be blind to anything but truth.

If one could fast like this and taste what it brings, only then one may receive what the Prophet promises, “During the fast break what peace and joy the faithful receive . . . “

If we fast without knowing what we are doing and spend no more effort than just not eating, we certainly will not obtain what Allah promises nor be protected from what He forbids nor come closer to Him.

Fasting and praying may cause only hunger and fatigue and nothing else if one does not realize its true meaning and try to act accordingly. The hunger which one may feel is not sufficient effort to fulfill this obligation. At least, one also should seek those who are not only hungry while fasting in Ramadan, but always, and one should help them as my dear companions did when this Ramadan our Zekats reached Bosnia to make the Ramadan of at least 200 families in need a bit happier.

To fast is a proof that all your physical body and spiritual being believes in Allah most high, but it is also a way of unification of all human beings by caring for each other. The one who fasts but thinks only of himself, and breaks the hearts of others is just torturing himself with hunger and for nothing else.

Our beloved Prophet says: “The one who fasts becomes beautified by the attributes of Allah most high.” A human being contains the divine attributes, for our father Adam, a.s., was given all the beautiful names. Fasting is an obligation for human beings, not for animals. For, someone who does not care for others and who is able to hurt and break the heart of others is not a human being. A human being does not destroy, he constructs and a human being who fasts transforms even his material being of course matter into the fine matter of his spirit, and when he does that he becomes pure compassion, the manifestation of his Creator’s “Rahmah”, the Divine Beneficience and Compassion. That is what Allah, most high, means when he declares in a Hadith Kudsi: “I love the smell of the breath of the one who fasts for my sake.” It is not the bad odor from the mouth of someone who is hungry. What He means is “He who truly fasts, who truly transforms himself into My divine attributes, shows towards My creation similar love and compassion as I do and each of his breaths contains the perfume of compassion.”

Allah, most high, also says: “Fasting is only for Me, and only I will give its reward.” But all rewards for our worship and good deeds are given by Allah, most high. What does this mean? The ones who know say that on the Day of Last Judgement all our sins will be deducted from our good deeds, but when it comes to our efforts for Allah’s sake, no sin would be permitted for the elimination of this good deed and Allah, most high will say that He will pay what is owed for our sins and His rewards for our fasting will not be touched.

May Allah, the All Forgiving, forgive the sins of my children. May Allah the All Generous, praise and reward the deeds of the faithful and may Allah, the Protector, protect the sincere Muslims from the punishment of Hell-fire.

Ramadan (1422)

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 17:36:00 GMT

Ramadan 1422

It was reported by Selmani Farsi that our Master the Messenger of Allah (saws) delivered the following sermon on the first day of the blessed month of Ramadan.

Shahri Ramadan, the best of all months, is here today. This month is a blessed month in which there is a single night which is worth a thousand months. Allah Most High has made it obligatory to fast during the days of this month and made it voluntary to pass the nights in prayer. During this month, whoever comes close to his Creator, doing good deeds and worships as has been made obligatory for us, receives divine rewards and comes to know the Truth in themselves ten times more than ordinary days. This month is the month of patience and the reward of patience is Paradise. This month is the month of abundance. The sustenance of the believers increases many fold during this month. If someone invites a believer for a feast at fast break during this month, he will have his sins forgiven. He will save his neck from the punishment of Hell. He will receive the same reward as the one whom he feeds, and the one who fasted and broke fast with him will not lose any of the reward which he receives for fasting. Whoever feeds at fast break a servant of Allah, will be given water from the Kauthar fountain on judgement day and he will never be thirsty in eternity. Whoever lightens the work of the ones who work for him during this month, Allah will take away the load of his sins.

This is such a month that we all will receive the compassion of Allah during the first third and His forgiveness during the second third and save ourselves from Hell-fire during the last third of Ramadan.

I ask you to increase these four deeds during this month. If you do, the first two deeds will win you the pleasure of your Lord, and, you certainly will need, in the hereafter, the security which the last two offer.

1. Repeat the blessed words of “La ilaha illallah” with your words and confirm it with your hearts as often as you can.

2. Remember your wrong doings, your sins and repent, intending not to do them ever again, and surely your Lord will be pleased with you.

3. Beg Allah with tears of shame and love for Him to take you to His Paradise.

4. Take refuge in His mercy from His wrath and beg Him to save you from the punishment of Hell.

During the first night of Ramadan the gates of Hell are locked. The gates of Paradise are opened and they stay open until the end of the month. On that night the devils are chained and thrown to the waves on the oceans so that they can not bother those who fast. On that night Allah looks upon mankind. When the Creator looks but once upon men, He will never punish them.

Allah forgives in advance the sins one may commit during Ramadan, the moment we start fasting the first day of Ramadan. And for each day of fasting a palace of a thousand doors is built for us, and seventy thousand angels are praying for our salvation from morning till night. Every night during Ramadan Allah, most high speaks to the believers three times and asks: “Is there not anyone who asks so that I give them what he ask for? Is there not anyone who repents so that I may forgive him? Is there not anyone who wants something from their Lord who is the richest and most generous who never refuses to give and the most merciful and compassionate who forgives all sins?”

And at every moment of fast break, Allah forgives a million sinners who deserved Hell-fire. And every hour of every Friday during Ramadan a million sinners and many millions more who have been forgiven up to that time are saved from punishment.

Those who spend the nights of Ramadan praying receive a thousand seven hundred rewards for each prostration and a palace is build for them in Paradise out of red rubies. For each prostration an immense tree is planted for him in Paradise. If a man galloping on a horse traveled one hundred years he would still be in the shade of that tree.

If the heavens and the earth were permitted to speak, their first words would have been the good news of Allah's promise of Paradise to the one’s who fast. And if you knew what rewards are promised during this month you would want the whole year to be Ramadan.

from Shaykh Tosun Bayrak al-Jerrahi

for his ihvan

Ramadan 1, 1422

Ramadan (1430)

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 19:53:00 GMT

RAMADAN 1430

One of our dervishes asked: I have seen in me these last days of Ramadan, principally in my thoughts, an aspect which says to me: "Look how responsible you are, doing all these prayers, and fasting, more than the others..." And I feel proud of myself. Who is it who is talking to me? Who is feeling this sense of happiness and pride?

The shaykh answered: It would really be a pity to pass a whole month of hunger and thirst and not get anything out of it except hunger and thirst. Every night I have begged you, my children, to look inside yourselves, and seek what is happening, to identify who is there, to discover in this single body that somebody seems to be watching somebody else. As the expression goes, "Who is watching who?" There must be two I's, at least a duality; in fact you contain a multiplicity. Then after realizing this, how can you help but get emotional? Amazement, wonder, fear, disgust, pain, regret, tears, and finally a terrible feeling of shame ensue. This creature with many heads and tentacles, legs and arms, appears in the mirror as a rather nice looking single creature, well proportioned, well spoken, who eats, and drinks and breathes and acts, marries, has children, dresses in nice clothes and lives in a nice house. He has a name and a title. He really is not worthy of any of these things, yet shamelessly and thanklessly he claims the ownership of it all, without tasting a little bit, like you and I do, this lamentation. But if we truly and fully experienced this shame we would be flattened and dead, just as the mountain crumbled when Allah showed Himself to it upon the request of Moses a.s. to see Him.

When that happens, we will have felt a little taste of thankfulness. You see, if you have a dozen shoes and somebody gives you a gift of a new shoe, you politely say, "Thank you," but you don't really mean it. That is the way we thank Allah. Whereas, if we were barefoot with no shoes, and we received a pair of shoes, we would not be only thankful for the shoes, but also for having two feet to put them on. So my daughter, first, we have to see the reality that we have nothing, we are nothing, yet we receive all these gifts for which we have no right and which we are not worthy to ask for.

You ask, who is the one who sees this? Well, Allahu Teala tells us, “When My servant comes close to Me with extra ibadat, I become his eyes with which he sees, his hands with which he holds, his tongue with which he speaks...” Extra ibadat: Salat? Sawm? Zakat? Dhikr? Extra means over and above them. Some say it is service for Allah's sake. Yes, but that is only a part of it. The extra ibadat, instead of five prayers a day, is to be in salat-i daim, continuous prayer. Is it possible? My shaykh talked about it. He said that one should thank and praise Allah twice at every breath: one when you inhale and one when you exhale. I have seen it, when I visited a Halwati shaykh in Tanta, Egypt, Shaykh Hatib, who was doing it while he was at the same time talking to us. And continuous fasting is being continuously conscious, smelling the air you breath, tasting the food you eat, not just looking but truly seeing and taking lessons from what you are seeing. Dhikr-i daim means everything you see, everything which happens to you, everything which you seem to do you remember is certainly from Allah. And zakat-i daim is not to give away just a tiny fraction of what you own, but even if you have got the title for the whole world as your property, it means to realize that nothing is yours, nothing belongs to you, as it will be when you enter your grave.

I think that is what the extra ibadat is. Then inshallah one sees oneself and everything else with the eye of Allahu Teala. But sometimes the fortunate ones have flashes of it.

May Allah the All Seeing, the All Hearing, the All Knowing wake us up from the sleep of heedlessness. Amin.

Shaykh Tosun Bayrak al Jerrahi al Halwati September, 2009

Ramadan 1420 - 1

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 19:01:00 GMT

My Dear Companions on the Path to Truth,

Allah Most High says:

“O You faithful, fasting is ordered for you as it was ordered for those before you,
SO THAT YOU MAY GUARD AGAINST EVIL.”

The last phrase of the Lord’s order to fast reveals the inner meaning of fasting.
A hadith related by Abdallah ibn Mes’ud clearly illustrates this meaning.

“Whoever can, should marry, because marriage prevents one from forbidden acts and protects ones honor. The one who cannot marry should learn to fast, for fasting is the best means to control ones lust and desires of the flesh, and the temptations of ones evil commanding ego.”

Our prophet (saws) also says,

“Every place has a door leading into it; the door into the true servantship of Allah is fasting.”

Fasting opens the door which can enable us to: be real Muslims; to truly submit to our Lord, to obey, to praise, to worship Him; to be sincere and to abandon hypocrisy; to detest that which is forbidden, to love and desire to do that which is prescribed; to become the masters of our egos, instead of being their slaves.

Indeed there are evil influences in the world around us. But the devil can only penetrate into our beings, attack us, with the cooperation of an ally already in place: the ego.

Fasting will certainly weaken this inner accomplice and keep the gates of our being shut against the devil. That is why it is said that “fasting is a shield against the hellfire.” When the ego is made hungry, our eyes, our tongue, our hands and feet, all our other organs are satiated; their needs are satisfied. They will not therefore respond to the lust and evil desires generated by the ego. On the other hand, when the ego is satiated, all our being is hungry and will do anything under the command of the evil commanding ego.

Fasting is not only protection against what is decreed harmful for us. While fasting, we decline even the things which are permitted and lawful for us. How then could we not abandon that which is unlawful? It also purges us of the physical and spiritual poison which has accumulated in our beings. Fasting ultimately cleanses the heart. It also makes us more vigilant in our obedience to the Lord in the future; it strengthens in us the fear of losing Allah’s love. That is the manifestation of takwa: fear of Allah, piety. And that is the meaning of the last phrase of the verse: “so that you may guard against evil.”

In a hadith related by Nesai ibn Hudzeyma (ra):

“Abu Umama (ra) begged the Messenger of Allah (saws) ‘to give him a duty, doing which will benefit him in this world and the hereafter, and lead him to Paradise. The Messenger of Allah (saws) told him, ‘Fast! There is no deed which is like it. There is no deed equal to it.’ When Abu Umama asked him what other deed he recommended, the Prophet (saws) repeated the same answer thrice.”

The Prophet (saws) himself fasted many days other than the obligatory fast during the month of Ramadan, especially during the two prior months of Rajab and Shab’an. As related in hadiths, he used to fast many days without breaking the fast, which is called “sawm misal”. Some of the blessed companions also began to attempt this kind of fast, but were unsuccessful. When the Messenger of Allah heard of this, he forbade them to do it. When they said “we wished to do as you did” he said

“I am not like you. I am offered food and drink in the sight of my Lord without eating and drinking.”

Perhaps if we are able to become more conscious of and a bit more attentive to the ten following benefits of fasting, we might also be fed by our Lord without actually eating.

1. When our bellies are full we become dull, lazy, and careless. Our hearts are heavy, incapable of penetrating to the meaning of things, deciphering secrets, or conforming with things for our own benefit. When we are fasting, our hearts are light and at peace; we are anxious to obey the ordinances of our Lord and we are better able to see and understand reality.

2. When the body is hungry, the heart is soft and compassionate, and relates to Allah the Most Compassionate. This should make us relish the taste of our prayers, feel the effects of our remembrance of the Lord, and it should strengthen our faith.

3. Through fasting, most of the feeling of being spoiled by the good life, and the conceit created by our illusions of ourselves, disappear. The proud and arrogant feel an overwhelming sadness, which is proof of the weakening of the ego. In a Hadith al Qudsi, Allah Most High says,

“I am with those who are made to feel sad for My sake.”

4. When we are hungry we are reminded of the tribulations and sufferings in our lives; we remember other people who, not by choice, are hungry and homeless, and we wish to help them.

5. Hunger weakens our egos and prevents us from revolting against Allah’s orders, and from hurting ourselves and others.

6. A full belly makes us sleepy. Even if our eyes are open we are dull and heedless. The one who is heedless is not aware of what he does or what is happening to him. He is defenseless and is apt to be hurt physically and spiritually. Hunger makes us agile, heedful, and aware of the world and our Lord.

7. In hunger, we find comfort in prayer. Worship with a full stomach is at best a fulfillment of duty.

8. Most sicknesses are caused by or aggravated by being fat, by overeating. Fasting cleanses our bodies, cures many sicknesses, and brings health.

9. The one who eats less and fasts leads a humble life by choice. He learns to be satisfied with less. The Messenger of Allah (saws) says:

“Whoever lives humbly and economically will never suffer poverty.”

10. When we diminish our own needs, we will be happy to share what is left of our possessions with others, and we will become generous. Generosity is a divine attribute which will lead us to Paradise in this world and in the Hereafter.

All praise and thankfulness to Allah Most High, and peace and blessings upon the soul of His Beloved, our Master and Guide, the Prophet Muhammad (saws), his family, and his companions (ra), that we are able to once again celebrate the holy month of Ramadan together.

May They and the month of Ramadan be pleased with our Ihvan and be our intercessors on the Day of Last Judgment.

May our humble efforts in worship, obedience, and service for Allah’s sake be accepted.

May we be cleansed and beautified with the Adab, the good morals ordered by the Holy Qur’an, and the imitation of the character of our Master (saws), the Beloved of Allah.

May our love for our Lord and His Beloved, the ones whom they love, and the ones who love them, as well as our love for each other for Their sake, increase abundantly.

May we be given the strength and the means to serve in Their names for Their sakes, and be successful in our tasks.

May we not be tested beyond our endurance.

May our faith be protected and perfected.

May our teachers be blessed and our shaykhs who have met their Lord enter His Paradise. And may our wrongs be righted in honor of the blessed month of Ramadan.

Amin bi hurmati sayyid al Mursalin.

Shaykh Tosun Bayrak al-Jerrahi al-Halveti

Ramadan 1420 - 2

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 19:02:00 GMT

My Dear Companions on the Path to Truth,

As salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu.

Allah Most High says,

"Compete with each other in helping the one's in need. Spend for Allah's sake of the best and cleanest from what We have brought forth from the earth for you, and from what you gain. Do not give as alms things which you yourself woulld not take. As long as you cannot give what you love for Allah's sake you will not reach the level of true piety and receive Allah's mercy and grace."

The Messenger of Allah (saws) says,

“Believers are the brothers and sisters of the believers. They neither hurt each other or leave each other helpless in times of need. Whoever helps the one in need, Allah helps him when he will be in need.”

Our Master (saws) also says,

“Believers should love each other, be compassionate, caring, and generous amongst themselves, and be as a single body. When a part of ones body is hurt, all of one's being feels it. And other parts of the body, the eye, the mind, the hand,should try to heal the wound.”

He (saws) further says,

“Allah is compassionate to the one who is compassionate. Be compassionate to the inhabitants of this earth, so that the inhabitants of the Heavens pour their compassion upon you.

Many of us in our community have heard these words and for many years, with great pleasure, we have kept Bosnian children in our homes, helped with their education, visited war-ravaged lands, sent hundreds of thousands of dollars in funds, food, and clothing to Bosnians, Kosovars, Turkish earthquake victims, and tyrannized Chechens. In return, without a doubt, we have abundantly received Allah’s rewards of spiritual peace and happiness as well as material prosperity.

As Allah’s Compassion upon the Universe, our Master Hd. Muhammad Mustafa (saws) promises,

“The one who takes to the road to help his Muslim brother in need receives rewards for each step he takes till he returns back to his home. And Allah forgives seventy of his sins at each step. If he succeeds in saving his brother from his troubles, all his sins are forgiven, and he is cleansed as if he is newborn. If he dies during this mission, he enters Paradise without going through the Last Day of Judgement.

“When a believer persists in helping his brother till the trouble can be eliminated, Allah sends the helper 70,000 angels, who surround him and pray for the forgiveness of his past sins from morning till night, from night until morning. And at each step he takes to help the one in need, he climbs one step higher in his spiritual level, coming closer to Allah. His effort to help his brother is better than going into spiritual retreat for ten years.”

“A home which is best loved by Allah is a home where the orphan is being taken care of.”

“Do you wish to obtain what you yearn for in life? Do you want your heart to be filled with love and joy? Then show compassion for the orphans, feed and clothe them, and try to give them joy.”

“I vow upon my Lord who sent me to tell the Truth that the one who is compassionate to the orphan and the helpless, who has mercy on them, helps them, advises them with sweet words, and treats them well, giving freely from what they have received from Allah, and not showing off their wealth and their deeds to neighbors, will be shown compassion by Allah on the day of Last Judgement.”

“When a Muslim protects a human being whose innocence, chastity and honor are in danger, Allah helps him in whatever and whenever he needs help.”

Innocent civilians are still being killed; women and children are being tortured and raped; hundreds of thousands of people have been left homeless in the freezing cold, and are hungry in Chechenya, Kosova, Turkey and elsewhere. And we will continue to help, and we will continue to feel their pain.

Our Master (saws) says,

“There are two negative attributes which never exist in a true believer: bad morals and miserliness.”

“If you ever tyrannize anything or anyone, a darkness will envelope you on the Day of Last Judgement and render you blind. And do not ever be a miser. Miserliness has destroyed many people, making them see as lawful what Allah has forbidden, and making them see as distateful that which Allah has made lawful. Miserliness has made people fight and shed each others’ blood. Be generous, for the generous one is close to both man and God, and to Paradise, and far distant from Hellfire. The miser is distant from man and God alike, and removed from Paradise, and he is at the very brink of Hellfire.”

Ramadan is the month to feel the pain of the needy and to help them. So let us give.

Someone asked our Master the Beloved of Allah (saws),

“What is the best charity?”

and our Master (saws) answered,

“The best of charity is what you give when you desire and hope to keep what you own, and when you detest and are afraid of poverty, and when you aspire to be rich and enjoy life.”

May your Ramadan be blessed, and may your worship and service be accepted. Amin.

Sheikh Tosun Bayrak al Jerrahi

Ramadan 1420 - 3

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 19:48:00 GMT

My Dear Companions on the Path to Truth,
As salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu.

If we were asked, or better still if we would ask ourselves: "Why do we fast during the month of Ramadan?", I think our simplest and the sincerest answer would be: because Allah has asked us to fast. There are a thousand things which Allah asks us to do and a thousand things which He asked us not to do. Yet of all the things which we know we should do, fasting is the most difficult. While we don't spend much effort to be just, truthful, kind, generous, and even to do the obligatory prayers correctly and on time, or to pay zekat, many Muslims seem to obey the order to fast during Ramadan. Why?

Is it because Allah clearly declared in His Book that it is an obligation for us, as it was ordained to all men before us? Is it because he says, "You fast for Me and I am the One who is going to give its reward"? Is it because our Master, the Beloved of Allah, (saws) said, "Fasting is the light which enlightens the heart"? and "The one who fasts assumes the truth of his humanity." Or because he (saws) himself fasted more than just the month of Ramadan? Or do we fast because we realize that it is an incredibly complete form of worship and an intense exercise for spiritual advancement, if done consciously, and conscientiously, not automatically and heedlessly, with only hunger as the result.

Fasting is not just curbing our appetite for food and sex, but it is controlling all of our physical parts. The fast of the tongue is to protect our tongue from lying, gossiping, saying things which may hurt peoples' feelings, or just making nonsensical noise, as much of our speech is. The fast of the eyes is to avoid looking without really seeing, to try to be heedful in order to observe true reality. The fast of the ears is to censor falsity, and to listen only to truth. The fast of the ego is to throw off the mask of hypocrisy, to curb pride and arrogance, and to resist the outrageous demands of lust, luxury, and gluttony.

Then there is the inner fasting of the mind and of the heart. If only we could direct the mind from its taught habit of seeking causes and effects to understand existence. If only we could convince the mind to have Faith that all and everything was created from nothing, by the sole order of the Creator, who said, Kun, "Be", and caused everything to become. If only we could raise the heart, which Allah makes His home, from being attached to the love of this life on earth, and lift it to protect it, to make it safe from the attacks of the tyrannical forces of our limitless ambitions, desires of the flesh, and superficial worldly amusements.

If only we could experience that, through fasting, we can transform that which is base and coarse in us into fine matter and bring forth to our consciousness the divine attributes which Allah taught to our father Adam (as). When Allah says that "He loves the smell of the breath of His servant who fasts" it is because the one who truly fasts exhales rahmat, compassion, at each breath.
And, perhaps the most important aspect of fasting is service to the ones who are in need, to feel for them, to share their pain, and to feed those who are not hungry by their own choice.

These potential benefits of fasting, although more numerous, still resemble the benefits of dieting. Is that why we fast? I don't think so. Many are told by their doctors to diet or to stop smoking because they are endangering their lives, and they do not do it. We would not be likely to fast out of fear for our lives, or out of fear of punishment in the hereafter.

Then perhaps the answer to why we fast is: out of love. We would not necessarily do what a tyrant ordered out of fear, but we would do anything which a truly loved one would ask. Love necessitates selflessness, sacrifice, consideration, obedience to the wishes of the beloved, and preference of the beloved over oneself. All these are also conditions of fasting. Love is at the center of faith and of the concept of God. Allah has created the Creation out of love. One the ninety-nine Beautiful Names of Allah is al-Wadud, the All-Loving One, whose love unlimited, endless, without any return required or conditions attached. And He says in the Qur'an, "He loves them and then they love Him," indicating that His Love is the source of all love, and that we can not love Him unless He loves us.

Allah indeed cares for all His creation. His care for the needs of a tiny black ant on a black stone in a dark night is no less than His care for one of His saints about to be crucified by His enemies. But His love is unique, and has to be won. When the Lord looks upon His servants to chose whom to love, He first looks upon our sifat, our attributes: our appearance, our character, our behavior, our intelligence, our sensitivity and our faith. If He likes what He sees we will know it, for when He likes us, everyone will like us too.
Then He will consider our Fiil, our actions: our deeds, our errors, our sincerity, and the purpose of our actions, as well as our reactions to the actions of others. And if He approves of our actions we will know. The signs of His pleasure will be that many who are in need will profit from our deeds; our efforts will be easily crowned by success; we will be humble and not attribute our successes to our own efforts, and be thankful to our Lord, in whose hands we have left our affairs after we have done our best.

Then the Lord will look into our essence, our Dzat, to our entirety, our whole, and deeper still, to our secrets, our very center, our soul. Is our soul free or a prisoner of our Nafsi Ammara, our lowly commanding ego? And His beautiful names which He taught our father Adam (as), are they still within us? If He likes what He sees, He will love us. And we will certainly know when He loves us, for it is only then that we will truly be able to love Him, to begin loving Him!

When a beloved servant of Allah begins to love his Lord, he first becomes aware and heedful of things around him, and sees them all as Allah's creation, His manifestation. He may begin the struggle in the battle with his Nafsi Ammara to reach the level of Nafsi Lawamah, the self-reproaching self; Allah may help him through his struggle by bringing him to the stage of Nafsi Mulhimah, the inspired self.

When he is able to find all creation as wonderful, he is in awe; in comparison to the magnitude of Allah's creation, he realizes his minuteness. At this stage of loving Allah's attributes, the servant submits; he becomes a true Muslim and is content. He reaches the level of Nafsi Mutmainna, "a state of complete acceptance and satisfaction with ones state." The fourth step in the development of man, after the selfish animal state, is the state of starting to see himself in that animal state. When he will be receptive to Allah's words, and enter into His religion, there is serious danger contained in the feeling of love awakened by the beauty and marvel in Allah's creation. That is the danger of thinking that the creation is self-existent, and God itself. Haven't the stars, the moon, and the sun been taken for gods; hasn't man been deified for the divine wisdom which he contained? Indeed, Allah is invisible and inconceivable, and can only be known through His attributes or His actions; what is visible is not Him, but is from Him.

When the loving servant becomes aware that not a leaf moves but for Allah's will, and watches Allah's actions in him and around him, from the breath he takes to the movement of galaxies, then he trusts his Lord, and leaves his affairs in his Lord's hand, and he is pleased with Him, and Allah is pleased with him. Next are the fifth and sixth steps in the development of man, where the servant is pleased with the Lord, the level of Nafsi Radhiyah, and where the Lord is pleased with His servant, the level of Nafsi Mardhiyyah.

The apex of the love of Allah is the love of Dzatullah: the Essence of Allah Most High, when by Allah's grace one is given vision of the heart, with which one sees that nothing really exists but Allah. The eye of the heart sees only an Eye in a mirror, looking at the eye, looking back at it. That is the goal: for the soul to return home and for the lover to become nothing. The lover becomes the Beloved, or, better still, he realizes that he never did really exist, that neither the lover nor the Beloved existed, that there is only Love.

Allah Knows Best,
Love, Baba

Ramadan 1432

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 20:01:00 GMT

Ramadan 1432

For those whose eyes of the heart are opened, one day of the blessed month of Ramadan is worth a thousand months. A thousand months is a whole long human life. So it seems appropriate that we should try to follow in our daily lives the advice which our Imam Hd. Abu Hanifa, r.a. gave to his son Hammad:

1- Fear your Lord; forbid yourself to do that which He forbade you to do.

2- Seek knowledge at all times and shy away from ignorance.

3- Befriend only people with whom you have mutual interests, both in worldly and spiritual
affairs.

4- Oppose the extravagant demands of your ego; try to satisfy your needs only to keep
yourself alive, healthy and safe.

5- Never be an enemy to anyone, and never cause stress and pain to anyone.

6- Be satisfied with what you have and do not complain.

7- Work hard and earn enough so that you won't need others' care and help.

8- Never look down on anyone and think yourself better.

9- Do not intervene in affairs which do not concern you.

10- Be kind and considerate with all people, speak softly, love the ones who do good, and try
to get along even with those who do wrong.

11- Remember your Lord and His messenger often; be thankful and praise them.

12- Remember also your wrongdoings and repent by the words of the Beloved of Allah:

Allahumma anta Rabbi la ilaha illa anta, khalaqtani wa ana abduka, wa ana 'ala ahdika wa wa'dika mastata'tu, a'udhu bika min sharri ma sana'tu, abu'u laka bini'matika 'alayya, wa abu'u bidhanbi faghfirli, innahu la yaghfirud-dhunuba illa ant.

My Lord, there is none but You worthy to worship. You created me. I am Your servant. I try to fulfill my promise to You as best as I can. I take refuge in You from my wrongdoings. I confess that I have sinned and I beg your forgiveness. There is none but You Who will have mercy on me.

13- Read Allah's words in the Holy Quran daily and offer the reward you hope to receive to
the blessed soul of our Prophet, and to the souls of your parents, and to the souls of all
the Muslims who have passed away.

14- Beware of the harm which may come from your friends, more than being aware of your
enemies, for the harm which may come from them may not be expected.

15- Keep your beliefs, your thoughts, your path, your secrets to yourself, and do not
befriend those whom you do not fully trust.

16- Be kind and considerate towards your neighbors; never disrupt their peace or cause
them any harm.

17- Hold on to your religion and live your days as a Muslim. Do not let any part of other
faiths come into your life.

18- Be sincere in your words, your actions and your relations with others, and gain your
livelihood lawfully according to your religion.

19- Keep at heart five traditions of our Prophet, five chosen from 500,000, and let them be
your principal guides in your life:

a- Let your deeds be the materialization of your good intentions. Man can only hope for
rewards for his good intentions.

b- One of the beauties of a Muslim is that he is clear of things that do not concern him.

c- If you do not wish for others that which you want for yourself, your faith is
incomplete.

d- You know what is lawful and what is unlawful. In between the two there is an area
where man has doubt, as it is not clear whether things are right or wrong. He who
considers these things as unlawful will save his faith and his well being. And,
whoever participates in them will end up sinning. Be like a shepherd who lets his
flock graze in a field adjacent to his master's orchard, and who prevents the sheep
from entering that orchard. Allah's forbidden orchard is what he ordained as
unlawful. There is a lump of flesh within man's chest. If that lump is well, all is well.
If it is unwell, the whole being is unwell. That piece of meat in your chest is the
heart.

e- The true Muslim is he from whose hands and tongue all is safe.

20- Have faith in Allah the Almighty and think well of Him. Live your life between the fear of
Allah and hope of Allah. Just as you fear His punishment, do not ever lose hope of His
Mercy and Compassion.

We humbly say these words; may Allahu Teala make their effect in your hearts and minds.

Love, Tosun Baba