The Advice Of The Masters On Prayers & Recitals

This is the advice of our Master and Guide the Shaikh 'Abdullah al-Fa'iz (q), May Allah sanctify his secret! And may He benefit us by the blessings of his sacred breaths, as passed on from the tongue of Allah's Messenger (Peace and Blessings be upon him!).

Our Master the Shaikh says that whoever works according to this series of advices and acts on it, will attain the Exalted Stations, especially the Station of Closeness (Qurb) to Allah (Who is Powerful and Sublime) on the Day of Resurrection. This is something which guarantees to temper the elements which exist in a human being: the Nafs (Ego), the Dunya (Worldliness), Hawa (Vain desires) and Shaitan. The Saints never speak of anything without first obtaining permission. This advice of Shaikh 'Abdullah's(q) is something which they usually learn and then keep in their hearts, it is knowledge which pertains to the time leading up to the appearance of our Master Muhammed al-Mahdi (on whom be peace).

Our Master the Shaikh says that a person who manages to act on these principles in our times will achieve what earlier generations did not achieve by Khalwats (spiritual retreats) and other spiritual exercises, and by the greater and the lesser Jihads. He who attains an exalted stage and a great rank, such a rank which the Prophets themselves and the Companions were unable to attain, is the one who practices these precepts? And he is also the one who will have Stations which the Prophet (Peace be upon him!) did not even manifest, and neither did our Master Abu Bakr as-Siddiq(ral), his heir. Such a person is the one who sits with the Great Guides, listening to their guidance and being present in their council. He listens to them with a great deal of attention, with faith and respect. And this Station belongs especially to those who obey their orders and do what they wish. Then our Master the Shaikh cautions those who would meddle in politics and long for this world, because as a result of such things one is led away from the true path.

Our master Shaikh 'Abdullah al-Fa'iz Daghistani says that whoever receives the keys to those Stations (Maqamat), i. e. the five Stations: Qalb (Heart), Sirr (Secret), Sirru's-Sirr (Secret of the Secret), Akhfa. (Most Hidden), Khafi (Hidden) is the one who takes care to perform the Adab and the Awrad in their correct manner. Then the characteristics of the Station of Aba Yazid al-Bistami will become manifest in him. He was the one who said: "I am also the Real (al-Haqq)." Anyone who wishes to enter the Station of the two attributes of the Real One (Who is Powerful and Sublime), the attribute of Jamal (Beauty) and that of Jalal (Sublimeness/Glory), then he must follow this way.

“I seek refuge in Allah from Satan the Accursed. There is no Power and no Strength except in Allah, the Exalted, the Mighty”

My beloved brothers! My beloved children success" is from Allah. I have been ordered, ordered by the Prophet (Peace be upon him!) to make these techniques available.

“In the Name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful”

In the Exalted Naqshbandi Order there is a Station called the Station of Annihilation in Allah (Maqamu'l Fana'i billah) and whoever wishes to attain this Station and the other Stations of which we have spoken must make a regular practice of these Waza'if.

“In the Name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful” There is no Power and no Strength except in Allah,the Exalted, the Mighty:

We shall set the foundation of this counsel by using the distinguished Basmalah and the formula which explains the absence of all strength and power which does not originate in Allah, who is Exalted and Mighty.

Allah (Who is Powerful and Sublime) taught the Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon him) good manners, for which reason the Holy Prophet said: "My Lord taught me good manners and he perfected His teaching." And so we must be persistent in keeping to the Adab of the Order, until we obtain knowledge of the fruits of the Shari'ah and Tariqah. First of all we should repeat that we have not stumbled outside the Order, and we shall rush to enter it. Having decided this we shall begin with the Waza'if.

The beginner must always begin at the beginning, and he should recognise the difference between Shari'ah and Tariqah. Knowing the Shari'ah is to know a reality which is obligatory for every believing man and woman. Practically speaking the Shari'ah is to practice everything which was ordered by Allah (Who is Powerful and Sublime) and avoiding that which He has forbidden. Whoever keeps to these two things, Allah (Who is Powerful and Sublime) will be his teacher. This is the Shari'ah.

Now Tariqah is the firm intention (‘Azimah) of the Shari'ah. that is to say that the Murid shall put his belief in the one who is his Shaikh and Guide, and should precede as indicated by him. The Murid may not ask his Shaikh any question refering to anything which he may order him to do. The second description of Tariqah is that the Murid should be ready to take orders from the Shaikh. Just as the Prophet used to await the coming of Divine Inspiration (Wahy) from Allah (Who is Powerful and Sublime), in the same way the Murid must follow his Murshid's orders, carrying them out to the letter.?

And he must have the Adab of Anticipation that is to say that he must constantly await the orders of his Guide; he must adopt the attitude of a hunter to his Prey, being oblivious to all other directions. His sight, hearing, existence and thoughts should be ready to receive orders and he should always be prepared to carry out some new order. Such a man will be a master of the Adab of the Exalted Naqshbandi Order and this Tajalli will become manifest in him.

Hadrat Shaikh says: "I do not speak to you about any Station (Maqam), Tajalli or Rank (Rutbah) without my already having entered that station or position or without having experienced that Tajalli. I am not like the others, I do not speak separating my sight from my chart, enumerating the Stations (Maqamat) for you without my knowing their reality (Haqiqah). No! First of all I followed that path and saw what it was. I learned those Realities and Secrets which may be found along it, and I worked my way along it until I obtained the Knowledge of Certainty (‘Ilmu'l-Yaqin), the Eye of Certainty (‘Ainu'l-Yaqin) and the Truth of Certainty (Haqqu'l-Yaqin). Only then do I speak to you, giving you a taste, as it were, of that which I have tasted, until I am able to make you reach that station without tiring you and without difficulties."

Our Master Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (May Allah be pleased with him!) asked the Pride of all Existing Beings, our Master Muhammed (Peace be upon him!) about the meaning of the phrase 'Ajalu'l-Karamat' (the appointed time for miracles) and he replied: "As long as success remains." (Dawamu'-Tawfiq). And what is the meaning of 'Dawamu't-Tawfiq'? It is that the Murid should keep to, his Wazifah and should obey the orders of his Murshid without veering either to the right or to the left.

Flying in the sky or walking on water, entering into fire untouched or knowing the secrets of people’s hearts are not praiseworthy miracles since Satan also possesses these gifts. With the People of Reality such miracles are never counted as being of the desirable kind, and our Naqshbandi Brethren compare these miracles to a woman's menstruation, saying: "The Miracle of Walis is the Menstruation of Men." The Masters of our Naqshbandi Order do not openly perform miracles even if skinned alive or tortured to death.

Our Sheik, Maulana 'Abdullah al-Fa'iz (May Allah sanctify his secret!) says: "My tongue is the tongue of the Secret of the Shari'ah and of the Secret of the Qur'an." Then he asked a question, saying: "Who are the bearers and protectors of the Qur'an (i.e. Huffaz)? The bearers and protectors of the Qur'an are those who set foot in all these Stations and know them with true understanding. And is it not right, my children that I should indicate to you that you should follow this path so that you may reach and discover these Stations?"