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StepByStepMuraqabah
Step By Step
Muraqabah / Taffakur
With Ones
Murshid
Essential
to the progress of the murid towards unveiling and victory over the veils of
dunya is the consistent and daily practice of Muraqabah – meditation. For
without doubt one is by default immersed in the illusion of dunya and only
through seclusion from its perpetual onslaught upon the senses may one hope to
escape from its tyranny. Muraqabah then is the immersion in reality and
thus the opposite of existence in dunya, which is the
immersion in illusion.
The
goal and purpose of Muraqabah is to manifest perpetual presence in the reality
of the Shaykh. The more one keeps to this vital practice, the more its
benefit will manifest in his daily life to the point that he reaches the state
of annihilation in the presence of the Shaykh. One must know well that the
Shaykh is the bridge between illusion and reality and he remains in this world
only for this purpose. The Shaykh is thus a unique rope extended to any who seek
freedom for only he may serve as the link between one still mired in this
world and the Divine Presence. To be annihilated in the presence and reality of
the Shaykh is to be annihilated in reality, in the Presence of the Divine, for
this is precisely where he is.
Initially
the murid may begin the practice of Muraqabah for short intervals of 5 to 15
minutes, and gradually work towards longer sessions extending even for hours at
a time. The important point is that one maintain a consistent practice to obtain
benefit. It is manifold better and wiser to keep to a small amount daily than to
be sporadic in one’s discipline and practice. A small amount of effort done
consistently will result in tremendous progress in even a short amount of time.
The following steps are a
guideline towards making Muraqabah with Mawlana Shaykh :
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Make fresh wudhu and pray 2
raka’.
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3x Shahada
[ Kalimatu shahada (3 times):
Ashhadu an la ilaha
illa-lah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasulu-lah]
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100-200x Istighfar [Astaghfirul
lahal `Atheem wa atubu ilayh ]
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3x Surah Ikhlas [Qul hu
Allah hu Ahad Allah hu Samad Lam yalid wal lam ulad wa lam lakon la hul
kofuone ahad ]
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Ihda, du’a for
Shuyukh [Ihda' Allahumma balligh thawaba ma qara'nahu wa nura ma talawnahu
hadiyatan wa asilatan minna ila ruhi Nabiyina Muhammad (sallam) wa ila arwahil
anbiya'i wal awliya'i, khassatan ila ruhi Shah Naqshband wa Shaykhina `abdullah
ed-Daghistani, wa Sultan Awliya Mawlana Shaykh Nazim Haqqani wal Murshidina
Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani was siddiqeenal Fatiha (read fatiha)]
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Surah Fatiha
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Minimum 200x seeking support
and presence of Mawlana Shaykh (Q):
“Madad ya Sayyidi, Madadul-Haq
Ya Mawlana Shaykh Nazim Haqaani”
Repeating Dhikr
Next one must imagine himself
entering into the presence of the Shaykh for in reality he is always in the
presence of the Shaykh, yet due to heedlessness we are unaware of this basic
fact. At this point it is a good practice to give salaams to Mawlana Shaykh (Q)
and to make l-ihtiram, and afterwards to remain still in a position of adab
preferably on the knees, fully conscious and awake and connected. One may then
allow his soul to converse with the Shaykh, thus defining, strengthening and
building his relationship with the reality of the Shaykh, and to follow what
Mawlana Shaykh (Q) reveals to his heart.
Such a personal practice is
unique and private and the preceding is intended as a general guideline. It is
important for each individual to develop his own personal relationship with the
Shaykh as is meant for him or her.
Murid Life Support
Invision Your Shaykh Being Dressed upon you. His face over your face His
Beard Over your Chin, His Heart over Your Heart.
Recite Madad Al-Haqq 200 times.
The Daily Awrad (Spiritual Practices) Awrad of the People of
Determination
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3X-Shahada three times;
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7OX -Astaghfirullah" ;
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1X- Fatiha one time with the intention of participating in the blessings
sent down with it when it was revealed in Makka.
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Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim, Amana-r-Rasul (Surat 2, verses 285-286), one
time. Whoever recites this ayat, will attain a high rank and a great position.
He will get the Safety of al-Aman, in this world and the next.
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7X- Inshira (Surah 94) 7 times.
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11X- Ikhlas (Surah 112) 11 times. Whoever recites this Surah, must obtain
the tajalli of the two Names of Glory, al-Ahad (the One), and as-Samad (the
Eternal). Anyone who reads it, must get a portion of this tajalli.
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1X- Falaq (Surah 113) 1 time;
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1X- Nas (Surah 114) 1 time.
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The reality of the Secret and the Perfect Wholeness (Kamal) of Allah's
Greatest Name is connected with these two surahs (Falaq & Nas).
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10X- La ilaha illallah 10 times, the last time completing it with
Muhammadun Rasulullah;
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10X- Salawat ash-sharifa 10 times;
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ihda, presenting the reward of the above recitation to the Prophet (s) and
to the Shaykhs of the Naqshbandi Tariqat;
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concluding with Fatiha, with the intention of sharing in the Divine Graces
and tajalli which were sent down when it was revealed in Madinah the second
time;
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Sit on the knees, meditating on the connection (rabitah) to your Shaykh,
from your Shaykh to the Prophet (s) and from the Prophet (s) to the Divine
Presence, reciting
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3X- "Allahu Allahu Allahu Haqq" three times;
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1500 Min. X-Dhikr of the Glorious Name 'Allah, Allah' 5000 times by
tongue, 5000 times by heart;
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300X- Praising the Prophet (s) through salawat 1000 times, and on Mondays,
Thursdays and Fridays 2000 times.
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100X- Surah Iklas or 1/30 Juz-one-thirthieth of the Qur'an (juz), or
instead Ikhlas 100 times;
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100X- Salawat Nabi or one chapter of -Dala'il al-Khairat or instead
salawat 100 times;
Realities:
GrandShaykh said, "If someone reads Fatiha, he will not leave this world
without attaining those Divine Favors that are hidden behind the meaning of the
Fatiha which enable him to reach a state of submission to Allah, Almighty and
Exalted. The blessings that Allah has sent down with the Fatiha when it was
revealed to the Prophet (s) will never cease, and will last forever, with the
one who recites the Fatiha. No one is able to know how much blessings there are
except Allah and His Messenger (s). Whoever recites surat al-Fatiha, with the
intention of sharing in these tajallis, will attain a high position and a great
rank. And whoever recites without this intention, gets general Divine Favors
only. This surah possesses innumerable and limitless stations (maqamat) in the
Sight of Allah, Who is Powerful and Sublime.
He will enter the Circle of Security in the Presence of Allah Almighty and
Exalted, and he will reach all the stations of the Most Distinguished Naqshbandi
Order. He will be an inheritor of the Secret of the Prophet (s) and of saints,
and will arrive at the stage of Bayazid al-Bistami, the Imam of the Order, who
said, "I am the Truth (al-Haqq)." This is the magnificent tajalli
(manifestation) which belongs to this ayat, and to other ayats also.
GrandShaykh Khalid al-Baghdadi, one of the imams of this Order, received the
Vision and the Secret of this Ayat, through which Allah made him special for his
time.
Surah Inshira: On each letter and on each ayat there is a tajalli which is
different from that on any other. Whoever recites an ayat or letter of the
Qur'an, will attain the Divine grace that is particular to that ayat or letter
If anyone recites this surat of Qur'an, he will receive those Divine Graces,
tajallis and virtues. Whoever wishes to obtain these virtues, must keep these
awrad daily along with his obligations. Then he will gain True Life and Eternal
Life.
Surah Nas & Falak: Since they mark the end of the Qur'an, they are linked and
associated with the completion of the Divine Graces and tajallis. By means of
these awrad, the Masters of the Most Distinguished Naqshbandi Order became
Oceans of Knowledge and Gnosis. GrandShaykh Abdullah ad-Daghestani said, "You
have now reached the beginning, where each verse, letter and surah of the Qur'an
has its own special tajalli, which do not resemble any others. For that reason
the Messenger of Allah said, "I have left three things with my Ummah, death
which makes them afraid, true dreams which give them good tidings, and the
Qur'an which addresses them." By means of the Qur'an Allah will open up the
gates of Divine Grace in the Last Times, as it came down in the time of the Holy
Prophet and the Companions, and in the times of the khalifas, and in the time of
the saints.
These stations and continuous Divine Graces are closely bound together and
they cannot be separated, so any deficiency in the awrad will automatically
create a deficiency in the Divine Graces being sent down. As an example, if we
want to wash our hands, we may wait in front of the tap for water to come out.
If the pipes do not connect properly so that the water escapes before reaching
the tap, then, no matter how long we wait, the water will not flow out. So we
must not let any deficiency enter our dhikr until we obtain all the tajallis and
Divine Graces.
These awrad for the of followers, must be performed once every 24 hours,
together with all other obligations, according to the shari'ah of the Prophet
(s). Everything which the Prophet (s) brought, was founded in these awrad. It is
the way that the slave reaches the key of nearness to Allah, Who is Powerful and
Sublime. It was by means of it that the prophets, messengers and saints reached
their Creator, and it is by means of these awrad that we reach all these
stations of the Most Distinguished Tariqat.
The Masters of the Most Distinguished Naqshbandi Order say that whoever
claims that he is affiliated to one of the 40 Orders, or to the most
Distinguished Naqshbandi Order, but nevertheless has not entered seclusion (khalwat)
even once in his life, then such a person should be ashamed of connecting
himself with the People of the Path.
In our time, Grand Shaykh Abdullah ad-Dagestani said, "Whichever of the
People of the Last Time (akhir az-zaman), wishes to attain a high rank and an
exalted state, and get what a murid normally gets by means of seclusion (khalwat),
and spiritual exercises, then he must continuously perform these awrad (Dhikr).
With this awrad we have set the foundations for the higher stations, which are
built on this foundation. The murid ought to know that if he fails to attain an
exalted station and high grade in this world because of his lack of effort, then
he shall not be separated from this world, but that the Shaykhs make him reach
it, and reveal for him his station, either during his lifetime, or at the time
of the seven last breaths during the agonies of death."
"If anyone performs these awrad (dhikr) and then performs an action which is
forbidden he will be like the one who builds his house on the side of a cliff,
and then his house collapses down the side of the cliff. So we should always be
aware of our actions, gauging them to see if they are halal or haram, if Allah
is going to be angry with our actions or not. And we need to think about every
action that we are about to do so much that ultimately we do not do any haram
thing which might weaken our foundation. And that is why we have to think before
every action. As the Prophet (s) said in his hadith 'One hour's contemplation is
better than seventy years of worship.' We should perform our actions in the
perfectly correct way, that is to say without any haram deeds intervening."
"On this basis Allah has divided the day into three parts: eight hours for
worship, eight hours for earning a living and eight hours for sleeping. Anyone
who does not accept and follow this division of energies will exemplify the
hadith, 'He who is erratic will be erratic in the Hellfire.' He who goes
according to his own will and reasoning does not progress and he who wishes to
obtain exalted stations, levels and stages which previous generations earned by
means of retreats and other spiritual exercises, must remember Allah throughout
the course of the day."
GrandShaykh continued, "He who makes a regular practice of the awrad (dhikr)
shall attain the Water of True Life, and with it he will perform ablution. He
will bathe in it and drink it and by means of it shall he reach his goal. There
is such a person who claims that he has been in the Order for thirty years, and
as yet has not seen anything and not attained anything. The answer to that
person is to search and look at his actions over the past years. How many
deficient actions has he performed? When you know the deficiency you should
quickly avoid it, then you will reach Allah Who is Powerful and Sublime. When
the murid forsakes that which the Shaykhs have told him to do of the daily duty
(wazifa), then he will be absolutely incapable of making further progress and he
will be unable to reach any state he had previously attained. No Prophet ever
attained prophethood, nor did any saint ever attain sainthood, and no believer
ever attained the stage of faith without utilizing his time for his daily
dhikr."
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