| We are Muslims following the
majority of the Ummah - Ahl Sunnah wa Jama'ah. We come from all walks
of life, all kind of nationalities and colors--we are the united colors of Islam. We
are engineers, business people, home managers, doctors, lawyers, cab drivers, students,
academicians, carpenters, farmers, royalties - just a glimpse at who we are. We all
have our different vocations, but we understand that they are only means. Our maksud
(purpose) in life is to gain the redha (countenance) of Allah. We are
always in a constant battle, the battle against the nafs (ego). We
acknowledge, regardless of our socio-economic status, without subduing the nafs,
the Islam that we try to practice would be likened to a corpus without a soul. It would be
like eating devoid of taste. Hence, we all gravitate to a path/school in Islam that
specializes in the teachings of tazkiyya-tu-nafs (purification of the ego). Just as there are many schools in Islam that teach tajweed (the art
of reciting Quran), fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), there are also schools that teach
tazkiyya-tu-nafs. In the Islamic tradition, these schools or paths are called
tariqat. The Naqshbandi, is one of these tariqats. Leading this path
for us is a most lovely human being named Muhammad Nazim, affectionately known as
Sheikh/Shaykh Nazim. It would suffice to say, we all love him for the sake of
Allah.
Nothing can be more virtuous than loving someone whose only
purpose in life is to remind humanity of Allah, and warning them of the tricks and traps
of Satan. Our Lord has asked us to follow those whom have turned their faces to Him with
love. Significantly, to follow them with love would make the relationship spiritual.
By placing ourselves under the tutelage of Sh. Nazim, we are making that connection. Sh.
Nazim diligently has been planting the seed of love in us. The love of Allah; the
love of the most beloved creation, Muhammad (SAW); the love of righteous ones; the love of
awliyas (His friends); the love of humanity, the love of all creations. We
are striving to respect all and to be tolerant to all differences that are between us. In
trying to do all of these, we are following the guidance of Sh. Nazim.
For most of us, all these love do not come by default. They
have to be nurtured with care and patience. Our guide is one of those who have been
trained to instill all those qualities in us. He reaps his knowledge and wisdom from
the deep oceans of Quran and the Sunnah. Without an arif (knower) like
him to transmit to us both the esoteric and exoteric nature of the Quran and Sunnah
of the holy prophet Muhammad (SAW), we will not be tasting the sweetness of Islam ...
the sweetness of Submission. Alhamdulillah, in the United States we are blessed to
have Sh. Nazim's authorized deputy, Sh. Hisham Kabbani, the sole representative of Sh.
Nazim in the American continent. He has been trained by Sh. Nazim for more
than 40 years. Through Sh. Hisham, our training to attain the reality of being an abdullah
(servant of Allah) continues. |
