The Naqshbandi Tariqah

Assalamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuh, Auzu Billahi Minashaytanir Rajeem. Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem, Wassalatu Wassalamu ala Rasulina Muhammadin Sayyidul Awwalin wal Akhirin, Madad Ya Rasulallah, Madad Ya Sadat As’habi RasuLillah, Madad Ya Mashayikhina, Dastur Mawlana Sheikh Abdullah Faiz Daghestani, Sheikh Nazim al-Haqqani. Madad. Tariqatunas sohba, wal khayru fil jamiyya.

The month of Muharram is a holy month. Big rewards were given to Prophets, Awliya’ and Sahabah. Something more special given to them in Muharram is the day of ‘Ashurah. Usually, the beginning of the month of Muharram is also the beginning of the Hijri year which started after the migration of our Holy Prophet ﷺ from Mecca to Madinah. During his migration, they stopped at the cave of Thawr with Sayyidina Abu Bakr raḍiya Llāhu ‘anhu, and our Holy Prophet ﷺ taught the Naqshbandi Awrad to Sayyidina Abu Bakr raḍiya Llāhu ‘anhu there. Therefore, it is also special for the Naqshbandi Tariqah.

Many Muslims ask what Tariqah is for. It is for our benefit, in order to strengthen our ‘iman. Tariqah is the way that takes us to our Holy Prophet ﷺ. In order to be in the presence our Holy Prophet ﷺ every minute, he introduced these Awrad in the cave of Thawr. He had gathered with the Naqshbandi Mashayikh there and in this journey he instilled this into their spirituality. Therefore, it is important for people, for Muslims and for our ‘iman. Because when we don’t have ‘iman, it doesn’t work out well. People survive somehow, but they may face hardships later. ‘Iman is the most beautiful thing that Allah ‘Azza wa Jalla gave to people.

Islam is the first step. And to go further, we need to be on this way. The way is not separate. Whoever goes out of the way is from different people and different Firqa. They are called not Tariqah but Firqa, heresy groups. They started after the time of our Holy Prophet ﷺ. Even during his ﷺ time, there were false Prophets. And when their work didn’t go well, such Firqas appeared with Waswasa and instructions of shaytan. Those Firqas are not Tariqah. Tariqah is the core of Shari’ah, especially, the Naqshbandi Tariqah which comes from Sayyidina Abu Bakr raḍiya Llāhu ‘anhu.

There were no Madhhabs at that time. And as there were no Madhhabs, all the Sahabah did what they saw from our Holy Prophet ﷺ. Each of them was an Imam. But the closest one mentioned in the Qur’an was Sayyidina Abu Bakr raḍiya Llāhu ‘anhu. Our Holy Prophet ﷺ passed the knowledge in his chest to Sayyidina Abu Bakr raḍiya Llāhu ‘anhu, and it has been delivered to the Ummah. These are the benefits of Tariqah. Tariqah is not Jama’at. Jama’at is Firqa. Tariqah is for gathering people and to show the way. To leave the way is Firqa which means separation.

The month of Muharram is also the beginning of Tariqah. Not the beginning exactly, it is when our Holy Prophet ﷺ showed importance to the spirituality of the Naqshbandi Mashayikh and showed the way. It is a holy time. May Allah ﷻ not separate us from the right way. May He not let us go to Firqas. May we be not in the 73 Firqas but in the group of Haqq. May we be on the right way insha’Allah.

Wa min Allah at-Tawfiq. Al-Fatiha.

Mawlana Sheikh Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbani 10 August 2021/2 Muharram 1443 Morning Prayer, Akbaba Dergah