Be Steadfast on What’s Your Destiny

As-Salāmu ‘Alaykum wa Raḥmatullāhi wa Barakātuh. A‘ūdhu Billāhi Minash-shayṭāni r-rajīm. Bismillāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm. Wa ṣ-Salātu wa s-Salāmu ‘alá Rasūlinā Muḥammadin Sayyidi l-Awwalīna wa l-Akhirīn. Madad yā RasūlAllāh, Madad yā Sādāti Aṣḥābi Rasūlillāh, Madad yā Mashāyikhinā, Dastūr Mawlana Sheikh Abdullāh al-Fā’iz ad-Dāghistāni, Sheikh Muḥammad Nāẓim al-Ḥaqqānī. Madad. Ṭarīqatunā aṣ-Suḥbah wa l-Khayru fi l-Jam‘iyyah.

Madad Ya Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari. Madad Ya RijalaLlah (O Men of Allah ﷻ), A’eenuna (help us).

We were destined to come here on the 1st of Holy Sha’ban. May Allah ﷻ bless it. We passed the month of Rajab safely, Shukr to Allah ﷻ. May Allah ﷻ accept the worship we have performed. And may He ﷻ make us steadfast on this way. Steadfastness is an important thing. People steadfast in everything win.

Mawlana Shaykh Nazim said this forty years ago in 1984. There was only one university in Cyprus then. And there was a student from Damascus there. There were very few student followers in Cyprus back then. He was talking to Mawlana Shaykh Nazim. And he asked Mawlana Shaykh Nazim, “People are getting rich doing this and that. What should I do?” He was not very successful in studying also. He replied, “The secret is to be consistent.” Wherever you show steadfastness, whether it is religious affairs, Tariqah, Shari’ah, or worldly affairs; when you are consistent, you will certainly reach success. Therefore, to be steadfast is a great virtue. It is a great benefit to those who can do it. That is the biggest benefit.

We hear about an Awliya’ who sent his Murid (disciple) up to the mountain as a test. He said, “I am coming.” Months and years passed. And after seven years, that Murid was still waiting for his Shaykh on top of the mountain. Because of his steadfastness, the rank of sainthood opened for him. Certainly, it is not easy to be steadfast. A hundred ideas come to people’s minds every day. Many people give advice and preach. So it is difficult to be steadfast.

Therefore, when you find a way, stay steadfast on that way. Don’t leave that way, and it will lead to goodness. Especially on the way of Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla and our Holy Prophet ﷺ, when you find a good Murshid, a good person, don’t stop following him. Of course, he must be a real one. There are many people who are

not real and claim many things. Don’t go after those who claim so. He who claims to be this and that, when he says “I am”, his work is over from the beginning. Therefore, no need to go to them. Look for the real one. Ask for the real one from Allah ﷻ. It will be given to your heart.

Mawlana Shaykh Nazim used to say whomever your heart is leaning towards, go there. We are not after anyone’s Murids. And we don’t invite anyone to take them away from someone. But if it is in their hearts, that is different. There are many Shaykhs. There are good Shaykhs and real Shaykhs. If your heart is not leaning towards some Shaykh - your destiny is already written: who you will follow and who you will be with. Your heart will be content then, and you will follow him.

There is Laylatu l-Bara’ah on the 15th of this month (Sha’ban). Everything related to this year is written on that night. Rizq, death, diseases and everything that will happen in this year are written on this night. And again, whomever your heart is destined [to lean to] is written on that night as well. The virtue of that night is so great. Whatever is in the fate will happen. Whatever Allah ‘Azza waJalla has written will happen.

Therefore, no need to bring anyone by force. If Allah ﷻ put that in their fate, they will come. No one can prevent them. Nothing can prevent them from their fate. Therefore, people should look for their Murshid, for their Shaykh. This world is beautiful with them. And Akhirah is even more beautiful with them. All troubles will be removed with the permission of Allah ﷻ. This world is not a paradise for believers. However, it is paradise to those who are in Tariqah and have a Shaykh. This world is actually a paradise for Kafirs. But Allah ‘Azza waJalla has shown kindness to us as well. And insha’Allah both here and hereafter will be paradise for us.

Cypriots who live by as very clever people used to say in old times that both paradise and hell are here. We once went to Cyprus after years. We used to go there when we were children. But when we went there after we grew up, there was a house in front of the mosque. And there was a man who did the cleaning of the mosque. We greeted each other and shared a few words. The man said, “Both paradise and hell are here”. He said there was nothing else. We said, “You know for yourself. And you will see where paradise is and where hell is.” He passed away within a year and saw there where paradise and hell are.

This world is paradise for Kafirs. Because no matter how bad their situation is, it is still better than hell. It is paradise according to them, because Akhirah is nothing but hell for Kafirs. People who go against Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla, who don’t know Him ﷻ and don’t accept Him ﷻ, who detest and don’t love the Prophets say, “I am Kafir”. Kafirs are making all kinds of oppression. Their punishment in Akhirah is hell. Therefore, this world is paradise for them.

When probably Sayyidina Abdul Qadir Gilani was riding a horse, a nonMuslim person came across him and said, “How do you say it is paradise for us and not for you when you are riding a horse, and I am in such a poor state crawling on my feet? How do you say that?” He said, “Compared to the hell of Akhirah, it is paradise for you here. Unless you have Iman in Akhirah, there is hell for you in Akhirah, so you will miss this world there. You will miss your poorest and worst state when you are there.”

We were talking about fate. Shukr to Allah ﷻ for our fate. We must make thousands of Shukr for being created as human. He ﷻ gave us this honor. And the honor is to have Iman and Islam. People without Iman have no virtue. No need to show respect to them. Showing respect and appreciating people who don’t show respect to Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla is something unnecessary. If you want to show respect, you may. But it has no benefit and no use. Instead of that, glorify Allah ﷻ and turn towards Allah ﷻ. The honor given by Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla is the greatest honor.

People nowadays are famous for being on the TV, in a film or here and there. If they say something to people, they lose their minds and get happy, whereas that is nothing. They bring you no benefit by flattering or telling nice words to you. The benefit is in being on the way of Allah ﷻ. The way of Allah ﷻ is the necessary way for people. What is necessary in this world? We are travelers. No one is remaining here. We are travelers. We are not the people of here [Dunya]. One day we were praying in Germany. We prayed two Raka’at as travelers. A local man behind us also made Salam after two Raka’at. Someone said, “You are not a traveler. You are a local. Why did you pray two Raka’at?” He said, “I am a traveler too.” We thought it is true. We are all travelers to Akhirah.

Days after days, weeks, months and years are passing non-stop. As they say, “We rode on a sign and are going to doomsday.” [Turkish proverb]. It is true. These are beautiful words. Mankind think years pass without them moving, with everything being the same. They don’t know they are moving towards Akhirah. May Allah ﷻ give us safety, the safety of Iman insha’Allah. Showing respect to

these holy months, benefitting from them is for the benefit of people. May Allah ﷻ bless them. Insha’Allah this oppression will be over as well. Days are coming and going. But they are not going in vain. Oppression is growing. And the growing of oppression is the sign for its ending. As the oppression grows and reaches its peak, it will end for sure. Every up has its down. That will go down.

We are seeing everywhere that the world is getting worse, not better. People are in hopelessness because of it. The hopeless ones are people without Iman. People with Iman know there is peace in the end. In the end, with the permission of Allah ﷻ, the whole world will be saved from oppression. And the salvation of this world will be with Mahdi ‘alayhi s-salam insha’Allah. May we reach him as soon as possible. Our days are not going in vain, as we said. Months and years are passing, but we are getting closer to Mahdi ‘alayhi s-salam insha’Allah. We will see the days when the whole world is Muslim insha’Allah. May Allah ﷻ let us meet Mahdi ‘alayhi s-salam as soon as possible. May we be together with Mahdi ‘alayhi s-salam insha’Allah.

Wa min Allah at-Tawfiq. Al-Fatiha.

Mawlana Sheikh Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbani 11 February 2024/ 01 Sha’ban 1445 Eyup Sultan Dergah, Istanbul