How to Get Closer to Allah ﷻ

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.

Our Holy Prophet ﷺ is saying, “How can a believer get closer to Allah ‘Azza waJalla?” It is by performing voluntary worship. Performing Fard is the order of Allah ﷻ to people. The things that must be done are the five-times prayers, fasting, Zakah and Hajj. These must be done. Apart from them, there is Nafl worship like Sunnah prayers, Wajib Sunnah and Mu’akkadah Sunnah. Sunnah of Fajr, Dhuhr, ‘Asr and Maghrib prayers are Mu’akkadah. And apart from the Mu’akkadah, there is more Nafl worship such as praying the last two Rakat of Dhuhr prayer as four Rakat, Sunnah of ‘Asr prayer, Salat ul-Awwabin after Maghrib, Ishraq and Duha prayers. These are the Nafl prayers. Who wants may pray, who doesn’t want may skip them. But those who want to get closer to Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla should pray more of them. The more they approach Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla, the more benefit they will have.

Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla says in Hadith Qudsi, “My servants approach me through Nafl worship. As they get closer, I become their hands and walking feet.” Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla gives good tidings to people with this Hadith Qudsi. Therefore, if people can approach Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla as much as possible, they must do so. If Mu’mins, people of Tariqah can’t do so, Allah ﷻ will still give according to their intentions. We want to do so. We are doing all Sunnah and Fard anyway. So may Allah ﷻ help us.

Many people nowadays say they cannot pray and that they get into some state when they pray. That state is not an excuse. Performing Fard prayer is the order of Allah ﷻ to every Muslim. They must do it. How? If a person is sick, he can pray sitting if he can’t pray standing. Moreover, even if his body can’t move at all, he must pray with his eyes.

People nowadays say, “This happens in a prayer, so I can’t pray. They don’t let me pray.” What doesn’t let you pray is your ego. You must break your ego and perform that prayer. There is no other solution. As you pray, those states you talk about will disappear. Those states will be gone with the permission of Allah ﷻ. There is no excuse for Fard.

When there are things they cannot do, when they cannot fast if they are sick, they must give Fidyah instead. But praying is obligatory. Praying doesn’t have Fidyah. As we said, even if they can’t move at all, they must pray with their eyes. If they can’t talk, they must pray by reciting to themselves on the inside. It is Fard to do it. No one can do it for them. When they die, may Allah ﷻ forgive them, they can do whatever they want.

May Allah ﷻ protect us. May Allah ﷻ give easiness and the pleasure of worship. When people worship, they sense pleasure and feel beauty. Who don’t feel that make excuses. May Allah ﷻ give that pleasure and beauty to all of us. May we have the light of Iman and peace in our hearts insha’Allah. Worries go away with peace insha’Allah.

Wa min Allah at-Tawfiq. Al-Fatiha.

There are recited Qur’an Khatms as today is Friday. Our brothers have recited from all over the world. There are Yasin, Ayat, Surahs, Tasbihat, Tahlilat, Salawat. We gift them and the various good deeds and charity done by our brothers firstly to our Holy Prophet ﷺ, his Ahlu l-Bayt and Sahabah, souls of all Anbiya, Awliya, Asfiya and Mashayikh, souls of our late relatives. For goodness to come and evil to be gone.

Li-Llahi Ta’ala l-Fatiha..

Mawlana Sheikh Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbani 24 May 2024/ 16 Dhul Qa’dah 1445 Fajr Prayer, Akbaba Dergah