The Heavy Command of Istiqāmah

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.

Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm,

‘Fa-staqim kamā umirta wa-man tāba ma‘aka’, ‘So remain on a right course as you have been commanded, [you] and those who have turned back with you [to Allah ].’(Qur’ān 11:112). Ṣadaqa Llāhu l-‘Aẓīm.

Our Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam says regarding this āyah: “It turned my beard gray. It caused me to turn gray—[the command being]: ‘Remain steadfast, you and those with you.’” This is a command. One cannot deviate from it; it is a momentous command. People must adhere to this command. Muslims and believers, in particular— everyone—must abide by this command and not stray from the way. People should not say things like, “We can step out [of the way] and then step back in later.” Once one has strayed from the way, it becomes difficult to return to it.

Therefore, steadfastness is crucial. People follow those they trust. These individuals may appear to be guides, yet they end up straying you from the way. People follow them, believing, “This is the right way.” In doing so, that person leads others astray and causes them to commit sin, while also incurring sin upon themselves.

Thus, Allāh ﷻ helps the believer and Muslim who remains steadfast; such a person becomes a servant whom Allāh ﷻ loves. Allāh ﷻ does not love the one who strays from the way, for that person harms both others and themselves. You must proceed along the true way. One cannot compromise the way by thinking, “Let me do this so people like it more and I can gather a larger crowd.” Once you compromise and deviate, you have

strayed from the way. A ḥadīth sharīf states, “He who is separate [from the way] will be separated in hell forever.” [Ḥadīth]. As stated in this ḥadīth sharīf, whoever strays from the way will ultimately find their way to Hell; may Allāh ﷻ protect us.

Therefore, there is no need to look elsewhere. Deviating from the way by following one’s ego or other people is not a good thing; on the contrary, it is very bad. For the way of the Prophet ﷺ is clear. In truth, it is not difficult; it is only difficult to the ego. Whatever is hard for the ego feels hard for a person, which is why they say its “difficult.” People endure all manner of hardships, yet remaining devoted to worship and staying on the right way feels difficult to them.

Thus, this is a heavy command, as our Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam declared, and it must be fulfilled. One must not stray from the way. Istiqāmah—steadfastness— means uprightness; you must always be upright. You must never deviate from truthfulness. You must continue on that way and remain steadfast. If you do not remain steadfast, you will lose; you will forfeit what you have already gained. May Allāh ﷻ keep us steadfast; may He ﷻ not let us stray from istiqāmah, from the right way, from truthfulness, in shā’a Llāh. May Allāh ﷻ help us.

Wa min Allāhi t-Tawfīq. Al-Fātiḥa.

Mawlana Sheikh Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbani 09 September 2026/ 27 Rabih Al-Awwal 1448 Fajr Prayer – Akbaba Dergah, Istanbul