All praise to Allah, who has made us from humankind and who Has Made us from Muslims and now have turned us to be believers. He alone has chosen us to be Believers to believe in Him. All praise to Allah, who has showered His greatest blessings by making us the Ummath's (followers) of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).
Many vainly think and claim to be the saliks (seekers of God) ,just by attending the weekly zikr majlis (congregation). We think that just by doing Bay'ath (testimony of truth) with a Mursheed Sheikh, we have become saliks (seekers) in the path of Sufism and we will reach Allah. We think that just by offering Hadhiya (gift) to the Sheikh, our duty as a salik is over and our sufism is complete. We think that just by doing Khidhmath (service) to the sheikh, our thareekath (path towards Allah, Sufism) is complete. But, these are all just customs and they in no way make you a true seeker or a sufi. This does not mean that we should not be involved in all of these things, they are just channels that which you show your love and dedication to Allah SWT and RasoolAllah SAW but, as a seeker your goals should be the important prescription that Almighty Allah wanted us to be always engaged with at most of our time be it leisure or any moment fo time. Our Main goal should be remembering Allah, Feel His presence and taste His love.And that could only be achieved only by " ITHABAE RASSOOL". Surah Al Imran - Ayat 31.
We should always be in the state of zikr (remembrance) of Allah, who is the Lord, The Nourisher, The Miantainer , The Provider of Life , bountiness, Sustainability and also mainly as the fulfiller of all our needs. How could we ever imagine Living and we forget Him, when He is fulfilling all our internal and external needs and we are always in need? Our Mursheed Sheikhs have taught us the Divine Breath Zikir , The 24 hours continous Zikir - called in Parsi language Fas-anfas (breath for breath) zikr of Allahu Allah. It is a great blessing on us. Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) said that the day of the doom will not happen until a person says Allahu Allah.
Our main engagement in life should be at all times be engaged in Zikirullahi Akbar as stated in Surah AL Ankaboot Verse number 45. And with that note and command of Remembrances , we should always be in His Zikr. This is called as 'Yadhe Huq Aladhawam' (Always in the remembrance of Huq). We all know that the Maksad (Objectives) of Bay'ath are 'Yadhe Huq Aladhawam' and 'Yafthe Huq' (Attaining the Huq -- . It will be explained in detail in our upcoming course of lessons and nasheethats). A salik should strive to attain these two things.
Unless we attain 'yadhe Huq' you cannot attain 'Yafthe Huq'. So, the first goal of a seeker should be to increase the zikr of Allah. We should be so much immersed in His zikr (remembrance) that you should forget yourself. Allah asks us to remember Him, in all states and positions -- standing, sitting or lying. When Allah sent Moosa Alaihissalam to Fir'aun (Pharaoh), He asked him not to forget His zikr.
We remember every detail of creations, to the extend we know every items placed in evrey nook and corner of our house yet we dont know Where is Our Lord and Who is Our Lord and ILLAH. How do you expect to die by saying the Kalimah. We are so much excited, over possesive, attracted and overwhelmed by the creations that we forget the Creator, The Almighty Allah. How can His creations make us forget Him. When you feel thirsty and drink water,the water seems to be our main target but we foget we need life , we need power to hold the glass, we need a good functioning stomach, good nerves in order, our temperature conditions which are all deadly sure grants from Almighty Allah , yet we dont remember Him at all not even for a second, instead our mind should automatically and instantenously be directed to Almighty Allah SWT to remember Him.Same applied when we eat, play, work and every act we do , Allah should be the first subject matter we think of. The hand with which you are holding the glass,the food, the car steering, the bed, th epillow and etc and millions of other things in life , we accusotm our selve sin remembering Almighty Allah in this manner , our sun conscious mind will develop the habit to remember Him at all the time.This all are due to His blessings. Think about a single act and keep forcing into your brain the truth and facts of life,example The power with which you are holding the glass is His. (La Kuwwatha Illa Billah -- There is no power other than His power.) The glass you are holding is also His creation. The water is also is His creation. It is He who is fulfilling your need of quenching your thirst. It is He who is feeding the water to you.
So, start remembering Him, wherever you are, in whatever you do. The place of remembrance is the heart. The heart and mind should be thinking Of Him, His Name , His Power and His Action. It is not just by uttering or murmuring something in our lips that becomes a zikr. While you are certainly rewarded for reciting Allah's names but in reality it is a forgetfullness Ghaflat. It is called as 'Zikre Lisani' (Utterance by tongue). In most cases, when the mouth is reciting 'Rahman' ( the beneficent, Allah) our mind is thinking about 'Shaitan' (the devil). Our heart should be in His remembrance.
When we are remembering Him, we think that it is we who is remembering Him. Again, you are in your own thought and not in the thought of Allah. The thought of our own self is more than that of Him. Infact, it is He who is making you to remember Him. So, shun the thoughts that you are remembering Him. Be happy and grateful to Him, for He has given us this ni'math (blessing)to remember Him while the whole world is in pursuit of something else. Keep your tongu silent and our mouth to sleeping mode and listen to your heart.
This should be our first step towards the higher stages of sulook (the way, of Arifbillah the Gnostic in the path of Almighty Allah SWT ).
