Speech of Shaykh Said Afandi during Mawlid celebration in Chirkey, April 2009.

Dear brothers!

A lot of important things have been said here. As for me, I would like to add a little to the earlier said that on the same gathering last year I forewarned all of you not to trust anyone who comes from somewhere outside. Even the one who is flying in the sky! Indeed it is very dangerous. The year has passed, and it made me to see the thing I was of full concern about. One day a Tatar Muslim approached me. From his story I leant that he was married to a Christian. I do not remember what town he came from. The scope of his acquaintanceship had neither ‘alims no theologists, nor he had steady relationship with anyone who possesses religious knowledge among scholars. However, he was showing certain interests in various religious doctrines. While talking to me he mentioned that he is a follower of the Naqshbandi tariqah. When I questioned him about his way of the tariqah practicing and where he got the knowledge from, he said he read it all from books. It was the very thing I was warning you about.

Tariqah is a mystical, very valuable teaching. It is well said that one should spend in his quest for a teacher as much as what is required to perform Hajj. Each of us knows this. That is why everything we do in tariqah is known and seen by all people. It could not be other way round for we are those who teach them. But today there are many books describing the tariqah matters in details. Using such book, any atheist or hypocrite can easily study the tariqah without any efforts. My guest also learnt, and he was pointing here and there explaining - this is soul (ruh), khafa, akhfa, and properly described all lataifs stressing that he even practices rabitah which bears him due results. His knowledge was gained from a book and now he is glad about what he does. How could he not receive results when the satan exerts its powerful force? Once, when Meselasul Muhammad Afandi was still a murid, in his absence somebody has made tawajuh to his wife Rawzat. She said to her husband that she has received a strong impact with the tawajuh. Being angered and having taken her with himself, Meselasul Muhammad went to his teacher Abdulhamid Afandi from village of Inkho. When he told the story to the teacher, the latter answered he could not help unless the (qutb) Muhammadarif Afandi would grant a permission to do so. No sooner the required permission was given by the qutb-ul-ghaws, the shaykh from Inkho accepted her and made the due treatment. No one should believe in the true impact which was not originated by the ustaz supervision, otherwise it is from the satan. The same refers to the person who came to me and told he received a real impact. I told the man many things and taught him the Shazali wird, don’t know what happened afterwards, I never met him again. This is the feeling that worries me. I am stressing it again that even if you see a man flying in the sky, do not believe him (indeed, both birds and the satan can fly). Here are our people (and pointed to sitting nearby Abdulwahid Afandi, Abduljalil Afandi and Ali Haji Afandi). We do need neither kashf nor karamat from these people. The main required thing is istiqamah, nothing can move without it. Among us are those who are sufficient for us. Take their example and adhere to them. May Allah help us! Nowadays times are dangerous and we cant believe in everything said. And you can observe it yourselves. I heard that even the Bible has been translated into Avar language. Why? Who needs it? No one but us must take care of ourselves. Be careful!

Ali Haji told me the following story at great length. I will narrate it in short. There was Kabu, the Companion of the Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam). Before going to the holy war in Tabuk he somehow was left behind the troops and thought would catch them up later. He had a good horse and was well equipped but situation turned in a way he failed to get into the battle. Upon the troops returning from Tabuk those who failed to go to war had to explain the reason. This sahabah told the truth. And the Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam) left him ignored. Kabu narrated that while he was entering a mosque he would greet all and watched if the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was returning his greeting but no avail. The companion was emotionally suffering for his cousins were ignoring him too. He was ignored by all and left alone. Later the Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam) asked him to separate from his wife. The Companion asked, if the separation is to be talaq (complete) or temporary. “The temporary”, was the answer. Kabu returned his wife to her father’s home. Once he learnt that someone was searching for him on the market place. It happened to be a courier with a letter from a Rome governor who learnt that relations of Kabu with Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam) became tense. The letter contained a proposal for Kabu to serve Rome with many privileges and promises in order to attract him. Having read letter the Companion cried out that with the existing misfortune he is encountering another one. Just note for yourselves, was there a scoundrel instead of Kabu, he would have gone to Rome to serve the enemy.

During the reign of caliph Umar (radhiallahu `anhu) there was a khan who just embraced Islam. Once while he was performing the Haj someone apparently unintentionally touched him. The arrogant khan hit the Muslim who in turn complained to Caliph. The Caliph called the khan and demanded either he apologizes or the victim would hit the khan same place where the Muslim was hit. Khan was very surprised since he reckoned he was so noble that nobody had a right to touch him! But Caliph said this is the way Islam does, and there are no other ways to solve it. So the khan broke his Haj and run away leaving all behind. He simply could not stand the treat to his status.

Ibn Abd-al-Wahhab had a brother Sulayman. Suleyman did his best to put his brother to the right path. Failed to do so, he wrote a book to denunciate teachings of his brother. This is true understanding of Islam. Should Sulayman possess insufficient knowledge of Islam, hardly he would have done it.

Someone for 30 years was serving Abu Yazid Bastami and apparently was his murid. One day he informed Bastami that he had gained no feeling out of the divine knowledge. Bastami answered that for him even 300 years also would not be enough to gain, because his pride made a veil between him and the Almighty. The man asked Bastami what to do. The scholar ordered him to take off his dressing-gown and turban from himself, shave his beard, put on shoulders sacks filled with nuts and go along the streets with words loudly inviting all, “The one who slaps my face gets the nuts!” The man said, “Subhanallah! A man, such as me, should someone really be doing these things?” And Bastami replied, “Yes”. The man however, insisted on fulfilling any another order except that. Watch out the strength of nafs! Iman can be of various levels. Our main challenge is weakness of our faith.

Have you ever heard about someone who jumped into a river to a drowning brother or friend with the only intention to die together with him, just for the reason that he cannot save his dear man? Hardly, except for a mad man. Nowadays Islam has been diminishing. When a brother or a son becomes a wahhabi, his relatives, friends do not try to dissuade, but support him. Nothing hurts me as much as this. If someone falls into a misfortune, for example, personally or, say, with car, then all relatives gather to help him, even if someone gets problem with police, all go to offer any help. But is it a simple thing, when close person joins the wahhabies? Verily people do not only try to stop but follow him themselves. A cause for this lies in the wrong understanding otherwise they would not go. The companion of the Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam) Abubakr (radhiallahu `anhu) before the Badr battle asked the Prophet (sallalahu aleihi wa sallam) for permission to go for the fight together with his son. [The Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam) did not allow him]. The Companion did that for he possessed passionate faith. We are lack of it ... This worries my heart very much. May Allah give us iman! It is impossible neither to buy, nor to sell it, for it is the Almighty’s sole discretion to grant iman.

Also to women and men I would like to remind the following. Till now we have been training those who don’t know how to read (wird written on a paper) till muraqabah (i.e. tariqah level). Now it is forbidden (and it’s right). Why assign to do something which they can’t fulfill? Some women know that they are not able to do, but their nafs prevents them to admit it. Why to tell lies to yourself and deceive others? I would like to wholeheartedly repeat that no one certainly can ignore the ustaz’s instructions but, possibly, I would remain in “maiyat” (edit.- a tariqah level). Because there is no sufficient strength to perform required things in proper way at higher levels, while this level already has all what is suficient. Then we train murids till “muraqabat-ul- akhfa”. That is why I have an advice to all men and women, please do all what your ustaz tells you. Do not be hurt with the ustaz and let your soul accept all what is said. Please do not put us into an embarrassing situation too. Adhere to what we say, and you will get the goodness. May Allah help to follow the way of truth!

Dear brothers and sisters! Look how fast days of this year have passed. There would be nothing to worry about but passing days unless our life would be eternal. May Almighty Allah make all of us be dwellers of Paradise, and I hope that in the Judgment Day we all gather around the banner of the Prophet (sallalahu aleihi wa sallam) like today.

At home watchdogs always squabble and bark at each other but when they see enemy attack together. There are many nationalities in Daghestan. I call all nations for peace and friendship, regardless of nationality, likewise whether someone is ‘alim or not, please be united. Be as one in the right path for it is a barakah and solidarity secures the goodness, otherwise it’s absence leads to misfortune only. Wholeheartedly accept guiding words of your ustaz, and this will lead to the great satisfaction! Adhere to the true way!

The religious and educational journal "Islam"
No. 23 (03) 2009