Question:
Assalamu wa alaykum ya shuyukh
I’m ashamed to ask this question, forgive me first, but when I did not follow a tariqa I did a dhikr, recited some names of Allah and did salatul Ibrahim and I have heard after the evening prayer the wind and the leaves Allah say that balanced, and a sense of peace I ever felt in my life I saw the Prophet sAW in a dream with a face of light and two men with black beards, and robust making giant prayer, it would like to know, because there is more going ? I regressed on the spiritual path I took from a tariqa? I was so veiled? I once recited the Fatiha once and cured a person with the permission of Allah, but now when I pray things become difficult even for me, I could clarify this issue? barakallahu fik
Answer:
wa `alaykum salam,
While those experiences you had were wonderful, they are not the goal. The goal of tariqah is to become a true servant of Allah, not to have experiences. For some that may involve being patient through trials and tests, in order to raise their levels. For others the “flashy experiences” may be candies from their guiding shaykhs to encourage them to do more.
Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani discussed this in the suhbat “The Best of Miracles Is to Be Consistent” that ajalla al-karamat dawam at-tawfiq:
“The best of miracles is to be consistent in what you are doing.” Miracles are only for anbiya, but karamah, a blessed action that gives fruit quickly through the blessings of the shaykh, is like a miracle. To be consistent, we don’t do dhikr 1,500 times a day then stop for two days and start again. Some people do 5,000 dhikr and then they stop. It is better not to stop but to stay with the lowest level, which is 1,500 times recitation of “Allah, Allah”.
Continuation of such associations are like miracles on us; they are not dead associations! If we have no continuity we are not benefiting. Today, the continuity of such associations is available through the Internet, by reading your notes, and by listening to the shaykh’s recordings to hear what he has said. That is what is important, then the food will be cooked slowly, slowly, and as it gets cooked, you will see changes! Don’t say, “I am not seeing anything.” You are not cooked yet; you have to be continuously cooked slowly, then you will see the changes. Through the quotes of awliyaullah, may Allah bless Grandshaykh’s soul and give Mawlana Shaykh long life, they said, “The best of miracles is the continuity in what you are successful,” which means to continue what you are doing.
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So continuity is important, and to read Holy Qur’an is very muhabbab, likeable, but don’t read it through once and then stop. It is better to read one juz, a thirtieth, every day or you can read one chapter or even one page. Ajall al-karamaat dawaam at-tawfeeq, “Don’t do something you cannot do next day.” Do what you can do each day. Read one page or one line. Open the Holy Qur’an and just look at the Arabic characters on the page if you don’t know how to read, and pass your fingers over the words as there is light in those letters that is not found in any book! You may read millions of books in Arabic, but if it is not hadith or Qur’an, it has no light of akhirah. Each word of the Holy Qur’an is shining with light that will raise you more and more in your attachment to akhirah. Don’t let Shaytan cheat you! He is always after us and he is never tired and very clever. He whips his shayaateen, “Continue!” They are enemies of Mankind:
وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ
wa laqad karamna Bani Adam.
We have honored the Children of Adam. (al-Israa, 17:70)
We break Shaytan’s head by reading Holy Qur’an! Even if you pass your fingers under the different verses, Allah will be happy with you because you don’t know how to read but are trying your best to learn. Those who know how must read and if you miss it one day then make it up the next day, so if you are reading one page, then read two pages, or if you are reading one juz, then read two juz.
Taher Siddiqui
