Naqshbandi Principle:Remembrance of God’s Name (Yad Kard)

Bismillahi Rahmani Raheem

Allahumma Swalli Alaa Sayyidina Muhammadin Wa alaa Aali Sayyidina Muhammadin Wa Sallim Madad Ya Al Haqqani Madad Ya Sahibu Saif, Madad Ya Ambiya Wa Awliya Allah There are eight Naqshbandi Principles formulated by the Imam of the Khwajagan (early Naqshabndi Silsila) order , Hazret Shaykh Abdul Khaliq Ghujdavani (Q.S) and three other principles formulated by the Imam of the Tariqah Khwajah Muhammad Baha’uddin Naqshbandi Al-Uwaisi Al-Bukhari (Q.S). They are: 1-Hosh Dar Dam (Awareness of breath), 2-Nazar Bar Qadam (Watching the step), 3-Safar dar Watan (Inward Journey in the Spiritual Path) , 4-Khalwat Dar Anjuman (Solitude in the Society) , 5-Yad Kard (Reminding outwardly and inwardly of God’s Name), 6-Baz Gasht (return to the responsibilities of a person according to Shari’ah after performing pure Zikr), 7-Concentration on God (Yaddasht), 8-Nigadasht (Guarding one’s spiritual state) Other three Principles taught by Khwajah Shah Baha’uddin Naqshbandi (Q.S) as an additional three methods of training the students were: 9-Awareness of time (Wuquf E Zamani), 10-Counting the Zikr repetitions (Wuquf e Adadi), 11-Constant Attachment of Heart to God (Wuquf E Qalbi) In this article I am inspired to write about: Yad Kard (Remembering outwardly and inwardly of God’s Name)

Remembrance of God’s Name (Yad Kard):

The remembrance of God (Zikr) are two types. The Loud Zikr and Silent Zikr. Today the Naqshbandi Way emphasize on both “Loud Zikr” and “Silent Zikr” Hazret Abdul Khaliq Ghujdevani (Q.S) taught the loud Zikr (remembrance of God), to recite it as a regular spiritual exercise by all followers of the Khwajagan way. “la ilaha illa Allah” is repeated loudly. The word ‘la’ Which means “no”, is the rejection of everything in concerns from the human senses. The rejection are two types, one is the rejection of the a person who believe in his God/ that which prevails in his heart as something. The other rejection “la” is of atheists. They reject without returning to affirmation of truth! “ilaha” which means “everything that bond to heart in the form of deity (attachments) also include the Almighty God”, it can be idols, people, wealth, self (ego), women, status, authority etc! “illa” which means “except/other than” the completion of “ila Ilaha illa” is to deny every deities including the self,then surrendering to something that is realized which Alone Exists. “Allah” the Mighty and Sublime God that to affirm the Real Existence is Only for Allah. Except Him nothing exists. It is narrated in a Hadith: “Everything is Bathil (Falsehood) except Allah” The purpose of Zikr is to achieve complete Submission and Annihilation(Sacrifice) in the Divine Presence and Nothing remains Except Him Alone. Grand Shaykh Sulthanul Awliya Mawlana Shaykh Nazim Al-Haqqani (Q.S) said: “We ask to be no one and nothing, as long as we are someone, we are not complete” Some groups and spiritual paths calling to become someone and something, but Naqshbandiya calling to become “A Servant of Allah” and the Ownership and authority of a Servant belongs to His Master. A Servant do not claim anything except to remind himself that “I am a Weak Servant of my Lord”. Whatever the Master give Servant take it, He is not desiring the Wealth or properties of the Master. Even in human world , a servant who desire the wealth of his master is considered as treacherous servant!. Tariqah is the Path of Ihsan. the Path of Perfection. We are not looking at the elegant shopping malls of dunya (here) and aakhirath (next world) Al-Bayhaqi relates from Ibn ‘Umar radiallaahu ‘anhu that AlIah’s Messenger sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:“For everything there is a polish, and the polish for the hearts is the Zikr (remembrance) of Allah. There is nothing more potent in saving a person from the punishment of Allah than the Zikr of Allah.“ It was said: Not even Jihad in the path of Allah. So he replied: “Not even if you were to continue striking with your sword until it breaks.”

The Importance and Power of Zikr Allah (Remembrance of Allah): Sunan Ibn Majah It was narrated from Abu Darda that the Prophet (alaihiswalathu wa salam) said: “Shall I not tell you of the best of your deeds, the most pleasing to your Sovereign (Allah Malik), those that raise you most in status, and that are better than giving gold and silver,or meeting your enemy (in battle) and you strike their necks and they strike your necks?”. They said: “What is that, O Messenger of Allah? He said: “Remembering Allah (Dhikr) [Hasan]It was narrated that Abu Hurairah and Abu Sa’eed both bore witness that the Prophet (alaihiswalathu wa salam) said: “No people sit in a gathering remembering Allah,. But the angles surround them, mercy covers them, tranquility descends upon them and Allah remembers them before those who are with Him” Sahih , Hadith Number 3791 It was narrated from Abu Hurairah (R.A) that the Prophet (alaihiswalathu wa salam) said: “Allah says: ‘I am with My Slave when he remembers Me, and his lips move saying My Name” (Sahih, Hadith Number 3792) Zikr for those who have less knowledge in Shari’ah:

ZIKR IS THE WAY OF LEARNT AND IGNORANT TO BECOME CLOSER TO ALLAH: It was narrated from Abdullah bin Busr(R.A) that a Bedouin said to the Messenger of Allah (salla allahu alaihi wa sallam): “The Laws of Islam are burdensome for me. Tell me of something that I will be able to adhere to. He said: ‘Always keep your tongue moist with the remembrance of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime” (Sunan Ibn Majah,Hassan, Hadith Number 3793)The Best Zikr: Jabir Ibn Abdullah (r.a) said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (alaihiswalathu wa salam) say: “The best of remembrance is “La Ilaha illa Allah (none has the right to be worshiped but Allah), and the best supplication is “Al-Hamdu Lillah (Praise is to Allah)” Hasan, Hadith Number: 3800

Only in the remembrance of Allah (swt) will your heart find peace” Quran (Surah 13: Verse 28)

Make peace with your soul and with your Lord. Zikr is the food of the heart and of Soul. The pills do not give a person long term peace!. The Spirit (Soul) has a food and a life style, when you nourish the soul with it’s food and nurture it’s life style, that time peace and happiness will come to you.

In the Naqshbandi Way, Zikr Allah is Practiced ,to remember Allah with the heart and with the tongue.

A person who wish to succeed in this world and hereafter, to become a good Muslim, he must run to find the assemblies of Zikr. Only Sufi Ways, that have tradition of gathering for Zikr on regular basis.

“Remember Allah abundantly, in order that you become successful” Quran (Surah 8: Verse 45)

“The rememebrence of Allah (swt) is the greatest (deed)” Quran (Surah 29: Verse 45

METHOD OF RECEIVING AND PRACTICING ZIKR:

“Whosoever blinds himself from the Remembrance of the Merciful, We shall assign for him a evil satan who will be his (ever misleading) companion” Quran (Surah 43: Verse 36)

“Satan has mastered them and caused them to forget the Remembrance of Allah. Those are satan’s party; and satan’s party shall assuredly be the losers” Quran (Surah 58: Verse 19)

Zikr must be taken from the “Ulool Ilm” “People of Knowledge (Quran 17:18)

They are the Shaykhs of Tasawwuf and those who reached in the Realization of God (Haqiqa)

Zikr Without A Shaykh is Not Accepted? “Why I can’t do Zikr myself without a Shaykh and an Ijazah (Permission)? The Answer is given in the Book: Khala’idul Jawahir:182

“من يذكر الله تعالي بلا شيخ لا الله حصل له ولا نبيه ولا شيخه “

“Whoever do Zikr without a Shaykh,as well as he has no Shaykh,he will not get Allah and he will not get Allah’s Beloved Rasool (alaihiswalathu wa salam)“Qalaidul Jawahir:182 The great venerable Shafi’e Fiqh Scholar from Malabar region of South India, “Shaykh Zainuddin Maqdum-1 (radiyallahu Anhu) who was a worldwide renowned scholar in Shafi Madhab is saying about the importance of having a Shaykh and Ijazah(permission) and the Adab (Discipline) of doing Zikr and Dua, in His Book “Adkiya” “Then you turn towards Qibla and sit in the Meditation (Rabita/Muraqaba) and recite “Tahleel” and hard work with the Zik (Wird-The Regular Zikr), you got from the Shaykhs of the well known tarikat, Do not talk,Then you will find the light(Noor) and warmthness (relief) in you and your heart will shine through the removal of dirty charecters and habits in you” (Adkiya). Shaykh Zainuddin Maqdoom (radiyallahu anhu) teaching that your zikr Must be according to the Ways of the Shaykhs of the Tasawwuf. Imam Swawi (Radiyallahu Anhu) says:

من هنا انّ الذاكر لا ينتفع بالذكر ولا ينور باطنه الا اذاكان الشيخ عارفا اذنه في ذالك و الذاكر مشتاقا -حاشية الصاوي”

“If anyone want to benefit from the Zikr he is doing and to purify the heart with light (Noor), then he must take the permission (ijazah) of a spiritual knower of Allah (Shaykh Arif billah) and should do Zikr with most sincere way”.SWAVI-1:224 “Those who do not have a Shaykh, their Shaykh is Satan”-Saying of Sulthanul Awliya Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al Jilani in Ghunya (Qaddasallahu Sirrahul Azeez) and Shaykh Abu Yazid Al Bistami (R.A) So that, the Question “Is that not enough to Do Zikr without a Shaykh?” is not valid. As the quran states, Satan will be mastered in a person who does not have a shaykh aand lead him astray, though you will be doing heedless zikr. That kind of heedless Zikr coming from all sects and groups. But the “Zikr” that heals and cures, the Zikr that has heavenly power is coming from heavenly station. Zikr with correct heading comes with following Imams of Zikr and Tasawwuf:

On the authority of Tameem ibn Aus ad-Daree (ra):The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The deen (religion) is naseehah (advice, sincerity).” We said, “To whom?” He (ﷺ) said, “To Allah, His Book, His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk.” [Muslim]- 40 Hadith So Correct Zikr comes with from the association of the Sincere ones, in our time they are “the leaders of the Muslims and their folk”, the tariqah of Awliya Allah which is the Way of the Shaykhs and Imams of Ahlul Bayth. Religion (Islam) and Zikr is coming from this routes, not from anywhere else. We must guard ourselves falling to the heedless and insincere circles!

When Imam Mahdi (A.S) and his soldiers say: “Allahu Akbar” the armies will fall dead, because that Zikr is inspired from heavens to chosen Saints of Allah. So take Zikr from the Saints of Allah, only that Zikr bring benefit to you. This is an up to date article on the “Essential Remembrance” with relevant verses from Quran and Hadith to explain those who do want to seek it’s prospects in the written texts! “Whosoever turns away from My remembrance, his life will be made tight and narrow on the Day of Resurrection We shall raise him blind” Quran (Surah 20: Verse 124) Shah Naqshbandi (Q.S) said: “If anyone turn away from my Tariqh, fear Kufr (disbelief) afflicted in him” So one must accept Tariqah and Zikr with most sincere heart and individual effort to do it without fail. “Believers, do not let either your possessions or your children divert you from the Remembrance of Allah. Those who do that shall be the losers”. Quran (Surah 63: Verse 9) 24:37 By men whom neither trade nor business diverts from the remembrance of Allah and performing of prayer and paying of the poordue (Zakat) They fear a day in which hearts and eyes shall be turned about. So the essential daily zikr must be acquired and practiced all time by every seeker, from his Shaykh with sincerity and faith. wa Salamun alal Mursaleen walhamdulillahi Rabbail Aalameen

– Jouhar Ali Naqshbandi Al-Hassani Ar-Rabbani