Naqshbandi Principle: Awareness of breath(Hosh dar dam)

Bismillahi Rahmani Raheem

HE LOOKS AT HIMSELF OR HE LOOKS AT THE HIDDEN SHIRK IN YOU Quran 25:43 and 45:23, the idols you placed therein (heart) — HE LOOKS AT HIMSELF
OR HE LOOKS AT THE HIDDEN SHIRK IN YOU
Quran 25:43 and 45:23, the idols you placed therein (heart)

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 (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: Awareness of breath(Hosh dar dam)

Awareness of breath(Hosh dar dam):

Consciousness of breathing (Hosh Dar dam) means to safeguard the breath from entering into heedless station and inclinations. According to Imam of Khatamul Khwajagan, Hazret Abdul Khaliq Ghujdevani, the seekers who are serious in the path must observe his breath from all forms of notions of the bodily desires and direct his breathing toward’s God Consciousness. Every breath that is inhaled and exiled must circulate through the cells of body must be occupied with the Divine Presence in it. The breathing that is is inhaled and exhaled without God’s Presence in it leads to heedlessness and death of the heart. This is the summary of Hazret Abdul Khaliq Ghujdevani (q.s)’s teaching on the awareness of breath.

Comments : God Almighty has placed a divine breath in every human being when he is formed in the womb of the mother and the soul is placed in the fetus by the Angel, that make the connection between the breath of the mother, the breath of the infant in the womb and connect with the heart of the mother with the heart of the child and make the spirit enter in it. A seeker by constantly safeguarding his breath from heedlessness unveils that earliest divine breath in his spirit to be discovered and reaching to recognize his own soul and his rank in the divine presence and his relationship with his Lord. By recollecting this Divine Breath in him , the seeker is able to find the Divine Sustenance (Rizq) that is bestowed by his Lord during his creation in his womb.

Allah says :[15:29]And when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration.”

The Prophet alaihiswalathu wa salam said:

On the authority of Abdullah ibn Masood (ra), who said:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he is the truthful, the believed, narrated to us, “Verily the creation of each one of you is brought together in his mother’s womb for forty days in the form of a nutfah (a drop), then he becomes an alaqah (clot of blood) for a like period, then a mudghah (morsel of flesh) for a like period, then there is sent to him the angel who blows his soul into him and who is commanded with four matters: to write down his rizq (sustenance), his life span, his actions, and whether he will be happy or unhappy (i.e., whether or not he will enter Paradise). By the One, other than Whom there is no deity, verily one of you performs the actions of the people of Paradise until there is but an arms length between him and it, and that which has been written overtakes him, and so he acts with the actions of the people of the Hellfire and thus enters it; and verily one of you performs the actions of the people of the Hellfire, until there is but an arms length between him and it, and that which has been written overtakes him and so he acts with the actions of the people of Paradise and thus he enters it.” [Bukhari & Muslim]

The Prophet Isa Son of Maryam (peace be upon them) were bestowed by Allah the Power to regenerate that breathe into make creation by Allah’s Will.

Allah says: (Quran 5:11)

[The Day] when Allah will say, “O Jesus, Son of Mary, remember My favor upon you and upon your mother when I supported you with the Pure Spirit and you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and [remember] when I taught you writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and when you designed from clay [what was] like the form of a bird with My permission, then you breathed into it, and it became a bird with My permission; and you healed the blind and the leper with My permission; and when you brought forth the dead with My permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from [killing] you when you came to them with clear proofs and those who disbelieved among them said, “This is not but obvious magic.”

Prophet Jesus Christ (Peace be upon him)’s breathe was protected even before his birth. The Prophet Muhammad alaihiswalathu wa salam says:

Sahih Bukhari: Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “When any human being is born. Satan touches him at both sides of the body with his two fingers, except Jesus, the son of Mary, whom Satan tried to touch but failed, for he touched the placenta-cover instead.” (Book 54, Hadith 506)

Mary (Peace be upon her) mother of Isa (alaihissalam), was also a protected woman,a woman whom Allah chosen over all other women. She remains highest in sainthood among woman. Her breathe was also protected by Allah Almighty even before her birth.

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said, “During your sleep, Satan knots three knots at the back of the head of each of you, and he breathes the following words at each knot, ‘The night is, long, so keep on sleeping,’ If that person wakes up and celebrates the praises of Allah, then one knot is undone, and when he performs ablution the second knot is undone, and when he prays, all the knots are undone, and he gets up in the morning lively and in a good mood, otherwise he gets up dull and gloomy. ” (Book 54, Hadith 491)

Quran 21:91 And (remember) her who guarded her chastity: We breathed into her of Our spirit, and We made her and her son a sign for all peoples.

Allah says: [3:42] And [mention] when the angels said, “O Mary, indeed Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds.

YAWNING:

For the reason of Safeguarding the breathe, Allah’s Messenger forbid Yawning, because it is through heedless breathing that the seeker may enter in egoistic stations.

Sahih Bukhari: Narrated Abu Huraira(R.A): The Prophet (alaihiswalathu wa salam)said, “yawning is from Satan and if anyone of you yawns, he should check his yawning as much as possible, for if anyone of you (during the act of yawning) should say: ‘Ha’, Satan will laugh at him.” (Book 54, Hadith 509)

Sahih Bukhari,Narrated Abu Huraira(R.A): The Prophet (alaihiswalathu wa salam) said, “Allah loves sneezing but dislikes yawning; so if anyone of you sneezes and then praises Allah, every Muslim who hears him (praising Allah) has to say Tashmit to him. But as regards yawning, it is from Satan, so if one of you yawns, he should try his best to stop it, for when anyone of you yawns, Satan laughs at him.” (Book 73, Hadith 245)

This is enough evidence for the importance of conscious breathing and an evidence against those who oppose the exalted Naqshbandi Principle.

Therefore the Prophet alaihiswalathu wa salam says:

On the authority of Abu Muhammad Abdullah bin ’Amr bin al-’Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) who said:The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “None of you [truly] believes until his desires are subservient to that which I have brought.” [Imam an-Nawawi says:] We have related it in Kitab al-Hujjah with a saheeh chain of narrators.

Holding fast to Naqshbandi Way helps a seeker to follow the Quran and Sunnah with it’s most correct and purest form and the Naqshbandi Way explains and make it easy to understand the followers the correct way of Islam. The Shaykhs helping the seeker and training the followers in all the aspects of life which must be according to Quran and Sunnah.

The Shaykh (Saint of Allah) can know the state of a seeker by observing the breath of his follower. Whether the murid is near of far.

The Shaykhs are the heirs of the Prophets (hadith), because they sees with the Light of Allah (Hadith)

Allah says: [12:94] And when the caravan departed [from Egypt], their father said, “Indeed, I find the smell of Joseph [and would say that he was alive] if you did not think me weakened in mind.”

This are some of the examples of the Divine Breathing into the Chosen Souls. It is said that that one breathe of the Saint is enough to guide whole mankind, because it is the living breath, the breath that give life to the dead.

Shah Baha’uddin Naqshbandi (Q.S) said: “The foundation of this way is upon conscious breathing, so it is a must for the followers of this to safeguard his breathe in inhalation and exhalation, as well as to safeguard it in it’s intervals.

The breathing reach in every cells, to the heart to the brain and brings an impact in the internal and external organs.
It is said that: Satan moves in the body of human where his blood circulates.

It is also said that: The heart, if it is pure, the person is pure, if it is corrupt the person is corrupt.

Quran:91:9–10 He has succeeded who purifies it, And he has failed who instills it [with corruption].

Therefore we can see that there is a direct relationship between Purification and Breathing.

Different types of emotions also affect one’s breathing, when a person sees the majesty of Allah in a Creation, like a Tsunami or a landslide, or a motor accident, he take a deep breathe and remember God and inhale the name of God with such an emotion.

A man who stare at a beautiful woman takes an evil breathe and may cause him to send the waves of lust and forbidden desires and cause him to get in the trap of evil.

A person who sees a wild animal coming behind to chase him, takes another form of breath and produce the adrenaline and hormones related to that breathing and making him to safeguard his steps and make him defend or run away for safety.

The significance of breathing can be seen in all aspects. Since the 11 Naqshbandi principles are inter-related,Awareness of consistent Breathing and Watching the Steps are very near to each other.

So the Murid must avoid the company of those who take false breathing, if he were with others, then he must observe Khalwat Dar Anjuman (Solitude from the Society) in order to preserve his breathe.

One who sincerely follow the Shaykh, the Shaykh help the seeker to open his breathing , so he constantly remembers God in the Heart , in mind and in spirit.

It is the opening of that divine breathe which bring the Fayda (Spiritual flow) and gives inspiration to the Seeker when he/she progress into the higher levels.
So if someone want to know what is coming from his ego and what is coming from Shaykh, then let him observe his breathing.

WHEN THE BREATHING AND ZIKR COMES TOGETHER:

It is evident that the people who are perfected their Zikr are the People of paradise. Someone asked Prophet alaihiswalathu wa salam, whether the inhabitants of the people are known or not. The Prophet (alaihiswalathu wa salam) said: They are known.

Sahih Bukhari: Book 77 Hadith 595 Narrated Imran bin Husain: A man said, “O Allah’s Apostle! Can the people of Paradise be known (differentiated) from the people of the Fire; The Prophet replied, “Yes.” The man said, “Why do people (try to) do (good) deeds?” The Prophet said, “Everyone will do the deeds for which he has been created to do or he will do those deeds which will be made easy for him to do.” (i.e. everybody will find easy to do such deeds as will lead him to his destined place for which he has been created).

Sahih Muslim Jabir reported: I heard Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying that the inmates of Paradise would eat and drink but would neither spit, nor pass water, nor void excrement, nor suffer catarrah. It was said: Then, what would happen with food? Thereupon he said: They would belch and sweat (and it would be over with their food), and their sweat would be that of musk and they would glorify and praise Allah as easily as you breathe. (Book 40, Hadith 6798)

Sahih Muslim: Jabir b. Abdullah reported that Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said that the inmates of Paradise would eat therein and they would also drink, but they would neither void excrement, nor suffer catarrh, nor pass water, and their eating (would be digested) in the form of belching and their sweat would be musk aged they would glorify and praise Allah as easily ai you breathe. (Book 40, Hadith 6800)

So from the above hadiths (the three hadiths altogether) should make you understand the who are the people of salvation, you must follow them. Follow the Ahlu Zikr (people of Zikr) for they are those who do Zikr just as they breathe.

It is narrated to me by a Qadiri Sufi, that Hazret Muhyiddin Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani (Q.S) said: “Hypocrites cannot call upon my name and Allah’s name 1000 times in one stand”

Is narrated that Ali (R.A) have said: “mostly one’s Imaan (faith) departs in the time of death”-Al Jawaaahirul Ajeeba , daqa’iqul akhbaar (Quoted)

It is the time, a person find hard to safeguard his breath and Satan try to trick him in that time of great trial!

I remember one time, the night (Saturday, in shaban 2012) when my Shaykh Sahibu Saif Hazret Shaykh Abdul Kerim Al-Kibrisi Ar-Rabbani (Q.S) passed away, I saw my Grand Shaykh Hazret Mawlana Shaykh Nazim Al-Haqqani Ar-Rabbani (Q.S), I was sleeping on the floor in my home (as a guest occupied my bed who were staying with us since Friday), I saw myself standing in the presence of Sultanul Awliya, who told me: “You should continue the work of Osmanli Naqshbandi Haqqani Tarikat and Shaykh Abdul Kerim Al-Kibrisi , he mentioned both Shaykh abdul Kerim and the name of the Order (Osmanli Naqshbandi Haqqani tariqat), then Mawlana Shaykh Nazim took a White turban from him and which is tied on a green cap and put it in my head, as soon he put that in my head, a kind of heavy inhalation came to my chest with so much power , in that heavy inhalation of breathing I woke up suddenly, though that night I was fell sleep with weeping and agony, due to the passing away of Sahibu Saif Hazret Shaykh Abdul Kerim AR-Rabbani (Q.S)

This are one the examples of the breathing that passes from Prophets and Awliya Allah. When Jibreel (A.S) meeting Prophet alaihiswalathu wa salam in Mountain, holding Prophet tightly as if squeezing him into angel Gabriel (A.S), the Prophet (alaihiswalaathu wa salam) body become sick in the next days.

This are the various explanation of the Naqshbandi principle of awareness breathe with day today examples that relate the reader to understand and observe what is it the importance of breathing and safeguarding it in order to progress in this way.

So do not ask me, if it is ok to smoke Cigarette , our Way teach even polluting the nature also a blame worthy deed!

This articles (Naqshbandi Principles) are written on an inspiration by the support of my Shaykhs, this is not a complete article,rather it is only a brief note, but it guides a person to the real principles that are experienced differently by person to person.

wa salamun alal Mursaleen

Walhamdulillahi Rabbil Aaalmeen

By: Jouhar Ali Naqshbandi Al-Hassani Ar-Rabbani