The Certainty of Faith

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The following is adapted from a swuhbah from Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani (q.s.) on the 17^th January 2010. 

We have only knowledge of the next world.  We have never seen anything about it with our own eyes, so we only have ‘ilm al-yaqin.  We have yet to reach ‘ayn al-yaqin or haqq al-yaqin.  These are the three levels of yaqin.  ‘Ilm al-yaqin is the knowledge of certainty of faith.  ‘Ayn al-yaqin is the vision of certainty of faith.  And haqq al-yaqin is the Reality of certainty of faith. 

If we have heard of the Pacific Ocean, we know it exists, and though we have never seen it, we believe it exists.  That is ‘ilm al-yaqin.  Once we travel and have been to the Pacific Ocean and we have seen it with our own eyes, our belief is increased and is stronger.  That is ‘ayn al-yaqin.  But a person staying on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, having explored the Ocean, touched the waters, swam in it, dived into it, fished on it; that person does not have the slightest doubt that the Pacific Ocean exists, he is one who knows the Ocean.  Such a person has haqq al-yaqin, and that is the highest level of faith.  We must strive to have haqq al-yaqin in the life, instead of waiting for akhirah, but such a person is a rare find. 

Shaythan strives to destroy our faith.  When a person is at the first level of faith, Shaythan throws some doubt into his heart.  He cheats him, by asking him if he has ever laid eyes on the ghayb?  Shaythan says, if he does not see it with his own eyes, not to believe it.  That if he cannot touch it, not to believe it exists.  He tells that person to only accept and believe in what he can see and touch.  As such, a person who follows this advice cannot even reach the lowest level of faith, ‘ilm al-yaqin.  Such a person might end up rejecting the Existence of the Lord and the life of the hereafter as these are not visible to him at this moment.  Man has become faithless, cynical, critical and doubtful.  He is trusting Shaythan, taking the enemy as a teacher. 

Without faith, our lives today are filled with crisis, suffering and terrible punishments.  All this is a result of following Shaythan’s teachings.  As much as we say yes to Shaythan's advice, more and more sufferings and troubles befall us.  Shaythan is our chief enemy, and his influence has spread throughout this world today.  There is not a single home, or road, or town, or village, or garden, or mountain that has not been infected with Shaythan’s poisonous teachings.  Anywhere that we step, we will find Shaythan’s influence there, and when we takes Shaythan’s advice, peace and tranquility are removed from our lives. 

Thariqa’ is a means of training common Muslims, by following Divinely Ordained shuyukh, though it is very difficult to do so.  We seek Allah’s (s.w.t.) Forgiveness constantly, for we are always failing to really follow our shuyukh.  Khwaja ‘Abd al-Khaliq ibn ‘Abd al-Jamil al-Ghujdawani (q.s.), a great wali and the 11^th Grand Shaykh of the Naqshbandi Sufi Order said, “O my followers, when you walk, do not look right, and do not look left, but look at your feet.  Why?  You must be ashamed to look up.  You must behave as a servant does, before his Lord.”  Just like when we are admitted into the presence of a king or sultan, we show the utmost respect by not glancing around the room, but we stand at attention, eyes lowered respectfully, heads slightly bent forward.  Thariqa’ teaches us to have adab before Allah (s.w.t.) at all times. 

We must strive to be with Allah (s.w.t.) always, for He will Provide us with peace and tranquility, in this world and in the hereafter.  If we wish to be with Allah (s.w.t.), we must maintain the highest adab at all times.  We must keep ourselves away from bad actions.  We must behave as a servant.  So many people are so proud and haughty, just because they have gold and money, they walk with pride and arrogance, forgetting the adab of a servant.  All that we possess is a Grant from Allah (s.w.t.), a Gift from His Bounty.  We should be thankful and humble ourselves before Him. 

Rasulullah (s.a.w.) said, “I am a servant.  I sit as a servant does.  I eat as a servant does ...”  This is what thariqa’ teaches us; to follow the example of servanthood that the Seal of the Prophets taught.  We must take our adab from Rasulullah (s.a.w.).  If we follow the adab of Rasulullah (s.a.w.), if we are humble, if we constantly seek Allah’s (s.w.t.) Forgiveness, if we constantly recite a'udzubillah; we would be saved from Shaythan’s fountain of bad manners and evil behaviour. 

Khwaja ‘Abd al-Khaliq al-Ghujdawani (q.s.) said, “For 37 years, I never looked at anything forbidden.  For 37 years I never stepped on najis.  I am always trying to be with my Lord.  Are you trying to do the same?”  This is the teaching of thariqa’.  On Judgement Day, the first question Allah’s (s.w.t.) angels will ask us is, “What did you learn in dunya and what did you do there?”  We must prepare for those questions.  We are approaching the end of times.  Those who ignore this advice will have their faces darkened, the nur will be taken away from it.  Those who follow this advice, will attain salvation in this world and in the hereafter.