Gateway to Hudhur al-Haqq

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

This is a summary of what was taught to us by our shuyukh, Shaykh Zakariya ibn ‘Umar Bagharib (q.s.) and Shaykh Ahmad ‘Arif ibn Muhammad Rashid. 

This is a technique, useful to us after we leave the physical presence of the shaykh.  In this life, our physical meetings come and go.  It is impossible to remain in the company of another, whether they be the spouse, parents, children, siblings or amongst the most beloved.  A person never desires to be away from his loved ones.  However, it is Written that it should take place.  Firaq means separation and sometimes everyone must depart.  As far as our physical selves are concerned, it is written that we cannot always be together.  However, spiritually, we have been Given the ability by Allah (s.w.t.) to meet whosoever we need to.  This is possible because spiritually, we are all connected. 

When we remember someone, our soul is able to make a connection with that person.  This connection is known as rabithah.  Rabithah has many levels.  The awliya’ are always in rabithah with Rasulullah (s.a.w.).  Anytime they need such a connection, they find themselves immediately in the holy presence of Rasulullah (s.a.w.).  They never leave Rasulullah’s (s.a.w.) spiritual presence.  This is known as hudhur ma Rasul.  This is the gateway in thariqa’ to the Divine Presence. 

Before hudhur ma Rasul, an easier way is hudhur ma shaykh; rabithah with our shaykh.  In the beginning, we may not see him, but feel of his presence.  These sensations are of different levels.  In a simple rabithah, we merely feel the presence of the shaykh.  Gradually, one may come to the level where he feels the breathing of his shaykh.  And thereafter, to seeing the shaykh before us in dzikr.  Thus, in truth, a murid of the thariqa’ is always present with his shaykh. 

The perfection of that rabithah is when one is able to see his shaykh sitting with him, accompanying him, surrounding him and finally, present in him.  The murid acquires the qualities and personality of his shaykh.  That is fana’ fi shaykh.  The murid has become the khalifah of his shaykh.  It is through the qualities of the shaykh that one is brought into the holy presence of Rasulullah (s.a.w.), since the shaykh is in the state of hudhur ma Rasul. 

It is then, in hudhur ma Rasul, that Rasulullah (s.a.w.) dresses us in his spiritual body and we become the khalifa of Rasulullah (s.a.w.).  Rasulullah (s.a.w.) is manifest, zhahir.  He appears through us.  It is Rasulullah (s.a.w.) who brings us to Hudhur al-Haqq, the Divine Presence.  It is then that Allah (s.w.t.) Dresses us with His Divine Light and we become Annihilated in Allah (s.w.t.), fana’ fi Allah.  There is no longer a duality of existence and the doctrine of tawhid has become reality.  Only then has one fulfilled the destiny that is all the Children of Adam (a.s.), and become Khalifatullah, Allah’s (s.w.t.) vicegerent.  It is then that we represent Allah (s.w.t.) to Creation.  The culmination of shari’ah, thariqa’, ma’rifah and haqiqah; the sum total of the messages of every messenger and prophet and wali is this.  We were Created for the maqam of Khalifatullah.