Explaining Quthbanniyyah

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The following is adapted from the teachings of Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani (q.s.). 

The scholars are the inheritors of the prophets.  This does not refer to those scholars who gained their knowledge from books, but rather those aqthab to whom Allah (s.w.t.) Opened these six powers in their hearts, and the knowledge of their seven personal names.  The five highest levels of aqthab are, Quthb, Quthb al-Bilad, Quthb al-Mutaswswarif, Quthb al-Irshad and Quthb al-Aqthab. 

A quthb is the one whom Allah (s.w.t.) Granted the power to bring forth from the Nur of Muhammad (s.a.w.), to extract knowledge from non-existence of the Prophet (s.a.w.) into this dunya.  He extracts new knowledge from the heart of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.).  This is the first level aqthab.  The Quthb al-Bilad is responsible for the order of this world and to hold it together.  He knows the needs of every creatures.  The Quthb al-Irshad advises the 124,000 awliya’.  The Quthb al-Mutaswswarif is authorised to channel Allah’s (s.w.t.) harbingers of delights to different people and creatures, and is responsible even for the smallest worm that dwells inside a rock.  The Quthb al-Aqthab supervises and is responsible for all the other aqthab.  Above all five aqthab is the ghawts.  He is the channel.  Shah Baha’ ad-Din Muhammad an-Naqshband (q.s.) was one of them.  Shaykh Muhyi ad-Din Abu Muhammad ibn Abu Swalih ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (q.s.) was another.  From era to era, they differ. 

The aqthab and the ghawts must be ashraf from both the paternal and the maternal lineage, from the Ahl al-Bayt, al-Hasani and al-Husayni.  If they are not from the family of the Prophet (s.a.w.) and Allah (s.w.t.) has Brought them to that level, they inherit from Sayyidina Abu ‘Abdullah Salman al-Farisi (r.a.).  The Prophet (s.a.w.) included him as a member of the Ahl al-Bayt.  Every matter of the universe is in the hands of the aqthab.  Authority comes from Allah (s.w.t.) to the Prophet (s.a.w.), and from the Prophet (s.a.w.) to the aqthab. 

The aqthab are always five in number.  When one passes on, he is replaced by another.  Allah (s.w.t.) Created then unique.  The essence of the aqthab extract Knowledge through the beautiful Names of Allah (s.w.t.).  From every unique Name, they experience 700,000 levels of ecstasy, from which they can pull out for humanity 700,000 levels of  wisdom.  They have drowned in these Oceans of Wisdom and Knowledge.  Their veils are Removed.  They are in the Divine Presence at a place where they observe the verse: 

سُوۡرَةُ النُّور

۞ ٱللَّهُ نُورُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۚ ... (٣٥) 

Allah is the Light of the Heavens and the Earth ... (Surah an-Nur:35) 

And they cannot see except by that Light. 

Most people think that the rank of Quthb al-Ghawts is the highest since they have no knowledge of the Sulthan al-Awliya’.  The station of Quthb al-Ghawts entails the function of arranging the needs of the physical bodies of the people.  The station of Sulthan al-Awliya’ deals with the hearts and the soul.  He is the one who brings them to Allah (s.w.t.) in the place where the Prophet (s.a.w.) made sajdah on the night of Mi’raj. 

The Sulthan al-Awliya’ is the Khalifatullah of the time and he represents the Prophet (s.a.w.).  The other awliya’ represent one of the other 124,000 prophets.  As all the other prophets are also represented by the Seal of Prophets, Sayyidina Muhammad (s.a.w.).  The Sulthan al-Awliya’ of the time also has the tajjalli of all the 124,000 prophets. 

The Sulthan al-Awliya’ possesses the secret of the Prophet (s.a.w.).  This secret was Put in the heart of the Prophet (s.a.w.) by Allah (s.w.t.).  Thereafter, the Prophet (s.a.w.) transmitted this secret to the heart of Sayyidina Abu Bakr ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Utsman asw-Swiddiq (r.a.).  This secret has been transmitted down the Golden Chain.  From the time of the Prophet (s.a.w.) to now, there have only been forty Sulthan al-Awliya’.  This secret was passed down from the heart of Sayyidina Abu Bakr (r.a.) to Sayyidina Salman al-Farisi (r.a.), from Swiddiq to Swiddiq, down.  This Divine Secret of Allah (s.w.t.) Given to the heart of the Prophet (s.a.w.) to be transmitted is the Divine Secret and Divine Breath which Allah (s.w.t.) Blew into Adam (a.s.). 

Everything in this universe has been Created for the honour of the Prophet (s.a.w.).  Everything that has been Created in this universe is Created from the Light of the Prophet (s.a.w.).  Everything that we see in the first instance is the Light of Allah (s.w.t.).  And that is why we say, “Laa ilaha illa Allah.”  Thereafter, Allah (s.w.t.) Reduced these lights to the Light of the Prophet (s.a.w.) for there to be intermediate stages between all that we see and Allah (s.w.t.).  This is why we also say, “Muhammadar Rasulullah” in the kalimah.  During every age, there is a wali responsible for all these lights and that is the Sulthan al-Awliya’. 

When the Prophet (s.a.w.) was on Mi’raj, he reached a certain point with Jibril (a.s.) when he said to the Prophet (s.a.w.), that only he had Permission to travel beyond that point.  Our Prophet (s.a.w.) went beyond this point to the utmost limits.  He was annihilated and he became a Light of Allah (s.w.t.).  By becoming this Light, he arrived at Allah (s.w.t.).  Every human being is a light from the Light of Allah (s.w.t.) and from the Light of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.).