The Naqshbandi Method of Muraqabah with the Shaykh

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is the Naqshbandi method of muraqabah as taught to us by our shuyukh.  As Imam ath-Thariqa’, Shah Baha’ ad-Din Muhammad an-Naqshband (q.s.) said, “We are providers of access to communion; we are nothing else.” 

First, perform ablution.  Then sit respectfully, facing the qiblah.  Recite the following adab once, in the order listed. 

Repeat the shahadah three times.  The purpose of the shahadah is to affirm the Oneness of Allah (s.w.t.), His Sovereignty and His Power over all things. 

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إلاَّ الله وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًاعَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ 

Ashhdadu an laa ilaha illa Allah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadar ‘Abduhuu wa rasuuluh 

I bear witness that there is no god,but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. 

Repeat the istighfar 70 times.  This is to seek Allah’s (s.w.t.) Forgiveness not so much for our sins but for the sin of duality and transgression of the doctrine of tawhid by believing that we have anything other than He. 

أَسْتَغْفِرُاللهَ 

Astaghfirullah 

I seek Forgiveness from Allah. 

Recite Surah al-Fatihah with the intention of sharing in the tajalli Sent down with it when it was first Revealed in Makkah. 

سُوۡرَةُ الفَاتِحَة

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ (١)

ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (٢) ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ (٣) مَـٰلِكِ يَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ (٤) إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُ (٥) ٱهۡدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٲطَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ (٦) صِرَٲطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ غَيۡرِ ٱلۡمَغۡضُوبِ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ (٧) 

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Rahiim

al-Hamdulillahi Rabb al-‘aalamiin.  Ar-Rahmaan ar-Rahiim.  Maaliki yawm ad-diin.  Iyyaka na’budu wa iyyaka nasta’iin. Ihdinaa asw-swiraath al-mustaqiim.  Swiraath al ladziina an’amta ‘alayhim, ghayr al-maghdhuubi ‘alayhim wala adh-dhaalliin. 

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds.  Most Gracious, Most Merciful.  Master of the, Day of Judgement.  You Alone do we worship, and Your Aid Alone do we seek.  Show us the straight way.  The way of those on whom You have Bestowed Your Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath and who go not astray. (Surah al-Fatihah:1-7) 

Recite Surah al-Ikhlasw 11 times. 

سُوۡرَةُ الإخلاص

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

قُلۡ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ (١) ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ (٢) لَمۡ يَلِدۡ وَلَمۡ يُولَدۡ (٣) وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُ ۥڪُفُوًا أَحَدٌ (٤) 

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Rahiim

Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad.  Allahu asw-Samad.  Lam yalid wa lam yuulad.  Wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan Ahad. 

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Say: He is Allah the One and Only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begets not, nor is He begotten; and there is none like unto Him. (Surah al-Ikhlasw:1-4) 

Recite Surah al-Falaq and Surah an-Naas once each. 

سُوۡرَةُ الفَلَق

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

قُلۡ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلۡفَلَقِ (١) مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ (٢) وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ (٣) وَمِن شَرِّ ٱلنَّفَّـٰثَـٰتِ فِى ٱلۡعُقَدِ (٤) وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ (٥) 

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Rahiim

Qul a’udzu bi Rabbi al-Falaq.  Min sharri maa khalaq.  Wa min sharri ghaasiqin idza waqab.  Wa min sharri an-naffatsaati fi al-‘uqad.  Wa min sharri haasidin idzaa hasad. 

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Say: I seek Refuge with the Lord of the Dawn, from the mischief of Created things; from the mischief of darkness as it overspreads; from the mischief of those who practise secret arts; and from the mischief of the envious one as he practises envy. (Surah al-Falaq:1-5) 

سُوۡرَةُ النَّاس

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

قُلۡ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلنَّاسِ (١) مَلِكِ النَّاسِ (٢) إِلَـٰهِ ٱلنَّاسِ (٣) مِن شَرِّ ٱلۡوَسۡوَاسِ ٱلۡخَنَّاسِ (٤) ٱلَّذِى يُوَسۡوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ (٥) مِنَ ٱلۡجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ (٦) 

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Rahiim

Qul a’udzu birabbi an-naas.  Maliki an-naas.  Ilaahi an-naas.  Min sharri al-waswaas al khannaas.  al-Ladzii yuwaswisu fii swudur an-naas.  Min al-jinnati wa an-naas. 

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Say: I seek Refuge with the Lord and Cherisher of Mankind, the King of Mankind ― the Judge of Mankind ― from the mischief of the whisperer, who withdraws (after his whisper) ― (The same) who whispers into the hearts of mankind ― among jinn and among men. (Surah an-Naas:1-6) 

Recite the tahlil 10 times. 

لَا اِلّهَ اِلَّا اللهُ 

Laa ilaha illa Allah 

There is no God but Allah 

After the last tahlil, add: 

لَا اِلّهَ اِلَّا اللهُ مُحَمَّدُ رَّسُولُ اللهِ 

Laa ilaha illa Allah Muhammadu Rasuulullah 

There is no God but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. 

Recite the following swalawat 10 times. 

اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ، وَعَلَى آلِ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّد 

Allahumma swalli ‘alaa Sayyidinaa Muhammadin wa ‘alaa alii Sayyidinaa Muhammad 

Allah Send Salutations upon our Master Muhammad and upon the people of our Master Muhammad 

Recite the ihda. 

اللَّهُمَّ بَلِّغْ ثَوابَ ما قَرأناهُ ونُورَ ما تَلَوْناهُ هَديّةً واصِلةً منّاإلى رُوحِ نَبِيِّنا مُحَمَّدٍ (صلّى الله عليه وسلّم) وإلى أرِواحِ إخْوانِهِ من الأنبِياءِ والمُرِسَلينَ وخُدَماءِ شَرائِعهِم وإلى أرواحِ الأئِمّةِ الأرْبَعَة وإلى أرْواحِ مَشايِخِنا في الطَّريقةِ النَّقْشْبِنْديّةِ العَليّة، خاصةً إلى روحِ إمامِ الطَّريقة وغَوْثِ الخَليقةِ خَواجه بَهاءُ الدّينِ النّقْشْبنْد مُحَمَّد الأويْسي البُخاري وإلى حضْرة مَوْلانا سُلْطانُ الأوْلياءِ الشَيْخ عَبْدُ اللهِ الفائِز الدّاَغَسْتاني وإلى مولانا سيِّدِنا الشّيْخ محمّدُ ناظِمُ الحقّاني مؤَيِّد الدّين وإلى سائِرِ ساداتِنا والصِّدّيقِين الفاتحة 

Allahumma balligh tsawaaba maa qaraanaahu wa nuura maa talawnaahu, hadiyyatan waaswilatan minnaa ilaa ruuhi Nabiyyinaa Muhammadin (Swallallahu ‘alayhi wa as sallam), wa ila arwaahi ikhwaanihi min al-anbiyaa’i wa al-mursaliin wa khudamaa’i sharaa’iihim wa ilaa arwaah al-a’immat al-arba’ah wa ilaa arwaahi mashaayikhinaa fii ath-thariiqati an-Naqshbandiyyat al-‘aliyah khaaswatan ilaa ruuhi imaam ath-thariiqat wa ghawts al-khaliqat Khwaaja Baha’u ad-Diin an-Naqshband Muhammad al-Uwaysi al-Bukhaarii wa ilaa Hadhrati Mawlaanaa Sulthaan al-Awliyaa’i ash-Shaykh ‘Abdullah al-Faa’iz ad-Daaghistaani wa ilaa Mawlaanaa ash-Shaykh Muhammad Naazhim al-Haqqaani mu’ayyid ad-diin wa ilaa saa’ir saadaatinaa wa asw-swiddiqiina al-faatihah. 

O God!  Grant that the merit of what we have read, and the light of what we have recited, are considered an offering and gift from us to the soul of our Prophet Muhammad (peace of Allah upon him), and to the souls of his brothers; all the prophets and Messengers  and to our honoured masters of the Naqshbandi Order, especially soul of the leader of the way and arch-intercessor of Creation; Master Baha’ ad-Din Muhammad al-Uways al-Bukhari and to our Master of the Leaders of the Saints, Shaykh ‘Abdullah al-Fa’iz adh-Dhaghistani, and our Master Muhammad Nazhim al-Haqqani, and to all our masters and the people of truth.  al-Fatihah. 

Now recite Surah al-Fatihah with the intention of sharing in the tajalli which was Sent down when it was revealed in Madina for the second time. 

End with the following: 

اللهُ اللهُ اللهُ حَقْ 

Allahu Allahu Allahu Haqq.

Allahu Allahu Allahu Haqq.

Allahu Allahu Allahu Haqq. 

Allah, the Absolute Truth

Allah, the Absolute Truth

Allah, the Absolute Truth 

Next, to close one’s eyes, and envision oneself in presence, sitting with the Guide; Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani (q.s.), attempting to connect to his heart.  This method can be repeated daily, as per the murid’s spiritual capacity.  Upon making the connection, one will find oneself in presence of the Guide.  To see the Shaykh is helpful, but to feel his presence, and its reality, without the witnessing of the eyes is superior. 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنعَام

لَّا تُدۡرِڪُهُ ٱلۡأَبۡصَـٰرُ وَهُوَ يُدۡرِكُ ٱلۡأَبۡصَـٰرَ‌ۖ ... (١٠٣) 

No vision can grasp Him, but His Grasp is over all vision ... (Surah al-An’am:103) 

When the Prophet (s.a.w.) was asked about ihsan, he replied, “That you worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, then indeed He Sees you.”  Khwaja Naswr ad-Din ‘Ubaydullah al-Ahrar (q.s.) wrote in Rashahat 'Ayn al-Hayat, that during the life of the Imam of the Thariqa’, the most venerable Shah Baha’ ad-Din an-Naqshband (q.s.) advised someone who would gaze intently his face to instead focus on the point between his eyebrows, keeping the conviction that his every state is visible and comprehensible to the shaykh.  In this manner, by drawing the dignity and majesty of the shaykh upon himself, he advised that he must purify his inner being through this method.