A Muslim Convert Once Before

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is a story by Shaykh Muzhaffar Uzak al-Jirrahi ( q.s. ), from his book, “Adornment of Hearts”.  He related this story word for word as he heard it from his own teacher, who was present on the occasion.   A qadhi , magistrate, was once appointed to the town of Sivas, and the local dignitaries went to bid him welcome.  In the course of the friendly gathering, conversation turned to the question of affiliation to various Sufi orders.  Some of those present said they were Rifa’iyyah , some Khalwatiyyah , some Naqshbandiyyah , and others Mawlawiyyah .   This discussion left the qadhi laughing cynically, for he did not believe in the Sufi path.  When everyone had stated his affiliation, the new magistrate decided to make fun of his host by claiming to be a Baktashi.  They were all at a loss to understand how a graduate of a formal academy could have become a Baktashi, but politeness restrained their c...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is adapted from Shaykh Tu’sun Bayrak al-Jirrahi ’s article on swalah at The Khalwati-Jirrahi Sufi Order on Swalah .   One day Shaykh Hatim az-Zahid ( r.a. ) came to visit Shaykh ‘Aswim ibn Yusuf ( r.a. ).  When Shaykh ‘Aswim ( r.a. ) asked him, “Have you been able to do your swalah properly?” he answered: “Yes. I hope so!”   Then, Shaykh ‘Aswim ( r.a. ) asked him to tell how he did his swalah .  Shaykh Hatim ( r.a. ) replied, “When the time of prayer approaches, I take my ablution the way we know our Prophet ( s.a.w. ) did, even though my previous ablution was not broken.  Next I stand at the place where I pray a long time, until I have an awareness of my whole body and I feel physically present.  Then I imagine a straight line coming from the Ka’bah up to my forehead and the Maqam of Ibrahim in line with my chest, knowing well that Allah ( s.w.t. ) is free of all image and place, that I am in His ...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following was extracted from a speech given by Shaykh Tu’sun Bayrak al-Jirrahi.   “I remember, years ago when I was a young dervish, my shaykh married a young couple.   To the groom he said, ‘This woman is Allah’s Gift to you. Allah Entrusts her to you to love, to take care of, and to see to all her needs and to make her happy, and to live in peace.   Those are your obligations, and if you do not perform your obligations you will be sinning.’   And to the bride, he said, ‘My daughter, Allah has Rewarded this man by Entrusting you to him.   He is obliged to love you, satisfy all your needs and make you happy and content.   The only obligation you have towards him is to protect the sanctity of your home and nothing else.’   A short while after, the husband came to complain that his wife did not do any housework, nor do anything for him, she just sat and amused herself.   The shaykh asked to ...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is adapted from a swuhbah by Shaykh Tu‘sun Bayrak al-Jirrahi, Shaykh of the Jirrahi Khalwati thariqa’ .   Allah ( s.w.t. ) Says:   سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيۡڪُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِڪُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ (١٨٣)   O you who believe!   Fasting is Prescribed to you as it was Prescribed to those before you, that you may (learn) self-restraint. ― (Surah al-Baqarah:183)   The last phrase of the Lord’s Order to fast reveals the inner meaning of fasting.   A hadits related by Sayyidina Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud ( r.a. ) clearly illustrates this meaning: “Whoever can, should marry, because marriage prevents one from forbidden acts and protects one ’ s honour.   The one who cannot marry should learn to fast, for fasting is the best means to control one’s lust and desires of the flesh, and the temptations of ...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Shaykh Robert Frager Raghib al-Jirrahi is a Harvard-trained psychologist.   He is the past president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and the founder of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, where he is currently Director of the low residency Master of Arts in Spiritual Guidance programme and professor of Psychology. Shaykh Frager is renowned for his pioneering work in the field of transpersonal psychology and for his role in establishing the country's first educational institution dedicated to this emerging field of research and practice.   He also teaches courses in Spiritual Psychology and The Wisdom of Islam at the online University of Philosophical Research in Los Angeles and also in the online M.A. programme of the Holmes Institute. He is also a shaykh in the Khalwati-Jirrahi Sufi Order.   He was initiated by Shaykh Muzhaffar Uzak al-Jirrahi.   He currently leads a darghah in Redwood City, Califo...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ On the legacy of Kamal Muswthafa “Ataturk”, Shaykh Fadhlullah Khayri ( q.s. ) said, “I asked the late Shaykh Muzhaffar [Uzak], the Sufi master of the Halveti-Jerrahi Order of Turkey, as to what happened after the almost complete destruction of the Sufi orders in Turkey by Kamal Ataturk.  He paused, smiled and said, ‘You look upon it as destruction.  We look upon it as slightly excessive grooming.’  Then he continued, ‘It is like chopping a grapevine to the ground.  If he had chopped a little, the branches would have grown only a few meters away, but because he cut the whole grapevine to the ground, it will now grow all over the place.  It is only a matter of time.’”   سُوۡرَةُ التّوبَة يُرِيدُونَ أَن يُطۡفِـُٔواْ نُورَ ٱللَّهِ بِأَفۡوَٲهِهِمۡ وَيَأۡبَى ٱللَّهُ إِلَّآ أَن يُتِمَّ نُورَهُ ۥ وَلَوۡ ڪَرِهَ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرُونَ (٣٢)   Fain would they extinguish Allah’s Light with their mouths, but Allah will not...