Mawlana Sheikh Mehmed Adil. Translations.

The hadiths of our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) that we read yesterday are truly beautiful. Every word of our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) is a priceless treasure. Whoever obeys him, follows his path, his advice, and his beautiful words, will be happy in this world as well as in the hereafter, and will attain true bliss. This wonderful path is free from all evil – it is the path of our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam). Thus, our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said yesterday: 'Through Sadaqa (charity), wealth does not decrease.' Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) even swore upon it. Whoever claims their wealth has decreased through Sadaqa is lying. Sadaqa increases wealth, wards off calamity and misfortune, and leads to all good as well as to the pleasure of Allah. That is a truly beautiful saying of our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) that we read yesterday. Since our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) swore upon it, there is absolutely no doubt about it. No one should think that their wealth shrinks because of it. Sadaqa protects a person, leads to the pleasure of Allah, and allows us to put the word of our Prophet into practice. Secondly: Even if you are in the right and someone wrongs you – if you forgive them, you will be honored by Allah, gain respect, and become a valued person. However, if you engage in a quarrel or a heated argument, this virtue is lost. This is a very important point. It is not easy for us human beings to control our own ego (Nafs). Even though one is in the right, to overlook it for the sake of Allah... People often say: 'You can't just put up with that.' But if you let it rest for the sake of Allah, He will hold you in honor with Him and elevate you. This is also of great importance. And thirdly: To demand money from other people or to beg... Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says that this is not good at all. He says that this leads to poverty. Do not beg for it. If Allah wants to provide you with something, He will do so. But if you go and constantly demand: 'Give me, do this and that,' then you will be struck by poverty. May Allah protect us from this. These three pieces of advice are wonderful words of our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam). They are the key to goodness, beauty, happiness, and inner peace for a person throughout their life. Both in this world and in the hereafter. May Allah count us among those who follow this path, inshaAllah. May He grant us to accept these beautiful words and act upon them without giving in to our ego, inshaAllah.

May the first day of Muharram be blessed and full of blessings, insha'Allah. We pray that this year will, insha'Allah, be the year of the appearance, the glad tidings of which our Prophet brought to us. The Day of Judgment is near. People live in heedlessness and do not even talk about the Day of Judgment. They believe it is still far away. Yet it is near; days and years fly by. The Hereafter is drawing closer. Naturally, for everyone, their own Day of Judgment begins the moment they close their eyes; for when a person opens them again, they find themselves on the Day of Judgment. Therefore, this is very important; whoever knows how to appreciate the value of time prepares for the Hereafter. Today is now the first of the month, the first of Muharram. If we are allowed to live to see it, insha'Allah, by this time next year another year will have passed in the blink of an eye. Last year we were on Hajj, and already another pilgrimage season has passed; the days truly fly by. As long as one is on the path of Allah, every passed moment is valuable; it is said it becomes provisions for the Hereafter. The journey to the Hereafter is long. Therefore, these years and days should not pass by unused, but rather always be spent on the path of Allah. One must think of Allah; for to remember Allah means to be constantly aware of Him. Although pronouncing the name of Allah with the tongue is also a remembrance (Dhikr), true remembrance consists of remembering Him and always keeping Him in one's heart. So that days, hours, and seconds do not pass by unused, you must unceasingly think of Allah so that your Hereafter is secured. To attain the intercession of our Prophet - peace and blessings be upon him - one must absolutely keep this in mind. Every minute, every second, we must be aware: "Allah is with us, Allah sees us, Allah is witness to our deeds." The days of a person who acts accordingly do not pass senselessly. People say, "The year went by so fast"; yes, it has passed, but it was fulfilled; not wasted and not full of sins. Of course, one commits sins, every human being has sins. But if one repents and asks for forgiveness, these too will be erased with Allah's permission. May Allah bless our year. Insha'Allah, it will be a blessed year, exactly the year we hope for. May it be the year, insha'Allah, in which Islam attains victory and in which the Mahdi and Isa - peace be upon them - appear, just as our Prophet announced as glad tidings. That is our deepest desire. If we are allowed to witness this, we will, insha'Allah, also experience the fulfillment of Allah's promise. For in the current state of the world, there is no salvation in sight; it sinks deeper day by day. But when the Mahdi - peace be upon him - appears, this situation will, insha'Allah, turn for the better again. Otherwise, it will not improve anyway. May Allah protect us, and may our new year, insha'Allah, be blessed and full of blessings.

ثَلَاثٌ أُقْسِمُ عَلَيْهِنَّ: مَا نَقَصَ مَالٌ قَطُّ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ فَتَصَدَّقُوا، وَلَا عَفَا رَجُلٌ عَنْ مَظْلَمَةٍ ظُلِمَهَا إِلَّا زَادَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِهَا عِزًّا فَاعْفُوا يَزِدْكُمُ اللَّهُ عِزًّا، وَلَا فَتَحَ رَجُلٌ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ بَابَ مَسْأَلَةٍ يَسْأَلُ النَّاسَ إِلَّا فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ بَابَ فَقْرٍ۔ Our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, said: "There are three things whose truth I swear by." Our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, is swearing here to the truth of three things. Firstly: No wealth has ever decreased by giving Sadaqa. That means: Whoever claims, "I gave Sadaqa and therefore my money has become less," is lying. For our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, is truthful; he only speaks the truth and calls upon us to give Sadaqa. "If a servant forgives an injustice done to him, Allah will certainly increase his honor." This means: If an injustice happens to you, but you forgive it and leave the matter to Allah, Allah will increase your honor. Forgive, so that Allah may honor you. That means: If you forgive, you attain true greatness and honor. If you do not forgive, the burden of the injustice remains on the shoulders of the wrongdoer. "Whoever opens the door of begging for himself, Allah will inevitably open the door to poverty for him." This means: Begging and demanding money from others only leads to becoming even poorer. ثَلَاثَةٌ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُنَّ حَقٌّ: مَا عَفَا امْرُؤٌ عَنْ مَظْلَمَةٍ إِلَّا زَادَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِهَا عِزًّا، وَمَا فَتَحَ رَجُلٌ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ بَابَ مَسْأَلَةٍ يَبْتَغِي بِهَا كَثْرَةً إِلَّا زَادَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِهَا فَقْرًا، وَمَا فَتَحَ رَجُلٌ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ بَابَ صَدَقَةٍ يَبْتَغِي بِهَا وَجْهَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى إِلَّا زَادَهُ اللَّهُ كَثْرَةً۔ Our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, said: "I know for certain that these three things are true." "Firstly: If someone forgives an injustice done to him, Allah will certainly grant him even more honor for it." That means: If an injustice is done to someone, even though he is in the right, but he does not take it to heart and forgives, his rank will undoubtedly rise and he will be honored. "If someone opens the door of begging, only to increase his wealth, Allah will certainly increase his poverty as a result." That means: If someone actually has enough money, but nevertheless begs from others in order to accumulate even more, this inevitably leads to poverty. "However, if someone opens the door of Sadaqa to attain the pleasure of Allah, Allah will certainly increase his wealth." This means: If one sincerely gives Sadaqa, their wealth does not decrease by it, but it actually increases. Therefore, Sadaqa is of such great importance. A person should absolutely give Sadaqa every day – for his own well-being, his benefit, to attain Allah's pleasure, and to increase his reward. Sadaqa is the key to all good. ثَلَاثَةُ نَفَرٍ كَانَ لِأَحَدِهِمْ عَشَرَةُ دَنَانِيرَ فَتَصَدَّقَ مِنْهَا بِدِينَارٍ، وَكَانَ لِلْآخَرِ عَشَرَةُ أَوَاقٍ فَتَصَدَّقَ مِنْهَا بِأُوقِيَّةٍ، وَالْآخَرُ كَانَ لَهُ مِائَةُ أُوقِيَّةٍ فَتَصَدَّقَ مِنْهَا بِعَشْرِ أَوَاقٍ فِي الْأَجْرِ سَوَاءٌ، كُلٌّ تَصَدَّقَ بِعُشْرِ مَالِهِ۔ Our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, said: "There were three people. One of them possessed ten dinars." Ten dinars – that could be gold or something else, but in total, he possessed ten dinars. "He gave one dinar of it as Sadaqa." That means: The entire wealth of this man amounted to ten dinars, and he donated one of them. He thus gave a tenth of his possessions. "The second possessed ten Uqiyyah and donated one Uqiyyah of it." The unit of measurement Uqiyyah corresponds to a weight of about two hundred grams. So five Uqiyyah make a kilo. This person too donated a tenth of their wealth. "The third in the group possessed one hundred Uqiyyah and donated ten of them." All three people have therefore each donated a tenth of their total wealth. "Since everyone donated a tenth of their wealth, their reward is equal." That means: Even if one gave more in terms of pure quantity and the other less, all received the same reward, because everyone donated exactly a tenth of their possessions. خَيْرُ النَّاسِ مُؤْمِنٌ فَقِيرٌ يُعْطِي جُهْدَهُ۔ Our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, said: "The best Sadaqa is the one that a poor believer gives to the best of his ability." This means: Even though he is poor, he gives Sadaqa within his modest means. That is the very best form of charity. Because this poor person strives tirelessly to give what is possible for him, his Sadaqa is the most valuable of all. خَيْرُ أَبْوَابِ الْبِرِّ الصَّدَقَةُ۔ Our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, said: "The best of all doors to goodness is Sadaqa." One can perform many good deeds, but our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, makes it clear here that Sadaqa is the best of all. خَيْرُكُنَّ أَطْوَلُكُنَّ يَدًا۔ Our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, said: "The best of you is the one with the longest hand – that is, the one who gives the most Sadaqa." With the word "hayrukunne", our Prophet was specifically addressing the women here. Even though this address was directed specifically at the women, the message naturally applies to everyone. "Having a long hand" is thereby a metaphor for generosity and the abundant giving of Sadaqa. سَبَقَ دِرْهَمٌ مِائَةَ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ۔ رَجُلٌ لَهُ دِرْهَمَانِ أَخَذَ أَحَدَهُمَا فَتَصَدَّقَ بِهِ، وَرَجُلٌ لَهُ مَالٌ كَثِيرٌ فَأَخَذَ مِنْ عُرْضِهِ مِائَةَ أَلْفٍ فَتَصَدَّقَ بِهَا۔ Our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, said: "A single dirham can surpass one hundred thousand dirhams." By this, our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, means that someone who donates just a single dirham can receive a much greater reward than someone who gives one hundred thousand dirhams. "For one possessed only two dirhams and donated one of them." He therefore gave half of his entire wealth. "The other, however, was very wealthy. He took one hundred thousand dirhams from his wealth and donated them." He may have given one hundred thousand dirhams, but he still had millions left over afterward. That is exactly why the person who gave this one dirham receives a much greater reward than the one who gave one hundred thousand. صَدَقَةُ السِّرِّ تُطْفِئُ غَضَبَ الرَّبِّ۔ Our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, said: "Sadaqa given in secret extinguishes the wrath of the Lord." This means: It is far better to give Sadaqa in secret, far from any boasting and without shaming the needy. صَدَقَةُ الْمَرْءِ الْمُسْلِمِ تَزِيدُ فِي الْعُمْرِ، وَتَمْنَعُ مِيتَةَ السُّوءِ، وَيُذْهِبُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِهَا الْفَخْرَ وَالْكِبْرَ۔ Our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, said: "The Sadaqa of a Muslim prolongs his life..." "...and protects him from a bad death." These are both beautiful glad tidings. Sadaqa therefore prolongs life and protects a person from a bad end. There are terrible ways to die; may Allah protect us all from them. "Furthermore – and this is even more important – through Sadaqa, Allah removes boasting and arrogance from the person's heart." This person is thus freed from arrogance and vanity. These are bad traits that Allah absolutely does not love. Yet through giving Sadaqa, Allah keeps these characteristics away from us. الصَّدَقَةُ تَسُدُّ سَبْعِينَ بَابًا مِنَ السُّوءِ۔ Our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, said: "Sadaqa closes seventy doors of evil." This means: It closes the doors to mischief, sorrow, and evil, and protects the believer from them. الصَّدَقَةُ تَمْنَعُ مِيتَةَ السُّوءِ۔ Our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, further said: "Sadaqa protects from a bad death." May Allah, in shaa Allah, protect us all from such a bad end. الصَّدَقَةُ تَمْنَعُ سَبْعِينَ بَابًا مِنْ أَنْوَاعِ الْبَلَاءِ أَهْوَنُهَا الْجُذَامُ وَالْبَرَصُ۔ Our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, said: "Sadaqa closes seventy doors of calamity, the least of which are leprosy and vitiligo." The benefit of Sadaqa is therefore immense, but unfortunately, people often pay too little attention to it. While they spend their money carelessly on unnecessary things, when it comes to donations, every cent is often scrutinized, and they ask: "Why did I give that? What do I get out of it?" May Allah protect us from that. May He, in shaa Allah, count us among those who give Sadaqa abundantly and gladly.

Today is, thanks to Allah, the last day of the Islamic year according to the Hijri calendar. With the evening call to prayer, we enter the new year. The Islamic calendar works completely differently from the usual calendar. All acts of worship are based on it. Therefore, may the new year be blessed and bring much good, inshaAllah. May Allah send a leader to the Islamic world and grant peace to the entire world. Otherwise, no true peace can be found. These are blessed days, for we are in the month of Muharram. As I said, the new year begins this evening. It is called the Hijri year because it dates back to the emigration – the Hijrah – of our Prophet (sallallahu aleyhi wa sallam). Allah has given this event a very special significance. Every day has its very own blessing and its special meaning. Before fasting in Ramadan became an obligation, fasting in the month of Muharram was obligatory. At that time, people fasted from the first to the tenth day of this month. Even today, those who fast during this time receive a great reward. They are blessed with the bounties of Allah, the Almighty. However, the most important thing is to fast on the ninth and tenth or on the tenth and eleventh day; everyone should fast as much as they are able. Under no circumstances should the Day of Ashura be skipped. One should make use of these blessed days and remind one another of them. During the Gregorian New Year, people congratulate one another and ask each other amidst all the hustle and bustle: "What are we doing, how are we celebrating?" The Islamic New Year, on the other hand, is often forgotten and hardly noticed. Thanks to Allah, however, there is the Day of Ashura, which most Muslims at least remember. For this is a very important day. These are days that our Prophet (sallallahu aleyhi wa sallam) highly valued and strongly recommended to us. In order to distinguish ourselves from the Jews, our Prophet (sallallahu aleyhi wa sallam) advised fasting for not just one, but two days. So either on the ninth and tenth or on the tenth and eleventh day. May Allah bless this time and grant us His grace, inshaAllah. May it bring much good and bestow peace and salvation upon all of humanity, inshaAllah. We are living in a time when the arrival of the Mahdi (aleyhisselam) is drawing ever closer. May Allah soon grant us a world in which his rule, Islam, and true peace reign, inshaAllah. May Allah bless us and continuously bestow these blessings upon us.

Allah has forgiven those from the Ummah of our Prophet (sallallahu aleyhi wa sallam) who have done something out of forgetfulness, by mistake, or under coercion. This was not the case with previous nations. This is a special gift that was bestowed upon our Prophet (sallallahu aleyhi wa sallam). It is a great honor to be part of the Ummah of our Prophet (sallallahu aleyhi wa sallam). Allah has granted this grace to our Prophet (sallallahu aleyhi wa sallam) and, through him, to his Ummah. For our Prophet (sallallahu aleyhi wa sallam) already said "My Ummah" at his birth, and will also intercede for them on the Day of Judgment with the words "My Ummah". He will ask Allah for forgiveness for his Ummah. Belonging to his Ummah is an immense honor. Whoever appreciates this is among the winners. Whoever does not is among the losers. Whoever chases after other things and follows those who only live for this world will draw no benefit from it, but will only suffer harm. They will experience difficulties already in this world. And in the hereafter, their hardship will be far greater. Because we are allowed to belong to the Ummah of our Prophet, we thank Allah every day for this grace by performing the prayer of gratitude. It will not be counted as a sin against you if you forget something. Also, one bears no blame for actions they are forced to do. For both in the past and today, people have often been forced into things that are incompatible with religion. This still partly happens today; wherever there are people, there will always be such things. The oppressor may believe he gains something by bullying others and forcing them to do things, but Allah forgives the oppressed. Even if it is less obvious today, terrible things were forced upon people everywhere, especially after the Ottoman era. Allah has forgiven these coerced actions. Because they did not happen out of free will. However, whoever commits such acts voluntarily will, of course, have to answer for them. People who were forced into something through threats like "If you don't do this, I will kill you, beat you, hurt you, or lock you up" will be forgiven because of this predicament. May Allah protect us from all that is bad and evil. Infinite thanks be to Allah that we are allowed to belong to the Ummah of our Prophet (sallallahu aleyhi wa sallam). Inshallah we are among those who appreciate the value of this Ummah. May Allah forgive us all. May He grant us his intercession. Without his intercession, we would be lost; our acts of worship would have no value and our deeds no benefit. Therefore, our greatest wish is, Inshallah, to attain the intercession of our Prophet (sallallahu aleyhi wa sallam). And this will, with Allah's permission, only be granted to the one who asks for it. If you tell yourself, "My own worship is enough," and do not ask for his intercession, you are making a great mistake. May Allah protect us from this, because otherwise your situation in the hereafter will be extremely difficult. May Allah protect us all. May Allah be pleased with you all.

Thanks be to Allah, our new Hijri year will begin very soon. For us, exactly this is the true New Year. Our Islamic time reckoning follows the Hijri calendar. All our acts of worship are also aligned with it. Therefore, these are particularly blessed days. Even before fasting in Ramadan became obligatory, fasting was observed in the month of Muharram. It is very blessed to fast from the first to the tenth day of Muharram. But, of course, it is not acceptable to fast in Muharram and in return skip fasting in Ramadan. Because fasting in the month of Ramadan is obligatory (Fard). Fasting in Muharram, on the other hand, is a Sunnah. The ninth and tenth days of Muharram are the days on which our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) explicitly said he would fast. The exact start of Muharram – whether Monday or Tuesday – could not yet be precisely determined. Normally, of course, one looks at the moon for this. But nowadays, nobody observes the moon anymore. No one knows anymore where it rises or sets. Therefore, we follow what those in authority (Ulu'l-amr) determine. And perform our acts of worship accordingly. The most important thing, however, is to show the necessary respect to these spiritual days. Instead, people attach importance to other, completely unnecessary things. For the Gregorian New Year, they plan this and that, artificially giving value to an actually insignificant time. On that night, they then commit every conceivable sin. Our true New Year, the Hijri New Year, on the other hand, we should enliven with supplications and ritual prayer. We should make use of these good, beautiful, and blessed days and make the best of them. We must not let these days be forgotten. We must show honor and respect to everything that reminds us of the Hereafter, of Allah, and of our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The Hijri calendar, of course, stands for the emigration (Hijrah) of our Prophet. The Hijrah from Mecca to Medina al-Munawwara is one of the greatest turning points in Islamic history. Our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) left his homeland and the place he loved – even though it was very difficult for him – and emigrated solely for the sake of Allah. And thanks be to Allah, precisely this event became the Islamic New Year. It marks the beginning of Islamic history. Since that time, our time reckoning has been based on it, and our actions are guided by it. May Allah bless these days. May He let us, insha'Allah, experience many more beautiful years. May the glory of Islam shine anew. Just as our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) left Mecca and opened up to the world, Islam will also, insha'Allah, open up to the world again. These days will certainly come. The grandeur of Islam will, insha'Allah, return. May Allah let us all, insha'Allah, experience these days soon.

The Naqshbandi Tariqa is, thank Allah, a path that brings good people together to further refine human character. It is a path that Allah, the Exalted, loves, and it is the path of our Prophet. It is the true essence of the Sharia. This path tolerates no compromises regarding the Sharia; it is a spiritual path, a Tariqa. Whoever treads this path and experiences its blessings belongs, insha'Allah, to the beloved servants of Allah. Therefore, the spiritual masters since our Prophet, sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam, have walked this path to serve the people and to attain Allah's pleasure. May Allah elevate their ranks. May their spiritual support always be with us. Their support continues... Without it, the world would not continue to exist. Our Prophet, sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "For the sake of these blessed people, rain and blessings are bestowed upon you, and through them you achieve victory." All good happens only for their sake. For their innermost essence is pure sincerity. Sincerity is not bound to any self-interest. It expects no return whatsoever. Their daily prayer is: "Ilahi anta maqsudi wa ridhaka matlubi." "You are my goal, O Allah. And what we seek is Your pleasure." Nothing else. Many people find exactly this difficult: to do something solely and exclusively for Allah's pleasure. Mostly, they act out of self-interest. Without the support of these masters, people could therefore find no salvation. That our Prophet, sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam, constantly calls "My Ummah" and asks Allah for intercession is an immense grace for this community. Without his support and his intercession, our situation is difficult. Unfortunately, some people are misguided themselves and try with great zeal to lead others astray and divert them from the path. They are the exact opposite of the friends of Allah. In them, there is no sincerity, no goodness, and no beauty. Their path is not a true path. The only true path is, insha'Allah, the path of those who follow in the footsteps of our Prophet. Whoever follows him finds true bliss. The end of their lives is blessed, their lives are beautiful, and their interactions with people are characterized by goodness. They are full of blessings and radiate them to their entire surroundings. Through this blessing, their spiritual support also reaches other people, insha'Allah, thank Allah. May Allah not let us stray from the right path. And may this, insha'Allah, also serve as guidance for other people. The most important thing of all is sincerity. To be sincere, solely for the sake of Allah's pleasure, is the highest. Associating anything with Allah, the Exalted, is called shirk. But when sincerity is lacking; If the worship of Allah is not pure, then that is exactly what becomes shirk. If one harbors selfish intentions in the heart or wants to harm others; And if one mixes this with sincerity, then that is exactly shirk. May Allah protect us from this. May Allah make us all firm on this path, insha'Allah. May guidance be granted to all people, insha'Allah.

Our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, said: "When you pass by the gardens of Paradise, then enter and enjoy their bounties." When the companions asked, "What kind of gardens of Paradise are these? How can there be gardens of Paradise on earth?", he replied: "They are the circles of knowledge. Whoever visits a place where knowledge is imparted virtually enters a garden of Paradise." However, one must be careful about where true and correct knowledge can be found. There is much that appears to be knowledge but has nothing to do with it, which people have simply made up themselves. They may say, "We teach from the Quran." But the noble Quran cannot be understood at all without the Sunnah and the Hadiths. The Hadiths of our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, explain the Quran. They point out its commandments and make clear what is permitted and what is forbidden. In this context, the most important thing for a believer is to follow the path of our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam. Emulating his example and practicing his Sunnah in the best possible way is essential for every believer, Muslim, and follower of the Tariqa. Everyone should do as much as is within their power. And what one cannot manage, Allah forgives. As long as it is not an obligation (Fard), omitting the Sunnah or other voluntary prayers entails neither a sin nor a punishment. However, if one omits an obligation, this incurs a punishment and one must absolutely make up for it. It is, however, highly meritorious to perform the Sunnah as well as voluntary and recommended acts of worship. These are precisely the earthly gardens of Paradise of which our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, said: "Enjoy their bounties." The more you benefit from this, learn, and remain consistent, the greater your share of this spiritual nourishment. This gives a person both inner and physical strength. When spirituality grows, the body also becomes stronger, which benefits one in this world and in the Hereafter. May Allah grant us blessed circles of knowledge. For the people who follow this path—the path of our Prophet—are known as the Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah. All others, meaning those who do not accept the path of our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, do not count as part of the Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah. Even if they call themselves that, in truth, they have nothing to do with it. The only right path is the path of our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam. Following this path leads to salvation. May Allah keep us all firm on this path, inshaAllah.

Thanks to Allah, this year was also a beautiful year. How can it be beautiful? People do say it was not beautiful. Everything that Allah gives us is beautiful. What Allah wills, happens. One must take things as they come and see the good in them. You must see the positive sides. It does you no good to focus only on the bad. Everything that Allah does is good. Therefore, one should not complain. Instead of complaining, one should adapt to the circumstances and accept everything as it is... This is of great benefit to people, especially for Muslims and believers. Even someone who is not a believer or a Muslim finds inner peace when they accept things as they are. Otherwise, he spends his time in constant conflict with himself and others and is unfriendly to everyone. Then everyone else is also dismissive towards him, and neither peace nor beauty remains. Thus, with Allah's permission, we have left this blessed year behind us as well, thanks to Allah. Some have traveled for Hajj; this grace was bestowed upon them. May their Hajj be blessed and may Allah accept it. The festive days are also over. Insha'Allah, they were full of blessings for all of us. May Allah bless us and not let us stray from this path. May He also let us share in His wisdom. With it, a wise person has also attained all the good in life. A person without wisdom, on the other hand, is truly unfortunate. He always expects the bad instead of the good; or rather: he considers everything that happens to be something bad. He mistakes the good for the bad and cannot accept anything as it is. May Allah not count us among these people, insha'Allah. May Allah grant us all peace.

وَأَنفِقُوا مِن مَّا رَزَقْنَاكُم (63:10) Allah, Azza wa Jalla, says: "Spend from that which We have provided for you." Allah, Azza wa Jalla, commands this so that it benefits both yourselves and others. Since we are currently constantly confronted with such situations, the brothers and sisters ask: "Should we stock up on supplies at home? How much should we have, and what should we do?" Mawlana Sheikh Nazim used to say: "Make sure you have supplies in the house." May Allah protect us, but you never know what is coming. Therefore, one should always have a supply for forty days or two months at home. To this, some might say: "But the food will eventually spoil." Exactly for this reason, you should pass them on to the poor and needy in a timely manner. This way, on the one hand, you secure yourselves, and on the other hand, there are many needy people waiting exactly for what you can spare. There are so many who depend on it. Therefore, it is a beautiful and sensible thing in every respect. Adhere to these blessed words of Mawlana Sheikh Nazim and safeguard your provisions. In the past, people in the village bought their flour, salt, and oil once a year. They stocked up on them as soon as they had sold their harvest, and it lasted for the whole year. People did not go shopping every day like today. Today, an expiration date is printed on the products; as soon as it is reached, everything goes straight into the trash. This is, to put it mildly, complete nonsense. Even salt has a best-before date printed on it. Yet salt does not spoil even in a thousand years. The same goes for honey. They print dates on some things that only unnecessarily lead to food waste. So give the things away before they expire. Because nowadays the poor – masha'Allah – often pay closer attention to the date than the rich. They throw it away without batting an eye and do not use it anymore. Yet you could easily continue to use the items. Even if one or two years have passed, there is usually nothing wrong with these products. For very few foods is it truly a concern. There are only very few things that actually spoil after the expiration date. But today we live in a veritable throwaway society – it is pure waste. They say: "The more you consume and throw away, the more the economy is stimulated." They have established a constant cycle of buying and throwing away. But where waste is involved, nothing good can come of it. Waste is never good. Blessings dwindle, and the livelihood of the people and the whole country decreases. Today's inflation and all the crises we are going through are a direct consequence of this waste. If people only bought what they really need without wasting, the whole country would be fine. There would be neither hardship nor poverty. This constant talk of "stimulating the economy" is merely an invention of the West. Basically, it just means: "Constantly shop, consume, and throw away." Because of this, prices have completely spiraled out of control; everything has become unaffordable. No one has any money left. By Allah, no one knows anymore how people are even supposed to make ends meet. But with Allah's permission, a solution is in sight. This situation will only turn for the better with the appearance of the Mahdi (peace be upon him). Because unfortunately, they have completely ruined not only the economy but everything else as well. Chaos reigns everywhere. Whatever you touch, it crumbles in your hands. They talk about things getting better, but there is neither any real improvement nor anyone who would even be capable of fixing it. Therefore, as I mentioned at the beginning: Spend good in the way of Allah. You never know what will happen next in this world. Therefore, always stock up on supplies for one or two months. Then, when the expiration date approaches, give it to the needy so that they can also benefit from it. This way, you attain a great reward, and their provision reaches them through your hands. Allah is the Provider (Ar-Razzaq); yet He makes you His intermediary so that you too share in the reward when His gifts reach the people. This is an immeasurably great grace from Allah, Azza wa Jalla. When you alleviate the hardship of another, it is in truth a great blessing and a favor from Allah for yourself. As it also says in a noble Hadith: "The giving hand is better than the receiving hand." Insha'Allah we will always be among those who give. May Allah make our blessings lasting. May He uphold our service. May the goodness, grace, and generosity of Mawlana Sheikh Nazim spread to all of us and everywhere, insha'Allah.