Mawlana Sheikh Mehmed Adil. Translations.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. ‘It is he who believes in Allah and the Last Day who maintains the mosques of Allah.’ (Qur'an 09:18). God calls on those who have believed and accepted Islam to build houses for Allah, mosques for Allah. We are now at this place. It is a place of prayer and thus considered a mosque. A Zawiyah is equivalent to a mosque. It is indeed a place where prayers are offered and Allah is remembered. It is a place where worldly matters are left outside before entering. It is a place to devote oneself to giving and remembering Allah. It is through remembrance that the heart attains satisfaction. (Qur'an 13:28). Dhikr is there to remember Allah. When one enters the Zawiyah, the mosque or another place for Allah, it should be an occasion to turn to Allah. The reason why one goes to the mosque is to pray and remember Allah. One does not go to the mosque to drink coffee, to sleep or to do anything else. To the mosque one goes to devote oneself to Allah. The intention of our brothers and sisters is purely for Allah; they all want to attain Allah's pleasure alone. We thank Allah for having ordained for us to be able to come here. All happens by Allah's command, through His will and His ordination. It was ordained for us to come here. We were invited to come here to Luxor. Before we came here and even before the invitation, we couldn't imagine managing to come here. But then Allah made it easy for us. A wish of our hearts has been fulfilled. We thank Allah for bringing us together here and letting us all take part in this blessing here. The most important thing is to do everything in the name of Allah. May our hearts be pure for Allah alone. May our hearts take delight in being in the places of Allah, such as in the mosques, and may our hearts become the residence of Allah. May our hearts be places of true faith. May we carry Iman and Islam in us. That's the most important thing. We are working to align both our outer existence and our inner selves with Allah. How beautiful is the chirping of the birds here. Excuse me for now talking about the braying of a donkey. But I remembered a story that Mawlana Sheikh told to describe the ego. It's a story that everyone knows, I suppose. There was a farm. There lived a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster. The farmer was, however, a tyrant. He oppressed the animals. The animals couldn't take it anymore, they joined together and made a joint escape plan. "Tonight is the night. We will finally escape this tyrant, the farmer!" "We will run away and end the suffering." "Finally, the oppression will come to an end." They all agreed and when it was night, they escaped as planned. Two days later they arrived at their place of refuge. It was dawn. The farm was far behind them. Praised be Allah, now we are in peace. Now we are free. We can now do what we want, and no one will make life difficult for us anymore. Nobody beats us anymore. The animals began to eat. An hour passed, two hours… Then the donkey couldn't take it anymore: "I have to bray!" No, no! By no means! If you bray now, the farmer hears us and comes to get us. Then our suffering starts all over again. All right, agreed the donkey, I will restrain myself. But two hours later: "Now I really have to bray!" Not at all! If you bray now and he comes to get us at this late hour, then we can expect even more beatings. All right, said the donkey and held his tongue. But only a few later: "Enough! I can't take it anymore!" "I can't hold it back anymore." I-aaah! I-aaah! I-aaah! It was done. The echo of the donkey was heard over all mountains and valleys. That's how the ego is. You try to control it a little. A little bit it works. And before you know it, the ego shows itself and the devil is right there. The devil snaps up the ego and commits all kinds of atrocities with it again. And the ego is out of control again. It is important to always keep the ego under control. Don't lose control of your ego. The devil is lurking to snatch the ego. The ego is worse than a donkey. Many people say that. It is important to strive each time anew to control the ego. A person asked Sheikh Nazim. It should be mentioned here that all Awliya are of high rank: "I will be a better person for one, two years. But then I fall back into old patterns and start doing bad things again." It is important to always ask Allah for forgiveness – every time anew! He forgives you every time. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said in essence: You may perhaps get tired of repentance, but Allah never gets tired of forgiving you! Allah embraces you anew every time and forgives you every time you return to Him. That is the most important thing. Our egos are donkeys. May Allah forgive us, Insha'Allah. Places like this and gatherings of the Tariqah are important. The most important thing in Tariqah is not to interfere in the affairs of other people. Especially in politics you must never interfere. Politics is not our business. There are politicians for politics. Our task is to perform Dhikr. Our task is to practice Tafakkur and to contemplate Allah. Our task is to worship Allah. That's our obligation. "For everyone will be made easier what they were created for." May politics be made easy for politicians. May work be made easy for workers. Everything will be simplified for each individual, depending on the purpose of their creation. May Allah make our life purpose easy for us. This is important. We are people of the Tariqah and have our own obligation There are all kinds of people with different tasks. The door of Tariqah is open to all people. We don't have a closed door. When it comes to other matters, not everyone can do everything. Not everyone can enter politics and so on. The only ones who cannot follow the path of the Tariqah are those who are against it. For everyone else, though, the door is open and everyone is welcome. Also, there is no compulsion for a person who is unhappy. Everyone is free to come and go. That's how it is with the Tariqah. The Tariqah is the way to happiness. The Tariqah is the way to joy. May Allah keep us steadfast on this path. May Allah increase the people on this path. The people of Tariqahs are a blessing for the land. They are a blessing for their fellow men, their families, and their community. The people of Tariqahs always want only the best for everyone. In Tariqah, envy is forbidden. You can wish to have something that someone else has, but envy is about wanting to harm others. This is forbidden in Tariqah and of course in Shariah. According to Shariah, there are corresponding legal judgments on this matter. May Allah help you and protect this honorable, blessed land. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, blessed and loved it. Allah will give sustenance to all these hundred million people. Allah will protect them, Insha'Allah. All the people of this land love the religion, they love the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him. There are only a few human devils who consider themselves superior to other Muslims and want to destroy the faith of people in this land. The majority of people here follow the path of Tariqah and love the Messenger of Allah, may peace be upon him. O Allah, raise and bless these people.

We usually make direct dhikr on Thursday. But as we rarely come to Egypt, we will have a two-word sohbet before dhikr to get the most benefit, insha'Allah. All praise be to Allah! We have arrived at the month of Rajab, insha'Allah: According to Egyptian timing, the month of Rajab begins on Friday or Saturday. In some countries, the month of Rajab starts on Saturday. According to Turkish calculations and parts of the world, the month of Rajab began Thursday evening. On this day, one of the blessed nights of the year takes place. There are some blessed nights. Tonight is Laylatul Ragha’ib. It is the night when prayers are answered in a special way. Holy, righteous servants of Allah and scholars observe this night with due honor. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, recommended that one should perform ablution, pray two raka’at before sleep and wake up for Tahajjud prayer to show respect for this night. If you do this, it's like you prayed all night. Even without staying up the whole night, it is counted as if you have spent the night with prayers without sleeping. Perform the ablution, perform two raka’at before going to sleep, and wake up for Tahajjud prayer. There is a special blessing in doing this. Everything done in the name of Allah is considered worship by Allah. You eat, drink, sleep, work, marry, and your intention is for Allah, this is all worship for Allah insha’Allah. This is a grace of Allah to all humans so that they can enter Islam, the religion of Allah. Most people do not pay attention to this. Being a Muslim is a determination and grace of Allah. He made us Muslims out of His grace and mercy. We thank Allah that we have gathered here in His name. Allah has reserved the month of Rajab for Himself and describes it as the month of Allah. In this sacred month, it is necessary to worship and enjoy the many enhanced blessings. Some fast throughout the three months of Rajab, Sha’ban, and Ramadan. Some fast on the blessed days, like today. Some fast on Mondays and Thursdays. Everyone according to their abilities. A person must maintain these duties. The fulfillment of these duties benefits people. Whoever fulfills these duties will benefit in this world and of course in the hereafter. Praying five times a day is fundamental. Some people say, "We make dhikr, we make tasbih. We don't pray five times a day." Praying five times a day is the pillar of religion. Praying five times a day is the basis of everything and precedes all other things. Without praying five times a day, there is no benefit. Even if you were to make dhikr your whole life, it would not bring you anything if you did not pray five times a day. You wouldn't even have the benefit of the size of an atom. Praying five times a day is important. If you have missed one of the five daily prayers, of course, you can catch it up. In the hereafter, you will not be punished for this. But the blessing and reward that you missed, you will not regain. The blessing of a missed prayer cannot be regained even if you pray for the rest of your life. When it's prayer time and you don't pray straight away, your prayer loses more and more value. The Beloved Prophet, peace be upon him, said in essence that the prayer performed on time is as valuable as a treasure. The timely prayer is like fresh food and the delayed one is like stale food. This is important. Many people do not take these things seriously. Even people who claim to belong to the Tariqah do not pay attention to this. People are even horrified when told to make up their missed prayers. They then say, "How are we to do that?! We haven't prayed for 15 or 20 years!" "How are we supposed to ever make up these prayers? We can't do that." Of course, you can! Just make a timetable for 15 years and then, after every obligatory prayer, also perform a missed prayer. You don't have to make up everything in one day. Even if you then die before you have made up everything, Allah will forgive you because you had the intention and took concrete action. It is important to understand these things properly. Furthermore, it does not mean that if you pray two raka’at in Ramadan, on Laylatu l-Qadr or on any other sacred night, these two raka’at will erase your entire prayer debt. No, these do not erase your prayer debt. There is no such thing. Of course, Allah is merciful and forgives. But we cannot get rid of our prayer debt in this way. There is no doubt that Allah is merciful and forgives. But we cannot confirm a statement that two raka’at makes up for all missed prayers. We have heard no such thing from Sheikh Nazim Al-Haqqani or Sheikh AbduLlah Al-Fa’iz Ad-Daghestani. They are oceans of knowledge in matters of Islamic law and jurisprudence. And we have never heard such a thing from them. People want to follow the Tariqah and ask for a task or service. The very first duty there is to fulfill is to pray five times a day. On Friday daytime, it is not yet Rajab in Egypt. Rajab is on Saturday for you. Use the start of the sacred month of Rajab to make the intention and start praying five times a day, if you haven't already fulfilled this duty. And those who still have prayers to make up should start making up their prayers. Just after each obligatory prayer, make up one missed prayer. It's that simple. After every obligatory prayer, simply make up four raka’at, two raka’at, or three raka’at This is beneficial. May Allah forgive and reward us with what He promised those who pray at the right time. Allah's mercy is all-encompassing. May Allah accept it from us and you. May Allah grant us success in every goodness. And may He keep us steadfast on the right path, the path of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, the path of the Awliya, the righteous and Sheikhs.

Sheikh Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, spoke words that we are not worthy of. Soon after our arrival, we had the great honor of visiting the holy servants of Allah, members of the esteemed family of the Prophet, Sayyidina Al Hussein, Sayyidatuna Zaynab and Nafisa At-Tahira, and Imam Al-Shafi'i. Compared to these outstanding personalities, we are not even an atom. We thank Allah that they allow us to partake in their honor and light. They are the guiding lights for all Muslims. Through their blessings, knowledge spreads throughout the entire Islamic world. We thank Allah for these individuals who are a source of true knowledge, whose origin can be traced back to the Prophet and his path. The beloved Prophet, peace be upon him, said, at the end of times, the Muslim community will split into seventy-one groupings and only one will be rightly guided. Those who are rightly guided are those who follow the path of the Prophet and do not deviate from it. We thank Allah that these righteous teachers, scholars, and masters exist today. People who show the path of the Prophet are a great blessing and gift from Allah. We thank Allah for this. Here is a beautiful example of how people acquire knowledge, render services, and bring about benefit. After the Ottomans and consequently after the last Caliph of the Muslims, discord and conflicts have spread. They took advantage of the absence of a Caliph to poison the Muslim community. Without the Caliph, the Muslims had become headless and now they wanted to destroy the entire body. This poison of discord, based on misleading and misguided ideas, has caused many diseases, but we thank Allah that there is now a strong counter-movement. The light is coming to the fore. These young people, whom Allah has honored with the pursuit of knowledge, are bringing light to this world. The angels spread their wings under the feet of those seeking knowledge. This is a great honor. The pursuit of knowledge is a duty for every Muslim. A Muslim must gain knowledge. It is a duty for a Muslim to strive to find someone to teach him. If there are no sincere and pious people following the Sunnah of the Prophet, peace be upon him, people will take advantage of this vacuum to mislead others. Those who have been granted knowledge have a responsibility. The one who advances on the path of knowledge is responsible for teaching what he has learned and educating people about the righteous path, the way of life of the Prophet, and the Holy Quran. This is very important. The duty of a Muslim to give Zakah also applies to knowledge, and the share of the duty is to teach the acquired knowledge. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, warns that the scholar who does not teach his knowledge will be held accountable and punished. This is a very delicate point. The pursuit of knowledge is a duty for every Muslim and it is necessary to learn from someone who is connected to the Messenger of Allah. The scholars here all have a connection. How is this connection established? This connection is based on following the four Madhab. At the same time, it is necessary to uphold the Tariqah. Tariqah and Madhhab are both necessary. Knowledge without Tariqah is not applicable. Tariqah represents the path whose goal is to achieve the state of Ikhlas: sincerity with Allah. This sincerity culminates in the level of Ihsan, a state in which a person is consistently good. The Prophet, peace be upon him, emphasized these two aspects as fundamental: faith and goodness - Iman and Ihsan. Ihsan is extremely important. If a person is not sincere and not consistently good, there will be no benefit. May Allah grant Iman, Ikhlas, and Ihsan. May Allah bless you. We studied at Al-Fath Institute in Damascus. AlhamduliLlah, it was a very good school, and renowned for Shari'a and Tariqah. The teaching was free, and the professors likewise gave us a monthly allowance. Upon graduation of the seven-year course, they admonished the graduates: "We will not forgive you if you do not teach this knowledge in your country." It is very important to pass on acquired knowledge. Insha'Allah may Allah forgive us and you. Sincere people have come here and have brought sincerity. May Allah, through you and with the blessing of the Prophet, peace be upon him, increase the knowledge and the righteous scholars who follow and teach the straight path.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful O you who have believed, fear Allah and be with those who are truthful. (9:119) This verse in the Holy Quran will always remind us that we should strive to be with and belong to the truthful. Praise be to Allah; may He send the righteous and make us meet them. No matter where you are in the world, if you're meant to be somewhere, you'll get there by the Will of Allah Almighty. May Allah bless the new year and the upcoming start of the Holy Three Months. We thank Allah for this blessed gathering with all of you. We are grateful for the people here from Upper Egypt. They are people with a strong spirituality, who follow the path of Tariqa. They are people who love the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. They carry the love for the family of the Prophet in their hearts. They love and honor the righteous and holy servants of Allah. Praise be to Allah! This is the favor of Allah upon you. The world is a place of ongoing conflicts and trials. Satan disguises this world and presents the lie as truth. People are misguided and do not honor the one whom Allah has honored: Allah, the Almighty, has honored the beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. Allah has honored the Family of the Prophet, peace be upon him. Allah has honored His righteous servants. He has honored the companions of the Prophet and he has honored the saints. The love for those whom Allah has honored is present here. Praise be to Allah! Love for the Messenger of Allah and love for all his companions is present here. Appreciate all companions of the Prophet and do not slander any of them! The one who speaks ill of the Companions of the Prophet and thus sows discord is against the Prophet, peace be upon him. The Prophet, peace be upon him, says: My Companions are like stars. Whichever you follow, you will be rightly guided. These are the words of the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet, peace be upon him, loves and honors all his companions. Do you know better than the Prophet? Never! May Allah forgive. The words of the Messenger of Allah are to be honored. His words are the crown on our head and the light of our eyes. Whoever does not honor the words of the Prophet, peace be upon him, loses all honor. If you do not follow his words and his example, then do not claim to follow his path. People claim to be Muslims, scholars, educated or whatever, but they discredit those who follow the Way of the Prophet as idolaters. Those who claim to know it all neither follow the Holy Quran and nor honorable Messenger of Allah. Honor the blessed words that came from the honorable mouth of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. One should follow the words of the Prophet. His blessed words are our guideline. The way of the Tariqa is traced back to the Prophet. The Tariqa is a chain, through its links, you become connected with the Prophet. The beginning of the Tariqa is the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and each subsequent link is a connector. In this way, the path of the Prophet continues unceasingly until today. After the time of the Prophet, new movements emerged that do not follow the path of the Prophet. These movements or groups have no connection to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. Their foundation and their origin are not the Prophet, peace be upon him. Their way is corrupted. Our path follows the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, his best friend Sayyidina Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. Sayyidina Umar, may Allah be pleased with him. Sayyidina Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him. Sayyidina Ali, may Allah be pleased with him. The discord and conflicts of novel movements appeared after them. These groups have no connection to the Prophet, peace be upon him: Neither through Sayyidina Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him; Nor through Sayyidina Ali, may Allah bless his face. These honorable personalities are the ones who represent the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him They are the link with the Prophet, peace be upon him. The beauty of this connection to the Prophet, peace be upon him, can be perceived in this land. Everywhere in this land, people love Allah and the Messenger of Allah. The people here love the Saints. About the holy servants of Allah, the Prophet, peace be upon him, says: "Rain falls upon you by their blessing. Provision comes to you by their means. You reach victory by their means." This is the description of the Prophet, peace be upon him, about the honorable righteous servants Allah, who are the inheritors of the Prophet, peace be upon him: the Aqtāb, the Abdāl, and Awtād. We thank Allah that the holy month of Rajab is beginning. We are grateful to be in Egypt with Allah's permission for the Holy Night of Raghaib. It is recommended to fast during the day before this Holy Night. With Allah's permission, both the holy month of Rajab will begin and the holy night of Raghaib will take place on Thursday evening. Based on the calculation of our home country, the first day of the month of Rajab will then be on Friday. The holy month of Rajab is a blessed month that Allah has reserved for Himself and is considered the month of Allah. The following month, Sha'ban, Allah dedicated to the beloved Prophet, peace be upon him. And the following month, Ramadan, is the blessed month that Allah has dedicated to the entire Muslim community. These three months are blessed. May they be the cause for blessings and good to happen for Muslims worldwide. May these months become the victory of Muslims. We are now in the difficult times of the end time. These signs, which the Prophet, peace be upon him, has spoken of, are appearing. And they have almost all already appeared. The Prophet, peace be upon him, has spoken about the future and what will happen until the Day of Judgment. The Prophet, peace be upon him, has spoken the truth in all things. Most of the signs pointing to the ever closer approaching Day of Judgment have already appeared. Now only the occurrence of the great signs remains: The arrival of Sayyidina Mahdi, peace be upon him; The return of Jesus, peace be upon him. They will put an end to tyranny and disbelief and bring Islam into appearance everywhere. This is Allah's promise to those who believe. And this is what the beloved Prophet, peace be upon him, has told us. Islam will appear all over the world. We pray to Allah that these prophesied days come as quickly as possible and that Muslims and all of humanity find peace. Humanity is currently in darkness and oppression. As a just king, Sayyidina Mahdi, peace be upon him, will bring justice to this world and end this darkness and oppression. With Allah's permission, he will bring light to this world and establish peace. We pray to Allah to let us witness these days.

We're about to embark on a journey, following the footsteps of our Prophet, peace be upon him. May Allah be pleased Mawlana Sheikh Nazim and may his rank be elevated. His disciples and followers span the globe. Many people have seen him. Yet, even more people who never met him in person, still are connected. We're setting off on this journey with the hope of pleasing Allah, and to bring happiness to our brothers and sisters on this path. May Allah shower them with his blessings. And may we be the recipients of Allah's grace as well. May Allah look kindly upon it. We journey in search of Allah's approval. Don't travel for the satisfaction of your ego. A journey embarked upon for the contentment of your ego bears no fruits. Strive to earn the approval of Allah in everything you do. Dedicate all your endeavors to Allah. بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِى وَنُسُكِى وَمَحْيَاىَ وَمَمَاتِى لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُۥ ۖ (6:162-163) As Ibrahim professed, my life, my very being, and my death are all in the name of Allah. Commit your existence to Allah. Follow this command: Dedicate your being to Allah. What a divine verse of the Holy Quran! Allah: He is our raison d'etre. Allah: He is our ultimate goal. Our lives do not revolve around eating and drinking, fattening ourselves, or catering to our ego. Sure, we are all human beings with our own needs, but remember, even while fulfilling personal requirements, try to please Allah. Living for the ego is akin to living without purpose. Especially those who fail to believe in Allah, they lead meaningless lives and find themselves in a constant state of aimless endeavor and loss. Even a Muslim who rejects the path of Tariqah lets his ego cast a veil over his judgment. But those who embrace the path of Tariqah, they're blessed with enlightened hearts and vision, by the grace of Allah. They are then showered with blessings in all that they do. Those who have chosen the way of Tariqah have a mentor guiding them. Without someone showing you the path, you're bound to either remain stuck, get lost, or venture off track. This is why the spiritual guide is crucial. He is your compass. He illuminates the path shown by the Prophet, peace be upon him. He constantly guides people so they don't stray from the righteous path - the path laid down by the Prophet, peace be upon him. He lights up the way, preventing people from wandering aimlessly. The one without a spiritual master is almost certain to lose his way. For this reason, it is crucial to find someone you can follow on the path of Allah. May Allah help us stay true to this beautiful path. May Allah grant us strength and resilience. Our Sheikh's students are spread across the world. Through Allah's grace and with our Sheikh's guidance, their numbers are steadily growing. People who come here do not meddle in others' affairs or pick fights with anyone. Allah has blessed them with something truly special. If Allah has bestowed upon you a gift, express your gratitude. Avoid interfering with those who haven't been graced with this gift. We are living in an era of great turmoil and unrest. One never knows what's just around the corner. So, stick to your path. Whoever would like to come, may do so. There's no need for disputes or making a ruckus. Stay clear of the ones who try to dissuade you. Simply continue on your journey. Allah will be by your side. May Allah guide us on this journey and usher in good tidings.

Egypt is the land of the Al-Ashrāf (the Noble Ones), the Sahaba, and Awliya. Praise be to Allah Almighty. May He continue to bless Egypt. وَقُل رَّبِّ أَنزِلۡنِی مُنزَلࣰا مُّبَارَكࣰا وَأَنتَ خَیۡرُ ٱلۡمُنزِلِینَ (23:29) O Allah, help us to be among Your righteous servants. O Allah, allow us to be among the Awliya. We love them, and through this love, we hope to be saved. There's no doubt or uncertainty about it. That's the most important thing. We have no deeds of our own worth. They hold no value in reality. "You pray too quickly," people sometimes complain about us. "Do you find fault with our prayer?" we ask. "Yes!" they emphasize. "You're right, I find my prayer lacking as well," we say. Do not make the mistake of thinking your deeds are something special. Don't stir trouble within the community. "You didn't like how we prayed, I didn't either." Praise be to Allah Almighty, love is the most important thing. As our Mawlana Sheikh would say: The people of Egypt, by Allah's will, are destined for paradise for they hold love in their hearts. They are modest and humble, by Allah's will. They hold no arrogance. Allah Almighty sent them a community of humble dervishes in the past. "This is by the grace of my Lord," they say. From the days of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, to this day, most of them love the Prophet, the Saints and the Righteous: This is indeed a great blessing. We see some even in holier places than here, yet they lack respect. First, we must respect Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, followed by the Righteous, and then the Walis, the Saints. These people lack such respect. Things are better here. People here appreciate blessings. To love the Prophet, peace be upon him, the Righteous and the Walis, that is the biggest blessing of all. That's the supreme blessing, by Allah's will. Despite these difficult times of hardship, our beloved Mawlana Sheikh Abdullah used to say: "There is good in everything that happens." Everything is preordained by God and contains some good within it. Of course, we do not endorse the injustices currently happening worldwide, but we confess: This is what Allah Almighty has willed. Those who persecute will be held accountable, and those who suffer persecution will gain. إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى ٱلصَّـٰبِرُونَ أَجْرَهُم بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍۢ (39:10) That's the virtue of patience. If a wronged person bears patience, their reward lies with Allah Almighty in this world and in the hereafter. Of course, we do not wish for anyone to be oppressed, but that's the reality of what's happening. There's a reward for the believer and a punishment for the oppressor. Our Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, says, "All affairs of the believers are good for them." This Hadith means that believers always stand to gain. If they succeed, they should express gratitude to Allah Almighty. If they're wronged, face problems or calamities, they should continue praising Allah Almighty, and Allah Almighty will reward them accordingly. That's what matters. The most important thing is to seek Allah Almighty's pleasure, remain true to faith, and retain one's commitment to it. May Allah Almighty bless you all.

A blessed period begins next week. Three sacred months are about to commence, insha'Allah: Rajab, Sha'ban, Ramadan. These three months are truly blessed ones. The prayers and acts of service you offer up in these months are blessed multiple times. Allah Almighty grants special rewards during this time. There are some who practice fast throughout the entire three months. Their fast is consistent, spanning the entirety of these three months. Keep in mind, fasting during Ramadan is a given. Even if one doesn't fast every single day of Rajab and Sha'ban, fasting on Mondays and Thursdays is highly recommended. That is a practice everyone can adopt. But let's face it, not everyone can fast for the full three months. Occasionally, making up a fast will be necessary when a fast day is missed. Rajab and Sha'ban present an excellent opportunity to fulfill these make-up fasts. Actually, one should start making up fasts a bit before Rajab begins. You should start a day or two ahead of Rajab. Remember, not every missed day requires a make-up fast (kaffarah). One make-up fast is enough, covering all missed fasting days. Afterwards, you can start paying off your fasting dues. It's compulsory to make up the fast for any missed fasting days during Ramadan while you were a Muslim. Those blessed to come to Islam later don't need to compensate for earlier obligations. They have the privilege of fasting voluntarily during the months of Rajab and Sha'ban. They hold no debts. Fasting becomes a duty once you embrace Islam. Prayer, fasting, and Hajj become duties upon embracing Islam. When non-Muslims embrace Islam, they are cleansed with their new faith like a newborn. They start afresh, in a beautiful way. Praise be to Allah, many have turned to Islam through Mawlana Sheikh Nazim's guidance. And they sometimes ponder. Do we need to make up for the fasting days we missed before embracing Islam? The answer is no. Obligations only begin after becomung Muslim. There's no necessity for a restitution fast for missed fasting days prior to embracing Islam. Apart from voluntary fasting, there's a spiritual retreat, a seclusion, that starts with Rajab and goes till the 10th of Sha'ban. This spiritual seclusion, called Arbain, spans 40 days. Every follower of Tariqa must engage in this once in their lifetime. As of now, there's no permission to stay put in one location for this 40-day seclusion. The go-ahead hasn't been given yet. Instead, one can retreat from before Fajr until Ishraq or from Asr until Maghreb or Isha, with the intention to fulfill the 40-day seclusion, dedicating oneself to prayer and daily remembrance of Allah. During this time, one can also read as much of the Holy Quran as possible. Allah permitting, this will be accepted as if you had observed the 40-day retreat. Your spiritual journey will progress. You'll move closer towards Allah. Next Thursday is the sacred night of Raghaib, and many other blessed days follow over these three months. On these holy days, people pray more and establish a closer connection to Allah. Their prayers gain more acceptance. The rewards they receive increase. Their heart is filled with light. It is truly blessed. All kinds of goodness descend onto us. May Allah bless these three months for all of us. Next week, we will be somewhere else, insha'Allah. Praise be to Allah who allows us to pray everywhere. For the Prophet, peace be upon him, the entire world is a place of prayer. We can worship Allah wherever we are. Praise be to Allah. May Allah make us stand firm. May He prevent us from straying. May Allah strengthen our faith. May it be a blessed and joyous time for all of us.

The cherished Prophet, blessings be upon him, conveyed: A man's strength doesn't come from overpowering others. True strength isn't defined by muscular might. Genuine power isn't about being an invincible force others can't grapple with. Nor is it about invariably vanquishing all. So, what makes a man strong? The honored Prophet, peace be upon him, explains: True strength lies in owning one's temper. It is about mastering rather than being enslaved by rage. A truly strong person is patient, can bear hardships and exhibit tolerance. Personal restraint is a marker of real strength. Patience with others can indeed be testing. A man may be physically daunting and capable of overpowering all others. His raw might may leave others awestruck. Yet, this formidable individual may crumble under his own rage in a moment's notice. The Prophet teaches us that a man isn't truly strong if he's slave to his own temper. A person's real strength is in his dominion over anger. Anger is always destructive. One must learn to restrain it. Failure to control anger can be self-destructive. Often, it's more damaging to yourself than to others. Most people's lives are riddled with poor emotional restraint. Anger pervades and dictates relationships, both public and private. Unchecked anger not just inflicts damage but also causes irreparable devastation. May Allah save us from it. They solicited guidance from Sheikh Nazim before embarking on their pilgrimage. His simple advice: "Refrain from anger." One may assume sanctity, tranquility and merriment upon the holy pilgrimage. Yet, these sacred sites are where the devil fervently stokes the flames of rage. Indeed, he fuels anger even more in these locations. Overpower your rage. Quoting our blessed Prophet when asked for counsel: "Curb your rage!” No matter how often asked, he steadfastly advised: "Refrain from anger!" "Control your rage! Abstain from anger! Resist your fury!" The Companion seeking counsel reported: "Each time I asked, the Prophet reiterated: 'Control your anger!' Even if asked a hundred times more, his counsel would remain unchanged." Drawing the lesson from his unwavering response, the Companion ceased his inquiries. May Allah be pleased with him. Such a vital piece of advice: Shun anger. Preserve your poise. This counsel is especially pertinent in today's agitated world. Folks lose their temper at the slightest provocation. They inflict harm on themselves and others in the process. Regret inevitably follows. To avoid actions that may cause remorse, one must learn to control anger. May Allah guide us. It's all about reigning in the ego!

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم وَمَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَىٰكُمْ عَنْهُ فَٱنتَهُوا۟ (59:7) صدق الله العظيم Allah, the Almighty, instructs: follow the Prophet's example — peace be upon him — and abide the commands that were revealed through him. What was revealed through the Prophet, peace be upon him? The Prophet, peace be upon him, laid out Allah's commands, which we are duty-bound to obey. The Prophet, peace be upon him, imparted to us both Allah's edicts and prohibitions. Why did the Prophet, peace be upon him, instruct us on these matters? To illuminate the path between what is beneficial and detrimental for us. The revelations transmitted through the Prophet, peace be upon him, are all to our advantage and will result in no harm. These are Allah's commands. Those who follow these commandments will find all manners of goodness. They will earn both Allah's favor and rewards in the life hereafter. Also, their standing will be elevated. Abiding by Allah's commands also imparts blessings in this life; adherence to his commandments fosters health and vitality. Certain things have been forbidden by Allah. Sinful acts are amongst these prohibitions. Today's people often overlook Allah's commandments and prohibitions. We must acknowledge and discern between Allah's directives and prohibitions. If you seek repentance, Allah will pardon and your sin will dissolve But, people often remain unrepentant because they are oblivious to their sinful acts. Some of these sins persist even after repentance. They are irremovable. If you seek Allah's forgiveness, He will absolve you. For He pardons those who are penitent. However, one sin remains indelible: Tattoos! Tattoos are a sin. Availing tattoos is sinful. Young folks often exhibit a desire to tattoo themselves. To them, it seems attractive as it's widely adopted. Anyone who opts for a tattoo engages in an act that is neither virtuous nor aesthetically pleasing. Getting tattoos inflicts harm upon the individual. The greatest infliction is the commitment to sin. Allah has deemed tattoos harmful. If you seek repentance, Allah will absolve you. But even after repentance, the tattoo persists, marking your body and cultivating disease within. Even in death, the tattoo lingers. May Allah protect us, but even on the Day of Judgement, the tattoo remains. Therefore, caution is necessary. Tattooing is impermissible. It is in no way viewed as acceptable or praiseworthy. It is sinful. It's sinful and forbidden due to the harm it brings. Anything that inflicts harm, such as alcohol, pork, or the like, is deemed sinful and prohibited due to their harmful effects. And due to their sinful nature, they bring harm. Sin denotes harm. What's harmful is sinful. Therefore, caution is paramount. Steer clear from damaging activities. It serves our well-being best to adhere to the Prophet's path; To follow his Sunna; To replicate his virtuous deeds; To steer clear from the acts he deemed unlawful; May Allah empower us to traverse the Prophet's path successfully. Men must not succumb to deception. Often, people fall under the spell of their friends and their surroundings. Just because it's common sight doesn't validate its goodness. Tattoos serve as the prime example. They are a sin that adheres to one always. May Allah safeguard us from malicious influences. May Allah shield us all from sinning. May we persist on the righteous path of Allah.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ (33:21) صدق الله العظيم The path of divine guidance, carved out by our beloved Prophet, peace be upon him, has been set forth by Almighty Allah for mankind to follow. Walk in the footsteps of our respected Prophet, peace be upon him. Emulate his conduct. Do what he cherished, and avoid doing what displeased him. His love for the people was profound. Driven by this love, he led them towards Allah's path, so they might be guided. Success awaits those who tread this path. Goodness awaits whoever walks this path. But those who stray from this path will find no prosperity. Our esteemed Prophet, peace be upon him, was sent for the benefit of all people. Muslims should particularly esteem the Prophet's path. As Muslims, acknowledging our revered Prophet, peace be upon him, as a true prophet compels us to follow his path. It becomes our obligatory duty. One who does not adhere to the Prophet's path is devoid of faith. And without faith, one stands to gain nothing. The path that our respected Prophet, peace be upon him, showed us is Allah's path. Post him, this path has been maintained through the caliphs, his companions, and the venerable Mashaykhs to this day. They have all taught and continue to guide people along the Prophet’s path. They have upheld the way of our esteemed Prophet, peace be upon him, with honor and reverence. Those who, following their example, propagate the Prophet's way must exercise extreme care. They must be vigilant of their actions. They should be judicious with their words. Because once you've declared something, you're held accountable for it. Even if they utter something by mistake or without conscious thought, they are responsible and sinful for their words. Not everyone has the authority to issue a fatwa or to pass a valid judgment according to Islamic law. Issuing a fatwa is forbidden for anyone without the authority. Only someone duly qualified may proclaim a fatwa. You must be absolutely certain before you express something. Those who give discretionary advice and verdicts will land themselves in a dire situation. Both the advisor and the advised should proceed with great caution. If you're uncertain about something, it's wiser to admit, "I don't know". It's more prudent to confess ignorance than to pretend to know and say something erroneous. Better to admit: "I'm not sure. Let me check, and I'll get back to you." Haste while giving advice or answers should be avoided. Patience is key to finding the truth and the righteous path. Fear of appearing uninformed often drives people to fabricate lies and untruths. Guard against this pitfall. If you are not entirely convinced by an answer or advice, seek a second opinion. Strive to uncover the truth. Proceed with caution. This matter carries responsibility and consequences. Out of ignorance, if anyone says or does something wrong, they commit a sin. May Allah safeguard us from such actions. Even unintentional verbal missteps borne out of ignorance can have grave consequences. May your words always be an embodiment of the truth. May Allah guide us in this endeavor. May our speech always be truthful. May we tread the path of truth.