Mawlana Sheikh Mehmed Adil. Translations.

وَٱلۡفَجۡرِ (89:1) وَلَيَالٍ عَشۡرٖ (89:2) Allah swears by these ten days, the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. Allah gives great significance to these blessed days by swearing by them. There are indeed very special days and nights. They are days and nights with which Allah has gifted our Prophet and his Ummah. Allah has granted us these days to show even more mercy to His servants and to give them the opportunity to attain abundant reward. For Muslims, for believers, and for all those who know the path of truth, these days are exceedingly blessed. Thanks be to Allah, today we have the first day of Dhul-Hijjah; these blessed days continue until the tenth day. Whoever wishes may fast on these days. This is a beautiful deed for which there is great reward. Whoever has the strength to do so can fast until the ninth day. Or you can fast at least on the eighth and ninth days – you really shouldn't miss out on this. It is neither Fard (obligatory) nor Wajib, but a Sunnah – a special gift from Allah to you. You should make good use of this opportunity and appreciate its value. Some people, however, confuse Fard and Sunnah. They neglect the obligation and perform the Sunnah instead. For example, they do not fast in Ramadan, but instead in Dhul-Hijjah or Muharram. Yet a Sunnah can never replace an obligation (Fard). Therefore, you must be very careful here. You believe you are doing something good, but in reality, you are committing a sin. And this is because you neglect an obligation just to perform a Sunnah instead. This is what must be kept in mind: Fulfilling the obligation must always come first. If you perform Sunnah and voluntary (Nafl) deeds after that, you will be doubly rewarded. People convince themselves: "These days are so blessed... Allah has proclaimed their virtues in the Noble Quran, so I will simply limit myself to that." "Everything else is not as important," they tell themselves, and simply act according to their own ideas. This is exactly how Satan leads mankind astray. Even if you perform Sunnah deeds your entire life, they can never replace a single obligation (Fard). Not only can they not replace it, but you also bear the heavy responsibility of neglecting the obligation. For this, a punishment awaits in the Hereafter – may Allah protect us from it. May Allah make these days blessed and full of Barakah for us. Most pilgrims have already gradually departed, but some are still on their way. May their Hajj be accepted and made easy for them, insha'Allah. May the blessing of these days rest upon us all. And upon the entire Islamic world. May Allah protect us from such misguided paths, insha'Allah.

Allah Azza wa Jalla says: The days of man pass quickly. Truly, Allah Azza wa Jalla is the One who creates everything in a beautiful way. The years pass by without man even noticing. Yesterday, thanks be to Allah, we traveled to Bursa again. We thought it had only been one or two years since our last visit, but it had already been four. Looking back, these four years seem so short. One thinks hardly any time has passed, and suddenly four years are over. The days pass us by unnoticed. But thanks be to Allah, the most important thing is to remain steadfast on the beautiful path of Allah Azza wa Jalla, inshaAllah. The days come and go. We pray that they are blessed and that we do not waste our lives. Thanks be to Allah, one of the miracles (Karamat) of our honorable Sheikh was being able to transcend the boundaries of space (Tayy-i Mekan). To get from one place to another, he simply said "Bismillah". He set one foot here, and the other landed in Damascus. With a "Bismillah" he traveled to Mecca al-Mukarrama, with another "Bismillah" to Medina al-Munawwara. That is exactly what Tayy-i Mekan is. For that, he did not need an airplane or anything similar; that is a miracle of the friends of Allah, Awliya. The second, even more astonishing miracle is Tayy-i Zaman – the expansion of time. Thus, they can accomplish countless things in a tiny moment. This is also a miracle of our Sheikhs. That he could be everywhere and meet so many people in such a short time would have been impossible under normal circumstances. Our honorable Sheikh, for example, lived for 92 years. Yet he filled these 92 years as if he had lived 200 or 300 years. He met countless people; he visited them, and they came to him. They sought his advice and accepted his counsel; that too is one of his miracles. Thanks be to Allah, we were allowed to witness him. Of course, we ourselves do not reach this level; such miracles are not given to us, thanks be to Allah. But miracles are not the decisive factor at all. The greatest miracle is to remain steadfast and persistently continue on one's path. Remaining constant on the path, that is of great importance. Whoever moves forward tirelessly, without giving up, steadfastly and with a sincere heart, Ikhlas, will always win in the end and reach beautiful spiritual levels. He attains the pleasure of Allah and the pleasure of our Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. May Allah count us all among these people. On this beautiful path that our Sheikh has shown us, thanks be to Allah, his miracles still reveal themselves every day even now. Wherever we go, we hear people say: "We saw Sheikh Nazim in a dream, and he told us to visit this place and stay on this path." He continues to be a means for guidance; his spiritual influence, Tasarruf, remains unbroken. The spiritual influence of the friends of Allah (Awliya) already exists during their lifetime, but after their passing, it becomes even more powerful. Therefore, they are by no means dead; they are personalities who are much more alive than we are. May Allah sanctify their secrets and elevate their spiritual ranks. And may we too, inshaAllah, remain steadfast and continue in their footsteps.

وَأَحْسِنُوَاْ إِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ (2:195) "Do everything in the best way," it is said. Allah, the Exalted, loves those who do good. The Tariqa teaches us the most beautiful aspects of Islam. Whoever follows the path of our Prophet, the path of the Tariqa, becomes a good person, and a good community emerges. This path is characterized by good manners (Adab). In the past, people learned good manners everywhere – in school, on the street. Today, people are rather taught disrespect. This was called "Adab-ı Muaşeret" (etiquette), and there were even specific classes for it. People learned how to behave, what to do, and how to conduct themselves in society. Today, this hardly exists anymore. Such things are mostly only found in the Tariqa. And even there, it is often incomplete; people still just do whatever they want. You simply have to know how to interact with people, what you should and shouldn't do... How to behave properly, how to present yourself somewhere, whether to ask for permission first... Allah, the Exalted, taught all of this to our Prophet. And he passed it on to his Ummah. This beautiful path is not just about acts of worship, but also about one's own behavior. When our behavior and our actions correspond to the Sunnah of our Prophet, a beautiful coexistence emerges, and Allah rewards us for it. It brings good reward and blessings. Today, people speak of "Kibarlık" (politeness). The word originally comes from "greatness". When someone behaves politely and nobly, they elevate their own rank and become great in the sight of Allah. However, if there is a lack of decency, if you don't pay attention to your behavior and just do whatever you want, then no one will respect you. People feel uncomfortable around such a person, do not like them, and may even despise them. Therefore, one must pay close attention to this. Good manners are nothing to be ashamed of. However, people today consider it almost embarrassing. People are told: "Behave however you want, don't be considerate of anything or anyone." They say: "Do not show respect to anyone, do not submit to anyone, just do whatever pleases you." That is how people are taught. But those are not manners, that is simply disrespect. Disrespect is not a good trait. May Allah protect us from it. People today have changed significantly... The people of the past simply do not exist anymore. In the past, there was still respect, affection, and familial cohesion. Today, hardly anyone knows these values anymore. And not only that – they often do the exact opposite. That is why there is no longer any peace or tranquility. The love and affection between people are being lost. This creates a very unpleasant way of living. Yet, with decency, good manners, and friendly interactions, one could build a wonderful society. May Allah grant guidance to humanity. Insha'Allah, they will still learn these beautiful things. One attains all these beautiful traits, Insha'Allah, on the path of the Tariqa. May Allah support us all.

وَٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ٱلۡأَوَّلُونَ (9:100) Allah the Almighty says: The foremost Sahaba in the first place, the first brothers, the first believers – they are the ones who remained steadfast and persevered. Allah the Almighty praises them. He bestows His favor upon them. For people who remain steadfast are loved by Allah. Allah has blessed them with His grace. And so they persistently continued on this path. Many people embark on this path, but then worldly obligations or other things get in the way, and they do not stick with it. Remaining consistent is a great honor and a grace from Allah. Because this path is not always easy; sometimes it is even very difficult. Sometimes things happen where, out of so many trials, one would prefer to just drop everything and run away. All sorts of things can happen to a person. That is exactly why the one who remains persistent and steadfast emerges as the winner. What matters is consistency. Even if one does not do all that much: just performing the five obligatory prayers, fulfilling one's obligations, and consistently continuing on the path is a massive achievement – and by no means easy. Sometimes people ask: "We have now joined the Tariqa, what should we do now?" In the Tariqa, there is actually nothing else to do; it is fundamentally identical to the Sharia. The Tariqa is the heart of Islam. On this path, you will progress step by step. The days and years pass by. If you depart from this world in exactly this state, you will have made a huge gain. However, if you give in to your ego (Nafs) and leave this path, you will gradually give up the prayer as well. And so you stray completely off the path. Such a person is not among the winners – in the end, they lose everything. That is why it is so important to remain steadfast and hold firmly to this path. By this we mean: One should perform their daily practices (Wird), their Dhikr, and their tasks as best as they possibly can. One should attend a Dhikr gathering at least every three weeks. If that is not possible, one can also do it at home with the family. That is completely sufficient to stay on the path. Actually, nothing more is needed. For it brings no benefit to burden oneself with too much and then later give everything up again. Some start highly motivated, then realize that they cannot manage it, and immediately drop everything. That is not necessary. As the saying goes: Ajallu'l-karamat, dawamu't-tawfiq. The greatest miracle is consistency. The greatest miracle (Karamat) is when a person remains consistent. Consistency is enormously important; it is a praiseworthy quality and a deed that Allah loves. Exactly for this reason, we will continue, insha'Allah. May Allah make His blessings upon us consistent. May we be among those who remain permanently steadfast on this path, insha'Allah.

وَنَفۡسٖ وَمَا سَوَّىٰهَا (91:7) فَأَلۡهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقۡوَىٰهَا (91:8) Allah created mankind with an ego. Only He knows the wisdom behind it. He wrongs no one. Every human being has an ego, something inside them, into which He has inspired both good and evil. Whoever controls his ego purifies it, says Allah. Whoever does not do so and follows his ego will lose. Whoever follows his ego will lose. The wisdom and the will of Allah exceed human understanding. He wrongs no one. There is free will; every human being possesses it. Allah has granted this free will to mankind. One can go in either direction. Whoever controls his ego will be saved. However, whoever lets himself be guided by his ego attains no salvation. His end will not be a good one. That is why some do all sorts of things and claim afterwards: "That was just our destiny, it was meant to be, that's just how it turned out." Can you perhaps read your destiny? How do you know what will happen? No, one is just trying to make excuses in their own way. If Allah wills it, a person can discipline his ego, progress on the straight path, and become someone whom Allah loves. Whoever, on the other hand, follows his ego and Satan becomes their slave. His end, too, will not be a good one. This path, the path of the ego, is not a good path. Whoever controls his ego and progresses in this way is on a beautiful path and attains salvation. Even if it is difficult... For standing against one's own ego and acting contrary to it is not easy. The ego yearns for comfort and is much more inclined towards evil. But just as a wild animal is tamed, the ego can also be disciplined. In the end, this leads to a wonderful result: a person wins both this world and the Hereafter. For people who chase after their ego achieve nothing good in this world either. They bring no benefit to their fellow human beings. People do not like them; they only see the bad in them. A person, on the other hand, who controls his ego is well-liked by his fellow human beings; he does nothing but good. May Allah make us all among those who discipline their ego, inshaAllah.

فَعَّالٞ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ (85:16) A noble Quranic verse says: "He does what He wills." Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, does not have to ask anyone what He should do or not do. He does what He wills. Therefore, it is of no use to anyone to constantly ask in the face of events: "Why did this happen, why is this happening?" It is a different matter, however, if one asks out of a good intention. One may certainly ask: "What wisdom is hidden behind this?" But asking "Why?" out of a rebellious attitude accomplishes absolutely nothing. It brings one nothing but harm. It is harmful because it becomes a habit, and one starts to object to everything. Then one no longer accepts anything at all. And this constant rejection ultimately destroys a person's faith, may Allah protect us. Allah has created everything in the best and most beautiful way. Since this world is naturally a place of testing, certain things are a blessing for the believer. For disbelievers, however, they are not a blessing. Even if someone without faith lives under the best conditions, it is ultimately not for their own good. It is merely a respite that Allah grants them; so that they become even more excessive and commit even more sins, so that... أَنَّمَا نُمۡلِي لَهُمۡ خَيۡرٞ لِّأَنفُسِهِمۡۚ إِنَّمَا نُمۡلِي لَهُمۡ لِيَزۡدَادُوٓاْ إِثۡمٗاۖ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٞ مُّهِينٞ (3:178) ...so that an even harsher punishment and worse torments await them. Some things are therefore not a blessing for disbelievers, but rather an evil. True blessing is intended only for the believer. Everything visible and invisible is for the benefit of the believer. For someone without faith, even the seemingly best brings no benefit whatsoever. Allah gives them free rein so that they become even more excessive and commit even more injustice. This is exactly the case with the current situation in the world. One might think that everything lies in the hands of the wicked. But in truth, everything lies in the hand of Allah. Allah grants them this leeway so that they receive the full punishment for their deeds. "Just commit even more injustice and evil – your punishment will be all the harsher in the end." May Allah protect us from this. Therefore, as already mentioned: Do not become someone who constantly complains, who objects to everything, and is always against everything. One must internalize that only what Allah wills happens. A person of faith must be aware of this. May Allah grant us a true faith, Insha'Allah.

There is a deep wisdom in everything that Allah has created; His most perfect creation, however, is man. He has granted him an outstanding position. Physically, man is indeed weaker than many other creatures, but through the intellect that Allah has given him, he can overcome anything. Therefore, nothing is safe from man. Although he may physically be the weakest, he is vastly superior to all other creatures and dominates them. For exactly this reason, Allah, in His wisdom, has entrusted us with this body. Man does well to pay attention to his diet and lead a healthy life. This is also in accordance with the commandments of Allah. The instruction of our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam) also goes in this direction: "Stay healthy and take care of your health." Our health naturally depends heavily on what we eat and drink. At the same time, however, it is essential to actively protect oneself against diseases. Our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam) particularly recommended two methods of treatment: On the one hand, cauterization, and on the other hand, cupping (Hijama). Cauterization worked like this: in the past, when someone was wounded, a hot iron was pressed onto the wound to seal it. Furthermore, there used to be healers who applied this method for all kinds of diseases. Today, however, such experts hardly exist anymore. No matter what the disease was, they would burn the affected area with a hot object, whereupon the disease would disappear. But even if this knowledge still exists somewhere today, it has become extremely rare. Hardly anyone still masters it. The second method is cupping (Hijama). In cupping, the impure blood in the body is drawn outward through slight heating and the negative pressure of a glass. This method has become a veritable trend recently. It has spread widely; everyone is using it, regardless of whether they really know about it or not. Yet blood is something very valuable. It is vital for life, but it can also be impure. By "impure" it is meant: if blood comes out, one must wash and purify oneself. If it gets on clothing, it must be washed. This so-called "impure blood" is ritually impure (Najis), meaning dirty, as it contains all kinds of pathogens. One must be extremely careful that no diseases are transmitted from one person to another. There are numerous blood-borne diseases. Excreted blood is therefore not considered pure, but rather impure. Moreover, the human body cannot completely cleanse this blood on its own. As soon as a person has passed 30 – whether at 30, 40, or 50 – it is recommended to have Hijama done once a year. Nowadays, everyone just takes a pump in their hand, claims "I do Hijama", and gets to work. However, this does not work with a simple pump, because it sucks out all the blood, regardless of whether it is clean or impure. Blood is extremely precious. Just think about how much nourishment the body has to take in to produce even a single drop of blood. Therefore, caution is required. It is about specifically drawing out only the settled, impure blood. This is achieved through a vacuum and heat, not through mere pumping. True Hijama experts know this. Unfortunately, laziness has crept in today: people simply apply the pump and then boast, "Look how much impure blood came out!" This is a completely wrong method. There is also a right time for this treatment. The optimal seasons for it are spring and autumn. There are specific collection points for blood on the back and on the head; it is extracted from there. This requires trained masters. There are specific days and times for it; not just anyone should perform this treatment. One should never let blood be drawn by people one does not know and whose skills one does not trust. One must be extremely vigilant. Especially nowadays, bacteria and diseases are swarming everywhere. Out of the desire to get healthy, one ends up making everything worse. Our body is, after all, an entrusted good (Amanah) to us, a loan from Allah. Every blood extraction must therefore be carried out carefully and under hygienic conditions so that it truly brings healing to the person. Otherwise, it causes more harm than good – may Allah protect us from this. As I said, the best times for cupping are spring and autumn. By spring we do not necessarily mean March or April, but rather May, June; and in autumn, months like October or November. It should be done once a year. Only in case of urgent need can it be done a second time. Lately, however, there is also a trend to have cupping done once a month... That is not good. If such amounts of blood are extracted every month, one will soon suffer from anemia. And anemia is definitely not healthy. Blood is formed deep in the bones, in the marrow... The perfect creation of man by Allah is simply incomprehensible. There is a right approach for everything. If one pays attention to the right days and times – insha'Allah – one will also find healing and health. May Allah grant us all a life in the best of health and faith, insha'Allah.

قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: اتقوا النار ولو بشق تمرة۔ Our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam) says: "Protect yourselves from the Hellfire, even if it is only with half a date given in charity." This means: Charity (Sadaqa) protects a person in this world from evil, illness, and disaster, and in the Hereafter from Hell. So do not say: "This is too little or too much", but simply donate. What is half a date anyway? It is hardly anything, yet even that saves you from Hell. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: اتقوا النار ولو بشق تمرة وان لم تجدوا فبكلمة طيبة۔ Our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam) says: "Protect yourselves from Hell, even if it is only with half a date. If you do not even have that, then with a good word." In the past, people often had nothing to eat at all – not even a whole or half a date. So if someone asks you for something, at least delight their heart with a kind word. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: اجعل بينك وبين النار حجابا ولو بشق تمرة۔ Our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam) further says: "Build a barrier between yourselves and Hell, even if it is only with half a date." This charity serves as a shield so that you do not fall into the fire. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ارضخي ما استطعت ولا توعي فيوعي الله عليك۔ Our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam) says: "Donate as much as you can. Do not hoard your wealth, otherwise Allah will also withhold His bounties from you." So our Prophet advises us to donate according to our own means. No one has to overexert themselves. But whoever hoards their wealth, Allah will also deny them His bounties. The more you donate, the more certainly you will receive the reward for it, and your provision will never cease. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: اعطي ولا توكي فيوكى عليك۔ Our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam) turned to Asma, the daughter of Abu Bakr, and said: "O Asma! Do not be stingy and do not hold back your wealth, lest Allah also hold back His blessings from you." The stingier you are, the less you will receive, and the blessing will cease. "If you give, more will always follow," says our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam). قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: اعلموا انه ليس منكم من احد الا مال وارثه احب اليه من ماله، مالك ما قدمت ومال وارثك ما اخرت۔ Our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam) says: "Know that each of you loves the wealth of his heirs more than his own." This means: For some reason, a person is more attached to the wealth that they will leave to their heirs. Yet this wealth does not actually belong to him, but to the heirs. Nevertheless, he loves it, does not spend it, and saves it up for them. Your true wealth is what you have sent ahead to the Hereafter. Your heirs' wealth is what you leave behind in this world. Your donations for the Hereafter are therefore your true wealth, which follows you there. What you leave to your heirs stays in the world and brings you no more benefit in the Hereafter. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ان الله تعالى يدخل بلقمة الخبز وقبضة التمر ومثله مما ينفع المسكين ثلاثة الجنة، صاحب البيت الامر به والزوجة المصلحة والخادم الذي يناوله المسكين۔ Our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam) says: "Verily, Allah the Exalted admits three people into Paradise because of a bite of bread, a handful of dry dates, or something similar that benefits a needy person." Our Prophet means by this: If food, meat, water, or anything else is donated from a household as charity, three people enter Paradise because of it. First, the head of the family who orders the donation. Second, the housewife who prepares the food, and third, the helping person who delivers it to the needy. Such are the great virtues of giving charity (Sadaqa). قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ان الله يقبل الصدقة وياخذها بيمينه فيربيها لاحدكم كما يربي احدكم مهره حتى ان اللقمة لتصير مثل جبل احد۔ Our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam) says: "Allah the Exalted accepts the charity and receives it with His Right Hand" – meaning with complete goodwill. Allah is, of course, free from human attributes. This is meant metaphorically and shows that He accepts the charity with the greatest pleasure. He makes the reward for this charity grow, just as someone raises their little foal. So whoever donates something, their gift is lovingly guarded and multiplied by Allah. Just as one raises a newborn foal, Allah multiplies the reward for a single bite until it reaches the size of Mount Uhud. Even the smallest charity grows immeasurably with Allah. After all, Uhud is a massive mountain in blessed Medina. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ان الصدقة لتطفئ غضب الرب وتدفع ميتة السوء۔ Our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam) says: "Giving charity extinguishes the wrath of the Lord and protects from a bad death." Giving charity is very important, because it appeases the wrath of Allah. No matter how many sins one has committed: Through these donations, Allah forgives the sins, His wrath dissipates, and He protects one from an evil end. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ان الصدقة لتطفئ عن اهلها حر القبور وانما يستظل المؤمن يوم القيامة في ظل صدقته۔ Our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam) says: "Certainly, Sadaqa extinguishes the fire of its giver in the grave." May Allah protect us, but the grave can become a pit of Hell. Yet Sadaqa extinguishes even this fire. And on the Day of Judgment, the believer will find refuge in the shade of their own charity. Because on that day, there are neither trees nor anything else that provides shade. Only those who are believers and have given charity will find protection under the shade of their Sadaqa.

عَسَى أَن تَكْرَهُواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَى أَن تُحِبُّواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ وَاللّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ (2:216) Allah says: "You may wish for some things, but they might not be good, but rather bad for you." Things in which you see good can be bad for you and bring no good in the end. Likewise, things that appear bad to you can in truth be good for you. Man cannot grasp Allah's wisdom. One must submit to Allah's decree, for it is not in our hands. Man should make an effort, work, and strive; but success comes from Allah alone. If it is Allah's will and command, this good thing will come true for you. However, it may also be that this thing is not good, but bad. And when it does not happen, you are sad. Yet there is no good in it at all, but rather bad; this matter brings you no benefit. That is why complete submission to Allah is so important. For Muslims, and especially for the people of the Tariqa, this submission is of the utmost importance. Submission means: Of course you will work and do your best. But after that, you leave the matter to Allah and say, "Whatever Allah wills, happens." You make Dua and say: "May Allah give me the best. If it is bad, may He keep it away from me; if it is good, may He complete it, inshaAllah." Everything happens through supplications. One should always begin their affairs with the Bismillah and with supplications. The most important, of course, are our acts of worship: the duties commanded by Allah such as prayer, fasting, and the Hajj. We are currently in the Hajj period anyway; the Hajj season is just around the corner. Even if one wanted to go now—if Allah wills it, everything is possible, of course—it is very difficult under normal circumstances to travel for Hajj this year. The Hajj is also a command of Allah, an act of worship that is an obligation (Fard) for us. For people who have the financial means and health, it is a duty to perform it. Of course, the Hajj is an arduous act of worship. The Hajj is probably even the most arduous of all acts of worship. Many people believe the Hajj is easy. When we think of fasting, prayer, and Zakat... Zakat might be harder on the ego, but compared to prayer and fasting, the Hajj is quite an exhausting act of worship. In the past, people traveled to the Hajj on foot, by camel, on horseback, or by sea. Back then, there were neither cars nor airplanes. The journey often took months. As if the hardship of the journey were not enough, there were also highwaymen. They killed the pilgrims and robbed them. That was another major problem. Today, it is said that the conditions are comfortable, but there are still hardships. Even if you travel with the most luxurious means, the vehicle only takes you up to a certain point. After that, some people say, "We paid so much money, how can you drop us off here? It's still a two-hour walk!" You may have paid, but that is simply the situation; you have no other choice, no other way. You will still have to endure these hardships. For some, these hardships are minor, for others greater. But during the Hajj, there are definitely always hardships. For the pilgrims, this is a test from Allah; a favor from Him so that you attain even more reward and recompense. If you complete your Hajj without bad words and without committing sins, you thereby earn the reward for the acts of worship of your entire life. You gain far more than that in reward and recompense. As mentioned, the Hajj is exhausting. But if you tell yourself, "I am on Hajj in the venerable Mecca," but then just sit in your room and pray there, you lose out on a great deal. For a prayer at the honorable Kaaba is worth as much as a hundred thousand prayers. In an entire lifetime, you might not be able to perform a hundred thousand prayers, but there you attain this reward with a single prayer. Likewise, a prayer in the illuminated Medina is a thousand times more rewarding than your normal prayers. Therefore, one should pay very special attention to this. You do not travel there to rest or take a vacation. Perhaps you are staying in a five-star hotel, especially since the honorable Kaaba is only two steps away anyway. Others, who travel under normal circumstances, have to walk an hour to an hour and a half to get there. So go there in the morning and pray. Go back at noon, stay until the night prayer, and perform all your acts of worship there. Do not be lazy and think to yourself, "I would rather stay in the hotel, pray there, and make myself comfortable." As mentioned, the Hajj involves hardships. No matter how luxurious the conditions are, one will feel these hardships sooner or later. Precisely because of these efforts undertaken, the reward and recompense from Allah will be all the more abundant. Allah gives everyone their reward and recompense in full measure. As mentioned: For all who have the means to do so, the Hajj is of great importance. In the past, there were no such quotas and obstacles. Today, however, they exist, and one can no longer travel so easily. However, the obstacles in the past were even more severe. Under the conditions of that time, there was a danger of losing one's life on the way. Today's obstacles merely consist of being told, "Your name was not drawn, you have to wait until next year." Next year you check, and again you were not drawn. The following year, five years, ten years... and so you keep waiting. This year, many brothers and sisters in faith were only able to travel for Hajj after a 15-year waiting period. Recently, someone told me that there are people who have been waiting for 18 years and whose names have still not been drawn. If Allah has decreed it for someone, then He also grants it to them. As for those whose names were not drawn: Because of their sincere intention, Allah, inshaAllah, credits them with the reward for the Hajj every year. May Allah bestow this reward and these recompenses upon us all. Whoever has already performed the Hajj does not have to go a second time. The Hajj is an obligation only once in a lifetime; a second time is not strictly necessary. Many people perform the Umrah even before they have fulfilled their Hajj obligation. We advise against this: Do not do it this way. Make sure to save your money for the Hajj. If it is granted to you, travel there first. Set your money aside for the Hajj. When you go to the Hajj, you use this money; should there be anything left over afterward, you can use it to travel for Umrah. Under no circumstances should you do it the other way around. If you spend the Hajj money for the Umrah and are then drawn in the Hajj lottery, you will be left empty-handed. May Allah grant it to everyone who wishes for it, inshaAllah.

Allah, the Exalted and Almighty, says: مَا قَدَرُواْ ٱللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدۡرِهِ (22:74) They have not duly appreciated Allah. Mankind has not comprehended the exaltedness and greatness of Allah. They did not know how to appreciate Him at all. According to their own discretion, some worshipped idols, others worshipped people, or the moon and the sun. Some, on the other hand, believed in absolutely nothing. They failed to recognize Allah's true worth and instead worshipped things they had invented themselves – they followed their desires and the devils. They have abandoned the truth and the true path. They have drifted off onto completely false paths. They said to themselves, "This was a great man, that one was insignificant; he lived a thousand or five thousand years ago," and worshipped them. Yet Allah, the Exalted, to whom alone worship is due, they did not worship. They have not served Him. The things they worship are completely useless. They neither bring benefit nor cause harm. Strictly speaking, they even harm you; for by worshipping them, you ultimately only harm yourself. Materially speaking, they simply stand there; they can neither move nor be of any use to you. The harm we are speaking of here is not of a material nature, but a massive spiritual harm. This spiritual harm plunges humanity into absolute ruin. There is absolutely nothing to justify about this. No one can fully comprehend the exaltedness of Allah, yet mankind must acknowledge and accept it as such. When things happen in the world or people are struck by a blow of fate, only very few turn to Allah. Quite the opposite: Many rebel against Allah. They rebel and ask, "Why is this happening?" They say, "Why does this happen? What is the purpose of this injustice? What is this suffering that is befalling us?" Stop interfering in Allah's affairs. In this world, you cannot even interfere in the work of a mayor, a prime minister, or a president. If this is already the case with worldly matters and your intellect is not even sufficient for that – how then can you want to interfere in the affairs of Allah, who created the entire universe? It is Allah, the Exalted, who created everything in His boundless wisdom and mercy. You have no right to question Him. Questioning Him is the greatest disrespect. It only harms yourself and brings you absolutely nothing. Just submit; "Aslim taslam", which means: Enter into Islam so that you may find peace and salvation. For the earlier prophets had already brought Islam. However, people corrupted these religions and falsely attributed things to the prophets according to their own discretion, claiming: "This prophet did this, that prophet did that." Ultimately, they rebelled against Allah and fell into disbelief. Therefore, only the Muslim finds true salvation. Everything happens exactly as Allah wills it. Nothing happens without His will. Therefore, do not rebel and do not complain. If you want to do something, then simply pray to Him. Pray so that Allah may grant you peace and salvation. May Allah soon send us that person who will deliver us, exactly as our Prophet (sallallahu aleyhi wa sallam) has proclaimed. When Hz. Mahdi (Aleyhisselam) comes, the full truth will come to light; oppression will end, and the world will be filled with beauty. Our task is to wait for him patiently. We have no reason to rebel against anything. Rebel as much as you want – who do you think will be happy about it? Only the devil will rejoice over it. The only one who loses in this is you yourself, no one else. For even if the entire universe were to unite and stand against Him, it could not harm Allah, the Exalted, in the slightest, nor affect Him in any way. Who are you anyway, to talk such nonsense, consider yourself special, and rebel against your Creator? We must be very careful about this. Nowadays, this has become a trend and a habit for many. Under the guise of justice, they ask, "Why does Allah not prevent all this evil?" Yet in everything that Allah has created lies a deeper wisdom. Every event has its predestined time and its purpose. May Allah protect us all from the evil of our own egos. May Allah protect us from such evils and from bad people, insha'Allah.