40th Grandshaykh of Naqshbandiya Aaliya order
Mawlana Shaykh Nazim Adil Al-Haqqani Ar-Rabbani An-Naqshbandi
In the Name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful. Peace and Salutations be upon His Messenger
His full name is Muhammad Nazim ‘Adil ibn al-Sayyid Ahmad ibn Hasan Yashil Bash al-Haqqani al-Qubrusi al-Hanafi, may Allah sanctify his soul and preserve his secret. His kunya is Abu Muhammad – after his oldest son – and he is also the father of Baha’ al-Din, Naziha, and Ruqayya.
Shaykh Nazim (qs) was born in Cyprus in a sea side city called Larnaka. This city Larnaka is one of the main cities in the island of Cyprus. Shaykh Nazim (qs) was born on 21st day of April 1922. It was on a Sunday and according to the Islamic calendar it was on the 26th day of Shaaban 1341 AH.
Shaykh Nazim’s house was situated next to a large Zavia (mosque) in which was the Ziyaram (burial chamber) of Ummu Hiram Radi Allah Ta’ala Anha (a Lady Sahaaba), who lived during the time of the Prophet Muhammed (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam). The Prophet (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam) had given good tidings about her that she would go to an island to spread Islam and wherein, she would be martyred and be buried. This Ziyaram of Ummu Hiram Radi Allah Ta’ala Anha is a famous place.
It was the habit of Shaykh Nazim (qs) when he was very young to be found missing from his house and when everyone searched for him, they ultimately found him at the Maqaam of Ummu Hiram Radi Allah Ta’ala Anha. This was a common occurrence and almost always Shaykh Nazim was invariably found in the Zavia of Ummu Hiram together with the Scholars and Imams and the learned men who were doing zikr and discoursing about religious matters in this Zavia. It is to be noted that he entered into the circle of these learned men and sat with them when he was only four to five years old.
Shaykh Nazim (qs) was both from his father’s side and mother’s side descendent from the Holy Prophet Muhammed (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam). On his father’s side, He was the descendent of the Great Sultan ul Awlia and the founder of the Qaadriya Tareeqat, Sayyidina Muhiyyudin Abdul Qaadir Jeelani (Rahmatullaah Alayh). On his mother’s side, He was a descendent of the Great Sufi Saint Mawlana Jalaludin Rumi, who was the founder of the Mevlavi Sufi Order.
Shaykh Nazim’s grandfather was an Imam of the Qaadriya Sufi Order through which he served people for a period of over forty years. It was at this Zavia of Umm Hiram Radi Allah Ta’ala Anha that the grandfather of Shaykh Nazim (qs) served. Shaykh Nazim’s father, however did not become the Imam after his father as he was in tender years when his father passed away. It was spiritually through Shaykh Nazim (qs) that he was dressed in the Naqshbandi ranks after his death while he was in his grave and thereby attained very high ranks in the Naqshbandi Sufi way. This was done by Shaykh Nazim (qs) on the orders and permission of his great Grand Shaykh Abdulla Faiz Daghestani (qs).
Shaykh Nazim (qs) amazed a lot of people, especially his teachers when he was in his childhood and teenage years by being a very clever and extremely smart student. He was so intelligent that it was only necessary for the teacher to tell him something only once and it was as if it was recorded in the mind of Shaykh Nazim (qs). It astounded everyone even more because Shaykh Nazim (qs) was able to tell his teachers even before they could speak as to what they were going to teach him. Some even thought that he had miraculous powers. Shaykh Nazim (qs) had a great understanding of all that he learnt and of all the sciences that were taught to him. He finished his high school in Cyprus and thereafter left to Istanbul, where he entered the University of Istanbul in the year 1944.
Shaykh Nazim (qs) had three brothers all of whom studied in the University of Istanbul, which had the highest seat of learning in Turkey at that time. One of his brothers was reading for his Mechanical Engineering degree, while the other one was studying Law. The third brother was studying Medicine. This was during the time of the 2nd World War. The third brother of Shaykh Nazim (qs) had completed his studies in medicine and became a doctor. In the meantime, He was called to join army. It was at this time, when Shaykh Nazim (qs) was finishing his degree in Chemistry at the University that he came to hear of the sad news that his brother who was the doctor and joined the army, had been killed.
Shaykh Nazim (qs) specially liked this brother and had great love for him, so it was only natural that Shaykh Nazim (qs) was very depressed and most sorrowful due to the news of death of his brother. This made him realize that everything in this life has no value and that they were only temporary. He thought that to become a Scholar and to obtain degrees in Universities were not really worth it. It was only the hereafter that mattered. At this time Shaykh Nazim (qs) had already obtained his Bachelor of Science degree and in the new light of things this meant nothing to him. He felt that everyone had to leave everything in this world and go back to Allah Almighty sooner or later. So he decided that he would leave everything in this world sooner than later. This was why he determined to give up everything of this world and set his mind to travel on the way and path of Allah Almighty.
Therefore, He went in search of the Saints (Awliya) in order to get closer to Allah Almighty and gave up his studies and all other material aspects. He started the pursuit of knowledge in religion. He began the study of the Shariah (Islamic Law) and Jurisprudence and more specially Sufism. Shaykh Nazim’s heart was greatly attracted to Sufism. He loved Sufism. In the pursuit of Jurisprudence and Shariah, He studied under the great Imam of that time who was Jamaluddin al Lasuni (qs). After a while maybe only a few months later, Shaykh Nazim (qs) surpassed his teacher of Shariah and Jurisprudence so much so that his teacher used to thereafter learn from Shaykh Nazim (qs).
He became very popular and was well known for his knowledge in the Shariah and Jurisprudence. He was so popular in Istanbul that he was regarded as the encyclopedia on the knowledge relating to the four Madhabs (four schools of Islamic thought), specially the Hanafi madhab. This was why the Ulema (the learned Scholars) of that time believed that Shaykh Nazim’s Knowledge was in comparison to his teacher very much higher. This is also why his teacher Shaykh Jamaluddin (qs) used to always consult his student Shaykh Nazim (Qs) before he made any Religious Decree (Fatwa) for the people.
His First Sufi Shaykh – “Shaykh ul Mashaik Suleiman Jurumi (qs)”
It was while he was studying with his teacher Shaykh Jamaluddin (qs) that he felt in his heart a great attraction towards a great Saint of Allah, who was also a Naqshbandi Shaykh. This Shaykh told Shaykh Nazim (qs) that it was not enough for him to learn only about the Shariah and that he should turn his face towards Sufism, which is about the Divine knowledge and Secrets of Islam. This Waliullaah (Saint of Allah) was a Qutub (a Pole) of his time. Allah Almighty had dressed him with Divine Lights, Secret Knowledges and Divine Wisdom. The name of this great Waliullaah was Shaykh Suleiman Arzurumi (qs). This Shaykh was known as the Shaykh of all Shaykhs (Shaykh ul Mashaik) in the Turkish territory.
Shaykh ul Mashaik Suleiman Jurumi (qs) was one of the Rijalullaah, which means that he was one of the 313 top ranking Saints in the World. At any given time there are 313 special Saints, who represent Allah Almighty in this world. They are the high powered Saints. Shaykh ul Mashaik Suleiman Arzurumi (qs) was one of these 313 Saints in the world at that time. This number 313 is fixed and does not change as when one passes away another is appointed to make the number 313. This is in keeping with being the representatives of the 313 Mursaleen or Messengers who were the most powerful of the 124,000 Prophets. These 313 were Prophets and Messengers, while the rest of them were only Prophets. In the same manner every one of the 313 Awliyas (Saints) have their secrets from these 313 Messengers.
Shaykh Sulaiman Arzurumi (qs) took Shaykh Nazim (qs) into his care and trained him in all manner of practices and devotions in order to improve his spiritual ranks. He taught him the Divine knowledges and the Divine Secrets until Shaykh Nazim (qs) soon became the Imam of Sufism. This was yet, when Shaykh Nazim (qs) was only about 22 or 23 years old. Shaykh Nazim’s most favorite moments during this time was to be in prayers. Whenever anyone looked for him, he was found to be in prayers. He used to pray thousands of cycles of prayer (Raka’ats) during the day and night.
After a period of time, Shaykh Suleiman (qs) said to Shaykh Nazim(qs); “I have educated you and trained you up till now. I cannot train you further. I have to stop and your training with me is finished now. Your himmath (determination), power and energy is much higher than what I expected from you. Therefore, I asked Sayyidina Muhammed (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam) as to what I should now do with you as I am not able to continue teaching you as you have surpassed me and gone higher than me spiritually. The Prophet (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam) said that your Spiritual Trust (Amaanah) was not with me and that on the Day of Promises, I had not been given it. This is the reason that I cannot control you anymore. This Spiritual Trust (Amaanah) was given on the Day of Promises to another Saint, who is the Seal of the Saints and the Sultaan ul Awliya. He has the power to help all other Awliyas (Saints), who are in need. He is now in Damascus, and his name is Sultan ul Awliyah Mawlana Shaykh Abdullah Faiz Daghestani (qs).”
Shaykh Nazim (qs) was told that he should go to Damascus in order to meet Shaykh Abdullah Faiz Daghestani (qs) as it was only he who had now the power to be able to control and to train Shaykh Nazim (qs). When Shaykh Sulaiman (qs) told Shaykh Nazim (qs) about this news, Shaykh Nazim (qs) felt that everything inside him was crying out and telling him to leave for Damascus immediately and to meet Shaykh Abdullah Faiz Daghestani (qs). After meeting with Shaykh Abdullah (qs) in Damascus Shaykh Nazim (qs) intended to settle down in Medina at the Maqaam of the Prophet Muhammed (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam).
Shaykh Nazim (qs) says, “as it was the will of my Shaykh that I go to Damascus, I didn’t even look back nor take anything with me. I left with only my clothes that I was wearing and my walking stick. I did not even have money in my pocket. I soon arrived near the border of Alleppo, which borders Turkey. I put on my turban and let my beard grow and dressed myself according to the Sunnah of my Prophet Muhammed (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam). I was telling myself how can I enter a Muslim country where the Sunnah of the Prophet (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam) is still surviving without strictly observing the Muslim code of dress. I respected these holy lands in such a manner and therefore I had to dress up according to the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam).”
Shaykh Nazim (qs) said, “After Allepo, I went to a city called Hama, and after that to a city called Homs. In Homs, I settled down for a while because I saw that the people of Homs were easy to get on with and that their behavior was very good. They were very humble people and they welcomed me and were very happy with me .They were very happy that although I was very young they could learn about the Shariah from me. They gave me a room in which I could stay in the Mosque of Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed (Radi Allah Ta’ala Anhu) who was during the time of the Prophet (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam) the leader and the General of the Islamic Army. He was a very high companion of the Prophet (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam).”
In Homs
“I then realized that Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed (Radi Allah Ta’ala Anhu) was wanting me to stay in his Maqaam and to be with the people of Homs. I stayed one year in Homs in a room close to the mosque of Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed (Radi Allah Ta’ala Anhu). During this year, I studied the seven ways in which the Holy Quran is recited, which is known as Thajweed. These are the seven ways in which Prophet (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam) recited the Holy Quran with different types of pronunciations. I completed this within one year, and finished the recitation of the Holy Quran. I also studied the Arabic language under the big ulema of these Islamic countries. I specially studied under the Shaykh -ul – Islam Abdul Aziz uyun as-Sud (qs) and also many other famous Imams and Shaykhs.”
One of the miracles that Shaykh Nazim (qs) talks about was the bombing of the Maqaam of Khalid bin Walid (Radi Allah Ta’ala Anhu) and the Divine protection given to the Maqaam. Shaykh Nazim (qs) says, “It was the time during the 2nd World War and I was in the mosque of Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed (Radi Allah Ta’ala Anhu) when I saw this miracles happen. The planes were dropping bombs from above on Homs and also near and on the Maqaam and on the mosque of Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed (Radi Allah Ta’ala Anhu). All the people gathered in and around the mosque in order to seek shelter and protection for themselves through the great Sahaaba Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed (Radi Allah Ta’ala Anhu).”
“During the prayers time, however no one was willing to go upto the minaret in order to call for Azaan as the planes were dropping a lot of bombs over that area. I however went upto the minerat and called Azaan from the minaret. As I was calling Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, I witnessed a most extraordinary and amazing sight. There were many people below me in and around the mosque lying down and seeking shelter from the bombs. I could see everything from the top of the minerat. The planes were mercilessly bombing the area. I saw to my astonishment that there were many angels (malaikas) who were catching hold of the bombs as they were being dropped and throwing them away out of the area. I was seeing this as I am seeing you now. The malaikas were collecting the bombs and throwing them back to where they came from.”
The First Meeting with His Grand Shaykh (Sultan ul Awliyah Mawlana Shaykh Abdullah Faiz Daghestani (qs)
“One day after a period of about one year in Homs as I was in the mosque for prayers the Imam of the mosque after the Isha prayers mentioned that he was going on the next day to meet a very great saint whose name was Shaykh Abdullah Faiz Daghestani (qs). He told me, if I liked I could go along with him to meet him. When I heard the name of Mawlana Shaykh Abdullah Faiz Daghestani (qs), I remembered what my Shaykh had told me, and I began to tremble. My whole body started shaking and shivering. I said to myself that this was the main reason why I had come to this country and to Damascus. I immediately told him that I would go with him to meet Shaykh Abdullah (qs). The next day I accompanied him to Damascus”.
“In those days it was so difficult to travel by buses. We traveled from morning upto Asr time. After praying Asr we went to meet this very great Awliya Shaykh Abdullah Faiz Daghestani (qs). This Saint was living in a cemetery on the Maqaam of an Awliya. Below were the graves and on top was the maqaam in which Shaykh Abdullah (qs) was living from last six years. He had been in this room near the cemetery making seclusion for the last six years. We went and knocked on the door and it was opened by this Great Waliullah Shaykh Abdullah Faiz Daghistani (qs). He looked at me and said “ Most welcome to the person whom we have asked to come,” and then he spoke without looking at us but looking far away from us and said,“ I have now received this Trust (Amaanah ), which is Mawlana Shaykh Nazim, that you sent,” this was addressed to Shaykh Sulaiman (qs), my earlier Shaykh.
“This was my first meeting with Shaykh Abdullah Faiz Daghestani (qs) and at that time my age was 23 years old. From that time, I was attached to him and did not let go of him until he passed away from this world. This meeting was in 1945 and I remained with him from this time upto 1973. I have heard with these ears of mine 70,000 lectures from my Grand Shaykh (qs). Each of these lectures lasted on an average of about three hours each. I used to memorize these lectures while Shaykh Abdullah (qs) was talking and then go home and write them down from my memory.”
The Wonder of Grand Shaykh
Shaykh Nazim (qs) said that during the first meeting with him, Grand Shaykh Abdullah (qs) began to lecture on all kinds of Divine Knowledge’s, Divine Wisdom and Divine Secrets. This knowledge was new and fresh knowledge which had never before been disclosed even by the great Awliyas including Shaykh ul Akbar Muhiyyudin Ibn al Arabi (qs). Shaykh Nazim says,“He gave this knowledge to us as if he was receiving it from Sayyidina Muhamed (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam) and from the Divine Secret Oceans of Allah Almighty. He was transmitting them to me. He spoke, answering all my questions on the Shariah and on the knowledge’s of Reality. All the questions that had been buzzing in my head due to my education, and all queries inside me were answered and solved for me in this very short time of three hours. This made me love him and connect to him even more”.
“He then started to speak about Saahib uz Zaman, Sayyidina Imam Mahdi (Alaihis salaam). He began describing even the smallest details about the way he has to appear, as to how he is going to fight and the manner in which he would bring peace to the Earth. He explained and described these events as if he was in front of Sayyidina Mahdi (Alaihissalaam) witnessing it and describing them to me. This description was a minute by minute description and it so greatly attracted my heart. This was far more than what I had expected. It was beyond my wildest expectations. During this lecture, my heart was tremendously attracted and connected to Shaykh Abdullah (qs) and I realized the great power of Shaykh Abdullah (qs). He spoke about the coming of Sayyidina Isa (Alaihissalaam) and all the events leading upto the time of his passing away from this world. He then went on to talk about the happenings upto the time of the blowing of the Horn by Israfil (Alaihissalaam) (an Angel). He even talked about the Day of Judgment and how it was going to happen and as to what will happen in the Court of Allah Almighty. He finally finished his lecture by telling me about those who would be entering Paradise and those who would be entering Hell.”
Shaykh Nazim (qs) further said, “All these Secrets were not told to me like when others describe some event to you. It was as if Grand Shaykh (qs) was witnessing and describing what he himself was seeing. I too felt that this lecture was not like what I had heard before or read before in books. I felt that I too could see what he was describing and all the events that he was mentioning unfolding before my very eyes. It was something like watching television. This was what I had been searching for all my life and for what I had left everything behind. Now I had found it with Shaykh Abdullah (qs).” I have never before heard such knowledge and it was described in such great detail. Such details are not even to be found in the books written by Muhiyyudin Ibn al Arabi (Rahmatullaah Aleih). I surrendered myself immediately to Grand Shaykh Abdullah (qs). I had been earlier thinking that my spiritual ranks were very high and that I had very deep knowledge on the realities and also that I was a Sufi Imam. In front of Grand Shaykh (qs), however all these things seemed as if they were nothing. I was like a toy in the hands of this great Sufi Shaykh. I therefore gave myself up totally and surrendered to Shaykh Abdullah (qs). He then asked us whether there were any other questions or anything else we would like to know from him. I said that I was intending to go to Madina Munawwaraa to be near the Prophet (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam). He then said, “Oh my son we do not decide by ourselves. So I cannot tell you. We must ask such a question from Sayyidina Muhammed (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam) himself. Every night during the third part of the night I go up spiritually to the Divine Presence of the Prophet Muhammed (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam). I will ask him what you do, and then I will tell you the Prophet’s answer by Fajr prayer time, tomorrow. He then cooked for us and made tea thereafter. It was in such a courteous manner that he treated us. He then said goodbye to us and we left to go to the mosque in which we were to stay that night.”
Endless Night
When we went back to the mosque where we were staying, I was so eager for Fajr time to arrive. This night seemed to be the longest night in my life. I was waiting impatiently to rush towards my Grand Shaykh (qs) in the morning in order to find out the answer to my question from the Prophet (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam). Grand Shaykh Abdullah (qs) had promised that he would ask the Prophet about my question and answer it for me in the morning. So it was the longest night in my life”.
“In the morning after Fajr prayers we rushed to meet Shaykh Abdullah (qs). It was as if the light coming from the heart of the Prophet (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam), through the heart of my Grand Shaykh (qs) was dragging me like a magnet towards the place where Grand Shaykh (qs) was. I went towards him as if I was flying. Grand Shaykh (qs) then told me, “Oh my son all your Spiritual Realities and your Spiritual Trust (Amaanah) is in my hands and you have been my son from pre-eternity to eternity. You are going to serve our Naqshbandi way. On the Day of Promises you had a promise to be a Grand Shaykh of the Naqshbandi line which you will serve till the last days”.
“As for the question of migrating to Madina Munawwara to be with the Prophet (Sallallaahu Ale ihi wa Sallam), it has been accepted because of your intention and it had been ordered to the Angels (Malaikas) to write it down in your favor that from this moment up to the Last Days (Qiyaamat) with every wink of an eye you have been given the good tiding as if you have fulfilled that purpose. The Nation (Umma) of the Prophet (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam) is very much in need of you and your advice, your teachings and your leadership. The Prophet (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam) also said, to tell you to collect all the people of his nation who are now spread all over the world. You have to collect them and gather them and bring them to me from all over the world. In every 24 hours, I shall be waiting for him to gather and bring them to me. I shall wait for them and welcome them so that I can take them under my control and keep them under my eye”.
The Return to Cyprus
“Shaykh Abdullah Faiz Daghestani (qs) then said, “according to the will of the Prophet (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam), I think that it is best for you to return to Cyprus because the people there do not know much about Islam. They are in need of you in order to learn the right way. The Sufi Naqshbandi way.”
“Mawlana Shaykh Abdullah Faiz Daghestani (qs) then initiated me into the Naqshbandi order. While initiating me he was saying Allahu, Allahu, Allahu Haq and he was looking from his heart to my heart. Through this looking all the Maqaams in my heart was opened up. The eyes of my heart was opened and I was able to see everything in the Heavens, the Earth and the Universes. The Reality of everything and the lights, different lights from different maqaams and all maqaams were opened up to me by Allah Almighty through my Shaykh Abdullah Faiz Daghestani (qs). Then he taught me the Zikr and he taught me the Khatam ul Khawajagaan”. He then told me “when you visit people, you will be able to give them knowledge and my knowledge is coming to me from Sayyidina Muhammed (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam). I then kissed his hands and also kissed his forehead and I made an intention to go back to Cyprus to fulfill the order of my Shaykh”. I then told the person who accompanied me when I visited my Grand Shaykh (qs) that I was going back to Cyprus and gave all my clothes and other things to the poor.”
Shaykh Nazim (qs) used to have a lot of ancient manuscripts, which were very expensive which he said; all should be distributed to the people. He did not have a single penny because when he left Damascus he had made a promise to Allah Almighty not to touch any money with his hands or put it in his pockets.
Then Shaykh Nazim (qs) went directly to the bus station to go to Lebanon. Lebanon is on the sea side and from there every day, there was a boat to Cyprus. It was the hardest time during the 2nd World War. The French army was occupying Damascus, Lebanon and most of these countries. When Shaykh Nazim (qs) went to the bus stand, he saw a person waiting at this bus stand. Surprisingly, he addressed Shaykh Nazim (qs) thus “Oh Shaykh Nazim do you want to go to Tripoli.” Shaykh Nazim (qs) did not know him. How did he know his name? Shaykh Nazim (qs) says “I told him that I did not have any money for the bus and he told me not to worry about it as he would pay for the bus.
I got in to the bus together with the other people, who were there and the bus took us to Tripoli. It was almost 400 km from Damascus. We finally reached Lebanon. When I got down from the bus it seemed such a strange place to me. No one was known to me in this place. By the time we reached there it was night time. Then suddenly, I heard a person looking at me and saying ‘Oh Shaykh Nazim, I know that you are Shaykh Nazim”, the person who addressed me looked very respectable and had a long beard and he had light (Noor) in his face. He seemed to me to be a holy Shaykh. His eyes were blue and so much of light was coming from his eyes. He told me, “I have been waiting for you here for the last three days now. Three days ago, Sayyidina Muhammed (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam) in a dream ordered me and said, “wake up, there is going to come to this bus station, my son Nazim. Allah Amighty will make him inherit the secrets of the 1,24,000 prophets and the secrets of all the Grand Shaykh’s of the Naqshbandi line, from Sayyidina Abu Bakr as Siddeeq (Radi Allah Ta’ala Anhu) to Shaykh Abdullah Faiz Daghestani (qs). He is the Saint whom all other Saints will need. Therefore make good hospitality for him and serve him yourself. Then help him to go to Cyprus”.
“He made himself known to me that he was Shaykh Munir al Malek. I left with him for his room, which was in the city of Mina in the sea side part of Tripoli. In this city, there was a Mosque of Mina wherein it was his room. He told me that he was going to give me his room. He served me for three days both during the day and night, throughout which he was standing. He was searching for a boat to take me to Cyprus.”
The Boat Journey
“It was so difficult because it was the time during the 2nd World War. The English and French armies were fighting for the seas. No one dared to even swim in the sea. It was so difficult to travel by sea. Shaykh Munir had a friend who was a fisherman to whom he said that he was searching for a boat to take me to Cyprus and that he had do this because Prophet (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam) had ordered him to take care of me and also to see to my protection and to see that I was sent to Cyprus safely. The fisherman offered to take me by his boat to Cyprus”.
“This boat was a very small fishing boat which was meant for only about five or six people. A big wave could easily have capsized and sank this boat. Shaykh Munir than gave some money and told me that I could go in this boat. Thereafter we sailed for eight days and nights. It was so difficult even to take ablution. There wasn’t enough food and water even. One could just lean over and touch the sea and collect the water for ablution. In normal days, this journey would take only six hours in an ordinary boat. This journey however took us eight days. Then we finally reached Cyprus fulfilling the order of Mawlana Shaykh Abdullah Faiz Daghestani (qs).” “There were many obstacles that we had to overcome on this long journey to Cyprus. But we finally managed to fulfill my Shaykh’s order. When I reached the island of Cyprus and stepped on to the dry land my heart was glowing. I felt an extraordinary power and lights and that all Maqaams were opening up to the Throne of Allah Almighty. I was seeing everything until the seven heavens. Suddenly the spiritual body of Mawlana Shaykh Abdullah Faiz Daghestani (qs) was there to welcome me. He was on my right hand side walking with me. All kinds of Divine Knowledge and Divine Secrets opened in my heart and I felt that I was like an encyclopedia of the Oceans of Knowledge of Allah Almighty which was transmitted from the Spirituality of my Shaykh to me. From that time till today he was with me. Not even for a moment have I ever been away from him from that time. He then gave me a lot of knowledge by and through the presence of Sayyidina Muhiyyudin Ibn al Arabi (Rahmatullaah Aleih), and dressed me with all of his Knowledge too”. “When I reached Cyprus, I was astonished to find thousands of people there to welcome me. No one knew that I was coming to Cyprus. Later I learned that some of them had seen a dream in which Sayyidina Muhammed (Sallallaahu Aleihi wa Sallam) and Mowlana Shaykh Abdulla Faiz Daghestani (qs) had appeared and told them to welcome me to Cyprus. So they welcomed me. In this manner, I entered into Cyprus with the shouts and cries of Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar”.
His Mission
He looked after the murids and followers of Grandshaykh. One time Grandshaykh ordered him to go from Damascus to Aleppo on foot and to stop at every village on the way to spread the Naqshbandi teachings, the knowledge of Sufism and the knowledge of religion. The distance between Damascus and Aleppo is about 400 kilometers. It took him more than a year to go and return. He would walk one or two days, reach a village, spend one week in the village spreading the Naqshbandi Order, leading dhikr, training the people, then move on down the road to the next village. Soon his name was on every tongue, from the border of Jordan to the border of Turkey near Aleppo.
Similarly, Grandshaykh once ordered Shaykh Nazim to walk through Cyprus. He walked from one village to another, calling people to Islam, to leave atheism, secularism, and materialism and to come back to Allah. He became so well-known throughout Cyprus, and so beloved, that the color of his turban and cloak, both a dark green, became known throughout the island as “the Shaykh Nazim green head” (Sheih Nazim yesilbas).
He has performed a similar walkabout in the country of Turkey. Each year since 1978, he has spent three to four months traveling throughout one area of Turkey. In one year he traveled the area of Istanbul, Yalova, Bursa, Eskisehir and Ankara. In another he traveled to Konya, Isparta, Kirsehir. In another year he traveled the southern seacoast, from Adana, to Mersin, Alanya, Izmir, Antalya. Then another year he went to the Eastern side, Diyarbakir, Erzurum, up to the border of Iraq. Another sojourn he spent on the Black Sea, moving from one district to another, from one town to another, from one mosque to the next, spreading the word of Allah, and spirituality and light wherever he went.
Wherever he travels he is welcomed by crowds of common people, and by the officials and government people as well. He is known by the beloved nickname of al-Kibrisi throughout Turkey. He was the Shaykh of the late president of Turkey, Turgut Ozal, and he was extremely well-respected by him. Currently he is well-known throughout Turkey because of the extensive coverage given to him by the media and the press. He is interviewed nearly every week by one television station or another, one reporter or another, to get his opinions on the events in Turkey and its future. He walks the middle path recommended by the Prophet , enabling him to tread a fine line between the secularist government and the Islamicist group. This brings happiness and peace to the hearts and minds of both the common people and the intelligentsia.
Starting in 1974, he began to visit Europe, travelling every year from Cyprus to London by plane and returning overland, by car. He continues to meet all kinds of people from every land and tongue, from all different faiths and all different cultures. People continue to take shahada, Tariqat, and spiritual secrets from him.
In the year following the passing of his murshid in 1973, Shaykh Nazim (qs) began visiting Western Europe, traveling every year from the Middle East to London. On his return trips to Damascus, he would often drive by car through the former Yugoslavia, spending time visiting the Muslim communities there. It became his practice to spend the month of Ramadan in the large Centre established in London. In 2000, this practice was discontinued due to his advanced age.
In 1997, Shaykh Nazim (qs) visited Daghestan, the homeland of his murshid, Shaykh Abdullah Daghestani (qs). He also made repeated visits to Uzbekistan, where he made the pilgrimage to the tomb of the eponymous founder of the Naqshbandi Order, Shah Baha’uddin Naqshband (qs).
As Shah Naqshband was the Mujaddid in Bukhara and Central Asia, as Sayyidina Ahmad as-Sirhindi al-Mujaddedi was the Reviver of the 2nd Millenium, as Sayyidina Khalid al-Baghdadi was the Reviver of Islam and Shari’ah and Tariqat in the Middle East, now Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani is the Reviver, the Renewer and the Caller to God in this Age, the Age of Technology and Material Progress. His smiling, glowing face is beloved throughout Europe, for bringing the first real taste of spirituality the lifetime of the people.
Shaykh Nazim (qs) had close relations with several notable politicians, notably the late president of Turkey, Turgut Ozal as well as the ex-Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denkta, 2nd President Mehmet Ali Talat and Prime Minister of Turkey, Tayyip Erdogan. During his travels in Southeast Asia (which began in 1986) he gave his spiritual blessings to His Majesty Sultan Hassan al Bolkiah of Brunei, His Highness Sri Sultaan Hamengkubuwono X of Yogyakarta and several members of Malaysia’s royal families including His Highness Prince Raja Dato’ Seri Ashman Shah (qs) have taken initiation into the Naqshbandi-Haqqani Order at his hand. He also traveled on numerous occasions to Pakistan, and Sri Lanka where he has been received with great fanfare. In the late 1990s, he visited South Africa where he established contacts with the Sunni Muslim community. Shaykh Nazim(qs) has made the pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) some 27 times.
His Seclusions
His first seclusion by the order of Shaykh `Abdullah Daghestani was in the year 1955, in Sueileh, Jordan. There he spent six months in seclusion. The power and purity of his presence attracted thousands of murids, so that Sueileh and it surrounding villages, Ramta and `Amman became full of the murids of the Shaykhs. Scholars, officials and so many people were attracted to his light and his personality.
When he had only two children, one daughter and one son, he was called by our Grandshaikh, Shaykh `Abdullah ad-Daghestani. He told him, “I have received an order from the Prophet for you to make seclusion in the mosque of `Abdul Qadir Jilani in Baghdad. Go there and make seclusion for six months.”
Describing that event, Shaykh Nazim says, “I didn’t ask the Shaykh any questions. I didn’t even go back to my house. I directed my steps immediately to Marja in the downtown. I didn’t think, ‘I need clothes, I need money, I need provisions.’ When he said, ‘Go!’ I went. I was drawn to do seclusion with Sayyidina `Abdul Qadir. I went directly to Marja. When I reached the downtown walking I saw a man looking at me. He looked at me and he recognized me. He said, ‘Shaykh Nazim, where are you going?’ I said, ‘To Baghdad.’ He was a murid of Grandshaykh. He said, ‘I am going to Baghdad myself!’ He had at truckload of goods to deliver in Baghdad. So he took me with him.”
“When I entered the mosque of Sayyidina `Abdul Qadir Jilani there was a giant man closing the door of the mosque holding it shut. He said, ‘Shaykh Nazim!’ ‘Yes,’ I answered. He said, ‘I am the one assigned to be your servant during your stay here. Come with me.’ I was surprised at this, but in my heart there was no surprise because we know in tariqat that everything is always arranged by the Divine Presence. I followed him as he approached the grave of the Arch-Intercessor (Ghawth al-`Azam) and I gave greetings to my great-great-grandfather, Sayyidina ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani. Then he took me to a room and told me, ‘Every day I will serve you one bowl of lentil soup with one piece of bread.’”
“I only emerged from my room for the five prayers. Other than that I spent my whole time in that room. I was able to reach such a state that I could recite the whole Qur’an in nine hours. In addition I recited 124,000 Dhikr of the Kalima (la ilaha illallah) and 124,000 salawat (prayers on the Prophet ) in addition to reading the entire Dala’il al-Khayrat. Added to that I was regularly reciting 313,000 ‘Allah Allah’ every day, as well as all the prayers that were assigned to me. Vision after vision appeared to me every day. These visions took me from one state to another until I was Annihilated in the Divine Presence.”
“One day I had a vision that Sayyidina `Abdul Qadir Jilani was calling me to his grave and he was saying, ‘O my son I am waiting for you at my grave. Come!’ Immediately I took a shower, prayed two cycles of prayer and I walked to his grave which was only some few feet from my room. When I got there I began contemplating and I said, as-Salam `alayka ya jiddee (‘Peace be upon you O my grandfather’). Immediately I saw him come out of the grave and stand beside me. Behind him was a Great Throne decorated with rare stones. He said to me, ‘Come with me and sit with me on that throne.’“We sat like a grandfather with his grandson. He was smiling and saying, ‘I am happy with you. The station of your Shaykh, `Abdullah al-Fa’iz ad-Daghestani is very high in the Naqshbandi Order. I am your grandfather and I am passing to you now, directly from me, the power that I carry as the Arch-Intercessor and I initiate you now directly into the Qadiri Order.’”
When Shaykh Nazim had finished his seclusion and was about to leave, he went to Sayyidina ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani’s grave to say goodbye. Sayyidina ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani appeared in the flesh to him and said, “O my son. I am very happy with the states you have reached in the Naqshbandi Order. I am renewing your initiation to me through the Qadiri Order.” Sayyidina `Abdul Qadir Jilani then said, “O my grandson, I am going to give you a token of your visit.” He hugged him and gave him ten coins. Those coins were from the time he was living in, not from our time. Up until today, Shaykh Nazim has kept those coins with him.
Before he left, Shaykh Nazim gave the Shaykh who had served him during the seclusion, his jubba (cloak) as a remembrance. He told him, “I used that cloak during all of my seclusion, either as a mat to sleep on, or as a dress when praying and making dhikr. Keep it and Allah will bless you and Sayyidina Muhammad will bless you and all the Masters of this Order will bless you.” The Shaykh took the cloak, kissed it, and wore it. Shaykh Nazim left Baghdad and went back to Damascus, Syria.
In 1992, when Shaykh Nazim was visiting Lahore, Pakistan, he visited the tomb of Shaykh `Ali Hujwiri. The Shaykh of the Qadiri Order invited him to his house, and Shaykh Nazim spent the night there. At Fajr time, the Shaykh said, “O my Shaykh, I kept you here tonight to show you a very precious cloak, that we have inherited 27 years ago. It was passed from one great Shaykh of the Qadiri Order to another from Baghdad, and finally it reached us. All our Shaykhs have kept it and preserved it, because it was the personal cloak (jubba) of the Ghawth of his time.
“A Turkish Shaykh of the Naqshbandi Order kept seclusion in the mosque and tomb of Sayyidina ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani. When that Shaykh finished his seclusion he gave the cloak as a present to a Qadiri Shaykh who had served him during his seclusion. That Qadiri Shaykh, before he passed away, ordered his successors to take great care of that cloak, because if anyone wears it, he will be healed of any illness. Any seeker wearing that cloak, in his path to the Divine Presence, will be lifted easily to high states of Vision.”
He opened the closet and revealed the cloak preserved in a glass case. He opened the case and took the jubba out. Shaykh Nazim was smiling. The Shaykh asked him, “What is it my Shaykh?” Shaykh Nazim said, “This brings me great happiness. This is the cloak I gave to the Qadiri Shaykh at the conclusion of my khalwat.” When the Shaykh heard this he kissed the hand of Shaykh Nazim, asked to renew his initiation in the Qadiri Order and to take initiation in the Naqshbandi Order. Allah takes good care of his saints, wherever they go, by means of his sincere and beloved servants.
Seclusion in Madina
Many times Shaykh Nazim was ordered to go into seclusions which varied in length from 40 days to one year. The seclusions also varied in the degree of isolation from outside contact: sometimes there was no contact; sometimes there was the small amount necessitated by performing the daily prayers in congregation; and sometimes more contact was permitted for attendance at circles of gathering for association, lectures or dhikr. He did many seclusions in the city of the Prophet . He said,
“No one ever had the privilege of making seclusion with his Shaykh. I had the privilege of making a seclusion in the same room with my Shaykh in Madinah al-Munawwara. It was in an ancient room near the Prophet’s Holy Mosque. It had one door and one window. As soon as I entered the room with my Shaykh, he blocked the window by boarding it up. He gave me authorization to leave the room only for the five daily prayers in the Holy Mosque of the Prophet .”
“I was ordered by my Shaykh to keep the practice, Nazar bar Qadam, ‘Watching the Step,’ when I walked to the prayers. By disciplining and controlling the sight, this practice is a means to disconnect oneself from everything except Allah, Almighty and Exalted, and His Prophet .”
“My Shaykh never slept during that seclusion. For one year I never saw him sleeping. He never touched food. We were given one bowl of lentil soup and one piece of bread each day. He would always give his share to me. He only drank water. He never left that room.”
“Day after day and night after night my Shaykh sat reading Qur’an by the light of a lamp, making Dhikr and raising his hands in du’a. For hours he would make du`a (supplication) and one du`a never resembled another. Each one was different from the other and throughout the whole year, he never repeated the same du`a. Sometimes I was not able to understand the language he was using in the du`a because it was a heavenly language. I could only understand these du`as by means of the visions and inspirations that came to my heart.”
“I didn’t know when night left and day arrived except by the prayers. Grandshaykh `Abdullah never saw the light of day for one whole year, only the light of the candle. I would see the daylight only when I went out for the prayers.”
“Through that seclusion I was raised to different levels of spirituality. One day I heard him saying, “O Allah give me the Power of intercession, from the Power of Intercession You have granted Your Prophet , to intercede for all human beings on the Day of Judgment to lift them up to be in Your Divine Presence.” As he was saying that I was in a vision experiencing the Judgment Day, and Allah, Almighty and Exalted, was descending on His `Arsh (throne) and judging people. The Prophet
was on the Right Side of the Divine Presence. Grandshaykh was on the right side of the Prophet
and I was on Grandshaykh’s right side.”
“After Allah had judged the people, he authorized the Prophet to intercede. When the Prophet
had interceded and finished, he ordered Grandshaykh to give his blessings and to lift the people up with the spiritual power that he had been given. That vision ended as I heard my Shaykh saying, ‘Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah, Nazim Effendi, I got the answer.’”
“These visions continued. One day he told me after I returned from Fajr prayer, ‘Nazim Effendi, Look!’ Where should I look, up, down, right or left? It came to me look at his heart. As soon as I looked at his heart a great unveiling occurred to me and I saw Sayyidina `Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujdawani (q) appear in his physical body and tell me, ‘O my son, your Shaykh is unique. No one like him has ever come before.’ Then he invited Grandshaykh and me to come with him.”
“Immediately we saw ourselves with Sayyidina `Abdul Khaliq in another place on this earth. He said, Allah, Almighty and Exalted, has ordered me to go to that rock,’ and we were following him to a rock. He said, ‘Allah has ordered me to hit that rock.’ When he hit the rock an incredibly powerful stream of water came gushing forth from that rock, the like of which I had never seen before. Sayyidina `Abdul Khaliq said, ‘That water is coming out today and is going to continue to pour out like this until the Judgment Day.’
“Then he said, ‘Allah Almighty has told me that He is creating from every drop of this water an angel of light, which will be praising Him until Judgment Day. And He has ordered me by saying, ‘O My servant `Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujdawani, your job is to give every angel its name. You cannot use any name twice. You must name each one with a different name and count their praises. You will divide the rewards of their praises among the followers of the Naqshbandi Order. That responsibility is on you.’ Then that vision ended. I was so attracted to Sayyidina `Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujdawani and amazed by his incredible task.”
“Visions continued to pour on me in similar fashion. In the last day of our seclusion, after Fajr prayer, I heard a voice outside the room crying. I heard one great voice and many smaller voices like the voices of many children crying. That crying did not stop, but I was unable to go and see who was crying because I had no permission. The sound of crying kept increasing and continued for hours.
“Then Grandshaykh looked at me and said, ‘Nazim Effendi, do you know who is crying?’ Though I knew that it was not the cries of human beings, I said, ‘O my Shaykh, you know better.’ Immediately he told me, ‘This is Iblas (Satan) and his soldiers. Do you know why they are crying?’ I said, ‘O my Shaykh, you know better.’ He said, ‘Satan announced to his devils that two people on this earth have escaped their control.’
“Then I saw a vision that Satan and his soldiers were encircled with a heavenly chain that prevented them from reaching my Shaykh and me. That vision ended. Then Grandshaykh said, ‘Alhamdulillah, the Prophet is happy with you and I am happy with you.’ Then he put his hand on my heart and I immediately saw the Prophet
and 124,000 prophets, 124,000 Companions, 7007 Naqshbandi Saints, 313 Exalted saints, the five Qu bs and the Ghawth. All of them were congratulating me and they each poured into my heart their divine knowledge. I inherited from them the secrets of the Naqshbandi Order and the secrets of the 40 other Orders.”
Grandshaykh Shaykh Nazim qs
His followers come from all walks of life. You find the poor, the middle class, the wealthy, the businessman, the doctor, the lawyer, the psychiatrist, the astronomer, the plumber, the carpenter, Ministers of government, politicians, senators, parliament members, prime ministers, presidents, kings, sultans, and royalty of all kinds, everyone attracted to his simplicity, to his smile, to his light and to his spirituality. Thus he is known as the multicolored, Universal Shaykh.
His sayings and associations (sohbet) have been collected and published in many books that are available. These include the Mercy Oceans series, which number more than 35 books, thousands of feet of videotapes, and thousands and thousands of hours of audiotapes.
His life was always intensely active. He was a traveler in Allah’s Way, never staying home, always moving from one place to another. One day he was in the East and the next he was in the West. One day he was in the North and the next he was in the South. You don’t know where he will be from one day to the next. He was always meeting with officials to encourage reconciliation and peace and preservation of the natural world. He was always sowing the seeds of love and peace and harmony in the hearts of mankind. We hope that in the spirit of his teachings all religions will find paths to reconciliation and leave behind differences to live in peace and harmony.
Shaykh Nazim Al-Haqqani (QS) declared publicly before passing away that the person to succeed him, i.e. his khalifa, would be Shaykh Muhammad Mehmet Adil(QS) (41st Grandshaykh Of Naqshbandiya Aaliya way)