SUFI STORIES #7 MEETING GRANDSHAYKH MUHAMMAD NAZIM ADIL AL-QUBRUSI (1922-2014), THE SAINT AND GRAND MUFTI OF CYPRUS (QUBRUS)
Today’s story will attract controversy because it is about my encounter with the late Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil Al-Haqqani Al-Qubrusi (may Allah be pleased with his soul), Grandshaykh of Naqsyabandi Haqqani Aliyyah Sufi tariqah and Grand Mufti of Cyprus. Both he and his tariqah (Sufi path) were declared deviants in Malaysia and in several other Muslim–majority countries. But the story must be told. I have also obtained the blessings of my Shaykhs to tell these stories.
I had shared about the visits by several departed saints, but the visits by the prophets were not mentioned in my previous stories to avoid undue controversy. However, this must now be mentioned, otherwise today’s story becomes meaningless. But, I will not reveal the details of those encounters here.
After the visits by the
saints and the prophets, I had the
opportunity to get further confirmation from a great Shaykh who was always
under the instructions of The Prophet (PBUH).
In Sufi Stories #2 (The Accidental Sufi) I related how I innocently joined a group of Sufis taking the oath of discipleship to their Shaykh. Shaykh Nazim was that Shaykh. But I didn’t get to speak to him at all since “accidentally” becoming his mureed (disciple).
A few years later, one of his close disciples brought his wife to me for antenatal check-up (I was a busy obstetrician then). I had requested that he arrange for me to meet the Shaykh during his next visit to Malaysia.
I had been told previously that Shaykh Nazim often received instructions from The Prophet (PBUH) before his lectures and sermons. If so, then surely he would know that The Prophet (PBUH) had been coming to me too. I was hoping for this confirmation from him.
I was lucky. About 6 months after my request, Shaykh Nazim again visited Malaysia, and I was granted an audience with him.
On that evening, when I first saw him alighting from the car, I couldn’t stop crying. I had to go and hide until I stopped crying. When the time came for me to meet him, we were seated in a circle, together with his entourage and the senior local disciples. After I was introduced to him, he said: “I know that The Prophet (PBUH) has been coming to you!”
Then and there I knew that he really was a great Shaykh who was in contact with The Prophet (PBUH). At that time the local fatwas denouncing him as a deviant had not yet been passed, but my opinion of him has not changed, regardless of whatever fatwas the scholars of external knowledge have passed on him (the fatwas were proclaimed in 2002). This is not being disrespectful to the Muftis and the ulama (scholars) who deliberated and came to their conclusions, but history is replete with great Sufi Saints being declared deviants because their sayings and actions were often not understood when only external knowledge is applied. Many had been accused of being blasphemous. The Muftis are only doing their job according to whatever knowledge and understanding available to them.
I am not a religious scholar and I am in no position to debate on the merits of the fatwa. However, let me give an illustration of how these accusations of deviancy can arise.
In the Qur’an, God orders us to obey The Prophet (PBUH) and our leaders:
That means, by obeying The Prophet (PBUH) we are obeying God. But The Prophet (PBUH) is not God.
It also means obeying those in authority (ie. our leaders) equals obeying God (as long as the command does not transgress religious boundaries or cause injustice). Those leaders are certainly not God. But only the most wise and obedient servant of God will seriously regard obeying their leaders as obeying God, and therefore to obey them fully with sincerity. The best Sufis are intense in their obedience.
In the traditional Sufi spiritual path, the Shaykh or Master is appointed on the authority of The Prophet (PBUH). A genuine Shaykh is appointed by his own Shaykh, who in turn was appointed by his Shaykh and the chain (silsilah) goes unbroken to The Prophet (PBUH). The Shaykh only appoints his successor upon receiving instructions from The Prophet (PBUH). Therefore the authority to lead and guide comes from The Prophet (PBUH) himself.
There are of course self-proclaimed fake Shaykhs, but I am not concerned about them.
So when we follow the instructions of our Shaykh, we are obeying The Prophet (PBUH), and obeying God. Which means obeying the Shaykh is obeying God, but the Shaykh is definitely not God.
Note that this argument is valid only on matters of religious and spiritual training, and provided that nothing is done which is against Islamic teachings. But note also that there are variations in the interpretations of some aspects of the teachings.
I am giving this example because one of the major accusations against Shaykh Nazim was that he taught that Sufi Shaykhs are equal to God. Although he did say that Sufis must submit to their Shaykhs, he never said that the Shaykhs are gods or equal to God. As explained above, what he meant was that obeying your Shaykh means obeying God because the Shaykh was appointed by the authority of The Prophet (PBUH), who in turn has the authority given by God. But the Shaykh is nothing but a mere humble servant of God!
All those who follow genuine Sufi Masters know that they are extremely humble towards their Creator, and they love Him and submit to Him absolutely. They also love and venerate The Prophet (PBUH) profusely. They definitely never claim to be superior to The Prophet (PBUH), nor be equal to God (these are among the accusations against Shaykh Nazim, which I find perplexing).
The antics of some of his followers have also become bones of contention. But you will not readily condemn him if you know how close he is to The Prophet (PBUH) and to God.
When a Shaykh receives instructions from The Prophet (PBUH), these instructions are obligatory only on him and his disciples. There are no new Hadiths after the death of The Prophet (PBUH) about 1388 years ago, but many still receive advice, guidance and instructions from The Prophet (PBUH) through dreams or spiritual encounters. In fact, many people have dreamt of him, and some received instructions during these dreams. These instructions are only applicable to the persons receiving them.
And as Imam Ghazali (may Allah’s Mercy be upon him) had said, many Sufis meet the spirit of prophets (especially The Prophet Muhammad PBUH) and receive instructions from them in their waking state. But these instructions are personal in nature and do not become additions to the Islamic Sharia (Code of living - laws, regulations and guidance).
I will share more about Mawlana Shaykh Nazim in the next episode.
Salam/Peace to all. See you at my next SUFI STORIES post!
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