SUFI STORIES #8 SHAYKH MUHAMMAD NAZIM ADIL ALHAQQANI - THE SULTAN OF SUFI SAINTS OF HIS TIME

Shaykh Nazim (may Allah’s Mercy be showered upon him) was the leader of the Naqshbandi-Haqqani-Aliyyah Sufi Order (or simply Naqshbandi-Aliyyah), Grand Mufti of Cyprus and jurist of the Hanafi madzhab (school of jurisprudence). He was born on April 23, 1922, in Larnaca, British Cyprus (now Turkish Northern Cyprus).

Through his father, he was a descendant of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (may Allah’s Mercy be showered upon him), the Spiritual Pole (Ghawth Al Azam) of Sufism, while through his mother, he was a descendant of Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi (may Allah’s Mercy be showered upon him), the GrandMaster of Sufi Poetry. My story with Mawlana Rumi will come in future episodes.

Through them, Shaykh Nazim was a descendant of The Prophet (PBUH).

These supreme Sufi Saints were the founders of the Qadiri and Mevlevi (Mawlawiyya) Sufi Orders respectively. Shaykh Nazim was initiated into both Orders in his youth. He was initiated into the Naqshbandi Order later, which was renewed by his final master, Shaykh Abdullah al-Faiz ad-Daghestani (may Allah’s Mercy be showered upon him) in Damascus, Syria.

He received his first religious instructions from both his grandfathers and then from several other Islamic scholars, and later while continuing his spiritual training, he also studied chemical engineering at Istanbul University, from which he graduated with excellence in 1940. Thereafter he furthered his religious studies and spiritual training under several scholars and spiritual masters in Turkey and Syria.

He spent much time spreading Islam and the Sufi teachings in Syria, Turkey and Cyprus at a time when the secular Kemalists who ruled Turkey and Northern Cyprus banned any outward practice of Islam. He recited the Arabic Adhan (call to prayer) in over 100 mosques when it was illegal to do so and he was jailed for the first offence and charged with 114 further offences. Just one day before he was to be tried for the other 114 charges against him, the government changed and the Arabic Adhan was re-established!

Over the years his fame spread throughout Cyprus, Turkey, Syria, and through his disciples, his influence reached the rest of the world. He had visited many countries before his retirement to Cyprus due to old age.

He traveled to London and other parts of Europe from the 1970s, to Asia from the 1980s and to USA from the 1990s, where he gained hundreds of thousands of followers, including many thousands who converted to Islam upon hearing his teachings. His son-in-law Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani was ordered to emigrate to USA from Lebanon in 1990 to established the tariqah there. Shaykh Nazim’s followers are now spread across almost the entire world.

Shaykh Nazim was based in Damascus (Syria), and later in Lefke (Northern Cyprus) and used to come to Malaysia every few years from 1986 until 2001. When he was here there would be many programs arranged. Unfortunately I was a busy obstetrician then and could not attend all of the programs. However, those who attended had reported amazing stories of his encounters with the local Sufi Saints in Kedah, Negri Sembilan and several others, as well as his “conversations” with the Saints buried in the mausoleum in Pulau Besar, Melaka.

I will share an amazing story about Shaykh Nazim, as recorded by his son-in-law Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani in the book The Naqshbandi Sufi Way: History and Guidebook of the Saints of the Golden Chain. This particular event is about his seclusion at the tomb of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani in Baghdad, under order of The Prophet (PBUH), through his master Shaykh Abdullah al-Faiz ad-Daghestani. This occurred in 1965, and the story was published in 1995 (in the words of Shaykh Nazim):

“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 PBUH) 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.’”

“Soon afterwards Grandshaykh (Abdullah Daghestani) appeared, the Prophet (PBUH) appeared and Shah Bahauddin Naqshband (eponymous 17^th Master of the Naqshbandi Sufi Order) appeared. Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani stood up out of respect for the Prophet (PBUH) and the Shaykhs and so did I. He said, "O my Prophet (PBUH), O Messenger of God, I am the grandfather of this grandson of mine. I am so happy with his spiritual progress in the Naqshbandi Order that I would like to add the Naqshbandi Order to my powers." The Prophet (PBUH) smiled and looked towards Shah Naqshband, and Shah Naqshband looked towards Grandshaykh. This was the correct form, as Shaykh Abdullah was the living Shaykh at that time. Grandshaykh passed the secret of the Naqshbandi Order received by Shah Bahauddin Naqshband through the line of the Prophet (PBUH), adding the power of the Naqshbandi Order to the state of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani.”

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.

[End of the excerpt. Note that the above story happened in 1965 when he was 43 years old].

 

He died in 2014 at age 92 and now both his sons Shaykh Muhammad Adil Ar Rabbani and Shaykh Bahauddin, and his son-in-law Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani continue to spread the message to all the continents of the world.

 

May Allah bless this great soul, the Sultan of the Saints of his time.

 

Obviously, not everyone believes the miraculous stories about him, certainly not the religious scholars and officials who pronounced him a deviant and heretic, otherwise they would not dare call him a deviant. But this is not surprising at all. Imam Ghazali (may Allah’s Mercy be showered upon him) had said:

 

“Behind the Sufis, however, there is a crowd of ignorant people. They deny this fundamentally, they are astonished at this line of thought, they listen and mock.”

I had written about Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani in Sufi Stories #4. He is the Arch-Intercessor and Sultan of ALL Sufi Saints of ALL times. His descendant Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil Al-Haqqani was the Sultan of Sufi Saints in his time, as confirmed by Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani, and acknowledged by many contemporary Saints who paid their respects to him.

This great Saint, who was always carrying out orders from The Prophet (PBUH), and granted many miracles by Allah, was declared deviant by several Muslim countries, including Malaysia. What a pitiful situation it is when the Muslims condemn a great Saint who is much honoured by Allah, His Prophet (PBUH) and His Saints! He was also the Grand Mufti of Cyprus, which means our Muftis declared the Grand Mufti of another country as deviant.  But then in Malaysia, a Mufti of one state can be banned in another state!

 

We have been forewarned that God declares war against those who fight against His Friends (ie. the Saints)[Hadith Qudsi/Sacred Hadith reported by Bukhari]. May Allah protect us from His Wrath!

By the way, my only son is named Muhammad Nazim Adil Al-Haqqani. Before he was born, two Masters had told me that he will continue my spiritual work. I hope he will get the calling soon.

For the complete story, and more amazing stories about Shaykh Nazim; to know how close he was with our beloved Prophet (PBUH); and why he was the Sultan of the Sufi Saints of his time, please read here (For those considering entering the Sufi Path, I implore you to read it. This is a MUST read):

https://www.sufi.it/sufismo/shaykh-nazim-al-haqqani.htm (view in Chrome/browser and then click on English translation).

Salam/Peace to all. See you at my next SUFI STORIES post!