The Practices – Wazaif
Hadrat Shaikh says:
“I do not speak to you about any Station (Maqåm) , Tajalli or Rank (Rutbah) without my already having entered that station or position or without having experienced that Tajalli.
I am not like the others, I do not speak separating my sight from my chart, enumerating the Stations (Maqåmåt) for you without my knowing their reality (Haqiqah). No!
First of all I followed that path and saw what it was.
I learned those Realities and Secrets which may be found along it, and I worked my way along it until I obtained the Knowledge of Certainty (’11mu’l-Yaqin), the Eye of Certainty (‘Ainu’l-Yaqin) and the Truth of Certainty (Haqqu’l-Yaqin). Only then do I speak to you, giving you a taste, as it were, of that which I have tasted, until I am able to make you reach that station without tiring you and without difficulties.”
Our Master Abü Bakr As-Siddiq (May Allah be pleased with him!) asked the Pride of all Existing Beings, our Master Muhammed (Peace be upon him!) about the meaning of the phrase ‘Ajalu’l-Karåmåt’ (the appointed time for miracles) and he replied:
“As long as success remains.” (Dawåmu’-Tawfiq).
And what is the meaning of ‘Dawåmu’t-Tawfiq’?
It is that the Murid should keep to his Wazifah and Should obey the orders of his Murshid without veering either to the right or to the left.
Flying in the sky or walking on water, entering into fire untouched or knowing the secrets of people’s hearts are not praiseworthy miracles since Satan also possesses these gifts. With the People of Reality such miracles are never counted as being of the desirable kind, and our Naqshbandi Brethren compare these miracles to a woman’s menstruation, saying:
“The Miracle of Walis is the Menstruation of Men.”
The Masters of our Naqshbandi Order do not openly perform miracles even if skinned alive or tortured to death. Our Sheikh, Maulana Abdullah al-Fa’iz (May Allah sanctify his secret!) says:
“My tongue is the tongue of the Secret of the Shari’ah and of the Secret of the Qur’an.”
Then he asked a question, saying:
“Who are the bearers and protectors of the Qur’an (i.e. Huffaz)?
The bearers and protectors of the Qur’an are those who set foot in all these Stations and know them with true understanding. And is it not right, my children that I should indicate to you that you should follow this path so that you may reach and discover these Stations?”
And now I shall show you the Adab of the Awrad, and it is by means of these Awrad that you will attain the Gnosis of those Stations, this you will achieve by keeping to these Awrad. And they are of two kinds:
- those for the People of Determination (Ahlu’l-Aza’im), and
- the second kind is for those who are not able to practice the first kind.
