The Teachings of Sahibul Sayf Shaykh Abdulkerim

By Shaykh Abdulkerim Al-Kibrisi

''There are actors and actresses who are acting. In reality, this world is a theater and we have all been given something to act for. If we understand what has been given to us and we act according to it, then we are the winner. We will find safety.''

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Dec 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781483545226

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day."

COME LIKE AN EMPTY CUP

BismillahirRahmanirRahim

Association is important for people who are looking to find ways to get rid of their own wrong characteristics and try to become better ones. Association does not give anything to people who are arrogant and stubborn. It does not give anything to people who come to the association thinking they know so much; it only raises their arrogance and stubbornness. They take everything we say and try to understand it according to their own egoistic understanding. It is impossible to understand what the Prophets were speaking, or to understand the people who inherited secrets from the Prophets through the ego.

It does not matter if you are with the Shaykh for one day, one year, ten years or a hundred years. Every sohbet comes with different secrets in their own times. The Shaykh may be giving the same sohbet every day, but every day different secrets are revealed. If you come and say that you already know this, then you will not take anything. If you come here like a full cup, you will not take anything. The cup is full; whatever you put, it is not going to take it. If you throw out the tea and bring the cup here empty then you are going to find your cup getting filled again. Every time you are tasting from that cup you are going to know that it is different than before. But if a person comes full, then he will take only what he brought. Nothing else.

SUFISM

BismillahirRahmanirRahim

In Sufism, our masters teach us that if a sufi is walking in the street and sees a stone, he can not kick it aside. He should show respect to bend down to take it and to put it on the side, thinking that someone may step on it and fall down. It may be a blind man, he can not see. So you move that stone. But you can not move that stone by kicking it aside; you have to bend down, remember your Creator’s name, as you take it and put it aside.

That is the main teaching in Islam about Sufism. And that is how a Sufi should be. There are so many books written about Sufism. So many ideas are coming out saying that Sufism came in the 800s, or 400, 500, 700 years after the Prophet (saw) passed. Sufism is through the Prophet (saw). He and his companions were living Sufism, without a name. Their lifestyle was Sufi.

Of course, we do not find such a situation today. There are some people, the Awliya, who live like this but they hide themselves in the corner and the streets are left to those who go tyrannize people. There is a divine secret in this. Allah (swt) orders us to be good ones, to be true ones. First, to test and check our own selves. To make ourselves to be good ones. Then to try to reach to others without distinction.

The constant aim is to please their Lord first. Priority is to please their Lord. Priority is to worship as much as they can and to not to have empty time. And to remember Allah (swt) through their hearts, remembering through His Divine Names. Sit together, pray together, and do not have much of the worldly pleasures or treasures to run after. The main aim is to make your Lord to be happy with you. To prepare yourself for the hereafter life, because this life is only passing.

So, instead of running after materialism and being a capitalist, you spend your time with your Lord. Remember Him more. The more dhikr you make, the more you go into seclusion then you will be able to reach to one step in this world and one step in the hereafter. You will become a bridge. Preparing yourself to leave this life when your time comes - quickly and easily.

This is the main teaching in Sufism. For a man to try to build himself. How to look and what to expect and what to send to the other life. Because this world is the ground for the Paradise. Whatever we plant here is what we are going to collect on the other side.

SHAYKH NAZIM AL-HAKKANI

BismillahirRahmanirRahim

There was once a rebel who decided to become a good servant. He went to the Tariqat. He saw the Shaykh sitting and teaching people hadith and ayats. Everyone was obeying the Shaykh. The rebel sat there the first day, second day, third day... Then he said, This association is not for me. It is too boring.’’ Because this person was a rebel. I have to find another Shaykh. He found another Shaykh. He sees the murids sitting, making dhikr and the Shaykh is making dhikr too. No hadith, no ayat, nothing. They were just making dhikr. He said, ‘‘This is better.’’ But after a while the rebel started getting tired there also. He said, This Tariqat is not for me. Again I have to look for something else.’’ He went to another place and found a Shaykh sitting in rabita, making dhikr; his murids were divided. One group of murids at a corner, talking nonsense while another group was sitting, trying to learn hadith. Another group was sitting, trying to learn ayats while another group was sitting, making dhikr. One group was sitting with someone telling a story while the others listen. Another group was backbiting, slandering; another group was sitting and arguing with each other. Another group was picking fights with each other. The rebel said, "I found my place. This is my place and that is