'The Barriers from Al-Mohaimen are four' (qasida 5:16)

This is the motto of this section, which is for talking about the barriers that cuts off the Moslems' relations with Allah [Al-Mohaimen which is a name of Allah that means the Dominant who controls everything]. We need to know these barriers in order for us to be able to avoid or rectify them in our path to Allah.

This section started with a question from one of our viewers, which he sent to the Discussion page. We then found out that it is a big issue that needs more extensive discussion. We found a book made out of a research conducted by a group of brothers which took them 2 years to complete. This book discusses this subject extensively from the point of view of sayyidi Fakhraddin because it was made with the help of some of his older companions. The book's title is "al-Morshid al-Wagis" which means [the summarized guide].

You can find all special expressions in the Glossary. We need your comments to develop this site for you.

This is a continuation, from a previous issues, to the subject of the barriers from al-Mohaimen. we were talking about the first barrier which is the inner-self. We found that the the inner-self has seven selves. Now we talk about the other barriers:

Subjectivity, Satan and Worldly life

As previously mentioned, the path to Allah is based on true intentions and persistent self-Jihad. You have to know that an honest seeker must truly love his sheikh, because he is his guide. Whoever does not follow his guide gets lost and perishes. You also have to know that the presence of the path is like the presence of Allah, so one has to clean himself from all internal and external sins in order for him to get into it. Otherwise, one will be like praying without ablution. Definitely, his prayers will be unacceptable. It has been said that there are four factors that keep us far from Allah; self, Satan, worldly life, and Subjectivity (self-desires). In fact, these four are interconnected. They are just distinguished in order for us to realize how dangerous our duty is. Self-Jihad is the same as fighting Satan and the worldly life. They all have the same kingdom; heart. The heart is located under the left breast and looks like an onion. Under the right breast, the kingdom of spirit is located. Sometimes, when the seeker’s heart is cleaned from jealousy and his human characteristics are replaced by divine ones, he imagines that he has ended his path and starts feeling secure, the fact which makes him in a great danger. However, if he is an honest seeker, Allah will bestow fear upon him so that he returns to his path again. Mawlana Fakhraddin said:

[When they start feeling secure     Allah bestows fear upon them]

What we try to clarify here is that there are different things- besides his self- the seeker has to fight. One still has to face Satan, the worldly life and self-desires. If one relies only on fighting his self, his elevation will stop and his heart will be gradually closed again. Therefore, Allah warned us when he said: [But whosoever will turn away from my Reminder, his will lead a strait life, and on the Day of Resurrection We shall raise him up blind ¤ He will say, ‘My Lord, why hast Thou raised me up blind, while I possessed sight before? ¤ God will say, ‘Thus it was to be; Our Signs came to thee, and thou didst disregard them; and in like manner wilt thou be disregarded this day]. Taha 20:124-127.

Mawlana Fakhraddin urges us to continue jihad and Dhkir, when he says:

[Fill your time with Dhikr which    

Heals hearts so that they will be inflamed with my love]

If the seeker perishes in Dhikr, the Divine will be revealed to him, because his heart becomes the home of the Truth. It has been said:

[The closer I get to Him      The more He becomes my hearing, my sight and my hand]

[If I see, I only see through Him          If I hit, its Him who helped me]

[My will is His will and my command is His        command, I have reached my goals]

In this case, the seeker moves from the tightness of [Remember me] to the vastness of [I remember you]. Then the more he drinks, the more he is thirsty, and the more he is close the more he is longing. In this rank, sayyda Rabe'a al-Adawaya said:

[I reached a closeness never attained by any Mujahid

I sip from a cup whose drink is Halal]

[How can You be disregarded by creature,

When Your beauty puzzles all minds?!]

[Some of those minds get lost and some are guided

and here You are the cup and You are the drink]

Mawlana Fakhraddin said:

[We were remembering and now we are remembered

And this is another gift we have seen]

Before we proceed, we should stop by the following quranic verse; [Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His Light is as a lustrous niche, wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as it were a glittering star. It is lit from a blessed tree- an olive- neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would well-nigh glow forth even though fire touched it not. Light upon light! Allah guides to His Light whosoever He will.  And Allah sets forth parables to men, and Allah knows all things full well ¤ In houses with regard to which Allah has ordained that they be exalted and that His name be remembered (Dhikr) in them] an-Nour 23:35-36. 

Mawlana Fakhraddin said that the niche is the chest and the lamp is the light of the name [Allah]. The glass means the distress surrounding the heart. When the seeker keeps his Dhikr, his heart will be enlightened by the name of [Allah]. When the light completes, the lamp will be lit and the distress turns into energy. The heart will be like the Sun or the moon; “a glittering star”.  The blessed tree from which the light is lit is a metaphor for prophet Mohammad [PPBUH]. [Light upon light] means the light from which Prophet Mohammad is created and the light he has brought which is religion. [In houses with regard to which Allah has ordained that they be exalted and that His name be remembered in them] indicates hearts and elevating souls. 

We have to know why Allah asks us to do Dhikr His name [Allah] in particular and why he gives us an example of His light. We also need to know the reality of this kingdom named heart and who its king, ministers, and soldiers are.  Is the king Satan, worldly life, or subjectivity? No one disagrees that those three are man’s enemies. Allah condemns Satan in [Surely Satan is an enemy to you; so take him as an enemy. He calls his followers only that they may become inmates of the burning fire] Fatir 35:6, the worldly life in [O ye men, assuredly the promise of Allah is true, so let not the life of the world deceive you, nor let the Deceiver deceive you with respect to Allah] Fatir 35:5, and the self-desires in [But if they answer thee not, then know that they only follow their subjectivity. And who is more erring than he who follows his subjectivity without any guidance from Allah? Verily Allah guides not the unjust people] al-Qasas 28:50. Since Allah condemns them separately, we has to distinguish between them and also between the ranks of Islam.

Mawlana Fakhraddin said that religion is based on three ranks: Islam, Faith and Ihsan [Excellence]. Islam is the knowledge of Truth and its worship is physical with organs. Faith is the eye of Truth and its worship is through heart. Ihsan is the truth of Truth and its worship is through soul. You can also say that Islam is Shari'a and Fiqh words, Faith is Tariqa and original words, Ihsan is the Truth and true words. You can also see that you need to have them all not just one of them.

To be continued

Written by al-Morshid al-Wagis group

Translated by Nahed