salaaams

Diagams & Text Muraqbah Shadhaili Way




Spiritual health warning PLEASE DONT TRY THIS WITHOUT 'I'jaza ..! Thank you please consult a Shaykh of Tariqah

Intro by Muhammad Sajad Ali Qadiri- a simple understanding of what Muraqabah --Science of Sufi Meditation or technique to meditate. These are some references i've found to make it easy to explain Method of Practising Muraqabah.

Muraqaba --Science of Sufi Meditation or technique to meditate. Its more like visualization/image practice based on the Name of Allah or the Shaykh!

The wise say –‘Wisdom is inherited through Silence and reflection’ so know that great power comes in this form.

In Muraqbah- one needs to do dhikr and then concentrate- make a mental attention or focus by picturing the Shaykh and keep on contemplating on this!

....Muraqaba is the name of that contemplation through which man is able to gain the knowledge which is the primordial knowledge of his Ego, Self, or Soul. After gaining that knowledge, any man can gain access to his Ego or Soul. ....

... muraqabah, where he or she sets aside some private time to sit and reflect on Allah. In this exercise the salik strives to empty the heart of all thoughts and imagines the blessings and mercy of Allah entering the heart and erasing its darkness. As if in gratitude to being cleansed of darkness the heart joyfully calls out the Name of Allah over and over again… Allah! Allah! Allah!

A general scientific principle states that whenever a vacuum is created, something comes in to fill it and therefore the vacuum does not stay as is. Similarly when we sit and strive to remove all thoughts from our heart the aim is to create a void that will hopefully be filled with thoughts of Allah.

Darkness and light cannot coexist in the same space. Hence the more we strive to rid our hearts of filth, the hope is that divine light, goodness and blessing will enter to replace the darkness that was there. This is why it is extremely important to do muraqabah in abundance. Wherever in the Holy Quran we find the command to practice dhikr, the word is accompanied with the adjective signifying abundance (dhikr-e-kathir).....

"One hour of meditation {muraqabah} is better than 70 years of worship." ....

...Muraqaba. The invocation of the Supreme Name with deep contemplation and stillness until the falling away of the attributes and the secret is revealed. The secret of muraqaba is mushahada (That is, the secret of watching is witnessing.)

below is text is from the book which explains Muraqabah


bOOK REF: - The school of the Shadhdhuliyyah: Volume 1

Contemplation in the Light of Remembrance
al-Muraqabah fi Nuri-dh-Dhikr

The process of absorption in, and internalisation of, the Wird is generally known as muraqabah {inward contemplation} and occurs in three stages: Rotation, Circulation and Fixing. These stages, when successfully traversed, coincide with a process of transmutation in which the fallen {'asfala safilin} and renegade self is restored to its original high state {'ahsan taqwim}. This process is known as 'the return of the exile'.

Among the teachings and methods contained in Volume II {Origins} are some of the ways and the means that this 'journey', by the Grace of Allah, is accomplished. We have referred to it in English in terms of the constituent elements of the process {Rotation, Circulation and Fixing} in order to avoid confusion with other meanings which apply to the term muraqabah. Yet it is the same.

It must be understood that if one hopes to prepare the 'house' of the heart in order that its True Lord may take up residence, the foundations must be carefully laid. The basic prescriptions of 'Islam {the shahadatayn, the salah, the zakah, the sawm, the hajj} all serve to bring about a state of equilibrium {nidham} or balance {tawazun} which is the foundation for a spiritual life. The circulation of the remembrance is the internalisation of the shahadatayn, the basis of spiritual jihad {mujahadat an-nafs}, and the way of purification. It is what connects and ties the foundation together.

Before proceeding to explain the method whereby the Dhikr is made first to rotate and then to circulate throughout the bodies of the self, we must explain the 'backward' flowing motion. Simply put it is the motion of returning all things to the 'heart': the movement from without to within. It is analogous to Arabic writing which proceeds from the right and moves toward the 'heart' in contradistinction to Western writing which proceeds from the left, or the heart side, and moves 'outward'. It also counters the direction of 'clock time'; a 'time' which, in the effloresence of its decay, is the decomposition of an 'earlier' time and a profanation of the eternal 'present' referred to by Allah in His saying,

"Surely We created man in the best of forms {'ahsan taqwim} and then We reduced him to the lowest of the low {'asfala safilin}." {94:4-5}. This 'turning back' [tawbah} is the defeat of the Babylonian and Pharaonic magic [as-sihr} by which Pharaoh, the outer surrogate 'ruler' who has usurped the prerogatives of the inner spiritual king, seeks in order to preserve and perpetuate his 'rule', to drown all the 'male' children of the believers in the indifferent uniformity of the river 'time' that traverses his secular one-dimensional flat-land world in which only the 'normal' survive.

The 'normal' being those willing to deny their heritage and accept, conform to and strive for the rewards of a world in which only that which can be physically apprehended is 'real' and who, above all, do not wish to know they are lost and in exile. Meaning, in the words of Allah: "Striving for increase in worldly things you are distracted until you come to your graves. Then you shall know. Then shall you know. Then shall you know with the knowledge of certainty." {102:1-5}

From a 'scientific' perspective this 'backward' inward flowing motion is the functional reversal of the second law of thermodynamics which postulates the continual decay, degeneration and disintegration of all things: a clockwise, 'outflowing' or 'downflowing' motion, an external descent into barren vain 'actions' and unconscious 'activities'. The 'backward' or 'inflowing' motion, on the other hand, is integrative in intent and by nature; it seeks to return the self to its source and origin, to restore the throne and kingdom to its rightful and true ruler: to return from dispersion to collectedness, from motion to stillness, from agitation to tranquillity, from noise to silence, from shadows to the light, from the many to the One.

A prerequisite of this practice is the active observation in spirit and letter of the five fara'id prescribed by Allah in the Law [ash-shari'ah}, the daily recital of Qur'anic readings and the integration into the pattern of daily life of the awrad and wadha'if prescribed by the shaykh. The aspirant must know that taking on such practices from outside the Law is a barren exercise which only serves to strengthen the nafs and is counter-productive. In some rare cases it may yield positive results but most often it leads, due to lack of guidance, to the experience of dead-end psychic phenomena.

The Method of Practising Muraqabah

The one who seeks to practice the Circulation must be in a state of ritual purity {wudu') with especial attention given that the mouth and nasal passages are clear of any filth or obstruction. The ideal garments are loose and non-binding. One should be comfortably seated on a rug or blanket {or a chair if necessary} facing the qiblah as in salah or when reading Qur'an and lightly anointed with a pleasant smelling natural scent [tib or 'itr}.

The light should be subdued, the space unfrequented by comings and goings {later, when the dhikr rotates of its own accord, 'place' is of less importance}. The best times are the deep watches of the night, after the Fajr Salah on returning from the masjid, or in the gloaming between Maghrib and 'Isha'.

In sitting the right foot should, if possible, be placed on the left calf and the hands should rest lightly in the lap or on the knees. Gathering oneself together and raising one's two hands before one's face one recites three times the accompanying ayat, kalimat and ad'iya on the breath into one's upraised hands with the intention of creating a safeguard against idle or evil thoughts . Upon completion the hands should be passed over the face and the body. Every effort should be made to preserve {hifdh} these selections upon the heart eliminating the need to direct the glance outward.

See below for recites three times the accompanying ayat, kalimat and ad'iya

Taking refuge within this zone of safety one concentrates on the centre of the sole or the big toe of the right foot and begins from there to draw a deep smooth breath concentrating on the words LA 'ILLAHA 'ILLA LLAHU in a rotating circle, and at the same time visualizing that the breath one is drawing into the core of oneself is rising, purifying, harmonizing and suffusing the entire body with radiance and a silent resonance.



Circulation of the 'Dhiki { seen from zuithin }

This breath, drawn through the right nostril, must traverse the body until it reaches, with the sound of HUW, that point between and slightly above the eyes known as the heavenly heart. At this point the breath should be retained like a drop of water on the tip of a leaf and then be smoothly released through the left nostril, traversing in its descent the whole body and all of its centres and flowing out through the sole or big toe of the left foot.

The words and sound attached to the downflow are MUHAMMADU-R-RASULU-LLAH which arrives at its destination and departs the body on the sound of AH. As it descends one visualizes that the entire subtle body {latifah qalaibiyyah} is being washed and purified. The subtle matrix upon which the outer physical body is formed is the barzakh body built of the sum total of one's lifetime impressions; it is the body which survives the physical body, {not the true resurrection body} {Introduction pp 91-93}, in which one dwells in the barzakh until the Day of Resurrection.

Note: Introduction pp 91-93 notes will at added the End plus seven centers daigram

After a number of cycles {varying from person to person} one senses a gathering tension or condensation in the heavenly heart often accompanied by a tingling of the hairs of the body and a feeling as of a gentle breeze blowing over the skin. Simultaneously there is a sense that the breath is breathing itself, harmoniously rising and falling, and the words revolve passing in and out of their own volition. One is being breathed rather than breathing. This is the 'shift' point' where one gently 'shifts' upward and inward.

If, in the process of 'shifting', one notes a falling off of smoothness in concentration accompanied by incoming random thoughts then one should 'fall' back down to the starting point. This holds true for all 'shifts'. The main function of the practice until the inner heart centre is reached is emptying' in which, by a process of substitution, the internal dross of the subtle mold and its desire centre is cleansed by the pure waters of LA 'ILAHA 'ILLA ALLAHU.

In this phase MUHAMMADUR-RASULU-LLAH acts as a carrier bearing away impurities by the pureness of his being, blessings of Allah and peace be upon him. In the phases that follow as one moves to the heart {qalb} and from the qalb to the secret {sirr} and from the sirr to the spirit {ruh} and so on within and throughout all the various centres of the subtle body, MUHAMMADUR-RASULU-LLAH functions in the capacity of Messenger to the various 'selfs' of one's being, bringing the message of the 'Islam of voluntary self-surrender to Allah and deep peace, the 'Iman of complete trust, and the 'Ihsan of pure goodness.

There has come to you a Messenger from among your selfs grievous to him is your suffering; anxious is he over you, gentle to the believers, compassionate {9:128}

In the course of the inward journey one reaches different centres. Each is a universe; each must in turn surrender and submit. Each individual cycle begins with negating the contingent reality of that centre with LA 'ILAHA then passing 'upward' through the horizon of 'ILLA followed by the affirmation of the higher by The Highest: ALLAH, subhanahu wa ta'ala. Halting {waqaf} at that point, one then 'returns' from that ascension [ma'raj] as the praised one MUHAMMAD, blessings and peace be upon him, the RASUL of ALLAH, with the message of voluntary surrender to Allah. Each centre in turn surrenders, becomes 'Muslim', finds peace and says AH. The 'self of each centre returns to its original state of 'Islam and thus does one negate and transmute all that is contingent in the Face of the Absolute.

Through grace and, usually, with time and the deepening of one's practice, an entirely new phase commences. This is the phase of the rotation of the light and the circulation of the remembrance throughout one's entire body When the fragmented self of agitation, unfulfilled desires and egoic assertion has been gradually transmuted into the empty silent, translucent and tranquil self there begins the rotation of the light of the dhikr. This marks the middle stage between the Circulation of Remembrance and the Rooting of the Names.

There are many ways in which this is experienced but a few generalities may be stated. First the rotation and circulation of the light of the dhikr in no way has anything to do with the seeing of bright iridescent coloured lights. Neither does it have to do with the appearance of successions of thoughts no matter how profound nor does it have to do with sinking into ashes, darkness or the cold.

The first is the cave of fantasy and a trap of infinite regress, the second and the third are polar extremes which are the realms of fiery air and waterous earth. In the realm of 'fiery air' one is assailed by an unending succession of thoughts occurring one upon the heels of the other in which one imagines the solution or resolution of all questions and problems. In the realm of 'waterous earth' all things sink in abysmal negation, denial, and refusal. It may be an 'end' to the world of the ten-thousand things but it is a dead and barren end.

The true signs of the circulation of the dhikr are a sense of purity and cleanliness radiating outward suffusing the entire body with freshness, and a kind of lightness akin to the intoxication of the Garden wherein, -There they are given a cup of a tincture of Zanjabil, the water from the spring whose name is Salsabil- {76:17-19} -There wait upon them immortal youths with goblets and ewers and a cup from a pure spring wherefrom they get no throbbing or madness- {56:17-19}. One's body feels strong and sound; a great peace pervades the being. The clear golden light of the full moon is reflected shining in the still silver water. Opening one's eyes one looks out upon all things with great compassion; the rose blooms. These are signs of the circulation of the light of remembrance.


Once the light has begun to circulate throughout the body the dhikr rotates by its own accord. Whenever one returns to the concentration is as though one had not gone anywhere. In this way the dhikr becomes easy and without effort. Indeed any effort at this point is counter-productive. This 'Cessation of Self-Direction' requires the utmost subtle and delicate sensitivity to what is in fact the internal reconciliation {'islah} with, renewal {tajdid} of, and rebirth {'ihya} as a being of light which is one's malakuti self, of which this worldly self is but a shadow and witness. It is a re-birth in one's form of "Surely We created man in the best of forms" {95:6} brought about by the re-turn {tawbah} to Allah through remembrance of the Truth of Existence and one's Original Nature.

Rooting the Two Names
Tathbitul-'ismayin


'ashhadu 'al-l-la 'ilaha 'illa-'llah

wa'ashhadu 'anna muhammad an 'abaduhu wa rasuluh.

Just as we must consider both dimensions of the shahadatayn so also must we consider the two names: one absolute and the other contingent. One is: Allah, exalted is He above all things. The other is His Messenger, Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him. This 'Fixing' or 'Rooting' of the Two Names marks the third stage in this practice of contemplation {muraqabah} and visualization {tasawwur}. We have reproduced at the end of this section a visual aid for the practitioner intent upon the 'fixing' of the two Names.

When the dhikr carried on the breath rotates of its own accord, and the light of that dhikr spreads and suffuses throughout the body, then does there dawn the first of the Names: the light of the Name of Allah, Jalla Jalaluhu. This Light is neither fantasy {as in the cave of the moving pictures of the mind} nor photism {iridescent scintillation}. It dawns in the heavenly heart between the two eyes of the HUW. We have referred in many places to the Doctrine of Transparency or the Doctrine of Disappearance.

Whilst its outer 'work' is, in the words of Shaykh Ibn 'Ata'Illah, to "Bury your existence in the earth of obscurity " when the 'seed' of that existence has been buried and germinates then does their bloom within the self, unseen to the world, the golden flower, effulgent and radiant with the Light of Sublime Attraction [jadhbu-jaldl}. The boat reaches the shore; clouds disappear; the heart shines forth in the silent sea of light.

When the light of the Name of Allah first begins to dawn, the breath should be shifted from the circular rotation of the dhikr of {LA 'ILAHA 'ILLA-LLAHU • MUHAMMADUR-RASULU-LLAH} to the breath of ALLAH in through the right nostril held in the heavenly or spiritual heart and released as HU through the left nostril.

One must be completely still and allow the breath to come and go as the Light of the Name begins to rise from behind the mountain peaks of the pass to the far distant land. When the effulgent name of Majesty rises in all fulness in the heavenly heart it sends out its solar rays both suffusing and attracting. The effect of this is the disappearance {fana } of the contemplator who, in the flood of that light of sublimity, simply ceases to be, as in the meaning of the words of Allah: "Everything upon it will vanish. Yet still shall there remain the Presence of your Lord, Powerful, Glorious." {55:27}

There arises here the question of what happens to those who are so overcome that they cannot return and it is for this reason that at the very beginning of one's practice of the Circulation of the Light of Remembrance and the Fixing of the Two Names one should spend some time every day in outer contemplation of the Two Names as we have shown them here if one is truly concerned with 'returning'.

This 'contemplation' and 'visualization' should include writing the Names and, if possible, colouring them. It is also an excellent idea to have them made in stained glass or painted on glass so that the light can shine through them rather than on them as there is considerable difference between what we may term 'light on' and 'light through' in terms of the mimetic quality of the light cognate to the experience. Needless.

:)




Allah Gold and Muhammad (pbuh) Silver

In viewing the Names externally their polar nature is clear; this is also an indication of function. The Name of ALLAH appears in what we may call –‘Gold- on a –Red’ ground whereas the name MUHAMMAD, blessings and peace be upon him, appears in -Silver- on a -Green- ground.






The -return- from -disappearance- is by way of the Messenger, blessings and peace be upon him, and his light, the nuri-1-muhammad, which exerts the attraction of beauty {jadhbu-jamal} coolness and rest for the eyes, accompanied by the overwhelming compassion of, "We have no, sent you but as a mercy for all the world," ( 21:1071 )

This practice rides on the breath of MUHAMMAD in through the right nostril whilst simultaneously it is seen written across the breast from the latifah sirriyah to the latifah qalbiyyah in silver on a green ground with RASULU-LLAH on the out breath through the left nostril bathing and cooling the -body- Alternatively there is the rotation of the four letters MiM, HA, MiM, DAL in a diamond proceeding from the Latifah Ruhiyyah to the Latifah Sirriyah to the Latifah ‘Atifiyyah and ending in the Latifah Qalbiyyah.

The letters move in procession around the throne {al-'arsh of the Latifah Qalbiyyah Mun ‘akisah which is the reflection of the Heavenly Heart {Qalbiyyah Malakutiyyah} in the void that exists between those four spheres (figure 18)

In that void the Name of ALLAH radiates forth reflected in the well of one's being from the Hidden Self of the Latifah Khafiyyah Here we touch upon the internal actualization of the ayat of Light in Suratu-n-Nur (24:35-7) (p. 290) and the mystery of the lamp, the glass, the oil, the light itself and its unique polar nature being neither of the East nor of the West.

Please understand these intimations ('isharat} are in no way to be considered exclusive or limiting. The map we have provided is but an imperfect guide to the Subtle Body which is vast and exists in many different times and spaces a veritable mansion of many rooms; it is not a -thing-, rather it is an ‘interspace’ in which life is lived both in this world and the world ‘between’ where you are seated inside the lamp of your self gazing out through the glass upon which the Name is written.

Shaykh Nuri Muhammad says, -At the time of death, the tongue of man is parched; limbs and senses begin to fail. If in his lifetime the seeker has practised rooting the Name of Allah in himself, submerging his being in Its radiance and has revived his heart thereby he will surely come to know the value and the price of that blessed occupation at the critical time of death when through the esoteric concentration on His Name all the etheric personalities {al-lata’if}, the skin, the limbs, the hairs make dhikr of Allah and vigorously shout out, Allah, Huw Allah Huw Allah and the whole body sings until the Name of Allah is heard from every vein and tissue, from every cell and atom Blessed ,s the end of such a person.

Shaytan cannot approach and when Munkir and Nakar come to ask their questions the man gets up and the Name of Allah is written in shining light on his forehead and breast, both palms and soles The angels are astonished saying, -You need not answer the questions for your blessed being is the answer."

In closing we must say something about HUW in its function as the voice of Being itself and the Essence of the Secret unveiled in the Hadith Qudsi: -My slave does not cease to draw near to me through devotions of his free will until I love him; and when I love him, I am the Hearing by which he hears and the Sight by which he sees, the Hand by which he grasps and the Foot upon which he walks.- (reported by Imam Bukhari).

It is the hinge between the Transcendent {tanzih} and the Immanent (tashbih} {p 23); between the annihilation of non-being and the ipseity of being So All we have written are words - -tears shed on the shore of the sea of non-existence- as our Shaykh Sidi Abul-Hasan ash-Shadhdhuli says, may Allah sanctify his secret.

The practice of this inner contemplation and visualization is altogether other. There is nothing written here that does not refer to an experiential reality but the writing is not the reality. Those wishing to -see for themselves- should implement the practice. As the Shaykh says; -Say Allah and you shall see wonders." May Allah forgive us and have mercy on us and He is the Best of Knowers. waAllahu 'a'lam.

Read threes time before entering into Muraqabah and each evening before sleep:

Note: Introduction pp 91-93 notes will at added the End plus seven centers daigram

This just the diagram note to be added

Have you not seen how the ships glide upon the sea by the grace of Allah that He might show you His signs? Truly therein are signs for every steadfast and grateful {heart}." {31:31} "Have they not seen the birds above them spreading their wings?" {67:19} "Have they not seen how Allah wafts the clouds, then gathers them and you see the rain come forth from them?" {24:43} "Have you not seen the water you drink?" {56:68} "Have you not seen how Allah makes the night enter into the day?" {31:297 } "Have they not seen how Allah increases and decreases their portion?" {30:37} "Have they not seen how every thing in the heavens and the earth praises Allah?" {24:41}

When one comes to understand and know that Revelation is ongoing and constant by 'seeing' that, in Reality, Revelation is taking place all around one, then it is possible to begin to 'read' the Qur'an, for as much as the signs in the external world are dynamic and ecstatic, equally are the internal signs of the Book dynamic and ecstatic. We have alluded to this earlier when we wrote about the prophets, peace be upon them all, existing not only in their historical reality but in their internal hierohistorical reality.

One blessed with knowledge and understanding knows with certainty that all that takes place in the Qur'an takes place within the vastness of one's own self. In this way the Qur'an is not simply a Book revealed 1400 years ago but a Book that is 'revealed' in the eternal present of one's own being. The stories of the prophets and their preaching to the unbelievers do not only report or record historical events but they are the internal perpetual recapitulation of the 'prophets' contained in each self and their preachments to all those unbelieving parts of one's own self that deny the Truth. The floods, the exodus, the hijra, the battles, the angels descending and ascending, the entirety of the Revelation is also an internal event but one reserved to those of knowledge and understanding {' ulu 'albab}.

And it is not only the events but the very words and letters which are composites of our being. Consider carefully the meaning of the words that Sayyidah 'A'ishah, may Allah be content with her, said concerning the nature of her husband, the Unlettered Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace of Allah upon him: "He was the Qur'an walking." Reflect deeply upon the meaning of, "There has come to you a Messenger from your selves {anfusikum}." {9:128p} In Surah 17 there is a portion of ayah 107 which speaks of those given knowledge {'utu-l-'ilm}: "When they hear it {al-Qur'an) they fall down on their faces prostrating."

Sahl al-Tustari says in his Tafsir, "When the worshipful slave {'abd} truly hears {sami'a} then his inner self {sirr} becomes humble. His heart is illuminated and his limbs and organs {jawarih} become submissive (tadhllul} and they are constrained {inqiyad}." Allah has thus created in each being an outer self {dhahir} and its 'life' is praise {hamd} and thankfulness [shukr] and He has created an inner self [sirr} and its 'life' is remembrance {dhikr}. Both have their duties {huquq} and these are acts of obedience [td 'ah}. In reference to the subject of 'how?' and 'where?' direct witnessing {mushahadah}, contemplation {muraqabah} and seeing {mu'ayanah} take place, al-Tustari says, "Are you not aware that the slave {'abd} sees the Truth [yandhura ila-l-haqq} only due to a subtle substance {latifah} which is connected to his heart {qalb}? It is neither manifest {mukawwanah} nor is it created {makhluqah}.

It is neither united {mawsulah} {to Allah} nor is it separated {maqtu'ah} {from Allah}. It is an absolute secret {sirr min sirr ila sirr} and an ultimate mystery {ghayb min ghayb ila ghayb}." Very few written references exist concerning the science which surrounds the subtle organs {lataif} of the spiritual body that 'hear' and in hearing, say, "We hear and we obey," {2:285} {figures 2, 17 & 18} as this is usually an oral transmission within the core practice of the muraqabah {internal contemplation or watching of the self} {pp 321 -333}.

Earlier {p 72} we made mention of the two dimensions of the physical body {jism and jasad}. Briefly the jism is the body considered in the light of its existence as an animated organism and the jasad is the body considered in the light of its existence as form and dimension. These two aspects of the body have in turn both their inner and outer dimensions. Thus we can say that the outer jism contains the liver, heart, brain, organs of perception and so forth and the inner jism contains subtle organs that are corollaries of the various outer organs but of a refined subtle {latif} nature.

Equally we can speak of the outer jasad which is the multi-dimensional 'form' by which one is recognised and the inner jasad which is the subtle form {the paradisal body} by which one is 'known' in the spiritual realms. In this instance we will be discussing the inner form of the jism which contains the lataif {organs} which 'read' the signs {ayat} of the four books of revelation: the Qur'an preserved in the mushaf {al-qur'an at-tadwini], the signs in our selves {nufus}, the signs written in the earth and those which appear on the horizons, the latter three of which are known as al-qur'an at-takwini.

continue

Note: Introduction pp 91-93 notes will at added the End plus seven centers daigram


The first inner organ of perception is the latifah qalabiyyah {the subtle mould; see figures 17 & 18}, the 'Adamic subtle body within the physical body. This subtle body is not the eternal body but rather it, in turn, is the spiritually opaque form connected to the soul {nafs} that veils the true eternal resurrection body or which is connected to the spirit {ruh}.

The latifah qalabiyyah is the vehicle for the self as the eternal body is the vehicle for the spirit and is, in conjunction with the soul {nafs}, the 'barzakh body' between the outer perishable body and the most internal eternal body . It is this combination of the self {nafs} and the subtle matrix {latifah qalabiyyah} which survives the outer perishable body and exists in the interspace {barzakh} between this world and the resurrection world. Through its vital connection with the soul {nafs} we are brought to the second inner organ of perception.

The latifah nafsiyyah is the battleground on which the spiritual jihad {mujahadat an-nafs} is fought out, the world in which Sayyidina Nuh, peace be upon him, must build the Ark to survive the internal deluge. We can distinguish eight dimensions of this organ: the unregenerate self {an-nafsu-l-ammara} of uncontrolled desires and passion; the admonishing self {an-nafsu-l-lawwamah} which in simplistic terms is the conscience; the clarified self {nafs sdfiyyah} representing the self or soul when the admonishing self has overcome the unregenerate self; the inspired self {an-nafs al-mulhamah}

which is the self which is in contact with the fourth subtle organ {latifah sirriyyah}; the pacified or tranquil self {nafs al-mutama innah} which is in contact with the fifth subtle organ {latifah ruhiyyah}; the contented self {nafs mardiyyah} which is in contact with the sixth subtle organ {latifah khafiyyah}; the accepted self {an-nafsu-r-radiyyah} which is in contact with the seventh subtle organ {latifah haqqiqiyyah} and the perfected self {an-nafsu-l-kamilah} which is the self in contact with the Self, first in the Malakut and, symetrically, on the planes of Jabarut, Lahut and Hahut.

The latifah qalbiyyah {the subtle heart} is that organ referred to by the Prophet, blessings of Allah and peace be upon him, when he said, "Within the body is an organ which, when it is sound the entire body is sound, and which, when it is spoiled, the entire body is spoiled." Within it the initial victory over the nafs takes place; it is the 'buffer' between the lower and higher selves. If victory is not won here, there is no access to the higher dimensions of the subtle self except for brief flashes, "As often as it flashes forth they walk in the (light) and when it becomes dark they stand still." {2:20p}

It is within this organ in a process akin to that undergone by 'Ibarahim, peace be upon him, when he comprehended only Allah and neither the stars nor the moon nor the sun were worthy of worship {6:76-80}, that the self gains its first certainty as to the real existence of the True Self and it is within this organ that the 'child' of the True Self is bom. It is also this organ that 'resonates' with all of the higher centres and underpins their harmonious functioning.

The latifah sirriyah, often simply known as the sirr {secret} is the subtle body of hearing and listening to the internal dialogues {munajat} exemplified by "and Allah spoke directly to Musa" {4:163p} and explicated in the Kitab al-Mawaqif Shaykh Muhmmad al-Niffari, may Allah preserve his secret, which was a great favourite of Shaykh Abu-l-Hasan. It is the seat of the inspired self {an-nafsu-l-mulhamah} and it is within this centre that 'directions' are issued for the actions of the wall after the dropping of self-direction {'' isqatu-t-tadabirat}.

The latifah ruhiyyah {subtle spirit} or the 'body' of the tranquil self {nafs al-mutama innah} is that organ through which one enters into the earthly Paradise to which we have referred on a number of occasions. It is the 'place' of awakening after the sleep of illusion {wahm} when the self has first died voluntarily in the limited {rather than ultimate} sense of the saying of the Prophet, blessings of Allah and peace be upon him: "Man is sleeping. When he dies he awakens."

It is to the higher organs what the heart is to it and it is the place of bliss in this world as in, "Truly the friends of Allah {'awliya' Allah} are {those} on whom fear {cometh} not nor do they grieve. Those who believe and who are steadfast. Theirs are good tidings in the life of the world and in the world to come. There is no changing the Words of Allah. That is the Supreme Triumph:' {10:62-64} It is from this organ that the Zabur {Psalms} revealed through Sayyidina Dawud, peace be upon him, radiate, reverberate and resonate. Entrance into the latifah khafiyyah marks the 'disappearance' or 'hiddenness' from this world which represents a crucial aspect of the doctrine of the Shadhdhuliyyah. Its most well-known manifestation is the state of fana' as in "Everything upon it will vanish. Yet still shall there remain the Presence of your Lord, Powerful, Glorious:' {55:26-28}

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Note: Introduction pp 91-93 notes will at added the End plus seven centers daigram

It is from this state of fana' that the door of understanding opens to the mighty secret of, "And because of their saying, 'We killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah.' They did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared so to them. And those who disagree concerning this are in doubt of it. They have no knowledge save conjecture. Of a certainty they did not kill him. But Allah took him up unto Himself. Allah is All Mighty, Wise." {4:157}

Perhaps because of this Sidi Abu-1-Hasan said, "All the words in all the books of the mystics are but tears shed on the shore of the sea of non-existence {al-bahru-l-kafiyyah}." Shaykh Ibn 'Ata 'Illah says, "Bury your existence in the earth of obscurity for whatever sprouts forth without having first been buried flowers imperfectly."

The return, if there is one, as for some there is no return, takes place within the realm of the the latifah haqqiqiyyah and it is the sphere of the accepted self {an-nafs ar-radiyyah} in the passive state and the perfected self {nafs kamilah} in the active state. It is the maqam {station} of Sayyidina Muhammad, blessings of Allah and peace be upon him, and, in time, it is the sublime maqam of the Warith al-Muhammadiyyah {the Inheritor of the Muhmmadan Essence} who is the Ghawth and the Qutb.

It is to this maqam which our Shaykh referred in reply to a question concerning his spiritual guide, "In the beginning it was Sidi Abu Muhammad 'Abd as-Salam Ibn Mashish. At present I draw from ten seas, five of the sons of 'Adam and five of spiritual origin. The five 'Adamic are Sayyidina Muhammad and his companions, Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman and 'Alt. The five of spiritual origin are Jibril, Mika'il, Israfil, 'Izra'il and ar-Ruh {the Holy Spirit}."

We draw the readers' attention to the distinction between the passive and active dimensions of this station and wish to make clear that these words are not meant in a 'limited' sense but rather represent a hierarchical distinction which refers to the role of the Warith al-Muhammadiyyah in his function as Qutb and Ghawth.

At any one time there exist a multitude of selves who, through their total and complete surrender to The Self, have been 'accepted'. These include the three hundred Nuqaba', the forty Nujuba', the seven 'Abdal, the Five Presences of whom we cannot speak, the four Awtad, and the two stationed on either side of the Qutb. All of these are 'passive' in relation to the 'activity' of the Qutb.


In addition there are the Rukkab who are themselves Aqtab but do not 'act' in the outer world though they leave traces of their activities for those receptive enough to note them and can be said to occupy the position of, "Thus did we show 'Ibrahim the kingdom {malakut} of the heavens and the earth that he might be of those possessing certainty." {6:76} For these reasons we say that the mark of the one who 'arrives' in the Way of ash-Shadhdhuli is disappearance rather than appearance; being rather than becoming; presence rather than assertion; direct knowledge rather than derivative thought.

The Shaykh left spherically encapsulated messages for his followers across both horizontal time and within the veridical vertical present which are encrypted within the Ahzab and, very particularly, encrypted within Hizb al-Ayat and Hizb ash-Shaykh. Deciphering is contingent upon learning to read the 'signs' through entering, under guidance, the subtle organs or centres of perception.

If we recall again the story of the encounter that took place in the cave on the Mountain of Light between the Prophet, blessings of Allah and peace be upon him, and the Angel of Revelation, Sayyidina Jibril, peace be upon him, it is to point out that each time he was ordered to 'read' he protested his inability to 'read' until the Angel pressed him to his chest, heart to heart and he began to "Read in the Name of your Lord who created. Created man from a clot. Read and your Lord in Most Generous. He who taught by the Pen. Taught men what they knew not." {96:1 -5} When the Angel had departed he said, "It was as though the words were written on my heart."

For "He has written faith upon their hearts and He has confirmed them with a Spirit from Himself." {58:22} It is this 'writing on the heart' that characterises 'reading' and separates it from mere recitation. Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, may Allah be pleased with him, distinguished three levels of readers. The lowest level is that in which the reader feels that he or she is reading the Qur'an to Allah Most High. The reader is standing before Him and Allah is looking at him and listening to what is being read.

At the middle level not only is the reader reading to Allah but he is conversing with Allah, whilst at the highest level he sees the Speaker in the Words to the point that he ceases to exist of himself and is divested of anything or any thought other than Allah. Al-Ghazali says that this is the highest level of those who are drawn near {al-muqarrabun} and at the next level are the foremost {as-sabiqun} and after that the level of those of the people of the right [ashab al-yamin] and that any lesser level is the degree of the people of mindlessness and inattention {al-ghafilun}. ….

The School of the Shadhdhuliyyah: Orisons Vol one
Abul Hasan Ash-Shadhdhuli, Abdullah Nur ad-Dir Durkee

this book can be but from amazon link below

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