Ya Ali Madad. In his Irshad Mubarak in Los Angeles, NOOR Mowlana Hazar Imam (a.s.) asked the global Jamat to adopt the 'best practice' model in our activities. Mowla further explained that best practice consists of knowledge, experience, wisdom and practical application.

In Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, one definition of 'best practice' is "the most efficient (least amount of effort) and effective (best results) way of accomplishing a task, based on repeatable procedures that have proven themselves over time for large numbers of people".

In our professional lives, we come across 'best practice' model continually, but can this model be applied to spiritual matters? I think it is possible to develop a 'best practice' model in spiritual matters if we follow the teachings of Allah, the Holy Prophets, the Holy Imams, the Holy Pirs and great mu'mins who have walked on the path of higher spiritual enlightenment.

The general model for spiritual growth and enlightenment is captured in the following Hadith of our Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s.): "Shari'at is my words, tariqat is my actions, haqqiqat is my states and ma'rifat is my secrets" (Source: Rubies & Pearls, p. 113).

In terms of knowledge, there are three levels of certainty (yaqin): Knowledge of certainty ('ilmu'l-yaqin), eye of certainty ('aynu'l yaqin) and truth of certainty (haqqu'l-yaqin). Although these terms are commonly used, it is necessary to define these terms more clearly in the context of higher spiritual enlightenment:

1. Knowledge of certainty ('ilmu'l-yaqin) is that knowledge which it true and certain. This knowledge is acquired by reading, writing and continual learning. In our Tariqah, there are many resources including the writings of the Holy Imams, Holy Pirs and elevated souls. We listen and learn from ginans, qasidas and firmans every day in our Jamat Khanas. This knowledge is the basis of building a strong foundation of our faith in Allah, the Holy Qur'an, the Holy Prophet, the Holy Imams and Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam. It has to acquired and acted upon in order to access the next level of knowledge.
    
   
2. The eye of certainty ('aynu'l yaqin) is only possible when the inner eye opens. This is not easy and takes ardent practice of faith which involves the purification of the soul through sincere repentance; commitment to constantly improve the quality of actions; submission of dasond of material income and of time and knowledge; supplication; meditation (bandagi); Divine remembrance (dhikr); service to humanity; and development of humility. The opening of the inner eye is a great struggle and the beginning of being blessed with inspired knowledge. This knowledge is gifted to us by the Holy Imam only when we practice our faith regularly, firmly and in a timely manner. This definitely includes the practice of reciting the Holy Dua on time and the practice of bandagi at 4.00 am every morning. It also the first step in achieving the Golden Noorani Didar in the forehead.
    
   
3. The truth of certainty (haqqu'l-yaqin) is an expansion of the realities which have been experienced in the second stage till the truth of certainty is reached where the supreme secrets are shown or disclosed.
    
   

In the content of the above framework, the curriculum for higher spiritual enlightenment on SalmanSpiritual.com only covers elements of the knowledge of certainty which have been developed from 'best practices' within our Tariqah over a period of 1400 years. As our Tariqah emphasizes 'a thinking and a spiritual' Islam, it is important to think more deeply in esoteric (inward, batini) terms. Therefore, in this Golden Jubilee year, we should be thinking about a Zaheri Noorani Didar of the Holy Imam at a Darbar as well as a Golden Noorani Didar, i.e., a Batuni Noorani Didar, a Didar of Light in the forehead, which is the basis of higher spiritual enlightenment through personal search under the guidance of the Holy Imam.

The preparation for didar of NOOR Mowlana Hazar Imam is done individually and collectively. With Mowla's immense grace and tayid, two resources were prepared for the Canadian Pradhamani who took place in June 2005. Additional resources have been prepared over the past three years from 2005 to 2008 for the Golden Jubilee amd more resources have been prepared for the Diamond Jubilee. All these are accessible through SalmanSpiritual.com. I hope that all these resources will be useful to all murids who are preparing for the Holy Didar of NOOR Mowlana Hazar Imam in the Diamond Jubilee year.

 

Global Prayers and Three Grand Aspirations
Through the barakat of recitation of Holy Quran, Qasidas, Holy Ginans, and voluminous tasbis and angelic salwat by many individuals of the global Jamat, O Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam, bless the global Jamat with:

1. Spiritual and luminous tayid (help) to advance materially, spiritually and intellectually;
2. Sunshine in our spiritual hearts and actualization of the inner vision of the Truth;
3. Empowerment to present a Material Nazrana of time, knowledge and financial resources;
4. Empowerment to present a Spiritual Nazrana in the form of a pure heart which is in a state of constant dhikr; and
5. Empowerment to present a Luminous Nazrana in the form of a sound heart (qalb-i salim) which is in a state of constant dhikr and enlightenment.

 

 

Article by Dr. Noorallah Juma