Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad al-Kasnazān in a session of praise in the courtyard of the Baghdad takya (1986/1987).
If you abandon dervishhood, if you abandon dhikr, if you abandon your wirds, the Shaikhs abandon you. Wirds and dhikrs are the disciples’ shields. Our weapons, our tanks, our fighter jets, are Allah’s dhikr (exalted and high is He). We die on Allah’s dhikr. We live on Allah’s dhikr. We die for the sake of Allah’s dhikr (exalted and high is He). We live for the sake of Allah’s dhikr (exalted and high is He). Our food, the soul’s food, is Allah’s dhikr (exalted and high is He). Do not forget your dhikrs and your wirds.
Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad al-Kasnazān (Sermon, 7 January 2010)
Allah conferred on our Master many unveilings that made him change some of the dhikrs that he inherited from his Shaikhs and introduce new ones. These changes included the daily, perennial, and circle dhikrs. He also introduced temporary dhikrs. Allah also honoured our Shaikh with a great dhikr called “Ḥizb al-Wāw”.
12.1 Perennial Dhikrs
In the era of Shaikh ʿAbd al-Karīm al-Kasnazān, there were nineteen perennial dhikrs, each of which was read 82,000 times, except “yā wadūd”, which was read 65,000 times. Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad made two changes to these dhikrs. After coming out of his first seclusion, about six months after assuming the Shaikhdom, he made it so every one of the nineteen dhikrs is read 100,000 times. As already mentioned, in the terminology of Ṭarīqa Kasnazāniyya, this specific number is known as “khatma”. It is derived from the Arabic root kh-t-m, which means “complete” or “conclude”.
The second modification happened in the middle of 1996. He replaced the dhikr of “Allāhumma ṣallī ʿalā sayyidinā Muḥammadi wa-ʿalā ʾālihi wa-ṣaḥbihi wa-sallim taslīmā (O Allah! Send prayer on our Master and on his lineage and companions and salute him with a perfect salutation)” with another formula that the Shaikhs of Ṭarīqa conveyed to him, known as al-Ṣalāt al-Waṣfiyya, “Allāhumma ṣallī ʿalā sayyidinā Muḥammadi ʾl-waṣfi wal‑waḥyi war‑risālati wal‑ḥikmati waʿalā ʾālihi wa-ṣaḥbihi wa-sallim taslīmā (O Allah! Send prayer on our Master whose quality, revelation, message, and wisdom are most praised (Muḥammad), and on his lineage and companions, and salute him with a perfect salutation)”.
Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad al-Kasnazān during the construction of the central takya in Baghdad (1981).
12.2 Daily Dhikrs
The Shaikh added new daily dhikrs and changed the numbers of some that he inherited. We will mention here some of these changes.
In the 1980s, our Master added the recitation of the Qur’anic chapter al-Īkhlāṣ, along with the basmala, two hundred times. Consisting of four verses, reciting this chapter with the basmala two hundred times a day reaps a reward equivalent to reading one thousand verses. This brings to mind this ḥadīth of the Messenger (PBUH), “Anyone who reads one thousand verses for Allah’s sake, Allah writes his name alongside the prophets, the truthful, martyrs, and the righteous”.[1]
In the early 1990s, our Shaikh introduced the recitation of the following dhikr three times after each of the five obligatory prayers, “Allahu ḥādirī (Allah is present with me), Allahu nāẓirī (Allah sees me), Allahu shāhidun ʿalay (Allah is a witness on me). Allahu maʿī (Allah is with me), Allahu muʿīnī (Allah is my helper), wa-huwa bi-kulli shayʾin muḥīṭ (and He encompasses everything)”. This is a wird of Shaikh ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Gaylānī that he received from Shaikh Maʿrūf al-Karkhī. Our Master said that this dhikr embodies Iḥsān,[2] religion’s third pillar, which is, in the words of the Prophet (PBUH), “To worship Allah as if you see Him; and if you cannot see Him, then verily He sees you”.[3] One can only reach this level of awareness of Allah by way of divine unveilings that draw him closer to the spirit world while he is in this world.
In March 2016, the Shaikh added one recitation of the following dhikr after every prayer, “Astaghfiru Allah (I seek forgiveness from Allah), al‑ladhī lā ilāha illā Huwa (whom there is no god besides), ar-Raḥmān ar-Raḥīm (the Gracious, the Merciful), al-Ḥayyu al-Qayyūm al‑ladhī lā yamūt (the Ever‑living, the Sustainer of Existence who never dies), wa-atūbu ʾilayhi (and I repent to Him). Rabbī ighfir lī (My Lord, forgive me!)”.
He introduced three alterations to Wird al-ʿAṣr, which is performed an hour before the sunset prayer. This dhikr was a gift from Shaikh ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Gaylānī to the Shaikhs of Ṭarīqa Kasnazāniyya. It was communicated to Shaikh ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Kasnazān shortly before his passing, but he instructed that it should become part of the dhikrs of Ṭarīqa in the Masterdom of his successor, Shaikh Ḥusayn. Wird al-ʿAṣr was made up of nine dhikrs, each of which was read thirty-three times, and it did not change during the time of Shaikh ʿAbd al-Karīm. Sometime after assuming the Shaikhdom of Ṭarīqa, Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad increased it to fifty. In 2005 or 2006, he increased the number a second time to sixty-six. In early October 2010, he added “yā arḥama ar-Rāḥimīn (O Most Merciful of the merciful)” to the end of Wird al-ʿAṣr, which he described as a “supplication”, distinguishing it from the nine dhikrs.
On the evening of Sunday 28 January 2018, after a celebration of the Prophet’s (PBUH) birth, our Shaikh marked the return of Shaikh Nahro from the USA by leading a recitation of Wird al-ʿAṣr. Performing this dhikr at night is a rare occurrence, if not unprecedented. After the worshippers completed the final dhikr of “yā Raḥīm”, he began the dhikr of “lā ilāha illā Allāh” one hundred times. He named this addition to Wird al-ʿAṣr the “Victory Dhikr”. The supplication of “yā arḥama ar-rāḥimīn” may be read as many times as desired after “lā ilāha illā Allāh”, should the seeker like to do so.
Like Shaikhs Ḥusayn and ʿAbd al-Karīm, Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad often led Wird al-ʿAṣr. Even when he was away from the takya—for example, in a car—he would perform Wird al-ʿAṣr alone.
Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad al-Kasnazān in the dhikr circle at the beginning of the construction of the central takya in Basra (1992).
12.3 Prayers upon the Prophet (PBUH)
One dhikr that our Shaikh introduced, in the 1980s, was a formula of reading prayers upon the Prophet (PBUH). In 2013, in Amman, he referred to this prayer in his following talk about reading prayers upon the Prophet (PBUH) in general:
In ours, Ṭarīqa ʿAliyya Qādiriyya Kasnazāniyya, we have the greatest khatma, which is “lā ilāha illā Allah (there is no god save Allah) Muḥammadun rasūlu Allah (Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah) ṣallā Allah taʿālā ʿalayhi wa-sallam (prayer and peace of Allah (high is He) be upon him)”. Look at the greatness that Allah conferred on the honourable Messenger (PBUH). After the declaration of oneness comes honouring the Messenger (PBUH), reading prayers upon the honourable Messenger (PBUH). He has ordered us to do this, “Indeed, Allah and His angels read prayers upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, read prayers upon him and send greetings of peace” (al-Ᾱḥzāb 33:56). He has given us a gift. Reading prayers is a gift, reading prayers is mercy, reading prayers is a blessing, reading prayers is a treasure, reading prayers is earning sustenance, reading prayers is winning this life and the Day of Resurrection, reading prayers is Paradise, reading prayers is light, reading prayers draws one closer to Allah and to the honourable Messenger, “If he [My servant] comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him. If he comes one cubit nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him”.[4] When you read prayers upon the honourable Messenger (PBUH), you draw nearer to Allah. We have this khatma, the greatest khatma in Islamic Sufism, the greatest khatma in Islam, the greatest khatma in our Ṭarīqa. Whoever wants to test it out may try. This khatma is not found in other Ṭarīqas; you may search if you want to! I have perhaps thousands of Sufi books. No Shaikh has this khatma besides your Kasnazānī Shaikhs. This happened by an order. By Allah, by Allah, by Allah, the dhikr of “lā ilāha illā Allah Muḥammadun rasūlu Allah” came by an order. This order came to me when I was in Baghdad. This dhikr was conveyed to me by an order. Undoubtedly, all Sufi matters are from Allah (exalted and high is He) through the honourable Messenger and the Shaikhs.[5]
Our Shaikh included the recitation of this formula one hundred times in the daily dhikrs after the dawn and night prayers. In January 2006, he added the phrase “fī-kulli lamḥatin wa-nafas (with every look and breath), ʿadada mā wasiʿahu ʿilmu Allah (as many times as Allah’s knowledge encompasses)” to this dhikr. The formula of the prayer thus became “lā ilāha illā Allah (There is no god save Allah) Muḥammadun rasūlu Allah (Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah) ṣallā Allah taʿālā ʿalayhi wa-sallam (prayer and peace of Allah (high is He) be upon him), fī-kulli lamḥatin wa-nafas (with every look and breath), ʿadada mā wasiʿahu ʿilmu Allah (as many times as Allah’s knowledge encompasses)”.
One afternoon in July 1996, after coming out of his private room, he told dervishes that he had been honoured with a new formula of prayers upon the Messenger (PBUH) that had not been granted to anyone before, “Allāhumma ṣallī ʿalā sayyidinā Muḥammadi ʾl-waṣfi wal‑waḥyi war‑risālati wal‑ḥikmati waʿalā ʾālihi wa-ṣaḥbihi wa-sallim taslīmā (O Allah! Send prayer on our Master whose quality, revelation, message, and wisdom are most praised (Muḥammad), and on his lineage and companions, and salute him with a perfect salutation)”. At the time, he called al-Ṣalāt al-Waṣfiyya “the seal of all Kasnazānī prayers on the Prophet (PBUH)”. He also described it as being “authored” by the Messenger (PBUH):
This formula of prayers (on the Prophet) is not from me. Rather, it was communicated to me. Look at how blessed al-Ṣalāt al-Waṣfiyya is. It is from him, from the light, from the honourable Messenger (PBUH). In the past, we did not have this formula of prayers (on the Prophet (PBUH)). It is very blessed, as it is from him. It is he who has informed us of it. This is why we read it continuously. This formula of reading prayers (on the Prophet) did not exist in any book. It is from him, from the honourable Messenger. He communicated it, so we communicated it…how beautiful and how blessed it is! He himself granted this formula of reading prayers (on the Prophet), it was authored by him. How beautiful it is! Try as you may, your mind would never comprehend the blessing of al-Ṣalāt al-Waṣfiyya because it came about by his wish, by his order, and by the command of Allah (exalted and high is He).[6]
Our Shaikh added the recitation of al-Ṣalāt al-Waṣfiyya one hundred times to the daily dhikr after the night prayer. Al-Ṣalāt al-Waṣfiyya also replaced the following formula of reading prayers upon the Prophet (PBUH), which is read at least one thousand times every day at any time of the day, “Allāhumma ṣallī ʿalā sayyidinā Muḥammadi waʿalā ʾālihi wa-ṣaḥbihi wa-sallim taslīmā (O Allah! Send prayer on our Master Muḥammad and on his lineage and companions, and salute him with a perfect salutation)”. It also took its place in the daily and perennial dhikrs.
As a result of the special spiritual power of al-Ṣalāt al-Waṣfiyya, Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad would sometimes instruct dervishes who were facing various difficulties to perform a khatma of it. Before receiving al-Ṣalāt al-Waṣfiyya, our Shaikh would direct disciples in such circumstances to read the renowned formula of reading prayers upon the Messenger (PBUH) known as al-Ṣalāt al-Nāriyya (The Fiery Prayer):
Allahumma ṣalli ṣalātan kāmila, wa-sallim salāman tāmman ʿalā sayyidina Muḥammad al-laththī tanḥallu bihi al-ʿuqad, wa-tanfariju bihi al-kurab, wa-tuqḍā bihi al-ḥawāʾij, wa-tunālu bihi al-raghāʾib, wa-ḥusnu al-khawātim, wa-yustasqā al-ghamāmu biwajhihi al-karīm, waʿalā ʾālihi wa-ṣaḥbihi, fī kulli lamḥatin wanafa, biʿadadi kulli maʿlumin laka (O Allah, read complete prayers and salute with a perfect salutation our Master Muḥammad, by whom all difficulties are solved, all calamities go away, all needs fulfilled, all cherished desires obtained, and good ends to life achieved; and rain-showering clouds are requested by means of his noble countenance; and on his family and companions in every moment and every breath, as many times as is in Your knowledge.[7]
Al-Ṣalāt al-Waṣfiyya replaced al-Ṣalāt al-Nāriyya.
Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad al-Kasnazān during Wird al-ʿAṣr in the courtyard of the Amman takya, Jordan (15 October 2016).
Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad would frequently mention noble Ḥadīths about the merits of prayers upon the Messenger (PBUH), such as, “Whoever reads one prayer upon me, Allah reads prayer upon him ten times”.[8] In regard to the greatness of prayers upon the Prophet (PBUH), he said, “No one knows the secrets of this prayer besides Allah, the Messenger (PBUH), and those firmly rooted in the knowledge of the spirit”.
He confirmed that reading prayers upon the Prophet (PBUH) realises one’s wishes and solves various problems. He would often advise dervishes who would consult him about difficulties and problems they had to read prayers upon the Messenger (PBUH) in abundance. He would also stress that any supplication must be preceded by, infused with, and ended with prayers so that it may be accepted. The supplication must be “wrapped” with reading prayers upon the Prophet (PBUH).[9] He used to speak often about the specialness of reading prayers upon the Prophet (PBUH), as in these words:
Read much prayers upon the Messenger (PBUH) because these prayers will be a light for the seeker on the Day of Resurrection. This is an attribute of Allah (exalted and high is He). Allah (exalted and high is He) says to you—see how much Allah loves His servants as He gives you the best thing, the dearest thing for the seeker—He says, “Indeed, Allah and His angels read prayers upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, read prayers upon him and send greetings of peace”. Prayers and peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah! Read much prayers upon the Messenger (PBUH). With reading prayers upon the Messenger, you earn his love. The start of any supplication is reading prayers upon the Messenger. No request for any servant is answered unless he reads prayers on the Messenger at its beginning and its end. Between the two prayers, Allah willing, your request would be answered. Keep up your wirds, your practice of your Ṭarīqa, your dhikrs, in particular the prayers upon the Messenger.[10]
As we have mentioned, the Shaikh also compiled different formulas of reading prayers upon the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) in a book entitled al-Ṣalawāt al-Kasnazāniyya that was published in 1990. Collecting various such formulas remained an ongoing project of his until his passing.
The love of our Shaikh for the Messenger (PBUH) was unique. It showed in his words, face, movements, and actions. The signs of that infatuation would show on him whenever the name of our Master Muḥammad (PBUH) or any of his titles was mentioned. This love often materialised as tears and weeping. This was witnessed by anyone who attended our Shaikh’s preaching sessions or saw him listen to odes of praise. Indeed, this endless love for the Prophet (PBUH) would show on him even when he (PBUH) was mentioned casually, at any time, and in any situation. I would like to mention one example from a private assembly of our Shaikh in Amman. His office manager, Muḥammad al-Kātib, was reading out the titles of manuscripts in a library catalogue so that the Shaikh could indicate those that he wanted photocopies of to read. Each time al-Kātib read out a manuscript title that contained the name or a title of the Prophet (PBUH), our Shaikh raised his right hand from where it was resting on the chair as a sign of greetings and respect, as if he were greeting someone present and visible.
Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad al-Kasnazān in giving a sermon at the Sulaymaniyah takya, Iraq (mid-2000s).
Another example from personal experience comes from my last visit to him at the end of October 2019, when he was in Virginia, USA. He liked to engage his table guests with various discussions. One night, we were having dinner when I mentioned the status of the person who sings odes of praise of the Prophet (PBUH) and the fact that our Shaikhs enjoyed listening to them. One of those present at the dinner was caliph Majīd Ḥamīd, the most senior singer of odes of praise in our Ṭarīqa. Our Master wanted to second what I had just said and started to commend the singers of odes of praise. He went on to say, “The person who praises the beloved…”, but he broke down and could not continue his words. His body shook with the intensity of his weeping. When he calmed down, he tried to continue his words, but love overtook him again, stopping him for a second time, before he finally managed to finish his words. I never saw our Shaikh love anyone or anything more than the Prophet (PBUH). Indeed, I have not seen any lover love his beloved the way our Shaikh loved the beloved of Allah (PBUH). The title of this book is an expression of this fact.
Our Shaikh would often call the Prophet (PBUH) “the beloved”. He would stress that love for the Messenger (PBUH) is the door to obtaining nearness to Allah:
Everything that we have spoken about is linked to one thing, which is loving the beloved (PBUH), “The religion in the sight of Allah is Islam” (Āl ʿImrān 3:19). “Islam” means “Muhammad”, “Muhammad” means the gifted mercy, “We have not sent you [O Muḥammad!] except as a mercy to the worlds” (al-Anbiyāʾ 21:107). For anyone who seeks mercy, it is Muhammad; for anyone who seeks religion, it is Muhammad; for anyone who seeks the hereafter, it is Muhammad; for anyone who seeks resurrection, it is Muhammad. He is the intercessor of the sinful, the master of messengers, the master of prophets and messengers, the master of walīs and prophets.
Loving of the beloved is to love Allah (exalted and high is He): ‘Say [O Muhammad!], “If you should love Allah, then follow me, and Allah will love you and forgive you your sins”’ (Āl ʿImrān 3:31). You should understand that these matters are all linked to the love of the beloved. Without love for the beloved, your deeds would not succeed. You can make your action succeed by wrapping it with love for the beloved, with reading prayers upon the beloved (PBUH). Prayers upon the beloved wrap your worship, clean your worship, and refer it to Allah (exalted and high is He), “We have not sent you [O Muhammad!] except as a mercy to the worlds”. With the gifted mercy of Islam, you wrap your worship. Reading prayers upon the beloved (PBUH) is a light that takes the human being to Allah (exalted and high is He). If the love of the Messenger is written on the board of the heart, everything you do, Allah willing, reaches Him. If there is no love of the beloved in your heart, there is no worship in it. Religious matters in Islam are linked to the belief in the beloved.[11]
Our Shaikh became wholly consumed by his love for the Prophet (PBUH). One indicator of this extinction of the self and the lofty spiritual status that it took him to is that the noble Prophet (PBUH) distinguished him with a special gift. He appended one of his glorious titles to our Shaikh’s name to honour and single him out, changing his name from “Muḥammad” to “Muḥammad al-Muḥammad”. Our Master announced this favour on 18 May 2016. “Muḥammad al-Muḥammad” expresses the Prophet’s (PBUH) endorsement of our Shaikh, roughly meaning “Muḥammad who belongs to me” or “Muḥammad whom I have chosen for myself”.
On 11 August 2017, following his daily routine, the Shaikh left his public assembly for his private room at around 1 a.m. to sleep until around 2:30 a.m., after which he would start his worship. When he woke up, he contacted his personal assistant, ʿῙsā al-Mazrūʿī, and asked him to come up. He asked who was in the takya, to which ʿῙsā said that there were some dervishes. The Shaikh then told him to convey a message to them. He had just been given the glad tidings that as soon as a person intends to read prayers upon the Messenger (PBUH) and prepares himself and his prayer beads for it, Allah Almighty forgives him his sins by the Messenger’s (PBUH) blessings.
In my last visits to him in Amman in 2018-2019, I noticed that when dervishes would inform him about difficulties they were having, the Shaikh would now only prescribe dhikr of prayers upon the Prophet (PBUH). He would go on to talk about its blessings and you could see the joy on his face.
One example of daily behaviour that articulates the way he was consumed by love for the Prophet (PBUH) was demonstrated when he would leave his private room for his public assembly where he would meet dervishes and visitors. On his way to his chair, there was, on the wall, a very beautiful tapestry rug of the Green Dome and the Prophetic Mosque. He would stand in humbleness in front of the rug and read al-Fātiḥa and prayers. This was the first thing he would do in his public assembly.
During his last months in Amman before his last visit to the USA, the Shaikh used to read this supplication, which is Kurdish poetry:
Yā ṣāḥibay mādīnay munawwara,
Bafarmū toy minī ʾaowarā.
This may be translated as follows:
O, the inhabitant of the Illuminated City,
Please say “you are from me, so come”.
This is another indication of how our Shaikh was consumed by love for the Prophet (PBUH). It describes his spiritual extinction (fanāʾ) in his Master (PBUH) and he used it to ask his Master (PBUH) to call him to be with him.
Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad al-Kasnazān and on his right Shaikh Muḥammad al-Qaradāghī, imam of the Great Mosque in Sulaymaniyah, on the birthday of the Prophet (PBUH) (1980s).
12.4 Dhikr Circle
The Shaikh introduced many alterations to the dhikr circle. It now begins with the following supplication:
Yā dāʾima l-faḍli ʿalā al-bariyya, yā bāsiṭa l-yadayni bil-ʿaṭiya, yā ṣāḥib al-mawāhib as-saniyya, ṣalli ʿalā Muḥammadin khayri l-bariyya, waghfir lanā yā Rabbanā fī-hādhihi al-ʿashiyya (O You of permanent favour on the creation! O You whose hands are outstretched with gifts, O You of brilliant attributes, read prayers on Muḥammad, the best of creation, and forgive us, our Lord, on this night).
A slightly different version of this prayer is attributed to the Companion Ibn ʿAbbās.[12]
He also changed the formulas of istimdād, that is seeking spiritual support, from the Prophet (PBUH) and Imām ʿAlī Ibn Abī Ṭālib (may Allah ennoble his face), by adding to them words of Shaikh Muḥyiddīn Ibn ʿArabī.[13] Below is the formula of seeking support from the Messenger (PBUH), with the addition beginning from the phrase “al‑ḥamdu lillāhi rabbi l‑ʿālamīn” (Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds) and extending to the end of the phrase “wal‑mubarqaʿi bi l‑ʿamāʾ (the one veiled by heavy clouds)”. The addition consists of a supplication in praise of Allah followed by a formula for reading prayers upon the Prophet (PBUH) that includes many of his spiritual attributes and titles:
Madad yā sayyidanā wa-nabiyyanā wa-shafīʿa dhunūbinā. Yā ṣāḥiba l‑āyāt wal‑muʿjizāt, wa-yā ṣāḥiba dalāʾili l‑khayrāt wa-khawāriqi l‑ʿādāt, wa-yā sayyida s‑sādāt, ḥabība rabbi l‑ʿālamīn, wa-khātima n‑nabiyyīn wa-sayyida l‑mursalīn. Al‑ḥamdu lillāhi rabbi l‑ʿālamīn, ḥamdān azaliyyan bi abadiyyatihi wa-abadiyyan bi azaliyyatihi, sarmadan bi iṭlāqih, mutajalliyan fī-marāyā āfāqih, ḥamda l‑ḥāmidīn wa-dahra d‑dāhirīn. Ṣalawātu Allahi wa-malāʾikatihi wa-ḥamalati ʿarshihi wa-jamīʿi khalqihi min arḍihi wa-samāʾihi ʿalā sayyidinā wa-nabiyyinā, aṣli l‑wujūdi wa-ʿayni sh‑shāhidi wal‑mashhūd, wa-awwali al‑awāʾil, wa-adalli ad‑dalāʾil, wa-mabdaʾi l‑anwāri al‑azalī wa-muntahā al‑ʿurūji l‑kamālī. Ghāyati l‑ghāyāt, al‑mutaʿayyin bi n‑nashaʾāt. Abi l‑akwān bi fāʿiliyyatihi, wa-ummi l‑imkān bi qābiliyyatihi. Al‑mathali l‑aʿlā l‑ilāhī, hayūlī l‑ʿawālimi ghayri l‑mutanāhī. Rūḥi l‑arwāḥ wa-nūri l‑ashbāḥ, fāliqi iṣbāḥi l‑ghaybi wa-rāfiʿi ẓulmati r‑rayb. Muḥtadi t‑tisʿati wat‑tisʿīn. Raḥamatin lil‑ʿālamīn. Sayyidina fīl‑wujūd, ṣāḥib liwāʾi l‑ḥamdi wal‑maqāmi l‑maḥmūd, wal‑mubarqaʿi bi l‑ʿamāʾ, ḥabīb Allah Muḥammad al‑Muṣṭafā ṣallā Allah taʿāla ʿalayhi wa-sallim (Grant us support, O our Master, our Prophet, and intercessor of our sins! O possessor of signs and miracles. O possessor of waymarks of goodness and paranormal occurrences. O Master of Masters, Beloved of the Lord of the worlds, Seal of Prophets and Master of Messengers. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, everlasting praise with His eternality and eternal praise with His everlastingness, perpetual praise with His absoluteness, manifest praise in the mirrors of His horizons, praise of those who praise, lasting throughout all time. Prayers of Allah, His angels, the bearers of His throne, and all of His creation from His earth and His sky, be upon our Master and Prophet, the source of existence, the essence of the witness and what is witnessed, foremost of the foremost, the greatest of proofs, the beginning of pre-eternal lights and end of perfected ascension, the destination of all destinations, the establisher of what is established, the father of the universes by his action, the mother of all ability by his capability, the highest divine example, the endless fabric of the universe, the soul of souls and light of spirits, the cleaver of the dawn of the unseen and lifter of the darkness of doubt, the origin of the ninety-nine, mercy to all the worlds, our Master in existence, the bearer of the standard of praise and the station of praiseworthiness, and the one veiled by heavy clouds, Allah’s Beloved, Muḥammad, the Chosen One, Allah Almighty’s prayers and peace be upon him).
Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad al-Kasnazān on the birthday of the Prophet (PBUH) (1980s).
The following is the formula of seeking spiritual support from Imām ʿAlī. Our Master’s addition begins from the phrase “wa-ʿalā sirri l‑asrāri (and on the secret of secrets)” and ends at the phrase “Imāmi l‑aʾimmati (Imām of imāms)”, and it contains spiritual titles and attributes of the Imām:
Madad yā sayyidī wa-sanadī wa-murshidī wa-tāja raʾsī wa-nūra ʿaynī. Fārisa l‑mashāriqi wal‑maghārib, ṣāḥib muẓhiri l‑ʿajāʾib wal‑gharāʾib, asad Allahi l‑ghālib. Wa-ʿalā sirri l‑asrāri wa-mashriqi l‑anwār, al‑muhandisi fīl‑ghuyūbi l‑lāhūtiyya. Unmūdhaji l‑wāqiʿi wa-shakhṣi l‑iṭlāqi, al‑munṭabiʿi fī-marāyā l‑anfusi wal‑āfāq. Sirri l‑anbiyā’i wal‑mursalīn, sayyidi l‑awṣiyāʾi waṣ‑ṣiddīqīn. Ṣūrati l‑ilāhiyya, māddati l‑ʿulūmi l‑ghayri l‑mutanāhiyya, aẓ‑ẓāhiri l‑burhān, al‑bāṭini bi l‑qadri wal‑shaʾn, basmalati kitābi l‑wujūd, ḥaqīqati n‑nuqṭati l‑bāʾiyya, al‑mutaḥaqqiqi bi l‑marātibi l‑insāniyya. Ḥaydari ājāmi l‑ibdāʿ, al‑karrāri fī-maʿāriki l‑ikhtirāʿ, as‑sirri l‑jalī wan‑najmi th‑thāqib, Imāmi l‑aʾimmati ʿAlī Ibn Abī Ṭālib ʿalayhi ṣ‑ṣalāti was‑salām. (Grant us support, O my Master, my supporter, my guide, the crown of my head and light of my eye, the knight of the east and the west, the companion of the manifester of wonders and marvels, the victorious lion of Allah! And on the secret of secrets and source of lights, the architect of divine unseen. The paradigm of reality and absolute man, he who is printed on the mirrors of selves and horizons, the secret of the prophets and messengers, the master of guardians and the truthful. The Divine picture, the unending essence of knowledge, the one whose proof is apparent, the one whose rank and stature are hidden, the basmalah of the scripture of existence, the reality of the dot of the letter bāʾ, the one who realized the levels of humanity, the brave lion of the forts of ingenuity, the ferocious fighter in battles of contrivance, the manifest secret and the penetrating star, the Imām of all Imams, ʿAlī Ibn Abī Ṭālib, prayers and blessings be upon him).
The dhikr circle came to an end with the recitation of this ṣalāt, “Allahumma ṣalli was sallim wa-bārik ʿalā an-nabī Muḥammad wa-ʾāli Muḥammad, sayyidi ar-rijāli al-mufaḍḍal, yā baḥra al-kamāl yā Muḥammad (O Allah, send prayers, peace, and blessings upon the Prophet Muḥammad and the family of Muḥammad, the preferred one, Master of men, O sea of perfection, O Muḥammad!)”, followed by al-Ṣalāt al-Waṣfiyya. The sessions of odes of praise and sermons were also concluded by these two formulas of prayers on the Prophet (PBUH).
Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad al-Kasnazān visiting one of the takyas of Ramādī (26 December 1991).
Shaikh ʿAbd al-Karīm al-Kasnazān used to attend the final portion of the dhikr circle, which is accompanied by drums and tambourines. He would stand for a short while outside the circle without entering it, before going to sit on his chair in front of the circle while the dervishes completed the dhikr. Our Shaikh also used to attend the same part of the dhikr circle, but he would enter the circle’s centre. One day he commented on this, saying that “Shaikh ʿAbd al-Karīm knew why he did not enter the circle and I know why I enter it”.
While standing in the circle, he would sometimes correct the way some dervishes would stand or do the dhikr movements. Nearing the end of the dhikr, when the dervishes sat on the ground, he would leave the circle and go to sit on his chair in front of the circle, where dervishes would visit him after the dhikr ended. He would sometimes deliver a sermon, then a session of odes of praise would be held.
At times, he would raise his foot during the dhikr and move it slightly so that he would stay leaning on his other foot and his cane. This was a gesture of humility and subservience to grand Shaikhs when their spirits attended the dhikr circle. As we have mentioned before, the Shaikh’s poor health stopped him from attending the dhikr circle in the later stages of his life, except on some special occasions.
Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad al-Kasnazān, perhaps visiting the shrine of Sayyid Shaikh Aḥmad al-Rifāʿī (1980s).
12.5 Temporary Dhikrs
In addition to the Ṭarīqa’s permanent dhikrs—that is, the daily and perennial dhikrs and the dhikr circle—our Shaikh would sometimes instruct dervishes to perform certain dhikrs temporarily. The reasons behind these wirds were not always disclosed. Often, the dhikr was limited to a certain number, although some wirds would end after a certain time or with the conclusion of a situation or event. The instruction was often to read these dhikrs instead of the perennial ones. The disciples would return to complete the perennial wirds from where they left off after completing the temporary wirds. As an example of a temporary dhikr, on 10 February 2017, the Shaikh instructed the disciples to read the dhikr “lā ilāha illallāh” 100,000 times and the dhikr “lā ilāha illallāh, Muḥammad rasūl Allāh, ṣallallāhu taʿālā ʿalayhi wa-sallam (there is no god but Allah, Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon Him)” 135,000 times. The reward for reciting the dhikrs was to be gifted to the Ṭarīqa’s Shaikhs. The dhikrs were to be read with the intention of the fulfilment of whatever purpose our Shaikh had then in his heart.
12.6 Individual Dhikrs
Our Shaikh would at times prescribe a special dhikr for a dervish or a group of dervishes for an undisclosed Ṭarīqa matter. He would also often instruct a disciple to perform a certain dhikr a specific number of times or for a fixed period. This was usually for a need that the disciple sought his help in fulfilling, such as increasing sustenance, curing an illness, or removing some harm.
Here is an example from personal experience. In June 2016, I started to have a strange, uncomfortable feeling in my heart after walking for around ten minutes. I would also at times feel a palpitation, in particular when eating. The palpitation would become so fast at times that it made me feel as if my heart would burst out of my chest. In September of that year, I went to visit our Shaikh in Virginia. At the end of the twelve-day visit, before saying goodbye to him to fly back home, I informed him of my condition. He asked about the details, and I told him that I had an appointment with a heart specialist three days later. He told me not to worry and to do a khatma of “lā ilāha illallāh” and, Allah willing, the condition would go away. He went on to quote two Prophetic ḥadīths, “the best dhikr is ‘lā ilāha illallāh’”[14] and “whoever says ‘lā ilāha illallāh’ shall enter Paradise”,[15] and the Qudsī ḥadīth “‘lā ilāha illallāh’ is My fortress; whoever enters My fortress is saved from My torment”.[16] Upon my return, I was diagnosed with an arrhythmia and the specialist asked me to monitor myself and see him again if my condition developed further. Before I finished the khatma that our Master prescribed for me, the condition completely disappeared and I did not need to see the doctor again.
Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad al-Kasnazān, perhaps visiting the shrine of Sayyid Shaikh Aḥmad al-Rifāʿī (1980s).
12.7 Ḥizb al-Wāw
While the term “wird” refers to a dhikr that a person recites regularly, a “ḥizb” is a dhikr that a person reads when he likes, such as when he has a specific need. Our Shaikh said that the thought came to him that many Shaikhs had their own ḥizbs but he did not have one. In 2013, he was granted a special ḥizb called Ḥizb al-Wāw. He described this ḥizb as an “order from Allah to the honourable Messenger (PBUH), to the Shaikhs, and the Shaikhs conveyed it to me”.[17]
This ḥizb consists of every Qur’anic verse that begins with the letter “wāw”, totalling 2,128 verses, sequentially ordered as they appear in the muṣḥaf. The first verse is “Those who believe in what has been revealed to you [O Muḥammad] and what was revealed before you and of the Hereafter, they are certain [in faith]” (al-Baqara 2:4), and the last verse is “From the evil of an envier when he envies” (al-Falaq 113:5). The Shaikh described this unique ḥizb as “a tremendous thing”, which could only be read with his permission when it was first announced and printed. The best time to read it is during the last third of the night, and a person may complete its recitation over more than one night.
[1] Al-Bayhaqī, Al-Sunan al-kubrā, IX, no. 18575, p. 291.
[2] Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad al-Kasnazān, sermon, 22 January 2010; 4 August 2013.
[3] Al-Bukhārī, Al-Jāmiʿ al-ṣaḥīḥ, I, no. 50, p. 65.
[4] This is the full text of the Qudī ḥadīth that the Messenger (PBUH) conveyed from Allah, “I am just as My slave thinks I am, and I am with him if he remembers Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I too remember him in Myself; and if he remembers Me in a group of people, I remember him in a group that is better than them. If he comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him. If he comes one cubit nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him. If he comes to Me walking, I go to him running” (ibid., III, no. 7129, p. 693).
[5] Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad al-Kasnazān, sermon, 12 September 2013.
[6] Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad al-Kasnazān, sermon, 1 May 2018.
[7] Al-Nabhānī, Daʿwat tashrīfāt, 61; Al-Nazilī, Khazīnat al-asrār, 183.
[8] Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ, I, no. 408, p. 306.
[9] Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad al-Kasnazān, sermon, 3 October 2013.
[10] Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad al-Kasnazān, sermon, 28 September 2012.
[11] Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad al-Kasnazān, sermon, 7 February 2013.
[12] Al-Nabhānī, Saʿādat al-dārayn, 246-247; Al-Nabhānī, Daʿwat tashrīfāt, 107.
[13] These words of Shaikh Ibn ʿArabī are quoted by Al-Marʿashī, Mulḥaqāt Al-ʾIhqāq, 33, 107. The latter, in turn, quoted them from Al-Iṣbahānī, Sharḥ ṣalawāt chharda maʿṣūm, 293.
[14] Al-Tirmidhī, Al-Jāmiʿ al-kabīr, V, no. 3383, p. 393.
[15] Al-Ṭabarānī, Al-Muʿjam al-kabīr, VII, no. 6348, p. 55.
[16] Al-Muttaqī Al-Hindī, Kanz al-ʿummāl, I, no. 158, p. 52.
[17] Shaikh Muḥammad al-Muḥammad al-Kasnazān, sermon, 12 September 2013.
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