The following is an excerpt from the sohbat, ‘According To What You Ask For’ by Sultan ul-Awliya Mawlana Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Al-Haqqani An-Naqshibandi (Qs).

Man will really be condemned to suffer the punishment of his heedlessness as long as he is heedless.

Without a doubt, after so many years passing, of course the condition of Muslims has become that of those who are sunk in heedlessness. Man will really be condemned to suffer the punishment of his heedlessness as long as he is heedless. Meaning, the excuse saying, “We were heedless,” will not be accepted for someone who reaches the Divine Presence. Why did you not open your eyes? Did I leave you blind when We gave you the light of faith? Blind is the one who has no light of faith. So that, asta’idhu billah, “Waman kana fee hathihi a’ma fahuwa fil akhirati a’ma” (17:72) says Allah Almighty. He who is blind in this world will be blind in the next world too. This does not mean someone who is blind in his (physical) eyes, will stay blind just as he was blind in this world. Hasha. Maybe Allah Almighty says, He says He will award and grant mercy that He does not show to other servants, to those He has deprived from the light of the two eyes. And He will open their eyes to watch His Beauty, with a first view that is special for them.

All right, but what is the intention there? So that in this world, but also in the hereafter. But its meaning is that the one who has left the heart’s eye in the world, someone who has not opened the heart’s eye with the light of faith. That one he comes like that at Resurrection “Did I not give you the light of faith? Why were you heedless when you were in the world? Why did you not open your eyes? Why are you saying, “I was really heedless”? When I gave you the light of faith. The ones I did not give are different, I gave to you. Why did you become really heedless?” Because 1407 years have passed since, people are tired of moving from taqlid (imitation) to tahqiq (investigation), to haqiqat (truth). And they left that way. Even though Allah Almighty’s order is not to get stuck in imitation, to try and reach truth. Yes.

The Prophet, alaihi s-salatu wa s-salam, said, “If a person does not know himself, he does not know his Lord.”

Why did we come to the world? If it is to eat, drink, and multiply, then animals are also doing it. They don’t do anything else. If you spend your time doing that, you should know your level, your place then. Your place is also that. On the Day of Judgement they will say, “Take this one to the barn too.” Is it not so? This one did not do anything else. This one has no place on this side. Tie them up and pull them to the barn. Meaning – “if this is the aim behind the earthly life in this world what was the use of the mind We gave you? So you never used your mind.” And Allah Almighty says He honored you by clothing you in one of His attributes. And we made you mukarram, We were overly generous with you. So you made Our generosity like dirt. You made it nothing, then your place is the barn. They will say, “Pull, tie, pull that one.” His human form will also be removed. Whichever animal that one represents, every human’s ego represents an animal, that animal’s attribute will overcome and will appear in that form. They will be tied and pulled. He takes them there.

Allah Almighty sent Prophets to teach people human perfection. So that they may know their place. “O Mankind, there are so many of My creatures in this world who are living with you. You could not distinguish your place from amongst other creatures? Then be resurrected along with them.” He will collect them there. The ones who come to this world and do not know the reality of this world is heedless. A human who does not know himself is ignorant. The one who is not aware of his place in this world is both heedless and ignorant. You have to know your place. So there, the human who does not look at reality and does not know truth cannot determine his own place either. When does he determine his own place? When he knows truth. Yes. People do everything, run around everywhere. Everything that takes place around them concerns them and by collecting information about everything they are concerned with and trying to make use of everything, they are trying to satisfy their own egos. Man will not be able to find truth if he does not leave what is around him and turn back to himself. Well, when we are always concerned with what is outside we lose turning inward, staying by ourselves, and knowing ourselves. The Prophet, alaihi s-salatu wa s-salam, said, “If a person does not know himself, he does not know his Lord.” The way to know Allah Almighty goes through you. As long as you know yourself you will find the way to know Allah Almighty. Otherwise, it is impossible for a man who does not know himself to know the One who created him.

Allah Almighty does not withhold but he observes your sincerity and Ikhlas.

As you see, the Seal of prophets, our Master, alaihi s-salatu wa s-salam, came with the fullest marifat (enlightenment) with his perfection, our Master brought what was given by Allah Almighty to His servants regarding Allah’s marifat/ spiritual knowledge. And according to what you ask, you are given from that perfection. Now, there are motors that run putt-putt-putt-putt. Petrol as little as my beard hair is enough for its motor. It will make it run. But there are huge vehicles with 18, 28, and 40 wheels. This little bit (of petrol) will not affect it in any way. You have to open for it like you open the kitchen faucet at home, so it runs. You are given according to your size. From the Prophet, alaihi s-salatus-salam, there is a source perfection enough to feed all his ummat (nation) from his heart – S.Muhammad’s heart to the awliya.

There is a large center, the main center for electricity. Then there are transformer stations in every area. They are filled from the main center. From there the power is distributed to light that neighborhood, to serve that neighborhood. But there are reservoirs to store the force given from him too. Now, from the Prophet’s, alaihi s-salatu wa s-salam, pure heart, S. Muhammad’s pure heart, the inayat (care) for the awliya is stored there – from Allah Almighty to S. Muhammad’s pure heart. Then it is transferred to the hearts of awliya, from East to West in every century. They open to the ones who ask according to their request and according to their need. He sends that power source to them. It is given according to their request. More than the request is not given. However much you want, no limits. There is no limit to a servant’s request. There is no limit to Allah Almighty’s giving.

There is no end to Allah Almighty’s treasures. The person who says, “I asked but did not receive,” lies. Allah Almighty did not find in you sincerity, did not find in you Ikhlas, so He did not give you. That is the wisdom behind His denial. You will not be able to be a possessor because you will not know its value. You do not have sincere trueness and perfection. Therefore, He is not giving it to you. The wisdom behind it: even though a small child shouts and cries for the valuable ring on her mother’s hand, or the gem on her neck, should the mother give it to the little girl? She is an idiot if she does. The child wants it but she (Mother) does not give even though she wants. So, what if she gives it. Would her mother withhold it from her? She (the child) would not keep it, she will not be able to hold it. If she gives her a red candy, she will take it off her neck. Even if it is the world’s most valuable jewel, in that child’s sight red candy is more valuable than red ruby. Ruby does not taste good in the mouth, but with candy she is relaxed. You are like that as well.

Like this, Allah Almighty does not withhold but he observes your sincerity and Ikhlas. He gives it to the one who can take care of it. Why would He give if one cannot take care? In that case He starts unveiling those treasures veil by veil, when there are seven breaths left before the last breath. When will it be entrusted to you? When there are seven breaths left before a person leaves the world. Haji Ali Efendi, if you bring the world’s most beautiful girl or woman and sit her there (next to the dying), is there any movement? Any movement? Is there? The end.

Now there is trust in that man.