The lesson for today is on Tashrifat – being honored. It is a Divine Protocol that determines the honor of each creature. The Prophet (ﷺ) is number one but every creature big and small has its own tashrifa because it was honored by being created by the Lord Most HIgh. From the Prophet to the ant, each has its honor and its name on the list of protocol. So respect that honor and learn the Science, the Foundation of Protocol.

Bismillahi r-Rahmani r-Rahim

The Foundation of Protocol

Sultan ul-Awliya Mawlana Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Al-Haqqani An-Naqshbandi ق

Sohbat of the 8th of August, 2013

We ask permission, O Shah Mardan! Madad! Even if it’s only two words, there’ll be some benefit. Let’s see, what comes on this day from Shah Mardan’s blessed words. Welcome, O Shah Mardan! Welcome! What wonderful words, Madad, Yā Rijāl Allāh! What is it that man needs most in the life of this world? Let’s see what he’ll make to be spoken, Shah Mardan. O Shah Mardan! Your words are the remedy for our sorrows and pains. O Shah Mardan! Welcome! O beloved brethren of Shah Mardan, welcome! There is a supplication, “Allahumma yā Rabbī alhimnā rushdanā”, “Rushd” is what he is going to speak about now, Shah Mardan. So let’s listen. “Isma‘ū wa ‘ū!” Listen and be attentive! “Isma‘ū wa ‘ū fa-idha ra’aytum fa-ntafi‘ū. If you listen, there is benefit. Let it be three times, express it, take the benefit! 

Our assembly is the assembly of Shah Mardan. O beloved brethren of Shah Mardan! You who love Shah Mardan, what is the reason for this love? It is because he teaches us the ways of adab, his assembly is full of honor. Those attending his assembly become honorable. O my Lord, increase our strength. But we don’t address our Lord directly, we ask Shah Mardan to educate us. Observe, this is an example – Inside this house you find a lot of wooden things which they call nice furniture. Furniture is originally what? It is wood. If you get some wood and bring it into the room, does it make any sense? Wood is burned in the fireplace. But if you use a saw, it becomes something nice and useful, it turns into furniture. Working on it produces something beneficial. That’s why if man says, “Madad, Yā Sultān, Yā Shah Mardan!” using it to work on himself, he gains worth. A tree, by working on it, gains value. Man, if he is worked on, gains value, too. 

Here you go, O Shah Mardan! Teach us! Let’s learn! Mā shā’ Allāhu kān (What Allah wills happens) wa mā lam yashā’ lam yakūn! (and what He doesn’t will does not!) What are the things which people feel drawn to? What are these attractions? What are the things, people like? There are plenty of things in the market, a lot of things, that make people go “aah!”. Or, to say it in the language of Istanbulians, “aaaaah!” “How wonderful that is, that’s really lovely”, they say. Well, leave all that, O brainless human! All this is only man-made. When man is impressed by the looks of something he goes “Aaah, how lovely,\ a knick-knack!” It’s just a knick-knack, so why do you go, “Aaah, how lovely!”? Originally it’s a piece of wood, but being refined by work, by working on it, it has gained a value. 

The point Shah Mardan likes to express in the presence of these blessed ones, is regarding an important institution, described by just one word: “tashrīfa” (etiquette, protocol), Tashrīfa.

Madad, Yā Sāhib ad-Dawrān! O Shah Mardan! This is an important subject, Shaykh Mehmet Efendi, such is the inspiration coming to our heart. In shā’ Allāh it is something beneficial for mankind, what Shah Mardan expressed, what he intended to explain. He is speaking about something, which gives humans attraction, which gives them honor; that’s what he’s talking about. If humans carry this particular attribute, they are loved and respected by everyone. The point Shah Mardan likes to express in the presence of these blessed ones, is regarding an important institution, described by just one word: “tashrīfa” (etiquette, protocol), Tashrīfa. The means for keeping up the order of this universe, is the protocol (tashrīfa) defining honor (sharaf), striving to grant honor. Who is honorable, who is honored cannot be learned from earth, protocol is not taken from earth. 

A matter of protocol: Do this, don’t do that!

“Tashrīfa”, just one word: After man was created, how did he become a superior being? Allah Most High dressed him in a robe according to his rank. This was the first protocol: “I’m placing a representative on earth”, He said. “Innī jā’ilun fi l-ardi khalīfa”(2:30) That honor (sharaf) expressed by the word “khalīfa” is the highest of all ranks. That is why man loves protocol – being honored (tashrīfa). Everyone loves being honored. That means, everyone loves becoming honorable. We were dressed in this honor by Allah, our benevolent Protector. “Guard it, O human!”, He said. “Tashrīfa”, just one word. What was that responsibility enjoined upon Ādam? A matter of protocol: Do this, don’t do that! What gains a human being honor are these two things: If you do what you’re told “Do!” according to protocol you gain a rank of honor. If you do what you’re told “Don’t do!” according to protocol your place will be the place of donkeys. Please excuse the expression, but that’s how it is. 

Man in this universe, the children of Ādam, were give by Allah Most High, an honor (sharaf). That is “tashrīfa.” The prophet Ādam was dressed in honor by the Divine Protocol. Allāhu akbar! When Allah Most High gave this divine honor of being khalīfa to Ādam, his magnificence, greatness, beauty, his perfection and congeniality amazed all the angels. What is the place of prophet Ādam in creation, in this universe? What is his rank? The most honored of all places belongs to prophet Ādam according to the protocol of this universe. The number one according to this protocol is prophet Ādam. There are so many angels, but their position according to this protocol is not fit for taking the rank of prophet Ādam. And this honorable position is always present inside the son of man. He wants that honor granted by Divine Protocol. Man wants to show and to carry this honor. 

Such a greatness, He gave him. Such an honor He gave him in creation, making prophet Ādam the number one according to His protocol. That is why among people nowadays everyone is running after protocol: “His Honorable …”, “His Excellency”, “His Majesty”. To be “majestic” is what Allah Most High wants for His servants, not to be common ones. Animals don’t understand protocol. Only someone possessing honor can understand the honor man possesses. The protocol according to the Divine Diwan/court says that man is number one, that he is first. The angels all possess honor, but “number one”, the first number, the first of all in line, from all creatures under the protocol, the first according to the protocol is prophet Ādam. Mā shā’ Allāh! Here you go, O Shah Mardan. That is the reason why man always wants to be honored. If there is a meeting for example, this one is a human and that one, too. But this one is a gentleman, that one is a general, and that one is a ruler. It means: when protocol is gone, humanity’s honor is gone, too. 

In earthly as well as in heavenly protocol, in the protocol of this universe, Allah’s distinguished messenger, Habību-Llāh is the absolute number one.

This explanation regarding “tashrīfa”, which is coming today, is a powerful speech, clarifying that man is “mukhtalifu l-‘ajnās”. There are many different kinds of humans, but they all carry their own honor. So being human – here you go, O Shah Mardan – is ruled by a protocol, awarding everyone his place in the line. The most important point is protocol, to guard one’s own honor as well as guarding the honor of other beings. The most important thing in worldly life is protocol. Who doesn’t know protocol is an animal. Only “his Honor”, “his Excellency”, “His Majesty” … they have no end. That means being honorable is not just for one group, but for “mukhtalifu l-‘ajnās” (different categories). Each single human possesses an honor inside of his existence. This is what you must know. Now, this is why “tashrīfa” is such an important, extremely important subject, a lesson, which must be taught and must be learned well. 

Protocol, they show it on that thing (tv) – A prime minister is treated in a certain way, presidents in another, ministers in another, servants in another, and doormen in another way again. There’s a fixed rank in the protocol of an assembly for so-and-so; everyone has his position in the protocol. For each human coming into existence, being brought into existence, for each single human being, there is a position in this protocol. Who is the master of all creation? The rank of “Master of creation”, for whose sake the universe was created, belongs to Habību-Llāh, Allah’s Beloved. It is the highest rank. There is no one who could even reach to his feet. In earthly as well as in heavenly protocol, in the protocol of this universe, Allah’s distinguished messenger, Habību-Llāh is the absolute number one. If you are aware of that and understand his position, you will respect him and love him according to the honor he possesses. Who’s number one in honor in this universe? The Prophet of the End of Times – ‘alayhi afdalu s-salātu wa s-salām!

In this universe, in all creation, the highest position, the first rank in the protocol of Allah’s Court, belongs to the Prophet of the End of Times, the Beloved of Allah.

Here you go, O Shah Mardan, explain it! In the Night of Ascension (mi‘rāj), during the Night of Ascension, when he, our master, who is himself the embodiment of “tashrīfa”, was on his way through the heavens. The noble Angels lined up in endless rows to receive the honor of greeting him. Guarding this honor they oversaw the protocol. “Who is that, passing by?”, prophet Mūsā asked. “This one just passing by, he’s the Sultan of the End of Times.” They asked prophet ‘Īsā, “Who is this, who is passing by? Who is passing this night through the spiritual world with such majestic sovereignty?” “He is the Prophet of the End of Times. In the end of times he holds the highest rank in the protocol.” For all the Angels in heavens, the spiritual worlds and the heavenly dominions, there is a standing protocol. Ordinary people don’t come and go there. This is a protocol for the number one, for the highest rank only – for the Beloved of Allah, the one granted to meet Allah. Allāhu Akbar. No honor can match the honor, which protocol awarded to the Prophet of the End of Time, the Beloved of Allah. 

Here you go, O Shah Mardan. Protocol entails being attentive in regard to people, saying, “his Excellency”, “his Honor”, “his Majesty”, “his Nobleness”. In protocol everyone has his position. In this universe, in all creation, the highest position, the first rank in the protocol of Allah’s Court, belongs to the Prophet of the End of Times, the Beloved of Allah. Who, in his presence, does not guard his honor, has no honor at all. That’s why you, O Muslims, O you, who pass for Muslims, must know the position of the Prophet of the End of Times awarded to him by protocol. When the adhan is called and after that blessings and peace are recited for this sultan, they consider it too much and a bid‘a (innovation). May your bid’a explode over your heads! Are you not ashamed to object to someone sending blessings and peace upon the one, for whose sake this whole universe was brought into existence, the prophet of the end of times, who holds the highest rank of all according to protocol? What kind of Muslims are these? 

Come on, these people of the last nation are different. If the people of this last nation saw the great respect of prophet ‘Īsā for the Prophet of the End of Times they would all fall down prostrate in sajda. Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar. That’s why – Shaykh Mehmet Efendi – the most important point in Islam, the most important point is “tashrīfa”, protocol. Of course, there is some benefit in the worldly protocol for the people of this world, but what we are talking about here is the real tashrīfa, the real protocol. They are making it clear, that in the council of protocol the highest adab and the greatest honor belong to the Prophet of the End of Times. For him, blessings and peace (salātu wa salām) must be recited. If you don’t, you are worthless. 

This is the science of protocol. But they don’t teach the science of protocol. “You are you, and I am I”, they say. They don’t say, “You are ‘Īsā, I am Mūsā.” “Tashrīfa”, protocol, is a branch of knowledge. It’s an important science. It determines someone’s honor. They sit in the assembly, in their assembly, that assembly where people sit around – “This one is prime minister, that one is … minister, that one, he is – I don’t know what – the donkey minister, and he, he is the dog minister”. All that doesn’t work. Where is your honor? The science of protocol, have you studied it? In Islam, protocol is of utmost importance. Why do you think I am getting angry at these muezzins, hojjas and hajjis of our times? Because they consider our esteemed Master like any common guy and reckon it too much to even once send blessings and peace upon him. May the food you eat be haram for you (those people)! 

Egypt is in an uproar. Why? There is a shaytanic group that doesn’t recite blessings and peace upon our distinguished Master. Shame on them. They don’t have any knowledge of protocol. Tashrīfa, protocol, al-‘izzatu li-Llāh (might and glory belong to Allah) al-‘azamatu li-Llāh, (greatness belongs to Allah) al-haybatu li-Llāh (magnificence belongs to Allah). Did He dress the Prophet in them or didn’t He? Say it, O scholars! The Prophet of the End of Times was dressed in them. Was ‘Isā dressed in them? He was dressed in them in his way. Was Mūsā dressed in them? He was dressed in them in his way. But the highest honor, to whom does it belong according to protocol? The number one, the first in the Presence of Allah, is Habibu-Llāh – sallaLlāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam. You must teach this, O Muslims! Don’t say, it is too much to recite salātu wa salām for him. Don’t claim it is bid‘a, or things will explode over your heads and you’ll find no way out of tribulations (fitna).

Real honor is that honor which comes down from heavens.

Knowledge of tashrīfa (protocol) means – the tashrīfa of heavens is one thing, the tashrīfa of the prophets is another, the tashrīfa of the auliyā’ is another. Here you go, O Shah Mardan! How beautiful are your expressions. What the people of today need urgently is tashrīfa. This is what they were not taught, and because they didn’t learn it, their worth became zero. They became zero. On the list of honor nothing remained of their names. O our Lord, Subhānsın! Sultānsın! Mā shā’ Allāh, this kind of knowledge is completely lost in our times. They don’t teach that there is a thing called “protocol”. They don’t like it. But why? Because they think that they themselves deserve the highest honor. There is only One! The protocol all mankind has to learn and to teach is this: Absolute Singularity (tawhīd) belongs to Allah. 

O our Lord, give us the strength to crush our egos. And dress us according to the protocol of Your Beloved with an awe-inspiring magnificence, O Lord, which incapacitates all their cannons and guns! Magnificence stems from protocol; the robes of magnificence come from tashrīfa – Hajji Mehmet Efendi. How many blessed ones are there, whose names appear on the list of honor but they stay unseen. It is protocol, which teaches mankind to be human. Without learning protocol man cannot learn to be human. He will be dressed with the attribute of grief, humans killing each other. Those clad in dresses of honor, dressing the dress of tashrīfa, not only don’t they kill other humans, they don’t even touch an ant. That’s protocol. Is there anything about ants in the protocol? There is. 

Even an ant has an honor. If it didn’t, Allah Most High would not have created it. It is honorable, that ant, because its Creator, al-Haqq Subhānahu wa Ta‘āla, granted to this ant an honor by creating it. The Creator of this ant is the Lord of Might and Glory. An ant’s inviolability is like your inviolability, granted by its Creator. But if they don’t recite blessings & peace upon the great Prophet of the End of Time they’ll devour one another. If they don’t believe, they’ll deliver the punishment to each other. That is the protocol. There is protocol. Saying, “I am Russian”, “I am English”, “I am Türk” “I am Persian”, doesn’t give honor to a man. Real honor is that honor which comes down from heavens. A human, who was granted honor from heavens, doesn’t even touch an ant. He doesn’t crush an ant. He doesn’t trample an ant. Why? Trampling an ant would mean to defy its Creator. Because Allah created this ant you have to respect it. 

O Persians, O Shias, there is not even permission to trample an ant. You must not trample Allah’s creation! You must show respect! Where has it come to with the sons of Ādam, that the nations aren’t taught protocol any more? The Islamic nation is in utter confusion. Muslims are killing Muslims. Why? “For the sake of Allah”, they claim. Is that what Allah ordered? That Muslims should kill Muslims, crush them, burn them, annihilate them? If that is written in the books of the Persians let them say it! If it is written in the books of the ‘Alawīs let them say it! Next day it will rain fire upon their heads. Get your heads together! 

That’s what the science of protocol is about. What do they call tashrīfa in English? “According their honor”. Every human being possesses an honor. It is not a dress in which they dress themselves. It is the dress in which their Creator has clad them. Honor has come down from heavens to the son of man. You’re not allowed take away this honor! You must not kill the one carrying this honor! If you have him killed your head will be crushed. Get your heads together, O ulema, ulema of Egypt! And you, who defiantly claim “We are Shias” or “We are this or that”! The most important science for humanity is tashrīfa – the protocol granting each one the honor he deserves, appreciating the honor granted to him by his Creator. 

“Appreciate creatures for the sake of their Creator”, it is said. Who created this ant? So don’t trample it! Who created this one, that you trample him to death? Where is the rank of the great human being in the science of protocol? Well, Persians, well fake ‘Alawīs, explain it! Where is the place of man in tashrīfa, in protocol? So why don’t you observe the rules of Heavenly Protocol? You’ll find out! If you didn’t know, they’ll teach you. 

O our Lord, keep us far away from those who are left in ignorance! Keep us far away from those, who are enemies of humanity! People have become enemies of humanity. “Wa laqad karamnā banī Ādam”(17:70) “We’ve granted the children of man a rank no one can ever fully comprehend.” Where is the place amongst humanity for those servants, who crush, burn, annihilate and displace this highly honored human being? Where is their place in protocol? What do they deserve? In Egypt people assemble shouting and braying around. What are you braying? Braying is for animals in the stable. If only you would say, “Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar wa Lillahi l-hamd”! Which bullet could hit you? It would fall on the head of the one shooting. They forgot Allah and every kind of punishment came down on their heads. 

Here you go, O Shah Mardan. What you are teaching is adab, perfect adab! It is a shame that the ulema did not teach the science of tashrīfa. Because they didn’t teach it, they’re subjected to a reckoning by the kurbash/whip with incalculable consequences. Allah, O my Lord, please forgive us, O Allah! For the sake of Your Beloved, the number one in protocol, representing the foremost rank, the highest rank, representing the Lord of Might and Glory, the most beloved to Allah in this whole universe. Allāhu akbar! Those who don’t respect him are according to Your Protocol in the same state as animals in a stable. May Allah be pleased with the blessed Shah Mardan, who is teaching us adab! 

So here they’re giving a few explanations, saying, “Let’s make one thing clear: We didn’t come into this world to kill. We didn’t come to collect the rubbish of this world. We came to be servants of our Lord. And success is from Allah!” O our Lord, send us Your servants who will teach us the science of tashrīfa. Send them with power. That’s why – Shaykh Mehmet Efendi – we are taking great care regarding the science of protocol. It will raise our station, the knowledge of tashrīfa. Their protocols are good for nothing. They have invented them themselves. Look at the Protocols coming down from heavens, look at these Protocols. Look at this tashrīfa, so that your honor may increase! O Shah Mardan, your brethren adore you lovingly. May your beautiful explanations showing us the way, continue forever so that our strength and honor may increase! For the sake of the Beloved of the Almighty and we ask that his honor manifest for all to see,  Fātiha. 

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