God, The All-Mighty 

All praise is to God, master of the universe. God is the creator of the universe and everything in between. He is sole worthy of adoration and admiration. He is the One behind every wonder of nature. Every whisk of wind that gently passes through the trees happens only through His command. He is the one who squeezes the seed in the soil and turns it into a blossoming tree of fruits, providing food and oxygen for every being.  

God is the artist who paint the sky blue and made mountains full of fauna and flora. He is the one who provides us with water from rain and light from the sun for our vegetation to grow. He is the one who created the sea and all species living within it. He is the one who created us, each with a unique personality which helps us differentiate among ourselves. He is the one who tuned our voices to make it unique. He is the one who gave us our identity through our unique biometrics – something that we cannot duplicate. 

In fact, God is the one behind every scientific discovery. He is the one who gave meaning to chemistry, physics and biology long before it was discovered by humans. From medicine to astronomy to micro-organisms, the essence of God is all encompassing and beyond bounds. He gave everything its form and function according to his perfect plan. 

Spiritual Secrets of God’s Mercy 

He is the most gracious and the most merciful. He is self-sufficient, a quality that transcends the human mind. He is neither born nor bore life, yet He is the one who grants and takes life as per His wish. He is the everlasting light of the most esteemed, praiseworthy and propitious master of his own realm. He has a kaleidoscopic range of qualities as He is all-encompassing. He is omniscient as, by His grace, He provides for everyone, even those who are ungrateful towards Him. 

For instance, the sun provides sunlight for everyone, irrespective of your race, gender or beliefs. Fruits and vegetables are dependent upon direct sunlight in order to blossom into food. We distinguish day and night by that rise and fall of the sun. Similarly, this phenomenon is a routine trend that allows human to see that such wonder of nature is not in his grasp. As such, the latter contemplates a higher understanding of power and command. In other words, whilst some may waive such majestic qualities, God does not differentiate between them and does not deny them from benefiting his most esteemed grace. Such attribute of God is known as “Ar-Rahmaan” in Arabic, that is, the entirely merciful. 

“Not only the thirsty seek the water, the water as well seeks the thirsty.” Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi (God be Pleased with Him) 

On the other hand, He is the one who grants your wishes as He is the acquainted and exalted provider.  It is the nature of human to desire something he does not currently own. From a fancy house to a stable job to as simple as a dinner, it is our nature to desire things. Whilst some are attracted to materialistic gains, others dream of heavenly goals. Irrespective of the end result, we have to face a challenging situation in order to reach our goal. 

For instance, most people dream to buy a house one day in the foreseeable future. Indeed, this dream is viewed as an investment rather than an expense. Most of them would require to take a mortgage from a bank or a financial institution. However, the only constraint remains in having a decent deposit and a stable job. Otherwise, the mortgage would not be valid. Hence, the first step is to have a proper education, find a good job and save for the deposit. In other words, you need to prove that you are worthy. But to whom are you going to prove your worth? 

“Do not let your difficulties fill you with anxiety, after all it is only in the darkest nights that stars shine more brightly.” Hazrat Ali Ibn Abi Talib (God be Pleased with Him) 

God is merciful. He is the satisfier of all needs, the one who listens to everything you say out loud and even to supplications you have concealed your heart. These challenges have been put for you to have faith in Him. They remind you of God, the most loving, the master of the universe. When you remember God in your difficult moments, He listens and eases your suffering. All you need to do, is to remember God and to be grateful. Remember God in your good moments and even when you are facing any difficulties. 

It is an undeniable fact that He will help you. You may dream of a 2-bedroom apartment but in turn, He rewards you with a penthouse. Remember, God loves you. He created you out of love. He will never put you in a situation which is beyond rescue but He will eventually test you. This is the exact moment where you can prove your worth to God, the most generous. Hence, God listens to your supplications and rewards you unconditionally. This particular quality is known as “Ar-Rehmaan”, the bestower of mercy. 

 Everywhere you look is the face of God  

God, the all-mighty and owner of His dominion, is omnipresent and all-aware. He is the creator and sole proprietor of the universe and everything in between. God transcends religion as He is the most merciful (Ar-Rahmaan) and bestower of mercy (Ar-Raheem), irrespective of one’s race, gender or beliefs. There is not a single place where His praises are not heard. Such a place does not exist. Wherever you go, you hear God’s praises. 

Most exalted is God and His omnipresence means that He sees and knows everything. Although we cannot understand God’s essence, we can experience His presence. In other words, we can become closer to Him by acknowledging God. Look around you. Grab a journal or simply contemplate on everything you see. Our gaze could never reach the end point of the blue sky that covers the entire atmosphere. The clouds that are majestically floating under them to the rain it provides are all examples of God’s presence. God is the provider of needs. He is the one who created a whole new ecosystem underneath the sea – an untouched and vastly undiscovered place. 

“Be merciful to those on the Earth and the One above the heavens will have mercy upon you.”Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) 

This universe is a painting – a work of art. Everything that has been created has its own purpose. It has its own function. It all works according to His perfect plan. Each being and non being brings something that eventually brings its own contribution. Not a single atom could evolve without the command of the creator Himself. In this quest of divine love, we should acknowledge the omnipresence of the All-Mighty. This state is known as “Ihsaan”. In order words, God sees, hears and knows everything. 

God is Love and Love is God 

The contemplation of the holy mystery resides in the fact that God is love. You have been created out of love. God has created you because he loves you. We do not love God because He needs it. We love God because we need it. We should be grateful to Him. He will always be the one who cares about us. God is with you since the beginning and will be there till the end. 

To embark in this spiritual journey, we declare that we are now in the quest for divine love. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Be Him) is the epitome of divine love. The Beloved Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) explains that if every single human being on Earth ever reaches the height of spiritual piety, or if they were all worst in existence, it would not add or take away anything from God’s sovereignty. In other words, God’s love for us never diminishes. It is not dependent on our actions. When we sin, it does not mean that God does not love us. However, it implies that we have deliberately chosen to be far from Him. It is we who are to blame. For example, the moon is the sole source of light at night. When we sin, it’s like putting curtains in front of our windows which, in turn, darkens our house. In this case, the moon is our heart. The more we sin, the darker will our heart be. 

“I looked in temples, churches and mosques. But I found the Divine in my heart.” Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi (God Be Pleased with Him) 

Rumi (God Be Pleased with Him) explains that in this quest for divine love, there is no duality. In other words, God is One. In this spiritual journey, there can only be one. As a result, you must surrender yourself to The Supreme. So long as you remain chained to this world, you cannot become a true servant of God. You must empty your mind and soul to truly contemplate the divine love. Drown yourself in the essence of God. 

In contrast, self-surrender is the key to the innate knowledge of God’s love, otherwise referred to as the state of “Ma’rifat”. Fortunate are those who have successfully reached this station. By God’s grace, under the guidance of a perfect spiritual master, a disciple will have to face a range of tests to be able to reach that particular station. 

How to establish an intimate connection with God? 

There are various ways through which you can establish an intimate connection with God. It is an undeniable fact that it is through prayer and meditation that you can come closer to God. However, there is a condition. Just a driver needs to have focus while driving, it is of riveting importance that you need to have full concentration. In a big crowd, a lover only sees his beloved. 

Nonetheless, we are all driven with desires and often, we lose focus in our prayers. Our mind tends to travel places when you are praying or meditating. In correspondence, our heart is tainted by sin and jealousy. As a result, it is portentous to have a Peer-O-Murshid, that is, a Perfect Spiritual Master. He is the one who will guide you to path of divine love. He is one who will show you how to overcome your temptations (Nafs) and ignite the light of wisdom inside of you. Thus, it is a gift to become a disciple to a perfect spiritual master as you have been chosen. 

“Intellect takes you to the door, but it doesn’t take you into the house.” Hazrat Shams Tabrez (God Be Pleased with Him) 

Consequently, if you wish to start this spiritual journey, evidence illustrates that a true intention has to be taken. This is known as the “Ba’yat”, that is, the pledge of allegiance. In literal terms, “Ba’yat” means “to sell”. In other words, it is the transaction where you surrender to God, the Ever-lasting, The Supreme. The pledge of allegiance allows you to demonstrate your complete acceptance of the Divine. It also allows you to testify the appointment and authority of the rightful representative of God on Earth, who is Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). Additionally, by God’s grace, the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) is the one who granted Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique (God Be Pleased with Him) as His first “Khalifah”, that is, successor. 

The above diagram illustrates the 4 successors of The Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) 

Pledge of Allegiance 

The pledge of allegiance is a promise that a disciple intends to make in his quest for Divine love. However, why is it important to make that promise? A marriage is a celebration of a couple who declares their love, not only to their relatives and friends, but to the entire world. Love is pure and powerful. When you are in love with the Divine, then why should you be ashamed to declare it to the universe? 

The Beloved Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) is the origin and at the top of the pledge of allegiance. In His 11^th year of prophethood, when the time of pilgrimage (Hajj) approached, people from all over the continent came to the city of Makkah. Among them were pilgrims from Madinah. During their pilgrimage, pilgrims used to visit the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). On one of those visits, the Beloved Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) met a group of 6 people from Madinah which identified themselves as the Tribe of Khazraj. They were: 

1. Hazrat Asad Ibn Zurarah (God Be Pleased with Him) 
2. Hazrat Auf Ibn Al Harith (God Be Pleased with Him) 
3. Hazrat Rafi Ibn Malik (God Be Pleased with Him) 
4. Hazrat Qutbah Ibn Amir (God Be Pleased with Him) 
5. Hazrat Uqbah Ibn Amir (God Be Pleased with Him) 
6. Hazrat Jabir Ibn Abdullah (God Be Pleased with Him) 

Conversely, they all accepted the message conveyed by the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). They then parted company with the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) with light in their hearts. When they returned to Madinah, they would sit and talk about the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) for hours. It got to the point where the name of the Beloved Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was mentioned in all household in Yathrib, now known as Madinah. 

With such love and devotion for God, the all-mighty, and for His Beloved (Peace Be Upon Him), in the year 12 Hijri, the first pledge of allegiance took place. This is widely known as the Pledge of Al-Aqabah. In that same year, 12 people of the Tribe of Khazraj came to visit the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) near a place called Aqabah. To commemorate this event, there is now a mosque built there, called “Masjid Ba’yah”. This time, 5 people who came the year before, with the exception of Hazrat Jabir Ibn Abdullah (God Be Pleased with Him), brought 7 more people with them. That is, a total of 12 men. The 7 new were: 

1. Hazrat Mu’ad Ibn Al Harith (God Be Pleased with Him) 
2. Hazrat Dhakwan Ibn Abd Qays (God Be Pleased with Him) 
3. Hazrat Ubadah Ibn As Samit (God Be Pleased with Him) 
4. Hazrat Yazid Ibn Tha’labah (God Be Pleased with Him) 
5. Hazrat Abbas Ibn Ubadah (God Be Pleased with Him) 
6. Hazrat Abu Al Haytham Malik Ibn At Tayhan (God Be Pleased with Him) 
7. Hazrat Uwaym Ibn Saidah (God Be Pleased with Him) 

They all took a pledge of allegiance with the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). The pledge stipulated that God is One and that they would not commit any sin, to the best of their abilities. Consequently, on the 13^th year of prophethood, there were now more people who came to accomplish their pilgrimage. Out of which, 75 people, 2 of which were female, pledged their allegiance to the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). As a result, as years passed by, there were more and more people who pledged their allegiance. 

“Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes. Because for those who love with their heart and soul, there is no such thing as separation.” Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi (God Be Pleased with Him) 

Similarly, when Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique (God Be Pleased with Him) was appointed the first successor of The Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), he also made his pledge of allegiance. So did all the successors of The Beloved Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). As a result, nowadays we are blessed to have among us the representatives of God among us whom we now call to as a Peer-O-Murshid. This particular event gave rise to the spiritual tree, also known as the “Shajraah”. The spiritual tree records all the predecessors and actual representative of God, that is, starting from the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) to our Peer-O-Murshid. 

Moreover, we should point out that the spiritual tree varies depending of the Sufi practice or order, also known as the “Silsilla”. An order is a particular Sufi practice. There are many orders around the world with different practices. However, irrespective of the practice, all Sufi orders take you to The Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) as He (Peace Be Upon Him) is the origin of the pledge of allegiance. 

Love All Hate None 

As exemplified and as all-encompassing God is, He created us out of love and constantly bestows His mercy upon us. He is the one who created you and who created everything around you. You have been created because God loves you and cares for you. No matter how much sin you’ve committed, God is merciful and He will forgive us. In fact, we are truly blessed and should be grateful to Him. Because when we sin, it shows how ungrateful we are being to Him. 

Nevertheless, since we have already established that God is Love and Love is God, we should empty ourselves from any hate or jealousy we have for on another. How can we hate something or someone that God has created out of love? Hence, this implies that we should live our lives only by speaking the truth and avoid talking ill about something or even someone else. If we hold jealousy or hatred in our hearts, even if it’s the size of an atom, you will not be able to apprehend God’s virtue in your heart. Remember, in order to have fresh water to consume, you have to empty your tank and clean it so that you may replace the dirty water. Afterall, God’s mercy is like an ocean. No matter how much you take from it, it does not reduce. 

In contrast, when you embark on this spiritual journey, it is pivotal to find and follow a Perfect Spiritual Master. Furthermore, a perfect disciple is the one who does not discriminate among others. In other words, in the quest for divine love, the first lesson for a disciple is “Love All, Hate None”. 

HAQQUN SABIR ALAUDDIN 

With Love and Light