THE UNIQUE RELIGION OF THE UNIVERSE

THE TITLE OF THE DISCOURSE: THE UNIQUE RELIGION OF THE UNIVERSE DATE: 17.05.2006 - May 17th , 2006 My dear friends, we offer endless praise and thanks to Allah that we are together once again. Allahu Teal has gathered us together once more in order that we can talk about Allah's dhikr. Our topic is "The unique religion of the universe." There has been no other religion but "one religion" throughout the history of mankind. From Hz. dem (Adam), who is the first man on Earth and the first prophet, to the last prophet, Mohammad (PBUH), there has never been any other religion. Only one religion, which is called "hanif[1] religion" has been existed, the pure religion of Hz. brhm (Abraham). When it comes to the pure religion of Hz. brhm (Abraham), before him, there lived Hz. Nuh (Noah). Wasn't it the religion of him, too? Certainly it was. Then, who has been first? Hz. dem (Adam) was the first of all prophets and his religion was also hanif religion. We can notice that there also has been ones who reached salah[2] in the era of Hz. dem (Adam). Hanif religion contains 7 stages and 4 submissions, and it is the eternal and everlasting religion of the universe. Another religion has never been existed. The name of Hz. brhm (Abraham)'s pure religion takes place in the Qur'n as "hanif religion" and Allah Teal expresses it as the religion of Islm. When we consider hanif religion of Hz. brhm (Abraham) from three different characteristics, it's clear that all three of them are in the religion of Islm itself: 1. The first characteristic of Hz. brhm (Abraham)'s hanif religion is unity and solitariness, which means the Oneness of Allah. There is only one Allah, there has never been any other and it's impossible to be. 2. The second one is "tevhid"[3]. For the ones who wish to reach Allah during the time they live on Earth, just one religion can be valid in question. It's such a religion which is consisted of people who wish to redeem their spirits to Allah before death. No one can be hanif[4] unless they wish to reach Allah. Only the ones who wish to reach Allah can be hanif. 3. Beyond these two, hanif religion sustains a third characteristic, which is called "teslim"[5]. Submitting the spirit, the wajh[6] (phisical body), the soul and the free will to Allah. When we take a look at the concept of unity, we notice Allahu Teal[7] mentioning "There is only one Allah." Allahu Teal says: "If there were gods in the sky, they would absolutely struggle, fight one another. However there isn't such a concept. There's only Us." Allah, who is the Establisher and the Creator of the universe, and the Unique One... There has never been another god, and it's not possible to be. Allahu Teal is the eternal and the everlasting One. He also existed before He created the "time". Allah did exist before creating the universe, too.

Now the universe exists. After a while, the doomsday will occur and the universe will be annihilated. Only Heaven and Hell will carry on existing. However Allahu Teal says that the skies of Heaven and Hell will eventually crack and split at the end. And finally, the existing people in Heaven and Hell will come to an end by being turned into energy. Allahu Teal says: 55 / AR-RAHMN - 26: All mankind will perish: 55 / AR-RAHMN - 27: But will abide (forever) the Face of your Lord- full of Majesty, Bounty and Honor. "All mankind will perish. Because their destiny is designed in this way, they will all perish. But will abide (forever) the Face of your Lord- full of Majesty, Bounty and Honor." Allahu Teal is eternal, He even existed prior to time. He is also everlasting; time will stop on the Doomsday and will run back to its beginning. But Allahu Teal will exist after the day of judgment, too. He will exist all the time, forever. At the end, people will deserve to get into Heaven or go in Hell and for billions of years they will maintain their living either in heaven or Hell. What will happen then? After that, the skies of Heaven and Hell will crack (and split up). Besides, if there were a hell remaining, in action at the moment, it would supply its combustible, fuel by the humans The fact for the people in Hell is to burn and to turn into energy. The Holy Qur'n clearly comprises this fact. Within the period before the doomsday -with praise to Allah- He created us, the humanbeing in this planet called Earth, and He has made us the ones among the nearest, closest to Himself. In the era of Hz. brhm (Abraham) this religion was called "Hanif" which is encircled by submissions. After Allahu Teala states in the Holy Qur'n to our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) "You're hanif", He also mentions that he is Islm, too. It's also expressed that any other religion but Islm will be accepted by Allahu Teal. The religion Islm is equivalent to hanif religion, which both shares the same bases; and one of them being submission.' The words "Islm" and "teslim"[8] are derived from the same root. Teslim, tesellum, muslim, musluman' words come from the same origin as well. What do we realise when we take a look at the concept of "submission?" We clearly notice this matter: In the content of teslim, there stands the submission of spirit, physical body, soul and irade[9]. Hanif religion of brhm (Abraham) -or Islm in the Qur'n- are both the same in Allah's expression. Islm equals hanif religion. Ibrhm (Abraham)'s hanif religion is just the equivalent of our Prophet Muhammed (PBUH)'s religion of Islm. They're totally the same. When we take a look at our subject from this point of view, we notice 7 stages and 4 submissions. And we have to take up the hanif religion' in the succession of these submissions mentioned before. The 28 steps of Islam are also the 28 steps of hanif religion which contains 4 submissions in 7 stages. At the first one of the 28 steps, all people experience and live through the events. And at the second step, the ones who have lived through these events, reveals their thoughts and behavior. Allahu Teal absolutely tests everyone for a few times per year with certain calamities. This way, Allahu Teal shows to the humanbeings, how they respond to these calamities. He points out their identities by using their own style of behavior. Unfortunately,

very few people among the all wish to reach Allah. The selected ones constitute a little part of the entire population. Yet most of them still do not wish to reach Allah despite they had been selected to wish to reach Allah. There, this little section/group is formed by the wishers. The ones who get to the fourth step are these people. Previously, they were at the third step due to their wish for reaching Allah. Allahu Teala manifests onto them by His "Rahman"[10] attribute at the fourth step. Examining this content of the religion in this very short period of time can only be possible by mentioning the basics to you. The person is addressed to Allah's Name "Rahm", at the fourth step; and only the ones who wishes to reach Allah can arrive at this point. This point, -being addressed to Allah's name "Rahm"- means the functioning of the person's senses of seeing, hearing and comprehension. And also means the functioning of the organs (of the physical body for these notions.) It's such a matter that after the manifestation of Allah with His "Rahman" attribute upon the one who wishes to reach Allah, begins to feel a need for the Person of Irshad.' (dipnot onerisi: enlightenment ? : bu sozcuk tamamiyla bana aittir. Saygilarimla) He begins to consider him as the Person of Irshad.' He listens to his words as the words of Person of Irshad, and starts to comprehend his words by placing them into his heart. And this person becomes and feels familiar to the Person of Irshad' by the functioning of his senses and organs of seeing, hearing and comprehending. He puts the Person of Irshad' to his own place. So by this way, the person's senses of seeing, hearing ve comprehending are opened, started working for seeing, hearing and comprehending the Person of Irshad.' And from now on, Person of Irshad' is important for him. After that Allahu Teal reaches to the person's heart and turns it to Himself, Allah. He splits the chest and puts a path of glory from the chest to the heart. After the establishment of the path of glory, the person starts doing rememberance of Allah'[11] by saying "Allah, Allah, Allah..." As a result of this "dhikr" (repeating the name of Allah) the glories of mercy and virtue[12] (rahmat and fadl) arrives at the heart of the person, but the one which can go into the heart is merely the one called mercy (rahmat). And the utmost level of its entrance is approximately 2%. When this 2% mercy enters and settles down in the person's heart, this person becomes an owner of hushu[13]. This state gives the person the authority of asking for the Person of Irshad' from Allah, and he seeks that from Allah. Allahu Teala absolutely shows him his Murshid[14]. The person takes an oath of allegiance' at the 14th step. When his dependence (to his Murshid) occurs, the word "faith" is written into that person's heart and the Spirit of Imam of the time' comes and settles upon the person. After the dependence/allegiance and the settlement of Imam of the time's Spirit onto his head, this person's spirit leaves his body for a journey to Allah called "seyru suluq". At the point of the time he performes his dependence/ allegiance, Allah converts all of his sins into merits. What had Allah done before that? He had covered this person's sins as soon as he wished to reach Allah, and at that very point, this person become entitled to Heaven. At this point of time, the covering of his sins occured. Allahu Teal shows the person his Murshid after his performing hajat[15] salat[16] (a special kind of prayer for seeking a Murshid from Allah) and this person takes his allegiance to his Murshid. This way the dependence/allegiance happens.

With the allegiance, at the 14th step, the spirit leaves the body. And with dhikr[17] the glories start accumulating in the heart of the soul. After the accumulation of rahmat (mercy), for 2%, at the first gathering of fazls (virtues) in the amount of 7%, the person's spirit accends with the other spirits and gets to the first of the heavens which is Nafs-i Ammarah. (Commanding soul stage)[18] After that, the spirit of this person gets to the second of the heavens, which is named (according to the state of the soul) Nafs-i Lawwamah.(Condemning of one's own soul) Then the spirit gets to the third of the heavens: Nafs-i Molhemah. (Satisfied soul) He begins to receive inspirations from Allah. The spirit gets to the forth heavens: Nafs-i Motmainnah. At this state, the person is satisfied and content with all the things Allah is given him. He understands that all the things Allah has given him so far is quite optimal and considers them at such a find degree. Then the fifth phase occurs, the spirit reaches to the fifth of the heavens. The person is now pleased with Allah. This state is called Nafs-i Radhiyyah. And at the sixth of the heavens, Allah also becomes pleased with the person: Nafs-i Mardhiyya. Eventually, the spirit reaches Allah and disappears in Allah's Existence. This is called Nafs-i Tazkiyyah. (the cleansing of soul) Here, a person whose soul has been cleansed and reached to the seventh of the heavens, passes through 7 worlds and arrives Sidratul Montaha[19]. After that, it reaches Allah, and that is the twenty-first step. The spirit disappears in Allah at the twenty-second step. After this point, the person will increase his dhikr (rememberance of Allah by repeating His name) to a level that lasts more than the half of the day. When he succeeds in this, (everyday he remembers Allah and repeats His Name more than half of the day) this person becomes zahid[20], the owner of zuhd[21]. Just after this point, the submission of physical body is inevitable. When the level of the glories in the heart of the soul are beyond 80%, the person submits his physical body to Allah. After this point, the person reaches continous dhikr[22]. Once the person reaches continuos dhikr, there remains no vices in the heart of his soul. Simply because the glories that come from Allah, fills the entire heart and these glories keep coming from Allahu Teal continously. That keeps the heart enlightened. It's not possible for the darknesses to enter in the heart any more because the Satanic entrance is permanently closed due to the person's continous dhikr. That makes the darkness impossible to enter into the heart, it is covered by glories totally, for 100%. At this point, he becomes such a person that could enlighten his heart because the vices of his soul are totally perished, annihilated. The first characteristic of this person is being at continuous dhikr. It's a reality for the person to repeat the name of Allah for 24 hours without interruption. His dhikr goes on whether he is sleeping or awake. Aside from these two characteristics -that is, being at continuos dhikr and due to this, the annihilation of the vices in soul's heart- Allahu Teal opens the eye of his heart. Allahu Teal shows this person the realities beyond the ones he sees using his physical eyes. Besides, Allah opens the ear of his heart to make him hear all what He says. From that point on, the person begins to hear all the things Allah tells him. This person has three more characteristics: 1. He is an ahl-i tazakkur (the one who can have a dialogue with Allah)

2. He is an ahl-i khayr/person of goodness (the one who always performs good deeds only.) 3. He is an ahl-i hikmat and ahl-i hukm. (the person of wisdom) Being an owner of continous dhikr puts the person in a position to have conversations, dialogue with Allah. This person is the owner of a characteristic which makes possible for him to establish a dialogue with Allah. The reason that makes him ahl-i tazakkur is the ability of having a conversation with Allah and discussing the events and consulting with Him. The person is the owner of continuous dhikr. This kind of dhikr permanently makes this person earn positive degrees all the time. And receiving positive degrees is called as khayr (goodness). That's why this person is ahl-i khayr (owner of goodness). Besides, this person becomes ahl-i hikmat (person of wisdom). When he is asked to be a judge or an arbitrator, he makes his judgement truly according to justice because decides this by consulting with Allah. Beyond this, when he looks up a verse in the Qur'n, he immediately understands which step of Islam -in the ladder of 28 steps- this verse belongs to. This state supplies him the demonstration of seven levels of Hell and the ground level. The main derwish convent[23] at the ground level is shown. After all these are completed and when he sees the first of the heavens, that means the ulul-albab[24] post is finished and he is at the "ikhlas"[25] post. And he is at this post during the period he witnesses the seven levels of the heavens. After completing the seven levels of heavens and seeing Sidratul Muntaha[26] Allahu Teal invites him for Towba-i Nasooh.[27] This is a repentance that is performed in front of Allah. The Ikhlas post is completed at this point. And at this state, we notice a formation. When we notice at his relations with Allah, we realise that he has arrived "Salah."[28] At the first level of Salah, Allahu Teal covers the person's sins, At the second level, Allah gives him the Salah aura, At the third level, He converts his sins into merits, At the fourth, the person submits his free will to Allah And at the fifth stage of Salah, Allah appoints this person whose free will He has taken from him, as the owner of irshad. The person becomes the Person of Irshad' after hearing this sentence from Allah: "You have been authorized and given permission for irshad (enlightenment)." This is the fifth level of the twenty-eight stage. Fourteen centuries ago, sahaba[29] had reached this point. Allahu Teala says at the 100th verse of Surah Taubah: 9 / AT-TAUBAH - 100: It was the vanguard of Islam, SABIQUN-AL AWWALEEN (the ones in the first three ranks of those who were always ready to give and help for the cause of good deeds: ULUL ALBAB (to whom the secrets of Allah were revealed), IKHLAS (who have also submitted their souls (ego) to Allah), SALAH (who have attained the very last stage through their submissions)) some of whom were MUHAJIRs (who migrated from Mecca to Medina),

some of whom were ANSARs (the helpers in Medina), and some of whom were those who depended on (followed) them (MUHAJIRs and ANSARs) (since SAHABA (disciples of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)) were of the IRSHAD POST (True Guidance, they were depended on (followed)). Allah is well pleased with them, as they are with Him. Allah has prepared for them the Gardens under which rivers flow, and they will dwell therein forever. That is the greatest reward. We notice that the people who lived in that era had been the followers of Sahaba. Because all companions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) were the owners of irshad. They all submitted their free wills to Allah. Clearly, 14 centuries ago, all Sahaba have experienced and fulfilled all characteristics of hanif religion. It's clear that the hanif religion is the religion Islm itself. Sahaba submitted their spirits to Allah at the 22nd step. They submitted their physical bodies at the 25th step, and at the 26th, they submited their souls. Eventually at the fifth level of the 28th step, they submitted their free wills to Allah. By this way, they could fulfill the four submissions and became awarded with being an owner of the irshad post. They had lived the whole characteristics of the hanif religion. There has never been another religion except Islm during the history of mankind. All of the characteristics of the religion that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) experienced with his companions were the characteristics of hanif religion. Allahu Teal says: 42 / ASH-SHRA - 13: Saying, "Establish religion and make no divisions in it," He (Allah) has ordained the same religion for you as that which We ordained for Noah - that which We have revealed to you - and that which We ordained for Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. The thing (invitation to Allah and to have faith in Allah) to which you invited was hard for those MUSHRIK (those who attribute a partner to Allah). Allah chooses to Himself those whom He pleases, and guides (takes) unto Himself those who turn to Him. "He (Allah) has ordained the same religion for you as that which We ordained for Noah - that which We have revealed to you - and that which We ordained for Abraham, Moses, and Jesus." That is, the Canon Law in the Qur'n which was given to Our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the same divine law given to Jesus, also the one given to Moses, and before that, the one given to Abraham and before all of them given to Noah. The base of this divine law is establishing the religion and making no divisions in it. Allahu Teal says: "We ordained for you by revealing the same religious law that We ordained for them to establish the religion and not to get seperated, not to split up." So, establishing the religion and keeping it alive is a duty of everyone. It's also the task for us all to finish up the quarrels in religion. At the present time, there are wars and conflicts all over the world. And everyone on one side considers the members of the other religions as an enemy. However, at the beginning, they all used to live the religious law that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) lived, during the era of their own prophets. Today, the same law is in effect. From Adam to Muhammad (PBUH) the religious law has never been changed, no

convertion has occured thus far. The fundamental facts have always been the same: The 7 stages and 4 submissions. My dear brothers and sisters, it is clear that the hanif religion of Abraham and the religion Islm of our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) are not the things which are different from each other. In both of them, the submission of spirit, physical body, soul and free will are available. And only the ones who fulfills the religion can find happiness and joy. While asking for and wishing Allah Almighty to give you infinite happiness, we would like to finish our conversation at this point, my dear brothers and sisters. Imam Iskender Ali M I H R

[1] the pure religion of Abraham [2] seventh level of sainthood [3] unique group of people who are wishing to reach Allah [4] sincere and steadfast in the faith; devout, pious, God-seeker (in pre-Islamic Arabia) [5] submission, surrender [6] physical body [7] God Almighty [8] submission [9] free will [10] The Most Beneficient [11] repeating the name of Allah [12] one of the glories (lights) that comes from Allah [13] deep reverence [14] the spiritual guide appointed by Allah [15] necessity, requirement. [16] worship, a regular and ritual prayer. [17] The rememberance of Allah by repeating His name [18] the first of the heavens [19] the last point of existence [20] one who does not value earthly things [21] asceticism [22] repeating the name of Allah continously without interruption [23] the place where the students, followers of a murshid come together [24] the sixth post of sainthood [25] level of purity where there are no more vices of the soul [26] last point of existence [27] the unbreakable repentance [28] worship, seventh level of sainthood [29] companions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)