Posted in Events, Words of Wisdom

Urs of Shaykh Muhyddin Ansari – Grand Shaykh of Ansari Qadiri Rifai Order

shaykhmuhyiddinansariAnsari Qadiri Rifai Sufi Tariqa celebrates the Urs (union of the devotee with his Beloved) of Shaykh Muhyiddin Ansari, who is our Grand Shaykh, and the Shaykh of our Shaykh, Murshid Shaykh Taner Ansari.

Below is a chapter from the book, “What About My Wood?” by Murshid Shaykh Taner Ansari.

Chapter: Shaykh Muhyiddin’s Treasure

For Shaykh Muhyiddin Ansari, it was very important not to break anyone’s heart, as it should be for all Sufis. Sufis should be able to get along with everyone. When Muhyiddin Baba was with children, he acted as a child. When he was with adults, he acted as an adult. He went along with the mentality of the person with whom he happened to be keeping company.

One day, a friend of his invited him to go on a treasure hunt. He thought that since Muhyiddin Baba was a shaykh, he would be able to help find the treasure with his special powers. Shaykh Muhyiddin consented to go and took one of his young dervishes along.

While they were digging here and there, the young dervish thought, “Why is my shaykh looking for treasure?”

The shaykh was able to read the dervish’s thoughts and said, “My Son, I don’t do this to get rich. Come here, son, let me show you something.” He grabbed a handful of earth and said, “Be gold.” The dirt instantly became a handful of gold.

Shaykh Muhyiddin said, “If I want, I can do this. But I will not. I came here only because I didn’t want to break my friend’s heart. If I want, I can turn anything to gold, just like that. But we obey Allah’s decrees. We don’t try to override them. We want to be natural, simple, and to not do anything against the laws of nature.”

Posted in Words of Wisdom

There are so many ways of looking at the same thing

Shaykh Taner Ansari

From: ~ Murshid Shaykh Taner Ansari ~

THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS OF LOOKING AT THE SAME THING:

Think about how many levels Allah is living His life. How many dimensions, how many levels, how many ways, how many manners! Do more thinking about these things. Start with the ones that are very apparent. Everyone has life, so think about life first. That’s the main thing, how does He live?

Manifest life the way Allah lives. Think about consciousness. Is all life conscious or do you first find consciousness in a brain? What is happening? Think about the dimensions. How many dimensions are there? How many ways are there? I am trying to encourage you get used to thinking in this way.

Very rarely does Allah make me repeat the same thing. He has been making me talk for 10 years or more now. It’s the same subject, but there are so many angles you can look at the same thing from. For example, take a sphere: how many circles can you put around a sphere? There are 360 degrees one way, 360 degrees every other way. There are so many different angles to look at it from.

That’s why you can sit here and talk about the same subject until you die and not say the same words. What does Allah say in the Quran? “If the oceans were ink and all the forests were pens, Allah’s words would not be finished.” He counted His blessings and He could not count them all.

Posted in Words of Wisdom

Message from Shaykh Taner Ansari (in response to school massacre in Peshawar )

From: ~ Murshid Shaykh Taner Ansari ~

Dear All,

It is impossible to be quiet after seeing what is happening in the World, especially with those so-called Muslims.

The root of the problem is ignorance. The whole problem comes from not knowing Allah and what He likes and what He doesn’t like. Although He wrote what He wants, in several holy books and told us through the messages of 124,000 messengers.

How can you even think of killing the children is pleasing to Allah. How can you think that violence represents the peace (which Islam stands for)?

Most of the Muslims read Quran in Arabic, but do not understand.

Allah says in Qurani Kerim, “I do not abuse my creation.” He says, “Oh Muhammed (peace be upon him), if they make peace, make peace.”

If you want to represent Islam, then you have to be an element of peace, love, togetherness, kindness, mercy and knowledge. The ignorant will not be in the paradise.

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We will continue to destroy the Earth as long as the nafs (ego) are in control

WE WILL CONTINUE TO DESTROY THE EARTH AS LONG AS THE NAFS (EGO) ARE IN CONTROL

Shaykh and Steve Germany

By Murshid Shaykh Taner Ansari

Until we have fought against our nafs (ego) and have been brought to a state of being in which we are acting without greed, as true human beings, we will continue to destroy the Earth. Although it is much easier to live in peace, we continue to choose the hardest route – killing one another, hurting one another, running one another off the land. All the Earth is vast and Allah has given plenty. Yet we still look at what the others have and try to get at that. It is this greed that is destroying the Earth.

A real human being acts in accordance with the qualities that Allah has  given us in order to ensure that we can live in paradise. Allah is logic, science, reason, and health. Allah is cleanliness.

In order for you to live by these attributes of Allah, you have to fight against your nafs and cleanse them. If you achieve mastery over your nafs, you will be in paradise automatically because within your own universe, which is your body, you will live happily.

Ya Shakur – Thankful

Posted in Words of Wisdom

Sufism revives the original message found in all religions

SUFISM REVIVES THE ORIGINAL MESSAGE FOUND IN ALL RELIGIONS

by Murshid Shaykh Taner Ansari

In Sufism, we take religion back to its origins and revive it. What is the name of our Pir, Abdul Qadir al Geylani? It is Muhyiddin and that means “reviver of the religion.” What is the name of my Shaykh? Muhyiddin Ansari which also means “reviver of the religion.” So we have to revive the philosophy of what you call “religion.” What we are really reviving is the message of Allah.

We show people Allah’s answers to the important questions: Why does Allah want to talk to you? Why is He giving you this message? What are you going to do with Allah’s message? Do you understand the message? How are you going to accomplish the purpose for which Allah gave this to you?

We don’t call Sufism a religion, we call it tariqat, which means “the path.” It is a body of knowledge including the whats, whys and how to’s that exist in order to help people get to the target. We first teach you the batin, the inner purpose and meaning, then we give you the zahir, the outer form. In metaphorical terms, we teach you that if you want to keep food, you have to put it in the refrigerator or dry it or preserve it. Then we show you a few methods to help you succeed.

You have to understand both the inner and the outer. That is why you have a head-it is created so that you can have understanding and do the right thing in the best manner possible. The head is not just a place to hang your hat.