What are the Principles of the Khwajagan (Masters) Path? The Principles of the Khwajagan (Masters) Way, article by article…
The scholars of Islam derive their principles from the Qur’an and the Sunnah. So too the scholars of tasawwuf have also substantiated their views with evidence from the shari’a, just like the mujtahid imams.
However, in certain tariqas where the shaykhs have not been selected from people who have internalised and digested the outer rulings of the religion some slips have occurred due to the domination of Sufi drunkenness.
However, where the guides of various tariqas have been people of knowledge, that is scholars and gnostics who have also internalised the outwards of religion, they have been protected.
Likewise within the history of tasawwuf, the Naqshiband order has continued in the way of the Qur’an and the Sunnah and since its guides have come from the group of ‘Khwajagan’ that is they have been qualified scholars, this tariq has been known by this name.
Let us now mention the main tenets of the Khwajagan way and thus illustrate the necessary principles that a sound Sufi tariqa should possess.
1- The first principle in the Khwajagan way is to adopt the creed of the ahl al sunnah wa jama’.The Khwajagan way has throughout history, taken the Sunni Islam understanding as the basis of its tariq and thus preserved its members from certain esoteric (Batini) and Hurufi[1] trends.
2- The second principle of the Khwajagan way is a firm devotion to the Book and the Sunnah. It teaches that spiritual progress cannot be realised without a meticulous application of the Sunnah, however ‘minor’ it may appear, such as eating, drinking, sleeping and other daily acts. This is why the followers (murid) who enter upon the Khwajagan way struggle to follow the slightest indication of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), with great love and enthusiasm.
Bayazid Bistami has the following to say about this matter:
“Even if you see a person who has been given extraordinary powers (karamat) and is able to sit cross-legged, floating in the air, do not be taken in immediately. First of all check to see that he abides by the divine commandments and prohibitions, that he maintains the divine limits, that he properly carries out the rulings of the sharia’. If this is not the case, then this is not karamat but rather istidraj[2]”.[3]
Shah Naqshiband has summarised[4] his tariq as following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the words of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them):
“Whatever we have attained (spiritually) by the grace of Allah, we have attained by acting upon the verses of the Holy Qur’an and the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). In order to see the results of one’s deeds one must abide by the rulings of taqwa and the sharia’, to embrace azimah (firm and strict following of the rulings), to act upon the principles of the ahl al sunnah wa jama’, and to shun all innovations (bida’)”[5].
“Those in possession of wisdom and discernment who encounter certain spiritual unexpected acts or events will evaluate those acts on the basis of the sharia’. If these acts are in accordance with the standards of the sharia’ they will believe in them. If they oppose the sharia they will not give them any regard at all”
One of the great scholars has said:
“I will not accept any word that comes from my heart without having it be inspected by the Qur’an and the Sunnah[6]
3- Another of the principles of the Khwajagan way is to act upon the ‘azimah’ rather than the ‘ruhsa’.
Abdulkhaliq Ghujdawani has said:
“Take the way of azimah and stay away from the ruhsah (taking licence), follow the way of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), apply his Sunnah and shun innovation (bida’)”.
During his journey of purification (sayr-i suluq) Shah Naqshiband always applied these commands and advice and said:
“To be Muslim means to devote oneself to the rulings of the sharia’, to comply with the standards of taqwa, to act with meticulousness and to avoid taking licence, to the best of one’s ability; it is in its entirety, light, ease and mercy. All of these are means to reach the degrees of the saints and other great stations.
The awliyaullah (friends of Allah) reach the state of sainthood through the training provided by these attributes”[7]
4- The Masters of the Khwajagan way always acted very sensitively in the matter of lawful provision. Shah Naqshibandi shunned with intensity unlawful provision and also avoided eating anything doubtful and would not allow his students to eat from what was doubtful also[8].
He also viewed the food of state rulers as being doubtful and so he never ate at the table of King Hussain[9].
Baqi Billah insistently emphasised the crucial importance of eating lawful provision in order to advance in the path of tasawwuf saying:
“One should be content with little food and give much importance to the wood, water and pots that it is cooked with being lawfully gained. Also the one who cooks the meal should not be heedless and cook the food with the awareness of being in the presence of the Divine. Food that is prepared without paying careful attention to these matters will emit such a smoke that will block the channels of prosperity”[10].
In addition to a food being lawful or unlawful (halal or haram) even the mood of the person who cooked it can have an effect on the state, actions and the quality of worship of those who eat it. This thus presents the importance of the approach one takes towards one’s food.
5- In the Khwajagan way, much importance is also given to the supererogatory worship and righteous deeds in addition to the obligatory acts. Each kind of righteous deed is seen as crucial investment for one’s eternal life and to be able to carry them out is considered to be a great opportunity.
Junayd Baghdadi (may Allah have mercy on him) has said:
“We did not arrive at tasawwuf through gossip, altercation or quarrelling. We arrived through hunger, sleeplessness and embracing our righteous deeds in sincerity and devotion”.
6- The Khwajagan way aims to earn for its travellers the character of the prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him); it commands to treat people with the best of character.
The prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said in a hadith:
“On the Day of Resurrection there will be nothing that will weigh more heavily on the Scales of the believer than good character. Allah Most High abhors the one who displays ugly behaviour or speaks an ugly word” (Tirmidhi, Birr, 62/2002).
“The angel Gabriel told me that Allah said:
“This religion (that is Islam) is a religion that I have chosen for Myself and that I am content with. Only generosity and good character befit it. As long as you live as Muslims elevate this religion with these two traits” (Haysami, VIII, 20; Ali al-Muttaqi, Kanz, VI, 392).
7- The reality of the Khwajagan way is to consider oneself in the presence of Allah, by remembering Him in one’s heart and via contemplation. The traveller must never be in a state of heedlessness of Allah and consider that he is ever in His presence and that Allah is with him always.
8- The Khwajagan way places great importance on beneficial knowledge. The traveller should learn and benefit from the religious sciences, live in accordance with it, and help others to do so also.
Abdulkhaliq Ghujdawani (may Allah have mercy on him) has said that it is only possible to reach the state of annihilation of the nafs by taking the Qur’an in one’s right hand and the hadith in one’s left and journeying in the light provided by these two[11]. When advising one of his students he said:
“Learn the sciences of fiqh and hadith and stay away from the ignorant amongst the Sufis”[12].
Bahauddin Naqshiband (may Allah have mercy on him) was a friend of Allah who was particularly learned in the hadith sciences and who gave great importance to knowledge and scholars. Due to this special trait of his, many of the teachers and students from the Bukhara masjid came to follow him and participate in his assemblies. When this began some of the outward scholars were anxious that the madrasahs would be emptied. In response Bahauddin Naqshiband said to those scholars:
“Let us explain our tariq to you and if you see any matter in opposition to the Qur’an or the Sunnah tell us and we will abandon them”. The scholars could find nothing and they said:
“Your tariq is upright (that is, it is the way of the Qur’an and Sunnah) and we have no objections”. Some of them said:
“The cap that you wear is a means to fame”.
Bahauddin replied:
“Since my cap is a means for altercation, it would be more proper not to wear it”. He then took it off and gave it to a poor person[13]. After this event the esteem held by the scholars for Bahauddin Naqshiband (may Allah have mercy on him) increased even more.
9- In the Khwajagan way there is no withdrawal to a life of constant seclusion and distancing oneself from the people. There is the danger of fame in such seclusion. Whilst amongst the people, the Sufi should seek any opportunity to serve the religion of Allah and His servants. Islam wills the Muslims to come together to form a community. A perfect believer learns to be together with Allah whilst being among the people.
The prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said:
“The Muslim who mixes amongst the people and endures their pain (cares about their problems and attends to their needs) is better than the one who does not mix amongst them and does not endure their pain” (Tirmidhi, Qiyamah, 55/2507).
The following words of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) are filled with wisdom:
“There are two bounties of that I do not know which one pleases me more:
The first one is when a person comes to me with the hope of having his need met and asks me in all sincerity to help him.
The second is when Allah Most High uses me as a means to bring about or facilitate that person’s wish”.
“I would prefer to relieve the distress of a Muslim than to possess a world full of gold and silver.” (Ali al-Muttaqi, VI, 598/17049).
Every Muslim is responsible for the state of affairs of the world, in accordance with their potential and the opportunities given to them. They are obliged to concern themselves with the concerns of the Muslims and make efforts to make Islam reign supreme. Those who live an individual and selfish life and remain indifferent to the problems of their Muslim brothers and sisters will be subject to the prophetic caution below:
“Those who do not concern themselves with the concerns of the Muslims are not from them (that is they are not from the Muslims).” (Tabarani, Saghir, II, 131/1907/Bayhaqi, Shuab, VII, 361).
To remain indifferent to the pain of a brother or sister is a serious crime. Sariyy-i Saqati (may Allah have mercy on him) describes this lack of empathy and, having fallen into such heedlessness even for an instant and the person’s subsequent regret through this story:
“One day the market of Baghdad had burned down. One of my students came running up to me and said: “O Master! The entire market of Baghdad has burned down and only your shop was saved. Congratulations”. Not considering the shops of my other Muslim brothers I said “Alhamdulillah” on behalf of my own nafs. However for thirty years now I have been seeking forgiveness for that instant of heedlessness”[14].
10- The dress of those who enter upon the Khwajagan way must not be different to that of the other believers. There are no turbans or crowns or other distinguishing garments in this path. They do not give importance to looking or to form themselves different from others and they do not dress themselves differently. They prefer to live a life of modesty. Every disciple wears what is required of their profession and their form and dress is not different from their peers. To be a dervish is not via one’s form but via one’s heart.
Yunus Emre describes this truth well as:
What they call being a dervish is not through one’s robe or turban
If being a dervish was due to one’s turban or robe
We too would buy them for 30 or 40 (coins)
Mawlana Khalid-i Baghdadi (may Allah have mercy on him) has said:
“The essence of tariqah is to embrace the creed of the ahl al sunnah wa al-jama’, that is the saved group (firqa’yi najat). It is to perform one’s deeds with meticulousness and avoid resorting to the licence, to turn to Allah always and consider oneself ever under His watch. It is to turn one’s face from the adornments and pleasures of this world, in fact from everything other than Allah (masiwa) and to reach an awareness of the state of ihsan, described in the hadith, that is, of being ever together with Allah (to minimize one’s carnal desires and perfect one’s spiritual potential to the best of one’s ability). This path consists of occupying oneself with dhikr and tafakkur as one does when one is alone, even if one is mixing amongst the people. In addition, it is learning the religious sciences and benefitting from them and benefitting others also by sincerely applying what one has learnt. It is to hide one’s spiritual state from the other believers by dressing as they dress, in order to avoid ostentation (riya) and arrogance (‘ujb)[15].
Thus, the Khwajagan way’s purpose is that, by complying with these and other similar principles, Islam is lived with great love, passion and enthusiasm of faith. The basic mortar of tasawwuf and its most important capital is love and the best manifestation of this is having good manners and adab. Without love or adab, it is not possible to advance spiritually. Otherwise what will be left over after worship? Behaviour towards others and character will be a dry cause and wasted fatigue. One will not receive any pleasure from one’s faith, worship or service towards others. Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi (may Allah have mercy on him) has the following to say about this matter:
“My reason asked my heart:
“What is religion?”
My heart then whispered into the ear of my reason:
“Religion is manners (adab)”
[1] Hurufism was was a mystical kabbalistic Sufi doctrine, which spread in areas of western Persia, Anatolia, and Azerbaijan in later 14th – early 15th century. The word ‘huruf’ literally means ‘letters’ (Translator’s note).
[2] In contrast to karamah, istidraj are the extraordinary acts performed by unbelievers, sinners and mutashayyikh (certain individuals who pretend to be saints even though they are not). These states are a divine test and will drag them to their destruction.
[3] Bayhaqi, Shuab, III, 304, Qushayri, Risale, p 58.
[4] Muhammad Bakir, Makamat-i Hazreti Hace Naqshiband, Bukhara, 1328/1910, p 58
[5] Yaqub Charhi, Risale-i Unsiyye (thk. Muhammad Nezir Rancha), Islamabad 1983, p. 14.
[6] Muhammad Parsa, ibid p 62-63
[7] Muhammad Parsa, ibid p 24-25
[8] Muhammad Qadi Samarkandi, Silsile al-Arifin wa Tazkira al-Siddiqin, Suleymaniye Ktp, Hajji Mahmud, nr. 2830, vr, 175b
[9]. See Salahaddin ibn Mubarak al-Bukhari, Anisu al-Talibin wa Uddet al-Salikin, p 66 p. 66, Iz Publications, Istanbul 2003.
[10]. Rushdi, Malfuzat, p 34, (in Kulliyat-i Baqi Billah, pub by Abu’l Hasan Zayd Faruqi and Burhan Ahmad Faruqi, Lahore 1967).
[11]. Abdurrahman Jami, Nefahatu al-Uns min Hadarati al-Quds (rev. Mahmud Abidi), Tahran 1375 hijri solar/1996, p. 384.
[12]. Abdulkhaliq Gujcduwani, Vasaya, Bayazit Devlet Ktp., Valiyyuddin Efendi, no. 3229, paper. 11a.
[13]. Salahaddan ibn Mubarek al-Bukhari, ibid, p. 278-279; Abu al-Qasım, al-Risalet al-Bahaiyya, paper. 74b-75b; Muhammad Bakır, ibid, p. 79-81.
[14] Hatib al-Baghdadi, Tarih, IX, 188; Thahabi, Siyer, XII, 185-186.
[15]. As‘ad Sahib, Maktubat-ı Mevlana Khalid, Istanbul 1993, p. 121-122, (4th letter).
Source: Osman Nuri Topbaş,The Golden Chain of Transmission Masters of the Naqshinandi Way, Erkam Publications