Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad - Paradigm of Leadership - Khwaja Ubaidullah Ahrar (RA)

Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad - Paradigm of Leadership - Khwaja Ubaidullah Ahrar (RA)

This talk was delivered on November 9, 2019.at Cambridge Muslim College

YouTube Link : https://youtu.be/zwxAwaDN-eo

Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khwaja_Ahrar

Beads of Dew from the Source of Life (Rashahat 'Ain al-Hayat) by Mawlana 'Ali Ibn Husain Safi.  http://www.al-baz.com/ourbooks_page4.shtml 'Ali ibn Husain Safi , the author of the Rashahat, lived in the beginning of the 10th Century AH. He was brother-in-law of the famous mystic and poet Jami who gave him the name 'Safi'. In the Rashahat 'Ain al-Hayat, Safi gives an account of the lives and teachings of a group of Sufi mystics known as the Khwajagan - the Masters of Wisdom. The Khwajagan lived in Central Asia between the 4th and the 9th centuries Hijri. The ranks of the Khwajagan include the great sufis 'Abd al-Khaliq al-Ghujdawani and Baha' al-Din Naqshband, who gave his name to the Naqshbandi order, though he did not found it. The many branches of the Naqshbandiyya survive to this day. This book is the first translation of the Rashahat into English and provides the present generation with clear and precise biographies of the great and genuine sufis who emerged in Turkestan at a most significant period. The Letters of Khwajah 'Ubayd Allah Ahrar and His Associates (Brill's Inner Asian Library) (English and Persian Edition) (Persian) Hardcover – September 1, 2002 by Jo-Ann Gross (Author), Asam Urunbaev (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Letters-Khwajah-Associates-Library-English/dp/9004126031 This English edition of the correspondence of Khwāja 'Ubayd Allāh Aḥrār, the fifteenth-century Central Asian Naqshbandī Sufi shaykh, and his associates provides surprising new insights into the sociopolitical and economic history of premodern Central Asia and the influential roles of Sufi leaders of the time. It contains the extraordinary collection of autograph letters from the Majmū'a-yi murāsalāt, a unique manuscript housed at the Institute of Oriental Studies in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, with petitions to the Timurid court at Herat. The letters cover such topics as internecine conflict, peacemaking, taxation, property and endowments, trade, migration, Islamic piety and law, material support of shaykhs and students, and relief from oppression. Three introductory chapters discuss the Central Asian Naqshbandīya, Khwāja 'Ubayd Allāh Aḥrār, the social, historical, economic and political significance of the letters, and the manuscript and its authors. With the Persian transcription and a complete facsimile of the manuscript letters reproduced at the end of the work Risalah Waldiyah of Khwaja Ahrar - Urdu translation - https://archive.org/details/RisalahWaldiyahOfKhwajaAhrar-UrduTranslation Risalah Waldiyah, a book authored by the famous Naqshbandi shaykh Hazrat Khwaja Ubaydullah Ahrar Samarqandi (d.895 AH). This contains an Urdu translation with the Turkish text which was translated by Mughal emperor Babur (from Farsi). Another translation of the original Farsi text is also included, as the Persian text was later found. 184 pages Published in 2012 by Pakistan Historical Society Digitized by Maktabah Mujaddidiyah (www.maktabah.org) July 2012 Naqshbandiya Eleven Principles  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleven_Naqshbandi_principles 1. Hush dar dam (or hosh dar dam) — awareness of breathing Being aware or conscious of one's breathing. Breathing deeply in a natural rhythm without being preoccupied by breathing. Inhaling and exhaling whilst in remembrance of God. 2. Nazar ba kadam (or nazar bar qadam) — watching over the steps Watching over one's steps, ie being aware of one's intention. Paying attention and not being distracted from one's goal, maintaining awareness and being open to opportunities, so that one does the right thing at the right time. 3. Safar dar watan — travelling in the Homeland Making an interior journey, ie inside oneself, observing oneself in a detached and not overly-critical manner, learning from one's errors and travelling from blameworthy to praiseworthy qualities. 4. Khilwat dar anjuman (or khalwat dar anjuman) — retirement in company Developing the ability to detach from and distance oneself from external noise, disturbance and confusion when in company, and remain tranquil, perhaps with the aid of a zikr, an exercise in remembrance of God. Also being able to re-attach one's attention to the outward when necessary. Though outwardly the Sufi is in the world, inwardly he or she is with God. 5. Yad kardan (or yad kard) — remembering, recollecting exercises Remembering experiences one has had and that one is a part of the Tradition from which one may draw positive energy and derive strength. Using inner or vocalized zikr, remembrance or "making mention" of the Divine names, to remain attentive and alert, and so that the heart becomes aware of the presence of Truth (Al Haqq). 6. Baaz gasht (or baz gasht) — restraint Being self-disciplined, for example cultivating the quality of patience, keeping one's thoughts from straying when repeating the Shahada (the declaration of the Oneness of God and the acceptance of Muhammad as his prophet), being repentant and returning to righteousness. 7. Neegar dashtan (or nigah dasht) — watchfulness, use of special faculties Concentrating on the presence of God. Being alert, watchful for and open to subtle perceptions, positive energy, positive opportunity and positive impacts. Being watchful over passing thoughts. 8. Yad dashtan (or yad dasht) — keeping of the memory, sensing of the being and the body Sensing one's being and one's body, recalling positive memories and positive experiences. 9. Ukufi zamani (or wuquf-e zamani) — time-halt (or pause) Suspending intellect, judgement, preconceptions and conditioned thought. Reprising one's thoughts and actions. Accounting for how one's time is spent, being thankful for acts of righteousness and asking forgiveness for wrongdoing. 10. Ukufi adadi (or wuquf-e adadi) — number-halt (or pause) Carrying out exercises involving numbers, such as the awareness of the number of repetitions when carrying out one's silent heart zikr exercise, and also certain forms of counting using the Abjad[9] system. 11. Ukufi qalbi (or wuquf-e qalbi) — heart-halt (or pause) or visualisation Visualising one's heart (Qalb), perhaps with the name of God inscribed on it, and identifying with Truth or with God.