Timeline of Main Events, Concepts and Characters.

Main Events, Concepts and Characters.

This timeline is not strictly chronological in a traditional sense, but rather a progression through concepts, stages, and practices described in the teachings. It should be noted that there are themes that return throughout these sources and that these are not discrete events.

• Initial State: The Battle with the Self (Nafs) Begins
• • The Lower Self (Nafs Ammara): The individual is dominated by selfishness, arrogance, and carnal desires. They are often oblivious to their own faults and the harm they cause.
  • Internal Conflict: The person experiences an inner struggle between good and bad desires, leading to inconsistencies in belief and actions. They are prone to anger, hypocrisy, and heedlessness.
  • Vulnerability: The individual is susceptible to the influence of shaytan (satan) and negative energies. Their "shield" of protection is weak due to sins and bad character.
  • The 'Bus' Metaphor: The body is seen as a bus driven by the self, but that self can be overtaken by "passengers" of bad desires and negative energies, leading to behaviors similar to schizophrenics.
  • The 'Clay' Metaphor: The human is a being of clay, which is being contested over by Allah and shaitan, each attempting to use the faculties of the person.
• The Importance of Seeking a Guide (Sheikh)
• • Need for a Mirror: The individual recognizes their inability to see their own faults and the need for a guide (a purified soul) as a "mirror" to reflect their true state.
  • File Transfer: When entering the center or observing the center, a person's file is automatically given to the sheikh who now knows them better than they know themselves.
  • Guidance from the Sheikh: The student is taught to obey the sheikh, not question their actions, and treat the sheikh as a doctor to a sick person, revealing all to them for counsel.
  • The Danger of Self-Guidance: Seeking guidance based on personal inspiration without the oversight of a qualified teacher is considered dangerous, potentially leading to the creation of divisions.
  • Reliance on a Guide: The student is taught to not make major life decisions on their own, to only listen to their sheikh, and not their own inspiration.
• The Path of Self-Annihilation (Fana)
• • Emptying the Cup: The student must admit their nothingness and accept their role as an oppressor of themselves, recognizing their imperfections and the faults in their worship.
  • Accepting Nothingness: The student seeks to annihilate their self and identity, becoming a 'drop' in the 'ocean' of the Muhammadan reality, seeking not self-understanding, but the realities of God through the Prophet.
  • Negating the Self: The individual is encouraged to negate their ego ("ananiya"), their "I-ness," and all self-importance.
  • The Power of Nothingness: Only in their nothingness can the individual enter into the 'ocean of everythingness'.
  • Following the Example of the Prophet: The student seeks to emulate the actions of the Prophet in every way, such that the actions they perform are in direct alignment with his example.
• Spiritual Development and Transformation
• • Contemplation (Tafakkur) and Meditation (Zikr): Practices of contemplation and meditation are used to destroy negative impulses and connect with divine realities.
  • Battling Negative Energies: Recognizing shaytani whispers and fighting them with faith and trust in Allah, rather than succumbing to fears and doubts.
  • Controlling the Mind: Training the mind to not be dominated by fear and shaytani whispers, but instead to seek the guidance of the heart and the support of the sheikh.
  • The Role of Water: Water is presented as a blessed substance that, through intention, activates angels and burns away negativity and shaitan.
  • The Role of Soil: The nature of soil, the stripping away of the seed, the bringing forth of beauty and growth, is offered as an analogy to self-annihilation on the path.
  • The Role of Salawat: Praising the Prophet allows his light to enter the soul, washing away the falsehoods that have entered into the soul through sin and bad actions.
  • The Role of the Heart: The heart is trained to be filled with 'light,' 'love,' and 'awe' of Allah, rather than negative emotions.
• The Maqams (Stations) and the Seven Levels of the Self
• • Nafs al-Ammara (The Evil Self): The first level, characterized by selfishness, arrogance, and a lack of gratitude.
  • Moving Towards Purity: The soul moves through levels of refinement, seeking to overcome hypocrisy and build good character, only speaking when ordered.
  • The Importance of the Sheikh: During the stage where the individual is undergoing these changes, the relation with their guide becomes most crucial, where one is meant to share all with them like a sick patient.
  • Transition and Disorientation: As the self changes, the student is likely to be confused and disoriented, forgetting all that they had known before, as they begin to have a new sensibility.
  • Nafs al-Mutmainna (The Gratified Self): The final stage, characterized by contentment, gratitude, and complete submission to the will of Allah.
  • The Love of the Prophet (S): The love for the Prophet is the doorway to reaching the Divine realities.
• The Divine Presence and Authority
• • The Light of the Prophet: Understanding the Muhammadan light as the origin of all creation.
  • The Inherited Authority of the Prophet: The Prophet's authority and sovereignty as a representative of God, and how his nation inherits some of that authority.
  • The Ulul Amr (Saints): Recognition that those who obey God and the Prophet (S) and, as such, possess the authority to guide others.
  • The Throne and the Seat of Authority: The idea that the individual soul has a 'seat' of authority that can be taken by the ego and shaitan, or can be restored through spiritual purification.
  • The importance of the Tongue: The tongue of one who is blessed by God has an authority and power derived from the Divine.
• The Role of the Quran
• • Quran as a Dialogue: Understanding that the Quran is a dialogue between God and the Prophet, not between the individual and God.
  • Seven Verses of Fatiha: The idea that all the realities of the Quran are contained within the seven verses of Surah Fatiha.
  • Bismillah and the Divine Reality: The concept that through saying "Bismillah" one unfolds the realities of the Quran from the soul.
  • The Living Book: The understanding that the Prophet is the walking book of God, with the Quran written on his heart.
• The Battle Against Shaytan (Satan)
• • Shaytani Attacks: Recognizing the tactics of shaytan: whispering doubts, instilling fear, and exploiting weaknesses through sins.
  • Sins Crack the Energy Shield: Sins are described as cracking a shield of protection that is all around the believer, allowing satan to penetrate and cause problems, both physically and spiritually.
  • Psychological Warfare: The understanding that fear is a weapon of shaytan that is used to cause panic and disempower individuals.
  • Spiritual Self-Defense: Learning how to use spiritual practices to defend oneself against negative energies and maintain a strong connection with God.
  • Annihilation as Defense: That one defeats shaytan by becoming nothing.
• The Importance of Good Character
• • Good Character as a Requirement for Progress: Good character is presented as a core requirement for any real spiritual progression, as bad character causes one to lose the light that they are seeking.
  • The Importance of Service: As a measure of progression in the faith, individuals are meant to work towards serving the faith and others, without expectation of reward.
  • Humility: As a key virtue that must be practiced, that one be constantly in a state of nothingness, always pointing towards the blessings of God and not at the self.
• The Afterlife
• • The Grave as a Test: That everyone's grave has a 'reserve ticket' in the abode of difficulty and must revive themselves to make it a light of Paradise.
  • Judgment is Within: The idea that each person carries the Judgement Day within themselves.
  • The Light of the Prophet in the Grave: The belief that the light of the Prophet (S) illuminates the grave, washing away falsehoods.
  • The Day of Judgement: The soul is shown its punishment and it is reminded that God will take account for every action.
  • The importance of a peaceful death: That one should seek a peaceful and tranquil transition from this world into the next.
• Unique Time-Related Concepts
• • 90 Days: The concept of a special period of time, consisting of Rajab, Shaban and Ramadan and the power inherent in these periods.
  • 15 Days of Shaban: That this marks the halfway point of these special 90 days.
  • The Night of Forgiveness: That one should run to ask for forgiveness on the night of Baba machina.

Cast of Characters

• Allah (AJ): The Supreme Being, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. The source of all blessings and guidance. Referred to as "Rahman," "The Most Merciful", "Rabb," and "Lord."
• Sayyidina Muhammad (S): The Prophet of Islam, the "Seal of the Prophets," the perfect example of submission to God. Referred to as "Rasul," "Beloved," and "Imam". Presented as the intermediary through whom Divine grace is received. A 'walking book of God.'
• Sheikh/Murshid/Guide: A spiritual teacher who guides the student on the path to self-purification and union with God. They are seen as representatives of the Prophet (S), possessing spiritual authority and knowledge.
• Awliyaullah (Saints): The friends of Allah, those who have attained a high level of spiritual perfection and act as guides. They are seen as inheritors of the Prophet’s light and authority. They have "firasa" (spiritual vision). Referred to as "saliheen" (pious servants).
• Shaytan (Satan): The enemy of humankind, the tempter who leads people astray through whispers, fear, and deception.
• Nafs (Self/Ego): The lower self, the source of desires, selfishness, and arrogance. Can be reformed and brought into alignment with the soul through spiritual discipline.
• Malaikah (Angels): Heavenly beings who are activated by purity, prayers, and intention. They act as sources of inspiration and support for those who are on the path to God.
• Rabbaniyoon (Lordly Souls): Those souls that have reached the highest states, whose actions are completely in alignment with the Divine Will.
• The Ulul Amr: Those saints who have achieved the same level of submission to the will of God and the will of the Prophet and therefore can be obeyed by others.
• Nabi Musa (Moses): A prophet of God, whose story of going to a great teacher is used as an example of a student trying to 'one-up' their teacher.
• Sayyidina Adam (Adam): A prophet of God, whose initial submission to the will of God is used as a model of what to strive for.
• Imam Ali: Described as "the door" to divine knowledge.
• Jibra’eel: An angel of God who's light originates from the light of the Imam.

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