Sufism

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The Golden Chain is the lineage of spiritual knowledge passed from the heart of our beloved Master Muhammad (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) to all of the spiritual masters and shuyukh who follow him, one after another, until it reaches the murid. The Golden Chain is created by each murid's connection with their living shaykh, and their shaykh's connection with their living shaykh, and their shaykh's connection with their living shaykh, all the way back to our Holy Beloved Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam). Through the golden chain we are connected to the gentle light of our Prophet and the gentle light of Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala). This chain is also called the silsila. 

The Golden Chain isn't important in and of itself--it is important because it the means for attaining the most important goal: intimacy with our beloved Master Muhammad (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam), and our beloved Master Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala). Insha'allah amin. The difficulty of achieving this goal creates the need for a living shaykh--because let us be honest with ourselves. If left on our own we would take the easy way. We would not always call ourselves to account and we might not even notice the character traits that require purification. 

A living shaykh provides the feedback the murid needs to continuously move forward. The murid can and should directly ask their shaykh questions face-to-face (or on the phone). They should ask for help in areas of their din that are difficult, and the shaykh will answer them directly, in plain words. When the murid does not have a living shaykh to speak with, someone who has been purified and elevated by Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala), it is easy for them to go astray. 

Through the heart and spirit of the living shaykh, Allah gives the murid additional himma (longing and motivation) to reach their cherished goal. Without this additional himma, the murid may lose their motivation or wander off-track. For these reasons, all seekers and walkers should have a living shaykh. Without it, it is much harder to reach and maintain intimacy with Allah and His Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam). 

A shaykh whom Allah has authorized and empowered can take your hand and take you to Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala). You will know the shaykh when you see him, because you will want to be near him and listen to every word he speaks. As you sit and listen to him speaking the words of Allah, you feel how deeply you yearn for this truth and for this love. Your heart begins to open and to drink every word, and every word is singing the truth of the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam). 

In order to be qualified, the shaykh must be a descendant of our beloved Master Muhammad (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam). When asked about when he was made a prophet, our beloved Master (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) replied, "O Jabir, the first thing Allah created was the light of your Prophet from His Light." Later in that hadith our beloved Master informs us that, "The archangels are from my light, and the garden and all its blessings are from my light, and the sun and the moon and the stars are from my light, and the intellect and the knowledge of science and success are from my light." Sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam. Knowing this, how can there be any true way except the Muhammadan way? 

The shaykh who is descended from our beloved Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam), and is connected to all of the holy masters in the Golden Chain (radiyallahu `anhum), is a vessel carrying the spirit of our beloved Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) in service to all of creation. He aids the traveler in arriving at the truth, and his only function is to show people the right path in a wilderness full of dangers and pitfalls. 

The shaykh gives you everything he has, with honesty and sincerity, through his words and his actions. He does not only say, “Be truthful." He always acts out of truthfulness and he is truthfulness personified. He does not only say, “Be kind.” He always acts out of kindness, and he is kindness personified. He is a sign of Allah who displays His generosity and makes His compassion accessible in this world. He is a true blessing to all of creation. Alhamdulillahi rabbil `alamin.

When you approach Shaykh Ahmad (jazakallah khayrun) as a sincere seeker and you wish to become his murid, insha'allah he will direct you to recite the `Alawiya wird twice a day for three days in a row. Doing so establishes your spiritual connection with him and with all of the shuyukh in the Golden Chain (silsila). 

After the three days, insha'allah you will continue to recite the wird twice a day for the rest of your life as a means of protection and as fuel for your spiritual journey. May Allah bless all of His sincere seekers with continuous, true guidance and success on the path to Him. Amin.