Those Who Should Be Wary

  Shaykh Salih relating from his shaykh, Sayyid Muhammad al-Sharif: ‘I heard from my teacher and shaykh, who was the reason for much good and who I took the covenant with over thirty-five years ago [around 1347 AH, when he was nineteen years old]. I accompanied and served him a lot and saw miracles and blessings from him. He is Sayyid Muhammad ʿAbd al-ʿĀlī, titled “al-Sayyid…

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Delving into the Unseen

From forthcoming book The Bountiful Treasures, in the chapter of not going to extremes in speech and belief, Shaykh Abdul-Ghani says:   "Among this is delving into matters of the unseen and frequently talking about visions and miracles. This leads delusion into the heart and steals away the characteristic of hiddenness and obscurity, which are from the most important characteristics of the travellers. Shaykh Salih says:…

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THE INTERCESSION OF THE BELOVED ﷺ IS FOR THE SINNER

THE INTERCESSION OF THE BELOVED ﷺ IS FOR THE SINNER Sidna Shaykh Muhammad Salih al-Ja'fari was approached by a man who looked extremely distressed. If a person were to see him, it could easily be assumed that this man did not know happiness. The man greeted our Shaykh and said, "Mawlana, I can not sleep at night. I can not taste food nor do I have…

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Witnessing the Prophet ﷺ

Shaykh Salih al-Ja’fari commenting on the lines from the Salat al-Azeemiyya: ...and join him with me, just as You joined the spirit with the soul, outwardly and inwardly, in wakefulness and in sleep and make him, O Lord, a soul for my body in every aspect... Join, in my essence, between his perfect attributes ﷺ and my deficient egotistical attributes, like you joined between the perfect…

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Beware of Bad Company

  From the warnings of Sidna Shaykh Salih al-Ja'fari: "From the catastrophes that afflict the murid is his mixing with those who reject [ie tasawwuf, awliya, shaykhs, etc]. Their speech are like rocks and the heart of the murid is like glass, "And the glass that has been broken cannot be repaired." So, whoever presents his heart to them has presented his glass to be broken.…

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WOMEN IN THE TARIQA

WOMEN IN THE TARIQA OF SHAYKH SALIH AL-JA'FARI   Just as the case for men, the Ja'fari path is not simply for baraka. The expectation is sincerity in seeking knowledge, both the religious sciences and those of the path. Women do not have to go through the 'formal bayʿa' process involving taking the shaykh’s hand and repeating the covenant. Rather, they would make a firm intention…

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Your Shaykh is Your Ship!

From the counsels of Shaykh Muhammad Salih: "Your Shaykh is your ship! He is the vessel on which you cross the oceans to reach the Beloved ﷺ. Your Shaykh is the means by which you reach the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who in turn will take you into the presence of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). Your Shaykh is the ship by which you will…

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Realization Through the Prophet ﷺ

After mentioning the best method of sending blessings on the Prophet ﷺ see: The Magnificent Bequest Shaykh Salih mentions the spiritual ascent and result of devoting oneself to the Prophet ﷺ. "Know that he ﷺ is the goal and highest aim which causes the arrival to the Divine witnessing, which is beyond comprehension and what is perceptible through the senses. By his light ﷺ and by arrival…

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The Magnificent Bequest

Great Advice from Shaykh Salih al-Ja’fari, may Allah be pleased with him: “You must act upon this advice which is more precious than gold and silver, and will make you race ahead of the horse riders in the race track, and that will, by the permission of Allah Most High, take you to what you desire, to what no eye has seen nor ear heard, nor…

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Visiting Ahl al-Bayt

  Shaykh Salih al-Ja'fari mentions in vol 9 of the Friday Lessons: Allah has given the people of pure soul spiritual gifts in order that they see the secrets (asrar), and the people of those gifts, their souls speak with each other. When we enter the maqam of our master, Imam al-Husayn, we see a light like the sun. We asked the Imam: ‘What is this…

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