The Titles of the Naqshbandi Golden Chain

The designation of the Naqshbandi Golden Chain has changed from century to century. From the time of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (r) to the time of Bayazid al-Bistami (r) it was called as-Siddiqiyya. From the time of Bayazid to the time of Sayyidina Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujdawani it was called at-Tayfuriyya. From the time of Sayyidina 'Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujdawan to the time of Shah Naqshband it was called the Khwajaganiyya. From the time of Shah Naqshband through the time of Sayyidina Ubaidullah al-Ahrar and Sayyidina Ahmad Faruqi, it was called Naqshbandiyya.



Naqshbandiyya means to "tie the Naqsh very well." The Naqsh is the perfect engraving of Allah's Name in the heart of the murid. From the time of Sayyidina Ahmad al-Faruqi to the time of Shaikh Khalid al-Baghdadi it was called Naqshbandi-Mujaddidiyya. From the time of Sayyidina Khalid al-Baghdadi until the time of Sayiddina Shaikh Ismail Shirwani it was called the Naqshbandiyya-Khalidiyya. From the time of Sayyidina Isma'il Shirwani until the time of Sayyidina Shaikh 'Abdullah ad-Daghestani, it was called Naqshbandi-Daghestaniyya. And today it is known by the name Naqshbandiyya-Haqqaniyya
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sal) said “Laisal kaburukal ma’imah” – : “Nothing is
more valuable than direct experience”.

A person having direct experience is convinced without doubt of the reality. His
outlook is that of certainty. Many mureeds of Moulana Sheik Nazim (Qad) have
attained this state of certainty and some of their experiences are given below.

Many of Moulana Sheik Nazim’s mureeds have experienced the seeing of lights of
different shapes and colours. It is quite common among these mureeds to see pin
points of different coloured lights at various times of the day and night. These lights
appear in flashes and disappear. Some also see waves of gold or silver light
appearing in front of them. These lights can be compared to a heavy mist and they
always move about in waves. Even in utter darkness these mureds are able to see all
around them.


Some have also experienced seeing a big golden or silvery light close to their
foreheads or at the positions where their hearts are. Some mureeds also see big
flashes of light appearing in blotches in front of them. Some also have experienced
seeing lights in the form of streaks and lightning. Others have perceived lights in the
shape of the moon and stars.

Lights of various colours and hues particularly, red, purple, light blue, green, gold,
silver and white have been seen by these mureeds. Light like that of the shining sun
at noon with all its intensity and brightness have been witnessed. In short so many
types of lights have been seen by these mureeds that it would be difficult to
enumerate all of them here.

A common experience of many mureeds is the sudden inhalation of a whiff of incense
or attar (perfume). The type of perfume in almost all cases is one that is not being
worn by the mureed and is easily recognized due to its unexpected presence.

During the repetition of Dhikr some mureeds have experienced a sweet taste on their
tongues which lingers sometimes from between a day to three or four days on end.
Mureeds have been given various types of liquids such as water and milk etc to drink
by Prophets, particularly Holy Prophet (Sal) and Seyyidina Khidr (Alai) during the
recital of Salawath (Durood) and Dhikr. These liquids represent secret
knowledge

Some mureeds have also experienced the sense of touch when they have been
totally devoid of other company. This experience is common to mureeds who are
nodding off to sleep while reciting Quran or while praying or while in Dhikr. Such an
experience usually has the effect of awakening the mureed and helping him to
concentrate.

Many mureeds have had the experience of seeing Mowlana Sheikh Nazim and also
other members of the Golden Chain of Spiritual Transmission of the Naqshabandi
Tariqat appearing before them. Some have had the experience of seeing a host of
the Saints (awliya) appearing before them.

A selection of mureeds see Mowlana Sheikh Nazim in flashes at various times of the
day or night. Some see the entire form of the Sheikh, while some see just the bust or
only his face. Certain of these mureeds see Mowlana Sheikh Nazim in front of them
all the time and Mowlana is always with them. Wherever they may be or wherever
they may go Mowlana Sheikh Nazim is always present with them. Some of them have
also been granted the gift of being able to communicate with Mowlana. Any question
that they put to their Sheik is immediately answered by him. Whatever they want to
know Sheik gives them the answer. Vast amounts of hidden knowledge have been
communicated to his mureeds by Mowlana Sheikh Nazim in this manner.

Questions by these mureeds regarding day to day life, or questions relating to
religion and Marifatullah (hidden knowledge) and also many other subjects have
been answered by Mowlana Sheikh Nazim. When this type of communication has
been granted to a mureed, he no longer needs to resort to books in order to further
his knowledge. Anything that he desires to know is told to him by his Sheik.

There are some mureeds who have been given the gift by Mowlana Sheikh Nazim of
being able to see the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sal) appearing before them. To
some of them the Holy Prophet (Sal) appears to them in flashes. Some are in the
presence of the Holy Prophet (Sal) at all times – 24 hours a day. They are able to
communicate with the Holy Prophet (Sal). They are able to put questions to Holy
Prophet Muhammad (Sal) and they are answered by him. The Holy Prophet
Muhammad (Sal) teaches, instructs and guides them.

Many mureeds have also the gift of being able to interpret dreams. This they do
either by asking for the interpretation of these dreams from Mowlana Sheikh Nazim or
from the Holy Prophet (Sal). Sometimes they do this by means of interpreting these
dreams according to the knowledge that has been given to them. When a person
relates a dream to these mureeds, they are even able to actually see the dream
visually unfolding before the very eyes of their hearts. In some instances, these
mureeds have been able to remind the one who related his dream of certain portions
of his dream that had been forgotten by him and therefore omitted in the narration of
it and subsequently the dreamer is able to recollect quite clearly what he had
forgotten.

The existence of Seyyidina Mahdi (Alai) in these times is doubly confirmed by some
mureeds of Mowlana Sheik Nazim who have been given the gift of seeing Seyyidina
Mahdi (Alai). He is so powerful that it is not possible for people to look at his eyes.
Mowlana Sheikh Nazim has however, granted some of his mureeds the power to look
directly into the eyes of Seyyidina Mahdi (Alai) and also to communicate with him.

Certain of the mureeds of Mowlana Sheikh Nazim experience that Mowlana appears
within them. When this happens, they are no longer conscious of themselves as
themselves. They loose their identity and are conscious of themselves as their
Sheikh. They see through Mowlana’s eyes when they look, they hear through
Mowlana’s ears when they speak. They no longer see or feel themselves as they no
longer exist, only Mowlana exists. When a mureed in this state makes any movement,
this movement is seen by the mureed to be a reflection of Mowlana Sheikh Nazim.
This state is temporary for some mureeds while for others it is established and
permanent. In this state the mureed is known to be going through the process of
“Fana fi Sheik”

Some mureeds also experience the state of “Fana fi Rasool” which is the next stage
towards the Divine Presence. In this stage the Holy Prophet (Sal) is experienced
within the mureed. As in the earlier case the mureeds lose their identity and are
conscious of themselves as Mowlana Sheikh Nazim who is lost in the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (Sal). They can no longer identify themselves as themselves. They now
identify themselves while in this state as being mirrored by the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (Sal). They now see, hear and experience sensation through the Holy
Prophet (Sal).

The ability to look into and witness events that have occurred in the past has also
been given by Mowlana Sheikh Nazim to some of his mureeds. All that these mureeds
have to do is to think of this particular event and they are shown it as it actually
happened. For example, if a mureed with this gift wished to see a certain incident
related in the Quran, for instance the incident described in Sura Yoosuf where the
ladies of the court of the King while paring fruits were so rapt in the beauty of Yoosuf
(Alai) that they did not realize that they had cut their fingers, or the creation of Adam
(Alai) or incidents in the life of any Prophet or Saint. These incidents are portrayed to
them as they actually took place.

For instance, if these mureeds were to read the life story of our Prophet (Sal) they
would see the incidents unfold before them as if they were happening at that time.
The same is true if they were to read the life story of a Saint. This is not only
restricted to reading. The same would occur if another person is relating a story as
well, where the story would unfold in front of the mureeds who actually witness the
events talked about. In short, all that these mureeds wish to see of the past are
depicted to them. This state is being experienced by some of Mowlana Sheikh Nazim’
s mureeds and they are also given access to witness whatever is presently occurring
anywhere in the world. They have been given the gift of all that they wish to see.

A few mureeds have been given the gift of being able to look through the eyes of
everyone. These mureeds, simply ask Mowlana Sheikh Nazim for this ability and are
then able to look through another’s eyes and see whatever they are seeing. Sights
which have arrested one in the past and is imprinted in his memory may be recalled
by him at a particular instant which a mureed with this ability of looking through
anyone’s eyes may see in all it’s glory. For instance, if a person has been to the
Himalayas and seen a particular mountain range, all that the mureed with this ability
has to do is to ask Mowlana Shaikh Nazim to let him look through this person’s eyes
and he would see what that person had seen. This phenomenon is not only limited to
this, but also to dreams and spiritual visions. If a mureed with this ability desires to
look through the eyes of another mureed with spiritual vision, he is shown this
spiritual vision – which may be the vision of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sal) or
Mowlana Sheikh Nazim or some other Prophet or Saint.

Sometimes, mureeds have been transported to other countries and places. For
example they may be transported in a moment to London where Mowlana Sheikh
Nazim would be delivering a lecture. Some are known to have visited Mecca, Medina,
London and Baghdad in moments by the power and the grace of Mowlana Sheikh
Nazim. Of course there are also certain mureeds who have had the opportunity of
being transported beyond the limits of this world, beyond the limits of this Galaxy
even, and to the very edges of the far Galaxies. They have been taken to the
Paradises and have experienced the delights therein. They have even seen the hells
too. They have also visited other worlds and met with their occupants.

A common phenomenon at this point is the experience of ecstasy in love oceans for
Mowlana Sheik Nazim, our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sal) and ultimately towards
the Divine Presence. This feeling of ecstasy can never be accurately expressed as
there is no other sensation that can be compared to it. It can only be pointed out that
it is even greater than the greatest feeling of love that two ardent lovers may have for
each other. An example of this sensation may be realized from the story of Yoosuf
(Alai) where Lady Zulaiha after pining away for the love of Yoosuf (Alai) finally has
this, her greatest desire granted by Allah Almighty. Having wed Yoosuf (Alai)
however, on the night of their marriage even this great love for him was forgotten in
the ecstasy that she felt for Allah Almighty.

There are also mureeds who have even developed to the state where they have
been given the gift of being able to witness everything in creation performing Dhikr
constantly. They witness everything that they look at shimmering in constant Dhikr.
Some even hear this Dhikr.

Some of the mureeds of Mowlana Sheikh Nazim have been given knowledge of the
secrets of nature. For, instance the secrets of plants etc, have been granted to these
mureeds.

A degree of Unity have been experienced by certain mureeds where they have
expanded to the extent that they see the Universe at a glance. They are able to see
right across the Universe and also able to focus on any place that they desire. They
see the entire Universe as one in all its vastness. They have beheld that the entirety
is made of one substance. At some point some mureeds reach the state where they
no longer can differentiate between themselves and the Universe in its entirety. At
this point they see themselves as the entire Universe with a single soul – their soul.

Mowlana Sheikh Nazim says that the purpose of religion is to know Allah. He quotes
the Hadith Qudsi “I was a Hidden Treasure and loved to be known”. Therefore the
purpose of any religion is to find this Hidden Treasure and to discover its secrets. It is
towards this end that Mowlana Sheikh Nazim is training his mureeds. He guides them
to the Divine Presence and seats them on the Divine Throne of Allah Almighty to take
command of the entire Universe.

Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran “I give sovereignty to whom I want”. Mowlana
Sheik Nazim is therefore guiding every seeker who comes to him to achieve this goal.
All the phenomena experienced by mureeds discussed above only represent a tiny
drop in the ocean of knowledge that Mowlana Sheikh Nazim intends to impart to his
mureeds. Mowlana Sheikh Nazim puts it very simply when he says “Come to me and I
shall give you everything”. Is there anything that falls short of everything?