A Salik's First Step

A Salik's First Step
A Bayan addressing the Saliks in a zikr majlis(congregation)
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Note: This is not a word by word translation of the discourse. I am just giving it in my words. If anything is against truth, I am solely responsible for it. All the good points are fully credited to my Sheikh.
All praise to Allah, who has made us to believe in Him. All praise to Allah, who has showered His greatest blessings by making us the Ummath's (followers) of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).
We people think and claim to be saliks (seekers of God) , if we attend the weekly zikr majlis (congregation). We think that just by doing Bay'ath (testimony of truth) with a Sheikh, we have become saliks (seekers) in the path of Sufism and we will reach Allah. We think that just by offering Hadhiya (gift) to the Sheikh, our duty as a salik is over and our sufism is complete. We think that just by doing Khidhmath (service) to the sheikh, our thareekath (path towards Allah, Sufism) is complete. But, these are all just customs and they in no way make you a true seeker or a sufi. I am not saying that these things do not help you in any way or you should drop doing these things but, as a seeker your goals should be something else. Your goal should be Allah and His love.
You should always be in the zikr (remembrance) of Allah, who is the fulfiller of all your needs. How can you forget Him, when He is fulfilling all your needs and you are always in need? Our Sheikhs have taught us the Fas-anfas (breath for breath) zikr of Allahu Allah. It is a great blessing on us. Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) said that the day of the doom will not happen until a person says Allahu Allah.
So, we should always be in His Zikr. This is called as 'Yadhe Huq Aladhawam' (Always in the remembrance of Huq). We all know that the Maksad (Objectives) of Bay'ath are 'Yadhe Huq Aladhawam' and 'Yafthe Huq' (Attaining the Huq -- Don't get carried away by the translation. It will be explained in detail in the course of the development of this site). A salik should strive to attain these two things.
Unless you attain 'yadhe Huq' you cannot attain 'Yafthe Huq'. So, the first goal of a seeker should be to increase the zikr of Allah. You should be so much immersed in His zikr (remembrance) that you should forget yourself. Allah asks us to remember Him, in all states and positions -- standing, sitting or lying. When Allah sent Moosa Alaihissalam to Fir'aun (Pharaoh), He asked him not to forget His zikr.
We are so much overwhelmed by the creations that we forget the creator. How can His creations make us forget Him. When you feel thirsty and drink water, your mind should automatically remember Him. The hand with which you are holding the glass is due to His blessings. The power with which you are holding the glass is His. (La Kuwwatha Illa Billah -- There is no power other than His power.) The glass you are holding is also His creation. The water is also is His creation. It is He who is fulfilling your need of quenching your thirst. It is He who is feeding the water to you.
So, start remembering Him, wherever you are, in whatever you do. The place of remembrance is the heart. The heart and mind should be thinking Him. We just murmur something in our lips and think it is zikr. You are certainly rewarded for reciting Allah's names. It is called as 'Zikre Lisani' (remembrance by tongue). In most cases, when the mouth is reciting 'Rahman' ( the beneficent, Allah) our mind is thinking about 'Shaitan' (the devil). Our heart should be in His remembrance.
When you are remembering Him, you think that it is you who is remembering Him. Again, you are in your own thought and not in the thought of Allah. The thought of your self is more than that of Him. Infact, it is He who is making you to remember Him. So, shun the thoughts that you are remembering Him. Be happy and grateful to Him, for He has given us this ni'math (blessing)to remember Him while the whole world is in pursuit of something else. Shut your mouth and listen to your heart.
This is your first step towards the higher stages of sulook (the way, sufism).