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This Ramadan I was very submerged in my pottery studio trying to prepare two art shows in north Georgia and Savannah as I was struggling to stay on top on my Qiraat (Holy Quran recitation) and dhikr (ritual remembrance of Allah), I had not planned to make I’tikaaf on the last tens days as I had last year...
Truly, the spiritual impact of last year’s Khalwa and I’tikaaf at the Baitun Noor Holy Shrine was still fresh in my heart and soul. When I received a call from one of our seniors saying that I should be there, I covered twenty bowls and vases and headed for the Khanqah (a place where Sufis worship) in Holy Islamville South Carolina. A place where Allah’s blesses name and Holy Muhammad, Peace be upon Him had been seen in Rainbow colors by people of all backgrounds Muslims, Christians and others.
As with the year before the people at the Khalwa were in dhikr twenty hour a day. There was no one there who did not have Tasbeeh in the hands, or reciting Holy Quran, and Dalaael ul Khairat. We were instructed by our Pir Shah Jilani to stay absorbed in the remembrance of Allah. We avoided long conversation and worldly discourse. Each morning we received instructed from our Pir via video on Tafseer of Sura Baqarah. There were talim (lessons) from the books Manners in Islam and Uswati-e-Rasul, (Peace Be Upon Him), written by the Hadrat Imam Isa Tirmidhi (Ra), which gave details on the physical beauty of The Holy Last Messenger (peace be upon him).
On the Night of Power, our Pir had instructed us to perform 100 rakat Nafl and Salatun Tasbeeh. The moment I entered the Shrine my heart started burning as if there was a warming fire in each chamber of my heart. When I closed my eyes I could see our Shaykh moving about from one place to the other. I saw other faces but could not see them clearly. I saw a tablet of maybe stone on it were words in a relief form written in what appeared to be flaming red. I could not make out the words. At one point I begin to get tired. As I sat, one of the brothers tapped me on the shoulder to tell me it was time for sahoor. I stood to go to Abu Hakims house where the brothers go to eat. (may Allah bless him and his family his doors are always open). But when I reach the middle of the road, my heart summons me back to the holy shrine, I made few rakats and just sat contemplating on Allah’s Holy Name. The beautiful fire that was burning in my heart was all that mattered to me. I couldn’t think about eating. At one point, my heart felt a flutter, and vibrated like a cell phone. I fell asleep sitting to be awaken by the sound of the Adhan. I headed to the masjid to make Salaat in jamaat.
The burning sensation had subsided, yet the blissfulness and serenity of the night equal to 80 years of Ibadat resting on my chest.
I was again filled with a saturated feeling of gratitude to Allah for sending Our Pir Shah Jilani for unveiling the master piece of Love of Allah Ta’ala and Love of his Holy Last Messenger Muhammad(Peace be Upon Him). I too had become so drunk/ absorbed with love for all the people in Holy Islamville the I was afraid to speak. The presence of Allah’s love was everywhere. Everyone clothes were stained with the wine of divine love from being in this Tavern. I felt these intoxication days after the Eid. We sat at Abu Hakims home talking s about our Shaykh and how much Allah Ta’ala has manifested His beauty through his Nisbah. When I returned to my home in Madinah Valley Georgia, the burning sensation started again. I was trying to sleep but as I lay I kept seeing the Allah’s name on a rose petal, as on the Ism Allah card. I rose to make tahajjud and dhikr. These fires in chambers of my heart continued for two days. |
Holy Khanqah 
