Words cannot describe the joy that filled my heart to see Baba Aziz (Shaykh Abdul Aziz bin Shafie) sitting next to Shaykh Hisham Kabbani. It was at a gathering at Naqshbandi Northern Dergah last month; an event welcoming Shaykh Hisham to Penang. It was like the Malay saying 'bagai bulan di pagar bintang', meaning the beautiful sight of the moon surrounded by stars. MashaAllah I so adore them! But I almost did not recognize Baba Aziz at first because he was wearing an orange beard! Apparently, it was an 'instruction' from Habib Ali bin Jaafar al-Idrus that he have it dyed.
Baba Aziz gave a very touching and meaningful opening remark. It was mesmerizing to hear him speak on tawhid. He expounded the meaning of Qul-Hu-Allah-Ahad in relation to the Naqshbandi's mantra Allahu Allahu Allahu Haq. Overwhelmed by his wisdom I could not help but kept muttering
Astaghfirullah...
mimma siwallah
wa kullu syai'in ya qul Allah...
Baba taught this istighfar during our last meeting. Wali Ismail used to recite this constantly so that his heart would always remain in shuhud.
Describing Shaykh Hisham Kabbani as Rijal Allah, Baba Aziz encouraged the audience to take bay'ah from Mawlana Shaykh Nazim through Shaykh Hisham. It was a humbling sight to behold. Baba being aleem, areef, waraq and zuhud that he is, humbled himself before Shaykh Hisham and even drank from his glass! Allahu Allah. Indeed, Shaykh Hisham was right in saying "Above every scholar, there is a scholar. Above every knower, there is a knower."
This weekend has been equally thrilling; meeting Baba again at KL Ba'Alawi Kemensah and having a brief chat with him. I cherish every word this man utters. Seven years ago, his casual fatherly advice had changed me overnight!
This time, he taught a munajat the Prophet s.a.w taught Saidina Ali (karamallahu wajhah).
Ya qa inan qobla kulla syai in
Ya muqawwinan li kulli syai in
Ya qa inan baqda an la yakuunu syai in
Oh the One who exists before everything else existed
Oh the One who creates everything
Oh, the One who exists after everything else has vanished...
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Pick up these pearls and carry them with you!
May Allah grant Baba a long life.
May Allah grant us tawfik to follow in his footsteps.
Ameen.
Click here to watch the sohba given by Shaykh Hisham at Naqshbandi Northern Dergah (Penang) on 23 October 2009. In attendance was Baba Aziz. Shaykh Zul, the head of the Dergah acted as interpreter.
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