Sayyiduna Khidr

ّ ‫ب م الرحمن الّرحیم‬

Khatam Sharif In honour of the venerable

‫علیہ السالم‬

‫خضر‬

Sayyiduna Khidr

(as)

The Fountain of Life A long time ago, when the continents of the earth were joined together and surrounded by water, there lived a pious King, who travelled all four corners of the world. The King was known as Dhul-Qarnayn ®, his name meant „Lord of two realms.‟ He was a righteous person, who received revelation from Allah Almighty. He travelled to an area located between two mountains, where he met a tribe, who complained about the savage tribe of Gog and Magog. With the help of this tribe he had met, he built an iron wall to protect them, saying, “This is a Mercy from my Lord.” He also foretold them that, “A time will come, when this wall will be diminished.” Later on, he also travelled to the holy city of Makkah sharif, where he met with Prophet Ibrahim (as); who was building the Ka’bah Sharif, at that time. One day, the courtiers of King Dhul-Qarnayn ® were talking on the topic of the āb-ehayat, the Fountain of Life. The talk captivated the King‟s attention. A young noble present in the assembly, said, “I have heard if anyone was to drink from this fountain, he will be granted eternal life, he will live for ever.” A wise man, and scribe to the King, Compiled By: Afzaal Mahmood and Abd al-Majid

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remarked, “Yes, this fountain does indeed exist, but it is a difficult journey to embark on, full of trials and tribulations. It is a ponderous journey, a journey many have attempted, but none have completed. Before you reach this fountain, there is a lengthy passage of darkness. Nobody has passed this region of darkness, and successfully reached the fountain of life.” Fascinated by the talk of this fountain, King Dhul-Qarnayn ® declared, “I have made intention to seek this fountain.” Arrangements were made and his courtiers explained their proposals for the journey ahead. However, no one found a solution to the problem, of how to surpass the region of darkness and reach the fountain. This frustrated the King until one of his advisors, a close companion, informed him, “I have a solution. I possess two extraordinary sabre lamps. They will provide the light required for us to pass the region of darkness.” The King became happy and immediately set off with his army, until they reached the land of darkness. Here the King‟s entourage departed, wishing him and his close companion, the best of luck. The King and his companion continued and entered the land of darkness; a journey that no soul had ever accomplished before them. The companion of King Dhul-Qarnayn ®, said to him, “Do not part from me, if you were to get lost in this darkness, it will be impossible for us to find each other and our way back.” Having entered this area of darkness, the sabre lamps provided some light, but it still remained dim and eventually, the two became separated. The companion continued on his journey, until he came to the Fountain of Life. Astounded and amazed at what he saw, before his very eyes; he drank the water of immortality from the fountain. He became the only soul, at this point, to gain immortal life. For centuries, he roamed the earth, gaining knowledge and wisdom. He practiced what he knew, until his Lord taught him what he did not know. A righteous servant of his Lord, he gained in proximity towards his Lord, and was granted ilm ladunni, Divine knowledge, which is not contained in books.

The Wanderer Centuries later, in the time of the Prophet hood of Hadrat Musa (as), when Hadrat Musa (as) was giving a sermon to his people, a follower asked him, “O Master, who is the most knowledgeable person in the world?” Hadrat Musa (as) replied, “I am the most learned.” However, this answer upset Allah Almighty, He disliked the hint of pride that Hadrat Musa (as) showed in his answer. Allah sent Hadrat Jibra‟il (as), to reprimand His prophet, saying, “At the junction of the two seas, there is a righteous servant of Ours, who is more learned than you.” Hadrat Musa (as) asked, “O my Lord, how can I meet him?” Allah said, “Take a fish and put it in a basket, and where you will lose the fish, you will find him.” So Hadrat Musa (as) did as he had been instructed by Allah, and set out with his young companion, Hadrat Yusha (as). Despite not knowing neither the name or the description of this mysterious person, Hadrat Musa (as) was determined to meet Compiled By: Afzaal Mahmood and Abd al-Majid

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him. Hadrat Musa (as) said to his companion, Hadrat Yusha (as), “I will not give up this search, until I reach the place where the two seas meet.” The journey to find the meeting point of the two seas, was long and demanding, although Hadrat Musa (as) had not felt any signs of exhaustion. One day, whilst Hadrat Musa (as) was sleeping against a rock, and Hadrat Yusha (as) was washing his hands, the fish suddenly moved vigorously in the basket. It jumped out and slipped into the sea, leaving a mark. Hadrat Yusha (as) forgot to mention this incident to Hadrat Musa (as). The journey continued and as they travelled, all of a sudden, Hadrat Musa (as) began to feel weary, and said to his companion, “Young man, I am tired and hungry, bring some food.” Hadrat Yusha (as) knew the only food they had with them was the fish. Remembering the incident with the fish, he said to Hadrat Musa (as), “I forgot to mention to you, the devil made me forget, that fish came alive. It jumped into the river.” Hadrat Musa (as) replied, “We should retrace our footsteps and go where the fish came alive. That is the point where we are to meet that person.” Retracing their tracks, they arrived back to where the rock was. Hadrat Yusha (as) pointed to the mark left in the sea, created by the fish. Then Hadrat Musa (as) noticed a mysterious person, whose face was covered with a garment. This mysterious person was sitting on top of the water and praying. Hadrat Musa (as) went alone to greet this mysterious person. The person enquired, “Which land are you from?” “I am Musa bin Imran,‟ Hadrat Musa (as) replied. The mysterious person asked, “Are you the Prophet of the Children of Israel?” Hadrat Musa (as) said, “Yes I am. I have been sent by my Lord, to learn from you.” The mysterious person responded, “You will not be able to have patience with me. O Musa! I have some of Allah's knowledge, which He has bestowed upon me but you do not know it. And you too, have some of Allah's knowledge, which He has bestowed upon you, but I do not know it.” Hadrat Musa (as) said, "Allah willing, you will find me patient, and I will not go against you in anything.” The mysterious person replied, “If you then follow me, do not ask me about anything, until I myself speak to you, concerning it.” Hadrat Musa (as) agreed to this condition and accompanied the mysterious person; the two of them walked along the sea coast. A boat passed by and the boat crew let the mysterious person and Hadrat Musa (as) board, free of charge. Whilst on the boat, suddenly the mysterious person pulled out one of the planks from the boat. Hadrat Musa (as) protested, “These people gave us a free lift, yet you have wrecked their boat. You have done a dreadful thing.” The mysterious person replied, “Didn't I tell you, you would not be patient with me?” Hadrat Musa (as) said, “Please let me off, as I forgot.” As they continued their journey on the boat, a sparrow came and sat over the edge of the boat, dipping its beak once, in the sea. Looking on at the sparrow, the mysterious person said to Hadrat Musa (as), “O Prophet of Allah, our knowledge compared to Allah’s knowledge, is like what this sparrow has taken out of this ocean, a mere drop of water.”

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After the boat journey, Hadrat Musa (as) and the mysterious person walked on the sea shore, coming across some children, who were playing, Out of the blue, the mysterious person killed a handsome boy, instantly. Hadrat Musa (as) was stunned at what he saw, he exclaimed, “Have you killed an innocent soul who has killed nobody! Truly, you have done an illegal thing.” The mysterious person replied, “Didn’t I tell you, you will have no patience with me?” Hadrat Musa (as) said, “If I ask you about anything after this; then do not keep me in your company.” They continued to walk and entered a village. Hadrat Musa (as) was very hungry and thirsty and so he asked the villagers for food; but his requests fell on deaf ears. As they continued walking, they came across a huge wall, which was on the verge of collapsing. The mysterious person looked at the wall and stopped. He repaired the wall with his hands. This bewildered Hadrat Musa (as) and he asked the mysterious person, “These are people, to whom we came, but they neither fed us, nor received us as guests. If you had wished, you could surely have asked them for some payment for repairing this wall.” The mysterious person angrily replied, “This is the parting point between you and me! I will tell you the interpretation of those things about which you were unable to hold patience.”

Three Strikes and Out Hadrat Musa (as) could see no logical explanation to the three acts, the mysterious person had done. The mysterious person explained his reasons for the three acts, to Hadrat Musa (as); “I damaged the boat, because there is a cruel king in this area, who seizes every boat by force. So, I wished that when this boat passes by him, he would leave it due to the defect. When the boat has passed by, the crew will be able to repair it and so continue to get benefit from it. This will prevent these people from losing their livelihood. As for that boy, his parents were believers, but the boy was a non-believer. We feared their love for him, would urge them to follow him in his religion. So we desired that their Lord, should change him, for more children, who are better in righteousness. “ Lastly the mysterious person explained the reasoning behind the third act; “As for repairing the wall, this belongs to two boys who are orphans. Their father was a pious man and he left treasure buried under this wall. If the wall was not repaired, the treasure would have been discovered and people would find it and misuse it. It was repaired in order that the children are not deprived of their rightful inheritance. This is a mercy from your Lord.” It is evident from the explanations of the mysterious person, that all three acts warranted Divine protection. This is because of the people that these acts affected. In the first act, the boat crew were virtuous people, in the second act, the parents of the boy were pious, and in the third act, the father of the orphans was also pious. This is the situation with many incidents that take place during a person‟s lifetime; at the times it appears like adverse misfortunes has been befalling that person, but this is not what emerges. These actions are a saviour for that person, as it is Divine protection at work.

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The mysterious person alludes that Divine protection is at work, when he says „We,‟ and not „I,‟ in reference to what he has done. This is because when the intention and purpose of the act is only for Allah‟s pleasure, and in accordance with the Divine Will, that act becomes His action, as explained by the Hadith; Allah Almighty says, “My servant keeps coming closer to Me with more voluntary deeds, until I love him. When I love him, I become His ear by which he hears, his eyes by which he sees, his hands by which he holds and his foot by which he walks.” Hadrat Musa (as) had originally perceived these acts to be irrational and immoral acts. He realized from the explanation given by this mysterious person, that these acts were performed, by Divine command. However, Allah Almighty remained discreet within these acts; and so Hadrat Musa (as) could not identify that the Divine Will was at work. Hadrat Musa (as) understood that the mysterious person, had received special knowledge from God. It was when Hadrat Musa (as) questioned the mysterious person, as to why he did not take a wage for repairing the wall, that the time of parting came. The mysterious person further elaborated to Hadrat Musa (as), “None of what I did is out of my own incentive. I was commanded to do so, I carried out Divine orders.” The mysterious person had been hiding his inner state; this is known as ikhfa- e hal. Like his Lord, the mysterious man was discreet in whatever he did, knowing if he humbled himself for his Lord, His Lord will give him honour.

The Identity of the Mysterious Person Such is the rank of the mysterious person; that even the Kalimullah, Hadrat Musa (as), to whom Allah Almighty spoke, did not know that he existed. This was due to the discreet nature of this mysterious person. When Rasulullah (S) explained the story of Hadrat Musa (as) and this mysterious person in a Hadith sharif, he made known the identity of this mysterious person, as Sayyiduna Khidr (as). This is the same Khidr, who had accompanied King Dhul-Qarnayn ® in their search, for the Fountain of Life. Rasulullah (S) concluded by saying "We wished Musa (as) could have been more patient, so Allah might have described more about their story." He also mentioned that Sayyiduna Khidr (as) is the most knowledgeable person on earth, and he is the leader of the category of Awliya (Friends of Allah) called Adbal. It is said that Sayyiduna Khidr (as) is known as Khidr, meaning “The Green One,” because, if he sits on barren land, it becomes green with vegetation. Sayyiduna Khidr (as) is a wandering servant of God, who has knowledge of the unseen. He can travel faster than the speed of light, be in more than one place at a time and appear in various guises. He is one who appears in desperate situations and removes all obstacles. He is the life force behind all natural phenomenons. He is from God‟s special hidden forces on earth. He knows about the duties and responsibilities of the Prophets and subsequently the Awliya. He travels over the sea, mountains and valleys, searching to meet them. He became the ruler of a special land, called Ard un nafus; a land whiter than milk and sweeter than musk. It is believed the color of this land changed, when Hadrat Adam (as) was sent from Compiled By: Afzaal Mahmood and Abd al-Majid

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Heaven to the Earth. Along with the rijalul ghayb, Hidden Friends of Allah Almighty, he rules this land, offering his services, wherever requested.

Debating the Green One Following this meeting with Hadrat Musa (as), the righteous servant, Sayyiduna Khidr (as) continued to wander the world. Speaking all languages, blending in with the surroundings of all regions at ease, he appeared in all cultures. For centuries, he constantly roamed the earth, in his quest for learning knowledge and hence becoming the most knowledgeable person on earth. He became associated with the colour green, symbolizing the freshness, and the constant presence, of newness and growing knowledge on earth. One day, a group of learned people were sat, when the topic of conversation turned to this mysterious person, becoming a debate. One of them queried, “Do you know who the Green One is?” “Yes, he is the mysterious man Hadrat Musa (as) met. He was in Hadrat Musa (as) time, he is the son of Pharaoh,” answered another. Yet another amongst those gathered disagreed, saying, “No, I disagree; his mother was Roman and his father Persian,” Other opinions were also given, someone said; “I have heard he is the nephew of Prophet Ilyas (as). I also heard some people say, he is not even human, he is an angel.” Another one said, “I have read he is the son of Hadrat Adam (as) and that he reburied him. It has also been mentioned, he was on the Ark with Hadrat Nuh (as).” Another acquaintance, shouted out, “He is the cousin of King Dhul-Qarnayn ®. Together they went in search of the fountain of youth. He found it, whereas the King didn’t.” He continued describing the story in detail, and then mentioned the powers the man possessed. The debate then moved on to his name. A learned scholar summarised, “There are eleven opinions about what his actual name is. It is said Khidr is his title. This name can be pronounced three ways, Khudr, Khadr and Khidr. It is mentioned his real name is Ahmad, and his laqab is Abu’l Abbas. Some scholars have also referred to him as Banyan bin Malkaan in their works.” As the debate continued, the next area of discussion came about, when someone asked, “Is he a Prophet, or an awliya?” The learned scholar who had mentioned the names of Sayyiduna Khidr (as) commented again; “Opinions differ. He certainly has the attributes required to have the rank of an awliya; but there are many who are of the opinion he is a Prophet.” The righteous servant of God, Sayyiduna Khidr (as), is considered a Prophet of Allah Almighty. He is the Mu'allim al-anbiya, (Tutor of the Prophets); for the spiritual guidance, he has shown every Prophet throughout the centuries. However, there is one Prophet, whom he did not teach. Sayyiduna Khidr (as) had been anticipating the arrival of this Prophet, which finally arrived with the birth of the final Messenger of Allah, Rasulullah (S); and with it, the dawn of Islam. However, due to the humility that Sayyiduna Khidr (as) possessed, and the awe he had for Rasulullah (S), he did

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not approach Rasulullah (S) himself. He remained discreet, waiting for a sign to meet with Rasulullah (S).

Khidr (as) in the time of Rasulullah (S) One day Rasulullah (S) said, “If Khidr (as) is alive, then he would certainly come, and visit me.” Seeing this as an invitation from Rasulullah (S) to meet with him, Sayyiduna Khidr (as) arrived. His intention was to be taught by him, an unsurprising reversal of the master-disciple relationship; with the young Rasulullah (S) teaching the wise, ancient Sayyiduna Khidr (as). This underlined the superiority of Rasulullah (S)‟s Prophet hood; highlighting he was given Divine knowledge (ilm ladunni) of a higher degree. Now the guide and teacher of Prophets, Sayyiduna Khidr (as), became the student of „The Prophet;‟ Rasulullah (S). One day, Hadrat Amr bin Awf ® and some other Sahaba were praying behind Rasulullah (S) in the mosque. Suddenly a very loud, powerful strange voice was heard from behind the wall. It seemed somebody was speaking, but the noise was as loud as a bang. The Sahaba ran outside to see who was behind the wall. Rasulullah (S) said, “This noise is from Khidr (as).” Subsequently, Rasulullah (S) began to talk about Sayyiduna Khidr (as) to the Sahaba, saying, “Hadrat Ilyas (as) and Hadrat Khidr (as) meet every year, and spend the month of Ramadan in Bayt ul Muqadas, Jerusalem” Having been introduced to Sayyiduna Khidr (as), some of the Sahaba also met him. One day, Hadrat Umar ® was walking to attend a funeral, when he heard a voice; „Do not rush to this funeral.’ He looked around, but could not see where this voice had come from. He continued and joined the congregation for the funeral prayer. The last person to join the congregation, talked to the body of the deceased, saying, “O Allah, if you punish this person, he is a sinful person. But if you forgive him, then you are most forgiving.” After the burial, this person who had spoken at the funeral prayer said, “Glad tidings for you, person in the grave.” Hadrat Umar ® said, “Bring this person to me. What is he saying?” However, the person had disappeared. Hadrat Umar ® said, “By God that was Khidr (as), because Rasulullah (S) had told us about him.” Another sahabi, who met with Sayyiduna Khidr (as) was Hadrat Ali ®; whilst he was doing tawaf one day. He suddenly saw a man holding on to the ghilaf (cloth) of the Kab’ah sharif. He heard the man supplicating, “By God, in whose hand is the life of Khidr, if anyone makes this dua after fard namaz, then Allah will forgive him.” Hadrat Ali ® realised, it was none other than Khidr (as) making this supplication. When it was the funeral of Rasulullah (S), a powerful-looking, fine-featured, handsome man with a white beard, appeared. He came leaping over the backs of the people, till he reached where the sacred body was. Weeping bitterly, grief etched on his face, he turned toward the Sahaba and gave his condolences. The Sahaba looked on at this man, who they did not recognise. Only two from amongst them, Hadrat Abu Bakr ® and Hadrat Ali ® knew of his identity. When he left, they informed the Sahaba, “That was Khidr (as).” Compiled By: Afzaal Mahmood and Abd al-Majid

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After the funeral of Rasulullah (S), the appearances of Sayyiduna Khidr (as) continued. One day, a bystander saw a man he did not recognise, with his hand on the shoulder of the tabi, Khalifa Umar bin Abd al Aziz ®. The bystander knew the Khalifa well, and was intrigued to know, who the man with the Khalifa was. When the man left, he asked the Khalifa, “Who was this person?” The Khalifa replied, “That was my brother Khidr (as).‟ Rasulullah (S) had mentioned, “Sayyiduna Khidr (as) is the most knowledgeable person on earth and he is the leader of the category of Awliya, called Abdal.” With the passing of Rasulullah (S), the role of Sayyiduna Khidr (as) as Rasulullah (S)‟s deputy began, with Rasulullah (S) passing on blessings through Sayyiduna Khidr (as).

His Role: Deputy of Rasulullah (S) Sayyiduna Khidr (as) became the channel of Rasulullah (S)‟s mercy after the passing away of Rasulullah (S). So wherever it was needed, Sayyiduna Khidr (as) would channel this mercy. One day, Rasulullah (S) ordered Sayyiduna Khidr (as), “O Khidr, teach Sayyiduna Ahmad bin Idris ®, what brings all the dhikrs together.” Sayyiduna Khidr (as) asked Rasulullah (S) which dhikr this was. Rasulullah (S) taught him the specific prayers, which he then taught Sayyiduna Ahmad ®. Another task of Sayyiduna Khidr (as) is to introduce Rasulullah (S) to the Awliya, which he accomplishes by giving special gifts. The gifts Sayyiduna Khidr (as) gives are of great benefit, not just to the Awliya, but everyone. One such gift is Durood Khidri, which Sayyiduna Khidr (as) gave to the Khwajagan masters. The Awliya pass on these gifts to their devoted followers, like Durood Khidri, which is now recited daily by hundreds of thousands of people. This gift instils the love for Rasulullah (S) in all people. Even if a person has many faults and shortcomings, through this gift, they can still attain that love for Rasulullah (S), which ultimately will save them in the end. Sayyiduna Khidr (as) also conveys messages and teachings to the Awliya, who then mention them in their books; and once more this information becomes accessible to everyone. One such example, was when Sayyiduna Khidr (as) revealed the secrets behind creation, to Shaykh Sahl at-Tustari ®. Sayyiduna Khidr (as) said, “Allah created the Light of Muhammad (S) from His Light…Then, from that Light, He created all creations,” signifying Rasulullah (S) is the reason for the universe. Sayyiduna Khidr (as) has a strong passion for meeting the Awliya; due to his love for them. He devotes his time to meet these holy people, granting prayers from Rasulullah (S); sharing them with whom he wants. Shaykh Ibrahim Tamimi ® narrates, “I was sat round the Holy Ka’bah, making dhikr. A man came and greeted me, and sat to my right. I have never seen in my time, anyone more beautiful and handsome than this person, he had such a luminous face and was well dressed. I have never smelt anyone with better fragrance, than this stranger was wearing. I said to him, who are you and where are you from? He said to me, ‘I am Khidr.’ I had not made intention to meet with him; so I asked, why have you come to meet me? He said, ‘I came to meet with you, because of the love I have for you, for Allah’s sake. I have a gift to give you.’ He gave me a wird from Rasulullah Compiled By: Afzaal Mahmood and Abd al-Majid

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(S), telling me to read it day and night. He said, ‘when you meet Rasulullah (S) yourself, ask about the blessings of this.‟”

Meetings with the Awliya Sayyiduna Khidr (as)‟s desire to meeting with the Awliya, results in special relationships developing. One aspect of the relationship is, Sayyiduna Khidr (as) taking on the role of a scout and searching for Awliya. He inspects and checks the progress of potential candidates, so that when an Awliya passes away, there are candidates to recruit for the vacant positions that arise. One day, a thief entered the house of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani ® and instantly became blind. Also, at that same moment, whilst the thief was still in the house, Sayyiduna Khidr (as) arrived. He said to Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani ®, “O friend of God, one of the Abdal has passed away. You should appoint one straight away. These are the things you cannot leave for tomorrow.” Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani ® replied, “Take this one, the thief in the house, and make him an abdal.” Sayyiduna Khidr (as) also guides and teaches the Awliya, as in the case of Shaykh Hakim al Termedhi ®. As a young youth, Shaykh Hakim ® decided with two of his friends, they would leave their homeland and set out to study. When the three friends were ready to leave, Shaykh Hakim‟s ® mother said, “My son, who will look after me if you go; I am an old feeble woman.” Shaykh Hakim ® did not refuse his mother‟s request, although he was dismayed, at not having the opportunity to gain knowledge. When his friends left, he wept and at that moment a man came to him, and enquired, “My son, why do you weep, what is the problem?” Shaykh Hakim ® explained his circumstances, and the man replied, “I will teach you, come with me.” Shaykh Hakim ® continued to look after his mother and studied with this man. Three years later, the man revealed his identity; he was Sayyiduna Khidr (as). Having developed a master-guide relationship, the meetings of Sayyiduna Khidr (as) with Shaykh Hakim ® became frequent. Shaykh Hakim ®‟s student, Shaykh Abu Bakr-e Warraq ® mentioned, “One day, my teacher, Shaykh Hakim ® handed over to me, books he had written. He instructed me to throw them in the river. I browsed through the books, which were full of so much special Divine knowledge. I could not bring myself to carry out my teacher’s instructions. I reflected, if I throw them in to water, all this knowledge would be lost. Instead, I decided to store them in my room. I came back and my Shaykh asked, ‘What did you see?’ Nothing, I replied. ‘You did not throw them in, go and do so,’ he said, to me. I could not understand why he wanted such precious things, flung into the water. I thought, what visible proof will there be, to say I threw the books into the river. I did as told and threw the books. Before my very eyes, I saw the river open up. An open chest appeared; the books fell into it, then the lid closed and the river closed. I was left astonished. I return overwhelmed, and asked my Shaykh, please tell me the secret behind this. He said, ‘I had written something on the science of the Sufis, and the disclosing of this was difficult for human minds to grasp. Nobody would understand what I had written. Sayyiduna Khidr (as) said, ‘Hand them over to me’. He sent a fish, which brought the chest, and took the books.’”

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However, there are also Awliya that Sayyiduna Khidr (as) would visit, who would not take up his offer of help. Sayyiduna Khidr (as) frequently visited Shaykh Ibrahim alKhawwas ®, however his offer to assist the Shaykh would never be accepted. Shaykh Ibrahim ® explained, “It would break my connection with my Lord.” This illustrates the calibre of the Awliya in this Ummah; they have such tawakkul, their complete and utter trust is in Allah Almighty. Due to this, they do not accept assistance even if they are in a predicament. Although many people assume they know the state of the Awliya, their real state remains hidden. They are the secrets of the secrets, and go about doing their duties in a discreet manner, hiding their real states. Some Awliya, are so discreet in their activities, that they even remain veiled from Sayyiduna Khidr (as), who is always on the lookout for them. One such awliya was Shaykh Abu Bakr al Kattani ®. One day, a very handsome looking elder wrapped in a cloak, greeted Shaykh Kattani ®, who was performing Hajj. This elder said, “Why don’t you go to Maqam e Ibrahim, where this great Shaykh is. He is talking about Hadith sharif.” Shaykh Kattani ® asked, “Who is he narrating from?” The elder mentioned the chain to Shaykh Kattani ®, who commented, “It is a long chain, but I can narrate directly.” The elder enquired, “What do you mean? Who is your source?” Shaykh Kattani ® explained, “My heart reports to me direct from my Lord.” The elder asked, “What is the proof of this?” Shaykh Kattani ® answered, “My proof is you are Khidr (as).” The elder, who was Sayyiduna Khidr (as), was taken aback and surprised. Sayyiduna Khidr (as) said, “I thought no such people existed, until I met you. Meeting you, I have realised Allah has friends, that even I don’t know of.” It is said Sayyiduna Khidr (as) can appear in desperate situations and remove all obstacles. In the 1940s, a group of soldiers were fighting for the Indian British army in the Middle East. During battle, this group of soldiers got lost in the desert and could not find any water. The soldiers were nearing death, when they found a well. However, with their energy levels depleted, the soldiers had no strength to pull the bucket up. The soldiers began to make pleas for help, saying, “Hadrat Ali ® madad, Hadrat Imam Hasan ® madad.” Instantly, a person with his face covered, came on a horse. He asked, “What is it you need?” The soldiers informed the person that they were dying of thirst and were in need of water. However, this person left and then a second person came. The second person also asked, “What is it you need?” The soldiers informed him, they needed water. However, he also left after he had listened to their pleas. A third person arrived on horseback, and the group repeated their pleas to him. Unlike the other two, he did not leave. He turned the well bucket with his stick and water came out. The group of soldiers drank the water and thanked him. The soldiers then asked him, “Who were the two people who came before you.” He replied, “The first was Hadrat Ali ® and this is not his role. The second person was Imam Hasan ® and this is also not his role.” The soldiers ask the man, “Who are you?” He said, “I am Khidr.” This is the role of Sayyiduna Khidr (as), so despite the soldiers not asking help from him directly, it was he who appeared.

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Sayyiduna Khidr (as) will appear to a person if he is involved in an activity, as it attracts his attention. In his poem, Khidr-e-Rah, Allama Iqbal ® relates he had attracted the attention of Sayyiduna Khidr (as). This was due to the compassion and anguish Allama ® felt, about the situation the Muslim Ummah was facing. At the time, the Khilafat was coming to an end, with the British and the French entering the Middle East. Allama ® was surprised when he found out Sayyiduna Khidr (as) knew what worried his heart. Sayyiduna Khidr (as) addressed him directly, as „the seeker of the Divine Secrets,‟ saying, “The one who is the seeker, he is always looking for the secrets.” From this meeting, Allama Sahib ® understood, if anybody can tell me what is going to happen to the Ummah, it will be Sayyiduna Khidr (as). Allama Sahib ® gave a message to the Ummah, through the words of Sayyiduna Khidr (as); when things become difficult, it is a sign of a new era. New beginnings will happen, as when one empire is destroyed, another one emerges. Later, when Allama Iqbal ® passed away in 1938, and in the following twenty years, many Muslim countries become free from the shackles of colonialism. During his meetings with Sayyiduna Khidr (as), Allama ® asked him, “Why do you always stay away from the people, why are you in the deserts and away from the communities and roaming? Why does your life not have a day in it?” Sayyiduna Khidr (as) replied, “Why are you surprised, by my wondering and roaming in the desert; this is the sign of life. A person, who is alive, keeps on the move; he is not stone.” This is a description of the lives of the Awliya, as their lives involve detachment; they detach from everything, including their families. This state of the Awliya is they live their lives in the present moment, constantly attracting the attention of Sayyiduna Khidr (as). Sayyiduna Khidr (as) informed Allama ®, “If you want to know the reason for eternal life, it is in movement. You must keep on moving.”

The Life-Source The secret of life is in movement, as there are always blessings in movement. This is shown by the actions of the Awliya; they are always involved in dealings with people and so this connects them to Sayyiduna Khidr (as). However, Sayyiduna Khidr (as) also meets with those who are not Awliya. If a person is involved in activities which are serving humanity, such as providing help and protection to people, Sayyiduna Khidr (as) will visit. This is as one of Sayyiduna Khidr (as)‟s roles is also to serve humanity, to help those facing distress and in need of protection; so he will use a person involved in such an activity, to channel mercy. One such person was a police inspector to the Khalifa, Harun Rashid ®. Sayyiduna Khidr (as) would visit the inspector daily, but when the inspector retired, the daily visits ended. This worried the inspector and he yearned for a meeting with Sayyiduna Khidr (as) again. He became aware, that the reason the visits had stopped, was as he had retired and so was no longer doing a service to the people. In his capacity as a police inspector, he had helped and protected people. Realising Compiled By: Afzaal Mahmood and Abd al-Majid

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this, he immediately went and asked the Khalifa for his job back. The visits from Sayyiduna Khidr (as) recommenced. Sayyiduna Khidr (as) explained to the inspector, “When you sit with the king, you can help people. This is better than a thousand Sufi retreats.‟ Life can become stale, if there is no activity taking place, as in the case of the inspector, when he retired. This can lead to feelings of emptiness; a person can feel lost physically, spiritually and intellectually. Activities become dry and repetitive, which is the sign that touch has been lost with Sayyiduna Khidr (as); as the ecstasy in activities comes from him. It is at this moment that guidance is needed, because it means a person has lost touch with his life-source. If the person was connected with Sayyiduna Khidr (as), then life would be moving, as the life-source is Sayyiduna Khidr (as). A person who is alive keeps on the move; he does not sit in one place. There are different types of movements, that Sayyiduna Khidr (as) can inspire. This movement can be mental, where the intellect progresses; or it can be spiritual movement, where advances are made, in the spiritual state. It is a sign a person is connected to Sayyiduna Khidr (as), when there is movement in the heart, mind and body. This creates a glimmer in the eyes, passion in the heart; it is a sign that Sayyiduna Khidr (as) is around. His presence gives inner strength to a person, so they can face any kind of situation.

What the future holds for Sayyiduna Khidr (as) The companion of Sayyiduna Khidr (as), King Dhul-Qarnayn ®, foretold that in the final days, a time will come when the wall he had built will be destroyed, summoning the return of the tribe of Gog and Mgog. This tribe will cause devastation wherever they go, until they are destroyed by the invocation of Sayyiduna Isa (as). Before the return of the tribe of Gog and Mgog; Sayyiduna Isa (as) will have already destroyed the Dajjal. Imam Muslim ® mentioned the following incident will occur, when the Dajjal will appear. The Dajjal will approach the outskirts of Madinah sharif. Here a courageous believer will challenge him, whom the Dajjal will slice into two pieces and rejoin. The Dajjal will make it appear that he has caused him to die and be resurrected. However, this believer will proclaim the falsehood of the Dajjal. The Dajjal will then try to kill him again, but will fail. Therefore, his weakness and inability will be made revealed. Imam Muslim ® mentions the identity of this courageous believer, who will challenge the Dajjal and humiliate him; it is Sayyiduna Khidr (as).

Finding Sayyiduna Khidr (as) Sayyiduna Khidr (as) can be found every year, when he gathers for Hajj. Sayyiduna Ibn e Abbbas ® relate, “The Prophets, Sayyiduna Khidr (as) and Sayyiduna Ilyas (as) gather at Hajj every year. After Hajj, they both shave each other’s heads.” During Hajj, he Compiled By: Afzaal Mahmood and Abd al-Majid

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also holds a conference with the Angels; Sayyiduna Ali ® narrates, “One the day of Arafat, Sayyiduna Jibra’il (as), Sayyiduna Mika’il (as), Sayyiduna Israf’il (as), and Sayyiduna Khidr (as) all come. They make a supplication, after which they separate and meet again the following year.”It has also been disclosed that Sayyiduna Khidr (as) can be found in the Umayyad mosque in Sham Sharif, Damascus, where he has a masalah. In the month of Ramadan, Sayyiduna Khidr (as) meets up with Sayyiduna Ilyas (as) in Bayt ul Muqdas, Jerusalem. A person asked a Shaykh, “What can I do to meet Sayyiduna Khidr (as).” The Shaykh replied, “Take this book and there will be a method mentioned inside there.” In the book, he read the following, „Read two rak’at nafal, in which after reciting Surah Fatiha, read three times Ayat ul Kursi, three times Alam Nashrakh, ten times Surah Ikhlas. After completing the nafal prayers, supplicate a specific dua seven times. Then sleep in the Sunnah way; in the shape of Rasulullah (S)’s name. Do this for three days, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night.” The person followed this advice, and on the very first night, he saw Sayyiduna Khidr (as). He said, “What I saw, I cannot describe, My heart became clean like a mirror, when I met him.” It is related that one of the characteristics of Sayyiduna Khidr (as) is his ability to change forms. This means he can appear in many disguises. In recent times, a student was studying late at night at university. He felt hungry and decided to get some food from a takeaway. On the way, he saw a tramp sat on a bench and felt apprehensive going past him; in case the tramp shouted abuse. As the student walked past, the tramp remained silent and even stranger, no bad smell came from him. The student continued walking and went to the takeaway, where he also brought some food for the tramp. The student handed the food to the tramp, who looked up at the student, and said, “Thank you ----,” mentioning the student by name. It was at this point, that the student understood, that this was no tramp but Sayyiduna Khidr (as) in disguise. A Shaykh was once asked, by one of his students, “Why is it, that wherever you travel, you treat everyone you come across, with the upmost courtesy and respect.” The Shaykh explained, “This is my practice, as who knows, any person one may meet with, could be Sayyiduna Khidr (as).”

Al-Fatiha

Compiled By: Afzaal Mahmood and Abd al-Majid

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