Subhat 2009

RECENT audio files of LECTURES by Shaykh Ahmed Abdur Rashid and his guests.  We invite you to listen to these as well as download their accompanying pdf file.  Click “read more” to see all Lecture audio files.  Click here for Khutbahs, Suhbat 2009, Suhbat 2008, Suhbat 2007.

Suhbat and the Oral Tradition December 6,

Read more

Suhbat or The Oral Tradition

Second talk in this series of 5 Sundays talks, first Sundays November through March, address the historical and practical importance of a guide on the Sufic Path. For more info about this series of talks. Second talk- Suhbat and the Oral Tradition,  Dec 6, 2009 at the Islamic Study Center in Charlottesville, VA. Suhbat and the Oral Tradition   by Shaykh Ahmed Abdur Rashid           pdf

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

To watch video of Shaykh Nooruddeen’s talk on Read more

The Rewards of Self-Lessness and Sacrifice

The reason for this pilgrimage season is an affirmation of trust and faith as exemplified in the life of the Prophet Ibrahim (as) and his trust in Allah (swt), as well as Ismail’s (as) trust in both Allah (swt) and his Read more

The Shajara (Lineage Tree)

The Shajarahs (Lineage Trees) of the Mujaddidi, Naqshbandi, Qadiri, Chishti, and Shadhili Orders. Document of the lines of teachers through whom Shaykh Ahmed Abdur Rashid’s predeccessors trace their spiritual descent from the Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings be upon him).

Read more

Hazrat Abdul Bari Shah (1859-1900 A.D.)

Hazrat Abdul Bari Shah (r.a.) was a great saint and a truly universal being (insan-i-kamil). Over time, his importance and his contribution to Sufic thought and action is being more and more recognized throughout the world. Hazrat Sayyid Abdul Bari Shah (r.a.) was born in 1859 A.D. in Balgadhi (a village in India in the of Bengal). His father was an expert in both theology and spiritual sciences, and was a master of alchemy, that is the ability to transform materials from one substance to another. When Sayyid Abdul Bari Shah (r.a.) was only six years old, his father passed away, and his mother had to shoulder the full responsibility of raising the child. In accordance with the will of her husband, she moved from Balgadhi to Hoogli, near Calcutta. She spun thread to earn a livelihood. Her life was a model of patience and gratitude. Sayyid Abdul Bari Shah (r.a.) was so considerate that despite his early age, he tried to contribute to the family’s income by doing minor work to help his mother. After some time, at the request of a relative, the family moved from Hoogli to Naldanga. Here Sayyid Abdul Bari Shah’s mother would stay until her last breath, and here the holy tomb of Sayyid Abdul Bari Shah (r.a.) would eventually be situated. Once, when Sayyid Abdul Bari Shah (r.a.) was a child, some boys asked came to him and asked to accompany them in stealing coconuts. Initially he refused to go, but when they insisted, he agreed to join them. They reached the trees, and the other boys started picking coconuts. They asked Sayyid Abdul Bari Shah (r.a.) to stand watch nearby, ready to inform them if anyone approached. It happened that the coconut trees were near a graveyard. Suddenly, Sayyid Abdul Bari Shah (r.a.) saw a dead person coming towards him. This person said: ”Good boy, you were not born for this purpose.” Sayyid Abdul Bari Shah (r.a.) left his comrades there and returned home. Sayyid Abdul Bari Shah (r.a.) received no formal education. He was admitted to a school, but he did not like this type of education, and so he left school and engaged himself in various jobs. At last he got a position with a good salary at the railway. He could now have a better life, and also be in the company of friends. One night, Sayyid Abdul Bari Shah (r.a.) saw his father in a dream. He told him that he didn’t approve of the job at the railway because of corruption in the workplace. In his heart, Abdul Bari Shah (r.a.) had remained detached from that employment, and when he got up in the morning, he decided to resign. His Arabic teacher and some of his friends tried to prevent him from resigning, warning him that it would be very difficult to get this kind of work again. He didn’t accept their advice, and left the railway. Shortly thereafter, he suffered from dysentery, so acute that people though he might not survive. Again he saw his father in a dream. He gave him something to eat, and he ate his fill. When he awoke, he felt better, and within a few days he was completely cured. By now, Sayyid Abdul Bari Shah (r.a.) was quite a changed person, devoting most of his time to spiritual pursuits. He was also searching for a Shaykh who could guide him in this path. He was first initiated by a great Chishti Shaykh, Hazrat Karim Bakhsh (r.a.), (the father of our Grand Shaykh), who happened to pass through Balgadhi. When Sayyid Abdul Bari Shah (r.a.) started observing pas-an-fas (awareness of breath) according to the instructions of his Shaykh, his heart was opened. He was very happy with the experience and began to take even more interest and to devote himself enthusiastically to this pursuit. But he was sorry that he could not see the Shaykh again. Read more

Our CIRCLE GROUP Video Channel

Many of Shaykh Rashid’s lectures and suhbats (as well as his guest’s lectures) are available in video on Google video and at Youtube. Click on link to visit our CG Video Channel at Youtube

Check this page and  sign up for the RSS feed for email notification of the most recent uploaded video to our Circle Group Youtube Channel of Shaykh Rashid’s lectures and other suhbats.

OUR MOST RECENT UPLOADS :

The Third talks of the Five Sunday Series

Shaykh Rashid (view below),

Shaykh Nooruddeen Durkee, and Guest Speaker Imam Mohammed Sharif

The third in a Series of Talks on Tasawwuf/Sufism on the theme of  “Sincerity – Ikhlas” was presented on January 24 at the zawiya of Shaykh Nooruddeen Durkee in Charlottesville.

In his presentation, titled “Success through Sincerity,” (view below) Shaykh Rashid speaks about the tree of ikhlas, with its roots planted firmly in niyyat, its trunk and strength coming from loyalty and dedication, and its fruits of progress, inner clarity, and peace. “Throughout my talk,” he says, “I ask you to remember that ikhlas only grows in the fertile soil of suhbat. Control over inner progress resides in the individual, not in the teacher; yet the means for understanding and implementing progress resides in the shaykh or murshid.”

View all of Shaykh Rashid’s talks on the 5 Sunday Series on the CG Video Channel.

View all of Shaykh Noorudeen Durkee’s talks of the 5 Sunday Series on the CG Video Channel.

View all

Read more