Sayings of Shaikh ʿAbd al-Qadir al-Kasnazan

Sayings of Shaikh ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Kasnazan

These are some of the words of wisdom of Shaikh ʿAbd al-Qādir al‑Kasnazan:

• O seeker! Put on a clean, clear shirt of repentance. Anyone who does not follow Sharīʿa and Ṭarīqa with chastity is not one of our dervishes. Our dervish has to adhere to Sharīʿa, Ṭarīqa, renunciation, and pious restraint, and has to avoid greediness.

• He who restrains his anger and forgives that who wrongs and hurts him Allah promotes him to the ranks of the men of Allah.

• If you wanted to backbite someone, then backbite your parents for they are more deserving of having your good deeds than others [the Shaikh here refers to the fact that the backbiter loses the reward for his good deeds to whom he backbites).

• Avoid making false claims. It stains the face and blinds the eyes. Avoid claiming to be a righteous person when he is involved in bad actions and eats the food of those or the companions of those who take bribes, take usury, are unfair. It is not possible for a person to be righteous when he tells lies, backbites, and causes conflict between people. How can he ask to be truthful with Allah when he goes astray. Be careful not to claim to be a Shaikh when you disobey Allah. Allah will tell you: “Do you not feel ashamed of claiming to be near to Me when you have not washed your clothes that are too dirty to be suitable for sitting with Me?” You fill your stomach of forbidden things and walk to the sins; you are a lying claimant.