# Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani رضي الله عنه
The Contemporary Master, Reviver of the Late 20th Century
Position 40 in the Naqshbandi Golden Chain
The Beloved So Near
> *"O you who've gone on pilgrimage
> – where are you? Where, O where?
> Here, here is the Beloved
> – O come now, come, O come!
> Your friend, he is your neighbor,
> He is next to your house –
> You, erring in the desert
> – What air of love is this?"*
>
> — Rumi
This beautiful invitation from Rumi perfectly captures the essence of Shaykh Nazim's mission: calling humanity to recognize that the Divine Beloved is not distant, but intimately near to every seeking heart.
The Light of Our Time
Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani stands as the Imam of the People of Sincerity, the Secret of Sainthood, who revived the Naqshbandi Order at the end of the 20th Century with Heavenly guidance and Prophetic ethics. After the world had been darkened with tribulation and terror, he infused into humanity the love of God and love of the lovers of God.
His Exalted Titles
- The Unveiler of Secrets, the Keeper of Light
- The Shaykh of Shaykhs, the Sultan of Ascetics
- The Sultan of the Pious, the Sultan of the People of the Truth
- The Chief Master without peer of the Divine Knowledge
- The Rain from the Ocean of Knowledge
- The Saint of the Seven Continents
- The Saint of the Two Wings (external and internal knowledge)
The Noble Heritage
Born in Larnaca, Cyprus, on April 23rd, 1922 (26th Sha'ban, 1340 H), Shaykh Nazim inherited an extraordinary spiritual lineage:
Paternal Lineage
Through his father's side, he traces back to Sayyidina Abdul Qadir Jilani, founder of the Qadiri Order, through 26 generations of saints and scholars.
Maternal Lineage
From his mother's side, he descends from Sayyidina Jalaluddin Rumi, founder of the Mevlevi Order.
Prophetic Connection
He is Hassani-Hussaini, connected to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ through both grandsons of the Prophet, making him a living link to the Prophetic light.
Early Signs of Sainthood
The Child of Miracles
From age five, extraordinary signs appeared:
- His mother would find him either in the mosque or at the grave of Umm ul-Hiram (رضي الله عنها), a Companion of the Prophet ﷺ
- He would converse with Umm ul-Hiram as if she were alive, saying: *"Leave me here with Umm ul-Hiram, she is one of our ancestors"*
- When disturbed, he would say: *"Leave me, I am speaking with my grandmother who is in this grave"*
The Genius Student
- Perfect conduct: Never fought or argued with anyone, always smiling and patient
- Spiritual ability: At a young age, he could advise people and predict the future spontaneously
- Academic excellence: Completed high school while conducting Qadiri and Mevlevi circles on Thursday and Friday evenings
The Journey to Destiny
Studies in Istanbul (1940)
Moving to Istanbul to study Chemical Engineering, he excelled academically while deepening his spiritual knowledge with:
- Shaykh Jamaluddin al-Alasuni (Sharia and Arabic studies)
- Shaykh Sulayman Arzarumi (Naqshbandi teachings)
Despite professors encouraging him toward research, he declared: *"I feel no attraction to modern science. My heart is always drawn to the spiritual sciences."*
The Divine Call
In Sultan Ahmad's Mosque, through visions and self-effacement, he saw Prophet Muhammad ﷺ calling him to Damascus. Finally, Shaykh Sulayman appeared in a vision, saying:
"Now the permission has come. Your secrets and your trust and your spiritual guidance are not with me. I only held you as a trust until you were ready for your real Shaykh, who is also my Shaykh, Shaykh Abdullah ad-Daghestani. Go to him in Sham. This permission comes from me and from the Prophet ﷺ."
The Sacred Meeting: With Grandshaykh Abdullah
The Miraculous Arrival
Arriving in Damascus on a Friday in 1945, not knowing which house belonged to the Shaykh:
"A vision appeared to me at that moment, while standing in the street, that the Shaykh was coming out of his house and calling me inside. As I approached to knock on the door, the Shaykh opened the door. He said, 'Welcome, my son, Nazim Effendi.'"
The Vision of Ascension
That very night, Grandshaykh took him in spiritual vision to the Bayt al-Ma'mur (the Heavenly Ka'ba):
"I saw myself climbing a ladder from our prayer place to the Bayt al-Ma'mur, step by step. Every step was a state in which he put me, and in each state I received knowledge that I had never before learned or heard about... There I saw 124,000 prophets standing in rows for prayers, with Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ as Imam."
The Complete Transmission
In one night, Grandshaykh transmitted to him the secrets of all spiritual stations:
*"As he looked into my heart with his eyes, they changed from yellow to red, then to white, then to green and black. The color of his eyes changed as he poured into my heart the knowledge associated with each color"*:
- Yellow: Knowledge of the Heart (Qalb)
- Red: Knowledge of the Secret (Sirr) - mastery of all 40 Orders
- White: Secret of Secret (Sirr as-Sirr) - exclusive Naqshbandi knowledge
- Green: The Hidden (Khafa) - hidden spiritual knowledge
- Black: Most Hidden (Akhfa) - complete annihilation in the Divine Presence
The Ultimate Test
After receiving this incredible transmission in one night, came the greatest test:
"My heart was in despair when he told me, 'My son, your people are in need of you. I have given you enough for now. Go to Cyprus today.'... It was a terrible order for me, but in tariqat the murid must surrender and submit to the will of his Shaykh."
The Mission Begins
The Struggle for the Adhan
Returning to Cyprus where religion was banned under Turkish rule, his first act was to call the Adhan (call to prayer) in Arabic from the mosque minaret. This led to:
- Immediate imprisonment for one week
- 114 court cases filed against him
- Threat of over 100 years in prison
Yet he declared: *"No, I cannot stop. People must hear the call to prayer."*
Miraculously, on the day of his hearing, Adnan Menderes won the Turkish election and his first act was to permit the Arabic Adhan - all cases were dismissed!
The Walking Saint
Following Grandshaykh's orders, he walked:
- 400 kilometers from Damascus to Aleppo, visiting every village, spending over a year spreading the Order
- Throughout Cyprus, becoming so beloved that his dark green turban and cloak became known as "the Shaykh Nazim green" throughout the island
Sacred Seclusions
The Baghdad Retreat
Ordered by Grandshaykh to spend six months in seclusion at the mosque of Sayyidina Abdul Qadir Jilani in Baghdad:
"Every day I recited the whole Qur'an in nine hours, plus 124,000 Dhikr of La ilaha illa'llah, 124,000 salawat, the entire Dala'il al-Khayrat, and 313,000 'Allah Allah' daily."
During this retreat, Sayyidina Abdul Qadir Jilani appeared in the flesh, giving him:
- Direct initiation into the Qadiri Order
- Ten ancient coins as a token
- Renewal of his spiritual connection
The Medina Retreat
The most extraordinary seclusion - one full year with Grandshaykh in Medina:
"No one ever had the privilege of making seclusion with his Shaykh. My Shaykh never slept during that seclusion. For one year I never saw him sleeping. He never touched food... He only drank water. He never left that room."
Visions during this retreat:
- The Day of Judgment: Seeing himself beside the Prophet ﷺ and Grandshaykh as intercessors
- Sayyidina Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujdawani: Witnessing the creation of angels from miraculous water
- Satan's defeat: Hearing Satan and his soldiers crying because two people had escaped their control
The Miraculous Powers
Prophetic Knowledge
The Exact Death Prediction: In 1971, he flew from Cyprus to Lebanon announcing:
"I have been ordered by the Prophet ﷺ to come to you today, because your father is going to die. I am to wash him, shroud him and bury him."
At exactly 7 PM, while Shaykh Nazim recited Surat Ya-Sin, the father passed away precisely as predicted.
Bilocation
The Miraculous Hajj: While physically present in Lebanon for two months, the Governor of Tripoli testified:
"He was on hajj. I have witnesses... He made circumambulation with me. We spent the night together in our hotel in Makkah. He spent the day with us on Arafat... He stayed with us in Mina for three days."
Global Spread of the Light
The Prophecy Fulfilled
Grandshaykh's will stated:
"I am seeing that in the future he will spread this Order through East and West... It will spread all over the world, such that not one continent will be devoid of its sweet scent."
Universal Reach
Starting from London in 1974, the Order spread to:
- Europe: Establishing three major centers in London
- Americas: Over 15 centers in North America, 10,000+ Americans entering Islam
- Asia: Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Pakistan (20,000+ followers in Sri Lanka alone)
- All Continents: No continent remains untouched by his light
The Annual Gathering
Every Ramadan in London, over 5,000 people from all over the world gather, representing:
"All languages are spoken in his presence... the poor, the middle class, the wealthy, businessman, doctor, lawyer, psychiatrist, astronomer, plumber, carpenter, Ministers of government, politicians, senators, parliament members, prime ministers, presidents, kings, sultans, and royalty of all kinds."
Profound Teachings
On Divine Unity
"The Unique Oneness (wahdaniyya) means the impossibility of the existence of multiplicity, and it is of three categories: The unique Oneness of the Essence, The Unique Oneness of His Attributes, The Unique Oneness of His Actions."
On the Spiritual Path
"Tasawwuf is the purity of progressing to Allah's Divine Presence, and its essence is to leave this materialistic life."
"A seeker should be someone who has left himself and connected his heart with the Divine Presence... If he opens his mouth it is by order of the Divine Presence. If he moves it is by the order of Allah... He is in the Divine Presence and with Allah."
On Love
"If the love is true, then the lover must keep respect for the Beloved and proper manners with Him."
"If Allah, Almighty and Exalted, opened the Essence of His Divine Love, everyone on earth would die from that love."
The Living Legacy
The Prophecies Continue
Shaykh Nazim accurately predicted:
- The fall of Communism and collapse of the Soviet Union
- The fall of the Berlin Wall
- Many global events before they occurred
The Golden Chain's Secret
"The secret of the Golden Chain of the Naqshbandi Sufi Order is in his hands. He carries it with the highest power. It is shining everywhere."
The Universal Message
His mission transcends sectarian boundaries, promoting:
- Peace between all religions
- Harmony between East and West
- Love over hatred
- Spirituality over materialism
- Unity over division
The Eternal Presence
Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani represents the perfect flowering of the Naqshbandi tradition in the modern world. Through him, the ancient wisdom of the Golden Chain found its way into the hearts of millions across the globe, proving that authentic spirituality transcends all boundaries of race, culture, and nationality.
His life embodies the Quranic verse: *"We made you nations and tribes that you might know one another"* (49:13), demonstrating how divine love can unite humanity in recognition of our common spiritual heritage.
"Religion is for Allah and Allah is the judge of His servants."
In Shaykh Nazim al-Haqqani, the light of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ continues to shine brightly in our time, calling all humanity to return to the source of love, peace, and divine recognition. His legacy ensures that the Golden Chain of divine transmission remains unbroken, carrying the sacred trust from the time of the Prophet ﷺ into the modern age and beyond.
Through his blessed presence, millions have tasted the sweetness of divine love, proving that the path to God remains open for all sincere seekers, regardless of their background or circumstances. His life stands as a testament to the eternal promise: *"Whoever seeks Me will find Me, and whoever finds Me will know Me, and whoever knows Me will love Me, and whoever loves Me will be loved by Me."*
