Core Principles of the Naqshbandi Path – Part 2: Remembrance, Mindfulness, and Inner Awareness
Based on the book Fahm al-Tasawwuf by Hazrat Shaykh Syed Shabbir Ahmad Kakakhel (db).
🔑 Key Concepts in This Session:
🕋 Yad Kard (Remembrance)
Zikr (remembrance) as prescribed by the spiritual guide, done with frequency and depth until one feels Allah’s presence.
A universal principle across all spiritual orders — Naqshbandi, Chishti, Qadri, Sohrawardi.
🔁 Baaz Gasht (Returning/Turning Back)
Returning repeatedly to supplication (Munajat) during Zikr.
To remind the seeker that Zikr is a means, not the goal — the goal is presence before Allah.
👁 Nigah Dasht (Mindfulness)
Guarding the heart during Zikr from distractions and satanic whispers (Wasawis).
Training oneself to maintain internal focus with practice until it becomes effortless.
🧠 Yad Dasht (Conscious Awareness)
A deep, consistent state of Divine Presence — knowing and feeling that Allah is near.
Evolved from Nigah Dasht, leading to an effortless state of remembrance for the Muntahi (advanced seeker).
🕰 Waqf-e-Zamani (Temporal Awareness)
Self-accountability and recognizing the direction of one’s soul at every moment.
Essential at the intermediate level of the path.
🔢 Waqf-e-Adadi (Numerical Awareness)
Mindfully completing the exact number of repetitions prescribed in Zikr.
Not exceeding or falling short, respecting the wisdom of each count as guided by the Shaykh.
❤ Waqf-e-Qalbi (Heart Awareness)
Constant direction of the heart toward Allah.
Evaluating every action inwardly: “Is this pleasing to Allah or not?”
📌 Special Insights:
Hazrat Zain ul Abideen Sahib also highlights the evolution of spiritual practices within Tasawwuf, particularly in the Naqshbandi path. As challenges and social conditions change, qualified Mashayikh have always adapted terminologies and methods to guide seekers effectively — a living sign of Tasawwuf’s dynamic relevance.