In the Footsteps of Saints

﷽

قُلْ سِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَٱنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ بَدَأَ ٱلْخَلْقَ ۚ ثُمَّ ٱللَّهُ يُنشِئُ ٱلنَّشْأَةَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ۝

“Travel throughout the land and see how He originated the creation, then Allah will bring it into being one more time. Surely Allah is Most Capable of everything.

Surah Al-‘Ankabūt (29:20)

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This past weekend, Shaykh Nour Kabbani visited our beloved Washington, DC community, bringing light, guidance, and laughter to all who gathered. From heartfelt sohbet to dhikr, the presence of our Shaykh revived hearts and renewed intentions. We thank the DC family for hosting with such love!

Shaykh Nour also made a special ziyara to the resting place of the saintly soul, Muhammad Raheem Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (ق) outside of Philadelphia. This honored day was one of deep spiritual connection, a reminder that awliya are alive in their graves, nourishing us with their unseen prayers. May Allah sanctify their secrets.

"Shaykh [Hisham]... went out to the farm of the Qadiri community... to pay his respects to the Shaykh of the community, Bawa Muhaiyadeen, who had worked so hard to establish and maintain a true Islamic community, based on Ahl as-Sunnah wal Jama'at beliefs and following Sufi ways. Shaykh Hisham was very pleased as he saw the lovely white tomb of Shaikh Bawa..."

Shaykh Nour’s visit to Bawa Muhaiyaddeen’s Mazār rekindled memories of a powerful East Coast tour by his father, Shaykh Hisham Kabbani in 1994. Read the full story of that memorable trip and its lasting impact on communities from New York to West Virginia.

Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (ق), a revered Sri Lankan Sufi mystic, established the Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship in Philadelphia in 1973. His teachings emphasized love, unity, and the inner journey toward Allah, transcending religious boundaries. The Mazār, completed in 1987, serves as a place of reflection and remembrance, continuing to inspire seekers on the spiritual path.

Spiritual seekers from over 15 cities and states, including the DC and NYC metro areas, New England, Michigan, Toronto, Illinois, Texas, and Arizona, came together in dhikr & prayer.

A heartfelt meeting between Shaykh Nour and the devoted murids of Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (ق). The Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship continues to share his universal message of love and unity through teachings, publications, and the serene spiritual retreat center.

During the visit, Shaykh Nour prayed for all those who have asked for du‘a—that Allah grant them what is best—and for all of humanity to be wrapped in Divine mercy, protection, and guidance.

A moment of community and gathering; Jummah at Maqaame Ibrahim Islamic Center in Bethesda, MD.

Celebrating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ at the Islamic Community Center of Potomac, where hearts were illuminated with love, remembrance, and the recitation of his blessed life.

Amidst the vibrant atmosphere of the Halal Food Festival in Coatesville, PA, a sacred moment unfolds as murids renew their bay'at, reaffirming their connection to the spiritual path.

Why Awliya Attract People to their Graves

MAWLANA SHAYKH HISHAM KABBANI

February 27, 2014

These Awliya, from the nice smell that comes from that Paradise they are in (from their graves), they are attracting everyone, Muslim and non-Muslim! If those who are not Muslim are attracted, it means there must be a light that is in their hearts pulling them to these Awliya. Why then we don’t focus on improving that light from these people to guide them to Islam? I was there and some people took Shahadah; they were Hindus, I didn’t know them, but they asked me to give a lecture in the academy of one of the big universities in New Delhi, and after that three or four of them took Shahadah. They said, “Shaykh, we were following you since fifteen years on the Internet!”

The Benefits of Visiting Holy Places

SHAYKH NOUR KABBANI

August 22, 2015

Our teachers say previously, for hundreds of years when people entered a village they asked, “Is there someone whose hand I can kiss and whose food I can eat, whose door is open to everyone?” The door of a Holy One, the Saint is open and they travelled just to see someone like that. Now we want to travel on a cruise, a vacation, but the best vacation is to seek the place where a Holy One is, just as Sayyidina Zakariyya (ع) took baraka from Sayyidah Maryam’s mihrab, her worshipping area; his du'a was accepted and Allah gave him a son. Anyone who wants his prayer to be accepted, go to where the shaykh is or where he stayed or prayed, or invite him to your home one day, and if he comes you can pray in your house forever and it becomes a place everyone can come to.

Calling all avid readers, sohbat lovers, and keepers of the bookshelf — we're inviting you to participate in an experimental AI-powered learning companion based on the rich archive of our Mashaykh's books and sohbats over the decades.

We're looking for real people to help us test how these tools respond to spiritual questions, support seekers in study, and stay true to the voice and essence of the teachings.

Whether you've leafed through Mawlana's books , or deep-dived into video broadcasts of Sufilive, or just love keeping a copy of Mercy Oceans by your prayer rug — we need your insights to preserve the heart-centered spirit of this path in the digital age.

Here's how you can help us:



• Test different types of questions and reading styles
• Share feedback on accuracy, tone, and helpfulness
• Guide us in designing for human-centered spiritual learning for various age groups and native languages.

If you're interested in joining Sufilive AI Book Club Beta, fill out this short form below and we'll be in touch:

The Zawiyah Network

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