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FIRST BLESSING
The sheikh is like a beacon in the ocean by which ships set their course.
Sheikh Said Afandi Chirkeisky
Ustaz Sheikh Said Afandi Chirkeisky, long may Allah let him live, resides in Daghestan, in the village of Chirkei not far from Buinaksk. We set out for this village to ziarat (to be received) by the ustaz. Our guide was Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov, a world wrestling champion, who had been to visit the shah before. My brother Magomed and I were extremely excited. We were concerned about what the sheikh would say when I told him about my cherished intention. For the knowing know, and the shah, the best of the knowing, would say for sure whether all my visions had been the underhand plotting of the accursed devil. Our jeep, confidently snaking along the winding mountain roads, crossed the Buinaksk Pass. After arriving in Chirkei, we first prayed in the mosque, since the time had come for midday namaz (prayer-time). There were a lot of people outside the shah’s house. Among them were people, like us, who had come for the first time, the sheikh’s murids (followers), who were trying to rise to the next stage of knowledge, and those seeking the sheikh’s help in healing ailments which were beyond the competence of ordinary physicians. The sheikh’s assistants came up to all the new arrivals and familiarized them with the adabs (rules) to be observed when visiting the ustaz. With the next group of 35-40 people, we were led into a large room strewn with rugs where Sheikh Said Afandi Chirkeisky, long may Allah let him live, received his guests. Men in venerable poses occupied the first row, and women were arranged behind them with the same reverence. Everyone awaited the shah’s appearance with tense concentration. And then ustaz Sheikh Said Afandi Cherkeisky, long may Allah let him live, came out to receive his guests. Glowing with kindness and compassion, he greeted us with warm reticence. He immediately noticed a few people whose pose was unusual. He offered chairs, “Don’t worry. Sit down. Allah created them for us to sit on!” At first, the sheikh went up to the women, warmly greeting each one, after which he asked them to move into another room. Then he began to walk among the men. Stopping before the three of us, the sheikh spoke to me, “Tell me what troubles you.” Astounded by this unexpected attention from the sheikh, by the feeling that he could read what was in my heart, I was suddenly at a loss for words. The ustaz appeared to understand everything going on in my soul. “When are you leaving for Moscow?” he asked, obviously wanting to help me overcome my confusion and start talking. I replied in a state of anxiety and then told him all about what was bothering me, about what I had seen during my brother’s operation, about Magomed’s miraculous recovery, about the Wondrous Radiance, about my intention together with my brother Magomed and friend Shapi to do everything in our power to bring closer the day when we raised a Temple on the Moon, and about my doubts as to whether it was the underhand plotting of the accursed devil. Sheikh Said Afandi Chirkeisky, let Allah be pleased with him, did not express any astonishment. It was as though he knew everything in advance. He said: “The devil will never do anything to bring a person even the tiniest bit closer to Almighty Allah. No, it is not the underhand plotting of the devil.” And he added, “What could be more magnificent than a Temple on the Moon and the five-fold azan sounding from the Moon Temple throughout the universe? It would be wonderful for all that takes place on the moon to also be conveyed to the Earth. I will pray and make a dua (call, prayer, request) in order to support you in your intentions and strengthen your spirit. I bless you in this cause which is good and pleasing to Allah. Your path will not be easy. You will not have any financial problems in this undertaking. But there will be many other difficulties and obstacles to overcome created by people. Are you ready for this?” “Yes, we are aware of the difficulties,” replied Magomed, “we know that we are setting out on a difficult journey of creation and are prepared for all the hardships in the name of Allah the Omnipotent.” We said farewell to the sheikh outside his home where several hundreds of people come every single day with different destinies and their own unique journey. “That was incredible,” Kuramagomed could not get over his amazement as we traveled back to Makhachkala, “the ustaz does not come out to see off even important statesmen.” My brother and I were seized by the feeling that our lives had been split into two halves – before and after the ziarat – we realized that something very important and portentous had taken place, perhaps something that would affect the destiny of the whole of mankind. Our visit to the ustaz had changed us, although we still did not understand in exactly what way. I was no longer surprised that the sheikh knew my thoughts, and knew about the Moon Temple. Probably ustaz knew for sure when and how to erect the Temple on the Moon, and could already see the magnificent silhouette of the House of Allah against the lunar landscape. So let it be, inshaalla. The car, its powerful engine rumbling confidently, took us higher and higher into the mountain pass, and my heart beat with tremulous love: “Allah! Allah! Allah!” We visited the ustaz at a propitious time – Tuesday, 15:00 Moscow time, September 3, 2002.
Asadula-Ali |