My Sufi Master, Shaykn Nazim Adil Al-Haqqani An-Naqshbandi passes away

My Sufi master, Shaykh Nazim al-Haqqanni passed away Tuesday, May 6 at age 92. I was looking for a Sufi teacher after doing extensive work and research into the teachings of G.I. Gurdjieff. I mentioned to someone that I would like to meet a real Sufi master and a few weeks later a round trip airline ticket to London came to my house in a plain letter with no return address. I went to London and met Shaykh Nazim in 1989.

As I walked up to the second floor, there was Shaykh Nazim sitting in a big open room full of people. He looked up, motioned for me to come and sit beside him, and said he'd been waiting for me. I said, "I am Ray from America" and he said "I have been waiting for Ray from America, welcome." He gave me the name Ali Ihsan, but because I couldn't pronounce it, he made it an easier name, Ali Haidar.

I went back to London 6 times and also met Shaykh Nazim two times when he visited the U.S. I had many dreams of Shaykh Nazim and a few amazing spiritual experiences and insights.I ran a Sufi Meditation Center in Minneapolis for years. One time a fellow Murid , a Sufi student or follower, came to MPLS from Malaysia to give me a message from Shaykh Nazim that his students not travel in September. That was June of 2001.

I studied with him from 1989-1998. Many aspects of my life during that decade were intimately wrapped up in my spiritual journey, like marriage, children, and lots of soul searching. Too much personal connections to mention here, but if you are interested, I have many of his books and tapes and lectures you can borrow.

Now with our master's death, I fear we will see too much politics and in-fighting among a group who are supposed to love and enlighten. Alas, there are many reasons I could not continue on the Sufi path. I still live a few of the wonderful lessons I got from Shaykn Nazim. Here are a few I still try to follow;

-Always keep good manners.
-Never intentionally break a heart.
-The time you spend with your eyes closed and your mind awake is your true spiritual life.
-There are oceans of mercy coming to you every second.
-What are you worrying about that will never come to pass?

Rest In  Peace dear teacher, thank you.