You are not leaving, you are arriving!

The sheikh of Mawlana Ilyas Attar al-Qadiri دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـهْ, Sayyidī Quṭb al-Madinah رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه, resided in Madinah and is buried in Jannat al-BaqīꜤ.

Mawlana Ilyas Attar al-Qadiri دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـهْ states:

In 1400 AH (1980), by virtue of the Prophet  صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم , I was blessed with the opportunity to visit Madinah. اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـهِ I stayed there for about two months. During this time, I attended the gatherings of nꜤat at my shaykh’s residence almost every day. I visited his home almost every evening too. When it was time to leave the beautiful city, I was overwhelmed with grief. I approached the resting place of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم to present my farewell salam; there was a strange feeling. I moved forward kissing the walls and the leaves belonging to the streets of my beloved. As I was doing this, a thorn pricked my eye, causing some blood to flow.

After I presented my salam to the Prophet  صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم , I left Masjid al-Nabawi in a state of tears and visited my Shaykh. I fell to the floor, placed my head on his legs and cried profusely. My shaykh raised my head up and sat me down with utmost love and said: “Son, you are not leaving Madinah, you are arriving.”

Mawlana Ilyas Attar al-Qadiri دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـهْ states:

At the time, I did not understand the words of my honourable sheikh رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه, as I was leaving Madinah, not arriving. However, I now understand the secret behind his statement, as it is my belief that my shaykh saw my future. اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـهِ By virtue of the Prophet               صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and the blessings of my Shaykh, I have lost count of how many times I have travelled to Madinah; these are matters of mercy.