The base of the Naqshbandia course consists of eleven sufi pillars or decrees derived from the moral experience of their Sheikhs. Eight of which refer to Sheikh Abed Al Khaleq Al Ghajdawanie –575 Hijra- and the last three refer to the greatest Sheikh Mohammad Baha Eddin Naqshbandi 717-791 Hijra.

It’s known that the Naqshbandia is based on the internal attitude. The invocation is the meditation in His Name, may He be exalted, till the heart and the whole body start invoking, its fruit is to purify the heart form vices and to attain the permanent presence as well.

In reality the intended one is the invocated one. When Allah light prevails the heart and the presence becomes true, the invocation vanishes. This intimate relationship refers neither to the self nor to the body, but to internal from the creator’s light, glory be to Him, which can only be perceived by the presence, by the heart the same as the dream.

The eleven pillars are:

1- The awareness of the self:

means preserving the self from being inattentive or busy while being in or out, to be always aware with Allah with every breath beyond the thinking of any earthly matter.

Naqshband said “The follower’s deed just concerns him, so he has to realize whether he ordered himself with or without presence and to remain invoking shifting neither to the past nor to the future”. A great Obied Allah Al-Ahrar Naqshbandia Sheikh 809-895 Higra said “The main element in the Naqshbandia course is to have self-awareness not to shift. The one who doesn’t think of it is called: The looser of himself”.

Sheikh Saed Eddin Al-Kasheghrie, a contemporary to Sheikh Obeid Allah, Said “The meaning of self-awareness is to be always attentive with every breath, and to breath during the presence of Alhak.”.

Briefly speaking this word self-awareness means, with respect to Naqshbandia men, the wakefulness, the (exactitude), the thgout while breathing. This is considered a step in this course, so if the follower misses a breath, it will be a sin, it causes him a harm.

2- The concentration (focus) at the foot:

Some believe that the sufi has to focus at his foot in order not to be distracted by the surroundings, and to be completely with Allah untempted by this luxurious life. It’s a good deed, Imam Rabbani said: “Concentrating at the foot is the same as “Traveling in the Abode”. Both are figurate. It means that the follower, before taking any further figurate step, has to watch internally this position”. It’s already mentioned that step proceeding by reaches the end of the Truths Rank ended by the prayer truth. Then begins the internal trip. Imam Rabbani said: “The interval vision is as skimming and scanning before the foot steps to ascend the upper rank. So, before taking any further step in his new rank, the follower has to investigate to know his position”. Then he steps. This investigation about the new rank is called “The concentration or focusing at the foot”. This resembles “The traveling the abode”. Since focusing at the foot means the traveling from one rank to another which is similar to “Traveling in the abode”. The investigation of about the foot step during the travel means watching the foot to inform internally the follower of his rank and destiny. After the travel, the follower’s watching step begins where the sees the ultimate ranks.

Fakhre Eddine AlKasheffe, in his pamphlets, says “looking at the foot shows how further the follower proceeds in sufism to ascend to the existence, ranks exceeding the selfishness”. He has a book discussing “The bases of Naqshbandia” preserved in the National French Bookshop.

3- Traveling in the abode:

a. Known as to gain experience and to widen the scopes of intellect. Proceeding on the land makes the individual wiser through watching the creation, so he admits the majesty of the Creator. This motivates the individual to meditate and think deeply. Allah, Glory be to Him, praised those who keep meditating in this universe, the skies and the land and made them equal to those invokers. He says “Allatheena Yathkurouna Allah Keyaman Wakuoudan Waala Junoubehim Wayatafakkarouna Fe Khalqee Essamawate Walarde”. Ale Omran Chapter, means: These who keep invoking and praying at all times, awaken, sitting, and keep meditating and thinking in the creation of this universe, skies and land.

Then Allah praised the wondering ascetic ones and equalize them with those repented worshippers. He said Glory be to Him “We Attaebouna, AlAbedouna, Alhamedouna, Essaehouna Errakeouna, Essajedouna, Elamerouna Belmaarouf Wannahouna Anel Munkare Walhfezouna Lehudude Allah”. Touba Chapter – Verse # 12, means : The repented, the worshippers, the grateful, the wondering ascetic, the prayers, the benefit commanders, the abomination prohibitors, and those adhering to Allah’s decrees. Allah also said in Tahreem Chapter, “Taebaten, Abedaten, Saehate”, means: the female repented, worshippers and the wondering ascetic.

Quran Kareem offers special care for those proceeding on earth to learn a lesson from what happened to the previous nations as punishments for their exceeding Allah sacred decrees, or it’s a sign to the changes concerning the life matters. Allah, Glory be to Him, says in four different situations in Quran Kareem, “Afalam Yeserou Fel Arde”. In other three situations, “Kul Serou Fel Arde” and in other two situations, “Awalam Yeserou Fel Arde”. They mean that those in the past roamed around the watched you are supposed to proceed to gain knowledge and information.

To sum up, this is urging the Muslims to travel and more around to intensify their belief in Allah, Glory be to Him.

Doesn’t this show that the Islamic moral is the base of the Naqshbandia sufi rule?

b. The second meaning: It means the search for a meek guide. The great Sheikhs bequeathed the Mureedeen to travel abroad seeking perfect guides and tutors. Then they added that the follower has to obey completely his tutor. Mawlan Khaled Naqshbandi’s trip from Iraq, to Damascus, to Hijaz, from there to Kurdustan, to Persia, to Afghanistan to Kabul, to Kundhar till he reached Sheikh Sir Abed Allah Dahlawie and achieved his wish in meeting this perfect tutor is considered one of the important sufi trips. Even Imam Ghazali’s trip from Toose to Iraq and from there to Damascus then to Hijaz seeking a tutor is another example of such trips.

c. The third meaning: It’s the figurative metaphorical meaning which is the follower’s attempt to transfer from the human mean vile characteristics to the angelic idealistic characteristics. It’s traveling from created world towards Allah world beyond the earthly attractions and getting closer to the owner of the two lives. It’s a journey from a rank to an ultimate rank.