In Praise of Syedatun Nisa Fatima Al Zahra Radiallahu tala anha :Alama Iqbal

Allama Iqbal Poetry کلام علامہ محمد اقبال: (Rumuz-e-Bekhudi-25) Dar Ma'ani Aynke Syedda-Tu-Ni...: That the Lady Fatima is the perfect pattern of Muslim womanhood Mary is hallowed in one line alone, That she bore Jesus; Fatima in th...

The Final Brick:The Religion of Islam: Foundations of the Spiritual Path

The Final Brick:The Religion of Islam: Foundations of the Spiritual Path: Foundations of the Spiritual Path By Sidi Ahmad Zarruq Translated by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf The noble scholar, the unique of his age, the r...

Salat: The Highest Form of Yoga? by Hasan Awan

In The Name of God, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful. Once upon a sacred time and space, an Eastern spiritual sage was asked by his disciples to demonstrate the postures of the "highest form of yoga", which he did for their benefit. He began by standing and facing a particular direction (the East), raising his arms and hands in awe of the Sacred space before him and within him. His eyes, humbled, looked down towards a particular position on the ground as if in reverence before this all-encompassing and transcendent Presence. Then, to some people's amazement, he began to hold postures for a certain period of time, while focusing on his breathing and meditating which started in a standing position, then a bowing position while keeping his spine straight and extended, and then ultimately in a yoga "child-pose" like position of prostration, realizing fully the form of the curvature of the spine—again aligning the posture to his breathing and meditating. Finally, after repeating this cycle over again, he ended the posture in a sitting meditative position with his arms on his thighs, this time whispering something upon his lips, and finally exiting this form of yoga with an extension and release of the neck to the right and then to the left. When finished, and after weeks of practicing this posture with his disciples every dawn, high noon, later afternoon, evening/sunset and night; and after appreciating that his disciples were physically, psychologically and spiritually transformed by this form of yoga under his guidance, the sage turned to them and congratulated them on performing the "yoga" of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his followers! Lest one doubt the veracity of this story, allow me to state that it is indeed a "true" rendition transmitted to me, albeit dramatized. Over a period of some time, the disciples of this spiritual sage eventually entered Islam and followed this beautiful "friend of God" in practicing the Shariah and Spiritual Way (Tariqa/Sunnah) of the Prophet ﷺ. The spiritual sage's name whom this story is attributed to was none other than Shaykh Bawa Muhaiyedeen (may God have Mercy on him and sanctify his secret), who is buried in Coatesville, PA, USA. He is arguably the first well-known Muslim "saint" to be buried in this beautiful "land of the free". He is succeeded by a beautiful Muslim community he single handedly produced, who continue to practice Traditional Islam as it was transmitted to them by Shaykh Bawa. The truth of such a story should not seem so far-fetched as many parallels can be found between how certain "converts" to Islam may learn the salat and how children of Muslim families (or other Muslims new tosalat) may learn the practice of the Muslim canonical prayer through mimicking the motions of their parents or someone who prays. Such a process involves imitating the outer form of the salat—a practice which many years later may lead to an inner spiritual opening, God-willing. The only difference of the transmission of thesalat for others and the situation in this story here is that these seekers of spiritual truth learned thesalat under the guidance of a man who was privy by the divine grace (tawfiq) to a profound spiritual attainment through Islamic praxis in the form of the rites of prayer and invocation of Allah's Names. It has been about three years since I first heard this wonderful story. What intrigued me about the story was the idea that each position of thesalatwas being taken so seriously and performed with such devotion and presence of mind, body and heart by these "yogis-come-Muslims". I began to ask myself, how could it be that such "yogis" were transformed so profoundly by just practicing the outer motions of the salat for a couple of weeks while I was going "through the motions" five times daily for decades and apparently understood its meaning without any real or wholesome transformation? And then it hit me: perhaps there was a profound meaning to be found in each physical posture of thesalat—a meaning intimately related to the very fundamental notions of being Muslim (that is, one who submits their very purpose to their Lord).Was there something that "yoga" could teach me about thesalatthat I had been lacking?My heart told me there was indeed. It was for this reason I started practicing yoga and still practice it regularly. Even to this day I am astonished at how such yoga practices heighten my awareness of a spiritual attitude and divine presence realized through every posture of the Muslim Prayer. In any case, as a Muslim who now practices yoga regularly for health benefits, who attempts to pray his salat on time, and attempts to bring more presence (hudur) and concentration into salah throughdhikr(remembrance), it is important to ask myself (and others) the following questions: How physically, psychologically and spiritually present are we in our salat? And for those yoga practitioners out there who have experienced first-hand the many "healthy" effects of yoga (I have in mind forms of hatha-yoga and not other forms of yoga): How come we cannot attain the suppleness, centeredness and even "relaxation" that we attain in yoga through the salat? Does not the Qur'an state, "Spiritually successful are the believers. Those who maintain 'khushu' in their salah (prayer)" (23:2)? Now khushu is a Qur'anic term that can not sufficiently be translated by one word. However, after some years of practicingdhikr(and yoga) I appreciate more and more that Khushu is simultaneously a form of physical suppleness, psychological mindfulness and a spiritual reverence before the Divine Presence of God.In other words, khushu is a Qur'anic term which connotes the effects of being "fully present"—body, mind and spirit—before the Divine Presence in Prayer. Khushu in many ways can arguably be seen as one of the "goals" of yoga! Now, if you are still with me, in this Qur'anic light, is it possible today to practice "yoga", attain its benefits, and apply the "insights" gained through its practice in order to fully realize "khushu" insalat, ultimately appreciating howsalatmay actually be "the highest form of yoga" for the followers of Muhammad ﷺ? Let us first define "yoga" so as to appreciate how it is possible for thesalatto even be described as a form of yoga. According to wikipedia, yoga is a Sanskrit word and is defined as "the physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India, (dating back to the third millennia BC), with a view to attaining a state of permanent peace of mind in order to experience one's true self." Such practices have been integrated organically in their own way into many forms of traditional spirituality rooted in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. This to me, points to the possibility that the original form of "yoga" can arguably be viewed as a kind of inspired or "prophetic science" of the body and soul. Anyone who has truly tasted yoga and is Muslim would appreciate why I make this claim—which is just a claim to say the least. To be sure I wish also to stress the term "original" since yoga has taken on many forms and guises, especially in its New Age forms in the modern West, and is unfortunately associated with many scandals. This fact should not deter the perceptive and contemplative Muslim to appreciate its many health benefits—especially in its hatha-yoga forms. In any case, the actual term "yoga" is derived from two Sanskrit words meaning "to yoke" and "to concentrate". This naturally leads to appreciating how the form of the body can be maneuvered, positioned, or "yoked" in such a way as to illicit a proper form of concentration or discipline upon the "mind" (soul). This process of using the body as a support or means of contemplation can fine-tune itself through various postures of the body, in order to find peace and realize one's true inner self. It can be argued that in Islam such a definition and spiritual goal of yoga ultimately translates into attainingkhushuthroughsalat which, as a revealed rite in Islam, involves and integrates the body, mind/soul and spirit in its own particular manner, the ultimate objective being the attaining of spiritual nearness (qurb) to God. Through such a process of inwardness and attaining qurb, it can be said that finding peace (itmi'nan) through a penetration of the spiritual consciousness from the body to the heart (qalb) through dhikr (remembrance of God) (see Qur'an 13:28)1, is most prominently realized in that "form of yoga" Muslims identify with as the canonical prayer of Islam, that is the salat (see Qur'an 29:45). Thus, one may appreciate how for Muslims "the highest form of Yoga" can be viewed as thesalat. In regards to appreciating the form of the salat in general and the physical positions of the salatin particular, it is intriguing that Dr. Seyyed Hossein Nasr notes the following in his article, "The Interior Life in Islam": "The form of these prayers is derived directly from the sunnah of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the daily prayers are considered as the most important of religious deeds for as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has said, “The first of his deeds for which a man will be taken into account on the day of resurrection will be his prayer. If it is sound he will be saved and successful, but if it is unsound he will be unfortunate and miserable. If any deficiency is found in his obligatory prayer the Lord who is blessed and exalted will issue instructions to consider whether His servant has said any voluntary prayers so that what is lacking in the obligatory prayer may be made up by it. Then the rest of his actions will be treated in the same fashion.”2 The salat punctuates man's daily existence, determines its rhythm, provides a refuge in the storm of life and protects man from sin. Its performance is obligatory and its imprint upon Islamic society and the soul of the individual Muslim fundamental beyond description. Yet, the meaning of the prayers is not to be understood solely through the study of their external form or their impact upon Islamic society, as fundamental as those may be. By virtue of the degree of man's ihsan, and also by virtue of the grace (barakah) contained within the sacred forms of the prayers, man is able to attain inwardness through the very external forms of the prayers [emphasis added]. He is able to return, thanks to the words and movements which are themselves the echoes of the inner states of the Holy Prophet, back to the state of perfect servitude (ubudiyyah) and nearness to the Divine (qurb) which characterize the inner journey of the Holy Prophet as the Universal Man (al-insan al-kamil) to the Divine Presence on that nocturnal ascent (al-miraj), which is at once the inner reality of the prayers and the prototype of spiritual realization in Islam." In a footnote to this excerpt, Dr. Nasr more specifically relates themiraj(ascension) of the Prophet ﷺ to the outer and inner reality of the prayer (salat) in the following manner: "The external movements of the prayers are said by traditional Islamic authorities to be reflections in the world of form, movement, time and space of the states experienced by the Holy Prophet during his nocturnal ascension." All this is a profound commentary upon the hadith that "the salat is the [spiritual] ascension of the believer", and allows us to further appreciate how salat is a form of "yoga" in the most profound and highest sense of the term—aligned as it is to our inner, spiritual ascension to the divine presence. It is significant to note the connection between the outer physical form, postures and movements (in short, "the yoga") of the salat and the inner, spiritual essence attained through performing salat throughkhushu.Practicing yoga has allowed me to become much more sensitive to this connection between the outer form of the salat and its inner, spiritual reality (ma'na).Although one need not practice yoga to appreciate the profound spiritual meanings contained in the salat, for this writer the practice of yoga has heightened the awareness of those same realities. As such, the salat can be viewed, from an Eastern and spiritual point of view, as a form of yoga whose roots are found in the Islamic Revelation and Prophecy, which strives to attain khushu and itmi'nan as a "wasila" (means) from and to Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala), engaging the body, mind/soul and spirit of the believer. So can it actually be said that the salat is the "highest form of Yoga"? Shaykh Bawa believed so. And I believe those who have experienced yoga and who strive to perform their salat with khushu would say the same. Perhaps one day when your children return home from school and try to teach you the new yoga posture they learned in gym class, you can retort: "Allow me to teach you the best kind of yoga." And God Knows Best. 1. Qur'anic verses cited: "Spiritually Successful are the believers. Those who maintain 'khushu" in their salah (prayer)" [23:2] "You shall recite what is revealed to you of the Scripture, and observe the Salat, for the Salat prohibits evil and vice. And the remembrance of God is greater. God is aware of all that you do." [29:45] "Those who believe and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest. [13:28] 2. Footnoted hadith found in Mishkat al Masabih. By Dr. Hasan Awan

Reflection is the Light of Hearts – An Aphorism of Ibn Ata’illah Explained by Imam Zarruq

Ibn Ata’illah (Allah have mercy upon him) states in his Aphorisms (Hikam): Reflection is the light of hearts. If reflection leaves, the heart has no light. One of the great commentators on the Aphorisms of Ibn Ata’illah, Imam Ahmad Zarruq, explains: This means that reflection (fikr) is the light-giving lamp by which the heart walks in the darkness of Otherness and is able to see benefit and harm–and behold Truth and Reality with clarity. Through reflection, the heart reaches faith (iman). Through reflection, it attains gnosis (irfan). Through reflection, it rises through the ranks of submission (islam), faith (iman), and and spiritual excellence (ihsan). This is why Ka`b al-Ahbar (Allah be pleased with him) said, “Whoever seeks the honour of this life and the next should engage in much reflection.” Shaykh Abu’l Hasan al-Shadhili (Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Path is seeking Allah in four matters. Whoever attains all four is from the realized veracious ones (al-siddiqin al-muhaqqiqin). Whoever attains three of them is of the elect of Allah who have been brought close (al-awliya al-muqarrabin). Whoever attains two of them is of the martyrs of certitude (al-shuhada’ al-muqinin). And whoever attains one of these is from the righteous servants of Allah (`ibad Allah al-salihin). Thefirstisremembrance (dhikr).Its expression is righteous action (al-`amal al-salih). Its fruit is light. Thesecondis reflection (fikr).Its expression is patience (sabr). Its fruit is action. Thethirdisneediness (faqr).Its expression is thankfulness (shukr). Its fruit is increase from Him. Thefourthis love (mahabba).Its expression is rejection of worldliness and its people. Its fruit is union with the Beloved. Love is what encompasses all principles of good, and its the end of all realization. End of Quote from Imam Zarruq’s Commentary. And Allah alone gives success. Faraz Rabbani

Poem of Shaykh Ahmed Zarruq On diseases of soul

Shaykh Ahmad Zarruq has a beautiful poem on the diseases of the soul. Here is one small part (the beauty is lost but the meaning remains). "And from its diseases is burnout and neglect, and its not attempting to elevate and work hard/ And worse than that is it not caring about its shortcomings and not accusing itself/ And not seeing its shortcomings is even worse than those according to the specialists/ And even worse is to think one's soul is fine while it is in neglect and shortcoming/ Ugly in its sight is beautiful and its bad actions have been made to seem attractive/ That all stems from lack of sincerity in one's worship and their neglect of purifying themselves from spiritual maladies." The shaykh here is listing diseases of the soul and various levels of affliction. The first level is the person who finds themselves burnt out and neglectful towards their spiritual development but at the same time they feel no motivation to work towards its improvement. The next level is the one who recognizes their shortcomings but does not seek to address them. The level after that is the one who does not accuse themselves of shortcomings which leads to an inability to recognize one's flaws. When a person is not consistent in searching their soul for flaws they stop recognizing them all together and can fall into a state of arrogance and self-grandeur that is very dangerous for the soul. The stage after that which is even worse is the one thinks they are fine and they don't have any spiritual maladies while they are actually in a state of serious neglect. To this person the ugly seems beautiful and their bad deeds seem acceptable. They are in such a state of spiritual decay that their entire perspective on the world is out of order. Sin is okay to publicize, oppression is justifiable, and they are just fine. This is a very dangerous place to be in spiritually but one can see this all over the place. He then mentions the source of these diseases in a very brief way as being insincerity in action and a lack of concern for remedying the diseases of the soul. The lines that come after talk about the means for purifying the soul from the diseases mentioned. InshaAllah they will come in another post.

Decency – Dr. Shawqi Abdelkarim

Decency is defined as the state of contentment with whatever little one has and to appear rich with it despite being poor.They do not ask people persistently. Certainly, Allah the Almighty is the sustainer and no person can either increase or decrease your sustenance. Therefore, a true Muslim is the one who firmly believes to the bottom of his heart such a concept. It builds a barrier against committing a prohibition which emerges from the human desire of increasing one’s gains which do not come through lawful means. Such a tenet makes the one abstain from both prohibitions and begging from others. This is because he is confident that Allah the Exalted, has predestined his provision without resorting to trickery, “If the son of Adam flies to escape from his provision, it would go with the lightening until it reaches him” Modesty is a basic Islamic virtue which is commanded in many places of the holy Qur`an as Allah says: And whoever, [when acting as guardian], is self-sufficient should refrain [from taking a fee]; and whoever is poor – let him take according to what is acceptable. [al-Nisa`: 6]. Moreover, Allah praises those who enjoy this manner and highly recommends them when He says: [Charity is] for the poor who have been restricted for the cause of Allah , unable to move about in the land. An ignorant [person] would think them self-sufficient because of their restraint, but you will know them by their [characteristic] sign. They do not ask people persistently [or at all]. And whatever you spend of good – indeed, Allah is Knowing of it. [al-Baqarah: 273] The Quranic confirmation on this wonderful characteristic which a Muslim must observe coincides with a prophetic confirmation on training the soul to such values. Bukhari and Muslim included the narration of Abu Sa’id al-khudri [may Allah be pleased with him, that Some people of the Ansar; asked the Messenger of Allah [pbuh] and he gave them, they again asked him and he gave them until all what he possessed was exhausted. Then the Prophet [pbuh] said: “Whatever wealth I have, I will not withhold from you. Whosoever would be chaste and modest; Allah will keep him chaste and modest and whosoever would seek self-sufficiency, Allah will make him self-sufficient; and whosoever would be patient, Allah will give him patience, and no one is granted a gift better and more comprehensive than patience”. The Prophet [pbuh] regarded chastity as one of the values which, when attained by a Muslim, the whole good is attained. The Prophet [pbuh] said: “If you have four things, don’t worry about anything you missed in this world: Truthfulness in speech, preserving one’s trust, good conduct and purity of food.” In a different context, the Prophet [pbuh] said: “I was shown the first three to enter Paradise: the martyr, the one who is chaste and proud and the slave who worships Allah with devotion and is faithful and sincere towards his master.” Certainly, it is a great status and praiseworthy attribute which we must be keen to adopt. The question is which chastity do we mean? Is it avoiding sins or abstaining from asking others without need? I say, both kinds are involved here, because fasting as act of worship trains the one to abstain from desires that are objected by the organs. Fasting purifies the soul from these desires and trains it to chastity in order neither to look nor talk unlawfully. The other meaning is one of the calamities widespread at the present time. Many people ask from people whether they need or not, streets, institutions and authorities have become full of beggars. We find several kinds of begging other than those we are aware of. This is because of the absence of chastity which preserves human dignity and modesty. In this article, I’m concerned with deriving texts and evidences to address those who undertake begging as means of livelihood in the street, at work or through ways their doers think they wouldn’t be legally blameworthy. Before delving into these texts, I would like to confirm that Islam encourages spending and giving charity within a framework that unites the Muslim community. The rich gives the poor and the poor regards the rich’s wealth as his own wealth, so he wouldn’t be envious. This way the concept of the same structure is achieved which the Prophet [pbuh] talked about and texts concerning Islam encouraging giving charities are too numerous to be counted. Some might say that what makes some people ask others is their need and that charity doesn’t reach its recipients. These claims don’t justify the disastrous spread of this disaster which harms the feelings and denigrates the values of our civilized Islamic countries. To be more clear, I mention a hadith for the Prophet [pbuh] teaches the nation how to be chaste and warns against this dangerous plight, He said: “A man keeps on asking others for something till he comes on the Day of Resurrection without any piece of flesh on his face.” What a serious threat? Afterwards, the Prophet [pbuh] specifies doing such act as if he was establishing a juristic maxim which is “Necessity is measured by its extent”. He answers those who drive reasons for begging when He says: “Anyone who asks from people in order to accumulate wealth, he is as begging for stones from Hell; so let him reduce it (his punishment) or let him increase it as he wishes.” This is another text specifies those who are allowed to ask others financial assistance and those who aren’t. By contemplating it, a person becomes capable of recognizing these determinations which were confirmed by the Messenger of Allah [pbuh] in the hadith reported by Qubaisa ibn Makhariq al-Hilali who said: I guaranteed somebody else’s loan, so I went to the Prophet [pbuh] asking for his assistance. He said: “O, Qubaisa begging is forbidden except in three cases: 1. The person who has given the guarantee of (somebody else’s) loan to the extent of that loan and should then stop. 2. The person whose wealth is destroyed by a disaster can beg until his life is set right. 3. A person who becomes poor and destitute so much so that 3 wise people of his community testify that so and so has become poor and destitute, for this kind of person begging is permissible; so that person can remain alive and fulfill his necessary needs. Other than these three cases, it is unlawful to ask for others’ financial assistance.” After that, the Prophet [pbuh] calls for working and production which is better than these easy gains when He said: “It is better for one of you to take ropes and bring a bundle of firewood on his back, sell it and gives charity to others than to beg from others who then give him or refuse.” In another narration, the Prophet [pbuh] said: “It is better for one of you to take a rope and carry firewood on his back, sell it, gives charity and becomes in no need for others than going to a man to beg from him who then may give him or refuse.” Hakim ibn Hizam [may Allah be pleased with him] said: “I asked the Messenger of Allah [pbuh] and he gave me, I asked him again and he gave me, then he said: “O, Hakim! This wealth is like green sweet (i.e. fruit), and if one takes it without greed, then one is blessed in it, and if one takes it with greediness, then one is not blessed in it, and will be like the one who eats without satisfaction. And an upper (i.e. giving) hand is better than a lower (i.e. taking) hand,’ I said, ‘O Allah’s Messenger! By Him Who has sent you with the Truth. I will not ask anyone for anything after you till I leave this world.” So, when Abu Bakr during his Caliphate, called Hakim to give him (some money), Hakim refused to accept anything from him. Once ‘Umar called him (during his Caliphate) in order to give him something, but Hakim refused to accept it, whereupon ‘Umar said, “O Muslims! I give him (Hakim) his right which Allah has assigned to him from this Fai` (booty), but he refuses to take it.” So Hakim never took anything from anybody after the Prophet until he passed away.” This is because the Prophet [pbuh] forbade him from asking others, so what about you? The reward for abstaining from asking others is Paradise. Thawban [may Allah be pleased with him] narrated: The Messenger of Allah [pbuh] said: “If anyone guarantees me that he will not beg from people, I will guarantee him Paradise. Thawban said: I (will not beg). He never asked anyone for anything. When Thawban’s web fell and he was riding, he never asked anyone to give it to him. He descends and takes it, because he desired the Paradise and hated worldly pleasures. We need such spiritual discipline which enables us to understand Islam as a comprehensive religion and determine our relation with Allah, the community and with ourselves.

Tafakkur:Shaykh Ahmed Hendricks

Many years ago a book called ” Penny for your thoughts” was published. It would be interesting to see whom of the modern generation read this book or heard of it. The cliched title shouldn’t fool one. The intention of the author is to explore the content and quality of everyday thought. This book is not a treatise on logical thinking or the rules of correct reasoning. The systematic study of logic has to be looked for in other works and is usually the forte of experts and scholars. The subject of this book is more humble but extremely important. People you meet often are so deeply steeped in some thought or issue. A look of utter surprise comes into their faces when you ask them, ” Penny for your thoughts?”. What is of great interest to me is the fact that often people fail to recall the stream of thought that so deeply engrossed them. Yes we are aware of some of the many reasons why this happens. But for a Muslim to be so entirely taken over by everyday worries and concerns is not good enough. The author of this book suggests interesting and useful methods to help gain control over ones propensity to sink into purposeless thinking and well worth a read. The quality of our thought is a very serious and important subject for any Muslim to consider. Says Allah, the Most High, in the Quran surah al ‘imran verses 190 – 191, ” Surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the rotations of the day and night are signs for the ulul albab. Those who remember ( dhikr) Allah, the Most High, standing, sitting and whilst reclining on their sides and who think ( tafakkur) about the creation of the heavens and the earth, [ They say] O our Lord You have not created this in vain, Glory be to Thee and protect us from the fires of hell”. In this verse Allah, the Most High, speaks highly of the ulul albab or literally the possessors of mind or the intellectuals. Qualities of this kind are mentioned in the Quran precisely because Muslims are expected to emulate them. The second important attribute of this level or quality of Muslim is remembrance (dhikr). We will discuss that in a later article. Our focus in this article is on the crucial matter of tafakkur. Imam ‘Abdallah ‘Alawi al-Haddad says in his Book of Assistance, ” Know that the reformation of both the din and the dunya depends on sound purposive thinking (tafakkur), and the individual who has mastered this ability has gained a portion of every possible good. It is said: Purposive thinking ( tafakkur) for an hour is better than a years worship. It is also related that Sayyidna ‘Ali, may Allah bless him, said: There is no worship (‘ibadah) like purposive thinking (tafakkur). A certain gnostic is reported to have said: Purposive thinking ( tafukkur ) is the lamp of the heart, if it removed the heart has no light.” The reader will notice I’m translating the word tafakkur as “purposive thinking” not simply ‘thinking” or “contemplation”. Imam Ahmad al-Haddad in his excellent book “Key to the Garden” defines tafakkur as follows: “And tafakkur is the focus and movement of the heart and mind through the meaning of things in order to reach the underlying intention, and by this, the pearls of truth is reached.” Tafakkur is the art, if you like, of churning a matter around in ones mind. The intention driving this process must be to discover the truth behind a saying or clarify the real nature of a principle of belief. We shouldn’t be fooled, this is a skill one has to learn. Thinking to some purpose is a skill we have to acquire. It is also important to note that this kind of “quality thinking” formed an integral part of the texture and culture of Muslims since the time of the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. A saying attributed to both ibn ‘Abbas and Abu Darda, may Allah be satisfied with both of them, goes like this ” Tafakkur for an hour is better than a whole nights salaah.” This ability and capacity to think deeply about things is the light of a Muslim. The author compares the human heart to a house and tafakkur to the lamp that provides the light in it. The heart is steeped in darkness without the light of tafakkur. Indeed the full and even basic understanding of our din is beyond the scope of the unthinking. Tafakkur in the context of din is traditionally divided into four types. The first is the level of the ordinary people (al-‘ammah). This level involves the search and discussion proofs and arguments to arrive at some conviction. Interesting to note is that the requirement or need for proofs before you believe in Allah, for example, is placed at the most basic level. The second type of tafakkur is that of the worshippers ( al ‘abidin) whose main interest is to know the rewards of a particular ‘ibadah. They want to get on with the work. Knowledge of the rewards inspire them to greater activity. A third type is the tafakkur of the ascetics (zuhhad). At this level the main focus is on the contingency of existence. They are deeply impressed by the truth of verses such as ” everything will disappear and only the Face of Allah will remain”. The results of that kind of thinking, which is often inspired by Allah, is a complete break from this world. They loose interest in wealth, fame, power and position. The fourth type is the tafakkur of the gnostics (‘arifin). They are the great searchers of the truth behind the universe and its creation. They delve into the secrets of the Names and Attributes of Allah, the Most High. And often they speak of things that far exceed the capacity of ordinary people. They are also the great lovers of Allah, the Most High. Love flows from knowledge of the Beloved. The greater our knowledge of the Beloved the greater out love for Him. So as Imam Ahmad al-Haddad says, ” Knowledge comes from tafakkur and from knowledge adoration, and from adoration love”.

Purification

Wrap yourself in Sabr and wind on the turban of Tawba. Wear the shirt of Zuhd and in it exhaust your strength. Put on the twin sandals of Khawf and Raja'. Take the staff of Yaqin and a store of Taqwa. Take the bridle of 'Ilm and horse of Himma And the protection of companions who will guard you from Bala' (trouble). So struggle seriously and travel quickly on the journey. Do not be stopped by the comtemplation of created existence, that would veil you from the place of safety. Rather reflect on Ihsan and be sincere in shukr to Him and get up at dawn, be humble, and hand over your trouble to Him. Muhammad ibn al-Habib

Jewels Of Imam Suyuti (part 4th)

FIRST! (part 4) --------------- Taken from Al-Wasāil Ilā Ma'rifat al-Awā'il by Imām Jalāluddīn al-Suyūtī 'Alayhi Al-Rahmah (d.911 AH) --------------- Chapter of Funeral and Illnesses. 51. The first person to pass away was Sayyidunā Ādam Alayhi Al-salām. 52. The first person to wish for death was Sayyidunā Yūsuf Alayhi Al-Salām. 53. The first person who gathered people on praying Salāt al-Janāzah with 4 Takbīr was Sayyidunā 'Umar RadiAllāhu 'anhu. 54. The first grave upon which water was sprinkled was the grave of the beloved son of the Prophet ﷺ Sayyidunā Ibrahīm RadiAllāhu 'anhu. 55. The first from the blessed wives of the Prophet ﷺ to pass away after him was Sayyidatunā Zaynab Bint Jahash RadiAllāhu 'anhā. 56. The first person to be buried in the grave of al-Baqī' (Madina Munawwarah) was Sayyidunā 'Uthmān Ibn Madh'ūn RadiAllāhu 'anhu. 57. The first person who prayed upon the Prophet ﷺ was Sayyidunā 'Abbās RadiAllāhu 'anhu. 58. The first fever occurred upon the lion which was in the ark of Prophet Nūh Alayhi Al-Salām. 59. The first plague that afflicted people after the advent of Islam was in Syria in the year 18 AH. 60. The first plague ever to afflict humans was the plague that Allāh sent to the people of Pharaoh. To be continued (chapter of Zakāt next ) Courtesy:- M-Hussain Qadri

Jewels Of Imam Suyuti (part 3rd)

FIRST! (part 3) --------------- Taken from Al-Wasāil Ilā Ma'rifat al-Awā'il by Imām Jalāluddīn al-Suyūtī 'Alayhi Al-Rahmah (d.911 AH) --------------- 43. The first person to say "Ammā Ba'd" was Sayyidunā Da'ūd Alayhi Al-Salām or Sayyidunā Ya'qūb Alayhi Al-salām 44. The person person to recite at the end of the Khutba was Sayyidunā Umar Ibn 'Abdul 'Azīz RadiAllāhu Anhu. The preachers carried on doing so till this day and age. 45. The first person to deliver sermon before 'īd prayer was Sayyidunā Uthmān RadiAllāhu Anhu. 46. The first person to lead eclipse prayer in Baśrah was Sayyidunā Ibn Abbās RadiAllāhu Anhumā. 47. The first time when earthquake happened after the advent of Islam was in the year 20AH during the caliphate of Sayyidunā Umar RadiAllāhu Anhu. 48. The first time ever when earthquake happened was when Qābīl killed Sayyidunā Hābīl RadiAllāhu Anhu (the son of Prophet Ādam Alayhi Al-Salām). 49. The first time when Salāt Al-Khawf was prayed was during the battle of Dhāt Al-Riqā' in the year 5AH. 50. The first person to pray Salāt al-Duhā was Sayyidunā Dhū al-Zawāid (companion of the Prophet ﷺ). [Some scholars were of the opinion that this means the first time when it was prayed with Jamā'ah].

Jewels from Imam Suyuti

FIRST! (Chosen points from each chapter). --------------- Taken from Al-Wasāil Ilā Ma'rifat al-Awā'il by Imām Jalāluddīn al-Suyūtī 'Alayhi Al-Rahmah (d.911 AH) --------------- Chapter one: beginning of creation --------------- 1. The first day Allāh created was Sunday. 2. The first mountain to be erected on earth was mount "Abū Qubays" (in Makkah Mukarramah). 3. The first house (of Allah) to be built was the Holy Ka'bah 4. The first soul to be blown was the soul of Prophet Ādam 'Alayhi al-Salām into his body through his blessed head. 5. The first angel to prostrate to Prophet Ādam 'Alayhi al-Salām was Isrāfīl 'Alayhi al-Salām. 6. The first Prophet (to be sent) was Prophet Ādam Alayhi al-Salām. 7. The first Messenger was Prophet Nūh 'Alayhi al-Salām (in another narration Propher Idrīs Alayhi al-Salām). 8. The first Prophet to be created was our Prophet SallĀllāhu 'Alayhi Wa Sallam. 9. The first village to be built was "Thamānīn" (80). It was built by Prophet Nūh Alayhi al-Salām after the 80 people came out of the ark. That's why it was named "Thamānīn". --------------- Chapter two: Cleanliness ---------------- 10. The first person to clip his nails and cut his moustache was Prophet Ibrāhīm 'Alayhi al-Salām. 11. He was also the first to circumcised, used Siwāk and the first one whose beard turned white. 12. The first woman to pierce her ears was Sayyidah Hājar (mother of Prophet Ismā'īl Alayhi al-Salām). 13. The first person to enter Hammām (bathroom) was Prophet Sulaymān 'Alayhi al-Salām. 14. The first women to menstruate were the women of Banī Isrā'īl (Jews). Another narration, Sayyidah Hawwā' when she came down from Jannah. 15. The first to dye his hair black was Fir'aun (Pharoah). 16. The first Muslim to dye his hair was Sayyidunā Abū Quhāfah (father of Sayyidunā Abū Bakr al-Śiddīq RadiAllāhu 'Anhumā). The prophet SallĀllāhu Alayhi Wasallam ordered him to dye using any colour except black. 17. The first companion to narrate the Hadīth "None of you should urinate facing the Qiblah" was Sayyidunā 'Ubaydullāh bin Al-Hārith Al-Zubaydī RadiAllāhu Anhu. Chapter of Śalāh ------------------- 18. First Śalāh to become obligatory and to be prayed was Śalāt al-Dhuhr. 19. The first prayer in which Rukū' was performed was Śalāt Al-'Aśr. 20. The first one to call out Adhān in the heavens was Sayyidunā Jibrīl 'Alayhi Al-Salām and the first one to give Adhān on earth was Sayyidunā Bilāl RadiAllāhu Anhu. 21. The first person to give Iqāmah 'Abdullāh Ibn Zayd RadiAllāhu Anhu. 22. The first person to give Adhān in Makka Mukarramah was Sayyidunā Khubayb Ibn 'Abd Al-Rahmān RadiAllāhu Anhu. 23. The first one to add extra Adhān at the beginning of Jumu'ah was Sayyidunā Uthmān RadiAllāhu Anhu. 24. The first time when "Al-Salām 'alā Rasūlillāh (SallĀllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam)" was added before the Adhān of Fajr in Egypt and Syria was during the era of Sultān Śalāhuddin Ayyūbī RadiAllāhu 'Anhu. This continued till 767AH then by the command of al-Muhtasib Śalāhuddīn al-Barlasī it was changed to "Al-Śalātu Wa Al-Salāmu 'Alayka Yā RasūlAllāh (ŚallAllāhu Alayhi Wa Sallām)". 25. The first person to give Adhān in Masjid Al-Aqśā was Imām Abū Nu'aym. 26. The first person to fix 12 hours for a day was Sayyidunā Nūh Alayhi Al-Salām in order to know the timings of Śalāh. 27. The first person to lead prayer in Makka Mukarramah after the conquest (Fath) was Sayyidunā Hubayrah Ibn Subul Ibn al-'Ajlān al-Thaqafī RadiAllāhu Anhu by the command of the Prophet ﷺ. 28. The first person who designated a room in his house for prayer was Sayyidunā 'Ammār Ibn Yāsir RadiAllāhu 'Anhumā. 29. The first person to lay gravel/small stones on the floor of Masjid Nabawī was Sayyidunā Umar RadiAllāhu Anhu. 30. The person person to out lights/lamps in the masjid was Sayyidunā Tamīn al-Dārī at the time of Sayyidunā Umar RadiAllāhu 'Anhumā. 31. The first person to adorn the masjid was Walīd Ibn 'Abd al-Malik Ibn Marwān. 32. The first person to erect concave-shaped Mihrāb was Sayyidunā 'Umar Ibn 'Abd al-'Azīz RadiAllāhu Anhu when the Masjid Nabawī was reconstructed. 33. The first person to read Salām (to indicate end of Śalāh) loudly was Sayyidunā Umar RadiAllāhu Anhu. 34. The first person to call Śalāt al-'Ishā as "Dark" was the Satan. 35. The first one to read "Subhān Rabbī al-'A'lā" was Sayyidunā Isrāfīl Alayhi al-Salām. 36. The first person to call Friday as "Jumu'ah" was Ka'ab Ibn Luway RadiAllāhu Anhu (from the forefathers of the prophet ﷺ). Before it was called "al-'Arūbah". He gathered people to preach them thus the name was changed to "Jumu'ah" (a day of gathering). 37. The first Friday prayer prayed by the Prophet ﷺ was in the Masjid of Banī Sā'adah at the bottom of the valley in Madina Munawwarah. 38. The first Jumu'ah prayer prayed in Iraq was in the year 16AH led by Sayyidunā Sa'd Ibn Abī Waqāś RadiAllāhu Anhu in Īwān Kisrā (the famous palace of Khosrau- Persian king). 39. The first grand Masjid build in Egypt was the Jāmī' of 'Amar Ibn al-'Āś RadiAllāhu Anhu in the year 21AH. 40. The first time when Jumu'ah prayer was prayed several times in on city was in the year 280AH. Before only one Jumu'ah was prayed in a city. 41. First person to deliver a sermon on a pulpit was by Sayyidunā Ibrahīm 'Alayhi al-Salām. 42. The first person to build a pulpit for the Prophet ﷺ was Sayyidunā Tamīm Al-Dārī RadiAllāhu Anhu.

Khādimat al-Mustafā: Qasida af Imam Abu Hanifa

Khādimat al-Mustafā: Qasida af Imam Abu Hanifa: The morning light is by your countenance, And the splendour of the night by your plaits. The master is a treasure of grace, The master is a ...

Khādimat al-Mustafā: Salawat

Khādimat al-Mustafā: Salawat: Introduction: Blessings upon the Beloved of Allah By Dervish Ahmed Munir We place our hand upon our heart when we speak his most beautifu...

Lessons from the Tremendous Character of the Prophet – from Busiri’s Hamziyya

Imam Busiri states: *.Every quality of his that you mention / He encompasses it in meaning; *.A master whose laughter was smiling, whose walking / was dignified & whose sleep was light; *.His character was but a sweet breeze / And his countenance but a rich garden; *.All mercy, determination, & resolve / With dignity, guardedness, & modesty; *.Hardship would never find him without patience / Not would joyous matters find him without dignity; *.His self was noble, so ill would / not occur to his heart, nor vileness; *.God’s blessings upon him were great / Making other great ones seem small; *.His people acted ignorantly with him and he overlooked / For the way of the forbearant is to overlook; *.He encompassed all creation in knowledge & forbearance / So he’s an ocean, unaffected by what they threw at him; *.He considered your world so paltry you can’t / Ascribe holding back to him, nor giving; *.A sun of virtue, conviction affirms that / he is the sun in rank and radiance.

Forgiveness Through Reading Salawat

A woman came to Sayyidina Hassan Al-Basri (rahimahu Llah) and said, My daughter passed away and now I wish to see her in my dream. Sayyidina Hassan (rahimahu Llah) told her, Offer four rakat Nafl after Isha and in each rakaat recite Surah At-Takasur (102). Then go to sleep while reciting Salawaat upon RasulAllah ﷺ until you fall asleep. The woman did so and narrated the dream to Sayyidina Hassan (rahimahu Llah) the next day. She said, I saw her in a bad state. She was wearing dirty robes. Her hands were tied and there were chains of fire around her feet. Sayyidina Hassan (rahimahu Llah) asked her to give sadqa and hope that her daughter’s affliction gets lessened. The following night Sayyidina Hassan (rahimahu Llah) himself saw a dream wherein he was in Jannah and there was a beautiful young girl on a throne dressed in magnificent clothes. She told him that she was the daughter of the woman who had visited him. Sayyidina Hassan (rahimahu Llah) told her, But your mother told me that she saw you in a bad state. The girl said, Indeed what she said was true. We were 70,000 souls who were afflicted with the torture of the grave until a pious person passed by us. He recited Salawat upon RasulAllah ﷺ dedicated it’s sawaab to us. And Allah accepted it in such a manner that we were freed from our tribulations and what you see now is due to barakah of that Durood Shareef. – Al-Qawl Al-Badee : Imaam Shams Ad-Deen Sakhaawi, p.234-235 –

This Time :Hazrat Ali ul Murtada Karamallahu wajhul kareem

This is a time, when brothers, o man, are not not brothers, When brothers all are unjust - they have two tongues and two faces. He meets you with a smiling face, but in his heart there is a disease which he secretly hides, Until you are out if his sight - then he throws after you falsehood and lies Such are the people of this time - there are not two are true in love. O man, live then your life alone, do not seek the company of other men. Live side by side with people, but keep yourself safe within house and walls.

The Benefits of reciting Surah Al-Mulk/The Dominio...

Sheikhy Notes: The Benefits of reciting Surah Al-Mulk/The Dominio...: It was revealed in Mecca, it is thirty passages long, consisting of three hundred and thirty words and one thousand three hundred lette...

Your Treasures

Know that your treasuries are full, for you have ears that hear, eyes that see, hands that grasp, feet that walk, a tongue that speaks, and a mind that thinks. Spend then of your hearing on the best of speech... As for your eyes, use them to look at the realms of the skies and the Earth... As for your hands, spend from them in assisting and supporting the weak.... As for your legs, use them to walk to the mosques... As for your tongue, use it to encourage people to do good and to stay away from evil, and to teach the Muslims... As for your mind, use it to contemplate the creations of God... You must, O brother in God, spend many precious breaths in the beholding of God, in His remembrance, and in the teaching of wisdom by speaking beneficial words. Know that the more you spend of your knowledge, the more God gives you of it. He who spends goodness from his limbs, God will bring down goodness on him, and the reward of the next life is greater... And know that you will not arrive at what the serious ones achieved until you make all of your limbs sources of pure goodness, and you are constantly aware of God's sight of you, and you teach yourself good manners, thus making your soul grow. - Shaykh Salih al-Ja'fari Summarised from Reassurance for the Seeker, commentary on Hadith 21: Charity

PRAYERS (SALAT) :Reward

O my foolish soul! Is this duty of worship without result, and is its recompense little that it causes you weariness? Whereas if someone was to give you a little money, or to intimidate you, he could make you work till evening, and you would work without slacking. So is it that the prescribed prayers are without result, which in this guest-house of the world are sustenance and wealth for your impotent and weak heart, and in your grave, which will be a certain dwelling-place for you, sustenance and light, and at the Resurrection, when you will anyway be judged, a document and patent, and on the Bridge of Sirat, over which you are bound to pass, a light and a mount? Are their recompense little? Someone promises you a present worth a hundred liras, and makes you work for a hundred days. You trust the man who may go back on his word and work without slacking. So if One for Whom the breaking of a promise is impossible, promises you recompense like Paradise and a gift like eternal happiness, and employs you for a very short time in a very agreeable duty, if you do not perform that service, or you act accusingly towards His promise or slight His gift by performing it unwillingly like someone forced to work, or by being bored, or by working in half-hearted fashion, you will deserve a severe reprimand and awesome punishment. Have you not thought of this? Although you serve without flagging in the heaviest work in this world out of fear of imprisonment, does the fear of an eternal incarceration like Hell not fill you with enthusiasm for a truly light and agreeable act of service? The Words ( 278 )

Defeat is part of war.

Defeat is a part of war. Life may be hard sometimes, but it does not matter how many battles you have lost; there still be a bunch of possibilities to win the entire war. Life is all about preparation. Just dreaming would take us nowhere. Everyone has a vision, but many have failed to attain their ambitions because of lack of preparation. Only being lucky is not enough, without a lucid plan at the end of the day, our fortunes may turn into miseries. Take your chances; hope for the best, get ready for the worst. Imagination leads creation, however, only hard work can make the difference. Life is a competition, your first worst opponent is you: yourself. Enjoy taking responsibility,however, just patience and determination can lead us to a final, complete, undoubted victory here as well as hereafter. Slogan is not a program; get a program.

People 'The Have' and 'The Have Not'

Because we are living on the Earth that includes two groups of people: the "Have" and the "Have not". The two groups are living in one planet, but different worlds. The "Have" only the sky is their limit. Great wealth or luxuriousness everywhere; meanwhile, the "Have not" are crying out for leavened breads. They are living in a nightmare i mean. Their unique neighbor that they hate so much is poverty, which brought them up diseases and insecurity. Nevertheless, life will never be sweet as a candy, until the "Have" help the "Have not". Helpfulness is a path to love; love is the door to peace; peace is the key of life; life is the source of mankind. Not helpfulness, nor love, neither peace, nor life.

Virtues Of Visitin Shrines(Maqams) Of AhlulBayah and Auliya'Allah

The reason that at the door of Imam al-Husayn's maqam there are two ring-shaped door handles (may God be pleased with him) is that he used to have an iron ring on his house door that visitors would knock to be let in; it was a large door. A poor bedouin came to him once from the mountains and held onto the ring and recites these lines: He is not disappointed in his hopes in you who moves the ring on your front door You are generous, you are reliable your father was a king, the killer of deviants Were it not for your predecessors hell would be surrounding us from every angle. He (may God be pleased with him) was a man of a lot of extra devotions. When he finished what he was doing, he opened the door and sat the man beside him, then he called his servant and said: O servant! Get me the pouch from the chest - and in it was his allowance from the Treasury House- and the servant brought it. The bedouin thought that imam al-Husayn (may God be pleased with him) would open it and give him a few dinars, but when he pushed the entire purse to him, the bedouin said: By God, I bear witness that you are the son of the Prophet (may God bless him and his family). By God, no one can do such an act, or give such a giving, but a man from the family (Ahlul Bayt) of the Prophet (may God send peace and blessings upon him and his family). Shaykh al-Shinqiti the great hadith master and mufti of Mecca (who had moved to Egypt) said: I read those lines when I was teaching my children commentaries on Ibn Hisham in grammar and I remembered that our master al-Husayn is present and alive, and how he gave that bedouin what he gave in his lifetime, and he is now alive in his maqam. So I entered his maqam with one of my students and grabbed the ring and recited these same lines. Then I said: "My master! I am not permitted to travel, but I want to travel to Mecca." A man who was wearing a long coat and fez, and was holding a sibha, said to me: "O Shaykh, not at this time!" I said to him: "What is not at this time?" He said: "Travel." I said: "When?" He said: "In a month's time." A month later, the man came to me in the same place and said: "Place your trust in Allah, it is time to travel!" Then I went to the British ruler of Egypt and said: "I am travelling to Mecca and I heard that the way is through you." He said: "Go bring us your passport." So I said to myself: "God has made it possible!" Shaykh Muhammad Bakhit al-Muti'i the Mufti of Egypt was my friend. I said to him: "I will travel to Mecca by the permission of God." He said to me: "You must tell me the secret by which you were allowed to travel. You people of the maghreb (the Muslim west- the shaykh was from Mauritania) have your secrets!" I said to him: "By God, I am not travelling except by the blessing of our master al-Husayn (may God be pleased with him)" and I told him the story as it happened. --------- This is the speech of a great shaykh, a hadith master, but now we see people say: visiting (maqams) is forbidden! I attended his lessons for fifteen years, he taught me. - From the Friday Lessons of shaykh Salih al-Ja'fari (may God be pleased with him and his teachers).

Shaykh Syed Salih Al-Jafri's Permission for Doing Hajj

Shaykh Salih al-Ja'fari (may God be pleased with him) performed the Hajj 27 times. It all started when he began composing his famous poem The Garden of the Hearts and Souls (aka Radeena Ya Bani al-Zahra) at the shrine of our lady Zaynab, sister of our masters al-Hasan and al-Husayn. He saw her in a dream, giving him an authorisation to go to Hajj, and ever since he went every year until he passed away. But one of those years, the Egyptian government made a new law that no one who has been to Hajj before can go this year. Shaykh Salih tells us in one of his Friday lessons what happened next: -- I went to our master al-Husayn (may God be pleased with him) after the Noon Prayer, and greeted him. Then I said, "How could I not be allowed to go Hajj while you are present in Egypt? Who can rule over your decision?!" I then fell asleep and I saw a big bed, and on it was our master al-Husayn (may God be pleased with him), asleep. His hand was very wide. He stood up and spoke, so I seized the opportunity to kiss his hand. He said to me: "Where are your beautiful roses?" That is because I used to bring him roses from Bahrain (their famous Muhammadi Rose, pictured below). I said: "I am busy, and I want to visit your grandfather, may God's peace and blessings be upon him." He said, "You and the one with the sunglasses." (He was thus known because he used to always wear sunglasses, and would only take them off when he entered the presence of shaykh Salih). (When I woke up) I said to my brothers: "Good news, my brothers! InshaAllah, God will make it easy." At that moment, Ibrahim (the one with the glasses) came, ecstatic. He said: "By God I just did such and such a thing, to apply for Hajj!" I said to him: "Go and make me an application too." So he went and applied for me, on the basis that I had not been to Hajj before through the government. But then the boat left, and Ibrahim took it, and I had to apply to get a place on the airplane, and I travelled by plane. As soon as I arrived in Medina, I went to greet the Prophet (may God's peace and blessings shower down upon him and his family). I said: "Greetings of peace unto you from your grandson al-Husayn (may God be pleased with him), and then greetings of peace from me to you." After that I saw Ibrahim there. The reply to my request came on the same day, and the very same hour! "How could I not be permitted to go to Hajj while you are present?!" * Kings, but kings are their servants And for their servant, the whole world becomes a servant

Bright proof For Celeberating Mawlid

"A scholar from Medina came to the Sudan. The people of Sudan said to him: 'We celebrate the Mawlid of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace) every year, and we want to ask you for an evidence for this.' He said: 'Your evidence is right in front of you, and you hear it every hour! Allah (most high) said, {And all We relate to you of the stories of the Messengers is that with which We make your heart firm} (11:120) So if the life stories of the Messengers and their news make firm the heart of the master of the messengers and of all the worlds, how could the memory and mention of the birth of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace) not make firm the hearts of the Muslims?" - Shaykh Salih al-Ja'fari, The Friday Lessons, vol 8, p. 21.

To Abode of Eternity:By Shaykh Syed Salih Al'jAfri(rahimahumullah)

To the abode of eternity we have come And the elect one we have visited And in the Garden we have prayed And we have seen Rasulallah. I saw the people in droves The sea of their love surge like waves The tears of longing like cool rain All in love with Rasulillah So we visited him the Pure-hearted Of greatest rank and nearness to Allah Whoever bears him loyal love Becomes filled with Rasulillah Seeing him is joy followed by joy While incense wafts and overflows There the people of love reveal their states And Rasulullah pardons them Light surrounds us the secret is revealed Goodness arrives piety is achieved The people of Allah are fed and quenched By witnessing Rasulallah The night of separation is gone away The morning of connection dawns to stay The light of al-Mustafa highlights Our foremost guide Rasulallah Drinks of paradise go round from hand to hand And in the cups lights overflow And with this drink perfumed and filled Rasulullah is quenching us The hearts obtain what they had hoped When they visit after their pilgrimage One throng after another says Salaamun Ya Rasulallah See them in their place of prayer The God of the Throne giving them gifts Habibullah is meeting them They visited Rasulallah Gifts of forgiveness and secrets For whoever visits al-Mustafa Upon them glow sparkles of light Coming from the Guide Rasulillah The armies of nafs went away The moons of guidance have risen Rain-clouds hail filled with good For the visitors of Rasulillah The sun of religion guides us To the Creator who made us Rasulullah is calling us We have come Ya Rasulallah The beauty of al-Mustafa shows Welcoming us and cheering us It has perfumed the soul of this valley We have witnessed Rasulallah We have obtained intimacy By Divine grace without the veils We visited the Arabian liegelord Abu al-Qasim Rasulallah Souls are swayed by their Creator Before the Chosen One their guide They have received their dearest hopes At witnessing Rasulallah We left love of all that perishes, At al-Mustafa’s doorstep we arrived The connection of hearts is sealed With the guide Rasulillah The Gardens of Paradise we obtained By coming and greeting TaHa The soul of love enlivened them With help from Rasulillah The blessings of Allah like rain On the Elect of highest fame And Companions all radiant chiefs And the House of Rasulillah For as long as al-Ja’fari writes And al-Mustafa’s praise is sung, And the faces of lovers beam With light from Rasulillah!

Those who walk on Earth and souls fly in air

'How wondrous it is that there are those who walk on the Earth and yet their bodies and souls soar and fly in the air with the angels. {Those of you who believe, and are granted knowledge, Allah elevates by several degrees} (58:11).... Whoever acquires understanding of the religion gains a wing. If he acts upon what he knows, he gains another wing. Now he can soar with those wings in the skies of elevation like the noble angels.' - Shaykh Salih al-Ja'fari

The Secrets Of La IlahIlallah

The number of letters in (La ilaha illa Allah) is twelve, an allusion to the number of the months in each year. Allah (most high) said: {the number of months with Allah is twelve months...} (9:36). So whoever says the Word of Tawhid has filled his twelve months with reward, and his days will bear witness to him for goodness as per the hadith: 'Every day calls out: O son of Adam, I am a new creation, and I am a witness over your actions.' From these twelve, four are for the letters of Allah's Greatest Name, 'Allah.' This is an allusion to His (most high)'s saying: {...among them, four are sacred} (9:36). - Shaykh Salih al-Ja'fari

The Sanad Miracle Of Shaykh Syed Salih Al-Jafri(rahimahumullah)

Shaykh Salih al-Ja’fari (may Allah be pleased with him), though he was the Imam of the Noble Azhar Mosque, did not always lead the Friday Prayers. Very often the great Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) would lead the Prayers and give the Friday Khutba, and then Shaykh Salih would start his famous Friday Lesson after the Prayers, as he usually did. Shaykh al-Ghazali had a reformist and rationalistic approach to the religion, and on one Friday, he dedicated his khutba to this one topic: that scholars should no longer mention the chains of transmission of the hadith that they are quoting in their lessons or books. He argued that most people today did not know most of the names in the chains of transmission, let alone have the mental ability to analyze the chain. Therefore, he argued, a scholar should simply say the hadith, and in which hadith collection it could be found, and whether he believed it to be authentic or not. After the prayers, Shaykh Salih al-Ja’fari stood up on his chair to begin his Friday Lesson as usual. He would start every lesson with certain verses of the Qur’an and the following, “[I teach you] Through a connected chain to the scholars of the noble Azhar and others, in Qur’anic recitations, Hadith, and Qur’anic exegesis, may Allah most high be pleased with them and benefit us and you by them and by their knowledge. Amen.” This time, however, Shaykh Salih began reciting one of his chains of transmission, scholar by scholar, all the way until Imam al-Bukhari, and from him, all the way until the Follower who narrated it, and then the Companion, and then the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Among those attending the lesson was Shaykh Muhammad Ismail al-Nimr, a Shaykh from the Bayyumi Tariqa, who founded a branch and organization within that Tariqa called The Lovers of the Muhammadan Purity (Ahbab al-Safaa’ al-Muhammadi). This Shaykh was a man of spiritual unveiling, and this is what he said: When the Shaykh began reciting his chain of transmission, every time he mentioned a scholar, the soul of this scholar would appear next to him! Scholar by scholar, came to join him, and each one shone with more light than the one mentioned before him, as the Shaykh was getting closer and closer to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)! Finally the Shaykh reached the level of the Followers of the Followers, and then the Followers, and then the Companion, and each of them appeared with an even more powerful light than the one before. Finally he mentioned the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and suddenly the Messenger of Allah appeared with such a great force of light that I thought I was going to melt!

In his bookAsrar al-Siyam)The Secrets of Fasting(, the Azhari imam, Shaykh Salih al-Ja’fari, writes:

They have mentioned that the Abdal have four characteristics: 1( Silence 2( Hunger 3( Seclusion 4( Wakefulness. Now Silence is brought about by Hunger, and so is Wakefulness. And what remains is Seclusion, which is its fruit, because it is brought about by the lights ofdhikr, for they cause one to find intimacy and comfort in the company of Allah )al-uns billah( and a lack of it in the company of all other than Him )al-wahsha ‘an siwah(. So Hunger is the basis for the )other( three, and it happens while Fasting. It has also been said that the medicine for a heart when it hardens is five things: 1( Emptying the stomach 2( Reciting the Qur’an 3( Being up before dawn, supplicating and crying 4( Tahajjud prayers at night 5( Keeping the company of the people of good and righteousness The four after emptying the stomach cannot all be done )completely( except through emptying the stomach, so it is also a basis for them, and emptying of the stomach happens while Fasting. Therefore, the station of the Abdal, and the removal of the heart’s hardness are achieved through the emptiness of the stomach, which, as is known, happens during Fasting. How great are the benefits of this Fast, and how many are its blessings upon mankind, so in it }let the competitors compete!{ )83:26(

Mankind has Two Origins

Mankind has two origins, earth and spirit. Whoever gravitates to the ground and follows his desires, returns to his earthly origin. Whoever purifies himself and illuminates himself with the lights of knowledge and action )upon that knowledge(, returns to his spiritual origin. - Shaykh Salih al-Ja'fari

Best Rememberance (Zikr)

Al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 'The best remembrance of Allah is in the presence of what was forbidden by Allah.' The best remembrance (dhikr) is not to repeat 'La ilaha illa Allah, la ilaha illa Allah' with your tongue only. True dhikr is when your nafs speaks to you about committing a sin, and you remember that Allah is with you, looking at you. This thought that comes into your heart is better than the world and all that is in it. - Shaykh Salih al-Ja'fari

The Wonders of the Qur'an

Shaykh Salih al-Ja'fari says that a scholar from Dongola related to him how Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿĀli used to give lessons every morning and night like his father Shaykh Ahmad ibn Idris. He used to teach according to the way of the Moroccans, which was to have a reciter who would recite a verse to him, and then he would explain it. One time, the reciter, ʿAbdullāh Klamsid, recited to him the verse, {Exalted is He Who made the constellations in the heavens and made therein a sun and a shining moon} (25:61), and the shaykh explained it. The next day, a scholar asked the reciter to repeat the same verse to see if the Shaykh could give a new commentary on it. The Shaykh is said to have given a new and excellent explanation. When the third day came, it was Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿĀli himself who recited the same verse and then proceeded to give a new commentary on it that astounded the listeners. Shaykh Klamsid kissed his hand and began to cry. Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿĀli said to him, "What makes you cry, our brother shaykh Abdallah?" He said, "My master, I cry because you came to our town when I was already old, and I wish that I was still a strong young man so that I could receive this knowledge." The Shaykh replied, "If I stayed with you as long as Noah stayed with his people I would have given you a new explanation every day." - Reassurance for the Seeker, pp. 39-40.

Taste Of Qur'an :By Shaykh Syed Salih Al-Jafri rahimahumullah

"Do you not see the orange? Do you know an orange? When you eat an orange you find that it is sweet. Likewise, every verse of the Qur’ān does the same to the spirit! There is no doubt that your body will feel pleasure along with your spirit from this verse." Sheikh Sayyid Sālih al-Ja'fari )may Allah be pleased with him(

Visit of Imam Syed Salih Jafri(rahimahumullah)

}It )the Qur'an( is clear verses, in the chests of those who have been given knowledge{ )Qur'an 29:49( ***** Before I came to al-Azhar, someone from town brought a volume of al-Nawawi's commentary on Sahih Muslim, so I borrowed it from him and began to study it. I saw )i.e. in a dream vision( my master Abd al-Aali al-Idrisi sitting on a chair, and with him his travel belongings, and I heard someone saying, "The sayyid wants to travel to Egypt, to al-Azhar." I went and greeted him and kissed his hand, and he said to me sharply: "Knowledge is taken from the chests of men, not from books!" And he repeated it. I woke up from my sleep and was inspired by my Lord to travel to al-Azhar. When I first reached it I found the hadith scholar Shaykh Muhammad Ibrahim al-Samaluti teaching al-Nawawi's commentary on Sahih Muslim! - Shaykh Salih al-Ja'fari )may Allah be pleased with him(, Imam of the Azhar ]from Reassurance for the Seeker[

See The Lights Of Prayer

' Were you to see to see the lights of prayer, or smell the perfumes of prayer, or see the angels that surround you, you wouldn't leave the prayer for an hour! But he hid that from you so that you could be tested. "So that Allah knows who fears Him in secret )even though they cannot see Him( ." )Quran 5.94( ' Sheikh Sayyid Sālih al-Ja'fari )may Allah be pleased with him( ~ Jummu'ah Durus.

10 Life Changing Tips Inspired By Mawlana Rumi (Rahimahullah) :

1. Challenge Fear "Run From What’s Comfortable. Forget Safety. Live Where You Fear To Live. Destroy Your Reputation. Be Notorious." 2. Be Bold "Do Not Be Satisfied With The Stories That Come Before You. Unfold Your Own Myth." 3. Have Gratitude "Wear Gratitude Like A Cloak and It Will Feed Every Corner of Your Life." 4. Take Action "Why Should I Stay At The Bottom of A Well, When A Strong Rope is in My Hand?" 5. Have Faith "As you Start To Walk Out On The Way, The Way Appears." 6. Embrace Setbacks "If You are Irritated By Every Rub, How Will You Be Polished?" 7. Look Inside "Your Task is Not To Seek For Love, But Merely To Seek and Find All The Barriers Within Yourself That You Have Built Against It." 8. Learn From Suffering "The Wound is The Place Where The Light Enters You." 9. Don't Be Concerned With What Others Think Of You "I Want To Sing Like The Birds Sing, Not Worrying About Who Hears Or What They Think." 10. Do What You Love "Let Yourself Be Drawn By The Stronger Pull of That Which You Truly Love."

Jamad-ul-Awwal (5th Month of islamic calendar)

Jamad-ul-Awal Fifth month of the lunar calendar ( 5th Month of Islamic Calender ) Literal meaning: Jamad means freezing, Whilst naming the months, this month occured in the season when the water freezes so it was named Jamad-ul-Awal. Events of Jamad-ul-Awal: The Battle "Moota" took place in 8 A.H.- A war against infidels in which Holy prophet Mohammed ( Sal-lal-lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam ) did not participate. The battle is named after a famous city in Syria (Moota). Hadrat Zaid Ibn Haritha (R.A) was the first appointed General by the Holy prophet Mohammed ( Sal-lal-lahu Alaihii Wa Sallam ). In the same Battle Hadrat Khalid ibn Walid (fourth general of the Battle of Moota) was proclaimed by the Holy prophet Hazrat Mohammed (Sal-lal-lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam ) as being "one of the swords of Allah" Matrimonies in Jamad-ul-Awal: The Holy prophet Hazrat Mohammed ( Sal-lal-lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam ) married his first beloved wife Hazrata Sayyida Hadrat Khadijah (R.A) 15 years prior to Prophecy. Wisaals in Jamad-ul-Awal: Hadrat Zaid Ibn Haritha (Radi Allahu Anhu ) met martyrdom in 8 A.H. Hadrat Ja'far Ibn Abi Talib ( Radi Allahu Anhu ) met martyrdom in 8 A.H. Hadrat Abdullah Ibn Rawaahah ( Radi Allahu Anhu ) met martyrdom in 8 A.H. Hadrat Abdullah Ibn Uthman ( Radi Allahu Anhu ) took wisaal. The Holy prophet Hazrat Mohammed ( Sal-lal-lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam ) grandfather Abdul Muttalib passed away. Urs-e-Sharif and Wisaal Mubarak Dates / Days of Awliya Allah / Sufi saints in the month of Jamadi ul Awwal 3rd Jamadi ul Awwal Urs Mubarak of Sarkar Shah-e-Miran Hazrat Pir Miran Saiyed Ali ( Rahmatullah Allaih ) is celebrated every year from 3rd to 9th Jamad-ul-Awal. 8th Urs of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai ( Rahmatullah Allaih ), Pakistan 10th Urs of Hazrat Shaikh Najamuddin Kubra (Rahmathullah Allaih) 19th Urs of Hazrat Syed Abdul Qadri Badshah Chishty ( Rahmatullah Allaih ), Sangi 22nd Urs of Hazrat Syed Ahmed Kabeer Rifaee ( Radi Allahu anhu ) Iraq 24th Wisaal of Hazrat Qasim Bin Muhammad bin Abu Bakr Siddiq ( Radi Allahu anhu ) 26th Wisaal of Hazrat Ibrahim bin Adham ( Radi Allahu anhu ) 29th Wisaal of Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed ( Radi Allahu anhu ) 29th Hazrat Khawaja Allah Bakhsh Taunswi ( Rahmatullah allaih )

Seeking Provisions

It is crucial for us to understand that trusting in God's provision for us should never prevent us from working to earn a living. The Prophet himself implied this when he said, “So stay warily conscious of God and beautify the way you beseech and request.” He implied that it is acceptable to request material support and to seek to earn a living in the world. If relying on God negated the need to request, search and earn, then the Prophet would never have declared it acceptable and admonished us to beautify the way we go about it. The Prophet never said, “Don't request,” but rather said, “Beautify the way you beseech and request.” It is as if he were telling us, “When you seek provision and request it, beautify the way that you seek it. Be polite, courteous and humble in presenting your needs, always turning over final say in every matter to God alone.” With this advice, the Prophet has allowed us to request provision through intermediate means (al-talab min al-ashab). Intermediate means could be supplicating God or working in the world. The Prophet had previously pronounced, “It is allowable for people to live off their rightful earning (kasb al-yamin).” This is just one instance among many when the Prophet showed that working and earning money is allowable as an intermediate means by which we receive our provision. Indeed the Prophet encouraged us to work and struggle to earn and improve our lot. There are many benefits to engaging the world through hard work. The true One knows the weakness of human hearts, acknowledges our inability to clearly see what is apportioned for us, and compensates for our frailty by guaranteeing that we will receive our provision. In divine wisdom, God has allowed us to option of working and relying on intermediate means for earning, as a way of receiving this provision. Through divine benevolence, God has granted this to us as a support for our feeble hearts and repose for our forgetful souls. Working for your living protects you from lowering your dignity by having to beg for support from others. It preserves the luster of faith from the tarnish of having to ask from other people. Whatever God gives to you by means of your work does not come as a gift from others, necessitating some subsequent obligations upon you. If someone hires you for a job or pays you for some service rendered, your boss cannot count it as a gift or charity, for your work helps to further the boss' own goals. You take your livelihood as earnings from the boss, not as charity. You take it as a right and not as a request. As you work to earn a living, you are distracted from sinful pursuits. You are saved from the curse of idle time, which gives you the opportunity to act against God's commands. Just observe how negligent people, when they have vacation from work or periods of unemployment, dispose of their time in sinful pursuits! For such people, working for a living is a form of compassion from God; it keeps them from temptation, trouble and inevitable negative consequences. Further, earning a living allows you to be compassionate with those who do not work. The profits you earn are a means of providing the gift of livelihood to those who dedicate themselves to worship or keep their time unencumbered for meditation. If not for those who work and give their earnings, how could anyone spend time in isolated prayer or dedicated service to God? Indeed God had made earnings a from of service for others who dedicate their lives entirely to God. From another perspective, God desires believers to grow close to each other in relationship of mutual interdependence. This is reflected in Divine Speech, Surely the believers are siblings (ihwa). Earning a living through work causes people of different backgrounds to come together, to get acquainted, to cooperate, and to learn to love each other. For this reason, only a stubbornly ignorant or foolishly heedless person would deny the efficacy of working to earn a livelihood. We have no report of the Prophet Muhammad commanding people to stop working an earning as he called them to live in accord with God. Rather, in calling his followers to divine guidance, he urged them to engage in the kinds of work that are pleasing in the sight of God. The Qur'an and the Prophet's teachings are full of exhortations to work. The poet excelled who exclaimed: God commanded May, in her starvation “Shake the palm tree in your desparation And gather the dates that fall as it leans!” The dates could have fallen, if God had willed, And without a shake her needs could be filled But nothing occurs without intermediate means. How clearly the poet points out the meaning of Divine Speech [as it tells the story of Mary when she was pregnant with Jesus and living in isolation]: Shake the trunk of the date palm so that the dates fall into your gathering arms. Once the Prophet stopped at someone's house and was offered a meal of cucumbers and fresh dates. He pronounced, “This offsets the damage of that,” meaning that the cucumber require hard labor to cultivate while dates come almost freely. However, this is an exaggeration [since cultivating dates, too, takes labor]. When the Prophet said to be like and “wake up hungry in the morning and take rest well-fed in the evening,” he was teaching that working for a livelihood was the established norm in this religious community. The birds, as they wake then rest, are analogous to us in our work. We wake in the morning to earn and acquire; in the evening we return home to rest and enjoy what we earn. There is a maxim that explains this point: working with intermediate means is necessary for rectifying your material being, just as withdrawing from intermediate means is necessary for clarifying your spiritual seeing. God established intermediate means through divine wisdom's subtlety, but do not rely on them fully to acknowledge God's absolute singularity. Shaykh Ibn 'Ata'Allah al-Iskandari The Book of Illumination (Kitab al-Tanwir fi Isqat al-Tadbir)

Counsel Sidi Ahmad Zarrooq (d. 1492 C.E.) (Part 2) By Shaykh Hamza Yusuf

Act in accordance with principles and the appropriate legal rulings, and not in accordance with stories and fantasies. Don't even consider stories of how things went with others, except as a tonic to strengthen your resolve. Certainly not as a reference based upon their outward forms, or what they seem to be telling us. In all of this, depend upon a clear path you can refer to, and a foundation that you can depend upon in all of your states. The best of these is the path of Ibn Ata'ullah, given that in it is a clear direction to Allah subhanahu wa t'ala. Do not take from others' words unless it is in accordance with your own path, but submit to their implications if you desire realisation. Avoid all forms of vain and foul speech to your absolute utmost. Put aside anything that you cannot discern its benefit immediately. Beware of being extremely hard on yourself before you've obtained a mastery over it. But also beware of being too lax with it, in anything that concerns sacred rulings. This is so because it is constantly fleeing from moderation in everything, and it inclines towards extremism in both matters of deviance and guidance. Seek out a companion to help you out in your affairs, and take his counsel concerning matters that occur from both your inward states and your outward affairs. If you do indeed take his companionship, then treat him in a manner commensurate with his state and give him of your counsel based upon his inabilities and abilities, because a perfected friend is no longer to be found. Indeed, in these times even a suitable companion who is agreeable rarely lasts!

Counsel Sidi Ahmad Zarrooq (d. 1492 C.E.) (Part 1) By Shaykh Hamza Yusuf

Know (may Allah give you and us success, and rectify our worldly and other worldly lives and grant us adherence to way of the truth in our journeys and in our sojourns) that: Repentance is a key. And taqwaa (awareness of Allah subhanahu wa t'ala) is vast and uprightness is the source of rectification. Furthermore a servant is never free of either blunders, or shortcomings, or lassitude. Therefore never be neglectful of tawbah (repentance), and never turn away from the act of returning to Allah subhanahu wa t'ala and never neglect acts that bring you closer to Allah subhanahu wa t'ala. Indeed, every time one of these three occurs, repent and return. Every time that you make a mistake, listen and obey. Any time you display shortcoming or lack of enthusiasm, don't desist in your efforts. Let your main concern be to remove from your outer state anything that is displeasing, and then maintain its outward state from continuous counsel. Continue doing this until you find that your fleeing from anything outwardly displeasing is second nature, and your avoidance of the boundaries of prohibited things is as if it acts like a protective net that is placed before you. At this point, it is time to turn inward, toward your heart's presence, and to its reality with both reflection and remembrance. Don't hasten the end result before you have completed the beginning. But likewise, don't begin without looking toward the end result. This is so because the one who seeks the outset at the end loses providential care; and the one who seeks the end at the outset loses providential guidance. Via-Sacred Text Series

Two matters are necessary for a persons success

Imam al-Haddad (Allah sanctify his secret) said in hisHikam: 84- Two matters are necessary for a person in order to attain success in the next world: First: Guidance(hidayah)andtawfiqfrom Allah, which is like the rain which falls on the earth Second: Striving towards Allah upon the path of uprightness, which is like cultivating the earth and taking care of what it needs from seeds, weeding, protection and warding off that which would harm it etc. Thus cultivating the earth without watering it is stubborness and effort without result, and watering it without cultivating it is a waste. Tawfiq from Allah is like the rain, the servant has no say in it, and this is the reality (haqiqah). The striving and effort which is like the cultivating of the earth and looking after it is for the servant, which is his action regarding which he will be questioned and compensated. And this is the shariah. *** Shaykh Muhammad Hayat al-Sindi (Allah have mercy on him) in his commentary said (commentary in italics below) 84- Two matters are necessary for a person in order to attain success in the next world: First: Guidance (hidayah) -to the path of goodness- and tawfiq -to perform good actions and leave sins are- from Allah,-in whose Hand lies guidance and tawfiq- which is like the rain which falls on the earth –and gives life to it after its death… Second: Striving towards Allah –Who ordered His servants to strive towards Him- upon the path of uprightness,-which is the Muhammadan way, without any shortcomings and deviation in the principles (usul) and branches (furu)- which is like cultivating the earth –which grows crops by the mere falling of rain upon it- and taking care of what it needs from seeds,-which is the material source of cultivation- weeding, protection –from that which harms– and warding off that which would harm it-which will not facilitate growth- etc.-which are required for cultivation. Thus cultivating the earth without it being watered is stubborness and effort without result,-as the earth does not grow crops without water- and watering it without cultivating it is a waste.-as it does not grow without being cultivated. Tawfiq from Allah is like the rain, the servant has no say in it,-rather it is the Generosity of Allah which He grants whom He wills- and this is the reality (haqiqah).-For in reality all matters in the Hand of Allah and the servant has no say.- The striving and effort which is like the cultivating of the earth and looking after it is for the servant, which is his action -The upshot of this is that Allah (Taala) has placed in the heart the power to choose good and adopt the correct belief, and the power to not choose evil and not adopt false beliefs and knowledge.  Likewise He has placed in his body the power to do good and avoid evil and made him responsible for that that which in in his ability to do. Thus he who utilises his power by the guidance and tawfiq of Allah in that which pleases Him issuccessful, and the one unable to do this is blamed.- regarding which he will be questioned –on the day of judgement-and compensated. And this is the shariah.-whose limits and rulings must be observed, thus every haqiqah which conflicts with the shariah is falseâ

Etiquettes For Reading The Burda

A number of conditions are necessary in order for it to be read in the correct manner, and also in order for it to be effective in that which it is recited for. The first of them is to performwudu. Second is to face the direction of prayer (qibla). Third is precision in the correct pronunciation of the words and theirirab. Fourth is that the one reciting is knowledgeable of its meanings, because supplications are not effective if the reciter is not knowledgeable of their meanings, as was indicated to by Ali al-Qari in the introduction to hisHizb al-Azam… Fifth is its recitation is poetic form because it was authored as a poem not prose. Sixth is memorizing it. Seventh is that the reciter has permission to recite it from its people. Eighth is that it is recited with thesalatupon the Prophet (Upon him be peace), but it is necessary that it be with thesalat which was recited by Imam al-Busiri which is: Mawla Ya Salei Wa Sallim DaaeMan Abadan Alaa Habeebika Khayril Khalqe Kullehemi Not other than it, for if not then it will not effective as is reported by Imam al-Ghaznawi, that he would recite this qasidah every night in order to see the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) in his sleep. He was not fortunate enough to see this vision, so he complained of this to a complete Shaykh (Shaykh Kamil), and questioned him about its secret. The Shaykh replied that perhaps you do not pay close attention to its conditions. He replied that Ofcourse I pay close attention to them, so the Shaykh contemplated and thereafter said, I have found its secret, and it is that you do not sendsalatwith thesalatwhich was written by Imam al-Busiri, for he would sendsalatupon him (upon him be peace) with his words:

Pearls from Tafsir al-Mazhari from Surah al-Nur

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as it were a shining star. (This lamp is) kindled from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself) though no fire touched it. Light upon light. Allah guides unto His light whom He will. And Allah speaks to mankind in parables, for Allah is Knower of all things. Qadi Thanaullah in his detailed discussion of this verse “ in the course of citing a number of different commentaries- said the following (6/525 onwards): Al-Baghawi said: The people of knowledge have differed over the meaning of this similitude. Some of them said this similitude is of the light of Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace). Ibn Abbas said to Kab al-Ahbar, Tell me about His (Most Highs) words The similitude of His light is as a niche. Kab replied that this likeness was struck by Allah of His Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). The niche (Mishkat) is his chest, the lamp is his heart and the glass in it is Prophethood. The light and matter of Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) would almost become manifest to people, even if he did not articulate that he was a Prophet, just as the oil would glow even if it was not touched by light. Light upon light. How wonderful is that which Kab said: Then Qadi Thanaullah after detailing some of the Prophetic miracles returned back to this interpretation of this verse and said the following: Salim related from Ibn Umar regarding this verse: The niche is the inner self of Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace), the glass is his heart and the lamp is the light which Allah placed in him. Neither East nor West meaning neither Christian nor Jewish. Lit from a blessed tree meaning Ibrahim (Upon whom be peace). Light upon light the light of Ibrahim upon the light of the heart of Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace). Muhammad bin Kab al-Qurazi said: The niche is Ibrahim, the glass is Ismail and the lamp is Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace). Allah named him a lamp (Misbah) just as he named him Siraj al-Munir. Lit from a blessed tree which is Ibrahim (Upon him be peace). He was named blessed (mubarak) because the majority of the Prophets are from him. Neither Eastern nor Western meaning Ibrahim was neither Jewish nor Christian, but rather was a an upright (Hanif) Muslim Whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself) though no fire touched it The excellent qualities of Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) would almost become apparent to people before he was given revelation. Light upon light A prophet from the offspring of a Prophet, the light of Muhammad upon the light of Ibrahim (Blessings and peace be upon them both).

Salawat: The Means of Spiritual Ascent

Indeed, Allah and His angels send prayers upon the Prophet. O you who believe! Send prayers and abundant salutations upon him. (Surah Ahzab, 33:56) You should realize that prayer upon the Prophet ﷺ is a ladder and means of [spiritual] ascent to arrive unto Allah. That is because sending prayers upon him ﷺ frequently engenders the Prophet’s love, and the Prophet’s love engenders Allah’s love, and Allah’s love for the servant attracts the servant to the Divine Presence—with or without an intermediary. In addition, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is the vizier brought nigh, and whoever seeks an audience with the King must serve the vizier and draw near to him so he can grant him an audience before the King. The Messenger of Allah, therefore, is Allah’s Supreme Sentinel [al-hijab al-a'zam] and noblest door. Whoever seeks to enter through a door other than his will be expelled and cast out. To that end, Ibn al-Wafa says: You are the door of Allah; whoever attempts to enter [the Divine Presence] From a door other than yours shall not enter it Sheikh al-Jazuli inDalail al-Khayrat says, “Sending prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ is of the utmost importance for the one who desires to draw close to the Lord of lords.” [1]The commentator onDalail al-Khayratexplains this: There are several reasons why it is so important [to send prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ] ...One reason is that it contains a means of approach to Allah Most High through the station of His Beloved and Chosen One ﷺ. The Most High says, “And seek a means of approach unto Him.” [2]There is no means of approach to Allah that is closer or greater than His noblest Messenger ﷺ. Another reason is that Allah Most High, out of His honor, ennobling, and preference to the Prophet’s lofty stature ﷺ, has commanded and encouraged prayers upon him ﷺ, and promised a good return and bountiful reward for those who say them. It is one of the most favorable of deeds, heaviest of statements, purest of states, most prosperous of works that draw nigh, and most encompassing of blessings. Sending prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ is a means of arriving at the good-pleasure of the All-Merciful and attaining felicity and the greatest satisfaction [ridwan]. Through it, a person’s supplications are answered and he ascends to the highest spiritual degrees. Allah Most High revealed to Musa (peace be upon him), “O Musa! Do you desire that I become closer to you than your words upon your tongue, your whispers upon your heart, your soul in your body, and the light of your vision in your eyes?” Musa replied, “Yes, O Lord!” Allah said, “Then send frequent prayers upon Muhammad ﷺ.” Another reason is that the Prophet ﷺ is the Beloved of Allah Most High and he possesses an immense rank with Him. Both Allah and His angels send prayers upon him ﷺ, so it is incumbent to love the Beloved and draw close to Allah Most High through love of him, reverence of him, fulfillment of his rights, prayers upon him, and emulation of the prayers of Allah and the angels upon him ﷺ. This honoring is greater and more consummate than the honor conferred upon Adam (peace be upon him) when Allah ordered the angels to prostrate to him. That is because it is impermissible that Allah could have been with the angels in the conferring of honor to Adam, so the honoring that comes from both Allah and His angels is more intense than the honoring that came only from the angels. Another reason relates to the virtues that are transmitted about the sending prayers upon him, as well as the promise of immense reward, high rank, and the promise that the one who sends prayers upon him will win unto Allah’s good-pleasure and have his worldly and after-worldly needs fulfilled. Another reason is that the sending of prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ entails showing gratitude to the one who is the intermediate [wasita] in Allah’s graces upon us and to whom we are ordered to be thankful. There is not a single grace of Allah upon us—whether it has passed or is to come, and whether it is the grace of existence [ijad] or the grace of sustenance [imdad], in this life or the next—save that the Prophet ﷺis the means for it reaching us and circulating among us. It is obligatory upon us to fulfill the rights he ﷺ has upon us, and when we show gratitude for his bounties we must not become fatigued from sending prayers upon him ﷺ at every inhalation and exhalation. Another reason is that the sending of prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ entails a fulfillment of slavehood by carrying out what is ostensibly negated by the very basis of slavehood itself. This is a stronger form of compliance and is the reason why the merits of prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ are superior to other actions. That which is ostensibly negated by the basis of slavehood is for the servant to draw close to Allah by occupying himself with other than Him. When we say for example, “O Allah! Send prayers upon Muhammad,” we are occupying ourselves with the right of Muhammad ﷺ, whereas the basis for all acts of devotion is that we only seek nearness to Allah by carrying out His rights. However, since the sending of prayers upon Muhammad ﷺ comes from a permission from Allah Most High, it is a stronger form of compliance to the divine command. It may be likened to Allah’s command that the angels prostrate to Adam. The angels’ honor was in their compliance with Allah’s command, and Satan’s disgrace was in his contravention of Allah’s command. Another reason lies in the tried and true effects of sending prayers upon him ﷺ and the benefits of their resultant mystical illuminations and elevations of spiritual resolve (himma). It is even said—according to what Sheikh al-SanusÏ, Sheikh [Ahmad] Zarruq, and others relate—that prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ suffice one in the absence of a sheikh in the spiritual path and they stand in his place. Another reason lies in the fact that the sending of prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ brings about equilibrium in the spiritual path: one that combines the servant’s perfections and completes him, for in the prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ there is mention of Allah and His Messenger, but this is not the case for other formulas of remembrance. This is why perseverance and constancy with the [other] formulas of remembrance can bring about a state of disequilibrium and luminosity that burns away the character traits, and give rise to incandescence and heat in the constitution. On the other hand, because it is like cool water, the sending of prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ removes this heat in the constitution and strengthens the souls... [1]Allah is the Lord of lords (Rabb al-arbab), and all other expressions of lordship for other than Him are figurative when compared to His absolute Lordship (Ruboobiya).—Tr [2]Quran 5:35.Shared by Abdul Aziz Suraqah on Almadina institute website