Salikah: A Student's Digest

Life...

2010-02-09T00:15:00.001-05:00

"Life is like a river. The waters that have passed, you shall never touch again."
- Sh. Muhammad Sadiq.

Subhan'Allah!

Physical and spiritual well-being...a sign of the times...

2009-11-07T23:06:00.003-05:00

"Nice to meet you...due to the H1N1, we won't shake hands...I'm trying to make a point of that".

Sound like a Muslim? Actually, that came from our school public health nurse, who isn't Muslim.

More and more, I hear non-Muslims talking about feeling uncomfortable shaking hands because they are worried about catching the swine flu. So they decline shaking hands, and nobody really flinches -- in fact, they likely feel relieved.

Interesting that when it pertains to our physical well-being, nobody seems to mind, but when it has a spiritual basis, people are "offended". So it isn't really the refusal to shake hands that offends people, it's the impetus. All of this bespeaks the times we live in -- people are ever so concerned that their bodies, their external be healthy and well, but they criticize and ridicule those who have such concerns about their spiritual, or internal health.

How open-minded are we as a society -- really?

Food for thought.

Love

2009-10-05T19:55:00.001-05:00

Love what you love, but know that you will part it.

-hadith

Sh. Ramzy & Sh. Zahir ... Sunday August 30th, 2009

2009-08-29T22:56:00.002-05:00

The Ways: Abu Hasan al-Shadhili

2009-08-18T13:07:00.003-05:00

Imām Abū al-Hasan ash-Shādhilī, may Allah preserve his secret, said,

"Of all the Ways there are two:

the Way of Travelling (Sulūk) and the Way of... Attraction (Jadhb).

Our Way is the Way of Jadhb.

Our beginning is their end. Their beginning is ...our end."

Shaykh Abū’l-’Abbās Ahmad Zarrūq, commenting on this, said,

"The variety in a branch is due to the variety of its origin.

The origin of Tasawwuf is in the station of Ihsān

and it splits into two kinds:

‘to worship Allāh as if you see Him'

and ‘if you see Him not, He nevertheless sees you.’

The first is the degree of the Knower ('Ārif);

the latter is the degree of the Seeker (Sālik).

The Folk of ash-Shādhilī revolve around the first

and the Folk of al-Ghazālī revolve around the other."

Unrequited Love and Shifa…(Kuhlsnotes)

2009-08-14T09:03:00.003-05:00

Unrequited Love and Shifa…(Kuhlsnotes)

Shaykh Hamza told one of the most beautiful stories on love and unrequited love during the RIS Knowledge Retreat last winter in Toronto, Canada:

“… she also was very generous – Bareerah was a woman that she purchased and then set free, and the famous story about Bareerah was that she was married to someone named Mugheeth. If two slaves were married and then the woman get freed, then she can leave/divorce her husband if she wants to because now she’s free and the husband is not, so there is no parity.

So Bareerah wanted to leave Mugheeth, but Mugheeth loved her. He went into total distress,
and he literally was walking behind her around Madina begging her (to take him back).

Abbas (Rd.) was with the Prophet (saw) one day and the Prophet (saw) saw Bareerah and he said: “Isn’t it strange how much Mugheeth loves Bareerah and how much Bareerah dislikes Mugheeth?”

And the Ulema say when the Prophet (saw) said “Isn’t it strange”, the Arabs use the word “strange” only when the means/cause (sabaab, lit. ‘door’) of/to something is unknown, and that there is no need for something to be called “strange” if the cause is known.

So the Prophet (saw) was calling him to the point the strangeness of love. Love is very strange.

Why do people fall in love?

Why our hearts are attracted to some people and not other people?

Why love is sometime unrequited (returned)?

Because the worst type of love is unrequited love: when you love somebody and they don’t love you – there is nothing worst than that in the world. And obviously the worst type of unrequited love is with God. That’s why Abu Hasan as-Shadali (teacher of Ibn Ata Askandari) use to say:

“Oh God, make my wrong actions, the wrong actions of people whom You Love,
and don’t make my good actions, the good actions of people whom You do not Love.”

In other words – I would rather have wrong actions and be someone who You Love, than have good actions and be someone who You don’t Love.

So the Prophet (saw) went to Bareerah, who was the free slave of ‘Aisha, and he said: “Won’t you reconsider Mugheeth?” And she said: “are you telling me to do this, because if you tell me, then i have to do it.” He (saw) replied: “I am only interceding on his behalf”

And that’s his Shifa, he finds it difficult things you find difficult. The Prophet (saw) saw M suffering and he wanted to help him. That shows you his ’shafiqa’, even in love he wanted to help this poor man who was suffering from the loss of his love.

So when the Prophet (saw) replied that he was only interceding, Bareerah replied: “I don’t have any need for him”. So there was something arrogant in her answer, as she was free and he was still a slave – there was something there from her nafs.

Now when Mugheeth saw that Bareerah rejected intercession from the one that even God had given intercession, Mugheeth lost all desire for her – just taken out of his heart. And at that point when he lost all desire for Bareerah, suddenly she fell madly in love with him – like a punishment for rejecting the intercession of the Prophet (saw) – he did not want anything to do with her, yet she was now begging him to take her back now!… “

If the veils were lifted...

2009-08-02T00:58:00.003-05:00

"As it's said, if the veils were lifted

you wouldn't choose for yourself other than what God has chosen."

Our sister's wonderfully written reflections on the mubarak time that we had at Camp Nur.

The Falls and the Spiritual Path

2009-07-30T11:02:00.005-05:00

Bismillah.

We went on the Maid of the Mist at Niagara yesterday -- my first time. Subhan'Allah, the Falls are such a majestic Sign of the Creator and a metaphor for the Spiritual Path.

The Falls look stunning from a distance -- one longs to go closer and is certain they can endure that proximity.

As one approaches, the waters get rougher, the ferry begins to shake, one can hardly bare the brightness and the rain upon one and yet there's such a sweetness and desire to go even closer.

And even far off in the distance, the mist touches one. Just as Allah's Mercy does.

Deafness and Blindness on the Path

2009-07-22T10:06:00.004-05:00

Last Friday I was fortunate enough to sit in one of the best Jummu'a khutbas that I've heard in a long time. One of the things that made it so wonderful was that the entire talk was about Mercy...Allah's Mercy, the Messenger's mercy (peace and blessings be upon him), and the mercy that we should all have for one another and for all of creation. And our teacher reminded us of something another one of our teachers once said to him,

"He who does not have a little deafness in his ear and a little blindness in his eye, cannot travel with us on this Path".

Allah!

Houses: A Reflection of the State of our Hearts

2009-07-21T16:58:00.007-05:00

The other day my mother was telling me something she'd heard on a Punjabi show she was watching with my father. A Punjabi aunty (Sikh), was reflecting on families in our times, and what came from her is a testament to the absolute wisdom that people traditionally had ... and when it's Punjabi, wisdom is even more profound! :)

"When we had homes made of mud and clay,

our hearts were soft like them, too.

People sacrificed so much for one another

and were always bound to one another in love and service.

Now our homes are made of bricks and cement,

and our hearts are hard like them.

We don't care for one another

and don't care if relationships are sour or torn."

She went on to talk about how our hearts are so diseased that rather than being happy at the good fortune of others, we are envious and think the worst of how they acquired what they have.

Subhan'Allah. As Shaykh Mokhtar said, "Allah puts wisdom on the tongue of whomsoever He wishes".

On the "Why" of Sufis: A Reflection

2009-06-16T15:16:00.001-05:00

The only real friends, companions, intimates (other than one's family) are the people of Allah. They look upon one with the eye of mercy, not that of blame; they have no self interest, since they're Self-interested; they have no time for the distractions in this world, and, as a result, do not bring one down--they only bring one up, and this is because they aspire to be 'up'; they remember when everyone else forgets--that is, they remember God when everyone else forgets Him, and they remember themselves when everyone forgets themselves; at the same time, the Sufis forget when everyone else remembers--Shaykh Nuh explains that "with every remembrance there is a forgetting"--so when the Sufis remember God, they forget the world and all its illusions, while when the common folk forget God, they remember the world and its illusions. In short, the people of Allah are the real people; their way is the best way, and their striving the purest striving; they don't care about anything but Him, and, by virtue of loving and knowing the Source of the all, they know the all, and can thus care for the all.

The Subtle Nafs...

2009-05-11T18:38:00.002-05:00

A dear teacher of mine was recently talking to us about repentance, and the subtle nature of the nafs that prides itself even in a state of tawbah... "how could I do this?...I'm better than that!" not just sheer regret out of having disobeyed Allah.

Allahu Akbar.

We are in one of two states...

2009-05-04T21:52:00.002-05:00

...we're either in ghafla or we're in dhikr.

Seven Questions - Shams-i Tabrizi

2009-04-06T11:13:00.001-05:00

"You must bind yourself to knowing this: 'Who am I? What substance am I? Why have I come? Where am I going? Whence is my root? At this time what am I doing? Toward what have I turned my face?'"

- From Me & Rumi: The Autobiography of Shams-i Tabrizi. Trans. W. C. Chittick (Louisville: Fons Vitae, 2004), 51.

Lost Generation & the Obama Song

2009-04-03T20:04:00.004-05:00

A brilliant composition -- notice your mood at first and in the end.

Lost Generation

...and another video, The Obama Song

done as a joint project by students and teachers is also worth watching.

Thoughts on the solar anniversary of my entry into this world...

2009-03-23T22:06:00.002-05:00

Alhamdulillah 'ala kulli haal.

How many a blessing that Merciful Lord has bestowed on this unworthy servant? How many a second chance has He provided? How much Love has He poured forth out of nothing, but His Pure Bounty and Largess?

Alhamdulillah.

The other day I spoke to my beloved sister on the Path of God and she mentioned that her family celebrates birthdays by getting together and reciting surah waqiyah and singing anasheeds. How mubarak a way of showing gratitude for life! May we all implement this blessed way, and on our birthdays, recite in praise of the Merciful Lord Who has bestowed us with life so that we may draw closer to Him.

Allahu Akbar!

Alhamdulillah, it's almost here...!

2009-03-06T22:58:00.006-05:00

Date: Sun. March 8, 2009
Admission: Free

Risalah Foundation - www.risalah.ca
905-482-3200
contact@risalah.ca

The Road Not Taken - Robert Frost

2009-03-04T21:35:00.003-05:00

Bismillah. Strange how another's words can often express one's own experience so well that it is as if one had written them oneself!

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that, the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood,and I

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

The Fear of God - Robert Frost

2009-03-04T21:25:00.003-05:00

Bismillah. I'm currently listening to Shaykh Hamza Yusuf's Refinement of the Heart CD set. Masha'Allah, as Salik commented, "classic Shaykh Hamza!" Anyhow, he mentions the following poem by Robert Frost which is just beautiful!

The Fear of God

If you should rise from Nowhere up to Somewhere,
From being No one up to being Someone,
Be sure to keep repeating to yourself
You owe it to an arbitrary god
Whose mercy to you rather than to others
Won’t bear to critical examination.
Stay unassuming. If for lack of license
To wear the uniform of who you are,
You should be tempted to make up for it
In a subordinating look or toe,
Beware of coming too much to the surface
And using for apparel what was meant
To be the curtain of the inmost soul.

- Robert Frost

Night among the ‘Alawiyya - The Wandering Troubadour

2009-03-04T21:18:00.008-05:00

Bismillah. Our city was recently honoured by a visit by the noble master, Shaykh Nuh Keller. Among his many students, was our dear brother, the Wandering Troubadour. Below is his poem for the fuqara...yet another beautiful composition!

Night among the ‘Alawiyya

Paradise is in your company
O brethren hearts of ‘Alawi.

I came to your perfumed garden,
Your wandering cousin of Hashimi.

You took me in a full embrace.
Sweet love burned between you and me.

Paradise is in your company
O brethren hearts of ‘Alawi.

We poured our hearts into the air,
Loosed all chains, and set them free.

You took me and lowered my hood
And pure love was all I could see.

Paradise is in your company
O brethren hearts of ‘Alawi.

In your tender gaze, I was a
Virgin bride unveiled and ready.

We shared more than words understood.
Words danced in speechless ecstasy.

Paradise is in your company
O brethren hearts of ‘Alawi.

Hand-in-hand and hand-in-sleeve
We danced and roared our love fully.

With your eyes you pointed our hearts,
Your breath was ours, a living sea.

Paradise is in your company
O brethren hearts of ‘Alawi.

Wave upon wave pounded until
No cruel shore could resist our plea.

Allah. Allah. Allah, Sidi!
This port of love was destiny.

Paradise is in your company
O brethren hearts of ‘Alawi.

It's that special time of year...Mawlid Season!

2009-02-26T18:51:00.003-05:00

Bismillah. Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah ta'Ala, the Mawlid al-Nabi is just around the corner!

Mark Sunday March 8th @ 5pm on your calendar for a great mawlid celebration at Risalah Foundation. Click here for details.

See you there, insha'Allah!

Ottawa / Montreal Dhikrs?

2009-02-19T20:22:00.001-05:00

Bismillah.

Does anyone know of any dhikrs in Ottawa or Montreal?

Please reply here or email me at salikah@hotmail.com

Shukran!

SeekersGuidance Spring 2009!

2009-02-16T17:44:00.003-05:00

Bismillah.

SeekersGuidance's Spring 2009 Courses are Open for Registration!

I attended the Fiqh of Life: The Essentials of Halal and Haram course live the past few months in Mississauga and can say that it is well worth signing up for!

Accessible AND affordable knowledge from the convenience of your own computer.

Other particularly excellent and relevant courses are: Money Matters and Commercial Transactions.

For the complete course catologue, click here.

May Allah give you much success in your studies and may He bless the shuyukh and people at SeekersGuidance. Ameen

Wassalam.

Toronto Suhba with Shaykh Nuh Keller: February 26th-March 1st

2009-02-04T23:08:00.001-05:00

Alhamdulillah wa Shukrulillah, we are pleased to announce that the Toronto Suhba with Shaikh Nuh Keller will take place from Thursday February 26, 2009 to Sunday March 1, 2009. everyone is invited to attend. Only those of you who plan to attend for the entire suhba are encouraged to preregister in order to make the appropriate khidmah arrangements

Toronto Suhba 2009 with Shaykh Nuh Keller

Speaker Bio: http://shadhilitariqa.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3

Dates: Thursday February 26, 2009 to Sunday March 1, 2009

Location:
Islamic Society of York Region (Stouffville Masjid)1380 Stouffville Road Richmond Hill, Ontario

Registration and further info: www.torontosuhba.com

Monthly Mawlid at Risalah - Sunday February 1st, 2009

2009-01-28T18:12:00.006-05:00

The monthly mawlid gathering at Risalah Foundation is this

Sunday February 1st, 2009 at 11am

If you haven't yet attended, we highly recommend taking part in this mubarak gathering - the revival of a very traditional practice.

Burda Sharif & Dala'il al-Khayrat

Dalail al-Khairat is the famous collection of litanies sending blessings and peace upon the Prophet Muhammed (S), authored by the great scholar and Gnostic Imam abi-AbdilLah Muhammad bin Sulaiman al-Jazuli (RA) The majlis will include recitations of The Holy Quran, the Dala'il text and a reading of the renowned ode of praise to the Prophet (S), Qasida al- Burda of Imam al-Busairi. In addition, the majlis often includes readings from the grand compositions of various Awliya and Imams of Islamic tradition.

Risalah Foundation will endeavour to hold this gathering on the first Sunday of every month, insha Allah. You can find details on our website, http://www.risalah.ca/burda.php.

Love Post-Hadra

2009-01-19T17:06:00.006-05:00

So many warm smiles that care.
So many shoulders to lean on.
So many to share in our happiness.

...So many that love us ever so sincerely.

But why? What does it mean?

Perhaps it is that Allah's Love, so Intensely Powerful and Strong, in its Purest form, is a Love that we cannot bare -- one by which, enraptured, we would cease to live.

Perhaps this is why our Loving Lord has put these people in our lives. The warm smiles of loved ones and passing strangers. The counsel and support of shoulders we lean on. The joy-lit eyes of well-wishers. The love in all forms, shapes, sizes, and means.

Perhaps this is the way by which Allah lets the Rays of His Loving Light come to us in a way that we can bare.

They are His Smiles, His Support, His Joy...His Love. Glory be to Him.

One of the Greatest Afflictions of Our Ummah

2009-01-07T18:23:00.011-05:00

Salik and I were reading a little booklet from Shaykh Yahya, and something the author says really stood out for us as a very poignant remark about the ummah in our times.

"One of the most dangerous things that has afflicted the youth of the community is their ignorance of the life and pure, fragrant characteristics of their Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), such that, were you to say to one of them, 'write what you know about your Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)', their knowledge would not exceed a page!"

May Allah protect us from ignorance of our beloved and noble Messenger; the Chosen One; the Beloved of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace).

- Wamadat min hadyi al-Nabi al-Khatam (alayhi salat wa salam) by 'Abd al-Majid al-Bayanuni

The Human Heart and Gaza

2009-01-06T11:57:00.004-05:00

It is indeed sad that the same heart that, when nurtured and cleansed, is capable of knowing Allah and saving the lives of strangers, can, when hardened, become blind and inhumane.

It is indeed sad that the offspring of those who suffered, can inflict such horror on others.

BBC Story on the hospital in Gaza

The Koran is like a Bride - Mawlana Rumi

2009-01-03T00:47:00.002-05:00

The Koran is like a bride. Although you pull the veil away from her face, she does not show herself to you. When you investigate the Koran, but receive no joy or mystical unveiling, it is because your pulling at the veil has caused you to be rejected. The Koran has deceived you and shown itself as ugly. It says, "I am not that beautiful bride." It is able to show itself in any form it desires. But if you stop pulling at its veil and seek its good pleasure; if you water its field, serve it from afar and strive in that which pleases it, then it will show you its face without any need for you to draw aside its veil.

Translated in William Chittick, The Sufi Path of Love: The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1983), 273.

Shaykh Habib Umar bin Hafiz - A Message for the New Year

2009-01-02T02:09:00.002-05:00

By: Al-Habib Umar bin Hafiz, Director, Dar al-Mustafa for the Islamic Sciences (Tarim, Yemen) Translated by: Amin Buxton

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The following is summarised from a talk given by Habib Umar bin Hafiz (Allah preserve him):

[1] We bid farewell to a another year of the Hijra of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), a year which contains a number of days and nights which are what makes up your lifespan. If a day passes then a part of you has passed. You are but a body and spirit existent in a limited time period. When that period comes to an end you come to an end. It is only those of sound intellect who realise the true value of these days and nights that pass. They know that it is He Who made the Night and the Day to follow each other: for the one who wishes to reflect or to show gratitude.

[2]Whatever anyone has achieved throughout the days and nights that has not increased them in reflection and gratitude has missed the purpose and fundamental wisdom for which these days and nights were created and for which mankind was created. We witness the passing of time and the alternation of seasons and changes and events. Things which are agreeable to us; things which are unpleasant – all of which test us. We witness the passing away of those who live alongside, some of it expected, some of it unexpected. All of this is by the decree of the All-Powerful Sovereign. We welcome likewise a new year. Every individual must look at their level of reflection and gratitude so they may obtain their provision from these days and nights. Amongst the meanings of reflection is removing the veils from the spirit to remember the original covenant which it took with its Lord and clearing away the dust to extend its gaze to its eventual destination. As for gratitude, everything which is of any benefit to creation comes into its sphere. The Master of Creation said (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), “Should I not be a grateful slave?” and he is the most grateful of creation to the Creator, and through his gratitude we show gratitude to the Creator. May Allah bind us to him in this life and the next. It is He Who made the Night and the Day to follow each other: for the one who wishes to reflect or to show gratitude . What are the signs and the attributes of the people of reflection and gratitude? Read the eleven attributes that follow this verse, beginning with: And the slaves of the Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, "Peace!" Those who spend the night in worship of their Lord prostrate and standing

[3] Reflect upon these attributes and ask yourself what portion you have of them. Do not be content merely to pass over them superficially. Delve into them deeply, hold firm to them and actualise their meanings. Each of these attributes has a residing place in your inner being. If each attribute finds its place you will, in your inner being, be one of the slaves of the Most Gracious and every day and night you will increase in reflection and gratitude, and He will prepare you for an indescribable reward. “I have prepared for my righteous slaves that which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and what no man can imagine.” The majority of the people of Islam and Iman have made no preparation for the vision of the face of the Best of Mankind, accompanying him on the day of Crowding and then in Dar al-Salam, the Abode of Peace. Does this warrant you giving anything less than your all? How much have you put towards this: of your thoughts, your actions, the attributes of your heart, of the hours of your day and night? After the death of the Messenger of Allah Sayyiduna al-Siddiq would spend his nights crying out of his longing for him. Do we allow the ups and downs of this fleeting life and the desires of our enemies to tear these feelings away from us? Will you exchange the better for the worse? All you who believe, accompanying him is greater than anything we can imagine. There is no gift more exquisite that the Lord of the Throne may bless you with than his companionship and the vision of his face and addressing the possessor of that face. He is a man like no other, the Beloved of the Creator. If these feelings were alive in the hearts of the Umma all causes of evil inward and outward would be blocked and the Umma would be safe from every tribulation. The level of tribulation in which we find ourselves is according to our deficiency in our love for Allah and His Chosen One. At the end of this year may Allah grant us the ability to please His Beloved through seeking to improve our states and our transactions and what takes places in our houses and what is in our hearts. Nothing should be more beloved to us than Allah and nothing in creation, not even Paradise, should be more beloved to us than Muhammad. No created thing can take precedence over Muhammad, because Allah Himself gave him precedence over all of creation.

For this reason the Companion Salama ibn Rabi`a could think of nothing better to ask from the Messenger of Allah than his companionship in Paradise. The response of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was to order him to make abundant prostration. The closest a slave is to Allah is when he is in prostration. If you desire to be close to the one who is closest to Allah make abundant prostration. One of the meanings of this prostration is to rid our houses of anything which is contravenes his Sunna, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Let this Hijri year finish and with it any contravention of the Sunna. This is prostration. You want to accompany him but you don’t want to live in accordance with his teaching? Let this year finish and you are in a state of preparation to meet the best of Allah’s slaves.
________________________________________
[1] Jalsat al-Ithnayn, Jami` Tarim, the night of 25th Dhu’l-Hijja 1429
[2] Sura al-Furqan, 25.62
[3] Sura al-Furqan, 25.63-74

RIS

2008-12-29T09:11:00.002-05:00

...the conference is done...let the retreat begin!

Alhamdulillah, the convention was nice...saw lots of people I hadn't seen in a while as well as those I'm blessed to see regularly.

Insha'Allah, more on RIS after the retreat is over.

Allah Ma'ak.

Shaykh Ramzy on Forgiveness and Madinah

2008-12-24T13:04:00.007-05:00

Bismillah.

I was looking through my notebook during the break in Shaykh Faraz's halaqa last week and started reading through previous notes I'd taken. I came across many beautiful words from our teachers and journal entries from Hajj.

On our second night in Madinah, once the entire group had arrived, Shaykh Ramzy gathered us all in the lobby of our hotel and gave us some advice. He spoke of forgiving one another for what happened in the past and what for what will come (especially given the intimate nature of the pilgrimage) -- in the city of our Noble Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), we should intend to forgive, as this is his sunnah. Allah pardons and loves those who pardon. We expect Allah to forgive us and yet cannot find it in our hearts to forgive others -- if we do not forgive, our hearts will have something in them that will interfere in receiving the forgiveness of Allah.

The Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) has the greatest heart for forgiveness -- on the yawm al-hashr, all Prophets (upon them be peace) will say, "this affair is not for me", but he (Allah bless him and give him peace) will say, "this is for me" and will not rest until each Muslim is forgiven -- and then he will ask for the pardon of other communities, Allah bless him and give him peace.

About Madinah, the blessed companion, 'Umar said, it is the holiest place on earth, and 'Uthman agreed with him (Allah be well-pleased with them both).

The soil mixes with his blessed living body, he hears each and every salam and responds, and Allah sends His salam on each person ten times.

"Allah and the angels bless the Prophet,

O you who believe, send peace and blessings upon him."

As we watch what we eat and purchase despite knowing the waste they will eventually end up in, we should watch what goes in our hearts, for the heart and its deeds live on in the grave.

***

This last note that Shaykh Ramzy made is, I believe, of utmost importance. Far too often we neglect to realize, or we brush off, the impact of what we expose our senses to. I remember years ago Shaykh Abdallah Adhami said that whatever our ears and eyes and limbs are exposed to lives on in us forever -- he cautioned us to pay heed to what words we listen to and what scenes we watch. How many conversations to we expose our ears and soul to that our full of backbiting, tale-baring, vulgarities? How many lyrics and sounds to we listen to that perturb the heart and throw us into heedlessness? How many violent, vulgar scenes do we see, even for a split second on television and in movies, thinking we're unscathed, but they live on in the recesses of our hearts forever?

Food for thought.

Love is All You Need

2008-12-24T10:40:00.002-05:00

Love is All You Need
Strengthening Communal Ties

Wednesday, December 24th, 6.30 to 9 pm

Imam Zaid Shakir
Shaykh Jawad Qureshi (Chicago)
Shaykh Omar Qureshi (Chicago)
Shaykh Zahir Bacchus
Shaykh Ramzy Ajem
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

At the IMO (International Muslim Organization)
65 Rexdale Blvd, Rexdale, ON
Google Maphttp://www.imooftoronto.com/
IMO

The Prophet (alayhi salat wa salam)

2008-12-21T16:10:00.003-05:00

...Light Embodied.

Fatiha

2008-12-16T21:57:00.002-05:00

Bismillah.

AsSalamu'alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,

Verily, from Allah we came and to Him we are returning.

My mother's last surviving uncle -- my grandfather's brother, passed away a few days ago in Lahore, Pakistan. He was a righteous man in his mid-eighties, and I have fond memories from when I spent time with him as a young girl.

Please make fatiha for him. May Allah have mercy on Him, make easy the trials of the grave and the next world, and make his union with Him, one of intense sweetness. May we be united in Jannah. Ameen.

Wassalam,
Salikah

Welcome Back, Hujjaj!

2008-12-15T17:52:00.004-05:00

Bismillah.

Insha'Allah, this is the week that many of our dear brothers and sisters who embarked on the noble journey of hajj are to return home to us.

Hajj Mabrur, insha'Allah!

In honour of the hujjaj, the monthly Burda and Dala'il Reading at Risalah will be taking place this Sunday Decemeber 21st, 2008 from 11am-1pm.

Please join us in welcoming back the hujjaj!

Wassalam,

Salikah

And which of your Lord's bounties, will you and you deny?

2008-12-02T19:45:00.009-05:00

These trees, their leaves and flowers. Were they created to witness the filthy sight of sin?

This earth. Was it created so that we might sin upon it?

The sky. Was it created to watch our heedlessness?

How often have we gone about disobedience of our Lord and not once thought to how we have offended the nature that surrounds us?

How often have we neglected to think how are sinful acts, words, deeds must make the purity of trees, leaves, flowers, the sky, the earth...all cringe at our pitiful state?

How often have we not thought how nature must weep that its destiny was so poor as to be made witness to egos engulfed in sin?

Indeed we are taught that the trees lay in wait of someone to pass them who is in the remembrance of Allah so they may boast to the other trees of the good that they have been made witness to. And so do we not pause to reflect on what shame they must feel when not only is such a person absent, but in their place passes a person who is in opposition to the command of Allah?

On that Day, those trees, those leaves and flowers, that sky, that earth...all will be given a voice and all will cry out to their Lord as witnesses against us for having sinned near, below, or upon them. Pay heed, dear brothers and sisters. Pay heed.

We should not let time pass us by, we should not neglect a moment of life that Allah bestows upon us, but that we retrace those sinful steps, and in each place of disobedience, return in an act of obedience and penitence, seeking Allah's forgiveness and that of each witness. We must humble ourselves. We must weep. We must beg our Lord that He write us from amongst those who were penitent and remembered Him. We must beseech our witnesses to remember only the good that we did before them, and not the evil.

How Merciful is Allah, that not only did He not take us in such a filthy state, but that He gave us life. Life to repent. Life to learn. Life to return to that very place, a person transformed, a person realized, a person aware.

And which of your Lord's bounties, will you and you deny?

Welcome, Dhul Hijjah!

2008-11-29T22:13:00.003-05:00

Bismillah.

Peace & blessings upon our noble messenger, his family, companions, & those who follow him.

Today marks the start of Dhul Hijjah!

Subhan'Allah, last year at this time Salik and I were in the most blessed lands on earth. This year as the hujjaj leave -- including Shaykh Ramzy and Shaykh Zahid who were with us, in addition to Shaykh Abdallah who is joining them this year! -- my heart really isn't here right now...it seems to have run off with them. Before they left I asked them to remember us there, as bits of my heart are spread throughout the mubarak lands to which Allah has returned them. May Allah bless their journey and that of all of the hujjaj. Hajj Mabrur insha'Allah.

We must however, remember that even if we aren't able to be in those luminous lands, we should nevertheless, pay heed to the days that are upon us and honour them.

Some advice on what to do the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah from Shaykh Faraz.

Please remember us in your prayers these blessed days.

May He Most High, return us to the sacred sanctuaries again. Ameen.

Wassalam,
Salikah

Shaykh Abdallah al-Haddad on the Signs of Allah's Love Upon One...

2008-11-26T17:07:00.007-05:00

Bismillah.

AsSalamu'alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,

The past three weeks we have been blessed in Toronto with the luminous company of our noble teacher, Shaykh Abdallah al-Haddad of Fez. Prior to his arrival, a dear sister of mine said "get ready to fall in love!" Shaykh came and enveloped us with his love and mercy, and a man we little knew before his arrival has become over the course of a few weeks the most beloved to our hearts. Indeed, we fell in love with his loving smile, his sweet words, his care and concern. Seeing one of our elders, a wali of Allah, a descendant of the Noblest Messenger Sayyidina Muhammad (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam), a Shaykh, a manfull of humility, give of his time and self completely to the fuqara',has been inspirational.

As he parts us to make hajj before returning home to his family in Fez, we thank Allah for having blessed us with his company and we pray that Allah bless his every moment, make easy his hajj and travels, return him safely to his family, grant him ease, and unite us once more.

Below are some notes I took at the Sunday night dars with Shaykh, where he spoke of the signs of Allah's love upon one.

May Allah love and bless you all. Please pray for Shaykh and those left saddened by his departure.

Wassalam,

Salikah

Signs of the love of Allah upon one:

Hadith:

"I declare war upon anyone who shows enmity towards My friends.... My servant continues to draw close to Me through supererogatory works until I love him. And when I love him, I am his hearing through which he hears, his eyes through which he sees, and his foot upon which he walks."

Three things have been hidden in three:

1) Allah's dispeasure is hidden in disobedience of Him.

Therefore, do not underestimate even what you deem to be the smallest sin because it could be that Allah takes your life at a moment in which you die in a state of sin. It is said in a hadith that a man may do the actions of the people of Paradise unti there remains between him and Paradise an arm-span. Then the decree will catch up with him and he will do the actions of the people of Hell and will be placed therein. Likewise a man may do the actions of the people of Hell unti there remains between him and Hell an arm-span. Then the decree will catch up with him and he will do the actions of the people of Paradise and will be placed therein.
Do not underestimate small sins because a large bonfire starts as asmall flame.

2) Allah's pleasure is hidden in obedience of Him.

Therefore do not belittle any religious act, even the removal of a banana peel from the road, for that could save somebody else a lot of hardship (i.e., if the peel were not removed, they could fall, get hurt, etc.)
Superogatory works are never equal to obligatory works. Both are a means of drawing closer to Allah. Also, we often leave an easy means of benefit for an action which requires much work and no benefit at all. For instance, commiting adultery and drinking alcohol are mandatory to avoid and you are rewarded simply by not doing anything, whereas doing them requires time, effort, and money.
Rewards/punishments are eternal except for the one who sincerely repents.

3) Allah's awliya' are hidden amongst the people.

A hadith speaks of dishevelled one whose du'as are accepted because he is hidden and goes unnoticed. Allah loves the pure and pious whose name nobody knows when they walk in and whom nobody misses when they are not present. Therefore, never disdain any of the creation because you don't know who the awliya' are. You cannot create something better, so do not despise the creation of Allah, lest Allah declares war upon you.
Do not mock, backbite, or speak ill of anyone.
Do not wink and laugh with your friends at others because Allah says in the Qur'an that the disbelievers do this to the believers when they see them pass by.

Nafilah (superogatory) works of the limbs:

Eyes lowered, heart cleansed of ailments, ears from bad language/sounds, lead to external and inner purity. When this happens, a person's system changes and Allah becomes, as the hadith says, the eyes with which they see, the hearing with which they hear, the foot upon which they walk. In such a state, resulting from leaving what has been forbidden, such a person becomes as if controlled by a satellite: he can communicate with Allah as he likes, and He with him.
When Allah loves a person He tells Jibril, "I love so and so, so love him." Jibril then tells the angels, "Allah loves so and so, so love him" until he is loved by the people.

*Be persistent in du'a and prayers of the heart.

Baba Bullay Shah and the Charlatan's Lota

2008-11-18T17:03:00.000-05:00

During the lifetime of the wali Allah, Baba Bullay Shah, there was a charlatan who claimed knowledge of the unseen. People visited the man in regards to their affairs, and would honour him with money and gifts for his "wisdom". When Baba heard of him, he had his suspicions and so went to meet him. While with him, Baba hid his lota*. At the end of their meeting, they exchanged pleasantries, and the charlatan exclaimed, "wait! where did my lota disappear to?!". At this Baba Bullay Shah said, "you claim to know the ins and outs of the unseen world, but you cannot find your lota?!".

*Lota (Urdu/Punjabi): watering jug used for cleansing in the washroom.

Yup, that's a real Punjabi saint...wisdom with a sense of humour! : )

Filth

2008-11-18T17:02:00.000-05:00

There was a man who was very concerned with the outwards of purification, always making sure he was clean and polished. Upon seeing him, a saint exclaimed "you are so concerned about the purification of your outward, and yet you have never looked to the purification of your inward filth!".

A good reminder to those of us with mild symptoms of OCD : )

Obama Wins!

2008-11-04T23:33:00.005-05:00

May Allah make this a means of better times for people all around the world. May He guide Obama to do that which is just, always. Ameen.

In Chicago...

2008-11-01T18:33:00.002-05:00

for another day. Any tips on good food and good places?

Shukran!

Salikah

Pink Hijab Day - Oct. 29

2008-10-27T22:26:00.004-05:00

Wednesday October 29th, 2008 is Pink Hijab Day.

Muslim women across the world will be wearing a Pink Hijab or headscarf, to raise awareness for breast cancer and show their solidarity with those who are battling this disease.

So, girls, remember to wear your pink hijabs!

Addendum: I decided to try "Pink Hijab Day" at work (I teach high school). Alhamdulillah, it went well...for practical purposes I extended it to wearing anything pink...but one teacher asked to wear hijab and she kept it on all day, and another man wore one around his neck as as a scarf...tonnes of teachers and students came out in pink and we did a homeroom collection of donations for the Canadian Cancer Society. Overall, it was quite fun -- good dawah, good cause.

In the agony suffered for You...

2008-10-26T23:08:00.002-05:00

In the agony suffered for You,
the wounded find the scent of balm:
The memory of you consoles the souls of lovers.
Thousands in every corner, seeking a glimpse of You,
cry out like Moses, "Lord, show me Yourself!"
I see thousands of lovers lost in a desert of grief,
wandering aimlessly and saying hopefully,
"O God! O God!"
I see breasts scorched by the burning of separation from You;
I see eyes weeping in love's agony.
Dancing down the lane of blame and censure,
your lovers cry out, "Poverty is my source of pride!"
Pir-i Ansar has quaffed the wine of longing:
Like Majnun he wanders drunk and perplexed
through the world.
- Abd Allah Ansari's introduction to the Munajat

Words of the Awliya'

2008-10-26T22:56:00.004-05:00

Was having a qabd kind of day so I decided to open up a book and see what my masters Abd Allah Ansari and Ibn Ata'illah had to say to me. May Allah have mercy on them, and benefit us by their wisdom.

O God,
If I have not been a friend,
I have not been an enemy either.
Although I persist in sinning,
still I confess your oneness.
No matter how much you take away from me,
I take nothing away from you.
- Abd Allah Ansari (Munajat)

That which the gnostics seek from God
is sincerity in servanthood
and performance of the rights of Lordship.
- Ibn Ata'illah (Hikam)

Hajj Tips: For Those Intending to Make the Journey, by Allah's Permission

2008-10-25T20:15:00.028-05:00

Intellectual Preparation:

Know your fiqh! The greatest cause of confusion, argument, and mistakes I saw in people on hajj was a lack of knowing the fiqh of hajj. Alhamdulillah, Sh. Ramzy had prepared us extraordinarily well, but other groups we met were often quite confused.

Read up! Get a good, reliable book(s) of one madhab.
Ideally, go with a group that knows what they're doing. Traditionally trained scholars as leaders are indispensible.
Whatever madhab you follow, Imam al-Ghazali's book on pilgrimage is worthwhile in pointing out points of adab that could make a big difference on your hajj experience.

Spiritual Preparation:

Try and spend time with your group and group leader – build bonds with them. Talk to people who have gone recently – everyone who goes, longs to go again and their longing will, insha’Allah, increase yours and raise your excitement about going. Take the books that speak to your heart and those that are super mubarak. My favourites:

Qur’an – Arabic and a good translation like Arberry
Prayers for Forgiveness
Dalail Khayrat
Salat and Salam
A Sira book

Listening to Shaykh Hamza Yusuf’s lessons on the Life of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) are a good way to increase in one’s love for him (Allah bless him and give him peace) before visiting Madinah. Remember to make as much salawat as possible, going to, and staying in Madinah, and remember to take advantage of the barakah and purity of the masjid.

Take a nice misbaha with you, since you are visiting the most Mubarak sites on the planet. There you can make du’a on them, and get the tabarruk of the kaba and the rawdah.
Make a lot of istighfar from the heart. Salat al-tawbah. Prayers for Forgiveness helps with tawbah, too.
Make du’a that Allah make your hajj Mubarak and accepted.
Send salawat in abundance in preparation for your visit to Madinah.
Read the accounts of others who have gone, like Malcolm X. There are some such books. Additionally, there is our own account.

Physical Preparation:

Exercise. In the weeks leading up to hajj, try and start walking and doing some exercise to strengthen your body.

What to pack? Pack Light! I definitely over-packed when we went...I’m quite particular about my “needs” and quite sensitive on the whole...so sisters out there who are like me, rest-assured.

A nice warm shawl, sweater, or poncho. Makkah is hot. Mina is hot, the tents are AC’d. Madinah is hot in the days, very nice at night. All you need by way of keeping warm in terms of clothing is a nice warm shawl or sweater.
A good sleeping bag. I get cold very easily so I took a nice insulated Columbia sleeping bag with me – because I’m sensitive to hotel detergents, etc. I actually used to lay this out even in the hotels...it became my means of comfort...I could sleep anywhere so long as I had this sleeping bag! In Mina we were give a mattress, sheet, pillow, and blanket – again, I just put my sleeping bag on top! In the tents at Mina I’d often bury my face in it to avoid the AC and various coughs that rang around me.
Three Abayas or Thawbs will suffice. And some shalwar kameez or pajamas to wear underneath. Laundry is very easy and quick to get done!
A Small Bag. I took a Mountain Co-op shoulder strap bag with me. It was just big enough to put my sandals in, along with hotel cards, etc.
Money Belt. No need to worry about your passport (since the Saudis hold it), but for credit/debit cards and cash, it’s useful. Better, in my opinion for a woman to wear it underneath the layers of clothes. Men, for whom it’s easier for pick-pockets to get to, might also want to keep their valueables out of sight. Stashed money in a pant pocket that can be buttoned, is pretty safe if kept under a thobe. Take a few hundred dollars in cash, and if you need more you can take it out using the ATM (call your bank/credit card company ahead of time and let them know you'll be travelling). One finds not much cash is needed since most meals are covered by the group.
Cell Phone. Our group provided us with SIM cards, so all we did is take our SIM compatible cell phones with us and we could all stay in touch with local Saudi numbers. Very useful in case of separation, but be prepared to deal with poor signal reception.
Cameras. The guards are quite strict about cameras. In Madinah you and your bag are searched thoroughly and even cell phones with cameras are not permitted. In Makkah things are a little less tight, but guards do still search. My camera broke the day we began hajj and I think it was for the best because it prevented me from getting distracted.
MP3 Player. Nice to listen to Qur’an, hadras, dhikrs, qasidas, and lessons on hajj from the Shuyukh. I also used mine to record the adhan and recitation in the haramayn. Men should be careful about headphones during ihram.
Undergarments. So I must say, I personally believe that in all the hustle and bustle of hajj, one should not be worrying about washing undergarments. Taking enough old ones to have one for each day, or purchasing enough from a dollar store so that you can simply dispose of them as you go is a really good idea!
Seal Skin Socks or Khuffs. Very useful, especially during the days of hajj so you can just wipe in public washrooms.
Comfy Sandals. This depends on you, but it’s rather warm so I preferred sandals (the kind you can wear with Seal Skins on) and even outside of the days of hajj, I like to be able to make wudu and put on my sandals without having to deal with socks). Having something with a heel strap might be more secure.
Unscented Soap. A few bars worth – something for Mina, as well as to keep with you when you’re moving around during the days of Hajj. Natural Health stores carry them.
Unscented Deodorant. Really important, especially at Mina since showering isn't always easy, especially since you don't want hair falling out.
Hand-Sanitizer. For use outside of the days of Hajj.
Medical Kit. Very important. I packed:

Vitamin C. Start taking this way before you leave and continue daily!
Birth Control: For the ladies, as much as I dislike these, it’s a good way to be able to make all the rights of hajj with one’s group. But see your doctor!
Glucose pills: for when you feel dehydrated, but don’t want to drink a tonne of water).
Tylenol: good for when you start feeling flu symptoms, are fatigued or feverish.
Advil: for any other pains, inflammations, etc.
PeptoBismol: For those times that the food just doesn’t sit too well.
Tums. Heartburn, indigestion, and the like.
Gravol: When you really feel like the food didn’t sit well!
Cough Drops: Whichever ones you like. My preference is Ricola and cough drop-centred Halls.
Vicks Vapo-Rub: This is good for if/when you do get sick. When I couldn’t stop coughing at night in Makkah, my dear friend and roommate with mommy experience, taught me a great trick so I’ll share it here. Rub Vicks on your neck/chest and then wrap a towel around it...helps the cough go away at nights so you can sleep.
Band-Aids, alcohol wipes.

Madinah:

Adab! You are in the city of the Chosen One (Allah bless him and give him peace) – show adab to the ground, to the people, and most of all, to him and Allah. Make ghusl and go to visit him as soon as you can. Thank him for allowing to come to his city, Allah bless him and give him peace, and thank Allah for His Mercy upon you.
Visiting the Rawdah. From what I know, the Rawdah is always open to brothers. It opens to sisters after fajr until 10am, after dhuhr for one hour, and from 8pm to midnight. The morning and night are the best times to visit since the hour in the afternoon is a short time and most who try to go, don’t get in. If you use that time to eat lunch and rest, you have more energy to go at night. Go early and wait for the gates to open. The guards try to divide you by country of origin – speaking English only helps because they give up on you. Don’t push! Be patient when pushed! Allah will reward your good adab.
Salah. One’s prayers have 1000 times the reward if prayed at the haram. Unless there is a serious reason one cannot go, one should try to make each prayer in congregation at the masjid of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). Most hotels are within a five or ten minute walking distance.of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). Most hotels are within a five or ten minute walking distance.
Walks. Some of the most peaceful moments I had in Madinah were each night after midnight when the Rawdah closed. I would walk once in the courtyard around the entire masjid, alone – take your misbaha and just make dhikr. One never feels alone or frightened in and around the masjid.
Ziyarah. Your group will likely plan the ziyarah to key sites for you. Places such as Masjid Qiblatayn, Masjid Quba, Jannat-ul-Baqi’, Uhud, Khunduq, and the well of ‘Uthman ibn Affan.

Mina:

Dhikr and Suhba. Mina is a good time to talk to one another about things that are of benefit. Do private dhikr, little mawlids, etc. This is where one really develops a bond with brothers and sisters. We had a yummy doughnut stand outside our tents and chicken nuggest place, too!

Arafat/Muzdalifah/Jamarat:

Dhikr, Istighfar, Du’a. This is the best day of the year and the best place. Make use of it with earnest du’a for forgiveness and salvation. Bust out your awrad books. Remember Allah. Pray.
Jabl Rahmah. Try to get to Jabl Rahmah – the place where our Master Adam (peace be upon him) made tawbah, and where the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) gave his final blessed sermon.
Walk to Muzdalifah! I say this with complete sincerity and seriousness. Walking from Arafat to Muzdalifah is generally not something on the itinerary of one’s group. The scholars always mention its merit, and for us, by Allah’s Mercy, a group of us became separated from the rest and ended up having to walk. Alhamdulillah, that we did because it was by far, the best day of my life! One really feels that they’ve left the world behind and are marching for Allah Ta’Ala. Nothing is sweeter than the sounds of every tongue shouting “Labayk, Allahuma Labayk!” (At Your Service, O Allah, at Your Service!), on foot, in and on buses. The truth is that on a bus one generally falls asleep or feels separated from the blessed earth and the other hujaj, but on foot one feels connected to the earth, the sky, and the people, and experiences what the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) did. The himmah comes from another realm and one doesn't even become fatigued!
Sleep at Muzdalifah. Even if it’s for an hour, this sleep is unlike any other.
Jamarat. Be aware of your surroundings. It’s quite safe now. Once you’ve stoned, just be careful not to run into the crowd head-on, lest you be hit by a stone!

Makkah:

Salah. One’s prayers have 1000 times the reward if prayed at the haram -- you can also fast a day or two if you feel up to it. Unless there is a serious reason one cannot go, one should try to make each prayer in congregation at the haram -- and remember there is more than one floor! Go about three hours eary for Jumuah. Praying Fajr/Maghrib on the roof is stunningly beautiful...with the sun coming up or setting, the melodious voice of the imam seems as if it is coming straight from the heavens and into your heart. Subhan'Allah.

General Tips/Advice:

Don’t waste too much time shopping. Set aside one or two trips to the market, but that’s it. One doesn’t know when and if they’ll ever return to these Mubarak lands. Markets and items can be found everywhere – there aren’t any “great deals” during hajj and they’re not worth giving up “eternal deals” for, anyways.
Be patient! Know that everyone is coming from different places with different social norms. They are guests of Allah as much as you are, so show them love and respect even if they do not. They love Allah.
Smile! Really!
Have something to do during delays which can happen anywhere at any time. Shaykh Faisal once suggested that if one has a goal to read the entire Qur’an, one welcomes delays! Listening to the khayr on your MP3 or better yet getting everyone to sing together is another great idea.
Know that you will get to where Allah wants you to be and has destined you to be. You may have plans, but Allah’s plans are better.
Keep us in your prayers.

If you're making the journey, and have questions, please feel free to email me or post them here. Also, if you're going please email me :)

I pray insha'Allah, that these were of benefit. Please remember Salik and I in your du'as. That Allah allow us to really know Him in this world and the next, grant us salvation, a high station in Paradise with the Prophet (Allah bless him and give peace), bless our parents, families, and loved ones, and give us good health, happiness, and tawfiq. And du'a that He answers our prayers.

May Allah accept your hajj, Hajj Mabrur, insha'Allah. Ameen.

Links:

Hajj Tips Posted from Readers on My Blog Last Year

My Hajj Account

Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller: 2 files on Hajj > Free Lessons > The Hajj

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf: Hajj – Journey to the House of God

Shaykh Murad on 10 Good Manners for Hajj

A Poem for Arafat > Remember the poet in your du'as.

Travel Medicine for Hajj > Remember the doctor in your du'as.

Hanafi Q&A

Shafi'i Q&A

Maliki Fiqh (Malikis, be prepared for the one time you might be forced to take a rukhsa.)

Reader on the Fiqh of Hajj

Wassalam,
Your Sister,
Salikah

Kulama Nadayt Yahu - Yemeni Style

2008-10-13T21:40:00.002-05:00

I'm looking for the full version of the qasida Kulama Nadayt Yahu, in the Yemeni style.

You can hear it at the end of this video and other Guidance videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqzYhs8NsxM

Please help!

A Random Conversation

2008-10-13T16:24:00.005-05:00

Salikah: "Hey do you think the creators of Yahoo! were Sufi -- Ya Hu!?"

Salik: "Hmm. Salafi spelling, though -- Ya Hoo."

Salikah: "Hmm. Yeah, that's it! Must have been a Salafi that became Sufi, but never left the Salafi transliteration system."

Ya Hoo!
Ya Hu!

Three New Halaqas with Shaykh Faraz in the GTA! Live!

2008-10-06T20:15:00.001-05:00

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What: Classes with Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
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Eid

2008-09-30T16:36:00.006-05:00

Bismillah.

AsSalamu'alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,

Insha'Allah you are well and benefited much from the mubarak month that has now nearly departed.

The other night I was sitting at Risalah feeling really sad that with Ramadan over I wouldn't be going there each night, hearing the Qur'an and the sweet dhikr in between rakats...last night I felt even more broken-hearted because I knew it was likely the last tarawih since it seems that Eid will probably be tomorrow, and I felt full of regret about how much more I could have done with the month...how many lost opportunities! Then I remembered that a few days ago Shaykh Ramzy was telling Salik that it is better to be in such a state of broken-heartedness, than to feel content with oneself -- Allah is with the broken-hearted.

As I was pulling in from work today, listening to Shaykh Murad's "Remembrance of Death and the Afterlife", I thought, subhan'Allah, Allah is so Rahim. He could have made it so that we would fast for 30 days in Ramadan and then it would be over without any celebration or Eid. Yet, in His Mercy, He gave us Eid, so that we wouldn't be overcome by sadness at the parting of Ramadan and instead we could busy ourselves with festivities and gifts, friends and family.

O which of your Lord's bounties will you deny?

Although we await the sighting of the moon to determine Eid, Salik and I wish each of you a very blessed Eid. We pray that Allah accept all of our fasts, prayers, supplications, and good deeds, even though they be deficient. We pray that Allah bless us with another Ramadan and make us better servants as a consequence of the Ramadan that is soon to leave us. Ameen.

Wassalam,
Salikah

Eid Mubarak!

Eid 1429!

2008-09-27T15:19:00.001-05:00

Celebrate Eid with Risalah Foundation at Bella Banquets!

[Click above for more information]

Sh. Yahya Reflection

2008-09-06T22:57:00.002-05:00

Those who are arrogant in this life will be raised as ants in the next life: tiny and trampled upon.

Ramadan Mubarak!

2008-09-01T16:35:00.006-05:00

Bismillah.

AsSalamu'alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,

Ramadan Mubarak!

Alhamdulillah to the One who has given us life to experience Ramadan once more.

May Allah Most High open for each one of us the doors of mercy, forgiveness and reward. Ameen.

May we emerge with enlightened hearts, refined characters and experience an ever-increasing closeness to Him. Ameen.

May He grant us all a forgiveness for our shortcomings, transgressions, and faults - those we do knowingly and unknowingly, openly and in secret, once or oft. Ameen.

May we be given the good of this world and good of the hereafter. Ameen.

May we cross happily over a widened bridge, drink from the hands of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) a drink that will forever quench our thirst, and may we then be with our loved ones and our Lord in eternal bliss. Ameen.

We ask that you forgive us if we have wronged you and we both wish you a very blessed Ramadan. May Allah accept your prayers and grant us all that is khayr. Ameen. Please remember us in your mubarak du'as.

Peace & blessings be upon our beloved master Muhammad, his family, companions, and all those who follow him until the Last Day.

Wassalam,
Salik & Salikah

SeekersGuidance now Live!

2008-08-28T01:50:00.004-05:00

Alhamdulillah, Shaykh Faraz's new site SeekersGuidance is now Live. Check it out!

May Allah bless this endeavour, make it of great benefit to the ummah, and give it tawfiq. Ameen.

Shaykh Yahya Rhodus in Toronto!

2008-08-27T16:01:00.006-05:00

Bismillah.

AsSalamu'alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,

Yesterday Salik came home and said, "you know, I'm really feeling the barakah of this Ramadan already...it just feels like it will be even more mubarak than it always is".

Alhamdulillah, this morning we woke up the news that we in Toronto will be blessed for at least half of Ramadan, with the blessed company of Shaykh Yahya Rhodus!

Below is the flyer with information about the various masjids he will be speaking at in the mubarak month of Ramadan.

Wassalam,
Salikah

Click here for details.

Revenge

2008-07-29T09:50:00.002-05:00

OmegaZero said...
I dont know if this is the place to ask this but i need to know...if a person wants revenge for the things done to him, it is still wrong to carry it out?

AsSalamu'alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu OmegaZero,

Insha'Allah, I pray you are well. I'm simply a blogger and wayfarer, but I can share something of what I have read:

Sayyidina Ali (may Allah honor his face) was fighting a kafir in one of the battles. During the battle Sayyidna Ali knocked him down and raised his sword to kill him. As soon as the kafir knew that he was going to be killed he spat in Sayyidna Ali's face, so immediately Sayyidna Ali left him and went on his way. He was later asked, "Why did you leave him when Allah clearly gave you power over him?!" Sayyidna Ali replied, "I was fighting him for the sake of Allah, and when he spat in my face I feared that if I killed him it would have been out of personal revenge and spite." Therefore, the understanding of jihad is to establish the means for the guidance and salvation of the kuffar, not merely to just fight them. Fighting them happens in a few cases, and the goal behind it is to save others from the oppression of the ones who are preventing the guidance from spreading. We do not fight out of revenge and spite. The Muslim doesn't fight because the kafir is my (personal) enemy, because the kafir is conspiring against me, because the kafir has killed and slaughtered other Muslims. The Muslim fights the kafir because he has prevented and has become a barrier for the guidance to reach others. Again, the Muslim doesn"t fight out of revenge and only because the enemy has killed other Muslims. Think about what is being said deeply!
-Habib Ali on Jihad in the Way of Allah (applies to revenge in general)

The example from Sayyiduna 'Ali (May Allah ennoble his countenance) is often cited to illustrate to us the seriousness with which the early Muslims and gnostics treated the impulse for revenge -- and how they took great care to avoid ever acting on that impulse. In this is a great lesson for us to avoid acting out revenge or taking the law into our own hands. Revenge can really harden the heart and this is the opposite of our purpose in life.

A good book to read is: Purification of the Heart: Signs, Symptoms and Cures of the Spiritual Diseases of the Heart, translation and commentary by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf. The accompanying tape set is also excellent.

Shaykh Hamza`s Content of Character is also excellent, as is Sufism and Good Character, translated by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ultimately, the best way to rid oneself of such states of the heart is to take a spiritual path in which one`s Shaykh systematically helps ones purify the heart.

Also see this video by Shaykh Hamza on ethics.

And Allah Alone gives success.

Wassalam,
Salikah

The Shaik Baby is Here!

2008-07-27T23:28:00.002-05:00

Alf Mabruk to Sidi Shaik and his wife on the arrival of their little bundle of joy, Shaikhah Ulfah.

May Allah bless little Shaikhah and make her from amongst the salihin and awliya. And may Allah bless her, her parents, and loved ones with all that is khayr in this life and the next. Ameen.

Qurba!

2008-07-27T23:24:00.005-05:00

Masha'Allah, should be of much benefit insha'Allah. Do go if you can.

The Razi Institute presents...

On Ghadab (Anger)

2008-07-27T23:17:00.003-05:00

"Anger is like a ball of fire,

but if you swallow it,

it's sweeter than honey."

- Sayyiduna 'Ali (May Allah ennoble his countenance)

How to Be a Budget Organic

2008-07-27T23:06:00.001-05:00

How to Be a Budget Organic

With all the news about rising food costs, you may be wondering if the organic milk you've been putting in your cart is worth the extra cash. It is. Organic food is more expensive, but when it comes to the staples of your diet, organics are a worthwhile investment, with payoffs that might surprise you. The benefits influence your health today — and long-term. Here, why certain foods are worth the splurge, plus tips to save you money while keeping your diet nutritionally and ecologically sound.

[Read the rest...]

The Night Journey & Ascension: Recounting the Ultimate Divine Disclosure (Razi & Risalah)

2008-07-26T00:36:00.002-05:00

The Power of the Divine Name

2008-07-25T09:44:00.003-05:00

"If We had sent down this Koran upon a mountain,
thou wouldst have seen it humbled, split asunder
out of fear of God.
And those similitudes--We strike them for men;
haply they will reflect."

Yesterday after an intense dhikr, a visiting Shaykh quoted this verse and said that this is what Allah says about the Qur'an descending upon a mountain. What then, when the Divine Name comes upon the lips of the mu'min?

Subhan'Allah. A fear often overcomes me when I reflect on the amount of mubarak people Allah has put in my life... shuyukh, awliya, real believers and salihin... and the knowledge of what I am despite all these beautiful people. Allah, forgive me that which others know not of me, and make me better than what they think me to be.

Raison d’être - Hajj Rafi`

2008-07-19T09:31:00.002-05:00

Another beautiful piece by our brother.

Raison d’être

I have more reason to have faith
Than I have faith in reason: faith
Is known by reason yet I have
Less faith in reason than in faith.

Lessons in Love, by Way of Economics - NYT

2008-07-18T09:56:00.009-05:00

Lessons in Love, by Way of Economics - NYT

Below are select quotes from the article with my sharh (commentary).

"The amount of love you get from an investment in love is correlated, if only roughly, to the amount of yourself you invest in the relationship. If you invest caring, patience and unselfishness, you get those things back."

Indeed -- the amount of ihsan you put into your relationships (in marriage and in general), you get back. And from an Islamic point of view, not only do people generally reciprocate ihsan, but the reward with Allah is even greater.

"Stay with high-quality human beings. And once you find that you are in a junk relationship, sell immediately. Junk situations can look appealing and seductive, but junk is junk."

Yes. Spiritually high-quality. This applies not only to one's spouse, but also friends and teachers. Here junk relationships are those with no other-worldly aspirations or shariah-sanctioned purpose. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) warned us that if we spend time with a people, we eventually become one of them, "A Man follows the religion of his close friend". So be careful who you befriend.

"Research pays off. The most appealing and seductive (that word again) exterior can hide the most danger and chance of loss. For most of us, diversification in love, at least beyond a very small number, is impossible, so it’s necessary to do a lot of research on the choice you make. It is a rare man or woman who can resist the outward and the surface. But exteriors can hide far too much."

True enough. Brothers and sisters looking to get married: do your research and have others research for you as well...the outward can be deceiving. Find out about the person's friends, actions, interests, and character. The outward bespeaks something of the inward. And do istikhara.

"The returns on your investment should at least equal the cost of the investment. If you are getting less back than you put in over a considerable period of time, back off."

This is a very nafsi approach. Ihsan always pays off. The "returns" one will see in the next life will suffice one even if nothing was "gained" in this life. This again is true for all of one's relationships. Give everyone their due and then some, but don't always expect yours. Allah says in Surah Rahman, "Is the reward for ihsan other than ihsan?".

"You need expectations that match reality before you can make some progress."

Indeed. Many relationship problems are caused by the fairytale Hollywood/Bollywood ideas that are planted in the minds of people. Marriages require love and effort. Don't expect that your spouse will never have a bad day at work or that life will be a never-ending, wild romance. Nor should it be -- the beauty of love is its ability to endure at all times. Find a believer in the true sense of the word, for the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, "Wondrous is the affair of the believer: if an affliction visits him, he is patient, and if good visits him, he is thankful" -- thus all that comes to the believer is good.

"When you have a winner, stick with your winner."

Again, true for marriage, friendships, and teachers. Sh. Hamza Yusuf once said, "if you have one good, sincere friend make shukr to Allah. If you have two like this, make the sajdah of shukr because it is rare!".

"They say that falling in love is wonderful, and that the best is falling in love with what you have."

Probably the best thing he says in the entire article. In a word, this is shukr and acceptance of what Allah has destined for one.

Alhamdulillah 'ala kulli haal. All praise is to Allah, in every condition.

Monthly Burda & Dala'il Reading

2008-07-17T17:51:00.004-05:00

Monthly Burda & Dala'il Reading

Next Gathering: SUNDAY JUlY 20th 10am at Risalah Foundation

Please bring your copy of both texts

Address Link

The Self - Spiritual Tendencies

2008-07-14T23:09:00.003-05:00

The Self

Your cure is within you,

but you do not know,

Your illness is from you,

but you do not see.

You are the “Clarifying Book”

Through whose letters becomes manifest the hidden.

You suppose that you’re a small body

But the greatest world unfolds within you.

You would not need what is outside yourself

If you would reflect on ’self’, but you do not reflect.

Sayyidinā Alī Ibn Abī Tālib (karrama Allāhu wajhahu)

Spiritual Tendencies Has Returned

2008-07-12T22:36:00.004-05:00

The older blog of our brother Shaik (shaikr.com), Spiritual Tendencies, has returned, alhamdulillah. Welcome back, Sidi.

The Strong Man

The strong man is the one who is happy when this world leaves his hands, departs from him and flees from him, and he is happy when people blame him and accuse him. He is content with it because of his knowledge of God. Shaykh Ibn ‘Atā’Illah, may God be pleased with him, said in his Hikām, “If you are pained because people do not turn to you or direct blame towards you, then go back to the knowledge of God in you. If you are not content with His knowledge. then your affliction by your lack of contentment with His knowledge is worse than your affliction by their abuse. Abuse is channelled through them so that you will not rely on them. He wants to rouse you and move you away from everything so that nothing distracts you from Him.”

- Shaykh Muhammad al-’Arabī ad-DarqāwīRasā’il Mawlāy al-’Arabī ad-Darqāwī

Man with searching mind had a knack for inspiring others

2008-07-11T08:41:00.006-05:00

Man with searching mind had a knack for inspiring others

I remember first meeting Omer at my nikah -- he was a very quiet, reserved brother. The next day as Salik and I sat looking through our gifts we came across a card with $300 in it, but no name. We began making a list to see who was at the wedding, but had not given a card and I remember Salik saying "wait a minute, Omer!". We checked and couldn't find anything with his name on it, so Salik was sure it was him. When Salik called to ask him, he started laughing and finally admitted to it upon Salik's insistance to know. This is how kareem a man he was. May both he and Allah forgive our shortcomings towards such a pure person. Ameen.

At the janazah today, his body did not reflect the means of its death. Masha'Allah, his skin was still radiant.

May Allah have mercy on him, forgive his shortcomings, and multiply his many good deeds. May Allah grant him a high station in Jannah with our beloved Messenger (Allah bless him and give peace). Ameen.

And may Allah make this difficult time easier for his wife, parents, siblings, and loved ones. Ameen.

Fatiha/Ya Sin.

Article about Omer:

Omer had a restless mind.

He devoured books. He challenged the norm.

He pushed himself and those around him to test the waters outside of their comfort zone, say friends.

So it came as little surprise to those close to him that Omer's last moments were spent enveloped in a book, gleaning wisdom from the written word.

He died Tuesday while seeking shelter from a rainstorm under a large tree in Toronto's Christie Pits Park. Lightning struck the tree and travelled down the trunk to his body, Toronto Police said. He was declared dead in hospital.

The 28-year-old Waterloo man leaves behind a wife, two younger siblings and his parents.

Omer recently moved to Toronto from his family's home in Waterloo to cut down on the commute to his job at a construction company, where he worked as a civil engineer.

His responsibilities with the company had grown quickly -- he was handling major projects usually given more to senior engineers, said longtime friend Firas Mansour.

Spirituality mattered a lot to Omer, who absorbed religious literature and became a mentor for other youth, he said. But his interests were broader, stretching from outdoor pursuits and world travel to the study of philosophy and economics.

"He was 10 years ahead of his time," Mansour said.

Abdul Mannan Syed, imam at the Waterloo mosque which Omer attended, remembers a man who would give him lifts around town, dispensing advice on how to speak to Muslim youth.

Many within the local community simply can't believe he's gone, especially through such a strange accident, said the imam.

"Everyone is in a state of shock. They can't understand how this happened," Syed said.
Omer lived in Waterloo Region for much of his life, moving to the Canada from Kuwait with his mother, brother and sister in his youth.

Many considered him a "brother" and a "soulmate," his sister Maryam said in a statement.
"His memory will never leave us," she said.

Omar Nafees met him while both were undergraduates at the University of Waterloo.
There, they were work-out buddies, challenging each other in the gym to reach new milestones. Omer became a "spring board" for his friend, a motivating reminder to keep striving for improvement.

Omer also had a knack for pushing people just outside the familiar and gravitated toward ideas that were outside the mainstream.

"It was like having the feeling that, 'I'm going to come out a better person because of this encounter,' " Nafees said. "That was one of the things I felt with Omer. It's very tough to find people like that."

Prayers will be held today at the Waterloo Mosque on Erb Street, after the jummah prayer. A burial will follow at Parkview Cemetery at 2:15 p.m.

From Allah we came and to Him we are Returning.

2008-07-09T22:28:00.003-05:00

AsSalamu'alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu,

From Allah we came and to Him we are Returning.

During last night's thunderstorm, a good friend of Salik's was hit by a bolt and passed away. He was found in sujud with a book beside him -- when I saw the news that sounded so much like Salik that it really struck me hard...and even moreso when we found out we knew him. Please make du'a for him, his family, and newlywed wife.

Fatiha and/or Ya Sin.

Wassalam,
Salikah

Alberta & British Columbia

2008-07-07T16:24:00.003-05:00

AsSalamu'alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,

I was wondering if anyone lives in or has visited Alberta or BC (the southern half of both provinces). Salik and I will be travelling there, insha'Allah, and would love any advice/tips on what to see and do there...the "must do" list.

We're driving between Calgary and Vancouver (and in and around each of those cities).

Please post or email.

Barak Allahu fi kum.

Wassalam,
Salikah

Alhamdulillah for Desserts

2008-07-07T16:12:00.005-05:00

Salik's childhood friend Chutney came over the other night for dinner after a year in Jeddah. Our dessert, courtesy of yours truly:

Mango milkshake made with Pakistani Sindhi mangoes, whole milk, vanilla ice cream, and ice.

Chocolate chip waffles with vanilla ice cream, blackberries, strawberries, and chocolate syrup.

Yummy :)

God's Favour

2008-07-03T23:56:00.001-05:00

God’s favour comes unexpectedly,
but only to an alert heart.

Put not your hope in people,
for you will be wounded.
Put your hope in God
that you may be delivered.

- Khwaja Abdullah Ansari

(from the blog of Sidi Shaik Abdul Khafid to whom I'm indebted for much technical support)

I Close My Eyes and I'm in Madinah

2008-07-03T22:47:00.006-05:00

I close my eyes and I'm off to Madinah, the blessed city of our Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).

Although it was more than six months ago that we were there, when I close my eyes, it all returns and by Allah's Mercy, the late night visits to the Rawdah are forever etched in my being.

Eating dinner with the group, going upstairs, making wudu and meeting the sisters in the lobby.

I can still feel our excitement and hear our laughter as we walked quickly down the dark, tranquil brick road, passed the closed shops... hoping, praying for a chance to meet with our beloved Nabi (Allah bless him and give him peace).

The air that is ever so light and so sweetly scented.

Getting to the courtyard gates, bending quickly to remove our shoes and placing them in our bags.

Walking swiftly across the marble floor of the courtyard, reciting the du'as of entering the masjid in unison and sending salat and salam on the Rasul (Allah bless him and give him peace).

Getting to the doors wanting to get passed the guards as quickly as possible, and then rushing to the wooden gate from where sisters are allowed visitation.

Seeing it open the happiness that would bubble out from within, with a burst of energy to run as gently as possible before entry was closed to the rawdah.

Heart pounding, tears flowing at the very site of the green dome, knowing whom we were about to meet again.

Tears of love, of longing, of gratitude. The realization of one's unworthiness of this most mubarak place, and the Mercy of Allah upon one.

Oh the things that happen in the rawdah. The connection one feels to the Rasul (Allah bless him and give him peace) and of his welcoming one to his home, and the warmth of being enveloped in his mercy. Oh the things that happen in the rawdah.

I open my eyes and they are as moist as if I had just been there today. Is it any wonder that the love one feels for those who were with one on hajj is unlike any other? Their very being, their smiling face, it all takes one back to the most mubarak time of one's life.

May Allah Ta'Ala bless us with the company of His Beloved, the Chosen One (Allah bless him and give him peace) in this world and the hereafter. Ameen.

May Allah bless our Master Muhammad, his family, companions, and all those who seek to follow him, in this life and the next. Ameen ya Rabb, Ameen.

Check Your Fatiha Online at Dar Al-Hamd

2008-07-03T22:44:00.002-05:00

Wondering how your fatiha recital is? Fill in this form online and have someone check it for you via Skype.

Dar Al-Hamd

Online Counselling with Dr. Ibrahim Kreps

2008-07-03T22:41:00.002-05:00

Dr. Ibrahim Kreps has launched Online Counselling via his site Hakim Publishing.

For those who may not know, Dr. Kreps is a Canadian psychiatrist currently on leave to Jordan (we actually happen to run into him in the souk in Damascus last summer).

I Seek Refuge...

2008-07-02T15:12:00.001-05:00

I seek refuge in Allah from knowledge that brings no wisdom, from a heart that lacks kindness, from desires that bring discontent, and from supplications that go unanswered.

- Rasool Allah (sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam), as reported by Abu Hurairah, Al-Hadis, 3:790.

Unfolding a Rose: A Lesson

2008-07-02T15:06:00.002-05:00

Assalamu'alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,

An email that was floating around back in 2002.

Wassalam,
Salikah

===

Trust In Allah; He never gives up on those that do!

A young, new ustadh (teacher) was walking with an older, more seasoned>ustadh (teacher) in the garden one day. Feeling a bit insecure about what Allah had for him to do, he was asking the older ustadh for some advice. The older ustadh walked up to a rosebush and handed the young ustadh a rosebud and told him to open it without tearing off any petals. The young ustadh looked in disbelief at the older ustadh and was trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting to know the will of Allah for his life and ministry. But because of his great respect for the older ustadh, he proceeded to try to unfold the rose, while keeping every petal intact... It wasn't long before he realized how impossible this was to do. Noticing the younger ustadh's inability to unfold the rosebud without tearing it, the older ustadh began to recite the following poem...

It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of Allah's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.

The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
Allah opens this flower so sweetly,
Then in my hands they die.

If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of Allah's design,
Then how can I have the wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?

So I'll trust in Allah for leading
each moment of my day.
I will look to Allah for His guidance
each step of the way.

The pathway that lies before me,
Only Allah knows.
I'll trust Him to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose.

Qurba: Summer 2008 Intensive Program (Razi)

2008-06-15T20:54:00.004-05:00

The Razi Institute Presents:

Qurba: Summer 2008 Intensive Program -- August 13th-17th, 2008

Looks good!

The Risalah Foundation & Summer Day Camp for Kids

2008-06-01T17:44:00.002-05:00

Summer Day Camp

Give your child a healthy summer experience!

· Inspirational Companionship ~ Character Building Values

Program:
Quranic Studies
Basic Islamic Knowledge
Physical & Creative Activities
Age:
7 - 12 years old
Time:
July & August
Mon to Fri (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.)
Cost:
$50/Week per Child
Location:
Risalah Foundation (click here for map)

Registration:
On Site Sat. June 7 & 14
For more info contact Camp Co-coordinator
Sr. Nazie Shakur
416-434-5891
nazie_shakur@yahoo.ca

Volunteers:
Brothers & sisters who would like to volunteer please contact
Shaykh Ramzy
ramzyajem@gmail.com

Please visit us at www.risalah.ca or call 905-482-3300 for more information
Risalah Foundation
101-193 Jardin Drive, (HWY 407 & Keele St.)
Vaughan, Ontario L4K 1X5

Tartuffe & Confusion: Two Rubaiyat by the Trobador

2008-05-30T21:46:00.004-05:00

Tartuffe

Do you count yourself among those
Of love while your tortured heart knows
Your deceit that over a sun
You a withering matchstick chose?

Confusion
Weep, weep, weep, my heart, weep, weep, weep!
I know what silent sorrows heap
Upon you and confound the mind,
But when did sorrow ever sleep?

Masha'Allah, beautiful poems, as always, by our brother Motamid.

Gandhi on Earthly Provisions

2008-05-30T21:33:00.005-05:00

EARTH provides enough to satisfy every man's NEED, but not every man's GREED.
- Mahatma Gandhi

Subhan'Allah.

The Hikma of Hakim Archuletta

2008-05-20T15:54:00.014-05:00

Bismillah.

AsSalamu'alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu.

Alhamdulillah, we were blessed once again in the GTA, with a visit from Sidi Hakim Archuletta this past weekend. Masha'Allah, he is truly a beautiful person to be with -- Salik, who met him for the first time, also quickly fell in love with Hakim.

As I did after his last visit here in March 2006 (A Weekend with Hakim Archuletta...), I'm going to post some of my notes from his talk/workshop, as well as some of the things I learned from him in a more informal way over the weekend -- my notes are not linear...just points that stood out to me.

Sidi Hakim began by saying "Alhamdulillah, Shukrulillah" -- and he said it with his entire being and mentioned that we cannot begin, but with those words of gratitude to the One without whose permission we could not have gathered together.

Traditional Medicine is called Hikma Medicine because it requires wisdom to understand the human body. He mentioned that Imam Ghazali said, "Do not offend your animal, learn to ride it so that it does not drag you" and the hadith "do not chase the camel". He also mentioned the example of ants in Pakistan that crawl up people who push them off only to have the ants return, not knowing that the best thing to do is help them in the direction they're headed by pushing them that way and not back where they came from.
Sidi Hakim told us that one of the principals of Hikma is that Allah's patterns in creation are the same. Therefore, what we find in animals, we find in ourselves, and what we find in ourselves is what we find in the environment. We are polluted. What we have done to the environment is simply a reflection of what we've done to ourselves.
Our lifestyles are obese -- we suffer what the kings of the past did. Our lifestyles aren't just destroying our environment, but our souls. Over tea, Hakim mentioned to Salik and I that people often will stuff themselves with food when they're already full in order to not "waste" food -- but since waste is anything that is excess, such people are wasting food, and unlike when thrown in the garbage, when excess food is thrown into our bodies, it's actually dhulm to our bodies. He reminded us of what he's often referred to in the past as "the bite" -- that is the point in our meal when our body signals to us that it does not need anymore...it tells us not only through how our stomachs feel, but by the way the food looks, feels, and smells at that point...and that is when we should stop eating. Thus the hadith that we should fill 1/3 of our stomach with food, 1/3 with liquid, and 1/3 with air. He finished by saying that we should cook in accordance with what we can eat without wasting, likewise, we should take a little food at the table, and take more if we need it...rather than filling the plate with food because we're hungry when we first see it.
We are digging our graves with our teeth!
Addiction to a life of ease does not bring fulfillment.
Hakim spoke of the fact that there is much barakah in eating food prepared by a believer, and especially that of one's mother which is made with immense love. He told us the hadith that "the believer's heart goes through 2000 hals in a day and that the heart of the non-believer can stay in one hal for 2000 days".
As he often does, he told us that one Shaykh said that the flood in the time of the Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) was one of water, and that the flood of our times is one of separation. In light of this he advised us to never eat alone and added there is a hadith in which we were told that the one who eats alone eats with Shaytan and that in Morocco there are many people that still seek refuge in Allah if given a plate of food to eat from alone!
We are mammals and we have a need to connect. Just talking meaningfully affects our nervous system.
And men, as in the past, he mentioned once again the need to listen to your wives! He said that men often say that their wives are weak and that he says, Alhamdulillah because women have saved our humanity! Men don't express their feelings enough. The depressed person does not want to face things that bring grief, sorrow, distress, anger, and the like -- what we need to learn is to come into our sense and know where we have these feelings and to let them come out in words, tears, and vocal sounds that want to come out because they've been trapped inside. He said that when tears come because of something we've kept locked inside, they come from the stomach and bring deep breaths that feed the body with much needed oxygen -- just as Allah says in the Qur'an that He sends down rain to revive the dead earth, so too do tears revive a heart that is dying! He said once again that he has never met a depressed person that was really breathing.
Finally, although he did not specifically recommend or endorse these books, he did mention them in his talk in passing: Jerry Mander's In the Absence of the Sacred; biodiversity work by Vandana Shiva; Paul Hawken's Blessed Unrest; Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food; David Korten's When Corporations Rule the World; and work on the Bioneers. These aren't "recommendations", though...just works he referred to in the context of a workshop on Faith and the Environment. For his list of recommended books, click here.

Overall message: WAKE UP!

Hakim's Site

Lectures

May Allah forgive me for any mistakes I've made in sharing Hakim's Hikma.

Wassalam,

Salikah

Oh, and the picture's mine (I took it) and is copyrighted like all other pictures on my blog!

Hajj 2008: Sacred Tours

2008-05-13T16:07:00.003-05:00

Bismillah.

AsSalamu'alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu,

Thinking of making hajj this year? I highly recommend going with Sacred Tours - Canadian Hajj Services.

We went with them for Hajj 2007 and it was *excellent* -- great adminstration (the organizer is pleasant and really knows what he's doing) and the spiritual leadership is beyond anything one could possibly want or ask for (shuyukh who know not only the outward of hajj, but the inward as well...thus leading by example, the way to a beautiful hajj experience).

May Allah give you success in your intentions.

Wassalam,

Salikah

Living the Light: Understanding the Qur’an & Sunna with Sh. Faraz Rabbani

2008-05-13T16:05:00.000-05:00

Living the Light: Understanding the Qur’an & Sunna
with Faraz Rabbani

Wednesdays 7 – 9 p.m.

Shalimar Community Center -3024 Cedarglen Gate
(Dundas just East of Erindale Station Rd. Mississauga)

Topics:

(1) Understanding the Call to the Believers in the Clear Qur’an
Commentary on the 89 verses in the Qur’an where Allah addresses the believers with “O you who believe!” based on classical sources, and Shaykh Ahmad Jami’s “Call to the Believers.” These verses contain some of the central guidance and principles of Islam

(2) Understanding the Prophetic Example: Imam Nawawi’s Gardens of the Righteous (Riyad al-Salihin) Explained
Commentary on one of the greatest and most important hadith works, in which Imam Nawawi gives the Prophetic hadiths that outline that way to become one of the righteous

All welcome.

Monthly fees: $25 (Individuals); $40 (Family)
(No one will be turned away due to lack of funds)

For details & directions email: rabbanihalaqa@gmail.com

Directions: Go North on Cedarglen Gate from Dundas. Take immediate left. Drive to end of lane. You’ll end up in an open-air parking lot. The Shalimar Community Center is straight ahead. Cedarglen Gate is West of Mavis, just East of Erindale Station Rd.
[View on Google Maps]

Living the Light: Understanding the Qur’an & Sunna
with Faraz Rabbani

Sisters Halaqa with Shaykh Talal Ahdab

2008-05-05T15:36:00.002-05:00

BISMILLAH
LIVING THE LIGHT SERIES
CREED 101 – THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FAITH
INSTRUCTOR – TALAL AHDAB
REQUESTED BY SISTERS: THIS EVENT IS A SISTER-ONLY-COURSE

DO YOU
… LACK knowledge or have issues with the fundamentals of Islam?
… ASK yourself questions or have doubts about "what this is all about?"
… TEACH or deal with those who have issues with or lack knowledge of the fundamentals
… HAVE a strong desire to further strengthen your foundation?

If you answer YES to any of the above, then this course is for YOU

OBJECTIVES:

TO GET people to learn, discuss, and enjoy;
TO OBTAIN an understanding of what is meant by the oneness of Allah; What can and cannot be ascribed to Him or described of Him; an understanding of the infallibility of His Messengers and the necessity of this as well as what constitutes a tenet of faith that must be believed in and areas of belief that are subsidiary.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:

By the end of this course,

You will gain a deeper understanding of the What; the Why and the How
You will gain a basic understanding of the purpose of life; the relationship between the Creator, the creature and the universe; and how the universe really works
You will learn tenets concerned with the Attributes of God; with Belief / Faith; with the Divine Decree; with the Muslim Community; with the Unseen; as well as those tenets pertaining to the Day of Judgment and the Next Life
You will become acquainted with the proofs from the Qur'an and the Sunna
You will become familiar with the various Muslim sects throughout history as well as those of today
You will be able to have a discussion about issues related to Faith; God; and/or the Prophets

THE TEXT
The creedal text called al-Tahawiyah is one of the earliest and primal works in the field of Aqida. For centuries, it has been widely circulated amongst the scholars and students of knowledge. The text is written in simple yet precise language keeping to the fundamentals of a Muslims' belief.

COURSE DETAILS

DURATION Two parts; SIX (6) sessions for each part; May– July 2008
TIME / LOCATION TBA; A Location / Time, convenient for all attendees
TUITION $20 CAD for each part OR $30 CAD for the whole course
TEXTBOOK The Creed of Imam al-Tahawi (provided)
FORMAT 2-hour sessions; Q&A sessions; sessions will be recorded
AUDIENCE
This course was requested by few sisters and as such it will be a Sister-ONLY-Course: High-school students, university students; and professionals preferred
SIZE – Seating is limited to 10 sisters (maximum of 20 will be allowed); SERIOUS applicants ONLY

A full syllabus will be provided to registrants.
A reading list and resources will also be made available.

INTERESTED? Please email CREED101RAZI@GMAIL.COM, with the following details
1. Full Name; Occupation / Profession; Main Email; and your Cell Phone Number
2. Please indicate what location / day / time would NOT be suitable.
3. A one page (12 font size, double spaced lines) description of why you wish to take this course
4. COPY & PASTE the following line into your email subject heading: CREED101RAZI – REQUEST FOR REGISTRATION – SUMMER 2008 – "YOUR NAME HERE"

DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION – End of MAY 12th 2008

When Hearts Change - Shadhili Teachings

2008-04-26T17:42:00.002-05:00

Bismillah.

When Hearts Change - A new article posted at Sh. Nuh's request, in both Arabic and English.
(Click on Articles, and then on "When Hearts Change")

"The least loss incurred by the novice who opposes his Shaykh is his preoccupation with this lower world and turning away from the life to come. The novice becomes bent on amassing the stuff of this world in whatever way possible to the extent that he declares as an enemy whoever bars him from doing so, even if it is his Shaykh. And also among the reasons of the novice's ruin are his lack of remembrance of God, his lack of reciting the Qur'an, his lack of practising what he knows and his failure to observe his litanies and to stay awake at night as well as his lack of praying the congregational prayer in the mosque. The novice may even leave his Shaykh but persevere in observing the litanies that he had while in his company. However, these litanies are of little benefit. They might appear to the novice like mountains when in reality they are like atoms in the eyes of those for whom the states of the afterlife are unveiled?

So do, O my brother, understand this and you will be guided, and God will see to your guidance and praise be to Allah, the Lord of all Being." (excerpt)

Sisters' Tajweed with Ustadha Saima Deen

2008-04-24T17:41:00.001-05:00

AsSalamu'alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,

I got the following email and wanted to share it with other sisters in the GTA:

***

There is a new session for Sisters Only Tajweed classes starting this Saturday April 26 from 10:00 am – Noon at Lote Tree. Ustadha Saiema Din has structured this course into a 3 part series with Part 1 (7 weeks) beginning this weekend insha-allah. For those who know Ustadha Saiema can attest to her high quality of execution for her classes and expectation for dedicated and committed students.

I am compelled to convey a comment from our beloved Shaykh Zahid Ally who addressed a number of brothers in this years Suhba, namely “the women in Toronto do not realize the gem they have amongst them with the like of Sister Saima” and “they (women) should take advantage of all that she has to offer”.

Please see below for further details:

Tajweed Rules & Recitation:
Part 1 of 3 (7-week course)

Saturday Mornings, From 10 am – 12 pm
Starting April 26th, 2008
Ending June 7th, 2008
Classes are only open to Adult Sisters
Overview:

This weekly class is part one of a series of 3 detailed modules on the rules of tajweed. The first module will be divided into 2 parts specifically focusing on the rules. The second module will focus on the correct recitation of surat-ul Fatiha.

This course will include in-class assignments and homework. Students who would be interested in this course are those who can commit to the classes and the assignments given.

Textbooks:
Tajweed Rules of the Quran by Kareema Czerepinski - Part 1
Tajweed Rules of the Quran by Kareema Czerepinski - Part 2
Mushaf (copy of the Quran)
Students are responsible for their own textbooks.
They are available for purchase at Habib’s Bookstore
[20 Rexdale Blvd., Etobicoke, ON, M9W 5Z3, Tel: 416-743-6317]

Registration:
Please register by Wed. April 23rd online confirming your attendance at the following email address: tajweedprogram@hotmail.com
Fee: The course fee is $50 for the entire 7- week course (textbooks not included).
Location: Lote Tree Foundation

About the Teacher - Ustadha Saiema Din [briefly]:
Ustadha Saiema Din Syed was born in Toronto, Canada to parents of Pakistani origin. She attended, while doing her undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto, fiqh classes taught by Shaykh Talal Ahdab and attended the first Deen Intensive program in Toronto in 1997. She graduated in 1997 from the University of Toronto with an Honours degree in Psychology. She then left for Damascus to study Arabic and the Islamic Sciences along with her husband, Shaykh Zahir Bacchus. Over the course of six years, she studied the science of Tajweed, Shaf’i fiqh, Arabic grammar, ‘Aqeeda, and Methodology of Hadith. She studied under some of the distinguished scholars of Damascus attaining written permission to teach the Islamic sciences. After completing her studies, she returned back to the University of Toronto and completed the Bachelor of Education program, while teaching various halaqahs in the city. She is currently residing in Brampton with her family where she continues to teach the Islamic Sciences as well as being a full-time teacher in the public school board.

Lote Tree Foundation
2131 Williams Parkway, Unit 3, Brampton, ON
(Close to the Railroad tracks, facing Williams Pkwy)
Nearest Major Intersection: Airport Road & Williams Pkwy
For More information Email: tajweedprogram@hotmail.com

And in Allah let the believers place all their trust!

2008-04-08T20:48:00.001-05:00

Bismillah.

AsSalamu'alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu,

I pray you are all well. As some of you may remember from my "Missings" Post , Salik and I lost most of our luggage coming home from hajj.

Alhamdullah, over three months later, it just got back to us!

Just before I got the call for the first bag having been found, I was mentioning it to a friend of mine and when she was saying how unfortunate it was, I told her it was indeed, but that what we had gained from hajj was far greater than anything we lost of material things. Just as I got off with her, the phone rang to tell me the first bag had been found, but that they could not locate the other one anywhere. This was late March.

Then last week I was speaking to a teacher of ours and when I told him the bag had come and that I would be happy if he prayed for the other bag to also be found, he said, "sister you still have hope?!" and I told him that I was an optimist to the end, just like my father, and so he said, "Insha'Allah!". And alhamdulillah, four days later I got a message that the other bag had been found!

I had been convinced that all of hajj Allah was teaching me non-attachment to material things. The day we put on our ihrams for hajj my camera broke. For all of the days at Mina, my MP3 Player had gone missing, two suitcases were lost enroute to New York from Jeddah, and the remaining two bags were lost between New York and Toronto. Alhamdulillah, the last few months have definately taught me something of this and shown me the reality of the things of this world.

Alhamdulillah. Shukran for your du'as.

Wassalam,
Salikah

Branch 6 - Belief in the Last Day & the Hereafter

2008-03-18T20:20:00.003-05:00

Bismillah.

AsSalamu'alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

Alhamdulillah, The Razi Institute's 77 Branches of Faith program held this past weekend at the University of Toronto was wonderful -- insha'Allah, some of you also attended. The Shuyukh all compliment each other very well -- Sh. Talal, Sh. Ramzy, Sh. Faraz, Sh. Jamal, Shaykh Zahir and his wife, Ustadha Saima...the dynamic between them all was one of wonderful reverence and utmost love for one another, with a shared concern for the ummah.

The program provided a lovely notebook with the text as well as space to take notes for each session. Insha'Allah, I will try to share small parts of the notes I took for branches that I feel are key or where something was said that may of be particular benefit insha'Allah. I pray that I convey the message of the Shuyukh correctly -- if anyone finds any error, please do correct me (and if any of the Shuyukh read this, please forgive me in advance for doing such injustice to the wisdom you were kind enough to share with us).

Branch 6 - Belief in the Last Day.

This includes belief in the questioning of the grave; resurrection; standing; reckoning; scales; bridge; Heaven; and Hell.

This session was led by Sh. Ramzy Ajem. Imam Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him), who wrote so much on the topic of death, said that "the Reality of death, is the Reality of Life". Our physical death is simply entry into the third stage of our existence -- the stage called barzakh (an intermediary between our worldly existence and the Day of Judgement).

Our first stage was before conception, when the Qur'an speaks of our testifying to the Oneness of Allah (the day of alast, as it is referred to in many texts). The second stage is our worldly life in this dunya -- the world of accountability and responsibility to seek God and obey Him. The third is the barzakh mentioned above. The fourth is the life of the Day of Judgement. And the 5th stage is the life in heaven or hell (may Allah protect us from the Fire and grant us Paradise, ameen).

He also spoke of the bridge that will be thinner than a knife, from which evildoers will slip and which will be made easy for the righteous to cross over, after which, they will be reunited with their loved ones and the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), drinking from the fountain that will quench all thirst, and finally there will be ma'rifa.

Remember often the destroyer of pleasures (death).
Reflect on death and prepare for it. One who remembers death twenty times each day and night will be raised with the martyrs.
Be in the world as a wayfarer.
Love what you will, you will part it.

Finally, Sh. Ramzy shared with us, Four Keys of Help in preparing in this life for tawfiq in the next life insha'Allah. They are as follows:

Standing in prayer before Fajr when the angels and Mercy descend from the Heavens. Doing wudu and praying some rakats of salah. Some of the scholars say this is better than praying in the haram itself. Imam Junayd the great sufi (Allah have mercy on him) was seen in a dream after his death, saying that all that benefited him of his works in this world were the two rakats he always made before fajr.
Surah Tabarak (I believe after Isha).
Du'a (supplication), seeking refuge from the torments of the grave and Hell.
Developing a relationship with Rasul Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), turning him for guidance and intersession and sending peace and blessings upon him.

Also related to these Keys, Sh. Talal spoke of making room for Allah, His Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace), and prayer in our daily lives. Actually setting aside time in our schedules so it's not the first thing that gets cut when we're tired or busy. And Sh. Ramzy reminded us to make dhikr all day long, to start each act with the basmala, sunnah du'as, saying Alhamdulillah, Subhan'Allah, Astagfiruallah, Allahu Akbar, the shahadah, and salawat and to always have the right intention -- that everything we do is for Allah. As Sh. Nuh says, if you can't say Basmala before an act, you shouldn't be doing it.

Insha'Allah, I pray that Allah give us all tawfiq in applying these keys. By Allah, when we take time to consciously remember Him in the hustle and bustle of our day to day lives, He fills it with a peace and a light that we can otherwise never know.

And Allah knows best. May peace and blessings be upon our noble Prophet - the Chosen One, his family, companions, and all those who seek to follow him until the Last Day.

Wassalam,

Salikah

The Birth of the Beloved of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) The need to love, venerate,and praise him (SunniPath)

2008-03-12T11:37:00.003-05:00

The Birth of the Beloved of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) The need to love, venerate,and praise him (SunniPath)

Love & Praise of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & grant him peace)
Shaykh Hamza Yusuf on BBC: In Praise of God - The Prophet's Birthday
Beautiful Praise of the Beloved of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)
The Fiqh of Sending Peace
Love of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace)
Love of the Prophet - 2 (Allah bless him and grant him peace)
On the Necessity of Loving the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace)
How much should the Prophet be loved? And: How?
Superiority of the Prophet, upon him peace
Decorating the Mosque for Mawlid Season

Is the Celebration of the Mawlid Permissible?
Is it permissible to celebrate the Prophet's birthday (Allah bless him and give him peace)?
Should we celebrate Mawlid (The Prophet's (S) birthday)?
RE: Milad (Is it permissible to celebrate the Prophet's birthday (Allah bless him and give him peace)?
The Concept of Bid'a In The Islamic Shari'ah

Making Du`a for the Umma of the Beloved of Allah (peace and blessings unlimited be upon him, his family, companions, and followers) Ma`ruf al-Karkhi, one of the righteous imams of the early Muslims (salaf), said,

"Whoever says, 'Allahumma aslih Ummata Muhammad Allahumma farrij `an Ummati Muhammad Allahumma Rham Ummata Muhammad [salla Allahu `alayhi wa sallam]
(O Allah, improve the state of the Umma of Muhammad O Allah, grant ease to the Umma of Muhammad O Allah, have mercy on the Umma of Muhammad),'

ten times every day will be written down as one of the highest of elect believers (abdal)." [Abu Nu`aym, Hilyat al-Awliya , 8.366]

اللهم أصلح أمة محمد اللهم فرج عن أمة محمد أللهم ارحم أمة محمد

Why? The Prophet of Mercy (peace and blessings be upon him) said,

"Have mercy on those on earth, and the Lord of the Skies will have mercy on you." [Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, and Bukhari in his al-Adab al-Mufrad from Abd Allah ibn Amr (Allah be pleased with him)]

GTA in March

2008-03-12T11:24:00.002-05:00

Alhamdulillah, lots going on this March in the GTA.

There's the Razi Institute's 77 Branches programme that I posted about earlier.
RIS presents Race, Gender and the Future of Muslims in North America as a part of their Revival Series...featuring a lecture by Warith Deen Mohammed and a talk by Rubin "Hurricane" Carter (I teach his story as part of a unit at school so I'm really excited!)
Sh. Faraz is starting a new halaqa in Mississauga, Living the Light: Understanding the Qur’an & Sunna - Wednesdays (7 - 8.30) - Starts March 19th.

Plus, the Mawlid of our Blessed Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) should correspond to the 20th of March this year...and there are a host of Mawlid celebrations across the city on and around that date...so keep your eyes open -- and let me know of the ones you find by posting a reply to this post or emailing me.

Wassalam,
Salikah

The Razi Institute Presents...

2008-03-04T19:06:00.001-05:00

THE RAZI INSTITUTE

From Allah we came and to Him we are Returning.

2008-02-06T00:30:00.000-05:00

Bismillah.

AsSalamu'alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu,

Please recite fatiha for my father-in-law who went on to meet his Lord yesterday, may Allah have Mercy on him, forgive him, multiply his many good works, and unite him with those beloved to him that passed away before him. Ameen.

May Allah grant patience and certitude to all those he has left behind and may we all be united in the Shade of Allah and the company of the Chosen One (Allah bless him and give him peace) on the Last Day and forever in Paradise, insha'Allah. Ameen.

Wassalam,
Salikah

Hadra with Sh. Nazim

2008-02-03T22:24:00.000-05:00

A beautiful Hadra with Sh. Nazim al-Haqqani led by a somali brother with a beautiful voice masha'Allah.

YouTube: Somali Hadra/Mawlid in Lefke with Shaykh Nazim Al-Haqqni

Enjoy!

Lessons from the Road (Din Seeking the Deen)

2008-01-30T13:16:00.001-05:00

From Din, of Din Seeking the Deen, comes a wonderful and insightful post about the lessons we can learn about life, friends, and spouse selection, on...the road. The mu'min sees everything in the world as a sign.

A few observtions listed below:

1. Follow leaders carefully.

The people we follow on the highway makes a special difference on a long journey. I for example don't like to follow cars which break often for no reason or if it appears that the car is being driven by a distracted driver ( cell phone?). On the other hand if I see a car which is driving at a reasonable speed ( for the conditions, traffic etc), I will follow it.

Choose who you follow carefully!

Read all 25 lessons from the road.

Ode to Muhammad (The Wandering Troubadour)

2008-01-26T14:12:00.001-05:00

I recently discovered the blog of a brother we met in Madinah, who, it turns out, is a talented poet, masha'Allah. Below is his Ode to Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace)...do check out his blog Trobador for his other work.

Ode to Muhammad

In praise of the Messenger of GOD, peace and blessings be upon, and in vindication of his noble character against the defamation of the disbelievers and a reminder of the miraculous events that took place during the Night Journey;may GOD bless and preserve him and his ummah.

Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Rahim.

The peace and blessing and mercy of GOD
Could have no target more worthy than he,
The orphan of Mecca, whose feet did trod
This hollow world for sixty years and three.
O honoured is he, the truthful merchant,
Who would sit upon the Mountain of Light
And emmerged from the dark cave with no rant
But Sacred Words for the world to recite.
Praise him, who gently turned the cheek from sin
And showed mercy to the foe who showed none.
Praise him, who guided the wayward man and jinn
And taught that Our LORD and GOD is ONE.

O the Glorious Journey of the Night!The night
GOD’s Favour became manifest
When HE called thee to Heaven’s Highest Height
And showed thee what no one else could attest.
Thou did surpass the best of every nation
In a night of wonders beyond wonder
When thou did ascend the highest station,
Where all mortal words are rent asunder.
Thou, ascendant to the Majestic Throne,
Did behold the KING of Kings without veil!
At the distance of two bows His Face shown;
O Imam of Imams, words cannot avail.

O the blessing of our Prophet’s guidance
And the sweetness of the gifts from his flight:
The complete prayer taught to us to enhance
The pious art of gaining inner-sight!
The fruit of the knowledge of prophecy
He delivered for those who do reflect
And through his guidance it is plain to see
The path of error and the path of the correct.
O ray of light against the darkness and rain
I honour and vindicate thy pure name!
May praise for thy nobleness never wane
And may praising lips never tire or lame!

-Rafi`

Sweet Madinah Sweet Madinah

2008-01-22T17:33:00.000-05:00

When Sh. Faraz first brought our attention to this nasheed a few years ago it was hard just getting past the chuckles when listening to it.

Now back in a new and improved video format, I see that he was right...the passion of it really does grow on one...the lyrics are indeed packed with sincere love...that's for sure.

Click here and enjoy!

In the heart there is a void

2008-01-21T22:06:00.001-05:00

Truly in the heart there is a void that can not be removed except with the company of Allah. And in it there is a sadness that can not be removed except with the happiness of knowing Allah and being true to Him. And in it there is an emptiness that can not be filled except with love for Him and by turning to Him and always remembering Him. And if a person were given all of the world and what is in it, it would not fill this emptiness."

-Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya

Shaykh Habib Umar at Arafah (Hajj 2007)

2008-01-21T22:01:00.000-05:00

Click here for a short clip of the du'a that Shaykh Habib Umar Bin Hafiz Dua made at Arafah during Hajj 2007.

Alhamdulillah, we were blessed to be a part of this mubarak gathering.