Sacred Spaces in Our Homes

Our homes have a room dedicated to every function of our physical being: a place to prepare food, a place to eat food, a place to sleep, etc. When it comes to prayer, however, we have been largely affected by modernist thinkers into praying "anywhere" (obviously, if we are out and we need to pray we honour the time and pray wherever we are) without acknowledgement that not all places are created equal.

We should likewise have a place dedicated to worship. A sacred space free of distractions, heedlessness, and the day -to-day of life. A space where we go to pray our salah, make dhikr, and have seclusion ('uzla).

The space should ideally not be too large. We should fragrance it with bukhoor.

After some time, the difference between that space and other spaces in the home will be palpable. And the quality of your prayers when made there will also be palpable!

Having done this in all the homes we've lived in over the years, we have seen that even those who are unaware of the purpose of that space feel the difference. Even non-Muslims have commented on the feeling of peace there or said it feels "zen".

Not Recognizing the Wali

A dear teacher of ours once told us that the first person to be blinded from the Wali is his wife.

The meaning of this is that those closest to a wali see their humanity so much that they often let that blind them from seeing their rank with Allah and the adab that commands.

It is in this light that the Shaykh al-Akbar has advised that one not spend more than three days in a row with their Shaykh because they will be exposed to his bashariyya and as a result may not see him with the same awe and admiration as they previously did.

Don't Let Your Good Looks Fool You...

Excerpt rom a lesson on Shukr, delivered by Sidi Shaykh:

When you admire your appearance you should be grateful and acknowledge the One who has concealed your ugliness under this beauty. You didn't choose it, He did. When you are so in love with your appearance that you begin to look down upon others, you exit 'ubudiyyah because He created them -- they did not choose their appearance, He did.

The human being should reflect on their origin: a thing of filth from a place of filth, inside you all sorts of filth and yet despite all that, Allah concealed this in beauty, made you vicegerents on Earth and placed everything in it for your benefit and ease. Glory be to Him!

Acknowledge Allah's right to be thanked.

A Love and Blessing Eternal

In times past I had looked upon blessings and asked,
"Are these a test? Will they last?"

Until that blessed day
that my heart did first lay,
eyes upon the one who would show it the Way.

The greatest blessing bestowed upon this impoverished one,
He has illuminated my heart, brighter than the sun.

Given me conviction that his presence is not only a treasure,
But indeed a mark of God's Great Pleasure.

A bond most sublime,
Free from the bounds of space and time.
A blessing, a love, an intercession
Unto the abode of eternal Heaven.

***

May Allah preserve him with health and longevity, and continue to benefit many through him.