Qurba: Summer 2008 Intensive Program (Razi)

The Razi Institute Presents:

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



Looks good!

The Risalah Foundation & Summer Day Camp for Kids

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

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

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

Subhan'Allah.

The Hikma of Hakim Archuletta

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

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

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

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,

1. You will gain a deeper understanding of the What; the Why and the How
2. 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
3. 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
4. You will become acquainted with the proofs from the Qur'an and the Sunna
5. You will become familiar with the various Muslim sects throughout history as well as those of today
6. 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

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

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!

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

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:

1. 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.
2. Surah Tabarak (I believe after Isha).
3. Du'a (supplication), seeking refuge from the torments of the grave and Hell.
4. 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)

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

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...

THE RAZI INSTITUTE

From Allah we came and to Him we are Returning.

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

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)

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)

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

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

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)

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.

When the Beloved Drives You Away

Bismillah.

AsSalamu'alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu,

On my recent post about our Hajj Journey, nameeman (a reader) reminded me of a post I made last year when we were denied hajj visas...the poem by Mawlana Rumii beautiful and much worth reading:

Say, do not despair because the Beloved drives you away;

if He drives you away today, will He not call you back tomorrow?

If He shuts the door on you, do not go away;

be patient there, for after patience He will seat you in the place of honour.

And if He bars against you all ways and passages,

He will show you a secret way, which no man knows.

Click here for the entire poem.

Wassalam,

Salikah

Ibn 'Ata'illah on Gratitude for Your Current Position in the World

Your desire for isloation,

even though God has put you in the world to gain a living,

is a hidden passion.

And your desire to gain a living in the world,

even though God has put you in isolation,

is a comedown from a lfty aspiration.

Rest yourself from self-direction,

for what Someone Else has carried out on your behalf

you must not yourself undertake to do it.

Hikam, Chapter 1, translated by Victor Danner

Missings...

I'm doing the missings.

I miss Madinah,
I miss Makkah,
I miss the people that were with us.
And I miss the luggage that got lost between Saudi and NYC.

Please make du'a that going back to work goes well and that our luggage gets back to us!

Alhamdulillah 'ala kulli haal - it is as Allah ordained it to be.

Wassalam,
Salikah

UAE Suhba with Sh. Nuh in February?

Someone is looking for info about the UAE Suhba with Sh. Nuh in February. If you have information about it or a website, please post it here for them. Jazak Allah khayr.

Alhamdulillah, back from Hajj -- Hajj Mabrur insha'Allah

Bismillah.

Assalamu'alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,


Alhamdulillah, we returned from hajj on Sunday afternoon -- going to sleep on the plane with a lasting image of the ka'ba from our farewell tawaf and waking up to New York City (where we had a stopover) was a rude awakening -- but as Shaykh Nuh often says, quoting the skipper on his ship, "life is a series of rude awakenings, if they're not rude, we tend not to awaken." NYC reminded us that keeping anything we had gained of spirituality, state, and character, would not be easy as we returned to our lives in Toronto -- returning requires heightened taqwa and a renewed sense of being wary of shaytan at all times and in all places.


Salik and I were indeed blessed. Not only were we invited as guests to both the House of Allah and the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), but we were invited with a hajj group that was absolutely amazing, masha'Allah. Organized by Sacred Tours, we were blessed to be led on our hajj by Shaykh Ramzy Ajem and Shaykh Zahid Ally, and the barakah that came with them wherever we went. Alhamdulillah, our group was truly amazing -- each person brought to the group something unique -- but all had in common a shared love of Allah and His Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace), a sense of shukr for being invited to Hajj, and alhamdulillah, an understanding that one must not complain or grow impatient when tested.





We started our hajj off in Madinah the Radiant where we spent six days, and as Sh. Ramzy put it, what better way to enter the House of the King, than through the doors of His most beloved slave? Those who have been to the city know that it has a feeling unlike any other, and many of the 'ulama' say it is the most sacred place on earth. The air in Madinah is light, one can taste its sweetness, and see its luminosity in the faces of the people. There is a feeling in one everywhere in Madinah that one must walk gently, for this very land may have once been trodden by the footsteps of the Best of Creation (Allah bless him and give him peace), his family, companions, and the awliya' -- and one is filled with an understanding of why so many believers, scholars, and awliya' came to the City and decided never to leave it -- how blessed are those who walked their final steps there, took in their last breaths there, and are now buried in Jannat al-Baqi', across from the Chosen One (Allah bless him and give him peace).


One morning of our stay in Madinah was set aside to visit Mount Uhud, the cemetery of its martyrs, Masjid al-Quba' (the first masjid), Masjid al-Qiblatayn (the masjid where, mid-prayer, the qibla was changed from Jerusalem to Makkah), and the well of 'Uthman ibn 'Affan (where the ring of the Prophet, peace be upon him, fell -- now a fountain). At each point Sh. Zahid would remind us of the significance of where we were, tell us a story from the Sira, and help us realize the magnanimous nature of where we stood. Mubarak places indeed, where each breath is blessed, each step, a step toward Paradise insha'Allah.

We were blessed to visit the Rawdah and say our salams to the Rasul (Allah bless him and give him peace) everyday that we were in his city. When some of the sisters longed to be able to visit the front half of the Rawdah and be able to face the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), Sh. Ramzy reminded us that although it is an honour, it isn't necessary because the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is alive in his grave -- he hears us, he knows when we come to see him, and responds to every single greeting and prayer we bring to him -- and he reminded us that the adab of visiting the Chosen One (Allah bless him and give him peace) is to enter with eyes downcast out of shyness before him, to greet him, and to ready one's heart to hear and feel his response. Indeed when one visits the Rawdah and sends peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, one feels his love envelop one's entire being, one feels his prayers and intercession, one realizes his blessings upon them, and the things that happen are truly beyond all words. One of my favourite times in Madinah was walking around the entire masjid after the Rawdah closed to sisters at midnight -- the peace and serenity in the air was something of another world. And in a nutshell, this was what Madinah was for all of us. Allah bless our Master Muhammad, his family, companions, and all those who love him and seek to follow him until the Last Day. Ameen.


On Sunday December 16th we made ghusl, went to visit Rasul Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) to request his permission to leave the city, and then prepared ourselves to leave for hajj, setting out to Dhu'l-Hulayfah, the miqat of the people of Madinah, which Sh. Ramzy said we were now blessed to be considered amongst -- may Allah unite us with the people of Madinah on the Last Day, ameen.


When we got to Makkah, we made our tawaf al-qudum and sa'y for hajj. Seeing the ka'ba is such a surreal feeling, one cannot fathom how one is actually standing before this blessed centre. Sh. Ramzy had told us before we began that because the kabah is paralleled by the bayt al-ma'mur, when we encircle it, we should seek to imitate the angels that encircle the Throne in our reverence and obedience -- and it is the yaqin and love with which he would tell us such truths, that would bring another sphere to our hajj -- as it was in Madinah, it was in Makkah, that having his guidance brought light to our hajj.


After tawaf and sa'y we headed to our tents at Mina and all day Monday, we rested. Tuesday morning we set out to Arafat where we spent the morning in worship. In the afternoon those in our group who were able, set out to go up a hill from which one could see Jabal al-Rahmah and just as we were about to head back to the tent, Sh. Ramzy and thirteen brothers decided they were going to go to the foot of Jabal al-Rahmah itself -- and a dear sister of mine and I felt our hearts leap out toward the mount -- so timidly we asked if could come, and Sh. Ramzy said that if our mahrams accompanied us and felt it was okay, we could. Alhamdulillah, thinking we were headed down to the foot of the mount -- a roundtrip of about an hour -- our day was about to take a blessed turn we would never have imagined.


As we got to the foot of the mount, Sh. Ramzy got off his phone and told us that not only was Shaykh Habib 'Umar at 'Arafah, but he was giving a talk, and we were invited. Here we were in the most blessed place on earth, on the most blessed day of the year, with the opportunity to meet and sit with one of the most blessed men alive today -- a descendant of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)! We all agreed we were more than willing to walk to the Haba'ib tent to see Shaykh Habib 'Umar and amidst the flurry of pilgrims just started walking in the direction of the tent, and by Allah's Grace, arrived two hours later to an intense gathering of dhikr, du'a, and qasidas. The sisters tent had a television with a live window into the brothers tent, so we sat with the women and tried to absorb as much of the nur as we could and when it was over, went out to meet Sh. Ramzy and the brothers...and as we stood there, Sh. Habib 'Umar passed by us and Sh. Ramzy leaned over to have him bless a bottle of water from which we all then took a sip. Later we found out that all the brothers in the group had the opportunity to personally greet Sh. Habib 'Umar and kiss his hand, and that when Sh. Ramzy told him we had come from Canada and walked two hours to meet him, he had made a special du'a for us. That du'a would take us a far way. Subhan'Allah, the energy and feeling in that tent was from another realm and we could all feel the presence of other believers from those realms with us.


We stayed for about an hour, but by then were too far from our own tent and had no way of catching our bus to Muzdalifah. So on water, the few dates we had for breakfast, and a icecream bar from the Haba'ib tent, we started walking to Muzdalifah around 5pm. And we kept walking until we arrived at around 10 pm. A beautiful walk it was, one could hear trucks, buses, carloads of people going by shouting Labayk Allahuma Labayk! People on foot walking by, Labayk Allahuma Labayk! So unified, so powerful -- people from every corner of the globe, every colour, every walk of life, all dressed in simple, pure white, heading in the dark, to a place in the middle of the desert to pray, out of obedience to their Creator and in following the example of His Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) -- spectacular and awe-inspiring. Before we had left, Sh. Ramzy had said to us that for onlookers, the pilgrims are either insane or they're people who are absolutely in love and willing to do whatever the Beloved asks of them -- indeed that night, we were in the midst of a sea of lovers and oh, what a feeling that is -- a feeling that will never leave us, God-willing.


When we arrived at Muzdalifah, we had nothing with us and one of the older Persian brothers, a diabetic, expressed his desire for some rest and some hot rice, and Sh. Ramzy replied with a smile, "Allah has brought us this far and He has taken care of us, insha'Allah, you want rice, He'll give you rice -- just trust in Him and have a good opinion of Him". By Allah, it was a mere five or ten minutes further that we walked and met two men who offered us their sheets to pray on -- the kindness these men would show us would be inspirational. As the two of us sisters prayed, one of them came by and lay a blanket in front of us so our sajdah would be easy on our knees. We prayed Maghrib, 'Isha, and Witr, as subhan'Allah, as we made our final salams, the men returned with bags of food for us - hot rice, chicken, and snacks. There we sat on the ground on the sheets these kind-hearted brothers with, masha'Allah, illumined faces had decided to share with us, eating all together the food they had brought us -- fuqara' indeed! I could not help it, but feel that Allah was showing us something here -- here we were, as average Westerners, likely wealthy in comparison to the majority of the people at Muzdalifah, as well as these brothers, and were completely at their mercy -- we would take of whatever they would give us.


After that meal, we moved further ahead so as to not be any further burden to these brothers who had taken it upon themselves to be our gracious hosts. Tired, we sat down, and when I looked up, I saw that we were in front of some gutters -- subhan'Allah, how Allah shows us that when one's company is blessed, and one's heart content with Him, all things, all places seem like paradise. Feeling that we wouldn't lay down out of shyness, Sh. Ramzy then took it upon himself to purchase and assemble a tent with blankets for the two of us girls to sleep in for an hour until it was past midnight and we could continue on to the jamarat, while the brothers took rest outside the tent guarding us. Sustenance is truly from Allah, that one mubarak hour of sleep under the sky of Muzdalifah energized us like nothing else. We awoke, collected our stones, and walked to the Jamarat to stone the Jamarat al-'aqabah (the big one).


That night I understood something of what the sahabah must have felt. One often hears stories of companions -- even women -- who overcame the greatest barriers and challenges, endangered their lives, and even fought in battles to protect the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), and these stories are awe-inspiring. That night we all had so much trust in Sh. Ramzy, we had seen something of who he really is, of how mubarak a person he is, and we all knew in our hearts that wherever he went, good things would come -- that if we followed him, we would only benefit, and with that came the strength and the ability to do anything he said and go anywhere he took us. Reflecting on that I thought, if this is how we felt out of reverence for Sh. Ramzy, then imagine what the companions must have felt having the Messenger of Allah, the Best of Creation -- a Mercy to the Worlds, the Chosen One himself (Allah bless him and grant him abundant peace), before them; seeing him get revelation from Allah Himself. Subhan'Allah.


As we got closer to the jamarat tunnel and began to walk into it, the vision was spectacular -- an army of white, thousands upon thousands, walking in unison, chanting -- it seemed like an army of angels, apocalyptic almost, coming in to oppose Shaytan, telling him we had enough of his interference in our lives. Alhamdulillah, the re-designed Jamarat is so well organized and safe, and stoning is really one of the rites of hajj that, gone into with the right state of mind and heart, is ever so fulfilling.


Once we were done, we went back to our tents at Mina, the brothers all shaved their heads, the girls cut their hair, and we all had a peaceful sleep. Anyone that can make this trip walking really should -- the shuyukh all recommend it, and its reward is great.


Thursday we went to the Haram in Makkah and performed our tawaf al-ifadah in a completely packed Haram, and spent the remainder of the day as well as Friday in our tents, did our own private 'ibadah and dhikrs, and had little mawlids here and there, and went each night to stone at the Jamarat. Saturday we woke up, went to stone at the Jamarat one last time and then headed to Makkah having completed all the rites of Hajj -- may Allah accept our hajj and forgive us our sins, ameen.





We had six days in Makkah and we were literally specs in a sea of people. Two and half million people feels like someone is always next to you on every side, sounds like a plethora of languages and accents, and looks like people as far as the eye can see in every single direction -- subhan'Allah, I remember repeatedly thinking to myself and commenting to Salik, that the lovers of Allah are many.

Salik and I often prayed fajr, maghrib, and 'isha on the roof of the Haram -- there was something so sweet, so tranquil about the sun rising or setting amidst a cool breeze, and being led in prayer aloud by a sublime voice that seemed almost as if it was coming down upon us from the sky. In Madinah we had been led in Fajr and 'Isha by my personal favourite, al-Hudhayfi and in Maghrib by Hussein Al Shaykh who Salik and I nicknamed "al-Samawi" because his voice had a powerful effect that had one feel as if they had passed away and the soul was rising through various stations in the celestial spheres, and in Makkah we were generally led by another gifted qari' by the name Maher al-Mua'qili. Getting to the kabah itself was always a challenge among so many people, but by Allah's grace we were able to touch the corner before al-Rukn al-Yamani, al-Rukn al-Yamani itself, and the wall in between, one day after Maghrib...although we longed to get to al-Hajr al-Aswad we weren't ever able to make it, alhamdulillah.

Perhaps the saddest moment was tawaf al-wida', the farewell tawaf which we performed on our last day in between Maghrib and 'Isha. Sh. Zahid had taught us that one should approach this tawaf with a sadness in the heart, that it should be the last act we perform in Makkah (unless circumstances called for something obligatory or necessary), and so I decided to completely lose myself in this final tawaf and close by eyes for most of it letting Salik take me wherever he went, and by Allah's Mercy I remember opening my eyes at one point and being right in front of Maqam Ibrahim, which I had been longing to get to in my heart. The farewell tawaf is heart-breaking...one realizes the blessing upon one for having been invited, one longs to stay, and wishes to return soon. Just as we finished our tawaf, the adhan for 'Isha came, we prayed 'Isha facing the doors of the kaba behind Maqam Ibrahim, made our final du'as, drank from the well of Zamzam, and walked off with eyes downcast in fervant prayer to return here once again. May Allah invite us to His Home and that of His Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) again, may He draw us near to Himself and His Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) in this life, and may He allow us to encircle His Throne in Paradise and be in the company of His Beloved (Allah bless him and give him peace), drinking from his blessed hand the drink that will quench all thirst. Ameen, ameen, ameen.


Makkah was also a time of personal devotion and contemplation of what had just passed and the challenges one would face constantly in the times ahead -- soon we would return home to our jobs, to a different society, and to all the difficulties and challenges of life -- and in a sense, the true test of hajj would be the rest of our lives. May Allah accept our hajj and make it a means of much good in our lives here and in the next world. May Allah grant us noble character and proximity to Him. May Allah bless us and our loved ones, and grant us much good. Ameen.


And finally, my favourite new quote is from the, masha'Allah, ever-jovial, but firm Sh. Zahid who said to a group of people, "rukhsahs are for the weak and the ugly -- I'm not talking about looks, I mean the spiritually weak, and the spiritually ugly".


Wassalam,
Salikah


*For Habib 'Umar's words upon returning from Hajj this year, click here*