I struggle to come to terms with the depth of my plight.
I wonder how I came from security to uncertainty.
But I do not complain, nor do I lament,
My greatest fault being, I neither repent.
I can acknowledge my faults.
I am now labeled 'homeless', though I have a roof over my head.
There are others around me, labeled the same; older and younger,
A kaleidoscope of race.
Day after day, I wake to my own desire,
Master of my day, my wanderings, my life.
Boy, does it hurt.
But I admit my own transgression.
Yeah, the 'free' bird sings of sorrow.
I was once the guardian of a treasure so rich,
Something I squandered, in life's glitzy casino.
My heart carried this treasure,
I was known as the 'safekeeper'.
This is the story of a guy I met recently during the course of my work. In essence, he is now homeless and admits to living in the disobedience of Allah. He was, in fact, a hafiz but squandered it. He believes his homelessness to have been a punishment because of this, and fully accepts it.
This poem remains incomplete.
Saturday 2 August 2008
Thursday 12 June 2008
What is rizq?
Realisation that one's rizq is more than the pounds and dollars they get is when one will begin to understand this great blessing of Allah.
One's rizq not only comes in wealth, but it also comes in terms of health, ilm (knowledge) and amal (actions).
You may be making a lot of money, but if your deeni knowledge and actions are not increasing then you are becoming poor.
On the other hand, one asks for an increase an rizq and may feel despondent that they aren't earning a lot of money, if any, yet at the same time they may have been given the tawfeeq to pray their salaah and read more qur'an. So this in itself is a greater blessing from Allah.
But we need wealth to live so we ask Allah for an increase in rizq through our ilm and amal, health and wealth. Whislt having sabr (patience).
This is what has been on my mind of late.
One's rizq not only comes in wealth, but it also comes in terms of health, ilm (knowledge) and amal (actions).
You may be making a lot of money, but if your deeni knowledge and actions are not increasing then you are becoming poor.
On the other hand, one asks for an increase an rizq and may feel despondent that they aren't earning a lot of money, if any, yet at the same time they may have been given the tawfeeq to pray their salaah and read more qur'an. So this in itself is a greater blessing from Allah.
But we need wealth to live so we ask Allah for an increase in rizq through our ilm and amal, health and wealth. Whislt having sabr (patience).
This is what has been on my mind of late.
Tuesday 15 April 2008
Fire and Water..
“Once the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam mentioned in a gathering, that a night would come upon him wherein he would require fire and water but he would not have it available.
A period of time elapsed before the actual night came about. As the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam came out of his house to fulfill his need, he saw a person standing with water and fire in the faint light of the night.
Upon closer inspection he sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam saw that it was none other than Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu.
When asked why he was waiting outside the Prophet’s house at this time of the night Abu Bakr replied:
‘O Messenger of Allah. Since the day you mentioned that a night is to dawn upon you without water and fire, I have been standing outside your house night after night with these things.
This was because I did not want you to undergo any difficulty due to being in need of these two essential items.’
It was this intense love of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam that enabled Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu to surpass all the other Sahabah in virtue and status.”
(Source: www.shaykh.org)
A period of time elapsed before the actual night came about. As the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam came out of his house to fulfill his need, he saw a person standing with water and fire in the faint light of the night.
Upon closer inspection he sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam saw that it was none other than Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu.
When asked why he was waiting outside the Prophet’s house at this time of the night Abu Bakr replied:
‘O Messenger of Allah. Since the day you mentioned that a night is to dawn upon you without water and fire, I have been standing outside your house night after night with these things.
This was because I did not want you to undergo any difficulty due to being in need of these two essential items.’
It was this intense love of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam that enabled Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu to surpass all the other Sahabah in virtue and status.”
(Source: www.shaykh.org)
Sunday 6 April 2008
The Imaan of 'Umar..
This narration amazes me every time I hear it. The fearlessness of 'Umar RA is captured in it. The time immediately after death is a believer's greatest fear as what happens then sets a precedent for your eternity. And for one to be strong, powerful and assertive at this point, is truly something worthy of awe.
When you die, the angels Munkar and Nakeel come and ask you questions before opening up your graves to heaven or hell. The first question they ask is "Marrubbuka?" (Who is your Lord?)..
After the death of 'Umar RA, 'Uthmaan RA saw him in a dream and asked him, "What did the angels say to you?"
'Umar RA replied, "They asked me, 'Marrubbuka?' and I turned to them and said 'Marrubbuka?', who is YOUR Lord?"
That was the imaan of 'Umar RA.
When you die, the angels Munkar and Nakeel come and ask you questions before opening up your graves to heaven or hell. The first question they ask is "Marrubbuka?" (Who is your Lord?)..
After the death of 'Umar RA, 'Uthmaan RA saw him in a dream and asked him, "What did the angels say to you?"
'Umar RA replied, "They asked me, 'Marrubbuka?' and I turned to them and said 'Marrubbuka?', who is YOUR Lord?"
That was the imaan of 'Umar RA.
Monday 31 March 2008
The Modesty Of Fatima..
“During the time of burial it is common practice to place a sheet over the Kafan (the burial shroud). As the Kafan is tied closely to the body the sheet helps conceal the contours of the body. However, sometimes the shape of the body can still be seen, even with a sheet placed on top.
When Fatima radiallahu anha became acutely ill and feared that she may soon pass away she asked Asma bint Umais radiallahu anha to suggest a method of burial through which modesty would be conserved the most.
Asma radiallahu anha said that in Habasah, the practice was to cover the body in the Kafan, then to place date palm branches over the Kafan, and then to drape a sheet over the branches.
She thus advised Fatima radiallahu anha to adopt this approach for she felt that through this method the body shape would be totally concealed and covered. Thus Fatima radiallahu anha requested those around her to adopt this strategy at her burial.
From this episode we learn how much modesty the Sahaabiyaat had and how much emphasis they placed on the observance of hijaab.”
(Source: www.shaykh.org)
When Fatima radiallahu anha became acutely ill and feared that she may soon pass away she asked Asma bint Umais radiallahu anha to suggest a method of burial through which modesty would be conserved the most.
Asma radiallahu anha said that in Habasah, the practice was to cover the body in the Kafan, then to place date palm branches over the Kafan, and then to drape a sheet over the branches.
She thus advised Fatima radiallahu anha to adopt this approach for she felt that through this method the body shape would be totally concealed and covered. Thus Fatima radiallahu anha requested those around her to adopt this strategy at her burial.
From this episode we learn how much modesty the Sahaabiyaat had and how much emphasis they placed on the observance of hijaab.”
(Source: www.shaykh.org)
Tuesday 25 March 2008
Concrete Dreams..
I’ve just come to realise that it’s all just a mirage,
Everything I aspire for isn’t real.
That’s it, it’s just not real.
Don’t you ever wonder why everything you hope for just doesn’t work out?
Get the great job, the wonderful wife, the awesome car.
It probably won’t happen.
I’m not saying you don’t ever get what you hope for or aspire to be.
Say you do get it, it isn’t everything you thought it would be, is it?
How long does the joy last?
Not every long, eh?
That’s my point.
All that glistens is not gold.
All that you see is not real.
It’s fake.
Ephemeral.
Fleeting.
An illusion.
Listen.
Come closer.
Dream.
That’s an imperative.
Dreams can be real.
Dream of Gardens beneath which rivers flow.
Rivers of sweet honey and pure milk,
The like of which you have never tasted.
A place where sleep will not overcome you, nor grief.
Food will not be an issue, whatever your heart desires is yours.
No tears, no sadness and most importantly.. no death.
Eternal bliss.
Serenity.
Insert any other nice words you can think of here >>
What can be more real than eternity?
Sweeter than honey?
Whatever you want, whenever you want.
This, mon ami, is a concrete dream.
Everything I aspire for isn’t real.
That’s it, it’s just not real.
Don’t you ever wonder why everything you hope for just doesn’t work out?
Get the great job, the wonderful wife, the awesome car.
It probably won’t happen.
I’m not saying you don’t ever get what you hope for or aspire to be.
Say you do get it, it isn’t everything you thought it would be, is it?
How long does the joy last?
Not every long, eh?
That’s my point.
All that glistens is not gold.
All that you see is not real.
It’s fake.
Ephemeral.
Fleeting.
An illusion.
Listen.
Come closer.
Dream.
That’s an imperative.
Dreams can be real.
Dream of Gardens beneath which rivers flow.
Rivers of sweet honey and pure milk,
The like of which you have never tasted.
A place where sleep will not overcome you, nor grief.
Food will not be an issue, whatever your heart desires is yours.
No tears, no sadness and most importantly.. no death.
Eternal bliss.
Serenity.
Insert any other nice words you can think of here >>
What can be more real than eternity?
Sweeter than honey?
Whatever you want, whenever you want.
This, mon ami, is a concrete dream.
Monday 10 March 2008
Two Jannahs..
During the time of ‘Umar RA, there was a boy who used to frequent the masjid and used to return home at times to visit his father.
One day, as he went to visit his father, he came across a girl who, in due course, tempted him into her house. His nafs gave in and he approached the house with the intention of commiting zina. As he was about to enter the house, a verse of the Qur’an came to mind and he collapsed.
By the time he came round it was the early hours of the morning and he went to his father’s house. His father asked him what verse it was that caused him to faint. Before he could recite it again, once more he fell to the ground, never to get up again.
When ‘Umar RA found out about the boy’s story, he recited a verse from Surah Ar-Rahman stating he would receive two jannahs for dying in the fear of Allah.
(٤٥) وَلِمَنۡ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِۦ جَنَّتَانِ
(45) But for him who feareth the standing before his Lord there are two gardens.
A voice came from the grave, “Ya ‘Umar, you speak of this reward being due to me and I’m telling you that verily I have that reward now.”
(Taken from a bayaan by Shaykh Sulayman Mulla, March 7th 2008, London)
One day, as he went to visit his father, he came across a girl who, in due course, tempted him into her house. His nafs gave in and he approached the house with the intention of commiting zina. As he was about to enter the house, a verse of the Qur’an came to mind and he collapsed.
By the time he came round it was the early hours of the morning and he went to his father’s house. His father asked him what verse it was that caused him to faint. Before he could recite it again, once more he fell to the ground, never to get up again.
When ‘Umar RA found out about the boy’s story, he recited a verse from Surah Ar-Rahman stating he would receive two jannahs for dying in the fear of Allah.
(٤٥) وَلِمَنۡ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِۦ جَنَّتَانِ
(45) But for him who feareth the standing before his Lord there are two gardens.
A voice came from the grave, “Ya ‘Umar, you speak of this reward being due to me and I’m telling you that verily I have that reward now.”
(Taken from a bayaan by Shaykh Sulayman Mulla, March 7th 2008, London)
Sunday 24 February 2008
Sunday 6 January 2008
Mujahadah an Nafs...
A few words of wisdom gained from my Shaykh last night regarding tasawuf (Spirituality) and tazkiyah (Spiritual cleansing):
Mujahida of the nafs (striving to control it) is not refusing yourself a cold drink on a summer’s day or sleeping on the floor when you have a bed available to you. Instead, mujahida is, for example when you force yourself to look down when a non-mahram is passing by, someone you shouldn’t be looking at.
Restraining your nafs from doing all the permissible things will eventually cause it to rebel against you in such a way that it overcomes you and forces you into haraam. Therefore treat you nafs like a child and force it when necessary but also reward it with the halal things that it enjoys.
On another note, we must be careful with overindulging in halal. This meaning that we should not go round looking for things that are halal and pleasurable to our nafs and then just keep doing it. The result of this will be that our nafs will eventually get bored of all these halal activities that it has overindulged in and then its only desire will be to experience haraam pleasure as that is all that will be left! Therefore we should ensure that we engage in maximum 75% of the halal things that we enjoy and in that way we will have at least a 25% barrier between us and haraam.
May Allah allow us to act upon these beautiful teachings and becoming perfect muslims. Ameen.
Mujahida of the nafs (striving to control it) is not refusing yourself a cold drink on a summer’s day or sleeping on the floor when you have a bed available to you. Instead, mujahida is, for example when you force yourself to look down when a non-mahram is passing by, someone you shouldn’t be looking at.
Restraining your nafs from doing all the permissible things will eventually cause it to rebel against you in such a way that it overcomes you and forces you into haraam. Therefore treat you nafs like a child and force it when necessary but also reward it with the halal things that it enjoys.
On another note, we must be careful with overindulging in halal. This meaning that we should not go round looking for things that are halal and pleasurable to our nafs and then just keep doing it. The result of this will be that our nafs will eventually get bored of all these halal activities that it has overindulged in and then its only desire will be to experience haraam pleasure as that is all that will be left! Therefore we should ensure that we engage in maximum 75% of the halal things that we enjoy and in that way we will have at least a 25% barrier between us and haraam.
May Allah allow us to act upon these beautiful teachings and becoming perfect muslims. Ameen.
Thursday 3 January 2008
Be Allah’s, He Will Be Yours...
Once the Prophet Musa (aliyhe asslaam) was tending to his sheep when he started to feel very sleepy. He tried vey much to stay awake, because he feared that if he fell asleep the wolves may harm his sheep. However, he could not control himself and he fell asleep. As soon as he awoke he very worriedly looked around to see what had become of his sheep. To his amazement he seen that the wolves themselves were guarding his sheep. Very astonished, he asked Allah as to what was happening. Allah sent reveleation to him,
"O Musa! You behave in the manner which I desire, so I am repaying you by dealing with you in the manner"
"O Musa! You behave in the manner which I desire, so I am repaying you by dealing with you in the manner"
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