Attaining knowledge

The Caliph Haroon Rashid once sent a message to Imam Malik rahmatullahi alayh requesting him to visit the palace and impart lessons of Hadith. The great Imam wrote in reply that:

"A person must seek Ilm for Ilm does not seek anyone"

The Caliph understood the implication of this and thus he travelled to Masjid an Nabawi to hear the Dars of the renowned Imam.

Source: shaykh.org

A’ishah: Three Dates

Aishah, the Blessed Prophet's wife, was a very hospitable person. She loved to entertain guests, and spend happy hours chatting to them.

Once a woman came to visit Aishah, bringing her two daughters with her. Aishah received her, smiling and welcoming and very soon the two women were deep in conversation. However, Aishah was faced with a certain difficulty..

At that time, things were very hard in Madina. Often the people went hungry, and in the Prophets house (pbuh), no fire was made for days and food was scarce, even dates were short in supply.

Aishah decided to search the house thoroughly in order to find something to offer her guest. The room in which she had welcomed her guest was so small that when Aishah stood up, her head almost touched the ceiling. It did not take Aishah very long to search it, and she quickly realized that she did not have much to offer. Eventually she managed to find three dates. Aishah gave them to her guest who looked at her gratefully.

The woman gave one date to each of her daughters. They were very hungry and had not eaten for several days. The mother kept one date for herself, but she did not eat it and held it in her hand as she talked to Aishah.

After the two little girls had gobbled up their dates, they began to eye the last one that was held in their mothers hand. Their mother saw them out of the corner of her eye and smiled. She divided the last date into two pieces and gave half to each of the girls.

Aishah was very moved by the great love and self-sacrifice shown by this mother, and as soon as the Blessed Prophet came home, she told him what had happened.

Indeed, the Prophet (pbuh) said. The woman has entered Paradise because of the love and kindness she showed to her little daughters. Allah will show her mercy because she showed mercy to them.

Source: “Glimpses From the Lives of the Sahaba and Tabi’een, ‘A’ishah, Mother of the Believers.” By Dr. M. Jilani. Taiba Publishers, 2003.
Courtesy of qisas.com

The Musaafir Returns

After one year, four months and ten days I'm back. That's one heck of a hiatus.

I have no idea what inspired my return, but it's a return nonetheless. I guess I needed somewhere to collect my thoughts and find the path again. Although, I'm guessing after so long, nobody will even think place exists. In which case, I shall talk to myself and try to inspire myself with good.

And to begin, just an ayah I came across:

The one who exceeds the boundaries of Allah has indeed wronged himself. (65:1)

Through the eyes of another..

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.

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.

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)

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.