almiskeenah

…Insha’Allah these blessed days of Rabi’al Awwal hearts are filled with reliving and reflecting upon the Seerah of our Noble Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…pondering over his perfected character and how we can act upon his esteemed examples…Ziyarahs around his Mubarak City always flame the love for him SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and all he bequeathed us to act upon…a visit to Wadi Ranuna called this speck…

…it was noon on the day of Juma’ah when our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam set off with his companions…some from Bani ‘Amr who had accompanied him from Quba…they stopped in the valley of Ranuna where the Khazrajite clan of Bani Salim resided…accounts say there were approximately one hundred men, including some who came from Bani Najjar to join them…the people of Banu Salim begged, “O Prophet of Allah, you stayed at the homes of our cousins for a number of days, reward us too with something, for they will pride themselves over us till the Day of Judgement that you stayed with them”…but he explained that it was his faithful camel Qaswa that was under Allah Ta’ala’s command…

…take the time this Juma’ah for the heart to absorb the eloquence of the Khutbah delivered by our Blessed Messenger on the very first Juma’ah…and Insha’Allah to feel a shift these words have upon your condition…may hearts receive a Rabi’al Awwal gift through this profound reminder…

Praise and glory to Allah!
I praise and glorify Him,
I seek His help and forgiveness,
I seek His guidance,
I believe in Him and do not deny Him,
and I take as my enemy those who deny Him.

I bear witness that there is no God except Allah
alone without partner,
and that Muhammad is His worshipper and Messenger
whom He sent with right guidance and the true Religion,
with light and admonition,
after an interval of time without Messengers,
in which knowledge had waned,
misguidance had spread among people,
time had become short,
the Hour had dawned, and the end is near.

Whoever obeys Allah and His Prophet has followed right,
and whoever disobeys them has gone astray,
wasted his opportunity, and truly gone far into misguidance.

I call upon you to fear Allah!
Truly the best to which a Muslim can call another Muslim
is that he urges him to seek the hereafter
and command him to fear Allah.

Beware, therefore, when “Allah bids you beware of Him” (3:28).
There is no better faithful advice than this.
There is no better admonition than this.
Truly it is a safeguard (taqwâ) for anyone that heeds it
in true Godwariness (wajal) and devout fear.
Truly it is trusty help toward what you seek of the hereafter.

Whoever sets aright what lies between himself and Allah
in matters both private and public,
intending nothing thereby other than Allah’s countenance:
it will be for him a reminder in his worldly existence
and provision for him after death,
when a human being finds himself depending solely
upon the deeds he has sent forth,
and whatever else, “he will long that there might be
a mighty space of distance between it and that (evil).
Allah bids you beware of Him.
And Allah is full of pity for (His) bondmen.” (3:30).

By the One Whose Word is true
and Who discharged His promise:
it shall not be otherwise than what I have described!
For He says - Exalted and Almighty:
“The sentence that comes from Me cannot be changed,
and I am in no wise a tyrant unto the slaves” (50:29).

Beware Allah in your worldly matters
as well as your otherworldly ones,
in secret and openly.
For whoever fears Allah, He shall absolve him of his evils
and grant him a great reward.
Whoever fears Allah has achieved a huge victory.
Truly fear of Allah protects one from what He detests.
It protects one from His punishment.
It protects one from His wrath.
Truly fear of Allah makes one illustrious
and raises one’s rank.

Take your share but do not fall short regarding Allah’s side.
Allah has taught you His book
and made plain for you the way to Him,
so as to make known (li ya`lama) those who are truthful
and to make known the liars.

Therefore, excel in goodness
just as Allah has excelled in goodness toward you.
Take His enemies for your enemies.
“And strive for Allah
with the endeavor which is His right.
He has chosen you and has named you Muslims” (22:78)
“that he who perished might perish by a clear proof and he who survived might survive by a clear proof” (8:42).

And “There is no strength save in Allah” (18:39)
so remember and mention Allah abundantly
and work for what comes after death!
Whoever sets aright what lies between himself and Allah,
Allah shall give him sufficiency
in what lies between himself and humankind.

That is because Allah pronounces judgment on mankind
while they do not pronounce judgment against Him;
and He owns rights over them
while they own no right over Him.

Allah is greatest!
And there is no change nor power
but with Allah the Exalted, the Almighty!

Source

…Abu Khaythamah RadhiAllahu anhu was one of the Sahabah from Bani Salim…when the army set off for the Ghazwa in Tabuk, during the extreme heat of summer, he remained in his home enjoying ease and comfort and khidmah from his family…however his mind was persistently thinking of the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and his companions as they travelled in harsh and scorching conditions during the arduous journey…he found little peace as these thoughts plagued him…so he gathered a few provisions and left to join the army…when he finally joined them our merciful Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam made special Du’a for him, SubhanAllah!…what lessons of sacrifice we can take from such stories…asking ourselves what sacrifices can we make to improve our condition?

…looking north from the rubble of the restoration work of Masjid Juma’ah two minarets of Masjid Quba can be seen just beyond the residential buildings…such a pity that this short 800 meters of Mubarak land connecting these historic places could not have been developed into park land…

…while looking south is the Ottoman Quba fort…it was in this area that the children sang the welcoming Ta’ala Al Badra Alayna (Arabic lyrics with English translation) at the time of our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam’s entrance into Madinah…

…topping off this Ziyarah was a delicious wholesome meal prepared by Dear Sister Iman who lives near this Mubarak Wadi Ranuna, Masha’Allah…

JUMA’AH MUBARAK!

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.

Tags: Abu Khaythamah, Bani Salim, first Khutbah, ghazwa, masjid juma'ah, Ottoman Fort, Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, Qaswa, Quba, Rabi'al Awwal 1433, sahabah, Tabuk, Ta’ala al badru ‘alayna, Wadi Ranuna, Ziyarah

…Marhaba…welcome…the first spring…welcome…may love be increased and transformed into passion for our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, just as buds bloom into blossoms as spring awakens…

…allow the “wings” of your heart to transport your yearning to be near to our Beloved Habibul Allah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. Permit all senses of the heart to be submerged in the radiance of the light, the fragrance of the breeze, the sacredness of this earth, the velvety air, pleasing the soul with the delights of being so near…

Allah Ta’ala knows our longing. He is The Glorious, The Aware, The Enricher, giving sustenance to the wayfarer. Travel now, entering a new realm of intimacy with Muhammad, the Praised One, the Most Praised, The Praiser, The Best of Creation The Mercy to the World, our Master on the journey towards His Divine Presence, our Intercessor on the Day of Judgement, SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.

O Allah, bless the soul of our master Muhammad among the souls, and bless his body among the bodies, and his grave among the graves and his family and companions, and grant them peace.

O Allah, bless our master Muhammad whenever those who do dhikr mention him.

O Allah, bless our master Muhammad whenever those who neglect his dhikr neglect it.

O Allah, bless our master Muhammad, the Unlettered Prophet and his wives, the mothers of the believers, and his offspring and the People of his House with a blessing and peace whose quantity is not counted and whose help is not cut off.

O Allah, bless our master Muhammad in quantities great as what Your knowledge encompasses and Your Book contains with a blessing which is Yours as a pleasure and his as payment, and give him the means of mediation and virtue and high degree, and raise him up, O Allah, to the praiseworthy station which You promised him and reward him from us what he deserves, and bless all his brothers, the Prophets and truthful ones, martyrs and righteous.

O Allah, bless our master Muhammad and put him in the closest position on the Day of Rising.

O Allah, bless our master Muhammad.

Dala’il al-Khayrat by Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Sulayman ibn Abi Bakr al-Jazuli al-Simlali  Rahmatullahi alaihi (d. 870/1465)

Ameen Ameen Ameen.

…photos capture the atmosphere around Haram during these days…

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.

Tags: al-Jazuli, commandos, Dala'il al-Khayrat, Dome of Felicity, Dome of Peace, Green Dome, Haram courtyard, Haram umbrellas, Madinatun Nabi, Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, Rabi'al Awwal 1433, the First Spring

I had promised to dedicate an entire chapter to detail the problem of plotting and planning to secure one’s livelihood. This is necessary because selfish calculation penetrates deep into our hearts when we worry about our livelihood. It is the greatest blessing to be granted safety from anxiety about receiving provision to sustain our lives (rizq). None are granted such safety except the people of accord (al-muwaffaqun) who sincerely trust God’s promises. Their hearts are tranquil in turning to God. They realize in truth how to entrust their needs to God’s care.

The issue of how we receive our livelihood is so crucial that one Sufi master has said to his disciples: “All I ask from you is to master this problem of provision, and don’t bother with the other spiritual stations!” Another Sufi master has said: “The most intense anxiety is worrying about fulfilling our basic needs.” He means God created human beings very needy. In our neediness, we reach out to grasp with our will and intention, extending our power over objects around us to fulfill our needs.

We can say that the true One made us human beings, like all animals, in grave need as a conduit through which we can know God. Don’t you see that your need is a gateway to God’s presence?

In this context, you might better comprehend the Prophet’s teaching that, “Those who know themselves know their sustaining Lord.”

We can say that the true One made us human beings, like all animals, in grave need as a conduit through which we can know God. Don’t you see that your need is a gateway to God’s presence?

Whoever knows the human self in its need, poverty, emptiness and helplessness indeed knows the sustaining One in the fullness of divine ability, authority, overflowing bounty and ceaseless giving that characterize the Lord, from among the other qualities of completeness, perfection and independence which contrasts with every human trait.

The true One has intensified the depth of our human need (haja) and multiplied the dimensions of our empty void (faqa). This is to insure that we rectify our way of living, aligning it with the inevitability of returning to our Creator.

Don’t you realize that other kinds of animals are created more independent than we are? They have their claws and fangs. Their pelts and wool replace our need to wear clothes. Their nests and burrows make them free of the need to construct permanent abodes. Human beings are certainly the most needy of animals!

The true One desired to put this human being to the test. So we were made needy in so many ways. This was to see if we would try to depend on our powers of reason and calculation to make our way, or if we would rather turn to God to receive what is apportioned and appointed for each of us.

Seen from a different perspective, the true One wants to enter into a loving relationship with the human servant. So we find  ourselves in need of means to survive and raise those needs to God to provide for us, we taste of kind of spiritual sweetness in the soul and a refreshing restfulness in the heart.

This sparks us to renew our love for the One who sustains us.

The Prophet has taught, “Love God for what is given to you in blessing to feed you.”
Each moment we are receiving a blessing of sustenance, there is the potential to rejuvenate our love of God because of the blessing.

From another perspective, the true One wants to be thanked.

So God submerged us in need and took on the responsibility for meeting our needs. This is so that we might engage God in thanks for fulfilling our needs and gratefully acknowledge God’s generosity and beneficence.

God’s Divine Speech pronounces,

Consume that what your Sustainer provides for you, and give thanks. A wholesome land and a most forgiving Lord. (34:15)

We can say that our poverty and need are subtle causes of our engaging in conversation with God. Such prayerful conversation is such an honour for us! It is almost a miraculous gift. It is certainly priceless.

We provide for you, and the rewards of the Hereafter belong to the devout. (20:132)

Quoted from Ibn ‘Ata’Allah Al-Iskandari RahmatuLlahi alaihi’s The Book of Illumination Chapter Two: Desisting from Anxiety about Provision.

…photos along the way to seeking sustenance, which happened to be a big and a little fish…and just as this one with the huge teeth must have devoured…so we in turn devour…such is the food chain and the blessing of provision from the sea…

…lawful to you is the game of the sea and its food…(5:96)

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.

Tags: Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, cummin, fish, fried fish, fruit, ful, Ibn 'Ata'Allah Al-Iskandari, locally grown produce, rizq, Scholars, sidewalk markets, spring onions, streets of madinah, sustenance, The Book of Illumination

…Allahu Akbar…the untold, unimaginable, unlimited gifts that Allah Ta’ala bestows upon each and very one of His creation reflects His Greatness and Grandeur…from the tiniest movement of an atom to the muscles used to smile…from intricate brain functions to space exploratory technology…from baking cookies to a baby’s first cry…from the exquisite puff of every breath to the mass ecstasy on the Day of Arafat…Allahu Akbar…the gift list could never be exhausted…and nor could our praise…Allahu Akbar…

Say, “Even if the ocean were ink for the Words of my Lord, the ocean would be exhausted before the Words of my Lord were exhausted, even if We brought an equal amount to help…(18:109)

…and this verse refers ONLY to Allah Ta’ala’s Words…what of all His other Attributes, Bounties, Decisions, Decrees, Manifestations…there is no end to these manifestations so long as the process of creation exists…

…two specific accounts of two, from the many sisters gifted with an artistic ability who are here in Madinatun Nabi…

…one, now a great grandmother of two, was gifted with Islam some years back…gifted with Hidayah…gifted with being a neighbour of our Beloved Messenger SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…gifted with her three children subsequently embracing Islam and living in the Kingdom along with their respective families…gifted with a creativity that expresses a deep love for her Rabb Subhanahu wa Ta’ala and His Habib SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…Masha’Allah Masha’Allah Masha’Allah…click on Sister Iman’s header above for her latest collection of photographs and painting gallery…and here for a previous post on highlighting her creative Asmaa ul Husna series…

…two, Baraka, Iman’s daughter, is also gifted with the talent to combine the art of calligraphy with captivating designs usually reflecting floral themes…this is a stunning interpretation from the Burdah…

Allahumma Salli wa Salim ‘ala Muhammad Da’iman Abadan

O Allah shower Your blessings on Muhammad at all times forever.

…previous posts highlighting Baraka’s work here and here…

…take a few moments this Juma’ah and attempt to count the gifts you have been granted…how much do you let these gifts shine…how much do you share these gifts…how much do you give thanks for these gifts…how much do you nurture these gifts…how much do you appreciate these gifts…how much are you aware of what has been gifted to you…how much do you encourage the gifts in others, especially children in your midst…how much do you realize you are gifted…?

…GIFTED…

ALLAHU AKBAR

…each and every one of us is gifted…

…share yours today…

JUMA’AH MUBARAK!

…Insha’Allah keep contributing Salawat to the special Khatm effort for Rabi’al Awwal here…

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.

Tags: 99 Names of Allah, Asmaa ul Husna, Baraka Gerngross, Burdah, dhikr, Iman Dox, Islamic contemporary art, remembrance, residents of Madinatun Nabi, salawat

This silence, this moment, Every moment, If it’s genuinely inside you, Brings what you need.

Now I’ll be quiet and let silence separate what is true from what are lies as threshing does.

Stop the words now. Open the window in the centre of your chest and let the spirits fly in and out.

Sit quietly, and listen for a voice that will say, ‘Be more silent.’

There is a channel between voice and presence, A way where information flows. In disciplined silence the channel opens; with wandering talk it closes.

Be quiet in your confusion, and bewildered. When you’re completely empty, within that silence, you’ll be saying, Lead me. When you become that helpless, God’s kindness will act through you.

The One is pure and silent. Why go on talking? The most radiant in me has never said a word.

There is a tower that Love builds. Live there in silence.

When you don’t lose yourself, the beloved is like a thorn
When you lose yourself, the beloved is the purest gold

When you don’t lose yourself, a fly can fell you
When you lose yourself, elephants fall before you

When you don’t lose yourself, you’re a cloud of grief
When you lose yourself, mist and fog parts for you

When you don’t lose yourself, the beloved turns away
When you lose yourself, the sweetest wine comes your way

When you don’t lose yourself, you’re as dispirited as autumn
When you lose yourself, your January is like spring

All your restlessness is out of your desire for stillness
Just desire restlessly, then, love will fill and still you

All your unhealthiness is out of your desire for health,
Just abandon health, then, even poison will heal you…

…who else but Rumi Rumi Rumi Rahmatullahi aliahi…Masha’Allah…with words to prepare us for Rabi’al Awwal…

…just abandon oneself and be in the STILLNESS of our Blessed Al Mustafa SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.

…at the closing of another day a short wander to the oasis of Saqeefa shines the heart and soul with a rush of lush green…

…a chirping bird orchestra…

…and a becalming solace…the breath instantly deepens…revitalizing the mind and body…inhaling all that happened within this vicinity during the golden time of our Beloved Messenger SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…a true winter’s delight…

…a new sign acknowledges the historic significance of this tiny sanctuary…

…the healthiest cat I have ever seen in Madinatun Nabi appears for Salam…

…a concerted effort to deal with the abundance of flies is seen hanging from trees and fly trap adhesive paper is wound around trunks and pillars…

…pigeons dance the dance of never knowing hunger as feed is constantly fed to them…Jabal Uhud peeks through in the distance…

…while to the left is Northern Thaniyyatul Wadaa (they say the building on the far right, Pakistani House, marks the exact location) and the place of Masjid Sabaq and the race track and Jabal Sala’ and the silhouetted remains of Ottoman forts puncture the skyline…

…a weird reflection of a minaret in the Movenpick window elicits a smile…

…while the gentle hues of dusk paint all in sight…

…such are the simple pleasures of winter’s delight in this Radiant City…

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.

Tags: Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, construction, cranes, Jabal Sala', Jabal Uhud, masjid nabawi, minarets, pigeons, Saqeefa, umbrellas

…approaching Masjid Nabawi from the east, as the sun sets upon what was the area belonging to the Bani Najjar…one of the Khazraj tribes where lady Salma bint Amr, the wife of our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam’s Grandfather Hashim originated from…and so it was here that the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam as a small boy came with his mother to visit the grave of his father, Abdullah, and her relations…

…many who pledged allegiance, both at the first and second Aqabah meetings, were from Bani Najjar…

…Anas RadhiAllahu anhu reported Allah Ta’ala’s Messenger SallAllahu alaihi wasallam as saying: “Of all clans of the Ansar, that of Banu Najjar is the best.”

…The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam’s stay with the Banu Najjar was Divine Will and it signified their great excellence…Qaswa, his camel, under Allah Ta’ala’s command did not stop where the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam’s nearest kinsmen were, and where he stayed as a child with his noble mother Aminah…but she finally knelt in a courtyard that was used for drying dates and owned by two orphans, Sahl and Suhayl…

…when asked about the price for their land the Banu Najjar exclaimed: “We do not want its price except from Allah”…SubhanAllah! such is the rich wealth of our heritage…

…and thus Masjid Nabawi is built on Bani Najjar land…other members of Banu Najjar donated their land for the houses of our Blessed Ummahatul Mu’mineen RadhiAllahu anhum and many of the Muhajireen…SubhanAllah!

…and Hassan ibn Thabit RadhiAllahu anhu, the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam’s esteemed poet was also from Bani Najjar…his words elicit tears of deep devotion for our Master SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…

When I saw his light shining forth,
In fear I covered my eyes with my palms,
Afraid for my sight because of the beauty of his form.
So I was scarcely able to look at him at all.
The lights from his light are drowned in his light
and his face shines out like the sun and moon in one.
A spirit of light lodged in a body like the moon,
a mantle made up of brilliant shining stars.
I bore it until I could bear it no longer.
I found the taste of patience to be like bitter aloes.
I could find no remedy to bring me relief
other than delighting in the sight of the one I love.
Even if he had not brought any clear signs with him,
the sight of him would dispense with the need for them.
Muhammad is a human being but not like other human beings.
Rather he is a flawless diamond and the rest of mankind is just stones.
Blessings be on him so that perhaps Allah may have mercy on us
on that burning Day when the Fire is roaring forth its sparks.

He was the light and the brilliance we followed,
He was sight and hearing second only to Allah,
By Allah, no woman has conceived and given birth
To one like the Messenger, the Prophet and Guide of His people.
Nor Has Allah created among His creatures,
One more faithful to His sojourner or His promise
than he who was the source of our light.
Blessed in his deeds, just and upright,
O best of mankind, It was though I were in a river,
But now, without you, I have become lonely in my thirst.

A moving rendition, in Arabic and Urdu with English subtitles of one of Hassan ibn Thabit’s glorifications here.

Shaykh Abdul Aziz illuminates the life of Hassan ibn Thabit in this series of lectures

JUMA’AH MUBARAK!

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.

Tags: Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Ansar, Bani Najjar, Hassan ibn Thabit, Qaswa, Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, Sahl, Shaykh Abdul Aziz Ahmed, Suhayl