Tag Archives: Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam

…exalted perfection::perfection exalted…

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…as the thunder roars…the clouds frolic in an ecstatic dance…the lightning electrifies the air…the heart swoons in wild abandon mesmerized by the shifting shafts of light on this most precious of places in the entire creation…the Abode of the the most exalted in  perfection SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…perfection most exalted…SubhanAllah!

Verily you are of a tremendous nature. (68:4)

His virtues are perfect, and were he to gift

His resplendence to the moon, it would never be eclipsed.

Despite their skill, those who have described him

Need all of the time to do so – and there is more they have not described.

Source: Muhammad SallAllahu alaihi wasallam the Perfect Man.

~*~

He is like the sun: to the eye at a distance

it seems small, but when near,

it dazzles the sight.

Lift your head from your Yemenite cloak,

For your face is the sunrise of life! Jami

Source: The Mantle Adorned verse 49, page 65.

…may the tangible light the eye perceives be transferred so as to illuminate the heart to receive the Light of Truth from Allah Ta’ala through our Blessed Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam Ameen…

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.

…Seerah exhibition:inside…

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…a real Muhabbat pervaded the space…was it the dramatic back lit panels? the less austere curving arrangements of the display panels? the curling around into large impressive spaces revealing more and more layers of the perfection of the Prince SallAllahu alaihi wasallam of the City of Radiance and Light? maybe it was the artistic designs with stunning calligraphy? the comprehensive inclusion of so many of the major aspects from the life of our Blessed Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam hitting the heart in a different way from reading a book or listening to a lecture? was it the obvious focus on displaying such attention to our Noble Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam when too often adoration and heartfelt signs of affection are usually met with negative reactions from various quarters in and around Masjid Nabawi? maybe the ambiance created by the recitation from our Holy Book? Allahu ‘Alum…the organizers have excelled with this exhibition, Masha’Allah…Alhumdulillah…

…a reproduction of the Qibla wall greeted one upon entering…

…each area was filled with a soft subdued lighting featuring the topic in Arabic and English, with the main text in Arabic…

…a beautiful rendering of the Noble Name composed of gold lettering spelling the invocation of Salat imposed on a subtlety designed tonal Islamic pattern…

…other medallion designs opened as blossoms the hallowed name…

…I was drawn to this impression of how Makkah may have been at the time of the honourable birth…

…the large Hijrah map included all the notable places relevant to the blessed journey…

…difficult to convey with photos…

…the map based on satellite images clearly showed the terrain, bringing the reality of the arduous journey into the heart…this particular section shows where our Beloved Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and his esteemed companion Abu Bakr RadhiAllahu anhu met with Umm Ma’bad RadhiAllahu anha (the top left position, see photos of how arid where this incident took place) …(audio of this miracle)

…model of the first mimbar and how the trunks and dried palms of the date palm constructed the first Masjid…

Prophetic lineage

…model of how the houses of our Noble Mother’s of the Believers were arranged around the Masjid according to some narrations…

…the naming of the significant pillars…details here, here…

…detail of the cluster of houses…

…just two examples of the decorative features, adding to the stunning overall effect…

…stylized interpretations of the names of Abu Bakr and Ali RadhiAllahu anhuma…

…each contained space seemed to have a unique concept…

…part of the huge impression of this Enlightened City at the time of our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…

…a model of the terrain including the vast lava tracts and sites of the Battle of Uhud and Khadaq…a guide was explaining the salient features to a group…

…a map showing the locations of the Ghazwat with an accompanying list…

…Surah Fath Ayat 29…

It was He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of Truth to show that it is above every other religion. Allah suffices as a witness: Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

…Surah Al ‘Imran 144…

Muhammad is only a messenger before whom many messengers have been and gone. If he died or was killed, would you revert to your old ways? If anyone did so , he would not harm Allah in the least. Allah will reward the grateful.

…this was the second exhibition area…unfortunately the system was controlling entry according to groups with the same language so this speck did not venture into this section…Insha’Allah another time…

…Alhumdilillah what was seen impressed and deepened the LOVE…SubhanAllah!

Sallallahu ‘alaa Muhammad

Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa Sallim

Yaa Nabi Salaam ‘alaika

Yaa Rasul Salaam ‘alaika

Yaa Habib Salaam ‘alaika

Salawatullah ‘alaika.

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.

…Seerah exhibition…

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…just outside the Western Courtyard fence is the unfinished building earmarked for demolition due to the massive Masjid Nabawi expansion plans…

…Alhumdulillah as part of the celebrations associated with Madinah Munawwarah Capital of Islamic Culture 2013/1443H part of the building has been transformed into an exhibition based on the Seerah of our most blessed Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…

…the arcade that would have been shops, is now an impressive gallery of old photographs, the originals from the King Abdul Aziz Library Archives…

…studying these photographs instilled such a peace…a serenity that moved deep within…the sheer size…the pleasing colour scheme and the aesthetic design was all a delightful surprise…Insha’Allah the following convey some of the awe that imbued our recent past with a humble simplicity…

…next post to share images from inside the exhibition, Insha’Allah…

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.

…dusty shapes…

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…SubhanAllah…just a few examples of the thousands of shapes of dust particles…

…this image is dust magnified millions of times…SubhanAllah!!!…click image for source…

…each and every minute dust particle holds the secrets of where it has been…what conditions is had been through…scientists can uncover every component accumulated on each particle… substances such as minerals, microfossils and pollen can be found on the surface of any given subject they may be studying…like a geological signature etched in each speck of dust…dust on an object can determine if it is authentically from a particular area, or a specific time in history…SubhanAllah!…how what we may consider a most insignificant aspect of creation makes the heart boom with the throb of an excited and uplifted Iman…SUBHANALLAH!!!

…our Blessed Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said: The dust of Madina is a cure from leprosy…read more here and here for the Bukhari chapter on the Virtues of Madinah…imagine what the Mubarak Dust of Madinah is composed of…love, compassion, mercy, kindness, gentleness, bravery, astuteness, virtuousness…all the beautiful noble qualities embodied in his perfect character…SubhanAllah…

 

…the spherical dust image above reminded me of cookies…batches of which have been baked of late…some on the day of a severe dust storm we had during the week which in turn stirred thoughts of the excessive presence of dust for those living in this City of Radiance and Mubarak Dust!!…wherein the correlation between dust, shapes and domestic activities evolved for this post…

…one may be excused thinking it a chore as the dust covers everything…but then the thought of it being an added blessing to all one does became the superior, and certainly less stressful, attitude…Insha’Allah you can join the dots :)

…Brown Circle Biscuits…which could be renamed as Dust Circle Biscuits…

125g butter, 50g sugar, 3 teaspoons sweetened condensed milk,  175g flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, vanilla, 50g choc chips or crystallized ginger, or chopped nuts, sultanas, chopped dates or whatever takes your fancy…with a fine dusting of Mubarak Dust of Madinah if possible!!

1. Cream butter, sugar and condensed milk; add essence.

2. Add dry ingredients and choc chips. Roll into small balls.

3. Place on baking tray lined with parchment. Flatten with a fork.

4. Bake for 20 minutes at 350F/180C

…shared is a little counting/shape story written many many years ago as a tiny not yet two year old was helping to make ‘brown circle biscuits’…this was made into a book with dozens of brown cardboard circles cut out to play out the distribution of the ‘brown circle biscuits’…Insha’Allah you can do the same for little ones…changing names for loved ones they know making it more personal for them…

Maryam made many brown circle biscuits.
Each biscuit had four lines on it.
Maryam made these lines with a fork.

She gave
1 One
brown circle biscuit to Abu.
2 Two
to Mummy.
She did not give any to Yusuf.
Yusuf does not have any teeth yet.
Insha`Allah, when Yusuf has teeth Maryam will make him many brown circle biscuits.

Maryam put
3 Three
brown circle biscuits on a plate for Uncle Nasser.
She put
4 Four
in an embroidered serviette for Grandma, and
5 Five
in a paper bag for Grandpa, and
6 Six
in a bowl for Uncle Paul.
She wrapped
7 Seven in a napkin for her friend Fatima.
She placed
8 Eight
on the sufrah for visitors.

And them Maryam quickly ate
9 Nine brown circle biscuits, when nobody was looking.
First she said Bismillah, and when she had finished she said Al-Hamdulillah. Because Maryam is a good Muslim girl.
She then put
10 Ten
brown circle biscuits in the biscuit tin.
Bilal asked for
11 Eleven
biscuits, because he is a big growing boy.

She put
12 Twelve
in the freezer.
13 Thirteen
on the shelf,
14 Fourteen
in the cupboard, and
15 Fifteen
in a big box.

And Aunty licked the wooden spoon and the mixing bowl.
And the birdies had some crumbs.
Allahu Akbar.
Allah Ta’ala has given us everything to make brown circle biscuits.
Allah Ta’ala lets us eat them and lets us share them.
Alhamdulillah.

 

…the other shapes being made as the Mubarak Dust of Madinah swirls and floats, are oval brooches for various loved ones…

…some with felt…

…others with linen…

…a wonderful calming and therapeutic pass time for this humble speck…and Alhumdulillah for the addition of the gossamer Mubarak Dust which surely adorns each stitch…

Qadi ‘Iyad Rahmatullahi alaihi says, “One must respect the place… whose soil contains the body of the Master of mankind SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and from which the Deen of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger spread out… and the first earth that the skin of the Prophet touched after death. Its fragrance should be inhaled, and its residences and walls should be kissed.”

 

JUMA’AH MUBARAK!

…dust activities and information for kids…fun science…the dirt on dust…earth is twice as dusty as in the 19th century…

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.

…step by slow step…

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…and with each slow faltering step the sweetest of kisses from Madinah’s exquisite breeze brushes the cheek …a sublime silky touch…caressing all hungry souls as it billows directly from our Master SallAllahu alaihi wasallam at the Abode of  Felicity…and billow it does…a perpetual flow so powerful it is capable of reaching every atom of creation and every heart that makes the effort to allow space for this breeze to enter…delete that which hinders this flow now…be receptive to the greatest love from the greatest of mankind SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…

…Alhumdulillah and alf alf alf ShukriLlahu this needy speck was taken to Masjid Nabawi for Esha a couple of nights ago…Insha’Allah with each passing day mobility will be fully restored and, Insha’Allah soon the gift of independently walking back and forth will be granted…jubilation… celebration…gratitude…understanding the magnitude of this blessing of being able to once again physically be among fellow worshippers…

…the inner joy to be in the courtyard among sisters from around the globe was exuberance at maximum volume!

And the world cannot be discovered by a journey of miles, no matter how long, but only by a spiritual journey, a journey of one inch, very arduous and humbling and joyful, by which we arrive at the ground at our own feet, and learn to be at home.

Wendell Berry

…SubhanAllah…’by which we arrive at the ground at our own feet!!!!!’…surely this is all that demands our attention at any given moment…and then, Insha’Allah we learn to be at home with that…what a profound quote…

…gratitude with grace while embracing change…progress from wheelchair to walking frame to crutches to walking stick…gratitude with grace for no longer being able to practice the Sunnah of sleeping, eating, praying on the floor…gratitude with grace for the alternatives…a quiet musalla area adorned by handmade gifts from a never met blog friend…gratitude with grace for the old faithful  desk fitted with legs and a new chair…gratitude with grace for friends visiting, bringing meals, arranging cleaning…and you all for your much felt Du’a…

It is a blessing when things don’t go to plan, because it helps reshape priorities. A lesson relearned. We plot and plan, but Allah is the best of planners.

From Sidi Tim…whose sentiments often resonate within my own collective brain waves…running on empty…numbness in the forehead…words like glum…an all too familiar sensation for this one of late…what secret surgery was performed during my last encounter? …as too many things feel odd and disconnected…but Alhumdulillah requiring turnaround attitudes…re-evaluating and assessing the big picture…what were the simplest of tasks and taking little time during the daily necessities now seem major productions…the everyday domestic activities…lately the swirling around in this feeble mind is the question of will this blog continue…the reality being that not only time, the recent isolation, and hence no roaming around taking photos, but the more important  inner state of commitment…the loss of a voice…words stuck deep within…or just not there anyway…a huge shift…nay rift…has been etched inside somewhere…what to do…continue to take small slow steps and be patient with all that Allah Ta’ala has planned…because we all know that He knows what is the best for each of us…regardless of what our circumstance may be right in the here and now…this is the essence of our Deen…the beauty of submitting…accepting all with grace…and being cognizant of what we ask Allah Ta’ala for…feeling run down and worn out last year one of the frequent requests in my Du’a was was for time out…SubhanAllah…this Du’a was answered in the most unexpected ways…ALHUMDULILLAH for the vicarious sweetest of kisses brushing the cheeks from Madinah’s exquisite breeze…a sublime silky touch…close your eyes, take a deep breath of gratitude with grace and you too will feel them!!!

JUMA’AH MUBARAK!

…quick snaps with phone…Allahu ‘Alum when or if strolling about with a camera is written for the future…ALHUMDULILLAH…

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.

..a recipe…

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Friendship can be wonderful. We have to understand the impulses that give it birth and what is involved.

If we look for a rose without thorns, we’ll have a problem. Allah put thorns on the stem to protect the rose.

With beauty there is also pain. But this life just cannot be an endless fulfillment of joy. If we have faith in Allah, then whatever afflictions come to us, we will not be affected by them, we will not nourish them with our attention. If we are feeling lonely, and we feed that loneliness with our attention, it will grow. Faith in Allah is an inoculation against loneliness.

A Sufi was walking by a madhouse. He looked up, and there was a doctor leaning out the window. He asked the doctor, “Have you discovered a cure for all that afflicts these men?” The doctor said he hadn’t.

One of the crazy inmates was at the next window peering out, and he said, “Do you mind if I answer that question?” The doctor and the Sufi exchanged looks and said. “No! Not at all!”

And the inmate said, “In the pharmacy of Allah, prescribed by Muhammad, you take the root of repentance and the leaf of consciousness. Grind them in the pestle of your heart, add some tears, sift it through your intelligence, cook it with the fire of your heart, taste it with a measuring spoon, then eat it with satisfaction.”

He had given them a dervish recipe.

In the pharmacy of Allah. In the world we live in, prescribed by Muhammad, the doctor, one who was a messenger and sent to show good ways, to educate, to bring a message of Allah. Take the root of repentance. When you take the root of something it is hard and knobby and difficult to pull out of the earth. But once you have uprooted it, it doesn’t grow back. The leaf of consciousness weighs very little. This leaf, you can take only a little bit of it. You grind it in the pestle of your heart.  You add some tears, your own tears. This life is feeling the presence of Allah in your repentance.

Then you sift it through your intelligence. Because your intelligence will tell you if it is right.  Then cook it in the fire of your heart, in the warmth of your heart. We have said that Allah, who cannot fit into the entire universe, can fit into the heart of the believer. So you cook this potion in the fire of your heart. You taste it with a measuring spoon. Just a little, carefully. And then eat it with satisfaction. You take it into the world, and live according to the recipe.

Last year while travelling in Madinah, we met a man selling odds and ends on the street. We sat down to talk with him. It turns out he was a dervish. He told us of a man from Kayseri. He shined shoes for a living. He was a great dervish. He was simply hidden.

Once he had come to visit Madinah, and he met a man who told him, “Oh, it would be so wonderful if you could stay here. This is the place of the tomb of the Prophet, and you know, it’s just the most wonderful place. There are great blessings. Why don’t you come live here?”

His answer at the time was, “Then who will take care of the people in Kayseri?”

There are hidden beings who take care of people. These are alim, men of knowledge. This is the dervish who said he was convinced that Allah loved him because, he reasoned, how could you not love that which you have created?

 

Source: When You Hear Hoofbeats Think of a Zebra Shems Friedlander

a very belated

JUMA’AH MUBARAK!

…Insha’Allah may we be constantly using the Mubarak recipes taught to us by our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…and know that Allah Ta’ala loves us…

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.

…abomination…and…

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…words could never describe the wanton destruction done to our beloved Ghar Uhud…synonyms may express horror, sacrilege, scandal, violation, disgrace, desecration…an all too familiar word associated with our heritage and places with direct associations with out Blessed Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…never again will the interior of the cave see the light of day…

…as the entrance has been SEALED with a huge wall of concrete!!!!! not visible in this photo taken yesterday by my VVVBFF the DH…yes, the previous hideous signs have gone…as the ‘authorities’ are confident the new wire fence that snakes its way from the ‘bandage place’ will meet the section at the foot of Jabal Uhud near the building currently being constructed…weird…as not many years ago there were rumours that all housing would be demolished around this ‘mountain that loves us and we love it’...

…where is the respect due to Babul Jannah????

…but not to despair…as the ‘beautification’ around the Shuhadaa site is ongoing with newly installed light fittings…

…and work on the new Masjid in progress…

~*~

…and totally unrelated…

…this is the view almiskeenah has had for the past few weeks…hence explaining the prolonged absence from updating this space and the neglect in replying to comments or answering emails…Insha’Allah your Du’a is very much needed as this needy one, once again faces surger…meaning further delays before I will have the energy or access to posting…Alhumdulillah the ‘list’ is with me and being frequently read…apologies…with love…

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.