Category Archives: dates

…prompts from Quba…

2 Replies

With it He causes to grow for you the crops, the olives, the date-palms, the grapes, and every kind of fruit. Verily! In this is indeed an evident proof and a manifest sign for people who give thought.  (16:11)

…fluffy date flowers nestled among the sturdy fronds…Allahu Akbar…

…Our Beloved Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said: Honour your aunt, the date palm, for it has been created from the same earth which Adam Alaihis Sallam was created. And in another narration referring to the noble date palm he said: It is the tree among the trees which is similar to a Muslim in goodness…SubhanAllah!

…while around the corner were the tiny beads of the new dates…


…The Prophet Muhammad SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said: “If anyone travels on a road in search of knowledge, God will cause him to travel on one of the roads of Paradise. The angels will lower their wings in their great pleasure with one who seeks knowledge. The inhabitants of the heavens and the Earth and (even) the fish in the deep waters will ask forgiveness for the learned man. The superiority of the learned over the devout is like that of the moon, on the night when it is full, over the rest of the stars. The learned are the heirs of the Prophets, and the Prophets leave (no monetary inheritance), they leave only knowledge, and he who takes it takes an abundant portion. Abu-Dawood…

…Abdullah ibn Umar RadhiAllahu ‘anhu narrated: that Allah’s Messenger SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said: “Pay the labourer his just wages before the sweat on his brow dries.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah…

…Abu Hurairah RadhiAllahu anhu narrates that Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said: Were it not for the fear of overburdening my Ummah, I would have ordered them to brush their teeth with Siwak at every Salat. Muslim…

…Aishah RadhiAllahu anha narrates that the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said: The Siwak is a means of purifying the mouth and pleasing the Rabb. Nasai…

…Aishah RadhiAllahu anha narrates that the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said: The preference for prayer in which a ‘siwak’ is used to prayer in which it is not used, is seventy times. Tirmithi…

…finding fresh miswak is becoming more and more difficult with the majority of vendors offering the bubble packs in boxes which certainly are handy for pilgrims to take back to their homeland, but not to the absence of the fresh sticks for those who prefer them…

O you who believe, remember Allah with much remembrance. (33:41)

…Narrated Ibn ‘Umar RadhiAllahu anhu: The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam used to go to the Masjid Quba sometimes walking and sometimes riding…Bukhari…

…visit Masjid Quba via this 3D  virtual tour…

…The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said: Whoever makes ablutions at home and then goes and prays in Masjid Quba, he will have a reward like that of an ‘Umrah.  Ahmad, Nasai, Ibn Majah, and Al-Hakim…

…amazing how quickly things change…not so many years ago cameras and photography were banned…camera phones were being smuggled into the country…offenders incarcerated…now it is becoming common not just to see almost every pilgrim with a camera phone, but with iPads and tablets etc…

…What is Islam and Why?…

…Abu Zharr al-Ghafari RadhiAllahu anhu reported: “The Messenger of Allah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam ordered us to fast for three days of every month–that is, on the days of the full moon, the 13th, 14th, and 15th of the lunar month. And he said: ‘It is like fasting the whole year.’  Nasai…

…on the recommendations of fasting Mondays and Thursdays…

We made the sky a preserved and protected roof yet still they turn away from Our signs. (21:32)

He created the heavens without any pillars that you can see (31:10)

~&We made the sky a preserved and protected roof yet still they turn away from Our signs. (21:32)

~*~

…the latest on the expansion plans for Masjid Nabawi…and the Skyscrapercity thread…

…the headlines say they are coming…but the locusts are already here…seemingly bigger and fatter than ever!!

…photos from the surrounds of Masjid Quba…

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.

…hot..crowds…disbelief…grumble…

11 Replies

…Al-Ghars well taken almost two years ago…

…from when this patch of concrete was a window…this is how it is now…

…Al Ghars Well taken today from the grill seen to the left of the photo below…

…where not so long ago the Asmaa ul-Husna adorned the walls…but no longer…the efforts to prevent seekers and lovers from what few sites remain of our rich and illustrious heritage beggars belief…

…as does the presence of the ‘vice squad’ in Masjid Fa’th shouting to the crowds, who have braved extreme heat to visit the notable sites, that they are not permitted to pray there…

…the flow of pilgrims up and down the steps was dense…as it was at all the main places for Ziyarah…buses were lined up in the hundreds at Khandaq, Quba, Qiblatain and the site of the Shuhadah at Uhud…with private cars and taxis adding to the traffic congestion…

…the next disbelief was to find that the Salman Farisi Masjid is locked…but this did not prevent those wanting to offer Salat there from ‘borrowing’ a prayer mat from the vendor and praying in the doorway…

…but what is permitted are these traders in droves…disregarding the hazard they cause as the crowds attempt to negotiate getting to the place of significance…and a total disregard for the rubbish that is created…

…and also what is permitted are the tons of cheap imported clothes with inappropriate and unnecessary images for us as the Ummah of Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…

…colourful summery scenes…

…all that is missing is the water!!!

…I can never understand why the presence of these vendors, in such numbers, selling the same items everywhere are all obviously condoned…and yet we are not allowed to look into an historic well…grumble grumble…

…and why so many pilgrims are so easily distracted from the actual reason why they are making such an effort, in the searing sun, ‘to go shopping’…the presence of the Shayateen’s favourite haunt, markets, must have them laughing heartily…AstaghfiruLlah…

…Sayyidna Hamza RadhiAllahu anhu’s resting place is only visible through various holes that have been broken in the opaque perspex that has been erected to ‘prevent’ us looking in…where does this attitude come from…what harm is it for the Ummah to ‘see’ that which fills the heart with love and a sublime awe for our golden past??

…instead we are ‘forced’ to see these dusty, ugly, messy stalls…littering where the esteemed Sahabah RadhiAllahu anhu sacrificed so much…where our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam was wounded…why have we allowed our attention, our love, our Deen, to be sabotaged??? AstaghfiruLlahu…

…where the traders re constantly ‘dusting’…grumble grumble…

…foundations for the new Masjid at the Shuhadah site…looking towards Jabal Uhud…

…returning to the courtyard with the spraying mist under the shade of the umbrellas was a welcomed and serene balm for the dehydrated body…and soul…

…Insha’Allah…please make excessive Du’a for the Haramain…for the Ummah to not only LOVE the Deen but to ACTUALIZE it from deep within their hearts so that the limbs portray this love, 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.

…today’s walk to Masjid Nabawi…

13 Replies

O Allah! Bestow blessings on Sayyidina Muhammad,
who is the best among Prophets sent by You
and the most noble among Your chosen people,
the leader of the saints, and the Seal of the Prophets,
and the beloved of the Lord of the Worlds,
a witness for the Messengers of Allah (on the Day of Judgement)
and the intercessor for sinners,
the leader of all the children of Prophet Adam Alayhissalaam;
whose remembrance has been exalted among the highest angels,
who brings glad tidings (of heaven) and warns (against hell-fire),
a shining light, truthful, trustworthy, manifest truth,
most kind and merciful, the guide to the straight path,
whom You gave the seven often-repeated verses of Surah Fatiha
and the magnificent Qur’an,
the Prophet of mercy and the guide of the nation,
the first one to be resurrected and to enter paradise,
and one who is supported by angels Jibril and Meekaail,
whose coming had been foretold in the Torah and the Bible,
Mustafa, Mujtaba, the selected one, the father of Qasim,
Muhammad, son of ‘Abdillah, son of ‘Abdil Muttalib, son of Hashim.

Source

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.

…Madanian spring…

8 Replies

…bees buzz, birds, flitter and twitter, (as do some people *smile*) leaves rustle in a gentle breeze, ambrosia fragrances jolt the senses and hearts rejoice for this ever so subtle change in seasons that desert climes deliver…although for the past few days the gossamer haze from sandstorms veils the sky…Insha’Allah, mercy rains, that usually follow such storms, soon bless our Radiant City…Du’a…

…the above photo is of date palm flowers with bees busily at work collecting the sweet nectar as they pollinate…date palms being of male and female and thus needing pollination for bearing fruit…(see previous posts from the ‘date’ category)

…a beautiful reminder of our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam’s words:

The believer is like a bee that eats what is wholesome and produces what is wholesome. And when it lands on a small branch, it doesn’t break it.

…Insha’Allah we live according to this parable in our interactions with each other and with Allah Ta’ala’s creation…learn more from Shaykh Yayha Rhodus where he delivers spirited reminders based on this Hadith here…

…Insha’Allah in a few months these golden shoots bearing the buds of this year’s dates will be ripe with plump,  juicy and crunchy fruits…this is an excellent supplement covering various a aspects related to dates, published by Arab News some time ago but nevertheless informative…

…the so called ‘weeds’ that spring from tiny cracks in concrete and asphalt sing of resilience…a testimony to  beauty that is born from struggle…this unfolding bloom majestically opens…

…to this spidery flower with each fine stamen curling skywards as a fine filament as if supplicating…SubhanAllah!

…bright green bulbous seed pods…almost shouting with some Rumi wisdom:

With every breath
I plant the seeds of devotion
I am a farmer of the heart.

…and spindly saplings amidst a splash of verdurous turf…nothing spectacular compared to most fertile lands…but for an arid desert environment such glimpses stir the soul…

…as did a blessed visit to the lush garden of Saqeefa with the pilgrims from the Al-Isharah and Deaf Umrah group who are currently gracing Madinatun Nabi…MashaAllah…

…Saqeefa is open after Fajr when water is pumped from what may have been Bir Budha’ah, the well our Blessed Nabi drank from when visiting the Banu Sa’edah…so Insha’Allah visit with an empty bottle to fill…

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.

…seven healers…

32 Replies

…in this sunny yellow jar is a black sticky goo that sends ripples of wellness and bubbles of elation through the body and sparks of vibration to the brain! The Seven Healers. Sounds like a sales pitch that renders me a commission! But no…this is a unique ‘asli’ Madian ‘miraculous achievement’ with ‘nutritious value’ and is ‘strong in healing’ as stated on the label. It is truly all of this and more!

The thick yummy gunk is a mix of Ajwar dates, Zamzam, honey, black seed, senna, qust and sunut. Each of these individual ingredients delivers a powerful whack, but combined…Allahu Akbar! SubhanAllah!

Aliah Ajwar dates…the best of the Ajwar from the elevated valley hugging the western side of this Radiant City, the palm grove that our Blessed Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and Abu Bakr As-Saddiq RadhiAllah anhu passed through as they arrived in what is the Quba area of today. Maybe this is why they are regarded as superior, having been grown in the earth that was blessed by his SallAllahu alaihi wasallam Mubarak footsteps, and Allah the Almighty knows best.

ZamZam water and here

Honey

Black seed and here and here

Senna

Qust (costus and here and here)

Sunut and here

A 300 gram jar sells for SR60. After much searching I have only been able to find it in the one herbalist shop on Qurban Street, approximately one kilometer before Haram on the left hand side.

Excellent resources expounding many of the intricacies and details of Prophetic Medicine:

As-Suyuti’s Medicine of the Prophet

Healing Body and Soul Your Guide to Holistic Wellbeing Following Islamic Teachings

Healing with the Medicine of the Prophet

So Insha’Allah next time you are here take a supply home with you, or if relations and/or friends are visiting kindly ask them to bring some back for you!

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.

rhythms and dulcet tones…

5 Replies

cars, buses, beggars

curiously loaded trucks

and succulent dates

circle around the pivotal LIGHT
black clad figures, grizzly kids, sticky babes
and rainbow fashions of travellers from afar
mingle
in this mighty rhythm

momentarily
as strangers on a mission
drinking from an oasis fountain
of perpetual
green
that satiates the most shrivelled and depleted heart

atoms, cells and sounds
sublimely syncopate with celestial
stars, galaxies, planets
and specks totally alien to man

but are nevertheless part of the

Grand Plan

flitting birds and drooping palms
laden with heavenly bunches

instinctively embrace and praise
Al Khaliq
Ya Rabb Ya Lateef Ya Wadud

Ya Rahman

rugged primordial formations join the chorus
echoing the divine majestic rhythm
heard
till this day
if one stoops enough
a lilting refrain
recalling the honour of supporting the Prophet
a Saddiq and two Shahid

dusty feet tread where the best have trod
as they scrambled from a hilltop
when desires chased greed
weeping for the fallen merges
with jarring tones
streaming from hawkers
under faded umbrellas
a staccato beat replicating battle cries
from those most blessed times centuries ago

dissolve into this perpetual universal rhythm
attuning the heart to the dulcet tones
that forever radiate
from this pivotal LIGHT
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.

Quba

10 Replies

friends tread dust

kissed by the blessed soles

of the most cherished soul

SallAllahu alaihi wasallam

wind swirls

billowing flowing gowns

sweeping aching hearts

as palm fronds ecstatically sway

and whistle

symphonies

praising he who slept nearby

as Truth was born

to welcoming arms and song

rejoicing the arrival of a light

outshining the full moon

birds flit and dart

weaving embroidered webs

between date necklaces

and the spirit of houses built on Taqwa

chirping

the same melodious refrain

glorifying

all that was created

in his honour

while we

seek support from an ancient trunk

imagining it once was blessed to see, to shade, to weep, to feel

Al-Mustafa

spit on the bloodied feet of his beloved Ali

or maybe Sahl ibn Hunayf hurriedly pass

carrying shattered fragments of idols to be burnt

or did its branches overhang the house of Kulthum

as it radiated from the presence of the newly arrived traveler?

the Key to Truth long ago planted such musings

replacing previous dreams of false fantasy

and misguided belief

in two sisters

swimming closer in this ethereal grove

of a resplendent burnished silvery heritage

transfixed in the pursuit of

seeking that nothingness

to transport them from this spinning orb

and rust of reality

to the pearly splendor

and Eternity of

Hu

JUMA’AH MUBARAK!

Insha’Allah this humble speck is going to take time out in the hope of renewing connections and seeking that elusive ‘nothingness’. Time for some introspection :) Your Du’a would be greatly appreciated, as Insha’Allah your names will continue to be mentioned to the Noble Resident SallAllahu alaihi wasallam of the Abode of Felicity.

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.