Monthly Archives: February 2011

…at the pool…

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…SEVENTEEN different nationalities SubhanAllah! celebrating the vibrancy of life, colour, fresh Madanian air, Jabal Uhud, food, fun and the largeheartedness of a mother of FIVE adopted orphans, SUBHANALLAH!

…a previous post from this same pool and a different one here.

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.

…seen…kaf…noon…

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…these three letters of the Arabic alphabet, seen, kaf, noon, form the basic meaning Sakana; to be or become still, tranquil, peaceful; to calm down, repose, rest. By adding various prepositions or combinations of vowels and other letters the meaning is greatly expanded. Such is the richness and grandeur of the Arabic language…

…Sakinah, one of the derivations, translates as immanence of Allah, presence of Allah, devout, Allah-inspired peace of mind; calm, tranquility, peace…which is the state we experience when gazing at the Ka’abah, circumambulating it, thinking of BaituLlah, seeing images of it, or conjuring it in the mind, meditating on it…

…throughout history, BaituLlah has inspired artists to represent its eminence and wonder through diverse mediums…the above stylized design captures the awe of its concentric universal pull with a powerful simplicity…the solid nucleus, the still point of a turning world…the spiritual core of the Islamic faith…the convergent pivot of worship…

…the never ceasing rippling movement of the devoted performing tawaf immediately surrounds the still and empty centre…which transforms into a prayerful rhythm that radiates out to the entire Universe…SubhanAllah!

It is Allah Who sent tranquility down into the hearts of the believers, that they may add faith to their faith…(48:4)

…sukoon from the same three radicals, according to Hans Wehr, translates as calm, tranquility, peace; silence, quiet…or grammatically it represents the state of rest…graphically depicted as a small circle or abbreviated as a back to front ‘c’ that ‘sits’ on a consonant thus making it devoid of a vowel sound…the pronunciation is simply the basic sound of the letter…

The sukoon symbol becomes the central theme used by a young Saudi artist Nasser Al-Salim in his seven piece series entitled “Tarikh Al-Kaaba”…The history of the Kaaba…(click image for link and then hover mouse over image for the series)…he explains:

The Kaaba, which is the focal point of prayer of all Muslims housed in the Masjid Al-Haram, is depicted by the alphabet Sukoon reflective of the tranquility one experiences upon seeing it.

…this 16th Century manuscript portrays a similar still point, that exquisite tranquil BaituLlah enclosed by symbolic shapes and patterns representative of the architectural features at the time…the message of peace and calm still exudes and radiates via different artistic elements and style…

…the core of the heart also contains a still, empty centre…that place where divinity resides, where sakinah dwells, sakinah sukna…the place we sink deeply into to connect with the sukoon, or the well of calm and tranquility that is our link to Allah Ta’ala…

Sayyidi Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi said:

“Be with Allah

You will find Allah with you.”

Allah sent sakinah upon the Messenger of Allah, and on the believers, and made binding on them [their] promise to obey Allah… (48:26)

…from the representational to the literal…

…where changes are rapid and massive…

…the imposing main King Abdullah archway as its skeletal steel structure…

…evolving into this impressive facade…

…more renderings of this current extension, due to for completion in 2016 Insha’Allah…

…This is the final of Al-Salim’s series, the symbolic Ka’abah portrayed as grey, which is meant to convey the Day of Judgement when Allah Ta’ala  will cause all to perish and the Ka’abah will be raised…

…the test for the Ummah is maintaining the connection to the sukoon…to the stillness and calm that is our link to Allah Ta’ala, Who Insha’Allah fills the heart with sakinah, His immanence, His presence, guiding us to be devout, instilling in us an Allah-inspired peace of mind, regardless of what external circumstances may be present or be felt, what changes may be happening around us…such as the following plans and the current situation with workers…

…500 new hotels to be constructed, one with 5000 rooms!!!!!!!!!!…meanwhile workers are striking for the second day as wages have not been paid and basic humane conditions not met…

“Be with Allah

You will find Allah with 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.

…by the power that is bewildering…

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O Allah, O You of Whom it is true

that there are no rain drops in the skies,

and no seeds in the earth,

and no shifts in the blowing wind,

and no feelings in people’s hearts,

and no movement in their limbs,

and no glances in their eyes,

unless they are bearing witness to You,

and pointing the way to You,

and acknowledging Your Lordship,

and bewildered by Your power.

I therefore beseech You, O Allah,

by the power that is bewildering

to those in the heavens and on the earth,

that You may bless Muhammad and his family,

and his Companions and his progeny.

Shaikh Abu’l-Hasan al-Jawsaqi, a servant and follower of Shaikh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani Rahmatullahi alaihumaa, offered this Du’a and said: “If someone has a need, let him recite this supplication, then let him appeal for what he wishes to receive, for it is one of those supplications that are sure to be answered. He would often quote these poetic verses:

My heart has blinked at You,

that it may see what my eye cannot see,

And that You may instill in my inner being

the sweetness of begging and yearning.

You wish to put me through some test,

for You know what is required of me.

I have no interest in anything but You,

so test me however You may wish!

From Necklace of Gems.

…Insha’Allah, by the power that is bewildering, may all pilgrims journeying to these sacred lands this Umrah season, taste the sweetness of begging and yearning and be ardent in their salutations to our Liegelord Al-Mustafa 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.

…Jabal Uhud make over…

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…the mountain that we love and that loves us has gradually been undergoing a transformation…resulting in the opening of several parks along the foothills and a dramatic, if not eerie, night spectacular…

…this section is on the far eastern side…

…where walls and seating features have been hewed from the surrounding warm-toned rocks…

…vegetation is the typically sparse and uniform desert palms, the neem tree…

…and other hardy varieties ‘sculpted’ into pom pom shapes…

…with water retaining succulents forming a lush green ground cover…ideal for arid desert soils, but not the most ideal surface to spread the picnic blanket on as many do…leaving a very squashed and squishy terrain, not to mention a saturated picnic rug or blanket…

…unfortunately parks here are fenced, gated and locked and are often not open even during times according to signs…the hope of entering on this visit was not written…

…so instead of photographing a view of Masjid Nabawi from a little way up Jabal Uhud this was taken from the park gate…Insha’Allah another time will present itself to enter…

…this is a different park, which hugs the foothills heading toward the west…

…an aesthetically designed arched walkway straddles a narrow valley, joining sections of the landscaped area…

…there are many small prefabricated booths, for commercial vendors, scattered throughout that are not so appealing…

…with a little more imagination and an intuitive concern for the environment, natural stone ones would have been more harmonious within the theme…

…shaded areas are plentiful…but for families seeking playground equipment, smooth surfaces for bikes, scooters and roller blades, horse rides and quad bikes then these are not the parks to visit…

…one does wonder what criteria goes into planning in and around this blessed mountain…

…why these contradictory glaring shopping strips have been approved by the governing councils…

…they hug Jabal Uhud and cause traffic congestion as people come to shop…

…this particular section specializes in zany furniture for children…other sections include tent makers and welders creating elaborate gates, window grills and outdoor furniture…Insha’Allah a time will come when the beauty and magnificence of Jabal Uhud for itself is the attraction, when the words of the Hadith truly resonate in hearts…

…a surreal haze has been blanketing Madinatun Nabi these past few days…the sun appearing as a silver orb dipping into a liquid bronzed sky…

…and the Rabi’al Awwal full moon…

…glides over the illumined minarets as sentinels to the Dome of Felicity…

…while back to where we began…the park area on the eastern side of Jabal Uhud…

…where one would not be mistaken for thinking you were on the moon…

…this is the result of a plan to focus spotlights along the entire (approximate twelve kilometre) edge of Jabal Uhud…

…blazing  waterfalls…

…highlighting trees…

…enhancing the rock formations and textures…

…this project has drawn opposition from conservationists, saying the cost of electricity is not justified as well as voicing a concern for creatures that will be denied a natural night atmosphere…others have praised the venture…what are your views?

…while beholding these natural phenomena the following apt invocation from Salat and Salam came to mind:

O Allah, I ask You, O Allah, O Gracious, O Merciful, O Refuge of those who seek refuge, O Shelter of the fearful, O Stay of those who have no stay, O Supporter of those who have no support, O resource for those who have no resource, O Sanctuary of the weak, Treasure of the needy, Greatest source of hope, Saviour of the doomed, Rescuer of the drowned, Beneficent, Gracious, Benefactor, Bountiful, Almighty, Omnipotent, and Effulgent, it is You to whom the darkness of the night, the brightness of the day, the rays of the sun, the trembling of the trees, the humming of the water, and the light of the moon prostrate. O Allah, You are Allah, You have no partner. I ask that Your blessings be on our liegelord Muhammad, Your servant and Messenger, and on the family of Muhammad SallAllahu alaihi wassalam, 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.

…one family’s praises…

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…from a home engulfed with NOOR…where children are encouraged to express their love and praises for our Rabb Subhanahu wa Ta’ala and His Habib SallAllahu alaihi wasallam through the Qur’an and the actualization of the Sunnah, through art, Qasidas, attention to the best of Akhlaq the joy associated with Khidmah and a simple lifestyle. Their love is infectious, so I share this with you all, as they have with me through these visual and audio praises, SubhanAllah!

Anas ibn Malik RadhiAllahu alahu said: “A man passed the Messenger of Allah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam who was in the company of some people, so a man from those with him said, ‘Indeed I love that person for Allah’s sake.’ So the Messenger of Allah said, ‘ Have you informed him?’ He said, ‘No.’ He SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said,’ Go to him and inform him.’ So he went and informed him, so he replied, ‘May the One for whose sake you have loved me love you.’ Then he returned and the Messenger of Allah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam asked him what he had said and the man told him. So the Messenger of Allah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam  said, ‘You will be with the one whom you have loved and there will be for you the reward that you hoped for.’” (Abu Dawud, Ahmad, al-Haakim, and others.)

This is one family, from countless I love, and hope to be with Insha’Allah, Ameen Ameen Ameen.

Click the above art work to go ‘shopping’ at the Etsy shop for more from this talented young Muslimah.

Ya Habibi Ya Mustafa

How long will my heart ache for my Beloved
O you light of the universe
And call out to you O Tihami
O you treasure of goodness

My utmost wish and desire
Is that I may attain to the vision
And see the door of Paradise
O you purifier of efforts!

O you crown of creation, I am
engrossed in longing and desires
a lover, whose art is praise (of the beloved)
O you full moon of perfection!
Lift away the burden from me
love has consumed me and made me weak
To you I put my hope
O you holder of lofty promises!

O you guiding light of Prophets
you most highly honoured!
O you leader of the God-fearing
my heart melts (in front of you)

Words by As-Sheikh Mahmud Abu-Shaamaat. Sung by Syrian Munshids Click for audio, Arabic lyrics and other uplifting praises to fire the heart with love and passion!  Masha’Allah!

Ya Habibi Ya Muhammad: O my Beloved O Muhammad

O Allah confer your blessings and peace upon our Leader Muhammad and upon his family and companions
O Allah confer your blessings and peace upon our Leader Muhammad and upon his family and companions

Had it not been for the religion of my life, my character would never have been modified
Your mode of life is my guide to salvation, O my Beloved O Muhammad

O Intercessor of the believers, You are the best of messengers
A mercy to the worlds, O my Beloved O Muhammad

You are treasured, O Prophet may my mother and father be ransom for you
I refuse to love any beside you,  O my Beloved O Muhammad

O Allah confer your blessings and peace upon our Leader Muhammad and upon his family and companions
O Allah confer your blessings and peace upon our Leader Muhammad and upon his family and companions

Click for audio, the last track is the one without music.

Ya Zainal Anbiya’

Say: If you love Allâh then follow me, Allâh will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (3:31)

Thakartu Rabbi  (I remembered my Lord)

Allah Allah There is none other for me except Him

Verily whenever I remember my Lord
My longing to reach him increases
My life has become pleasant and my heart illuminated
With the remembrance of my Lord, exalted is his praise
None has tasted the joy of love except
One who understands the connection or is acquainted
O how fortunate a people, from Allah take their glory
They have attained proximity with him and so have excelled
Thus the Exalted raised them to a grand status
They have nothing to wish for except to be blessed with His vision
How and when they have witnessed His Sublimity
They saw Him in all clarity, through His Light and Splendour
So they said, Oh Him Oh Him
So He said, Verily I am to you Most Beloved
A Lord Munificent, most deserving of Lordship
I accept whoever repents from My slaves
And it does not concern Me what he has committed.

Allah Allah There is none other for me except Him.

Click for audio, with Arabic lyrics. (music)

JUMA’AH MUBARAK!

May we all be with the ones we love, especially our Noble Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, Ameen Ameen Ameen.

JazakumuLlahu khairan katheeran to the young flag bearers of this family for these visual praises to inspire hearts during these Mubarak days of Rabi’al Awwal.

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.

…absolutely clear…

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Don’t surrender your loneliness
So quickly.
Let it cut more deep.

Let it ferment and season you
As few human
Or even divine ingredients can.

Something missing in my heart tonight
Has made my eyes so soft,
My voice
So tender,

My need of God absolutely clear.

Khwajeh Shams al-Din Muhammad Hafez Shirazi (1321-1389)

…and thus dear readers it is absolutely clear that the something missing in the heart tonight is this humble speck’s need right now to be as close as possible to our precious one SallAllahu alaihi wasallam whose light lit the earth and sky, to be close to the one whose name contains such glory, to be so close as to whisper Welcome, O intercessor for the sinner! to maybe feel the wafting aroma of heavenly baking,

Insha’Allah you too take time, wherever you may be, whomever you may be with, to retreat into that space of ‘loneliness even in a crowd’ drawing closer and experiencing a deeper intimacy, reflecting on Allah Ta’ala’s gift of light, mercy and compassion to the worlds, SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.

Click on this diverse collection, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, to stir passions and bring one nearer to Allah Ta’ala and His Habib SallAllahu alaihi wasallam on this Mubarak eve.

Insha’Allah the ‘list’ will be read over and over around the Dome of Felicity.

ALLAHUMMA BARIK ALA MUHAMMADIN WA ALA ALI MUHAMMADIN KAMA BARAKTA ALA IBRAHEEMA WA ALA ALI IBRAHEEMA INNAKA HAMEEDUM MAJEED

ALLAHUMMA BARIK ALA MUHAMMADIN WA ALA ALI MUHAMMADIN KAMA BARAKTA ALA IBRAHEEMA WA ALA ALI IBRAHEEMA INNAKA HAMEEDUM MAJEED

ALLAHUMMA BARIK ALA MUHAMMADIN WA ALA ALI MUHAMMADIN KAMA BARAKTA ALA IBRAHEEMA WA ALA ALI IBRAHEEMA INNAKA HAMEEDUM MAJEED

Heartfelt streams of appreciation flow to young Ismail for his lively calligraphy, conveying his ‘absolutely clear’ love for Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, SubhanAllah!

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.

…The Sprinkled Gems…

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Al-Dur Al-Manthur fi Bayan Ma’alem Madinat Al-Rasul fi A-’Ahd Al-Nabawi, translated as ‘The Sprinkled Gems in Demonstrating the Features of the City of the Messenger During the Prophet’s Era’ is a recently published volume by Doctor AbdulAziz Kaki.

Dr Kaki is the founder and owner of the excellent museum, and the author of many volumes on Madinah, rich in historical facts and lavishly illustrated, all available at the Museum. All are in Arabic. There is one 3 volume set with English translations, but it is unfortunately out of print.

This new title truly is a gem! It is a beautifully produced boxed edition dealing with in depth details of where our Blessed Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam went in and around the City. Descriptions of what he did in these Mubarak places, along with location maps and historic photos speak to the heart.

Strangely, as with many books by local authors, there is no ISBN number, nor details of the publishing house, so for those who may wish to purchase this exceptional book it seems it is only available through select bookstores within the Kingdom, retailing for SR220.

Making Ziyarah of these places in these contemporary times, regardless of the drastic changes to the landscape and scenery, still fills one with a huge sense of awe and ignites a passionate gratitude for being of the Ummah of HabibuLlaha SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, SubhanAllah! It does not take much for the imagination to take over, allowing the events and stories to appear before the inner gaze! Not to mention the exhilaration of knowing one is standing where these momentous incidents took place! SubhanAllah!

The above photo, from the book, shows Masjid Nabawi in the background with the Ottoman Barracks in the foreground. An interesting documentation of this exceptional period in the history of the City of Light in itself, but its the relationships between places that existed during the foundation of Islam that inspire. We know that at the time of Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam that the Masjid did not have minarets, it was smaller in size, and Masjid Ghamamah, seen just to the left of the left minaret was not there, its the events that leave the lofty traces. Enough to know the incidents involving our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam that give these locations their sacredness, their respect and honour, SubhanAllah! And we are told that the Masjid in the centre of the barracks marks where Bilal RadhiAllahu anhu’s house was, and the distance between it and Masjid Nabawi housed so many of the Sahabah RadhiAllahu anhum. The soil contains stories of giants, whose characteristics and devotion have contributed to the glory of our Deen! These details need to be studied, shared and become loved bed time stories for our young, Insha’Allah.

These three photos of models in the Museum are of the same area from different perspectives. Here the distances between Masjid Bilal, Masjid Nabawi and Jabal Sala’ is defined…

…the Ottoman Railway station and Masjid Anbariyah are seen in the left foreground…

…while this view encompasses the entire rail yard to Masjid Nabawi…and even though the Ottoman wealth and heritage seems the focus, we need to recall that within the walls of this rail yard compound is Masjid Suqya, where the illustrious, but ragged group of Sahabah RadhiAllahu anhum gathered for inspection before setting off for Badr and where our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam drank from a well.

A different model, looking from Masjid Nabawi. This used to be in the Research and Studies Centre, but which has recently closed its exhibition hall…

…the view now looking towards where the barracks would have been just beyond the opening in the middle between the two hotels…

…the minaret of Masjid Umar just seen on the left and the domes of Masjid Ghamamah on the right…

…with more construction filling the few remaining gaps…however…

‘Sprinkled Gems’ are hidden throughout this Radiant City…open the eyes of the heart and allow the brilliance to forever shine through whatever seems to stand in the way, Insha’Allah.

Some previous posts referring to the Ottoman legacy in Madinatun Nabi 1,2.3,4

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.