Monthly Archives: February 2012

…Lights::Ziyarah::Locate…

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The Earth lifts it’s glass to the sun
And light – light is poured.

A bird comes and sits on a crystal rim
And from my forest cave I Hear singing.

So I run to the edge of existence
And join my soul in love.

I lift my heart to God and grace is poured.

An emerald bird rises from inside me
And now sits Upon the beloved’s glass.

I have left that dark cave forever.
My body has blended with His.

I lay my wing as a bridge to you
So that you can join us singing.

~Hafiz

Late, by myself, in the boat of myself,
no light and no land anywhere,
cloud cover thick. I try to stay
just above the surface,
yet I’m already under
and living with the ocean.

~Rumi

If you wish for light, be ready to receive light.
Nourish your ego and be deprived of light.
If you wish to find a way out of this prison,
do not turn away;
bow down in worship and draw near.

~Rumi

How did the rose
Ever open its heart
And give to this world
All its beauty?
It felt the encouragement of light
Against its being,
Otherwise,
We all remain
Too frightened

~Hafiz

This moment, this love, comes to rest in me
many beings in one being
In one wheat grain a thousand sheep stacks

Inside the needle’s eye
a turning night of stars

There is a light seed grain inside
you fill it with yourself or it dies

I am caught in this curling energy, your hair
who ever is calm and sensible
is insane!
~Rumi

I am just a shadow.
I wish I could show you
The Infinite Incandescence

That has cast my brilliant image!
I wish I could show you,
When you are lonely or in the darkness,

The Astonishing Light
Of your own Being!

Light
Will someday split you open
Even if your life is now a cage,
For a divine seed, the crown of destiny,
Is hidden and sown on an ancient, fertile plain
You hold the title to.

Love will surely bust you wide open
Into an unfettered, blooming new galaxy

Even if your mind is now
A spoiled mule.

A life-giving radiance will come,
The Friend’s gratuity will come –

O look again within yourself,
For I know you were once the elegant host
To all the marvels in creation.

From a sacred crevice in your body
A bow rises each night
And shoots your soul into God.

Behold the Beautiful Drunk Singing One
From the lunar vantage point of love.

He is conducting the affairs
Of the whole universe

While throwing wild parties
In a tree house – on a limb
In your heart.
~ Hafiz

~*~

…Makkan light photos…metaphors for the Light that dispelled the darkness in this Mubarak Valley of Bakkah…

Allah is the guardian of those who believe. He brings them out of the darkness into the light…(2:257)

The one to whom Allah gives no light has no light at all. (24:40)

~*~

…Insha’Allah, if you look to the top of the screen you will notice two new ‘pages’ to check: ‘Ziyarah’ and ‘Locate’…may they benefit…

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.

…saum as-sunnah…

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…SubhanAllah! the sufrahs spread in Masjid al-Haram every Monday, Thursday and white days of each month fill the Mataf and extend way back beyond the Ottoman arches…the site brings such joy to the heart and the soul dances in delight as the scene unfolds and the fragrance of Sabr fills the air…

The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam used to fast on Mondays and Thursdays, and when he was asked why that is, he replied; “The deeds of the one are lifted to Allah in these days, and I like mine to be lifted while I am fasting.” He SallAllahu alaihi wasallam also said about fasting Mondays; “This is a day I was born in.” He SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said about fasting days in general for the sake of Allah Ta’ala; “Whoever fast a day for the sake of AllahTa’ala, He will distance him from Hellfire for a 70-year-walking distance.” (Bukhari)

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.’ ” (an-Nasa’i and by Ibn Hibban, who called it sahih)

Sahl bin Sa’d RadhiAllahu anhu reported Allah’s Messenger SallAllahu alaihi wasallam as saying: In Paradise there is a gate which is called Rayyan through which only the observers of fast would enter on the Day on Resurrection. None else would enter along with them. It would be proclaimed: Where are the observers of fast that they should be admitted into it? -and when the last of them would enter, it would be closed and no one would enter it. (Bukhari)

Abu Huraira RadhiAllahu anhu reported Allah’s Messenger SallAllahu alaihi wasallam as saying: Fasting is a shield. (Bukhari)

Abu Hurairah RadhiAllahu anhu reported the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam as saying: Every good deed of the son of Adam would be multiplied, a good deed receiving a tenfold to seven hundredfold reward. Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, has said: With the exception of fasting, for it is done for Me and I will give a reward for it, for one abandons his passion and food for My sake. There are two occasions of joy for one who fasts, joy when he breaks it, and joy when he meets his Lord, and the breath of the one fasting is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk. (Bukhari)

‘Abdullah bin’Amr RadhiAllahu anhu said that the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said: Fasting and the Qur’an will both intercede for a believer on the Day of Judgement. Fasting will say, “O Lord, I denied him food and sexual pleasure during the day, so accept my intercession for him.” And the Qur’an will say, “O Lord, I denied him rest and sleep at night, so accept my intercession for him.” Then Allah will accept the intercession of both. (Bayhaqi)

…one sees brothers returning home with bags containing empty flasks that would have provided Arabic coffee to thousands…wheelchairs, trolleys and large baskets of bread, dates, yogurt and coffee are taken into Haram on the Sunnah fasting days…Masha’Allah the rewards piling so high for all those feeding a fasting person…while the one fasting earns the merit of 100,000 fasts, SubhanAllah!

…and not that believers need any proof regarding the great benefits of regular Sunnah fasting, it is nevertheless fascinating to read that scientists recommend fasting for two days a week to facilitate protection against brain diseases…

ALLAHU AKBAR!

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.

…speculation…

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…there’s a lot of speculation going on about the plans for the Mataf…what is a drilling machine doing in that fenced off area…preparing…studying for which option will be implemented?…some say the decision has already been made…like the massive extension growing by the minute in the courtyard…the Ummah left guessing until work was well under way…Alhumdulillah, one thing is for sure..and that is that the Ottoman arches…which at one stage were doomed…are to remain…

…the general consensus amongst the locals is that the above option is the one to be constructed…Allahu ‘Alum…considering it is the model that is currently part of the Hajj Exhibition at the British Museum, click image for details, probably means the choice has been decided upon…

…the following are designs that apparently have been submitted…neither looking feasible or sturdy or aesthetically compatible to the present Masjid al-Haram…

…the following design is built upon the concept of a temporary removable structure…assembled and disassembled according to the peak seasons…

…maybe time to play with some lego…!…meanwhile audible speculation ripples across the Ummah…

May Allah Ta’ala guide all the decision makers, facilitate ease throughout every stage of whatever changes are to be adopted, bless every soul involved in this project, from inception to completion, and shower an abundance of patience on all pilgrims during the years of disruption, 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.

…a quiet interval…

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Be quiet in your mind, quiet in your senses, and also quiet in our body. Then, when all these are quiet, don’t do anything. In that state truth will reveal itself to you. It will appear in front of you and ask, “What do you want?”

Kabir

…a slight diversion, or Madanian interval from sharing the recent Makkah visit…yes…Insha’Allah there is more to come…

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 spiritual opening…

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…Umm Hani’, the sister of Ali RadhiAllahu anhu, thus our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam’s cousin lived in her father’s house at approximately this position…

…it was here that Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam came dejected after he had been abused and taunted by several of the Quraysh…Umm Hani’ comforted him and invited him to sleep for the night there…

…narrations vary as to whether Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam ascended on the Buraq from the house, or from the Hijr…

…this is one version from Umm Hani’…after reciting the night prayers he went to sleep. Just before dawn, the Prophet of God awoke us and we all prayed the dawn prayer together. When the prayer was through, he said, “O Umm Hani’, I prayed with you the night prayer in this place; then I went to Jerusalem and I prayed there, and as you see, I have just finished praying with you the dawn prayer.” I answered, “O Prophet of God! do not tell this to the people, for they will belie you and harm you.” He said, “By God, I shall tell them.”

…while Martin Lings in Muhammad, his life based on the earliest sources, describes thus:

On one occasion when they had prayed the night prayer behind the Prophet, Umm Hani invited him to spend the night with them. He accepted her invitation; but after a brief sleep he rose and went to the Mosque, for he loved to visit the Ka’bah during the night hours. While he was there, the desire to sleep came over him again, and he lay down in the Hijr.
“Whilst I was sleeping in the Hijr,” he said, Gabriel came to me and spurred me with his foot whereupon I sat upright, yet I saw nothing and lay down once again. A second time he came; and a third time, and then he took me by the arm and I rose and stood beside him, and he led me out to the gate of the Mosque, and there was the white beast, between a mule and an ass, with wings at his sides wherein he moved his legs; and his every stride was as far as the eye could see.”

…details may differ, but the consensus is that our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam did sleep in his cousin’s house…and that this is the location…and Allah Ta’ala knows best…

…Insha’Allah, may we all be granted spiritual openings and an increased nearness to our Rabb Subhanahu wa Ta’ala and his Habib SallAllahu alaihi wassalam as we contemplate this moving part of the Seerah and turn our gaze upon the sacredness of places where our glorious history is preserved…Ameen.

…the location of the house of Abu Talib, the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam’s uncle is almost in a direct line from Rukn Yemeni, the Yemeni Corner of BaituLlah. I have purposefully taken various photos to help identify the position…SubhanAllah the late night visit found this little enclave empty and aglow…leaving us free to be immersed in Ibadah…Shaykh Zulfiqar, may Allah Ta’ala preserve him and continually raise his rank, advises to make Du’a, in this place, to the effect , O Allah this is where you gave Your Habib SallAllahu alaihi wasallam a physical opening, please bless me with a spiritual opening. Ameen.

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.

…Makkan metamorphosis…three…

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…a neat row of newly installed fans on the ponderous buttresses of the royal complex…established on what would have been the foothills of the first mountain Allah Ta’ala created, Abu Qubais (along with other significant facts related to Abu Qubais and photos from 2009, and going back further to 2007)

…this area coincides with the outskirts of where the Banu Hashim tribe were…how Mubarak…the vicinity of the first mountain and the birth of the last and final Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam…

…while the entire area surrounding Masjid al-Haram was where Allah Ta’ala chose for so many great ‘firsts’ to happen…Ibrahim Alaihis Salam’s journeying there with his wife Hagar and son Ismail Alaihumaas Salam and their special place in our history and rituals…and all that intervened before so many were chosen to receive the first blessings of Hidayah on this hallowed soil…SubhanAllah!

…now the gaze is dominated by sophisticated machinery digging…moving the bedrock where Islam dawned and eventually flourished…

…where stones were once carried to construct the first BaituLlah…

…to the current times where huge edifices sprout skyward…perched on the very pegs that were made to hold the mountains…increasing the accommodation for the millions being called to Allah Ta’ala’s House…

…the changes seem never ending…

…and will probably never reach any point of completion…

…constant adding and subtracting…pulling down and building up…bigger…higher….grander…

…from the frugal to the opulent…

…from the humble to the extravagant…

…from simplicity to complex…

…dare it be said…from the spiritual to the materialistic…from necessity to indulgence…

…from the modest, unpretentious to competitive haughty boastfulness…

…Insha’Allah we are able to maintain our focus on all that gains Allah Ta’ala’s pleasure and favours as this metamorphosis unfolds…and to steer our hearts firmly onto the noble Sunnah of our Blessed Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and be constantly in awe of the sacrifices his illustrious Sahabah RadhiAllahu anhum made for the Deen…reminding ourselves that they held Deen in their hearts and Dunya in their hands…

…and if what we are witnessing are signs leading us closer and closer to the End of Times may our diligence with our preparations be increased and Du’a for success in Both Worlds be incessant…

…may we be assiduously nurturing our love for our Noble Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, especially during these final days of the Mubarak month of his birth…bringing to mind this poignant conversation:

A Bedouin asked the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam about the Hour. He said, “It will surely come to pass. What have you prepared for it?” The man said, “O Messenger of Allah, I have not prepared much in the way of prayer and good works, but I love Allah and His Messenger.” The Prophet said, “You will be with those you love.” The Muslims had never rejoiced as much they did when they heard this. (Sahih al-Bukhari)

…as all these changes are manifested around our sacred places may our sights be on this very same love the Bedouin expressed and our ultimate destination is with those we 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.

…Makkan metamorphosis…two…

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…continuing with your virtual tour of the rapid changing scenes of Makkah al-Mukarramah…

…agreed…these ancient alleyways are in a state of decadence and crumbling…but such stories are concealed within the decaying bricks and mortar…

…years of pilgrims treading crowded dusty lanes…back and forth…back and forth…

…back and forth to Masjid al-Haram…haggling with traders…surviving on the simplest of meals…

…this food outlet, and the one below, were still, surprisingly, operating in this deserted quarter…

…the Jabal Omar project rises in the background…with the corner of the Hilton and then Darul Taqwa to the right…

…this used to be the main thoroughfare from Ibrahim Khalil Road to Haram…

…now reduced to a narrow precarious track lined with rubble…

…and all the recyclable items from what was once a thriving hotel…

…strangely enough, the ‘home’ of one of the regular homeless brothers is still in use…he for the moment the one constant amongst all the changes around his ‘home’…

…a ‘Magritte’ moment…

…vacant…hundreds of rooms…empty…hollow shells…

…all to the left also empty hollow shells…as work continues on the back section of one of the Abraj al-Bayt towers…

…this is a building site tucked in between hotels that are still operating in the Ajyad area…

…a massive excavation with older, functioning structures teetering along the rim of of the site…people would walk along that pathway to the right to access that central white building…these are now the cheaper options for those who cannot afford the hefty rentals for the more modern rooms…

…and the same on the left of this gaping cavern…

…amazing…what tales could this wall tell…so many fascinating patchwork additions…

…and the same for this section of patterned brick work which was a traditional style with spaces for the air to flow…

…such labourers are the heroes of all the developments…may Allah Ta’ala bless them all and their families and raise them to the highest of stations in His Garden, Ameen…

…how long before these once grand places are reduced to rubble and replaced with glamour and glitz…at rate affordable only to the rich…YA RABB YA LATEEF YA WADUD!!!!

…this is what will emerge from that huge granite pit…

…Insha’Allah, continued in next post…

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.