Saturday, November 29, 2008

Welcome, Dhul Hijjah!

Bismillah.
Peace & blessings upon our noble messenger, his family, companions, & those who follow him.

Today marks the start of Dhul Hijjah!

Subhan'Allah, last year at this time Salik and I were in the most blessed lands on earth. This year as the hujjaj leave -- including Shaykh Ramzy and Shaykh Zahid who were with us, in addition to Shaykh Abdallah who is joining them this year! -- my heart really isn't here right now...it seems to have run off with them. Before they left I asked them to remember us there, as bits of my heart are spread throughout the mubarak lands to which Allah has returned them. May Allah bless their journey and that of all of the hujjaj. Hajj Mabrur insha'Allah.

We must however, remember that even if we aren't able to be in those luminous lands, we should nevertheless, pay heed to the days that are upon us and honour them.

Some advice on what to do the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah from Shaykh Faraz.

Please remember us in your prayers these blessed days.

May He Most High, return us to the sacred sanctuaries again. Ameen.

Wassalam,
Salikah


Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Shaykh Abdallah al-Haddad on the Signs of Allah's Love Upon One...

Bismillah.

AsSalamu'alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,

The past three weeks we have been blessed in Toronto with the luminous company of our noble teacher, Shaykh Abdallah al-Haddad of Fez. Prior to his arrival, a dear sister of mine said "get ready to fall in love!" Shaykh came and enveloped us with his love and mercy, and a man we little knew before his arrival has become over the course of a few weeks the most beloved to our hearts. Indeed, we fell in love with his loving smile, his sweet words, his care and concern. Seeing one of our elders, a wali of Allah, a descendant of the Noblest Messenger Sayyidina Muhammad (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam), a Shaykh, a manfull of humility, give of his time and self completely to the fuqara',has been inspirational.

As he parts us to make hajj before returning home to his family in Fez, we thank Allah for having blessed us with his company and we pray that Allah bless his every moment, make easy his hajj and travels, return him safely to his family, grant him ease, and unite us once more.

Below are some notes I took at the Sunday night dars with Shaykh, where he spoke of the signs of Allah's love upon one.

May Allah love and bless you all. Please pray for Shaykh and those left saddened by his departure.

Wassalam,

Salikah


Signs of the love of Allah upon one:

Hadith:

"I declare war upon anyone who shows enmity towards My friends.... My servant continues to draw close to Me through supererogatory works until I love him. And when I love him, I am his hearing through which he hears, his eyes through which he sees, and his foot upon which he walks."

Three things have been hidden in three:


1) Allah's dispeasure is hidden in disobedience of Him.

  • Therefore, do not underestimate even what you deem to be the smallest sin because it could be that Allah takes your life at a moment in which you die in a state of sin. It is said in a hadith that a man may do the actions of the people of Paradise unti there remains between him and Paradise an arm-span. Then the decree will catch up with him and he will do the actions of the people of Hell and will be placed therein. Likewise a man may do the actions of the people of Hell unti there remains between him and Hell an arm-span. Then the decree will catch up with him and he will do the actions of the people of Paradise and will be placed therein.
  • Do not underestimate small sins because a large bonfire starts as asmall flame.

2) Allah's pleasure is hidden in obedience of Him.

  • Therefore do not belittle any religious act, even the removal of a banana peel from the road, for that could save somebody else a lot of hardship (i.e., if the peel were not removed, they could fall, get hurt, etc.)
  • Superogatory works are never equal to obligatory works. Both are a means of drawing closer to Allah. Also, we often leave an easy means of benefit for an action which requires much work and no benefit at all. For instance, commiting adultery and drinking alcohol are mandatory to avoid and you are rewarded simply by not doing anything, whereas doing them requires time, effort, and money.
  • Rewards/punishments are eternal except for the one who sincerely repents.

3) Allah's awliya' are hidden amongst the people.

  • A hadith speaks of dishevelled one whose du'as are accepted because he is hidden and goes unnoticed. Allah loves the pure and pious whose name nobody knows when they walk in and whom nobody misses when they are not present. Therefore, never disdain any of the creation because you don't know who the awliya' are. You cannot create something better, so do not despise the creation of Allah, lest Allah declares war upon you.
  • Do not mock, backbite, or speak ill of anyone.
  • Do not wink and laugh with your friends at others because Allah says in the Qur'an that the disbelievers do this to the believers when they see them pass by.

Nafilah (superogatory) works of the limbs:

  • Eyes lowered, heart cleansed of ailments, ears from bad language/sounds, lead to external and inner purity. When this happens, a person's system changes and Allah becomes, as the hadith says, the eyes with which they see, the hearing with which they hear, the foot upon which they walk. In such a state, resulting from leaving what has been forbidden, such a person becomes as if controlled by a satellite: he can communicate with Allah as he likes, and He with him.
  • When Allah loves a person He tells Jibril, "I love so and so, so love him." Jibril then tells the angels, "Allah loves so and so, so love him" until he is loved by the people.

*Be persistent in du'a and prayers of the heart.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Baba Bullay Shah and the Charlatan's Lota

During the lifetime of the wali Allah, Baba Bullay Shah, there was a charlatan who claimed knowledge of the unseen. People visited the man in regards to their affairs, and would honour him with money and gifts for his "wisdom". When Baba heard of him, he had his suspicions and so went to meet him. While with him, Baba hid his lota*. At the end of their meeting, they exchanged pleasantries, and the charlatan exclaimed, "wait! where did my lota disappear to?!". At this Baba Bullay Shah said, "you claim to know the ins and outs of the unseen world, but you cannot find your lota?!".

*Lota (Urdu/Punjabi): watering jug used for cleansing in the washroom.

Yup, that's a real Punjabi saint...wisdom with a sense of humour! : )

Filth

There was a man who was very concerned with the outwards of purification, always making sure he was clean and polished. Upon seeing him, a saint exclaimed "you are so concerned about the purification of your outward, and yet you have never looked to the purification of your inward filth!".

A good reminder to those of us with mild symptoms of OCD : )

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Obama Wins!

May Allah make this a means of better times for people all around the world. May He guide Obama to do that which is just, always. Ameen.

Saturday, November 01, 2008

In Chicago...

for another day. Any tips on good food and good places?

Shukran!

Salikah