Laylat al-qadr

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“As-Sufuri said (may Allah have mercy on him):“I saw it written with my father’s hand from Shaykh Abul-Hasan Ash-Shadhili (Allah have mercy on him):

“Since I reached puberty I never missed seeing Laylatul-Qadr.
If the first day of Ramadan is a Sunday, it falls on the 29th;
if it is a Monday, it falls on the 21st;
if it is a Tuesday, it falls on the 27th;
if it is a Wednesday, it falls on the 29th like Sunday;
if it is a Thursday, it falls on the 25th;
if it is a Friday, it falls on the 27th like Tuesday;
if it is a Saturday, it falls on the 23rd, and Allah knows best.”

(Nuzhat Al-Majalis Wa Munkhatab An-Nafa’is” by Al-’Allama Ash-Shaykh ‘Abdur Rahman As-Sufuri Ash-Shafi

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Things to do prior to Ramadhan

date-ramadan-debut-ramadan

Arif-billah Dr Abdul Hayy Arifi (Allah have mercy on him) said,

‘Do not pursue excessive information.

It is worthwhile to act on whatever knowledge one already has.

Our acts of worship and obedience have become ritualistic. In this era of chaotic life style with environment promoting egoistic and hedonistic characteristics our hearts  do not appreciate the reality and status (of these acts of worship) as it must be. Therefore, first of all we must supplicate to Allah, ‘O Allah! You have bestowed on us these forms of worship, please,  make us appreciate them, give us their blessings, spiritual effulgence, fruition, sound understanding, facilitation of action and a blessed lifestyle. Amin!’

Ramadhan is going to start soon. Appreciate its significance and try to gain benefit from it to the maximum.

Cleanse your exterior and interior body parts prior to its starting by repenting and asking Allah’s forgiveness (from all sinful activities) thoroughly.’

Ramadhan ul mubarak kay anwar shuru honay say pehlay

Prepare for Ramadhan

1. Ask Allah for facilitation (tawfeeq) to benefit from the blessings of Ramadan daily, from now onwards.

2. Make a firm determination to abstain from all sins. Especially those committed by the eyes, ears and tongue.

3. Try to free as much time as possible from work and other commitments for pure worship (ibadah).

4. Reschedule non essential appointments till after or before Ramadan. Finish all Ramadan and Eid shopping prior to the sighting of the crescent.

5. Make special effort to follow as many as possible Sunna in daily activities.
Learn these and memorize the adiya e masnoon (dua) for particular occasions before hand. The book “Alaikum bi sunnati”by Mawlana Abdul Hakim Sukharwi ra is a good, practical and handy resource for this.

6. Review the essential fiqh (rulings) relating to fasting, taraweeh and other Ramadan related issues from “Behishti Zewar” (Heavenly Ornaments) of Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him).

7. To get motivated and organized, read the discourses of Hakeem al -Umma regarding Ramadan (Mawaiz-e-Ashrafiya volume : Barakat e Ramadan) and listen to the talks of Sayyidi wa sandi db on how to prepare for the holy month.

8. Practice the actions of the Heart. Do not do any action without a proper intention.Abstain from all the blame worthy morals. No anger, arrogance, belittling caustic remarks, etc. It is strange to abstain from otherwise halal (lawful food) and commit an act which is always haram (forbidden). Try to do most of the praise worthy moral actions. Having patience, humility, gratitude, sincerity, etc. Keep a tight grip. Do not slip here.

9. Make a practical and doable time table for daily activities.

The point to remember is that in Ramadan acts of primary form of worships (i.e. salah, dhikr, tilawat, etc.) are to be increased. These lead to an increasing direct relationship with Allah  (i.e. ta’luq ma’Allah).

The tawfiq is from Allah!

Nafs

A spiritual aspirant wrote,

‘The similitude of my nafs is that of of slime covered slithery pig. Restraining it from indulging in sinful is extremely challenging. It wiggles violently and fights ferociously if I try to control it. Getting hold of this slippery, powerful and agile brute is extremely difficult.

Please, make supplication (dua) that Allah gives me the determination and courage to rein this beast. And facilitates this process effectively for me.’

Shaikh Dr Hafeezullah Madani (Allah have mercy on him) replied,

‘Amin!

An explicit and vivid similitude indeed.’

Makkah e mukarramah, 1424

Remembrance of Allah

Hakim al Ummah Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) said,

‘This is the action that stops the random thoughts and whisperings (wasawes). It keeps the lower self (nafs) involved in something (beneficial). If it was to be left on its own it would get into something (spiritually) detrimental.

It is acknowledged that this action is the remembrance (of Allah) by heart (dhikr e qalbi).

This can be done at all the times.

Therefore, involve your nafs in this action. By doing so it will not get into detrimental things and heedlessness (gaflah).’

Jawahirat e Hakim al Ummat ra, volume 3, page 68

Involvement in sinful and feeling of hopelessness

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Our master Shaikh Ibn e Ata-Allah al Iskanderi (Allah have mercy on him) said in al Hikam,

‘Commitment of a sinful act must not make you feel hopeless in acquiring a steadfast state with your Lord. Maybe this is the last sin destined for you.’

Shaikh Mawlana Abdullah al Gangohi (Allah have mercy on him) wrote in his explanation of this;

‘This is because involvement in sinful acts due to human nature (of being weak and forgetful) is not against steadfastness on Deen. However, persisting on sinful actions, not repenting and having an intention of committing it again are against steadfastness.’

Ikmal ush Shiyam, page 55

 

Dealing with criticism constructively

Back biting (ghiba) is a major sin (gunah e kabira). In Qur’an it is described as eating the flesh of ones’ dead brother.

It is mentioning in front of others something (true) about an absent fellow Muslim that would be unpleasant to him if he were to be aware of it.

It is from the category of rights of the fellow Muslims (huquq al ibad). Repentance from it requires asking forgiveness from the aggrieved individual.

It was a habit of Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) to ask the individual who approached him to apologize for back biting him,

‘I forgive you but, please, let me know what did you say about me.’

To his disciples he explained that I do so to find out that if he had criticized me genuinely. If it was the case then I will make effort to amend those mistakes.

Hakim al-Umma had a permanent feature in the monthly publication of his Khanqah, al Noor, regarding this issue. It was to acknowledge his errors and slips. He even hired scholars to vet his works.

One who is seeking Allah’s pleasure and acceptance is never hesitant to acknowledge his own mistakes and repent. Each and every criticism, however acrid it maybe provides an opportunity to do so. It is a blessing in disguise.

wa ma tawfiqi illa billah

 

Those at loss in middle Night of Sha’ban

Our master Prophet Muhammad, (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) said,

“This is the middle Night of Sha’ban. Allah frees in it a large number of the people from (Hell) Fire, more than the number of the hairs growing on the sheep of the tribe, Kalb. But He does not even look at an individual who

– associates partners with Allah, or

– who nourishes malice in his heart (against someone), or

– who cuts off the ties of kinship (qata’ rehmi), or

– who leaves his clothes extending beyond his ankles (as a sign of pride), or

– who disobeys his parents, or

– who has a habit of drinking wine.”

Allah save us from being among these individuals. Amin!

Warning regarding Sufism

Speaking in United Kingdom sayyidi wa sanadi Shaikh Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) said,

I would warn the younger Muslim generation about the wrong interpretation of Sufism.

It has been widely propagated in the Western world by non-Muslims. They coined the term Sufism. They praise Sufism. They preach sufism. They propagate Sufism. One may think that they do this in service to Islam. However, the reality is that the Sufism propagated by Western writers is quite contradictory to the Shariah. It is quite contradictory to the real essence of Tasawwuf and tariqat.

A high ranking western offical visited the Darul Uloom, Karachi. After having a detailed tour observing the teaching activities he commented that he did not see anything about Sufism being taught.

It was inquired that what did he mean by Sufism.

He replied that Sufism is something related to one’s soul and what pleases one’s soul. For example, playing music, dancing, having ectasy (wajd) and qawwali,etc..

The poor individual restricted Sufism to these kinds of activities.

The real problem is that when Western world speaks of soul as against the physical life they assume that they are speaking of the spirit or spiritual things. There is a big difference between soul and spirit.
In fact soul is what is called the nafs in Tasawwuf. That is the (lower) desires of the heart. Tasawwuf does not have realtion to soul in that meaning.

Tasawwuf realtes to the spiritual qualities- the human instincts (reforma tion of the moral characteristics – thus becoming a better human being & Real Muslim).

Turath lecture, 23rd June 2012

Dubai, UAE

The pleasure of intimate conversation

Haji Shakeel Ahmad (Allah preserve him) mentioned a very important thing in his talks that affects us all. A summary of it is posted here,

The pious said that the first and foremost sign of displeasure of Allah is that the afflicted individual lose interest in supplication (dua) and presence of mind in worship.

This is because of his disobedience. And it is the displeasure and turning away of Allah’s attention from him that he does not find pleasure in the intimate conversation of dua, salah, etc.

We should check ourselves and find out if we are from the afflicted one’s. If so, then we should be vigilant in correcting our mistake, repenting and pleasing our Lord.

Wa ma tawfiqi ila billah

Abu Dhabi,UAE

الم يعلم بان الله يري

Leaving what does not concern us

“The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,

“From the excellence of a man’s Islam is leaving that which does not concern him.”

“That is, to leave that which is not important or befitting of him, whether in speech, actions, or thought.

Thus, ‘the excellence of a man’s Islam’ is its perfection, such that one remains steadfast in the submission to the commands and prohibitions of Allah, and surrenders to His rulings in accordance to His destiny and decree (qada wa qadr). This is the sign of the heart having been expanded by the light of its Lord, and the descent of quietude (sakina) into the heart. The reality of ‘that which does not concern him’ is that which is not needed for a worldly or next-worldly necessity, and does not aid in attaining his Lord’s good pleasure, such that it is possible to live without it…

This includes excess acts and unnecessary speech… This hadith may well be taken from Allah Most High’s saying,

“And who shun all vain things.” (Qur’an, 23: 3)

Mulla Ali al-Qari (Allah have mercy on him) mentioned this in his commentary on Mishkat al-Masabih.

Riyadh,KSA