Author: joymanifest

Mashaallah a post-doctoral fellow in Medical Genetics. A lover of the Arts and seeker of the sciences. Absolutely blessed to be a Muslim. Alhamdulillah!!

Roots

Assalamu alaikum, peace be with you all

This morning I was reflecting on my life’s journey. Dear friends have come to visit (and their coming was a surprise and indeed just what I needed at a time when I was very unwell, Alhamdulillah = all praise and thanks are due to Allah!). I used to live with them before they moved back to their home country. They are Palestinian and I loved and admired and heartily entered that culture when I did live with them. Before that I lived in different parts of the world, always admiring and appreciating different cultures and taking into myself some good aspects of it. For example from living in India, I appreciated simplicity and a generous spirit to all who come to one’s home. Something I do want to add, and not to sound preachy, but something I have noticed with humility is that whatever good I have found in any culture, essentially I have found that value to be Islamic in that it is something our beloved Muhammed (peace be upon him) has manifested. He truly is as Allah describes him in the Quran, ‘rahmatan lil alameen’ = a mercy to the worlds.

21:107

Sahih International Interpretation;

And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.

 
Quran Surah 21 (Al-Anbiya’, The prophets) : ayah 107
 

Now living in Canada, it is an amazing opportunity to experience and learn from a vast array of different cultures. So over the years of living here I have often wondered what my roots will be, where will I put them down, where will I build a home, and in what way or form. Especially now that my student days are over, I have been wondering about this.

But this morning a knowledge growing manifests; that indeed no matter where I live in this world or who I live with and in what type of culture, my culture will be Muslim. But my roots, ah, those I am planting in heaven bi ithnillahi ta’ala! (by the grace and will of Allah). May you also do the same my dear readers, and may we meet there inshaAllah (God willing)

May God’s protection and guiding light be with you always and may you be aware of it. May we all become better and better at answering that call.

 

Thoughts that come – IX

The month of mercy maybe over, but don’t forget every day is a day of mercy from your Lord. Allah’s Love and Care surrounds you, don’t doubt it and don’t think you have to stand alone.

Eagle soaring – adoration in the sky

I was reading this ayah tonight and it hit me that every Eagle I have every admired soaring, every humming bird vertically poised by super-speed wing beat, every bird I have ever loved to watch…this is why I love watching them. For they too are adoring the One, the Beautiful, the Perfect. Peace be with you all, assalamu alaikum

24:41

 
Transliteration

Alam tara anna Allaha yusabbihulahu man fee assamawati wal-ardiwattayru saffatin kullun qadAAalima salatahu watasbeehahu wallahuAAaleemun bima yafAAaloon

 
Yusuf Ali Interpretation

Seest thou not that it is Allah Whose praises all beings in the heavens and on earth do celebrate, and the birds (of the air) with wings outspread? Each one knows its own (mode of) prayer and praise. And Allah knows well all that they do.

Quran: Surat 24, An-Nur (The Light), ayah 41
 
 
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Thoughts that come – VIII

Make your hearts beautiful, make your hearts beautiful. This will not just happen, it must be worked upon. Don’t think you can work upon this alone, all that is required of your work is that you ask your Lord …to make your heart beautiful

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Eid Mubarak (An Eid = festival, Mubarak =in the state of blessing) to you all! Peace be with you.

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Joymanifest

Silent Words – benefit song for Syria

Assalamu alaikum, peace be with you all. This song, just released as a free download by Sami Yusuf, I wanted to share. It carries a prayer for the children of Syria. And a hope by the artist that we will give more to help the children of Syria. Indeed for the children affected by any war anywhere. Listening to this type music, itself is a prayer. So please listen. There is a beautiful du’a (supplication) at the end. We all need to spend more time in prayer these days. World events point us to the need to pray more, cleanse more, redeem ourselves more. What a mess mankind has made of this earth. Allah forgive us all.

Ramadan nights

Ramadan nights are penseive
Waiting for the angels to arrive
Bearers of glad tidings
To souls who never lost hope in the promise of their Lord.

Ramadan nights are peaceful
With a peace beyond man’s realm
Descends a greater good
To tranquil the wayward ego and
souls then in grateful joy.

Ramadan nights. Oh what will I do
My Lord if I have to live past them
Grant me then
The witness of another Ramadan
Let the hours between be as if an inconsequential moment.

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Joymanifest (c)

‘This religion is a religion of good etiquette (or manners)’

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah, peace be upon you and the mercy of God

This short talk  ( ~ 8 mins) is beautiful, it reminds us of the purpose of our worship and the measure by which we know our worship is doing what it is meant to. Namely, to bring us closer to our Creator and elevate us in our knowledge of Him, the Most High, the Great, the One.

The above quote is from the talk, that this religion is a religion of good etiquette and it should increase us in the good etiquette we have towards our Lord, and towards all of Creation.

Hope you get to listen. It is from Shaykh Habib Ali Al Jifri, a great scholar with impeccable lineage in his learning and a very short isnad (chain of transmission) to our Master Muhammed (peace and blessing be upon him). To explain, in classical Islamic scholarship, knowledge is passed on from teacher to student, often one-to-one and often by the student living with and imbibing the manners of the teacher as well. Once a student has reached a certain level, he or she is given ‘ijaza’ = license, to transmit the knowledge to others. The isnad, or chain of transmission therefore when short, shows that the knowledge is least diluted from the source. This shaykh who we are blessed to have amongst us is also notable for the number of female scholars in his chain. He can as well trace his lineage to the family of our beloved prophet (peace be upon him). More info on his bio is here. N.B. – I would always recommending learning the bio of someone you chose to study from. May Allah grant him increase and increase his reach.

Frangrance to greet laylatul qadr

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Here is a little snapshot of my jasmine plant corner. Jasmine is not an easy plant to grow in rainy cold Vancouver, but MashaAllah my two jasmine plants have survived and thrived over five years of some pretty cold winters and gloomy summers. I took this picture and am sharing because my heart is delighted by the bounty of flowers…rarely do so many bloom at the same time. They are by the corner where is my rocking chair and favourite spot to recite quran. And indeed it is as if their blooming is a special gift to greet these blessed last ten nights of Ramadan. My Lord is most generous to me. Subtly watchful in His love and care. May we all have hearts aware of Allah’s rahma that is ever upon us.

Peace be with you all

Du’a Noora

Peace be upon you all and the continued blessings of Ramadan!

The du’a noora (supplication of light) is one of my favourite du’a. Our beloved messenger peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, used to make this du’a while walking to the mosque (and maybe at other times). While reflecting on this du’a it occurred to me that what we are asking is that we be cloaked by the presence of God.

As Noor (light) is one of the ‘names’ of Allah, and indeed we are taught in the Quran that God is light upon light, in the profound ‘ayaa-un-noor’ (verse of light) *given below. What a beautiful and profound supplication. When Allah cloaks us and the presence of God is all around and in us, then we are truly in unity with the One, the Only God.

God’s blessings be upon you all. Make this du’a often, it will wash away from you all pain – sincere advice from your sister 🙂

Here is the du’a, taken from this site

Allaahummaj’al fee qalbee nooran, wa fee lisaanee nooran, wa fee sam’ee nooran, wa fee basaree nooran, wa min fawqee nooran, wa min tahtee nooran, wa ‘an yameenee nooran, wa ‘an shimaalee nooran, wa min ‘amaamee nooran, wa min khalfee nooran, waj’al fee nafsee nooran, wa ‘a’dhim lee nooran, wa ‘adhdhim lee nooran. Waj’al lee nooran, waj’alnee nooran. Allaahumma ‘a’tinee nooran, waj’al fee ‘asabee nooran, wa fee lahmee nooran, wa fee damee nooran, wa fee sha’ree nooran, wa fee basharee nooran.[1][Allaahummaj’al lee nooran fee qabree, wa nooran fee ‘idhaamee.][2][Wa zidnee nooran, wa zidnee nooran, wa zidnee nooran.][3]
[Wa hab lee nooran ‘alaa noor.] [4]

O Allah, place light in my heart, and on my tongue light, and in my ears light and in my sight light, and above me light, and below me light, and to my right light, and to my left light, and before me light and behind me light. Place in my soul light. Magnify for me light, and amplify for me light. Make for me light, and make me light. O Allaah, grant me light, and place light in my nerves, and in my body light and in my blood light and in my hair light and in my skin light.[1][O Allaah, make for me a light in my grave… and a light in my bones.] [2] [Increase me in light, increase me in light, increase me in light.] [3] [Grant me light upon light] [4]

[1] Up to this point was reported by Al-Bukhaari 11/116 (Hadith no. 6316) and by Muslim 1/526, 529-530 (Hadith no. 763)
[2] At-Tirmidhi 5/483 (Hadith no. 3419)
[3] Al-Bukhaari in Al-’Adaab Al-Mufrad (Hadith no. 695), p. 258. See also Al-Albaani, Sahih Al-’Adab Al-Mufrad (no. 536)
[4] Al-Bukhaari, cf. Al-Asqalaani, Fathul-Baari 11/118

 

*Here is the verse of light, it is aya number 35 of Surah number 24, Surah-an-Nur (the chapter called light)

24:35
Sahih International interpretation of the Arabic:

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp, the lamp is within glass, the glass as if it were a pearly [white] star lit from [the oil of] a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire. Light upon light. Allah guides to His light whom He wills. And Allah presents examples for the people, and Allah is Knowing of all things.

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