Category: Interfaith

striving to worship God as though we see Him

Assalamu alaikum (peace be with you)

This is a friday sermon (jumuah khutbah) delivered by one of our foremost scholars today. Sh. Mokhtar has an interesting background, having a PhD in engineering and physics in addition to his religious scholarly training. It is a beautiful sermon, relevant to everyone of us and so I am posting it here. For those who do not know, on Fridays (Muslims have no sabbat per se, but Friday is considered a small ‘eid’ = festival day. Friday is called ‘jumuah’ in arabic as it comes from the root ‘jama’ah’ meaning ‘gathering’ as it is the day we gather for the communal noon prayer) the noon prayer takes the form of a sermon and a shortened communal prayer. The noon prayer which usually consists of 4 ‘units’ or cycles of worship, is shortened to 2 cycles and the other 2 are replaced by the ‘khutbah’ or sermon, which can be delivered by anyone qualified. This means for instance in the hospital where I work, we take turns delivering the sermon as there is no ‘ordained priesthood’ in Islam. It is better of course to have a trained imam deliver it! Because of this replacing of the 2 raka’at with the sermon, the sermon is divided in to 2 segments and the speaker, the ‘khateeb’ takes a break in between.

If you cannot listen to the whole, please listen to a few minutes about the 25 min mark. MashaAllah (by God’s grace) very profound.

Alhamdulillah (all thanks and praise to God) now that I am learning arabic I can understand the gist of the supplication or ‘du’a’ made at the end. This is what most non-Muslims will call  a ‘prayer’ when the Imam leads the congregation in asking God for His blessings. It is also customary to begin the sermon with a short ‘du’a’ or words from the prophet (peace be upon him) always in Arabic. Unfortunately my Arabic is not good enough to translate it, but if any of you can email me a translation or post it below, I’d be very grateful.

Jazakum Allah khairan (God grant good upon you all)

 

Malal Yousafzai’s amazing answer on the daily show

This kid has a thing or two to teach the world! May God increase her reach and keep protecting her

Celebrating the change of the seasons with music that is divine

Fall is my favourite season. The depth and range of shades on a single maple tree….Subhahanallah! (praise and glory to the Pure and High), it is beyond description. Beyond the ability of this meagre slave to extol with words, beyond the capture of any camera lens. Surely, this time if at no other, some inner chord vibrates to the call of the Creator, surely at this time if at no other, some inner voice speaks and finds resonance. You are a special creation of a magnificent Creator. The human soul is not to be belittled, denigrated to a heartless scientific experiment, not to be relegated to the happy outcome of a series of accidents. No, you are greater than this, created to do great things, understand great truths, come into great states of knowing, of understanding, of transcending, of being. Don’t let time slip by you, don’t let distraction upon distraction take away precious moments of reflection and thought, precious moments of connections and communication.

I think all great musicians have known in some deep way some knowledge of the divine, how else can they create these great timeless works, unless through inspiration. And what is inspiration except from the Creator. The source of all is The One, and there is no other. Subhahanallah!

So I am sharing one of my all time favourite pieces below. Listening to this, it takes you higher to that heavenly realm. Vivaldi’s four seasons, apt too now that the leaves are changing. May God’s light, blessing and love be with you. May you come to know Him, as He is to be known. And having said that, none of us can really ever know God, at least not in our present limited state of creation. This is the orthodox Muslim view. We have been taught

‘Laisa kamithlihi shai’

‘there is nothing like unto Him’

Quran 42:11

So whatever comes to your mind about God, He is other than that. Beyond the constrains of time and space, beyond change. How can you then grasp this fully. So study the creation to know the Creator. Study the creation and love the bounty and beauty of Allah, and Allah will love you back. When Allah loves you, your life will transform. We Muslims have lost our spiritual core, now it is just some diluted corrupted tribal nonsense we are pandering in the Muslim world. Forgive my outspokenness, but I am heartily sick of all these brutal barbaric wars and people committing humanly unthinkable acts in the name of Islam, so cruel even the ancient barbarian hoards would be cringe at committing them, and yet people do this and take on the exalted pure name of ‘Allah’ while doing so. I fear for them, for I would be shivering in my boots to do even a petty crime in the name of Allah. For Allah is swift in punishment (this too is Quranic), and yet they openly flout the teachings of Islam. Allah’s swiftness is not our swiftness, but it is swift and certain.

We Muslims who know and love and study and practice our religion the way it is meant to be have a lot on our shoulders. To our non-Muslim friends, I say, help us out. We are speaking out, living and being the best citizens we can be. Very grateful to live in countries of social justice and civics and ethics, so dear to the Muslim heart and mind. We will continue to fight against all those who claim to be Muslim and violate the sacred tradition of Islam and malign the pure and noble name of our beloved Muhammed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Please do also read about Islam, about our dear prophet, the chosen one. Read from authentic sources. May God help us all and may we truly become who we are created to be.

God’s peace and blessing be upon you all. Assalamu alaikum (peace be with you!)

 

 

 

 

Miracles

The heart that is atuned to God sees everything as a miracle while the heart away from God sees only situation and circumstance. How then, how empty a life without God. Devoid of wonder, of praise, of peace.

The Quran heals all ills

Assalamu alaikum, peace be upon you all!

Here is a beautiful recitation of the 80th chapter in the Quran, it is a short chapter called ‘Abasa’, meaning ‘he frowned’. According to commentary it was revealed when the prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon his pure soul) once didn’t attend as was required of him to a blind man who came up to him interrupting the teaching he was engaged in. Muhammed (peace be upon him) was known for his matchless generosity and patience and gentleness, but there was a slight moment he was impatient..and this chapter was revealed. Glory be to God! He Almighty wants us to be of the highest order in behaviour, manners and etiquette. May Allah help us to be better!

This recitation seems to be from during a communal prayer as it begins with the opening chapter ‘Al-Fatiha’ (The opening). Seven short verses that are chapter 1 of the Quran, which is how each unit of prayer is begun. Then Surat ‘Abasa is read. A heart moving recitation.

Listening to this makes me realize how little I have thanked Allah for His loving care of me when I was in my mother’s womb, and for He beautiful fashioning of me there. All thanks and praises are due to the One, the Maker, the Fashioner, the Eternal Refuge, My beautiful Lord. Allahu Akber! (Allah is the greatest)

The interpretation by Yusuf Ali into English is below. It is a chapter with 42 ayaath (literally ‘sign’ as we consider every verse of the Quran we consider to be a miraculous sign)

In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful

(The Prophet) frowned and turned away

Because there came to him the blind man (interrupting)

But what could tell thee but that perchance he might grow (in spiritual understanding)?-

Or that he might receive admonition, and the teaching might profit him?

As to one who regards Himself as self-sufficient,

To him dost thou attend;

Though it is no blame to thee if he grow not (in spiritual understanding).

But as to him who came to thee striving earnestly,

And with fear (in his heart),

Of him wast thou unmindful.

By no means (should it be so)! For it is indeed a Message of instruction:

Therefore let whoso will, keep it in remembrance.

(It is) in Books held (greatly) in honour,

Exalted (in dignity), kept pure and holy,

(Written) by the hands of scribes-

Honourable and Pious and Just.

Woe to man! What hath made him reject Allah;

From what stuff hath He created him?

From a sperm-drop: He hath created him, and then mouldeth him in due proportions;

Then doth He make His path smooth for him;

Then He causeth him to die, and putteth him in his grave;

Then, when it is His Will, He will raise him up (again).

By no means hath he fulfilled what Allah hath commanded him.

Then let man look at his food, (and how We provide it):

For that We pour forth water in abundance,

And We split the earth in fragments,

And produce therein corn,

And Grapes and nutritious plants,

And Olives and Dates,

And enclosed Gardens, dense with lofty trees,
And fruits and fodder,-

For use and convenience to you and your cattle.

At length, when there comes the Deafening Noise,-

That Day shall a man flee from his own brother,

And from his mother and his father,

And from his wife and his children.
Each one of them, that Day, will have enough concern (of his own) to make him indifferent to the others.

Some faces that Day will be beaming,Laughing, rejoicing.

And other faces that Day will be dust-stained,

Blackness will cover them:Such will be the Rejecters of Allah, the doers of iniquity.

Quran Chapter 80

 

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.

***
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.