Category: Interfaith

Facing Depression

You know in the Muslim world, where we are people of faith, we often don’t feel comfortable acknowledging that we too can get depressed. We feel admitting that is tantamount to admiting that our iman is weak. But it is not. It is merely aknowledging that we are going through a bad time, not that we don’t hope it will get better. The trick is to ride the storm and do it with stoicism. I was tempted to say ‘do it with a smile’ but that is a cliche and really belittling the situation. I learned all this listening to this Jumuah khutbah by Sh. Yasir Fazaga, who I heard, was also a registered counselor. I think we in the Muslim world need more professionals in the area of mental health. Teaching us to cope, to say, yes it’s okay, I’m human…I go through ups and downs. There is a beautiful, profound and very wise du’a taught by the prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) related in the khutbah. Let me paraphrase here…’O Allah, by your knowledge of the unseen, O Allah, by your capability and ability over your creatures, O Allah, extend in my life so long as living is good for me, and O Allah, put an end to my life so long as death is what is best for me’. This du’a is mentioned along with the circumstance of it, about minute 4.00 in the video.

There are a couple things I wanted to express of thoughts on this du’a. First it brings profound peace, in that it aknowledges that life is hard. So it is not wrong to say that. But the wish for death…that should not be the case. Rather give the control over to Allah and believe that if He almighty is keeping you alive, then there is a good reason for it! So it is a trial of patience to wait to know why! :). But the du’a also carries the message that life is a good thing and tells us that we Muslims are meant to enjoy life so we ask for it to be long, and ask Allah to keep it good for us. But look how much more wisdom in the du’a – for we continue by saying that give us death if that be better. There is such a degree of trust in this du’a. Trust that Allah will only make death a better state than the life we lived in the dunya. What this equates to is asking for Jannah…really. It’s that we’ve lived in this world well and now it is time to move on to a more permanent iteration of existence. One, united with our Maker! in complete peace and rest… Subhahanallah! …and with our beloved prophet (sallalaahu alaihi wasalam). InshaAllah may this be the case for all who read this and more. What a beautifully wise, balanced, du’a. Not belittling the sufferers worries, not talking down and preaching patience, but offering a real solution;-put your trust in Allah and give the control over to your loving Lord. Always watchful over you and kind to you. Trust that! it may take time, but don’t loose trust.

May you benefit from this talk as I did and please keep me in your du’a. May Allah remove the oppresion from all those oppresed and may Allah help those in need and help us. May He be closely with us always and we always aware of the deep cherishing nurturing protecting Creator, our Creator and Lord.

Trust

Assalamu alaikum, peace be with you! It has been a long long while since I last wrote. I have been on a journey, not just external but also internal as many life events took their toll. But this joy that we are all born with, the light within, never abated…only I could not see it sometimes, blinded by tears. Aren’t we all at some point in our lives and is not the benefit of the tear to wash the dirt from the soul? to clean the eye so it can see again, what is important and essential.

Here is a poem I wanted to share, I found it writen some time ago, during Ramadan I believe.

Taught to trust
through hours
when my feet swell
and my body sways
gently to the rhythm of the recitation
rising and falling
as my breaths
joined to the rhythm of the universe
this reverberation
Ramadan night resonation
With the soul
for a moment, split second divine
worry leaves and the heart is re-born
The soul’s polish
reaches that first sparkle
when polishing cloth leaves its surface
and before dust can settle
split second glimpse
of the Divine
Light upon Light
so heavy, yet so ethereally weightless
so substantial, everywhere yet nowhere
It explodes, this light
in a quiet spreading
beyond physics…beyond the created
It is just there. And polished mirror soul
I reflected it. Till it was everywhere.
And I was nothing, in a sea of light

There I found trust, implicit absolute immaculate trust
My Lord will look after me.

***

‘sabran jameelan’

It has been too long since I last wrote. I have been traveling, resting, absorbing, healing, wondering….Alhamdulillah! Being quiet as I try to come to grasp with life’s changes. Allah knows best and in this I have peace, and again, this too by the grace of the Almighty. Here is a poem written some time ago that a beautiful encounter with a kindred spirit this evening has prompted me to find and now to post. May you enjoy it! Love and peace to all.

Note: ‘sabran jameelan’ is an arabic phrase appearing in the Quran many times. ‘sabr’ means patience and ‘jameel’ is beautiful. As with many arabic words, the meaning is deeper than this especially when put together in the form of ‘sabran jameelan’. Though meaning a beautiful peace it is in an action form, meaning it is not a passive thing to achieve this or have this beautiful peace, but rather an active state requiring toil but completely at peace in beauty and a quiet state. It was the reply of the prophet Jacob when he was told by his other sons that they had lost his beloved son Joseph while out playing. The prophet Jacob knew the brothers were not telling the truth about the wolf having devoured Joseph story but did not say that. This story given in the 12th chapter of the Quran (chapter called ‘yusuf’, the arabic of ‘joseph’) is detailed, beautiful, profoud and the narrative differs in many ways so that Quranic form of it is unique. Anyways that long note was not meant to be so long, but I hope it helped. The phrase is found in other places in the Quran as well.

Sabran Jameelan

I find it hard to write in the old way, holding my pen
Dripped ink staining my cuticles
Pausing to think and write again and write again and think
While dipping my tip in to the ink pot to rejuvenate it.
It dried up while I was thinking.

But oh I need to, need to connect.
Can I in this modernity find the me that was
In my past, a simpler world, a truer me
Is that me yet.

Now music must play so I can hear myself think
And the soft patter of keys pressed is oddly comforting
The world is hard. Sabran jameelan. Sabran jameelan
In my old pen, I would write it in Arabic
And the formation of the curves of that majestic script soothing
Bringing closer the immensity
Of sabran jameelan.

Write in your soul, write everyday and no matter
What medium.
No matter what medium.

Sabran jameelan. It will end soon.

Subhahana wa bihamdihi! – Traveling light, amazing and true lyrics in this nasheed by Talib al Habib

This nasheed, I was blessed to come across, for it gave voice to my soul and cemented a prayer, for me, for you and you and you my brothers and sisters in this bright beautiful world.

Ramadan rhymes -2

Now adjusted to the fast
Yet tired, the body
has lost weight and is lite

Uncluttered body
Now able to see, what it is
to behold God, even a glimpse
caught through long nights of prayer

Ramadan nights
Are passing, over half are gone
But the soul is refreshed

Re-acquainted soul
With it’s pristine first state
filling with new energy
knowing again the meaning of life

Heart growing lite
Heart glowing light

Ramadan days are raining on this scorched earth.
***

The Quran soothes
It’s primordial rhythm resonates
With the atoms in my brain
As I sing and sing again
Sura after sura
caresses the tongue
calms the heartbeat
delights the ears

Hours spent reciting
Wash away all the doubting
In the grace of God Almighty
The one, the all powerful, the only
Why worry when
All you need is trust
that God will not
let you fall

No other Effector
Come, return to your Benefactor
To the One waiting Lord
The Overseeing Nourishing Lord
And His beloved
Messenger, our beloved too.
sent to teach,
An example,
A Mercy, to the worlds.

May my brothers and sisters be
Increasing in that certainty
which Ramadan is here to deliver
Rejoice, for now and forever
No need for sorrow
With faith, bright is every tomorrow
And today
Is a blessed gift

Precious these hours
Preparatory hours
To that time
When we return
To whence we came.
That glorious place of Peace

***

Ramadan rhymes

Simple rhymes to share this beautiful time of dawn…Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah

***

Subhahanallahi wabihamdihi
Words that fill the scales
Said my beloved prophet
Who I long to meet…inshAllah soon
It will be. On that great day
When my scale I fervently pray
Will be filled with
Subhahanallahi wabihamdihi

***

The stomach moans and groans
My senses are numbed with the pain
I count the hours until
My throat can feel the cool rain
Of water..truly
The barren earth is brought to life,
The sun sets and the call rings out
Come to prayer, come to salvation, come to success, come to joy
Come, come!
And so a day’s fast necessary to know what it means to be saved
And to know…
Give, give, to those who are waiting for your aid
A wandering soul finds rest
Taught by a merciful Lord
How to forget the self
For this brief twelfth of a year, to be sanctified.

***

The moon so soft, the faintest crescent
shyly peeps before descending
Oh so gently greets
This bounteous month
Heralding
A peaceful time of prayer and service
It is Ramadan, days resplendent
With God’s glorious kindness
and angels walking among us
Greet your neighbour and share
The time will pass quickly, beware
May it bring you opportunity to polish your heart
Clean your soul and refresh your spirit
May you once more, be whole

****

Peace to all my brothers and sisters this blessed month.

Peace in the mountains, Hajj with the trees

Alhamdulillah wa shukr Allah. Allahu akber, Allahu akber, Allahu akber. Allahumma salli ala Muhammed wa ala ali Muhammed.

I am just returned from a blessing of a trip up in the Cascade Mountains. I had gone camping, my first time doing so, and gone alone. MashaAllah it was certainly an adventure and provided many a thrill. But more than this, it was deep joy and deep peace. To be alone among the undiluted Creation of Allah. Since it was bear territory and I was hiking alone, they told me to make lots of noise while walking. Now, inspiration indeed, for I took it an excellent opportunity to practice the recitation of the surah I know and also to make lots of du’a and salawat. Also it was a perfect time and place to bellow out the azan! Indeed, I felt just such a rush doing so it was humbling. Dawud Wharnsby Ali ( a fellow Canadian and a folk singer who mashaallah is so talented, I am sure he would have reached Cat Stevens status had he not converted early ;)) in one of his songs talks about the wonder of calling out Azan on the top of a mountain…ah, subhahanallah indeed he had that spot on.

Sh. Hamza once said all the trees are in continuous sujood…he said their heads were the roots and it was in the ground. Completely prostrated to Allah. Walking among all those prostrate trees I felt as if I was on hajj. A pilgrim surrounded by millions of fellow pilgrims, in complete submission. And then looking out at the immense mountains I thought of how these mountains too, who had been given the trust of ‘free will’, refused it, out of fear. Ya Rabb, how foolish then us man, to have taken it on. And how kind, that you have given your constant presence and the five time prayer to help us through with carrying the trust.

Here are some images;

The mountains as 'pegs', imagine this same extent reaching in to the bowels of the earth
Millions of fellow pilgrims...here before us and patiently in constant worship
Water reflects the sky and clouds..as the water cycle keeps us alive
remember the last ayah of Surah Mulk when I see this.

It has been a difficult time on returning from this august gathering. And that peace elusive again. But Allah has said that the only peace is in his remembrance. What a glorious ayah that is! How much to ponder upon in how it relates to every facet and circumstance of our lives

“Truly, it is by the Remembrance of Allah that hearts find rest.” [Qur’an, 13.28]

There is a beautiful and very helpful short article here about how ‘dhikr’ (remembrance) can help with every sickness and anxiety, heart ache and grief. Especially for fighting depression and melancholy. Please do read it and stay in dhikr.
I ‘youtubed’ the ayah and found this short video, I wanted to insert it here, not just for the medical stats it projects but also for it’s beautiful soothing music. And indeed music too is a glorious creation of our Lord. I was listening to all the different birds while hiking and could not but help think of the majesty and intricacy that is the creation of sound. Subhahana wa ta’ala

Allah protect and help us all and forgive us our countless sins. Forgive me my errors, defects and omissions and keep me in your du’a please.

Allah Kareem

Allah Kareem, ‘ God is the Most Generous’. Remembering the generosity of our Lord, and inspired by the generosity of a very beautiful sister…one of many beautiful people I am blessed to know. How indeed the qualities of Allah azza wa’jal are manifested by His creation! Imagine then the felicity of acquiring the reflection of even one of them! Allah forgive my sins and be generous with me and with us all!
Peace to you.

Make me strong

This song has always helped me. I just came across this youtube video of it with these beautiful images of the ocean. I wanted to share it here… MashaAllah so healing. Allah bless Sami richly for the courage he has shown in expressing his feelings and just being himself, regardless of what any one says about his music. He is true to his heart and Allah gives success to the one true to his heart.

Here it is

On the death of a child

Assaalamu alaikum, peace to all

Tonight I heard from my sister of the death of a dear child, a beautiful little girl who lives down the street from us back home in Sri Lanka. Her family is not well to do, being fruit sellers…but are some of the most kind and giving people I know. Her grandfather in particular, went out of his way to look after my grandmother when she had a stroke…bodily lifting her up and carrying her out to the vehicle waiting to rush her to hospital. Being a manual laborer he had the strength to do it and being as fond of her as he is, often saying ‘she is like a mother to me’, he had the heart. I, stuck on the other side of the globe, and knowing it would take 48 hours to reach there, could only arrive to be by her hospital bedside. Thank God, she survived that attack and then this little child would visit her almost every day to keep her company as she recovered. She was an adorable bunch of mischief, naughty and full of smiles as she played one prank after another. Her name in Sinhala has no particular meaning I know but can be considered to mean ‘flower’ so I will call her that.

Well Flower has died. Of Dengue fever, a mosquito borne disease more deadly than Maleria in my Island home. The Doctors who examined her not being able to diagnose her correctly at first her treatment came too late. ‘Inna ilaihi wa inna lillaahi rajioon’, the beautiful and profound sentence we Muslims are taught to say on the passing of anyone… ‘From God we come and to God we return’. So then as we believe, another angelic soul reunited with the divine presence. Sinless, she will be in heaven, awaiting her parents and praying for them. So then there is peace.

I wonder about the beauty of children. How their presence gives us life. How we remember what is essential when we are with them. I think it is because they are so recently arrived from that divine presence, and unsullied by the world yet, they are able to communicate an angelic nature. Yes, even in their mischief, they are angelic! The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) taught us never to hit a child. Glory be to God, what a source of mercy our beloved prophet is!

After the tsunami happened I saw so many children who had died. So many children. Indeed, it was as if my soul shaken to its depths could not feel anymore. Only in blindly going through day after day after day indulging in back breaking work was there solace. Trusting without a shadow of a doubt, that Allah’s help will come and He is the MOST MERCIFUL. And so Allah is indeed the most merciful. Some time after the tsunami, I moved to another country and then moved in to live with a family where there was a beautiful baby. It took 5 years of growing with that child to be healed. Five blissful years of peace playing with a child and the world was right again. So I wonder at my Lord’s way, taking things away but giving back more. All we have to do is be patient. And kind and giving ourselves. All we have to do is learn to trust and that trust softens our speech so that we learn to speak to one another with kindness and gentility. Not a superficial gentility but one that has permeated our very soul. Is this then the way of the Buddha? the way of Lao Tse, of Jesus (peace be upon him) and of our Master Muhammed (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him)?

One of my most beloved sayings of Rasullulah (the messenger of Allah, peace be upon him) is where he stated that the best means of persuasion is the gentle means…but I cannot find this reference and indeed I am also not sure if it is Quranic. Please forgive me for my lapse, but here is a hadith very close in meaning to that

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Be gentle and calm. . .because God likes gentleness in all affairs.”
Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Hadith 404

This gentleness children possess. It is there in every coo and gurgle and in every time they stretch their arms out to be hugged. It is there when they put their little hands in yours as you walk along. It is there when they sit in your lap and ask for a story to be read to them. And yes, even when those little eyes dance with mischief and they enjoy annoying you, it is there for they want you. They always want you.

Imagine then the angelic presence and to be united with that. Glory be to God. How much we have to learn to be better. And I say this first to myself and then to everyone else. Allah help me.
May the little ones be in an eternal and beautiful peace.

I wanted to share some other ahadith beloved to me in case it is of benefit to you. And indeed remembering our prophet is never anything but a strength and mercy;

Sahih Bukhari Volume 4, Book 56, Number 759:

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr:

The Prophet never used bad language neither a “Fahish nor a Mutafahish. He used to say “The best amongst you are those who have the best manners and character.”

Malik Muwatta Book 47, Number 47.1.8:

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “I was sent to perfect good character.”

Sahih Muslim Book 032, Number 6264:

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Charity does not in any way decrease the wealth and the servant who forgives Allah adds to his respect, and the one who shows humility Allah elevates him in the estimation (of the people).

Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 11, Number 677:

Narrated Anas bin Malik:

The Prophet said, “When I start the prayer I intend to prolong it, but on hearing the cries of a child, I cut short the prayer because I know that the cries of the child will incite its mother’s passions.”

May Allah forgive us all our countless sins, guide and strengthen us!

And may Allah the almighty, most beautiful, kind, generous, glorious and loving Lord, the Almighty, give rest and ease to every parent who has ever had to go through the torture of loosing a child.