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My love only grows stronger – ‘Learning to be’

This poem was inspired by a song that touched a deep chord in my soul. I hope you enjoy it and are benefited by it. Please keep me in your prayers and God bless you all

Assalamu alaikum (peace be with you)

****

Learning to be

 

Learning to be

not taking

 my blood flows as it should

  unblocked

The sun shines through me

 from north to south

  east to west

I am only a prism

 reflecting light

  divine light

cleared of pent up fear

 should the storms come

  should people hate me

   injure or attack

    should the earth shake from under my feet

I do not fear

The glass only clarified

 impurities purged out more

  by white hot fire

Shining like a lighthouse beacon

 to all who come

  or regardless

Reflecting light

Love of Allah the flame of my heart

manifested bright

 apparent to all

  by my will, my glad acquiescence

My glory

 

***

2013 Copyright. Joymanifest.com

 

 

 

Poems: Reflection / The White Deer

Brother Daniel Abdul Hayy Moore is a blessed poet indeed. On reading the below, I am honored to be able to reblog it. Especial thanks to him for sharing the deep piece on ‘tafakkur’ = reflection, written by Sheikh Muhammed ibn al-Habib (raheemahullah alai, May Allah bless him with His mercy)

danielabdalhayymoore's avatarEcstatic Exchange / Poetry of Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore

white deer

(Note: I’ve been invited to present a series of eight sessions on poetry, I’m calling The Ecstatic Exchange Seminars on Poetry: Intuitions & Enthusiasms. As a foundational text, I’m using this song from the Diwan of Shaykh ibn al-Habib (raheemullah), which has struck me as being, as well as an all-encompassing directive toward sublimest gnosis, a wonderful Ars Poetica for creative contemplation and heart’s action, as well as writing devotional poetry, or poetry of any kind… )

REFLECTION

Tafakkur
by Shaykh Muhammad ibn al-Habib (may Allah be pleased with him)

Reflect upon the beauty of His artistry on land and sea
And journey through God’s attributes both obvious and hidden

The greatest signs of God’s limitless perfections are found
Within our souls and on the horizons spread across the world

Contemplate all physical forms and behold their structural beauties
In exquisite order like pearls threaded on a string

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Boston

I wanted to say this myself…was so angered by the news all I could manage was some verse which I will later post. But this is said so well by Imam Zaid Shakir that I am reblogging. Thanks to Paul for posting it

‘I am nothing….without you’

This song from Sami Yusuf’s latest album, which if you can I urge you to buy, not only to benefit a great artist, but because also music like that which he makes purifies the heart. This song touches me deeply. Brings a tear to my eye, melts away all the pain…

I have always believed and felt that music is a great way to know God. Somehow it breaks down barriers and seems to penetrate the heart. What a metaphor! like sound can travel through walls, so can music travel through whatever stubborn walls we put up around our hearts that prevents us seeing our Maker. Prevents us knowing our home, knowing our Lord.

It is called ‘Dryer Land’ sung by two great maestros of music, they may be father and son, I am not sure. You can purchase the album here

This is the official youtube. The lyrics to the part in Farsi is especially transcendent.

God bless you and on you all be peace. Assalamu alaikum

 

Moons outshine stars

Moons outshine stars

And the sun outshines them all

I stay awake at night

and in the days am bathed

by light upon light

in the night, am enveloped

with cool breezes of mercy

 

Closeness with my Beloved

fills my heart and all other pales

as it should

for ‘truth stands clear from error

and whoever has grasped the handhold of God

knows that it will never break’

– Copyright Joymanifest.com (C) 2013

***

A little verse I wanted to share, there is truly no tranquility except the tranquility of knowing one’s Lord and being at one with THE ONE. The last lines are derived from one of the most celebrated verses in the holy Quran given below. Thought I’d post it up. May it lighten your day and bring you closer to the source.

Peace to all. Assalamu alaikum

2:256
Yusuf Ali Interpretation

Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things.

 
Quran (2:256)
 

Renew, awake…like the dead seed brought to life, sprout and grow

Alhamdulillah (praise and thanks to God) spring time is here again! Once more to be blessed with life to witness the blossoming of the cherry trees, to listen to the birds returning, to feel the sweet sun on one’s skin and to walk with bear feet over soft grass. God’s blessings are everywhere and surround us always, how often though our distractions take our attention away from the signs all around. So thanks to my Creator, the One, who does not sleep, does not tire, does not die, without beginning and without end, who looks after me. So thanks and praise to my Creator from whom I came and to whom I will return.

I was reading tonight some ayaath in the Quran, that talked about the sprouting of the seed. You know this whole idea of the seeds….they used to fascinate me as a teenager and they still do. How is it that the seed does sprout? If any botanist out there knows please let me know. I am a geneticist and I know we still don’t fully understand how a single cell divides. What fascinates me is the concept of dormancy and then to have life. I mean from a pure biological sense (nevermind the metaphysical, though that too is something to talk about indeed!). I wonder how DNA, which is the cellular ‘mission control’ or ‘code’ but really its just a massive chemical…how does it suddenly start up, how does a cell stay in a suspended state without cellular death… I could go on for a long long time with one question after another, but enough now. This is a train of thought that won’t end easily 🙂 Well, I guess my Lord guided me right in making me a scientist, one would need a lifetime to figure out why. Or rather several lifetimes of several people. And so hoping to add my small contributions to those of so many who have passed before. And all and only for the pleasure of the Creator, who loves to be known. And indeed studying His immaculate creation is mesmerizing. We have a philosophy in our tradition; that we study the creation to know the Creator. This is what the Quran constantly enjoins..’think’/’ponder’/’read’/’observe’…and what countless great scientists of the Islamic world have been upon for centuries inspired by that message. I heard a well known scholar say that the Arabic word for ‘discovery’ is the same as ‘ecstasy’. A huge grin on hearing that, for indeed a true discovery (nevermind what it is about) is truly ecstasy! I think this is because a true discovery brings one insight about the Maker, and how can the heart but delight in moving closer to the Beloved. And God knows best.

With that happy sharing out of thoughts with you my dear reader, I leave you with these beautiful verses from the Quran, only wish I could also share a recording of their recitation…for it is amazingly powerful yet amazingly peaceful. The English translation (or interpretation, the Quran really cannot be translated in the pure sense of the word ‘translation’) I have chosen is from the early 20th century Yusuf Ali translation, as the English used by him comes closest in my opinion to capturing something of the poetic beauty of the Arabic. Though of course, rhythm and rhyme are completely not there.

 

6:95
It is Allah Who causeth the seed-grain and the date-stone to split and sprout. He causeth the living to issue from the dead, and He is the one to cause the dead to issue from the living. That is Allah: then how are ye deluded away from the truth?
 
6:96
He it is that cleaveth the day-break (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient.
 
6:97
It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know.
 
6:98
It is He Who hath produced you from a single person: here is a place of sojourn and a place of departure: We detail Our signs for people who understand.
 
6:99
It is He Who sendeth down rain from the skies: with it We produce vegetation of all kinds: from some We produce green (crops), out of which We produce grain, heaped up (at harvest); out of the date-palm and its sheaths (or spathes) (come) clusters of dates hanging low and near: and (then there are) gardens of grapes, and olives, and pomegranates, each similar (in kind) yet different (in variety): when they begin to bear fruit, feast your eyes with the fruit and the ripeness thereof. Behold! in these things there are signs for people who believe.
 
Quran (6:95-99)
 
With that, peace be with you all, may you be in internal and external peace…there is so much strife spreading in the world.. so this greeting, Assalamu alaikum (‘peace be to you’ how the Quran instructs us to greet people, it is used to take leave as well) to you is a prayer as well.
 
Image

I loved the way this is written, it is about an ayah (verse, literal translation ‘sigh) from the Quran I particularly love. Scholars call this verse ‘The declaration of independence’. I loved this article because it shows how the declaration of dependence is really the declaration of independence. Allah is our Lord and He suffices us! Alhamdulillah! All praise and thanks to Allah. Welcome 2013! Peace to you all

Shagufta's avatarImmersing in the Sea

Fourth ayah of al-Fatihah: Iyyaaka na’abudu wa iyyaaka nasta’een

The first three ayahs of al-Fatihah are Allah’s complete introduction to Himself. All of these things are knowledge of Allah has taught us about Himself. All this knowledge leads to results. All lead to us saying, I’m ready, sign me up.

If we learn who Allah is in the first three ayahs, automatically know that He is listening. Because if he is Master, He is listening to His slaves. So no reason for you to wait and get an appointment.

Translation: It is only You that we give ourselves totally absolutely completely in worship. Note: We are talking to Allah, not talking about Allah. Allah taught us to talk to Him. Natural result is to want to talk to Him.

This is a declaration of slavery. Declaration of dependence. Beautiful because when you and I give up our independence…

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‘The foundations of the foundations of the cure’

Assalamu alaikum (peace be with you)

The title of this post is a quote from my teacher Ustad Yahya Rhodus, with whom I’m mashaAllah (by God’s grace) taking an online class. The class is run free at SeekersGuidance. I would invite you all to check out SeekersGuidance. It is a great initiative offering high calibre classical islamic scholarship completely free. The courses are short but do provide an enormous wealth of sound knowledge. Having a taste of it is a glimpse in to all the Islamic world must have been, when scholars were sound and sincere in their intention and the populace was educated and refined, able to hold their scholars to a high standard of integrity and rigour. Sadly these two are missing in the Muslim world now in my honest opinion. But throughout history as Karen Armstrong famously said, Muslims have always used times of trial and tribulation to renew themselves.

I would posit that if the above is true, it is only true because of what God does. Allah says in the Quran, in a very famous ayah (verse, the correct translation is ‘sign’, as all the verses in the Quran are considered ‘signs’ )

‘surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition’

This is from ayah 11 of surah (chapter) 13 called Ra’ad (Thunder)

Makes you think doesn’t it? Perhaps all that is going on in the Muslim world is a time for Muslims to wake-up and do some serious soul searching. I am not alone in this opinion I know. May God guide us all.

 

To get back though, we are studying part of a poem, the last section of a classical text called ‘The Helping Guide’ written by Imam Abdul Wahid Ibn Ashir (d1631), who lived in Fes in Morocco and was a great scholar. It is written in classical arabic poetic form and is a beautiful and deep treatise of guidance. May Alalh help me learn and practice. We were talking about the illnesses in the heart, in particular, ostentation (a particular disease the scholars and practitioners of a religion are prone to!), jealousy and vanity. The purpose of this post is not to go in to those but to share with you this statement from our teacher when explaining the line of the peom

‘…which has no cure but to be compelled to flee to Him’

Indeed all this that goes on in the world, all that goes on within us, all the trials and tribulations and tests we face, their sole purpose is to turn us back to our source. Only that, to remind us that God is one and go back to that one source. Go running back, go tripping and tumbling back to that one source of Love, Protection and Wisdom. Just to remind us where we came from and where we are going. For the one thing assured about any of our lives is that it will end. The one certain thing in life is death! So all this is a reminder. We have no power on our own, all of it is borrowed and channeled. This is the Muslim theology. There is only One. No duality anywhere, no good and bad, there is only absence of good. There is only One. Grasping this is understanding Islam. We Muslims often say ‘God only tests those He loves’, well the purpose of the test is to turn you back to that source of Love to say, ‘please God help me’. Indeed it is a cure that is a true cure, not a fleeting treatment of symptoms, but a lasting deep and complete cure.

 

There is no duality in the God-head, there is no other source, no other reality. Indeed grasping and understanding this and above all trusting and acting upon it, indeed it is the ‘the foundations of the foundations of the cure’

 

Wishing you peace, and keep me in your prayers. All good in me and all good is from God and God alone.

 

 

 

Azaan – calling to prayer

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah,

The recent global events and events in my own life and in that of my circle of brothers and sisters, whether known ‘virtually’ or ‘in-person’ (Sendie, here’s a call out to you, I hope you’re fine) has made it a quiet time. A time of reflection and renewing, of one’s purpose and one’s plan to live and thrive in this world without becoming damaged or bitter. Truly, God does test those He loves and truly God does come to the aid of those He tests when they call out to Him, and Truly God does not place a burden on any soul greater than it can bear. References for these statements by Allah, the One and Only Creator below;

Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said,”When is the help of Allah ?” Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near.
Quran (2:214)

And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.
Quran (2:186)

Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. “Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people.”
Quran (2:286)

The last ayah (verse or better translated as ‘sign’, as each verse in the Quran is considered a ‘sign’ of the miracle of God), is the one which ends the longest chapter in the Quran (chapter 2), and indeed after the statement that God does not lay a burden on anyone greater than that soul can bear, God guides us to how to bear whatever we do have to bear – bear it by asking God to help you with it! For indeed Allah loves to hear the call of his creation and loves to answer that call.

This is a time when our patience is being tested in deep ways. We are bleeding at the disrespect they cause to our beloved prophet (peace be upon his gentle and exalted soul!) and saddened by their ignorance. May God guide us all to light!

Muhammed (peace be upon him) himself was taunted by much much much worse numerous times in his life. He never retaliated. One very telling short hadith gives us a glimpse of his attitude, at a time when they twisted his name to make fun of him, look at with what good character, light-heartedness and wisdom he replies;

Bukhari: Volume 4, Book 56, Number 733:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah’s Apostle said, “Doesn’t it astonish you how Allah protects me from the Quraish’s abusing and cursing? They abuse Mudhammam and curse Mudhammam while I am Muhammad (and not Mudhammam)”

The Makkans made fun of the Prophet (PBUH) by twisting his name because of its meaning being “The one deserving of praise” , and calling him Mudhammam (belittled one).

I leave you with a beautiful clip from a recent CelebrateMercy event. I urge you all to check out the celebratemercy website if you have not already. It is dedicated to the prophet, the prophet who was sent for all mankind, not just for arabs, not just for the 7th century, but for all people and all time.

And I leave you with two beautiful azans, one from the grant mosque in Medina, the city of the prophet and the other from a young muazzin (one who calls the azan) in Los Angeles, presented at a beautiful interfaith event in a Church.

Peace to all, as Muhammed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family!!) taught us to say and live. Peace to all

Eid Mubarak! May the festival greeting of barakah (blessings) be true for you and me

Assalamu alaikum (Peace be with you)

My dear sisters and brothers in Islam and in humanity, I greet you and wish you much joy and peace on this most beautiful celebration of the festival of ‘fitr’, or of breaking the fast. It has been a month of illumination and bonding, patience and self-descipline, a much needed bootcamp of the soul, heart and importantly, stomach.

We Muslims unfortunately neglect the importance of the stomach and all that goes in to it. If you think about it, other than your lungs that take in air every few seconds (without stopping since you popped out of Mum’s uterus to till you die- isn’t that amazing? Subhahanallah!) the system that has most interaction with the outside world is your GI (gastro-intestinal) system. And the GI system has to contend with a lot more variety than your lungs do (at least as far as we know to-date). So be easy on this precious blessing that is the GI system on the day of Eid. Don’t make the month of training be of no or little consequence by gluttonous feasting. Remember, moderation in all things. In abstinence and in celebration. It is the way of our beloved teacher, the best example and beautiful guide, Muhammed (may Allah bless him and elevate him!). The middle way.

 

So this reminder is first to myself and then to you. The prophet (peace and blessings of God be on him) said on eating, the very famous and sound hadith (narration, or record of his words, ‘sound’ here means it has been rigourously authenticated as true, as there are many hadith and not all of them are authentic…not knowing which narrations are sound vs. which are not, has lead to much disarray among the Muslims, but I digress) below;

On the authority of Al-Miqdaam ibn Maadiy-Karib who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: “No human ever filled a vessel worse than the stomach. Sufficient for any son of Adam are some morsels to keep his back straight. But if it must be, then one third for his food, one third for his drink and one third for his breath.”

Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasaa’I, Ibn Majah – Hadith sahih.

 

I found these useful comments by early physicians and scholars of the Muslim world on the hadith ;-

1. Ibn Masaweh, a Muslim doctor, said after reading this hadith: “If the people only used these words, they would avoid all diseases and maladies and the clinics and pharmacies would be idle.”

2. Another doctor, Al-Harith ibn Kalada said: That which has killed mankind is the introduction of food on top of food before it has been digested.

3. As for spiritual benefits: humbleness of heart, strength of understanding, lessening of lower desires, lessening of personal opinions and anger, while overeating induces the opposites of all of those. Al-Hassan Al-Basri said: “O, son of Adam, eat with one third of your stomach and drink with one third and leave one third of your stomach to breathe so that you may think.”

4. Ibn Umar: A man said to Ibn Umar: Shouldn’t I bring you some jawarish? Ibn Umar said: What is that? He said: Something which aids in digesting your food after you eat. Ibn Umar said: I have not eaten to being full for four months. That is not because I am not able to do so, but I was with a group of people who were hungry more than they were full.

5. Not reaching your goals: Muhammad ibn Wasi said: Whoever eats little will understand and make others understand and will be clear and humble. Overeating weighs a person down and keeps him from much of what he wants [to accomplish].”

6. Al-Hassan Al-Basri: The test of Adam, peace be upon him, was food and it is your test until Qiyama. And, it used to be said: Whoever takes control of his stomach gets control of all good deeds. And: Wisdom does not reside in a full stomach. One day, Al-Hassan offered some food to his companion who said: I have eaten until I am no longer able to eat. To which Al-Hassan said: Subhaana Allah! Does a Muslim eat until he is no longer able to eat?

[these notes are taken from a well known scholarly text by a great scholar, Imam Rajab al-Hanbali (d 1393). The book is called ‘Jami’al Uloom al’Hikam’, a commentary on the famous forty hadith by Imam Nawawi. Copied with thanks from Br. Saleem Morgan’s website]

And indeed, Imam Ghazali (one of the best known of the Muslim scholars and a great luminary who lived in Persia about 900 years ago) in a commentary of the Quran, famously said to paraphrase in my own words (and I intend no disrespect or frivoulty by this, only ease of making this post, please look this up for a more accurate rendering) that indeed one of the reasons mankind fell, was his excessive love of food! 🙂 Though I smile, I do take this seriously as a practitioner of prophetic medicine (the teeny bit I know) and a scientist, as well as a person trying to be a Muslim. Indeed we have moved so far from the mark of our early scholars that we laugh at serious matters. Allah protect me and us!

This reading of the story of Adam and Eve (may Allah bless them both) and their eating of the apple (this story is given in the Quran, but differs in detail quite a bit from the better known biblical version…however the eating of the apple remains, though the Quran calls both Adam and Eve tempted and not just the one, this story appears in several places in the Quran, the second chapter in particular has detail if you are interested in reading it) is quite profoud if you come to think of it.

We neglect the influence the GI tract has on us and shorten the long lives God would give us by our own folly. So celebrate in joyful light, eat moderately and be thankful for your tummy! Don’t over-stress it after treating it so well in the month of fasting.

We Muslims have lost a lot of the education, guidance, wisdom and character our predecessors had. No wonder the Muslim Nation suffers so. We have a long way to climb back up again. I would humbly submit that a first step is controlling the stomach. Verily, it will only help and not hinder, the controling of the heart. As the Quran says in the words of our father Abraham (God elevate and bless him) ‘And indeed the only ones saved that day are those who bring a sound heart ‘…

 

26:87
Sahih International

And do not disgrace me on the Day they are [all] resurrected –

26:88
Sahih International Interpretation

The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children

26:89
Sahih International Interpretation

But only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart.”

Quran (26: 87-89)
 
With that shared, I must take your leave. Indeed mashaallah (by God’s grace) writing it out here is like sharing something with a dear friend, it only cements the sentiment in one’s heart. Indeed this is my prayer.
 
One last thing, your true home is on that prayer mat alone in front of your Beloved, The Beloved. I am sure you felt this during the many hours of standing in prayer the nights of Ramadan, don’t let the deceiver make you forget. So increase the prayer these days after Ramadan and inshaAllah the feeling of loss at the passing of the month of mercy will not be so great.
 
Allah bless you all and guide and protect us and may we be aware of the Cherishing Nurturing Protection already around us… in the food we eat, the air we breathe, the birds and colours and fragrances and immense beauty around us. Truly our Lord is a Generous Lord.
 

Peace to all of you.