WORK
Exert yourself while you can
follow the way of the prophets and saints!
Making an effort isn't fighting destiny
because destiny itself has given us this work!
- Rumi
Journey to the garden
Truely to know that we are nothing because the whole world is nothing, means to remember "That which Is" and through this remembrance to become free - Frithjof Schuon
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Sunday, October 16, 2011
The Guest House
If a sorrowful thought stands in the way
it is also preparing the way for joy.
It furiously sweeps your house clean
in order that some new joy
may appear from the Source.
It scatters the withered leaves
from the bough of the heart
in order that fresh green leaves might grow.
It uproots the old joy so that
a new joy may enter from Beyond.
Sorrow pulls up the rotten root
that was hidden from sight.
Whatever sorrow takes away
or causes the heart to sacrifice
it puts something better in its place -
especially for one who is certain
that sorrow is the servant of the intuitive.
- Rumi (K. Helminski)
Monday, December 20, 2010
Worship of Religion
I been reading this most interesting magazine called "The Path" (July/Sept 2005). These are excepts taken from the article "A Moment of Contemplation in the Search for Serenity" by Abdul Latif Steven Krauss.
"Among the Muslims, the desire for power, land and the futile 'respect in the eyes of the world' has in many ways made us more materialistic than non-Muslims. When this materialism and idolatry is taken to extremes, it results in 'religion worship'. Symptoms of 'religion worship' include misguided claims of defending Islam with over-zealous actions stemming from the erroneous belief that Allah (swt) needs people to defend His deen. Put simply, this has developed into (and is a product of) worship of religion as opposed to worship of the Creator. As Sheikh Abdul-Hakim Murad has said, there has developed among some a new kalima in Islam - "There is no god but Islam, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Islam", in fact, nothing but yet another form of idolatry that has led to mass violations of the laws of Allah (swt) in supposed defense of Him and His religion, rather than understanding that Islam is but the path to Allah (swt), who is Himself the end-goal of religion."
"At the very heart of Islam the work is about purging the heart of all that is other than Allah (swt) for the attainment of Peace and Salvation."
Monday, August 16, 2010
2010
A year has passed and it's Ramadhan again. I've not been reading (books & websites) as much as before as my eyes have not been too good (maasha allah!).
Have a blessed Ramadhan, everyone!
Have a blessed Ramadhan, everyone!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Faithhub
"Beings were not created so that you would see them, but so that you would see their Master in them."
- Ibn 'Ata' Allah
I've only just realised how long it's been since my last post. I've been busy with work, reading all my favourite blogs (there's really a lot of good stuff out there!), watching, learning, practising (or at least trying to), thinking, contemplating our insignificance ................................
I've just found out about this local organisation. Do take a look:
http://faithhub.com/About_Us.htm
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Forgiveness
In the glorious Quran entitiled al-tawba (repentence), Allah swt refers to Abrahim ra as awwahun halim.
awwah: one who often remembers Allah swt, weeping and wailing from fear and love of Him.
halim: one who forgives those who cause him pain, who responds with good deeds to the bad deeds of others, and who constantly begs his Lord for the ability to forgive those who do him ill.
Through this verse, the Lord of Majesty and Perfection lets us know how it is with His loyal friend, instructing us to behave likewise if we seek the friendship of HIs Divine Essence.
- Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak
awwah: one who often remembers Allah swt, weeping and wailing from fear and love of Him.
halim: one who forgives those who cause him pain, who responds with good deeds to the bad deeds of others, and who constantly begs his Lord for the ability to forgive those who do him ill.
Through this verse, the Lord of Majesty and Perfection lets us know how it is with His loyal friend, instructing us to behave likewise if we seek the friendship of HIs Divine Essence.
- Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Contemplate what is in the heavens and the earth
"And how many signs in the heavens and the earth do they pass by? Yet they turn their faces away from them!" Quran 12:105
"Allah swt says, ‘Why do you not look into yourself and meditate upon your own structure?’
The lord of the worlds has recorded many fine points of wisdom and realities of handiwork with the pen of eternal gentleness upon the tablet of this structure. Upon it He has inscribed various kinds of artistry and different varieties of ennoblement. He made the round head, the tent of intellect and the meeting place of knowledge, into a monastery of the senses. If anyone has considered this hollow structure, this compound person, to have any worth, he has done so because of the person’s intellect and knowledge. The worth of a human being lies in intellect and his importance in knowledge, his perfection in intellect and his beauty in knowledge.
Allah swt created the forehead of the human being like a bar of silver. He strung the two bows of his eyebrows with pure musk. He poured the two dots of his eye’s light into two cups of darkness. He made a hundred thousand red roses grow up in the garden of his two cheeks. He concealed thirty-two teeth like pearls in the oyster shell of his mouth. He sealed his mouth with glistening agate. From the beginning of his lip to the end of his throat He created twenty-nine waystations, making them the places of articulation for the twenty-nine letters. From his heart He brought a king into existence, from his breast a royal parade ground, from his aspiration a fleet-footed mount, from his thought a swift messenger. He created two taking hands and two running feet.
All the aforementioned is but the robe of creation and the beauty of the outward realm. Beyond this is the perfection and beauty of the inward realm. For a moment ponder the Lord’s subtleties and kindnesses and the traces of the divine solicitude and care that have arranged this handful of earth. Look at the different kinds of honour and the special privileges of nearness that He has placed within human beings. For He created the whole cosmos, but He looked not upon a single creature with the eye of love, He sent not a single messenger to any existent thing, He sent no message to any creature. When the turn of the children of Adam arrived, He pulled them up through gentleness and caressed them through bounty and quarries of light. He made their inmost mystery the place of His own glance, He sent them messengers, He set angels over them as guardians, He placed the fire of love in their hearts, and He sent them continuous incitements to yearning and motives for desire.
The purpose of all these words and allusions is to show that a human being is a handful of earth. Whatever ennoblement and honour people have received derives from the gentleness and care of the holy Lord. When He gives, He gives because of His own generosity, not because of your worthiness. He gives because of His magnanimity, not because of your prostration. He gives through His bounty, not because of your good works. He gives because He is Lord, not because you are lord of the manor."
Rashid al-Din Maybudi
The lord of the worlds has recorded many fine points of wisdom and realities of handiwork with the pen of eternal gentleness upon the tablet of this structure. Upon it He has inscribed various kinds of artistry and different varieties of ennoblement. He made the round head, the tent of intellect and the meeting place of knowledge, into a monastery of the senses. If anyone has considered this hollow structure, this compound person, to have any worth, he has done so because of the person’s intellect and knowledge. The worth of a human being lies in intellect and his importance in knowledge, his perfection in intellect and his beauty in knowledge.
Allah swt created the forehead of the human being like a bar of silver. He strung the two bows of his eyebrows with pure musk. He poured the two dots of his eye’s light into two cups of darkness. He made a hundred thousand red roses grow up in the garden of his two cheeks. He concealed thirty-two teeth like pearls in the oyster shell of his mouth. He sealed his mouth with glistening agate. From the beginning of his lip to the end of his throat He created twenty-nine waystations, making them the places of articulation for the twenty-nine letters. From his heart He brought a king into existence, from his breast a royal parade ground, from his aspiration a fleet-footed mount, from his thought a swift messenger. He created two taking hands and two running feet.
All the aforementioned is but the robe of creation and the beauty of the outward realm. Beyond this is the perfection and beauty of the inward realm. For a moment ponder the Lord’s subtleties and kindnesses and the traces of the divine solicitude and care that have arranged this handful of earth. Look at the different kinds of honour and the special privileges of nearness that He has placed within human beings. For He created the whole cosmos, but He looked not upon a single creature with the eye of love, He sent not a single messenger to any existent thing, He sent no message to any creature. When the turn of the children of Adam arrived, He pulled them up through gentleness and caressed them through bounty and quarries of light. He made their inmost mystery the place of His own glance, He sent them messengers, He set angels over them as guardians, He placed the fire of love in their hearts, and He sent them continuous incitements to yearning and motives for desire.
The purpose of all these words and allusions is to show that a human being is a handful of earth. Whatever ennoblement and honour people have received derives from the gentleness and care of the holy Lord. When He gives, He gives because of His own generosity, not because of your worthiness. He gives because of His magnanimity, not because of your prostration. He gives through His bounty, not because of your good works. He gives because He is Lord, not because you are lord of the manor."
Rashid al-Din Maybudi
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Put you trust in Allah swt
For some reason, the prophet Moses (Musa) (pbuh) has been in my thoughts recently and I have been trying to recall all I've read about him and his conversations with Allah swt. Abdallah's last post was really coincidental and I had to reproduce it here (Jazakallah brother):
Thus Moses said, when he conversed with God: “O Lord, where shall I seek Thee?” God answered: “Among those whose hearts are broken.” Moses said: “O Lord, no heart is more broken and despairing than mine.” God answered: “Then, I am where thou art.”http://heartmedicine.blogspot.com/
http://seeker94.blogspot.com/2006/08/sorrow.html
Surah 11, verses 110 - 115, 121 - 123:
We certainly gave the Book to Moses, but differences arose therein; had it not been a Word had gone forth before from your Lord, the matter would have been decided between them but they are in suspicious doubt concerning it. And, of a surety, to all will your Lord pay back (in full the recompense) of their deeds: for He knows well all that they do. Therefore stand firm (in the straight Path) as you are commanded, you and those who with you turn (unto God); and transgress not (from the Path); for He sees well all that you do. And incline not to those who do wrong, or the Fire will seize you; and you have no protectors other than God, nor shall you be helped. And establish regular prayers at the two ends of the day and at the approaches of the night: for those things that are good remove those that are evil: be that the word of remembrance to those who remember (their Lord): And be steadfast in patience; for verily Allah will not suffer the reward of the righteous to perish.
Say to those who do not believe: "Do whatever you can: we shall do our part; And wait you! we too shall wait".
To Allah belong the unseen secrets of the heavens and the earth, and to Him goes back every affair (for decision): then worship Him, and put your trust in Him: and your Lord is not unmindful of aught that you do.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
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