Journey to the garden

The Guest House

2011-10-16T10:36:00.002+08:00

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)

Worship of Religion

2010-12-20T13:05:00.002+08:00

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."

2010

2010-08-16T23:45:00.002+08:00

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!

End of Ramadhan

2009-09-20T10:21:00.001+08:00

Eid Mubarak to all!

Faithhub

2008-09-06T12:42:00.003+08:00

"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

Forgiveness

2008-04-13T18:43:00.001+08:00

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

Contemplate what is in the heavens and the earth

2007-12-11T16:43:00.001+08:00

"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

Put you trust in Allah swt

2007-10-27T11:41:00.000+08:00

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

A couple of nights ago, I opened my much neglected book "The Seals of Wisdom" by Ibn Arabi and there was a reference to some verses in the quran which I found to be of great comfort:

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.

People with Special Needs

2007-07-12T23:17:00.000+08:00

This caught my attention recently:

The Prophet's Care for People With Special Needs

Paradise is encompassed with pain

2007-07-08T20:02:00.000+08:00

How would the seed of expectation be sown
if your heart did not sow that seed
and then encounter barrenness,
how would it then recognize its submission to Divine will?
By their failures lovers are made aware of their Lord
Lack of success is the guide to Paradise
Pay attention to the tradition
"Paradise is encompassed with pain"

Rumi

Wardah Books - new opening hours

2007-07-01T16:35:00.000+08:00

Al-hamdulillah! Longer opening hours for Wardah Books.

Quote: "We are pleased to announce our new opening hours of 10 am to 9 pm everyday. Yes, this includes Sundays. For public holidays we open from 10 am to 6pm."

Predestination and free will

2007-06-28T22:51:00.000+08:00

It is related in the annals of the prophets that once Prophet Moses (as) met the Devil and said to him - had he not refused to bow before Adam he would not have been damned forever. The Devil said, "What could I do? It was my destiny." The Prophet said, "Did you know that?" The Devil replied, "No." "Then it is your fault," the Prophet said. It transpires that from what Prophet Moses (as) said, that all actions on the part of man without prior knowledge of what is written in his fate are his actions based on his free will. When somebody kills his enemy he does so because of the feelings of vengence or hatred against him, and not because of the fact that it was so written in his fate since he did not know about it. This shows that the truth lies not in predestination alone or free will alone; it is both. That is why when Hadhrat Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq was asked about it, he said."The truth lies in between the two." He is also reported to have said, "Man can do what he wills, but cannot will what he wills."

(Kashful Mahjub, commentary by MWB Rabbani, pg 220)

Dhikr

2007-05-10T22:58:00.000+08:00

"As for the travellers among the angels, their station is known, since they are constantly travelling around seeking the sessions of dhikr. So when they find the people of dhikr, who are the people of the Quran, those who are truly recalling the Quran, they do not give precedence to anyone from the sessions of dhikr of those who are recalling something other than the Quran. But if they do not find people recalling the Quran and they do find people recalling Allah swt, not just reciting, then they come to sit with them and they call out to each other 'come quickly to what you all desire!' , because that remembrance of Allah swt is their sustenance. Through it they flourish and in it they have their life."

- Ibn Arabi

Urgh!

2007-05-08T22:17:00.000+08:00

What a day!
What a week!
What a year so far! Urgh!

Sorry, just had to let that out.

Ibn Arabi Society

2007-04-14T13:01:00.000+08:00

I've been terribly busy with work lately. My weekends are also filled with work related stuff. However, I do try to visit all my favourite blogs regularly & look for new ones as well. Lately, I've been hanging around the Ibn Arabi Society site. Do check it out.

Love for Allah swt

2007-03-06T19:02:00.000+08:00

There is a beautiful short chapter on love in the Kashful Mahjub. These are my favorite paragraphs:

The love for God is the name of an urge in the heart of the true believer in the form of respect and esteem for God, and the desire to gain His nearness, vision and union, so much so that he gets restless for the Divine Beloved, is always absorbed in his remembrance, severs all connections with the world, clears his mind of all the desires other than God and gets totally attached to Him. But man's love for God is not of the same type as his love for human beings, because in the latter case the lover wants to win over and possess the object of his love, while in the former case, he wants to surrender himself to his Beloved and loses his existence in God to finally subsist by Him. .....

The lovers are of two kinds. Those who love God because of His bounties and gifts, and those who love the Beloved for Himself and regard His bounties and gifts as veils. .....

Says Umar bin Uthman Makki in his book Kitab-ul-Muhabbat (Book of Love), "God created the hearts seven thousand years before creating the bodies, and kept them in a state of nearness. He created the souls seven thousand years before creating the hearts, and kept them in the station of intimacy (uns). He created the secrets (sirrha) seven thousand years before creating the souls, and kept them in the station of unity (wasl)."

Then He revealed the lustre of His Beauty to the sirr three hundred and sixty times daily and looked towards it graciously for three hundred times daily. But when they surveyed the entire universe and saw nothing more precious than themselves, vanity and arrogance overtook them. God, therefore, subjected them to tests and trials by imprisoning the heart in the spirit, the spirit in the soul, and the soul in the body. He then bestowed reason upon them and sent prophets to guide them. Thereafter, everyone was told to seek the Beloved. Consequently, the body was engaged in prayer, the soul in love, the spirit in nearness, and the heart found happiness in union with Him.

But what love is, in reality, cannot be described by the word "love", for love is a feeling and feelings cannot be expressed by words. Love cannot be attained even if the whole world tries for it, nor can it be repelled even if the whole world tries for it. This is because love is a Divine Gift and cannot be achieved by effort. Man in finite but love is infinite, and the finite has no control over the infinite.

Allah swt knows best.

Chinese, Malays & Islam

2007-02-14T20:26:00.000+08:00

As I am Chinese, I found this article to be a little amusing:

A speech from the mufti of Perlis, Malaysia

Trials

2007-01-11T22:08:00.000+08:00

"Man will be tested according to the strength of his faith. The stronger his faith, the more severe his trial, and the weaker his faith, the lighter his trial. The believer will be continually tested until he walks on earth with all his wrong actions forgiven."

Prophet Muhd (saaw)

MAKKAH

2006-12-26T12:23:00.000+08:00

Islam's house of prayer, imageless and plain

Piety's face is turned toward Mecca

Side by side, in rows, men stand and pray

In the perfume of faith and submission to God

- F. Schuon

Christmas 2006

2006-12-24T14:06:00.000+08:00

Every year I buy Christmas presents for my own Catholic family and we have a family gathering at my parents house which is decorated with the usual Christmas decorations, tree & lights. This year's Christmas shopping went very smoothly for me - I managed to get all 12 presents without difficulty (6 for the nephews and nieces, 4 for my married brothers and their spouses, 1 for my single brother, and 1 for my parents). I love buying presents for them - I always tell myself "Who knows?! I might be dead before next Christmas". It's great to see the looks of delight on the children's faces as they open their presents. Christmas is probably the only time of the year when everyone (except my sister & her family who now live in the USA) are together under one roof. Ever since I became a Muslim, I see less and less of my family, mostly due to the fact that most of the family gatherings tend to evolve around church activities. That's the reason why I always make sure I spend Christmas day with them all.

I must guiltily admit that I love Christmas day with my family.

Prayer in solitude

2006-12-08T10:09:00.000+08:00

Thou who prayest in solitude, think not
Thou art alone; for others too,
Whom thou knowest not, thy prayer is a good
And a benediction and a duty.

- Frithjof Schuon

Conventional opinion

2006-12-01T18:30:00.000+08:00

Conventional opinion is the ruin of our souls,

something borrowed which we mistake as our own.....

Always run from what seems to benefit yourself......

Revile those who flatter you..........

Let security go and be at home amid dangers.

Leave your good name behind and accept disgrace.

- Rumi

As I was looking through my book, these words jumped out at me. Alhamdulillah! It's absolutely amazing - this was just what I needed right now!

Sufism: Love & Wisdom

2006-11-25T15:01:00.000+08:00

I have found that (islamic) music helps me in my remembrance of Allah swt. I try to listen to music on my way to work everyday as the words of praise seem to remain with me through the day.

"Listening (as-samaa) is a divine influence which stirs the heart to see Allah; those who listen to it spiritually attain to Allah, and those who listen to it sensually fall into heresy"

- Sufi Dhu n-Nun.

The above was taken from the book "Sufism: Love & Wisdom", edited by Jean-Louis Michon & Roger Gaetani, with foreword by Seyyed Hossein Nasr. The chapter I've found to be of particular interest to me was 'sacred music and dance in islam' by Jean-Lois Michon. I've spent this entire morning reading this great book which I 've just bought from Wardahbooks. I was hoping to go down to Wardahbooks again this morning to get more books but I just could not put this one down - insha'allah next Saturday.

Wisdom

2006-11-14T21:10:00.000+08:00

Funny thing happened -

Yesterday I attended this short talk, and heard about yet another Sufi order and how the late Sheikh had advised one of his students to strive to increase his wisdom (....or something similar. I can't remember the exact words.). I was totally puzzled and I could not figure out what that meant. Someone did ask the speaker to elaborate on this (ie. wisdom) but I still could not understand it .In fact, I had circled the word "wisdom" on my brochure with the intention of finding out more about what "being wise" meant. I got my answer today as I was reading Irving Karchmar's amazing novel Master of the Jinn:a sufi novel : -

"... being wise means only two things...

It is remembering God, and then acting from the heart of that remembrance".

Thanks, Irving! AlhamdulliLah!

....some are more equal than others....

2006-11-06T22:37:00.000+08:00

I was at this special education conference today and I am right now feeling rather disconcerted about a particular incident that occured there. This was what happened....

The topic at that time was regarding inclusive education ie. whether the disabled should be integrated into the mainstream schools or remain in separate special education schools as is currently the case in Singapore. I was forced to make known my own opinion which was - for inclusive education. Unfortunately, another person spoke out with exactly the opposite view, and went on to say that he felt that it was not justified to spend as much resources/money on the disabled as is currently being spent on non-disabled students. In other words, he was saying that the disabled could not be treated as equals to the non-disabled. The debate between this man and myself became a lot more intense and would have probably blown out of proportion had the facilitator not stopped the discussion when he did.

The fact that anyone could even believe that disabled persons are not to be treated as equals to abled bodied persons is unbelievable to me!

The fact that the person who held the above view is someone who works with the disabled is totally incomprehensible to me!

However, the most disturbing thing about the whole incident was that I had allowed myself to get carried away by my emotions. I do not usually engage in confrontations - it is extremely rare for me. I wonder how it happened. I'm totally mystified. I can only ask Allah swt to guide me. I still have a long way to go on my journey............

The Soul Garden

2006-10-26T18:55:00.000+08:00

Just as the heart becomes carefree

in a place of green, growing plants

Goodwill and kindness are born

when our souls enter happiness

- Rumi

Ramadhan, my favourite time of the year is over. It has been, as usual, interesting. So much has happened during this month, and I've grown a little and I've learnt so much - Alhamdulillah! One of the most important lessons I have learnt (and I hope I don't ever forget) is to appreciate what I already have, however insignificant they appear to be.

The haze in Singapore, due to the forest fires in neighbouring Indonesia, was particularly bad this year and coincided with Ramadhan. It was so bad that I was terribly sick throughout the month of Ramadhan - I could never tolerate all forms of smoke. I also badly missed seeing our blue skies and breathing fresh air. Finally, this morning, on the way to work, I got to see the beautiful blue sky again (the rains these 2 days have cleared the haze for now). What a sight it was! Subhaanallah!

Companionship with the Holy

2006-09-25T20:08:00.000+08:00

The saint's protection is Truth's sword:
your time with him is worth
as much as the cup of life itself.

All the wise have said the same:
the one who knows God
is God's mercy to His creatures.

Companionship with the holy makes you one of them.
Though you're rock or marble, you'll become a jewel
when you reach the man of heart.

Plant the love of the holy ones within your spirit;
don't give your heart to anything,
but the love of those whose hearts are glad.

- Rumi

This is something that has been constantly on my mind lately.

My Principles

2006-09-10T12:11:00.000+08:00

I've been attending a series of work-related workshops these 2 weeks and one item that came up was about being aware of the different personal, cultural & religious beliefs and practices that every individual (client or colleague) has. This, coupled with Irving's timely mention of people's adab, got me thinking of my own beliefs. I've come up with a list of my own current beliefs, what I am struggling with right now, and my current priorities. I expect that the items will change constantly over time so I will review the list regularly and rewrite it over time. I feel that writing them down will help me to stay focused as I trudge along this difficult path.

This is me (or what I want to be/practise) : -

1. Animal lover.

2. Advocate for the disabled.

3. Treat all children as precious gifts from Allah swt.

4. Recycle. This world is a loan, not ours to keep.

5. Moderation in: food, purchases, speech. Do not hoard money or possessions. Never forget the poor.

6. Humility especially after a personal achievement.

7. Control anger. Peace is the way.

8. Never idle (and don't waste time over meaningless pursuits eg worry, speculation), keep busy.

9. Do not despair over set-backs. No matter how bad things are, someone else out there is worse off than you.

10. Work as though you'll live forever (but don't aspire for greatness among men), pray as though you're going die tonight (be prepared for death at any time).

(The above are not in any specific order)

Spirituality In Singapore

2006-09-06T17:01:00.000+08:00

I missed the 'Journey to Ihsan' conference held over the weekend. Masha Allah! ..... or as Sister Aisha suggested, I should say 'Alhamdullihah!'. Fortunately I was able to catch the post-conference talks: 'Faith without a Soul' by Aftab Malik, and 'Path to the Heart' by Aisha Grey. I was rather captivated by Brother Aftab's & Sister Aishah's sincerity & humility - 2 qualities in others that always reach out & touch my own heart.

The behaviours of some of the people in the audience leave much to be desired. During the Q & A session, when one of the muslimah addressed Sister Aishah and used the phrases "we in the east" and "you should say ..... instead of .....", I was taken aback and reflected - Aren't we all Muslims? Does it matter whether we come from the West or East? Why do some born muslims think they know better than converts? Are we even practising the same religion?!

Just by looking/listening to the audience, reading the local muslim blogs, looking at the sorry state of our local muslim community, and reflecting on my experiences with local Muslims over the years, I have always believed that Islamic spirituality is totally missing in Singapore (and probably South-East Asia) and badly needed .

Brother "Ney Reed" has written an eloquent and thought provoking article on his blog. Let me just quote him " Indeed Islamic spirituality holds solutions and cures not only for STDs and AIDS but for the family, income generation activities, knowledge gathering activities, re-training, etc and these solutions if evaluated adequately and appropriately can prove to be largely significant."

http://neyreed.blogspot.com/2006/09/how-much-it-will-cost-to-resolve.html

Seekers Steps

2006-09-05T14:59:00.000+08:00

Got this from: http://faizeesarkar.blogspot.com/2004_05_01_faizeesarkar_archive.html

Five important steps in a seekers life are:

Search Allah
Reach Allah
Love Allah
Live with Allah
Sacrifice yourself for Allah.

Anger

2006-09-04T10:39:00.000+08:00

"The Prophet said, 'Anger burns up good deeds just as fire burns up dry wood'. Anger is a powerful manifestation of the disordered ego, and the very meaning of the word islam implies the subordination of the ego to the spirit, its chastening and its purification. 'Holy anger', when the circumstances demand it, is detached, calm and just; it is an act of discrimination into which subjective feelings have no entry. It is therefore very rare, and those who experience anger in the face of blasphemy or the denigration of God's messengers need to examine their consciences very carefully to make sure that they are indeed angry on God's behalf, not on their own. "

- "Remembering God - Reflections of Islam", Charles Le Gai Eaton

Islamic Sites ?

2006-09-02T11:49:00.000+08:00

Alhamdullilah! I've finally had the time (these couple of days) to scutinize some of the so-called Islamic blogs I used to visit often. I've decided not to visit them anymore as some of their posts just do not sit well with me. I also hope I do not post anything in my own blogs that would mislead others. - I trust in Allah swt to guide me in differentiating right from wrong, good from bad, halal from haram.

When converts become easy pickings for extremists

2006-09-02T00:20:00.000+08:00

Yet another interesting post from La'eeq Designs:

La'eeq Design's: When converts become easy pickings for extremists (Australia)

He is the One holding your hand

2006-08-24T20:12:00.000+08:00

The free, the world enslaves, but to slaves Love grants freedom.
I crave release from this world
like a bird from its egg;
free me from this shell that clings.

- Rumi

You saw me lost, waving and crying,
and said, "I am the guide.
I'll show you the road
for which you have been searching."

I'm hidden behind the wall,
and yet I'm right beside you.
You are oppressed and suffering,
yet I am near.

You who are anxious to get
where you think you're going,
I'll make your dreams come true.
I'll cook well every pot you try to boil.

My friend, you thought you lost Him;
that all your life you've been separated from Him.
Filled with wonder, you've always looked outside for Him,
and haven't searched within your own house.

The funny part is that in this search,
Beauty has always accompanied you.
Wherever you have been,
He is the One holding your hand.

Keep looking for Him with Him;
You and He are on the same road.
O Beloved, You're so obvious
You're hidden from sight!

- Rumi

I came across the above verses this week. Not sure why ..... but I can't get them out of my head.

Sorrow

2006-08-13T16:47:00.000+08:00

Sorrow or sadness arises from an individual's perception of what it means to be human, and grows in proportion to the degree of insight and discernment possessed by one who is conscious of his or her humanity. It is a necessary, significant dynamic that causes a believer to turn constantly to the Almighty and, perceiving the realities that cause sadness, seek refuge in Him and appeal to Him for help whenever he or she is helpless.

A believer aspires to very precious and valuable things, such as God's pleasure and eternal happiness, and therefore seeks to do a "very profitable business" with limited means in a short span of time (his or her life). The sorrows a believer experiences due to illness and pain, as well as various afflictions and misfortunes, resemble an effective medicine that wipes away one's sins and enables the eternalization of what is temporary, as well as the expansion of one's "drop-like" merit into an ocean. It can be said that a believer whose life has been spent in continuous sadness resembles, to a certain degree, the Prophets, for they also spent their lives in this state. How meaningful it is that the glory of mankind, Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, who spent his life in sorrow, is rightly described as the Prophet of Sorrow by Necib Fazil, the famous Turkish poet and writer.

Sadness protects a believer's heart and feelings from rust and decay, and compels him or her to concentrate on the inner world and how to make progress along the way. It helps the traveler on the path of perfection to attain the rank of a pure spiritual life that another traveler cannot attain through several forty-day periods of penitence and austerity. The Almighty considers hearts, not outward appearances or forms. Among hearts, He considers the sad and broken ones and honors their owners with His presence, as stated in a narration: I am near those with broken hearts (al-'Ajluni, Kashf al-Khafa').

Prophet Abraham, upon him be peace, was as though programmed according to sorrow: sorrow arising from his struggle with Nimrod, being thrown into fire and living always surrounded by "fires", leaving his wife and son in a desolate valley, being ordered to sacrifice his son, and many other sacred sorrows pertaining to the inner dimensions of reality and meanings of events. All of the other Prophets, such as Moses, David, Solomon, Zachariah, John the Baptist, and Jesus, upon them be peace, experienced life as a series or assemblage of sorrows, and lived it enveloped with sorrow. The Greatest of the Prophets and his followers tasted the greatest sorrows.

- Shaykh M. Fethullah Gulen, Key Concepts in the Practice of Sufism

The above extract is taken from : Sufistic (Thoughts & Readings)

Frustrations of a Muslim Convert

2006-08-10T11:25:00.000+08:00

I've found this very interesting article - interesting because it's almost perfectly identical to my own experiences here in Singapore when I was new to Islam. It's not that they don't occur anymore - I've learn to anticipate and thus avoid unpleasant situations as best as I can, I've learnt how to look for credible Islamic information, I've learnt to live without the support of the muslim community and non-muslim family members (who would love for me to return to Catholism), I've learnt to how to handle my non-muslim parents and treat them as a Muslim should, and I've learnt not to feel any guilt using my own non-muslim name and not wearing the so-called 'muslim clothes'. Unfortunately, I am still unable to improve my Quran reading as the courses I have attended are always dominated by people who are already proficient in Quran reading and have no consideration for the rest of us.

The most important lesson I've learnt through the years (and I'm still constantly being reminded of it) is to trust in Allah swt.

Alhamdulillah! There is no god but Allah swt!

La'eeq Design's: Frustrations of a Muslim Convert

? Secular Singapore

2006-08-10T10:50:00.000+08:00

Found this post which may interest my fellow Singaporeans:

Andy HoboTraveler.Com Travel Blog: Secular Singapore Islam

Do not transgress limits

2006-07-30T16:48:00.000+08:00

Fight in the cause of Allah
Those who fight you,
But do not transgress limits;
For Allah loves not the transgressors.

Al Baqarah:190

"What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?" Mahatma Gandhi.

Prayers for Forgiveness by Hasan Al-Basri

2006-07-25T22:24:00.000+08:00

O Allah, I seek your forgiveness for every sin for which I spent the night in sleeplessness, savouring the pleasure of soon committing it and waiting in eager anticipation of its realization and fulfillment – until when morning came, I presented myself before You in the guise of the pious, while concealing in my heart what was against Your Pleasure. Forgive me, O Lord of the Worlds.

O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness for every sin that diverted me from the way to which You had guided me; or from doing what You had commanded me and avoiding what You had forbidden me; or from doing anything to which You had directed me, in which there would have been for me prosperity and attainment of Your pleasure, Your love, and Your nearness.

O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness for every sin that I knew myself to have committed, then forgot about or remembered, or that I had committed intentionally or unintentionally; and I have no doubt that it is a sin about which You will question me and for which my soul is held captive to You, even if I have become forgetful and heedless of it.

O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness for every sin that I took to be trivial but You took to be weighty, that I deemed to be small but You deemed to be an enormity, and in which my own ignorance embroiled me.

O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness for every sin that pollutes what You have made pure, and exposes of me what You have covered of my wrongdoings, or makes repulsive what You have beautified in me.

It used to be very difficult getting English Islamic literature here in Singapore. Most of the books here were usually in Malay. Al-hamduliLlah! – that is slowly changing. It’s still a little frustrating when I hear of some great Islamic book but can’t get it here.
Anyway, I’ve have recently found and purchased this great book which is a collection of 70 prayers of forgiveness from Hasan Al-Basri. I have typed 5 of the 70 prayers for those who might be interested. You'll need to purchase the book yourself to view the other 65 prayers. Sorry!

I Am Only Human

2006-07-19T18:59:00.000+08:00

Once, when the Prophet was occupied with some people, one of his daughters sent him a message that her little son was dying; he told the messenger to return and remind her that, 'What Allah takes belongs to Him, what He gives belongs to Him, and He has an appointed time for everyone....' His daughter then sent the messenger back asking him to come to her. He went to her house with some of his companions. The child was now near death and tears flowed from the Prophet's eyes. 'What is this?' one of the people asked him. 'This,' he said, 'is compassion, which Allah has placed in the hearts of His servants. Allah shows compassion only to those of His servants who are compassionate.'

As I scour through the many wonderful Islamic blogs, I invariably come across long lists of the personal qualities the Muslim should strive for. I love to carry these listings around with me as a constant reminder for myself.

However, one item/personal quality that always stands out for me is that the Muslim should not be depressed. I have wondered how is it possible not to be negatively affected when struck with a calamity. Is it humanly possible? Do these people who pen these lists know what it's like to be struck down again and again and again? Is it humanly possible not to be even a little bit depressed when tragedy strikes? How does one not shed a tear? I used to feel terrible grief and remorse whenever I get even the slightest tinge of sadness over some tragedy - this 'lurking sense of injury' that seems to follow every tragedy.

When I came across the above hadith, it took me some time to ponder over what it meant to me. I have concluded that sadness is a natural human emotion and that human emotions are given to us by Allah swt. The fact that I am a little sad does not mean that I do not accept my destiny; the fact that I am a little sad does not mean that I am angry with Allah swt; the fact that I am a little sad does not mean that I do not praise and thank Allah swt for his other gifts to me; the fact that I am a little sad does not mean that I do not love Allah swt and all His creation. Yes, I will strive to keep feelings of sadness in check....

.........but having said that..........well........... I am only human!

But those who believe

And work righteousness

No burden do We place

On any soul, but that

Which it can bear -

They will be Companions

Of the Garden, therein

To dwell (forever)

And We shall remove

From their hearts any

Lurking sense of injury

Surah 7:42-43

Adh-dhuHaa

2006-07-03T09:39:00.000+08:00

After thinking back on what I wrote earlier, I remembered another one of my favourite passages from the Quran:

By the Glorious Morning Light
And by the Night when it is still
Your Guardian Lord hath not forsaken you
Nor is He displeased
And verily the hereafter
Will be better for you than the present
And soon will thy Guardian Lord give thee
(That wherewith) thou shalt be well-pleased.

Surah 93: 1 - 5

To Him Is Our Return

2006-07-02T15:58:00.000+08:00

"O ye who believe! seek help

With patient Perseverance

And Prayer: for Allah is with those

Who patiently persevere.....

.....Be sure we shall test you

With something of fear

And hunger, some loss

In goods or lives or the fruits

(Of your toil), but give

Glad tidings to those
Who patiently persevere-

Who say, when afflicted
With calamity: "To Allah
We belong, and to Him
Is our return"-

They are those on whom
(Descend) blessings from their Lord,
And Mercy, And they are the ones
That receive guidance."

Surah 2 : 153 - 157

Recently, I met another convert. We began talking about our personal experiences over the last few years after conversion to Islam. We were surprised & shocked to find that our experiences have been terribly similar. (I believed we also each felt a little relieved to finally find someone to share these experiences.) We talked about having to constantly show proof of our sincerity about Islam to members of the majority muslim population here, about being shunned from activities for not being able to speak the language of the majority muslim population, about how we were questioned (or interrogated) when we bring food to a gathering or even having the food rejected because the born muslims present are not sure if the food is halal, about having to look for answers ourselves whenever we have queries about Islam as the born muslims cannot seem to separate culture from religion, about having to reject bad advice (regarding something which we know to be shirk) & therefore incur the wrath of the person who gave the advice as they believe that converts know nothing etc. The list is endless. My new friend had actually thought of returning to the Christian faith. The meeting reminded me of another convert who had eventually committed suicide.

I was looking through my Quran and it occurred to me that almost all the favourite passages I had marked are about persevering in times of trials (like the one above) - ? perhaps that is a clear indication of what my life has been like these last few years. Anyway, unlike my new friend, I have finally reached a stage where I am able to thank Allah swt for bringing me closer to Him through these tests.

My favourite time of the day is the early morning (about 6.45am) when I have to walk past the little garden beneath my block to the bus stop on my way to work. It is so amazing to hear the voices of the birds, insects, grass and trees sing songs of praises to their Creator! .......... I must find other passages in the Quran which tell of the glory of Allah swt.

There Is No Seeker Other Than Him

2006-07-01T14:05:00.000+08:00

"....For the lovers, there is no seeking done by themselves,
For there is no additional seeker in the world other than Him....."

.....seek God within, not outside of yourself, and you will find that you don't exist because there exists only God who is the Seeker of Himself, seeking the reflection of His own Divine Attributes in the completed human being......

(Not sure where I got the above from. I think it's from one of the books on Rumi.)

The garden

2006-06-25T17:54:00.000+08:00

(Here is) a Parable
Of the Garden which
The righteous are promised:
In it are rivers
Of water incorruptible;
Rivers of milk
Of which the taste
Never changes; rivers
Of wine, a joy
To those who drink;
And rivers of honey
Pure and clear. In it
There are for them
All kinds of fruits;
And Grace from their Lord.
(Can those in such Bliss)
Be compared to such as
Shall dwell forever
In the Fire, and be given,
To drink, boiling water,
So that it cuts up
Their bowels (to pieces)?

- Surah 47: Muhammad, verse 15

2006-06-25T15:05:00.000+08:00

What have I done?