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Friday, March 30, 2007

Imam Al-Harmayn Al-Juwayni

Imam al-Harmayn al-Juwayni (One of Imam Ghazali's teachers, may Allah show them mercy) was asked,

"Is it conceivable that Allah would allow a non-believer to overcome and oppress the Muslim?"


He said,

"No, the non believer (especially) the enemy of the Muslim, never truly overcomes him but it is conceivable for Allah to abandon the Muslim because of his neglect of responsibly to his Lord.”


When the enemy overcomes you it is not Allah allowing a victory of the non-believer over you.

Imam Juwanyni said, “This is not a victory of the non believer.”


Allah will never let you down as long as you uphold your responsibility to him.


Allah is abandoning the Muslim


Not giving victory to the non-Muslim


Be not deluded, Allah never lets you down never


The sum product of all the character of every single Muslim in the entire world is the Ummatic Khuluq (Character of the Muslim nation)


That’s what we feel in every century, in every time


Allah is just, we transgress


Allah is always in command and everything happens by his decree




Quotes from Gyath Al-Ummam of Imam Juwanyni


Sheikh Abdullah Adhami lecture on the Shamil lecture number seven

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Habib Umar ibn hafiz 08-08

Dowra notes Twelve

Awarif al Ma’arif 08-08

On the TV they show what’s happening now or even tomorrow but Allah Subhanu wa Ta’ala has shown better to the people of pure hearts

The purpose of the dowra is to get closer to Allah Subhanu wa Ta’ala

Listen with your heart

It is said one who is sincere to Allah Subhanu wa Ta’ala for forty days wisdom will come from him

A person shouldn't leave the congregation, as many diseases may occur

He shouldn’t listen to many things

Owais al-Qarni (may Allah be pleased with him) used prostrate all night until Fajr

People isolate themselves to get closer to Allah Subhanu wa Ta’ala

That person should eat less

Monday, March 19, 2007

Habib Umar ibn Hafiz 07-08

Dowra notes eleven

The birth of a child comes from stage to stage

This is why we teach for period so that a person learns steadily over a period of time

Adam (upon him peace) was clay for 40 days before he came to life

Whoever doesn’t have zhud after 40 days doesn’t have wisdom, then they weren’t sincere

People have preceded us yet we can catch up

Khudafa (May Allah be pleased with her) asked the Prophet (Peace and blessings upon him) what is sincerity, he asked Gibrail who asked Allah he said, “Its one of the secrets that I place in the heart of my slave.”

If there is no sincerity then the person would want these 40 days to pass quickly

Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) said the Prophet (Peace and blessing upon him) started revelation with a true dream which came to him like true dawn, then he started to love isolation in the cave of hira

Even the Quresh used to say that the Prophet (Peace and blessing upon him) used to love Allah Subhnau wa Ta'ala before revelation

He used to stay from 10 days to 40 days

Until Gibril (upon him peace) came with the revelation

No one loved Allah Subhanu wa Ta'ala like the Prophet (Peace and blessing upon him) loved him, this why he is imam of all people

Owais Qurani said to Ali and Umar (May Allah be pleased with them), “You didn’t know anything about him except his shadow.” They said you are right

The reason that people go into isolation is so they can focus their worship

These affairs have proper foundations and principles

The human soul has a number of wonders, even a non Muslim who fasts and goes into isolation may see the wonders of the soul

It doesn’t mean anything if you can fly or walk on water, this is an illusion and you should not seek this. Our focus should be Allah

A true sign is abstinence and they will pass thru these states quickly

You can attain a high station by being sincere

A hindu challenged a Muslim scholar to contest, to see who could fly the most, the Muslim scholar hit him with a shoe and the man died

He should think about the wondrous meanings of the Quran

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Habib Ali Al-Jifri

From Protest to Engagement – notes on Habib Ali al-Jifri’s speech, London

(May Allah subhanu wa ta'ala reward the donor)

All praise is due to Allah and may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon His Messenger Muhammad and upon his family and companions.

To start, Allah subhanu wa ta'ala says in the Quran: “And we wished to shower benefit upon those who have been subjugated or impoverished or made weak/ impotent upon the Earth to make them from the inheritors…”

“Weakness” comes in two forms in the Quran.
(1) In one form it is a weakness that leads people down a slippery slope
(2) In another form it is a weakness that leads people up to the lofty heights

And because God is ‘The Just’, and because the state of weakness and impotence isn’t something that a person just experiences once- the fruit of that state is good because if the fruit of that state was not good then this would take it out of Justice and it would be tyranny.

And the fruit, the end result, of tyranny is not in the hand of the tyrant, but in the hand of the one who tyrannised.

The kind of impotence that leads to loss is an impotence to which a person reacts in a way that takes him out of his obedience to God.
Allah subhanu wa ta'ala mentions in the Quran: “..a place in Hell in which the oppressor and the oppressed meet for dialogue..”
Because the oppressed did not react to the oppression in a way that was befitting-

“They say, those who are oppressed to those who are haughty, ‘Were it not for you we would have been believers.’”
“But they say those who are haughty to those who are oppressed, ‘Was it we who stopped you from following guidance when it came to you? Nay you are people of corruption.’” (Quran)

Because the oppressor can take your rights, beat you, kill you but he can never make you leave the path of the serving of your Maker.

That is why we started by citing the verse which talks about those who rose to lofty heights in spite of their oppression- And Allah says “And we gave a gift to those who were oppressed upon the earth and made them leaders and inheritors.” They rose to heights because of their reaction to their oppression, and became leaders that other people wished to be in the position of.

So, Allah’s subhnau wa ta'ala wish for those people was to make them leaders. And Allah says in another ayah “And we made them leaders for the people when they showed patience and had certainty in Our signs.”

So, what Allah requests from us (after the way we deal with our oppression) to reach leadership is:
(1) Patience
(2) Certainty

Hence, Patience is described in the Quran- “fa sabrun jameel”- “And beautiful Patience.”
And when your state of patience and adversity becomes heavy to carry, remember you can always turn to Allah subhanu wa ta'ala, the One who assists.
Why have patience? Because of the fruits of patience if you are a person of Certainty in the signs of God- Why do you believe these words? Because they are the words of your Maker-
This is something we have been hearing since the middle of today from the inheritors of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam.

If you take the advice of Sheikh Ali Al Jumuah (who spoke earlier) when he said that we should renew our connection with the seerah of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam- You will understand also that all the glad tidings of openings, establishment, firmness and ease, come after the darkest hours.

I’d like to conclude (a) with answering a question that many people repeat to themselves sometimes in their own monologues, (b) and with Glad tidings.
As for the Question, people ask- “Why at this time in particular many people want to talk to us about the moderate discourse? The discourse of the middle way? Is it because we are facing so many adversities that it is being said in some quarters that make the Muslims soft and easy going so we can carry on doing what we are doing?”

I think the answer is in the question itself: If our people are at such a point where they believe that to call them to moderation and good character is to pave the way to their weakness and to add to their weakness and feeling of impotence- the answer is in the question itself- it means we have gone so far away from the teachings of this faith, which calls us to good character.

The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam articulated it when he said: “Truly I came exclusively (only) to perfect good character.” In Arabic, “Innma” – is an exclusive clause.

And how do we reconcile this with what our brother Yusuf Islam has said, that shirk is the greatest enormity and injustice a man can do, greatest injustice to his own soul- how do you reconcile this with what you have just heard about the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam coming only to perfect good character?
It means the affirmation of Divine Unity and the call to Him can only be done with good character.

The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam did not say he came to “establish” good character, but to “perfect” which tells us that it is something humanity has with them since it’s inception- so the prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam came to invigorate and bring to life the primordial pattern Allah has placed within us.

And if we are from the nation of the Prophet, as his inheritors- how can we call others to the perfection of character unless we recognise traces of goodness in others and show them the way to its perfection.

And another angle to the answer of the Question: Are we talking about engagement today because we feel threatened, because we are scared, and because we fear? Is it because of shifts in perceptions, because we could be kicked out, because of expedients?
No, rather because this is our faith- Part of this faith is engagement, part of our faith is how we deal with others, how we engage with the people around us, how we carry their burdens and feel responsibility towards them.
And if the tables were turned and we were established upon the earth and we thought this was not the message we were to carry to mankind then we would be betraying the trust Allah has given us.

Because it is an act of worship placed next to salah, fasting, being good to your parents, keeping the bonds of kinship etc- next to all this is good character and it is a way that we get closer to our Creator.

I want us to leave this conference with the feeling of glad tidings in our hearts. And the giver of glad tidings is not the speaker, but it is Allah and the bringer of glad tidings is not the speaker before you, but the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam.

Allah subhanu wa ta'ala said to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam: “And give Glad-tidings to My servants.” Who are these servants that Allah commanded glad tidings to be given to? The verse continues “those who hear what is said and follow the best of it.”

And I’d like to ask Fuad Nahdi and all that work with him in this goodness, that what was said on this day be put together in a booklet so others may benefit and it may be carried forth into action. And others including ourselves can help in this. Because when I heard Abdal Hakim Murad who spoke earlier I felt like a divine opening was coming forth from his mouth, as he spoke from within us in a way that was self critical.
And when I was sat before Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayah earlier, listening to his sublime speech, and the state with which he was before us. I felt like I was before the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam speaking to his ummah. “The scholars are the inheritors of the Prophet.”

May Allah reward you all with the best of rewards.

Dua’

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Sheikh Saad Al-Attas

Seeking sacred knowledge

If all the grains of sand were gathered and one grain was pulled out, the remainder would be the knowledge of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the grain would be the knowledge of mankind

There is knowledge that won’t reach us

Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) said he had two containers of knowledge, one he has given and one he had withheld

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) once gave a Khutba (sermon) and explained all the tyrants that had more than 300 followers, he gave their names and their fathers names – this knowledge didn’t reach us

The scholars studied hard to attain knowledge

Imam Shafi (may Allah show him mercy) said, “Whoever gives knowledge everything, knowledge gives little and whoever gives knowledge a little, knowledge give him nothing.”

The scholars inherit knowledge

This is a link to the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him)

Whoever Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala deserves good or he gives him understanding of the Deen

Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala is the one who gives knowledge

Ibn Abbas (may Allah show him mercy) said, “Knowledge comes according the extent of the intention.”

As long as his intentions are pure – this is the first thing that a student should do

We are acquiring knowledge to change ourselves

Imam Shafi and Imam Bahaqi say that the intention hadith is a quarter of the Deen ("Actions are by intentions..." the first hadith in the forty hadith of Imam Nawawi)

The students of knowledge should know it's difficult, be should be raise himself above it

Knowledge is a degree that deserves greatness

Satan will come to you and ask you why you acquire knowledge? Why do you waste your time studying? Why are you doing this?

Hajj is not straightforward, it’s a difficult act of worship

Acquire knowledge of sins

If a person who didn’t ask scholars about Hajj, the Hajj may not be accepted

In Malaysia you have to pass a two-week course before you get married

Ibn Jawzi (may Allah show him mercy) said Many people who do an action without acquiring the knowledge, the person is only being lead astray

There is knowledge of the heart and the action

Seeking knowledge is an act of worship

Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala doesn’t want worship that you don’t know where you are

Knowledge will give you relief

Imam Ghazali (may Allah show him mercy) started the Ihya (revival of religious sciences) with the book of knowledge

There is no limit to knowledge

There is merit to knowledge

Reading the Quran without Tajweed is haram (according to the scholars of Tajweed)

Some people would prefer not to know, if they do, they would become responsible

For this person there is two punishments
1. he didn’t search
2. Ignorance

A person who is weak and asks for forgiveness, will be rewarded

The greatest obstacle, we face is ignorance

Anybody who thinks he has acquired knowledge, has a fault

How many times does this happen, when we have knowledge and ignorance together

Some of the people here know about the afterlife but they don’t know where to get the answers

Muslims have been given the guidelines, we have been give these – the subtle, the palpable

The Quran is the solution to our problems

The Quran is an explanation of everything

A person came to Imam Shafi saying we just need the Quran, Imam Shafi said that the Quran indicates to the obedience of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)

Muhammad Mubarak was an ocean of knowledge, he was a pious, Salah (righteous) man he moved from Maroc to medina and then to Tarim, all he studied was the way to connect to Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala. He met a scholar who wanted to find out who this man was and wanted to know where he got his knowledge from him

We are in a very serious situation in this country

There are lots of confused issues

We need to prove the people what Islam is

How many times has a small group overcome a large group, by the permission of Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala

People need to go back to the Sunna and the Quran

If we neglect our knowledge then new Muslims will come and take the knowledge

The leaf on the back

If we don’t pick them up then others will come and take it

The straight path is the Quran and the Sunna

Flying through the air? An insect can do that

How will we preserve the knowledge? Choose competent youngsters and send them out to learn the Islam that teaches us patience

The scholars say that practice is knowledge

People take some of the hadith from the hadith that heaven is underneath the shadow of the swords. What the beginning? Don’t wish to meet your enemies on the battlefield, if you are confronted, then be patient.

The hadith has been cut up and misused

If a person doesn’t have patience then he doesn’t obtain knowledge

We ask Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala to guide us to knowledge and correct knowledge

Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala loves honesty and it will show on your limbs

There were hypocrites who saw the face the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) they said that this is not the face of a lair

The inside was on the outside

He meant what he said

This is what we need in our societies

We ask Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala to give us knowledge

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Habib Umar trans Sidi Yahya Rhodus 06-08

Dowra notes ten

Awarif Al Ma’arif

Worldly pleasures are nothing compared to heavenly pleasures

We must prepare for our eternal life

We must get closer to Allah Subhanu wa Ta’ala in this life

We don’t have another opportunity to get closer to him and we must do this now

Don’t desire death because you may live to do good

We are ignorant of the true value of this world, our enemies laugh at us because they have busied us with the worst of things

Many a time, people are watching things that harm them

The people of heaven will not be remorseful

Don’t leave the prayer area unless you have to

The Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) gave Fatima (May Allah Ta’ala be pleased with her) invocations instead of a servant because he didn’t want her to turn to anything in the world

Beware of time being stolen from you, said a poet

The sincere a person shouldn’t be somewhere unless he is sure that it will benefit him

If a person who feels a spiritual state shouldn’t move or tear their clothes

Ka’b ibn zuhar (May Allah Ta’ala be pleased with him) was given the cloak of the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) when he recited poetry in praise of him.
Many years later, Muawwiya (May Allah Ta’ala be pleased with him) brought it from Ka’b’s children for 20,000 dirhams.

There was young companions, 16,17 years old, couldn’t sleep because they loved the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) so much, this was the state of Habib Jafar al Andulus (May Allah's Ta'ala mercy be with him)

O’ you who is seeking Allah Subhanu wa Ta’ala, be firm and stand at his door.

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Shaykh Abdal-Karim Yahya

Pride and Humility

(Jakallah khair Hyder Abbasi for donating these notes)

Purifying one’s intention


Imam Haddad’s Intention:

I intend: ‘Learning and teaching

Receiving and giving admonition

Giving and receiving benefit and gain

Encouraging the adherence of Allah’s Book, and the Sunna of the Messenger, sallalaa hu 'alaihi wasallam

Calling to right guidance

And leading to goodness

(This is out of my) desire for Allah’s countenance, His pleasure, nearness to Him, and His reward (Transcendent and Exalted is He).’


Allah loves not the Proud


Allah says:

‘I will turn away from my signs those who unrightfully elevate themselves in the Earth’ (Qur’an 7:146)

‘Like that Allah seals the heart of every proud tyrant’ (Qur’an 40:35)

‘Indeed, Allah loves not those who deem themselves great’ (Qur’an16:23)

Imam Ghazali, Allah be pleased with him, said:

‘The consequences of pride is that one is prevented from realising the Truth; it is a cause of the heart being sealed; it is a cause of being hated by Allah, and understanding Allah’s Book, and (it) prevents one from accepting the Truth.’




Allah Breaks the Proud


The Messenger of Allah, sallalaa hu 'alaihi wasallam, said:

“Allah says: ‘Greatness is my upper garment, and majesty is my lower garment. If someone contends with me for one of them, I throw him into the Fire’”, (Muslim, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majar)


Abdallah bin Amr and Abdallah bin Umar, Allah be pleased with them, met on the mount of Safa and stood together. Then ibn Amr left and ibn Umar remained, crying. They said to him, ‘What makes you cry O father of Abdul-Rahman?’ He said: “This one (meaning ibn Amr) asserts that he heard the Messenger of Allah, sallalaa hu 'alaihi wasallam say: ‘If someone has the weight of a mustard seed of arrogance in his heart, Allah will throw him on his face into the fire.’ (Muslim, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majar)


Arrogance is opposition to Allah


Al Hasan Al-Basri, Allah be pleased with him, said:

‘The son of Adam is amazing. He washes filth from his hand once or twice a day and then challenges the Compeller of the heavens!’

Abu Bakr As-Sidiq, Allah be pleased with him, said:

‘Do not look down on any of the Muslims! Indeed the small Muslim is great with Allah.’

Al-Ahnaf bin Qais said:

‘It is amazing that the son of Adam is arrogant and he has exited from the passage of urine twice!’


Allah raises the Humble


Allah (Most High) says:

‘The slaves of the Merciful, those who walk humbly on the earth.’ (Qur’an 25:63)

The Messenger of Allah, sallalaa hu 'alaihi wasallam, said:

‘No one is humble for Allah, save that Allah elevates him.’ (Muslim)

Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Allah be pleased with him, said:

‘Do you know what humility is? Humility is to leave your home and not meet any Muslim except that you believe him to be better than you.’


Definition of Arrogance (Kibr)


Arrogance is seeing oneself as better than others

The Messenger of Allah, sallalaa hu 'alaihi wasallam, said:

‘Arrogance is rejecting the Truth and despising people.’ (Muslim)

Humility and Pride are qualities of the heart, but they have outward manifestations

Kibr is the inward characteristic, takkabur (haughtiness, condescension) is its outward manifestation


Why are we proud?


If one is arrogant because of something of this world, then know that in Allah’s sight it is lower than that

If one is proud about some religious work, then know that this decreases one’s station with Allah

Allah alone grants you these works

Fear that Allah will take these good works away from you

The Messenger of Allah, sallalaa hu 'alaihi wasallam, said:

‘None of you will be saved by his works’

If religious works produce contempt for others, then they (good works) are flawed. Otherwise they would have produced humility


The Remedy


Its remedy is comprised of knowledge and action

One must know themselves and their Lord

As for ourselves, Allah says:

17 ‘Woe to man! What hath made him reject Allah?’

18 ‘From what stuff hath He created him?’

19 ‘From a sperm drop: He hath created him, and then mouldeth him in due proportions’

20 ‘Then doth He make His path smooth for him’

21 ‘Then He causeth him to die, and putteth him in his grave’

22 ‘Then when it is His will, He will raise him up (again)’

(Qur’an 80:17-22)


As for the active part of the cure, it is to truly humble oneself to Allah and show humility to all of His creatures

The Messenger of Allah, sallalaa hu 'alaihi wasallam, is the Imam of humility

He used to eat on the ground and say: ‘I am only a slave, I eat as a slave eats’

He taught his Companions humility, until they became models of humility


Ridding oneself of arrogance is an obligation


Imam Ghazali, Allah be pleased with him, said in his ‘Ihya ‘ulum ‘ad-din:

‘Know that arrogance is from the lethal sins and no person is free from at least some amount of it. Removing it is a personal obligation. It does not vanish by mere false hopes, rather by treatment and by the use of medicines that overcome it’

Ibn Ata’illah, Allah be pleased with him, said:

‘True humility is that which stems from witnessing His Magnificence and the manifestation of His attribute’

And…

‘You will not be removed from an attribute save by witnessing (His) attribute’