Ask

Peace, one and all…

‘Ask your Lord for forgiveness and then repent to Him.  My Lord is Most Merciful, Most Loving’ (11:90)

Our Master Jesus (Part 2)

Peace, one and all…

In Surah Maryam, we read the following description of an otherwise unknown miracle of Jesus (alaihi al-salam).  The newborn infant Jesus (alaihi al-salam) speaks, saying:

‘He said, ‘I am the slave of Allah (inni `Abd Allah).  He has given me the Book and made me a prophet’ (19:30)

The immediate context of this verse is the surprise caused by Maryam’s unexpected pregnancy.  In response to the alarm caused by this strange affair, Maryam simply points to the newborn Jesus (alaihi al-salam) who then speaks on her behalf.

This verse is very interesting for a number of reasons.  Firstly, it illustrates God’s miraculous defence of Maryam’s probity.  More broadly, it reveals that God can and indeed does, intervene to aid those who seek His aid.  Secondly, on a personal note, this verse reminds me not to be judgemental – even in surprising and unusual circumstances.  Thirdly, it reveals the status and significance of Isa ibn Maryam himself (peace be always upon him).  Jesus (alaihi al-salam) is one of God’s mightiest messengers, one of those endowed with firmness – small wonder then that his birth was heralded by such a miracle.

The words offered in the passage above are also interesting.  Jesus (alaihi al-salam) refers to himself as ‘the slave of Allah’ underlining the point that to be a true slave of God is an exalted state.  It also underlines the Quran’s consistent attitude that Jesus (alaihi al-salam) though special, was no more than a man – God’s slave in other words.  More deeply, this verse illustrates the significance of service to the Divine.  Through service to God, we too can rise to become an `Abd Allah, a true servant of God.

The next two verses underline just how we can strive to become such servants:

‘And made me blessed wherever I may be; and He has enjoined upon me prayer and charity as long as I live, And [has endowed me with] piety towards my mother; and He has not made me haughty or bereft of grace’ (19:31-32)

The path to this blessed state runs through honest prayer and charity (literally zakat, the compulsory alms-tax).  It passes through piety towards parents, and through them to all others; and this blessed path ends in humility and grace.  In other words, to be an `Abd Allah means to have a firm relationship with God, and through that relationship with the whole of creation.  It is to share that blessing with everyone and everything that we come into contact with: to strive to never limit the out-pouring of Divine grace through all that we are, do and say:

‘Hence, peace was upon me on the day when I was born, and [will be upon me] on the day of my death, and on the day when I shall be raised to life [again]!’ (19:32)

May God’s peace be always upon our noble master, Isa ibn Maryam (alaihi al-salam)

Related Posts:

• Our Master Jesus (Part 1)

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Our Master Jesus (Part 1)

Peace, one and all…

As is obvious, the Christmas holiday season is firmly upon us.  The shops are full, it’s impossible to find a parking space and people are desperately running around trying to find someone a last minute gift.  As some of our Christian friends sometimes say, the materialism that runs rampant at this time of year often serves to obscure the real meaning behind this festival – that is, Jesus (alaihi al-salam – upon him be peace) and his message of peace and goodwill.  Although, as a Muslim, I have a different take on the person of Jesus (alaihi al-salam), I would certainly agree that remembering him and his life is vitally important.

And so, over the Christmas period (time and internet access permitting) I hope to write a number of posts on Jesus (alaihi al-salam) from a Muslim perspective.  My aim in doing this is twofold: firstly, to remind myself and others of the teachings of this noble prophet (alaihi al-salam); and secondly, to express my love and admiration of our beloved master Isa ibn Maryam (to use the Arabic form of his name).

In this first post, I wanted to share a beautiful recitation of Surah Maryam, as well as some sayings attributed to Jesus in the Prophetic Tradition (hadith) literature.

Jesus (alaihi al-salam) in the Quran

Jesus (upon him be peace) is mentioned numerous times in the Quran.  Those familiar with the Christian story of Jesus will recognise many elements of the Quranic narrative – such as his relationship with the family of Yahya (John the Baptist, alaihi al-salam), his miraculous conception and birth and his ministry of healing.  The Quran also refers to his Disciples (under the Arabic term Hawwariyun).  However, perhaps the most notable difference in the Quran is that Jesus is never accorded divinity: he is always, rather pointedly, referred to as Jesus the son of Mary.  At any rate, in spite of such theological differences (which are of course important), Christianity and Islam do indeed have much in common.

Surah Maryam deals with the ‘pre-history’ to the story of Jesus (alaihi al-salam), namely the story of Zakariyya (Zechariah, alaihi al-salam) and Mary.  The recitation below also includes translation of the text.

Surah Maryam

Jesus in the Prophetic Traditions (Hadith)

The Prophetic Traditions (hadith) form the second most important body of religious literature in the Islamic tradition.  There is a great wealth of material regarding Jesus (alaihi al-salam) in this vast literary corpus.  Within the Sufi tradition, there is also a great amount of textual material.  To summarise this material is difficult, but in essence, Jesus is presented here as a wandering ascetic prophet, preaching love for God and renunciation of worldly attachments. Here is are two small offerings from that vast feast.

“My daily bread is hunger, my badge is fear, my raiment is wool, my mount is my foot, my lantern at night is the moon, my fire by day is the sun, and my fruit and fragrant herbs are such things as the earth brings forth for the wild beasts and cattle. All the night I have nothing, yet there is none richer than I!” (A.J.Arberry, Sufism)

According to Ibn al-Mubarak, in his book al-Zuhd, Jesus (alaihi al-salam) said:

‘Do not talk without mention of God, lest your hearts grow hard; for the hard heart is far from God, but you do not know.  Do not examine the sins of people as though you were lords, but rather, examine them as though you were servants.  Men are of two kinds: the sick and the healthy.  Be merciful to the sick and give thanks to God for health’ (taken from T. Khalidi, The Muslim Jesus)

In closing, here is a poetic reference to Jesus (alaihi al-salam) taken from the writings of Mevlana (God sanctify his noble soul):

‘The hermitage of Jesus Is the Sufi’s table spread;
Take heed, O sick one, Never forsake this doorway’
(source)

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

SAY Arts

Peace, one and all…

SAY Arts is a newly established organisation dedicated to promoting the Sufi music of India.  They are based in Birmingham, UK and are currently organising a UK Qawwali tour for 2009.

Please do visit the website of this exciting new venture.  May Allah bring this tour to pass and bless this organisation in all its efforts.

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Do Not Revile Others

Peace, one and all…

Iyad ibn Himar said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (sall Allahu alaihi wa salem) said, ‘Allah has revealed to me that you should be humble so that none of you may oppress another and so that none of you may disdain another’.  I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, what do you think I should do when a man reviles me in a low assembly and then I answer him back.  Do I incur any sin in that?’  He said, ‘Two men who revile each other are two satans accusing and denying each other’
(Imam al-Bukhari, al-Adab al-Mufrad no. 428)

‘And Spread the Greeting Among Yourselves’: Exploring the Salam

Peace, one and all…

Note: this is quite an old post, and has for some time been gathering ‘dust’ in the vaults of my wordpress account!

In a very beautiful and profound hadith, the Prophet (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam) is reported to have said:

‘You will not enter the Garden until you believe and you will not believe until you love one another.  Shall I show you something that make you love one another?’  They said, ‘Yes, Messenger of Allah’.  The Prophet said, ‘Spread the greeting among yourselves’ (Most of the ahadith referred to in this post are taken from Imam Bukhari’s al-Adab al-Mufrad. Unless otherwise stated, all text citations refer to this work)

This is a very famous tradition and in my own case, one that I encountered at a very early stage during my journey into Islam.  However, when I used to reflect upon this hadith I was struck by something that seemed odd.  To explain, I misunderstood ‘belief’ (iman in Arabic) as being a purely mental phenomenon, as the mere acceptance of intellectual propositions.  Now that I have grown a little older, I realise that this is in fact a problem of language.  The English term ‘belief’ carries with it a wide range of linguistic baggage.  The Collins English Dictionary defines belief in the following manner:

‘n. 1. a principle, idea, etc., accepted as true or real, esp. without positive proof.  2. opinion; conviction.  3. religious faith.  4. trust or confidence, as in a person or a person’s abilities, probity, etc’

The Arabic term Iman is, by contrast, a far richer and far broader concept.  As Shaykh Kabir explained it, very briefly, at last year’s retreat, Iman is belief coupled with knowledge (remembering that knowledge – Ilm – is not mere information but knowledge and action together).

Looking at this hadith with these thoughts in mind, I realise that belief/iman is an inward quality or movement of the soul.  In a sense, it is the interiorisation of our very submission/islam.  As we grow in our submission to God, we continually deepen ourselves and our connection with the Divine – to the point that iman comes to settle firmly in the heart – and this settled state is what we really mean when we speak of iman.  The famous Hadith of Gabriel bears this idea out.  In this vitally important tradition, the Prophet (alahi al-salatu wa al-salam) describes the verities of faith as an ongoing movement from the external to the internal, at the culmination of which lies the state of Ihsan, described in the following manner: ‘It is to serve Allah as though you behold Him; and if you don’t behold him, (know that) He surely sees you”.

To return to our original hadith with these thoughts in mind, we can see that the essential element in increasing our iman lies in developing our capacities for true and open relationships with others – to strengthen our ability to love, in other words.  And the way to begin this process is by spreading the greetings of peace (literally,  the salam or to say ‘al-salamu alaikum‘ – ‘peace be with you’).

The Prophet (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam) is also reported to have said:

‘By Him in who holds my soul in His hand, you will not enter the Garden until you submit.  And you will not submit until you love one another.  Spread the greeting and you will love one another.  Beware of hatred for it is the razor.  I do not say to you that it shaves the hair.  Rather, it shaves the din‘ (260)

Here again we have the same idea expressed: entrance to Paradise is firmly tied to the development of loving relationships with others (and thus, on a deeper level, to God).  Hatred, and its destructive impacts, is here likened to a razor shaving our din (broadly, ‘religion’) from us: hatred is like acid, it corrodes our ability to make relationships with others.

These notions underpin an extremely rich, dynamic and intricate system of spiritual friendship in the Islamic tradition (one particular form being known as futuwwah, ‘spiritual chivalry’) – all of which is designed to create ever-strengthening ties between people.  Abu Hurayra (may God be pleased with him) makes the following report: ‘The Prophet (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam) said, ‘Exchange gifts and you will love each other’ (564).  Anas, a companion of Muhammad (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam) repeated this injunction: ‘My sons, exchange gifts, it will bring about love between you’ (595, Athar 150).  In a hadith recorded by Imam al-Bayhaqi, the Prophet (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam) offered useful advice on developing our friendships:

‘Three practices will keep sincere your brother’s love for you: greeting him when you see him; making room for him in gatherings; and calling him by the most endearing of his names’

Such practices keep love burning in our hearts for our friends, to the point where we seem to think about them all the time.  Perhaps this emotional and spiritual bond (which exists beyond time and space) is what the Prophet (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam) referred to in this hadith:

‘The souls of two believers meet in the course of a day even if they have not actually seen each other’ (261)

A very famous Hadith Qudsi speaks of the power and significance that relationships founded on God can have:

‘Where are those who love one another through My glory? Today I shall give them shade in My shade, it being a day when there is no shade but My shade’ (source: hadith 23)

At the heart of friendship, lies mercy (rahma).  Compassion and tenderness are integral aspects of all relationships and their absence seriously impairs attempts to form lasting bonds.  The Prophet (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam) is reported to have asked a bedouin: ‘Do you kiss your children?’  ‘We do not kiss them’, was the reply.  Importantly, the Prophet (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam) then said, ‘Can I put mercy into your hearts after Allah has removed it?’ (90).  Thus, the simple act of kissing one’s children has a deeper spiritual significance.  As a parent myself, I know just how important affectionate physical contact is.  Abu Hurarya (may God be pleased with him) relates another relevant story:

‘The Messenger of Allah (sall Allahu alaihi wa salem) kissed al-Hasan ibn Ali while al-Aqra ibn Habis al-Tamimi was sitting with him.  Al-Aqra said, ‘I have ten children and I have never kissed any of them’.  The Messenger of Allah (sall Allahu alaihi wa salem) said, ‘Whoever does not show mercy will not be shown mercy’ (91)

In other words, mercy is reciprocal: in our human relationships we have to earn it by giving it.  This same idea of reciprocity underlines another relevant tradition, in which Rasul Allah (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam) is reported to have said:

”Worship the Merciful (al-Rahman) and feed the people.  Spread the greeting among yourselves and you will enter the Garden’ (981)

Worship the Source of Mercy and serve that Source by feeding others.  Spread the salams and enter the Garden.

The very act of saying salam sets up a kind of spiritual vibration. This is because we can open ourselves to relationships with others and on a deeper level, with the entire universe around us, and hence with God.  In this regard, it is very interesting to note the following hadith:

‘al-Salam (the Source of Peace) is one of the names of Allah the Almighty which He has placed in the earth.  Therefore spread the salam (greeting) amongst yourselves’ (989).

Abdullah, an early Muslim, had this to say:

‘Salam is one of the names of Allah which Allah has placed on the earth.  Extend it among you.  When a man greets a people and they answer him, then he has a higher degree than them because he reminds them of peace.  If no one answers him, he will be answered who is better and more excellent’ (1040, Athar 255)

To spread the salam is thus to share the Name of God with others.  It is to remind others that you intend naught but good – or at least, it subtly acknowledges the ever-present Judge.  It is to remind others of the Source of Goodness that pervades and upholds all existence.  The salam is also a kind of benediction, blessing all who come into contact with it.  Mu`awiya ibn Qurra is reported to have said:

‘My father said to me, ‘ My son, when a man passes by you and says al-salamu alaikum (‘peace be upon you – plural), do not say ‘wa alaika al-salam (peace be upon you – singular)’ as if you were singling that greeting out for him alone.  Rather, say, ‘al-salamu alaikum (peace be upon you – plural)’ (1037: Athar 252)

Abdullah ibn Umar is reported to have advised his contemporaries that:

‘When someone enters a house which is not lived in, he should say, ‘Peace be upon us and on the righteous servants of God’ (1055, Athar 261)

In other words, entering a deserted house with the Name of God is to send out protective energies into that waste place.  It is also to ensure that the Name of God proceeds us, wherever we go and in whatever circumstance we find ourselves.

To spread the salam, to give greetings of peace, is to approach life positively.  It is to orient ourselves to the fundamental goodness that exists buried within all things, and to the Source of all goodness itself.  This is why the Messenger of God (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam) praised the salam so highly and this is why it has remained so fundamental a practice of the Islamic tradition.

What can I say in response to all of this, other than Ya Salam! (‘O Source of Peace’)

Wa akhiru da’wana an il hamdu lillahi rabbil alameen.

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Diving for Pearls at Jumuah

Peace, one and all…

In the Holy Quran, we read the following verses:

‘O you who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday (the Day of Assembly), hasten earnestly to the Remembrance of Allah, and leave off business (and traffic): That is best for you if you but knew! And when the Prayer is finished, then may you disperse through the land, and seek of the Bounty of Allah. and celebrate the Praises of Allah often (and without stint): that you may prosper’ (62:9-10, trans. A Y Ali)

These verses refer to the Friday prayer (Salat al-Jumu`ah) and to the need to leave aside all else except remembrance of God, for at least a short while.  And so, with these verses in mind, I took myself off to a local masjid. 

Of late, I’ve been struggling with a number of issues in my life, all of which basically disolve into the large question of oneness: how can I live in that oneness?  How can become more truly myself, more truly human?  How can I become a fuller servant of God?  These questions have been turning and turning round in my head for a while now, growing in power as though they were some kind of psychic tornado.  And, just at the point when I thought my head might spin so fast it might actually leave my shoulders, I read this verse a few days ago:

‘I have put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord.  There is no creature He does not hold by the forelock.  My Lord is on a straight path’ (11:56)

I was given further insight into these questions in a recent Facebook conversation.  A fellow wanderer responded to the question of trying to live in oneness with these words:

‘What will happen if you take out the word ‘trying’? .. whether the fish tries or not it is in the ocean.. is it not?’. 

Allah!  These words hit me like a thunderbolt.  It doesn’t matter what I do or don’t do: my growth, my life, my very soul is in the Hand of One Mighty and Merciful.  And so it was that this afternoon’s trip to the mosque proved to be such a beautiful event.

After struggling with the ablution facilities, I took my place in a quiet corner of the mosque (which was, in years past, a church).  Because of these delays, as I joined the service a little later than I had hoped – just as the Imam was reciting a dua.  As the salah itself began, I felt relaxed, calm and open.  In the first section, the Imam recited the following verses from Surah al-Rahman (the Chapter of the Most Merciful):

‘[He is] the Sustainer of the two farthest points of sunrise, and the Sustainer of the two farthest points of sunset.  Which, then, of your Sustain­er’s powers can you disavow?  He has given freedom to the two great bodies of water, so that they might meet [yet] between them is a barrier which they may not transgress.  Which, then, of your Sustainer’s powers can you disavow?  Out of these two [bodies of water] come forth pearls, both great and small.  Which, then, of your Sustainer’s powers can you disavow?’ (55:17-23)

These verses spoke powerfully to me.  God sustains the very limits of creation by His mercy.  Indeed, all that exists moves within that mercy.  Or, as Shaykh Kabir put it during the recent retreat: ‘God is the context of everything’.  The imagery of water formed a powerful link with my friend’s comment: our life, movement and being take place within the ocean, within the whole context of life.  Realising this, we can dive into the depths of our beings and bring forth pearls, ‘both great and small’.  And the key to such watery treasures?  Gratitude.  Or, the grateful acceptance that these things come to us as gifts.

In the second section, the Imam recited from one of my very favourite chapters of the Quran, Surah al-Ala (the Chapter of the Most High):

‘But those will prosper who purify themselves, and glorify the name of their Guardian-Lord, and (lift their hearts) in prayer.  Nay (behold), ye prefer the life of this world; But the Hereafter is better and more enduring.  And this is in the Books of the earliest (Revelation), The Books of Abraham and Moses’ (87: 14-19)

I have loved this chapter since the first time I heard it, for reasons I am not fully aware of.  But, in today’s context they spoke strongly to me of method, of practical path.  In other words, in order to become a true human, a true fish in the oceans of life, I must strive to purify myself as far as I can – whilst remembering that God alone grants success.  Through seeking to glorify God’s name in my own soul and life and by striving to truly pray, I can learn to swim in these strange waters – I can become a pearl-diver within my own soul.

After the completion of the prayer, the Imam made a beautiful dua.  Some of it was in Arabic (which I could broadly understand) and the rest of it was in Bengali/Sylheti (or, not knowing either language, at least I think so).  Although I didn’t understand any of this section, it was one of the most sincere dua’s (supplications) I have heard in a long, long time.  Once it had finished, I sat in quiet reflection of a little while, in silent company with the two brothers who had earlier prayed next to me.  We exchanged no words, but I sensed a subtle bond between us – as though we had all been blessed to have been present for this occasion.  Allah!

I walked back to my office feeling life course through me, and feeling refreshed and lifted.  Whatever problems I may have will be resolved in time – or as soon as I surrender myself to God, as a fish surrenders to the vastness of the Ocean.

Wa akhiru da’wana an il hamdu lillahi rabbil alameen.

Surah al-Rahman (recited by Shaykh Abdur Rahman Sudais)

Surah al-Ala (recited by Shaykh Salah Bukhaatir)

Related Posts:

• In That Very State
• Trust and Thankfulness
• What is Gratitude?

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

What is Gratitude?

Peace, one and all…

‘What is gratitude?  To imagine the rose from the thorn,
and to imagine the nonvisible part to be the whole’
(Farid al-Din al-Attar, Musibatname)

Love-Pearls

Peace, one and all…

The internet is like an ocean.  Here are some pearls of love and forgiveness freshly drawn from those wide seas.  Enjoy and may Allah make them beneficial.

• The Muslimah: Using Good Manners When Blogging and Commenting
• Warrior of Light: Mysticism Sufi
• Warrior of Light: The Third Cardinal Virtue: Love
• Mystic Saint: Which Way is the Qibla?
• Shadhiliyya Sufi Center (my thanks to S. Srinivas Rau): Man Ant – Who Are You?
• Shadhiliyya Sufi Center: How Do I Love Myself in the Deep Meaning?
• Bawa Muhaiyaddeen: With Every Breath Say ‘La Ilaha Ill-Allahu’

Here is an interesting video I found, relating the words of Bawa Muhaiyaddeen on forgiveness.

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

The Inner Garment of Love

Peace, one and all…

The Inner Garment of Love

‘A soul which is not clothed
with the inner garment of Love
should be ashamed of its existence.

Be drunk with Love,
for Love is all that exists.
Where is intimacy found
if not in the give and take of Love?

If they ask what Love is,
say: the sacrifice of will.
If you have not left your will behind,
you have no will at all.

The lover is a king of kings
with both worlds beneath him;
and a king does not regard
what lies at his feet.

Only Love and the lover
can resurrect beyond time.
Give your heart to this;
the rest is secondhand.

How long will you embrace
a lifeless beloved?
Embrace that entity
to which nothing can cling.

What sprouts up every spring
will wither by autumn,
but the rose garden of Love
is always green.

Both the rose and the thorn
appear together in spring,
and the wine of the grape
is not without its headaches.

Don’t be an impatient
bystander on this path -
by God there’s no death
worse than expectation.

Set your heart on hard cash
if you are not counterfeit,
and listen to this advice
if you are not a slave:

Don’t falter on the horse
of the body; go more lightly on foot.
God gives wings to those
who are not content to ride an ass.

Let go of your worries
and be completely clear-hearted,
like the face of a mirror
that contains no images.

When it is empty of forms,
all forms are contained in it.
No face would be ashamed
to be so clear.

If you want a mirror,
behold yourself
and see the shameless truth
which the mirror reflects.

If metal can be polished
to a mirror-like finish,
what polishing might the mirror
of the heart require?

Between the mirror and the heart
is this single difference:
the heart conceals secrets,
while the mirror does not.
(from the Masnavi, translated by Shaykh Kabir Helminski)

Trust and Thankfulness

Peace, one and all…

Each new state arrives as an exquisitely wrapped gift from God.  Each new moment brings us a new and vital lesson, following on from all those of the past.  So, if the Source of All Gifts is good, should I really be surprised that each new moment contains a hidden pearl, a secret blessing?  Or, if all lessons come directly from the Blessed Teacher, why not simply trust that they are all for my betterment?

Mevlana (may God sanctify his soul) speaks of trust in God:

‘Trust in God is the best livelihood.
Everyone needs to trust in God
and ask, ‘O God, bring this work of mine to
success’.
Prayer involves trust in God, and trust in God
is the only means of livelihood that is
independent of all others.
In these two worlds I don’t know of any means
of livelihood
better than trust in our Sustainer.
I know nothing better thant gratitude
which brings in its wake the daily bread and
its increase’
(Masnavi 5.2425-2426)

Whatever state I find myself in, let me praise God in the quiet spaces of my heart and be thankful.  Mevlana (may God sanctify his soul) says this of gratitude:

‘Giving thanks for abundance
is sweeter than abundance itself:
Should one who is absorbed with the Generous
One
be distracted by the gift?
Thankfulness is the soul of beneficence;
abundance is but the husk,
for thankfulness takes you to the place where
the Beloved lives.
Abundance yields heedlessness;
thankfulness brings alertness:
hunt for bounty with the net of gratitude’
(Masnavi 3.2895-2897)

Sometimes, all you can say is Allah!

See this insightful post (What is Thankfulness?) from Shaykh Faraz Rabbani (hat tip to Deenport).  Update: see this very interesting blog entitled Gratitude Watch.

Wa akhiru da’wana an il hamdu lillahi rabbil alameen.

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

In Honour of Mevlana

Peace, one and all…

I wanted to share a few pearls in honour of the urs (‘wedding night’) of Hazret-i-Pir Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi (may God sanctify his noble soul), who went to meet his beloved on this day in 1273CE. 

‘Suppose you know the definitions
of all substances and their products,
what good is this to you?
Know the true definition of yourself.
That is essential.
The, when you know your own definition, flee
from it
that you may attain to the One who cannot be
defined,
O sifter of dust’
(Masnavi 5.564-565)

‘Dear soul, love alone cuts arguments short,
for it alone comes to the rescue
when you cry for help against disputes.
Eloquence is dumbfounded by Love: it dares not
wrangle,
for the lover fears that, if he answers back,
the pearl of inner experience might fall out of his
mouth’
(Masnavi 5.3240-3241)

I would like to close with the Rose Prayer of the Mevlevi Order:

‘May this moment be blessed.  May goodness be opened and may evil be dispelled.  May our humble plea be accepted in the Court of Honour; May the Most Glorious God purify and fill our hearts with the Light of His Greatest Name.  May the hearts of the lovers be opened.  By the breath of our master Mevlana, by the secret of Shams and Weled, by the holy light of Muhammad, by the generosity of Imam Ali, and the intercession of Muhammad, the unlettered prophet, mercy to all the worlds.  May we say Hu, Huuu…’

And may Allah bless the beautiful soul of Mevlana.

Wa akhiru da’wana an il hamdu lillahi rabbil alameen

Related post:

• Did I Come to Unite or Did I Come to Sever? Some Reflections on Chaplaincy

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

By The Forelock

Peace, one and all…

How can I live, breathe and move in oneness?  How can I take all of my life’s concerns and shape them into one concern?  How can I begin to move beyond the dualities of life? 

These are some of the questions which are whirling around in my head right now.  Ya Allah!  I don’t have any answers.  I’m not sure I ever will.  But, as I opened the Quran this evening, my eyes landed on this verse first of all.  I took it as a sign:

‘I have put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord.  There is no creature He does not hold by the forelock.  My Lord is on a straight path’ (11:56)

Tafsir al-Jalalayn explains ‘by the forelock’ as follows: ‘an expression meaning to have control over something and control it.  There is no benefit or harm except by Allah’s permission.  The forelock is mentioned because if someone has his forelock seized, it means he is in a state of extreme humiliation’ (p.477)

Ya Allah!  I put my trust in You.  Hasbi Allah wa ni`ma al-Wakil…

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Two Kinds of Laughter

Peace, one and all…

There are two kinds of laughter.  The first kind heals and restores.  It brings joy and eases all the painful tensions of life.  This healing laughter lifts us up when we have fallen, all overburdened, to our knees.  Such laughter is like the coming of sunshine after a storm: it refreshes the houses of our souls and sweeps away the gathering gloom.  And when, as sometimes happens, we lose our way and become, for a time, vain and selfish, this laughter reminds us of just how very small we all are.

This is the laughter of re-connection, of restoration, and of earnest repentance.  May we all be blessed by such pure laughter:

A man came to the Apostle of Allah (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam) and said: I came to you to take the oath of allegiance to you on emigration, and I left my parents weeping. He (the Prophet) said: Return to them and make them laugh as you made them weep’. (Abu Dawud, Book 14, Number 2522)

‘Ali ibn Rabi’ah said: I was present with Ali (karram Allahi wajha) while a beast was brought to him to ride. When he put his foot in the stirrup, he said: “In the name of Allah.” Then when he sat on its back, he said: “Praise be to Allah.” He then said: “Glory be to Him Who has made this subservient to us, for we had not the strength, and to our Lord do we return.” He then said: “Praise be to Allah (thrice); Allah is Most Great (thrice): glory be to Thee, I have wronged myself, so forgive me, for only Thou forgivest sins.” He then laughed. He was asked: At what did you laugh? He replied: I saw the Apostle of Allah (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam) do as I have done, and laugh after that. I asked: Apostle of Allah , at what are you laughing? He replied: Your Lord, Most High, is pleased with His servant when he says: “Forgive me my sins.” He know that no one forgives sins except Him.’
(Abu Dawud, Book 14, Number 2596)

By contrast, the second kind of laughter does not heal nor does it restore, bringing only sadness and misery in its wake.  This laughter, if that be its right name, seeks only scornful mastery of others, and delights only in humiliation.  Such laughter casts down what should be lifted up, and despises what should be brought near.  May God save us all from such injustice:

‘The Apostle of Allah (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam) said: Woe to him who tells things, speaking falsely, to make people laugh thereby. Woe to him! Woe to him!’ (Abu Dawud, Book 41, Number 4972)

Wa akhiru da’wana an il hamdu lillahi rabbil alameen

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Annemarie Schimmel Lectures

Peace, one and all…

I found some interesting video lectures by Professor Annemarie Schimmel on You Tube and wanted to share them here.  Unfortunately, only the first 4 parts (out of a putative 6) have, as yet been uploaded.

Enjoy and may Allah make them beneficial.

The Muslims of the Indian Sub-continent (Part 1)

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Halveti-Jerrahi Zikr

Peace, one and all…

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Recent Skies

Peace, one and all…

For some reason, the skies over South Wales have been especially beautiful of late.  We have been treated to wonderful displays of light and colour against the open expanse of the heavens.  The mornings have been clear, full of sunlight and pale blue brilliance.  The evenings have been soft and gentle, as though the day itself gave a long sigh and melted into the hands of the night! 

And the night?  Ya Allah!  The nights have been cold, bracing and filled with the moon’s luminous beauty.  As I drove to Cardiff on Saturday, the moon rose slowly over the hilltops, unveiling itself in silver glory!

‘He makes night merge into day and day merge into night and He has made the sun and moon subservient, each one running until a specified time’ (35:12)

Praise be to God, in every condition and state, for every blessing and moment of life – a means by which I might draw closer to Him!

Image source

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Allah is Rich Beyond Need

Peace, one and all…

‘Whoever does jihad does it entirely for himself.  Allah is Rich Beyond Need of any being’ (29:6)