When The Trial Comes To An End

Peace, one and all…

Count it a grace that loss comes from the lane of love:
Let go of metaphorical love, the goal is love for the Real.
The warrior gives a wooden sword to his son
so that he may become a champion in battle.
Love for a human being is that sword.
When the trial comes to its end, you will love the All-Merciful

Mevlana, Kulliyat 336-338, trans. W C Chittick

Dr. Reza Shah-Kazemi: The Esoteric Meaning of the Martyrdom of Imam Hussain

Peace, one and all…

A beautiful and fascinating lecture on the meaning of Imam Hussain’s death, by Dr. Reza Shah-Kazemi.  May it be of benefit.

With thanks to Ismaili Mail

Ask olsun,
Abdur Rahman

When a Word comes from the Heart

Peace, one and all…

It is reported that Imam Ali said:

‘When a word comes from the heart, it falls onto the heart; but when it comes from the tongue, it will go no farther than the ears’
The Scale of Wisdom, 877

Charity and Truth

Peace, one and all…

In a beautiful passage, the Quran speaks of the collection and distribution of the compulsory alms-tax (the zakat):

‘Alms are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect and for bringing hearts together and for freeing captives and for those in debt and for the  cause of God and for the traveler – an obligation [imposed] by God.  And God is  Knowing and Wise’ (9:60)

This verse has long been understood as being the basis of an organised collection system, by which that alms-tax is collected.  Whilst this is certainly true, a closer examination draws out a number of deeper connections.

Although this compulsory alms tax is most often described as zakat (from a root meaning ‘purification’), in this verse a different term is used.  If we look a little closer at this verse, we can draw this out more clearly.  The word used here is sadaqat, literally meaning ‘charity’.  Significantly, this word derives from a root denoting truth and truthfulness.  Thus, we can say that charity is a practical means of engaging with truth, of manifesting truth in everyday life.  To engage in regular charity is thus a means of visualising and actualising truth.  Moreover, given that this verse refers to the compulsory zakat, it forcefully underlines two further points: all that we own comes to us from God, of ourselves we own nothing.  Secondly, a just and equitable, organised tax system is a collective means of manifesting this truth.  Religion is not merely a matter of private observance, it is also concerned with social justice.

‘Sadaqa is only for … bringing hearts together and for freeing captives and for those in debt and for the cause of God and for the wayfarer…’

Charity is thus a means of bringing peoples together, and for the cause of God, which is here tied to freeing humanity from captivity and debt.

Sadaqa is thus connected with love, with truth, in a spiritual, personal and collective sense. It is therefore an aspect of justice, particularly in the social realm.   To give charity to others, in an arranged, socially accepted manner, is to do justice – and to do justice is to manifest the equilibrium of love.  Indeed, the more we realise this, the more deeply we are able to access truth, to plumb the depths of sadaqa.  Charity is thus a means of approaching Truth.

Charity is a function of our humanity, and is a means of enhancing relationships with others.  This is why the Prophet (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam) speaks of sadaqa in terms of its social utility, as in the following examples:

‘Charity given to one’s relatives twice multiplies its reward’ (al-Tabarani)

‘A kind word is charity’ (al-Bukhari and Muslim)

‘God has never dignified anyone due to his ignorance, nor humiliated anyone due to his knowledge. And wealth is never diminished as a result of charity’ (al-Daylami)

‘Two qualities are never coupled in a believer: miserlinenss and immorality’ (al-Bukhari)

This verse also points towards a deeper, existential truth: we are utterly dependent upon God in every aspect of our lives, in each new moment and place.  This becomes clear when we look again at this verse:

‘Sadaqat is only for al-fuqara’ and al-masakin…’

Fuqara’ means those who are absolutely poor, without any other means, whilst masakin means those who are destitute, and therefore weak.  Elsewhere, the Quran describes this poverty and weakness in interesting terms:

 ‘O mankind! You are those in need of God (literally, ‘you are the fuqara’), and God is the Free of Need (al-Ghani), the Praiseworthy (al-Hamid)’ 35:15

In other words, poverty and utter dependence are the hallmarks of the human relationship with God.  Not only does God give us all that we need, we are also dependent upon God in each new moment.  That the verse before us should come in Surah Tawba, or the Chapter of Repentance, is also significant – especially when it is remembered that classical Sufism understood tawba as the first stage of the spiritual journey.

Our poverty and God’s overflowing grace forms a relationship, and our breath is a living moment by moment transcription of this reality.  That is, we can experience this now, in our very breath.  Mevlevi tradition uses breathing techniques in its formal zikr, especially connected to the testimony of faith (the shahadah) – la ilaha illa Allah.  With each exhalaltion, the practice is to breathe la ilaha (‘there is no god…’) as a means of letting go of every limitation, of realising our utter contingency.  Each inhalation is accompanied by illa Allah (‘except God’) – in which our chest fills with God-given breath, with an organic awareness of Divine presence.  This verse alludes to this process: we acknowledge our dependence on God, we literally breathe it by emptying and we receive a new in-breath, from the Infinite Tresuries of God, al-Ghani al-Hamid.

May God help us become open handed!  May God help us realise the truth of our dependence upon Him, in each new new moment and circumstance.

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

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Fear Not of Man

Peace, one and all…

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Show Compassion to All Creation

Peace, one and all…

‘Show compassion to all creation.  Nasr ibn Muhammad reports that Junayd related that there was a sheikh in Damascus called Abu Musa al-Qumasi who was a an of futuwwah [spiritual chivalry]; everyone praised him.  One day, the sheikh’s house collapsed on top of hi and his wife.  When people began to dig in the ruins, they found his wife first.  ‘Leave me,’ she said.  ‘Go and try to find the sheikh and save him.  He was sitting in a corner over there’.  They left the woman, dug where she had pointed, and found the sheikh.  ‘Leave me,’ he said.  ‘Go and save my wife’.  Each wanted the other to be saved.  That is the state of those who are together for the sake of Allah and who are friends and brothers in the name of Allah.  They are in that compassionate state at all times’
(Imam ibn al-Husayn al-Sulami, Kitab al-Futuwwah, The Book of Sufi Chivalry)

Response

Peace, one and all…

 

The Messenger of God (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam) said:

‘Fear Allah [or ‘be conscious of God’] wherever you may be; follow up an evil deed with a good one which will wipe (the former) out, and behave good-naturedly towards people’
(Recorded by Imam al-Tirmidhi; source)

Related posts:

• Wherever You May Be…
• That Which Gives You Life
• And Whoever Submits his Face
• Learning to Talk, Learning to Love
• Learning to Talk as a Muslim (part 2)
• Learning to Talk

The Verse of the Pledge (Bay`ah)

Peace, one and all…

‘Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you, [O Muhammad] – they are actually pledging allegiance to Allah . The hand of Allah is over their hands. So he who breaks his word only breaks it to the detriment of himself. And he who fulfills that which he has promised Allah – He will give him a great reward’
(Surah al-Fath 48:10)

The Garment of Dignity

Peace, one and all…

‘Silence that puts the garment of dignity on you is better than words that bring you remorse’
(Imam Ali, may God ennoble his countenance)

Go, and Be Kind…

Peace, one and all…

‘Go and be kind, for Time is aware of kindness,
And He will not take kindness away from the kind.
Material things will outlast everyone and will outlast you too.
But better for you is that kindness will outlast you’
(Mevlana, Divan-i-Kebir 644, trans. Shaykh Kabir Helminski)

That Voice which is the Root of Every Calling

Peace, one and all…

‘Allah is the Protecting Friend of those who believe.  He brings them out of the darknesses into the light’
(Quran Surah al-Baqara 2:257)

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani offers a number of beautiful ayat and ahadith.

Mevlana Rumi (may God sanctify his noble soul) offers us these words:

‘That voice which is the root of every calling,
that is the true voice – all the rest are echoes.

The Persian speaker, Turk and Kurd and Arab
can know that voice with neither lip nor ear.

Why stop at Turks, Tajiks and Ethiopians?
The wood and stone can understand that voice’.
(Masnavi 1.2118-2120)

Peace and Reconciliation

Peace, one and all…

‘The believers are but a single brotherhood: so make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers; and fear Allah, that you may receive mercy’ (Quran Surah al-Hujurat 48:10, trans. A Y Ali)

Hamdun al-Qassar, one of the great early Muslims,  is reported to have said, ‘If a friend among your friends errs, make seventy excuses for them. If your hearts are unable to do this, then know that the shortcoming is in your own selves’. (Imam Bayhaqi, Shu`ab al-Iman, 7.522: source)

Where Do We Go in the Face of Horror?

Peace, one and all…

On my way to work this morning, I read with horror the account of a 13 year old boy guilty of the vicious assault and rape of a 20 year old woman.  The boy, who is now 14, has received a sentence of three years in a young offender’s institute (source).  My first thoughts and prayers go to the victim.  May all her wounds be healed.  I am also deeply shocked that someone so young could do such a thing.  Three years seems such a desultory sentence for such a heinous crime (even though the offender is technically still a minor). 

Where do such crimes leave us as a society?  What do they say about the state of manhood in 21st century Britain?  Where do we go in the face of such horror? 

I don’t have the answers….nor am I probably asking all of the right questions.  At any rate, as I was thinking about these issues, I caught a line in the qawwali song I happened to be listening to.  Just as I was feeling overwhelmed by the awfulness of this crime, and the serious challenges it poses to men and maleness in today’s world, I came to the line ‘tere murshid Ali, Ali‘ (loosely, ‘your guide/teacher is Ali, Ali’).  I suddenly realised the truth of this lyric: to respond as a Muslim, I must learn masculinity from someone like Imam Ali (may God ennoble his countenance); injustice must be challenged wherever it is found – internally or externally; strength is only given to men that we might use it in accordance with the highest truth, that we might protect others; the struggle for truth is always ongoing, there can be no easy answers or quick fixes.  As I felt this truth wash over me, I felt inspired to write a small poem in response.  And so, I share it here.  It is not an answer to the awfulness of this boy’s crime.  But, for me, it is where new beginnings must emerge from: the ever-present and ever-fresh mercy of God.  Huuu….

‘You have closed my mouth,
and poured sorrow upon my head.

That one so young could do such a thing
has left me feeling raw and numb.

And, in the midst of this bitter moment,
healing truth descends like rain upon my aching heart:

Son of the Way, speak truth, do what is right,
listen with opened ears:

Tere murshid Ali, Ali
Did that lion ever fight for anything other than truth?’

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Imagine this for your Instruction

Peace, one and all…

‘When Satan said, ‘You led me into sin’,
the vicious demon hid his shameful deed.

But Adam said, ‘O Lord we’ve wronged ourselves’.
He was not blind, as we are, to God’s action.

Respectfully he hid it in the sin;
with sin upon his head he ate the fruit.

When he repented, God addressed him: ‘Adam!
Have I created sin and toil in you?

Was that not My decree and My command?
Why did you hide it at the time of pardon?’

‘I was reluctant to forgo respect’.
He said, ‘I’ve shown the same regard for you’.

For he who shows respect shall have it shown him,
and he who brings the sugar eats sweet cake.

For whom are ‘the good women’ meant?  For
‘good men’.
Be good to friends; annoy them at your peril!

Dear heart, imagine this for your instruction:
know how compulsion differs from free will’.

(Mevlana, Masnavi 1.1498-1506, trans. A. Williams)

Put Off Your Old Nature

Peace, one and all…

I recently found myself watching the Catholic TV channel, EWTN, and as Allah willed, I tuned in to a discussion of the book of Ephesians.  In particular, the presenter (an elderly priest) was discussing Ephesians 4:22-25:

‘Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness’.

This passage hit me like a thunderbolt, as if it were speaking directly to me, as though were in all truth the very voice of God moving in the deep waters of my soul.  ‘I hear and obey’ is the only possible response in such situations, ‘Here I am at Your service’ (labbayk Allahumma labbayk).

A number of sayings of Imam Ali (may God ennoble his countenance) that I had then been reading feel relevant, and hence I wanted to share them here.  The Imam is reported to have said:

‘He who is lowly in poverty is great in God’s sight’

And again:

‘He who is without knowledge [literally adab] is without merit’

And finally:

‘With sincerity, a man can reach the stations of the great’

May God always open me, and may all who pass by be blessed.

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Whose Burden You Will Carry

Peace, one and all…

‘A man said to al-Junayd: ‘Brothers are scarce in these times.  Where am I to find a brother in God?’  Al-Junayd made him repeat this thrice before saying: ‘If you want a brother to provide for you and to bear your burden, such – by my life – are few and far between.  But if you want a brother in God whose burden you will carry and whose pain you will bear, then I have a whole troop I can introduce you to’.  The man was silent’
(taken from Imam al-Ghazali’s Ihya Ulum al-Din)

Friends

Peace, one and all…

‘Friends, how many of us have them?  Friends, ones we can depend on…’

Thus begins one of my favourite ’80s rap tunes, ‘Friends’ by Whodini.  Relationships are the essence of life, and so friendship, in all its forms, is integral to life itself.  Moreover, since God is al-Wali (the Protecting Friend), friendship stretches beyond the purely human realm, moving onwards into the fullness of the Divine.

What does it mean to have a friend?  What is friendship?  How should we choose our friends? How do we maintain and strengthen our friendships?  What do our friendships say about us? 

Given the importance of relationships, such questions strike right to the heart of what it means to be human.  The older I get, the more significant my friendships become – to the point that I feel that my own personal salvation will depend upon being able to show friendship to everyone I meet.

Whodini: Friends

And my last prayer is praise of God, the Sustainer and Friend of All Being.

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Thinking About Freedom

Peace, one and all…

True freedom is not the ability to fulfill my every passing whim.  True freedom is the ability to choose a course of action without compulsion.  After all, God says in His glorious book: ‘there is no compulsion in religion’ (Quran 2:256).  Freedom is the ability to make full and open choices, without being driven by the physical, mental,  social, political, economic, religious and cultural contexts in which I live and move.  True freedom is the ability to act and to accept the consequences of that act, whatever they might be.

True freedom is not therefore external.  It does not come from outside of ourselves.  Rather, it emerges from deep within.  Nor does the existence of external law necessarily inhibit our freedom.  A law is only a law if we choose to follow it.  Not that law necessarily equates to compulsion (which is something I have begun to learn only recently).  True law is thus guidance in our dealings with one another.  That is, law (like freedom) must be put into practice if it is to live.  Law must be engaged with as a living force; it cannot maintain its vigour if it is treated as merely a set of dry, poorly understood rules.

Strangely, the more I move towards freedom, the more conscious I become of my limitations, the more aware of consequences I become – especially in the inter-personal realm.  I could act in that way, but actions bring questions: what are the consequences of that act: who do they affect?  Who do they injure?  Am I expanded or lessened by this deed?

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

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Imam Zain al-Abideen’s Dua for Friday

Peace, one and all…

Imam Ali ibn Hussein Zain al-Abidin (may Allah bless him) wrote a collection of beautiful and profound prayers, known as Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya.  Within that collection (which you can find online) are a number of duas (supplications) for each day of the week.  Here is the dua for friday (yaum al-jumuah), which has been beautifully recited.

Here is the text.

In the Name of God, the All-Merciful, the All-compassionate

‘1. All Praise belongs to God, the First before the bringing forth and the giving of life, and the Last after the annihilation of all things, the All-knowing who forgets not him who remembers Him,  decreases not him who thanks Him, disappoints not him who supplicates Him,  and cuts not off the hope of him who hopes in Him! 2  O God,  I call Thee to witness  – and Thou art sufficient witness – and I call to witness all Thy angels, the inhabitants of Thy heavens, the bearers of Thy Throne, Thy prophets and Thy messengers whom Thou hast sent out, and the various kinds of creatures Thou hast brought forth, that I bear witness that Thou art God; there is no god but Thou, Thou alone, who hast no associate nor any equal, and Thy word has no failing, nor any change; and that Muhammad (God bless him and his Household) is Thy servant and Thy messenger; he delivered to the servants that with which Thou charged him, he struggled for God as is His due, he gave the good news of the truth of reward, and he warned of the veracity of punishment.  3  O God, make me firm in Thy religion as long as Thou keepest me alive, make not my heart to swerve after Thou hast guided me, and give me mercy from Thee, surely Thou art the Giver. Bless Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad,  make me one of his followers and his partisans, muster me in his band, and give me the success of accomplishing the obligatory observance of Friday, performing the acts of obedience which Thou has made incumbent upon me within it,  and [receiving] the bestowal which Thou hast apportioned for its people on the Day of Recompense!  Surely Thou art Mighty, All-wise!’

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Even Though You’re Not Equipped

Peace, one and all…

‘Even though you’re not equipped,
keep searching:
equipment isn’t necessary on the way to the Lord.
Whoever you see engaged in search,
become her friend and cast your head in front of her,
for choosing to be a neighbour of seekers,
you become one yourself;
protected by conquerors,
you will yourself learn to conquer.
If an ant seeks the rank of Solomon,
don’t smile contemptuously upon its quest.
Everything you possess of skill, and wealth and handicraft,
wasn’t it first merely a thought and a quest?’
(Masnavi, 3.1445-1449, trans. Shaykh Kabir Helminski)

The Seven Qualities of a Dervish

Peace, one and all…

The overarching theme of last year’s Threshold Society retreat was ‘Dervishood for Today’.  During the weekend, we looked at a number of issues connected to developing a spirituality appropriate to the times in which we live.  In particular, we looked at the essential qualities of a dervish, and at how we might bring these qualities into our daily lives, here and now.

Over the next few weeks, I hope to reflect more fully on these qualities, insha Allah.  In particular, I am interested in discussing these qualities with the wider world.  How might we become more conscious of our actions?  How might we develop these qualities within ourselves?

Shaykh Kabir outlined the 7 essential qualities of a dervish as follows:

1. Awareness/Presence
2. Humility/Adab
3. Discernment
4. Generosity
5. Kindness
6. Loyalty/Fidelity
7. Courage

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

The Basic Purpose of Human Existence

Peace, one and all…

‘The basic purpose of human existence is the acquisition of knowledge of God; there is no relationship more true than this spiritual affiliation.  All other types of relationship are but derivative and dependent upon that spiritual connection, and in themselves nothing to boast of’ (Lahiji, Mafatih, 573)

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Looking for the ‘Robes of Service’

Peace, one and all…

One of my more enduring memories of October’s Threshold Society retreat is of the kitchen rota.  During the weekend, we were each expected to take at least three turns in the kitchen, helping to prepare and serve the food, and then clean it away afterwards.  Although in such situations people generally help out more willingly, Shaykh Kabir asked us to pay particular attention to ourselves during our work – in an effort to focus on how and why we were working.  That is, the aim was to act for the sake of God alone and not for ourselves – nor even the reputation we might feel we have or deserve. 

I was really glad of the opportunity to experience this kind of learning.  I spent most of my own time washing up, trying to take on the most burdensome tasks myself so as to spare others the trouble.  At least at this time, my intention was clear to me: I strove to act solely for God, to the best of my conscious ability.  At other times, and in other places, acting in an unselfish way is a much harder business.  During a retreat, where everyone is consciously focusing on inward growth, selfless action is perhaps easier (or, perhaps, our more subtle ego-desires are harder to see clearly).  In other places, amidst the unceasing flow of everyday life, I find it much more difficult to maintain such clarity.  In such situations, I am sure that my intentions are more mixed.  Sometimes they seem clear and sometimes they do not.  Understanding that this is an almost perennial issue has helped me greatly, as the following story illustrates.

In his Sahih, Imam Muslim relates the following story on the authority of Hanzala:

‘We were in the company of Allah’s Messenger (sall Allahu alaihi wa salem) and he delivered to us a sermon and made a mention of Hell-Fire. Then I came to my house and began to laugh with my children and sport with my wife’. (Hanzala) further reported: ‘I went out and met Abu Bakr and made a mention of that to him. Thereupon he said: ‘I have done the same as you have mentioned’. So we went to see Allah’s Messenger (sall Allahu alaihi wa salem) and said to him: Allah’s Messenger, Hanzala has turned to he a hypocrite. And he (the Holy Prophet, sall Allahu alaihi wa salem) said Show respite. And then I narrated to him the story, and Abu Bakr said: I have done the same as he has done. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Hanzala, there is a time for worldly affairs and a time for (worship and devotion), and if your state of mind is always the same as it is at the time of remembrance of Allah, the Angels would shake hands with you and would greet you on the path by saying: al-salamu-alaikum [‘peace be with you’]’ (Sahih Muslim, Book 037, Number 6624)

My family and I spent last weekend at my father-in-law’s house just outside London.  On sunday morning, as my wife had a well-deserved lie-in, I tidied the living room, gave the children their breakfast and cleaned my mother-in-law’s kitchen.  As I was standing at the sink washing the breakfast things, I began to reflect once again on the nature and meaning of service.  As the children had been awake for a couple of hours, I found myself wanting my wife to wake up.  My washing up became more intense as I followed this train of thought; at the end of the line, so to speak, I found myself wondering whether I was performing this action solely for the sake of God.  To what extent was my vague feeling of frustration influencing my act?  Underneath this frustration, to what extent was this issue really about me and my needs?  Probably far more than I am consciously aware of, and probably far more than I am willing to admit.

Although I am a human being, and people are a strange mix of needs, desires and motivations, I find great help in the words of the Sufi masters of the path (may God sanctify their noble souls).  In Lewisohn’s The Wisdom of Sufism, the words of Ibadi are recorded:

‘One of the fundamental principles of Sufi ethics is that they are continually occupied in service (khidmat).  No principle is of the Sufi path is better or more laudable than this.  Whoever inclines towards service finds acceptance on the Path.  As long as one does not sacrifice one’s own personal fortune and possessions, abandon one’s conventional routine and personal desires, set aside one’s good name and the hauteur of honor and reputation, one will never be able to gird oneself with the belt of service’ (Manaqib al-Sufiyya, 87)

Abandoning conventional routine, personal desires, even one’s good name and reputation are essential elements in becoming a true servant of God.  As I have quoted elsewhere, Najm al-Din Kubra defines servanthood as the first essential quality of a Sufi master:

‘As long as the wayfarer has not shrugged off the yoke of all else but God, he will not be distinguished by servanthood…for he is never considered to be ‘liberated’ as long as he is bound by selfhood or attached to his own joy or woe’ (Mirsad al-Ibad)

Perhaps, then, true service is proportionate to the extent that I forget myself in the act.  Or, to put it another way, the more I act for myself (and its desires, both open and secret) the less I serve God.  It is also worth noting that one of the key words often translated as service (ibada) also means ‘worship’.  That is, the more I serve myself, the less I serve God – the more I worship myself, the less I worship God.  God requires me to act solely for Him.  To act for solely for ourselves can set up a kind of subtle partner with God.  It is almost to draw a kind of spiritual membrane or barrier between ourselves and our true object of worship, that we use to parcel off pieces of our lives: ‘this for God, and this for me’.  To live in oneness is to remove this filter, to stop dividing life into discrete pieces (only some of which are then rendered to God).

So, having reached something of an impasse how can I move forward?  How can I begin the process of becoming that true servant of the Divine?  Well, given our previous discussion, it is important to understand that all motion (whether forward or retrograde) comes from God: la hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah (‘there is no power or movement except in God’).  Secondly, it is to understand what service truly requires.  Ibadi continues his account thus:

‘Service requires love, sincerity, reverence, trust, submission, certitude, abstinence, piety, patience in the face of annoying and disagreeable circumstances, sacrifice of personal self-fulfillment, renunciation of all complaint, divorcing oneself from greed and cupidity, eradication of passion, suppression of anger, moderation of desire, removal of petter discrimination, abandoning affectation, and perfect faith’ (Manaqib al-Sufiyya, 87)

That the first requirement is love is quite profound.  Love is the true healer.  Not selfish, narrow ‘love’ (if such actually is love), but rather that love which helps us move beyond ourselves – enabling us to act and to be for others (and thus for God).  The second quality is sincerity, or the ability to act for God with a whole heart.  Love must be built upon sincerity, or else it is not truly love.  Ibadi’s list ends with ‘suppression of anger, moderation of desire, removal of petty discrimination, abandoning affectation, and perfect faith’.  That is, all of these things are based on faith in God (or iman) and on the honest work of caring for others.  The path begins in faith and is walked by means of adab.  These two essential qualities lead on towards the heights of sincerity and love.  It is perhaps for this reason that Attar records an interesting saying in his masterful Tadhkirat al-Awliya:

‘Rather than persistence in service, service consists of courtesy (adab).  Observance of courtesy in the course of service is better than service itself’

Because, action must be focused, consciously intended and built through hard work to be of real use.  Nasafi has this to say this:

‘O dervish!  Performance of service is as sowing seeds in the earth, and forgetting one’s service is as covering those seeds with earth.  So, if you plant and sow some seeds but fail to cover them with earth, your life and wealth will both have gone to waste.  All your service will have been in vain’ (Kashf al-Haqa’iq, 122)

Perhaps this is why the Prophet (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam) is recorded as saying (as part of a much longer hadith):

‘The servant is under the protection of God Almighty as long as he is wearing the robes of service…’

For me, the ‘robes of service’ point towards selfless action, to humility in the face of my own ‘achievements’.

‘The eminence of the rank of the faqir lies in humility.  If he forsakes humility, he abandons all other virtues as well’ (Hamdun Qassar in Attar Tadhkirat al-Awliya)

May God place us all under the shade of His protection.  May He allow me to truly take on and wear the ‘robes of service’, the robes of humility, the robes of trust in Him.

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

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

The Branches of the Tree of Faith

Peace, one and all…

In a tradition found in Imam Nawawi’s wonderful book Riyadh al-Saliheen, we find the following hadith related by Abu Hurairah (may God be pleased with him), in which the Prophet (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam) is reported to have said:

‘Iman [faith] has sixty odd or seventy odd branches.  The uppermost branch of all these is the testimony of faith ‘la ilaha illa Allah‘ [‘there is no god but God’] while the least of them is the removal of harmful objects from the road.  And shyness is a branch of faith’ (Hadith no. 125)

As with other ahadith, in previous years I read this hadith as simply being a description of iman.  Of course, it is this, but as I read it again this morning, I realise it is also more than this.  Or, at least, I have briefly glimpsed another layer, which I didn’t see before.  That is, this is not merely a dry description of faith, it reveals something quite fundamental: everything in my life is a level of iman.  Or, to put it more carefully, everything I do, say and think is part of my unfolding relationship with God.  As such, it is a mistake to think that anything I do is somehow disconnected from that relationship.  It is all part and parcel of the same reality.  If God is the context of everything, then everything I am must always relate to that context. 

This is perhaps why the highest level of faith referred in the text is the testimony of faith itself.  In other words, the highest branch of iman is to plumb the profound depths of la ilaha illa Allah.  This is also why removing harmful obstacles from the road is mentioned.  Relationship is a reciprocal affair, so if I want to improve my own relationship with Allah, I must help and serve others.  Shyness enters into this discussion because, I think, it relates to humility (amongst other things).  That is, my service must be truly humble – to the point where I no longer see the act of service itself (or, rather, I know longer see my own actions as having some inherent merit of their own – all merit comes from God).

I am reminded of two other sayings of the Prophet (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam).  In the first, he (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam) said:

‘La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah [to say, ‘there is no power or movement except in God’] is a remedy for ninety-nine ailments, the least of which is sorrow’

In other words, understanding that everything is part of a greater whole is a great comfort (at least it is to me).  Furthermore, it is important to understand fully that this reality is one of compassion and mercy.  In the second tradition, he (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam) said:

‘La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah is one of the treasures of the Garden [Paradise]’

To realise (and thus, in a sense, see) that all life is inter-connected is like walking in the gardens of paradise, beneath which rivers flow.  This is why, in a tradition related by Ibn Mas’ud (God be pleased with him), the Prophet (alaihi al-salatu wa al-salam) said:

‘A true believer does not taunt or curse or abuse or talk indecently’ (Riyadh al-Saliheen 1734)

Because, to do so would be to speak ill of that living oneness, of which we all partake.

‘…and my affair I leave to Allah.  Verily, Allah is the All-Seer of (His) slave’ (40:44-45)

And my last prayer is in praise of God, the Sustainer of all the worlds.

Related posts:

• A Demon With Fiery Eyes
• Diving for Pearls at Jumuah
• By the Forelock
• Trust and Thankfulness

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

‘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

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)

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