A student`s Blog

2009-08-30T15:59:00.000-07:00

There should be something more pure than this,
this mere breathing of needs and wants

yours and mine

There should be more
than the persuit of bread and food for us

More kinder than words and thoughts of generosity
and plainer than the simplicity of being nice

More than what meets the eye and
more than where the soul finds ease

yours and mine

Isn`t it strange

2009-02-28T16:10:00.000-08:00

Isn`t is strange O Lord
that he who loves wine, loves it more than my love for you

That one who thrives on work
enjoys it more than my thoughts for you

Isn`t it strange

that one`s thirst for knowledge
exhausts one`s desire for you

that the need to heal and help
overcomes and takes up virtually everything

In all these wonders and works of distraction
you still remain my only comfort

and so I pause and reflect
at the strangeness of everything else beside You

Thinking

2009-02-19T16:21:00.000-08:00

B M S, "Remember 90 percent of the work is thinking".

Feedback

2008-12-01T04:32:00.000-08:00

A: "The solution lies along the way, and not at the end of the road. And it lies within you. But you need patience to reach it. Look for it within you and not outside and you will find it. "

Subtle Humour

2008-11-22T12:39:00.000-08:00

m: "Oh ! They`ve just dimmed the lights." Walks away to turn them on.

A: "Don`t worry, my pupils will dilate in a moment and adjust."

Most Glorious

2008-11-02T22:13:00.000-08:00

"Most Glorious," [Sheikh] Yunus echoed , and then fell silent. Hours later, when we were returning at night through the spring-verdant lands of the Bani Hasan between Mafraq and Zarqa, we opened up the car windows and the smell of herbs and grass poured in with the night air. Sheikh Yunus, of Bedouin stock , was moved to speak of Divine Love, which I had never in the previous eight years heard him speak of before. "The smallest breath of it , the faintest trace , is enough to dissolve and wash away the entire universe with all that is in it : one forgets all of it together."

Source: Interpreter`s Log by Sheikh Nuh Keller , page 30.

May Allah SWT be well pleased with Sheikh Yunus.

Salaam

2008-10-28T23:24:00.000-07:00

As-Salamu 'alaykum wa rahmatu Llahi wa barakatu :)

Shaykh 'Abd al Rahman Interpeted

2008-10-28T22:14:00.000-07:00

Shaykh 'Abd al Rahman [may Allah be well pleased with him] Interpeted -translated and expounded meanings by Shaykh Nuh Keller.

Link : http://www.thetraditionalpath.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_30&products_id=205

PS: Picture from traditionalpath.com

Hadra Recording

2008-10-28T22:09:00.000-07:00

Hadras of Old -Side 2 -track 5

http://www.shadhiliteachings.com/

SubhanAllah !

Five Qirsh's Pride

2008-10-28T15:42:00.000-07:00

As I left the shop I glanced up into the clear night sky and squinted with jesting protest at the stars. "Exactly five qirsh short." I laughed to myself thinking of the first shopkeeper.

Next time, insha Allah I know what to do.

Read the complete entry at : http://qays.vox.com/library/post/five-qirshs-pride.html

Hadra Recording

2008-10-26T02:24:00.000-07:00

The Hadra recording [2nd] from the zawiya on Laylat al-Qadr 2008 is excellent.

It can be heard on http://shadhiliteachings.com

"Knowing the Beloved of God"

2008-10-24T14:54:00.000-07:00

A series of lectures by our respected teacher Sheikh Faraz Rabbani at http://seekersguidance.com/site/blog.html

.

A Taste of Tasawwuf - Part 1

2008-10-22T16:30:00.000-07:00

Nothing should prove difficult that you seek through your Lord
and nothing prove easy that you seek through yourself.

One of the signs of the signs of success at the endings is turning to Allah at one`s beginning.
He who`s beginning is illumined, his ending is also illuminated.

From the Hikam of Sidi Ibn `Ata `Illah.
Teacher : Sheikh Nuh Keller

Link : http://www.sunnipath.com/Academy/OnlineCourses/Spirituality/A-Taste-of-Tasawwuf-Part-1.aspx

Discourses of Rumi

2008-10-21T14:56:00.000-07:00

Within people there is a longing and a desire such that, even if a hundred thousand worlds were theirs to own, still they would find no rest or comfort.They try every trade and craft, studying astronomy, medicine and every other subject, but they reach no completion, for they have not found their true desire. Poets call the Beloved "heart`s ease," because there the heart finds ease. How can we find peace and rest in anything but the Beloved?

All these pleasures and persuits are like a ladder. The rungs of a ladder are not a place to make one`s home ; there are for passing by. Fortunate are those who learn this. The long road becomes short for them , and they do not waste their lives upon the steps.

From :"Discourses of Rumi" translated by A.J Arberry, Page 119

A Moth

2008-10-21T06:33:00.000-07:00

The maker of all false claims comes to You empty-handed
Unable to hold one`s head , and eyes filled with tears

A last request before the Mighty King
The slave seeks a blinding desire to be a moth before Your flame

A moth that knows only to do
Again and again towards You and in You

Reduce one to a moth!
Ya Rabb !

Letter to Dr. Abdullah by Sheikh Nuh Keller

2008-10-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

How can one condemn making dhikr while standing, or standing while making dhikr, when Allah Most High says, “. . . those who invoke Allah standing, sitting, and upon their sides” (Koran 3:191). And ‘A’isha (Allah be well pleased with her) said, “The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to invoke Allah at all times” [Sahih Muslim, 1.282: 373]. And if dancing is added to this standing, it may not be condemned, as it is of the joy of spiritual vision and ecstasy, and the hadith exists [in many sources, such as Musnad al-Imam Ahmad, 1.108, with a sound (hasan) chain of transmission] that Ja‘far ibn Abi Talib danced in front of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) when the Prophet told him, “You resemble me in looks and in character,” dancing from the happiness he felt from being thus addressed, and the Prophet did not condemn him for doing so, this being a basis for the legal acceptability of the Sufis dancing from the joys of the ecstasies they experience (al-Hawi li al-fatawi, 2.234).

Read the complete letter at : http://shadhilitariqa.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=49

Introduction to Islamic Spirituality

2008-10-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

Allah was and nothing besides and He is now even as He always was.

Introduction to Islamic Spirituality

Get a taste for Sufism's teachings through readings from the Hikam of Imam Ibn 'Ata' Illah through lessons with a living master of spirituality.

This is an excellent course at SunniPath by Sheikh Nuh Keller.

If possible do try and enroll and insh`Allah you will find it very beneficial.

PS:Picture taken from SunniPath.com

The Heart of a sufi

2008-10-19T12:11:00.000-07:00

Is deeper than an ocean and bigger than the universe
one wonder what contains it !

Nothing but Him.
Subhan Allah !

Only hidden by flesh for these ignorant eyes,
Ya Rabb, thy mercy is beyond one`s comprehension

It`s surely from your Rahma,
that one sees the heart of a sufi

Subhan Allah.

SeekersGuidance

2008-10-13T23:46:00.000-07:00

SeekersGuidance (http://www.seekersguidance.com/), the Online Islamic Educational Portal of Shaykh Faraz Rabbani, has just launched its fall courses in:

1. Islamic Law (Fiqh)

2. Beliefs & Understanding (Aqida)

3. Prophetic Guidance

4. Qur'anic Studies

Course Format: Conveniently downloadable lessons.

Course Texts: Text translations, lesson handouts, review questions, and other related readings will be provided upon course opening.

Registration is now open.

First 10 registrants in each course get an early bird 20% discount

First 5 registrants in each course also get a free copy of "The Branches of Faith: Bringing Faith to Life" (a 4-lesson set)

Returning students registering in any course get a free copy of Imam Ghazali on "Organizing Your Religious Routines"

Courses to commence from Friday, Oct 17th 2008.

REGISTER TODAY

The Spiritual Path

2008-09-28T10:37:00.000-07:00

Our Master [May Allah SWT preserve him] says , " His concern for one is commensurate with one`s concern for Him.And this is the spiritual path - his concern for Allah SWT.Worshipping Him just because He is so Worship-able, because He deserves to be worshipped.Loving Him because He so deserves love, wanting Him because there is nothing else that deserves to be wanted.This is the spiritual path."

Sheikh Nuh Ha Mim Keller Lectures at Halaltube

2008-09-22T15:59:00.000-07:00

Link : http://www.halaltube.com/category/nuh-ha-meem-keller?PHPSESSID=abcfe008b6175869ac0bf91231c32012&submit=Seek

Sheikh Nuh Ha Mim Keller - What Do We Do In Ramadan?

2008-09-22T12:37:00.000-07:00

Link : http://www.halaltube.com/what-do-we-do-in-ramadan

The Fiqh of Fasting and it`s Virtues at SeekersGuidance

2008-09-22T03:43:00.000-07:00

SeekersGuidance recently offered a free course on fasting this Ramadan , entitled ,"The Fiqh of Fasting and it`s Virtues". The course was excellent and was in mp3 audio format that one could download and listen and re-listen forever, which is simply unbelievable, especially for people with a hectic schedule.It`s something that one can always store somewhere safe and benefit from every year in Ramadan.

The course allowed students to ask questions on the forum which were all answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.They covered almost all possible aspects of fasting, from the intention, to tarawih, as well as ita`qaaf.The answers offered were very clear and comprehensive.If one makes a folder of all the questions and answers , this will be of utmost benefit, insh`Allah.

At the end of the course Shaykh Faraz offered the following dua :

"We ask Allah SWT that He benefit us from this month of Ramadan, that we be of those who fast out of faith and sincere seeking , whose fasting becomes a means for us to become people of taqwa , people of thankfulness , people of closeness to Allah SWT , people who answer the call of Allah SWT and who strive to bring their faith to life , people who seek Allah SWT and seek excellence in faith , people who become of those who submit to Allah and worship Allah as though we behold Him and if we behold Him not that we be of those who are actively aware that Allah SWT is watching over us.

We ask Allah SWT that He make His love and the love of His messenger [Allah bless him and give him peace] and the love of His religion greater in our hearts and in our lives and in our actions and our conduct than the love of anything else .And we ask Allah SWT to make us of those whose lives revolve , whose lives circumabulate around the love of Allah SWT."

He ended by sending salat on the Prophet [Allah bless him and give him peace] and his companions.

Needless to say SeekersGuidance is a splendid resource for seekers of Islamic knowledge.The fact that you can have mp3 downloadable lessons forever is like an immense , unending treasure of guidance.May Allah SWT reward Shaykh Faraz Rabbani for his unending and sincere efforts in benefitting the students of Islamic knowledge.

The courses currently offered in the fall semester may be seen at the link below:

http://seekersguidance.com/site/courses2/course-catalog.html

PS: Picture taken from www.SeekersGuidance.com

A Dialogue I Had with Myself to Discipline it

2008-08-28T16:38:00.000-07:00

"Are you–O Self!–then able to trample on the hand of attachment to other than Allah Most High in order to cast it aside? Or on some money in order to snatch it away, that a poor person is better entitled to and whose greed is holding you back from Allah Most High? Or on a lustful gaze in order to tear it away, which is clouding your heart, keeping the lights of intimacy from being imprinted in its mirror, and preventing the seeds of reverential awe and watchfulness from sprouting in its field? Or on that look of self-admiration in order to wrest it away, which is poisoned with arrogance, veiling the self from its true state of indigence and need and making it heedless of the innumerable gifts that it has been given?”

by Shaykh Hamza Karamali

Read the complete article at http://blog.sunnipath.com/2008/08/27/a-dialogue-i-had-with-myself-to-discipline-it/

Of men and saints

2008-08-28T15:53:00.000-07:00

Of men and saints some are like the sun
they clear the horizon and make everything lucid

you approach them with minds filled with nothingness
and they fill you with Him and His path

so strange is their aura
stranger yet are their words

you see them and then Him
suddenly He is so palpably close, as if closer than the jugular vein
and even closer

we sat at the feet of such a man
just a few days ago, who took us miles ahead of ourselves
and even beyond
to Him

may Allah SWT preserve him and all his people

Anger

2008-08-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

This is a quote of the Sheikh.

"Whatever begins with anger ends in shame."

Ending

2008-08-24T13:43:00.001-07:00

"If it were not for the ending you wouldn`t long for the beginning."

Someone said this to me once and it is so relevant today.

Ten days in Japan

2008-07-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

Maulana Mufti Taqi Usmani [May Allah preserve him] writes about his stay in Japan.

Link : http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/jul2008-daily/23-07-2008/col8.htm

[PS.This article is in Urdu]

Beware of credit cards and borrowing

2008-07-21T16:02:00.000-07:00

1.Given a Shovel, Americans Dig Deeper Into Debt

Link : http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/business/20debt.html?em&ex=1216785600&en=b1d6623c5fbc4ded&ei=5087%0A#

2.Uncomfortable Answers to Questions on the Economy

Link : http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/19/business/economy/19econ.html?em&ex=1216785600&en=a540e2f83564df17&ei=5087%0A

Taqwa

2008-06-07T15:21:00.000-07:00

The Sheikh says :

Ibn-Omar [may Allah be well pleased with him] said,"Taqwa consists in not seeing yourself as better than anyone."

"The Women Worshippers" from The Wake-Up Call of the Deluded

2008-06-07T14:13:00.000-07:00

The following audio file is a translation and commentary of a small excerpt from the famous book called The Wake-Up Call of the Deluded at the End of the 10th Century Hijrah, Concerning That In Which They Have Differed from Their Pure Predecessors, by Imam Abul-Mawahib 'Abdul-Wahhab bin Ahmed al-Shafi'i al-Sha'rani (d. 973 AH).

Download Wake-Up_Call_Excerpt.mp3

Source : http://www.reflectonthis.com/blog/audio_lessons/index.html by Sidi Khalil Abu Asmaa .

May Allah SWT bless Sidi Khalil for such a beautiful blog.Alhamdulilah.

Causes of the Expansion and Constriction of the Heart

2008-06-07T13:22:00.000-07:00

Quran : "Whoever Allah SWT wishes to guide He expands his heart to Islam.And whoever He wills to leave astray He makes his chest tight and constricted as if he is going up into the sky."[Al-An`am, 125]

Ibn Qayyim Al- Jawzi[may Allah have mercy on him] says:

From the causes of the expansion of the heart is this light that Allah SWT thrusts into the heart of the servant and it is the light of faith [iman], for verily when this light comes into the heart it expands the chest , it makes it wide and it brings joy and happiness to the heart. And if this light is devoid from the heart of the slave then it becomes tight and constricted and it becomes as if in the most tightest and confined prison and the most difficult.

The Prophet [Allah bless him and give him peace]said that when this light comes into the heart it expands and it gets wider .The Sahaba [May Allah be well pleased with them] asked the Prophet [Allah bless him and give him peace], "what is the sign of that?"

The Prophet[Allah bless him and give him peace] said , "The sign of such is constant turning and yearning towards the abode of eternity and indifference to the abode of delusions and preparation for death before it arrives".

Causes of constriction of the heart :

1.Turning away from Allah [Doing what is displeasing to Allah, not doing what Allah SWT wants you to do at that particular time and place]
2.The attachment of the heart to other than Him
3.Being heedless from His remembrance
4.Loving other than Him.[For verily whoever loves something other than Allah he is punished by it (i.e it bites you) and his heart is imprisoned in the love of that thing.]

Source : Khutbah at Medina Center on May 23, 2008 , by Sidi Khalil Abu Asmaa

Link to the audio :http://reflectonthis.blogs.com/

5 Years of all-things-SunniPath

2008-05-22T18:25:00.000-07:00

Insh`Allah, SunniPath is celebrating it`s fifth anniversary online this weekend.

A live session with a number of senior SunniPath members is scheduled for Sunday , 25/05/08 at 6pm GMT.

Please try and register for the session.

Link : http://www.sunnipath.com/Outreach/2008-Summer/0805135YearAnniversary.html

SeekersMedia : Two Online Courses with Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

2008-05-19T05:24:00.000-07:00

In the Name of Allah, the Benevolent, the Merciful

SeekersMedia Presents :

Two download-based courses with Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

1. Mukhtar Dars: Mastering Fiqh (Worship)

2. Kharida Dars: Understanding Islamic Beliefs

For further details please visit http://seekersmedia.com/

This is a unique opportunity for those who want to learn and benefit from our beautiful teacher, Shaykh Faraz Rabbani. These are online courses and hence you can learn , revise and discuss things from the comfort of your home and at the time of your convinience.

May Allah SWT make it easy for us to seek knowledge and learn from the blessed scholars.

The beautiful ways of Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

2008-05-17T11:38:00.000-07:00

In the last Live Session for Living Islam Shaykh Faraz narrated the following :

One of the duas that the Prophet [Allah bless him and give him peace] taught Sayidina Mu`adh ibn Jabal [may Allah be well pleased with him] was, "O Mu`adh by Allah I love you and I counsel you O Mu`adh do not leave saying after each prayer `O Allah assist me in remembering you and to be thankful to you and to worship you most beautifully' ".

[This summarizes the deen]

Sayyidna Mu`adh transmitted this to others in the same way saying that"O so-and-so I love you by Allah and I counsel you O so-and-so do not leave saying after each prayer `O Allah assist me in remembering you and to be thankful to you and to worship you most beautifully'."

And this hadith has come to us continuously in the same way, in each chain of transmission the narrator is telling those he is narrating it to specifically that "O so-and-so I love you by Allah I counsel you O so-and-so do not leave saying after each prayer `O Allah assist me in remembering you and to be thankful to you and to worship you most beautifully'."

Shaykh Faraz then named all those present in his class and said "Ya [naming all students individually], by Allah I love you and I counsel you not to leave saying after each prayer `O Allah assist me in remembering you and in being thankful to you and in worshipping you with excellence' ."

SubhanAllah this was so beautiful and as one recites the dua after the prayer one is somehow reminded of the teacher that taught one and also the manner in which he taught.

A recent SunniPath blog entry by Shaykh Ashraf said that Shaykh Faraz has left SunniPath. The news left quite a few students in tears. Shaykh Faraz was my first teacher at SunniPath and he pratically taught me most of whatever little I know of Islam. From correcting one`s wudu and teaching one prayer , to almost every aspect of fiqh that one can think of he was always there to guide and help us. His live sessions were always special. When one was burdened with the fiqhi details he would bring in some wit into the class room and help us all relax.

His caring ,sensitive and focussed approach helped a lot of us. Most importantly he taught so many of us to say 'I don`t know' when faced with a question one isn`t sure of.We will surely miss him at SunniPath....I hope there is a way he can still come back and do some classes there.

The canadians are so lucky to have him there.

Know Your Enemy

2008-05-15T12:43:00.000-07:00

Imam Ahmad b, Sahl, May God have Mercy on him, mentioned, “Your enemies are four: The World, whose weapon is the people, and whose prison is isolation; Satan, whose weapon is satiation, and whose prison is hunger; The undisciplined soul, whose weapon is sleep, and whose prison is night vigil; and vain inclinations, whose weapon is speech, and whose prison is silence.”

By Imam Zaid Shakir

Source : http://www.newislamicdirections.com/nid/notes/know_your_enemy/

Illness, food and drink

2008-05-05T14:27:00.000-07:00

Hadith Qudsi 18:

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Allah (mighty and sublime be He) will say on the Day of Resurrection: ‘O son of Adam, I fell ill and you visited Me not.’ He will say: ‘O Lord, and how should I visit You when You are the Lord of the worlds?’ He will say: ‘Did you not know that My servant So-and-so had fallen ill and you visited him not? Did you not know that had you visited him you would have found Me with him? O son of Adam, I asked you for food and you fed Me not.’ He will say: ‘O Lord, and how should I feed You when You are the Lord of the worlds?’ He will say: ‘Did you not know that My servant So-and-so asked you for food and you fed him not? Did you not know that had you fed him you would surely have found that (the reward for doing so) with Me? O son of Adam, I asked you to give Me to drink and you gave Me not to drink.’ He will say: ‘O Lord, how should I give You to drink when You are the Lord of the worlds?’ He will say: ‘My servant So-and-so asked you to give him to drink and you gave him not to drink. Had you given him to drink you would have surely found that with Me.’"

It was related by Muslim.

Source: http://www.sunnipath.com/library/Hadith/H0005P0000.aspx

Time

2008-05-05T14:24:00.000-07:00

Hadith Qudsi 4:

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Allah said: ‘Sons of Adam inveigh against [the vicissitudes of] Time, and I am Time, in My hand is the night and the day.’" (1)

(1) As the Almighty is the Ordainer of all things, to inveigh against misfortunes that are part of Time is tantamount to inveighing against Him.

Source: http://www.sunnipath.com/library/Hadith/H0005P0000.aspx

Who or what is a Salafi?

2008-04-24T14:38:00.000-07:00

What I am trying to say is that there is a large fictional element involved when someone comes to the Muslims and says, "No one has understood Islam properly except the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and early Muslims, and our sheikh". This is not valid, for the enduring works of first-rank Imams of hadith, jurisprudence, Qur'anic exegesis, and other shari'a disciplines impose upon Muslims the obligation to know and understand their work, in the same way that serious comprehension of any other scholarly field obliges one to have studied the works of its major scholars who have dealt with its issues and solved its questions. Without such study, one is doomed to repeat mistakes already made and rebutted in the past.

Most of us have acquaintances among this Umma who hardly acknowledge another scholar on the face of the earth besides the Imam of their madhhab, the Sheikh of their Islam, or some contemporary scholar or other. And this sort of enthusiasm is understandable, even acceptable (at a human level) in a non-scholar. But only to the degree that it does not become ta'assub or bigotry, meaning that one believes one may put down Muslims who follow other qualified scholars. At that point it is haram, because it is part of the sectarianism (tafarruq) among Muslims that Islam condemns.

by Sheikh Nuh Keller

Source : http://www.masud.co.uk/ISLAM/nuh/salafi.htm

Incessant salaam giving

2008-04-23T14:14:00.000-07:00

Read SunniPath answer at: http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?id=18763&hd=7&cate=0&t=rss

:)

Hundred Colours of Rainbow at SunniPath

2008-04-23T13:38:00.000-07:00

A master speaks from his zawiya,up on the hills
he brings to life aphorisms of ages by-gone
and brings one closer to the author and his Author
the silent audience is awe-struck , humbled and hopeful
Near the end of the session,
you ask what you ask for everyone`s welcomed
and then make a note of the answers

Perhaps not raised as well as we could have been
and arabic was praised but never taught
and so one took the 101 for starters
it really is for starters
those early morning sessions
differentiating the howa from the hiya
certaining go a long way in ridding oneself of the
hawa

Had doubts all along as to when and how to pray
Is this the right way?
the one who taught me
seemed unsure himself
so one learns it all at fiqh sessions with a splendid teacher
he doesn`t take one to task
and welcomes questions all along
and yes there are lovely examples quoted all along
a few smiles along the way as well

Dear lovely SunniPath people
thank you for letting us in and
marvel at the rainbow

When Hearts Change

2008-04-23T10:09:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the Shaykh banishes the novice both inwardly and outwardly, such that he drives him out of his house and shuts his door on him. Sometimes the Shaykh banishes the novice inwardly. This is more harmful to the novice for, in this case, the latter is not aware that he has been banished or that he deserves expulsion. This state of banishment will remain until the novice hearkens to his Shaykh: repentant, remorseful, meek and heartbroken.

Al-Suhrawardi then says about the same theme:
One of the students of Junayd asked the latter a question, but when Junayd answered, this student objected. Quoting a Qur'anic verse, Junayd said: But if you believe me not, go you apart from me! [44: 23]

Source : http://shadhiliteachings.com/

The ordinary muslim with broken shoes

2008-04-17T14:12:00.000-07:00

Not from the mighty and definitely not the majestic
just the common folk with broken soles and broken words

not a scholar by far,not a student by much
with coarse hands , just mending our ways
I notice your smile,whenever we meet
a jest , a laughfor everything goes

you ask so muchwhile I evade when possible
those open-ended, unending questions

why must you know,
and why must you ask?
I so often wondered , but now I know

our broken shoes, small rooms with nothing
unwittingly draw your attention
and so you ask
while we listen
to the unending
woes and miseries of
our life
with silence
it must be interesting
putting our scattered
pieces
together and
sighing in
wonderment,

thank you.

The marks of those who know God - Sheikh Ahmad Zaruq

2008-04-09T12:59:00.000-07:00

Sheikh Ahmad Zaruq says , "The marks of those who know God [al-`arifin] are three: The first is turning away from all besides Him-they-know, in every state and in every way. The second is going toward Him by leaving aside ulterior motives and fulfilling what is due. The third is acceptance of Him on the flow of events He has destined."
[Iqaz al-himam, 139].

Source : Interpretors Log, page 65 by Sheikh Nuh Keller.

"If this is from God, He will bring it to pass"

2008-04-09T12:41:00.000-07:00

During this same year that followed Khadijah`s death , the Prophet [Allah bless him and give him peace] dreamed that he saw a man who was carrying someone wrapped in a piece of silk. The man said to him :"This is thy wife , so uncover her." The Prophet [Allah bless him and give him peace] lifted the silk and there was A`ishah. But A`ishah was only six years old , and he had passed his fiftieth year.Moreover Abu`Bakr had promised her to Mut`im for his son Jubayr. The Prophet [Allah bless him and give him peace] simply said to himself : "If this be from God , He will bring it to pass."

Source: Muhammad , his life based on the earliest sources, by Martin Lings.

SunniPath Academy Tile Coaster

2008-04-06T15:53:00.000-07:00

Got yours?

Link : http://www.cafepress.com/sunnipath.239937259

Fragrance from Damascus

2008-04-06T15:08:00.000-07:00

A very moving Hadrah from Damascus.

Link : http://digitalvault.bt.com/media/guestView.jsp?user=suhba&collectionName=20bf51-111535d63d0-gemini02&screenName=Yusuf+Mahadik&lang=en&screenName=Yusuf%20Mahadik

Recorded by Uncle Yusuf.

Places that call you

2008-04-05T15:50:00.000-07:00

Such peace with
silent moments of thoughts and
contemplation.

Surely ,the call of the one
who calls unto you, is answered.

Humbling oneself

2008-03-27T09:50:00.000-07:00

The Sheikh says,"The greatest means is humbling oneself in need and slavehood to the Divine.It`s the most powerful of all means to Allah SWT.Allah doesn`t need proud people.All pride is His because He is perfect."

The Test of True Love

2008-03-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “None of you truly believes until I am more beloved by him than are his parents, his children, and all of mankind.” (Bukhari)
Imam Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalani (Allah have mercy on him) explained that a test of this love is one’s readiness to give up everything that one desires for the opportunity to merely set one’s gaze on the blessed person of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). (Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalani, Fath al-Bari, Riyadh: Dar al-Salam, 1.83)

If you had an either-or choice, what would you choose: the entirety of your worldly attachments–the house, the bank account, the family, and everything else–or the option of being able to see the blessed Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)?

By Sheikh Hamza Karamali.

Source: http://blog.sunnipath.com/2008/03/13/the-test-of-true-love/

Spread the Word!

2008-03-24T09:10:00.001-07:00

Tawakul

2008-03-23T09:47:00.001-07:00

m: What is Tawakul?

U.S:" Tawakul is knowing that Allah SWT will take care of everything."

Interpretors Log by Sheikh Nuh Keller

2008-03-16T15:51:00.000-07:00

Abul `Abbas al-Mursi [ Allah be well pleased with him] said, "Whoever loves being noticed is a slave of being noticed.And whoever loves being unnoticed , is a slave of being unnoticed.The slave of Allah , it is the same to him whether Allah causes him to be noticed or unnoticed " [Iqaz al-himam, 37].

Page 11

Sheikh Muhammad Sa`id Kurdi used to say of the published books that exist about the knowledge of names and symbols, and about "Sufi practices" generally , "Their [true] title is :Read and you will exult :Try and you will weep."

Page 17

When the young men left, I told the sheikh that they reminded me how I had come to see him in the early years. "I used to look at the bookcase here and wonder which one of the books the secret of the way was in." He smiled and said , "It is not in lines of print [stur] , but in hearts [sudur]."

Page 49

The Story of Dala’il al-Khayrat by Sheikh Nuh Keller

2008-03-16T12:16:00.000-07:00

Source :http://www.dalail.co.uk/dalail.htm

Why Hijab ? By Sheikh Nuh Keller

2008-03-16T11:57:00.000-07:00

"The Supreme Being knows our benefit better than we do; and if one believes in Allah, Master of every atom in the universe, it is only plain sense to follow Him. When all else fails, read the directions. Those who refuse to wear the hijab are acting out of ignorance or bad faith, and when one meets them, one seldom finds they manage to practice the other aspects of their religion. In the end, it is a matter of hearts. The heart that is alive has a sense of eternity, and knows that the infinite is greater than the finite. The heart that is dead follows the trends of the trend makers because it has turned its back on the Divine and forgotten endless time."

Strange Sufi-Kids

2008-03-15T15:47:00.000-07:00

There was a majlis today at Markfield , Leicestershire. There were a couple of kids , talking in the dinning hall , sat at the table and every once in a while , as they spoke , an issue was raised and then one of them would say what Sheikh Nuh had to say on the issue or what Umm Sahl had to say on the issue.

Someone also said , "This is what I understand the Sheikh said, but I may be wrong."

Sufi-kids are such a grown up , sensible lot mash`Allah.

It`s good to be around them. May Allah swt bless them all.

Selections from the Lamiyat al-'Ajam

2008-03-02T01:10:00.000-08:00

Selections from the Lamiyat al-'Ajam

Pray my Lord and grant Your blessings always eternally
Upon Muhammad his companions and his family.

Hold awhile and let me tell of marvels that once appeared
Shattering the cage of reason, hubris and contumely.

On his birth a thousand signs shone from East and shone from West
Fragrance filled the earth and air, rebel demons turned to flee.

Can such light once have been not, when another creature was?
Can it be Heaven's intent not to hail him anciently?

Did the angels not revere, as they bowed to Adam's form,
He who was the purest heir of covenant and family?

Through God's justice I am lost, my actions give me away
But His mercy to the worlds proclaims hope eternally.

Though I fear my wayward ways, still my confidence is sure
For his pleading in my case liberates me utterly.

If he does not take my hand, what reliance can there be
On my works and on my prayers, offered so distractedly?

and May blessings rest on Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman,
Those who merited the Caliph's robes, as did great Ali.

And upon the loyal legions who followed after them
Faithful women, faithful men, peace be on them constantly.

Audio : http://www.masud.co.uk/Audio/Lamiyat.rm by Sheikh Abdul Hakim Murad.

Source: http://www.masud.co.uk/

May Allah swt bless Sidi Mas`ud. His website is so useful.

Three Concepts Related to Dealing with Others

2008-02-26T11:27:00.000-08:00

[1] Discretion (MUDAARAA)
[2] Giving In (MUDAHANA)
[3] Disregard (LA-MUBAALAA)

Discretion is upholding what is right while being considerate and sensitive to people and circumstances.

Giving in is to leave what is right because of people or circumstances.

Disregard is acting without concern for people and circumstances.

From Live Session on Living Islam [Hanafi] taught by Sheikh Faraz Rabbani.

The Quranic Principles on Dealings

2008-02-13T14:11:00.000-08:00

Course:Living Islam [Hanafi]

Teacher:Sheikh Faraz Rabbani

Lesson 7b: Work, Money and Earning a Living

The Quranic Principle on Dealings:

“Do not consume each others` wealth in wrongful ways. Rather , let it be through transactions based on mutual agreement..”[Qur`an, 4.29]

Mutual agreement is the key.

Means are important. Wrongful means must be avoided.

Remember that , “Law is only needed in the absence of love. But in the absence of love , law is a sure means to return love.”

The longest verse in the Qur`an towards the end of Surah Bakarah was revealed about writing down contracts.

Key Principles:

1.Fulfill all contracts and undertakings.

2.Have contacts , especially with friends and family.

“Be friends, but transact [with excellence] as if strangers.”

3.Make clear, sound contracts.

Define:

What is being sold/provided
Relevant details
Price
When payment is due
Other pending considerations

4.Write things down.

Recommended ,especially when financially consequential or when pending considerations[eg.payments, instalments etc].

5.Don`t make assumptions.

Clarify , define, and write down.

6.State the obvious when it may not be so obvious.

Legal consequences [damages , lost in shipping , refunds, bindingness, cancellation..] when disagreement could arise.

7.Define how dispute or disagreement will be resolved.

[Look at where could we end up disagreeing and define those things.]

Means of mutual resolution, committing to qualifies arbitration, court ,limits..

[Decide which school or madhab you will follow in case of a disagreement.]

8.Don`t make a sale or begin a service until there is a contract [even if only a clear verbal one] with definition and clarity related to the main detail.

[If you don`t agree on the key terms the contract is corrupt and is sinful.]

9.Avoid unusual contractual conditions.

[Keep the contract clear and simple.]

10 i)Ask when unsure- don`t just assume.

The Prophet [Allah bless him and give him peace] said,"Whoever avoids unclear matters safeguards their religion and their honour; and whoever falls into the unclear falls into the unlawful..."

When you act without knowledge that whether it`s allowable or not, then it`s a given that you will invariably , sometimes at least, fall into the haram.

ii)Avoid everything prohibited.

The Prophet [Allah bless him and give him peace] said , “Whatever I have prohibited you avoid completely and whatever I have commanded you to do, do of it as much as you are able .”

Learn about them [riba, anything that could reasonably lead to dispute].

11.Act with excellence.

Follow the Sunna:

Be easy-going
Do more than required; demand less
Seek rights, in the right way
Say the good , do the good.

A key of conduct:

If you summarise what Islam is about on the worldly plain , it`s good character and conduct.

The Prophet [Allah bless him and give him peace] said, “I was only sent to perfect noble character and conduct.”

Recommended Reading : Be close, but transact as strangers.

Link :http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?id=14432&hd=7&cate=0&t=rss

Living Islam [Hanafi]

2008-02-12T07:41:00.000-08:00

Lesson 7a: Work,Money and Earning a Living

Teacher :Sheikh Faraz Rabbani

The Messenger of Allah [peace and blessings be upon him] said, “Be in this life as though a stranger or one journeying.” [Bukhari on the authority of Umar (Allah be well pleased with him)].

Quran: “And , verily the Next Life is better for you than this life.” [Qur`an :93.4]

The Prophet [Allah bless him and give him peace] said, “Allah is Pure and accepts only the pure.”

And , verily , in the body is a morsel of flesh which if sound means that the entire body is sound , and if corrupt them the entire body is corrupt. Verily, it is the heart...”

Whoever avoids unclear matters safeguards their religion and their honour; and whoever falls into the unclear falls into the unlawful-like a shepherd grazing around a sanctuary such that it is feared that his flock will end up within. Verily every king has a sanctuary, and Allah`s sanctuary is His prohibitions..

Imam Suyuti [May Allah be well pleased with him]: Whoever accepts to act without knowledge accepts to disobey Allah.

"The soundness of the heart rests not just upon spiritual things. It`s not just doing the good , like you pray a lot and fast a lot and do a lot of zikr ; these are important things but this is not the key to the soundness of the heart ; nor is activism and doing a lot of social and community things the key to a sound heart nor is it worship , nor is it having the right understanding ; nor is it knowledge alone ; rather the key to a sound heart is being a person who makes good their submission to Allah swt in all things. To be a servant of Allah in everything .Where ever you find yourself you should find yourself submitting to Allah swt. You should always be within the limits of Allah. And how beloved a servant of Allah are you - to the extent that you submit with excellence, in all things."

Words of Wisdom by Shaykh Hamza Karamali

2008-02-08T16:06:00.000-08:00

"To get the most out of our online learning experience at SunniPath, remember that we are not here to learn how to argue and refute. The purpose of SunniPath courses is to think, ask, reflect, and to then come to our own conclusions, which may or may not correspond with the conclusions of others in the class, or even the instructor's conclusions. Contrary to what most people think, argumentation and debate are not conducive to thought; rather, they put up emotional barriers that prevent unbiased thought and reflection ."

Be Good to Yourself-Enrol at SunniPath

2008-02-06T14:16:00.000-08:00

The Introduction to Menstruation and Related Topics [Hanafi] Course Code LAH125-3
Teacher: Ustadha Umm al Khayr.

Do you know that knowledge of the rulings of menstruation is obligatory for women, men and guaridans of girls?

Do you know what personally obligatory knowledge is?

Do you know when you should or shouldn`t pray; should or shouldn`t read the Quran ; should or shouldn`t have a relationship with your husband ;should or shouldn`t fast?

What constitutes halal and haram in regards to one`s state of menstruation or lochia?

SubhanAllah this course is a tremendous blessing.I was quite upset that for so many years I was uncertain about my state and that this had effected my worship. I can`t get all those years of heedlessness back but alhamdulilah I certainly can and should replace it with knowledge , taught by a teacher who is "one of the most knowledgeable person in this subject"and has spent years learning and teaching it.

To me and some of my friends , "information" on this subject , as it is passed on to us from moms and sisters is so confusing.A lot of people deem it embarrassing and usually prefer not to even talk about it.The mosques that some of us go to , have mostly male teachers and it`s difficult to ask them personal questions on this topic.At SunniPath you won`t face this dilemma.The teacher welcomes questions, engages pleasantly with students and even has office hours during which one can privately raise issues with her.

If you are a woman, a mother, a guardian of a female child or a husband [or to-be husband] please do take this course. Ignorance of this subject has a direct impact on one`s worship and relationship with Allah swt.

Early registration for the Spring semester ends on 7/2/08 , so please register as soon as possible.
On a side note, has anyone noticed the changes in the updated SunniPath website?
I thought the design, layout and new format was awesome, especially the "Submit a ticket section"?

[PS, picture taken from the SunniPath website]

O Amman !

2008-01-31T13:53:00.000-08:00

You are not my friend nor family
and yet such love I have for thee ,
Far more than words and thoughts could say,
You mean so much and more to me

The distant town, the uphill climbs,
the broken stairs and the dusty path
that lead one to the one
and from him to Him

Such thoughts that fill and overwhelm
and render one to be just with the One one loves
and for Him to be one`s sole desire
comfort and treasure

To come alone and to leave with Him
what more could one have asked from Thee !

Would you advise individuals to study hadith from al-Bukhari and Muslim on their own?

2008-01-30T13:28:00.000-08:00

"When I first came to Jordan in 1980, someone had impressed upon my mind that a Muslim needs nothing besides the Quran and sahih hadiths. After reading through the Arabic Quran with the aid of A.J. Arberry's Koran Interpreted and recording what I understood, I sat down with the Muhammad Muhsin Khan translation of Sahih al-Bukhari and went through all the hadiths, volume by volume, writing down everything they seemed to tell a Muslim to do. It was an effort to cut through the centuries of accretions to Islam that orientalists had taught me about at the University of Chicago, an effort to win through to pure Islam from the original sources themselves. My Salafism and my orientalism converged on this point.

At length, I produced a manuscript of selected hadiths of al-Bukhari, a sort of do-it-yourself sharia manual. I still use it as an index to hadiths in al-Bukhari, though the fiqh conclusions of my amateur ijtihads are now rather embarrassing. When hadiths were mentioned that seemed to contradict each other, I would simply choose whichever I wanted, or whichever was closer to my Western habits. After all, I said, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was never given a choice between two matters except that he chose the easier of the two (Sahih al-Bukhari, 4.230: 3560). For example, I had been told that it was not sunna to urinate while standing up, and had heard the hadith of Aisha that anyone who says the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) passed urine while standing up, do not believe him (Musnad al-Imam Ahmad. 6 vols. Cairo 1313/1895. Reprint. Beirut: Dar Sadir, n.d., 6.136). But then I read the hadith in al-Bukhari that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) once urinated while standing up (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1.66: 224), and decided that what I had first been told was a mistake, or that perhaps it did not matter much. Only later, when I began translating the Arabic of the Shafi'i fiqh manual Reliance of the Traveller did I find out how the scholars of sharia had combined the implications of these hadiths; that the standing of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) to pass urine was to teach the Umma that it was not unlawful (haram), but rather merely offensive (makruh)--though in relation to the Prophet such actions were not offensive, but rather obligatory to do at least once to show the Umma they were not unlawful--or according to other scholars, to show it was permissible in situations in which it would prevent urine from spattering one's clothes. "

By Sheikh Nuh Ha Mim Keller.

Source:http://www.islamic.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Fiqh/studying_hadith_texts_on_their_o.htm
.

Spiritually Satisfied, What Else Matters?

2008-01-13T05:42:00.000-08:00

The Prophet is reported to have said:
"Whoever makes all his concerns into one, which is that of his return [in the Hereafter], Allah suffices him from all his concerns; and whosever has their worldly concerns branch out, Allah will not care in which of its [worldly] valleys he perishes." (Ibn Majah).

Answered by Sidi Tarek Ghanem.

Please read the full answer ; it is beautiful.

The sayings of Sayyiduna Ali [May Allah bless him]

2008-01-13T05:33:00.000-08:00

The days of life pass away like clouds, so do good while you are alive.

The word of God is the medicine of the heart.

To fight against one's desires is the greatest of all fights.

People are asleep as long as they are alive, they are awakened when they die.

A man is hid under his tongue.

He who trusts the world, the world betrays him.

2007-11-18T11:35:00.000-08:00

Abu Bakr Warak [May Allah be pleased with him] said, if greed was asked who is your father , he would say "doubt about what Allah has destined".And if it was said to greed what`s your job,what line of work are you in , he would say "earning humiliation".And if he was asked what`s your goal, what`s your end , he would say "being debarred,being unable to reach,cut of and dissevered".

Narrated by Sheikh Nuh Keller in the Latiffya lessons.
Sept 2006.

Women, Work, and Circumstances at Work

2007-11-18T03:38:00.000-08:00

An excellent answer, Alhamdulilah.

Link : http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?ID=17239

Bringing health care to Mexico's poor

2007-11-11T01:37:00.000-08:00

Sheikh Hamza Yusuf, "We must reject the concept of indiscriminate killing".

2007-11-10T23:59:00.000-08:00

Our Prophet [Allah bless him and give him peace] warned us that "Beware of extremism in religion ,because it is extremism in religion that destroyed the peoples before you."

"It is our Lord that sanctified the blood of Bani-Adam".

"Every soul is sacred".

"We must in one voice condemn and completely reject the concept of indiscriminate killing in this religion.It is neither from the religion nor is it sanctioned by the religion in any reading of our pre-modern tradition."

"Toleration is an Islamic gift to the west."

"The Prophet of God forbade the killing of women and children".

Link:http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7ttcA9Kto9M

Taking the Tariqa by Sheikh Nuh Ha Mim Keller

2007-11-04T09:16:00.000-08:00

Link:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=TDGayM4r1e8&NR=1

Why SunniPath?

2007-10-08T18:56:00.000-07:00

Because:

1.Sheikh Nuh [may Allah preserve him] teaches there.

2.You have teachers like Sheikh Hamza Karamali and Sheikh Faraz Rabbani,who not only have the knowledge but they also have a lot of wisdom to match it.Their views are very well balanced and they tell you how to apply Islamic knowledge in this day and age.Most importantly they are teachers with a state or hal,something you can only experience after being with them for a while [even in an online course].

3.If ever you have a problem while accessing a Live Session, you can always depend on Sidi Ismael Rumzan to help you out.There are few people who are as capable, hardworking,helpful and humble as Sidi Ismael.

4.The SP Academy has an extremely polite,friendly and unbelievably hardworking Managing Director.Yes that`s Brother Imran Chowdhury.Those who have met him will definitely agree that by far he comes across like an elder brother, who is willing to guide you and help you.Quite surprisingly ,he listens very patiently to student suggestions,welcomes their views,and is always keen to work on new ideas.May Allah swt preserve his enthusiasm for the Academy.

5.Ustadha Noura Shamma.She is just a beautiful soul.Those who have met her,cannot help but be inspired from her presence.SubhanAllah ,she has so much ikhlas,knowledge, adab and strength of character.May Allah swt help us benefit from her.

6.Sidi Abdullah /G Totten.In case of any IT problems,Sidi Abdullah will usually be of utmost help.

7.All the helpful and lovely TAs and CAs, who welcome you to courses,send in weekly class reminders,and lend you a helping hand when you are stuck in a course for any reason.

8.For all the free live sessions that SP organizes.SubhanAllah,they are so beneficial.Recently we had two free Live Sessions on "Islam and the language of the Arabs" and "Why Money Matters to Allah".The recordings of both events is available on http://blog.sunnipath.com/

9.We had a live session with Sheikh Nuh from Amman today.

10.There is an upcoming event on Eid with Sidi Imam Zaid Shakir.

11.You can acquire knowledge sitting at home, at a time that best suits you and review it as many times as you want.You can raise questions in live sessions and discussion forums.Benefit from the presence of Scholars and students and get encouragement to persue knowledge.There is no "discredit" at SunniPath.

12.There are tons of other reasons ,but I`m sure you get the picture now.

The upcoming fall semester will start in a few days time.Please register and be a part of the SunniPath experience :)

[PS.Picture taken from the SP website]

A Man in Love - Sheikh Nuh Keller

2007-09-01T22:18:00.000-07:00

Very frequently one wonders how people of Ma`rifa pray and perhaps conduct themselves-generally.They must have something very visibly different in their manners,and surely their prayers.

It was precisely for these reasons and thoughts that over the last few months one longed to see the Sheikh pray.At the recent UK Suhba in Leeds one could sit on the stairs in the gallery and watch the Sheikh pray.Subhan Allah, surely this was a man clearly "out of his mind" in his love for the Divine.It is difficult to put in words how differently he prayed.With single minded attention , he seemed so focused on what he was doing.His qayaam and sujood were quite long -yet it seemed that he thoroughly enjoyed what he was doing.

He began with everyone else and was always the last to finish.

The Sheikh once said that one should sometimes try and pray next to someone who hasn`t missed a single salah in the masjid in the last 30 years and one can feel the difference in their prayers.He also says that prayer is a barometer of one`s state or hal.Seeing him pray , showed me exactly how that might be the case.

And yes , we heard him give the Adan as well.He gives Adan in a quiet ,unique but extremely melodious voice.One just yearns for the Adan to go on and on.Some of us cried out of love for the Divine when we heard him give the Adan.

There were other things as well that one noticed.When he approached the stage for a lecture his colour would change , or so it seemed.His lectures were all in a very quiet and gentle tone.While delivering a lecture he would frequently and repeatedly keep lifting his right index finger,as one does in prayer.He was very gentle, relaxed but extremely focused in his manners.He was happy answering questions covering topics like pornography and music.He would sometimes relate an interesting incident or a quote and make the audience smile.

At the end of the Suhba, he stood up and tried kissing the hands of all the men.Some were new to the tariq and didn`t know exactly how to go about it.During all of this one could see the Sheikh smiling and meeting strangers with so much warmth and enthusiasm , like one would meet one`s family.

He spoke of Allah quite differently too, as someone who knew Him and someone who was simply "out of his mind" in his love for Him.

May Allah swt preserve him.

The Seal and Signature

2007-09-01T04:36:00.000-07:00

Don`t you just love his seal and signature? Subhan Allah.May Allah swt preserve him.

SunniPath in Leeds

2007-08-27T04:41:00.000-07:00

Recently some of us spent four days in Leeds in the company of the awliya and the master.In the gathering were representatives of SunniPath as well.

We met Sidi Zaheer and quickly realised we had seen him Live in one of the Orientation sessions ,in the beginning of this semester.Took a lot of us some time to believe that the person behind the camera was in our midst.The brother mentioned Ustadha Noura being there as well and almost everyone [SunniPath students of course] sighed in awe.

Having read about Ustadha Noura and having heard her do some Live sessions,it takes one quite some time to believe that the teacher is extremely polite, friendly and humble in her manners.Extremely eloquent as well.

She was kind enough to give the sisters a small lecture on "Love of the Prophet Muhammed" [Allah bless him and give him peace].SubhanAllah ,it was an excellent lecture.She mentioned the tree against which the Prophet [Allah bless him and give him peace] leaned against and how it cried once the Prophet [Allah bless him and give him peace] left it.SubhanAllah,one could see tears of emotion in her eyes as she mentioned Allah`s beloved friend.

In a lot of ways one feels that it is the hal or the state of the teachers at SunniPath along with their sound academic back ground that makes them so different from a lot of other Islamic organisations.They come across as perhaps the humblest and politest.More importantly they treat and talk to you at your level and help you move ahead in a steady , firm and consistent manner.

After a couple of months , one sits back and realises how much SunniPath has helped one evolve.Some of it has to do with just being in the company of the righteous.May Allah swt help the academy and all its staff.Ameen.

You

2007-08-26T15:02:00.000-07:00

The moon and the stars are so beautiful
More beautiful than them are your Awliya

More beautiful than them are your Ambiya
And thus one wonders how beautiful must You be!

[PS.Picture taken from http://www.hoax-slayer.com/images/north-pole-moon2.jpg]

The world with all it colours

2007-08-08T17:08:00.000-07:00

The world was once so beautiful
with so much splendour and so many colours

Yet ,it now stands as a sphere
wherein one only seeks You

What beauty shall one compare You with
What words will do justice to Your splendour

No eye has witnessed
No thoughts can ever reach

The glory and majesty that truly is Yours
And everything else has faded away

Sheikh Hamza Yusuf writes about Florence Nightingale

2007-08-08T14:25:00.000-07:00

"Florence would have found a kindred soul in Islam`s Rabia Adawiyya, the great 9th century Basran mystic who refused marriage several times, preferring passionate love of God as a devotional path instead".

Ya Allah ,please preserve Sheikh Hamza Yusuf.Verily in this day and age there are very few people as beautiful and blessed as the Sheikh.

The Subtle Blessings..

2007-07-27T16:06:00.000-07:00

Know that when God`s friends first embark on the Sufi path, God empowers other people over them in order to purge them of what remains of their spiritual vices and weaknesses, and in order for their virtues to be brought to perfection.He also deals with them in this manner lest they rely on other human beings.Someone who does you harm frees you from slavery to his kindness, whereas someone who shows you kindness enslaves you by putting you in his debt.The Messenger of God [Allah bless him and give him peace] declaired, "Hearts are naturally disposed to love those who treat them with kindness."
He also said , "If someone does you a favor, reward him , and if you are unable to do that , then call down blessings upon him."
The purpose behind all of this is thus to free the servant`s heart from other people`s benevolence, thereby enabling him to attach himself [solely] to the true Sovereign.

From "The Subtle Blessings in the Saintly Lives of Sheikh Abu Al-Abbas Al Mursi and His Master Sheikh Abu Al-Hasan by Sidi Ibn Ata Allah".
May Allah be well pleased with them all and bless them all.

The Story of Sa`d al-Din (May Allah be well pleased with him)

2007-07-15T00:49:00.000-07:00

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate.

One of the great theologians of Islam, Imam Adud al-Din al-Iji ,author of al-Mawaqif had a student in his class called Sa`d al-Din . This student was so stupid that people would start laughing whenever he raised his hand to ask a question. He would ask the stupidest questions and the most bizarre things. This student was so feeble of understanding that whenever Imam Adud al-Din al-Iji used to refer to someone who did not understand he would say “like our friend Sa`d al-Din ”.

This was not even an insult since Sa`d al-Din himself acknowledged that he did not understand.

However Sa`d al-Din was sincere in his desire for knowledge. He was consistent. He would always come to class, without failure. He took the right means. He prepared, reviewed and asked his questions. One day he had a dream that someone came to his little room , knocked on his door and said “Sa`d al-Din come quickly to the woods with me”. Sa`d al-Din refused saying that he was a student of Imam Adud al-Din al-Iji , that he had to prepare for his class and did not have any time to waste. The person who had knocked on the door went away. The second night the same thing happened.

On the third night the person knocked and said “Sa`d al-Din come quickly to the woods_ the Prophet (may peace and blessings be upon him) has been waiting for you for three days”. Sa`d al-Din came out of his room and went to the woods. There he saw Prophet Muhammed (may peace and blessings be upon him) with a number of his senior companions (may Allah be well pleased with them).The Prophet said “Sa`d al-Din I`ve been waiting for you”. Sa`d al-Din spoke out his heart to the Prophet saying “O Prophet of Allah , I`m trying to learn but I`m not getting my knowledge.” The Prophet (may peace and blessings be upon him) placed his hand on Sa`d al-Din`s chest or shoulder, and the dream ended.

The next day when Sa`d al-Din raised his hand in the class to ask a question ,people were about to laugh but the question turned out to be quite brilliant. He later also answered a question by Imam Adud al-Din al-Iji.

After the class Imam Adud al-Din al-Iji said to him “ Sa`d al-Din you`re not the same Sa`d al-Din that you were yesterday”.

By the barakah of his consistency Allah swt opened the gates of knowledge,Divine facilitation and success for Sa`d al-Din . Sa`d al-Din became Sa`d al-Din al-Taftazani. ,one of the greatest theologians of Islam. His work in Islamic belief ,to this day forms the central part of the curriculum of the study of aqeeda across the Islamic world.

This story was narrated by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani in a Live Session for LAW110 2H [the Hanafi Fiqh Course at SunniPath] in Feb 07.

May Allah help us learn from the lives of the Scholars.Insh`Allah.

Is Allah's wrath and curse upon me, for I have sinned in really bad ways

2007-07-10T11:45:00.000-07:00

On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say:

"Allah the Almighty said:

`O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it.'"

Answered by Ustadha Zaynab Ansari.

Is it true that if you do not pray one of the 5 salats, then the rest are not accepted?

2007-07-06T05:33:00.000-07:00

Answered by Ustadha Zaynab Ansari.

Is Coca Cola Haram?

2007-07-06T05:31:00.000-07:00

Answered by Sheikh Faraz Rabbani.

'We are a healing profession, we do not maim or kill'

2007-07-05T11:40:00.000-07:00

"We are a healing profession," said Prasad Rao, chairman of the British International Doctors Association. "It shocked me to hear that a doctor could remotely be connected to the people who are trying to kill and maim people for no reason. Whatever the doctor's race, colour or creed, it is a totally appalling thing to do.

"A doctor's duty, even if he finds an injured terrorist, is to give medical help. You never knowingly help or assist an individual to kill and maim others. You take the Hippocratic oath and you do not discriminate on the basis of colour or gender or religion."

Muslim leaders organise anti-terror rally

2007-07-04T15:13:00.000-07:00

'Condemnation is not enough'

2007-07-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

"Those who seek to deliberately kill or maim innocent people are the enemies of us all. There is no cause whatsoever that could possibly justify such barbarity."

Muhammad Abdul Bari, the secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain.

Reflecting on Glasgow`s terror attack

2007-07-02T13:25:00.000-07:00

"This alien religion", "I had one of them in the back of my cab", "they want to take over the world", "their religion preaches terror", and "we have decided to boycott the corner shop."

This wasn't some hardline American rhetoric; this was BBC Radio Scotland. I fall back into my father's journey.

By Sidi Na`eem Raza ,President of the Islamic Society of Britain (Glasgow).

Not in my name

2007-07-02T11:03:00.001-07:00

I`ve been quite upset at the events that have been happening recently.
I wish muslims [the vast majority for sure] have the courage to stand up and clearly state that "Terrorism is absolutely wrong and has nothing to do with Islam".

I`m not sure how this may happen though.Terrorism is not a solution to anything.Human life is precious, in any colour , form ,race or gender.Life is a gift from Allah and we need to value it.

Almost all muslim scholars have stood up and said that Islam has nothing to do with terrorism.As a community, it is a responsibility for all of us to stand up against up against this grossly evil sin.

Not in our name.

Peace-everyone.

Using The Left Hand For Dhikr

2007-07-01T15:33:00.000-07:00

Answered by Sheikh Faraz Rabbani.

Islamic Statements Against Terrorism

2007-07-01T15:09:00.000-07:00

"...That rage, that desire to self annihilation, to lash out and the men, women and children, whoever in the vicinity, is now becoming a global epidemic. And the ‘ulama who opened the little door now see these legions rushing through it in every place don’t know what to do about it. That door has to be closed. Islam is too good for such practices, for such baseness, for such wild expression of futility and despair and vindictiveness."

Sheikh Abd al-Hakim Murad.

Muslim Sacred Texts Condemning Wanton Destruction and Indiscriminate Killing

2007-07-01T04:55:00.000-07:00

By Sidi Suheil Laher.

Experiential Knowledge of the Divine

2007-06-30T15:16:00.000-07:00

by Sheikh Nuh Keller.

May Allah swt preserve him.

"Reflections on Eternal Life"

2007-06-30T07:18:00.000-07:00

A free Live Event today on SunniPath

For more details see www.sunnipath.com

Qassida Mudariyya

2007-06-30T07:11:00.000-07:00

by Sheikh Diya

Qasida Muhammadiyya & Bi Mawlid al-Hadi Qad Daa'a

2007-06-30T07:07:00.000-07:00

By Sheikh Diya

Tala al Badru Alayna

2007-06-30T07:04:00.000-07:00

By Shaam ,Live in concert.

Jood Alayna

2007-06-30T07:01:00.000-07:00

By Shaam

Link http://www.yamustafa.com/shaaminconcert.htm

Knowledge

2007-06-30T06:05:00.000-07:00

'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Allah will not take away knowledge from His servants, but knowledge will be taken away as the men of knowledge are taken away until there is not a single man of knowledge left. Then people will take ignorant men for their leaders who will be asked something and give a fatwa (decision) without any knowledge. They will go astray and lead others astray.'" [Agreed upon]

Source
http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=1797&CATE=131

Gratitude in the Face of Calamity

2007-06-29T17:53:00.000-07:00

Gratitude in the Face of Calamity by Imam Zaid Shakir

Link

http://www.zaytuna.org/articleDetails.asp?articleID=82

The Burda of al-Busiri

2007-06-29T17:47:00.000-07:00

"The Burda by al-Busiri is arguably the greatest classic poem in the Arabic language in praise of the character and exalted rank of the prophet Mohammad (peace and blessings be upon him) composed by Imam al-Busiri in the 13th century CE in Mamluke Egypt it has been recited ever since throughout Muslim lands from east to west and north to south, and has always been perceived as containing real benefits, blessings and miracles."

Source http://www.alhambraproductions.com/burda.php#

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http://www.alhambraproductions.com/shopping/product_details.php?product_id=145