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tawakkull · 6 months

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ISLAM 101: Spirituality in Islam: Part 166

Shukr (Thankfulness)

Literally meaning gladness felt about and gratitude shown for the good done to one, Sufis use shukr to mean using one’s body, abilities, feelings, and thoughts bestowed upon one to fulfill the purpose of his or her creation: being thankful to the Creator for what He has bestowed. Such thankfulness is to be reflected in the person’s actions or daily life, in speech and in the heart, by admitting that all things are directly from Him, and by feeling gratitude for them.

One may thank God verbally by only depending upon His power and strength, as well as upon His bestowal or withholding of favors, and acknowledging that all good and bounties come from Him. As He alone creates all good, beauty, and bounty, as well as the means by which they can be obtained, only He sends them at the appropriate time.

Since He alone determines, apportions, creates, and spreads [all our provisions] before us as “heavenly tables,” He alone deserves our gratitude and thanks. Attributing our attainment of His bounties to our own or to another’s means or causes, in effect thereby proclaiming that He is not the true Owner, Creator, and Giver of all bounty, is like giving a huge tip to the servant who lays before us a magnificent table and ignoring the host who is responsible for having it prepared and sent to us. Such an attitude reflects sheer ignorance and ingratitude, as mentioned in: They know only the outward face of the life of the world (apparent to them), and they are completely unaware of (its face looking to) the Hereafter (30:7).

True thankfulness in one’s heart is manifested through the conviction and acknowledgment that all bounties are from God, and then ordering one’s life accordingly. One can thank God verbally and through one’s daily life only if personally convinced, and if one willingly acknowledges that his or her existence, life, body, physical appearance, and all abilities and accomplishments are from God, as are all of the bounties obtained and consumed. This is stated in: Do you not see that God has made serviceable unto you whatsoever is in the skies and whatsoever is in the earth, and has loaded you with His bounties seen or unseen? (31:20), and: He gives you of all that you ask Him; and if you reckon the bounties of God, you can never count them (14:34).

Bodily thankfulness is possible by using one’s organs, faculties, and abilities for the purposes for which they were created, and in performing the duties of servanthood falling on each. On the other hand, some have stated that verbal thankfulness means daily recitation of portions of the Qur’an, prayers, supplications, and God’s Names. Thankfulness by the heart means that one is certain or convinced of the truth of the Islamic faith and straightforwardness. Practical or bodily thankfulness, according to others, means observing all acts of worship. Since thankfulness relates directly to all aspects or branches of belief and worship, it is regarded as half of the faith. With respect to this inclusiveness, it is considered together with patience, meaning that according to some people, thankfulness and patience are considered as the two halves of religious life.

In His eternal Speech, God Almighty repeatedly commands thankfulness and, as in the phrases so that you may give thanks (2:52) and God will reward the thankful (3:144), presents it as the purpose of creation and of sending religion. In such verses as: If you are thankful I will add more unto you. But if you show ingratitude My punishment is terrible indeed (14:7), He has promised abundant reward to the thankful and threatened the ungrateful with a terrible punishment. One of His own Names is the All-Thanking, which shows us that the way to obtain all bounties or favors is through thankfulness, which He returns with abundant reward. He exalts the Prophets Abraham and Noah, upon them be peace, saying: (Abraham was) thankful for His bounties (16:121) and Assuredly, he (Noah) was a grateful servant (17:3).

Although thankfulness is a religious act of great importance and significant “capital,” few people truly do it: Few of My servants are thankful (34:13). Very few people live in full awareness of the duty of thankfulness, saying: Shall I not be a servant grateful (to my Lord)?, and try their best to perform their duty of thankfulness and order their lives accordingly.

The glory of humanity, upon him be peace and blessings, whose soles swelled because of his long supererogatory prayer vigils (tahajjud), was a matchless hero of thankfulness. On one occasion, he told his wife ‘A’isha: Shall I not be a servant grateful to God? He always thanked God and recommended thankfulness to his followers, and prayed to God every morning and evening, saying: O God. Help me mention You, thank You, and worship You in the best way possible.114

Thankfulness is the deep gratitude and devotion of one who, receiving His bounties or favors, directs these feelings toward the One Who bestows such blessing, and the subsequent turning to Him in love, appreciation, and acknowledgment. The above Prophetic saying expresses this most directly.

People are thankful for many things: the provisions, home, and family with which they have been favored; wealth and health; belief, knowledge of God, and the spiritual pleasures bestowed on them; and the consciousness with which God favored them so they could open themselves to the knowledge that they must be thankful. If those who are thankful for such a consciousness use their helplessness and destitution as “capital” and thank Him continuously, they will be among the truly thankful. It is narrated from God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, that

The Prophet David, upon him be peace, asked God Almighty: O Lord. How can I be thankful to You, since thanking You is another favor that requires thankfulness? The Almighty responded: Just now you have done it.

I think this is what is expressed in: We have not been able to thank You as thanking You requires, O All-Thanked One.

One can be thankful by recognizing and appreciating Divine favors, for feeling gratitude to the One Who bestows favors depends to a great extent on due recognition and appreciation of them. Belief and Islam (including the Qur’an) lead one to recognize and appreciate favors and thus turn to God in gratitude. One can be more aware of these favors, and that they are given to us by God out of His mercy for our helplessness and inability to meet our own needs, in the light of belief and Islamic practices. This awareness urges us to praise the One Who bestows upon us those favors and bounties that we consume. Awakening to the meaning of: As for the favor of Your Lord, proclaim it (93:11), we feel a deep need to be grateful and thankful.

Everyone is naturally inclined to praise the good and the one who does good to him or her. However, until this feeling is aroused there is no awareness of being favored by someone else, just as fish are not conscious of living in water. Furthermore, these favors may be attributed to the means and causes used to obtain them. If it is blindness and deafness not to see and appreciate the favors we continuously receive, then it must be an unforgivable deviation to attribute them to various blind, deaf, and unfeeling means and causes. The Prophetic statements: One who does not thank for the little does not thank for the abundant, and: One who does not thank people does not thank God, express blindness and deafness to favors and remind us of the importance of being thankful. Such verses as: Mention Me so that I will mention you, and give thanks to Me and do not be ungrateful to Me (2:152), and: Worship Him and give Him thanks (29:17) tell us that it is God Who truly deserves to be thanked, and also remind us of His absolute Unity.

Thankfulness can be divided into three categories. The first category consists of thankfulness for those things that everyone, regardless of religion or spiritual attainment, desires. The second category consists of thankfulness for those things that, although apparently disagreeable or displeasing, reveal their true nature to those who can see them as favors requiring gratitude.

The third category of thankfulness is that kind performed by those who are loved by God and view favors or bounties from the perspective of the One Who bestows them. They spend their lives in spiritual pleasure that begins in observing God’s manifestation of Himself through His favors, and take the greatest pleasure in worshipping Him. Although they are always enraptured with the spiritual delight flowing from their love of Him, they are extremely careful of their relationship with Him. Such people constantly strive to preserve the Divine blessings that have been bestowed upon them, and always search for what they have missed. While they constantly deepen their belief, love, and gratitude along the way toward Him, the “nets of their sight” are filled with different blessings and gifts.

O God! Include us among Your servants whom You love, have made sincere, and have brought unto You. Grant peace and blessings to our Master, the Master of those loved, made sincere, and brought near unto You.

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lifeofresulullah · 10 days

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The Life of The Prophet Muhammad(pbuh): Farewell Hajj and the Death of the Prophet (pbuh)

The Last Days of the Prophet Narrated by His Close Relatives

Hazrat Aisha narrates one of her memoirs with the Prophet as follows:

“When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) came to my house, I had a pain in my head. Due to the severity of the pain, I said, ‘O my head!’

When the Messenger of Allah heard it, he said, ‘It is not important; why are you sorry? If you die before me, I will enshroud you and perform your janazah prayer.’

I said, ‘Do you want my death?’”

Hazrat Aisha spoke like that because she did not understand that the Prophet was joking.

The Messenger of Allah ended his joke as follows:

“O Aisha! Your headache will be all right. The real headache is mine; it is very difficult to recover it from now on.”

The Prophet and Hazrat Abu Bakr

Hazrat Abu Bakr, who was always at the peak of loyalty to the Prophet everywhere, went to the presence of the Messenger of Allah and stated that it would be an honor for him to serve him as follows:

“O Messenger of Allah! If you let me, I want to serve you when you are ill.”

The Messenger of Allah did not let him but his answer conquered Abu Bakr’s heart:

“O Abu Bakr! You have already received the reward for the service that you wanted to do. However, if I let others service me when I am ill, my daughter and my wives will be sorry.”

The Gravest Illness, the Greatest Pain

The Prophet could not lie still in his bed due to the severity of his illness and the high fever. He was turning to the right and left in his bed.

Those who were near him said, “O Messenger of Allah! If one of us showed that he suffered so much pain, you would scold him.”

The Messenger of Allah said,

“My illness is not like the ones that you know. Allah inflicts the most severe troubles, illnesses and misfortunes on His righteous and believing slaves. However, due to that trouble, illness and misfortune, He elevates the rank of that person and eliminates his sins.”

Hazrat Aisha said,

“We have never seen an illness more difficult and severe than the illness of the Messenger of Allah.”

Ibn Mas’ud Narrates

Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud describes the severity of the illness of the Prophet as follows:

“I went to the presence of the Prophet when his body was shaking due to the severity of the fever. I said,

‘O Messenger of Allah! You are suffering a lot due to the severity of the fever. O Messenger of Allah! This fever gives you double pain; it will definitely give you double reward.’ He approved what I said as follows:

‘Yes. There is no Muslim who suffers an illness and whose sins Allah does not shed like a tree sheds its leaves.’”

Umm Bishr Narrates

Umm Bishr, Bishr b. Bara’s mother, who visited the Messenger of Allah when he was ill, narrates what she saw as follows:

“I went to see the Messenger of Allah. When I saw the severe temperature in his body, I could not help saying,

‘O Messenger of Allah! I have never seen such a fever.’

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

‘Our illness is more severe than the illnesses of other people but the reward that we will get will be more.’”

The Messenger of Allah Wants Pen and Paper to Have Something Written

It was the month of Rabiul-Awwal, 8, Thursday…

The most painful moments of the illness of the Messenger of Allah… There were Hazrat Umar and some other people around him. He said, “Bring me pen and paper; I will write you something so that you will never deviate from your way after that.”

Hazrat Umar said, “His illness is dominant over the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). We have the Quran. Allah’s book is enough for us.”

They hesitated to bring pen and paper.

Some people confirmed the words of Umar. Others thought it was necessary to bring pen and paper. When the Messenger of Allah noticed that there was a disagreement, he said, “Leave me. Do not argue near me. Leave me alone.”

Thus, what the Messenger of Allah wanted to be written could not be written.

The Day When His Illness Gets Better

The disease of the Messenger of Allah was getting worse day by day and hour by hour. Once, he wanted cold water. He had the water poured on his body.

After that, he felt a bit relieved. When he noticed it, he leaned on Hazrat Ali and Fadl b. Abbas and went to the mosque. He ascended to the pulpit and sat there. He addressed the Companions as follows:

“O people! I have heard that you panic because I will die. No prophet lived eternally among their ummah; how should I live? Know that I will meet my Lord soon; you will meet Him, too.

O Ansar! I advise you to do favors to muhajirs.

O muhajirs! I advise you to do favors to Ansar. They helped you. They allowed you to their land. They entertained you in their houses. Although they were in financial difficulty, they helped you. If any of you rules them, he should do favors to them.

O people! Everything happens in accordance with the pre-eternal divine will of God Almighty. Do not try to overcome Allah’s qada and qadar; you will be defeated. Do not try to trick God Almighty; you will be the one that loses. I am compassionate and merciful to you. You will meet me again. The place where we will meet is near the Pond of Kawthar. If you want to meet me near the Pond of Kawthar, keep your hands and tongues away from unnecessary things.

O people! Know it very well that committing sins causes to change bounties and kismets. If the majority of the people are good, their administrators will treat them justly. If the people tend to disobey and commit sins, their administrators will tend to oppress them and treat them unjustly.”

After this address, the Prophet went to Aisha’s house and went to bed.

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basicsofislam · 14 days

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THE FEMALE COMPANIONS OF THE PROPHET (PBUH): Part 17

HAMNA BINT JAHSH (radhiallahu anha)

Hz. Hamna was the daughter of Umayma bint Abdulmuttalib, the paternal aunt of the Prophet. She was also the sister of Zaynab bint Jahsh, one of the wives of the Prophet. Thus, she was the sister-in-law of the Prophet. She became a Muslim in the first years of Islam. She was loyal to the Prophet with her heart. She was married to Mus’ab bin Umayr, one of the great Companions. They led a happy life.

Hz. Mus’ab took part in the battle of Uhud and fought heroically.

The Muslims were about to gain a big victory but when the archers located by the Messenger of Allah left their places, the course of the battle changed. The Muslims were defeated. It was also rumored that the Messenger of Allah was martyred.

When the female Companions who were in Madinah heard this, they ran to the battlefront. Hamna bint Jahsh, the wife of Mus’ab bin Umayr, was also among them. When they heard that the Messenger of Allah was alive, they became very happy.

However, Hz. Mus’ab was martyred. In addition, Hz. Hamna’s brother Abdullah bin Jahsh and her maternal uncle Hz. Hamza was also martyred. The Prophet wanted to give this news to Hamna himself. When Hamna came over to him, he said,

“O Hamna! Show patience and seek reward from Allah!”

Hamna said,

“O Messenger of Allah! For whom shall I show patience?”

The Prophet said,

“For your maternal uncle Hamza.”

Hz. Hamna was a woman who believed in qadar. She said,

“We are slaves of Allah and we will return to Him. May Allah show him mercy and forgive him! May Allah give him glad tidings and rejoice him with the reward of martyrdom!”

The Prophet said,

“O Hamna! Show patience and seek reward from Allah!”

Hamna said,

“O Messenger of Allah! For whom shall I show patience?”

The Prophet said,

“For your brother.”

Hz. Hamna said in patience and resoluteness,

“We are slaves of Allah and we will return to Him. May Allah show him mercy and forgive him! May Allah give him glad tidings and rejoice him with the reward of martyrdom!”

The Prophet said,

"O Hamna! Show patience and seek reward from Allah!”

Hamna said in suspense,

“O Messenger of Allah! For whom shall I show patience?”

The Prophet said,

“For Mus’ab bin Umayr.”

Hz. Hamna, who had not lost her patience and resoluteness up to that time, changed suddenly. She thought about her children and started to cry by saying,

Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

“There is no doubt that a man has a different place in the eye of his wife. Hamna showed patience and resoluteness when she heard about the death of her maternal uncle and brother but she could not maintain her resoluteness when she heard the death of her husband.”( Sirah, 3: 104. )

Hz. Hamna could not show the same patience for her husband but she did not oppose qadar. She calmed down with the prayer and consolation of the Messenger of Allah.

Hamnah later married Talha bin Ubaydullah, one of the ten Companions who were given the good news that they would go to Paradise. They led a happy life. They had two children called Muhammad and Imran.

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sunanannasai · 1 month

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Sunan an Nasa’i: The Book of Fasting, Book 22, Hadith 2420

It was narrated from Jarir bin 'Abdullah that the Prophet said:

"Fasting three days of each month is fasting for a lifetime, and the shining days of Al-Bid, the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth."

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sahihmuslim · 4 days

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Enjoining Good Manners, and Joining of the Ties of Kinship, Book 45, Hadith 169

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying that there was a tree which caused inconvenience to the Muslims; a person came there and cut that (tree) (and thus entered ) Paradise).

Enjoining Good Manners, and Joining of the Ties of Kinship, Book 45, Hadith 169

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questionsonislam · 3 days

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How should we spend holy nights? What should we do in order to gain Allah's content?

There are some important means of deserving forgiveness and intercession, earning thawabs, advancing in religion, being safe from troubles and problems and gaining Allah’s content, which can be –and necessary to be- applied in holy nights. It will be useful to remember some of them in short and with the list below in general:

1. One should read the Quran and listen to the ones who read. There should be Quran-citing invitations held in appropriate places. The feelings of love, respect and loyalty for the words of Allah, i.e. the Quran should be renewed and strengthened.

2. One should send compliments (salawat) to the Prophet and renew his/her awareness of being one of his followers, and hope for his intercession.

3. One should perform qada and nafilah (supererogatory) prayers. If there are prayers exclusive to that night, they can be performed as well. Holy nights should be spent with prayers and with consciousness of kindness in prayers, in accordance with their essence.

4. One should meditate; “Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going to? What does Allah expect from me?” are the main issues which one should contemplate, besides other important matters.

4. One should make an account and revision of her/his past and outline the plan and program of the present and the future.

5. One should repent her/his sins sincerely and should regret and turn to the Lord, considering that night as the last chance.

6. One should perform invocations (dhikr) and supplications to Allah.

7. Believers should make amends with and forgive each other, and assure their content with others.

8. Resentful and offended people should be reconciled; people should be pleased, and sorrowful faces should be given a smile.

9. One should pray for the good of himself and for other Muslim brothers and sisters mentioning their names.

10. One should ask the news of those who have got rights over himself and the necessities of moral quality of fidelity and gratefulness should be fulfilled.

11. One should visit the poor, orphans, the sick and the elderly people and please them with love, compassion, respect, gifts and charity.

12. Verses, hadiths about that night and comments of them should be read from the books about them individually or in groups.

13. Religious meetings, panels and conversations should be organized, ;advices of preachers should be listened; poems should be recited and a different feeling should be evoked in hearts with religious songs and hymns.

14. Prayers of maghrib, isha’a and fajr should be performed in groups in mosques, at holy nights.

15. Tombs of the Companions, scholars and saints should be visited and they should be pleased, and supplications should be made to Allah in the spiritual atmosphere of their tombs.

16. One should visit their dead relatives’, friends’ and ancestors’ graves, which is a requirement of faith brotherhood.

17. One should wish their elderly people, masters, parents, friends and other acquaintances blessed holy nights, by visiting them in person or by phoning, faxing and e-mailing to them.

18. If possible, one should fast the day before the holy nights.

There is not an exclusive way of praying for holy nights. Holy nights can be spent with prayers (salat), reading the Quran, supplications and other kinds of worship… Some special prayers performed at holy nights are not present in sunnah; and they are not based on a notable narration either. Nevertheless, it does not mean that “it is makrooh to perform prayers at those nights”. There are many narrations encouraging tahajjud and nafilah prayers. Of course, it is more virtuous to perform them at holy nights.”

Moreover, it is unobjectionable to perform prayers which are said to be exclusive to holy nights additionally; it makes one earn thawabs.

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risalei-nur · 28 days

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The Words - The First Word - Part 2

Bismillah is a blessed treasure. It transforms your boundless weakness and poverty, by binding you to the All-Powerful and Merciful One’s infi- nite Power and Mercy, into the most heeded intercessor at His Exalted Court. When you say bismillah, you act in His name. You are like a soldier acting in the state’s name, fearing no one, doing all things in the name of the law and the state, and persisting against all odds.

How does everything recite bismillah through its very mode of exis- tence? For example: A stranger arriving in a city can order its people to gather at a certain place to work on a certain task. If this order is obeyed, the stranger obviously is acting in the name of the ruler’s strength and authority, not his own. In the same way, everything acts in the name of God, the All-Mighty. Small seeds and grains carry huge trees on their heads and raise weights as heavy as mountains. Each tree says bismillah and, filling its hands with fruit from Mercy’s treasury, offers them to us on a tray. Each garden, a cooking pot from the Divine Power’s kitchen where count- less varieties of delicious foods are prepared, says bismillah.

All blessed animals (e.g., cows, camels, sheep, and goats) say bismillah and become fountains of milk from Mercy’s abundance. They offer us, in the All-Providing’s name, a most delicate and pure food like the water of life. Every plant and blade of grass, every root and stem, says bismillah. All plant, tree, and grass roots and fibers, soft as silk, say bismillah and pierce hard stones and soil. Mentioning His Name, the Name of the All-Merciful, subjects everything to them.

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riyad-as-salihin · 11 months

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Riyad as-Salihin, The Book of Knowledge, Book 12, Hadith 4

Chapter: Virtues of Knowledge which is Learnt and Taught for the sake of Allah

Sahl bin Sa'd (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said to 'Ali (May Allah be pleased with him), "By Allah, if a single person is guided by Allah through you, it will be better for you than a whole lot of red camels." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

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jami-attirmidhi · 3 months

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JAMI’at-TIRMIDHI: The Book on Legal Punishments: Hadith 1834

Narrated 'Ubadah bin As-Samit:

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Take from me. For Allah has a way made for them : For the married person who commits adultery with a married person is one hundred lashes, then stoning. And for the virgin who commits adultery with a virgin is one hundred lashes and banishment for a year."

Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1434

In-book reference: Book 17, Hadith 14

English translation : Vol. 3, Book 15, Hadith 1434

#allah #god #islam #muslim #quran #revert #convert #convert islam'#revert islam #reverthelp #revert help #revert help team #help #islamhelp #converthelp #how to convert to islam #convert to islam #welcome to islam

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everyday-quote · 6 months

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I know of no action that draws one close to Allah than good deeds to ones parents.

Ibn Abbas (Radiallahu anhu)

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daily-hadith · 1 month

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Daily Hadith

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam ‘ala Rasulillah

Narrated Abu Musa (Radi-Allahu 'anhu):

The Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) said, “Free the captives, feed the hungry and pay a visit to the sick.”

Bukhari Vol. 4 : No. 282

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tawakkull · 3 days

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ISLAM 101: Spirituality in Islam: Part 224

Knowledge

Knowledge (‘ilm) means information obtained through the human senses or through the Revelations or inspiration of God. It is also used to denote information that is in agreement with facts or realities, and to denote understanding something with its real, whole meaning and content. In addition, we come across usage of this term in the simple sense of thinking, under-standing, comprehension, and conclusions drawn as a result of such mental processes. Sometimes the word knowledge can even mean familiarity.

Although it is well known which aspect of the term knowledge in Islamic Sufism is most relevant in the context of this book, we deem it useful to mention some secondary matters, such as the different types of knowledge and its sources.

Knowledge, first of all, is dealt with in two categories: knowledge without means or knowledge that is had without being acquired, and knowledge that is acquired through some means.

Every living being has its own peculiar characteristics and potentials. These characteristics and potentials are the sources of certain, innate knowledge, knowledge a creature has without having to acquire it. (The modern scientific term for this kind of knowledge is instinct.) A human being’s being able to sense and perceive a lack of air, thirst, hunger, grief and joy, etc., a baby’s knowledge of how to nurse, a bird’s knowledge of how to fly and build nests, a fish’s knowledge of how to swim, young animals’ knowledge of how to avoid dangers, in short, these types of knowledge, knowledge of how to deal with the necessities of life, fall into the category of knowledge without means.

Knowledge acquired through the internal and external senses is included in the second category. Knowledge concern-ing the physical world is usually obtained through the five external senses–sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch–while knowledge about the metaphysical or incorporeal realm of existence is acquired through internal senses–the mind and heart with their faculties of thought, reason, spiritual discovery and experience, intuition, etc.

As for the sources of knowledge or means of acquiring it, these consist of three, according to Islam:

The five external senses, provided they are sound.

True reports, of which there are two kinds: reports unanimously given by a group of truthful people of such a number that it is inconceivable that they have agreed to lie, and reports given by the Messengers of God, whom He has sent with special messages.

The third source of knowledge is reason. Axiomatic knowledge and the knowledge reached by using the mental faculties are included in this kind of knowledge.

Knowledge is also divided into two groups: that which is acquired through the mental faculties, and that which is reported knowledge. The first can be divided up into three categories:

Knowledge of such matters as health and education, which in Islam are regarded as incumbent upon every individual or a group of people in the community, according to the time and conditions.

Another kind of knowledge acquired through the mental faculties is knowledge of which Islam disapproves. Sorcery, divination and occult sciences are of this kind.

Sciences, such as geometry, mathematics, medicine, physics, chemistry, and history are included in the third category, the study of which Islam regards as obligatory on the community in order to discover God’s laws of the creation and operation of the universe and for the well-being of the community.

Reported knowledge is of two kinds: knowledge based on spiritual discovery and inspiration and knowledge concerning Islam and Islamic life. The second kind has been separated under four heads:

The knowledge of the fundamental principles, which include knowledge of the Qur’an, Sunna (the Prophet’s way of life, sayings, and confirmations), the consensus of the scholars (ijma’) and analogy or deductive reasoning. These are the sources upon which the rules of the Shari’a are based.

The knowledge of the subdivisions, which includes the knowledge of worship (the Prescribed Prayer, the Prescribed Alms-giving, Fasting, Pilgrimage and so on), the daily life of the believers, marriage and relevant matters, such as divorce and alimony (civil law), and legal penalties (criminal law), etc.

Primary sciences, such as language, grammar, meaning, composition, and eloquence, which are ways to properly understand the religious sciences, such as Hadith (the sayings of the Prophet), the interpretation of the Qur’an, and jurisprudence.

The complementary or secondary sciences, i.e. the sciences additional to the sciences of the Qur’an. They consist of sciences relating to the wording and composition of the Qur’an, such as phonetics and recitation; the sciences pertaining to its meaning, such as interpretation and exegesis, and those relating to its commandments, such as the abrogating and the abrogated, the general and particular, the explicit and implicit, the real or literal and the metaphorical or allusive, the succinct and the detailed, the clear and the ambiguous, the direct and firm and the allegorical.

As for reported knowledge based on spiritual discovery and inspiration, it has also been dealt with under two heads: the knowledge that occurs in one’s heart as a gift from God, and the knowledge that arises in the conscience. What we will study among the topics of the “Emerald Hills of the Heart” is this kind of knowledge. Whether it is of the kind occurring in one’s heart as a gift from God or of the kind arising in the conscience, this knowledge is and must be based on the Qur’an and the Sunna. Any knowledge one finds in one’s heart or conscience which has not been filtered through these two pure sources is not reliable. It cannot be binding knowledge for either the individuals themselves or others, it cannot be considered as authentic, sound knowledge. This important point has been stressed by many great Sufi leaders. For example:

Junayd al-Baghdadi says: “All the ways that do not end in the Prophet are closed and do not lead to the truth.” He also reminds us: “Anyone who does not know the Book and the Sunna is not to be followed as a guide.”

Abu Hafs[1] explains: “Anyone who does not continually control him or herself in the light of the Book and the Sunna cannot be regarded as belonging to this way.”

Abu Sulayman al-Darani[2] warns: “I admit the truth of whatever occurs to the heart only provided it is confirmed by the Book and the Sunna.”

Abu Yazid al-Bistami[3] admonishes: “I struggled against my carnal self for almost thirty years and did not find anything more difficult for it to accept than the objective criteria of the Book and the Sunna. You should not be misled by anyone, even if they work wonders like flying through the air, rather you should consider their care in observing the limits set up by the Shari’a and following the commandments of the Book and the Sunna.”

Abu Sa’id al-Harraz[4] sums up the matter: “Any intuitive knowledge which is not compatible with the spirit of religion is false.”

Abu al-Qasim Nasrabadi[5] teaches: “The essence of the Sufi way is strict adherence to the Book and the Sunna, holding back from the misleading inclinations of the carnal self and innovations in religion, being able to overlook the faults of others, not becoming negligent in one’s daily recitations to glorify and praise the Almighty, being strict in fulfilling the religious commandments without applying special exceptions, and refraining from personal, insubstantial opinions regarding religion.”

The Sufi leaders give knowledge precedence over the spiritual state of the Sufis, because that state depends on knowledge. Knowledge is the heritage of the Prophets, and the scholars are the heirs thereto. The Prophetic saying, “The scholars are the heirs of the Prophets,”[6] is the highest of the ranks recognized for scholars.

The knowledge of the truth or knowledge that leads to the truth is the life of the heart, the light of the eye, the cause of the expansion of the breast (with peace, exhilaration, and spiritual happiness), the stimulus to activate reason, the source of pleasure for the spirit, the guide of those bewildered as to which way to follow, the intimate friend of the lonely, and an invaluable table of heavenly foods offered on the earth and one to which the angels show great respect.

Knowledge is an important step toward belief, a standard to distinguish between guidance and error and between certainty and doubt, and a Divine mystery manifesting the truly human aspects of a person.

There is no exaggeration in the following saying of a friend of God:

A human being is truly human with knowledge;

But without knowledge is entirely bestial.

Action without knowledge is purely ignorance;

So, O friend, you cannot find the Truth without knowledge.

By knowledge, the Sufis mean, rather than the familiarity that is reached with the mind, hearing and sight, the light and radiation that come from the realms beyond the material world and have their source in God’s Knowledge. This light pervades the spirit and bursts like flowers in the meadows of the innermost faculties of the person, and swells and flows in the gifts of the All-Eternal One. In order to be able to receive this Divine gift, one should, first of all, turn with all one’s inner world to the Eternal Sun and, freed from the influences of the body and carnal pleasures, lead a life at the level of heart and spirit, and open one’s breast to God, the Truth, with belief, love, and attraction, and then one should be able to rise to a level where one can be taught by God through inspiration.

As declared in the Divine declaration (18:65), We taught him knowledge of a special kind from Our Presence, God-inspired knowledge is the rain of mercy that pours down into the depths of a person’s inner world from the Realm of the Holy Presence– the Realm where those who are the nearest to God experience His Holy Presence–without any intermediary and veils. Deep devotion to God, sincere adherence and loyalty to Him as well as the Messenger, being sincerely well-pleased with whatever God decrees or causes to happen for one and trying to please Him, the sincerity and purity of intention in one’s acts or doing whatever one does only to please Him and because He wants us to do it, and having a heart pursuing certainty in the matters of belief over and over again–all this is what is required to be rewarded with God-inspired knowledge, especially in abundance.

Since the Prophets received Divine Revelation and were taught by Him, their knowledge is a God-inspired knowledge that comes from Him without any intermediary. As for the knowledge of purified, saintly scholars and other saintly persons, this is also a God-inspired knowledge, the only difference being that the source is the rays of light of the Prophetic knowledge. Khadr[7] is regarded as the foremost one in receiving this knowledge. However, he can only be so regarded for a certain period of time and spiritual rank and for the state particular to him. In certain particular matters, some people may be superior to those who are superior to them in general terms. Similarly, in certain particularities of God-inspired knowledge, Khadr is superior to those who are greater than him. He is in no way superior to either the Prophet Moses, upon him be peace,[8] or the other great Messengers.

As a Messenger charged with teaching people God’s commandments and guiding them in their lives so that they could attain happiness in both worlds, the Prophet Moses knew God’s commandments concerning the human individual and social life and the sensitive relation between them and the outward and inward aspects or dimensions of things. But, Khadr’s knowledge is restricted to the inward dimension of things. He points to this difference in his conversation with Moses: “Moses! I have a kind of knowledge which God has taught me and you do not possess, while you have another kind of knowledge which God has taught you and I do not possess.”[9]

In conclusion, God-inspired knowledge is the kind of knowledge which one cannot acquire by studying or being taught by others. It is a special gift from God and a kind of illumination, from a sacred source, that one finds in one’s heart. Rather than being the kind of knowledge about the Creator acquired by studying creation and which therefore leads from the created to the Creator, it is a kind that pours from the Maker to the conscious “works” of His art. It is even regarded as the emergence in the human spirit of the knowledge about some mysteries pertaining to God, the Truth, as special gifts from Him.

Anyway, it is always God Who knows best the truth in every matter.

[1] Abu Hafs ‘Amr b. Salama al-Haddad of Nishabur (d. 879). A blacksmith of Nishabur, visited Baghdad and met al-Junayd who admired his devotion. He also encountered al-Shibli and other Sufis of the Baghdad school. Returning to Nishapur, he resumed his trade and died there in 879. (Trans.)

[2] Abu Sulayman al-Darani (d. 830). An ascetic known for his weeping in worship. He was held in honour by the Sufis and was (called) the sweet basil of hearts (rayhan-i dilha). He is distinguished by his severe austerities. He spoke in subtle terms concerning the practice of devotion. (Trans.)

[3] Abu Yazid al-Bistami (d. 873): One of the greatest Sufi masters. Junayd said: “Abu Yazid holds the same rank among us as Gabriel among the angels.” His life was based on self-mortification and the practice of devotion. (Trans.)

[4] Abu Sa’id Ahmad ibn ‘Isa al-Kharraz of Baghdad, a cobbler by trade, met Dhu al-Nun al-Misri and associated with Bishr al-Khafi and Sari al-Saqati. Author of several books including some which have survived, the date of his death is uncertain but probably occurred between 892 and 899. (Trans.)

[5] Abu al-Qasim Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Mahmud al-Nasrabadi: One of the famous Sufi masters and scholars. (Trans.)

[6] Al-Bukhari, al-Jami’ al-Sahih, “‘Ilm,” 10.

[7] Khadr is he with whom the Qur’an recounts (18: 60-82) the Prophet Moses made a travel to learn something of the spiritual realm of existence and the nature of God’s acts in it. It is controversial whether he was a Prophet or a saint with special mission. It is believed that he enjoys the degree of life where one feels no need for the necessities of normal human life. (Trans.)

[8] The writer refers to the significant encounter and experience between Moses and Khadr that is recounted in the Qur’an, 18:60-82. (Trans.)

[9] Al-Bukhari, “Tafsir,” 18:4.

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lifeofresulullah · 5 days

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The Life of The Prophet Muhammad(pbuh): Before His Birth, His Birth and His Childhood

The Famous Grandfathers of the Prophet

Undoubtedly, we do not have much knowledge on all the ancestors who carried the Master of the Universe’s light as a Divine trust on their foreheads. The ancestors about whom we have the most knowledge are the ones who are closest in time. Here we will take a short glance at their lives and personalities.

Qusai

Qusai, the fourth grandfatherof the Holy Prophet and whose real name was Zayd, was a very important figure. He had only one male sibling by the name of Zuhra.

From these two siblings, Qusai was granted the honor of bearing the noor that came down from Hazrat Adam. From childhood, Qusai garnered much attention for his talents and grew up to be one of the leading figures of Mecca. In a short time, he gained much reliability amongst the people of Mecca for his fair decisions as well as his skills in governance and administration. For this reason, the governance of Mecca was given to him. He divided Mecca into districts for the first time. He situated every tribe into the district that he allocated for them. The most important decisions of Mecca were discussed and decided in his home. Important tasks such as safeguarding the Ka’aba, providing water for and hosting the pilgrims of Hajj, erecting the flag at times of war, and governing the Meccan assembly, were entrusted in him. The first house that was across from the Ka’aba and whose door faced the Ka’aba was specially constructed for Qusai. This house was a parliament, like a type of governmental building or the state of the Meccan city, where all sorts of works and issues were discussed. Historically, Qusai’s residency was known as “Daru’n-Nadwa” and it found fame with this name. It was conserved until half a century after the Hijra (migration).

Qusai was loved and respected by everyone without exception. The noor belonging to the Master of the Universe that he carried on his forehead, made him beloved to and the bosom friend of the Meccan people.

In accordance with the custom, Qusay handed over the role of the family chieftain to his oldest son, Abduddar when he got old and said, “My Beloved son, I appoint you as the chief of this tribe”.

However, Abduddar did not possess the skills to undertake such a great duty. Throughout his life he was unable to fill his father’s place because the noor of the Patron of the Universe was not shining on his forehead, but was on his younger brother’s, Abd Manaf who had four sons: Hashim, Abdusshams, Muttalib, and Nawfal.

Hashim

Hashim is the grandfather of the Holy Prophet from the second generation.

Hashim was a tradesman; he was one of the notables of Mecca’s gentry. As the birth date of the Holy Prophet was nearing, the noor of the Holy Prophet on his forehead was shining even brighter. In addition, he had eminent virtues.

He was extremely generous. During a year of drought, no bread could be found. He had snow-white bread made from the pure wheat he brought from Damascus, cut several camels and sheep, and offered a huge feast composed of bread, meat, gravy, and broth to the whole of Meccan people.

Because Hashim was of high moral character, aptitude, was wise, generous, virtuous, was loved and respected by everyone, and had a noble personality, his name became the title for his family and posterity. For this reason, they termed this great lineage that includes our master of the Universe as the “Hashemites”.

Hashim had four sons: Shaiba (Abdulmuttalib), Asad, Abu Sayfi, and Nadla.

Hashim’s progeny continued from his sons Shaiba and Asad. Shaiba is the Holy Prophet’s grandfather from the first generation whereas Asad is the uncle of Hazrati Ali’s mother, Fatimah.

However, when Hunain, who came from Asad’s progeny, did not have any descendants; every Hashemite was descended from Abdulmuttalib’s branch, proliferated, and spread across the Earth.

Shaiba (Abdulmuttalib)

Shaiba is the Holy Prophet’s grandfather from the first generation. Since he was born with white hair, the name “Shaiba” was given to him; he gained fame with his nickname, Abdulmuttalib and was mentioned more by this name.

The story of how he was given this nickname:

Shaiba stayed with his maternal uncles in Medina during his childhood. One day he and his neighborhood friends were throwing arrows with the other children in a public square in Medina. Amongst all the children, he was easily distinguished by the noor belonging to the Master of the Universe that shone on his forehead. There, a crowd of grownups gathered to watch the children compete.

It was Shaiba’s turn to throw an arrow. He placed the arrow in the bow and stretched the bow in a confident manner. For a moment, he stopped breathing and unleashed the bow. The arrow that sprung from the bow hit its exact aim. When everyone looked at him with amazement, he brought the following words to his tongue through the happiness and excitement that he felt with this success:

“I am Hashim’s son. I am Sir Betha’s son. Of course my arrow will find its target”.

The adults that came to watch heard Shaiba’s commendatory words. One of Harith bin Abd-Manaf sons came close to him and learnt that he was Hashim’s sons by cross-examining. On his return to Mecca, this man explained the situation to Muttalib and remarked that it was not right for such a talented and intelligent child to be left in a foreign province.

Upon hearing this news, Muttalib immediately went to Medina and brought Shaiba to Mecca. As Muttalib was arriving to Mecca with Shaiba on the back of his saddle, they asked:

“Who is this child?”

Muttalib was afraid that this child would be affected with the evil eye so the words “my slave” came out of his mouth.

When he arrived home, his wife, Khadija, asked the same question. Once more, the answer was “my slave”.

The next day Shaiba began to roam the streets of Mecca with the new and beautiful clothes that his uncle bought for him. Everyone became curious about his identity and began to ask questions. Those who knew answered, “Abdulmuttalib” (Abdulmuttalib’s slave).

Despite his identity being later revealed, his nickname remained “Abdul-Muttalib” from that day on.

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