tasmiq

[tasmiq]

Jumu'ah Sohbet: 26 April 2024

Onwards to this week's spiritual inspirations, Bismillah (with the name of Allah) ...

#1. During a difficult context in human history where we are witnessing a televised genocide in Palestine, a continued escalation of fighting and famine in Sudan, as well as in Congo. This is over and above how disparate the Muslim world have been in the past. Shaykh Nishaat echoed undeniable truth yet again.

"We have answers for how the different parts of the world should be and react, but we ourselves cannot live in harmony in our own house, community, and country. We must, therefore, first live in harmony in our micro worlds. Only then can we gradually hit the streets. We have to introspect and work out a formula and system for ourselves before we fight for the rights of others."

Retrospectively, I reflected on the transformative power at the micro-scale of our lives with Shaykh Taner and Anne's gifted Positivity Prayers. It enables one to park the judgment of others and instead to permeate positive frequencies that are tangibly transformative over time. Shukran Ya Allah (Divine gratitude) for realising the wisdom of our spiritual mentors!

#2. I then joined our Qur'an Contemplation and Action Session with Khalifa Rubina 12 minutes late because I was immersed in crafting your "Book Character Day" costumes. I naturally overcomplicated them, as I did my former profession of Architecture 😅 Alhamdulillah, we can all laugh about it, in spite of my nafs (lower self or ego), Shukran Ya Allah!

Towards the end of Khalifa Rubina's session she remembered an insight from our beloved Shaykh Taner who said: "If you want to know the level of your ability to surrender, it is tangibly felt as your love of and humility towards Allah increase." What does humility mean? Simply explained by your Abbu in another way, "In life, you have to roll with the punches!" When things don't work out how you would like, you have to surrender to Allah, keep loving Him and learn to laugh at yourself, like Ammu could about her complicated bunny and snail costumes 🐌

#3. Khalifa Rubina added that we must willingly and knowingly surrender to Allah. Whereas in my pre-accident life, I often relied on a sense of blind surrender. Only now, am I getting the opportunity to be still to truly contemplate and not chase my nafs's whims, again Shukran Ya Allah!

After having connected the deepest with the Qur'an, this past Ramadan. I am grateful for realising what Sister Katia professed, "The Qur'an is a dynamic document!" I am compelled to contemplate again and again unlike before, when I really craved this kind of deep connection. I used to feel like the yester year tales of Pharoah and the Prophets (Allah bless them all!) were impossible to relate to! Mind you, this was the time that I even embarked on the study of Qur'anic Arabic. I am eternally grateful for Allah giving me this second chance of understanding Him, through Shaykh Taner and team who compiled this version of the Qur'an's translation!

#4. Our Learning Circle, which occurs fortnightly, was led by Shaykh Nishaat. He referred to how Shaykh Taner and Anne epitomise the saying that the leader of the people is the servant of the people. Serving and being of service only comes with humility. This is what is at the heart of your Abbu's economic sustenance for us all with "Leadership Dialogue", see. Again, Shukran Ya Allah!

I can attest to what Shaykh Nishaat continued to tell us. In my post-accident state, I see that Islam is not about how much knowledge we accumulate, and instead, our good behaviour brings us closer to Allah as one gains spiritual intuition. This has meant a distancing of worldly distractions and our relationship with our spiritual leaders is, in fact, our training ground for how we are with everyone else.

#5. It was a week where our Tariqa (spiritual school) was smitten by Mawlana Rumi's esoteric and searing haq (truth) and hikmah (wisdom). He reflected that: God made the illusion look real and the real an illusion.

The illusion in the first instance refers to this worldly life and instead the Hereafter is what is falsely assumed as an illusion, by those that disregard what is coming. Thereafter, the quote below clarifies the difference between the human concept of love versus the realisation of Divine love, which is the reason that we were created. What poetic mastery conveyed with such simple yet profound analogies, Subhana'Allah (Divine glory)!

In conclusion, there are so many reasons to remain in gratitude to Allah. We just need to open our spiritual senses to fight our states of forgetfulness. Only now, I understand your Abbu's wisdom behind keeping a Gratitude Journal. Seeing how you guys are loving Journaling, let's intend to develop our spiritual senses by developing our own Gratitude Journals, what do you say ...

[tasmiq]

Jumu'ah Sohbet: 19 April 2024

Post-Ramadan, the question on everyone's minds, who have surrendered to loving Allah, is how to retain the powerful frequency of this past month? These were some powerful motivations to keep trying to retain our purview of Allahistan.

#1. We were reminded of a sudur (innermost self) resounding truth generated by our beloved Shaykh Taner. He said:

"Make your goal to love Allah. Surrender to that. The biggest action is love. The biggest being is love. The shortest distance to Allah is love. The biggest asset that burns all incompleteness is love."

As a self-deprecating being, who always contends with one's incompleteness. That is usually after one's nafs (ego or lower-self) succumbs to Nafs al-Lawwama (self-critical soul). It is only the concept of Allah as Al-Wadūd (the most Loving) as in Sufism that reshapes one's incompleteness. Shukran Ya Allah (Divine gratitude) for the insight of our sudur.

#2. During our bi-monthly learning circle, Shaykh Nishaat then reflected on the notion of surrender as beautifully delved into in Shaykh Taner's book, "The Sun Will Rise in the West". Shaykh Nishaat reflected that we must conscientiously surrender. We must do it knowingly and lovingly through our respective sulook (a spiritual path to reach Allah through clear intuition). Again, Sufism's rich and deep emphasis on the love of Allah.

"The traveler on this path is called a salik. At special moments the beginner experiences complete absorption in the remembrance of God and a detachment from all mundane thoughts"

As an accident survivor who was led to surrender many aspects of one's being which strengthened one's nafs... I have gained so much more from my wilful detachment, which confuses those who knew me in my pre-accident life. However, not only am I being taught to be alone with myself, but to reciprocate and recognise Al-Wadūd (the most Loving) who is the Creator of all that I know, Al-Khaliq.

#3. One of the richest blessings of belonging to a Tariqa (spiritual school) is that we never tire of seeking and sharing our spiritual insights. We learned from a Persian Sufi Poet by the name of Fakhr al-Din 'Iraqi, who reflected on humanity's worldly characters:

"They look, they see, but do not comprehend.

They take no pleasure in the View,

For to enjoy it one must know

through the Truth of Certainty

What he is seeing,

through Whom, and why."

It explained beautifully the nature of my surrender because I have been experiencing taqwa (God-consciousness) through the ability to see Allah's actions. What began as early as the sprinkling flowers overhead your Abbu and I, our never-before encounter of a leaping dolphin by the sea, to my current everyday moments that pass by as miracles! The taqwa of one's heart, which is an almost indescribable but palpable reality, has been a self-transformative process.

#4. Khalifa Rubina shared that Sayyidatuna Ummu Salama RA said:

"The most beloved actions to Nabee ﷺ were those good actions that are done consistently/regularly, although they are simple/easy actions."

Therefore, Anne getting us to reflect on taqwa in Ramadan was a perfect intervention. It got us to enact with a focus on Allah, but equally by connecting with the frequency of Ramadan to perform our devotions consistently. I was left with eternal gratitude for our Tariqa for simplifying our connection to Allah, where I have connected the deepest with our holy Qur'an:

Shukran Ya Allah!

#5. This week, I had also learned from Shaykh Nishaat to be more gentle with human frailty just as I treat with wonderment; the human quest for truth, irrespective of the religion that they come from. A few months ago, Buddhism was tainted for me after learning about the cases of sexual abuse by its leaders upon its students in Buddhist schools set up in Europe. Advisor to former US President Nixon, who at some point converted to Islam, Dr Robert Dickson Crane on meeting two Buddhists asked them to describe the essential teachings of their faith in 5 minutes, which they not only did in just 2 minutes but their response was synchronous to the essence of Islam, Subhana'Allah (Divine glory)! The monks said:

"First, we have Hinayana Buddhism, which teaches one to avoid addiction to the material world. Once one has made some progress in this, one is ready for Mahayana Buddhism, at which level one is aware of the nameless, because naming automatically prescribes and limits the limitless. Some Christians use the word "God." Once one is aware at this level, one's great desire is to bring compassionate justice to everyone and everything in the world."

Through Sufism in Islam, one learns detachment to the material world by constantly going against one's nafs. As in Sufism, we are made to journey through levels of our spiritual growth in surrender of our nafs. We are made to become aware of the "nameless" referred to as "God" in Christianity, but where in Islam is identified by more than 99 Divine names! Once you are at this level, the Buddhist monks said, you are compelled to bring compassionate justice to everyone and everything in the world. Just as our role model, who was the last Prophet to mankind, Prophet Muhammad SAW did and continues to do, to this day!

In conclusion, the desire to retain the Ramadan frequency is set into our consciousness through connection to taqwa. May Allah continue to guide us to His truth with ease:

Ya Hadi Ya Haq Ya Latif

[tasmiq]

Jumu'ah Sohbet: 12 April 2024

In the lead up to Eid al-Fitr 2024, was I navigated through all kinds of resonance. However, parting with Ramadan left me feeling forlorn, I was left emotionless and hungry for continued purpose which the holy month brings.

#1. Throughout our lives, Alhamdulillah that we have been blessed to be natural child minders: your Abbu, your Aunty Lungi (who's one of my Caregivers), and me, your Ammu. Your Aunty Lungi related that in her past, at a Taxi stop, she saw another Aunty with a big bag of toys. On seeing her also going to her area, she asked what she intended to do there. The lady mentioned how she always spotted a house with a bountiful Avocado tree and a swing with numerous children playing there. She intended to gift the owner of the house.

Then, your Aunty Lungi amazedly identified that as her own home. The other Aunty then handed over her bag filled with toys, Subhana'Allah (Glory to the Divine)! She shared a deeper insight that made me grateful for Allah, allowing me to live with a greater perception of Him through continued spiritual learning in our Tariqa (spiritual school) as an accident survivor! I related that God says to us, "I am closer than your jugular vein." And when I am least able-bodied, I happen to be least distracted and focused on nurturing my relationship and connection to Allah. She said:

We see God's reflection everywhere around us, yet we stubbornly seek a more direct experience of God!

#2. Eternal gratitude to both your Abbu and our Shaykh Taner, this is possibly the first satisfying Ramadan where I completed reading our chronological edition of the Qur'an through its 30 Juz (A Juz is one of thirty parts of varying lengths into which the Qur’an is divided.)

In my past, I would be dedicated to trying, but getting lost in the annotated notes. Your Abbu would always dissuade me from doing this. However, this is the first English translated version of the Qur'an, which intrigues me by its simple depth. The fact that it's chronological, poetic yet simple, draws me into an ocean of self-reflection!

Shukran Ya Allah (Divine gratitude) for your Abbu, giving me the courage to relate to Allah. Whereas pre-accident, I felt unworthy of spiritual engagement beyond the basic forms of ibada (conventionally translated as "worship") because I couldn't relate as deeply as I now do, through Tassawuf (Sufism). It includes my delayed gratitude for Shaykh Taner, whom I regretfully, only deeply connected with close to his worldly passing. Allah, please eternally bless our Shaykh Taner for powerfully strengthening our imaan (faith) in You! Experiencing taqwa (God-consciousness) has been a transformative journey, with gratitude to our original Anne (spiritual mother) who appropriately picked it as this year's Qur'an reflection.

#3. After a 2-year hiatus, TIP as Taking Islam to the People that enabled Muslim women to participate in spiritual matters, as Muslim men do, has been reinvigorated. Moreover, as a Muslim family space, after an unfortunate incident that coalesced in our reunion. This was on realising how exclusionary women's roles are in public, spiritual spaces, especially the lack of Muslim family spaces on the spiritually heightened occasions of our annual Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

This was what I said at the onset of our reunion:

Ya Muqtadir Ya Qadir Ya Nafi (Yearning Allah's ability to craft goodness)

Ya Wadud Ya Salaam Ya Jami Ya Nafi (which includes a reunion of some of our old energies)

Shukran Ya Allah (Divine gratitude and forwards to Allah as we move beyond patriarchy and matriarchy)

Above: Isn't it interesting that 4 Family Eidgah now exist in Durban, along with TIP's ...? The above even notes it as "UPON THE METHODOLOGY OF THE SUNNAH" However, the TIP Eidgah is the only one allowing women to move beyond their natural organising ability, into being able to share their spiritual insights alongside the men of Islam, gathered as families.

Above: Some of the founding hearts behind TIP from the blessed Eid al-Fitr morning representing a multicultural family space. Alhamdulillah for the passage of time reinforcing our value!

For the myriad of resonance that reinforce Your essential value in our lives:

Shukran Ya Allah!

[tasmiq]

Jumu'ah Sohbet: 5 April 2024

Alhamdulillah for another productive Ramadan week in the lead up to Laylatul Qadr (The Night of Power / Decree), where we continued to contemplate on and practice taqwa (self-vigilance).

#1. Anne spoke about Laylatul Qadr (The Night of Power). It involves the Angels where Prophet Muhammad PBUH saw them in person on Laylatul Mi'raj (His blessed night journey and his ascension into Heaven). We may even be blessed to see them as our helpers because they witnessed our creation, and they help us to maintain Allah's order.

Thereafter, Anne said that she hoped that our taqwa (self-vigilance) practices were coming into effect when we were feeling disconnected, angry, or forgetful of turning to Allah. We ought to spend the time in Ramadan with Allah regardless of what is happening around us! The reasons we get angry could be because of injustice or feelings of control, entitlement, or fear. Surely, these are all reasons for us to turn to Allah. Ramadan is the ideal opportunity for detoxing our bad habits.

Ramadan gives us an extra incentive to practice taqwa, which is the actions that Allah is happy with. When we are contemplating on taqwa and we're watching our actions, we keep Allah's pleasure in mind! Many of us reported that this is the most spiritually connected that we've felt, with gratitude for Anne's spiritual leadership acumen.

#2. Fellow murids (followers), Sister Hayat and Wakil Rosieçim reflected that when they were running out of sabr (patience), they practiced taqwa, which moved them into love. One actually feels taqwa in one's body, muscles, and emotions. You have to be involved physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually with love. Similarly, as reflected by Sister Fatima, there is a place where Love is loving itself! It's Allah's love where humans are able to bring it back and reflect Him, insha'Allah.

Khalifa Rubina reflected that because we are studying taqwa so deeply, there were definite changes within our bodies. We perceive the change in our actions, where we experience peace and calmness. Anne astutely picked up another point, where we are experiencing Allah within ourselves. Our brains help us to understand, but our whole beings bring us to live with Allah. That is why it is said that Sufism should be learned by living our individual experiences of Allah.

#3. Our brother Daud referred to observing taqwa through difficulty. Anne postulated that there were two ways to deal with the difficulty. One way could be to surrender to Allah by accepting and witnessing what is happening in the subsequent moments. We pray for it while turning to Allah and saying, "What would You like to show me through this?" This is the moment-by-moment unfolding of my post-accident life which I have entiled my "Accidental Epiphany"! The other futile way is blocking and ignoring it.

Anne reminded us about the legacy of Hazrat Musa AS and Hazrat Khidr AS. When things go wrong, we should be asking the "what" questions rather than the "why" questions. What does Allah want to show me here? Am I seeing what is really happening, or am I seeing the veil? Who will open the veil? Allah will, insha'Allah. It won't happen while we're blocked and turned away. It is through witnessing, acknowledging, and feeling through our human faculties. We are not robots that are locked and closed up. Instead, we open ourselves to Allah.

In conclusion, I am left with humbled gratitude for our Tariqa as a deep spiritual school of like-minded hearts, from myriad walks of life, that have mystically been brought together ...

Shukran Ya Allah (Divine gratitude)

[tasmiq]

Jumu'ah Sohbet: 29 March 2024

On a Saturday Sohbet, did Anne assume being a Pied Piper of our spiritual hearts. We virtually gathered as a multinational spiritual family, ever grateful for each other and our chosen resonance with Allah.

#1. Anne first pointed out the numerous times that the Qur'an refers to taqwa (self-vigilance of Allah's presence). She intriguingly compelled us to reflect on it with the lens of Shariah vs. Tariqa. Here, Khalifa Rubina bravely and willingly reflected her spiritual heart.

Shariah focuses on the mechanical, outer elements as opposed to the inner ones. Through Tariqa and through the inner focus, it brings a much more loving relationship with Allah because the understanding is much deeper. Through Tariqa, we learn that taqwa is deep and wide. Understanding taqwa through the inner dimensions is therefore more meaningful, and the love for Allah increases.

In another sense, Shariah are the rules of the forms; Tariqa are the actions of Prophet Muhammad SAW; Haqqiqa is the reality of that particular action such as Salah becoming a Mi'raj of the mu'minin (believers) where we become a vehicle for meeting Allah face-to-face. And Ma'rifa is the inner knowing and closeness. With the connection, a simple action such as Salah becomes an experience of Wahdat (Unity of Existence) with Allah!

#2. At one point, Anne spelled out the truth when she said that it comes down to our intention behind our actions, particularly with our devotions. If it comes from fear and self-protection, who are we actually with? We are a spiritual family who choose to see and experience their nafs (lower-self or ego) and distinguish between one's ego and Essence. When we go through a nafs situation, we feel freer and at peace because of our focus on the Essence , by knowing that we are engaging the source of the problem - our nafs!

#3. Last week, we learned through Hazrat Abdul Qadir Geylani (may Allah preserve his secret) that we actually need our nafs as a basic, instinctive and emotional feeling in our lives. We use our nafs as an opportunity to turn back to Allah! We must remind our nafs that only Allah is right and we don't have to carry the burden of always being right. If we are scared for a particular reason, we must acknowledge it and turn to Allah!

In Ramadan, fasting brings its own fire. We must recognise whatever triggers us and see what answer comes to our hearts. We must acknowledge it and turn to Allah for help. We have to get to your Wakil Abbu stage, when not dealing with telephone operators that is 😅, where we are not upset at things that are bothering and hurting us. Where we can just be with Allah, and we can witness what Allah wants us to experience and appreciate this alternative way of taqwa in our lives.

We not only benefit in numerous ways from observing taqwa, but it brings with it thankfulness, which changes our body chemistry! A quick indicator is when we do actions with our hearts, connection and a sense of grattitude, we experience peace and surrender in our hearts. When we experience turmoil, then we are connected to our nafs!

Shukran Ya Allah (Divine gratitude) that we never tire talking about the same subject, which is taming our nafs. Above all, Divine gratitude for the myriad of other benefits we realise from observing taqwa. Above all, a sense of peace!

[tasmiq]

Jumu'ah Sohbet: 22 March 2024

Shukran Ya Allah (Divine gratitude) that we are immersed in an ocean of spiritual learning as a Tariqa. While deeply made to think about and practice taqwa (Divine awareness / self-vigilance) ... Anne again humbled us with her thought-provoking reminders. Bismillah (in & with the name of the Divine) ...

#1. Anne reminded us that we had just passed Hazrat Abdul Qadir Geylani's birthday. She related how he spent his birthdays fasting, in contemplation with Allah, and his wish was always to fulfill the purpose for which he was created. Even in his youth, he was conscious of Allah in everything.

As a young child, he even mesmerised thieves by freely exposing his monetary possessions by remarking at their surprise, "I am as Allah wants me to be, and money is not going to make me a liar!" The thieves were in awe and asked him to say more, and he said, "Allah created us to be insaan'e kamil and close to Him. A liar is not close to Allah!" Not only did the thieves convert their desperate but sinful ways, they made bai'at (Divine pledge of allegiance) through him. How blessed are we to have such an illuminary as a spiritual guide, Shukran Ya Allah for his exacting personality that Anne spoke of.

#2. Our Hazrat Abdul Qadir Geylani even professed to take his nafs to the edge of everything. He realised that the only thing that really tamed nafs was hunger! He did just that, and after 7 years of different types of diets and with his prayers, his nafs came out of his mouth. He closed his mouth, and his teacher spiritually appeared to him and asked him, "What are you doing? Your nafs is what keeps you in this world and allows your soul to exist within your body to continue to learn, grow, and become everything that you need to become - you need your nafs!"

That's when Hazrat Abdul Qadir Geylani, who was always surrendering to Allah, also surrendered to his nafs and let it back in. Now, in relation to me, his murid (commited seeker), only in my post-accident state, have I realised the power of restraining one's eating habits as a simpler means to tame one's nafs. I am able to consume vegetables like never before, and even your Nana's favourite - like it's a walk in the park - bitter gourd (karela or korolla in Bangla)!

It is not necessarily experiencing hunger, but the mere ability to turn one's desires off that leads to a tremendous sense of emancipation! Shukran Ya Allah for both our accident and Shaykh Taner's Sufi Diet for empowering my will to intrinsically understand Hazrat Abdul Qadir Geylani, completely. Allah sanctify both their secrets! Additionally, Divine gratitude for the additional insight on the usefulness of one's nafs that enriches one's soul connection to Allah, Insha'Allah ...

#3. Anne then talked about guidance and connection, as when we feel Allah's protection, but don't necessarily see it. Zikr strengthens our energetic body and soul connection to Allah. When we seek direct guidance, we must remember that Allah doesn't force anyone, least of all, ourselves with our free wills. We must, therefore, always rise above our myriad of choices and onto choosing Allah! In that, we mustn't lock up and prevent feeling our trauma and other overwhelming emotions - Allah does not want that! "Feel it to heal it! We must surrender our grief, shame, and guilt to Allah. We must admit that we are no good but that we want to feel Allah, so we are letting go! We will learn from it, do better, and not repeat the same actions that displease both ourselves and Allah."

She ended by gently echoing an undeniable truth, "I have a sneaky suspicion that we are harder on ourselves than Allah is!" We have all these boxes in our heads of how Allah wants us to be when Allah repeatedly says taqwa (Divine consciousness) is doing things with Allah's pleasure in mind and to connect, devote and love Him. Our perceptions of Allah limit the way we see Him. Furthermore, we each have unique ways of connecting to Allah. There are infinite ways as people to connect to Allah!

In conclusion, Alhamdulillah (Divine praise) that we made it to our Ramadan holiday of 2024 with your beloved Nana and Nanu (maternal grandparents). Fittingly graced with beautiful handmade gifts representing our Prophet Muhammad SAW:

Shukran Ya Allah, for the worldly and especially spiritual, passage of time!

[tasmiq]

Jumu'ah Sohbet: 15 March 2024

I think because Anne (our original spiritual mother) was spiritually inspired by setting "taqwa" (self-vigilance) as our Ramadan point of contemplation and acton, have I embarked earnestly to complete reading of our holy Qur'an in that month! With your Abbu as my "cheerleader," my days are filling up with deserved devotion and strengthened connection to and with Allah - Shukran Ya Allah (teary gratitude to Allah)! Insha'Allah my audience is appreciative of my Sohbet delivery in the context of our mutual Ramadan load of devotions 😉 Bismillah (With the name of Allah) ...

#1. On the weekend before Ramadan 2024 commenced for us here in South Africa. Anne intriguingly enquired of us, how do we foster a relationship with Allah, through love or obedience ...? We understand in the Qur'an the regulations that we must follow. Our obedience almost becomes a contractual agreement between us and Allah regarding our chosen actions that will result us in Hell or Paradise. However, disobedience can often be based on belief plus blind obedience.

The other mystical path is love, where we follow Allah's regulations out of love for Him, and we know that this love is reciprocal. Belief plus love makes it an enduring relationship. Ultimately, the beloved young heart of Gussein confidently spoke to its synchronous reality. With the love of Allah, we oblige ourselves to obey His guidelines. Masha'Allah (The Divine had willed his epiphany)!

#2. Khalifa Rubina has, likewise, chosen a monthly introspection into the deeper meanings of taqwa in her Qur'an Contemplation and Action sessions as a fitting daily affair. In Shaykh Taner's Chronological Edition of the Qur'an, taqwa is initially identified as self-vigilance in following Allah's guidelines, watching over one's deeds to conform with Allah's rights and wrongs, devotion, fostering an Allah-consciousness which is being mindful of Allah. Turning to Allah over and over again, standing up for truth, and encouraging one another to connect to Allah.

Although, she initially reflected on its understanding by those who don't exhibit taqwa; liars, habitual oath breakers, those who find fault in everything and everyone, those who slander and prevent good, as sinful, greedy, intrusive, abusive, harmful, selfish and forgetful persons. Additionally, when we make a mistake, after seeking Allah's grace, we mustn't give power to our faults, emotions, or other persons. We mustn't remind each other of our wrongs, and instead, we must let go and move on. If people are willing to amend their ways, their misdeeds should be forgotten.

Allah's punishment is received when we forget taqwa. Therefore, we must try to remember Allah in our every action. Taqwa, in fact, is finding the balance of love, hope, and the fear of Allah's punishment. However, it ought to move beyond a fear of Jahannam (Hell) and into the fear of disappointing or displeasing the One we intensely love. Taqwa means acting with what Allah wants over drowning in one's guilt, which stunts one in inaction. Our taqwa should transform into finding the love, hope, and awe of Allah!

#3. Fellow murid Claire who plays the musical instrument of the Harp, wishes to perform musically by connecting to love in her heart rather than her fears, as a manifestation of taqwa in herself. We ought to inspect our attachments behind our actions. Having fear behind things makes it incomplete, and instead, having God-consciousness from one's heart brings His love and mercy to the fore!

Similarly, your Aunty Nazeemah remarked how she practices taqwa as Allah-consciousness through her professional artwork. Here, your Aunty Amira from the start of Ramadan has been sharing the artwork of a talented fellow Sudanese, Hussein Salim. I remarked that his art manifested his taqwa. Allah bless all artists and musicians that beautify Your Divine reality in this life.

Above: Hussein Salim's artistic magic that has me most spellbound. I professed that my enquiries about the miniscule detailing would definitely tire him but not me 😉

Shukran Ya Allah (Divine gratitude) for such a vibrant entry, both intellectually and visually, into Ramadan 2024. And we are equally grateful for Muntaha chosing to observe mini-Ramadan fasts, and Mahfouz for taking family Salah proceedings and congregational Zikr participation so seriously!

[tasmiq]

Jumu'ah Sohbet 2 of 2: 8 March 2024

Last week, Shaykha Muzeyyen (Anne, as our original spiritual mother) had given her revolutionary Sohbet (Spiritual conversation), which went past 2 hours. She not only listened to us murids (Tariqa followers) to the very end, but she repeatedly gave heartful insights that I call "heartsights." Here, I will recount some of these simple and undeniable truths.

Before that, though, we must honour my Shaheen Mama, whose your Nana. He is your Nanu's (maternal Grandma's) younger brother who passed away shortly after a dramatic road accident in Dhaka. Allah, please forgive him for his shortcomings and raise him to Jannatul Firdaus for his immensely noble soul, Insha'Allah! Your Nanu told me just yesterday what an unassuming and observant Muslim he was. He would not only offer his devotions with no air, but he would gently remind everyone else at its time. He took care of my Nanu (Grandma) till she passed on and economically supported numerous other young, old, and especially the poor.

#1. Back to feeding our souls in their worldly existence, Shaykha Muzeyyen emphasised the importance of reading the Qur'an in an understandable language. As a multilingual that even advanced onto Qur'anic Arabic, I have connected the deepest with Allah's word through Shaykh Taner's English translated version. What's more, she said that we should read the Qur'an all the time and not only in Ramadan.

Allah has enumerated some things where we must remember and connect to Him a minimum of five times a day, yet we are meant to be connected all the time! Sufism's emphasis on Allah as the source of Love automatically draws one into craving that connection permanently.

#2. She also said that we should always keep a good dzan (assumption) about Allah. Additionally, we must always consider what makes Allah happy because what makes Allah happy makes our spiritual hearts happy!

As we observe Allah around us, we must remember and honour Allah within ourselves, too. As someone who is inclined to self-deprecate and rightly so for my nafs' limitations, this was a warning to not be fatalist and dejected because Allah's nur is an undeniable quality that we all possess.

#3. Anne complemented our murid sister Nawal for her attempts to catch the fleeting messages of her heart because often we don't pay attention to them at the beginning. It flicks across our consciousness, that we should enact in a certain way, and yet we totally forget! Here, another murid sister Nazeema concurred that she needed to be more God-conscious with her heart and not her head. However, Anne soothed us by saying that as we keep listening more to our hearts, this faculty will get stronger insha'Allah!

I think that I am most moved by people's soulfulness manifesting a faculty of one's spiritual heart. That is why I was led to marry your Abbu, one's spiritual heart and soul are deeper than a shallow fascination with one's physicality (ie. looks), that he claims I first fell for in him 😉 When we know his open mind and heart are the remarkable traits of his deep soul, which we fall in love with again and again, every day!:

Shukran Ya Allah

#4. In response to yet another murid sister Melinda's tendency to micromanage and plan for the future, Anne said that our best plan should rather be to see what Allah wants us to do in that moment and not to assume what our correct response should be. We are possibly wasting our brain power by endlessly planning. Being ready and prepared in the moment is better than having all our future plans, which may actually make us feel scattered!

#5. As a spiritual family, we intrinsically understood our murid sister Begum recounting that on a nature walk had she received the heart message, "Have you ever heard Me in the silence?" Thereafter, she practiced silence and actually experienced Allah, who spoke in many fantastical ways. She was hearing Allah in the secretive nooks and crannies that were fulfilling to her heart! It was a different kind of connection; not necessarily through the ears, but by listening, hearing, and seeing the universe talk in the most secretive way!

She also related experiencing spiritual connection through observing silence during a conflictual meeting with clients. Just "listening" to the body language and what wasn't said. She ended by reflecting that she'd like to bring taqwa (God-consciousness) this way because the conversations felt more spacious! After hearing her, Anne added an apt analogy of how the art of music plays out. In music, we are listening in so many ways by extending our hearing senses and seeing what Allah is telling us.

The fact that I have been able to compile two Sohbets (spiritual conversations) from a single Sohbet shows how soulful our Tariqa (spiritual family) is! Shukran Ya Allah (Divine gratitude) for bringing us together with such similar resonance where we constantly marvel at Your breath:

Huu

[tasmiq]

Jumu'ah Sohbet 1 of 2: 1 March 2024

This week proved how deep and wonderous our ocean of Sufism truly is, as we were and are immersed in never-ending "heartsights" as we continue to connect to our spiritual hearts.

We began through Shaykh Nishaat's connection with another Sufi order in South Korea until Anne led us to reflect on how we each intend to enact taqwa (God-consciousness) this coming Ramadan as a multinational Tariqa (spiritual school). Bismillah (With the name of Allah) ...

#1. As an outcome of the Peace Summit in South Korea attended last year by Shaykh Nishaat, was he unsurprisingly invited once again. However, he deeply connected with another leader known as a Master of another Sufi order, Dr Alireza Nurbakhsh, of the Nimatullahi Sufi Order. On further research, my eyes welled with gratitude after stumbling on these sentiments, "The Nimatullahi Sufi Order is a spiritual discipline dedicated to the selfless service and love of all human beings." Ringing true to Shaykh Nishaat's tale of his profound connection to Dr Alireza.

Shaykh Nishaat recounted Dr Alireza's story of how his wife and him had encountered a disheveled and unkempt itinerant agricultural worker in Australia. Just as Shaykh Nishaat's earlier true tale of "mad" but noble Glen followed another true tale of a nobleman of the Australian hinterland. The latter appeared and disappeared equally mystically yet, leaving a sweet air of nobility. He appeared without much, yet he claimed he had everything for which he was only grateful! Along with his remarkable sense of gratitude, he radiated love where he could think of wishing to be married to a divorcee with children in order to be a receptacle of Divine love to heal their past sorrows.

Subhana'Allah (Glory to the Divine), that the noble Dr Alireza and his wife, had encountered an even more noble soul proving our collective Sufi focus on the power of Divine love, as a preeminent force of connection and transformation in humanity. Spiritual consciousness is, in fact, more important than wealth, fame, and the worldly comforts that most humans hunger for.

#2. Our Anne (original spiritual mother), Shaykha Muzeyyen, blew away my physical sensibilities with her breathing prompts to get us to spiritually recentre after a full week. That is because breathing through one's nose felt as mystical as feeling the presence of Allah! She said:

Take a couple of deep breaths from your nose until you can hear the breath! In and out. Not your mouth, but in and out through your nose until you can hear your breath through your nose. Can you hear your breath? Does it sound like the waves on the shore? We are all earth, everything of earth is in us!

#3. Taqwa (God-consciousness) was our chosen focus because our practice ground is coming in a matter of days through Ramadan! We are making the intention to spend Ramadan practicing taqwa. As per Shaykha Muzeyyen's soulful prompt. When we are going through our activities in Ramadan, it is when we can be self-vigilant, in following the guidelines of Allah, and watching over our deeds to conform with Allah's rights and wrongs. We are going to concentrate on keeping Allah's pleasure in mind. This will bring us tawakkul where we can put our trust in Allah. Taqwa, in its most basic sense, is a beautiful reality of turning to Allah again and again.

Just as man is naturally forgetful, the month of Ramadan is a perfect time in the year to recentre spiritually through willful taqwa by limiting our base desires of food and lust. I have gained utter emancipation from my nafs (lower-self or ego) by observing the deceivingly, simple-sounding Sufi Diet. A genius of Shaykh Taner and Shaykha Muzeyyen in still observing a modified Ramadan by paying alms toward fasting Muslims and additionally imposing a dietary restriction on oneself that is actually more difficult than the Ramadan diet!

Here, fellow mureed Gayratie, intends to observe taqwa by mastering her Ramadan crabiness, but Alhamdulillah the Sufi Diet deals with that. So beyond gastronomic forces, I can focus on taking charge of my psycho-emotional crabiness by fostering positive assumptions of Allah as the force of positive transformation within myself and many social milieu. It's almost impossible for me to be positive about myself and others. Yet, gratefully have I experienced the transformational power of reciting Shaykh Taner's Positivity Prayers in reshaping my micro-world.

#4. Shaykha Muzeyyen was wearing the cap of being the Pied Piper of our hearts. She pointed out that we have to choose whether we want to hold onto our attachments and desires, which pollute our hearts by causing confusion and angst. However, we must remember that the nafs provides us an opportunity to identify what we need to work on.

Everything around our lives, in a sense, is a virtual reality not because it isn't real but because it isn't permanent. This worldly life has an end and is finite! So, nafs and worldly life is not permanent. Our nafs, physical bodies, and our brains are created to survive through control. This is a type of micromanagement and attachment where we want to be in control, but only Allah is in control! Therefore, what is permanent? Allah is permanent as He is infinitely loving, caring, and powerful! In our worldly lives, we aim to stay positive by staying connected to Allah.

#5. Shaykha Muzeyyen thereafter powerfully turned the mirror to self-reflect on our own intentions to observe taqwa and connect to Allah this coming Ramadan in order to learn from each other as a Tariqa (spiritual school). These were some of my simply noted sentiments shared by the many striving souls of our multinational Tariqa:

- Observe with one's heart and get out of the way with one's head in order to connect with Allah and enact the right actions.

- Reconnect with nature.

- Reconnect in the morning and times of Salaah (Prayer).

- Observe taqwa through service and acting with goodwill.

- Consider Allah's happiness in one's actions.

- Physical taqwa in work and exercise as in Silat, with a connection to Allah.

- Remember Allah in every moment and cultivate a relationship therein.

- Move beyond the obsession with the future and be mindful of now in order to be responsive in that moment and leave all the scenarios to Allah when they happen!

- Use "WHO ARE YOU WITH?" as a nice, quick way to gage and connect with Allah.

- Recognise the attributes of Allah in people and everything around.

- Strengthen rabita with its deeper understanding.

- Catch and be conscious of the fleeting messages of one's heart.

- Observe taqwa through patience and tolerance.

- Relinquish the need to have control over everything and trust Allah by surrendering the outcomes.

- Detach from fears in your actions and instead bring Allah's love and mercy to the fore!

- Observe taqwa when cranky with "hanger"!

- Treat health challenges as an unwanted opportunity to stay positive about being connected to Allah!

- Observe a positivity mindset at the start of the day to make it into an eventual habit.

- Have good assumptions of everything personally happening, whether bad or good!

- Acquire a greater consciousness of one's heart.

- Practice the basics as modeling in the art of architecture.

- Extend senses far out and bring them back closer as introduced by our beloved Shaykh Taner in the past.

- Trust one's affairs to Allah.

- Try to practice gratitude and consciousness of every breath and every moment!

- Extend one's hearing sense to connect to Allah in the silence and even during conflicts!

- Find peace with our mandatory need to work in life as a manifestation of Allah's sufficiency.

In conclusion, Shukran Ya Allah (Divine gratitude) that Allah brought us seemingly different souls into following one path with like spiritual hearts that appreciate Allah’s love above all!:

Ya Wadud

[tasmiq]

Jumu'ah Sohbet: 23 February 2024

This has been a tremendous family week of transitions. A transition to letting your Abbu return to his work commitments for our benefit, a transition to parting with Haqqiqa Madressa, and entering Qurtuba Online Islamic studies, Alhamdulillah we made it after a week! Hence, the delay of our Jumu'ah Sohbet, but here we go, Bismillah (with the name of Allah) ...

#1. Shaykh Nishaat compellingly pointed out that life fleetingly passes us humans by. What we see in the past, present and in the future is actually close and one. What happened in the past feels like it occurred recently.

However, those of us in the Sufi path (Sulook) are striving for a one-on-one relationship with Allah, where He says, "Call on Me by My beautiful names and I will respond." That is our reality in the present, now and the moment! We are seeking a closeness and oneness with our Rab (Lord).

#2. He then shared a beautiful analogy through the poetry of our Prophet Muhammad SAW, who said, "You must seek the gardens of Jannah wherever that you find them!" The Sahaba at the time queried what those are and where they are located? He SAW replied, "Wherever there are circles of Zikr dedicated to praising and glorifying Allah! These are the gardens of Jannah." He SAW went on explaining there are circles of light which Allah's Angels actually seek out and join. They are above whoever joins. They join in ever-expanding rows and levels, all the way until they reach the arsh (throne) of Allah.

This is the reality of these circles of Zikr as a circle of light and the unseen, which we don't necessarily see. The main reason is our nafs, which is our veil in this material world. As Sufis, what we are seeking is to break that relationship with our nafs so that we can have a one-on-one relationship with Allah now - in this life and in this form in the present.

#3. Shaykh Nishaat, the Pied Piper of our hearts, continued to describe that one of the ways we recognise Allah is through our connection to the heart. The stronger our connection to the heart is, the more Allah will show us. That is our unique and individual relationship with Allah. This is why we say when Saints names are mentioned, may Allah bless their secret. We are each actually seeking a one-on-one relationship with Allah!

#4. Next, we were enamoured by our spiritual mother, who had traveled to each of our shores. She was reflecting at one point that in a London based art therapy session, it accurately came out that she was feeling scattered but held very strongly by love! Yes, by our love as mureeds and muhibs (both varying types of seekers of our spiritual school).

In her journey to our shores, we laughed, we cried, and we talked about Allah! She added that in our Sufi path, our spiritual hearts' eyes have added value to our lives and the way we see things. We are here in this world to become what Allah wants us to be, insan'e kamil (a perfected being)!

#5. What I loved about her presence was that not once did she leave out our focus on Allah. Her leadership acumen was undeniable! Even while she was ill with COVID on her journey, where her Ivermectin acquired from our beloved Gaby of Germany cured my mysterious cough within a few hours too, Shukran Ya Allah (Divine gratitude) for both Anne's generosity and for an inevitable cure! She was often encountering a vacant space along the way, subsequently feeling Shaykh Taner's spiritual presence.

She powerfully proclaimed, "Pay attention to what you are appreciating in life and what you are thankful for, because these are the moments that we are feeling closer to Allah and our job is to make sure that we don't keep that on us, but we transfer this to Allah."

In conclusion, insha'Allah in our way ahead we always transfer our experience of good to Allah. Additionally, we pray for Allah’s ability to craft goodness in all our affairs:

Ya Muqtadir Ya Qadir Ya Nafi

[tasmiq]

Jumu'ah Sohbet: 16 February 2024

This week saw so much synchronicity, miraculously in different spaces at different times within our Tariqa - leaving one to declare Subhana'Allah (Glory to the Divine) in awe! With this very message of Shaykh Taner brandished onto our spiritual hearts:

"Continue seeing the Creator in the created, and contemplate on this, and love Allah in your Shaykh because your Shaykh loves Allah in you"

Let me narrate the account, Bismillah (with the name of Allah) ...

#1. Our hearts were first seared with Haq (The Truth) through the analogy of seeking our own "Mad Glen" moment. It is where a regular homeless drunkard came to the rescue of a mother and son in the UK after the young son was invoked by the desperate and exasperated mother to simply pray. The very next moment was a knock of help, borne out of the generally disheartened mother that was always willing to see Allah in "Mad Glen" and with nothing herself, coming to his aid.

Needless to say, we know that the mother and son found emancipation in Islam, coming from a secular background. Because our Shaykh Nishaat himself met the son into his adulthood in South Africa as a Nasheed singer with the stage name of Muslim Belal. Shaykh Nishaat echoed into our consciousness that it is Allah who guides as Al-Hadi. He reminded us that in the Qur'an through the example of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, Allah said, "You give the message, and I will guide them." So making anyone Muslim is not in our hands, but if we can live as human beings, and help those in need, we will see how it plays out! We may also have our "Mad Glen" moments, so we shouldn't treat anyone in a disparaging way.

#2. Shaykh Nishaat reminded us that we should be looking for the signs of Allah as He says in the Qur’an, "I will show you My signs in yourselves and the horizons." We should understand that Allah is not restricted to working with Muslims or so-called ones. We don't even know who Allah may consider a Muslim or an Atheist. We may look at somebody as a drug addict, drunkard, or hobo, but we don't know what is in their hearts. Poetically did Shaykh Nishaat thereafter declare that Allah veils the signs, but Sufism opens the way for us to see the signs, as the science of signs!

On that matter, your Ammu infact was "infamous" with her relationships with people in impoverished despair, which your Aunty Farzana fondly recounts. How I wouldn't shy away from asking for food that I offered the homeless - back - always seeking their reassurance that they won't throw it away. Another time, we were serving together at a community soup kitchen, and this one homeless lady was complaining, and so I admonished her, and Alhamdulillah, my admonition was appreciated by her. I proceeded to get useful career advice from her, at a time that I found no joy with the design world! It may well have later driven me into Development Studies, in the service of the poor. Shukran Ya Allah (Divine gratitude) retrospectively for the sign!

#3. Shaykh Anjum then potently reflected on what Laylatul Mi'raj means for us Sufis. Beyond being awestruck by the light of Prophet Muhammad PBUH as a paramount and pre-eminent force in creation that returned to the heavens that he came from on the same night. Personally, it is important for us because we are all going on our respective Mi'raj as we are journeying to Allah through Fanafil Shaykh, then Fanafil Rasul, and of course Fanafillah!

Mi'raj means ascension, growing up and rising. For us Sufis, it means that we are trying to ascend ourselves through knowledge, connection, spiritual exercises, Sohbets, inculcation, awareness of the signs around and within ourselves, and the understanding of our Divine purpose. This is done through our repeated focus as repeated remembrance of Allah (Zikr) as aptly translated by Shaykh Taner.

#4. Shaykh Anjum further clarified my point of worry about the prescribed numbers of Salah. We must observe the correct dosage that retains and magnifies our connection, as personally established. We are just in this world as passersby. We have to keep that mindset, holding onto our connections and focusing on Allah! He echoed undeniable Haq (Truth) when he said:

Salah is basic, and there is more that Sufis have to do! We are not part-time people. Salah is only five times a day, whereas Sufis are 24/7, 365, lifetime / Hereafter and onwards. Even after you are gone in this world, it doesn't stop! The basic tickbox of 5 rakaat Salah doesn't apply to Sufis, which is being mean and business like. We don't do business with Allah. We do love! Fana means to totally annihilate yourself. It is not a simple word.

#5. In this article, we are made to appreciate how Allah guides and how everything works together within Allah's processes and order. Just as emphasised by Shaykh Taner, we learn to see Allah in everything as His Divine signs. Our inspired brother and fellow mureed Mphutlane deeply relayed:

“I bear witness that no reality exists but Allah” I see only Allah. I know only Allah. I love only Allah. It is important for us to note that it is not us who do the witnessing and seeing. It is Allah who turns us into His witnesses. It is Allah who turns our tongues and our lives into a Testimony. It is Allah who turns us into his eyes. When we become self-righteous about our acts of faith, we miss the fact that we are not only the witnesses but that we ourselves are the witnessed. For a witness is the light that illuminates to see and therefore becomes seen in the process of seeing. Or as Rama Maharshi puts it:

“The “witness” really means the light that illumines the seer, the seen, and the process of seeing”

Therein ended the blessed, rich synchronicity across different moments in time. I am left in utter gratitude that I am afforded the ability to dive deeply, as deep as the ocean of Sufi knowledge. At a time of physical disability, humbled am I to gain spiritual wings:

Shukran Ya Allah

#Youtube

[tasmiq]

Jumu'ah Sohbet: 9 February 2024

Shukran Ya Allah (Divine gratitude), for our numerous channels of spiritual inspiration in a week as we have in our Tariqa. I was left with the ability to pick out what struck me the most from our ocean of unending learning, Subhana'Allah (Glory to the Divine) and Bismillah (With / In / For, that Divine's name) ...

#1. Shaykh Nishaat soothingly reminded us just as when our beloved Prophet Muhammad PBUH passed on. Things did change! In spite of it, Islam undeniably grew out of the foundation that he left behind, as it continues to do so to this day. The population of the world has been inspired by Palestinian resilience, even where in the UK population, Islam has officially surpassed Christianity.

Similarly, we must carry on building upon the beautiful foundation that both our late Shaykh Taner and Shaykha Muzeyyen, our Anne (spiritual mother), established but with her worldly presence alone, insha'Allah, and supported by his spiritual presence in the next world. As palpably felt in our recent London Tariqa Zikr circle, where a vacant space was left aside Anne, filled with Shaykh Taner's larger-than-life spirit. Shukran Ya Allah, for this Divine inspiration!

#2. Shaykh Nishaat continued to paint truths where everything was running as it always was. It is on each of us to reflect on what we should be doing. Learning should be at the forefront of everything that we are doing so that we are improving as human beings and in our service. As cemented by our weekly national and international Sohbets (spiritual conversations), as our weekly Qur'an contemplation with action sessions with Khalifa Rubina.

Each one of us in our journey is inextricably linked to what we do and our service. Service is a means that we learn good manners, and it is these manners that bring us closer to Allah. It is not just our knowledge, but where knowledge is sought so that we can improve our actions as a practical manifestation of it. To serve, we also learn humility, which is the one way we overcome the influence of the nafs!

#3. The Pied Piper of our spiritual hearts added that we also have to want to know what Allah wants from us! In reality, we can really do nothing for Allah but to be His representative of His qualities and attributes in the manifested world of creation. We are therefore not here to promote and serve ourselves and our interests. We see it in the world, where each nation is focused on gaining their interest at the expense of another nation.

For us in the Sufi path, we have to always be aware of what the goal and focus is, which is what Allah wants from us. Throughout the Qur'an and the lived example of the Prophet SAW as all the Prophets manifested what Allah wanted, which is to be good and to enjoin good. Allah says in the Qur’an, "Speak the truth, even if it is against yourself." Seeking truth and being just and selfless is thus the focus. The opposite of this is from our nafs, and it is the nafs that Shaytaan uses. We have to be conscious of our responsibilities, so as Sufis, we must thereafter, make ourselves available to be in Allah's service.

#4. He even shed light as Allah's nur on my past inclinations to avoid Group Zikr because of a "sour mood." Complicated by our ability to join virtually in our post-COVID world. It is where everything happens, he relayed. It is at the core of what we do and it is the forum which establishes the live connection that we have, it is where our Prophet SAW and our Pirs Abdul Qadir Geylani and Ahmed er-Rifai as all our Pirs, manifest from. This is what Anne, in our various and recent South African fora, mentioned about the value of Group Zikr.

In essence, the spiritual energies that provide us with our spiritual fervor in life manifest from Group Zikr! This year, we will remind ourselves about the importance of Group Zikr. It is not to regain numbers, but in essence, as Shaykh Taner emphasised, it is where everything happens! We cannot claim our love of Allah when we remain absent in Group Zikr! Instead, we should rather be reaping the first-hand benefits of being in the live presence of a Group Zikr, see.

#5. Lastly, Shaykh Nishaat powerfully echoed that we must pray for all the trauma and suffering that we witness in our own lives and across the globe. We see it every day in the Middle East and various other places like in Sudan, everywhere that there are wars on a large or small scale, we pray by invoking Allah's glorious names. To help us to help those who are suffering, as inflicted by human hands!

However, he intriguingly added that this mayhem is linked to us human beings, which we see in our own families in a micro form. How we fight and cause harm is another form of that war! We are dropping bombs and drones with our thoughts, words, and actions, which we are doing every day! So he earnestly enquired, why are we shocked when we see it at a global scale? Are our chosen words filled with love or with hate? We have to think about how we live our lives because it is what is mirrored in the world. When we see the chaos on the world stage, it is easy to curse a group of people as the worst, yet aren't we also doing it ...?

In conclusion, this day has been brightened by the nur of our Khalifa Hazmat's birthday, who is also your big Bhai (brother). Shukran Ya Allah, for the myriad of ways, he has contributed to adding spiritual meaning to our lives. Remember when Lea Bhen (Sister) would recite our Jumu'ah azan (call to prayer) and Khalifa Hazmat Bhai would lead us in Ilahi (musical Divine praise) after ...? Alhamdulillah (Divine praise) for our shared memories together!

#Youtube

[tasmiq]

Jumu'ah Sohbet: 2 February 2024

Alhamdulillah (Divine praise), that this week reinforced why our Tariqa is characterised for its love of traveling, eating, and self-defense! Without further ado, Bismillah (with the name of the Divine)...

#1. Wakil Amina presented a deeper rearview reflection of the first Tariqa experience of a group Umrah (minor pilgrimage of Makkah and Medina). Shaykh Taner's most striking point of contemplation was getting mureeds to understand their own motives for wanting to go there, "The Allah there is the same Allah here. What we want to connect to is here, now! What is holy is around us and within us if we just care to see."

Now, as someone who was blessed with both experiences of Hajj and an Umrah because of my generous parents, Allah eternally bless them! This was despite my half-willing surrender to the experiences. But in spite of my insufficient maturity, especially during Hajj. They served as critical moments where I was grappling with major decisions. It was after my Umrah where Allah sealed into my consciousness that my admiration for your Abbu blossomed into an undeniable love story!

However, I earnestly wish to experience these holy sites for one last time, together with your Abbu and my later acquired Sufi eyes. This is because Shaykh Taner totally transformed my perception of Allah as immanent and omnipresent!

#2. I love that the Sufi entourage to Umrah deepened its love of travel and eating credentials. They confirmed that Saudi Arabia had indeed advanced with nifty transportation mediums as speed trains, and into a more open culture where women were permitted to drive and even given the freedom to wear hijab (head covering) or not! Whereas here we have been worrying that it has secularised too fast, too soon! It was refreshing to hear from a multinational group how warm and welcome they had felt.

The Sufi entourage explored Jeddah, retraced the old route to Makkah, and even went to Museums in Medina and other historically important sites, Subhana'Allah!This was beyond my unexpected adventure in Jabal al-Noor, thanks to your Mama (maternal Uncle)!

At one point, Wakil Amina said:

... (Wakil) Faghrie and Daud styled their scarves in the Yemeni way. This is us walking in the old road and market of Jeddah. We are the eating Tariqa so the shwarma was our best friend! Wherever we went, we ate well.

We went to a coffee shop which was a coffee museum. We had some original Arabian coffee, which is very unique. To me, it tasted like cardamom tea. It was a beautiful oasis and reprieve from the heat.

Here are the Umrahties (a South African slang expression where one pluralises with "ies" ) after arriving in Makkah as we're about to embark on our first Umrah!

#3. Our Wakil Rosieçim (Wakil & Sister Rosie) colourfully described how a few of them picked up hitchhikers on the trip. Hers came in the form of bacterial pneumonia! She was with the small group of ladies when they embarked on the initial "troublesome first tawaf (circumambulating the Ka'aba)". She said:

I have a long-standing habit of whatever expectations I have, tend to drop away in the moment, and I am grateful for that. But still, one expects to circumambulate and do the tawaf with prayers, calm, and beauty. At one point, someone in our group said that there is no love here! Most of us felt that way in our moments of being pushed and shoved. It was very difficult to maintain focus and also to physically maintain space, I was usually at the back and trying to hold back ... I don't think we could have gotten up if anyone had fallen.

Like Wakil Amina, Wakil Rosieçim reflected that what came to them, was that another person's behavior is none of your business! "That sounds like Shaykh Taner, doesn't it?", she proclaimed! 😆 You look to your own behaviour, and that includes letting go of judgment and saying a prayer for them. The entourage kept each other going, and (Wakil) Faghrie was their rock of Umrah! Proving to us why Anne (our first spiritual mother) wisely enstated him as a Wakil.

At the end, Wakil Amina reflected that the first Tariqa Umrahties contingency came to appreciate their first experience of their tawaf of the Ka'aba. There is no such thing as bad experiences really in Sufism. They had to try to learn from their experience, reflecting, "What am I meant to learn about me and Allah, and not about others?"

#4. Thereafter, was our weekly Silat (an Indonesian self-defense martial arts system) set up by our late, progressive and beloved Shaykh Taner and Guru Rennie. An earnest physical inquiry from fellow Silat student Lea opened a world of spiritual insight for me. It not only woke me up internally but externally - as a paraplegic accident survivor - to trying what I actually can, of the hand jurus (self-defense motions).

I attribute this to lowering the dosage of my medication to deal with spasticity (abnormal muscle tightness as a result of my accident). The medication numbs muscles, but a measure of muscular activity is actually needed for remobilisation. Beyond a re-emergence of external feelings has come an internal desire to physically implement what I can, Subhana'Allah (Glory to the Divine!).

#5. Lea's question was about maintaining breath work with everything else that is needed during self-defense. Like a true ascetic Guru Rennie, responded that an axiom (truth) of training is regarding the conventional idea of strength and speed. In Silat, the saying goes that fast is slow as slow is fast.

We go as fast as our attention can follow. We therefore have to increase awareness of our different elements, i.e., hands, legs, etc. We are trying to extend our emotional attention to where things are, and we subsequently become more intentional with our movements. This shows up when we do two-person work where you start at a slow speed, then medium and progress to fast as personally possible until someone makes a mistake ... then we take a deep breath and start all over! The axiom is the hard part where we start slow and go slightly past our limit, and then completely reset!

You see, not only Pauppy Muntaha struggles with the need-for-speed; she inherited it from me, her Ammu. My life's weakness has always been to rush its processes. This is why I am being compelled to reinvent my post-accident life, from a fast disposition to a naturally slow one that is adaptable to every situation. Each dynamic circumstance faced with the correct structure and the correct spiritual heart, which is embedded in oneself through willful practice.

In conclusion, I was again left wading in an ocean of gratitude for our commitment to never-ending learning as a spiritual family, of like minds and hearts. Irrespective of context and circumstance:

Shukran Ya Allah (Divine gratitude)

[tasmiq]

Jumu'ah Sohbet: 26 January 2024

Alhamdulillah (Divine praise) for another synchronous and spiritually significant week amidst the several unknowns that humanity faces. Bismillah (With the name of Allah), we collectively enter my heart's reflection ...

#1. During our Qur'an Contemplation holiday, Khalifa Rubina asked us to reflect on the importance of guidance. I was swimming in gratitude that my rehabilitation gives me sweet time to do just that. On the notion of guidance, I would add that our deen (way of life) is only shaped with purposeful guidance gained by following Allah in the now, and which can lead us to heaven. We were asked to reflect that against Surah Al-Fatiha, which arose as a rhyme out of my heart.

An ode to Surah Al-Fatiha

Mystically containing seven verses

Akin to the possibility of attaining one of the seven levels of heaven versus the heaven sought in the now

Insha'Allah as the hearts' yearning after worldly toil against nafs

Unavoidably, after complete repentance, will we achieve our final destination

What else could free our incomplete selves, but complete surrender

It is not only the opening but most repeated Surah (chapter) of the Qur'an recited in Salah (connected devotion)

Regarded as the key to cementing humanity's Divine purpose

Emblazing Allah as the enactor and source of mercy

Above all other attributes

Repeated in two verses for certain measure

Naturally inclining us into a state of gratitude and praise out of sheer awe

For the Lord of the pluralised "worlds"

Crystalising our Tariqa's emphasis on our deen (way of life) as a truth

There is always more

Which is sought through a dedication to lifelong learning

We will be raised to account for ourselves on Judgment Day

In our worldly existence, were efforts made to connect and devote

While seeking Divine help on the straight path, which was confirmed and sure

As the path of Grace and not the path of deserved punishment

Nor the path of misguidance and manifest error

#2. From Johannesburg, our first Anne (Spiritual mother) was on the last leg of her tender South African reunion because it was without her other half, physically present in this world. Here, she referred to our Rabita (heartfelt connection) enabling us to maintain taqwa (God-consciousness) in our moments in life.

Subhana'Allah, as a result of her timely reminders, 2024 mystically begun by drawing on one's own sense of self-sufficiency in Allah, after doing all we can to ensure our heart-felt connection to Him. At a time when humanity has been warring with the natural world, and only now beginning to experience its consequences. This is worsened by a dis-ease in many social circles where several power-plays are being meted out. Yet with this, we have witnessed an awakening of the minds and hearts of humanity like no other time.

#3. Lastly, was our brother Daud's over-awed, humbled and sick, travel-weary presentation of our Sufi travel delegation to the holy spaces of Mecca and Medina. It mirrored those of us blessed to experience it before him, through Ali Shariati who enlivened my own experience as well as Malcolm X. As it subsequently enlivened both your Aunty Amira and Uncle Bashir's experience of Hajj. Allah bless all living forms that did and continue to exalt Al-Hay (the everlasting, the undying and the ever-living One). As the birdsong at the Prophet's SAW Mosque of Medina, as attempted to be captured by our brother Daud.

Just as my vain efforts to hold onto a piece of flower material wrung around a camel at Jabal al-Noor for your Aunty Farzana, where our Prophet Muhammad SAW would retreat to meet the miraculous encounter with Jibra'il AS. I warned her that it possibly smells of camel dung but she cherished it akin to having received a pot of gold 😉 Allah please bless your noble Nana, Nanu and Mama that enabled my enriching experiences at these holy sites of our planet Earth. In retrospection, with my lately acquired Sufi eyes, do I crave one last experience shared with your Abbu's eyes. Please Ya Allah!

In conclusion, what an enriching but frightening start to 2024. We prooceed, yearning the ability to enact Allah's goodness:

Ya Muqtadir Ya Qadir Ya Nafi

[tasmiq]

Jumu'ah Sohbet: 19 January 2024

Subhana'Allah (glory to the Divine) for another providential week at the macro-and-micro level of our worldly existence! Without further adieu, bismillah ...

#1. During our monthly Halaqa (spiritual gathering), where we murids get to practice Rabita (heartfelt connection) and share our insights. Our newly appointed Wakil (Senior trustee) is your Abbu, who was wisely enstated by Shaykha Muzeyyen, who convened this Halaqa. She has equally astutely identified fitting leaders as Khalifa. Shukran Ya Allah (Divine gratitude) for her apt and soulful leadership acumen.

Our Wakil, your Abbu, inadvertently answered my query at its onset, needing clarification as to why we, as Sufis, ought to avoid politics. He referred to how we ought to accept that a plurality of experiences and perspectives exists in the rope and light to Allah. Especially within a Tariqa! We ought to be like As-Shahid (the Witness) and look for the Manifestor in the manifested. Instead of wanting others to comply with our worldview, we must simply get our nafs out of the way so that our focus is automatically on Allah.

He powerfully added an undeniable truth that politics perpetuates power and greed of the nafs, where we are trying to be Allah! Similarly, we have to be wary whether we are trying to be Allah in our responses! Or are we submitting, without taking away the human experience, but where we keep seeking Allah's haq. So whatever is being done incorrectly, we will respond, because there is a Hadith (Prophetic saying) which says we must try to stop a bad action, but if we can't stop it then we should speak out about it and in the least, we must feel the pain in our hearts for its occurrence! That is the Prophetic injunction, but this must not be done in a way where it is hurting the soul of another human being because their essence is also purity and haq!

#2. After Inna's powerful testimony as to how she wrestles her conscience as an original Jewess, but later metamorphosised into a Muslim Sufi. She was led to delete Facebook like me but for different reasons, her out of dismay of the extreme and unapologetic reactions of her cousins, and me out of dismay of my ignorant pre-accident life that unwittingly only celebrated nafs! Your Wakil Abbu beautifully reflected that we continue holding onto the rope of Allah as a community and family. Despite our different perspectives, we choose to be a spiritual family of love, peace, and unity in goodness.

Thereafter, Iliona added a thought-provoking idea that this whole situation with Israel and Palestine has brought her to an existential realisation where every single one of us has in our genetics, the experience of genocide! Every single human is carrying that, and irrespective of the team that are identified as the culprits. The way it can be seen is that it can either inflame one's own genetic pain or it can be treated as a signal to meditate and get over it, if possible. That is because all of our ancestors have done something destructive, and the question becomes about how we put an end to this in our own energy field. That is why we are amongst a family of unity above all else!

Your Wakil Abbu finally reflected that this is a really difficult time for the world, but Shaykh Taner taught us that we are always after the truth. With what is happening around us, are we acting with nafs, or are we acting for truth? What we see around us is human beings' nafs (egos) multipled exponentially, and we're all reacting to the hurt and the pain! We can not shy away from either the pain inflicted by others or responding responsibly, but at the same time, we must constantly search for the Truth, as crafted in my recent poem about the current situation. Shukran Ya Allah, for the blessing of our marriage as a "good cheam," pronounced early on by our late and beloved Shaykh Taner.

#3. After attempting to counsel a distressed and dear Sudanese friend in the depth of worsening national uncertainty, with the following message:

I just want you to know that I observe the Monday and Thursday fast for Sudan and Palestine. I am confident that Allah will relieve the collective suffering at its divinely ordained time.

My father was a freedom fighter who won Bangladesh's liberation from Pakistan. We have lived in war-torn Iran vs. Iraq, we managed to escape economically declining Zimbabwe, and we have lived through numerous upheavals in South Africa!

Please hang in there!

I realised that the reason that I am naturally attuned to political happenings is because my family has been led to overcome numerous political turmoils! Subhana'Allah for the Divine merit of retrospection, where I learned the following:

- Facing political turmoil is taxing, yes, but they can also shape us into resilient beings.

- My respect for my developing country parents mushroomed for enduring the uncertainties of numerous contexts, Alhamdulillah! Even the inherent racism of Denmark where your Nana was after Iran and the racism that we contended with in post-apartheid South Africa.

- Especially that despite the personally arduous passage of time that we each embarked, we have been blessed to realise what we pray for in:

Ya Wadud Ya Salaam Ya Jami Ya Nafi (Allah's loving and peaceful unity in goodness)

#4. 16 January 2024 marked the third year of our worldly separation with the sweet soul of our spiritual brother Fazeel. I was inspired by Mevlana Rumi to reframe my sadness into something more apt and emancipatory. You see, he was a constant feature of my rehabilitation from our accident.

Just as our beloved Shaykh Taner was unexpectedly taken from us, brother Fazeel was equally unexpectedly taken a short time before that. Immediately after both their passings, I reflected with their other halves that I had wished Allah had taken me instead. However, they both compassionately urged me to trust Allah's hikmah (wisdom / rationale) in spite of their sorrow. This was my inspired ode to him:

Above: A beautiful family photo at their eldest's wedding.

Urs of our Fazeel

In Sufic terms, an urs literally refers to a wedding

A union of the lover with the Beloved

Even though our humble Fazeel is not a Sufi Saint

With his deeply caring heart and his family's subsequent resilience

They attest to our worldly parting with him being his Divine urs

Urs is a death anniversary that is commemorated at a dergah

It's not an occasion to lament but to rejoice

An idea taken from the Hadith:

“Sleep just like the bride.”

And the Angels say to the Pious in the grave, “Sleep with restfulness and comfort just like a bride.”

Beyond Fazeel's incredible heart that was thirsty and ever-ready to serve

Is his equally incredible wife who continued and continues growing

All their children were even inspired to take Divine allegiance

Maintaining a connection to their beloved Daddy

Above all to Al-Hay, as the undying, ever-living, and eternal

#5. Shaykh Anjum reflected on the definition of being considerate, which is "putting others first before ourselves." It was identified as a key requirement for all Sufis as we wrestle with several questions ...

- Will this action bring people together or be divisive?

- Will it be a source of gaining humility or a source of boastfulness?

- Will it clear any assumptions or perpetuate them?

- Will it make people aware or further their ignorance?

- Will it make people appreciative of their bounties or nurture selfishness?

I marvel that when I am least able-bodied and thus less able to be distracted, it is when I can be the most considerate of other's perspectives and experiences of life. Subhana'Allah to reaping the rewards of refining ourselves as Sufis and hence becoming considerate. Anything contrary to this indicates a lack of consideration, being self-centered, ignorant, and caught up in Nafs-al Ammara (at the mercy of one's commanding / impulsive / prompting lower-self).

In conclusion, deep gratitude that your Wakil Abbu reached the cyclone affected shores of Mauritius safely. Insha'Allah, our Mauritian spiritual family, remain safe there, and your Abbu returns to our hearts:

Ya Muhaymin Ya Hafiz

Ya Wadud Ya Salaam Ya Jami Ya Nafi

[tasmiq]

12 January 2023: Bodhanya Journaling

Gratitude for the speakers of Truth; Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Andrew Feinstein, South Africa's legal envoy at the ICJ "the A-team" that did or are doing their part in restoring the peace tree.

Our djembe drum cheerleader for Palestine's freedom with a newfound-foodie calling in his twin half 😉

[tasmiq]

Jumu'ah Sohbet: 12 January 2024

We went deep into a reminder of our procedural basics in congregational Zikr right up to our philosophical basics of why we count our blessing for willingly choosing to be perennially unconditioned as a Sufi within our Tariqa. Shukran Ya Allah (Divine gratitude) that we are empowered with non-violent arms as nur (Divine light) to battle our nafs (ego / lower-self).

#1. Regarding our procedural basics in congregational Zikr. Shaykh Nishaat firstly reflected how we were rewarded with the technology of Zoom at a time of social isolation due to COVID-19. As a result, a number of changes were made to accommodate our virtual connection and Alhamdulillah for our reflexivity as a multinational Tariqa. However, he announced that it is now time for our return to our full Zikr. Therefore, we should remind ourselves that the Zikr we have received and are doing is authorised by the Prophet Muhammad SAW and, by our Pirs Abdul Qadir Geylani and Ahmed er-Rifai. Their spiritual energies are present during our Zikrs. Allah mentions in the Qur'an that, "This nur (as the light of the heavens and the earth) is found in those homes which Allah grants permission to perform Zikr, each morning and night." When we prostrate in Zikr, we are doing so to that light.

This nur is a reality that we can't see because Allah mentions from the Prophet SAW that we should pray as if we see Allah and that Allah sees us. Hazrat Ali was asked how he worships Allah as a God that he can not see. He powerfully replied, "I will not raise my head from prostration if I don't see my Lord." The Zikr that we are doing brings that reality into our lives. When we are preparing for Zikr, we are preparing for this reality in being in the presence of Allah's nur, including that of the Prophet SAW and our Pirs. We are presenting ourselves in that reality.

We don't go to congregational Zikr to praise one another or our spiritual mentors. We go for the sole reason of being in Allah's light. When we cross over our worldly threshold into a circle of Zikr, we must literally feel that we are leaving the world outside. It is so that our heart connects with our Rab (Lord) who is our Creator, through our Silsila (spiritual chain). Our Zikr is authorised, which means that it happens only with permission from Allah and the whole line, from the Prophet SAW to our respective spiritual mentor. Everything that we are involved in is through them and with them. Their presence in the unseen is here and all those places where the Zikr is made.

#2. Shaykh Nishaat added that beyond performing specific Zikr, we must remember how to prepare and present ourselves for it. We must remember that proper behaviour should be followed because we are in the presence of Allah, all these spiritual energies, and the Angels. Our Prophet SAW said that when Zikr is made, all of the Angels are present with their light, which goes up as a reality explained by Shaykh Taner.

When we're in Zikr, we must try to bring our minds in line with our hearts, and we must know that our hearts will lead us to Allah. While we share the energy of everyone around us, we must be cogniscant that what we are sharing is our relationship with Allah. We must, therefore, focus on that one reality, which is the presence of Allah.

We must try to recite Allah's names, which we do loudly for a reason because our Zikr is not a silent one when we are in congregation. We must use our voices after finding the frequency resonating from our voices to our hearts. We are reciting only the names of Allah, so we must use our oral faculties to praise and glorify Allah because it will also be a reality in the Hereafter, insha'Allah. It is where our faculties will attest their praise of Allah, which was out of our free will.

#3. Shaykh Anjum thereafter took us back into our philosophic basics. While on the path of consciousness, we need to be aware of what comes in its way, such as conditioning of ourselves as a person, personality, or being. It's just as we condition the air to the right temperature. We also need to be aware of the conditioning by our social environment, which starts from the day that we are born to our parents. We accumulate a lot of things, and we become a person in whatever kind of personality that we assume.

Now the Prophet Muhammad SAW said a critical Hadith (saying) of "Know yourself so that you know your Lord." The question is, how does the conditioning through multiple factors align with knowing yourself and knowing your Lord? The way we can become aware of it is to join a Tariqa 😆 We learn that we must obey Allah, obey Rasullulah SAW, and the authorities amongst ourselves. This is how it comes into our being, and at the same time, there is one particular verse in the Qur'an. In Surah Jumu'ah verse 2:

It is He who has sent amongst the unlettered, a messenger from amongst themselves to rehearse to them His signs, to purify them and to instruct them in the book of wisdom to guide them although they had been in manifest error.

I am left utterly humbled by Allah's immense compassion and mercy. It cements my perception of Him as Al-Wadud (the Source of love) because I have lived His loving mercy at numerous phases in my life. In fact, it is why I subscribe to a Sufi Tariqa. Shaykh Anjum explains what is meant by purify, which Shaykh Taner translated it as good manners. After he checked around 10-12 translators, the majority of them said to purify or sanctify them to gain good manners. It refers to the purification of the nafs, which is what happens in a Sufi order.

#4. While we are gaining good manners by purifying our nafs, our consciousness is being increased by becoming aware of what not to do. Simultaneously, there is a lot of conditioning that we need to undo. We need to unlearn a lot of things so that we can learn, where we empty our cup or baggage before we can fill anything in again.

So, unconditioning begins with La ilaha illallah as the basic starting point because the more we say it - the more we get out of the way! We are simultaneously trying to uncondition ourselves and condition ourselves with Zikr. Here, the focus on the self means enacting what you are not supposed to do or what you have to let go and substitute it with something more meritorious and spiritually empowering.

#5. In Sufism, attachments are emphasised because the more we can detach, the more we can connect, and the more it can influence conditioning! The more that we can let go, the more our connection, understanding, and awareness increases. We subsequently realise what the reality and Haqqiqa are. As an accident survivor, could I detach from worldly factors and thereby gain spiritual wings that have moved me beyond my former abilities.

During this process, we achieve Ma'rifa, which is to know, to become conscious or aware as a multi-level and multidimensional reality. However, in Sufism, everybody's path is not the same. A fundamental truth in Sufism is that each path is customised, that's where confidentiality, understanding, and commitment come in.

In conclusion, the difficult task of unconditioning is entirely possible once one has faced a life altering event, like myself and the people of Palestine. Prayers for South Africa's legal envoy that adeptly charged Israel for genocide at the International Council of Justice (ICJ). Insha'Allah, the truth prevails in the muddied waters of politics:

Ya Allah Ya Nasir (Yearning Allah's help)

Ya Hadi Ya Haq (with Allah's guidance to the truth)

Ya Muqtadir Ya Qadir Ya Nafi (with Allah's ability to enact goodness)

Ya Wadud Ya Salaam (and ultimately towards Divine love and peace)