Ten Rules - Shaykh Abdulqadir Jilani

This is some amazing advice for a mureed by Shaykh Abdulqadir Jilani. He gave the following ten rules to his mureeds who wanted to be in control of their nafs (ego, desires) as well as maturing on the path. insha'allah theres are ten things i hope to implement! One day. Please pray for me.


1. Jokingly or seriously, don't lie, because once your tongue avoids lying, Allah the Most High enlarges your chest and purifies your understanding and ilm (knowledge). That person becomes as if they don't know what a lie is. Everything becomes truth to him. When he hears other people lie, the mureed should pray for them not to lie.

2. The mureed should avoid cursing or harming humans and other created beings (from bugs to Jinn) because avoiding to curse and harm is the character of the good and loyal friends of Allah. If a person is like this, then Allah protects him or her and their end will be good. They will reach to a high level in Allah's presence. Allah will protect them from being destroyed and protect them from harm. Allah rewards this person with being a blessing to human beings and close to Allah's essence.

3. The mureed has to keep his promise at all times unless he has a very good excuse. He must avoid not keeping his promise because not keeping a promise is in the same class as lying. As long as the servant of Allah tries to keep his/her promise the doors of generosity and blessings open to him/her. Loyal lovers of Allah love these people and they get a high station in Allah's presence. It is better that he avoids the habit of making promise, so that he may not be guilty of the breach of promise.

4. Even though a person has harmed or wronged him/her, the mureed should not pray for harm to come to him or curse him. Even if the mureed is wronged, he/she should not damn anyone, whether by word or action. The mureed should put up with this and be patient for Allah's sake. This virtue takes the owner to high stations in this world and the hereafter. Such a person will be loved by far and near ones.

5. The mureed should not blame other believers with attributing partners to Allah, with disbelief or cause trouble between people. This attitude is close to mercy and assists the mureed to to reach high spiritual levels.

6. The mureed should not sin inwardly (in the heart) or outwardly. He/She should avoid eating things that are not halal and protect all the organs of his body from sin. This state is the best achievement in this world that a mureed can cultivate for the eternal life.

7. The mureed should earn his own livelihood and not be a burden to people who are independent of him/her. He should bear not only his own burden but also that of other people. Because of this virtue, the fear of Allah will make their worship complete and honorable.

8. The mureed/dervish must not or should not expect anything from people or desire what belongs to others. He should be unmindful of things which he needs, for to have no need is the mark of honour and the distinguishing trait of piety of the pious. The biggest honour and wealth and the highest level is to put one's whole trust in Allah only. Only with this attitude can the dervish be pious. Worship matures with this attitude. This is the state and action of one who give himself to Allah.

9. A mureed/dervish should not, either truly or falsely, intentionally or unintentionally, by mistake or on purpose take Allah's Name in vain or swear by the Name of Allah.

10. The mureed/dervish should take to hospitality and humility. With humility, the dervish reaches high levels of spirituality and stays at this high level. This is the base of goodness and the highest level of goodness. Because of this quality the lovers of Allah stay with him in troubled times. The Walis (Saints) visit him in the unseen and aid him in his difficulty. Humility is seeing everybody you meet as higher than you and thinking that they might be closer to Allah than yourself.

If the mureed meets a person that is younger than himself/herself, he/she should say:
"This person did not rebel against Allah; I did. I am sure he/she is better than me."

If the mureed meets a person who is older than himself, he/she should say:
"This person has worshipped Allah longer than I have . He might have reached levels I have not been able to reach. Maybe Allah has let him know things I haven't been allowed to know yet."

If the mureed meets an ignorant person, then he should say:
"This person rebelled against Allah because he was ignorant; I rebelled against Allah knowingly. I dont know what is going to happen at the end to me or to him/her."
If the mureed meets a person who is a disbeliever or agnostic, he should say:
"Maybe one day this disbeliever or agnostic will become a Muslim and do better deeds than myself and he might end up in a better place than I would and I might be misled and end up in a worse place than him."


If a mureed acts with humility like this, then Allah the Most High saves him/her from hardships and makes the mureed reach to the levels of those who give advice for Allah's sake. He will be the closest friend of Allah the Most High.

Update:

Oops I haven’t written anything down for a few days, I was meant to post on Tuesday night but no luck. =(

On Sunday we went moonsighting as planned which was very exciting. The turnout was great as a lot of people had turned out to join us in sighting the new moon for commencement of ramadhan. The weather was so amazing, the sky was very clean and it was relatively warm until we got up to the hill which was very chilly and windy.

The sun setting was absolutely beautiful! The clouds which were covering the sun turned to a beautiful but scary golden orange with tinges of red and yellow. I used my friend’s dad’s telescope to get a better look and subhanallah it was very frightening as it reminded of what jahanama (hell) could possibly look like. But in saying that I was completely in awe, the sight of the sky decorated with various colours and the clouds glowing reminded me of the magnificent glory of creation!

We stayed there until the reported time of moon set but we sadly we had no luck of sighting the moon. All of us who were present lined up to pray the Maghrib (sun set) prayer and it was very captivating. There is something about praying out in the open with a warm breeze gently touching your face as everything stands still for those brief moments as everyone is only focused on praying.

As a result of not sighting the moon it was concluded that ramadhan will start on Tuesday (which I had a feeling it would).

Today (Thrusday) is the third of ramadhan and alhamdulilah I feel even more excited today compared to the start of ramadhan.

The first day of ramadhan was very exciting but tiring at the same time, I think my body is getting used to waking up earlier and alhamdulilah for the middle term break other wise I would have missed a few classes by now. On Tuesday night I went to taraweeh prayer very beautiful and serene (other than the screaming kids who were running around). Its such an amazing feeling to be gather around people late in the evening for the only purpose of worshiping God. It creates a sense of a deeper understanding of our purpose in life as well as a reminder of what worship itself means.

The second of Ramadhan (yesterday) was a bit better than the first day. I did more worship compared to the first day alhamdulilah and I hope it continues. The only problem was that I went to bed very late which did not help as I could not get up for suhoor (but I did eat before sleeping which was a wise more *grins*). I was also meant to meet up with this girl but I called the place she was staying at and they told me she had left but Insha’allah I will try to call again today.

Late night rants

Its 10.15pm and i have been up since 6am. This morning after i took my sister to the shops we decided to stop over at the supermarket to buy some groceries for ramdan. I could not believe the selection of food varieties there is subhanallah, as i was going through the baking section to buy baking soda and yeast i could not believe the variety of yeast that was available ( i mean yeast is yeast). That got me to thinking about how ungrateful we are and how much food we waste every year, people in Africa are starving while we chuck out food. While they have absolutely nothing to eat while we stock up on food and whatever our nafs desires.

The sadly reality of the situation really makes me think about the part i am playing in all of this and how i will be taken into account for it. I might not be fully aware of what is happening but i know enough to understand that while im eating and enjoying life other people are trying to gather whatever food they can if any. something depressing to think about especially at this time but nonetheless, its thought provoking and important.

On a lighter note, i was keeping an eye out for the moon tonight but no luck as there's an overcast here tonight. Seeing the moon uplifts my spirit and makes me appreciate the natural beauty of Allah's creation. Insha'allah i hope i see the moon tomorrow but seeing it on Sunday at the ramadan moonsighting will do.

Malik ibn Dinar

Malik ibn Dinar (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about the reason behind his repentance. He said: 'I use to be a policeman and an alcoholic. I then acquired a maid who was very good to me. She bore a daughter of ours to whom I became very attached. I became even fonder of her when she started to crawl. Whenever I used to serve myself wine, she would come and drag my tumbler away from me and spill everything over my clothes. Our daughter died when she turned 2 and I was devastated.

The 15^th of Shaban came along that year on a Friday. I went to sleep drunk and without offering my prayers. I saw in a dream that the Day of Judgment had come about; the Trumpet was blown; graves were resurrected about people were gathered and I was among them. I heard a hissing noise behind. I turned around and saw that I was being approached by a huge black and blue snake. I started to run away as fast as I could trembling with fear. I then encountered an old man who was well dressed and wore good perfume. I greeted him and asked him to help me. The old man cried and said that he was very weak and the snake was much stronger than he. However, he did tell me to keep on running in the hope that I would find something that would save me from the snake. I continued to run and climbed on top of an elevated area.

I found myself on top of a valley of fire. The horror of the fire alone made me almo

st fall into it. Then, I heard someone shouting: 'Get away from there. You don't belong there.' I found security in that shout and ran further with the snake still at my heels. I found the old man again and pleaded with him to help. Again, he started to cry and say that he was very weak and that the snake was far stronger than he. Then, the old man directed me towards a hill where he said I might find a deposit of mine that could help me. I looked at the hill, which was circular and made of silver. In the hill were pierced windows and hanging curtains.

Every window had two golden panels and each panel was adorned with silk curtains. I quickly ran towards the hill. An angel then cried: 'Raise the curtains. Open the panels and look. Perhaps this afflicted person has some sort of d

eposit here that can help him.'

I then saw faces of small children who were like small moons peeping out from the windows. Then one of them shouted: 'What's wrong with you all. Come quickly. His enemy has almost come upon him.' So they came and looked from their windows - hundreds of them. Then, I saw the face of my daughter who had died. When she saw me, she cried and said, 'By Allah! That is my father.' She then shot out of the window like an arrow from a bow and jumped into a pool of light (nur). She then appeared in front of me and extended one of her

hands to me. I grabbed and hung onto her. She put her other hand in front of the snake and drove it away. She then made me sit down and sat herself in my lap, stroked her right hand through my beard and said:

O father, Is it not time for believers to subject their hearts to the remembrance of Allah.

I started to cry and asked how she knew the Qur'an. She said they (the children) knew more than they (in the world) did. I then asked her about the snake that ran after me. She explained that it represented my bad deeds, which would drive me into Hell. I then inquired about the old man. She said he was my good deeds, which had become so weak that they were unable to defend me against my bad deeds. I then asked what they were doing inside this hill. She informed me that they were the deceased children of Muslims waiting for their parents on the Day of Judgment. Malik said: 'I woke up in a fright. I smashed all my wine containers and repented. This was how I repented.' (Ibid:49)

Friday, 30th August .

Ok, so i know that rather than posting and writing about personal experiences i have mostly been posting material that i have read. But insha'allah with ramdan approaching i start posting my thoughts and reflections. ^_^

Today is Friday, 3oth August and i have so much to get done. I promised to take my sister to the mall and few other shops in preparation for ramdan, although, i don't feel like driving 'a promise is a promise' i guess. Insha'allah latter on around maghrib we will be hosting a documentary screening which deals with issues of interfaith, conflict resolution and finding common grounds between ourselves in an ever changing society that consists of diverse beliefs and communities.

Insha'allah, although it is not confirmed yet, if there is dars on tonight i might be going to that too =D can't wait!

Right now i'm contemplating on whether or not to go to jummah prayers as i have alot to get done but i might just go seeing as ramdan is around the corner.


Verily, with every difficulty, there is relief, verily, with every difficulty, there is relief

Holy Qur'an, The Expansion, 5-6

The words of the wise:

'He who looks to the fellowship of creatures will sometimes be crooked
and sometimes straight.But he who looks to The Creator is bound to
the straight path both inwardly and outwardly.'

Do not hasten in taking revenge from a person.Do not delay in
benefiting and doing good to any person.

The Wisdom of Islam

Oh Mankind!
We have created you from a Male
and a Female,
and made you into nations and tribes,
So that ye may know one another...
(Glorious Quran 49:13)

Ok Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم I am going, I am going!

Anas رضي الله عنه used to serve Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم and he did so for 10 years. So, once Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم asked Anas رضي الله عنه who was a young boy at that time, to carry out an errand which he initially refused but then he accepted to perform. It was a long time since Anas رضي الله عنه had returned so Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم went outside to look for him. He صلى الله عليه و سلم found Anas رضي الله عنه playing with a group of children. So Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم went close to Anas رضي الله عنه and from behind he pulled his ear very slightly and said smilingly, “O’ Anas, you are still here?” So Anas رضي الله عنه replied, “Ok Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم I am going, I am going!”

Al Mu'allim

A few years ago as my high school graduation (it wasn’t that along ago) present I got my father to buy two CDs by Sami Yusuf. The first one was ‘Al Mu’allim” and the second one was ‘My Ummah.’

The CD’s arrived afew weeks after the death of my non-Muslim friend and the first track I listened to was ‘Al Mu’allim’ and I remember that this indescribable feeling came over me.
My heart was filled with so much pain, and tears were streaming down my face like the Nile River.

We once had a Teacher
The Teacher of teachers,
He changed the world for the better
And made us better creatures,
Oh Allah we’ve shamed ourselves
We’ve strayed from Al-Mu'allim,
Surely we’ve wronged ourselves
What will we say in front him?
Oh Mu'allim...

When I heard these words I was so ashamed of myself, calling myself a Muslim and saying that I follow the sunnah of prophet (pbuh) when I truly did not. It made me really think about the sacrifices that the prophet (pbuh) and the companions(ra) made for us, what have we sacrificed and what will we say to our prophet (pbuh) when we meet insha’allah. How will we answer for ourselves and our sinful ways?

He prayed while others slept
While others ate he’d fast,
While they would laugh he wept
Until he breathed his last,
His only wish was for us to be
Among the ones who prosper,
Ya Mu'allim peace be upon you,
Truly you are our Teacher,
Oh Mu'allim..

Subhanallah! How great was this man, he stood every night in prayer to the point where his feet were swollen not for his sake but for our sake seeking Allah to forgive us. How have we shown our gratitude, why don’t we pray for each other like he did for us?

Here are the rest of the lyrics, but please take a moment to thank Allah for making you and us among the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). And please ask Allah to send him peace and blessing.

We once had a Teacher
The Teacher of teachers,
He changed the world for the better
And made us better creatures,
Oh Allah we’ve shamed ourselves
We’ve strayed from Al-Mu'allim,
Surely we’ve wronged ourselves
What will we say in front him?
Oh Mu'allim...

Chorus
He was Muhammad salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam,
Muhammad, mercy upon Mankind,
He was Muhammad salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam,
Muhammad, mercy upon Mankind,
Teacher of all Mankind.
Abal Qasim [one of the names of the Prophet]
Ya Habibi ya Muhammad
(My beloved O Muhammad)
Ya Shafi'i ya Muhammad
(My intercessor O Muhammad)
Khayru khalqillahi Muhammad
(The best of Allah’s creation is Muhammad)
Ya Mustafa ya Imamal Mursalina
(O Chosen One, O Imam of the Messengers)
Ya Mustafa ya Shafi'al 'Alamina
(O Chosen One, O intercessor of the worlds)
He prayed while others slept
While others ate he’d fast,
While they would laugh he wept
Until he breathed his last,
His only wish was for us to be
Among the ones who prosper,
Ya Mu'allim peace be upon you,
Truly you are our Teacher,
Oh Mu'allim..

Chorus
Ya Habibi ya Muhammad
(My beloved O Muhammad)
Ya Shafi'i ya Muhammad
(My intercessor O Muhammad)
Ya Rasuli ya Muhammad
(O My Messenger O Muhammad)
Ya Bashiri ya Muhammad
(O bearer of good news O Muhammad)
Ya Nadhiri ya Muhammad
(O warner O Muhammad)
'Ishqu Qalbi ya Muhammad
(The love of my heart O Muhammad)
Nuru 'Ayni ya Muhammad
(Light of my eye O Muhammad)
He taught us to be just and kind
And to feed the poor and hungry,
Help the wayfarer and the orphan child
And to not be cruel and miserly,
His speech was soft and gentle,
Like a mother stroking her child,
His mercy and compassion,
Were most radiant when he smiled

Chorus
Abal Qasim [one of the names of the Prophet]
Ya Habibi ya Muhammad
(My beloved O Muhammad)
Ya Shafi'i ya Muhammad
(My intercessor O Muhammad)
Khayru khalqillahi Muhammad
(The best of Allah’s creation is Muhammad)
Ya Mustafa Ya Imamal Mursalina
(O Chosen One O Imam of the Messengers)
Ya Mustafa ya Shafi'al 'Alamina
(O Chosen One O intercessor of the worlds)

Oh Allah Give me light

Oh Allah Give me Light

This is a very beautiful dua(supplication) made by our beloved prophet peace be upon him. O God, give me light in my heart and light in my tongue and light in my hearing and light in my seeing and light in my feeling and light in every part of my body and light before me and light behind me. Give me, I beg you, light on my right hand and light on my left hand and light above me and light beneath me. O Lord, make light grow within me and give me light and illuminate me.

Manners In Islam - When One Is Praised

What Should One Say If He Is Praised

Adiy bin Arta RA said that when anyone of the Companions RA of the Prophet was praised he would say:

“O Allah, do not seize me for what they say (about me).And forgive me (my sins) that which they do not know.”

Bukhari










Explanation

When anyone is praised , his head swells with pride and he thinks of himself and tends to stay aloof from other people. If he is pleased with praise , he imagines that what is said about him is correct and the pride that comes to him is sin. This is why a supplication is made requesting Allah not to take him to task for what other people say about him and what might have caused pride in him. When people praise anyone, he must remember his sins because generally sins are not committed before other people. They know about a man’s knowledge and prowess but do not know about his sins. If other people praise a man and he takes stock of his sins then his pride is broken instantly and, because of realisation of sins, he must seek forgiveness. Hence, the request (and forgive that which they do not know).

.: Please forgive me :.

..

In a hadeeth, Rasul Allah, , said,

"If anyone continually asks forgiveness, Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress, relief from anxiety, and will provide for him from where he never realised."

- [Abu Dawood, Hadith 599]



[ Lessons from this Hadith ]

This is your success formula: Constantly asking Allah for forgiveness. It is the key to mastering your emotions, and finding ways of provision that you never imagined!

For the next ten days, ask Allah for forgiveness 100x each day, and make it a habit!

Rabia al-Adawiyah

Oh my I haven’t posted anything in a long time@ I have just been so busy with life in general and the university workload alhamdulilah its ok though.

Lately, actually since last year I have been getting into studying the Islamic sciences especially tasawwuf. It is something that intrigues me a great deal, especially the involvement of women. One of the great Sufi woman that inspires me is Rabia al-Adawiyah – may allah bess her. Here is her story;

If anyone says, “Why have you included Rabe’a in the rank of men?” my answer is, that the Prophet himself said, “God does not regard your outward forms.” The root of the matter is not form, but intention, as the Prophet said, “Mankind will be raised up according to their intentions.” Moreover, if it is proper to derive two-thirds of our religion from A’esha, surely it is permissible to take religious instruction from a handmaid of A’esha. When a woman becomes a “man” in the path of God, she is a man and one cannot any more call her a woman.

The night when Rabe’a came to earth, there was nothing whatsoever in her father’s house; for her father lived in very poor circumstances. He did not possess even one drop of oil to anoint her navel; there was no lamp, and not a rag to swaddle her in. He already had three daughters, and Rabe’a was his fourth; that is why she was called by that name.

“Go to neighbour So-and-so and beg for a drop of oil, so that I can light the lamp,” his wife said to him.

Now the man had entered into a covenant that he would never ask any mortal for anything. So he went out and just laid his hand on the neighbour’s door, and returned.

“They will not open the door,” he reported.

The poor woman wept bitterly. In that anxious state the man placed his head on his knees and went to sleep. He dreamed that he saw the Prophet.

“Be not sorrowful,” the Prophet bade him. “The girl child who has just come to earth is a queen among women, who shall be the intercessor for seventy thousand of my community Tomorrow,” the Prophet continued, “go to Isa-e Zadan the governor of Basra. Write on a piece of paper to the following effect. ‘Every night you send upon me a hundred blessings, an on Friday night four hundred. Last night was Friday night, and you forgot me. In expiation for that, give this man four hundred dinars lawfully acquired.’”

Rabe’a’s father on awaking burst into tears. He rose up and wrote as the Prophet had bidden him, and sent the message to the governor by the hand of a chamberlain.

“Give two thousand dinars to the poor,” the governor commanded when he saw the missive, “as a thanksgiving for the Master remembering me. Give four hundred dinars also to the Shaykh, and tell him, ‘I wish you to come to me so that I may see you. But I do not hold it proper for a man like you to come to me. I would rather come and rub my beard in you threshold. However, I adjure you by God, whatever you may need, pray let me know.’”

The man took the gold and purchased all that was necessary

When Rabe’a had become a little older, and her mother and father were dead, a famine came upon Basra, and her sisters were scattered. Rabe’a ventured out and was seen by a wicked man who seized her and then sold her for six dirhams. He purchaser put her to hard labour.

One day she was passing along the road when a stranger approached. Rabe’a fled. As she ran, she fell headlong and her hand was dislocated.

“Lord God,” she cried, bowing her face to the ground, “I am a stranger, orphaned of mother and father, a helpless prisoner fallen into captivity, my hand broken. Yet for all this I do not grieve; all I need is Thy good pleasure, to know whether Thou art well-pleased or no.”

“Do not grieve,” she heard a voice say. “Tomorrow a station shall be thine such that the cherubim in heaven will envy thee.”

So Rabe’a returned to her master’s house. By day she continually fasted and served God, and by night she worshipped standing until day. One night her master awoke from sleep and, looking through the window of his apartment, saw Rabe’a bowing prostrate and praying.

“O God, Thou knowest that the desire of my heart is in conformity with Thy command, and that the light of my eye is in serving Thy court. If the affair lay with me, I would not rest one hour from serving Thee, but Thou Thyself hast set me under the hand of a creature.”

Such was her litany. Her master perceived a lantern suspended without any chain above her head, the light whereof filled the whole house. Seeing this, he was afraid. Rising up he returned to his bedroom and sat pondering till dawn. When day broke he summoned Rabe’a, was gentle with her and set her free.

“Give me permission to depart,” Rabe’a said.

He gave her leave, and she left the house and went into the desert. From the desert she proceeded to a hermitage where she served God for a while. Then she determined to perform the pilgrimage, and set her face towards the desert. She bound her bundle on an ass. In the heart of the desert the ass died.

“Let us carry your load,” the men in the party said.

“You go on,” she replied. “I have not come putting my trust in you.”

So the men departed, and Rabe’a remained alone.

“O God,” she cried, lifting her head, “do kings so treat a woman who is a stranger and powerless? Thou hast invited me unto Thy house, then in the midst of the way Thou hast suffered my ass to die, leaving me alone in the desert.”

Hardly had she completed this orison when her ass stirred and rose up. Rabe’a placed her load on its back, and continued on her way. (The narrator of this story reports that some while afterwards he saw that little donkey being sold in the market.) She traveled on through the desert for some days, then she halted.

“O God,” she cried, “my heart is weary. Whither am I going? I a lump of clay, and Thy house a stone! I need Thee here.”

An inspiration immediately came into her heart.

“Rabe’a, thou art faring in the life-blood of eighteen thousand worlds. Hast thou not seen how Moses prayed for the vision of Me? And I cast a few motes of revelation upon the mountain, and the mountain shivered into forty pieces. Be content here with My name!”