Wisdom of the Hadhrah

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Dr. Jibril Fu’ad Haddad wrote, on his website, “Living Islam”, regarding the hadhrah.  What is the wisdom of performing the hadhrah with bodily movements?  This is the same wisdom as the words of the Prophet (s.a.w.) to the Abyssinians who displayed themselves through certain choreographed movements in the Prophetic Mosque in Madina during ‘Iyd: “Jump, O Banu Arfada!” while Sayyidatina ‘Aishah bint Abi Bakr (r.a.) was watching with his permission.  Imam Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Shihab az-Zuhri (r.a.) narrated it in his Swahih, Kitab asw-Swalat al-‘Idayn from Sayyidatina ‘Aishah (r.a.) herself. 

Shaykh Muhammad al-Hasan ibn ‘Alawi al-Maliki (q.s.) said, in his book on the celebration of the Mawlid, titled Hawl al-Ihtifal bi Dzikri al-Mawlid an-Nabawi ash-Sharif, “There is no doubt that such singing, dancing, reciting of poetry, and banging the drum was for joy at being with the Prophet (s.a.w.) nor did he condemn or frown upon such displays in any way whatsoever.  These are common displays of happiness and lawful merriment.  Similarly, to stand up at the mention of the birth of the Prophet (s.a.w.) is an ordinary act that shows love and gladness symbolising the joy of Creation.” 

In “Key to the Garden”, Habib Ahmad Mashhur ibn Thaha al-Haddad (q.s.), commented on the verse: 

سُوۡرَةُ الزُّمَر

... تَقۡشَعِرُّ مِنۡهُ جُلُودُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخۡشَوۡنَ رَبَّہُمۡ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمۡ وَقُلُوبُهُمۡ إِلَىٰ ذِكۡرِ ... (٢٣) 

… the skins of those who fear their Lord tremble thereat; then their skins and their hearts do soften to the celebration of Allah’s Praises ... (Surah az-Zumar:23) 

He said, “The ‘softening of the heart’ consists in the sensitivity and timidity that occur as a result of nearness and tajalli.  Sufficient is it to have Allah (s.w.t.) as one’s intimate companion!  As for the ‘softening of the skin’ this is the ecstasy and swaying from side to side which result from intimacy and manifestation, or from fear and awe.  No blame is attached to someone who has reached this rank if he sways and chants, for in the painful throes of love and passion he finds something which arouses the highest yearning.” 

He continued, “The exhortation provided by fear and awe brings forth tears and forces one to tremble and be humble. These are the states of the righteous believers when they hear the Speech and dzikr of Allah (s.w.t.).  ‘Their skins tremble’, and then soften with their hearts and incline to dzikr of Him, as they are Covered in serenity and dignity, so that they are neither frivolous, pretentious, noisy, or ostentatious.  Allah (s.w.t.) has not Described them as people whose sense of reason has departed, who faint, dance, or jump about.”



Comments

  1. I find your blog too depressing..Don't you have anything positive to write..

    ReplyDelete
  2. Assalamu'Alaikum,

    Well, when I started this blog, I was more than depressed. I was at the bottom of the hole digging a deeper hole. And while I was there, I realized that there are a lot of people who were there and are there.

    When you go to convert web sites, you always hear the stories on how they converted and how it was so wonderful. We do not live in a fairy tale. A lot of converts leave Islam too. And when they do, Muslims say they did not have faith.

    I know many of them. And I was there when some of them converted, I was there when they got married, when they got divorced, when they decided to leave Islam. Or when they were kicked out of their homes, and lost their jobs, or lost their relationships.

    Some of them, I taught, or I counselled, or I was the witness for conversion, or the witness for marriage. Or I was there in some capacity or I personally witnessed those events. Ultimately, some of them stayed Muslims and they became stronger. And many others left.

    And there are many times, the rest of the Ummah failed them. I was fortunate to have good people around me in the most challenging times of my Muslim life. There is Mudpie, and Firdee and many others I did not name. And I have my teachers. And my tariqa'.

    The purpose of tis blog is to highlight those things. And to say that we CAN do something about it. Many things about. Things I fee that Darul Arqam does not do at the moment because the people there have lost touch with the ground, with the members, with the community. It is an empty building.

    Insha'Allah, we are going to do something about it. The AGM is coming up and that is the start point for all the projects, ideas, solutions.

    Perhaps the, when we have turned around the ONLY place that converts can go to and put the 'Dar' back into 'Dar al-Arqam', when we have rebuilt the family these people never had, or lost. Then, insha'Allah' I will start to write more positive things.

    Wassalam

    ReplyDelete
  3. With us, the name of everything is its outward appearance;
    with the Creator, the name of each thing is its inward reality.
    In the eye of Moses, the name of his rod was "staff";
    in the eye of the Creator, its name was "dragon."
    In brief, that which we are in the end
    is our real name with God.
    Mathnawi I:1239-40, 1244

    ReplyDelete
  4. And onthe DAy of Rising, we will be known by our attributes and we will be clothed by our deeds.

    For truly, is not Allah (s.w.t.), al-Haqq?

    ReplyDelete
  5. 1 Alim. Lam. Mim.

    2 Allah! There is no God save Him, the Alive, the Eternal.

    3 He hath revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture with truth, confirming that which was (revealed) before it, even as He revealed the Torah and the Gospel.

    4 Aforetime, for a guidance to mankind; and hath revealed the Criterion (of right and wrong). Lo! those who disbelieve the revelations of Allah, theirs will be a heavy doom. Allah is Mighty, Able to Requite (the wrong).

    5 Lo! nothing in the earth or in the heavens is hidden from Allah.

    6 He it is Who fashioneth you in the wombs as pleaseth Him. There is no God save Him, the Almighty, the Wise.

    7 He it is Who hath revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture wherein are clear revelations - they are the substance of the Book - and others (which are) allegorical. But those in whose hearts is doubt pursue, forsooth, that which is allegorical seeking (to cause) dissension by seeking to explain it. None knoweth its explanation save Allah. And those who are of sound instruction say: We believe therein; the whole is from our Lord; but only men of understanding really heed.

    8 Our Lord! Cause not our hearts to stray after Thou hast guided us, and bestow upon us mercy from Thy Presence. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Bestower.

    9 Our Lord! Lo! it is Thou Who gatherest mankind together to a Day of which there is no doubt. Lo! Allah faileth not to keep the tryst.

    10 (On that Day) neither the riches nor the progeny of those who disbelieve will aught avail them with Allah. They will be fuel for Fire.

    11 Like Pharaoh's folk and those who were before them, they disbelieved Our revelations and so Allah seized them for their sins. And Allah is severe in punishment.

    12 Say (O Muhammad) unto those who disbelieve: Ye shall be overcome and gathered unto Hell, an evil resting-place.

    13 There was a token for you in two hosts which met: one army fighting in the way of Allah, and another disbelieving, whom they saw as twice their number, clearly, with their very eyes. Thus Allah strengtheneth with His succour whom He will. Lo! herein verily is a lesson for those who have eyes.

    14 Beautified for mankind is love of the joys (that come) from women and offspring; and stored-up heaps of gold and silver, and horses branded (with their mark), and cattle and land. That is comfort of the life of the world. Allah! With Him is a more excellent abode.

    15 Say: Shall I inform you of something better than that ? For those who keep from evil, with their Lord, are Gardens underneath which rivers flow wherein they will abide, and pure companions, and contentment from Allah. Allah is Seer of His bondmen,

    16 Those who say: Our Lord! Lo! we believe. So forgive us our sins and guard us from the punishment of Fire;

    17 The steadfast, and the truthful, and the obedient, those who spend (and hoard not), those who pray for pardon in the watches of the night.

    18 Allah (Himself) is Witness that there is no God save Him. And the angels and the men of learning (too are witness). Maintaining His creation in justice, there is no God save Him the Almighty, the Wise.

    19 Lo! religion with Allah (is) the Surrender (to His Will and Guidance). Those who (formerly) received the Scripture differed only after knowledge came unto them, through transgression among themselves. Whoso disbelieveth the revelations of Allah (will find that) lo! Allah is swift at reckoning.

    20 And if they argue with thee, (O Muhammad), say: I have surrendered my purpose to Allah and (so have) those who follow me. And say unto those who have received the Scripture and those who read not: Have ye (too) surrendered ? If they surrender, then truly they are rightly guided, and if they turn away, then it is thy duty only to convey the message (unto them). Allah is Seer of (His) bondmen.

    ReplyDelete

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