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Showing posts from October, 2010

Explanation of the Shadzili ad-Darqawi Wird

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بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is the explanation of the Shadzili ad-Darqawi wird by Shaykh Ibrahim Etsko Odilus Franciscus Schuitema.   The Wird : Astaghfirullah x 33 Masha’Allah x 33 Subhanallah x 33 Hasbunallah wa ni’ma al-Wakil x 33 Laa Ilaha illa Allah x 100 Swalawat x 10 Surah al-Ikhlasw x 3 Surah al-Falaq x 1 Surah an-Naas x 1 Surah al-Fatihah x 1 Du’a for whatever we want, as well as our shuyukh and all the shuyukh of the  Darqawiyyah .   There are five adzkar in the wird specifically designed to cultivate in us the skill of silencing our inner dialogue, so that we can see everything for what it is and therefore be in the position to give everything its due.  These five adzkar are: “ Astaghfirullah ”, “ Masha’Allah ”, “ Subhanallah ”, “ Hasbunallah wa ni’ma al-Wakil ” and “ Allah ”.   Our inner dialogue is sustained by hopes and fears, and because this is the case, it is biographically based.  Let us say that someone

Asking Aid from the Prophets, Saints & Scholars

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بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ A student asked Imam Shihab ad-Din Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad ar-Ramli ( r.a. ), is it permissible for the awwam , who, when in distress, say, “ Ya Shaykh Fulan ” and, “ Ya Rasulullah ” and seek aid, istighatsa , with the prophets, the awliya’ , the ‘ulama ( r.a. ) and the righteous?   And do the messengers, prophets, awliya’ , the righteous, and the mashaykh possess the ability to assist others after their deaths, and what strengthens that view?   He replied that istighatsa’ , the seeking of aid, with the prophets, and messengers, the awliya’ , the ‘ulama and the righteous is permitted.  The messengers, prophets and the awliya’ have the ability to assist after their death because the miracles of the prophets and awliya’ are not severed following their death.  As for the prophets, they are alive in their graves praying and doing hajj as it has come in the reports.  So, assistance from them will be a miracle on their behalf; and the m

The Essence of Dzikr in All Sufi Orders

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بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is based on an excerpt from Miftah ash-Shudur .  Concerning the individual bay'ah , it had been narrated by Shaykh Yusuf ibn Muhammad al-Kurani ( q.s. ), in a valid sanad , that Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib ( k.w. ) had ever asked the Prophet Muhammad ( s.a.w. ), “ Ya Rasulullah , show me the shortest path to Allah which is also the easiest and the most meritorious in the Sight of Allah to pass through by His Servants!”   Rasulullah ( s.a.w. ) answered, “That you perform the permanent dzikrullah , and the most holy and weighty utterance so far made by myself and the Prophets before me; that is ‘ Laa Ilaha illa Allah .’  If you put all the things in the skies and earth on one side of the weighing scale and kalimah ‘ Laa ilaha illa Allah ’ on the other, you will find the side with the kalimah ‘ Laa Ilaha illa Allah ’ weighing heavier.”   Then he said, “ Ya ‘Ali, Doomsday shall not appear if on this Earth, there are still

Seeking the Divine Presence

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بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is adapted from a swuhbah from Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani ( q.s. ) on the 25 th February 2010.   Allah ( s.w.t. ) Sends Gifts on His servants, day and night, without fail, though more of such Gifts arrive at night, as compared to the daytime.   Some saints teach of a Special Blessing of Allah ( s.w.t. ) which Descends at night.   Each night, Allah ( s.w.t. ) Creates a group of special angels, for a special task, only for that night.   And He Creates a different group of angels each night for this same task.   Each night is different, each Creation is different, even our selves are not the same today, as compared to how we were yesterday.   In the last third of every night, this group of angels descends to the Earth; they search from East to West and from North to South, for a selected group of people.   Who are these people?   Allah ( s.w.t. ) Commands these angels to seek His Servants in dunya praying and glori

The Deputy of Allah (s.w.t.)

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بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is adapted from a swuhbah by Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani ( q.s. ) on 01 st October 2010.   Honour is given to mankind.  Even the angels asked for the Honour that Allah ( s.w.t. ) Gave to Adam ( a.s. ).  There are certain things in Creation impossible to be seen with the naked eye.  They are dzarrah , atoms.  We cannot see them even through an electronic microscope.  The light in our eyes cannot see them.  There are large objects like the Sun, Moon and the stars which in their entirety cannot also be seen through the light of the naked eye.  This is because of their immense size.  There are also very small atoms which cannot even be cut into two pieces.  If they are cut and the parts are separated, they would cease to be.  It is Allah ( s.w.t. ) Who Brings these into existence; the small and the large.  That which was Brought into existence must know Who Brought it into existence.  Everything from the tiniest particl

An Attempt to Desecrate the Tomb of a Wali

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بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is taken from An Attempt to Desecrate the Tomb of Shaykh Muhyi ad-Din Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn ‘Arabi ( q.s. ) .  This was originally sourced from Jami’ al-Karamat al-Awliya’ .   Imam Yusuf ibn Isma’il an-Nabhani ( q.s. ) wrote that Shaykh ‘Abd al-Wahhab ibn Ahmad ash-Sha’rani ( r.a. ) stated, “Our brother, Shaykh Swalih al-Haj Ahmad Halabi informed me that his house was in the vicinity of the blessed mausoleum of Shaykh Muhyi ad-Din ibn ‘Arabi.  It was visible from his house.  One night, after ‘isha’ prayer, a person carrying fire advanced towards the tomb, with the intention of burning the bier.  When he was eight or nine metres away from the grave, he started sinking into the ground, so much so that he disappeared into the ground.   Later that night, when his family members could not find him anywhere, they started looking out for him.  When the shaykh narrated to them the entire incident, they reached the place w

Shah Mahmud & the Fisher Lad

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بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   Shaykh Farid ad-Din ‘Aththar Abu Hamid ibn Abu Bakr Ibrahim ( q.s. ) wrote, in his Manthiq ath-Thayr :   “One day, Shah Mahmud, riding with the wind, Hunting, left his retinue behind, And coming to a river, whose swift course, Doubled back game and dog, and man and horse, Beheld upon the shore, a little lad, Fishing, very poor, and tatter-clad, He was, and weeping as his heart would break. So, the great Sulthan, for good humour’s sake, Pulled in his horse a moment, and drew nigh, And after making his salam , asked why, He wept — weeping, the Sulthan said, ‘so sore,’ As he had never seen one weep before. The boy looked up, and ‘O Amir,’ he said, ‘Seven of us are at home, and father dead, And mother left with scarce a bit of bread: And now since sunrise have I fished — and see! Caught nothing for our supper — woe is me!’ The Sulthan lighted from his horse.   ‘Behold,’ Said he, ‘Good fortune will not be contro

Should Tattoos be Removed after Conversion?

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بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is taken from “Should Tattoos be Removed after Conversion?” by Shaykh Nur ad-Din Abu ‘Ubadah ‘Ali ibn Juma’ah.   “Tattoo” as a term has two meanings.   The first of which is the process of stitching a needle into the skin until blood oozes out and then different kinds of dyes are placed in these opening wounds to penetrate through the body and remain there with no removal.   The second meaning has to do with the result of this process which is the drawn tattoo.   Tattoos are prohibited in Islam according to the authentic traditions in which both the one who does tattoos and the one who draws them are cursed.   Both Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Isma’il al-Bukhari ( r.a. ) and Imam ‘Asakir ad-Din Abu al-Husayn Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj, ( r.a. ) reported through Sayyidina ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar ( r.a. ) that the Prophet ( s.a.w. ) cursed the one who does tattoos, and the one who has a tattoo done.   The scholar, Imam Shihab ad-Din Ab