A Muslim Convert Once More

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is adapted from an article by Dr. Kristie Karimah Burns.   Modern Muslims often turn to books and magazines to find out what foods will make them healthy, however, the Qur’an and hadits have provided the Muslim community with many ideas of foods that should be included in the ideal diet.   The Qur’an mentions many fruits and vegetables as well as meat, milk and many spices among the foods Muslims can enjoy and thrive on.   Among some of the fruits and vegetables mentioned in the Qur’an and hadits are melons, grapes, citrus, squash, figs and dates.   The Qur’an states “fruits, palm trees and pomegranates” were provided for our nourishment.   سُوۡرَةُ الرَّحمٰن فِيہِمَا فَـٰكِهَةٌ۬ وَنَخۡلٌ۬ وَرُمَّانٌ۬ (٦٨)   In them will be fruits, and dates and pomegranates: (Surah ar-Rahman:68)   Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Isma’il al-Bukhari ( r.a. ) stated that melons were amongst one of the fr...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is adapted from a swuhbah from Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani ( q.s. ) on the 01 st February 2010.   Each day, we see the Sun rise and set, yet we are oblivious to the fact that each rising of the Sun heralds a new set of Gifts from Allah ( s.w.t. ).   Allah ( s.w.t. ) Sends new Gifts daily, both day and night.   It is human nature to like to experience new things, for all that is new, is enjoyable.   Allah ( s.w.t. ) Knows the intricate needs of His Creation and He is Constantly Sending His Gifts to Creation, in order to Fulfill these spoken and unspoken needs.   Praise be to Allah ( s.w.t. ).   Each person is Sent Gifts, both physical and spiritual, according to his needs, of which nothing is hidden from the Perfect Knowledge of Allah ( s.w.t. ).   For example, look at how a boa constrictor eats.   It merely swallows the entire calf alive, and there is little taste or ple...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Regarding the different methods the murshid may use to teach the murid , Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani ( q.s. ) said, “Knowledge comes in two ways.  One is by listening from the outside and using that in directing oneself on a way.  But some knowledge comes from the heart, and this is more powerful in pushing one towards his target.  In other words, if a command comes from outside, the ego does not make an effort to keep it, but when it comes from yourself, it has more effect.  The ego never likes to be commanded, but if it is coming from the heart, you see it as honourable.   You may listen to so many lessons, but really you are waiting for that command to come from yourself.  Correct and Divine Guidance come with the second way.  The awliya’ may speak, but they also send inspiration to hearts.  The murshid may teach by inspiration.  Then, one thinks about the knowledge coming, ‘I am think...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Imam Muhammad Badr ad-Din ibn Yusuf al-Marakishi al-Hasani ( q.s. ) was one of the great muhaddits .  All the scholars and shuyukh of Syria accepted him as their teacher, and those living in Damascus used to attend his daily lessons.  He had a photographic memory and knew by heart all the ahadits of Swahih al-Bukhari , Swahih Muslim , and the remainder of the six most famous books of ahadits , including the biography of all narrators of all chains of every hadits , their dates of birth and death, and their status of authenticity.  He also used to explain the Qur’an by heart from Imam Naswir ad-Din Abu al-Khayr ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar al-Baydawi’s ( r.a. ) Tafsir .  His ijazah was especially besought by ahadits scholars for being the closest one of his age to the Prophet ( s.a.w. ), counting the number of men in the chain.  Doctors and engineers who attended his classes used to say, “We exhausted our life learning our profes...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is adapted from the teachings of Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani ( q.s. ).   In reciting Surah al-Fatihah, we say:   سُوۡرَةُ الفَاتِحَة ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (٢)   Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds (Surah al-Fatihah:2)   Everything in Creation praises Allah ( s.w.t. ), and in everything around us, there are signs of His Greatness which brings praise to Allah ( s.w.t. ) on our tongues.   And all praise is due only to Him.   Allah ( s.w.t. ) Said in the Qur’an:   سُوۡرَةُ آل عِمرَان ... رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقۡتَ هَـٰذَا بَـٰطِلاً۬ سُبۡحَـٰنَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ (١٩١)   … Our Lord!   Not for naught have You Created (all) this!   Glory to You!   Give us Salvation from the penalty of the Fire. (Surah Ali ‘Imran:191)   Nothing was Created without a purpose.   It is important to draw lessons from every i...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   When I used to go to church, I would often sit alone at the front before the huge crucifix at the church.   Because it was done often enough, I noticed things.   And one of those things was the sign that read “INRI” above the statue of Jesus ( a.s. ).   We were taught that the Sign was an abbreviation for the Latin, “ Iesus Nazarenus Rex Ideorum ,” which meant “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.”   But is this actually in the Bible?   I was 16 years old when I started to really question the doctrine of Christianity and it began with this sign.   A sign is a static description.   A painted wooden sign should be easily noted in a report since unlike verbal tales, they can hardly be exaggerated or minimised in the retelling.   A sign is simply a tangible display.   Matthew 27:37 37 Over his head they set a written proclamation of his offence, “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.”   37...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is adapted from a swuhbah from Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani ( q.s. ) on the 24 th September 2010.   Shaykh Nazhim ( q.s. ) said we must to be rijalullah , men of Allah ( s.w.t. ), heroes for Allah ( s.w.t. ).  If anyone were to look at such men, their heart would tremble.  Such are the men who will be part of the armies of Imam al-Mahdi ( a.s. ).  Good tidings come from Allah ( s.w.t. ) daily.  They clean this filthy world of Shaythan and his followers.  We must not be from those zibil , people of filth.  There are two kinds of people in this world.  One kind is precious and the other is rubbish.  Now is that time, we must be aware that there is a brush coming to clean because this world has become filthy.  The ones who are unclean will be taken away.  We have reached the limits of dunya and the Day of Resurrection is approaching.  From times before, multitude...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ This is a summary of a lesson from our shaykh , Mu’allim at-Tarim, Shaykh Zakariya ibn ‘Umar Bagharib ( q.s. ).   It is accepted by Muslims that Allah ( s.w.t. ) Created the Heavens and kept so many valuables in it.  Billions of people will get their own part of Jannah with such valuables that we cannot imagine in this world.  Whatever we see is just a glimpse of heavenly delights.  Then, Allah ( s.w.t. ) Created an uncountable amount of things in the universe.  And this is just the latest universe out of many and there will be an infinite number of universes after we are gone.  There are parts of Creation that have had their Yawm al-Qiyamah and there are parts of Creation in formation for Allah ( s.w.t. ) is always al-Khaliq, the Creator, and al-Mumit, the Destroyer.   All Creation benefits according to degrees from the Treasures of Allah ( s.w.t. ).  After Creating creatures, Allah ( s.w.t. ) has been...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ It is Written, in the Qur’an:   سُوۡرَةُ بنیٓ اسرآئیل / الإسرَاء أَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِدُلُوكِ ٱلشَّمۡسِ إِلَىٰ غَسَقِ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَقُرۡءَانَ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ‌ۖ إِنَّ قُرۡءَانَ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ كَانَ مَشۡہُودً۬ا (٧٨) وَمِنَ ٱلَّيۡلِ فَتَهَجَّدۡ بِهِۦ نَافِلَةً۬ لَّكَ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَبۡعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامً۬ا مَّحۡمُودً۬ا (٧٩)   Establish regular prayers at the Sun’s decline until the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.   And pray in the small watches of the morning: (it would be) an additional prayer (or spiritual profit) for you: soon will your Lord Raise you to a station of praise and glory! (Surah al-Isra’:78-79)   It is recorded, in Swahih Muslim , that Sayyidina Abu Hurayrah ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Sakhr ad-Dawsi az-Zahrani al-Azdi ( r.a. ) reported that the Prophet ( s.a.w. ) said, “The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the night pra...