A Muslim Convert Once More

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   Shaykh Ahmad ibn Idris al-Fasi ( q.s. ) said that eating honey cures the spiritual diseases if it is eaten with that particular intention.   It gives one gnosis and lights by the traces of Revelation in it since Allah ( s.w.t. ) Says:   سُوۡرَةُ النّحل وَأَوۡحَىٰ رَبُّكَ إِلَى ٱلنَّحۡلِ أَنِ ٱتَّخِذِى مِنَ ٱلۡجِبَالِ بُيُوتً۬ا وَمِنَ ٱلشَّجَرِ وَمِمَّا يَعۡرِشُونَ (٦٨) ثُمَّ كُلِى مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٲتِ فَٱسۡلُكِى سُبُلَ رَبِّكِ ذُلُلاً۬‌ۚ يَخۡرُجُ مِنۢ بُطُونِهَا شَرَابٌ۬ مُّخۡتَلِفٌ أَلۡوَٲنُهُ ۥ فِيهِ شِفَآءٌ۬ لِّلنَّاسِ‌ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ لَأَيَةً۬ لِّقَوۡمٍ۬ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ (٦٩)   And your Lord Taught the bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men’s) habitations; then to eat of all the produce (of the earth), and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colours, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who g...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ In his book of tafsir , “From the Gardens of Tafsir ”, Shaykh Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdullah Niyas al-Kawlakhi ( q.s. ) spoke of this ayat : سُوۡرَةُ آل عِمرَان إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيۡتٍ۬ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِى بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكً۬ا وَهُدً۬ى لِّلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (٩٦) فِيهِ ءَايَـٰتُۢ بَيِّنَـٰتٌ۬ مَّقَامُ إِبۡرَٲهِيمَ‌ۖ وَمَن دَخَلَهُ ۥ كَانَ ءَامِنً۬ا‌ۗ وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ حِجُّ ٱلۡبَيۡتِ مَنِ ٱسۡتَطَاعَ إِلَيۡهِ سَبِيلاً۬‌ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ عَنِ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (٩٧) The first House (of worship) Appointed for men was that at Bakkah: full of Blessing and of guidance for all kinds of beings: In it are signs manifest; (for example), the Station of Abraham; whoever enters it attains security; pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allah ― those who can afford the journey; but if any deny faith; Allah stands not in need of any of His creatures. (Surah Ali ‘Imran:96-97) All prophets and Messengers have performed haj e...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is taken from the first chapter of Iqazh al-Himam fi Sharh al-Hikam , a commentary on al-Hikam of Shaykh Taj ad-Din Abu al-Fadhl Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Atha’illah as-Sakandari ( q.s. ), by Shaykh Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ajibah ( q.s. ).   Shaykh ibn ‘Atha’illah as-Sakandari ( q.s. ) said, “A feeling of discouragement when you slip up is a sure sign that you put your faith in deeds.   Reliance on a thing means to lean on it and to put one’s trust in it.   Deeds are the actions of either the heart or the body.   If an action is in harmony with the shari’ah , it is called obedience.   If it is contrary to the shari’ah , it is called disobedience.”   The people of this science divide actions into three categories: actions of the shari’ah , actions of the thariqa’ , and actions of haqiqah .   This can be rephrased as actions of islam , actions of iman , and actions of ihsan ; or actions of worsh...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is a prophetic supplication as recorded by Imam Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman Ahmad ibn Shu’ayb an-Nasa’i ( r.a. ) and Imam Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal ( r.a. ).   Allahumma bi’ilmika al-ghayb wa qudratika ‘alaa al-khalqi ahyinii maa ‘alimta al-wa faat khayra lii.   Allahumma innii as’aluka khashyataka fii al-ghaybi wa ash-shahaadati.   Wa as’aluka kalimat al-haqq fii ar-ridhaa wa al-ghadhab.   Wa as’aluka na’iyma laa yanfadu.   Wa as’aluka qurrata ‘ayn laatanqargi’u.   Wa as’aluka ar-ridhaa ba’da al-qadhaa’i.   Wa as’aluka barda al-‘ayshi ba’da al-mawti.   Wa as’aluka ladzdzati an-nazhari ilaa wajhika wa ash-shawqa ilaa liqaa’ika fii ghayri dharaa’a mudhirratin wa fitnatinlaa mudhillatiin.   Allahumma jazzinaa biziinati al-‘iymaani waaj’alnaa hudaatan muhtadiin   O Allah, by Your Knowledge of the unseen and Your Power over all Creation, Grant me life as long as You Know that life is ...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The Jawshan Kabir , “The Great Armour”, is a series of recitations of the 1,000 Names of Allah ( s.w.t. ).   Some of these Names are from Qur’an, some are from ahadits and others are variations of these names.   The story relating to its origins are found in Shi’ah books and they are the ones who keep this ‘amal although there is nothing in it that precludes anyone from the Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah from keeping it.   All faults in the translation below are mine.   The aim as to keep with the spirit of the words rather than the literal translation of everything since then, it might not convey the actual meaning of the Name.   Also, the subtle differences in the Names made it a great challenge finding English equivalents since Arabic is far subtler and nuanced a language.   In the Arabic text, no Name is repeated.   Each of the 1,000 Names of Allah ( s.w.t. ) are unique.   بِسم اللهِ الرَحمنِ الرَحیم ...