A Muslim Convert Once Before

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The Torah comprises the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.  This is a brief explanation of the origin of the names of these books.   The word “genesis” has come into the English lexicon, and means “beginning”.  However, the word “genesis” itself comes into English via the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible, from the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint.  The original, Latin transliteration of “Γένεσις” ( Genesis ), means “origin”.  In turn, it is from the Biblical Hebrew “ בְּרֵאשִׁית ”, ( B’rishit ) literally meaning, “In the beginning”.  “B-” is a preposition in Hebrew meaning “in.”  “R’shit” means “beginning.”  Therefore, the Book of Genesis takes its name from its opening words:   Gensis 1:1 1 God, at the beginning of time, created Heaven and Earth.   1 ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν   1 In principio creavit Deu...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ It is acceptable to feel down and lost, once ins a while.   Consider Moses (a.s.), when he had to flee Egypt.   He was bereft, where once, he was a man of power and authority.   Allah (s.w.t.) Stripped him of everything: power, material wealth, comfort and family.   He crossed that desert alone and ended up in Madyan.   Remember his du’a :   سُوۡرَةُ القَصَص … رَبِّ إِنِّى لِمَآ أَنزَلۡتَ إِلَىَّ مِنۡ خَيۡرٍ۬ فَقِيرٌ۬ (٢٤)   ... “O my Lord!   Truly am I in (desperate) need of any good that You do Send me!” … (Surah al-Qaswasw:24)   And then, he went down and helped some women water their camels.   He went and he served for the sake of Allah ( s.w.t. ), a single deed without thought of gain, true sincerity.   That is the swadaqah of one who has nothing left but his deeds.   And it is the best swadaqah .   Whatever was Taken Away was Replaced with something better because ...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   It is acceptable to feel down and lost, once in a while.   Consider Moses ( a.s. ), when he had to flee Egypt.   He was bereft, where once, he was a man of power and authority.   Allah ( s.w.t. ) Stripped him of everything: power, material wealth, comfort and family.   He crossed that desert alone and ended up in Madyan.   We remember his du’a :   سُوۡرَةُ القَصَص … رَبِّ إِنِّى لِمَآ أَنزَلۡتَ إِلَىَّ مِنۡ خَيۡرٍ۬ فَقِيرٌ۬ (٢٤)   ... “O my Lord!   Truly am I in (desperate) need of any good that You do Send me!” (Surah al-Qaswasw:24)   And then, he went down and helped some women water their camels.   He went and he served for the sake of Allah ( s.w.t. ), a single deed without thought of gain, true sincerity.   That is the swadaqah of one who has nothing left but his deeds.   It is the best swadaqah .   Whatever was Taken Away was Replaced with something better bec...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ Was Moses ( a.s. ) the great grandson of Abraham ( a.s. )? ”   No, not even close.   According to the Old Testament, Moses ( a.s. ) was the son of ‘Amram, who was the grandson of Levi, through Qehat.   Levi was the son of Jacob ( a.s. ), son of Isaac ( a.s. ), son of Abraham ( a.s. ).   Between them is seven generations, and just over 400 years.   This would make Moses (a.s.) the great grandson of Levi, making Moses ( a.s. ) the great, great, great, great grandson of Abraham ( a.s. ).

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani ( q.s. ) said, that among the Children of Israel, at the time of the exodus from Egypt, Korah was the richest man.   Korah carried a large part of that wealth into the Sinai with him, and with that wealth a great deal of influence over the Children of Israel.   Unfortunately for Korah, he used his influence to stir up rebellion and discontent with the leadership of Moses ( a.s. ).   In order to discredit Moses ( a.s. ) once and for all, Korah bribed a dishonourable woman to claim that Moses ( a.s. ) had committed adultery with her, and that the child in her womb was his.   As he was of course innocent, Moses ( a.s. ) was livid with rage, as he could only deny the accusation but could do nothing to prove it false.   How could he lead the Children of Israel when they would hold doubts in their hearts regarding his morals and veracity?   So Moses ( a.s. ) turned to his Lord...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is extracted from the “Scent of Saintliness”, a Ramadhan series of swuhbah , by Shaykha Aminah Adil ( q.s. ), wife of Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani ( q.s. ).   These are stories told from the times of the Ottoman Empire, and are not necessarily accurate.   When Musa (as) went up Mount Sinai, he told his people he would be gone for forty days.   But Bani Isra’il, in those days, counted the day as one, and the night as one too.   So they reached forty days in half the time, and they thought that, because of their sins, their prophet had been taken away from them.   Earlier, when Musa (as) had led them out of Egypt, they had crossed the Red Sea safely by Allah’s ( s.w.t. ) Permission.   Pharaoh and his armies following behind them had been drowned when the sea closed back over them.   All the soldiers, with their armour, their weapons, their gold and silver, were swallowed by the sea. ...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The Prophet ( s.a.w. ) said, “The first Messenger was Adam, and the last Muhammad.  The first prophet to the Children of Israel was Moses, and the last, Jesus.   The first to write with a pen was Idris.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ When Moses ( a.s. ) conversed with God, he asked, “Lord, where shall I seek You?”   And God Answered, “Find Me amongst the broken-hearted.”   Moses ( a.s. ) looked around, and said, “But, Lord, I can find no heart could be more despairing than mine.”   And God Replied, “Then I Am where you are.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Imam Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali ibn ‘Utsman al-Hujwiri ( q.s. ) wrote, in his Kashf al-Mahjub , “When Moses conversed with God, he asked, ‘Lord, where shall I seek You?’   God Answered, ‘Among the broken-hearted.’   Moses continued, ‘But, Lord, no heart could be more despairing than mine.’   And God Replied, ‘Then I am with you.’”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Imam Abu Hamid Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazali ( r.a. ) wrote that Moses ( a.s. ) asked, “O Lord, where are You?  I wish to go to You.”   God Replied, “When you wished to come to Me, you have reached Me.”   Allah ( s.w.t. ) is not distant; we are.

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ When Moses ( a.s. ) was Sent to Pharaoh, he made this du’a :   سُوۡرَةُ طٰه قَالَ رَبِّ ٱشۡرَحۡ لِى صَدۡرِى (٢٥) وَيَسِّرۡ لِىٓ أَمۡرِى (٢٦) وَٱحۡلُلۡ عُقۡدَةً۬ مِّن لِّسَانِى (٢٧) يَفۡقَهُواْ قَوۡلِى (٢٨)   ... “O my Lord!   Expand me my breast; Ease my task for me; and Remove the impediment from my speech so they may understand what I say.” (Surah ThaHa:25-28)   When our Prophet ( s.a.w. ) was Sent on his mission, Allah ( s.w.t. ) Reveals this:   سُوۡرَةُ الشَّرح بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ أَلَمۡ نَشۡرَحۡ لَكَ صَدۡرَكَ (١) وَوَضَعۡنَا عَنكَ وِزۡرَكَ (٢) ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنقَضَ ظَهۡرَكَ (٣)وَرَفَعۡنَا لَكَ ذِكۡرَكَ (٤)   Have We not Expanded for you your breast?   And Removed, from you, your burden, that which did gall your back?   And Raised high the esteem (in which) you (were held)? (Surah ash-Sharh:1-4)   Therein lies the difference in status.

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ It was narrated that during the days when Musa ( a.s. ) wandered with Bani Isra’il in the desert, an intense drought befell them.  Together, they raised their hands towards the heavens, praying for the blessed rains to come.  Then, to the astonishment of Musa ( a.s. ) and all who were watching, the few scattered clouds in the sky vanished, the heat poured down, and the drought intensified.   It was Revealed to Musa ( a.s. ) that there was a sinner amongst the tribe of Bani Isra’il who had disobeyed Allah ( s.w.t. ) for more than forty years of his life.  “Let him separate himself from the congregation,” Allah ( s.w.t. ) Told Musa ( a.s. ).  “Only then shall I Shower you all with rain.”   Musa ( a.s. ) then called out to the tribes, “There is a person amongst us, who has disobeyed Allah ( s.w.t. ) for forty years.  Let him separate himself from the congregation, and only then shall we be rescued from the drought.” ...