A Muslim Convert Once Before

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following was extracted from “The Meadows of Tafsir for the Noble Qur’an” by Shaykh Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdullah Niyas al-Kawlakhi ( q.s. ).  It was translated into English by Ustadz Mukhtar Babakir.   Regarding the following verse:   سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة … فَلَا تَجۡعَلُواْ لِلَّهِ أَندَادً۬ا وَأَنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ (٢٢)   … then set not up rivals unto Allah when you know (the truth). (Surah al-Baqarah:22)   The ascribed partners are of several types.  There is the obvious shirk which is the worship of idols that the idolators are involved in.  There is also the hidden shirk , which is to perform actions with riya’ , ostentation or pretense; and to perform them with sum’ah , a desire to be known.  Furthermore, there is the most hidden shirk , which is for one to see other than Allah ( s.w.t. ).   Allah ( s.w.t. ) has Delegated seven angels to watch over the actions of His servant.  ...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following was extracted from “The Meadows of Tafsir for the Noble Qur’an” by Shaykh Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdullah Niyas al-Kawlakhi ( q.s. ).  It was translated into English by Ustadz Mukhtar Babakir.   The Qur’an has numerous names, and the multitude of names is a hint to the nobleness of the one bearing those names.  Fifty-five names for the Qur’an have been related in the Qur’an Itself.  It is adz-Dzkir, The Reminder; al-Ayat al-Bayyinat, the Clear Signs.  However, if one ponders over it, all the names gogoack to two names; they are al-Qur’an and al-Furqan.  Just the same as the Names of Allah ( s.w.t. ), if one ponders over them, one will find that they all go back to Jalal, Majesty; and Jamal, Beauty.   The word “ qur’an ” originates from “ qar’ ”, which means “collecting”; and “ al-furqan ” originates from “ al-farq” , which means “to separate”.  The one who has no separation has no ‘ubudiyyah , servi...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is a biography of Shaykh Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad ibn al-Iyyashi as-Sukayrij ( q.s. ) by Ustadz Fakhr ad-Din Uwaysi al-Madani and Ustadz Zakariya Valentine Wright.   Shaykh Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad ibn al-Iyyashi as-Sukayrij ( q.s. ), who lived from 1878 to 1944, was born in Fas, and educated in the Islamic sciences at the prestigious Qarawiyyin University.  He was a prolific author and a renowned scholar throughout North Africa.  His expertise in Islamic law earned him appointments from the Moroccan government as supervisor of waqf property in Fas, qadhi of Wajdah, qadhi of al-Jadidah, and qadhi of Siththat.  On account of such broad scholarly expertise, the Egyptian ahadits scholar and Tijani shaykh , Shaykh Muhammad al-Hafizh ibn ‘Abd al-Lathif al-Miswri ( r.a. ), in the introduction of his work on Shaykh ‘Umar ibn Sa’id al-Futi Thal ( q.s. ), referred to Shaykh Sukayrij ( q.s. ) as “the most knowledgeable...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is an extract of a Letter, from the discourses of Shaykh Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdullah Niyas al-Kawlakhi ( q.s. ): “On cause and effect.”   “We have seen two examples in this dunya that lead us to bear witness to the statement if the cause is multiplied, then the effect too, is multiplied.   The first example is the cause of provision in the life of this world.   Everyone who works will find that it is the cause of his finding sustenance, and everyone who does not will find that to be the cause of his not finding sustenance.   سُوۡرَةُ النّجْم وَأَن لَّيۡسَ لِلۡإِنسَـٰنِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ (٣٩)   That man can have nothing but what he strives for; (Surah an-Najm:39)   It is for this reason that you find lots of sustenance in the dunya .   The second example are the many causes for death.   One person dies because of this cause and another person expires due to that cause.   There a...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is an extract of a letter, from the discourses of Shaykh Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdullah Niyas al-Kawlakhi ( q.s. ): “Three types of fana’ .”   “There are three types of fana’ : fana’ fi af’al , annihilation in the Acts of Allah; fana’ fi asw-swifat , annihilation in the Attributes of Allah; and fana’ fi adz-dzat , Annihilation in the Essence of Allah.   Many of the believers have attained the station of annihilation in the Acts of Allah.   Whosoever knows that there is no ‘doer’ in existence except Allah, this is the one who is annihilated in the Acts of Allah.   Indeed, many of the common believers have obtained this degree of annihilation.   I told my students, in one of the lessons on Arabic grammar, that the grammarians say, ‘The Doer in reality is Allah, even if He engenders the action metaphorically by means of an agent, for the One Who engenders the action is inseparable from the action performed.’ ...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is an extract of a Letter, from the discourses of Shaykh Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdullah Niyas al-Kawlakhi ( q.s. ): “Observing Allah ( s.w.t. ) in everything.”   “We advise each of you again, just as we began this speech, to have conscious awareness Allah, in private and in public, and to observe Allah with each breath.   The possession of these two traits will enable you to benefit from everything heard in this gathering and everything you hear from the people of goodness, as they did not achieve any goodness except by means of taqwa and muraqabah .   Again, taqwa is to obey the commands and to avoid the prohibitions of Allah, outwardly and inwardly.   Muraqabah is the state of observing Allah in everything and this will eternally connect you to Allah until you achieve the spiritual state described by the Messenger of Allah ( s.a.w. ) when he said, ‘ Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you can...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is an extract of a Letter, from the discourses of Shaykh Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdullah Niyas al-Kawlakhi ( q.s. ): “Reality of the diyn and the importance of swalah .”   “The diyn of Islam is shahadah , swalah , swawm , zakat , and haj .   Zakat and haj are not made obligatory except on the one who is financially able to perform them.   As for swalah and fasting, they are two obligations upon every mukhalif , male or female, free or slave, until death comes to them.   It is not permissible to ever abandon these two pillars, so I advise each of you to hold to swalah .   In this stressful and hectic time of ours, we see that many of the youth who claim to be Muslim are abandoning swalah .   Swalah is such an important pillar of the diyn , that whosoever leaves it, has left the diyn altogether.   Allah Commanded us to establish swalah , to perform it in congregation, in its correct time, with h...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is an extract of a Letter, from the discourses of Shaykh Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdullah Niyas al-Kawlakhi ( q.s. ): “Film being an example of non-existence.”   “The ‘arifin love that everyone should watch a movie at least one time to witness something and to gain certainty that this world is also non-existent.   For example, you see in the cinema what you believe to be ‘real’, while in truth you know it does not exist.   The entirety of ‘existence’ is just like a movie, for you think you are seeing what is ‘real’ and that you are ‘doing’ acts of goodness or avoiding acts of sin, but the truth of the matter is that Allah, al-Wahid, is the only ‘Doer’.   After this realisation, the heart of a murid continues to elevate in the Presence of Allah, to the point where whatever they see, either in the state of wakefulness or sleep, is understood to be   Allah.   They come to know with certainty that the only Existe...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is an extract of a Letter, from the discourses of Shaykh Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdullah Niyas al-Kawlakhi ( q.s. ): “The true meaning of tawhid and the three degrees of shahadah .”   “When someone attains the station of annihilation in the Essence of Allah, everything will vanish from him, until nothing remains except Allah.   The tongue of the one in this state will say, ‘Nothing remains except Allah, nothing besides Him.   There is not in this place any attachment or intelligibility.’   In this state is found the real meaning of Laa ilaha illa Allah .   This kalimah at-tawhid has a shell and a core, and the core of the core.   The shell, or tawhid al-‘amm , has come in the Qur’an as:   سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ … (٢٥٥)   Allah! there is no Allah but He ... (Surah al-Baqarah:255)   And this, in truth, describes those who are absent from Allah, Gloriou...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is an extract of a letter, from the discourses of Shaykh Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdullah Niyas al-Kawlakhi ( q.s. ): “The three means of approach Mentioned in the Qur’an.”   “Everything which we seek in this life and the Hereafter is to be found in taqwa .   Therefore, I advise myself and all of you to have the conscious awareness of Allah, in public and private.   Again, taqwa is to obey the commands and avoid the prohibitions of Allah, inwardly and outwardly.   Allah Ta’ala Says:   سُوۡرَةُ المَائدة يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱبۡتَغُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِ ٱلۡوَسِيلَةَ وَجَـٰهِدُواْ فِى سَبِيلِهِۦ لَعَلَّڪُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ (٣٥)   O you who believe!   Do your duty to Allah, seek the means of approach unto Him, and strive (with might and main) in His Cause: that you may prosper. (Surah al-Ma’idah:35)   Therefore, if you desire taqwa , you must seek that which will conne...