A Muslim Convert Once Before

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   This is the very first thing my shaykh, Shaykh Zakariya ibn ‘Umar Bagharib ( q.s. ) taught me after I converted.   On the Day of Judgement, when the deeds of one man from the ummah of Muhammad ( s.a.w. ) are weighed on the Scales of Deeds, they will fall to the left, and the man will be dragged to the Fire.   And that man will call upon the Prophet ( s.a.w. ) in desperation.   The Prophet ( s.a.w. ) will say, “I will gird up my loins and rush after the angels to stop them.”   The angels will say that they cannot disobey Allah ( s.w.t. ).   Then, the Prophet ( s.a.w. ) will prostrate before Allah ( s.w.t. ), and plead with Him, reminding Him of His Promise to not disgrace the Prophet ( s.a.w. ) before his ummah .   Allah ( s.w.t. ) will then Order the angels to obey the Prophet ( s.a.w. ), and take that man back to the Scale.   When the man’s virtues are re-weighed, the Scales still fall to the left. ...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ This is the very first thing my shaykh , Shaykh Zakariya ibn ‘Umar Bagharib ( q.s. ), taught me after I converted.  On the Day of Judgement, when the deeds of one man from the ummah of Muhammad ( s.a.w. ) are weighed on the Scales, they will fall to the left and the man will be dragged to the Fire. And that man will call upon the Prophet ( s.a.w. ) in desperation.   The Prophet ( s.a.w. ) will say, “I will gird up my loins and rush after the angels to stop them.”  The angels will say that they cannot disobey Allah ( s.w.t. ).  Then, the Prophet ( s.a.w. ) will then prostrate before Allah ( s.w.t. ) and plead with Him of His Promise to not disgrace the Prophet ( s.a.w. ) about his ummah .   Allah ( s.w.t. ) will then Order the angels to obey the Prophet ( s.a.w. ) and take that man back to the Scale.  When the man’s virtues are weighed again, the Scales still fall to the left.  The Prophet ( s.a.w. ) will th...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following was extracted from the Lincoln Star, from Monday, 05 th July 1971 , and is taken from United Press International. Prime Minister Yew Appears to be Winning Dispute over Purge in Singapore. The enemies of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew appear to be getting burned most by the heat generated when Lee led a purge against the press.   It seems almost as if he had planned it that way.   Lee dropped a bombshell at the International Press Institute (IPI) meeting in Helsinki several weeks ago when newsmen questioned him about his crackdown against three Singapore newspapers.   The shrapnel has spread to the only political opposition in years to battle Lee’s powerful People’s Action Party (PAP). The newly created people’s front party was gaining islandwide attention in its articulate bid to become a reasonable alternative to PAP for elections to be held before mid- 1973.   Not anymore — not since a sharp ...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   Shaykh ‘Umar Bagharib ( q.s. ) was the father of my shaykh , Shaykh Zakaria Bagharib ( q.s. ).   Mu’alim at-Tarim , Shaykh ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdullah Bagharib ( q.s. ) was born in Tarim, Hadhramawt, in Ramadhan 1300 AH.   This is according to Habib Muhammad ibn Salim al-‘Aththas ( q.s. ).   His father was a hafizh of the Qur’an and had reportedly performed his haj 35 times by walking from Tarim to Makkah and Madina.   He undertook the task to spread and teach Islam in the villages he passed through along the journey.   Shaykh ‘Umar’s ( q.s. ) mother was Shaykha bint ‘Awad Abu Bakr Bazaghfan ( q.s. ).   His fourth grandfather, who was his namesake, Shaykh ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdullah Bagharib ( q.s. ), was a Quthb asw-Swadiqah al-Kubra’ who had more than a thousand students who had all memorised the Qur’an.   According to Shaykh ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdullah al-Khathib ( q.s. ), a...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ This is a summary of what was taught to us by our shuyukh , Shaykh Zakariya ibn ‘Umar Bagharib ( q.s. ) and Shaykh Ahmad ‘Arif ibn Muhammad Rashid.   This is a technique, useful to us after we leave the physical presence of the shaykh .  In this life, our physical meetings come and go.  It is impossible to remain in the company of another, whether they be the spouse, parents, children, siblings or amongst the most beloved.  A person never desires to be away from his loved ones.  However, it is Written that it should take place.   Firaq means separation and sometimes everyone must depart.  As far as our physical selves are concerned, it is written that we cannot always be together.  However, spiritually, we have been Given the ability by Allah ( s.w.t. ) to meet whosoever we need to.  This is possible because spiritually, we are all connected.   When we remember someone, our soul is able to make...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Swalah an-Najat , the Prayer of Salvation is mentioned in the awrad book of the Naqshbandi Haqqani Sufi Order.   It is based on a hadits , that whosoever recites the following verses in that order, Allah ( s.w.t. ) Raises the Station, Maqam , a thousand times; and He Removes a thousand calamities, bala’ ; and He Grants a thousand Rahmah .   It is said that a tree will be Planted in Paradise which will have seventy branches and each branch will have seventy leaves and each leave will recite swalawat on behalf of the one who performs this amal , act of worship.   This hadits and the benefits of this amal was taught to us by Shaykh Zakariya ibn ‘Umar Bagharib ( q.s. ).   In any case, we were always taught to do our amal without thought of the rewards.   For those of the Path, thoughts of the rewards of ‘ibadah becomes a veil.   If one does an amal for the sake of a Reward, Allah ( s.w.t. ) Grants it.   But ...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ When we meet someone, what they say and do speaks much of their inner reality.  It is not so much to judge anyone, but rather it is a tool of reflection to understand the self; that it is insidious, that it is devious and that it is resilient.  A man once came to Shaykha Rabi’ah al-‘Adawiyyah al-Qaysiyyah al-Baswri ( q.s. ) and spoke at length of how much he hated dunya and loved Allah ( s.w.t. ).  Shaykha Rabi’ah al-‘Adawiyyah ( q.s. ) remarked that for someone who hated dunya , he spoke a lot about it, like a jilted lover.   And in the course of seeking the Divine, we will meet many people along the Path, each and every one of them with varying sicknesses of the heart.  However, most of them do not recognise it.  Rather, they seek to guide and teach and cure us.  We must not look down on them and judge them for that in itself is a sickness.  Rather, we must recognise the symptoms of these diseases and se...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ This du’a was taught to us by Mu’Alim at-Tarimi , Shaykh Zakariya ibn ‘Umar Bagharib ( q.s. ) many years ago.   He said it was one of the most powerful du’a of protection Given.   It is a du’a of protection against the ghayb , against sihr and against the evil intentions of men.   بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ أَعُوذُ بِوَجْهِ اللهِ الْكَرِيمِ ، وَبِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّا مَّاتِ الَّتِيْ لاَ يُجَاوَزُهُنَّ بَرٌّ وَلاَ فَاجِرٌ مِنْ شَرِّ ما يَنْزِلُ مِنْ السَّمَاءِ وَمِنْ شَرِّمَا يَعرُجُ فِيْهَا وَمِنْ شَرِّمَا ذَرَأَ فِي اْلاَرْضِ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّمَا يَخرُخُ مِنْهَا وَمِنْ فِتَنِ اللٌيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَمِنْ طَوَارِقِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ إِلاَّ طَارِقًا يَطْرُقُ بِخَيْرِ يَا رَحْمَن.   Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Rahiim A’uudzu bi wajhillahi al-kariim wa bi kalimaatillahi at-taammaat al-latii laa yujaawazuhunna barruun wa laa faajir min sharri maa yanzilu min as-samaa’i wa min sharri maa ya’ruju fiihaa wa min ...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Swalawat an-Naariyyah is one of the swalawat given to us by our shaykh , Mu’Alim at-Tarimi , Shaykh Zakariya ibn ‘Umar Bagharib ( q.s. ).   “Swalawat an-Naariyyah ” means, “The Salutation of the Fire.”   The “fire” refers to the Divine Fire of Allah’s ( s.w.t. ) Pleasure.   The entire effects of this swalawat is felt and perfected when it is read 4,444 times.   Only then, is the reciter “on fire.”   This swalawat is also known as Swalawat at-Tafrijiyyah , or Swalawat at-Taziyyah after Shaykh Ahmad ibn Idris at-Tazi ( q.s. ), a great wali from the Maghrib .   It is very much part of the wird of the thariqa’ of North Africa, especially the Shadziliyyah and the Sanussiyyah .   The chain of this swalawat is from Shaykh Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ahmad at-Tunisi al-Maghribi ( q.s. ), from Shaykh al-Maghribi ( q.s. ), from Sayyid al-Makki ( q.s. ), from Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Ali as-Sanussi al-Idrisi ( q.s. ...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is the adab of adzkar as taught to us by Shaykh Zakariya ibn ‘Umar Bagharib ( q.s. ) and Shaykh Ahmad ‘Arif ibn Muhammad Rashid.   These are brief outlines only.   They are applicable to any congregational dzikr and any thariqa’ .   The etiquette before the dzikr includes making sure our food consumption is halal .   The impurities in your food affect the state of the ruh .   We must be in a state of wudhu .   We should put a good smell on ones clothes and the place of dzikr .   However, the perfume should not be too strong and overwhelming.   Then, we sit in a room with no or less unnatural lighting.   Additionally, we must sit in a clean place as done in swalah ; this is a must.   We must make sure of total silence in surroundings and clear the mind. We put our hands on our thighs facing the qiblah .   Fans and air-conditioning units must be switched off.   ...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ We consider this verse:   سُوۡرَةُ الطّلاَق ... وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجۡعَل لَّهُ ۥ مَخۡرَجً۬ا (٢) وَيَرۡزُقۡهُ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَحۡتَسِبُ‌ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسۡبُهُ ۥۤ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَـٰلِغُ أَمۡرِهِۦ‌ۚ قَدۡ جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدۡرً۬ا (٣)   … And for those who recognise Allah, He (Ever) Prepares a way out.   And He Provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine.   And if anyone puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is (Allah) for him.   For Allah Will surely Accomplish His Purpose: verily, for all things has Allah Appointed a due proportion. (Surah ath-Thalaq:2-3)   This verse is the affirmation that the one who recites finds sufficiency in Allah ( s.w.t. ) only.   The story behind the verse, is that there was once a poor man working on a ship who received this verse from Khidhr ( a.s. ).   By the constant recitation of it, he became wealt...