tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21875115156206363652024-02-19T03:57:04.159-08:00UgalisharifBazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-91032398670005320472009-12-01T05:41:00.000-08:002009-12-01T05:48:14.712-08:00Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( اسلامی جمہوریۂ پاکستانBy PirMuhammad Amir Sultan ChishtiPakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( اسلامی جمہوریۂ پاکستان ), is a country located in South Asia and the Greater Middle East. It has a 1046 kilometer coastline along the Arabian Sea in the south, and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and the People's Republic of China in the far northeast.<br />Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world and is the second most populous country with a Muslim majority. Its territory was a part of the pre-partitioned British India and has a long history of settlement and civilisation including the Indus Valley Civilisation. Most of it was conquered in the 1st millennium BCE by Persians and Greeks. Later arrivals include the Arabs, Afghans, Turks, Baloch and Mongols. The territory was incorporated into the British Raj in the nineteenth century. Since its independence, the country has experienced both periods of significant military and economic growth, and periods of instability, with the secession of East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh). Pakistan is a declared nuclear weapons state.<br />Etymology<br />It was coined in 1934 by Choudhary Rahmat Ali, who published it in the pamphlet Now<br />or Never. The name was coined from the names of five territories that were proposed as constituents of a separate country for the Muslims in British India, these territories were previously considered as Afghan or Persian domains from a cultural as well as an ethnic point of view; citation needed] the territories consisted of Punjab, Afghania, Kashmir, Sindh, and Tan/Stan (Balochistan/Tokharistan).The name also implies that the people of this land are "pure". Officially, the nation was founded as the Dominion of Pakistan in 1947, and was renamed as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in 1956.History<br />Modern day Pakistan consists of four major parts called provinces Punjab, Sind, Balochistan and North-West Frontier Province. It also governs part of Kashmir which is currently split between Pakistan and India. The Indus region was the site of several ancient cultures including Mehrgarh, one of the world's earliest known towns, and the Indus Valley Civilization (2500 BCE - 1500 BCE) at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.<br />Waves of conquerors and migrants including Harappan, Indo-Aryan, Persian, Grecian, Saka, Parthian, Kushan, White Hun, Afghan, Arab, Turkics, and Mughal settled in Pakistan throughout the centuries, influencing the locals and being absorbed among them. The modern state of Pakistan was established on 14 August 1947, but the country has an extensive history that overlaps with the histories of Ancient India, Afghanistan and Iran. The region is a crossroad of historic trade routes, including the Silk Road.<br />The Indus Valley civilization collapsed in the middle of the second millennium BCE and was followed by the Vedic Civilisation, which extended over much of northern India and Pakistan. Successive empires and kingdoms ruled the region from the Achaemenid Persian empire around 543 BCE, to Alexander the Great in 326 BCE and the Mauryan empire. The Indo-Greek Kingdom founded by Demetrius of Bactria included Gandhara and Punjab from 184 BCE, and reached its greatest extent under Menander, establishing the Greco-Buddhist period with advances in trade and culture. The city of Taxila (Takshashila) became a major centre of learning in ancient times - the remains of the city, located to the west of Islamabad, are one of the country's major archaeological sites.<br />In 712 CE, the Arab general Muhammad bin Qasim conquered Sindh and Multan in southern Punjab, setting the stage for several successive Muslim empires including the Ghaznavid Empire, the Ghorid Kingdom, the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire. During this period, Sufi missionaries played a pivotal role in converting a majority of the regional Buddhist and Hindu population to Islam. The gradual decline of the Mughal Empire in the early eighteenth century provided opportunities for the Afghans, Balochis and Sikhs to exercise control over large areas until the British East India Company gained ascendancy over South Asia.<br />The War of Independence, also known as the Indian Mutiny, in 1857 was the region's last major armed struggle against the British Raj, and it laid the foundations for the generally unarmed freedom struggle led by the Congress. However, the Muslim League rose to popularity in the late 1930s amid fears of under-representation and neglect of Muslims in politics. On 29 December 1930, Allama Iqbal's presidential address called for a separate Muslim state in northwest and eastern South Asia. Muhammad Ali Jinnah espoused the Two Nation Theory and led the Muslim League to adopt the Lahore Resolution of 1940 (popularly known as Pakistan Resolution), which ultimately led to the creation of Pakistan.The two wings of Pakistan in 1970; East Pakistan separated from the West wing in 1971 as an independent Bangladesh.<br />Pakistan was formed on 14 August 1947 with two Muslim-majority wings in the eastern and northwestern regions of the British India, separated from the rest of the country with a Hindu majority, and comprising the provinces of Balochistan, East Bengal, the North-West Frontier Province, West Punjab and Sindh. The partition of British India resulted in communal riots across India and Pakistan—millions of Muslims moved to Pakistan and millions of Hindus and Sikhs moved to India. Disputes arose over several princely states including Jammu and Kashmir whose ruler had acceded to India following an invasion by Pashtun warriors, while the majority of the population favored independence, leading to the First Kashmir War (1948) ending with Pakistan occupying roughly one-third of the state. From 1947 to 1956, Pakistan was a Dominion in the Commonwealth of Nations. The republic declared in 1956 was stalled by a coup d'etat by Ayub Khan (1958–69), who was president during a period of internal instability and a second war with India in 1965. His successor, Yahya Khan (1969–71) had to deal with the cyclone which caused 500,000 deaths in East Pakistan.<br />Economic and political dissent in East Pakistan led to violent political repression and tensions escalating into civil war ( Bangladesh War of Independence) and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and ultimately the secession of East Pakistan as the independent state of Bangladesh.<br />Civilian rule resumed from 1972 to 1977 under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, until he was deposed and later sentenced to death in what amounted to a judicial murder in 1979 by General Zia-ul-Haq, who became the third military president. Pakistan's secular policies were replaced by Zia's introduction of the Islamic Shariah legal code, which increased religious influences on the civil service and the military. With the death of General Zia in a plane crash in 1988, Benazir Bhutto, daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was elected as the first female Prime Minister of Pakistan. Over the next decade, she alternated power with Nawaz Sharif, as the country's political and economic situation worsened. Pakistan sent 5,000 troops to the 1991 Gulf War as part of a US led coalition and specifically for the defence of Saudi Arabia. [17] Military tensions in the Kargil conflict with India were followed by a Pakistani military coup d'état in 1999 [19] in which General Pervez Musharraf assumed executive powers. In 2001, Musharraf named himself President after the forced resignation of Rafiq Tarar. After the 2002 parliamentary elections, Musharraf transferred executive powers to newly elected Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali, who was succeeded in the 2004 Prime-Ministerial election by a professional banker Shaukat Aziz, followed by a brief (temporary) stint in the seat by Chaudhy Shuja'at Hussain.Government and politics<br />The Muslim League formed Pakistan's first government under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Liaquat Ali Khan. The Muslim League's leadership of Pakistani politics decreased significantly with the rise of other political parties, with the Pakistan People's Party in West Pakistan, and the Awami League in East Pakistan, which would ultimately lead to the creation of Bangladesh. The first Constitution of Pakistan was adopted in 1956, but was suspended in 1958 by Ayub Khan. The Constitution of 1973, suspended in 1977 by Zia-ul-Haq, was re-instated in 1991 and is the country's most important document, laying the foundations of government. Pakistan is a federal democratic republic with Islam as the state religion. The semi-presidential system includes a bicameral legislature consisting of a 100-member Senate and a 342-member National Assembly. The President is the Head of State and the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and is elected by an electoral college. The prime minister is usually the leader of the largest party in the National Assembly. Each province has a similar system of government with a directly elected Provincial Assembly in which the leader of the largest party or alliance becomes Chief Minister. Provincial Governors are appointed by the President.Parliament house in Islamabad<br />The Pakistani military has played an influential role in mainstream politics throughout Pakistan's history, ( Politics of Pakistan) with military presidents ruling from 1958–71, 1977–88 and from 1999 onwards. The leftist Pakistan People's Party (PPP), led by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, emerged as a major political player during the 1970s. Under the military rule of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, Pakistan began a marked shift from the British-era secular politics and policies, to the adoption of Shariat and other laws based on Islam. During the 1980s, the anti- feudal, pro- Muhajir Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was started by unorthodox and educated urban dwellers of Sindh and particularly Karachi. The 1990s were characterized by coalition politics dominated by the PPP and a rejuvenated Muslim League.Pak Secretariat(Government Offices)in Islamabad<br />In the October 2002 general elections, the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (PML-Q) won a plurality of National Assembly seats with the second-largest group being the Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), a sub-party of the PPP. Zafarullah Khan Jamali of PML-Q emerged as Prime Minister but resigned on 26 June 2004 and was replaced by PML-Q leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain as interim Prime Minister. On 28 August 2004 the National Assembly voted 191 to 151 to elect the Finance Minister and former Citibank Vice President Shaukat Aziz as Prime Minister. Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, a coalition of Islamic religious parties, won elections in North-West Frontier Province, and increased their representation in the National Assembly.<br />Pakistan is an active member of the United Nations (UN) and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the latter of which Pakistan has used as a forum for Enlightened Moderation, a plan to promote a renaissance and enlightenment in the Muslim world. Pakistan is also a member of the major regional organisations of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO). In the past, Pakistan has had mixed relations with the United States especially in the early 1950s when Pakistan was the United States' "most allied ally in Asia" and a member of both the Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO) and the Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO). During the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980s Pakistan was a crucial US ally, but relations soured in the 1990s, when sanctions were applied by the US over suspicions of Pakistan's nuclear activities. The September 11 attacks and the subsequent War on Terrorism have seen an improvement in US–Pakistan ties, especially after Pakistan ended its support of the Taliban regime in Kabul. This was evidenced by a drastic increase in American military aid, which saw Pakistan take in $4 billion more in three years after the 9/11 attacks than in the three years before.<br />In January 2004, founder of Pakistani nuclear program A. Q. Khan confessed of nuclear proliferation to Libya, Iran and North Korea. On 5 February 2004, the president Pervez Musharraf, announced that he had pardoned A. Q. Khan. At present, A. Q. Khan is ailing and under house arrest.<br />Pakistan has long had troubled relations with neighbouring India. The long-running dispute over Kashmir resulted in full fledged wars in 1947 and 1965. Civil war in 1971 flared into the simultaneous Bangladesh War of Independence and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Pakistan conducted nuclear weapon tests in 1998 to counterbalance India's nuclear explosion ( Smiling Buddha) of 1974 and Pokhran-II of 1998 respectively. [23] and became the only Muslim nuclear weapons state. The relations with India are steadily improving following peace initiatives in 2002. Pakistan maintains close economic, military and political relationships with the People's Republic of China.<br />Pakistan also faces instability in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, where some tribal leaders support the Taliban. Pakistan has had to deploy the army in these regions to suppress the local unrest, in Waziristan. The Waziristan conflict ended with a recently declared peace agreement between the tribal leaders and the Pakistani government, that is expected to bring back stability to the region. [24]<br />Additionally, the country has long faced instability in its largest province, Balochistan. The army was deployed to fight a serious insurgency within the province from 1973–76. Social stability resumed after Rahimuddin Khan was appointed martial law administrator beginning in 1977. After relative peace throughout the 1980s and 1990s, some influential Baloch tribal leaders restarted a separatist movement after Pervez Musharraf took over in 1999. In a recent incident Nawab Akbar Bugti, the leader of the Baloch insurgency, was killed in August 2006 by Pakistani military forces.Administrative divisions Provinces and territories of Pakistan<br />Pakistan is a federation of four provinces, a capital territory and federally administered tribal areas. Pakistan exercises de facto jurisdiction over the western parts of the Kashmir region, organised as two separate political entities ( Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas), which are also claimed by India.<br />In 2001 the federal government abolished the administrative entities called " Divisions", which used to be the third tier of government. The entities called " Districts", which used to be the fourth tier, became the new third tier. The provinces and the capital territory are subdivided into a total of 107 districts which contain numerous tehsils and local governments. The tribal areas comprise seven tribal agencies and six small frontier regions detached from neighbouring districts whilst Azad Kashmir comprises seven districts and Northern Areas comprises six districts.<br />Provinces:Balochistan North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) Punjab Sindh Balochistan and NWFP also have Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) which are being developed into regular districts.<br />Territories:Islamabad Capital Territory Federally Administered Tribal Areas<br />Pakistani-administered portions of the Kashmir:Azad Kashmir Northern Areas Geography and climate The world's second-highest mountain, K2<br />Pakistan covers 803,940 square kilometres (310,403 square miles), approximately the combined land areas of France and the United Kingdom, with its eastern regions located on the Indian tectonic plate and the western and northern regions on the Iranian plateau and Eurasian landplate. Apart from the 1,046 kilometre (650 mi) Arabian Sea coastline, Pakistan's land borders total 6,774 kilometres—2,430 kilometres (1,509 mi) with Afghanistan to the northwest, 523 kilometres (325 mi) with China to the northeast, 2,912 kilometres (1,809 mi) with India to the east and 909 kilometres (565 mi) with Iran to the southwest.<br />The different types of natural features range from the sandy beaches, lagoons, and mangrove swamps of the southern coast to preserved beautiful moist temperate forests and the icy peaks of the Himalaya, Karakoram and Hindu Kush mountains in the north. There are an estimated 108 peaks above 7,000 metres (23,000 ft) high that are covered in snow and glaciers. Five of the mountains in Pakistan (including K2 and Nanga Parbat) are over 8,000 metres (26,000 ft). Indian-controlled Kashmir to the Northern Areas of Pakistan and running the length of the country is the Indus River with its many tributaries. The northern parts of Pakistan attract a large number of foreign tourists. To the west of the Indus are the dry, hilly deserts of Balochistan; to the east are the rolling sand dunes of the Thar Desert. The Tharparkar desert in the southern province of Sindh, is the only fertile desert in the world. Most areas of Punjab and parts of Sindh are fertile plains where agriculture is of great importance.<br />The climate varies as much as the scenery, with cold winters and hot summers in the north and a mild climate in the south, moderated by the influence of the ocean. The central parts have extremely hot summers with temperatures rising to 45 °C (113 °F), followed by very cold winters, often falling below freezing. There is very little rainfall ranging from less than 250 millimetres to more than 1,250 millimetres (9.8–49.2 in), mostly brought by the unreliable south-westerly monsoon winds during the late summer. The construction of dams on the rivers and the drilling of water wells in many drier areas have eased water shortages.Flora and fauna The Hunza valley in northern Pakistan. — Agricultural and scenic<br />The wide variety of landscapes and climates in Pakistan allows for a wide variety of wild animals and birds. The forests range from coniferous alpine and subalpine trees such as spruce, pine, and deodar cedar in the northern mountains to deciduous trees such as the mulberry-type Shisham in the Sulaiman range in the south. The western hills have juniper and tamarisk as well as coarse grasses and scrub plants. Along the coast are mangrove forests which form much of the coastal wetlands.<br />In the south, there are crocodiles in the murky waters at the mouth of the Indus River whilst on the banks of the river, there are boars, deer, porcupines, and small rodents. In the sandy scrublands of central Pakistan are found jackals, hyenas, wild cats, panthers, and leopards while the clear blue skies abound with hawks, falcons, and eagles. In the southwestern deserts are rare Asiatic cheetahs. In the northern mountains are a variety of endangered animals including Marco Polo sheep, Urial sheep, Markhor and Ibex goats, black and brown Himalayan bears, and the rare Snow Leopard. During August 2006, Pakistan donated an orphaned snow leopard cub called Leo to USA. [30] Another rare species is the blind Indus River Dolphin of which there are believed to be about 1,000 remaining, protected in two major sanctuaries. In recent years the number of wild animals being killed for fur and leather trading led to a new law banning the hunting of wild animals and birds and the establishment of several wildlife sanctuaries and game reserves.Economy Karachi - the financial capital and the largest city of Pakistan<br />Pakistan is a rapidly developing country which has faced a number of challenges on both political and economic fronts. Despite being a very poor country in 1947, Pakistan's economic growth rate was better than the global average during the subsequent four decades, but imprudent policies led to a slowdown in the late 1990s. [32] Recently, wide-ranging economic reforms have resulted in a stronger economic outlook and accelerated growth especially in the manufacturing and financial services sectors. There has been great improvement in the foreign exchange position and rapid growth in hard currency reserves in recent years. The 2005 estimate of foreign debt was close to US$40 billion. However, this has decreased in recent years with assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and significant debt-relief from the United States. Pakistan's gross domestic product, as measured by purchasing power parity (PPP), is estimated to be US$439.7 billion while its per capita income (PCI) stands at $2,803. Despite clear progress, reports by the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and the UN Development Program place the poverty rate in Pakistan between 23-28 percent. The CIA factbook places the poverty rate at 24% in 2006, and notes that levels have fallen by ten percent since 2001. Pakistan's GDP growth rates have seen a steady increase over the last 5 years. However, inflationary pressures and a low savings rate, among other economic factors, could make it difficult to sustain a high growth rate, according to some analysts.<br />The growth of non-agricultural sectors has changed the structure of the economy, and agriculture now only accounts for roughly 20% of the GDP. The service sector accounts for 53% of the country's GDP with wholesale and retail trade forming 30% of this sector. In recent times, the Karachi Stock Exchange has soared, along with most of the world's emerging markets. Large amounts of foreign investments have been made into several industries. The top industries in Pakistan are telecom, software, automotives, textiles, cement, fertilizer, steel, ship building, and more recently, aerospace.<br />Pakistan has accomplished many engineering feats such as construction of the world’s largest earth filled dam Tarbela, the world's twelfth largest dam Mangla, as well as the world’s highest international road: the Karakoram Highway. There are also half a dozen additional dams planned such as Kalabagh Dam, Diamer-Bhasha Dam, Munda, Akhori and Skardu Katzara.<br />In November of 2006 China and Pakistan signed a Free Trade Agreement hoping to triple bilateral trade from $4.2 billion ( USD) to $15 billion ( USD) within the next five years; Pakistan's annual exports in 2005 amounted to $15 billion ( USD), and is poised to cross $18 billion ( USD) in 2006 and $20 billion ( USD) in 2007. Pakistan is also home to a thriving arms industry which exports $200 million ( USD) annually, mostly defence equipment and arms to countries in the Middle East and South Asia, and its defence officials are hopeful that these exports will surpass $500 million ( USD) a year within the next five years. In addition, many overseas Pakistanis send gifts to Pakistan using various online services which adds to national ex-checquer.<br />In keeping with its rapid economic development in recent years, Pakistan registered an economic growth rate of 7 percent in the financial year 2005-06. In its June 2006 Economic Survey global finance giant Morgan Stanley listed Pakistan on its list of major emerging markets in the world economy, placing it on a list of 25 countries displaying continued moderate to strong growth over a sustained period of time. The report noted "its economy has been growing quickly in recent periods and corporate direct investors have taken notice". Concurrently, highlighting the strides made on the economic front in recent times, Moody's Investors Service in December 2006 upgraded Pakistan's credit rating from B2 to B1, noting a "positive outlook".<br />In late March 2007, the Asian Development Bank "Outlook 2007" report predicted that strong growth would continue in 2007 and 2008 with growth rates of 6.5 to 7 percent, with manufacturing, exports and consumer expenditure leading the way. Further progress was highlighted by news that the FDI for FY 2006/7 would touch $7 billion, eclipsing the targeted $4 billion. Telecoms, real estate and energy are major industries for FDI.Demographics Major Ethnic Groups in Pakistan and surrounding areas, 1980<br />Pakistan has an estimated population of 169,270,617, as of in 2007. Pakistan has the world's sixth largest population, placing it higher than Russia, and lower than Brazil. Because of Pakistan's high growth rate, it is expected to surpass Brazil in population in the year 2020. Population projections for Pakistan are relatively difficult because of the apparent differences in the accuracy of each census and the inconsistencies between various surveys related to the fertility rate, but it is likely that the rate of growth peaked in the 1980s and has since declined significantly. The population was estimated at 162,400,000 on July 1, 2005, with a fertility rate of 34 per thousand, a death rate of 10 per thousand, and the rate of natural increase at 2.4%. Pakistan also has a high infant mortality rate of 70 per thousand births.<br />The demographics of religion in Pakistan were significantly influenced in 1947 by the movement of Muslims to Pakistan, and Hindus and Sikhs to India. Census data indicates that 96% of the population are Muslims, of whom nearly 77% are Sunni Muslims and 20% are Shi'a Muslims according to CIA estimates. [1] The remainder comprises Christians, Hindus, Jews, Sikhs, Parsis, Ahmadis, Buddhists, and Animists (mainly the Kalasha of Chitral). Pakistan is the second most populous Muslim-majority country and also has the one of the largest Shi'a populations of any country. As of 2006, an estimated 2.5 million refugees — approximately 81.5% being ethnic Pashtuns — remain in Pakistan as a result of the wars in Afghanistan.<br />Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan despite being a non-native Pakistani language, and was installed and promoted by the British Raj in the mid 1800s to supplant the Farsi ( Persian language) formerly spoken for some 2000 years and to tie the western former Afghan, Central Asian, Persian or previously autonomous regions( Panjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Kalat, Bahawalpur, Kashmir and NWFP etc.) to the mainland Asian Subcontinent and the British Raj headquartered in Delhi, while English is the official language, used in the Constitution and widely used by corporate businesses, the educated urban elite, and most universities. Punjabi is spoken by over 60 million people, but has no official recognition in the country. [58]<br />These major ethnic groups are further broken down into several smaller ethnic groups - Punjabis (44.68)% of the population, Pashtuns (15.42%), Sindhis (14.1%), Seraikis (10.53%), Muhajirs (7.57%), Balochis (3.57%) and others (4.66%).Society and culture<br />The national dress of Shalwar Kameez is originally of Central Asian origin derived from Turko-Iranian nomadic invaders and is today worn in all parts of Pakistan. The sari is a regional dress that is worn by many women in Sindh and parts of Pakistan. Women wear brightly coloured shalwar qameez, while men often wear solid-coloured ones.<br />The variety of Pakistani music ranges from diverse provincial folk music and traditional styles such as Qawwali and Ghazal Gayaki to modern forms fusing traditional and western music, such as the synchronisation of Qawwali and western music by the renowned Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Other major Ghazal singers include Mehdi Hassan, Ghulam Ali, Farida Khanum, Tahira Syed, Abida Parveen and Iqbal Bano. In addition Pakistan is home to many famous folk singers such as the late Alam Lohar, who is also well known in the Indian Punjab. Hip-Hop is one of the categories in Pakistan that is rising very fast, especially rappers 2Pac, 50 Cent, and The Game are known throughout the whole country by many elementary schoolers and teenagers. The arrival of Afghan refugees in the western provinces has rekindled Pashto and Persian music and established Peshawar as a hub for Afghan musicians and a distribution centre for Afghan music abroad. Until the 1990s, the state-owned Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation were the dominant media outlets, but there are now numerous private television channels such as Geo TV, Indus TV, Hum, ARY, KTN and others. Various American, European, and Asian television channels and movies such as AXN, Star Plus are available to the majority of the Pakistani population via private Television Networks ( MTV Pakistan is controlled by Indus Network, etc.), cable, and satellite television. There are also small indigenous movie industries based in Lahore and Peshawar (often referred to as Lollywood and Pollywood). Although Bollywood movies are banned since 1965 , Indian film stars are generally popular in Pakistan.<br />Pakistani society is largely multilingual and predominantly Muslim, with high regard for traditional family values, although urban families have grown into a nuclear family system due to the socio-economic constraints imposed by the traditional joint family system. Recent decades have seen the emergence of a middle class in cities like Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Faisalabad, Sukkur and Peshawar that wish to move in a more liberal direction, as opposed to the northwestern regions bordering Afghanistan that remain highly conservative and dominated by centuries-old regional tribal customs. Increasing globalization has increased the influence of "Western culture" with Pakistan ranking 46 th on the Kearney/FP Globalization Index. There are an approximated four million Pakistanis living abroad, with close to a half-million expatriates living in the United States and around a million living in Saudi Arabia.As well as nearly one million people of Pakistani descent in the United Kingdom, there are burgeoning cultural connections. There is persecution of Christians in Pakistan. The northern parts of Pakistan have many old fortresses, towers and other architecture as well as the Hunza and Chitral valleys, the latter being home to the small pre-Islamic Animist Kalasha community who claim descent from the army of Alexander the Great. In the Punjab is the site of Alexander's battle on the Jhelum River and the historic city Lahore, Pakistan's cultural capital with many examples of Mughal architecture such as the Badshahi Masjid, Shalimar Gardens, Tomb of Jahangir and the Lahore Fort. To promote Pakistan's unique and various cultural heritage, the prime minister launched "Visit Pakistan 2007".Holidays<br />There are many festivals celebrated annually in Pakistan which may or may not observe as holidays e.g. Pakistan Day ( 23 March)(holiday), Independence Day ( 14 August)(holiday), Defence of Pakistan Day ( 6 September), Pakistan Air Force Day ( 7 September), the anniversaries of the birth ( 25 December)(holiday) and death ( 11 September) of Quaid-e-Azam(holiday), Allama Iqbal ( 9 November) and the birth ( 30 July) and death ( 8 July) of Madar-e-Millat. Labour Day (also known as May Day) is also observed in Pakistan on 1 May (holiday).<br />Several important festivals are celebrated by Pakistani Muslims during the year, dependent on the Islamic calendar. Ramadan, the ninth month of the calendar, is characterised by daytime fasting for 29 or 30 days and is followed by the festival of Eid ul-Fitr. In a second festival, Eid ul-Adha, an animal is sacrificed in remembrance of the actions of Prophet Abraham (Arabic: Ibrahim) and the meat is shared with friends, family, and the less fortunate. Both Eid festivals are public holidays, serving as opportunities for people to visit family and friends, and for children to receive new clothes, presents, and sweets. Muslims celebrate Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi, the birthday of the prophet Muhammad, in the third month of the calendar ( Rabi' al-Awwal (holiday)). Muslims mark the Day of Ashurah on the 9th and 10th days of the first month ( Muharram (holiday)) to commemorate the martyrdom of Husayn bin Ali, (the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad).<br />Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Christians in Pakistan also celebrate their own festivals and holidays. Sikhs come from across the world to visit several holy sites in Punjab, including the shrine of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, at Hassan Abdal in the Attock District, and his birthplace, at Nankana Sahib. There are also several regional and local festivals, such as the Punjabi festival of Basant, which marks the start of spring and is celebrated by kite flying.Sports<br />The official and national sport of Pakistan is field hockey, although squash and cricket are also very popular. The national cricket team has won the Cricket World Cup once (in 1992), were runners-up once (in 1999), and co-hosted the games twice (in 1987 and 1996). Pakistan is also set to host cricket world-cup jointly with India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in 2011. The team has also won the Australasia Cup thrice (1986, 1990, 1994). Pakistan has produced many famous cricketers, including Javed Miandad, Imran Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Hanif Mohammad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Sarfraz Nawaz, Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram. On November 30, 2006 Mohammad Yousuf broke one of the longest-standing records in cricket, of the most runs scored in a calendar year.<br />Pakistan has also produced a number of successful world-class squash players such as Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan. Muhammad Yousuf, not to be confused with the above cricketer, was world amateur snooker champion in the 1990s.<br />At an international level, Pakistan has competed many times at the Summer Olympics in field hockey, boxing, athletics, swimming, and shooting. Pakistan's medal tally remains at 10 medals (3 gold, 3 silver and 4 bronze) while at the Commonwealth games and Asian Games it stands at 61 medals and 182 medals respectively. Hockey is the sport that Pakistan has been most successful at the Olympics, with three gold medals ( 1960, 1968, 1984). Pakistan has also won the Hockey World Cup a record four times (1971, 1978, 1982, 1994). Pakistan has hosted several international competitions, including the SAF Games in 1989 and 2004.<br />A1 Grand Prix racing is also becoming popular with the entry of a Pakistani team in the 2005 season. The Tour de Pakistan, modelled on the Tour de France, is an annual cycling competition that covers the length and breadth of Pakistan. Recently, football has grown in popularity across the country, although the national football team is still considered to be very weak and has yet to qualify for a World CupBazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-49389545700061229472009-11-21T21:44:00.000-08:002009-11-21T21:46:11.023-08:00Amir Khusrau<h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/06/amir-khusrau.html">Amir Khusrau</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body" id="post-7505838923570991102"><style>#fullpost{display:inline;}</style><br /><p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><img class="aligncenter" style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: top" height="591" alt="" src="http://www.persianart.co.uk/images/painting1_lrg.jpg" width="422" /></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier"><b>Amir-Ul-Shaura Hazrat Khawaja Abul Hasan Amir Khusrau Dehlavi</b></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>His name was Abul Hasan, pseudonym Amir Khusrau, and title Yamin Uddin. His poetic name (pseudonym) became so popular that people forgot his original name. He was a great and prolific poet.</strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>Title</strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>He wished not had a title similar to the rich men and mentioned it to the Mahboobe-e-Ilahi. He said, "On the day of Resurrection People will call you Mohammed's admirer."</strong></span></p><p align="center"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier"><b><img height="285" src="http://www.myasa.net/sufindia/roza%20sharif%20hazrat%20ameer%20khusro%20new%20delhi.jpg" width="456" border="4" /></b></span></p><p align="center"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial Narrow"><b><u>ROZA SHARIF HAZRAT AMEER KHUSRAU (NEW DELHI)</u></b></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>Birth and Parentage</strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>Born in 653 Hijri of Amir Saif Uddin Mahmud who was one of the nobles of Hazara, Balakh. Chingez Khan's incursions loomed large on them so he migrated to India during the reign of Sultan Altutmish, joined the court, and settled down at Patiali in the district of Etah. Because of his abilities he rose to a high and trusted rank in the court. Here he was married to the daughter of a noble, Imad-Ul-Mulk, who bore him three sons: Aiza-Uddin, Ali Shah, Hisam Uddin, and Abul Hasan; the later was the youngest.</strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>Education</strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>His first tutor was his father who died when he was nine years old and his maternal grand father, Imad Ul Mulk, took over the responsibility of their education and up-bringing. His two elder brothers also gave their attention to his education. Consequently, he acquired proficiency in all material and intellectual subjects and was regarded a scholar of high repute. He was an intelligent and prolific poet, and sang melodiously innovated Qawwali, and invented several musical instruments. In addition to, he was a good prose writer.</strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>Pledge of Obedience and Spiritual Heir</strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>When eight he went with his father and other members of family to Hazrat Nizam Uddin's residence. His father wished him to select his guide and teacher himself. Others went in but he stayed outside thinking that if he (Hazrat Nizam Uddin) were a perfect saint he would summon him himself. Hazrat Nizam Uddin's spiritual powers revealed to him his dilemma. He sent his servant to bring him in. Amir Khusrau was so much impressed of his personality that he accepted him his guide and teacher and entered the fold. Soon he became the dearest of his disciples and in course of time was granted the robe of his spiritual heir.</strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>Prayers and Meditation</strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>Despite his association with the court he continued to pray and meditate and traveled speedily on the road of conduct. Every night he recited seven chapters of the Qu'Oran melodiously after the Tahajjud prayer. The chronicles mention that he kept fasts continuously for forty years. He was engrossed every time in the intense love of God. There was so much incinerating heat generated in his heart that whatever he wore burnt on the chest. Hazrat Nizammuddin once said about it "If asked on the Resurrection day what have you brought? I would say the heat from the bosom of the Turk."</strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>Deep attachment to his Teacher</strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>He loved his teacher deeply and spent most of his time with him. His teacher 'Hazrat Nizam-Uddin loved him more than any other of his disciples even more than his spiritual heir, Hazrat Nasir Uddin Roshan Chiragh Dehlavi. Once the Mahboob-e-Ilahi said, "I am annoyed by all, even by myself sometimes but never by you."</strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>Buying his teacher's sandals for five lakhs rupees and carry them back on his head in the presence of Hazrat Nizam Uddin shows his deep love and faith for him.</strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>His Poetry</strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>He was not only a mystic but also a Persian poet of great caliber. His verses are available. One of his Urdu ghazal is found. Besides, he was sweet of tongue and interested in music.</strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>Books</strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>He wrote about 92 books some of them are Rahat-Ul-Mohibbeen' Tohfat-us-Saghir, Gharra-tul-Kamal, Moghzan-e-Asrar-e-Nizami, Sheerin-Khusrau, Laila-Majnoon, Aina-e-Sikandari, Hasht-Bahisht, Taj-</strong><strong><u>U</u></strong><strong>l-Futuh, Tughlaq-Nama, Manaquib-e-Hind.</strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>Revelations and Miracles</strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>It is said that when Sheikh Abul Fateh Multani said his funeral prayers, raised hands to bless him, he got tip and recited a Persian couplet.</strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>Death</strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"><strong>Amir Khusrau was extremely grieved at the demise of his teacher. He was not in Delhi at the time and had gone to Lucknow. On hearing the news he returned to Delhi post haste and retired to his teacher's grave; resigned the service, gave away all his wealth to the poor, and needy, spent six months in mourning and in the end died in 725 Hijri. He was buried near the tomb of his teacher on a slightly raised platform popularly called </strong><strong><i>"Chabootra-e-Yaran.</i></strong></span></p></div>Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-63489126660608278042009-09-23T03:54:00.001-07:002009-09-23T04:09:29.773-07:00DUHA<a href="http://selectislam.blogspot.com/2009/05/daily-duas.html">Daily Du'as</a><br /><a name="1">Morning and evening</a><br />الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ<br />Alhamdu lillahil ladhe ahyaana ba'da ma amaatana wa ilayhin nushur<br />(Praise be to Allah Who gives us life after He has caused us to die and unto Him is the Return)<br />[Sahih al-Bukhari](c) Intellectual Copyright Mutmainaa, 2002, 2003. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce elsewhere without prior permission and consent. Respect this, and e-mail the webmaster for more inforamtion.www.geocities.com/mutmainaa<br />ل ط<br />La ilaha ilAllahu wah-dahu la sharika lahu, lahul Mulku, wa lahul Hamd, wa Huwa ala kulli shaiy'in Qadeer. SubhanAllahi, wal-Hamdu lillahi, wa la illaha ilAllahu, waAllahu Akbar, wa la Hawla wa la Quwwata illa Billahil 'aliyyal 'adheem, Rabbighfirli.<br />There is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, Who has no Partner.<br />His is the dominion and to Him belongs all Praise, and He is able to do all things. Glory be unto Allah. Praise be to Allah. There is none worthy of worship but Allah. Allah is the Greatest. There is no Might and Power except by Allah's leave, the Exhalted, the Mighty. My Lord, Forgive me.<br />الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي عَافَانِي فِي جَسَدِي وَرَدَّ عَلَيَّ رُوحِي وَأَذِنَ لِي بِذِكْرِهِ<br />Alhamdu lillahil-ladhi aafaani fi jasadi, wa radda 'alaiyya ruhee, wa 'adhina li bidhikriki<br />(Praise be to Allah Who gave Strength to my body and returned my soul to me and permitted me to remember Him.)<br /><a name="2">When looking into a mirror</a><br />اللَهُمّ اَنْتَ حَسَّنْتَ خَلْقِى فحسِّنْ خُلُقِى وَحرِّمْ وجْهىِ عَلى النَّار ، الحمْدُ لِلّهِ الِّذِى سَوَّى خَلْقى فَعَدَلهُ ، وَكَرَّمَ صُرَةَ وجْهى فاَحْسنهاَ وَجعَلنِى مِنَ الْمسلِمين<br />Allahumma anta Hassanta khalqi fa-hassin khuluqi, waharrim wajhi 'al-an-naar. Alhamdulilahil-lathi sawwa khalqi fa'adalah, wakarrama suurata wajhi fa'ahsanaha, waja'alna minal-Muslimeen<br />(O Allah! You made my physical constitution good so make my disposition good too and keep my face safe from the hellfire. Praise be to Allah Who fashioned and made me proportionate, and honoured my face and made me of the Muslims)<br />[ibn Hibban, at-Tabarani]<a name="3">Eating</a><br />&<br />Allahumma barik lana fima razaqtana, waqina adhab-an naar. Bismillah<br />O Allah! Bless (the food) you provided us and save us from the punishment of the fire. In the Name of Allah.<br />[ibn as-Sunni]Upon forgetting to say the du'a:<br />بسم الله. في أوله وآخره.<br />Bismillahi fi awwalihi wa akhirihi<br />In the Name of Allah, in the beginning and the end.<br />[abu Dawud 3:347, at-Tirmidhi 4:288]Upon completing the meal<br />الحمد لله الذي أطعمنا وسقانا وجعلنا مسلمين.<br />Alhamdulilahil la dhi a'tamana, wa saqana, waja'alana muslimeen.<br />Praise be to Allah Who has fed us, and given us drink,<br />and made us Muslims<br />[abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i, ibn Majah]<br />الحمد لله الذي أطعمني هذا, ورزقنيه, من غير حول مني ولا قوة.<br />Alhamdulilahil la dhi a'tamana hadha warazaq-aanihi, min ghairi hawlin minni, wa la quwwattin<br />Praise be to Allah, who has fed us this food, and sustained me with it when I was unable to do it Powerless.<br />[at-Tirmidhi, abu Dawud, ibn Majah]<br /><a name="4">Du'as for the restroom </a><br />Entering the restroom<br />اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخُبُثِ وَالْخَبَائِثِ<br />Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-khubuthi wal-khaba-ith<br />(Oh Allah! I seek refuge in You from male and female devils)<br />[Sahih al-Bukhari; 1:45, Muslim; 1:283; al-Asqalani's Fath al-Bari; 1:244]<br />Exiting the restroom<br />غفرانك<br />Ghufranaka<br />(I seek Your Forgiveness)<br />[abu Dawud, ibn Majah, at-Tirmidhi]<br /><a href="http://www.geocities.com/mutmainaa/dua1/everyday_dua.html?20092#top"></a><br /><a name="5">After wudhu</a><br />أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ<br />Ash-hadu ana-la ilaha illAllah, wahdahu la shareeka lahu, wa-anna Muammadan abduhu wa-rasuuluhu<br />(I testify that there is No God but Allah, alone without partners, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.)<br />[Muslim; 1:209]<br />اللهم اجعلنى من التوابين و اجعلنى من المتطهرين<br />Allahumma ij'alni min at-tawwabiin, wa'ajalni minal mutat-tahhiriin<br />O Allah! Make me among those who are Repentant and of those who purify themselves<br />[Muslim, at-Tirmidhi; 1:78]<br /><a href="http://www.geocities.com/mutmainaa/dua1/everyday_dua.html?20092#top"></a><br /><a name="6">After the Adhan</a><br />اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ وَالصَّلاةِ الْقَائِمَةِ، آتِ مُحَمَّدًا الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ ، وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ<br />Allahumma rabba haaihid-dawatit-tamma, was-salaatil-qaa-ima, aati Muammadan al-waseelata wal-faDeela, wa-bathhu maqaamam mahmuudan-il-laee waattah<br />(O Allah! Lord of this perfect call and the established prayer! Grant Muhammad the privilege of intercession (on the Day of Judgment) and superiority, and take him to the exalted place You have promised him)<br />[Sahih al-Bukhari]<br /><a href="http://www.geocities.com/mutmainaa/dua1/everyday_dua.html?20092#top"></a><br /><a name="7">Upon Going to the Mosque </a><br />اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ فِي قَلْبِي نُورًا، وَفِي بَصَرِي نُورًا، وَفِي سَمْعِي نُورًا ، وَعَنْ يَمِينِي نُورًا وَعَنْ يَسَارِي نُورًا، وَفَوْقِي نُورًا وَتَحْتِي نُورًا ، وَأَمَامِي نُورًا وَخَلْفِي نُورًا، وَعَظِّمْ لِي نُورًا<br />Allahumma-jal fee qalbee nuura, wa-fee baSaree nuura(w), wa-fee samee nuura, wa-ay-yameenee nuura, wa-ay-yasaari nuura, wa-fawqee nuura, wa-tahtee nuura, wa-amaamee nuura, wakhalfee nuura, wajal lee nuuraa<br />(Oh Allah! Let there be light in my heart, light in my eye-sight, light in my hearing, light on my right, light on my left, light above me, light under me, light in front of me and light behind me, and provide me with light)<br />[Sahih al-Bukhari; 11:116:6316, Muslim; 1:526, 529-530]<br /><a href="http://www.geocities.com/mutmainaa/dua1/everyday_dua.html?20092#top"></a><br /><a name="8">Upon entering the Mosque</a><br />بِسمِ اللهِ، والصَّلاةُ والسَّلامُ على رسولِ اللهِ ، اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ<br />bismillahi was-salaatu was-salaamu ala rasuulillah. Allahumma-ftah li abwaba ramatik<br />(In the Name of Allah; may His prayers and peace be upon Allah’s Messenger. Oh Allah! Open for me the gates of Your mercy.)<br />[ibn as-Sunni: 38, abu Dawud 1:126, Muslim; 1:494, ibn Majah 1:128-9]<br /><a href="http://www.geocities.com/mutmainaa/dua1/everyday_dua.html?20092#top"></a><br /><a name="9">Upon exiting the Mosque </a><br />بِسمِ اللهِ، والصَّلاةُ والسَّلامُ على رسولِ اللهِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ<br />bismil-lahi(i) was-salatu was-salaamu alaa rasuulil-laahi. Allahumma inni as-aluka mi fadlik<br />(In the name of Allah, and may His blessings and peace be upon Allah’s Messenger. O Allah! I am asking You to give me from Your Bounty)<br />[Muslim; 1:494, ibn Majah 1:128-9]<br /><a href="http://www.geocities.com/mutmainaa/dua1/everyday_dua.html?20092#top"></a><br /><a name="10">Upon dressing</a><br />بِسْمِ اللّهِ الَّذِى لا إلهَ إلّا هُوَ<br />Bismillahi, al-ladhi, La illaha illa huwa<br />(In the Name of Allah. There is no God but He.)<br />[to be recited when undressing]<br />[ibn as-Sunni]<br />اللّهُمَّ إنَّى أسْألُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِهِ وَ خَيْرِ مَا هُوَلَهُ، وَ أعُوذُبِكَ مِنْ شَرِّهِ وَ شَرِّ مَا هُوَلَهُ<br />Allahumma inni as'aluka min khairihi wa khairi ma huwa lah. Wa a'udhu bika min sharri wa sharri ma huwa lah<br />(O Allah! I ask You (for) the good in it and the good for which it is made. And I seek Your Protection from the evil in it and the evil for which it is made.)<br />[to be recited when dressing]<br />[ibn as-Sunni]<br />الْحَمْدُ للّهِ الَّذِي كَسَانِي هَذَا (الثَّوبَ) وَرَزقَنِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَ لا قُوَّةٍ<br />Alhamdulilahil-ladhi kasaani haadha (ath-thawba) wa razaqanihi min ghairi hawlim-minni wa la qawwatin<br />(Praise be to Allah who has clothed me with this (garment) and provided it for me, through which I was powerless myself and incapable.)<br />[to be recited when dressing]<br />[sahih al-Bukhari, Muslim, abu Dawud, ibn Majah, at-Tirmidhi]<br /><a href="http://www.geocities.com/mutmainaa/dua1/everyday_dua.html?20092#top"></a><br /><a name="11">Upon exiting the Home</a><br />بِسْمِ اللهِ ، تَوَكَلْتُ عَلَى اللهِ وَلا حَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللهِ<br />Bismillah, Tawwakaltu ala-Allah, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah<br />(In the name of Allah, I place my trust in Allah, and there is no might nor power except with Allah.)<br />[abu Dawud; 4:325, at-Tirmidhi 5:490]<br />اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَضِلَّ ، أَوْ أُضَلَّ ، أَوْ أَزِلَّ ، أَوْ أُزَلَّ أَوْ أَظْلِمَ أَوْ أُظْلَمَ ، أَوْ أَجْهَلَ أَوْ يُجْهَلَ عَلَيَّ<br />Allahumma inni a'udhubika an adh-dhilla, aw udhalla, aw azzilla, aw uzzalla, aw adhlima, aw udhlama, aw ajhala aw yujhala 'alayya<br />(O Allah, I take refuge with You lest I should stray or be led astray, or slip or be tripped, or oppress or be oppressed, or behave foolishly or be treated foolishly.)<br />[abu Dawud, ibn Majah, Nasa'i, at-Tirmidhi]<br /><a href="http://www.geocities.com/mutmainaa/dua1/everyday_dua.html?20092#top"></a><br /><a name="12">Upon entering the Home</a><br />بِسْمِ الله وَلَجْنَا ، وَ بِسْمِ الله خَرَجْنَا وَعَلَى رَبِّنَا تَوَكَلْنَا<br />Bismillahi walajnaa, wa bismillahi kharajnaa, wa 'ala Rabbinaa Tawakkalna<br />(In the name of Allah we enter and in the name of Allah we leave, and upon our Lord we place our trust.)<br />[abu Dawud; 4:325, Muslim 2018]<br /><a href="http://www.geocities.com/mutmainaa/dua1/everyday_dua.html?20092#top"></a><br /><a name="13">Upon Waking up</a><br />الحَمْدُ لله الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ<br />Alhamdulilahil-ladhi ahyaana ba'da ma amaatana, wa ilayhin nushuur<br />(All praise is for Allah who gave us life after having taken it from us and unto Him is the return.)<br />[Sahih al-Bukhari; al-Asqalani in Fath al-Bari; 11:113, Muslim: 4:2083]<br /><a href="http://www.geocities.com/mutmainaa/dua1/everyday_dua.html?20092#top"></a><br /><a name="14">Upon Reitiring to Sleep </a><br />بِاْسْمِك ربيِّ وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِى وَبِكَ اَرْفَعُهُ ، اِن اَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسى فَاغْفِرْلَهَا ، وَاِنْ اَرْسَلْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا بماَ تَحْفَظُ بِه عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِينَ<br />Bismika Rabbi wad'atu janbi wa bika arfa'a'hu. Fa'in amsakta nafsi faghfir laha. Wa'in arsaltaha fahfadh-ha bima tahfadhu bihi 'iibadakas-salihiin<br />(In Your Name, O Lord, I lay my side (to sleep). And by (Your leave) I raise it up. So if You take away my soul (during sleep) forgive it, and if You send it back (after sleep) protect it even as You Protect Your pious servants.)<br />[Sahih al-Bukhari;, Muslim, abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i, ibn Majah]<br /><a href="http://selectislam.blogspot.com/2009/05/best-times-to-make-dua.html">Best Times to make Du'a</a><br />There are certain times dua (supplication) is more likely to be accepted by Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) as mentioned by Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). These times are as follows:<br />1. The Last Third Of The Night Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhu) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: 'In the last third of every night our Rabb (Cherisher and Sustainer) (Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala)) descends to the lowermost heaven and says; "Who is calling Me, so that I may answer him? Who is asking Me so that may I grant him? Who is seeking forgiveness from Me so that I may forgive him?."'[Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith Qudsi] Amr ibn Absah narrated that the Prophet said: 'The closest any worshipper can be to His Lord is during the last part of the night, so if you can be amongst those who remember Allah at that time, then do so.'[at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i, al-Hakim - Sahih]<br />2. Late at night When people are sleeping and busy with worldly pleasures Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) gives the believers an opportunity, or an answer hour if they can fight sleep and invoke Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) for whatever they need.The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: 'There is at night an hour, no Muslim happens to be asking Allah any matter of this world or the Hereafter, except that he will be given it, and this (occurs) every night.'[Muslim #757]<br />3. Between Adhan and Iqamah Anas (radiAllahu anhu) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: 'A supplication made between the Adhan and Iqama is not rejected.'[Ahmad, abu Dawud #521, at-Tirmidhi #212, Sahih al-Jami #3408, an-Nasai and Ibn Hibban graded it sahih (sound)]<br />4. An Hour On Friday Narrated Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhu): Allah’s Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) talked about Friday and said:'There is an hour on Friday and if a Muslim gets it while offering Salat (prayer) and asks something from Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala), then Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) will definitely meet his demand.' And he (the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) pointed out the shortness of that particular time with his hands.[Sahih al-Bukhari] Some have said that this hour is from the time the Imam (prayer’s leader) enters the mosque on Friday’s prayer until the prayer is over (ie between the two khutbahs), whereas others have said that it is the last hour of the day (ie after the Asr prayer until the Maghrib prayer).(Note: when we say an hour here we do not mean the hour everyone knows (60 minutes) but an unspecified period of time because the time counters which we use today came after the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) had died.<br />5. While Drinking Zamzam Water Jaber (radiAllahu anhu) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: 'Zamzam water is for what it is drunk for.'[Ahmad 3: 357 and Ibn Majah #3062]This means that when you drink Zamzam water you may ask Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) for anything you like to gain or benefit from this water such as healing from illness.... etc.<br />6. While Prostrating Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhu) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam), said: 'The nearest a slave can be to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so invoke (supplicate) Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) much in it.[Muslim, abu Dawud, an-Nasa'i and others, Sahih al-Jami #1175]When a Muslim is in his Salat (prayer) he is facing Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) and when he prostrates he is the nearest he can be to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) so it is best to invoke Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) at this time.It is said that while in prostration, one should not ask for worldy needs (ie a nice car, a new job, etc), but for the Hereafter.<br />7. When Waking Up at Night Narrated Ubada Bin As-Samit that Allah’s Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: 'Whomever wakes up at night and says La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la shrika lahu lahulmulku, wa lahul hamdu, wa huwa ala kulli shai'in qadir. Alhamdu lillahi, wa subhanallahi wa la ilaha illallahu, wallah akbir, wa la hawla wala quwata illa billah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) He is the only one who has no partners. His is the kingdom and all the praises are for Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) All the glories are for Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) And none has the right to be worshipped but Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) and Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) is the most Great and there is neither might nor power except with Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) and then says, Allahumma ighfir li (O Allah! Forgive me) or invokes Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala),he will be responded to and if he makes ablution and performs Salat (prayer), his Salat (prayer) will be accepted.[Sahih al-Bukhari]<br />8. At The End Of The Obligatory Salat: Narrated Abu Omamah (radiAllahu anhu): that Allah’s Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was asked, O Messenger of Allah, which supplication is heard (by Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala), he said the end of the night and at the end of the obligatory Salat (prayer)[at-Tirmidhi]This time is after saying 'At-tahyat' , and before making Tasleem (finishing prayer)<br />9. The Night Of 'Qadr' (Decree) This night is the greatest night of the year. This is the night which the almighty Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) said about it, "The night of Al-Qadar (Decree) is better than a thousand months."[Surah al-Qadr, 97: 3] The Night of Decree is one of the odd nights of the last ten nights of the blessed month of Ramadan. The angels descend down to the earth, and the earth is overwhelmed with peace and serenity until the break of dawn and when he doors of Paradise are opened, the worshipper is encouraged to turn to Allah to ask for his needs for this world and the Hereafter.<br />10. During The Rain Narrated Sahel Ibn Sa'ad (radiAllahu anhu): that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: 'Two will not be rejected, Supplication when the Adhan (call of prayer) is being called, and at the time of the rain'.[Al-Hakim 2: 114, and Abu Dawud #2540, ibn Majah]'Seek the response to your du'as when the armies meet, and the prayer is called, and when rain falls'[reported by Imam al-Shafi' in al-Umm, al-Sahihah #1469] The time of the rain is a time of mercy from Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) so, one should take advantage of this time when Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) is having mercy on His slaves.<br />11. At the Adhan 'Seek the response to your du'as when the armies meet, and the prayer is called, and when rain falls'[reported by Imam al-Shafi' in al-Umm, al-Sahihah #1469] In another hadith; 'When the prayer is called, the doors of the skies are opened, and the du'a is answered'[al-Tayalisi in his Musnad #2106, al-Sahihah #1413]<br />12. The One Who Is Suffering Injustice and Opression The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said to Mua'ad Ibn Jabal (radiAllahu anhu), 'Beware of the supplication of the unjustly treated, because there is no shelter or veil between it (the supplication of the one who is suffering injustice) and Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala)'[Sahih Al-Bukhari and Muslim] The prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) declared,'Three men whose dua is never rejected (by Allah) are: the fasting person until he breaks his fast (in another narration, when he breaks fast), the just ruler and the one who is oppressed.'[Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi - Hasan] In another hadith; The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) declared:'Three du'as are surely answered: The du'a of the oppressed, the du'a of the traveler, and the du'a of the father/mother (upon their child)'The One who is suffering injustice is heard by Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) when he invokes Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) to retain his rights from the unjust one or oppressor. Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) has sworn to help the one who is suffering from injustice sooner or later as the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said.<br />13. The Traveler The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said; Three supplications will not be rejected (by Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala)), the supplication of the parent for his child, the supplication of the one who is fasting, and the supplication of the traveler.[al-Bayhaqi, at-Tirmidhi - Sahih]During travel supplication is heard by Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) if the trip is for a good reason, but if the trip is for a bad intention or to perform illegal things (making sins) this will not apply to it.<br />14. The Parent's Supplication for their Child The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said; Three supplications will not be rejected (by Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala)), the supplication of the parent for his child, the supplication of the one who is fasting, and the supplication of the traveler.[al-Bayhaqi, at-Tirmidhi - Sahih]<br />15. Dua after praising Allah and giving salat on the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) in the tashahhud at the end of salat. Narrated Faddalah ibn Ubayd (radiAllahu anhu): that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:'When anyone of you makes du'a, let him start by glorifying his Lord and praising Him, then let him send blessings upon the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam), then let him pray for whatever he wants'[abu Dawud #1481, at-Tirmidhi #3477]In another hadith; Baqiy ibn Mukhallid (radiAllahu anhu) narrated that that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:'Every du'a is not responded to until one sends blessings upon the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)'[al-Bayhaqi]In another hadith; Umar (radiAllahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:'Du'a is detained between the heavens and the earth and no part of it is taken up until you send blessings upon your Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)'[at-Tirmidhi #486] After a person has finished his tashahhud and before saying the 'salam', supplication at this time is one likely to be responded to.Ibn Mas'ud narrates: I was once praying, and the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam), Abu Bakr and Umar (were all present). When I sat down (in the final tashahhud), I praised Allah, then sent salams on the Prophet, then started praying for myself. At this, the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:'Ask, and you shall be given it! Ask, and you shall be given it!'[at-Tirmidhi #593 - hasan, Mishkat al-Misbah #931]<br />16. The dua of a Muslim for his absent brother or sister Muslim stemming from the heart. The prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:'There is no believing servant who supplicates for his brother in his absence where the angels do not say, 'the same be for you''[Muslim]<br />17. Dua on the Day of Arafat The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: 'The best supplication is the supplication on the day of Arafat'. [at-Tirmidhi and Malik]The day of Arafat is the essence and pinnacle of Hajj. On this great and momentous day, millions of worshippers gather together on one plain, from every corner of the world, with only one purpose in mind - to respone to the call of their Creator. During this auspicious day, Allah does not refuse the requests of His worshippers.<br />18. Dua during the month of Ramadan Ramadan is month full of many blessings, thus the du'a of Ramadan is a blessed one. This can be inferred from the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) saying:'When Ramadan comes, the Doors of Mercy (another narration says Paradise) are opened, and the doors of Hell are closed, and the Sahitans are locked up'Thus, it is clear that du'a during Ramadan has a greater chance of being accepted, as the Gates of Paradise and Mercy are opened.[Sahih al-Bukhari #1899, Muslim #1079 and others]<br />19. Dua when the Armies meetWhen the Muslim is facing the enemy in battle, at this critical period, the du'a of a worshipper is accepted.Sahl ibn Sa'd (radiAllahu anhu) narrtaed the the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:'Two duas are never rejected, or rarely rejected: the du'a during the call for prayer, and the du'a during the clamity when the two armies attack each other'[abu Dawud #2540, ibn Majah, al-Hakim]In another narration: 'Seek the response to your du'as when the armies meet, and the prayer is called, and when rain falls'[reported by Imam al-Shafi' in al-Umm, al-Sahihah #1469]<br />20. When Muslims gather for the purpose of invoking and remembering Allah (Dhikrullah). The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:If a group of people sit together remembering Allah, the angels will circle them, mercy will shroud them, peace will descend onto them and Allah will remember them among those with Him.[Muslim]<br />21. First Ten days of Dhul-HijjahThe Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:'There are no days during which good deeds are more beloved to Allah than during these ten days'[Sahih al-Bukhai #969 and others]<br />22. Dua when the heart reaches out to Allah and is ready to be totally sincere<br />23. At MidnightAbu Umamah (radiAllahu anhu) said, the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was questioned; 'Which du'a is heard (by Allah)?' He answered,'At midnight and at the end of every obligatory prayer.'[at-Tirmidhi - Hasan]<br />25. Dua of people after the death of a person In a long hadith, Umm Salamah (radiAllahu anha) narrated that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, when Abu Salamah had just passed away, and had closed his eyes,'Do not ask for yourselves anything but good, for the angels will say 'Ameen' to all that you ask for. O Allah, forgive Abu Salamah, and raise his ranks among those who are guided.'[Muslim, abu Dawud, Ahmad]<br />26. Dua of the one fasting until he breaks his fast. The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said; Three supplications will not be rejected (by Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala)), the supplication of the parent for his child, the supplication of the one who is fasting, and the supplication of the traveler.[al-Bayhaqi, at-Tirmidhi - Sahih]<br />27. Dua of the one fasting at the time of breaking fast The prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) declared,'Three men whose dua is never rejected (by Allah) are: when a fasting person breaks fast (in another narration, the fasting person until he breaks his fast), the just ruler and the one who is oppressed.'[Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi - Hasan]<br />29. Dua of a just Ruler The prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) declared,'Three men whose dua is never rejected (by Allah) are: the fasting person until he breaks his fast (in another narration, when he breaks fast), the just ruler and the one who is oppressed.'[Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi - Hasan]<br />30. Dua of a son or daughter obedient to his or her parents It is well known in the story narrated in hadith os three men who were trapped by a huge stone in a cave. One of them who was kind to kis parents asked Allah to remove the stone, and his du'a was answered.[Sahih al-Bukhari 3:36 #472]<br />31. Dua immediately after wuduUmar ibn Al-Khattab reported that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:'There is not one of you that makes wudu, and does it perfectly, then says: I testify that there is no diety worthy of worship except Allah. he is Alone, having no partners. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and messenger', except that the eight gates of Paradise are opened for him, and he can enter into it through whichever one he pleases'[Muslim #234, abu Dawud #162, Ahmad, an-Nasa'i]Saying what has been mentioned in the hadith that is directly related to it (ablution)<br />32. Dua after stoning the Jamarat at HajjThe stoning of the small Shaitan (jamrat sugra), or the middle Shaitan (jamrat wusta) pillars during Hajj. It is narrated that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) would stone the small Jamarah (one of the three pillars that is stoned in the last days of Hajj), then face the qiblah, raise his hands, and make du'a for a long time. He would then stone the middle Jamarah and do the same. When he stoned the large Jamarah, he would depart without making any du'a.[Sahih al-Bukhari #1753 and others]<br />33. At the Crowing of a RoosterAbu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:'When you hear a rooster crowing, then ask Allah for His bounties, for it has seen an angel, and when you hear a donkey braying, then seek refuge in Allah from Shaitan, for it has seen a Shaitan'[Sahih al-Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Sahih al-Jami #611]<br />34. Du'a made inside the Ka'bahThe Ka'bah is a sanctuary that has no comparison in the entire world. The du'a of one who prays inside the hijr is considered as being made inside the ka'bah, as it is part of the house (Baitullah). [This is the semicircle to the right of the Ka'bah if you face the door, opposite to the Yemeni corner and the Black stone wall.]Usamah ibn Zayd narrated, 'When the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) entered the House (Ka'bah), he made du'a in all of its corners[Muslim 2: 968 and others]<br />35. Du'a on the mount of Safa or Marwah during Umrah or Hajj It is narrated that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) would make long du'as at Safa and Marwah.[Muslim #1218 and others]<br />36. Dua at any of the holy sites.<br />37. While reciting Surah al-FatihahThe Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said that Allah the Exalted had said:' I have divided the prayer into two halves between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for. When the servant says: Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe, Allah the Most High says: My servant has praised Me. And when he (the servant) says: The Most Compassionate, the Merciful, Allah the Most High says: My servant has lauded Me. When he (the servant) says: Master of the Day of Judgment, He remarks: My servant has glorified Me, and sometimes He will say: My servant entrusted (his affairs) to Me. When he (the worshipper) says: Thee do we worship and of Thee do we ask help, He (Allah) says: This is between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for. Then, when he (the worshipper) says: Guide us to the straight path, the path of those to whom Thou hast been Gracious -- not of those who have incurred Thy displeasure, nor of those who have gone astray, He (Allah) says: This is for My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for.[Muslim 4: 395]<br />38. Saying 'Ameen' during prayerAfter finishing the recitation of al-Fatihah, the saying of'Ameen' in congregation.The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: 'When the Imam says 'Ameen', then recite it behind him (as well), because whoever's Ameen coincides with the Ameen of the angels will have all of his sins forgiven.'[Sahih al-Bukhari #780, Muslim #410 and others]<br />39. While visiting the sick, and dua made by the sickUmm Salamah narrated that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:'When you visit the sick, or the dead then say good, because the angels say 'Ameen' to whatever you say[Muslim #2126] Ali (radiAllahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:'When a Muslim visits his sick Muslim brother in the morning, seventy thousand angels make dua for his forgiveness till the evening. And when he visits him in the evening, seventy thousand angels make dua for his forgiveness till the morning, and he will be granted a garden for it in Jannah.'[at-Tirmidhi, abu Dawud]<br /><a href="http://selectislam.blogspot.com/2009/05/etiquette-and-adab-of-dua.html">Etiquette and Adab of Du'a</a><br />'O supplicant, ask Allah and your prayer will be answered.'[narrated by at-Tirmidhi]Du'a (supplication) is more likely to be accepted by Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) as mentioned by Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam), if the correct adab (manner) and etiquette is used. Listed below are some of the etiquettes of du'a.<br />Any Muslim who supplicates Allah with a supplication that does not contain any sin or cutting off of family relations, Allah will give him one of three things for it:1. Either He will speedily answer his du'a2. or He will save it for him until the Hereafter3. or He will avert something bad from him equal to the value of his du'a.(Explanation: a du'a has a certain relative value determined by Allah, so if a person says a particular dua, say 15 times in a day, then Allah protects him from something bad that is equal to the valued amount of his du'a.)<br />Faithfulness to Allah<br />To start with thanking Allah and praising Him and then giving salat on the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and ending the du'a with the sameThe Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:'When one of you has prayed, then let him begin with praising Allah and Glorifying Him, then let him pray upon the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). After that, he may make any du'a that he wishes'[Ahmad, abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi, - sahih, narrated by Fadalah ibn Ubayd]<br />To ask Allah by His Names and AttributesAllah Ta'ala says,"And to Allah belongs the beautiful names, so invoke Him by them."[7:180]Buraidah reported that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) heard a man saying, 'O Allah! I ask You, I bear witness that there is no god but You, the One, the As-Samad (the One upon Whom all creatures depend). He begets not, nor was He begotten; and there is none like unto Him.' The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said,'You have asked Allah by His Greatest Name. When one asks Him by this name, He gives, what one desires, and when supplicated by this name He answers.'[reported by abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi, who regard it a sound hadith]Ibn Mas'ud (radiAllahu anhu) said, 'Allah does not accept du'a from the conceited, the one who flaunts and the one who is not serious, (He accepts only) from a person who praises and asks from his heart.'<br />Raising One's HandsAbu Musa al-Ash'ari narrated:'The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) made the du'a, and I saw him raise his hands, until I could see the whiteness of his armpits'[Sahih al-Bukhari #4323]Ibn Umar narrated:'The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) raised his hands and said:'O Allah! I ask your protection for what Khalid had done!'[Sahih al-Bukhari #4339]Salman al-Farsi narrated that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:'Indeed, Allah is Shy and Beneficent. His is Shy when His servant raises his hands to Him (in a du'a) to return them empty, disappointed!'[Ahmad, abu Dawud #1488, at-Tirmidhi #3556, ibn Majah #3865 and others] Ibn 'Abbas is reported as saying, "When asking for something from Allah, you should raise your hands opposite to your shoulders; when asking for forgiveness you should point with one finger; and when making an earnest supplication you should spread out both your hands."[abu Dawud]<br />Face the Qiblah when making du'a.It has been narrated that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) would face the qiblah when making du'a.Abdullah ibn Zayd (radiAllahu anhu) narrated:'The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) left (Madinah) to this prayer, seeking rain. So he made a du'a, and asked for rain, then he faced the qiblah and turned his cloak inside-out'[Sahih al-Bukhari #6343, Muslim #894 and others]In another narration, it is reported that when the Quraish tormented the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam), he 'faced the Ka'bah and made a du'a against them..'[Sahih al-Bukhari #3960 and others]<br />Performing Wudu.One of the etiquettes of du'a is that a person is in a state of wudu when making du'a.Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari (radiAllahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam), after the battle of Hunayn, called for water, performed wudu, then raised his hands and said:'O Allah! Forgive Ubayd ibn Amir!'[Sahih al-Bukhari #4323, Muslim #2498]<br />Trust in Allah and have Yaqeen (certainty) that it will be answered One must be certain that Allah does whatever He wishes, whenever He wishes. Allah tells us in the Qur'an: "And there is nothing, but with Us are the stores thereof. And We do not send it down except with a known measure"[Qur'an 15:21].In a Hadith Qudsi narrated by Abu Dharr, Allah revealed through the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam),'O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request from Me, and were I to give everyone what they requested, that would not decrease what I have anymore than a needle decreases the sea if put into it'[Muslim].Anas ibn Malik (radiAllahu anhu) narrates that the prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said,'When one of you makes a du'a, then let him be firm and determined in his du'a, and let him not say, 'O Allah! If You will, then please forgive me', for there is noone who can force Allah to do anything'.[Sahih al-Bukhari #6339, Muslim #2678, Ahmad and others]Therefore, what is desired is that a person be firm in his du'a asking from Allah in a determined manner, i.e. not stating 'O Allah! please forgive me inshaAllah'The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: 'Ask Allah with certainty that He will answer your prayers, and know that Allah will not accept the supplication from an absent heart.'[at-Tirmidhi]The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) also said, 'When you ask Allah, ask with confidence.'<br />Persistence in du'a, not being hasty and abandoning du'aOne must be patient for ones Du'a to be accepted, as hastiness is one of the causes for its rejection or disapproval. We must attend to our Du'a with perseverance, repetition and persistence.Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi waalam) said,The du'a of any worshipper will continue to be responded to, as long as he does not ask for a sin or breaking the ties of kinship, and as long as he is not hasty'.It was asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, and what does it mean to be hasty? He responded,'A worshipper says, 'I have prayed and prayed, and I don't see that it will be accepted,' so he gives up hope of being answered and leaves du'a'[abu Hurairah narrated in Muslim in Sahih al-Jami #7705]Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiAllahu anhu) said: "I do not carry the worry of acceptance but the worry of du'a. If I am inspired on how du'a is made, acceptance will accompany it."A'isha (radiAllahu anha) said: "No believer makes du'a and it is wasted. Either it is granted here in this world or deposited for him in the Hereafter as long as he does not get frustrated."Thus, don't rush or be impatient. Allah dislikes that.<br />Abandonment of obligatory deeds Just as doing good deeds is a reason for the acceptance of Du'a, similarly, abandoning good deeds is a reason for the rejection of Du'a.Hudaifah (radiAllahu anhu), narrated that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said,'By Him, in whose hand is my soul, you should enjoin good and forbid evil or else it is likely that Allah will send a punishment upon you and then you will invoke Him and you will not be answered'[at-Tirmidhi]So, for example, how could those who have constantly neglected and abandoned Fajr prayers in the Masjid expect that their Du'a will be answered?<br />Presence of the heart in the du'a Make the du'a from your heart (even if you are reading the words, i.e., mean what you say)The whole point of du'a is that a person calls out with a sincere heart to his Creator. This sincerity cannot be achieved if one calls out heedlessly, without earnestness.Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasalam) said,Make du'a to Allah in a state that you are certain that your du'a will be responded to, and know that Allah does not respond to a du'a that originates from a negligent, inattentive heart.[at-Tirmidhi, al-Hakim]Abdullah ibn 'Umar reported that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasalam) said: "Hearts are like vessels, some more attentive and capacious than others. When you supplicate Allah you should be certain of being answered, and know that Allah does not answer a supplication that comes from a careless and inattentive heart."[Ahmad]<br />Say du'a at times of trouble and of pleasure One must not make it a habit to remember Allah only at the time of trouble but he must constantly remember Allah in all circumstances. Not to just say du'a in times of need only.Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasalam) said,(Anyone who is pleased) that Allah responds to him at the time of trouble and distress, (should) increase Du'a at the time of calmness.[at-Tirmidhi]<br />Ask Allah aloneInstead of complaining to people when struck by calamity, one must make it a habit to ask Allah alone for refuge. However, there is no harm to mention your problem to people and share their opinions.The Prophets of Allah (alayhum salam), whenever they were in severe situations and extenuating circumstances, would turn to Allah, and show their need for Allah's help.When Ibrahim (alayhis salam), for example, left his wife and child in the middle of the desert, without any support or help, he prayed to Allah, describing their pitiful situation:"O our Lord! I have settled some of my family in a valley having no cultivation, near Your Sacred House - O our Lord! So that they may keep the prayer established, therefore incline some hearts of men towards them, and provide them fruits to eat - perhaps they may be thankful."[Surah Ibrahim, 14: 37]When Yaqub (alayhis salam) did not know the fate of his favourite son Yusuf (alayhis salam), and his oldest son stayed behind in Egypt, while Yusuf's brother Benyamin was also taken captive, all he could cry out was,"I only complain of my distraction and anguish to Allah, and I know from Allah that which ye know not"[Surah Yusuf, 12: 86]In the hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas (radiAllahu anhu), RasulAllah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said to him while he was riding behind him on the same mount,'Be mindful of Allah and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, ask only Allah and if you seek help, seek help only from Allah. And know that if all the nations were to gather together to benefit you, they would benefit you only with something that Allah had already prescribed for you, and if they gather together to harm you, they would harm you only with something that Allah had already prescribed for you. The pens have been lifted and the pages are dry.'[at-Tirmidhi]<br />To Cry with the fear of AllahOne of the ways in which sincerity is shown in du'a is through crying. This brings about a feeling of humility in front of Allah, and shows the importance of one's request. It displays the great need that the servant has from his Lord, and that he can never be without His Aid and Help.Abdullah bin Umar narrated that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) recited the verse in which Ibrahim (alayhis salam) is invoking Allah:“O my Lord, they [the idols] have indeed led astray many among mankind. But whoever follows me, he verily is of me. and whoever disobeys me, still you are indeed Most Forgiving, Most Merciful"[Surah Ibrahim, 14: 36].In another verse, Isa (alayhis salam) is invoking Allah:"If you punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily You-only You are the Almighty, the All-wise"[Surah Ma’idah, 118].And the prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) then raised his hands and said,'Allahumma! Ummati! Ummati! (O Allah! my ummah! my ummah!)' and then he started crying - out of concern for his followers, just like Ibrahim and Isa (alayhum salam) were concerned for their followers.[Muslim #202 and others]<br />Make Du’a for oneself before making Du’a for othersIt is Sunnah in du'a to start with yourself prior to mentioning others. This is so for a number reasons. Firstly a person should desire all good for himself, so it does not make sense to pray for others and forget one's self. Secondly, the fact that a person prays for himself shows what he is praying for is an important goal anf objective. In other words, this ensures that he desires that he his brothers what he desires for himself. Thirdly, it increases him in his sincerity in this du'a, for verily mankind is weak, so when he makes du'a only for his brother, it is possible that it will not be as sincere as when he makes du'a for himse;f and his brother.Likewise, this principle is affirmed by the hadith, as was collected by at-Tirmidhi in the narration of Ubay bin Ka'ab (radiAllahu anhu) that if someone was mentioned to the Prophet, he would invoke Allah for him but would begin with himself. [Sahih at-Tirmidhi, abu Dauwd, an-Nasa'i, Sahih al-Jami #4723]However, this was not the constant habit of the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam), for there are other narrations to show that sometimes he would not begin with himself, while still prying for another person.Thus, it is permissible to make du'a without mentioning one's self, but in general it is recommended to do so.<br />Perform the Du'a in conformity with the Shari'ah The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said,'Whoever innovates in this matter of ours, something which is not part of it, it will be rejected.' If a person is sincere but is not following the Sunnah, his worship is rejected. Similarly, if a person is following the Sunnah but his work is not sincerely done for the sake of Allah, his worship is still rejected.<br />Make du'a in a moderately low voice Invoke Allah in a low tone - not silent yet not completely out loud, as it is closer to sincerity:"Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret. He does not like the aggressors" [Surah A'raf, 37: 55]And He also tells us:“And remember your Lord by your tongue and within yourself, humbly and with fear without loudness in words, in the morning and in the afternoon and be not of those who are neglectful.”[Surah A'raf, 37: 205]This principle is also mentioned in a hadith. Once, the sahabahs were travelling and loudly engaging in dhikr. The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said,'O people! Be gentle on yourselves, for you are not calling someone who is deaf or absent. Rather, you are calling the One Who hears everything, Ever-Close.'[Sahih al-Bukhari #6384]<br />To Repeat the Du'a three timesIt is preferable to repeat you Du’a three times as it is more likely to be answered. It shows a sense of urgency in obtaining what is asked for. The act of repeating a du'a three times is narrated in many ahadith.One reported by ibn Mas'ud (radiAllahu anhu) states that when the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) finished his prayer, he raised his voice, and prayed against the leaders of the Quraish who had persecuted him - when they placed the abdominal contents of a camel on his back whilst in sajdah, and that whenever he made a du'a, he repeated it 3 times. So he then said, 'O Allah! Upon you is (the retaliation) of the Quraish' (3 times).<br />Do not make dua against oneself, ones family, wealth and childrenThat is, don't say I wish that that person's family be destroyed, or I pray that she loses all her money, or I wish his oldest son would fail or I wish that he would die.It is possible that a person, in a state of severe anger, curses and makes du'a against himself, his family and friends, or his wealth. This is definitely an act that does not befit a Muslim, and the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) warned against this.Jabir narrated a hadith about a man who cursed his animal. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, “Who is this who cursed his animal?” The man replied, “It is me O Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, “Get down from it for a cursed one must not escort us.Do not pray against yourselves, do not pray against your children and do not pray against your servants, and do not pray against your wealth, for it is possible that it might correspond to an hour/time during which all prayers are answered, and your du'a (prayer) will be answered'.[Muslim, abu Dawud]No one wishes to inflict Allah's curse and anger upon his loved ones, so we should be careful what we say in a state of anger, so as not to cause pain and grief not only upon our loved ones but also upon ourselves.<br />Acknowledging One's sinsKnow your sins (faults) and seek forgiveness for them and know and acknowledge the benefits and blessings you have been given and thank Allah for them.Part of the etiquette of du'a is to acknowledge one's shortcomings and sins in front of one's Creator, and expressing sincere regret for them. It is also worthwhile to acknowledge all of Allah’s mercy bestowed upon you.The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) taught his ummah the Sayyid al-Istighfar (the best du'a to ask for forgiveness) which acknowledges the favour of Allah upon oneself. The best du'a in which a person can ask for forgiveness contains a pure and sincere acknowledgement of one's deficiencies and sins.The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said,'The sayyid al-Istighfar is that a person says: O Allah! You are my Lord, there is no one worthy of worship except You. You created me, and I am Your slave. And I am (following) Your covenant and Promise as much as I can. I seek Your refuge in the evil that I have done. I acknowledge Your favours upon me, and I acknowledge my sins. So forgive me, since no one forgives sins except You!'So when one raises one's hands to Allah, expecting a response from Him, one should also ponder over one's own relationship with Allah, and the shortcomings that one possesses. in this way the person should recall his many sins, and feel his own humility - that is, he should remember that he is asking One whom he has disobeyed, and sinned against, and not fulfilled his rights upon Him. Let him taste his impudence when he asks Allah for more and more, without fuilfilling the basic deeds that are obligatory upon him.<br />To say 'Ameen'When a person is listening to another person make du'a, it is recommended that he say 'Ameen', which means O Allah! Please accept (this du'a).It is stated that the phrase 'Ameen' is one of the specialities of this nation. This is inferred from the hadith in which the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said,The Jews do not envy you for any matter as much as they envy you for Ameen, and for giving salams to one another.[Sahih al-Bukhari]One is recommended to remember the Muslims and the Mu’mins around the globe in his invocation. Allah said "Ask forgiveness for your sin and also for the believing men and women" [Qur’an 47:19]The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) also said,Whoever seeks forgiveness for the believing men and women, then a good deed will be written for him for every single believing man and woman (that he prayer for)[al-Tabarani]<br />To make du'a for all mattersA common mistake that people fall into is that they only Ask Allah Ta'ala for matters that are of great importance to them. However, we should make du'a for every matter, large or small. You want forgiveness? Ask Allah. You want a car? Ask Allah.This is beacuse everything occurs by Allah Ta'ala's Will, so if Allah does not Will it, it will not occur, no matter how trivial the matter may be.This is why A'isha (radiAllahu anha) said,Ask Allah for everything, even if it is only a shoe-lace, beacuse if Allah does not make it easy, then it will not be possible[as reported in a hadith in at-Tirmidhi 4:292 and others]<br />Doing good deeds and asking Allah by one’s good deedsQasim bin Abd said: "I said to Anas bin Malik: 'O Abu Hamzah pray to Allah for us.' He said: 'Du'a is elevated by good deeds.'"Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim relate the hadith of the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) of the story of three men, who each supplicated to Allah by (mentioning) a good deed they had done earlier in their lives.'Three persons of a people before you were on a journey when they were overtaken by a storm; therefore, they took shelter in a cave. A rock slipped down from the mountain and blocked the exit of the cave. One of them said, 'The only way for deliverance is to beseech Allah and (to mention) some virtuous deed (he did purely for His sake).'One of the men mentioned a good deed which they had done for Allah, and supplicated, 'O Lord! If I did this thing seeking only Thy pleasure, then do Thou relieve us of the distress wrought upon us by this rock.'The rock moved, but not enough to free the men. So, the other two made similar supplications while mentioning their good deeds until the rock moved enough to free them.[Sahih al-Bukhari, Muslim]<br />To make du'a plentifullyA person should ask for everything that he desires (as long as it is permissible), for he is asking the Most Generous of all those who are generous, and the Most Beneficent of all those who are beneficent.This is why our Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said,When one of you wishes for something, then let him increase (his wishes), for verily he is asking his Lord, the Most Exhalted and High[reported by Adh ibn Humayd in his Muntakhab 1:193]He also (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said,When one of you asks something (from Allah), then let him be plentiful (in what he asks for), for indeed he is asking his Lord[ibn Hibban #2403]<br />To make Du'a for all MuslimsPart of the completeness of one's iman is that a person loves for his brother what he loves for himself. Therefore, just as he desires that he be guided to the truth, and be forgiven for his sins, so too should he desire the same for his fellow Muslims.Allah Ta'ala says in the Qur'an, "Ask forgiveness for your sin and also for the believing men and women"[Qur'an 47:19]Abdallah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As reported that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: 'The supplication that gets the quickest answer is the one made by one Muslim for another in his absence.''[abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi]The Prophet, (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) also said,'Whenever you make a supplication for another believer and he is not present, an angel will say ‘and same to you.’'<br />Not to use rhymed prose when making du'aThis means is using excessive rhyming of words, and going out of their way to match word patterns in each sentance, since this does not befit the humility that should acompany du'a. However, if such rhyming is not excessive, then it is allowed.Ibn Abbas, while giving his students advice, reported,'...And beward of poetry and rhyming in your du'a, for verily i encountered the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and his Companions avoiding this'[Sahih al-Bukhari #6337]<br />Not to transgress when making du'aWhen appealing to Allah Ta'ala in Du'a, we should not get into much detail by asking for the different rewards of Jannah, etc. Keep it simple. If a person is granted Jannah, he will be granted Jannah and all that is present in it.It was reported of Abi Nu'mah that Abdullah bin Mughaffal heard his son saying (in invocation), 'O Allah! I ask You for the white palace on the right of Paradise if I were to enter it.' So he said, 'Dear son, ask Allah (Ta'ala) for Paradise and seek refuge from the Hellfire for I have heard the Messenger of Allah saying, 'There will come in this nation people who will transgress (or exceed) in ablution and Du'a.''[abu Dawud]<br />Not to make du'a for prohibited and impossible thingsIt is the height of transgression in du'a to demand from your Creator those things that He has prohibited for you, either in this life or in the life Hereafter. A person should realise his place and status in front of his Creator, and beward of exalting himself to where he thinks he can ask for that which he is prohibited from.One should also avoid making du'a for pre-determinded things. For example, a woman should not make a du'a of being transformed into a man, or a tall person should not make Du'a thus: "O Allah! Make me short." etc.Ibn Abbas, while giving his students advice, reported,'...And beward of poetry and rhyming in your du'a, for verily i encountered the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and his Companions avoiding this'[Sahih al-Bukhari #6337]<br />To make a Du'a that encompasses most of the needs of Deen and the dunyaOne should make du'a for matters in both this world and the Hereafter.Allah Ta'ala says in the Qur'an'And there are men who say: "Our Lord! Give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and defend us from the torment of the Fire!" These will have a share of what they earned, and Allah is swift in Reckoning.'[surah al-Baqarah 2:201-202]<br />Not to make du'a against oneself and familyIt is possible that a person, in a state of severe anger, curses and makes du'a against himself, his family and friends, or his wealth, etc. This is definately an act that does not befit a Muslim, and the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) warned against this:Jabir narrated a hadith about a man who cursed his animal. The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "Who is this who cursed his animal?" The man replied, "It is me O Messenger of Allah."The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "Get down from it, for a cursed one must not escort us. Do not make Du'a against yourselves, do not make Du'a against your children and do not make Du'a against your wealth. It might coincide with a time when Allah answers what you asked for."[Muslim, abu Dawud]<br />Not to consume Haram (unlawful) and keep to the Halal (lawful)On the authority of Abu Hurairah, The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:'Allah the Almighty is good and accepts only that which is good. Allah has commanded the faithful to do that which he commanded the messengers and the Almighty has said: 'O Messengers! Eat of the good things and do right.’ And Allah the Almighty has said, 'O you who believe! Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you.''Then he (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) mentioned [the case of] a man who having journeyed far was disheveled and dusty and spreads out his hands to the sky [saying] "O Lord! O Lord!" His (the traveler’s) food is unlawful, his drink unlawful, his clothing unlawful, and he is nourished unlawfully; so how can he be answered?![Muslim]<br />Not to ask for sin or break ties of kinshipThe Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, 'Any Muslim who supplicates to Allah in a Du'a which contains no sin or breaking of kinship, Allah will give him one of three things: either his Du'a will be immediately answered or, it will be saved for him in the hereafter, or it will turn away an equivalent amount of evil (from him)'.The companions said '...so we will ask for more.' He replied, 'Allah is more (generous).'[Ahmad]<br /><a href="http://selectislam.blogspot.com/2009/05/duas-for-health-and-well-being.html">Duas for Health and Well-being</a><br />"رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ "<br />Rabbu inni massani-yadh-urru wa 'anta arhamur-Raahimeen<br />O my Rubb, Surely, distress has touched me, and You are the most Merciful of the merciful ones.<br />[surah al-Anbiya; 21:83]- what Prophet Ayyub (alayhis salam) recited<br />For Distress and anguish<br />اللِّهُمَّ إنِّي عَبْدُكَ ، ابْنُ عَبْدِكَ ، ابْنُ أَمَتِكَ ، نَاصِيَتِي بِيَدِكَ ، مَاضِ فِيَّ حُكْمُكَ ، عَدْلٌ فِيَّ قَضَاؤُكَ ، أَسْأَلُكَ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَكَ ، سَمَّيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ ، أَوْ أنْزَلْتَهُ فِي كِتَاَبِكَ ، أَوْ عَلَّمْتَهُ أَحَدًا مِنْ خَلْقِكَ ، أَوِ اسْتَأْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ عِنْدَكَ ، أنْ تَجْعَلَ الْقُرْآنَ رَبِيعَ قَلْبِي ، وَ نُورَ صَدْرِي ، وَ جَلاءَ حُزْنِي ، وَ ذَهَابَ هَمِّي<br />Allahumma inni 'abduka, ibnu 'abdika, ibnu amatika, naasiyati biyadika, maadhin fiyya hukumuka, 'adhlun fiyya qadha'uka asaluka bi kulli ismin huwa laka, sammaita bihi nafsaka, aw an-zaltahu fi kitabika, aw 'allamtahu ahadan min khalqika, awista'tharta bihi fi 'ilmil-ghaibi 'indaka, an taj'alal-Qur'ana Rabbi'a qalbi, wa nura sadri, wa jalaa'a huzni, wa dhahaba hammi<br />Oh Allah, I am Your servant, the son of Your servant, the son of your maid-servant, and entirely at Your service. You hold me by my forelock. Your Decree is what controls me, and Your Commands to me are just. I beseech You by every one of Your Names, those which You use to refer to Yourself, or have revealed in Your Book, or have taught to any one of Your creation, or have chosen to keep hidden with You in the Unseen, to make the Qur’an Al-Karim the springtime of my heart, the light of my eyes, the departure of my grief, and the vanishing of my affliction and my sorrow.<br />[Ahmad 1:391, ibn Hibban]The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, there is no-one who is afflicted by distress and grief, and says (the above), but Allah will take away his distress and grief, and replace it with joy." He was asked: "O Messenger of Allah, should we learn this?" He said: "Of course; everyone who hears it should learn it<br />لا إلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ ، لا إلَهَ إلَّا اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمُ ، لا إلَهَ إلَّا اللَّهُ رَبُّ السَّموَاتِ وَ رَبُّ الأَرْضِ وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمُ<br />La ilaha ilAllah al-‘Adheem al-Haleem, la ilaha ilAllah Rabb al-Arsh al-‘adheem, la ilaha ilAllah Rabb as-Samawat wa Rabb al-Ard wa Rabb al-Arsh al-Kareem<br />There is no god but Allah, the All-Powerful, the Forbearing; there is no god but Allah, Lord of the mighty Throne; there is no god but Allah, Lord of heaven, Lord of earth, and Lord of the noble Throne.<br />[Sahih al-Bukhari, 8/154, Muslim, 4/2092]Ibn Abbas (ra) reported that when the Prophet (saws) felt distressed he would say (the above)<br />يَا حَيُّ ، يَا قَيُّومُ ، بِرَ حْمَتِكَ أسْتَغِيثُ<br />Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyoom bi Rahmatika astagheeth<br />O Ever-Living, O Eternal, by Your Mercy I seek help.<br />[Sahih al-Hakim 1/545, Sahih al-Jami 4791, at-Tirmidhi - Sahih]Anas (ra) reported that when the Prophet (saws) was distressed by something, he would say (the above)<br />اللَّهُ اللَّهُ رَبِّي لا أُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا<br />Allah Allah rabbi la ushriku bihi shay’an<br />Allah Allah is my Lord, I do not associate anything with Him<br />[abu Dawud, 2/87, Sahih anb Majah 2/335]Asma bint ‘Umayr (ra) said: "The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said to me: ‘Shall I not teach you some words which you can say at times of distress?Another narration says that these words should be said 7 times.<br />اللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَ الْحَزَنِ ، وَ الْعَجْزِ وَ الْكَسَلِ ، وَ الْبُخْلِ وَ الْجُبْنِ ، وَ ضَلَعِ الدِّيْنِ وَ غَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ<br />Allahumma inni 'a'udhubika minal hammi walhuzni Wal'ajzi walkasali walbukhli waljubni, Wa dal'id-daiyni wa ghalabatir-rajal<br />Oh Allah, I seek refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts and from being over powered by men.<br />[sahih al-Bukhari 7:158, Al-Asqalani - Fath al-Bari 11:173]said in times of worry and grief<br />ح<br />...wakeel<br />Glory to Allah, the Holy, the King, Lord of the angels and of Gabriel. Your power and glory encompass the heavens and the earth[Fiqh as-Sunnah]Bara' b. Azib (radiAllahu anhu) reported that a man complained to the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) about fear and depression. The Prophet said to him, 'Say (the above). The man said these words and Allah healed him of his depression and fear.<br />حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَ نِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ<br />hasbunal-lahu wa ni'mal wakeel<br />Allah is sufficient for us and the Best of those on whom to depend[sahih al Bukhari 5:172]When frightened or meet an adversary or powerful ruler<br />اللَّهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُو فَلا تَكِلْنِي إلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَعَيْنٍ ، وَ أَصْلِحْلِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ ، لا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ Allahumma rahmataka arju falaa takilni illa nafsi tarfata 'aiinan, wa as-ih-li sha'ni kuulahu, la illaha illa antaO Allah, I hope for Your Mercy. Do not leave me to myself even for the blinking of an eye. Correct all of my affairs for me. There is none worthy of worship but You[Abu Dawud 4/324, Ahmad 5/42]Supplication during times of distress and anguish<br />اللَّهُُمَّ اِنِّىْ اَسْئَلُكَ تَعْجِيْلَ عَافِيَتِكَ وَ دَفَعَ بَلآئِكَ ، وَ خُرُوْجًا مِنَ الدُّنْيَآ اِلى رَحْمَتِكَ Allahumma inni as'aluka ta'jila 'afiyatika wa daf'a balaika, wa khurujan min ad-dunya ila rahmatikaO Allah, I ask for Your haste in granting me peace, and taking me out of the trials of this world to Your Mercy[hadith]<br />اللَّهُمَّ لا سَهْلَ إلَّا مَا جَعَلْتَهُ سَهْلاً وَ إنْتَ تَحْعَلُ الْحزْنَ إذَا شِئْتَ سَهْلاً<br />Allahumma la sahla illa ma ja'altu sahla, wa 'anta taj-alul hazna idha shi'ta sahla<br />O Allah, there is nothing easy except what You make easy, and You make the difficult easy if it be Your Will.[Ibn Hibban, ibn as-Sunni]When confronted with a difficult situation<br />ا&#;ا<br />La ilaha illa Anta subhanaka, inni kuntu minadh-dhalimeen<br />There is no god but You, You are Glorified, I was indeed the wrongdoer<br />[at-Tirmidhi]Sa'd ibn Waqas (radiAllahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (salAllahu allayhi wasalam) said, "The supplication made by the Companion of the Fish (Prophet Yunus (as)) in the belly of the fish was (the above). If any Muslim supplicates in these words, his supplication will be accepted."In another report we read, "I know words that will cause Allah to remove one's distress. These are the words (of supplication) of my brother Yunus, peace be upon him"<br />General Health<br />" رَبَّنَا لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لاَ طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَآ أَنتَ مَوْلاَنَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ<br />Rabbanna la tu'a-khidhna in-nasina aw akh-ta'na, Rabbanna wa la tahmil 'alayna isran kama hamaltahu 'ala-lladhina min qablina, Rab-bana wa la tuhammilna ma la taqata lana bih, wa-'fu 'anna waghfirlana warhamna anta Maulana fansurna 'alal-qawmil kaafirin.<br />"Our Lord! do not punish us if we forget or make mistake; Our Lord! do not lay on us a burden as Thou didst lay on those before us; Our Lord! do not impose upon us that which we have not the strength to bear; and pardon us and grant us protection and have mercy on us, Thou art our Patron, so help us against the unbelieving people." [surah al Baqarah; 2:286]<br />"رَبَّنَا اكْشِفْ عَنَّا الْعَذَابَ إِنَّا مُؤْمِنُونَ "<br />Rabban ak-shiff 'annal-adhaaba 'inna mu'minoon "Our Rabb! remove from us the punishment, surely we are Believers."[surah ad-Dhukan; 44:12]<br />".رَّبَّنَا عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ رَبَّنَا لَا تَجْعَلْنَا فِتْنَةً لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ "<br />"Rabbana 'alaika tawakkalna wa ilaika anabna wa ilaikal-masir. Rabbana la taj'alna fitnatan li-lladhina kafaru waghfir lana Rabbana innaka Antal 'Azizul-Hakim."<br />"Our Lord! on Thee do we rely, and to Thee do we turn, and to Thee is the eventual coming. Our Lord! do not make us a trial for those, who disbelieve, and forgive us, Our Lord! surely Thou are the Mighty, the Wise."[surah al-Saff; 60:4-5]<br />اله الحق سبحنك لا اله اله غيرك اغفرلى ذنبى واصلح لى عملى انك تغفر الذنوب لمن تشآء و انت الغفور الرحيم<br />illahil Haqqi Subhanaka la ilaha ghairuka ighfir li dhanbi wa aslih-li 'amali, innaka taghfir-udh-dhuubaka liman tashaa'u wa Anta-GhafururRaheem<br />O True God, Glory be to You, there is no God but You, forgive my sins, and direct my actions aright, for You Pardon the sins of any one You please, and You are the Forgiving, the Merciful<br />رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْراً وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَانصُرْنَا عَلَى القَوْمِ الكَافِرِينَ<br />"Rabbana afrigh 'alayna sabran wa thabbit aqdamana wansurna 'alal-qawmil-kafirin."<br />"Our Lord! Bestow on us endurance, make our foothold sure, and give us help against the disbelieving folk" [surah al-Baqarah 2:250]<br />رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا<br />"Rabbana atina min ladunka rahmatan wa hayyi' lana min amrina rashada." "Our Lord! give us mercy from Thy presence, and shape for us right conduct in our plight." [surah al Kahf 18: 10]<br />&<br />Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-barasi, wal-jununi, wal-judhami, wa sayyi'il-asqami' O Allah! I seek refuge in You from leucoderma, insanity, leprosy and evil diseases[abu Dawud, #8/1549]Anas (ra) reported that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) used to supplicate (the above)<br />اللهم انى اسئلك فرجا قريبا وصبرا اجميلا ورزقا و اسعا و العافية من جميع البلآء و اسئلك تمام العافية و اسئلك دوام العافية واسئلك الشكر على العافية و اسئلك الغنى عن الناس و ا حول و لا قوة الا با لله العلى العضيم<br />Allahumma inni as'aluka farajan qariban, wa sabran jameelan, wa rizqan wasi'an, wal 'afiyata min jami'il-bala'i, wa as'aluka tammamal-'afiyati wa as'aluka dawamal-'afiyati, wa as'aluka-sh-shukha'alal 'afiyati, wa as'alukal-ghina 'anin-naasi, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil 'aliyyil-adhim.<br />O Allah, I ask You of immediate prosperity, and beautiful patience against misery and affliction, and abundance in sustenance, and peace from all misfortunes; and I also ask You for perfect and perpetual peace of mind, and I ask You to enable me to give thanks for granting me peace, and I ask You (to make me prosperous enough) to be needless of other people, and I cannot be saved (from sins) nor have I power (for good deeds), but by the help of Allah, the Sublime, the Great.<br />Invocations for visiting the sick<br />لا بَأسَ طَهُورٌ إِنْ شَاءَ اللّهُ<br />La ba'sa tahuroon insha'Allah<br />(Do not worry, it will be a purification (for you), God Willing)[Sahih al-Bukhari, cf. Al-Asqalani - Fath al-Bari 10/118]<br />أسْألُ اللّهَ الْعَظِيمَ رَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ أَنْ يَشْفِيَكَ<br />As'allulLahal adheem Rabb al arshil 'adheemi 'an yashfiyaka (7 times)<br />(I ask Allah the Almighty, Lord of the Magnificent Throne, to make you well) (7 times)[at-Tirmidhi 2/210, abu Dawud, Sahih al-Jami as-Saghir 5/180]<br />Invocation for the terminally ill<br />اللَّهُمََّ اغْفِرْلِى وَارْحَمْنِي وَألْحِقْنِي بِالرَّفِيقِ الأعْلَى<br />Allahumma aghfirli, warhamni, wal hiqni bir-rafeeqil 'ala<br />O Allah, Forgive me, and have Mercy upon me, and join me with the most highest Companion (Allah)[Sahih al-Bukhari 7/10, Muslim 4/1893]<br />اللَّهُمَّ أذْهِبَ الْبَاسَ رَبَّ النَّاسِ، اشْفِ وَ أنْتَ الشَّافِى، لا شِفاَءَ إلّا شِفاَؤُكَ، شِفاَءً لَا يُغاَدِرُ سِقَماً<br />Allahumma adhhibal-bas, Rabb-annaas, ishfi wa Anatal Shaafi, la shifaa' 'illa Shiaa'uk, Shifa'al la youghadiru saqama<br />O Allah, Remove the Hardship, Oh Lord of Mankind, Grant cure, for You are the Healer, There is not Cure but from You, cure which leaves no illness behind(while patting the sick person, recite)[Sahih al-Bukhari]<br />بِسْمِ اللّهِ (ثَلاثَ مَرَّتٍ) أعُوذُ بِعِزَّةِ اللّهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أجِدُ وَ أحَاذِرُ (٧ مَرَّاتً<br />Bismillah (3 times)A'udhu bi'izzatil-Lahi waqudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa'ohadhir (7 times)<br />In the Name of Allah (3 times)I seek Refuge in Exalted Power and Glory of Allah from that which I feel and fear (7 times)[Muslim]<br />اللَّهُمَّ بِعِلْمِكَ الْغَيْبَ وَقُدْرَتِكَ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ أَحْيِنِي مَا عَلِمْتَ الْحَيَاةَ خَيْرا ً لِي وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا عَلِمْتَ الْوَفَاةَ خَيْرا ً لِي، هُمَّ وَأَسْأَلُكَ خَشْيَتَكَ فِي الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ كَلِمَةَ الْحَقِّ فِي الرِّضَا وَالْغَضَبِ وَأَسْأَلُكَ الْقَصْدَ فِي الْفَقْرِ وَالْغِنَى ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ نَعِيما ً لَا يَنْفَدُ وَأَسْأَلُكَ قُرَّةَ عَيْن ٍ لَا تَنْقَطِعُ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ الرِّضَاءَ بَعْدَ الْقَضَاءِ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ بَرْدَ الْعَيْشِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ لَذَّةَ النَّظَرِ إِلَى وَجْهِكَ وَالشَّوْقَ إِلَى لِقَائِكَ فِي غَيْرِ ضَرَّاءَ مُضِرَّة ٍ وَلَا فِتْنَة ٍ مُضِلَّة<br />Allahumma bi-Ilmikal ghaiba wa qudratika 'alal-khalqi 'ahyini ma 'alimtal-hayaata khairan li, wa tawaffan idza'alimtal-wafata khairan li. Allahumma as'aluka khashyataka Fī al-ghaybi wa ash-shahādati, wa as'aluka Kalimata Al-haqqi fī ar-riđā, wa al-ghađabi wa as'aluka Al-Qaşda Fī al-Faqri wa al-ghiná, Wa as'aluka na`īmāan Lā Yanfadu Wa 'As'aluka Qurrata `Aynin Lā Tanqaţi`u, wa as'aluka Ar-Riđā'a Ba`da Al-Qađā'i, wa as'aluka Barda al-ayshi Ba`da Al-Mawti, Wa as'aluka ladhdhata An-Nažari 'Ilá Wajhika wa ash-shawqa Ilá Liqā'ika Fī ghayri Đarrā'a Muđirratin Wa Lā fitnatin muđillatin<br />Our Lord, by Your Knowledge of the Unseen, and by Your Power over Your creation, grant me life so long as You know life to hold good for me, and grant me death when You know death to hold good for me. O Lord, I ask You to make me fear You in secret and in the open, I ask You to make me speak sincerely (the truth) at times of contentment and at times of anger, I ask You to make me be moderate (frugality) in poverty and in wealth, I ask You for a blessing that does not end, contentment that never ceases, and for acceptance of Your decree. I ask You for a good life after death, and I ask You for the joy of looking upon Your face and the longing to meet You, with no harmful adversity or misleading trial (fitnah).[al-Nisa’i in al-Sunan, 3/55; al-Hakim, Sahih al-Jaami, 1301]<br />اللهم لا تجعلني بدعائك شقيا ، وكن بي رؤوفا رحيما يا خير المسئولين ويا خير المعطين<br />O Lord! Do not make me one of the damned, but be Merciful and Compassionate towards me, O the Finest of those Petitioned and the Finest of Bestowers <a href="http://selectislam.blogspot.com/2009/05/duha-salah.html">Duha Salah</a><br />Duha salah is know by some other names such as Ishraq (Shuruk) and Sibhat al-Duha. Sibha means a supererogatory prayer in general and Duha means morning, mid-morning, or late morning (forenoon).Shuruk/Ishraq means sunrise; and this name for the prayer is cited in the Qur'an: 38:18It is prayed soon after Fajr salah. After the sun has risen. It consists of two to eight (some scholars cite 12) rak'ats and may be offered any time after the Salat al lshraq (Shurook) till the Sun's declination. It is a Sunnah mu'akkada (an emphasised sunnah) and extends until the time of Duhr prayer (noon prayer).The Prophet is reported to have said that whoever, after finishing Fajr salah, kept sitting at the place of prayer till the sun has completely arisen (length of a spear from the horizon, approx after 20 minutes of sunrise), and prayed the Ishraq (Duha) Salah before getting up from there, provided he did not engage in any worldly act or conversation during that time, and instead, remained in Allah's dikr (remembrance), then all his sins are forgiven, even if they are as much as the foam of an ocean.[abu Dawud]Related Hadith:'Whoever prays the Fajr prayer then sits in his place of prayer remembering Allah until sunrise, then prays two rak`ats of Duha, Allah shall make him forbidden to the Fire, nor shall it touch him nor consume him'[al-Bayhaqi]'Whoever prays the dawn prayer in congregation then waits patiently until he offers the Duha prayer, there shall be for him the reward of a pilgrim for both the major and minor pilgrimages, complete and not missing anything.'[at-Tabarani, abu Dawud]'Whoever prays the Fajr prayer then sits in his place of prayer remembering Allah until sunrise, then prays two rak`ats of Duha, Allah shall make him forbidden to the Fire, nor shall it touch him nor consume him' [al-Bayhaqi] 'Whoever gets up when the sun is before his eyes, performs a thorough ablution then stands and prays two rak`ats, his sins are forgiven as when his mother gave birth to him.'[abu Ya'la]Narrated abu Huraira (radiAllahu anhu); 'Whoever regularly prays the two rak`ats of Duha, his sins are forgiven even if they are as numerous as the foam of the sea'[at-Tirmidhi, ibn Majahm and Ahmad]'The person who did his Salatul Fajr with Jama'ah and kept sitting till sunrise doing Dhikr of Allah and then performed two rak'ah of Salah will receive the thawab (reward) of 1 Hajj and 1 Umrah. The narrator Anas RA has mentioned that after this the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: 'Thawab of one full Hajj and Umrah, full Hajj and Umrah, full Hajj and Umrah.[at-Tirmidhi, Mishkat]The Prophet Muhammad has said The person who after finishing his Salatul Fajr, continues sitting at his place till the sun rises and then performs 2 rak'ah of Salatul Ishraq and in-between does speak but good, has his sins forgiven though they are more than the foam of a river.[abu Dawud, Mishkat] Other related ahadith:Narrated Anas bin Malik (radiAllahu anhu): The Prophet said,'A single endeavor (of fighting) in Allah's Cause in the forenoon or in the afternoon is better than the world and whatever is in it.[Sahih al-Bukhari; 4;52,50]Ka'b b. Malik reported (radiAllahu anhu): The Messenger of Allah did not come back from the journey but by day in the forenoon, and when he arrived, he went first to the mosque, and having prayed two rakaah in it he sat down in it.[Muslim; 4,1545]Mu'adha (radiAllahu anhu) asked 'Aisha (radiAllahu anha) how many rakah Allah's Messenger prayed at the forenoon prayer. She replied: Four rakah, but sometimes more as he pleased[Muslim; 4,1549]'Urwa (radiAllahu anhu) reported 'Aisha to be saying: I have never seen the Messenger of Allah observing the supererogatory prayer of the forenoon, but I observed it. And if the Messenger of Allah abandoned any act which he in fact loved to do, it was out of fear that if the people practiced it constantly, it might become obligatory for them.[Muslim 4, 1548]Abu Murra (radiAllahu anhu) narrated on the authority of Umm Hani that the Messenger of Allah on the day of the Conquest of Makkah observed in her house eight rak'abs of prayer in one cloth, its opposite corners having been tied from the opposite sides.[Muslim; 4, 1556]Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah (radiAllahu anhu): I went to the Prophet in the mosque (the sub-narrator Mas'ar thought that Jabir had said, "In the forenoon.") He ordered me to pray two Rakat. He owed me some money and he repaid it to me and gave more than what was due to me.[Sahih al-Bukhari 1:8, 434]Narrated Ibn Abu Laila (radiAllahu anhu): Only Um Hani told us that she had seen the Prophet offering the Duha (forenoon prayer). She said, "On the day of the conquest of Mecca, the Prophet took a bath in my house and offered eight Rakat. I never saw him praying such a light prayer but he performed perfect prostration and bowing. Narrated 'Abdullah bin amir that his father had told him that he had seen the Prophet praying Nawafil at night on the back of his Mount on a journey, facing whatever direction it took.[Sahih al-Bukhari; 2,20,207]Abu Dharr (radiAllahu anhu) reported Allah's Apostle as saying: In the morning charity is due from every bone in the body of every one of you. Every utterance of Allah's glorification is an act of charity. Every utterance of praise of Him is an act of charity, every utterance of profession of His Oneness is an act of charity, every utterance of profession of His Greatness is an act of charity, enjoining good is an act of charity, forbidding what is disreputable is an act of charity, and two rak'ah which one prays in the forenoon will suffice.[Muslim; 4,1557]Narrated Buraydah ibn al-Hasib (radiAllahu anhu): I heard the Apostle of Allah say: A human being has three hundred and sixty joints for each of which he must give alms. The people asked him: Who is capable of doing this? He replied: It may be mucus in the mosque which you bury, and something which you remove from the road; but if you do not find such, two rak'ahs in the forenoon will be sufficient for you.[abu Dawud; 41, 5222]<br />PRAYER<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/our-fajr-double-advantage.html">Our Fajr Double Advantage</a><br />"Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise" - a famous maxim coined by the American scientist, writer and inventor, Benjamin Franklin. And he was not alone in these beliefs. The writer Samuel Johnson also warned that "nobody who does not rise early will ever do any good".This is not just opinion but proven scientific fact. A study by researchers at Brigham Young University in Provo in the American state of Utah found that:"students who habitually go to bed late and sleep late the next day have lower grade point averages (GPAs) than students with early-to-bed and early-to-rise sleeping habits. The later students slept in the morning, the lower their grades tended to be. Out of all the factors studied, weekday and weekend wakeup times had the strongest association with students' GPAs. Each hour over the average that students slept in on weekdays was associated with a 0.13-point drop on the GPA (0.0-4.0 scale)."Source: Journal of American College Health 2000; 49: 125-130Of course, we Muslims are well used to getting up not just at the crack of dawn but actually half an hour before it to begin the day with the ritual worship of fajr salat (and even earlier in Ramadan before starting the day's fast).Spiritual SuccessWhat are the spiritual blessings of Fajr salat?According to a hadith recorded in Sahih Muslim, prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) stated that the action which is dearest to God is salat at its proper times. On another occasion prophet Mohammed also said to his companions:'The five set prayers may be compared to a stream of fresh water, flowing in front of your house, into which you plunge five times each day. Do you think that would leave any dirt on your body?' When they replied: 'None at all!' Mohammed said: 'Indeed the five prayers remove sins, just as water removes dirt.'[Sahih al-Bukhari, Muslim]And once while standing beside a tree in autumn, he stated:'When a Muslim observes his salat with due attention and devotion, he sheds his sins just like this tree is shedding its leaves.'[Ahmad]Moreover, in the Quran we are told that prostrating (in salat) brings us closer to God (96:1).Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) also tells us that fajr salat along with isha is particularly rich in blessings:'If people only knew what blessings are in the fajr and isha prayers, they would come to them, even if they had to crawl.'[Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim]And according to Utham, (radiAllahu anhu), prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:'To perform the dawn prayer, [fajr], in congregation is like keeping vigil throughout the night.'[Muslim]. Material SuccessIn Surah 23, ayats 1-2 of the Qur'an we learn that:"Certainly the believers have succeeded, those who offer salat with devotion."Spiritual success certainly. But as Muslims we are also called upon not just to earn spiritual blessings for the next world but also to be materially successful in this one. Despite the obvious call to work hard and make the most of our abilities demonstrated in the parable of the talents, the Christian West has often had an ambiguous attitude towards wealth, sometimes glorifying poverty and misinterpreting Jesus's gospel statement that "love of money is the root of all evil" to mean that money itself is the root of all evil. As a Muslim, I am more inclined to agree with the playwright George Bernard Shaw who is reported to have said that "lack of money is the root of all evil".[Shaw was an admirer of prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and in the 1936 book The Genuine Islam referred to him as "the wonderful man" and "the saviour of humanity".]Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) himself stated:'There will dawn a time over people when the destruction of a man will be at the hands of his wife, parents, and children. They will humiliate him because of his poverty and will make such demands which will induce him to engage in such activities (to gain more money) which will finally destroy his religion.'[Baihaqi. Narrated by Ibn Mas'ud and Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhum)]The other side of the coin, so to speak, is:'How excellent is the wealth of the Muslim'.[Sahih al-Bukhari hadith 4.95 Narrated by Abu Said Al Khudri (radiAllahu anhu)]It is wealth which enables us to take care of our families, keep on the straight path and avoid doing wrong in order to make ends meet. It is wealth which enables us to meet our obligation to pay Zakat. It is wealth which enables us to help others and contribute to Dawah through additional charity. It is wealth which enables us to meet our obligation to go on Hajj.It was wealthy Muslim traders who peacefully spread Islam throughout West Africa and the areas we now know as Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. And if we look at the first generation of Muslims, we find the shining example of Abdur-Rahman Ibn Awl. The eighth person to embrace Islam, he migrated twice to Abyssinia. Abdur-Rahman distinguished himself in both the battles of Badr and Uhud, suffering more than twenty wounds at the latter. Then starting with nothing, he went on to achieve tremendous success as a merchant, becoming the richest of the companions. From his great wealth, Abdur-Rahman financed the Muslim armies, contributed to the upkeep of the family of Mohammed after the prophet's death and was universally renowned for his fabulous generosity.So how can we turn getting up for Fajr to our material advantage? Certainly not by slinking back into bed again and snuggling up for another few hours. As prophet Mohammed (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:'The most excellent jihad is that for the conquest of self.'[Sahih al-Bukhari]In the context of fajr, what this means is, once up, stay up! Stay up and do something useful. Work on your goals. If you don't have any, set some. Decide what you want to achieve in life. Devise a plan to make those goals a reality then take action. You will be amazed at what you can get done in those few quiet hours when most of the rest of the world is still asleep. You can organise your day, learn a language, work on your degree course or get fit by going jogging in the coolness of the morning.You can also turn staying up after Fajr to your career advantage by driving into work earlier, beating the traffic then packing so much productive work into the next hour without interruption because no one is there to pop into your office and the phone hasn't started ringing yet.A further Fajr advantage is that along the way you can listen on cassette to the wisdom and inspiration of motivational and business speakers. We spend hundreds of ours commuting in our cars every year, by some estimates the equivalent to two full terms of university tuition. Put this time to good use, especially first thing in the morning when you are relaxed and driving on a virtually empty road, when you are bright and fresh and can best take it all in. Turn your car into a university on wheels.Each of our lives is different, but you know how to apply these ideas to your own situation.Take action now!"Ah, that's too hard", I hear you say. Well Allah assures us in the Qur'an that:"We do not lay a burden on anyone beyond his capacity."[23: 62]It is possible to turn these early hours to great advantage. It's desirable and it's beneficial. We are obliged to get up for fajr anyway. From this we derive a spiritual advantage. Let's stay up and get to work. Why have just one type of advantage when we can have two - spiritual and material. As Muslims we are uniquely placed. The next fajr is less than 24 hours from now. First thing tomorrow morning make sure that you take advantage of your fajr double advantage.<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/five-levels-of-prayer.html">The Five Levels of Prayer</a><br />Ibn al-Qayyim writes in his book al-Wabil al-Sayyib:"When it comes to prayer, people are of five levels:<br />The first is the level of the one who wrongs himself and is negligent. He does not do wudu properly, or pray at the right time or make sure he does all the necessary parts of prayer.<br />The second is one who observes the outward essentials of prayer, prays on time and does wudu, but he has lost the battle against his own self and is overwhelmed with waswaas (insinuations).<br />The third is one who observes the outward essentials of prayer, prays on time and does wudu, and also strives against his own self and against waswaas, but he is preoccupied with his struggle against his enemy (Shaytan), lest he steal from his prayer, so he is engaged in salah and jihad at the same time.<br />The fourth is one who when he stands up to pray, he fulfils all the requirements of the prayer, and his heart is fully focused and alert lest he omit anything, and his concern is to do the prayer properly and perfectly. His heart is deeply immersed in his prayer and worship of his Lord.<br />The fifth is one who does all of that, but he takes his heart and places it before his Lord, looking at his Lord with his heart and focusing on Him, filled with love and adoration, as if he is actually seeing Him. That waswaas and those thoughts diminish, and the barriers between him and his Lord are lifted. The difference between the prayer of this person and the prayer of anyone is else is greater than the difference between heaven and earth. When this person prays, he is preoccupied with his Lord and content with Him. The first type is punishable; the second is accountable; the third is striving so he is not counted as a sinner; the fourth is rewarded and the fifth is drawn close to his Lord, because he is one of those for whom prayer is a source of joy. Whoever finds their joy in prayer in this life, will find their joy in being close to Allah in the Hereafter, and will also find his joy in Allah in this world. Whoever finds his joy in Allah will be content with everything, and whoever does not find his joy in Allah, will be destroyed by his feelings of grief and regret for worldly matters.<br /><br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/different-types-of-voluntary-prayers.html">The Different Types of Voluntary Prayers</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />In addition to the five daily prayers, are nafl (optional/voluntary) prayers which can be recited. Those which are nawafil, or voluntary, include every extra prayer prayed in the times when prayer is allowed.There is no limit to these nawafil, and the more nawafil one offers the greater will be the credit and reward for them. There have been such servants of Allah who used to offer Nafl prayers throughout the night and did not sleep. Nafl prayers were a regular and unchanging practice of the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). Some of these are:(i) Ishraq(ii) Duha/Chasht(iii) Awwabin(iv) Tahajjud(v) Tasbih(vi) Safar/Musaffir(vii) Istikhara(viii) Hajat(viii) Tawba(ix) Tahiyatul Wudu(x) Khawf<br />Salat al-Ishraq (Post-Sunrise Prayer)Ishraq Prayer is a nafl prayer which is performed about 45 minutes (three quarters) after sunrise (according to the Hanafi school of thought) or 20 minutess after sunrise (according to the Shafi school).A person prays between 2 and 12 units of prayers in multiples of 2.After completing Fajr salat, one does not move from one’s place and remains there reciting dhikr, tasbih, Qur’an, etc., avoiding participation in worldly affairs until the sun has fully risen (about minutes after sunrise). Then, one stands and offers two or four rakat of nafl. Hadiths are replete with the high merits of this prayer. Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhu) relates that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) has said that "He who says Ishraq prayers without fail shall have his lesser sins forgiven even though they may be as numerous as foam specks on the surface of the sea."[at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah]RasulAllah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) is reported to have said that Allah Ta'ala says, 'O son of Adam, perform 4 Rakats of Salat (Ishraq) in the early part of the day. I shall help you in accomplishing all your responsibilities during the rest of the day.'[Mishkaat pg.116]In another narration of at-Tirmidhi, RasulAllah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) is reported to have said, 'He who performs Fajr Salat with Jamaat and remains seated in the same place while engaging in Dhikr until after sunrise and thereafter performs 2 Rakats Nafil Salat, (Ishraq), he will obtain the reward of one Hajj and one Umrah.'[at-Tirmidhi]<br />Salat ad-Duha (Morning Prayer)This prayer is also known as Chaasht salah/namaz. It is performed after the sun has risen high in the morning, after about one-third of the day has passed and it lasts until zawal. One may perform 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 rakat of nafl.A'isha (radiAllahu anha) was asked how much the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) used to pray for the Duha prayer. She said, “Four rakat or he increased it as Allah wills.”[Muslim]The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was reported as saying, “Whoever prays 12 rakat for the Duha prayer, Allah will built a golden castle for him in Paradise.”[at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah]<br />Salat al-Awwabin (Prayer of the Oft-Repentant)Awwabin are the plural of Awwab and this refers to the one who is obedient, or one who turns to obedience, or 'the one who submits himself to the worship of Allah by asking for forgiveness'.After performing the fard and sunnah of Maghrib, one may perform from 6 to a maximum of 20 rakat nafl, in sets of 2 units. This prayer has been called as Awwabin. (This name is sometimes also applied to the morning prayer.) It is said that the one who recites this prayer is one of the Awwabin.“Whoever prays, after the Maghrib, 6 rakat without talking of anything indecent in between them, it would be equivalent to 12 years of worship for him.”[at-Tirmidhi]“The one who prays twenty rakat after Maghrib- Allâh will build for him a house in Paradise.”[at-Tirmidhi]Narrated Ibn Nasr (radiAllahu anhu), that whoever prays six units after Maghrib is written among the Awwabeen (oft-repentant) and he recited the verse of the Qur'an "innahu kaana li l-awwabeena ghafuran".[Jalaladin al-Suyuti in Jami' al-Saghir vol. 2 pg. 159]<br />Salat at-Tahajjud (Late-night prayer)Of all the nafl prayers, that prayer which is offered in the middle of the night, known as Tahajjud or Salat al-Layl, is the most rewarding and beneficial.Salat at-Tahajjud is offered after Isha prayer but before Fajr prayer (or 12 hours from the time of the Duhr prayer). The number of rakat prayed in tahajjud should be between 4 to 12 rakats, offered in even numbers, in units of two or four rakat each.If one divides the night into six parts, the fourth and fifth part are the best for prayer. If divided in half, the second half is best. If into thirds, the middle part is best.It is recommended to begin one's night Tahajjud with two brief rakats, to have intended to make the Tahajjud before going to sleep, and to not make a practice of more prayer than one can regularly perform without harm to oneself.It is best to wake up in the middle of the night to perform the tahajjud. However, if one is not sure that one will be able to do so, then one can pray 4 rakat right after the 2 sunnah mu’akkadah of Isha with the intention (niyyah) of tahajjud. Although the reward will be much less, the pious authorities of the religion have advised this method for those who find it difficult to wake up later in the night. The Witr prayer should be offered after the tahajjud.Allah (swt) says: “And some part of the night awake for prayer, a largess for thee. It may be that thy Lord will raise thee to a praised position.”[surah al-Isra’: 79]“As for the Righteous, they will be in the Gardens and fountains [of Jannah], with joy the rewards which their Lord gives them, before this [in the world] they were virtuous. They slept but little at night, and they prayed for forgiveness in the hours of early dawn." [51:15:18]The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "The best (most rewarding) salah after the obligatory salah is the night prayer (salat at-tahajjud)"[Ahmad and Muslim]The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, “There is a certain period of time in the night during which if a Muslim prays for anything beneficial to his life in this world or the next, it will be granted to him. And this time occurs every night.”[Muslim]Salman al-Farsi quoted the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) as saying: "Observe the night prayer, it was the practice of the righteous before you and it brings you closer to your Lord and it is penance for evil deeds and erases the sins and repels disease from the body."Abdullah ibn as-Salam quoted the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) as saying: 'O people, spread the salutations, feed the people, keep the ties of kinship, and pray during the night while the others sleep and you will enter Paradise in peace."'[al-Hakim, Ibn Majah, and at-Tirmidhi]<br />Salat at-Tasbih (Prayer of Glorification)According to these narratives whoever offers Salat at-Tasbih, his previous sins will be forgiven.In the Hanafi madhhab, it is recommended, as mentioned in the major texts, such as Ibn Abidin's Hashiya.Consisting of 4 units of prayer, the prayer format is slightly different.The following tasbih is recited 75 times in each Rakat, totalling 300 times in all 4 Rakats:SubhanAllahi walHamdulillahi wala ilaha illAllahu waAllahu Akbar (Glory be to Allah, all praise be to Allah, there is no god by Allah, Allah is the Greatest, and there is no might nor power except with AllahThe method of this salah is as follows:After beginning the salah by saying Allahu Akbar recite the thana', Surah al-Fatiha and a Surah followed by the above tasbih 15 times.Then go into Ruku and after reciting the usual tasbih for ruku recite the above tasbih 10 times.After standing up from ruku recite the usual 'Rabbana Lakal Hamd' and thereafter recite the tasbih 10 times.Then go into Sajdah and after reciting the usual tasbih for sajda recite the above tasbih 10 times.Then sit up from sajdah and recite the tasbih 10 times between the two sajdas. Thereafter go into sajdah again and after reciting the usual tasbih for sajdah recite the above tasbih 10 times. Then sit after the 2nd sajdah (i.e. before standing up for the second rak'ah) and recite the tasbih 10 times.This adds up to 75 times in one rak'ah. Do the same for the remaining 4 raka'at.It is recorded in Sunan Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi and other books of hadith that RasulAllah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) once said to his uncle Hadrat Abbas (radiAllahu anhu):O Abbas! O my uncle! Shall I not give you a gift? Shall I not show you something by means of which Allah Ta'ala will forgive your sins, the first and the last of them, the past and recent, the unintentional and the intentional, the small and huge, the secret and open?Rasulullah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) then taught him the Salah al-Tasbih. Then he advised him that it be offered daily, if possible. If not then every Friday or once a month or once a year or at least once in a life time.[abu Dawud 'Salat' 303; at-Tirmidhi 'Salat' 350]<br />Salat as-Safar (Journey Prayer)It is said that one should offer 2 units of prayer before departing on a journey (salat al-khuruj ila’s-safar), and upon return from the journey (salat al-‘awda).On the authority of Maqtam ibn al-Miqdam that he said, "The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, 'No one has left behind with their family anything better than two rakats offered at home when wanting travel.'"[reported by al-Tabarani]Kaab ibn Malik relates, "The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) would not arrive from a journey except daytime in the forenoon, so if he arrived he started with the mosque and prayed two rakats in it then sat."[Muslim]Whoever desires to travel should offer two rakats of prayer in his home prior to traveling, and when he returns from his journey he should seek the mosque and offer two rakats therein.[Radd al-Muhtar, 1:459]<br />Salat al-Istikhara (Prayer for asking for Guidance/Advice)This prayer requires 2 units with the intention to ask Allah for guidance in a matter.According to a traditional report transmitted on the authority of Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir, it was Jabir ibn 'Abdillah (radiAllahu anhum) who said: "Allah's Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) used to teach us how to seek guidance in choosing the best option available in a practical enterprise [al-istikhara fi'l-amr], just as he would sometimes teach us a Chapter (Surah) from the Qur'an:"'If one of you is concerned about some practical undertaking, or about making plans for a journey, he should perform two cycles of ritual prayer [rak'atain], not as an obligatory observance [farida], but voluntarily. Then he should say:Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi ilmika wa-astaqdiruka biqudratika wa-as'aluka min fadhlika al-adheem. Fa innaka taqdiru wala' aqdiru. Wa ta'lamu wala a'alamu wa anta allaamul ghuyub. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna [hadhal-amr] khayrun li fi deeni wa-ma'ashi wa-aqibat amri, fa'qdruhli wa-yasirh li thumma barik li feehi. Wa in-kunta ta'lamu anna [hadhal amr] sharrun li fi deeniy wa-ma'ashi was-'aqibat amri. Fa asrifh anni wa-srif 'anhu. Wa aqdurh liyal khayr hayth kana thumma a-rdhini bihi.O Allah! I seek Your counsel by Your knowledge and by Your power I seek strength and I ask You from Your immense favour, for verily You are able while I am not and verily You know while I do not and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah! If You know this affair [this matter] to be good for me in relation to my religion, my life, and end, then decree and facilitate it for me, and bless me with it. But if in Your Knowledge, You know [this matter] to be ill for me towards my religion, my life, and end, then drive it away from me and drive me away from it, and decree for me what is good wherever it be and make me satisfied with such.<br />Salat al-Hajat (Prayer for the fulfilment of a need)Salat al-Hajah is a prayer offered if one wants Allah Almighty to fulfill his particular purpose or need or want. It consists of a fresh ablution done carefully, followed by a calm prayer in the order of between 4 to 12 units of prayer, then a sincere supplication that states what one wishes to be accomplished and requesting Allah Ta'ala's help in its accomplishment.Abu Darda (radiAllahu anha) relates that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "Whoever performs ablutions well and offers two voluntary rakahs and completes them to perfection will be granted by God whatever he prays for, either immediately or in God’s good time."[Ahmad - Sahih]Abullah ibn Abi Al-Awfa Al-Aslami (radiAllahu anhuhim) relates that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, Whoever has a need with Allah, or with any human being, then let them perform ritual ablutions well and then pray two rakats. After that, let them praise Allah and send blessings on the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). Then recite the following dua: [at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i and ibn Majah]The hadith has some weakness, but it is slight: such hadiths are acted upon for virtuous deeds (fada'il al-a'mal) by general agreement of Sunni scholarship<br />Salat at-Tauba (Prayer for Repentance)Make the appropriate minor or major ablution, offer a prayer of two rak‘ats, and ask for His forgiveness.Abu Bakr (radiAllahu anhu) related from the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) that he said, “There is no one who commits a sin, goes and performs ritual ablutions, and then prays two rakats after which they seek Allah’s forgiveness except that He forgives them.” After this, he (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) recited Allah Most High’s words,“And those who, when they do an evil thing or wrong themselves, remember Allah and implore forgiveness for their sins - Who forgives sins save Allah only? - and will not knowingly repeat (the wrong) they did.”[3: 135]This has been related by Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi in their respective Sunan, and the scholars declared it to be a recommended prayer.[Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni 1.348, Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar 2.28, quoting Sharh Shir`at al-Islam via Shaykh Isma`il al-Nabulsi]<br />Salat at-Tahiyatul Wudu (Prayer of the Oft-Repentant)After performing wudu, one should pray 2 rak’at of nafl, known as Tahiyyat al-Wudu. Several hadith have mentioned the blessings and benefit of doing so. For example:“There is no Muslim who performs wudu and performs it well and then stands and offers 2 units of prayer with devotion of heart and mind in the two of them, except that Paradise becomes guaranteed for him”[Muslim #288] Salat al-Khawf (Prayer of Fear/Danger)The word "Khawf" means fear. Khawf is a type of prayer that is prayed during time of fear. This prayer was performed by the Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) in the battle of Uhud.Salat al Khawf is usually performed in place of normal prayer in the battlefield. When fear is severe, the Imam divides the people into two groups: one group [who remain] facing the enemy, and one group [who stand] behind him.Then, he prays with this [latter] group one rak'ah with 2 sajdah. Then, when he raises his head from the second sajdah, this group goes back to face the enemy, and the [other] group comes [to take their place].The imam leads them in one rak'ah with two sajdah, and then performs tashahud and taslim. [The followers] do not perform taslim, but [rather] go to face the enemy.The first group [now] comes [back], and pray one rak'ah on their own, with two sajdah, without recitation, and then perform tashahhud and taslim, and then go back to face the enemy.The other group [now] comes [back] and pray one rak'ah with two sajdah, with recitation, and [then] perform tashahhud and taslim.[the explanation, taken from the "Mukhtasar al-Quduri" by Abu’l-Hasan Ahmad al-Quduri, a major classical book on Hanafi fiqh]All scholars agree about the legality of such prayers:(O Messenger!) When you are among the believers (who are on an expedition and fear that the unbelievers might harm them) and rise to lead the prayer for them, let a party of them stand in prayer with you and retain their arms (while letting the other party take their positions against the enemy). When the first party has prostrated (and finished the rak‘at), let them go behind you (to take their positions against the enemy), and let the other party, which has not prayed, come forward and pray with you, being fully prepared against danger and retaining their arms. Those who disbelieve wish that you should be heedless of your weapons and your equipment, so that they might swoop upon you in a surprise attack. But there shall be no blame on you if you lay aside your arms (during prayer) if you are troubled by rain (and the ground impedes your movement), or if you are ill. However, (always) be fully prepared against danger. Surely God has prepared for the unbelievers a shameful, humiliating chastisement. [4: 102]<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/qur-and-hadith-on-prayer.html">Qur'an and Hadith on Prayer</a><br />"Prayer is the essence of worship."[Hadith]<br />"Truly, to a happy state shall attain the believers:those who humble themselves in their prayer,and who turn away from all that is frivolous,and who are intent on inner purity."[Qur'an 23:1-4]<br />"And I have chosen you,so listen to that which is inspired to you.Verily, I am Allah!There is none worthy of worship but I,so worship Meand offer prayer perfectly for My remembrance."[Taha 13-14]<br />Be ever mindful of prayers,and of praying in the most excellent way;and stand before God in devout obedience.[Qur'an 2:238]<br />And before God prostrate themselves,willingly or unwillingly,all things and beings that are in the heavens and the earth,as do their shadows in the mornings and the evenings.[Qur'an 13:15]<br />O you who believe!Seek help in patience and prayer.Truly! Allah is with the patient."[surah al Baqarah; 2:153-154]<br />Verily, the prayer keeps onefrom the great sins and evil deeds"[al Ankabut 45]<br />Extol, then, God's limitless glorywhen you enter upon the evening hours, and when you rise at morn;and seeing that unto Him is due all praise in the heavens and earth,glorify Him in the afternoon as well,and when you enter upon the hour of noon.[Qur'an 30:17-18]<br />Our Lord (glorified and exalted be He)descends each night to the earth's skywhen there remains the final third of the night, and He says:"Who is saying a prayer to Me that I may answer it?Who is asking something of Me that I may give it him?Who is asking forgiveness of Me that I may forgive him?"[Hadith Qudsi 35]<br />The Apostle of Allah was asked:Which of the actions is best? He replied:Observing prayer early in its period.[abu Dawud 2: 426]<br />The first matter that the slave will be broughtto account for on the Day of Judgmentis the prayer.If it is sound,then the rest of his deeds will be sound.And if it is bad,then the rest of his deeds will be bad."[at Tabarani]<br />I f a person had a stream outside his doorand he bathed in it five times a day,do you think he would have any filth left on him?"The people said,"No filth would remain on him whatsoever."The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said,"That is like the five daily prayers:Allah wipes away the sins by them."[Sahih al Bukhari, Muslim]<br />S alat is a pillar of the religion (Islam).He who establishes it, establishes religion;and he who destroys it, destroys religion."[Tabrani]<br />O ne of the Saliheen was asked how he kepthis khushu' in prayer (concentration & humbleness etc)He said, 'I imagine that Allah is before me, that the Angel of Death is at my back,that the gardens of Jannah are to my right,that the fires of Jahannum are on my leftand that I am standing on the Sirat'<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/prayer-salat-glossary.html">Prayer - Salat Glossary</a><br />Adaa e Salah - To perform salah at its correct time.Qada - To perform salah after its appointed time has passed.Jama'ah Salah - To perform prayer in congregation.Imam - One who leads the salah or congrgationMuqtadi - One who follows the imam leading the prayer.Mudrik - One who follows the imam from the start to the finish of a salat.Masbuk - One who joins the jama'ah any time after the first ruku'Laahiq - One who joins the salah from the beginning, and then misses one or more of ruku' while in salah.Munfarid - One who reads/performs the salah alone.Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-7421036496881110032009-09-23T03:45:00.000-07:002009-09-23T03:53:45.256-07:00MOHAMMAD BIN MUSA AL-KHAWARIZMI<br />(Died 840 C.E.)<br />Abu Abdullah Mohammad Ibn Musa al-Khawarizmi was born at Khawarizm (Kheva), south of Aral sea. Very little is known about his early life, except for the fact that his parents had migrated to a place south of Baghdad. The exact dates of his birth and death are also not known, but it is established that he flourished under Al- Mamun at Baghdad through 813-833 and probably died around 840 C.E.<br />Khawarizmi was a mathematician, astronomer and geographer. He was perhaps one of the greatest mathematicians who ever lived, as, in fact, he was the founder of several branches and basic concepts of mathematics. In the words of Phillip Hitti, he influenced mathematical thought to a greater extent than any other medieval writer. His work on algebra was outstanding, as he not only initiated the subject in a systematic form but he also developed it to the extent of giving analytical solutions of linear and quadratic equations, which established him as the founder of Algebra. The very name Algebra has been derived from his famous book Al-Jabr wa-al-Muqabilah. His arithmetic synthesised Greek and Hindu knowledge and also contained his own contribution of fundamental importance to mathematics and science. Thus, he explained the use of zero, a numeral of fundamental importance developed by the Arabs. Similarly, he developed the decimal system so that the overall system of numerals, 'algorithm' or 'algorizm' is named after him. In addition to introducting the Indian system of numerals (now generally known as Arabic numerals), he developed at length several arithmetical procedures, including operations on fractions. It was through his work that the system of numerals was first introduced to Arabs and later to Europe, through its translations in European languages. He developed in detail trigonometric tables containing the sine functions, which were probably extrapolated to tangent functions by Maslama. He also perfected the geometric representation of conic sections and developed the calculus of two errors, which practically led him to the concept of differentiation. He is also reported to have collaborated in the degree measurements ordered by Mamun al-Rashid were aimed at measuring of volume and circumference of the earth.<br />The development of astronomical tables by him was a significant contribution to the science of astronomy, on which he also wrote a book. The contribution of Khawarizmi to geography is also outstanding, in that not only did he revise Ptolemy's views on geography, but also corrected them in detail as well as his map of the world. His other contributions include original work related to clocks, sundials and astrolabes.<br />Several of his books were translated into Latin in the early 12th century. In fact, his book on arithmetic, Kitab al-Jam'a wal- Tafreeq bil Hisab al-Hindi, was lost in Arabic but survived in a Latin translation. His book on algebra, Al-Maqala fi Hisab-al Jabr wa-al- Muqabilah, was also translated into Latin in the 12th century, and it was this translation which introduced this new science to the West "completely unknown till then". He astronomical tables were also translated into European languages and, later, into Chinese. His geography captioned Kitab Surat-al-Ard, together with its maps, was also translated. In addition, he wrote a book on the Jewish calendar Istikhraj Tarikh al-Yahud, and two books on the astrolabe. He also wrote Kitab al-Tarikh and his book on sun-dials was captioned Kitab al-Rukhmat, but both of them have been lost.<br />The influence of Khawarizmi on the growth of science, in general, and mathematics, astronomy and geography in particular, is well established in history. Several of his books were readily translated into a number of other languages, and, in fact, constituted the university textbooks till the 16th century. His approach was systematic and logical, and not only did he bring together the then prevailing knowledge on various branches of science, particularly mathematics, but also enriched it through his original contribution. No doubt he has been held in high repute throughout the centuries since then.<br /><br />MOHAMMAD IBN ZAKARIYA AL-RAZI<br />(864-930 C.E.)<br />Abu Bakr Mohammad Ibn Zakariya al-Razi (864-930 C.E.) was born at Ray, Iran. Initially, he was interested in music but later on he learnt medicine, mathematics, astronomy, chemistry and philosophy from a student of Hunayn Ibn Ishaq, who was well versed in the ancient Greek, Persian and Indian systems of medicine and other subjects. He also studied under Ali Ibn Rabban. The practical experience gained at the well-known Muqtadari Hospital helped him in his chosen profession of medicine. At an early age he gained eminence as an expert in medicine and alchemy, so that patients and students flocked to him from distant parts of Asia.<br />He was first placed in-charge of the first Royal Hospital at Ray, from where he soon moved to a similar position in Baghdad where he remained the head of its famous Muqtadari Hospital for along time. He moved from time to time to various cities, specially between Ray and Baghdad, but finally returned to Ray, where he died around 930 C.E. His name is commemorated in the Razi Institute near Tehran.<br />Razi was a Hakim, an alchemist and a philosopher. In medicine, his contribution was so significant that it can only be compared to that of Ibn Sina. Some of his works in medicine e.g. Kitab al- Mansoori, Al-Hawi, Kitab al-Mulooki and Kitab al-Judari wa al- Hasabah earned everlasting fame. Kitab al-Mansoori, which was translated into Latin in the 15th century C.E., comprised ten volumes and dealt exhaustively with Greco-Arab medicine. Some of its volumes were published separately in Europe. His al-Judari wal Hasabah was the first treatise on smallpox and chicken-pox, and is largely based on Razi's original contribution: It was translated into various European languages. Through this treatise he became the first to draw clear comparisons between smallpox and chicken-pox. Al-Hawi was the largest medical encyclopaedia composed by then. It contained on each medical subject all important information that was available from Greek and Arab sources, and this was concluded by him by giving his own remarks based on his experience and views. A special feature of his medical system was that he greatly favoured cure through correct and regulated food. This was combined with his emphasis on the influence of psychological factors on health. He also tried proposed remedies first on animals in order to evaluate in their effects and side effects. He was also an expert surgeon and was the first to use opium for anaesthesia.<br />In addition to being a physician, he compounded medicines and, in his later years, gave himself over to experimental and theoretical sciences. It seems possible that he developed his chemistry independently of <a href="http://www.ummah.net/history/scholars/HAIYAN.html">Jabir Ibn Hayyan</a>. He has portrayed in great detail several chemical reactions and also given full descriptions of and designs for about twenty instruments used in chemical investigations. His description of chemical knowledge is in plain and plausible language. One of his books called Kitab-al-Asrar deals with the preparation of chemical materials and their utilization. Another one was translated into Latin under the name Liber Experi- mentorum, He went beyond his predecessors in dividing substances into plants, animals and minerals, thus in a way opening the way for inorganic and organic chemistry. By and large, this classification of the three kingdoms still holds. As a chemist, he was the first to produce sulfuric acid together with some other acids, and he also prepared alcohol by fermenting sweet products.<br />His contribution as a philosopher is also well known. The basic elements in his philosophical system are the creator, spirit, matter, space and time. He discusses their characteristics in detail and his concepts of space and time as constituting a continuum are outstanding. His philosophical views were, however, criticised by a number of other Muslim scholars of the era.<br />He was a prolific author, who has left monumental treatises on numerous subjects. He has more than 200 outstanding scientific contributions to his credit, out of which about half deal with medicine and 21 concern alchemy. He also wrote on physics, mathematics, astronomy and optics, but these writings could not be preserved. A number of his books, including Jami-fi-al-Tib, Mansoori, al-Hawi, Kitab al-Jadari wa al-Hasabah, al-Malooki, Maqalah fi al- Hasat fi Kuli wa al-Mathana, Kitab al-Qalb, Kitab al-Mafasil, Kitab-al- 'Ilaj al-Ghoraba, Bar al-Sa'ah, and al-Taqseem wa al-Takhsir, have been published in various European languages. About 40 of his manuscripts are still extant in the museums and libraries of Iran, Paris, Britain, Rampur, and Bankipur. His contribution has greatly influenced the development of science, in general, and medicine, in particular.<br /><br />JALAL AL-DIN RUMI<br />(1207-1273 C.E.)<br />Jalal al-Din Mohammad Ibn Mohammad Ibn Mohammad Ibn Husain al-Rumi was born in 604 A.H. (1207/8 C.E.) at Balkh (now Afghanistan). His father Baha al-Din was a renowned religious scholar. Under his patronage, Rumi received his early education from Syed Burhan-al-Din. When his age was about 18 years, the family (after several migrations) finally settled at Konya and at the age of 25, Rumi was sent to Aleppo for advanced education and later to Damascus. Rumi continued with his education till he was 40 years old, although on his father's death Rumi succeeded him as a professor in the famous Madrasah at Konya at the age of about 24 years. He received his mystical training first at the hands of Syed Burhan al-Din and later he was trained by Shams al-Din Tabriz. He became famous for his mystical insight, his religious knowledge and as a Persian poet. He used to teach a large number of pupils at his Madrasah and also founded the famous Maulvi Order in Tasawwuf. He died in 672 A.H. (1273 C.E.) at Konya, which subsequently became a sacred place for dancing derveshes of the Maulvi Order.<br />His major contribution lies in Islamic philosophy and Tasawwuf. This was embodied largely in poetry, especially through his famous Mathnawi. This book, the largest mystical exposition in verse, discusses and offers solutions to many complicated problems in metaphysics, religion, ethics, mysticism, etc. Fundamentally, the Mathnawi highlights the various hidden aspects of Sufism and their relationship with the worldly life. For this, Rumi draws on a variety of subjects and derives numerous examples from everyday life. His main subject is the relationship between man and God on the one hand, and between man and man, on the other. He apparently believed in Pantheism and portrayed the various stages of man's evolution in his journey towards the Ultimate.<br />Apart from the Mathnaui, he also wrote his Diwan (collection of poems) and Fihi-Ma-Fih (a collection of mystical sayings). How- ever, it is the Mathnawi itself that has largely transmitted Rumi's message. Soon after its completion, other scholars started writing detailed commentaries on it, in order to interpret its rich propositions on Tasawwuf, Metaphysics and Ethics. Several commentaries in different languages have been written since then.<br />His impact on philosophy, literature, mysticism and culture, has been so deep throughout Central Asia and most Islamic countries that almost all religious scholars, mystics, philosophers, sociologists and others have referred to his verses during all these centuries since his death. Most difficult problems in these areas seem to get simpli- fied in the light of his references. His message seems to have inspired most of the intellectuals in Central Asia and adjoining areas since his time, and scholars like Iqbal have further developed Rumi's concepts. The Mathnawi became known as the interpretation of the Qur'an in the Pahlavi language. He is one of the few intellectuals and mystics whose views have so profoundly affected the world-view in its higher perspective in large parts of the Islamic World.Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-52761339186078687742009-09-23T03:43:00.000-07:002009-09-23T03:44:10.761-07:00JANNAT<br />When MOMIN will enter into Jannat, it will be announced1) You will remain healthy forever, disease will never come.2) You will remain alive for ever, death will never come.3) You will remain in bounties which will never be finished.Jannat is made with:Bricks of Gold and SilverIts cement is of perfumed MuskIts chips are pearls and YaqootIts sand is ZafraanThere are eight doors of Jannat. These are eight grades of Jannat:1. Jannatul Mava2. Darul Maqaam3. Darul Salaam4. Darul Khuld5. Jannat-ul-Adan6. Jannat-ul-Naeem7. Jannat-ul-Kasif8. Jannat-ul-FirdousJannatul Mava is in the lowest,Jannat-ul-Adan is the middle &Jannat-ul- Firdous is on the highest.Food of Jannat:They will eat foods and fruits continuously up to 40 yearsEvery bowl will have a new tasteThey will take eructation which will digest the food and there will be perfumed sweating for the digestion of waterThere will be no urine and stoolPlace Name:There will be gardens in Jannat.Every garden will have the length of about 100 year ' s journey.The shadow of these gardens will be very dense.Their plants will be free of thorns.The size of their leaves will be equal to ears of elephants.Their fruits will be hanging in rows.Those who love each other for the sake of Allah will get a pillar of Yaqoot, on which there will be seventy thousand (70,000) rooms. These will shine for the residents of Jannat as the sun shines for the residents of DuniyaThere will be rooms in Jannat in such a way that every room will have seventy thousand (70,000) dinning sheets. On every dinning sheet 70,000 types of foods will be served. For their service 80,000 young boys will be moving around looking like beautiful scattered pearls.One bunch of dates will be equal to the length of 12 arms. The size of a date will be equal to the big pitcher. These will be whiter than milk, sweeter than honey and softer than butter and free of seeds. The stem of these plants will be made up of gold and silver.There will also be gardens of grapes. The bunches of grapes will be very big. The size of a single grape will be equal to a big pitcher.Someone asked, ya Rasulullah (Sallalahu alaihi wasallam): will it be sufficient for me and my family. It was answered, it will be sufficient for you and your whole tribe.The Dresses of Jannat:The dress of Jannat will be very beautiful.One will wear 70 dresses at a time.These will be very fine, delicate, weightless, having different colors.These dresses will be so fine that the body even the heart will be visible.And the waves of love in the hearts will also be visible.These dresses will never become old, never be dirty and will never tear.There will be four canals in every Jannat:1. Water.2. Milk.3. Honey.4. Sharabun Tahoora.There will also be three fountains in Jannat:1. Kafoor.2. Zanjabeel.3. Tasneem.Qualities of People of Jannat:In Jannat,Height of every MOMIN, will be equal to the height of Hazrat Adam (Alaihissalaam) 60 arms (90 feet).Beauty will be like that of Hazrat Yousuf (Alaihissalaam).Age of youth will be like that of Hazrat Esa (Alaihissalaam) 30-33 years).Sweetness of voice will be like that of Hazrat Dawud (Alaihissalaam).Tolerance will be like that of Hazrat Yaqoob (Alaihissalaam).Patience will be like that of Hazrat Ayyub (Alaihissalaam).Habits will be like that of Sayyaduna Muhammad (Sallalahu alaihi wasallam).NOTE:If a person makes Du ' a for Jannat three times, Jannat requests Allah that O, Allah; make his entry into Jannat.And if a person makes Du ' a for safety from Jahannum three times, The Jahannnum requests Allah that, O, Allah; save him from Jahannum.Please pass on and may Allah grant the entire Ummah of Nabi sallalahu alayhi wasallam Jannat ul Firdous Ameen!Every good act is charity.JAZAK ALLAHU KHAIR- May Allah Forgive our sins... Ameen!Remember the Prophet P.B.U.H said if u have knowledge pass it on even if it is just one verse. So Forward this message and help us in our Mission to keep the Muslim Youth on the right path, ISLAM.<br />Fi-AmanAllahBazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-63524994563361876192009-09-23T03:27:00.000-07:002009-09-23T03:41:18.716-07:00QURAN<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/excellence-of-reciting-qur.html">The Excellence of Reciting the Qur'an</a><br />Prophetic Guidance Regarding the Excellence of Reciting the Qur'an.'Recite the Qur'an. It will appear on the Day of Rising as an intercessor for its people.'[Muslim] On the Day of Rising the Qur'an will be brought with the people who used to act by it in this world, preceded by Surat al-Baqara (2) and Ali 'Imran (3), arguing on behalf of those who knew them.'[Muslim]The best of you is the one who learns the Qur'an and teaches it.'[al-Bukhari]Verily the one who recites the Qur'an beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, he will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have twice that reward.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim, Agreed upon]It will be said to the companion of the Qur'an: Read and elevate (through the levels of the Paradise) and beautify your voice as you used to do when you were in the dunya! For verily, your position in the Paradise will be at the last verse you recite![Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi - sahih] The metaphor of a believer who recites the Qur'an is that of a citron - its scent is fragrant and its taste is good. The metaphor of a believer who does not recite the Qur'an is that of a date - it has no scent but its taste is sweet. The metaphor of a hypocrite who recites the Qur'an is that of basil - its scent is fragrant but its taste is bitter. The metaphor of a hypocrite who does not recite the Qur'an is that of colocynth - it has no scent and its taste is bitter.[Agreed upon]By this Book Allah elevates some people and abases others.[Muslim] The Qur'an is an intercessor, something given permission to intercede, and it is rightfully believed in. Whoever puts it in front of him, it will lead him to Paradise; whoever puts it behind him, it will steer him to the Hellfire.[At-Tabarani, on the authority of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud - sahih] There was once a man who had a horse tied with two ropes (due to the horse's strength) and was reading Surah Al-Kahf. Then a cloud came over them, such that it began to twirl and come closer. His horse began to flee from it. So when he (the man) woke up he came to the Prophet and told him (what happened). He said: This is the tranquility that descended due to the Qur'an.[Bukhari, Muslim] You can only have envy for two things: for a man to whom Allah has given the Qur'an and he gets up and recites it throughout the night, and for a man to whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it throughout the night and the day.[Agreed upon]A man was reciting Surat al-Kahf (18) and he had a horse with him tethered by two ropes. Then a cloud came over him and began to draw near and his horse began to shy away from it. In the morning he went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and mentioned that to him and he said, 'That was the Sakina which descended on account of the Qur'an.'[Agreed upon]Whoever recites a letter of the Book of Allah earns a good deed, and each good deed is worth ten like it. I do not say that 'Alif-lam-mim' is one letter, but that alif is a letter, lam is a letter, mim is a letter.[at-Tirmidhi]A person who has nothing of the Qur'an inside him is like a ruined house.[at-Tirmidhi] And the Qur'an is a proof for you or against you.[Muslim]Will not any of you go to the Masjid and learn or read two verses from the Book of Allah, The Exalted, Mighty and Glorified be He? (For) that is better for him than two she-camels, and three (verses) are better for him than three (she-camels), and four (verses) are better for him than four (she-camels). And the number (of verses read in total) are better than the same number of camels..[Muslim]It will be said to those who know the Qur'an, 'Recite and ascend. Recite slowly as you did in the world below. Your station will be at the last verse you recite.'[Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi]Undoubtedly, the heart gets rusted like metal gets rusted when water goes over it. The People asked, "How can they [hearts] be cleaned." The Prophet replied, "To remember death in abundance and to recite the Holy Qur'an.[Mishkat]Whoever read the Qur'an and memorized it and believed its' Halal to be Halal, and its Haram to be Haram [i.e., accepted it commandments of Halal and Haram], Allah will accept the intercession for such 10 people on from him whom Hell had already become Wajib.[at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Ahmad, Darimi]Decorate the Qur'an with your (good) voices[Mishkat]Engender the Qur'an with your voices, for verily the voice of beauty increases the beauty of the Qur'an.[Al-Hakim from Bara ibn 'Azib - Sahih]Verily the best of people with regard to voices, is he whom you feel fears Allah, when he recites.[Ad-Darimi and others - Sahih] Fasting and the Qur'an will intercede for the slave on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say: 'Oh my Rabb! I prevented him from food and desires, so accept my intercession for him.' And the Qur'an will say: 'I prevented him from sleep during the night, so accept my intercession for him.' He ! said: "And they will (be allowed to) intercede."[Ahmad, At-Tabarani, Al-Hakim, and others from Abdullah ibn Umar ibn Al-Aas - Sahih]O People of the Qur'an, do not make the Qur'an a pillow, that is do not be lazy and be careless, and read the Qur'an in the day and night like it is the Haq of Recitation, and spread it, that is, read with good voices or do not take compensation for it, and whatever is in it, reflect upon itso that you may attain success, and do not hurry in its reward because the reward for it is great (which will be given in the Akhirah).[Bayhaqi]Read the Qur'an, put it into practice, do not abandon it, do not put grudges (upon others) through it, and do not eat and gain wealth through it.[Ahmad, at-Tabarani, and others from Abdul Rahman ibn Shibl - Sahih]He who recites the Qur'an well and clearly is equal in rank to the Angels who record creation's deeds. These Angels are gracious, honourable and of lofty rank. He who finds difficulty in reciting the Qur'an will obtain a double reward.[Bukhari, Muslim]Continue reciting the Qur'an because on the Day of Qiyaamah it will appear as an intercessor for the reciter.[Muslim]Maintain the Qur'an. For verily, by He in Whose Hand Muhammad's soul is in, it (the Qur'an) is more intense in escaping (memory) than a camel from its rein.[Bukhari, Muslim] Maintain learning the Qur'an, by heart for verily it is greater in escaping from the chests of men than camels from their reins.[Bukhari, Muslim]Verily the likeness of the beholder of the Qur'an is like that of a reined camel. If he were to undertake it, he would grasp it. And if he were to leave it, it would escape.[Bukhari, Muslim] The Qur'an will be brought on the Day of Resurrection, along with its companions who used to act by it, at the front being Surah al-Baqarah and Al 'Imran like two black clouds or canopies with light, or two flocks of birds pleading for their companion[Muslim]Do not turn your homes into a graveyard [by giving up reading the Qur'an]. Satan flees from a house in which Surah al-Baqarah is recited[Muslim]May Allah make us of the people of the Qur'an and help us to act by His Book.Ameen.Sources:Imam Nawawi’s Gardens of the Righteous (Riyad al-Salihin)Hayaat-ul-Muslimeen by Mohammad Ashraf Ali ThanviMiscellaneous ahadith collections<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/tilawa-of-qur.html">Tilawa of the Qur'an</a><br />The most important nourishment for the qalb or heart is the Qur'an. Those who lived in the time of the Prophet received their training and inspiration from the Qur'an. It was their guide, their light and their leader. Likewise, it must be your constant companion.<br />The Qur'an contains a treasure house of soul-stirring inspiration and wisdom. We can and should spend hours in understanding the Qur'an. There are thousands of pages of tafsir or Quranic exegesis to read. But we must know that the real test of benefiting from the Quran lies somewhere else. The Qur'an says that when people really listen to it, their faith must increase:<br />Believers are those who, when God is mentioned, feel a tremor in their heart, and whenever His Messages are conveyed to them their faith is strengthened. [Surah al-Anfal 8: 2.]<br />Where there is a fire, there is smoke. If the 'fire' of iman has been lit inside the heart, there must be smoke, and you will see that those who truly listen to the Qur'an, their eyes begin to well up with tears which trickle down their cheeks.<br />Nowadays, when we listen to the Qur'an or read it, our hearts are not moved, nor do our lives change. It is as if water is felling on a rock and flowing away. Our task is to replace this hard rock with soft absorbent soil so that the Qur'an may nourish the seed that has been planted. We should always study the Qur'an as if it is being revealed to us today. One of the greatest injustices we do to the Qur'an is that we read it as if it were something of the past and of no relevance to the present.<br />Remember that the whole purpose of the man is to guide you and to change you by bringing you into submission to Allah. As you read it, also try to live by what it invites you to. If it does not have any impact upon your actions and if you do not observe what it enjoins and avoid what it prohibits, then you are not getting anywhere nearer the Qur'an. In fact, one who reads the Qur'an and does not try to act upon it may be more likely to be cursed and punished by Allah. The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:<br />Many of the hypocrites in my Ummah will be from among the reciters. [Ahmad.]<br />He is not a Believer in the Qur'an who makes halal or lawful what has been made haram or prohibited. [at-Tirmidhi.]<br />It is also narrated that many Companions, like Uthman and Abdullah ibn Masud, once they learnt ten verses from the Prophet did not move further unless they had `learnt' it fully both in understanding and in action; that is how they sometimes spent years in learning only one surah or chapter.<br />If you sincerely start changing your life according to the Qur'an, Allah will certainly help you and make the path easy for you. Allah reassures us in the Quran:<br />Those who say, 'Our Lord is Allah,' and continue upon the straight way, the angels descend upon them: Do not fear, nor be grieved, and receive glad tidings of the Garden which you were promised. We are your supporters in this world and in the Hereafter. And for you therein is whatever your souls desire, and for you therein is whatever you ask for.' [Surah al-Fussilat 41:30-31.]<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/studying-qur-tips-and-pointers.html">Studying the Qur'an: Tips and Pointers</a><br />There are certain aids which you will require to help you if you intend on studying the Qur'an as fully as possible. Try to acquire as many of them as you can.<br />Have a copy of the Qur'an with a translation in your language. This is the minimum that you will require. This you should use for both general reading and study. The same can be used for memorization, if it is handy. But, take care that throughout life you stick with the same copy for memorization, otherwise revision will be difficult.Remember, too, that no translation can be perfect or accurate. Each translation contains an element of interpretation by the translator. There is not, and cannot be, an 'authorized' translation of the Qur'an.<br />The same copy may contain a short commentary, or you may have to acquire one separately. But you must have one. A translation and a reliable commentary should be enough for your initial, main objectives.<br />You may find it useful, though it is not necessary, to have more than one translation and commentary to investigate various meanings of words and text as understood by different scholars.<br />For more advanced study, you should have at least one more detailed tafsir. You may not find one in English; but, then, try to acquire whatever part-Tafsir works are available.<br />Have a good Arabic dictionary, preferably a Qur'anic dictionary, to enable you to look deeper into the meanings of words.<br />Have a concordance. (This is an alphabetical verbal index (of the Qur'an) showing the places in the Qur'an where each principal word may be found, with its immediate context in each place. - for example; the word "Hamd" can be found in various places in the Qur'an; surah al-fatihah, al-Kahf, and so on)<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/history-of-qur.html">The History of the Qur'an</a><br />In this Book, the Holy Prophet's life, the history of the Arabs and the events which occurred during the period of the revelation of the Qur'an have not been mingled with the Divine Verses, as is the case with the Bible. The Qur'an is the pure word of God. Not one word therein is not divine. Not a single word has been deleted from its text. The Book has been handed down to our age in its complete and original form since the time of Prophet Muhammad.From the time the Book began to be revealed, the Holy Prophet had dictated its text to the scribes. Whenever some Divine Message was revealed, the Holy Prophet would call a scribe and dictate its words to him. The written text was then read out to the Holy Prophet, who, having satisfied himself that the scribe has committed no error of recording, would put the manuscript in safe custody.The Blessed Prophet used to instruct the scribe about the sequence in which a revealed message was to be placed in a particular Surah (chapter). In this manner, the Holy Prophet continued to arrange the text of the Quran in systematic order till the end of the chain of revelations. Again, it was ordained from the beginning of Islam that a recitation of the Qur'an must be an integral part of worship. Hence the illustrious Companions would commit the Divine verses to memory as soon as they were revealed. Many of them learned the whole text and a far larger number had memorized different portions of it.<br />Method of preservations of the Qur'an during the Prophet's time<br />Besides, those of the Companions (radiAllahu anhum) who were literate used to keep a written record of several portions of the Holy Qur'an. In this manner, the text of the Holy Qur'an had been preserved in four different ways during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him):<br />a) The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) had the whole text of the Divine Messages from the beginning to the end committed to writing by the scribes of revelations.<br />b) Many of the Companions learned the whole text of the Quran, every syllable of it, by heart.<br />c) All the illustrious Companions, without an exception, had memorized at least some portions of the Holy Qur'an, for the simple reason that it was obligatory for them to recite it during worship. An estimate of the number of the illustrious Companions may be obtained from the fact that one hundred and forty thousands Companions had participated in the Last Pilgrimage performed by the Holy Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam).<br />d) A considerable number of the literate Companions kept a private record of the text of the Qur'an and satisfied themselves as to the purity of their record by reading it out to the Holy Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam).<br />Method of preservations of the Quran after the demise of the Prophet<br />It is an incontrovertible historical truth that the text of the Holy Qur'an extant today is, syllable for syllable, exactly the same as the Holy Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) had offered to the world as the Word of God.After the demise of the Holy Prophet, the first Caliph Abu Bakr (radiAllahu anhu) assembled all the Huffaz and the written records of the Holy Qur'an and with their help had the whole text written in Book form. In the time of Uthman (radiAllahu anhu) copies of this original version were made and officially dispatched to the Capitals of the Islamic World. Two Of these copies exist in the world today, one in Istanbul and the other in Tashkent. Whosoever is so inclined may compare any printed text of the Holy Qur'an with those two copies, he shall find no variation. And how can one expect any discrepancy, when there have existed several million Huffaz in every generation since the time of the Holy Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and in our own time? Should anyone alter a syllable of the original text of the Qur'an, these Huffaz would at once expose the mistake. In the last century, an Institute of Munich University in Germany collected FORTY-TWO THOUSAND copies of the Holy Qur'an including manuscripts and printed texts produced in each period in the various parts of the Islamic World.Research work was carried out on these texts for half a century, at the end of which the researchers concluded that apart from copying mistakes, there was no discrepancy in the text of these forty-two thousand copies, even though they belonged to the period between the 1st Century Hijra to 14th Century Hijrah and had been procured from all parts of the world. This Institute, alas! perished in the bombing attacks on Germany during World War II, but the findings of its research project survived.,br> Another point that must be kept in view is that the word in which the Qur'an was revealed is a living language in our own time. It is still current as the mother tongue of about a hundred million people from Iraq to Morocco. In the non-Arab world too, hundreds of thousands of people study and teach this language.<br />The grammar of the Arabic language, its lexicon, its phonetic system and its phraseology, have remained intact for fourteen hundred years.<br />A modern Arabic-speaking person can comprehend the Holy Qur'an with as much proficiency as did the Arabs of fourteen centuries ago. This, then, is an important attribute of Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam), which is shared by no other Prophet or Leader of Religion. The Book which God revealed to Him for the guidance of mankind is today's in its original language without the slightest alteration in its vocabulary.<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/qur-categories-of-understanding.html">The Qur'an: Categories of Understanding</a><br />Broadly speaking, we may divide the study of the Qur'an into two categories: Tadhakkur and Tadabbur, after the Qur'anic verse:<br />"That men may ponder over (li yaddabbaru) its revelations and ... may take them to heart (li yatadhakkara)"[surah Sad 38: 29].Intellectual Copyright (c) 2003 Mutmainaa. All Rights Reserved. Please refrain from reproducing any of the information contained in these pages without prior consent. www.geocities.com/mutmainaa<br />Tadhakkur<br />Tadhakkur, used extensively in the Qur'an, has been translated variously as receiving admonition, deriving advice, remembering, taking heed, and taking to heart. It can therefore be taken to signify the process whereby you try to grasp the general messages and teachings being conveyed by the Qur'an, to find out what they mean for you and what demands they make upon you, to take them to heart, to bring forth corresponding responses of heart and mind and attitudes, to have the will to act in accordance with whatever you find, and, finally, to determine what message you have to deliver to your fellow human beings.<br />Tadhakkur is a category of understanding which, in its essential nature, should not require any sophisticated tools of scholarship. You may not know the meaning of every word, you may not be competent enough to explore the full meaning of all the important and key words, and you may not understand every verse, but the general, overall message, especially the message for you-how to live-should come out clearly and radiantly.<br />After all, the people who understood the Qur'an most and benefited from it the greatest were its first hearers they were city merchants, farmers, shepherds, camel riders and nomads. They did not have at their elbows lexicons, tafsir books, treatises on style, diction, cadence, rhetoric nor did they possess all the knowledge of philosophy, history, geography, archaeology, anthropology, or of the social and physical sciences. Yet they were the most successful in understanding the Qur'an. For, they took the message of the Qur'an to their heart and began to live it. Hence this category of understanding ought to be and is available to every person who fulfils the necessary condition for it in this respect. The degree and intensity of what he receives will depend on his effort and capacity. Of course, tools of scholarship may add new dimensions, lend added weight, give new insights, to this process; but they are not a must.<br />It is in the sense of Tadhakkur that the Qur'an categorically states that it is easy to understand, it is available to every sincere inquirer if he only comprehends what he is reading and ponders over it. It is to this Tadhakkur that the Qur'an invites everyone who can hear, see and think, to be guided by it. It is in this sense that it says:<br />"Indeed we have made this Qur'an easy for understanding and remembering (dhikr). Is there any, then, that will take it to heart (muddakir)"[surah al-Qamar; 54: 17]."Indeed we have made it [the Qur'an] easy [to understand] by your tongue [O Prophet] so that men might take it to heart (yaTadhakkuran)"[surah al-Dukhan; 44: 58]."Indeed We have made propounded unto men all kinds of parables in this Qur'an, so that they might understand (yatadhakkarun)"[surah al-Zumar; 39: 27]."In this there is indeed a reminder (dhikr) for everyone who has a heart, or will give ear while he is a witness [present with his mind]"[surah Qaf; 50: 37].<br />Tadhakkur is not some lower category of understanding; it is the basic essential purpose of the Qur'an. You will have to strive all your life in order to gain the light and guidance and healing through Tadhakkur and through this process you, personally, must continue to gather an unlimited number of gems.<br />Tadabbur<br />Tadabbur is the other category of understanding. It signifiesL that you try to find the full meaning of every word, Ayah, and, Surah, that you explore the fuller meaning behind those words, metaphors and parables, that you discover the textual cohesion and underlying unity, that you determine the central ideas, delve into lexical intricacies, tanzil, and historical background, and that you undertake a comparative study of different tafsir. Then, that you discover all the implications for the relationship between man and his God, his fellow human beings, his own self, and the world around him; that you derive laws and morals for individuals and society, rules for state and economy, principles for history and philosophy, and implications for the current level of human knowledge.<br />Such a study would require a greater and deeper knowledge of various 'ulum al-Qur'an (the Quranic disciplines), depending on your goals and aims.<br />Tadabbur and Tadhakkur are not entirely separate nor mutually exclusive categories of understanding, they overlap.<br />Your Aims<br />What should your aims be? Obviously aims will vary from person to person and, even for a person, from time to time. Tadhakkur, in my view, is obligatory for every Muslim who is or can become capable of understanding the Qur'an.<br />Hence, as an average-educated Muslim, who is trying to fulfil his commitment to Allah in the light of his capabilities and limitations, Tadhakkur should be your first aim, and the most important one. You will stay with it forever; you will never reach a stage where you may dispense with it.In Tadhakkur, remember, you essentially set out to nourish your heart and mind, to increase your faith, to discover the message that the Qur'an is giving to you, to take it to heart, to remember it. Through all your labours you should be able to hear God's voice: what He wants you to be and to do.<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/learning-qur.html">Learning the Qur'an</a><br />The best among you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it.- MuhammadsalAllahu alayhi wa salam<br />These references are narrated in the Hadith. For reasons of brevity, only the following summary and reference of each Hadith is mentioned instead of the entire Hadith.<br />1. Whoever recites the Qur'an well and clearly is equal in rank to the Angels who record creation's deeds. These Angels are gracious, honorable and of lofty rank. He who finds difficulty in reciting the Qur'an will obtain a double reward.[Bukhari, Muslim].<br />2. A person whose breast is devoid of the Qur'an (i.e. has not learnt anything of the Qur'an Majeed) is like a desolate house.[at-Tirmidhi].<br />3. A person who recites one letter of the Qur'an, obtains one virtue; each virtue multiplies to ten virtues. I am not saying that (ALM) is one letter. But, Alif is one letter; Laam is one letter and Meem is one letter.[at-Tirmidhi, Darimi].<br />4. On the day of Resurrection a crown of such brilliance will be placed on the heads of the parents of one who learnt the Qur'an and practiced on its laws, that its glitter will outshine the brilliance of the sun which penetrates your houses. What then do you think will be the position of the one who himself learnt the Qur'an and acted in accordance with it? [Ahmad, abu Dawud].<br />5. Whoever recites the Qur'an, memorizes it, accepts its halal (lawful things) as halal and haram (forbidden things) as haram (i.e. his beliefs in these matters are correct), Allah, the Exalted, will enter him to Paradise and accept his intercession on behalf of ten such persons of his family upon whom entry into Hell has become incumbent (i.e. Allah will forgive them because of his intercession)."<br />[Ahmad, Tirmidhi, ibn Majah, Darimi].<br />6. Continue reciting the Qur'an because on the Day of Qiyamah it will appear as an intercessor for the reciter. [Muslim].<br />7. Whoever listens to even a single ayat (being recited by another person) obtains such a virtue which perpetually multiplies (it increases in merit continuously). The one who recited the ayat will on the Day of Resurrection find the recited ayat in the form of a Noor (which will be of greater value and significance than the virtue which accrued to the one who had listened to the recitation).[Ahmad].<br />8. The best among you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it. [Bukhari].<br />9. On the Day of Resurrection the Qur'an will petition Allah to cloak the one who had recited it with garments of honor and respect. A crown of honor will then be placed on the head of the reciter. The Qur'an will then petition Allah to shower His pleasure on the reciter. Allah will then become pleased with him. The reciter will then be asked to recite the Qur'an, thereby attaining higher ranks of elevation. In reward for each ayat a virtue will accrue to him. [at-Tirmidhi, ibn Khuzaimah].<br />10. Continue climbing (higher and higher in rank) with your recitation in the same way as you recited with care and concern on earth. Your abode (of residing) is located (at that rank attained) with the last ayat recited. [Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, ibn Majah, ibn Habban]<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/approaching-qur.html">Approaching the Qur'an</a><br />he one pre-requisite for understanding the Qur'an is to study it with an open and detached mind. Whether one believes it to be a revealed book or not, one should, as far as possible, free one's mind of bias in favour of or against it and get rid of all pre-conceived opinions and then approach it with the sole desire of understanding it. Those people who study it with preconceived notions of their own, read only their own ideas between its lines and cannot, therefore, grasp what the Qur'an wants to convey. It is obvious that this method of study can never be fruitful even with other books but it is utterly fruitless when applied to the study of the Qur'an.<br />There is another thing which must be kept in view. If one wants to have merely a cursory acquaintance with the contents of the Qur'an, then perhaps it might suffice for him to read it once. But, if one wishes to have a deep knowledge of it, one will have to go through it several times and each time from a different point of view.<br />One should also try to find out its fundamentals and the way of life it aims to build on them. During this preliminary study, if some questions occur in his mind, the reader should note them down and patiently continue his study, for he is likely to find their answers somewhere in the Qur'an itself.<br />After getting a general insight into the Qur'an in this way, one should begin its detailed study and take down notes of the different aspects of its teachings. For instance, one should note down what pattern of life it approves and what it disapproves. One should note down the qualities of a good man and those of a bad man, side by side, in order to bring both the patterns clearly before his mind simultaneously. Similarly, one should note down, side by side, those things which lead to the success and salvation of man and those which lead to his failure and ruin. In the same way, he should put down, under different headings, the teachings and instruction of the Qur'an about creed, morality, duties, obligations, civilization, culture, economics, politics, law, social system, peace, war and other human problems. These notes should be consolidated to form a complete sketch of each aspect of the teachings and then fitted together to form a complete system of life.<br />Then, if one desires to know the Qur'anic solution of a certain human problem he should first make study of the relevant literature, both ancient and modern, and note down the basic issues. He should also make use of the research so far made into the problem and note down the points at issue. He should then study the Quran with a view to finding out the answers to those issues. I can say from my own personal ,experience that when one studies the Qur'an with a view to making research into any problem, one will find an answer to it even in those verses which one had skipped over without ever imagining that it lay hidden therein.<br />One cannot grasp the inspiring spirit of the Qur'an, unless one begins to put its message into practice, for the Qur'an is neither a book of abstract. ideas and theories which may be studied in an easy chair nor is it a book of religious enigmas which may be unravelled in monasteries and universities. It is a Book that has been sent down to invite people to start a movement and to lead its followers and direct their activities towards the achievement of its mission. One has, therefore, to go to the battlefield of life to understand its real meaning. That was why a quiet and amiable person like Muhammad had to come out of his seclusion and start the Islamic Movement and fight against the rebellious world, It was the Qur'an that urged him to declare war against every kind of falsehood and engage in conflict with the leaders of disbelief without any consideration of the consequences. Then it attracted good souls from every home and gathered them under the banner of its leader in order to fight against the upholders of the old order who organised themselves into a gang to oppose them. During this long and bitter struggle between right and wrong, truth and falsehood, which continued for twenty-three years or so, the Qur'an went on guiding the Movement in every phase and at every stage, until it succeeded in establishing the Islamic Way of life in its perfection.<br />It is thus obvious that one cannot possibly grasp the truths contained in the Qur'an by the mere recitation of its words. For this purpose one must take active part in the conflict between belief and un-belief, Islam and un-Islam, truth and falsehood. One can understand it only if one takes up its Message, invites the world to accept it and moves on and on in accordance with its Guidance. Thus alone will one experience and understand all that which happened during the revelation of the Qura'n. One will meet with the same conditions that were experienced at Makkah, Taif and Habash and pass through the same kind of fire that had to be passed through at Badr, Uhd, Hunain, Tabuk etc. One will meet with Abu Jahls and Abu Lahabs and come across hypocrites, the double-faced, in short, every type of people mentioned in the Qur'an. Incidentally, this is a wonderful experience of its own kind and worth the trial.<br />While passing through any one of these stages of this experience, one will find some verses and some surahs of the Qur'an, which will themselves tell that they were revealed at such and such a stage and brought such and such instructions for the guidance of the Movement. In this way the Qur'an will lay bare its spirit even though one might not be able to understand all the lexical meanings of its words and solve all the intricacies of grammar and rhetoric. The same formula applies to its Commandments, its moral teachings, its instructions about economics and culture and its laws regarding different aspects of human life. These things can never be understood unless they are put into practice. It is thus obvious that those individuals and communities who discard it from practical life, cannot understand its meaning and imbibe its spirit by mere lip-service to it. This is from me and true knowledge is With Allah; I have full trust in Him and turn to Him for true guidance<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/7-reasons-to-read-glorious-qur.html">7 Reasons to Read the Glorious Qur'an</a><br />1. InimitableIt dares you to disprove it. How? It says that humans cannot write a book like this even if they pooled all their resources together and got help also from the spirits. The Qur'an said this fourteen hundred years ago and yet no one has been able to disprove it.. Billions of books have been written, but not another one like the Qur'an.2. IncorruptibleIt is the only religious sacred writing that has been in circulation for such a long time and yet remains as pure as it was in the beginning. The Qur'an was kept intact. Nothing was added to it, nothing was changed in it, and nothing was taken away from it ever since its revelation was completed 1400 hundred years ago.3. UnsurpassableThe Qur'an is God's final revelation to humankind. God revealed the Torah to Moses, the Psalms to David, the Gospel to Jesus, and finally the Qur'an to Muhammad. Peace be upon Moses, David, Jesus and Muhammad. No other book will came from God to surpass His final revelation.4. IndisputableThe Qur'an withstands the test of time and scrutiny. No one can dispute the truth of this book. It speaks about past history and turns out right. It speaks about the future in prophecies and it turns our right. It mentions details of physical phenomena which were not known to people at the time; yet later scientific discoveries prove that the Qur'an was right all along. Every other book needs to be revised to accord with modern knowledge. The Qur'an alone is never contradicted by a newly discovered scientific fact.5. Your Roadmap for Life and AfterlifeThe Qur'an is the best guidebook on how to structure your life. No other bok presents such a comprehensive system involving all aspects of human life and endeavor. The Qur'an also points out the way to secure everlasting happiness in the afterlife. It is your roadmap showing how to get to Paradise.6. God's Gift of GuidanceGod has not left alone. You were made for a reason. God tells you why he made you, what he demands from you and what he has in store for you. If you operate a machine contrary to it's manufacturer's specification you will ruin that machine. What about you? Do you have an owner's manual for yourself? The Qur'an is from your Maker. It is a gift for you to make sure you function for success, lest you fail to function. It is a healing from God. It satisfies the soul, and cleans the heart. It removes doubts and brings peace.7. Your Calling Card to Communicate with you LordHumans are social creatures. We love to communicate with other intelligent life. The Qur'an tells us how to communicate with the source of all intelligence and the source of all life, the One God. The Qur'an tell us who God is, by what name we should address Him, and the way in which to communicate with Him.Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-37935968391827904582009-09-23T02:56:00.000-07:002009-09-23T03:18:10.760-07:00<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://selectislam.blogspot.com/2009/09/islam-and-science.html">Islam and Scie</a><a href="http://selectislam.blogspot.com/2009/09/islam-and-science.html">Islam and Science</a><a href="http://selectislam.blogspot.com/2009/09/islam-and-science.html">nce</a><img alt="http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v448/n7150/images/448131a-i1.0.jpg" src="http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v448/n7150/images/448131a-i1.0.jpg" /><br /></div>OBSERVATION<br />Many modern scientific theories have some reference in the Quran.<br />This reveals that the Quran is truly a miracle and a word of God.<br /><br /><br />For e.g ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE<br /><br />•A question that has troubled the human mind for ages!<br /><br />•Explanation based on religious or scientific ideas which often contradict one another.<br /><br />•However, a study of the Quran reveals that there is a fantastic inter-relationship between religion and science.<br />•In fact the creation is a sign of the creator, studying the creation should create a sense of humility and closeness towards Allah:<br /><br />Eg. In the creation of the heavens and the earth….<br />•O our lord, you have not created all of this in vain..<br /><br />•Science explains two possibilities:<br /><br />1.STEADY STATE:<br />Universe is infinite<br />No beginning, no end<br />Everything has been the way it is<br /><br /><br />2. BIG BANG:<br />Universe has a beginning<br />•Perhaps an end<br />•Space, time and matter came into existence at an instant<br />•From the explosion of a compact mass called a singularity!<br />•All of the matter that makes up the universe is a result of that explosion.<br />•Most scientists, prefer this explanation because it explains all other observations better. Eg. Concept of back ground radiation and expansion of universe<br /><br />The Quran<br />21:30<br /><br />“Don’t the unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were one unit of creation, we then split them asunder (separated them)… “<br /><br />Based on this Ayat we understand that the concept of the big bang in fact has an element of truth!<br />(Most scientists do not agree with the steady state anymore).<br /><br /><br />FORMATION OF A SOLAR SYSTEM:<br /><br />Science explains:<br /><br />•Big bang – hot fragments into space<br />•Fragments merged with clouds of gas called nebulae<br />•A cooling process began – giving rise to ball like structures – planets<br />•Heat that was generated due to the cooling process, accumulated in the centre – heated up the central body – became the sun.<br /><br /><br />The Quran<br />41:11<br /><br />“Then he turned to the heaven and it was smoke. So he said to it and to the earth – come you two, willingly or unwillingly – They said – we come willingly”<br /><br />Following ideas confirmed by this verse:<br />•Presence of smoke in the initial stages of the universe (nebulae)<br />•Merging of the smoke and the earth (perhaps the fragments)<br /><br />BALANCING THE SYSTEM:<br /><br />•Formation of planets and sun is not sufficient, they have to be held in their positions for a system to come about else all would scatter in space.<br /><br />Science explains:<br />This balance is provided by gravity. Force by which one body pulls another towards it. Thereby holding each other in place<br /><br />The Quran:<br />55:7<br /><br />“ And the sky, he raised it and set the balance”<br />(Gravity may be the balance that is being referred to here).<br /><br /><br />ORBITS OF THE PLANETS:<br /><br />Science explains:<br />Planets move around the sun in orbits.This is due to gravity and also central force of the sun.<br /><br />The Quran:<br />21:33<br /><br />“He it is who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon, all swim along, each in its rounded course.”<br /><br />EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE:<br />•Quite a recent discovery by Hubble telescope that the Universe expands like a balloon.<br /><br /><br />The Quran:<br />51:47<br /><br />“We have built the heaven with might, and verily we are expanding it.”<br /><br /><br /><br />WILL THERE BE AN END?<br /><br />Science says YES!<br />Expansion will not go on forever<br />One day gravity will overcome the expansion<br />This will give rise to contraction<br />BIG CRUNCH!<br /><br />The Quran:<br />Many verses explain the day of judgment<br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img alt="http://www.dunyabulteni.net/images/other/40841.jpg" src="http://www.dunyabulteni.net/images/other/40841.jpg" /><br /><div class="post"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://selectislam.blogspot.com/2009/05/wonder-of-muslims.html">WONDER OF MUSLIMS</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body" id="post-8588738425636366461"><style>#fullpost{display:none;}</style><br /><p><div align="center"><span style="font-size:6;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="COLOR: royalblue"><b>Topkapi Palace of Istanbul which turns into a museum</b></span></span><br /></span></div><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green">Special thing about dis museum is the golden shrine that used to contain the cloak of the prophet Mohammed(P.B.U.H).....The Pavilion of the Holy Mantle (previously called the "Privy Chamber") was constructed by Sinan under the reign of Murad III. It holds the cloak of Mohammed(P.B.U.H), his sword, one tooth, a hair of his beard, his battle sabres, an autographed letter and other relics which are known as the Sacred Trusts. Several other sacred objects are on display, such as the swords of the first four Caliphs, the staff of Moses, the turban of Joseph and a carpet of the daughter of Mohammed.Some images of them i m posting here.....</span></span></b><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/battleswordPBUHrelics.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><b>Casket containing da holy soil from da tomb of PROPHET(P.B.U.H)...</b></span></span><br /><br /><img style="WIDTH: 500px; HEIGHT: 329px" alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/Casketcontainingthesoilfromthetombo.jpg" border="0" /><br /><img alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/Tky_Soil_from_Tomb_of_Prophet.gif" border="0" /><br /><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><b>SOme HAir From DA BLesseD BEAR......</b></span></span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><b><img style="WIDTH: 500px; HEIGHT: 669px" alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/blesedbear1.jpg" border="0" /></b></span></span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><b><img style="WIDTH: 500px; HEIGHT: 356px" alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/SomehairsfromthebeardoftheProphetMu.jpg" border="0" /></b></span></span><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green">Reliquary containing da Blessed teeth(Dandan-e-saadet)of PROPHET(P.B.U.H)....</span></span></b><br /><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><img alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/Tky_box_teeth_of_Prophet.gif" border="0" /></span></span></b><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><img alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/ReliquarycontainingthetoothofProphe.jpg" border="0" /></span></span></b><br /><br /><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green">Chest (case) containing the Holy Mantle of Prophet Muhammad and the banner ((Sancak-i Serif)...(Mantle is cloak.,blanket or a form of cloth).....</span></span></b><br /><br /><img alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/ChestscontainingtheHolyMantleofProp.jpg" border="0" /><br /><img style="WIDTH: 500px; HEIGHT: 696px" alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/InteriorviewoftheSacredRelicsChambe.jpg" border="0" /><br /><img alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/ThegoldchestcontainingtheHolyMantle.jpg" border="0" /><br /><img alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/Tky_Mattle_of_Prophet.gif" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:6;"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="COLOR: green">LeTTEr OF PROPHET(P.B.U.H)...</span></span></b><br /><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="COLOR: green"><img alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/Tky_Letter_of_Prophet.gif" border="0" /></span></span></b><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="COLOR: green"><img style="WIDTH: 500px; HEIGHT: 312px" alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/LetteroftheProphetMuhammadName-iSaa.jpg" border="0" /></span></span></b><br /><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="COLOR: green"><b>THE Blessed Footprint(Qadamgah) of PROPHET(P.B.U.H)..</b></span></span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="COLOR: green"><b><img alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/ThefootprintoftheProphetMuhammad.jpg" border="0" /></b></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="COLOR: green"><b><img alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/Tky_Qadamgah_Hazrat_Mohammad.gif" border="0" /></b></span></span><br /><br /><br /><!-- / icon and title --><!-- message --></span><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green">Noble Sword Of PROPHET(P.B.U.H)....</span></span></b><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><img style="WIDTH: 500px; HEIGHT: 608px" alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/nobleswrodofprophetPbUH.jpg" border="0" /></span></span></b><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><img style="WIDTH: 489px; HEIGHT: 299px" alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/swordofmuhammad.jpg" border="0" /></span></span></b><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><img alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/untitled11.jpg" border="0" /></span></span></b><br /><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green">Battle sabres..(A fencing sword with a v-shaped blade and a slightly curved handle)....</span></span></b><br /><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><img alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/swrodusedbymuhammad.jpg" border="0" /></span></span></b><br /><br /><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><b>Sword COver of PROPHET(P.B.U.H)....</b></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><b><img style="WIDTH: 500px; HEIGHT: 419px" alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/swrodcoverofPBUH.jpg" border="0" /></b></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><b><img style="WIDTH: 500px; HEIGHT: 385px" alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/swordcover2.jpg" border="0" /></b></span></span><br /><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green">RING..</span></span></b><br /><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><img alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/Tky_Ring_of_Prophet.gif" border="0" /></span></span></b><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green">Casket containg soil from holy KAABA....</span></span></b><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><img alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/CasketcontainingsoilfromKaaba.jpg" border="0" /></span></span></b><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><b>Sword of HAzrat Abu Bakar n Hazrat Usman....</b></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><b><img style="WIDTH: 500px; HEIGHT: 382px" alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/swords1abubakarhazretusman.jpg" border="0" /></b></span></span><br /><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green">SWord of Hazar Umar n Hazrat ALi.....</span></span></b><br /><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><img style="WIDTH: 500px; HEIGHT: 457px" alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/hazretumerhazretalisword.jpg" border="0" /></span></span></b><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><img style="WIDTH: 500px; HEIGHT: 448px" alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/swordP.jpg" border="0" /></span></span></b><br /><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green">Sword OF Jaffar-e-tayyar n Khalid bin waleed.....</span></span></b><br /><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><img style="WIDTH: 500px; HEIGHT: 605px" alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/khalidibnwalidredsword.jpg" border="0" /></span></span></b><br /><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><img style="WIDTH: 500px; HEIGHT: 586px" alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/swords_002.jpg" border="0" /></span></span></b><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: green"><img alt="" src="http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa311/dreamzworld/HoLY%20ReLiCS/Tky_Sword_of_Jaafar_e_Tayyar.gif" border="0" /></span></span></b></div></div><h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://selectislam.blogspot.com/2009/05/trusting-allah.html">Trusting Allah</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body" id="post-4523530817279627100"><style>#fullpost{display:none;}</style><br /><p><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">At some point in our lives, we have all had our trust betrayed. There exist few of us who trust anyone implicitly. The same goes for principles or philosophies. We have trusted them, only to be disappointed. In the same light, we have followed religious scholars, only to find that they too have betrayed us - either by being undereducated or imperfect. Maybe that is why it is so hard for us to let go of ourselves and truly trust Allah.</span> <p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">When we start to analyze a command, we find in it things we can not explain or fully understand, so we stop doing it or do the thing which was forbidden to us, because the opposite does not make sense to us. Let me put that in more specific terms: We know that at the 120th day of life, Allah writes for us our sustenance (risq).</span> </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet said, "Allah puts an angel in charge of the uterus and the angel says, 'O Lord, (it is) semen! O Lord, (it is now ) a clot! O Lord, (it is now) a piece of flesh.' And then, if Allah wishes to complete its creation, the angel asks, 'O Lord, (will it be) a male or a female? A wretched (an evil doer) or a blessed (doer of good)? How much will his provisions be? What will his age be?' So all that is written while the creature is still in the mother's womb."<br />[Sahih al-Bukhari, 8; 77 #594] </span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">We know that Allah has planned out our jobs and our income. Yet, we may shave our beard or take off the hijab when we go for an interview because we are afraid that we will not get a particular job. There is a huge contradiction in our beliefs here. If we know that what is for us is for us, then why are we going against Allah's orders to achieve the objective. The reason is simple. We are not trusting Allah.</span> </span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">This is a sad fact. Even though we know that Allah is our Lord and Protector, we have a hard time letting go and allowing ourselves to trust that He will protect us. I doubt we do this intentionally, it is shaytan, whispering to us, "The people will not understand, so shave the beard, maybe later you can grow it again" or "There is no way someone will hire you with that thing on your head, take it off."</span> </span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">We make excuses, like, my deen is in my heart, not what I show, even though we have been told:</span> </span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab: People were (sometimes) judged by the revealing of a Divine Inspiration during the lifetime of Allah's Apostle but now there is no longer any more (new revelation). Now we judge you by the deeds you practice publicly, so we will trust and favor the one who does good deeds in front of us, and we will not call him to account about what he is really doing in secret, for Allah will judge him for that; but we will not trust or believe the one who presents to us with an evil deed even if he claims that his intentions were good<br />[Sahih al-Bukhari 3;48 #809] </span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Even, we may leave our prayers until after they have expired because we fear being watched or something happening to us while we are praying. There is no trust that Allah will protect us, give us our risq or take care of us. We have to learn to truly trust Allah. Allah says,</span> </span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">When two parties from among you had determined that they should show cowardice and Allah was the guardian of them both, and in Allah should the believers trust<br />[Surah Ali-Imran; 3:122] </span></span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">And</span> </span></span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">If Allah helps you, none can overcome you: If He forsakes you, who is there, after that, that can help you? In Allah, then, Let believers put their trust<br />[Surah Ali-Imran; 3:160] </span></span></span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">It does not matter what you do, obey or disobey, the result will be that you will receive what Allah has ordained for you. You can not add to it or subtract from it. What you do is either benefit yourself with the blessings of obedience or harm yourself with the fruits of your disobedience. We have been told that what is for us can't miss us and what is not for us can't hit us.</span> </span></span></span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As: I heard Allah's Apostle (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) as saying: Allah ordained the measures (of quality) of the creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, as His Throne was upon water<br />[Sahih Muslim 32, #6416] </span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">We have to learn to trust that Allah will take care of us when we obey Him and that He will withdrawal His Great Mercy when we disobey. Every morning the bird goes out to seek the provision Allah has given him, and every night he comes home with it. Allah has promised us our provision.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Umar Ibin Al Khattab narrated that he heard Allah's Messenger say,<br />'If you were to trust in Allah genuinely, He would give you provision as He does for the birds which go out hungry in the morning and come back full in the evening'<br />[at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah sahih]. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Also, we need to stop thinking that having done a good where things did not work out as we expected would have turned out differently if we had done the wrong thing instead. Let us say one of us goes to an interview in hijab and then is denied the job. To assume that it was because of the hijab is wrong. We have to remember that this person can not keep Allah's Qadr from us. This interviewer can not stop what Allah wants to happen from happening.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Ibin Abbas narrated that one day he was riding behind Allah's Messenger and he said, "Young man, if you are mindful of Allah, He will be mindful of you, and if you are mindful of Allah, you will find Him before you. When you ask for anything, ask it from Allah, and if you seek help, seek help in Allah. Know that if the people were to unite to do you some benefit, they could benefit you only what Allah has recorded for you, and if they were to unite to do you some injury, they could injure you only with what Allah has recorded for you. The pens are withdrawn and the pages are dry<br />[Ahmad and at-Tirmidhi sahih]. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Also,</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Allah's Apostle (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:<br />A strong believer is better and is more lovable to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone, (but) cherish that which gives you benefit (in the Hereafter) and seek help from Allah and do not lose heart, and if anything (in the form of trouble) comes to you, don't say: If I had not done that, it would not have happened so and so, but say: Allah did that what He had ordained to do and your "if" opens the (gate for the Satan)<br />[Sahih Muslim, 32, #6441] </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Also, we need to accept that not getting the job was indeed best for us.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Suhaib reported that Allah's Messenger said, "It is remarkable that everything turns out well for a believer while that applies only to a believer. If happiness befalls him, he gives thanks, and it turns out well for him, and if misfortune befalls him, he shows endurance (patience) and it turns out well for him<br />[Sahih Muslim] </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">We need to stop thinking that the key to the truth is only what we can understand or what we know. There is a point when we have to submit, be Muslims and say, labaik Allahuma Labaik. We have to obey without fighting it because we know that there is Justice and Mercy in it, even though we can not see it right now. When the verse of hijab was revealed, the ansar women went and immediately covered themselves.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: Safiyyah, daughter of Shaybah, said that Aisha mentioned the women of Ansar, praised them and said good words about them. She then said: When Surah an-Nur came down, they took the curtains, tore them and made head covers (veils) of them.<br />[Sunan Abu Dawud: Book 32, #4089] </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">They did not analyse it, or think about how this is an oppression for women or a humiliation or anything of this sort, they obeyed. When the verse forbidding alcohol was revealed, the companions literally spat it out of their mouths. No arguing, no questioning. They trusted that Allah Knows Best. We need to stop worshipping our minds so much and start worshipping Allah more. We need to stop trusting our minds so much and trust Allah more.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Trusting in Allah means that when we hear a command, we obey it. We recognize that we are limited and that Allah has no limits. He Knows what we do not know. We do not try to explain away the commands of Allah by saying that it is for another time or another people. We don not say that what Allah has commanded for us is oppressive. We accept and obey. This is faith and trust.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Narrated Imran ibn Husayn: The Apostle of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: Seventy thousand people of my Ummah would be admitted into Paradise without rendering any account. They (the companions) said: Who would be those (fortunate persons)? He (the Prophet) said: Those who do not cauterise and practise charm, but repose trust in their Lord<br />[Sahih Muslim: Book 1, #422]. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">There is much reward in trusting Allah, paradise. There is sin in distrusting Him. We need to stop relying on our desires our minds our version of logic and realize that Allah is the one who Knows while we know not. Allah is the Wise, and His judgements are wise by default. Allah is the Just and His verdicts are Just by default. We can not see everything in every issue as Allah can, so why do we insist on believing that our minds can be trusted before or instead of Allah?</span><br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I pray to You, O Allah, to make us trust you and only you. May you make us of the Trusting and keep us from trusting or worshipping our minds before you.<br />Ameen.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://selectislam.blogspot.com/2009/05/taqwah.html">Taqwah</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body" id="post-4462345090697150626"><style>#fullpost{display:none;}</style><br /><p><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: verdana"><span style="COLOR: rgb(153,153,102); FONT-FAMILY: verdana" font="">Have you ever thought that we’ve forgotten all about death, the punishment in the grave, being accountable for our actionsand basically why we were created?<br />You see we have lost the fear of God (Taqwah) in our hearts. Taqwah is such a powerful tool that if one acquires it then they will never be involved in crime or meaningless actions fora million, billion, trillion years…(a long time if you know what I mean.)<br /><br /><br />So what is Taqwah all about then and how can one become God-fearing (muttaqi)? What is Taqwah? This is a question once asked by Abdullah ibn Umar (radiAllahu anhu) of Ubbay ibn Ka’ab (radiAllahu anhu). He replied:<br />‘...have you ever walked on a path full of thorns?’<br /><br />Umar (radiAllahu anhu) replied: ‘yes I have’. Ubbay (radiAllahu anhu) asked again ‘what would you do when you are walking on such a path?’<br /><br />Umar (radiAllahu anhu) answered: I will walk carefully to avoid the thorns.’<br /><br />Ubbay (radiAllahu anhu) then said: ‘That is Taqwa.’<br /><br /><br />Just as a person walks carefully on apath of thorns to avoid being pricked, Taqwah causes a person to have a conscience and be careful in their daily life. To always think and question will my actions please Allah Ta'ala and are they within the shariah or will they be pleasing shaitaan?<br /><br /><br />Taqwah means ‘god consciousness’ – to remember Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala) is watching everything we do. That we will be questioned on the Day of judgement by Him and be accountable for every second of our lives. If one attains this high state of mind then that person is said to have Taqwah.<br /><br /><br />Stages of Taqwah<br /><br />There are many stages of Taqwah, which means that for every group of people there isa different stage of Taqwah to achieve.<br /><br />1. For non-Muslims it means to embrace Islam.<br />2. For a Muslim it means to abstain from Haram and to practise fara’iz(obligatory commands).<br />3. A further stage is also to avoid makruhaat (disliked actions) and to practise all kinds of Sunnah.<br />4. The next stage of Taqwah is to purify the heart from all kinds of evil things and to decorate it with good qualities such as to only fear Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) and to love Allah Ta'ala and His Prophet<img src="http://www.geocities.com/mutmainaa/saws.jpg" /><br /><br /><br />Different forms of Taqwa<br /><br />You’re probably thinking ‘it all sounds OK but how can I actually put this in to action, mate?’. You see, every organ of the body has a special form of Taqwah.The more organs of the body are steadfast on the requirements of Taqwah, the higher stage one achieves.<br />It does not become complete until all parts of the body stick to the commands of Shariah. So check this out:<br /><br />Tongue:<br />Always have something good to say and try to abstain from backbiting, lying and the famous swear words. Words such as ‘al-hamdulillah, masha'Allah, jaza-kallah’ etc. should be spoken on a regular basis. Reading the Qur'an and other books of Islam regularly will help you in achieving Taqwa.<br /><br />Ears:<br />Not to listen to dodgy music i.e. Tupac and his sixty billion ‘F’ words should be chucked in the bin for starters. Get your Talawat and nasheed tapes out and see the difference.<br /><br />Eyes:<br />Not to lustfully gaze at the opposite sex when you’re out and about, stay away from ‘adult’ movies and magazines....if you know what I mean. Once you’ve mastered this you’re half way there.<br /><br />Stomach:<br />Abstain from haram food and drink i.e. No booze, Big Mac, gelatine, animal fat etc.<br /><br />Hands:<br />Not to harm anyone unjustly – in other words don’t get involved in pointless gang wars, punch ups etc. A Muslim man should not touch a non-mahram woman ... so the message isto keep your hands to yourselves lads. It’s all about self-control.<br /><br />Feet:<br />Not to go to places of sin – pubbing and clubbing come to mind.<br /><br />Heart:<br />Love and hate only for the sake of Allah and you will never go wrong.<br /><br />Private Parts:<br />To abstain from adultery, fornication and other forms of sex that is unlawful.<br /><br />A bit heavy isn’t it? Who d’you think I am - the Virgin Mary or something may be your reaction. Well you have to understand that to achieve the above is to achieve perfection so it will take time, effort, commitment and struggle.<br />The only way to achieve real Taqwah isthe way by which the Sahabah, the Tabi’een and our predecessors achieved this objective and that is through the company and guidance of a pious and spiritual guide/teacher.<br /><br />The Sahabah (companions of the Prophet) achieved it from the Prophet <img src="http://www.geocities.com/mutmainaa/saws.jpg" />, the Tabi’een (generation that followed the Sahabah) achieved it from the Sahabah, the great Imams and other predecessors reached this objective from the Tabi’een. (What?*! Read theselines a couple times then you’ll get it!).<br /><br />None of our predecessors achieved it merely through self - study. So if you want nearness of Allah and His Messenger find a guide for yourself in whose company you can achieve piety Now for many of us this is what wewould like to do but feel it is a bigstep to take at this moment in time</span></span></p><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: verdana"><span style="COLOR: rgb(153,153,102); FONT-FAMILY: verdana" font=""><h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://selectislam.blogspot.com/2009/05/power-of-iman.html">The Power of Iman</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body" id="post-1429225592036640496"><style>#fullpost{display:none;}</style><br /><p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold" align="center"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #004080; FONT-FAMILY: verdana"></span></p><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #004080; FONT-FAMILY: verdana"><span style="COLOR: #004080; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The popular belief is that if a young person grows up used to doing something, he or she shall grow old doing the same thing, and if he or she grows old doing that same thing, he or she will die doing it.<br /><br /><br />This belief is generally true because there is an age at which young people learn things and accept new ideas; after that a person becomes less likely to accept change and is settled in his or her behaviour.<br /><br />There is, however, an exception to this general rule – and that is if <i>iman</i> establishes itself in the heart of a person. Everything changes and age does not pose an obstacle or difficulty.<br /><br />Examples of course abound but we shall study two examples of a man and a woman whose entire outlook on life in general changed because of their iman. We shall look on some other examples and the effect of Islam and iman on them.<br /><br /><br />But first the man. He Umar ibn Al Khattab (radiAllahu anhu) who in his days of pre-Islam (Jahilliyah – religious ignorance) had such an unpredictable mind that he worshipped a god (an idol) made of sweets. One day he felt hungry and ate his idol.<br /><br />It is also related that following the customs of his time, he buried a young daughter of his, alive. His daughter was removing the dust from his beard whilst he was digging her grave….his fatherhood was not even aroused by this!<br /><br />But when Islam appeared and he began to hear verses of the Holy Qur'an being recited a gradual change was put into motion.<br />He related that he was ‘charmed’ by the words of the Holy Qur’an and one day as he was trying to convince himself that these words cannot be more than words of a poet, he overheard the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) reciting the verses of Surat Al Haqqah saying:<br /><br /><i>"So, I do call to witness what you see and what you see not that this is verily the word of an honoured messenger. It is not the word of a poet. Little it is you believe."</i><br /><br />Then, he thought to himself: "It must be the word of a soothsayer."<br /><br />But the recitation continued:<br /><br /><i>"Nor is it the word of a soothsayer. Little admonition it is you receive. This is a Message sent down from the Lord of the Worlds."</i><br /><br /><br />Islam and true iman transformed this man. His mind is now free…so much so that he chopped off the tree under which the treaty of (Al-Hudaybiyeh) was signed lest people, after a while, treated it as something sacred.<br /><br />And he stands facing the Black Stone in (Al-Ka'bah) saying:<br /><br />"Oh Stone. I kiss you knowing that you neither benefit or cause harm. Had not I seen the Messenger of Allah kiss you, I would never have kissed you."<br /><br /><br />Of his mercy, kindness and fear of Allah stories abound; his kindness and generosity to Muslims and non-Muslims, to man and beast is best shown by this saying after he became Khlifah:<br /><br />"If a mule trips in the land of the Euphrates, Allah would hold me responsible and ask me why I did not make proper pathways."<br /><br />Glorified be Allah Who changes the hearts and conditions of men.<br /><br /><br />And the woman is a well-known poetess named (Al-Khansa’a) who during the period of (Jahilliyah) lost a half-brother of hers in tribal feuds, and she wrote a whole volume of poems mourning her brother (Sakhr).<br /><br />She was so shocked and saddened by his death that she could not imagine life after him and even contemplated suicide as she stated in one of her poems:<br /><br />"Sunrise reminds me of (Sakhr) and I remember him every sunset".<br /><br />"And if it were not for the great number of mourners around me for their brothers, I would have killed myself."<br /><br /><br />Needless to say, she survived her brother’s death, married and had four male children. She became a Muslim along with her tribe, and that is when she became a changed person.<br /><br />Her iman made her accompany her four young men (her four sons)on Jihad. On the eve of a decisive battle, she sat with her sons advising them and urging them to discharge their Islamic duty and stand firm against the enemy. Amongst what she said was:<br /><br />"Oh my sons, you became Muslim by your own free will and emigrated by choice. You know what great rewards Allah has reserved for the Muslims who fight against the unbelievers. The House of Eternal Life is better than the House of the Temporary Life (meaning of this world). Allah, most high, says:<br /><br />"Oh you who believe, persevere in patience and constancy: vie in such perseverance, strengthen each other and fear Allah that you may prosper."<br /><br />"Tomorrow, go to your enemies with discerning and seek assistance and victory from Allah. When the battle is joined, go towards the heart of the enemy and fight off their leaders: you shall attain Eternal Bliss."<br /><br /><br />They fought like true believers and whenever any of them was not in the front line with his brothers, he was reminded of what their elderly mother had said. Eventually, all four men were martyred, one after the other.<br /><br />When the news of their martyrdom reached their mother, she did not mourn the way she mourned her brother. In true tradition of the Believers she said:<br /><br />"Praise be to Allah who has honoured me with their deaths. I trust that Allah will join me with them in His Mercy."<br /><br /><br />What strength did iman place in the arms of the youthful and diminutive Ali ibn Abi Talib (radiAllahu anhu) that enabled him to challenge the best swordsmen of Quraysh who thought no man (let alone a youth) could match their strength or fighting abilities. But, (as Allah says) "It was not you who slew them, it was Allah."<br /><br />And should anyone think that this is true of people of old; let us dispel this illusion and relate stories about Believers who lived more recently. Furthermore, history shall reveal stories about other men and women of our present age whose strength and courage startles the enemies.<br /><br /><br />Most of us know the Libyan hero, Umar Al-Mukhtar, who, armed with a sword or at best, a rifle fought the war machine of the Italian army. Both he and the Believers with him cost the Italian army great losses and many casualties. He kept saying to the occupiers: " If your canon breaks my sword, your falsehood shall never break my truth."<br /><br />When he was finally captured and sentenced to death, he accepted his fate with dignity and honour. Before execution, he was told: "Ask for a pardon, and we shall set you free." He refused, saying: "If you set me free, I shall fight you again!!"<br /><br /><br />And just over fifty years ago, there lived a gentle scholar named Abul Kalam A’aZad who stood in the dock of a British court, accused of incitement against British rule. In his defence, he delivered what can only be described as a historic document of thirty-six pages in which he said:<br /><br />" Yes, I did say the present government is unjust. What was I supposed to say? How is it that I am required not to call things by their true names? I am a Muslim, and as a Muslim, I am obliged to stand against tyranny and to tell the people about it."<br /><br />Then he went on to say:<br /><br />" Tawheed is the basis of Islam, and it’s opposite is shirk, which Muslims detest. And tawheed teaches Muslims that they should only fear Allah and humble themselves to him alone…whoever fears any other, apart from Allah, is mushrik…and shirk and tawheed are never destined to meet.<br /><br />From beginning to end, Islam is a call for courage and sacrifice. Death for the sake of the truth is not to be feared.<br /><br />Allah (awj) says:<br /><br />"And they fear none but Allah, and sufficient is Allah to call men to account." Allah (awj) also says:<br /><br />"Is not Allah sufficient for his servant? But they try to frighten you with other gods besides Him. For such as Allah leaves to stray, there can be no guide"<br /><br />Let the British government know that the Muslim whose Lord has commanded him to welcome death and not keep silent about the truth, is not frightened by the Indian Criminal Law No 124 and that law shall not stop him from being a Muslim and discharging his obligations.<br /><br />Then he turned to the judge and said:<br /><br />" As for you, judge, what else can I say to you except what the Believers before me who faced similar conditions said:<br /><br />"So decree whatever you desire to decree, for you can only decree in matters relating to the life of this world."<br />[Holy Qur’an] </span></span><p></p><span id="showlink" style="DISPLAY: none"><span style="color:#00ff80;"></span></span><script type="text/javascript"><br /> checkFull("post-" + "1429225592036640496");<br /> </script></div></span></span></div></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://selectislam.blogspot.com/2009/05/where-does-allah-fit-in-picture.html">Where Does Allah Fit in the Picture?</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><style>#fullpost{display:none;}</style><br /><p class="post-body"><p class="post-body" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)" align="center"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: verdana"></span></p><p class="post-body" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)" align="left"></p><div class="post-body"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-FAMILY: verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: verdana" font="">I have written and re-written this class a hundred times in my mind, ever since a sister told me a story. She told me about a young Muslim girl, the daughter of her friend. The girl was sitting in the company of some other girls and the conversation turned to boys. Typical.<br /><br />The girls were sitting outside the mosque at a picnic bench. While they were talking, a young man passed by, and he overheard one of the girls make a complimentary comment about his looks. Now, the comment was not meant for his ears, and he did not know which of the girls had made the comment. The young man, knowing that this was inappropriate behavior and conversation for the girls, went to the father of one of the girls.<br /><br />He told the man what had happened, and left it at that. Next, the father went to his daughter and asked her if she knew about this incident. She said that she did. She said she was present at the table and heard the comment, but did not know which one of them had said it. The father knew she was lying, but said nothing. He walked away, showing in his face that he was not pleased with the girl. Later, the girl was talking to this friend of mine, and related the incident. She told her how she did not know what to do because her father was angry with her. The sister looks at the girl and asks her why she lied. The girl answered that she did not want to get her friend in trouble. Now comes the part that truly made me think. So the sister said to her, "What kind of friend is worth displeasing Allah?"<br /><br />She told the young girl that she had failed at all the stages of the events to remember one key question, "Where does Allah fit into the picture?" Such a simple question, but such a massive meaning. The young girl had failed to think about Allah when she was talking about boys. She had failed to think about Allah when she heard the inappropriate comment. She had failed to think about Allah when she lied to her father. All these stages could have been avoided by thinking about her personal relationship with Allah, not her relationship with each of the people who had filled her day with fitnah and sin. Her love of her friends, in this case, seemed to overshadow her love for Allah.<br /><br />In a hadith Qudsi, Allah says, on the authority of Abu Sa'id (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: Let not one of you belittle himself.<br />They said: O Messenger of Allah, how can any one of us belittle himself? He said: He finds a matter concerning Allah about which he should say something, and he does not say [it], so Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says to him on the Day of Resurrection: What prevented you from saying something about such-and-such and such-and-such? He say: [It was] out of fear of people. Then He says: Rather it is I whom you should more properly fear.<br />[Ibn Majah]<br /><br />The girl had failed to put Allah into the picture. She should have changed the conversation of her friends instead of participating in it. She should have advised her friend and admonished her when she made the comment. She should never have lied. Too often we all fail to fit Allah into the picture. We need to make sure we remember that Allah is the Most Aware of what we are saying and doing and that His Great Knowledge is everywhere.<br /><br />In hadith Gibriel, we see where Gibriel came to Rasool Allah and asked him several questions, among them was: "...What is Ihsan (perfection)?" Allah's Apostle replied, "To worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, He sees you..."<br />[Sahih al-Bukhari 1,2:47]<br /><br />We need to consider Allah with the sure knowledge that He sees us. He knows what we are doing, saying, thinking, feeling etc... We need to make sure that the actions we make in front of Allah are those we want Him to see. Allah says, And keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and whatever good you send before for yourselves, you shall find it with Allah; surely Allah sees what you do. [2:110].<br />And the parable of those who spend their property to seek the pleasure of Allah and for the certainty 'of their souls is as the parable of a garden on an elevated ground, upon which heavy rain falls so it brings forth its fruit twofold but if heavy rain does not fall upon it, then light rain (is sufficient); and Allah sees what you do. [2:265].<br /><br />We need to keep thinking about Allah. We can not allow love for our family, friends or society to divert us from what is truely important:<br /><i>worshipping Allah, and attaining Jannah.</i><br /><br />Allah warns us about our devotion to the things of this life and how it diverts us from what is truly important. This diversion will lead us to an evil end while remembering Allah will bring us the greatest of blessings. Allah says, Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception. [3:185].<br /><br />We need to constantly remember Allah. Keep Him in the picture, you can say. We need to hold fast to our deen and use our remembrance of Allah as a way to help us be stronger. Allah says, And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah's favor on you; for you were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, you became brethren; and you were on the brink of the pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. This is how Allah makes His Signs clear to you: That you may be guided. [3:103].<br /><br />The reward for remembering Allah is immense. Allah says, Surely the men who submit and the women who submit, and the believing men and the believing women, and the obeying men and the obeying women, and the truthful men and the truthful women, and the patient men and the patient women and the humble men and the humble women, and the almsgiving men and the almsgiving women, and the fasting men and the fasting women, and the men who guard their private parts and the women who guard, and the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember-- Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a mighty reward. [33:35]<br /><br />Our greatest challenge is to achieve Ihsan. It is hard to think of Allah being present when we don't see Him, but it needs to be our goal to achieve this level of faith. Another young girl I used to know told me about a school trip she took. She had decided to go with her class to a Broadway play that had been brought to her town. She knew it was not appropriate, but she just wanted to see it, to experience it. As she sat there, in the audience, while the men and women were singing and dancing on stage, she said that she suddenly became very scared. She remembered something I had taught her before. She realized that if she died in this place, she would be raised like this on the day of Judgement. She remembered Allah. She said that all she could do was pray to Allah to let her leave this place alive and to forgive her. She did not want to die here and be raised in this condition before Allah on the day of Judgement. I was so proud of her this day, for she had experienced Ihsan, recognition that Allah Sees her. I pray Allah give us all the ability to experience it and to make it a part of us. Our Prophet tells us that the more we do to please Allah, the more dear we become to Him and He to us.<br /><br />Abu Huraira narrated Allah's Apostle said, "Allah said, 'I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved things with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection (Refuge), I will protect him; (i.e. give him My Refuge) and I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of the believer, for he hates death, and I hate to disappoint him."<br />[Sahih al-Bukhari 8,76:509]<br /><br /><br />O Allah, make us of those who remember you. O Allah, make us of those who love and fear you. O Allah make us of those who please you. O Allah make us of those who live and die for you. Salat wa salaam ala rasul Allah.<br />[Ameen.]<br /><br />Subhanak Allahuma wa bihamdik (Glory & praise/gratitude is to You). O Allah, ash-hadu alla illaha illa Ant (I bear witness there is none that has the right to my worship but You), astaghfiruka wa'a tubu illaik (I ask Your forgiveness and repent unto You.)<br />[Ameen] </span></span></div><div class="post-body"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-FAMILY: verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: verdana" font=""><h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://selectislam.blogspot.com/2009/05/justice-in-islam.html">Justice in Islam</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body" id="post-1181705514067722053"><style>#fullpost{display:none;}</style><br /><p><center style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: verdana"><span style="COLOR: #330066; FONT-FAMILY: verdana" font="">"God enjoins justice and kindess, and giving to kinsfolk, and forbids indecency and abomination and wickedness."<br />[surah Nahl; 16:90]<br /><br /><br /></span></span></center><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: verdana"><span style="COLOR: #330066; FONT-FAMILY: verdana" font="">Justice is perhaps the most important of the supreme values of Islam. In fact, it can be said that the main purpose of revelation and the tasks of Prophets (alayhum salam) has been to establish Justice.<br /><br />Thus, one of the early scholars of Islam has said that "Where the signs of Justice appear and its face is shown in any way, that is where the Law of God and His religion are found."<br /><br /><br />Justice is the first principle of social life. It can be shown to govern all relations in life: between ruler and ruled, rich and poor, husband and wife, parents and children.<br /><br />Even in the ordering of an individual's personal habits, justice must be done to the respective requirements of body, mind and spirit. As we have seen, it is unjust, for example, to neglect your body and its needs in search of spiritual development.<br /><br /><br />In all Islamic instituations, justice can be seen to be operating: in the lines of congregational salat where no one has precedence over another by virtue of power, wealth or rank; in the equality of all before the law such that no one, whether ruler or criminal turned "prosecution witness", can claim immunity; in the family where no preference should be shown by a parents to one child over others and so on.<br /><br /><br />In all your dealing, you are required to stand firmly for justice even if it be against yourself and your kith and kin, for love too can lead to injustice.<br /><br /><i>O you who believe! Be firm in justice as witnesses for God, even in cases against yourselves, your parents or your kin"</i><br />[surah Nisa; 4: 135]<br /><br /><i>And if you give your word, you must be just, even though it be against your kin, and fulfil the covenant of God. For that is what He has Commanded you that you may remember."</i><br />[surah An'am; 6: 152]<br /><br /><br />The fear of committing injustice may even prevent the doing of an act that is otherwise permissible. In fact one of the derived principles of the Shar'iah is that all permissible things are permissible provided that no damage or harm results to others from their practice and that in the event that such damage or harm is suspected or confirmed, the permissible shall be prohibited to avert such damage or harm. </span></span><script type="text/javascript"><br /> checkFull("post-" + "1181705514067722053");<br /> </script></div></span></span></div><a name="8588738425636366461"></a></div></div>Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-26560023499585941352009-09-23T02:54:00.000-07:002009-09-23T02:55:33.441-07:00AYAT<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/ayat-al-kursi.html">Ayat al Kursi</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />- آية الكرسي -<br />Ayat al-Kursi is verse 255 of the second chapter (Surah) of the Holy Quran, Surat al-Baqarah (The Chapter of the Cow)Below is the Arabic text, the transliteration, and the English translation and then some of the benefits of reciting this verse, the Verse of the Throne:<br />اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ لاَ تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلاَ نَوْمٌ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلاَ يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلاَّ بِمَا شَاءَ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَلاَ يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ<br />Allahu la ilaha illa huwa, Al -Haiyul-Qaiyum La ta'khudhuhu sinatun wa la nawm lahu ma fi as-samawati wa ma fil-'ard Man dhal-ladhi yashfa'u 'indahu illa bi-idhnihi Ya'lamu ma bayna aydihim wa ma khalfahum wa la yuhituna bi shai'in min 'ilmihi illa bima sha'a Wasi'a kursiyuhus-samawati wal ard wa la ya'uduhu hifdhuhuma wa Hu wal 'Aliyul-Adheem<br />"Allah! There is no god but He - the Living, The Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him Nor Sleep. His are all things In the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede In His presence except As he permitteth? He knoweth What (appeareth to His creatures As) Before or After or Behind them. Nor shall they compass Aught of his knowledge Except as He willeth. His throne doth extend Over the heavens And on earth, and He feeleth No fatigue in guarding And preserving them, For He is the Most High. The Supreme (in glory)."[Surah al-Baqarah 2: 255]Vitrues of reciting Ayat al Kursi<br />Ubayy bin Ka'b (radiAllahu anhu) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Abu Mundhir! Do you know which Ayah in Allah's Book is the greatest? I said: 'Allah and His messenger know best.'He (peace be upon him) again said: 'Do you know which Ayah in Allah's Book, according to you, is the greatest?' I (Abu Mundhir) replied: ‘It is 'Allah la ilaha illa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyum'.[2:255].Thereupon he (peace be upon him) patted me in the chest and said, ' Rejoice by your knowledge, O Abu Mundhir! (i.e, may this knowledge be a source of respect, honour and benefit to you)'."[Muslim] Asma' bint Yazid (radiAllahu anhu) reported, 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say about these two following Ayahs, i.e, verses: "Allah! There is no god but He - the Living, The Self-subsisting, Eternal. [2:255], And, Alif Lam Mim, Allah! There is no god but He - the Living, The Self-subsisting, Eternal [3:1-2], That they contain Allah's Greatest Name."[Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal in his Musnad] It was narrated that Abu Umamah Al-Bahili (radiAllahu anhu) said: The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: "Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi immediately after each prescribed Prayer, there will be nothing standing between him and his entering Paradise except death." [an-Nasa'i, Ibn Hibban, ibn Sunni, at-Tabarani, ibn Hibban - Sahih] Abu Dhar (radiAllahu anhu) said; O Messenger of Allah, what is the greatest thing that has been revealed to you?’ He said, Ayat al-Kursi, 'Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa' [an-Nasa'i] When you lie down in your bed, recite ayat al-Kursi, Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists… [al-Baraqah 2:255] until the end of the ayah, then you will have a protector from Allah and no shaytan (devil) will come near you until morning comes[Sahih al-Bukhari] It was narrated from Abu Hurairah (RadiAllahu anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: "In Surat Al-Baqarah there is a verse which is the best of all the verses of the Qur’an. It is never recited in a house but Shaitan leaves: Ayat Al-Kursi." Everything has its pinnacle and the pinnacle of the Qur’an is Surah al-Baqarah. In it there is an ayah which is the greatest in the Qur’an: Ayat al-Kursi[at-Tirmidhi] It is reported by way of Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhu) that someone used to come upon him and take from the charity – which the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) had made him guardian over – night after night, so on the third night, he said: "I will report you to the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam), the man said: 'Let me teach you some phrases with which Allah will cause you benefit’ – they were very eager for good – so he said: 'When you go to, read Ayat al-kursi (Verse 255 of Surah Al-Baqarah) completely, for there is still upon you from Allah a guardian, and no shaitan can get close to you until you enter upon morning.' Then he (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: "He told you the truth and he is a liar, (that was a shaitan). [Sahih Al-Bukhari]Ali ibn abu Talib (RadiAllahu anhu) narrates, "I cannot understand how a person, who is a Muslim, and owner of reason (intellect) can spend the night without reading Ayat al Kursi. If you knew the benefits of it, then you will never discard it under any condition".Abdullah bin Mas'ud (radiAllahu anhu) narrates that a person said to Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam): "O Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam), teach me something through which Allah I will give me benefit." He said: "Continue reciting Ayatul Kursi. This will be a means of protection for you, your children and even those houses which are near your house."It is reported from Anas (radiAllahu anhu) that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) asked a certain companion if he was married. He replied. "I do not have so much money as to get married." RasulAllah (peace and blessings be upon him) said "Do you know Surat al-Ikhlas?" He replied: "Yes". RasulAllah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) remarked: "That equals to a quarter of the Qur’an. Do you know Surat al-Kafirun?" He replied: "Yes." RasulAllah (peace and blessings be upon him) said "it equals to a quarter of the Qur'an". He further asked “do you know Surat al-Zilzal?” He replied, “yes.” RasulAllah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: "That equals to a quarter of the Qur’an. Do you know Surat al-Fath?" He replied: "Yes". RasulAllah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: "That equals to a quarter of the Qur’an. Do you know Ayat al-Kursi?" He replied: "Yes". RasulAllah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: "That equals to a quarter of the Qur’an. Get married, get married, get married!"Abu Umamah (radiAllahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said that the ismullahi al- a'dham (The Greatest Name of Allah), through which Allah assuredly fulfils people's needs, is contained in three surahs in the Qur'an: al-Baqarah, Al Imran and Taha. Abu Umamah (radiAllahu anhu) says that when he searched for the ismullahi al- a'dham, he found it to be in Ayat al-kursi (2:255); and in Surah Al-’Imran (3:2); and in Surah Taha (20:111).[al-Hakim, ibn Majah, at-Tabarani, at-Tahawi, and others]It is reported by at-Tabarani that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: "The one who recites Ayat al-kursi after the conclusion of an obligatory prayer, he is under the care of Allah until the next prayer commences."[at-Tabaraani’s At Targheeb wat-Tarheeb (2:435)]Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-23508247906252846012009-09-23T02:49:00.000-07:002009-09-23T02:51:26.159-07:00AYAHS<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/luqman-advice-to-his-son.html">Luqman's advice to his son</a><br />"And (remember) when Luqman said to his son when he was advising him: "O my son! Do not join others in worship with Allah. Indeed, joining others in worship with Allah is the highest wrong-doing."<br />And we have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is two years – give thanks to Me and to your parents – unto Me is the final destination.<br />But if they (both) strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not, but behave with them in the world kindly, and follow the path of him who turns to Me in repentance and obedience. Then to Me will be your return, and I shall tell you what you used to do.<br />"O my son! If it be (anything) equal to the weight of a grain of mustard seed, and though it be (hidden) in a rock, or in the heavens or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth. Indeed, Allah is Subtle (in bringing out that grain), Well-Aware (of its place).<br />"O my son! Establish Salah, enjoin al-Ma’ruf (right) and forbid al-Munkar (wrong), and bear with patience whatever befalls you. Indeed, these are some of the important commandments ordered by Allah with no exemption."And turn not your face away from men with pride, nor walk (arrogantly) through the eath. Indeed, Allah likes not each arrogant boaster."And be moderate (or show no insolence) in your walking, and lower your voice. Indeed, the harshest of all voices is the voice (braying) of the Ass."[Surah Luqman; 31:13-19]<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/my-favourite-ayahs.html">My Favourite Ayahs</a><br />Glory to God Most High, full of Grace and Mercy;Peace and Blessings be upon His slave Muhammad,Along with his family and companionsIndeed all the words in the Qur'an are full of greatness, beauty and awe. Below is a collection of some of the ayahs which touch me:To Allah belong the east and the West: Whithersoever ye turn, there is the presence of Allah. For Allah is all-Pervading, all-Knowing[Al-Baqarah; 2: 115]Say: "If the ocean were ink (wherewith to write out) the words of my Lord, sooner would the ocean be exhausted than would the words of my Lord, even if we added another ocean like it, for its aid."[Al-Kahaf; 18 109]Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; a likeness of His light is as a niche in which is a lamp, the lamp is in a glass, (and) the glass is as it were a brightly shining star, lit from a blessed olive-tree, neither eastern nor western, the oil whereof almost gives light though fire touch it not-- light upon light-- Allah guides to His light whom He pleases, and Allah sets forth parables for men, and Allah is Cognizant of all things.[Al-Noor; 24: 35]And the servants of the Beneficent are they who walk on the earth in humbleness, and when the ignorant address them, they say: Peace.[Al-Furqan; 25 :63]Our lord! condemn us not if we forget or fall into err. Our lord! lay not on us a burden like that who thou didst lay on those before us. Our lord! lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear, and grant us forgiveness. have mercy on us. thou art our protection, help us against those who stand against faith[Al-Baqarah; 2: 286]Had We sent down this Quran on a mountain, you would certainly have seen it falling down, splitting asunder because of the fear of Allah, and We set forth these parables to men that they may reflect.[Al-Hashr; 59: 21]But ah! thou soul at peace! Return unto thy Lord, content in His good pleasure! So enter among My servants, And enter into My garden.[Al-Fajr; 89: 27-30]And the soul and Him Who made it perfect, Then He inspired it to understand what is right and wrong for it; He will indeed be successful who purifies it, And he will indeed fail who corrupts it.[Al-Shams; 91: 7-10]O man! What has made you careless concerning your Lord, the Most Generous?[Al-Infitar] Surely We will try you by means of fear, and hunger, and loss of worldly goods, of lives, of produce; but give glad tidings to those who are patient, and, when an affliction befalls them, they say, 'Surely we belong to God, and to Him we shall return.[al- Baqarah 2: 155-6]Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to Allah, works righteousness, and says, 'I am of those who bow in Islam.'[41: 33]O ye who believe! bow down, prostrate yourselves and adore your lord; and do good, that ye may prosper[22: 77]Whoever holds fast to God, he has been guided onto the Straight Path.[Al 'Imran 3: 101] Is there any Reward for Good - other than Good?[55: 60] Verily We have created man in the cradle of suffering. [90: 4] O man! what has seduced thee from thy Lord Most Beneficient?[82: 6] Do ye not see that Allah has subjected to your (use) all things in the heavens and on earth, and has made his bounties flow to you in exceeding measure, (both) seen and unseen? Yet there are among men those who dispute about Allah, without knowledge and without guidance, and without a Book to enlighten them![Surah Luqman; 31:20] With Him are the keys of the unseen, the treasures that none knoweth but He. He knoweth whatever there is on the earth and in the sea. Not a leaf doth fall but with His knowledge: there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth, nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered), but is (inscribed) in a record clear (to those who can read).[Surah Al-An'am; 6:59] The Believers, men and women, are protectors one of another: they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil: they observe regular prayers, practise regular charity, and obey Allah and His Messenger. On them will Allah pour His mercy: for Allah is Exalted in power, Wise.[Surah Tauba; 9:71]Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-32106870769194406092009-09-23T02:28:00.000-07:002009-09-23T02:44:08.784-07:00ALLAH<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/where-does-allah-fit-in-picture.html">Where Does Allah Fit in the Picture?</a><br />I have written and re-written this class a hundred times in my mind, ever since a sister told me a story. She told me about a young Muslim girl, the daughter of her friend. The girl was sitting in the company of some other girls and the conversation turned to boys. Typical.The girls were sitting outside the mosque at a picnic bench. While they were talking, a young man passed by, and he overheard one of the girls make a complimentary comment about his looks. Now, the comment was not meant for his ears, and he did not know which of the girls had made the comment. The young man, knowing that this was inappropriate behavior and conversation for the girls, went to the father of one of the girls.He told the man what had happened, and left it at that. Next, the father went to his daughter and asked her if she knew about this incident. She said that she did. She said she was present at the table and heard the comment, but did not know which one of them had said it. The father knew she was lying, but said nothing. He walked away, showing in his face that he was not pleased with the girl. Later, the girl was talking to this friend of mine, and related the incident. She told her how she did not know what to do because her father was angry with her. The sister looks at the girl and asks her why she lied. The girl answered that she did not want to get her friend in trouble. Now comes the part that truly made me think. So the sister said to her, "What kind of friend is worth displeasing Allah?"She told the young girl that she had failed at all the stages of the events to remember one key question, "Where does Allah fit into the picture?" Such a simple question, but such a massive meaning. The young girl had failed to think about Allah when she was talking about boys. She had failed to think about Allah when she heard the inappropriate comment. She had failed to think about Allah when she lied to her father. All these stages could have been avoided by thinking about her personal relationship with Allah, not her relationship with each of the people who had filled her day with fitnah and sin. Her love of her friends, in this case, seemed to overshadow her love for Allah.In a hadith Qudsi, Allah says, on the authority of Abu Sa'id (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: Let not one of you belittle himself.They said: O Messenger of Allah, how can any one of us belittle himself? He said: He finds a matter concerning Allah about which he should say something, and he does not say [it], so Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says to him on the Day of Resurrection: What prevented you from saying something about such-and-such and such-and-such? He say: [It was] out of fear of people. Then He says: Rather it is I whom you should more properly fear.[Ibn Majah]The girl had failed to put Allah into the picture. She should have changed the conversation of her friends instead of participating in it. She should have advised her friend and admonished her when she made the comment. She should never have lied. Too often we all fail to fit Allah into the picture. We need to make sure we remember that Allah is the Most Aware of what we are saying and doing and that His Great Knowledge is everywhere.In hadith Gibriel, we see where Gibriel came to Rasool Allah and asked him several questions, among them was: "...What is Ihsan (perfection)?" Allah's Apostle replied, "To worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, He sees you..."[Sahih al-Bukhari 1,2:47]We need to consider Allah with the sure knowledge that He sees us. He knows what we are doing, saying, thinking, feeling etc... We need to make sure that the actions we make in front of Allah are those we want Him to see. Allah says, And keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and whatever good you send before for yourselves, you shall find it with Allah; surely Allah sees what you do. [2:110].And the parable of those who spend their property to seek the pleasure of Allah and for the certainty 'of their souls is as the parable of a garden on an elevated ground, upon which heavy rain falls so it brings forth its fruit twofold but if heavy rain does not fall upon it, then light rain (is sufficient); and Allah sees what you do. [2:265].We need to keep thinking about Allah. We can not allow love for our family, friends or society to divert us from what is truely important:worshipping Allah, and attaining Jannah.Allah warns us about our devotion to the things of this life and how it diverts us from what is truly important. This diversion will lead us to an evil end while remembering Allah will bring us the greatest of blessings. Allah says, Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception. [3:185].We need to constantly remember Allah. Keep Him in the picture, you can say. We need to hold fast to our deen and use our remembrance of Allah as a way to help us be stronger. Allah says, And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah's favor on you; for you were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, you became brethren; and you were on the brink of the pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. This is how Allah makes His Signs clear to you: That you may be guided. [3:103].The reward for remembering Allah is immense. Allah says, Surely the men who submit and the women who submit, and the believing men and the believing women, and the obeying men and the obeying women, and the truthful men and the truthful women, and the patient men and the patient women and the humble men and the humble women, and the almsgiving men and the almsgiving women, and the fasting men and the fasting women, and the men who guard their private parts and the women who guard, and the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember-- Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a mighty reward. [33:35]Our greatest challenge is to achieve Ihsan. It is hard to think of Allah being present when we don't see Him, but it needs to be our goal to achieve this level of faith. Another young girl I used to know told me about a school trip she took. She had decided to go with her class to a Broadway play that had been brought to her town. She knew it was not appropriate, but she just wanted to see it, to experience it. As she sat there, in the audience, while the men and women were singing and dancing on stage, she said that she suddenly became very scared. She remembered something I had taught her before. She realized that if she died in this place, she would be raised like this on the day of Judgement. She remembered Allah. She said that all she could do was pray to Allah to let her leave this place alive and to forgive her. She did not want to die here and be raised in this condition before Allah on the day of Judgement. I was so proud of her this day, for she had experienced Ihsan, recognition that Allah Sees her. I pray Allah give us all the ability to experience it and to make it a part of us. Our Prophet tells us that the more we do to please Allah, the more dear we become to Him and He to us.Abu Huraira narrated Allah's Apostle said, "Allah said, 'I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved things with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection (Refuge), I will protect him; (i.e. give him My Refuge) and I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of the believer, for he hates death, and I hate to disappoint him."[Sahih al-Bukhari 8,76:509]O Allah, make us of those who remember you. O Allah, make us of those who love and fear you. O Allah make us of those who please you. O Allah make us of those who live and die for you. Salat wa salaam ala rasul Allah.[Ameen.]Subhanak Allahuma wa bihamdik (Glory & praise/gratitude is to You). O Allah, ash-hadu alla illaha illa Ant (I bear witness there is none that has the right to my worship but You), astaghfiruka wa'a tubu illaik (I ask Your forgiveness and repent unto You.)[Ameen]<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/allah.html">ALLAH</a><br />"He is Allah; there is no Allah but He...."[59:22] Allah is unique in terms of true Being. No other being can be said to exist 'of itself'. In fact, "Everything perishes except His Presence (Face)" [28:88]. It is probable that the name Allah occurs to indicate the Absolute in the same way that proper nouns denote particular things. Everything that can be said, however, in respect of the origin of the word is from the human point of view, that is, relative and arbitrary. As Allah breathed His Spirit on the human form it can aspire to actualize Allah's Qualities but the possibility of this occurring is limited and relative to our own natural disposition -- which Allah gave us -- and the extent of our directing our motivations and perceptions towards this goal. However, gaining knowledge of Allah's Most Beautiful Names and assuming them as noble or praiseworthy character traits whatever possible makes us in no way comparable to Allah's likeness. The Qur'an clearly states, "Naught is as His likeness" [16:74] nor should one consider that sharing in every quality means a likeness. Likeness is defined as sharing in a specific thing and in essence. A horse and a human being may both be swift but their likeness ends here. The meaning of the name Allah is so specific that it is inconceivable that there could be any sharing of the Name whether it be metaphorically or literally. In view of this, the rest of the Names are described as being the Names of Allâh and are defined in relation to Allâh. One may say that the Patient, the Compeller, and the Sovereign are among the Names of Allah but one cannot say that Allah is one of the Names of the Patient, the Compeller, the Sovereign. This is because the Name Allah, is more indicative of the true nature of the meaning of divinity and is, therefore, more specific. As a result, one dispenses with trying to define it by something else whereas the other Names are defined in relationship to the Name Allah. As the Qur'an says, "Do you know of any other that can be named with His Name?" [19:65]<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/on-remembering-allah.html">On Remembering Allah</a><br />Allah the All-mighty has said "Therefore remember me. I will remember you. be grateful to Me and never show me ingratitude".And He said: "Oh you who believe, remember Allah time and again."And He said; "And the men and women who remember Allah frequently, Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward."And He said: "And remember your Lord by your tongue and within yourself, humbly and in awe, without loudness, by words in the morning and in the afternoon, and be not among those who are neglectful."The Prophet (SalAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: "He who remembers his Lord and he who does not remember his Lord are like the living and the dead."And he RasulAllah (SalAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "shall i not tell you about the best of your works, the purest of your possesions, your most elevated station, the thing that is better for you than spending your gold and silver in the way of Allah, and better for you than meeting your enimies and slaying them and being slain?" "Oh yes" they said. He RasulAllah saws said "Rememberance of Almighty Allah."And He RasulAllah (SalAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: "Almighty Allah says, I am with my slave when he thinks of Me and I am with him when he mentions Me. For if he mentions Me to himself, I have mentioned him to Myself; and if he mentions Me in a gathering , I have mentioned him in a superior gathering. If he approaches Me by a hands width, I approach him by and arms length; and if he approaches Me with and arms length, I approach him by a miles length. And if he comes to Me walking, I hasten to him swiftly."Abdullah bin Busr related that a man asked the Prophet (SalAllahu alayhi wasalam) , "Oh Prophet saws, there are so many ways that we are permitted to worship Allah. Please give me a simple thing that i can do." The Prophet saws said "let your tongue always be moist with the rememberance of Allah."And he said: "Whoever reads one letter from the book of Allah, will receive one Hasana, and one Hasana comes with ten like it. I do not say that Alif Lam Mim is a letter. Indeed Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter and Mim is a letter."Uqbah bin Amir (radiAllahu anhu) said: "Whoever sits and does not mention the name of Allah before he rises will find it a cause of sorrow. whoever lies down to sleep and does not mention the name of Allah before rising will find it a cause of sorrow.£And the Prophet (SalAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "Whoever sits in an assembly of people who do not mention the name of Allah in their gathering, and who do not ask Allah for his blessings on their Prophet, will find it a cause of sorrow. And if He Allah wishes He will forgive them."And he (SalAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: "No people may rise from an assembly in which they have failed to mention the name of Allah, without it being as if they were getting off a dead donkeys rotting back, and it would be a cause of affliction for them<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/love-of-allah-ta.html">Love Of Allah Ta'ala</a><br />Imam ibn ul-Qayyim (rahimahullah) said:"The reasons which cause the mahabbah (love of Allah) to develop are ten:<br />Reciting the Qur'an, reflecting upon it and understanding its meanings; Drawing closer to Allah through the performance of optional deeds, after fulfilling the obligatory deeds;<br />Being continuous in the dhikr (remembrance) of Allah - in all circumstances - with the tongue, the heart and the limbs. The more constant the dhikr, the more mahabbah intensifies;<br />Giving precedence to what Allah loves - when being overcome with desires - over what one personally loves and desires;<br />Causing the heart to contemplate over the Names and Attributes of Allah. Being a witness to what they necessitate and causing the heart to be enlightened in the garden of this realization;<br />Witnessing the blessings and the favors of Allah - the apparent and the hidden; Subduing the heart and humbling it before Allah, causing it to be in awe of Him;<br />Being in seclusion during the time in which Allah descends to the lowest Heaven - reciting the Qur'an and finishing this recitation with seeking Allah's forgiveness and sincerely repenting to Him;<br />Sitting in the gatherings of the sincere and true lovers of Allah - reaping the benefits of their teachings and not speaking except when you know there is benefit in doing so and that such speech will increase you in good and benefit others as well;<br />Keeping clear from all those matters which will cause the heart to distance itself from Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.<br />So these are ten matters which cause the lover to reach the station of true love for Allah, so that he may then reach Allah, his Beloved.<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/contemplating-asma-al-husna.html">Contemplating the Asma al Husna</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />How to use the 99 Names of Allah in al Qur'anThere are the 99 Names or Attributes of Allah, that are working in every human being at all times. We are not aware of this. All our bodies are working with these Attributes.For example, there is the al-Basir attribute of Allah. Now how does that work? It works with your sight. Allah has given that to you.There is the Sami' attribute. How does that work? It works with your hearing. Allah has given these attributes to the human being and the human body is working with them. As we do Tafakkur, contemplative meditation, of these attributes working inside the body, we can see how they work. That's why Tafakkur carries so much importance. As a person does Taffakur, he gains strength from the Dhikr, Divine Remembrance. His 'ishq, his Divine Love, increases and he begins to feel a nearness to Allah. That's why in the Quran the word "Tafakkur" is mentioned often. The Taffakur of every Asma' causes an opening inside of a person.Tafakkur is practiced like this: through thinking you place the Asma into your brain and then you're not to speak at all and you're to try to listen to yourself. That Asma' will work on its own accord there. You can do this when you're going down the road, when you're lying down. You can do this at any time. No one will be aware of this. Only you will know, and it will make you feel more at ease.As you do the Tafakkur, the Asma will bring about certain changes in you. What's it going to do? Whatever is lacking in you may be opened with that Asma' . Every Asma has been given to humanity for goodness and beauty. That's why Allah says in the Quran-i Karim that these are the Asma al-husna, the Most Beautiful Names. He says, "Bear witness to all things created in the 'alam al-ghayb, (the unseen world)." There are many things in this 'alam al-ghayb that we cannot see. Have faith and you will see. This Âyah (Quranic verse) has come solely as testimony to this. These are working in every human being. So if a person can make Tafakkur work within himself together with these Asma, then he will be able to hear both the sound of beauty and goodness inside himself, and he will also be able to hear the sounds of the beauty and goodness that Allah has created outside.<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/attributes-of-allah-ta.html">The Attributes of Allah Ta'ala</a><br />"He is Allah, and there is no God beside Him, the Knower of the unseen and the seen. He is Gracious, the Merciful.He is Allah, and there is no God beside Him, the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace, the Bestower of Security, the Protector, the Mighty, the Subduer, the Exalted. Holy is Allah far above that which they associate with Him.He is Allah, the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner. His are the most Beautiful Names. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorifies Him, and He is the Mighty the Wise.[59: 23-25]Allah is the proper name of God, however He has many other names (and attributes) which He can be called. These attributes describe how Allah manifests Himself to us. God's attributes are innumerable since human intellect cannot possibly comprehend every aspect of the Supreme Being. It is not possible to perfectly translate the names and attributes of Allah from their original Arabic into English. However, here are some fairly close explanations. AllahADH-DHaahir Qur'aan [57:3] Al-3aalim Qur'aan [6:73] Al-3aDHeem Qur'aan [2:255] Al-3afuww Qur'aan [4:43] Al-3aleem Qur'aan [2:32] Al-3aliy Qur'aan [2:255] Al-3azeez Qur'aan [2:129] Al-7aafiDH Qur'aan [12:64] Al-7afeeDH Qur'aan [11:57] Al-7afiy Qur'aan [19:47] Al-7akeem Qur'aan [2:32] Al-7aleem Qur'aan [2:225] Al-7ameed Qur'aan [14:1] Al-7aq Qur'aan [10:32] Al-7aseeb Qur'aan [4:6] -7ayy Qur'aan [2:255] Al-a3laa Qur'aan [87:1] Al-a7ad Qur'aan [112:1] Al-aakhir Qur'aan [57:3] Al-akram Qur'aan [96:3] Al-awwal Qur'aan [57:3] Al-baari' Qur'aan [59:24] Al-baaTin Qur'aan [57:3] Al-barr Qur'aan [52:28] Al-baSeer Qur'aan [17:1] Al-fattaa7 Qur'aan [34:26] Al-ghaffaar Qur'aan [38:66] Al-ghafuur Qur'aan [10:107] Al-ghaniy Qur'aan [6:133] Al-ilaah Qur'aan [2:133] Al-jabbaar Qur'aan [59:23] Al-kabeer Qur'aan [13:9] Al-kareem Qur'aan [82:6] Al-khaaliq Qur'aan [59:24] Al-khabeer Qur'aan [6:18] Al-khallaaq Qur'aan [15:86]<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/asma-allah-ul-husna-names-of-god.html">ASMÂ ALLÂH UL HUSNÂ (NAMES OF GOD)</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />A collection of the Ninety-nine Most Beautiful Names of Allah, in English, with a brief explaination of each one.1. ALLAH- Allah.(1:1)(3:18)(5:109)(7:180)(8:40) (16:91)(20:8)(57:5)(65:3)(74:56) (85:20)(98:5) 2. AR-RAHMAN - The Beneficent.He who gives blessings and prosperity to all beings without showing disparity.(1:3)(17:110)(19:58)(21:112) (27:30)(36:52)(50:33)(55:1)(59:22) (78:38)3. AR-RAHIM - The Merciful.He who gives blessings and prosperity, particularly to those who use these gifts as Allah has said, and is merciful to the believers in the hereafter.(2:163)(3:31)(4:100)(5:3)(5:98) (11:41)(12:53)(12:64)(26:9)(30:5) (36:58)4. AL-MALIK - The Sovereign Lord.He who is the absolute king of the entire universe.(20:114)(23:116)(59:23)(62:1)(114:2)5. AL-QUDDUS - The Holy.He who is free from all error, absentmindedness, is free from incapability and from any kind of defect.(59:23) (62:1)6. AS-SALAM - The Source of Peace.He who frees his servants from all danger and obstruction. He who gives His greeting to those fortunate people in heaven.(59:23)7. AL-MUMIN - The Guardian of Faith.He who places faith in the heart of His servants, protects those who seek refuge in Him, and gives tranquillity.(59:23)8. AL-MUHAYMIN - The Protector.He who watches over and protects all things.(59:23)9. AL-AZIZ - The Mighty.The Unconquerable.(3:6) (4:158) (9:40) (9:71) (48:7) (59:23) (61:1)10. AL-JABBAR - The Compeller.He who repairs all broken things, who completes that which is incomplete, and who has the ability, with force, to make people do whatever He wants.(59:23)11. AL-MUTAKABBIR - The Majestic.He who shows His greatness in all things and in all ways.(59:23)12. AL-KHALIQ - The Creator.He who creates everything from nothing and creates all things with the knowledge of what will happen to them.(6:102) (13:16) (39:62)(40:62)(59:24)13. AL-BARI - The Evolver.He who creates all things in proportion.(59:24)14. AL-MUSAWWIR - The Fashioner.He who designs all things.(59:24)15. AL-GHAFFAR - The Forgiver.He who is all-forgiving.(20:82)(38:66)(39:5)(40:42)(71:10)16. AL-QAHHAR - The Subduer.He who is victorious and dominant in a way that He can do anything He wills.(13:16)(14:48)(38:65)(39:4)(40:16)17. AL-WAHHAB - The Bestower.He who donates all blessings to His creatures.(3:8)(38:9)(38:35)18. AR-RAZZAQ - The Provider.He who provides all things beneficial to His creatures.(51:58)19. AL-FATTAH - The Opener.He who opens the solution to all problems, and eliminates obstacles.(34:26)20. AL-ALIM - The All-Knowing.He who is all knowing.(2:158)(3:92)(4:35)(24:41)(33:40) (35:38)(57:6)21. AL-QABID - The Constrictor.He who constricts.(2: 245)22. AL-BASIT - The Expander.He who is the expander.(2:245)23. AL-KHAFID - The Abaser.He who diminishes or decreases.24. AL-RAFI - The Exalter.He who uplifts.25. AL-MUIZZ - The Honorer.He who makes one glorious, gives dignity, and treats one with respect.(3:26)26. AL-MUZILL - The Dishonorer.He who lowers and puts one in abasement and degradation.(3:26)27. AS-SAMI - The All-Hearing.He who hears everything.(2:127) (2:137) (2:256) (8:17) (49:1)28. AL-BASIR - The All-Seeing.He who sees everything.(4:58) (17:1) (42:11) (42:27) (57:4) (67:19)29. AL-HAKAM - The Judge.He who judges and provides what is due.(22:69)30. AL-ADL - The Just.The just one.(6:115)31. AL-LATIF - The Subtle One.He who knows the delicate meanings of everything. He who creates things most subtly, which cannot be understood by people, and He who gives blessings to people in the most subtleways.(6:103) (22:63) (31:16) (33:34) (67:14)33. AL-KHABIR - The Aware.He who has knowledge of the most secret parts of everything, and knows their inner meanings.(6:18) (17:30) (49:13) (59:18) (63:11)33. AL-HALIM - The Forbearing One.He who is clement.(2:225) (2:235) (17:44) (22:59) (35:41)34. AL-AZIM - The Great One.He who is magnificent.(2:255) (42:4) (56:96)35. AL-GHAFUR - The All-Forgiving.He who forgives all.(2:173) (8:69) (16:110) (41:32) (60:7)36. ASH-SHAKUR - The Appreciative.He who is grateful and gives rewards for deeds done for Him.(35:30) (35:34) (42:23) (64:17)37. AL-ALIYY - The Most High.He who is most high.(2:255) (4:34) (31:30) (42:4) (42:51)38. AL-KABIR - The Most Great.He who is most great.(13:9) (22:62) (31:30) (34:23) (40:12)39. AL-HAFIZ - The Preserver.He who preserves all things in detail, and for a time preserves them from misfortune and calamity.(11:57) (34:21) (42:6)40. AL-MUQIT - The Maintainer.He who sustains.(4:85)41. AL-HASIB - The Reckoner.He who knows in detail the account of things people do throughout their lives.(4:6) (4:86) (33:39)42. AL-JALIL - The Sublime One.He who has wealth, dominion and holiness.43. AL-KARIM - The Generous One.He who is generous.(27:40) (82:6)44. AR-RAQIB - The Watchful.He who observes all creatures, and every action is under His control.(4:1) (5:117)45. AL-MUJIB - The Responsive.The One who responds to every need.(11:61)46. AL-WASI - The All-Embracing.He who has limitless capacity and abundance.(2:115) (2:261) (2:268) (3:73) (5:54)47. AL-HAKIM - The Wise.He who has wisdom in all orders and actions.(2:129) (2:260) (31:27) (46:2) (57:1) (66:2)48. AL-WADUD - The Loving.He who loves those who do good and bestows on them His compassion. He who is the only one who should be loved and whose friendship is to be earned.(11:90) (85:14)49. AL-MAJID - The Most Glorious One.He who is most glorious.(11:73)50. AL-BAITH - The Resurrector.He who gives life to all creatures on the judgment day.(22:7)51. ASH-SHAHID - The Witness.He who is present everywhere and observes all things.(4:79)(4:166)(22:17)(41:53)(48:28)52. AL-HAQQ - The Truth.He whose existence has no change.(6:62)(22:6)(23:116)(24:25)(31:30)53. AL-WAKIL - The Trustee.He who provides a means to solve all problems in the best way.(3:173) (4:171) (28:28) (33:3) (73:9)54. AL-QAWI - The Most Strong.(22:40)(22:74)(42:19)(57:25)(58:21)55. AL-MATIN - The Firm One.(51:58)56. AL-WALI - The Protecting Friend.He who is the Friend of His righteous servants.(3:68) (4:45) (7:196) (42:28) (45:19)57. AL-HAMID - The Praiseworthy.He who is the only one to be praised and glorified and thanked by all creatures.(14:1) (14:8) (31:12) (31:26) (41:42)58. AL-MUHSI - The Reckoner.He who knows the number of all things although they cannot be counted, and knows each of them.59. AL-MUBDI - The Originator.He who has created for the first time all beings from nothing and without any model.(10:4)(10:34)(27:64)(29:19)(85:13)60. AL-MU'ID - The Restorer.He who restores all beings.(10:4)(10:34)(27:64)(29:19)(85:13)61. AL-MUHYI - The Giver of Life.He who gives life and health.(3:156) (7:158) (15:23)(30:50)(57:2)62. AL-MUMIT - The Creator of Death.He who creates death.(3:156) (7:158) (15:23) (57:2)63. AL-HAYY - The Alive.He is all-knowing and His strength is sufficient for everything.(2:255)(3:2)(20:111)(25:58)(40:65)64. AL-QAYYUM - The Self-Subsisting.He who holds the entire universe.(2:255) (3:2) (20:111)65. AL-WAJID - The Finder.He who finds whatever He wants in the time He desires.(38:44)66. AL-MAJID - The Noble.He whose highness is great, who is beneficent, and His munificence is rich.67. AL-WAHID - The Unique.He who is One in His actions, His Names, who has no partner or equal in His attributes, personality and orders.(2:163) (5:73) (9:31) (18:110) (37:4)68. AS-SAMAD - The Eternal.He who is the only being to apply to if one has any need to be competed or any troubles to be eliminated.(112:2)69. AL-QADIR - The Able.He who is able to do anything in the way He wills.(6:65) (36:81) (46:33) (75:40) (86:8)70. AL-MUQTADIR - The Powerful.He who is more powerful than any being.(18:45) (54:42) (54:55)71. AL-MUQADDIM - The Expediter.72. AL-MUAKHKHIR - The Delayer.He who delays whatever He wants.(71:4)73. AL-AWWAL - The First.(57:3)74. AL-AKHIR - The Last.(57:3)75. AZ-ZAHIR - The Manifest.(57:3)76. AL-BATIN - The Hidden.(57:3)77. AL-WALI - The Governor.He who directs, manages, conducts, governs, measures, plans every action which happens at any moment in the entire universe.78. AL-MUTA'ALI - The Most Exalted.He who is higher than any action, manner or condition, and any thought that any being may have. This Name indicates that Allah is higher than the most evolved thought of man.(13:9)79. AL-BARR - The Source of All Goodness.He who is tolerant to His servants, to all creatures, and is good to them.(52:28)80. AT-TAWWAB - The Acceptor of Repentance.(2:37) (2:128) (4:64) (49:12) (110:3)81. AL-MUNTAQIM - The Avenger.He who punishes wrongdoers.(32:22) (43:41) (44:16)82. AL-AFUW - The Pardoner.He who pardons all who repent sincerely as if they had no previous sin.(4:99) (4:149) (22:60)83. AR-RAUF - The Compassionate.He who is benign.(2:143) (3:30) (9:117) (57:9) (59:10)84. MALIK-UL-MULK - The Eternal Owner of Sovereignty.(3:26)85. DHUL-JALAL-WAL-IKRAM - The Lord of Majesty and Honour.(55:27) (55:78)86. AL-MUQSIT - The Equitable.He who does His work accordingly and in a balanced way.87. AL-JAMI - The Gatherer.He who collects things, gathers them, anywhere He wants, at any time.(3:9)88. AL-GHANI - The Self-Sufficient.(2:263) (3:97) (39:7) (47:38) (57:24)89. AL-MUGHNI - The Enricher.(9:28)90. AL-MANI - The Preventer.91. AD-DARR - The Distresser.He who creates that which makes one despondent.92. AN-NAFI - The Propitious.He who creates all things which provide goodness and benefit.93. AN-NUR - The Light.He who provides divine light to the entire universe; to the faces, minds and hearts of His servants.(24:35)94. AL-HADI - The Guide.He who guides, gives success and directs His servant to do things beneficial to others.(25:31)95. AL-BADI - The Incomparable.He who creates wonders in the universe without any design.(2:117) (6:101)96. AL-BAQI - The Everlasting.(55:27)97. AL-WARITH - The Supreme Inheritor.He who has everlasting ownership of all things. Finite man only has temporary ownership and at death all creatures have nothing.(15:23)98. AR-RASHID - The Guide to the Right Path.He who is the guide, with wisdom, to the right path according to His eternal plan.99. AS-SABUR - The Patient.<br /><br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/concept-of-god-in-islam.html">Concept of God in Islam</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />Introduction<br />It is a known fact that every language has one or more terms that are used in reference to God and sometimes to lesser deities. This is not the case with Allah. Allah is the personal name of the One true God. Nothing else can be called Allah. The term has no plural or gender. This shows its uniqueness when compared with the word "god," which can be made plural, as in "gods," or made feminine, as in "goddess." It is interesting to notice that Allah is the personal name of God in Aramaic, the language of Jesus and a sister language of Arabic.The One true God is a reflection of the unique concept that Islam associates with God. To a Muslim, Allah is the Almighty Creator and Sustainer of the universe, Who is similar to nothing, and nothing is comparable to Him. The Prophet Muhammad was asked by his contemporaries about Allah; the answer came directly from God Himself in the form of a short chapter of the Qur'an, which is considered to be the essence of the unity or the motto of monotheism. This is chapter 112, which reads:“ In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Say (O Muhammad), He is God, the One God, the Everlasting Refuge, who has not begotten, nor has been begotten, and equal to Him is not anyone”. Some non-Muslims allege that God in Islam is a stern and cruel God who demands to be obeyed fully and is not loving and kind. Nothing could be farther from the truth than this allegation. It is enough to know that, with the exception of one, each of the 114 chapters of the Qur'an begins with the verse " In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate". In one of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), we are told that “ God is more loving and kind than a mother to her dear child”. On the other hand, God is also Just. Hence, evildoers and sinners must have their share of punishment, and the virtuous must have God's bounties and favors. Actually, God's attribute of Mercy has full manifestation in His attribute of Justice. People suffering throughout their lives for His sake should not receive similar treatment from their Lord as people who oppress and exploit others their whole lives. Expecting similar treatment for them would amount to negating the very belief in the accountability of man in the Hereafter and thereby negate all the incentives for a moral and virtuous life in this world. The following Qur'anic verses are very clear and straightforward in this respect.Verily, for the Righteous are gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord. Shall We then treat the people of Faith like the people of Sin? What is the matter with you? How judge you?Islam rejects characterizing God in any human form or depicting Him as favoring certain individuals or nations on the basis of wealth, power or race. He created the human-beings as equals. They may distinguish themselves and get His favor through virtue and piety only.The concepts that God rested on the seventh day of creation, that God wrestled with one of His soldiers, that God is an envious plotter against mankind, and that God is incarnate in any human being are considered blasphemy from the Islamic point of view.The unique usage of Allah as a personal name of God is a reflection of Islam's emphasis on the purity of the belief in God that is the essence of the message of all God's messengers. Because of this, Islam considers associating any deity or personality with God as a deadly sin that God will never forgive, despite the fact that He may forgive all other sins.The Creator must be of a different nature from the things created because if He is of the same nature as they are, He will be temporal and will therefore need a maker. It follows that nothing is like Him. If the maker is not temporal, then he must be eternal. But if he is eternal, he cannot be caused, and if nothing caused Him to come into existence, nothing outside Him causes Him to continue to exist, which means that he must be self-sufficient. And if He does not depend on anything for the continuance of His own existence, then this existence can have no end. The Creator is therefore eternal and everlasting: "He is the First and the Last".He is Self-sufficient or Self-subsistent, or, to use a Qur'anic term, Al-Qayyum The Creator does not create only in the sense of bringing things into being, He. also preserves them and takes them out of existence and is the ultimate cause of whatever happens to them.“ God is the Creator of everything. He is the guardian over everything. Unto Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth” (39:62-63). “ No creature is there crawling on the earth, but its provision rests on God. He knows its lodging place and its repository” (11:16).<br />God's Attributes<br />If the Creator is Eternal and Everlasting, then His attributes must also be eternal and everlasting. He should not lose any of His attributes nor acquire new ones. If this is so, then his attributes are absolute. Can there be more than one Creator with such absolute attributes? Can there be, for example, two absolutely powerful Creators? A moment's thought shows that this is not feasible.The Qur'an summarizes this argument in the following verses:“ God has not taken to Himself any son, nor is there any god with Him: for then each god would have taken of that which he created and some of them would have risen up over others” (23:91). “ And why, were there gods in earth and heaven other than God, they (heaven and earth) would surely go to ruin” (21:22).<br />The Oneness of God<br />The Qur'an reminds us of the falsity of all alleged gods. To the worshippers of man-made objects it asks:“ Do you worship what you have carved yourself” (37:95). “ Or have you taken unto yourself others beside Him to be your protectors, even such as have no power either for good or for harm to themselves” (13:16). To the worshippers of heavenly bodies it cites the story of Abraham:“ When night outspread over him, he saw a star and said: This is my Lord. But when it set, he said: I love not the setters. When he saw the moon rising, he said: This is my Lord. But when it set, he said: If my Lord does not guide me, I shall surely be of the people gone astray. When he saw the sun rising, he said: This is my Lord; this is greater. But when it set, he said: O my people, surely I quit that which you associate, I have turned my face to Him who originated the heavens and the earth; a man of pure faith, I am not one of the idolators” (6:76-79).<br />The Believer's Attitude<br />In order to be a Muslim, that is, to surrender oneself to God, it is necessary to believe in the oneness of God, in the sense of His being the only Creator, Preserver, Nourisher, etc. But this belief, later called Tawhid Ar-Rububiyyah, is not enough. Many of the idolators knew and believed that only the Supreme God could do all this. But this was not enough to make them Muslims. To tawhid ar-rububiyyah, one must add tawhid al-'uluhiyyah. That is, one acknowledges the fact that it is God alone who deserves to be worshipped, and thus abstains from worshipping any other thing or being.Having achieved this knowledge of the one true God, man should constantly have faith in Him, and should allow nothing to induce him to deny truth.When faith enters a person's heart, it causes certain mental states that result in certain actions. Taken together, these mental states and actions are the proof for the true faith. The Prophet said:“ Faith is that which resides firmly in the heart and which is proved by deeds”. Foremost among those mental stated is the feeling of gratitude towards God, which could be said to be the essence of ibada (worship).The feeling of gratitude is so important that a non-believer is called 'kafir', which means 'one who denies a truth' and also 'one who is ungrateful'.A believer loves, and is grateful to God for the bounties He bestowed upon him, but being aware of the fact that his good deeds, whether mental or physical, are far from being commensurate with Divine favors, he is always anxious lest God should punish him, here or in the Hereafter. He, therefore, fears Him, surrenders himself to Him and serves Him with great humility. One cannot be in such a mental state without being almost all the time mindful of God. Remembering God is thus the life force of faith, without which it fades and withers away.The Qur'an tries to promote this feeling of gratitude by repeating the attributes of God very frequently. We find most of these attributes mentioned together in the following verses of the Qur'an:“ He is God; there is no god but He. He is the Knower of the unseen and the visible; He is the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate. He is God; there is no god but He. He is the King, the All-Holy, the All-Peace, the Guardian of the Faith, the All-Preserver, the All-Mighty, the All-Compeller, the All-Sublime. Glory be to God, above that they associate! He is God, the Creator, the Maker, the Shaper. To Him belong the Names Most Beautiful. All that is in the heavens and the earth magnifies Him; He is the Almighty, the All-Wise” (59:22-24). “ There is no god but He, the Living, the Everlasting. Slumber seizes Him not, nor sleep. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Who is there that shall intercede with Him save by His leave? He knows what lies before them, and what is after them, and they comprehend not anything of His knowledge save such as He wills. His throne comprises the heavens and earth. The preserving of them oppresses Him not; He is the All-High, the All-Glorious” (2:255). People of the Book, go not beyond the bounds in your religion, and say not as to God but the truth. “ The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only the Messenger of God, and His Word that He committed to Mary, and a Spirit from Him. So believe in God and His Messengers, and say not "Three". Refrain; better it is for you. God is only one God. Glory be to Him -- (He is) above having a son” (4:171).<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/who-is.html">Who Is "Allah"?</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />IsThe name "Allah" is a word that is heard quite often these days whether it is on the television or passed along in conversation. But most non-Muslims have no idea who Allah is.<br />Some mistakenly believe that Allah is a deity that Muslims worship similar to the way in which Buddhists worship Buddha. Others think that Allah is a man or a prophet. Just the name "Allah" is so shrouded in mystery because most people never take the time to unravel the meaning.<br />Rather they believe what they see portrayed in the heavily biased media and allow their fears to take hold of their chests instead of seeking out the truth for themselves.<br />The meaning of Allah is so simple. Allah is the Arabic form of the word "The One True God". Muslims worship the exact same God that Jews and Christians do.<br />However, Muslims prefer to call God by His proper name Allah and refrain from using the word "god" itself since it can be attributed to so many other things. For example, in proper English the feminine form of "god" is "goddess" and let’s look at Greek Mythology where the Greeks worshipped many "gods".<br />Muslims believe that Allah is the One and Only God without partners and that the name "Allah" is unique to the sole Creator of this World and everything in it. To liken Allah to another supposed god in any way shape or form is to commit the one unforgivable sin of shirk, or ascribing partners to Allah.<br />Muslims believe in submitting their entire will to Allah through acts of worship, obedience and good deeds. Islam is the only religion on Earth that remained purely monotheistic. Each time a Muslim prays to Allah, he has a meeting with the Lord of this World without an intercessor or mediator.Muslims believe in submitting their entire will to Allah through acts of worship, obedience and good deeds. Muslims believe that Allah is ever-present watching over His Creation and is always close to them.<br />Allah says in the Quran what means,<br />[And indeed We have created man, and We know what his own self whispers to him. And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein (by Our Knowledge).] (Qaf 50:16)<br />The Quran reveals that there are Beautiful Names of Allah, which is how Muslims get to know the Creator. Muslims are forbidden to ponder upon Allah’s appearance or to attribute Him to anything in this World as some faiths liken Allah to man. Islam rejects this entirely. We can know about Allah from His beautiful names of which Prophet Muhammad said:<br />"Verily, there are ninety-nine names of God, one hundred minus one. He who enumerates (and believes in them) them would get into Paradise." (Al-Bukhari)<br />Some of the names are:<br />Al-Wadud — The Loving<br />Al-Khaliq — The Creator<br />Al-Ahad — The One<br />Al-Aziz — The Mighty and Strong<br />Allah gave mankind one final chance to be mindful of Him and to obey Him. According to Islam, the message of the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad is the very same one that was given to the Jews and Christians.However, meanings were lost in translation and the books revealed to past generations were corrupted and distorted by the hands of humans.<br />Allah gave mankind one final chance to be mindful of Him and to obey Him. And that chance came in the form of an unlettered man from the deserts of Arabia named Muhammad and through him Allah revealed His final revelation.<br />The Quran is the last book that Allah gave to humans and it is preserved which means Allah will safeguard it from corruption. Over the past 14 centuries, not a single letter has been changed or altered. No more books or Prophets will come to this world. And it is up to humans as to whether they believe in this final message or turn their backs on it as scores have done before and continue to do every day.<br />The best way for humans to understand Allah as the Creator is to open their eyes and see His design. Who else but Allah could create a flower as perfect as the rose? Or cover Earth with so much vegetation and foliage that scientists today are still unearthing new species?<br />Allah is the Most Kind and the Most Merciful. All that Allah has asked for humans to do is to be pious, worship Him alone and be kind to our fellow man. In return, humans are the veritable owners of the Earth to rule it as they see fit as Allah continuously showers His innumerable blessings upon humanity as well as punishments for those who disobey and wreak havoc on the Earth.<br />Islam is not a new religion or something that a few simply chose one day to follow. Islam is a continuation of the previous messages that were revealed to past Prophets.<br />Prophet Muhammad seals the line of prophets who came to this world both to warn humans and give glad tidings of Allah's mercy. It is only through Allah's love and mercy for mankind that He bothered to send prophets so that we may know Him… the One and Only God.Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-87340206506150030362009-09-23T02:17:00.000-07:002009-09-23T02:25:48.353-07:00ISLAM<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/interesting-islamic-facts.html">Interesting Islamic Facts</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />The Majority of muslims do not live in the middle East. The most populous muslim country is Indonesia, the 4th largest country in the world with 184 million muslims<br />There are more muslims in India than the combined population of Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine and the whole of the Arabian Peninsula.<br />The following English words are borrowed from Arabic: Algebra, Zero, Cotton, Sofa, Rice, Candy, Safron, Balcony. And even 'alchohol' derives from Arabic : al-kuhl meaning powder. These are just a few mentioned here.<br />The first treatise on smallpox and measles was written by Abu Bakr alrazi (c.864-925,known to Europe as Rhazes). (Due to this) Inoculation agianst smallpox became a common practise in muslim lands. Despite this , Scientific text book credit the invention of a smallpox vaccine to Edward Jenner.(1749-1823).<br />Early Oxbridge students studied books written by muslims on mathematics, medicine, chemistry, optics and astronomy.<br />Adelard of Bath (a city in the UK) was a leading scholar of the middle ages. what made him famous was translating the word of muslim scientists from Arabic to latin!<br />The 1860 city records of Cardiff (UK) show a masjid in operation in a converted building at 2 Glynrhondda St. Yemani sea men on their trips between Aden (in Yemen) and Cardiff founded this masjid.<br />The first purpose built masjid is claimed to be in Woking (South of England) with money provided by the ruler of Bhopal, in India (the Shah Jehan masjid was built in 1889).<br />The Islamic calender is based on the phases of the moon, with it being approximately 11 days shorter than the 365 days of the year in the Julien calender. Hence, the dates of our festivals move through the year.<br />The grand doors of our prophets (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) masjid in Medina weigh 2 and half tonnes each! Enormous quantities of "sag wood" was gathered from all over the world and shipped to the united kingdom to be dryed in computerised furnaces (the traditional drying process would have taken many years!). Even then , it took 5 months to dry the wood! the wood was then shipped to Barcelona (Spain), Where the main body of the doors where made. And finally the French even paid their little part, as the brass ornamentation was carried out in the city of Roi (France). Next time you visit the holy masjid, keep this entire in mind!<br />The Zam Zam well came into existance at the time of prophets Ibrahim and Ismail (alayhum salam). It then "dissapeared" for nearly 26 centuries (2600 years) due to the certain events and was rediscovered and dug by the grandfather of our beloved prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). The location of the well was revealed to him in a dream.<br />It was only in 1932 the Kiswah (cloth of the Ka'bah) was wholly made by Saudis (citizens of Saudi Arabia).<br />The roof top of our prophet's (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) masjid in Madina is disigned to be strong enough to carry addtional floors in the future.<br />The black stone (as it is known), Cannot really be described in full, because the parts we touch with our hands and "Kiss" , are eight small pieces, the biggest of which is the size of a date.<br />Adam (alayhis salam) was 30 Ziraa tall. Ziraa is a measurement and one Ziraa is approximately half a metre.<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/islam-easy-way.html">Islam - The Easy Way</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />One of the terms used by the Qur'an during the early Makkan period to describe Islam was Al-Yusraa, or 'The Easy Way'. This is simply because Islam was, and is the natural way of life. Indeed, whatever is natural for human beings should be easy for them in every way, hence cause them to gravitate towards it easily, and consequently bring harmony, peace and tranquillity to their lives. Since the Qur'an is the book upon which the Islamic way of life is built, then the Qur'an has to be easy to understand and follow-it is 'The Easy Way'.This view that Islam is easy to understand and practice, is one which is derived from the primary sources of Islam. In the Qur'an, Allah comforts us by continuously reassuring us that He desires for us ease not hardship, despite the seemingly formidable trials and tribulations that we may sometimes face. He says: "God desires ease for you, and desires not hardship" [2: 185]; "Truly with hardship comes ease' [94: 6];"God will assuredly appoint, after difficulty; easiness" [65: 7]; 'Whoso fears God, God will appoint for him, of His command, easiness" [65: 4]; "We shall speak to him, of our command, easiness" [18: 88];"God desires to lighten things for you, for the human being has been created weak" [94: 28].<br />In addition to the Quran, the Hadith literature is also replete with references exhorting us to adopt a balanced and simple approach to life. Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) has advised us: 'This Deen or way of life is easy But if anyone overdoes it, it gets the better of him. So keep to the right course, approximate to perfection, rejoice, and ask for help in the mornings, the evenings, and some of the latter part of the night'[Sahih al-Bukhari].The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) has also praised those who adopt a moderate approach to 'ibadah or worship. Ibadab, he said, should be done with freshness of heart, not an exhausting routine carried out in spite of fatigue.'Do those deeds which you can do easily, as Allah will not get tired [of giving rewards] till you get bored and tired [of performing good deeds! ... and the most beloved deed to Allah is the one which is done regularly even if it is little'[Sahih al-Bukhari].<br />Islam is not Complex<br />Islam is not a way of life that is complex or difficult. Rather it is the human being who practises Islam who often makes it difficult-and then, complexity overtakes him so that eventually he is unable to cope with even the simplest of tasks. That it is possible for every person to understand and practice Islam is assured by the following three principles:<br />Firstly, the basic beliefs contain no mystery and are therefore easy to comprehend. Every tenet in Islam is subject to analysis and inquiry. Moreover, Islam does not present stumbling blocks to the mind. Islam does not present concepts or ideas which the intellect cannot grasp. Even the simplest of minds can understand its basic beliefs. It is therefore not surprising that its beliefs are universal.<br />Secondly, the most important and stringent obligations ordained upon Muslims are easy to undertake. That is, the duties and obligations laid down by Allah have been graded. And, it is the wisdom of Allah that the greater the importance He has attached to any act, the easier it is for everyone to accomplish it. Thus, for example, the five daily Salat (Prayers) and Sawm (fasting) during the month of Ramadan are compulsory upon everyone, since they are within every-one 5 reach to accomplish. Zakat (almsgiving) and Hajj (pilgrimage), on the other hand, though fundamental pillars of Islam, are not compulsory upon everyone. If it were made compulsory upon everyone, then those who did not possess the financial means would be unable to carry out these duties. In such cases, it would not have been possible for everyone to practice Islam in all its facets. Therefore, these duties are obligatory only upon those who have the means to do so.<br />Thirdly, there are provisions for derogation when it is genuinely not possible for someone to fulfil an obligation. For instance, if a person is genuinely unable to stand up and pray, then he is permitted to sit down or even lie down and pray. Similarly, if there is no water available to perform the wudu or ablution before prayer, then one can make tayammum, which is a simple dry ablution performed by using clean earth or dust. Therefore, even when there appear to be difficulties, if one looks closely at the Shari'ah or Islamic legal code as a whole, one will find so many rules relating to derogation that enable one to practice Islam very easily-and this is the case regardless of the problem: political, economic or simply personal. Indeed, throughout the Quran various provisions have been made to ease things for travellers, for the sick, for pregnant or nursing women, for the old and for the poor, for on no soul does Allah place a burden greater than it can bear [7: 42] and 'He has chosen you, and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion' [22: 78].Therefore, as long as one possesses the basic tools-a sound knowledge of what is stated in the Shari'ah regarding a particular matter and an awareness of the responsibility for ones own actions-a person may decide for himself when to derogate from the standard. Thus, although according to the Shari'ah it is haram (or unlawful) to eat pork, if someone is on the brink of starvation and the only food available is this pork, then one can decide for oneself whether and when to consume this haram meat in order to survive, and thereby derogate from the standard. Of course, this does not make the pork halal or lawful, but neither will one be punished for committing a haram or prohibited act, so long as it is necessary for one's essential well being as a Muslim.<br />The Path of Moderation<br />Moderation which leads to balance, is a fundamental and distinguishing feature of Islam. Allah tells us: "We have made you a nation justly balanced" [2: 143]. Additionally, when the Quranic verse "As to monasticism which they themselves invented, We did not prescribe any of it for them" [57: 27] was revealed, the Prophet Muhammad commented: 'Do not overburden yourselves, lest you perish. People [before you] overburdened themselves and perished. Their remains are found in hermitages and monasteries'[Musnad of Abu Ya'la].In other words, excesses may eventually develop into large problems and even become a threat to the well being and security of the Muslim community.<br />Indeed, the Prophet always resisted any tendency towards religious excessiveness. He once said to his close Companion Abdullali ibn 'Amr: 'Have I heard tight that you fast everyday and stand in prayer all night?' Abdullah replied, 'Yes, 0 Messenger of God: The Prophet said, 'Do not do that. Fast, as well as, eat and drink. Stand in prayer, as well as, sleep. This is because your body has a right upon you, your eyes have a right upon you, your wife has a right upon you, and your guest has a right upon you [Sahih al-Bukhari, Muslim]. Abiding by the will of Allah requires that we seek and maintain a delicate balance between the various obligations that demand our attention; between our obligations to Allah, our obligations towards others and our obligations towards ourselves. Moreover, whenever the Prophet had to choose between two options, he always chose the easier, unless it was explicitly forbidden (Bukhari).<br />Maintaining a Joyful Disposition<br />Allah wants us to enjoy ourselves not only in the Hereafter but also in this world. Allah tells us in the Quran to pray for both "the good in this world and the good in the Hereafter"[2: 201].<br />Additionally the Quran speaks extensively about the enjoyment of life: 'O children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer Eat and drink but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not wasters. Say: 'who has forbidden the beautiful gifts of Allah which He has produced for His servants and the things clean and pure which He has provided for sustenance' (7:30-301). And again,<br />'O you who believe! Make not unlawful the good things Allah has made lawful to you. But commit no excess, for Allah does not like those given to excess. Eat of the things which Allah has provided you, lawful and good, but fear Allah, in whom you believe'(4: 86-88).<br />Surprising as it may seem to some of us, the Prophet not only accepted jokes; he also told them himself He was cheerful and possessed an easygoing character He was always smiling at his Companions and enjoyed their conversations. He also possessed a very keen sense of humour. But, his jokes were more of a philosophical nature, never inappropriate and always true. For example, once an old lady went to the Prophet and asked whether after her death she would enter Paradise or not. To this the Prophet replied, 'No old woman would enter heaven'. On hearing this, the woman was naturally very sad. 'Then, what is the reward for them?' she asked. The Prophet relieved her anxiety by saying, 'All old people will be made young before they enter Paradise.'<br />Relaxing your Mind<br />From the analysis above, it should be clear that Islam does not expect of any individual that he should spend all his leisure time in the mosque or at home and should listen to nothing but recitation of the Quran, or for that matter, be engaged in exclusively 'religious' pursuits. Rather, it recognises that we are human beings, so that, as we eat and drink, and also need to relax and enjoy our-selves.<br />Relaxation is not at odds with piety and dignity. The Prophet prayed and engaged in worship more than anyone, but he also enjoyed good things, smiled and joked. Indeed, in his prayers he would beseech Allah for the good things of this world.Relaxing the mind also has the additional benefit of resting and rejuvenating the body so that when we eventually return to fulfil out various obligations, we will be more focused and ready All ibn Abu Talib once said: 'Minds get tired, so do bodies, so treat them with humour' and 'Refresh your minds from time to time, for a tired mind becomes blind'. Another Companion of the Prophet, Abu Darda said: 'I entertain my heart with something trivial in order to make it stronger in the service of the truth'.<br />As we have highlighted before, the approach of the Prophet to life's activities was always a balanced one. As devoted as he was in his personal worship, he was quick to indicate to his followers that the path of Islam is the way of moderation. Thus, when he heard that one of his attendants was continuously fasting during the day and spending the entire night in prayer, he remarked: 'In every deed [of action] there is a peak followed by lassitude. He who, in his lassitude, follows my Sunnah [the part of moderation] is on the right path, but he who, in his lassitude, follows another [guidance] has [erred and] gone astray [from the straight path Allah has revealed]' (al Bazzaz)<br />Making Islam Easy for Others<br />In sharing the message of Islam with people the Prophet was advised in the Quran: 'It is part of the mercy of Allah that you deal gently with them~ If you were severe or hardhearted, they would have broken away from you' [3: 159]. Thus, when the Prophet sent his Companions Mu'adh and Abu Musa to teach Islam to the people of Yemen, he gave them the following advice: 'Facilitate [religious matters to people] and do not make [things] difficult. Obey each other and do not differ [amongst yourselves].'[Sahih al-Bukhari & Muslim]. On other occasions he also said: 'This Deen or way of life is easy'; 'Make it easy, don't make it difficult; 'Let people rejoice in being Muslims and not run away from it' and 'Cheerfulness towards other people, even a smile is a sadaqah or charity to be rewarded by Allah'. Moreover, a person-in seeking to purify himself and further develop his God-consciousness-may choose to place greater demands of worship upon himself, but this in no way means that he has the right to impose or force the same on others, and thereby, unconsciously alienate them from Islam. The Prophet exemplified this in his own life because he used to prolong the Salat whenever he was alone, but he would shorten it whenever he led others in Salah. Regarding this he said: 'Whoever among you leads the people in Salat, he should shorten it, for amongst them are the weak, the old, and the one who has business to attend to. And if anyone among you performs Salat alone, he may then prolong [Salat] as much as he wishes' [Sahih al-Bukhari].Similarly, 'Umar Ibn al Khattab emphasised that creating unnecessary difficulties for people may well have the effect of leading them away from Allah, rather than making them better Muslims. He advised: 'Do not make Allah hateful to His servants by leading people in Salat and so prolonging it that they come to hate what they are doing'<br />Ease versus Hardship<br />To say, however, that Islam is easy and not 'difficult', is not to imply that Muslims will not face 'hardship'-and here the two terms must be distinguished. Indeed, although Islam is easy to understand and practice, the whole purpose of the trial is to make manifest the degree to which an individual is steadfast (and hence sincere) in his submission to Allah- and this is precisely what is indicated by the Qur'anic verse: "And We will most certainly test you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of possessions and lives and crops" [2: 155].<br />Notwithstanding these trials however, we can find ease in this world and the next. But, this will be so only if we are firm in our faith in Allah and follow the course prescribed by Islam, as He Himself has declared: 'But give good news to those who are patient, who, when a calamity strikes them, say: 'Indeed we belong to God and indeed to Him we shall be returning: They are those on whom are blessings from their Sustainer, and mercy-and those, they are the rightly-guided.[2: 155-157].<br /><br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/art-of-happiness.html">The Art of Happiness</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />The truth of the matter is that you cannot remove from yourself all remnants of grief. And the reason for this is that life is created as a test:"Verily, We have created man in toil." [Surah Al-Balad; 4]."That He might try you, which of you is the best in deeds."[Surah Hud; 7].But the message that I wish to convey to you is that you should, as much as possible, reduce the amount and intensity of your grief. As for being completely free from grief; this is for the inhabitants of Paradise in the Hereafter. This is why the dwellers of Paradise shall say:"All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has removed from us [all] grief."[Surah Fatir; 34].This is considered to be a proof that grief was not removed from them except in Paradise.So when a person knows the nature of this world and its qualities, he will find it to be dry, deceitful, and unworthy; he will come to understand that this is its nature and its description. One of Arab poets said:'You have taken an oath not to betray us in our pacts, and it is as if you have vowed that in the end, you shall deceive us.'If the description of this world is as I have described it, then it is worthy of the intelligent person not to help it in its onslaught, not to surrender to depression and anxiety. What we should do is fight and defend ourselves from all feelings that may spoil our lives, a war that we must wage with all the strength that we have been endowed with."And make ready against them all you can of power; including steeds of war to threaten the enemy of Allah and your enemy..."[Surah Al-Anfal; 60]."But they never lost heart for that which did befall them in Allah’s Way, nor did they weaken nor degrade themselves."[Surah Al-Imran; 146].A pause to reflect: Do not be sad. If you are poor, then someone else is immersed in debt. If you do not own your own means of transportation, then someone else has been deprived of his legs. If you have reason to complain concerning the pains of sickness, then someone else has been bedridden for years. And if you have lost a child, then someone else has lost many children, for instance, in a single car accident.Do not be sad. You are a Muslim who believes in Allah, His Messengers, His angels, the Hereafter, and in Preordainment - the good and the bad of it. While you are blessed with this faith, which is the greatest of blessings, others disbelieve in Allah, discredit the Messengers, differ among themselves concerning the Book, deny the Hereafter, and deviate in their understanding of Preordainment and Predestination. Do not be sad, because if you are, you disturb your soul and heart, and you prevent yourself from sleeping.One of the Arab poets said:'How often is the young man overcome with despair when afflicted, and with Allah is the way out. The situation becomes unbearable, and when its rope tightens, it snaps, and throughout, he never thought that he would be saved'<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/summary-of-islamic-history.html">Summary of Islamic History</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />From the oasis cities of Makkah and Madinah in the Arabian desert, the message of Islam went forth with electrifying speed. Within half a century of the Prophet's death, Islam had spread to three continents. Islam is not, as some imagine in the West, a religion of the sword nor did it spread primarily by means of war. It was only within Arabia, where a crude form of idolatry was rampant, that Islam was propagated by warring against those tribes which did not accept the message of God -- whereas Christians and Jews were not forced to convert.Outside of Arabia also the vast lands conquered by the Arab armies in a short period became Muslim not by force of the sword but by the appeal of the new religion. It was faith in One God and emphasis upon His Mercy that brought vast numbers of people into the fold of Islam. The new religion did not coerce people to convert. Many continued to remain Jews and Christians and to this day important communities of the followers of these faiths are found in Muslim lands.Moreover, the spread of Islam was not limited to its miraculous early expansion outside of Arabia. During later centuries the Turks embraced Islam peacefully as did a large number of the people of the Indian subcontinent and the Malay-speaking world. In Africa also, Islam has spread during the past two centuries even under the mighty power of European colonial rulers. Today Islam continues to grow not only in Africa but also in Europe and America where Muslims now comprise a notable minority.A Summary of the development of the Muslim world and the different Calipahtes within it.<br /><a name="00">The Rightly guided CaliphsUpon the death of the Prophet, Abu Bakr, the friend of the Prophet and the first adult male to embrace Islam, became caliph. Abu Bakr ruled for two years to be succeeded by 'Umar who was caliph for a decade and during whose rule Islam spread extensively east and west conquering the Persian empire, Syria and Egypt. It was 'Umar who marched on foot at the end of the Muslim army into Jerusalem and ordered the protection of Christian sites. 'Umar also established the first public treasury and a sophisticated financial administration. He established many of the basic practices of Islamic government.'Umar was succeeded by 'Uthman who ruled for some twelve years during which time the Islamic expansion continued. He is also known as the caliph who had the definitive text of the Noble Quran copied and sent to the four corners of the Islamic world. He was in turn succeeded by 'Ali who is known to this day for his eloquent sermons and letters, and also for his bravery. With his death the rule of the "rightly guided" caliphs, who hold a special place of respect in the hearts of Muslims, came to an end.</a><br /><a name="00"></a><br /><a name="00"></a><br /><a name="00"></a><br /><a name="01">Umayyad</a><br /><a name="01">The Umayyad caliphate established in 661 was to last for about a century. During this time Damascus became the capital of an Islamic world which stretched from the western borders of China to southern France.</a><br /><a name="01">Not only did the Islamic conquests continue during this period through North Africa to Spain and France in the West and to Sind, Central Asia and Transoxiana in the East, but the basic social and legal institutions of the newly founded Islamic world were established.</a><br /><a name="02">AbbasidsThe Abbasids, who succeeded the Umayyads, shifted the capital to Baghdad which soon developed into an incomparable center of learning and culture as well as the administrative and political heart of a vast world.They ruled for over 500 years but gradually their power waned and they remained only symbolic rulers bestowing legitimacy upon various sultans and princes who wielded actual military power. The Abbasid caliphate was finally abolished when Hulagu, the Mongol ruler, captured Baghdad in 1258, destroying much of the city including its incomparable libraries.While the Abbasids ruled in Baghdad, a number of powerful dynasties such as the Fatimids, Ayyubids and Mamluks held power in Egypt, Syria and Palestine. The most important event in this area as far as the relation between Islam and the Western world was concerned was the series of Crusades declared by the Pope and espoused by various European kings. The purpose, although political, was outwardly to recapture the Holy Land and especially Jerusalem for Christianity.Although there was at the beginning some success and local European rule was set up in parts of Syria and Palestine, Muslims finally prevailed and in 1187 Saladin, the great Muslim leader, recaptured Jerusalem and defeated the Crusaders.</a><br /><a name="02"></a><br /><a name="02"></a><br /><a name="02"></a><br /><a name="03">North Africa And SpainWhen the Abbasids captured Damascus, one of the Umayyad princes escaped and made the long journey from there to Spain to found Umayyad rule there, thus beginning the golden age of Islam in Spain. Cordoba was established as the capital and soon became Europe's greatest city not only in population but from the point of view of its cultural and intellectual life.The Umayyads ruled over two centuries until they weakened and were replaced by local rulers.Meanwhile in North Africa, various local dynasties held sway until two powerful Berber dynasties succeeded in uniting much of North Africa and also Spain in the 12th and 13th centuries. After them this area was ruled once again by local dynasties such as the Sharifids of Morocco who still rule in that country.As for Spain itself, Muslim power continued to wane until the last Muslim dynasty was defeated in Granada in 1492 thus bringing nearly eight hundred years of Muslim rule in Spain to an end.</a><br /><a name="03"></a><br /><a name="03"></a><br /><a name="03"></a><br /><a name="04">After the Mangol InvasionThe Mongols devastated the eastern lands of Islam and ruled from the Sinai Desert to India for a century. But they soon converted to Islam and became known as the Il-Khanids.They were in turn succeeded by Timur and his descendents who made Samarqand their capital and ruled from 1369 to 1500. The sudden rise of Timur delayed the formation and expansion of the Ottoman empire but soon the Ottomans became the dominant power in the Islamic world.</a><br /><a name="04"></a><br /><a name="04"></a><br /><a name="04"></a><br /><a name="05">Ottoman EmpireFrom humble origins the Turks rose to dominate over the whole of Anatolia and even parts of Europe. In 1453 Mehmet the Conqueror captured Constantinople and put an end to the Byzantine empire.The Ottomans conquered much of eastem Europe and nearly the whole of the Arab world, only Morocco and Mauritania in the West and Yemen, Hadramaut and parts of the Arabian peninsula remaining beyond their control.They reached their zenith of power with Suleyman the Magnificent whose armies reached Hungary and Austria. From the 17th century onward with the rise of Westem European powers and later Russia, the power of the Ottomans began to wane. But they nevertheless remained a force to be reckoned with until the First World War when they were defeated by the Westem nations. Soon thereafter Kamal Ataturk gained power in Turkey and abolished the six centuries of rule of the Ottomans in 1924.</a><br /><a name="05"></a><br /><a name="05"></a><br /><a name="05"></a><br /><a name="06">PersiaWhile the Ottomans were concerned mostly with the westem front of their empire, to the east in Persia a new dynasty called the Safavids came to power in 1502.The Safavids established a powerful state of their own which flourished for over two centuries and became known for the flowering of the arts. Their capital, Isfahan, became one of the most beautiful cities with its blue tiled mosques and exquisite houses.The Afghan invasion of 1736 put an end to Safavid rule and prepared the independence of Afghanistan which occured fommally in the 19th century. Persia itself fell into tummoil until Nader Shah, the last Oriental conqueror, reunited the country and even conquered India.But the rule of the dynasty established by him was short-lived. The Zand dynasty soon took over to be overthrown by the Qajars in 1779 who made Tehran their capital and ruled until 1921 when they were in turn replaced by the Pahlavis.</a><br /><a name="06"></a><br /><a name="06"></a><br /><a name="06"></a><a name="06"></a><br /><a name="07">IndiaAs for India, Islam entered into the land east of the Indus River peacefully. Gradually Muslims gained political power beginning in the early 13th century.But this period which marked the expansion of both Islam and Islamic culture came to an end with the conquest of much of India in 1526 by Babur, one of the Timurid princes. He established the powerful Mogul empire which produced such famous rulers as Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan and which lasted, despite the gradual rise of British power in India, until 1857 when it was officially abolished.</a><br /><a name="07"></a><br /><a name="07"></a><br /><a name="07"></a><br /><a name="08">Malaysia And IndonesiaFarther east in the Malay world, Islam began to spread in the 12th century in northem Sumatra and soon Muslim kingdoms were establishd in Java, Sumatra and mainland Malaysia.Despite the colonization of the Malay world, Islam spread in that area covering present day Indonesia, Malaysia, the southern Phililppines and southern Thailand, and is still continuing in islands farther east.</a><br /><a name="08"></a><br /><a name="08"></a><br /><a name="08"></a><br /><a name="09">AfricaAs far as Africa is concerned, Islam entered into East Africa at the very beginning of the Islamic period but remained confined to the coast for some time, only the Sudan and Somaliland becoming gradually both Arabized and Islamized.West Africa felt the presence of Islam through North African traders who travelled with their camel caravans south of the Sahara. By the 14th century there were already Muslim sultanates in such areas as Mali, and Timbuctu in West Africa and Harar in East Africa had become seats of Islamic leaming.Gradually Islam penetrated both inland and southward. There also appeared major charismatic figures who inspired intense resistance against European domination.The process of the Islamization of Africa did not cease during the colonial period and continues even today with the result that most Africans are now Muslims carrying on a tradition which has had practically as long a history in certain areas of sub-Saharan Africa as Islam itself.</a><br /><a name="09"></a><br /><a name="09"></a><br /><a name="09"></a><br /><a name="10">Islam in the Western WorldIt is almost impossible to generalize about American Muslims: converts, immigrants, factory workers, doctors; all are making their own contribution to America's future. This complex community is unified by a common faith, underpinned by a countrywide network of a thousand mosques.Muslims were early arrivals in North America. By the eighteenth century there were many thousands of them, working as slaves on plantations. These early communities, cut off from their heritage and families, inevitably lost their Islamic identity as time went by. Today many Afro-American Muslims play an important role in the Islamic community.The nineteenth century, however, saw the beginnings of an influx of Arab Muslims, most of whom settled in the major industrial centers where they worshipped in hired rooms. The early twentieth century witnessed the arrival of several hundred thousand Muslims from Eastem Europe: the first Albanian mosque was opened in Maine in 1915; others soon followed, and a group of Polish Muslims opened a mosque in Brooklyn in 1928.In 1947 the Washington Islamic Center was founded during the term of President Truman, and several nationwide organizations were set up in the fifties. The same period saw the establishment of other communities whose lives were in many ways modelled after Islam. More recently, numerous members of these groups have entered the fold of Muslim orthodoxy. Today there are about five million Muslims in America.</a><br /><a name="10"></a><br /><a name="10"></a><br /><a name="10"></a><br /><a name="11">Aftermath of the Colonial PeriodAt the height of European colonial expansion in the 19th century, most of the Islamic world was under colonial rule with the exception of a few regions such as the heart of the Ottoman empire, Persia, Afghanistan, Yemen and certain parts of Arabia. But even these areas were under foreign influence or, in the case of the Ottomans, under constant threat. After the First World War with the breakup of the Ottoman empire, a number of Arab states such as Iraq became independent, others like Jordan were created as a new entity and yet others like Palestine, Syria and Lebanon were either mandated or turned into French colonies. As for Arabia, it was at this time that Saudi Arabia became finally consolidated. As for other parts of the Islamic world, Egypt which had been ruled by the descendents of Muhammad Ali since the l9th century became more independent as a result of the fall of the Ottomans, Turkey was turned into a secular republic by Ataturk, and the Pahlavi dynasty began a new chapter in Persia where its name reverted to its eastern traditional form of Iran. But most of the rest of the Islamic world remained under colonial rule.</a><br /><a name="11"></a><br /><a name="11"></a><br /><a name="11"></a><br /><a name="12">ArabIt was only after the Second World War and the dismemberment of the British, French, Dutch and Spanish empires that the rest of the Islamic world gained its independence. In the Arab world, Syria and Lebanon became independent at the end of the war as did Libya and the shaykdoms around the Gulf and the Arabian Sea by the 1960's. The North African countries of Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria had to fight a difficult and, in the case of Algeria, long and protracted war to gain their freedom which did not come until a decade later for Tunisia and Morocco and two decades later for Algeria. Only Palestine did not become independent but was partitioned in 1948 with the establishment of the state of Israel.</a><br /><a name="12"></a><br /><a name="12"></a><br /><a name="12"></a><br /><a name="13">IndiaIn India Muslims participated in the freedom movement against British rule along with Hindus and when independence finally came in 1947, they were able to create their own homeland, Pakistan, which came into being for the sake of Islam and became the most populated Muslim state although many Muslims remained in India. In 1971, however, the two parts of the state broke up, East Pakistan becoming Bengladesh.</a><br /><a name="13"></a><br /><a name="13"></a><br /><a name="13"></a><br /><a name="14">Far EastFarther east still, the Indonesians finally gained their independence from the Dutch and the Malays theirs from Britain. At first Singapore was part of Malaysia but it separated in 1963 to become an independent state. Small colonies still persisted in the area and continued to seek their independence, the kingdom of Brunei becoming independent as recently as 1984.</a><br /><a name="14"></a><br /><a name="14"></a><br /><a name="14"></a><br /><a name="15">AfricaIn Africa also major countries with large or majority Muslim populations such as Nigeria, Senegal and Tanzania began to gain their independence in the 1950's and 1960's with the result that by the end of the decade of the 60's most parts of the Islamic world were formed into independent national states. There were, however, exceptions. The Muslim states in the Soviet Union failed to gain their autonomy or independence. The same holds true for Sinkiang (called Eastem Turkestan by Muslim geographers) while in Eritrea and the southern Philippines Muslim independence movements still continue.</a><br /><a name="15"></a><br /><a name="15"></a><br /><a name="15"></a><br /><a name="16">National StatesWhile the world of Islam has entered into the modern world in the form of national states, continuous attempts are made to create closer cooperation within the Islamic world as a whole and to bring about greater unity. This is seen not only in the meetings of the Muslim heads of state and the establishment of the OIC (Organization of Islamic Countries) with its own secretariat, but also in the creation of institutions dealing with the whole of the Islamic world. Among the most important of these is the Muslim World League (Rabitat al-alam al-Islami ) with its headquarters in Makkah. Saudi Arabia has in fact played a pivotal role in the creation and maintenance of such organizations.</a><br /><a name="16"></a><br /><a name="16"></a><br /><a name="16"></a><br /><a name="17">ConclusionThe Islamic world remains today a vast land stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific, with an important presence in Europe and America, animated by the teachings of Islam and seeking to assert its own identity. Despite the presence of nationalism and various secular ideologies in their midst, Muslims wish to live in the modern world but without simply imitating blindly the ways followed by the West. The Islamic world wishes to live at peace with the West as well as the East but at the same time not to be dominated by them. It wishes to devote its resources and energies to building a better life for its people on the basis of the teachings of Islam and not to squander its resources in either internal or external conflicts. It seeks finally to create better understanding with the West and to be better understood by the West. The destinies of the Islamic world and the West cannot be totally separated and therefore it is only in understanding each other better that they can serve their own people more successfully and also contribute to a better life for the whole of humanity.</a><br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/striving-in-worship.html">Striving in worship</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />The Salaf have understood the Din of Allah as well as the essence of this life and its inescapable leading to the Hereafter, so they felt aversion for the distractions and the tribulations of the world. They found no sleep and their heart kept away from desires. They kept above the insignificant concerns of life. Their biographies abound with stories that show their striving in righteousness, repentance and their strong will in worship and humbleness:Al-Hasan al-Basri said,"Whoever competes with you in the Deen then try to surpass him, and whoever competes with you in the matters of this life then throw it back at him."Whenever he missed a Salah in congregation, ibn Umar (radhiallahu anhu) used to fast one day, pray for one whole night, and free a slave.Abu Musa al Ash'ari used to apply himself so much in worship a the end of his life that he was told, "Why don't you slow down and be gentle with yourself ?" He replied, "When the horses are released for a race and are close to the finish line, they give all the strength they have. What is left of my life is less than that." He maintained the same level of devotion and worship until he died.Mawriq al-'Ajli said, "I did not find an example, for the believer in this life, better than a man on a plank in the sea, imploring, 'O Lord, O Lord' hoping that Allah will save him."Usamah said, "Whenever you see Sufyan ath-Thawri, it is as if you see someone in 'a ship fearing to drown,' one would often hear him say, 'O Lord, save me, save me!'."Fatimah bint Abdul-Malik, the wife of the Khalifah Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz said, "I have never seen a person offering salah or fasting more than he did, or a person fearing the Lord more than than him. After offering Salat ul Isha, he would sit down and cry until he becomes sleepy, then he would wake up again and continue crying until sleep overtakes him."Amir ibn Abdullah was once asked, "How can you tolerate being awake all night, and thirsty in the intense heat of the day?" He replied, "Is it anything more that postponing the food of the day to nighttime, and the sleep of the night to daytime? This is not a big matter." When the night came, he would say, "Remembrance of the heat of hellfire has taken sleepiness from me." And he would not sleep until dawn.Ahmad ibn Harb said, "I wonder how the one who knows that above him, paradise is being embellished, and below him, hell fire is being kindled, and yet sleeps between them!" Waqi' said, "Al Amash was almost seventy years old and he never missed the first takbirah (for salah in the masjid). I used to visit him frequently for more than two years and never saw him make up for even one rakah."Abu Hayan related that his father said, "Ar-Rabi' ibn Khuthaym was crippled and used to be carried to the congregational salah. So people told him, 'You have an excuse (for not coming)', he said, 'I hear 'hayee 'alas-salah', the call to salah; so if you can come to it even by crawling, do so," paraphrasing a hadith.Abul-Mawahib ibn Sarsari said concerning Imam abul-Qasim ibn Asakir, "I have never seen the like of him, and none had encompassed as many good characteristics as he did concerning his adherence to one way for forty years, making salah in the first row unless he had an excuse, i'tikaf during Ramadhan and the ten days of Thul-Hijjah, and the lack of desire to accumulate properties and build houses, as he forbade himself these. He turned away any position of imam or speaker, though they were offered to him, and he devoted himself to enjoin good and forbid evil, and he would not fear anyone in that.<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/what-can-you-do-in-one-minute.html">What can you do in One Minute?</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />A Great opportunity while we are still alive is to plan and act for tomorrow; invest one minute of your daily supply of 1440 minutes and reap benefit which no business can offer. Invest 15 minutes and multiply the rewards. We all know that Allah's promise is absolute truth and we should seek it and act according to His guidance.1. In one minute you can recite Soorat al-Fatihah 7 times, reciting rapidly and silently. Some scholars said that the reward for reading al-Fatihah is more than 1400 hasanahs, so if you read it 7 times you will, by the permission of Allah, gain more than 9800 hasanahs - all of that in one minute. 2. In one minute you can recite Soorat al-Ikhlas (Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad) 20 times, reciting rapidly and silently. Reciting it once is equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an. If you read it 20 times it is equivalent to reading the Qur'an 7 times. If you read it 20 times in one minute each day, you will have read it 600 times in one month, and 7200 times in one year, which will be equal in reward to reading the Qur'an 2400 times.3. You can read one page of the Book of Allah in one minute.4. You can memorize a short aayah of the Book of Allah in one minute.5. In one minute you can say La ilaaha ill-Allah wahdahu la sharika lah, lahu'l-mulk wa lahu'l-hamd wa huwa ala kulli shay'in qadeer (There is no god except Allah alone with no partner; to Him be dominion and praise, and He is Able to do all things) - 20 times. The reward for saying this is like freeing 8 slaves for the sake of Allah from among the sons of Isma'il.6. In one minute you can say Subhan Allahi wa bi hamdihi (Glory and praise be to Allah) 100 times. Whoever says that in one day will be forgiven for his sins even if they are like the foam of the sea.7. In one minute you can say Subhan Allahi wa bi hamdihi Subhan Allah il-Adheem (Glory and praise be to Allaah, glory be to Allah the Almighty) 50 times. These are two phrases which are light on the lips, heavy in the balance and beloved to the Most Merciful, as was narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.8. The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: "When I say Subhan Allah, wa'l-hamdu Lillah, wa la ilah ill-Allah, wa Allahu Akbar (Glory be to Allah, praise be to Allah, there is no god except Allah, and Allah is Most Great)', this is more beloved to me than all that the sun rises upon." (Narrated by Muslim). In one minute, you can say all of these words more than 18 times. These words are the most beloved words to Allah, the best of words, and they weigh heavily in the balance of good deeds, as was narrated in the sahih ahadith.9. In one minute you can say, La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah (there is no strength and no power except with Allah) more han 40 times. This is one of the treasures of Paradise, as was narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim. They are a means of putting up with difficulties and of aiming to achieve great things.10. In one minute you can say Laa ilaaha ill-Allah approximately 50 times. This is the greatest word, for it is the word of Tawheed, the good word, the word that stands firm. If these are the last words of a person, he will enter Paradise, and there are other reports which indicate how great these words are. 11. In one minute you can say Subhan Allah wa bi hamdih, adada khalqihi, wa rida nafsihi, wazinata arshihi, wa midada kalimatihi (Glory and praise be to Allah, as much as the number of His creation, as much as pleases Him, as much as the weight of His Throne and as much as the ink of His words) more than 15 times. This words bring many more times the reward for other forms of tasbeeh and dhikr, as was reported in sahih ahadith from the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). 12. In one minute you can seek the forgiveness of Allah more than 100 times by saying "Astaghfir-Allah (I seek the forgiveness of Allah). The virtues of seeking forgiveness are no secret, for it is the means of attaining forgiveness and entering Paradise, and it is the means of being granted a good life, increasing one's strength, warding off disasters, making things easier, bringing rain and increasing one's wealth and children.13. You can say a few brief and concise words in one minute, and Allaah may bring about some good through them that you could never imagine.14. In one minute you can send blessings on the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) 50 times by saying SalAllahu alayhi wasalam (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). In return Allah will send blessings upon you 500 hundred times because one blessing brings ten like it. 15. In one minute you can motivate your heart to give thanks to Allah, to love Him, to fear Him, to put hope in Him, to long for Him, and thus travel through the stages of ubudiyyah (total enslavement to Allah). You could do this when you are lying on your bed or walking in the street. 16. In one minute you can read more than two pages of a useful book that is easy to understand.17. In one minute you can uphold the ties of kinship by calling a relative on the phone.18. You can raise your hands and recite any du'aa' you wish from the books of du'a, in one minute.19. You can say salaams to and shake hands with a number of people in one minute.20. You can forbid an evil action in one minute.21. You can enjoin something good in one minute.22. You can offer sincere advice to a brother in one minute.23. You can console someone who is depressed in one minute.24. You can remove something harmful from the road in one minute.25. Making the most of one minute motivates you to make the most of other periods that would otherwise be wasted.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/ihsan.html">Ihsan</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />It is to worship God as though you see Him, and while you see Him not truly He sees you- Muhammad<br />The meaning of Ihsan is to do things in the best of ways, to perfect all acts of worship and to perform them as we were commanded to do so, whilst observing the rights of God within them. It is to be vigilant with an awareness that God is watching you. It is to have the presence of His greatness and Majesty in your heart, and in doing so to have a present heart.<br />Ihsan is thus a means through which, in worshipping your Lord as if you see Him, the servant is able to perfect his worship. For if you were to see you Lord before you, your performance would be to the best of your ability, with much greater care and attention being given to both your inward and your outward actions, attempting to perform them in the best of ways. As for the statement, 'if you can't see Him, then know that He sees you'. What is indicated here is that although a servant cannot see his Lord either way God, Most High, can see Him and "He is," as the Prophet has said, "in truth present in the qiblah of everyone of you."<br />The state of separation in which we live is due to the veils which hide Him from our sight; but even in apparent separation we are never alone or unobserved; He sees not only our every action but our every thought; He is al-Khabir, the Totally Aware, from whose all-embracing consciousness nothing is hidden.<br />Thus ihsan should not stop at Prayer or other ritual acts or of worship, it implies seeking perfection and striving for excellence in everything you do, allowing it to permeate your every action. It implies therefore, being always conscious of your responsibilities before God and striving hard with all resources to fulfil these obligations. It is the epitome of sincerity. For to worship God as if you saw Him is to worship Him sincerely. Thus if ihsan, 'perfection', which can also mean beauty of the soul or heart, permeates the inward, it will necessarily emanate outwards, transforming every human activity into the remembrance of God. One who acts in this fashion is described as a muhsin.<br />Allah has required ihsan from all his servants and in everything they do, as has been related by the Prophet (pbuh) "Allah has written ihsan in everything..." So in this hadith there is an indication as to what purifies the acts of worship and draws you closer to Allah:"Verily Allah loves the Muhsineen"[Qur'an] "Truly, Allah is with those who fear Him, and those who are Muhsinun (those who have ihsan)"[Surah An-Nahl 16:128]So if the believer does not fall short in the first, to worship your Lord as if you see Him, he should not fall short in the second as in reality both are the same."In whatever activity you may be, and whichever part of Quran you recite, and whatever deed you do [O Mankind], We are witness over you when you are deeply engrossed therein. Not an atom's weight in the earth or in the heaven escapes your Lord, nor is there anything smaller or greater, but that it is [written] in a clear Book."[Surah Yunus 10:61]<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/easy-actions-for-which-rewards-are.html">Easy Actions For Which Rewards Are Multiplied</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />How great will be the regret of those who waste the opportunity!1. Preserving the ties of kinship:" Whoever wishes that his provision be increased and his age lengthened, let him maintain the ties of kinship."[Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim] 2. Performing many prayers in the two noble Harams (in Makkah and Madinah):"Prayer in this masjid of mine is superior to a thousand prayers elsewhere, except for Masjid al-Haram, and prayer in Masjid al-Haram is superior to one hundred thousand prayers elsewhere." [Ahmad and ibn Majah] 3. Performing prayers in congregation."Prayer in congregation is superior to praying individually twenty-seven times."[Sahih Al-Bukhari and Muslim] 4. Praying Isha and Fajr in congregation:"He who prays Isha' in Jama'ah [congregation] is as if he has prayed for half the night. As to him who (also) prays Fajr in congregation, it is as if he has prayed all night."[narrated by Malik and the wording is that of Muslim who also reported it] 5. Performing voluntary prayers at home."Superiority of a man's prayer in his home over his prayer when people see him is like the superiority of an obligatory prayer over a voluntary one."[al-Bayhaqi, classed as Sahih]"The most superior prayer of a person is in his home, except for obligatory prayers."[Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim] 6. Observing some manners of the day of Jumu'ah."Whoever ghassala (washes his head, and it is said: has intercourse with his wife so that it be a means to lower the gaze from the haram that day) on the day of Jumuah, then comes in the earliest time and before the first khutbah, walks and doesn't ride, stays near the Imam, listens and does not speak - for each step [he makes] he has actions of one year, the reward of fasting and standing in prayer in it."[Ahl as-Sunan] 7. Salat ul-Ishraq."Whoever prays al-ghada (i.e. al Fajr) in congregation, then sits remembering Allah until sunrise, then prays two units of prayer, has a complete reward of Hajj and Umrah [The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) repeated 'complete' three times for emphasizing][at-Tirmidhi, classed as Sahih] 8. Attending lectures in the mosque."Whoever goes to the mosque not desiring except to learn or teach what is good has the reward of a pilgrim who completed his Hajj."[at-Tabarani, classed as Sahih] 9. Performing Umrah in the month of Ramadan."Umrah in Ramadan is equal to a Hajj with me."[Sahih al-Bukhari] 10. Performing obligatory prayers in the Mosque."Whoever leaves his home in a state of purity to perform obligatory prayer, his reward is like that of a pilgrim (while) in the state of ihram [i.e. he receives reward similar to that of spending time in ihram during Hajj][Abu Dawud, classed as Sahih]So one should be in a state of purity when leaving one's home, rather than the place for ablution within the mosque, except due to necessity. 11. Being from the people of the first row in congregational prayers.Irbad bin Sariyah (radiAllahu anhu) said: "The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) used to seek forgiveness for [the people of] the first row three times, and for [the people of the] second row once."[an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah]."Allah and His Angels make salawat upon [the people of] the first row."[Ahmad, with a good isnad] 12. Prayer in Masjid Quba' in Madinah:"Whoever purifies himself in his house then comes to Masjid Quba' and prays in it has the reward like that of Umrah."[an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah] 13. Saying what the caller to prayer says:"Say as they say [i.e. callers to prayer], and when you finish, ask and you will be given."[Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i] That is, supplicate when you finish repeating after the caller to prayer. 14. Fasting Ramadan and following it with six days of Shawwal."Whoever fasts Ramadan, then follows it with six (days) of Shawwal, it is like fasting all the time."[Muslim] 15. Fasting three days each month."Whoever fasts three days each month, it s like fasting all the time."[at-Tirmidhi].This is supported by the verse, "Whoever comes with a good deed for him is a tenfold [reward]." One day being equal to ten days. 16. Providing food for breaking of the fast:"Whoever provides food for breaking of the fast of a fasting person receives the reward of the fasting person, without the reward of the fasting person being reduced in any way."[at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah] 17. Standing in prayer on Laylatul-Qadr."Laylatul Qadr is better than a thousand months" [Qur'an 97:3], that is, superior to approximately 83 years of worship. 18. Jihad."Standing of a man in a row (saff) in the way of Allah is superior to 60 years of worship."[al-Hakim, classed as Sahih]This is the superiority of standing in a row, so what about one who fights in the way of Allah for days, or months, or years? 19. Ribaat."Whoever takes a post (at borders of Muslim lands, where an enemy may be expected) for a day and night in the way of Allah has the reward of fasting and standing in prayer for a month, and whoever dies in such a state receives a continuous reward similar to it, and is [also] rewarded with provision and saved from al-Fattaan."[Muslim]Al-Fattaan is punishment of the grave. 20. Righteous actions in the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah."There are no days in which righteous deeds are dearer to Allah than these ten [days of Dhul Hijjah]." They said, "O Messenger, even jihad in the way of Allah?" He said, "Not even jihad in the way of Allah, except for the man who leaves with his wealth, and does not return with any of it (life or wealth)."[Sahih al-Bukhari] 21. Frequent recitation of Qur'anic surahs."Qul Huw Allahu Ahad" is equal to a third of the Qur'an and "Qul ya ayyuhal Kafirun" is equal to a fourth of the Qur'an."[at-Tabarani, classed as Sahih] 22. Al-Istighfaar."Whoever seeks forgiveness for believing men and believing women, Allah will write for him a good deed for each believing man ad believing woman."[at-Tabarani, classed as Hasan] 23. Fulfilling people's needs."That I walk with my Muslim brother in [fulfilling his] need is dearer to me than being in i'tikaf in the masjid for a month."[Ibn Abi Dunya, classed as Hasan] 24. Dhikr.That I say 'Subhan'Allah, wal-Hamdu lillah, wa la ilaaha ill Allahu wAllahu Akbar' is dearer to me than what the sun has risen upon. [Muslim] " Whoever enters a market and says: 'La ilaha ill Allah wahdahu la shareeka lah, lahul mulku wa lahul Hamdu yuhyi wa yumeetu wa huwa Hayyun laa yamut, bi yadihil khayr, wahuwa ala kulli shay'in qadeer' [there is nothing worthy of worship but Allah, He is alone without partner, to Him belongs dominion and praise, he causes life and death and He is the Living and does not die. In His Hand is all the good, and He is over all things competent.]Allah will write for him a million good deeds, erase a million of his bad deeds and raise him a million levels."[at-Tirmidhi, classed as Hasan]There are many other words of rememberance which are rewarded abundandtly, as is well known. "There are two blessings which many people lose: good health and free time."[Sahih al-Bukhari]<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/best-worst-of-words.html">The Best & Worst of Words</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />Glory to God Most High, full of Grace and Mercy;Peace and Blessings be upon His slave Muhammad,Along with his family and companions<br />The Most Selfish One-Letter Word "I"Avoid It[Surah al-Kahf 18:34]The Most Satisfying Two-Letter Word"WE"Use It[Surah al-An'am 6:71-72]The Most Poisonous Three-Letter Word"EGO"Kill It[Surah al-Qasas 28:78]The Most Used Four-Letter Word"LOVE"Value It[Surah al-Rum 30:21]The Most Pleasing Five Letter Word"SMILE"Keep It[Surah al-Najm 53:43]The Fastest Spreading Six-Letter Word "RUMOUR"Ignore It[Surah al-Hujurat 49:12]The Hardest Working Seven Letter Word"SUCCESS"Achieve It[Surah al-Nur 24:37-38]The Most Enviable Eight-Letter Word "JEALOUSY"Distance It[Surah Yusuf 12:8-9]The Most Powerful Nine-Letter Word"KNOWLEDGE"Acquire It(of Allah & the Holy Qu'ran)[Surah Ya Sin 36:2][Surah Yusuf 12:2]The Most Essential Ten-Letter Word"CONFIDENCE"Trust It (Trust in Allah's Guidance)[Surah Yunus 10: 9] [Surah al-Tawbah 9:51]<br /><br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/25-suggestions-to-add-to-your-life.html">25 suggestions to add to your life</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />1. Start off each day with 'azkar al-istiyqaz' (waking up supplications), thanking Allah for waking up in good shape.2. Put Allah (swt) and then Prophet Mohammad (saw) before anything else in your life.3. Broaden your horizons-learn 5 New verses from the Quran, travel to pray the Fajr in the mosque to brighten your day, take up a booklet having azkar-alsaba7 (morning supplications) and read them.4. Pray Salat Al-duha (after sunrise) and also the remaining 4 obligatory salaat of the day.5. If someone says something mean to you, just shrug it off and dismiss it in a friendly, laidback manner, and pray that Allah shall forgive him or her. They will probably get the message that they're not triggering your anger and they will stop.6. When you get angry, remember Allah, and how short and worthless life is to waste in being Angry.7. Remember that you can never have too many friends, but you can have few quality friends that help you fulfil the purpose of your creation (i.e live for Allah.)8. When you're happy, try to share your happiness with others thank Allah for that, and pray its continuation.9. When something bad or embarrassing happens to you, just think that it could always be worse, remember the reward of patience, and thank Allah that it's not worse than it is.10. Do something extra of goodness once in a while, like feeding a poor person, or caressing an orphan's head.11. Never stop believing that you can win Allah's love and thus work for it. Then you can win the love of Allah's slaves.12. Spend some time thinking of Allah's amazing creation.13. Always love those who love Allah unconditionally. This way you will ensure that you live for Him, love for Him, and hate for Him (those who are enemies of Him)14. Find the righteous ways to express yourself, and if you think that what you are about to say shall cause no benefit, maintain silence (this is tough!)15. Every now and then, give yourself a break. play sports, give time to your family, friends, but always remember Allah and watch that He is watching you (Ihsan).16. Pray for blessings to come to your enemies, and pray Allah to guide them to the right path.17. Show love to your parents and always obey them (except orders that are against Islam, which they’ll never do) especially to your mother as Junnah is under the feet of your mother.18. Smile to everyone, to all brothers and sisters, for your smile makes a big difference to them and you are rewarded.19. Forgive, forget and smile.20. Tears are not for women only... tears are for all human beings with feelings remaining in them. Don't restrain your tears when remembering Allah.21. When people criticize your actions and effort, revise your actions and see if they please Allah or not. If they do, then ignore those criticism and remember how the Prophet(s) and the Sahaba (ra) were criticized, made fun of and even physically harmed, so have patience.22. Read the Quran daily and try to have a schedule for completing it every month (or as much as you could) as long as you open the Quran daily, and read with observing, try to understand and traansform them into action, not just passing your eyes through the words.23. Don't let popularity go to your head, for it never lasts and you may lose from it more than gain.24. Never look down on anybody, for they may be better than you in Allah's eyes.25. After praying the salaatul Isha and before going to bed ask yourself whether you have gained some points for the day or are you loosing. Make repentance for things you have done wrong and think of ways to improve yourself in the following day.<br /><br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/islamic-terms.html">Islamic Terms</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />Islamic Terms<br />Allah The Supreme Being. The name of God.<br />Hadith The sacred sayings of Muhammad, handed down by oral tradition and finally written down.<br />Hajj Pilgrimage to Mecca. One of the five pillars of the Islamic faith.<br />Hijrah Muhammad's flight from Mecca to Medina in 622 A.D.<br />Islam "submission to the will of Allah"<br />Koran (Qur'an) The inspired word of God given to Muhammad by the angel Gabriel.<br />Makkah The birthplace of Muhammad, and the holy city of Islam.<br />Medina Holy city named for Muhammad after he fled there in 622 A.D.<br />Muhammad Prophet and founder of Islam. Born around 570 A.D., died 632 A.D.<br />Muslim Followers of Muhammad. It literally means one who submits to the will of Allah.<br />Mosque Islamic place of worship.<br />Muezzlin Muslim caller who announces the hour of prayer.<br />Peace Be Upon Him An expression used by Muslims to show respect and reverence to all prophets of Allah. Muslims usually say it just after mentioning the name of Prophets.<br />Ramadan The ninth and one of the most sacred month of the Muslim year. It is the month in which Holy Quran was revealed to prophet Muhammad. It is now considered as a month of fasting.<br />Salat Muslim daily prayer ritual. One of the five pillars of Islam.<br />Shi'ites Muslim sect which insists that Muhammad's son-in-law 'Ali was Muhammad's rightful successor.<br />Sufi A Muslim mystic and/or ascetic.<br />Sunnites Largest Muslim sect which acknowledges all of Muhammad's successors.<br />Surahs What the chapters of the Qur'an are called.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/medical-science-in-islam.html">Medical Science in Islam</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />The Discovery of the Human Genome:Its Implications for the Muslim Community"Allah created you from dust, then from a little fluid, then He made you pairs (the male and female). No female beareth or bringeth forth save with His knowledge. And no one groweth old who groweth old, nor is aught lessened of his life, but it is recorded in a Book. Lo! That is easy for Allah" (35:11).According to an article in the January 15, 2001 issue of Time magazine, science has now discovered exactly what that "book" is. It is the human genome (the third level down from a chromosome), which has scientists racing to be the first to unravel the code to curing the diseases of mankind.However, this race largely ignores the fact men are not only created of genome, but also of spirit and the will of Allah. Man is not simply a slave to his genome, but has will over it (through the power of prayer and positive thinking).Genome researchers are hoping to take over the field in which pharmacists, herbalists, and natural health practitioners have been working side by side for years. They are calling the medicines we have today "inefficient," and stating their intention to replace now "outdated" methods of treating and curing illnesses.Time magazine says, "When the human genome was sequenced last year, scientists finally gained access to the full text of God's reference manual: the three billion biochemical letters that spell out tens of thousands of genes. These genes, strung out along the 46 chromosomes in virtually every human cell, carry the instructions for making all the tissues, organs, hormones and enzymes in our body."Furthermore, scientists have decided to "read" this book. A newly designed computer, fittingly called "Zeus" (an ancient Greek pagan god), has been engaged to help scientists decode the mysteries of the genome. Of course, discovering its secrets has many implications, but medical scientists have their eyes set first on the possibility of making better pharmaceuticals.Calling modern pharmaceuticals "woefully inefficient" and stating that we've "beaten those (drug targets) to death", Francis Collins, director of the National Institute of Health's Human Genome Researching Institute, throws modern pharmaceuticals out in one sentence and cleverly sets the stage for his company to step in and fill the gap. Time dutifully takes on the role of Collins' advertising manager by writing, "Until now doctors have not really been fighting illnesses like cancer, stroke and heart disease. Instead they have been intervening at the level of symptoms - the last visible step in a complex cascade of biochemical events." Further on, they describe modern pharmaceuticals in an even less flattering light, "Drugs are molecular saboteurs." Writer Unmesh Kher states, "They exert their curative effects by gumming up the works of key proteins in the body. The compounds with the fewest side effects are the ones that drop their monkey wrenches selectively, slotting seamlessly into grooves."Muslim natural healing, however, has worked for hundreds of years on the premise that, "Allah never inflicts a disease unless he makes a cure for it..." (Hadith) and that "Allah, He is the Truth. Lo! He quickeneth the dead, and lo! He is Able to do all things (Qur'an, 22:5)." Following the example of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), Muslim healers have largely relied on "God's pharmacy" with the confidence that Allah created man and prepared the perfect medicines for the cure of any illnesses that might inflict him. Until now, even modern pharmaceuticals have been an attempt to synthesize and improve upon this natural pharmacy by copying substances found in natural cures.Muslim natural healers, as well as many medical doctors, have also recognized that Allah gave man some power over his body and an ability to heal through prayer and will. The Qur'an (32:9) states, "Then He fashioned him and breathed into him of His spirit; and appointed for you hearing and sight and hearts. Small thanks give ye!"Again, the Qur'an states, "For any disease, there is a cure, and when the cure matches the disease, the person recovers by the will of Allah." This invalidates any claims that scientists have to be the sole manipulators in the curing of disease.It is not only within the Qur'an that "alternative forms of healing" are given credit. Entire books, or significant portions of others, have been written on the metaphysical and spiritual causes of disease. They provide numerous examples of how disease can be caused by a lack of spirituality, or by trauma or negative thoughts, and of how prayer, positive thinking, and/or therapy to resolve old issues have subsequently cured it. Such books include: Your Health...Your Choice by Dr. Ted Morter, The Mozart Effect by Don Campbell, Reinventing Medicine by Larry Dossey, MD and hundreds more.The first findings by the computer Zeus confirm this truth. After testing hundreds of thousands of gene structures for the protein receptor responsible for breast cancer, scientists narrowed the field down to a few that were present in 80% of breast cancer patients. They could not account for the other 20% of the patients. Also, no account was taken of any other diseases patients may have had or of how long they had been treated for breast cancer, or if the disease itself had anything to do with lab results.Scientists hope to take these tests further and eventually corner the gene responsible for all cancers, including prostate and colon cancer so that someday, "Doctors will treat diseases like cancer and diabetes before symptoms even begin."The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) also taught that one should try to prevent diseases instead of "just curing them" when he said that, "An ounce of prevention is better than a ton of treatment." He prescribed many methods of prevention for Muslims including fasting in Ramadan, prayer, and moderate eating and living habits. Allah's Messenger (SAW) said, "The stomach is the central basin of the body, and the veins are connected to it. When the stomach is healthy, it passes on its condition to the veins, and in turn the veins will circulate the same; when the stomach is putrescent, the veins will absorb such putrescence and issue the same."With the new possibilities for drugs, however, doctors are proposing that we can bypass all of these spiritually and physically challenging methods of prevention by simply targeting diseases before they start with new medicines that are "smarter" (than the diseases themselves). As Muslims we need to keep an eye on this new area of genome research where scientists claim to have "God's code" to our genetic makeup and are attempting to create "computer gods.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/what-is-islam.html">What is ISLAM?</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />(A) RELIGION OF UNITY<br />(1) Unity of GodIslam teaches the purest form of Monotheism and regards polytheism as the deadliest sin. A Muslim addresses GOD by His Personal Name: ALLAH --- the word "god" and its equivalents in other languages being unstable in the matter of connotation. Allah, according to Islam, is the One God, who is Indivisible in Person and Who has no partner: wife, son or daughter. He is the Matchless and "naught is as His likeness". "He begetteth not, nor was He begotten". He is the First, the Last, the Eternal, the Infinite, the Almighty, the Omniscient, the Omnipresent. He is the Creator, the Nourisher, the Cherisher of all things. He is the All-just, the Avenger of the wrongs done to the weak and the oppressed, the Compassionate, the Merciful and Loving, the Guide, the Friend, the Magnificent, the Glorious, the Beautiful and the True. In short, He is the Possessor of all Excellence.<br />Speaking of the conception of God in Islam, Gibbon, the famous western historian, says: "The Creed of Hazrat Muhammad is free from the suspicion of Ambiguity and the Qur’an is a glorious testimony to the unity of God. The Prophet of Mecca rejected the worship of idols and men, of stars and planets, on the rational principle that whatever is corruptible must decay and perish, that whatever is born must die, that whatever rises must set. In the Author of the universe his rational enthusiasm confessed and adored an infinite and Eternal Being, without form or place, without issue or similitude, present to our secret thoughts, existing by the necessity of His own nature, and deriving from Himself all moral and intellectual perfections. These sublime truths …are defined with metaphysical precision by the interpreters of the Qur’an. A philosophic theist might subscribe to the popular creed of the Muhammadans."<br />(2) Unity of the UniverseFrom the Unity of the Creator, according to Islam, proceeds the Unity of the Universe, i.e., Unity of Creation and Unity of Purpose. In other words, the Cosmos is a Moral Order.<br />(3) Unity of MankindIslam regards the whole of mankind as an "organic unity" --- a single family, and emphatically says that the distinctions on the mundane plane, the distinctions, namely, of race, colour, language or territory, cannot form the ground for claims of superiority of one group over the other. The only distinction that has "value" is that which arises at the moral and spiritual planes – namely, the distinction of "taqwa", or, "piety and righteousness".Prof. H.A.R. Gibb, the famous English critic of Islam says, "…..Islam…..possesses a magnificent tradition of inter-racial understanding and co-operation. No other society has such a record of success in uniting in an equality of status, of opportunity and of endeavour so many and so various races of mankind… If ever the opposition of the great societies of East is to be replaced by co-operation, the mediation of Islam is an indispensable condition." (Whither Islam? p.379).<br />(4) Unity of ReligionAccording to Islam, the human intellect, though a great and powerful asset, has its natural limits, and, therefore, neither the normative nor the empirical sciences are capable of leading humanity to a sure knowledge of ultimate truths and the code of life based upon them. The only source of sure knowledge open to humanity is, consequently, Divine Guidance, and that course has been actually open ever since the beginnings of human life on earth. Allah raised His "Prophets" and "Messengers" and revealed His Guidance to them for transmission to humanity. Coming from the same Source, all revealed religions have, therefore, been one, i.e., ISLAM.<br />Allah's Prophets and Messengers continued to come to every country and community to work in their respective limited fields. Time after time, the revealed Guidance was either lost or corrupted through human interpolation, and new Prophets with fresh Dispensations were sent, and humanity continued to advance from infancy to maturity. At last, when the stage of maturity was reached – when humanity was practically to become one family --- instead of sectional Guidance, a perfect, final and abiding Revelation, addressed to entire mankind and for all time, was granted in the seventh century of the Christian era. That Revelation, which recapitulates all former Revelations and thus sets a seal on the Unity of Religion, is ISLAM; the Scripture which enshrines it is the HOLY QUR’AN; and the Prophet who brought it is the Leader of Humanity, Hazrat Muhammad (Allah bless him!).Thus all the Prophets of God, from Adam down to Hazrat Noah, Hazrat Abraham, Hazrat Moses and Hazrat Jesus (peace be upon them all), are the Prophets of a Muslim the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him!) being the Last and Final one, and all the Divine Scriptures are the Scriptures of a Muslim, though he follows only the Holy Qur’an because it alone exists in its original purity and it alone contains the religion of Islam which has been followed by all rightly-guided people since the day the first human being came into existence.<br />(5) Unity of SexesDifferentiation of functions have misled certain cultures of the world to regard woman as a being who belongs, so to say, to a different and inferior species: and to meet out to her inhuman treatment accordingly. Islam emphatically repudiates that notion and teaches that both man and woman have sprung from the same essence and the same source and consequently possess the same human status. Their functions and interests, instead of being antagonistic, are meant to be mplementary. The natural relation between the sexes, in all its aspects, is therefore, that of love and harmony, without which no true human progress can be possible.<br />(6) Unity of ClassesIslam aims at the creation of a classless society by eliminating all possible social conflicts (through revolving the different interests).In the sphere of economics, Islam lays down the principle that wealth should not be allowed to circulate among the wealthy only, and envisages, through its laws and institutions, a "Cooperative Common-wealth of Talents".<br />In the political sphere, Islam stands for the "Cooperative Commonwealth of the Pursuers of Righteousness".Taken as a whole, the Islamic state is a "welfare state" where sovereignty belongs to Allah alone and no human being has a right to govern other human beings except in the name of Allah and according to His Will, and where nobody, not even the Head of the State, is above the law. Absolute Justice is the watchword and the Establishment of Righteousness is the goal.<br />The merits of Islam’s social ethics have elicited praise even from the otherwise hostile critics. For instance:H.G. Wells says: "Islam created a society more free from widespread cruelty and social oppression than any society that had ever been in the world before" (Outline of History, p.325).<br />H.A.R. Gibb says: "Within the Western world Islam still maintains the balance between exaggerated opposities. Opposed equally to the anarchy of European nationalism and the regimentation of Russian communism, it has not yet succumbed to that obsession with the economic side of life which is characteristic of present-day Russia alike." (Whither Islam? p.378).<br />Prof. Louis Massignon says: "Islam has the merit of standing for a very equalitarian conception… It occupies an intermediate position between the doctrines of bourgeois capitalism and Bolshevist communism." (Whither Islam? p.378).<br />(7) Unity of Human ActivityIslam conceives of the human personality as a "unity" and consequently regards the distinction of "secular" and "religious" as unscientific, irrational and absurd. The life of a Muslim, both in its individual and social manifestation, is a life lived for God and God alone.<br />"Islam," says Dudley Wright, scholar of Comparative Religion, "is no mere creed; it is a life to be lived. In the Qur’an may be found directions for what are sometimes termed the minor details of daily life, but which are not minor when it is considered that life has to be lived for God. The Muslim lives for God alone. The aim of the Muslim is to become God-bound, and to endeavour to advance the knowledge of God in all his undertakings. From the cradle to the grave the true Muslim lives for God and God alone."<br /><a name="B"></a>(B)RELIGION OF "SUBMISSION TO THE DIVINE WILL"The word "Islam" means "submission" and, as a religious term, it connotes "submission to the Divine Will and Commands". As such, ISLAM is co-extensive with NATURE. For, everything in Nature submits to the Divine Will without demur. The only exception is man. He has to choose "Islam" through his free will and thus to attain his destiny by falling in line with the rest of God’s Creation.<br />Goethe, the renowned poet-philosopher of Germany, says:"Naerrisch, dass jeder in seinem Falle Seine besomdere Meinung priest! Whenn Islam Gott ergeben heisst, Im Islam leben und sterben wir alle" viz:"It is lack of understanding that everyone praises own special opinion;(for) Islam means submission to God and in Islam we all live and die."<br /><a name="C"></a>(C) RELIGION OF NATUREThe above statement brings out, and the Holy Qur’an emphasises in clear terms, that to be a Muslim is to live and grow in accordance with true human nature and in harmony with the Nature around. Islam, thus, means conformity to the Natural Law.<br /><a name="D"></a>(D) RELIGION OF DISCIPLINEThe concepts of Submission to the Divine Will and Conformity to the Natural Law, when actively realized in human life, give rise to the healthiest form of ISCIPLINE and Islam is the religion of Discipline par excellence.<br />In his famous book; First and Last Things, H.G. Wells says:"The aggression, discipline and submission of Muhammadanism makes, I think,… fine and honourable religion for men. Its spirit, if not its formulae is abundantly present in our modern world... I have no doubt that in devotion to a virile… Deity and to the service of His Empire of stern Law and Order, efficiently upheld, men have found and will find salvation."The German Orientalist Friedrich Delitzsch admits that the Muslim shows "owing to his religious surrender to the Will of God an exemplary patience under misfortune and he bears up under disastrous accidents with an admirable strength of mind." (Die Welt des Islam, p.28).<br /><a name="E"></a>(E)RELIGION OF TRUTHThe concept of "Truth" forms the keynote of Islamic ideology and pervades the entire universal order presented by Islam. Not only is "truthfulness" a fundamental value in the elaborate Islamic Moral Code – a value which forms the foundation-stone of Muslim character, but God Himself has been mentioned in the Holy Qur’an as "The Truth", or "the True", the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (God bless him!) as the "Bearer of Truth", the Qur’an itself as "the Truth", and the abode of the righteous after death as the "Seat of Truth".<br /><a name="F"></a>(F) RELIGION OF TEMPERANCEIslam is the religion of Purity and Temperance par excellence. It stresses purity not only of the mind and the heart, which certain other religions also stress, but also of the body, its fundamental principle being the harmonious development of human personality. Consequently; it strictly prohibits the use of all drinks and foods which might be unhealthy and injurious to the body, or the mind or both. Thus its prohibitive injunctions cover not only all the intoxicants, e.g., wine, opium, etc., but also those foods which are harmful to healthy human growth. Ultimately, Islamic Temperance covers all evil thoughts, feelings and deeds.<br /><a name="G"></a>(G)RELIGION OF BEAUTYUnlike certain religions, Islam is not the religion of contempt for the world, of the negation of any fundamental value. It is positively and definitely a religion of fulfilment – fulfilment of all the faculties and positive capabilities with which God has endowed man. Aesthetic culture, therefore, forms part of Islamic life – of course, governed and controlled by Islam’s moral and spiritual principles. In Islam the concept of "Beauty" permeates the entire human activity – nay, the whole cosmic order, "Allah," says the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (peace be with him!), "is Beautiful and loves what is beautiful." Beauty in thought, words and deed, and beauty in all creative activity is the Islamic ideal.Islam permits the creation of Art, within the limitations of its spiritual and moral framework. But its motto is not "Art for the sake of Art" but "Art for the sake of Life", whereby alone a true blending of spiritual, moral and physical beauty – the rational and harmonious goal of human life – is achievable.<br /><a name="H"></a>(H) RELIGION OF REASONIslam regards Reason as man’s distinctive privilege and God’s noble gift, and the Holy Qur’an has repeatedly exhorted mankind to employ Reason in the matters of social and natural phenomena and in understanding its Message and practicing its Guidance, thus giving to "personal judgment," its due place in the life of a Muslim."Intellectual Culture" in general, forms one of the noblest pursuits of human life in Islam and the acquisition and cultivation of knowledge has been made obligatory upon every Muslim man and woman.<br /><a name="I"></a>(I) RELIGION OF THE NEGATION OF SUPERSTITIONIslam is a positively rational religion and stands opposed to the mystery cults and religions of mysterious dogmas whose acceptance is generally claimed on the basis of blind faith.<br />Speaking of the negation of superstition and the affirmation of Reason in Islam, Godfrey Higgins says: "No relic, no image, no picture, no mother of God disgrace his (Hazrat Muhammad’s) religion. No such doctrines as the efficacy of faith without works, or that of a death-bed repentance, plenary indulgences, absolution or auricular confession, operate first to corrupt, then to deliver up his followers into the power of a priesthood, which would of course be always more corrupt and more degraded than themselves. No indeed! The adoration of one God, without mother, or mystery, or pretended miracle, and the acknowledgement that he, a man, was sent to preach the duty of offering adoration to the Creator alone, constituted the simple doctrinal part of the religion of the Unitarian of Arabia." (Apology for Hazrat Muhammad).<br /><a name="J"></a>(J) RELIGION OF ACTIONIslam stands in sharp contrast with those religions which interpret the Salvation of man in terms of the acceptance of certain intricate and inexplicable formulae. Simplicity is its watch-word and rationality its lifeblood, and as such it gives to both "Faith" and "Action" their due place. Wherever the Holy Qur’an mentions the problem of human salvation, it bases it on "right belief" as well as "righteous action", emphasizing the former as the ground and the latter as the sequence.<br /><a name="K"></a>(K) RELIGION OF BALANCED PROGRESSIslamic life is a life of the attainment of "Falah" which means, "The furrowing out of latent faculties". A Muslim, therefore, has to continuously strive for progress…. a progress controlled by righteousness and illumined by Divine Guidance, a progress grounded in spirituality, a progress balanced and comprehending all aspects of human life: spiritual, mental, moral, aesthetic and physical.Paying tribute to the balanced character of Islam and the progress which it inspires, the famous Orientalist Prof. H. A. R. Gibb says:"Within the Western world, Islam still maintains the balance between exaggerated opposites...For the fullest development of its cultural life, particularly of its spiritual life, Europe cannot do without the forces and capacities which lie within Islamic society." (Whither Islam? p.378).<br /><a name="L"></a>(L) RELIGION OF SCIENTIFIC QUESTWhile other religions may feel shy of science Islam has made the scientific quest a religious obligation. The aims of that quest, however, are not the unbalanced indulgence in physical pleasures and the tyrannisation over fellowbeings, but the advancement in the love of God through progress in the knowledge of His works and the service of humanity through the acquisition of control over the "forces of nature".<br />Speaking of the role of Islam as the inaugurator of the modern scientific era, Briffault, the reputed scholar of the history of civilisation, says:…although there is not a single aspect of European growth in which the decisive influence of Islamic culture is not traceable, nowhere is it so clear and momentous as in the genesis of that power which constitutes the permanent distinctive force of the modern world and the supreme source of its victory – natural science and the scientific spirit … The debt of our science to that of the Arabs does not consist in startling discoveries of revolutionary theories; science owes a great deal more to Arab culture, it owes its existence. The ancient world was, as we saw, pre-scientific. The Astronomy and Mathematics of the Greeks were a foreign importation never thoroughly acclimatised in Greek culture. The Greeks systematised, generalised and theorised; but the patient ways of investigation, the accumulation of positive knowledge, the minute methods of science, detailed and prolonged observation and experimental inquiry were altogether alien to Greek temperament... What we call science arose in Europe as the result of a new spirit of inquiry, of new methods of investigation, of the method of experiment, observation, measurement, of the development of Mathematics in a form unknown to the Greeks. That spirit and those methods were introduced into the European world by the Arabs… Neither Roger Bacon nor his later namesake has any title to be credited with having introduced the experimental method. Roger Bacon was no more than one of the apostles of Muslim science and method to Christian Europe; and he was never wearied of declaring that knowledge of Arabic and Arab Science was for his contemporaries the only way to true knowledge. Discussions as to who was the originator of the experimental method…are part of the colossal misrepresentation of the origins of European civilisation. The experimental method of the Arabs was by Bacon’s time widespread and eagerly cultivated throughout Europe … Science is the most momentous contribution of Arab civilisation to the modern world….. It was not science only which brought Europe back to life. Other and manifold influences from the civilisation of Islam communicated its first glow to European life. "(Making of Humanity, pp 190-202).H.G. Wells, another great Western authority, had to admit that: "Through the Arabs it was, and not by the Latin route, that the modern world received that gift of light and power (i.e., the Scientific Method)."<br />Because of its deep-rooted hostility to Islam, implanted during the Middle Ages, the West has been very slow in acknowledging the merits of Islam. Admissions and confessions have, however, been gradually coming forth grudgingly or ungrudgingly. Thus, as we have seen above, it has been admitted that the Muslims gave to the West the Scientific Method as well as the scientific inspiration. But the Muslims themselves received them from the Holy Qur’an. This fact has also been admitted at last. For instance, Stanislas Guyard observes: "In the seventh century of our era, the Old World was in agony. The Arabian conquest infused into it new blood … Hazrat Muhammad gave them (the Arabs) the Qur’an, which was the starting point of new culture. " (Encyclopedia des Sciences Religieuses, Tome IX,p. 501). Challenging the adversaries of Islam and referring to the Holy Qur’an, Dr. A Bertherand says: "Let them read and meditate on this great Book: they will find in it, at every passage, constant attack on idolatry and materialism; they will read that the Prophet incessantly called the attention and the mediation of his people to the splendid marvels, to the mysterious phenomena of creation… those who have followed its counsels have been, as we have described in the course of this study, the creators of a civilisation which is astounding to this day." (Contribution des Arabs auprogres des Sciences Medicales, p. 6).Emmanuel Deutsch oberves: "By the aid of the Qur’an the Arabs…came to Europe to hold up the light to humanity, they alone, while darkness lay around,…to teach philosophy, medicine, astronomy and the golden art of song to the West as to the East, to stand at the cradle of modern science, and to cause us late epigoni for ever to weep over the day when Granada fell."<br /><a name="M"></a>(M) RELIGION OF THE SANCTITY OF LABOURIn Islam, all honest labour is sacred and forms the life-blood of human progress. "For man is naught but what he strives for," says the Holy Qur’an, and "the labourer is the beloved of God," says the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (God bless him!). Thus "idleness" is a sin and "industry" is a virtue in Islam.<br /><a name="N"></a>(N) RELIGION OF THE HIGHEST IDEALISM IN ETHICSIslam lays the foundation of ethics on "submission to the Divine will" and gives to humanity the ethical ideal of imitating the Divine Attributes, even as we have been exhorted by the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (God bless him!) who says: "Imbue yourselves with Divine Attributes."<br />"The highest form of religious ethic," observes Sir Richard Gregory, "is that in which the aim of conduct is complete and implicit obedience to what is conceived to be the Will of God …(this obedience) may become a joyous and spontaneous acceptance of a mode of life, such as it is conceived would be consonant with the nature of God, subject to such limitations of the flesh as are ineradicable – the ideal of saintliness. Hence arises the desire for uprightness as end-in-itself; either with a view to reward, if not in this world, in the next, or pursued selflessly for its own sake. This concept of religious ethic has led to the highest idealism in human conduct." (Religion in Science and Civilisation, p. 63).<br /><a name="O"></a>(O) RELIGION OF PEACE AND GOODWILLThe world "Salam", which means "peace", has close root-affinity with the word "Islam". Thus the concept of PEACE forms an integral part of the world ISLAM itself. Indeed, this concept permeates the Islamic religion through and through. For, God, according to the Holy Qur’an, is As-Salam, i.e. (the Source of) peace"; a Muslim’s Salutation, which embodies the ideal of Muslim life, is As-Salam-o -alaikum, i.e., "Peace be unto you"; and the abode of the righteous, towards which the Holy Qur’an invites humanity, is Dar-us-Salam, i.e., "the Abode of Peace".One of the ideals of Muslim life, therefore, is the attainment of peace on all fronts --- peace with self through harmonious self-realisation, peace with fellow creatures through the maintenance of the basic attitude of Goodwill, and peace with God through submission to the Divine Will.<br /><a name="P"></a>(P) RELIGION OF STRUGGLE (JIHAD)The Islamic concept of Peace is not, however, utopian, For, Islam is a practical religion par excellence –a religion of Struggle (Jihad) --- and does not, therefore, prescribe any course of action which is unnatural or impracticable. Thus, for instance, in international relations, although basically committed to the promotion of Peace and Goodwill, Islam does allow the participation of Muslims in war when it becomes morally inevitable – when no other course remains open for safeguarding justice, nay, peace itself.The word "Jihad", which has been maligned much by the evil-minded misrepresenters of Islam in connection with the wars of Islamic history, means "struggle" and, according to Islam, it is of two kinds: (1) Struggle for subjugating one’s lower self to the higher self. This is the higher form of "Jihad" and its function is purely spiritual: (2) Struggle for defeating the forces of evil on the collective plane. This is the collective Jihad.The collective Jihad may, again, be either of a peaceful character, namely, propagation of Islam and its establishment in the collective life of the people through preaching and reform, or it may be in the form of war against an aggressor.<br />The Islamic permission of war is basically for defensive purposes. And not only does Islam rule out all immoral impulses to war but it also lays down a rigid ethics which in its sublimity and humanness surpasses all other ethics of war which humanity has ever known.<br />Says O. Houdas: " … The Qur’an states: ‘And fight for the cause of God against those who fight against you; but commit not the injustice of attacking them first; verily God loveth not the unjust’ – S.II 190…… Jihad had to be waged to defend Islam against aggression… Once the war was terminated, the Muslims always displayed a great tolerance towards the conquered peoples, leaving them their legislation and religious beliefs." (La Grande Encyclopaedia, Tome 20,p. 1006)."In their wars of conquest," says E. Alexander Powell, "the Muslims exhibited a degree of toleration which put many Christian nations to shame." (The Struggle for Power in Moslem Asia, p. 48).<br /><a name="Q"></a>(Q) RELIGION OF "NO COMPULSION IN CONVERSION"As regards forcible proselytisation, it has been explicitly banned by Islam with the Qur’anic declaration: "there is no compulsion in matters of faith", and the propaganda that Muslims went out into the world with the sword in one hand and the Qur’an in the other to convert the non-Muslims forcibly is a pure fabrication. Indeed, it is so utterly unfounded that even an enemy of Islam like Rev. Dr. O’Leary had to admit:"History makes it clear that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of sword upon conquered races, is one of the most absurd myths that the historians have ever repeated". (Islam at the Croos-Roads, page 8).<br /><a name="R"></a>(R) RELIGION OF BROTHERHOODIslam inculcates the love of God’s creation in general and of the human family, in particular. "The best of you is he who is best to God’s family (i.e., humanity)," says the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (God bless him!) Islam regards humanity as ‘one Fraternity inside which it affirms the existence of the "Islamic Brotherhood", wherein all distinctions of caste and tribe, race and colour, language and territory are superseded and obliterated, and which has been allotted the function of acting as the servant of, and the torch-bearer of Divine Guidance for, the larger Human Brotherhood.Side by side with the code of conduct meant to be observed within the circle of Islamic Brotherhood Islam also gives a definite code of Human Love which relates to the dealings of Muslims with the larger human society.<br />"The brotherhood of Muhammadanism," says Dr. Leither, "is no mere word. All believers are equal and their own high-priest." (Muhammadanism. P.18).The Dutch Orientalist Snouck Hurgronje observes: "The ideal of a League of Human Races has been approached by Islam more nearly than by any other ideology; for the League of nations founded on Hazrat Muhammad’s religion takes the principle of the equality of all human race so seriously as to put other communities to shame." (Muslim World Today).<br /><a name="S"></a>(S) RELIGION OF SPIRITUAL DEMOCRAYIn the sphere of worship, Islam stands for the establishment of direct relation between God and human being without the mediation of any priest. Every Muslim man and woman is, therefore, his or her own priest or priestess.<br />It is wrong to regard the scholars (Ulama) or the leaders (Imams) of congregational prayers in the mosques as priests. Any good Muslim who knows Islam can lead the prayers, while the ‘Ulama’ are simply scholars and experts of Islamic knowledge and merely fulfil a responsibility which rests on the shoulders of the entire Islamic Brotherhood. For, Islam wants every Muslim man and woman to be a scholar of its teachings, unlike, for instance, Hinduism, where those belonging to the caste of Brahmins alone possess this privilege.Rev.W.Wilson Cash, the famous Christian missionary and hostile critic of Islam, had to confess: "Islam endowed its people with a dignity peculiarly its own… Direct access to God makes one of the strong appeals of Islam" (The Expansion of Islam p. 177).<br /><a name="T"></a>(T) RELIGION OF HUMAN DIGNITYProblem of SlaveryBy emphasizing freedom as the birthright of all human beings, by proclaiming human equality without distinctions of caste, colour or clime, by denying the sin-innate theory and all other theories of the evil origin of mankind by affirming that the progeny of Adam is the noblest creation of God, by raising humanity to the status of the Vicegerency of God on earth, by making imitation of the Divine Attributes the ethical ideal of mankind, and by pointing out the conquest of the universe as the human destiny, Islam has established human dignity on the loftiest pinnacle conceivable.<br />Humanity was suffering in various ways because of the wrong notions held by pre-Islamic cultures and religions about human dignity, when Islam appeared. Cruelty was being perpetrated in the name of caste, tribe and race, large masses of humanity had been reduced to the status of serfs, and slavery, which had been an age-old institution, was being practiced by various races and peoples of Europe and Asia, including the Arabs, with the sanction of such scriptures as the Bible and without the least moral compunction. Islam raised its masculine voice of protest against all those evils and gave to the world a philosophy and a legislation which has made it the saviour of the downtrodden and the oppressed for all time.<br />Among the many misconceptions spread about Islam by its enemies, one is that which relates to slavery. For a proper appreciation of the role of Islam in the abolition of slavery, the reader is referred to the present writer’s "Islam and Slavery." Here, in this brief brochure, we might confine ourselves to the brief statement of a fair-minded non-Muslim scholar of the last century, who said: "His (i.e., Hazrat Muhammad’s) law of slavery is, ‘If slaves come to you, you shall’ --- not imprison and then sell by public sale, though no claimant appears, as in the nineteenth century is the law of Christian England in her provinces, but, --- ‘redeem them, and it is forbidden to you to send them forth’ (Qur’an II, p.85). And this was a man standing up in the wilds of Arabia in the seventh century." (Westminster Review no. IX, p. 221).Even the hostile and biased Dutch critic of Islam, Prof. Snouck Hurgronje, had to say: "According to the Muhammadan principle, slavery is an institution destined to disappear."<br /><a name="U"></a>(U) RELIGION OF RATIONAL SEX MORALITY<br />Problem of polygamyThe Islamic view of the fundamental equality of sexes has been already stated in the section on "Religion of Unity" and an impartial historical appreciation of the problem proves beyond all doubt that it was "Islam which removed the bondage in which women were held from the very dawn of human history and gave them a social standing and legal rights such as were not granted them in England till many centuries later." (Lady Evelyn Cobbold, in "Pilgrimage to Mecca"). But the widespread propaganda of the enemies of Islam in connection with polygamy necessitates a specific statement in that connection.<br />In the first instance, polygamy was not invented by Islam, nor was it made in any way obligatory. It had existed in pre-Islamic societies since time immemorial with the sanction of religion and had been practiced even by those who were accepted as holy personages as for instance, we find in the Old Testament. There it was governed by no law whatsoever, and so also it was in the Arabian society at the advent of Islam. What Islam did was to regulate it and to subject it to such severe restrictions as to make it prohibitive except in cases of emergency. Indeed, monogamy has been the ideal and polygamy only an exception in Muslim Society. This fact is fully borne out by the present as well as the past history of the Muslims and has been admitted by all fair-minded critics of Islam. For instance, William Kelly Wright says: "Most Mohammedans in all ages have had only one wife." (Philosophy of Religion, New York, 1935).<br />Islam is a natural religion and it takes a very serious view of sexual vices and social ills. Consequently, it was very natural for Islam to permit limited and restricted polygamy for the maintenance of social health in all those situations where it is the only natural remedy. For instance, when war alters the natural sex ratio, giving to women preponderance over men, there are only two alternatives, namely, widespread prostitution or polygamy. Islam prefers the latter to the former in the interests of moral health and social wellbeing of womanhood. Similarly, if the first wife is sterile or suffers from any incurable disease, there are only two possible alternatives, namely, either the first wife should be divorced and a fresh wife taken or she may continue in her status undisturbed along with a second wife. The former course would mean distressing, spinsterhood for the first wife while the latter course would provide to her an honourable normal life without temptation to evil. Polygamy can also become a necessity in a medically incurable case of the hypersexed male who, in most cases, would look to more than one woman for the satisfaction of his biological need. In all such cases, the Islamic permission of polygamy with all its responsibilities and restrictions would be a definitely healthier course than the hypocritical adherence to the formal monogamy.<br />Polyandry (i.e., the marriage of one woman with several husbands) is not permitted in Islam because psychologically it is unsound, sociologically it is impracticable and biologically it is most dangerous for the physical health of the persons concerned. Certain primitive tribes who practice polyandry are infected with the plague of venereal diseases.<br />Speaking on polygamy, Dr. Annie Besant says: "There is pretended monogamy in the West, but there is really polygamy without responsibility; the ‘mistress’ is cast off when the man is weary of her and sinks gradually to be the ‘woman of the street’, for the first lover has no responsibility for her future, and she is a hundred times worse off than the sheltered wife and mother in the polygamous home. When we see thousands of miserable women who crowed the streets of Western towns during the night, we must surely feel that it does not lie in western mouth to reproach Islam for polygamy. It is better for a woman, happier for a woman, more respectable for a woman, to live in polygamy, united to one man only, with the legitimate child in her arms, and surrounded with respect, than to be seduced, cast out into the streets, perhaps with an illegitimate child outside the pale of law, unsheltered and uncared for, to become the victim of any passer-by, night after night, rendered incapable of motherhood, despised of all."Another critic of Western social order observes: "The law of the state, based upon the dogma of the Church, which makes it a criminal offence for a man to marry more than one wife, by that same provision makes it illegal for millions of women to have husbands or to bear children…It is untrue that monogamy was advocated by Jesus Christ… whether the question is considered socially, ethically or religiously, it can be demonstrated that polygamy is not contrary to the highest standards of civilisation ….. The suggestion offers a practical remedy for the western problem of the destitute and unwanted female: the alternative is continued and increased prostitution, concubinage and distressing spinsterhood" (J.E. Clare McFarlane: Case for Polygamy).<br /><a name="V"></a>(V) RELIGION OF SALVATION IN THIS LIFE AND THE HEREAFTERIt is the distinctive merit of Islam that it does not concern itself merely with Salvation beyond the grave—salvation in the Hereafter, but also gives full consideration to --- in fact, ensures --- human salvation in this life. For that purpose, it provides comprehensive Guidance which guarantees moral perfection, social progress, economic justice and political health – in short, all that is needed for the practical realisation and attainment of true human happiness in earthly life and all-round harmonious evolution of humanity.Laura Veccia Vaglieri says: "A religion which is not content with being a theory adapted to the aspirations of our human nature, nor with fixing a code of sublime precepts which may or may not be applied, but which also provides a code of life, establishes the fundamental principles of our morality on a systematic and positive base, precisely formulates the duties of man towards himself and towards others by means of rules which are capable of evolution and compatible with the widest intellectual develo-pment, and which gives its laws a Divine sanction, surely deserves our most profound admiration, as its influence is continual and salutary on man." (Apologie de L’ Islamisme, p. 88).<br /><a name="W"></a>(W) RELIGION WITH AUTHENTIC AND PERFECT DIVINE SCRIPTUREThere are three fundamental merits of the Holy Qur’an, the Scripture of Islam, in which it stands unique among the scriptures of the world. They are: (1) authenticity of its text: (2) perfection of its literary form; (3) rational character, comprehensiveness and profoundness of its guidance. Even a brief discussion of these merits is not possible in the present introductory sketch. They are, however, so well-established that even the non-Muslim western scholars, who are always ready to attack Islam on the slightest pretext had to admit them in forceful words.Commenting on the beauty of form of the Holy Qur’an Paul Casanova remarks: "Whenever Hazrat Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) was asked a miracle as a proof of the authenticity of his mission, he quoted the composition of the Qur’an and its incomparable excellence as a proof of its Divine origin. And, in fact, even for those who are non-Muslims nothing is more marvelous than its language with such a prehensile plenitude and a grasping sonority that its simple audition ravished with admiration those primitive peoples so fond of eloquence! The ampleness of its syllables with a grandiose cadence and with a remarkable large rhythm have been of much moment in the conversion of the most hostile and the most sceptic." (L’ Enseignement de I’Arabe au College de France, Lecon d’ouverture, April 26, 1909).As regards perfection in matter of guidance and the authenticity of its text, Laura Veccia Vaglieri observes: "But besides the perfection of form and method, the Book is also revealed inimitable by its very substance, for, we read in it, among other things, previsions or future events and of relations of fact accomplished since many centuries or which are generally ignored, and allusions to the most different sciences, religious or profane. On the whole we find in it a collection of wisdom which can be adopted by the most intelligent of men, the greatest of philosophers and the most skillful politicians….. But there is another proof of the Divinity of the Qur’an: it is the fact that it has been preserved intact through the ages since the time of its Revelation till the present day. And so it will always remain, with God’s Will, as long as the universe exists. Read and re-read through out the Muslim world, this book does not rouse in the Faithful any weariness; it rather, through repetition, is found feeling of awe and respect in the one who reads it or listens to it." (Apologie de L’Islamisme, pp.57-59).<br /><a name="X"></a>(X) RELIGION WITH THE SIMPLEST CREEDThe Islamic creed is as simple as the Islamic ideology is profound. Its first fundaments are:<br />(1) SEVEN ARTICLES OF FAITHThey are: Belief in:Allah;Angles;Divine Scriptures;Messengers of Allah;the Hereafter;the pre-measurement of Good and Evil;Resurrection after death.<br />(2) THE "FIVE PILLARS"They are:Declaration of faith in the One-ness of God and in the Divine Messengership of Hazrat Muhammad: (Peace be upon him) La ilaha Illallah Muhammadur-Rasulullah;Obligatory Prayers;Obligatory Fasts;Zakat or Poor-tax;Pilgrimage to Ka’aba at Meccaa by those who possess the means.A Christian critic of Islam makes the following confession: "Islam had the power of peacefully conquering the souls by the simplicity of its theology, the clearness of its dogma and principles, and the definite number of practices which it demands. In contrast to Christianity which has been undergoing continuous transformation since its origin, Islam has remained identical with itself" (Jean Lheureux: Etude sur L’Islamisme, p. 35).For an appreciation of the Seven Articles and the Five Pillars, the reader is referred to "The Principles of Islam" written by His Eminence Muhammad Abdul Aleem Siddiqi and published in the present series. Here it may be noted, however, that these Seven Articles and Five Pillars constitute only the "first fundaments", while the complete ideology of Islam, which shoots off from these fundaments and which is enshrined in the Holy Qur’an and the Prophetic Traditions, is so comprehensive as to cover the entire sweep of necessary guidance on physical, moral, social and spiritual aspects of human life.<br /><a name="Y"></a>(Y) Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) THE PINNACLE OF HUMAN PERFECTIONA code alone cannot, by its existence as such, inspire mankind to action. Hence to love the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Allah bless him!) above all human being and things of the world, to believe in him as the Most Perfect Embodiment of Human Perfection and as the Absolute Leader and the Last and the Final Prophet (after whom no new prophet of any category, zilli, buruzi, tashri’ee, ghairtashri’ee --- shadowy or real --- is to come), and to follow him as the "Best Example", form the prerequisite of Islamic Belief.This is the theological status of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (peace be with him) in Islam. As regards his refulgent personality, that would require volumes even to do bare justice to it.<br />It is said that the best testimony is that which comes from the enemy’s camp. Here, therefore, we might quote a few statements of the Western scholars of Islam.Hazrat Muhammad’s (peace be with him) figure was highly majestic, his complexion and features were extremely handsome, and "he was gifted", says the renowned Orientalist Lane Poole, "with mighty powers of imagination, elevation of mind, delicacy and refinement of feeling. ‘He is more modest than a virgin behind her curtain", it was said of him. He was most indulgent to his inferiors, and would never allow his awkward little page to be scolded whatever he did. ‘Ten years,’ said Anas, his servant, ‘was I about the Prophet and he never said as much as Uff to me.’ He was very affectionate towards his family. One of his boys died on his breast in the smoky house of the nurse, a blacksmith’s wife. He was very fond of children; he would stop them in the streets and pat their little heads. He never struck anyone in his life. The worst expression he ever made use of in conversation was, ‘what has come to him? May his forehead be darkened with mud!’ When asked to curse someone, he replied, ‘I have not been sent to curse but to be a mercy to mankind.’ He visited the sick, followed any bier he met, accepted the invitation of a slave to dinner, mended his own clothes, milked the goats, and waited upon himself, relates summarily another tradition. He never first withdrew his hand out of another man’s palm, and turned not before the other had turned.‘He was the most faithful protector of those he protected, ‘the sweetest and most agreeable in conversation. Those who saw him were suddenly filled with reverence; those who came near him loved him; they who described him would say, ‘I have never seen his like either before or after.’ ‘He was of great taciturnity, but when he spoke it was with emphasis and deliberation and no one could forget what he said."He lived with his views in a row of humble cottages separated from one another by palm branches cemented together with mud. He would kindle the fire, sweep the floor, and milk the goats himself. The little food he had was always shared with those who dropped in to partake of it. Indeed, outside the Prophet’s house was a bench or a gallery on which were always found a number of poor who lived entirely upon his generosity, and were hence called ‘people of the bench’. His ordinary food was dates and water, or barley bread; milk and honey were luxuries of which he was fond but which he rarely allowed himself. The fare of the desert seemed most congenial to him even when he was the sovereign of Arabia…"There is something so tender and womanly, and withal so heroic, about the man that one is in peril of finding the judgement unconsciously blinded by the feeling of reverence and well-nigh love that such a nature inspires. He who, standing alone, braved for years the hatred of his people, is the same who was never the first to withdraw his hand from another’s clasp; the beloved of children who never passed a group of little ones without a smile from his wonderful eyes and a kind word for them, sounding all the kinder in that sweet-toned voice. The frank friendship, the noble generosity, the dauntless courage and hope of the man, all tend to melt criticism into admiration."He was an enthusiast in that noblest sense when enthusiasm becomes the salt of the earth, the one thing that keeps men from rotting whilst they live. Enthusiasm is often used despitefully, because it is jointed to an unworthy cause or falls upon barren ground and bears no fruit. So was it not with Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be with him). He was an enthusiast when enthusiasm was the one thing needed to set the world aflame, and his enthusiasm was noble for a noble cause. He was one of those happy few who have attained the supreme joy of making one great truth their very lifespring. He was the Messenger of the one God, and never to his life’s end did he forget who he was or the message which was the marrow of his being. He brought his tidings with a dignity sprung from the consciousness of his high office together with a most sweet humility." (Speeches and Table-talk of the Prophet Hazrat Muhammad, Introduction’ XXVIII – XXX)."The essential sincerity of Hazrat Muhammad’s (Peace be with him) nature," says Professor Nathaniel Schmidt, "cannot be questioned; and historical criticism that blinks no fact, yields nothing to credulity, weighs every testimony, has no partisan interest, and seeks only the trust, must acknowledge his claim to belong to that order of Prophets who, whatever the nature of their psychical experience may have been, in diverse manners, have admonished, taught, uttered austere and sublime thoughts, laid down principles of nobler than they found, and devoted themselves fearlessly to their high calling, being irresistibly impelled to their ministry be a power within." (The New International Encyclopaedia. Vol. XVI, p. 72).Speaking of the glorious success which attended the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad’s (Peace be with him) mission, Caryle observes: "To the Arab nation Islam was a birth from darkness into light; Arabia first became alive by means of it. A poor, shepherd people, roaming unnoticed in its deserts since the creation of the world; a Hero-Prophet was sent down to them with a word they could believe: see the unnoticed becomes world-notable, the small has grown worldgreat. Within one century afterward Arabia is at Granada on this hand, at Delhi on that, glancing in valuour and splendour and the light of genius, Arabia shines through long ages over a great section of the world. These Arabs, the man Hazrat Muhammad, (Peace be with him) and that one century --- is it not as if a spark had fallen, one spark on what seemed black, unnoticeable sand? But lo ! the sand proves explosive powder, blazes heaven-high from Delhi to Granada!" (Heroes and Hero-Worship: Chappter on "Hero as Prophet").O. Houdas, the French scholar, said half a century ago about the inner vitality of the Holy Prophet’s Message: "Never has a religion developed with parallel rapidity. In less than half a century Islam spread from the banks of the Indus to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, and, if this movement slowed down, it still persists after fourteen centuries of existence. After having penetrated in India, in China and Malaysia, Islam continues its invading march in the African Continent which will before long become entirely Muslim. Without special missionaries and without resort to the force of arms, the religion of Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be with him) has converted the Black Continent, and it is not without some astonishment to point out the existence in England and America of small white communities which….. have adopted the Islamic doctrines and made efforts to propagate them. This invasion of Europe, hardly visible today, will surely grow." (La Grande Encyclopaedie, Tome 20, article: Islamisme).<br /><a name="Z"></a>(Z) ABSORPTION IN THE LOVE OF GOD THE FINAL GOALCultivation of and absorption in the love of Allah, and the permeation of the heart with the sweet ecstasy of that love, until a person becomes virtually incapable of acting against the Divine Commands, is the final goal, which bestows upon a Muslim "Abiding Life" --- a life of Peace, Progress and Perfection.Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-72404622536892442462009-09-23T02:00:00.000-07:002009-09-23T02:17:00.817-07:00<h3 class="post-title"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-FAMILY: verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: verdana" font=""><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: verdana"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-FAMILY: verdana"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 85%"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 85%"><span style="COLOR: #660000; FONT-FAMILY: verdana" font=""><span style="FONT-SIZE: 85%"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: verdana"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,64,0); FONT-FAMILY: verdana" font=""><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-FAMILY: verdana"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 85%"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 85%"><span style="COLOR: #995522; FONT-FAMILY: verdana" font=""><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-FAMILY: verdana"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,64,128); FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-FAMILY: verdana"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 85%"><span style="COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: verdana" font=""><span style="FONT-SIZE: 85%; FONT-FAMILY: verdana" font=""><span style="FONT-SIZE: 85%"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 85%"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 78%"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-FAMILY: verdana"><span style="COLOR: rgb(76,71,64); FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-FAMILY: verdana"><span style="COLOR: rgb(76,71,64); FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><span style="font-family:Georgia;color:#000000;">Lord Buddha</span></span></span><script type="text/javascript"><br /> checkFull("post-" + "8774792259309704249");<br /> </script><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></h3>Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-76026769384593560402009-09-23T01:48:00.000-07:002009-09-23T01:54:19.263-07:00<h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/kalam-baba-farid.html">Kalam Baba Farid</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body" id="post-3164421993112019940"><style>#fullpost{display:none;}</style><br /><p><blockquote><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Jitt dihaadde dhan vari, saahe laye likhaai,<br />Malku ji kanni suneeda, muhu dikhaale aayi.<br />Jindu nimaani kaddiye, hadda ku khaddakaayi,<br />Saahe likhe na chalni, jindu ku samajhai.<br />Jindu vahuti marnu var, le jaasi parnaai,<br />Aapan hatthi jouli kae, kae gali laggae dhai.<br />Vaalhu niki puraslaat, kani na suniaai,<br />Farida kiddi pavandiyi, khadda na aapu muhaai. 1.</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida, dar darvesi gaakhaddi chalaan duniya bhati,<br />Bannih uthaayi potali, kithae vanya ghati. 2.</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Kijju na bujhae, kijju na sujhae, duniya gujhi bhaai.<br />Saaen merae changa keeta, naahi ta hambhi dajhaan aahi. 3.<br /><br />Farida, je jaana til thoddaiy, samali buku bhari.<br />Je jaana sahu nanddhadda, taan thoda maan kari. 4.</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Je jaana laddu chhijna, peeddi paayin ganddhi.<br />Tae jevaddu mae naahi ko sabhu jagu dittha handdhi. 5 </span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida, je tu akali lateefu, kaale likhu na lekhu.<br />Aapanadde giruvaan mahi, sir nivaan kari dekhu. 6</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida, je tae maarani mukkiyaan, tinhaan na maare ghummi. 7.<br />Aapanadde ghar jaiyae, paer tinhaan de chummi.</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida, ja tau khattan vel taan, tu rata duni siyu<br />Marag savaai neehi jaan, bhariya taan ladiya. 8</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Dekhu Farida jiu theeya, daaddi hoi bhoor.<br />Agahu nedda aaiya, pichha raheya duur. 9</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Dekh Farida jiu theeya, sakar hoi visu.<br />Saaeen baajhhu aapane, vedan kahiye kissu. 10</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida, akhi dekhi pateeniyaan, suni suni reeney kann.<br />Saakh pakandi aaiya, hor karandi van. 11</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida, kaali jinheen na raaviya, dhauli raavae koi.<br />Kari saaeen siu peerhaddi, rangu navela hoi. 12</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida, dhaauli saahibu sada hae, je ko chiti kare<br />Aapna laiya piramu na lagai , je loche sabhu koi<br />Eho piramu piyaala khasam ka, jae bhaavae tae dayi. 13</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida, jinh loyin jagu mohiya, sae loyin men ddithoo,<br />Kajal rekh na sehdiya, se pankhi sui bahithu. 14</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida, kuukediyaan, chaangediyaan, mati dediya nit.<br />Jo saitaani vanjhaaiya, se kit pheraiyi chit. 15</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida, theeyu pavaahi dabhu. Je saaeen lodahi sabhu.<br />Ikuuu chijahi biya litaaddi ahi.<br />Taan saaeen dae dari vaaddi ahi. 16</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida, khaaku na nindiye, khaaku jeddu na koi.<br />Jivadiyaan paeraan taley, moyaan upari hoi. 17</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida, ja labu taa nehu kiya, labu taa koodda nehu.<br />Kichru jhati lavaaiye, chapari tutae mehu. 18</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida, janglu janglu kiya bhavahi vani kanddha modehi,<br />Vasi rabbu hiaaliye, janglu kiya ddhooddehi. 19</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida, ini niki janghiye, thal doongar bhavi omi.<br />Aju Faridae koojadda, sae kohaan thee omi. 20</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida, raati vaddiyaan, dukhi dukhi utthani paas.<br />Dhiggu tinha da jeeveya jinha viddaani aas. 21</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida, je men houda vaareya mita aiddiyaan.<br />Haedda jalae majeeth jiyu upari angaara. 22</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida, loddae daakh bijooriyaan, kikari beeje jatt.<br />Handdae unn kataaida, paidha loddae patt. 23</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida galiye chikaddu duur gharu, naali piyaare nehu,<br />Challaan te bhijjae kambali, rahaan te tuttae nehu. 24</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Bhijju sijju kambali allah varasyu mehu<br />Jaayi mila tinhaan sajana tutayu naahi nehu. 25</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida, men bhelaava pag da, matu maili hoi jaai.<br />Gahila roohu na jaani, siru bhi mitti khaai. 26</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida, sakar, khanddu, nivaat, gudd, maakhyu, maanjha, dudh.<br />Sabhe vastu mitthiyaan, rabb na pujni tudh. 27</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Farida, roti meri kaath ki, laavan meri bhukh.<br />Jinhaan khaadi choupaddi, ghaney sahenge dukh. 28</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Rukhi sukhi khaayi ke, thanda paaani piyu.<br />Farida, dekhi paraayi choupaddi, na tarsaaye jiyu. 29</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ajj na suti kant siyu, angu muddey muddi jaayi.<br />Jaai puchhu dohaagani, tum kyu raen vihayi. 30</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Kalam Sultan Bahoo</strong>.</span></p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #0000ff; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><blockquote><div align="left"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">1.<br />Alif allah chambe di booti, murshad man vich laai hu.<br />Nafi asbaat da paani mileyo, har ragge har jaai hu.<br />Andar buti mushk machaiya, jaan phulaan te ayi hu.<br />Jeeve murshad kaamil bahu, jaen eh booti laayi hu.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">2.<br />Allah paddheyoun haafiz hoiyoun, na geya hijaaboun parda hu,<br />Paddh paddh aalim faazil hoiyoun, taalib hoiyoun zar da hu.<br />Lakh hazaar kitaabaan paddhiyaan, zaalim nafas na marda hu,<br />Baajh fakeeraan koi na maare, eho chor andar da hu.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">3</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">.<br />Eh duniya zan hauz paleeti, keti mal mal dhounde hu.<br />Duniya kaaran aalim faazil, goushaen bahi bahi rounde hu.<br />Duniya kaaran lok vichaare, ik pal sukh na saunde hu.<br />Jinhaan chhaddi duniya baahu, kandhi chaddh khalounde hu.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">4</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">.<br />Andar hu te baahar vi hu, har dam naal chalenda hu.<br />Hu da daag muhabbat vaala, har dam peya saddenda hu.<br />Jithe hu kare rushnaai, chhodd andhera vendha hu.<br />Men kurbaan tinhaan ton baahu, jo hu sahi karenda hu.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">5</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">.<br />Imaan salaamat har koi mange, ishk salamat koi hu.<br />Mangan imaan, sharmaavan ishkon, dil nu gairat hoi hu.<br />Jis manzal nu ishk pahunchaave imaan khabar na koi hu,<br />Ishk salaamat rakhin bahu, diyaan imaan dharoi hu.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">6</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">.<br />Eh tan mera chashma hove, murshad dekh na rajjaan hu,<br />Luun luun de mudd lakh lakh chashma, ik kholaan ik kajjaan hu.<br />Itniyaan ditthiyaan sabar na aave, hor kitey val bhhajaan hu<br />Murshad da deedaar hai baahu, lakh karoddaan hajjaan hu.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif"><br />7.<br />Eh tan rabb sachhe da hujara, vich pa fakira chhaati hu.<br />Na kar minnat khawaaj khizar di, taen andar aab hayaati hu.<br />Shauk da deeva baal anhere, mat labhi vasat khaddaati hu.<br />Maran theen agge mar rahe, jinhaan hakk di ramaz pachhaati hu.<br /><br /></span><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">8.<br />Eh tan sacche rabb da hujara, khiddiyaan baagh bahaaraan hu.<br />Viche koonjhe, viche massaley, sajade diyaan hazaaraan hu.<br />Viche kaaba viche kibala, ilallaa pukaaraan hu.<br />Kaamil murshad mileya baahu, aape laisi saaraan hu.</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">9</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">.<br />Andar hu te baahar hu, vatt baahu kiht labheeve hu.<br />Sae giyaazat katt karaahaan, khoon jigar da peeve hu.<br />Lakh hazaar kitaabaan paddh ke, daanishmand sadeeve hu.<br />Naam fakir tahenda baahu, kabar jahendi jeeve hu.<br /><br />10.<br />Alif allah chambe di booti, mere man vich murshad laanda hu.<br />Jis gal utey sohna raazi hove, oho gal sikhaanda hu.<br />Har dum yaad rakhin har vele, sohna utthda behnda hu.<br />Aape samajh samjhaanda bahu, oh aape aap ho jaanda hu.</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">11</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">.<br />Baahu baag bahaaraan khidiyaan,nargis naaz sharam da hu.<br />Dil vich kaaba sahi kitouse, ppakon paak param da hu.<br />Taalib, talab, tawaaf, talaami, hubb, hazoor, haram da hu.<br />Geya hajaab theeusey haaji, bakhshash raah karam da hu. </span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">12</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">.<br />Baghdaad shehar di kiya nishaani, ucchiyaan lammiyaan cheeddaan hu.<br />Tan man mera purze purze, jyun darzi diyaan leeraan hu.<br />Leeraan di gal kafani paake, ralsan sang fakiraan hu.<br />Shehar baghdaad de tukdde mangsaan, karsaan 'meeraan',' meeraan' hu.</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">13</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">.<br />Be-adabaan da saar adab di, gaye adab theen vaanje hu.<br />Jehadde houn mitti de bhandda, kadi na theevan kaanje hu.<br />Jehadde mudd kadeem de khedde, kade na hounde raanjhe hu.<br />Jaen hazoor na mangeya bahu, doheen jahaane vaanje hu.</span></p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">14</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">.<br />Paddh paddh ilm hazaar kitaabaan, aalim hoye bhaare hu,<br />Haraf ik ishak da paddh na jaanan, bhulle firan vichaare hu.<br />Ik nigaah je aashik vekhe, lakh hazaaraan tare hu,<br />Lakh nigaah je aalim vekhe, kise na kadhi chaahadhe hu.<br />Ishak akal vich manzal bhaari, saehaan kohaan de paadde hu,<br />Jinhaan ishak khareed na keeta, doheen jahaani mare hu.<br /><br /></span><blockquote><div align="left"><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">15</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">.<br />Pir mile te peed na jaave, na os pir ki dharna hu.<br />Murshid mileyaan rushad na mann nu, o murshid ki karna hu.<br />Jis haadi theen naheen hadaayat, o haadi ki faddna hu.<br />Sir dittiyaan hakk haasil hove, mautoun mool na ddarna hu.</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif"><br />16.<br />Paatta daaman hoya puraana, kichrak seeve darzi hu.<br />Haal da mehram koi ne mileya, jo mileya so garzi hu.<br />Baajh murrabi kise na ladhi, gujjhi ramaz andar di hu<br />Usey raah val jaaiye baahu, jis theen khalkat ddardi hu.</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">17</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">.<br />Panje mehal, panjaan vich chaanan, deeva kit val dhariye hu.<br />Panje mahar, panje patvaari, haasil kit val bhariye hu.<br />Panje imaam te panje kibale, sajada kit val kariya hu.<br />Je sahib sir mange baahu, har giz dhil na kariye hu.</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">18</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">.<br />Chaddh channa te kar rushnai, zikr karende taare hu.<br />Galian de vich phiran nimaane, laalan de vanjaare hu.<br />Shaala koi na theeye musaafar, kakh jinhaan ton bhaare hu.<br />Taaddi maar udda na bahu, aape uddan haare hu.</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">19</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">.<br />Chaddh channa e kar rushnai, zikar karede tera hu.<br />Tere jahe chann kayi sae chaddhde, sajana baajh hanera hu.<br />Jithe chann asaadda chaddada, kadar nahin kuj tera hu.<br />Jisde kaaran janam guaaiya, yaar mile ik phera hu.</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">20</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">.<br />Dil dariya samundaron doonge, kaun dilaan di jaane hu.<br />Vicche bedde, vicche jhedde, vicche vanj muhaane hu.<br />Chauda tabak dile de andar, tambu vaangan taane hu.<br />Joyi dil da mehram hove, soyi rabb pachaane hu.</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">21</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">.<br />Dil dariya samundaron doonga, gouta maar gavaasi hu.<br />Jaen dariya vanj noush na keeta, rahisi jaan piyaasi hu.<br />Hardam naal alla de rakhan, zikar fikar de aasi hu.<br />Ous murshid theen zan bihtar, jounfandh faraeb labaasi hu.</span></p></div></blockquote><div align="left"><blockquote><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"></span><blockquote><div align="left"><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">22</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">.<br />Sun fariyaad peeraan deya peera, meri araz sunni kan dhar ke hu.<br />Mera bedda addeya vich kapparaan de, jithe machh na behnde ddar ke hu.<br />Shaah jilaani mehboob subhaani, khabar liyu jhat karke hu.<br />Pir jinhaan da meeraan baahu, kaddhi lagde tar ke hu.</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">23</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">.<br />Sun fariyaad peeraan deya peera, aakh sunaavaan kaenu hu.<br />Taen jeha mennu hor na koi, maen jehiyaan lakh tennu hu.<br />Phol na kaagaz badiyaan vale, dar ton dhak na mennu hu.<br />Maen vich aibh gunaah na hunde, tu bakhshaenda kaenu hu.</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif"><br />24.<br />Na rabb arash su alla utte, na rabb khaane kaabe hu.<br />Na rabb ilam kitaabaan labhha, na rabb vich mahiraabe hu.<br />Ganga tirath mull na mileya, paidde be hisaabe hu.<br />Jad da murshid fadeya baahu, chhutte sab azaabe hu.</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">25</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">.<br />Na men aalim, na men faazil, na mufti na kaazi hu.<br />Na dil mera dozakh te, na shauk bahishteen raazi hu.<br />Na men treehe rouze rakhe, na men paak namaazi hu.<br />Baajh visaal allah de baahu, duniya kooddi baazi hu.</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">26</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">.<br />Na men sunni, na men shia, dohaan ton dil saddeya hu.<br />Mukk gaye sab khuski paindde, jad dariya rahimat vaddeya hu.<br />Kai mantaare tar-tar hare, koi kinaare chaddeya hu.<br />Sahi salaamat paar gaye, jin murshid da ladd fadeya hu.</span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">27</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #9900cc; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif">.<br />Na o hindu na o momin, na sajda daen maseeti hu.<br />Dam dam de vich vekhan maula, jinhaan kaza na keeti hu.<br />Aahe daane bane divaane, zaat sahi vanj keeti hu.<br />Men kurbaan tinhaan ton baahu, ishak baazi jin leeti hu.</span></p></div></blockquote></blockquote></div><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><br /></span></div></blockquote></span></blockquote></div>Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-63601281334121044422009-09-23T01:24:00.000-07:002009-09-23T01:45:59.198-07:00<h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/05/mansur-al-hallaj.html">Mansur Al-Hallaj</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body" id="post-2351282945291744252"><style>#fullpost{display:none;}</style><br /><p><script type="text/javascript"><br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;</script><br /><script src="http://kfile.110mb.com/summary-post.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><div id="summary2351282945291744252"><p>Mansur Mansur al-Hallaj was born in the province of Fars in Persia in 858. His father was a cotton carder, which is the meaning of the word hallaj. He was the close follower of several well-known Sufis of his time, including Sahl at-Tustari of Basra, Amr al-Makki and Imam Junayd of Baghdad. However, later on, on account of his saying "Ana’l Haqq", meaning "I am the Truth", he was accused of propagating an unacceptable and dangerous religious claim for which he was executed by the orthodox establishment in 922. From the surviving fragments of his work, we surmise that he was a Sufi intoxicated with divine love. His poetry is a very tender and intense expression of spiritual yearing and love. For example, he sang: </p><p class="boldText" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">"Kill me, O my trustworthy friends,<br />For in my being killed is my life." </p><p>Love is, in fact, the central theme of Mansur al-Hallaj’s prayers and sayings. Describing divine love, he says: </p><p class="boldText" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">"Love is that you remain standing in front of your Beloved:<br />When you are deprived of all your attributes,<br />Then His attributes become your qualities." </p><p>The later Sufis, until our own time, have quoted Mansur al-Hallaj as being the epitome of those intoxicated by divine love. </p><h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/05/hallaj-mansur-al-hallaj.html">Hallaj (Mansur al-Hallaj)</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body" id="post-704911680558167958"><style>#fullpost{display:none;}</style><br /><p><script type="text/javascript"><br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;</script><br /><script src="http://kfile.110mb.com/summary-post.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><div><table cellpadding="5" width="500" border="0"><tbody><tr><td width="448"><p align="right"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 78%; COLOR: rgb(204,102,0); FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><a href="http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/TL_600_1100.htm#HallajalHall"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#3d81ee;">Timeline</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"> <b>(9th Century)</b></span></span></p><p></p><br /></td><td width="109"><img alt="Hallaj (Mansur al-Hallaj), Hallaj (Mansur al-Hallaj) poetry, Muslim / Sufi, Muslim / Sufi poetry, poetry, poetry, poetry" src="http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/H/HallajalHall/images/HallajalHall.jpg" /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Mansur al-Hallaj is one of the more controversial figures of Sufism. Considered by many to be a great poet-saint, he was executed for blasphemy and sorcery.<br /><br /><br />The name al-Hallaj means "wool carder," probably a reference to his family's traditional occupation. Al-Hallaj was born in the province of Fars, Persia (Iran). He later moved to what is now Iraq, where he took up religious studies, particularly the Sufi way.<br /><br />He was married and stayed with his wife all his life.<br /><br />Orthodox religious authorities took offense at his poetry and teachings, particularly the line in one of his great poems "Ana 'l-Haqq," which translates as "I am the Real," but can also be translated as "I am the Truth" or "I am God" -- acknowledging the mystical realization of unity with the Eternal. He was condemned by a council of theologians, imprisoned for nine years, and eventually put to death. He is revered today as a martyr for truth by many Sufis and mystics.</span></div><div><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Waris Shah</strong>.</span></div><div><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/05/folk-tales-of-pakistan-heer-ranjha.html">Folk Tales of Pakistan – Heer Ranjha</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body" id="post-4251724331094789529"><style>#fullpost{display:none;}</style><br /><p><script type="text/javascript"><br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;</script><br /><script src="http://kfile.110mb.com/summary-post.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><div id="summary4251724331094789529"><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://wondersofpakistan.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/0000.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1440" title="0000" height="324" alt="" src="http://wondersofpakistan.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/0000.jpg?w=248&h=324" width="248" /></a></p><p><a href="http://4urcash.blogspot.com/"><strong><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,128)">By</span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,128)"> Mast Qalandar</span></strong><span style="color:#3d81ee;"> </span></a></p><p><strong>Dear</strong> readers, here is another post on that great folk tale of Punjab. It already appeared in Adil Najam’s blog. Even then I reproduce this for you, as I think Mast Qalandar is a guy who has done full justice to the leading Sufi poet of Punjab when he details this ever living legend in a very lucid, very absorbing style, especially as a writer who is not a native of Punjab. I myself would never have cast an iota of a doubt over his being not a native had he not divulged it himself in this very write up. </p><p><strong>I </strong>personally am an avid fan of his writings and this reproduction is a testimony of my feeling for his forceful pen in general and this story on Waris Shah in particular. Once you complete the read, I am sure you too will agree with me.<strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Of</strong> all the folk tales of Punjab, <a href="http://4urcash.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">Waris Shah’s Heer</span></a> is the most widely read, recited (actually, sung), commented upon and quoted love story. People have even done Ph.Ds on it. It is a very long poem, written in the Punjabi baint meter, comprising of 630 odd stanzas of 6 to 12 or more lines each.<a href="http://4urcash.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"> </span></a><a href="http://4urcash.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">Waris Shah</span></a><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"> wrote it sometime in the 1760s. </span></p><p><a href="http://wondersofpakistan.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/chughtai.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1442" title="chughtai" height="360" alt="" src="http://wondersofpakistan.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/chughtai.jpg?w=270&h=360" width="270" /></a></p><p><strong>Rural</strong> folks in Punjab routinely gather, as they always did, at the end of a hard day’s work, under a tree or a <em>chappar</em> (thatched canopy) to smoke <em>hukka</em> and discuss and share the daily news, views and common problems. It is not uncommon at such gatherings for someone to sing a few passages from Heer. Folks listen to it, mesmerized both by the melody and its contents. Older people would often quote a line or two from Waris Shah’s Heer as a piece of wisdom in their conversations. In fact, Heer is quoted by the rural folks more often than any other traditional book of wisdom. </p><p><strong>The</strong> story of <a href="http://4urcash.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">Heer and Ranjha</span></a><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">,</span> like all such stories, is partly true and partly fiction. But it continues to have such a powerful hold on the imagination of rural folk that they want to believe it to be true. </p><p><strong>Numerous</strong> people have written the story of Heer before and after Waris Shah, the earliest being Damodar and probably the latest being Ustad Daman. But it is only Waris Shah’s Heer that the world knows about – or cares to know about. By writing Heer, Waris Shah not only told a fascinating story but also raised the status of Punjabi from that of a rustic language, which was mostly a spoken language, to that of a language of literature. Many believe Waris Shah is to Punjabi what Chaucer and Shakespeare were to English or Sa’di was to Persian. </p><p><strong>Waris</strong> Shah was born in a village in district Sheikhupura but studied at Kasur. He was a contemporary of<strong> </strong><a href="http://4urcash.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">Bulleh Shah</span></a><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"> </span>and they are supposed to have studied at the same madrassah (not necessarily in the same class) under the tutorship of one Hafiz Ghulam Murtaza Makhdumi Kasuri. </p><p><a href="http://4urcash.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">Waris</span></strong><span style="color:#3d81ee;"> </span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">Shah</span></a> by all accounts was a spiritual man, well versed in Islamic theology, but he was more of a mystic than a “maulvi”. In fact, going through his Heer one cannot help but wonder if Waris Shah were alive today would he be able to, or allowed to, write a daring epic like Heer? </p><p><strong>He</strong> wrote the story while staying at the <em>hujra</em> (quarters) attached to a little mosque in village Malka Hans, which falls in district Pak-Pattan (old district Sahiwal). </p><p><strong>It</strong> is said when Waris Shah completed Heer he showed it to his teacher. The latter was rather disappointed to see his talented student, instead of writing something on fiqh or shariah, had chosen to write a love story. He is reported to have said:</p><p><strong>“Warsa</strong> (deflection of the name, often used in Punjabi to address juniors in age or rank), I am saddened to see that my efforts have gone waste. I taught both you and Bulleh Shah. He ended up playing the sarangi (a string instrument) and you have come up with this.” </p><p><a href="http://wondersofpakistan.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/0k-00317.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-1456" title="0k-00317" height="332" alt="" src="http://wondersofpakistan.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/0k-00317.jpg?w=470&h=332" width="470" /></a><a href="http://4urcash.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">Waris</span></strong><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"> Shah</span></a> then opened the book and started reciting Heer. As the teacher listened, the words slowly started sinking in. He wasso touched by the language, the poetry, the powerful imagery, the intensity of emotions, and the melody that he is famously reported to have said, </p><p><strong>“Wah!</strong> Waris Shah, you have strung together precious pearls in a twine of “munj” (a coarse string of hemp or jute).” </p><p><strong>Some</strong> commentators interpret the “pearls” in the teacher’s comment as the deeper spiritual meanings and the “twine of munj” as the coarse theme of physical love. In other words, they say, you would, if you care to, find profound meanings beneath the superficial words of the story. However, others interpret the comment to mean that such beautiful thoughts and powerful images are expressed in a language (Punjabi) that was considered coarse or not quite as sophisticated at the time. Having myself sped through the book I tend to agree with both the views. (I must confess, however, that, Punjabi not being my native tongue, it was not easy for me to fully understand the text. I had to rely mostly on the Urdu translation provided alongside the Punjabi text.) </p><p><strong>Shorn</strong> of all the embellishments and detail – the devil, in this case, though, literally lies in the embellishments and the detail – here is the story for those who may not have read it or heard it before. </p><p><strong>The </strong>events of the story are supposed to have occurred sometime in the middle of the 15th century. Ranjha (his given name was <em>Deedho</em>. <em>Ranjha</em> was his clan) was born in Takht Hazara, a town in district Sargodha, to a local landlord. He was the youngest of eight sons, and his father’s favorite. While others went about their daily chores Ranjha whiled away his time playing the flute that he loved so much. He grew long hair – longer than men usually wore those days – and was a very handsome young lad. </p><p><strong>When</strong> their father died, a dispute arose between Ranjha and his brothers over the distribution of land. The brothers had apportioned the best land to themselves and gave Ranjha only the barren land. Ranjha, after a heated argument with his brothers, left home in protest. He headed aimlessly southward along the River Chenab until he reached somewhere near the present day Jhang where the Sayyal tribe ruled. </p><p><a href="http://wondersofpakistan.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/heers_of_today3.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-1452" title="heers_of_today3" height="400" alt="" src="http://wondersofpakistan.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/heers_of_today3.jpg?w=266&h=400" width="266" /></a></p><p><strong>An</strong> incident that stands out during this part of the story, which has been described in great detail by <a href="http://4urcash.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#3d81ee;">Waris Shah</span></a>, is when Ranjha stays in a village mosque for the night. In the quiet of the night, tired and distressed that he was, Ranjha starts playing the flute. The village folks, when they hear the poignant notes are attracted to the mosque. The maulvi of the village also turns up, not to listen to the flute, though, but to scold Ranjha for desecrating the mosque. The maulvi denounces Ranjha for playing the flute in the mosque and also for his long-haired looks, and tells him to leave the mosque. Ranjha is not intimidated and replies: </p><p><strong>“You</strong> and your kind, with your beards, try to pretend to be saints, but your actions are that of the devil. You do evil deeds inside the mosques and then mount the mimbar (rostrum) and quote scriptures to others …” </p><p><em><strong>(In fact</strong>, Ranjha is more explicit than what I have been able to paraphrase.)</em> </p><p><strong>The</strong> back and forth denunciations between the maulvi and Ranjha continue for some time. Interestingly, the village folks don’t seem to share the maulvi’s enthusiasm in denouncing Ranjha. They simply watch the scene as silent spectators. (Fortunately for Ranjha the blasphemy law was not in vogue then.) Anyway, Ranjha spends the night in the mosque and leaves early next morning. After a few days he ends up in Jhang. </p><p><strong>The </strong>chief of Jhang at the time was one Chuchak Sayyal who had an extraordinarily beautiful and a headstrong daughter named Heer. Waris Shah describes her beauty and physical attributes, literally from head to toe, with the usual poetical exaggeration. Some of the analogies and metaphors he uses may sound a bit unfamiliar and even strange to the present day readers. For example, Waris Shah says:</p><p><strong>“Can</strong> any poet sufficiently praise Heer’s beauty? Her face shines like the full moon. Her eyes are like the narcissus flower. Her eyebrows are like a Lahori bow (I didn’t know that Lahore was ever known for making bows). The kohl (kajal) in the corner of her eyes suggests as if the armies of Punjab have invaded Hind (India). Her lips are like red rubies. Her chin is like a selected apple from the King’s orchard. Her nose is like the pointed end of the sword of Hussain (!). Her teeth are like the white petals of champa flower and sparkle like pearls. She is tall and straight like a cypress in the garden of Paradise. Her neck is like that of a koonj (a species of cranes). Her hands are smooth and soft like a <em>chinar</em> leaf (similar to maple leaf) and her fingers like lobiay ki phallian (pods of beans, which are longer than most other pods). In short, her features are like a beautifully calligraphed book.”</p><p><a href="http://wondersofpakistan.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/_ok2.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1459" title="_ok2" height="313" alt="" src="http://wondersofpakistan.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/_ok2.jpg?w=470&h=313" width="470" /></a></p><p><strong>Heer, when she meets Ranjha, is instantly taken by his wild and romantic looks and the soulful tunes of his flute</strong>. She persuades her parents to hire Ranjha as a cowherd for their cattle. Ranjha is hired, and thus kindles a blazing romance between Heer and Ranjha that lasts for several years, and has since been recounted and sung for almost 250 years. The two lovers often meet in the forestland along the river (known as bela in Punjabi) where Ranjha takes the cattle to graze. While the cattles graze Ranjha plays his flute. And Heer listens by his side. The days and months pass in total bliss – and very fast. </p><p><strong>Heer’s</strong> uncle, <em>Kaido,</em> becomes suspicious and starts spying on her. He gathers sufficient evidence to report the matter to her parents. The parents admonish Heer on her conduct and warn her of terrible consequences. When Heer is not deterred they call in the village Qazi (a Muslim judge who decides disputes between people in the light of Sharia and also solemnizes marriages) to counsel her. </p><p><strong>The</strong> Qazi tells her mildly that good girls, when they come out of their home, keep their gaze lowered; that they always keep their families’ honor uppermost; that they better spend their time in <em>tiranjans</em> (places where village women gather to spin yarn on spinning wheels and chat). He also reminds her that, being from a higher caste and a renowned family, it is unbecoming of her to mingle with family servants like Ranjha. Heer is not convinced and tells the Qazi: </p><p><a href="http://wondersofpakistan.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/sajd4.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1453" title="sajd4" height="400" alt="" src="http://wondersofpakistan.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/sajd4.jpg?w=384&h=400" width="384" /></a></p><p><strong>“You</strong> cannot wean away an addict from the drug. It is not possible for me to walk away from Ranjha. If it is our destiny to be together then who, other than God, can change it?” And then she adds rather philosophically: “True love is like a mark that a hot iron burns on to the skin or like a spot on a mango fruit. They never go away.” </p><p><strong>Seeing</strong> that Heer is admant the Qazi threatens her with a fatwa of death. But Heer remains unshakeable. Exasperated, Heer’s parents decide to marry her to a man named Saida Khairra from village Rangpur (Muzaffargarrh district). Nikah ceremony is arranged and the Qazi is invited to perform the ceremony. As is customary, the Qazi first asks the bridegroom if he would accept Heer as his wife, which, of course, the bridegroom readily does. Then the Qazi asks Heer and her answer is a loud No. When the Qazi insists for an affirmative answer, Heer says forcefully: </p><p><strong>“My</strong> nikah was already made with Ranjha in heavens by no less a person than the Prophet himself, and was blessed by God and witnessed by the four angels, Jibraeel, Mikael, Izarael and Israfeel . How can you dissolve my first nikah and marry me a second time to a stranger? How is that permissible? “. </p><p><strong>The</strong> Qazi is dumbfounded and angry, and tells Heer to shut up or “he will have her lashed with the whip of Sharia”, and goes ahead and solemnizes the marriage, anyway. After the ceremony Heer, in tears, is bundled off to Rangpur amidst great pomp and celebrations. </p><p><strong>Ranjha,</strong> alone and heartbroken, takes to the jungle and joins a group of <em>jogis</em> (yogis). Dressed like a jogi, with ash rubbed on his body, wearing large earrings and carrying a begging bowl, he goes from house to house and village to village seeking alms – and also trying to find the whereabouts of Heer. Meanwhile, Heer languishes in Rangpur, pinning for Ranjha. </p><p><a href="http://4urcash.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">Waris Shah</span></strong></a><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"> </span>uses a lot of ink and a lot of pages in describing the heartache and anguish that both Heer and Ranjha suffer during this period. <a href="http://4urcash.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#3d81ee;">Amrita Pritam</span></a> (died 2005), a great Punjabi poet and novelist refers to this pain and anguish, in a different context, though, in her memorable poem, when she addresses Waris Shah in these words:</p><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><em>Ik roi si dhee Punjab di,<br />Toon likh likh maare vaen<br />Aj lakkhan dheeyan rondiyan,<br />Tainu Waris Shah noon kehn</em></p><p align="center">When one daughter of the Punjab wept<br />You penned a thousand dirges of lament<br />Today a hundred thousand cry out to you<br />To make another statement</p><p align="center"><strong>Eventually,</strong> Ranjha finds Heer’s village and Heer also comes to know through her friends that the young handsome jogi in town was no one else but Ranjha. The two meet and, with the help of Heer’s friends and her sister-in-law, Sehti, manage to elope one night. </p><p><strong>The</strong> Khairras follow them and capture them in the territory of one Raja Adli (a raja, not to be confused with Ranjha of the story, is a ruler of a territory or state). The lovers are brought before the raja. He asks the local Qazi to decide the case according to the Muslim law. The Qazi, without much ado, declares that Heer belongs to Saida Khairra, her “lawful” husband.</p><p><strong>Heer</strong> and Ranjha are both devastated, but helpless.</p><p><strong>When</strong> Heer is being forcibly taken back by the Khairras to Rangpur a forlorn Ranjha, still dressed as a jogi, raises his hands skywards and begs loudly: </p><p><strong>“Oh,</strong> Lord, you are also Qahar and Jabbar. Destroy this town and these cruel people so that justice may be done.”</p><p><strong>Coincidentally,</strong> a huge fire erupts in a part of the town. The village folks as well as the raja, being superstitious, are convinced that the fire was the result of the jogi’s prayer and might consume the whole town. The raja immediately proceeds to undo the “wrong” administered by the Qazi, stops the Khairras from taking Heer away and holds court to hear the case anew. After listening to all the sides he decides to allow Heer to go with Ranjha. </p><p><a href="http://4urcash.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><strong>Joyfu</strong>l, Heer and Ranjha</span></a><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"> </span>leave for Jhang Sayal expecting to live happily thereafter. However, the Sayyals, believing their honor was soiled by the unconventional behavior of Heer, conspire to “cleanse” their name of this ugly stain. While appearing to welcome the couple they suggest that Ranjha go home and bring a barat to take Heer as a wife in a proper conventional manner. Ranjha happily agrees and goes back to his brothers in Takht Hazara, who by now have forgotten their old quarrel and are also remorseful. He informs them of his planned marriage. Preparations begin for taking a colorful barat to Jhang and bring Heer home. </p><p><strong>Meanwhile</strong> the Sayals quietly poison Heer. She dies. A messenger is sent to Takht Hazara to inform Ranjha of the unexpected and sudden death of Heer. On hearing the news Ranjha collapses and dies there and then. Thus ended the lives of Heer and Ranjha. But they continue to live in the hearts and hearths of the people across Punjab and elsewhere – and so does Warish Shah.</p><p><a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1458" title="ok-0055" height="313" alt="" src="http://wondersofpakistan.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/ok-0055.jpg?w=470&h=313" width="470" /></a></p><h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/05/waris-shah-great-sufi-poet.html">Waris Shah A Great Sufi Poet</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body" id="post-4123475443524808471"><style>#fullpost{display:none;}</style><br /><p><script type="text/javascript"><br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;</script><br /><script src="http://kfile.110mb.com/summary-post.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><div id="summary4123475443524808471"><p>Syed Waris Shah was one of the most leading and prominent poets of the 18th Century. He was born to Syed Gul Sher in 1722 and died in 1790 at the same village. He received his early education in a mosque at Jandiala Sher Khan. The mosque still exists in the north-west of the tomb. He completed formal education of Dars-e-Nizami in Kasur under the guidance of Maulvi Ghulam Murtaza Kasuri. Bulleh Shah also received his early education at the Madrassa. </p><p>Later on, he went to Pakpatan for receiving spiritual education and stayed there for two years. He also stayed at the shrine of Baba Farid for some time. Later on, he became an Imam (prayer leader) at a mosque at Malka Hans, Sahiwal. There is a controversy over his love affair with Bhag Bhari who belonged to a gypsy tribe. According to some researchers, they also had some meetings but when it came into the knowledge of the tribe and left the place. As the Pir Sahib was highly educated and belonged to a Syed family he refrained from chasing the girl but pangs of love arose the eternal element of agony in him which incited him to rewrite the legendry folk tale Heer Ranjha in the perspective of his own grief. He completed his masterpiece in 1766. </p><p>He had a great vocabulary and made unique arrangement of ideas. The Punjabi culture is present with full vigour in this great work. He also used Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Sanskrit words besides Quranic verses at various places. He wrote Tasneef Nama, Miraj Nama, Chohery Nama, Dohray and Mahia but Heer received an unprecedented fame. According to some historians, Waris Shah wrote Heer after being encouraged by a pretty girl Bhag Bhari at Malka Hans. </p><p>Indian famous Punjabi female poet Amarta Preetam was immensely impressed by Heer and its creator. She wrote a famous poem on Waris Shah “Eik roi see dhee punjab the.” </p><p>Over 76 writers have written Heer but the work of Waris Shah was rare among them all. Another famous Punjabi poet Mian Muhammad Bakhsh also paid rich tribute to him in his poetry. Waris Shah o sadaee jewende nain jinah keetian naik kamaian nain. </p><p>A study of Heer shows that he had an excellent observation about contemporary politics and predicted the decay of political power of the Mughals. He also painted the daily life of the Punjabis so vividly and thoroughly that a reader is impressed by his power of narration. Many of his sentences have become proverbs. </p></div><script type="text/javascript">createSummaryAndThumb("summary4123475443524808471");</script></div><p><strong>SULTAN BAHU</strong>.</p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%">The Sufis themselves set little value upon the exercise of such miraculous powers. There are several references to the concept of miracles of Saints in the works of Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA). He holds the view that the phenomena of Karamat (Miracles) of Saints can be divided into two; spiritual or celestial and terrestrial or worldly and he makes a clear distinction between the two. He is in favour of miracles which pertain to the spiritual phenomena rather than those which pertain to the terrestrial. He is of the view that the performance of miracles on the terrestrial and temporal level is a phenomena open to anyone who overcomes his lower self through ascetic practices and seclusion, thereby reviving and awakening his terrestrial self. In short, while acknowledging the wonders of this terrestrial self, Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA) never the less holds the view that even an irreligious, non praying and unorthodox person can perform such earthly feats as flying in the air like a bird, enter fire without being burnt, walk over water, dive here and appear there, and reach in a single breath and a single step from the east to the west after overcoming his lower self. It is for this reason that Hazrat Sheikh Junayd Baghdadi (RA) says : </span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><strong>` When you see a man flying in the air and walking over water and he has relinquished even a single tradition out of the traditions of the Prophet of Allah (Peace be on him), strike him with your shoes, for he is a Satan and what he displays is fraud and deception.' </strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><br />We are told that Hazrat bu Yazid al Bustami (RA) said: </span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><strong>`The Saints do not rejoice at the answers to prayers which are the essence of miracles, such as walking on water, moving in the air, traversing the earth and riding on the heavens, since the prayers of unbelievers receive an answer and the earth contains both Satan and men, and the air is the abode of the birds and water of the fish. Let not anyone who is perplexed by such things put any faith in this trickery.' </strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%">As Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA) himself says; </span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><strong>` With one glance I can turn dust into gold but I am not happy with this state .He holds the view that miracles performed on the spiritual and celestial level have a permanent and lasting effect on the individuals personality and benefits the receiver of the miraculous blessing in this world and the hereafter. He says in one of his works ; ` Prophet Jesus (Peace be on him), use to make the `dead' `alive'. The ` dead ' use to live for a few days and expire again. But when we, the Fuqara and Aulia (saints) of the followers of the Prophet Muhammed (Peace be on him), give one `tawajju' (spiritual attention) to anyone, we make his `dead' heart into a `living' heart and this heart never dies again in this world or the hereafter and always remains in a state of celestial splendor. We thus make him alive forever.' </strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%">This is one of the miracles of Sultan Bahu (RA) that is still experienced in his writings today and the same effects are felt when visiting his tomb. In the words of a great Sufi, Hazrat Faqir Nur-Muhammed Sarwari Qadiri (RA), Hazrat says: </span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><strong>` It seems that the soul and spirituality of the author is running through the pages of his works. Just by mere perusal, one is elevated to a state of ecstasy. Sometimes the effects are so profound that the reader without any effort or spiritual exercise reaches the stage of revelation and witnessing.' </strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><br />However, as far as miracles are concerned, Hazrat Sultan Bahu's (RA) life is said to have been be a wholesome mixture of both the phenomena ; celestial as well as terrestrial. Miracles or legends of the saints, although sometimes not resting on historical grounds have their merit in throwing light upon the personality of the saint to whom these remarkable powers have been ascribed and still more perhaps, in showing the high regard in which such a saint is held. </span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><br />There is no lack of miracles ascribed to Sheikh Sultan Bahu (RA). Most of them tend to show Gods care for His servant and his needs and to justify the servants complete dependence on Him. As indicated above some of them allude to the Saints exceptional quality of awakening the <strong>`inward'.<br /></strong><br /></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><strong>THE SAINT SHER SHAH (RA). </strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%">This fact is well known that Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA) passed most of his life in travelling from one place to another. This helped him in concealing his real identity. Many of the miracles wrought by the hands of this great saint have been manifested during his travels. </span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%">It was during one of these travels that Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA) came to a village where a Sufi saint Hazrat Sher Shah (RA) was well known. At the border area of the village Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA) retired to a little hillock where he sat in a state of deep meditation. Immersed in Divine light the saint became oblivious of his surroundings. At that moment some disciples of Hazrat Sher Shah (RA) were on their daily errands of collecting firewood for the kitchen. One of them came close to Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA) and offered salaams. Once again Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA) demonstrates to us the power of the gaze of a true Faqir of ALLAH. Returning the greeting the saint's `eyes of elixir' irradiated the inward of the disciple, whose heart became alive with the zikr (remembrance) of ALLAH. Crying in ecstasy he fell at the feet of the saint. Noticing this spectacle the second disciple hurried to inquire the condition of his friend. Seeing the saint he too fell into ecstasy. The third disciple raced off to his master, Hazrat Sher Shah (RA) to report on the incident. Sher Shah (RA), together with some of his disciples and dervishes hastened to confront the enchanter 'who had cast a spell over his disciple. He confronted Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA) :"Many a Spiritual court have I attended, including the Holy Court of his Holiness Prophet Muhammed (peace be on him). In none of these Courts have I seen you present. You must be an illusionist or trickster and have cast a spell over my disciple. Cease and desist from such action and bring my disciples to their original state or else I will complain about you in the court of his Holiness (peace be on him)." Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA) responded " Shah Sahib, you be present in the court of his Holiness and I too will try to be present in the august court of his Holiness (peace be on him). Tomorrow we will meet at this same place and decide on the outcome." Shah Sahib departed promising to meet the next morning. </span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><br />That same evening, Shah Sahib was blessed to be present in the spiritual court of his Holiness, Prophet Muhammed (peace be on him). Respectfully he looked around the assembly to see if he could see the `enchanter' dervish who had cast a spell over his disciple. Not seeing him in the assembly he thought to himself that tomorrow in the morning we will deal with him. For the moment let me be respectful in this august court. </span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%">Suddenly from behind a spiritual curtain ( a place which is reserved for the Prophets (peace be on him) household) a beautiful child appeared. The child went straight to the Prophet (peace be on him) and sat on his Holiness lap. The Prophet (peace be on him) of Allah very lovingly and affectionately embraced this beautiful child, stroking him with his blessed hands. The child was similarly blessed by Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq, Hazrat Omar, Hazrat Othman Gann, Hazrat Ali, Imam Hassen and Hussein, various Prophets present in the court, Hazrat Sayyid Abdul Qadir Jilani and other believers (peace be on them all). Finally the child came to rest in the lap of Sher Shah (RA) who also embraced the child lovingly. Playfully the child pulled at the beard of Sher Shah (RA) with his little hands pulling out two pieces of hair. Thereafter the child of light again returned to the blessed lap of the Prophet (peace be on him) from whence he disappeared behind the curtain from which he had entered. </span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%">The next morning Hazrat Sher Shah (RA) accompanied by his companion dervishes went to the agreed meeting place. On meeting Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA) he said angrily " Oh dervish, I did not see you present in the blessed court of the Prophet (peace be on him). I looked all around but you could not be seen. So you must be an enchanter and juggler. I once again warn you to give up this trickery otherwise the end will be not good for you." </span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%">Sultanul Arifeen Sultan Bahu (RA) replied: " Oh Sher Shah. How many witnesses do you need according to the Sharia that I was present in the court of his Holiness." Sher Shah retorted " two witnesses." Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA) took out the two pieces of hair which belonged to Shar Shah (RA) saying: " here is my proof of me being present in the august court of the Prophet (peace be on him)." Recognising the hair of his beard, Sher Shah (RA) immediately apologised to the great saint. Thereafter they both retired into seclusion to discuss the deeper secretes and meanings of the spiritual path. On the request of Sher Shah (RA), Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA) blessed him with higher realms of spiritual knowledge and some say that he was blessed with khilafat also. Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA) further counselled him to carry on his work by bringing people to the reality of the truth. </span></p><center><div style="PADDING-LEFT: 10px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 10px; PADDING-TOP: 0px"><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%">In his early years Hazrat Mohsin Sha (RA) lost his father. His upbringing was left to his mother. They passed their life in dire need and poverty. In those days their lived in Gotki a potter who had received `spiritual baraka' from Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA). His spiritual reputation soon followed him wherever he went. After a while he settled in his hometown Gotki again. People began to flock to him. </span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%">One day the mother of little Mohsin also approached him. She appealed to his good nature that the next time he went to see his Murshid (teacher) Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA), he should take her Mohsin with him and present him to Hazrat Sultanul ARIFIN (RA) with a message that the Saint should bless him with spiritual insight and wisdom and that she has given Mohsin to him in the path of Allah. So the next time the potter Faqir went to visit his Murshid, he took Mohsin with him and presented him to Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA) with a message from the mother. With love the Saint passed his blessed hands over the head of the orphan boy, telling the potter dervish to entreat his mother to enroll him in an institution of religious learning and that once he had completed his studies he should be brought back to him ( Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA)) to crown his inward with spiritual illumination and to irradiate both his outward and inward. The Saint sent a message to the mother that she should not worry as her child was destined for greater heights. </span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%">The potter Faqir went back to Gotki and delivered the message of his teacher. Acting on the guidance of Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA), the mother entered her son in an institution of learning. Completing his studies he was again sent with the potter dervish to the Saint for further polish as promised by the Saint himself. No sooner had he reached the presence of the Sheikh, Mohsin went into ecstatic rapture at the sight of the Saint. With one look the Saint made him traverse one spiritual path after the other, illuminating and transforming his personality. Mohsin's inward and outward became replete with the light of Allah. Very soon, through the blessings of Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA), Mohsin Sha's fame spread far and wide as a Sufi of great repute and his person became an asylum to all and sundry. </span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%">Returning to Gotki, Hazrat Mohsin Shah (RA) chain of activities gained fame far and wide. Thousands of people repented at his hands and trotted the path of righteousness under his guidance. He sat up a free public kitchen or alms house (`langarkhana') where countless of people satisfied their hunger. The public kitchen was spacious and extensive and free of wants. He had a magnanimous breath of vision coupled with deep spiritual insight. It is narrated that nobody in the vicinity of Gotki challenged his decisions or acted contrary to the Islamic law. Even today the mosque build near his tomb stands as a reminder of his services to Islam and his tomb a reminder that here once ruled a Faqir of extraordinary qualities.<br /></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%">Hazrat Kaloo Shah (RA), the son of Hazrat Juneid Qureishi (RA) was a mureed of Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA). One day, due to the pangs of separation, love and desire he decided to visit his Sheikh Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA). When he arrived at the Saints house, he heard the sound of a resounding `Hoo' coming from within the small chamber. He went inside to meet his Sheikh but there was no sign of Hazrat sultan Bahu (RA). Standing inside the chamber in wonderment, he heard the sound of a resounding `Hoo' coming from outside the chamber. Sheikh Kaloo went outside again hoping to meet his Teacher but there was no sign of him. Every time he heard the `Hoo' he went inside or outside but still there was no sign of his Sheikh. Hazrat Kaloo Shah stood outside perplexed and bewildered by the happening. at that moment he recited the following; </span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><strong>`Inside is Hoo -- outside is Hoo<br />Where is Sheikh Bahoo<br />The love of Hoo, the desire for Hoo<br />Has kindled my yearning for Hoo.' </strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%">Seeing the condition of his mureeds (disciples) bewilderment and shock, Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RA) once again demonstrates the benevolent and compassionate trait of his character. Reciting the following couplet ,the Saint unveils his invisibility in a tractable manner and makes himself visible to Kaloo Shah. </span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><strong>`Wherever the Light of Hoo reflect<br />Runs darkness in despair<br />Oh Bahu! whosoever realizes Hoo<br />Both the worlds is his forever.' </strong></span></p><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%">After removing the curtain of invisibility, the Saint blesses Kaloo Shah aplenty with his bounty and favour. Hazrat Kaloo Shah and his father Hazrat Juneid Qureishi (RA) are both buried at a place called Sarwarpur. (Munaqabi-Sultani) Therefore, we have with us today, as witnesses, two of Hazrat Sultan Bahu's (RA) greatest miracles. His tomb which is a beacon of light giving solace to the broken hearted and seekers after truth. And secondly his writings-his works which even today bear testimony to his greatness. Whosoever listens or studies his works is affected and transported into higher realms of spiritual truths. This miracle of his will remain forever -Insha Allah-ameen.</span></p></div><h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/05/kalam-sultan-bahoo.html">Kalam Sultan Bahoo</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body" id="post-221432114944681129"><style>#fullpost{display:none;}</style><br /><p><script type="text/javascript"><br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;</script><br /><script src="http://kfile.110mb.com/summary-post.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><div id="summary221432114944681129"><div align="center"><span style="font-size:6;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Alif allah chambe di booti, murshad man vich laai hu.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Nafi asbaat da paani mileyo, har ragge har jaai hu.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Andar buti mushk machaiya, jaan phulaan te ayi hu.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Jeeve murshad kaamil bahu, jaen eh booti laayi hu.</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Allah paddheyoun haafiz hoiyoun, na geya hijaaboun parda hu,</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Paddh paddh aalim faazil hoiyoun, taalib hoiyoun zar da hu.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Lakh hazaar kitaabaan paddhiyaan, zaalim nafas na marda hu,</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Baajh fakeeraan koi na maare, eho chor andar da hu.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="COLOR: navy">. </span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Eh duniya zan hauz paleeti, keti mal mal dhounde hu.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Duniya kaaran aalim faazil, goushaen bahi bahi rounde hu.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Duniya kaaran lok vichaare, ik pal sukh na saunde hu.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Jinhaan chhaddi duniya baahu, kandhi chaddh khalounde hu.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="COLOR: navy">.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Andar hu te baahar vi hu, har dam naal chalenda hu.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Hu da daag muhabbat vaala, har dam peya saddenda hu.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Jithe hu kare rushnaai, chhodd andhera vendha hu.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Men kurbaan tinhaan ton baahu, jo hu sahi karenda hu.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="COLOR: navy">.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Imaan salaamat har koi mange, ishk salamat koi hu.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Mangan imaan, sharmaavan ishkon, dil nu gairat hoi hu.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Jis manzal nu ishk pahunchaave imaan khabar na koi hu,</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Ishk salaamat rakhin bahu, diyaan imaan dharoi hu.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="COLOR: navy">.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Eh tan mera chashma hove, murshad dekh na rajjaan hu,</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Luun luun de mudd lakh lakh chashma, ik kholaan ik kajjaan hu.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Itniyaan ditthiyaan sabar na aave, hor kitey val bhhajaan hu</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Murshad da deedaar hai baahu, lakh karoddaan hajjaan hu.</span></span></span></span></div><br /><div align="center"><br /><span style="font-size:6;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Eh tan rabb sachhe da hujara, vich pa fakira chhaati hu.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Na kar minnat khawaaj khizar di, taen andar aab hayaati hu.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Shauk da deeva baal anhere, mat labhi vasat khaddaati hu.</span></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy">Maran theen agge mar rahe, jinhaan hakk di ramaz pachhaati hu.</span></span></span></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:6;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><span style="COLOR: navy"><h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/05/sheikh-sultan-bahu.html">Sheikh Sultan Bahu</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body" id="post-7400700405214889144"><style>#fullpost{display:none;}</style><br /><p><script type="text/javascript"><br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;</script><br /><script src="http://kfile.110mb.com/summary-post.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><div id="summary7400700405214889144"><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Those who have not realized God will wander,</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><br /></span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">homeless in this world, destitute in the next.</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><br /></span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">But watch the lovers dance with ecstasy,</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><br /></span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">as they merge into the oneness of God [Allah].</span> </div><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><br /></span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">~~</span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The river of oneness has surged,<br />quenching the thirst of the deserts and wastelands.<br />If you don't nurture God's love in your heart,<br />you will be dry and parched like those deserts.</span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><br /><br /></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">~~</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><br /><br />The Lord is an ocean of oneness<br />in which lovers swim as they please, free of care.<br />In their own turn, they appear in the world<br />to dive deep into that ocean, to gather pearls.<br />Among the pearls is a gem --<br />unique in value, unmatched in lustre --<br />that shines like the moon.<br />We are all in the employ of the Lord, O Bahu;<br />let us pay homage to him through our prayers.</span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"></span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">~~</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><br /></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><br />Repeat the Name of God,<br />and always contemplate on Him<br />while doing your repetition --<br />keener than a sword is such remembrance [Zikhr, Simran].</span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><br /></span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">~~</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><br /></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><br />Repeat the Name of God, O Bahu,<br />and free yourself from the worries of life.</span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><br /></span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">~~ </span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><br /><br />Those who enshrine the Lord in their hearts, O Bahu,<br />have both the worlds at their command.<br /><br />Lovers remain completely intoxicated<br />in the ecstasy of their love for the Beloved.<br />They offer their souls to the Beloved<br />while still living<br />and thus immortalize themselves<br />in this life and the hereafter.<br /></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"></p><h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/05/sultan-ul-arifin-hazrat-sultan-bahu.html">Sultan ul Arifin Hazrat Sultan Bahu</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body" id="post-8465145938686275707"><style>#fullpost{display:none;}</style><br /><p><script type="text/javascript"><br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;</script><br /><script src="http://kfile.110mb.com/summary-post.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><div id="summary8465145938686275707"><p class="boldText" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">HU is within, HU is without, HU always reverberates in my heart.<br />The would in my heart aches constantly<br />With the un-abating pain of HU’s love.<br />The darkness of ignorance departs<br />From the heart lit by HU (God Allah)<br />I sacrifice myself to the one, O Bahu,<br />Who has realized the significance of HU.<br />God is within you, say all masters and saints </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">During the reign of Mughal king Shah Jehan, Bazid Muhammad was one of his important officials. He was not only Hafiz-e-Quran but also a great scholar and was very much respected even by the king. He married to a very religious women of his own family namely Rasti Bibi. </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Shah Jehan appointed him the official (magistrate) of Kohistan and after sometime he was sent to Multan. This area was very much liked by him and he refused the king to go back to Kohistan, as the king regarded him very much, he did not stress him to leave Multan. Shah Jehan gave a village namely Kehar Gan. After sometime Hazrat Bazid shifted to Shorkot permanently. </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Rasti Bibi was very religious women and it was due to her religious personality that Hazrat Bazid’s life also changed. Rasti Bibi was such a pious lady that she offered her “Tahjad” prayer even on that morning Hazrat Sultan Bahu was born. She had great place in spirituality. </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Hazrat Sultan Bahu came into this world in 1039 AH 1629 AD. He belonged to Awan family. Awans are the descendents of Hazrat Qutab Shah who was the uncle of Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani. Hazrat Qutab shah was the descendent of Hazrat Muhammad Bin Hanifia (Hazrat Ali (RA) </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Hazrat Sultan Bahu was a born saint and his name Bahu was given to him on the order of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW). </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Her mother educated him spiritually in his childhood and Hazrat Sultan Bahu’s face was so much attractive that many Hindus accepted Islam just after seeing his Face. At last a group of Hindus met Hazrat Bazid Muhammad and requested him to make a schedule, for the safety of their religious. His father died in his childhood and his mother arranged best teacher of his time for his education and he acquired all the knowledge very quickly because of his extra ordinary intelligence. Soon, he became famous as a religious scholar. Owing to his mother’s teaching, he had a great inclination towards spirituality and his immersion was extraordinary. </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">He got married in his early youth and twice or thrice afterwards.When he was thirty year of age, he had a very extraordinary vision in which he saw Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) through the spiritually recommendations and support of Hazrat Ali(RA) and Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani. The Prophet (PBUH) himself took his bay’ah and allowed him to pass on the sufi teaching. </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">He often mentioned in his books about his presence in the spiritual meetings presided by the Prophet (SAW) himself. However in the treatise of the spirit, he calls Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani his Murshid . He is always lavish in the praise of Hazrat and calls himself Qadiri. In his eyes, the teaching of the Qadiriya order were most effective for the spiritual development by the disciplines. But at the same time it is evidently clear that by the Qadiriya order, he means the one that he himself represented. He names it Sarwari Qadiri. </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">His mother was very pleased to hear the vision and asked him to have a bay’ah of ‘murshid’. Hazrat Sultan Bahu requested his mother to take his bay’ah but she replied a women can take bay’ah if it was possible then the wives of Holy Prophet (PBUH) and Hazrat Rabia Basri had also taken a bay’ah. </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">So she asked Hazrat Sultan Bahu to go east wards. Finally Hazrat Sultan Bahu met Hazrat Shah Habibullah who welcomed him very warmly and asked about the reason of his coming Hazrat Sultan Bahu told everything. After listening, he replied Hazrat Sultan Bahu that wordly love and Faqr can’t go side by side. So Hazrat Sultan Bahu came back home and sold most of his land and distributed the money among the poor. When he returned to Hazrat Shah Habibullah and requested him to take his bay’ah. </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">He asked him to go to Delhi, where Sheikh Abdur Rehman Qadri is living. He will take bay’ah. So he left that place and when he reached Delhi, a person asked him name and told him that he is the disciple of Sheikh Abdur Rehman Qadri, he was orderd to welcome Sultan Bahu was much astonished to hear all this and said, yes I am Sultan Bahu. </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">That person guided him to the residence of Sheikh Abdur Rehman took the bay’ah of Hazrat Sultan Bahu. Hazrat Sultan Bahu was much pleased after the bay’ah and started giving solution of people’s problems. People started visiting him and soon he became famous all around. He became a hope of light for hopeless people. When Sheikh Abdul Rehman heard this he called on Sultan Bahu and said, we did not give you all this to distribute in such a way. Hazrat Sultan Bahu replied, I did this because if I need more so that I can get it from you. </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Secondly I know that here you are on my back and thirdly Holy prophet (PBUH) orderd me to help the people. Then Hazrat Sheikh Abdur Rehman gave him the permission to serve will remain forever. When he came back home Rasti Bibi was very much pleased to see him. He started working on his remaining land and preaching also due to which a large number of people embraced Islam. </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">It is narrated that a poor but respectable Sayed was advised by a dervish to seek Hazrat Sultan Bahu(RA) for his material needs. The sayed found Hazrat Sultan Bahu(RA) working in the fields under intense heat. Sayed was disappointed that what can this man give him when himself seems in want and dressed in tattered clothes. Disappointed, Sayed decided to return to his village. As he was turning back, Hazrat Sultan Bahu(RA) called Sayed Sahib, why are you turning back speak what do you see? Sayed narrated his material needs to the Saint. </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Hazrat Sultan Bahu(RA) asked Sayed to excuse him while he attended the call of nature. After returning, the Saint threw the stone with which he dried himself in anger at the direction of the Sayed. </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Wherever the stone made contact with the clay ground wher they were standing turned into gold ingots. Sayed was told to take the gold for his needs and depart immediately so that nobody could be aware of what had taken place. It is said that this gold in the form of jewellery is still extent in the same family for several generation. </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Once Hazrat Sultan Bahu(RA) was accompanied by his attendant Sultan Naurang Khatran (RA) a dervish who was blessed with spiritual light by the Saint himself when they approached the vicinity of kellar Keha, the approach of the month of Ramazan had been heralded in by the drumbeat of a caller form nearby village. Hazrat Sultan Bahu(RA) spent the entire month of Ramazan meditating in an isolated cave in the mountains nrearby. Drowned in the ocean of mercy and remembrance the entire month of Ramazan passed with out the intake of food on the part of the saint. </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">The dervish who accompanied the Saint had received daily his food for Sehri and Iftaar miraculously by a deer which used to appear with the food tied on its horns. This happening has been put into verse by Hazrat Naurang Khatran (RA) the attendat himself. He said: </p><p class="boldText" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Strange and wonderous, my sight did witness.<br />Spectacle of Bahu,<br />Load of lover; carried on horns of a deer. </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">At the approach of Eid, a call was heard from the nearby village announcing the end of Ramazan. Disturbed by the sound of drumbeats from the village, Hazrat Sultan Bahu(RA) raised his head from the meditation and enquired his attendant as to what all the noise was about. Sultan Naurang Khatran (RA) replied Hazrat the Eid moon has been sited and you in a state of intoxication and annihilation in the remembrance of Allah for the entire month. The Saint exclaimed: What about my fast, salaam and taravee for the month or Ramazan. It is narrated by his attendant that despite having being in a state of intoxication in the remembrance of Allah, Hazrat Sultan Bahu(RA) performed all his Qaza fasts and Salaats. This is the state of the true friends of Allah that they do not even for one moment leave aside the Sunna of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) or any other obligatory commands of the Shari’a. it is said that this episode of cave is the only one time that Hazrat Sultan Bahu(RA) had been in a state of intoxication, otherwise his entire life had been spent in a state of sobriety, so much so that he did not miss even a single Mustahab act of the Shari’s. Hazrat Sultan Bahu(RA) completed his Qaza fasts and Salaats. It is narrated that thereafter the Saint gave spiritual attention to the deer and it expired. </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">A grave was dug and the deer was buried near the cave in which the saint had passed his month of Ramazan. My grand Sheikh, Hazrat Faqir Noor Muhammad Sarwari Qaderi (RA), visited this place and reported that even today one can feel the spiritual light, radiance, brilliance and luminous vibration energy in the cave and surrounding area. </p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">It has such a magnetic effect on the visitor that any sincere seeker sitting in the cave in the remembrance of Allah experience a state of illumination. </p><h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/05/hazrat-faqir-sultan-bahu-awan.html">Hazrat Faqir Sultan Bahu Awan</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body" id="post-7997283371185939468"><style>#fullpost{display:none;}</style><br /><p><script type="text/javascript"><br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;</script><br /><script src="http://kfile.110mb.com/summary-post.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><div id="summary7997283371185939468"><h1 align="right"><a href="http://pakway.blogspot.com/search/label/SUFI"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 180%; COLOR: #cc6600; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Sultan Bahu</span></b></a></h1><a href="http://pakway.blogspot.com/search/label/SUFI"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 78%; COLOR: #cc6600; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:100%;">Timeline <b>(1628 - 1691</b></span></span></a><br />Hazrat Faqir Sultan Bahu Awan was the founder of the Sarwari Qadiri Sufi order and is one of the most beloved Sufi poet saints of the Punjab region in what is today Pakistan. He lived during the period of Mughal rule in India.<br />He wrote more than forty books on Sufi philosophy and Islamic mysticism in Persian and Punjabi, but he is best known for his poetry, which is often performed as qawaals (devotional songs).<br />Sultan Bahu's tomb is an popular pilgrimage spot today in Pakistan.</div><div> </div><script type="text/javascript">createSummaryAndThumb("summary7997283371185939468");</script></div></div><script type="text/javascript">createSummaryAndThumb("summary8465145938686275707");</script></div></span></div></div></span></span></span></span></div></div><script type="text/javascript">createSummaryAndThumb("summary221432114944681129");</script></div></center></div><script type="text/javascript">createSummaryAndThumb("summary4251724331094789529");</script></div></span></div><script type="text/javascript">createSummaryAndThumb("summary704911680558167958");</script></div></div><script type="text/javascript">createSummaryAndThumb("summary2351282945291744252");</script></div>Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-35229696129448731482009-09-23T01:13:00.000-07:002009-09-23T01:23:13.649-07:00<strong>Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai</strong>.<br /><a href="http://pakway.blogspot.com/search/label/SUFI"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 78%; COLOR: rgb(204,102,0); FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:100%;">Timeline <b>(1689 - 1752)</b></span></span></a><br /><p><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></p><p align="right"><a href="http://pakway.blogspot.com/search/label/SUFI"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 85%; COLOR: rgb(204,102,0); FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></span></a></p><a href="http://pakway.blogspot.com/search/label/SUFI"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img alt="Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai poetry, Muslim / Sufi, Muslim / Sufi poetry, poetry, poetry, poetry" src="http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/B/BhitaiShahAb/images/BhitaiShahAb.jpg" /></span></a><br /><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai (sometimes written Bhittai or Bhittaii) was a devout Muslim Sufi, but his spirituality was broad and welcoming, making room for Muslim and Hindu alike. He is one of the most revered poets and saints of the Sindh region of what is today Pakistan.<br /><br />Although born into a well-respected family, he turned away from the comforts of life, revealing a natural ascetic tendency. He adopted the saffron-colored robes and simple lifestyle of the wandering Sufis and sanyasins of the region.<br /><br />In his quest for inner truth, still a young man, Shah Bhitai left his home and began to travel extensively, favoring small villages and the countryside, interacting with the common people and other Muslim and Hindu ascetics. He quickly developed a reputation for holiness and absorption in meditation. At this time disciples began to gather about him.<br /><br />Shah Bhitai returned to his family home for a while, where he married Bibi Saidha Begum, a young woman who was respected in her own right for her great piety. Sadly, she died at a young age, and Shah Bhitai never remarried.<br /><br />Bhitai and his growing circle eventually moved to a place of retreat, a sand hill ("bhit") next to scenic Kiran Lake.<br /><br />A fascinating story is told of his poetry. When Shah Bhitai was nearing death, he didn't want his poetry to simply waste away, so he had his writings thrown into the nearby lake. But, at the request of a disciple, Bhitai allowed his poetry to be re-written down by another disciple who had memorized them.</span><br /><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Mian Mir</strong>.</span><br /><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/05/mian-mir.html">Mian Mir</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body" id="post-656287863221986372"><style>#fullpost{display:none;}</style><br /><p><script type="text/javascript"><br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;</script><br /><script src="http://kfile.110mb.com/summary-post.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><div id="summary656287863221986372"><table class="contentpaneopen"><tbody><tr><td class="contentheading" width="100%"><br /></td><td class="buttonheading" align="right" width="100%"><a title="Print" onclick="window.open(this.href,'win2','status=no,toolbar=no,scrollbars=yes,titlebar=no,menubar=no,resizable=yes,width=640,height=480,directories=no,location=no'); return false;" href="http://www.allaboutsikhs.com/early-gursikhs/the-sikh-saints-mian-mir/print.html" rel="nofollow"><br /></a></td><td class="buttonheading" align="right" width="100%"><a title="E-mail" onclick="window.open(this.href,'win2','width=400,height=350,menubar=yes,resizable=yes'); return false;" href="http://www.allaboutsikhs.com/component/option,com_mailto/link,aHR0cDovL3d3dy5hbGxhYm91dHNpa2hzLmNvbS9lYXJseS1ndXJzaWtocy90aGUtc2lraC1zYWludHMtbWlhbi1taXIuaHRtbA==/tmpl,component/"><br /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span><img height="278" alt="" src="http://www.allaboutsikhs.com/old/bhagats/images/mianmir.jpg" width="250" align="left" /></span>Mian Mir was a renowned Sufi saint of Lahore. He belonged to Sistan in Central Asia. His original name was Shaikh Muhammad. He was born about 1550 AD. He had a religious bent of mind. As a child he attentively listened to religious sermons. He became a disciple of Shaikh Khizr of the Qadiri order of Sufis. Sufis believed in spreading Islam by peaceful means. As India was a great field for conversion, Mian Mir decided to come here. He was then about 25 years old. He settled at Lahore. He resided in the suburbs of the city called Begampura. The whole area is now called after him Mian Mir.<br /><br />Mian Mir was such a holy man of God that the boons granted by him turned into reality. People thronged to him in large numbers from far and wide. Guru Arjan often visited Lahore to see the birth-place of his father and meet his relatives. On the occasion of one of such visits he called on the Pir. The two men of God met and became life-long friends. Mian Mir was thirteen years older than Guru Arjan.<br /><br />Guru Arjan was responsible for the construction of many tanks and buildings. In 1589 he planned to build a temple in the centre of the holy tank called Amritsar or the tank of nectar. As the temple was to be thrown open to people of all castes, creeds and climes, he invited Mian Mir to lay the foundation stone of the Han Mandar. He came to Amritsar wearing a religious mendicant's long cloak made up of patches of coarse wool and a cone-cap made of a number of gores with a rose flower on top.<br /><br />Mian Mir was given one of the warmest welcomes for which Guru Arjan was famous. The two holy men embraced each other in sincere love and regard. The purpose of the temple was disclosed to the Sufi saint. The Guru pointed out that the Hindu temples and Muslim mosques were built on a raised plinth. The Sikh temple would be erected on a lower plinth than the surrounding area. The idea was that God could be attained by bending low in submission and humi­lity. The Hindu temples and Muslim mosques were closed on three sides and had only one doorway facing east and west respectively. His temple would be open on all the four sides implying that it would welcome persons of all the four castes, Brahmans, Kshatriyas, Vaishas and Shudras; to all the four religions in the world, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity, and to all the people from any country or climate from north, south, east and west.<br /><br />The Muslim saint was highly delighted at the fine objectives the Guru had in mind. He was deeply impressed with his pleasing. personality, charming manners and the divine light shining in his face,. words and deeds. The foundation-stone was laid. Hymns were sung in the praise of God and sweets were distributed among the audience. A mason with his tools stood by. As the holy man had placed the stone irregularly, the mason corrected its posture in order to place bricks on it properly. The saint expressed sorrow at the mason's mistake and remarked that the temple would have to be rebuilt in course of time The prophecy came out true about a century and a half later when Ahmad Shah Abdali blew it off with gunpowder.<br /><br />In 1606 Guru Arjan was implicated in the affair of Khusrau, the rebel son of Jahangir. He was imprisoned in the Lahore fort and was barbarously tortured. When Mian Mir heard about it, he came to see the Guru. He found Guru Arjan calm and serene having completely resigned himself to the will of God. Mian Mir suggested to the Guru whether he should intercede with Emperor Jahangir on his behalf The Guru forbade him saying that God's will must have its course unchecked, as it was not proper to interfere with its working. He only asked for the Saint's blessings for his son Hargobind.<br /><br />A couple of years after the death of Guru Arjan, his son and successor Guru Hargobind, a lad of thirteen, called on Mian Mir at Lahore. In the monastery (Khanqah) there were many disciples of Mian Mir including a young girl Kaulan. She was the daughter of Rustam Khan, the Qazi of the Capital. Being religious-minded from childhood, she became a disciple of Mian Mir. She had made up her mind to become a nun, but in Islam there was no room for a woman to lead the life of a nun. She therefore decided to become a disciple of Guru Hargobind: Her father grew furious at such a proposal. He tried his best to dissuade her from her intention. Having failed in this. attempt he began to persecute her. She fled to Mian Mir who sent her to Amritsar under proper escort. She was given a separate house to live, and she was immortalised by the construction of a tank named after her Kaulsar.<img height="114" alt="" src="http://www.allaboutsikhs.com/old/bhagats/images/mian01.jpg" width="160" align="right" /><br /><br />He is called the founder of Mian Khail branch of the Qadiri order. He passed away on 11 August, 1635. He was buried at village; Hashimpur.<br /><br />Guru Tegh Bahadur as a child met Mian Mir who blessed him.</div><div><strong>Rabia al Basri</strong>.</div><div><span style="FONT-SIZE: 78%; COLOR: #cc6600; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/TL_600_1100.htm#RabiaAlAdawi"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#3d81ee;">Timeline</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"> <b>(717 - 801)</b></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Rabia, sometimes called Rabia of Basra or Rabia al Basri, was born to a poor family in Basra in what is now Iraq. Her parents died of famine and she was eventually sold into slavery.<br /><br />The story is told that her master one night woke up and saw a light shining above her head while she was praying. Stunned, he freed her the next morning.<br /><br />Rabia chose a solitary life of prayer, living much of her life in desert seclusion.<br /><br />Her fame as a holy woman spread and people began to journey to her retreat, to ask advice, to study, to learn.<br /><br />Today she is greatly revered by devout Muslims and mystics throughout the world.</span></div><div><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <b>Sachal Sarmast</b>.</span></div><div><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 78%; COLOR: #cc6600; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/TL_1600_present.htm#SarmastSacha"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#3d81ee;">Timeline</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"> <b>(1739 - 1829)</b></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The name Sachal Sarmast can be translated as Mystic of Truth. He is sometimes called Sachoo, The Truthful.<br />Sachal Sarmast was born in the Sindh region of what is today Pakistan, and is considered one of the great poets and Sufi mystics to emerge from the region.<br />His teachings have often been compared with al-Hallaj, the Sufi martyr who ecstatically proclaimed, "I am the Truth." Rather than blindly following tradition, Sachal urged people to seek the truth directly. And like ibn Arabi and others, Sachal Sarmast taught a vision of Unity called Wahdat al-Wujud, which others have compared to the great nondualist teachings of Advaita Vedanta within Hinduism and Zen/Chan within Buddhism.<br />Sachal Sarmast once said, "He (God) is everywhere and in each and every phenomenon. He has come here just to witness His own manifestation."<br />Sachal Sarmast was born Abdul Wahab in the village of Daraza in the Sindh region. His father died when you was a young child, and Abdul Wahab was raised by his uncle, who also became his spiritual master.<br />His soul was deeply moved by music. Listening to music, he was enraptured, with tears pouring down his face.<br />A story is told that the Sufi master Shah Abdul Latif met the young Sachal Sarmast. Shah Abdul Latif later said, "I have set a fire beneath the pot. He will remove the lid."<br />Sachal Sarmast married his cousin, but the young woman died two years later. He never remarried.<br />He took the name Sachal, Truth. Later people added Sarmast, Leader of the Ecstatics, to his name in appreciation of his spiritual poetry.<br />Sachal Sarmast lived a humble, ascetic life, preferring solitude, simple meals of daal and yogurt. It is said that he never left Daraza, the village of his birth.<br />Yet he composed sacred poetry in seven different languages, poetry that is loved and sung to this day.<br />Unfortunately, I haven't yet found a good single source of Sachal Sarmast's poetry in English. I've only discovered scattered verses translated on the Internet. We are waiting for a book of inspired translations of Sachal Sarmast.</span></span></div><div><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <b>Shah Hussain</b>.</span></span></div><div><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/05/shah-hussain-1538-1599.html">Shah Hussain (1538 - 1599)</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body" id="post-2183958718017064450"><style>#fullpost{display:none;}</style><br /><p><script type="text/javascript"><br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;</script><br /><script src="http://kfile.110mb.com/summary-post.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><div id="summary2183958718017064450"><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><a href="http://madholalhussain.blogspot.com/2008/05/introduction.html">Introduction</a> </h3><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOe5AT68JCl1fmVpyAZHPiXhR2k2HznTYgN6jnEaCxBo228XLxgUSJMMlE6dzYqZhRkdf215R_o_IDLW2tHeJb8DpV7cOyMbtupSwWNY4Nhiso8Xr1YpieJ-XR5H-40QnzRv-NYFIECZr/s1600-h/lahhussain.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200281641849197250" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOe5AT68JCl1fmVpyAZHPiXhR2k2HznTYgN6jnEaCxBo228XLxgUSJMMlE6dzYqZhRkdf215R_o_IDLW2tHeJb8DpV7cOyMbtupSwWNY4Nhiso8Xr1YpieJ-XR5H-40QnzRv-NYFIECZr/s320/lahhussain.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Shah Hussain (1538 - 1599) was a Punjabi poet and Sufi saint. He was born in Lahore (present-day Pakistan). His tomb and shrine lies in Baghbanpura, adjacent to the Shalimar Gardens.</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">His urs (annual death anniversary) is celebrated at his shrine every year. It is known as "Mela Chiraghan" ("Festival of Lights") and is the second largest festival in Lahore after Basant. It used to be the biggest festival of the Punjab.</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Shah Hussain's love for a Brahmin boy called "Madho" or "Madho Lal" is famous, and they are often referred to as a single person with the composite name of "Madho Laal Hussain". Madho's tomb lies next to Hussain's in the shrine.</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Shah Hussain was the pioneer of the kafi form of Punjabi poetry.</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">//</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Kafiyan ٍShah Hussain</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">In the new Lahore lies buried Shah Husain and with him lies buried the myth of Lal Husain. Still, at least once a year we can hear the defused echoes of the myth. As the lights glimmer on the walls of Shalamar, the unsophisticated rhythms of swinging bodies and exulting voices curiously insist on being associated with Husain. This instance apparently defies explanation. But one is aware that an undertone of mockery pervades the air - released feet mocking the ancient sods of Shalamar and released voices mocking its ancient walls. Husain too, the myth tells us, danced a dance of mockery in the ancient streets of Lahore. Grandson of a convert weaver, he embarrassed every one by aspiring to the privilege of learning what he revered guardians of traditional knowledge claimed to teach.</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Then again, fairly late in life, he embarrassed every one by refusing to believe in the knowledge he had received from others, and decided to know for himself. He plucked the forbidden fruit anew.</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">The myth of Lal Husain has lived a defused, half-conscious life in the annual Fare of Lights. The poetry of shah Husain which was born out of common songs of the people of the Punjab has kept itself alive by becoming a part of those very songs. In recent past, the myth of Madhu Lal Husain and the poetry of Husain have come to be connected. But the time for the myth to become really alive in our community is still to come.</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Husain's poetry consists entirely of short poems known as "Kafis." A typical Husain Kafi contains a refrain and some rhymed lines. The number of rhymed lines is usually from four to ten. Only occasionally a more complete form is adopted. To the eye of a reader, the structure of a "Kafi" appears simple. But the "Kafis" of Husain are not intended for the eye. They are designed as musical compositions to be interpreted by the singing voice. The rhythm in the refrain and in the lines are so balanced and counterpointed as to bring about a varying, evolving musical pattern.</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">It may be asserted that poetry is often written to be sung. And all poetry carries, through manipulation of sound effects, some suggestion of music. Where then lies the point in noticing the music in the "Kafis" of Shah Husain? Precisely in this: Husain s music is deliberate - not in the sense that it is induced by verbal trickery but in the sense that it is the central factor in the poet's meaning.</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">The music that we have here is not the vague suggestion of melodiousness one commonly associates with the adjective "lyrical : it is the symbolic utterance of a living social tradition. The "Kafis" draw for their musical pattern on the Punjabi folk songs. The Punjabi folk songs embody and recall the emotional experience of the community. They record the reactions to the cycle of birth, blossoming, decay and death. They observe the play of human desire against the backdrop of this cycle, symbolizing through their rhythms the rhythms of despair and exultation, nostalgia and hope, questioning and faith. These songs comprehend the three dimensions of time - looking back into past and ahead into future and relating the present to both. Also, these songs record the individual s awareness of the various social institutions and affiliations and clinging to them at the same time - asserting his own separate identity and also seeking harmony with what is socially established.</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Through this deliberate rhythmic design, Shah Husain evokes the symbolic music of the Punjabi folk songs. His "Kafis" live within this symbolic background and use it for evolving their own meaning.</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">By calling into life the voice of the folk-singer, Husain involves his listeners into the age-old tension which individual emotions have borne it its conflicts with the unchanging realities of Time and Society. But then, suddenly one is aware of a change. One hears another different voice also. It is the voice of Husain himself, apparently humanized with the voice of the folk-singer, and yet transcending it. The voice of the folk-singer has for ages protested against the bondage of the actual, but its fleeting sallies into the freedom of the possible have always been a torturing illusion. The voice of the folk-singer is dragged back to its bondage almost willingly, because it is aware of the illusory nature of its freedom and is reluctant run after a shade, fearing the complete loss of its identity. The voice of Shah Husain is transcending folk-singer s voice brings into being the dimension of freedom - rendering actual what had for long remained only possible:</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Ni Mai menoon Kherian di gal naa aakh Ranjhan mera, main Ranjhan di, Kherian noon koori jhak Lok janey Heer kamli hoi, Heeray da wer chak</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Do not talk of the Kheras to me, O mother, do not. I belong to Ranjha and he belongs to me. And the Kheras dream idle dreams. Let the people say, "Heer is crazy; she has given her-self to the cowherd." He alone knows what it all means. O mother, he alone knows. Please mother, do not talk to me of Kheras.</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">At first , the little "Kafi" deftly suggests the underlying folk-song patter. The usual figures in the marriage song - the girls, the mother, the perspective husband and the perspective in-laws are all there. And the refrain calls the plaintive marriage-song address of the girl to he mother on the eve of her departure from the parents house.</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">But the folk-song pattern remains at the level of an underlying suggestion. The mother and the daughter in the folk-song were both helpless votaries of an accepted convention, bowing before the acknowledged power of an unchanging order. Here in the "Kafi" the daughter assumes the power of choice and rejection. She stands outsides the cycles of time and society. The mother continues to represent the social order and the accepted attitudes according to her convictions, the Kheras offer the best possible future for her daughter because they assure mundane security and prestige, within a decaying order. But the daughter I snow determined to go beyond this order and seek further inner development. To her the Kheras, her unacceptable in-laws, represent the tyranny of the actual forced on the individual. To her, Ranjha, the socially condemned cowherd, represents the consummation of her revolt, promising a union which is the real inner fulfillment. The accepted attitudes are based on a superficial vision, which takes appearance to be the only reality. Ranjha, who always hides his real self behind the shabby garb of a jogi or a cowherd can never be understood and can never be preferred to the wealthy Kheras. His real identity is a mystery that can be realized only in Heer's individual emotions. And for such a realization, a conscious break with the order of appearances is a prerequisite. Husain's triumph is achieved, not by evading the bondage s of the actual but by suffering them and finally transforming them. The mother remains a part of the daughter s consciousness - in addressing her she addresses herself. But this part of her consciousness is now subjected to more vital individual self. In the refrain:</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Ni Mai menon Kherian di gal naa aakh</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">there is a tone of confidence - a mixture of earnest protestation and assured abandon.</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Here is a "Kafi" presenting a different emotion:</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sujjen bin raatan hoiyan wadyan Ranjha jogi, main jogiani, kamli kar kar sadian Mass jhurey jhur pinjer hoyya, karken lagiyan hadyan Main ayani niyoonh ki janan, birhoon tannawan gadiyan Kahe Husain faqeer sain da, larr tairay main lagiyaan</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Nights swell and merge into each other as I stand a wait for him. Since the day Ranjha became jogi, I have scarcely been my old self and people every where call me crazy. My young flesh crept into creases leaving my young bones a creaking skeleton. I was too young to know the ways of love; and now as the nights swell and merge into each other, I play host to that unkind guest - separation.</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">The slower tempo of the refrain sets the mood of the "Kafi." The voice of the singer stretches in an ecstasy of suffering along the lengthening vowel sounds. The vowel sounds initiated by the refrain are taken up by rhythms and several other words.</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">The Heer-Ranjha motif is used here in a different emotional background. The intense loneliness here contrasts sharply with the confidence of fulfillment shown in the earlier "Kafi." Here people s preoccupation with appearances is not treated with indifference;</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Ranjha jogi, main jogiani, kamli kar kar sadian</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">instead it adds to the plain. But in the notes of suffering, there is a strange quality of single-mindedness. One is not aware of any fidgety second thoughts. The plain does not evince any desperation: in fact there is an air of contemplative pose, born out of the awesome finality of commitment.</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">In another "Kafi" using the Heer-Ranjha motif, we are taken back to a still earlier stage of the poet s emotional Odyssey:</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Main wi janan dhok Ranjhan di, naal mare koi challey Pairan paindi, mintan kardi, janaan tan peya ukkaley Neen wi dhoonghi, tilla purana, sheehan ney pattan malley Ranjhan yaar tabeeb sadhendha, main tan dard awalley Kahe Husain faqeer namana, sain senhurray ghalley</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Travelers, I too have to go; I have to go to the solitary hut of Ranjha. Is there any one who will go with me? I have begged many to accompany me and now I set out alone. Travelers, is there no one who could go with me?</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">The River is deep and the shaky bridge creaks as people step on it. And the ferry is a known haunt of tigers. Will no one go with me to the lonely hut of Ranjha?</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">During long nights I have been tortured by my raw wounds. I have heard he in his lonely hut knows the sure remedy. Will no one come with me, travelers? <</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">The folk-song locale is present here in the shape of a river, a ferry and a batch of travelers. The travelers gather to set off to remote places for business, duty and other reasons. And there is the self conscious girl who comes daily to hear some chance gossip drop a word about her friend. The river for centuries has flowed between desire and fulfillment. No one knows where it goes; it has no beginning and no end. The river is ancient and unfathomable - holding mysterious dangers. It causes both life and death but shows a fascinating indifference that compels awed men and women to kneel and worship the river. There is another reason for this homage. The river bounds the village. It limits and defines the known and tried capacities of humanity. The girl s father has no possessions beyond the river. What she was born with lies placidly marked this side of the river. What is beyond, is vaguely threatening. But this hazardous unknown fascinates the girl and seeks to lure her out of the complacent peace she was born with.</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">But the girl in the "Kafi" differs from the girl in the folk-song in one vital respect. The girl in the folk-song has for ages, waited on this side of the river. She visits the ferry and moves among the travelers with questioning looks. But in her words and looks there lurks the knowledge of perpetual impossibility, the acknowledge that desire is never more than a wish is often less than it. The girl in the "Kafi" is prepared to bridge the gap between desire and attainment. She too is aware of the hazards of her ways but for her he imperative need to set out has become the supreme fact.</span><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">The image of a patient, desperately looking for a last remedy contains subtle implications. When Heer fakes illness in the house of her in-laws, Ranjha the fake jogi was approached for some magic cure. Heer was cured in a way the people did not foresee and her illness turned out to be of an unexpected nature. Those believing in appearances as the only reality were given a dramatic lesson. Here in the "Kafi", the metaphorical background is recreated. The girl earnestly wishes to align herself with ordinary motives and measures. But the uncommon purpose of her journey and the uncommon destination still stand out among the group of travelers. Her request for some one to accompany her only throws into stranger relief her unique loneliness. The ecstatic rhythm brings to the refrain a tone of finality, a finality comparable to that of death. The journey across the river is a transition as radical as death. The two worlds of experience are as different from each other as the familiar life and the unknown beyond. </span><br /><br /><br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><a href="http://madholalhussain.blogspot.com/2008/05/kafian.html">Kafian کافیاں</a> </h3><span dir="ltr" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O /><o:p></O:P></span><p dir="rtl" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; DIRECTION: rtl; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: right"><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'"><br /></span></p><div style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">ربا میرے حال دا محرم تُوں!</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">اندر تُوں ہیں، باھر تُوں ہیں ،رُوم رُوم وِچ تُوں</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">تُوں ہیں تانا، تُوں ہیں بانا،سبھ کجھ میرا تُوں</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">کہے حسین فقیر نماناں،میں ناہیں، سب تُوں</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'"></span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">اوکھے لفظاں دے معنے</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'"></span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">مِحرم: واقف</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">رُوم رُوم: لُوں لُوں</span><span dir="ltr" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><o:p></O:P></span></div><div style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><p dir="rtl" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; DIRECTION: rtl; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'"><br /></span><span dir="ltr"></span><span dir="ltr" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><span dir="ltr"></span>(2)</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'"><br /><br />چرخہ میرا رنگڑا رنگ لال!<br />جے اوڈ چرخہ،تے ڈومنے ہُن کہہ گیا باراں اپنے<br />سائیں کارن،لوئن رُنّے روئے ونجایا حال<br />جے وڈ چرخہ،تے وڈگُھمائن سبھے آئیاں،سیس گندائِن<br />کائی نہ آیا حال ونڈائِن ہن کائی نہ چلدی نال<br />وچّھے کھاہد گوہڑا واڑا سبھولڑ دا ویہڑا پار<br />میں کیہہ پھیڑیا ویہڑے دا نی سبھ پئیاں میرے خیال<br />جے وڈ چرخہ تے وڈ پچھی ماپیاں میرے سر تے رکھی<br />کہے حسین فقیر سائیں دا ھر دم نال سنبھال</span><span dir="ltr" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><o:p></O:P></span></p><div style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><p dir="rtl" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; DIRECTION: rtl; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'"><br />اوکھے لفظاں دے معنے<br /><br />رنگڑا: رنگیا ہویا<br />اوڈ: جنا<br />لوئن رُنّے: اکھیاں روندیاں ہین<br />سائیں:مالک۔رب<br />ونجایا: برباد کیتا۔ کافیاں شاہ حسین:کافی3-4<br /><br />(3)<br /><br />نی اسیں آؤ کھڈا ہاں لُڈّی<br />نوں تار ڈور گڈی دی، اسیں لے کے ہاں اُڈّی<br />ساجن دے ہتھ ڈور اساڈی، میں ساجن دی گُڈّی<br />اس ویلے نوں پچھوتا سیں، جد جائے پوسیں وچ کھڈّی<br />کہے حسین فقیر سائیں دا، سبھ دنیا جاندی بڈّی<br /><br />اوکھے لفظاں دے </span><span lang="ER" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">معنے</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'"><br /><br />لُڈی: اک پنجابی ناچ<br />نوں تار: نو حواس<br />گُڈی : پتنگ<br />ساجن: محبوب<br />پچھو تاسیس: پچھتائے گی۔<br />کھڈّی : گڑھا جیس وچ جولاہیا تانی بُن دے ویلے پیر رکھدا ہے۔ ایتھے مطلب قبر۔<br />بُڈی: ڈُب رہی ہے۔<br /><br />(4)<br /><br />دل درداں کیتی پوری نی،دل درداں کیتی پوری<br />لکھ کروڑ جیہناں دے جڑیا،سوبھی جھوری جھوری<br />بھٹھ پئی تیری چٹی چادر، چنگی فقیراں دی بھوری<br />سادھ سنگت دے اوہلے رہندے،بُدھ تیہناں دی سوری<br />کہے حسین فقیر سائیں دا، خلقت گئی اُدھوری<br /><br />اوکھے لفظاں دے معنے<br /><br />جڑیا: جمع کرلیا<br />جُھوری: پریشان ہوئی<br />بھٹھ: تندور،اگ<br />بھُوری: لوئی۔ کمبل۔<br /><br /><br /></span><span dir="ltr"></span><span dir="ltr" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><span dir="ltr"></span>(5)</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'"><br /><br />میرے صاحبا! میں تیری ہو مُکی آں<br />منوں نہ وساریں تُوں مینوں،میرے صاحبا! ہرگلّوں میں چُکی آں<br />او گنہاری نوں کو گُن ناہیں،بخش کرے تاں میں چُٹھی آں<br />جیوں بھاوے،تیوں راکھ پیاریا، دامن تیرے میں لُکی آں<br />جے توں نظر مہردی بھالیں، چڑھ چوبارے میں سُتی آں<br />کہے حُسین فقیر سائیں دا، در تیرے دی کُتی آں<br /><br />اوکھے لفظاں دے معنے<br /><br />ہو مُکی آں: مُک گئی آں<br />منوں: دِلوں<br />گلوں: گل بات وچ<br />او گنہگاری :گنہگار<br />گُن: خوبی۔اچھائی<br />چھٹی: آزادی ۔رہائی<br />بھاوے: پسند آوے<br />راکھ: رکھ<br />لُکی: چھُپی<br />مہر: رحمت۔ محبت</span><span dir="ltr" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><o:p></O:P></span></p><div style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><p dir="rtl" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; DIRECTION: rtl; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'"><br />(6)<br /><br />جاگ نہ لدھی آ، سن جند ہبھو وہانی رات<br />اِس دم دا کیہہ بھرواسا' رہن سرائیں رات<br />وچھڑے تن من' بوہڑ نہ میلہ' جیوں تروڑٹٹے پات<br />کہے حسین فقیر سائیں دا،ہوئے گئی پربھات</span><span dir="ltr" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><o:p></O:P></span></p><div style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><p dir="rtl" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; DIRECTION: rtl; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'"><br />اوکھے لفظاں دے معنے<br /><br />جاگ: اثر کرن والی تھوڑی چیز، جیہڑی دوجی شے نوں اپنا بنا لوے۔جیویں ددھ<br />وچ تھوڑا جیا دہی رلا دیون نال اوہ بھی دہی بن جاندا ہے۔<br />لدّھی: ملی<br />جِند: جان<br />ہبھو: ہوکے<br />وہانی: لنگھاونی<br />بھرواسا: بھروسہ<br />رہن: رہنا مراد دنیا<br />سرائیں رات: جیویں سرائے وچ رات لنگھاونا<br />بوہڑ: دوبارہ۔ پھیر<br />ترور:درخت<br />پات: پتے<br />پربھات: تڑکے<br /><br /><br />(7)</span><span dir="ltr" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><o:p></O:P></span></p><div style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><p dir="rtl" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; DIRECTION: rtl; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'"><br />ویلا سمرن دا نی، اٹھی رام دھیائے<br />ہتھ ملے مل پچھوتا سی، جد ویسی آوقت وہائے<br />اس تڑے توں بھر بھر گئیاں،تُوں بھی اپنی وار لنگھائے<br />اکناں بھریا، اِک بھر گئیاں،اک گھرے اِک راہے<br />کہے حسین فقیر سائیں دا، آتن پھیرا پائے<br />اوکھے لفظاں دے معنے<br /><br />سمرن:عبادت<br />رام دھیائے: اللہ دا ناں لو<br />وہائے: لنگھ گیا<br />وار:باری</span><span dir="ltr" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><o:p></O:P></span></p><div style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><p dir="rtl" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; DIRECTION: rtl; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'"><br />(8)<br /><br />سائیں جیہنا ندڑے وَل' تیہناں نوں غم کیندا وے لوکا<br />سوائے بھلیاں جورب ول آئیاں، جیہناں نوں عشق چروکاوے لوکا<br />عِشق دی سرکھاری چائیاں، در در دینی آں ہوکا وے لوکا<br />کہے حسین فقیر سائیں دا ،لدھا ہی پریم جھروکا وے لوکا<br />سائیں جیہناندڑے ول، تیہناں نوں غم کیندا وے لوکا<br />ہو میں واری غم کیندا وے لوکا<br />اوکھے لفظاں دے معنے<br /><br />وَل: پاسے۔نال<br />کیندا:کِس کا<br />لوکا:اے لوکو!<br />بھلیاں: چنگی<br />چروکا: پُرانا<br />کھاری: ٹوکرا<br />ہوکا: درد بھری آواز<br />پریم جھروکا: محبت دا طاقچہ<br /><br />(9)</span><span dir="ltr" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><o:p></O:P></span></p><div style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><p dir="rtl" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; DIRECTION: rtl; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'"><br />اک تینوں سُپنا تھیسن،گلیاں بابل والیاں دو<br />اُڈ گئے،بھور پُھلاں دے کولوں، سَن پَتراں سن ڈالیاں<br />جِت تن لگے، سو ای تن جانے، ہور گلاں کرن سُکھالیاں<br />رہ وے قاضی ،دل نہیوں راضی، گلاں ہوئیاں ناہوون والیاں</span><span dir="ltr" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><o:p></O:P></span></p><div style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><p dir="rtl" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; DIRECTION: rtl; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'"><br />اوکھے لفظاں دے معنے<br /><br />سُپنا تھیسَن: واہوا پتہ ہوون گئیاں<br />بھور:بھونرے<br />سَن: سنے<br />جِت:جس<br />سُکھالیاں: سوکھتاں<br />رہ وے: پرے ہٹ<br />سو ١ی:اوہی<br />لیکھے:حساب</span><span dir="ltr" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><o:p></O:P></span></p><div style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'"></span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">(10)</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'"></span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">جت ول مینڈا مِتر پیارا، اوتھے ونج آکھیں میری عاجزی وو</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">جوگن ہوواں، دھوواں پاواں، تیرے کارن میں مر جاواں تیں ملیاں</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">میری تازگی وو</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">راتیں درد وہیں در ماندی ، مرن اساڈا واجبی وو</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">لٹاں کھول گلے وچ پائیاں ، میں بیراگن آودی وو</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">جنگل بیلے پھراں ڈھونڈیندی ، کوک نہ سکاں ماری لاج دی وو</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">کہے حسین فقیر سائیں دا،راتیں دھیں میں جاگدی وو</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'"></span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">اوکھے لفظاں دے معنے</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'"></span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">مِتر: پیارا۔ محبوب، سنگی</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">ونج: جا کے</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">دہیں: دن نون</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">در ماندی:پریشان</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">لٹاں: سر دے وال</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">لاج عزت</span><br /><span lang="AR-SA" style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Urdu Naskh Asiatype'">دھیں: دن</span><br /></div></div><script type="text/javascript">createSummaryAndThumb("summary2183958718017064450");</script></div></span><script type="text/javascript">createSummaryAndThumb("summary6610312838229402037");</script></span><script type="text/javascript">createSummaryAndThumb("summary1763544491476830533");</script></div></div><script type="text/javascript">createSummaryAndThumb("summary656287863221986372");</script></div></span><script type="text/javascript">createSummaryAndThumb("summary1844829531782728364");</script>Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-5766271403098351262009-09-23T00:59:00.000-07:002009-09-23T01:02:04.025-07:00Meher Ali Shah (R.A)<br /><a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/05/hazrat-pir-meher-ali-shah-ra.html">Hazrat Pir Meher Ali Shah (R.A)</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;<br />Syed Pir Meher Ali Shah was born on AD 14 April 1859(Monday, 1st Ramadan, 1275 A.H) in Golra Sharif. Golra Sharif is located midway between Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The time just before his birth saw the war of Independence of 1857 fought between the British and the Muslims. He is renowned as a Sufi saint, a great Hanafi scholar upholding the position of Hazrat Abdul Haqq Muhaddith Dehalvi, and especially for being at the forefront of the anti-Ahmedi movement. He wrote several books most notably Saif e Chishtiyai, [the Sword of the Chishtis].<br />Early Childhood<br />Pir Meher Ali Shah reported that he loved seclusion since childhood, feeling uncomfortable in the midst of throngs of people, and finding deserted places serene. Quite often, he said, he would quietly leave the house at night after everyone else had gone to bed, and spend much of the night wandering the nearby wooded ravines. As he grew, he started experiencing a feeling of such unusual heat within his body that he was sometimes compelled- even on cold winter nights- to bathe in the ice-cold water of the canal, and also rub pieces of ice on his body. When he left his room late at night after finishing his studies, he used to experience the same kind of comfort from contact with the cold mountain air that a thirsty person normally derives from cool water at the height of summer. Sufis believe such heat is generated due to excessive amounts of Zikr/Dhikr.<br />Early Education<br />Mehr Ali received his early education of the Holy Quran at his family Khaneqah [Sufi hospice] and was given classes in Urdu and Persian in the local Madrassah. He completed his intermediate level religious education here. His stay in this Madressah was for about 2 and(1/2) years.<br />After completing his education at Angah at the age of 15, he decided to continue further studies in the United Provinces of India (U.P). Therefore, Pir Meher Ali, in 1874 set out for higher education, to different parts of India such as Kanpur, Aligarh, and Saharanpur. His stay at Aligarh at the Madressah of Maulana Lutfullah of Aligarh was for 2 1/2 years.<br />Marriage<br />When Pir Meher Ali Shah returned home after completing his studies, his marriage took place with the daughter of Syed Charagh Ali Shah who belonged to his respected mother’s family living in Hasan-Abdal Town, a few miles away from Golra.<br />Works<br />Tahqiq-ul-Haq Fi Kalima-tul-Haq (The Truth about Kalima-tul-Haq)<br />Shamsul Hidayah<br />Saif-e-Chishtiya<br />I’la Kalimatillah Fi Bayan-e-Wa Ma Uhilla Bihi Legharillah<br />AlFatuhat-us-Samadiyyah (Divine Bounties)<br />Tasfiah Mabain Sunni Wa Shi’ah<br />Fatawa-e-Mehria<br />Mulfuzaat-e-Mehria (Sayings of Meher Ali Shah)<br />As a Sufi of the Chishti order<br />Hazrat Pir Meher Ali Shah Sahib was a disciple and Khalifa of Hazrat Shams-ud-din (R.A) in the Silsila-e-Chishtia Nizamiyah. His biography, Meher e Muneer, records that he also received a Khilafat [i.e. was made a khalifa] by Hazrat Hajji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki (R.A), when he visited the latter in Makka. Hajji Imdadullah advised him to return to India, where a great storm was about to rise against Islam, which Hazrat Meher Ali Shah must crush. Haji Imdadullah was of course predicting the Qadiyani heresy.<br />As Supporter of Wahdat-ul-Wjood<br />Pir Meher Ali Shah was a supporter of Ibn Arabi's ideology of Wahdat-ul-Wjood but he made distinction between the creature and creator (as did Ibn Arabi). He wrote a masterpiece explaining the Unity of Being doctrine of Hazrat Ibn Arabi.Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-50465932239744993862009-09-23T00:55:00.000-07:002009-09-23T00:58:47.284-07:00Madho Lal Hussain.<a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/05/madho-lal-hussain.html">Madho Lal Hussain</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;<br />Madho Lal Hussain of Lahore: Beyond Hindu and Muslim. By Yoginder Sikand from Pakistan Christian Post, Oct. 31, 2005`Shah Hussain! Shahadat Paye O Jo Maran Mitran De Age (Shah Hussain! He [alone] attains martyrdom who dies at the feet of his beloved)Sufism has had a long and rich history in the Indian sub-continent. It is perhaps in Punjab, more than in any other part of this vast land, that Sufism has struck the deepest roots, producing many great exponents and exercising a pervasive influence on the minds of the ommon people. To this very day, the innumerable Sufis of this region are held in the highest esteem by millions of Muslims, Sikhs, Dalits and Hindus of the province and beyond.Shah Hussain is one such mystic who is still fondly remembered by millions of ordinary Punjabis four centuries after his death1. He was born in Lahore in 1539 A.D. into a family of the Dhatha Rajput tribe.2 This tribe had recently converted to Islam, hence the epithet "Shah" attached to his name.3 Even as a child Hussain showed a marked preference for red clothes, which explains why he was also called Lal (Persian for "red") Hussain.4 Hussain`s strong mystical inclinations were apparent very early in his life. In childhood itself he managed to memorize the entire Qur`an under the guidance of his teacher, Shaikh Abu Bakr. Then, at theage of ten he was initiated into the Oadiriyah Sufi order by the renowned saint Bahlul Shah Daryai of Chiniot.5 For the next twenty-six years he lived under the strict supervision of his Pir (spiritual master), faithfully following all the rites and practices of orthodox Islam, and leading a life of great austerity.At the age of thirty-six an incident occurred that was to completely change Hussain`s life. One day while at a madrasa studying a tafsir (commentary) on the Our`an under the tutelage of Shaikh Sadullah of Lahore, he came across the Qur`anic verse: "The life of this world is nothing but a game and a sport." He asked the Shaikh to explain the verse and was told that it meant that the world should be shunned. Hussain refused to accept this interpretation and asserted, instead, that the words of the verse must be taken literally. He told his teacher that, in accordance with his understanding of this verse, he would spend the rest of his life in enjoyment.6 It was during this period of his life that Hussain met Madho, a Brahmin lad. The two men became so closely associated that in the popular mind the saint is most commonly known as Madho Lal Hussain, as if the two had been fused into one. The intensely close relationship that blossomed between them has been the subject of much speculation and controversy, starting in their very lifetime. John Subhan, an expert on Indian Sufism, writes that their contemporaries saw this intimate connection between a Hindu boy and a Muslim faqir of "questionable character" as "a disgrace", though he himself sees this "irresistible attraction" between the two men in terms of "fervent love".8 Like wise, the Punjabi historianShafi Aquil speaks of the relationship between Madho and Hussayn as one of "boundless love" and for this employs language generally used to describe male-female relationships. Thus, he writes, "Shah Hussayn was in love with Madho and Madho himself, too, desired him" (Madho se Shah Hussayn ko pyar tho aur khud Madho bhi unko chahte the). He goes on to add that, "Under no condition could Shah Hussayn bear to be separated from Madho".9Nur Ahmad Chishti, author of the Sufi chronicle Tahqiqat-i-Chishti, suggests that some among the couple`s contemporaries saw their relationship as `improper`. He writes that Madho`s relatives, "seeing him sleeping in the same bed with Lal Hussain, came to murder them both."10 However, as luck would have it, he adds,that "the power of Hussain made them blind and, as they could not find the door, they returned". Lajwanti Ramkrishna, a recognized authority on the Punjabi Sufis, relates that many people "had become suspicious of the un-natural [sic] relationship" between the two. 11 Whatever the case might be, the story of the two lovers is a fascinating one that is unparalleled in the annals of Punjabi Sufism.The historical records give varying accounts of Hussain`s first encounter with Madho. The author of the Tahqiqat-i-Chishti writes that Hussain first saw Madho riding through the main market of Lahore on a "majestic horse in a fashionable manner."12 So wonderstruck was he at Madho`s beauty that "he then tried in vain to possess the lad for sixteen years, at the end of which he succeeded." Rizvi, an acclaimed authority on Indian Sufism, also writes that Hussain first saw Madho riding in the market and says that upon seeing him he felt instantly "under theintoxication of a mystical trance." Thereafter, he adds, Hussain shifted to Shahdara, the suburb of Lahore where Madho lived and "began following him like a household slave."13 Ramakrishna says that some believe that Hussain`s first meeting with Madho took place during a liquor-drinking bout at a wine shop but he prefers to believe that it was Madho`s regular attendance at his Sufi preaching sessions that attracted Hussayn to "the handsome youth."14"The love of Hussain for Madho", writes one biographer, "was unique and he did all that lay in his power to please the boy."15 It is said that not for a single day did the two fail to meet each other. So overpowering was Hussain`s fascination for Madho that he would often rise in the middle of the night, cross the river Ravi and walk for several miles to Madho`s house. Madho`s parents, however, did not approve of their son`s relationship with Hussain. Once they plotted to take Madho away with them to the Hindu holy town of Haridwar for a pilgrimage, hoping that separation from Hussain might cause Madho to forget him. Hussain, however, could not bear the thought of being kept apart from his dear one. Accordingly, he refused to let Madho`s parents take him along with them but promised them that he would send him to Haridwar later. When Madho`s parents reached Haridwar, so the story goes, Hussain made Madho shut his eyes and then, after striking his foot upon the ground, made him open them again. Madho did as he was told and found himself miraculously transported all at once to Haridwar. His parents were amazed at his sudden arrival all the way from Lahore.16 Thereafter, it is said, Madho left his parents` house and began living with Hussayn.17It is possible and, indeed, very likely that Hussain`s relationship with Madho had a deep impact on his thinking, his mystical poetry and, most of all, on his religious life. In his passionate love for Madho he bravely defied the norms of his own society, expressing a sternindictment of the orthodox theologians, for whom religion had been reduced to a set of soulless rituals, rigid rules and strict restrictions, drained of love, joy, compassion and emotion.18Hussain`s relationship with the Hindu Madho also appears to have made him profoundly tolerant in his attitude towards other religions. To please Madho he celebrated with great enthusiasm, Basant, the Punjabi spring festival, as well as the Hindu festival of Holi. During Holi, for example, Madho and Hussain would follow the Hindu custom of throwing coloured powder on each other.20 According to the medieval Persian text Hasanat-ul-Arifin, Hussain is said to have asserted that he was "neither a Muslim nor a pagan"21, thus suggesting an eclecticism and breath of vision which few in his generation possessed or appreciated. Ramakrishna also notes that Hussain had close spiritual links with the Hindu mystic Chhaju Bhagat and Guru Arjan of the Sikhs.22Hussain`s undying love for Madho is also clearly reflected in his poems or Kafis which are still considered as some of the most precious gems of Punjabi literature today. True spiritual realization, he believed, could only be attained through infinite love, for, as he wrote:This youth will not come back again So laugh and play while you can with your lover.Love, believed Hussain, can so intimately unite two souls (or a human being with God) that they lose their individualities and separateness and merge completely into each other. In much the same way, Madho and Hussain became so inseparable that they became known by one single name-Madho Lal Hussain.Perhaps it was referring to this that Shah Hussayn wrote: Ranjhe Ranjha Menu Sab Koi Akho Heer Na Akho KoiLet everyone now call me Ranjha, not Heer [for no longer am I Heer since I have become one with Ranjha.) 23Hussain breathed his last in 1599 and was buried in Lahore on the banks of the Ravi. Madho survived him by forty-eight years, and he was put to rest in a tomb next to Hussain`s. The shrine, containing the graves of the two inseparable lovers-united in death as they had been in life-continues to attract large numbers of faithful pilgrims to this very day.NOTES:1. Hussain is best known for his poetry. He was the first to write kafis set to classical Hindustani ragas and raginis.2. Ramakrishna, however, adds that according to the Tazkira Aulia-i-Hind, he belonged to a family of converted Kayasths, the caste of professional scribes. For more on Hussain`s ancestry, see Lajwanti Ramakrishna, "Punjabi Sufi Saints" (New Delhi: Ashajanak Publications, 1973), p.32.3. A title often adopted by new converts to Islam.4. This is despite the fact that orthodox Islamic theologians frowned upon the wearing of red garments by Muslim men.5. For greater details see "Shah Hussain-Kalam" (Islamabad: Lok Virsa Publications, 1987).6. Ramakrishna writes that such intimate love between Sufi males was not at all unusual. In fact, it can be said to have been perfectly normal for many Persian Sufis and for Indian mystics influenced by them. She notes that the orthodox opponents of the Sufis, however, charged that they kept handsome youths only "to satisfy [their] animal nature" (p. 40).7. John A. Subhan, "Sufism: Its Saints and Shrines" (Lucknow: The Lucknow Publishing House, 1960, p. 279.8. Shafi Aquil, "Punjabi Ke Qadim Shayar" (Karachi: Anjuman Taraqqi-i Urdu), p. 114.9. Quoted in Ramakrishna, op. cit., p. 35.10. Ramakrishna, op. cit., pp. 35-36.11. Ramakrishna, op.cit., p. 34.12. Saiyed Atthar Abbas Rizvi, "A History or Sufism in India" (New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal, 1992), vol. 2, p. 65.13. Ramakrishna, op. cit., p. 34.14. Ramakrishna, op.cit., p. 36.15. Subhan, op. cit., p. 279.16. Subhan (op.cit., p. 80) writes that upon witnessing the miracle, Madho`s parents and Madho converted to Islam. Ramakrishna (op. clt., p. 36), however, believes that this was not the case.17. Aquil (op. cit., p. 100), writes that one day a certain Maulvi Abdul Hakim of Sialkot approached Hussain in order to become his disciple. At this Hussain is said to have burst into a fit of laughter saying,"You are from among those who strictly follow the Shariah (Islamic law). So then, why do you wish to give me a bad name [by seeking to become my disciple]?" 18. Rizvi, op. cit., p. 65. Indeed, till as late as the end of the last century, the use of coloured powder on the occasion of Holi was the main feature of the annual celebrations at the twin tombs of Hussain and Madho. Today, however, under pressure from the puritans, this practice has reportedly stopped.19. Quoted in Ramakrishna, op. cit., p. 36.20. Ramakrishna, op. cit., p. 39.21. Here, Hussain is also probably referring to himself in his intimaterelationship with God.Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-25494921560399641392009-09-23T00:47:00.000-07:002009-09-23T00:51:03.681-07:00<a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/05/lal-shahbaz_09.html">LAL SHAHBAZ</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;<br />LAL SHAHBAZ<br />In the year 1318, in the town of Marwand in Afghanistan, a child was born to a noble Makhdum, sayed Ahmed Kabir, who was a close friend of the King of Tabriz. The little child showed from his infancy signs of a deep spiritual nature. The boy's name was Sayed Usman Shah. Having been born in Marwand he was called Marwandi. It is said that even when very young he had developed occult powers. Sayed Ali, the Monarch of Bagdad, in whose court the young man lived, had a considerable regard for the youth.<br />The call of the Spirit came to this man who was destined to be the mystic light, the light of Sufism to India and specially to Sind. He had three other friends, Sheikh Bhawaldin, Sheikh Farrid Ganj and Sheikh Makhdum Jalaluddin. They are known to the Sufis as the four great friends. Hazrat Usman Shah and his friends conceived the idea of coming over to India. The King of Bagdad, who loved and revered Usman Shah, entreated him not to leave Bagdad; but Usman Shah, who felt the urge from within, could not see his way to remain, and soon after led his three companions on the holy mission that was destined to liberalise Islam in India, and to pave the way for unity with the Hindus. Many are the stories given about their adventurous journey : tradition is resonant with the voice of miracles. It is said that when the party arrived at the Persian Gulf and after they had reached one particular island they could not find a soul. They had to cross to some other place to secure a boat. The teacher, Shah Usman, said to his companions : "Depend upon God and enter the stream; but take care, you must have no attachment to the things of the world, otherwise the waters cannot give you a safe passage. Here is my begging bowl, lay your hands on it and it shall serve us as a boat." The four entered the stream. In the middle of the river the bowl began to sink and the companions along with it. Usman said to them, "One of you has some burden of the world on your person." Actually Bhawaldin, on of the three companions, had carried with himself a gold brick, calculating that it might be of some use on a rainy day. Marwandi ordered him to throw it into the river, and behold ! as soon as the brick sant, the bowl came up and the friends safely reached the other side.<br />They came to Mecca and to Medina; and a story is told of how Sheikh Farrid Ganj, who was very handsome, found himself a victim of a woman's wiles. She was a baker's wife to whom Farrid had come to buy some bread. The woman would not loose hold of him, entreated him, cajoled him, but the faqir was made of stern fibre, and soon tore himself away from her. Then the baker's wife began to roar, neighbours came, and the mistress of the oven accused poor Farrid of attempting to assault her. Sheikh Usman when he heard of this is said to have rescued his friend by a miracle. They again set out on their journey.<br />Sheikh Usman is said to have been challenged on the way by a famous ascetic to bathe in a tub of burning oil. This is a feat which many of the old anchorites seem to have performed. Usman Shah also successfully passed the test. Thus he earned the title of Lal (a ruby) as the ascetic said to him, "Thou art indeed the Lal of Lal ( the ruby of rubies)". This meant that Usman was real gold having been tested by fire. He received no injury; only his robe turned crimson. He wore a red robe up to the end, and was called Lal Shahbaz. Shahbaz means a falcon. This great Sheikh was a great walker of the skies shining with th e glory of the light of the Spirit.<br />The friends now reached Sind which included in those days Multan and some other portion of the punjab. They reached Sehwan, probably by the frontier hills; it was known as a very important place. It is a very ancient place and was called originally Shivaasthan. It is now a deserted town, with its ruins covering many miles. It had even in those days numerous priests in holy garbs but with corrupt and perverted hearts. When they heard of the coming of this great man whose fame had preceded him, they sent him a cup brimming with milk, thus suggesting that the place was already full of faqirs and that he should seek pastures new. The great man took a flower and placed it in the cup and returned it to the worldly-minded men, suggesting by this reply that there was ample room for him, as he would remain among them floating as a flower. It also suggested that they had sunk into the mire of irreligion and supersitition, while he was coming to them to teach the road of non-attachment and spiritual living. Thus a sacred flower was planted in the soil of Sind.<br />His three friends went to other lands. Sheikh Bhawaldin went to Uch in Multan (then in Sind). Uch is still known as a very important centre of the Sufis. Somewhere near, the other two also settled, and these places are well known among the group of Sufis. These flowers of Sufism, planted by them in Sind and the Punjab, spread their fragrance and beauty far and wide. They had numerous followers and their descendants are still living. The sight of the annual fairs is simply wonderful. In Sehwan where Lal Shahbaz, (also called Kalandar Lal Marwandi), lived and died, you find during the annual fair thousar of Hindus and Mahommedans camped round about th e tomb, mixing freely, and singing the Sufi songs that ever melt the heart. Wrong things also have entered into the celebration of these holy days, but that is what always happens. There are other centres where the spirit of the ancient Sufis is still found in its original simplicity and purity : the light still burns clear and bright.<br />Lal Shahbaz and his friends came about six centuries ago, at the time when another great Sufi, Khwaja Hassan Nizami, came and settled at Delhi. He is also known throughout the lenght and breadth of the land. History does not give much information about the lives and struggles of these Sufis, or about the spread of their movement in Sind, till we come to the time about two and a half centuries ago. By that time the seed to have grown into a tree, whose anches gave cool spiritual shade to many weary pilgrims on th e greatest of Sindhi Sufis, who sang in the language of Sind. In a later chapter something of the life and poetry of a few of these men and their successors will be given, but it must be preceded by a summary of the general doctrine of the Sufis of Sind.<br />THE MYSTIC DOCTRINE OF SIND<br />The doctrine of the mystic all over the world is the same; it is what is known as the doctrine of the heart which is, says the Sufi, the "Palace of the Beloved". But this doctrine assumes various names and forms in various climes. The speciality about the poetry of the Sufis of Sind is that its phraseology and imagery are derived from the Arabic-Persian as well as from the indian spiritual culture. The Sufi poets of Sind are too many to enumerate; in fact, poetry is still the hobby of the Sindhi scholar as well as of the Sindhi peasant. The cultivator in the field, his little son with a herd of cattle, the camelman on the sandy tracks, the driver driving the immemorial bullock cart through broken roads and innumerable little pits - all these, with a hand on one ear, sing the lyrical songs of the immortal poets, and sometimes indulge in the luxury of making original verses.<br />Among the Sufi poets of Sind, Latif, Sachal, Rohal, Sami, Bedil, Bekus, Dalpat and Sadik are the best known. Some are known by their original names, others by thier noms de plume, these being very pretty and poetic - Latif, the Benign, Sachal, the True, Rohal, the soulful, Sami, the Master, Bekus, the Impersonal, Bedil, the Heart Lost, Sadik, the Tested, and so on. The poetry of these love-intoxicated singers forms the pleasure and the prayer of the people of Sind.<br />RADICALISM<br />Extreme radicalism, that is fearless thinking and acting, is the chief characteristic of the Sindhi poet. Deadly opposition to the priest and brave resistance to the cruel autocratic rulers were the maked features of their lives; they shocked the susceptibilities of the orthodox priest to no small extent. In fact Latif made it the basis of his life to care not a straw for conventional thinking. "Keep a contrary eye, move contrary to the masses. If the world moves down the stream, you move up the stream." "We care not for the people of the world even if they kill us." Like Rousseau he despised the common belief of the herd.<br />The priests of Islam said, "Satan is the worst of the damned." Latif defied them. "Satan is the only lover, all others are prattlers. Out of the great love of the Lord, the shining one (Satan) embraced disgrace." A true thinker indeed. Can mankind develop progress but by resistance; and is not Satan the principle of resistance ? Sachal followed the same tradition. The priests and the orthodox tabooed all free thinking as heresy (kufr). Sind Sachal : "But the way of heresy the Murshid (teacher) himself taught me." They told him, "you are misled". "Ah," he said, "but being misled is the first step, then comes the right road."<br />How can a man attain to knowledge unless he knows that he does not know ? Sachal passed through all the bitter trials of doubt that must precede knowledge. "Oh," he said, "there is no greater pain than that of doubt," but it has to be passed through.<br />Thus Latif sang :<br />All speak of the open path,<br />I want one who suggests the complex one.<br />Go not near the open road,<br />Seek after the complex one,<br />Suffer tribulation and come out raimentless.<br />Only rare ones enter the complex path;<br />The abode of the Beloved is all confusion for men.<br />They that walk the wilds<br />Are never misled;<br />Who walk the open road<br />Get plundered on the way.<br />With the Mullas and Moulvis, they were in perpetual conflict; Sachal said : "So long as these mosques, these so-called holy places, these raised towers, do not crumble into dust, so long the path of spirit cannot be seen clear". Rohal, the Soulful, was nothing short of a present-day extreme radical. Like Shelley he was very angry with kings, "Oh," he said, "what do these gentlemen do ?"<br />Many kings of the earth,<br />Gather lacs and untold wealth,<br />They forget the truth and hoard money;<br />But die they will; and laid to dust,<br />Not a pie will they take with them.<br />They sit on thrones and hold their sceptres,<br />they call themselves the Lords of earth,<br />As if it were the property of their father and grandfather.<br />These tyrants, how do they rule ?<br />They deprive others of their rights;<br />They do not measure justice to the aggrieved.<br />They live on others' sweat,<br />They eat what is unholy,<br />They think they win, but<br />They will depart as in defeat.<br />Rohal, however, did not leave the priests, the Kazs and the mullas unreproved.<br />Look at these kazis, they sit with open Korans,<br />While they take bribes from men;<br />They speak the letter of the Book,<br />They are really buying hell.<br />The Mullas read traditions and the Koran,<br />they look like Mussalmans,<br />They are the very devil,<br />These will defeated die.<br />Dalpat was so hot on the subject of priests, that his successors still consider it unwise to publish his poems. Many examples could be given of this fearless thinking and living; suffice it to say that the mystic of Sind is like his brother mystics of the world, an enemy of hypocrisy and convention. Not only in the domain of thought, but in morals also, the Sufi is a radical. The only basis of his morality is the recognition of the one Life which he tries to realise. This means an utter identification of oneself with everything in the Universe. This identification means love; and love can never injure: the giving of injury is immorality, and nothing besides. The Sufi recognises no outside authority but th eurge of love from within. Sachal says :<br />Through virtue and vice, none know God.<br />Latif said :<br />Men fight shy of vice;<br />My Beloved turned his face from me beacause of my virtue.<br />Dalpat realising that the higher phase of Compassion cannot tolerate either thus complains :<br />Oh Lord, it is thou who sinnest and thou who do'st good deeds; why didst thou make heaven and hell ?<br />Redicalism, both in thinkin g and feeling, is what contributes so much to the making of the Sufi.<br />BROAD - MINDEDNESS<br />Broad-mindedness and tolerance are the chief virtues of a Sufi, and the Sufis of Sind have fully lived and preached them. The Sufi is not a sentimentalist. He is a person who studies the various religions and, being a radical in thought and affectionate by nature, he soon shakes off the common prejudices that haunt men, and divide and from man. The great poets of Sind have laid great emphasis on this; they refused to call themselves muslims or Hindus.<br />Says Latif:<br />As breath pervades everywhere, so Sufis live in every beart.<br />He instructed the Sufi :<br />Infidel nor Muslim be, Heaven and Hell are not for thee. Sufi is one who says, "Make, oh make the Beloved thine."<br />The Truth is one, the Beloved is one, why fight over names ? They asked him : "Oh Latif, what are you, a Shiah Muslim or a Sunni one ?" He replied : "Between the two." They said: "But between the two is nothing." "Yes, yes," he replied, "that `nothing' I am."<br />Sachal was very forcible in his language when condemning formal religion.<br />Love forgives all religion. The Lover never entangles himself in either Islam or Hinduism.<br />Bedil says : "The Lover is sick of religion." Rohal says beautifully :<br />One is a Hindu, another is a Muslim, a third is the enmity between them. The blind cannot be free from darkness. Who can convince them of the truth ? But oh Rohal, when I entered on th e path of the Beloved, and saw, I found the Lord the very same, the very same. Now tell me, he that sleeps inside the Kaaba shrine, on which side should he stretch his legs ?<br />Muslims protest if a person sleeps with feet towards the kaaba, so Rohal put before them this riddle. He that lies secure in the Kaaba of the heart, he sees no difference between Hindu and Muslim.<br />Dalpat the Hindu Sufi sang :<br />If the Kaaba is the house of God; why not the temple too ? If the Lord lives in the pipal tree, who lives in the babul then ?<br />In the Mosque and the monastery,<br />Shines the one resplendent light.<br />Oh ! Dalpat, I know not how this disharmony entered into men!<br />MYSTIC PHILOSOPHY<br />The philosophy of the Sufis is the result of direct experience; they dug it out from their own being; the experiences being almost the same have resolved themselves into a system that is well-nigh perfect, even as the flawless Vedantic system of Shankaracharya. The Sufis of Sind also delved into themselves, and were conversant with Arabic-Persian mysticism as well as the Vedanta of the Indian. Sachal summed it up in a single phrase: "The mystery of negation-affirmation'. Latif spoke of it as "Being-non-being". The Sufi is prepared to pay the price for the finding of the solution of the world-mystery : that is the one object of his life. God says in the Koran, "Man is My mystery, and I am his mystery." This is what the Sufi calls the play between the two, him and the Beloved. Apart from his subjective experiences that may not be clothed in words, the Sufi is a hard thinker; but his thinking is accompanied by a longing of the heart and therefore is often more strenuous than mere gymnastics of the brain.<br />Sami says :<br />Love and intellect are the two wings of the bird.<br />The path of the Sufi consists of three steps. He finds himself in the state of lower affirmation, in which he has identified himself with the wrappings of flesh, emotions, and thoughts . the second step is that of the struggle in which he seeks to unclothe himself of all these garments; he wishes to see the seer and not the seen. In this undertaking he must not only kill his flesh (nafs) and control his emotion (dil), but he must give up all prejudices of the mind. As Latif says, "Come out ye all, and stand naked." This is the state of negation (nafi) which includes the suppression of emotion and thought, as well as of the will, the individuality.<br />Much misunderstanding has been created by looking at these statements on the surface. For instance, Dr. Iqbal, the poet of Punjab, is scathing in his remarks about the great Sufis concerning this destruction of the individuality; but the Sufis knew better. Latif said :<br />So long as thou art conscious of thine individuality, so long there is no prayer. Give up your individuality, and then say your prayer.<br />He also replied to the critic :<br />This non-being made the servant, Sire; in the subjective they are the same, in the objective they are also the same. Ah, how can you speak of the mystery ? The mystery of the Beloved ! All is mystery.<br />The third step is therefore that which comes after negation, or vacuum, and that is fulness, full being. This step is again called affirmation (isbat); it may be called re-affirmation, or affirmation in full, in which the lower affirmation and the struggling negation both dissolve. The experience at this stage, the Sufi says, cannot be given in words. "The dumb enjoys the sweets, can he speak ?" (Sami). The Sufis of Sind have also built the whole of their system on this negation-affirmation . This one problem they pondered over, in all its complications. They were on the wings of ecstasy when they thought they had grasped it: but when doubt again entered, and the solution slipped from their hold, they suffered great tearing of the heart, and were in deep depression. This state they called the "Separation from the Beloved"; while the other they called the "Union with the Beloved". In the union the bird of th e soul flies high to the heavens and is all joy. This is what they called "Wine". In separation the poor bulbul finds its wings clipped and broken, and cries most piteously. Sachal put this so feelingly :<br />What are we ? Oh, what are we ?<br />Brethren, we know not what we are.<br />Now we rejoice and say "We know ourselves"<br />Now we cry, "What are we ? Oh, what are we ?"<br />Now clouds pour showers cool,<br />Now burn fires of hell,<br />Now my heart is full of peace,<br />Now tears flow in streams.<br />What are we, Oh, what are we ?<br />Oh Sachal thou art the very He !<br />Why should we illusions weave ?<br />This struggle between affirmation, negation, (this "am" and "am not,") is given in much detail by sachal.<br />I am not, I am not,<br />I swear by the most high<br />I am not, I am not;<br />In am, am not; in am not, am;<br />This secret song, I sing and sing.<br />Sachal says, "In these cogitations, are a thousand kingships lost." It is this struggle of the "am, and am not," "'twixt will and will not" (Shakespeare), that is the path of every struggler. In the world of thought it is "am and am not," in the world of feeling it is "will and will not". These two, affirmation and negation, go hand in hand, simultaneously. the "I" is ever opposite to "not I," the "am" is ever face to face with "am not"; perhaps, these two are always dependent on each other, and the one only lives when the other is; therefore Sachal is surprised when he says, "In am, am not; in am not, am." Latif considered this an endless game. This "veil upon veil" ever rises. This "eternal process going on, from state to state the spirit walks". When the "I" withdraws itself from one cover that is "not I," it again finds itself in another "not I". Both are therefore independent, and the "I", and "am," cannot be seen apart from "not I" and "am not". Shah Latif said, "That is not without this, This is not without That." Your cannot see the "Thing in itself," the real form of anything cannot be seen, therefore "seek not His form; the Beloved thou seekest, upon my word, thou canst not meet Him face to face" (Latif) - "for it ever recedes." (Light on the Path). Asked the pupil then from Latif :<br />"But without the form it cannot be seen !"<br />"True," replied the teacher, "Therefore seek it not."<br />"What shall i do ?" enquired the pupil.<br />Replied Shah Latif, "Be thou as is a child. Give up incividuality. They that are thus absorbed, they neither stand in prayer, nor do they bend; they enter into the absolute Being, when they enter into non-being." This submitting of the "individual" in the words of Emerson, is what the Sufi calls real exestence, real ecstasy (hal), not the ecstasy which is temporary but the ecstasy that is final and matured.<br />The scientist looks at matter, finds one form after another, the "the thing in itself" always eluding him; but the Sufi understands this better, knowing that all these forms are strung as beads on the " individual". As long as there is the individual, so long these "not I's" will always haunt; and, as this individual, the "I," is also a something which forms a subject of his thought, it is a part of the "not I," therefore it must also be negatived.<br />None reached the shore, with the I; give up this I, and thyself will reach. Thyself the Lord, thyself will reach Thyself the Lord. All is beauty; there is no other thout; oh dualist ! give up duality. "The duality of negation-affirmation is annihilated into the absolute thought or absolute beauty."<br />By this process of thinking the Sufi comes to understand that the "am," the "not am," and the nexus between the two, all three form but variations of consciousness or thought (khial), and therefore Sachal sang as did the ancient Rishis :<br />As you yourself think yourself to be, so shall you be; know this with certaintly.<br />These Sufis were the predecessors of Schopenhaur who said, "The world is my idea." Sachal gives us a story of Sikander (Alexander), who went to a mystic and questioned him about the whole world being an idea. The mystic took him to a bathing ghat and both entered the stream for a bath. "Dive for a moment," said the faqir to Sikander. Sikander did so, and what did he see in that moment ? He forgot his kingly consciousness; he saw that he was a poor man, had many little children and a wife that were as poor and miserable as he; and that years and years passed away, and one day a terrible calamity befell him. He gave a start and behold ! he found himself again a king at the bathing ghat, along with the mystic. He was wonder-struck. Sachal said : "Sikander thought years had passed, but it was merely the history of a moment." So he added : "Thou art only thought (khial)."<br />This whole of this Universe is merely a contraction and expansion of thought, contraction and expansion both disappearing into what is called the Absolute. This is the highes stage of affirmation after negation. This state of consciousness cannot be described in words, but the Sufi whenever he expresses it in ecstasy uses the word "I" (Ana). This "I" is not the "I" of individuality, but it is the "I" that exists beyond neagation, so it is the "Absolute I". "They that dissolved the individual into the absolute, they said `I' in ecstasy." (Bedil).<br />So sang Latif also :<br />I (mun) is created in I; I befits I; I conceives I through I.<br />Many a misunderstanding is caused by students when they hear the mystic and the Vedantist speaking of reality in terms of "I". But the use of the word is technical in the system of Sufi thought. As one of the oldest Persian texts of the Sufis gives :<br />When the existence absolute comes into indication it is described by the word "I". - Gulshan Raz.<br />Shankara expressed it in exactly the same form. "It is described by the word I (Aham, Shobdena, Vikhyat). Thus when the Sufi says "Anal Haq" (I truth), the "I" here is really impersonal. We should think of it more in the third than in the first person. Anyhow this third or first person is the One Person.<br />SPECIES AND GENUS (Sefat and Zat)<br />While it is true that the final conclusions of the Sufi are largely the result of a subjective process, manifested in ecstasy, still all the earlier stages are thoroughly logical. Just as in the subjective process he uses the two words, isbat and nafi, affirmation and negation, he uses two other words, when he reasons - zat and sefat. These terms mean absolute and qualitative; genus and species; abstract and concrete, and so on.<br />Beloved ! the colourless came into myriad coulours. The drops, the waves, the streams, all these forms conceal the real water. One is the seed, thousands are the green leaves, myriads the fruits and branches. Originally there is clay, but the poter's pots carry numerous names. Originally there is the sugar-cane, many sweets are but its many forms. Gold is one, ornaments are but its forms - Sachal.<br />The very species, sefat, we see, are but the forms of a genus, zat, in fact they are in their totality the genus. In the same way the various genii in themselves form the species of an absolute genus, the real zat, in which all the pairs of opposites in here and dissove into a unity.<br />In Unity all the concrete, sefat, are one; the coloured and the colourless are both one; in Unity duality is dissolved. It is only in the concerete that myriad names are called; in Unity they disappear - Bedil.<br />Latif called this genus and species, unity (vahdat) and variety (kasrat).<br />The one became the many; many and the one form the totality.<br />Dalpat went still futher: he says why call it even one ?<br />Oh Dalpt! you could call it one, if there were any tow, when there is no two the word one cannot be used.<br />This is what the Vedantist calls Superimposition. Adhyas, the cause of all illustion, this losing of the one in the many. Why only say chair, table, teapoy, etc., why not think of them as wood ? The forgetting of the one tatality that is forest in the individual trees is the illusion which the Sufi calls tilsam. It is this illusion that he tries to overcome by constant cogitation, concentration and meditation, moved by an intense longing (ishk). They look within and seek.<br />Turn thy face inside;<br />Seek not as does the beast outside.<br />Seek not in the open fields;<br />Come in, and close the door - Latif.<br />Thus sang the simple Sufis of Sind of the Eternal Mystery.<br />UNDERSTAND THE ILLUSION<br />Oh brother ! you that tread the path,<br />Come, understand this illusion;<br />Dissolve duality, and you will know;<br />Keep off this gradation.<br />How could you ever forget the secret of negation-affirmation,<br />Stop this devotion ?<br />Why be satisfied with mere stories ?<br />Break thou the idols of Kaaba,<br />Know thine own secret, give not ear to miracles.<br />From the absolute you came. Understand this manifestation,<br />Oh Sachal, why weep so profusely ? Stop this raining of tears.<br />To the palace of the Beloved (body)<br />Why give so much tribulation ? - Sachal<br />ALL IS HE<br />The Sufi has by this process of reasoning and mystic experience arrived at what is his great word, the chief mantram, "All is He," (Hamaioost). Just as the Vedantist expresses this idea in the word "OM," so does the Sufi express it in the word Vahiadaoo, or Hoo hoo. It comes from his very being : he is engaged intently upon this Hoo hoo. The Sindhi Sufis who came in contact with Vedantist Yogis, adopted the word "OM" too; hence latif:<br />"If the Guru were to give thee the one curved word (OM) it would be to thee as light in darkness," therefore "keep mim(m) in thy mind, and place alif (a) before it".<br />This word, call it "OM," Hoo, or Vahiadaoo, is what they call the "Great Word," Ism-e-Azm; it is on this that they meditate. Ia m told it is a practice amongst the Sufis, to concentrate on the word " Ism-e-Azm," which they are given written in an attractive form on a piece of paper; and such is the result of their concentration that they see it everywhere; and their rapturous songs are but the joyful expression of this experience, as sung by an ancient Sufi, the grandfather of Shaha Latif :<br />ALL IS HE<br />He Himself is the splendour of the splendid,<br />He Himself is the soul of beauty,<br />He Himself is the form of the beloved,<br />He Himself is beauty complete,<br />He Himself is teacher,<br />He Himself is pupil,<br />He is thought Himself,<br />All this is known within the soul.<br />He Himself gives message,<br />He Himself is the king,<br />He Himself takes care of Himself,<br />He Himself sees Himself,<br />He Himself loves Himself,<br />He Himself creates abundantly,<br />He Himself longs for His created,<br />He is this, He is that,<br />He is the lord of death, He is the lord of life,<br />He is foe, He is friend,<br />He is here, He is there,<br />He lives in the mind,<br />He Himself sees the light of Himself.<br />THE SOUL IS UNCREATED<br />The Sufis, believing thus in the identification of the universal Soul with the individual soul, do not believe the soul to have been created at any time. It existed, and shall always exist. "Man has no beginning nor end has he." (Latif).<br />They said to Latif "<br />god said `Be,' (Kun), and it was, (fayakun), and so were souls created."<br />He replied :<br />"Be and it was" was not,<br />Whisper nor murmur moved,<br />We saw the Beloved at that moment face to face.<br />"Be and it was" was not,<br />Flesh and limb were not,<br />Adam was not in body yet<br />Oh Beloved ! I knew you even then.<br />"Be and it was" was not,<br />Form and matter were not,<br />No thought of virtue,<br />No care for vice;<br />Extreme oneness was, the flow of Unity,<br />The eyes of my Soul knew the Beloved then.<br />Latif said all souls were knit in unity.<br />As grains knit in a single sheaf lie in utter rest.<br />A good illustration of the "Monads," establishing thus the beginninglessness of the soul, is found in what he says to the students:<br />Call Him not creator, not call Him created, oh raw one !<br />When Latif spoke of "Be and it was," the coming into existence of the Universe, he did not even then speak of it as creation.<br />The Lord said "Be and it was"<br />This was his act of sacrifice - Fida.<br />"In utter reverence he spread the earth." It is not the creation that is brought into being from nothing, but a mere spreading, an unfolding - what the Hindu or the Theosophist speaks of as manifestation by an Ishvara, the Ruler of a System. According to the Koran the Lord (Rab) said at this moment to the soul: "Am I not your Lord ?"<br />The soul responded "Yes". Latif says that is true, but at the time of manifesting "I said that with my heart," that is, by his choice and will and not by coercion.<br />Sachal, the Intoxicated, made this more clear :<br />I am born of none, i am brought up by none,<br />I left Heaven, and came to earth,<br />Within Heaven's gates I could not be contained.<br />There a thought of the earth reached me;<br />I came of my own free will.<br />I am contained in every form.<br />It was love that rused on me,<br />No father, no mother have I,<br />Infinite and eternal am I,<br />My voyage is everywhere,<br />By mistake I call myself Sachal.<br />THE MASTER<br />Belief in the Murshid (Master) is a cardinal principal with the Sufi. He idolises him; his life is laid at his feet, for he is to him the only support of his life, as the one who knows what he yet does not know. It is the Master who places him on the Path; and therefore the Sufi often sings of the Master in superlative terms, calls him the Beloved and the Beautiful One<br />The Master and God both are before me,<br />At whose feet shall I first fall ?<br />I sacrifice myself for the Master who showed me God - Kabir..<br />Kabir was one of the greates of Sufis, though not so named. The Sufis believe the great Masters exist still on the physical plane; they believe that forty of them are living now, and call them by the name "Abdal". They assign various titles to them, some are Ghoans some are Kutub. Kutub is the pole star. It symbolises to the Sufi the Initiator. The Sufis of Islam generally accept Ali as the Initiator; he is the Gate (Bab) of Initiation. They sing the praises of the Master in abundant joy and in forms of poetic beauty.<br />Bedil, the Sufi of Sind (Rohri), says:<br />These men do never die,<br />They become the Praised Ones,<br />They shed mercy on the world with myriad hands,<br />They help the helpless,<br />They aid the depressed,<br />They leave not those that follow them when time of danger comes.<br />They are men only in name,<br />In reality they are God Himself, These Solitary Ones are mar vellous.<br />The author of this book has been led to believe, after much contact with many descendants and followers of the great Sufis of Sind, that a great occult centre existed in Sind which was the fountain source of Atma Vdya, or what the Sufi calls Tasawwuf or Theosophy. He has known a very very old Sufi named Kutub Shah, over hundred years old, and benign of face, a holy man and descendant of Sayed Jelani, one of the four who came with Lal Shahbaz centuries ago. This holy man used to say that in Sind, in the district of Kohistan, the mountain regions whose boundaries meet Makran and perhaps Kurdistan, was a place on the mountain tops where great Yogis came and gave teaching to the and that he was also one of the occupients of their teaching. Shah Latif refers perhaps to the same place and calls it Nani, where Nagas (Yogis) live. This matter will be referred to again when dealing with the lives of these Sufis. Kutub Shah used to say that at this place there existed no difference whatever between Islam and Hinduism. There is still a place called Hinglaj on this side, where many people go on pilgrimage, but it does not now enjoy the same reputation for sanctity as it seems to have done in the past. One thing however is certain: the great poet Latif of Sind came into contact with some great master of Yoga and recived tuition from him. He himself had pupils that were of high order.<br />THE MASTER<br />The Yogi came out from inside the abode of ecstasy,<br />The Master effulgent with the glory of the full moon.<br />The light of th eYogi dispelled all darkness,<br />His fragrance suffused the earth,<br />The Fakir awakened in me grace and love.<br />The face of the Master is as the sun is at dawn,<br />Diwan Dayaram Gidumal, I.C.S., retired Session Judge, and my fellow-countryman, writed thus of his visit to the Bhit of Latif where he met a very old man:<br />"He then proceeded to inform me that Abdulrahim was directed by Shah Latif, when he disappeared, to go to Girnar where a fakir 500 years old at once addressed him as Shah's balika or disciple." (Something about Sind, 1882).<br />The turban on his head flashed as lightning on the cluds,<br />From him fragrant scent of attar came.<br />He showed me the abode where the Exquisite One received illumination.<br />(The deep and utter reverence with which they think of the Master is heart thrilling.)<br />When walks my beloved the Lord of grace,<br />Earth cries Bismillah, "Glory to the Lord,"<br />It kisses the track he makes.<br />Houris stand enraptured, uterly amazed, By the Lord : The Beauty of the Belove is matchless - Latif.<br />THE PATH<br />The path of the Sufi is the same ancient and narrow path, that has been trodeen by every mystic worthy of the name. The Sufis of Sind have trodeen the same road; it is nothing short of "Give up thy life if thou wouldst live". (The Voice of the Silence.)<br />In fact a fair portion of the poetry of the Sufis consists of the enumeration of the difficulties of the Path.<br />If thou carest for thy life<br />Come not into this field. - Sachal.<br />Love is not a game that children can play.<br />He that breaks the bonds of body, Jism, individuality, Jio and soul, jan, thus throws himself under the lance; he can play the game. - Latif.<br />Art thou a Sufi ? Then keep no desire,<br />Give up thine head and throw it into fire. - Latif.<br />The whole of the individual man is to be crushed out of existence, before he can attain to anything of hte spirit. Latif gives the picture of the Tavern where are kept jars full of wine. The Master who is the keeper of the Tavern sits on a raised seat, with a terrible knife in his hand and wooden blocks running in a row before him. The aspirants, talibs, the seekers of the wine, come with utter humility before the Murshid, and with bowed head ask the Beloved for a drop of wine. Says the Master: " ` First thine head, then the wine; dost thou accept the condition ?' At the word of the Master some that have craven hearts, turn away. Others kneel down, look into the glorious eyes of the wine-seller, bend and put their heads on the wooden blocks and say : `Strike, oh strike, thou giver of wine, we lay our heads under the knife.'"<br />The wine-seller cuts the head of his pupil but not all at once; he "cuts, cleaves and carves" the flesh of these "bobles". Latif says he accepts not those that are poor (in heart), he wants the heads of aristocrats, those noble souls that are rich in feeling, thoughts and ideals. And behold ! the seekers neither cry nor weep, sob nor sigh. They shed not a tear, but even say with longing in their hearts:<br />Oh knife, be not sharp! May'st thou be ever dull, so that the hands of hte Beloved tarry onger on thee,<br />(that is on me). Thus the Tavern-keeper, who is so soft-hearted, tears out the life of the aspirant and the blood doth freely flow. "Oh Latif, wash thy heart with pain." The Tavern-keeper says to the aspirant,<br />You desire this wine, but the deadly poison of the snake is in this wine.<br />He replies :<br />Give us but a sip, Oh Master, of Thy wine, and take this head. Ah! Had I a hundred necks, forth with I would give them; I am utterly ashamed to give a single neck.<br />Thus does the pupil pass the test of the Tavern-keeper, and lo ! he that was dead is now alive and the pupil and Master both rejoice. It is the promise of the Koran : Matu kibl, Die, then live !<br />So shalt thou,<br />Dead, feed on death that feeds on other men;<br />And death once dead,<br />There's no more dying then, - Shakespeare.<br />Thus the treader of the path enters into the mysteries of life, through the fire of pain.<br />The lovers are fond of poisoned drinks :<br />They see poison and rejoice.<br />They always love the bitter and painful;<br />Though their wounds may bleed, they will not murmur.<br />Thus does Latif describe the trials of the Path. He talks of the guillotine and the gallows, the lance and the knife, the fire in which the moth must burn and so on.<br />How is it, that lovers on gallows rejolce ?<br />Ah me ! The place of death becomes the throne of grace,<br />When the eyes of the Beloved meet theirs.<br />That is th e mystery of the wine, sung of by all Sufie; these love-intoxicated men talk not of ordinary wine, though some who misunderstand these Sufis think so. Latif, Sachal and others did not touch a single drop of wine. Says Sachal, "this is not the intoxication of the drug." It is, as Latif says, "the surma of light", that makes the eyes "ruby red," and the whole world appear rosy red.<br />These earlier ascetics crushed the animal in man. Latif said : "Be thou thinner than a needle." Much of this asceticism is lacking in the present day Sufi, but his forbears touched neither wine, nor flesh.<br />Drink thou thine own blood,<br />There is no better wine than that;<br />Strike thy teeth into thine own heart,<br />There is no better meat than that.<br />Thus lived these knights of the spirit, living plainly and thinking high. This utter desirelessness precedes all spiritual awakening.<br />Enter into the abode of desirelessness, and see Allah !<br />The road of the spirit is clear as day,<br />Only desires have hidden it. - Latif.<br />"This release from hope" they called light (nur). As Latif says, "They think of freedom from hope as light, while the presence of it is darkness." Sachal speaks of the treader of the path as a great fighter, who has to face opposition from men. His great Sufi hero is Mansur Halai, who held to what he regardded as truth, defied all oppressors, and was flayed alive, but shrank not. Mansur said "I am God," Anal Hak. The priests and the people were wrath with him : they said to him, "Give up your heresy." He stood firm and yielded not and was put to death. Sachal, the poet, idolised mansure.<br />If thou art a man, speak as mansur,<br />Otherwise call not thyself Mansur.<br />On the path of Mansur, are many blows and many burdens.<br />Oh lover, never do a thing for which men may praise thee; take up some load of calumny,<br />Let the whole world reproach thee - Sachal.<br />Truly does the jewel of mysticism echo :<br />Desire power ardently, but that power<br />Oh desciple, which will make you appear as nothing in the eyes of man ! - Light on the Path.<br />These immortal Sufis tried to tread the "Razor Path".<br />INITIATIONS<br />The Sufi speaks of definite destinations, manzuls, on the spiritual path. Shah Latif describes them poetically thus :<br />The Beloved bound me hand and foot<br />And threw me into the sea.<br />Now He stands on the shore and speaks :<br />`Never let thy skirt be wet.'<br />`Oh knower of the path !' I said,<br />`How may I unmoist in water be ?<br />Teach me the way Lore !'<br />Thus spake He :<br />Make righteousness thy support (Shariyat).<br />Understand the law (Tarikat),<br />Thy heart attune with truth (Hakikat),<br />Know the place of knowledge (Marfat),<br />Prove thyself : thus unmoist shalt thou ever keep.<br />Thus four stages are shariyat, or right physical conduct, tarikat or correct moral feeling, hakikat, or clear mental conception and marfat or spiritual realisation. The Sufi speaks of these various Initiations in details, and links them up with various corresponding planes, asmans, and gives their description, calling them visions, mushahidas. The various planes are Nasut, the physical world, Malkut, the Deva world, Fabrut the plane of "Power," Lahut, and one other which Latif calls Hahut.<br />The comparative study of these doctrines with, those of the Vedantins, Gnostics, and present-day Theosophists is, to say the least, very interesting and illuminating; the distinguishing feature of the Sufi being that he presents his treasures in poetical forms of great beauty. The bare outline of their soul-entrancing doctrine cannot do justice to the mystics of Sind in any story of their lives<a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/05/lal-shahbaz.html">LAL SHAHBAZ</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;<br />LAL SHAHBAZ<br />In the year 1318, in the town of Marwand in Afghanistan, a child was born to a noble Makhdum, sayed Ahmed Kabir, who was a close friend of the King of Tabriz. The little child showed from his infancy signs of a deep spiritual nature. The boy's name was Sayed Usman Shah. Having been born in Marwand he was called Marwandi. It is said that even when very young he had developed occult powers. Sayed Ali, the Monarch of Bagdad, in whose court the young man lived, had a considerable regard for the youth.<br />The call of the Spirit came to this man who was destined to be the mystic light, the light of Sufism to India and specially to Sind. He had three other friends, Sheikh Bhawaldin, Sheikh Farrid Ganj and Sheikh Makhdum Jalaluddin. They are known to the Sufis as the four great friends. Hazrat Usman Shah and his friends conceived the idea of coming over to India. The King of Bagdad, who loved and revered Usman Shah, entreated him not to leave Bagdad; but Usman Shah, who felt the urge from within, could not see his way to remain, and soon after led his three companions on the holy mission that was destined to liberalise Islam in India, and to pave the way for unity with the Hindus. Many are the stories given about their adventurous journey : tradition is resonant with the voice of miracles. It is said that when the party arrived at the Persian Gulf and after they had reached one particular island they could not find a soul. They had to cross to some other place to secure a boat. The teacher, Shah Usman, said to his companions : "Depend upon God and enter the stream; but take care, you must have no attachment to the things of the world, otherwise the waters cannot give you a safe passage. Here is my begging bowl, lay your hands on it and it shall serve us as a boat." The four entered the stream. In the middle of the river the bowl began to sink and the companions along with it. Usman said to them, "One of you has some burden of the world on your person." Actually Bhawaldin, on of the three companions, had carried with himself a gold brick, calculating that it might be of some use on a rainy day. Marwandi ordered him to throw it into the river, and behold ! as soon as the brick sant, the bowl came up and the friends safely reached the other side.<br />They came to Mecca and to Medina; and a story is told of how Sheikh Farrid Ganj, who was very handsome, found himself a victim of a woman's wiles. She was a baker's wife to whom Farrid had come to buy some bread. The woman would not loose hold of him, entreated him, cajoled him, but the faqir was made of stern fibre, and soon tore himself away from her. Then the baker's wife began to roar, neighbours came, and the mistress of the oven accused poor Farrid of attempting to assault her. Sheikh Usman when he heard of this is said to have rescued his friend by a miracle. They again set out on their journey.<br />Sheikh Usman is said to have been challenged on the way by a famous ascetic to bathe in a tub of burning oil. This is a feat which many of the old anchorites seem to have performed. Usman Shah also successfully passed the test. Thus he earned the title of Lal (a ruby) as the ascetic said to him, "Thou art indeed the Lal of Lal ( the ruby of rubies)". This meant that Usman was real gold having been tested by fire. He received no injury; only his robe turned crimson. He wore a red robe up to the end, and was called Lal Shahbaz. Shahbaz means a falcon. This great Sheikh was a great walker of the skies shining with th e glory of the light of the Spirit.<br />The friends now reached Sind which included in those days Multan and some other portion of the punjab. They reached Sehwan, probably by the frontier hills; it was known as a very important place. It is a very ancient place and was called originally Shivaasthan. It is now a deserted town, with its ruins covering many miles. It had even in those days numerous priests in holy garbs but with corrupt and perverted hearts. When they heard of the coming of this great man whose fame had preceded him, they sent him a cup brimming with milk, thus suggesting that the place was already full of faqirs and that he should seek pastures new. The great man took a flower and placed it in the cup and returned it to the worldly-minded men, suggesting by this reply that there was ample room for him, as he would remain among them floating as a flower. It also suggested that they had sunk into the mire of irreligion and supersitition, while he was coming to them to teach the road of non-attachment and spiritual living. Thus a sacred flower was planted in the soil of Sind.<br />His three friends went to other lands. Sheikh Bhawaldin went to Uch in Multan (then in Sind). Uch is still known as a very important centre of the Sufis. Somewhere near, the other two also settled, and these places are well known among the group of Sufis. These flowers of Sufism, planted by them in Sind and the Punjab, spread their fragrance and beauty far and wide. They had numerous followers and their descendants are still living. The sight of the annual fairs is simply wonderful. In Sehwan where Lal Shahbaz, (also called Kalandar Lal Marwandi), lived and died, you find during the annual fair thousar of Hindus and Mahommedans camped round about th e tomb, mixing freely, and singing the Sufi songs that ever melt the heart. Wrong things also have entered into the celebration of these holy days, but that is what always happens. There are other centres where the spirit of the ancient Sufis is still found in its original simplicity and purity : the light still burns clear and bright.<br />Lal Shahbaz and his friends came about six centuries ago, at the time when another great Sufi, Khwaja Hassan Nizami, came and settled at Delhi. He is also known throughout the lenght and breadth of the land. History does not give much information about the lives and struggles of these Sufis, or about the spread of their movement in Sind, till we come to the time about two and a half centuries ago. By that time the seed to have grown into a tree, whose anches gave cool spiritual shade to many weary pilgrims on th e greatest of Sindhi Sufis, who sang in the language of Sind. In a later chapter something of the life and poetry of a few of these men and their successors will be given, but it must be preceded by a summary of the general doctrine of the Sufis of Sind.<br />THE MYSTIC DOCTRINE OF SIND<br />The doctrine of the mystic all over the world is the same; it is what is known as the doctrine of the heart which is, says the Sufi, the "Palace of the Beloved". But this doctrine assumes various names and forms in various climes. The speciality about the poetry of the Sufis of Sind is that its phraseology and imagery are derived from the Arabic-Persian as well as from the indian spiritual culture. The Sufi poets of Sind are too many to enumerate; in fact, poetry is still the hobby of the Sindhi scholar as well as of the Sindhi peasant. The cultivator in the field, his little son with a herd of cattle, the camelman on the sandy tracks, the driver driving the immemorial bullock cart through broken roads and innumerable little pits - all these, with a hand on one ear, sing the lyrical songs of the immortal poets, and sometimes indulge in the luxury of making original verses.<br />Among the Sufi poets of Sind, Latif, Sachal, Rohal, Sami, Bedil, Bekus, Dalpat and Sadik are the best known. Some are known by their original names, others by thier noms de plume, these being very pretty and poetic - Latif, the Benign, Sachal, the True, Rohal, the soulful, Sami, the Master, Bekus, the Impersonal, Bedil, the Heart Lost, Sadik, the Tested, and so on. The poetry of these love-intoxicated singers forms the pleasure and the prayer of the people of Sind.<br />RADICALISM<br />Extreme radicalism, that is fearless thinking and acting, is the chief characteristic of the Sindhi poet. Deadly opposition to the priest and brave resistance to the cruel autocratic rulers were the maked features of their lives; they shocked the susceptibilities of the orthodox priest to no small extent. In fact Latif made it the basis of his life to care not a straw for conventional thinking. "Keep a contrary eye, move contrary to the masses. If the world moves down the stream, you move up the stream." "We care not for the people of the world even if they kill us." Like Rousseau he despised the common belief of the herd.<br />The priests of Islam said, "Satan is the worst of the damned." Latif defied them. "Satan is the only lover, all others are prattlers. Out of the great love of the Lord, the shining one (Satan) embraced disgrace." A true thinker indeed. Can mankind develop progress but by resistance; and is not Satan the principle of resistance ? Sachal followed the same tradition. The priests and the orthodox tabooed all free thinking as heresy (kufr). Sind Sachal : "But the way of heresy the Murshid (teacher) himself taught me." They told him, "you are misled". "Ah," he said, "but being misled is the first step, then comes the right road."<br />How can a man attain to knowledge unless he knows that he does not know ? Sachal passed through all the bitter trials of doubt that must precede knowledge. "Oh," he said, "there is no greater pain than that of doubt," but it has to be passed through.<br />Thus Latif sang :<br />All speak of the open path,<br />I want one who suggests the complex one.<br />Go not near the open road,<br />Seek after the complex one,<br />Suffer tribulation and come out raimentless.<br />Only rare ones enter the complex path;<br />The abode of the Beloved is all confusion for men.<br />They that walk the wilds<br />Are never misled;<br />Who walk the open road<br />Get plundered on the way.<br />With the Mullas and Moulvis, they were in perpetual conflict; Sachal said : "So long as these mosques, these so-called holy places, these raised towers, do not crumble into dust, so long the path of spirit cannot be seen clear". Rohal, the Soulful, was nothing short of a present-day extreme radical. Like Shelley he was very angry with kings, "Oh," he said, "what do these gentlemen do ?"<br />Many kings of the earth,<br />Gather lacs and untold wealth,<br />They forget the truth and hoard money;<br />But die they will; and laid to dust,<br />Not a pie will they take with them.<br />They sit on thrones and hold their sceptres,<br />they call themselves the Lords of earth,<br />As if it were the property of their father and grandfather.<br />These tyrants, how do they rule ?<br />They deprive others of their rights;<br />They do not measure justice to the aggrieved.<br />They live on others' sweat,<br />They eat what is unholy,<br />They think they win, but<br />They will depart as in defeat.<br />Rohal, however, did not leave the priests, the Kazs and the mullas unreproved.<br />Look at these kazis, they sit with open Korans,<br />While they take bribes from men;<br />They speak the letter of the Book,<br />They are really buying hell.<br />The Mullas read traditions and the Koran,<br />they look like Mussalmans,<br />They are the very devil,<br />These will defeated die.<br />Dalpat was so hot on the subject of priests, that his successors still consider it unwise to publish his poems. Many examples could be given of this fearless thinking and living; suffice it to say that the mystic of Sind is like his brother mystics of the world, an enemy of hypocrisy and convention. Not only in the domain of thought, but in morals also, the Sufi is a radical. The only basis of his morality is the recognition of the one Life which he tries to realise. This means an utter identification of oneself with everything in the Universe. This identification means love; and love can never injure: the giving of injury is immorality, and nothing besides. The Sufi recognises no outside authority but th eurge of love from within. Sachal says :<br />Through virtue and vice, none know God.<br />Latif said :<br />Men fight shy of vice;<br />My Beloved turned his face from me beacause of my virtue.<br />Dalpat realising that the higher phase of Compassion cannot tolerate either thus complains :<br />Oh Lord, it is thou who sinnest and thou who do'st good deeds; why didst thou make heaven and hell ?<br />Redicalism, both in thinkin g and feeling, is what contributes so much to the making of the Sufi.<br />BROAD - MINDEDNESS<br />Broad-mindedness and tolerance are the chief virtues of a Sufi, and the Sufis of Sind have fully lived and preached them. The Sufi is not a sentimentalist. He is a person who studies the various religions and, being a radical in thought and affectionate by nature, he soon shakes off the common prejudices that haunt men, and divide and from man. The great poets of Sind have laid great emphasis on this; they refused to call themselves muslims or Hindus.<br />Says Latif:<br />As breath pervades everywhere, so Sufis live in every beart.<br />He instructed the Sufi :<br />Infidel nor Muslim be, Heaven and Hell are not for thee. Sufi is one who says, "Make, oh make the Beloved thine."<br />The Truth is one, the Beloved is one, why fight over names ? They asked him : "Oh Latif, what are you, a Shiah Muslim or a Sunni one ?" He replied : "Between the two." They said: "But between the two is nothing." "Yes, yes," he replied, "that `nothing' I am."<br />Sachal was very forcible in his language when condemning formal religion.<br />Love forgives all religion. The Lover never entangles himself in either Islam or Hinduism.<br />Bedil says : "The Lover is sick of religion." Rohal says beautifully :<br />One is a Hindu, another is a Muslim, a third is the enmity between them. The blind cannot be free from darkness. Who can convince them of the truth ? But oh Rohal, when I entered on th e path of the Beloved, and saw, I found the Lord the very same, the very same. Now tell me, he that sleeps inside the Kaaba shrine, on which side should he stretch his legs ?<br />Muslims protest if a person sleeps with feet towards the kaaba, so Rohal put before them this riddle. He that lies secure in the Kaaba of the heart, he sees no difference between Hindu and Muslim.<br />Dalpat the Hindu Sufi sang :<br />If the Kaaba is the house of God; why not the temple too ? If the Lord lives in the pipal tree, who lives in the babul then ?<br />In the Mosque and the monastery,<br />Shines the one resplendent light.<br />Oh ! Dalpat, I know not how this disharmony entered into men!<br />MYSTIC PHILOSOPHY<br />The philosophy of the Sufis is the result of direct experience; they dug it out from their own being; the experiences being almost the same have resolved themselves into a system that is well-nigh perfect, even as the flawless Vedantic system of Shankaracharya. The Sufis of Sind also delved into themselves, and were conversant with Arabic-Persian mysticism as well as the Vedanta of the Indian. Sachal summed it up in a single phrase: "The mystery of negation-affirmation'. Latif spoke of it as "Being-non-being". The Sufi is prepared to pay the price for the finding of the solution of the world-mystery : that is the one object of his life. God says in the Koran, "Man is My mystery, and I am his mystery." This is what the Sufi calls the play between the two, him and the Beloved. Apart from his subjective experiences that may not be clothed in words, the Sufi is a hard thinker; but his thinking is accompanied by a longing of the heart and therefore is often more strenuous than mere gymnastics of the brain.<br />Sami says :<br />Love and intellect are the two wings of the bird.<br />The path of the Sufi consists of three steps. He finds himself in the state of lower affirmation, in which he has identified himself with the wrappings of flesh, emotions, and thoughts . the second step is that of the struggle in which he seeks to unclothe himself of all these garments; he wishes to see the seer and not the seen. In this undertaking he must not only kill his flesh (nafs) and control his emotion (dil), but he must give up all prejudices of the mind. As Latif says, "Come out ye all, and stand naked." This is the state of negation (nafi) which includes the suppression of emotion and thought, as well as of the will, the individuality.<br />Much misunderstanding has been created by looking at these statements on the surface. For instance, Dr. Iqbal, the poet of Punjab, is scathing in his remarks about the great Sufis concerning this destruction of the individuality; but the Sufis knew better. Latif said :<br />So long as thou art conscious of thine individuality, so long there is no prayer. Give up your individuality, and then say your prayer.<br />He also replied to the critic :<br />This non-being made the servant, Sire; in the subjective they are the same, in the objective they are also the same. Ah, how can you speak of the mystery ? The mystery of the Beloved ! All is mystery.<br />The third step is therefore that which comes after negation, or vacuum, and that is fulness, full being. This step is again called affirmation (isbat); it may be called re-affirmation, or affirmation in full, in which the lower affirmation and the struggling negation both dissolve. The experience at this stage, the Sufi says, cannot be given in words. "The dumb enjoys the sweets, can he speak ?" (Sami). The Sufis of Sind have also built the whole of their system on this negation-affirmation . This one problem they pondered over, in all its complications. They were on the wings of ecstasy when they thought they had grasped it: but when doubt again entered, and the solution slipped from their hold, they suffered great tearing of the heart, and were in deep depression. This state they called the "Separation from the Beloved"; while the other they called the "Union with the Beloved". In the union the bird of th e soul flies high to the heavens and is all joy. This is what they called "Wine". In separation the poor bulbul finds its wings clipped and broken, and cries most piteously. Sachal put this so feelingly :<br />What are we ? Oh, what are we ?<br />Brethren, we know not what we are.<br />Now we rejoice and say "We know ourselves"<br />Now we cry, "What are we ? Oh, what are we ?"<br />Now clouds pour showers cool,<br />Now burn fires of hell,<br />Now my heart is full of peace,<br />Now tears flow in streams.<br />What are we, Oh, what are we ?<br />Oh Sachal thou art the very He !<br />Why should we illusions weave ?<br />This struggle between affirmation, negation, (this "am" and "am not,") is given in much detail by sachal.<br />I am not, I am not,<br />I swear by the most high<br />I am not, I am not;<br />In am, am not; in am not, am;<br />This secret song, I sing and sing.<br />Sachal says, "In these cogitations, are a thousand kingships lost." It is this struggle of the "am, and am not," "'twixt will and will not" (Shakespeare), that is the path of every struggler. In the world of thought it is "am and am not," in the world of feeling it is "will and will not". These two, affirmation and negation, go hand in hand, simultaneously. the "I" is ever opposite to "not I," the "am" is ever face to face with "am not"; perhaps, these two are always dependent on each other, and the one only lives when the other is; therefore Sachal is surprised when he says, "In am, am not; in am not, am." Latif considered this an endless game. This "veil upon veil" ever rises. This "eternal process going on, from state to state the spirit walks". When the "I" withdraws itself from one cover that is "not I," it again finds itself in another "not I". Both are therefore independent, and the "I", and "am," cannot be seen apart from "not I" and "am not". Shah Latif said, "That is not without this, This is not without That." Your cannot see the "Thing in itself," the real form of anything cannot be seen, therefore "seek not His form; the Beloved thou seekest, upon my word, thou canst not meet Him face to face" (Latif) - "for it ever recedes." (Light on the Path). Asked the pupil then from Latif :<br />"But without the form it cannot be seen !"<br />"True," replied the teacher, "Therefore seek it not."<br />"What shall i do ?" enquired the pupil.<br />Replied Shah Latif, "Be thou as is a child. Give up incividuality. They that are thus absorbed, they neither stand in prayer, nor do they bend; they enter into the absolute Being, when they enter into non-being." This submitting of the "individual" in the words of Emerson, is what the Sufi calls real exestence, real ecstasy (hal), not the ecstasy which is temporary but the ecstasy that is final and matured.<br />The scientist looks at matter, finds one form after another, the "the thing in itself" always eluding him; but the Sufi understands this better, knowing that all these forms are strung as beads on the " individual". As long as there is the individual, so long these "not I's" will always haunt; and, as this individual, the "I," is also a something which forms a subject of his thought, it is a part of the "not I," therefore it must also be negatived.<br />None reached the shore, with the I; give up this I, and thyself will reach. Thyself the Lord, thyself will reach Thyself the Lord. All is beauty; there is no other thout; oh dualist ! give up duality. "The duality of negation-affirmation is annihilated into the absolute thought or absolute beauty."<br />By this process of thinking the Sufi comes to understand that the "am," the "not am," and the nexus between the two, all three form but variations of consciousness or thought (khial), and therefore Sachal sang as did the ancient Rishis :<br />As you yourself think yourself to be, so shall you be; know this with certaintly.<br />These Sufis were the predecessors of Schopenhaur who said, "The world is my idea." Sachal gives us a story of Sikander (Alexander), who went to a mystic and questioned him about the whole world being an idea. The mystic took him to a bathing ghat and both entered the stream for a bath. "Dive for a moment," said the faqir to Sikander. Sikander did so, and what did he see in that moment ? He forgot his kingly consciousness; he saw that he was a poor man, had many little children and a wife that were as poor and miserable as he; and that years and years passed away, and one day a terrible calamity befell him. He gave a start and behold ! he found himself again a king at the bathing ghat, along with the mystic. He was wonder-struck. Sachal said : "Sikander thought years had passed, but it was merely the history of a moment." So he added : "Thou art only thought (khial)."<br />This whole of this Universe is merely a contraction and expansion of thought, contraction and expansion both disappearing into what is called the Absolute. This is the highes stage of affirmation after negation. This state of consciousness cannot be described in words, but the Sufi whenever he expresses it in ecstasy uses the word "I" (Ana). This "I" is not the "I" of individuality, but it is the "I" that exists beyond neagation, so it is the "Absolute I". "They that dissolved the individual into the absolute, they said `I' in ecstasy." (Bedil).<br />So sang Latif also :<br />I (mun) is created in I; I befits I; I conceives I through I.<br />Many a misunderstanding is caused by students when they hear the mystic and the Vedantist speaking of reality in terms of "I". But the use of the word is technical in the system of Sufi thought. As one of the oldest Persian texts of the Sufis gives :<br />When the existence absolute comes into indication it is described by the word "I". - Gulshan Raz.<br />Shankara expressed it in exactly the same form. "It is described by the word I (Aham, Shobdena, Vikhyat). Thus when the Sufi says "Anal Haq" (I truth), the "I" here is really impersonal. We should think of it more in the third than in the first person. Anyhow this third or first person is the One Person.<br />SPECIES AND GENUS (Sefat and Zat)<br />While it is true that the final conclusions of the Sufi are largely the result of a subjective process, manifested in ecstasy, still all the earlier stages are thoroughly logical. Just as in the subjective process he uses the two words, isbat and nafi, affirmation and negation, he uses two other words, when he reasons - zat and sefat. These terms mean absolute and qualitative; genus and species; abstract and concrete, and so on.<br />Beloved ! the colourless came into myriad coulours. The drops, the waves, the streams, all these forms conceal the real water. One is the seed, thousands are the green leaves, myriads the fruits and branches. Originally there is clay, but the poter's pots carry numerous names. Originally there is the sugar-cane, many sweets are but its many forms. Gold is one, ornaments are but its forms - Sachal.<br />The very species, sefat, we see, are but the forms of a genus, zat, in fact they are in their totality the genus. In the same way the various genii in themselves form the species of an absolute genus, the real zat, in which all the pairs of opposites in here and dissove into a unity.<br />In Unity all the concrete, sefat, are one; the coloured and the colourless are both one; in Unity duality is dissolved. It is only in the concerete that myriad names are called; in Unity they disappear - Bedil.<br />Latif called this genus and species, unity (vahdat) and variety (kasrat).<br />The one became the many; many and the one form the totality.<br />Dalpat went still futher: he says why call it even one ?<br />Oh Dalpt! you could call it one, if there were any tow, when there is no two the word one cannot be used.<br />This is what the Vedantist calls Superimposition. Adhyas, the cause of all illustion, this losing of the one in the many. Why only say chair, table, teapoy, etc., why not think of them as wood ? The forgetting of the one tatality that is forest in the individual trees is the illusion which the Sufi calls tilsam. It is this illusion that he tries to overcome by constant cogitation, concentration and meditation, moved by an intense longing (ishk). They look within and seek.<br />Turn thy face inside;<br />Seek not as does the beast outside.<br />Seek not in the open fields;<br />Come in, and close the door - Latif.<br />Thus sang the simple Sufis of Sind of the Eternal Mystery.<br />UNDERSTAND THE ILLUSION<br />Oh brother ! you that tread the path,<br />Come, understand this illusion;<br />Dissolve duality, and you will know;<br />Keep off this gradation.<br />How could you ever forget the secret of negation-affirmation,<br />Stop this devotion ?<br />Why be satisfied with mere stories ?<br />Break thou the idols of Kaaba,<br />Know thine own secret, give not ear to miracles.<br />From the absolute you came. Understand this manifestation,<br />Oh Sachal, why weep so profusely ? Stop this raining of tears.<br />To the palace of the Beloved (body)<br />Why give so much tribulation ? - Sachal<br />ALL IS HE<br />The Sufi has by this process of reasoning and mystic experience arrived at what is his great word, the chief mantram, "All is He," (Hamaioost). Just as the Vedantist expresses this idea in the word "OM," so does the Sufi express it in the word Vahiadaoo, or Hoo hoo. It comes from his very being : he is engaged intently upon this Hoo hoo. The Sindhi Sufis who came in contact with Vedantist Yogis, adopted the word "OM" too; hence latif:<br />"If the Guru were to give thee the one curved word (OM) it would be to thee as light in darkness," therefore "keep mim(m) in thy mind, and place alif (a) before it".<br />This word, call it "OM," Hoo, or Vahiadaoo, is what they call the "Great Word," Ism-e-Azm; it is on this that they meditate. Ia m told it is a practice amongst the Sufis, to concentrate on the word " Ism-e-Azm," which they are given written in an attractive form on a piece of paper; and such is the result of their concentration that they see it everywhere; and their rapturous songs are but the joyful expression of this experience, as sung by an ancient Sufi, the grandfather of Shaha Latif :<br />ALL IS HE<br />He Himself is the splendour of the splendid,<br />He Himself is the soul of beauty,<br />He Himself is the form of the beloved,<br />He Himself is beauty complete,<br />He Himself is teacher,<br />He Himself is pupil,<br />He is thought Himself,<br />All this is known within the soul.<br />He Himself gives message,<br />He Himself is the king,<br />He Himself takes care of Himself,<br />He Himself sees Himself,<br />He Himself loves Himself,<br />He Himself creates abundantly,<br />He Himself longs for His created,<br />He is this, He is that,<br />He is the lord of death, He is the lord of life,<br />He is foe, He is friend,<br />He is here, He is there,<br />He lives in the mind,<br />He Himself sees the light of Himself.<br />THE SOUL IS UNCREATED<br />The Sufis, believing thus in the identification of the universal Soul with the individual soul, do not believe the soul to have been created at any time. It existed, and shall always exist. "Man has no beginning nor end has he." (Latif).<br />They said to Latif "<br />god said `Be,' (Kun), and it was, (fayakun), and so were souls created."<br />He replied :<br />"Be and it was" was not,<br />Whisper nor murmur moved,<br />We saw the Beloved at that moment face to face.<br />"Be and it was" was not,<br />Flesh and limb were not,<br />Adam was not in body yet<br />Oh Beloved ! I knew you even then.<br />"Be and it was" was not,<br />Form and matter were not,<br />No thought of virtue,<br />No care for vice;<br />Extreme oneness was, the flow of Unity,<br />The eyes of my Soul knew the Beloved then.<br />Latif said all souls were knit in unity.<br />As grains knit in a single sheaf lie in utter rest.<br />A good illustration of the "Monads," establishing thus the beginninglessness of the soul, is found in what he says to the students:<br />Call Him not creator, not call Him created, oh raw one !<br />When Latif spoke of "Be and it was," the coming into existence of the Universe, he did not even then speak of it as creation.<br />The Lord said "Be and it was"<br />This was his act of sacrifice - Fida.<br />"In utter reverence he spread the earth." It is not the creation that is brought into being from nothing, but a mere spreading, an unfolding - what the Hindu or the Theosophist speaks of as manifestation by an Ishvara, the Ruler of a System. According to the Koran the Lord (Rab) said at this moment to the soul: "Am I not your Lord ?"<br />The soul responded "Yes". Latif says that is true, but at the time of manifesting "I said that with my heart," that is, by his choice and will and not by coercion.<br />Sachal, the Intoxicated, made this more clear :<br />I am born of none, i am brought up by none,<br />I left Heaven, and came to earth,<br />Within Heaven's gates I could not be contained.<br />There a thought of the earth reached me;<br />I came of my own free will.<br />I am contained in every form.<br />It was love that rused on me,<br />No father, no mother have I,<br />Infinite and eternal am I,<br />My voyage is everywhere,<br />By mistake I call myself Sachal.<br />THE MASTER<br />Belief in the Murshid (Master) is a cardinal principal with the Sufi. He idolises him; his life is laid at his feet, for he is to him the only support of his life, as the one who knows what he yet does not know. It is the Master who places him on the Path; and therefore the Sufi often sings of the Master in superlative terms, calls him the Beloved and the Beautiful One<br />The Master and God both are before me,<br />At whose feet shall I first fall ?<br />I sacrifice myself for the Master who showed me God - Kabir..<br />Kabir was one of the greates of Sufis, though not so named. The Sufis believe the great Masters exist still on the physical plane; they believe that forty of them are living now, and call them by the name "Abdal". They assign various titles to them, some are Ghoans some are Kutub. Kutub is the pole star. It symbolises to the Sufi the Initiator. The Sufis of Islam generally accept Ali as the Initiator; he is the Gate (Bab) of Initiation. They sing the praises of the Master in abundant joy and in forms of poetic beauty.<br />Bedil, the Sufi of Sind (Rohri), says:<br />These men do never die,<br />They become the Praised Ones,<br />They shed mercy on the world with myriad hands,<br />They help the helpless,<br />They aid the depressed,<br />They leave not those that follow them when time of danger comes.<br />They are men only in name,<br />In reality they are God Himself, These Solitary Ones are mar vellous.<br />The author of this book has been led to believe, after much contact with many descendants and followers of the great Sufis of Sind, that a great occult centre existed in Sind which was the fountain source of Atma Vdya, or what the Sufi calls Tasawwuf or Theosophy. He has known a very very old Sufi named Kutub Shah, over hundred years old, and benign of face, a holy man and descendant of Sayed Jelani, one of the four who came with Lal Shahbaz centuries ago. This holy man used to say that in Sind, in the district of Kohistan, the mountain regions whose boundaries meet Makran and perhaps Kurdistan, was a place on the mountain tops where great Yogis came and gave teaching to the and that he was also one of the occupients of their teaching. Shah Latif refers perhaps to the same place and calls it Nani, where Nagas (Yogis) live. This matter will be referred to again when dealing with the lives of these Sufis. Kutub Shah used to say that at this place there existed no difference whatever between Islam and Hinduism. There is still a place called Hinglaj on this side, where many people go on pilgrimage, but it does not now enjoy the same reputation for sanctity as it seems to have done in the past. One thing however is certain: the great poet Latif of Sind came into contact with some great master of Yoga and recived tuition from him. He himself had pupils that were of high order.<br />THE MASTER<br />The Yogi came out from inside the abode of ecstasy,<br />The Master effulgent with the glory of the full moon.<br />The light of th eYogi dispelled all darkness,<br />His fragrance suffused the earth,<br />The Fakir awakened in me grace and love.<br />The face of the Master is as the sun is at dawn,<br />Diwan Dayaram Gidumal, I.C.S., retired Session Judge, and my fellow-countryman, writed thus of his visit to the Bhit of Latif where he met a very old man:<br />"He then proceeded to inform me that Abdulrahim was directed by Shah Latif, when he disappeared, to go to Girnar where a fakir 500 years old at once addressed him as Shah's balika or disciple." (Something about Sind, 1882).<br />The turban on his head flashed as lightning on the cluds,<br />From him fragrant scent of attar came.<br />He showed me the abode where the Exquisite One received illumination.<br />(The deep and utter reverence with which they think of the Master is heart thrilling.)<br />When walks my beloved the Lord of grace,<br />Earth cries Bismillah, "Glory to the Lord,"<br />It kisses the track he makes.<br />Houris stand enraptured, uterly amazed, By the Lord : The Beauty of the Belove is matchless - Latif.<br />THE PATH<br />The path of the Sufi is the same ancient and narrow path, that has been trodeen by every mystic worthy of the name. The Sufis of Sind have trodeen the same road; it is nothing short of "Give up thy life if thou wouldst live". (The Voice of the Silence.)<br />In fact a fair portion of the poetry of the Sufis consists of the enumeration of the difficulties of the Path.<br />If thou carest for thy life<br />Come not into this field. - Sachal.<br />Love is not a game that children can play.<br />He that breaks the bonds of body, Jism, individuality, Jio and soul, jan, thus throws himself under the lance; he can play the game. - Latif.<br />Art thou a Sufi ? Then keep no desire,<br />Give up thine head and throw it into fire. - Latif.<br />The whole of the individual man is to be crushed out of existence, before he can attain to anything of hte spirit. Latif gives the picture of the Tavern where are kept jars full of wine. The Master who is the keeper of the Tavern sits on a raised seat, with a terrible knife in his hand and wooden blocks running in a row before him. The aspirants, talibs, the seekers of the wine, come with utter humility before the Murshid, and with bowed head ask the Beloved for a drop of wine. Says the Master: " ` First thine head, then the wine; dost thou accept the condition ?' At the word of the Master some that have craven hearts, turn away. Others kneel down, look into the glorious eyes of the wine-seller, bend and put their heads on the wooden blocks and say : `Strike, oh strike, thou giver of wine, we lay our heads under the knife.'"<br />The wine-seller cuts the head of his pupil but not all at once; he "cuts, cleaves and carves" the flesh of these "bobles". Latif says he accepts not those that are poor (in heart), he wants the heads of aristocrats, those noble souls that are rich in feeling, thoughts and ideals. And behold ! the seekers neither cry nor weep, sob nor sigh. They shed not a tear, but even say with longing in their hearts:<br />Oh knife, be not sharp! May'st thou be ever dull, so that the hands of hte Beloved tarry onger on thee,<br />(that is on me). Thus the Tavern-keeper, who is so soft-hearted, tears out the life of the aspirant and the blood doth freely flow. "Oh Latif, wash thy heart with pain." The Tavern-keeper says to the aspirant,<br />You desire this wine, but the deadly poison of the snake is in this wine.<br />He replies :<br />Give us but a sip, Oh Master, of Thy wine, and take this head. Ah! Had I a hundred necks, forth with I would give them; I am utterly ashamed to give a single neck.<br />Thus does the pupil pass the test of the Tavern-keeper, and lo ! he that was dead is now alive and the pupil and Master both rejoice. It is the promise of the Koran : Matu kibl, Die, then live !<br />So shalt thou,<br />Dead, feed on death that feeds on other men;<br />And death once dead,<br />There's no more dying then, - Shakespeare.<br />Thus the treader of the path enters into the mysteries of life, through the fire of pain.<br />The lovers are fond of poisoned drinks :<br />They see poison and rejoice.<br />They always love the bitter and painful;<br />Though their wounds may bleed, they will not murmur.<br />Thus does Latif describe the trials of the Path. He talks of the guillotine and the gallows, the lance and the knife, the fire in which the moth must burn and so on.<br />How is it, that lovers on gallows rejolce ?<br />Ah me ! The place of death becomes the throne of grace,<br />When the eyes of the Beloved meet theirs.<br />That is th e mystery of the wine, sung of by all Sufie; these love-intoxicated men talk not of ordinary wine, though some who misunderstand these Sufis think so. Latif, Sachal and others did not touch a single drop of wine. Says Sachal, "this is not the intoxication of the drug." It is, as Latif says, "the surma of light", that makes the eyes "ruby red," and the whole world appear rosy red.<br />These earlier ascetics crushed the animal in man. Latif said : "Be thou thinner than a needle." Much of this asceticism is lacking in the present day Sufi, but his forbears touched neither wine, nor flesh.<br />Drink thou thine own blood,<br />There is no better wine than that;<br />Strike thy teeth into thine own heart,<br />There is no better meat than that.<br />Thus lived these knights of the spirit, living plainly and thinking high. This utter desirelessness precedes all spiritual awakening.<br />Enter into the abode of desirelessness, and see Allah !<br />The road of the spirit is clear as day,<br />Only desires have hidden it. - Latif.<br />"This release from hope" they called light (nur). As Latif says, "They think of freedom from hope as light, while the presence of it is darkness." Sachal speaks of the treader of the path as a great fighter, who has to face opposition from men. His great Sufi hero is Mansur Halai, who held to what he regardded as truth, defied all oppressors, and was flayed alive, but shrank not. Mansur said "I am God," Anal Hak. The priests and the people were wrath with him : they said to him, "Give up your heresy." He stood firm and yielded not and was put to death. Sachal, the poet, idolised mansure.<br />If thou art a man, speak as mansur,<br />Otherwise call not thyself Mansur.<br />On the path of Mansur, are many blows and many burdens.<br />Oh lover, never do a thing for which men may praise thee; take up some load of calumny,<br />Let the whole world reproach thee - Sachal.<br />Truly does the jewel of mysticism echo :<br />Desire power ardently, but that power<br />Oh desciple, which will make you appear as nothing in the eyes of man ! - Light on the Path.<br />These immortal Sufis tried to tread the "Razor Path".<br />INITIATIONS<br />The Sufi speaks of definite destinations, manzuls, on the spiritual path. Shah Latif describes them poetically thus :<br />The Beloved bound me hand and foot<br />And threw me into the sea.<br />Now He stands on the shore and speaks :<br />`Never let thy skirt be wet.'<br />`Oh knower of the path !' I said,<br />`How may I unmoist in water be ?<br />Teach me the way Lore !'<br />Thus spake He :<br />Make righteousness thy support (Shariyat).<br />Understand the law (Tarikat),<br />Thy heart attune with truth (Hakikat),<br />Know the place of knowledge (Marfat),<br />Prove thyself : thus unmoist shalt thou ever keep.<br />Thus four stages are shariyat, or right physical conduct, tarikat or correct moral feeling, hakikat, or clear mental conception and marfat or spiritual realisation. The Sufi speaks of these various Initiations in details, and links them up with various corresponding planes, asmans, and gives their description, calling them visions, mushahidas. The various planes are Nasut, the physical world, Malkut, the Deva world, Fabrut the plane of "Power," Lahut, and one other which Latif calls Hahut.<br />The comparative study of these doctrines with, those of the Vedantins, Gnostics, and present-day Theosophists is, to say the least, very interesting and illuminating; the distinguishing feature of the Sufi being that he presents his treasures in poetical forms of great beauty. The bare outline of their soul-entrancing doctrine cannot do justice to the mystics of Sind in any story of their lives.<a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/05/hazrat-lal-shahbaz-qalander-ra.html">Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalander (R.A)</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;<br />Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (1177- Sehwan Sharif 1274) is a sufi saint, philosopher, poet, and qalandar, is also known affectionately as Jhulelal.<br />He belonged to the Suhrawardiyya order of sufis, and was close contemporary to Baha-ud-din Zakariya, Shaikh Fariduddin Ganjshakar, Syed Jalaluddin Bukhari Surkh-posh of Uchch, and Shah Shams Tabrizi. Some also add the name of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi-Rumi (Mevlana Rumi).<br />He travelled around the Muslim world and had settled in Sehwan (Sindh, Pakistan) and was buried there. He preached religious tolerance among Muslims and Hindus. Thousands of pilgrims visit his shrine every year, especially at the occasion of his Urs.<br />Life<br />Hazrat Shahbaz Qalandar was born in Marwand to a dervish, Syed Ibrahim Kabiruddin whose ancestors migrated from Iraq and settled down in Mashhad, a center of learning and civilization, before migrating again to Marwand.<br />His dedication to the knowledge of various religious disciplines enabled him to eventually become a profound scholar. During his lifetime, he witnessed the Ghznavid and Ghurids rules in South Asia. He became fluent in many languages including Persian, Turkish, Arabic, Sindhi and Sanskrit. His mysticism attracted people from all religions. He was titled Lal (red) for his usual red attire, Shahbaz due to his noble and divine spirit, and ‘Qalandar’ for his sufism and saintly attitude. Hindus regarded him as the incarnation of Bhrithari.<br />In poetry and prose<br />A Qawwali by Abida Parveen and many other singers of sufi songs, 'Lal Meri Pat Rakhiyo ...' is in honour of Shahbaz Qalandar, as is the one sung by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan named Mast Qalandar.<br />This famous mystic often quoted the teachings of Maulana Jalal ad-Din Rumi. A book detailing his life is called "Solomon's Ring" by Gul Hasan.<br />Boo Ali Shah Qalandar's famous Persian verses showing his love and honour for Hazrat Ali are engraved on his shrine:<br />“ Haiderium Qalandram MastamBanda e Murtaza Ali HastamPeshwa e tamam RindanamKe Sag e Koo e Sher e Yazdanam!”<br />Translation:<br />I am Haideri (relating to Haider, a second name for Ali ibn Abi Talib), Qalandar and Mast (intoxicated with inspiration)<br />I am a slave of Ali Murtaza<br />I am leader of all saints<br />Because I am a dog of the lane of "Allah's Lion" (referring to Ali)<br />Legends and Stories<br />On his way from Baluchistan to Sindh, he also stayed in present day Karachi's Manghopir area for muraqba (meditation), and it is said that Manghopir's natural warm fountain is a miracle of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. That warm fountain started to flow from beneath the hill, on which Lal Shahbaz sat for muraqba (meditation). After passing hundreds of years, that warm fountain is still flowing continuously and is said to have miraculous healing power especially for asthma patients.<br />In Multan, Lal Shahbaz met Bahauddin Zachariah Multani of the Suhurwardiya order, Baba Farid Ganjshakar of Chishtiya order, and Makhdoom Jahanian Surkh Bukhari. The attachment was so cordial and spiritual that their friendship became legendary. They were known as Chahar Yar (Persian = four friends). According to some historians, the four friends visited various parts of Sindh and Punjab, in present day Pakistan.<br />Almost all the saints of Sindh including Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, Makhdoom Bilawal, Sachal Sarmast and Qadir Bukhsh Bedal were devout followers of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.<br />It is also believed that he turned into a falcon to pick up his friend Shaikh Farid Shakar Ganj from the gallows. The legend goes that the incumbent fakirs in Sewhan sent him a bowl of milk filled to the brim indicating that there was no room for anything more. But surprisingly, he returned the bowl with a beautiful flower floating on the top. This legend spread far and wide by the time of his death in 1274, after living a good span for 97 years.<br />Shrine<br />The shrine around his tomb, built in 1356, gives a dazzling look with its Sindhi kashi tiles, mirror work and two gold-plated doors - one donated by the late Shah of Iran, the other by the late Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.[3] The inner sanctum is about 100 yards square with the silver canopied grave in the middle. On one side of the marble floor is a row of about 12 inch high folding wooden stands on which are set copies of Quran for devotees to read. On the other side, beside a bundle of burning agarbattis (joss sticks), are rows of diyas (small oil lamps) lighted by Hindu devotees.<br />Urs<br />His annual Urs (death anniversary celebration) is held on the 18 Sha'aban - the eighth month of the Muslim lunar calendar. Thousands of devotees flock to the tomb while every Thursday their number stands multiplied especially at the time of his ‘Urs’ being a carnival as well a religious festival and celebrated every year. Sehwan springs to life and becomes the focal point of more than half a million pilgrims from all over Pakistan. On each morning of the three day feast, the narrow lanes of Sewhan are packed to capacity as thousands and thousands of pilgrims, fakirs and devotees make their way to the shrine to commune with the saint, offer their tributes and make a wish. Most of the people present garlands and a green chadar (a cloth used to cover a tomb) with Qur’anic inscriptions in silver or gold threads. Humming of verses, singing and dancing in praise of the saint continues till late at night. A devotional dance known as ‘dhamal’, being a frenzied and ecstatic swirl of the head and body, is a special ritual that is performed at the rhythmic beat of the [dhol] (a big barrel-shaped drum), some of them being of giant size and placed in the courtyard of the shrine. Bells, gongs, cymbals and horns make a thunderous din, and the dervishes, clad in long robes, beads, bracelets and colored head-bands whirl faster and faster in a hypnotic trance, until with a final deafening scream they run wildly through the doors of the shrine to the courtyard beyond.Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-39532386187725547382009-09-23T00:28:00.000-07:002009-09-23T00:32:51.206-07:00<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><strong style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">HOLY Miracles OF Sufi Khwaja Moinuddin chishty (R.A) </strong></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Holy Ajmer India </span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><u style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><strong></strong></u><br /><u style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><strong><img height="402" src="http://www.khwajagharibnawaz.net/oo1.bmp" width="538" border="0" /></strong></u><br /></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: 700; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">On 27 of march 2002 as 13 of moharram as it is a first month of Islamic calender . a miracle had take place in the holy city of ajmer at the holy shrine of huzoor khwaja gharib nawaz (R.A.).After namaz e maghrib at the tomb of holy shrine akidatmands of khwaja saw a image (shabi-e-mubarak) . </span></span></div><div style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); TEXT-ALIGN: center"><table id="table1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; TEXT-ALIGN: left" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0"><tbody><tr><td width="100%"><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">All recognized religions of the world show that divine preaching and miracles have always been co-related and all the prophet, Saints, messenger of God and founder of various world religions were endorsed with supernatural powers to propagate the divine message.</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Gharib Nawaz (R.A) as one of the Wallie of Allah, was also endowed with such "Supernatural powers to propagate the divine message for this, I would say that his full life right from his birth till death was full of miracles. He did whatever, he wanted and the almighty always granted him blessing without any delay and if we discuss in deep about his miracles this full website will get completed in miracles only so I am writing few of his miracles.</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(1)</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Says Hazart Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki (R.A), " I never saw Hazart Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (R.A) angry with anyone as long as I remained with him. One day, Hazart Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (R.A) accompanied me and a servant Shaikh Ali were going out. Suddenly a man caught hold Shaikh Ali of his clothes and started abusing him. Hazart Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (R.A) asked the reason of the dispute. He said " Shaikh Ali is debtor and is not repaying the amount given to him." Khwaja Sahib (R.A) said, "Leave him. He will repay your debt." But the man again insisted. So Khwaja Sahib (R.A) got angry and he spread his shawl on the ground and asked to take from the shawl amount equal to the debt and warned not to take more than debt. The man picked up the money certainly more than the debt and soon his hand dried up. So he started crying and asked for mercy. Khwaja Sahib (R.A) pardoned him and his hand recovered. The man immediately became the disciple of Khwaja Sahib (R.A).</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(2)</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">It said that once Khwaja Sahib (R.A) was passing through a Jungle, some atheist dacoits came in his way. They used to snatch belonging of travelers and if the traveler was a Muslim they used to kill him as well. When these decoits faced Khwaja Sahib (R.A), there happened a miracle, The band of decoits who had been engaged in looting and killing the people, started trembling with fear, and fell on the feet of Khwaja Sahib (R.A) and said, "we are your slaves. Be kind to us" when they repented Khwaja Sahib (R.A) made them recite Kalima and thus they accepted Islam. Khwaja Sahib (R.A) forbade them for looting and murdering in the name of the Almighty.</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(3)</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">It is said –During his tour, Khwaja sahib (R.A), Ohududdin Kirmani (R.A) and Shaikh Shahbudin(R.A) were sitting together at a place and discussing some religious point of faith. Suddenly a young boy with a bow and arrow in hand passed by Khwaja Sahib (R.A) saw him and said, " The boy is the future king of Delhi."</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">And his prediction proved to be true and boy became the king of Delhi with the name of king Shamsuddin Altamash and ruled the country for about 26 years.</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(4)</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">One day, a weeping old woman came to him and said, "Huzoor, the ruler had killed my innocent son. For God sake, help me."</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Hearing the woman, Khwaja Sahib (R.A) was moved very much. He with his sceptre in his hand accompanied the old woman. Many followers and disciples also accompanied him. He arrived at the dead body of the boy, stood there silently and gazed at it for quite a long time. Then he stepped towards the body, put his hand on It said, " O boy, if you have been killed innocent, come to life by the grace of ALLAH." He just completed his sentence, the boy was alive. Khwaja Sahib (R.A) further said, " The man should be so close to ALLAH that his prayers are to accepted without any delay. If it is not, then he is not a Faqir."</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(5)</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Though Khwaja Sahib (R.A) had no means of income but he set up a langerkhana ( alms- house). The food was so abundant there that all the poor and needy of the city were fed with it. It is said that he directed the Chief of the alms- house to demand as much money as needed for the langarkana. The Chief used to come to him daily in the morning. On his arrival Khwaja Sahib (R.A) used to unfold the corner of his Musalla and asked him to take whatever required from the hidden treasury. He himself used to keep fast and broke it with the dried barley bread, weighing not more than five misqal (few grms)</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(6)</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">A man came to him with the bad intention of killing him and showed great faith and loyalty to Khwaja Sahib (R.A). But his intention was revealed to Khwaja Sahib (R.A). So he said, "I am here, Do whatever you desire." Hearing this, the man started trembling and with great humbleness he told that it was not his own desire. Some other man wanted him to commit this heinous crime. Then he took out the dagger, and placed it before Khwaja Sahib (R.A) and asked for punishment. But Khwaja Sahib (R.A) said, " Revenge is not the practice of the Saints. Well, I pardon you." The man fell into the feet of Khwaja Sahib (R.A), repented, accepted Islam and became a disciple.</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(7)</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">It is said, during the period of Khwaja Sahib (R.A) stay in Ajmer, the people from far and nearby, who went for the pilgrimage of Haj, on return used to tell that they have seen Khwaja Sahib (R.A) circumambulating the Khana-e-Kaaba; while in fact Khwaja Sahib (R.A) never want for Haj after his stay in Ajmer.</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(8)</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Once, Hazrat Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki (R.A) was meeting with the king in the fort of Delhi. The other officials were also present there. Suddenly a characterless woman came there and asked justice. She requested the king to get her married, since she was under the state of mental pain. The king asked her to whom she wanted to be married, and which sort of agony she is facing, she said, "The fellow who is very close to you and called himself as Qutub has raped me. As a result I am pregnant. " Hearing the entire episode, all those present were shocked . They pulled down their heads with shame. Qutub Sahib (R.A) was also ashamed . He could do nothing but he turned his face towards Ajmer and called Khwaja Sahib (R.A) for his help. As and when Khwaja Sahib (R.A) heard cry of his dear disciple for help, he immediately reached there. He asked Qutub Sahib (R.A), "What is the matter ? Qutub Sahab (R.A) could not speak a single word and tears started rolling out of his eyes. The episode was revealed to Khwaja Sahib (R.A).</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">All this made Khwaja Sahib (R.A) very much angry. He turned to the crooked lady and said " O child, inside womb, your mother has alleged that Qutab Sahib (R.A) is your father. Tell whether it is true ?"</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">There was a clear voice, from inside the womb, heard by all present there. The child said, The statement is all wrong. The woman is a prostitute and has been sent by the enemies of Qutub Sahib (R.A) to insult and defame him." All the people were much surprised on hearing all about. The woman himself admitted her false allegation.</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Khwaja Sahib (R.A) said, Only Allah can award honour and repute." And then he returned. Except Hazrat Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki (R.A), all were much surprised on arrival and disappearance of Khwaja Sahib (R.A).</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(9)</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">It is said that one day, one of his disciples came to him. Khwaja Sahib (R.A) was busy in offering prayers. When he finished his prayers and turned to the disciple the disciple said "huzoor the ruler of the city has ordered me to exile without any fault of mine. So I am in great trouble." Khwaja Sahib (R.A) kept silence for some time, then said, " Don’t worry he has been punished. "When the disciple returned to the city, he heard the news that the ruler fell from the back of the horse and has died.</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(10)</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">One day, Khwaja Sahib (R.A) was sitting near Anna Sager, A shepherd with some calves passed by, He said to the shepherd, " Dear give me some milk. "The Shepherd took it as a joke and said " Baba, they are calves and do not give milk. Khwaja Sahib (R.A) smiled and pointed towards a female calf and said, "Brother, I will take her milk." When the shepherd laughed, Khwaja Sahib (R.A) insisted, "Just see". The shepherd was very much surprised when he saw that her udders had become large and were full of milk. So he milked the calf which was enough for 40 persons. Seeing it, the Shepherd fell into the feet of Khwaja Sahib (R.A) and became his disciple.</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(11)</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">One day, Khwaja Sahib (R.A) was sitting among the disciples and preaching. Suddenly he saw something on his right side. He stood up as paying respect to somebody. It happened again and again as and when he glanced towards right side. When the assembly was over and people left away, one of his servants asked the reason as to why he had been standing up repeatedly on having a look at right side. Khwaja Sahib (R.A) said, "The Mazar of my Peer-o-Murshid is located in that direction. As I looked towards that direction, the Mazar came before my eyes, so I stood up to offer respect."</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(12)</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">It was the assembly of the saints. Everyone of them agreed to show his miracles. Thus Khwaja Usman Harooni (R.A) turned his Musallah and took out some pieces of gold and gave them to a Durvesh and asked him to bring some sweets for all present their. Shaikh Ohuddin Kirmani (R.A) touched a piece of wood and it turned into gold.</span></p><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 10px" align="justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">When Khwaja Usman Harooni (R.A) insisted, Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (R.A) knew through Divine inspiration that one of the persons of the present assembly is hungry but could not tell others because of modesty . Thus Khwaja Sahib (R.A) took out four barley Rotis and put them before the person.</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/05/khwaja-muinud-din-chisti.html">Khwaja Mu'in'ud-Din Chisti</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body" id="post-1380745928031006736"><style>#fullpost{display:none;}</style><br /><p><script type="text/javascript"><br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;</script><br /><script src="http://kfile.110mb.com/summary-post.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><div id="summary1380745928031006736"><h1 align="right"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 180%; COLOR: #cc6600; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Gharib Nawaz</span></b></h1><p align="right"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 78%; COLOR: #cc6600; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/TL_1100_1600.htm#NawazGharib"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#3d81ee;">Timeline</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"> <b>(1142? - 1236?)</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></p><br /><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br />Khwaja Mu'in'ud-Din Chisti, called Hazrat Gharib Nawaz (which means "Helper of the Poor"), was born in Persia (Iran). The dates of his birth and death are uncertain, but he probably lived from the mid 12th to the mid 13th century.<br /><br />Gharib Nawaz studied traditional sciences and taught at the important Islamic universities of Bhukhara and Samarkand. He, however, yearned for a deeper, inner knowing and became a devoted student of a Chisti Sufi master from Nishapur. He studied with this master for twenty years, traveling with him throughout Central Asia and Arabia, conversing with many of the important Sufi figures of their day.<br /><br />After going on pilgrimage to Mecca, Gharib Nawaz felt called to bring his teachings to India. He spent forty days in spiritual retreat at the tomb of a Sufi saint in Lahore, and then began his travels through India and drew an enormous following. As a mark of his influence, today the Chishti order is no longer numerous in Iran, but it is the most widespread Sufi order in India.<br /><br />Hazrat Gharib Nawaz eventually became the eighth head of the Chishti order.<br /><br />Gharib Nawaz died and was buried at Ajmer in India. His tomb has become an important pilgrimage spot for both Muslims and Hindus in India. It is sometimes even referred to as "the Mecca of India."</span></div><script type="text/javascript">createSummaryAndThumb("summary1380745928031006736");</script></div>Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-63918530393860162302009-09-23T00:20:00.000-07:002009-09-23T00:25:02.392-07:00<a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/05/shaykh-nizam-ud-din-awliya.html">Shaykh Nizam-ud-Din Awliya</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;<br />Hazrat Nizam-ud-Din Awliya, who is considered the greatest Sufi master of medieval India, was born in Bada’un in North India in 1238 into a family whose genealogy traced back to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and who had originated from Bukhara. He studied the sciences of Islamic Law in order to qualify as a judge, but in about 1257 was inspired to travel to Ajodhan (now Pakpatan) to visit Shaykh [Baba] Farid-ud-Din Gang Shakar, the most celebrated Chishti spiritual master of that time. There his destiny changed. He became the close follower of this spiritual master, and on his third and final visit to Ajodhan, Shaykh Farid-ud-Din designated him as his successor. He advised him to continue with his studies of the Holy Quran and Islamic jurisprudence, alongside his supererogatory prayers and the pursuit of the sufic sciences, and to devote himself to whichever finally won the upper hand.<br />Hazrat Nizam-ud-Din Awliya eventually settled down in Ghiyaspur near Delhi. There he established his Sufi sanctuary which became a focal point for the spiritual renewal of the lives of the people of Delhi. Shaykh Nizam-ud-Din personally led a life of celibacy and asceticism. He and his close followers subsisted on unasked for charity which they distributed every day to the neighbouring poor, so that by the end of each day they had nothing stored up for the next day. His simple, basic teaching attracted people from all walks of life, including members of the Sultan’s family and his court. However, he refused to visit or meet the then ruler of the Delhi Sultanate. "There are two doors in my sanctuary," said Hazrat Nizam-un-Din, "and if the Sultan enters through one of them, I will go out through the other".<br />The fame of Hazrat Nizam’ud-Din Awliya became so widespread that wells were dug along the route between Delhi and Ghiyaspur, water vessels kept ready, carpets spread, awnings erected and a man who knew the entire Holy Quran by heart stationed at every resting place, so that the people going to visit him should not suffer any inconvenience on their journey. Owing to the fame and wisdom of the spiritual master, many Muslims in the country inclined towards the Sufi way of life, and in time, there were so many Sufi sanctuaries in India that it was possible for a wandering Sufi to travel from sanctuary to sanctuary, spending three days at each sanctuary, without ever staying in the same sanctuary twice in the space of a year.<br />Hazrat Nizam-ud-Din Awliya’s respect for the devout Hindus, for whom his doors were always open, is shown by his comment to his close follower, the famous poet Amir Khusraw, when watching some of them at their devotional practices: "Every community has its own path and faith and its own way of worship." It was through Amir Khusraw, that the practice of quwali, which is the singing of the praises of Allah and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his family and companions, accompanied by music, was developed and perfected.<br />Hazrat Nizam-ud-Din Awliya said, "The way to me is through Amir Khusraw." When Amir Khusraw returned from a journey to find that Hazrat Nizam’ud-Din had died while he was away, he immediately died from grief on the spot, and was buried only a few yards away from his spiritual master. Ever since then, the tombs of these two saints have always been covered in rose-petals, scattered by the innumerable visitors who flock to visit them. Under the leadership of ‘the master of the spiritual masters’, as Hazrat Nizam-ud-Din Awliya was commonly known, the Chishti Order had a great impact on the lives of the people of Delhi, and after his death in 1325, it spread throughout the rest of the Indian sub-continent.Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-77247017730202347382009-09-23T00:16:00.000-07:002009-09-23T00:18:59.444-07:00<a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/06/saying-of-hazrat-ali-as.html">SAYING OF HAZRAT ALI (A.S)</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;<br />Knowledge and wisdom are really properties of a faithful Muslims, though lost to him. Get them back, though you may have to get them from apostate.<br />Acquire wisdom and truth from whomever you can, because even an apostate can have them, but unless they are passed over to a faithful Muslim and become part of wisdom and truth that he possesses, they have a confused existence in the minds of apostate.<br />Value of each man depends upon the art and skill which he has attained.<br />One who imagines himself to be all knowing will surely suffer on account of his ignorance.<br />Whoever keeps his affairs in order with God (follows His Orders sincerely ), God will also put his affairs with man in order; whoever makes arrangements for salvation, the Lord will arrange his worldly affairs; whoever advises his own selves, God will also protect him.<br />He is the wisest and the most knowing man who advises people not to lose hope and confidence in the mercy of God , and not to be too sure and over confident of immunity from His wrath and punishment.<br />Like your body your mind also get tired and fagged ; in such case find educational diversion for it.<br />The knowledge is very superficial which remains only on your tongue ; the intrinsic merit and value of knowledge is that you act up to it.<br />How I wonder at a man who loses hope of salvation when the door of repentance is open for him.<br />One who develops the trait of greed and avarice invites degradation; one who keeps on advertising his poverty and ill-luck will always be humiliated; one who has no control over his tongue will often have to face embarrassment and discomfort.<br />Surrender to and acceptance of God are the best companions ; wisdom is noblest heritage ; theoretical and practical knowledge are best marks of distinction ; deep thinking will present the clearest picture of every problem.<br />A wiseman's mind is the safest custody of secrets ; an open and pleasant countenance gets more friends, patience and forbearance will hide and cover many defects.<br />A conceited and self admiring person is disliked by others; charity and alms are the best treatment for ailments and calamities , one has face in after life the deeds that he has done in this world.<br />Man is the wonderful creature, he he see through layers of fat (fatty tissue), he hears through a bone, he speaks through a lump of flesh (tongue).<br />When this world favours anybody it lends him qualifications, attributes and surpassing merits of others; and when it turns it face away from him, it snatches away even his own excellences and fame.<br />Treat people in such a way and live amongst them in such a manner that if you die they weep over you; alive they crave for your company.<br />If you get an opportunity and power over your enemy then, in thankfulness to God for this, forgive him.<br />He is very unfortunate who cannot in his life time gain a few sincere friends and sympathizers, and more unfortunate is the one who has gained them and then lost them.<br />When few blessings comes your way , do not drive them away through thanklessness.<br />Overlook and forgive weaknesses of generous people , because if they fall down the hand of God lifts them.<br />Failures are often result of timidity and fears ; disappointments are results of uncalled for modesty. Hours of leisure pass away like summer cloud; therefore, do not waste opportunity of doing good.<br />Happy is the man who always kept the life after death in his view, who remembered the day of Reckoning through all his deeds, who led a contended life, and who was happy with the lot that God hath destined for him.<br />If you help a deserving person without his request then it is generosity, and if you help him after his request then mostly it is due to shyness to refuse or fear of reproach.<br />There is no greater wealth than wisdom; no greater poverty than ignorance; no greater heritage than culture ; and no greater friend and helpmate than consultation.<br />Endurance is of two kinds; when you endure unpleasant things coming to you, and when you bear refusal of things pleasing you.<br />Wealth converts every foreign country into your native place, and poverty turns your native place into a strange land.<br />We; Ahlay Baith, hold such central and balancing position in religion that those who are deficient in understanding and acting upon its principles will have to come to us for improvement, and those who are over doing have got to learn moderation from us.<br />When somebody asked Hazrat as how he was getting on he replied, "What do you want to know about a person whose life is leading him towards ultimate death; whose health is the first stage towards illness and whom society has forced out of his retreat?"Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-76903803789349616332009-09-23T00:13:00.000-07:002009-09-23T00:15:33.746-07:00<a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/05/hadrat-farid-ud-din-ganj-e-shakar.html">Hadrat Farid-ud-din Ganj-e-Shakar</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;<br />Shaikh Fariduddin was born in 569/1173-74 or 571/1175-76. His father was a scholar, but it was his lengthy an exceedingly pious woman, who prayed nightly at lengthy vigils, who exerted the greater influence on the future sufi saint. One story regarding the spiritual power of Baba Farid’s mother related is that a thief, entering the house glanced at the playing woman and was instantly blinded. The thief implored the Swhaikh’s mother to restore his eyesight. She did so, and the blindness was removed. The following day, the thief returned with his family to the Shailkh’s house and was converted to Islam.<br />His mother’s influence helped to promote an extreme asceticism in Shaikh farid. Unconcerned with food or clothing, he was constantly occupied with meditation in a place behind the mosque at Khtwal. The townsfolk came to believe he was deranged, and they spoke so to Shaikh Jalau’d-Din Tabrizi of Baba Farid and what to them were his strange habits.<br />When Jalalu’d-Din Tabrizi went to see Baba Farid he had only torn clothing to wear so he had great difficulty in presenting himself respectably to his distinguished visitor. Jalalu’d-Din had with him a pomegranate, and broke it, offering it to Baba Farid. As the Baba was fasting he refused to eat it, but after his guest had left he picked up a seed and in the evening ate that. Instantly his heart was illuminated and he lamented no having eaten the whole fruit. However in Dehli Khwaja Qubu’d Din consoled the Baba saying that in pomegranate there was only one seed endowed with spiritual blessings and that he had had it.<br />At the age of eighteen, Baba Farid settled in Multan to undertake further studies and joined a seminary at the mosque of Maulana Minhaju’d-Din Tirmizi. There he met Khwaja Qutbu’d-Din Bakhtiyar Kaki and asked to become his disciple. According to Jamali, Baba Farid was initiated into silsila by the Khwaja at Multan and was advised to complete his education there. Shortly afterwards the Khwaja left for Delhi. Jamali adds that the Baba then visited Qandhar to acquire further knowledge, but it is more likely that Baba Farid reached Delhi shortly after the Khwaja arrival and was initiated into the distinguished group of Sufis residing in the Khwaja’s jama’at khana.<br />Baba Farid lived in a small cell near the jama’at-khana and, under guidance, performed severe ascetic exercises. His austerities so impressed Khwaja Mu’inu’d-Din during his visit to Delhi, that he took a special interest in Baba Farid, prophesied his later fame and asked Khwaja Qutbu’d-Din to join him in prayer for his disciple’s future greatness.<br />The severities practiced by the Baba in his Delhi cell failed to satisfy him and he asked his master if he could perform a chilla which involved spiritual exercises and fasting for forty days. The Khwaja finally permitted him to perform a chilla-I ma’kus (inverted chilla). Ignorant of the details he asked Bdru’d-Din Ghaznawi to obtain them from the Khwaja who replied that it required a man to tie a rope around his feet and remain suspended in a well, head down, for forty days and nights, while both fasting and praying. The Baba found a lonely mosque in Uch and, talking the mu’azzin into his confidence performed the chilla-ima’kus.<br />The reason why the Shaikh came to be known as Ganj-I Shakar (Store of Sugar) is described in different stories in various hagiological works. A more popular version is that, overpowered by incessant fasting for three days, the Baba placed some pebbles in his mouth. These immediately changed into sugar. Baba Farid, believing that this had been the work of the devil, spat them out. At midnight, again overcome by hunger, he repeated his actions, the stones became sugar and he refused to eat them. Finally, overpowered by extreme hunger he ate some pebbles which had become sugar so that he could continue praying. Khwaja Qutbu’d-Din approved his action, telling him that whatever was received from the unseen world must necessarily be good.<br />After the Baba’s fame in Delhi became an obstacle to prayer and meditation, he left for Hansi in the Hisar district. He was therefore absent from Delhi at the time of the Khwaja’s death, arriving five days after the event. In accordance with the khwaja’s will, Qazi Hamidu’d-Din Nagauri gave Baba Farid relics from the Khwaja including his khirqa, turban, stick and wooden sandals. Although this implied that the Baba was the Khwaja’s successors in Delhi, the Baba’s asceticism and total withdrawal from the world precluded any conflict with Shaikh Badru’d-Din who had also been extremely close to the khwaja and who wished to be his spiritual successor in Delhi.<br />First going to Hansi, the Baba finally settled at Ajodhan, where the remained from about 1236 until his death on 5 Muharram 664/17 October 1265. His long stay on th Stalaj, along one of the main routes from Multan to Lahore and Delhi, was a spiritually rewarding experience. Although he selected a lonely place to reside, Baba Farid was harassed by local officers of the Qazi of Ajodhan and by the rudeness of the people of the town. This was prompted mainly by the Qazi’s hostility towards the sufi movement.<br />Through an example of sanctity and austerity, Baba Farid sought to reform the Muslims in Punjab.<br />Shaikh Faridu’d-Din lived near the Jaml’ mosque, in a small house of mud walls covered with a thatched roof. He had strictly forbidden the use of burnt bricks for the building which, according to Chishti tradition, were not simple enough for an ascetic’s dwelling. The door remained open until midnight as a welcome to visitors. Among his few possessions, the Baba had a small rug which he used by night as a blanket, but which hardly covered him. During the day it was used as a sitting rug. Khwaja Qutbu’d-Din’s stick rested behind his head as a pillow. His food consisted of wild fruit and millet bread. Abstaining from nourishment during the day, in the evening he broke his fast by taking sherbet. A bowl of it would be brought to the Baba and often mixed with dried grapes. Of this he drank never more than half, dividing the rest among his visitors. After prayers, two pieces of bread smeared with ghee were taken to Baba Farid. One was given away, the other he himself ate, sharing it with his favourite disciples.<br />The jama’at-khana consisted only of a thatched hall, used for communal living and a separate cell was for the Shaikh’s meditation.<br />The jama’at-khana contained not a single piece of furniture, every member sat and slept on the floor. On special occasions a bed was provided for a new visitor. The Shaikh, followed the same practices as his disciples. Once when ill and forced to rest on the bed he apologized profusely to those sitting on the floor.<br />The establishment was run by Baba’s chief disciples. Fuel and wild berries, which were then boiled, were collected from the forests. In the early years of his stay at Ajodhan a zanbil (a basket made of palm leaves hung round the neck) was carried by some members of the jama’at-khana twice a day to the town and the offerings placed in it were shared by everyone. The Baba also preferred to eat bread from the zanbil, perhaps to be more fully integrated into the life of all members of his jama’at-khana. Other Chishti Shaikhs, including his own teachers, had permitted the borrowing of small amounts of money for household needs, but the Baba strictly forbade this practice. Anything received as futuh if not used immediately was kept no longer than a day and was distributed to the needy. To a sufi a new day ushered in new hope in God, and a concern for future needs was seen as totally opposed to a complete trust in Him.<br />The jama’at-khana, situated on a main route, attracted many visitors. These included scholars, merchants, government servants, artisans, Sufis and qalandars, in short, men from all classes and sections of society. Some, disillusioned with a life of affluence and comfort, became permanent members, others stayed for short periods to seek the Baba’s blessing and experience a spiritual rejuvenation. Some of his eminent disciples who lived in other areas also visited the jama’at-khana, but one such visitor, Maulana Badru’d-Din Ishaq, stayed and became a steward of the jama’at-khana. Prestigious guests, and many other people who came to the Shaikh were humble. A large number requested ta’wiz (amulets) and the demand for amulets became to fulfill all requests, so often they would be written instead by Maulana Ishaq.<br />The jama’at-khana received visitors who were often less than polite and considerate to its inmates.<br />To Baba Farid, Sufism was a strenuous exercise leading one to a pious life within the society in which one lived. It demanded humility, modesty, patience, fortitude and a cleansing of the heart from all conceit. Self-abnegation involved careful concern for any offence to another, and in the event of such a situation, sincere and copious apologies were demanded.<br />Baba Farid was him self a scholar and wrote excellent poetry in Arabic, Persian and the local Hindawi dialect. He recited the Qur’an perfectly, popularized the study of the ‘Awarifu’l-M’aarif and lectured on the subtle philosophy of the Lawa’ih of Qazi Hamidu’d-Din Nagauri. Nevertheless, he did not pride himself on his intellectual achievements and felt a genuine sense of humility. He encouraged education in his disciples and considered the ‘ulama’ to be nobler than the common people, though he disliked their self-satisfied indifference to others. The faqirs, he asserted, were superior to the ‘ulama’ and occupied the same place among them as the full moon amongst a sonstellation of stars.<br />Baba Farid illustrated the difference between Shari’s, Tariqa and Haqiqa by using the zakat, an obligatory payment for all Muslims, as an illustration. The zakat of Sharia’a was five dirhams our of 200, the zakat of Tariqa omvolved the payment of 195 dirhams out of 200 and the retention of only five dirhams and the zakat of Haqiqa entailed the payment of everything, retaining nothing.<br />Five hundred aphorisms of Baba Farid were collected, of which the following, selected by Amir Khwurd, give some insight into the Baba’s broadly based, humanitarian teachings.<br />1. Pray to God alone for everyone else takes away but He gives. Whatever He gives cannot be taken away by anyone else.<br />Escaping from the carnal self should be deemed as a means of reaching God.<br />Do not satisfy the demands of the carnal self for its demands know no limit.<br />Do not regard the ignorant as amongst the living.<br />Avoid the ignorant who pose a though they were wise.<br />Do not utter a truth which resembles a lie.<br />Do not sell what people do not wish to buy.<br />Do not worry about position and wealth.<br />Do not eat every body’s bread, but give bread to everybody.<br />Never forget death at any place.<br />Do not make a statement based on supposition.<br />Treat a calamity as the consequence of greed.<br />Do not boast of having committed a sin.<br />Do not make the heart a plaything of the devil.<br />Keep your internal self better than the external one.<br />Do not try to adorn yourself.<br />Do not lower yourself in order to secure a position.<br />Do not borrow either from the helpless or from the upstart.<br />Protect the honour of old families.<br />Strive to obtain fresh grace everyday.<br />As far as possible prevent women for developing the habit of using abusive language.<br />Consider good health a divine blessing.<br />Be grateful but do not compel others to be grateful to you.<br />While doing good to others think that you are helping yourself.<br />Give up immediately that which your heart finds evil.<br />Do not retain a slave who wishes to be sold.<br />Seek a pretext to perform a good work.<br />Always keep the doors of peace open in a war.<br />Consider levity and harshness signs of weakness.<br />Do not consider yourself safe from the enemy however conciliatory he might appear.<br />Fear the man who fears you.<br />Do not rely on your own strength.<br />Self-restraint is never as imperative as it is at the time of sexual desire.<br />Do not forget religion in the company of state dignitaries.<br />Glory and honour depend upon equity and justice.<br />Be magnanimous to the righteous.<br />Do not consider anything a substitute for religion.<br />There is no compensation for the (loss) of time.<br />Be magnanimous to the righteous.<br />Be arrogant to the stubborn.<br />Do not be extravagant in entertaining guests.<br />Make wisdom and solitude your (main) provision.<br />Do not flee from calamity sent to you by God.<br />Consider the dervish who seeks riches as covetous.<br />Entrust the government to the care of a God-fearing visor.<br />Annihilate the enemy by discussion and captivate the heart of friends by hospitality.<br />Consider worldliness as unforeseen calamity.<br />Seek out your faults.<br />Acquire wealth honestly in order to be able to retain it.<br />Acquire knowledge through humility.<br />Do not be concerned by the bitter words of enemies.<br />Do not flee from the enemy.<br />If you wish to avoid disgrace, do not beg.<br />If you wish to make the whole world your enemy, be arrogant.<br />Keep your good and bad points secret.<br />Protect religion through knowledge.<br />If you wish to be great be humble.<br />If you want satisfaction, do not be jealous.<br />Accept affliction as a gift.<br />Try to become immortal by obliterating your carnal self.<br />The above sayings are profound, but the inner nature of the Baba’s mystical consciousness is best expressed in the following verses which he often recited while praying in solitude:<br />‘I pray to live only for the sake of loving Thee,I wish to become dust and dwell eternally underThy feet.My principal expectation from both worlds in that,I should die and live for Thee.’<br />According to the Shaikh, the initiation of a disciple should be performed personally by his preceptor. He was opposed to the initiation customs involving head shaving rituals at the tombs of sufi saints. When one of his own sons performed such a ceremony at the foot of Khwaja Qutbu’d-Din Bakhtiyar’s tomb, his father remarked that such an initiation was invalid. True initiations involved the disciple holding the Shaikh’s hand, while it was usual for his Pir to offer blessings and prayers for the disciple’s welfare.<br />Hadrat Baba Fariduddin Ganj-e-Shakkar died on 5th of Muharram 664 A.H. corresponding to 17 October 1265 C.E. He was buried in Pak PattanBazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-21887633562133824592009-09-23T00:09:00.000-07:002009-09-23T00:13:17.906-07:00<a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/05/hazrat-data-ganj-bakhsh-shaikh-abul.html">Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh [Shaikh Abul Hasan Ali Bin Usman al-Hujwiri al-Jullabi al-Ghaznawi]</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;<br />Any one writing on Hazrat Ali bin Usman Al-Hujwiri, in spite of his popularity amongst all classes of people and the deep veneration in which he has been held for nearly 900 years, is faced with considerable difficulty. There is no authentic biography of the saint, no record of his table-talks (malfuz) by his immediate disciples and companions, no detailed account of his life and teachings in earlier tazkiras or biographical dictionaries of saints of any importance except the Nafahat-ul-uns of Abdur Rahman Jami. References are to be found in later hagiological works but the information is scrappy and mere repetition of the Nafahat. Only Dara Shukoh, in his Safina-tul-Aulia, gives us a brief but informative account of the great saint and speaks of his numerous karamat, which he does not mention, except the one relating to the direction of the mosque built by Ali Al-Hujwiri. This paucity of material relating to the life of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh, as he came to be popularly known, may have been due to the fact that Lahore had to pass through a series of political revolutions and military depredation during which most of the written records of all sorts must have perished.<br />Secondly, the Chishti, Suharwardi, Naqshbandi and Qadiri silsilas became the most popular silsilas in the subcontinent and the Junaidi silsila, to which Ali Al-Hujwiri was affiliated, does not appear to have had an effective organisation in this country. The absence of biographical accounts has in a way been a blessing in disguise as no miracles, no legends, no fiction has gathered round his name to obscure his personality. His monumental work on Sufism, the universally esteemed Kashf-ul-Mahjub and his Kashf-ul-Asrar, probably an apocryphal work, are the only authentic sources of information for his life and thought.<br />Abul Hasan Ali bin Usman Al-Hujwiri Al-Jullabi Al-Ghazanwi was born probably in Ghazni (Hujwir) where his family had settled and the members of which were held in high esteem for piety and learning. He was known as Ali Al-Hujwiri Al-Jullabi, Al-Ghazanwi because he lived for a long time in Hujwir and Jullab, the two suburbs (Mazafat) or quarters (Mohallas) of the city of Ghazni. Little is known of his early life or his education. Amongst his teachers, he mentions Abul Abbas bin Muhammad Al-Shaqani.<br />"I was very intimate with him" writes he "and he had a sincere affection for me. He was my teacher in some sciences. During my whole life I have never seen anyone of my sect, who held the religious law in greater veneration than he." He also mentions Shaikh Abu Jaafar Muhammad as-Sayadalani with whom he used to read out the works of Hasan bin Mansur al-Hallaj, and another scholar-saint was "Abdul Qasim Abul Karim bin Hawazin al-Qushairi (d. 438-39 A. H.) whom he knew well and who, according to him, was the wonder of the age by virtue of his spiritual life and other manifold virtues. He visited and "had much spiritual conversation with Abul Qasim bin Ali bin Abdullah al-Gurgani who was unique and incomparable in his own time." Besides the above, he mentions Abul Abbas Ahmad bin Qassab, Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ali Al-Daghistani, Abu Said Fazl-Ullah bin Muhammad and Abu Ahmad Al-Muzaffar bin Hamdani.<br />Abul Fazl Muhammad bin Al-Hasan Al-Khuttali was his spiritual teacher. He was well-versed in tafsir and riwayat. He was a follower in Sufism of Junaid. "I never saw," says Al-Hujwiri, any one "who inspired me with greater awe than he did." He died at Bayt-al-Jin in Syria. Ali Al-Hujwiri was with him at his death-bed with the dying saint’s head resting on his bosom. His spiritual guide said to him, "O my son, I will tell thee one article of belief which if thou holdest it firmly will deliver thee from all troubles. Whatever good or evil God creates, do not in any place or circumstance quarrel with His action or be grieved in thy heart."<br />After having completed his studies, he travelled widely as was customary with early Sufi Shaikhs, in Syria, Iraq, Iran, Azerbaijan, Tabaristan, Khuzistan, Kirman and Transoxiana and met several prominent Sufis of the time. In Khurasan alone he is reported to have met 300 Sufis. He relates an interesting encounter with a group of sufis while on his way to Khurasan.<br />"Once I, Ali b. Uthman al-Jullabi, found myself in a difficulty. After many devotional exercises undertaken in the hope of clearing it away, I repaired-as I had done with success on a former occasion-to the tomb of Abu Yazid, and stayed beside it for a space of three months, performing every day three ablutions and thirty purifications in the hope that my difficulty might be removed. It was not, however, so I departed and journeyed towards Khurasan. One night I arrived at a village in that country where there was a convent (khanqah) inhabited by a number of aspirants to Sufism. I was wearing a dark-blue frock (muraqqa-i-khishan) such as is prescribed by the Sunna: but I had with me nothing of the Sufi’s regular equipment (alat-i-ahi-i-rasm) except a staff and a leathern water-bottle (rakwa). I appeared very contemptible in the eyes of these Sufis, who did not know me.<br />They regarded only my external habit and said to one another, ‘This fellow is not one of us’. And so in truth it was: I was not one of them, but I had to pass the night in that place. They lodged me on a roof, while they themselves went up to a roof above mine, and set before me dry bread which had turned green, while I was drawing into my nostrils the savour of the viands with which they regaled themselves. All the time they were addressing derisive remarks to me from the roof. When they finished the food, they began to pelt me with the skin of the melons which they had eaten, by way of showing how pleased they were with themselves and how lightly they thought of me. I said in my heart: ‘O Lord God, were it not that they are wearing dress of Thy friends, I would not have borne this from them.’ And the more they scoffed at me the more glad became my heart, so that the endurance of this burden was the means of delivering me from that difficulty which I have mentioned, and forthwith I perceived why the Shaykhs have always given fools leave to associate with them and for what reason they submit to their annoyance."<br />He is reported to have travelled for forty years, during which he used to offer his prayers always in congregation and was always in some town for Friday prayers. Like his spiritual guide he disliked ostentations, and wearing of Sufi symbols which he regarded as marks of hypocrisy.<br />Once in Iraq where he appears to have settled down for some time, he occupied himself in amassing wealth and giving it away so lavishly and inconsiderately that he ran into debt. Then some one who saw his plight wrote to him as follows: "Beware that you distract your mind from God by satisfying the wishes of those whose minds are engrossed on vanity. If you find anyone whose mind is nobler than your own, you may firstly distract yourself, since God is sufficient for his servants." This advice he appears to have followed and obtained relief from his predicament.<br />It is not clear whether he married or not. From his statement in Kashf-ul-Mahjub it appears that he had a very poor opinion about women in general which might have been a result of his own unhappy experience of association with women. The Sufis were divided about their views on celibacy, women being regarded by some Sufis as an entanglement and obstruction in the pursuit of the knowledge of God which required complete absorption in prayer and meditation. The short and unpleasant experience of married life to which Nicholson refers in his Preface to the English translation of Kashf-ul-Mahjub is given here. :<br />"A woman was the cause of the first calamity that overtook Adam in Paradise, and also of the first quarrel that happened in this world, i.e. the quarrel of Abel and Cain. A woman was the cause of punishment inflicted on the two angles (Harut and Marut); and down to the present day all mischiefs, wordly and religious, have been caused by women. After God had preserved me for eleven years from the dangers of matrimony, it was my destiny to fall in love with the description of a woman whom I had never seen, and during a whole year my passion so absorbed me that my religion was near being ruined, until at last God in His bounty gave protection to my wretched heart and mercifully delivered me. In short, Sufism was founded on celibacy; the introduction of marriage brought about a change." The inference drawn by Nicholson about Ali Hujwiri having married is far fetched and the passage referred to above may be interpreted differently.<br />Ali Al-Hujwiri came to Lahore under orders from his Pir as successor to Shaikh Husain Zanjani at a time when as a result of the irruption of the Seljuks on one side and the rising tide of Hindu resistance on the other, the Ghaznavid Empire began to dismember rapidly and life in Ghazni itself was disrupted. The saint had to leave Ghazni in difficult circumstances and had to leave his books behind. According to fawid-ul-fuad, Ali Al-Hujwiri reached Lahore at night and in the morning found the people bringing out the bier of Shaikh Husain Zanjani whom he was to replace in Lahore. "Shaikh Husain Zanjani and Shaikh ‘Ali al-Hujwiri were the disciples of the same Pir who was the Qutb of the age. Husain Zanjani had been settled in Lahore for some time. Later the Pir directed ‘Ali Al-Hujwiri to go and settle in Lahore. Shaikh Hujwiri pointed out that Shaikh Zanjani was already there. The Pir again asked him to go. When ‘Ali Al-Hujwiri in compliance with the order of his Pir reached Lahore it was night time. The bier of Shaikh Husain was brought out of the city (Lahore) in the morning." He does not appear to have found Lahore a congenial place to live in, as he found himself amongst uncongenial people. He writes:<br />"My Shaykh had further traditions concerning him, but I could not possibly set down more than this", my books having been left at Ghazna-may God guard it- while I myself had become a captive among uncongenial folk (darmiyan-i-najinsa) in the district of Lahawur, which is a dependency of Multan. God be praised both in joy and sorrow."<br />At Lahore he settled at the place where his mausoleum now stands. He built a mosque here and gathered round himself a group of students. He gave up teaching because this, according to him, engendered a spirit of superiority over others. About the mosque mentioned above, Dara Shukoh relates a story which is the only Karamat, as already mentioned, ascribed to him. "In Lahore ‘Ali Al-Hujwiri took to teaching during the day and instructing those who were the followers of the Truth at night. Thousands of unlettered persons became alims; Kafirs accepted Islam, the misguided began to follow the Path, the insane recovered reason and sanity, the imperfect became perfect (in knowledge), the sinners became virtuous". Lahore was at that time the centre of "Ulama who benefited by studying under him". Speaking of the mosque referred to above, Dara Shukoh writes, "He had built a mosque, the Mihrab of which was turned a little to the south as compared with the other mosques. The Ulama of that age raised an objection in regard to the direction of the Mihrab. One day he assembled all of them, and led them in prayer. Addressing the assembled Ulama he said, ‘Look! in which direction is the Kaaba? The Ulama saw that all the veils (hijabat) had been removed and they could see (in front of them) the Kaba-i-Hijazi".<br />It is claimed that Ali Al-Hujwiri converted a large number of the inhabitants of the area to Islam. One of the earlier converts was one Rai Raju, the naib of Lahore during the time of Sultan Maudood. On conversion to Islam he was named Shaikh Hindi. His descendants have been since that time the custodians of the mausoleum.<br />Ali Al-Hujwiri died on the twentieth of the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal 465 H.E. The date, the month and year are all conjectural. Most of the early writers are agreed on the year 455 H. E. on the basis of the various chronograms incorporating the year of his death. Prof. Nicholson has suggested that he died between 465 and 469. Mr. Yahya Habibi in a well-argued article published in the Oriental College Magazine, Lahore (Volume 36, pp. 27-43) has examined the question of the year of death on the basis of Kashf-ul-Mahjub, and the internal evidence it provides of the dates of death of those of his contemporaries with whom Al-Hujwiri was in close touch. He has come to the following conclusions:<br />That Kashf-ul-Mahjub was completed sometimes between 481 and 500, A.H. and that,<br />The saint died sometimes between 481-500 A.H.<br />One is inclined to agree with Mr. Habibi. The most disturbing statement of Al-Hujwiri is that he was with his Pir in Syria when the latter died. According to ‘Allama Zahabi, Khuttali died in 460 H. E. and this date is commonly accepted. According to Mufti Ghulam Sarwar Lahori, Khuttali died in 453. Even if this date is accepted, will it be too far-fetched to infer that Al-Hujwiri came to Lahore after that? He mentions nowhere his fellow murid Husain Zanjani whom he is supposed to have replaced. The date of the death of Husain Zanjani also presents similar difficulties.<br />Very little is known of the life of Al-Hujwiri in Lahore. There is only one mention of Lahore in his Kashf-ul-Mahjub. We do not know anything about his daily life, the sort of people he met, his friends and pupils. A man of his disposition and active habits must have been engaged in religious exercises which he mentions in his book and in promulgating and popularising Islam and sufi doctrines. In Kashf-ul-Asrar, he relates that he met one Husam-ud-Din and was much impressed by his piety. He was ninety years old. He asked Husam-ud-Din for advice about his spiritual well-being. The Sufi replied, "Keep constantly occupied in bringing solace to the heart of the people and making them forget their miseries". Do not hurt the feelings of anyone". Do not waste the knowledge you have gained ". Constantly, remember your Pir." Another person mentioned in Kashf-ul-Asrar is Karim-Ullah Tajir (merchant), a very wealthy man, who lost all that he had " his wealth, his son and his wife. This story is related to impress his disciples with the transitoriness of worldly belongings.<br />Al-Hujwiri was buried near the mosque which he had built during his life-time. Several Sufi-Shaikhs besides multitudes of people from all sections of society have since visited the tomb. Hazrat Muin-ud-Din Chishti is reported to have stayed there for Itikaf and when he left the place he recited the following couplet:<br />It is from this time that Ali Al-Hujwiri, according to popular tradition, came to be known as Data Ganj Bakhsh (the master who bestows treasures). In Kashf-ul-Asrar, however, he complains that people call him Ganj Bakhsh though he was penniless. This would mean that he came to be known as Ganj Bakhsh during his life-time and this appears to be more reasonable. It is significant that many rulers and saints after him came to be known by similar appellations " Lachhman Sen of Nudea, Qutb-ud-Din Aibak, Sultan Sakhi Sarwar and Shaikh Hamid Ganj Bakhsh Qadiri.<br />The tomb of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh is situated outside Bhati Gate of Lahore. Towards the north is a graveyard, a well and a bathroom. The courtyard to the east of the well was built by Rani Chand Kaur, wife of Kharak Singh. Some of the extant buildings were built by Akbar and later repaired or rebuilt by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Adjoining the porch is a mosque, an extension of the one which the Shaikh had built during his life-time. To the east of this mosque is the grave of Shaikh Sulaiman Mujawir which was built in the time of Akbar. In front of it is the gate of a small room where Hazrat Khwaja Muin-ud-Din performed his Chilla. To the west of the tomb is the courtyard for the reciters of Quran.<br />The tomb of Ali Hujwiri is built on a white marble chabutra. The enclosure of the chabutra, was built by ‘Iwaz Khan, an elephant-keeper of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. In the centre is the tomb of Al-Hujwiri and the two graves on its sides are of Shaikh Ahmad Sarkhasi and Shaikh Abu Saeed Hujwiri at whose request the Kashf-ul-Mahjub was written. The tomb, a chabutra and some buildings surrounding it were firs built by Zahir-ud-Daula Sultan Ibrahim, nephew of Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi.<br />In 1278 A. H. Noor Muhammad Sadhu built a dome (Gunbad) on the enclosure. Several copies of the Quran presented to the mausoleum are preserved. The most prized of them are; the one presented by Moran, the mistress of Maharaja Ranjit Singh; the second by Muhammad Khan Chaththa of Ahmadnagar; the third, an autographed copy by Nawab Nasir Jang of Daccan and the fourth by Amir Bakhsh. A copy of the Quran was presented by Maharaja Ranjint Singh after his victorious campaign against the Afghans, and a copy written in musk was presented by an unidentified devotee.<br />Note: The above monograph was published in 1967. Since then, because of renovation from time to time, a lot of improvement can be witnessed in the premises of the shrine.Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-71539859254616387392009-09-22T23:56:00.000-07:002009-09-23T00:09:33.975-07:00<h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/hazrat-baha-ud-din-zakariya-ra.html">Hazrat Baha-ud-din Zakariya (R.A)</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body" id="post-5681618764862413623"><style>#fullpost{display:none;}</style><br /><p><p>Hazrat Baha-ud-din Zakariya was a Sufi of Suhrawardiyya order (tariqa). His full name was Al-Sheikh Al-Kabir Sheikh-ul-Islam Baha-ud-Din Abu Muhammad Zakaria Al-Qureshi Al-Asadi Al Hashmi. </p><p>Sheikh Baha-ud-Din Zakariya known as Bahawal Haq was born at Kot Kehror, a town of Layyah District near Multan, Punjab, Pakistan, around 1170. </p><p>His grand father Shah Kamaluddin Ali Shah Qureshi al Hashmi arrived Multan from Makkah en route to Khwarizm where he stayed for a short while. He was from the descendents of Asad Ibn Hashim the maternal grandfather of Hadhrat Ali ibn Abi Talib RA. </p><p>In Tariqat he was the disciple of Renowned Sufi Master Shaikh Shahabuddin Suharwardi who awarded him Khilafat only after 17 days of stay at his Khanqaah in Baghdaad. </p><p>For fifteen years he went from place to place to preach Islam and after his wanderings Bahawal Haq settled in Multan in 1222. </p><p class="boldText">His Shrine </p><p>Hazrat Baha-ud-din Zakariya died in 1267 and his mausoleum is located at Multan. The of mausoleum is a square of 51 feet 9 inches, measured internally. Above this is an octagon, about half the height of the square, which is surmounted by a hemispherical dome. The Mausoleum was almost completely ruined during the siege of 1848 by the British, but was soon afterwards restored by the Muslims. </p><p class="boldText">Memorandum </p><ul><li>A train is named after him, which runs between Karachi and Multan. <li>Largest university of South Punjab is also called Bahauddin Zakariya University. <h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://csufi.blogspot.com/2009/05/bulleh-shah-mystic-voice-of-punjab.html">Bulleh Shah: The Mystic Voice of Punjab</a> </h3><div class="post-header-line-1"></div><div class="post-body" id="post-7268199961311267877"><style>#fullpost{display:none;}</style><br /><p><script type="text/javascript"><br />summary_noimg = 400;<br />summary_img = 300;<br />img_thumb_height = 220;<br />img_thumb_width = 176;</script><br /><script src="http://kfile.110mb.com/summary-post.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><div id="summary7268199961311267877"><h2 class="storytitle" id="post-3832"><a title="Permanent Link: Bulleh Shah: The Mystic Voice of Punjab" href="http://wondersofpakistan.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/bulleh-shah-the-mystic-voice-of-punjab-2/" rel="bookmark"><br /></a></h2><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3833" title="00001" height="360" alt="00001" src="http://wondersofpakistan.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/00001.jpg?w=296&h=360" width="296" /></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em>Me no believer—no believe in mosque</em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>And me no pagan, no ritual no task</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Me is no pure amongst the impure, </span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>And me no Moses, no Pharaoh endure,</span></em><em></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span><strong>But Me no knoweth. </strong></span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span><strong>Who isseth Thee!</strong></span></em><strong><em></em></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span><strong>O’ Bulleya,</strong></span></em><strong><em></em></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span><strong>Me no knoweth,</strong></span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span><span><strong></strong></span><strong>Who issethMe!</strong></span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><strong><em><span><strong>By Umair Ghani</strong></span></em></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><strong><em><span>Farida</span></em></strong><span> Breuillac, a practicing Sufi from France, now living in Turkey, is sitting beside me on a stool in Lahore’s Regale Inn, discussing Sufism over a cup of desi tea. Dazzled as she is by the beauty and stark truth of Bulleh Shah’s verse, I recite to her the poetry of the great saint of Qasur, verse by verse as she whirls around in a trance.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><strong><em><span>A</span></em></strong><span> <strong><em>week</em></strong> later I was standing outside the Darbar or the shrine of Bulleh Shah in the heart of Qasur city. Dhol beats echoed loud in the air with chants of ‘Ya Ali’ and ‘Dam Mast Qalandar’ as a </span><span>multitude<span> </span><span>throngs to the shrine of, one of the greatest Sufi souls of Punjab.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><strong><em><span>Bulleh Shah’s</span></em></strong><span> real name was Abdullah Shah, that later transformed into Bulleh Shah out of sheer reverence and affection of the common citizenry of Punjab who ardently adhered to his rebellious message of love, hope and wisdom.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><strong><em><span>Its widely</span></em></strong><span><span> </span>believed he was born around 1680 at Uch Gilaniyan in Bahawalpur; later migrated to Malakwal and finally settled in Pandoke Bhatian, about 14 miles southeast of Qasur. It was here that Bulleh Shah got his formal education from Maulvi Ghulam Murtaza, who was the Imam of the main mosque in Qasur.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><strong><em><span>Later,</span></em></strong><span> after completion of his formal education Bulleh Shah started teaching at the same mosque, but spiritually he chose to follow the path of his </span><span>mentor,<span> Inayat Shah Qadri, who was a famous saint of the Qadirya chain of Sufis in Lahore. Bulleh’s rebellious yet highly rhythmic and appealing utterances attracted intense criticism from his family as well as friends; for his blindly following the Sufi order much different and opposite to that of the Syeds, [the Muslims who claim their lineage from the Holy Prophet Muhammad, PBUH] However, this criticism added even more </span>spur<span> to his rebellious mind. He revolted against those so called hierarchs of spirituality. Bulleh Shah remained steadfast to his master’s philosophy till his death in 1729.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><strong><em><span>Bulleh</span></em></strong><span> Shah’s attachment to his mentor’s philosophy was so strong that under the sheer spell of his devotion, he addressed his master as god, guide, lord, spouse, husband, beloved and friend. His teacher’s guidance made him experience the spiritual ecstasies and a vision that helped him explore the unfathomable realms of inner self. In this process of self realisation, he began his journey into a metaphysical learning process which was unique to have enabled him grasp the reality of things on one hand, and yet felt blessed and obsessed by revelations from within. The journey to the path laid down by his master continued to be so intense, so self sacrificing that </span><span>rapture <span>of being away from his spiritual master, the qualms, the torment his soul faced, never ceased till the end. So intense was this Ishq (a process to find God through an intense longing, fonding and attachment with one’s mentor) that he expressed the fire in him through these words.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><em>He listeneth to my tale and lisseneth to my woe</em></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Shah lnayat my guide my teacher is so,</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>He leads me to places high and low</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Shah Inayat my Master honoureth me,</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Gives riddance of wrangles and of me,</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>My master, my Shah is with me,</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Then who can dare put strife to me,</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Who dare anyone harm to me,</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Shah Inayat graces me,</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Gives riddance of wrangles and of me,</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>My master, my Shah is with Me.</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3836" title="00013" height="400" alt="00013" src="http://wondersofpakistan.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/00013.jpg?w=298&h=400" width="298" /><br /></span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><em><span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal"><strong><em><span>Thus</span></em></strong><span> found Bulleh Shah’s spiritual quest in the finest expression of his poetry, the Kafis. His tone is satiric, razor sharp that acts like the precision of a surgeon’s </span><span>lancet,<span> his verses bleeding with pain, the anguish, the qualm of separation and unprecedented genius of his thought process, mercilessly cutting into the social norms, the taboos and established dogmas in the name of religion. He sets out his own aesthetics of the divine love, guidance, faith, virtuosity, love and forgiveness. Like all other Sufis, he preaches negation of the “self” while seeking unity with the divine. His poetry sets liberal standards with strong </span>intonations <span>of religious tolerance and communal harmony. Realizations of truth transformed Bulleh Shah into a true mystic. He purified his heart with the fountain of truth gushing deep inside his soul. Overwhelmed with an obsession of spiritual knowledge, like wine intoxicates the body and mind and thus becomes the principal driving force, Bulleh Shah heroically voiced his wisdom in his following verse.</span></span></span></span></em></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><em>Put fire to thy prayer rug </em></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><em>and break even thy water mug, </em></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>then quit even thy rosary</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>And let thy staff to the </span></em><em><span>tug<span><br /></span></span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Me tired of reading the Veda book,</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Me tired of reading the Quran</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>And Me no kneeling, me no prostrating,</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Nor me forehead down<br />For God liveth in holy Mecca</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Nor he in Mathura resides<br />For only those who find Him</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Who see the light with self besides.</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal"><br /></span><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3837" title="00022" height="400" alt="00022" src="http://wondersofpakistan.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/00022.jpg?w=267&h=400" width="267" /><br /></span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><em><span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal"><strong><em><span>With</span></em></strong><span> this verse Bulleh Shah stands tall in the Sufis’ lineage, a stalwart of the Sufis’ school of thought led by Mansoor who was penalized by clerics of the day, declaring his chantings of “Ana-al Haque” (<em>I am the Truth, I am the God</em>) as ‘Kufr’ (negation of God) oblivious of the ecstasies that torment and thus cleanse the soul of a Sufi or saint is a unique phenomenon hardly perceptible or understood by clerics and dogmatists; who go by mere words and not the meanings and context of a scripture. This happened with Mansoor Hallaj and this too happened with Bulleh Shah who met a similar torment to his soul, his inner self.</span></span></span></em></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><strong><em><span>Bulleh </span></em></strong><span>Shah spent rest of his life in total self denial; he did not care at all of the concern and hostility that orthodox mullahs unleashed at him for his rebellious poetry. He danced ecstatically, fearlessly, perpetually and thus treaded the path of spiritual realization and </span><span>atonement.<span> He preached love and humanism with a firm rejection of any formal religious authority on the affairs of the people. So it was no surprise that on his death in 1758, he was denied a burial in Muslim cemetery and was thus laid to rest in isolation outside the main city of Qasur. But his massage of love, his fight against religious bigots, the traditional hierarchs of different theological schools in the subcontinent, made him a people’s wali or saint. That isolated grave is now a darbar where all including the clergy, the rich and the poor all throng to pay homage to that great soul of Punjab who treaded the path of Sufism, the non traditional mystic way of finding God and a solace for one’s soul.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><em>Me the first, me is the last,</em></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Me don’t know, no one else,</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Me the wisest, no one else,</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><em><span>But Bulleya,</span></em></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><em><span>Me no knoweth </span></em></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><em><span>Who isseth Thee!</span></em></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><em><span>O’ Blleya, </span></em></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><em><span>Me no knoweth </span></em></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><em><span>who isseth Me!</span></em></strong><span> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><em>Me know no secret, to me no religion, </em></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><em>Not one to me not known</em></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>From Adam and Eve, me not me was born</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Me don’t know even the name me own</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Me don’t know the people who bow and pray</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Me don’t know the people who go astray</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><em><span>O’ Bulleya!</span></em></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><em><span>Me no knoweth who isseth Thee!</span></em></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><em><span>Me no knoweth who isseth Me!</span></em></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Me no Arab, nor Lhori,</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Me no Hindu, nor Nagauri,</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Me no Turkic, nor Pishauri,</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span>Me don’t live in infinity,</span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><em><span>Yet, </span></em></strong><strong><em><span>O’ Blleya!</span></em></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><em><span>Me no knoweth </span></em></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><em><span>Who isseth Thee!</span></em></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><em><span>Me no knoweth </span></em></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><strong><em>Who isseth Me!<br /></em></strong>Born in 1680, Bullhe Shah lived mostly in the town of Qasur where he had received traditional education before he became affiliated to Shah Ināyat Qadiri of Lahore as his murshid. Bullhe Shah’s mazār in Qasur became a place of pilgrimage after his death. However, he is better known as a poet, perhaps the best Sufi poet of the Punjab . He wrote in several popular forms of Punjabi poetry, notably the kāfi. A number of his kāfis are sung even today by qawwāls. His works reflect his learning, his mystical experience, and something of the life around him. Apart from the uprising of the Khalsa under the leadership of Banda Bahadur in the reign of Bahadur Shah and the political activity of the Khalsa during the governorship of Zakariya Khan and Muin ul-Mulk, Afghan rule was established over the Punjab in the 1750s. The Durrani commanders were ousted from the region by the Marathas, with the much too willing support of the Sikhs, in 1758, the year of Bullhe Shah’s death. Living thus in a period of political turmoil, he appears to allude to an unsettled state of things in his works.<br /><br />Bullhe Shah uses the phrase prem nagar (the city of love) at several places in his works, and at one place he uses the phrase sulh-i kul. An ideal city of universal peace, suggested by these phrases, can be appreciated in the context of his entire corpus. In the sections which follow, we take up first how Bullhe Shah has been viewed recently by two eminent scholars. Then we turn to his works other than the kāfis. The dominant ideas, moods and attitudes of Bullhe Shah’s kāfis are taken up in a separate section before turning to his social comment in another. In the last section we refer to Bullhe Shah’s popular kāfis. All these sections are meant to contribute to our appreciation of his ‘ideal city of universal peace’ in relation to his whole thought.<br /><br /><br /><br />II<br /><br />In his History of Panjabi Literature, Sant Singh Sekhon devotes a short but separate chapter to Bullhe Shah. He refers to Lajwanti Ramkrishna’s observation that Bullhe Shah’s mysticism passed through three stages. The first stage was the time of his discipleship with Shah Ināyat. Dominant in his thought at this stage were the discipline of the shari’at and the ideas of orthodox Islam. Frequent references to hell and heaven and the fear of death align him with Shaikh Farid. At this first stage Bullhe Shah does not accept the doctrine of transmigration. This gives the wrong impression that he came to accept this doctrine at some later stage. Sekhon goes on to comment that the first stage was brief and, therefore, Bullhe Shah’s ideas and attitudes of this phase do not figure much in his works. 1<br /><br />Sekhon goes on the second stage in which the influence of the Indian philosophy of Vedanta is in evidence, and Bullhe Shah seems to experience the warmth of the Divine but he does not claim a state of identity with God even at this stage. It is doubtful, however, that Bullhe Shah’s position can be called Vedantic at any stage. According to Rama Krishna, Bullhe Shah’s mysticism was at the height of its beauty in the third stage. He was different now from all the other Sufis. Punjabi or Indian, and equally different from all the Vaishnava bhaktas. Claiming complete identity with God, he declares to have attained to Him in all His mystery. Sekhon notices here a certain degree of similarity with Shah Husain. It does not occur to Sekhon that Rama Krishna chees not adduce any evidence in support of her idea that the three ‘stages’ were chronological.<br /><br />Sekhon goes on to point to out that Bullhe Shah did not write only kāfis; he used also the forms known as the ‘twelve-month’ (baramaha) and the ‘week’ (athwara). The tone and text of his Athwara is the same as that of his kāfis: a clear condemnation of established religion, both Islam and Hinduism. Nothing is said about the Baramaha.<br /><br />Sekhon observes that the theme of Punjabi Sufi poetry is a variation on the theme of Indian bhakti ‘as if it were bhakti in the guise of Islam’. This should not be taken to mean that Indian Sufism was a product of interaction between Indian bhakti and Islam. Nevertheless, the influence of Indian bhakti on the Punjabi Sufi poetry became important later, and it is reflected in Bullhe Shah’s poetry. Bullhe Shah felt anguish at the conflict between the Sikhs and the Mughal government which had produced extremely unsettled conditions in the country. In this connection, Sekhon equates the ‘rug-wearers’ of Bullhe Shah with the Sikh rulers. Bullhe Shah’s Sufism appears to betray ‘defeatist tendencies’ perhaps because of ‘the decline of Muslim Mughal power’. His sympathies were with ‘the losing Muslim side’ and he regarded this situation as a ‘decline of society’. However the Sikhs established their rule in the Punjab after Bullhe Shah’s death. Ahmad Shah Abdali was apparently dominant even in the early 1760s. Therefore, the ‘Muslim side’ had not yet last power.<br /><br />Sekhon suggests that the symbol for the beloved in Bullhe Shah’s poetry has three levels. The first is the level of Gurbani in which the symbol of conjugal love is dominant. The second is the level of the romantic worldly love in which the ‘spouse’ is replaced by the ‘friend’. The third is symbolism of Heer and Ranjha, which has been used by Bullhe Shah even more fully than by Shah Husain. We may agree with Sekhon that allusions to the love of Heer and Ranjha are very frequent in Bullhe Shah. This, however, is a difference only of degree. ‘One phenomenon that is found in Bullhe Shah more than in all other Sufis is the substitution of his personal preceptor for Allah or the Prophet’. Sekhon can say this because he has not given much serious attention to Sultan Bahu. For Sekhon, a ‘strange feature’ of Sufi lore is a constant reference to the ordeals that the prophets of the Old Testament had to undergo to find acceptance with God. This feature is only seemingly ‘strange’. These prophets were the prophets of the Qur’an too, and their ordeals integrated well with Bullhe Shah’s conception of God and his relationship with human beings. Sekhon points out that Bullhe Shah used the Hindu symbols of God, especially Krishna , quite frequently. Bullhe Shah is by no means exceptional in this respect.<br /><br />Denis Matringe has looked at the poetry of Bullhe Shah to illustrate that transference of themes and symbols from one religious sphere to another was a common phenomenon in South Asia . Accepting W.H. McLeod’s formulation, he cites the example of the Sikh movement in this connection. He states on his own that some of the Sufis were inclined to adjust Islam to its Indian environment. They developed a tradition of Punjabi poetry with deeply rooted in local culture. This culture included a number of Hindu traditions. Borrowings from this source are exemplified in the poetry of Bullhe Shah in the form of Krishnaite and Nath elements in his poetry. Matringe is aware of the opposing views taken of this issue. Some scholars think that Bullhe Shah was more of an advaita Vedantist than a Sufi, while others have given a strict orthodox Muslim interpretation of his works. Therefore, it was relevant for Matringe to examine how these elements contribute to the formulation of Bullhe Shah’s mystical message. 3<br /><br />According to Matringe, some verses of Bullhe Shah advocate devotion to Krishna as opposed to Vedic ritualism, indicating the superiority of inner faith. However, the line quoted refers to Hari, an epithet for God, and Matringe tends to assume that this is a reference to Krishna . In another verse, however, there is an explicit reference to ‘the flute of Kahn’. It certainly refers to Krishna . However, the flute-player is also the Chak Ranjha. This would equate Krishna with Ranjha and suggest that both these are epithets for Bullhe Shah’s God. Matringe translates ‘chak’ as ‘cowherd’, which is misleading. The other verses quoted by Matringe do not refer explicitly to Krishna . Nevertheless, Matringe sees parallels between the gopis and the Punjabi girls who are fetching water in full adornment, whose scandal is spreading, and who do not care and continue to dance. However, the dance in abandon was emphasized by Shah Husain, and there is absolutely no doubt that Bullhe Shah was familiar with the kāfis of Shah Husain. Bullhe Shah’s God is ‘mischievous’: he hides himself in the way Krishna did after dancing with the gopis to be found again. God is a hidden thief. However, the Sufi idea of veils over the Reality and of God as the ‘hidden treasure’ are equally relevant here. Matringe takes ‘māhi’ literally to be the ‘cowherd’, but it comments the beloved Bullhe Shah’s depiction of the pangs of separation appear to be the pangs of the gopis ‘in Persianized style’. In another verse in the female voice ‘I shall write letters to Sham’ is perceived by Matringe as symbolic of the letter which Radha thinks of writing to Krishna . 4 Though plausible, the use of all these verses by Matringe does not make a convincing case for the concept of transference.<br /><br />Significantly, the seeker in despair takes the garb of a jogan (female ascetic). This, according to Matringe, opens the way to recurrent instance of Nath symbols in Bullhe Shah’s poetry. God is the supreme jogi for whom the jogan is longing, and she renounces the world in quest of God: ‘I shall go with the yogi, having put a tilak on my forehead’. The manifestations of love are described in terms related to the Persian images of the ‘fire of love’. In such descriptions, Matringe perceives the terrible powers of the jogis. A similar imagery is used in this poem for the drastic austerity of the jogan. Then there are symbols expressing the extreme hardship of the path which leads the mystic to God. Suffering is the prerequisite of spiritual bliss through divine grace: ‘Ranjha has come, having made himself a yogi’. Actually, this verse carries the import that God has come in the form of Ranjha and Heer has vowed as a jogan to serve him. Matringe himself says that there is a fundamental difference between the Punjabi Sufi kāfi and the shabads of Gorakhnath. The loving devotion is present only in Bullhe Shah’s poetry. All that concerns the jogi of Bullhe Shah is linked with a relationship of love that is alien to Nath Shaivism. Matringe himself notices that the jogi of Bullhe Shah is a manifestation of God: ‘O, this is not a yogi, but a manifestation of Lord. The garb of a yogi fits him well’. 5 There is hardly any doubt that the Nath elements in Bullhe Shah’s poetry are mediated largely through the popular tradition of Ranjha as a jogi.<br /><br />Matringe goes on to state that, being transcendent and immanent at the same time, God can be found everywhere and in everybody. He can be Krishna and the jogi, the thief and the banker, the mosque and the temple, the Muslim and the Hindu, the lover and the beloved, and so on. This conception of God leads Bullhe Shah to reject the diversity of the constituted religions: ‘I am neither a Hindu nor a Muslim’. The difference between a ‘Ramdas’ and a ‘Fateh Muhammad’ vanishes when the same God is seen within both. The realization of identification of human beings with God annihilates the individual self and merges it with Him. Matringe thinks that Bullhe Shah’s position here is similar to that of the Sants, who attached great importance to loving devotion and renunciation. Matringe goes on to add that the Krishna and Nath traditions provided Bullhe Shah with an imagery from which he derived symbols to express the various states and emotions of the mystical experience. No Punjabi Sufi poet before him had integrated Hindu elements in his poetry to the same extent. Indeed, the synthesis of Krishnaite and Nath elements his case operated chiefly through his use of the legend of Heer and Ranjha, which was by far the main source of his allusions. In the first part of the legend, Ranjha remains a Krishnaite figure for Matringe. In the second part, he is a wandering Nath jogi. It is in this sense that, in the story of Heer and Ranjha, the Krishnaite and Nath elements in Bullhe Shah’s poetry reflect ‘the composite and often syncretic nature of the Panjabi popular culture’. He paid attention to the cultural universe of the common people of the Punjab whom he addressed through his kāfis. His great originality lies in his ability to combine these symbols with others taken from Arabic and Persian culture ‘in order to express his approach to that sublime point where all religion meet’.6 As we noticed earlier, the Nath elements were mediated through the legend of Heer and Ranjha which was brought to the centre of the stage by Shah Husain. The Krishnaite elements could partly be a reflection of the increasing popularity of Krishna in the Punjab since the time of Shah Husain. In any case, the elements perceived by Matringe as Krishnaite and Nath can be better appreciated in the context of a comprehensive interpretation of the poetry of Bullhe Shah.<br /><br /><strong>III<br /><br />Apart from the kāfi, the athwara and the baramaha, Bullhe Shah used the popular forms of gandhan, siharfi and dohra. The Athwara of Bullhe Shah starts with Saturday and ends with Friday, depicting basically what may be called a spiritual journey from the state of separation to the state of union. In the pangs of separation from the dear one (piara) begins the quest on Saturday. On Sunday, prayer is made to Shah Ināyat for instructions to end the time of separation. On Monday comes the realization that the friend (yar) himself is ‘killer of the dead’: he inflicts suffering on those who are prepared to die for love. On Tuesday comes the hope that he might respond to console the lover in her plight. On Wednesday, the acceptance of suffering becomes the basis of meeting with the friend. On Thursday, she finds the cup that intoxicates and makes her oblivious of the difference between the essence and attributes. On Friday, she becomes a sohagan. She adorns herself to meet the beloved (piya). Friday, thus, is different. The sight of the beloved shows the futility of the knowledge of the law, and the tradition, and the obligatory practices of Islam, and logic. Heer longs for Ranjha, crying ‘māhi, māhi’. Friday, the day of the large congregational prayer in the mosque for the faithful, is the day of union is the lover of God. 7<br /><br />Bullhe Shah’s Baramaha starts with the month of Assu and ends with the month of Bhadon. The starting point is the state of separation, marked by suffering and the beginning of quest for the dear one in ‘the city of love’. In Kattak, the forlorn woman prays for union. She has cultivated love for long and it is hard to live without the spouse. In Maghar, the demon of love is still eating her bones. She would be a slave to anyone who brings home the beloved (lal). If anyone brings the friend (yar) she would get relief from anguish, like the sati who is asked to get down from the pyre. In Poh, she is still ‘dead in life’ and waiting for the spouse (shauh). In Phaggan, tears flow from her eyes due to the wounds of love; her suffering was preordained and this is how she is celebrating the holi. In Chet, she has lost her self and yet she is nowhere nearer the friend. Hard is the day of Baisakhi if the friend is not with her. They whose spouses are with them are exhilarated but she is downcast without her spouse. Hot winds blow in Jeth but the spouse is not there. The fire of love is ablaze in Har, and the messengers have carried letters to Sham; her dark hair have turned grey now, and it is hard to pass time without the spouse. The love-bird cries in Sāwan, the young men play and the young girls sing; God has fulfilled her hopes and she has found Shah Ināyat. Bhādon is pleasant if one spends each moment with the spouse. To her good fortune, the master has come. Shah Ināyat has shown to her that God is in everyone. She is drenched in love and God’s will has come to prevail. 8<br /><br />Love, the pangs of separation, and the bliss of union are the themes on which Bullhe Shah dwells in his Athwara and Baramaha. In the genre called gandhan, he takes up the theme of wedding. The term gandhān was used in Bullhe Shah’s time for invitations sent to relatives for the occasion. In Bullhe Shah’s composition, the bride herself sends forty invitations, expressing her feeling or state of mind in each. In the first gandh she thinks of preparing the dowry but she has no cash. In the second gandh she says that she cannot spin. In the third, she regrets that she has no merit. In the fourth, she is afraid that her father would send her away. Bullhe Shah goes on to say in the gandhs following that the young girl is afraid of the first night because little time is left for preparing the dowry. The guests have come and she is in tears. She wants to know in despair if any friend would accompany her. She is like the fish out of water. She feels that it would have been better if her mother had poisoned her at her birth. She is frightened for her life now. Her friends have gone and it is her turn to go to the marital home from which no one returns. The kins have left before her but no one tells her where they have gone. She has to go the city of the silent. Human life is like the begging round of a jogi; ultimately one has to lie in the saline earth. The drums of departure are being sounded. Tears flow from her eyes like rain from the clouds of Sāwan. She has to go far with a heavy load on her head. With one hank in her hand she is thinking of weaving the cloth for dowry. Only the fortunate ones dye the cloth they have prepared.<br /><br />At last she thinks of love. The spouse comes closer. Love now has made her mad. She would feel relieved if the beloved enters her lane; she has to charm him. She has adorned herself and made herself soft to the touch. He might embrace her. Auspicious in the moment when he turns towards her. On meeting him she sings in ecstasy. The thirtyninth gandh is opened by all her female friends; Shah Ināyat shall now come to the bridal bed; her whole frame is dyed in love. The fortieth gandh reveals that the essence of love is to lose one’s own self. She likes the spouse coming with the marriage party so that she may become one with him. Say ‘God willing’ now, and pray for me. She is no more there: only the Beloved is there. 9 The wedding stands for death and union. Good deeds are not adequate as dowry. What is required for union is the dowry of love, dedication and sacrifice. Bullhe Shah’s preference for the path of love is loud and clear in his Gandhan.<br /><br />In a Siharfi, using letters of the Perso-Arabic alphabet as the device for expressing his feelings and moods, Bullhe Shah talks of the refuge at the feet of the Prophet, the only effective intercessor on the day of judgement. He also refers to the Prophet’s ascension when he saw God face to face. He is the seal of the prophets. His pure form is brighter than the sun and the moon. To associate oneself with him is to follow the right path: ‘there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger’. Bullhe Shah refers to the Quranic myth about Adam and Hawwa and the Satan, and the role of the Prophet Muhammad in redeeming humankind and interceding on the last day. His grace relieves his followers from the suffering of the grave and helps them in crossing the narrow bridge (pul-i sirāt) to have the sight of God in Paradise . Bullhe Shah tells people to appropriate the Prophet’s door. However, even in this Siharfi, Bullhe Shah dwells on the immanence of God who is the only Lord everywhere; He alone is the refuge, and the murshid shows the way to Him. This murshid is Shah Ināyat.10<br /><br />In another Siharfi, Bullhe Shah tells human beings to recognize their essence: ‘understand yourself first’. All the four Vedas declare that you are ‘sukh rup, akhand, chetann’. In order to know this one has to restrain desires and shun pleasures of the senses. The outside world is like a dream, an illusion. Turn inwards to see that you are the support of the whole world. Take care of your self, you are immortal. You are the light of the world and remain the same in essence. See who is within you: the elephant cannot be concealed by the grass. The colourful bubble bursts and water mingles with water. They who are dedicated to the beloved themselves become the beloved. You are yourself the beloved; whom are you seeking? The world is a palace of smoke; ‘the water of life’ is within you. ‘Not this, not this’ declare the Vedas; there is no other; when you reflect deeply you realize ‘I am that’. If you discard khudi, you yourself become the Master. He is the seed from which sprout the multifarious forms. He meets himself as man and woman. The eternal ruler watches the dance of creation. He is dear in every form. He was in the beginning and He shall be in the end. By right orientation you become the beginning and the end. The friend is gained by losing oneself. Congradulate Bullhe Shah ten thousand times now that he has been embraced by the Beloved. 11 This Siharfi is clearly monistic and pantheistic, but it is punctuated by monotheism. Bullhe Shah’s personal God never becomes an impersonal Reality.<br /><br />In yet another Siharfi, Bullhe Shah sings of love, separation and union. The woman has the fire of love in her heart and suffers the pangs of separation. Deaf and dumb to everything else, she responds only to the call of the friend. Whether or not she is liked by him, she longs for him and is prepared to sacrifice everyone dear to her. She is totally consumed by love. Without knowing the appropriate mantar, she tries to the catch the black cobras. She is weaving the thread of ‘I am the Truth’ for the sake of the beloved. She sings the praises of the friend like a hymn. Without him, she is restless like an addict without bhang. She can live only if she finds the beloved. She has become Mansur (al-Hallaj) but she does not reveal the secret. 12 This Siharfi can be placed squarely within the Sufi thought.<br /><br />Bulhe Shah’s dohrey give trenchant expression to several of his characteristic ideas and attitudes. Institutionalized religion has no attraction for him. Plunderers live in dharmsalas and thuggs in thakurdwaras; in mosques live the practitioners of falsehood; the lovers of God stay away from all. ‘God cannot be found in the mosque, not even in the ka‘bah; He is not in the Qur’an or the other scriptures. ‘I have travelled far and wide and found God at no place of pilgrimage’. All such trammels snap when you meet the murshid. The mulla is like a torch-bearer: he shows light to others while he himself remains in darkness. Bullha has thrown namāz into the oven and rozāh into the mud; he has smudged the kalma with black ink. The people do not know that God is found within. If the inner dirt does not depart there is no use of outward cleanliness; all worship is in vain without the perfect guide (murshid). The people advise Bullha to sit in the mosque, but there is no use of prayer if it is not performed from the heart. The qāzi is happy with bribery and the mulla over deaths; the lover is happy with singing the praises of God in complete trust. All but the talk of Allah is small talk; the learned merely create noise, and the books have created confusion. 13<br /><br />God is within all human beings and in every thing. God’s face is the light and His creation is the veil; He conceals Himself behind this veil. He has revealed himself in his creation but the creation conceals him. He shows his face to those who love him, and he meets only those who are his friends. In multifarious forms, he is close and yet unknown. They who do not know their physical frame cannot know their friend; human frames are merely earth, fire, water and air; the Master is also within, unseen, like salt mixed with flour. God has created billions of human frames and sits within them; he is the young girl and the young boy, and he is the father and the mother; he himself is born, he himself dies, and he himself observes mourning. Only he knows his qudrat.<br /><br />The goldsmith crafts ornaments of different kinds; what is common to their multifarious forms is silver. He who has the Qur’an in his hand and the sacred thread over his neck is your Supreme Friend. The shape of ‘ain and ghain is the same, with the difference only of the dot. This small difference has misled the world. The perfect guide (murshid kāmil) leads to the realization of unity (wahdat). The visible forms are the ladder that leads toward the reality (haqiqat). He who becomes aware of the reality needs no more the salutation of peace. 14<br /><br />The doha form is not meant to give elaborate expression to any theme; each doha presents an idea, a mood or a feeling, regarded as important by the author. There are only 48 dohas of Bullhe Shah, and we have already taken into account over a score. They indicate the importance attached by Bullhe Shah to the immanence of God and the futility of institutionalized religion. Both are relevant for the attitude of tolerance. Bullhe Shah gives explicit expression to this attitude. The day before yesterday I was an infidel; yesterday I worshipped idols; now I have come home and I am silent. Bullha has become a lover of God and people say that he has become an infidel; all he can say is ‘say whatever you like’. What matters to Bullhe Shah is love and dedication. If the woman-discipline of a Musalman is dedicated to a Hindu, welcome them both and leave the rest to God (Bhagwān). If you wish to become a ghazi, put on the sword and kill the notional Muslim (rangharh) first and only then the infidel. The Brahman who bears the pangs of separation in love becomes a shaikh. Let us go to the place where the intoxication of love is not forbidden.15<br /><br />At the centre of life for Bullhe Shah is love. Therefore he talks of love and things related to love. Burn your pride and throw your false honour into the well; lose all sense of your body and mind so that you may meet God. Bullhe Shah regrets that much of the life has passed and he has not turned to God (Har) in love. The guide (hadi) speaks within me now and all the sins have been washed away; millet has grown on mountains and the farvan tree is bearing the mulberry fruit. Bullha regrets that he came to the world for reciting the name of God but he has been lured by earthly things like gold, wealth and women. He tells himself to go to the kitchen of the friend to sacrifice himself, like a goat. Hijrat in Islam has a special significance; therefore, Bullha dies every day and comes to life, moving every day from one stage to another. He has found the reality through search as a lover. 16<br /><br />Some statements in the dohras of Bullhe Shah are not interesting for their general import. The spring comes and sparrows descend for feed; some are eaten by the hawks and others are caught in the net; some still hope to return and others are roasted for food; they are all helpless; their fate is determined by someone else. At the gates of the rich there are watchmen; one can appropriate the door of God; sorrows end there. In this world there are adepts in talk; they give a needle in charity and keep the whole block of iron; they return a lost cowrie but appropriate a whole bag. Let us go to the place where all are blind who can see no social status,<br /><br />IV<br /><br />Bullhe Shah gives the best expression to his ideas, feelings, moods and attitudes in his kāfis. One is clearly didactic, with the refrain of ‘wake up from slumber’. You have to leave the world one day and go to the grave where worms eat your flesh. Therefore, never forget death. The day of wedding (death) is coming close; prepare the dowry (of good conduct). The wedding would be followed shortly by muklava. The woman would leave the world for ever, no more young or beautiful. The way is long and passes through a wilderness. She should prepare for the voyage now for nothing can be borrowed on the way. Individuals of much greater importance have departed: Alexander the Great and other rulers of the world, Sultans, mirs and maliks, prophets and pirs, Yusuf and Zulekha, and Sulaiman whose throne was flower by fairies in the air. No flower remains in bloom when the autumn wind blows. You will cry like a lonely crane. Walk carefully for you will not come here for the second time. Without the kalma, there is no escape. 18<br /><br />There is nothing in this kāfi that may be regarded as unorthodox. Elsewhere too, Bullhe Shah alludes to the darkness of the grave, echoing Shah Husain. The whole world goes at last to ‘the city of the silent’; the angel of death (malik al-maut) takes away boatfuls of the dead. The shari‘at is our wet nurse, tariqat our mother, and through haqiqat we gain some knowledge of the divine. By following the shar‘iat one would get support from the Prophet Muhammad. Not having prepared adequately for the hereafter, Bullhe Shah prays for mercy rather than justice. He advises the young girl to acquire merit: her parents have sent invitations (gandhān) for her wedding and when she leaves her home (this world) she will never come back. In another kāfi too, Bullhe Shah underlines the importance of good deeds, asking the young girl to turn to spinning. However, there is no explicit insistence on namāz, rozah, hajj or zakāt. Indeed ‘Pak Rasul Muhammad Sahib ‘is the special means of love. His name leads to Allah and teaches how to die for him or in him (fana fi-Allah). Talking of the light (nur) of Muhammad, Bullhe Shah is talking of the Prophet of the Sufi Islam.19<br /><br />Bullhe Shah gives Sufi signification of some of the ayats and phrases of the Qur’an. The words ‘kunn’ and ‘fiya kunn’ in Punjabi come from the Qur’an with reference to the creation of the universe and humankind. Bullhe Shah refers to the ‘face of Allah’, the ‘hidden treasure’, ‘am I not your Lord?’, ‘it is for your good’, ‘come near to us’, and ‘fight against your lower self’. The ‘hidden treasure’ became many through kunn-fiyakunn. Allah is closer to you than your jugular vein.20 All these ayats and phrases were familiar to the Sufis and were given mystical interpretation in justification of the concept of immanence and the idea of love.<br /><br />Through his kāfis, Bullhe Shah has given the most powerful expression in Punjabi literature to the unity of existence (wahdat al-wajud). Like Shaikh Farid and Shah Husain, he uses multiplicity of epithets for God who is the only one reality. The letter alif, the first letter of Allah, is the symbol of One. Bullhe Shah’s heart is dyed in Allah and he does not know the second letter be (anything other than Allah). Having tasted alif, he fails to understand the meaning of be. The letters ‘ain (He) and ghain (other than He) did not clarify the issue but the letter alif has brought perfect understanding. All that one needs is an understanding of alif, and not cartload of books. From one became two, three and four, and then thousands upon thousands. The single seed became a huge tree; when the tree would be no more, there would still the seed. By learning the alif comes liberation. The letter ghain has the same shape as the letter ‘ain with a dot; if the dot is removed from the heart what is left is ‘ain. Our home is now in unity (wahdat) and wonder (hairat) is our companion; oblivious of the self, we are no longer concerned with birth or death. 21<br /><br />The unity of God becomes the unity of existence through His immanence. The beloved has come in human form. He himself is the deer and the leopard, the master and the slave; He is the renunciant and the house holder; He the bāzigar who makes us dance like puppets. He is the shepherd, the goatherd, the cowherd and the keeper of buffaloes. He who is beyond space (la-makān) is present in every form. He himself is the speaker and the listener, the singer and the musical instrument. He is the thief within. The cotton assumes numerous forms, each known by its name; the silver assumes the shape of rings and bangles. The Musalmans are afraid of being cremated and the Hindus of being buried; this remains the source of contention between them; one is ‘Ramdas’ and the other ‘Fateh Muhammad’; their contention ends when they see the same beloved in both. The One changes forms, reading books as a mulla at one place and offering worship as a Hindu at another; here a friend and there an enemy; here the guide (guru) and there the disciple; here Majnun and there Laila; he is within every one. The namāzi is he and the qazi is he; the bairagi is he and the shaikh is he. ‘I have discovered now that only you have changed your form’. 22<br /><br />For Bullhe Shah, the whole issue of life is resolved by one point: devotion and dedication to God. Keep no accounts and close the book of infidelity. Get rid of the misery of the grave and the fear of hell. Purify your heart of all evil thoughts. The matter ends within you: that is the whole point. In vain you rub your forehead on the ground and recite the kalma if there is no understanding within. Some have returned from pilgrimage as hajis wearing blue cloaks; they sell their merit for money; God does not like this. Some go into the wilderness and do not eat even a single grain. They tire their bodies in vain and fail to reach the goal. They waste their life in austerities. Take guidance of the murshid and devote yourself to God. Discard desires and cares, and purify your heart. When the beloved comes, forgotten are rozah, hajj and namāz. There is no room for Logic and Poetics. There is no need of the shari‘at. ‘He has come home and I have forgotten rozah, hajj and namāz. I have now seen the difference between the shari‘at and love. On drinking the goblet of love all talk is forgotten; the same Master is seen in every home and within everyone’. Forgotten are Logic, Tafsir and Fiqh. He who has drunk the intoxicating cup has nothing to do with namaz and rozah. The Pandit and the Mulla have failed to know the secret despite their learning. 23<br /><br />Bullhe Shah sings mostly of love, separation and union. The Mulla and the Qazi try to show us the way but lead to illusion. They are great thuggs who cast the net all around. They tell us that religion (dharm) consists of the injunctions of the shari‘at to put chains on our feet. Love knows no caste or mazhab; it is the enemy of shara‘. Love demands sacrifice. Apart from the examples of Zakariya and Yahiya, Bullhe Shah refers to Mansur al-Hallaj who kissed the cross to have the sight (darshan) of the beloved. On his account he drank the cup of love in perfection. The spark of love obliterates the difference between the Hindu and the Turk; love wins over God (Har). But the path of love is hard. The beloved may not care in his be-parwahi. Yusuf was thrown into the well, and sold as a slave in the market for a hank; you may be sold for a cowrie. Some were skinned alive and others were sawn; some were crucified; your head would also be cut off. The wine makers (kalāls) are your neighbours; you would be tempted to taste the intoxicating stuff, and you will be dubbed as ‘inebriate’. If you utter ‘I am the truth’ (ana al-haqq), you would be crucified. They whose bones are suffused with love die in life. He who is suffused with perfect love dances even without song and music; when the cup of divine love is drunk, there is no question and no answer; he sees the beloved in all his beauty. A single particle of love is weightier than a mountain; for a single glance of the beloved one discards the whole world. Love brings ever new springs. ‘When I read the lesson of love, I became afraid of the mosque and entered the abode of Thakur where thousands of horns are blown. Wherever I look I see the beloved’. Burn the prayer mat and smash the water pot, throw away the rosary and the staff; sijda is forgotten in love. The relationship of love is eternal; it was there at the beginning and it will be there at the end.24<br /><br />Separation was involved in creation itself. Its awareness is the source of pain. Waiting for the friend, the woman is crying like a koil, and wandering like a jogan. Love has given the ‘call to prayer’ (bāng) and her forehead is towards the mihrab. But the friend does not come. The pangs of separation do not decrease with the passage of time; only he knows who suffers. This suffering comes from love. She can neither live nor die. There is no peace during the day or the night; the fire of separation is burning her alive. May someone relieve her of this pain. It cannot be relieved without the sight (darshan) of the beloved. Without the beloved she is neither here nor there. The fire of separation is ablaze and she does not know what to do. In the absence of Sham, the courtyard is frightening and she cannot pass the night. Her heart is yearning for the beloved friend. She washed and adorned herself but the friend did not respond. Let all shingār be burnt. She longs for the friend. Due to separation from the friend, she has neither a natal nor a marital home. Friendship with the heartless is a source of suffering; he has left her, piercing her heart with the spear of separation; he has forgotten all promises of return; in this transaction, she has drunk the cup of poison: the bundle of sorrows has become heavy.25<br /><br />Bullhe Shah sings of union with abandon. Let the time stop now that the beloved has come home. The bell reminds of the passage of time; it should be thrown out. The unstruck music has filled the air; the singer is adept and the tune is superb. Forgotten are namaz and rozah. Praise be to the cup-bearer who gives the wine to drink. The pain of the heart has vanished on seeing the friend’s face. There is no awareness of self in the union. Through perfect grace the beloved has come home. ‘May I live with him for thousands upon thousands of years’. Bullhe Shah has been redeemed by the Redeemer. Let the time stop now that my beloved has come home. 26<br /><br />Union with the beloved leads to complete identification with him. Bullhe Shah does not who he is. He is not a momin in the mosque; he does not follow the practices of infidelity. He is neither pure nor polluted. He is not Musa, nor is he Far‘aun. He is not in the Veda or the books. He is not in the intoxicants; he is not inebriated. He is neither awake nor asleep. He is neither happy nor sad. He is neither of water nor of earth, neither of fire nor of air. He is not an Arab, nor a Hindu; he is not of Lahour nor of Nagaur. He is neither a Hindu nor a Turk of Peshawar. He does not reside in Nadaun. He has not found the secret of religion; he is not born of Adam and Hawwa. He has given no name to himself. He is not sitting at one place, nor is he roaming around. He regards himself as the beginning and the end; he does not recognize anyone else. No one is wiser than he. Who else is there then? There is one Reality.27 This kāfi is seen superficially as a crisis of identity. It is in fact an expression of complete identity between the creator and the creation.<br /><br />More even than Shah Husain, Bullhe Shah uses the symbol of Ranjha for the divine beloved and of Heer for the devout human being as the female lover. Since Bullhe Shah adopts the voice of Heer, her name does not figure everywhere. The terms associated with these symbols are Takht Hazāra, the river Chenab , the Kherhas, buffaloes, the bridal litter, jogi and jogan, and the chāk (Ranjha). The flute (murli) is associated with Ranjha either directly or through Kahn. The symbol of the flute is not associated unambiguously with Krishna . In one of the kāfis, Heer indicates that her love is eternal. She regrets that Ranjha goes with the buffaloes but leaves her behind. There is none like Ranjha for her; she implores him to come back. She needs him.28 In another kāfi, Heer invites her friends to congratulate her on finding her beloved spouse. He has entered her courtyard and the day has become auspicious. He has come in the form of Ranjha.29 Heer scolds Ranjha but prays for him in her heart. The outward appearance is meant for the people; otherwise, Heer and Ranjha are one. 30<br /><br />In yet another kāfi, Ranjha comes as a jogi. This role suits the Great Player. His eyes are intoxicating and all sorrows vanish on seeing his face. With rings in his ears and a cord around his neck, he looks like Yusuf. Ranjha is the jogi and Heer is a jogiani, she would serve him for ever.31 The Kherhās figure in another kāfi. They have forced Heer into the bridal litter to take her away and she implores Ranjha to come. She tells her mother that if she is fond of the Kherhas she can send someone else with them.32 Ranjha, the chāk, has come in search of Heer. He is not a servant, nor is he fond of buffaloes; he feels no hunger or thirst. Who has come in this garb? 33 By meeting him all sorrows vanish. ‘In the eyes of the people he is a chak, but for me he is the Merciful Lord’.34 ‘Why should I go to Ka‘bah when my heart longs for Takht Hazara?’ Our friend to us is like Ka‘bah to the people. There is none like him in the whole world. 35 In a longish kāfi, Heer declares that she would put a tilak on her forehead and go with the jogi. No one can stop her. The jogi is the friend of her heart; she has lost all sense on seeing him. With sweet talk he has caught her in the snare of love. If he comes home, all her affairs would be set right; she will embrace him after a thousand forms of welcome. There is a jogi at the gate, asking for Heer Sial. This is perfect grace. He is the divine light; his flute produces heavenly music.36 There is complete identification between Heer and Ranjha. ‘Uttering Ranjha, Ranjha I have myself become Ranjha. Call me Dhido Ranjha. None should call me Heer. I am in Ranjha and Ranjha is in me; there is no difference’.37<br /><br />Bullhe Shah talks of the city of love (prem nagar). The ways of the city of love are strange. The murderous eyes become the source of happiness. God allows himself to be caught in the net. Lost in the city of love, Bullhe Shah is trying to correct himself. By losing himself he discovers his self and everything is right. He sees God in both the worlds; there is no other. Strange are the ways of the city of love. He dies due to the excess of happiness, allowing himself to be caught in the net and killed. His body and mind are at stake for love. ‘Let us settle in the city of love where there is our spouse’. In the city of love, ‘you and I’ are one, there is no other. There is no Hindu and no Musalman, no Sunni and no Shia. The Hindu and the Turk have lost their duality in unity. Our minds set on God (Har), we are no longer concerned with sin or merit. ‘We have adopted the path of peace with all (sulh-i kul)’. Bullhe Shah’s ideal city of love is the city of universal peace. 38<br /><br />For Bullhe Shah, Hindu and Turk are symbolic of cultural pluralism in the Indian subcontinent. At one level, even Islam in all its forms is not commendable; at another, even non-Islamic traditions of India are appreciable as the manifestation of God. The symbols of the flute and the dance are of special interest in this connection. The wonderful flute of the Kahn is meant for all and fascinates those who hear the divine voice in it; its tune is within all.39 ‘Ever since the Kahn has blown his flute I run towards him in madness; its sound reveals the falsehood of the world; I have forgotten every thing’.40 Love makes Bullhe Shah dance; he has drunk the cup of poison; he calls for the divine tabib to save his life; the beloved friend is his ka‘bah and qiblah; Bullha dances to the beat of love. 41 The importance given to dance in this kāfi is not merely a reminder of the practice of dance among the Sufis. The refrain with ‘thaiya, thaiya’ in particular refers to the Indian dance, if not exactly of rāslila.<br /><br />Bullhe Shah makes a reference to the festival of holi. ‘There is no god but Allah’ plays the flute of ‘I am near you’, and gives the cry of ‘know your nafs’. ‘You will see the light of God in the court of the Messenger of Allah’. Gather, therefore, the light of Muhammad. Make the hori of ‘remembrance’ and please the beloved by acknowledging his grace. Fill the syringe with ‘the light of Allah’ and make the praise of Allah its target. See the light of Muhammad as the light of Allah: ‘There is no god but Allah’. Bullhe Shah would play the holi in the name of Allah.42 The use of the Quranic phrases with mystical implications make the metaphor attractive. How holi should be played presupposes the contextual acceptance of the practice.<br /><br />The use of the symbols of the flute, the dance and holi is similar to the use of Indian epithets for God. Apart from Allah, Maula, Rabb, Khuda, Sattar and Ghaffar, there are Har, Hari, Sham, Kahn, Kanhiya and Sham-Sundar in the kāfis of Bullhe Shah. A large number of epithets come from popular lore, love and conjugality, like Ranjha, dholan, mahi, piya, dilbar, yar, sohna, sjjan, mittar, jani and shauh or banna. More significantly, Bullhe Shah uses the epithet Sachcha Sahib which was used in the Sikh tradition too in the early eighteenth century. He, he uses the term Guru for Allah.<br /><br />Bullhe Shah’s preoccupation with things indigenous is quite remarkable. Apart from what has been noticed already, he refers to Lanka, Kumbh Karan, Dehsir, Lachhman, gian and dhian, ulti gang, sadhs, Gur ka sewak, amrit mandal, Satgur, anhad shabad, pad, nam, Pando, Ram, Harnakash, Rāvan, Sita, Hanuman, Kans, Dhanna, Bidr, Kairon, avagaun, nam dhiao, goil, anhad, bhana, Jajman, pittar, Brahman, Chandi Mata, Tulsi Mata, salag- ram, ghar mein ganga, sants, amrit phal, vadbhagi, Gorakh, jatādhāri and munni. These phrases relate mostly to the religious culture of India . It becomes highly significant, therefore, that Bullhe Shah does not see any difference between momin and kāfir from the viewpoint of wahdat: ‘in the state of the realization of unity, I see neither the believer nor the infidel’.43 Even more significant is Bullhe Shah’s reference to Guru Tegh Bahadur. He is called ghazi. If the term ghazi refers to his martyrdom, which is most likely, it amounts to positive appreciation of a non-Islamic tradition.44<br /><br />V<br /><br />Bullhe Shah’s works are not devoid of social comment. The city of Qasur has a defect built into its very name: the true are punished here and the false play in ease. There is no commendable custom in Qasur: there is no charity, no pious deeds, and no reward for services rendered. The times are topsy tervy: crows are killing the hawks and sparrows are killing the falcons; the ‘Iraqi horses are wipped and saddles are put on donkeys. This, however, is a result of the divine order over which there is no human control. The comment here is general and moral, arising out of a sense of unfair dispensation. There is comment on the heritage of self-aggrandisement. The secret of the greatness of the son is that his mother and father were thieves, fighting for earthly goods. The food is eaten by Khaira but Jumma is caught and punished. The tigers are beaten and killed, and the wolves are in bad shape; the mice are cutting the ears of the cat. There is a contention between indifferent and good sweets. There is conflict everywhere and no one stops. The day of judgement has come.45<br /><br />A kāfi dwells on those who had suffered in the past: Adam, Isa, Nuh, Moses, Ismail, Yusuf and Zulekha, Yunas, Sulaiman, Ibrahim, Sabar, Husain, Mansur, Zakariya, Shah Sharf, Laila and Majnun, Heer and Ranjha, Sahiban and Mirza, Sassi, Sohni, Roda, Kauravs and Pandavs, Namrud, Karun, Far‘aun, Ravan, Harnakash, and Kans. Towards the end of this kāfi, Bullhe Shah refers to the Imam who was made to fight against Yazid and whose head was exhibited on the point of a spear. After this comes the statement that the Mughals drank the cup of poison and the ‘rug-bearers’ were made rulers; the ashraf are silent. In spite of this explicit reference to the Mughals, the comment is not exactly political. In any case, Bullhe Shah does not identify himself with ‘the Muslim’,<br /><br />VI<br /><br />Bullhe Shah’s kāfis are sung by qawwāls who are popular among the Punjabi-knowing peoples of the world irrespective of their religious affiliation. It may be of interest to know the contents of the most popular kāfis. We have already referred to some of them: the one that begins with ‘ik nukte vich gall mukdi ae’, and ‘Bullha ki janan mein kaun’, the one about the dance to the beat of thaiya, thaiya, Ranjha coming in the garb of a jogi, Heer’s complete identification with Ranjha, the blossoming of ever new springs, the throwing out of the telling bell on meeting the beloved, the thief within, and eloping with the jogi. There are several other kāfis which are equally popular. One of these refers to the limitless secrets revealed by the beloved. He conceals himself behind mim. That is, if you remove the letter mim from Ahmad, you are left with ahd’ which carries the implication that God has revealed himself through the Prophet Muhammad. Similarly, God revealed the secret of ana al-haqq (I am the truth) to Mansur to crucify himself. The one who crucifies, the one who is crucified and one who looks on and laughs are the same.47 The pilgrims go to Mecca but Heer’s Mecca is her beloved Ranjha. She is betrothed to Ranjha but her father is unjust (to think of another spouse for her). She would go to Takht Hazara. Her ka‘bah is where the beloved is. This is what all the scriptures say. 48<br /><br />The theme of dedication is treated in a forceful manner in one of the kāfis. Bullhe Shah tells the devotee that he remains awake all night in devotion to God. But even dogs do that. They bark all the night and then sleep on the dung-heap. They do not leave the door of their master even if they are beaten; they score over the devotee. Bullhe Shah tells the devotee (or himself) to perform better; otherwise the dogs would win the game. 49 The awareness of alif (Allah) is far preferable to knowledge (‘ilm). There is no end to learning. With the Qur’an and the books all around, one remains in darkness amidst light. By learning books one becomes a shaikh, fills his belly and sleeps to be drowned mid stream. Another reads books and gives a loud call for prayers and declaims from the mimbar; goaded and humiliated by greed. One reads books to become a mulla or a qazi, saying one thing but doing another; outwardly true, he is false within. They who have eyes do not see; they catch the sadh instead of the thief. The learned Mian wields the knife for half a paisa, and the butchers are dear to him.<br /><br />To learn the lesson of love, one enters the river of unity (wahdat). Bullha is neither Rafizi nor Sunni; he is not a learned man; his only acquisition is the knowledge of God (‘ilm ladunni). One needs only two letters: alif and mim (Allah and Muhammad).50 Bullhe Shah gives playful expression to love in one of his popular kāfis. ‘See what he does? Someone may ask the beloved what he does. Living in the same house he keeps the veil’. He performs namaz in the mosque and enters the idol-house for worship. Wherever you look there he is, associating with everyone. He creates Musa and Far‘aun, and becomes two to fight. He is present everywhere; who can be thrown into the hell? Love, the wolf, eats Bullhe Shah’s flesh and drinks his blood. ‘Someone may ask the beloved what he does’.51<br /><br />‘Lift the veil O’Friend, why do you feel so shy now?’ In this kāfi, Bullhe Shah refers to the beauty of the beloved and the pangs of separation, using the similes of cobra for the tresses, arrows for the eyes, and dagger for separation. ‘You have possessed my heart through love but never shown your face. I have drunk the cup of poison, I was devoid of sense. Lift the veil O’ Friend, why do you feel so shy now?’.52<br /><br />In another popular kāfi Bullhe Shah talks of remaining silent after the experience of love. He who discovers the secret of the qalandar by searching (for the beloved) within himself, attains to the temple of peace where there is no high or low state. In everyone is the presence of God; it remains concealed in some but revealed in others. People seek him outside but he is within. His glimpse acts like a spark of fire in gun powder. When his light shines, the mountains are reduced to dust. When one utters the truth, one is crucified like Mansur. ‘If I reveal the secret, all debate would cease. And then they would kill Bullha. It is appropriate, therefore, to keep the secret concealed’.53 The experience of God changes his perception of God. ‘My Ranjha is now someone else’, says Bullhe Shah. The call given in the Luminous Heaven is heard at the throne of Lahore . They who are ‘killed’ by love wander like cattle in the wilderness. Ranjha, the master of Takht Hazāra, becomes the thief. Bullhe Shah would never die: he who lies in the grave is someone else. ‘My Ranjha is now someone else’. 54<br /><br />The popular kāfis of Bullhe Shah dwell on love, separation and union. The mystical dimension may be somewhat shallow in one and rather deep in another. Preferable over learning, love leads to the awareness of unity in which differences of all kinds are obliterated or minimized. The importance of the Prophet is recognized in a manner that endears to him to all. The dominant impression created by these popular kāfis is that of catholicity and peace with all. Whatever is, is right.<br /><br />On the whole, Bullhe Shah emerges as the most catholic poet of Punjabi. Shah Husain is equally liberal, and not even keen to identity himself with Islam. Bullhe Shah’s catholicity is more significant precisely because he seldom forgets his Muslim identity. He remains a Sufi poet. His universal tolerance arises from his faith and metaphysics <table style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold" cellpadding="5" width="500" border="0"><tbody><tr><td width="448"><h1 align="right"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="COLOR: rgb(204,102,0); FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Bulleh Shah</span></span></h1><p align="right"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: rgb(204,102,0); FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><a href="http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/TL_1600_present.htm#BullehShah"><span style="color:#3d81ee;">Timeline</span></a> (1680 - 1758)</span></p><p></p><p align="right"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; COLOR: rgb(204,102,0); FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><br /></span></p></td><td width="109"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><img alt="Bulleh Shah, Bulleh Shah poetry, Muslim / Sufi, Muslim / Sufi poetry, poetry, poetry, poetry" src="http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/B/BullehShah/images/BullehShah.jpg" /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><!-- End Poet Header Table --></p><p style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 100%"><br />Mysterious is the turn of time. The man who had been refused by the mullahs to be buried after his death in the community graveyard because of his unorthodox views, today enjoys worldwide reverence and recognition. The tomb of Bulleh Shah in Qasur and the area around it is today the only place free of collective refuse, and the privileged of the city pay handsomely to be buried in the proximity of the man they had once rejected. "This radical change has been possible because people have been impressed in the course of time by the holy way of Bullah's life and the efficacy of his teachings.<br /><br />"The greatest Sufi poet of the Punjab was Mir Bulleh Shah Qadiri Shatari. " Because of his pure life and high spiritual attainments, he is equally popular among all communities. Scholars and dervishes have called him "The Sheikh of Both the Worlds," "The man of God," "The Knower of Spiritual Grace" and by other equally edifying titles. Considered as the greatest mystic poet of the Punjab, his compositions have been regarded as "the pinnacle of Sufi literature." His admirers compare his writings and philosophy to those of Rumi and Shams-i-Tabriz. At present, he is held in equally great esteem in Northern India and Pakistan.<br /><br />Bulleh Shah's real name was Abdullah Shah. From Abdullah Shah it changed to Bullah Shah or Bul1 Shah. "Out of affection some call him Baba Bulleh Shah, Sain Bulleh Shah and some others mer Bullah. "The 40th Knot" gives evidence of his t] name. "Invoking the name of God, now pray to Hi the Lord pervades everywhere Abdullah exists more."<br /><br />There is some difference of opinion among research scholars about the time of his birth and death. Majority, however, believes that he lived from 1680<br /><br />1758. Even about his birthplace there is some controversy. Some researchers hold the view that he was born in the village Uch Gilaniyan in Bahawalpur St (Pakistan). They believe that Bulleh Shah remained in this village up to the age of six months, when parents were residing here, but who shifted to village Malakwal (Tehsil Sahiwal, Dist. Multan) for sc reason. They had not been in Malakwal for a long time when the owner of village Pandoke felt the need (preacher for the village mosque. On the recommendations of the people of Malakwal, he approached Bu Shah's father, Shah Mohammed Dervish, took to Pandoke where he performed the duties not only of the preacher but also of the village teacher for children.<br /><br />All researchers agree on the point that the ancestors' village of Bulleh Shah's parents was Uch Gilaniyan, it is from there that they shifted first to Malakwal<br /><br />later to Pandoke. However, some researchers hold view that Bulleh Shah's birth took place after his parents had shifted to Pandoke. Today it is known as Pandoke Bhatian. It is about 14 miles southeast of Qasur and is quite well-known. In fact, Bulleh Shah's contribution to make it famous is considerable. It is said that from among the ancestors of Bulleh Shah, Sayeed Jallalluddin Bukhari came to Multan from Surakh-Bukhara three hundred years earlier. Here he got initiated from Hazarat Sheikh Ghaus Bahauddin Zakriya of Multan, and here eventually he settled down. Bulleh Shah's grandfather, Sayyiad Abdur Razzaq, descended from the same line. Thus Bulleh Shah's family, being of Sayyiad caste, was related to prophet Mohammed on the one hand and on the other hand with Sufi thought and mystic traditions, for centuries.<br /><br />Bulleh Shah's father, Shah Mohammed Dervish, was well-versed in Arabic, Persian and the holy Qura'n. He was a noble soul with spiritual leanings. It is said that out of the whole family, Bulleh Shah's sister had the greatest love for him, who, like her brother, remained celibate all her life, and spent much of her time in meditation. Both, brother and sister, had been greatly influenced by the high moral character of their father who, out of respect for him, had been given the title "Dervish. " The tomb of Bulleh Shah's father still exists in Pandoke Bhatian. Every year an urs is performed at the tomb and Bulleh Shah's kafis are sung there. In this way a tribute is paid to both, father and son, and it has assumed the form of a tradition to perpetuate theirmemory.<br /><br />Bulleh Shah's childhood was spent under the care of his father at Pandoke. He received his early education, like that of other children, from his father. Later, for higher education he was sent to Qasur, which was a well-known educational center those days. In Qasur there were eminent teachers such as Hazarat Ghulam Murtaza and Maulana Mohiyuddin. Their fame had spread far and wide. Bulleh Shah too became a pupil of Hazarat Ghulam Murtaza. With his native intelligence and moral inclination, he gained much from his contact with his teacher.<br /><br />There is a strong historical evidence to show that Bulleh Shah was an eminent scholar of Arabic and Persian. From his own compositions we can find many references to Islamic thought and mystic literature. Later, when he attained mystic realization, his erudition and learning acquired a new significance. But Bulleh Shah had to pass through a hard struggle before he could attain the inner knowledge. This attainment was possible only through his contact with his Murshid or Master, Inayat Shah. The study of scriptures and other holy books had only aroused his interest and curiosity about spiritual realization. His longing for union with the Lord reached its consummation only after he met a perfect Master in the person of Shah Inayat Qadiri.<br /><br />Inayat Shah was a well-known Qadiri Sufi of his time. From the historical point of view the Qadiri Sufis can be traced back to the Sufi Saint Abdul Qadri Jilani of Bagdad. Jilani is also known by the names Pir Dastgir and Piran-i-Pir. Bulleh Shah himself has also given a hint that his "Master of Masters" was born in Bagdad but his own Master belonged to Lahore:<br /><br />My Master of Masters hailed from Bagdad,<br /><br />but my Master belongs to the throne of Lahore.<br /><br />It is all the same. For He himself is the kite<br /><br />and He himself is the string.<br /><br />Two collections of Sheikh Abdul-Qadir Jilani's sermons, al Fathal Rabbani, comprising 62 and the Futuh al-Ghaib, containing 78 of them, are well known to Islamic readers. In one of the sermons, he strongly denounced his contemporaries for their materialistic way of life. In another sermon he said, "Good and evil were two fruits emerging from two branches of a single tree. One of the branches yielded sweet fruit and the other bitter; it would be wise, therefore, for people to move to areas where the sweet fruits were to be found." Also, " A jihad fought against self-will was, to Sheikh Abdul-Qadir far superior to that waged with the sword. Through this struggle the idolatory of the self and the worshi p of created things ( the hidden shirk) could be vanquished. Sheikh Jilani "advised his audience that seekers of God had to be indifferent towards even the life hereafter and to cultivate pleasure only in the thought of annihilation and abiding poverty in this life. "4<br /><br />In India the influence of the Sufi Qadiri thought was, felt after three centuries in 1432 through the person of Mohammed Ghaus, a Sufi dervish. Mohammed Ghaus first settled in Bahawalpur, but later his teachings reached far and wide.<br /><br />The Sufi saint of Punjab, Mian Mir (1550-1635 A. D.) was also connected with the Qadiri tradition. It is well-known that Guru Ram Das got the foundation of Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar laid by Mian Mir. The story is also current that at the time of the Mughul emperor Jahangir's persecution of the fifth Guru, Shri Arjun Dev, Mian Mir sought the approval of Guru Arjun Dev to raze the town of Delhi to the ground if he so permitted. The Guru replied that he could also do it, but under all conditions one must live in the will of God. It is obvious from this that there was great love between Mian Mir and the Gurus, and that he was held in great esteem by them.<br /><br />The date of birth of Inayat Shah Qadiri (died 1728 A.D.) is not known. But, from one of his own hand-written manuscripts, it is evident that he was enjoying good health in 1699 A.D. He was an eminent Sufi saint of the Qadiri tradition and is said to be a scholarly author. He wrote a number of Persian books on mysticism, from among which Dastur-ul-Amal, Islah-ul-Amal, Lataif-i-Ghaibya, and Ishartul Talibin are particularly well-known. In Dastur-ul-Amal he has made a mention of seven spiritual stages. The ancient Hindu rishis considered passing through these stages as necessary for God-realization.<br /><br />Inayat Shah lived in Lahore, so he was called Inayat Shah Lahori. He belonged to the Arain caste and earned his living through agriculture or gardening. He<br /><br />also lived in Qasur for some time, but due to the animosity of the ruler of Qasur he shifted to Lahore, where he remained till the end of his life. His tomb is also situated near Lahore. In Bang-i-Auliya-i-Hind we find the following reference about him:<br /><br />From the tribe of gardeners was brother Shah Inayat,<br /><br />He received honor from Shah Raza Wali Allah.<br /><br />He earned his living in the small town of Qasur Pathana.<br /><br />The ruler Husein Khan of this town was his arch enemy.<br /><br />From there Inayat Shah came to the city of Lahore;<br /><br />Two miles to the south of the city he made his habitation.<br /><br />It is at this place that we find his tomb.<br /><br />In 1141 he departed from this world.<br /><br />It is said that even before coming in contact with Inayat Shah, Bulleh Shah used to do some spiritual practice, and had acquired certain miraculous powers. When Bulleb Shah, the seeker, passed near the small field of Inayat Shah, he saw fruit laden trees on both sides of the road. Inayat Shah himself was engaged in planting onion seedlings. It occurred to Bulleh Shah to test Inayat Shah of his spiritual power. Invoking the name of God, Bullah looked at the trees, and the fruit started falling on the ground. Inayat Shah looked back and saw that unripe fruit was falling from the trees without any reason. He immediately realized that it was due to the mischief played by the young man passing by. He looked towards Bulleh Shah and said, "Well, young man, why have you brought down the unripe fruit from the trees?" This is what Bulleh Shah wanted, to find an opportunity to talk to Inayat Shah. He went up to him and said, "Sir, I neither climbed up the trees, nor did I throw any stones at the fruit, how could I tear it from the trees ?" Inayat Shah cast a full glance at Bulleh Shah and said, "0, you are not only a thief, you are also being clever! " Inayat's glance was so penetrating that it touched Bullah's heart and he instantly fell at his feet. Inayat Shah asked him his name and the purpose for coming to him. Bullah replied, "Sir, my name is Bullah and I wish to know how I can realize God." Inayat Shah said, "Why do you look down? Get up and look at me." As soon as Bullah raised his head and looked at Inayat Shah, the Master again cast at him a full glance, laden with love, shaking him all through. He said "0 Bullah, what problem is there in finding God ? It only needs to be uprooted from here and planted there." This was enough for Bulleh Shah. He got what he had wished for .<br /><br />Inayat Shah had poured the essence of spirituality in these few words. He conveyed to Bulleh Shah that the secret of spiritual progress lay in detaching one's mind from the world outside and attaching it to God within. In Bang-i-Auliya-i-Hindthis instance has been describedas below:<br /><br />"In the city of Qasur Pathana it happened to a man of God, a descendent of prophet Mohammed, the grandson of Pir Jilani, that he achieved greatness from Hazrat Shah Inayat whose tomb lies in Lahore, south of the city. Bulleh Shah said to himelf, "I must get my Master after testing him. I must fully satisfy myself, I must drink water after straining it." In his intense search for his Master he first looked towards Lahore, then he came there and took his residence, where the garden of Shah Inayat was situated. There he saw a mango on a tree at that time, he looked at it, invoked the name of God, and the mango fell on the ground. Shah lnayat gave a call to him and said, "Listen, you wayfarer, you have stolen my mango. Give it back to me." Bulleh Shah replied, "I did not climb up the tree; your mangoes are far from my reach. It is with the wind that the mango broke from the branch and came into my lap. Invoking the name of God, you got the mango. You have committed a theft. " Bulleh Shah realized the spiritual power and knowledge of Inayat Shah. He fell at his feet, was graced by initiation from the Master and attained the secret knowledge."<br /><br /><br /><br />Bulleh Shah's meeting with the Master, getting initiation from him and being deeply impressed has been described by a scholar in these words :<br /><br />"Bulleh Shah had all those virtues in him which Shah Inayat was looking for in a disciple. He opened his inner treasure and placed it before him. .-.He got the vision, he became oblivious of his surroundings, and in that state of rapture he proclaimed the gift of his inner grace in the manner of Mansur. "<br /><br /><br /><br />Bulleh Shah started to pass his time in a state of strange ecstasy. In the company of his Master and with the practice of the path he had been shown, Bulleh Shah's spiritual condition started changing day by day. His kafi, "Whatever color I am dyed in " makes it clear how great was the effect of his Master on him. In it he mentions that his inner eye had been opened, all his doubts had been removed, and he had been blessed with the light of Realization. Through the grace of his Master he had the vision of the Lord within and that for him no difference existed between his Master and the Lord.<br /><br />The effect of his master was so profound that but for his Master nothing else mattered for him. He became strangely selfless and impervious to affairs of the world. Prof. Purn Singh has described an interesting incidence of this phase of Bulleh Shah's life in his book The Spirit of Oriental Poetry. One day he saw a young girl whose husband was expected to come home, and in whose preparation she was putting plaits in her hair. A strange desire arose in his mind. He also dressed himself like that woman, put the same type of plaits in his hair, and went in this guise to meet his Master. For the worldly people such an act would look ridiculous, but it shows not only the great love for his Master but also his unconcern with public opinion and his desire to sacrifice himself for his beloved. In the manner of true lovers he shed his mescaline pride and assumed the form of a helpless women who renounces her ego and surrenders herself completely to her lord.<br /><br />Whatever questions or doubts Bulleh Shah had in his mind before he met his Master, were all drowned in the experience of inner light. When he had made up his mind to come to Inayat Shah, people had dissuaded him from doing so, saying, "You are a great scholar, a master of miraculous powers and a descendent of prophet Mohammed. Does it seem right to you to go to an ordinary gardener of low caste and become his disciple? Is it not shameful?" But his Master was true to his name. HE showered such grace on Bulleh Shah that a single glance of his made him saturated with spiritual light. In ecstatic gratitude Bullah proclaimed: "O Bullah, if you seek the pleasure of a garden in spring, go and become a servant of the Arain." Bulleh Shah held the hem of his Master's cloak so firmly that he never let it go from his hand for the rest of his life. All of Bulleh Shah's compositions are suffused with love and gratitude for his Master. In this love he identified his Master with the Lord. He has addressed Shah Inayat with such words as guide, as one who unites people with God, besides calling him spouse, husband, Lord, friend, and beloved.<br /><br />1. He listens to my tale of woe;<br /><br />Shah lnayat guides me and takes me across.<br /><br />(Week)<br /><br />2 a. Shah Inayat is my Master, who has come to grace me.<br /><br />All my wrangles and strife's are over.<br /><br />Who can now delude me ?<br /><br />(Acrostic)<br /><br />b. Bullah has fallen in love with the Lord.<br /><br />He has given his life and body as earnest.<br /><br />His Lord and Master is Shah Inayat<br /><br />who has captivated his heart.<br /><br />(Baran Maha)<br /><br />c. He pervades in everyone.<br /><br />Shah lnayat himself showed it, And then alone I could see.<br /><br />(Baran Maha)<br /><br />3 a. Inayat will come to my nuptial couch;<br /><br />I am in great delight.<br /><br />(Knot)<br /><br />b. My friends have come to congratulate me.<br /><br />Shah Inayat, my Lord, has fulfilled my hopes.<br /><br />(Baran Maha)<br /><br />c. I left my parents to take your shelter,<br /><br />O my beloved King Inayat!<br /><br />Now honor this bond of love,<br /><br />for I am entirely in your hands.<br /><br />Pray, walk into my courtyard !<br /><br />(Kafi)<br /><br />d. Come Love, fold me in your arms,<br /><br />Why this estrangement ? Says Bullah:<br /><br />Ever since I found Shah Inayat, The Lord has taken abode in me.<br /><br />(Kafi)<br /><br />e. Bulleh Shah has no caste ;<br /><br />He has found Shah Inayat.<br /><br />(Kafi)<br /><br />He calls his Master the Lord of the soul and the philosopher's stone, which can turn iron into gold.<br /><br />O Bullah, my Lord Inayat knows God,<br /><br />He is the Master of my heart.<br /><br />I am iron, he is the philosopher's stone.<br /><br />Again,<br /><br />"The Master is an adept in swimming, he can take across an inept and helpless woman."<br /><br />Bullah also calls him the one who can embellish t soul with spiritual apparel and jewelry and transform widow into a bride.<br /><br />O Bullah, the Lord brought me to the door of Inayat,<br /><br />Who embellished me with clothes green and red.<br /><br />For a distinguished scholar, who belonged to the line of prophet Mohammed, to accept an ordinary vegetable grower as his Master was a very extraordinary event in the social conditions of Bulleh Shah's times. It was like an explosion which shook the prevailing social structure. Bullah had to suffer the taunts and ridicule not only of men of his religion, clan and caste, but also of all members of his family. He says :<br /><br />1. 0, what has love done to me?<br /><br />People hurl at me taunts and rebukes.<br /><br />2. For the sake of my true friend,<br /><br />I have to bear the reproaches of people.<br /><br />3. To admonish Bullah came his sisters and sisters-in-law,<br /><br />"Why have you brought disgrace to the prophet<br /><br />and to the progeny of Ali?<br /><br />Listen to our advice, 0 Bullah, and leave the hem of the Arain's skirt.<br /><br />Bullah preached fearlessly that the guidance of a Master was indispensable for spiritual realization, and the caste of the Master did not at all matter in this pursuit. Even if he belonged to the lowest caste, his help would still remain indispensable. Thus, he proclaimed at the top of his voice that pride in being a Sayyiad would land one in hell, and the one who held the skirt of a Master like Inayat Shah would enjoy the pleasures of heaven.<br /><br />Let anyone, who calls me a Sayyiad,<br /><br />be punished with tortures of hell,<br /><br />And let him revel in the pleasures of heaven,<br /><br />who labels me an Arain.<br /><br />If you seek the pleasures of the spring season,<br /><br />become a slave of the Arain.<br /><br />An interesting incident of this period in the life of Bulleh Shah presents a graphic picture of his ecstasy, generosity and fearlessness of public opinion. It is said that as a result of disgust from people's attitude, Bulleh Shah purchased a few donkeys so that people should ridicule him. They started calling him "The man with donkeys." During those days, a poor man's wife was abducted by a Muslim Chieftain. In despair, the husband went to Bulleh Shah, and asked for his help in recovering his beloved wife. After a few moments spent in thought, Bulleh Shah told the man, "Go and see, my friend, if there is any music or dance going on somewhere near about." The man soon came back and reported that a group of eunuchs was dancing in the village nearby, accompanied by a band of musicians. "That is good, " said Bulleh Shah. "Come now and sit on one of my donkeys, and we shall both go to watch the dance. " As soon as the saint arrived at the dance, he joined the group and also started dancing. He got into<br /><br />an ecstasy and asked the man, "Where does the Muslim Chieftain live ?" The man told him that he lived in a certain part of the city near the orchard of dates and the grove of mangoes. Then Bulleh Shah called out withdirected attention :<br /><br />There is a mango grove, it is said,<br /><br />and an orchard of dates.<br /><br />The owner of donkeys calls you,<br /><br />Wake up, if you are asleep.<br /><br />Sorrel is thus hulled in the mortar,<br /><br />Sorrel is thus hulled, my friend!<br /><br />The moment he uttered these words, the abducted woman ran out from the nearby garden and came to Bulleh Shah. Bulleh Shah stopped dancing and called to the husband, "Here is your beloved wife, brother! Take her home and guard her well."<br /><br />Then once more wrapped in ecstasy, he continued to dance to the bewitching music. The gossips lost no time in going to Bulleh Shah's father, an orthodox Muslim, and told him all that had happened. Not only was his son now hiring out donkeys, but he had also started to dance with the eunuchs. Greatly distressed and enraged, the saint's father, with a rosary in one hand and a staff in the other, hastened to the place where his son was dancing. " Ah! it is you, father" said Bulleh Shah as he heard his name called. He looked at his father intently and began to sing :<br /><br />People have only chaplets but my father has a rosary.<br /><br />The whole of his life he has toiled hard,<br /><br />But has not been able to uproot a single hair.<br /><br />Sorrel is thus hulled in the mortar .<br /><br />Sorrel is thus hulled, my friend !<br /><br />As the son, filled with spiritual ardor, gazed at his father, the inner eye of the father was opened and he had a divine vision. With a serene and radiant smile on his face, .he joined his son in the ecstatic dancing and singing, and as he danced, he sang over and over again :<br /><br />Blessed are the parents whose sons<br /><br />are dyed in such divine color !<br /><br />They bring salvation even to their parents.<br /><br />Sorrel is thus hulled in the mortar.<br /><br />Sorrel is thus hulled, my friend !<br /><br />The beginning of love is fascinating, but its path is difficult and its destination far. Even a small error or omission on the part of the lover can become a cause of great annoyance for the beloved. 'That creates a mountain of calamities for the lover. Such a thing happened to Bulleh Shah, when his Master got annoyed with him for an omission on his part.<br /><br />Some writers have attributed the reason for his Master's annoyance to Bulleh Shah's open criticism of rituals and customs practiced by Muslims, and this was not to the liking of Inayat Shah. This reason, however , does not appear plausible, because criticism of external observance .is common to all Sufi saints, and it was not unknown in the Qadiri tradition. They were certainly not the worshippers of this system.<br /><br />The second reason given for the annoyance is quite different in nature. It is said that once Bulleh Shah invited his Master on the marriage of one of his relatives, The Saint deputed one of his disciples to represent him at the function. This disciple belonged to the Arain caste and was poorly clad. Now, Bulleh Shah's family was proud of belonging to the clan of Sayyiads. They did not give proper attention in receiving this poorly clad man. Even Bullah happened to make this omission. At least he should have shown proper respect to the representative of his Master, But under the pressure of his family or the fear of public opinion, he did not give the guest due honor. When the disciple<br /><br />returned from the marriage, the Saint asked him how the marriage was celebrated. He told his Master the whole story , and complained that because of his low caste and tattered clothes, neither Bulleh Shah nor his family showed him due respect. The Saint replied, "How dare Bullah behave like this ?" And then added, "What have we to get from this useless man ? We shall change the direction of the flow of water from his fields to yours !" He had only to utter these words to bring a calamity in Bullah's life. As soon as the Master changed the direction of his grace, his spring turned into autumn. His inner visions vanished, leaving him dry and barren. Light changed into darkness and bliss into mourning. It was a stunning blow to Bullah.<br /><br />One who has never experienced inner bliss and who has never had a glimpse of the divine glory of his Master within, his case is quite different. But the one who has enjoyed the wealth of inner experience and who is suddenly deprived of this treasure, he alone knows the pangs of such a torture. In fact, the lord of spiritual wealth is the perfect Master, and there is nothing in the hands of the disciple. Apparently, the disciple is himself seeking the Master, and with his own effort treads the path and progresses on it, as shown by the Master. But, in reality the disciple cannot search for the Master with his mind and meager intellect, nor can he find the true path with his own power and cleverness. N or can he rise to spiritual realms with his own endeavor. Finding the true path and achieving spiritual progress are all gifts of the Master's grace. Bulleh Shah has himself written, "The Guru does whatever he wills." But to realize this he had to suffer the annoyance of his Master and cross the frightening ocean of the fire of separation.<br /><br />As soon as his spiritual experiences were stopped, Bullah hastened to his Master, but the Master turned his back on him and asked him to leave the place. For one thing, the annoyance of his Master '. for another the command not to see him! What greater torture could there be for a disciple ? Bullah was miserable. He began to burn in the fire of repentance, and his condition waslike that of a fish out of water .<br /><br />In the compositions of Bullah, many references can be found of this heart-rending state of his mind. In many of his kafis there is a touch of his personal life. No one can say with certainty when these kafis were written. But the descriptions in these poems bespeak of such a mental state. The pain of separation erupts in them like turbulent waves. "In poignancy of emotion, sincerity of feeling, ardor and longing, these kafis are matchless. "<br /><br />From the kafi given below it is evident; that the memory of the bliss of union with the beloved and the pain of separation from him are continuing to burn Bullah to ashes like a house on fire. He cannot give up love, but in the separation of his beloved, he can find peace neither by day nor by night. He is not blessed with the sight of his beloved, but without seeing him, fire rages within his breast, and his heart is breaking. It is hard to bear such a state of mind, but it is also impossible to relinquish love. So he hangs between life and death :<br /><br />I have been pierced by the arrow of love,<br /><br />what shall I do ?<br /><br />I can neither live, nor can I die.<br /><br />Listen ye to my ceaseless outpourings,<br /><br />I have peace neither by night, nor by day.<br /><br />I cannot do without my Beloved even for a moment.<br /><br />I have been pierced by the arrow of love,<br /><br />what shall I do ?<br /><br />The fire of separation is unceasing !<br /><br />Let someone take care of my love.<br /><br />How can I be saved without seeing him?<br /><br />I have been pierced by the arrow of love,<br /><br />what shall I do ?<br /><br /><br /><br />O Bullah, I am in dire trouble !<br /><br />Let someone come to help me out.<br /><br />How shall I endure such torture ?<br /><br />I have been pierced by the arrow of love,<br /><br />what shall I do ?<br /><br />I can neither live, nor can I die.<br /><br />In another kafi he describes his pain thus :<br /><br />He left me, and himself he departed;<br /><br />What fault was there in me ?<br /><br /><br /><br />Neither at night nor in the day do I sleep in peace;<br /><br />My eyes pour out tears !<br /><br />Sharper than swords and spears are the arrows of love !<br /><br />There is no one as cruel as love ;<br /><br />This malady no physician can cure.<br /><br />There is no peace, not for a moment,<br /><br />So intense is the pain of separation !<br /><br />O Bullah, if the Lord were to shower<br /><br />His grace, My days would radically change !<br /><br />He left me, and himself he departed.<br /><br />What fault was there in me ?<br /><br />As the period of separation became longer, Bullah's condition became worse. On the one hand~ there was the pain of separation, on the other, the ridicule of people. He prostrates before the memory of his Master, and repeatedly entreats him to show his face to him at the earliest.<br /><br />Why do you tarry , my Beloved ?<br /><br />O Bullah, now narrate your love story.<br /><br />He alone knows who has experienced love.<br /><br />There are rebukes within, taunts without<br /><br />Such is the comfort I have found in love !<br /><br />My eyes have taken to the habit of weeping.<br /><br />For one, it is death, for another, reproach from the world.<br /><br />The pain of separation has tightly squeezed my life.<br /><br />O Love, I have cried out my heart in anguish !<br /><br />Bullah was full of repentance over his blunder. He was keenly desirous to be forgiven by his Master. In his mind he pleads to his Master to heal his wound of separation, and to apply. balm to his heart by showing his face to him.<br /><br />I suffer from the pain of my mad love.<br /><br />Come, dear Ranjha, cast a glance at me,<br /><br />and forgive me my faults.<br /><br />From the throne of Hazara set out Ranjha,<br /><br />the Master of artless Heer.<br /><br />The bridegroom visits the homes of all others;<br /><br />What is the flaw that vitiates Bullah?<br /><br />Bullah does not only describe the state of his suffering, but also hurls complaints at his Master. On the one hand, he regrets his own lack of wisdom, on the other, he reproaches his Master, who, after piercing his heart with the arrow of love, has hidden himself and has never inquired after him.<br /><br />Inflicting a wound you hid your face;<br /><br />Who has taught you such thefts, my Love?<br /><br />With your fancy you captivated my heart,<br /><br />But then you never showed your face. This cup of poison I have drunk myself ; Indeed I was unripe in wisdom!<br /><br />He calls his Master "the beloved Thug of Lahore" and complains that he has robbed him with his love, and made him useless for the world.<br /><br />Never be taken in by its guiles ;<br /><br />It gives not peace in forest or city.<br /><br />When the traveler left after casting a glance,<br /><br />Suddenly a noose was hung round my neck.<br /><br />He then showed no concern for me.<br /><br />Oh, I have met the "beloved Thug of Lahore" !<br /><br />To be incessantly weeping in separation of his Master had become the usual routine for Bullah. This separation of his had assumed the proportions of madness, and he started roaming in streets and lanes. The intense longing to see his Master produced a kind of fire within him, to extinguish which he began to think out some plans. "I He knew that his Master was a lover of music. It is said that Bulleh put on the garb of a woman, got hold of a sarangi and went to the house of a dancing girl. He learnt dancing from her and became an adept in it. He then took along with him a drummer and a harmonium player and went to the tomb of a holy man in whose memory an annual function was being celebrated. Shah Inayat had also come to attend it. While all other dancers and singers got tired and sat down, Bullah, in ecstasy, continued to dance. His voice was extremely doleful and heart-rending. It is .said that Bullah sang many kafis on the occasion. At last even Inayat Shah's heart melted. With a voice full of compassion he said, " Are you Bullah ?" Bullah ran and fell at his Master's feet and replied with his eyes full of tears, "Sir, I am not Bullah put Bhulla. " I<br /><br />The Master is never indifferent to his disciple. When he realized that the fire of repentance and separation had purified Bullah and turned him into pure gold, he forgave him his lapse and pressed him to his heart.<br /><br />The reason why the Master put Bulleh Shah to such a hard test -the torture of burning in the fire of separation and longing ~ was to make him fit to receive the invaluable wealth of the Word of God. With this spiritual treasure he was not only to become rich himself, but also to make other seekers the recipients of this wealth.<br /><br />When the fountain of the Master's grace started flowing once again, the arid fields of Bullah began to revive, and the fragrance of the flowers of bliss spread all around. According to the author of Qanun-i-Ishq, the Master pressed Bullah to his heart, took him along with him, and intoxicated him with the wine of union. Bullah's soul got dyed in the hue of his Master's soul, so that no distinction remained between the two. One of Bulleh Shah's kafis gives a graphic description of his state of merging in the Master (Fana-fil-Sheikh) :<br /><br />Repeating the name of Ranjha<br /><br />I have become Ranjha myself.<br /><br />O call me ye all "Dhido-Ranjha,"<br /><br />let no one call me Heer .<br /><br />Ranjha is in me, I am in Ranjha,<br /><br />no other thought exists in my mind.<br /><br />I am not, He alone is.<br /><br />He alone is amusing himself.<br /><br />The Master is one with the Lord. So, merging in the Master is transformed into merging in the Lord. This state is expressed by Bullah in the following lines of two kafis :<br /><br />1. You alone exist, I do not, O Beloved!<br /><br /><br /><br />2. Repeating the name of the Beloved<br /><br />I have become the Beloved myself.<br /><br />Whom shall I call the Beloved now?<br /><br /><br /><br />The same thought is conveyed by Jesus Christ in the Bible thus :<br /><br />"At that day ye. shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you."<br /><br />Arriving at this stage, the illusion of duality disappears, and the glory of the Beloved is seen to pervade everywhere. Bulleh Shah declares that love for the Lord has so radically changed him that his individual self or ego has been totally eliminated. He has now realized his true Self hidden behind the veil of the physical body. His identification with the Supreme Being has opened for him the floodgates of divine light. In this light no one has remained a stranger. All have become His own.<br /><br />I have got lost in the city of love,<br /><br />I am being cleansed, withdrawing myself<br /><br />from my head, hands and feet.<br /><br />I have got rid of my ego,<br /><br />and have attained my goal.<br /><br />Thus it has all ended well.<br /><br />O Bullah, the Lord pervades both the worlds;<br /><br />None now appears a stranger to me.<br /><br />In the transcendence of the finite to the Infinite; all disputes of religion, of good and evil, disappear. To Bullah now all began to appear as virtuous; none seemed to him as evil or a stranger.<br /><br />Remove duality and do away with all disputes;<br /><br />The Hindus and Muslims are not other than He.<br /><br />Deem everyone virtuous, there are no thieves.<br /><br />For, within every body He himself resides.<br /><br />How the Trickster has put on a mask!<br /><br />Saturated with the love of God, Bullah became the personification of compassion and forgiveness. He began to see the divine in every being, and distinctions of caste and religion, friend and foe, ceased to have any meaning for him. The following incident of his life illustrates this sublime state of his mind in a beautiful way:<br /><br />It is said I that "once Bulleh Shah was engaged in meditation inside his chamber. It was the month of Ramzan. Some of his disciples were sitting outside eating carrots. After some time a group of orthodox Muslims who were keeping the fast happened to pass them. When they saw the disciples sitting at a faqir's abode and violating the fast, they were enraged. " They shouted in an angry voice, " Are you not ashamed of eating in the month of Ramzan, and that also at the abode of a faqir?" The disciples replied, "Brother believers, take your path. We are feeling hungry. That is why we are eating. "<br /><br />The group of believers felt suspicious about their faith. So they asked, "Who are you?" They replied, "We are Muslims. Don't the Muslims feel hungry?". The believers again commanded them to stop eating, but the disciples did not heed. The believers who were on horses, alighted. They snatched the carrots from the hands of the disciples, and threw them away. They also gave a few blows to them. As they were about to leave, it struck them that the pir of these impious people must have been cast in the same mould. So they turned back to ask him what kind of instruction he had given to his disciples. They went to his chamber and said, "Who are you?" Bullah who was meditating with his eyes closed, raised his arms and moved his hands. They asked him again, "Why don't you speak? Who are you?" Bullah once again raised his arms. The riders taking him to be a mad man, went away. Soon after they left, the disciples entered the chamber, raising a hue and cry that they had been beaten. Bullah told them that they must have done something to provoke the believers. The disciples denied to have done any such thing. Bullah said, "What did they ask you?" The disciples replied, "They asked us who we were, and we said we were Muslims." Bullah retorted, "That's why you were beaten. You became something and you suffered. I didn't become anything, and they said nothing to me."<br /><br />To consider oneself something emanates from the sense of .ego. Such a person is still under the sway of maya, and has not had a vision of Truth so far. One who has had such a vision comes to know his true Self and gets liberated from the bondage of caste, religion and country. There are numerous instances in the poems of Bulleh Shah, which show that the soul, like the Lord, has no religion, no caste, no country. All these distinctions are born out of time and space, but the soul is unborn and timeless. It has neither a beginning, nor an end, nor is it bound by the limitations of caste and religion. Bullah recognizes only the primeval relationship of soul with God :<br /><br />I take myself to be the beginning and the end;<br /><br />I do not recognize aught except the One.<br /><br />Having realized the Truth within, Bulleh Shah became the embodiment of Truth himself. He spent the rest of his life in disseminating the message of this Reality. Till the end of his sojourn in this transient world he was engaged in meditation of the Lord, and guided all those who came in contact with him, on the same path. His magnetic personality, his pure living and his divine writings spread his fame far and wide. Many a seeker after Truth was attracted by his charm and derived much spiritual gain under his guidance. The last years of his life he passed in Qasur, and here he died in 1758-1759. His t6mb can be seen in Qasur even today. It is mentioned in Bang-i-Auli-va-i-Hind :<br /><br />When 1171 (Hijiri) had come to pass,<br /><br />In Qasur his shrine was well raised.<br /><br />Bulleh Shah was an evolved soul, a perfect faqir and a true lover. Through the love for his Master he realized the Lord. In his love one finds poignancy, ardor and longing besides sincerity, sacrifice and renunciation. Under the canopy of love he made his offerings of caste and learning. His love for his Master never wavered for a moment despite the fire of separation and longing through which he passed. His writings, as also his life, manifest transcendence of physical love ( of the Master) to divine love ( of the Lord). Indeed, this is. the path of all true mystics, all true lovers of God.<br /><br />Whosoever has attained union with the Lord has done so by traveling on this path, and whosoever will attain this union, will do so by becoming a traveler on this path of love. Bulleh Shah's life and writings are replete with subtle secrets of the path. They do riot only strengthen the love of a true lover, but also encourage him to undergo the severest hardships for reaching the spiritual goal. The life and compositions of Bulleh Shah will serve as a lighthouse for times immemorial to true seekers of spiritual realization</span></strong></span></p></div><script type="text/javascript">createSummaryAndThumb("summary7268199961311267877");</script></div></li></ul></div>Bazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2187511515620636365.post-91184103810242919582009-09-22T23:47:00.000-07:002009-09-22T23:55:34.453-07:00Hazrat Khawaja Ghulam Farid (R.A)<br />Khawaja Ghulam Farid, the top most spiritual poet in Siraiki Language, was born in 1845 A.D. at Kot Mithan, in a family of Arab settlers who had come to this country along with the Arab forces.<br />Maulana Khuda Bux had two sons, Khawaja Farid-ud-Din and Khawaja Fakhar-ud-Din. It is said that when Khawaja Ghulam Farid was a child, Maulana Muhammad gave him the first lesson of the first alphabet "ALIF" and asked him to say "ALIF". He repeated the same again and again till every-one present there was enveloped by a trance. Some qawali singers were invited and they too recited the same word on their musical instruments. The trance remained in sway for a considerable time.<br />Khawaja Farid's mother died when he was only four years of age. He was looked after by his eider brother. At the age of eight, he had committed to memory the whole of the holy Quran. Thereafter Nawab Sadiq Muhammad Khan took the child to his palace at Ahmad Pur Sharqia for imparting him religious knowledge by some renowned scholar. At the age of thirteen, Khawaja Farid became the disciple of Khawaja Fakhar-ud-Din, his elder brother. When he crossed 28 years of his age Khawaja Fakhar-ud-Din died. He left for Ruhi(Cholistan Desert) where he remained for about eighteen years. It was a typical wilderness but suitable for a recluse saint. It was very beneficial for connection with Kot Mithan or Chacharan. About this wilderness of Ruhi(Cholistan), we often read in his lyrics. He performed Haj Baitullah in 1876.<br />Khawaja Farid was conversant with seven languages Viz, Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Multani, Sindhi, Hindi and Sansakrat. He led a life of purity and was utterly devoted to the righteous path of the Holy Prophet of Islam (May his soul ever rest in peace).<br />The lyrics of Khawaja Farid speak of the sadness of his separation from God and Muhammad, the beloved of Allah. He never reckoned himself away from his goal. But at times he felt a great separation and so he cried, groaned and sang in his ecstacy of the love which united him to his creator but with a veil in between them. The body acts as a most obedient slave, the sould gives life to the body and the spirit infuses the mechanical power in man. All these faculties he utilised only for the sake of Allah to approach Him, the only Goal for the man to attain.<br />The spiritual yearing, purification and elevation depends on so many factors which have been explained by saints and spiritualists. The shortest way to the creator is Love and Khawaja used this Method of attaining sublimation. All the attributes of Allah, we know are the off- shoots of Love. Khawaja Farid expressed this love in his fine verses.<br />Services Rendered by Khawaja Ghulam Farid for Spreading of Islam<br />Khawaja Ghulam Farid rendered numerous services for spreading Islam and left behind disciples in Lacs. His most notable disciples are noted below:-<br />Nawab Qaisar Khan Magassi of Balochistan and his subjects.<br />Nawab Sadiq Khan 4th of Bahawalpur State and his subjects.<br />Mirza Ahmad Akhtar, the grand son of Bahadur Shah Zafar.<br />Publications<br />Khawaja Farid wrote the following books both in poetry and prose:-<br />Dewan-E-Farid in 1882. (Saraiki Poetry)<br />Dewan-e-Farid in 1884. (Urdu Poetry)<br />Manaqabe Mehboobia (in Persian prose)<br />Fawaid Faridia (in Persian prose)<br />Khawaja Farid died on 24th July, 1901 and was laid to rest in Kot Mithan.<br /><a href="http://cfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/baba-sheikh-farid.html">Baba Sheikh Farid</a><br />#fullpost{display:none;}<br /><a href="http://pakway.blogspot.com/search/label/SUFI">Baba Sheikh Farid</a><br /><a href="http://pakway.blogspot.com/search/label/SUFI">Timeline (1173 - 1266)</a><br /><a href="http://pakway.blogspot.com/search/label/SUFI"></a><a href="http://pakway.blogspot.com/search/label/SUFI"></a>Baba Sheikh Farid was a Sufi saint who is considered by many to be the first major poet of the Punjabi language. He was born in the Multan district of what is today Pakistan.Later, when the Sikh holy book the Adi Granth Sahib was compiled, many of Baba Sheikh Farid's poems and couplets were included, alongside the poetry of Kabir and RavidasBazralnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277070648132483830noreply@blogger.com0