Al Ghazali, The Alchemist of Happiness
click here
"They wanted to bridge that gap between the created and the Creator, but the Islamic World Outlook depends on that gap. Man should not try to bridge that gap, to have union with God, but he must strive to get closer to God. The Muslim learns to recognize the gap. This is of the essence in Islam. Those who want to bridge the gap, and reach God, and have union with Him, are Pantheists. Islam is very much opposed to Pantheism."
The essence of Abu Hamid al Ghazali
Related Articles in the blog :
click here, Conversation on Imam al Ghazali
click here
Friday, April 29, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Faces in Islam : A Journey of Worship by Yasir Qadhi
I thought earlier that I have finally done and finished with the topic, 'Faces in Islam', but on second thought that would not be a good ending, with issues of bidaah and contending personalities [ and I have not touch on Shiite yet ! ] .
'A Journey of Worship' by this young ulama', Shaykh Yasir Qadhi, is probably the best ending, tying up what have been a perfect ending in our rather pedestrian and fleeting journey across the Muslim spectrum across time and peoples across continents.
Journey of Worship, Yasir Qadhi, click here
Mashaallah ! How beautiful. It is back to ilm, ilm ilm ilm and ilm.....and connectivity 24/7 ! This is inward spirituality. Quality of deed , spurred by knowledge.
" I expect to be rewarded for my sleep as I expect to be rewarded for my tahajjud "
Muaz bin Jabal, a companion.
.............................
Related utube on Prophet's prayer :
Shaykh Hussien Yee, a scholar with 'salafi' leaning.
click here
Ustaz Ismail Kamus, known for his more 'liberal' views, has more humour talking on the same subject, he is forever young at heart, having just remarried recently. He is one of my favourite local ulama'. Incidentally , both are correct.....fullstop.
click here
And of course we cannot leave Prof Harun Din out of the picture. I will always remember him for his most profound statement some 26 years back to a group of us 'medicos' about to embark to Mekkah for The Haj. I was leading the medical team ,looking after 26,000 Malaysian pilgrims.
" The spirit and inner meaning of Haj is a rehearsal of your own Death, the loneliness and desperation of Padang Mahsyar, the calamity of facing and crossing the Sirat ". Reminded me of my earlier reading of the Shiite intellectual/ulama', the late Ali Shariati, also on 'Haj'.[ I was a young man in a hurry then, the usual regime and regimentation given by other ustaz on haj bored me ].Ali Shariati's small treatise on 'Haj' was excellent reading, the best in fact on Haj so far that I have read. He touched on the spirit of the haj rather than the various method and the fuqaha aspect. As a sunni one just need to avoid the last chapter, when he went 'ballastic' on us.
For Prof Harun Din,click here
'A Journey of Worship' by this young ulama', Shaykh Yasir Qadhi, is probably the best ending, tying up what have been a perfect ending in our rather pedestrian and fleeting journey across the Muslim spectrum across time and peoples across continents.
Journey of Worship, Yasir Qadhi, click here
Mashaallah ! How beautiful. It is back to ilm, ilm ilm ilm and ilm.....and connectivity 24/7 ! This is inward spirituality. Quality of deed , spurred by knowledge.
" I expect to be rewarded for my sleep as I expect to be rewarded for my tahajjud "
Muaz bin Jabal, a companion.
.............................
Related utube on Prophet's prayer :
Shaykh Hussien Yee, a scholar with 'salafi' leaning.
click here
Ustaz Ismail Kamus, known for his more 'liberal' views, has more humour talking on the same subject, he is forever young at heart, having just remarried recently. He is one of my favourite local ulama'. Incidentally , both are correct.....fullstop.
click here
And of course we cannot leave Prof Harun Din out of the picture. I will always remember him for his most profound statement some 26 years back to a group of us 'medicos' about to embark to Mekkah for The Haj. I was leading the medical team ,looking after 26,000 Malaysian pilgrims.
" The spirit and inner meaning of Haj is a rehearsal of your own Death, the loneliness and desperation of Padang Mahsyar, the calamity of facing and crossing the Sirat ". Reminded me of my earlier reading of the Shiite intellectual/ulama', the late Ali Shariati, also on 'Haj'.[ I was a young man in a hurry then, the usual regime and regimentation given by other ustaz on haj bored me ].Ali Shariati's small treatise on 'Haj' was excellent reading, the best in fact on Haj so far that I have read. He touched on the spirit of the haj rather than the various method and the fuqaha aspect. As a sunni one just need to avoid the last chapter, when he went 'ballastic' on us.
For Prof Harun Din,click here
Friday, April 22, 2011
HASAD..........
Dr Asri's perspective on " HASAD ",
http://video.l3.fbcdn.net/cfs-l3-snc6/214817/775/1547399543753_2324.mp4?oh=4d3a4e36dede039caf8ad70a34808096&oe=4DB2E500&l3s=20110421073104&l3e=20110423074104&lh=0a758623ff6c316b7
[.....sorry folks, it is no longer available on the server.....!!!]
Dr Azman,
Thank you for sending me this short but meaningful utube expose on ' Hasad ' by Dr Asri. I include here a short exceprt from Shaykh Abd al al Qadir al Jilani, on the same subject , taken from Muchtar Holland's translation of the Shaykh's discourses from 'Jala al Khawatir' transliterally translated as 'Removal of Cares'. A historical perspective on the issue of Hasad....
Nik Howk
..............
Beware of envy [ hasad ], for it is a bad companion indeed. It was envy that wrecked the house of iblis, that ruined him, that made him one of the people of the Fire of Hell, and that cause him to be damned by the Lord of truth [ Almighty and Glorious is He ] and by His angels and His Prophets and all His creatures. How could any sensible person indulge in feelings of envy, when he has heard the words of Allah [ Exalted is He ] :
We have shared out amongst them their livelihood in the life of this world, [ 43 : 32 ]
Or are they envious of the people because of that which Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounty? [ 4 : 54 ]
He must also have heard the saying of the Prophet [ Allah bless him and give him peace ] :
Envy consumes the merit earned by good deeds, just as the fire consumes the logs of wood
O young man! As one of the learned scholars has said: " By Allah, once a person is filled with envy he may go as far as to murder his friend. "
Let us take refuge with Allah [ Almighty and Glorious is He ] from the person who is filled with envy, for he is always involved in some dispute with Him, about His work, about His creatures and His allotment of shares.
I speak to you as one who is not interested in what you have in your house, in your goods, your property and your gifts. As long as I carry on like this, you will benefit from what I have to tell you, if Allah [ Exalted is He ] so wills. As long as the speaker has his eyes on your turbans, your robes and your pockets, you will derive no benefit from what he has to say. So long as he is watching your smoke [ ie your outward appearance ] and harbouring greedily ambitious expectations of you, you will derive no benefit from what he has to say. His speech will be an empty shell with no kernel [ lubb ] inside it, a bone with no meat on it, a bitter pill with nothing to sweeten it, an outer form with no inner content.......
.............................
" A'u zubi kallimatillah hittam ma ti min sharri ma kholak "
I seek refuge from the kalimah of Allah against the evils of the things [ creatures ] He has created.
A short Dua from Imam Malik's Muwata.
And covet not the thing in which Allah hath made some of you excel others. Unto men a fortune from that which they have earned, and unto women a fortune from that which they have earned. (Envy not one another) but ask Allah of His bounty. Lo! Allah is ever Knower of all things.
Surah An Nisa , 4 : 32
Is he who was dead and We have raised him unto life, and set for him a light wherein he walketh among men, as him whose similitude is in utter darkness whence he cannot emerge? Thus is their conduct made fairseeming for the disbelievers. (122) And thus have We made in every city great ones of its wicked ones, that they should plot therein. They do but plot against themselves, though they perceive not. (123) And when a token cometh unto them, they say: We will not believe till we are given that which Allah's messengers are given. Allah knoweth best with whom to place His message. Humiliation from Allah and heavy punishment will smite the guilty for their scheming. (124) And whomsoever it is Allah's will to guide, He expandeth his bosom unto the Surrender, and whomsoever it is His Will to send astray, He maketh his bosom close and narrow as if he were engaged in sheer ascent. Thus Allah layeth ignominy upon those who believe not. (125) This is the path of thy Lord, a straight path. We have detailed Our revelations for a people who take heed. (126) For them is the abode of peace with their Lord. He will be their Protecting Friend because of what they used to do. (127)
Al Anaam, 6 : 122-127
http://video.l3.fbcdn.net/cfs-l3-snc6/214817/775/1547399543753_2324.mp4?oh=4d3a4e36dede039caf8ad70a34808096&oe=4DB2E500&l3s=20110421073104&l3e=20110423074104&lh=0a758623ff6c316b7
[.....sorry folks, it is no longer available on the server.....!!!]
Dr Azman,
Thank you for sending me this short but meaningful utube expose on ' Hasad ' by Dr Asri. I include here a short exceprt from Shaykh Abd al al Qadir al Jilani, on the same subject , taken from Muchtar Holland's translation of the Shaykh's discourses from 'Jala al Khawatir' transliterally translated as 'Removal of Cares'. A historical perspective on the issue of Hasad....
Nik Howk
..............
Beware of envy [ hasad ], for it is a bad companion indeed. It was envy that wrecked the house of iblis, that ruined him, that made him one of the people of the Fire of Hell, and that cause him to be damned by the Lord of truth [ Almighty and Glorious is He ] and by His angels and His Prophets and all His creatures. How could any sensible person indulge in feelings of envy, when he has heard the words of Allah [ Exalted is He ] :
We have shared out amongst them their livelihood in the life of this world, [ 43 : 32 ]
Or are they envious of the people because of that which Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounty? [ 4 : 54 ]
He must also have heard the saying of the Prophet [ Allah bless him and give him peace ] :
Envy consumes the merit earned by good deeds, just as the fire consumes the logs of wood
O young man! As one of the learned scholars has said: " By Allah, once a person is filled with envy he may go as far as to murder his friend. "
Let us take refuge with Allah [ Almighty and Glorious is He ] from the person who is filled with envy, for he is always involved in some dispute with Him, about His work, about His creatures and His allotment of shares.
I speak to you as one who is not interested in what you have in your house, in your goods, your property and your gifts. As long as I carry on like this, you will benefit from what I have to tell you, if Allah [ Exalted is He ] so wills. As long as the speaker has his eyes on your turbans, your robes and your pockets, you will derive no benefit from what he has to say. So long as he is watching your smoke [ ie your outward appearance ] and harbouring greedily ambitious expectations of you, you will derive no benefit from what he has to say. His speech will be an empty shell with no kernel [ lubb ] inside it, a bone with no meat on it, a bitter pill with nothing to sweeten it, an outer form with no inner content.......
.............................
" A'u zubi kallimatillah hittam ma ti min sharri ma kholak "
I seek refuge from the kalimah of Allah against the evils of the things [ creatures ] He has created.
A short Dua from Imam Malik's Muwata.
And covet not the thing in which Allah hath made some of you excel others. Unto men a fortune from that which they have earned, and unto women a fortune from that which they have earned. (Envy not one another) but ask Allah of His bounty. Lo! Allah is ever Knower of all things.
Surah An Nisa , 4 : 32
Is he who was dead and We have raised him unto life, and set for him a light wherein he walketh among men, as him whose similitude is in utter darkness whence he cannot emerge? Thus is their conduct made fairseeming for the disbelievers. (122) And thus have We made in every city great ones of its wicked ones, that they should plot therein. They do but plot against themselves, though they perceive not. (123) And when a token cometh unto them, they say: We will not believe till we are given that which Allah's messengers are given. Allah knoweth best with whom to place His message. Humiliation from Allah and heavy punishment will smite the guilty for their scheming. (124) And whomsoever it is Allah's will to guide, He expandeth his bosom unto the Surrender, and whomsoever it is His Will to send astray, He maketh his bosom close and narrow as if he were engaged in sheer ascent. Thus Allah layeth ignominy upon those who believe not. (125) This is the path of thy Lord, a straight path. We have detailed Our revelations for a people who take heed. (126) For them is the abode of peace with their Lord. He will be their Protecting Friend because of what they used to do. (127)
Al Anaam, 6 : 122-127
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Faces in Islam.......Hearts looking for Ihsan
[ the last of a series of seven mini thesis ]
Traveling along the way into the 'Muslim inner hinterland' we cannot miss this centuries-old debate and dichotomy between Islamic orthodoxy as represented by the 'fuqaha' of every period and the sufis, those 'unsettled hearts' wanting to get out of the strait jacketing of Islam into a 'series of rules and regimentations' to one of experiential Islam aiming towards Ihsan and 'love of HIM'.
Imam al Ghazali was the most well known of those who tried to unify Islamic orthodoxy with Sufism in the 11th century, well known for this in his late life voluminous writings of the Ihya. He was partially successful, if we were to judge by the perception now in the 21st century when the difference seem to be more distinct.
The truth of the matter, I suspect, most probably must lie somewhere in between:
The Quran, Sunnah Rasullallah and hadith represent mainstream Islam....the progress to Ihsan is about Hearts. This is where the 'fight' is. The sufis , throughout the ages traditionally stake a claim that they are the 'doctors of the hearts'. What blurrs the whole picture were the presence of charlattans and false ulama' on both sides of the divides claiming only they have the monopoly of true knowledge.
Huwallahualam.
Let us have an open view and listen to a scholarly discourse on Sufism by Dr Saleh al Saleh, representing a salafi view on the discourse.
Part 1, click here
Part 2, click here
Part 3, click here
Part 4, click here
Part5, click here
The 'salafis' and the fuquhas contend that for Ihsan you 'just' play the ball game and follow the rules, you will get Ihsan.
The sufis , to my understanding thought otherwise,'one need to be guided', 'one need to belong to a tarikat' so as not to stray.....and stray many did since the path from 'strict regimentation and rules' as in the Syariah, avoiding the 'haram' and sticking to the 'halals' and giving a wide berth to the 'makruh', onwards towards love of observing all these and finally creating love for the DEITY Himself and spiritual pleasure in the Islamic faith, are 'peppered' with many slippery slopes and deep ravine.
The 'salafis' and the 'wahabis' take the simple route : Just follow and you will get there. The sufis thought these are matters of the hearts, not any 'donkey' can reach there without proper guidance, especially if one is in a hurry . Compounding this dichotomy was the incessant political struggle to be near the centre of power of that time, the sultanates and the caliphate. Hallaj was the most famous sufi to be executed for 'crime' against Islam.[ I think he was burned alive, such was the anger between the two groups even then ]
His crime ? "Wahdatul Wujud", for claiming he was one with Allah....whether it was truly that we do not know.
Dr Muhammad Tahir, click here
part 2, click here
Historically the 'salafis' could not shake off the 'sufis' that easily because Islam as it is known in this Nusantara and the Indian subcontinent was not brought here by conquest but rather by sufi traders in the 13th and the 14th century.It is these 'colouring' that have remained to the present day.Things such as 'maulidarasul',' talkin','tahlil',group zikr, specific post prayer awrad, etc and etc are the 'bidaah hasanah' historical leftovers of the sufis, I believe.
In the 20th century the axis of influence in the Muslim world shifted from the Ottomans to the Nedj peninsula helped also by power of the Petrodolar. With the increasing influence of ulama' from the Nedj peninsula specifically from both Medinah and Makkah school of thought, the 'debate goes on', and in the Malaysian scene, it gets hotter.
And yes the debate really goes on, just listen to this young man :
click here
......I wish life is that simple as this young man think!
Thanks Allah though, Islam is The Middle way.......one do not need to belong to any group. Ilm, Ilm Ilm and ilm would, insyallah, lead us on to the Middle way, insyaallah.
It is not enough that one follow a specific teacher. In the 21st century abounds with books and ready available information, one need to study the Quran, read the Tafseer, read the hadith [ may I suggest you start with Imam Nawawi's 2 volume,Riyadis Solihin ].
Enjoy your journey and adventurism my friends and do not allow people to put blinkers over your 'eyes' or force you to put on their 'tinted' glasses.Certainly not the young 'punk' who gave the lecture above, not Ustaz Rasul Dahri. Not even scholars like Shaykh Hamza , Shaykh Muhammad al Yacuobi or Prof TJ Winter aka Abdul Hakim Murad.Do not swallow whole what Ustaz Harun Din or Ustaz Abdullah Yasin say or did not say. It is good practice in this short life of ours to lose our reverence to all these people sometime. You may find this quite liberating.
Set your own course and enjoy the journey. You may even get yourself lost sometime but with a compass based on the Quran and Sunnah, you cannot go very far wrong from the main course.
Faith is a journey. Make that journey a spiritually pleasurable one for you.
Huwallahualam.
Post Script :
Face to face with Hisham Kabbani : Disregard where he come from, or the size or colour of his turban, or what Tarikat or 'ter-ikat' he is affiliated to, just listen to him......
click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQNE-GcHhHU&feature=related
click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84TSSY8sjzk&NR=1
click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFjYlV8YRNY&NR=1
click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERo5Rb_qGBo&NR=1
click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkY4644Tv9Y&NR=1
......and with this ends my mini thesis on 'Faces of Islam' and I hope this has been an illuminating and educational journey for us all across the diversity of what we call peoples of the Muslim faith. As an observer of LIFE itself , I 'officially' do not take any position except that I am a Muslim first and last and the Quran and Sunnah are my compass.
Big turban, small turban, white kopiah, green kopiah, short beard and long beard, professors with long degrees and young 'wahabi' punks with small brains and minds....all of them come with something ,some message that we can benefit from, but if we stick to one only, we are looking to the world with blinkers and through their 'tinted' glasses. It is all right if you love it that way....the other way is to be more open but one need to work harder..it is back to ilm, ilm ilm and ilm.
Traveling along the way into the 'Muslim inner hinterland' we cannot miss this centuries-old debate and dichotomy between Islamic orthodoxy as represented by the 'fuqaha' of every period and the sufis, those 'unsettled hearts' wanting to get out of the strait jacketing of Islam into a 'series of rules and regimentations' to one of experiential Islam aiming towards Ihsan and 'love of HIM'.
Imam al Ghazali was the most well known of those who tried to unify Islamic orthodoxy with Sufism in the 11th century, well known for this in his late life voluminous writings of the Ihya. He was partially successful, if we were to judge by the perception now in the 21st century when the difference seem to be more distinct.
The truth of the matter, I suspect, most probably must lie somewhere in between:
The Quran, Sunnah Rasullallah and hadith represent mainstream Islam....the progress to Ihsan is about Hearts. This is where the 'fight' is. The sufis , throughout the ages traditionally stake a claim that they are the 'doctors of the hearts'. What blurrs the whole picture were the presence of charlattans and false ulama' on both sides of the divides claiming only they have the monopoly of true knowledge.
Huwallahualam.
Let us have an open view and listen to a scholarly discourse on Sufism by Dr Saleh al Saleh, representing a salafi view on the discourse.
Part 1, click here
Part 2, click here
Part 3, click here
Part 4, click here
Part5, click here
The 'salafis' and the fuquhas contend that for Ihsan you 'just' play the ball game and follow the rules, you will get Ihsan.
The sufis , to my understanding thought otherwise,'one need to be guided', 'one need to belong to a tarikat' so as not to stray.....and stray many did since the path from 'strict regimentation and rules' as in the Syariah, avoiding the 'haram' and sticking to the 'halals' and giving a wide berth to the 'makruh', onwards towards love of observing all these and finally creating love for the DEITY Himself and spiritual pleasure in the Islamic faith, are 'peppered' with many slippery slopes and deep ravine.
The 'salafis' and the 'wahabis' take the simple route : Just follow and you will get there. The sufis thought these are matters of the hearts, not any 'donkey' can reach there without proper guidance, especially if one is in a hurry . Compounding this dichotomy was the incessant political struggle to be near the centre of power of that time, the sultanates and the caliphate. Hallaj was the most famous sufi to be executed for 'crime' against Islam.[ I think he was burned alive, such was the anger between the two groups even then ]
His crime ? "Wahdatul Wujud", for claiming he was one with Allah....whether it was truly that we do not know.
Dr Muhammad Tahir, click here
part 2, click here
Historically the 'salafis' could not shake off the 'sufis' that easily because Islam as it is known in this Nusantara and the Indian subcontinent was not brought here by conquest but rather by sufi traders in the 13th and the 14th century.It is these 'colouring' that have remained to the present day.Things such as 'maulidarasul',' talkin','tahlil',group zikr, specific post prayer awrad, etc and etc are the 'bidaah hasanah' historical leftovers of the sufis, I believe.
In the 20th century the axis of influence in the Muslim world shifted from the Ottomans to the Nedj peninsula helped also by power of the Petrodolar. With the increasing influence of ulama' from the Nedj peninsula specifically from both Medinah and Makkah school of thought, the 'debate goes on', and in the Malaysian scene, it gets hotter.
And yes the debate really goes on, just listen to this young man :
click here
......I wish life is that simple as this young man think!
Thanks Allah though, Islam is The Middle way.......one do not need to belong to any group. Ilm, Ilm Ilm and ilm would, insyallah, lead us on to the Middle way, insyaallah.
It is not enough that one follow a specific teacher. In the 21st century abounds with books and ready available information, one need to study the Quran, read the Tafseer, read the hadith [ may I suggest you start with Imam Nawawi's 2 volume,Riyadis Solihin ].
Enjoy your journey and adventurism my friends and do not allow people to put blinkers over your 'eyes' or force you to put on their 'tinted' glasses.Certainly not the young 'punk' who gave the lecture above, not Ustaz Rasul Dahri. Not even scholars like Shaykh Hamza , Shaykh Muhammad al Yacuobi or Prof TJ Winter aka Abdul Hakim Murad.Do not swallow whole what Ustaz Harun Din or Ustaz Abdullah Yasin say or did not say. It is good practice in this short life of ours to lose our reverence to all these people sometime. You may find this quite liberating.
Set your own course and enjoy the journey. You may even get yourself lost sometime but with a compass based on the Quran and Sunnah, you cannot go very far wrong from the main course.
Faith is a journey. Make that journey a spiritually pleasurable one for you.
Huwallahualam.
Post Script :
Face to face with Hisham Kabbani : Disregard where he come from, or the size or colour of his turban, or what Tarikat or 'ter-ikat' he is affiliated to, just listen to him......
click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQNE-GcHhHU&feature=related
click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84TSSY8sjzk&NR=1
click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFjYlV8YRNY&NR=1
click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERo5Rb_qGBo&NR=1
click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkY4644Tv9Y&NR=1
......and with this ends my mini thesis on 'Faces of Islam' and I hope this has been an illuminating and educational journey for us all across the diversity of what we call peoples of the Muslim faith. As an observer of LIFE itself , I 'officially' do not take any position except that I am a Muslim first and last and the Quran and Sunnah are my compass.
Big turban, small turban, white kopiah, green kopiah, short beard and long beard, professors with long degrees and young 'wahabi' punks with small brains and minds....all of them come with something ,some message that we can benefit from, but if we stick to one only, we are looking to the world with blinkers and through their 'tinted' glasses. It is all right if you love it that way....the other way is to be more open but one need to work harder..it is back to ilm, ilm ilm and ilm.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Death and Dying Revisited........Steps to Jannah
This month April represent for me at least a month of self 'audit'. Still fresh from my almost subliminal experience up Gunong Stong just two weeks ago and still bearing the pain and ache from that exertion, I was in quite a pensive mood. More so especially when I am reminded of my very own mortality listening to the lilting rendition of the Holy Quran in the early morning hours by my terminally ill mother in law from downstairs who is still holding on to dear life, well past her second year now suffering from lung cancer. She is on the wonder drug,TARCEVA, and somehow this drug jive well with her. She must be in her last 'leg' though as I could see from her recent chest xray, three 'golf ball' sized tumour recurrence have reappeared.Ignorance is bliss I thought to myself. But I think in her case it is more of redza, and the beauty of kaffarah playing its role on her psyche. She is not stupid. She knows her score. She has had a pain free marvellous two years now. Two years of continuous zikr and remembrance of Allah, insyaallah!
Just yesterday I met my most esteemed more senior colleague of mine, along the long corridor of Sime darby medical Centre. He has cancer of the kidney for over two years now. Still surviving well on state of the art targeted chemotherapy !
He told me, just a week ago he could not attend the Friday Jumaat prayer because of severe neuritis in the feet due to side-effect of his medication and he had never felt such great loss and feeling miserable at having to forego that particular Jumaat prayer. Never in his 70 years of life had he felt that way ! Wow ! For the life of me, I have never experience such remorse and I doubt many do. This must be very special.
Lost for words but not unaccustomed to discussing about 'our' next journey to al Barzak,I reassured him that he is a very lucky man indeed to have such feeling even late in his life.....Life, like golf, it is not how you start the game, but how you end it.....Hasnul khatimah rather than suul khatimah. This is the gift and the kaffarah related to chronic, intractable and terminal illness which millions fail to appreciate. This kind of' corridor' discussion amongst colleagues may sound surreal to some but 'Nik Howk is Nik Howk'. As much as I am in the business of keeping people 'up and about', being there mostly at the scene of the 'crash' has left some degree of 'permanent head damage'. It come in the package !
Healthy 'clowns' like us go through life, uncaringly and with total heedlessness to HIM, not knowing that death could well be at the next 'turn' or even before the next 'breath'. While if you are in the state like my m.i.l or my colleague, the 'sword of Damocle' is always over your neck reminding you of your imminent death all the time, and that ensure you would always try to be in a continuous state of zhikr, prayer and 'doa' or heedfulness. You have a tendency to 'live just from prayer to prayer'. That is the ultimate gift if we reexamine our priorities with wisdom and the right common sense.
An opposite position would be to have survived cancer fully and yet not visited by such feeling. Tihs is a very rare, stony and tough individual indeed ! One probably need to be a total agnostic on a scale of SIX/SIX. We have full sympathy for such individuals.....a Christopher Hitchins or a Richard Dawkin, two hard core self proclaimed agnostics/atheist who cannot separate the trees from the forest ! Despite being gifted with high IQ.
For all of us healthy 'clowns' thus , the following youtube presentation on 'Steps to Jannah' would present as a timely reminder to us all on the ways and modus operandi in order to ensure a good ending.
Huwallahualam.
Part 1, click here
Part 2, click here
Part 3, click here
Part 4, click here
Part5, click here
Related articles in previous blog :
Kaffarah, click here
Cancer, click here
Redza, click here
On Death and Dying, click here
Redza Revisited, click here
The Shahadah, click here
Just yesterday I met my most esteemed more senior colleague of mine, along the long corridor of Sime darby medical Centre. He has cancer of the kidney for over two years now. Still surviving well on state of the art targeted chemotherapy !
He told me, just a week ago he could not attend the Friday Jumaat prayer because of severe neuritis in the feet due to side-effect of his medication and he had never felt such great loss and feeling miserable at having to forego that particular Jumaat prayer. Never in his 70 years of life had he felt that way ! Wow ! For the life of me, I have never experience such remorse and I doubt many do. This must be very special.
Lost for words but not unaccustomed to discussing about 'our' next journey to al Barzak,I reassured him that he is a very lucky man indeed to have such feeling even late in his life.....Life, like golf, it is not how you start the game, but how you end it.....Hasnul khatimah rather than suul khatimah. This is the gift and the kaffarah related to chronic, intractable and terminal illness which millions fail to appreciate. This kind of' corridor' discussion amongst colleagues may sound surreal to some but 'Nik Howk is Nik Howk'. As much as I am in the business of keeping people 'up and about', being there mostly at the scene of the 'crash' has left some degree of 'permanent head damage'. It come in the package !
Healthy 'clowns' like us go through life, uncaringly and with total heedlessness to HIM, not knowing that death could well be at the next 'turn' or even before the next 'breath'. While if you are in the state like my m.i.l or my colleague, the 'sword of Damocle' is always over your neck reminding you of your imminent death all the time, and that ensure you would always try to be in a continuous state of zhikr, prayer and 'doa' or heedfulness. You have a tendency to 'live just from prayer to prayer'. That is the ultimate gift if we reexamine our priorities with wisdom and the right common sense.
An opposite position would be to have survived cancer fully and yet not visited by such feeling. Tihs is a very rare, stony and tough individual indeed ! One probably need to be a total agnostic on a scale of SIX/SIX. We have full sympathy for such individuals.....a Christopher Hitchins or a Richard Dawkin, two hard core self proclaimed agnostics/atheist who cannot separate the trees from the forest ! Despite being gifted with high IQ.
For all of us healthy 'clowns' thus , the following youtube presentation on 'Steps to Jannah' would present as a timely reminder to us all on the ways and modus operandi in order to ensure a good ending.
Huwallahualam.
Part 1, click here
Part 2, click here
Part 3, click here
Part 4, click here
Part5, click here
Related articles in previous blog :
Kaffarah, click here
Cancer, click here
Redza, click here
On Death and Dying, click here
Redza Revisited, click here
The Shahadah, click here
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Faces in Islam : Sheikh Abd al -Qadir al Jilani
Sheikh Abd al-Qadir al Jilani[ born 471 Hijrah- died 561 Hijrah ]
Many present day people remembered him from the wrong perspective, walking on 'water' and ability to be in Mekkah at the wink of an eye etc etc. In essense he was one of Islam's greatest teacher, an ulama' par excellence, and a prolific writer of his time. Amongst his many pearls and gem are:
Futuh al Ghaib ie Revelations of The Unseen, a collection of seventy eight short discourses, translated into beautiful English by Muchtar Holland, one of the foremost leading translators of classical Arabic. Highly recommended reading, as a primer to al Jilani's voluminous work.
Malfuzat ie Utterances [ of Sheikh Abdul Qadir al Jilani ]
Jala' Al Khawatir [ The Removal of Cares ], a collection of forty five discourses.
Al Fath Al Rabbani, ie Sublime Revelations, a more voluminous work consisting of a collection of 62 longer discourses.
If you would like to enjoy al Jilani for 'dinner' may I suggest you start him with Futuh al Ghaib as a starter, then progress to Malfuzat and proceed to Jala al Khawatir and only after that finally 'wash up your thirst' with the much longer Sublime Revelations.
This will open a bright new world to Sufism and give you a different perspective, rather an academic one instead of the usual 'pseudo magical and pseudo religious' impression one usually attach to the higher 'gurus' of the sufis.
Ustaz Rasul Dahri's negative views and impression of the sufis are quite well known in this Nusantara . The 'Wahabbis' people or people with 'Wahabbi leaning' or for want of other terms, 'THE PURISTS' take it as their God given duty on this face of the earth to keep reminding others of 'bidaah, bidaah and bidaah' in order to safeguard other people's aqidah.'If you do not think my way, your aqidah is suspect! '. What better way to know more on al Jilani than to listen to Rasul Dahri [ the purist ] himself......
This is 'Faces in Islam', an educational academic trip into posterity, and thus we need to open ourselves to the various spectrum within what encompasses the Muslim world today with our eyes and mind open :
Rasul Dahri on Sheikh Abd al Qadir al Jilani[ part 1 of 6 parts]
click here
Sheikh Abd al Qadir al Jilani : A life story [ translation in Malay ]
click here
Related Articles in the blog :
Muhammad Ibnu Abdullah, messenger of God
click here
Prof Muhammad al Mahdi : Quantum physics validating God, and the nature of Reality
click here
Science and Islam
click here
The Power of Doubt
click here
Imam al Ghazali
click here
Quotable Quote:
" ..all I have been acquiring throughout my life is a bunch of lecture notes and knowledge,it is of no use to me if all these have not transformed my life ! "
al Ghazali
Many present day people remembered him from the wrong perspective, walking on 'water' and ability to be in Mekkah at the wink of an eye etc etc. In essense he was one of Islam's greatest teacher, an ulama' par excellence, and a prolific writer of his time. Amongst his many pearls and gem are:
Futuh al Ghaib ie Revelations of The Unseen, a collection of seventy eight short discourses, translated into beautiful English by Muchtar Holland, one of the foremost leading translators of classical Arabic. Highly recommended reading, as a primer to al Jilani's voluminous work.
Malfuzat ie Utterances [ of Sheikh Abdul Qadir al Jilani ]
Jala' Al Khawatir [ The Removal of Cares ], a collection of forty five discourses.
Al Fath Al Rabbani, ie Sublime Revelations, a more voluminous work consisting of a collection of 62 longer discourses.
If you would like to enjoy al Jilani for 'dinner' may I suggest you start him with Futuh al Ghaib as a starter, then progress to Malfuzat and proceed to Jala al Khawatir and only after that finally 'wash up your thirst' with the much longer Sublime Revelations.
This will open a bright new world to Sufism and give you a different perspective, rather an academic one instead of the usual 'pseudo magical and pseudo religious' impression one usually attach to the higher 'gurus' of the sufis.
Ustaz Rasul Dahri's negative views and impression of the sufis are quite well known in this Nusantara . The 'Wahabbis' people or people with 'Wahabbi leaning' or for want of other terms, 'THE PURISTS' take it as their God given duty on this face of the earth to keep reminding others of 'bidaah, bidaah and bidaah' in order to safeguard other people's aqidah.'If you do not think my way, your aqidah is suspect! '. What better way to know more on al Jilani than to listen to Rasul Dahri [ the purist ] himself......
This is 'Faces in Islam', an educational academic trip into posterity, and thus we need to open ourselves to the various spectrum within what encompasses the Muslim world today with our eyes and mind open :
Rasul Dahri on Sheikh Abd al Qadir al Jilani[ part 1 of 6 parts]
click here
Sheikh Abd al Qadir al Jilani : A life story [ translation in Malay ]
click here
Related Articles in the blog :
Muhammad Ibnu Abdullah, messenger of God
click here
Prof Muhammad al Mahdi : Quantum physics validating God, and the nature of Reality
click here
Science and Islam
click here
The Power of Doubt
click here
Imam al Ghazali
click here
Quotable Quote:
" ..all I have been acquiring throughout my life is a bunch of lecture notes and knowledge,it is of no use to me if all these have not transformed my life ! "
al Ghazali
Monday, April 4, 2011
Gunong Stong Revisited : Prayer of the Cicadas...
This past weekend I revisited Gunong Stong yet again.
No ! At this present age of mine, I don't 'collect' mountains anymore. Just went there to re-listen to the cadence of the forest, the songs of the birds and bees. In the quietness of night and early dawn at Camp Baha, some 400 metres above sea level, with the background of the fall, I tried to decipher the symphony of beauty within the 'inhabitants' of the forest :
Subhanallah,
Alhamdullillah,
Walailahaillallah huwallahuakbar
Walahaula wala kuwwatailla billa hil alliyyil azhim
echoed the cicadas.
Muhammadarasullallah,
chirped in the birds.
"Allah! There is no God save Him,
the Alive, the Eternal.
Neither slumber nor sleep overtaketh Him.
Unto Him belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth.
Who is he that intercedeth with Him save by His leave?
He knoweth that which is in front of them and that which is behind them,
while they encompass nothing of His knowledge save what He will.
His throne includeth the heavens and the earth,
and He is never weary of preserving them.
He is the Sublime, the Tremendous."
The wind, the trees and the cascading water seemed to reverberate in synchrony.
Ya Fatah, ya Razak, ya Wahab ya Ghoni, ya Mughni
ya Khadim, ya Daim, ya Ahad, ya Wahid, ya Samad.
The cicadas sang in unison, in increasing crescendo.
Ya Rahman, ya Rahim, ya Hayyu, ya Qayyum
ya Rabb,ya Zaljala li walikram.
the birds retorted, now, in total frenzy.
"Then, even after that, your hearts were hardened and became as rocks,
or worse than rocks, for hardness.
For indeed there are rocks from out which rivers gush,
and indeed there are rocks which split asunder so that water floweth from them.
And indeed there are rocks which fall down for the fear of Allah.
Allah is not unaware of what ye do."
The whole mountain echoed back......
Waking me up from my deep slumber just in time for the dawn prayer !
"None punisheth as He will punish on that day!
None bindeth as He then will bind.
But ah! thou soul at peace!
Return unto thy Lord, content in His good pleasure!
Enter thou among My bondmen!
Enter thou My Garden!".
What amazing grace ! These creatures of HIS blessed with 'nafsul muthmainnah'.
Related articles in the blog:
Off the beaten track click here
Shaykh Hussien Yee on STRESS, click here
Longevity, A Muslim's Perspective
click here
[ Camp Baha Adventure Team boys could be contacted at : 0199591020, Lod, Rizal, Ed, Sid and the rest ]
No ! At this present age of mine, I don't 'collect' mountains anymore. Just went there to re-listen to the cadence of the forest, the songs of the birds and bees. In the quietness of night and early dawn at Camp Baha, some 400 metres above sea level, with the background of the fall, I tried to decipher the symphony of beauty within the 'inhabitants' of the forest :
Subhanallah,
Alhamdullillah,
Walailahaillallah huwallahuakbar
Walahaula wala kuwwatailla billa hil alliyyil azhim
echoed the cicadas.
Muhammadarasullallah,
chirped in the birds.
"Allah! There is no God save Him,
the Alive, the Eternal.
Neither slumber nor sleep overtaketh Him.
Unto Him belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth.
Who is he that intercedeth with Him save by His leave?
He knoweth that which is in front of them and that which is behind them,
while they encompass nothing of His knowledge save what He will.
His throne includeth the heavens and the earth,
and He is never weary of preserving them.
He is the Sublime, the Tremendous."
The wind, the trees and the cascading water seemed to reverberate in synchrony.
Ya Fatah, ya Razak, ya Wahab ya Ghoni, ya Mughni
ya Khadim, ya Daim, ya Ahad, ya Wahid, ya Samad.
The cicadas sang in unison, in increasing crescendo.
Ya Rahman, ya Rahim, ya Hayyu, ya Qayyum
ya Rabb,ya Zaljala li walikram.
the birds retorted, now, in total frenzy.
"Then, even after that, your hearts were hardened and became as rocks,
or worse than rocks, for hardness.
For indeed there are rocks from out which rivers gush,
and indeed there are rocks which split asunder so that water floweth from them.
And indeed there are rocks which fall down for the fear of Allah.
Allah is not unaware of what ye do."
The whole mountain echoed back......
Waking me up from my deep slumber just in time for the dawn prayer !
"None punisheth as He will punish on that day!
None bindeth as He then will bind.
But ah! thou soul at peace!
Return unto thy Lord, content in His good pleasure!
Enter thou among My bondmen!
Enter thou My Garden!".
What amazing grace ! These creatures of HIS blessed with 'nafsul muthmainnah'.
Related articles in the blog:
Off the beaten track click here
Shaykh Hussien Yee on STRESS, click here
Longevity, A Muslim's Perspective
click here
[ Camp Baha Adventure Team boys could be contacted at : 0199591020, Lod, Rizal, Ed, Sid and the rest ]
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