Beginning OR the end?

Bismillah.

Some people have regard to beginnings and some to ends. Those who look at the ends are powerful and great because their sights are on finalities and results. Those who look at the beginnings are even more select. They say: "What use is there of looking at the ends? When wheat is is sown in the beginning, barley will not grow in the end. When barley is sown, wheat is not going to grow." Their view is then on the beginning.

There is another group more select still who look neither to the beginnings nor to the end. They do not think of beginnings or ends, they are absorbed in God. Another group is absorbed in the world and look not to beginnings or ends out of extreme heedlessness; they are fodder for hell.

It is obvious that Muhammad was the origin, for God said to him: "Were it not for you, I would not have created the heavens." Whatever exists - such as nobility, humility, authority, and high station - all are gifts from him, shadows of him, inasmuch as they were manifested through him.

- Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi in Fihi ma fihi

O son, do not ever think or feel Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is far from you. If you want to feel closer to him, practise what he practised, as simple as, fasting on Mondays, among others. And of course salawat. Alhamdulillah, with the barakah from my murshid, gurus and the awliya, I'm more conscious of my relationship to Prophet Muhammad s.a.w now than before.

I used to feel upset about having to run and rush with a crowd of ladies at Masjid Nabawi; I disliked that some people pushed one another for wanting to be closer to his maqam and the Raudhah. But lately, it dawned upon me that I don't have to be part of that madness ever again. I can always 'rush' to the Prophet every day, at anytime, all by my self,  by saying my daily salawat to him. And I know it gets to him in the 'fast lane'! InshaAllah.

With the barakah of Habib Ali bin Jaafar al-Idrus may you too become istiqamah with his preferred salawat which he recites at least 100 times daily:

Allahuma salli ala Sayyidina Muhammad

kullama zakaraz zakirun

Allahumma salli ala Sayyidina Muhammad

wa 'ala ali Sayyidina Muhammad

kullama ghafala an zikrikal ghafilun

Madad ya Sayyidi. Madad ya Rasulullah!