The universal language of love

Bismillah.

The world could use more love and I think the world hasn't heard the language of love spoken so loudly and beautifully for a long time until yesterday 29 April 2011. 

HRH Duke and Duchess of Cambridge



Regardless of faith and religion, we all could relate to the universal values of a genuine love. I therefore, wish to quote some of the beautiful words read from the 'New Revised Standard Version of the Bible' at the wedding of HRH Duke and Duchess of Cambridge:

"Let love be genuine;

hate what is evil,

hold fast to what is good;

love one another with mutual affection;

outdo one another in showing honour."

The world would be a more lovely abode for all if our hearts unite in upholding good values which permeate amongst all humanity. Across the globe we traverse our own unique paths, yet our souls reverberate a universal rhythm of needs for a true sense of togetherness and a sense of belonging. While we walk our lives with that common yearning, there have been times and there will be times when we falter to the tricks and demands of the world. When we are faced with such challenges, it's important that we, hopefully with the help of our loving partners, keep our minds over matter.

So again I could relate to these lines read by James Middleton:

"Do not be conformed to this world,

but be transformed by the renewing of your minds".

The role of our loved ones are especially important in this regard. Because a person falls in love with another for him/her being his/her self, it is crucial that couples devote their life together helping each other stay true to him/herself. Hence, I noted the advice the Bishop of London gave to the newly weds that "Marriage is intended to be a way in which man and woman help each other to become what God meant each one to be, their deepest and truest selves," and that "The more we give of self, the richer we become in soul; the more we go beyond ourselves in love, the more we become our true selves...In marriage we are seeking to bring one another into fuller life."

And may the prayers of the royal couple be answered:

"In the busyness of each day, keep our eyes fixed on what is real and important in life, and help us to be generous with our time and love and energy."

May Allah continue to make us generous with our energy, time and love. May Britain remains a safe place for people of all faiths. Thank you Britain for reminding us of the universality of love.

"Rejoice with those who rejoice."
"Weep with those who weep."

Source: RNN, The Telegraph,dailymail.co.uk

The passing of Syed Abdul Qadir Mansooruddin Al Jailani - 27 April 2011

Bismillah.

We are saddened to report the death of

Syed Abdul Qadir Mansooruddin Al Jailani

the 17th descendant of Sultan Awliya

Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al Jailani

He was the beloved father of

Shaykh Afeefuddin Al-Jailani

- a mu'aleem who has become very well known

in Malaysia eversince the family chose to live in this country.

Syed Abdul Qadir Mansooruddin Al Jailani

passed on to the realm of the Divine 

today afternoon, 27 April 2011

in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Solat Jenaza is scheduled after Asar tomorrow

at Masjid Muadz bin Jabal, Setiawangsa, KL

Al Fatihah

Allah knows what is best for His servant

Bismillah.

Today, a stranger, a lad from UK who calls himself 'fortune sufi' wrote an interesting email to me. The subject of his email was unusually long. It was a question: "Are you going to marry when you are 80?" In the body of his email, all he cared to type was this emoticon : )

Hmm...what do you think? I think he was motivated to ask that question when a little bird told him that I am 40 and single. Allah Hu Allah!

Guess what gifts I got for having to put up with people like 'fortune sufi'? I got myself two great books. One is by Ibn Ata'illah and the other one is on the great Sufi As-Sulami. Alhamdulillah.

Up until today, I have been reading Ibn Ata'illah's Al Hikam in Malay. As I began to read its English version 'The Book of Aphorisms/A Translation of Kitab al-Hikam, I came across two very fitting lessons which might answer the question from 'fortune sufi'.

Ibn Ata'illah said:

"Don't let the delay in getting the gift (answer), despite your persistent appeal, fall you in despair. For, He has offered to reply to (your appeals) in a way He chooses for you rather than what you choose for you and at a time He desires rather than the time you desire."

Commentary:

If you insist on getting instant responses for your prayers, it shows your impatience and your incapability to understand the way, manner and method of His responses. He may be delaying the answer to give it in an appropriate way and at an appropriate time. Since you do not know what is good for you today and what will be good for you tomorrow and even what was good for you in the past, let Him decide on the time and manner of the answer. By showing frustration and impatience over not getting what you aspired, you are really doing an injustice to yourself.

In another aphorism Ibn Ata'illah said:

"Do not ask Him for taking you out of a situation so that you will be employed in a different situation. For, had He intended so, He should have employed you in it even without changing your circumstances."

Commentary:

Asking for a situation other than what Allah has selected for you betrays your disbelief in Allah's ability to make a suitable choice for you. How can a sincere servant disbelieve Allah as to what He held in store for him?

__________________________________

I just want to say cheers to all the nice people out there. And cheers to 'fortune sufi' too, may you live up to your name!

Alhamdulillah for everything!

A week of reflections

Bismillah.

Dear friends,

I have been absent from this space for quite some time, spending the past week reflecting on a few things. Firstly: Allah seemed to withold  the strength to write, la hawla wala quwwata ilah billah. So, that made me thankful and grateful for the knowledge that I had managed to record and share so far Alhamdulillah.

Secondly, I have been blessed to learn about some good practices from a friend. You know the saying: if you befriend one who sells perfume you too would smell good. So Alhamdulillah, I wish to record my gratitude that Allah has sent me a pious friend who is teaching me many simple yet significant adab and practices.

One day that learned friend of mine said: "Ezza, you are sitting cross-legged aren't you?" (As though he could see me!) I said: "Yes." Then he said: "Well, would you do that in front of Mawlana Shaykh?" I said: "No way!" Then he said: "Would you do that in front of the Prophet?" "Oh No!" I said nervously. Then he said: "Well, Allah is with us 24/7!"

So there! That's one thing I learned last week. I thought it would be useful to share with all of you.

I have also learned to recite a new zikr as instructed by Mawlana Shaykh Nazim. Mawlana has been giving several important messages lately [via Sufilive]. Given the present turmoil that the world is undergoing and the impending calamities that the world is expected to face, Mawlana has advised us to stay indoor especially after Maghrib and to recite 100 times a day:

Rabbunallah hasbunallah

So, let us all take heed. InshaAllah.

May Allah increase our knowledge and give us the strength to put our knowledge into practice.

p/s Thank you for visiting Lisan al-Din. Thank you to those who wrote in with kind words. Thank you for keeping me company. I will try to post as much as possible in my attempt to do something good in replace of all the bad things I have done in life. Bi iznillah.

"Be gentle and avoid being proud" - Shaykh Fahmi Zamzam Al Maliki

Bismillah.

Shaykh Fahmi Zamzam Al Maliki teaches Kitab At Targhib wat Tarhib at Ba'alawi KL. Continuing on with his class, he reminded the jemaah to not be takabbur and ujub (proud) but to be al hilmi (gentle).

Al hilmi is one who is not easily angered. He is one who is able to withstand any sort of intimidation that people might cause him to suffer. He is one who avoids being with people who are ignorant of religion.

There is a verse in the Qur'an (Surah Al-Qasas:83): "That home of the Hereafter We assign to those who do not desire exaltedness upon the earth or corruption. And the [best] outcome is for the righteous." - this verse clearly indicates the reward for those who do not wish to be glorified in this world and who do not cause harm. Shaykh Fahmi said it is almost impossible for anyone who seeks glory in this world to not cause harm to other people. While striving to achieve his desires he would be met with challenges and competition and he would do anything to overcome any obstacles that stand in the way of his ambitions. They are egotistical and overly ambitious.

By contrast, the mukmin are those who are tawaduk. They are polite and humble. They would rather give way to others over their own interests. Prophet Muhammad s.a.w gave us a good example of such good behavior (akhlaq). Leadership is neither a privilege nor an advantage. It is, in fact, a test from Allah to see if we belong with hafizun aleem - one who is good at administering the affairs of the people.

We learn from Lukman Al-Hakim a few good traits: we should not show a sour face to people as though we don't appreciate them; we should not turn a deaf ear to good advice and we should not walk with pride. One who walks proudly on this earth is one who is not grateful for the blessings from Allah. If he were to acknowledge the bounties of the Lord, he would realize that every single thing between the earth and the heavens belong to Allah. 

What is the cure for one who is arrogant? He should truly consider each blessing as belonging to Allah, even he himself (his existence). So be sure to say Alhamdulillah when you are being praised. We should understand the real meaning of the alif lam in alhamdulillah. It is istighraq meaning all-encompassing/everything. Know that there are three types of praise as follows:

* qadim praising qadim (eternal) - Allah praising His Essence

* qadim praising hadis (temporal) - Allah praising the Prophet

* hadis praising hadis - praises among creatures

* hadis praising qadim - creature (the temporal) praising the Creator (the eternal)

Takabbur or pride is an attribute of Allah (Al Mutakabbir). Allah warns us that we would be banned from entering the heavens if we had a speck of pride in our hearts. One who may already be in heaven could be chased out if he is proud as in the incident of Iblis.

A sahabi asked the Prophet: "O Rasulullah, what about one who likes to dress well, who likes to wear nice clothes and shoes? Is that takabbur?"

Rasulullah said: "No that is not takabbur for verily Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty. Pride is one who denies the truth."

One who rejects the truth is one who has ego (sifat ananiyah/I-ness). We should instead be grateful like Prophet Sulaiman who said haza min fadhli rabbi - this is a blessing from my Lord. Imam Ghazali said shukur (gratitude) must be proven on three levels i.e. 'ilm (knowledge), hal (state) and amal (practice). Rightfully we must have knowledge that each part of our body from head to toe and our lives since the day we were born, we have been blessed by countless blessings. Hal is when you are conscious in your heart that it is all from Allah. One who doesn't know (does not have ilm) will not have hal. As an example, one who does not know that there is a tiger near him, will not feel scared by it. When we are truly conscious of Allah's bounties we would naturally do more amal (practice). Imam Ghazali said we cannot possibly be committing sins if we truly remember the bounties of Allah. Allah gives us eyesight, hands, etc. So if we are truly grateful we would not be using our eyes or hands to do what He forbids us. Instead, we would use them to do things that are pleasing to Allah. One who has shukur  [one who is grateful] will be freed of takabbur, ujub, riak  and sum'ah.

Takabbur is one who rejects the truth. Ujub is one who glorifies himself. Riak is one who does anything to show off, so that other people would know/see what he does. Sum'ah is one who does anything so that people would praise him, so that people would hear about his good deeds.

_____________________________________________

Wallahu a'lam. To be continued in the next lesson Inshaallah. The majlis was hosted by:

"Love one another for His sake" - Shaykh Afeefuddin Al Jailani

Bismillah.

Concluding the Majlis Haul of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al Jailani on 9 April 2011, Shaykh Afeefuddin Al Jailani asked the audience to reflect on a hadith about loving someone for the sake of Allah.

It was narrated in a hadith of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w that Abu Idris Al Kaulani was about to enter a mosque when he saw a group of people gathering around one bright and good looking young man. He later learned that the gentleman was Muaz bin Jabal. 

Like the people who were surrounding Muaz, Al Kaulani too was attracted to him so much so that he decided to come back to the mosque the next day. Just before subuh prayer the following day, Al Kaulani came to get Muaz who was performing tahajjud saying: "I swear by Allah, I love you for Allah's sake!"

On hearing that, Muaz said to Al Kaulani: "Are you really certain that you love me for the sake of Allah? If you do then rejoice because I heard Rasulullah said (in a hadith qudsi) that Allah said: 'I would surely love those who love one another for my sake.'

Shaykh Afeefuddin Al Jailani addressed the audience at Masjid Tuanku Mizan saying:

O people, we sit here together for Allah's sake and we visit one another for His sake. We sit with the intention to remember Allah, Rasulullah s.a.w and the solehin. So for that Inshaallah we belong with ahbabullah, people whom Allah loves, InshaAllah.

We are here to celebrate Habibullah. It is Allah who makes us love the Prophet. We can only love His beloved Prophet with Allah permission. If Allah says, you are ahbabun Nabi (a lover of the Prophet) then you are.

Rasulullah s.a.w loves us very much. There is another hadith that we should also reflect upon. When the angel of death wanted to take his life, Rasulullah asked the angel to lighten the pangs of death. The angel said, 'But the pangs of death is, in fact, severe and this is the lightest of its kind.' The Prophet then asked the angel: 'Would every one of my ummah feel the same?' The angel replied: 'Their pains would be greater.' Rasulullah then said: 'In that case, place their severe pains upon my soul so that it would be lighter on them.'

'O people, that is how much Rasulullah loves the ummah,' said Shaykh Afeefudin Al Jailani who concluded the grand Mawlidur Rasul and Majlis Haul of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al Jailani with a lengthy and heartfelt du'a.

________________________________________________

Wallahu a'lam. May I be forgiven for any errors in my sketchy notetaking. May Allah give us a long life and invite us to the same majlis again next year InshaAllah.

Dr. Afifi Al-Akiti on Salawat Adnan

Bismillah.

Dr. Afifi Al Akiti, a Malaysian lecturer at the University of Oxford urged the audience to not only recite 'Salawat Adnan' but to also understand its meanings. Speaking at Masjid Tuanku Mizan in conjunction with the Mawlidur Rasul & Haul of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al Jailani, he said not many people knew that 'Salawat Adnan' was composed by Abdul Mutalib. Some people questioned this fact, but quoting Imam Al Ghazali he said, people, are enemies of what they are ignorant of.

According to the author of Sirah Ibn Ishaq, when Abdul Mutalib heard the wonderful news of Prophet Muhammad's birth, he went to the Kaabah. That was, in fact, his second visit to the Kaabah. The first time he had gone there was to make du'a when Abrahah was under attack.

Prophet Muhammad's grandfather was extremely elated by the arrival of his grandson. The salawat was an expression of his joy: Praise be to Allah for giving me this boy who was born with the most beautiful dress. Indeed, Prophet Muhammad's birth was clean and pure with no trace of blood nor placenta. And that he would be sayyid of all babies and mankind even while he was in the cradle. Abdul Mutalib also prayed that he would be able to see the baby grow big enough to be walking about. Allah answered his prayers, Prophet Muhammad was 8 years old when Abdul Mutalib passed away.

It is important to note that after Abdul Mutalib's demise, several verses of 'Salawat Adnan' (e.g. Solla alai kallah) had been added anonymously. Dr. Afifi ended his short tausiyah by reminding the audience to have both spiritual and intellectual zikr and that we should not disregard something completely if we don't understand some aspects of it. He also encouraged the audience to sing the salawat and teach it to little children.

Solla 'alai kallahu ya Adnaani
Ya Mustofa ya sof watar rahmani
Alhamdulillahil lazi aq tho ni
Hazal ghula mad thoyyibal ar daa ni
Hazal ghula mad thoyyibal ar daa ni
[Repeat]
Qod sa dafil mahdi 'alal qilmaa ni
U 'ee zuhu bil bayti zil ar karni
Hatta aro hu baalighul bunyaani
Antallazi summi ta fil qur'ani
Antallazi summi ta fil qur'ani
[Repeat first verse]
Ahmadu maktuubun 'alal jinaani
Solla alaikallah hu fil ah yaa ni
Ahmaduhu fis sirri wal 'iq laa ni
Haqqan 'alal Islaami wal imaani
Haqqan 'alal Islaami wal imaani
[Repeat first verse]
Ahmaduhu fis sirri wal 'iq laa ni
Haqqan 'alal Islaami wal imaani
Ya Rabbana bil Mustofal 'adnaa ni
Iq fir zunu bi summa as lih sha ni
Iq fir zunu bi summa as lih sha ni
[Repeat first verse]

May the prayers of Allah be upon you, Adnan

You Mustafa the choice of Ar-Rahman

Thanks be to Allah for granting me this pure boy

Who surpassed all his peers while still in the cradle

I protect him by the House (the Kaaba) with the strong corners

Until I see him towering in his growth

You are the one named Ahmad in the Quran 

Written all over the walls of Jannah (paradise)

May Allah shower his prayers over you

Whom I thank loudly and in private

Truthful in Islam and Iman

By Almustafa (the chosen one) Adnan, O Lord

Forgive my sins and reform my character

Credit: Mawlidur Rasul at Datuk Sidek's, Penang
15 Rabi'ul Awal 1434H

_____________________________________
The Mawlidur Rasul & Haul Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al Jailani at Masjid Tuanku Mizan was hosted by the Al-Wariseen Trust. May I be forgiven for any mistakes or unintended omissions. Wallahu a'lam.
Translation credit: Sidi M & Co

"Make an intention to be imam" - Shaykh Dr. Fadlallah

Bismillah.

As Shaykh Dr. Fadlallah of Saudi Arabia was one of the venerable speakers at the recent Mawlidur Rasul  & Haul of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al Jailani held at the grand Masjid Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin in Putrajaya, Malaysia. Habib Ali Zainal Abidin interpreted his speech as follows:

Praise be to Allah and greetings of peace be upon Prophet Muhammad, his family, and companions. We are presently basking in the honors and blessings granted by Allah and verily none can fathom the degree of His blessings. Allah has made us among the faithful, Allah has given us the best of the prophets. Allah gives us the Al-Quran. Allah gives us the best of faith - Islam. Allah makes us the best of ummah. Allah chooses goodness for His chosen servants. Allah chooses us to be present here at this majlis. This majlis is for us to make zikir to Allah. We know the virtues of such majlis. There is a well-known hadith as recorded in Sahih Muslim that the angels are always on the lookout for zikr gatherings and they would all surround the majlis. There are so many of them that they would reach up to the skies. When the majlis is over they would go back to Allah where they would be asked several questions. Allah would ask them where they went as if He didn't know. The angels would say: "We have just attended a majlis where your servants make zikr and salawat." Allah would ask: "What did they ask for?" "The heavens," replied the angels. Allah then asked: "Have they seen the heavens?" "No", said the angels. Allah said: "If they had seen the heavens, they would surely multiply their ibadah." Allah then asked: "What are they seeking protection from?". The angels said: "They seek protection from the torments of the hell." Allah asked: "Have they seen the hell." "No" replied the angels. Then Allah said: "If only they had seen the hell they would certainly flee from it." Allah said to the angels: "Be my witness that I have forgiven all their sins!" Then one of the angels said: "But O Lord, there were some of them who came with a different intention." Allah said: "I will forgive him too."

O people, we must always make an intention to musabaqoh (compete) with one another in doing good and in getting His bounties. There is a verse in the Quran asking us to make haste in doing good deeds. There is also a hadith that we must expedite in doing good before seven things come to us. Allah narrates to us plenty of stories about his pious servants and their virtuous characters.

We learn the du'a as taught in the Quran:
Rabbana hablana min azwajina wazurriyyatina qurrata a'ayun
waj'alna lilmuttaqeena imama
Our Lord! grant us in our spouses and children the joy of our eyes and make us a leader for those who guard against evil." (Quran 25:74)

In the prayer, we ask to be imam, we want to be leading other people with our actions, our words, and our akhlaq. Let us all leave this majlis with one ambition that is to be imam so that people would follow us in doing good.

Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al Jailani had left us more than 900 years ago and yet we still remember him. What about 100 years or 1000 years ahead? Would we still have this kind of majlis to remember those whom Allah loves? We must keep our motivations high so that we would be among those who help the religion. May Allah make us among those with taqwa and make us imam. May Allah bless us all. May Allah grant jannatun naim to Shaykh Afeefuddin Al Jaylani (the event organizer). May Allah gather him with the anbiya and siddiqin.

_______________________________________________
Wallahu a'lam. May I be forgiven for any errors or unintended omissions.

"Fly with two wings" - Shaykh Dr. Ibrahim

Bismillah.

As-Shaykh Dr. Ibrahim from Australia was asked to give an impromptu tausiyah at the recent Mawlidur Rasul & Haul Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al-Jailani held at Masjid Tuanku Mizan, Malaysia. Habib Ali Zainal Abidin translated his lecture as follows:

At the outset of his speech, Dr. Ibrahim asked permission from Sohibul Akhlaq, Prophet Muhammad s.a.w; from Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al Jailani, from Shaykh Afeefudin the great-grandson of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al Jailani, from Habib Umar Al Jailani and from all ulama present. He said: I shall only speak with their permissions.

When I arrived at this majlis, I noticed my name was not listed among the speakers however, Allah wills it and grants the honor of not just attending but also make a speech. This is indeed a great blessing of Allah for me.

I live among Western civilization. I live amidst the Western mindset which relies heavily upon material means. Your roles (referring to the audience) and the values that you carry with you are something valuable which Western society needs. The West who stands on material values seems like flying with one wing. Know that man has a spiritual wing. One who lives materialistically actually goes against his own fitrah (nature) because man is comprised of two things: physical and spiritual. Allah says in the Quran that when He wanted to create man and completed His creation by infusing His Spirits, He asked the rest of His creations to prostrate to Adam and all did except Iblis.

Your life will not be complete if you only have one wing. It would be incomplete to solely depend on material means. The crux of a man's life is his spirituality.

This majlis has sanad and is spiritually linked to the Prophet s.a.w. It is not just an ordinary event or one that we are only hoping for barakah. It is much more than that. Our majlis is spiritually connected to the akhlaq of Rasulullah s.a.w.

A sahabi, Abu Hurairah once remarked to the Prophet, "O Rasulullah, I used to praise the kings but I realized upon doing that, they became more honorable while I lacked in honor. But when I praise you, my praising you makes me honorable."

We live searching for spirituality by means of praising Allah and remembering Rasulullah. We recall the Prophet's birth and his life stories. Life before the birth of the Prophet was a life of transgressions and privation. There may have been some degrees of strength but it was not motivated by a pure heart until the coming of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.

O believers, heed the calls of Allah and Rasulullah when you are summoned to the reality of life. Indeed, we should be grateful that we are ummah of Muhammad and that our lives are complete in both physical and spirituals aspects.

May Allah grant us a good life. May Allah bless this country.

____________________________________

Wallahu a'alam. Any errors or omissions are unintentional. May I be forgiven.

"Follow the solehin" - Habib Umar bin Hamid Al-Jailani

Bismillah.

Habib Umar bin Hamid Al-Jailani was the guest of honor at the Annual Grand Mawlidur Rasul & Haul of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al-Jailani organized by the Al Wariseen Trust.

Habib Umar spoke to a packed audience at Masjid Tuanku Mizan, Malaysia, while Habib Tahir Al-Kaf acted as his interpreter.

He said:

Endless praise is to Allah for His blessings at this blissful event. And greetings of peace be upon the Beloved of Allah, his family, and companions.

This is indeed a blessed gathering as we make zikr to Allah and listen to the history of Rasulullah and the solehin. Allah has ordered us to follow in their footsteps, those who came before us, whom Allah had granted hidayah. We ought to emulate their noble characters.

We have gathered at this royal mosque so we pray for Allah to shower His barakah. Allah says in the Qur'an, 'whoever frequents a masjid, verily he is among the believers' and a hadith of the Prophet promises a reward of a castle for anyone who constructs a masjid regardless of the size. Such is the favor for those who care about Allah's House.

We are also grateful that the organizer Al Wariseen Trust has done a great job at managing this event. May Allah bless Shaykh Afeefuddin Al-Jailani. May Allah grant him a long life. The purpose of this majlis is to remember Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al-Jailani, one whose profile and history get mentioned regularly, one who had spent his entire life, day and night, in the manner that wins Allah's mercy. Certainly, Allah will honor anyone who conforms to His Rules. Allah gave Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al-Jailani an extraordinary inayah (support) that his listeners would take heed to each word he uttered. His sayings though very brief, carried deep meanings that people could publish voluminous commentaries on them. One short but profound sayings of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al Jailani was this: "You should always be with the Haq until there is no one else in front of you. You should live among people while you don't have the slightest nafs (desires) towards them."

The calamities that have befallen Muslims are due to our failure to follow the practices of solehin as exemplified by the Prophet s.a.w. Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al-Jailani was one who loved the ummah of Muhammad. He once swore that if he were to have a special position in the eyes of Allah, he would help the ummah from beginning to the end. His love for the ummah was evident. And know that there is only one ummah, not two, not three. There is no ummat Muhammad and ummat Arab, there is no such thing. It's ummatan wahidah, there is only one. Therefore, no matter where we are, we must stay united. All Muslims are brothers to one another. Allah called upon us to reconcile two disputing brothers. Notice the word two. Allah did not say three or more. What Tun Abdullah Badawi had said in his speech earlier was true. The division among us would not have happened if we acted as brothers - al Muslim akhul Muslim. We are indeed related, so we should not cause harm or belittle our fellow brothers. In fact, the blood of Muslims is haram. It is not permissible to kill another Muslim. Yet we have strayed far from the Prophet's teachings. There can be no solutions to the current predicament that we are facing unless we go back to following the ways of the solehin, to whom Allah granted His hidayah. By all means, do follow them for Allah had guided them aright.

May Allah protect the Muslims and resolve all squabbles in Libya, Bahrain, Yemen, and Iraq. May Allah protect Malaysia and the Malays. May Allah protect the Haramain. O people, have confidence that we shall not leave this majlis unless Allah opens up our hearts and instills in our hearts the conviction that we are all indeed brothers.

Wallahu a'lam. May I be forgiven for any errors in my notetaking.

Mawlidur Rasul & Haul Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani at Masjid Tuanku Mizan

Bismillah.

Salam dear all respected Lisan al-Din visitors,

Alhamdulillah we were able to attend the wonderful Mawlidur Rasul and haul of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani last Saturday. Here are some pictures for you while I review my notes and until I feel a little bit better to start writing again. I ask for your prayer so that Allah keeps me in good health and facilitate my work in sharing the lessons learned at the majlis. InshaAllah.

The guest of honor among the honorable guest of honors was
Shaykh Habib Umar bin Hamid Al-Jailani from Makkah

The magnificent dome at Masjid Tuanku Mizan
Putrajaya, Malaysia
the chosen venue for Mawlidur Rasul & Haul of Ghawth al-Azam
organized by Al Wariseen Trust
9 April 2011 

Beautiful venue
welcomed foreign vistors from
Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Australia, Singapore and Sri Lanka, among others

Guests arrival -
looking neat and smart,
well pleasing to the eyes and heart



Mawlid at the ladies section



Qasidah group from Singapore/students at Damascus
absolutely harmonious and melodious

In front of the grand entrance of the mosque
which is named after the present King of Malaysia
HRH Tuanku Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin
Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah
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I will be sharing the lessons soon InshaAllah.

A prayer of Haci Ahmet Kayhan Dede

Haci Ahmet Kayhan Dede
The honorable Sufi Saint of Turkey
(1891-1998)

Bismillah.

This prayer is a common property of all mankind. They can be recited either after the formal prayers or at any other times. Remember us, too in your prayers.

Dear God, our Creator, thanks and praise be to you. May God's blessings and peace be upon Mohammed and his family. In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

Dear God,
Grant that we may sow peace wherever we go.
Let us be reconcilers and unifiers, not sowers of dissent.
Allow us to disseminate love where there is hate,
forgiveness where there is injury,
faith where there is doubt,
hope where there is despair,
light where there is darkness,
and joy where there is sorrow.


Dear God,
Help us to be not of those who see the failings of others,
but of those who hide them;
not of those who seek consolation,
but those who console;
not of those who wish to be understood,
but those who understand;
not of those who crave to be loved,
but those who love.


Grant that we may become
like the rain,
which bestows life without discrimination wherever it flows;
like the sun,
which enlightens all beings everywhere without distinction;
like the earth
which though everything steps on it,
withholds nothing
and bestows its fruits on everyone;
like the night,
which hides all shames from view
and allows the world to rest.


Grant us the destiny
to join the ranks of those
who give rather than receive,
those who are forgiven because they forgive,
those who are
born in Truth,
live in Truth,
die in truth;
and those who are born again in eternal life.
Ameen.
- Haci Ahmet Kayhan

Recite 'Qul Ya Azeem' - orders Mawlana Shaykh Nazim

Bismillah.

6 April 2011, Cyprus, Turkey:

Mawlana Shaykh Nazim via Sufilive had issued an order to his mureed/followers/listeners to recite 'Qul Ya Azeem' qasidah. This, he said must be observed in view of an impending calamity. Please refer to sufilive.com for details. We quote therefrom, the lyrics and meaning of the qasidah.

Qul ya 'Azeem antal 'Azeem

qad hammanaa hammun 'Azeem

wa kullu hammin hammana

ya huunu bismika ya Azeem

Say O tremendous! You are the Tremendous One

We have been afflicted with a grave concern

And every concern we are worried about

becomes easy with the mention of Your Name, O Great One

Antal qadeem qadeemun fil azal

antal lateef lateefun lam tazal

'Anna azil maa qad nazaal

min faadhil khatbis-shadeed

You are the ancient one, ancient one

You are the subtle with subtleness everlasting

Remove from us what has befallen us

of grave and difficult afflictions

CHORUS
Qul ya 'Azeem antal 'Azeem
qad hammanaa hammun 'Azeem

wa kullu hammin hammana
ya huunu bismika ya Azeem 

Hayyun qadeem qadeemun waajidu
baaqi ghanee ghaniyyun maajidu
'Adlun ilaahi ilahun waahidu
barrun ra'uf ra'ufun bil 'abid
Living Ancient, Ancient and Generous
Immortal Rich, Rich and Glorious
Just God, one God
God is Tender, tender with the servant

CHORUS

Wa lin nabiyyi salli ya salaam
minna salaatun maa salaam
yawmal jazaa nahnaa salaam
mimmaa nakhaa fu ya majeed
And upon the Prophet of Peace
From us send greetings and blessings
Grant us safety on Judgment Day
From all things which we fear, O Glorious One

CHORUS

Wal 'aali was sahbil usood
saadu bihi beedan wa sood
laa siyyamaa maahil hashood
sayfu' ilaah ibnul waleed
And the lions from the Family and Companions
Became masters through him, regardless of being white or black
Especially the one who wipes out great armies
the Sword of Allah (Khalid) son of al-Waleed

CHORUS
Allahumma salli wa sallim wa baarik 'alayhi wa 'alaa alaih

Music of the Sufis

Bismillah.

Pardon me O soul
for my heart is still beating the rhythm
of that isle in the south
that abode of a saint
on a tranquil knoll he rests

Habib Nuh bin Muhammad Al-Habshi
I should have known
O habibi
I have fallen
love song strums my inner chords
music of the sufis
make me long to return

You have engraved in me
lyrics so happy
you have put a smile on my face
I know you'll always be there waiting
till I come climbing for your grace

Al Fatihah
Habib Nuh al-Habshi
1788 - 1866

a maestro of

music of the Sufis

______________________________________

p/s Something strange had happened to me. Right before visiting Habib Nuh's maqam for the second time in the morning after the haul event, I had gone to the bank to withdraw SGD $200 with an intention to spend some at the maqam and on whatever else I might need before leaving Singapore. I had in fact spent at least $150. But when I got back in KL and checked my purse, I discovered that I still had SGD $200! Subhanallah! Wallahu'alam!

Intercession of the grand saint of Singapore

Bismillah.

A supplication by Tok Mat the Carriage Driver
as quoted in the above book which may be purchased
at the maqam of Habib Noh.
***
"Tok Mat worked as a horse carriage driver,
ferrying passengers to and fro.
His was a dangerous occupation:
19th-century was rife with robberies and murders,
especially at night.
Tok Mat knew Habib Nuh and regularly transported him around,
free of charge, only hoping for the blessing of his saintly grace.
One night, Tok Mat had to ride alone across an area,
which he knew to be very unsafe.
He was gripped with fear.
He made a silent prayer to Allah that his journey be eased
by somehow meeting him with Habib Nuh along the way
so that Habib Nuh could intercede for his safety.
As soon as this prayer crossed his heart,
he looked up and saw Habib Nuh in the passenger cabin,
smiling at him.
He knew that he had nothing to fear,
and rode home safely."

The maqam is open daily. Visiting hours: 9 am - 9 pm
Closed for 10 minutes before and after prayer times.

We all hope to stand in the saintly rays of barakah
bi-iznillah

Haul Habib Noh - 2 April 2011

Bismillah.



Heading for Maqam Habib Noh
which was a short walk away from our hotel.
Alhamdulillah.

Boys took the opportunity to greet a Habib
who later waved joyfully at the ladies
seated in the tents outside the maqam's compound. 

My niece handing out cookies to little children.
Alhamdulillah for the inspiration and opportunity
to make the children feel welcomed -
a small gesture in honor of Habib Noh who loved kids.

The event started at 3pm. Mawlid began after Maghrib.

After Isha' the habaib went up to the maqam complex
for a heartfelt ziarah and du'a recitals.

Concluding the majlis was dinner
served in a large tray for 4 people to share.
Absolutely delicious. Alhamdulillah.

After dinner, the rest of the guests
including ladies were given a chance to visit the maqam.
Shukran lillah!
I got to take two red roses from the beautiful maqam
- with permission of course.
Alhamdulillah!

*********
Wala zikrullahi Akbar
And your zikir (remembrance) of Allah is great.
It's greater than your big car or your big house.
Your zikir of Him is bigger than anything you own.
And know that you will not be able to remember Him
unless He makes you or give you the strength (tawfik) to do so.
That is why we must make du'a as taught by the Prophet s.a.w:
Allahumma a'inni 'ala zikrika
"O Allah, help me in remembering You."
- Said one habib in one of the tausiyah.

That lesson was my most important takeaway
from the blissful event,
apart from the unseen but much felt barakah
of the honorable Habib Noh, InshaAllah.
Alhamdulillah for everything.

Sacred sighting

Bismillah.

MashaAllah, we are grateful for the pleasant surprise. Allah has answered our prayers for a good accomodation while we are here in Singapore since we have traveled to honor the much revered Allahyarham Sayyid Habib Noh.

We are grateful to discover that the view from our hotel room is the blessed site - the maqam. Alhamdulillah shukran lillah!

Maqam Habib Noh as seen from M Hotel
The last time my mother visited this holy site,
 the maqam was situated on a hill top/cliff right next to the sea.
As you can see from the picture,
a big plot of reclaimed land encircled the maqam.
It was said that the authority had tried but failed
to relocate the maqam
in their attempt to develop
this part of Tanjong Pagar, Singapore.


Habib Noh was said to have spent plenty of his time in seclusion on the hill.
May Allah make us benefit from his karamah and barakah.
Amin.
Al-Fatihah.