Thank you for reading | Unlearn and relearn

Bismillah.

I have been taking it easy, ya know...easy like Sunday morning...heh heh...

Alhamdulillah wa shukru lillah for times of ease.

My current favourite pastime is to re-read all the past postings that people are reading "now" and "in the last 24 hours". So I wanna thank everyone who's checking out this blog and reading even though Tik Tok is the in thing right now. More importantly these people are making me relearn and reflect on lots of past lessons, some funny experiences and forgiveable foolishness LOL. 

Yes folks, be smart, know when to forgive yourself, laugh at yourself, clap for yourself and keep going, i.e. keep trying, keep doing and keep learning.

Best,

E. Ismail

Loving this island life more than ever!

Rejab practice as recommended by Habib Umar bin Hafiz for Rejab 1443 Hijri (2022)

Bismillah.

Alhamdulillah it's here, the azkar prescribed by Habib Umar bin Hafiz for Rejab this year. 

Like many, I've been waiting for this. May Allah grant Habib Umar a long healthy life and allow us to continue benefitting from all his good counsel. As Habib Umar said in one of his many talks that I'd listened to, we need not be near him, all we have to have is a strong heart connection with him and a strong himmah to want to practise all the recommended azkar that he would consistently share in Rejab, Syaaban and Ramadan each year. 

They say a true leader is one who can motivate you to act. I'll also say from my experiences as a struggling salik, Habib Umar bin Hafiz has been the one who has a strong capacity to direct the heart towards Rasulallah salallah alaihi wasalam and thereby encourage the tongue to make many selawat.

For someone at my age who's travelled the path that has been destined for me, the so-called worldly accomplishments that I may have accomplished and those that I see people accomplished, I am of the opinion that the only one true wealth (achievement) that matters is a person's ability to keep a consistently good connection with the Prophet salallah alaihi wasalam through selawat. That's it. If one understood this, then one could easily cancel out the noises and distractions that one may encounter along the way. 

May Allah guide us in performing actions that He loves and may our hearts remain connected with His beloved Rasul and the solehin.      

Aamiin.

Pic credit: Muwasala FB
as published on 8th Feb 2022

...

Done 3000x on 10th Feb. Alhamdulillah. Let's wait for the next task Insya-Allah.

Welcoming roseate Rejab 1433 Hijri (2022) | Lessons from Habib Umar bin Hafiz

Bismillah.

It's the second day of Rejab. Its wonderful vibe is becoming apparent. I have just listened to a tausiyah streamed live from Majelis Rasulullah FB. Ustaz Ahmad Afif Abdullah (pic) began by sharing the remarks made by the venerable Habib Umar bin Hafiz pertaining to the arrival of Rejab.

Habib Umar elucidated the oft-quoted saying about Rejab being a month for sowing [the seeds of one's ibadah], Syaaban a month for watering the seeds and Ramadan a time to reap the fruits that one has sowed. So what do these analogies mean? To live Rejab means to repent truthfully, that is to aim for hakikat taubah (ultimate repentance), that is to admit one's mistakes, to have a strong resolve in not repeating them and to show remorse for one's misconducts, and to refrain from committing makruh deeds, let alone the haram (forbidden). 

In Syaaban, one waters one's good seeds by nurturing the longing one has for Allah and Rasulullah, longing for the rewards that Allah normally would grant to the solehin. To water the seeds with plenty of affection and selawat for Rasulullah. When making selawat for the Prophet salallah alaihi wasalam, be conscious of the quality. Sit facing the qibla and establish a heart connection with the Prophet. Just recite a few selawat but with high quality, by invoking one's longing and love for Rasulullah. If you can do more while maintaining the quality, then that would be better. 

  

In Ramadan, one may anticipate three bounties from the Lord, on account of the seeds that one sowed in Rejab and nourished during Syaaban: that is obtaining His mercy, earning His pardon and getting protection from the torments of hellfire.  

Therefore, sow the good seeds in Rejab. If you do not sow, how can you expect to enjoy the fruits in Ramadan? If you don't water the seeds well in Syaaban, they won't grow and you'll have nothing special to look forward to in Ramadan.

Allahumma bariklana fi Rajaba wa Syaaban

wa ballighna Ramadan

***

Allahu a'lam.

I encourage those who understand the Indonesian language to listen to the tausiyah here:

https://www.facebook.com/MajelisRasulullahSAWOfficial/videos/675630500543957

Ustaz Ahmad Afif on Majelis Rasulullah FB
3rd Feb 2022

 

On a personal note, I am just grateful that my family had recently hosted yet another gathering with our Huffaz friends. In conjunction with the event, I laboured wholeheartedly cleaning and prepping the house. Now with the arrival of the three auspicious months Rejab, Syaaban and Ramadhan, I can enjoy being at home especially spending time at my new desk in my neater Study, now that I have decluttered and reorganized all my stuff. Truly grateful for the tawfiq from Allah subhanahu wa taala! Alhamdulillah wa shukru lillah.

29th Jan 2022

Best regards,

E. Ismail