Thankfulness

Spiritual Advice Of Imam Ja'far Shadiq

Kitab Lantern Of The Path - Imam Ja'far Shadiq

(Translated By Shaykh Fadhlullah Haeri)

With every breath you take, a thanksgiving is incumbent upon you, indeed, a thousand thanks or more. The lowest level of gratitude is to see that the blessing comes from Allah (SWT) irrespective of the cause for it, and without the heart being attached to that cause. It consists of being satisfied with what is given; it means not disobeying Him with regard to His blessing, or opposing Him in any of His commands and prohibitions because of His blessing.

Be a grateful bondsman to Allah (SWT) in every way, and you will find that Allah (SWT) is a generous Lord in every way. If there were a way of worshipping Allah (SWT) for His sincerest bondsman to follow more excellent than giving thanks at every instance, He would have ascribed to them the name of this worship above the rest of creation. Since there is no form of worship better than that, He has singled out this kind of worship from other kinds of worship, and has singled out those who practise this kind of worship, saying,

Very few of my servants are grateful. (Q. 34:13)

Complete thankfulness is to sincerely repent your inability to convey the least amount of gratitude, and expressing this by means of your sincere glorification of Allah (SWT). This is because fitting thanks is itself a blessing bestowed upon the bondsman for which he must also give thanks; it is of greater merit and of a higher state than the original blessing which caused him to respond with thanks in the first place. Therefore, every time one gives thanks one is obliged to give yet greater thanks, and so on ad infinitum, and this while absorbed in His blessings and unable to achieve the ultimate state of gratitude.

For how can the bondsman match with gratitude the blessings of Allah (SWT), and when will he match his own action with Allah (SWT)'s while all along the bondsman is weak and has no power whatsoever, except from Allah (SWT)?

Allah (SWT) is not in need of the obedience of His bondsmen, for He has the power to increase blessings forever. Therefore be a grateful bondsman to Allah (SWT), and in this manner you will see wonders.

Guarding Oneself (ri'ayah)

Spiritual Advice Of Imam Ja'far Shadiq

Kitab Lantern Of The Path - Imam Ja'far Shadiq

(Translated By Shaykh Fadhlullah Haeri)

Whoever guards his heart from heedlessness, protects his self from appetites, and guards his intellect from ignorance, will be admitted into the company of the vigilant. Then he who guards his knowledge from fancies, his faith from innovation, and his property from the forbidden is among the righteous.

The Messenger of Allah said, 'It is a duty for every Muslim, man and woman, to seek knowledge,' that is, knowledge of the self. Therefore it is necessary for the self to be in all states either expressing his gratitude or proffering his excuse for lack of gratitude. If this is acceptable to Allah (SWT) it is a favor upon him, and if not it is justice upon him. For every self it is necessary to work that it may succeed in its acts of obedience, and for its protection in its efforts to abstain from doing harm.

The basis of all this is recognition of total need and dependence on Allah (SWT), caution and obedience. The key to it is in delegating your affair to Allah (SWT), cutting off expectation by always remembering death, and seeing that you are standing in the presence of the All compelling. This gives you rest from confinement, rescue from the enemy, and peace for the self. The means to sincerity in obedience is harmony, and the root of that rests upon considering life as being only as long as a day.

The Messenger of Allah said, 'This world lasts but an hour, so spend it in obedience to Allah (SWT).' The door to all of this is always to withdraw from the world by means of constant reflection. The means to this withdrawal is contentment, and abandoning such existential matters as do not concern you. The means to reflection is emptiness [desirelessness], and the buttress of emptiness is abstinence. The completion of abstinence is precaution, and the door to precaution is fear. The proof of fear is glorification of Allah (SWT), adherence to obeying His commands with sincerity, fear and caution, and holding back from the forbidden; and the guide to this is knowledge. Almighty Allah (SWT) said,

Those of His servants who are possessed of knowledge fear Allah. (Q. 35:28)

How the 'Alim (Men of Knowledge) are Ruined

Spiritual Advice Of Imam Ja'far Shadiq

Kitab Lantern Of The Path - Imam Ja'far Shadiq

(Translated By Shaykh Fadhlullah Haeri)

Caution and fear are the legacy of knowledge and its measure; knowledge is the ray of gnosis and the heart of belief. Whoever is denied caution is not a man of knowledge, even if he can split hairs in dealing with obscure items of knowledge. Allah (SWT) said,

Only those of His servants who are possessed of knowledge fear Allah. (Q. 35:28)

Men of knowledge are ruined by eight things: greed and miserliness, showing off and partisanship, love of praise, delving into things whose reality they cannot reach, affectation by taking excessive pains to beautify their speech with superfluous expressions, lack of modesty before Allah (SWT), boastfulness, and not acting upon what they know.

'Isa (peace be upon him) said, 'The most wretched of all people is he who is known for his knowledge, not for his actions.'

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said, 'Do not sit with every presumptuous caller who summons you from certainty to doubt, from sincerity to showing off, from humility to pride, from good counsel to enmity, and from abstinence to desire. Draw near to the person with knowledge, who summons you from pride to humility, from showing off to sincerity, from doubt to certainty, from desire to abstinence, from enmity to good counsel.' None are fit to preach to creation except that person who has gone beyond these evils by his truthfulness. He sees the faults of speech and knows what is sound from what is unsound, the defectiveness of thoughts, and the temptations of the self and his fancies.

Imam 'Ali (peace be upon him) said, 'Be like the kind, compassionate doctor who places the remedy where it will be of benefit.' They asked 'Isa (peace be upon him), 'With whom shall we sit, O Spirit of Allah (SWT)?' 'With one the sight of whom reminds you of Allah (SWT),' he replied, 'and whose speech increases you in knowledge and whose actions make you desire the next world.'

Sunni-Shia Unity - A Lecture By Shaykh Ahmad Deedat (rh.a)

IN THE NAME OF GOD THE BENIFICIENT THE MERCIFUL.

The Following speech By Shaykh Ahmad Deedat, who is a world renowned Sunni scholar from South Africa was made following his trip to the Islamic Republic of Iran on 3 March , 1982.

In the Holy Quran, Allah (SWT) says "It is he who has sent his apostle with guidance and the religion of truth so that he may make it prevail over all religions even though those who worship false Gods may detest it" (Quran 9:33). Even though the United States, Russia and all the superpowers may detest it. Allah's promise is not conditional on the strength of the superpowers. In its widest sense the Islamic movement spans the entire ummah, in its narrowest it represents that part of the ummah which is most advanced in its struggle towards establishing Islam as a total way of life.

A few years ago one could not recognize a single leading edge in the Islamic movement. This was the bleak outlook which faced the ummah as history moved into the final decade of the 14th century Hijra. But the world was unaware of the Islamic movement in Iran. Iran under the ex-shah was beyond the pale of Islam. Iran was a blind spot. We were Sunni and our age old ignorance was deep and total, and thus when the Islamic revolution in Iran began to make headlines in early 1978. The bulk of Muslims, who called themselves Sunni, were caught unaware. The Shah's propaganda had then blamed the Islamic masters. The western media, and the Muslim media manipulated by the west, and the alienated regimes of Muslim countries had then dismissed the events in Iran as insignificant. All of us were slow in recognizing the new reality in Iran. There has been a systematic attempt at smearing Islamic Iran. And the western media deliberately promoted false accounts of the events of the Islamic revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini who was indeed the founder of the revolution, and the leader of the Islamic republic of Iran.

This campaign against Iran is nothing new. Right from the beginning vested interests have carried on an unending campaign against the Islamic revolution in Iran. this evening our guest speaker, Mr. Ahmad Deedat who is a distinguished scholar of Islam, who hardly needs any introduction to the public and who has just returned from his trip to Iran, will present to us his first hand account on Iran. I now call upon Mr. Ahmad Deedat to speak to you.(applause).

Shaykh Ahmad Deedat

I seek refuge in the accursed Satan, In the name of God the Beneficent the Merciful.

The Holy Quran says:

"And if you turn away (from Islam and the obedience of Allah), He will substitute you for some other people, and they will not be like you." Quran 47:38

Mr. chairman and brothers: While we are looking skeptically of the miracle of a nation reborn. Allah's inexorable decree is finding its fulfillment in the rise and fall of nations which is mentioned in the verse I have just read to you from Surah Muhammad. In the last section of the last verse Allah(swt) reminds us, and warns us that if ye turn back from your duties and responsibilities if you do not fulfill your obligations then he will replace you with another nation.

Our urdu speaking brethren use these words so beautifully when they describe some mishap that occurs in the community in talking about that other nation that can replace them. It is actually Quranic. And this really has been happening throughout history again and again. Allah (swt) first chose the Jews, the Bani Israel as he tells it in the holy Quran: "O children of Israel! call to mind My favor which I bestowed on you and that I preferred you to all other nations."(Quran 2:47). That favor was that they should become the torchbearers of the knowledge of God to the world. This was the honor, this was the privilege that was at first given to the Jews But because they did not fulfil their end of the obligation, a Jew amongst the Jews Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) as recorded in the Christian gospels told them "That the kingdom of God shall be taken away from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."(The Bible, Matthew 21:43). And that nation, we will happily own up is the Islamic ummah. It was taken away from the Jews and given to the Muslims. The Muslims then, among them who were the Arabs at first, were given by Allah (SWT)the privilege that they became the torchbearers of light and learning to the world , but when they relaxed and failed to bring forth the fruits, Allah(swt) replaced them with another nation. In history, we remember the Turks and Mongols destroyed the Muslim empire and when they accepted Islam they became the torchbearers of light and learning to the world.

As Iqbal beautifully describes this situation: "O' you Muslims, you will not perish if Iran or the Arabs perish, that the spirit of the wine is not dependent on the nature of it's container." The container is our nations, our boundaries and the spirit of Islam is not dependent on our geographical boundaries or national limitations. So this is what Allah (swt) does again and again, he chose the Jews then he chose the Arabs then when they became lax he chose the Turks and when they became lax another people and so on and this is a continuous process. If you don't do the job, Allah(swt) will chose another people who will. In the world today there are a thousand million Muslim, that is ,one billion we boast! And 90 percent of this one billion happens to be the Sunni branch. We have stopped delivering the goods so Allah(swt) chooses a nation that we have all been looking down upon. The Iranians! The Shias! History has been very unkind to our brethren in Iran that the shah happened to be the ruler, and his name happened to be Muhammad. Imagine, that this mans name happened to be Muhammad and he really wasn't a believer. It's hard for us to imagine today, but once you go to that country and you go into the details and find out what was going on. That this Iranian the shah it seems to be,that he was a foreigner. If Hitler conquered this land and oppressed them, then we could understand. If the Russians conquered the people, we can understand. But here is a man who is an Iranian, speaking Persian, whose name was Muhammad, and look at what he was stooping to. For sixteen years he had forbidden Jummah prayers. Sixteen years. We had been equating Iran with the shah and the shah with Iran. To us they were synonymous terms. But when you go into details we learn that the shah and the Iranian people were both apart. They were in reality foreigners to one another.

Now about this visit of mine to Iran and my impression. Let me begin with the place where I had the first fragrance of this Iranian brotherhood of ours and it happened to be in Rome. First I smelled it, and then some of my companions had smelled it in the Rome airport. We were waiting to get on the plane, and we had some problems with visas and one of our men was given the responsibility of overcoming these problems. So he goes to the Iran air office and he tells our problem to a young lady wearing full Islamic attire with her body well covered. It was Beautiful, Just beautiful to look at. And I mean that when you look at these people in this attire you see that they are beautiful people. So there was a lady in Rome and you brothers should have seen the way she handled these problems. And someone came to me and told me, man if you want to see a real Iranian Muslim girl you should come over and I went and some others went and we saw. And that was the first whiff we had of the Iranian ummah in Rome.

When we landed in Iran, we were taken to a five star hotel which was there before the revolution known as the Hilton hotel but is now known as Hotel Istiqlal. And we were taken around. to places of interest and I will relate to you some of the things we saw and I will try to describe the feelings one has. If I remember correctly, the first thing we visited was the Behesht Zahra cemetery. Behesht means paradise in Persian and Zahra is the title of Fatima Al-Zahra (AS) who was the daughter of Prophet Muhammad (saw). And Zahra means the radiant one. So it was called Radiant paradise. And before arriving in Iran, I had read about the Behesht Zahra cemetery. And I remember when Imam Khomeini had arrived in Tehran he made a trip to the cemetery. And I'm thinking why does one go to the cemetery? To make du'a? Yes. For the departed souls? Yes. And when you think of cemeteries here in South Africa you think of Brookstreet and Riverside. You cant imagine that this cemetery is square kilometers by square kilometers. You Just cant imagine. It is a big open ground where about a million or two million people can be accommodated. And people gathered here because it is the easiest place where people can release their emotional and spiritual baggage because there you have the martyrs. Their were 70,000 or so people who were martyred in this revolution and 100,000 maimed. Unarmed people with only the slogan "Allahu Akbar" as their weapons had toppled the mightiest military force in the middle east. So we went to this cemetery There were about a million people there. There were men and women and children and we were greatly inspired by the enthusiasm and the feeling of our brothers and sisters there. It was mid winter there, and the men and women and children were sitting on the cold ground for hours on end. In mid-winter on the ground with no carpets or chairs! A nation that could endure that discipline for hours on end , you can only imagine what destiny Allah(swt) has planned for them. A day or 2 later on my program I read Behesht Zahra cemetery, again. The first time we went for a lecture, but we had seen the graves people reciting poems of sorrow and reciting dua' and I thought this second visit would be redundant. Why should one go a second time? I've seen what a cemetery is. But all my companions were going and I thought if everyone else was going, it wouldn't be good for me to stay in the hotel relaxing when all my companions are going in these buses to a cemetery. But I went and I became very happy. And the second time I went it was a Thursday afternoon and Thursdays in Iran is like Saturdays for us. And tens of thousands of people were in the cemetery. This was a custom. It was like Eid. Tens of thousands are there, for what else, but to charge their spiritual batteries. It was a constant reminder to not forget. "My son gave his life for Islam" or "my father gave is life for Islam " that they gave their life for Islam. With that kind of system, Every Thursday is a spiritual injection and reminder that they are willing to give their life for Islam.

There was a town hall that accommodated 16,000 people, compared to the biggest town hall in South Africa which is the Good Hope Center in Capetown for 8,000. This was built by the shah to boast his own "Aryan myth". He was boasting not only that he was the shahanshah or king of kings, but also that he was the aryamehr, light of the Aryans. What is this Aryan sickness? Remember Hitler bragging about being Aryan because the Germans are Aryans. And the Hindus boasting we are Aryans. If my people, the Gujarati people, weren't Muslims we'd be boasting about being Aryans as well. The ex shah claimed to be the light of Aryans and he built this monument as a tribute. He built another monument spending millions to commemorate his ancestor Cyrus the great, a pagan, a mushrik and squandering the wealth of this nation for this project. In 1984 he was supposed to have the world Olympics in Tehran to boost his ego even further. In this town hall we saw athletics, gymnastics, acrobatics. Unfortunately we Muslims here in South Africa are like jellyfish, that is we have made ourselves into jellyfish. Our young men do not participate in that kind of activity. Who here does athletics, gymnastics, acrobatics we do not do that here. It's not for us. Who does jogging, You know the young people here, when I meet them I shake hands with them and they are like jellyfish. Almost every young man you meet in Iran appears to be an athlete. They are doing sports on a world standard and it makes one feel so happy because there they are not projecting Iran. They are not talking about Iran "we are Iranians, we are Aryans" instead they are talking about Islam, about Islam, about Islam. There was not one semi-naked girl, not a single girl who was half naked there. If the shah had his way, if he was alive and organized it, there would have been semi-naked girls for everyone to stare at and feast upon.

In Iran everything is Islamic to strengthen the morality of the people, boosting the men and women by the thousands. We were thrilled , we were thrilled to see our children, we felt as if theses were our children, our own brothers and sisters, we were really thrilled. We saw these as things that our children can do. Then we went through a military parade with different groups of Iranian men and there was no shortage of man power. You know, some people want to go and help our Iranian brethren. Alhamdulilah there is no shortage of man power they only want the tools, and the weapons. If the Iranians had the military weapons that the Israelis had, the whole of the middle-east would be free from every kind foreign intervention in no time. This is a nation that can do it. The spirit is there, the spirit of Jihad is there in each and every man and woman in the nation. It seems that the whole nation is involved in promoting Islam. We are talking about 20 million people that they can put into the field. If they had the weapons and the materials, every man woman and child would can go and do jihad.

Then we visited the Iraqi prisoners of war. As you know when this war started Iraq attacked Iran. The whole country was in turmoil. Iraq felt that the Jews did it to the Arabs in 6 days, then they will do it to the Iranians in 3 days and the whole world thought that in one weeks time, Iran would crumble to pieces. And do you know how long it has been now? It's been a year and a half, and even more. And in the beginning there were twenty to one odds against them in men and materials and the Iranians turned the tables and brought the odds to 3 to one still against them. And they were able to push them back. They recaptured all their land and a hill that was named Allahu Akbar. Before I went to Iran Dr . Kalim Siddiqui from the UK jokingly remarked that "you guys have half a chance of becoming martyrs (shahid).." It was a joke and it nearly became true. While we were coming out of a city on the war front there was a field of tanks. And our young men came out of the buses and started to climb onto the tanks taking pictures to show people back home. Then one of the tanks in the courtyard came out for a training demonstration on how it works and suddenly we hear gunfire and in the distance we saw smoke coming from a few places and some of our young men got scared and started hiding behind bushes., and it turns out that we were under attack from the Iraqis. And there were bombs exploding all around us and Allah (swt) saved us. And remember Khaled had said that was half a chance that we would become martyrs, well it almost became a full chance. (laughter).

We visited those wounded in the war and no one was complaining about what had happened to them. One man had his leg amputated, and there were no tears, I never saw a single tear from anyone, and they were asking if it was possible to go back to the front. Their regrets were not about their injuries but why they can't go back to the front to fight and become shahid, this is the ambition of each and every Muslim there. When we visited the prisoners of war the Iranians had captured 7000 prisoners of war and they looked healthy, well clothed, well fed. One of my friends was interested in finding out what the Iraqi prisoners felt about their condition first hand. And anyone he asked said that they were being looked after very well. Then I had an idea. Some were here for over a year and others for a few months and I was wondering how many people had committed suicide. And I asked each group of the prisoners of war and asked each group how many people committed suicide. They said not one. I then asked the next group and so on. Not one single person committed suicide amongst the 7800 prisoners of war. And if we look at our so called civilized western country of South Africa, 46 people committed suicide in our prisons this year alone and they are well fed well clothed have their own cells and 46 committed suicide so far. And if people are not well treated some are going to want to find an easy way out but there was not one single person who committed suicide amongst the 7800 prisoners of war.

We went to visit the Imam, Ayatollah Ruhollah Musawi Khomeini. There were about forty of us who waited for the Imam and the Imam came in and was about ten meters away from where I was, and I saw the Imam. He delivered the Lecture to us for about half an hour, and it was nothing but the Quran, the man is like a computerized Quran. And the electric effect he had on everybody, his charisma, was amazing . You just look at the man and tears come down your cheek. You just look at him and you get tears. I never saw a more handsome old man in my life, no picture, no video, no TV could do justice to this man, the handsomest old man I ever saw in my life was this man. There is something unique to his name, too. First he is called Imam Khomeini. The word Imam is to us a every cheap word. Wherever we go somewhere we ask who is the Imam of the Masjid here. To the Shia there is only one Imam in the world and he is the Twelfth Imam , they believe in the concept of Imamate and that the Imam is the spiritual leader of the ummah. And the first Imam according to the school of Imamate is Hazrat Ali(RA). Then comes Imam Hassan who is the second Imam, Imam Hussein the third Imam all the way until the twelve Imam, Imam Mohammad who disappeared at the age of 5 and they are expecting his return. They use the term "occultation" something like a spiritual hibernation like the Ashab Al-cahf. And that he is expected to come back and he is the only one in the world who can be called Imam. Most of their scholars are called mullah, and Ayatollah means Allamah And Ayatollah Khomeini is called Imam out of respect but they are waiting for the real Imam to come. Ruhollah is the name his father gave him and do you know what it means? Ruhollah means the 'word of God' and this is the title of Hazrat Isa(as) in the Quran. Then he is Ayatollah which is another title of Hazrat Isa(as) in the Quran. Al-Musawi is from the family Musa and from the city of Khomein which is where his last name Khomeini comes from. ...(break in audio at 41: 05 seconds). But they are waiting for the Mahdi, and not Khomeini. They want to clean the stables and make preparations for the Mahdi to come. In the Sunni world we are also waiting for the Mahdi to come but we want him to clean the stables for us, make us masters of the world and to make us sit on the thrones. The Sunni world is just passively waiting. Until then we can carry on with all our petty little squabbles, whatever we are carrying on now. And it is only the Imam Mahdi which can clean the world for us. This is the Sunni line of thinking. Khomeini on the other hand tells his followers that we must help prepare the way so that when he does come everything is already set up for him to act on. While we, the Sunni world are waiting for Imam Mahdi to pull the chestnut out of the fire for us, the Shias are preparing the world for his arrival.

You know there were many people with us from all over the world. And I found types and types and types of sick people, a mental sickness that is. I came across an alim from Pakistan Mauna Sahib and he thought that there was something wrong with our Shia brothers. You see in Iran when someone is lecturing and the name Khomeini is mentioned people stop and everyone says durood on the Prophet(S) three times. But when the name Mohammad is mentioned they send durood once. And this alim from Pakistan says " look at these people just look at them. What kind of Muslims are these people. When the name Mohammad is mentioned they send durood on the Prophet(s) once but when the name Khomeini is mentioned they send Durood on KHOMEINI three times."

I said " What do they say , what do they say in this so called 'durood on Khomeini'. "

He said: Peace be upon Mohammad and the family of Mohammad.

I said " Who is Mohammad? Khomeini? Who named Khomeini as Mohammad. Their durood is on Prophet Mohammad(s) and you say it is on Khomeini."

You know it's a sickness. There are many learned men but their minds are so prejudiced. They are just looking for faults. [1]

Another example is that the Shia brothers when they make salat, they have a piece of clay (turbah) that they do sajjdah on. And he says "see what they are doing here. This is shirk. They are worshipping a piece of clay. " I said why don't you ask them why they place their foreheads on a piece of clay and learn the logic behind this. You see, the first time I experienced this was in Washington D.C., the Iranian students there had invited me to give a lecture there at the university where they were studying in America. At that time, it was time for Isha and we made salat. And everyone was given a piece of clay. I at the time thought it was so funny, so I put it aside and I made my salat with the Iranian students. And after salat I wanted to know about this and I asked them. Why do you carry this clay tablet everywhere you go in your pocket. They said " we are supposed to do sujood on Allah's earth with our foreheads touching the earth. We say "subhanna rabia Allah" three times with our foreheads touching the earth." So the Shia want to actually touch the earth with their foreheads and not a manmade carpet. They want to be true to the expression of praying with the forehead actually touching Allah's earth. You see they don't worship the clay tablet as many wrongly think. And this is always something that we Sunnis are always making fun of and mock the Shia, but on my way out from Tehran across the plane in the aisle were two Shias and when prayer time came one of them took his clay tablet out of his pocket and, Allahu Akbar, performed salat right there on the plane in his seat, and when he finished he gave this to his neighbor and he performed salat. And this may seem like a joke to us. Isn't it? And there were dozens of Sunnis on the plane and out of those dozens of Sunnis only one young man did the salat, and I tell you that young man wasn't me. But we are laughing at the other Guy. He is sitting there and doing something better than we are and we make fun of them and sit in judgement. He may not as polished and refined as we are in South Africa. You know we Muslims in South Africa are very polished and refined in our salat. The Arabs are no match for us, the Iranians are no match for us, the Americans bilalans, the Negroes they are no match to us. With the Arabs you are bowing down in ruku and the guy next to you pushes you aside to make space.(laughter) Who knows brothers, maybe it is valid, we don't know. You know, between the four Sunni mazhabs the Hanafi, Hanbali, Maliki and Shafei there are over two hundred differences in salat alone. Did you know that? Two hundred. But we take it for granted. The Shafei says amin loudly and we say it silently, they say bismillah loudly we say it silently and there is there is no problem. A s a child my father would repeat the famous formula that he in turn learned from his father. : "all the mazhabs are equally valid and the truth for them is in the hadith and the Quran." And so we accept it. When it comes to the Shafei, Hanbali, Hanafi and Maliki we are tolerant but when it comes to the Shia you see he is not in the formula that we are taught as a child, so what ever little idiosyncrasies there exists between us and them we cant tolerate and reject we say that he is out because we are programmed to believe in only the four. But we accept the idiosyncrasies between the four.

I say why cant you accept the Shia brothers as a fifth madhab. And the astonishing thing is that he is telling you that he wants to be one with you. He is not talking about being Shia. He is shouting "there is no Sunni nor Shia there is one thing, Islam." But we say to them "no you are different you are Shia." This attitude is a sickness of the devil. He wants to divide us. Can you imagine we Sunnis are 90% of the Muslim world and the ten percent who are Shias want to be partners and brothers with you in faith and the 90% are terrified. I cant understand why should you the 90% be so terrified. They should be the ones terrified. And if you just knew the feelings that they have for you. During Jummah prayers in Iran, there are a million people. And you should see the way they look at you when you pass by, they recognize that you are a foreigner and not one of them and tears start rolling down their cheeks. This is the feeling that they have for you, but you say no, you want to keep they out, afraid that they will absolve you. You can only be absolved if there is something better than what you have. I don't know, maybe some of you think I am a Shia, but I'm still with you all here. What is all this Shia-Sunni tensions? It is all politics. These antagonisms we have are all politics now. If a Sunni brother somewhere does something wrong you say oh the individual is not being very Islamic, he is a kaffir, But if a Shia does something wrong you want to condemn the whole Shia community, the whole nation of millions, and say they are all rubbish just because one Shias actions are not very Islamic. At the same time where we look the other way if one of your relatives does something serious because he is your father or your uncle. One group of Sunnis says to another "you are not a Muslim" another group of Sunnis says "you are not a Muslim you are a kaffir" look that's among us, and we fight among ourselves. And some of us do funny things.

I met one brother who told me when you go to Newcastle go visit Mr. So and so and inshallah everything will be taken care of for you. So I went to the man and exactly as I was told he took me home for lunch and when I'm sitting at the table I see on the wall 'burat' you know what burat is? A donkey like animal with the face of a woman its supposed to provide electrical force. I told him this is not right. Allah(swt) created electrical force, you can not create it with a statue of a donkey with a woman's face. Oh and he was so upset. But he's a Sunni, he was a brother and is still my brother. This Sunni-Shia tensions is the work of the devil to divide us.

Let me say something about Iran. What I found was that everything is islamically oriented. The whole nation is geared towards Islam. And they are talking about nothing but the Quran. I have never had a single experience with an Iranian when the man contradicted me when I'm talking about the Quran. Whereas our Arab brethren again and again you quote them the Quran and they try to contradict you with the Quran. They are Arabs, they are supposed to know the Quran better than us, but the Iranians seem to be on the wavelength of the Quran. Everything he is doing everything he is thinking about is the Quran. You remember Tabas[2] when the American people wanted to free the hostages. The mightiest most technologically advanced nation on earth, a nation that can land a man on the moon and bring him back, a nation which tells you which part of the moon they will land and bring them back, they send mars and Jupiter probes. A nation that warned Pakistan about the tidal wave tragedy and they didn't heed the warning. They warned the Israelis in 1973 that the Arabs were on the move, they didn't heed the warning. That nation couldn't land in Iran. Imagine they went there with their helicopters and crashed them selves and got themselves killed. Imagine. A nation that lands on the moon and comes back cant land in Iran. And the Iranian people were not in any position to do anything to them. The Americans could have gone and done what they wanted to do. I went and saw the American embassy and you think that its just a big building, but man its acres and acres right in the center of Tehran. They could have easily gone in and gotten these people out, even if they lost a few men. They could have achieved their goals. It was very well planned. But you know what happened? Fiasco, retreat failure, the Imam Khomeini is told what has happened. He doesn't say Subhananla, he doesn't say Alhamdulilah, you know what he said. He quotes the Quran : "Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant?" 105:1 These are the words that came out of him. I tell you he is a Quranic computer.

You know what they call those huge helicopters? Jumbo helicopters, and those big planes are called jumbo planes. You know what jumbo means in Swahili, Elephant. It's a Swahili word. That's where they got the name. So these elephant sized helicopters go and the Imam says: "Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with the possessors of the elephant? Did He not cause their war to end in confusion," Quran 105:1-2

But we are so skeptical, the Muslim world has become so skeptical we don't believe in the Quran anymore. You don't really believe in the Quran, for most people it is all for entertainment, for the good spiritual feelings that you get when reciting the Holy Quran. But the directives that Allah(swt) gives, nobody seems to care. May Allah (swt) make these brothers of ours, the torchbearers and light of learning today to the Muslim world . And here is a nation geared to do the Job. When you look at them the earnestness that is in them, a nation that is not afraid, when you look at them with the enthusiasm they have. They are not afraid to say "marg bar amrika" death to America.. Then say "marg bar shuravi " death to USSR. Imagine that! (laughter from the audience). And death to Israel." Can you imagine a nation doing that and not in the least afraid. This is not the Islamic spirit that is in us here, but the Iranians are all heart and mind. They don't say "this is an Iranian revolution "or "we are Iranians". They are talking about Islam, an Islamic Revolution. This is not an Iranian revolution but that this is an Islamic revolution. It's a revolution for Islam and little wonder why the nations of the world cant stomach it because it is Islam that they cant stomach. So my dear brothers and sisters I have taken so much of your valuable time already. And with these words I take leave of you to sit down and to take your Questions.

[1] " O ye who believe! if any from among you turn back from his Faith, soon will Allah produce a people whom He will love as they will love Him,- lowly with the believers, mighty against the rejecters, fighting in the way of Allah, and never afraid of the reproaches of such as FIND FAULT. That is the grace of Allah, which He will bestow on whom He pleaseth. And Allah encompasseth all, and He knoweth all things." Quran 5:54

BarakAllahu Feek;
Wassalaamu'alaikum W Rahmatullahi W barakatuhu

Fihi ma Fihi - Difference Between Fiqh Scholar With Sufi Scholar

Rumi stated: Mohammed, the great Prophet, once said, “The worst of scholars are those who visit princes, and the best of princes are those who visit scholars. Wise is the prince who stands at the door of the poor, and wretched are the poor who stand at the door of the prince.”

Now, taking the outward sense of these words, people think that scholars should never visit princes or they will become the worst of scholars. That is not the true meaning. Rather, the worst of scholars are those who depend upon princes, and who revolve their life and purpose around the attention and favor of princes. Such scholars take up learning in hopes that princes will give them presents, hold them in esteem, and promote them to office.

Therefore, such scholars improve themselves and pursue knowledge on account of princes. They become scholars from their fear of princes. They subject themselves to the princes’ control. They conform themselves to the plans that princes map out for them. So, whether they visit a prince, or a prince visits them, still in every case they’re the visitors, and it is the prince who is visited.

However, when scholars do not study to please princes, but instead pursue learning from first to
last for the sake of truth—when their actions and words spring from the truth they have learned
and put to use because this is their nature and they cannot live otherwise—just as fish can only thrive in water—such scholars subject themselves to the control and direction of God. They become blessed with the guidance of the prophets. Everyone living in their time is touched by them and derives inspiration from their example, whether they are aware of the fact or not.

Should such scholars visit a prince, they are still the ones visited and the prince is the visitor, because in every case it is the prince who takes from these scholars and receives help from them. Such scholars are independent of the prince. They are like the light-giving sun, whose whole function is giving to all, universally, converting stones into rubies and carnelians, changing mountains into mines of copper, gold, silver and iron, making the earth fresh and green, bringing fruit to the trees, and warmth to the breeze. Their trade is giving, they do not receive. The Arabs have expressed this in a proverb: “We have learned in order to give, we have not learned in order to take.” And so in all ways they are the visited, and the prince is the visitor.

The thought comes to me at this point to comment on a verse of the Koran, although it is not related to the present discourse. However, this idea comes to me now, and I want to express it so that it can go on record. O Prophet, say to the prisoners in your hands. ‘If God knows of any good in your hearts, He will give you more than He has taken, And He will forgive you. Surely God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.’

This verse was revealed when Mohammed had defeated the unbelievers, slaying, plundering and taking prisoners, whom he tied hand and foot. Amongst the prisoners was his uncle, ‘Abbas. The chained people wept and wailed all night in their helpless humiliation. They had given up all hope of their lives, expecting the sword and slaughter. Mohammed, seeing this, laughed.

“Look!” the prisoners exclaimed. “He shows the traits of a person after all. This claim that he is superhuman is not true. There he stands looking at us prisoners in these chains, enjoying it. Just like everyone ruled by their passions—when they gain victory over their enemies and see their opponents vanquished to their will, they rejoice and feel happiness.”

“Not so,” answered Mohammed, seeing what was in their hearts. “Never would I laugh at the sight of enemies conquered by my hand, or the sight of your suffering. But I do rejoice, in fact I laugh, because with inner vision I see myself dragging and drawing people by collars and chains, out of the black smoke of Hell into Paradise, while they complain and cry, ‘Why are you pulling us from this pit of self-destruction into that garden of security?’ So, laughter overcomes me. “But since you have not yet been granted the vision to see what I am saying, listen. God commands me to say this to you: First you gathered your forces and mustered your might, trusting completely in your own virtue and valor. You said to yourselves, ‘We will conquer the Muslims and vanquish them.’ But you did not see that One Power more powerful than yourselves. You did not know the One Force above your force. And so all that you planned turned out the opposite. Even now in your fear, you still hold onto your beliefs and do not see the One Reality over you. Rather than facing that Power, you see my power, because it is easier for you to see yourselves conquered by me. “But even in your present state, still I say to you: If you recognize my power, and accept yourselves vanquished to my will in all circumstances, I can still deliver you from this grief.

He, who is able to bring forth a black bull from a white bull, can also produce a white bull from a black bull. Turn away from your former ways, and likewise I will return to you all the property that has been taken from you, in fact many times as much. Even more, I will absolve you of all blame, and grant you prosperity in this world and the world to come.”
“I have repented,” said ‘Abbas. “I have turned from my former ways.”
Mohammed said, “God demands a token of this claim you make, for easy it is to boast of love, but other is the proof thereof.”
“In God’s name, what token do you demand?” asked ‘Abbas.
“Give all the properties that remain to you for the army of Islam, so the army of Islam may be strengthened,” said Mohammed. “That is, of course, if you have truly become a Muslim and desire the good of Islam and Muslimdom.”
“Prophet of God, what remains to me?” said ‘Abbas. “They have taken everything, leaving me not so much as an old reed-mat.”
“You see,” said Mohammed, “you have not yet given up your old ways. You have not yet seen the light of truth. Should I tell you how much property you still have? Where you have hidden it? To whom you have entrusted it? Where you concealed and buried it?”
“God forbid!” exclaimed ‘Abbas.
“Did you not entrust so much property specifically to your mother?” asked Mohammed. “Did you not bury your gold under such and such a wall? Did you not tell your mother in detail, ‘If I return, give this back to me. But if I do not return safely, then spend so much upon such and such an object, and give so much to So-and-So, and so much is to be for yourself’?”
When ‘Abbas heard these words he raised his hand in complete acceptance. “Prophet of God,” he said, “truly, I have always thought you carried the fortune of the old kings, such as Haman, Shaddad, Nimrod and the rest. But now that you have spoken I know this favor is divine, from the world beyond, from the throne of God.”
“Now you have spoken truly,” said Mohammed. “This time I have heard the snapping of the girdle of doubt, that you had within you. I have an ear hidden within my inmost Soul, and with that hidden ear I can hear the snapping of doubt within anyone. Now it is true for a fact that you believe.”
I have told this story to the Amir for this reason: In the beginning you came forward as a champion of Muslimdom. “I ransom myself,” you said. “I sacrifice my own desires, considerations and judgement so that Islam will remain secure and strong.” But because you put your trust in your own plans, loosing sight of God, and forgetting that all things proceed from God, all your intentions have turned out the opposite.

Having struck a bargain with the Tartars, you are unintentionally giving them assistance to destroy the Syrians and the Egyptians, which in the end may bring ruin to the realm of Islam. So God has turned this plan you made for the survival of Islam, into its own destruction.

Turn your face to God, for things are in a dangerous condition. Yet, even in your present state, my friend, do not give up hope, but look to God and give yourself up to Its will. You thought your
own strength of spirit proceeded from yourself, just as ‘Abbas and the prisoners did, thus you have fallen into weakness. But do not give up hope, because He, who can produce weakness from strength, can bring forth an even greater strength from this weakness. Just as Mohammed rejoiced during the prisoners’ grief, so too I find joy in your present embarrassment, because from this weakness and suffering can come something greater than has been lost. Therefore, do not give up hope, for “Of God’s comfort no one despairs, Except the unbelievers.”

My purpose in speaking this way to the Amir was so that he could see the matter correctly, and accept the will of God humbly. He has fallen out of an exceedingly high state into a low state, yet in this way he may grow. Life can show the most wonderful things, but behind all of them lies a trap should we forget the source of this wonder.

God has devised this plan so that we will learn not to claim, out of arrogance and vanity, these ideas and plans as our own. If everything were in truth as it appears to be, Mohammed, endowed as he was with a vision so penetrating, so illuminated, would never have cried,

“Lord, show me things as they are.
You show a thing as fair, and in reality it is ugly.
You show a thing as ugly, and in truth it is beautiful.
Show us everything just as it is,
So that we will not fall into the snare.”

Now, your judgement, however good and luminous it may be, is certainly not better than the Prophet’s judgement. So do not put your trust in every idea and every notion, but only i in God
and Its wisdom.

Discourse On Hubb - The Love

Shaykh Dr. Abdalqadir as-Sufi
(19/02/2004)

You must concentrate very hard. We are going to discuss and examine a subject that is one of the key terms of the Qur’an and therefore one of the key, crucial terms for the Sufis. On it everything revolves and you will see to what an extent this is true. This is the word ‘Hubb’ — love. Hubb is mentioned in the Qur’an and the Sunna as both the privilege of Allah and of the creatures. This is something which is given and which belongs to Allah, and it is also the privilege of created beings. Allah explicitly relates different categories of the loved ones, the mahbubun, and also the condition of those He does not love, and even those who are related to those He does not love. This is very important in the Qur’an. Allah is very specific about it and even categorises the conditions of it, the nature of it and defines it throughout the whole Qur’an. Allah orders His Messenger, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to transmit to us this prescription. A’udhu billahi min ash-shaytanir-rajim. We go to Surat Al ‘Imran, 3:31: “Say: if you love Allah, then follow me and Allah will love you and forgive you for your wrong actions. Allah is Ever-forgiving, Most Merciful.” “Then follow me,” — that is Rasul, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. So this is the divine contract with the muminun. Then we come to Surat al-Ma’ida, 5:54, where Allah begins to tell us what the nature of this contract is.

“You who have iman! If any of you renounce your Deen, Allah will bring forward a people whom He loves and who love Him — humble to the muminun, fierce to the kafirun, who do jihad in the way of Allah and do not fear the blame of any censurer.” So Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, says: “Allah will bring forward a people whom He loves and who love Him,” — in other words, people who have held to the contract He has made, and he defines how such people would be — humble to the muminun and fierce to the kafirun. Of course what you find now, especially among the Arab peoples, is that they are humble to the kafirun and fierce to the muminun, but the people whom Allah loves are humble to the muminun and fierce to the kafirun, they do jihad in the way of Allah and do not fear the blame of any censurer. They do it just for Allah and in the way of Allah, in obedience to how war is to be fought as has been defined by Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala. Allah speaks openly of those He loves and we will look at five in a very interesting series of definitions in which we find out who these people are. Look at Surat al-Baqara, 2:222: “Allah loves those who turn back from wrong-doing and He loves those who purify themselves.” It also means that the love of Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, can take someone in the middle of their life, it can take someone at the very last breath of their life if they turn back from wrong-doing. And He loves those who purify themselves, who are clean, and then do the Salat, who worship Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala.

Purification has two dimensions in Islam: one is the purification of water. Then, as Imam Junayd said, “Purify yourselves with the water of the Unseen” — that is, an inward purification which accompanies the purification of the limbs. That is why, from the moment you start wudu, there must be no conversation. Ignore what you see in the mosques, especially among the Arabs, so many of whom have lost the Deen. Wudu is an ‘ibada which takes an equal importance alongside the Salat because there is no Salat without the wudu. Wudu is part of the Salat. When you start the wudu you do not speak to anyone until you have completed the wudu which is part of your ‘ibada which then takes you to the Salat. The next ayat is in Surat Al ‘Imran, 3:159. “Allah loves
those who trust in Him.” Tawakkilin — the people of tawakkul, the people who have trust in Him. The people who have trust in Allah, Allah loves them. This is to be among the beloved of Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala. It is not that you trust in Allah as if it were something thrown out into the void — in the act of your trusting Allah, you are encompassed in the love of Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala. This is the contract with Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala.

Now we look at Surat Al ‘Imran, 3:146. It is very interesting because a lot of these definitions come in these surats, Al ‘Imran and Al-Baqara, these foundational, explanatory surats, you might say, of the Deen. This is considered necessary to the understanding of the Deen of Islam. “Allah loves the steadfast.” Now we go back to Surat al-Baqara, 2:195. “Do good, Allah loves the good-doers.” This is the command to enter into the company of the ones whom Allah loves. “Do good, and Allah loves the ones who do good.” The Muhsin is the standard, it is the definition of the one who is on the Sirat al-Mustaqim. You have got to do good — you enter a situation and you bring the good with you. We will see in a moment the importance of this and also what it means, so that your tawhid is not complete until you have grasped what this contract of love is with Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala.

Now Surat as-Saff, 61:4. This is a very important ayat for the age we live in. Allah tells us something again unexpected. “Allah loves those who fight in His way in ranks like well-built walls.” Fight means fight — it does not mean some interior thing about the nafs. Qatala is to cut, to fight, it is the sword, battle. Allah loves those who fight in His way and the sabil of Allah is according to what has been clearly defined by Rasul, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Fighting in the way of Allah is not the same as fighting to defend your home, which you are entitled to do, and it is not the same as fighting just because you are attacked. Fighting fisabilillah, in the way of Allah, is fighting because you have raised high the banner of Islam. This is what fighting in the way of Allah means, and it means that you fight in ranks like well-built walls. In other words, it is not individuals taking on the enemy, it is that the way of Allah is with leadership and the leader leads from the front. He leads the way the Rasul led, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, the way the great rulers of the Moghuls and the Osmanli led their men into battle.

What we are witnessing today cannot be connected to this ayat. There must be leadership. His head must be above the shoulders of everyone and he must have raised high the banner of Islam which means he is coming with the confirmation of unity, the completion of the messengership of Rasul, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam — he is coming with Salat, he is coming with Sawm, he is coming with Zakat and he is guaranteeing the Hajj — that is the way of Allah and nothing else will do. These are the people Allah loves. It is important that you understand this. When Allah refuses to love those who are disapproved of because of certain characteristics, He makes it clear that they must disappear only and necessarily by the appearance of their opposite. Thus there is not a dualism of good and evil in the universe, but a dynamic reality governed by love. This is very important because, again, in the deviations of the modern world, you hear many people using the terms of the Haqq and the Batil as if there were some kind of duel between the haqq and the batil. This is from the language of the modernists and is an outrage against Islam. Allah makes very clear, as you can see in the ayats that follow, how His rule of love is put into action and that there is not a dualism of good and evil because Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, says: “When the truth comes, the lie has to vanish.” So there can be no way that it can confront it. We are going to come upon what exactly the process is that nevertheless creates a conflict among men that will divide the people who are loved by Allah and the people whom Allah does not love.

Now we are looking at those whom Allah does not love. We will look at six ayats that explain this and the first is Surat al-Ma’ida, 5:64. “They rush about the earth corrupting it and Allah does not love the corrupters.” This is a very important term because now we have the definition of those people whom Allah does not love — the people of fasad, the mufsidin — the people who actively corrupt, and not only that but they are busy with corruption. You are getting used to opening the Qur’an and moving around in it. This is how you learn. It is not this book which is shut and brought out for deaths. You live by it. Now we look at Surat al- An’am, 6:141. “He does not love the profligate.” Then strengthening this, we get a clear definition in Surat ar-Rum, 30:45. “He certainly does not love the kafirun.” Tough luck on them! There is no way that we can join with them and say that we have unity with them. Whatever they say about this group or
that group and whatever names they give them, the muminun know that these people are not loved. Whatever wrong among our own community there may be now, the truth is Allah does not love these other people so they are finished. Allah certainly does not love the kafirun. They want us to go to the other extreme and take out all these ayats of Qur’an so that we all have tolérance of each other. But this is not possible — Allah does not love them! We did not do it — there is no use us trying to love them, because Allah does not love them. “Innahu la yuhibbul-kafirin,” — that is the truth.

Surat an-Nisa’, 4:148. Another personal aspect of the intimacy of Allah’s dislike is that it affects individuals, not just bodies of people. “Allah does not love evil words being voiced out loud except in the case of someone who has been wronged.” In other words, the one who does this is outside the love of Allah, they cannot enter into this fortress of divine protection. If someone has been wronged then you have to tell something dreadful in order to protect them. That is why the presence of an active shari’at is necessary, because you should not denounce anybody unless the protection is complete — they can be protected by the ‘amr of the ruler. But there is not any shari’at. In this appalling situation in Nigeria where these imams who think that they run things — and our Islam is not about imams, we are not shi’a and our imams do not run things — they find a woman and say that she has committed adultery but none of it fits anything of how these matters are arrived at. They pass sentences of execution, and because the ‘amr is not there all the Muslims are disgraced and then they say how bad we are. The reason that happens is because the judge makes a judgment without an amir. When the qadi gives the judgment the amir says, “Carry out the qadi’s orders,” and then it is complete. When it is complete a totally different social order is established, but if you have a qadi saying, “This person is an adulterer. Execute them. Stone them,” and there is no amir to complete the process, then the whole edifice of Islamic law collapses.

Allah says in Qur’an: “Enter Islam kafah” — completely. You have to take the whole thing. You cannot not have the ‘amr, and this is the responsibility we have to recover in our lifetimes, inshallah. “Allah does not love evil words being voiced out loud except in the case of someone who has been wronged.” We have to create a framework where that can happen. If you voice against someone who has been wronged and there is no judgment and there is no punishment then you have slandered them. You have to come before the qadis with your proofs and a judgment has to be given. Then you can speak out about these things. But the one who says, “He drinks,” or this or that — he is just a slanderer because the process has not been completed. But for the one who has been wronged, that voicing of what is wrong has to be accomplished. This is the rahma, this is the mercy of the shari’at.

Now we look at Surat al-Baqara, 2:190. This is again very relevant to the time we live in, as are many things that you will find as you open the Qur’an. “Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight you but do not go beyond the limits. Allah does not love those who go beyond the limits.” Part of everything we are seeing now in this time is people fighting beyond the limits. They do no know that there are rules. Allah has set down rules about fighting. Rasul, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, has set down detailed rules about fighting and we cannot go beyond these limits. When you hear this Indonesian saying, “Oh, I’m sorry that in blowing up these people in Bali I killed eighty one Muslims — it was collateral damage,” this is nothing to do with Islam. Killing eighty one Muslims is collateral damage? This is the language of the kuffar. I cannot find
‘collateral damage’ in Qur’an. “Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight you but do not go beyond the limits. Allah does not love those who go beyond the limits.” In other words, if you fight with a total nihilistic obliteration of people then Allah has put you outside this protected fortress of the ones He loves. The sixth ayat is in Surat Al ‘Imran, 3:32. This, in a way, completes the whole set of ayats we have been looking at. “Say: obey Allah and the Messenger.” This is one of the most important ayats in the Qur’an. “Say: obey Allah and the Messenger:” these two are put together. There is no way you obey Allah if you do not obey the Messenger. “Say: obey Allah and the Messenger. Then if they do turn away, Allah does not love the kafirun.” There is no doubt about this, that Allah has placed His love with the muminun and He does not love the kafirun. The sign of the people who are in His protection of love is that they obey Allah and the Messenger.

What we find from this is very interesting. We find the presence of the Salih is the end of fasad and its way. This is why good is not fighting evil. It is the arrival of the Salih which brings about the defeat and the vanishing of the people of fasad, of the mufsidin. The mufsidin are cast out by the presence and the reality of the Salih. There is no way in which any war against the kuffar is to be seen in terms of the logistics of either dead bodies or destruction. It is the presence of the salihun, it is the reality of the salihun that brings the victory to the Muslims. Sayyiduna ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, radiyallahu ‘anhu, finished the enemy and Rasul, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said about him, “O ‘Umar, I could go with you into any valley because shaytan would never follow you.” So the arrival of ‘Umar ibn al- Khattab was the defeat of the shayatin. The creation and the advancement and the leadership of the salihun is what destroys the people of fasad.

We find out from Allah’s explaining about love, that a process is taking place all the time in the world but it is not something the outcome of which is uncertain, it is not good fighting evil in some dualism, there is no dualism, this is tawhid. Allah is in charge. Allah cares for us, and Rasul, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, cares for us as we know from Surat at-Tawba: “A Messenger has come to you from among yourselves. Your suffering is distressing to him; he is deeply concerned for you; he is gentle and merciful to the muminun.” Allah has shown us how this love spills out into all the process of living. Look at Surat al-Hujurat, 49:7. “Allah has given you love of iman and made it pleasing to your hearts.” This is how the dynamic of Allah’s love manifests among the creatures. Iman is belief in Allah, His Books, His Messengers, His Angels, the Last Day, the Balance and the Decree. So Allah has given us love of these unseen truths and realities — Allah has given us love of iman and made it pleasing to our hearts. Rasul, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, indicated that taking pleasure in wudu is a sign of iman — his pleasure in the act of wudu was the indication of this inner quality.

Now we go to Surat ar-Rum, 30:21. This, again, is about Allah’s outpouring in all the processes of life. “He created spouses for you of your own kind so that you might find tranquillity in them, and He has placed affection and compassion between you.” So this gift of Allah to the couple is part of this transaction of this kingdom of love which is Allah’s domain of the muminun. Mawada and Rahma are two dimensions of love — the Sufis say that mawada is the beginning of love which then becomes richer and becomes love. Rahma is mercy and if mercy is in the heart then that heart is predisposed to love, because it is the motor of love. Now we go to Surat al-Mumtahana, 60:1, “O you who have iman, do not take My enemy as friends showing love for them, when they have rejected the truth that has come to you.” So if you express love to those whom Allah has forbidden from this circle of love, everything is lost. Do not do this when they have rejected the truth that has come to the Rasul, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. That is against the contract of love with Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, that He has made with the muminun. “O you who have iman, do not take My enemy as friends, as awliya,” because to us the term ‘awliya’ is used for the ones who love Allah and whom Allah loves. Wilayat is something pure and exalted and to degrade it by saying that the kuffar have wilayat is a betrayal of the contract with Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala.

So it follows from these blessed ayats that Allah has created us for Him alone and not for ourselves. This is what we find out from these ayats — that we were not created for ourselves. For this reason, retribution is tied to the acts that we do for ourselves and not for Him. For the acts that we do for ourselves, there is a price to pay. Our ‘ibada is for Him and not for us, even though the worship is not the act itself. The outward behaviour of the created beings belongs to Him, for He remains the Agent. He is the Agent of action. The perfection of acts is returned to Him because everything comes from Him. So when the act of ‘ibada is perfect, it is actually His. It is not for us and it is not ours. This is Allah’s Hadrat ar-Rabbani, and this is what is happening in all the acts of worship.

Look at Surat ash-Shams, 91:7: “And the self and what proportions it, and inspires it with depravity or taqwa.” This takes us into the secret of tawhid, into the secret of the Qadr, of the seal of the destiny. Allah puts some people on a path of depravity and some people on a path of taqwa. The difference between the people of depravity and the people of taqwa is a matter of knowledge. The difference between the two parties is not that one is doing wrong acts that are not pleasing to Allah and the other is doing good actions that are pleasing to Allah, the difference is that the ones who have taqwa know that the whole process comes from Allah. The whole thing is in Allah’s hands. This changes the people of taqwa. The difference is not their displeasing acts and their good acts but that the people of taqwa know that the whole process is decreed and determined by Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala. This is the point. This is how love flows to those people and it is that love which is knowledge. “Fear Allah and He will give you knowledge.” Then that knowledge is the receptivity of the love flowing from Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, on His slave. It is further confirmed in Surat As-Saffat, 37:96: “Allah created both you and what you do.” The person and the actions cannot be separated. You cannot separate dogginess from the dog. You cannot understand a dog as just a creature with four legs and a tail. Dog is also the one which is faithful, the one which will turn on you, the one which can be used to hunt, the one which is dirty, the one which eats disgusting things — all these things make dog. But so with the human creature. Allah created both you and what you do. These things are not separate. So the first stage of the Sufic path is where grasping comes not intellectually but in the heart — the recognition that Allah is the Creator of us and our actions, that Allah is the Actor in every situation. Allah is the Doer.

All that has been happening at present in the tragic, lost Arab communities is because they have not been taught tawhid. They have not been taught the truth about Allah and so they are going around in circles against things Allah has ordered for them because they do not realise that Allah has created both you and what you do. Now we look at this in Surat al-An’am, 6:102. It is so openly stated in Qur’an. “That is Allah, your Lord. There is no god but Him, the Creator of everything. So worship Him. He is responsible for everything.” When Abu Bakr as-Siddiq had been ill and someone asked him, “Who made you better?” He said, “The same One who made me ill.” “That is Allah, your Lord, your Rabb.” Rabb is Allah’s governance of all the specific details of the created existence. The ayat specifically mentions, “That is Allah, your Rabb.” So the rububiyat, the connected relatedness of all the specific details and contradictory things of the
whole existence — He is the Master of it. “He is responsible for everything.” So the Creator is not like the person who makes a glass and then he has created the glass, no. He is the Creator of everything and that means of events. We live in a world of events. Throughout the Qur’an He tells about the events and how it is Allah who has made and is making them happen. We ourselves are an event of divine creation and Allah is making us happen. That is why the prayer of the muminun is, “O Allah, give us an iman that is lasting. Give us an iman that will take us to the grave so that we die with shahada.”

All kinds of things happen at the last minute with people because it is written. Only the other day, one of our people in Switzerland wanted to marry a man who was not Muslim and she said to him, “I cannot marry you because you are not Muslim. You have to become Muslim.” He became Muslim and on the Monday they were married, and on the Saturday he was dead. Allah had written Islam for him and so the wedding was followed by a funeral in the outward, but in the inward he had gone out from this world and from the Fire, to the Garden. This is the seal of the destiny of Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala. The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, “Allah the Mighty and Majestic said, ‘Those who approach me come with acts I love the most, the fara’id, then my servant draws nearer by extra, nawafil acts until I love him. When I love him I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand by which he grasps and his foot with which he walks.’”

In other words, the difference between those who are loved by Allah and those who are not loved by Allah is this knowledge by which we then understand the whole process by which we live our existence. It is by this tajalli, this i’tihad, that tawhid can be sustained. It is by this understanding of what Allah has promised to those who love Him — this is the secret of tawhid. We go to the last reference in the Qur’an in Surat al-Anfal, 8:17. Here, Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, is directly addressing Rasul, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. At the Battle of Badr, Rasul, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, took a handful of dust and threw it at the kuffar and they lost their place, they became unseated from their horses by this event of the Rasul’s doing this. It tipped the balance. Allah explains to Rasul, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam: “You did not throw when you threw, it was Allah who threw.” Here you see a clear description of this relationship between the creature and the Creator without any incarnation, without any penetration, without any association. The Lord is the Lord and the slave is the slave. Allah explains to the Rasul, “When you threw,” so Rasul, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, did throw but He says, “You did not throw when you threw. It was Allah who threw.” This is the secret of existence unveiled by the presence of the Rasul, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, bringing wisdom to all the Muslims by it because his action is then explained by Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, in His revelation. It is a tremendous moment, it is like the lifting of a veil to let all the muminun understand. “You did not throw when you threw. It was Allah who threw.”

Thus the maqam of love is an elevated honour and love itself is the ‘asl, the principle of existence itself, of wujud. Shaykh al- Akbar said (ibnu Arabi), “From love we have come, by love we are made, towards love we go, to love we give ourselves.”

Decades ago, when I had just become Muslim, I met a very cultured and educated lady for whom I had great respect, and I told her I had become Muslim. She said, “Oh, that is very beautiful, Islam is a very beautiful religion. There is only one thing, which is that I have read the Qur’an and I found that there is a lot of violence in it.” This disturbed me because I did not know how to answer her. Many years later I was reading Imam al-Ghazali and he says, “When the kafir opens the Qur’an, he finds nothing in it but fighting and battles and blood and the Fire and all the terrible punishments that are due. When the mumin opens the Qur’an he finds gardens under which rivers flow and that Allah loves them. This is the secret of the Qur’an — that it has for its people what it has.” To that we would add that the kafir nevertheless finds in it a warning. Qur’an says in it, “Ya ayuhalladhina amanu,” and, “Ya ayuhalladhina kafiru.” So the kuffar have a warning and the muminun have guidance and we are the people of guidance, and we thank Allah for the gift of Islam, it is enough for us.

Supplication of Imam Ali al Murtaza (as)

Bismillahirahmaniraheem

Allahuma Salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala Aali Muhammad

O Allah I am asking for your protection against the Day when nothing like wealth or children will be of use and only that person will benefit who will come with a pure heart.

And I am asking you for your protection against the Day when a wrongdoer will be biting the back of his hands in regret and will be saying, 'Oh, I wish I had chosen the way shown by the Prophet (of Allah),"

And I am asking for your protection against the Day when the sinners will be known by their faces, and will be taken by their hair and feet.

And I am asking for your protection against the Day when a father will not serve instead of his son nor will a son be punished instead of his father for anything, since Allah had promised thus and His promise is true.

And I am asking for your protection against the Day when a person will run away from his brother, his mother, his father, his wife, and children. That Day every person will have what he has earned for himself.

I am asking for your protection against the Day when the sinner would wish that he could ransom the wrath of Allah descending on him at that time with his children, his wife, his brother and relatives who gave him shelter and all those on earth, so that he be saved.

My Lord, O my Lord,
You are the Mighty and I am the low,

and who else can be merciful to low the except the Mighty?

My Lord, O my Lord,
You are the Creator and I am the creature,

and who else can be merciful to creature the except the Creator?

My Lord, O my Lord,
You are the Glorious and I am the miserable,

and who else can be merciful tto tthe miiserablle exceptt tthe Glloriious?

My Lord, O my Lord,
You are the Powerful and I am the weak,

and who else can be merciful to the weak except the Powerful?

My Lord, O my Lord,
You are the Wealthy and I am the Poor,

and who else can be merciful to the poor except the Wealthy?

My Lord, O my Lord,
You are the Bestower and I am the beggar,
and who else can be merciful to the beggar except the Bestower?

My Lord, O my Lord,
You are the Living and I am the dead,

and who else can be merciful to the dead except the Living?

My Lord, O my Lord,
You are the Eternal and I am the transient,

and who else can be merciful to the transient except the Eternal?


My Lord, O my Lord, You
are the Permanent and I am the short-lived,

and who else can be merciful to the short-lived except the Permanent?

My Lord, O my Lord, You
are the Provider and I am the blessed,

and who else can be merciful to the blessed except the Provider?

My Lord, O my Lord,
You are the Generous and I am the miser,
and who else can be merciful to the miser except the Generous?

My Lord, O my Lord,
You are the Free and I am the aflicted,

and who else can be merciful to the aflicted except the Free?

My Lord, O my Lord,
You are tthe Great and I am the insignificant,

and who else can be merciful to the insignificant except the Great?

My Lord, O my Lord,
You are the Leading and I am tthe straying,

and who else can be merciful to the straying except the Leading?

My Lord, O my Lord,

You are the Merciful and I am the one shown mercy,

and who else can be merciful to the one shown mercy except the Merciful?

My Lord, O my Lord,

You are the Authority and I am the tried,

and who else can be merciful to the tried except the Authority?

My Lord, O my Lord,
You are the Guide and I am the confused,,

and who else can be merciful to the confused except the Guide?

My Lord, O my Lord,
You are the Forgiver and I am the sinner,,

and who else can be merciful to the sinner except the Forgiver?

My Lord, O my Lord,
You are the Victor and I am the defeated,,

and who else can be merciful to the defeated except the Victor?

My Lord, O my Lord,
You are the Nourisher and I am the nourished,,
and who else can be merciful to the nourished except the Nourisher?

My Lord, O my Lord,
You are the Posessor of every greatnes

and I am the humble, and who else can be merciful to the humble except the the Posessor of every greatnes ?

My Lord, O my Lord, have mercy on me by Your kindness,

and be pleased with me by Your Generosity
and Your Magnanimity and Your Grace,

O the Generous, and Beneficent,

O the Almighty and the Benefactor,

by your Mercy, O the most Kind..

Virtues Of Sayyida Fatima (Alaihi salam)

The Family of Fatimah ( سلم اللہ عليھا ) is the Ahl-ulbait (People of the House)

Ans bin Malik (RA) narrates that when the Holy Prophet (SAW) used to come out for Fajr (dawn) prayer, as he passed the door of Fatimah ( Alaihi salam ), he used to say, “O ‘people of the house’, perform your prayer” and then he used to recite the following verse from the Holy Quran: “Allah only desires to keep away (all kinds of) impurity from you, O ‘people of the house’! (the Prophet’s family) and to totally purify you,” [al-Ahzab 33:33] (he did this) for six months.

Abu Saeed Khudri (RA) has said about the verse, “Allah only desires to keep away (all kinds of) impurity from you, O ‘people of the house’!…”, that it was revealed in honour of the following five personalities: the Messenger of Allah (SAW), Ali ( Alaihi salam ), Fatimah ( Alaihi salam ), Hasan ( Alaihi salam ) and Husain ( Alaihi salam ).


Fatimah ( سلم اللہ علیھا ) is the leader of all women
Ayeshah ( رضي الله عنها ) narrates that the Holy Prophet (SAW) said during the illness in which he passed away, “Oh Fatimah ( سلم اللہ علیھا )! Are you not pleased with the fact that you are the leader of the women of all the worlds, the leader of the women of this ummah (nation) and the leader of the women of all the believers.”

Ayeshah ( رضي الله عنها ) narrates, “Fatimah ( سلم اللہ علیھا ) came and her way of walking was just like that of the Holy Prophet (SAW). The Holy Prophet (SAW) welcomed his beloved daughter and seated her on his right hand side or on the left hand side*. Then he whispered something to her which made her cry. So I asked her why she was crying. Then the Holy Prophet (SAW) whispered something to her and she laughed. So I said, ‘I have never seen happiness so close to sadness as I have seen today.’ I asked (Fatimah [ سلم الله عليها ]), ‘What did the Holy Prophet (SAW) say?’ She replied, ‘I cannot disclose the secret of the Messenger of Allah (SAW).’ When the Holy Prophet (SAW) passed away I asked her again (about this incident) and she replied, ‘The Holy Prophet (SAW) whispered to me, ‘Every year Jibraeel recites the whole of the Quran
with me once but this year he has recited it twice. I am sure that the end of my time in this world has come and indeed you are the first from my family who will come to me.’ This made me cry. Then the Holy Prophet (SAW) whispered, ‘Are you not happy with the fact that you are the leader of the women of Paradise or the leader of all Muslim women*.’ To this I laughed.’”

Masruq narrates from the Mother of the Believers Ayeshah ( رضي الله عنها ) that the Holy Prophet (SAW) said, “Fatimah, are you not happy that you are the leader of the women of all the believers or the leader of the women of this ummah.*”

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates that the Holy Prophet (SAW) said, “An angel in the skies who had not seen me requested permission from Allah (SWT) to see me (which he was granted); he told me the good news or brought me the news* that Fatimah ( سلم الله عليها ) is the leader of all women in my nation.”


Fatimah ( سلم اللہ علیھا ) is the leader of women in Paradise
Hudhaifah (RA) narrates that the Holy Prophet (SAW) said, “There is an angel who before tonight had never come down to earth, asked permission from his Lord to offer slam (salutations) to me and to deliver the good news to me that Fatimah (سلم اللہ علیھا ) is the leader of all women of Paradise and Hasan (AS) and Husain (AS) are the leaders of all the youngsters in Paradise.”

Abdullah bin Abbas (RA) narrates that the Holy Prophet (SAW) drew four lines in the ground and asked, “Do you know what this is?” The companions replied, “Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (SAW) know better.” Then the Holy Prophet (SAW) said, “From the women of Paradise four are superior to others: Khadijah the daughter of Khuwaylid, Fatimah the daughter of Muhammad, Asiyah the daughter of Mazahim the wife of Pharaoh and Maryam the daughter of Imran (RA).”



Allah (SWT) has forbidden Hell Fire for Fatimah ( سلم اللہ علیھا ) and her family

Abdullah bin Abbas ( رضي الله عنهما ) narrates that the Holy Prophet (SAW) said to Fatimah ( سلم اللہ علیھا ), “Allah (SWT) will not punish you and your children.”

Abdullah bin Masud ( رضي الله عنهما ) narrates that the Holy Prophet (SAW) said, “Indeed Fatimah has protected her honour and purity in such a way that Allah has protected her and her children from the Fire.”

Jabir (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, “My daughter was named Fatimah because Allah (SWT) has totally separated her and those who love her from the Fire.”



The mother of Fatimah ( سلم اللہ علیھا ) is the best of all women
Abdullah bin Jafar (RA) narrates that he heard Ali ( كرم الله وجهه ) say that the Holy Prophet (SAW) said, “The most superior woman from the women of her time was Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (RA) and the most superior woman from the women of her time was Maryam bint Imran.”


Fatimah ( سلم اللہ علیھا ), a part of the Prophet (SAW)
Miswar bin Makhramah (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, “Fatimah is a part of me. Therefore, whosoever angers her angers me.”

Muhammad bin Ali narrates that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, “Indeed Fatimah is a part of me. Hence, whosoever angers her angers me.”

Imam Ali (AS) narrates, “He was present in the company of the Messenger of Allah (SAW) when the Holy Prophet (SAW) asked, ‘What is best for a woman’ on this the companions remained quiet. When I returned home I asked Fatimah, ‘Tell me what is best for a woman?’ Fatimah ( سلم اللہ علیھا ) replied, ‘It is best for a woman that no men (i.e. outside of one’s immediate family: brothers, father, uncle, husband, sons) see her.’ I mentioned this to the Holy Prophet (SAW) and he (SAW) said, ‘Indeed Fatimah is a part of me.’”


The Holy Prophet (SAW) used to stand up for Fatimah ( سلم اللہ علیھا )
The Mother of the Believers Ayeshah ( رضي الله عنها ) narrates that when the Holy Prophet (SAW) used to see Fatimah coming he would welcome her, then he (SAW) would stand up for her, kiss her, bring her inside by holding her hand and seat her in his (SAW) own place. Whenever Fatimah ( سلم اللہ علیھا ) saw the Holy Prophet (SAW) arrive, she used to welcome him (SAW), stand up for him (SAW) and kiss the Holy Prophet (SAW).

The Mother of the Believers Ayeshah ( رضي الله عنها ) narrates that when Fatimah ( سلم اللہ علیھا ) used to arrive in the presence of the Holy Prophet (SAW), he (SAW) used to welcome her by standing up and used to hold her hand and kiss it then seat her where he (SAW) was sitting.


Fatimah ( سلم اللہ علیھا ): the centre of love for the Holy Prophet (SAW) on earth
Jumai bin Umair Taymi (RA) narrates that he visited Ayeshah ( رضي الله عنها ) in the company of his paternal aunt and asked her, “Who was the most beloved to the Holy Prophet (SAW)?” The Mother of the Believers ( رضي الله عنها ) replied, “Fatimah.” “And who from among the men?” she was asked again. She replied, “Her husband. As far as I know he fasts a great deal and he often stays awake at length during nights in order to worship Allah (SWT).”

Buraidah (RA) narrates that from women Fatimah was the most beloved to the Holy Prophet (SAW) and from the men Ali ( كرم الله وجهه ) was most dear to him (SAW).


The pleasure of Fatimah ( سلم اللہ علیھا ) is the pleasure of the Holy Prophet (SAW)
Miswar bin Makhramah (RA) narrates that the Holy Prophet (SAW) said, “Indeed, Fatimah is my fruitful branch; whatever makes her happy also makes me happy. Whatever hurts her hurts me.”

Saeed bin Aban Qarshi narrates that Abdullah bin Hasan bin Hasan bin Ali bin Abi Talib (AS), who was still a young boy with his hair reaching his ears, went to Umar bin Abd-ul-Aziz (RA). (On his arrival) Umar bin Abd-ul-Aziz (RA) concluded his meeting and welcomed his guest and fulfilled his needs. He then pressed the stomach of the boy to the extent that the boy felt some pain. Umar bin Abd-ul-Aziz said, “(On the Day of Judgement) at the time of intercession remember this.” On the departure of the boy, the people taunted Umar bin Abd-ul-Aziz and said, “You showed so much respect to a young boy?” On this Umar bin Abd-ul-Aziz said, “I have heard a saying of the Holy Prophet (SAW) from an authentic narrator; it is as though I have heard it directly from the Messenger of Allah (SAW) (saying), ‘Indeed, Fatimah is a part of me and whatever pleases her pleases me.’” (Umar bin Umar bin Abd-ul-Aziz then added), “I am sure that if Fatimah (سلم اللہ علیھا) ) was alive today, she would be happy at the way I treated her son.” Then the people asked, “What is the meaning of your squeezing the boy’s stomach and what did you mean by the word that you said?” To this Umar bin Abd-ul-Aziz replied, “There is not a single person from the clan of Bani Hashim who has not been given the power to intercede. I just wanted to earn the right to the boy’s intercession.”


Allahuma Salli ala Muhammad wa ala Aali Muhammad wa Ashabihil Akhyar



(Transcript from Book Virtues Of Hadhrat Fatima By Dr.Tahir ul Qadri)

Miracle Of The Prophet Saww - Based On Sahih Bukhari II

SAHIH AL-BUKHARI

Volumn 001, Book 004, Hadith Number 241.

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Narated By 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud : Once the Prophet was offering prayers at the Ka'ba. Abu Jahl was sitting with some of his companions. One of them said to the others, "Who amongst you will bring the abdominal contents (intestines, etc.) of a camel of Bani so and so and put it on the back of Muhammad, when he prostrates?" The most unfortunate of them got up and brought it. He waited till the Prophet prostrated and then placed it on his back between his shoulders. I was watching but could not do any thing. I wish I had some people with me to hold out against them. They started laughing and falling on one another. Allah's Apostle was in prostration and he did not lift his head up till Fatima (Prophet's daughter) came and threw that (camel's abdominal contents) away from his back. He raised his head and said thrice, "O Allah! Punish Quraish." So it was hard for Abu Jahl and his companions when the Prophet invoked Allah against them as they had a conviction that the prayers and invocations were accepted in this city (Mecca). The Prophet said, "O Allah! Punish Abu Jahl, 'Utba bin Rabi'a, Shaiba bin Rabi'a, Al-Walid bin 'Utba, Umaiya bin Khalaf, and 'Uqba bin Al Mu'it (and he mentioned the seventh whose name I cannot recall). By Allah in Whose Hands my life is, I saw the dead bodies of those persons who were counted by Allah's Apostle in the Qalib (one of the wells) of Badr. DUA AGAINST THE QURAISH.

Volumn 004, Book 052, Hadith Number 297.

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Narated By Abu Huraira : We were in the company of Allah's Apostle in a Ghazwa, and he remarked about a man who claimed to be a Muslim, saying, "This (man) is from the people of the (Hell) Fire." When the battle started, the man fought violently till he got wounded. Somebody said, "O Allah's Apostle! The man whom you described as being from the people of the (Hell) Fire fought violently today and died." The Prophet said, "He will go to the (Hell) Fire." Some people were on the point of doubting (the truth of what the Prophet had said) while they were in this state, suddenly someone said that he was still alive but severely wounded. When night fell, he lost patience and committed suicide. The Prophet was informed of that, and he said, "Allah is Greater! I testify that I am Allah's Slave and His Apostle." Then he ordered Bilal to announce amongst the people: 'None will enter Paradise but a Muslim, and Allah may support this religion (i.e. Islam) even with a disobedient man.' THE HOLY PROPHET (Sallalaho Alaihi Wa Aali Wasallam) BEING AWARE OF OTHER PEOPLE’S STATE AND ACTIONS.

Volumn 004, Book 055, Hadith Number 558.

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Narated By Ibn 'Abbas : The Prophet said, "I have been made victorious with As-Saba (i.e. an easterly wind) and the people of 'Ad were destroyed by Ad-Dabur (i.e. a westerly wind)." Narrated Abu Said: Ali sent a piece of gold to the Prophet who distributed it among four persons: Al-Aqra' bin Habis Al-Hanzali from the tribe of Mujashi, 'Uyaina bin Badr Al-Fazari, Zaid At-Ta'i who belonged to (the tribe of) Bani Nahban, and 'Alqama bin Ulatha Al-'Amir who belonged to (the tribe of) Bani Kilab. So the Quraish and the Ansar became angry and said, "He (i.e. the Prophet) gives the chief of Najd and does not give us." The Prophet said, "I give them) so as to attract their hearts (to Islam)." Then a man with sunken eyes, prominent checks, a raised forehead, a thick beard and a shaven head, came (in front of the Prophet) and said, "Be afraid of Allah, O Muhammad!" The Prophet ' said "Who would obey Allah if I disobeyed Him? (Is it fair that) Allah has trusted all the people of the earth to me while, you do not trust me?" Somebody who, I think was Khalid bin Al-Walid, requested the Prophet to let him chop that man's head off, but he prevented him. When the man left, the Prophet said, "Among the off-spring of this man will be some who will recite the Qur'an but the Qur'an will not reach beyond their throats (i.e. they will recite like parrots and will not understand it nor act on it), and they will renegade from the religion as an arrow goes through the game's body. They will kill the Muslims but will not disturb the idolaters. If I should live up to their time' I will kill them as the people of 'Ad were killed (i.e. I will kill all of them)." EMERGENCE OF FITNA FROM HYPROCRITES.

Volumn 008, Book 076, Hadith Number 459.

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Narated By Abu Huraira : By Allah except Whom none has the right to- be worshipped, (sometimes) I used to lay (sleep) on the ground on my liver (abdomen) because of hunger, and (sometimes) I used to bind a stone over my belly because of hunger. One day I sat by the way from where they (the Prophet and h is companions) used to come out. When Abu Bakr passed by, I asked him about a Verse from Allah's Book and I asked him only that he might satisfy my hunger, but he passed by and did not do so. Then Umar passed by me and I asked him about a Verse from Allah's Book, and I asked him only that he might satisfy my hunger, but he passed by without doing so. Finally Abu-l-Qasim (the Prophet) passed by me and he smiled when he saw me, for he knew what was in my heart and on my face. He said, "O Aba Hirr (Abu Huraira)!" I replied, "Labbaik, O Allah's Apostle!" He said to me, "Follow me." He left and I followed him.

Volumn 003, Book 034, Hadith Number 310.

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Narated By Jabir bin 'Abdullah : I was with the Prophet in a Ghazwa (Military Expedition) and my camel was slow and exhausted. The Prophet came up to me and said, "O Jabir." I replied, "Yes?" He said, "What is the matter with you?" I replied, "My camel is slow and tired, so I am left behind." So, he got down and poked the camel with his stick and then ordered me to ride. I rode the camel and it became so fast that I had to hold it from going ahead of Allah's Apostle.(part of a long hadith). THE CAMEL OF HAZRAT SAYIDNA JABIR (Radi Allah Ta’ala Anhu) BECOMES FAST.

Volumn 005, Book 057, Hadith Number 100.

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Narated By Ibn Abbas : Once the Prophet embraced me (pressed me to his chest) and said, "O Allah, teach him wisdom (i.e. the understanding of the knowledge of Qur'an)." DUA FOR HAZRAT SAYIDNA IBN ABBAS (Radi Allah Ta’ala Anhu).

Volumn 005, Book 059, Hadith Number 472.

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Narated By Al-Bara bin Azib : That they were in the company of Allah's Apostle on the day of Al-Hudaibiya and their number was 1400 or more. They camped at a well and drew its water till it was dried. When they informed Allah's Apostle of that, he came and sat over its edge and said, "Bring me a bucket of its water." When it was brought, he spat and invoked (Allah) and said, "Leave it for a while." Then they quenched their thirst and watered their riding animals (from that well) till they departed. MIRACLE OF THE BLESSED SPITTLE.

Volumn 005, Book 058, Hadith Number 199.

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Narated By 'Abdur-Rahman : "I asked Masruq, 'Who informed the Prophet about the Jinns at the night when they heard the Qur'an?' He said, 'Your father 'Abdullah informed me that a tree informed the Prophet about them.'" TALKING TO TREES.

Then he entered the house and I asked permission to enter and was admitted. He found milk in a bowl and said, "From where is this milk?" They said, "It has been presented to you by such-and-such man (or by such and such woman)." He said, "O Aba Hirr!" I said, "Labbaik, O Allah's Apostle!" He said, "Go and call the people of Suffa to me." These people of Suffa were the guests of Islam who had no families, nor money, nor anybody to depend upon, and whenever an object of charity was brought to the Prophet , he would send it to them and would not take anything from it, and whenever any present was given to him, he used to send some for them and take some of it for himself. The order off the Prophet upset me, and I said to myself, "How will this little milk be enough for the people of As-Suffa?" thought I was more entitled to drink from that milk in order to strengthen myself, but behold! The Prophet came to order me to give that milk to them. I wondered what will remain of that milk for me, but anyway, I could not but obey Allah and His Apostle so I went to the people of As-Suffa and called them, and they came and asked the Prophet's permission to enter. They were admitted and took their seats in the house.

The Prophet said, "O Aba-Hirr!" I said, "Labbaik, O Allah's Apostle!" He said, "Take it and give it to them." So I took the bowl (of Milk) and started giving it to one man who would drink his fill and return it to me, whereupon I would give it to another man who, in his turn, would drink his fill and return it to me, and I would then offer it to another man who would drink his fill and return it to me. Finally, after the whole group had drunk their fill, I reached the Prophet who took the bowl and put it on his hand, looked at me and smiled and said. "O Aba Hirr!" I replied, "Labbaik, O Allah's Apostle!" He said, "There remain you and I." I said, "You have said the truth, O Allah's Apostle!" He said, "Sit down and drink." I sat down and drank. He said, "Drink," and I drank. He kept on telling me repeatedly to drink, till I said, "No. by Allah Who sent you with the Truth, I have no space for it (in my stomach)." He said, "Hand it over to me." When I gave him the bowl, he praised Allah and pronounced Allah's Name on it and drank the remaining milk. MILK SERVED 70 COMPANIONS OF THE AHL-US-SUFFA.

Volumn 003, Book 038, Hadith Number 505B.

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Narated By Abu Huraira : Allah's Apostle deputed me to keep Sadaqat (al-Fitr) of Ramadan. A comer came and started taking handfuls of the foodstuff (of the Sadaqa) (stealthily). I took hold of him and said, "By Allah, I will take you to Allah's Apostle." He said, "I am needy and have many dependents, and I am in great need." I released him, and in the morning Allah's Apostle asked me, "What did your prisoner do yesterday?" I said, "O Allah's Apostle! The person complained of being needy and of having many dependents, so, I pitied him and let him go." Allah's Apostle said, "Indeed, he told you a lie and he will be coming again." I believed that he would show up again as Allah's Apostle had told me that he would return. So, I waited for him watchfully. When he (showed up and) started stealing handfuls of foodstuff, I caught hold of him again and said, "I will definitely take you to Allah's Apostle. He said, "Leave me, for I am very needy and have many dependents. I promise I will not come back again." I pitied him and let him go.

In the morning Allah's Apostle asked me, "What did your prisoner do." I replied, "O Allah's Apostle! He complained of his great need and of too many dependents, so I took pity on him and set him free." Allah's Apostle said, "Verily, he told you a lie and he will return." I waited for him attentively for the third time, and when he (came and) started stealing handfuls of the foodstuff, I caught hold of him and said, "I will surely take you to Allah's Apostle as it is the third time you promise not to return, yet you break your promise and come." He said, "(Forgive me and) I will teach you some words with which Allah will benefit you." I asked, "What are they?" He replied, "Whenever you go to bed, recite "Ayat-al-Kursi"... 'Allahu la ilaha illa huwa-l-Haiy-ul Qaiyum' till you finish the whole verse. (If you do so), Allah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you and no satan will come near you till morning. " So, I released him. In the morning, Allah's Apostle asked, "What did your prisoner do yesterday?" I replied, "He claimed that he would teach me some words by which Allah will benefit me, so I let him go." Allah's Apostle asked, "What are they?" I replied, "He said to me, 'Whenever you go to bed, recite Ayat-al-Kursi from the beginning to the end... Allahu la ilaha illa huwa-lHaiy-ul-Qaiyum.' He further said to me, '(If you do so), Allah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you, and no Satan will come near you till morning.' (Abu Huraira or another sub-narrator) added that they (the companions) were very keen to do good deeds. The Prophet said, "He really spoke the truth, although he is an absolute liar. Do you know whom you were talking to, these three nights, O Abu Huraira?" Abu Huraira said, "No." He said, "It was Satan." INFORMING OF SATAN AND HIS DECEPTION.

Volumn 005, Book 059, Hadith Number 371.

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Narated By Al-Bara bin Azib : Allah's Apostle sent some men from the Ansar to ((kill) Abu Rafi, the Jew, and appointed 'Abdullah bin Atik as their leader. Abu Rafi used to hurt Allah's Apostle and help his enemies against him. He lived in his castle in the land of Hijaz. When those men approached (the castle) after the sun had set and the people had brought back their livestock to their homes. Abdullah (bin Atik) said to his companions, "Sit down at your places. I am going, and I will try to play a trick on the gate-keeper so that I may enter (the castle)." So 'Abdullah proceeded towards the castle, and when he approached the gate, he covered himself with his clothes, pretending to answer the call of nature. The people had gone in, and the gate-keeper (considered 'Abdullah as one of the castle's servants) addressing him saying, "O Allah's Servant! Enter if you wish, for I want to close the gate." 'Abdullah added in his story, "So I went in (the castle) and hid myself. When the people got inside, the gate-keeper closed the gate and hung the keys on a fixed wooden peg. I got up and took the keys and opened the gate. Some people were staying late at night with Abu Rafi for a pleasant night chat in a room of his. When his companions of nightly entertainment went away, I ascended to him, and whenever I opened a door, I closed it from inside. I said to myself, 'Should these people discover my presence, they will not be able to catch me till I have killed him.' So I reached him and found him sleeping in a dark house amidst his family, I could not recognize his location in the house. So I shouted, 'O Abu Rafi!' Abu Rafi said, 'Who is it?' I proceeded towards the source of the voice and hit him with the sword, and because of my perplexity, I could not kill him. He cried loudly, and I came out of the house and waited for a while, and then went to him again and said, 'What is this voice, O Abu Rafi?' He said, 'Woe to your mother! A man in my house has hit me with a sword! I again hit him severely but I did not kill him. Then I drove the point of the sword into his belly (and pressed it through) till it touched his back, and I realized that I have killed him. I then opened the doors one by one till I reached the staircase, and thinking that I had reached the ground, I stepped out and fell down and got my leg broken in a moonlit night. I tied my leg with a turban and proceeded on till I sat at the gate, and said, 'I will not go out tonight till I know that I have killed him.' So, when (early in the morning) the cock crowed, the announcer of the casualty stood on the wall saying, 'I announce the death of Abu Rafi, the merchant of Hijaz. Thereupon I went to my companions and said, 'Let us save ourselves, for Allah has killed Abu Rafi,' So I (along with my companions proceeded and) went to the Prophet and described the whole story to him. "He said, 'Stretch out your (broken) leg. I stretched it out and he rubbed it and it became All right as if I had never had any ailment whatsoever." HEALING OF THE BROKEN LEG.