Tale of Two Holy Cities

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم

اَللّٰھُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰی مُحَمَّدٍ وَّعَلٰٓی اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

By Syeda Qudsiya Mashhadi

For the first time, my pen is shy of words; how to express in words the special journey to the two of the holiest cities for Muslims, Madina Munawarah and Makkah Mukaramah? Can words do justice to the feelings, observations, thoughts, ambience of such sacred places as these? Hard feat indeed, but I will try my best. In this effort if I transgress somewhere, I seek pardon of my Creator and my Spiritual Guide, beloved Prophet [PBUH] and all the Muslims who read it. My intention is to objectively present everything as it happened and not gloss over some undesirable things that were observed during the course of the journey. Secondly, I want this account to be a helpful guide for the ones intending to make this journey to sacred lands.

This was not the first time I went to Haramain Kareemain but the fact that this second visit was after a gap of 11 years, had made every feeling new. There is not a Muslim in the world who does not have this pronounced desire of visiting these extraordinary cities and it would be true to say that this holy journey is an unlimited blessing of Allah upon Muslims. Sadly, not everyone is able to reap the benefits of these boundless blessings, but will come to that later.

When finally you go to Baitullah after coming to Makkah, the sight of it gives such pleasure that you forget all your woes or how physically tired you are. But this pleasure is not without a sense of majesty and grandeur of the House of the Lord of the Worlds. One can sense the all-engulfing might of Allah in Baitullah and the over-powering realization that one is just His humble servant and is present in His court to say Labbaik to His every order and wish. One truly understands the meaning of ‘Labbaik Allahuma Labbaik’ when one is sweating out there in 52 degrees C temperature and doing ‘Tawaf’ in an over-crowded place just for the sake of Allah. This is the journey of your mind, body and soul. Every iota of your being is on a holy pilgrimage. This is a labour of love for one’s Creator and this arduous task can be the most pleasurable thing for the ones who feel their connection with the Creator.

This connection is only felt by the ones, who are able to close their eyes to the world they have left behind, and close their eyes to the world which is around them even at that moment. In fact, the onslaught of huge crowds of vibrant humanity is not greater anywhere else than in Kaaba. One is overwhelmed with it all; so many faces, so many people from different nationalities and races; but you go there to renew your connection with Allah. One miracle that everyone witnesses in Khana Kaaba, and even in Masjid-e-Nabwi, is the constant provision of Zam Zam. Hundreds of years have passed since Bibi Hajra [AS] made that ‘Saee’ for her son Ismaeel [AS] and even now, the spring that sprung up for that blessed family, has not stopped. Cool and refreshing Zam Zam is available to Hajis in Baitullah and in Haram-e-Nabwi as well. After a Tawaf in scorching Sun, a glass of Zam Zam not only quenches the thirst but also seems to magically erase the effects of excessive heat as well. Credit must be given here to the Saudi govt. for constant availability of cooled Zam Zam water to the hajis in Haramain Shareefain. Not to mention the cleanliness, that is maintained actively around the clock at a place which is heavily crowded day and night.

Then the traveller of this sacred journey reaches the city of the beloved Prophet [PBUH], Madina Munawarah. The ‘air’, the ambience of this city holy is different from Makkah Shareef. There is a feeling of awe in the air when one is in Makkah but in Madina that feeling is replaced with love. The sight of the Green Dome brings uncontrollable tears to the eyes of the ones who have not seen the beautiful visage of the Holiest of Prophets, Muhemmed [PBUH] and associate Gunbad-e-Khizra with him. Even those who consider themselves ‘weak’ Muslims, feel the utmost love and reverence for the Messenger [PBUH] of Allah and Masjid-e-Nabwi entices them. The exact resting place under the Green Dome is not easily accessible as it is heavily crowded all the time. Women especially have limited time to pay their respects to the Prophet [PBUH] as they are only allowed to go near the resting place of Prophet [PBUH] after 10 pm at night.

Muslims also say Salam to the two Khulafa-e-Rashideen, Hazrat Abu Bakr [RA] and Hazrat Umar [RA] buried beside the Holy Prophet [PBUH]. Adjacent to the gate of Masjid-e-Nabwi which faces the Green Dome, lies the most sacred graveyard, Jannat-ul-Baqee. Here rests the blessed daughter of the Prophet [PBUH], Bibi Fatima Zahra [SA]. It is also the resting place of some members of Ahlulbayt [AS] and Sahaba [RA] of the Prophet [PBUH]. Women are not allowed to enter but they also recite Fatiha and Quran near the boundary wall of Al-Baqee. In the times of Ottomans, no building taller than the Green Dome was built near Masjid-e-Nabwi out of respect for it. Now a days, one sees a lot of sky-scrapping five star hotels surrounding Masjid-e-Nabwi from all sides. But the Clock Tower in Makkah facing Khana Kaaba takes the cake for tall buildings. Personally, I don’t like a titanic sky scrapper towering above Khana Kaaba. It reminds me of the hadees of RasullAllah [PBUH] where he mentions the advent of tall buildings in the End of Times. It seems highly disrespectful to me, but people may differ from me on this point.

The place near the resting place of Prophet [PBUH] is called ‘Riyaz-ul-Jannah’ [a garden of paradise] and it is recommended to offer two rakkats there. But one should be careful not to push others or block the way for other pilgrims and only do so without being irksome. It is a great feeling to know that the Prophet [PBUH] used to offer prayers there, lived there and walked those blessed streets of Madina Munawarah. The close proximity of his physical body is a great gift for the pilgrims who come to Madina especially for saying Salam to their Prophet [PBUH]. The Hazari in Madina Shareef is not a part of Umrah or Hajj but who in their right mind would come to the House of Allah and then not go to the House of Prophet [PBUH] near it? The worshippers find solace in Baitullah and the lovers find peace in Masjid-e-Nabwi. Two wonderful Holy Cities, indeed.

This journey is made in this world and not in heaven; that is why one is tested by some troubles as well. After all, this is what life is about. Therefore, mentioning a few things I observed during my trip in the hope that the concerned people will try to become better. Without going into details, the passengers, especially Pakistanis, were made to wait for long, indefinite periods of time without any indication of their time of exit from the Jeddah Airport. People who had Saudi ‘Iqamahs’ were given swift exit, while the pilgrims, ‘the guests of Allah’ were made to wait. Despite being a huge international airport, it was ill-managed, especially washrooms, and also there was no one on the counters to guide the passengers arriving on the airport.

The main thing I learned from Umrah trip and which I also want to suggest to others is to never go to Umrah through an Umrah Agent. Most of the things they tell you about the arrangements of your trip are lies. From our tickets to the date of flying, to the hotel that he booked, our Umrah Agent lied about everything. J Then there is a ‘Mandoob’ assigned to you through the Umrah Agents and you become dependent on the Mandoob Sahib the moment you set foot in Saudia. The Mandoob guides you to your hotel and also manages your transport from Makkah to Madina and back. The attitude and lies of the Mandoob are also deplorable but let’s not talk about that.

One thing which I definitely want to talk about is the importance of lowering the gaze for men in Islam and how it was emphasized by our Holy Prophet [PBUH]. People spent a lot of money to make this holy pilgrimage but fail to follow this simple instruction in the Haramain. Look in your heart and find Allah; not the time or place to sit and stare at women pilgrims. Just like each good deed in Baitullah is rewarded manifold, similarly, every sin committed there is colossal in nature. Women being naturally modest try their best to avoid coming in contact with men while doing ‘Tawaf’. Most of the men are careless during Tawaf of Kaaba and roughly graze women in their unheeded stride. They should be as careful in avoiding contact with women as women are in avoiding contact with men. In this way, this holy duty can become easier for women folk.

Another amazing thing I observed during my Umrah, right from the beginning when I was boarding the plane, that majority of the people going for Umrah belonged to the lowest class of our society! The elite were rarely to be seen. Somehow these poorest of people had gathered enough money for pilgrimage due to their passion and will and this was really commendable. I also observed that almost half of the passengers were extremely old people. This was a painful fact, to be true. Somehow this has been ingrained in our collective psyche as a nation that one should only go to Umrah when one’s life is spent and one is retired, old and haggard. This is something that should be changed because the argument that these people are gathering funds all their lives for pilgrimage is rebutted by the fact that every year lot of poor people also go for Umrah! It is about the will and desire to go there and only then Allah makes it easy to make this sacred journey.

It is difficult to cover all the aspects of Umrah and things related to the two holy cities in one article. The essence of this journey to the two holy cities is love and ‘adab’ of Allah [swt] and Rasul Allah [PBUH]. The important thing is to have firm faith and belief that Allah will make it easy to travel to Harmain. I do hope and pray that all Muslims get this blessed opportunity and are also able to make themselves worthy of it. Aameen.

Saudis say No to the Prophet Muhammad [PBUH], Yes to Paris Hilton

by Omid Safi

 

More and more people are speaking out against the Saudi regime, and the way in which its Wahhabi ideology has linked together an utter disregard for the historical heritage of Muslims with an unabashed embrace of vapid capitalism.     In both Mecca and Medina, the Saudi state has already bulldozed over 90% of the Islamic monuments going back some 1400 years.     In their place, they are putting up five star hotels, parking lots, and shopping malls.

Adding injury to insult: In the same cities of Mecca and Medina, where the Wahhabi-backed Saudi state has bulldozed the historical shrines and cemeteries of the family of the Prophet, now we have the establishment of shopping malls featuring…. Paris Hilton. 

So this is what it has come to.   The so-called “Guardians of the two sanctuaries” bulldoze Islamic history, tear down the houses associated with the Prophet and his family, and in its place put up shopping malls by vapid symbols of the most crass capitalistic materialism the world has to offer.  No wonder many are talking about the transformation of Mecca into another Las Vegas.

Yes, the Saudis have bulldozed:

 

*An Ottoman Fortress overlooking and protecting Mecca, plus a whole mountain, was removed to put down the monstrosity known as the Mecca Royal Clock-Tower, aka “Big Ben on crack.”

*The house the Prophet was born in, currently a library, is under consideration for destruction.

 

*The house of the Prophet’s wife, Khadija, who is referred to by Muslims as the “Mother of the Faithful” was recently torn down, and in its place a row of toilets were established.

*Old Ottoman and Abbasid columns will likely be torn down to make room for a 680 million dollar expansion of the Great Mosque.

 

*The old historic cemeteries of Jannat al-Baqi, containing the remains of the descendants of the Prophet, have been bulldozed, and nothing but a dirt mound remains of the former shrines there.

Sami Angawi, the director of the Hajj Research Center which is trying to preserve what’s left of the Islamic heritage of Saudi Arabia says of the Saudi state:

“They are turning the holy sanctuary into a machine, a city which has no identity, no heritage, no culture and no natural environment. They’ve even taken away the mountains.”

Often the excuse is used that with the global increase in the number of Muslims coming to Mecca, these expansions are necessary to accommodate these pilgrims.    However, there is no reason why the hotels for the pilgrims couldn’t be put outside the historical center of Mecca, thus preserving the monuments.

 

Furthermore, in place of these historical monuments, many of which hold a sacred significance to all Muslims outside of the Wahhabi sect, the Saudi state is building five star hotels that cost as much as $7,000 a night.     In other words, these policies are not only bulldozing the history of Islam, they are also subverting the radical egalitarian teachings of Islam most beautifully symbolized in the rich and poor standing shoulder to shoulder wearing simple unadorned clothing in the House of the One God.   Now the poor teeming masses are below, and the ultra-rich can reside in their 5-star suites looking down at the Ka’ba.    Lastly, these absurd towers even displace the very symbolism and centrality of the Ka’ba.

 

La hawla wa la quwwata illa bi Allah.

“They paved Paradise,
Put up a parking lot.”

The Saudis make a great deal of their honorific as the “Caretaker of the two Noble Sanctuaries” in Mecca and Medina.   One has to wonder about a kind of Care that says no to the legacy of Muhammad, bulldozes it, and invites Paris Hilton in its place.    These shrines, these historical sites, indeed Mecca and Medina, do not belong to the Saudi state.   They are treasures belonging to the worldwide Muslim population, indeed the whole of humanity (as the Prophet was sent as a Mercy to all the Universes).   If the Saudis insist on calling themselves the caretakers of the two sanctuaries, their first task should be in fact to take care of them–and not bulldoze them.  If they can not or will do not so, then someone else has to step up to provide care for these historical and sacred heritages of humanity.

The Prophet Muhammad once said that Islam began in this world as a stranger, and it will someday return as a stranger.

In looking at the uber-Capitalist, history-bulldozing practice of the Saudi/Wahhabi state, one cannot help but cry at the strange kind of Islam that now rules over the House of God and the home of the Prophet.

Courtesy: http://www.religionnews.com/blogs/omid-safi/saudis-say-no-to-the-prophet-muhammad-yes-to-paris-hilton

Imam Hussain [A.S] in Iqbal’s work

By Dr. Ibrahim Ayati

Dr Muhammad Iqbal (1877- 1938) known to the world as the Poet-Philosopher of the East, devoted his life to awaken the Muslim Ummah and to make it pursue the path of spirituality, knowledge, jihad, sacrifice and martyrdom.

Dr Iqbal had an abiding faith in Ahlul Bayt (the Chosen Descendants of the Holy Prophet PBUH). He was intensely moved by the tragic events of Karbala so much so that in many of his couplets he carried a universal message to the mankind for emulating Imam Husayn who sacrificed his life at the altar of Truth. His elegies on the martyrdom of Imam Husayn stand unmatched and are an eye-opener to all those who are giving a mere lip-service to Islam.

In the following couplets Dr Iqbal gives vent to his sentiments and feelings on Imam Husayn (AS):

جس طرح مجھ کو شہید ِ کربلا سے پیار ہے
حق تعالیٰ کو یتیموں کی دعا ہے پیار ہے

Dr Iqbal expresses his extreme love for Imam Husayn. Just as Almighty Allah loves to listen to the invocation of the orphans, he also has the same kind of love for the martyr of Karbala.

رونے والا ہوں شہید ِ کربلا کے غم میں میں
کیا درِ مقصود نہ دیں گے ساقیِ کوثر مجھے

Dr Iqbal has a sincere and genuine faith in Imam Husayn. The hero of this episode Imam Husayn, the brave son of the bravest of the brave Ali and grandson of the Holy Prophet, took up a firm stand not to acknowledge Yazid as the Caliph of Islam. It is a fight for the preservation of the principles and tenets of Islam. Imam Husayn arrived in Karbala on the 2nd of Muharram 61 A.H. along with his small children, women, and some comrades numbering 72 only. On the l0th of Muharram he was brutally killed. This was the tragedy over which Iqbal sheds tears. He believes that mourning and wailing over him would lead to his (Iqbal’s) salvation. He also believes that Saqi-e-Kauthar Lord of Kauthar (Cistern in Paradise) Imam Ali loves those, who weep for Imam Husayn. He hopes and prays that since he sheds tears out of grief for Husyan, Imam Ali would give him all the help he needs.

غریب و سادہ و رنگیں ہے داستانِ حرم
نہایت اس کی حسین ابتدا ہے اسماعیل

Dr Iqbal says that the event of the construction of Kaba is very simple and interesting. Prophet Ismail suffered great pains in its construction. The Holy Prophet purged it from the idols that were in it, and so raised its glory. The first stone was laid by Ismail indeed. He offered for sacrifice his own life but the sacrifice was not completed as he was replaced by a ram and according to the Holy Qur’an the great sacrifice or Zibh-e ‘Azim was to come later and completed by one of his descendants, Husayn. So in fact culmination of the spirit of love for Allah was manifest when Imam Husayn sacrificed his life and preserved the dignity of the Holy Kaba.

حقیقتِ ابدی ہے مقامِ شبیری
بدلتے رہتے ہیں انداذِ کوفی و شامی

Dr Iqbal here compares two things Shabbiri or Husayniyat, i-e. principles enunciated and adhered to by Imam Husayn, and Yazidiyat, i.e. worldly power and authority. Husayn was the symbol of devotion to and love for Allah, i.e. submission to none except Allah.

The spirit as shown by the rulers of Kufa and Syria, is always changing since it tries to gain strength through fraud, dishonesty, and political expediency and manoeuvring as against this truth never changes. So the place Imam Husayn has achieved, is a reality which shall be hailed and acknowledged for all times to come.

قافلہِ حجاز میں ایک حسین بھی نہیں
گرچہ ہے تابدار ابھی  گیسوئے داجلہ و فرات

Dr Iqbal was distressed to note that Iraq was under the yoke of the British. He was disappointed that the Muslims had lost courage and were suffering humiliation. The land of Tigres and Eupharates called some staunch devotee of Islam who could relieve them of their serfdom. Iqbal only wished a man, a follower of Imam Husayn might come up to help the Muslims of Iraq!

صدقِ خلیل بھی ہے عشق صبرِ حسین بھی ہے عشق
معرکہ وجود میں بدر و حنین بھی ہے عشق

Dr Iqbal says that love of Allah manifests itself in many ways. Prophet Ibrahim had to suffer many difficulties in the cause of Allah. He accepted being thrown into the fire, and the fire was turned into a blooming garden.
It showed his intense love for Allah. Our Holy Prophet conquered the Battles of Badr and Hunayn through his ardent love for Allah. Similarly Imam Husayn showed his patience in the battlefield of Karbala where he, with his family and comrades, not only suffered the pangs of three days’ thirst, but willingly sacrificed his life for the cause of Truth and love for Allah. Love for Allah is a quality, a force, an impetus, which creates in us extraordinary patience and forbearance.

اک فقر ہے شبیری اس فقر میں ہے میری
میراث ِ مسلمانی،سرمایہِ شبیری

Dr Iqbal says that the life of a dervish is a very noble way of living but it is different from the life of a mendicant or friar who lives on begging or in seclusion. We should learn from Imam Husayn who while passing the life of a dervish had no other consideration except love of Allah and submission to His will. Our treading the path practised by Imam Husayn will bestow on us the title of Chief among the people. A Muslim has inherited this wealth from Imam Husayn, and we should make the best use of it. Imam Husayn has given us the lesson of self-sacrifice, patience, and forbearance and submission to none except Allah.

آن امام عاشقان پور بتول
سرو آزادی ز بستان رسول

Ān Imam-e-āshiqān pooray Batool

Sarvay āzādi ze bustān-e-Rasul

Now Dr Iqbal opens his praises for the son of Lady Fatima. He was the chief of the lovers of Allah, and an evergreen tree from the garden of the Prophet. Imam Husayn who stood against the forces of evil, refused to acknowledge Yazid as the Caliph of Islam, and upholding the dignity of Islamic principles sacrificed his life along with a small band of 72 of his followers, at the battlefield of Karbala.

اللہ اللہ بای بسم اللہ پدر
معنی ذبح عظیم آمد پسر

Allah Allah Bāey Bismillah pidar
Ma’niye zibh-e-azim āmad pisar

In a state of supreme bliss Dr Iqbal says, “O’ Allah, what an exalted position Imam Husayn possessed, as his illustrious father (Imam Ali) was the first letter of the Qur’an! A tradition says that Imam Ali said, “What is in the Holy Qur’an is in the first chapter (Surah Fatiha); what is in this surah (chapter) is in the first verse (Bismillah); what is in Bismillah is in its first letter (Ba) and I am the dot below ba. Doubtless Imam Ali was acknowledged to be the best expounder of the Holy Qur’an. The Holy Prophet had himself declared: “Ali is with Qur’an, and Qur’an is with Ali”. Imam Husayn was the son of such an eminent personality. It is Imam Husayn’s Martyrdom which is referred to as Zibhe Azim the greatest sacrifice in the Holy Qur’an. Imam Husayn was the direct descendant of Prophet Ismail and had offered himself for sacrifice at Karbala to save Islamic principles from annihilation. The Holy Qur’an says that Zibhe Azim, the great sacrifice of Prophet Ismail was left over for the coming generation. Dr Iqbal alludes to this and says that Zibhe Azim in the Holy Qur’an means the sacrifice of Imam Husayn.

بہر آن شہزادہ ی خیر الملل
دوش ختم المرسلین نعم الجمل

Bahray ān shahzādaey Khayrul milal
Dosh-e-Khatmul mursalin ne’mul Jamal

Dr Iqbal here alludes to an event stated by Tirmizi and others. Once Imam Husayn mounted the shoulders of his grandfather, the Holy Prophet. Somebody said, “What a good carriage it is!” The Prophet said, “And what a good rider it is!” Dr Iqbal mentions this event to show what affectionate feelings the Holy Prophet had towards his grandson.

سرخ رو عشق غیور از خون او
شوخی این مصرع از مضمون او

Surkh roo ishq-e-ghayoor az Khoon-e-oo
Surkhiye in misra az mazmoon-e-oo

Dr Iqbal says that it is because of Imam Husayn’s blood that the modest love has gained honour and dignity. This couplet can well serve a title for the episode of the Tragedy of Karbala which shows how piously and valiantly Imam Husayn defended the tenets of Islam, sacrificed his own life along with his kith and kin, sincere followers, and comrades, and raised the honour of love to its acme.

در میان امت ان کیوان جناب
ہمچو حرف قل ہو اللہ در کتاب

Darmiyān-e-Ummat ān Keywān janāb,
Hamchu harf-e-Qul Huwallah dar Kitāb

Dr Iqbal shows here the position of Imam Husayn. He says that among the followers of the Holy Prophet Imam Husayn is like the Divine phrase QuI huwallah (Say He is Allah) meaning that Allah is One, in the Holy Qur’an. Since the entire Holy Qur’an turns to this verse -QuI Huwallaho Ahad (Say that He is One) similarly the whole Islamic world turns towards Imam Husayn who is the source of our guidance. Dr Iqbal knows the tradition of our Prophet: “Husayn is from me and I am from Husayn” i.e. Husayn is his grandson and that he (the Prophet) would be made known by him, and his mission would be fulfilled by Imam Husayn who sacrificed his life to immortalize Islam and its tenets.

موسیٰ و فرعون و شبیر و یزید
این دو قوت از حیات آید پدید

Musa o Firaun-o-Shabbir or Yazid
In do quwwāt az Hayāt āmad padid.

Ever since the creation of life two opposing forces have been at war with each other- virtue and vice, Right and wrong. Musa (Moses) rose against Firaun (Pharoah) and Shabbir (Imam Husayn) rose against Yazid. These struggles were between the Right and the wrong. Consequently the Right prevailed upon the wrong and it was proved that Right is might.

زندہ حق از قوت شبیری است
باطل آخر داغ حسرت میری است

Zindah haq az quwwat-e-Shabbiri ast
Bātil ākhir dāgh-e-hasrat miri ast

Dr Iqbal says that Truth or Islam exists today because of the strength shown and the spiritual power exercised by Imam Husayn. In other words Imam Husayn made Islam immortal. The wrong was crushed to annihilation in spite of its apparent success. Yazidism or the principle enunciated by Yazid is looked down upon by all, but Husayn’s blood spilled at Karbala still enlivens our hearts and makes us feel that his sacrifice to support the Right against the wrong was unparalleled in the history of mankind.

چون خلافت رشتہ از قرآن گسیخت
حریت را زہر اندر کام ریخت
خاست آن سر جلوہ ی خیرالامم
چون سحاب قبلہ باران در قدم
بر زمین کربلا بارید و رفت
لالہ در ویرانہ ہا کارید و رفت
تا قیامت قطع استبداد کرد
موج خون او چمن ایجاد کرد

Choon Khitlāfat rishtah az Qur’an gusikht
Hurriyat ra Zahr under Kām rikht
Khāst ān sar Jatwaey Khairut Umam
Choon Sahabe Qibtah Bārān dar qadam
Bar zamin-e-Karbala Bārid o raft
Lalah dar wirānaha Kārid o raft
Tā qayāmat qat’ay istibdād kard
Mauje Khoone oo chaman ijād kard

Dr Iqbal says that when the Islamic Government severed its relation with the injunctions of the Holy Qur’an the Muslims suffered moral degradation. It marred their freedom. When the rulers indulged in all sorts of vicious habits and satisfied their carnal desires against the clear-cut injunctions of the Holy Qur’an the whole social structure was impaired. Nobody could utter a word against the tyrant ruler and his associates. Then arose that chief of the Muslims (Husayn), like blessed cloud with rain of mercy under his foot. It rained blessings on the sands of Karbala and turned that desert into a garden. It is the place where Imam Husayn with his kith and kin, children and comrades, numbering 72 only, faced a huge army and courted martyrdom after three days starvation and thirst on the l0th of Muharram 61 A.H. Husayn was undoubtedly the saviour of freedom and Karbala has become the symbol of struggle against tyranny. Husayn’s role at Karbala was so magnificent that it eradicated for ever the savage idea of cruelty and cold-bloodedness. The wave of his blood has created a garden which is symbolic of his sacrifice for the preservation of freedom and Truth.

بہر حق در خاک و خون غلتیدہ است
پس بنای لاالہ گردیدہ است

Bahre haq dar Khāk-o-khoon ghaltida ast
Pas binā ey lā illah gardida ast

Dr Iqbal says that Imam Husayn voluntarily gave his life at Karbala for the sake of Allah or Truth. So it goes without saying that Husayn laid the foundation of the cardinal Principle of Islam -the belief that there is no god except Allah. Since Islamic principles were being twisted, distorted and exterminated it was Husayn’s blood which gave it a new life.

مدعایش سلطنت بودی اگر
خود نکردی با چنین سامان سفر

Mudda ā yash saltanat boody agar
Khud na hardy bā chunin sāmmāne safar

That Imam Husayn’s only aim in refusing to accept Yazid as Caliph of Islam was to preserve Islam, can be borne out from the fact that while he left Madina for his journey towards Kufa he had a small band of his relations and followers, including women, and children. Had he the intention of fighting a political battle he would not have gone there with such people as he took with him. Those who accompanied Imam Husayn included his sisters, wives, children (even a six month old child was with him) and some followers, some of whom were more than eighty years of age.

دشمنان چون ریگ صحرا لاتعد
دوستان او بہ یزدان ہم عدد

Dushmanān chun rig-e-sahra la tu’ad
Dostān-e-oo bā yazdān ham ‘adad

In the Battle of Karbala the number of the enemy was as countless as the particles of sand, but the number of Imam Husayn’s friends was only 72.

تیغ لا چون از میان بیرون کشید
از رگ ارباب باطل خون کشید
نقش الا اللہ بر صحرا نوشت
سطر عنوان نجات ما نوشت
رمز قرآن از حسین آموختیم
ز آتش او شعلہ ہا اندوختیم

Tigh-e-lā choon az miyan buroon kashid
Az rag-e-arbābe bātil khoon kashid
Naqsh-e-Illallāh bar Sahra nawisht
Satre-unwān-e-najat-e mā nawisht
Ramz-e-Qur’an az Husayn āmokhteem
Za Ātishe-oo Shoalahā andokhteem

Imam Husayn took up his sword of ‘La’ or ‘No’ that is, there is no deity (except Allah) and crushed infidelity. He imprinted the mark of Illallah (Tawhid), or monotheism in the wilderness of Karbala. It was a title for our salvation. In fact we have learnt the lesson of Tawhid or monotheism from Imam Husayn, who taught us in a practical way the secret of Qur’an by sacrificing his life for the sake of Allah and for completing the mission of his grandfather, the Prophet. We have gathered warmth from the fire of love for Allah that Imam Husayn possessed. Dr Iqbal means that the love for Allah shown and the sacrifice made by Imam Husayn at Karbala should serve as the best lesson for all the people of the world.

شوکت شام و فر بغداد رفت
سطوت غرناطہ ہم از یاد رفت
تار ما از زخمہ اش لرزان ہنوز
تازہ از تکبیر او ایمان ہنوز

Shawkat-e-Shām-o farray Baghdad raft,
Satwat-e-Ghamata ham az yād raft
Tār-e-mā az zakhma ash larzān hanooz,
Tazāh az takbir-e-oo Imān hanooz

Dr Iqbal says that kingly grandeur gained through political battles never survives. The pomp and vanity of the thrones of Syria and Baghdad which were once seats of great kings is no more present. Nobody remembers the splendour of Gharnata in which was the seat of Spanish Kings. But the reverential call of Husayn at Karbala – his call of La Illāhā Illāllāh is still echoing in our ears and thrilling our hearts.

ای صبا ای پیک دور افتادگان
اشک ما بر خاک پاک او رسان

Ay sabā ay payk-e-dūr uftādagān,
Ashk-e-mā bar khāk-e-pāk-e-oo rasān

Iqbal’s intense love for and faith in Imam Husayn is apparent from this couplet. Fondly addressing the breeze that proverbially carries the message of the lover to the beloved who is at a remote place. Iqbal asks her to carry his tears to the sacred tomb of Imam Husayn. Dr Iqbal weeps in sad and blessed memory of Imam Husayn and wishes to place his tears over his Imam’s grave.

 

Western Academics pay homage to the Prophet of Islam [ﷺ]

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم

اَللّٰھُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰی مُحَمَّدٍ وَّعَلٰٓی اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

By Syeda Qudsiya Mashhadi

Great praise and display of love and reverence for the Prophet of Islam [ﷺ] has swept the world in the wake of a blasphemous film, a creation of some evil minds. We as Muslims have love of Prophet [ﷺ] in our blood and the beautiful homage to our beloved Prophet [ﷺ] by great Muslim poets and philosophers like Rumi, Jami, Ameer Khusro and Allama Iqbal are well known to us. But do we know what great men from the Occident think about our Holiest of the Prophets [ﷺ]? One is not surprised after reading these commendations from non-Muslims as the person of Prophet Mohammad [ﷺ] is that glorious Truth who no enlightened and insightful individual can deny. Here, I share some of the tributes to our Prophet Mohammad [ﷺ] by the best of the West.

This is an extract from Michael H. Hart’s book, ‘The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History’. He explains why he chose Prophet Mohammad [ﷺ] for the no. 1 spot amongst the hundred most influential people of all times:

“My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels. Muhammad founded and promulgated one of the world’s great religions, and became an immensely effective political leader. Today, Islam exerts an enormous influence upon the lives of its followers. It is for this reason that the founders of the world’s great religions all figure prominently in this book. Since there are roughly twice as many Christians as Moslems in the world, it may initially seem strange that Muhammad has been ranked higher than Jesus. There are two principal reasons for that decision.

First, Muhammad played a far more important role in the development of Islam than Jesus did in the development of Christianity. Although Jesus was responsible for the main ethical and moral precepts of Christianity (insofar as these differed from Judaism), St. Paul was the main developer of Christian theology, its principal proselytizer, and the author of a large portion of the New Testament.
Muhammad, however, was responsible for both the theology of Islam and its main ethical and moral principles. In addition, he played the key role in proselytizing the new faith, and in establishing the religious practices of Islam.

Moreover, he is the author of the Moslem Holy Scriptures, the Koran, a collection of certain of Muhammad’s insights that he believed had been directly revealed to him by Allah. Most of these utterances were copied more or less faithfully during Muhammad’s lifetime and were collected together in authoritative form not long after his death. The Quran therefore, closely represents Muhammad’s ideas and teachings and to a considerable extent his exact words.

No such detailed compilation of the teachings of Christ has survived. Since the Koran is at least as important to Moslems as the Bible is to Christians, the influence of Muhammed through the medium of the Koran has been enormous. It is probable that the relative influence of Muhammad on Islam has been larger than the combined influence of Jesus Christ and St. Paul on Christianity.

On the purely religious level, then, it seems likely that Muhammad has been as influential in human history as Jesus. Furthermore, Muhammad (unlike Jesus) was a secular as well as a religious leader. In fact, as the driving force behind the Arab conquests, he may well rank as the most influential political leader of all time… the Arab conquests of the seventh century have continued to play an important role in human history, down to the present day. It is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered the most influential single figure in human history.”

The British philosopher, Thomas Carlyle, who won the Nobel Prize for his book ‘The Heroes’ wrote:

“It is a great shame for anyone to listen to the accusation that Islam is a lie and that Muhammad was a fabricator and a deceiver. We saw that he remained steadfast upon his principles, with firm determination; kind and generous, compassionate, pious, virtuous, with real manhood, hardworking and sincere. Besides all these qualities, he was lenient with others, tolerant, kind, cheerful and praiseworthy and perhaps he would joke and tease his companions. He was just, truthful, smart, pure, magnanimous and present-minded; his face was radiant as if he had lights within him to illuminate the darkest of nights; he was a great man by nature who was not educated in a school nor nurtured by a teacher as he was not in need of any of this.”

In his ‘Heroes and Hero-worship’, he says:

“How one man single-handedly, could weld warring tribes and wandering Bedouins into a most powerful and civilized nation in less than two decades”
“The lies (Western slander) which well-meaning zeal has heaped round this man (Muhammad) are disgraceful to us only.”
“A silent great soul, one of that who cannot but be earnest. He was to kindle the world; the world’s Maker had ordered so.”

Sir George Bernard Shaw [1856-1950] Irish playwright, critic and political activist said:

“I have always held the religion of Mohammad in high estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to me to possess that assimilating capacity to the changing phase of existence which can make itself appeal to every age. I have studied him – the wonderful man and in my opinion, far from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the Saviour of humanity.”

At another place he said about the Prophet [ﷺ]:

“He must be called the saviour of humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much-needed peace and happiness.”
[The Genuine Islam, Vol 1, 1936]

Leo Tolstoy [1828-1920], Russian Writer, Novelist, Essayist, Philosopher and Educational Reformer said:

“There is no doubt that Prophet Mohammad is one of the greatest reformers who served the social framework profoundly. It suffices him that he led a whole nation to the enlightenment of truth and made it more inclined towards tranquility and peace, prefer modesty and prevented it from shedding blood and giving human sacrifices (though this was never proved against Arabs before Islam) and widely opened to it the gate to development and civilization. This is a great deed that only a strong man can do and a man like that deserves to be regarded with respect and admiration.”

Pierre Simon Laplace [1749-1827], French mathematician and astronomer said:

“Although we do not believe in Divine religions, Hazret Muhammad’s ritual and his percepts are two social exemplars for humanity’s life. So we confess that the advent of his religion and its wise rules have been great and valuable. Therefore we are not needless of Muhammad’s instructions.”

Alphonse de Lamartine, the renowned French historian, speaking on the essentials of human greatness wonders in ‘Histoire De La Turquie’, (Paris, 1854, Vol. II, p 276-277)

“If greatness of purpose, smallness of means and astounding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in modern history with Muhammad?

The most famous men created arms, laws and empires only. They founded, if anything at all, no more than material powers which often crumbled away before their eyes. This man moved not only armies, legislation, empires, peoples and dynasties, but millions of men in one-third of the then inhabited world; and more than that, he moved the altars, the gods, the religions, the ideas, the beliefs and souls. His forbearance in victory, his ambition, which was entirely devoted to one idea and in no manner striving for an empire;

His endless prayers, his mystic conversations with God, his death and his triumph after death; All these attest not to an imposture but to a firm conviction which gave him the power to restore a dogma. This dogma was two-fold, the unity of God and the immateriality of God; the former telling what God is, the latter telling what God is not; the one overthrowing false gods with the sword, the other starting an idea with the words.

“Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images, the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire that is MUHAMMAD
As regards all the standards by which Human Greatness may be measured, we may well ask,
IS THERE ANY MAN GREATER THAN HE?”

Indeed, there is none.

قوت عشق سے ہر پست کو بالا کر دے
دہر ميں اسم محمد سے اجالا کر دے

Conversation between the Holy Prophet [peace be upon him] and accursed Satan

A conversation that can change your life. The most profound wisdom and knowledge to defend yourself against all weapons of Shaitan.

One day, a congregation was gathered at the home of one of the Ansaar around the Prophet (peace be upon him). According to Anas (R.A), it was Hazrat Abu Ayyub Ansari (R.A). In the middle of a wonderful discourse, an ugly voice from the outside was heard saying, “O Messenger of Allah would you permit me to enter? I have business with you!”

All looked at the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said to the ones present, “Do you recognize the owner of this voice?” The companions answered, “Allah and His Messenger know best” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “It is Satan, the Accursed.”

On hearing that, Hazrat Umar (R.A), who was present, pulling his sword, asked, “O Messenger of Allah, permit me to go and cut off his head. Let me smash his skull and free the people from his trouble”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, “No, Umar, don’t you know that you cannot kill him? He has permission to exist until Doomsday.”

Then he added, “Open the door and admit him, as he did not come on his own, but on Allah’s orders”. Otherwise, he would not come here. Listen to what he says, and try to understand.”

The Hazrat Rawi (R.A), one of the companions, relates the tale. “They opened the door and he appeared in front of us as an old man cross-eyed (or blind in one eye) and scant of beard, with only six or seven long hairs from his chin. He had a very big head, his crossed eyes close to the top of his head, high on his forehead, with big thick hanging lips, like those of a water buffalo. He saluted the Prophet and the Companions, to which the Prophet (peace be upon him) responded,

‘O Accursed, the salaam and salutations belong to Allah Most High. ‘Then he said, ‘I heard you are here on business. What is it?

“Satan said, ‘I did not wish to come here, I was forced to. An angel came to me from your Lord, who honours whom He wishes, and said, “Allah Most High orders you to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him): but you will go to him in humility and abasement, and be submissive and tractable. You will tell him how you seduce and mislead humankind. You are going to answer all his questions truthfully, without a single lie.” And Allah said that if I lied to you, He would turn me into ashes and blow me away in the wind, and my enemies would laugh at me. I come with such orders, O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).’

Q: “Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked the Devil, ‘Tell me, who in the creation do you hate most?’

A: The Devil answered:

1. “You O Muhammad (peace be upon him)! And all the prophets… There is no one in the whole creation that I hate more than you or another like you.”

“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) confirmed that the Devil was his (and all the prophets’) greatest foe.

Q: He (peace be upon him) asked, “Whom else do you hate, besides me?”

A: “Satan said,

2. The young ones who have given up their pleasures and themselves for Allah’s sake;

3. The men of knowledge who act upon their knowledge and who decline all that is doubtful;

4. The ones who are clean, so clean that they wash thrice that which they wish to cleanse,

5. The patient poor who neither ask from others the things they need, not complaining,

6. The thankful rich, who give alms lawfully,

7. The knowledgeable who act on what they know;

8. The readers of the Quran who pattern themselves on it;

9. Those who call to prayer on time;

10. Advisers and reformers;

11. Abstainers from unlawful food and banned

12. Those who place their trust in Allah;

13. Benefactors of the poor;

14. The devout busy in Allah’s service.

Q: Who are your friends?

A: There are ten groups:

1. Unfair judges;

2. The arrogant rich man;

3. Dishonest tradesmen;

4. Drinkers of alcohol;

5. Those who break relations/brotherhood;

6. Dealers in fraud;

7. Those who consume rights of orphans;

8. Those who are often absent from prayers;

9. Those who are unwilling to donate;

10. Those who always fantasize with no use.

Q:”Then, the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked, ‘What happens to you, O Accursed One, when my people do their prayers?’

A:”I shake and tremble as if stricken with malaria, because I see your people raised in blessing and power each time they prostrate.”

Q: “‘What happens to you, O Accursed, when my people fast?”

A: ‘I have my hands and feet tied until they break their fast.’

Q: ‘What happens to you when they all meet on the Pilgrimage at the house of their Lord?’

A: ‘I lose my mind, I go mad.”

Q: ‘What happens to you when they recite the Holy Qur’an?’

A: ‘I melt, like lead turning to hot liquid in the fire.’

Q: ‘And when they pay alms?’

A: I am torn to pieces, as if the generous donors took a saw and sawed me into four pieces, because there are four rewards which the donor receives: the blessing of abundance, love and respect from Allah’s creatures, a shield from Hell fires, and relief from distress and troubles.’

Q: “Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) asked the Devil what he thought of his beloved Companions.

A: About Abu Bakr (R.A) he said, ‘I hate him. Even before Islam, he refused to obey, nay! Even to hear me. How can he now listen to me?’ About Umar Ibn Khattab (R.A) he said, ‘I run away whenever I see him. And about Ali Ibn Abu Talib [K.W] he said, ‘Oh, if I could just be safe from him, if he would just let me be, I would let him be. But he will not leave me alone!’

“Having heard the answers of the accursed Satan, the Prophet (peace be upon him) thanked Allah said, ‘Praised be to Allah, who has blessed my people with such talent and cursed you with such negativity until that appointed time.

“When the Devil heard that, he said, ‘Alas for you, what talent for your people? How can you feel there is safety for them as long as I exist? I enter their very veins, their very flesh, and they cannot even suspect, let alone see or feel me. I swear by Allah Who has given me time until Doomsday, that I will seduce them all, the intelligent and the simple minded, the learned as well as the ignorant, the devout as well as the sinner. None will be safe from me, except the true servants of Allah.’

Q: ‘Who are the true servants of Allah, according to you?’

A: ‘You know well, O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), that whoever loves his money and his property, Allah does not count among His servants. Whenever I see someone who does not say “mine” and me, who does not love either money or flattery, I know he is truly a servant of Allah and I run away from him. As long as one loves money, property, flattery, he obeys me, he is my servant. I need many servants and I have servants. I am not alone. I have 70,000 children, each of them with his assigned duties. Each of my 70,000 children has 70,000 Satans serving under him, all assigned to different posts. Many are with the young, and the older women, and with the theologians and preachers and sheikhs. There is almost no difference of opinion between your young children. And some of the devout and some of the pious get along very well with my people! My devils lead the imagination of the sincerity of their devotions. Soon, they fight with each other and they don’t even know what is happening to them. Then, I whisper to them, “Disbelieve”, but when they disbelieve, I say,

“…I am free of you. Surely I fear Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.” (Surah 59 al-Hashir, Ayat 16.)

“Then, the accursed Devil told how he profited from habits of man, which he liked. About lying, he said, ‘Do you know, O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), that lying is from me and that I am the first liar: Whoever lies is my best friend; whoever swears to the truth of Allah and lied to Adam and Eve.

I swore to them both, “Surely I am a sincere advisor to you.” (Surah 07 Al A`raf, 7:21).

I also hate loving families. If they think of rejecting each other once, the marriage bond in Allah’s view is dissolved. The wife will be unlawful to the husband. When they sleep together, they will be adulterers. If they have a child, he will be a bastard. I love that.’

‘O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), let me tell you about my friends who abandon prayers or delay them. When it is time for prayer, I make them imagine that there is still time, that they are busy. They should enjoy what they are doing, they can always pray later! I hope they will die before doing their next prayer. If I don’t succeed again, I enter into their prayers. I tell them, “Look to the right, look to the left! Think of the past, plan your future!” And when they do, I touch their cheeks and kiss their foreheads and take the peace from their hearts…

You know, O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), that the prayers of those whose attention is outside of them or who are imagining things, which do not belong in the presence of Allah, are also rejected and thrown in their faces. And, if I am not successful in that, I order them to offer their prayers fast, and they look like hens picking at grain.

If I still don’t succeed, I follow them to the (Jamat) congregational prayers and put bridles on their heads. I pull, and lift their heads from the prostration before the Imam, and I push their heads down before the Imam touches his head to the ground and I am overjoyed to remember that Allah will turn those disobedient heads into donkey’s heads on the Last Day of Judgment…

If I am still not successful, I try at least to make them crack their fingers while they are making prayers. Then, they will be among those who make my remembrance, instead of Allah’s remembrance. Or at least I will blow into their noses and make them yawn and, if they open their mouths, a little devil will enter into them through their mouths and increase their love and ambition of this world. The one who loves and is ambitious for this world becomes my soldiers; he obeys me and does as he is ordered.

‘O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), how can you hope and be peaceful about your people’s salvation and talent? I have a trap at every corner for them. I go to the poor and tell them, “What has Allah done for you? Why do you pray to Him? Prayer is for those to whom He has given in abundance.” Then, I go the ones who are sick and tell them to stop praying, and remind them that even Allah said, “There is no blame on the sick” (Surah Nur, 24:61)

I hope that they will die having abandoned their prayers, so that Allah will meet them with anger in the Hereafter.

‘O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), if I have told a single lie, may scorpions bite me, and ask from Allah that He turn me into ashes. O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), do not be sure of your people. I have already converted a sixth of them, who have left their religion.’

Q: ‘O Accursed One, with who do you most like to spend your time?’

A: ‘The usurer.

Q: ‘And your best friend?’

A: ‘The adulterer.’

Q: With whom do you share your bed?’

A: ‘The drunkard.’

Q: ‘Who are your guests?’

A: ‘The thieves.’

Q: ‘Who are your representatives?’

A: The magicians and soothsayers.’

Q: ‘What pleases you most?’

A: ‘Divorce.’

Q: ‘Whom do you love most?’

A: ‘Those who abandon their Friday prayers.’

Q: “What breaks your heart, O Accursed One?

A: ‘The determination and the firm footsteps of those who march against the enemies of Allah for Allah’s sake.’

Q: ‘What gives you pain?’

A: ‘The repentance of the penitent.’

Q: ‘What makes you grimace?’

A: ‘The alms given in secret.’

Q: ‘What makes your eyes blind?’

A: ‘The tahajjud prayer (late night prayer) in the middle of the night.’

Q: ‘What makes you bow your head?’

A: ‘Prayer done in congregation.’

Q: ‘O Satan, according to you, who are the happiest among people?’

A: ‘The ones who purposefully abandon their prayers.’

Q: ‘And the best among people?’

A: ‘The miser.’

Q: ‘What prevents you from doing your job?’

A: ‘The gathering of men of knowledge and their conversations.’

Q: ‘How do you eat your food?’

A: ‘With my left hand and the tips of my fingers.’

Q: ‘When the sun is hot, where do you seek shade?’

A: ‘Under people’s dirty fingernails.’

“I asked Allah to give me a house, and He gave me the public baths.

I asked Allah to give me a temple, and He gave me the marketplace as my temple.

I asked Allah to give me a book, and He gave me the book of poetry as my book.

I asked for a call to prayer, and He gave me the dancing music.

I asked for someone to share my bed, and He gave me the drunkard.

I asked Allah for helpers, Allah gave me those who believe in free will.

I asked Allah to give me brothers and sisters, and Allah gave me the squanders, who spend their money on evil things.”

Allah said, “surely the squanders are the Devil’s brethren” (Surah Bani Isr’ail, Ayat 27).

Then I asked Allah to be able to see the children of Adam while they are unable to see me, and He accorded that to me. I wished that the very veins of the children of Adam be my routes, and it was given to me. So, I flow in their veins as I wish and enter their flesh. All these were given to me, and I am proud of what I have received. And, let me add, O Muhammad (peace be upon him), that there are more with me than there are with you.’

“Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ‘If you had not proven what you said with the verses of Allah’s Book, it would have been hard for me to confirm what you say.”

“The Devil continued, ‘Do you know, O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), that I have a son whose name is Atam? He urinates in the ear of the people who go to sleep without performing their night prayers. His urine puts them to sleep; otherwise, no one could have gone to bed without finishing their prayers.”

“Then, I have a son whose name is Mutaqadi. His duty is to publicize the prayers, the devotions, and the good deeds done in secret a hundred fold. When deeds are publicized and receive credit and praise from the creatures of Allah, Allah takes away 99 of the promised one hundred rewards.”

“Then, I have a son whose name is Kuhayl. His duty is to put kohl on the eyes of those in the presence of wise men or preachers. The ones whose eyes he has touched start falling asleep. They are, thus, prevented from hearing the words of Allah or receiving any benefits from them.”

“The Devil talked about women. He said, ‘whenever a woman leaves her seat, a Devil sits in her place. On the lap of every woman sits a Satan who makes her desirable to whoever looks at her. Then, he orders the woman to open and show her arms, her legs, and her breast and with his claws, tears her veil of shame and decency.”

“Then the Devil started to complain. He said, ‘O Muhammad (peace be upon him), in spite of all this, I have no strength to take away the faith of the faithful. I only take away their faith when they throw it away. If I were able, there would be no one on the face of this world who could say: LA ILAHA ILLALLAH, MUHAMMAD RASULULLAH (There is no god by Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah) I would not leave a single one to pray or fast.

All I can do is to give the children of Adam imaginations, illusions and delusions, make the ugly appear beautiful, the wrong, right; and the bad, good. Neither do you have the power to give faith. You are only a proof of the Truth, because I know that, if you were given the power to give true faith, you would not leave a single non-believer on the face of this world. The fortunate one who is a believer is fortunate in his mother’s womb, and the rebellious sinner is a rebel in his mother’s womb. As you are the guide of the fortunate, I am only the cause of sin of the ones who are destined to sin.

Allah is He who renders one fortunate and another rebellious.’ Then he recited from Surah Hud,

“And if thy Lord had pleased He would have made people a single nation, and they cease not to differ, except those upon whom thy Lord has mercy, and for this did He create them. And the Word of thy Lord hath been fulfilled: Verily I shall fill hell with the jinn and mankind together.” (Surah Hud, Ayat 118-119.)

He recited from Surah Ahzab, Ayat 38: “And the command of Allah is a decree that is made absolute.”

Then, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) told the Devil, ‘O Father of All Bitterness, I wonder if it is at all possible for you to repent and return to your Lord. I promise I would intercede for you.’

“The Accursed One answered, ‘O Messenger of Allah, it is Allah’s justice. The ink on the pen, which wrote the judgment, is dry; what will happen until Doomsday. The One who made the master of all prophets, the speaker for the inhabitants of Paradise, the One who chose you to be the beloved amongst His creation, chose me to be the master of sinners and the speaker of the inhabitants of Hell. He is Allah. O Muhammad (peace be upon him), this which I have told you is my last word to you, and I have told nothing but the truth.”

[This was a Hadith from Hazrat Ibn Abbas (R.A), as related by Mudh Ibn Jabal [R.A] and contained in Shaik-e-Akbar shaikh Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi’s book, ‘Shajarat al-Kawn’, (The Tree of Being). This is by information from another Hadith by Anas Ibn Malik (R.A).]

Tanam Farsooda Jaan Para – Maulana Jami

By Syeda Qudsiya Mashhadi

‘Tanam Farsooda Jaan Para’ is a very famous Persian naat [poem in the praise of the Prophetﷺ] by 15th Century great Islamic scholar and mystic poet, Maulana Abdur Rahman Jami. It is said that when Maulana Abdur Rahman Jami planned to go to Madina after performing Hajj in Makkah, that night the Governor of Makkah saw Prophet Mohammadﷺ in his dream and he told the Governor that ‘a man from Persia whose name was Jami was planning to go to Madina. The Governor should try and stop him and if he asks why then give him my message that if he recites the Nasheed [naat] he has in his pocket on my mausoleum, then I would have to break the rules of Shariah and take out my hand to shake hands with him. I will meet him in Persia. Tell him to read Darood Shareef 100 times and his Nasheed 11 times on Thursday and I will visit him in his dream.’ When Jami heard this from the Governor, he turned back to Persia and acted according to the directions given by the Prophetﷺ . As a reward, he was blessed with the Ziyarat [to see Prophet Mohammadﷺ in dream] all his life. That is why a fragrant smell emanated from his body on every Friday. This was due to the blessed Ziyarat of Prophet ﷺ. May Allah bless us too with the Ziyarat of Prophetﷺ. Ameen

تنم فرسودہ جاں پارہ ز ہجراں، یا رسول اللہﷺ

دلم پژمردہ آوارہ ز عصیاں، یا رسول اللہﷺ

میرا جسم ناکارہ اور ٹکٹرے ٹکڑے ہو گیا ہے آپ کی جدائی میں یا رسول اللہﷺ
میرا دل بھٹک رہا ہے اور دل گناہوں کے بوجھ سے مرجھا چکا ہے یا رسول اللہﷺ

My body is dissolving in your separation and my soul is breaking into pieces, O Prophet of Allah ﷺ
Due to my sins, my heart is wandering and becoming weak, O Prophet of Allah   ﷺ

چوں سوۓ من گذر آری، من مسکین ز ناداری

فداۓ نقش نعلینت کنم جاں، یا رسول اللہ ﷺ

کبھی خواب میں ہی اپنا جلوہ دکھا دیجیے اس عاجز،غریب و مسکین سائل کو
تو میں پھر آپ کے نعلینِ مبارک کے نقش پر فدا ہو جاوں گا یا رسول اللہﷺ

Please show yourself in a dream at least, to a poor sinner like me,
ecstatically I will sacrifice my soul even for your blessed sandal, O Prophet of Allah ﷺ

زجام حب تو مستم ، با زنجیر تو دل بستم

نمی گویم کی من بستم سخنداں، یا رسول اللہ ﷺ

آپؐ کی محبت میں مست ہوں، آپؐ کے عشق کی زنجیر سے میرا دل بندھا ہوا ہے
میں عاجز اور مسکین کوئی دعوا نہیں کرتا کہ میں کوئی بہت بڑا شاعر ہوں یا رسول اللہﷺ

I am drowned in your love and the chain of your love binds my heart.

Yet I don’t say that I know this language (of love) O Prophet of Allah  ﷺ

ز کردہ خیش حیرانم، سیاہ شد روز عصیانم

پشیمانم، پشیمانم، پشیمانم، یا رسول اللہ ﷺ

میں نے جو کچھ کیا ہے بہت حیران ہوں، روزِ حساب میرا اعمال نامہ گناہوں سے سیاہ ہو گا
میں انتہائی پشیمان اور سخت شرمندہ ہوں، یا رسول اللہ ﷺ

I am worried due to my misdeeds and I feel that my sins have blackened my heart
I am ashamed! I am ashamed! I am ashamed! O Prophet of Allah ﷺ

چوں بازوۓ شفاعت را کشا بر گناہگاراں

مکن محروم جامی را در آں، یا رسول اللہﷺ

جب روزِ قیامت آپ اپنی شفاعت کا بازو لمبا کر کے گناہ گاروں کے سر پر پھیلا دیں گے
اس روز اس عاجز جامی کو بھول نہ جایئے گا، اس جان جوکھوں کی نازک گھڑی میں یا رسول اللہﷺ

When you spread your hands to intercede for the sinners on the Day of Judgement

Then do not deprive Jaami of your exalted intercession O Prophet of Allah!  ﷺ

 

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How to prepare for your exams?

سرمہ ہے ميری آنکھ کا خاک مدينہ و نجف – علامہ اقبال

مير سپاہ ناسزا ، لشکرياں شکستہ صف

مير سپاہ ناسزا ، لشکرياں شکستہ صف
آہ! وہ تير نيم کش جس کا نہ ہو کوئی ہدف
تيرے محيط ميں کہيں گوہر زندگی نہيں
ڈھونڈ چکا ميں موج موج ، ديکھ چکا صدف صدف
عشق بتاں سے ہاتھ اٹھا ، اپنی خودی ميں ڈوب جا
نقش و نگار دير ميں خون جگر نہ کر تلف
کھول کے کيا بياں کروں سر مقام مرگ و عشق
عشق ہے مرگ با شرف ، مرگ حيات بے شرف
صحبت پير روم سے مجھ پہ ہوا يہ راز فاش
لاکھ حکيم سر بجيب ، ايک کليم سر بکف
مثل کليم ہو اگر معرکہ آزما کوئی
اب بھی درخت طور سے آتی ہے بانگ’ لا تخف
خيرہ نہ کر سکا مجھے جلوہ دانش فرنگ
سرمہ ہے ميری آنکھ کا خاک مدينہ و نجف

 

The leader is unworthy

The leader is unworthy,
The followers are in disarray,
They march without an aim,
Like an arrow untargeted.

I have searched every recess
In thy seas for pearls,
But have found no trace
Of the pearl of life.

Abandon earthly life,
Absorb thyself in Selfhood,
Waste not thy life—blood
On the trifles of the world.

Revealed in these words
Is the secret of life and death;
Love is death with honour,
Life without honour is death.

Rumi has taught me the truth
About wisdom and vision:
The wise man gropes in the dark;
The one who surrenders, wins.

The West’s dazzling wisdom
Has failed to dazzle me;
For the Holy Land’s dust
Has made my eyes immune.

اے باد صبا! کملی والے سے جا کہیو پیغام مرا – علامہ اقبال

اے باد صبا! کملی والے سے جا کہیو پیغام مرا

قبضے سے امت بیچاری کے دیں بھی گیا، دنیا بھی گئی

یہ موج پریشاں خاطر کو پیغام لب ساحل نے دیا

ہے دور وصال بحر بھی، تو دریا میں گھبرا بھی گئی!

عزت ہے محبت کی قائم اے قیس! حجاب محمل سے

محمل جو گیا عزت بھی گئی، غیرت بھی گئی لیلا بھی گئی

کی ترک تگ و دو قطرے نے تو آبروئے گوہر بھی ملی

آوارگی فطرت بھی گئی اور کشمکش دریا بھی گئی

نکلی تو لب اقبال سے ہے، کیا جانیے کس کی ہے یہ صدا

پیغام سکوں پہنچا بھی گئی ، دل محفل کا تڑپا بھی گئی

The Sahaba [RA] commemorated Milad-un-Nabawi [sm]‏

Sayings of the Exalted Khulafa ar-Rashideen

Shaykh al-Islam Imam Shihab al-Din Ahmad Ibn Hajar al-Haytami al-Makki al-Shafi’i (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) [d. 974H/1566] in his distinguished book “an-Ni’mat al-Kubra ala al-Aalam fi Mawlidi Sayyidi Waladi Aadam” quoted the following blessed sayings of the Khulafa al-Rashideen (The four rightly guided caliphs) concerning commemorating and celebrating the Mawlid an-Nabawi Sharif:

Hadrat Sayyiduna Abu Bakr as-Siddique (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) says,من أنفق درهما على قراءة مولد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان رفيقي في الجنة

“Whosoever spends one dirham on the birthday of the Holy Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam), will be with me in Jannah.”

Hadrat Sayyiduna ‘Umar al-Farooq (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) says,من عظم مولد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقد أحيا الإسلام

“Whosoever has respected the Mawlid Sharif of the Holy Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihi Wa Sallam), it is as though he has revived the Deen.”

Hadrat Sayyiduna Uthman al-Ghani (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) says,من أنفق درهما على قراءة مولد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فكأنما شهد غزوة بدر وحنين
“Whosoever has spent one dirham on the Birthday of the Holy Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam), it is as though he was present in Battle of Badr and Hunayn.”

Hadrat Sayyiduna Mawla Ali al-Murtuda (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) says that,

من عظم مولد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وكان سببا لقراءته لا يخرج من الدنيا إلا بالإيمان ويدخل الجنة بغير حساب

“Whosoever respects the Mawlid Sharif and is a means of motivating a Milad function will take from this world the gift of Imaan and He will enter Jannah without any questioning.” [An-Ne’matul Kubra, Pages 7/8, Published by Hakikat Kitabevi, Istanbul, Turkey]

What did the other Noble Companions Believe?

هاجرت إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقدمت عليه منصرفه من تبوك، فأسلمت، فسمعت العباس بن عبد المطلب يقول: يا رسول الله إنى أريد أن أمتدحك، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: قل، لا يفضض الله فاك

After gaining victory and success in Ghazwa Tabook, when Rasoolullah (SallAllaho Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam) arrived in Madinatul Munawwara, Hadrat Sayyiduna Abbas (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) sought permission from the Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam) to recite a few stanzas of poetry in his praise. The Mercy to Mankind (Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him) said, “My dear Uncle! Go ahead. May Almighty Allah keep your mouth well.”

This is what Sayyiduna al-`Abbas ibn `Abd al-Muttalib said:

من قبلها طبت في الظلال وفى مستودع حيث يخصف الورق
ثم هبطت البلاد لا بشر أنت ولا مضغة ولا علق
بل نطفة تركب السفين وقد ألجم نسرا وأهله الغرق
تنقل من صلب إلى رحم إذا مضى عالم بدا طبق
وردت نارا لخليل مستترا في صلبه أنت كيف يحترق
ثم احتوى بيتك المهيمن خندف علياء تحتها النطق
وأنت لما ولدت أشرقت الارض ونارت بنورك الافق
فنحن في ذلك الضياء وفى النور وسبل الرشاد نخترق

… Before you came to this world,
you were excellent in the shadows and in the repository (i.e. loins)
in the time when they (Adam and Eve) covered themselves with leaves.
Then you descended through the ages…
When you were born, the earth shone
and your light illuminated the horizon.
We travel in that illumination and in the light and in the paths of right guidance.”

References:1. Kitaab al-Wafa, Page 35, Vol. 1
2. Khasais al-Kubra, Page 97, Vol. 1
3. Insaan al-Uyoon page 96, Vol. 1

4. Seerat an-Nabawiya, Page 37

5. Jawahir al-Bihaar, Page 40
6. Anwaar al-Muhammadiyah, Page 62-84
7. Hujjatulahi Ala al-Alameen, Page 222
8. Muwahib al-Laduniyah, Page 23
9. Al Isti’aab Mustadrik, Page 327, Vol. 3
10. al-Bidaya wa an-Nihaya, Page 258, Vol. 2

11. Kitaab al Milal wan Nihal, Page 240, Vol. 2
12. Majma’i Zawa’id, Page 217, Vol. 8

13. Talkhees al-Mustadrik, Page 327, Vol. 3

14. Subul al Huda war-Rashaad, Vol. 5, Page 469
15. Ibn Kathir’s Mawlad al-Mustafa, Page 29-30, Published in Lahore 1958.

Mullah Ali al-Qari in his ‘Sharh ash-Shifa’ (1:364) says it is related by Abu Bakr ash-Shafi`i and Tabarani, and cited by Ibn `Abd al-Barr and Ibn al-Qayyim respectively in ‘al-Isti`ab’ and ‘Huda Nabiyy Allah (SallAllaho Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam)’.

This has been stated in distinguished works of great Muhaditheen such as Imam Jalal al-Din as-Suyuti, Muhadith ibn Jauzi, Allamah Ibn Hajr, Allamah Halbi, Allamah Dahlaan Makki, Allamah Nabhaani, Allamah ibn Abdul Barr, Allamah Haakim, Ibn Kathir and Allamah Sharastaani (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhum al-Ajma’een).

Those who object on praising the Beloved Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam in poetry and reciting his praise on his mawlid must take a serious note to it!!

Flags on the Birth of Beloved Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam:

Sayyidatuna Aamina Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha states,

ورأيت ثلاثة أعلام مضروبات علما في المشرق وعلما في المغرب وعلما على ظهر الكعبة فأخذني المخاض فولدت محمدا صلى الله عليه وسلم

“I saw three flags posted. One in the east, one in west and the third one over the roof of the Ka’ba and Muhammad’s (beloved Prophet’s Peace and Blessings be Upon Him) blessed birth took place.” [Khasais al-Kubra, Vol. 1, Page 82, Published from Dar al-Kutub Ilmia, Beirut – Lebanon]

Beloved Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam and His Companions Entered Madina Munawwarah Carrying a Flag:

When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) migrated to Madinah Munawwarah, on reaching MoDa-e-Gameem near Madina, Burayda Aslami along with 70 Horse riders of Bani Saham Tribe came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to arrest him (Ma’aadh Allah) but being inspired of the Prophet’s blessed and wonderful personality, he  was impressed and accepted Islam along with his tribe. Then he asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)

لا تدخل المدینة الا ومعك لواء، فحل عمامة ثم شدھا في رمح ثم مشی بین یدیه صلی الله علیه وسلم
Please do not enter Madinah Munawwarah until we have a flag. So, he tied his turban on his arc and entered in Madinah Munawwarah with Prophet Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam carrying that FLAG. [Wafa al-Wafa, Vol. 1, Page 243, published from Dar aHya at-Turath al-Arabi, Berut – Lebanon]

 

The Noble Companion of Beloved Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam recite his Mawlid and Praise Him

Hadrat Hassan Ibn Thaabit (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) said:

وأحسن منك لم تر قط عيني
Wa aH’sanu Minka Lum taraqattu ‘Aienee

I haven’t seen a lovely personality like you

وأجمل منك لم تلد النساء
Wa Ajmalu Minka Lum Talidin Nisa’u

And no mother has given birth to such a beautiful personality

خُلِقْتَ مبرءاً من كل عيب
Khuliqta Mubarra’am Min Kulli ‘Aiebin
You are created free from every faultكأنك قد خُلِقْتَ كما تشاء
Ka’Annaka Qud Khuliqta Kama Tasha’u
You were created, as you wanted to be

References:1. Tafseer al-Aalusi, Chapter 2, Vol. 7, Page 422
2. Tafseer Rooh al-Ma’ani, Vol. 2, Page 34

And witness how the Beloved Prophet of Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta’ala rewarded him. Hadrat Aaisha (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha) narrates that Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) built a pulpit for Hadrat Hassan (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) in the Masjid al-Nabawi Sharif, and Hadrat Hassan use to eulogise the Prophet (Salallaho alaihi wa sallam) standing on that pulpit giving answers to the polytheists on behalf of Sayyiduna Muhammadur Rasoolullah (Sallallaho Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam). For this act of Hadrat Hassan, the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam) said

إن روح القدس لا يزال يؤيدك ما نافحت عن الله ورسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم

“Jibril al-Ameen (RooH al-Quds) assists Hassan while he recites and refutes mushrikeen on their accusations upon Allah and His Prophet Peace and Blessings be upon Him”

References:

1. Sunan al-Kubra lil Bayhaqi, Vol. 10, Page 238
2. Mau’jam al-Kabir lil Tibrani, Vol. 4, Page 35

3. Musannaf Ibn Abi Shayba, Vol. 6, Page 173

4. Dalail al-Nabuwwah, Vol. 5, Page 75
5. Sahih Muslim, Vol. 16, Page 226
6. Sunan Abi Dawood, Vol. 14, Page 357

Spending on the Celebrations of Mawlid Sharif

Hadrat Sayyiduna Hasan Basri (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) said,

قال حسن البصري رضي الله تعالی عنه وددت لو کان لی مثل جبل احد ذھبا فانفقته علی قراءة مولد النبي صلی الله علیه وسلم

“I would like to have gold equivalent to the Mountain of Uhud so that I should be able to spend it on the Mawlid Sharif of the Holy Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam).” [An-Ne’mat al-Kubra, Page 6, Published by Hakikat Kitabevi, Istanbul, Turkey]

May we be sacrificed at this Merriment O blessed month of Rabi’ al-Awwal!!
Your joys surpass thousands of ‘Eids; All in the world are rejoicing, except Shaytan

Courtesy Seeker of the Sacred Knowledge

Love for the Prophet [PBUH] is more important than our good deeds

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم

اَللّٰھُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰی مُحَمَّدٍ وَّعَلٰٓی اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

By Syeda Qudsiya Mashhadi

A good friend of mine shared a video of the Chechen people reverently giving a royal welcome to the cup of our beloved Holy Prophet [PBUH]. It was really moving to see the way they came out on streets just to receive a relic of the Prophet of Islam. The vision of a huge motorcade of dozens of cars and streets packed with cheering crowds moved me to tears. I have not seen people anywhere in the world welcoming any head of state like this. It seemed as if it was not a drinking cup, but the King of Kings himself had descended upon them. It showed the immense love in the hearts of Muslims for the Prophet [sm]. Truly blessed are those who have this reverence and love for the ‘Mercy for the Worlds, Muhammad Rasool Allah [sm]‘. And accursed are the ones who are deprived of this love.

Yes, unbelievable as it may seem, there are such hard-hearted people who do not understand this love for our holy Prophet [sm]. They raise questions about such signs of reverence by Muslims. In today’s world especially, we are surrounded by Muslims with ‘holier than thou’ attitude. The only words that come out of their mouths are ‘shirk’, ‘bidaat’ and ‘kafir’. They are very quick to judge other Muslims. Outfits like TTP are the result of such school of thought. They are too obsessed with the appearances of things but do not follow the ESSENCE and SPIRIT of Islam.
If the heart and soul is without love and reverence for the Rasool [sm] what good is the ‘pants above the ankles’?
If a Muslim has a heart of stone, what good will is his long beard to him??
If a Muslim cannot accept what the Prophet decides for him, what good are his Salah, Zakat and Hajj?
As Muslims, we have to develop that character, spirit and heart that is required of a Momin!! First we change from within and then it manifests itself in our appearances.

There is one very important hadees which for some reason has been over-looked by the Muslims. It should be a stepping stone for us on the road of self-awareness as Muslims. It is reported in Sahih Bukhari 8.184, Sahih Muslim and Tirmidhi by Abu Said Al Khudri (RA):

“One day the booty [goods] from a war was being distributed by the Holy Prophet (sm) to the people according to their needs, the Holy Prophet (sm) was conducting adal or (distribution according to need). Dhul Khawaisira of the Tamim tribe stood up and said to the Holy Prophet (sm) “O Prophet, you are not conducting insaaf or equal distribution you are favouring some people over others. Fear Allah! “

The Holy Prophet (sm) replied, I am ‘the Honest’ (al-Amin), Allah sends me knowledge of the unseen (Ilm-e-Ghaib) in the mornings and nights. Allah trusts me but you don’t.” The man replied to the Holy Prophet (sm) “Be God fearing.”

This man was trying to teach the Holy Prophet (sm) Tauhid (astagfirullah), and then he turned around and walked off. Abu Said (RA) then narrates, “The man’s eyes were deep set, his forehead and cheeks raised, he had a large beard, he was bold, and his trousers were above his knees. Hazrath Khalid bin Walid [RA] and Hazrath Umar Farooq [RA] asked permission from the Holy Prophet (sm) to behead this man because he was being disrespectful to the Holy Prophet (sm). The Holy Prophet (sm) replied, “Do not kill him for people will say that the Muslims are killing their own people. It would create misunderstanding amongst the people. Recognize this man’s appearance. In the last period of my Ummah some people will come out of his generation and be in my Ummah. They will have the same appearance as him and they will read the Qur’an and Salah more than you. They will practice more than you, but in spite of this they will depart from the body of Islam just like an arrow departs when released from the bow. They will have no connection to Islam at all.”

The point to be noted is that this man was a practicing Muslim but because of the disrespect to the Prophet [sm], the Prophet [sm] said that people like him were Muslims no more. He had a ‘long beard’, had ‘trousers above ankles’ but because he put himself above the Prophet, all his good deeds turned to dust and he diverged from Islam. Astaghfirullah.

Do you want to know who belonged to the family of Dhul Khawaisira of the Tamim tribe in our recent history?

Here is a hint: His name ends with ‘Tamimi an Najdi’.

May Allah save us from being near the ones who are disrespectful to our beloved Prophet [sm]. Ameen

May we dive each moment in the vast ocean of the utter love and respect for our beloved Prophet [sm]. Ameen

مجھے عشق کے پر لگا کر اڑا
مري خاک جگنو بنا کر اڑا
تڑپنے پھٹرکنے کي توفيق دے
دل مرتضي ، سوز صديق دے