Thursday 25th June 2009
Zikr lesson for the week
A Beautiful Fellowship
___________________________________________________________________________________
We are in the month of Rajab and Prophet Muhammad (saw) has indicated that this month is one of the four (4) blessed months’.
“The year consists of twelve months, of which four are sacred; the three consecutive months of Dhu’l-Qi’dah, Dhu’l-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab, which comes between Jumaada and Sha’baan.”
(Bukhari)
It is advisable that we recite lots of darood and pray as much optional salaat as possible.
Allah (swt) says in Surah Nisa;
•
“All who obey Allah and the Apostle are in the company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah, - of the Prophets (Who teach), the sincere (lovers of Truth), the witnesses (Who testify), and the righteous (Who do good): Ah! What a beautiful fellowship!”
(Chapter 4, verse 69)
Allah (swt) has made 7 levels of heaven and, according to the scholars, on the Day of Judgement He will categorized the inhabitants of Paradise into these levels. For example those who give their all in the path of Allah (swt) will not be equal to those who are not serious about their salaat, fasting, zakaat, etc. Those who are prepared to utilize all their assets for Allah (swt) will be placed in a ‘higher level’ than those who are careless. On that Day when Allah (swt) will categorize us some believers will be in the companionship of the Messengers of Allah (swt) as Prophet Muhammad (saw) is reported to have said;
Amongst my followers some will have the status of the Messengers of the Bani Israel.
The ayat mention above was revealed because of a particular incident. One day a companion of Prophet (saw) came to him and said “O Prophet (saw) we love you so much, when we die and you die we will be separate”. Another companion said “O Prophet (saw) if I don’t see you for one day I begin to feel anxious, what will happen in the hereafter when we will not meet you anymore”. Thereafter the ayat was revealed.
It implies that in the hereafter it is possible to be in the companionship of the Messengers, including Prophet Muhammad (saw). Ka'ab al Aslami (ra) narrated that he used to carry water for Prophet Muhammad (saw) for ablution and for his need and one day Prophet (saw) told him to ask of him for whatever he wanted. Ka'ab al Aslami (ra) asked to be Prophet’s (saw) companion in Paradise. Prophet (saw) asked if he wished for anything else to which he replied only that. Prophet (saw) then told Ka'ab “help me fulfil this wish for you by performing many prostrations”.
On another occasion Prophet (saw) was asked what will happen on the Day of Judgement to a person who loved the people but is of a higher status from them. Prophet (saw) replied “One is with those he loves.”
What kind of status do you want to have in the next life? Make sincere dua to Allah (swt) because He hears and accepts our duas. When Prophet Muhammad (saw) was departing this physical world he supplicated to Allah (swt) by reciting “Ilah Rafeek il a'ala” – “Join me with the exalted ones”.
We should incorporate this is our supplication to Allah (swt). Keep in mind what kind of preparation you are making for the hereafter and what level of Paradise you wish to attain. If you sincerely strive in the way of your Lord it is possible to be elevated to the status of the Messengers in Paradise. Beg Allah (swt) for strength to strive to earn a place alongside the Messengers and may He forgive us and have mercy on us, and take care of our affairs in this life and the next, insha Allah.
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
Sunday, 21 June 2009
The Hereafter
Thursday 18th June 2009
Zikr lesson for the week
Preparing for the Hereafter
___________________________________________________________________________________
Allah (swt) says in Al Qur’an;
“Know ye (all), that the life of this world is but play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting and multiplying, (in rivalry) among yourselves, riches and children. Here is a similitude: How rain and the growth which it brings forth, delight (the hearts of) the tillers; soon it withers; thou wilt see it grow yellow; then it becomes dry and crumbles away. But in the Hereafter is a Penalty severe (for the devotees of wrong). And Forgiveness from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure (for the devotees of Allah) And what is the life of this world, but goods and chattels of deception?”
(Chapter 57, verse 20)
Life in this world is only for a short period of time. Unfortunately, there are some who forget this and they focus all their energy and resources in attaining the ‘pleasures’ of this world. Allah (swt) says that it soon becomes a contest between some men to see who has more and the best worldly assets. They take pride from their accumulation of wealth, the success of their children and their physical assets. They pay no heed in preparing for the eternal life in the hereafter.
Allah (swt) goes on to compare the life of this world to a flower. A flower starts its life as an insignificant tiny seed. Through the necessary nutrients the seed slowly starts growing until it blooms into a beautiful flower. After some time the once beautiful, sweet smelling flower begins to slowly wilt and it crumbles away. So too man starts out his life in a helpless state, and through the Grace of Allah (swt) he begins to mature and gains strength and intelligence in the process. Thereafter he begins to deteriorate. He slowly loses the strength and intelligence he once had and his physical features starts diminishing.
Never forget that this moment can be your last and everything you’ve worked so hard to achieve will all be left behind. That is why, as Muslims we must do things that will be of benefit to us in the hereafter. Some people will do anything to acquire wealth and power. Concerning this Prophet Muhammad (saw) is reported to have said;
two hungry wolves, if let loose among a flock of sheep, will not do more damage than that which is caused by a man's avarice for wealth and status to his religion, (Tirmidhi).
Some people work their whole life acquiring wealth and soon after they die and leave behind everything they worked so hard to achieve. Others reach a stage of understanding where too much wealth doesn’t bring benefit, e.g. you can have all the wealth in the world but it cannot compensate you for poor health. The danger is that some people believe that because they are wealthy they can do whatever pleases them and they fail to realize that it is out of the Graciousness of Allah (swt) that they have and can benefit from it.
Prophet Muhammad (saw) said
A servant says: My wealth, my wealth, but out of his wealth three things are only his: whatever he eats and makes use of, or by means of which he dresses himself and it wears out or he gives as charity, and this is what he stored for himself (as a reward for the Hereafter), and what is beyond this (it is of no use to you) because you are to depart and leave it for other people. (Sahih Muslim).
It is reported by Abdullah Ibn Umar (ra) that Prophet Muhammad (saw) once took him by his shoulder and said;
“Be in this world as though you are a stranger or a traveller. When the evening come do not expect (to live till) morning and at morning do not expect (to live till) evening. Take from your health for your illness and from your life for your death”.
Logically we cannot isolate ourselves from this world. We need it in order to gain sustenance, comfort, etc. Allah (swt) is the One who provides these things however it is through the process of working and striving that we are able to access them. We also need to strive for the eternal life that awaits us in the hereafter. It can either be a life of bliss or a life of misery. We need to have the right balance of living in this world and working for the next. Take time out of your daily schedule to worship your Lord so that when you depart this world you would have sent things that would be of benefit to you in the next. Concerning this Allah (swt) say;
• •
“And whatever good ye send forth for your souls before you, ye shall find it with Allah; for Allah sees Well all that ye do.”
(Chapter 2, verse 110)
Zikr lesson for the week
Preparing for the Hereafter
___________________________________________________________________________________
Allah (swt) says in Al Qur’an;
“Know ye (all), that the life of this world is but play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting and multiplying, (in rivalry) among yourselves, riches and children. Here is a similitude: How rain and the growth which it brings forth, delight (the hearts of) the tillers; soon it withers; thou wilt see it grow yellow; then it becomes dry and crumbles away. But in the Hereafter is a Penalty severe (for the devotees of wrong). And Forgiveness from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure (for the devotees of Allah) And what is the life of this world, but goods and chattels of deception?”
(Chapter 57, verse 20)
Life in this world is only for a short period of time. Unfortunately, there are some who forget this and they focus all their energy and resources in attaining the ‘pleasures’ of this world. Allah (swt) says that it soon becomes a contest between some men to see who has more and the best worldly assets. They take pride from their accumulation of wealth, the success of their children and their physical assets. They pay no heed in preparing for the eternal life in the hereafter.
Allah (swt) goes on to compare the life of this world to a flower. A flower starts its life as an insignificant tiny seed. Through the necessary nutrients the seed slowly starts growing until it blooms into a beautiful flower. After some time the once beautiful, sweet smelling flower begins to slowly wilt and it crumbles away. So too man starts out his life in a helpless state, and through the Grace of Allah (swt) he begins to mature and gains strength and intelligence in the process. Thereafter he begins to deteriorate. He slowly loses the strength and intelligence he once had and his physical features starts diminishing.
Never forget that this moment can be your last and everything you’ve worked so hard to achieve will all be left behind. That is why, as Muslims we must do things that will be of benefit to us in the hereafter. Some people will do anything to acquire wealth and power. Concerning this Prophet Muhammad (saw) is reported to have said;
two hungry wolves, if let loose among a flock of sheep, will not do more damage than that which is caused by a man's avarice for wealth and status to his religion, (Tirmidhi).
Some people work their whole life acquiring wealth and soon after they die and leave behind everything they worked so hard to achieve. Others reach a stage of understanding where too much wealth doesn’t bring benefit, e.g. you can have all the wealth in the world but it cannot compensate you for poor health. The danger is that some people believe that because they are wealthy they can do whatever pleases them and they fail to realize that it is out of the Graciousness of Allah (swt) that they have and can benefit from it.
Prophet Muhammad (saw) said
A servant says: My wealth, my wealth, but out of his wealth three things are only his: whatever he eats and makes use of, or by means of which he dresses himself and it wears out or he gives as charity, and this is what he stored for himself (as a reward for the Hereafter), and what is beyond this (it is of no use to you) because you are to depart and leave it for other people. (Sahih Muslim).
It is reported by Abdullah Ibn Umar (ra) that Prophet Muhammad (saw) once took him by his shoulder and said;
“Be in this world as though you are a stranger or a traveller. When the evening come do not expect (to live till) morning and at morning do not expect (to live till) evening. Take from your health for your illness and from your life for your death”.
Logically we cannot isolate ourselves from this world. We need it in order to gain sustenance, comfort, etc. Allah (swt) is the One who provides these things however it is through the process of working and striving that we are able to access them. We also need to strive for the eternal life that awaits us in the hereafter. It can either be a life of bliss or a life of misery. We need to have the right balance of living in this world and working for the next. Take time out of your daily schedule to worship your Lord so that when you depart this world you would have sent things that would be of benefit to you in the next. Concerning this Allah (swt) say;
• •
“And whatever good ye send forth for your souls before you, ye shall find it with Allah; for Allah sees Well all that ye do.”
(Chapter 2, verse 110)
Friday, 19 June 2009
Thursday 12th February 2009
Zikr Lesson for the week
Meeting with Allah (swt)
Part II
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Why is it ‘meeting’ with Allah (swt) necessary? Couldn’t Allah (swt) just enter the righteous into Jannah? In order for us to understand the importance of meeting Allah (swt), we must firstly take into consideration the following ayat from Surah A'raf;
"When thy Lord drew forth from the Children of Adam - from their loins - their descendants, and made them testify concerning themselves, (saying): "Am I not your Lord (who cherishes and sustains you)?"- They said: "Yea! We do testify!" (This), lest ye should say on the Day of Judgment: "Of this we were never mindful":
(Chapter 7, verse 172)
The ayat above deals with what took place before the progeny of Adam (as) inhabited the earth. Allah (swt) has put in the subconscious of every human being the fact that there is no god but Him. The program of life is to understand how the meeting with Allah (swt) is possible. This was realized and manifested in the Mi`raj of Prophet Muhammad (saw). He was able to return to, and meet his Lord and understand that Allah is Rab. Prophet (saw) is our model and example, and he showed us that it is possible to return to, and meet Allah (swt) with our entire personality.
Allah (swt) says in Surah An'am;
"And behold! ye come to us bare and alone as We created you for the first time: ye have left behind you all (the favours) which We bestowed on you: We see not with you your intercessors whom ye thought to be partners in your affairs: so now all relations between you have been cut off, and your (pet) fancies have left you in the lurch!"
(Chapter 6, verse 94)
‘Bare’ in this instance means nothing of this world. All that you have worked for and accumulated will be left behind. It is indeed unfortunate that there are some people who focus all of their attention only on this world and every day we see how unpredictable life can be. It can take only one (1) second for your life to change. People busy themselves with everything except preparing for the hereafter. They learn nothing from the unfortunate trials of others, as Allah (swt) mentions in Surah Yaseen;
See they not how many generations before them we destroyed? Not to them will they return:
(Chapter 36, verse 31)
Be careful and cautious in your daily activities and try to make yourself ‘qualify’ to meet your Lord and insha Allah the meeting will be a pleasant one. How is it possible? Allah (swt) gives us the formula in Surah Kahf;
“whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and, in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner”.
If you strive in this manner you’ll understand that Allah (swt) will try us and when the trails come our way we will bear it with patience because we know that Allah (swt) is our Lord, and He will never let us down.
Zikr Lesson for the week
Meeting with Allah (swt)
Part II
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Why is it ‘meeting’ with Allah (swt) necessary? Couldn’t Allah (swt) just enter the righteous into Jannah? In order for us to understand the importance of meeting Allah (swt), we must firstly take into consideration the following ayat from Surah A'raf;
"When thy Lord drew forth from the Children of Adam - from their loins - their descendants, and made them testify concerning themselves, (saying): "Am I not your Lord (who cherishes and sustains you)?"- They said: "Yea! We do testify!" (This), lest ye should say on the Day of Judgment: "Of this we were never mindful":
(Chapter 7, verse 172)
The ayat above deals with what took place before the progeny of Adam (as) inhabited the earth. Allah (swt) has put in the subconscious of every human being the fact that there is no god but Him. The program of life is to understand how the meeting with Allah (swt) is possible. This was realized and manifested in the Mi`raj of Prophet Muhammad (saw). He was able to return to, and meet his Lord and understand that Allah is Rab. Prophet (saw) is our model and example, and he showed us that it is possible to return to, and meet Allah (swt) with our entire personality.
Allah (swt) says in Surah An'am;
"And behold! ye come to us bare and alone as We created you for the first time: ye have left behind you all (the favours) which We bestowed on you: We see not with you your intercessors whom ye thought to be partners in your affairs: so now all relations between you have been cut off, and your (pet) fancies have left you in the lurch!"
(Chapter 6, verse 94)
‘Bare’ in this instance means nothing of this world. All that you have worked for and accumulated will be left behind. It is indeed unfortunate that there are some people who focus all of their attention only on this world and every day we see how unpredictable life can be. It can take only one (1) second for your life to change. People busy themselves with everything except preparing for the hereafter. They learn nothing from the unfortunate trials of others, as Allah (swt) mentions in Surah Yaseen;
See they not how many generations before them we destroyed? Not to them will they return:
(Chapter 36, verse 31)
Be careful and cautious in your daily activities and try to make yourself ‘qualify’ to meet your Lord and insha Allah the meeting will be a pleasant one. How is it possible? Allah (swt) gives us the formula in Surah Kahf;
“whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and, in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner”.
If you strive in this manner you’ll understand that Allah (swt) will try us and when the trails come our way we will bear it with patience because we know that Allah (swt) is our Lord, and He will never let us down.
Thursday 29th May 2009
Zikr lesson for the week
نَفَسُلْ مُطْمَعِنَّهْ
Mutual goodwill between the nafs and ruh ___________________________________________________________________________________
Man can conceptualize things that exist in the material universe; however, we cannot form a mental picture of the things that exist ‘outside’ the material universe. For example when Allah (swt) describes paradise He says that in it contains things that “our eyes haven’t seen”. So, it is difficult to form a concept of those things which we have no knowledge of. When Prophet Muhammad (saw) went on the Mi’raj he described the leaves of the Lot Tree as being as big as the ears of an elephant. How can we explain this? We can only conceptualize and describe those things that Allah (swt) has given us sure knowledge of.
The human personality comprises of two things, one that grew from the material universe and the other came from outside the material universe. Our bodies grew from the material universe and our ruh came from the “command from Allah (swt)”. The ruh is not a material creation and proof of this can be found in Surah Isra;
Allah says:
وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً
“They ask thee concerning the ruh . Say: "The Spirit (ruh) (cometh) by command of my Lord: of knowledge it is only a little that is communicated to you, (O men!)”
(Chapter 17, verse 85)
We cannot explain or describe the ruh through reason and logic because it is not confined to boundaries such as space and time. We can’t ‘experiment’ on it. Even though the ruh is part of our personality there are so many things to it that we cannot understand.
While the ruh possesses immense spiritual powers it still maintains a connection with, and can benefit from the material universe. For example before the ruh came into the material universe where was it? Prophet Muhammad (saw) is reported to have said “I was a Prophet while Adam was still between water and clay”. When was Prophet (saw) given the title of rahmatul lil alameen? When he came into the material universe and functioned. Only then his real personality emerged. The ruh needs the material universe to develop, grow and prepare for the next life.
Islam is so different from the other religions. For example the Christians view the world as evil so they must separate from it in order to win the favours of Jesus (as). So, some of them live a life of celibacy and retreat to monasteries. Their philosophy is to subdue the physical self in order to grow the spiritual self. In Islam we need the material universe, which was created by Allah (swt), in order for us to gain physical benefit. The wise person will culture both aspects of the human personality in order to benefit in the next life.
The ruh has tremendous possibilities and it can be the access for us to understand some of the things that we cannot conceive. For example Allah (swt) says in Surah Ghafir;
رَفِيعُ الدَّرَجَاتِ ذُو الْعَرْشِ يُلْقِي الرُّوحَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ عَلَى مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ لِيُنْذِرَ يَوْمَ التَّلاَقِ
“Raised high above ranks (or degrees), (He is) the Lord of the Throne (of Authority): by His Command doth He send the Spirit (of inspiration) to any of His servants He pleases, that it may warn (men) of the Day of Mutual Meeting,”
(Chapter 40, verse 15)
In this case the ‘spirit of inspiration’ refers to Angel Jibreel.
There is no doubt that the universe is beautiful and Allah (swt) has mentioned to us that He has created the universe as a trial from man. He says is Suah Kahf
إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى الأَرْضِ زِينَةً لَهَا لِنَبْلُوَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلاً
“That which is on earth We have made but as a glittering show for the earth, in order that We may test them - as to which of them are best in conduct”
(Chapter 18, verse 7)
If you are taken up with material beauty and ignore the spiritual dimension what will become of you in the next life. Our goal in life is to create ‘mutual goodwill’ between the nafs and ruh. They need to work together in order for the human personality to grow. For example through your nafs you will be able to get up to perform the fajir salaat and through this effort the ruh will benefit. Strengthen your ruh through your nafs and on That Day both the ruh and nafs will become one. When Prophet Muhammad (saw) will give the believers a drink from Kawthar all the barriers between the ruh and nafs wil be removed. No longer will the nafs contradict the ruh. That drink will purify you.
Remember we will be tested by Allah (swt) and we should use these trials as a means of aligning the nafs with the ruh. Purify yourself so that your ruh and nafs can work together, hand in hand, and through this you will be able to build a strong personality, and on the Promised Day, you will achieve Hayatan Tayyiba – a life that is good and pure.
Zikr lesson for the week
نَفَسُلْ مُطْمَعِنَّهْ
Mutual goodwill between the nafs and ruh ___________________________________________________________________________________
Man can conceptualize things that exist in the material universe; however, we cannot form a mental picture of the things that exist ‘outside’ the material universe. For example when Allah (swt) describes paradise He says that in it contains things that “our eyes haven’t seen”. So, it is difficult to form a concept of those things which we have no knowledge of. When Prophet Muhammad (saw) went on the Mi’raj he described the leaves of the Lot Tree as being as big as the ears of an elephant. How can we explain this? We can only conceptualize and describe those things that Allah (swt) has given us sure knowledge of.
The human personality comprises of two things, one that grew from the material universe and the other came from outside the material universe. Our bodies grew from the material universe and our ruh came from the “command from Allah (swt)”. The ruh is not a material creation and proof of this can be found in Surah Isra;
Allah says:
وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً
“They ask thee concerning the ruh . Say: "The Spirit (ruh) (cometh) by command of my Lord: of knowledge it is only a little that is communicated to you, (O men!)”
(Chapter 17, verse 85)
We cannot explain or describe the ruh through reason and logic because it is not confined to boundaries such as space and time. We can’t ‘experiment’ on it. Even though the ruh is part of our personality there are so many things to it that we cannot understand.
While the ruh possesses immense spiritual powers it still maintains a connection with, and can benefit from the material universe. For example before the ruh came into the material universe where was it? Prophet Muhammad (saw) is reported to have said “I was a Prophet while Adam was still between water and clay”. When was Prophet (saw) given the title of rahmatul lil alameen? When he came into the material universe and functioned. Only then his real personality emerged. The ruh needs the material universe to develop, grow and prepare for the next life.
Islam is so different from the other religions. For example the Christians view the world as evil so they must separate from it in order to win the favours of Jesus (as). So, some of them live a life of celibacy and retreat to monasteries. Their philosophy is to subdue the physical self in order to grow the spiritual self. In Islam we need the material universe, which was created by Allah (swt), in order for us to gain physical benefit. The wise person will culture both aspects of the human personality in order to benefit in the next life.
The ruh has tremendous possibilities and it can be the access for us to understand some of the things that we cannot conceive. For example Allah (swt) says in Surah Ghafir;
رَفِيعُ الدَّرَجَاتِ ذُو الْعَرْشِ يُلْقِي الرُّوحَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ عَلَى مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ لِيُنْذِرَ يَوْمَ التَّلاَقِ
“Raised high above ranks (or degrees), (He is) the Lord of the Throne (of Authority): by His Command doth He send the Spirit (of inspiration) to any of His servants He pleases, that it may warn (men) of the Day of Mutual Meeting,”
(Chapter 40, verse 15)
In this case the ‘spirit of inspiration’ refers to Angel Jibreel.
There is no doubt that the universe is beautiful and Allah (swt) has mentioned to us that He has created the universe as a trial from man. He says is Suah Kahf
إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى الأَرْضِ زِينَةً لَهَا لِنَبْلُوَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلاً
“That which is on earth We have made but as a glittering show for the earth, in order that We may test them - as to which of them are best in conduct”
(Chapter 18, verse 7)
If you are taken up with material beauty and ignore the spiritual dimension what will become of you in the next life. Our goal in life is to create ‘mutual goodwill’ between the nafs and ruh. They need to work together in order for the human personality to grow. For example through your nafs you will be able to get up to perform the fajir salaat and through this effort the ruh will benefit. Strengthen your ruh through your nafs and on That Day both the ruh and nafs will become one. When Prophet Muhammad (saw) will give the believers a drink from Kawthar all the barriers between the ruh and nafs wil be removed. No longer will the nafs contradict the ruh. That drink will purify you.
Remember we will be tested by Allah (swt) and we should use these trials as a means of aligning the nafs with the ruh. Purify yourself so that your ruh and nafs can work together, hand in hand, and through this you will be able to build a strong personality, and on the Promised Day, you will achieve Hayatan Tayyiba – a life that is good and pure.
Thursday 23rd October 2008
Zikr Lesson for the week
Cultivating your focus
_______________________________________________________________________________
When Allah created Hazrat Adam, He created the entire human species in the loin’s Adam’s. Allah says:
And remember when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam from their loins, their seed and made them testify as to themselves (saying), Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes; We testify, lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: Verily, we were unaware of this. (7:172)
Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is reported to have said:
It will be said to a man from the people of the Fire on the Day of Resurrection, If you owned all that is on the earth, would you pay it as ransom? He will reply, Yes Allah will say, I ordered you with what is less than that, when you were still in Adam's loins, that is, associate none with Me (in worship). You insisted that you associate with Me. (Ahmad3:127)
When Allah created Adam, He wiped Adam's back and every person that He will create from him until the Day of Resurrection fell out from his back……
This can possibly mean that we existed at that time as ‘data’ (possibly as the numerous combinations of genes and chromosomes that make up each human body) or as a ‘formula’, or in some form known to the Lord, as He is the Knower and Creator of all things.
We all started our journey with the Adam (pbuh). All this time we were in existence, coming down generation after generation. Our real journey began when the soul entered the body while we were in the womb of our mothers. Take for example oxygen and hydrogen; if both are combined with a particular proportion H2O (water) is formed. The same concept of existence as a formula is applicable to human beings.
We are not responsible for our shape, form, intellect, or vision. All these attributes of ours were coming down through the ages, since Allah (swt) created Adam (pbuh). Is it Allah (swt) Who decreed when we would appear in the dimension of space and time, in a particular way, and in a particular place.
Our conscious journey started when we were able to choose and understand. So whatever situation we may be in we must always beg Allah (swt) to help us to keep our focus. Some things we have no control over. What is important is to be grateful for what Allah (swt) has provided for us and utilize it to make the remainder of the journey beneficial.
The journey doesn’t stop when the soul leaves the body and does not return to it. It is accustomed to leave the body in our physical life any This is mentioned in Surah Az-Zumar;
اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الأَنْفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَى عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ الأُخْرَى إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآياتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
It is Allah that takes the souls (of men) at death; and those that die not (He takes) during their sleep: those on whom He has passed the decree of death, He keeps back (from returning to life), but the rest He sends (to their bodies) for a term appointed verily in this are Signs for those who reflect
(Chapter 39, verse 42)
One day our souls will leave and won’t return. However our journey still continues. Even after resurrection the journey continues. You will continue until you cross the Pul Sirat, and then your journey will come to an end.
Our program in this life is to prepare ourselves. This is why it is imperative to never lose our focus, which is Allah (swt). Prophet Muhammad (saw) taught us to focus on our Creator. when he went on the Miraj he was alone with the Lord. As we are supposed to understand that we are living in the presence of the Divine, we feel so when we are in worship (Salaat).
He (saw) tells us that salaat is our Miraj. One of the benefits of salaat is that it allows us to concentrate on the existence of Allah, and that He is always in front of us.
We physically focus on the Kabaa and we know that Prophet Muhammad (saw) has said that Allah (swt) comes between you and the Kaba when you stand for salaat. With this in mind it is important to draw reference to Hazrat Ali ibn Abu Talib (as).
In the Battle of Siffin an arrowhead pierced the thigh of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as). It was not possible to pull it out because of the unbearable pain it caused. When Imam Hasan (as) was consulted in the matter, he told the people to just wait till his father stands for prayer and to remove the arrow while Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) was praying.
Accordingly the arrow was pulled out while Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) praying and he was totally oblivious of the excruciating pain. When Hazrat Ali (as) stood for prayers, the world ceased to exist for him, his entire being was totally immersed in the contact he had established with his Creator and his relationship with Him.
If you can cultivate and culture the ability to focus and concentrate on Allah, you will find that you will be fighting a battle with the Satan, as he wants to divert you from your goal.
By concentrating on the Qalb you will be able to better focus on the Lord. As you try to do so, you will find that your minds begin to waver and all kinds of thoughts come into it. This is the working of the Satan, who is trying to divert you. You will find that it takes a lot of effort to keep your focus. You must know that this is you internal jihad. This is one reasonas why meditation is important. It allows us to develop your focus.
Allah (swt) is Al Lateef, i.e. He is the Most Loving, Most Kind and Most Tender. No one can love like Him, and know that He loves His creatures. He will never let you down. This is why the 5th stage in spirituality is called ‘realization’. When you realize that you are nothing and that Allah (swt) is everything, you will know that your importance is solely because of His Mercies on you, and that your success is because He has been gracious to you.
You will want to please Him and get closer to Him, you will begin to have overflowing love for Him. Begin this process by concentrating on your Qalb and proceed as He will allow you to do.
Zikr Lesson for the week
Cultivating your focus
_______________________________________________________________________________
When Allah created Hazrat Adam, He created the entire human species in the loin’s Adam’s. Allah says:
And remember when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam from their loins, their seed and made them testify as to themselves (saying), Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes; We testify, lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: Verily, we were unaware of this. (7:172)
Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is reported to have said:
It will be said to a man from the people of the Fire on the Day of Resurrection, If you owned all that is on the earth, would you pay it as ransom? He will reply, Yes Allah will say, I ordered you with what is less than that, when you were still in Adam's loins, that is, associate none with Me (in worship). You insisted that you associate with Me. (Ahmad3:127)
When Allah created Adam, He wiped Adam's back and every person that He will create from him until the Day of Resurrection fell out from his back……
This can possibly mean that we existed at that time as ‘data’ (possibly as the numerous combinations of genes and chromosomes that make up each human body) or as a ‘formula’, or in some form known to the Lord, as He is the Knower and Creator of all things.
We all started our journey with the Adam (pbuh). All this time we were in existence, coming down generation after generation. Our real journey began when the soul entered the body while we were in the womb of our mothers. Take for example oxygen and hydrogen; if both are combined with a particular proportion H2O (water) is formed. The same concept of existence as a formula is applicable to human beings.
We are not responsible for our shape, form, intellect, or vision. All these attributes of ours were coming down through the ages, since Allah (swt) created Adam (pbuh). Is it Allah (swt) Who decreed when we would appear in the dimension of space and time, in a particular way, and in a particular place.
Our conscious journey started when we were able to choose and understand. So whatever situation we may be in we must always beg Allah (swt) to help us to keep our focus. Some things we have no control over. What is important is to be grateful for what Allah (swt) has provided for us and utilize it to make the remainder of the journey beneficial.
The journey doesn’t stop when the soul leaves the body and does not return to it. It is accustomed to leave the body in our physical life any This is mentioned in Surah Az-Zumar;
اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الأَنْفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَى عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ الأُخْرَى إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآياتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
It is Allah that takes the souls (of men) at death; and those that die not (He takes) during their sleep: those on whom He has passed the decree of death, He keeps back (from returning to life), but the rest He sends (to their bodies) for a term appointed verily in this are Signs for those who reflect
(Chapter 39, verse 42)
One day our souls will leave and won’t return. However our journey still continues. Even after resurrection the journey continues. You will continue until you cross the Pul Sirat, and then your journey will come to an end.
Our program in this life is to prepare ourselves. This is why it is imperative to never lose our focus, which is Allah (swt). Prophet Muhammad (saw) taught us to focus on our Creator. when he went on the Miraj he was alone with the Lord. As we are supposed to understand that we are living in the presence of the Divine, we feel so when we are in worship (Salaat).
He (saw) tells us that salaat is our Miraj. One of the benefits of salaat is that it allows us to concentrate on the existence of Allah, and that He is always in front of us.
We physically focus on the Kabaa and we know that Prophet Muhammad (saw) has said that Allah (swt) comes between you and the Kaba when you stand for salaat. With this in mind it is important to draw reference to Hazrat Ali ibn Abu Talib (as).
In the Battle of Siffin an arrowhead pierced the thigh of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as). It was not possible to pull it out because of the unbearable pain it caused. When Imam Hasan (as) was consulted in the matter, he told the people to just wait till his father stands for prayer and to remove the arrow while Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) was praying.
Accordingly the arrow was pulled out while Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) praying and he was totally oblivious of the excruciating pain. When Hazrat Ali (as) stood for prayers, the world ceased to exist for him, his entire being was totally immersed in the contact he had established with his Creator and his relationship with Him.
If you can cultivate and culture the ability to focus and concentrate on Allah, you will find that you will be fighting a battle with the Satan, as he wants to divert you from your goal.
By concentrating on the Qalb you will be able to better focus on the Lord. As you try to do so, you will find that your minds begin to waver and all kinds of thoughts come into it. This is the working of the Satan, who is trying to divert you. You will find that it takes a lot of effort to keep your focus. You must know that this is you internal jihad. This is one reasonas why meditation is important. It allows us to develop your focus.
Allah (swt) is Al Lateef, i.e. He is the Most Loving, Most Kind and Most Tender. No one can love like Him, and know that He loves His creatures. He will never let you down. This is why the 5th stage in spirituality is called ‘realization’. When you realize that you are nothing and that Allah (swt) is everything, you will know that your importance is solely because of His Mercies on you, and that your success is because He has been gracious to you.
You will want to please Him and get closer to Him, you will begin to have overflowing love for Him. Begin this process by concentrating on your Qalb and proceed as He will allow you to do.
Thursday 23rd October 2008
Zikr Lesson for the week
Cultivating your focus
_______________________________________________________________________________
When Allah created Hazrat Adam, He created the entire human species in the loin’s Adam’s. Allah says:
And remember when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam from their loins, their seed and made them testify as to themselves (saying), Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes; We testify, lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: Verily, we were unaware of this. (7:172)
Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is reported to have said:
It will be said to a man from the people of the Fire on the Day of Resurrection, If you owned all that is on the earth, would you pay it as ransom? He will reply, Yes Allah will say, I ordered you with what is less than that, when you were still in Adam's loins, that is, associate none with Me (in worship). You insisted that you associate with Me. (Ahmad3:127)
When Allah created Adam, He wiped Adam's back and every person that He will create from him until the Day of Resurrection fell out from his back……
This can possibly mean that we existed at that time as ‘data’ (possibly as the numerous combinations of genes and chromosomes that make up each human body) or as a ‘formula’, or in some form known to the Lord, as He is the Knower and Creator of all things.
We all started our journey with the Adam (pbuh). All this time we were in existence, coming down generation after generation. Our real journey began when the soul entered the body while we were in the womb of our mothers. Take for example oxygen and hydrogen; if both are combined with a particular proportion H2O (water) is formed. The same concept of existence as a formula is applicable to human beings.
We are not responsible for our shape, form, intellect, or vision. All these attributes of ours were coming down through the ages, since Allah (swt) created Adam (pbuh). Is it Allah (swt) Who decreed when we would appear in the dimension of space and time, in a particular way, and in a particular place.
Our conscious journey started when we were able to choose and understand. So whatever situation we may be in we must always beg Allah (swt) to help us to keep our focus. Some things we have no control over. What is important is to be grateful for what Allah (swt) has provided for us and utilize it to make the remainder of the journey beneficial.
The journey doesn’t stop when the soul leaves the body and does not return to it. It is accustomed to leave the body in our physical life any This is mentioned in Surah Az-Zumar;
اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الأَنْفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَى عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ الأُخْرَى إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآياتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
It is Allah that takes the souls (of men) at death; and those that die not (He takes) during their sleep: those on whom He has passed the decree of death, He keeps back (from returning to life), but the rest He sends (to their bodies) for a term appointed verily in this are Signs for those who reflect
(Chapter 39, verse 42)
One day our souls will leave and won’t return. However our journey still continues. Even after resurrection the journey continues. You will continue until you cross the Pul Sirat, and then your journey will come to an end.
Our program in this life is to prepare ourselves. This is why it is imperative to never lose our focus, which is Allah (swt). Prophet Muhammad (saw) taught us to focus on our Creator. when he went on the Miraj he was alone with the Lord. As we are supposed to understand that we are living in the presence of the Divine, we feel so when we are in worship (Salaat).
He (saw) tells us that salaat is our Miraj. One of the benefits of salaat is that it allows us to concentrate on the existence of Allah, and that He is always in front of us.
We physically focus on the Kabaa and we know that Prophet Muhammad (saw) has said that Allah (swt) comes between you and the Kaba when you stand for salaat. With this in mind it is important to draw reference to Hazrat Ali ibn Abu Talib (as).
In the Battle of Siffin an arrowhead pierced the thigh of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as). It was not possible to pull it out because of the unbearable pain it caused. When Imam Hasan (as) was consulted in the matter, he told the people to just wait till his father stands for prayer and to remove the arrow while Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) was praying.
Accordingly the arrow was pulled out while Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) praying and he was totally oblivious of the excruciating pain. When Hazrat Ali (as) stood for prayers, the world ceased to exist for him, his entire being was totally immersed in the contact he had established with his Creator and his relationship with Him.
If you can cultivate and culture the ability to focus and concentrate on Allah, you will find that you will be fighting a battle with the Satan, as he wants to divert you from your goal.
By concentrating on the Qalb you will be able to better focus on the Lord. As you try to do so, you will find that your minds begin to waver and all kinds of thoughts come into it. This is the working of the Satan, who is trying to divert you. You will find that it takes a lot of effort to keep your focus. You must know that this is you internal jihad. This is one reasonas why meditation is important. It allows us to develop your focus.
Allah (swt) is Al Lateef, i.e. He is the Most Loving, Most Kind and Most Tender. No one can love like Him, and know that He loves His creatures. He will never let you down. This is why the 5th stage in spirituality is called ‘realization’. When you realize that you are nothing and that Allah (swt) is everything, you will know that your importance is solely because of His Mercies on you, and that your success is because He has been gracious to you.
You will want to please Him and get closer to Him, you will begin to have overflowing love for Him. Begin this process by concentrating on your Qalb and proceed as He will allow you to do.
Zikr Lesson for the week
Cultivating your focus
_______________________________________________________________________________
When Allah created Hazrat Adam, He created the entire human species in the loin’s Adam’s. Allah says:
And remember when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam from their loins, their seed and made them testify as to themselves (saying), Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes; We testify, lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: Verily, we were unaware of this. (7:172)
Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is reported to have said:
It will be said to a man from the people of the Fire on the Day of Resurrection, If you owned all that is on the earth, would you pay it as ransom? He will reply, Yes Allah will say, I ordered you with what is less than that, when you were still in Adam's loins, that is, associate none with Me (in worship). You insisted that you associate with Me. (Ahmad3:127)
When Allah created Adam, He wiped Adam's back and every person that He will create from him until the Day of Resurrection fell out from his back……
This can possibly mean that we existed at that time as ‘data’ (possibly as the numerous combinations of genes and chromosomes that make up each human body) or as a ‘formula’, or in some form known to the Lord, as He is the Knower and Creator of all things.
We all started our journey with the Adam (pbuh). All this time we were in existence, coming down generation after generation. Our real journey began when the soul entered the body while we were in the womb of our mothers. Take for example oxygen and hydrogen; if both are combined with a particular proportion H2O (water) is formed. The same concept of existence as a formula is applicable to human beings.
We are not responsible for our shape, form, intellect, or vision. All these attributes of ours were coming down through the ages, since Allah (swt) created Adam (pbuh). Is it Allah (swt) Who decreed when we would appear in the dimension of space and time, in a particular way, and in a particular place.
Our conscious journey started when we were able to choose and understand. So whatever situation we may be in we must always beg Allah (swt) to help us to keep our focus. Some things we have no control over. What is important is to be grateful for what Allah (swt) has provided for us and utilize it to make the remainder of the journey beneficial.
The journey doesn’t stop when the soul leaves the body and does not return to it. It is accustomed to leave the body in our physical life any This is mentioned in Surah Az-Zumar;
اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الأَنْفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَى عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ الأُخْرَى إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآياتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
It is Allah that takes the souls (of men) at death; and those that die not (He takes) during their sleep: those on whom He has passed the decree of death, He keeps back (from returning to life), but the rest He sends (to their bodies) for a term appointed verily in this are Signs for those who reflect
(Chapter 39, verse 42)
One day our souls will leave and won’t return. However our journey still continues. Even after resurrection the journey continues. You will continue until you cross the Pul Sirat, and then your journey will come to an end.
Our program in this life is to prepare ourselves. This is why it is imperative to never lose our focus, which is Allah (swt). Prophet Muhammad (saw) taught us to focus on our Creator. when he went on the Miraj he was alone with the Lord. As we are supposed to understand that we are living in the presence of the Divine, we feel so when we are in worship (Salaat).
He (saw) tells us that salaat is our Miraj. One of the benefits of salaat is that it allows us to concentrate on the existence of Allah, and that He is always in front of us.
We physically focus on the Kabaa and we know that Prophet Muhammad (saw) has said that Allah (swt) comes between you and the Kaba when you stand for salaat. With this in mind it is important to draw reference to Hazrat Ali ibn Abu Talib (as).
In the Battle of Siffin an arrowhead pierced the thigh of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as). It was not possible to pull it out because of the unbearable pain it caused. When Imam Hasan (as) was consulted in the matter, he told the people to just wait till his father stands for prayer and to remove the arrow while Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) was praying.
Accordingly the arrow was pulled out while Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) praying and he was totally oblivious of the excruciating pain. When Hazrat Ali (as) stood for prayers, the world ceased to exist for him, his entire being was totally immersed in the contact he had established with his Creator and his relationship with Him.
If you can cultivate and culture the ability to focus and concentrate on Allah, you will find that you will be fighting a battle with the Satan, as he wants to divert you from your goal.
By concentrating on the Qalb you will be able to better focus on the Lord. As you try to do so, you will find that your minds begin to waver and all kinds of thoughts come into it. This is the working of the Satan, who is trying to divert you. You will find that it takes a lot of effort to keep your focus. You must know that this is you internal jihad. This is one reasonas why meditation is important. It allows us to develop your focus.
Allah (swt) is Al Lateef, i.e. He is the Most Loving, Most Kind and Most Tender. No one can love like Him, and know that He loves His creatures. He will never let you down. This is why the 5th stage in spirituality is called ‘realization’. When you realize that you are nothing and that Allah (swt) is everything, you will know that your importance is solely because of His Mercies on you, and that your success is because He has been gracious to you.
You will want to please Him and get closer to Him, you will begin to have overflowing love for Him. Begin this process by concentrating on your Qalb and proceed as He will allow you to do.
Thursday 23rd October 2008
Zikr Lesson for the week
Cultivating your focus
_______________________________________________________________________________
When Allah created Hazrat Adam, He created the entire human species in the loin’s Adam’s. Allah says:
And remember when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam from their loins, their seed and made them testify as to themselves (saying), Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes; We testify, lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: Verily, we were unaware of this. (7:172)
Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is reported to have said:
It will be said to a man from the people of the Fire on the Day of Resurrection, If you owned all that is on the earth, would you pay it as ransom? He will reply, Yes Allah will say, I ordered you with what is less than that, when you were still in Adam's loins, that is, associate none with Me (in worship). You insisted that you associate with Me. (Ahmad3:127)
When Allah created Adam, He wiped Adam's back and every person that He will create from him until the Day of Resurrection fell out from his back……
This can possibly mean that we existed at that time as ‘data’ (possibly as the numerous combinations of genes and chromosomes that make up each human body) or as a ‘formula’, or in some form known to the Lord, as He is the Knower and Creator of all things.
We all started our journey with the Adam (pbuh). All this time we were in existence, coming down generation after generation. Our real journey began when the soul entered the body while we were in the womb of our mothers. Take for example oxygen and hydrogen; if both are combined with a particular proportion H2O (water) is formed. The same concept of existence as a formula is applicable to human beings.
We are not responsible for our shape, form, intellect, or vision. All these attributes of ours were coming down through the ages, since Allah (swt) created Adam (pbuh). Is it Allah (swt) Who decreed when we would appear in the dimension of space and time, in a particular way, and in a particular place.
Our conscious journey started when we were able to choose and understand. So whatever situation we may be in we must always beg Allah (swt) to help us to keep our focus. Some things we have no control over. What is important is to be grateful for what Allah (swt) has provided for us and utilize it to make the remainder of the journey beneficial.
The journey doesn’t stop when the soul leaves the body and does not return to it. It is accustomed to leave the body in our physical life any This is mentioned in Surah Az-Zumar;
اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الأَنْفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَى عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ الأُخْرَى إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآياتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
It is Allah that takes the souls (of men) at death; and those that die not (He takes) during their sleep: those on whom He has passed the decree of death, He keeps back (from returning to life), but the rest He sends (to their bodies) for a term appointed verily in this are Signs for those who reflect
(Chapter 39, verse 42)
One day our souls will leave and won’t return. However our journey still continues. Even after resurrection the journey continues. You will continue until you cross the Pul Sirat, and then your journey will come to an end.
Our program in this life is to prepare ourselves. This is why it is imperative to never lose our focus, which is Allah (swt). Prophet Muhammad (saw) taught us to focus on our Creator. when he went on the Miraj he was alone with the Lord. As we are supposed to understand that we are living in the presence of the Divine, we feel so when we are in worship (Salaat).
He (saw) tells us that salaat is our Miraj. One of the benefits of salaat is that it allows us to concentrate on the existence of Allah, and that He is always in front of us.
We physically focus on the Kabaa and we know that Prophet Muhammad (saw) has said that Allah (swt) comes between you and the Kaba when you stand for salaat. With this in mind it is important to draw reference to Hazrat Ali ibn Abu Talib (as).
In the Battle of Siffin an arrowhead pierced the thigh of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as). It was not possible to pull it out because of the unbearable pain it caused. When Imam Hasan (as) was consulted in the matter, he told the people to just wait till his father stands for prayer and to remove the arrow while Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) was praying.
Accordingly the arrow was pulled out while Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) praying and he was totally oblivious of the excruciating pain. When Hazrat Ali (as) stood for prayers, the world ceased to exist for him, his entire being was totally immersed in the contact he had established with his Creator and his relationship with Him.
If you can cultivate and culture the ability to focus and concentrate on Allah, you will find that you will be fighting a battle with the Satan, as he wants to divert you from your goal.
By concentrating on the Qalb you will be able to better focus on the Lord. As you try to do so, you will find that your minds begin to waver and all kinds of thoughts come into it. This is the working of the Satan, who is trying to divert you. You will find that it takes a lot of effort to keep your focus. You must know that this is you internal jihad. This is one reasonas why meditation is important. It allows us to develop your focus.
Allah (swt) is Al Lateef, i.e. He is the Most Loving, Most Kind and Most Tender. No one can love like Him, and know that He loves His creatures. He will never let you down. This is why the 5th stage in spirituality is called ‘realization’. When you realize that you are nothing and that Allah (swt) is everything, you will know that your importance is solely because of His Mercies on you, and that your success is because He has been gracious to you.
You will want to please Him and get closer to Him, you will begin to have overflowing love for Him. Begin this process by concentrating on your Qalb and proceed as He will allow you to do.
Zikr Lesson for the week
Cultivating your focus
_______________________________________________________________________________
When Allah created Hazrat Adam, He created the entire human species in the loin’s Adam’s. Allah says:
And remember when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam from their loins, their seed and made them testify as to themselves (saying), Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes; We testify, lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: Verily, we were unaware of this. (7:172)
Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is reported to have said:
It will be said to a man from the people of the Fire on the Day of Resurrection, If you owned all that is on the earth, would you pay it as ransom? He will reply, Yes Allah will say, I ordered you with what is less than that, when you were still in Adam's loins, that is, associate none with Me (in worship). You insisted that you associate with Me. (Ahmad3:127)
When Allah created Adam, He wiped Adam's back and every person that He will create from him until the Day of Resurrection fell out from his back……
This can possibly mean that we existed at that time as ‘data’ (possibly as the numerous combinations of genes and chromosomes that make up each human body) or as a ‘formula’, or in some form known to the Lord, as He is the Knower and Creator of all things.
We all started our journey with the Adam (pbuh). All this time we were in existence, coming down generation after generation. Our real journey began when the soul entered the body while we were in the womb of our mothers. Take for example oxygen and hydrogen; if both are combined with a particular proportion H2O (water) is formed. The same concept of existence as a formula is applicable to human beings.
We are not responsible for our shape, form, intellect, or vision. All these attributes of ours were coming down through the ages, since Allah (swt) created Adam (pbuh). Is it Allah (swt) Who decreed when we would appear in the dimension of space and time, in a particular way, and in a particular place.
Our conscious journey started when we were able to choose and understand. So whatever situation we may be in we must always beg Allah (swt) to help us to keep our focus. Some things we have no control over. What is important is to be grateful for what Allah (swt) has provided for us and utilize it to make the remainder of the journey beneficial.
The journey doesn’t stop when the soul leaves the body and does not return to it. It is accustomed to leave the body in our physical life any This is mentioned in Surah Az-Zumar;
اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الأَنْفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَى عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ الأُخْرَى إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآياتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
It is Allah that takes the souls (of men) at death; and those that die not (He takes) during their sleep: those on whom He has passed the decree of death, He keeps back (from returning to life), but the rest He sends (to their bodies) for a term appointed verily in this are Signs for those who reflect
(Chapter 39, verse 42)
One day our souls will leave and won’t return. However our journey still continues. Even after resurrection the journey continues. You will continue until you cross the Pul Sirat, and then your journey will come to an end.
Our program in this life is to prepare ourselves. This is why it is imperative to never lose our focus, which is Allah (swt). Prophet Muhammad (saw) taught us to focus on our Creator. when he went on the Miraj he was alone with the Lord. As we are supposed to understand that we are living in the presence of the Divine, we feel so when we are in worship (Salaat).
He (saw) tells us that salaat is our Miraj. One of the benefits of salaat is that it allows us to concentrate on the existence of Allah, and that He is always in front of us.
We physically focus on the Kabaa and we know that Prophet Muhammad (saw) has said that Allah (swt) comes between you and the Kaba when you stand for salaat. With this in mind it is important to draw reference to Hazrat Ali ibn Abu Talib (as).
In the Battle of Siffin an arrowhead pierced the thigh of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as). It was not possible to pull it out because of the unbearable pain it caused. When Imam Hasan (as) was consulted in the matter, he told the people to just wait till his father stands for prayer and to remove the arrow while Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) was praying.
Accordingly the arrow was pulled out while Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) praying and he was totally oblivious of the excruciating pain. When Hazrat Ali (as) stood for prayers, the world ceased to exist for him, his entire being was totally immersed in the contact he had established with his Creator and his relationship with Him.
If you can cultivate and culture the ability to focus and concentrate on Allah, you will find that you will be fighting a battle with the Satan, as he wants to divert you from your goal.
By concentrating on the Qalb you will be able to better focus on the Lord. As you try to do so, you will find that your minds begin to waver and all kinds of thoughts come into it. This is the working of the Satan, who is trying to divert you. You will find that it takes a lot of effort to keep your focus. You must know that this is you internal jihad. This is one reasonas why meditation is important. It allows us to develop your focus.
Allah (swt) is Al Lateef, i.e. He is the Most Loving, Most Kind and Most Tender. No one can love like Him, and know that He loves His creatures. He will never let you down. This is why the 5th stage in spirituality is called ‘realization’. When you realize that you are nothing and that Allah (swt) is everything, you will know that your importance is solely because of His Mercies on you, and that your success is because He has been gracious to you.
You will want to please Him and get closer to Him, you will begin to have overflowing love for Him. Begin this process by concentrating on your Qalb and proceed as He will allow you to do.
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