Istikhara

 There's just one Book for life's gladness;

One Book for the toilsome days;

One Book that can cure life's madness;

One Book that can voice life's praise.

A glory gilds its every sacred page,

Majestic like the sun:

It gives a light to every age;

It gives, but sorrows none.

With mercy and healing accord,

This Book is my manual, and connection with my Lord;

Obeying His commands in every line

Taking each verse as His sign.

Holy Qur’an, Book Divine,

Precious Treasure, Thou are mine.

Life is full of perplexities. New demands will emerge and pressure will accumulate. You will be pushed to the end of your rope or thrown in uncharted waters. Many people will binge eat or lose sleep, panic and even puke when worried or stressed but very few will do Istikhara. Istikhara is a simple duaa that almost guarantees you blessings from Allah and attainment of that which will support goodness in your Deen, Dunya and Akhirah.

This month I had to make a series of Istikharas. Alhamdulillah, like the bright sun in the sky, my Istikhara shone through the fog of many speculations. It gave me light, warmth and comfort when I most needed it. It increased my attachment to Allah and appreciation for the Qur'an. 
The answer to one's Istikhara (duaa) can come in form of a dream or a feeling. I usually seek my answer through the Qur'an, that is, when I make istikhara, I implore Allah to remedy my confusion in my readings of the Qur'an. This post is a reminder for myself: Allah is All Hearing, All Knowing and the Qur'an is a living Book for every human being.

Of the beautiful Names of Allah are Al Sami, Al Baseer and Al Muheet. 
Al Sami is from s-m-', it means to hear, to listen. Allah is the One Whose hearing and attention comprehends everything. The One Who pays attention to every supplication and call. One to listens to every voice. Al Basseer is from b-s-r, it means to see, behold and notice. Allah is the One Whose insight sees all things clearly, both the apparent and the hidden - the past, present and future. Allah is the One Who preceives and is acquainted with every detail, our thoughts, feelings, speech and actions.  Al Muheet is from root ma-ha-ta, which means to cover and to encompass. Allah is the One Who has knowledge and insight of everything, has power over everything. His mercy and control encompasses everything and He is dominant over everything.

To explain with some examples:

1.      In 8:47, we are instructed by Allah not to come home insolently, not to show-off and avert people from the way of Allah.

2.      In 4:134, Allah says if you want the reward of this world, Allah has the rewards of this world.

3.      In 26:218-222, Allah says He see us when we arise and our movements when we prostrate.

4.      In 58:1, Allah says He heard the speech of a the woman who was arguing with the Prophet (s.a.w) concerning her husband and directing her complaint.

5.      In 8:23, Allah says if He saw any good in a people, He would have guided them to Islam (to hear the truth) but they kept on turning away and refusing.

The message that I derive from these verses is that in the privacy of our home, in the depths of our thoughts, in the dead of the night and even in the confidence of our friends, Allah Watches us. He see our rude and cheeky behaviour with our family. Our secret dreams and hopes reach Him. It is in His knowledge when we wake up, where we go after we leave our bed and the sujuud we make for Him. Allah Listens to every gossip, slander and lie that we share with our friends. Allah is even aware of our potential: the capacity of good and evil within us.

However, this is only one sided relationship in which Allah is involved in our lives and we are absent. Allah watches the problems that we run into, He encompasses our depressions, He hears us grumbling. But we remain entirely unmindful of Him. Allah cares so much for us that He is actually paying attention to our pathetic little lives. Yet we turn away from Him and refuse His help? Jesus (peace be upon him) said to his disciples, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). Qur'an is the Spoken Word of Allah which He conveyed to the Prophet (s.a.w) for us. Allah wants to talk to us and share with us His infinite Wisdom. Fahal min muddakir? 

But the Christians made a detrimental mistake, they brought an intermediary between them and Allah - the Christians left the Word of God and God Himself and coveted after Jesus (a.s) who was only a prophet and a man. See: Exodus 4:16; 7:1 and John 7:16; 8:26; 14:24 Jesus admits to being only sent with God's message for the purpose of recalling humanity back to God's worship. Muslims are guilty of the same crime. We have made the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) and Ali and every Baba and Peer of our street corner an intermediary between us and Allah.  Allah says, "It is not permissible that a man, to whom is given the Book, and Wisdom, and the prophetic office, should say to people: Be ye my worshippers rather than Allah's: on the contrary, he would say, be رَبَّانِيِّينَ  for you have taught the Book and you have studied it earnestly" - Qur'an 3:79. Do we really get this? It is NOT permissible, acceptable, in the least bit tolerated to devout ourselves to the Prophets of Allah when in fact Allah has sent us a Book and He wants us to study it ardently and become رَبَّانِيِّي. Rabbani is a person whose status is of belonging to Allah alone. He/She has the distinct dominate characteristic of loving Allah and being fervently devouted to Him. This person does not cling to any race or ethnicity, any place or purpose - no cross, green paghri/turban or black banners. The Rabbani person's only identity, ambition and conviction is Allah. 

So how does one become Rabbani? How do we come close to Allah? QUR'AN. 
The Qur'an is the Book that goes with every human. Think about it,  we have like sixteen hours during the day during which we travel the highway of life. Without the Qur'an, it is not possible to find, let alone follow, the right road and escape all the bypaths and pitfalls. Without the Qur'an, life is one wreck and crash after another. So as for the people who are too busy to read the Qur'an every day, then dears friends you are busier than Allah ever intended any human being should be. Whenever I am having a bad day, like feeling lost or uncertain, can't finish my work or if my work lacks quality, a conflict at home or just feeling restless - its almost always because I didn't read Qur'an that day. 
Amr bin al A'as (r.a) used to say, "Every Ayah of the Qur'an is a rank you are raised in paradise, every ayah a lantern of light in your homes." Imagine a life of darkness. Thick, eerie, mysterious, uncanny, sinister blackness everywhere. Could we stay even for a minute in such a dreadful nightmare? Imagine Hellfire! Blazing abyss, flames that reach and engulf the hearts and faces of its occupants. Smoldering ember, blood, pus and boiling water. Scalding sparks and burning chains and shackles. Can we imagine being trapped in such a torture chamber forever? We don't have to if we read the Qur'an. Dunya and Akhirah don't have to be a big stress, annoyance, crazy or sad series of events but we make them this way because of our lazy, stubborn disassociation from the Qur'an. What would happen if we actually ready and follow the Qur'an? I don't know... I will leave it to your imagination :) Imagine two lush drak green gardens between which rivers of water, milk and honey flow. Sand of Yaqoot and Zafraan dust. Palaces of gold and sliver, rooms of hollowed pearl, silk cushions, rich and radiant dresses made from Tuba tree, and cups brimming with sweet scented drinks. Imagine seeing Allah and holding the Prophet's hand (s.a.w). Imagine your house stimulating with the brilliance of peace and love. 

Sound like a good deal?


So like, open the Quran ... from anywhere and just read. InshaAllah your heart will be satisfied and you will find your answer. This is the miracle of Qur'an that despite it being One Book, unchanged (not even edited or revised) for nearly 1446 years, its message will fit you like it was revealed just for you in that very moment. Its an "out of this world" experience, literally - because Allah guides from above the Seven Heavens with a Book that has been sitting in our shelf since the day we were born. The feeling is electrifying. The Qur'an has always been around. IT contains such awe inspiring solutions, its sad that we do not resort to it. So give it a try, you will be so blown away that you wouldn't know what to think and how to thank Allah enough. InshaAllah :)


The following are some of my Istikhara Answers from this through the Qur'an, alhamdulillah :) <3

1. Istikhara Answer:  Qur'an: 28: 22-30

وَلَمَّا تَوَجَّهَ تِلْقَاءَ مَدْيَنَ قَالَ عَسَىٰ رَبِّي أَن يَهْدِيَنِي سَوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ

وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَاءَ مَدْيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ امْرَأَتَيْنِ تَذُودَانِ ۖ قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا ۖ قَالَتَا لَا نَسْقِي حَتَّىٰ يُصْدِرَ الرِّعَاءُ ۖوَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ

فَسَقَىٰ لَهُمَا ثُمَّ تَوَلَّىٰ إِلَى الظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ

فَجَاءَتْهُ إِحْدَاهُمَا تَمْشِي عَلَى اسْتِحْيَاءٍ قَالَتْ إِنَّ أَبِي يَدْعُوكَ لِيَجْزِيَكَ أَجْرَ مَا سَقَيْتَ لَنَا فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُ وَقَصَّ عَلَيْهِ الْقَصَصَ قَالَ لَا تَخَفْ ۖنَجَوْتَ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

قَالَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا يَا أَبَتِ اسْتَأْجِرْهُ ۖ إِنَّ خَيْرَ مَنِ اسْتَأْجَرْتَ الْقَوِيُّ الْأَمِينُ

قَالَ إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُنكِحَكَ إِحْدَى ابْنَتَيَّ هَاتَيْنِ عَلَىٰ أَن تَأْجُرَنِي ثَمَانِيَ حِجَجٍ ۖ فَإِنْ أَتْمَمْتَ عَشْرًا فَمِنْ عِندِكَ ۖ وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَيْكَ سَتَجِدُنِي إِن شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ

قَالَ ذَ‌ٰلِكَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ ۖ أَيَّمَا الْأَجَلَيْنِ قَضَيْتُ فَلَا عُدْوَانَ عَلَيَّ ۖ وَاللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَا نَقُولُ وَكِيلٌ

فَلَمَّا قَضَىٰ مُوسَى الْأَجَلَ وَسَارَ بِأَهْلِهِ آنَسَ مِن جَانِبِ الطُّورِ نَارًا قَالَ لِأَهْلِهِ امْكُثُوا إِنِّي آنَسْتُ نَارًا لَّعَلِّي آتِيكُم مِّنْهَا بِخَبَرٍ أَوْ جَذْوَةٍ مِّنَ النَّارِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَصْطَلُونَ

فَلَمَّا أَتَاهَا نُودِيَ مِن شَاطِئِ الْوَادِ الْأَيْمَنِ فِي الْبُقْعَةِ الْمُبَارَكَةِ مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ أَن يَا مُوسَىٰ إِنِّي أَنَا اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ

2. Istikahra Answer: Qur'an, 13: 19-29

أَفَمَن يَعْلَمُ أَنَّمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ الْحَقُّ كَمَنْ هُوَ أَعْمَىٰ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ

الَّذِينَ يُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ وَلَا يَنقُضُونَ الْمِيثَاقَ

وَالَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ وَيَخَافُونَ سُوءَ الْحِسَابِ

وَالَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِمْ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَنفَقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً وَيَدْرَءُونَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ أُولَـٰئِكَ لَهُمْ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ

جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ يَدْخُلُونَهَا وَمَن صَلَحَ مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ ۖوَالْمَلَائِكَةُ يَدْخُلُونَ عَلَيْهِم مِّن كُلِّ بَابٍ

سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُم بِمَا صَبَرْتُمْ فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ

وَالَّذِينَ يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مِيثَاقِهِ وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أُولَـٰئِكَ لَهُمُ اللَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ

اللَّهُ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَيَقْدِرُ وَفَرِحُوا بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا مَتَاعٌ

وَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْلَا أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ آيَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ قُلْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَنْ أَنَابَ

الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ

الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ طُوبَىٰ لَهُمْ وَحُسْنُ مَآبٍ

3. Istikhara Answer: Qur'an, 23:28-42

فَإِذَا اسْتَوَيْتَ أَنتَ وَمَن مَّعَكَ عَلَى الْفُلْكِ فَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي نَجَّانَا مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

وَقُل رَّبِّ أَنزِلْنِي مُنزَلًا مُّبَارَكًا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْمُنزِلِينَ

إِنَّ فِي ذَ‌ٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ وَإِن كُنَّا لَمُبْتَلِينَ

ثُمَّ أَنشَأْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ قَرْنًا آخَرِينَ

فَأَرْسَلْنَا فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِّنْهُمْ أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُ ۖ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ

وَقَالَ الْمَلَأُ مِن قَوْمِهِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا بِلِقَاءِ الْآخِرَةِ وَأَتْرَفْنَاهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا مَا هَـٰذَا إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يَأْكُلُ مِمَّا تَأْكُلُونَ مِنْهُ وَيَشْرَبُ مِمَّا تَشْرَبُونَ

وَلَئِنْ أَطَعْتُم بَشَرًا مِّثْلَكُمْ إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا لَّخَاسِرُونَ

أَيَعِدُكُمْ أَنَّكُمْ إِذَا مِتُّمْ وَكُنتُمْ تُرَابًا وَعِظَامًا أَنَّكُم مُّخْرَجُونَ

هَيْهَاتَ هَيْهَاتَ لِمَا تُوعَدُونَ

إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَبْعُوثِينَ

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا رَجُلٌ افْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا وَمَا نَحْنُ لَهُ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ

قَالَ رَبِّ انصُرْنِي بِمَا كَذَّبُونِ

قَالَ عَمَّا قَلِيلٍ لَّيُصْبِحُنَّ نَادِمِينَ

فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ بِالْحَقِّ فَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ غُثَاءً فَبُعْدًا لِّلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

ثُمَّ أَنشَأْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ قُرُونًا آخَرِينَ

You know what I learned from these verses?

1. Seek the qualities of modesty, honesty, strength and commitment to hard work in a spouse (Allah Knows Best). Constantly beseech Allah for khayr, He can give it and listen to Allah. 

2.  Though marriage is a promise that binds two people, acceptance of a marriage proposal and the Nikkah itself is actually pledged to Allah. The couple actually makes Allah their Witness and Judge when they take each other as husband and wife. So the people who honour their promises with Allah with patience, seeking only His Face in return while establishing Salah and giving generously in charity will have the best place in Jannah and their family will join them in Paradise (inshaAllah). 

3. Praise Allah for this new occurring in my life because with it, He has saved me from some harm and brought me to a blessing greater than ever before. Fervently seek Allah's favour for the future. Increase myself in the mission to call humanity to worship Allah; inculcate in them Allah's fear (inshaAllah). 

Amazing advise isn't it? Very thorough and comprehensive but precise. Now imagine how sad it would have been if I didn't do Istikhara and then didn't read the Qur'an? 

Malik bin Anas

Nick named Imam Dar al Hijrah - Imam of the House of Refuge, al-Madinah.
He is also known as the Emperor of the Empire of Hadith. According to Ash-Shafi'i, he is a dazzling star in matters of hadith. Imam Hanbal told his students to memorize only the ahadith of Imam Malik.
Yahya ibn Sa'id al Qatar said Imam Malik was a gift of mercy from Allah to the Ummah of Muhammad (s.a.w). Imam Abu Hanifah said, I have not seen anyone other than Imam Malik who gave quick and accurate answers and was superb in the work of scrutiny. Al Bukhari said the chain Malik has from an-Nafi' from ibn Umar is the most accurate. An Nasa'i said after the atTabi'un, none other than Imam Malik is more wise, venerable and reliable.

• Malik bin Anas was from a Yemeni Arab family. His grandfather, Abu Amir (r.a) was the first from his family to accept Islam at the hands of the Prophet (s.a.w). Thereupon the entire family moved to Madinah, where Abu Amir learned hadith and became a distinguished Taba'i. His narrations are used in the Sihah Sittah. 

---This is an example of therapeutic jurisprudence. A person who becomes Muslims or starts to practice Islam after many years of committing sins, needs a therapeutic approach. They need to move into an environment where they are motivated to comply with the teachings of Islam. This is enlightened self-coercion of sorts. Move close to a Masjid, pray in congregation 5 times a day. Surround yourself with Islamic books and CDs, schedule to reae and hear some bayaan daily. Delete all friends, who are a negative influence from the contact list, replace them with the likes of islamqa websites and Islamic conferences dates.Volunteer your time at Muslim NGOs, blog or make Islamic videos, reach your family and kids in the community with Islam.
---Abu Amir (r.a) didn't just move to Madinah and casually hear some ahadith every now and then, but he made a point to learn it at the level of excellence. Despite having many lofty Islamic goals, living in an Islamic environment and having good Muslim friends, we never get around to achieving our goals. We lack nothing except for commitment. Say we want to memorize the Qur'an or learn the Arabic language as our goal...ask yourself, are my daily activities, whether leisure or work, all geared towards reaching this goal? How will going to a movie or listening to Mishary, affect my opportunity to memorize the Qur'an? What are the costs and/or benefits of buying a dictionary when it comes to learning the Arabic language? Judge for yourself and make the pursuit of your goals, the center of your life. Believe in your potential and capacity. Create your own opportunities and push your limits. It requires extreme discipline so do not think negatively about yourself, it will only bring you down. Just keep at it - even if you do not see any results, keep going. It'll come to you and you won't even know it. Do you know how long it takes to become a professional Ballet dancer or pianist? Nearly 15 years! We read a chapter once from an Islamic book and expect the proficiency of scholars?

• At the time of Imaam Malik, it was from Madinah that ordinances and fatawa decided upon by the Fuqaha' Sab'ah were issued to the entire Islamic world. 

---Not that I mean to make any comparisons but for the sake sake of knowledge, perhaps Muslims would find it interesting to know that the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the US constitution Article IV, Section 1 addresses the states to respect the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state. The laws and legislature of all the states are constitutional, all interpretations and ratifications to the constitution are otherwise synchronized among the States. I am not advocating a single Masjid solution but can we have a conference of Masajid in every vicinity that only gives rulings based on the Qur'an and Sunnah? Can all the Imams coordinate before they conduct themselves?
---Every Muslim community must have a center of learning. Why not a Muslim community center or Muslim community complex of sorts? With a library, recreational facility, computer labs, marriage and youth counseling clubs, health care hubs and hospitals, halal and healthy restaurants, employment agencies, travel agents and boutiques, banking and business services etc. All in the heart of a Muslim residential area? Rome was not built in one day, it started as a single institution at first. Muslims should invest on an Islamic foundation in North America. The trusted names in the our community today are not only fraudulent (not providing halal service like many halal meat grocery stores) but also scams (the average tuition fee of a certified Islamic school is anywhere between $500 - $900 a month). Who can afford this much tuition for two kids or more? Same goes for Islamic clothing. $90 for an abaya that will wear off after a one wash? We lack quality, sincerity and unity.

• Imam Malik began his studies at the age of 6 and spent 62 years in the field if Islamic education. When he was a little boy, his mother used to put his turban on before sending him to seek knowledge. In class, he would learn the Qur'an. After completing his hifdh at age 8, he studied fiqh, arabic and hadith. 

---What is the age of learning? Apparently there is none. You can start as early as 6 or as late as 70 (our last breath).
---Are children too young to memorize the Qur'an? Should we learn the meaning of the Qur'an first and then memorize it? Children have extremely sharp memory. According to an article in American Baby Magazine, February 2000, p.36 entitled Total Recall, babies six weeks old can remember things up to 24 hours and remember things up to 4 months when they are 16 weeks old. Setting up routines on a daily basis is good practice for memory development. This establishes predictability, comfort and healthy expectations. Repeating the Qur'an will help children how to recite the verses and remember them. Think of your child's brain as a vacuum. If you do not give him/her the love of Allah and the Qur'an, he/she will suck in some other information.Carolyn Rovee-Collier, PhD, of Rutgers University said a baby can remember anything he/she does for eighteen minutes over three days.
Invest in homeschooling instead of Disneyland vacation. Learn the Montessori way of teaching and apply on your children along with Islamic knowledge. The math and science public schools will teach them in grade 5, teach them in grade 2. Introduce them to learning different languages so they are proficient in Islamic sciences (like read Tafseer Jalalayn by age 12) and in Da'wah (invite your Polish, German and Chinese neighbours to Islam in their colloquial languages). Public school health class may only cover sports like basketball and hockey, you can take them halal swimming, archery and horseback riding.

Adults can also improve their memory. We remember names, numbers, dates and places all the time. Why not memorize some Islamic knowledge? You are only as smart as the things you remember. The information in our laptops and notepads don't really come in handy if we have not internalized them. So nurture your brain with a good diet to strength your memory. Eat wholegrain foods like grains, breads, cereals, barely as they increase blood flow, especially to the brain. Eat walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews and almonds. They clear "brain fog" and enhance positive mood. Eat eggs, black+blue+strawberries, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes and drink green tea. Work out regularly, laugh out loud, be stress free and sleep in moderation. Get rid of the obvious distraction, like cell phone, TV or laptop. Deactivate facebook, block youtube and uninstall MSN if necessary. Answer your internal questions. What are you having for dinner? When is she going to call? Give yourself some answer (make it up if you have to) and move on. Keep a rubber band or ball handy. Stand and bounce the ball against the wall when thinking of an answer. Think out loud. It will help you concentrate. Stretch and snap a rubber band while writing the question. It will make you less jumpy. There are other ways to focus, find one that works for you and study.

Hadith Scholars

One thing I love about the ahadith is the human relation factor. The Qur'an connects us to Allah, fills us with the recognition and remembrance of the Divine. The Qur'an demonstrates that Allah alone is the Creator of life, Bestower of sustenance and provisions, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, the Possessor of Majesty and Honour. It is only in His power to forgive and have mercy. We are instructed by the Qur'an to guard ourselves from sins out of respect and obedience to Allah and from fear of His punishment. We are His slaves. We are hungry except only if Allah feeds us. We are naked except only if Allah clothes us. If the first of us and the last of us, the humans amongst us and the jinns were to combine together against Allah, we will not succeed in reducing from His Powers just as a needle dipped into the sea cannot reduce from its water. Everything in the universe submits to Him. He has the ability to destroy, punish and vanquish. He prevails over the universe with justice. He is the Supreme Judge, all rulings belong to Him.

Naturally, reading the Qur'an brings humility in a person. Awe, worship, prostration, submission, obedience, peace, patience and graciousness are the fruits of Qur'an. It will clean you from the inside and fill you with Sibghata Allah [2:138] until you are Rabbaniyyee [3:79]. Its amazing. Its like one Hadith Qudsi says, Allah becomes the hearing with which a person hears, eyes with which a person sees, hands with which a person touches and feet which a person walks.  The Qur'an can have such an effect. And life is not complete unless one has developed this closeness with Allah, the Lord Most Great and High. Nevertheless, studying hadith also comes with numerous benefits. Of them is relationship with the Prophet (s.a.w). 

Ahadith are the statements, approvals and actions of the Beloved of Allah, the Chosen, the Trustworthy, the Fountain of Guidance, Mercy to the worlds.... Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w). Every time I even think of Bukhari ... I feel a blanket of love around me. He (s.a.w) inspired me to seek knowledge and have faith in Allah. The revelation of Qur'an reached me though him (s.a.w.)! He (s.a.w) taught me how to purify myself for Allah and worship Allah in the right way. He (s.a.w) is my Hajj coach, my friend when I fast and my mentor when I calculate Zakkah. I learned from him how to bargain, deal with my debts and employment. If I ever want to garden, I can always ask him how to divide and cultivate the land, water the seeds and yield its fruit. He (s.a.w) encouraged me to give salam, avoid arguments and send gifts. Because of him (s.a.w) I look after my parents, neighbours, the environment and animals. He (s.a.w) is my marriage counsellor, my fashion and health guide. How can you not love him (s.a.w)? 

What is incredible about Bukhari is that through it, one is not only exposed to the manners and etiquette of the Prophet (s.a.w) in various circumstances but also his psychology. Ahadith are written time capsules, anyone who reads them is taken back to the Prophet (s.a.w). His every statement is so vivid and profound that anyone immersed in their study can visualize his personality. But lets be honest, we only wish we knew Allah on a personal level and that we had an ideal relationship with Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w). Even if we have attended many conferences and even attained ijazahs in Islamic theory, we fail in practical life. We listen to lectures and cry but when it comes to making decisions, we do what we feel like doing. There is no remembrance of Allah or even love for the Prophet (s.a.w). The nafs becomes number one!
I read a book on Hadith Scholars by Syed Bashir Ali, which is prefect to remedy the nafs. We need role models to discipline our excessive desires and focus our energy back to Allah and His Prophet (s.a.w). InshaAllah in this post (see links below), I will share stimulating incidents from the lives of classical hadith scholars. It is hoped that their commitment and enthusiasm for the Deen will become a lesson for us.

Allah says,

لَقَدْ كَانَ فِي قَصَصِهِمْ عِبْرَةٌ لِّأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ مَا كَانَ حَدِيثًا يُفْتَرَىٰ وَلَـٰكِن تَصْدِيقَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَتَفْصِيلَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ

"There is, in their stories, instruction for men endued with understanding. it is not a tale invented, but a confirmation of what went before it, - a detailed exposition of all things, and a guide and mercy to any who believe." [12:111] 

and

وَكُلًّا نَّقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ أَنبَاءِ الرُّسُلِ مَا نُثَبِّتُ بِهِ فُؤَادَكَ وَجَاءَكَ فِي هَـٰذِهِ الْحَقُّ وَمَوْعِظَةٌ وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

"All that We relate to you of the stories of the prophets, - with it We make firm your heart: in them there comes to you the truth, as well as an admonition and a reminder to those who believe." [11:120]

The lessons from the lives of Hadith scholars will inshaAllah endue us with understanding on how to schedule individual lives. There are so many attractive acts of worship, so many sciences of study...how does one possibly choose which ones to pursue? Just see what the scholars did. Their lives confirm a balance between Deen and Dunya. Their desperate situations and encountering dangers give us resolve to fight the challenges in the way of serving the Deen. A overly demanding family, lack of finances or health, political upheaval... anything can be persevered with a little bit of patience and consistency.

Malik bin Anas

My last visit to Makkah

"For Your sake, I hurry over land and water:

for Your sake, I cross the desert and split the mountain in two, and

turn my face from all things, until the time I reach the place where I

am alone with You." - Arab Poet

Allah is Al Wadud (w-d-d: to love, to be affectionate) - The One Who loves. The One Who is the source of all love and loving kindness. The One Who Loves His Prophets and Messengers and those who follow them and they in turn love Him.
Loving  Allah is life itself, and to be deprived of it entails a terrible death; it is the light without which one would sail in a sea of darkness; it is the cure without which one's heart will be overwhelmed by a multitude of diseases; it is the joy without which one will remain in permanent grief; it is the essence of faith and deeds, without which they become like a soulless body.   


It might seem strange, in our time, to love ... a God. By God I mean, the Creator and Rule of the universe, the source of moral authority, the Supreme Being, One Who has power and control over nature and human fortunes. Bygone are those days right? Not quite. Even if people today do not believe in Allah; call themselves non-practicing Muslims or atheists, they still adore and admire some image, idol, animal or person as their god. Like worship money for instance, people's lives entirely exist around money. They live to earn and earn to live. Celebrities and scientists on television by are idolized as if they are divine. An average teenager listens to Naomi Watts and Kim Kardashian more than their parents, teachers and doctors combined...and yes it gets worst. In come parts of the world, animals are worshipped! And not the awesome kind like lions but foolish and odious animals like rats, monkeys and snakes are summoned for help and blessings.
A humanist will argue for freedom of religion. Agreed, every person is independent to determine their God. As for me, I worship Allah Who created the celestial bodies and the astonishing order to which they adhere, the incredible distances over which they travel and the unfailing regularity which they maintain, their intricate journeys through space in their orbits, their mutual attraction and their never wavering from the path chosen for them, no matter how complicated it might be. When I behold Allah's marvellous feats of creation, in space, in the gardens around me and in the Qur'an...it makes me tremble. I feel trepidation at the thought of Allah's All-Knowing and All-Powerful nature and Majesty. When I bow my head and say "Allahu Akbar", not only my lips but every particle of my body joins in uttering these words, "Subhana Rabbi al Adheem" .... "Subhana Rabbi al '3laa" I obtain incredible peace and joy from my prayer. Money, a celebrity...not even a pet can give you that.


We all believe in the universe. The universe did not come out of nothing. Whatever begins to exist has a cause, and since the universe began to exist, therefore it must have a cause, i.e. a Creator. It is irrational to ask, "who created the Creator" as some atheist do. Because an infinite regress of causes is impossible. Imagine I am a writer and I want to write a blog. In order for me to compose a piece, I must take permission of another blogger, but she must also ask another blogger, and she must ask another. Suppose this questioning continued forever, in other words an infinite amount of time... will I ever write a blog? The answers is no. In the way, an infinite regress of causes for the universe would mean there would be no universe in existence in the first place. So the universe has a single independent uncaused cause. 
Step back for a minute and think about this. The sun is 93 million miles away from the earth. How big is the milky way? About 150 billion light-years in diameter!!! Who can cause this to exist? Fine tune all the properties to support equilibrium and intelligent life?


I guess now is a good time to talk about monotheism vs. polytheism. Since there is no evidence to say the cause for the universe is actually a combination of two, three or even one thousand Gods, so the simplest and most comprehensive explanation is that this cause is One. Postulating a plurality of causes does not add to the comprehensiveness of the argument anyway. Life is engineered too systematically in this universe to even fathom the idea of multiple Creators.
Abi Al-Izz in his commentary of Aqeedah at-Tahawiyyah, "If there were two creators and they disagreed about something, such as one wanted to move X, whereas the other did not want it to moved, or one wanted to make Y a living being, whereas the other wanted to make it lifeless, then, logically speaking, there are only three possibilities. First, the wills of the two are both carried out; second, only the will of one of them is carried out; third, the will of neither of them is carried. The first case is not possible because it requires the existence of contraries. The third possibility is also ruled out because it would imply that a body is neither moving nor not moving and this is impossible. This would also imply that both of them are incapable or carrying out their wills, which would disqualify them from being God. Finally, if the will of one is realised and not that of the other, he alone will deserve to be God and the one whose will is not realised cannot be considered God.”


The cause or God must be unique, i.e. there are can be no similarities between the cause of the universe and the universe itself. If the universe is the sum of all matter, the cause of the universe cannot be IN the universe or LIKE the universe because it would lead to the absurd belief that the universe created herself. It's like saying, your mother gave birth to herself. Well sure, someone gave birth to your mother. But where did she come from? And where did her mother come from? And her mother? And the first person on earth? So the cause of the universe must be immaterial because it created the sum of all material – which is the universe itself. Furthermore, the 1st law of thermodynamics states “Energy cannot be created or destroyed." Energy or matter cannot create itself. So if the cause was material then it would defy this principle as it would mean matter and energy self create. So you can conclude that the cause of the universe must be immaterial and therefore unique.


Who is the Single, Independent, Unique and Uncaused cause of the universe? It would be nice if people read the Qur'an once in a while :) The Qur'an says,"It is Allāh who created the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them in six days; then He established Himself above the Throne. You have not besides Him any protector or any intercessor; so will you not be reminded? He arranges [each] matter from the heaven to the earth; then it will ascend to Him in a Day, the extent of which is a thousand years of those which you count. That is the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, the Exalted in Might, the Merciful. Who perfected everything which He created and began the creation of man from clay. Then He made his posterity out of the extract of a liquid disdained. Then He proportioned him and breathed into him from His [created] soul and made for you hearing and vision and hearts; little are you grateful."  - 32:4-9. 
What is between the Heaven an the Earth? a young couple in love; a glowing mum-to-be; a new born baby; the laughter of a child; the joy when a family comes together for special events. Pandas, penguins, blue whales, spring lambs, a peacock's tail, a butterfly's wings, the patterning of a tiger. Colourful flowers and tall trees! Sunsets and rainbows? Or the blue of the sea? The myriad stars in the night sky? Mountains and lakes. Look at everything and contemplate.... the design, the colours, shape an function goes beyond what human senses and faculties can trace and explain. All these various mechanisms and its intricate details, and even their most minute parts, are adjusted to each other with an accuracy which ravishes into awe and surprise.  If we see a house,… we conclude, with the greatest certainty, that it had an architect or builder because we know that every effect must have a cause. But surely people will not affirm that the universe bears such a resemblance to a house that we can with the same certainty infer a a cause for it?
Suppose you find an electric purple Louis Vuitton bag in the middle of the mall. Would you assume that the bag has always been there? No ... your initial thought would be, someone lost it or left it there. Yet if we find a rock on the sidewalk we assume that it happened to be lying there without a cause or Creator, since forever. We are bias in our beliefs. We see and appreciate material things but never thank Allah for bringing them into existence. 

I cannot explain Allah, I cannot even comprehend Him. How can I explain Allah's Greatness? How can I describe the ecstasy of worship and feeling the Presence of Allah at His House? In my seven years of monthly visits to Masjid al-Haram, I felt and saw something there that, at least in this lifetime, I will never experience again, not even in my imagination. Its like the verse in Surah Kahf, if the seas were ink for writing the proofs for Allah's existence, the seas would exhaust before the evidence for Allah were enumerated. 

Sometimes we play intellectual gymnastics to rationalize the Divine, Sublime God. We are too insecure to allow our hearts to caress reality. As a kid I don't think someone sat me down and taught me metaphysical arguments for belief in Allah. I just remember stepping in the courtyard of the Ka3ba. The white marble floor, calm and cool to touch. We've all seen this courtyard: a picture, a television image, a film shot. They are used to symbolize Islam, used to advertise products, used to decorate rugs, rooms and hallways. I stepped into this courtyard, and suddenly, I remember the Masjid became this bright ocean. The solid, drowning hum of tasbeeh and tahleel  welcomed my heart and invited me witness and thus, bear witness of the Oneness of Allah.    

I can never do justice in articulating the thrill, wonder and humility that pressed upon me after gazing at the Ka3ba, Allah's House ... dressed with black sheets laced and embroidered with solid gold, floating amidst this galaxy of pilgrims in white ihrams. The walking pilgrims seemed a mass around this Ka3ba, performing tawaf. The crowd sucks you in, and you circulate with them, venerating Allah's Grandeur. You cannot help it. The intimacy and endearment pours from your heart. And in that moment you know that this is where you belong. Your soul has found its Creator, true Love, Purpose and Companion. 

Tiny birds caught my attention, speeding across the courtyard, busy chirping Allah's Glory over the humans. Even animals worship Allah :)

I thought about those tiny birds. This big, blackened box is the descendant of the structure build by Allah's Khaleel (friend), Ibrahim (a.s) and his son.. So too are those tiny birds the descendants of those feathered soldiers that protected this box from an army of elephants. Tiny fecal pebbles destroyed an army of charging elephants. Read Surah Quresh and Surah Feel; guaranteed a light bulb will go off in your mind and you will ENJOY spending time with Allah. 

 Going to Makkah is an opportunity to observe the state of Muslims in the world. What did I witness? We were hundreds of people congregating in garb that hid our class and blurs our ethnicity, our languages and colours. We were united for one cause, to worship the Cause of all things. We carried manuals explaining the rites of worship without providing any form of evidence from Shari3a except, in rare instances, partially quoted ahadith of Rasool Allah (s.a.w) and in rarer instances practically quoted verses from the Quran. The people turned to molvis for guidances, not realizing that they were ignoring Allah's Book in Allah's House. The precepts of Umrah ordained in the Qur'an and performed by Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) are much simpler than the methodologies of molvi so-and-so. 

And what was that they were reading from the Quran? Surah al Fatiha, Surah Yaseen, Al Rahman, and the Surahs from the 30th Juzz. Their reading was the reading of phonetics, not the reading of thought, reflection and understanding. Their reading was just as dead as most the paper of the diplomas, certificates and paychecks they have prostituted Islamic studies for.        

Sigh...

And how is the Masjid that houses the Ka3ba? Consider the K3aba: such a simple structure, made of brick, the first and model masjid. This building that surrounds it, however is itself but a museum, call on its observers to marvel at its towering minarets, marble pillars and beautifully decorated giant gates. And consider the guardians of the Ka3ba: the Saudi police. These officers, dressed in their tight, brown uniforms, wear such ironic badges. The center of the badge is an open, blank, book. Around the book are branches. At the topic is a crown. And on that book rests that mysterious symbol - an eye. Is it that the propesied Dajjal is here? Has he seized the Ka3ba, not to destroy, but to control - to control the hearts of Muslims? Thus, is it urging us to seek short cuts in the religion? Leading us to forget the massive academic and spiritual poverty inside and outside of the Masjid. Thus, are Muslism being urged to focus on rituals of Islam and ignore the realistic and pragmatic guidance and solutions offered by Islam to our contemporary lives. 

hmmm...Perhaps...Conspiracy theories aside: the tiny birds above, like this Ka3ba, like those pilgrims that arrive from everywhere, like the Quran that tells us about them, seem to be reduced to mere ornaments that we see and hear.

What are Umrah and Hajj? I have done each few times but did I perfom what I was suppose? Did I have the right intentions? Did I follow the correct methodology? Were my sins forgiven? Did I learn enough to change my life? Or were all actions and duaas a mere attendance at the different sites of Umrah - the Hateem, Muqaam al Ibrahim, Saffa and Marwa mountains etc.  

When all is said and done, I still think back to my last day in Masjid al-Haram. I tried to call on Allah for His bounty, almost all day, as He put it in my heart to do so. In that last hour, as the day set toward night, I stood there, as did so many others, facing in the dirction of that Ka3ba. The air was thick; the enivornment was strangely serene; the ongoing noise of conversation suddenly turned to silence. And we were praying to Allah. And I think back to the Tawaf around that holiest spots. It is so easy to forget Allah's commanding control when we are participating in the implementation of His will. Here at the Haraam, we submit but outside, we spend a lifetime disobeying Allah. Why the hypocrisy? 

I watched the tawaf from the top floor of the Masjid, and, like bugs at night to a light, couldn't help but stare. The giant whirlpool of people just kept turning and turning. And they were praying to Allah.

I came from Makkah, but I still feel as though I have not yet left. The Arabian life and the emotional security I perceived in its environment, specifically in the presence of the Ka3ba, formed my personality and behaviour, it moved my heart, filled my mind and gave me direction. Living in the desert and especially traveling through Makkah brings one closer to Allah. You don't need philosophical or scientific arguments to know Allah, you just feel Him. The desert gives you this feeling of absolute loneliness facing Allah. The feeling of absolute dependence on One Central Power. Masjid al Haram is always so crowded, its overwhelming  but refreshing. Even in the midst of all the people walking about, you cannot miss Allah's Holy Presence. I used to go there as a kid and even at that age I could feel it. My religion, character, history, and culture originates from this Masjid and its land. It is the spot of earth supremely blessed, a dearer, sweeter spot to me than all the rest. When I look at its pictures, I cannot help but retreat the path to my childhood and how Allah brought me to this beautiful religion, alhamdulillah. 

If my love is attached to Thee, then from whim I will be free.

Each time my heart will beat, Your Name will resound with heat.

With Your Greatness shivers my each limb, they seek to be released from sin.

Allah, Allah, is my hearts speech, Your Forgiveness is what I beseech.

The Most Merciful keep me content, with all that You have sent.

Keep in my heart Your remembrance, and in Your Deen allow me to advance.

Help me in my quest, permit me to pass the ultimate test.

Save me from the clutches of Satan, give me death upon Imaan - aameen. 

(islamicpoems.com)