A new year's resolution

Subhanallah! Last night's lecture by Ustadz Nouman Ali Khan on Moses (upon him be peace) in Surah Qasas about his childhood in Egypt was inspirational. And the timing of it to my trip to Egypt gives me pause...perhaps there is something to be learned in my trip that I need to pay attention to.

Also something else Ustadz Nouman Ali Khan mentioned (among so many gems) that struck me - it's been years since I asked this question and make this prayer - what is my strength and may God make use of me through this strength in His service. I think if there is one resolution this year that I should make is then to discover this strength and take every opportunity of goodness that comes my way. 

May in this coming year, we all will find our strengths and use them to benefit the world that we were tasked to take care of, oh my Lord. Amen/Ameen.

Contemplation on the beach

I was looking through my old notebook where I penned my thoughts.  It is funny how technology has made me so lazy to write anymore.  Anyway, I found this piece in November of 96 where I can recall myself being at East Coast beach in Singapore.

16/11/96

Sitting by the beach, just after the rain and the sky is still grey, cannot see the horizon.

The horizon; a "false" break between the earth and the sky, which in "reality" there isn't.  I've been thinking, a lot of things on my mind.  Especially about "reality" and what we perceive by our senses.

There, in the horizon, is a lesson to be learned.  What we perceive may not be what is truth.   How then can we judge the truth?  What is true?  How do we recognise it?

"Truth is clear and falsehood is clear."  Maybe the Prophet s.a.w. said that - I can't remember.

I see some people fishing and is reminded of a passage I once read a long time ago.  For many, fishing is a challenge, a competition but for the French, it is a way to relax, to think, to reflect.  Fishing is a soothing pastime.  While waiting for the fishes to take the bait, one has a lot of time on one's hand to reflect.  What kind of reflection would I seek if I was a fisherman?  What "fish" do I hope to catch?

The sound of the waves hitting the shore, the waves coming in one after another and dissipating, creeping back to where it comes from.  White foams on the beach soon to vanish away, replaced by others.  Life is like that too.  Old memories forgotten, replaced by the new.

Eid Al-Fitr in Edinburgh 2012

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace.

This is the first year I actually celebrated Eid Al-Fitr with the Edinburgh Muslim community since I've lived here.  Definitely, it is very different from celebrating Eid back home.

On Eid, a beautiful Sunday with the sun beating down on us, I finished prayers at Central Mosque and went for an outdoor brunch with friends.  It was great to reconnect with some of the sisters - a group of us descended upon the newly opened Olive Tree Cafe on Nicholson Square.  Lovely atmosphere and the food wasn't too bad - except for the hash brown; but then again, hash brown is a U.S. thing, not a Scottish thing.

Anyway, was invited to the Malaysian open house later on but since I had invited my non-Muslim friends to join me for an Eid dinner, I declined and went home to have a rest.  The Eid dinner at Thaisanuk, a halal Thai restaurant near the Royal Commonwealth Pool, was fabulous - the company was lovely and the food was excellent...I recommend the duck green curry.  One of the things I miss about back home is that your non-Muslim neighbours and friends celebrate Eid with us - so the dinner was my way to ensure something of that nature happened here.  It was also a good way to introduce Islam to my friends as they asked questions about Ramadhan and Eid.

Monday, it was back to work but I managed to get the afternoon off from my boss.  Again it was another lovely day and with the Fringe Festival still on, I decided to go be a tourist for the afternoon.  Strolling along the Royal Mile, I caught a couple of the street acts.  I basically ended up in Princes Gardens.  Before I entered, I listened to this busker playing his guitar.  Wow, the guy had talent!  After enjoying my lunch while listening to a Scottish lad singing on the wee stage in the middle of the gardens, I took the bus to Ocean Terminal to visit the Royal Yacht Britannia.  I can't believe in all the years I've been here, that was my first time at the Ocean Terminal.

Britannia was classy - I really wished I had brought my camera with me. As it was, I only had my phone camera and my battery was very low.  So I only managed to take a few:

This one is of the Officers' Mess.  Can you find the hidden monkey in this picture?  The monkey was supposed to be a gift from someone important and no one was supposed to touch it but mysteriously, everyday it finds its way to a different spot in the Mess.

This is the posh gang-plank that the Queen or any Royalty on board would use on their official visits.

There are times when a yacht is just too big - so for the Royals to be ferried across, the yacht is equipt with this barge and others like it.  I regretted not managing to photograph the Rolls Royce that the yacht have stored away for the Queen's use in the old days when there might not be a suitable car for her in the country she was visiting.

The day was made even better when I spoke to my brother since I was unable to talk to him the previous day when I facetimed my family.

The Eid celebration didn't end with just those two days however.  For the following Sunday, we were to have a lovely Eid in Lord Ancrum's Wood.  In fact, it was mentioned in the newspaper.  Alhamdulillah, the day turned out beautifully sunny and dry which is a rare commodity right now in Scotland.  We had a talk on Islam and nature, guided tours in the woods, a treasure hunt for the kids, Dhur prayers in the lovely sunshine, and brilliant food for lunch.  Best of all, I met some lovely new people and enjoyed the company of my friends.

Below are some of the pictures I took of the woods and the event.  Respecting that some people are not comfortable being photographed, I will only put up some of the kids photos here.  I've enjoyed the day and hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them.

This kid was so cute.  I shot this photo of him playing while the others were listening to the talk.

Some of the yummy food.

And the desserts.

With the kids following her, she reminds me of the pipe piper.

The yew tree is able to change the pH of the soil, making it slightly acidic and so discourage undergrowth.  How marvelous is Allah to create such a thing.

And that's Jenny, our ranger who pointed out the difference between wych elm and hazelnut.  Both have fuzzy leaves but the wych elm leaves are not symmetrical and do not join the stem at the same spot.  The first photo is of the wych elm and the second for hazelnut.

Ramadhan thoughts 2012 (1433H)

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace.

How time flies!  Before you know it, Eid Al-Fitr is looming ever nearer and the time of blessing is slipping away. In fact, today is the last day of Ramadhan (30/09 of the Islamic year 1433H) and tomorrow will be Eid.

Taqabballah minna wa min kum.  (May Allah accepts from us and from you (our good deeds)).  This past month, the month of Ramadhan, is a month where most Muslims increase their levels of good deeds - prayers, reading the Qur'an, charity etc.  Yet, no matter how much I do, I feel so inadequate in reaping the Rahmah (mercy) and Barakah (blessings) of this month.  But I bear this one point in mind - it is not on my own deeds that I would be protected from His Wrath and punishment of Hell nor that I would be granted His pleasure and entrance to Paradise but only through His Mercy...His Mercy that overlook His servant's shortcomings and His Mercy that rewards by many folds His servant's good deeds.  I therefore supplicate to the Most Merciful that we all will be counted amongst those who are ever grateful.

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wasallam) said: “He is successful who has accepted Islam, who has been provided with sufficient for his wants and been made contented by Allah with what He has given him.” [Muslim]

At the end of this blessed month, I'm sure all of us are hoping that we have changed and that we come out of Ramadhan successful.  The above hadith came on my phone's app and it seemed so appropriate for the occasion.  In Ramadhan, I learn to make do with what is there at iftar (breaking fast) and sahur (pre-dawn meal) after experiencing the "deprivation" of the senses and I learn to appreciate just how sufficiently we've been provided by Allah.  This year, I am thankful for the food my landlady cooked and those that my neighbours and her friends gave us for iftar.  After working the whole day, being invited for iftar at various friends' places, it seems to be God-sent.  There always seems to be more than enough food, friendship and bonding around.  My Muslim community here in Edinburgh seemed to be blessed with more than what we need.

More than that, I realise that for many of us, especially myself, we've been given with so much.  There isn't a day that I go to bed without food in the fridge, clothes in the wardrobe, roof over my head, savings in the bank, safety and security of a peaceful neighbourhood and care and love of my family and friends.  This Ramadhan, I thought about the refuges all over the world without roof over their heads, the poor with not even a cent/penny to their name, the oppressed without the safety and security, and the people from all walks of life who have lost their love ones.  How can I not feel grateful?  Should I not feel contented even more so than the people list above?  

Most of all, Allah has allowed us to have the opportunity to meet and finish this Ramadhan with our faith strengthened when there are those who have fallen on the way side.  May Allah count us amongst those who are ever grateful.

What is a more beautiful of Allah's mercy to His servants than Ramadhan:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيۡڪُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِڪُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ (١٨٣)أَيَّامً۬ا مَّعۡدُودَٲتٍ۬‌ۚ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوۡ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ۬ فَعِدَّةٌ۬ مِّنۡ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ‌ۚ وَعَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ ۥ فِدۡيَةٌ۬ طَعَامُ مِسۡكِينٍ۬‌ۖ فَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيۡرً۬ا فَهُوَ خَيۡرٌ۬ لَّهُ ۥ‌ۚ وَأَن تَصُومُواْ خَيۡرٌ۬ لَّڪُمۡ‌ۖ إِن كُنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ (١٨٤) شَہۡرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ هُدً۬ى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَـٰتٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَٱلۡفُرۡقَانِ‌ۚ فَمَن شَہِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّہۡرَ فَلۡيَصُمۡهُ‌ۖ وَمَن ڪَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوۡ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ۬ فَعِدَّةٌ۬ مِّنۡ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ‌ۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِڪُمُ ٱلۡيُسۡرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِڪُمُ ٱلۡعُسۡرَ وَلِتُڪۡمِلُواْ ٱلۡعِدَّةَ وَلِتُڪَبِّرُواْ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَٮٰكُمۡ وَلَعَلَّڪُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ (١٨٥) وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِى عَنِّى فَإِنِّى قَرِيبٌ‌ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعۡوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ‌ۖ فَلۡيَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لِى وَلۡيُؤۡمِنُواْ بِى لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡشُدُونَ (١٨٦)أُحِلَّ لَڪُمۡ لَيۡلَةَ ٱلصِّيَامِ ٱلرَّفَثُ إِلَىٰ نِسَآٮِٕكُمۡ‌ۚ هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ۬ لَّكُمۡ وَأَنتُمۡ لِبَاسٌ۬ لَّهُنَّ‌ۗ عَلِمَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّڪُمۡ كُنتُمۡ تَخۡتَانُونَ أَنفُسَڪُمۡ فَتَابَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَعَفَا عَنكُمۡ‌ۖ فَٱلۡـَٔـٰنَ بَـٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَٱبۡتَغُواْ مَا ڪَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ‌ۚ وَكُلُواْ وَٱشۡرَبُواْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ ٱلۡخَيۡطُ ٱلۡأَبۡيَضُ مِنَ ٱلۡخَيۡطِ ٱلۡأَسۡوَدِ مِنَ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ‌ۖ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّواْ ٱلصِّيَامَ إِلَى ٱلَّيۡلِ‌ۚ وَلَا تُبَـٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمۡ عَـٰكِفُونَ فِى ٱلۡمَسَـٰجِدِ‌ۗ تِلۡكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا تَقۡرَبُوهَا‌ۗ كَذَٲلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَّقُونَ (١٨٧)

O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, even as it was prescribed for those before you, that ye may ward off (evil); (183) (Fast) a certain number of days; and (for) him who is sick among you, or on a journey, (the same) number of other days; and for those who can afford it there is a ransom: the feeding of a man in need - but whoso doeth good of his own accord, it is better for him: and that ye fast is better for you if ye did but know - (184) The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the Criterion (of right and wrong). And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month, and whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, (let him fast the same) number of other days. Allah desireth for you ease; He desireth not hardship for you; and (He desireth) that ye should complete the period, and that ye should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that peradventure ye may be thankful. (185) And when My servants question thee concerning Me, then surely I am nigh. I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he crieth unto Me. So let them hear My call and let them trust in Me, in order that they may be led aright. (186) It is made lawful for you to go unto your wives on the night of the fast. They are raiment for you and ye are raiment for them. Allah is Aware that ye were deceiving yourselves in this respect and He hath turned in mercy toward you and relieved you. So hold intercourse with them and seek that which Allah hath ordained for you, and eat and drink until the white thread becometh distinct to you from the black thread of the dawn. Then strictly observe the fast till nightfall and touch them not, but be at your devotions in the mosques. These are the limits imposed by Allah, so approach them not. Thus Allah expoundeth His revelation to mankind that they may ward off (evil). (187) 

Amidst the verses on fasting in Surah Al-Baqarah is a gem, i.e. that of supplication to Allah.  I have to ask myself why Allah has included this verse amongst the verses on fasting.  What is the wisdom behind this inclusion?  Again, this is a gift from Allah in this blessed month...that it is not only a month of fasting and deprivation but also a month that we turn to Him for all of our needs.  Sayyid Qutb puts it beautifully:

How kind and compassionate God truly is! Any hardship encountered in keeping
the fast fades in comparison with this friendly and gentle reassurance. The choice of
words creates an atmosphere of intimacy and accessibility, with God Himself stating
a direct contact between Him and His servants. He does not give instructions to His
Messenger, the Prophet Muĥammad on how to answer believers’ questions about
Him. He gives the answer Himself: “I am near.” His closeness is not only to listen but
also for immediate response: “I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he calls to Me.”
(Verse 186)
This verse fills a believer’s heart with love, confidence and utter reassurance. In
this atmosphere of friendliness and compassion, God, who has no need for anyone,
directs believers to respond to Him and believe in Him, in the hope that this will
guide them to wisdom and righteousness. “Let them then respond to Me, and believe in
Me, so that they may follow the right way.” (Verse 186) By earning God’s generosity and
guidance, believers end up winners on all counts.

A month where our needs are fulfilled whenever we turn to Him, whereby there were so many opportunities and great occasions for us to supplicate with the whole of our hearts and know that He will not refuse our supplication:

Salmān, the Persian, a Companion of the Prophet, quotes the Prophet as saying: “God would not like to see His servant holding out his arms pleading for help and turn him away empty handed.” [Related by Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī and Ibn Mājah]

Again, I ask myself - how can I not be amongst those who are grateful...how can my heart be hardened towards the One who Reaches Out.  I think if there is one thing I take away from this Ramadhan, it is to be grateful for everything in my life. 

But how do a servant show his/her gratitude to One who is the Self-Sufficient?  That is a question that the Qur'an answers in myriad of ways and is a topic for another entry in this blog, insya Allah.

Eid Mubarak to all my Muslim family and friends!

Seerah of the Prophet s.a.w. - The Orphan Part 2

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace

In the last post, we touched upon the Prophet's s.a.w. status as an orphan.  In this post, we will discuss about his role in defending the rights of orphans.

Even before the advent of Islam, Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. was actively looking after orphans, namely his stepchildren from Khadijah r.a. whose fathers have passed away.  His stepson, Hind ibn Abu Halah, was brought up in his household from a young age and one of the first to embrace Islam.  Hind r.a. was one of those companions who gave a description of the Prophet. s.a.w. and his words showed his affection for his stepfather.

Clearly his own orphanhood made the Prophet s.a.w. sensitive to the orphans around him.  In fact, Surah Ad-Dhuha came about to remind us through the Prophet s.a.w. of such:

Did He not find you an orphan, and give you shelter?...Therefore. as for orphan, do not oppress him.

Ibn Majah also narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that Prophet Muhammad said:

The best Muslim house is a house in which an orphan is well treated; and the worst Muslim house is a house in which an orphan is badly treated.

And certainly the Prophet's household was the best of households with his stepchildren from his wives r.a. being cared for by him. 

In Madina, the Prophet established the laws that defended the rights of the orphans.  The verses in Surah 4 states these rights:

Give unto orphans their wealth. Exchange not the good for the bad (in your management thereof) nor absorb their wealth into your own wealth. Lo! that would be a great sin. (2) And if ye fear that ye will not deal fairly by the orphans, marry of the women, who seem good to you, two or three or four; and if ye fear that ye cannot do justice (to so many) then one (only) or (the captives) that your right hands possess. Thus it is more likely that ye will not do injustice. (3) And give unto the women (whom ye marry) free gift of their marriage portions; but if they of their own accord remit unto you a part thereof, then ye are welcome to absorb it (in your wealth). (4) Give not unto the foolish (what is in) your (keeping of their) wealth, which Allah hath given you to maintain; but feed and clothe them from it, and speak kindly unto them. (5) Prove orphans till they reach the marriageable age; then, if ye find them of sound judgment, deliver over unto them their fortune; and devour it not by squandering and in haste lest they should grow up Whoso (of the guardians) is rich, let him abstain generously (from taking of the property of orphans); and whoso is poor let him take thereof in reason (for his guardianship). And when ye deliver up their fortune unto orphans, have (the transaction) witnessed in their presence. Allah sufficeth as a Reckoner. (6) 

Before these laws were established, the conditions for the orphans, especially girl orphans were terrible.  In the Shade of the Qur'an by Sayyid Qut'b, he wrote:

We see addressed the rights of orphans, particularly girls, plundered by the very relatives and guardians who were supposed to look after them; what property theirs was good and valuable being substituted with foul and less valuable thing. The good of their inheritance being quickly consumed lest these orphans come of age and demand what was rightfully theirs. Young and rich orphaned girls were detained at home until they could be married to their guardians, not because the latter loved them, but rather because they wanted their money. Alternatively, they might be forced to marry their guardians’ sons so as to achieve the same end. We see a society in which the young and vulnerable, as also women, were wronged and not given their rightful share of any inheritance. Strong-bodied men who were able to fight in war got away with the largest share of any inheritance, whilst the weak and vulnerable were left with only a meagre portion. Yet it was for such miserly shares that young orphan girls and widowed women were detained so that they would be married to either the guardians themselves or to whom the latter so chose. The reason for that was simply to ensure that their property would not fall into the hands of strangers.

In a span of a few years in Madina, the Prophet s.a.w. was able to establish the rights of the orphans and in later generations it was codified into the Shariah.  This was due to the strength of faith that the Prophet s.a.w. and the Companions had and the Tarbiyyah (the inculcation of values) that they went through such that they feared Allah's wrath and wanted His approval, such as when Allah warned them in Surah 4

 Allah sufficeth as a Reckoner. (6)...And when kinsfolk and orphans and the needy are present at the division (of the heritage), bestow on them therefrom and speak kindly unto them. (8) ... So let them mind their duty to Allah, and speak justly. (9) Lo! Those who devour the wealth of orphans wrongfully, they do but swallow fire into their bellies, and they will be exposed to burning flame. (10)

As with any of Allah's commands, the laws are established only when the foundations are strong.  Thus we see Allah's Tarbiyyah in action through the various verses in the Quran such as Surah Al-Ma’un 107:1-7

Have you seen the one who rejects [the true spirit] of religion? That is he who repels the orphan. And does not advocate for the feeding of the very poor. Woe to you worshipers! Those who pray yet are heedless. Who only pray to be seen [by men]. But neglect even neighbourly needs.

which shows the prominence Islam gives to helping the needy and uplifting the poor. Anyone who prays with no attention to helping orphans and the needy is spoken of as denying the entire religion. And in Surah 2:177 where Allah says

It is not piety, that you turn your faces to the East and to the West. True piety is this: to believe in Allah, and the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the Prophets, to give of one’s substance, however cherished, to kinsmen, and orphans, the needy, the traveller, beggars, and to ransom the slave, to perform the prayer, to pay the alms. And they who fulfil their covenant when they have engaged in a covenant, and endure with fortitude misfortune, hardship and peril, these are they who are true in their faith, these are the truly God-fearing.

The Prophet himself instructed his Companions as when he said:

Would you like that your heart becomes soft and that you acquire what you need? Be merciful with the orphan, pat his head and feed him from what you eat. This will soften your heart, and enable you to get what you need. ( At-Tabaranee As-Silsilah as Saheehah).

or when he said:

The one who looks after and works for a widow and for a poor person, is like a warrior fighting for Allah’s Cause or like a person who fasts during the day and prays all the night.  (Saheeh Al Bukhari :: Book 8 :: Volume 73 :: Hadith 35)

or:

I and the person who looks after an orphan and provides for him, will be in Paradise like this, putting his index and middle fingers together. (Saheeh Al Bukhari ::Book 8 :: Volume 73 :: Hadith 34 )

Is it therefore not our duty as Muslims to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet s.a.w. and the Companions to defend and uphold the rights of the orphans?  With Eid Al-Fitr around the corner and the last ten days of Ramadhan rushing past by us, should we not grab the opportunity afforded to us this Ramadhan to do exactly that?  

Here are some links if you want to grab the opportunity:
Islamic-Relief for Orphans
Save The Children - Children-in-need-of-care
World Vision - child-sponsorship
Rahma Mercy - orphan sponsorship

May you be rewarded for your good works.  Ameen.

Post Umrah Thoughts

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace.

It's been two weeks since I left the blessed land of Mecca.  It still feels like a magical dream.  Eight years since the last Umrah, I was invited again, this time with most of my family excepting my sister and her family.  The twelve days were the best so far this year.  Apart from everything else, my family managed to strengthen our bond and I pray that this bond will last us this lifetime and beyond.

The tranquility of Masjid Nabawi calmed my soul and the energy of Masjid Al-Haram fed it.  Nights and days of prayers and tawaf interspersed with laughter and family meals is just what the doctor ordered.  For the 7 nights I was in Masjid Al-Haram, all my illness disappeared, alhamdulillah.  Whatever the cause, ultimately it was His will and alhamdulillah it has allowed me to perform my worship.

The 11 days I was in Mecca and Madina, there was only a single prayer where we were not called to pray the funeral prayer.  One of the students we met in Madina explained that there is a hadith of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) that states that whoever dies in Madina will be granted the shafa'a of the Messenger in the Day of Judgement.  And a similar story was told by one of the scholars in Mecca about Mecca where on the Day, when the Kaabah is called back to Paradise, it would ask Allah permission to bring along those who died in Mecca.  Masha'allah!  But more than that, the fact that these people died either after performing umrah or with the intention of performing umrah.  They died as guests of Allah.  How I wish I can be one of them.

One of the thoughts I had there was that I didn't want to go back to the "real" world.  Yet, it is exactly the point of the umrah that we have to go back after being refreshed, in order to share this connection with others.  It is reflected in the tawaf - if we look at the physical movement of tawaf.  Remember when you twirl something, when you let go, the momentum of the thing will move it tangentially far away.  The "momentum" of the tawaf "stores" this energy in us as we are sent forth back into our regular lives.  Even as I am recovering from my illness and struggling to regain my voice, I can feel this energy.  I hope that this energy will carry me towards the approaching Ramadhan and ultimately back to Allah.

I also hope that Allah will grant me permission to go for Hajj this year too.  I long to be back in the blessed land again.

A Heart's lament

O Kaabah, House of my Lord,
O The Right Hand of my Lord,
When will I lay my eyes upon you again?
When will I be able do my tawaf around you?

O most sacred of Lands,

O Birthplace of my Prophet s.a.w.,
Will I be able to follow in the footsteps of the Friend of Allah and the Beloved of Allah?
Will I be able to follow in the footsteps of the Sahabi and the Tabi'in?

My heart longs to be in their company,
And my soul longs for the Pleasure of its Lord.
Therefore, O Lord, grant my request to be your guest,
This ungrateful, unworthy slave of Yours!

Safe Journey, my teacher.

As with the title of my blog, life is a journey and the people we meet along the way enrich it in ways unimaginable.

These last few years, staying in Edinburgh, I have been blessed to meet a great many people, some whom I am honoured to call friends and others who are more like family.  One person I have been blessed to be in the company of is my Arabic teacher, Rajja.  I remember first meeting her in the Edinburgh Central Mosque during the last ten days of Ramadhan.  Her generosity in sharing her tea and food for sahur and iftar was the first quality I noticed about her and which attracted me to her.  

As the Edinburgh muslim community is small, much less those who frequent the Central mosque, we've met several more times since then.  But I got close and is indebted to her when Sharon Grey and I were trying to find an Arabic teacher.  Again her generosity came forth when she volunteered to teach us.  It has been several months now and we have learnt so much from her.

Therefore, with this blog, I would like to thank her for her generosity and her patience in teaching us all these months and to wish her a safe journey home to Libya.  May Allah grant her reward in this life and the hereafter for her efforts.  Ameen.

Seerah of the Prophet s.a.w. - The Orphan, part 1.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace.

Alhamdulillah, the last few weeks I have been enrolled in a Seerah course and this week, the lesson was on the birth and early life of the Prophet s.a.w. Therefore in this third part of this project, I'd like to share a bit of what I've learnt through the lesson as well as through various other sources. Besides the lesson, I found this lecture by Prof Abdal Hakim Murad on this part of the Prophet's s.a.w. life that I'd like to share. The Orphan - Sermons: Abdal Hakim Murad - Muhammad (pbuh) - Prophet of Islam

 Particularly, the particular lesson point that I would like to discuss in this part is about the Prophet's orphanhood and what it means for us. Masya Allah, just I am about to embark on writing this, I met a few sisters who were discussing about orphans and one sister, Sis. Eldina Omanovic, shared several verses and hadiths with me. Let me therefore start with one such Surah:

Surah Ad-Dhuha

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

By the morning hours (1) And by the night when it is stillest, (2) Thy Lord hath not forsaken thee nor doth He hate thee, (3) And verily the latter portion will be better for thee than the former, (4) And verily thy Lord will give unto thee so that thou wilt be content. (5) Did He not find thee an orphan and protect (thee)? (6) Did He not find thee wandering and direct (thee)? (7) Did He not find thee destitute and enrich (thee)? (8) Therefore the orphan oppress not, (9) Therefore the beggar drive not away, (10) Therefore of the bounty of thy Lord be thy discourse. (11)

In the above verses, especially verses 5-7, Allah alludes to the Prophet's state of orphanhood.  As we know the Prophet s.a.w. was born an orphan for his father died when he was still within his mother's womb. Then he was orphaned a second time when he was 6 years old because of his mother's death. He was "orphaned" third time when the only father he knew - his grandfather - died two years later.  Even before his father's death, his clan's - the Banu Hashim - wealth has been depleting and other clans were gaining in importance.  Therefore, the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. was not only an orphan but was also a poor one.

In fact, this was the reason that no wet nurse from the Banu Sa'ad wanted him.  Not only was his father dead and therefore could not grant them favours as culturally an accepted reward for nursing the Quraishy babies, his clan's declining fortune also would mean that his relatives would likely not be able to stand in the stead of his father.  Halimah As-Saadiah r.a. was the only one who did because there was no other baby to be had for her.

"Did He not find thee an orphan and protect (thee)?" This verse showed that Allah s.w.t. is the One who nurtured, guided and protected the Prophet s.a.w. in his young life even as he lost his father, mother and then grandfather.  And is there any better protector and nurturer than Allah s.w.t.?  This orphan grew up to be a man that Allah describes as a "Mercy to Mankind".  All through the tarbiyah (education & upbringing) that Allah put him through such that the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. had the best manners and characters.

An example of such a tarbiyah was his manners of eating and drinking even if he didn't really have much close supervision - given the number of  children his uncle and aunt (who were now his main caregivers) had.  Unlike the other children, he would only eat what is placed in front of him without reaching.  Umm Ayyman r.a., who was his nanny, once said that she had never heard him complain about being hungry or thirsty even in childhood.  Another was his empathy of his uncle's, Abu Talib, situation.  His uncle was poor and had a lot of children.  So even though he was young (about 12), he realised the need to help his uncle and therefore took on employment as a shepherd.


This tarbiyah is forgotten more often than not in the current state of the world.  We send our children to expensive schools, classes and lessons and yet we forget this very concept of inculcating  in them the values that the Prophet s.a.w. possessed.  The same tarbiyah that the Prophet went through can be replicated because the Prophet Muhammad himself taught it to his companions r.a. who passed it on to the tabi'in who passed it on etc.  Only then can the future generation of our Ummah be people par excellence and people of mercy.

Ashura and Karbala - Spiritual Renewal - Sermons: Abdal Hakim Murad - Muhammad (pbuh) - Prophet of Islam

A reminder for all of us, insya Allah.

Ashura and Karbala - Spiritual Renewal - Sermons: Abdal Hakim Murad - Muhammad (pbuh) - Prophet of Islam

Seerah of The Prophet s.a.w. - An excellent pact

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace

In this second post of the project, I thought to share about a period of the Prophet's youth that he looked back upon proudly. He s.a.w. later used to say about the pact that he undertook as a teenager to be "so excellent that I would not exchange my part in it even for a herd of red camels; and if now, in Islam, I was asked to take part in it I would be glad to accept."

When I first read about this period, I never really gave it much thought but later I realised its significance. As mentioned, this was during the Prophet's youth, before he was a prophet and the time before Islam. Yet, what is so significant about this pact that the Prophet s.a.w. would gladly have repeated it?

This was the pact called "Al-Fudhool", a pact that ensured justice for everyone. The reason for this pact was because of an injustice inflicted upon an outsider by a powerful and influential Quraish man. The man from a different clan arrived in Mecca to sell some goods. The Quraish man, Al-Aas ibn Wa'il, bought the goods but refused to pay him. When he appealed to several clans of the Quraish for help, they declined and even scolded him.

In desperation, he stood on a hill overlooking the Kaabah at sunrise and made his appeal to the Quraish men gathered there, reminding them of their position as custodians of the Sacred House of Worship. Among the men moved by his speech was the Prophet's uncle, Az-Zubair ibn Abd al-Muttalib who stood up and said that injustice must not be allowed.

Subsequently, a meeting was organised and attended by representatives of many Quraish clans, among them was a twenty year old Muhammad ibn Abdullah. The pact was then formed with the following terms:
1. They would stand united, supporting anyone in Mecca who suffered injustice, be he local or foreigner.
2. They would stand firm against the perpetrator of that injustice until right and justice were restored.

These were the men who made sure that Al-Aas returned the goods to the man.

What is clear from this incident and the Prophet's words is that Muslims should value justice in all its forms. There is no such thing as justice for one particular people/group - justice is for all no matter their background. Therefore, while we feel loyalty to our family, friends or brothers/sisters-in-Islam, if they are the perpetrators of injustice, we should stand firm against them until right and justice is restored.

Another point is that it does not matter if a pact is made with Muslims or non-Muslims (which in this case, they were non-Muslims), as long as it is founded on the basis of justice and goodness, it is binding upon us to honour it.

Insya Allah, may we learn and take inspiration from the Prophet's life.

Seerah of the Prophet s.a.w. - The Calling

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace.

Insya Allah, the "place" I've decided to start with is at the very start of Prophethood. The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. was 40 years old and in the last few years, he had taken to visit a cave on the Mount of Hira, a few miles from Mecca for seclusion.

M A Salahi in his book speculated that it was partly because of "a widely intellectual gap" between him and the people of Mecca. Several modern biographers speculated that he might have done so due to being disturbed by the state of his people. Martin Lings suggested that the seclusion was likely a result of the visions that came to him; where he found that his dreams came true and the visions were like "the breaking of the light of dawn". This seemed to be derived from the hadith reported by Aisyah r.a. in Sahih Bukhari. It seemed that the Prophet used to go into seclusion during the month of Ramadhan and these retreats gave him comfort for the rest of the year.

Whatever motivated him to go into seclusion, I have always wondered why he chose the cave as opposed to other places or even in his own home. While I have never had a chance to visit the cave myself, the description of the cave was that it was well hidden and seemed very isolated. Described here by someone who had been there,

No one can stay there even for a minute or two without feeling lonely. In my second visit, which took place when we went for ‘umra, the pilgrims who were there before me left at some point and I found myself on my own for about 5 minutes before new visitors started to arrive. It was so lonely. You do not see or hear anyone, and you feel so apart from the rest of the world. It can be scary in the morning, but it must be utterly terrifying in the night. This is the place that Muhammad frequented and lived in for days and probably weeks, day and night. He wanted to be alone, away from all people, because he was seeking a different company. This is where Muhammad sought and worshipped Allah, the only God, who was going to inspire him, make him His last Prophet, and reveal the Qur’an to him.

Visiting the Cave of Hira’ was one of the most moving and memorable experiences of my pilgrimage and later ‘umra. Having seen how well hidden the cave is, even to someone at its path, there is no way Muhammad, looking up from the bottom of that mountain, could have guessed that somewhere near the summit of that mountain there was a totally isolated cave. We do not know whether he climbed up the mountain looking for the cave he felt existed and needed to find, or whether he was made to find it having been led to explore that summit. But what is certain is that Muhammad must have been drawn to the cave. Allah wanted him to find the cave and make it the private abode that he would frequent to be on his own with Him and think of the spiritual matters that preoccupied him.

My first visit to the cave left me with an overwhelming sense of amazement, reverence, and awe. The belief that it was Allah who led Muhammad to the cave was so intense. But the impact of what I saw and learned about that breathtaking cave and the Prophet’s miraculous journey to its discovery was too strong to easily neutralize by my knowledge that this miracle, like anything else, is easy for Allah to do.

And it was in the cave in the month of Ramadhan that the angel Gabriel came to Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. with the first message. There are differing opinions on which was the first verse that was revealed in that fateful meeting but majority was of the opinion that it was that of the first verse of Al-'Alaq (The Clot of Blood) based on the authentic hadith reported by Aisyah mentioned above and that of a hadith reported by Abdullah ibn Az-Zubair r.a. (related by At-Tabari).

Gabriel approached Prophet Muhammad saying "Read." When he answered he could not read, Gabriel embraced him and pressed him hard before releasing him. This sequence of actions repeated twice over before Gabriel recited, "Read in the Name of Your Lord who created. It is He who created man from clots of blood. Read! Your Lord is the most bounteous, Who has taught the use of the pen. He has taught man what he did not know."

I shall stop the sequence of events here instead of going further to describe the Prophet's s.a.w. reaction. Instead, let us reflect for a minute on the significance of this moment.

1. Sayyid Qutb wrote in "In the Shade of the Qur'an":

This great event began to bear on the life of humanity as a whole right from the first moment. It marked a change in the course of history...It specified the source man should look up to in order to derive his ideas, values and criteria. The source is heaven and the divine revelations, not this world and man's own desires...Clear and permanent guidelines were established which cannot be changed by the passage of time or effaced by events.

2. In Sahih Muslim:

Anas related that Abu Bakr said to Umar after the death the Prophet: 'Let us go and visit Umm Ayman as the Prophet used to do.' When they went to her she burst into tears. They said: 'What are you crying for? Do you not realise that Allah's company is far better for the Prophet?' She replied: 'This is true, I am sure. I am only crying because revelation has ceased with his death.' This made tears spring to their eyes and the three of them cried together.

The significance of that first instance of prophethood and messengership is the direct word of Allah to us. For twenty three years, the Prophet and his Companions lived, guided by those words. For that period, there was a bridge between our world and the divine, one that shaped the first Muslim generation to be the best of generations. The impact of the Quran was so significant because the Companions let themselves be guided by it.

3. The choice of the first verses revealed matched the intellectual capacity of its target audience well. In it is information of three things
a. The creation of man
b. The transmission of knowledge
c. Most significantly, the author of both.

The Qur'an transformed a people (the Arabs) from an oral culture and tradition to those of letter and writing. The first university in the world was in the Islamic world and the library in Baghdad at the height of the Islamic civilisation was impressive. The Islamic civilisation produced scholars who excelled in many different branches of knowledge.

All of these stemmed from that first meeting between the Prophet Muhammad and Gabriel.

Seerah of the Prophet s.a.w. - Introduction and Motivation.

In the name Allah, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace.

I have been thinking about this for a while. As the Prophet s.a.w. encouraged his companions to teach and pass down their knowledge, so too I hope to pass some of the knowledge I have gathered on to others. Therefore, I have made the decision to write a series of blogs on the biography of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. and what we can learn from it.

It will not be in a chronological order but topical. This choice was inspired by Celebrate Mercy, an organisation that has brought together some of the well-known scholars and da'ii of Islam to share some of their knowledge and insights to the Prophet s.a.w.

I am no scholar and therefore use the following books as my basis:
1. Martin Lings, "Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources"
2. M A Salahi, "Muhammad, Man and Prophet: A Complete Study of the Life of the Prophet of Islam"
3. Ibn Kathir, "Stories of the Prophets"

and several others along the way which I will indicate.

May Allah guide me in this project. Ameen.

Celebrating the birth of the Prophet (Mawlid)

For as long as I remember, my family doesn't celebrate the Mawlid though it was and still probably is a big thing in the Muslim community in Singapore. My family follow the school of thought that the Mawlid is an innovation and the Prophet s.a.w. strictly forbid innovation.

But as you know there are always two school of thoughts and each school of thoughts have their points and leading scholars on this. As I grow older (and perhaps a bit more tolerant of differences), I think I can see the points of both sides. I am no scholar but as with all Muslims, I need to be able to understand and be comfortable with my own stand on it.

So, these are my thoughts:
1. The intention to remember the Prophet s.a.w. and therefore, his teachings and Sunnah is good.
2. If the celebration of the mawlid encompass only these reminders and remembrances, then I am comfortable in participating in them.
3. There should not be excesses in praising the Prophet s.a.w. to the extend of almost deifying him as there has been in some cases.

However, if it is our intention to remember the Prophet s.a.w. and to increase our love for him, then we should be doing it daily. We should be familiarising ourselves with his stories and the stories of his family and companions throughout the year. We should familiarise ourselves with his sayings and actions. We should strive to follow those sayings and actions; take inspiration and derive lessons from his history. It should not be left to only one day or one month of the year only.

That is my thought, may Allah forgive me if I'm wrong. Wallahu a'lam.