Memoir of the KUN Safar
Where thousands of eyes starred, just watching the way to karbala that their naseeb lead them to the land which prides itself on the heavens, only a few hundred were blessed with the opportunity to be present on the hill of heaven with the Dai of Imam Husain (AS) although no Mumin was left from availing the barakaat of observing the moments that filled the eyes with tears, the heart with joy of dua being heard and wishes being fulfilled as Mumineen worldwide watched the live relay of the ziyarat of Amirul Mumineen (AS) and his beloved son Imam Husain (AS) done by Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin Aqa (TUS).
تضع الاملاك طرا حيث يمشون الجباها
Mala’ekat lay their foreheads on the land on which these pious souls of Aimmat Tahireen AS and Duat Kram AS walk. Why not then Mumineen lay their eyes on this pathway.
The word Kun is taken from the Quran which denotes Allah's command to His creation, "Kun Fayakoon", Be and it happens. Here the word was derived from the alphabets Kaaf of Karbala and Noon of Najaf, making the word KUN. Indeed the safar was a KUN for many who were waiting for their number to be called for the pious trip and once they got the raza it was a KUN. Things started happening and soon they were in Hazrat Aliyah, wondering if it was the Hazarat of Amirul Mumineen (AS) or of Imam Husain (AS) or was it Molana Ali Zainul Abideen (AS) narrating the incident of Karbala or if it was Molatena Zainab describing what she had witnessed with her own eyes.
It may be too much if I were to write my personal experiences but to mention the nemat is a part of shukr. I was at the last wajebaat bethak held in Mumbai and that too on a short notice of a few hours. Huzurala (TUS) was to depart to Karbala in 2 days and here I was wishing to be there in Khidmat throughout the safar. All seemed to be a dream as I was sure I could not even be there in a round of Mumineen who were supposed to be there. Right from the time Huzurala (TUS) arrived in the bethak I was just doing dua and nothing more wishing to be in Karbala but then asking from within that Maula (TUS) please remember us in Ziyarat. Following the Qadambosi which I have no memory except that some Bhai Saheb was trying to ask me something which I could not reply to. I did araz in khidmat of Shz Saheb that I had this ummeed of going to Karbala. At that time I thought it would never happen and I tried to calm myself down. In a few hours from then, suddenly, I got a call from the Jamaat office that you have to register immediately and make the payment. It was a KUN.
The day arrived, it was the 1st of Zil Qad and a feeling of sadness was there within that we would miss the Qadambosi bethak. It is still a dream that we were at Najaf Airport at maghrib time and no sooner we found ourselves in the last queue of qadambosi. Shz Sahebs DM were told by the guards that these Mumineen have just arrived directly from the Airport, all of us were reciting salawat and niyat of Nazrul Maqam (AS). It all happened so quickly that suddenly I found myself in front of Maula (TUS) speechless. In fact after doing qadambosi I sat down right in front of the chair, don’t know why and it still remains a mystery. The fact that Huzurala (TUS) blessed all of us with this azeem nemat that day was for us all “KUN”. Doing deedar, qadambosi before even seeing the roza of Imam Husain (AS) was a sign of Imam Husain (AS) blessing us all that day.
The above is just a short memory merely in shukr of the nemat Huzurala (TUS) has bestowed on all Mumineen during this safar in some way or another. In the wada bayan Huzurala (TUS) said to Mumineen that your duas will be heard by Imam Husain (AS) and he will ask his Dai to plan for the fulfillment of their ummeed. These words of Huzurala (TUS) are the justification of the fact that “Karbala is a place where sins are forgiven and wishes are brought closer”.
The Dai of Imam Husain (AS) walking towards the Zarih Mubarak, a view in which one can look at the way Amirul Mumineen (AS) used to walk. One could visualize Imam Husain (AS) kissing the forehead of his Dai with pride as Maula (TUS) lay his head of the Zarih Mubarak. One could see Jabir bin Abdullah al-Ansari walk in humbleness towards the Zarih Mubarak in a pious manner. One could witness the cry of Molatena Zainab (AS) as Maula (TUS) wept and did matam at the very place where hundreds of years ago the incident of karbala occurred.
In olden times distances between places was measured in the time it took to travel. The distance of time is almost of 14 centuries yet Mumineen witnessed it. Mumineen all over the world heard the echoes of the Khutbas of Amirul Mumineen (AS) in Masjid al-Aazam bil Kufa when they listened to the waaz mubarak. Mumineen witnessed the ibadat and tadarro of Amirul Mumineen (AS) as they heard Huzurala (TUS) pray to Allah in the mehrab of Kufa. We witnessed the sultanate of Amirul Mumineen (AS) and his eminence in providing tosha of aakherat to all Mumineen (AS). The voice of Amirul Mumineen (AS) during the last azan was heard in every household and it was witnessed by Mumineen when we listened to the takbirah of his Dai in his mehrab. Amirul Mumineen (AS) saw that two stones were struck together by Jibraeel which was interpreted as being his matam done in every home. The distant fact had now become a reality for Mumineen as they did matam of Amirul Mumineen (AS) with Huzurala (TUS) in Kufa and Najaf. Mumineen witnessed the sajdah of the Husaini Dai (TUS) both in Kufa and Najaf which is the bisharat of Fauze Azeem for all of us.
It would be worth to quote a few abayat of Syednal Moayyad al-Shirazi (RA) to describe the longing of Mumineen towards the land where the Dai of Imam Husain (AS) is present. The land is no lesser then Karabala but what if he is in Karbala and Najaf.
ولي عزمـة ان تمم الله خطبها كفاني تمام العزم للصدر شافيا
حلول بباب القصر يشفي لبانة لنفسي والفي نائي الانس دانيا
فاونس منع نجم سعدي طالعا كما منه الفي ناجم النحس هاويا
Syednal Moayyad says that I have a longing of being at the doorsteps of my beloved Maula (TUS), which will fulfill my wishes, bring me peace and cure my heart, when I see the good omens rising upon me.
Each Mumin was during these days with Maula (TUS) as he held the zarih mubarak of Amirul Mumineen (AS) and Imam Husain (AS) in his hands. Each Mumin was in Maula’s dua when he offered sajdah right at the place which Imam Husain (AS) blessed with his last breath while in sajdah. May Allah subhanahu bless our beloved Maula (TUS) with a long life in the best of health and happiness for which every Mumin’s tears on Imam Husain (AS) pray. Ameen
Labels: Dawoodi Bohras, Deen, Personal, Syedna
Barakaat of Syednal Moayyad al-Shirazi (RA)
Huzurala (TUS) in the Zikra waaz connoted the nasihat of Amirul Mumimeen (AS) to Kumail bin Ziyad in a very unique way by comparing it to the istetar (seclusion) of Imam al-Tayyib (AS) and the Qiyam of Duat Mutlaqeen al-Kiram (AS). Amirul Mumineen (AS) compares ilm with wealth and thus the situation of satr is described in the narration. Duat were handed over the wirasat of ilm which is eternal compared to the worldly estate of the Fatemiyeen Aimmat (AS) which was lost by the person who claimed Imamat for himself, ie Abdul Majid. While the Duat have always shown their servitude to the Aimmmat (AS) even after a thousand years and the wirasat of ilm remains alive. Syednal Moayyad al-Shirazi who barakaat has passed on to the Duat Kiram (AS) has several times noted the hardships faced by the mohabbat and walayat of Aimmat Tahereen (AS). As a tutor of the Duat Kiram (AS) we see that they have adopted his seerat and have never looked upon the worldly treasure with an eye of greed nor even interest in it.
Syednal Moayyad's Qasaid are full of emotions and deep love for the Aimmat (AS) enclosed and wrapped in the patience over hardships. One qasida which has fascinated me and I think all khidmat guzaar should make it his/her principle in life is, the Qasida:
رضيت من العيش المرير المنكدا وصيرت جسم الحرص مني مصفدا
The first stanza itself suggests what the whole qasida is about. He says that I am happy with a bitter and tough life, and have subjugated the greed in me. Later he continues to say that he has parted with status and governance for those who fall on their knees in front of the mass. How true are these words today for those who call themselves the leaders of the world. be it the politicians or the diplomats. Its not that Syedna has parted with the throne but he continues to point out that he is glad enough to serve Allah and his Wali, and he need not serve any human servant. He has never buttered any hand to just for the sake of availing the opportunity of worldly gain.
The lofty thinking of Syedna further states that if his own virtues does not help him gain the status of a qualified leader then he does not accept leadership by any other means or any recommendations, for he has ever sought forgiveness of Allah and never raised his hands in asking any favours from anyone else. Never has his respect ever been dirtied by false accusations nor has he fed on bribery.
The above is a narration of his life in the Khidmat of Imamuz Zaman (AS) and his love for ilm and hikmat that he has passed on to the Duat Kiram (AS) in wirasat.
Today the waris of Syednal Moayyad (RA) is indeed ilm impersonified and our heads always bow in sajda for the dua of his long life. Ameen
Labels: Deen
Amirul Mumineen (AS) and his description of the materialistic world
Amirul Mumineen (AS), who had been privileged of being brought up by Rasulallah (SA). He had be in the company of the prophet ever since he was born and the impact of that company and its barakat was so laid on the his life, especially with the barakaat of wahye that Amirul Mumineen (AS) was called the prominent jurist by Rasulallah (AS). Jurisprudence does encompass many fields of knowledge as a judge is needed to finally decide on any subject brought forth to him. Since a very young age Amirul Mumineen (AS) had seen Rasulallah (SA) strive for Islam and its cause. He had seen Rasulallah (SA) differ with Molana Abu Talib when he was told to keep away from preaching Islam by Quresh, that if he would be given the sun in his right and moon in the left he would not bother to bend towards materialistic wealth. Ali (AS) had seen how Abu Talib (AS) supported Rasulallah (SA) in the Sha'b of Abu Talib during the days of Quresh's boycott. Ali (AS) had seen the Nabi's beloved and wealthy wife Khadija drain her wealth for the cause of Allah. From an age when a person does not even come to his senses, Ali (AS) had seen the facts of life and felt the world closely. Such a person of high stature in knowledge, upbringing, amal, closeness to the Nabi (AS), akhlaq and many vritues has described the worldly pleasures and it materialistic nature in a few but deep words that need to be quoted here for his love and remembrance.
Amirul Mumineen (AS) says:
1. Trust the Creator rather than his creation, trust the Truthful rather than the lier.
2. Seek Rizq from al-Rahman (Allah), as there is no one else who can feed you except Him.
3. He who thinks that his rizq or earnings is in his own hands does not trust Allah.
4. He who thinks that a mere human can feed him or provide a living to him has gone on a slippery way and is sure to fall.
Amirul Mumineen (AS) further says:
1. I am happy with whatever Allah has parted for me and have submitted by will to by Creator.
2. Just as Allah has done my betterment in the past so will He in the future.
These words are said to to those of Amirul Mumineen (AS):
1. I anticipate that the world will soon be over and has prepared for its journey.
2. Never has the world been forever for anyone, nor has anyone stayed in the world forever.
Labels: Deen
Madeh by Shk Mohammedul Baqir
Labels: Dawoodi Bohras, Deen, Syedna
Akhlaq - A bounty of Allah Subhanahu
Raulallah (SA) has said that good character is a bounty of Allah Subhanahu. While there is a huge difference between character and etiquette, most people tend to mix it up. I am most font of the dua of Imam Ali Zainul Abideen,
"allahumma inni auzobeba an tahsona fi rayil aine alaniyati...." and I think it is the most profound of all duas when it comes to seeking purity of heart and soul while teaching us that our amal should be purely for the sake of our lord.
Long time back I had complied an eBook on Akhlaq in Lisan al-Dawat (
Akhlaq.pdf) on the occasion of being blessed the sharaf of Ziyafat al-Shukr of my Maula Syedna Mohammed Buhanuddin Aqa (TUS) with my classmates in Hadi Ashara in the year 1422. It is one of the most cherished memories which have been embedded in my soul among the many that Jamea Saifiyah has granted me. Huzurala (TUS) had since after then time and again blessed me with the sharaf of inquiring about what I do and may I be blessed with his khidmat till the last breath, whatever it maybe. With all my heart I have never sought the happiness of anyone accept my Maula (TUS) and will keep doing that no matter what begets.
Akhlaq My niyat then and now with the compilation and sharing of this eBook is to be blessed with the nazaraat of Aqa Maula (TUS) which would bring out the best in me for his khidmat and deteriorate the barriers of weaknesses in me and turn them into strengths for the sake of the love of Aqa Maula (TUS) that I have inborn.
May Allah Subhanahu bless Aqa Maula Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS) with a long life. Ameen.
Labels: Deen, Personal
Namaaz
Zindagi bewafa kyu hoti hai?
Wafa karnay ki saza kyu hoti hai?
Choti si baat pe baha deti hain KHOON
Insan mein itni ANA kyu hoti hai?
Karte hain hum jis se baar baar TAUBA,
Elahi hum se wohi KHATA kyu hoti hai,
Banate to hain hum apne hathon se MASJID,
NAMAZ apni hi phir QAZA kyu hoti hai..
Labels: Deen, Interesting
Fatwa against "Murtad" Asgar Engineer
Labels: Deen
The city of
Ashkelon has been in the headlines lately, and not for its pretty beaches. The city of 110,000 has sadly joined Israel's southern front line as rockets fired from the Gaza Strip improve in range and technology.
Last week, a rocket hit a shopping mall in city; the dozens of injured treated at the Barzilai Medical Center.
It turns out the hospital grounds contain a remarkably interesting bit of history: a site holy to certain Shiite Muslims, thousands of whom have come to pray there over the years. Ashkelon itself has 5,000 years of recorded history, but when the hospital was first built in 1961, nothing indicated that the hill out back was anything special.
The consecration of the site dates back to the early days of Islam. The decades that followed the death of the prophet Muhammad in 632 were marked by a bitter and bloody dispute over succession, a conflict that ultimately marked the split between Sunni and Shiite Muslims.
In a nutshell, Ali, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, was repeatedly passed over for the position of caliph -- leader of the young Muslim nation. Ali's followers (the word Shiite means "partisans") eventually rebelled, touching off years of conflict.
After Ali was assassinated in 661, his sons Hasan and Hussein carried on his struggle. Hussein and his small rebel army were slaughtered in 680 in what is now the Iraqi holy city of Karbala. His head was delivered as a trophy to Yazid, the victorious caliph, in Damascus, while his body remained in Karbala. Shiites commemorate Hussein's death annually in the intense day of mourning known as Ashura.
Both Karbala and Damascus became sites of Shiite pilgrimages. Sunni rulers, displeased with the phenomenon, decided to relocate Hussein's head to the far edge of the kingdom -- Ashkelon. It remained there for several centuries, when when legendary Muslim leader Saladin sent the head to Egypt for safekeeping from the invading Crusaders.
What was once the far end of an ancient Muslim kingdom is now a grassy mound behind the delivery rooms of an Israeli hospital.
A millennium after Hussein's head was removed from Ashkelon, the site is still revered by an offshoot of Shiites mostly from India and Pakistan. The pilgrims who have come to visit include some from countries with no diplomatic relations with Israel, hospital officials say.
About a decade ago, a Shiite spiritual leader arrived at the hospital with an unusual request: to be allowed to erect a prayer area for the pilgrims.
"How do you know this is the site?" asked Dr. Ron Lobel, deputy director of the medical center.
"I walked out to the mound with him," Lobel said. "He took out a shovel and started digging. To my astonishment, a meter or so deep, he exposed the cornerstone of the ancient mosque that had been built where the head had been buried, and was later destroyed by the Crusaders."
With the hospital’s blessing, the worshipers imported the most valued marble in India, the kind used to build the Taj Mahal. The prayer area, built seven or eight years ago, is open to the pilgrims. They arrive in buses, coordinate with the center's security, park in the lot and walk to the mound to pray.
"They are quiet, peaceful people. They come in silence, sometimes barely uttering a sound," said Lobel, who has become the resident expert on the subject over the years. "An island of Shiite Muslim prayer in an Israeli hospital in a Jewish state," said Lobel of his unusual charge, satisfaction in his voice. "It really is unique."
—Batsheva Sobelman in Jerusalem.
Photo: The marble prayer area on the hospital grounds. Credit: David Avioz/Barzilai Medical Center
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Notes: Asqalaan has been a sacred ground for the fatimids since a very long time. During the era of Imam Mustansir (AS), the Commander in Cheif of the Fatemi Empire Molana Badrul Jamali has built a masjid in the area that has been mentioned in the above article. The entire incident of Rasul Husain (AS) being revealed during this era in the presence of the mentioned commander has been inscribed on a pulpit that is now present in the masjid of Baytul laham (Bethlelem) where the shrine of Nabiullah Ibrahim is. The inscription is in Fatemi Kufic and it is said that Syedna Taher Saifuddin (RA) was the first to decipher the entire scripture that is written on the said pulpit during his visit to al-Quds. The text of which is present in one of his Rasail Sharifa. Later Syedna Taher Saifuddin (RA) visited the location in Asqalan and pin pointed the exact location where the masjid was built nearby which was the burial shrine of Rasul Imam al-Husain (AS), that was later shifted to Qahera. The entire incident of its being shifted to Qahera was narrated by the person who brought the wooden box containing the Raas Mubarak from the gates of Qahera into the Fatemi Palace, carried on his head. The said boxes are currently placed on display in one of the Museums of Cairo.
The open to air masjid, shown above, was built by Mumineen upon special permission given to them by the authorities.
Labels: Dawoodi Bohras, Deen
TECHNOLOGY - A MUMIN'S PERSPECTIVE
Wherever we turn, we are able to see the effects of the advances of technology – from medicine to education, and more. Advances in medical technology have allowed doctors to treat patients in the first few critical moments after a health trauma. As a teacher and a parent, I see technology used in the classroom – whether it is to enhance students' fine motor skills or to teach them how to read. In our everyday home or work lives, going a few days without the internet, telephone, or even a cell phone would seem impossible.
Yesterday, while watching the video of Aqa Maula (tus) performing the Iftetah of the Qubbah Mubarakah of Syedna Hatim (R.A.) in Yemen, it became evident that a Mumin's life in the era of our Maula (tus) would be impossible without the technology that allows us to be so close to our Maula, without physically being there.
Watching the video of the Iftetah, I was able to see every unique amal of Aqa Maula (tus), from entering the Qubbah Mubarkah, to performing Tasleem at the Qabr and holding the Gilaf and performing Ziyarat. Seeing all these unique and momentous Aamaal being performed, my Mohabbat and Tafadi for my Maula grew even more stronger. All the Bayans that I had heard during Ayyam e Tabudaa't helped me realize how much my Maula cares for me and all Mumineen. A single Amal of holding the Gilaaf and instantaneously recollecting the Kalemaat Nooraniyah of Syedna Taher Saifuddin (R.A) Aqa Maula (tus) remembered us Mumineen in his Dua Mubarak. This Amal alone of Aqa Maula (tus), made me realize that our Maula (tus) puts us Mumineen above anyone and anything. That Amal of Aqa Maula (tus) was the Khulaso of Tafaadi and Mohabbat.
Even when we are not fortunate enough to be physically present in the Hazarat of our Maula (tus), we have become so used to the many opportunities of Deedar via video relay, that it is difficult to imagine a Mumin's life without technology. Every Moharram, those who are less fortunate and are not able to attend Ashara with Aqa Maula (tus), wait and pray daily for news of a video relay. It is hard to imagine an Ashara, no matter where we are in Bilad Imaniyah, without doing Deedar of our Bawa Shafiq (tus). It may be difficult to live our day to day lives without the advances of current technology, but it would be impossible for a Mumin to live their life without the technology that brings them closer to their Maula (tus). Yesterday, while watching the video relay it became clear to me that while we may all be bounded by technology in our everyday lives, it is the same technology that has the sharaf of being in the Khidmat of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin Saheb (tus), bringing Mumineen closer to their Maula (tus). May Allah Subhanahu enhance the Umer Sharif of Aqa Maula (tus) till Qayamat. Ameen
Amate Syedna (tus)
Rashida M. Aliasger Rasheed
Columbus, OH
www.eduscribe.com Labels: Dawoodi Bohras, Deen, Technology
Religion and Modern Doubts
Religion and Modern Doubts
Science extends and enriches our lives, expands our imagination and liberates us from the bonds of ignorance and superstition. The endorsing societies wish to affirm the precepts of modern science that are responsible for its success.
Science is the systematic enterprise of gathering knowledge about the universe and organizing and condensing that knowledge into testable laws and theories.
The success and credibility of science is anchored in the willingness of scientists to:
1. Expose their ideas and results to independent testing and replication by other scientists. This requires the complete and open exchange of data, procedures and materials, And
2. Abandon or modify previously accepted conclusions when confronted with more complete or reliable experimental or observational evidence.
Adherence to these principles provides a mechanism for self-correction that is the foundation of the credibility of science.
In short, Science can be termed a result of vast experiences and experiments by all that can be perceived by the five senses that are gifted to man by the Creator.
This knowledge which is a result of human analysis in accordance to the capacity of the human mind has progressed to such an extent in the past that man can boast to create his exact clone. Does that mean that he is the only superior being on the face of Earth or let’s says the entire universe? Or is there a superior being that has endowed upon man such brilliance to think. Syedna Taher Saifuddin (RA) has stated in one of his Rasail Sharifah that the human spirit has such vast capacities that it can subjugate the universe. Where did such extraordinary powers come from?
None can deny that there is a creator who is behind such magnificent creation, the human intellect. Syedna Hamiduddin al-Kirmani (RA) has written that a simple table and chair need a carpenter to built it, then why not the universe. If things came into existence by it own means why did the sun choose to shine by its own light while the moon is illuminated by the suns rays? Questions such as these are never meant to be answered by the human mind or intellect, which is in need of an external and eternal noor to ignite it, just as the moon is in need of the sun’s rays. These questions can only be answered by the Divine Creator, the Master.
Religion carries the message of Allah which engulfs within it the secrets of life. Religion is only thing that can form a base for the human intellect and faith is the noor that ignites it. Every religion teaches but one thing, faith in the Almighty. The soul that brings life to the human body is there to stay even when the bones are decayed. The soul, the life, is but Allah’s creation.
The Soul has in itself the capacity for affection, it loves as it perceives, understands and remembers. Religion brings to life this quality while shedding light on good and evil. It is only when man abides by the divine laws that separate good from evil that a better society comes into existence. Science when becomes a backbone of religion develops better effects. The Rasail of Ikhwan al-Safa are a fine example. The divine township that the Imam (AS) has mentioned in these rasail is nothing but a fine blend of knowledge perceived by the senses and that which is spiritual. People call it meta-physics in today’s world. In fact the senses are the tools for spiritual development and the glow of the intellect. This is the philosophy of Ikhwan al-Safa, the brethren of purity.
On the other hand science has created doubts in religion and faith in today’s world. The misuse of the senses has begun to question the light of intellect, faith. Science has no time to discover the truths which still lay hidden to the human senses but instead has started questioning the faith in human existence. The reason behind such arrogance is the nature of the human race to keep itself alive. People seek the extension of an organic life which is bound to transform itself however slowly. These people lack the insight to look at their inner souls and thus question the divine laws that govern life. There are certain questions that the human intellect can never calculate it answers and conclude its results unless an external and divine noor of faith illuminates it. A blind and a person with sight are the same in a darkened room with no light. So, is the blind of faith and the insane.
“Let the soul be assured that somewhere in the universe it should rejoin its friend, and it would be content and cheerful alone for a thousand years”.
May Allah Subhanahu bless our beloved Maula (TUS), the divine noor embodied, a long life in sehat and afiyat. It is through his light that Mumineen clearly see the facts of life and its reality. Ameen
Labels: Deen, Personal Views
Map of Important Places of Ziyarat in India
Labels: Dawoodi Bohras, Deen
Asbaq of Himmah and Tanbih
I had started the kitaabs with much enthusiasm for the IT Committee as the Kitaabs have the precise etiquettes needed for a Khidmat guzaar and not a mumin only.
Himmah sketches the behavior and character that a Mumin should possess or rather devolop in his/her dealings with Awliya'ullah in all matters of life. While Tanbih alGaffileen sheds light on the conduct of Mumineen among themselves.
The group was of about 12 people initially and ended with 6. Majority of the men either did not like the subject or were simply not interested in attending the sabaq because it was me who was preaching. Was it me I really think.
I tried to be precise in the zikr I did to the extent that the sabaqs were more bookish and within the text itself rather then other sources except at places where I had to portray the lines that were between the ink. Himmah is a difficult kitaab in language and as a Kitaab of hikmat I had a feeling it would be hard to digest for those who are not prepared even though some have attended asbaq of Shz Sahebs.
On the other hand Tanbih was a more fascinating kitaab for its simplicity of language and richness of knowledge. What was comprehended in im mind was far more loftier then that which I could say. Its a masterpiece in itself, as it covers the secrets while pointing towards them in an obvious way. The coded language in a simple text is something that astonishes me about this Kitaab. Syedna Hatim (RA) had indeed put in its fold the vast realities, the keys to which were with his predecessors.
Today after a year both the kitaabs ended with a presence of only four. Those who wish to quench their thirst from the sweet streams of ilme Aale mohammed can't be kept away for those who have no respect for it. It is my job to continue with this Khidmat with another Kitaab even if a single soul is left. What I believe is that the fayz will reach those who are destined to receive it and those who loose their share are at loss.
May Allah bless our Hudaat Kiraam with afzal al-Jaza for their selfless efforts in imparting this knowledge and transferring these barakaat to reach our souls. May Allah grant Aqamoula (TUS) a long life. Ameen
Labels: Deen, IT Committee
الصفات المقومة للتعليم الجامعي في الفلسفة الفاطمية
به وبوليه استعين في جميع الامور . الحمد لله والسلام على عباده الذين اصطفى.
ان العلم علم ال محمدنالاطهار مصب لجميع العلوم والفنون وقد جاء عن الامام المستور احمد بن عبداللهص ع في رسائل اخوان الصفاء ان ال محمدص ع واتباعهم لا يتعصبون على مذهب من المذاهب ولا يهجرون كتابا من كتب الحكماء لان علمهم يستغرق العلم جميعه وقد صنف الامام ع م على هذا القانون رسائلا جامعة للعلوم والفنون التي هي موسوعة للمبادي والاصول وذكر فيها شبه المدخل والمقدمات من جميعها وهذا هو الاساس المبني عليه بناء التعليم الجامعي.
ان التعليم الجامعي عند الائمة الفاطمين الذين اقاموا اول جامعة عالمية بالمعزية القاهرة ان الطالب يضبط ما اكتسب من المعارف العلمية سابقا كما في الجامعة السيفية يكتسب في المرحلة السابقة مرحلة الثقافة العامة ثم يكرر ذلك عليه لكي يحصل وسعة فيما حصل قبل ويستوعب ما يدرس من العلوم والفنون ثم يجمع اليها ما يؤيده ويشيده. وهي كما يقال في اللغة الانجليزية University Education ولكن يختص ويميز هذه الفلسفة عند الائمة ببعض صفاتها المميزة.
وذلك ان الائمة الاطهار ع م يرون ان الجمع بين ما يتعلم المستفيد وحفظها بالعمل اهم جزء في هذا التعليم مع رياضة النفس على الخلق الحسن وجميل السيرة التي يفيد بها الطالب المجتمع في حياته وينفع البيئة الايمانية خاصة مع جميع عباد الله بعلمه وعمله وفنه الذي يختص بها لان المجتمع محتاج الى فنون شتى. وان هذا التعليم مع كون تكرار دراسة بعض الكتب في الدراسات الجامعية بعد مرحلة الثقافة العامة يلقح اذهان المستفدين منها الى محاسبة انفسهم فيما رقت اليها بعد ما قتحت عليها من اصول علم التأويل المسمى بتربية المؤمنين ويلزم عليهم مسؤلية نشر ما علموا من علم الظواهر اذا اذن لهم.
وان التعليم الجامعي عند الائمة الفاطمين يذهب ضيق الفكر ويؤدي الطالب الى وسعته حيث انه جامع للعلوم ويرجى منه الاتقان والضبط في الدراسة ويفتح له باب المسائل والاجوبة. وقد قال الامام المعزع م في بعض مجالس يحض من حضره على السؤال فيما يفيد من العلم :- ان العلم والحكمة لا يثبتان في القلوب الا بعد المعارضة والحجة. فبسؤال يستقر العلم في القلوب ويذهب الشبهات ويصفو الفكر وبه يجلو وقد قال بعض الحكماء ان تعرف الرجال بسؤالهم فضلا عن جوابهم لانه يدل على ذكاء صاحبه وحسن قبوله وحينما يستقر ما يدرس الطالب يرفع الى ما هو اعلى منها.
ثم ان الطالب لما يشتغل بدراسة ضابطة ويروض عليها نفسه تكون له عادة خير ويزيده بركة في علمه طول حياته حيث ان هذا التعليم يشتمل على جميع جوانب الحياة الجامعية والانفرادية والاجتماعية.
ثم ان اهمية هذا التعليم انه يستخدم من جميع من طلبها صلاح الامور البيئة الايمانية التي اقاموها الدعاة المطلقون بجدهم وجهدهم حيث انه يورث آدابه واخلاقه هذا المجتمع العظيم فعليه ان يراقب نفسه في دقيق عمله وجليله بالنظر في سير الهداة الفضلاء ويقتدي من وارث فضلهم وفضائلهم سيدنا محمد برهان الدين ط ع الذي هو ضامن نجاته وان العلم الذي حصل والحكمة التي اقترف ملحقة له الى زمر الملائكة الكرام من وحل ورطة هيولى هبط ومنطقة له بعقل سليم ونطق حقيقي من عنده دل. وان خدمته هو اساس هذا العلم ومرجعه.
وقد جمع في هذا التعليم الخاصة التهذيب والتأديب للطلب الذي يوجد استاذه في سائر الجوانب من حياته لكي يعوده على رياضة نفسه بالعمل الذي علم حتى يكون هو طبيعته ويكمل بذلك صورة نفسه ويتمكن هو في افكاره واراءه مصيبا فيها ناظر بصير بعين بصيرة يتفرق بين الصحيح والسقيم يثبت على حيث يجعل قدمها بالعزم والحزم معا. ولذلك يجب عليه ان يضبط اللغة الانجليزية مع العربية التي يؤيده في حياته الاجتماعية ويتمكن فيه حتى يعبر فيها ويحرر وبذلك يحصل التوسع في علم المحسوسات وبها يرتقي الى المعقولات وقد ذكر الداعي الاجل العلامة النحرير سيدنا طاهر سيف الدين رض اصول هذا العلم وطريق اقتناءه حيث قال :-
يا صاحبي تعلما وتفهما وتدبرا وتفكرا وتبصرا
وتادبا وتهذبـا وتنشطا وتيقظا وتنبها وتشمرا
وتدينا وتوارعا وتحرزا وتوقيا وتنظفا وتطهرا
وايضا ذكر اصول التعليم الجامعي مولانا امير المؤمنين ع م :-
ذكاء وحرص وافتقار وغربة وتلقين استاذ وطول زمان
فبهذا العلم حين اتقنه الطالب بدراسته كاملة واستكرار وحفظه في صورة نفسه بالعمل الصالح والخلق الحسن الجميل يكون من المتقين الذين ذكرهم امير المؤمنينع م ، بتحصيل رضاء مولاه واصابة ظنه فيه ، حيث قال:- ان المتقين ذهبوا بعاجل الدنيا واجل الاخرة شاركوا اهل الدنيا في دنياهم ولم يشاركهم في اخراهم سكنوا في الدنيا بافضل ما سكنت واكلوا بافضل ما اكلت.
فندعوالله تع ان يوفقنا لحصول رضاه وان يطول عمر مولاه سيدنا محمد برهان الدين ط ع الى ابد الابدين. آمين. والحمد لله رب العالمين والصلوة على رسوله واله الطاهرين ودعاتهم الاكرمين.
Labels: Deen, Education, Jamea
6th March - Birthday of His Holiness Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS)
Labels: Dawoodi Bohras, Deen
Burqa Vs. Bikini
The Debauchery Of American Womanhood
By Henry Makow, Ph.D.
On my wall, I have a picture of a Muslim woman shrouded in a burka. Beside it is a picture of an American beauty contestant, wearing nothing but a bikini.
One woman is totally hidden from the public; the other is totally exposed. These two extremes say a great deal about the clash of so-called "civilizations."
The role of woman is at the heart of any culture. Apart from stealing Arab oil, the impending war in the Middle East is about stripping Arabs of their religion and culture, exchanging the burka for a bikini.
I am not an expert on the condition of Muslim women and I love feminine beauty too much to advocate the burka here. But I am defending some of the values that the burka represents for me.
For me, the burka represents a woman's consecration to her husband and family. Only they see her. It affirms the privacy, exclusivity and importance of the domestic sphere.
The Muslim woman's focus is her home, the "nest" where her children are born and reared. She is the "home" maker, the taproot that sustains the spiritual life of the family, nurturing and training her children, providing refuge and support to her husband.
In contrast, the bikinied American beauty queen struts practically naked in front of millions on TV. A feminist, she belongs to herself. In practice, paradoxically, she is public property. She belongs to no one and everyone. She shops her body to the highest bidder. She is auctioning herself all of the time.
In America, the cultural measure of a woman's value is her sex appeal. (As this asset depreciates quickly, she is neurotically obsessed with appearance and plagued by weight problems.)
As an adolescent, her role model is Britney Spears, a singer whose act approximates a strip tease. From Britney, she learns that she will be loved only if she gives sex. Thus, she learns to "hook up" rather than to demand patient courtship and true love. As a result, dozens of males know her before her husband does. She loses her innocence, which is a part of her charm. She becomes hardened and calculating. Unable to love, she is unfit to receive her husband's seed.
The feminine personality is founded on the emotional relationship between mother and baby. It is based on nurturing and self-sacrifice. Masculine nature is founded on the relationship between hunter and prey. It is based on aggression and reason.
Feminism teaches woman that feminine nature has resulted in "oppression" and that she should convert to male behavior instead. The result: a confused and aggressive woman with a large chip on her shoulder, unfit to become a wife or mother.
This, of course, is the goal of the social engineers at the NWO: undermine sexual identity and destroy the family, create social and personal dysfunction, and reduce population. In the "brave new world," women are not supposed to be "nest" makers, or progenitors of the race. They are meant to be neutered autonomous creatures that indulge in sex for physical pleasure, not for love or procreation.
At his press conference on Sunday, Donald Rumsfeld said that Iranian women and youth were restive under the rule of the Mullahs. He implied that the US would soon liberate them. To Britney Spears? To low-rise "see-my-thong" pants? To the mutual masturbation that passes for sexuality in America?
Parenthood is the pinnacle of human development. It is the stage when we finally graduate from self-indulgence and become God's surrogates: creating and nurturing new life. The New World Order does not want us to reach this level of maturity. Pornography is the substitute for marriage. We are to remain stunted: single, sex-starved and self-obsessed.
We are not meant to have a permanent "private" life. We are to remain lonely and isolated, dependent on consumer products for our identity, in a state of perpetual courtship.
This is especially destructive for woman. Her sexual attraction is a function of her fertility. As fertility declines, so does her sex appeal. If a woman devotes her prime years to becoming "independent," she is not likely to find a permanent mate. Her long-term personal fulfillment and happiness lies in making marriage and family her first priority.
Feminism is another cruel New World Order hoax that has debauched American women and despoiled Western civilization. It has ruined millions of lives and represents a lethal threat to Islam.
I am not advocating the burka but rather some of the values that it represents, specifically a woman's consecration to her future husband and family, and the modesty and dignity this entails.
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The above is an article I recieved by email from a friend and the views expressed herein are entirely that of the author. The write-up is posted for interesting reading. Comments are welcomed from readers.
Labels: Deen
Jannatul Baqi - The Resting ground of Molatena Fatema (AS)
Labels: Deen
Yesterday and Today: A Fatemi Perspective
“History repeats itself”, is a quote well known to millions around the world and there are many scholars who quote it randomly in their daily conversations. Although famous and known, the truth is rarely experienced even by the most profound students of history apart from the professors.
Mumineen on the contrary are so habituated to experiencing this fact that they rarely consider that there is something scholarly about this saying. The reason behind this is that every era, according to the Fatemi philosophy of history, evolves around one ideal and perfect being chosen by Allah to lead all his creation to their destiny. The Imam (AS) is the center peg of the entire cycle of history and time. In other words it is the Imam (AS) who is the center peg of all creation. Syedna Taher Saifuddin (RA) describing the eternity of the Imam (AS) says in a verse that: "The person of the Imam changes while he (the Imam’s position) is the same. The one immortal and eternal being."
The above verse does not state that the Imam (AS) does not pass away from this materialistic world which is merely a transitory phase of life; rather it means that the succeeding Imam is no different from the former Imam (AS) in any manner.
To elaborate the above verse, it would be very simple if an example from history would be quoted. A well known fact that in jihad is that Molana Ali (AS) did not allow the captivation and enslaving of the women and children of the rival Muslim armies. This has become a sunnat while fighting Muslim opponents who have opposed the Islamic state and its laws, while no narration has been cited from Rasulallah (SA) in this regard. The fact that the decision of Amirul Mumineen (AS) is the decision of Rasulallah (SA) can be known from here. Rasulallah (SA) would have given the same verdict if he would have been in place of Maulana Ali (AS at that particular moment of time. A Hadith of the Prophet would further elaborate the above incident. Rasulallah (SA) says: علي كنفسي, Ali is same as my self.
Further more, the acts and judgments of Duat Kiram today are rightious as per the wahye and the Qu'ran. Had Rasulallah (SA) been present today, his acts would have not differed from what we see today in the divine being of al-Dail Ajal Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS).
The mere rational reason behind this is that the people of all times are entitled to the same barakaat and anwaar, an equal share of Rehmatun Lil Alameen as were the Mumineen of Rasulallah’s (SA) era. This is in accordance to the justice and adl of Allah Subhanahu.
Mumineen of the Burhani Daur have witnessed several events of the past, history repeating. Knowing that our Maula (TUS) Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS) whom we see today, is the reservoir of the divine light and the divine ilm that Allah has sent down to earth with the creation of his hands, Adam (AS).
Looking down in history, from the very birth of our Maula (TUS) barakaat has flowed in multitude among the offspring of Dawat as stated by Syedna al-Muqaddas Syedna Taher Saifuddin (RA). The same way that Rasulallah (SA) and Molana Ali (AS) blessed an era, both Molana Taher Saifuddin (RA) and Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS) have showered the bounties of paradise on Mumineen. The days of both Maulana Taher Saifuddin (RA) and his Mansus reflect the past era of Rasulallah (SA). Many instances of history have been repeated and are know to those who have insight rather then mere eyes to look.
The day of coronation of Syedna Taher Saifuddin (RA) was the day when Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS) was born. Turn it around and the birth of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS) brought in the auspices of heaven to the house of Molanal Muqaddas (RA) as was revealed by Syedna Taher Saifuddin (RA). There are many incidences of the Saifiyah Burhaniyah era which resemble those of the days of Rasulallah (SA) and Molana Ali (AS). Those with insight can feel the anwaar of the past Awliyaullah and witness it while looking at our beloved Maula Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS).
May Allah bless him with a long life in the pink of health and ever glowing youth. Ameen
Labels: Deen
Grief and Matam in Remembrance of the event of Karbala
The events of Karbala were recorded via Imam Zaynul Abidin and Sayyidna Zaynab binte Ali. The events were publically presented when they arrived back in Medina from Sham (Damascus).
"Purjosh Matam" is translated as intense matam with feeling and meaning. Imam Jafar Sadiq coined the saying "every day is Ashura and every place is Karbala". This is meant metaphorically to live and practice life as such. To recount the events of Karbala and the sacrifice of Imam Husayn daily in our hearts. The Imam Sadiq states in tradition that no event, whether joyous or sad, should go without recounting the events of Karbala, because they are a blessing and are barakat.
Imam Ali Ibn al-Husain (A.S) used to say: Every Mu'min, whose eyes shed tears upon the killing of Husain Ibn' Ali (A.S.) and his companions, such that the tears roll down his cheeks, Allah shall accommodate him in the elevated rooms of paradise.
Imam Muhammad Baqir (A.S.) said: He who remembers us, or in whose presence, we are remembered, and (as a result) tears flow from his eyes, even though they may be in the measure of a wing of a mosquito, Allah shall construct for him a house in paradise and make the tears a barrier between him and the fire (of hell). Al-Ghadeer, Vol.: 2, pg.: 202
Imam Jafar Sadiq (A.S.) said: He in whose presence we (and our miseries) are mentioned and, as a result, his eyes pour out tears, Allah shall make his face forbidden upon the fire of hell. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 44, Pg., 285.
Imam Jafar Sadiq (A.S.) said (to Masma', one of those who mourned over Imam Husain (A.S.)): May Allah have mercy upon your tears! Do know that you are regarded as being of those who are deeply concerned about us and of those who are happy at our happiness and aggrieved at our sorrow. Do know that you shall witness the presence of my fathers near you at the time of your death. Wasail al-Shia'h, Vol.: 10, Pg.:397
Imam Jafar Sadiq (A.S.) said: There is none who recites poetry about Husain (A.S.) and weeps and makes others weep by means of it, except that Allah makes Paradise incumbent upon him and forgives his sins.
Imam Jafar Sadiq (A.S.) (while sitting on the prayer mat prayed for the mourners and those going for the ziarat of the Ahlul Bayt (A.S.) as follows): O' Lord, have mercy upon those eyes, which have shed tears in compassion for us; and upon those hearts, which have been restless and blistered for us; and upon those wailings, which have been for us. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.:98, Pg.:8.
Imam Jafar Sadiq (A.S.) said: One who weeps for Imam Hussain (A.S.), surely, the Imam (A.S.) observes him and seeks forgiveness for him and requests his holy fathers to (also) seek forgiveness for him.
Imam Jafar Sadiq (A.S.) said: He whose eyes shed tears for our blood which has been shed, or for our rights which have been usurped, or for the humiliation meted out to us or to one of our Shi'ites, Allah shall accomodate him in paradise for a long time. Amali al-Shaikh al-Mufid, Pg.: 175. Labels: Deen
Eid al-Fitr Wallpaper
Courtesy: Al Masarr Computers, Surat
Labels: Deen, Shehrullah
Eid Greetings
Eid is for those who have offered ibadat and fasted throughout the month completing the count of Shehre Ramadan. Eid is for those who have obeyed Allah and His Wali Imamuz Zaman by obeying thier Dai Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS). The sight of the glowing chehra-e-anwar of Moula (TUS), the luminous moon that reflects the elahi noor of Imamuz Zaman and Panjatan is the true EID for us Mumineen. May Allah bless him with all the health and a long long life. Our life span be sacrificed on him.
Eid عيد is sounded and pronounced when the Arabic letter "Ain" preceeds the Arabic word "Yad". A Mumin's true Eid is the day when his EYE (Ain in Arabic) is placed on the heavenly and blessed hand (yad in Arabic) of MOULA (TUS).
May Allah bless us with the auspicious day as beautiful as Eid, when we are blessed with the deedar and qadambosi of Aqamola (TUS) Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS).
Wishing you a very Happy Eid al-Fitr.
Labels: Deen
The dignity of a Mumin.Sadiq Imam once said to Abban: When one of you, Mumineen, pass away his two (guardian) Angels will accompany his soul to the heavens after his dafn (burial).
They will then plead Allah that we have returned to paradise with the soul of this Mumin after burying him. Henceforth, we intend to worship you in the heavens and pray to you. The nobility of the Mumin is such that Allah will tell the Angels that I need not your worship but you shall return to Earth and provide refuge and company to this Mumin from the fright and grief of the grave, bringing happiness to his heart.
The Imam then said: O Abban, this is the distinction of a Mumin. Such is his dignity and eminence.
All gratitude to Allah, and then for the Imam who showed us the importance of making a Mumin happy. Allah blesses those who keep a Mumin happy, and the sawab of pleasing the Panjatan, Imamuz Zaman and his Dai is surely in its multiples.
May Allah grant us the will to do deeds that would keep our Moula happy with us, and may He grant the bounty and blessing of Taqwa and vigilance to Mumineen.
Riwayat in Lisan al-DawatTranslated from the Kalemaat of al-Dail Fatimi Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS). Labels: Deen
Gibat (Backbitting)
I've been wondering lately about why we human beings like to gossip so much. I'm referring here to that whole family of actions that go by such names as gossip, slander, backbite, whisper, talk behind someone's back, criticize and so on. I realize each term is slightly different from the other, but I'm concerned here with their over-arching commonality. Please try to feel this with me for a moment.
You're sitting with a person, perhaps a casual friend whom you're hoping will become a close friend. You're both laughing, actively listening, affirming each other in the dozens of subtle, non-verbal ways that friends do, consciously or not. In the midst of your enjoyable conversation (you can almost feel the strengthening bond that's growing between you), Abid's name comes up. Your friend exclaims, "Oh, Abid! He's kind of odd, isn't he? He's quite a talker. And you know he struggles a little with needing to be the center of attention." Now, I think the world of Abid. I really do like him. But
.. At that very moment, a certain warm, delicious rush just shoots through your body. You lean closer. There's something inexplicably enjoyable about your new friend's having suddenly taken you into his confidence. You feel special somehow. A new, more intimate bond is developing between you two. It's not that you hate Abid - it's just that you want to keep moving forward with your new friend. "Yeah, I know what you mean," you reply. "I was with him last week, and he said . . ." And away you go.
So Why Do We Do It? Why is it that we enjoy (come on, admit it) talking about others behind their backs - and why do we enjoy listening to others who do it with us? I think we enjoy backbiting so much because it makes us feel superior. If you and I feel a bit insecure with our friendship to start with, a false intimacy can quickly arise when we both identify a common inferior. For a brief moment we feel better about ourselves as you and I look down together on someone else. In a rather perverse sense, it's one way we go about being accepted by each other.
The Trust Factor -- I can't tell you how very, very secure this made me feel around Arwa. How much respect I had for her! Often I'd see her chatting with a friend, huddling close together and laughing. And I knew, with 100% certainty, that they were not talking negatively about me. Have you ever wondered to yourself, Gosh, if this person finds it so easy to drop little negative comments to me about others, I wonder what she's saying to others about me when I'm not around? I have wondered several times. It takes a little bit of the zing out of enjoying a session of backbiting, knowing that this present momentary thrill of intimacy will most likely be eclipsed by a betrayal in the near future.
I think our great fear about not joining in when gossip starts is that our friend will like us less, will pull back, and will now refrain from sharing other intimate things with us. But that's wrong thinking. In the very short term, it may seem so. But in the long run, if over time we have developed a reputation as people who keep confidences and never backbite, we will find our friendships increasing and deepening.
Think of all the friends you have right now. Who are the ones you feel quite certain do not gossip about you? Who are the ones who wouldn't surprise you if they did talk about you behind your back? Whom do you respect more? Wouldn't it be great if Mumineen had the reputation (at work, at school, with neighbors) of not speaking negatively behind others' backs? We should be more like Arwa. Such a pledge may mean gently changing the topic when we sense backbiting is coming on, or even confronting someone about his or her loose tongue. But most of all we should want to develop the kind of character that takes a secret delight in saying positive things about another person - someone who can trust us to guard our tongue.
If you are unable to do three things, then you must do three (other) things: if you cannot do good, then stop doing evil; if you cannot benefit people, then do not harm them; if you cannot fast, then do not eat the flesh of the people. Remember What Maula who is Quran-e-Natiq quotes from the Quran that a person who does Gibat is like a person who eats the flesh from his brother's dead body.
There are many methods and guises that are employed when one mentions another in a negative way:
Under the pretense of being informative, one could say that it is not one's habit to mention others, except for the sake of relating another's condition to someone. Or one could state that by Allah, indeed so-and-so is one to be pitied, thereby showing superiority over one who is to be rejected. Another method might be to say that so-and-so is a good person; however, he has such and such qualities. Again, one is justified in revealing another's faults. One could also simply state that we should forget so-and-so, and make supplication for their forgiveness as well as our own, intending only to belittle the one that was mentioned. There are some who are jealous about someone and hence backbite- just to criticize and defame him in the company of others.
Some people also backbite for the sake of humor, playfulness and lightheartedness. A person finds a certain amount of satisfaction from being appreciated for his story-telling abilities; speaking ill of someone in a humorous fashion adds flavor to a tale.
Others engage in backbiting by showing surprise and amazement at another's actions: "'How is it that someone could do such a thing?"
Another form of backbiting is relating someone's misfortune to their enemies, so that they, too, may find pleasure in putting them down.
In reality, all these tactics are designed to try to deceive Allah (the Exalted) and to please the creation; and in reality, the many that follow these methods only serve to deceive themselves.
From these examples, one can surmise that backbiting pertains to a disease of the mind... But you can get rid of it through Nuero Linguistic Programming (NLP). NLP is a science which deals with behaviour modification. It deals with your unconscious. Permanent behavior modification can only take place when we reach our unconscious mind. Vows and pledges may help temporary change as this is done at the conscious level. I am an NLP practitioner and offer my khidmat to help whoever wants to bring about any change in behaviour may it be backbiting or any behaviour which maybe against shariat..
May Allah save us from this most evil of actions and protect us from its temptations.
Amte Syedna(TUS)
Nisreen Sh Abbas Merchant
Mumbai
Labels: Deen
Are we dis-respecting the Holy Book
The Holy Quran is respected by billions of people around the globe. Ask a muslim and he will tell you that the place for the Quran al-Majid is the highest in his heart and he does have a very special place to keep it in his home, somewhere high from the ground.
It is sad that no one has ever thought of how we are disrespecting this holiest revelation by printing it's verses in newspapers, palmplets, magazines and other such publications that are often thrown away in the garbage or are found lying on the floor with people often stepping on it or even wrapping stuff, which could be a thing that is not halal even.
The Quran al-Kareem is not supposed to be touched by non-muslims, more-over polytheists but what does happen when its published in wide spread publications. Though this is an altogether different subject but it does matter.
I noticed this fact when I saw Quranic Ayats published in condolence messages. I see that the newsboy had thrown the paper on our doorstep as usual in the morning as I had just finished the Quranic recital and it striked me that we are doing something not supposed to be. As today I saw these pages in garbage and it moved my soul. With due respect I would like to bring this to the notice of the ministry of information and the mass publications as well. Something must be done about this saddening situation.
Labels: Deen
Memory and History
A long time from now, you might not remember this hour. You might not even remember this day, nor even this week or this month.
But you might remember this moment.
Your history is not about the dates you have lived, any more than history class should be about the dates of events. Your history is about the magical moments you create in your mind as you move through your life.
Make as many wonderfully memorable moments as you possibly can.
We all remember our personal past that all of us treasure. Our past experiances, some sweet and sour are easily remembered as we pass through time.
The same is true for the history of the world. People remember an era for prosperity and happiness and not by the dates. Events that have taken place are vital for a common man to learn and not the dates that make our history leason so dry and boring. Humans have the tendency to learn and grow by knowing the past. The prosperity of the past leads us a step forward while our mistakes make us cautious.
History has long been a target to a tug of war between science and art. Masters of these branches of knowledge have tried to pull the magnificient subject to their arena by thier own reasons and views.
The Fatimi philosophy of history revolves and evolves around the Sahib al-Zaman, whose presence is inevatibale at all times. The Fatimi legacy has undoubtedly argued that since the creation of man and his existence on earth the presence of Sahib al-Zaman is a compulsory and profound reason for creation. The Sahib al-Zaman is a guide of mankind towards Allah, the creator and a one who reveals his will to the world.
The question I have personaly raised over years of learning history, both world history and Islamic history, is that are the dates really important. Does the chronology of events really matter to a student of history, and what would be the gains to remembering dates to both the masters of the past and the common man.
Science is a branch of knowledge that looks for evidence and logical analysis. History can be considered its branch if you look at the mechanism and formation of days and night which enetually result in dates. Astronomy and Astrology are both part of history and thus history can be treated as science but not in a way of fact finding and interpretation of the human past.
Art on the other hand is the result of what the human mind perceives from its own experience and belief. A very common phrase can be quoted here "Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder." People have sexed up with history to prove their views and theories and their understanding to satisfy their ego. Its the thought of man the so-called great scholars who have written history according to their beliefs. They have successfully blended the method of scientific research andjustified their view of history by their home made evidence. Thus to an extent history is regarded as Art.
The Fatimi philosophy on the other hand has built its foundation on a generation of the trustworthy people. The generation of Sahib al-Zaman to interprete both world history and that of the human race. It is a philosophy which engulfs both Art and Science in its own unique way. To quote an example from Syedna Qadi al-Noman in Sharh al-Akhbar, he says, "I have collected and written the past from various authors and trustworthy men of the Shiate and Sunnni sects of Islam and finally presented to the Imam. The fact that he establishes are then kept and the rest is removed from my work."
This is why remembering events and the lifetimes of the Sahib al-Zaman is an important aspect of study to a student of the history, and not the dates.
Labels: Deen
Human Rights explained and upheld by the Fatemi culture.
The much talked about chapter in the modern world. Imam Ali Zainul Abideen is said to have shed great light on the subject and it was the earliest period of Islamic history. Islam is indeed a way of life that upholds human values and dignity. The Fatemiyeen have always upheld this law of Islam. The Imam Zainul Abideen (AS) has said to have spoken on various rights that are given to people during their lifetime. Infact during the roles that they have to play during their life time. It should be noted here that Imam Zainul Abidin (AS) is a person who has witnessed life in all its forms and seen clearly through its various perspectives. He was the witness to the historical tragedy of Karbala that brings tears and sorrow to the human eye even this day.
Below is an excerpt from the Imam's (AS) words of great knowledge and guidance.
THE RIGHT OF A TEACHER. A PROVIDER OF KNOWLEDGE.The right of the one who trains you through knowledge is that you should glorify him, and respect him. You should listen well to him, and be responsive, help him for yourself, in the quest for knowledge that you need, by freeing your mind for him, and presenting your understanding to him, and purifying your heart for him, and looking at him by means of abandoning leisures and diminishing lust. You should know that regarding what he teaches you, you are considered as his messenger to teach when you meet the ignorant ones. Therefore, it is binding upon you to render on his behalf properly, and not cheat in the fulfillment of his mission, and strive to deliver what you undertake.
THE RIGHT OF STUDENTS AND DISCIPLESThe right of your disciple is that you should know that Allah established you over them through His grant of knowledge and your authority over His treasures of wisdom. If you conduct your authority properly and treat them just as Allah has treated you with his treasures, byy being a sympathetic counselor who respects his master in the affairs of the slaves, the steadfast good-doer who, when he sees one who is needy, takes some of the property that he has control over to give away. Then you will be matured. And will be hopeful and faithful. Otherwise you will be regarded as betraying Him, and will be unjust to His creation, and will expose yourself to Allah's anger that will seize His Graces and Power from you.
THE RIGHT OF THE IMAM IN SALATThe right of your leader in Salat (Namaaz) is that you should know that he has taken on the role of a mediator between you and Allah and has appeared in the presence of your Lord on your behalf. He speaks for you, but you do not speak for him; and he supplicates for you, but you do not supplicate for him; and he has beseeched for you and you do not beseech for him. And he has spared you the anxiety of standing before Allah and the question of interrogation for your prayer, but you do not spare him that. Should you perform the prayer imperfectly, he protects you and curtains it for you; and if he makes a mistake during the prayer, you shall not share the resposibility. That is why he is deemed superior over you. He protects you through himself, And he protects your prayer through his prayer. Therefore thank him for this.
Labels: Deen
I worry about every mumin - Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS)
"I travel a great deal. I remain away from you for long periods of time, but this separation is only on a physical plane. Be assured that I keep you in my sight, I have placed you in my heart. I swear in the name of Allah and Maula Imam-uz-Zaman that wherever I go, east or west, I have never forgotten you, I have always remembered you, remember you and will go on remembering you. Each day and each night I worry about every mumin, mumina and their children. Might somebody make my children stray from the straight and narrow path? Might somebody snatch away their reputations and dignity ? Might someone hurt their feelings ? Momineen, in this way, I remember you every minute and every second, I am sure, you, my children remember me, too. You love me and it is not possible that you can forget me either; but if under the circumstances of this world, it were ever to happen, even then, be assured that I, Mohammed Burhanuddin, have not for a moment forgotten You, and I never will."
Words of Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin Saheb, T.U.S.
Labels: Deen
MAKKAH'S WATER OF BENISON
Zamzam
Comes the hajj season, and I am reminded of the wonders of aab-i-Zumzum. Let me go back to how it all started.
In 1971, an Egyptian doctor wrote to the European Press, a letter saying that aab-i-Zumzum was not fit for drinking purposes. I immediately thought that this was just a form of prejudice against the Muslims and that since his statement was based on the assumption, that since the Khaan-i-Ka'aba was a shallow place (below sea level) and located in the centre of the city of Makkah, all the waste water of the city collecting through the drains fell into well holding the water.
Fortunately, the news came to Shah Faisal's ears who got extremely angry and decided to disprove the Egyptian doctor's provocative statement. He immediately ordered the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources to investigate and send samples of aab-i-Zumzum to European laboratories for testing the pot-ability of the water. The ministry then instructed the Jeddah Power and Desalination Plants to carry out this task. It was here that I was employed as a de-salting engineer (chemical engineer to produce drinking water from sea water). I was chosen to carry out this assignment.
At this stage, I remember that I had no idea what the well holding the water looked like.
I went to Makkah and reported to the authorities at the Khaan-i-Ka'aba explaining my purpose of visit. They deputed a man to give me whatever help was required. When we reached the well, it was hard for me to believe that a pool of water, more like a small pond, about 18 by 14 feet, was the well that supplied millions of gallons of water every year to hajjis ever since it came into existence at the time of Hazrat Ibrahim, many, many centuries ago. I started my investigations and took the dimensions of the well. I asked the man to show me the depth of the well.
First he took a shower and descended into the water. Then he straightened his body. I saw that the water level came up to just above his shoulders. His height was around five feet, eight inches.He then started moving from one corner to the other in the well (standing all the while since he was not allowed to dip his head into the water) in search of any inlet or pipeline inside the well to see from where the water came in. However, the man reported that he could not find any inlet or pipeline inside the well.
I thought of another idea. The water could be withdrawn rapidly with the help of a big transfer pump which was installed at the well for the aab-i-Zumzum storage tanks. In this way, the water level would drop enabling us to locate the point of entry of the water. Surprisingly, nothing was observed during the pumping period, but I knew that this was the only method by which you could find the entrance of the water to the well. So I decided to repeat the process. But this time I instructed the man to stand still at one place and carefully observe any unusual thing happening inside the well.
After a while, he suddenly raised his hands and shouted,"Alhamdollillah! I have found it. The sand is dancing beneath my feet as the water oozes out of the bed of the well." Then he moved around the well during the pumping period and noticed the same phenomenon everywhere in the well.
Actually the flow of water into the well through the bed was equal at every point, thus keeping the level of the water steady.
After I finished my observations I took the samples of the water for European laboratories to test. Before I left the Khaan-i-Ka'aba, I asked the authorities about the other wells around Makkah. I was told that these wells were mostly dry. When I reached my office in Jeddah I reported my findings to my boss who listened with great interest but made a very irrational comment that the Zumzum well could be internally connected to the Red Sea.How was it possible when Makkah is about 75 kilometres away from the sea and the wells located before the city usually remain dry? The results of the water samples tested by the European laboratories and the one we analysed in our own laboratory were found to be almost identical.
The difference between aab-i-Zumzum and other water (city water) was in the quantity of calcium and magnesium salts. The content of these was slightly higher in aab-i-Zumzum. This may be why this water refreshes tired hajjis, but more significantly, the water contains fluorides that have an effective germicidal action. Moreover, the remarks of the European laboratories showed that the water was fit for drinking. Hence the statement made by the Egyptian doctor was proved false.
When this was reported to Shah Faisal he was extremely pleased and ordered the contradiction of the report in the European Press. In a way, it was a blessing that this study was undertaken to show the chemical composition of the water. In fact, the more you explore, the more wonders surface and you find yourself believing implicitly in the miracles of this water that God bestowed as a gift on the faithfuls coming from far and wide to the desert land for pilgrimage.
Let me sum up some of the features of aab-i-Zumzum.
* This well has never dried up. On the contrary it has always fulfilled the demand for water.
* It has always maintained the same salt composition and taste ever since it came into existence.
* Its potability has always been universally recognised as pilgrims from all over the world visit Khaan-i-Ka'aba every year for hajj and umrah, but have never complained about it. Instead, they have always enjoyed the water that refreshes them.
* Water tastes different at different places.
* Aab-i-Zumzum's appeal has always been universal.
* This water has never been chemically treated or chlorinated as is the case with water pumped into the cities.
* Biological growth and vegetation usually takes place in most wells. This makes the water unpalatable owing to the growth of algae causing taste and odour problems. But in the case of the aab-i-Zumzum well there wasn't any sign of biological growth.
* Centuries ago, Bibi Hajra searched desperately for water in the hills of Sufwa and Murwa to give to her newly-born son Hazrat Ismail. As she ran from one place to another in search of water, her child rubbed his feet against the sand. A pool of water surfaced, and by the grace of God, shaped itself into a well which came to be called aab-i-Zumzum.
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-Sent by Mustafa Mogri.
-Adapted from an article by Mr. Moinuddin Ahmed.
Labels: Deen
Azaan: Call to Prayer
Azaan:
An incredible medium for the proclamation of Tawheed of Almighty Allah and Risaalat of Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, the sound of which constantly echoes around the globe. Amazing though it sounds, but fortunately for the Muslims of the world, it is an established fact. Have a look at a map of the world and you will find Indonesia (an Islamic country) right on the eastern side of the earth's central land mass. Indonesia consists of numerous small islands, the principle ones amongst them being Java, Sumatra, Borneo and Saibil, all of which are well known. It is the largest country in the world, with 180 million inhabitants. The number of non-Muslims here is negligible. As soon as dawn breaks on the eastern side of Saibil, at approximately 5:30 am local time, Fajar Azaan begins. Thousands of Muezzins in eastern Indonesia commence proclaiming the Tawheed (oneness) of the Almighty, Omnipotent and Omniscient Allah and Risaalat (Universal Apostleship) of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallim. The process then continues and advances towards the Western Islands of Indonesia. The time difference between the eastern and western islands of Indonesia is one and a half hours. Hence, one and a half hours after the Azaan has been completed in Saibil, it echoes in Jakarta on Java Island. Sumatra then follows suit and before this auspicious process of calling Azaan ends in Indonesia, it has already begun in Malaysia. Burma is next in line, and within an hour of its commencement in Jakarta, it reaches Dacca, the capital city of Bangladesh. No sooner the calling of Azaan ends in Bangladesh, it has already prevailed in western India, from Calcutta to Srinagar. It then advances towards Bombay and the environment of entire India resounds with this august proclamation. Srinagar and Sialkot (a city in north Pakistan) have the same timing for Azaan. The time difference between Sialkot, Kota, Karachi and Gowadar city in Baluchistan, and a province of Pakistan) is forty minutes, and within this time, Fajar Azaan is heard throughout Pakistan. Before it ends there, however, it has already begun in Afghanistan and Muscat. The time difference between Muscat and Baghdad is one hour. Azaan resounds during this one hour in the environments of Hijaaz-e-Muqaddas (Holy cities of Makkah and Madinah), Yemen, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Iraq. The time difference between Baghdad and Alexandria in Egypt is again one hour. Azaan continues to resound in Syria, Egypt, Somalia and Sudan during this hour. Alexandria and Istanbul are situated on the same geographical longitude. The time difference between eastern and western Turkey is one and a half hours, and during this time it is echoed with the call to prayer. Alexandria and Tripoli (capital of Libya) are located at an hour difference from one another. The process of calling Azaan thus continues throughout the whole of Africa. Therefore, the proclamation of the Oneness of Allah and the Prophethood of Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam that had begun in the eastern islands of Indonesia reaches the Eastern Shore of the Atlantic Ocean after nine and a half hours. Prior to the Azaan reaching the shores of the Atlantic, the process of Zohar Azaan has already commenced in eastern Indonesia, and before it reaches Dacca, Asar Azaan has started. This has hardly reached Jakarta one and half hours later, and then the time of Magrib becomes due, and no sooner has Magrib time reached Sumatra, then the time for calling Isha Azaan has commenced in Saibil! When the Muezzins of Indonesia are calling out Fajar Azaan, the Muezzins in Africa are calling out the Azaan for Isha.
If we were to ponder over this phenomenon seriously and studiously, we would conclude the amazing fact that there is not a single moment when few thousands if not hundreds of thousands of Muezzins around the world are not proclaiming the Oneness of Almighty Allah and the Apostleship of the noble Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam on the surface of this earth!
Labels: Deen
Architechture of al-Jamea Tus Saifiyah
Al Jamea-tus-Saifiyah is a response to the way of life and thought of the Bohra community. The building complex attempts to embody the high Muslim ideals and values which this institution strives to inculcate in its students. Through form and materials, structure and layout, it tries to reinforce these ideals and values. To be successful it must not only provide all the facilities required by a modern residential academy for young men and women, but its very fabric and disposition should facilitate and contribute toward their physical, intellectual and spiritual growth.
Just as in life the controlling force is the will of Allah, so here the whole complex centres around the Masjid. Its dominance is underscored by the fact that all the buildings follow its Qibia orientation. It lies at the heart of the campus, with the Minar on its central axis facing it. Around the courtyard between Masjid and Minar are those parts of the Jamea devoted to its next most important concern, education - the classroom block, the library and the seminar room. Other more social or private areas such as the dining hall and residential blocks lie beyond but because of their orientation they also relate strongly to the Masjid.
The solid stone of the Masjid, inside and out, contrasts with the white walls of the other buildings, distinguishing it further. This stone is meant to convey a sense of the unadulterated strength and purity of the Muslim tradition and the character of the Mujahids which this institution intends to produce. The Fatimi detailing of arches and columns is not ornamentation; it is there as testimony that the spirit of tenth century Egypt, the period of the greatest achievements of the Bohris' forbears, continues up to today as a living force.
The hierarchic organization of this disciplined community of masters and students is reflected in a hierarchy of scale and spaces, both within and outside the buildings. There is, for example, a progression from the loftiness of the Masjid to the high ceilings of the academic areas to the domestic proportions of the living quarters, and from the large sahan of the Masjid to the much smaller courtyards within the hostel blocks.
Because the location is suburban, the buildings spread out rather than rising high, so as to harmonize with the surrounding neighborhood, while at the same time their Qibla axis sets them apart. The highest feature, the Minar, has been placed at the end of two streets at right angles in order to finish these streets with something of visual interest and to contribute as much as possible to the environment.
Overall the aim has been to create a work which is not only appropriate to the functions of the Jamea and to our present age but, more significantly, appropriate to the spiritual needs and historical traditions of Bohra Muslims.
Labels: Deen
والذي أخرج المرعى فجعله غثاء احوى
The Holy Quran foretells about the Oil
Allah Subhanahu Says: " (Your Lord) who brought forth the pasturage, then turned it into a black gussa (floodwater)."
Reading these verses, a person who knows geology will immediately perceive that this sentence is describing Oil. Of course, the important thing is that this information is provided in the Quran, sent down 14 centuries ago. As everyone knows, the first Flora on earth was the giant ferns and pastures of algae. These vast pasture, the forerunners of life on earth, were later pushed underground through great geological upheavals, and transformed into Oil through a special process of chemical reduction.
Fields of ferns were the first of the vast pastures to be formed on earth. If these pastures had remained as they were, the oxygen in the atmosphere would have increased uncontrollably and the atmosphere would have ignited at some point. In accordance with the measure and preordination explains in verse 3 of the same Surah, all the flora was buried underground after fulfilling its function. It was transformed into gussa (oil) under the influence of the great geological events. Hence, subjects that could fill volumes have been summarized as major headings in these verses. The science of geology accepts that 5 billion years have elapsed since the primeval fireball stage of the earth. This time has been into four classic eras, and these have been subdivided extensively into various periods. The first, encrusted, period of the earth is excluded from these four eras. This era is believed to have lasted 4.5 billion years.
The first era is estimated at half a billion years. In general, this was the age of the giant flora, and petroleum was also formed in this era. There is general agreement that the second period lasted 170 million years and the third, 65 million years. The fourth period is recognized as pertaining to the present form of the earth, with the history of 2.5 million years. Various methods are used for computing these periods. Oil was mainly formed by the decomposition of coastal ferns and algae trapped between rock strata through the action of various bacteria. Several theories exist about the formation and accumulation of oil, none of which is proved unequivocally. It has been claimed that seaweed also played an important part in oil formation. Of course this view would also conform the sacred verse. These latter views on oil are more significant. According to these views, oil was formed by the decomposition of seaweed and the coastal algae and fern, and then accommodated itself to the structure of the geological strata, flowing as rivers to form subterranean lakes of oil. As a result, the remains of small sea animals can sometimes be found in oil beds.
Let us now reread the sacred verse: "And then He turned it into black flood water" Oil, which is a black fluid, flows in black subterranean rivers. "Floodwater" is the clearest expression describing this underground flow of oil. Hence this verse has also informed us of the flow of oil rivers, called 'oil migration' in the industry, 14 centuries ago!
(Excerpts from "Verses from The Holy Quran and the facts of science")
Labels: Deen
