Real or Illusion?

God made the illusion look real and the real an illusion. He concealed the sea and made the foam visible, the wind invisible, and the dust manifest. You see the dust whirling, but how can the dust rise by itself? You see the foam, but not the ocean.

Invoke Him with deeds, not words, for deeds are real and will save you in the afterlife.

-Rumi, "Mathnawi"

What Should a Teacher Look Like?

For all of us who yearn to know the qualities of a great teacher, we just have to read about the many illuminaries that Allah has brought mankind throughout the history of Islam. Here's one good example...

"Shaykh `Ali al-Shabramallisi may Allah be pleased with him) became one of the greatest scholars of his age in all the religious discplines, but especially in the Shafi`i school of Sacred Law. He was someone that the scholars of his age returned to in order to solve difficult issues, and he had a powerful memory and a sharp understanding.

The noble traits that his biographers mention about him include the following:

(1) He was extremely gentle and forbearing, to the extent that no one recalls him ever having spoken any harsh word to any of his students, despite the time and energy that he would put into teaching them. If one of his students said something to displease him, the worst thing that he would say was, "May Allah rectify your state, O so-and-so." He was pleasant to speak to and interact with, and he would not talk about anything that did not concern him.

(2) He commanded respect and reverence from everyone to the extent that anyone who saw his illuminated face, his white beard, and his beautiful appearance would feel humbled and and would not want to part company with him. When he walked in the marketplace, people--Muslim and non-Muslim--would crowd and compete with one another to kiss his hand out of respect for him.

(3) He was unattached to the world. His gatherings were completely free of backbiting or speaking ill of people. He was so unconcerned with the affairs of the world that he wasn't aware of the latest happenings and he wouldn't spend time with people of worldly influence except in order to use his own standing to put in a good word for those in need. He used to spend all of his time reviewing sacred knowledge, reciting the Quran, praying, and worship.

(4) He would not get annoyed with investigating answers to difficult questions during his lessons. Rather, he would get upset if the students would not investigate these issues with him. If he investigated an objection to one of the early scholars, he would do it with the utmost respect.

Shaykh `Ali Shabramallisi used to say, "A single carat of proper behavior (adab) is better than 24 carats of knowledge." - Shaykh Amjad Rasheed

May Allah bless you and be pleased with you Shaykh 'Ali....

When reason reaches its peak...

When reason reaches its peak and the souls of His lovers feel helpless and disabled, they grow restless and stretch their hands in supplication, seeking comfort for their burning souls. When every manner of search within their power has been consumed, the doorway to Him is opened.

-Al-Hujwiri, "The Kashf al-Mahjub"

The Earth is Fixed! And Other Wahhabi Knee-Slappers...

In support of the notion that Wahhabism is anti-intellectual/anti-reason/anti-science and thus anti-Islam:

"Abd al-Aziz bin Baz was the chief cleric of Saudi Arabia, the head of the Council of Senior Religious Scholars for three decades. He had a great impact on the passing of regressive and oppressive laws in Saudi Arabia, including the ban on women's driving. A book authored by Bin Baz was published in 1975 carried the following title: "Scientific and Narrative Evidence for that the Earth is Fixed, the Sun is Moving and it is Possible to Go to the Planets." The book was not published by any publishing house; it was published by none other than the Islamic University of Medina.

In that book, Bin Baz complains about a new heresy; he is saddened to see, well more accurately, hear, people talking about motion of the earth and he wants to put a stop to that heresy. In page 23, Bin Baz after listing some hadiths issues a fatwa, asserting that those who believe that the earth is rotating are kafirs (disbelievers), and if they were Muslims before they become apostate. The Saudi leader does not stop there and explains the ramification of fatwa: any Muslim believing in the rotation of earth lose his or her right to life and property; they should be killed!

Bin Baz, in his book, quoted some verses and many hadith to support his position that the earth is fixed. After his expressing the religious verdict of death penalty for the apostates who believe in a moving earth, he included the following reasoning as his scientific evidence:

"If the world was rotating as they assert, countries, mountains, trees, rivers, seas, nothing would be stable; humans would see the countries in the west in the east, the ones in the east in the west. The position of the qibla would change continuously. In sum, as you see, this claim is false in many respects. But, I do not wish to prolong my words.""

- Edip Yuksel

Pure Awareness

The implication here is awareness, constant, perpetual, self-effulgent awareness for its own sake, and not an awareness of any particular created thing. Awareness of something is ghaflah –غفله – (distraction), because of it we will miss some other thing. But if we have a pure awareness, then we are open and made available, and the knowledge we need in any circumstance will come to us...

If we are sensitive enough, we find meaning in every breath, and then every occurrence that takes place in front of us has meaning. But we are generally insensitive, and if we do not see it as it passes, then it is gone forever and we have missed it…Every split second Allah is giving us a meaning in order to show us the total ecological balance in this existence, the mizan – ميذن - (balance)."

- Sheikh Fadhlalla Haeri

The Goal of Religion is Alchemy

In Alchemy it is said that a first minimum portion of gold is needed to enable the transformative process from lead into gold. It is the basic yearning for nearness with Allah, the Source of everything. This first godsend of Allah is required to enable the transformation from urge-driven human beings into believers. Every human being is in possession of this "start-capital" that he or she has received as a gift from Allah. Therefore we have to respect each individual person for being a carrier of this gift, this potential for transformation, even though thick layers of personality may cover it.

Religion is meant to support this transformation. Religion reaches far beyond our intellectual capacity, and its ultimate value cannot be comprehended by the mind.

- Peter Huseyin Cunz

Tawhid Involves Reconciling Apparent Duality...

Tawhid involves reconciling that which is apparently irreconcilable, there are mutualities between us and the people of Isa (as) and between us and the people of Musa (as). Let us accentuate those mutualities in a bid to revive the spirit of tawhid, to revive the dream of virtue and take on the characteristic of Allah Subhana Wa Tala. Why have we shortchanged ourselves and not aspire to that aspiration? This is a question we must ask ourselves.

The Prophet (pbuh) says if you find people without aspiration, leave them. The mu’min by definition is a visionary, he is by definition someone who is living beyond the apparent and who’s reference point is in the hereafter. Is that our reference point? Is that our reference in the way in which we interact with ourselves? Our reference point in the way we interact with others? We must have rahma upon ourselves and have mercy upon the creation of Allah and Allah will have mercy upon you.

- Imam Luqman Ali

On Tawhid and Shari'ah

...This is the completion of the message of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh), that Allah Subhana Wa Tala is transcendent, He is majestic, and He is also beautiful. He is also closer to us than closeness and more approximate to us than we can imagine. The entirety of the deen and the Sharia is designed to minimise and bring to an absolute minimum, the inherent conflict in duality. If our Sharia results in the division of people, it is not tawhidi Sharia, it is not a tawhidi deen. It is Sharia being used by people for other ends, for power and other such corruptions.

- Imam Luqman Ali

The One You Desire is Before You...

This long journey can be shortened for you,
If you sit in The Presence.
The One you desire is before you,
Become eyes to see Him, surrender your thoughts of Him.
Because to think is to be thrown afar,
The Friend does not associate with otherness.

- Sheikh Mahmoud Shabistary

Five Things to Focus On...

Dhu'l-Nun was asked: "What causes a devotee to be worthy of entrance to paradise?"
He said: "One merits entrance to paradise by five things: unwavering constancy, unflagging effort, meditation on God in solitude and society, anticipating death by preparing provision for the hereafter, and bringing oneself to account before one is brought to judgment."

-'Attar, "Tadhkirat"

What is Soul?

What is soul?
Soul is conscious of good and evil, rejoicing over kindness, weeping over injury.
Since consciousness is the inmost nature and essence of the soul,
the more aware you are the more spiritual you are.
Awareness is the effect of the spirit:
anyone who has this in abundance is a man or woman of God.

-Mathnawi [VI, 148-150]

Persistence

Whether you are fast or slow, eventually you will find what you are seeking. Always devote yourself wholeheartedly to your search. Even though you may limp or be bent double, do not abandon your search, but drag yourself ever toward Him.

- Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi(rahmatullahi 'alayhi)

Beware the Invalid Aqidah of Wahhabism

Shaykh Jamil Effendi al-Zahawi al-Hanbali al-Makki on Wahhabism:

"... These verses [of the Qur'an] he [i.e. Muhammed ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab] interpreted in his own obscure fashion, having the gall to stand before Allah and facilitate the accomplishment of his own personal political ambitions by means of an unwarranted and unjustified exegesis of His holy text. His method here mostly consisted in applying these verses concerning the idolaters to Muslims and on this basis declaring that they had been disbelievers for the last six hundred years, that one may shed their blood with impunity and confiscate their property and reduce their land, the Abode of Islam, (Dar al-Islam) to a field of war against disbelief (Dar al-Harb)."

Sounds a lot like what we're up against today.... Using the Qur'an to declare war and unbelief against anyone that disagrees with them.... They are nothing but wolves in sheeps' clothing hoodwinking most of the Muslims because of our ignorance and tribalism... And how many 'imams' around us make du'a for these 'mujahideen' of calamity and suffering, while actually believing that they are fighting for Allah's sake as opposed to their own fascist political agendas (i.e. nafs)? I cannot support nor excuse fascism, whether it comes from Western leaders or Muslims... Right is right and wrong is wrong (Qur'an, 2:224; 5:8; 6:152; 16:09)...

The Shaykh continues:

"One of Ibn `Abd al-Wahhab's more enormous stupidities is this: When he sees reason going against his claims, he casts aside all modesty and suspends reason giving it no role in his judgment. He endeavors thereby to make people like dumb beasts when it comes to matters of faith. He prohibits reason to enter into religious affairs despite the fact that there is no contradiction between reason and faith. On the contrary, whenever human minds reach their full measure of completeness and perfection, religion's merits and prerogatives with regard to reason become totally manifest. Is there in this age, an age of the mind's progress, anything more abominable than denying reason its proper scope, especially when the cardinal pivot of religion and the capacity to perform its duties is based on the ability to reason? For the obligation to carry out the duties of Islam falls away when mental capacity is absent. Allah has addressed his servants in many places in the Qur'an: "O you who possess understanding" (cf. 65:10) alerting them to the fact that knowledge of the realities of religion is only a function of those possessed of minds.

"Now the time has come for me to give a summation of the vain and empty prattle of the renegade Wahhabi sect which it aspires to issue as a doctrine. Next, I shall discuss it in terms of the research that has been brought in its rebuttal and refute its argument. Their invalid creed consists of a number of articles:

1 - Affirming the face, hand, and spatial direction of the Creator and making Him a body that
descends and ascends;
2 - Making principles derived from narration (naql) prior to those derived from reason (`aql);
3 - Denial and rejection of consensus as a principle (asl) of Shari`a legislation;
4 - Similar denial and rejection of analogy (qiyas);
5 - Not permitting copying and emulating the judgments of the Imams who have in Islam the
status of those capable of exercising independent reasoning in matters of Shari`a;
6 - Declaring Muslims who contradict them disbelievers;
7 - Prohibition of using the name of the Messenger in petitions to Allah or the name of someone
else among the friends of Allah and the pious;
8 - Making the visiting of the tombs of prophets and of pious people illicit;
9 - Declaring a Muslim a disbeliever who makes a vow to someone other than Allah or sacrifices
at the grave or final resting place of awliya or the pious."

- Shaykh Jamil Effendi al-Zahawi al-Hanbali al-Makki

The Knowledge of Muhammad (SAW)

"Anyone not learned in the Knowledge of Muhammad dies insisting on unforgivable sin."
~ Sufi saying ~

This is an affirmation of the Sufi knowledge that he (Muhammad) is the first and the last of the saviours of souls. This is not a statement of exclusivity but of inclusivity, for the Healing or Salvation brought by the knowledge of Muhammad emcompasses, embraces and loves the knowledge of salvation and healing brought by all other prophets, saints and guides to this way of reality.

There IS only one way, the way of personal salvation and it is the personal way, the way of choosing to be in that way, to seperate yourself from ignorance, and join with the people of salvation. For salvation of the soul is attained only by the personal choice to realize and accept the Forgiveness of God, and through communion, accepting the guidance, tuteledge and education of the teachers of this way; by being saved, and by being among those sent to guide, tutor and educate others in the ways of Surrender to God's Mercy, Forgiveness and Abundance.

Hence the Muslim call to prayer is "come to Service and Worship, and come to True Success and Prosperity. "

- Ali Ansari

Whose Touching Our Hearts?

Hidden creatures good and bad always touch the heart. The touch of the angel is inspiration; Satanic touches temptations untold. Tarry with patience until your confusion is resolved and you know whom you rejected and who became the leader of your heart.

-Rumi, "Mathnawi"

Practicing Youth Development: Teaching Young People to Strive and 'Follow Their Bliss'

On the death of Ed Bradley...

"Born June 22, 1941, Bradley grew up in a tough section of Philadelphia, where he once recalled that his parents worked 20-hour days at two jobs apiece. "I was told, `You can be anything you want, kid,'" he once told an interviewer. "When you hear that often enough, you believe it."

The above quote serves as support for the importance of having high expectations for children and young people. Youth development research tells us that adults who have high expectations for their kids, and support them accordingly, play a major role in nurturing resiliency in young people, particularly those that grow up in at-risk environments. Resilient youth are those that are able to succeed where so many others fail; who can pick themselves up when they are knocked down and who are less likely to fall victim to the lures of vice and unhealthy lifestyles. Resilient youth do not denigrate themselves because they know their own self-worth; they believe in the words of the adults that nurtured them and taught them that they can be something. To teach someone that they can be something implies that they already are something. Thus, if we teach our children how honored they are to be in the human family, how special a gift their life is, that Allah himself created them as the pinnacle of His magnificent creation and His khalifah, and raise and support them according to this mindset, they will believe it and expect of themselves excellence in life.

Teaching young people to follow their bliss means encouraging them to pursue that inner drive and direction about which the Prophet (SAW) said: "Act, for each of you will find easy that for which he was created" (Muslim). Don't deny young people this divine gift by forcing them to be something that they are not inclined to. Surrender to the God-given fitra that lies within and nurture young people to actualize themselves according to their divinely-created nature. Then, support them and guide them along this path of theirs and help them to learn about themselves along the way. Education, in the end, is ultimately about knowing oneself and "He who knows himself, knows his Lord." So let's practice youth development by encouraging and supporting our young people along the path of self-discovery, self-realization and self-actualization.

Islam is the Medicine the World Needs

If we Muslims simply see ourselves as healers, not warriors, and see Islam as the medicine, not the weapon, and learn to apply it, like all medicines, with a judicious perspective on the nature of disease and disharmony, then we will be successful in our endeavors to have the world understand the benefits and healing nature of Islam.

- Ali Ansari

Comprehend Your Relationship with Allah

Behold the words of the Qur'an:
"We are closer to you than you are yourself."
Comprehend your relationship with God!
He is closer to us than our own selves.
Yet through ignorance we search for Him
Wandering from door to door.

- Anonymous

Understanding Allah and Opposites

God created suffering and heartache, so that joy might be known as their opposite. Hidden things become manifest through their opposites. But God has no opposite; so he remains hidden. Light is known as the opposite of darkness. But God's light has no opposite. Thus we cannot know him through our eyes.

-Rumi, "Mathnawi"

Reason and Knowledge

"Reason is that wherein man goes before all other earthly creatures and comes after God only.... For whereas God ... hath furnished other creatures, some with hoofs, others with other instruments, and weapons both defensive and offensive, man is left naked, and destitute of all these, but may comfort himself in that one endowment of reason...whereby he is able to govern them all."

- John Robinson


In Islam "...logic is an aspect of truth and Truth (Al-Haqq) is a name of God." (Nasr, Living Sufism). The use of logic is like the use of a rung in a ladder - properly used it can help man move upward along the vertical axis of his being. Reason is an innate ability within man which encompasses logic and which can propel him rapidly upwards along the vertical dimension. But in order to do this reason must be free of the taint of man's animal, material propensities. Otherwise reason can be subverted to provide spurious justification for man to attain his desires in whatever realm his desires may fall. Reason and correct knowledge must go hand in hand. "....one who has no reason secures no success. He who has no (correct) knowledge has no (correct) reasoning....A person devoid of reason cannot be conceived of except as a corpse." (Al-Kafi, The Book of Reason and Ignorance)

- Irshaad Hussein