Ramadhan Reminders...

"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may (learn) self-restraint."
[Al-Baqara, 2:183]

Soon inshAllah, the graceful month of Ramadhan will be upon us. It is the month chosen by Allah سبحانه وتعالى as a month of fasting. He سبحانه وتعالى favoured this month over all other months by making it the month of mercy and reverence for all the believers. Indeed, Ramadhan is the most superior of all months: the one in which Allah سبحانه وتعالى commenced His final revelation - the Qur'an.

In the month of Ramadhan we read the Qur'an everyday and recite it at length during the Taraweeh. But do we understand and practice this Qur'an? Aisha (ra) described the Prophet's صلى الله عليه وسلم character as being the walking Qur'an. Do our characters reflect the message of the Qur'an? Do we implement it in our lives? Do we feel its weight on our shoulders?

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:

لَوْ أَنزَلْنَا هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى جَبَلٍ لَّرَأَيْتَهُ خَاشِعًا مُّتَصَدِّعًا مِّنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ وَتِلْكَ الْأَمْثَالُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

"Had We sent down this Qur'an on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and split asunder (crumbling) by the fear of Allah. Such are the parables that We put forward to mankind that they may reflect." [Al-Hashr, 59:21]

Allah سبحانه وتعالى reveals to mankind that had He sent the Qur'an upon a mighty mountain many times the size of a man it would crumble in the fear of Allah سبحانه وتعالى! Do we, in our petty and insignificant stature, then feel humbled by the Qur'an, which was revealed to us and not the mountains? Do we live by the commands and prohibitions that Allah سبحانه وتعالى has laid down in the Qur'an, His final revelation?

If Allah سبحانه وتعالى Wills, we will fast this month, but will we be alive to see the next Ramadhan? Will this be our last chance to taste the Mercy of Allah سبحانه وتعالى within this blessed month? We should assess our behaviour and actions and reflect whether the Day we meet Allah سبحانه وتعالى will be our best Day or will it be a Day of disaster? Every one of us will meet Allah سبحانه وتعالى alone; with no parents to protect us and no wealth to save us. Allah سبحانه وتعالى has revealed:

يَوْمَ يَفِرُّ الْمَرْءُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ
وَأُمِّهِ وَأَبِيهِ
وَصَاحِبَتِهِ وَبَنِيهِ
لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مِّنْهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ شَأْنٌ يُغْنِيهِ

"That Day shall a man flee from his own brother, And from his mother and his father, And from his wife and his children, Each one of them, that Day, will have enough concern (of his own) to make him indifferent to the others." [‘Abasa, 80:34-37]

We will only have our actions in this life. So let us look back to the year that has passed and reflect. Let us look at what we did right according to Islam so we can continue doing them, and look at what we did wrong so that we can ask Allah سبحانه وتعالى for forgiveness and strive not to repeat them again. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

"If comes Ramadan, the gates of Heaven are opened, the gates of hell are locked, and the devils are chained." [Bukhari & Muslim]

Based on this hadith, the scholars say that Heaven literally opens its doors and Hell closes its doors and the shayateen are chained! So the only enemy we have to overcome is our Nafs (inner desires).

Let us use this opportunity in which the shayateen are chained to overcome our Nafs and get accustomed to obeying Allah سبحانه وتعالى in all actions of life without exceptions, whether we are at the masjid or in the school, whether we are at home or at work, whether we are buying a house or selling a car. In short, we must follow Islam in all aspects of our lives.

Ramadhan is also a great opportunity to seek Islamic knowledge and increase our awareness of the Islamic culture. The more we are aware of Islam the better chance we have to run our lives according to it. Allah سبحانه وتعالى revealed:

إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاء

"Those truly fear Allah, among His Servants, who have knowledge." [Al-Faatir, 35:28]

In the month of Ramadhan, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to study the Qur'an every night with the Angel Jibreal. Al-Bukhari and Muslim reported that Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, had said: "The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was the most generous of people. He used to be the most generous in Ramadhan when he would meet with angel Jibreal and study the Qur'an with him. Angel Jibreal would meet with the Prophet every night in Ramadhan to teach him the Qur'an. The Prophet was so generous when he met with Jibreal, more generous than the wind that brings rain." Imam Ah-mad added to this narration: "And nothing he was asked for but he would give it." Furthermore, Al-Bayhaqi reported that 'Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, had said, "When Ramadhan would start, the Prophet would release all prisoners of war and fulfil the need of every person who would ask him for something."

Let us seek knowledge in this blessed month by studying the meaning of the ayat of the Glorious Qur'an. Let us read about the life of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and his companions (ra): how they lived their lives, how they sacrificed life and limb to make the Word of Allah سبحانه وتعالى supreme. Let us remember Musab ibn Umayr (ra): the sahabi who went from being the richest man to the poorest - so poor that when died he did not own enough clothes to cover his own body. Why did he face such a situation? Because he realized the promise of Allah سبحانه وتعالى is true. Let us read about the rules of interaction in Islam whether in trade, finance, agriculture or others. Let us see what Islam says about the relationships between men and women, family and children. Islam is a complete way of life and in this blessed month let's make the sincere intention to cover some parts of Islam that we lack knowledge of.

Let us use this opportunity to extend the bridges of brother-hood and earn rewards by inviting Muslims for Iftar as the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has said:

"He who feeds a fasting person will gain the same reward as he will, without decreasing from the fasting person's rewards." [Ahmad]

The month of Ramadhan in the time of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was a time of purification, enjoining the good, forbidding evil and striving hard with one's life and wealth to make the word of Allah the highest. After the death of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, Muslims carried this Sunnah on and Allah the Majestic used the believers to affect the course of history.

Ramadhan was a time of intense activity, spending the day on the saddle and the night in prayer, while calling upon Allah for His Mercy and Forgiveness. This was the spirit of Ramadhan that enabled our righteous forefathers to face seemingly impossible challenges.

So let us make this month of Ramadhan the month of prayer, the month of worship, the month of recitation of Qur'an, the month of giving Zakah, the month of strengthening the relations between our relatives, the month of generosity and goodness to the needy, the month of being aware of our speech and actions, the month of re-invigorating our relationship with Allah سبحانه وتعالى and purifying our hearts, the month of increasing our knowledge of Qur'an, Sunnah and Fiqh, and the month of engaging in the da'wa to implement the Qur'an and the Sunnah on earth.

May Allah the Most Glorious One make us that generation of Muslims who lay the proper foundations of the Islamic rule for the coming generations and make us of those who carry out our Islam during Ramadhan and beyond.

يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ
ارْجِعِي إِلَى رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً
فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي
وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي

"To the righteous soul will be said: ‘O (thou) soul, in (complete) rest and satisfaction! Come back thou to thy Lord, - well pleased (thyself), and well-pleasing unto Him! Enter thou, then, among My devotees! Yea, enter thou My Heaven.'" [Al-Fajr, 89:27-30]

Being Spiritually Intelligent...

The significant problems that we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.

- Albert Einstein

Ramadhan Daily Du'a

Ramadan Dua: DAY 1

ALLAH, on this day make my fasts the fasts of those who fast (sincerely), and my standing up in prayer of those who stand up in prayer (obediently), awaken me in it from the sleep of the heedless, and forgive me my sins , O God of the worlds, and forgive me, O one who forgives the sinners.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 2

ALLAH, on this day, take me closer towards Your pleasure, keep me away from Your anger and punishment, grant me the opportunity to recite Your verses (of the Qur'an), by Your mercy, O the most Merciful.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 3

ALLAH, on this day, grant me wisdom and awareness, keep me away from foolishness and pretension, grant me a share in every blessing You send down, by You generosity, O the most Generous.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 4

ALLAH, on this day, strengthen me in carrying out Your commands, let me taste the sweetness of Your remembrance, grant me, through Your graciousness, that I give thanks to You. Protect me, with Your protection and cover, O the most discerning of those who see.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 5

ALLAH, on this day, place me among those who seek forgiveness. Place me among Your righteous and obedient servants, and place me among Your close friends, by Your kindness, O the most Merciful.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 6

ALLAH, on this day, do not let me abase myself by incurring Your disobedience, and do not strike me with the whip of Your punishment, keep me away from the causes of Your anger, by and Your power, O the ultimate wish of those who desire.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 7

ALLAH, on this day, help me with its fasts and prayers, and keep me away from mistakes and sins of the day, grant me that I remember You continuously through the day, by Your assistance, O the Guide of those who stray.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 8

ALLAH, on this day, let me have mercy on the orphans, and feed [the hungry], and spread peace, and keep company with the noble-minded, O the shelter of the hopeful.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 9

ALLAH, on this day, grant me a share from Your mercy which is wide, guide me towards Your shining proofs, lead me to Your all encompassing pleasure, by Your love, O the hope of the desirous.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 10

ALLAH, on this day, make me, among those who rely on You, from those who You consider successful, and place me among those who are near to you, by Your favor, O goal of the seekers.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 11

ALLAH, on this day, make me love goodness, and dislike corruption and disobedience, bar me from anger and the fire [of Hell], by Your help, O the helper of those who seek help

Ramadan Dua: DAY 12

ALLAH, on this day, beautify me with covering and chastity, cover me with the clothes of contentment and chastity, let me adhere to justice and fairness, and keep me safe from all that I fear, by Your protection, O the protector of the frightened.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 13

ALLAH, on this day, purify me from un-cleanliness and dirt, make me patient over events that are decreed, grant me the ability to be pious, and keep company with the good, by Your help, O the beloved of the destitute.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 14

ALLAH, on this day, do not condemn me for slips, make me decrease mistakes and errors, do not make me a target for afflictions and troubles, by Your honor, O the honor of the Muslims.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 15


Ramadan Dua: DAY 16

ALLAH, on this day, grant me compatibility with the good, keep me away from patching up with the evil, lead me in it, by Your mercy, to the permanent abode, by Your God ship, O the God of the worlds.


Ramadan Dua: DAY 17

ALLAH, on this day, guide me towards righteous actions, fulfill my needs and hopes, O One who does not need explanations nor questions, O One who knows what is in the chests of the (people of the) world. Bless Muhammad and his family, the Pure.


Ramadan Dua: DAY 18

ALLAH, on this day, make me love goodness, and dislike corruption and disobedience, bar me from anger and the fire [of Hell], by Your help, O the helper of those who seek help.


Ramadan Dua: DAY 19

ALLAH, on this day, multiply for me its blessings, and ease my path towards its bounties, do not deprive me of the acceptance of its good deeds, O the Guide towards the clear truth.


Ramadan Dua: DAY 20

ALLAH, on this day, open for me the doors of the heavens, and lock the doors of Hell from me, help me to recite the Qur'an, O the One who sends down tranquility into the hearts of believers.



Ramadan Dua: DAY 21

ALLAH, on this day, show me the way to win Your pleasure, do not let Shaytan have a means over me, make Paradise an abode and a resting place for me, O the One who fulfills the requests of the needy.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 22

ALLAH, on this day, open for me the doors of Your Grace, send down on me its blessings, help me towards the causes of Your mercy, and give me a place in the comforts of Paradise, O the one who answers the call of the distressed.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 23

ALLAH, on this day, wash away my sins, purify me from all flaws, examine my heart with (for) the piety of the hearts, O One who overlooks the shortcomings of the sinners.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 24

ALLAH, on this day, I ask You for what pleases You, and I seek refuge in You from what displeases You, I ask You to grant me the opportunity to obey You and not disobey You, O One who is generous with those who ask

Ramadan Dua: DAY 25

ALLAH, on this day, make me among those who love Your friends, and hate Your enemies, following the way of Your last Prophet, O the Guardian of the hearts of the Prophets.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 26

ALLAH, on this day, make my efforts worthy of appreciation, and my sins forgiven, my deeds accepted, my flaws concealed, O the best of those who hear.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 27

ALLAH, on this day, bestow on me the blessings of Laylatul Qadr, change my affairs from (being) difficult to (being) easy, accept my apologies, and decrease for me [my] sins and burdens, O the Compassionate with His righteous servants.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 28

ALLAH, on this day, grant me a share in its nawafil (recommended prayers), honor me by attending to my problems, make closer the means to approach You, from all the means, O One who is not preoccupied by the requests of the beseechers.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 29

O ALLAH, on this day, cover me with Your mercy, grant me in it success and protection, purify my heart from the darkness of false accusations, O the Merciful to His believing servants.

Ramadan Dua: DAY 30

O ALLAH, on this day, make my fasts worthy of appreciation and acceptance, according to what pleases You, and pleases the Messenger, the branches being strengthened by the roots, for the sake of our leader, Muhammad, and his purified family. Praise be to ALLAH, the Lord of the worlds.

Ramadhan Checklist

A Ramadhan Checklist

1. Ask Allah to enable you to reach Ramadan and to get the most out of it as the Salaf used to do.

2. Intend to fast every day with Iman and pure intention seeking the reward from Allah alone. The Prophet peace be upon him said, "Whoever fasts in Ramadan with Iman and seeking reward (from Allah) his past sins will be forgiven". (Bukhari)

3. Read the whole Qur'an at least once as the Prophet peace be upon him did.

4. Have Suhoor as the Prophet peace be upon him said, "Have Suhoor because it is blessed".

5. Make Du'a during the fast because the Prophet peace be upon him said that three people's supplication is not rejected one of them is the fasting person. Ask for the good of this life and the next for yourself, your family and Muslims in general.

6. Make Dua before opening the fast. The Prophet peace be upon him said, "The fasting person has a supplication that is answered when he opens his fast".

7. Give Sadaqah and be good to people. The Prophet peace be upon him was the most generous of people and he was most generous in Ramadan.

8. Avoid anything that diminishes the fast such as, lying, backbiting, cheating, getting angry. The Prophet peace be upon him said "Whoever does not give up false statements (i.e. telling lies), and evil deeds, and speaking bad words to others, Allah is not in need of his (fasting) leaving his food and drink." [Bukhari] 9. Do not eat too much after Iftar.

10. Ask for forgiveness since this is the month Allah frees people from the fire.

11. Pray At-Tarawih with Khushoo. If you pray in the Masjid complete the Salah with the Imam. If you pray at home prolong the Salah as long as you can. The Prophet peace be upon him said, "Whoever prays during Ramadan with Iman and seeking reward (from Allah) his past sins will be forgiven".

12. Feed the poor and invite others for Iftar. The Prophet peace be upon him said, "Whoever gives Iftar to someone fasting he will have the same reward without decreasing the reward of the person fasting".

13. Try harder the last ten nights especially the odd nights. The prophet would strive in Ramadan more than he would in any other month and more so in the last ten days.

14. Say this Dua in the nights that Laitul-Qadr is likely to fall on: Allhumma innaka afuwun tuhibbul-afwa fa'fu anni (O Allah you are Forgiving and love forgiveness so forgive me).

15. Ask Allah to accept all your good actions during this month.

Remaining Steady....

In the hour of grief you turn to Him; when grief departs you transgress.
In adversity you moan entreating Him; when ease returns you turn away.
Those who know God remain steady, but those who doubt exult at times and become despondent at others.

- Rumi, "Mathnawi"

Reflections from the Night of Absolution....

This was written by a brother in the U.S. reflecting on his experiences leading prayer during the night of nisfu sha'ban. It is a beautiful example of a Muslim's reflection on the experience of prayer, something that is painfully missing from most Muslim's daily discourse. The personal experience of Islam is, even in Muslim countries, something that seems to be rarely discussed these days. Despite the sheer number of opportunities we have to reflect on and share our experiences as Muslims, we seldom do it. Yet, so much can be learned and gained from sharing on the path to Allah....

As-alaamu Alay’kum,

I just want to share a reflection about our Laylat ul-Baraa’ah (Night of Emancipation) gathering last night. I had the privilege to be the imam for 20 rak’at of the salat prayer, and during that time particularly, I felt very clear and focused on the prayer, without the normal mind-chatter that usually creeps in at just about every moment. It was very uplifting to continually bow down and put my forehead on the carpet after the numerous repetitions of Allah hu Akbar—God is Great. For a time, there was nothing else going on.

I noticed it was far more difficult to maintain such clarity and focus when I re-joined the prayer line. I was no longer responsible for leading the congregation. I was now responsible for doing my best to be an upright member of the group, but the mind-chatter came tumbling back in.

It became clear to me in these moments that taking leadership, in service to Allah, where the welfare of others takes precedence over oneself is a chance to feel the closeness of Allah and a clearness of the mind. You see, originally, I did not want to lead the prayer. I feared my mind would be too distracted and I would “mess-up.” But thanks to Rafi’s invitation and simple encouragement, I took that one step towards Allah, and Allah took countless steps in my direction.

I know these words can’t express the beauty of how it felt to recite Qur’an over and over again, hearing my voice, feeling my body, hearing the congregation respond, all in a divine dance, a collective Dhikr, purifying ourselves on this night of emancipation, but I wanted to share what I could….

Generous Peace

by Kareem Salama

This fool throws wet stones at me insists on attempts to break my nerve
But I hate to respond to the anger and feed the fuel in those ugly words
They ask me why I say nothing at all like I don’t have any self respect
I say gentleman I’m like incense the more you burn me the more I’m fragrant

And I don’t feel the need to act violently
And I don’t feel desire to fan the fire
You can say what you want about me
But I lace the lines of these times with generous peace

There’s a thin line between virtue and fear and it’s funny how they appear
Both demanding restraint and control and it’s enough that I know it’s clear
That I’m not scared of you I’m scared of me and I live by controlling my fool
Cause you’re a fool enough for the both of us but I still try to find the good in you

And I don’t feel the need to act violently
And I don’t feel desire to fan the fire
You can say what you want about me
But I lace the lines of these times with generous peace

I know its hard to listen to the words you just can’t stand
It’s gonna take more than a fist to enlighten and ignorant man
And don’t you see how we fear the patient eyes of a lion
And don’t you see how we fear those lions in their silence

Be as Pliant as Dough....

Since you are not a prophet, follow the way taught by prophets.
Since you are not a king, be a loyal subject to the king.
Since you are not a captain, do not take the helm of the ship.
Since you do not possess every skill, have partners in your business.
Be as pliant as dough in the hands of others, that you may rise well.

- Rumi, "Mathnawi"

Some Quotes about the Importance of Adab

Aadaab is the practice of being present. See the whole day as practice. If one is practicing being present, then one is also practicing Aadaab.

Aadaab is devotional service to God. All other spiritual practices are only mechanical supports to put you in the framework of Aadaab so you can realize this One thing.

Aadaab is simple. It is the constant devotional service to Allah. Practices on the path are only the devices to support your Remembrance.

- Dayemi Tariqat

God Exists for No Other

God has no ultimate cause.
The ultimate cause of a being is the ultimate reason why that being exists.
Yet God does not exist for the sake of any other being; he exists for the sake of his own perfection, which is both the cause and the consequence of his existence.

- Ibn Sina, “al-Risalat al-Arshiya”

Shock Dead, Everybody's Gone Mad: Reflections on the Death of Michael Jackson

Shock Dead, Everybody's Gone Mad: Reflections on the Death of Michael Jackson

By Hamza Yusuf


On the news
Everybody's dog food
Bang bang
Shock dead
Everybody's gone mad...

From "They Don't Care About Us" by Michael Jackson


As a little boy, Michael Jackson had an extraordinary charisma -- as well as an absolute innocence -- that was disarmingly charming. It captivated millions of Americans and eventually people around the world.

As the years went by, his career took strange turns and his face transformed eerily into a ghastly masque, perhaps to conceal the pain of alienation from his own self and family. He was also rumored to have unsavory predilections that would never have been suggested if one used the rigorous criteria of Islam before hurling an accusation. Despite the rumors, he appeared to have had a genuine concern for children, wanting to provide them with a world that was denied to him as a child due to the abuses he claimed to have suffered.

I was very happy for him last year when he reportedly became a Muslim. He had apparently followed the footsteps of his dignified and intelligent brother, Jermaine, who converted to Islam 20 years ago and found peace. It seemed befitting that Michael sought refuge from a society that thrives on putting people on pedestals and then knocking them down. He was accused of many terrible things, but was guilty of perhaps being far too sensitive for an extremely cruel world. Such is the fate of many artistic people in our culture of nihilistic art, where the dominant outlet for their talents is in singing hollow pop songs or dancing half-naked in front of ogling onlookers who often leave them as quickly as they clung to them for the next latest sensation.

In the manner of Elvis or the Beatles, Michael is unwittingly both a cause and a symptom of America’s national obsession with celebrity, currently on display in the American Idol mania. Celebrity trumps catastrophe every time. Far too few of us make any attempt to understand why jobs are drying up, why mortgages are collapsing, why we spend half-a-trillion dollars to service the interest on the national debt, why our government’s administration, despite being elected on an anti-war platform, is still committed to two unnecessary and unjust wars waged by the earlier administration, wars that continue to involve civilians casualties on an almost daily basis. Instead, we drown in trivia, especially trivia related to celebrity. And the response to Michael’s death is part of the trivial pursuits of American popular culture. The real news about death in America is that twenty Iraq and Afghan war veterans are committing suicide every day. But that does not make the front page nor is it discussed as seriously as the King of Pop’s cardiac arrest.

Nevertheless, Michael’s very public death notice is a powerful reminder that no matter how famous or talented or wealthy one is, death comes knocking, sometimes sooner than later. Michael has now entered a world of extraordinary perception, a world that makes his “Thriller” video seem mundane. It is a world of angels and demons, and questions in the grave, a world where fame is based upon piety and charity. Given Michael’s reported conversion to Islam last year, Muslims count him as one of our own, and we pray that he can finally find the peace he never found in this world and that he is in a place, God willing, of mercy, forgiveness, and solace.

By Means of Opposites...

The servile earth and the lofty sky: without this opposite the sky would not be so high.
The low and high of the earth are winter and spring.
The low and high of time are night and day.
The low and high of the body are sickness and health.
By means of these opposites the world is kept alive; by means of these doubles souls feel fear and hope.

- Rumi, "Mathnawi"

Ponder the wisdom of creation and the unity in all that He Creates...

The Whole World is Imagination...

Indeed the whole world is imagination.
Only He is the real in Reality.
Whoever understands this knows the secrets of the spiritual path.

- Ibn 'Arabi, "Masters of the Path"

Allah is Always Close...

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.

- Sufi poem

Life Without Repentance....

Life without repentance is spiritual agony; to be absent from God is immediate death. Life and death both are sweet with God’s presence: without God even the Water of Life is fire.

- Rumi, Mathnawi [V, 770-771]

Experience, Reflection and Right Action: Developing Spiritual Intelligence Among Young Muslims

By Abdul-Lateef Abdullah


Youth are spiritually disconnected. This is the complaint of many concerned adults who sense that problems among young people are growing more extreme. Even those young people growing up in ‘religious’ homes are among the victims of a number of social ills. The disconnect they sense is young people learning religion yet not practicing it, not realizing it, and not having it influence their lives in a meaningful way. The disconnect they sense is between the knowledge that they are receiving and that knowledge translating into meaningful action and positive, healthy human and spiritual development. As such, the fear is a growing culture of meaninglessness among youth. In such a culture, the only value that many young people receive from the society at large is materialism or the pursuit of physical pleasure. The understood purpose for existence is no more than an accumulation of ‘things’ (Garbarino, 1999).

Youth researchers across the globe acknowledge the war of values taking place inside the hearts and minds of young people. Youth are in desperate need of the skills, knowledge and competencies to moderate the worldliness of our age with understanding that can only come from the wisdom that applied spirituality, also known as spiritual intelligence, can provide.

The gap referred to above is focused around how to transform knowledge of religion into intelligence, i.e. intelligent behavior, which, according to Ford (1994) requires “a motivated, skillful person whose biological and behavioral capabilities support relevant interactions with an environment that has the informational and material properties and resources needed to facilitate (or at least permit) goal attainment”(p.203). For Muslim youth in development, rather than those goals that they might aspire to given personal tastes and affinities, goal attainment in a general sense can refer to their healthy development to adulthood and the subsequent attainment of positive life outcomes. Spiritually, this might refer to the notion of ‘ultimate success,’ i.e. success on a worldly as well as heavenly level, the latter often referred to as paradise or proximity to God. Such success requires a life lived in voluntary, conscious surrender to God’s will and commands. The question before us, therefore, is how to transfer knowledge of religion to young people in a manner that cultivates spiritual intelligence, or the ability to apply, manifest, and embody spiritual resources, values, and qualities to enhance daily functioning and wellbeing (Amram and Dryer, 2007).

Along these lines, we must identify a general process that can be applied to obtain the desired goal of the transformation of knowledge into intelligence behavior. Morris (2005), from his lifelong study of the spiritual life and works of the great Muslim saint, Ibn ‘Arabi, describes the complex process of developing spiritual intelligence into three general phases: experience, reflection and right action. Specifically, he states that:

“…the heart’s distinctive activity of ‘reflection’….refers to two equally indispensable aspects of that universal process of spiritual intelligence. First it points to the complex intellectual and spiritual processes of ‘remembering God (dhikr Allah)’ – to what the Qur’an variously refers to, on every page, as our seeking, looking, probing, thinking, understanding, pondering, contemplating, recalling – all so that we might come to recognize the divine Source and meaning of those phenomena, that task which is our distinctively human capacity, finality and responsibility. Secondly, it alludes to the ongoing practical processes and actions of purification and spiritual discipline, to the often painful task of polishing the mirror of the heart, so that through these trials and lessons it can eventually become a true and effective reflection of each of the divine qualities, of the “Most Beautiful Names” (p.2).”

The process of reflection, therefore, is that stage where experience and knowledge meet, interact and result in a more refined end product, namely, right action or the manifestation of the more refined human being, also known in Islamic terminology as ihsan. Thus, spiritual intelligence is the application of spirituality into right action, the nexus of experience and knowledge, mediated by the human being’s capacity for meditation, contemplation and meaning making culminating in manifested behavior worthy of God’s pleasure. The missing ‘link’ previously mentioned, therefore, is addressed by way of a holistic process that makes use of the entire human being – body, mind and soul – to engage in the development of spiritual intelligence.

It begins with how a person experiences life through the world of the senses. In an effort to make meaning of what is seen, heard, felt, smelled and tasted, the experiences are filtered through the lens of ‘ultimate concerns’ (Emmons, 1999), whereby reflection is applied. The reflective process is guided by way of right knowledge delivered through the medium of the spiritual or religious teacher or guide. Reflection on the experience makes use of knowledge, discourse, reason, meditation, contemplation and prayer, and through the application of these tools, meaning of the experience is arrived at by the individual. Once meaning has been arrived at, the experience becomes internalized or integrated into the individual’s makeup, influencing future action based on the notion of truth put forth by the guide in the form of right knowledge. Thus, right action results, reflective of the right knowledge provided by the guide and confirmed through the experience of the individual.

This transformative, experiential learning cycle is exactly that, a process of application of spiritual knowledge into right action resulting from experience and deep, guided reflection. Providing an experience alone does not create learning per se. The learning comes from the thoughts and ideas that flow as a result of the experience (Boyd 2001), which is achieved through the various processes that occur in the reflection stage. For example, in the context of youth work, between a youth worker and a young person, the learning is two-way and shared. In the youth work context, unlike other formal educational arrangements, the youth worker and young person learn from one another. Learning is not one directional but a process of sharing and mutual benefit. Together, the worker and young person share experiences and engage in a process of guided mutual reflection and understanding thus allowing for mutual growth. Youth workers, therefore, must know how to use experiences with youth to create ongoing learning and values development. This is a conscious "learn by doing" experiential process; the youths’ ongoing contact with the youth worker allows for the establishment and nurturing of this special kind of developmental relationship.

In the case of spiritual intelligence development, the key missing link, therefore, is addressed. The gap between the young person’s worldly experiences and the spiritual or religious knowledge that adults so much wish for youth to acquire is met. The process fully validates the experiences of young people, no matter how mundane or materialistic adults may think them to be, while at the same time applying spiritual knowledge in an effective manner through the spiritual resources reflected in the process of guided reflection and meaning making.

Rather than starting with religious knowledge and transferring it solely in a closed, classroom environment where young people are essentially removed from their everyday settings, the development of spiritual intelligence in the abovementioned manner can improve the facilitation of spiritual understanding and deeper meaning of the everyday. This can help young people to better understand the sacredness in everything they do and experience, making the oneness of God (tawhid) a living reality, rather than a static book-rendered classroom subject.

In this process is the development of spiritual intelligence, and the need for it. Without it, young people cannot connect their lives and the events taking place around them to anything greater and more meaningful; they cannot see the wholeness of life and how they and what they do fits into it. Without spiritual intelligence, it is difficult for young people to strive for ‘ultimate success’ while at the same time live in the world with a fully present heart and mind, understanding both the temporal and eternal significance of every moment in life. The author is thus convinced that the missing link is spiritual intelligence.

Remembrance, Recognition and Realization
Spiritual intelligence, from an Islamic approach can be understood or described as ‘discernment resulting in right action,’ or the ability to comprehend the spiritual reality and thus deeper meaning behind the outward form, and to act accordingly based on that realization. Discernment is what allows us to see with the inner eye of the heart, and to go beyond the physical eye that is limited to the world of form and structure. Intelligence implies action, not merely having knowledge but applying it in a manner that leads to greater well-being for the individual and others. That is why intelligence is often defined or alluded to as problem-solving, and why spiritual intelligence does not stop at merely ‘being spiritual’ or having a certain spiritual inclination or worldview.

Spiritual intelligence as discernment is not limited to extra-sensory experiences, mystical states or special, transcendental meditative abilities, either, for these imply something other than everyday experience. Rather, spiritual intelligence from the Islamic viewpoint is the ability to ‘see’ the spiritual in the mundane and to experience the Divine Hand at work in even the most habitual of acts. It is the ability to discern reality more holistically and to peer beyond the surface and toward the essence of matters.

Along these lines, we can refer to the famous Hadith of Gabriel, and to the Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) description of the term ihsan as “worshipping Allah as though you are seeing Him, and while you see Him not yet truly He sees you.” This description implies excellence resulting from witnessing, which is why ihsan is often defined as spiritual excellence, as a result of consciousness of Allah at all times and in all matters. In this, there is the implication that spirituality is not relegated to exceptional mystical states or experiences, but every moment of ordinary life. Spirituality in this way is not a form of escapism to another realm of existence but rather a deeper knowing and recognition of the reality that exists before us at all times. The spiritually intelligent, therefore, are those that are conscious of and can see the Divine hand at work in every aspect of life, sometimes referred to as theophany or Divine manifestation in the form of Allah’s Names and Attributes.

Those who believe everything to be created by God see Him in everything.
They find comfort in regarding the Creator and not His creation.
All problems stem from the illusion that created things hold the ultimate power. -Al-Nuri, "The Kashf al-Mahjub"

The spiritually intelligent use this insight and ability to achieve excellence in their deeds and do not discriminate between ‘spiritual’ acts and ‘worldly’ acts, but realize that the two are at play simultaneously in a paralleled harmony and unity of existence. Continuous remembrance of God allows us to recognize Him everywhere, resulting in realization of this Truth.

Troubles and Terrors....

This world is an abode of troubles; the world hereafter of terrors.
Humans are in the midst of troubles or terrors until they reach the final abode of Paradise or Hell.
Happy is the soul that has detached itself from troubles and terrors and has attached itself to God alone.

- Al-Hujwiri, “The Kashf al-Mahjub”

When God's Decree Becomes Your Pleasure...

When God’s decree becomes your pleasure, you become a willing slave, not because of burdening yourself, not on account of recompense, but by virtue of the nature now so pure that wherever divine edict may take you, living and dying will appear the same. You live for God, not for riches; you die for God, not from fear or pain.

- Rumi

Attributes and Essence

Everyone can see the effects of God's mercy. But who, except God himself, understands the essence of his mercy? Most people cannot understand the essence of any of God's attributes; they only know his attributes through their effects -- and also through analogy.

- Rumi

Saiyyidina Ali's Mathematical Brilliance

DIVIDING 17 CAMELS

A person was about to die, and before dying he wrote his Will which went as follows:

"I have 17 Camels, and I have three sons. Divide my Camels in such a way that my eldest son gets half of them, the second one gets 1/3rd of the total and my youngest son gets 1/9th of the total number of Camels."

After his death when the relatives read his will they got extremely perplexed and said to each other that how can we divide 17 camels like this.

So after a long hard thought they decided that there was only one man in Arabia who could help them: "Imam Ali (AS)."

So they all came to the door of Imam Ali (AS) and put forward their problem.

Imam Ali (AS) said, "Ok, I will divide the camels as per the man's will."

Imam Ali (AS) said, "I will lend one of my camels to the total which makes it 18 (17+1=18), now lets divide as per his will."

The eldest son gets 1/2 of 18 = 9
The second one gets 1/3 of 18 = 6
The youngest gets 1/9 of 18 = 2
Now the total number of camels = 17 (9+6+2=17)


Then Imam Ali (AS) said, "Now I will take my Camel back."