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Sunday, March 15, 2009

Khasais Kubra

Al-Khasâis al-Kubra by al-Imâm Jalâludîn al-Suyûti RahmatulLahu ‘alayh.

- When did Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa alihi wassalam use his ring? When he wrote letters to Persians and Romans as a seal ~ he modified the method he relay the message Sallahu ‘alayhi wa alhi wassalam.

- Mutawatir is when it originates from different sources but have the same narration eg. the attack of elephants in the Year of Elephant. It came from two different sources and Allah relayed in the Al-Qur’an in Surah Al-Feel.

- Definition of hadith sahih: rigorously authenticated; one which has a continuous isnad, made up of reporters of trustworthy memory from similar authorities, and which is found to be free from any irregularities (i.e. in the text) or defects (i.e. in the isnad)
Definition of hadith hasan: a hadith which is not Shadhdh (no irregularities), nor contains a disparage reporter in its isnad, and which is reported through more than one route of narration.

- Muntajasima are anthropomorphist and they attributed human character to Allah (Exalted is He).

- Abu Na’im Al-Isfahani was from Persia (Isfahan). His name is Ahmad bin Abdullah and he was a syafi’e and asy’ari. He lived for 94 years (336 AH – 430 AH). His first teacher was his own grandfather and his father was a muhadith who travelled widely to collect ahadith (He was obsessed with collecting ahadith and was called hufadz (100 hadith, biography, chain, rawayatain memorized)). Abu Na’im became a scholar and al-hafidz when he was just 10 years old. He received ijazah on hadith even as far as Uzbekistan and had the shortest chain of hadith unknown to people at that time. Abu Bakar Al-Khatib (rahmatulLahu ‘alayh) said only two person can have the title of hufadz and he is one of them. Ibnu Taymiyah said that he is the greatest of hufadzul hadith.

- Al-Hakim narrated on the authority of Salman Al-Farisi, it was relayed from Abdul Mutalib on one of his journey to Syria (rihlatal syita’, rihalatal sayf was to Yemen in wintertime) that they stayed with some jewish scholars. One of the people of Zabur (psalms of David) said to him who is this man?
He is from Quraisy.
From which quraisy?
From Hisyam.
Would you allow me to see his body?
Of course, as long as it’s not my awrah.
He looked into my nostril and he can see kingship. He looked into the other and he can see something of Bani Zuhrah.
Do you have a wife from Banu Zuhrah?
At that moment, he was not married to the lady from Bani Zuhrah yet.

- The story of Abrahah: http://www.bogvaerker.dk/Elephant.html

- Hassan bin Thabit RadhiyaAllahu ‘anhu became muslim when he was 60 years old. He passed away when he was 120 years old. He was only a child when Rasul Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa alihi wassallam was born. A particular tribe of jews gathered and cried as they can see that the star of Ahmad had risen. It was on the 12th of Rabi’ul Awwal in the Year of Elephant.

- Related by Imam Bayhaqi, Tabrani and Muslim that light was emanating from Sayidatina Aminah (this was before he was born). She could see the palace of Bosra.

- When he was born, he bowed down his head, and Syifa’ (mother of Abdul Rahman ibnu ‘auf RadhiyaAllahu ‘anhum) held him Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa alihi wassallam and she saw the light. She said she is the first believer.

- The Ka’bah shook and idols fell on their faces (narrated by Abu Nu’aym).

- On the night, the sorcerer and magicians had veil and they could not talk to jinns.

- Sayidatina Amina did not have pain during childbirth.

- Further reading: Dalail Al-Nubuwa Imam Bayhaqi.

Monday, March 02, 2009

Al-Habib Ahmad bin Zayn Al-Habshi

AL-HABIB AHMAD BIN ZAYN AL-HABSHI
By : ash-Shaykh al-Habib Ahmad Mash-hur bin Taha al-Haddad
Translated by: Shaykh Muhammad Mlamali Adam

In the name of Allah, the Infinitely Merciful, the Compassionate. The Laud is Allah's the Laud of the grateful, the Laud that is equal to His bounty and sufficing to His increment thereto. And blessings and peace be upon the Lord of Prophets and the Beloved of the Creator and Sustainer and Nourisher of the worlds, and may Allah be pleased with his kinsmen and companions and successors… Says the said as-Sayyid Ahmad:

As for the author of an-Nafahat as-Sirriyyah (that is the Commentary on al-Ayniyya), he is the all round Imam, a deep ocean, who dispenses graced wisdom both comprehensively and in detail, assembles diverse gnoses and who is an heir to Masters of sactified secrets al-Habib Ahmad bin Zayn al-Habshy of the town of Ghurfa in the Valley of Hadhramawt.

He was born in the year 1069 Hijriyya and grew up in the best 'Alawiyya surroundings, and traces his line to al-Mustafa -- the Prophet, upon whom be blessings and peace of Allah.

He worked hard in searching for 'ilm from his very youth; learnt the Qur'an by heart and acquired various kinds of 'ilm from the 'ulamaa of his home area, except that he did not find everything he wanted in his town of al-Ghurfa. He travelled to Seyun and Tarim. Dates were his only provision. He used to frequent the 'ulamaa and attend their darsas and pick up their priceless pearls. He attached himself to al-'Arif Billahi 'Abdalla bin Ahmad Balfaqih and studied under him many titles of Sacred Law and Gnosis. He also studied under as-Sayyid al-Imam Ahmad bin 'Umar al-Hinduwan who gave him magnificent predictions about the future at the mountain path of the tomb of Prophet Hud, upon whom be peace. He had contacts with many of the 'Ulamaa of Hadhramawt and Yaman and al-Haramayn (the Sacred Sanctuaries of Makka and al-Madina). He exhausted all the 'ulum they had. And the last to whom he attached himself exclusively at the end was Qutb al-Irshad al-Habib 'Abdalla bin 'Alawi al-Haddad. He befriended him for about 40 years and received his infinite 'ulum and gnoses, and he never ceased studying under him. In fact he died when al-Habib Ahmad was reading to him al-Muwatta of Imam Malik and Sharh as-Sunnah --- the Commentary on the Sunnah -- of al-Imam al-Baghwy. And he used to revere and venerate him and urge people to study under him.

As for veneration for his Shaykh, that was beyond words. Indeed he took him as proof for everything. He used to say : "What we believe and dedicate ourselves to Allah upon, is that our Shaykh al-Haddad has inherited the states of all saints, predecessors and the successors alike. We have seen that both with our physical eyes and through revealed knowledge." And for this reason he surrendered himself totally to him. Indeed, he quotes his Shaykh, namely al-Haddad as saying : We do not say anything other than what Abul-Hasan ash-Shadhili said: "Whosoever finds a source of water sweeter that this one should accordingly quench his thirst there." For this reason he stopped at his Shaykh's water source and drank and drank, and consequently became The Shaykh of the People, and caravans headed for him.

His Knowledge
He devoted his whole time acquiring both inner and outer 'ulum. Therefore he said: After I was 70 years of age I had no other desire except 'ilm. Indeed, he looked at about 100 books around him and said: "Were all these books to be destroyed , I would reproduce them from my heart." He studied most of the highly regarded books of ash-Shafi'i and others on the subject of exegesis and the Hadith and instrumental subjects and recitations and medicine and mathematics and engineering, the 'ulum of the Folk and Subleties as you may well observe in his all-comprehensive Safinah which runs to 25 volumes.

Exposition
He was given the gift of brevity and the facility of easy exposition understood by the brilliant of mind and slow of wit, the near and the far. He had a grip on the hearts of listeners and the ability to move them to the manifest truth. And when he expounded on the hidden gnoses and ma'arif, he had the ocean at the tip of his tongue. And when he ventured into fine subtleties, it was as if he was picking roses. There he was among the guiding inviters to Allah, reaching the ears and removing rust from hearts.

His Writings
He had well-rounded titles on intelligible and received subjects, and they all point to his vast and deep scholarship, the first and the most deserving of mention being Sharh al-'Ayniyya which is called: An-Nafahatu as-Sirriyah wa-n-Nafahat al-Amiriyyah, and al-Mawaridi al-Haniyyah: Sharh al-Qasida al-Baiyya whose openings lines are : Here is my counsel O man of distinction and becoming deportment -- composed by al-Imam al-Haddad, and Sabil ar-Rushd wal-Hidaya -- the Sharh of Qasida an-Nuniyyah whose opening is: Be counselled to adhere to Taqwa both in private and in public, and al-Jadhabat ash-Shawqiyyah and ar-Rawdh an-Nadhir -- and they are all commentaries on the Qasaid of al-Imam al-Haddad. Also among his works are: al-Maqasid as-Swaliha, and Turyaq al-Asrar, and al-Qawl ar-Raiq and al-Maslak as-Sawiyy and Fat-hu al-Hayyi al-Qayyum and al-Isharat as-Suffiyah and ar-Risalat al-Jami'ah on the theme of 'Ibadah and an opuscule in explanation of the Tariqa of the Sadat Abi 'Alawi. He also has beautiful poetry which is highly regarded, and this huge as-Safinah al-Jami'ah which runs to over 20 volumes in which he amassed the sciences of exegesis of the Qur'an and Hadith and other Sufi 'ulum and astronomy as stated when discussing his scholarship. The sum of things is that he was a veritable unfathomed ocean. And what a Safinah his book is : full of divine adab and prophetic wisdoms.

His acts of worship and strivings
He was, may Allah show him mercy, all oriented to his Lord. His pre-occupations did not stop him from writing on 'ilm diffusing it among seekers; he had many 'Ibadat, hardly an hour passed which did not find him engaged in act of obedience to his Lord. He was ardently anxious in adhering to the model of his grandfather, upon whom be blessings and peace of Allah, the Qur'an being constantly in front of him and acting as his leader. He was frequent of invocation of the Word of at-Tawhid, invoking it 70,000 times on each occasion and dedicated on congregational prayers and enduring difficulties in the pursuit of the Rida of his Lord. Acts which please Allah and the love of Allah overpowered him as indeed he said in one of his qasidas :

What aspiration have I
What desire
Except seeking nearness to the Lord
That He may look at me with mercy
That day when I meet Him
Well pleasing to Him
Also He with me
Well-pleased

His zuhud in the world and the wordly
He was a zahid -- renouncer of the world -- avoiding it as a matter of choice, lifting up his aspirations away from it and its people. And he used to say : "The people of Allah did not descend upon it." His student, namely, al-Habib Muhammad Zayn bin Sumayt said: "We sat with him for many years but I never heard him mentioning the world nor incline to its people. He used to look at its people with lack of appreciation, and to the renouncers of the world and people of contentment which high regard and veneration. In addition, he used to undertake enormous religious activities like renewing sacred sites, zawiyas, constructing mosques in different parts of the country, mosques which are still there now; and they are in active use with congregational prayers and darsas and invocations of the Name of Allah -- dhikr. He used to spend large amounts of money on them, seeking thereby to be near Allah and upholding the Word of the Exalted: "By no means shall ye attain righteousness unless ye give freely of that which ye love" ('Aal-i 'Imran: 92).

His adabs and nature
None except those who witnessed him and sat with him can adequately describe them: There he was among his friends and his students, a veritable kindly father and a beautiful garden full of fruits, liberal of nature to close intimates as well as strangers, extremely humble and compassionate, patient, forgiving, modest and awe-inspiring. He covered people with his 'ilm and his good nature and enveloped them with his generosity and loving kindness. Full of acknowledgement that he has not discharged the divine obligations, all the time in a state of indigence to his Lord. These are the distinctions which mark him out and with them he ascended to lofty position, and his benefits include both the town and desert. He soared to the station of as-Siddiqiyyah on the testimony of his Shaykh al-Haddad. And he became a place of homage, the destination of students and visitors to his protected town of al-Hawtah until he died in the year 1145 Hijriyyah. He was succeeded in his station by his son, the very learned Ja'afar bin Ahmad, then his sons who came after -- all committed to the 'Alawi Path until our own day. May Allah infuse all of us with his imdadat via their intercession, - Amin.

Sunday, March 01, 2009

Rabi'ul Awal

Alhamdulillah we are blessed to have entered the month of Rabi`. May Allah increase us in closeness and connection to His Beloved, peace and blessings be upon him.

Sayyidi al-Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah preserve him) said: if we look at the full moon we realise that the reason for its fullness is because it is fully facing the sun. The degree of the moon’s completion is according to its facing the source of light. Likewise if a believer fully faces the source of perfection (the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) then he will achieve perfection. For this reason the first group of believers to enter Paradise are described by the Prophet as being like the full moon in their illumination.

Someone complained to Habib Umar that there are too many praiseworthy attributes that we must attain and too many blameworthy attributes from which we must purify ourselves. Even if we focused on just one of these attributes it would take a lifetime. Habib Umar replied that if one can attain two attributes it will lead to the attainment of all praiseworthy attributes and to purification from all blameworthy attributes:

1. Constant awareness of Allah with a heart that is present
2. Following the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) with complete awareness (of that following).

Shaykh Umar Husayn al-Khatib (may Allah preserve him) explained the second attribute as being following the Prophet while witnessing that he is in front of you. For example if you drink sitting down you do not do it merely intending following the Sunna, rather you witness that this is how the Prophet would have done it. Likewise with anything you say or do you ask yourself is this how he would have done it? For that reason when Sayyiduna Ikrimah was mortally wounded he asked, “Is this a death that is pleasing to the Messenger of Allah?”

Attached are a couple of formulas of Habib Umar’s prayers upon the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and a beautiful du’a

Habib Umar (may Allah preserve him) recommends reading the following:



* اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ على سَيِّدِنا مُحَمَّدٍ خَاتَمِ أَنْبِيَائِكَ وسَيِّدِ رُسُلِكَ وأَكْرَمِ خَلْقِكَ وَإِمَامِ أَهْلِ حقِيْقَةِ تَوْحِيْدِكَ وَ صَفْوَتِكَ مِنْ عِبَادِكَ وَعلى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وسَلِّمْ تَسْلِيماً وانْصُرْنَا بِهِ وأَصْلِحْ بِهِ شُئُونَنَا وَ شُئُونَ أُمَّتِهِ أَجْمعِيْنَ .

O Allah send your blessings and peace upon our Master Muhammad, the Seal of Your Prophets, the Master of Your Messengers, the Most Noble of Your Creation, the Imam of the people who have realised the reality of Your oneness, the best of Your slaves, and upon his family and companions and give us victory through him and rectify through him our affairs and the affairs of his whole Umma.

* اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَ سَلِّمْ على سَيْدنَا مُحَمَّدْ نُورِكَ السَّارِي وَمَدَدِكَ الجَارِي واجْمَعْنِي بِهِ فِي كُلِّ أَطْوَارِي وعلى آلِهِ وصَحْبِهِ يَانُورْ

O Allah send your blessings and peace upon our Master Muhammad, Your light which spreads and Your assistance which flows (throughout creation) and join me with him in all my states, and upon his family and companions, O Light!

This is the du’a of Habib Ahmad bin Hasan al-Attas (may Allah have mercy upon him):



اللَّهُمَّ ياربَّ سيَّدِنا محمَّدٍ (صلى الله عليه وسلم ) و آلِ سيِّدنا محمَّدٍ (صلّى الله علَيهِ وسَلَّمْ ) ، أَسْأَلُكَ بِحَقِّ سيِّدِنا محمَّدٍ (صلّى الله علَيهِ وسَلَّمْ) أَنْ تُصَلِّيَ على سيَّدِنا محمَّدٍ (صلّى الله علَيهِ وسَلَّمْ) و أَنْ تُحَبِّب إِلينا سيَّدِنا محمَّدٍ (صلّى الله علَيهِ وسَلَّمْ)و أَنْ تُحَبِّبَنا إِلى سيَّدِنا محمَّدٍ(صلّى الله علَيهِ وسَلَّمْ ) و أَنْ تُخَلِّقَنا بِأَخْلاقِ سيَّدِنا محمَّدٍ (صلّى الله علَيهِ وسَلَّمْ) و أَنْ تَرْزُقَنا المُتابعةَ لِسيَّدِنا محمَّدٍ (صلّى الله علَيهِ وسَلَّمْ) و أَنْ تَرْفَعَ الحِجَابَ بَيْنَنا وَبَيْنَ سيَّدِنا محمَّدٍ (صلّى الله علَيهِ وسَلَّمْ) و أَنْ تَجْمَعْ بَيْنَنَا وَبْينَ سيَّدِنا محمَّدٍ (صلّى الله علَيهِ وسَلَّمْ) فِي الأوَّلِ وَالآخِرِ وَالظَّاهِرِ وَالباطِنِ والسِّرِّ والعَلانِيَةِ واليَقَظَةِ والمَنَام والحَيَاةِ والمَمَاتِ فِي الدنيا والآخِرَةِ فِي لُطْفٍ وَعافيةٍ



O Allah, Lord of our Master Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and of the family of our Master Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) I ask you by the right of our Master Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) to send blessings upon our Master Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and to make beloved to us our Master Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and to make us beloved to our Master Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and to bless us with the noble character traits of our Master Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and to help us to follow our Master Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and to remove the veil between us and our Master Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and to bring us together with our Master Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) at the beginning and at the end, inwardly and outwardly, in secret and in public, when we are awake and when we are asleep, in life and at death, in this life and the next with ease and wellbeing.

Khasais Kubra

Al-Khasâis al-Kubra by al-Imâm Jalâludîn al-Suyûti RahmatulLahu ‘alayh.

- Ummiyyeen came from the word ummi which means ‘unlettered’ or for babies – pure. If we went to a river, we can feel ummi. Rasul Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa alihi Wassalam is always teaching us.
هُوَ الَّذِي بَعَثَ فِي الْأُمِّيِّينَ رَسُولًا مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِهِ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَإِن كَانُوا مِن قَبْلُ لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ (62:2)
- • 62:2 (Picktall) He it is Who hath sent among the unlettered ones a messenger of their own, to recite unto them His revelations and to make them grow, and to teach them the Scripture and Wisdom, though heretofore they were indeed in error manifest, (Surah Jum’ah)
- In the above verse Allah is answering Prophet Ibrahim Alayhi Salam prayers when he asked:
رَبَّنَا وَابْعَثْ فِيهِمْ رَسُولاً مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِكَ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ العَزِيزُ الحَكِيمُ (2:129)
• 2:129 (Picktall) Our Lord! And raise up in their midst a messenger from among them who shall recite unto them Thy revelations, and shall instruct them in the Scripture and in wisdom and shall make them grow. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Mighty, Wise. (Notice how the du’a was answered slightly different)

- 2:30 Waith qala rabbuka lilmalaikati innee jaAAilun fee alardi khaleefatan The first khalifah was prophet Adam alayhi salam.

- 7:156 لَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُولَ النَّبِيَّ الأُمِّيَّ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِندَهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالإِنْجِيلِ

- Ummi state is the state of newly-born babies.

- Rasul Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa alihi Wassalam is never addressed as ‘Ya Muhammad’ in the Al-Qur’an. Only 4 times ‘Muhammad’ was used in the whole Al-Qur’an.

- According to Asakair (historian) – hasan hadith, Abu Bakar As-Sidiq said: I went to Yemen before ‘al-bi’th’. We went to a place called Azal. I met an old man who has knowledge (from jews or Christian). (In that time in Mekka, only a few man can be described like that eg Waraqah). He used to read books, about 360 years old, and he said to me: It appears to me that you came from Mekkah? ‘yes’ and he said: It appears to me that you are Quraisy? ‘yes’ and he said: it appears to me that you are tayyib (pure)? ‘yes’. I just have one more request, will you take off your shirt for me please? ‘why?’ I knew from my reading, that a messenger will be send to the people of Mekkah. There will be two sahabi (companions), one young guy and the other one matured (qahal – middle-aged). He is thin and tall, very pale in colour and he will have a big birth mark above his thigh, one mark above his navel. Anta huwa bi Rabbul Ka’bah (you are him by The Lord of Ka’bah).

- Abdullah ibnu Amar RadhiyaAllahu ‘anhu used to study Zabur and in it he found 150 chapters. In the fourth surah, it was stated ‘Ya Dawood, the earth belongs to Me and I will give it to Muhammad and his people.’

- Sayidina Umar RadhiyaAllahu ‘anhu went to Jerusalem and was refused the key to the city. They did not hand him the keys until Sayidina Umar RadhiyaAllahu ‘anhu ran after his mule and raised his arms. They said that they saw all the description and he will enter the town as a meek, he will be walking while his servant rode and he has three patches on his clothe. (They could not see the three patches until he raised his arm chasing after the mule.)

- According to Al-Hakim (Al-Hakim’s narration is sahih on the condition of Imam Muslim) on how Salman Al-Farisi became a muslim (RadhiyaAllahu ‘anhum). ‘How do I became muslim’ ‘I was an orphan. I was living in Persia and my brother was rich but I was poor. I do respect my brother a lot. I noticed my brother used to sneak off and I followed him to a steep hill. He always said ‘you can’t follow me, you are a small child. I am worried that something might harm you.’ ‘Do not be scared for me.’ ’This is a forest where a few people were worshipping Allah.’ These are a few people who looked as if their spirits have gone away from them. They fasted all day and stayed all night and ate trees and always praised Allah. They told stories about prophets until Sayidina Isa Alayhi Salam and then the wise man will give a dars. ‘Ya Ghulam (O Boy)! Listen carefully. Inna laka Rabban (Verily, you have a Lord). You are going somewhere and in front of you there will be garden...’ One day, the group was instructed by angles to get up and leave. The wise man gave me advice ‘Ittaqullah (have fear of Allah). And follow what Isa has told you. He went with them to Jerusalem. There he met a group of people who praised Allah. They fasted for six days and came on Sunday to give dars about all the prophets up to Sayidina Isa Alayhi Salam. He said to me that he is an old man. He said that the time of the final prophet is approaching. There are three signs of this final prophet: he will be staying in a place between two black stones, he will not eat from charity (sadaqa) but he will take from gift (hadiya) and he has the Seal of the final prophet between his shoulder blade. Salman was captured and became a slave to a jewish lady. She sold him to her cousin from bani Qurayza in Madina. He gave dates to the Prophet Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa alihi Wassalam and said it was a sadaqa. Rasul Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam took it and distributed it among his companion but he did not eat it himself. When Salman RadhiyaAllahu ‘anh came with gift of dates, he ate it sallallahu ‘alayhi wa alihi wa sallam. When Rasul Sallallahu ‘alayhi waalihi wa sallam was digging a grave, Salman turned around and pulled his shirt Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa alihi wa sallam and saw the sign between his shoulder blade the size of pigeon’s head. He became muslim.

- Arab according to Imam Malik RahmatulLahu ‘alayh are the one who speaks Arabic. Imam Sibawayh Rahmatullahu ‘alayh is an Arabic grammarian and he is a Persian. Similarly, Imam Bukhari is a Tajik born in Bukhara (now Uzbekistan) and Imam Muslim was born in Nishapur (Iran).

Al-hikam 24, 25, 26

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