Category Archives: Islam

Alastu Bi-Rabbikum–Am I Not Your Lord?

The following is taken from Session 1 (Faith) of the Anees ul-Arwah–The Malfuzat of Khwaja Uthman Haruni (rehmatullahi alyhe)–as recorded by Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (rehmatullahi alayhe)
Then the khwaja (master), may God have mercy on him, said “I saw written in the Umdat us-Suluk of Junaid Baghdadi, may God have mercy on him, as related by khwaja Yusuf Chishti, may God have mercy on him, that when Allah, Exalted is He, said “Alastu Bi Rabbikum (Am I Not Your Lord)”, all the spirits, believer and non-believer, were immediately divided into four categories:
  1. Those spirits that on hearing their Lord’s call fell into sajdah (prostration) replying with heart and limb, “Balaa (Indeed)!”
  2. Those that made sajdah but didn’t do so with any sincerity.
  3. Those that believed sincerely with their hearts only.
  4. Those that didn’t care to reply–neither with heart nor limb.

The khwaja, may God have mercy on him, then clarified each category.

The spirits that replied Balaa (Indeed You are our Lord and Sustainer!) with heart and limb (in prostration),  became Prophets (upon them all be peace), Saints, and sincere believers. The second category that said balaa but without any sincerity are those Muslims who forsake their religion on their death-beds. The third category that said nothing but sincerely meant it are those who were disbelievers but later turned to Islam. The last category who didn’t say anything nor have any sincerity to accept the call are those who live and die as disbelievers.
After articulating all of this, the master became engrossed in his dhikr (remembrance of God) and the one in need of his prayers returned to where he came from–all praises to God for that (lesson).

Translated by Sharaaz Khan

9 Rajab 1432 Hijri

The Prayer of the Aspirant

The following is taken from the Anees ul-Arwah–The Malfuzat of Khwaja Uthman Haruni (rehmatullahi alyhe)–as recorded by of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (rehmatullahi alayhe)

 

He (Khwaja Uthman Haruni rehmatullahi akyhe) once said, “O Seeker!  Call out the takbeer (Allahu Akbar) in the same manner as I have, as its place is between the two eyebrows and the chest and have certainty that God is watching you and that both my feet are on the Siraat (the bridge over which each human being must successfully cross to enter Heaven). On my right side is Heaven and on my left the fire of Hell. Then call out Allahu Akbar and with complete concentration and presence of mind, recite the the Quran al-Hakeem. Enter into the position of bowing (ruku’) with absolute submission and presence of heart. In prostration (sajud) lose yourself in (Allah)–the state of Istighraaq–then sit (in juloos) and recite the greetings (atahiyyaat).  As long as you remain in this state until you complete (with salaam), the angels will seek forgiveness for you from Allah–Most High.”
He then said, “Then eat from lawful food and lawful earnings and wear of lawful clothing. Make tauba (pleading to God for the forgiveness of past wrong and evil deeds) your second nature . And when you do so, the seven doors of Heaven will be opened for you. Your prayer will be accepted.”
Then he said, “Reciting the Qur’an oft and repeatedly is what washes sins (kaffara or expiation) and there is a veil between the Fire and the one who recites. For such a reciter, the door of Heaven is opened  and from every letter (of every word) he recites, an angel is born. When this angel recites the Quran this person will receive its reward. The closeness to God is achieved through recitation and teaching of the Holy Qur’an.
It is incumbent upon you to recite the Qur’an, so learn. The Messenger of God (upon him be peace and blessings) said, “The one who recites one verse of the Qur’an, in his book of deeds is written the reward of all deeds. The one who dies loving the recitation and teaching of the Qur’an is presented by an angel  the gift of a pear from his Lord. The fire of the grave nor the fire on the Day of Standing will touch the one who recites the Qur’an from its beginning to end. He will be the neighbor of the Prophets (upon them all be peace) in Heaven.
At this he ended his words and all the people left and all praise belongs to Allah.
Translated by Sharaaz Khan.
8 Rajab 1432 Hijri

A Tribute to the Beloved of the Beloved of Allah

In the Name of Allah, The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful
Countless and Choicest Prayers and Salutations upon The Holy Prophet Muhammad
Upon his Blessed Family and Noble Companions and Pure Wives
(May Allah be well pleased with them all)
 

https://www.iecrcna.org/site/classes/the-history-of-karbala-english/

 
 
 
 
“And say not those who are killed in the path of Allah as dead; but they are alive yes, you are unaware.”
[The Holy Quran, Chapter Al-Baqarah, 2:154]
 
Hadeeth: “I saw that the Holy Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam used to carry Imam Husayn radi Allahu anhu on his shoulders and say, ‘O Allah! I love him. You too love him.’” [Mishkaat Shareef]

 

“Your best friend is your Din (religion)”
“We live for others and not for ourselves.”

— Hazrat Imam Husayn radi Allahu anhu

 

Hazrat Imam Husayn radi Allahu anhu’s martyrdom on the 10th of Muharram is the ultimate tribute to sacrificing oneself for the sake of the greater good. When Imam Husayn radi Allahu anhu was confronted with the call for pledging allegiance to Yazid, the ruler at that time, he radi Allahu anhu refused on account of the fact that Yazid was a tyrant and transgressor. Imam Husayn radi Allahu anhu’s confrontation with Yazid was a call for justice and restoration of the Shari’ah. Yazid had done many anti-Shari’ah acts just one of which was that he had committed the sacrilegious act of tying horses to the Mosque of the Holy Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam, and they had soiled the blessed mosque. Imam Husayn radi Allahu anhu exhorted and warned Yazid three times to give up his tyrannical and blasphemous ways and to pledge allegiance to the family of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam. However, this call for rectification fell on deaf ears.

Some 72 lovers of the Holy Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam were forced to take on the huge army of Yazid that had laid siege upon them. The martyrdom of Imam Husayn radi Allahu anhu and the rest of the martyrs of Karbala was the price paid for the fortification and safeguarding of Islam and the guarantor for this religion having reached us today.

Seventy thousand angels alighted in the grave of Imam al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali (may Allah Almighty be pleased with them both) on the day when he was mortally wounded, and they will continue to weep over him until the day of Resurrection. [Al-Ghunya li-Talibi]

Allah, The Most Exalted chose martyrdom for the grandson of our Beloved Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa Aalihi wa sallam on the most noble of all days, the most glorious of them, the most majestic of them, and the most exalted of them in His sight. In doing so, the purpose of Allah Almighty was to grant our great Imam radi Allahu anhu increased elevation in degrees and tokens of special favor over and above the special favor he already enjoyed. By way of martyrdom, He Almighty caused him radi Allahu anhu to reach the stations of the rightly guided Khalifas, who died as martyrs. [Al-Ghunya li-Talibi]

Like the angels, those who have love in their hearts for Imam Husayn radi Allahu anhu weep tears and feel pain on this sad day. However, it must not be observed as a day of tragic misfortune. Instead it must be regarded as an remarkable day full of blessings and opportunities to reap plentiful rewards from the Merciful One, The Most Exalted and attempt to perform as many righteous deeds as possible.

If it had ever been permissible to observe this day as the day of tragic misfortune, the Noble Companions and Successors (may Allah be pleased with them all) would have observed it as such, because they were more closely in touch with it than we are, and better qualified to understand its true significance. In actual fact, as we know from traditional reports about them that they used to urge people to treat their dependants with special generosity on that day and to observe it as a day of fasting. [Al-Ghunya li-Talibi]

It is highly recommended to fast on both the 9th and 10th of Muharram.

Ay Habeeb-e-Khuda ke Lakht-e-jigar
Ali Sher-e-Khuda aap ke hain pidar
Kar de Aaqa karam ki hum par ek nazar
Ummat-e-Naana aaj badi pareshan hai
Ay Habeeb-e-Khuda ke Lakht-e-jigar

Syeda Fatima ki aankhon ki thandak hain aap
Hazrat Hasan ke Mubarak bhai hain aap
Us Panjtan Pak ke chamakte sitaare hain aap
Jinki muhabbat is Ummat par farz hai
Ay Habeeb-e-Khuda ke Lakht-e-jigar

Aapne haq Karbala ka ada kar diya
Is Ummat par azeem ehsaan kar diya
Haq-o-baatil mein vaaze furqaan kar diya
Is Ummat ko aap par bada naaz hai
Ay Habeeb-e-Khuda ke Lakht-e-jigar

Raah-e-Haq mein aapne apni jaan di
Raaza-e-Ilahi pe har cheez qurban ki
Istiqamat-o-sabr ki aala taaleem di
Is Ummat ke aap pesh-o-imam hain
Ay Habeeb-e-Khuda ke Lakht-e-jigar

Naazil huay farishte sattar hazaar
Chali jab us pak gardan par talvaar
Bahaate hain aansoo vo zaar-o-qattaar
Har sachche Ummati ka bhi yahi haal hai
Ay Habeeb-e-Khuda ke Lakht-e-jigar
De Aaqa karam ki hum par ek nazar
 

Radi Allahu anhu!