Category Archives: Islam
A Path Towards Harmony
February 1, 2004 / Dhul Hijjah 1424
Volume 1, Issue 4
The basic concept of mysticism in Islam is to know oneself and to know one’s Creator as the Hadith says:
“Whoever knows himself,
knows his Lord.â€
It is through this process that one discovers the unity in man. Selflessness is the substance of Tasawwuf (Sufism or Islamic Mysticism). Self-discipline is used to raise oneself above the self and identify oneself with the Divine Self. Man has to establish a harmony between his body and soul to reach the Divine Light that Allah Almighty has placed in him. The proper method to reach the Divine is to go through the following stages: Shari’ah (Islamic Outer Law), Tariqah (Islamic Inner Path), and Haqiqah (Ultimate Reality). There is no dichotomy between Tariqah and Shari’ah. Shari’ah refers to the laws that govern man and society.
Tasawwuf can be translated in English as metaphysics. However metaphysics may not explain the full meaning of Tasawwuf. Nevertheless, this is how it is typically translated. People of Tasawwuf are called Sufi (one of the meanings of which reflects the simple, woolen garments worn by the earliest Sufis). In Tasawwuf the first stage is to follow the path led by a Shaykh or Murshid (spiritual guide) on the journey to the soul. This is done through Bai’ah, or spiritual contract where the seeker promises for the sake of Allah and His Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him), giving his word that he or she will try to never commit a sin or do anything against the Shari’ah. In Tasawwuf, taking Bai’ah or giving one’s hand in the hands of one’s Murshid is in reality giving one’s hand in the Hand of Allah Almighty through one’s Murshid who is connected eventually to the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) through his spiritual guides in a chain of transmission that connects heart to heart. In Tasawwuf the orders and commands of the spiritual guide must be followed. It is imperative to submit oneself to the Shaykh without any doubts because he is the Ameer (leader). Regarding this, Hazrat Shaykh Ali Hajweri (may Allah Almighty have mercy on him) refers the Quranic ayah:
“O People who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Noble Messenger, and those amongst you who are in authority.â€
[Al-Qur’an 4:59].
Follow Allah Almighty’s orders, and the Noble Prophet’s (Peace Be Upon Him) orders and “ulil amr†means spiritual guides.
A Sufi who chooses the path of Tasawuuf may finally reach the level of a Wali, i.e. a Friend of Allah. The Awliya Kiram (Noble Friends of Allah) and the Ulema Kiram (Noble Scholars of Islam) should not traverse different paths in different directions, but they should meet on the straight path, i.e. the Sirat-ul-Mustaqeem and hand in hand create in the human being the consciousness of the soul and the body. Hazrat Shaykh Ali Hajweri (may Allah Almighty have mercy on him) clearly defines in his book about the importance of the Shar’iah and that the people of Shar’iah could be excellent preachers of Islam through Tasuwwuf. Allah Almighty has said:
“There are servants of God who
walk humbly on earth and when
an ignorant one converses them,
they pray for his welfare.â€
[Al-Quran]
As the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said:
“Those who hear the prayers of a Sufi and do not say Ameen, come in the list of the negligent, in the eyes of Allah Almighty.â€
The stated Hadeeth (saying of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him)) clearly refers to Sufism and presents a comprehensive knowledge about acceptance in the eyes of Allah Almighty. The Hadeeth proves that Sufism was practiced in the blessed time of our Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
The people striving to attain and reach the Divine Light are those who curb their worldly requirements and selfishness and submit oneself to the willingness of Allah Almighty and His Beloved Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him). In a Hadeeth, the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said:
“Die before your death.“
When a Sufi attains to Allah Almighty, he never loses Him, and when he loses himself i.e. through the negation of his ego and super ego, he never regains it. This means that when he involves himself in the Dhikr i.e., remembrance of Allah Almighty, he never regains his own personality. According to Hazrat Abul Hasan Husri (may Allah have mercy on him): â€a Sufi is he whose existence has no nonexistence and whose nonexistence has no existence.†Meaning that whatever he attains, he never loses and whatever he loses he never regains.
In short, it can be said that Sufism is a comprehensive applied syllabus of cosmic law (Shari’ah). Mostly, people are confused with their social, political, economical and ethical viewpoints due to lack of knowledge of the Shari’ah which emphasizes human relations, forgiveness, and the most important aspect of society, i.e. tolerance. Tasawwuf is a knowledge of peace and justice, harmony among different cultural groups and supremacy of humanity. Contemporary social order requires comprehensive principles of Tasawwuf to be applied in the different societal institutions for the betterment of state, politics, public administration, international relations with reference to peace and justice in the world.
References: Taken from articles and speeches of Prof. Dr. Manzoor-ud-Din Ahmed, a distinguished professor of Columbia University, USA and Prof. Dr. Mohammed Ahmed Qadri, Founding Director of IECRC in CA, USA.
Sohail Rana Qadri & Aniqa Rana Qadri
Mr. & Mrs. Rana Qadri are active members of IECRC Canada and contributors to the IECRC Newsletter.
Visiting the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him)
February 1, 2004 / Dhul Hijjah 1424
Volume 1, Issue 4
Visiting the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) is the best of all devotions and recommended acts. As a matter of fact it is from those necessary acts of worship which are obligatory for us to perform because the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) emphatically urged us to desire it.
He (Peace Be Upon Him) said:
“For whom it is possible to visit Me and he or she still does not do so, has committed a great injustice against Me.â€
He (Peace Be Upon Him) also said:
“Whoever visited My honorable grave, My intercession becomes incumbent upon him or her.â€
He (Peace Be Upon Him) also said:
“Whoever visited Me after My passing onto the next realm, it is like he or she visited Me in my life.â€
And there are Ahaadeeth (sayings of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him)) besides these.
According to the scholars, it is proven that the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) is alive and is given sustenance and is enjoying worship; however people who are unable to reach these high stations, the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) is hidden from their eyes.
And when we saw many people unaware of the right a visitation requires and its details (in its entirety and small portions, obligations and recommendations) which are sunan (the Way of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him)) for visitors, we wanted to write the “Etiquette of Visitation†after completing the topic of Hajj to complete the usefulness of this book.
So we say that one who is intending to visit the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), this person should send Darood Shareef (noble prayers on the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him)) in abundance as a gift to the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) because He (Peace Be Upon Him) listens and this is conveyed to Him (Peace Be Upon Him) and the virtues of Darood Shareef are so famous that they don’t need to be mentioned here.
When we see the walls of Madinah, the Pure, start reciting Darood Shareef and say: “O Allah! This is the Blessed Sanctuary of Your Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him) and Keeper of Your Revelation. So send me Your favors so I can enter into it, make it the cause of safety for me from Hell and punishment and make me among the people who will be awarded intercession of the Noble Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) on the Day of Reckoning!â€
Before entering Madinah, the Pure, or after entering it, but before visiting the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), if possible, take a shower, wear perfume and nice clothes. He should do this out of respect for presenting himself in the Presence of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). After this when his companions are settled in one place and he is at peace regarding his family and luggage etc., then, keeping in mind the awesomeness of the place, with calm and dignity, enter the city reciting these words if possible:
“I enter with the Name of Allah, Most Exalted, Most High and upon the community of the Noble Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him). O my Lord! Enter me with a good entrance, and bring out good, and bless me with energy and help from You. O Allah! Send blessings on our leader Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (Peace Be Upon Him) and His followers. (Read Darood Shareef till the end.) Forgive my sins and open the doors of Your Mercy and Blessings for me.â€
After entering the Noble Mosque of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) pray two cycles near His Noble Pulpit and stand there in such a way that the handle of the Pulpit is next to your right shoulder. The Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) used to stand here.
And there are gardens of paradise between the Holy Prophet’s (Peace Be Upon Him) Illumniated Grave and Noble Pulpit. As the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) has informed us about it:
“My Pulpit is on My Basinâ€
In addition to the Tahiyyatul–Masjid (2 cycles offered upon entering a mosque out of respect for it), read two cycles of prayer of Shukr (gratitude) because Allah Almighty endowed you with the tawfeeq (success) to come here and granted you the favor of bringing you here.
The above piece was translated from the famous Hanafi Fiqh Text “Noor-ul-Idah†by Ayyaz Yousaf Qadri, Managing Director of IECRC.
The Science of Dreams (Part 3)
Tuesday, November 25, 2003
Volume 1, Issue 3 (Shawwal 1424)
Dream interpretation is a part of prophethood, therefore anyone wishing to interpret dreams should give the proper respect and commitment to this undertaking.  To be a good dream interpreter, ideally one should have sound knowledge of the Qur’an and the Hadiths (sayings and life) of Prophet Muhammad, (Peace Be Upon Him), and sayings of the Sahaba –companions of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). Consequently, knowledge of the Arabic language will also prove to be very helpful. Other qualities which will help one to be a good dream interpreter are the ability to judge the character of the dreamer by their facial features, and possessing an even temperament, social manners, and sincerity of intention.
Dreams can be interpreted in many different ways, according to the circumstances, and depending upon the person who has had the dream. Sometimes dreams can be interpreted according to verses from the Holy Qur’an, or in terms of Hadiths or sayings of the Sahaba, or even sometimes according to popular sayings, such as proverbs or idiomatic expressions. Dreams can also be interpreted directly in terms of the thing or person being dreamt about.
Sometimes, however, dreams will have the opposite meaning from what appears in the dream. Dream interpretation, therefore, is both a science and an art, requiring the interpreter to be knowledgeable, yet also flexible according to the given person and circumstances, in order to come to the correct interpretation.
For example, there may be a dream in which he or she sees a hand tied to the neck. If the person who saw this dream is a very righteous and pious person, it may signify that he or she will be refrained from disobeying Allah Almighty and His Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him) and from committing some sinful act. However, if the person who saw this dream is not strong in faith, it may indicate the opposite meaning, e.g., that he or she will be kept in a state of helplessness or suffering in the afterlife unless there is repentance for misdeeds.
Dreams can also be interpreted according to the time in which they are seen. For example, to dream during the night of oneself riding an elephant means one will successfully handle an important matter, but the same dream in the daytime may indicate a domestic dispute.
The strongest dreams, which are most easily interpreted, occur at the end of the night just before waking. The weakest dreams occur in winter or whenever there is rain. The best time of year for propitious dreams is the time of fruit harvesting.
If the dream is highly symbolic and coherent, the interpreter only has to apply his or her knowledge directly to interpret the dream. In case there are ambiguous aspects of the dream, the interpreter should find out how the person felt during the dream. If, however, there seems to be no coherency or strong symbolism or essential principle in the dream, it should simply be dismissed.
If the dream is connected to nature or to a creature, it is important for the interpreter to understand the symbolism of the objects or creatures seen. Usually, trees, birds, and ferocious animals represent human beings. The species or type seen must be examined. With trees, for example, a palm tree may indicate a person of good character with a generous nature, just as a palm tree is upright and provides abundant nourishing sweet dates, while a walnut tree could indicate a person who is harsh and aggressive, because synonymously a walnut shell is very hard, and the nut is difficult to extract, and its taste is slightly bitter.
There are different types of dream interpretation. Following are several examples from the different sources of dream interpretation. The purpose of this is to give a general outline of the ways in which dreams can generally be viewed and interpreted.
Dream Interpretation According to the Holy Qur’an
Examples of dream symbolism which may be properly interpreted in the light of the Qur’an are:
Eggs: An egg may be taken as a symbol of a woman, because of the verse: “as if they were closely protected eggs,†(37:49)
Stones: A stone is a symbol of hard-heartedness, as in the verse: “Then your hearts became hard after that – so that they were like stones, or even harder still.†(2:74)
Raw meat: Raw meat is indicative of slander, because of the verse: “do not slander one another; would any one among you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? So you will hate that!†(49:12)
Keys: Keys point to an increase in material goods, as is stated in the Qur’an: “We gave him treasures, the keys alone to which made up a heavy load for a group of strong men.†(28:76)
Boats: A boat signifies one being watched over and helped by Allah, The Most Exalted, such as when Allah rescued Prophet Nuh (Noah), peace be upon him, such as is referred to in the verses: “We rescued him, and those with him, in the Ark†(10:73) and “So We rescued him and the Companions of the Ark.†(27:15)
Kings entering a new land or house: A king entering a new land or home can foretell a calamity for the dreamer or for his or her community or country, because of the verse: “Kings, when they enter a city, lay waste to it and make the mighty among its inhabitants abased.†(27:34)
Clothing: Clothing indicates one’s spouse, as it is written in the Qur’an: “They (women) are clothing for you and you are clothing for them.†(2:187)
Dream Interpretation According to Hadith
Examples of dreams in accordance with the Hadith of the Prophet, (Peace Be Upon Him) would be that of a mouse representing a wicked woman, as in the Hadith in which it is referred to as “a small wicked thing.â€Â A rib also symbolizes a woman, because of the Hadith that woman was created from a bent rib.
Dream Interpretation According to Proverbs or Idioms
Common proverbs or idioms may lend insight to dream interpretation. Some examples are:
A long arm: A long arm symbolizes generosity, as in the saying: “So-and-so has a longer arm than you.â€Â This expression would mean that the other person is more generous.
Spit: Spit is a symbol of a son, as in the expression said when a boy resembles his father: “He is the spitting image of his father.â€
Washing hands with soap: Washing hands with soap indicates despair, as in the expression, “I wash my hands of you.â€Â This means that one can expect no good outcome from the person or situation being confronted.
Dream Interpretation According to the Dream Object
Sometimes dreams can be interpreted directly by the object that is seen, such as narcissus and rose showing lack of longevity because they are not long-lasting flowers, or on the other hand, myrtle showing one’s longevity because of it being long-lasting.
Dreams With Opposite Meaning of What is Seen
Depending upon the feeling experienced by the dreamer, the meaning of a dream may actually be the opposite of what appears. For example, tears in a dream may be an expression of joy if they are shed in silence. Similarly, joy, laughter, and dancing may be a mask for inner sadness and worry. In a dream of two persons fighting, the person losing may actually be the winner.
To be continued insha Allah…
Prof. Dr. Mohammad Ahmed Qadri
Dr. Qadri is Founding Director of IECRC. He is a renowned known scholar from Pakistan, who taught at the University of Karachi for over 20 years. He has expertise in both modern education as well as traditional Islamic sciences, having completed the 18 year Dars-e-Nizami course from Pakistan. Dr. Qadri has studied with eminent scholars from Al-Azhar University, Cairo. He has dedicated his life to spreading the light and love of our Beloved Master Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
