Friday, May 30, 2008

The Effects and Need of Dhikr I

These are notes from Sheikh Abdul Mun’im Burkhes halaqa taken by my friend. The Shaikh explained Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya's (rahimahullah) book al-Wabil as-Sayyib min Kalim at-Tayyib (Abundant Showers from the Good Word). This session was on the chapter: 'The 'Effects (and need) of Dhikr'.

One who cares, will stay away from prohibitions and their places.

One who glorifies Allah will hate/get angry for Allah SWT and feel sad about this.

One of the signs that one is giving due respect is for him not to go on with practicing actions which are allowed to the point of going overboard.

An example is this is the Sunnah about waiting for Salatul Dhuhr-waiting for a cooler time. He said, for one to take the allowance and stretch it to the extreme, would be consider very wrong. The time of Asr may be about to come and this is going overboard.

The wisdom behind allowing Dhuhr to pass to a cooler time is because the heat would be discomforting so the legislation allowed delay to later, when the heat of the sun, would cool off. This would achieve the objective of the Salat and being in a state of greater Khushoo.

One example is that the one who is attentive shouldn’t pray when the food is readily available/wants to relieve himself. This is to be avoided because the person would be bothered in the Salat and so the objective of the Salat wouldn’t be achieved. And so, part of the Fiqh showing someone has understanding in the religion is to get rid off whatever is busying his mind. His Salat would thus be ready to focus on the Salat-thus making his heart empty from any other business and turned to Allah SWT. All of the body parts are in attention and two Rakat of this quality Salat could lead to all the sins of the servant to be washed away.

The traveler to combine between the Salat because of the difficulty a person would face on travelers. There is thus an allowance for the person to combine the prayer. If one stays in the same place is in the same way-it is not a regular way-combining the Salat is a temporary allowance. As for Al-Qasr (shortening), this is a regular Sunnah-and there is no excuse in this matter. For the other case, it is an allowance. If one travels, always shorten the Salat but combining them, do it if needed otherwise pray on time.

Another example, filling the stomach with food is an allowance. One shouldn’t go to an extreme such that they would reach to a point of extreme fullness-the stomach would thus take all his attention before and after the food. Rather, the servant should be hungry and full sometimes. While a person still desires it, he should leave some of it and the scale to do it is the Hadith: 1/3 for food, 1/3 for drink and 1/3 for air.

As for one treating the prohibitions with the extreme of taking it too easy, will take one out of the straight path. Exaggerations and hardness is the other side. The one who has waswasa with wudhu-one goes into the extreme and misses the Salah-he might then miss the Rakah, etc. One example is when a man said full proclaimed Niyyah in the Haram. A Bedouin next to him said ‘say the time and place’ when the person was about to start.. Thus, one should say the Niyyah in his mind as mistakes may happen-one may become too extreme. Thus one could leave something that is disliked up to even being liked.

The scholar brings the point of eating only what is Halal-thus he wouldn’t eat the food of the general persons even. Thus some of the worshippers prevent themselves from eating anything in the Muslim land and this person is bringing the food only that is brought from Christian lands-he spends someone specially to bring some type of food thus the person has cause the person to fall into evil thoughts on Muslims and good thought of others.

Then to give due regard to the orders and prohibitions is for one to not oppose them by extreme laxity or extreme hard application. Allah SWT wouldn’t order anything unless that the Shaytan has two ways of misguiding. The Shaytan doesn’t care which one of the two he causes the person to fall into. Rather, the Shaytan goes into the heart of a Muslim and tries to analyze and evaluate it. If he found if the person finds shortness from applying/relax/taking things slowly/found of allowances, then he will grab him from this way and will slow him down even more-making his lazy and slowing down and cold-hearted (no desire). The door of falsehood may be opened and the person applies what Allah doesn’t order at all.

If one founds someone paying importance and doing good and rising to the challenge, then Shaytan will cause the person to strive excessively and that the will power is higher than this and that the person should do more than others-I.e not cool off, not sleep, not fast, etc. This extreme action would making his transgress the Straight Path. The objective of the Shaytan is to transgress both people and this relates to the Hadith on this. Most of the creation was tried with these two ways and nothing will save one from this than firm Iman, knowledge and desire to stick to moderation and being balanced.

The signs of glorifying Allah and his orders is for one not to explain for the order that would lead someone to be weak in surrendering to Allah SWT. Thus he should try to carry out the wisdom of the order and if the Hikma becomes apparent, then the person will not just leave things completely. Such as with people who are hypocrites who called themselves Sufis-Allah SWT legislated 5 daily prayers and for the heart and the body parts to be used in worshiping Allah SWT. Allah gave every body part the share of servitude- Salat is one of the highest types of worship and Allah created the Son of Adam and made the heart the place for his treasures-of faith, Tawheed, Ikhlas, love, shyness/modesty, glorifying, watching, etc. Allah SWT made the reward for this Son of the Adam when he comes to Him, Allah made the reward the best and highest of Reward-to look and be close to Allah SWT in Paradise.

The heart of the person is the treasure chest and yet, Allah tested the Son of Adam with lusts, desires, anger and heedlessness. Allah SWT tried him with the enemy-Iblees who never stops plotting against him-he enters towards part of his nature and the Son of Adam inclines because he is inclined to these desires.

The Shaytan, the self of the human being and his desires are the three parts that come together upon the servant of Allah and order him. These three thing s will make the body parts achieve and do what they want and thus, the body part are just following instructions. Thus, the affairs of the body parts of the human will continue to obey these three things thus causing the Abd to be in trouble. Allah SWT necessitated that Son of Adam would be helped by soldiers and arms by which the servant would fight. Thus Allah SWT sent down a messenger and His Book and supported him with the Noble Angel. Sometimes, one party may take over and the winner is the one who Allah SWT protects. To face Shaytan, the Angel was sent and the soul is made at peace/tranquility not to do that. If the soul that orders him to do evil, then the peaceful soul would ask him to do good deeds. The person may order one over another and the authority would go to one who beats the other-maybe one of these two souls will be defeated that it will never rise again. In the face of the Shaytan is the Angel and to face evil is goodness and to face desires, is light, insight and intellect that stops one from following the desires. They warn the person of entering to Haram and destruction.

If one goes after the desires, one would be snatched and the person would obey the advisor, seeing the guidance and go after the desires at times. The person may obey good advice or not and the thieves may attack him-the person would wonder at his condition then and the strange thing is that the person truly knows from where he was taken and why. He knows the road which he took where the wrongdoing occurs but the person continues with this because it has taken authority over him. If he weakened this guide by opposing him and shun evil then he will not be able to take over. But in the other case, if the person gives his hand out to an enemy, would captivate and severely hurt him. The human being is captive to desire, self, Shaytan in such a situation and wants to be rescued but it’s impossible. Since the servant was tried and tested, he was helped with tools, forts, etc.

Striving against the enemy is his mission one is to fortify oneself-staying at the borderline, being on guard till death. The time one is required at this state is a very small period of time and it may be soon to se e the Great King and one would be relieved. Thus, the King would let him to be free and the enemy has been jailed. Thus the enemy was ou in the worst imprisonment and so there is no relief while you may do whatever you desire, your eyes are cooled for being patient for a small period of time as if the hardship was never there. If one became weak to notice all this, then let him ponder over S.35-‘As if when they see what they have been promised except one hour of the day’. Allah SWT would ask them about this and they would reply it was very short as if they didn’t stay for one day/part of the day.

How short a person stays is so short and the Prophet SAW gave a speech that when the Sun was above the mountains, during Maghrib, the Prophet SAW said there is nothing left of the dunya except what of the day has passed till now. The fact that the Prophet SAW was sent as a messenger is a sign of the closeness of the Hour so the wise should reflect on this and know what he has achieved that the person is left in confused dreams and desires. One has sold off the happiness of the everlasting realm and endless bliss with a small type of share and if one seeks Allah SWT and the Last Day, Allah SWT will give him that share with more and better. Sell of the worldly life for the next and you would win both of them-don’t do the opposite, is one would lose both.

Oh Son of Adam, you need this share of life but the next life needs a larger share. And so, one would be risking it and the one who starts with the share of the next life, would get both Inshallah. Caliph Umar ibn Aziz ordered for one to have steadfastness and thus, one should give precedence to Allah over anything else and that one should not treat them of going into extreme of laxity/hardness. Ignoring Allah’s prohibitions would make one straight and steadfast.

Allah ordered Yahya ibn Zakariyah AS to act upon and the Children of Israel would act on them: the last order is to do Dhikr.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Calm Down





p/s: Tengah kemaruk Shaikh Abdal Hakim Murad's videos

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Masjid Open Door


Toronto has always proud itself for being the world's most multicultural city in the world. Doors Open Toronto is an anual event which buildings of architectural, historic, and cultural significance open their doors to the public for a city-wide celebration. This year's Doors Open Toronto gives special focus on sacred places - an opportunity for Masjid Toronto to participate and open its door to the public. On 24th and 25th May, the Masjid Toronto community welcome non-muslims into the Masjid, give them a tour around the building, and briefly introduce them to Islam. Here are some memorable photos from the event:-



Dr. Atiyya giving his welcoming speech to the mayor and the guests after Solat Zuhr.


Mayor David Miller of Toronto addressing the Muslims and the non-Muslims at the Masjid, calling for unity and better understanding of Islam! He likes the Masjid. He said, when he was small, he used to go to an Anglican Church at his hometown - somewhere at England - on Sundays. The seatings are arranged such that the high-class and the rich sit at the front, while the poor ones sit at the back. At the Masjid, everybody sits on the same row, without any discrimination for classes, races, or even seniority - maybe this doesn't hold true at most Masjid at my home country, kids at the back!

And gender is another issue altogether, but women do pray behind the men without barrier at times - during renovations and other circumstances - in this Masjid. However, due to space restriction, women prayer area is upstairs and most people prefer that way. Well, there are couches and nursery upstairs. But I know some sisters - especially converts - who actually prefer to be downstairs as they want their voices to be heard, especially during Q&A sessions after halaqas. Brother Scott (Munib) whispering words of wisdom and al-haq to an old lady.

I believe Malaysia - or Kuala Lumpur - should held an event like this. Since Malaysia is a multi-cultural country with diverse religions, it will be an opportunity to welcome non-muslims to the Masjid. We shouldn't be boggled down with narrow fiqh and it is high time to break down barriers and prejudieces between us. Plus, we should try to get ourselves involve in our surrounding community, it is a blessing to be at overseas, so try not to lock ourselves in our own microcosm.

p/s: Sometimes I don't practice what I preach, I do feel bad about it, but I am only human. And human will continue to learn...

Friday, May 23, 2008

Sembang Kopi I: Modern Man

Aku: Kenapa ko tukar RAM dengan laptop Karim?
Makhluk : Aku nak tengok kalau aku upgrade RAM, laptop aku rasa lagi laju ke tak.
Aku: Owh...
Makhluk: Maximum RAM untuk laptop ni 4Gb.
Aku: Ha'ah tu maximum capacity untuk 32 bit architecture. Hmm, sekarang dengan 64 bit processor architecture, maximum RAM ialah 2^64, kira sendiri. Kalau nak lebih kene tunggu 128 bit punye architecture la kot.
Makhluk: Owh, macam tu kita tunggu ko invent 128 bit processor la... Bila agaknya tu?
Aku: Hmm, aku tak berminat. Apa keperluan untuk pc lagi laju sekarang ni?

(Makhluk dah masak dengan perangai terbaru aku yang anti dia main game).

Makhluk: Laa, ko selalu tengok aku main game, memang la ko anti game. Tetapi banyak lagi kegunaan komputer tu yang berfaedah, multimedia dan sebagainya. Even gene mapping pon guna computing power.
Aku: Hmm betul tu, tetapi tu bukan keperluan untuk kita. Manusia boleh hidup dengan aman dan lengkap dengan kehidupan macam beduin Arab ataupun tribe dekat Afrika. Contohnya, siapa perlu BMW 745i? Dan kita ada engineer yang nak buat kereta lagi laju dan sebagainya.
Makhluk: Ye la, tetapi tetap ada manfaat kalau kita ada komputer lagi laju, macam aku kata tadi.
Aku: Memang ada, tetapi itu bukan keperluan. Technological advancement takkan solve masalah manusia, masalah kita lagi besar daripada itu. Manusia sekarang tengah berada dalam kesesatan. Seluruh dunia telah hilang arah tujuan. Modernity dengan notion of progress dan usaha untuk mencipta utopia di muka bumi ni adalah root of the problem. Dan kita dah terpengaruh.

(Makhluk dah masak dengar hujah aku ni dan dah naik jemu dengar kot)

Makhluk: Hmm, apa masalahnya?
Aku: Well, let's see, environmental problems, the world is like a sinking ship right now, macam titanic. Dan kita nak buat komputer lagi laju untuk faedah-faedah yang tak penting, pada masa sama komputer ni dok guna more and more watts as the gigaherts increases, more concurrent graphic cards with SLI, dan sebagainya. More energy usage, we are just making the titanic to sink faster. Dengan embedded processors dalam pelbagai devices and more wearable computers, kononnya kita increase standard of living, efficiency, dan sebagainya. Tetapi dengan benda-benda ni manusia makin lupa Tuhan dan makin banyak mebazir masa je sebenarnya.
Makhluk: So kalau takde faedah, asal ko dok belajar tentang computer dekat university ni sekarang?
Aku: Entah la. Ada kot, aku pon tak tau. Tu la nak ambik bioinstrumentation. Tetapi kita tak perlu advancement in health-care jugak pon. Mungkin worldview aku yang messed up kot.
Makhluk: Tau takpe....
Aku: Well, in the end I am a modern man, I can't run away from that fact.

p/s: I should stop writing in hyperbole.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

The Firebrand

The firebrand... He never stops...


"Why should people worry about me?"




His final gambit




"This is the only way"

His critics

Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz
"I'm shocked and disappointed because Dr Mahathir seems to be punishing Umno over issues he is dissatisfied with. Don't use the party as a hostage to achieve what you want." Rafidah said those who wanted to change the party should do so from within."Dr Mahathir is not heeding the party principles of Bersatu, Bersedia, Berkhidmat. We were taught by him to be loyal to the party, but it looks like he is not practising what he preached.

Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob
"Tun seems to be dissatisfied that no one is listening to his call for Pak Lah to step down as the prime minister. He has no right to determine who should step down or who should stay. He is putting his personal interests above the interests of the party."

Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Aziz
"No one has the right to use dirty tactics to take down a leader who has been democratically elected."It is not something we condone. It is undemocratic. It is blackmailing the party."

Does the man know what he is doing? Will Pak Lah stay or not? What about the opportunist power? I guess history will tell us the story.

I would compare Tun with Kasparov, both are risk-takers, but they play their strategies with delicate precision. Anyway, a gambit is a gambit, sometimes it backfires even for the best. But when it works, you just wonder how these guys get it right...

Note 1: I don't really support Kasparov foray into Russian politics and his bid for democracy at Russia. The reason being, is it really about democracy or just another form of subjugation to the West? So it's not about Putin and his regime either.

Note 2: I stand for justice and I believe in syaria'.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Meeting


Aku: "Jom la pergi talk tu. Aku nak pergi sebab ada [cuba teka siapa]. At least, boleh la cakap aku dah jumpa dia"

Makhluk: "Eh, tak betul niat tu."

Ops... Well, I had to do some muzakarah I guess. It was the right choice in the end. It wasn't really about the content, because they are kind of repetitive from his books. What's realy worth it was the presence of the man himself, it is hard to explain, but it actually moved me. The whole experience really makes me wonder: What on earth am I going to do with my computer engineering degree in the future? Like, anything really beneficial? Of course the word beneficial can be really subjective. For me, that is something that I really need to ponder about.

It is important to ask the right question if you want to arrive at the right answer, isn't it?

Terry


Terry, jangan la menangis, relek la.



Bukan salah anda, dah padang tu basah, nak buat guano lagi. True champions will come back from setbacks.


But of course headlines will go like: "JOHN Terry is destined to go down in European football history as the man who only had to score a penalty to win the Champions League – and missed."

His good old friend said: "You can see what it means to John," said Lampard afterwards. "He's Mr Chelsea, Chelsea through and through. He wanted this more than anyone at the club. Not many centre-halves would have stood up there and taken the fifth penalty, a penalty of that importance, in the shoot-out. That's testament to the man. No one at Chelsea will criticise him at all. John's a man's man. He did what he did and he will be back."

We can choose to remember the fantastic 130 minutes and the saved goal, or the unfortunate missed penalty at the end. I will choose the former even though the latter seems to be the most crucial part of the game.

Apa la aku ni dok cakap pasal bola pulak, sokong pasukan yahud... pulak tu. Membazir masa je tengok bende-bende ni. Em, betul kot, tetapi aku banyak je bazir masa dengan benda-benda lain. I am always thrilled to follow the life and stories of any grandmasters and champions in their respective fields. They are inspirations for me.

Jauhilah Memburukkan Manusia atas Nama Tuhan!

Kenapa kita (manusia) lemah terlalu cepat mahu menghukum sesama manusia ? Tidak perlu menjadi dukun, meramal situasi orang lain sebaliknya anda cuma perlu memperbaiki situasi diri anda dan keadaan yang berlaku dengan beramal sebagai manusia yang baik setiap masa, di mana-mana dan suka membantu dan merahmati orang lain.

"Melayani orang lain seperti mana anda ingin diri anda dilayani."

Jadilah Hamba yang Penyayang kepada Tuhan Yang Penyayang

Sabda rasululah :
"Orang-orang yang penyayang, mereka itu akan disayangi oleh Allah Tabaaraka wa Ta'ala (Yang Maha berkat dan Maha Tinggi). oleh kerana itu sayangilah orang-orang yang di muka bumi, nescaya zat yang di atas langit akan menyayangi kamu". (Hadis Sahih. Diriwayatkan oleh Abu Dawud No. 4941. Ahmad 2/160. Hakim 4/159. dari jalan Abdullah bin 'Amr bin 'Ash. Hadis ini telah disahihkan oleh Imam Hakim dan telah pula disetujui oleh Imam Zahabi)

Juga disebut dalam hadis yang lain :

"Barangsiapa yang tidak menyayangi orang yang di muka bumi, nescaya tidak akan disayang oleh zat yang di atas langit". (Hadis Sahih, diriwayatkan oleh Imam Thabrani di kitabnya "Mu'jam Kabir No. 2497 dari jalan Jarir bin Abdullah. Imam Zahabi)

Perlu bagi para pendakwah (penyeru) agama ini memahami bahawa matlamat Islam ialah membawa manusia kepada jalan yang diredhai tuhan dan ianya berlaku dengan penuh kewaspadaan dan jauh dari kecelaruan dan kecuaian.

Oleh itu wajar seruan menuju kepada tuhan dilakukan dengan berhati-hati dan penuh keikhlasan untuk menyeru manusia menuju kebaikan dan kebahagian bukan untuk memuaskan hati sesiapa atau untuk mencapai apa-apa kepentingan.

Sekiranya anda tidak dapat melakukan usaha seruan, sering terpesong oleh belitan syaitan dengan asyik suka menghukum dan memburukkan mana-mana manusia di atas nama tuhan maka hentikanlah dakwah anda kepada kami, kerana kami manusia yang berdosa ini tidak mahukan wakil tuhan yang hanya tahu menghukum kami tetapi kami memerlukan wakil manusia yang akan mengeluarkan kami dari dosa membantu kami dari kesalahan dan membimbing kami menuju keredhaan.

Lailahaillallah....wahdahu la syarikalah...

Moga pintu taubat masih terbuka untuk kami ya Allah
Berikanlah kami wakil dan pemimpin yang akan membantu kami
bukan orang-orang yang hanya tahu mencela dan menghina kami
menyusahkan hidup kami di atas pembohongan nama-Mu ya Allah !

* Pesanan untuk diri sendiri. Moga aku dapat belajar menjadi hamba Tuhan, dan bukan omong-omongan kosong sahaja. Dipetik daripada cebisan post Antara Wakil Tuhan dan Hamba Tuhan, Sangat Jauh Beza Maksudnya!

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Sebenarnya

Sebenarnya aku tiada taqwa,
Aku hanya insan gila,
Aku menipu kalian saja,
Dan juga diri aku sendiri,
Aku ingin mencari al-Ghazali,
Tetapi tidak ku temui,
Hati aku kotor dan berdaki,
Aku perlu muhasabah diri,
Pergi, mencari diri.

p/s: My true friends are those who have showed me my real weaknesses - only my egoistic self failed to appreciate it. I can't thank you enough. My real weakness is I always think I am right, but often time I am wrong. Ustaz sekolah aku kata jahil muraqqab, psychologists kata narcissistic, dan aku sendiri punya term ialah gila. Moga aku sembuh daripada penyakit ini pada masa-masa akan datang =)

Monday, May 19, 2008

"We Are Only Peacemakers"


Ali ibn Abu Talib, a companion of the Prophet who was about to slay his opponent in the midst of battle. As he raised his sword to strike, his enemy spat in his face. Ali immediately dropped his sword and refused to kill his opponent, “What is wrong with you, why do you not strike ?” the man asked “Because before you spat at me I was fighting you for the sake of Allah Almighty” Ali replied, “but after you spat I was fighting you because I was angry - and as a Muslim I can only fight for Allah , never for my own self.” Upon hearing this, Ali’s opponent recognized the nobility and truth of his words and immediately accepted Islam. [I have no idea about it's authenticity]

My Lord, guide me, verilly I am someone weak!

Maybe I think I am a 'peacemaker', but I only create mischief. Forgive me.