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Continuing my daily posts of scenes from NYC over the last few years.
This was taken on one of the prettiest days in Central Park this past Autumn.
From Uncharted: Drake's Fortune.
I have recently been playing through the remastered versions of the Uncharted series and thought it would be a fun little build. And since I have a big project coming up that I teased earlier, great practice for continued building ^^
Please don't ask me what part of the game this is from, because I can't remember :P
I hope to do one or two of these for each of the four games (and maybe the fifth spin-off, but no promises on that one).
Thanks for looking! Feel free to comment any ideas or questions for the next one :)
Continuing my Southern Arizona Adventure 2024 with a visit to Bisbee Arizona. This is stage 6 of 9.
I had a good parking space and a little time, so I decided to tour the Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum. It is a very professionally curated Museum and connected with the Smithsonian Museum.
The Museum also includes historical items of Phelps Dodge Corporation, including the original boardroom which was in this building. This appears to be a personal safe of James Stuart Douglas. This is a cash register from the National Cash Register Co., Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A.
www.miningfoundationsw.org/James_Douglas_2
During the first decade of the 20th century, Douglas, from his position of manager of Phelps Dodge's Moctezuma Copper Company mine and smelter in Sonora, oversaw the establishment of the smelter town of Douglas, Arizona (named for his father, Dr. James Douglas). He also oversaw the construction of a railroad from Douglas to the mines, and organized the Bank of Bisbee and the Bank of Douglas. While in Mexico, Douglas showed his practical bent in earning his nickname of “Rawhide Jimmy” when he ordered the use of rawhide to protect the rollers of an incline from damage by cables. With the onset of World War I, Douglas volunteered his services as a "dollar-a-year" man in supervising the Red Cross stores in France for the entire Western Front. For this, he was decorated by the French government as a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. In 1922, Douglas took over the reorganization of the United Verde Extension mine in Jerome, and after four years struck the bonanza that made the UVX famous. Douglas guided the UVX through labor unrest, the Great Depression, and unstable copper prices to a 20-year production record of $130 million, paying stockholders more than $50 million in dividends.
You Haven’t Seen Bisbee Until You’ve Seen the Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum
With a history deserving of National Landmark status, it’s only fitting that Bisbee’s past be captured and reflected in a museum like no other. The Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum takes you and your family back in time to the days of the Arizona Territory, telling the story of a copper-mining town’s role in the industrialization of America, a history of your grandparents’ generation. An Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, the Museum offers an interactive trip back in time for the whole family. The American Industrial revolution not fun to learn about? Think again! Why copper? Find out! The Museum offers the stories of how people reacted to family and social issues through the last 125 years and how their responses helped shape the city, the state, and the nation.
www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g31171-d214388-Revi...
This museum, one of the Smithsonian Institution's only rural branches, documents the history of Bisbee's mining days as well as the town's contribution to the country's industrialization. Located in the town's main plaza, Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum is a must-visit for anyone interested in mining and minerals. It features a remarkable mineral display as well as photographic exhibits, and you can also peruse riveting sections that illuminate the nuances of daily life in the copper mines.
www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g31171-d214388-Revi...
A small, but informative and interesting museum that is a local affiliate of the Smithsonian. Lots of information about Bisbee during its copper mining heyday. DON'T SKIP THE 2nd FLOOR! it's a beautiful mineralogical display of the variety of ores from the mines around Bisbee. - Jake S. Alexandria, VA.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisbee,_Arizona
Bisbee is a city[5] in and the county seat of Cochise County[6] in southeastern Arizona, United States. It is 92 miles (148 km) southeast of Tucson and 11 miles (18 km) north of the Mexican border.
Bisbee was founded as a copper, gold, and silver mining town in 1880, and named in honor of Judge DeWitt Bisbee, one of the financial backers of the adjacent Copper Queen Mine.
Today, the historic city of Bisbee is known as "Old Bisbee" and is home to a thriving downtown cultural scene. This area is noted for its architecture, including Victorian-style houses and an elegant Art Deco county courthouse. Because its plan was laid out to a pedestrian scale before the automobile, Old Bisbee is compact and walkable. The town's hilly terrain is exemplified by the old four-story high school; each floor has a ground-level entrance.
Natural vegetation around Bisbee has a semi-desert appearance with shrubby acacia, oak and the like, along with cacti, grass, ocotillo and yucca. The town itself is much more luxuriant with large trees such as native cypress, sycamore and cottonwood plus the introduced ailanthus and Old World cypresses, cedars and pines. Palms are capable of growing tall, but are not reliably hardy. At least one mature blue spruce may be seen.
Haiku thoughts:
Dusty streets wind tight,
Colors spill from old brick walls,
Echoes of the past.
Southern Arizona Adventure 2024
After visiting Baltit Fort and a nice stay in Karimabad, its time for us to move further into the upper Hunza... The travel starts from The Ganesh Village, which is said to be older than Baltit. The twists and turns of Karakorum Highway will take you deeper into the heavenly places and one can witness the true essence of human spirit in struggle with the fury of nature.
the first small hamlet that comes across the road is Faizabad, Khoshi in local language. This area is very famous for its variety of people, from Directors to Drivers, from By Birth Artists to Till Death ignorants all belongs to this place. The people of this place are very Friendly and lives like one family.
Moving further would reveal Ahmadabad, the progress made by the people of this small isolated hamlet perching on a massive rock is example of its own. People living in villages around Ahmadabad can emulate the organizational skills adroitly adopted by the inhabitants. It has a good school, football & cricket ground, Stadium and its own power house.
The capture above is Ahmadabad, which is pure example of what human unity can do, situated at what was once and arid rock, has been turned into heaven. Fed by the melting snow water of Ahmadabad Glacier originating from Gurpi Peak which is just beside Famous Ultar Sar.
So, our journey has started from Central Hunza to deep into the upper Hunza valley. One of the most beautiful place on earth with most of the world highest Peaks.
Taken: Standing over the ridge beside KKH opposite to Ahmadabad, Hunza, Northern Areas of Pakistan.
Continuing my Southern Arizona Adventure 2024 with a stop in Tubac, AZ. This is stage 3 of 9. This is a place I plan on revisiting.
Tubac has several of these Javelina sculptures around town. It was public art project. Each one is decorated differently
ChatGPT says:
Tubac, Arizona, is a charming town rich in history and culture. Founded in the 18th century, it began as a Spanish presidio and later became a hub for artists and artisans. Today, Tubac is known for its vibrant arts scene, featuring galleries, studios, and shops showcasing local artwork and crafts.
The Tubac Presidio State Historic Park offers a glimpse into the area's past, with preserved ruins and exhibits that highlight its significance in Arizona's history. Visitors can explore the beautiful desert landscape, enjoy outdoor activities, and participate in various festivals and events throughout the year.
The town's blend of history, art, and natural beauty makes it a unique destination for those looking to experience the spirit of the Southwest. Whether you're interested in exploring its historical sites or indulging in the local arts, Tubac offers something for everyone.
Haiku thoughts:
Old adobe walls stand,
Artists' dreams in sunlight bloom,
Tubac's heart beats on.
Southern Arizona Adventure 2024,
This is a continueing project in which I will shoot smokers. If they smoke in public they will be shot. There are groups of smokers gathering outside their workplace. There are solitary smokers, there are proud smokers and secretive smokers and those who are ashamed to smoke.
Continuing the theme of children entranced by animal cuteness. An archive shot from March 2011 when we visited the excellent Loro Park Zoological Foundation in Puerto de la Cuz, Tenerife. If I remember correctly, this sequence ended by the dolphins towing one or more of the children out across the water in the dinghy! The boy is slightly older and has a life-jacket on, so I think it was him?
Chassis n° 421/200/186
YMK 5
After GNs, Archie Frazer Nash continued under his own name. This very rare closed version was christened Le Mans, a name which it earned by a victory there in the 2-litre category in 1953. it came back in 1954 in a different color. Despite these 48 hours in the Sarthe, the car remains as it was 65 years ago.
24 Hrs du Mans 1953 (1954)
Team : Automobiles Frazer-Nash Ltd.
n° 38 (36)
Result : 13th (11th)
Engine : BMW 1.971 cc - 6 in-line
Ken Wharton (GB) - 1953
Laurence Mitchell (GB) - 1953
Marcel Becquart (F) - 1954
Maurice Gatsonides (NL) - 1954
Post-War Preservation Unrestored Cars
Presented by Paris Office Project Pop
Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille
Château de Chantilly
Chantilly
France - Frankrijk
June 2019
Continuing coverage of BUDAPEST, Hungary with my Gift 2005 8mp OLYMPUS E-500 set to 'RAW' The 1 hour Danube Cruise included on the expensive Bus Ticket 16,000 Forints I got the Parliament Building as it appeared under the famous Chain Bridge
Continuing my Southern Arizona Adventure 2024 with a visit to Bisbee Arizona. This is stage 6 of 9.
Walking around Bisbee, the Cochise County Courthouse is a compelling landmark.
sah-archipedia.org/buildings/AZ-01-003-0016-05
Arizona » Cochise County » Cochise County Courthouse
1931, Roy Place. Quality Hill Rd. at Oak Ave.
"The Cochise County Courthouse is a prime example of the Southwest regional variation of the Art Deco style that was popular internationally in the interwar decades. The decorative motifs found across the elevations are stylizations of native desert flora, signifying the geophysical context of the locale; the jagged roofline is vaguely reminiscent of a Plateresque cathedral, alluding to the region’s Hispanic heritage; and the massive whitewashed walls with small apertures refer to the region’s vernacular adobe building traditions.
The seat of Cochise County’s government originally was located in nearby Tombstone, a mining encampment chosen when the county was formed in 1881. The county seat was relocated in 1929, in a move that signified the supersession of Tombstone by Bisbee. The Phelps Dodge Corporation, which owned the majority of property in Bisbee and operated the lucrative Copper Queen Mine, donated land on Quality Hill for the construction of a new courthouse. Roy Place, a leading Tucson architect who also responsible for the Spanish Colonial Revival Pima County Courthouse of 1929, designed the edifice. Governor G.W.P. Hunt delivered the keynote speech at its dedication in 1931.
"Perched on an artificial plateau, this powerful expression of governmental authority looms over the commercial core to the east. The Iron Man, a statue by Scottsdale sculptor R. Phillips Sanderson, graces the intersection in front of the building. This tribute to the town’s miners was dedicated in 1935, in a ceremony presided over by Arizona Congresswoman Isabella Greenway. The courthouse is fronted by a raised, semicircular plaza edged by a massive balustrade, accessed by two curving sets of stairs, and with a fountain at its center. From the plaza, another grand stair rises to the four-story building. The building is roofed in copper; this material, the town’s lifeblood, is used throughout the building, notably on the ornate copper doors of the main entrance, which bear stylized figures of Justice.
"The structure is symmetrical, with concrete walls that spring from a basement and rise to a stepped parapet, forming a tripartite facade in which the tall central pavilion is flanked by shorter wings. On the central pavilion, the symmetrical fenestration is separated vertically with chevron-topped pilasters. The side elevations are divided into several narrow window bays by similar pilasters, the verticality of which is mirrored by the wispy height of mature cypresses. The rectangular annex, also erected in the 1930s, is a two-story masonry addition placed to the rear and connected to the main pavilion by a wide pedestrian bridge embossed with chevrons. Its rear elevation, although much plainer than the facade, displays the same regional Art Deco detailing as the original block.
"Place’s stylized cacti designs adorn relief panels on the parapet and cornice line and the main doors, which are encased in an earthen-colored stone surround that contrasts with the whitewashed exterior; the surround holds a tympanum with stylized cacti topped by the carved reliefs of two miners, another reference to the area’s primary industry. Geometric, Art Deco lamps further embellish the exterior.
"Inside, the lobby features tile floors and marble-paneled walls with fluted marble pilasters. Decorative bronze grilles encase the windows and glazed doors. Vegetal, Art Deco-styled reliefs adorn the clerestory, between the marble pilasters. The courtrooms are minimally decorated although heavy geometrical ornamentation appears in the door surrounds and chair rails. Throughout the courthouse are examples of art funded by the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Project and added several years after the building’s completion. These include A Cavalcade of Cochise County History in the lobby, a six-panel bas relief by R. Phillips Sanderson, and George Seller’s relief map of Cochise County on the second-story stair landing.
"The building remains in use as the Cochise County Courthouse.
Author: Heather N. McMahon
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisbee,_Arizona
Bisbee is a city[5] in and the county seat of Cochise County[6] in southeastern Arizona, United States. It is 92 miles (148 km) southeast of Tucson and 11 miles (18 km) north of the Mexican border.
Bisbee was founded as a copper, gold, and silver mining town in 1880, and named in honor of Judge DeWitt Bisbee, one of the financial backers of the adjacent Copper Queen Mine.
Natural vegetation around Bisbee has a semi-desert appearance with shrubby acacia, oak and the like, along with cacti, grass, ocotillo and yucca. The town itself is much more luxuriant with large trees such as native cypress, sycamore and cottonwood plus the introduced ailanthus and Old World cypresses, cedars and pines. Palms are capable of growing tall, but are not reliably hardy. At least one mature blue spruce may be seen.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisbee_Historic_District
The Bisbee Historic District is a historic district located in Bisbee, Arizona, and has all the essential features of a prosperous, early twentieth century mining town.[2] It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.[2] The district has 80 contributing buildings, with various architectural styles including Colonial Revival, Mission Revival/Spanish Revival, and Italianate architecture.[2]
Haiku thoughts:
Dusty streets wind tight,
Colors spill from old brick walls,
Echoes of the past.
Southern Arizona Adventures 2024
Top Ten Football Players in World Football History Ranking by FIFA. This 10 Footballer is Best Football Player in The World. Amazing Football Player in FIFA World Cup and Footbal Club Parformance. 1. Lionel Messi, Argentina The key member of the greatest club team in history as Barcelona have dominated Europe & Spain, (LM10) Messi can change a game in an instant with unfathomable close control while gliding Midfield And forward at lightning speed. The Argentinian has answered doubts about his ability to perform for his country and could now complete his legacy by leading them to World Cup and Copa America glory. 2. Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal (CR7) Cristiano Ronaldo comes in at No. CR7 and for good reason. Cristiano Ronaldo has shown little sign that he won’t continue to be the brightest of stars on a Real Madrid C.F and Portugal squad filled with world-class players. The world’s most effective player in The World, A testament to his relentless desire for self and His Team-improvement, 3. Pelé, Brazil Bookended his career at the most level with World Cup wins, First as a brilliant footballer 17-year-old in 1957 and then 12 years later as part of one of the greatest team to ever grace the competition. In between Pelé picked up another winner medal in 1962 although was injured during the tournament. The all-time top scorer for Brazil and Barcelona, Pele fired in a total of 1280 goals during a glittering career. 4. Diego Maradona, Argentina Maradona played in an era when defender and forwarder were allowed to get away with brutalizing their more skilled opponents, and yet he was still majestic Player. A hero for leading Italian club Napoli and Barcelona to their first and still only two Serie A titles his greatest achievement came when he inspired Argentina to World Cup success in 1986, scoring mesmeric goals in both the quarterfinals and semifinals and final 1990 . 5. Zinedine Zidane, France Zinedine Zidane Scored two goals with his head to lead France to victory in the 1998 World Cup final, but it was with his feet that Zidane brilliantly cut Real Madrid C.F teams to shreds. He was a maestro with the Football, weaving passes with perfect weight to France, Real Madrid C.F teammates. A clutch performer Zinedine Zidane almost single-handedly inspired France to the World Cup final in 2006. It came four years after he scored one of the all-time great goals in a European Cup final and Real Madrid C.F to win the trophy with France. 6. Johan Cruyff, Netherland Johan Cruyff The most recognizable member of the great Netherland team of 1970 that revolutionized the game with their Total Football, He was the total footballer. While nominally a forward, The Amsterdam-native was ahead of his time in dropping deep to the befuddlement of his opponents. Sadly fell agonizingly short of Netherland winning the World Cup, Won three straight European Cups with Ajax. 7. Ronaldinho, Brazil Ronaldo de Assis Moreira commonly known as Ronaldinho or Ronaldinho Gaúcho is a footballer. His main playing position is as an attacking forward or midfielder. He won the (2004 and 2005) FIFA World Player of the Year award. 8. Franz Beckenbauer, Germany For decades every defender with any remote ability on the ball has earned comparisons to Beckenbauer, but none have matched the graceful brilliance with which the man nicknamed Der Kaiser strode forward with the ball and initiated attacks during the 1960 and 1970. The scorer of an impressive six goals in World Cup, Franz Beckenbauer finally lifted the trophy as captain in 1975 after suffering painful defeat in the 1966 World Cup final. 9. Alfredo di Stefano, Argentina, Colombia and Spain In marking his sad passing this week Real Madrid had no qualms about declaring Alfredo di Stefano “the best player of all time” in a headline on their website. Born in Argentina but having also turned out at the international level country for Colombia and Spain, Alfredo di Stefano played a key role in the history of European soccer having famously come close to joining Barcelona before moving to arch rivals Real Madrid and becoming an integral figure in Spanish side winning the first five European Cup. 10. Zlatan Ibrahimović, Sweden Ibrahimović is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United. This Video Sharing link:- youtu.be/U173fiCAGcI All information recorded on:- ift.tt/WJGOSh & Reference by:- www.google.com Don't Forget to Following and Gate Update Twitter:- twitter.com/NordmanJoyceb Google+:- goo.gl/D9uFJp Instagram:- ift.tt/2bKlVrs Facebook:- ift.tt/2c03pid Blog:- ift.tt/2bKlbSV WP-Blog:- ift.tt/2c02MVw Tumblr:- ift.tt/2bKlY6n Weebly:- ift.tt/2c021Mc Digg:- ift.tt/2bKl0r2
Watch Top 10 Football Players Of All Time | World Football History | Best Top 10 In The World
Youtube URL: youtu.be/TLEaB-AQRvs
Youtube Channel URL: www.youtube.com/channel/UCE9_oB8wr_jGIrUTMpBb-eQ/videos
My dashing around Suffolk in my lunch hour continued today as I visited Pin Mill, a very interesting part of the River Orwell between Ipswich and Felixstowe. You're always told that taking photographs whilst the sun is high overhead is not a good idea...after the last few days I can confirm that I agree ;-) That said, all these places are definitely high on the agenda for Autumn and Winter visits when they'll be a lot less crowded (Pin Mill was stacked with people enjoying the sun) and the light will be a lot easier to control.
So, according to my Tide Guide App on my phone it was supposed to be High Tide when I arrived here...but someone had clearly pulled the plug!
Now, the good news is that I am FINALLY making a V2 for my half decent SM Zephrix. For those of you who didn't know, I lost him in my recent move, but I know where he is in the house, so I have to search.
Continuing at the Horn Lake Target for this photo, but we’re jumping forward a bit. Interrupting our August 2023 remodel photoset, this shot takes us to a time after the remodel’s completion, looking at a set of emergency exit doors at the rear of the salesfloor within sporting goods. Ten years ago, a photo of this very spot was my first-ever upload to flickr. (They realigned the dang aisles in the remodel – there’s now an endcap blocking the spot where I was standing back in 2014, so it was impossible to get the exact same angle!)
I suppose it’s a cliché in and of itself to say I’m at a loss for words, but truly I am. (This, despite the long description you can clearly see below!) I can’t say I’m surprised it’s been that long, because in a lot of ways, no, it does feel like I’ve been doing this for a long time. On the other hand, in other ways, it’s still crazy for me to think I’ve been at this for so long. Ten years is a very long time! That’s a decade of my life – and I’ve only had two of those, plus some change! When I started this account I was a junior in high school, bored at home over Christmas break. I enjoyed the opportunity to document local retail in the region I grew up in as well as the opportunity to join the community, interact with y’all, and curate a photostream (and a blog!) as a fun hobby during college. Five years of that went by, and now I am a CPA living in the capital area of the state I’ve called home for my entire life. I don’t know what I envisioned for myself post-graduation – nothing concrete, really – but I will say that this was an unexpected location, and it’s crazy to me that flickr, and all of its people, has been there this whole time, throughout everything.
I don’t know what to say to you guys. I really don’t think I would have been (or continue to be) as engaged in this hobby if not for all of you – the photos you upload, the blog posts you write, the comments you leave, the images you fave. I wish I could say I had some grand special plan to celebrate ten years, but I really don’t. Heck, as I wrote last week, we’ll be starting 2025 with the remainder of my first-ever photoset not to conclude cleanly at year’s end: no big deal, of course, but internally at least it does seem to speak to the ever-decreasing amount of time I seem to have available to devote to this hobby. And that makes me sad. But, by the same token, I’m still not intending to go anywhere. I do want this to remain fun for me, and I think the crowd I “grew up” with on flickr is mostly experiencing similar pulls in life drawing them away from more regular activity, and that’s okay. I love all the newer folks too, and thoroughly want to continue encouraging people to keep joining the hobby, as it is a ton of fun. Moreover, I like to think it actually does accomplish something important: not just photographing a random store, but documenting an appreciation of design decisions, historical recordkeeping, and so much more than that. And it’s wild to think that my photos may well be an impetus for some people to join the site – I never really anticipated I’d be an inspiration just like many others have been to me!
Anyway, to continue what I was saying – in order to keep this fresh and fun and not get burnt out, uploads may keep slowing down, I don’t know. I don’t want them to, but I’ve also learned I don’t want to make any promises, lol. What I do want to do is keep going through my backlog, because I’ve got plenty of neat places to share, and to let you know that I haven’t stopped adding to the backlog, either, even if it is in much less frequency than years past. I have uploaded over 8,630 photos, and written over 150 blog posts. I can’t believe it! And y’all have viewed and read so, so many of those, some of you 100% of them. Thank you for that!!
I had a goal to photograph all 29 Kroger stores in Mississippi, and I finally met that goal last week, just shy of this 10-year mark. (I’ve actually photographed 32 out of 29 – Kroger closed a few over the years!) I’m sure you know by now that I love the state I live in and I’m proud to be sharing its retail with you guys. As I said, I’ve got so much more to upload in the future, and while I don’t have anything specifically special planned to celebrate ten years, I am at least happy that my final photos of the Horn Lake Target post-remodel will serve as a bit of a way to mark the occasion. With that store having been the very first one I ever uploaded a photo of, that seems pretty fitting to me, and so too was my thinking behind sharing this particular photo for this anniversary.
I did notice that somewhere along the way I must have gotten myself confused, as it looks like that “before” image was uploaded on December 30th, 2014, not the 31st, which is when I thought I joined the site :P Ah well, my annual New Year’s Eve post has become a tradition for me by now, so no sense in changing that up! I’ll see y’all in a few days with some fresh uploads to kick off 2025. Happy New Year everyone, and thanks again for supporting me for 10 years on flickr (and counting)!!
(c) 2024 (for about a day or so anyway) then 2025 Retail Retell
These places are public so these photos are too, but just as I tell where they came from, I'd appreciate if you'd say who :)
Monday 30/12/2019 saw the last bus services operated by Hampshire operator Mervyn's Coaches of Innersdown near Micheldever. Mervyn's called time on their bus routes after 33 years stating that they are no longer viable to run.
Broadly speaking, their routes ran Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays offering 2 return trips from the villages of East Stratton, Micheldever, Stoke Charity and into Winchester via Springvale and Kings Worthy. Additionally, on Mondays there was a lunchtime extension to Kempshott Sainsbury's near Basingstoke.
Normally a fully accessible Volvo B7RLE / Plaxton Centro bus was used on the services but this wasn't available so the last day honours fell to Volvo B10M-48 / Plaxton Premiere C43F R959RCH (since sold).
Routes operated were:
95 East Stratton (09:32) - Winchester Broadway (10:10);
96A Winchester Broadway (12:00) - Sainsbury's Kempshott (12:53);
95A Sainsbury's Kempshott (14:15) - Winchester Broadway (15:00);
96 Winchester Broadway (16:45) - East Stratton (17:21).
Stagecoach South took on the service from 03/01/2020 and Mervyn's have continued as a coach operator.
On Highway 8, drilling continues in preparation for blasting as part of flood recovery efforts (Nov. 25, 2021).
Jose continues to bring tropical storm conditions to southern New England although the storm has become post-tropical. NASA's Terra satellite caught a view of the storm sitting almost stationary about 100 miles from Nantucket Island, Massachusetts.
On Sept. 21 at 11:25 a.m. EDT (1525 UTC), the MODIS instrument or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer aboard NASA's Terra satellite took a visible picture of Jose. The image showed Jose's clouds in the northwestern quadrant continued sweep over southern New England, southeastern New York, and northeastern New Jersey. Jose is a large storm and the clouds in its northeastern quadrant are just south of Nova Scotia, Canada. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 220 miles (350 km) from the center.
Jose formed on Sept. 2 and has been around 20 days. The National Hurricane Center issued their 68th advisory on Jose on Sept. 22. Read more: go.nasa.gov/2yisnzc
Credit: NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.
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Continuing my Southern Arizona Adventure 2024, with a visit to Bisbee Arizona. This is stage 6 of 9.
I stayed here at the Bisbee Grand Hotel. Mostly because of the parking. It is old and antiquated but had a comfortable bed. This is not an endorsement or recommendation. I would give it 2 stars when I'm in a generous mood.
Welcome! The Bisbee Grand is a full-service hotel that reflects the delicate balance of Bisbee’s rich, historic character and quirky, artistic vibes. We invite you to stay with us and get a glimpse of the rugged Old West while enjoying some modern style and comfort.
The Bisbee Grand was established in 1906, so you could say we’ve been doing this hospitality thing for a while. We offer a variety of rooms to meet all your comfort needs. Choose a cozy, budget-friendly room or treat yourself to one of our spacious jacuzzi suites.
Stroll down the stairs of your artfully-curated room and you’ll find our talented restaurant crew cooking up something tempting. Our bar is fully stocked with all your favorites, including local brews, wines, and spirits; our expert bartenders are always crafting up something new and every month we have fabulous drink specials. Kick back and immerse yourself in the warm, friendly company of locals and travelers alike. Be sure to checkout our entertainment schedule. We host a variety of live entertainment just about every night of the week and are the reigning champions of live local entertainmen
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisbee,_Arizona
Bisbee is a city[5] in and the county seat of Cochise County[6] in southeastern Arizona, United States. It is 92 miles (148 km) southeast of Tucson and 11 miles (18 km) north of the Mexican border.
Bisbee was founded as a copper, gold, and silver mining town in 1880, and named in honor of Judge DeWitt Bisbee, one of the financial backers of the adjacent Copper Queen Mine.
Today, the historic city of Bisbee is known as "Old Bisbee" and is home to a thriving downtown cultural scene. This area is noted for its architecture, including Victorian-style houses and an elegant Art Deco county courthouse. Because its plan was laid out to a pedestrian scale before the automobile, Old Bisbee is compact and walkable. The town's hilly terrain is exemplified by the old four-story high school; each floor has a ground-level entrance.
Natural vegetation around Bisbee has a semi-desert appearance with shrubby acacia, oak and the like, along with cacti, grass, ocotillo and yucca. The town itself is much more luxuriant with large trees such as native cypress, sycamore and cottonwood plus the introduced ailanthus and Old World cypresses, cedars and pines. Palms are capable of growing tall, but are not reliably hardy. At least one mature blue spruce may be seen.
Haiku thoughts:
Dusty streets wind tight,
Colors spill from old brick walls,
Echoes of the past.
Southern Arizona Adventure 2024
It doesn't look like there's been much progress, but trust me, there have been a TON of small improvements to the structure, particularly with the inner framing.
Also, obviously the stand is now a thing. It will eventually be tiled entirely in light bley. The rear frame is currently at the wrong height; the top of it lines up with the top of the front section. I have plans for the interior structure, and how the detachable panels will be constructed to access the interior.
I continued to wear my Asics soleless barefoot sneakers through much of the fall. I also went completely barefoot when the evenings were warm enough.
I continued to wear the barefoot sneakers to work, and then dispensed with the shoes, working barefoot. Since usually there is no-one else there, who is to know. But I'd stop in the deli and a convenience store barefoot as well, and no one threw me out. (I had seen barefoot people in there in the summer already.)
Most days now in the winter, it is too cold to be barefoot much. but when we get a warm day, the barefoot shoes go on. And next spring, I'll be a regular semi-barefooter again.
•This necklace is made of a stone perforated by sea creatures
placed and fastened on a firm wire ring fully wrapped with
thin aluminum wire.
• I placed the stone on a simple round ring to accent the beauty
of the stone itself - the stone being the centerpiece of the
whole necklace placed asymmetrically building a dynamic
composition. The ring is carefully wrapped with thin wire
cherishing the wonder of continued subsistence.
• Formed by the continuous sea wave movements and pierced
by the enduring nibble of sea creatures in their effort to shelter
their bodies in it - it is an astonishing work of nature clearly
manifesting the strength of endurance and the infinite loop of existence.
2007.
Continue with fabulous misprints found in United Bricks mystery packs... Panzer crew member... I've added a cap, Walter, binoculars and short sleeved hands (those are original LEGO, from Tom Cruise figure). The torso and legs came as-is, and fully unique, as far as design. Probably a trial print. Head was also a misprint, found in one of the packs. Enjoy!
LFOW's Note: I plan to use this on my MFZ board. The setting is an ice planet, so I plan to encase this head in what looks like ice and snow. Continuing in the same vein as my earlier Frozen Throne terrain feature, I'll be sprinkling game/anime references throughout my board as the ideas come to mind.
All credit for this goes to Haystack Hair's lovely EVA Unit-00 design. I only tweaked it a little bit and did it in a different color.
Even into relatively recent times and control of the former Western National fleet falling to First, the trend of using buses well beyond their prime continued (continues?). maybe it was something regarding the remoteness of the operation from the Company's Aberdeen HQ, or more cynically that the operator was never likely to contribute much to the bank balance of the shareholders. However, from an enthusiasts point of view, it provided a stay of execution for large numbers of elderly Bristol VR double deckers ... a once (too?) common sight across England and Wales. I have to confess here again, that the VR left me cold many years ago as being the NBC standard 'decker, they wiped out many a more interesting and often more competent type IMHO. However, with the passage of time, diminishing numbers, 'the hunter becoming the hunted' scenario and the plastic-ness of what's succeeded them, they've now acquired a greater degree of interest to me. Little did I ever think back in the '70s I'd drive from Stoke on Trent to Cornwall for the day to ride and photograph them! Here a battle-scarred AFJ 697T, built in 1978 and still wearing post privatization colours rather than First's 'Barbie', is seen leaving WN's Long Rock garage, Penzance to take up service when approaching thirty years of age.
Give it a try to the wax paper. Not good at all but close enough.
1.5 cm square. No tools.....¬¬
Naaaa just kidding.
Khajuraho was a capital of the Chandela kings from the 9th to the 11th century. During that period, approximately 85 temples were constructed there of which almost 20 remain in good to excellent condition. Khajuraho continued its religious importance until the 14th century but was afterwards largely forgotten and was overgrown by forests. Its remoteness probably saved it from the desecration of human images that Muslim conquerors traditiaonally inflicted on Hindu monuments. In 1838, British army captain, T.S. Burt, "discovered" the temples during a day trip. Burt' immediately recognized the historical value of the temples even though his Victorian sensibilities were shocked by the explicit and erotic sculptures that covered the walls of the temples.
AIMG_9594
Continued from: flickr.com/photos/42093313@N00/51683698952/in/dateposted-...
40. Refer all matters to Allah and His Messenger, then defer
يٰۤـاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اَطِيۡـعُوا اللّٰهَ وَاَطِيۡـعُوا الرَّسُوۡلَ وَاُولِى الۡاَمۡرِ مِنۡكُمۡ
فَاِنۡ تَنَازَعۡتُمۡ فِىۡ شَىۡءٍ فَرُدُّوۡهُ اِلَى اللّٰهِ وَالرَّسُوۡلِ اِنۡ كُنۡـتُمۡ تُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِاللّٰهِ وَالۡيَـوۡمِ الۡاٰخِرِ ؕ
ذٰ لِكَ خَيۡرٌ وَّاَحۡسَنُ تَاۡوِيۡلًا
O you who believed!
Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those who have been entrusted with authority among you.
Then if you disagree in anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day.
That is the best for you and the best determination.
Surah An-Nisa, Verse 59
I had to study the verse in the Tafseer e Jilani. Only Ghaus Pak (ra) would explain what it really meant; obeying!
Ya Ayyuhalladina Amino: By bringing faith, being counted among the Momineen, your duty becomes that you obey Allah and you obey His Messenger (peace be upon him).
Atiu’ Allah: You obey Allah by acting upon His Commands and avoiding what He has forbidden.
Wa Atiu’ Rasool: And you obey the Rasool (peace be upon him), the one He chose Himself as His Khalifa, Vice-regent, for he is the one who guides you towards His One-ness.
Wa: And also obey…
Ulil Amri Minkum: the ones who decide matters and they are those who establish the Sha’ir ul Islam, the Signs of Islam, amongst you. These people are the ones who are leaders, those who have authority and who are judges, who struggle in the application of orders and finding a solution.
I asked Qari Sahib what it means to establish Sha’ir ul Islam – the Signs of Islam. He referred me to the next part of the verse;
Fa in Tanaaza’tum: So if there happens to be a dispute between you and the ulil amr, those who have authority over you…
Fi Shayin: in a matter of whether something is according to the Shari’a, Islamic Law, or not…
Fa rudduhu; return the matter to and turn yourself towards…
Ila: Allah’s Book…
Allah Wa: and the hadith
Ar-Rasool: and present the matter before both of them and find a solution from both of them…
In kuntu tu’mino billahi: if you believe in Allah, the One who gives the reward to His Servants for their deeds, be they good or bad…
Wal Yaumil Akhira: and you believe in the Last Day, which is the Day prepared for reward or punishment.
Dalika: This returning of the matter…
Khairun: is better for you than the injustice you will arrive at from your own reflection…
Wa ahsanu taweela: and will yield the best result for you, better than the result you arrive at on your own and will be more deserving of praise for the conclusion of the matter than your unfairness.
Sheikh Nurjan:
“As soon as you say, “ati`oollah, obey Allah,” it has a power and a secret. There are 500 ma’moorat, obligations, that Allah ordered us to fulfill, and 800 manhiyyaat, things which are forbidden, that we must leave. How can one count and follow 500 orders and leave 800 forbidden actions?
If you repeat that word alone, “ati`ullah, ati`ullah, ati`ullah,” reminding yourself with it, then Allah Subhan Ta’ala will completely dress you as if you have fulfilled all 500 obligations and left the 800 forbiddens. Allahu Akbar! Then you continue with, “ati`ur-Rasool, obey the Prophet,” and with Allah’s order, Prophet (peace be upon him) will dress you with all his Sunnah, voluntary actions, and in the meaning of Khaatam ar-Rasool, “Seal of Prophets,” as if you have obeyed him from beginning to end!
As Grandshaykh and Mawlana Shaykh Nazim said, with every letter of the Holy Qur’an, even if it is repeated hundreds or thousands of times, Allah opens 24,000 oceans of knowledge to His Auliya (the Ulul Amr), which they keep hidden. They give to their followers little by little, as if from a dropper. They give a little bit to the hearts of their listeners and continue to upload that until one day Allah will give permission to fully open it to the hearts of their disciples.
The goal is to reach Allah’s Pleasure and enter into the Divinely Presence and it enters within us. It is to make the house and heart of the believer the House of Allah so that His Light and His Grace can emanate from such a heart. That is why in the Quran Allah describes the Ka’ba as ‘wash your heart, clean your heart, circumambulate your heart, which is My House, the Ka’ba.’ That’s why we call Auliya Allah, the Friends of God, Qiblas (directions) and Ka’ba. Their hearts are like the Ka’ba which direct people towards the Divinely Presence. And they are a Qibla in that they give a direction and focus in life.
Allah knows we are weak and if we were given a thousand lives, we won’t be able to achieve that without this system Allah has put in place. People may have beliefs and love but to enter into that Divinely Light, Allah has a system to reach the Haqaiq, the Realities of ‘La ilaha Illallah.’
So then Allah says ‘ati’ur Rasool’ He is telling us ‘I know you can’t follow Me because that’s the Station of the Messengers. So follow the way and the love of your Beloved Messenger (peace be upon him) who is beloved by Allah and most praised within all of Creation, Sayadna Muhammadan Rasool Ullah (peace be upon him).
So then comes the third piece, Ulil Amr, because the Auliya Allah begin to describe that if our goal was to make our house a Ka’ba, the only one who can bring the law and discipline of Allah, the deen (religion) of Allah, the Message of Allah is Muhammadun Rasool Ullah (peace be upon him). The spiritual paths are the schools of guidance.
For in the Quran Allah says, ‘there is no guidance except if Allah guides’ and that has many degrees of guidance; something basic, something middle, something high and something very high. There are darajaats, spiritual ranks, of guidance and realities of guidance. The highest rank is Maqam Al Mahmood, the highest heaven is Jannat al Firdaus. These are all in fact existent within the reality and the heart of Sayaddna Muhammad (peace be upon him).
So the Auliya Allah, their whole teachings are about only him, Muhammad Ar Rasool Allah (peace be upon him). Through that the heart can be perfected. Allah says in the Quran that the Prophet (peace be upon him) is a guidance. He brings the message, he purifies the believers. He brings lights and blessings into the hearts of the believers. So how does Allah say that? He says if you want to reach Me, following the Prophet (peace be upon him) and I will love you. My Divine Love will emanate from your heart. ”
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ
وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Say (O Prophet (peace be upon you)), "If you love God, follow me and God will love you and forgive you your sins for God is Much-Forgiving, a Dispenser of Grace."
Surah Al e Imran, Verse 31
You can live a thousand years and a thousand lifetimes and you cannot achieve this without this system. Because Allah is saying come to Me through him. So the perfect line of Tauheed – La ilaha illallah Muhammad ar Rasoolallah – Allah is saying if you want to reach my La ilaha illallah, (Tauheed, My One-ness), come to me through Muhammad ar Rasoolallah. You cannot just say La ilaha illallah. Without Muhammad ar Rasoolallah, you are outside the belief system.”
Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti Ajmeri (ra) said the same in a different way:
If the one who does not believe utters (the words) La Ilaha Illallah, There is no God but God, for a 100 years , he will never attain faith. But if once he says, Muhammad Ar-Rasool Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His Messenger, he removes from himself a 100 years of apostasy.
“So the Ulil Amr are dressed and blessed by Allah to open a door on this Earth and the door must have a tongue in which it teaches, trains and guides, everything based on Muhammad Ar Rasoolallah (peace be upon him).
So be wary, when you enter a door and they talk a lot about Allah. Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah, that is not the right door. That is not the right room. For all doors in the Universe, above it is only Muhammad Ar Rasoolallah (peace be upon him). So the Ulil Amr should be talking about him so you can try to reach him for he is who is above them. The one who doesn’t talk about him and cuts him out, only talking about Allah, that’s Hizb ul Shaitaan, the party of Iblis. He is the one who says, ‘I don’t accept any of these Adams, only Allah.
So that’s how the student should know; if I enter into a room on the Ulil Amr, their whole existence pivots, like moons, around one sun; the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The moon is guidance. It gives you your time, your coordinates, it nourishes you and raises you. Read the Farmer’s Almanac on what a moon is. The Shams ul Arifeen, the Sun of the Gnostics, is Muhammad Ar Rasoolullah (peace be upon him). It is his light upon them, upon the moons, that makes everything guided and beatific and ripened and sweet.”
Subhan Allah!
“The room we want to enter is the room that teaches all the realities of the beatific nature of Rasool Allah (peace be upon him) and his creation. Everything they say is about his reality and the realities of his essence – The Muhammadan Reality. So the door to that reality, how will you find it? By picking up a book? No! These people are the Ulil Amri minkum.’
Now understand the levels of Ulil Amr. A president is Ulil Amr. Allah has given him that authority. Even if he’s an oppressor, Allah gave him the authority. It doesn’t matter what they believe or not. There are duniya Ulil Amr, who have authority of the matters related to the world. Then there are people who give guidance within religions like the clergy.
But the Ulil Amr minkum that Allah is describing are of a different nature and reality. They understand the alif-meem-ra of the word Amr. They are dressed by the Alif which makes them have Izzatullah (Honour of Allah), they’re dressed with the realities of the Meem which is Izzat ur Rusool (the honour of the Messenger (peace be upon him)), the might and majestry and authority of his person and Izzat ul Mo’mineen (the honor of the believers). It is by virtue of these three realities that power is bestowed upon this Earth.
The Ulil Amr represent the Honour of Allah on this Earth, they represent the honour of the Rasool (peace be upon him) and they are the Auliya Allah. The authority granted to them does not require speech. It is not from this world but from the World of the Unseen. The Ulil Amr are a door upon this Earth. Our life is to find that door.
The Spiritual Masters who can teach that reality, speak to it, they are from that door. They’re from the Ulil Amr. As a result, the doors that are established on this Earth at all time, for all time, Allah will keep guidance on this Earth through them for the sake of the nation of Sayyadna Muhammad (peace be upon him). Some of them have been given blessings but not guidance.
Those who have been given guidance are inheritors of the 313 Messengers of Allah. They have been given a support from Allah through their ears, and their eyes, and their breath and their hands and their feet and their Lisaan as Sadeeq – a truthful tongue.
41. Who are the Faithful – The Momineen? The Truthful
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦٓ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلصِّدِّيقُونَ ۖ
وَٱلشُّهَدَآءُ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ وَنُورُهُمْ ۖ
˹As for˺ those who believe in Allah and His messengers, it is they who are ˹truly˺ the people of truth. And the ones who witness, with their Lord, will have their reward and their light.
Surah Al-Hadeed, Verse 19
Tafseer e Jilani:
Alladina a’mano billahi wa rasooli hi: Those who are sincere (akhlasu) in their faith and then attested that sincerity by goodness in their deeds and their ehsaan, which is humility in the presence of Allah…
O’laika: these are the lucky ones who are accepted (by God).
Humuss siddeeqoon: They are the truthful one, who have reached the highest ranks of truth and have restricted themselves upon sincerity, steadfast and still in the Way of truthful certainty.
Wa Shuhuda: They are the ones who unveil, the ones who witness and the ones who are present…
I’nda Rabbihim: near their Lord, seeking further submergence in Him through their desire for a prolonging of that meeting.
Lahum: For them is in the next life…
Ajarhum wa nooruhum: is their reward and their light promised to them from Allah for they don’t want anything other than that.
Qari Sahib asked me, “Why are they getting two things, ajr and noor?”
As usual I was dumb because as usual I had no idea.
The Ajr, reward, is for their deeds and the noor is for their ikhlaas, sincerity. Then there’s a second layering to it; the reward, ajr, is for the faith in Allah, imaan. The noor is for following the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). See the reference:
يَٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَءَامِنُوا۟ بِرَسُولِهِۦ
يُؤْتِكُمْ كِفْلَيْنِ مِن رَّحْمَتِهِۦ
وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ نُورًۭا تَمْشُونَ بِهِۦ
وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ۚ
وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ
O you who believe! Be mindful of Allah and believe in His Messenger;
He will give you double portion of His Mercy
and He will make for you a light,
you will walk with it,
and He will forgive you.
And Allah (is) Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Surah Al-Hadeed, Verse 28
42. The Healing of the Heart
يَٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَآءٌۭ لِّمَا فِى ٱلصُّدُورِ وَهُدًۭى وَرَحْمَةٌۭ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
O Mankind! Verily has come to you an instruction from your Lord,
and a healing for what is in your breasts,
and guidance
and mercy
for the believers.
Surah Yunus, Verse 57
Tafseer e Jilani:
Ya Ayyun naas: O Mankind, those who have forgotten their original purpose and their true abode…
Qad Ja’atkum: indeed has come to you (a Prophet (peace be upon him) and The Book, 5/15) to awaken you and warn you…
Muazzatun: as an admonishment and to remind you…
Mir Rabbikum wa shifa ullima fi sudoor: from your Lord. And heal you from your anger and grudges that have taken firm residence in your hearts.
Wa hudan: And they will guide you to those who are in the know (about Allah) and bring you before Him.
Wa rahmatun: and they are the mercy in abundance which encompasses everything…
Lil Momineen: for those who are virtuous and conscious of Allah.
43. Allah’s Bounty; the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Quran
قُلْ بِفَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِۦ فَبِذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا۟ هُوَ خَيْرٌۭ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ
Say O Prophet (peace be upon him), "In (this) is the Bounty of Allah and His Mercy so in that let them rejoice."
It is far better than what they accumulate.
Surah Yunus, Verse 10
Tafseer e Jilani:
Qul: O Messenger (peace be upon him) who completes the Message, say to the one who follows you reminding them and guiding them,
Bi fadlillah hi: with Allah’s Bounty and His Best Acceptance and with His endowing of Honour and His Presence…
Wa bi rahmatihi: and by His Mercy, which is expansive for everyone and which is for all His Reflections in the Universe, “They should try to attain the blessings (of them both, the person of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Quran) and unveil them.
Fa bi dalika: By the delight they will receive from them both, they will attain presence before Allah.
Fal yafrahu: So let them rejoice, instead of being of those who do not experience this happiness and do not experience this joy because they prioritize the few moments of their physical, yet perishable desires.
Huwa: Your spiritual joy and happiness…
Khairun Mimma Yajma’oon: is far better than the lusts of your nafs, your base self, and what it demands from your being, if you are of the sincere and those who possess certainty.
44. What is Steadfastness?
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوا۟ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَقَمُوا۟
Indeed, those who say, "Our Lord, (is) Allah," then stand firm.
Surah Fussilat, Verse 30
Tafseer e Jilani:
Innalladina : The ones who believe in One-ness…
Qalu: they say in happiness and in difficulty, in secrecy and openly…
Rabbuna Allah: Our Lord is Allah, The One who is One, by Himself, Alone, beyond need who is lam yalid wa lam yulad…
Summastaqamu: the ones who then have to prove what they have claimed. And they acknowledge, realize and confess that (claim) through their deeds as well and their states and their intentions in their daily, ordinary actions.
45. All happiness and pain comes from Allah
مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ
وَمَن يُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُۥ ۚ
وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
No calamity befalls anyone except by Allah’s Will.
And whoever has faith in Allah, He will rightly guide their hearts.
And Allah has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of all things.
Surah At-Taghabun, Verse 11
Tafseer e Jilani:
Then He said Subhan Ta’ala, to make us steadfast and firm footed for the ones who possess ma’rifat and iqaan, certainty, on the station of entrusting and reliance.
Ma asaba: That which comes upon one and what it entails…
Min museebati: i.e. whether it is an incidence of happiness that reaches you or of pain…
Illa bi idnallah: it doesn’t happen except with Allah’s Permission according to His Order.
Wa mayyomin Billahi: And the one who believes in Allah and entrusts his matters to Him and makes Him his Disposer of Affairs and makes Him Sufficient and His Protector…
Yahdi qalba hu: He will give guidance to and enlighten his heart and He will show him the Kingdom of Tauheed, One-ness and the symbols of certainty.
Wa: and overall
Allahu: The One who is fully Aware of what is hidden and what is present…
Bi kulli shayan: all that which is under His Control…
Aleem un: because His Knowledge is forever present and nothing can be hidden from Him.
46. The Door of Truth
وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِى مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍۢ
وَأَخْرِجْنِى مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍۢ
وَٱجْعَل لِّى مِن لَّدُنكَ سُلْطَـٰنًۭا نَّصِيرًۭا
And say (in your prayer O Beloved), “O my Sustainer!
Cause me to enter (in whatever I do) in a manner, true and sincere,
and cause me to leave it in a manner true and sincere.
And grant me of from Your Presence, a sustaining support.
Surah Al-Isra’, Verse 80
Tafseer e Jilani:
“O my Lord, enter me into the place of being settled, which is the place of Tauheed where everything else vanishes. And place me forever in it without doubt and change within me.
And take me out of the demands of egoism and selfish desires towards dissolution in You, that enjoins me to the Honor of Your Eternity, with a meeting to a place without jolts and slippage, all the while when I am embattling my ego and my nafs Ammara is trying to control me, with that which silences them once and for all and never turns me towards them but towards an appearance before You, that helps me against my enemies and rescues me when they attack me.”
There is Doer except Allah
لا فاعل في الحقيقة و لا مؤثر الا الله
There is no doer except Allah and there is no effect except that which is caused by Allah.
Ghaus Pak (ra)
47. The Ones given knowledge
بَلْ هُوَ ءَايَتٌۢ بَيِّنَتٌۭ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمَ ۚ
Nay, it is the verses clear in the breasts of those who are given the knowledge.
Surah Al Ankaboot, Verse 49
Tafseer e Jilani:
Bal huwa: The Quran in its essence…
Ayatun: has signs and proofs which prove the One-ness of Allah…
Bayyinatun: which are so clear that no other evidence, is needed, firm…
Fi Sudoor: in the hearts of the ones who are believers of One-ness…
Alladina utol ilm: and have been granted Knowledge from Him, which emanates directly from the Knowledge of Allah, and is received by them from His Divine Treasures according to their capacity and ability due to His Bounty and His Favour upon them.
Are you an Enemy or a Friend?
Hazrat Najmuddin Kubra (ra) says in the Tafseer e Jilani;
“When Allah sends a trial or a difficulty, He is testing to see who is an enemy and who is a friend.
The one who is a friend and close to Him, in their state of pain, returns to Allah with sighs and remembrance. They rely only upon Him, holding on to the rope of patience and surrender and seeking his Pleasure and firmly holds onto the Support of Allah.
Whereas the enemy of God, in the time of difficulty becames impatient and impulsive. They become ungrateful of His Blessings, impatient and do not surrender to the Destiny of His Lord. Then they turn their face away from Allah and start running to people.”
48. I am a man like you except...
قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ بَشَرٌۭ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ
Say O Last Messenger (peace be upon you),
“I am only a man like you, to who has been revealed that your God is one God.”
Surah Al-Kahf, Verse 110
Tafseer e Jilani:
Qul: O Messenger who completes The Message (peace be upon you), after you have conveyed to them, the Words of Allah, endless, Words which are devoid of trying to show-off and to impress which leads to arrogance. These Words are only for wisdom and intellect.
Qari Sahib; Allah never says about him that he is a man. He makes him say it, not Himself; You say it! For it is wisdom and for the intellect.
Inna ana basharum mislukum: No doubt, I am a man in appearance like you, accepting of certain knowledge and knowing according to Mankind. There is no difference between me and you in terms of human nature. But there is one difference…
Youha illaya: Revelation comes upon me and pours upon me Ilm ul Yaqeen, Ayn ul Yaqeen and Haq ul Yaqeen (Knowledge of the Divine, Witnessing of the Divine and the Truth of the Divine).
Qari Sahib; This word yufadu – pouring - reminds me of the hadith when Nabi Kareem (peace be upon you) was praying and he was seeing the grapes of Heaven while he was praying – Ayn ul Yaqeen. He reached his hand upwards as if to break off a bunch – Haq ul Yaqeen.
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا ،
قَالَ : خَسَفَتِ الشَّمْسُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَصَلَّى ،
قَالُوا : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ رَأَيْنَاكَ تَنَاوَلْتَ شَيْئًا فِي مَقَامِكَ ، ثُمَّ رَأَيْنَاكَ تَكَعْكَعْتَ ،
قَالَ : إِنِّي أُرِيتُ الْجَنَّةَ ، فَتَنَاوَلْتُ مِنْهَا عُنْقُودًا ، وَلَوْ أَخَذْتُهُ لَأَكَلْتُمْ مِنْهُ مَا بَقِيَتِ الدُّنْيَا .
Narrated by Hazrat `Abdullah bin `Abbas (ratu):
Once a solar eclipse occurred during the time of Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him).
He offered the eclipse prayer.
His companions asked, O Allah's Apostle! We saw you trying to take something while standing at your place and then we saw you retreating.
The Prophet answered, “I was shown Paradise and wanted to have a bunch of fruit from it. Had I taken it, you would have eaten from it as long as the world remains.”
49. How to receive honour
مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ٱلْعِزَّةَ فَلِلَّهِ ٱلْعِزَّةُ جَمِيعًاۚ إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ ٱلْكَلِمُ ٱلطَّيِّبُ وَٱلْعَمَلُ ٱلصَّلِحُ يَرْفَعُهُۚۥ
Whoever for him desires the honor, then for Allah is the Honor all.
To Him ascends the good words, and righteous deeds raises it.
Surah Fatir, Verse 10
Tafseer e Jilani:
Man kana yureed ul izzata: The one who wants honour, endless, after which never comes humiliation ever, then he should turn towards Allah and makes his focus His One-ness.
Fa lillahe izzatu: For only Allah is the True Owner of Honour, which includes control, eternal majesty and all kingdoms…
Jami-an: overt (zahiri) and inner (batini). And the one who desires that Allah bestow upon him honour and control and absolute kingdoms and abundance that remains forever, then he should, in his initial stages toward Allah, praise Him by way of His Perfect Names and Exalted Attributes till his remembrance reaches the stages of their reflection in him.
This (the reflection) is the last effort and then he becomes a reflector of Allah’s Being, wanting to unveil the Veils of His Omnipotence, till he becomes present before Him, able to unveil Him and witness the Signs of His Names and Attributes on the surface of the Universe without the distortion created by others.
And overall (in summary), the one who seeks honour should be occupied in the Remembrance by Allah in the early stages because
Ilayhi yasadu alkalm at tayyabu: towards Him ascend good words which are the Prefect Names of Allah and His Exalted Attributes, increasing in frequency from the tongues of The Sincere and The Ones who Reflect in Allah’s Blessings and His Bounty…
Wal al amal as saleh: and (they should be occupied) in good deeds enjoined with ikhlas, sincerity and tabbatul, devotion to Him (also ascending towards Him)…
Yarfa’uhu: (which will be why) He then raises that deed founded upon sincerity and those good words allowing them to reach towards the stages of Closeness with Allah. So for the one whose sincerity in his deed is perfect, then the ranks of his words which are raised towards Allah Subhanahu are the highest and the most supreme to Him.
50. The Prayer of Tahajjud
وَمِنَ ٱلَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِۦ نَافِلَةًۭ لَّكَ
And rise from your sleep and pray during the part of the night and extra voluntary prayer,
it may be well that your Lord will raise you (to) a station praiseworthy.
Surah Al Isra’, Verse 79
Tafseer e Jilani:
Wa: And if you want even more closeness (to Allah) and blessings, then awaken your heart and body, in the last part…
Min al layli: of the night and leave sleep out of desire for the Pleasure of Allah…
Fatahajjad bihi: and pray the Prayer of Tahajjud, prolonging your recitation in it so it becomes…
Nafilatan: extra…
Laka: than the dutied prayers for you. It will increase your Closeness and your honour (before your Lord).
51. Seek help through prayer and patience
وَٱسْتَعِينُوا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ۚ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱلْخَشِعِينَ
And seek help through patience and the prayer.
And indeed it is surely difficult, except for those who are humble.
Surah Al Baqarah, Verse 45
Tafseer e Jilani:
Wa: And so Allah commands to ask for help through them both (prayer and patience)…
Asta’ino: with (tawajju) focus upon Him and (taqarrab) achieving nearness to Him…
Bis sabr: with control of that which creates lust in the body and that which causes attraction to the world…
Wa salat: and instead incline yourself towards the focus and the nearness and turn away from everything except Allah. Don’t ignore this Command and don’t take it lightly.
Wa innaha la kabeera: Indeed this (turning towards Allah) is heavy and burdensome upon everyone…
Illa ala al-Khashiyeen: except the ones whose hearts are in prostration.
52. Who are the Khashiyeen? – The ones whose hearts are in prostration
ٱلَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُم مُّلَقُوا۟ رَبِّهِمْ وَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ رَجِعُونَ
(They are) the ones who believe they will meet their Lord and that they will return to Him.
Surah Al Baqarah, Verse 46
Tafseer e Jilani:
Alladeena: They (the Kashiyeen) are the ones who lift the grime of other-ness (from Allah) from the eye (of the heart). And drop the blemish of duality to attain clarity.
Yadunoona annahum mulaqu Rabbihim: They believe in the meeting with their Lord in this life because they worship him as if they see Him.
Wa: And they know with certainty…
Annahum ilayhi: they will, without doubt, towards Him and no one except Him, because there is no one in existence except Him…
Raji’oon: return, making their abode in the Hereafter.
Then he (Ghaus Pak (ra)) prays: Please Dear Lord, Make us of the one who follow these people and love these people - (who possess certainty of their return to You and worship You as if they see You and make their abode the Hereafter).
53. Man is created Weak
يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُخَفِّفَ عَنكُمْ ۚ وَخُلِقَ ٱلْإِنسَنُ ضَعِيفًۭا
Allah wishes to lighten your burdens because Man has been created weak.
Surah An-Nisa, Verse 28
Tafseer e Jilani:
Yureed Allah u: Allah wishes, as The One who manages your affairs,…
Ayyukhaffifa ankum: that He makes it light for you, the ones who are believers – the Momineen - the burdens you carry. For these (burdens) are the reasons for your needs and your state of being dependent on the world.
Wa: And the condition is that…
Khuliq al Insaan: Man is created, in his original nature…
Daeefan: weak. He cannot carry the burden of being needful of the world, just like other animals.
Then Ghaus Pak (ra) prays: Dear Lord, Make light for us the weight of our sins by Your Bounty and remove from us the evilness of evils by virtue of Your Generosity and grant us the life of the ones that were devoted to You.
54. Man was created in hardship
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَنَ فِى كَبَدٍ
Certainly, we have created Man to be in hardship.
Surah Al Balad, Verse 4
Tafseer e Jilani:
And overall, Allah takes oaths upon so many things (Verses 1-3) because
Laqad khalaqnal insaana: Surely, We created Man and revealed his life in this world, to be buried…
Fi kabad: in extensive exhaustion and toil, which makes busy his entire external physical being as well as his internal organs so much that (that life) envelops all his internal and external parts. This is caused by the needs of his livelihood and its means.
Thus he becomes distracted from Allah and because of those needs, he leaves the affairs of his return to Him. Then begins the gathering of money and the collection of fuel and sins which make him distant from Al Hakeen Al Allaam, The Wise and All Knowing Lord.
So he becomes so intensely busy with this world, forgetting the Afterlife and his feet slip from the Path of His Lord.
55-57: Time
وَٱلْعَصْرِ
إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّلِحَتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ
The human being is surely in a state of loss
Except those who believe and do righteous deeds and enjoin (each other) to the truth and enjoin (each other) to [the] patience.
Surah Al-Asr, Verses 1-3
Wal Asr: Then Allah Suban Ta’ala takes an oath upon time and the ages, the meaning of which is about the Eternal Essence of Allah, from the beginning till the end, timeless and everlasting.
Innal Insaana: Indeed, the human being, created such to have a natural propensity towards the nature of ma’rifa, the Recognition of God and imaan, faith according to the his share of the Lahoot, the Realm of the Divine where there is no time and space…
Lafe khusr: is in a state of loss, immense and humiliating failure, as a result of their busyiness in that which is useless due to the requirements (and needs) of his physical being, as related to his share of the world of Nasoot, the life in this world.
Illa: Except the Muqinoon, those who possess inner certainty…
Alladina Aamami: about the One-ness of Allah Subhan Ta’ala and are conscious, through their steadfastness, in their behaviour continuously in His Kingdom and about His Authority.
Wa: And with this faith and certainty…
Amilos Sualihaat: they do good deeds which points towards their ikhas, sincerity and their yaqeen, absolute conviction, and niyyat, intention.
Wa: And in this condition…
Tawasau bil Haq: they enjoin each other towards the Path of God and His One-ness…
Wa tawasau: and they also enjoin each other…
Bis sabr: towards patience for the practice of matters that require obedience and (patience towards) their tiredness from striving hard and (patience towards) from what they suffer as a result of cutting themselves off from their love of the world and (patience towards) leaving their animalistic desires which are attached to human nature.
Then Ghaus Pak (ra) prays: May Allah grant us the ability to be rid of and cut off (from these desires).
58. And you (O Beloved (peace be upon you)) indeed, possess the Best of Manners
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍۢ
And truly you possess the most outstanding manners.
Surah Al Qalm, Verse 4
Tafseer e Jilani:
Wa Innaka: Indeed you, O beloved (peace be upon you), who are the personification of the most perfected adoption of Allah’s Akhlaq, Etiquette and Attributes, and proved to be the most truthful and steadfast in fulfilling your friendship with Allah and in being the most exemplary Vice-regent,…
La’ala khuliqin azeem: possess the most excellent of manners. No one’s akhlaq, behavior, is better than yours because you have gathered and brought together the etiquettes of all the ones before and all the ones after, in line with the ranks you were granted, which are the most exalted (of anyone in existence).
Ikhlas
الإخلاص سر من سري استودعته قلب من أحببت من عبادي
And Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that Allah Ta’ala said:
“Ikhlas, sincerity, is a secret from My Secrets
and I place it in the heart of my servant who is my beloved.”
Ikhlas (sincerity) of intention, action and then perseverance on it is the highest station of love and servitude to God. Ikhlas is defined and explained as:
• The honourable `arif and the wise wayfarer, Khwajah `Abd Allah al Ansari (qs) says: “Ikhlas means purging action of all impurities.” And the ‘impurities’ mean desire to please oneself and other creatures.
• The great scholar Shaykh al-Baha'i (ra) has narrated that the people of the heart (those who love Allah by heart) say that: "Ikhlas means keeping action free from other than God having a role in it and that the performer of an action should not desire any reward for it in the world and the Hereafter."
Ikhlas is subsequent to action
One must exercise vigilance as it some¬times happens that man carries out an action faultlessly without any shortcoming and performs it without riya' (showing off) or `ujb (self-love) but after the action he becomes afflicted with riya' through mentioning it to others, as pointed out in the following noble hadith:
• Imam al Baqir (a) said: "Perseverance in an action is more difficult than the act itself."
He was asked, "What is meant by perseverance in action?"
He (a) replied, "A man does some kindness to a relative or expends something for the sake of God, Who is One and has no partner. Thereupon the reward of a good deed performed secretly is written for him.
Later, he mentions it to someone and that which was written earlier is wiped out and instead the reward of a good deed performed openly is written for him. Later, when he makes a mention of it again, the vice of riya' (showing off) is written for him (instead of the reward written earlier)."
The Reality of Action is Intention
• It is the sincere intention and pure purpose on which depend the perfection or defectiveness of 'ibadat (worships) and thus their validity or invalidity. Spiritual traits constitute the soul's primary character and intentions, to which actions are subservient, making up its secondary character. And as long as self love remains in the heart and a person remains in the oppressive habitat of the self, he is not a wayfarer toward God (musafir ila Allah); rather, he is one of those who cling to the earth (mukhalladun ila al 'ard).
Shirk in `ibadah' that encompasses all its levels is the inclusion of the good pleasure and satisfaction of anyone other than God, whether it is one's own self or someone else. If it is for someone else's satisfaction and for people, it is outward shirk and fiqhi riya'.
If it is for one's own satisfaction (rida), it is hidden and inward shirk. In view of the `urafa' (gnostics) this also invalidates the 'ibadah and makes it unacceptable to God. Examples of it are offering the nightly prayer (tahajjud) for increase in one's livelihood, or giving zakat for increase in one's wealth;
Although those 'ibadat are valid, and one who performs them is considered to have performed his duty and fulfilled the require¬ments of the shari'ah, they do not amount to the sincere worship of God Almighty, nor are they characterized with sincerity of intention and purity of purpose. Rather, this kind of 'ibadat are aimed to achieve mundane purposes and to seek the objects of lowly desires. Hence the acts of such a person are not rightful.
The Steps to Learning
And it was indicated to me to read the hadith such that these are the means to gain knowledge not that of the world but of the self.
جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ مَا اَلْعِلْمُ
قَالَ اَلْإِنْصَاتُ
قَالَ ثُمَّ مَهْ
قَالَ اَلاِسْتِمَاعُ
قَالَ ثُمَّ مَهْ
قَالَ اَلْحِفْظُ
قَالَ ثُمَّ مَهْ
قَالَ اَلْعَمَلُ بِهِ
قَالَ ثُمَّ مَهْ يَا رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ
قَالَ نَشْرُهُ
The Prophet of God (peace be upon him) was asked:
“What is Knowledge?” He replied: “To keep silent”.
He was asked: “Then?” He said: “To listen.”
He was asked: “Then?” He said: “To remember.”
He was asked: “Then?” He said: “To act upon (what is learned).”
He was asked: “Then?” He said: “To propagate.”
[Ref: Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 2, pg. 28]
Said the wise:
اَلحِفْظُ فِى الصِّغَرِ كَالنَّقْشِ عَلَى الْحَجَرِ وَ الْحِفْظُ فِى الْكِبَرِ كَالْكِتَابَةِ عَلَى الْمَاءِ
''Learning something during one's youth is like engraving in stone,
and learning something when one is old is like writing on the surface of water.’’
[Ref : Bihar al-Anwar, v. 1, p. 222, no. 6]
The Child
The Prophet of God (peace be upon him) said:
إنَّ لِكُلِّ شَجَرَةٍ ثَمَرَةً ، وثَمَرَةُ القَلْبِ الوَلَدُ
“For every tree there is a fruit and the fruit of the heart is the child.”
[Ref: Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 45415]
Ghaus Pak (ra) in Al Fath Ar Rabbani:
“An incident goes that the people of Bani Israel once were faced with a suffering. They gathered and went to the Prophet of their time. ‘What can we do, O Nabi (as)?’ they asked him. “What is the deed that will please Allah and it becomes the means to deliver us from our hardship?”
The Prophet (as) prayed to Allah to unveil to him what that deed would be.
Allah Subhan a Ta’ala revealed to his Prophet (as), “Tell them! If you seek My Pleasure, become a cause to bring happiness to the needy. Thus if you bring ease to them, in their happiness I will become pleased with you. And if you displease them, I will remain displeased with you.”
59. If you love God, follow me
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ
وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Say (O Prophet (peace be upon you)), "If you love God, follow me and God will love you
and forgive you your sins for God is Much-Forgiving, a Dispenser of Grace."
Surah Aal e Imran, Verse 31
Tafseer e Jilani:
Qul: Say, O Beloved (peace be upon you), who has been created to reflect Our Appearance, who has been shaped according to the collective standards of Our Names and Attributes, who has been made so as to acquire all of Our Manner, (say) to the one who you wish to guide and make them reach a certain status from amongst Creation…
In kuntum: “If you, O one who is wayward and drowning in the sea of heedlessness and being astray,
Tuhuboon Allaha: claim love for God, The One who brought you into appearance from nothingness, and you want to focus towards His Being and you want to be in good standing at His Door…
Fattabi’ouni: follow me, because it is His Command and His Order…
Yuhbibkum Allahu: and Allah will love you i.e. He will allow you nearness of His Essence and He will make you reach the Honour of meeting Him…
Wa yaghfir: And He will hide and make disappear…
Lakum: for you, from your outer and inner eyes,…
Dhunubukum: your sins, which cause you to be veiled from the witnessing of the Beauty of Allah and His Magnificence and the vision of His Names and Attributes.
Wallahu: Allah is The Only Guide for you towards Sirat e Tauheed, the Path of His One-ness.
Ghafur: And He is Most Forgiving for you, lifting the barriers that prevent you from gaining closeness to Him.
Rahim: And Most Affectionate towards you making you reach towards what you desire eagerly.
60. Allah is Sufficient for you and the believers who follow you
يَٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ حَسْبُكَ ٱللَّهُ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
O Prophet (peace be upon you), Allah is Sufficient for you and those of the believers who follow you.
Surah Al Anfal, Verse 64
Tafseer e Jilani:
Ya Ayyuha Nabi: O Communicator of the Hidden (peace be upon you), the one who has been succored by Allah with His Help and victory against the enemies…
Hasabaka Allahu: only your Lord is Sufficient for you, who is the Disposer of your affairs…
Wa man attaba’ka: and (He is Sifficient) for the one who is obedient to you by the Permission of Allah and His Will…
Min al Mo’mineen: from amongst the believers, the ones who possess certainty in the One-ness of Allah, Al Mo’qineen, the ones who are fulfillers of their promises, Al Muwaffaween, the ones who are striving hard and struggling, in His Way, Al Badileen.
61. Indeed I am Me, Allah
إِنَّنِىٓ أَنَا ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعْبُدْنِى وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِذِكْرِىٓ
Indeed, only I am Allah. (There is) no god but I, so worship Me
and establish the prayer for My remembrance.
Surah Taha, Verse 14
So let the people know from Me, as My Vice-regent,
Innani ana Allah: Indeed, only I am Allah, The Only One, The All Encompassing, gathering all the Ranks and Names.
La ilaha: There is no one else who is The Gatherer of these ranks…
Illa ana: except Me, The Possessor of All Things, The One Worthy of obedience and being bound by…
Fa’budni: so that you worship Me as is rightful of My Worship i.e. with the best of etiquette with Me by being in your manners as My Manners.
Wa iqm as-salat: And always be inclined with all your (physical and spiritual) parts…
Li dikri: with conscious concentration upon Me with all your (inner and outer) parts so that you can remember Me with all of them and express your gratitude to Me with all of them, till I unveil for you (all your veils), from every part of you, such that I become your hearing and your sight and your body and your feet and everything else in your parts until the Hour of Resurrection comes upon you.
And you stand up in front of your Lord and you find your abode in Jannat al Mawa, near Sidrat ul Muntaha, the Lote Tree, where lies the climax of ascension, the ending of your ascent in moving upwards and your advancement.
62. The Breaking of the Pact
بَرَآءَةٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ عَهَدتُّم مِّنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
The disavowal from obligations by Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) from the covenant with the idolators.
Surah Tauba, Verse 1
Commentary by Hazrat Najmuddin Kubra (ra) on the verse:
The symbolic meaning of the verse is this: The mushrikeen, the idolator, is the wayward and polytheist nafs, the base self, who made desires its lord and master and began to worship the idols of the world. When a person is in their early years, the ruh and qalb, the soul and the heart within the heart which is the Station of Recognition of Allah, made a pact with the nafs.
The terms of it being that the ruh and the qalb will not fight and kill the nafs until the person reaches maturity. Similarly, the nafs also makes a pact not to instigate problems with the ruh and the qalb so that the bodily skeleton reaches complete maturity and the physical strength is attained at its peak, which carry the burden of Allah’s Trust and become watchful of Islamic Jurisprudence, the Shari’a.
In this time, the aql, the intellect, the power to reason and reflect, becomes strong which can then accept the invitation of Truth and have the ability to answer it. It is this aql that allows the recognition of the Prophets and their miracles. And it is through this aql that the proof of the Presence of Allah is established and it understands the compulsion of His Worship in order to express gratitude towards Him for His Blessings.
Indeed, Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) withdraw from the pact after maturity is gained.
Because Man broke the pact which was between the nafs and the ruh and the qalb. Before maturity was gained, the nafs was only focused on eating, drinking and clothing itself so that the body can develop and all its needs are met. To this extent, there was no problem for the ruh and the qalb from the nafs. But once maturity was gained, lust and desires became added to these needs.
When the lust appeared along with the need for food and drink, its destruction, created physical desires for a mate. When that lust was aroused and started tempting the body, the qalb and the ruh began to become weak. This was the fatal disease for which the Prophets were sent so as to dispel it.
انما بعثت لرفع العادات و ترک الشھوات
Just like Nabi Kareem (peace be upon said),
“I have been sent to end the ways of ignorance and to prevail over the desires of lust.”
63. God bears Witness that there is no god but Him.
شَهِدَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَٱلْمَلَٓئِكَةُ وَأُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمِ قَآئِمًۢا بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۚ
لَآ إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
God bears witness that there is no god but Him.
And so do the angels and all who are endowed with knowledge and He is the Upholder of Justice.
There is no God except Him, the All-Mighty and the Truly Wise.
Surah Aal e Imran, Verse 8
Tafseer e Jilani:
Shahid Allah: Allah bears witness Himself for His Self that, without doubt, He is…
Annahu la ilaha: The Only One Present and there is no being except His and there is nothing else and there is no reality and nor will there be any presence, being or reality and there is nothing lasting…
Illa hu: except Him Who is, in fact, The Only One Ever-Living with Truth, The Only One who is the Sustainer of All Existence, The One Alone forever, there is nothing except Him.
Wa: And in the way He proffers evidence about Himself…
Al-Malaikatu: so do the angels, which are His Perfect Names and Attributes which exist with the existence of His Essence, because everything is in existence because of His Existence, Unchanging and there is no Authority to resort to except for His.
Wa: And in the way that He proffers evidence about Himself…
Ulol ilm: so do the people who were given knowledge, who are from amongst the phenomenon of Creation (created) upon His Appearance that is nourished by His Attributes and His Names. And indeed, the witnessing of each thing is a returning towards His Witnessing so it is as if everything…
Qaiman: is made to be forever (because He has made it everlasting)…
Bil qist: with His Justice extended across the surface of the Universe from the beginning till the end because…
La ilaha: there is nothing that makes a thing appear…
Illa huwal Aziz: except The One who is Dominant, All Powerful
upon making all things appear…
Al Hakeem: The One who is Perfect in its nurturing and its management, these witnesses say with obedience and with love after they become steadfast in the rank of being worshippers.
64. This religion was made according to your nature
فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًۭا ۚ فِطْرَتَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِى فَطَرَ ٱلنَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا ۚ
لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ
ذَلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْقَيِّمُ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
So set your face steadfastly to the faith, upright, made by Allah according to the nature Mankind was created upon.
There is no changing God’s Creation.
That is the correct religion but most people do not know it.
Surah Ar-Rum, Verse 30
Tafseer e Jilani:
And after you heard, O Messenger who completes the Message (peace be upon you), that guidance and being astray, indeed, both are entrusted to Me, The Greatest, The Most Exalted…
Faiqm wajhaka: be steadfast and firmly rooted by the focus of your heart, which is a special bestowing from Allah upon you, perfecting your perfection and purifying you from your limitations of being mortal and the shackles of your nature, so that you can reach the Place of One-ness, which is what you have been created for…
Liddini: in the religion that was sent upon you from your Lord, to teach you manners (ta’deebun) O Messenger who completes The Message (peace be upon you), and the ones who follow you and to reform your state (islaha-ka) and the states of your followers…
Haneefan: so you are the ones who turn away from the religions of falsehood and untrue perceptions in entirety. And be certain, O Messenger who completes The Message (peace be upon you), that indeed…
Fitratallaha allati fatarn naasa aliyha: this is the nature established by Allah upon which He has created Mankind and (the nature) set-up by Allah upon which they have been born, originally moulded, which stays in them forever because…
La tabdeela: it does not alter and it does not change and it does not transform…
Likhalq illah: Allah’s Creation. The One who is All-Wise, All Knowing and His Planning, which is set-up according to His Knowledge and Wisdom as He says, “My Decree does not change - Surah Qaf/29”…
Dalika Adeeno: this is the religion that was sent upon you from your Lord, O Messenger who completes The Message (peace be upon you), for safeguarding the original nature, mentioned above. This is the religion…
Al Qayyum: that is the Path that is straight, moderate and steadfast, which will connect to the One-ness of Allah, through this Path which is upright without crookedness and inclinations.
Wa liknna akthar anaasi: But most people, who have been created upon inability to be attentive and are forgetful…
La yalamoon: do not know the reality of this religion. And they do not understand its uprightness and its connection with Allah’s One-ness. So it is dutied upon you all, who follow the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), that you accept the faith and are obedient in everything from that Allah commands and that which He forbids you from.
66. What you want (in goodness) is only that which Allah wills
وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلْعَلَمِينَ
And you cannot will it unless Allah wills it.
Surah At-Takwir, Verse 29
Tafseer e Jilani
Wa: And the end of this chapter is this, that indeed…
Ma tasha’oona: what you will and what you choose in the way of your conscience and guidance for yourselves…
Illa ayyasha Allahu: is not except that which Allah wills for your guidance and gives you ability for with steadfastness and morality, as a favour upon you and His Bounty.
Because the deeds performed by you in your routine are only coming from Allah, generated by Him in their origin, because He is the Only One, Glory be to Him…
Rabbul Alimeen: The Sustainer of the Universe. There is no Sustainer present except Him and there is no Disposer of Affairs in the apparent realms except Him. And the demand of His Nurturing and making perfect and complete is fulfilled by guiding His Servants and granting them ability towards that which is best for them and what is the most suitable for their situation.
Then Ghaus Pak (ra) prays: “Dear Allah! Give us ability to do, by Your Bounty and Your Munificence, that which You love and that which pleases You from us, O Our Protector!
Continued at flickr.com/photos/42093313@N00/51722302249/in/dateposted-...