View allAll Photos Tagged sadaqah
Beggars gather at the local market area after Friday prayers to receive sadaqah.
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The kitchen staff prepares the nutritious meal for distribution among the poor.
Al Manahil Foundation, Chittagong.
The khichuri(made with a mixture of rice and lentils) is ready to be packed for distribution among the poor.
The kitchen staff cooked a meal everyday in the month of Ramadan to be distributed amongst the poor.
Al Manahil Foundation, Chittagong
A kitchen staff washes rice that would be cooked for distribution among the poor and needy.
Al Manahil Foundation has been serving iftar throughout the month of Ramadan.
Chittagong, Bangladesh.
Possibly the most boring job of them all, cleaning the dishes!
The kitchen staff cleans the cooking vessels, and prepares itself to close the kitchen area so that they can start distributing the food among the poor.
Al Manahil Foundation, Chittagong.
A voluntary charity in the name of Almighty.
It is quite a common practice for people to give such charity to poor. While I was waiting for a friend , this handicapped beggar received a chicken.
Chittagong, Bangladesh.
Once the cooking was done, the cooking pots were removed from fire, and coal was placed on top of the lid to keep the food warm and to add a smokey flavor to it,
Al Manahil Foundation, Chittagong.
The kitchen staff finally packs the food in individual packets. It is probably not their duty, but with concerns surrounding covid spread, only few people are involved in the entire process of cooking and packaging.d
Al Manahil Foundation, Chittagong.
This young female Black-tailed Deer came into my garden just before sundown on the last day of 2017 because she could smell the bird-seed that I put out earlier. We just had a bunch of storms with freezing rain causing power outages and fallen trees that are to you and me inconveniences. They can mean a lot more to our neighbours who live outside. Support the Salvation Army, House of Sadaqah, Khalsa Aid and all other religious Support Groups who help people in need. I wish All of you a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Sie fährt zur Frühschicht ich komm von der Nachtschicht Sonntag früh in der U-Bahn #bulgaristan #münih #münchen #munich #wasihrnichtseht #streetlife #bettler #almosen #sadaqah #gebtdenenwas #armut #roma #pleasehelp
TEAM SAT RESCUED ORPHAN GIRLS WITH THE HELP OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES WHO HAD BEEN ABUSED OR FORCED INTO PROSTITUTION
On 28th November 2015, Syeda Amina Trust® started the Orphan Girl’s Wedding Project by getting orphan girls married from very poor and deprived areas of Pakistan. This year we continued this project and arranged more marriages.
We found men with good character who would accept the orphan girl as his wife.
TEAM SAT Pakistan has setup a Rapid Response Unit to help support newly married couples for 3 years after their weddings.
Our team contacts the couples regularly to check if they need any help and support. Our team of solicitors and doctors will provide information, advice, guidance, legal protection and medical aid.
How we spent your donations 2015/16:
We have supported 28 double orphan girls get married plus provide furniture, clothes, food and 3 year legal & medical aid
HOW YOU CAN HELP
For £2000 you can help one double orphan girl get married plus provide furniture, clothes, food and 3 year legal & medical aid
Kleine heile blaue Welt es gibt Vogelfutter auf Puppentellern kommt ihr Bibivögel ich bring euch das Abendessen mei, und die Schuhe 👠 echte Zoccoli vom Bazar ich bin nämlich schon groß. Beyazıt Camii 1983 😍 #istanbul #beyazıt #türkiye #tauben #vogelfutter #blau #zoccoli #heilewelt #puppenstube #birds #camii #sadaqah #pimpedoldies #wennwirschonmalinistanbulsind #blaueskleid #topstyle #fashionista #würdeichheutenochtragen
Beauty standards (white complexion and big black eyes of the houris), jewels and fabrics worn by the people of paradise (rubis, coral, silk, brocade), perfumes that embalm the gardens of Eden (musc, amber), food and food in abundance, correspond to this horizon. The Muslim tradition is full of details about the physical features and customs of the inhabitants of paradise. Basically: beautiful, radiant, 33 years old (all men and women, without exception), they do not know sleep or fatigue and will never have children, because procreation is impossible in paradise. According to this description, the elected and blessed will all speak Arabic. In addition to being the language of the Koran, Arabic will also be the language of paradise. The palaces reserved for the inhabitants of paradise are carved out of precious stones and constructed of gold, ruby and musk, and are spread out over tens of kilometers and their ceilings are hundreds of meters high. Excessive dimensions that will make the poet Bashar Ibn Bord's teasing spirit say that it must be very cold during the month of December in such spacious and tall residences.
“Satisfaction is the greatest gate of God and the paradise of this world.” Know that the servant will not approach being satisfied with God". In addition to other descriptions of Jannah (heaven), Islamic tradition describes heaven as having eight "doors" or "gates." Each one has a name, describing the types of people who will be admitted through it. Some scholars interpret that these doors are found inside Jannah, after one enters the main gate. The exact nature of these doors is unknown, but they were mentioned in the Quran and their names were given by the Prophet Muhammad.Most of the Qur' anic verses evoking the resurrection, paradise and hell have been revealed in Mecca. During the first thirteen years of Islam, the Prophet Muhammad was to conquer the hearts and minds of the men and women who would make up the first Muslim community. This period spent in Mecca was a time of fragility, hardship and endurance for the prophet of Islam. The rich and powerful chiefs of the Qurayche tribe saw no point in believing and following the message of a destitute orphan, protected by an aging uncle and supported by "the weak and slaves". Mohammed then described the spiritual and moral aspects of his revelation, and described life here on earth as a passage, a transition, a trial course, where only submission to God and the fulfillment of good deeds counted. Wealth, prestige, noble belonging and titles had no interest or usefulness after death. The verses revealed to Mecca abound in descriptions that depict the future life, where the pious, rich or poor, will be rewarded, while the arrogant, the ungodly and the unbelievers will be promised to the torment and torment of hell. The description of paradise in these verses is sensual, taking up the aspects of luxury, opulence and comfort that were prevalent at the time among the wealthy inhabitants of Mecca. As pointed out by Sheikh Soubhi El-Saleh, author of a reference book on the subject (The Future Life According to the Qur' an, Vrin Edition, 1986), the highly materialistic nature of life in Mecca explains the use of this sensual description. A thriving centre of commerce, a meeting place for Arab tribes, Mecca was dominated by the cult of wealth, lush and affluence. The Qur' an should then present a description of the delights of paradise and the afflictions of hell close to the mental and cultural horizon of the inhabitants of Mecca.
To those who reject Our signs and treat them with arrogance, no opening will there be of the gates of heaven, nor will they enter the garden, until the camel can pass through the eye of the needle. Such is Our reward for those in sin. (Quran 7:40)
And those who feared their Lord will be led to the Garden in crowds, until behold, they arrive there. Its gates will be opened, and its keepers will say: 'Peace be upon you! You have done well! Enter here, to dwell therein.' (Quran 39:73)
Ubadah narrated that the Prophet Muhammad said: "If anyone testifies that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah Alone Who has no partners, and that Muhammad is his slave and His Apostle, and that Jesus is Allah's slave and His Apostle and His word which He bestowed on Mary and a spirit created by Him, and that Paradise is true, and Hell is true, Allah will admit him into Paradise through any of its eight gates he likes."
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet said: "Whoever spends two things in the way of Allah will be called from the gates of Paradise and will be addressed, 'O slave of Allah, here is prosperity!' So whoever was among the people who used to offer their prayers will be called from the gate of prayer; and whoever was among the people who used to participate in jihad will be called from the gate of jihad; and whoever was among those who used to observe fasts will be called from the gate of ar-Rayyaan; and whoever was among those who used to give in charity will be called from the gate of charity."
It is natural to wonder: What will happen to those people who have earned the privilege to enter Jannah through more than one gate? Abu Bakr had the same question, and he eagerly asked the Prophet Muhammad: "Will there be anyone who will be called from all these gates?" The Prophet answered him, "Yes. And I hope you will be one of them."
The most commonly-cited list of the eight doors of Jannah includes:
Baab As-Salaat: Those who were punctual and focused in their prayers (salaat) will be granted entry through this door.
Baab Al-Jihad: Those who have died in the defense of Islam (jihad) will be granted entry through this door. Note that the Quran calls upon Muslims to solve issues by peaceful means, and only engage in defensive battles. "Let there be no hostility except to those who practice oppression" (Quran 2:193).
Baab As-Sadaqah: Those who frequently give away in charity (sadaqah) will be admitted into Jannah through this door.
Baab Ar-Rayyaan
The people who constantly observed fasting (especially during Ramadan) will be granted entry through this door.
Baab Al-Hajj: Those who observe the Hajj pilgrimage will be admitted through this door.
Baab Al-Kaazimeen Al-Ghaiz Wal Aafina Anin Naas: This door is reserved for those who control their anger and forgive others.
Baab Al-Iman: This door is reserved for the entry of such people who have sincere faith and trust in Allah, and who strive to follow the commands of Allah.
Baab Al-Dhikr: Those who constantly remembered Allah (dhikr) will be admitted through this door.
Whether one believes that these "gates" of heaven are metaphorical or literal, it helps one to see where the core values of Islam lie. The names of the gates each describe a spiritual practice that one should strive to incorporate into one's life.
“There are eight gates for Paradise and seven gates for the Fire.” said the Prophet (pbuh).
The saying of praise for Allah, “Al-Hamdu Lil-lahi,” has eight alphabets*; the number of the gates of Paradise is also eight, therefore he who recites these eight alphabets out of purity of heart does deserve (the opening of) the eight gates of Paradise. Know that indeed there are eight gates for Paradise, and in the rank that you reach after reciting, “I take refuge in Allah from Shaytan the outcast…” one gate of the eight gates of Paradise opens for you; that is the gate of Ma’refa (Divine Gnosis).
A second gate is that of al-Dhikr (Remembrance) as you are reciting ‘Bismil-lahir Rahmanir Rahim’.
The third gate is that of Shukr (Gratitude) after reciting ‘Al-Hamdu Lil-Lahi Rabbil Alamin’.
The fourth gate is that of Hope when you recite ‘Ar-Rahanir Rahimi’.
The fifth gate is that of Fear when you recite ‘Maliki Yaumid-Din’.
The sixth gate is that of Purity born out of the Ma’refa (Divine Gnosis) of ‘Ubudiat (Servitude) and Rububiat (Divinity) in your reciting ‘Iyyaka Na’budu Wa Iyyaka Nasta’inu’.
The seventh gate is that of Du’a (Invocation) in your reciting ‘Ihdinas Siratal Mustaqim’.
The eighth gate is that of ‘Iqtidā’ (emulation or following the example) of the good and pure souls, and of seeking guidance through their Nur (Divine Light) and that is in your reciting of ‘Siratal La-Dhina…’
Now you know the secrets of the Eight Gates of Paradise and what is referred to in 38:50. ‘The Gardens of Eden with opened gates for them’. For the Gardens of Divine Gnosis have been opened by these spiritual keys, and this does point to what happens during the Prayer of Spiritual Ascension, like that of the Prophet (pbuh) to the Heavens.
– From the Tasfir al-Kabir (The Great Commentary), al-Fatiha, verse 7, by Fahkr al-Din al-Razi (his exegesis on the Quran), also named the Mafatih al-Ghayb (The Keys to the Unknown).
The transition to Medina and the creation of the Islamic state marked a new trend in the description of the afterlife. The Qur' anic verses revealed to Medina, depicting heaven and hell, are more spiritual, less picturesque, and the notion of "divine satisfaction" (or Ridwan) is placed above any divine reward or reward. It is obvious that this evolution of spiritual thought is in Medina where the prophet has become the spiritual guide of the new community. It is precisely this period of great importance for the future of Islam that puts an end to the Paradise description,"notes Sheikh Sobhi El-Saleh, a former president of the Lebanese Ulema League and a member of the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco.
It should be noted, however, that the Qur' an remains concise and sober in the description of heaven, hell and life after death. It is the Hadith and Muslim tradition that provide the most detailed and exuberant accounts of the afterlife.The resurrection and the day of the judgment are the subject of a Dantean and terrifying narrative in Muslim religious texts. According to a verse of the Qur' an, the resurrection (Al Qiyama) is announced by a trumpet blow (Al Nafkh fi Sour). All creatures will then find life and recover their bodies, souls and spirits. Harboured and stunned by their resurrection, human beings realize what happens to them and prefer to return to their graves rather than face the day of the final judgment. They are then placed in a long and unbearable wait, in a state of nudity and anguish, which will make the most selfish reflexes of the human being reappear: the mothers will forget their own children and everyone will be concerned about their own fate. In his masterpiece Al Foutouhat Al Makkiya, the mystical Andalusian master Ibn Arabi speaks of 50 stops along the way from resurrection to heaven or hell. According to Ibn Arabi, each stopping place is equivalent to a thousand years of waiting, and at each station (Mawqif), the different actions of human beings will be scrutinized. The good accomplished and the evil done by each one will be weighed and evaluated, before the faithful join paradise and the ungodly rushed into hell. The Hadith and Muslim tradition provide a colourful and very ceremonial description of the arrival in paradise. Thus, after having passed through the trials of judgment, the blessed ones will arrive before the eight immense gates of paradise. Each door has a name that designates it according to the benefits and virtues of the faithful: a door of prayer, jihad, fasting, repentance, almsgiving, submission to God, control of anger, and a last door reserved for those who will enter heaven without judgment. According to the Muslim tradition, the first person to enter heaven is the prophet Muhammad, followed by members of the Muslim community, the poor first, then the rich and the affluent. This discrimination is a way of "rewarding" the poor, slaves and wretched who were the first to believe in the message of the prophet of Islam. After the Muslim community, it is the turn of Christians, guided by Jesus, to reach heaven. The other communities will follow in their footsteps, led by their respective prophets. Noah and those who followed him after the flood will close this long procession to heaven. The arrival in front of the seven gates of hell is described in a more terrifying way. The damned doomed to hell will arrive in seven groups, depending on the seriousness of the sins committed. Each door will be assigned to a group and sinners belonging to the Muslim community will move towards the door where torments are the least cruel. Honoured, humiliated, carrying heavy weight, the condemned to hell are watched over by an incalculable number of guards endowed with an incomparable strength and an indescribable cruelty. As the ungodly and unbelievers approached, hell roared and spit out its flames, and a rain of fire, ropes and chains fell upon the future tenants of hell. At the sight of this frightening spectacle, the latter retreat from fear and fear, cry, cry, scream, but relentless angels will follow them and precipitate them into hell, and their fall will spread over several years (70 years according to some accounts) before reaching the bottom. The Muslim tradition is inexhaustible of details and imagination in the description of paradise, perceived as a place of rest, bliss and eternal enjoyment. The disproportionate dimensions, the abundance of goods and delicacies, the extremely sensual nature of the narratives that depict paradise, have prompted rational theologians and Sufis to put a dose of relativity and even doubt in this description. According to the Muslim tradition, which includes Hadith and comments from the Qur' an, heaven is placed in the seventh heaven below God's throne, to mark the closeness of the blessed mansion to God's dwelling-place. However, paradise does contain levels according to the degree of piety, faith and actions accomplished here below. The chosen ones, i. e. the most faithful prophets and believers, placed on higher floors, will appear to the other tenants of paradise as "the rays of the stars and stars". The alleys of paradise are inlaid with precious stones and rubies and the ground is covered with musk and saffron, and heady scents embellish the atmosphere. Rivers of honey, milk and wine flow through paradise and water its people with their unalterable taste. According to this description, the bodies of the inhabitants of paradise do not know sickness, decay or death. Moreover, a hadith explains that death will be incarnated in the form of a ram, brought back by angels, and slain before the people of heaven and hell, to signify to them the eternal character of life in the afterlife and the end of the fear of death that haunts humans.
The exuberant, picturesque and luxurious description of paradise has prompted a number of Muslim theologians and mystics to react, who wanted to give a more spiritual, rational or symbolic aspect to the catalogue of pleasures promised to the blessed in paradise. For Al Ghazali, the famous 11th century theologian, no human being is able to grasp or describe life perfectly in heaven or hell. Al Ghazali defines paradise and its pleasures in the words of a hadith:"Paradise is what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and which has never passed through the heart of a human being". The description of paradise thus has the value of illustration and example. According to this vision of Al Ghazali, the delights of paradise are therefore nothing more than a theatre of shadows and a presentation close to the material meaning that humans give to the notion of pleasure. God has revealed only a figuration of paradise and not its essence nor its true and real nature, which is known only to him.
Much closer to us, Sheikh Mohamed Abdou, the great Egyptian religious reformer, is sceptical and sometimes critical of the material and overly detailed description of life in paradise, and the afterlife in general. While accepting the concrete and sensual nature of paradise, Sheikh Mohamed Abdou considers spiritual retribution to be more important than the material pleasures of paradise. The Egyptian reformer, aware of the role of tradition in amplifying stories about the afterlife, only admits to these questions the Motawatar hadiths, i. e. those with a high degree of authenticity and whose number is very small. The method allows this great figure of reformist and rational Salafism to give a sober description of paradise, closer to reason and understanding than the overly detailed narratives of which the Muslim tradition abounds. Like Al Ghazali, Mohamed Abdou also reminds us of this hadith, which presents paradise as belonging to the domain of the indescribable and the inexpressible. Sufism, on the other hand, provides an original vision of paradise and the relationship that Muslims must establish with the afterlife. For the masters of Muslim mysticism, God must be worshipped for himself and not out of fear of his hell or the desire to reach his paradise. Rabia Al Adaouia expresses this vision best when she explained to one of her visitors:"I did not worship God, like the evil slave, out of fear of his hell or desire for his paradise, but I loved him out of love for him and by inclination towards him". Rabia Al Adaouia did not dispute the existence of paradise and its nature, but felt that all these pleasures are incomparable with God's closeness and contemplation. As Orientalist Louis Massignon notes, the Iraqi mystic was looking for the neighbour (God) first, rather than the dwelling place (the paradise). Other mystics, such as Al Halaj or Al Nifari, considered paradise as a veil stretched to hide the essential. The pleasures of paradise are displayed as a kind of divine ruse that places the chosen ones in waiting, like the beloved one making his lover languish, before appearing and revealing himself to him.
www.thoughtco.com/doors-of-jannah-2004342
Taken, with thanks to Brother Dara, from the Untiredwithloving website.
** Move mouse over each photo to see links to the original.
I’d like to give full credits to the following photographers:
1. ALL SIZES 1of@kind dumpling
2. ALL SIZES CY Yiap | Life is Beautiful Rice Dumpling - Unwrapped
3. ALL SIZES Danburg Murmur 肉粽
5. ALL SIZES kwei bah-tzang / sticky rice in bamboo leaves
9. ALL SIZES 六月織網 4 2006 端午節 002
References:
* Zongzi From Answers.com.
Note:
* The intention of mosaic is to be an index, not a photo.
* To see the goodies, you really must go to the original.
* ALL SIZES is for the viewing pleasure.
Created with Mosaic Maker.
2006-07-05: 1st Cut
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
TEAM SAT working hard to complete Masjid Syeda-e-Fatima Zahra has now been completed and this mosque was built with kind donations received from sisters Rubina and Ruhina Chaudhry and family from London on behalf of their late father Sardar Muhammad.
May Allah grant him eternal sawaab and receive dua's from all prayers, quran and zikr read in this mosque.
p/s: better ALL SIZES...
sempena JUMAAT yang berbahagia ini..ingin sedikit berkongsi bicara...
" Daripada Abu Hurairah r.a, Rasullullah saw telah bersabda :
Setiap anggota manusia harus membuat sedekah setiap hari apabila terbit matahari.
Engkau mendamaikan antara dua orang adalah sedekah,
Engkau membantu seseorang menaiki tunggangannya,
ataupun mengangkat barang-barang ke atas tunggangan adalah sedekah.
Kata-kata manis juga sedekah, Setiap langkah yang engkau melangkah
menuju ke tempat sembahyang adalah sedekah, Dan engkau menjauhkan bahaya
dari lalu lintas orang ramai juga merupakan sedekah..."
(Riwayat Bukhari dan Muslim)
renung2kan dan selamat beramal...
So far in 2016 we have installed 147 Hand Pumps in the Cholistan region of Pakistan from Ramadan 2016 to September 2016 thanks to the kind donations received during our Ramadan Appeal.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are launching an appeal for the month of Muharram 2016 to raise funds so that we can install 1,000 Hand Pumps in Cholistan, Thar Parkar and Sialkot where their is an urgent need for safe and clean drinking water. Each hand pump costs £150 and can provide safe clean drinking water to many households.
We also urgently require 2 water sanitation plants in Gujranwala and Sialkot at a cost of £4000 each and will provide clean drinking water to 6,000 households in a village.
You can make a donation online: www.syedaaminatrust.co.uk/what-we-do/clean-water-solutions
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
WHAT IS ZAKAAT AL-FITR
Zakaat al-Fitr is a kind of charity (sadaqah) that is obligatory at the time of breaking the fast of Ramadaan. The word zakaat is connected by idaafah (genitive structure in Arabic grammar) to fitr because the occasion of breaking the fast is the reason why this zakaat becomes obligatory.
WHY SHOULD WE PAY ZAKAAT AL-FITR
Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made zakaat al-fitr obligatory as a means of purifying the fasting person from idle talk and foul language, and to feed the poor. Whoever pays it before the prayer, it is an accepted zakaat, and whoever pays it after the prayer, it is just a kind of charity (sadaqah).” (Reported by Abu Dawood, 1371. Al-Nawawi said: Abu Dawood reported it from Ibn ‘Abbaas with a hasan isnaad).
“Purifying” means purifying the soul of the one who has fasted Ramadaan. With regard to the word “foul language”, Ibn al-Atheer said: “ ‘Foul language’ refers to obscene speech. ‘Feeding [the poor]’ refers to food that is edible. ‘Whoever pays it before the prayer’ means before Salaat al-‘Eid. ‘It is an accepted zakaat’ – here zakaat means sadaqat al-fitr. ‘Just a kind of charity’ means a kind of charity that could be given at any time.” (‘Awn al-Ma’bood Sharh Abi Dawood).
RULINGS ON ZAKAAT AL-FITR
The correct view is that it is fard (obligatory), because Ibn ‘Umar said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made zakaat al-fitr obligatory,” and because of the consensus of the scholars (ijmaa’) that it is fard. (Al-Mughni, part 2, Baab Sadaqat al-Fitr).
WHEN ZAKAAT AL-FITR HAS TO BE GIVEN
It becomes obligatory when the sun sets on the last day of Ramadaan. Anyone who gets married, has a baby born to him or becomes Muslim before the sun sets on that day, has to give zakaat al-fitr [on behalf of himself and/or his new wife or new baby], but if that happens after sunset, he does not have to give it… Whoever dies after sunset on the night of fitr, sadaqat al-fitr must be given on his behalf. This is what Ahmad stated.” (Al-Mughni, part 2, Fasl Waqt Wujoob Zakaat al-Fitr).
WHO IS OBLIGED TO PAY IT
Zakaat al-fitr is obligatory on Muslims. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made zakaat al-fitr, one saa’ of dates or one saa’ of barley, obligatory on the Muslims, slave and free, male and female, young and old.” (Al-Bukhaari, 1407)
Al-Shaafa'i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “The hadeeth of Naafi’ indicates that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made it obligatory only on the Muslims, which is in accordance with the Book of Allaah, may He be glorified, because He has made zakaat as a purification for the Muslims, and purification can only be for the Muslims.” (Al-Umm, part2, Baab Zakaat al-Fitr).
AMOUNT OF ZAKAAT AL-FITR
The amount to be given is one saa’ of food, according to the measure of saa’ used by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because of the following hadeeth.
- Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “At the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) we used to give it in the form of a saa’ of food…” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 1412).
The weight of the saa’ [which is a measure of volume] varies according to the type of food concerned, so when giving zakaat al-fitr by weight, one must make sure that what is given is equivalent to a saa’ of that type of food. A saa’ is approximately equivalent to three kilograms of rice.
TYPES OF THE THINGS THAT MAY BE GIVEN
What should be given is food for human consumption, such as dates, wheat, rice or other kinds of food that humans eat. It is reported in al-Saheehayn from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made zakaat al-fitr, one saa’ of dates or one saa’ of barley, obligatory on the Muslims, slave and free, male and female,. (At that time, barley was one of the foods they ate). (Al-Bukhaari, 1408)
Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “At the time of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), we used to give a saa’ of food on the day of Fitr.” Abu Sa’eed said: “And our food was barley, raisins, aqit (dried yoghurt) and dates.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 1408).
It should be given in the form of the staple food that is used locally, whether it is wheat, rice, dates or lentils…
THE TIME FOR GIVING ZAKAAT AL-FITR
It should be given before the Eid prayer, as is stated in the hadeeth that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) “commanded that it should be given before the people went out to pray.” (Al-Bukhaari, 1407).
There is a time when it is mustahabb (preferable) to give it and a time when it is permissible to give it.
The time when it is mustahabb to give it is on the day of Eid, because of the hadeeth quoted above. For this reason it is Sunnah to delay the Eid prayer on Eid al-Fitr so as to allow enough time for those who have to give zakaat al-fitr to do so, and to have breakfast before coming out. On the other hand, it is Sunnah to hasten the Eid prayers on Eid al-Adhaa so that the people can go and offer their sacrifices and eat from them.
The time when it is permissible to give zakaat al-fitr is one or two days before Eid. In Saheeh al-Bukhaari it is reported that Naafi’ said: “Ibn ‘Umar used to give on behalf of the young and the old, and he even used to give on behalf of my sons. He would give to those who took it, and it would be given a day or two before (Eid) al-Fitr.”
(“Those who took it” refers to those who were appointed by the imaam to collect the sadaqat al-fitr).
Naafi’ said: “Ibn ‘Umar used to send zakaat al-fitr to the one who was collecting it two or three days before (‘Eid) alFitr.” (al-Mudawwanah, part 1, Baab Ta’jeel al-Zakaah qabla huloolihaa).
TO WHOM IT MAY BE GIVEN
Zakaat al-Fitr may be given to the eight categories of people (*) to whom zakaat al-maal may be given. This is the opinion of the majority. According to the Maalikis, one of the opinions of Ahmad and the opinion of Ibn Taymiyyah, it should be given exclusively to the poor and needy.
(*)Those who may receive Zakat al-Fitr are the eight categories of recipients mentioned in Surat Al-Tawbah, [9: 60]. They include: (1) the poor, (2) the needy, (3) collectors of Zakah, (4) reconciliation of hearts, (5) freeing captives / slaves(fee al-Riqab), (6) debtors, (7) sadaqa in the Way of God's holy service (fee sabeel illah), (8) the traveler.
PAYMENT AND DISTRIBUTION
It is preferable for the person who is giving to share it out himself. (Al-Shaafa'i said): “I prefer to share out zakaat al-fitr myself rather than give it to the one who is collecting it.”
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Al-Shaafa'i said in al-Mukhtasar: ‘Zakaat al-fitr is to be shared out among those to whom zakaat al-maal is shared out. I prefer that it should be given to relatives on whom it is not obligatory to spend at all.’ He said: ‘If he prefers to give it to the one who is collecting it, this should be fine, in sha Allaah… but it is better to share it out himself… If he gives it to the Muslim leader or the collector or the one who is collecting the people’s zakaat alfitr, and he is given permission to give it, this is fine, but sharing it out himself is better than all of this.’” (al-Majmoo’, part 6).
It is permissible to appoint a trustworthy person to hand it over to those who are entitled to it, but if he is not trustworthy, then it is not allowed. ‘Abd-Allaah ibn al-Mu’ammal said: “I heard Ibn Abi Mulaykah, when a man was saying to him, ‘So-and-so told me to leave my zakaat al-fitr in the mosque,’ Ibn Abi Mulaykah said, ‘He does not know what he is talking about. You go and share it out (yourself), otherwise Ibn Hishaam (the governor who was collecting it in the mosque) will give it to his guards and whoever he wants’ (i.e., he would give it to people who were not entitled to it).” (Al-Umm: Baab day’at Zakaat al-Fitr qabla Qasmihaa).
WHERE TO GIVE ZAKAAT AL-FITR
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “As for zakaat al-fitr, it should be shared out in the country where it became obligatory, whether a person has wealth there or not, because it is the reason why zakaat became obligatory…” (al-Mughni, part 2, Fasl idhaa kaana al-muzakki fi balad wa maaluhu fi balad)
It was reported in al-Mudawwanah Fiqh al-Imaam Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him): “I said: What is the opinion of Maalik on someone who comes from Ifreeqiyah (‘Africa’) and is in Egypt on the day of Fitr – where should he give his zakaat al-fitr? Malik said: [He should give it] where he is. Maalik said: if his family in Ifreeqiyah
give it on his behalf, that is fine. (What was meant by Ifreeqiyah/‘Africa’ in those days is different from what it means now).” (Part 1, Baab fi Ikhraaj al-Musaafir Zakaat al-Fitr)
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
TEAM SAT is working day and night around the clock to complete Aghosh-e-Syeda Orphanage No.1 for Girls. We now need £50K to complete this project.
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
IN SUMMER 2015, OVER 2000 PEOPLE DIED IN KARACHI, PAKISTAN DUE TO A SEVERE HEATWAVE - THOUSANDS WERE BROUGHT TO HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT
Syeda Amina Trust® with the generous support of it’s donors, distributed electric Water Coolers in small villages and deprived areas affected by the heat wave.
Water Coolers were a simple and cost effective method of supplying cold water to the
general public.
How we spent your donations 2015:
170 Water Coolers were distributed to many schools, hospitals, shops and mosques
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
L’organisation de l’état sous le règne des Omeyyades
L’organisation de l’état sous le règne des Omeyyades était renforcée par le calife qui était à la tête de l’état et qui était aussi responsable de tous les ministères.
Néanmoins, on peut dire que dans beaucoup de cas, le calife ne pouvait pas s’impliquer comme par exemple dans les affaires relevant de la justice. Et bien souvent les juges craignaient l’injustice du calife ou celle de ses gouverneurs.
C’est pour cela que beaucoup de savants et d’hommes véridiques refusaient le poste de juge (qadi) qu’il leur était offert.
Puis après le calife, il y avait le secrétaire[4] (katib) ou plus tard appelé aussi le ministre (wazir) particulièrement sous le règne des Abbassides.
Une des plus importantes fonctions du secrétaire était qu’il devait connaitre parfaitement les registre financiers de l’état, ou étaient consignés toutes les entrées et sorties d’argent, des revenus, des impôts, de la Zakat, etc.
Il se devait de connaitre aussi les registres de paies des soldats et des gens employés par l’état mais aussi toutes les dépenses relatives aux armées. Le secrétaire comptable devait donc un homme de confiance absolue, sérieux et exceller dans l’écriture.
Il était aussi chargé d’écrire les courriers du calife adressés à ses gouverneurs, ses généraux et à d’autres. Il devait donc exceller dans la connaissance des règles établies en matière d’étiquette, d’honneurs, de préséances dans les cérémonies officielles et chargé de les appliquer mais aussi des règles dans les palais, les casernes, le trésor public concernant les soldats, la garde ou l’ensemble des citoyens.
N’oublions pas que l’état musulman n’était plus comme à l’époque du Prophète (Saluts et Bénédictions d’Allah sur lui) et ne s’arrêtait pas à la Péninsule Arabique (hijaz) mais qu’il s’étendait de l’est à l’ouest, en Chine, en Inde, en Asie Mineure et jusqu’aux confins de l’Afrique et de l’Andalousie.
Puis après le Katib (secrétaire), venait le juge qui dépendait tant du calife que du Katib. Le juge devait avoir une vaste connaissance en matière de religion mais aussi de science et devait être totalement indépendant.
Puis après le Qadi (juge) venait le chef de la police (sahib shorta) ou le ministre de la police qui était vitale dans la protection du calife mais aussi de la sécurité et des biens des gens.
Ensuite venait le ministère de la poste et des registres qui avait aussi une grande importance dans la structure de l’état sur lequel reposait la distribution du courrier et son acheminement.
Grace à ce ministère, l’information était transmise dans tout l’empire musulman. Par lui, le calife envoyait ses lettres et en recevaient mais aussi tous les Musulmans pouvait disposer de ce service. Le premier à avoir créé ce poste dans l’état islamique fut le premier calife omeyyade, Mou’awiyah Ibn Abi Soufyan (qu’Allah soit satisfait d’eux).
Sous le règne de ‘Abdel Malik Ibn Marwan, alors qu’il y avait partout des révoltes, il prit un essor considérable car les gens eurent grandement besoin de ce service pour être informé sur les situations de leurs familles.
Parmi les autres départements (diwan) d’importance vitale dans la structure de l’état omeyyade, il y avait celui de l’armée qui était le pilier de l’état islamique. Le principal but de l’armée est le combat dans la voie d’Allah (jihad fis-sabilillah) et la vaste superficie de l’empire islamique sous le règne des Omeyyades et de ceux qui les suivront, nous prouvera que ces armées étaient dument préoccupées par ce devoir. Le Jihad fis-Sabilillah n’est pas limité au seul combat comme on pourrait le croire mais il concerne tout ce qui touche à la défense des Musulmans et de leurs terres de près ou de loin comme par exemple, la surveillance des frontières, l’espionnage, l’acheminement des armes, leurs achats et fabrication, l’entrainement, les finances, la levées des armées, l’information, la technologie, l’entretien etc.
Le petit état islamique de départ est devenu un empire grâce aux conquêtes entreprises par les Compagnons du Messager d’Allah (Saluts et bénédictions d’Allah sur lui) et les Musulmans pour faire valoir, élever et transmettre la Parole du Très Haut aux gens pour leur donner la possibilité de connaître et d’adorer le Seigneur et d’être admis eux aussi au paradis.
Comme nous l’avons vu précédemment, les enfants et les frères des califes commandaient les troupes qui n’avaient d’autres buts que la victoire ou le martyr. Les armées étaient composées pour la plupart d’entre elles de tribus arabes et par la suite beaucoup de convertis vinrent grossir leurs rangs et poursuivre leur but. Mais la base des troupes resta toujours essentiellement composée de tribus arabes.
Le ministère de l’armée comprenait le département de la défense et le registre des combattants dont la principale tâche était de procéder à leurs paies et aussi de pourvoir à tous leurs besoins, inhérents à leurs missions, et à ceux de leur famille.
Les soldats pouvaient avoir une vie familiale mais lorsqu’ils étaient ordonnés de rejoindre leurs casernes, ils devaient le faire sans attendre. Chaque caserne avait un commandant qui connaissait tous ses soldats et ou les trouver et malheur à celui qui s’attardaient quand venait l’heure de la sortie pour le combat !
Pour clore ce petit chapitre sur la structure de l’état nous devons parler du ministère des finances sous l’état Omeyyade.
Le ministère des finances était divisé en plusieurs départements dont l’un relatif aux produits agricoles. Des gens compétents et connaisseurs de l’agriculture occupaient les postes et définissaient, chaque année, les revenus payables à l’état en fonction des quantités plantés.
Puis, il y avait aussi le département chargé de la Zakat[5] sur les différents cheptels chargés de collecter cette aumône légale chaque année.
Quant à l’aumône sur les biens, l’or et l’argent, les Musulmans étaient chargés de la donner à ceux qui étaient en mesure d’en bénéficier parmi les gens de leur connaissance et de leur entourage immédiat.
Il y avait aussi le département de la Jizyah ou tribut de guerre payable par les gens conquit en échange de leur protection par les Musulmans. Une fois par an, les gens de la Dhimmah (sous contrat) devaient payer ce tribut.
A l’époque du Farouk ‘Omar Ibn al-Khattab (qu’Allah soit satisfait de lui), il était prélevé quarante-huit dinars des gens de la Dhimmah riches, vingt-quatre dinars des gens aisés et douze dinars des pauvres.
Il y avait aussi les départements :
- Relatif aux gens qui mouraient et qui ne laissaient derrière eux personne et dont les biens revenaient au trésor public.
- Le département chargé de la paie, due à l’apparition de chaque nouvelle lune.
- Le registre des fonctionnaires de l’état ainsi que de la frappe de la monnaie.
- Le département chargé de la bonne distribution de l’argent car si l’argent était mal géré et que les fonctionnaires étaient corrompus, ils pouvaient s’ensuivre le désordre dans la gestion et qu’une partie de l’argent soit détournée.
Ces informations n’entrent pas dans le cadre de l’Histoire mais nous vous les avons données pour vous montrer que l’état islamique était parfaitement organisé et que tout était scrupuleusement consigné sur des registres par des scribes dont voici une liste.
Les scribes depuis le début de l’Islam
Hisham Ibn al-Kalbi et d’autres ont rapporté que le premier Arabe qui écrivit[6] (katib) en arabe fut Harb Ibn Oumayyah Ibn ‘Abd ash-Shams.
Abou Moussa al-Ash’ari a dit : « Le premier qui dit « Ceci dit » (amma ba’d), fut le Prophète Daoud (paix sur lui). Al-Haytham Ibn ‘Adi a dit : « Le premier qui a dit « Ceci dit » fut Qouss Ibn Sa’idah al- ‘Iyadi ».
Les scribes du Prophète (Saluts et Bénédictions d’Allah sur lui) furent : ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib et ‘Uthman Ibn ‘Affan (qu’Allah soit satisfait d’eux) qui écrivaient la révélation. S’ils étaient absents, Oubay Ibn Ka’b et Zayd Ibn Thabit (qu’Allah soit satisfait d’eux) l’écrivaient. Khalid Ibn Sa’id Ibn al-‘As et Mou’awiyah Ibn Abi Soufyan (qu’Allah soit satisfait d’eux) écrivait en sa présence ce qui concernaient ses affaires. ‘Abdallah Ibn al-Arqam Ibn ‘Abd Yaghouth et al- ‘Ala' Ibn Ouqbah (qu’Allah soit satisfait d’eux) écrivaient pour les gens leurs affaires. ‘Abdallah Ibn al-Arqam écrivit souvent aux rois sur les recommandations du Prophète (Saluts et Bénédictions d’Allah sur lui).
‘Uthman, Zayd Ibn Thabit, ‘Abdallah Ibn al-Arqam, ‘Abdallah Ibn Khalaf al-Khouza’i, et Hanzalah Ibn ar-Rabi’ furent les scribes d’Abou Bakr (qu’Allah soit satisfait d’eux).
Zayd Ibn Thabit et ‘Abdallah Ibn al-Arqam furent aussi les scribes de ‘Omar Ibn al-Khattab. ‘Abdallah Ibn Khalaf al-Khouza’i, le père de Talha at-Talhat, fut responsable du Diwan[7] de Basra. Abou Jabirah Ibn ad-Dahhak al-Ansari était le secrétaire de ‘Omar dans la charge du Diwan de Koufa. ‘Omar Ibn al-Khattab (qu’Allah soit satisfait de lui) dit à ses secrétaires et gouverneurs: « Consignez les affaires sans délai et n’ajournez pas la tâche d’aujourd’hui à demain ; car si vous le faites, vous serez submergés par votre travail et vous oublierez lequel vous deviez consigner en premier ». Il fut le premier à établir les registres du Diwan parmi les Arabes dans l’Islam.
Marwan Ibn al-Hakam fut le secrétaire de ‘Uthman Ibn al-‘Affan (qu’Allah soit satisfait de lui). ‘Abdel Malik fut son secrétaire pour le Diwan de Médine, Abou Jabirah al-Ansari le responsable du Diwan de Koufa. Abou Ghatafan Ibn ‘Awf Ibn Sa’d Ibn Dinar, des Banou Douhman Ibn Qays Ibn ‘Aylan, Ahyab et Houmran Ibn Aban ses domestiques furent aussi ses secrétaires.
Sa’id Ibn Nimran al-Hamdani, qui fut responsable plus tard de la magistrature de Koufa pour Ibn az-Zoubayr et ‘Abdallah Ibn Mas’oud, furent les secrétaires de ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (qu’Allah soit satisfait de lui). Il a été rapporté que ‘Abdallah Ibn Joubayr et ‘Oubaydallah Ibn Abi Rafi’ le furent aussi mais il y a des désaccords au sujet du nom d’Abou Rafi’. Certains ont dit que c’était Ibrahim, d’autres Aslam, d’autres Sinan, et aussi ‘AbderRahmane.
‘Oubayd Ibn Aws al-Ghassani fut le secrétaire de Mou’awiyah chargé de sa correspondance. Sarjoun Ibn Mansour ar-Roumi, son secrétaire dans la charge du Diwan des impôts (diwan al-kharaj). ‘AbderRahmane Ibn Darraj, un domestique (mawlah) de Mou’awiyah, fut aussi son secrétaire avec ‘Oubaydallah Ibn Nasr Ibn al-Hajjaj Ibn ‘Ala' as-Soulami.
Ar-Rayyan Ibn Mouslim, Sarjoun et Abou az-Zou’ayzi’ah furent les secrétaires de Mou’awiyah Ibn Yazid.
Qabissah Ibn Dou’ayb Ibn Halhalah al-Khouza’i, surnommé Abou Ishhaq, fut le secrétaire de ‘Abdel Malik. Abou az-Zou’ayzi’ah, son Mawlah, fut chargé du bureau de la correspondance (diwan ar-rassa’il).
Al-Qa’qa’ Ibn al-Khalid al- ‘Absi fut secrétaire d’al-Walid. Son secrétaire pour le bureau de l’impôt fut Souleyman Ibn Sa’d al-Khoushani, son Mawlah ash-Shou’ayb al-‘Oumani responsable du département de l’état civil (diwan al-khatam), son Mawlah Janah responsable de la correspondance et son Mawlah Noufay Ibn Dhou’ayb fut le responsable du revenu des propriétés (moustaghallat)[8].
Souleyman Ibn Nou’aym al-Himym fut le secrétaire de Souleyman Ibn ‘Abdel Malik.
Le secrétaire de Maslamah Ibn ‘Abdel Malik fut son Mawlah Sami’ al-Leyth Ibn Abi Rouqayyah. Le Mawlah d’Oumm al-Hakam Bint Abi Soufyan, fut responsable du département de la correspondance, Souleyman Ibn Sa’d al-Khoushani responsable du bureau de l’impôt, Nou’aym Ibn Salamah, un Mawlah des Yéménites de Palestine, responsable du département de bureau de l’état civil. D’autres ont dit que Raja’ Ibn Haywah fut responsable du sceau.
Al-Moughirah Ibn Abi Farwah fut le secrétaire de Yazid Ibn al-Mouhallab.
Al-Leyth Ibn Abi Rouqayyah, le Mawlah d’Oumm al-Hakam Bint Abi Soufyan, Raja’ Ibn Haywah et Isma’il Ibn Abi Hakim, le Mawlah d’az-Zoubayr furent les secrétaires de ‘Omar Ibn ‘Abdel ‘Aziz. Souleyman Ibn Sa’d al-Khoushani le remplaçant de Salih Ibn Joubayr al-Ghassani, d’autres ont dit al-Ghoudani, fut chargé des impôts. ‘Adi Ibn as-Sabah Ibn al-Mouthannah fut aussi un de ses principaux secrétaires.
Avant que Yazid Ibn ‘Abdel Malik ne devienne calife, son secrétaire fut Yazid Ibn ‘Abdallah puis après ce fut Oussama Ibn Zayd as-Salihi.
Sa’id Ibn al-Walid Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Jabalah al-Kalbi surnommé Al Abrash et aussi Abou Moujashi, fut le secrétaire d’Hisham. Nasr Ibn Sayyar fut son responsable des impôts pour le Khorasan et Shou’ayb Ibn Dinar pour Ar-Rassafah.
Boukayr Ibn ash-Shammakh fut le secrétaire d’al-Walid Ibn Yazid. Salim, le Mawlah de Sa’id Ibn ‘Abdel Malik, responsable du département de la correspondance. ‘Abdallah Ibn Abi ‘Amr ou ‘Abdel A’la' Ibn Abi ‘Amr le fut aussi tandis que ‘Amr Ibn ‘Outbah fut responsable de la résidence du califat.
‘Abdallah Ibn Nou’aym fut le secrétaire de Yazid Ibn al-Walid surnommé « le Réducteur (an-Naqis) ». ‘Amr Ibn al-Harith, un Mawlah du Banou Joumah, fut responsable de l’état civil, Thabit Ibn Souleyman Ibn Sa’d al-Khoushani et d‘autres ont dit ar-Rabi’ Ibn ‘Ar’arah al-Khoushani, responsable de la correspondance et an-Nadr Ibn ‘Amr, un Yéménite, fut responsable des impôts et il avait son propre sceau.
Le secrétaire du Diwan en Palestine pour Ibrahim Ibn al-Walid fut Ibn Abi Joum’ah.
Les secrétaires de Marwan Ibn Muhammad furent : ‘Abdel Hamid Ibn Yahya, le Mawlah d’al-‘Ala' Ibn Wahb al-‘Amiri, Mous’ab Ibn ar-Rabi’ al-Khath’ami, Makhlad Ibn Muhammad Ibn al-Harith surnommé Abou Hashim, Mous’ab Ibn ar-Rabi’ al-Khath’ami surnommé Abou Moussa et Ziyad Ibn Abi al-Ward. ‘Uthman Ibn Qays, le Mawlah de Khalid al-Qasri, fut responsable de la correspondance. ‘Abdel Hamid Ibn Yahya fut réputé pour éloquence distinguée.
Le secrétaire d’Abou al-‘Abbas l’Abbasside fut Khalid Ibn Barmak. Salih Ibn al-Haytham, un Mawlah de Bint Raytah Abi al-‘Abbas, fut responsable de la correspondance.
Le secrétaire d’Abou Ja’far al-Mansour fut ‘Abdel Malik Ibn Houmayd, le Mawlah de Hatim Ibn an-Nou’man al-Bahili al-Khorassani. Hashim Ibn Sa’id al-Jou’fi et Abdel A’la' Ibn Abi Talha des Banou Tamim furent ses secrétaires dans Wassit. Il a aussi été rapporté que Souleyman Ibn Makhlad fut aussi le secrétaire d’Abou Ja’far avec ar-Rabi’ et ‘Oumarah Ibn Hamzah qui était parmi les hommes les plus distingués.
Le secrétaire d’al-Mahdi fut Abou ‘Oubaydallah. Aban Ibn Sadaqah fut chargé de la correspondance et Muhammad Ibn Hamid responsable du Diwan militaire (diwan al-jound). Ya’qoub Ibn Daoud fut responsable de ses affaires et son ministre (wazir) qui fut remplacé plus tard par Fayd Ibn Abi Salih qui était un homme généreux.
Les secrétaires de Moussa al-Hadi furent ‘Oubaydallah Ibn Ziyad Ibn Abi Layla et Muhammad Ibn Hamid.
Yahya Ibn Khalid Ibn Barmak fut le ministre d’al-Hadi et son fils, Ja’far Ibn Yahya Ibn Khalid fut le ministre d’ar-Rashid.
La mort de Qoutaybah Ibn Mouslim
Lorsque Souleyman Ibn ‘Abdel Malik devint calife, il désista ‘Uthman Ibn Hayyan al-Mourri le gouverneur oppresseur de Médine et le remplaça par Abi Bakr Ibn Muhammad Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Hazm al-Khazraji al-Ansari.
Il désista Yazid Ibn Abi Mouslim le gouverneur d’Iraq et le remplaça par Yazid Ibn al-Mouhallab avec qui il envoya Salih Ibn ‘AbderRahmane le serviteur des Banou Tamim qu’il chargea de la gestion des revenus (kharaj) et à qui il ordonna de torturer et de tuer la famille d’Abou ‘Aqil, un groupe de gens de la famille d’al-Hajjaj Ibn Youssouf ath-Thaqafi.
Qoutaybah Ibn Mouslim sut que Souleyman Ibn ‘Abdel Malik n’allait pas le laisser en paix du fait qu’il avait donné son accord pour son désistement en faveur du fils d’al-Walid. Alors, comptant sur la force de sa grande armée, il décida de renverser le nouveau calife.
Qoutaybah réunit les gens et leur dit que Souleyman avait désisté ‘Abdel ‘Aziz et lui avait ôté le califat et comme ils avaient porté allégeance à ‘Abdel ‘Aziz Ibn al-Walid, il devait lui porter assistance. Parmi les milliers de soldats sous son commandement pas un seul d’entre eux n’accepta si bien qu’il se fâcha après eux.
Le responsable de ce refus était Waqi’ Ibn Abi Hassan Ibn Abi Soud at-Tamimi que nous avons déjà mentionné lors de la Bataille de Boukhara.
Alors un groupe de gens pénétra dans la tente de Qoutaybah et le tuèrent. Un groupe de personne qui était avec lui essayèrent de le défendre sans succès. Parmi eux se trouvait ses frères ‘AbderRahmane, ‘Abdallah, Salih, ‘Abdel Karim, Houssayn, certains de ses fils et de ses proches. Dirar Ibn Mouslim ne fut pas tué car il fut protégé par ses oncles des Bani Tamim parce que sa mère était Qarrah Bint Dinar Ibn Qa’qa’ Ibn Ma’bad Ibn Zourarah at-Tamimi.
Qoutaybah ne fut pas tué subitement par Waqi’ mais à cause d’un différend qui existait déjà entre eux. Un jour Qoutaybah voulut partir pour un raid (ghazw) à partir de sa garnison de Merv, la capitale du Khorasan, dont il laissa en son absence, le commandement ‘AbdAllah Ibn ‘Abdillah Ibn Ahkam. Ahkam qui était Sinan Ibn Soumayy des Bani Minqar Ibn ‘Oubayd Ibn Mouqaris Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Ka’b Ibn Sa’d Ibn Zayd Ibn al-Manat Ibn Tamim.
Bashir Ibn Safwan Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Ahtam qui était le fils de l’oncle de ‘AbdAllah Ibn ‘Abdillah vint voir Qoutaybah et lui dit :
- « Ne la laisse pas à ta place car il se retournera contre toi ». Mais Qoutaybah ne l’écouta point et lui dit :
- « Tu envie le fils de ton oncle ! »
- « Rappelle-toi simplement ce que je t’ai dit et accepte mon excuse s’il le fait ! Ne viens surtout pas me voir s’il le fait pour me faire des remontrances et me charger de ses fautes car je t’aurais mis en garde ».
Lorsque Qoutaybah sortit pour le combat dans la voie d’Allah Exalté, ‘AbdAllah Ibn ‘Abdillah écrivit à al-Hajjaj. Dans la lettre, il se plaignit de Qoutaybah et demanda à al-Hajjaj de le nommer à sa place.
Qoutaybah fut informé de cela. Il réunit les Bani Tamim et les informa de ce que faisais ‘AbdAllah.
‘AbdAllah Ibn ‘Abdillah informé à son tour sut alors qu’il ne lui restait d’autre choix que de s’enfuir avant son retour. Il partit à Moukran, puis à ‘Oman, puis à La Mecque, puis à Médine où il vécut déguisé pour ne pas être reconnu.
Qoutaybah écrivit à al-Hajjaj pour l’informer que ‘AbdAllah Ibn ‘Abdillah avait vidé le trésor public du Khorasan avant de s’enfuir.
Al-Hajjaj écrivit à al-Walid Ibn ‘Abdel Malik qui envoya à sa recherche des hommes de l’état mais qui furent incapable de le trouver tant il s’appliquait à rester méconnaissable.
Suite à cela, Qoutaybah Ibn Mouslim al-Bahili tua deux enfants de ‘AbdAllah Ibn ‘Abdillah, Bashir Ibn Safwan qui l’avait mis en garde et un de ses enfants, ainsi qu’un groupe de gens qui étaient avec eux.
Puis il écrivit pour demander Waqi’ Ibn Abi Soud et Qourayb Ibn Tahmah al-Moujashi’i at-Tamimi qui passèrent par le marché alors qu’ils se rendaient chez Qoutaybah, ils virent la dépouille de Bashir Ibn Safwan, les mains, les pieds et la tête tranchés, exposée dans le marché.
Lorsqu’il rentra chez Qoutaybah, celui-ci lui dit :
- « O Waqi’, n’as-tu pas vu ce que j’ai fait à Bashir Ibn Safwan ? » Il espérait que Waqi’, et les chefs des Bani Tamim soient pris de crainte pour ne pas lui disputer un jour le pouvoir au Khorasan.
Bashir Ibn Safwan était des Bani Sa’d Ibn Zayd Ibn al-Manat Ibn Tamim et Waqi’ Ibn Hassan était des Bani Ghoudanah Ibn Ya’bour Ibn Handalah Ibn Malik Ibn Zayd Ibn al-Manat Ibn Tamim.
Mais Waqi’ grandement énervé répondit à Qoutaybah :
- « Il y a entre moi et Bashir Ibn Safwan qu’il ne méritait pas d’être châtié autant que je l’ai vu ! »
Qoutaybah Ibn Mouslim, le conquérant renommé faisait aussi partie des tyrans et lorsque Waqi’ Ibn Hassan le quitta, Qoutaybah le suivit du regard jusqu’à ce qu’il disparaisse.
Qouraym Ibn Abi et Tahmah le suivirent et lui dirent :
- « Ne tourne jamais ton dos à un tyran dont le sabre ruisselle de sang et ne lui parle jamais de cette manière, si bien que j’ai crus qu’il allait ordonner de te tuer ! »
Waqi’ Ibn Abi Soud était un homme courageux et il lui répondit :
- « Il ne vaut rien du tout ! Nous l’avons vu le jour de la bataille de Boukhara ! Ne crains pas qu’il me tue, mais moi, par Allah, je le tuerais ».
Qoutaybah Ibn Mouslim désista Waqi’ Ibn Hassan du commandement des Banou Tamim qui était dans son armée au Khorasan et mit à sa place Dirar Ibn Houssayn Ibn Zayd al-Fawaris ad-Dabi.
L’armée de Qoutaybah Ibn Mouslim se chiffrait comme suit :
- Les Banou Tamim, dix-mille combattants.
- Les Azd dix-mille combattants.
- Les gens de ‘Alya de Basra, une alliance entre plusieurs tribus dont les Qoutaysh, Kinan, Bajilah, Afram et l’ensemble des Bani Qays al-‘Ilani, étaient au nombre de neuf-mille combattants.
- Les gens de Koufa sept-mille combattants.
- Les Bani Bakr Ibn Wahil sept-mille combattants.
- Les Bani ‘Abdel Qays quatre-mille combattants.
- Al-Mawali, (les affranchis), au nombre de sept-mille combattants.
Qoutaybah Ibn Mouslim avait une très grande armée. Ces évènements arrivèrent après que Qoutaybah ait décidé de déposer le nouveau calife Souleyman Ibn ‘Abdel Malik.
Et lorsque Waqi’ Ibn Hassan Ibn Abi Soud al-Ghoudami at-Tamim revint dans sa tribu, ils ne firent rien.
C’était bien une nouvelle sédition tribale dont nous a mis en garde le Messager d’Allah (Saluts et Bénédictions d’Allah sur lui) et dont il a dit : « elle est répugnante (moumtinah) ».
Waqi’ était en rage lorsqu’il vit ce qui était arrivé à Bashir Ibn Safwan et nous ne sommes qu’au premier siècle de l’Hégire.
Lorsque Waqi’ arriva dans sa tribu, il ne se leva ni pour prier le Zouhr, le ‘Asr, le Magrib. Les gens prièrent mais il ne se leva pas ! Lorsqu’ils lui demandèrent ô père de Moutarif :
- « Tu ne pries pas ? »
Il leur répondit :
- « Que feras la prière alors que les Bani Ahtam ont été tué. Personne ne se mettra en colère pour eux ni dans les cieux et ni sur la terre ». Et cette parole est de la mécréance !
Et même s’il était irrité de telle parole ne se disent point. Quant à celui qui volontairement ne prie pas son jugement est clair !
Alors la sédition naquit dans le cœur des gens et ils se décidèrent à tuer Qoutaybah, celui qui tua leurs chefs et lorsqu’il les appela pour renverser Souleyman Ibn ‘Abdel Malik, ils refusèrent de le suivre et profitèrent de l’occasion pour le tuer.
Après la mort de Qoutaybah Ibn Mouslim al-Bahili, Waqi’ Ibn Hassan Ibn Abi Soud qui avait manqué plusieurs prières et était un idiot (ahmaqan) prit sa place à la tête de l’armée.
On lui ramena un homme qui avait bu du vin et il ordonna de le tuer. On lui fit remarquer que ce n’était pas la peine légale mais qu’il devait être bâtonné un certain nombre de coup mais il dit :
- « Non. Je ne punis pas avec le bâton mais avec le sabre ! » Et, ils le tuèrent bien qu’il n’y a pas d’obéissance dans la désobéissance à Allah.
Lorsque ces nouvelles parvinrent à Souleyman Ibn ‘Abdel Malik, il crut que Waqi’ et ceux qui étaient avec lui s’étaient rebellés contre lui et il ne cessa d’être en paix jusqu’à ce qu’il fut convaincu que Waqi’ lui obéissait toujours.
En l’an 96 de l’Hégire (715), Souleyman Ibn ‘Abdel Malik désista Khalid Ibn ‘Abdillah al-Qasri et nomma à sa place Talha Ibn Daoud al-Hadrami gouverneur de la Mecque tandis que Yazid Ibn al-Mouhallab commandait l’Iraq.
Waqi’ Ibn Hassan commanda les soldats qui se trouvaient dans le Khorasan dix (ou neuf selon d’autres versions) mois supplémentaires jusqu’en l’an 97 de l’Hégire (716) ou Yazid Ibn al-Mouhallab fut nommé gouverneur du Khorasan.
Cette même année, Maslamah Ibn ‘Abdel Malik captura la forteresse byzantine « de la peur » (hisn al-khawf).
Continued from Part 1; www.flickr.com/photos/42093313@N00/50981745732/in/datepos...
When Patience Appeared
Hazrat Ali (ratu) was the same person whose poem about death is what I chose to place on the last page of “The Softest Heart.” Never had I heard such words related to an experience most deeply feared.
جزى الله عنا الموت خيرا فإنه
أبر بنا من كل بر و أرأف
May Allah reward death with only goodness from us,
For it was more kind and merciful than anything else.
Enmity, it seemed, had appeared to restore me. I became profoundly aware of that. How it was going to change my reaction I still did not know. But my door was now open and even I was not laughing I was now standing to welcome the trials. One element of the story above echoed in my mind constantly; the ability to forgive someone before they did something wrong, knowing that they would do it.
I always forgive after. I’m happy to do it most when there is an apology but of course that is beyond rare. I never get an apology. Still, if someone acts crazy, then starts acting normal, I forgive them even though they never asked for it.
I do it cleanly without holding a grudge. I love having them back in my life. Part of that is my resistance to change. I like things to be the same. Even when that’s never possible because people always become different. The trauma of life changes them forever. Still I manager to harbor hope that they can again be the same.
I asked Qari Sahib about Maula Ali’s (ratu) ability to forgive for an act yet to be committed. I knew each person’s reaction to be a function of the cause of the difficulty. In fact it was almost always directly related to that cause. Who was forgiven and who was punished? Who was allowed to stay in one’s life and who was banished forever?
For the same acts, the reactions were always a function of the instigator. That is what determined their fate. So how could one separate myself from that cause like Ghaus Pak (ra) instructed? That would dictate that the reaction would have to be the exact same for all. There could be no bias.
Qari Sahib reminded me that the answer had been given to me already.
مَا أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَمَن يُؤْمِن بِاللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيم
No calamity can ever befall someone unless it is by God’s leave.
Hence whoever believes in God guides his own heart towards this Truth.
And God has full knowledge of everything.
Surah At-Taghabun, Verse 11
“You have to remember this verse. And when you forget it and react to the person, then you have to remember it again. Everything is coming from God alone. The person is the means for delivery and deliverance. But it is true. For most of us, everything happens after the event. Then we have a choice. To forgive or not we leave it up to us. That is why reactions vary according to the person.
In the state of forgiving someone before they do something wrong, there is in fact no forgiving because there is nothing to forgive. The crime has not yet been committed. So then it means it is not about forgiveness. It is about not keeping bughs, grudge, hate, in the heart. Hazrat Ali (ratu) exemplifies that perfectly in this incident.
What the other person is doing that appears wrong to you is pre-destined. For them and for you. Like the slave is going to kill Maula e Kayinaat (ratu). That is what he is saying. He accepts what that man will do willingly and does not begrudge him for it because it is Allah’s Wish that He does it. So he has no difficulty in allowing him to continue working for him, seeing him day in an day out. It has no effect.
Only God makes such a reaction possible in a person. You cannot attain it except through Him. And your Spiritual Master, the one who is His true Khalifa, Vice-regent, in this world, whose ‘hand is His Hand’.”
I looked up the verse with him in the Tafseer e Jilani to understand the word “asaba,” the hardship. The first line itself was bewildering;
“Then said Allah Subhan Ta’ala to those who are steadfast in His Ma’rifat, Recognition, and Iqaan, lodging themselves firmly in certainty related to Him, who have surrendered in utmost submission and placed themselves in the field of trust entirely and only upon Allah, ‘Whoever it is that something comes upon and whatever it is, be it an incident of happiness or grief, it is according to His Will and what He has destined.’”
So for starters not just hardship; happiness and grief.
“The one who has Imaan, (inadequately translated in the English as merely ‘believes in God,’) is in fact the one who entrusts his matters to Allah, the one who accepts Him as the Disposer of his affairs and makes Him for himself sufficient and his only Caretaker. This person is the one who will then receive light in his heart, (guidance) and will then be made to see the signs of Oneness and surety (Truth).”
Again Imaan. That is what Hazrat Ali (ratu) possessed.
Qari Sahib continued, “So you might ask why should I exercise sabr? Why should I be patient? Why shouldn’t I feel badly for what is happening to me, especially when I don’t deserve it, when I didn’t do anything wrong? There is only one reason and one reason alone to do anything for the one who claims love for God. To seek His Pleasure!”
وَٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا۟ ٱبْتِغَآءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِمْ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَنفَقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ سِرًّۭا وَعَلَانِيَةًۭ
وَيَدْرَءُونَ بِٱلْحَسَنَةِ ٱلسَّيِّئَةَ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عُقْبَى ٱلدَّارِ
And those who observe patience in order to seek the pleasure of their Lord and establish prayer and spend secretly and openly from what We have given to them,
and respond to evil with good.
Those are the ones for whom there is fulfillment in the Hereafter,
Surah Ar-Rad, Verse 22
We moved to the next verse.
جَنَّـٰتُ عَدْنٍۢ يَدْخُلُونَهَا وَمَن صَلَحَ مِنْ ءَابَآئِهِمْ وَأَزْوَٰجِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّـٰتِهِمْ ۖ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ يَدْخُلُونَ عَلَيْهِم مِّن كُلِّ بَابٍۢ
سَلَـٰمٌ عَلَيْكُم بِمَا صَبَرْتُمْ ۚ فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَى ٱلدَّارِ
the eternal gardens they enter, and those as well who are righteous from their fathers, spouses, and progeny. The angels will enter onto them from every gate and say,
“Peace on you for the patience you observed. So, how excellent is the ultimate abode.”
Surah Ar-Rad, Verse 23
Qari Sahib pointed out an amazing subtlety. “When a hardship appears the Quran directs one to be patient and pray and give charity and respond with goodness to harshness. But what is it that the angels present their “salam” upon the person for. It is not for the prayers or the spending or the reaction, responding in a goodly manner to evil. It is for the patience. ‘Peace on you for the patience you observed.’”
Every day after the condoling for my father began I whined about how I hated the ritual. And in every word I saw my pride and judgment. People came in casually and then left. They didn’t speak about him. How could they, they didn’t know him. They didn’t even really know me. My nafs was so fired up with righteous indignation, I was actually ashamed.
During those nights, every night I asked Allah to forgive me, prayed before Nabi Kareem (peace be upon him) to please ask His Lord to forgive me so I was certain that He had and pledged to not be crazy the next day. Day after day I found myself in a holding pattern and I knew why. I couldn’t control my tongue.
And Maulana Rum (ra) was saying even that was a gift. What I perceived as indifference in the others who visited me. It was a test. That I failed every single day. For the life of me, I could not escape it.
عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ، قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، مَا النَّجَاةُ؟
قَالَ: أَمْسِكْ عَلَيْكَ لِسَانَكَ وَلْيَسَعْكَ بَيْتُكَ وَابْكِ عَلَى خَطِيئَتِكَ
As narrated by Hazrat Uqba Bin Amir (ratu):
I asked, ”Ya Rasool Allah (peace be upon you)! Where lies salvation?”
He replied, “Keep your tongue in control, have your home capable of holding you
and shed tears upon your mistakes.”
My aql, power of reflection, would tell me to be silence. My base self would tell me to keep speaking and I would acquiesce to the latter, only to regret it, sometimes while I did it. The words would leave my mouth and as I heard them I admonished myself but I kept speaking. It made me think of an incident from Ghaus Pak’s (ra) life from the Masnavi. It highlighted magnificently how the Chosen reacted to the same prompts of the nafs, crushing it.
“Hazrat Sheikh Abul Abbas (ra) narrates: ‘I heard from Ghaus Pak (ra) that for 40 years he prayed the morning prayer, Fajr, with the ablution from the night before at Isha’ and for 15 years, he stood on one foot and finished the Quran before the morning dawned.
One night he was climbing a ladder when his nafs, ego, said to him, “How I wish you would sleep for just a moment and then worship after.”
As soon as the thought entered his heart, Ghaus Pak (ra) stood on one foot and started reciting the Quran and stayed in that state till he finished it.”
I had also read of the wali Allah who jumped in an icy cold river when his nafs suggested perhaps a wudu, ablution, with warm water one day might be nice. Or the Friend of God who chose the longer, abandoned route to his destination over the shorter one with cities and places of rest and food when his nafs suggested the latter. These were one time suggestions.
The suggestions were not even evil or propelling towards “wrongdoing” yet their reactions were so swift and severe.
At least thing was clear. To discipline my nafs I had to do the exact opposite of everything it wanted. Was that ever going to be possible? Starting with the tongue, would it embrace silence?
I thought of a line from my video for Maulana Rum (ra);
"My staying awake was better than sleeping."
And made up one for myself;
Meri khamoshi merey bolney se behtar thi
My silence was always better than my speaking.
I realized that the tongue speaks when it shouldn’t out of pride, a sheer lack of humility. Those who are humble never react. Some may simply not like confrontation, that could be their reason. But the fact that they control their tongue or their tongue controls them, in this case, by forcing silence made them lucky compared to me.
Sometimes when I speak the truth in terms of warning someone, a universal truth that I myself was taught by others, I hear the pride in my voice. But when I ask a person to do something good, a deed that again I learnt through others, I sound gentle and people always thank me. It’s because in the former I invoke fear. That makes them withdraw.
In the latter I come from a place of softness, love, joy. They embrace me. The difference was so stark I stopped the former altogether. It is the mark of a Sufi that they never point out any person’s flaw. They just change hearts with a glance.
Subhan Allah!
I decided to study humility from the Quran. I had been seeking it as a gift for God from myself. It was the only thing Allah Ta’ala didn’t possess because He was Al-Mutakabbir, The Possessor of All Greatness. Perhaps that’s what made it His favourite quality in Mankind. On the Night of Ascension, when Nabi Kareem (peace be upon him) was asked by His Lord,
“What did you bring for Me?” he had answered, “My humility.” I knew then there was only one gift possible.
I found there are many verbs for the attribute in the verses; taddarra’, istaka’nu, haunan, leen, ruhamma. The ahadith were filled with the notion. I read many and my eyes lodged on one.
قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:
عَرَضَ عَلَيَّ رَبِّي لِيَجْعَلَ لِي يطحاء مَكَّة ذَهَبا
فَقلت: لَا يارب وَلَكِنْ أَشْبَعُ يَوْمًا وَأَجُوعُ يَوْمًا
فَإِذَا جُعْتُ تَضَرَّعْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَذَكَرْتُكَ وَإِذَا شَبِعَتُ حَمِدْتُكَ وَشَكَرْتُكَ
Nabi Kareem (peace be upon him) said, “My Lord - the Mighty and Majestic - gave me the choice that the valley of Mecca be filled with gold,
but I said: No, O Lord,
but, grant food to me one day, and hunger one day.
So when I am hungry, I humble myself before You and remember You,
and when I am full, I am grateful to You."
Hazrat Ali’s (ratu) words of wisdom that stunned me the first time I heard them were coming from his beloved master. “There are only two kinds of days in life; a day of sabr, patience and a day of shukr, gratitude.”
When I had heard the words I was left amazed that there wasn’t even a third kind of day. And I had also learnt through his qaul, saying, that all the other attributes that existed in the Universe therefore came under the umbrella of sabr and shukr. For there was no day of generosity and no day of forgiveness, only patience or gratitude. One or the other!
Maula Ali’s (ratu) expression of gratitude was as unique as they came. So much so that one particular incident of his giving revealed a verse of the Quran solely because of it.
One day the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came to the Mosque. Some of the companions were standing and some were bowing down in ruku’ (bending so as to touch their knees with their hands).
There he saw a poor person and asked him, “Did someone give you anything?”
He replied, “Yes. A silver ring.”
The Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) asked, “Who gave it to you?”
He pointed towards Maula Ali (ratu) and said, “That man who is now standing.”
The Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) asked, “How did he give it to you?”
The man replied, “He was in ruku’.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) smiled and recited the following verse:
إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ
وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ
Only are your true helpers Allah and His Messenger (saw)
and those who have attained to faith,
the ones who are firmly immersed in their prayers,
who give the charity that purifies,
while they bow in worship.
Surah Al-Maidah, Verse 55
For days after I read the story, when I bent in ruku’ in my prayers I played with my finger as if there was a ring in it and wondered how I might give it to someone. Fulfilling someone’s need we all have done. But doing it while praying was something else. Especially for someone who said,
لم اعبد ربا لم اره
Never did I pray before my Lord without seeing Him.
Who else was ever going to be giving charity while being in ruku’ in the Universe?
Qari Sahib said of the verse; “When the verse is revealed upon the incident, then the word “innama”, only and only, confirms that there are three wali for us, translated any way you like, guardian, patron, ally, helper, protector, friend; Allah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the one who have Imaan in their hearts, the Mo’mineen, of whom Maula e Kayinaat (ratu) is the perfect personification.”
It is not the only time a verse was connected to Hazrat Ali (ratu). Imam Abu Bakr Ahmed Bin Musa Al Asfahany also known as Ibn e Mardaway wrote a book, Manaqab Ali Ibn e Abi Talib, in which he associates 300 verses in the Quran with his person.
“300!” I made a mental note to study the book.
The words of Nabi Pak’s (peace be upon him) hadith declining the gold and asking for hunger instead revealed a most extraordinary jewel, previously unknown to me. All I had heard in every lecture of my life was that humility was only and only a consequence of the practice of gratitude. But here the words of Nabi Kareem (peace be upon him) were saying, that the hunger, the trial, its acceptance, the reaction of patience when an essential need was not met, made one humble.
I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Gratitude is practiced for the blessings one is bestowed. The thanks for the blessing is expressed by an act of goodness for another. Feeding the hungry is the best of those deeds. It was my chosen deed because it was Ghaus Pak’s (ra) chosen deed. So when I practiced gratitude, I was happy about something I had received from God, always undeservedly, and in turn I spread happiness by making someone else’s day. In a minor or major way. It was the easiest thing in the world.
But patience was much harder. Being on the receiving end of
pain and forgiving everyone everything, then not holding a grudge, not dying for the ordeal to end, not thinking of it as difficult. All of it was difficult and the fruit of it was humility. Gratitude made me humble in relation to my material possessions. It made me more generous, again only because I saw myself as the primary beneficiary from the peace of mind I derived. But patience, if I could practice patience, it would finally render me humble in my speech and therefore all of my behaviour.
Perhaps that is why, on the eve of Maula Ali’s (ratu) birthday, Allah Subhan Ta’ala sent me a gift because of him. It was as if someone whispered softly in my ear, “Learn patience!”
Nabi Kareem (peace be upon him) said,
العقل اصل دینی
Aql, the power to reflect, is the essence of my religion.
And the Sufi Hazrat Haris al Muhasabi (ra) says,
لکلِّ شيئٍ جَوْهَرٌ،
وجَوْهَرُ الإنسانِ العقلُ،
وجَوْهَر العقل الصَّبْرُ
Everything has a core and the gist of the Insaan is the Aql,
and the essence of the Aql is sabr, patience.
I found the verbs for humility in many verses and then chose two to study the tafaseer from the Tafseer e Jilani with Qari Sahib. The first verse only because it was a personal favourite mainly due to its specificity of the mark of gentleness; walking on the ground softly. It was a personal trait I was told I inherited from my Uncle.
وَعِبَادُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ هَوْنًۭا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ ٱلْجَـٰهِلُونَ قَالُوا۟ سَلَـٰمًۭا
For the (true) servants of Allah are they who walk gently on the Earth
and who whenever the foolish address them, reply only with (words of) peace.
Surah Al-Furqan, Verse 63
Tafseer e Jilani: “Those who are going to be fortunate so as to be successful in their meeting with God and reaching the state of pleasing God, in this world which is a place of difficulty and trial and misfortune, they are humble in the physical being and inside their heart. They avoid unnecessary arguing with others, and are without pride and arrogance.”
But the action of humility on my part here was limited to the walking alone. I was not humble in my heart. The second verse confirmed exactly how far I was from attaining that state.
فَإِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌۭ وَٰحِدٌۭ فَلَهُۥٓ أَسْلِمُوا۟ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلْمُخْبِتِينَ
Your God is the one God so submit to Him.
And give good news to the humble of heart.
Surah Al-Hajj, Verse 34
Tafseer e Jilani: “Give glad tidings to them of great reward and higher ranks and success and the honour of Our meeting. To the ones who are obedient in their overt being and are humble in their inner being, i.e. those whose fire of their lusts and desires has been extinguished and has become ash because of the Awe of Allah.”
“Those whose fire of their lusts and desires has been extinguished and has become ash!”
The disappointment on my face must have been visible for Qari Sahib made me study a third verse. It didn’t make me feel much better but it did clearly highlight how difficult humility was to achieve for everyone.
وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى الْخَاشِعِين
Seek help through patience and prayer.
Indeed it is difficult, except for the humbles ones.
Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 45
Tafseer e Jilani: “For the sake of nearness to God and attention from Him, stay away from the pleasures physical and all things lustful that are alluring. And seek detachment from everything except God through prayer. And do not think it easy or take it lightly. It is difficult for everyone except the khashiyeen, the ones whose hearts are humbly in surrender.”
But the exception also provided the first step. Surrender allowed for everything to become possible. I decided to come at my nafs from the opposite angle. Face the issue head-on so to speak and understand my pride instead. Luckily Qari Sahib was doing a series of lectures on Surah Luqman. One of those happened to focus on the element of pride.
“There are four main sources of pride, that make it appear in a human being; wealth, fame, power and lineage.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. I possessed none of those.
“And what are the causes that make pride exist? In whom does it appear? The denier of truth, the ungrateful, the one obedient only to their desire, the ones who deny the Afterlife, the envious.”
إِلَٰهُكُمْ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَالَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ قُلُوبُهُم مُّنكِرَةٌ وَهُم مُّسْتَكْبِرُون
Your God is the One God but, because of their arrogance, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter refuse to admit the truth.
Surah An-Nahl, Verse 22
He gave the example of the verse of the deniers of the Afterlife but my focus was elsewhere; “the one obedient to their desire,” caving to the nafs, being led by it.
“And lastly, how does one know that pride will come to exist in them for sure? They will leave the laws of the Sharia’ (Islamic Jurisprudence), they will give up worship, they will deny the ayaat, the Signs of Allah on this Earth, they will think of others as lowly. They will think what others received should have come instead to them.”
When he started listing the examples of the various expressions of pride in the Quran, I felt aghast at the words the disbelievers used in front of their Prophets. I imagined if I was there what I would do.
فَقَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ
مَا نَرَىٰكَ إِلَّا بَشَرًۭا مِّثْلَنَا وَمَا نَرَىٰكَ ٱتَّبَعَكَ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِىَ ٱلرَّأْىِ
وَمَا نَرَىٰ لَكُمْ عَلَيْنَا مِن فَضْلٍۭ بَلْ نَظُنُّكُمْ كَـٰذِبِينَ
So said the chiefs of those who disbelieved from his people,
"We do not see in you anything but a mortal man like us,
and not we see you followed, except by those who they are the most lowly amongst us.
We do not think you could be superior to us in any way. On the contrary we think you are liars."
Surah Hud, Verse 27
Then others going on to say, “It should have been anyone but you.”
وَقَالُوا۟ لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانُ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ
They also said, “If only this Quran was sent down to a great man from one of the two cities.”
Surah Az-Zukhruf, Verse 31
Or daring them to do things to prove themselves.
وَقَالُوا لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ تَفْجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ الْأَرْضِ يَنبُوعً
أَوْ تَكُونَ لَكَ جَنَّةٌ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَعِنَبٍ فَتُفَجِّرَ الْأَنْهَارَ خِلَالَهَا تَفْجِيرً
أَوْ تُسْقِطَ السَّمَاءَ كَمَا زَعَمْتَ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفًا أَوْ تَأْتِيَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ قَبِيلً
And so they say, “O Prophet of God, until you cause a spring to gush up from the earth,
Or unless you have a garden of date-palms and grapes and you cause rivers to gush through it abundantly.
Surah Al-Isra’, Verse 90
It reminded me of the incident of the Suleh Hudaibiya when the treaty was being signed between Nabi Kareem (peace be upon him) and the polytheists of Mecca.
“When the terms of the agreement were set, they were written down so that there would not be any room for denial after. Nabi Kareem (peace be upon him) asked Maula Ali (ratu) to pen the agreement. Maula Ali (ratu) wrote below on behalf of the Prophet (peace be upon him) “Muhammad, the Messenger of God.”
From the infidels Urwa Bin Masood raised an objection that if they had been willing to accept him as the Messenger of God then what would remain the contention between them. Hence he insisted that the words, “Messenger of God” be removed. Maula Ali (ratu) refused.
Finally the Prophet of God (peace be upon him) asked Hazrat Ali (ratu) himself to remove the words declaring his prophethood. “Write instead, Muhammad Bin Adullah.” Imam Ali (ratu) quietly responded, “I am not able to erase the words.” So Nabi Kareem (peace be upon him) said, “Show me where you have written it.” Then he erased the words himself.
“They are humble in the physical and in the heart. They avoid unnecessary arguing with others, and are without pride and arrogance.”
Of course it was Nabi Kareem (peace be upon him) again who showed me, in their entirety, all the aspects of the nafs.
بحديث رسول الله ( صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ) إذ دخل على رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) رجل اسمه مجاشع،
فقال: يا رسول الله ! كيف الطريق إلى معرفة الحق ؟ فقال (صلى الله عليه وآله) : معرفة النفس ،
فقال: يا رسول الله ! فكيف الطريق إلى موافقة الحق ؟ قال: مخالفة النفس،
فقال: يا رسول الله ! فكيف الطريق إلى رضا الحق ؟ قال: سخط النفس،
فقال : يا رسول الله ! فكيف الطريق إلى وصل الحق ؟ قال: هجر النفس ،
فقال: يا رسول الله ! فكيف الطريق إلى طاعة الحق ؟ قال: عصيان النفس،
فقال: يا رسول الله ! فكيف الطريق إلى ذكر الحق ؟ قال: نسيان النفس،
فقال: يا رسول الله ! فكيف الطريق إلى قرب الحق ؟ قال: التباعد من النفس،
فقال: يا رسول الله ! فكيف الطريق إلى انس الحق ؟ قال: الوحشة من النفس،
فقال: يا رسول الله ! فكيف الطريق إلى ذلك ؟ قال: الاستعانة بالحق على النفس
“How will I find the way to recognize God?” So he said, “Know your self.”
“How will one find the way to God?” “Oppose your nafs.”
“How can I find the pleasure of God?” “Make your nafs angry and Allah will become pleased.”
“How do I join with God?” “Separate yourself from your nafs.”
“How do I become obedient to God?” “Become disobedient to your nafs.”
“How do I find the way to remember God?” “Forget your nafs and you will remember God.”
“How do I find closeness to God?” Distance yourself from your nafs and you will become close to God.
Diametric opposites!
In these days I was listening to a series of lectures by Uzair and a hadith that I had used more than once in my writing came up so I was intrigued. Where would Uzair take it and what would he take away from it?
It was a hadith Qudsi. He began with the definition; “When Allah speaks from His Infinite Wisdom it is the Quran and when the words are His, infinite in their meaning, but it is the Prophet (peace the upon him) who chooses the words to express it so as to make it understandable, it is a hadith Qudsi.”
Allah (Mighty and Sublime be He) said: Whosoever shows
enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him.
And My Servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him.
When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks.
Uzair spoke about his being shook by the hadith because in all the monotheistic religions, Islam placed an emphasis on Tauheed, the One-ness of God, like nothing else. There were no images, there were no representations of Allah in any form.
“So when Allah says ‘I become his eyes and his ears and his tongue,’ I felt shocked. Is this the same God who otherwise says in the Quran, quite literally, that He can be compared to nothing.”
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ
There is nothing like Him.
Surah Ash-Shura’a, Verse 11
“The hadith is established as authentic and of course also the most studied and debated. But then these were scholars. They were people who also never felt this hadith as in they were never in the haal, the state, themselves where God took over their being. All they could do is discuss it. They could not shed a light upon it from personal experience. So I studied what those have to say about it that actually experienced this state.”
Uzair started with Hazrat Haris Al Muhasabi (ra): “The great Sufi speaks to the hadith Qudsi in his own particular way. He comes at it from two sides; tazkiya a nafs, the purification of the nafs, the self and tasfiya e qalb, the cleansing of the heart. How does he describe that that means in layman’s terms?
Tazkiya is the cleaning of the overt. Tasfiya is the cleaning of the inner. Let me try to explain with this example. When you wipe something dirty with a cloth, the dirt then becomes a part of the cloth once the thing is cleaned. When you now clean the cloth, you will immerse it in water and squeeze it. This squeezing of the cloth that had absorbed the dirt is tasfiya.
Muhasabi says that this hadith gives the seeker the tool to purify his nafs as well as his qalb through prayer; the nawafil and the faraiz. Without the supplication of both prayers, a Sufi cannot become a Sufi. This is how his argument starts. Allah has placed responsibility on the physical body as well as the heart. It is not just the heart and certainly never just the body. In fact, He has chosen the body to manifest the purity of the heart, to represent it.”
I was instantly reminded of a story from the Masnavi about Hazrat Ali (ratu) which manifested his purity in both, the body
and the heart:
از علی آموزِ اخلاصِ عمل
شیرِ حق را داں مطہر از دغل
Learn sincerity in deed from Maula Ali (ratu)
The Lion of God is free of all grudge.
“Once in a battle, Hazrat Ali (ratu) overpowered a wrestler. He pulled out his sword and pinned him with it. The man spat on his face, the countenance which is a source of honour for every Prophet and every Friend of God and before which even the moon fades.
Hazrat Maula Ali (ratu) extinguished the flames of his anger. He threw his sword to the ground and paused his attack. The wrestler was amazed by the unexpected forgiveness and mercy of the action.
He said, “You raised Zulfiqar, your sword, on me. Then why did you throw it and let me go? What did you think of that was better than fighting me? What has happened that your anger leaves you?
O Eagle of Paradise! You who is the best of hunters!
Tell me, what did you receive from God in that moment?”
Out of four pages on his response, I chose two couplets by Maulana (ra) to capture Maula Ali’s (ratu) response to his opponent.
گفت من از تیغ پئے حق میزنم
بندۂ حقم نہ مامورِ تنم
Maula Ali (ratu) replied, “I use my sword in the Way of God for God.
I am a slave of Allah, not of my body.
شیرِ حقم ، نیستم شیر ھوا
فعل من بر دین من باشد گوا
“I am the Lion of Allah, I do not cave to the desires of the self.
And my deeds will bear witness to my faith.”
I chose the couplet because of the last line; My deeds will bear witness to my faith.”
It was like Ghaus Pak (ra) summarized the one incident in his direction of how to be counted amongst those with Imaan:
“Follow the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah and bring it into deed. Being sincere in the execution of that act is what makes that act become the witness of the claim of being of the faithful.”
Uzair says that purification is the foundation of faith. If deen, religion has to be summarized in a single word, it is tazkiya. Only the one who is pure, will be able to even touch the Quran. Touch here meaning understand, be guided by. Not just pure of body but also pure of heart!
لَّا يَمَسُّهُ إِلَّا الْمُطَهَّرُون
Which none but the pure of heart can touch.
Surah Al-Waqiyah, Verse 79
And there is only one that makes us pure.
لَقَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِهِ
وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ
وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ
وَإِن كَانُوا مِن قَبْلُ لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِين
Allah was gracious to the believers by sending them a Messenger from amongst them, reciting to them His Verses, purifying them and teaching them the Book and Wisdom, though they were previously in clear error.
Surah Aal e Imran, Verse 164
I looked up just the word “Yukazzikihim, he purifies you.”
Tafseer e Jilani: “He is the one who will purify you from the wayward desires that come from the whisperings of Iblis and his followers. It is those desires that make you astray from the Path of God.”
The distinction in the tafseer was made clear. Iblis encourages the deeds forbidden but it is the choice of the Insaan to follow that command that then comes from the nafs to commit the act or to resist.
Hazrat Ali (ratu):
دواؤك فيه وما تشعر
وداؤك منك وما تبصر
Your cure lies within you but you don’t feel it.
And what ails you comes from you but you don’t see it.
For me it was a relief that there was no purifying one’s own self. In any case, those who claimed it were only exhibiting pride. For the intent behind the claim of purity, which had to be spoken again via the tongue, was showing off before others and likely lacked deed.
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يُزَكُّونَ أَنفُسَهُم بَلِ اللَّهُ يُزَكِّي مَن يَشَاءُ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلً
O Beloved (peace be upon you), have you not seen the ones who consider themselves pure?
Nay, but it is God who purifies whomever He wills.
Surah An-Nisa’, Verse 49
Uzair returned to the hadith Qudsi via Imaan. “The pivot of everything is having faith. Imaan is what allows for everything to happen for a human being. So it is important to understand what Imaan is.
The Fuqaha, Islamic jurists, define Imaan as this:
حقيقة الايمان هو تصديق بالجنان،
وإقرار باللسان،
وعمل بالأركان
Imaan is based on three elements; the tongue utters the Shahada; There is no God but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His Messenger. The heart testifies to it and the body then acts in accordance to it.
Many take the hadith Qudsi literally, that Allah takes control of the people physically, their eyes and ears and tongue. But Muhasabi (ra) says it is not that. “La yaskunu Allahu fi abdihi” Allah does not take residence in them. It is in fact the epitome of obedience, with utmost willingness on their part towards their Lord, which makes God take control of their being.
Then their eyes only see what Allah wants them to see, their hands only touch that which Allah wishes, their legs only take them there where Allah desires them to be. The same for the tongue. It is the safeguarding of the Friend by his God, his “hifazat.” There is no independence of the person anymore, no choice. Allah is not residing in them, He is controlling them.
Zulnoon Misry (ra) says that this hadith is the highest aspiration of tasawuff, spirituality for the Sufi. It is the final frontier for them. In order to arrive there the Free Will, the choices granted by God, exactly those have to be sacrificed for God. It is an act of volition, it is not imposed upon one. Not everyone wants it so they don’t have to do it but those who do want their seeing and hearing to become God’s, they
willingly sacrifice their will for Allah’s Will.
And Hazrat Bayazid Bastami (ra) places the cherry on this same thought.
فشاء بي من شأت
Meaning, ‘This person is the one who can only and only wants that which Allah wants.’ Then he quotes the verse:
God said to Hazrat Bayazid Bastami (ra), ‘Leave your nafs and then come closer to Me. If you come with it, you cannot reach this rank (of becoming My Attributes).’
Every single Sufi has gone deeply into this hadith Qudsi. It has a central importance in spirituality. It is kind of a pivot upon which stands the structure of saintliness. To summarize, there are three elements in common in all; the important of farz and nafl in our worship, the purification of the nafs and the cleansing of the heart and lastly, the placement of a Khalifa, a Successor by Allah on this Earth. The Vice-regency of God is that the all the senses come into the control of God. The person becomes the property of God.”
I love knowing as much as I can about the highest states. The exalted ranks that are so far out of my reach that just the knowing of their existence itself makes me feel euphoria. That it happens for others makes me ecstatic. That it’s a possibility for all makes me weep.
The thing popping out for me at my kindergarten level was just the ratio of doing what the nafs wants to do versus what God wanted me to do. Zero to 100% was the beginning of course. What I didn’t do that He forbade was more a consequence of my environment that being consciously mindful of Him. But then as the ratio shifted or rather was made to shift, I knew now with certainty it came about for one reason alone; willing obedience! So that which was not happening for me was coming about as a result of its opposite; willing disobedience!
The ones who strive with sincerity are the ones who are shown the way.
وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِين
And those who strive hard in Our Cause, We will surely, guide them in Our Ways. And indeed, Allah is with those who do good.
Surah Al-Ankabut, Verse 69
I couldn’t help smiling to myself that I had ended up including the two times in the Quran, Allah uses the word ma’a, with: Allah is with the Sabireen, the patient. Allah is with the Muhsineen, the ones who do good.
Over the years I have come to understand what the Quran says in one of my most favourite Surahs, Al-Inshishira.
فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا
For surely, with hardship comes ease.
Each trial is a means to test reaction, calibrate behaviour and strive for excellence in it. Evolve. Change reaction. Forgive one own self for being unforgiving, albeit unknowingly. Escape the trap by justification. Be free, start over!
After my father’s death one form of that ease, as it turns out, bizarrely appeared in the flip of how, me, the child was suddenly in control of their parent’s destiny where it mattered most because it was eternal; the Afterlife.
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِذَا مَاتَ الْإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَمَلُهُ
إِلَّا مِنْ ثَلَاثَةٍ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ وَعِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ وَوَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “When a human being dies, all of his deeds are terminated except for three types:
an ongoing sadaqah (the alms given voluntarily),
a knowledge (of Islam) from which others benefit,
and a righteous child who makes du'a for him."
And the line repeats itself.
فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا
For surely, with hardship comes ease.
Tafseer e Jilani: “The pain and hardship that has come to you from people, with it is the ease from Allah, in parallel to the difficulty i.e. both come at the same time. It is just that you are focused on the difficulty and you do not consider the ease. First it only pricked you. Now that the pain has been increased from it, now the ease has come from Us, waiting behind it, following it. The way I want to join them.”
Then came the part I loved.
“Each time the word “usr,” hardship appears, it is with “al” as in specific, “the hardship.” But the word “yusr” appears without the “al” so it is not specific. Which means that the paths that bring difficulty are few and far between. And the paths that bring the ease and guidance are many more. Meaning, don’t become full of despair and hopelessness because of the difficulty that overshadows you sometimes. It has been destined so it will happen but only for a short time as compared to the ease. Which comes frequently and is attached to you at all times throughout all your states.”
Subhan Allah!
Qari Sahib said this about the verse to me; “We see things are either/or i.e. either we are happy or sad, distressed or calm. But Allah is saying look how I make them joined.”
“Everything returns to its origin.”
Quite literally when a person dies; earth to earth, soul to God. But even the world, I started noticing in my 40s as lives unraveled around me, that each person, who previously had little to do with their family, started to cling to them with dear life. And why not? It’s their origin.
Those of us who do not have families but want to be of the ones who possess Imaan, we return to God faster. We leave the world earlier for worldliness has to do with people. In my life I have learnt the purpose of the mirror in the other person.
When I asked them for something, big or small, I saw my reliance on them. In their answer to me, yes or no, I saw my expectation of them. In my reaction to them, especially when I was disappointed, I saw my judgment of them. The only ones who remain around the ones alone are those we are striving to be of service to. Relatively they are strangers. So we lose everything in this world and return to our asl, God!
“Indeed, in every hardship there is ease. In every hardship there is ease.”
Hazrat Muhyuddin Ibn e Arabi (ra) says that the relationship with God is one dimensional, one-way. He is ma’bood, the One worshipped. He is masjood, the One prostrated before. He is the Bestower of all things. But if there is one thing where the relationship with God is actually two ways, it is only in love. Only then is sometimes He the Lover and sometimes The Beloved.
I had to mark the moment I heard that thought as the most deeply romantic I had ever heard in my life. And one hadith about the one who possessed Imaan became my most favourite; for then they became a “house of love.”
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ :
الْمُؤْمِنُ آلِفٌ مَأْلُوفٌ وَلا خَيْرَ فِيمَنْ لا يَأْلَفُ وَلا يُؤْلَفُ ، خَيْرُ النَّاسِ أَنْفَعُهُمْ لِلنَّاسِ
The Mo’min is the one who loves and is loved.
And there is no goodness for the one who does not give love and receive love.
The best amongst people is the one who gives others benefit.
Whenever I marked the days and occasions in the lives of God’s Favoured, the birth, the death, for which I wrote pieces and made videos as gifts, I was acutely aware at all time, how the gifts were not really gifts for them. The words in my narrations were chosen from their words, from their books, their poetry, their prose. My imagery was almost always nature so it belonged to God.
The singing was not me and even Ustad Sahib’s voice was a bestowing. The putting together of each one, which no doubt took days and effort, was still, at the end of it, a consequence of taufeeq, ability. The same was true for my generosity. I was always only giving back that which I had been bestowed. The only thing that was from me was my love.
Sheikh ul Akbar (ra) says that everything is a reflection of Allah alone.
لا ملك سليمان ولا بلقيس ... لا آدم فى الكون ولا إبليس
صورة وأنت المعنى ... يا من هو للقلوب مقناطيس والكل في
There is no kingdom of Solomon (as) and none of Bilquis,
There is no Adam in in the Universe and no Iblis,
All are in shapes and forms and only You are their meaning,
O Being! who is the Magnet that attracts the hearts.
Thus in my life it dawned upon me that the path of purification has to go through sabr, patience. Which meant that it could only happen through hardship. Also for the first time in my life I understood why Hazrat Rabia Basri (ra) used to cry on the days she didn’t face a difficulty. She said on those days she felt like her Lord God forgot her.
I used to find that strange. I loved my days free of trial. They were happy, carefree. But now I understand why she was sad when she didn’t face a situation that tested her nature, her character, her behavior, her claim of love. For the tests were the reason the veils of which there are 70,000 dropped one by one for her, till they were all gone.
Uzair once spoke in a lecture that the potential of becoming a Vice-regent of Allah on Earth, “being in manner as the Attributes of Allah” was exactly where the infamous Free Will came to play. For there were in fact only two states of existence possible for all human beings;
“Either I will strive to acquire the Attributes of God and if I do not want to do that or try to do that, then I will automatically acquire the attributes of Iblis, Satan. For the reality of Man is always that he is fighting against non-existence, consciously or sub-consciously. Whatever I do is to negate the state of not being. The knowledge I acquire, the wealth I accumulate is to give myself validation. But there are only two states to be a part of, either God or Iblis.”
It was so strange to hear that. It meant that every single decision I made, that in fact defined my attitude, my behaviour, my manners, my being was either good or bad, right or wrong. Didn’t leave a lot of gray. So in that two way relationship only possible through love, the verse I have adored since the day I first heard it shed a new light on how Allah tested that claim of my love for Him.
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ ٱللَّهَ فَٱتَّبِعُونِى يُحْبِبْكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ
وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ
Say (O Prophet (peace be upon you)), “If you love Allah, then follow me,
and Allah shall love you and forgive you your sins.
Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful.”
Surah Aal e Imran, Verse 31
Tafseer e Jilani: Allah says, “O Beloved! Tell these people who are the ones that have been given the capability to be the Vice-regent of Allah and to be His Naib, Successor, but are drowning in waywardness and darkness, that if you claim love for God, the one who brought you in existence from nothing, if you want to walk on His Straight Path and reach His Doorstep, then His Command is that you follow me. If you are obedient to me, His will bestow you His Qurb, Closeness, and you will have the honour of meeting Him.”
Sheikh Nurjan said of the verse. “There is no opinion when it comes to obedience. How can you follow while holding onto your own opinion?”
Looking up the word “asaba”, hardship, also brought me to the following verse of the Quran often read mostly simply for what it states overtly; Anything good that happens, Allah says, comes from Him. And all things bad, come from me or any individual. But Ghaus Pak (ra) explains what the Sufis have always spoken of; there is no such thing as evil created by God. That everything is intrinsically only good.
مَّآ أَصَابَكَ مِنْ حَسَنَةٍۢ فَمِنَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ
وَمَآ أَصَابَكَ مِن سَيِّئَةٍۢ فَمِن نَّفْسِكَ ۚ
وَأَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ لِلنَّاسِ رَسُولًۭا ۚ
وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ شَهِيدًۭا
Anything good that happens to you is from God and whatever evil happens to you is from yourself.
We have sent you as a Prophet to all people and it is good enough that God is your witness.
Surah An-Nisa’, Verse 79
Tafseer e Jilani: “The addressee here is Nabi Kareem (peace be upon him). These kinds of addresses are full of wisdom because they are only worthy of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) personality and then through him, his tufail, this wisdom is passed on to his Ummah, nation.
Everything that is manifested in the Universe which is the reflection of Allah is by nature only good, khair. That goodness has then spread to everything and everyone through the medium of Nabi Kareem (peace be upon him). Whereas evil or wickedness, sharr, is the effect and result of the deeds of the self, nafs.
So Allah says, “When goodness comes to you that gives your heart peace and happiness, it is from Me. It is the Sunnah and Habit of Allah that He only appears in everything that exists with goodness and perfection. In the same way, when difficulty comes upon you, that makes you sad and full of pain, the cause of it is your self, your nafs, for in actuality, evil does not exist. In every single thing, there is only goodness.”
Then addressing His Beloved (peace be upon him), Allah says, “O Prophet (peace be upon you), We have sent you as a Messenger for all people. Therefore, all that you have been alerted to and blessed with, inform them of it. Allah is indeed Sufficient as the Witness to your spreading this Message.”
I already knew how true it was for me. When I did something wrong, raise my voice and get angry, become stingy for no reason, find excuses to be lazy in worship, I could feel it was my own nafs. Or it was Iblis. But to be brutally honest, for me it’s always more my own self than him. He whispered and left, stalking his next victim, and my nafs did what he suggested.
In those moments, if I peeled the layers of what was causing the behaviour, of leaning towards him rather than God, there was really just one word behind all of it; disobedience. I had been told to react a certain way and I chose not to or inadvertently ignored that direction because I wanted to do what I felt like doing.
“When one’s own desire and wishes are given up, only then the Attributes of God begin to enter that person’s being.”
The surrender is therefore of the Free Will. Hazrat Muhuyddin Ibn e Arabi (ra) says that the one who surrenders their Free Will is the most liberated person. Something all ordinary people think of in only the exact reverse manner.
That is how the West is indoctrinated. And the East can’t stop mimicking the West. The idea is singulrar; doing whatever one wants, being able to say whatever one wants is the definition of freedom. But Sheikh ul Akbar (ra) says, as Uzair explains it, is that is the opposite of it. For it’s an act of freedom, to give up freedom freely.
Hazrat Bayazid Bastami (ra), the King of the Gnostics said he polished his heart and fought his nafs for 23 long years. I can’t take that route. Not because I’m old but because I could live for 230 years and my nafs would still overcome me. My way can only be one as taught to me by my Spiritual Masters who learnt it from Allah’s Nur (peace be upon him) and all of relies on taufeeq, ability bestowed by The Creator.
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.”
Hazrat Ali (ratu) said, "90 percent of wisdom attained is bestowed upon a person as a result of their husn e akhlaq, excellence in behaviour towards other people."
Things are difficult and things are hard. Only the one in the state knows what it feels like. The rest is conjecture. The generosity of sharing the knowing of being in the Presence of God, that is the most extraordinary revelation a human being can make to another. For it is the epitome of love and beyond.
For us there is only source of that sharing when it was absolute.
وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ بِضَنِين
And he, The Beloved of God, does not withhold what is revealed to him from beyond.
Surah Al-Takwir, Verse 24
In my last piece or perhaps the one before that I wrote about the woman who throw garbage upon the Prophet (peace be upon him) every single day. I wrote about how he never changed his route, went another way, prayed for her to not do that. Now I know why. He was sabr personified as Allah’s Essence of the attribute.
He never complained about her. He didn’t focus on her at all. He knew it was coming from His Lord and he surrendered to that Will. He didn’t think of it as a burden, he didn’t wish it to end. And it wasn’t just her. The mean uncles, the assassins, the countless who mocked and berated him, threw stones and him and rejected him, caused the deaths of his loved ones, were hypocrites till the end. He had nothing but concern for them. So much so that God finally had to say;
فَلَعَلَّكَ بَاخِعٌ نَّفْسَكَ عَلَىٰ آثَارِهِمْ إِن لَّمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَسَفً
So perhaps you will grieve yourself to death over their denial,
if they are not willing to believe in this Message.
Surah Al-Kahf, Verse 6
One of my favourite examples of that immeasurable depth of his sensitivity was his relationship with his uncle Abu Lahab, the one mentioned by name in the Quran as being cursed by God forever for his rudeness towards the Prophet (peace be upon him). Perhaps he was one of the ones for whom he still prayed so much so that Allah had to finally send the verse;
وْ لَا تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ إِن تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً
فَلَن يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ
وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِين
Praying or not praying for their forgiveness will not make a difference.
Even if you, O Beloved, were to pray 70 times for their forgiveness, Allah will not forgive them because they reject God and His Messenger (peace be upon him).
Allah does not guide those who are defiantly disobedient.
Surah At-Taubah, Verse 80
It was extraordinary, the love between Allah and His Beloved (peace be upon him). The Prophet (peace be upon him) won’t stop worrying and praying for the worst of humanity and The Creator won’t forgive them for rejecting His Nur (peace be upon him).
Once I was scared of the ones who throw garbage upon me in my life. I made up reasons to bear it and not say anything but all my reasons were false. The truth was I let them mistreat me and then just felt badly for years on end. Once when they approached me, my anxiety sky rocketed. But now when I hear from them and they pelt abuse at me, I feel calm.
I watch myself react with no reaction as if I am someone else outside myself. It is how I know that nothing about this new reaction is in fact my doing. I can’t even say when or why it happened. Then when they disappear I even wonder when they’ll return. I think about what might have happened to them. Mostly I just pray for the light of Nabi Kareem (peace be upon him) to enter their hearts for I know the sadness that is inside them. I had the same sadness inside mine.
I don’t knock on their door like my Prophet (peace be upon him) did although I would like to. Or clean their home, cook a meal for them, ask them if they’re ok. I don’t do that. I just pray for them, grateful that I have been given the ability to no longer be controlled by them. That in and of itself has placed
me in control.
And it was Hazrat Ali (ratu) who taught me how to be in that state;
إِذَا قَدَرْتَ عَلَى عَدُوِّكَ
فَاجْعَلِ الْعَفْوَ عَنْهُ شُكْراً لِلْقُدْرَةِ عَلَيْهِ
Whenever you gain power over your adversary,
be forgiving,
out of gratitude (to God), for the control you gained over them.
Sometimes Qari Sahib tells us things in class that he prefaces by saying, “This is a secret. But I am going to share it with you.” On one of these occasions, which was the Urs Mubarik of Khawaja Moieenuddin Chisiti Ajmeri (ra) earlier this month, he said this;
“The Chishti order gives faiz, the spiritual share, hissa, naseeb, to its followers in a most particular way. The disciple receives it in the first meeting, in the first sight, of their Spiritual Master. It happens at the time of the bayah’, the becoming of a disciple, placing their hand in the hand of the Master.
When the disciple realizes what that sharing is, how it happens, sooner or later, that is a different matter unique to each individual. But the granting is done in the first meeting.”
It was a comforting thought for those of us that belong to the Chishti silsila. Who knows what one was granted and when it would unveil itself. At least there was always something to look forward to. Since at the beginning of the path stands Hazrat Ali (ratu), there can only ascension.
إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا
Only are your true helpers Allah and His Messenger (saw)
and those who have attained to faith.
The journey of becoming one who wants to know Allah turns everything on its head. Everything from before becomes obsolete. Whatever I thought I knew was plain wrong. One might think that would be confusing, even debilitating but it is only calming. It’s how surrender begins. Be free, start over!
Then that utterance of the tongue, the heart finally begins to attest to it. Who knows, my deeds might just become witness to my claim of the Shahada, “the key to Paradise;” “There is no God except Allah and Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His Messenger.” Till then I notice all the forms my sighs and tears take. Of sadness, of joy, of hope, of gratitude, of patience and most of all, of longing.
گفتَم، چشمَم، گفت، بہ راہَش می دار
گفتم، جگرم، گفت، پُر آہَش می دار
گفتم، کہ دِلَم، گفت، چہ داری در دل
گفتم، غمِ تو، گفت، نگاہَش می دار
I said, “My eyes.” He said, “Keep them on the way.”
I said, “My liver.” He said, “Keep it filled with sighs.”
I said, “That my heart.” He said, “What is in your heart?
I said, “Only grief (from your separation and love).”
He said, “Look after this.”
Continued from Part 1; www.flickr.com/photos/42093313@N00/50981745732/in/datepos...
Uzair's lecture: Quran Ka Insaan www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7ChaVixlCQ
Uzair's lecture: What is worship: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCbXtXlUlfM
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
El "zekât" es uno de los pilares del Islam: es una donación obligatoria, con un importe estipulado que va desde el 2,5% al 20% de los ahorros. Por su carácter obligatorio se puede comparar con un impuesto para redistribuir el dinero o los bienes entre la población más pobre. En cambio, el "sadaqah" es un término que en el Islam se interpreta como una donación voluntaria, expresión de caridad, compasión, generosidad, amor o fraternidad.
El "zekât" se traduce muchas veces, de forma errónea, como limosna. Aquí he tratado de mostrar la diferencia entre ambos conceptos.
The "zekât" is one of the pillars of Islam: it is a obligatory donation, with a stipulated amount ranging from 2.5 to 20 percent of the savings. For its mandatory nature can be compared to a tax to redistribute the money or property among the poor. Instead, the "sadaqah" is a term in Islam is interpreted as a voluntary donation, expression of charity, compassion, generosity, love and brotherhood.
"Zekât" translates, often, incorrectly, as alms. Here I have tried to show the difference between the two.
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
برگ مصور از كتاب سَمَک عَیّار، نگارگر ناشناس، حدود 1330 ميلادي
Kitāb-i-Samak 'Iyār
Type of Object:
manuscript
Number of leaves:
335 leaves
Dimensions:
295 x 195 (written area 250 x 152, frame-ruled) mm.
Date of Origin:
14th century, first half, c. 1330
Author:
Faramarz Arjani, Qāsim Shīrāzī, Ṣadaqah
Class:
Persian
Class:
illuminated manuscripts
Language:
Persian
bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/...
source:
sky in uk picture taken on the first of Shaban 2009 - in the uk
After Rajab al-Murajab, Shaban al-Moazzam is the second month of Ibadah (worship) in order to make preparations for the grand and majestic month of Ramadhan al-Mubarak - the month of fasting and forgiveness.
Shaban al-Moazzam is a month of high excellence and is dedicated to the Leader of the Prophets, Muhammad (saw). He used to keep fasts during this month and join it with the month of Ramadhan al-Mubarak. He used to say, "Sha'ban is a month dedicated to me. Whoever keeps one fast during my month will definitely go to heaven".
It has been reported from Imam Ja'far Sadiq (as) that on the commencement of this month, Imam Zainul Abideen (as) would gather his companions and address them, "O my companions, do you know which month this is? It is the month of Sha'ban about which Prophet Muhammad (saw) used to say that it is dedicated to him. So keep fasts during this month in the love of your Holy Prophet (saw) and to attain closeness to your Creator. By Allah (SWT) in whose hands is my soul, I have heard from my father, Hussain ibn Ali (as), that he had heard from Commander of Faithful, Imam Ali (as), that whoever keeps fast during the month of Sha'ban in the love of Prophet Muhammad (saw) and to attain closeness to Allah (SWT) will become a friend to Allah (SWT) and on the Day of Judgement will be close to Allah (SWT) by His grace and Paradise will be assured to him."
This is the month of asking for forgiveness of sins, giving alms, charity and fasting. Prophet Muhammad (saw) used to observe fasts during the whole month. Imam Zainul Abideen (as) has said: "Whosoever is in love with Prophet Muhammad (saw), wishes to seek nearness to Allah (SWT) and receive His bounties, favours and rewards in this world and in the hereafter, must connect Shaban with Ramadhan in the matter of fasting and special prayers".
It is also reported from Prophet Muhammad (saw), "Whosoever observes nine fasts in the whole month of Shaban should not fear the interrogation of Munkar and Nakeer. Whosoever observes twelve fasts in the month of Shaban, 70,000 angels will descend over his/her grave on the first night of his burial, the night of Wahshah, to remove his/her fear and loneliness".
Keeping fast on Thursdays of the month of Shaban also carried great significance. It has been reported that the heavens are decorated each Thursday in the month of Sha'ban and the angles pray to Allah (SWT) to forgive all those who fast on that day and their prayers are accepted. It is stated in the reports of the narrations of Prophet Muhammad (saw) that whoever fasts on Mondays and Thursdays of this month, Allah (SWT) will fulfill twenty of his worldly wishes and twenty of his wishes of the Hereafter.
It is recommended to give alms in this month even if it is as small as a half date. Almsgiving in this month brings about rescue from Hellfire. In this respect, it has been narrated that when Imam Ja'far Sadiq (as) was asked about the merits of observing fasting in Rajab al-Murajab, he answered, "Why do you not ask about the merits of observing fasting in Sha'ban." "What is then the reward of him who observes fasting on one day in Sha'ban, Son of the Messenger of Allah?" asked the narrator. Imam Ja'far Sadiq (as) answered, "The reward will be Paradise. I swear it by Allah (SWT)." The narrator then asked again, "What are the best deeds that should be done in the month of Sha'ban." Imam Ja'far Sadiq (as) answered, "Almsgiving and seeking forgiveness are the best deeds in Shaban al-Moazzam. Verily, if anyone of you gives alms in Sha'ban, Almighty Allah (SWT) will breed those alms in the very same way as you breed your small camels. Hence, these alms will be as huge as Mount Uhud on the day of Resurrection."
Recommended Fasts for the Islamic Lunar month of Sha'ban:
1st, 2nd and 3rd of Shaaban. 1st Thursday, Mid-Wednesday and last Thursday of Shaaban. 13th, 14th and 15th of Shaaban.
Any Thursday, Friday and Saturday of Shaaban. The last three days of Shaaban to connect with the Holy month of Ramadhan.
Other Aamal for the Islamic Lunar month of Shaban al-Moazzam:
Recite everyday 70 times: Astaghfirullaha wa as-aluhut Tawbah (I seek forgiveness from Allah (SWT) and beseech Him repentant).
Recite everyday 70 times: Astaghfirullahal Ladhee Laa ilaaha illa Huwar-Rahmanur-Raheemul-Hayyul-Qayyoomu wa Atoobu ilaihi (I seek forgiveness of Allah who is "There is no god save He", the Beneficent, the Merciful, the Ever-living, the Eternal and I turn repentant to Him).
Give as much Sadaqah (alms) as possible.
Recite Salawaat as many times as possible on Prophet Muhammad (saw).
Recite 1000 times the following Dhikr within the month i.e. divide it throughout the month of Shaaban:
Laa ilaaha illallahu walaa Na'budu illa iyyaahu Mukhliseena Lahud-deen walau karihal-mushrikoon (There is no god save Allah, we do not worship save Him, making religion pure for Him only, however much the disbelievers be averse).