Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Travel Break

Salam 3lykm

Journey to KSA starts tomorrow morning; going by road Inshalla, as usual. Will be spending two blessed, soul-rejuvenating weeks in Makkah & Madinah, Inshalla. Remember this Slave of Allah in your prayers, please. Please forgive all that was said and done; Jazakm Allah 5ayr.

Wes Salam 3lykm w R7matullahi T3ala w Barakateh

Monday, July 26, 2010

كيف تتلذذ بالصلاه؟

Salam 3lykm

This is an AMAZING program I came across yesterday; you need to give it your 100% in order to understand the depth of what he is saying though. Unfortunately, for those readers who do not understand Arabic..there are no English subtitles. However, I'll be willing to translate it if anyone wants me to; it is all about prayers and how to enjoy the 'sweetness' of such an esteemed form of worship.

We have been praying ever since childhood, yet how many of us really get lost while we stand before Allah? How many of us pray just because its obligatory; a mere series of actions and words? How many of us get so engrossed in our prayers that we become totally oblivious to the world around us?

Learn how to taste and enjoy the sweetness of your prayers, بفضل الله :



And to all the people who came up with the idea of such a program - especially the presenter - but most important of all, the person who has uploaded all these episodes:

جزاهم الله كل خير في الدنيا و الآخره

May Allah accept their efforts, and make this [a source of] صدقة جارية for them after they pass on; Ameen.

Wes Salam 3lykm w R7matullahi T3ala w Barakateh

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Muhammad Ibn Abdullah صلى الله عليه و سلم

Salam 3lykm

I was going through my essays written last semester, and I found one which I wanted to share, especially with all the non-Muslims out there. The media has created a major misconception in the minds of everyone, especially those who know very little about Islam. They have painted Islam as a blood-thirsty, merciless religion, and Muslims as aggressive, violent barbarians. It is for that very reason that I would like to share this essay, to dispel all misconceptions that the media has succeeded to instill in people's hearts and minds.

The original question had three or four topics, one of which was to write about a great act of devotion. It was written in class, 'under pressure', and I'm not the kind to write 'on demand', lol..so please excuse and forgive my shortcomings. =$

Nations worldwide have sung songs of praise in their native languages, all of which still fail to do justice to this noble Prophet, sent for the guidance of all Mankind. Countless people have written poems, but their pens have failed to elaborate on the greatness of this humble Servant of Allah. Muhammad Ibn Abdullah - not a single page would be left free of his attributes, yet they would remain undefined. A man of such magnificent character, that his wife, Aisha - May Allah be pleased with her - is reported to have said: "His morals are the Holy Quran."

Orphaned at birth, and a mere shepherd in his youth, Muhammad - May the Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon him - had no share in the wealth of his family, despite the fact that the tribe he belonged to, was one of the wealthiest and most influential Arabian tribes at the time. It was only after marrying a woman of great status in society, and reviving her dwindling business, did wealth come in his hands. Khadeejah Bint Khuwaylid - May Allah be pleased with her - was the only woman who bore him children, and she was the only one who supported him when he was in dire need.

As the burden of Prophethood was laid down on his withstanding shoulders, those that had once sung sweet praises in his face, began to leave his side. One by one, they all turned against him, in hope that he would stop propagating his True Cause. However, even that left him undeterred. His devotion to his Lord was to the extent that he was content with what had been decreed for him. He did not turn back to Pagan idol worship, in spite of the endless, hurtful mockery he was dealt at their hands; instead, he restlessly propagated the True Word worldwide, sending delegations to places that were far away from where he resided.

He fought against only those infidels who threatened to eradicate Muslims from the world; however, it is still unfairly said that, 'Islam was spread by the Sword'...

What sword was it that earned the great devotion of brave warriors like Umar Bin Al-Khattab and Khalid Bin Al-Waleed - may Allah be pleased with them? Both once staunch enemies of Islam, they craved to shed EVERY SINGLE DROP of blood in the cause of Allah upon embracing Islam, solely to raise the Banner of the Testimony of Faith high in the skies.

What sword was it that forced the likes of Bilal - May Allah be pleased with him - to endure the cruel torture at the hands of the infidels? What sword lured boys at the tender ages of thirteen years and younger - the likes of Abdullah Ibn Abbas & Ibn Mas'ood (may Allah be pleased with them both) and Imam Bukhari & Muslim (may Allah have Mercy on them) - to become great scholars in Islam? Which sword was it that compelled boys at ages as young as fifteen and sixteen, to kill the greatest enemy of Islam, and the cruel uncle of the Beloved, Muhammad - may the Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon him: Abu Jahl?

It might have been a sword, but definitely not the one that you and I commonly know of. It was the double-edged sword; it was the Words of Truth that flowed eloquently from the Blessed tongue of Muhammad Ibn Abdullah - May the Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon him - which moved hearts of stone, and sprung forth tears from once-dry eyes.

It was his utmost devotion and love for his Lord, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth...it was acts of courage, the likes of which were displayed when his own people drove him out of Taif, heels bloodied and body wounded by the heartless, malicious people whose fate had been sealed...it was his alluring character that set an example for all those to come until the Last Day. Such devotion he had, that he refused to curse the people, in hope that a few may pay heed to the Words of Truth.

It is this intense sense of devotion to his cause that had him repeating, "My Nation, My Nation!", even as he endured the hardship of the throes of death. Can there ever be any other acts of devotion or courage greater than those exhibited during the lifetime of this Noble Man of Quraysh?

Friday, July 23, 2010

إنا لله و إنا إليه راجعون

Salam 3lykm

Last night, a person very dear to my heart passed away in an accident near Madinah. She was returning back after 3mrah, when the person at the wheel was overcome by sleep. Death was written for her, and as the car flipped over, she sustained fatal injuries to her head, and died on the spot.

إنا لله و إنا إليه راجعون - ربي يجعل قبرها روضة من رياض الجنة و يسكنها في جنة الفردوس الأعلى-آمين

Her husband's bones have been totally smashed, and is currently undergoing extensive operations in Madinah. The daughter walked out unscathed, Sb7analla..

She was like the older sister I never had; the couple stayed with us for a month, and addressed my parents as their own..I remember teaching her a du3aa2 which really got accepted in her case, Sb7analla..

اللهم ارزقني شهادة في سبيلك و موتا في بلد حبيبك

It was her dream -as it is everyone else's - to be buried in Al-Baqee3, with all the other 9a7aba and 9a7abiyat..near Masjid An-Nabwi, and Sb7analla..it has turned into a reality..

Nevertheless, I request you all to pray for her, her husband, and her daughter..who doesn't know what became of her mother, as yet..confined to a wheelchair since infancy, this young girl's mother was her life. I cannot imagine what is going to happen now..and I request you all to please remember her in your prayers.

Jzakm Allah 5ayr Fdnya wl A5irah

Wes Salam 3lykm w R7matullahi T3ala w Barakateh

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

حقوق العباد - An Apology

Salam 3lykm

Hoping all Readers are in the best of health and spirits, Inshalla. This is something I should have written before starting the 'Ailments of the Heart' lecture series, and I had intended to do so, but with all the formatting hassle, I just forgot all about it!

This is an apology to all those whom I have wronged and hurt intentionally and unintentionally: Please forgive me for all that I said and did. I do not have enough good deeds myself, so if people were to come and take them from me on Youm Al Qiyamah for the rights I stripped them of, I would be left with nothing at all..and I already have great sins of my own to 'write off my account'; how then will I be able to take those of people I wronged, and couldn't pay back with my own good deeds?

It is also an announcement to all those who wronged and hurt me intentionally and unintentionally: I have nothing against you today for all that you said and did, and I will hold nothing against you on Youm Al Qiyamah, Inshalla. May Allah Forgive you for the hard time you put me through, and may He Reward you tremendously for the lessons you taught me in life; Ameen.

رَبَّنَا ظَلَمۡنَآ أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمۡ تَغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَتَرۡحَمۡنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡخَـٰسِرِينَ

Monday, July 19, 2010

Ailments of the Heart - Vengeance

Salam 3lykm

This is another lecture that also took place in DXB, but this time, it was Shaykh Azhar Iqbal (disciple of Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad Naqshbandi) who gave the lecture. I can't remember when it took place; probably a couple of months ago. I do have the sound file; it's over 50 MB though, so if anyone wants it, let me know. =) The lecture was in Urdu, but these are some *slightly* comprehensive notes I took in English. I would also like to thank Brother 3umr for the Riwaya of عبد الله ابن المبارك رحمه الله; it has been taken from his blog post entitled, 'The Lady who Only Spoke Quran' - ربي يجزيه كل خير في الدنيا و الآخره.

I will be translating a lecture series titled, "Ailments of the Heart", by Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad Naqshbandi, shortly. It will cover subtopics such as anger and jealousy, along with other ailments of the heart.


PS. The formatting's gone whacked, but I dare not touch anything else, for fear that everything will wipe out. If there's anyone that cannot stand messed up formatting, it's me..but I can't help it right now..sorry! If anyone wants the MS Word document, lemme know!
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Diseases of the Heart: Vengeance

In general, defiance against Allah’s Commands and Rasulullah’s Sunnah is what is known as sinning. Their disobedience can either be done in public or in private, yet Allah sees EVERYTHING that transpires. Allah says in Surat Al-An’aam, verse 120:

وَذَرُواْ ظَـٰهِرَ ٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَبَاطِنَهُ ۥۤ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَكۡسِبُونَ ٱلۡإِثۡمَ سَيُجۡزَوۡنَ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَقۡتَرِفُونَ

Thus, sins can be categorized as being either:

1. ظاهري : those that are apparent and one is almost aware of when he is sinning – e.g.

fornication, drinking, theft, etc.

2. باطني : those that are well-hidden, and might not constitute of any apparent action – e.g. vengeance, jealousy, etc.

Vengeance is such a grave sin that as per Hadeeth, all those who seek forgiveness on Laylatul Qadr will be granted it, except those who have a grudge, bear enmity, or hatred for another believer in their hearts. This entails that vengeance is such a fatal disease that as long as it exists in the heart, one’s prayers and forgiveness is made void.

Initially, someone takes something that was said or done to his or her heart, and if he or she dwells on it, it takes over one’s heart, almost like cancer. In the process, it makes attaining the Closeness to Allah IMPOSSIBLE. The path to finding the Nearness of Allah is one of love, which is why vengeance would be equivalent to Kufr. This is not to say that the person leaves the folds of Islam, but one renders all his Ibadah useless, as not only can he not attain forgiveness from Allah, but he is also void of his Nearness.

As per another Hadeeth, Rasulullah is reported to have said: when I sleep at night, I clear my heart free of all grudges, and this is my Sunnah; whoever acts upon it, will be with me in Jannah. According to another Hadeeth, the Sahaba were sitting in the company of Rasulullah, when another Sahabi passed by them. Rasulullah looked towards him and stated: “Look..there goes a dweller of Jannah.” The Sahaba were surprised; what was so special about this particular Sahabi? They all wished that Rasulullah had said that about them. One got up and followed him, with the intention that he would find out what it was that he did different than the rest; what it was that lead Rasulullah to distinguish him from the rest and call him ‘a dweller of Jannah’.

He requested for permission to stay for three days in his house, and was granted it. After three days passed by, he had not seen anything extraordinary on behalf of this Sahabi; nothing that the other Sahaba didn’t already do. So, he finally told him his purpose of staying for those three days in his company, and asked what it was that made him worthy of the glad tidings. After having admitted to have shortcomings in Ibadah, the Sahabi said that he had cleansed his heart free of all hatred and enmity against all those who had wronged him, despite the amount of pain they had all caused him.

The problems that could arise from vengeance are almost countless; the biggest being falling susceptible to hypocrisy. It isn’t necessary that one should show displeasure towards the person they hate; in fact, they could seem like the best of friends! A smile on the face, empty words of praise that have no meaning, yet a heart that harbors bitter enmity and hatred for something that he or she once said or did in the past. The following are clear signs of vengeance, and if one happens to have any of these, they should immediately rid their heart free of any grudges they might be harboring against others, and turn in repentance to Allah, asking for His Forgiveness.

1. You dig down DEEP for the person’s faults; it gives you GREAT satisfaction when he or she actually has the ill qualities you thought he or she had: if you’re going to scrutinize someone under a microscope, then there’s no doubt that you will faults in him or her. However, no human being is free of faults, and as per Hadeeth, the best wrong-doers are those who turn back to Allah in repentance. In the words of Rasulullah:


كل بني آدم خطاء و خير الخطائين التوابون


2. Your inner hatred for the person is so intense, that it gives you satisfaction to see him or her in trouble (sadistic nature): this falls under the first point; as per Hadeeth, if someone has repented for a sin that he committed in the past, and someone else blames and accuses him or her of committing that sin, [thereby bringing the person shame and reminding him or her of the wrong he or she has done], the accuser will NOT DIE UNTIL he is put in the same situation as the accused, until he or she commits the very same sin himself/herself. This is why It is crucial to abstain from bringing others’ wrongdoings into the spotlight, as if they have sincerely repented to Allah for them, one will only succeed in digging a pit for himself/herself.


3. Can NEVER say anything GOOD about the person: If your opinion was taken regarding the person, it will ALWAYS be something negative that you have strived hard to dig out about him or her. Supposing he or she has 100 good qualities and one bad one, you will ONLY remember the BAD one when you’re asked about him or her.


4. You will deem the person inferior to yourself, and look down upon him or her in contempt and disgust: this is extremely dangerous. There were two old men at the time of Eesa Alyhis Salam who were nearing their death. One had led a pious life, and the other had not done a single good deed in his lifetime. Eesa Alyhis Salam went to the latter first, and saw how remorseful he was, and despite having led a life that even HE knew was worthy of Allah’s Wrath, He was still hopeful of Allah’s Mercy.


When Eesa Alyhis Salam went to the second, he asked him if he had any last wishes that could be granted in this lifetime. Having spent a righteous life, abstaining from all that was forbidden, he replied: ‘I just don’t want to be brought up with this man in the Hereafter.’ By ‘this man’, he meant the one who had not done a single good deed in his lifetime. After their death, Eesa Alyhis Salam was informed about their ends through Wahy: the first man (evil) was hopeful of Allah’s Mercy, and had expressed remorse and regret at his wrongdoings before his death; thus, he was granted Paradise. As for the second, he had deemed the latter inferior to himself, and had judged him according to what was apparent to him, and had clearly expressed aversion towards him and stated he didn’t want to be brought up with him; thus, he was sent to Hell.


5. You will consider and grab hold of every possible opportunity during which you could verbally inflict pain on this person: women are LARGELY guilty of this point. We are usually heard saying things like: “I gave her such an answer that would burn her heart to the core”. Yes, you might have burned her heart, but bought Jahannam for yourself in the process, و العياذ بالله! It is well known that the tongue’s wounds are far more detrimental to a person than those inflicted by a sword. The tongue can sever the strongest of ties, those of which cannot be severed by a sword. A single word repeated thrice by the tongue of an angry husband, can ruin years of effort put into a marriage in less than a second.


6. You backbite about that person at every opportunity you can get: this is such a grave sin that it has been deemed WORSE than fornication! Rasulullah is reported to have said

:

الغيبة أشد من الزنا

In another Hadeeth, the definition of someone who is "مفلس" or what can be translated in what we term as ‘broke’ in English, is not that of a person who has not a single fils on himself. Mufles is he who has unlawfully stripped people of their rights – be it through backbiting, slandering, cheating, etc. – and will undoubtedly have to pay them back in the Hereafter if he doesn’t ask for their forgiveness in this world. On Youm al Qiyamah, this person will have a mountain-load of good deeds, but one by one, people will come to this person and take from his Ajr, the dues that will compensate them for the rights he rid them of.


Another point worth taking note of is the fact that when one backbites, he or she tends to lie to reinforce his or her statements, in order to make them ‘believable’ by others. In this case, the person slanders the accused in his absence, that is, makes false accusations about something he or she never did or said, which is a very dangerous sin indeed.


Thus, Imam Abu Haneefah Rahimahullah used to say: “IF there’s anyone I should backbite about, and who is deserving of it, it would be my mother; I would be able to give her the reward I have received for my good deeds in return for all the trouble she went through for my sake. (I.e. to bring him into this world and bring him up to be the man he was) The word ‘if’ denotes that it is something impermissible.


7. You lose the sweetness of Ibadah, and are deprived of good deeds: a person becomes SO consumed over trying to take revenge from the one who has wronged him or her, that he or she spends all his time and life in figuring out and plotting the ‘best form of revenge’. There is no time to spare to engage in Ibadah or to increase the balance of good deeds. Not only does he or she engage in this vile sin, but also encourages others to do so, severing the strongest ties at times; thus, this is a CONTAGIOUS ailment of the heart.

This person is described as having lost in this world and the Hereafter.


خسر في الدنيا و الآخره


A believer’s nature is not vengeful, and neither does he or she bring others any harm; instead, a believer should be forgiving, and should wish for the best for all of Allah’s Creation, not just Man. “If you forgive Allah’s Creation, Allah will forgive YOU.”


Rasulullah was not of a vengeful nature; neither were the Sahaba, Tabi’een, or those that followed the Tabi’een. (تبع التابعين) In fact, none of our Aslaf were of a vengeful nature, and this lecture will be concluded with a few examples from their righteous lives.


As for Rasulullah, the renowned incident regarding the Key of the Ka’ba is clearly evident of his forgiving nature, as are countless other famous incidents that occurred during his blessed lifetime. Prior to Fat-h Makkah, Makkans did not spare him of any form of harm, yet he did not destroy them. Countless Sahaba were killed at their hands, yet Rasulullah did not vow any kind of revenge; instead, his reply was the very same that Yusuf Alyhis Salam gave to his brothers in the end:


لا تثريب عليكم اليوم

Have no fear this day!


As a result, the pagan Makkans embraced Islam in huge numbers. The fruit of Rasulullah’s perseverance and forgiving nature can be seen in the world today.


Before Fat-h Makkah, Rasulullah went to Uthman Bin Talha, the bearer of the key of the Door of the Ka’ba and asked him for it. His request was declined. Unable to worship Allah in solitude before heading back for Madinah, Rasulullah returned back with a heavy heart.


Coincidentally, after Fat-h Makkah, the Sahaba awaited to see who would be given the Key to the Door of the Ka’ba. They all individually anticipated that Rasulullah would definitely choose them; after all, who else could be deemed more worthy of such a great honor?! However, when the time came, it was handed over to none other than Uthman Bin Talha, and Rasulullah clearly reminded him of how he had deprived him of worshipping Allah before Fat-h Makkah. He told him he would not deprive him as he had done before. It comes as no surprise that the key remains in the very same family, having being passed down their generations until this day.


A great scholar by the name of Ali Hajweri Rahimahullah was once traveling on a ship; he had taken his cap off for fear that it would fly away with the wind – revealing his shaved head – and sat engaged in the Remembrance of Allah. A mischievous boy came around, having taken notice of the scenario, went up to him and smacked him on the head. This esteemed scholar refused to budge from his place, as he noted it would be a waste of his time. Time spent on catching the boy and telling him off would be better spent if he remained engaged in the Remembrance of Allah.


Having seen his reaction, the boy got fearless and kept slapping his head, so much so, that other people also got involved. Ali Hajweri Rahimahullah did nothing; he sat lost in the Remembrance of his Lord, oblivious of the ill-mannered people that surrounded him. As he sat there, it was though as someone had placed the sense in his heart: You sit here while this people ridicule you; if you want, with one fierce wind, we can blow this ship over and bring an end to them all.’ At that instance, he raised his hands up in supplication, praying: “Oh Allah! If you really do want to turn them over, then turn over the ships of their HEARTS [towards good].”


Vengeance is a deadly ailment of the heart, which the heart needs to be cleansed of immediately. Scholars of Tasawwuf say:

من عرف نفسه عرف ربه


It is only once the heart is rid of all these fatal ailments that one can seek the Closeness of Allah, and one can only diagnose these illnesses when one has control over their Nafs. Thus, it is ESSENTIAL that we all look into our hearts rather than point out faults in others. We need to find our own faults out, in order to eradicate their cancerous effect on our hearts and souls.


The best antidote for this ailment is Touba, or repentance to Allah. If one cannot cleanse his or her heart of this disease, then the LEAST he or she COULD do is ask for forgiveness from Allah for corrupting it. Not only is it the best remedy for that reason, but those that repent for their sins are loved dearly by Allah. It is stated in the Quran:


إن الله يحب التوابين

Verily, Allah loves those who repent.


During the time of Hassan Al-Basri Rahimahullah, there was once a young man who lived with his mother. This man was not only a habitual sinner, but he was also defiant. His mother used to beg him to ask Allah for forgiveness, but he paid no attention to her pleas. He continued to defy Allah’s commands until he fell terminally ill. His mother was sick with worry, and ran around from doctor to doctor with no results.


Eventually, while her son lay on his death bed, he began feeling remorseful about all that he had done, and the lack of good deeds that threatened to lead him to hell. He started crying about his wretchedness, and asked his mother to request Hassan Al-Basri Rahimahullah to come, so that he could ask for his forgiveness as well, as he defied him during his lifetime. He also requested that he lead his Salat Al Janazah, but when his mother ran tearfully to call him, Hassan Al-Basri Rahimahullah angrily turned her away, refusing to visit the dying man, and grant his last wish to lead his funeral prayers.


She ran back to her son, and told him of what the great scholar had said. The young man cried and exclaimed, “This is EXACTLY what I am worth; please tie a rope around my neck after I die, and trail me around the village so that everyone sees the result of sinners like me.” Saying this, his body and soul parted, leaving his crying mother by the side of her son’s body.


At that moment, someone knocked on the door. When she opened it, she was surprised to see Hassan Al-Basri Rahimahullah standing there. When she inquired, he said: “after you left, I went to sleep and dreamt that someone said to me, ‘Oh Hassan Al-Basri! What kind of Wali are you?! Another WALI of mine is DYING, and you refused to lead his Salat Al Janazah?!’ That is the reason why I stand before you right now; not only have I come here to lead your son’s funeral prayers, but also to inform you of the fact that Allah has ACCEPTED your son’s repentance!”


ALLAHU AKBAR!! There is NO EXTENT to Allah’s Mercy! Another incident that ties in perfectly with this whole lecture is that of an old woman who somehow got detached from her caravan, as they were making their way back from Hajj. Shaykh Abdullah ibn Mubarak Rahimahullah narrates: I left to perform Hajj at the House of Allah and to visit the grave of Rasulullah. As I was on my way along the outskirts I noticed something; it was an old woman wearing a woolen outer-garment and a face scarf.

I said: “Assalaamu-Alykm wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu”.

She replied: Salam (peace be on you) – a Word from the Lord (Allah), Most Merciful. [Ya-seen (36):58]

I said to her: “May Allah have mercy upon you! What are you doing in this place?”

She replied: …And whomsoever Allah sends astray, for him there is no guide. [Ghaafir (40):33]

From that, I understood that she was lost. I said to her: “Where do you want to go?”

She replied: Glorified is He who took His slave for a journey by night from Al-Masjid Al-Haraam to the furthest Masjid (in Jerusalem)…..[Al-Israa (17):1]

I gathered that she had performed her pilgrimage and was intending on visiting Bait’ul-Maqdis. I then asked her: “How long have you been in this place?

She replied: ...three nights, though having no bodily defect.” [Maryam (19):10]

I said: “I see, you don’t have any food with you to eat?”

She replied: “And it is He Who feeds me and gives me to drink. [Ash-Shu’raa (26):79]

I then said: “With what do you perform Ablution?”

She replied: ...and you find no water, perform Tayammum with clean earth …..[An-Nisaa (4):43]

I said to her: “I have some food, would you like to eat something?”

She replied: ...then complete your Saum (fast) till the nightfall…[Al-Baqarah (2):187]

I said: “It has been allowed for us to break our fast whilst we are traveling.”

She replied... And that you fast is better for you if only you know. [Al-Baqarah (2):184]

I said: “Why do you not speak to me the same way as I am speaking to you?”

She replied: Not a word does he (or she) utter but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it). [Qaaf (50):18]

I said: “Which people are you from?”

She replied: And follow not that of which you have no knowledge. Verily, the hearing, and the sight, and the heart of each of those ones will be questioned. [Al-Israa (17):36]

I said: “I have committed a mistake, so please excuse me.”

She replied: ...No reproach on you this day; may Allah forgive you...[Yusuf (12):92]

I said: “Would you like to ride upon my camel so that you may catch up with your group?”

She replied: ...And whatever good you do, (be sure) Allaah knows it. ….[Al-Baqarah (2):197]

So I made the camel sit down, whereupon she said: Tell the believing men to lower their gaze...[An-Noor (24):30]

So I closed my eyes and told her to sit upon the camel. As she was getting upon the camel, it stampeded causing her clothes to be ripped slightly.

Upon that she said: And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned…[Ash-Shuraa (42):30]

I told her to get on, she said: “Glorified is He Who has subjected this to us, and we could have never had it (by our efforts). And verily, to Our Lord we indeed are to return!”[Az-Zukhruf (43):13-14]

I took the rein of the camel and began to move quickly whilst at the same time yelling.

She said: “And be moderate (or show no insolence) in your walking, and lower your voice…[Luqmaan (31):19]

So I began to walk slowly whilst chanting some lines of poetry. Upon hearing me, she said: ..So recite as much of the Qur’a^n as may be easy…..[Al-Muzzammil (73):20]

I said to her: You have been given much goodness.”

She replied: But none remember (will receive admonition) except men of understanding.[Al-Baqarah (2):269]

As we walked some distance, I said: “Do you have a husband?”

She replied: O you who believe! Ask not about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble…..[Al-Maa’idah (5):101]

I then remained quiet and did not speak with her until we arrived to her traveling group. I said to her: “This is your group, who is there from amongst them?”

She replied: Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world….[Al-Kahf (18):46]

From this I understood, that she had children. I said to her: “What is their role in the pilgrimage?”

She replied: And landmarks and by the stars, they guide themselves. [An-Nahl (16):16]

From this I knew they were guides for the traveling party. She then went towards the tents that were propped up. I said: “These are tents, which is yours amongst them?

She replied: ...And Allah did take Ibrahim as a Khalil (an intimate friend)! [An-Nisaa (4):125]..and to Musa Allah spoke directly. [An-Nisaa (4):164] “O Yahya! Hold fast the Scripture……” [Maryam (19):12]

I called out: “O Ibrahim, O Musa, O Yahya!” Out came young lads like moon’s shining, greeting us.

When they had sat down, she said: ..So send one of you with this silver coin of yours to the town, and let him find out which is the good lawful food, and bring some of that to you……[Al-Kahf (18):19]

So one of them went, and bought some food and placed it in front of me. She then said: Eat and drink at ease for that which you have sent on before you in days past! [Al-Haaqqah (69):24]

I said: “Now your food is forbidden upon me until you do not tell me regarding her situation!” They replied: “She is our mother, and she has spent the last forty years speaking only by the verses of the Qur’an; fearful that she may slip, and fall under the wrath of the Most Beneficent.

I (Abdullah Ibn Al-Mubarak) then said: That is the Grace of Allah which He bestows on whom He is pleased with. And Allah is the Owner of Great Bounty. [Al-Hadeed (57):21]

سُبۡحَـٰنَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ ٱلۡعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ وَسَلَـٰمٌ عَلَى ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ وَٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ

(Shaykh Azhar Iqbal)