Merits of Bismillah

It was a custom in the Age of Ignorance (Jiihiliyyah) before the advent of Islam that people began everything they did with the names of their idols or gods. It was to eradicate this practise that the first verse of the Holy Qur'an which the Archangel Jibrail brought down to the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) commanded him to begin the Qur'an with the name of Allah "Read with the name of your Lord."

The famous commentator al-Suyuti says that beside the Holy Qur'an all the other divine books too begin with Bismilliih. Certain other scholars are of the opinion that Bismilliih Al-Rahman Al-Rahim is peculiar to the Qur'an and to the followers of Muhammad (S.A.W) . The
two views can be brought into agreement with each other if we 'say that all the divine books share the common trait of beginning with the name of Allah, but the words Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Rahim are peculiar to the Holy Qur'an, as is evident from certain Traditions (Ahadith) which report that in order to begin with the name of Allah anything he undertook, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W), used to say the I words (Bismiki Allahumma), but when the verse Bismillah Al-Rahman Al -Rahim as revealed, he adopted these words. Since then this practice was established through the verbal command of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) or through his act or tacit approval). ( see Qurtubi and Ruh al-Ma'ani)

The Holy Qur'an again and again instructs us to begin what we do with the name of Allah. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) has said that no important work receives the blessings of Allah, unless it is begun with His name. According to yet another hadith (Tradition), closing the door of one's house, putting out the lamp, covering a vessel, should all be done with the recitation of Bismillah. The Holy Qur'an and the ahadith (Traditions) repeatedly instruct us to recite this verse while taking food, drinking water, performing the wudu (ablution), getting on a carriage or getting down from it. (See Qurtubi)

By instructing man to begin everything with the name of Allah, Islam has given to the whole of his life an orientation towards Allah so that he may, with each step he takes, renew his allegiance to the covenant with Allah that nothing he does, not even his very being can come into existence without the will and the help of Allah. Thus, allthe economic and worldly activities of man, each movement and gesture becomes transformed into an act of w0rship.l How brief is the action, which consumes neither time nor energy, and yet how immense is the gain -- it is a regular alchemy, transmuting the profane (dunya) into the sacred (din); a disbeliever eats and drinks just as a Muslim does but in saying 'Bismilliih' as he begins to eat, the Muslim affirms that it was not in his power to obtain this little morsel of food which has passed through innumerable stages from the sowing of the seed to the reaping of the grain corn. and which has during this process required the labours of the wind, the rain, the sun, of the heavens and of the earth, and of a thousand men -- and that it is Allah alone who has granted him this morsel of food or this draught of water by making it go through all these stages. A disbeliever goes to sleep, wakes up and goes about as much as a Muslim. But while going to sleep or waking up, the Muslim mentions the name of Allah, renewing his relationship with Him. Thus his economic and worldly needs and activities acquire the nature of the remembrance of Allah, and are counted as acts of worship. Similarly, in saying 'Bismillah' while getting on to a carriage, the Muslim testifies to the fact that it is beyond the power of man to produce this carriage and to procure it for him, and that it is only the infallible and divinely-created order of things that has brought together from all the corners of the world the wood, the steel and other metals which have gone into the making of the carriage, as well as the mechanics who have given a particular shape to these components, and the driver -- and finally put all these into the service of man who can make use of the labour of this army of the creatures of man who can God by spending a few coins. And even these coins have not been created by him, it is Allah himself who has provided the complex ways and means of earning them.

Veritably, 'Bismillah' is the legendary philosopher's stone which transmutes, not copper, but mere dust into the purest of gold. "So then, praised be Allah for the religion of Islam and its Teachings."

[Mariful Quran: Maulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi: Translated by Prof. Muhammad Hasan Askari & Prof. Muhammad Shamim- Revised by Mufti Taqi Usmani]

Divan of Hafiz

I

ARISE, oh Cup-bearer, rise! and bring
To lips that are thirsting the bowl they praise,
For it seemed that love was an easy thing,
But my feet have fallen on difficult ways.
I have prayed the wind o'er my heart to fling
The fragrance of musk in her hair that sleeps
In the night of her hair-yet no fragrance stays
The tears of my heart's blood my sad heart weeps.

Hear the Tavern-keeper who counsels you:
"With wine, with red wine your prayer carpet dye!"
There was never a traveller like him but knew
The ways of the road and the hostelry.
Where shall I rest, when the still night through,
Beyond thy gateway, oh Heart of my heart,
The bells of the camels lament and cry:
"Bind up thy burden again and depart!"

The waves run high, night is clouded with fears,
And eddying whirlpools clash and roar;
How shall my drowning voice strike their ears
Whose light-freighted vessels have reached the shore?
I sought mine own; the unsparing years
Have brought me mine own, a dishonoured name.
What cloak shall cover my misery o'er
When each jesting mouth has rehearsed my shame!
Oh Hafiz, seeking an end to strife,
Hold fast in thy mind what the wise have writ:
"If at last thou attain the desire of thy life,
Cast the world aside, yea, abandon it!"

Poems from the Divan of Hafiz, by Getrude Lowthian Bell, [1897], at sacred-texts.com

The Alchemy of Happiness: Introduction

KNOW, O beloved, that man was not created in jest or at random, but marvellously made and for some great end. Although he is not from everlasting, yet he lives for ever; and though his body is mean and earthly, yet his spirit is lofty and divine. When in the crucible of abstinence he is purged from carnal passions he attains to the highest, and in place of being a slave to lust and anger becomes endued with angelic qualities. Attaining that state, he finds his heaven in the contemplation of Eternal Beauty, and no longer in fleshly delights. The spiritual alchemy which operates this change in him, like that which transmutes base metals into gold, is not easily discovered, nor to be found in the house of every old woman. It is to explain that alchemy and its methods of operation that the author has undertaken this work, which he has entitled, The Alchemy of Happiness. Now the treasuries of God, in which this

{p. 18}

alchemy is to be sought, are the hearts of the prophets, and he, who seeks it elsewhere will be disappointed and bankrupt on the day of judgment, when he hears the words, "We have lifted the veil from off thee, and thy sight to-day is keen."

God has sent on earth a hundred and twenty-four thousand prophets[1] to teach men the prescription of this alchemy, and how to purify their hearts from baser qualities in the crucible of abstinence. This alchemy may be briefly described as turning away from the world to God, and its constituents are four:

1. The knowledge of self.

2. The knowledge of God.

3. The knowledge of this world as it really is.

4. The knowledge of the next world as it really is.

We shall now proceed to expound these four constituents in order.

[1. This is the fixed number of the prophets according to Muhammadan tradition.]

TRANSLATED FROM THE HINDUSTANI BY CLAUD FIELD [1909]

Prophetic Eloquence #1

[1] Hadith One

The Prophet's Recommendation Allah bless and greet him - to Ibn `Abbas in Which He Describes the Habits A Believer Must Have With Allah Almighty

Al-Tirmidhi narrated from Ibn `Abbas - Allah be well-pleased with both of them! - that he said:

"I was [riding] behind the Prophet one day and he said to me: 'O my boy! I shall teach you certain words. Keep Allah [with you], and He shall keep you. Keep Allah [with you], and you shall find Him facing you. If you ask for something, ask Allah. If you seek help, seek it from Allah. Know with certainty that if the entire Community gather together to support you, they can benefit you nothing except in what Allah has foreordained for you; and if they gather together in order to harm you, they can harm you in nothing except in what Allah has foreordained against you. The quills have been raised and the records are dry.'"

Imam Ahmad added in his narration: "Seek to know Allah in the time of prosperity and He shall know you in the time of affliction. Know that perseverance in the face of what you hate is an immense good, that help lies with patience, deliverance with trial, and with hardship goes ease."

NOTES 1 Narrated from Ibn `Abbas by Ahmad in his Musnad with a sound chain as stated by Shaykh Ahmad Shakir

[From Forty Hadiths Illustrating the Superlative Eloquence of the Prophet by GF Haddad ©]

Fear and Hope

To proceed. Hope and fear are two wings by means of which those who are brought near fly to every commendable station, and two mounts on which every steep ascent of the paths of the next world is traversed. And nothing but the reins of hope will lead to the vicinity of the Merciful and the joy of the Gardens the man who is distant from hoping and heavy with burdens, who is encompassed with what the heart abhors and with toils of members and limbs. And nothing shall avert from the fire of Gehenna and the painful punishment the man who is encompassed with the blandishments of lusts and the marvels of pleasures except the scourges of threatening and the assaults of violence. Consequently there is nothing for it but an exposition of the essence and merits of them both, as well as the way of arriving at a junction between the two of them, in spite of their polarity and mutual antipathy. And we join the mention of them in a single book which is comprised of two parts, the first part concerning hope and the second part fear. As for the first part it is made up of an exposition of the essence of hope and an exposition of its merit; and an exposition of the therapy of hope and the way in which hope is induced by it.

[Excerpt from IhyaUlumudin by Hujjatul Islam, Abu Hamid al-Ghazali - Translated by: William McKane]

Fear and Hope

To proceed. Hope and fear are two wings by means of which those who are brought near fly to every commendable station, and two mounts on which every steep ascent of the paths of the next world is traversed. And nothing but the reins of hope will lead to the vicinity of the Merciful and the joy of the Gardens the man who is distant from hoping and heavy with burdens, who is encompassed with what the heart abhors and with toils of members and limbs. And nothing shall avert from the fire of Gehenna and the painful punishment the man who is encompassed with the blandishments of lusts and the marvels of pleasures except the scourges of threatening and the assaults of violence. Consequently there is nothing for it but an exposition of the essence and merits of them both, as well as the way of arriving at a junction between the two of them, in spite of their polarity and mutual antipathy. And we join the mention of them in a single book which is comprised of two parts, the first part concerning hope and the second part fear. As for the first part it is made up of an exposition of the essence of hope and an exposition of its merit; and an exposition of the therapy of hope and the way in which hope is induced by it.

[Excerpt from IhyaUlumudin by Hujjatul Islam, Abu Hamid al-Ghazali - Translated by: William McKane]

Patience of Abu Bakr

Once, a person was verbally abusing Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) while the Prophet (peace be upon him) was curiously watching with a smile. After taking much abuse quietly, Abu Bakr responded to a few of his comments. At this, the Prophet exhibited his disapproval, got up and left. Abu Bakr caught up with the Prophet and wondered, 'O Messenger of Allaah, he was abusing me and you remained sitting. When I responded to him, you disapproved and got up.' The Messenger of Allaah responded,
'There was an angel with you responding to him. When you responded to him, Satan took his place.' He then said ..

'O Abu Bakr, there are three solid truths: If a person is wronged and he forbears it (without seeking revenge) just for the sake of Allaah Almighty, Allaah will honour him and give him the upper hand with His help; if a person opens a door of giving gifts for cementing relationships with relatives, Allaah will give him abundance; and, if a person opens a door of seeking charity for himself to increase his wealth, Allaah will further reduce his wealth.'


Reported from Abu Huraira in Mishkaah and Musnad Ahmad.

Abu Hurairah

Abu Hurairah literally means ‘Father of the Kitten’. His real name was Abdul Rahmân bin Sahr. He described how he got the nickname Abu Hurairah:[1]

One day I was carrying a kitten in my sleeve and the Messenger of Allah, upon him be peace, saw me and he said, ‘What is this?’
‘A kitten,’ I said.
And he said, ‘O Abu Hurairah!’, ‘O Father of the Kitten!’

He came to Madina and embraced Islam the year of Khaybar, a battle in which he fought. This was in 7H.

Although he only spent a relatively short time with the Messenger, upon him be peace, he grew very close to him. It was said of him that ‘he turned wherever the Messenger turned’. It has been related that the Messenger, upon him be peace, once said, ‘whoever lays out his cloth until I finish my discourse will never forget anything that they hear from me’. Abu Hurairah laid out his cloth and it is said that he laid out his ‘rida’, shawl and then he, upon him be peace, delivered his discourse. Abu Hurairah said, ‘by Allah, I never ever forget anything that I heard from him.’ Because of his prolific memory he gained the respect of the Companions and became an important teacher. More than 800 companions and followers related hadith from him. Although he related 5874 hadith and is known to be the most prolific narrator of hadith, he said, ‘I only narrated half of the traditions that I knew.’

The poorer members of the Community including migrants from other parts of the world had a special place in the mosque called the Suffa. They were called the Ahl al-Suffa, People of the Bench, and many of them had no possessions but the clothes on their back. Abu Hurairah was the most prominent of the Ahl al-Suffa. The Messenger, upon him be peace, used to send any charity that he received and shared with them gifts that had been given. Abu Hurairah related how he used to lie on the ground or tie a stone to his stomach due to the intense hunger. On one occasion, he waited outside the mosque and when Abu Bakr went by, he asked him about a verse of Qurân in the hope that he would notice his state and offer him something to eat. However, he answered the question and went on. Then he did the same with ‘Umar ibn al-Khattâb, who did the same as Abu Bakr. Then he waited for the Messenger, upon whom be peace, who invited him in to his house to see if there were any gifts of food. He felt fortunate as the Messenger, upon him be peace, had been given a cup of milk. To Abu Hurairah’s dismay, he was ordered to invite all the Ahl al-Suffa and then to pour out for each one of them. At this, he despaired of getting any milk because they were so numerous and the person pouring the milk is always the last to drink. To his surprise when everyone had drunk, the cup was still full. He drank his fill and when he had finished, the Messenger, upon him be peace, said ‘drink!’ Abu Hurairah obeyed. When he had drank until he could drink no more, the Messenger, upon him be peace, smiled and again said, ‘drink!’ Despite being sated, he drank. After he had finished, the Messenger smiled again and said, ‘drink!’ To this Abu Hurairah, said ‘O Messenger of Allah, there is no way I can drink any more.’ He realised that the Messenger, upon him be peace, was teaching him not to doubt the blessings of his Lord.

Among his daily practices was to seek forgiveness 12000 times in the day and 12000 at night. He would keep count using a string with a thousand knots tied into it.

He said that he witnessed three great tragedies; the death of the Messenger, upon him be peace, the murder of ‘Uthmân and the disappearance of the mizwad. When asked what the mizwad was, he explained that on one of the Messenger’s excursions he, upon him be peace, asked if anyone had any food. Someone said he had a mizwad, a small bag for keeping provisions. In it were some dates. The Messenger, called for them to be brought to him. He, upon him be peace, supplicated upon them and distributed them to everyone present. Abu Hurairah said that he ate from his portion during the life of the Messenger, upon him be peace, and throughout the reigns of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthmân.[2]

‘Umar appointed him as ruler over Bahrain but after a short time, he decided he did not want to be involved in politics or ruling, resigned and went into recluse. He returned to Madina where he died in the year 57, 58 or 59 H, aged 78 years old.

(Sources: Ibn Hajr al-Asqalâni, al-Isâba fî Tamyîz al-Sahâba and Muhammad al-Jardâni al-Dimyâti, al-Jawâhir al-lu’luwiyya)

[1] Related by al-Hâkim, see al-Isâbah of Ibn Hajr.
[2] Related by al-Baihaqi and Qadi ‘Iyad in his Shifa.

Source: http://kitaba.org/Content.aspx?cid=25

The Place of Cleanliness in Islam

Cleanliness and purification, in Islam, is not merely an essential condition for the performance of an act of worship like prayer, recitation of Qur'an and Tawaf , but as the Qur'an and the traditions tell, it constitutes a permanent department of Faith and possess a significance of its own as well.
It is set forth in the Qur'an:

Truely Allah loveth those who turn unto Him, and loveth those who have a care of cleanliness. (AI-Baqarah 2:222)

Besides, in praise of the residents of Quba, the Qur'an says:

"Where in are men who love to purify themselves. Allah loves the purifiers. " (At-Tawbah 9: 108)

One can imagine from these two verses what importance cleanliness enjoys in the Islamic scheme of things In the same way, the first Tradition we are going to quote from Sahih Muslim shows that cleanliness is not only a tenet and requirement of Islam but, also, forms a principal branch of it. Another hadith teams cleanliness as a half of faith.
The mentor of mentors, Shah Waliullah (R.A) remarks in his monumental work, Hujjatullah-il-Baligha

"By His special grace, the Almighty has explained to me the truth that the path of felicity for giving the call of which the Prophets were raised up, and which is called Shari'ah, consists of many chapters and there are tens and thousands of commands under each chapter, all these can be assembled, in spite of their vast multiplicity under the four fundamental headings 'Cleanliness', 'Fear of Allah', 'Genorosity' and 'Justice'.

Proceeding. he explains the meaning of each of the titles indicated above from which it distinctly follows that the Shari'ah, on the whole, is divided into these four parts.

Here we shall summarise only the part of Shah Waliullah's Hujjah in which he expounds the significance of cleanliness. A right-minded person, it reads, whose heart is not ruled over by bestial urges and filthy propensities feels a peculiar type of uneasiness and gloom within himself when he is involved in an impurity or seized with a strong desire for defecation or urination or has just had sexual intercourse. On the other hand, when he comes out of this state i.e., gets done with the urge for a natural evacuation and purifies 'himself after it, or if he has copulated,
takes a bath, changes his clothes and applies perfume, the feeling of discomfort and depression disappears his cheerfulness returns and he is in good spirits again. The former state is called hads (i.e. impurity) and the latter, Taharah (i.e. cleanliness). People who possess a wholesome disposition and whose natural instincts are sound realize clearly the difference between the two states. They instinctively dislike the condition, of impurity and find the other one, i.e., of cleanliness and purification agreeable. The state of the cleanliness of the human spirit bears a close resemblance to the state of the celestial world, i.e., of the angels because they are eternally free from animal impurities and remain happy and at ease owing to the heavenly state of feeling, and it is for this reason that solicitude for perpetuity of cleanliness, to the extent to which it is possible, enables the soul to attain angelic heights and profit from the celestial world through inspiration and revelation. On the contrary, when a person is sunk in the state of uncleanliness and impurity, he develops a resemblance and affinity with the devils and a typical susceptibility is created within him of responding to satanic desires and passions'.

It is, thus, evident that cleanliness or purity and uncleanliness or impurity are the names of the two states of the soul or moral and spiritual being we have just mentioned and what we call as such are their causes and origins. The Shari'ah, in fact, deals with them and prescribes necessary rules and regulations. Purification has rightly been described as one-fourth of the Shari'ah.

Shah Waliullah further, writes:

"Cleanliness is of three kinds. One. purification from impurity (i.e., to attain purity or cleanliness, by taking a bath or performing ablution in states in which they become necessary or desirable according to the Shari'ah); two, to cleanse one's body, dress or place from an apparent impurity or filth; and, three: to remove the dirt or grime that collects in various parts of the body, such as, the cleaning of teeth and nostrils, the pairing of nails and the removing of the hair below the navel".

[Excerpt from Maariful Hadith by Maulana Mohammad Manzoor Nomani - Translated by Mohammad Asif Kidwai]

Al-Fatihah: The Merits and Peculiarities

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ

Commentary:
This Surah (Chapter) of the Holy Qur'an possesses a number of merits peculiar to it. Firstly, the Holy Quran begins with it; the prescribed prayer begins with it; and even in the order of revelation this is the first Surah which was revealed to the Holy Prophet & in its complete form. Some verses of the Surahs Iqra (al-'Alaq), al-Muzzammil and al-Muddaththir had no doubt been revealed earlier, but the first Surah to be revealed in a complete form is no other than
this. Certain Companions of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) have reported that this was the first Surah to be revealed. Most probably they had meant that no Surah had been revealed in a complete form before this. Perhaps that is why the Surah has been named as 'The Opening of the Book.

The other important peculiarity of the Surah is that it is, so to say, the quintessence of the Holy Qur'an, and the rest of the Qur'an is its elaboration. The Surah may thus be delineated for two reasons. Firstly, all that the Holy Qur'an has to say is, in one way or another, related to either of the two themes, faith (Iman) and virtuous deeds (al-'amal al-salih), and the basic principles of the two have beenindicated in this Surah (See Ruh al Ma'ani and Ruh al-Bayan). That is why authentic Traditions ( Ahadith)i ve to this Surah such titles as "Umm al-Qur'an" (Essence of the Quran), "Umm al-Kittab" (Essence of the Book), "Al-Qur'an al-'Azim (Glorious Qur'an).

Secondly, this Surah gives a special instruction to the man who begins the recitation or the study of the Qur'an - that he should approach this book with a mind cleansed of all his previous thoughts and opinions, seeking nothing but the Truth and the right path, praying to Allah for being guided in the right path. The Surah begins with the praise of Him before whom the request is to be submitted, and ends with the request for guidance. The whole of the Qur'an is the answer to this request. The answer begins with the words: "Alif Lam Meem" This is the Book", which is an indication that the guidance man had prayed for has been provided in this Book.

The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) has said, "I swear by Allah who is the master of my life, neither the Torah, nor the Evangile nor the Psalms of David have anything to compare with the Opening Chapter of the Quran, and no other Chapter of the Qur'an itself can compare with it." (Reported by the Companion Abu Hurairah).

The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) has also said that this Surah is a cure for all kinds of illnesses. According to another Tradition (Hadith), the Surah has also been named the "Cure" (Al-Shifa), (See Qurtubi ) ,and Al-Bukhari reports from the Companion Anas that the Holy Prophet
(S.A.W) has called this Surah the greatest among all the Surahs of the Holy Qur'an. (See Qurtubi)

[Mariful Quran: Maulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi: Translated by Prof. Muhammad Hasan Askari & Prof. Muhammad Shamim- Revised by Mufti Taqi Usmani]

The States of the Soul and Being Patient

Chapter Eleven: The States of the Soul and Being Patient

Know, disciple, that the beginning of the path is patience, and it's end is thankfulness. Its beginning is difficulty, and its end is bliss. Its beginning is toil and weariness, and its end is opening, unveiling and arrival at the ultimate goal which is the gnosis of God, arrival to Him, being comforted by Him and standing in His noble Presence with His angels standing before Him. The one who makes gracious patience the foundation of all his affairs attains to every goodness, reaching everything he hopes for, and wins all that he seeks.

[Excerpt from Good Manners by Imam Abdallah ibn Alawi al-Haddad -Trans. Mostafa Al-Badawi]

Hikam #1

Chapter One

Ibn'Ata'Illah said (May God be well pleased with him):

One of the signs of relying on one's own deeds is the loss of hope when downfall occurs.

Commentary:
One should be detached towards one's actions, not attached to their positive or negative fruits. We must rely on Divinity, not on our own actions and deeds. According to one of the commentators, the person who relies on God suffers no diminution of hope when he falls into disobedience nor does his hope increase when he performs a virtuous deed.

[The Book of Wisdom, Ibn'Ata'Illah- Translation & Notes by Victor Danner]

Actions are by Intentions

The Prophet (May Peace and Blessings be upon him) said, "Actions are only by intentions, and a person receives only what he has intended. Therefore, whoever's emigration is for Allah and His Messenger, his emigration is [truly] for Allah and His Messenger. And whoever emigration is for any worldly gain or a woman to wed, then his emigration is for what he emigrated" (Bukhari and Muslim)

This hadith addresses one of the most important aspects of Islam- sincere intention in one's worship. The general meaning of the hadith is that a person should set aright his intention at the beginning of every action. The entitlement of reward for an action depends on a person's intention for performing that action. If an action is carried out with sincerity, it is rewarded by Allah, otherwise it is done in vain. Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal said that the fundamentals of Islam are based on three hadiths: this hadith, the hadith of Aisha (May Allah be well pleased with her), "Whoever innovates something reprehensive in this religion of ours which does not belong to it, it is rejected", and the hadith of Nu'man ibn Bashir (May Allah be well pleased with him) transmitted by Imam Muslim in his Sahih, 'The lawful is clear and the unlawful is clear...'

[Excerpt from Provisions of the Seekers©. Commentary by Abdur-Rahman Ibn Yusuf]