Physical Limitations, Spiritual Elevations

By Zartasha Zainab

The new moon has been seen, the month begins

The doors of hell have been shut, the devils in chains

The angels descend as I open my eyes

And sustain myself until the white thread of dawn in the sky

I intend to fast today in the month of Ramadan

The month in which was revealed the Qur’an

And now that I have my needs fulfilled

I fast to enlighten my spirit, a pillar on which Islam is built

Giving up food, drink, and sensual pleasures,

And seeking after the real treasure

And restraining evils so that my soul may be freed

Erasing arrogance, anger, gluttony and greed

Sorrow lust and envy, all devils’ marks

The shaitan’s whispers engrained in my heart

Reciting the word of Allah the final revelation

Enlightening my soul to reach spiritual elevation

It’s a physical fast, but a spiritual meaning

Those physically incapable can be rewarded if the indigent they are feeding

Prayer, contemplation, charity and love

Compassion and justice, strengthening our relationship with the one above

The rewards are doubled and I await layalatul Qadr

Better than a thousand months, rewarding than all other

Greatness of purpose and smallness of needs

Pleasing  Allah by our goodly deeds

Purifying my soul while from the devil I’m freed

A fruit to obtain, planting the right seed

And as sunset approaches I break my fast

Hoping it’s accepted as today’s breath may be my last

How great is Allah for the sustenance He gives

This sustenance from He who forever lives

And now I enjoy food, drink and sensual pleasures

But I know with my Lord lies all without measure

And when they ask me, what is this soul?

It is beyond neurons and atoms in my heart there’s a door

He breathed from His spirit and gave sight, hearing and hearts

And it finds rest, listening, obeying, and comprehending His words

Spiritual elevation is what I hope to obtain

Evils inside me I hope they are drained

And eating to live, not living to eat

Desires in check, is my purpose being fulfilled?

Pro Dealings

(found in fajr blog)

“Know that if you harm ten people, you will have enemies, even if they are your mothers and fathers, but if you do good to ten people who are not your relatives, they will become like mothers and fathers to you.

If you enter Basra and oppose its people, elevate yourself over them, vaunt your knowledge among them, and hold yourself aloof from their company, you will shun them and they will shun you; you will curse them and they will curse you; you will consider them misguided and they will think you misguided and an innovator. Ignominy will attach itself to you and us, and you will have to flee from them. This is not an option. It is not an intelligent person who is unsociable to the one who is unsociable until Allah shows him a way out.

When you go to Basra, the people will receive you, visit you and acknowledge your due, so put each person in his proper position. Honour the people of honour, esteem the people of knowledge and respect the shaykhs. Be kind to the young and draw near to the common people. Be courteous to the impious but keep the company of the good. Do not disregard the authorities or demean anyone. Do not fall short in your chivalry and do not disclose your secrets to anyone or trust them until you have tested them. Do not socialise with the base or the weak. Do not accustom yourself to what you disapprove of outwardly.

Beware of speaking freely with fools. You must have courtesy, patience, endurance, good character and forbearance. Renew your clothing regularly, have a good mount and use a lot of what is good. Offer your food to people: a miser never prevails. You should have as your confidants those you know to be the best of people.

When you discern corruption, you should immediately rectify it. When you discern righteousness, you should increase your attention to it.

Act on behalf of those who visit you and those who do not. Be good to those who are good to you and those who are bad to you. Adopt pardon and command the correct. Ignore what does not concern you. Leave all that will harm you. Hasten to establish people’s rights.

If any of your brethren is ill, visit him yourself and send your messengers. Inquire after those who are absent. If any of them holds back from you do not hold back from him.

Show affection to people as much as possible and greet even blameworthy people. When you meet others in a gathering or join them in a mosque and questions are discussed in a way different to your position, do not rush to disagree. If you are asked, tell the people what you know and then say, “There is another position on it which is such-and-such, and the evidence is such-and-such.” If they listen to you, they will recognise your worth and the worth of what you have. If they ask, “Whose position is that?” reply, “One of the fuqahā”.

Give everyone who frequents you some of the knowledge they are expecting. Be friendly with them and joke with them sometimes and chat with them. Love encourages people to persevere in knowledge. Feed them sometimes and fulfil their needs. Acknowledge their worth and overlook their faults. Be kind to them and tolerant of them. Do not show them annoyance or vexation. Be like one of them. Do not burden people with what they cannot do.”

By Imtiyaz Damiel

Rebellion

A little child knows not, the dangers of the playground in the dark

And you see the stars shining but the fire that has caused them to spark

As their shining in the sky and an angry man throws on it sand

wishing he could be the shining star so he throws with his hand

but the sand falls back to him and the star continues to shine

that is the example of the man that acts blind

And that is the difference between hating and climbing the ladder

A hater knows not the responsibilities of the shiner

A hater is the man that just throws up the sand

But back at his face is where the sand is going to land

And there is a difference between getting a position

And a criminal versus a civil citizen there is a clean division

Difference between a theif and the one that earns his prize

Nothing special about a theif or a lie

A follower knows not the responsiblities of the leader

He wishes to become or be in the position of the leader

Or a rebel that gathers his following based on a persons wrong

But does not look within him and that will not make him any more strong

Because climbing up that ladder was not an easy task

The one that gets up there doesn't hide in a mask

The one that gets there stays true to his word

The one that teaches gets up there with love

And flies upto the sky like a glowing shining dove

Rights and responsiblities come in a combo

Just like the little child cant be responsible

And cannot understand the dangers of the playground in the dark

And cannot have the right to play or go very far

You are where you are because thats where you can be

If you wanted to get higher than know there is more responsibility

IF you think you have enough challenges in you life right now

Than I better not see a new hater frown

First learn to endure what is in your own life with patience

Than Allah will begin for you your next stage up! Your next mission

by zartasha

Everything Happens for a Reason

part of Al- Kahf)

(66) Moses said to him: "May I follow thee, on the footing that thou teach me something of the (Higher) Truth which thou hast been taught?" قالَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَستَطيعَ مَعِىَ صَبرًا ﴿٦٧﴾

(67) (The other) said: "Verily thou wilt not be able to have patience with me!" وَكَيفَ تَصبِرُ عَلىٰ ما لَم تُحِط بِهِ خُبرًا ﴿٦٨﴾

(68) "And how canst thou have patience about things about which thy understanding is not complete?" قالَ سَتَجِدُنى إِن شاءَ اللَّهُ صابِرًا وَلا أَعصى لَكَ أَمرًا ﴿٦٩﴾

(69) Moses said: "Thou wilt find me, if Allah so will, (truly) patient: nor shall I disobey thee in aught." قالَ فَإِنِ اتَّبَعتَنى فَلا تَسـَٔلنى عَن شَيءٍ حَتّىٰ أُحدِثَ لَكَ مِنهُ ذِكرًا ﴿٧٠﴾

(70) The other said: "If then thou wouldst follow me, ask me no questions about anything until I myself speak to thee concerning it." فَانطَلَقا حَتّىٰ إِذا رَكِبا فِى السَّفينَةِ خَرَقَها ۖ قالَ أَخَرَقتَها لِتُغرِقَ أَهلَها لَقَد جِئتَ شَيـًٔا إِمرًا ﴿٧١﴾

(71) So they both proceeded: until, when they were in the boat, he scuttled it. Said Moses: "Hast thou scuttled it in order to drown those in it? Truly a strange thing hast thou done!" قالَ أَلَم أَقُل إِنَّكَ لَن تَستَطيعَ مَعِىَ صَبرًا ﴿٧٢﴾

(72) He answered: "Did I not tell thee that thou canst have no patience with me?" قالَ لا تُؤاخِذنى بِما نَسيتُ وَلا تُرهِقنى مِن أَمرى عُسرًا ﴿٧٣﴾

(73) Moses said: "Rebuke me not for forgetting, nor grieve me by raising difficulties in my case." فَانطَلَقا حَتّىٰ إِذا لَقِيا غُلٰمًا فَقَتَلَهُ قالَ أَقَتَلتَ نَفسًا زَكِيَّةً بِغَيرِ نَفسٍ لَقَد جِئتَ شَيـًٔا نُكرًا ﴿٧٤﴾

(74) Then they proceeded: until, when they met a young man, he slew him. Moses said: "Hast thou slain an innocent person who had slain none? Truly a foul (unheard of) thing hast thou done!" قالَ أَلَم أَقُل لَكَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَستَطيعَ مَعِىَ صَبرًا ﴿٧٥﴾

(75) He answered: "Did I not tell thee that thou canst have no patience with me?" قالَ إِن سَأَلتُكَ عَن شَيءٍ بَعدَها فَلا تُصٰحِبنى ۖ قَد بَلَغتَ مِن لَدُنّى عُذرًا ﴿٧٦﴾

(76) (Moses) said: "If ever I ask thee about anything after this, keep me not in thy company: then wouldst thou have received (full) excuse from my side." فَانطَلَقا حَتّىٰ إِذا أَتَيا أَهلَ قَريَةٍ استَطعَما أَهلَها فَأَبَوا أَن يُضَيِّفوهُما فَوَجَدا فيها جِدارًا يُريدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ فَأَقامَهُ ۖ قالَ لَو شِئتَ لَتَّخَذتَ عَلَيهِ أَجرًا ﴿٧٧﴾

(77) Then they proceeded: until, when they came to the inhabitants of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused them hospitality. They found there a wall on the point of falling down, but he set it up straight. (Moses) said: "If thou hadst wished, surely thou couldst have exacted some recompense for it!" قالَ هٰذا فِراقُ بَينى وَبَينِكَ ۚ سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأويلِ ما لَم تَستَطِع عَلَيهِ صَبرًا ﴿٧٨﴾

(78) He answered: "This is the parting between me and thee: now will I tell thee the interpretation of (those things) over which thou wast unable to hold patience. أَمَّا السَّفينَةُ فَكانَت لِمَسٰكينَ يَعمَلونَ فِى البَحرِ فَأَرَدتُ أَن أَعيبَها وَكانَ وَراءَهُم مَلِكٌ يَأخُذُ كُلَّ سَفينَةٍ غَصبًا ﴿٧٩﴾

(79) "As for the boat, it belonged to certain men in dire want: they plied on the water: I but wished to render it unserviceable, for there was after them a certain king who seized on every boat by force. وَأَمَّا الغُلٰمُ فَكانَ أَبَواهُ مُؤمِنَينِ فَخَشينا أَن يُرهِقَهُما طُغيٰنًا وَكُفرًا ﴿٨٠﴾

(80) "As for the youth, his parents were people of Faith, and we feared that he would grieve them by obstinate rebellion and ingratitude (to Allah and man). فَأَرَدنا أَن يُبدِلَهُما رَبُّهُما خَيرًا مِنهُ زَكوٰةً وَأَقرَبَ رُحمًا ﴿٨١﴾

(81) "So we desired that their Lord would give them in exchange (a son) better in purity (of conduct) and closer in affection. وَأَمَّا الجِدارُ فَكانَ لِغُلٰمَينِ يَتيمَينِ فِى المَدينَةِ وَكانَ تَحتَهُ كَنزٌ لَهُما وَكانَ أَبوهُما صٰلِحًا فَأَرادَ رَبُّكَ أَن يَبلُغا أَشُدَّهُما وَيَستَخرِجا كَنزَهُما رَحمَةً مِن رَبِّكَ ۚ وَما فَعَلتُهُ عَن أَمرى ۚ ذٰلِكَ تَأويلُ ما لَم تَسطِع عَلَيهِ صَبرًا ﴿٨٢﴾

(82) "As for the wall, it belonged to two youths, orphans, in the Town; there was, beneath it, a buried treasure, to which they were entitled: their father had been a righteous man: So thy Lord desired that they should attain their age of full strength and get out their treasure - a mercy (and favour) from thy Lord. I did it not of my own accord. Such is the interpretation of (those things) over which thou wast unable to hold patience." وَيَسـَٔلونَكَ عَن ذِى القَرنَينِ ۖ قُل سَأَتلوا عَلَيكُم مِنهُ ذِكرًا ﴿٨٣﴾

(83) They ask thee concerning Zul-qarnain. Say, "I will rehearse to you something of his story

Quest to the Straight Path

(published in 2010)

http://issuu.com/tmvmag/docs/tmvmagazine2010

Picture yourself on a lighted road in the dark woods that leads straight from your difficult day at work and directly towards your home filled with security and peace where all your loved ones reside. You are driving while your GPS is guiding you on where to turn and how to get where you need to get. Except for this straight path, all the rest of the ways are filled with the darkness of the woods with paths leading to destinations away from your home. On each of these paths, there are things that tempt you to stop, to come there way, and lead you astray and are filled with all kind of evil. However, you have to stay firm and direct your love, efforts, attention towards reaching the safety of your home, your final destination point.  

In Islam, when we think about the straight path, sirat al mustaqeen which we recite in Al Fatiha, we are asking for something of this nature, to guide us to this straight path, the path upon which is the grace of Allah and not a path which earns Allah’s wrath. This is part of the verse that opens the Qur’an before leading to the many different stories about the kinds of people that went astray, and we recite Al Fatiha at the beginning of every prayer no matter what sect a person belongs to, all of us are seeking to walk on the same path, the straight path that will lead us towards Allah (swt).

To find this straight path, the GPS which is like our guide that will lead you home, is the Quran, and your destination point is Allah (swt). The path is lighted and it is clear and open. Iblis (satan) and his followers try to divert us from going to this straight path. The Quran mentions that there are seven gates of hell in the following verses; “Allah says  ‘This way of my sincere servants is indeed a way that leads straight to Me. For over My servants no authority shalt thou have, except such as put themselves in the wrong and follow thee. And verily, Hell is the promised abode for them all. To it are seven gates: for each of those gates is a special class of sinners assigned.” (Al Hijr; 41-44).  To understand what these satans are inviting us towards to follow them, we need to understand what the major sins are, and what the straight path is. Righteous deeds would be things like establishing the five daily prayers, respecting your parents, giving in charity, being good to neighbours, helping the needy and keeping a peaceful and clean environment around you where you constantly learn and recite the Qur’an. What the satans are inviting us towards may be things such as associating partners with Allah (swt), worshipping idols and false gods, evil within us such as pride, anger, depression, lust, envy, greed or gluttony that cause us to spread evil in the world while being in a state where what is wrong seems fair seeming to us. Consider when a person is extremely angry, they think it is okay to yell at someone, throw things around and sometimes even cause murder. Similarly when we enter an evil state the wrong seems fair seeming to us. These things divert us from the straight lighted path and into a different dark path in the woods. Consider, when doing something of the nature, are you doing it for Allah (swt)? Than how can it lead you closer towards him when your purpose and destination is no longer Allah?

While we are on this straight path the key thing we need to always remember is that when we strive, do deeds or work hard towards a goal, are we doing it for Allah (swt)? Or are we doing it for a worldy benefit. For example, is what we are doing to honor the family we are in, to follow our parents ways or are we doing it because we feel it is the right thing to do that Allah (swt) has commanded.  The good deeds that we are doing, are they to please and impress others so that they can accept us? Or, are they for Allah (swt). Are we doing good such as providing people with healthcare benefits because we are trying to help people for the sake of Allah (swt)or  are we doing it for wealth? Keeping clean and clear intentions while in prayer, while in school, while around a group of people, while preaching or discussing religion are all very important because in the end these are the things that are going to get you where you need to go and keep a clear direction and strong purpose to reach towards Allah (swt).

The Quran, finally, is our guide and it is not a weapon for us to use towards other people. It is not a political game to reach power, it is our guide. There are many examples of prophets, civilizations, individuals in the Qur’an and the examples of those people surround us today on every direction and even though there are wrong things happening around us, a lot of the time these are examples for us on what not to become. Similarly, there are righteous practicing Muslims that surround us and these are examples of what kind of people we need to become. The reality is that we need to strive within, find the best examples around us that follow most of the teachings, learn from the example of our prophet (pbuh) and strive to become like them. Out of mercy we can tell the people around us if they are doing something that is going to lead them to hell or are wrongdoing but only with the knowledge that they are going to listen to our advice or if we have guardianship over them, or a group of individuals striving towards the same goals to learn to correctly practice Islam. However, in the end it is ourselves we are constantly trying to improve. Islam was inspired, and not enforced and it is not right to enforce it on anyone because their intention is fear and not Allah (swt) and Islam is not a religion that can be successful through enforcing and so we must focus on ourselves and keep our own intentions clear. We shouldn’t be using the Quran as a weapon to prove why a person, or a sect is incorrect or look down upon anyone but we should study the Quran, and follow it to the best of our ability one step at a time because in the end, it is the firm belief in Allah, the five daily prayers, giving zakat, respecting parents, neighbours, helping the needy, giving in charity and protecting your chastity and purity that are going to guide a person towards their destination.

Just to name a few benefits of being a believer, A person that prays five times a day will be clean, organized, punctual with a clean. They will be giving, caring, honest and fair. Their face will be calm and they will have a kind loving and modest nature. Just a prayer follows many characteristics but at the same time we need to recognize that we are all striving and are not perfect but the practice of Islam changes a person’s life one step at a time.  

Once we begin to use the Qur’an as a guide, practice the fundamental principles of islam, avoid the sins and keep our intention clear of what our destination needs to be, than we will be guided to the straight path. I am not going to say that the straight way is easy because the further you go on the straight path, the greater the diversions to lead us astray to another destination, but still, we have to strive towards the right goal to fulfill the purpose of our life.