THE SPRING OF BLISS & THE HAPPY, JOYOUS STATE - the Maulidur Rasul and why we need not fear...

Beguiled by beauty? Fear not, for your Prophet is beauty personified! 

46. The Turban and the Nightingales

There are folds in the Prophet’s turban

Like unto petals of a fragrant rose

Before any nightingale sang in heaven

Muhammad was Allah’s first prose.

...........................

This evening marks the 12th day of Rabi' al-Awwal, coinciding in the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (saws). It also coincides in a flu-fever for the sinner. But I cannot permit this day to end without something for the Almanac, and I have taken the judicious solution of digging from my stash of old prose about our beloved Prophet (saws). Three of which is reanimated here... I hope you like them all.

207. The Waiting II

Muhammad is waiting under the Lote Tree,

Sitting under the shade of My Mercy,

Resting his back on the trunk of My Support,

Tasting the fruits of My Generosity,

Taking delight in the manifestation of My Beauty.

Attended to by the Best of Hosts,

He is already in the Best of Company,

Yet his gaze returns to thee,

Asking, “Join me! Join me!”

........................

Doggone day? Fear not, for your Prophet is calling you out of the storm!

18. Love and Servanthood

Nothing is taught here,

But the Art of Love;

How to love,

And how to be loved.

Nothing is taught here,

But the Art of Servanthood;

How to serve,

And how to be served.

From perfect love comes perfect servanthood,

And from perfect servanthood comes perfect love.

From the perfection of both characters,

Comes the perfection that He looks for,

And that only He may Bestow.

Allah!

By any other name, such perfection is he, Muhammad,

Best of Creation,

The Chosen Intercessor,

Lover and Servant,

Most Beloved of God.

Allah!

What happy, joyous state is he!

.......................................

Salam Maulidur Rasul, sunshine. May we all enter the Divine Presence and the Happy Joyous State that is with Muhammad Sayyidina Aynun Na'im (The Spring of Bliss) (saws), Prophet of Allah Almighty and Mercy to all the Worlds.

Blinded by the world? Fear not, for your Prophet is bringing you the Light of Knowledge!

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way 

5 PROSE TO MUHAMMAD, SAYYIDINA SA'DULLAH (S.A.W.S), THE JOY OF ALLAH! - The Ramadan Story, Part 20

1. Despair

Tell despair that I shan't drink the wine from its cellar,

For I am happy with what God has bestowed,

............

Because we only despair when we are dissatisfied. So be happy!

2. Doubt

Tell the troll of doubt that it shan't grab me from under its bridge,

For my God has given me wings to fly high in the sky,

............

Because you need a pair of them, the wing of ilm (knowledge) and the wing of adab (good manners) to fly. And as a bonus, an ancient friend just shared with me that a lot of salawat (greetings of peace and invocations of praise for Muhammad s.a.w.s.) will bring a nice breeze to help you in your flight to Hu knows where! Rejoice!

3. Hubris 

Tell the minions of hubris that they will not confound me again,

For I have seen the errors of my ways, in the past, 

In the present

And in the future,

............'

Because hubris comes from certainty. And awareness of our mistakes reminds us that certainty is only with God, not us. Be a mureed (follower/student) always!

4. Usury

Tell the warlocks of usury in their towers of greed

That I see through their deceit,

For my God has forbidden to us usury,

............

Because one of the worse apparent blackmagic is the sorcery of usury. And God Almighty and His Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has declared war on usury. Join the winning team!

5. Deceit

Tell the spin-witches of public relations that I will not be distracted,

For there is no brand, no name, no glamour I desire more

Than the presence of God and His pleasure! 

............

Because Allah (s.w.t.) is utterly wonderful beyond words, and His Pleasure is none other than the Prophet Muhammad, Sayyidina Sa'dullah (The Joy of Allah). So be joyful with the most joyful of all mankind! The most joyful of all Creation!

May you have a wonderful (and divinely joyous) last day of Ramadan the Blessed, sunshine.

This read, is a Joyful Book.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

IGNORANCE IS BAD, BUT AWARENESS OF IGNORANCE IS SOMETHING ELSE - The Ramadan Story, Part 11

Pleasing to Thee

Make me pleasing to Thee,

Make my thoughts inviting to Thee,

Make my words speak of Thee,

Awake, asleep or drifting in a dream!

Make me pleasing to Thee,

Make my gestures thoughtful of Thee,

Make my longing only for Thee,

Make me regret each moment

I am away from Thee! 

Make me pleasing to Thee,

Make my heart Thy abode,

Make my eyes Thy lantern,

Make me Thy grateful servant!

Make me pleasing to Thee,

Make my smiles Thy laughter,

Make my solitude Thy intimacy

And a secret consummation

My tears, the river

Streaming through the heaven

Of Thy Divine Presence!

...........................

Love. When people read love prose, they assume that the poet is 'there', and they say, "Oh, how I wish I am there too."

Ignorance is bad. But Awareness of Ignorance is Something Else. But true love is neither here nor there. It is not confined to time or space. And that is why the very best lovers of this world love the Infinite and Beyond the Infinite. They are loved and fall in love with Knowledge and what is beyond Knowledge. It would be madness for our reason had not Allah (s.w.t.) assure us that beyond understanding is Adab (good manners and courtesy). Adab for the Guider and the guided. Adab for the Best Guide, who is none other than Muhammad Sayyidina Alamul Huda s.a.w.s. (Flag of Guidance) and for his beloved Nation, those who are forever seeking his guidance. But this 'forever seeking' also means a certain degree of ignorance. After all, if you know what you are doing, where is the faith in that? Where is the love? What would you seek?

The Knowledge of Ignorance. This is the knowledge of one's ignorance, and an important step towards abasing our ego and hubris of 'knowing stuff' and 'knowing it all'. In truth, we hardly even know 'knowing' at all. Such is our dire state and need for Allah (s.w.t.) and His Habibullah (s.a.w.s.).

Half-Life at 43. We do not want to die. But we do not want to live a half-life. A life bereft of God Almighty and His Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.). And as I countdown my 43rd year today, I hope to let go and let God in. Pray for me, sunshine? For by God, I am in need of your kind thoughts and wishes always...

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

THE REMOVER OF WORRIES - Muhammad, Sayyidina Kashiful Kurab... and a bit of something about nothingness and Angel Archers...

Angel Archer

Sometimes I want less of something,

Sometimes I want less of less,

Sometimes I need less of nothing,

So sometimes I simply wait and see

And take whatever the Angel brings.

Be it a pot of gold,

A sliver of silver,

A ghost of a fright,

Or an arrow of light,

As sharp as a bee sting.

........................

I can understand what less of something means. But less of less? Does that mean more of something? After all, more of less means lesser (I guess...). And what about less of nothing? Does that mean we want more of something or more of nothing? My friend, Moses, would accuse me of purposely obfuscating what I mean. 

But sometimes I am not sure what I mean. Some days are like that, don't you agree?

Anyways, it is Sabbath, sunshine. So I will not tire you with my confusion. Today I hope to rest, just like you. And to recall my Master and Prophet, Muhammad Habibullah (Beloved of God). And all my care and worry, I pass upon his magnificent mercy, flowing from the Mercy Ocean of Allah (s.w.t.)... Thus, I am adrift, floating like a leaf in the stream of...

Muhammad, Sayyidina Kashiful Kurab (The Remover of Worries) (s.a.w.s.)

Have a perfectly fine Sabbath, sunshine.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

THE KEY TO THE GARDEN - Muhammad Sayyidina Miftahul Jannat (saws) and His blessed Nation

You may find Beauty in the Garden,

You may find Mercy in the Garden,

You may find Compassion in the Garden,

You may find Light in the Garden,

You may find Truth in the Garden,

You may find Love in the Garden,

And you may find yourself in the Garden,

So seek the One who has the Key to the Garden,

Seek the One who is the Key,

There is no mystery,

It is Him that you speak of...

Muhammad Mustafa, Sayyidina Miftahul Jannat!

..............................................

What is Dalail-i Hayrat? Or to give its complete name... 

Dalail-i Hayrat 

wa Shawarqi'l Anwar fi Zikris Salat ala Nabiyil-Mukhtahar

It is a book written by Shaykh Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Suleiman Abu Bakar al-Jazuli al-Simlali, containing prose and verse of praise for the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s). Therefore, the title is translated thus - 

Guide of Good Deeds 

and the Brilliant Burst of Light in the Remembrance of Blessing on the Chosen Prophet.

It is a wonderful little book. For all those times when a Muslim is at lost of words to describe his (or her) love for the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s), this little guide nurtures this love and introduces them to the bewildering names and titles of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.). So much so, that you will find yourself pausing and smiling... thinking happily over one of his titles, "Yea... I did imagine the Prophet that way..."

Click Here to a PDF copy of this wonderful book by Shaykh Jazuli. Courtesy of the Naksibendi...

And do you know what is the amazing thing..? I do believe that the Dalail-i Hayrat is still be written. As the devoted lovers and followers of Muhammad (saws) continue in their study and understanding of his prophetic station, which is rising with each moment passing in creation, there are more wonderous names to discover, more wonderous titles to remember him by, this person whom God Himself calls Habibullah (Beloved of God).

Have a wonderful day, sunshine.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

THE FLAG OF GUIDANCE, THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE JOY OF GOD - three names of the Prophet (s.a.w.s) and the little matter of the jihad

The Kalimah of Jihad

There is no G but G, and M is the M of G.

There is no jihad but G-Heart,

And in this venture, there is no messenger better.

.................................

G-HEART. What is jihad? Jihad is about bringing God into your heart, which directly brings goodness into the world. It is about translating our humble life to magnify the Greatness of Allah (s.w.t.), to suppress our ego and nafs (base animal desires) and raise the Flag of Guidance in our heart, who is none other than that 'M'... Muhammad Prophet of God (s.a.w.s).

Guide us, ya Sayyidina Alamul Huda (s.a.w.s.)!

GEE-HEART. And if you are a Christian? What is Jihad for you? It is not the crusade of ancient times, nor the poor facsimile of the crusades now. It is to stop saying 'Gee Whiz!" or 'Golly Gee!" but to instead resonate the Gee (G) of Jesus Christ in your heart. And for this, there is no wiser arbiter than the Holy Spirit, who is none other than Muhammad Prophet of God(s.a.w.s).

Guide us, ya Sayyidina Ruhul Quds (s.a.w.s.)!

JOYFUL HEART. Banish the pain and sorrow of your life thrown up in the pursuit of being something, when nothing is much simpler. Hold the bridle tightly on the donkey (ego) and say, "Go straight! Let us ride upon the Path of Haqq (Truth). O' my ego, you tell me to turn here and there, to turn left and be distracted by this world, to turn right and be overcome by my sensual desires, you promise me that by following your nature, I will find joy, but you are deceitful, for what is joy if it is not the Joy of Allah, who is none other than Muhammad Prophet of God (s.a.w.s.)? Come, on our way now, the Prophet beckons!"

Guide us, ya Sayyidina Sa'dullah (s.a.w.s.)!

Lovely. Have a beautiful Sunday, sunshine.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way 

He Watches Over Those Who Are On His Path

Dervish Pen

This morning I woke up

And found a dervish who

Drew himself from the ink

Of my pen.

"Help me, o' Lord...

Help me, o' Lord..."

He said, while clutching his breast.

................................

Salam Jumaat the Blessed, my friends. However you seek the Lord's succour and mercy, you will find Him the Listener and the Gatherer of those who is asking for Him. Lay your weariness at the Door of His Help, cast your love-yearning spirit at the Cradle of His Ministration, turn away from this world's distraction and perceive this world in its true nature as a reflection in the Mirror of God.

Assuredly that is the best path to seek Him. And assuredly the path-maker, the one who tends to the path's straightness, the one who watches over those who tread his path, is none other than God's Own Path-Maker - the Seal of the Messengers and Prophets, Muhammad ibn Abdullah (s.a.w.s.).

ya Muhammad, Sayyidina Siratullah s.a.w.s.!

(Path of Allah)

ya Muhammad, Sayyidina Harisun Alaykum s.a.w.s.!

(Watchful Over You)

So fret not while on the path, sunshine. Keep your eyes straight on the object of your journey, even though you may stray a little. Have faith that He is watching over you... 

After all, it is His path that you are on! 

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

Distant Cathay and Nourishing your Soul - about knowledge, stars, and introducing Aaron the Dog.

There is often a cat and a dog in my sketches. The cat's name is Moses. So I find
it strange that only after the longest time that the name of the dog is apparent.
Of course, it has to be Aaron. He he he.

The Prophet (May Allah raise his station, increase his peace and contentment!) has famously admonished his followers to search for knowledge, be it to distant Cathay. With our space telescope floating precariously some 559 kilometres above our heads, our sights are trained much further than China. Far into the distant galaxies, our astronomers are gazing into the depth of space, and into the deepness of time, as star lights originating millions of years ago are observed and captured for the very first time in beautiful pictures by the Hubble telescope...

The Veil Nebula. 

The Orion Nebula

The Spiral Galaxy M74. Amazing photos from the official website, you can go there by
clicking here The Hubble Site.

God is challenging us. With flirtatious glimpses behind the veil, which may only be an echo of an echo of His Beauty, so we, like Majnun, would go mad in love. But God is also the instructing God, the Guiding One. And He cautions us to remain sober, and to obey those who have authority over us, and to love and care for those who we have authority over. Like our pets. That is the perfect adab (good manners) of a seeker.

So, search for knowledge and discover the world, and discover your God. Set your gaze further than Cathay, and even further than the furthest galaxies that can be observed by the Hubble telescope. But please, in your quest for knowledge, don't forget to feed your dog. Or cat. Or budgerigar.

And before I forget, in the name of The Piercing Star, Sayyidina An Najmus Saqib (s.a.w.s.), please don't neglect to feed your soul. For above all, your soul is in need of nourishment. Even more so than your pets.

Have a beautiful sabbath, sunshine.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way