GOD'S DZIKR (REMEMBRANCE) OF YOU ... in a moment split into infinite moments

God's Dzikr (Remembrance)

I am such an irritant,

But God is listening,

I complain and complain and complain,

But God is listening,

I am such a sinner,

But God is forgiving,

I am lost to myself,

Lost to the crowd,

Lost to the world,

But God is listening,

He does, all the time.

Even when I am forgetting,

God... He is remembering...

Remembering me in a beautiful place,

Remembering me in the best of ways,

Oh how they measure their remembrances of Him!

When His remembrance of us is more constant,

More infinite, more subtle and more certain

Moment after moment after blessed moment!

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

If we forget Him, nothing happens to God. We cannot touch His Omnipotence and Greatness which is greater than the greatest analogy our feeble mind can bring.

If we forget to praise Him, God is not dishonoured. His Glory is outside this reality and is furnished and burnished by something beyond our mortal inkling. 

If we forget to be grateful, God does not stop giving. He is beyond our petty need for gratitude and praise. How else do the ingrates sometimes live in large houses and the grateful dervish is destined for the gutter?

But if God forgets us? If God grows weary of us... tired of our constant forwards and backwards. Fed-up with our hypocrisy, lies and corruption? 

If God neglects even for a nano-second of His remembrance of us... where would we be? Certainly we would presently stop existing. But what past would we have? Would we be erased even before we were created? No history of me. Not even to mourn over my unfortunate story?

How sad.

But for the sake of the Prophet Muhammad(saws)...

Thankfully, God is God. Unlike any other, He is Most Compassionate. 
Unlike any other, He is Most Merciful. 
Only that reason merits why this sinner continues to exist. 
Continues to trouble your heart with these words.

But perhaps, I hope what is written here will give you 
Some solace, and some comfort. 
An assurance that when God says 
He is Unique and Most Forgiving of His creation... 
He is merely sharing the Truth of Himself with you...

Don't you agree, sunshine?

wa min Allah at-taufiq

-Notrumi Embun, 13th June 2014

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

WHEN A STORY BECOMES YOUR HISTORY... how belief transmutes a mere tale into your own personal past

They Found Me
I found them that night,

Nightingales without wings,

Oh how they sang for their king!

I found them that night,

Weaving love in the night air

With their enchanted words!

I found them that night,

Swaying to and fro in a conference of birds,

Swaying to and fro, all perched in many rows,

I found them that night,

Me, the beggarly crow,

An unfit, uninvited shadow in the assembly,

Or so my reason did quell me,

Until came this ancient whisper,

Assuring the broken sinner,

“You did not find us,

We found you,

Tired and torn

Weary and worn,

We found you unspoken for,

So we said unto the Prophet…

We will take him.

This was the trade we made,

Long, long, ago…

This was the oath we took from you,

Long, long ago…

This was the love promised,

Long, long ago…

As the nightingales sang and dance,

Whirling and swaying to and fro..."

These words were spoken long, long ago
How I wish I could remember...

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

When you think about it (and why not?), your past antecedents and your personal history make who you are now. The things you have done (or not done), the words you have spoken (or omitted to speak) in your past, these direct personal experiences have all conditioned your attitude towards God, mankind and the world. But there is also another contributor to your personality... 

Your belief.

In the Sufi school whose zawiya resides not far from my home, is the belief that its mureeds (pupils) were all chosen in some distant event before time began. In that story, all the Saints and Masters of the different tarikats (Sufi schools) were  invited by the Prophet Muhammad (saws) to lay claim upon their (future) mureeds. But from the multitude, some souls were left behind. A Saint and Master  (and in whose name the Sufi order takes after) stepped up, and basically said... "I will take these souls left behind. As none will take them, I shall."

I reckon that my friends who often frequents the zawiya, not only knows this story - rather they actually believe the story. And once you believe such a tale, it no longer remains merely a story. It becomes your own history. And the grace and gratitude, the humility and generosity that such history inspires would benefit your present thoughts, words and action. How fortunate are such people!

So let your own good stories become your history and illuminate your life. 

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

INFINITY IS JUST ONE MOMENT - the words of the Prophet (saws) comes tumbling through time for us

Momentarily, please...

What is a moment?

When does a moment begin and when does it end?

Between two breaths?

Between the draw of a bowstring and the release of an arrow?

Between your birth and your death and what follows?

How many todays are left for us, o' Saad?

And how many tomorrows?

How far shall your arrow fly?

And wherefore shall your soul go?

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

The Oxford Dictionary (which I here summarize) says that a 'moment' means a very brief period of time or a particular or exact point in time or course of event. 

But for God Almighty, time itself is a point of creation. And though we are forced to live our daily life from the crib to the grave in periodically significant moments such as days and nights, births and deaths, work and rest, sleep and play... to God, all these occasions, which may be broken into countless and infinitesimally small apportionment of time, can all count to be one single moment for Him. After all, from the point of creation to the end of whatever end may be, it is in a single glance of God's divine vision... simply because the created can never, even clothed in that barely imaginable idea of infinity, encompass the Creator Himself. 

So like all things manifested by Our Loving God, even infinity is an instrument for human conjecture and reflection. 

Err... I appear to have wandered off topic. Alright, the prose above is actually referencing a hadith (verbal sayings of the Prophet Muhammad saws) - for one day, while walking with his four illustrious Companions, Abu Bakar, Umar, Usman and Ali, the Prophet (saws) came upon his uncle, Saad ibn Abi Waqqas, who was his mother's cousin. Famous for being one of the earliest Muslims, and a courageous and skillful archer, Saad was practising his archery skills when  the Prophet (saws) came by. Looking on, the Prophet (saws) encouragingly said to him, "O' Saad, shoot an arrow for me...".  

And so it is for you, sunshine. Whatever good deed or work you may be doing, however humble. Planting a sapling, cooking a pot roast, cleaning your room, reading a book, embracing your mother, honing your archery skills, or going for a walk... do you not hear our Master? Do it for me... do it in my name... do it on my behalf... do it for my pleasure... in all our prayer, pleasure, pastime or passion.

The words of encouragement from the heart of Muhammad Habibullah (saws) comes to us, passing through the vast expanse of time and space as if it were all just one moment in the Vision of Allah (swt) the All-Knowing, the All-seeing! Because the truth is, it really is.

So let us strive to a beautiful and purposeful life, sunshine. Not for my sake, and nor even yours. But for his sake, for the sake the Light of Creation, Sayyidina Miftahul Jannat (Key to the Garden), our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saws).

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

BREAKING FAST WITH CELESTIAL THOUGHTS - The Ramadan Story, Part 15

Time & the Heart

A second ago is not just one second long,

It can be as long as eternity

And shorter than even one second.

And a thousand years ago is not just one thousand years long,

For that too can be as long as eternity

And much, much shorter than one thousand years.

Such is the vast expanse of a believing heart,

Whose expansion and contraction cannot

Be counted or measured

By physical limits.

And alas, such is also the smallness of a heart

Constrained by hate, bigotry

And hubris,

Deceived by the pettiness of its piety

Or completeness of its knowledge.

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

How strange the month of Ramadan can be. For it pulls, stretches and manipulates the normal order of nature, the proper sequence of events, of cause and consequence, and of time itself.

Still many hours to go. Perhaps it is the hunger or thirst that makes the day long. The constant inquiring glance at the clock. Oh, no! Six more hours to go. Then again. Oh no! Still five hours and fifty-five minutes to go before iftar!(the breaking of the fast at sunset and upon the call of the Muezzin for the Maghrib prayers) For a smoker, this wait is often interesting (and always challenging). Even in the last 10 days of this fasting month. He he he.

Praying while fasting. For those pious Muslims, I think the best part of Ramadan is their prayers during fasting. How beautiful and melancholic it must be, to be praying in the state of fasting, their bodies and all their senses suddenly focused in the magical moment, on that intimate occasion and sweet transaction, between the created and the Creator, between the one of many and the Absolute One (Ahad). Each recitation, each posture and gesture that he (or she) makes, in perfect union with the Universe, prostrating before the Unimaginable Beauty of Allah (s.w.t.), before His Unrivaled Mercy, before His Infinite ways by which He shows His Love for all His creatures... How I envy them.

Celestial thoughts. I like to break fast alone sometimes. I am not being antisocial or that I dislike company. It is just sometimes, when I am sitting alone, taking that first sip of water and first crust of bread, I feel like I am breaking fast with celestial thoughts. How gentle is that moment and how reassuring for a sinner like me. It is as if, God is saying, "Who will keep him company? Surely he shall not break his fast alone."

I am not a good person. I wish I was. I only hope that God shall continue to show me the way to commemorate Him better, serve Him better and thank Him better!

For you see, there is still much room for improvement. 

Have a lovely day, sunshine.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

HE HU NEVER LETS US SINNERS DOWN - The Ramadan Story, Part 12

Uh oh. That's a lot of candles!

Numbers. Numbers are important. Especially to God, for it is through bearing witness to His Absolute Oneness and Utter Uniqueness (which is even beyond our bare estimation of what is common and what is unique), that makes you a believer in Him, in our One God. What makes you on the way to be a Muslim (for it is of course a journey), is to bear witness that Muhammad bin Abdullah (s.a.w.s.), is His Messenger.  

Clingy. Numbers are important to me too. Especially yesterday, when I crossed the threshold of 42 into the brand new me of 43 years old. I don't know why, but since hitting 40 I feel like time is accelerating, and I am being flung across the time-space continuum when I am still barely getting over not being a 30-something. Dismayed by the ever increasing numbers of candles on my birthday cake, I am becoming more and more attached to the number One, a.k.a. Allah (s.w.t.), the Most Loving, Most Assuring One. Perhaps not just attached... perhaps even clingy... Oh God! Don't leave me to these distracting and confusing numbers! 

Clingy. You get this way with age. He he he.

One. But numbers can also be good fun (and a good read). For instance, do you know that the number of words that make up The Hobbit bestseller by J.R.R. Tolkien? It is 95,694 words according to Wiki.Answers.Com. And from this same source, I also found out that the number of pages of The Hobbit depends on what edition you have, but they tend to be somewhere in the range of 270 to 330 pages. The reason why I am sharing with you this oh-so-interesting information (wait, wait, don't fall asleep yet!) is because last night Heche gave me my birthday present. It was the entire book printed on a single poster. For a Lord of the Rings acolyte, this is considered Tolkien-nirvana.

You can't read it from this small jpeg, but it's all there... the entire book. The poster is jusr
below 4 feet tall and more than 2 feet wide I reckon. When framed it must be mounted
on a wall in a library. And just when I was thinking of ending my tenancy at the Hermitage in
the Sky, Heche gives me a reason to stay on. There is a library, you see, in the Hermitage.

One But Any Number and Beyond Infinity. We had my (second) birthday dinner at my neighbourhood Mamak (Indian-Muslim) restaurant which is well known more for its location and service than its food or drink (I am being honest here). It is a bare spartan establishment, but I have had many a cuppa there and for this birthday I just wanted something friendly and familiar. So myself, Heche, Fifi, Efa and Kamarul purchased some food from the Ramadan Bazaar and enjoyed a cheerful break-fast there, thanks to the flexible interpretation of the no-outside-food rule by Iqbal the manager. So you see, the number 6 made me very happy yesterday too. For God is indeed the One, but when it comes to blessings, His measure is any number and beyond infinity.

HU. Allah (s.w.t.) is Hu (He). And Hu is He Hu never lets us down... masyaAllah, even if I am just a dog barking at the door of the Master.

Woof Woof!

That is sinner talk to mean "Right now I am simply happy. Thank you."

I was alone in the rain. Then You came and said You were my Friend.

Have a lovely day today, sunshine, and while you are at it, have a nice life too. For only God can truly compensate you for finding a place in your heart for an incorrigible sinner like me. Woof woof!

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

SAYYIDINA MIFTAH (saws) in the SHAHR AL-MIFTAH - The Ramadan Story, Part 4

The Further Prophet

Oh Prophet of God,

Oh Muhammad, the Flag of Guidance,

Oh Muhammad, the Key to the Garden,

Verily, the further in history you are,

The more there is to know of you,

Like a glittering star,

The more distant you appear to be,

The more fascinating your story,

The more immense your personality,

The more complete your mercy.

The Greatest Master

And the Greatest Servant,

The One who is named after the Only One,

The Reason for Creation,

God's Mercy to all the Worlds!

............................ 

End of Time. The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s) departed this world in the year 632 A.D. But unlike any other person before him and since, his story has not ended with his demise. Indeed, his story continues to flourish with greater vigour and spirit, despite the best efforts of those who would cut short his prophethood. 

120. The Wounded Shepherd (With our own mason)

I hurt, I bleed.

But not a drop

Of my blood must fall

On the soil of Ta’if.

Am I not the prophet for the end of time?

And the end of time is not here yet, O’ Gibrail.

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

A Dynamic Life. And flowing from this understanding of the Messenger's (s.a.w.s.) unique station that transcends time and space, comes the supporting life tales of the holy host of Messengers, Prophets and Saints before him and of Saints after him, that are sent by our One Loving God to guide all of humanity towards adab (good manners) and ilm (knowledge), and to forsake our hubris, hate, bigotry, pride and selfishness. This dynamic nature of spiritual lore that both transcends and governs physical knowledge is the particular hallmark of Islam, which is manifested by the Criterion, the Book of the Universe called the Holy Quran, and the traditions of the Chosen One, Muhammad Habibullah, known as the Sunnah.

The Guide and the Key. But I cannot say anything anymore on this. For beyond this is the path of experience and love. And for this, you need to find your guide. So for heaven's sake, don't forget to ask God for your guide, who will lead you, on a direct course for the Key. The Key to Creation, the Key to Mercy and Compassion, the Key to knowing best the person that you call "me" or "I", that being none other than Muhammad Sayyidina Miftah, Most Beloved of God (s.a.w.s.).

And since this month of Ramadan is also known as Shahr al-Miftah (the Month of the Key), I think this is most apt. Don't you agree, sunshine?

Wake Up!

Do not despair in this world and its nightmares!

Wake up to Him! Wake up to Love! Wake up to Truth!

Wake up to Beauty, Mercy and the real you!

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

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way