Sojourn Reflections

I search, I seek, I reflect.. An inquisitive mind writes purely to please its Lord

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بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

*Reviving the Islamic Spirit (RIS) UK Tour*

Amazing scholars such as Dr Umar Faruq, Shaykh Ninowy, Imam Zaid Shakir, Shaykh Yahya Rhodos will be present at the RIS UK TOUR next month, amongst many others presenters!

Make sure you are too! Tickets available now!

**FEEL FREE TO MESSAGE ME FOR FURTHER INFO**

…or go to http://risconvention.com to book your tickets. Don’t miss out on this epic event.

Visit the *Facebook events page* for updates, videos and amazing quotes by scholars and presenters. https://www.facebook.com/risevents/

A taste of what the full 3 day RIS convention in Canada is like can be seen in this video https://youtu.be/cX92uQ4PjP8

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The RIS Convention usually takes place in Canada as a full 3 day convention, the UK Tour in July is here to give you a taste.

*Reviving the Islamic Spirit* is an attempt by the young Muslims in the West to help overcome challenges of communication and integration and help promote stronger ties within our society through reviving the Islamic tradition of education, tolerance and introspection across cultural lines through points of commonality and respect.

I personally invite you all as feel it is really important, more now than ever, to come together as communities to demonstrate the true values of Islam. This is a neutral event and does not engage in any ideological discourse, and therefore an excellent opportunity for all to attend, both Muslims and non-Muslims who want to be a part of the change.

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Love of the world

"...a third of the Qur'an is about censuring the material world and materialistic people." [pg 160] "Know that anyone who thinks that he can be enthralled in the world with his body, yet avoid it with his heart, is delusional. The Prophet ﷺ said: 'The likeness of a worldly person is the likeness of one who walks in water. Is the one who walks in water able to walk without getting his feet wet?'" [Pg 61] Al-Ghazali's adapted summary of Ihya 'Ulum ad-Din, 2006: The Forty Principles of Religion. London: Turath Publishing.

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One Ummah - Be United Not Divided

“And be not of Al-Mushrikoon (polytheists). Of those who split their religion, and became sects, each group rejoicing in that which is with it.” [Surah ar-Room 30:31-32]

Setting up groups is a cause for disunity and spreads hatred amongst the Muslims so that a Muslim from one group will not give salaam to a Muslim from another group just because they belong to different groups. Or a group from one Mosque will not like Muslims from another Mosque to come and pray in ‘their’ Mosque.

All this stems from partisanship and it divides the Ummah. Unity will not occur whilst Muslims are in this state rather unity will occur when an end is put to partisanship and Muslims love each other because they are all have the same aims, beliefs and practices.

Put your energy and focus on all the matters you agree upon, instead of that, whch you disagree upon. E.g. there is One God,  Prophet Muhammad is the final messenger, we must pray 5 times a day…

Stand United

“And be not of Al-Mushrikoon (polytheists). Of those who split their religion, and became sects, each group rejoicing in that which is with it.” [Surah ar-Room 30:31-32]

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Reminder, first and foremost to myself!

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Tie your camel

When we consider ourselves spiritual and the “men and women of God,” we think we need to become monks who sit on their prayer rug with prayer beads and do dhikr (remembrance of Allah ﷻ) all day, especially in time of struggles and difficulties. All of that is fine as long as we are spending our time making sure we have done our part. We need to first and foremost put our trust in Allah ﷻ, as long as we have ‘tied our camels’. This term comes from a story where a companion of Our Beloved Prophet ﷺ left his camel without tying it. Our Beloved Prophet ﷺ asked him: “Why do not you tie down your camel?” The man said, “I put my trust in Allah ﷻ” to which Prophet ﷺ responded, “Tie your camel first, then put your trust in Allah ﷻ.” (Recorded in Jami’ at-Tirmidhi) Part of our faith is to know and teach our ourselves and our children to trust Allah ﷻ in every situation. But we need to do the necessary action too, as the hadith implies, and we must be aware of that and take ownership. We need to study for our test, and then put our trust in Allah ﷻ to pass. Take the medication, and then put our trust in Allah ﷻ to cure us. Work out and eat healthy, and then put our trust in Allah ﷻ to give us health and strength. Buckle up and drive safely, and then put our trust in Allah ﷻ to keep us safe. We need to work hard, make a living, spend in the cause of Allah ﷻ, and then put our trust in Allah ﷻ to eliminate poverty. I think we got the point! Confidence in Islam, optimism, responsibility, faith, physical strength, leadership and action - seven qualities we need to instil in ourselves and our children, to become productive individuals of the Ummah. It’s never too late to start – have sincere intentions to establish these values within yourself and help to nature them in the people around you, In-Shaa'Allah. Source unknown Moral of the story: Don’t forget to do YOUR bit

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35 Ways to Respect your Parents

1. Put away your phone in their presence.

2. Pay attention to what they are saying.

3. Accept their opinions.

4. Engage in their conversations.

5. Look at them with respect

6. Always praise them.

7. Share good news with them.

8. Avoid sharing bad news with them.

9. Speak well of their friends and loved ones to them.

10. Keep in remembrance the good things they did.

11. If they repeat a story listen like it’s the first time they tell it.

12. Don’t bring up painful memories from the past.

13. Avoid side conversations in their presence.

14. Sit respectfully around them.

15. Don’t belittle/criticize their opinions and thoughts.

16. Avoid cutting them off when they speak.

17. Respect their age.

18. Avoid hitting/disciplining their grandchildren around them.

19. Accept their advice and direction.

20. Give them the power of leadership when they are present.

21. Avoid raising your voice at them.

22. Avoid walking in front or ahead of them.

23. Avoid eating before them

24. Avoid glaring at them.

25. Fill them with your appreciation even when they don’t think they deserve it.

26. Avoid putting your feet up in front of them or sitting with your back to them.

27. Don’t speak ill of them to the point where others speak ill of them too.

28. Keep them in your prayers always possible.

29. Avoid seeming bored or tired of them in their presence.

30. Avoid laughing at their faults/mistakes.

31. Do a task before they ask you to.

32. Continuously visit them.

33. Choose your words carefully when speaking with them.

34. Call them by names they like.

35. Make them your priority above anything.

Appreciate your parents whilst you still can, and duas for this weak one, so that I too can fulfil the rights of my parents well inshaa'Allah.

Source: unkown

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Subhan'Allah! The truth as we know it, Islam is all encompassing, for your mind, body and soul.

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The Impact of Personal Environments

Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim, Alhumdulillahi rabil aalameen.

To be in the depths of goodness, is truly where the heart and soul find peace and tranquillity.  It is often narrated that we should choose our friends and environment wisely; that our friends can make or break us.  That the environment we choose to dwell in, has an impact on our well-being, our lifestyle, and our life choices. 

Allah subhana wa tala created us as guardians over our, soul, body and mind. With an obligation to protect these from environmental and personal effects.

It appears to be easy for those of sound mind to comprehend and accept the benefits and effects of anything we can physically see the impact of.  Such as, a good diet and exercise for our bodies, the logic and benefit of wearing weather appropriate clothing, and the harm verbal and physical abuse can have. We readily accept these and try and make physical changes to attain healthier lives where we can see a tangible difference. For example, in the depths of winter, where choice permits, we would only ever consider wearing warm clothing to protect our bodies from the cold.

Yet it does not appear we have the same resolve to place ourselves in ‘good’ environments and remain within them for the benefit and growth of our souls. This is in spite of the innumerable research which is done showing the effects of ones environment on one’s growth.  Lets take for example the research done on the affects of positive and negative words on the growth on plants, which followed the Japanese scientist named Dr. Masaru Emoto’s water experiments, where he exposed water to different words, music, names, prayers, blessings, etc., and then photographed the way the water crystallized when frozen.    Both these experiments showed how incredible the impact was when positive words were used, how the water crystallised in a more beautiful and symmetrical way, and how the plant flourished. So how about on us? Our bodies have an average of 60% water, so imagine the effect of dhikr (remembrance of Allah) on our states. This impacts our spiritual growth whether we intend it to or not. So surround yourself with goodness and see the positive effects on your life and well-being.

From this, we can deduce how much wisdom and depth there is within the sayings of our beloved Prophet ﷺ,  such as, on the authority of Abu Musa al-Ash’ari (radiAllahu anhu), the Prophet ﷺ said:

“The likeness of a righteous friend and an evil friend, is the likeness of a (musk) perfume seller and a blacksmith. As for the perfume seller, he may either bestow something on you, or you may purchase something from him, or you may benefit from his sweet smell. And as for the blacksmith, he may either burn your clothes, or you may be exposed to his awful smell.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

As we go to protect our outer bodies from the harshness of the environments we may find ourselves in, we should take precaution to safeguard our hearts and souls, and seek out environments which will increase our connection to Allah subhana wa tala and His beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ .  

It is only when we regularly place ourselves in ‘good’ environments and company, that we can truly appreciate the positive impact this has upon us.  It is only then, when we are away from such gatherings, our heart and soul crave to be back there, to rejoice in the gardens of paradise, surrounded by angels. Do not deprive yourselves and become complacent being away from that of benefit.

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We feed our desires without question, this in return weakens our nafs, be mindful of this and don't always give into your desires, be disciplined. Be in control of it, not controlled by it!!

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"There lies within the body a piece of flesh. If it is sound, the whole body is sound; and if it is corrupted, the whole body is corrupted. Verily this piece is the heart." (Bukhari & Muslim)

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Allah loves you

Amazing advice by the great scholar, Ibn Al-Qayyim…please read:

“A friend will not (literally) share your struggles, and a loved one cannot physically take away your pain, and a close one will not stay up the night on your behalf…so look after yourself, protect it, nurture it…and don’t give life’s events more than what they are really worth…Be certain that when you break no one will heal you except you, and when you are defeated no one will give you victory except your determination…your ability to stand up again and carry on is your responsibility…Do not look for your self worth in the eyes of people; look for your worth from within your conscious…if your conscious is at peace then you will ascend high…and if you truly know yourself then what is said about you won’t harm you.

Do not carry the worries of this life… because this is for Allah…and do not carry the worries of sustenance because it is from Allah…and do not carry the anxiety for the future because it is in the Hands of Allah…

Carry one thing: How to Please Allah. Because if you please Him, He Pleases you, fulfils you and enriches you. Do not weep from a life that made your heart weep…just say “oh Allah…compensate me with good in this life and the hereafter”.

Sadness departs with a sajdah…happiness comes with a sincere du'a…Allah Does Not forget the good you do…nor Does He Forget the good you did to others and the pain you relieved them from…Nor Will He Forget the eye which was about to cry but you made it laugh…

Live your life with this principle: Be good even if you don’t receive good…not because of other’s sake but because Allah Loves the good doers”.

Subhan Allah

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If you’re in a good situation, God will send to you the people of tribulation. If, however, you reject to help them, and close the door on them, God will make you amongst the people of tribulation. God will take away your blessings because your blessings are to serve the people in tribulation.

Al Ghazali

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The Litany includes essential Prophetic invocations holitically weaved in to pertinent Quranic verses for your daily protection and wellbeing from inward and outward perils, for increasing provisions and blessings in your life إن شاء الله

The more you read it the more lighter and easier it becomes on the tongue. It is beautiful to read in a gathering

As with all the litanies of Imam al-Haddad, al-Wird al-Latif is made up of nothing but the ‘prayers’ of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the formulae that he instructed his community to recite mornings and evenings. It is therefore strictly in conformity with the sunna, and once it is well-rehearsed and becomes regular practice, one can rest assured that he is following the ‘Prophetic’ instructions as to which adhkar he should use to begin and end his day.

It may be used for protection from various inward and outward perils, for curing certain illnesses, for increasing certain kinds of provision, for haraka, and for the recompense promised for the recitation of each of its letters. Knowing this, Muslims all over the world have always recited both the Qur’an and the Prophetic invocations in their original Arabic, even when unable to understand the language, to make sure that they lose none of the secrets and baraka, much of which are lost in translation.

A beautiful excerpt from Shaykh Hamza’s talk on Wird al Latif

https://youtu.be/8XvAyQeAJ2k

“People are in need of the Prophetic du’ā’s now, more than ever, because there are shayateen everywhere. If we could see the unseen world, I’m telling you, we would all pass out. Because there are demons all over the place. What you’re doing whilst reciting invocations and litanies is creating a space around you, that if the Jinn and shaytaan see it, they have to back away. If you are consistent with this (Wird al Latif), I guarantee you will see a difference in your life. And if you miss it out you’ll feel horrible during the day – it’ll feel like going outside without brushing your teeth. Put yourself in the protection of Allāh through daily du’ā.”

— Shaykh Hamza Yūsuf

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An easy way to keep up your zikr!!

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Key to the Inner Secrets

Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz’s commentary on “Miftah al-Sarair” (“Key to the Inner Secrets”) by his ancestor, Shaykh Abu Bakr bin Salim. The book contains essential advice for every seeker. Allah’s Attributes of Forgiving and Concealing Shaykh Abu Bakr bin Salim (may Allah have mercy upon him) mentions Allah’s name, “al-Ghaffar” (the Oft-Forgiving) so that we know that our sins cannot veil us from Him however great or numerous they are. The Devil benefits from an act of disobedience by making the person who commits it fall into a greater act of disobedience which is to despair of Allah’s mercy. Or he makes him believe that his sin is greater than Allah’s mercy. Sins are the attribute of the slave and forgiveness is the attribute of Allah. How can the attribute of the slave be greater than the attribute of Allah? The sign of someone who is truthful in seeking forgiveness from their Lord is that they forgive whatever wrongs Allah’s slaves do them. It is only fitting that Allah then forgives them. The one who constantly seeks to take his rights from people will have the hardest reckoning on the Day of Judgement. The Shaykh also mentions Allah’s name, al-Sattar (the One Who conceals people’s faults) . If someone wishes for Allah to conceal his faults, let him conceal the faults of Allah’s slaves. The Prophet ﷺ said: “If someone conceals a believer’s faults, Allah will conceal his faults in this life and the next. - See more at: http://muwasala.org/key-to-the-inner-secrets-lesson-one/#sthash.oVbzyDVS.dpuf

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Fake video - take heed

There is a Facebook video circulating the net titled 'Muslims Around The World Celebrate The Islamic Victory In Paris Franch' it shows a crowd of Pakistani men dancing with the Pakistani flag outside Tooting Broadway tube station. This is a fake video - the footage has been taken from the street celebrations following Pakistani cricket match victory during the 20/20 games in 2009. This video has gone viral with 458,000 views in the last 2 hours - This will have an impact on Muslim communities across London. Please circulate this message via your social networks now. Need to let people know this video is fake. Forewarded message.

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The original article around it is here too http://spiritualperception.org/top-five-misquotations-of-the-quran/

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The original article around it is here too http://spiritualperception.org/top-five-misquotations-of-the-quran/